My first attempt at Indian cooking was a bit of a farce. It took me 5 hours to make a batch of samosas flecked with burnt mustard seeds and encased in tough, chewy pastry. As my husband and I sat down to a midnight dinner, you couldn't have convinced me that Indian cooking could be simple or easy. Little did I realize that samosas aren't exactly the easiest dish to tackle as a beginner, not to mention the fact that the recipe I was using was pretty unauthentic to begin with.
Read MoreBaked Rigatoni With Veggie Sausage and Broccoli Rabe
Broccoli rabe is one of those fun "new old" vegetables that have started becoming popular in farmer's markets and natural food stores. It has been a feature of cuisine in Italy for quite some time (where it is called rapini) and is just now making its way into trendy American dishes. Although it has little florets that resemble broccoli, it's actually related to the turnip. Broccoli rabe is also more tender than broccoli and has a spicier, earthier, dare I say, more exotic flavor. If you're looking to try out a new vegetable (that really isn't all that new) give this casserole a shot.
Read MoreRhubarb Sweet and Sour Tofu
If you're a fan of rhubarb, you likely look forward to rhubarb season with cravings for pie, cake and crumble. Although rhubarb makes wonderful desserts, its savory applications are often overlooked. Rhubarb can actually be used in any context where a little tartness is needed. Here, we'll add it to a Chinese classic: sweet and sour sauce.
Read MoreSeitan Romesco With Roasted Potatoes and Leeks
Calçotada is the name of a spring festival in Spain that celebrates an oniony-type vegetable known as the calçot. Great quantities of calçots are grilled and then served with romesco, a sweet and savory pepper sauce. In my part of the world, there's an oniony-type vegetable that closely resembles the calçot. It's called a leek, and it's also widely available in the spring and fall. This recipe uses leeks, but it's inspired by the Calçotada's marriage of caramelized, roasted onions with yummy pepper sauce.
Read MoreFall Soup
As the season draws to a close, I find myself eager to snatch up the last of the fall goodies at the farmer's market before it's gone until spring. This soup gives me a good excuse for that, and, in keeping with my newly-founded tradition of dedicating soups to people I know, this one goes out to my friend, Kate.
Read MoreMaple Iced Pumpkin Cranberry Loaf
Time for another pumpkin dessert! This one makes a festive and impressive option for holiday parties. The mild sweetness of the pumpkin bread is highlighted by the decadent icing and contrasted by tart bursts of fresh cranberries. It's become so much a favorite that I've started baking it every year.
Read MoreThanksgiving Stuffed Acorn Squash
My favorite part of Thanksgiving has always been my mom's stuffing recipe, which has been passed down through generations. I've veganized it (with a few additions of my own of course) and prepared it in a number of different ways over the years. One of my favorite applications is stuffed acorn squash. It makes a beautiful addition to any Thanksgiving table.
Read MorePumpkin Snickerdoodles
In case you haven't noticed lately, the past few years have seen pumpkin flavored treats growing and growing in popularity each fall. This year it seems like EVERYTHING has to be pumpkin flavored, and you know what? I can't be more happy about it. BRING IT ON.
Read MoreGlazed German Apple Cake
I once had the great privilege of visiting Germany, and while I was in Munich, I sampled a cake I saw in a number of bakery windows. It was bursting with a multitude of luscious apple slices that were barely held together with a dense, lightly sweetened dough.
Read MoreWhite Chili
I decided it was time to inaugurate the first soup recipe on this blog, and with the weather turning colder and colder, a chili seemed like the best choice. I've also decided to start doing something new. From now on, I will dedicate each soup recipe to someone awesome in my life.
Read MoreBalsamic Sesame Tempeh and Sweet Potatoes With Mustard Greens
In our house, we often use the phrase "happy tummy feeling". It describes feeling full, but in a particular kind of way. There's a fullness that comes with eating a plate of french fries, but it's not really a happy fullness. It's more of a heavy, greasy, oh-my-god-why-did-I-do-that fullness, which is the opposite of happy tummy feeling.
Read MoreSeitan Normandy
In our house, this dish signifies the beginning of fall. It's named after the Normandy region of France which is famous for (among many other things) its apple brandy. The brandy, called Calvados, is also named for the region in which it was first distilled centuries ago, and continues to be made there. Although Calvados has many applications, both sweet and savory, in food or drink, this one is by far my favorite.
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