fajitas

You know what I like about fajitas? Everything! But I especially like the fact that they require almost no cooking, are super fast, and that there is only one pan to clean. So, it's kind of like the perfect meal. You can use whatever vegetables you want for this dish, the method just makes it special, and totally adaptable to anything you want to throw in the pan. (If you want to do something with meat in it, I would recommend cutting the meat into small pieces to assure proper cooking.) But anyway I digress. Let's fajita!

Ingredients:
1 package of seitan, roughly chopped
1 can of black beans, drained
2 peppers, julienned
2 carrots, julienned
1 yellow squash, julienned
1/2 onion, juli- gotcha!, sliced
1 scallion, sliced
3 Tbsp. fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
4 Tbsp. safflower oil
2 Tbsp. lime juice (2 limes)
1 Tbsp. cumin
1 tsp. smoked paprika
salt and pepper to taste

OK, here it goes in 50 words or less: Heat pan smoking hot. Mix oil and juice with spices. Toss with other ingredients. Add to pan, cook for four to six minutes, tossing constantly. Serve on warm tortillas. Top with cheese or sour cream. Eat fajitas! Only wash one pan!

tomato black bean bisque

I don't care what time of the year it is, I love soup. We had a few rainy days this past week, so I whipped up a batch of this simple, spicy recipe to keep us warm and dry.

Ingredients:
2 cups cooked Black Beans, reserve 1 cup
1 28 oz. can of Diced Tomatoes (there are no local fresh tomatoes yet)
28 oz. of water
1 white Spring Onion, roughly diced, save greens for garnish
4 Garlic Scapes, 3 of them roughly chopped (you could substitute 2 cloves of garlic)
2 Jalapenos, roughly chopped, (you can remove the seeds and ribs if you don't want it too spicy)
2 Tbsp. 2x Tomato Paste
1/4 cup of whole milk (optional)
2 Tbsp. Safflower Oil
1/2 cup of Creme Fraiche
1/2 cup of Sour Cream
3 Tbsp. Cilantro
Salt and pepper to taste

Place the creme fraiche, sour cream, cilantro and the one reserved scape into a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Season with salt and pepper and pop it back in the fridge.

Heat the oil in a soup pot over medium heat. Sweat the onion and scapes until the onion is translucent. Add the tomato paste and stir for 1-2 minutes to toast it. Toss in half of the black beans, the jalapenos, the water and the diced tomatoes and cover. Simmer for 15-20 minutes, until piping hot. Using a immersion blender, blend the soup until smooth adding in some milk to cream it if you like. Season to taste. Turn off the heat and add the rest of the black beans. Wait a few minutes, top it with the cilantro cream and onion greens, and serve with some tortillas or chips.

lentil salad with purslane

Since moving to NYC one thing has become certain in our lives, we do not have as much time to cook as we used to. We have found a lot of ways to adapt. From prepping things a few days ahead, using our slow cooker more, or just making things that are simpler and still packed full of flavor we have found ways to save time and still make some amazing food. This dish is no exception.

This is also the first time we have used purslane. This happy little succulent is not only pretty damn tasty, its also the highest land vegetable in omega-3's. So eat up Veggies! Make friends and dinner with purslane!

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups cooked lentils
1 bunch purslane, (2 cups of leaves)
1 red pepper, finely diced
1 spring red onion finely diced, about 1/2 cup
2 inches of onion greens, finely diced
2 garlic scapes, thinly sliced
2 Tbsp cilantro, chopped
2 carrots finely diced
1 tsp lemon zest
juice of said lemon
1/4 cup olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Grab a large bowl. Throw all of the ingredients into it. Toss well, and season to taste. We served it on top of a pita warmed in a pan with a little bit of Earth Balance.

chile infused beet and radicchio salad

Ingredients:

1 head radicchio, whole leaves

2 carrots, thinly sliced

1 lb beets

2 dried ancho chiles

1 tsp salt

8 small radishes

3 peppers

juice from 1 lime

3 Tbsp olive oil

1 1/2 tsp chili flakes

cilantro, whole leaves for garnish

1/4 lb queso fresco, crumbled

Add beets and ancho chilis to a pot of boiling water with 1 tsp of salt. Adjust to a simmer and cook for 35 minutes. Remove beets from liquid and cool. Remove the chilis. Slice radishes and carrots thinly, and peppers in a 1/4" dice. Mix olive oil, lime juice, chili flakes, and salt and pepper to taste, in a dressing shaker. Let sit while beets cool so that the chili can permeate the dressing. When the beets have cooled, add them over the radicchio leaves. Top with other veggies and dressing. Then crumble queso fresco over the dish, and top with whole cilantro leaves.

I ate this for dinner the other night, and for lunch the past two days. The dressing and dish flavor just gets better with age. Sweet, spicy, salty, and just damn delicious. I kind of wish we would get this all in the box again sometime soon.

black bean and tofu tacos

Tacos are quick and easy. You can make them with just about anything you have in the fridge. I came home from work, and was super psyched about firing up the grill and making some grilled tofu tacos with the salsa Katie had made two days before. So I had a few beers while I was getting everything prepped and ready to go, and I forgot to check one thing. The charcoal. Turns out someone else in the building had used all our charcoal the night before (not that we would mind, we are pretty communal with backyard property in our building), but with a decent buzz and an empty stomach I had to think of a plan B, so here it is! This recipe made enough for 6 tacos.

Ingredients:
about 6 Tbsp leftover sweet pepper salsa
1 15 oz can of black beans, rinsed and drained
2 ears of cooked corn, kernels taken off the cob (we used leftovers from a BBQ, if you want to use frozen corn, it would be 1 1/2 cups, defrosted)
2 chipotle peppers in sauce, chopped finely (optional)
1 block of super firm tofu, cut into cubes
1/2 onion, diced
greens of 1 green onion, sliced for garnish
2 Tbsp chili powder
2 Tbsp lime juice
1 Tbsp canola oil
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Cut and drain tofu on a paper towel, while it drains, prep everything else. Marinate tofu in a bowl with the lime juice for 15 to 20 minutes. Drain the excess lime juice and sprinkle in chili powder and a pinch of salt. Toss to coat, and skewer if you are going to the grill (which I thought I was), or put on a baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray, and place in the oven to bake for 18-20 minutes.

In a large saute pan heat the canola oil over medium heat. Add onions and cook until translucent, 5-7 minutes. Add corn, black beans, chipotle peppers, and salt and pepper and cook until heated through. Garnish with green onions, and serve with tofu, salsa, and whatever else you like on tacos, on a toasted corn tortilla. Chow down, indoor style!

sweet pepper salsa

I made this simple salsa for a BBQ. I chose to remove the seeds from the jalapeno because there were going to be some kids at the BBQ and I wanted it to be mild enough for anyone to enjoy. If you like your salsa hot, leave the seeds in!


Ingredients:
3 heirloom tomatoes, seeds removed and finely chopped
3 green onions, finely chopped
1 jalapeno, seeds removed and finely chopped
7 sweet gypsy peppers, seeds and white ribs removed and finely chopped
3 Tbsp lime juice
2 Tbsp chili powder
salt, pepper to taste
1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped, for garnish

Just mix all the ingredients together in a large bowl and refrigerate for at least 1 hour so all the flavors meld together. The salt will cause the tomatoes to release a lot of moisture, so you may want to strain or pour off any excess liquid.

grilled sweet potato tacos

Another "hot" day. I put hot in quotations because it's not really all that hot. We San Franciscans tend to freak out a little bit if the temperature strays from our standard 65 degrees. Guilty as charged. Another day where using the oven seems like a terrible idea. So we lit up the grill again!

Ingredients:
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 can (28 oz.) diced tomatoes
1/2 red onion
2 sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped into 1/2" slices
1/4 cup sour cream
1/2 bunch cilantro
3 Tbsp chili powder
pinch of red pepper flakes
8 corn tortillas
lettuce or spring mix

Similar to our last post, spray a large sheet of aluminum foil with olive oil and place the sweet potatoes and onion in the center. Season with 2 Tbsp of chili powder, a pinch of red pepper flakes, and a few pinches of salt and wrap it up and place on a hot grill for 40 minutes, until the sweet potatoes are fork tender. Meanwhile, simmer the beans and tomatoes together with the remaining chili powder in a small pot to incorporate the flavors together, about 20 minutes. You can finely chop the cilantro and stir it into the sour cream, or you can just throw it on in a food processor! Make sure to thoroughly rinse cilantro before using it, it's pretty sandy. Arrange the tacos with two tortillas on the plate, then some lettuce, beans, sweet potatoes and sour cream. Roll em up and eat, or use a fork if you're dainty.

grill-roasted curried potatoes and carrots

Read an article today on Bon Appetit encouraging readers to join a CSA. It's brief but I thought I'd share because I felt the writer did a nice job of expressing what it's really like to take part in a CSA. Plus, they included some links for spring-centric recipes!

"The selection varies from region to region and from farm to farm; consumers make a commitment to buy exactly what is produced; and it provides great lessons in seasonality and supply and demand (when there's no asparagus, you'll be pining for it, and when you've gotten kale six weeks in a row, you'll be giving it away to the neighbors). One of the best things about subscribing to a CSA is that you'll inevitably end up with ingredients you've never thought to buy or cook." -Molly Stevens, for Bon Appetit


If you live on the West Coast, you know just how beautiful the weather has been lately. The sun has been setting later and later and that leaves plenty of time after work for one of my favorite things in the world: barbecuing. There is something about grilling that makes me so giddy and excited, maybe I'm a pyromaniac. But there is the one big downer to lighting some coals ablaze and drinking some beer in your backyard- the mess that inevitably happens. I don't really know how it happens, but it seems that every time we cook out in the yard, magic dirty dishes appear out of no where and take over the kitchen. In the spirit of this early summer weather and the fact that its too hot inside to even think about doing a lot of dishes, I decided to make some tasty grilled meals with small amounts of clean up. So go grab some charcoal and get grilling! This recipe and the next are just the beginning of the summer!


Ingredients:
2 lbs baby Yukon gold potatoes, halved
7 medium carrots, greens removed, cut into 1 inch chunks
1/2 red onion, quartered
2 Tbsp canola oil
2 Tbsp curry powder
4 Tbsp fresh chopped cilantro
salt and pepper to taste
cooking spray

Once you have all of your food prepped, spray a large piece of wide aluminum foil with cooking spray (if you don't have large foil, use two pieces of regular foil layed out and crossed in a "+"). Add in the potatoes, carrots, and onion, and drizzle with canola oil. Sprinkle curry powder, salt and pepper on top and wrap and seal tightly. Toss them on the grill*, cover, and cook for 40 minutes while grilling everything else your going to be eating. Top with freshly chopped cilantro and chow down! We ate this side dish with our favorite veggie burgers, topped with red onion, cheddar cheese, lettuce and curry mayo sauce!

*This can also be done in a 350 degree preheated oven with the same cooking time.

sesame citrus rice salad

Ingredients:
2 cups long grain white rice
4 1/2 cups water
3 Tbsp soy sauce
2 Tbsp sesame oil
1 Tbsp minced ginger
1 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 cup fresh squeezed citrus juice (We used navel oranges.)
1/2 bunch cilantro, roughly chopped
1 bulb green garlic, 1/4" sliced on the bias
1/2 cup roasted salted cashews
sesame seeds for garnish

Cook rice according to package directions, or in your rice cooker. When it is finish, fluff it with a fork so it doesn't get clumpy and allow to cool overnight. Mix your soy sauce, sesame oil, ginger, red pepper flakes, and orange juice in your favorite dressing shaker and add to the rice. Toss to coat and then add your veggies and cashews and do the same. Garnish with sesame seeds.

orange quinoa with black beans and cilantro, spring salad with grapefruit shallot vinaigrette

Whole grains are awesome. Beans are great. Strawberry season makes life worth living. It is getting warmer outside (although not today in S.F.) and that means it's time for cold picnic salads to eat at... well, a picnic!

These two recipes use eight different ingredients from the box! Eight!!!


Ingredients:
Quinoa:
2 cups quinoa
4 cups water
3/4 cup fresh squeezed orange juice
1/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 can black beans, rinsed well and drained
1/4 cup chopped cilantro, tightly packed (1/2 of a bunch)
1 piece of green garlic, green parts only, sliced on a 1/2" bias (You could also use a green onion.)
2 tsp smoked paprika
salt and pepper to taste

Rinse and drain your quinoa several times with cold water. Quinoa has natural tannins (bitter compounds, like those in tea) that coat its exterior and you really don't want them hanging around. Add the quinoa and 4 cups of water to a pot, bring to a boil, cover and simmer for 20 minutes. When the quinoa has finished cooking (no more water in the bottom), fluff it with a fork and set it aside to cool for at least ten minutes. You could totally do this a day or two in advance, just make sure its tightly covered in the refrigerator during storage. Toss the black beans, cilantro, and green garlic into the quinoa. Mix the citrus juices together with the smoked paprika and add to the rest of the dish. Toss together and season with salt and pepper. This dish has a ton of veggie protein, is super low fat, high in fiber, and not to forget- refreshingly good!


Stop. Salad time!

Ingredients:
Spring salad:
1/2 lb mixed baby greens
1 apple, sliced
4 big strawberries, sliced
4 red radishes, sliced

Grapefruit shallot vinaigrette:
3 Tbsp Olive oil
1 1/2 Tbsp red or pink grapefruit juice (these are the sweet ones, not the sour ones)
1 shallot, finely minced
salt and pepper to taste


In a dressing shaker (what we refer to as a dressing shaker or container is actually an old glass peanut butter or Veganaise jar) combine the grapefruit juice, shallots, olive oil, some salt and pepper. Shake it like you mean it, taste, adjust your seasonings. Combine all ingredients in a bowl, add dressing, toss and eat!

I have to admit that I was skeptical about this salad dressing at first, although I didn't let Katie know that. However, once I tasted it- oh my god, was I wrong! It was crisp, sweet, tangy, and just really made all of the ingredients in the salad mesh together so well. We will totally be making this again.

spicy tofu sandwiches, cabbage slaw, roasted potatoes

A re-worked version of the spicy tofu sandwiches we made back in September.

Ingredients:
1 roll french bread, cut in a V and hollowed out
1 cucumber, sliced on a bias
1/2 an avocado, sliced
1 block tofu sliced into 1/2" blocks
1 cup of your favorite BBQ sauce
1 Tbsp of Tapatio, if you like it spicy!

Cooking spray

Pan sear both sides of the tofu in a pan on medium-high heat. Add BBQ sauce and hot sauce. Turn heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes. Place on roll with all of your fixins' and get down!

Served with a side of simple roasted fingerling potatoes, baked at 350 degrees for 30 minutes, then tossed with salt & pepper; and a cabbage slaw with peanut butter soy vinaigrette.


Peanut butter soy vinaigrette:
Ingredients:
4 Tbsp canola oil
2 Tbsp sesame oil
3 Tbsp rice wine vinegar
3 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 Tbsp soy sauce
2 Tbsp honey
2 Tbsp peanut butter
2 tsp salt
2 tsp red pepper flakes

Cabbage slaw:
Ingredients:
1 head of green cabbage, shredded
1/2 a red onion, julienned
1 bunch cilantro

Shake all vinaigrette ingredients together in a glass jar. Make about 12 ounces of vinaigrette. Pour desired amount over a salad of thinly sliced green cabbage, red onion and minced cilantro. This makes enough for 6 large portions of slaw.