To see images of my past posts & get links to the recipes – look on my Pinterest board – HERE.
~
All my posts now have a VERY customizable PRINT & PDF option. Create a PDF & save the recipe to your computer or print it out. It offers a “remove images” option & you can delete any part of the post you do not need before printing. The button is below by the Twitter & Facebook links.
~
Click the image above to watch the video.
I know I say that a great many of my recipes are born simply of what I have handy and it is true. It is true even when I say that all I had around was a bag of Brussels sprouts and an aging pomegranate. And pistachios. And when I thought to make a salad of them, I wished I had some dried cranberries to add to it. I don’t typically go for dried fruit in anything but dried cranberries just sounded so right for this. I dug deep in my crisper drawers looking for some other inspiration & found an unopened but very old & gross bag of raisins & while I wondered why I ever even bought a bag of raisins because, you know, ew – raisins – I spotted a bag of something from a bulk bin in the corner of the drawer. Closer inspection revealed it to be a small bag of dried cranberries! WTF? Why did I have dried cranberries? Quickly, I wished for a series regular gig on what would turn out to be a long running & iconic HBO series and waited for a few seconds for my life to change. Nothing. A few minutes later I was still me, still unemployed & still holding the bag. Of dried cranberries. Fuck. I hate when I waste the wishes that will be granted on things like a small quantity of dried cranberries. I felt like Peter Griffin on Family Guy when, confronted by a real, live genie, wishes for his own personal theme music & not to have bones.
So, yeah. Career still on hold but that’s a go on the salad!
Salads aren’t really recipes, are they? I made this guy for myself & I used about 8-10 medium-sized Brussels sprouts & ate the entire salad – even though it was probably enough for two. So – anyway – I will give you rough estimates of what I used but you can add or subtract ingredients & adjust quantities to suit your own taste. If there is wiggle room in making anything – it is salad – so go for it.
I made a simple dressing of lemon & olive oil & then decided I wanted something a bit creamier – so I added a bit of Greek yogurt. You can skip that or, if you are vegan, add a bit of vegan mayonnaise. Or use another of your favorite dressings. I ain’t judging.
1/3 cup Greek yogurt or vegan mayonnaise – optional
2 TBS lemon juice (or nice wine vinegar)
1 TBS olive oil
S&P to taste
DIRECTIONS
Whisk the dressing ingredients together & season with S&P. Taste & adjust the flavors. Some like lemon more than others. Some like more salt. Suit yourself.
Toast the pistachios in a dry pan for 2-3 minutes, until aromatic & beginning to change color. Stir the whole time & take care not to burn them. Set aside.
Trim the hard ends off the Brussels sprouts & shred with the blade of your food processor or cut thin by hand. Be sure to break up any of the white cores that remain – even cutting them by hand if your food processor let them slip by.
Now, just toss all that shit together (go easy on the dressing) & eat both servings yourself. FTW.
To see images of my past posts & get links to the recipes – look on my Pinterest board – HERE.
All my posts now have a VERY customizable PRINT & PDF option. Create a PDF & save the recipe to your computer or just print it out. It offers a “remove images” option & you can delete any part of the post you do not need before printing. The button is below by the Twitter & Facebook links.
DDD Ep. #15 is up! It is my Vegan Big Mac Pizza! Plus, some pop art & pop culture references for you! And the boobs in this episode are not mine.
Click the link for the video (or watch it here) & please subscribe!
Ever since I was a child – I have been obsessed – addicted even – to McDonald’s. McDonald’s – specifically. No other fast food tempted me in the least. Not Burger King or Taco Bell or any of the other burger chains. Sure – I would sometimes eat a Fatburger – which inevitably – made me agonizingly ill and an occasional burger from the Tommy’s on Beverly at Rampart – mainly because that Tommy’s was so old school & cool. But if there had been a McDonald’s next door – I probably would have gone there. I have always been to insanely addicted to Big Macs that as a kid – I could eat 2. And McDonald’s fries are the best on Earth.
Then I gave up meat, in the late eighties. Fuck. That meant Filet-O-Fish sandwiches for me – which I put up with for a while until I was struck my supreme inspiration. I bought a Big Mac AND a Filet-O-Fish. I took the patties out of the Big Mac & fed them to the dogs & put the fish patty in there, instead. I dipped fries in the tartar sauce on the Filet-O-Fish bun & shoved that fishy Big Mac into my pie hole like I hadn’t eaten for days. I began doing this regularly. So many times – I would go spinning & then go the the McD’s drive-thru – still actively sweating from class & get this combo & pull over to a random curb & make my custom sandwich – like a junky cooking dope. I even included this process in my novel – Bathing & the Single Girl. Here is the excerpt:
I decided to make a trip to McDonald’s to take the edge off my panic and maybe finally end my waning hangover. There is nothing like McD’s. It is the only fast food chain I patronize. I’ve been a fish-eating vegetarian for over twenty years but McDonald’s remains my own personal crack. I have to pretend I do not know that there is beef tallow in the French fries and block out the fact that McD’s are a great supporter of the factory farming that spurred my vegetarianism to begin with, but when I am hung over, McDonald’s is my best friend. I ordered a #1 Big Mac value meal with fries, a diet Coke (gotta save calories somewhere) and a Filet-O-Fish. Once out of the drive thru, I pulled over on a side street like a drug addict jonesing for a fix. I took several big gulps of the best fucking diet Coke I had ever tasted while throwing furtive glances around to make sure I was not being watched. I opened the fish sandwich and scooped all that tartar sauce up on the top bun. This would serve as a bowl and dip for the fries. I grabbed the golden goodness of the square fish stick looking back at me and threw the bottom bun of the fish sandwich in the bag. I took the top off of the Big Mac and threw it in the bag. I removed the burgers and put them aside for my dogs. I placed the fish patty on the middle bun piece and flipped it over onto the bottom bun and its remaining ingredients. Special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions and a filet of fish on what was once a sesame seed bun. I rammed it into my mouth and nearly fainted with pleasure. Every cell in my body reacted negatively to the toxicity and I felt zits popping out on my face as I chewed. I didn’t give a fuck. I dipped a handful of fries in the fatty tartar sauce and forced them into my mouth before I swallowed my first bite of sandwich. I was disgusting. I felt the shame of a tweeker turning her first trick for drugs. My eyes flashed a scan of the horizon searching for the PETA police. My pants felt a size tighter. I finished that food in less than two minutes, literally drinking the last bit of fries from the cardboard container. It was glorious. Slouched in the car, high from whatever it is in McDonald’s food that made Morgan Spurlock’s liver begin to shut down in Supersize Me, the plan to dine with The Albino seemed like it might actually be a fun adventure.
So – maybe now you understand the extent of my problem. That problem got even worse when I gave up eating fish, too, a couple of years ago. Now – there is no excuse to go into a McDonald’s – because the fries really do have beef tallow in them – so there is literally nothing in there for me to eat – especially as I am inching my way to veganism.
Still – my Big Mac addiction festers without relief. The smell of McDonald’s still makes my hands want to turn into those drive-thrus – but I can’t. I won’t. I shan’t! And – yeah – I guess I could make a faux Big Mac with a veggie burger (Beyond Meat makes GREAT ones) – but the shitty bun is part of the charm & the special sauce isn’t just Thousand Island – no matter what detractors try to tell you. It is more magical than that. My fake Big Mac would be off just enough to leave me feeling cheated.
And then it came to me! Big Mac PIZZA! That way – the differences would be more forgivable – because it wasn’t a lame Big Mac – it was a glorious Big Mac pizza!!!!! And so – I did it. I did it last night. After taking two heated spinning classes in 14 hours – I undid all that good – all that blood, sweat & those tears. Undid it and gave zero fucks. This fucking pizza is the best Goddamn thing on Earth. It will be difficult not to eat these every night this week – after all – I have like an infinity of my copycat special sauce. I can’t wash that gold down the drain – when my gullet is right here craving it – wanting to drink it – inhale it. So – sure – I have a birthday coming up & it might be nice to NOT be at my absolute FATTEST on that day – but shit happens. Sometimes things are out of your hands. Sometimes life presents tough choices. But – enough about that. Let me present – my Big Mac pizza!
Vegan Big Mac Pizza with Copycat McDonald’s Special Sauce
Vegan cheese (I used some Parmela Creamery sharp cheddar, Chao original & some of my own homemade mozzarella)
Sandwich pickle slices
Onion – diced
Sesame seeds
Jalapeno – sliced (not in a real Big Mac but fuck it)
Semolina flour (optional) for rolling out the dough
Parchment paper (optional)
DIRECTIONS
for the special sauce
Whisk the ingredients together & add a bit of water to thin it. Taste it & adjust at will. I added 2 more tsp of onion powder to mine.
for the Big Mac Pizza
Heat the oven to 450-500 degrees.
Roll out the dough (I do this in semolina flour because I find it adds to the crispiness of the crust – but regular flour is fine). Put the dough on a greased cooking sheet (I just use parchment paper – and I recommend it highly).
Top with cheeses & ground beef. Cook for about 10-12 minutes or until your crust is done. I added grated mozzarella at this point & cooked it another minute but only because the pizza looked a bit barren. You can just dump the meat & cheese on there – cheese under & over the beef.
Once the crust is done – top with the remaining toppings & get your fucking eat on!
To see images of my past posts & get links to the recipes – look on my Pinterest board – HERE.
All my posts now have a VERY customizable PRINT & PDF option. Create a PDF & save the recipe to your computer or print it out. It offers a “remove images” option & you can delete any part of the post you do not need before printing. The button is below by the Twitter & Facebook links.
I have never gotten into spaghetti squash. In fact – I don’t know if I have ever had it before today. I knew it made a decent & guiltless pasta substitute but – when I want pasta – I want PASTA. The one exception to this is my shirataki (zero calorie) noodle pho – seen just above. I can eat that for lunch every day.
Still – I intentionally ordered a spaghetti squash from Farm Fresh to You this week to force myself to try it and I am glad I did. It was easy to use and, while not convincing as pasta, it was good enough that I did not mind & it is so guiltless!
I made a collard green & pepita (pumpkin seed) pesto for this. Click that link for the recipe or use your own favorite pesto variety. It makes no real difference. The real revelation here is how satisfying the spaghetti squash is – so – try it at least once. I added roasted golden beets – you guessed it – because I had some. They are a lovely addition but not critical. As to the chard – you could use any other greens you like, instead. If you are not vegan – tossing some Parmesan or goat cheese in this could be nice, too.
Vegan Spaghetti Squash “Pasta” with Roasted Golden Beets, Swiss Chard & a Collard Green & Pepita Pesto
6 Swiss chard leaves – spines removed but retained & chopped with the leaves (or about 2 cups)
3 (or more) golden beets – leaves & ends trimmed off
Olive oil
S&P
Garnish – either a sprinkle of nutritional yeast, vegan Parmesan or other vegan cheese or (if you are not vegan) real cheese (I used grated Asiago here)
Ignore those collards there. 🙂
DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 375.
Cut the squash in half & scoop out the seeds.
Trim the beets & cover both the beets & squash with a bit of olive oil & some S&P.
Wrap the beets in foil. Put the squash face-up on a cooking sheet & put the bundle of beets on the sheet, too. Roast for 45-60 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. Depending on the size of your beets – they might take longer. Allow everything to cool.
When cool enough to handle – scoop out the squash flesh & set aside. Rub the skins off the beets under running water & cube them.
Heat a little olive oil in a large saute pan. Saute the chard over high heat. I added about 1/4 cup of water to help steam the chard into wilting completely. Add the beets & the spaghetti squash & combine. Heat through. Using two forks – stir in enough pesto to suit your taste. Combine. Season with S&P.
Garnish maybe with an extra dollop of pesto or nutritional yeast or some cheese (vegan or otherwise).
To see images of my past posts & get links to the recipes – look on my Pinterest board – HERE.
All my posts now have a VERY customizable PRINT & PDF option. Create a PDF & save the recipe to your computer or print it out. It offers a “remove images” option & you can delete any part of the post you do not need before printing. The button is below by the Twitter & Facebook links.
Pestos are easy & can be made many ways – with all different greens & all kinds of nuts. This pesto today is the result of some wilting collard greens that I had in the fridge. HERE are several other pesto concoctions of mine.
I made this with Asiago cheese but you could use nutritional yeast or vegan Parmesan, instead. Your call. I blanched the collards (as you should with any greens for a pesto) because it brings all the vibrant green back & your pesto color pops!
Collard Greens & Pepita (Pumpkin Seed) Pesto (Vegan or Not)
(makes about enough for 4 servings of pasta – if you like your pesto used sparingly)
To see images of my past posts & get links to the recipes – look on my Pinterest board – HERE.
All my posts now have a VERY customizable PRINT & PDF option. Create a PDF & save the recipe to your computer or print it out. It offers a “remove images” option & you can delete any part of the post you do not need before printing. The button is below by the Twitter & Facebook links.
This might – honestly – be the most delicious soup I have ever made and it is as easy as can be. If you have a blender, food processor or immersion blender – you can wow the fuck out of your friends with this glorious, autumnal, light & healthy, rich & creamy soup! I used all the random veggies that I had wilting in my vegetable bins. You can add or subtract ingredients but I gotta say – this baby is kinda perfect! Very little added oil & chock full of veggie nutrients. The Coconut- ginger cream is certainly optional but it adds a nice level. The pistachios & pomegranate were for texture & color – but they can go with little impact on this soup. If you are not vegan – stirring in a little goat cheese might be a nice touch.
Vegan Creamy Roasted Red Pepper & Sweet Potato Soup with Coconut-Ginger Cream, Pistachios & Pomegranate Seeds
Serves 4 very well
INGREDIENTS
3 medium sweet potatoes – sliced into 1/2-inch rounds
3 bell peppers – halved & seeded
1/2 onion (or a leek or some shallots) – peeled & cut in half
10 small carrots – ends trimmed
1 jalapeno (optional)
1 TBS fresh lemon juice (optional)
2 garlic cloves
1 tsp red (or other) curry powder (or curry paste)
1 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 to 1 tsp cayenne
Several fresh thyme sprigs (or 1/2 tsp dry thyme)
4 cups vegetable stock
olive oil (or coconut or other oil)
S&P
Garnish – pistachios and pomegranate seeds (optional)
for the coconut-ginger cream
5.5 ounces coconut milk
1-3 TBS minced ginger (I used a squeezable kind) – or to taste
DIRECTIONS
Heat the oven to 450 degrees.
Toss the vegetables in a bit of olive oil & spread in a single layer on cooking sheets (covered with either foil sprayed with cooking spray or parchment paper). Salt & pepper liberally. Cook for about 30+ minutes or until the veggies are soft. Some might need to come out earlier than others. I cooked an extra sweet potato to put in my dogs’ food tonight. They LOVE sweet potatoes. The bell peppers should blacken a little bit. When the peppers are done – either put them in a tightly-closed container or wrap them in foil to cool a bit. This will make them sweat & the skins should peel off nicely under running water. Do not worry if all the skin does not come off.
Meanwhile – combine the coconut milk & ginger – adding ginger in increments – until it tastes good to you. Set aside.
Once you can handle the veggies (not the sweet potatoes) – chop them a little bit. Seed the jalapeno to make it less spicy. I used the seeds.
Heat a little olive oil in a large stock pot & add the chopped veggies & sweet potato and garlic. Stir to combine & then add stock & spices. Squeeze in about a TBS lemon juice. Bring to a boil & turn off heat.
Puree the soup in batches or with an immersion blender. I added about 1-2 cups of water to thin it enough to puree in the blender. Season with S&P.
Serve garnished with coconut-ginger cream, pistachios & pomegranate seeds.
To see images of my past posts & get links to the recipes – look on my Pinterest board – HERE.
I had managed to collect a variety of squash with no real plans for them. Today – as I often do – I looked around for inspiration & came up with this. It is gorgeous & light & delicious and can be served warm or room temperature. I have leftover roasted squash & pepitas & if you end up with leftovers, too – consider cutting the skins off the squash & make a salad! Toss with arugula & pomegranate seeds & pepitas & a balsamic vinaigrette (adding goat or feta – if you are a cheese eater) – OR – make a pizza with slices of squash atop a crust with some mozzarella (vegan or not – up to you) and then top the cooked pizza with arugula & pomegranate seeds & pepitas. Lots of ways to use all these pretty colors & flavors.
This is not a difficult recipe. The most painstaking parts are seeding the pomegranate (or you could buy pomegranate seeds) and roasting the pepitas (you could buy roasted pepitas). It is far more satisfying to do it all from scratch.
I used three kinds of squash. You can use all one kind or choose different kinds – but use ones that all have thick skins so the cook at the same rate.
Speaking of which – I tossed the seeds from all 3 squash into the same bowl to clean & roasted them together. In the future – I will keep the kabucha seeds separate – as they are far larger than the others. I will put the smaller seeds on one cooking sheet & the larger on another – so I can take each out of the oven at the rate they are ready.
The ratio of ingredients here is kind of up to you. You might like more or less glaze, more or less pomegranate or pepitas or mint – so – assemble yours to taste.
Roasted Pepitas
Seeds from the squash
Fine salt
Olive oil or cooking spray (I used olive oil spray)
DIRECTIONS
Heat the oven to about 325.
Get a large bowl of water & put the messy seed mix in there. Separate the seeds from the flesh & the seeds all float to the top. Use a slotted spoon & get those suckers outta there.
Boil some water & add a tsp of salt. Lower the heat, add the seeds & simmer the seeds, uncovered, for about 10 minutes & then drain them.
I let them set out to dry a bit & then tossed them with just a hint of olive oil or some cooking spray. If you have two wildly different sized seeds – cook them on separate sheets so you can take the smaller ones out sooner than the larger.
Spread them on a cooking sheet in as thin a layer as you can – trying to minimize overlap so all the seeds get heat equally. Sprinkle with a little salt & bake for about 10 minutes.
Take them out & stir them around.
Now continue roasting in 5 minute increments because you DO NOT want to burn these. They are done when they are just starting to look golden but the real test is how they chew. So – cool a few off each time you test them & eat them. They are done when they chew easily & are nice & crunchy!
6-10 as a side – depending on the size of your squash & appetites
INGREDIENTS
3 squash of your choice (I used butternut, kabucha & delicata)
Roasted seeds from your squash (recipe to roast them above)
Balsamic glaze (store bought or homemade – recipe: Simply boil a balsamic until it reduces by about 50-75% and has a thick syrupy texture. It really does reduce a LOT so – if it reduces to too little for your squash – just reduce some more. If it gets too thick – add a few drops of water.)
Pomegranate seeds
Fresh mint – chopped
Olive oil or cooking spray (I used olive oil spray)
S&P
Parchment paper optional but it makes clean-up so easy!
Heat the oven to 425.
Seed the squash & put the seeds in a bowl of water. If there is a large disparity of size – separate them in different bowls by size. I did mine altogether but I risked burning the smallest seeds waiting for the large kabocha seeds to cook. It worked out – but I would still separate them next time.
Cut the squash into 1″ to 1.5″ inch slices. Arrange on a cooking sheet. Toss with olive oil (or spray with cooking spray on both sides) – and add some S&P.
Roast about 30 minutes – flipping once – or until they are soft & beginning to caramelize or brown a bit.
If you are using homemade glaze – make that while the squash cook. Simply boil a balsamic until it reduces by about 50-75% and has a thick syrupy texture. It really does reduce a LOT so – if it reduces to too little for your squash – just reduce some more. If it gets too thick – add a few drops of water. If you like a lot of glaze – start with at least a cup or more before you reduce it.
To see images of my past posts & get links to the recipes – look on my Pinterest board – HERE.
It is October 6th & LA is facing yet another triple-digit temperature weekend & I am so fucking over it! My mood could not be gloomier & all this fucking sunshine & heat & “what a gorgeous day – we should go do something” shit is crushing my soul. I want cold & rain & Nick Cave & stuff like THIS Lucy Rose video for Shiver. Or – moody music like Banks’ Brain – and THIS magical pole dancer who is like a jewelry box ballerina – or just the right amount of Bon Iver (because too much makes everything worse). I want cold so I can bundle up in clothes and cook things that smell comforting and warm the house. I want a fire & red wine. I do not want to feel exactly as fat as I am as my shrinking clothes cling to me in the sticky heat & the thought of cooking or eating – or even red wine – seem cloying & claustrophobic. How I managed to gain weight during a month-long heat wave can only be explained by an excess of the champagne I use to chill myself down & cheer myself up. But – I want to un-think some things & I want even worse to un-know other things. And – I know – some things cannot be unseen – and some things cannot be unfelt. But – I still wish we were at least having weather that supported my killing (dulling – at least) my feelings with food – and the distraction of creating it & photographing it & blogging about it.
Ah, well. Life goes on & I did make this rice pilaf today & it is tastier than I expected. It is my third dish in recent days using the seeds (arils) of a pomegranate. They add a nice burst of things that are good for you (including fiber) and a sweet surprise & gorgeous color. You need to learn to power past any instinct you have to try to spit the seeds out. Just crunch through them or you will be in Hell.
Coconut & Ginger Rice Pilaf with Pomegranate Seeds
Serves 2 as a main course or 4 as a side
INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup orzo
1 cup rice – white or jasmine or basmati
2-3 TBS coconut oil
2 TBS minced ginger (I had some in a tube)
2 1/2 cups vegetable stock
Pomegranate seeds (arils)
Cilantro or mint – chopped as garnish
DIRECTIONS
Heat the coconut oil over med-high heat & toast the orzo until it is golden – which happens in just a few moments. Add the rice & toast a bit more (being sure not to burn the orzo). Add the ginger, stir – and then add the stock. Bring to a rapid boil & reduce to the lowest heat. Cover (wrapping a kitchen towel around the lid helps create a tighter seal) and cook about 20 minutes. Fluff & serve with pomegranate arils & chopped herbs.
To see images of my past posts & get links to the recipes – look on my Pinterest board – HERE.
I have done a zillion 90210 interviews recently – building up to the 25th anniversary of when the pilot aired. Above are a few recent photos from a 90210-inspired shoot.
Tonight is the Lifetime movie about the show at after it – there will be an interview special – in which I took part.
That said – let’s get into this dish. The glaze is the shit & would work on most things from shrimp to vegan or real chicken or, as here, on tofu. I could not figure out what to do with the tofu first. Should I bread & fry it? I tried that & it just seemed like a bad thing to add all those calories. So – after half-frying half the tofu – I baked it all at about 400 for thirty minutes – after coating it in some glaze – like you see below.
Ultimately – you could just throw the uncooked tofu into the glaze & warm it that way. I feared the tofu would be too mushy & break apart and – since I didn’t try that version – I cannot tell you what happened. So – it is up to you. You could BAKE IT first, or FRY IT – or just use it plain. Or – do what I did, coat it with glaze & just bake it a bit to add some texture. Your call. Whatever you decide – the glaze is easy & comes together fast. If I were to make it again – I would cut the sugar in half. If you like spicy-sweet, go with the full 1/4 cup of brown sugar. It is pretty spicy – so if you are sensitive to heat – lessen the sriracha.
I added pomegranate seeds because I have a shitload left over from my AMAZING Burnt Eggplant with Pomegranate Seeds & Cucumber – or Really Fancy Baba Ganoush – seen below – which was INSANELY addictive. The seeds are pretty but don’t add much to the tofu dish so blow them off – if you feel inclined. They are critical & amazing in the baba ganoush, though!
Vegan Spicy Orange & Sriracha Glazed Tofu with Pomegranate Seeds
Serves 2 – with rice or in lettuce wraps
INGREDIENTS
1 lb extra firm tofu – cubed
Panko (only if you are frying – in which case you need oil, too.)
1 cup orange juice
zest & juice of one orange
1/4 cup (or less) brown sugar
1/4 cup (more or less according to taste) sriracha
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1/4 cup soy sauce or tamari
4 garlic cloves – chopped
1 TBS ginger – grated or minced
2 TBS cornstarch whisked into 2 TBS water
GARNISH – sliced scallions, pomegranate seeds and then cooked rice or lettuce leaves for serving
DIRECTIONS
OK – here you need to decide what you are doing with the tofu. Are you just going right outta the package or fry it or – as I did – toss it with some panko & some (only a little) glaze & bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes? I don’t think it makes a massive difference – except fr the effort and, in the instance of frying, the calories. You could brown it in a frying pan with a little olive oil – to add texture. Blow off the panko – really – unless you are frying it. These are your decisions to make and that decision is the hardest part of this recipe. If you are in a hurry or are lazy – just use the naked tofu.
Prep your tofu. I tossed mine in a bit of glaze & baked at 400 degrees for 30 minutes.
Make some rice or prep some lettuce leaves for wraps.
To make the glaze – heat the orange juice, zest & juice of one orange, brown sugar, sriracha, rice vinegar, soy sauce or tamari, garlic cloves and ginger and bring to a boil. Add the cornstarch/water mix & the glaze should thicken up in less than a minute. Add the tofu & heat through.
Serve either on rice or wrapped in lettuce with a sprinkle of scallions & pomegranate seeds.
To see images of my past posts & get links to the recipes – look on my Pinterest board – HERE.
31 years ago today – I moved to Los Angeles intending to establish residency & go to a state school (UCLA) for film – hoping to one day direct. I was 19 & did not know anyone else in LA – and – I had never driven a car (and lived here for 2 1/2 years without car or even a driver’s license) and lived for the first week in a creepy, rent-by-the-week motel on Whitley just north of Hollywood Blvd – until I found an apartment at Sunset & Normandie – where I lived for the next 4+ years. 19 and alone – very far from anything familiar and, apparently iron-clad balls because I can’t imagine being that brave now. And to be honest – I cried almost every day for the first year & had to deflect my mother’s repeated offers to fly out here, pack me up & move me back home. Honest to God – I have no fucking idea what I was thinking or how my mother let me go in the first place. I look at my friends’ kids who are at or near that age & cannot imagine sending them off to a seedy big city (which Hollywood really was in 1984) – 3000 miles away. I am very, very proud of my 19-year-old self & what that kid pulled off – through sheer willpower. I wish I had the nerve & gumption now that I had then. I am very grateful to live in LA. It is a great town – despite what the haters will tell you. So, anyway – happy anniversary to me & my youthful courage.
Below are some images of me from that general era. Notice the shaved sides in the top picture that I tried to mask with bangs in my first ever headshot – just below it. Little did I know that the edgier me was going to be the key to my ever working as an actress. Conformity – or my attempts at it – fooled nobody.
So – onto this gorgeous recipe! I saw it on The Iron You (seen in their photo above) and could not resist the chance to photograph something so gorgeous. I made a few minor tweaks – in the interest of it being vegan & a little less caloric – but it is really their recipe – and is is CRAZY delicious! As The Iron You states – “The end result is an addictive, creamy, smoky, tart, sweet, salty, and aromatic dip/spread/salad. It can stand on its own as a dip or condiment or as a side to meat or fish or it can be served as a refreshing Middle Eastern inspired salad.”
Funny that I often co-opt Iron You recipes because their primary focus is a Paleo diet which – in reality – is almost the opposite of my focus – a vegan diet. But they use lots of veggies & their photographs (like that one just above) are so inspiring – I am a big fan!
This is easy & requires no special tools. I used a food processor but out of laziness – not need. Chopping the mushy eggplant would be almost as easy by hand. It is basically a fancified hummus – but using eggplant rather than chick peas. I think it is virtually guiltless – as far as calories & it really does have a complexity of flavors that is delightful! And just LOOK at it! Can you imagine a pretty holiday appetizer?
Burnt Eggplant with Pomegranate Seeds & Cucumber – or Really Fancy Baba Ganoush
Serves several as an appetizer served with pita wedges
INGREDIENTS
1 large eggplant
1/3 cup tahini
1 TBS plus 1 tsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp agave nectar
1 garlic clove – minced
3 TBS chopped parsley
1/2 large pomegranate
1/2 cucumber – peeled, seeded & diced
Sesame seeds
S&P
More parsley & maybe olive oil for garnish
DIRECTIONS
Roast the eggplant by placing it directly on a burner over a high flame. You might want to protect your stove with foil – but I didn’t. Turn frequently – and don’t walk away from it – lest it catch fire. This should take 10-15 minutes & the skin should be charred almost all the way off & the flesh of the eggplant should be soft. Allow to cool & then rub off the burned skin & stem top under cold, running water. Allow to drain in a colander for 30 minutes.
Get the seeds out of half the pomegranate. HERE are some tutorials showing how to do that.
If you do not have a food processor – chop the eggplant as finely as possible.
If you do have a food processor – pulse the eggplant a few times.
In either scenario – then mix/pulse in the tahini, lemon, agave, garlic & parsley. Then fold in the cucumber & 3/4 of the pomegranate seeds. Season with S&P. Salt adds depth to this so definitely use some.
Garnish with the remaining pomegranate seeds, some chopped parsley & some sesame seeds. Traditionally – olive oil is drizzled on top but I see no need to add those calories. Knock yourself out if calories are of no concern to you.
To see images of my past posts & get links to the recipes – look on my Pinterest board – HERE.
This is super easy – especially if you buy some of that pre-chopped slaw mix. And why not? Why buy two heads of cabbage & spend time chopping & then not use all the cabbage & have two half heads in the fridge – laying a guilt trip on you until they turn brown enough to warrant tossing them? Who needs that shit? Cabbage likes to pop all over the place, too, like cauliflower. So – do yourself a favor and buy a bag of cole slaw mix. Or not – your call.
This can be served as a side or as a burger topping or, as I did last night, put on top of tacos. Creamy, yummy & cruelty-free.
Spicy Vegan Sriracha Miso Cole Slaw
Makes about 3 cups
INGREDIENTS
8 oz (3 cups) of chopped cabbage (I used a bagged slaw mix) & carrot shreds
1/8-1/2 cup sriracha – start small & add in increments until you reach your spice level
1/3 cup vegan mayo – (increase if you like wetter slaw)
2 TBS white balsamic vinegar (or white wine vinegar)
2 TBS miso paste
1/2 tsp sesame oil
2 TBS agave nectar
1/4 tsp salt
2 TBS chia seeds (optional but very good for you)
DIRECTIONS
I literally put everything in a tupperware container & just shook the bejesus out of it. You can just stir it all up in a bowl. Increase mayo or sriracha or salt to taste.
To see images of my past posts & get links to the recipes – look on my Pinterest board – HERE.
~
All my posts now have a VERY customizable PRINT & PDF option. Create a PDF & save the recipe to your computer or print it out. It offers a “remove images” option & you can delete any part of the post you do not need before printing. The button is below by the Twitter & Facebook links.
~
I know I say that a great many of my recipes are born simply of what I have handy and it is true. It is true even when I say that all I had around was a bag of Brussels sprouts and an aging pomegranate. And pistachios. And when I thought to make a salad of them, I wished I had some dried cranberries to add to it. I don’t typically go for dried fruit in anything but dried cranberries just sounded so right for this. I dug deep in my crisper drawers looking for some other inspiration & found an unopened but very old & gross bag of raisins & while I wondered why I ever even bought a bag of raisins because, you know, ew – raisins – I spotted a bag of something from a bulk bin in the corner of the drawer. Closer inspection revealed it to be a small bag of dried cranberries! WTF? Why did I have dried cranberries? Quickly, I wished for a series regular gig on what would turn out to be a long running & iconic HBO series and waited for a few seconds for my life to change. Nothing. A few minutes later I was still me, still unemployed & still holding the bag. Of dried cranberries. Fuck. I hate when I waste the wishes that will be granted on things like a small quantity of dried cranberries. I felt like Peter Griffin on Family Guy when, confronted by a real, live genie, wishes for his own personal theme music & not to have bones.
So, yeah. Career still on hold but that’s a go on the salad!
Salads aren’t really recipes, are they? I made this guy for myself & I used about 8-10 medium-sized Brussels sprouts & ate the entire salad – even though it was probably enough for two. So – anyway – I will give you rough estimates of what I used but you can add or subtract ingredients & adjust quantities to suit your own taste. If there is wiggle room in making anything – it is salad – so go for it.
I made a simple dressing of lemon & olive oil & then decided I wanted something a bit creamier – so I added a bit of Greek yogurt. You can skip that or, if you are vegan, add a bit of vegan mayonnaise. Or use another of your favorite dressings. I ain’t judging.
1/3 cup Greek yogurt (or vegan mayonnaise) – optional
2 TBS lemon juice (or nice wine vinegar)
1 TBS olive oil
S&P to taste
DIRECTIONS
Whisk the dressing ingredients together & season with S&P. Taste & adjust the flavors. Some like lemon more than others. Some like more salt. Suit yourself.
Toast the pistachios in a dry pan for 2-3 minutes, until aromatic & beginning to change color. Stir the whole time & take care not to burn them. Set aside.
Trim the hard ends off the Brussels sprouts & shred with the blade of your food processor or cut thin by hand. Be sure to break up any of the white cores that remain – even cutting them by hand if your food processor let them slip by.
Now, just toss all that shit together (go easy on the dressing) & eat both servings yourself. FTW.
2 TBS sesame seeds (I used 1 each of black & white)
6 TBS rice vinegar (or more – to taste)
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp toasted sesame oil
2 tsp sesame oil (or just 3 tsp sesame oil if toasted is unavailable)
4 TBS scallions sliced thin & diagonally
2 TBS mint – chopped finely
S&P to taste
DIRECTIONS
In a dry frying pan, toast the sesame seeds – shaking the pan a lot & being careful not to burn them – until they begin to golden – about 4 minutes. Set aside to cool.
Shave stripes into your cucumbers by peeling portions & leaving others with the skin on.
Halve them & scoop out the seeds. Using the finest blade setting on your mandolin or other slicer or with a knife – slice the cucumber into slices as thin as you can muster. Put in a colander & toss with 1 tsp salt & let drain for 10-15 minutes.
In a bowl – whisk the rice vinegar with the sugar & sesame oils. An another bowl, toss the drained cucumber with the sliced scallions, mint and toasted sesame seeds. Add the vinegar mixture & toss again. Add S&P to taste. Serve immediately.
Delightful-Delicious-Delovely 