What's Cooking? Spicing Things Up

Spices have long had a certain mystique to them. The dried seeds, roots, bark, or fruits of a plant have been used for thousands of years to add flavor, color, and complexity to culinary concoctions. Herbs and spices were sought for medicinal purposes, to cure the bad humors. Used in religious ceremonies and for preservation or embalming, spices made their mark in the historical record. Movement throughout much of the ancient world was due in large part to trade of spices. And during the middle ages, these coveted commodities fetched a grand price on the European market. They inspired conflict and war, and spurred on exploration and an age of discovery around the globe. It's interesting to consider that the now commonplace cinnamon or pepper were once treasured status symbols of civilization.

What I find fascinating about spices, though, is why they have such potent flavors and medicinal properties. According to a Cornell study now a decade and a half old, found that chemical compounds in common spices act as anti-bacterial agents. Not surprisingly, those same chemicals are what ward off pests that threaten the plant's survival. And if you are a proponent of cultural evolution, you can see how taste might be influenced, and more likely to survive to the next generation, in circumstances where cooking used a lot of spice to kill of bacteria in food. In Ayurvedic tradition, herbs and spices are also noted for their impact on digestion and properties that affect the constitution (such as heating and drying). Ginger, cumin, and turmeric all support strong digestion, and pepper and garlic have powerful antibacterial properties.

Good Health Curried Peas

1/2 onion

1/2 shallot

1 tsp mustard seed

2 cloves garlic

1 tbs olive oil

1 tsp sesame oil

1 cup split peas (soaked overnight)

3 cups vegetable stock (or water in a pinch)

1 carrot, chopped

1 parsnip, chopped

1 sweet potato, cubed

1 cup kale, chopped (optional)

2 tsp salt, to taste

2 tsp turmeric

2 tsp curry powder (or additional turmeric, cumin, cayenne,

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp cayenne chili pepper

1 tsp fresh ginger, grated

1. Heat oils in a sauce pan over medium heat. Saute onion and shallot, with mustard seed, until translucent, about 5 minutes, and then add garlic.

2. Pour in water and bring to a boil. Add split peas and allow to cook for about 15 minutes. Continue to cook another 10 minutes with carrot, parsnip, and sweet potato. 

3. Conclude by adding in the array of spices, adjusting accordingly for your taste, but don't be shy! Allow to simmer another 15-20 minutes. Serve in a bowl as soup, or reduce the amount of liquid by 3/4 cup and serve with rice.

Mmm, tasty and fortifying! Find more culinary marvels on Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays and Wellness Weekends.

Photo credits: Riyaad Minty (top); Colin Houston (bottom)

Thirsty Thursday: A Dose of Vitamin C

A most amazing raw pecan pie with coconut whipped cream

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Following standard protocol for one of my trips up to the Big Apple, I have developed this nagging cough. Now I can never understand the impetus for this ailment, as my trips are pretty tame - consuming large amounts of yummy vegan food, practicing yoga, and walking nearly everywhere. One hypothesis is that I have a mild allergy to the city itself; another is merely that the bus ride to and from the city is a breeding ground for all sorts of unpleasant microbes (sure, like that one is plausible...).

So after eating my fill of the exquisite raw pecan pie at Quintessence (I will figure out how to replicate it) and a satisfying brunch at Caravan of Dreams, among other tasty exploits, I now must suffer the consequences. In an attempt to combat my apparently compromised immune system, I have begun dosing myself each morning with a healthy serving of vitamin C. This imbibable cocktail of fruits and vegetables will hopefully help me overcome my current state of malaise.

Sunny Side Up Smoothie

3 small carrots, chopped

4-6 slices frozen peaches

1/2 banana

1/3 cup orange juice or water

1/3 cup almond milk

1 tsp grated fresh ginger (or 1/4 tsp dry)

1/4 tsp cinnamon

Simply add everything to a blend or use an immersion blender, and let 'er rip until carrot has been minimized. Enjoy as a cheery start to the day!

This puppy is going up on Wellness Weekend, too!

Best of MMM: New Year, Empty Fridge

Happy last day of 2012. I thought I would end a year as it began, with the tasty winter veggie curry recipe that started out my 2012. Happy Old Year, and see you in 2013!

First of all, happy 2012! To a fantastic 363 days that stand ahead of us. You were probably expecting some new produce item or an elaborate meal concocted for New Year's Eve. However, after a busy week and a bare bones farmers market this morning, I have been left with a pretty darn unexciting refrigerator.

I have been waiting for my chance to make a coconut milk curry, and working from home today provided the perfect opportunity! So I rummaged through the fridge for whatever had been left from last week's produce exploits (or rather, the week before...), in order to make a warming dish for cold winter night. Though, it has been unseasonably warm here this weekend...cherry blossoms, anyone?

Kitchen Sink Curry

1/2 medium butternut (or other winter) squash, cubed (bite-sized)

1 cup cauliflower, cubed

1 carrot, chopped

1 apple, chopped

1/2 onion, diced

1 clove garlic, minced

1 cup lite coconut milk

1/4 cup plain soy or almond milk

1 tbs curry powder

2 tsp garam masala

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2-1 tsp salt

1 cup cooked mung beans

Olive oil for sauteing and roasting

1. Roast cubed squash in a greased glass dish at 400F for about 30 minutes, until soft.

2. Meanwhile, cook onions in an oiled skillet, until translucent. Add garlic, carrot, and cauliflower. Continue to cook until carrot just tender.

3. Add milks, spices and salt to taste, squash, and mung beans. Let simmer for about 15 minutes, but that let sit for another 30 or so to let the flavor meld! Perhaps it will be even better tomorrow...

This puppy is sneaking into the first Wellness Weekend of the year!

What's Cooking? An Ugly Apple

September 22nd marked the Autumnal Equinox. It is one of the days in the year when everywhere but the poles experiences approximately 12 hours of daylight (equinox = equal night). Yes kids, we are firmly planted in the Fall season! What this also means is that we have transitioned away from the summer produce into apple, pear, and winter squash territory. And apples are of top-tier concern for pesticide use, impacts, and residue. However, regardless of the arguments in favor of eating organic, it is hard to convince a market-goer to look past the ugly exterior of an East Coast organic apple.

Most of the organic apple production takes place in Washington and California. Why is that? Well, east of the Mississippi, a set of pests and diseases that thrive in the humid weather ensure that growing organic fruit is definitely not as easy as pie! And while Integrated Pest Management (IPM), a method that uses more targeted applications of certain chemicals, has grown in popularity, finding a full-fledged organic fruit producer nearby is difficult. Besides being just plain difficult to grow, organic fruits also tend to look less than perfect in the eyes of their beholder. (This blog post from a New York farmer explains a bit more.)

Did I ever relay how my housemate tossed a sack of slightly spotty apples he thought had gone bad? Or the look of distaste on a shopper's face as she passed by our boxes of mottled heirloom fruit? The glossy, picture-perfect apples found in the grocery produce section, and even to some extent the non-organic stands at farmers markets, have developed this false perception that our food can survive threats from insects, fungi, bacteria, birds, what-have-you for a photo-shopped finish...which it can to a certain extent with the help of outside pest 'deterrents.' However, beyond their superficial and exterior blemishes, organic heirloom varieties of apples have a character and depth of flavor (not to mention conscience boosting lack of chemicals) all their own. That said, it is a constant struggle to motivate people to look beyond the bumpy, speckled, rough exterior and acknowledge the more redeeming qualities of organic apples. 

And therein lies the question - what does it take to move a society that buys with its eyes to sacrifice some aesthetic qualities for taste and health? Make apple carrot bread? ...

Morning Vitamin C Bread

2 medium apples, preferably somewhat tart

1 large carrot

1/3 cup mild flavored oil

1/2 cup unrefined sugar (like turbinado)

1 tbs agave nectar

1/2 cup water or cider

2 cups whole wheat flour

1/2 tsp salt

2 tsp baking powder

2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1 tbs apple cider vinegar

1. Grate carrot and one apple into a medium mixing bowl. Mix in oil, sugar, agave, and water.

2.  Gently combine with flour, salt, baking powder, cinnamon, and ginger just until all ingredients are incorporated. Add more liquid if it becomes too gluey.

3. Fold in second apple, diced, and vinegar. Oil and flour a loaf pan. Pour in batter. Sprinkle top with sugar (optional, but makes a nice crust).

4. Bake at 350F for 30-45 minutes, until a knife inserted comes out clean.

Photo to be posted soon. Check out more goodies on Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays.

What's Cooking? What's up Doc?

I think I have a weakness for carrots. Maybe it is the vain hope that my eyesight will drastically improve. Or perhaps, carrots are just so fantastically versatile that it is hard not to love them. I've made everything from raw truffles to souffle, roasted to sauteed. But I don't seem to have a recipe for good ol' carrot cake, or something of that ilk, up on the blog! And believe me, carrot-based baked goods are often my go-to for office treats or potluck contributions.

So let's begin the day right with a good dose of beta carotene (and some other things equally important to overall well-being!)

A-Carrot-A-Day Muffin (yield baker's dozen large)
3 medium carrots, grated
1 medium green apple, grated
1/3 cup apple cider
1/3 cup coconut oil, melted
2 tbs - 1/4 canola oil
2/3 cup sugar (turbinado is nice...)

1 tbs cinnamon
1/2 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp all-spice
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 cup whole wheat or barley flour

1/3 cup shredded coconut
1/3 cup rolled oats
1/3 cup golden raisins
1/4 cup chopped pecans

1. Whisk together cider, oils, and sugar. Toss in grated apple and carrot, mixing thoroughly.
2. Sift in flour, spices, baking powder, and salt. Combine.
3. Gently fold in coconut, oats, raisins, and pecans just until all mixed.
4. Spoon batter into muffin tins and bake at 350F for 35-45 minutes, until a knife inserted comes out clean.

This is up on Slightly Indulgent Tuesday.

What's Cooking? Another Raw Passover

Happy third day of Passover! This holiday comes around every year, and every year observers moan and groan about what the holiday fare and the particular emphasis on matzah does to their insides. Finally, last year I decided I'd had enough, and vowed to find a way to a more digestion-friendly diet. I landed on a raw diet (barring first night seder), as it best suited my needs as a vegan and the dietary guidelines of Passover.

As one of the three harvest holidays (more on this Wednesday), food holds a little more sway that usual for Jewish festive occasion. While the holiday is largely about freedom and rising in the face of adversity, one can't deny that there is also a certain emphasis on what we eat. I think that making choices this week that really challenge the diet status-quo help bring a whole new awareness to the holiday. 

Once again, for me this means a lot of nuts, seeds, greens, and fruit. But with a sweet tooth like mine, sometimes an apple is just not enough. I whipped up a batch of truffles full of carrotty goodness!

Carrot Cake Truffles

3 medium carrots

1/2 cup almonds, soaked and skinned

1/2 cup dessicated, shredded coconut 

6 pitted dates

1 tbs agave nectar

1 tbs coconut butter

1. Whiz everything together, except 1/4 cup coconut, until starting to stick together. (if this isn't happening, add additional dates, coconut butter, and/or agave)

2. Roll "batter" into small balls. Cover in extra coconut. Refrigerate. 

I'm also looking forward to trying out Gena's Charoset recipe, and may even garner the resources to make a Strawberry Lemonade Pie!

While not necessarily kosher for Passover, there are more tasty healthier treats at Wellness Weekend and Slightly Indulgent Tuesday.

What's Cooking? Taste of Home

Can I start by announcing that this is My Munchable Musings' 300th post? Oh, well I just did! In honor of this momentous occasion, I thought to bring out an old classic. Two or three times per year, my mother would whip up a vibrantly orange dish that my sister and I adored. While it could be in no way considered healthy, full of butter, eggs, and sugar as it is, carrot souffle was much anticipated particularly at Passover time (subbing matzo meal). Sweet and rich, with undertones of carroty goodness. Souffles, however, are not one of the more vegan-friendly dishes to concoct. Well here goes an attempt - and one might even call this healthy!

Carrot Souffle

6-8 large carrots (about 1lb)

6 oz silken tofu

1/4 cup coconut oil

1/4 cup raw sugar

15-20 drops vanilla stevia

1/4 cup millet flour (or tapioca starch)

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon

1. Steam carrots until very tender. Allow to cool for five to ten minutes. Puree carrots, coconut oil, tofu, stevia, and sugar until very smooth. 

2. Add in the flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Let it go until everything is well-combined. 

3. Pour into five greased ramekins. Bake at 350F for 35-45 minutes until set. Allow to cool completely. Enjoy!

As always, please visit Wellness Weekends and Slightly Indulgent Tuesday! Follow me on Twitter @YumMusings.

Fifty Second Fridays: Beet That!

Beets seem to worm their way onto my blog quite regularly. And for good reason! It is a hardy winter root vegetable that is both nutritious and delicious, not to mention very versatile. You can roast or boil a beet, and even eat it raw. One of my favorite things to do with the root is incorporate it into baked goods.


Now for a bit of a chemistry (and history) lesson, which I failed to supply in this beet muffin post (I know, I am so original). Because of its deep purple hue, red beets have traditionally served as a dye. Apparently, the use of beets in red velvet cake is a tall tale, but the sweet vegetable has nevertheless found its way into cakes. Yet something funny happens when you bake a beet cake; instead of retaining the bright magenta tint of the batter, the completed cake tends to be a ruddy brownish orange. The acidic beet juice reacts with the basic chemical leavening agent (baking soda or powder), causing the bright red to transform to a less impressive shade. Not to worry, because you can still have a pretty dazzling and colorful spectacle with beets in your baked goods.

Beautiful Beet Muffins
1/2 cup raisins
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup Grand Marnier (or orange juice)

1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup sugar
Juice of 1 lemon
1/4 cup apple sauce
1 large beet, grated (almost two cups)
1 large carrot, grated

1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup white flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp all-spice
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

1. Soak raisins in water and liqueur/orange juice for at least thirty minutes. Continue mixing ingredients while marinating.
2. Whisk together oil, vanilla, sugar, lemon juice, and apple sauce. Add grated vegetable.
3. Combine all dry ingredients, folding into the wet. Throw in the raisin, liquid, and perhaps some walnuts. Adjust spices to taste.
4. Fill muffin tins (about a dozen) and bake for 20-25 minutes at 375F. A knife or toothpick should come out clean. Allow to cool.

Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays has some spectacular goodies this week! Check them out.

What's Cooking? New Year, Empty Fridge

First of all, happy 2012! To a fantastic 363 days that stand ahead of us. You were probably expecting some new produce item or an elaborate meal concocted for New Year's Eve. However, after a busy week and a bare bones farmers market this morning, I have been left with a pretty darn unexciting refrigerator.

I have been waiting for my chance to make a coconut milk curry, and working from home today provided the perfect opportunity! So I rummaged through the fridge for whatever had been left from last week's produce exploits (or rather, the week before...), in order to make a warming dish for cold winter night. Though, it has been unseasonably warm here this weekend...cherry blossoms, anyone?

Kitchen Sink Curry
1/2 medium butternut (or other winter) squash, cubed (bite-sized)
1 cup cauliflower, cubed
1 carrot, chopped
1 apple, chopped
1/2 onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced

1 cup lite coconut milk
1/4 cup plain soy or almond milk
1 tbs curry powder
2 tsp garam masala
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2-1 tsp salt

1 cup cooked mung beans
Olive oil for sauteing and roasting

1. Roast cubed squash in a greased glass dish at 400F for about 30 minutes, until soft.
2. Meanwhile, cook onions in an oiled skillet, until translucent. Add garlic, carrot, and cauliflower. Continue to cook until carrot just tender.
3. Add milks, spices and salt to taste, squash, and mung beans. Let simmer for about 15 minutes, but that let sit for another 30 or so to let the flavor meld! Perhaps it will be even better tomorrow...

This puppy is sneaking into the first Wellness Weekend of the year!

Empty Fridge Quickie

An empty fridge does not an empty belly make. A week and a half ago, I returned to DC from nearly a fortnight in the Pacific Northwest. Though I had enjoyed an array of delectable eats while away, I dreaded returning home to an empty refrigerator. What had I left behind? Would I be reduced to eating peanut butter and carrots as I had a few years back in college? (note, I didn't actually have any peanut butter in the fridge...) In fact, located in the chiller was a head of cabbage, a beet, and a couple of carrots. What luck!

After a little bit of chopping, a little bit of food-processing, and a little bit of whisking, I had myself a tasty cabbage salad. Of course, my friend berated me for bringing only a pail of slaw for lunch, but in my defense, I was severely limited in terms of resources and time! Anyway, it is a surprisingly filling, very refreshing end of summer salad. And just for reference, a 'slaw' is any salad composed of shredded cabbage!

Slaw:
1/2 small head of cabbage (red or green)
1 medium beet
2 medium carrots
handful raw sunflower seeds (optional)
handful dried raisins or cranberries (optional)


Dressing:
2 tbs olive oil
1 tbs orange muscat vinegar
1 tbs soy yogurt (or tahini)
1/2 lemon, juiced
2 tsp coarse grain dijon mustard
1 tsp agave
salt to taste
sprinkle garlic powder

 It also seemed high-time I posted something to Ricki's Wellness Weekend roundups!

Produce of the Week...eh, What's Up Doc?

The final countdown ... two days left of Vegan MoFo. No longer will I feel compelled to post every day; nor will you, my dear reader, be overwhelmed by reading material. However, produce of the week will continue to chug along. This week, live in the studio, that enigmatic yet every-day veggie: carrots!

Carrot's history is elusive; it most likely began in Europe or parts of Asia. First archaeological records of wild carrot seeds date back 10,000 years, but the cultivated version originated in Afghanistan 5,000 years ago. At this point, people merely used its seeds for medicinal purposes. And you can thank the Dutch for the sweet varieties we munch on today. For a much more involved history of this taproot's history with humans, check out the Carrot Museum. They have some fun recipes from WWII, as well!

Besides dipping some carrot sticks in dip, there are endless possibilities with the beta-carotene-filled veggie. I for one am quite the fan of roasting...

Moroccan Roasted Carrots

3 medium carrots, chopped into sticks,

1/2 tsp cumin

1/4 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp cinnamon

pinch salt

2 tbs orange muscat vinegar or lemon juice + drip of agave

1 tbs olive oil

1. Whisk together oil, vinegar, salt, and spices. Coat carrots in dressing.

2. Roast in a pan at 375F for 40-45 minutes, until very tender. Turn halfway through.

Some other killer recipes include:

Heidi from 101 Cookbook's Carrot Almond Salad and Carrot Oatmeal Cookies!

Just Carrot Soup - minus the cream...

VeganLisa has a lovely Apple Carrot Slaw.

Carrot Cake on Fatfree Vegan is a good go-to.

Finally, check out Curried Cauliflower, Carrots, and Potatoes and Dill Roasted Carrots.

A Tasty Teaser

While I will save the profound statements and elegant speech (slight exaggeration) for another night, I wanted to squeeze in a word or two on my most recent baking expedition. I have been working on a not-so-traditional carrot cake recipe for the past month. Ok, I’ve been THINKING about a carrot cake for the past month and recently actually put it to the test. It is now venturing out into the wide world, making its inelegant debut tomorrow at a Memorial Day BBQ, and competing in the Gold Medal Flour Scratch Baking contest.

As such, I will wait to share the recipe for my creation until I know the outcome of this competition. I so wish my presentation skills had been up to snuff tonight (and my coconut cream a little more solid) so that my photos would tantalize and excite you, my readers. Alas, these humble images are but a sorry representation of this decadent dessert. Filled with pistachios, golden raisins, and plenty of carrots, this cardamom-kissed cake definitely delivered.