vegan

Delicious Bean Stew

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Delicious Bean Stew is creamy, vibrant, budget-friendly and incredibly satisfying. It is vegan comfort in a pot. Easy to make in under an hour, this deceptively rich vegan stew is incredibly satisfying without leaving you feeling as if you over-indulged.

Since the Pandemic, I have been following a vlog out of Amsterdam called Pick Up Limes. They now also have a really terrific app and a website. If you are looking either to add some vegan meals to your repertoire or are choosing to go whole-hog vegan (pun intended) this is a great place to start. It is accessible, non-judgmental and best of all – the recipes really work. Yes, I do make some tweaks, but they would also be great as written.

This Delicious Bean Stew has a few changes from the original, in part because my store and pantry were out of some items. But this only proves how good the recipe is. I went to three separate grocery stores and no one had either Butter Beans or Dried Rosemary. As it happens, I really love to cook up my own beans as I have mentioned many times before. Not only do dried beans store well, with no worries of exploding or leaking cans, but I control the aromatics. In addition, I use the resulting cooking liquids to replace or augment the liquids in soups and stews.

Would canned beans work? Of course. And if that is your preference or all you have time for, please use them. While the original recipe called for Butter Beans, I used Royal Corona. We absolutely love these beans, which are easily available online. These large European runner beans cook up to be meaty and creamy and can replace pretty much any white bean called for in a recipe. If you have never tried them, you are in for a real treat. I cook them with a sprig of rosemary, a bay leaf and some confited garlic in olive oil. Even without the aromatics, they are delicious.

Maybe there is a run on dried rosemary, but every store was out of it and mine was packed away for our move. However, there was fresh rosemary available. I know! When using fresh herbs, just essentially double the amount of dried herbs suggested in the recipe. I tend to be very generous in my measurements for herbs so don’t get to precise here. I did use dried thyme.

Delicious Bean Stew needed nothing more than some good bread (I used my Breadsticks in an Hour, but any good bread will do.) If you want to make a salad or serve some grapefruit with pomegranate seeds as I did – go for it. Leftovers can gently be reheated.

So whether you made any New Year’s resolutions or are just looking for some healthy, delicious vegan meals to add to your repertoire, Delicious Bean Stew is a great option.

Recipe

Yield: 4 servings with bread

Ingredients

1.5 Tablespoons neutral vegetable oil (I like Avocado)

1 large or 2 smaller leeks, white and light green parts only, washed well and thinly sliced

4 large cloves of garlic, minced

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 Tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped or 1.5 teaspoons dried rosemary, crumbled

1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and coarsely chopped

1 rounded Tablespoon all-purpose flour

1.5 cups water or cooking liquid if preparing your own beans

1 vegetable bouillon cube, crumbled

4 cups of large white beans (Royal Corona, Butter Beans, Lima’s)

3/4 cup plant-based heavy cream (I like soy, but any will do)

About 5 cups of coarsely chopped fresh spinach

2.5 Tablespoons white wine or Champagne vinegar

Cracked black pepper, to taste

Optional but Recommended Garnish

Red pepper chili flakes

chopped, flat-leaf parsley

Directions

Place oil in 5 quart pot, preferably with a heavy bottom, over medium-high heat. Add the sliced leek and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Then add the garlic, thyme and rosemary and cook for an additional 2 minutes, or until fragrant.

Now add in the sun-dried tomatoes and flour and continue cooking, while stirring for 1 more minute.

The liquid and bouillon cube are added next. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook uncovered until thickened. This only takes a minute or two.

Stir in the beans and cooking “cream” and continue cooking for another 2 minutes.

Add in your spinach, the vinegar and pepper and mix through just until the spinach wilts. Again, only another minute or two.

Garnish and enjoy!

Avocado Pistachio Pesto

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What is a dip for vegetables, a spread for burgers and sandwiches and a sauce for pasta? Avocado Pistachio Pesto – that’s what! I could even see using it on top of grilled fish or chicken. This simple-to-make, beautifully vibrant pesto is delicious in so many ways. So make a bunch and use it liberally. And the added bonus of many vegan meals is that they are extremely budget-friendly. And who wouldn’t want a delicious meal that doesn’t break the bank?

When making a dish with a few ingredients, always choose the best quality that you can find and afford. And that is especially true when using olive oil. I use a few trusted brands and I especially love the flavored olive oils. Baking cakes with olive oil not only makes them taste rich and flavorful, but they hold up beautifully as well. And there is no tedious creaming of butter and sugar or remembering to leave the butter out so it is malleable.

Don’t misunderstand. I love a really good unsalted butter slathered on freshly baked bread. And there are some cakes and cookies that just would not be the same without it. But if you haven’t tried a top quality olive oil, you don’t know what you are missing.

When ripe, avocados are creamy and rich tasting, while also being a healthy fat that packs a punch of anti-oxidants and vitamins. When combined with pistachios, lemon, basil, EVOO and mint, you have a party going on. This Avocado Pistachio Pesto will keep for a few days in the fridge if covered with a layer of EVOO. Anytime you take some pesto, fill in the gap with EVOO and the pesto will stay a beautiful green and will retain its vibrancy.

I paired my Avocado Pistachio Pesto with a red lentil pasta and some frozen, thawed baby peas. But any kind of pasta that you like will work. Throw together a quick, colorful salad and you have a great meal. So don’t wait. Make this today!

Recipe

Yield: About 4 cups

Ingredients

1 cup of raw pistachios, lightly pan-toasted

2.5 large, very ripe avocados

2 ounces of fresh basil leaves, thick stems removed

5 large garlic cloves

Juice of half of a lemon or more to taste

3/4 teaspoon kosher or fine sea salt

About 1/4 teaspoon white pepper

2 Tablespoons fresh or frozen mint leaves

Lemon EVOO or other quality EVOO that is bright and with a bit of an edge (I actually used two different olive oils in making this.)

Directions

Place all of the ingredients in a strong blender or food processor. While the machine is running, drizzle in the olive oil until you get a consistency you like. Don’t be afraid to use the EVOO. The sauce will thicken some over time. How thick you make it is personal taste. When using it with pasta, I also add about a cup of the pasta water to the sauce when ready to serve.

Breadsticks in an Hour

~ lisaandfrancescook ~ 4 Comments

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Crispy on the outside, chewy/soft on the inside and ready to eat straight from the oven. Breadsticks in an Hour is the perfect accompaniment to soup, salad and pasta.

I am in the midst of packing up our apartment for a long overdue renovation. We will be in temporary digs for about 6 months. So, as a result, I am keeping things simple. But we are bread people. There, I’ve said it. I never understood the fad of not eating carbs. We eat them daily and both my husband and I are slim.

Since we are under a severe freeze warning this week, following a snow and ice storm, all I want for dinner is some good hot soup and bread for dinner. Although, honestly, I’m in the mood for homemade soup and bread anytime of the year. And you will find many wonderful examples on my blog.

Not only do I want to keep things simple after a day of packing and lugging boxes, but many of my things are already packed up. So I have to come up with things that are still available to me until we actually move in about 10 days. And between the weather and moving, we are not rushing out to the store when I am out of something.

One day last week, it was 4:00 and we were having pasta for dinner and I realized that I didn’t have any bread. I know that for many people this is not a serious problem. However, I REALLY wanted bread with my dinner. So I went online looking for a quick recipe that didn’t require either a long rising or baking time. I came across a recipe here. It looked easy enough and I had all of the ingredients. I thought how bad could it be? I have made it twice now, tweaking it some, and I am sharing the results with you.

The way that I made the Breadsticks in an Hour yielded about 18 to 20 breadsticks. I used different flours each time and both versions had their merits, although the one I am showing here was the favorite. They freeze well and add just the right accompaniment to pasta, soup and salads. This is a recipe that will be made on repeat throughout the year.

In addition, the Breadsticks are fun to make and would be a great small project to do with kids. While I made this using a stand mixer, you could make them entirely by hand. The kneading would take a bit longer. I added rosemary and garlic powder to the dough, but you can make them with just some flaky salt on top, sesame seeds or any other dried herb or grated cheese. As they are shown here, the Breadsticks in an Hour are vegan and Kosher.

So if you are new to bread baking or an old hand at it, these are a great addition to your repertoire. Give them a try! You won’t be disappointed.

Recipe

Yield: 18 to 20 long breadsticks

Ingredients

1.5 cups of warm water (warm to your finger tips)

1 Tablespoon active dried yeast or instant yeast

1 Tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon dried, crumbled rosemary (or 2 teaspoons fresh, chopped rosemary)

3/4 to 1 teaspoon garlic powder

3+ cups of flour (I love Bob’s Mill Artisan Flour. I also used about 2 Tablespoons of Janie’s Whole Kernel Bread Flour. The first time I made these, I used only the Whole Kernel Bread Flour.)

EVOO (About 1/4 cup in total) (Try to use a good, flavorful EVOO. I like Mediterranean Blend or the oil left from making Garlic Confit.)

Flaky Salt for sprinkling

Directions

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. I like my oven to be good and hot when I bake bread.

If you are using Active Dried Yeast (as I do), then place the yeast and sugar into the warm water. Stir it through and allow to stand until bubbly. My house has so many yeast spores around that this only took about 5 minutes. If you are using Instant Yeast, you can skip this step.

In a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, add 3 cups of the flour, the salt, dried herbs and seasonings, if used. Give it a quick mix with a spoon or spatula to distribute everything. Add your Instant yeast, sugar and water OR the yeast/water/sugar mixture once proofed.

On the lowest setting, start to mix everything together. Once the flour won’t fly out of the bowl, turn the mixer up to the second level and keep it going until a soft dough just clears the sides of the bowl and is only very slightly sticky. If necessary, add another one to 2 Tablespoons more of flour. This only took about 4 minutes.

Allow the dough to rest in the bowl, covered with a towel, for 10 minutes.

Spread EVOO in a half-sheet pan and a quarter-sheet pan. (I use a silicone brush).

After the dough has rested, add a little EVOO to your counter surface or silicone mat. Press the dough out with your hands into a rectangle that is about 16-inches by 7-inches. You don’t have to be perfect! I use a silicone mat with a ruler on it, to make it simple for me.

Since I am using a silicone mat, I use a large plastic knife to cut my dough into strips about 1 to 1.5 inches in width. I do the cuts vertically along the short end. The dough is stretchy so your breadsticks will end up longer then the 7-inches.

Then give each strip a few twists. Again – we are not going for perfectly even. Some bits will be a little thinner and some fatter. Place the twisted strips onto the baking sheets about 1/2-inch apart. If an end is too thin, I just tucked it under a bit. I love the knobs and twists that get a great crisp on the outside, with a lovely chewy, soft inside.

Brush the breadsticks with EVOO and sprinkle with Maldon Flaky Salt (widely available) or sesame seeds. Allow to rest for about 20 minutes. They will poof up some.

Place the breadsticks in the oven and bake for about 18 minutes or until golden brown. As soon as you remove the breadsticks from the oven, brush with a little more EVOO and sprinkle on a few more flakes of salt.

My current oven can only accommodate one pan, so the other pan got an additional 18-minute rest. I didn’t notice any difference in the two pans after baking.

To freeze: Just place in a freezer bag. Re-warm, thawed breadsticks in a 350 degree F. oven for about 3 minutes.

Vegan Egg Salad

~ lisaandfrancescook ~ Leave a comment

Due to the unprovoked, criminal and seemingly endless brutal war of annihilation against Ukrainian civilians by Vladimir Putin and his army and the worsening humanitarian crisis, please consider helping by following the link below. There are a number of reputable aid agencies from which to choose. Many of these agencies will also help victims suffering the devastating effects of natural disasters and from Terror Organizations like Hamas and Hezbollah.

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Normally, I take vegan recipes on their own merit rather than comparing them to their non-vegan counterparts. However, if you didn’t watch me make this Vegan Egg Salad and I simply served it in a sandwich, you very likely would assume that you were eating real eggs. I have also served this as a luncheon salad over lettuce and other than it doesn’t look quite exactly like non-vegan egg salad, the taste was the same.

I have no problem with real eggs. No animal had to die to give them to me and they are nutritious powerhouses. But I actually have come to prefer my Vegan Egg Salad over non-vegan egg salad. And I get all the protein with less fat.

Tofu sucks up flavor like a sponge. So in and of itself, there isn’t much of a flavor profile. Squeeze out the excess liquid and add your seasonings of choice and now we’re talkin’. There are different levels of tofu – everything from Silken tofu to extra, extra-firm. And different brands. Find a brand that you like and use the extra-firm for this recipe.

This recipe is my favorite version, but feel free to change it up. Use fresh dill instead of parsley or cilantro or a combination. If you absolutely have no fresh herbs in the house, use some dried dill. The one ingredient that you must have to pull this off is Kala Namak or Black Salt. It smells god-awful. But it is that sulphurous smell that when used with tofu, fools you into thinking you are eating eggs. Thankfully, once it is mixed with the other ingredients, that awful smell dissipates. You don’t need a lot, but if you are looking to make tofu scrambles or chickpea omelet or fritatta, you’ll want this on hand. It’s available online and in spice shops and some ethnic grocery markets.

So if you are looking to add some delicious and easy vegan alternatives to your weekday meals, this Vegan Egg Salad is a great way to start. The measurements are a guide. Depending on where you live, tofu may come in slightly different weights than I get. Don’t get bogged down with that. You may like more -or-less – pickle. Make it your own. Give it a try. This will hold up well in the fridge for several days, although you may need to mix through or pour off any liquid that might form at the bottom.

This is great to take on picnics because unlike things made with real eggs and real mayonnaise, Vegan Egg Salad won’t spoil as quickly.

Recipe

Yield: About 4 cups

Ingredients

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14 ounces of extra-firm tofu, pressed or squeezed of its liquid (Since the tofu will be broken up anyway, just go ahead and squeeze the liquid out with your hands.)

2 to 3 scallions or 1/2 of a small onion, chopped

2 to 3 T chopped pickle of choice (I like gherkins for this, but you do you.)

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

3/4 teaspoon Kala Namak or Black Salt

1/4 cup chopped fresh herbs (Parsley, cilantro, dill or a mix)

1/2 of a small carrot finely grated or to taste

1/8 teaspoon of ground turmeric

Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

2 rounded Tablespoons of your favorite vegan mayonnaise or more to taste

Directions

Squeeze as much liquid out of the tofu as you can. Crumble the tofu into a bowl.

Add all of the remaining ingredients and mix thoroughly. Taste and adjust the seasonings.

Vegan White Bean Chorizo Soup

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As soon as the weather turns chilly, I love to make White Bean Soup with Pesto and Chorizo. However, increasingly I find myself making vegan dishes with meat only for Shabbat. I do this for our health (and my heart health is amazing according to my recent check-up!), the planet, and because they can be very delicious and satisfying. Also, there have been huge strides in plant-based meat substitutes. I will not use any vegan meat substitutes unless they pass muster with my husband – a former big meat eater.

So when I recently found a plant-based chorizo in my grocery store, I got pretty excited. I wanted to see if with a few changes I could make a delicious version that was vegan. Vegan White Bean Chorizo Soup is wonderful. While I don’t deny that vegan chorizo lacks that oily spiciness associated with meat-based chorizo, in a dish like this it was great. And they absolutely nailed the spices. So I simply used a flavorful and high-quality olive oil to give the dish that oily punch.

Now I happen to love to cook up my own beans. And when I do, nothing is wasted, since I use the cooking liquid in place of or in addition to a good vegetable or chicken stock. An absolute favorite white bean is the cannellini bean. It always cooks up to be meaty and tender and is readily available. However, you could use a navy or Great Northern bean instead. And while not a white bean, a borlotti or cranberry bean would also be delicious here. And, yes, canned beans work well here too, especially if you are short on time.

Since neither my husband nor I enjoy spicy/hot foods, I am always careful to pay close attention to what I add to a dish to achieve the fullest flavor. I like well-seasoned (not overly salted, though) foods with just a good under-tone of spice. And especially when I am preparing vegan dishes, I want the maximum flavor that I can get so that you never miss the meat.

In addition to an improvement in plant-based meat substitutes, non-grain-based pastas have improved. I used to find them rather gummy and mushy. Recently, however, we have started using red lentil pasta. Now, I would never stop eating wheat-based pastas, but sometimes and in certain dishes, this is a really nice alternative. And it is an inexpensive way to get a good hit of protein and fiber. This has become a go-to “pig-out” comfort food since I can eat as much as I want without any heavy feeling afterwards. And while I did not make a scientific study of this – I have seen zero weight gain when I do this.

But I digress. This simple, hearty soup is a one-pot wonder of a complete meal. But if you wish to make the dinner a bit more special, enjoy it with a nice glass of red wine and a good crusty bread or focaccia. If you have the time and feel so inclined, a crisp green salad would go well too, although it honestly isn’t needed. Vegan White Bean Chorizo Soup makes great left-overs so don’t hesitate to make a big pot.

Recipe

Yield: 4-6 generous servings

Ingredients

3 Tablespoons EVOO

1 large onion, chopped

3/4 cup chopped fresh fennel or celery

4 large cloves of garlic, chopped

1 bunch flat-leaf parsley, chopped

1 15 ounce can diced tomatoes, preferably fire-roasted

2 Tablespoons tomato paste

1 tablespoon dried oregano

3 – 15 oz. cans cooked white beans like Cannellini OR 5-6 cups cooked white beans

4 cups Vegetable Stock, preferably unsalted and/or the cooking liquid from your beans (If you are only using the cooking liquid from the beans, add 2 vegan bouillon cubes of the flavor of your choice when you add the liquid and some additional water)

1 teaspoon (or to taste) Kosher salt and about 25 cracks of fresh ground black pepper

1/2 cup broken up uncooked thin red lentil spaghetti

6 ounces (or more to taste) good quality vegan pesto (look for one where basil is the first ingredient and where it uses olive oil and preferably has pine nuts or walnuts)

10 ounces crumbled vegan chorizo (Cook according to package instructions)

If you are into plant-based cheese, you can garnish with some freshly grated “parmesan” or a drizzle of a good olive oil

Directions

In a 6 quart stock pot or Dutch oven, heat 3 Tablespoons of EVOO. Add the onion, fennel or celery, garlic and parsley and cook for 2-3 minutes or until the onion has softened.

Add the canned tomatoes, tomato paste and oregano and continue cooking for another 6 or 7 minutes.

Add 2 cups of the cooked beans and one cup of the stock or bean cooking liquid. Then season with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon or to taste of black pepper. Cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes.

If you are using an immersion blender, you can blend the mixture, with the heat turned off, immediately. You want it mostly smooth but don’t go crazy if there are some bigger bits. If you are using a blender or food processor, you must let the mixture cool down or you will have a mess. This will also need to be done in batches. See how much easier it is with an immersion blender?!

Add the remaining beans and the rest of the stock. Season with salt and pepper, if necessary and add the pasta. Stir. Cook the pasta for about 8 to 10 minutes in the pot of soup.

Add the chorizo and the pesto. Stir through. The soup should be thick, but still soup.

Serve with a dollop of pesto and a good glug of a flavorful EVOO or vegan grated cheese. Leftovers will keep and they will thicken some. It’s up to you if you want to thin it out with some additional stock. I LIKE thick soup.

Vegan Orange “Chicken”

~ lisaandfrancescook ~ Leave a comment

Due to the unprovoked, criminal and seemingly endless brutal war of annihilation against Ukrainian civilians by Vladimir Putin and his army and the worsening humanitarian crisis, please consider helping by following the link below. There are a number of reputable aid agencies from which to choose. Many of these agencies will also help victims suffering the devastating effects of natural disasters and from Terror Organizations like Hamas and Hezbollah.

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It can be difficult these days to write about anything so mundane as what to make for dinner. These are very troubled and disturbing times across the world and here at home. But eat we must. So I am especially happy when I can pass on something that is visually striking, quick to make, nutritious, delicious and riffable. Vegan Orange “Chicken” fits the bill on all levels.

I have used a chicken substitute here, which is the absolute fastest method. However, this can just as easily be prepared with pressed extra firm tofu. Check out the preparation for using tofu on Pick UP Limes. And frankly, the sauce, which I got from the blog Pick Up Limes is good enough for those of you who prefer to use real chicken. If you are unfamiliar with this blog, which is also on YouTube, and are thinking of trying some Vegan recipes, this is a great place to start. Everything I have made from here has worked as written and has been delicious.

While the world is going to hell in a handbasket (I never quite understood that phrase, but I love the way it sounds), we still have to nourish our bodies and those of ones we love. Even if you work full-time, this dish is put together in under 30 minutes, especially with a few shortcuts. Give it a try.

Recipe

Yield: 3 to 4 servings

Ingredients

For the stir-fry

3 to 4 Tablespoons neutral oil (I like Avocado)

10 to 12 ounces of vegan diced chik’n (There are a number of brands out there now)

About 6 cups of broccoli florets (about 10 or 12 ounces or 1,050 gr, if buying it pre-cut) (IF you wish to use some other firm vegetable or even a mix of vegetables, go for it.)

2 to 3 scallions, cut on an angle, white and green parts

1 mandarin orange, peeled and broken into segments

For the sauce

1 cup (240 mL) orange juice

2 cloves garlic, crushed

2 tsp (10 mL) sriracha hot sauce 

2 Tablespoons (30 mL) sodium-reduced soy sauce or Amino Acids

½ Tablespoons (3 g) freshly grated ginger

½ Tablespoons (7 mL) rice vinegar

1 Tablespoons (8 g) cornstarch 

½ Tablespoons (7 mL) agave or maple syrup, plus more to taste 

Directions

Follow the package instructions for cooking the vegan chik’n. In my case, I heated on medium high heat 2 Tablespoons of oil in a large skillet or wok. Non-stick is best or a well-seasoned cast iron pan. I poured in the diced chik’n pieces, carefully breaking them into pieces, if frozen together. I cooked the pieces, stirring frequently, for half the amount of time stated on the package.

After 8 minutes (according to my package) I added another Tablespoon of oil and threw in my broccoli florets. I tossed everything through the oil and cooked for another 5 minutes.

While the vegan chik’n and broccoli is cooking, I prepared the sauce in a large measuring cup (or medium bowl). After whisking together the sauce so that there are no lumps of cornstarch, I poured it over the stir-fry mixture, mixing it through. I also added my mandarin sections. The heat was turned up to high and the sauce was brought to a low boil. If you don’t get the sauce hot enough, it won’t thicken. I continued cooking and coating everything with the sauce for 5 to 7 more minutes.

When I was ready to serve, I plated cooked brown rice (any rice will do) and generously ladled out the Vegan Orange “Chicken” over it. I scattered the cut scallions and enjoyed!

Kabocha Squash Lentils Rice and Caramelized Onions

~ lisaandfrancescook ~ Leave a comment

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Sweet savory, comforting and downright delicious. Kabocha Squash Lentils Rice and Caramelized Onions. Any of the elements of this wonderful dish would be great on its own or as part of another dish. And the entire dish can be prepped ahead and cooked one hour before you are ready to eat or cooked ahead and gently rewarmed. How convenient.

Kabocha Squash Lentils Rice and Caramelized Onions is easily riffable and can be entirely vegan if you choose one of the other toppings than the one pictured or use a vegan cheese. I seasoned my vegetables with baharat, a warm Middle Eastern spice blend that is perfect for all of the fall and winter comfort foods. But you could just as easily use ras el hanout, hawaij or even pumpkin spice blend. Any one of these would give you delicious results.

Until a couple of years ago, winter squash for me meant either butternut or acorn squash. I was, frankly, a little afraid of all of those interesting, and often misshapen squashes I would see at the farmer’s market and grocery store. I simply had no idea how to cook them. And then came the pandemic. You all remember that, right? Suddenly, I was seeing all of these squash options and figured that there were more things to be afraid of than an unfamiliar vegetable. My world expanded and I have never looked back.

Kabocha squash is a winter squash that is also known as Japanese Pumpkin. It is a knobbly looking squash that when roasted is incredibly sweet. When my husband started eating this dish, he asked what sweetener I had used and was surprised when I answered “None.” I only used EVOO, baharat and a bit of salt.

Kabocha Squash Lentils Rice and Caramelized Onions is a wonderful vegan meal and the lentils and brown rice make a complete and filling protein. This recipe makes extra filling on purpose. You can use the leftover lentils and rice and add a vegan or other sausage and you have a totally different meal that only requires a green salad and some good bread. And since making perfect caramelized onions isn’t difficult but does take time, I always make a big batch and it lasts for a long time in the fridge, covered with EVOO. We love it on pizza and flatbread, but it’s also great with Sabich and Sephardic slow-cooked eggs known as Huevos Haminados.

The next time you are looking for that perfect autumn meal that will drive away the damp and chill, give Kabocha Squash Lentils Rice and Caramelized Onions a go.

Recipe

Yield: 4 servings with extra filling

Ingredients

For Squash

2 Kabocha Squash

About 1 teaspoon baharat spice blend (this will depend on how many squashes you actually choose to make)

Sprinkling of kosher salt

EVOO for drizzling

For Lentils and Brown Rice

1 cup brown lentils (I like Pardina Lentils, also known as brown Spanish lentils. They hold their shape well and have a creamy, nutty flavor.)

1 cup brown rice, preferably short-grain, but any kind will do

3 cups of water or vegetable stock

1 teaspoon salt

1.5 rounded teaspoons baharat spice blend

1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric

a generous handful of fresh herbs chopped (I used dill, parsley and cilantro)

For Caramelized Onions

5 or 6 large white or yellow onions

1/4 cup EVOO

Optional toppings for serving

Tahini dressing

Labneh or plain yogurt

Feta cheese, crumbled

Grilled Haloumi Cheese

Chutney

Directions

For Caramelized Onions

Peel, halve and thinly slice all of your onions. Warm the EVOO in a large, heavy-bottomed skillet with high-ish sides. Cast iron is great for this.

Add the onions and using tongs or large spoon, gently stir the onions to coat with the oil. Cook over low heat, only stirring (or turning over) the onions occasionally until they are deep brown and almost spreadable. Be patient and don’t rush this. The result is worth it. The cooking time can take up to 3 hours, which is why I make a big batch and always have it in my fridge. As long as there is a layer of EVOO covering the onions, they will last a very long time in the fridge and even just a small amount lends incredible flavor to any dish you use them in.

For the Kabocha Squash

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Oil the bottom of an oven-proof pan that is large enough to hold the cut halves of squash. I actually only made one squash for the two of us, but the filling recipe could easily feed 4 or even 6, so make as many squash as you like.

Using a large, sharp knife, cut the squash in half vertically starting with the stem at the top. Scoop out the seeds and stringy stuff in the cavity of the squash. Sprinkle the cavity and rim of the cut squash with salt and a generous sprinkling of spice blend.

Place the squash, cut-side down, on the oiled pan and roast for 40 minutes. Turn the squash over and continue roasting for another 20 minutes. If you are worried that the squash is becoming too brown, loosely cover them with aluminum foil. The squash should give easily when cooked. These can be kept in a warm oven with the heat turned off and covered for up to an hour. They can also be rewarmed. I would add a bit more EVOO if rewarming.

For the lentils and rice

Rinse and drain the rice and lentils. Pick over the lentils to be sure that there are no small stones or other debris. (This will entirely depend on where you buy your lentils.)

Bring the water or vegetable stock to a boil with 2 Tablespoons of EVOO, 1 teaspoon of salt, 1/2 teaspoon of ground turmeric and 1.5 rounded teaspoons of baharat. Add the drained lentils and rice and bring the mixture back to a boil. Cover the pot tightly and reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook for 45 minutes. Then turn off the heat. Uncover the pot and give everything a fluff with a fork. Recover the pot and allow the mixture to steam for about 10 minutes. Add in the chopped herbs, reserving a little for garnish.

When you are ready to serve, assemble your dish. Fill the squash cavity with the lentil rice mixture and top with some of the caramelized onions. Then the rest is up to you. Add a simple tahini dressing to keep it vegan or some feta crumbles for a vegetarian version. To eat this yummy dish, smush the squash flesh and mix it with the other ingredients. It might not look elegant, but the taste is wonderful.

Fruity Noodle Kugel (Vegan)

~ lisaandfrancescook ~ 1 Comment

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So I think that the world is divided into two kinds of people – those that like potato kugel and those that like noodle (lokshen) kugel. I am clearly Team Noodle Kugel. What is kugel (or kigel, depending on your country of origin) you ask? It is essentially a baked pudding or casserole that is frequently made and eaten for Shabbat and holidays. It can be sweet or savory. And there now exist many, many varieties.

However, most noodle kugels that I have eaten – and in 70+ years, that’s a lotta kugel – I generally find them too rich, too sweet and just too much.

To be honest, I had forgotten about this Fruity Noodle Kugel. I used to make it quite frequently and then somehow it went out of rotation. But since we are in the midst of the Super Bowl of Jewish holidays, I started to look for recipes to make and share with you. Browsing through The New Jewish Holiday Cookbook by Gloria Kaufer Greene for ideas, I came across her Fruity Tofu Lokshen Kugel. Instantly I knew that I would be making it with a few of my own tweaks to make it vegan and more creamy.

This Fruity Noodle Kugel is fruity, creamy (dairy free) and never sacrifices flavor. And if you choose a non-egg noodle, this kugel is vegan. It also is high in protein and low in fat.

I have always been interested in nutrition, but not if it meant sacrificing flavor. And as my husband and I get older, a healthy diet is even more important. Our meals fall clearly into the “blue zone” by both preference and design. I want to make those calories count. But I also want to make Shabbat and other holidays truly special and allow for some splurging.

Tofu replaces the dairy in the meal and is a wonderful vehicle for absorbing all of the delicious flavors in this kugel. I use both a silken tofu and an extra-firm tofu to mimic the desired texture that you would achieve if using eggs, cheese and sour cream. My version makes for a much less fatty kugel with lots of healthy protein. And you won’t feel any regret for having indulged. Left-overs are great eaten at room temperature or gently rewarmed. I even eat this as breakfast.

Since if like me, you are not a purist about being vegan, I also have included two other wonderful lokshen kugels that I have blogged, which I still enjoy making – and eating! And while kugel is considered a quintessential Jewish food, you don’t have to be Jewish to enjoy it.

Jerusalem Kugel

Apple Cinnamon Noodle Kugel

Recipe

Yield: About 8 servings

Ingredients

8 ounces medium-wide noodles

1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce

1/4 cup mild vegetable oil (Canola, Avocado, Safflower or even a fruity EVOO)

1/2 cup maple syrup, agave or brown sugar (I used brown sugar as I like the molasses, caramel taste)

1/4 cup orange or apple juice

2.5 rounded teaspoons of ground cinnamon (or sweet Hawaij, baharat or pumpkin spice mix)

1/2 teaspoon of kosher or fine sea salt

14 ounces extra-firm tofu, well-drained and crumbled

1 pound silken tofu

1 large flavorful baking apple (Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, Jonagold, MacIntosh, Golden Delicious etc.), finely diced or grated. No need to peel the apple first.

1 cup of raisins of choice, softened in warm water for about 10 minutes unless they are fresh and plump (Other dried fruits or a mix of dried fruits, e.g. dates, apricots, prunes, pears could be used instead. Just cut any larger pieces to approximate size of large raisins.)

1/4 cup, coarsely chopped, lightly toasted walnuts

Directions

Heat your oven to 350 degrees F.

Grease (or vegetable spray) a baking dish (about 10 to 11-cup capacity – mine is a 7-inch x 11-inch rectangle). However an equivalent capacity round or square pan works just as well. Make sure that the pan sides are at least 3-inch deep.

Cook the noodles according to the package, but one minute less than the minimum recommended time since these will also bake in the oven. Drain the noodles.

While the noodles are cooking, place the silken tofu, brown sugar, sweet hawaij (or other spice mix), salt and apple sauce in a blender. Whooz it up until smooth. Then add in the oil and OJ and whooz again until the mixture has emulsified. Using a spatula and with the blade removed, add in the raisins and walnuts.

Once the noodles have been drained add them back to the pot. Pour in the mixture from the blender and fold it through the noodles until evenly distributed. Crumble in the extra-firm tofu and mix through.

Pour everything into the prepared baking pan. If you like, you can sprinkle the top lightly with more of the spice you used mixed with a bit of sugar (any kind will do.)

Bake for about 45 minutes or until set. I like the top to darken and the top noodles to get slightly crisp. However, if you prefer the noodle mixture to be lighter and to remain soft, cover the casserole with foil after 25 minutes. This can be served warm or at room temperature. Leftovers should be refrigerated or can be frozen or rewarmed gently.

Black Bread with Walnuts

~ lisaandfrancescook ~ 1 Comment

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This dark, savory Black Bread with Walnuts is the perfect sandwich bread. It can be sliced thickly or paper thin and will hold up to any filling without overpowering it. With a few surprise ingredients, this bread has a long fermentation giving it a depth that no store-bought commercial bread can have. And it will hold up for over week if well-wrapped and left on a counter.

We love bread in our house and bake different kinds every week. My husband has gotten into baking and now makes the best challah hands down. It’s my recipe but his work that makes it so delicious. Andrew is more of a scientific baker, which is not surprising given his background in astrophysics. But I am an instinctual baker. I go by look and feel and smell and can’t be bothered to weigh out ingredients (except when making cakes) or to measure so that each strand of dough is the same size from week to week. Don’t misunderstand. I completely appreciate when someone can standardize things so that they will always work.

I do have a sort of formula that I follow when cooking or baking from my own recipe – just as I do when I make my salad dressings. But like a jazz musician, I’m not afraid to riff on it and go where the music – uh recipe – takes me.

Therefore, I hesitated writing down how I make my weekly bread. It’s never quite exactly the same. But I love that freedom and innovation. However, this bread was so delicious and has such a wonderful crumb that I felt I should try to make it replicable.

My flour comes from an organic farm in Illinois that I began buying from during the pandemic when flour and other staples had disappeared from grocery shelves. I love it so that I buy 25 pound bags of it now. And they have heritage flours that you might not see anywhere else.

As any bread-maker will tell you, there are many factors that can affect your finished product. The flour, the water, the yeast, the humidity, your oven and on and on. So can I say that your bread will turn out exactly like mine? In all honesty, I cannot. But if it inspires you to make your own delicious bread, then it is worth the journey. And this one is just too good to pass up.

You will need a Dutch oven to make this bread as well as parchment paper. I know that some people are put off from baking bread because it seems to be so labor and time sensitive. But it doesn’t have to be. The actual amount of hands-on time for this bread is under an hour. There is no long kneading and the bread rests overnight while you are sleeping or doing whatever it is you do at night. Then the bread is formed and has a second shorter rise while your oven heats up. It bakes for about 40 minutes and you have a gorgeous loaf of bread and a house that smells AMAZING.

There are many wonderful bread recipes on my blog so if this one doesn’t float your boat or if you are looking to expand your repertoire, please check them out.

Recipe

Yield: One large loaf

Ingredients

1.5 teaspoons Active (or instant) Dried Yeast

3 cups of lukewarm water (You may not need all of it)

3/4 cup coarsely chopped walnuts, lightly pan-toasted

Rounded 1/2 cup dark rye flour

2 Tablespoons diastatic malt powder

1/4 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder

1 Tablespoon instant espresso coffee

1 Tablespoon Kalonji (Nigella) seeds

2.5 teaspoons kosher or sea salt

1/4 cup Black Emmer flour (This is an ancient grain, high in protein and with a wonderful depth of flavor. You could substitute another whole grain flour, but I encourage you to try using this wonderful flour.)

2.5 cups Artisan Bread Flour ( I use Janie’s but Bob’s Mill Artisan Flour is also good)

2 cups whole kernel bread flour (Use whole wheat if you are not buying specialty flour)

Flour for dusting the counter and bread

You will need a Dutch oven to make this bread as well as parchment paper.

Directions

Mix together all of the dry ingredients (including nuts and seeds) either using a whisk or your hands (nature’s whisk!) There is no necessity to proof your yeast even if using active dry yeast as I do. Unless your yeast is really old, there shouldn’t be a problem. Most of the fermentation is achieved slowly and naturally overnight. This slow fermentation also gives exceptional depth of flavor and allows the bread to hold up well for days.

Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients. Add 2 cups of the lukewarm water and slowly start to gather in the dough, adding water as necessary to allow the dough to come together. As the dough begins to form, remove it to a board or counter and knead just enough so that all of the flour is incorporated. When you can form the dough into a smooth ball with no visible signs of dry flour – STOP. That’s it. Place it back in the bowl and cover it.

Place the bowl in a draft-free place and let it rest overnight. The dough can rest for anywhere between 10 to 14 hours. You have leeway.

In the morning, place a Dutch oven (at least 6 quarts) in the oven and preheat the oven and pot to 485 degrees F. You want the Dutch oven and your oven to be hot.

Gather the dough from the bowl, lightly flouring it if it is sticky and form it into a ball. If you have a 9-inch banneton flour it and place the dough ball inside. If you don’t have a banneton, just use a stainless or other bowl that will hold the dough ball with only a little room to expand.

Cover the dough and allow to rise to the top of the banneton or bowl. This takes anywhere from 45 minutes to 1.5 hours depending on how warm your place is and the amount of yeast spores floating around your place. The more you bake, the more of these spores exist and the faster (generally) your bread will rise. I have made certain of these slow-rise breads with as little as a 1/2 teaspoon of active yeast.

When the dough has risen, remove the very hot Dutch oven from the oven. Carefully turn the dough out onto a lightly floured piece of parchment. Carefully place the parchment and dough into the HOT Dutch oven.

Cover the Dutch oven and place it in your HOT oven for 40 minutes. Then partially uncover the Dutch oven and bake for an additional 5 to 10 minutes. The internal temperature should be about 205 degrees F. (I rarely check by temperature but use the smell and knock test. I take a wooden spoon and knock on the bread. If it sounds hollow, the bread is done.) Turn the dough out onto a cooling rack and allow to cool completely. Then enjoy.

Mixed Berry Galette

~ lisaandfrancescook ~ 1 Comment

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Berries, berries and more berries! While it’s true that these days berries are available in grocery stores pretty much all year long, summer is indisputably berry season. If you are like me, we can’t get enough of them. And I love them all – blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, raspberries, gooseberries, watermelon berries….

As I mentioned in my previous post, I also really enjoy a good dessert. Nothing cloyingly sweet mind you, but definitely dessert. A galette is perfect. It’s simple to make and by its very nature its rustic and unfussy. A basic pastry rolled out, filled with the fruit of your choice and folded up. If the juices run over a bit, no problem. Eaten warm straight out of the oven with a bit of ice cream or crème fraiche or just at room temperature.

This Mixed Berry Galette used the berries that can almost always be found in my fridge. The proportions don’t really matter too much as long as the weight is about the same. I do think that the majority of the berries should be of a slightly firmer variety such as blueberry, strawberry or blackberry. Raspberries are very soft and are fine to use as an accent, but are likely to bake into jam. But don’t overthink this. Just make it and enjoy.

The amount of sugar is pretty minimal and the lemon zest and juice brightens up the berry flavor. While you can use a pastry from your store’s freezer section, it really is simple to make this dough. I did experiment just slightly by adding a teaspoon of a raspberry balsamic vinegar that I had on hand to the dough instead of the usual apple cider or distilled vinegar. Just to layer in the berry element. It didn’t make a huge difference, but it just added a certain sumpin’ sumpin’.

As with any berry dessert, you want to bake the pie, galette or cake until the berries begin to bubble and ooze some liquid. If you don’t do this, the juices will continue to run once the finished product has cooled. Not horrible, but generally not desirable.

This Mixed Berry Galette is soooooooooooooooooooo delicious, with it’s crispy, flakey crust and bursting berries that I decided to forego ice cream and crème fraiche. Don’t wait – just make this!

Recipe

Yield: About 6 servings

Ingredients

For pastry

1.5 cups (188 g.) unbleached, all-purpose flour

1 Tablespoon granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon kosher or fine sea salt

1 stick (8 Tablespoons or 114 g.) cold unsalted butter or vegan butter cut into 16 cubes

1 teaspoon of vinegar (distilled, apple cider or raspberry balsamic)

4 to 5 Tablespoons of ice water

For filling

4 cups (750 g.) cleaned berries (I used about 500 g of blueberries and filled in with blackberries, strawberries and raspberries to get to 750 g.)

1/4 cup granulated sugar

2 Tablespoons unbleached, all-purpose flour

Zest of 1 medium lemon

Juice of 1/2 a medium lemon

1/4 teaspoon kosher or fine sea salt

For brushing the pastry

1 egg mixed with 1 Tablespoon of cream OR just brush with some non-dairy “milk” and leave out the egg

A sprinkling of either granulated or castor sugar (Demerara would also work)

Directions

For the pastry

This can be done by hand, but I used a food processor. Pulse the flour, sugar and salt (or mix with a whisk or even your hand).

Add the butter or vegan butter, and pulse just until the mixture resembles coarse meal with some pea-sized pieces of flour-coated butter. If doing this by hand, you can use a pastry cutter or two knives.

Drizzle in the vinegar and 4 Tablespoons of the ice water. Pulse just until the dough starts to come together. If doing by hand, mix until you take a Tablespoon of dough between your fingers and if you squeeze it, the dough holds together. Since flour and room humidity vary, you may need to add a bit more water. I didn’t, but it’s okay. Only add the absolute minimum! Using plastic wrap or waxed paper, push the dough together to form a disk. Wrap the dough and refrigerate it for at least an hour or up to overnight.

When you are ready to make the galette, remove the dough from the fridge. Allow it to sit for about 15 minutes. This should make the dough more malleable and will prevent cracking when you roll it out.

For the Galette

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (218 to 220 C).

Mix the sugar with the salt and lemon zest. Rub the zest into the sugar with your fingers.

Gently mix the berries with the flour, sugar mixture and lemon juice.

Roll out the dough onto a Silpat or parchment paper dusted with flour until it is an approximate 12-inch round. You can trim the edges for a more “finished” look or leave it rough if you prefer a more rustic look. Place the Silpat or parchment onto a baking sheet and carefully fill the center with the berry mixture. Push the berries out to about two inches from the edges. Then start folding over the dough, pleating it as you go around. The center should be left open.

Brush the pastry with either the egg wash or use the non-dairy “milk.” Sprinkle with sugar. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until the berries are bubbling and the crust is browned. Now enjoy!