Quinoa with Wild Plantain, Dandelion and Peppers

I’ve been taking this permaculture class once a month. What that means is I’ve been talking with other people who are interested in strange, interesting and unexpected food plants. So we geek out. I just cooked a dish with a plant that I grew up with. I used to play with these all the time…

Juice #1!

Hey y’all. Just a quick update to tell you about the first juice I made with my new juicer. I have some longer entries in the works though… Yea we’re back! I drank this juice, my eyes opened and I finally felt awake after a groggy morning. Ingredients: 4 apples, quartered 4 carrots 1 stick…

Experimental Economical Vegetable Stock

I have really gotten into making vegetable stock using this new method. It is the most economical thing you can make if you cook with vegetables and enjoy soup. The trick is this: you save the discard bits of the vegetables you chop up and use in other dishes. These can be saved over time…

Improvise Stir Fry!

You know, everyone who I consider my tribe here in Vancouver–and I’m talkin’ my extended circle of friends and acquaintances–make stir fries. It’s my regional cuisine, and it’s a way of life. Why is this? The deep-rooted Chinese influence on the city? The chronically lingering hippy culture? Maybe it’s the fact that stir fries are…

Slow Oven-Roasted Tomatoes

I know that tomatoes are no good in New York at this time of year.  I know this.  But I sometimes order my groceries from a delivery service that gives “Good right now!” recommendations on their website.  They said that their beefsteak tomatoes were “good right now!” and I foolishly believed them.  I also saw…

Jain Coriander-Scented Millet and Mung Bean Pilaf with Homemade Ghee

Otherwise known as Ahmadabad Jain Pullao, this wonderful recipe comes from Julie Sahni’s Classic Indian and Vegetarian Grain Cooking. I’ve been delving into this book lately, and finding that Indian cooking has a lot to do with different dairy preparation techniques. Yogurt is a complete main-stay, as is ghee…. USLI GHEE To make 3/4 cup…

Excellent Potato Pancakes (gluten-free)

I am not sure if my potato pancakes are Rosti or Latkes or Hash browns but they are truly excellent.  The ingredients and technique for making these pancakes are simple. The secret is in the tools….An old fashioned coarse grater called The Wonder Shredder and a well seasoned, wide cast iron skillet.  I got my Wonder Shredder…

Perfectly Seasoned Creamy Cauliflower Soup (with no cream)

Today, Chris and I ate cauliflower soup and a pear, blue cheese, hazelnut salad (see Salads with Pears on this blog).  It was a good wintry meal…lots of white and green.  I am not always a fan of cauliflower.  I like it in Indian food and I like this soup.  I can’t really remember where…

Hot Borscht and all of the good feelings that come with it

My borscht recipe is adapted from one of the Moosewood cookbooks that I learned to cook from in college.  I did a lot of cooking during that time…..enough to occasionally wonder if I should have been at culinary school rather than at Sarah Lawrence College.  At Sarah Lawrence I had an amazing academic don named…