Category: Recipes

Habiscus Ginger Spritzer

Chef KimLeave a Comment on Habiscus Ginger Spritzer
  • 3 inches fresh ginger
  • 1 tablespoon hibiscus petals / tea bag
  • 2 cardamom pods
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • ½ vanilla bean pod, seeds removed (always save empty pods for flavoring) optional
  • Honey
  • 6 cups boiling water
  • Sparkling water

Add water to a pan along with the ginger, cinnamon, cardamom and vanilla pod and bring to a boil. Turn off heat and add the hibiscus petals / tea bagcold .  Steep for ten minutes, remove hibiscus and let the tea cool completely with the other spices remaining in the water. Leaving the hibiscus in longer will strengthen the tartness of the tea; keep steeping it with the remaining spices if you want it really tangy.

Add honey to taste, start with 1 tablespoon and add more to your liking.  Drink as is or combine equal parts cold tea and sparkling water for a spritzer. Add frozen cranberries to garnish. Cheers!

Nutty Tahini Fudge

Chef KimLeave a Comment on Nutty Tahini Fudge

This is a delicious candy alternative and so easy to stir together. It takes a little time to set up in the freezer, but well worth the wait.  This is a treat that is gluten and dairy free. If nuts are something you avoid, add in chopped pumpkin or sunflower seeds for texture in place of the almonds.

You’ll need:

  • 1/2 cup tahini
  • 3 tablespoons of cacao powder
  • 2 tablespoons maple syrup
  • 4 tablespoons cacao butter or coconut oil
  • pinch of Himalayan salt
  • 1/2 cup chopped almonds
  • 1/3 dried cranberries or cherries (optional)

Melt the cacao butter or coconut oil in a mixing bowl over a pot of steaming water.  When melted, add the tahini, cacao powder, maple syrup and salt. Stir with a whisk to combine into until smooth. Then add in the chopped nuts and dried fruit, if using.

Line a small rimmed dish with parchment paper and pour in the mixture, smoothing out the top.

Chill in the freezer for two hours, cut and serve. Keep refrigerated. Fudge will last for two weeks in refrigerator, longer in the freezer.

Gluten-free Pumpkin Molasses Ginger Cookies

Chef KimLeave a Comment on Gluten-free Pumpkin Molasses Ginger Cookies
  • 1/4 cup coconut oil, soft
  • 3/4 cup coconut sugar
  • 3/4 cup pumpkin puree
  • 1/4 cup molasses
  • 1 cup oat flour
  • 1 cup almond flour
  • 1/2 cup tapioca flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon ginger powder
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon clove powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon pink or grey salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Use a blender to mix the coconut oil, coconut sugar, pumpkin and molasses together until smooth. In a mixing bowl, combine the remaining ingredients and stir to mix well. Then add the pumpkin mixture and stir with a spatula or wooden spoon, just until the flour is completely incorporated. The dough is a little thin, so use a 2 tablespoon scoop to spoon the dough onto parchment lined cookie sheets. Sprinkle a little coconut or cane sugar over each mound of dough. Bake for 20-25 minutes until the cookies start to crisp around the edges. Let cool and enjoy!

Herbed Hemp-Pine Nut Spread

Chef KimLeave a Comment on Herbed Hemp-Pine Nut Spread

Are you looking for a creamy cheese alternative? This hemp-pine nut spread hits the mark with its creamy texture and herby goodness.

This can be used in just about every way you would use a dairy cheese spread, but it makes a stunning presentation when it is layered with pesto and tomato or olive tapenade, or with cranberry relish for the holidays. It can be rolled into a ball and coated with chopped nuts or seeds and dried fruit or used to stuff mushroom caps or on top of gluten free crackers or toasts.

It is also used to make a cream sauce for green beans or potatoes.

Print Recipe

Herbed Hemp – Pine Nut Spread

creamy cheese alternative that can be layered with pesto, top a cracker or fill a mushroom cap. Get creative!
Prep Time15 minutes
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: hemp seeds, pine nuts
Author: Chef Kim

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 1 cup hemp seeds
  • ½ cup pine nuts may substitute macadamia or cashews
  • 1 T nutritional yeast
  • 1 tsp of white miso can be omitted – add ½ t salt
  • 1 tsp white balsamic vinegar
  • water
  • 1 tsp sage
  • 1 tsp thyme
  • 1 tsp rosemary

Instructions

  • Combine everything, except the herbs, in a food processor or blender and process until a thick paste forms.
  • Start slowly with the water by adding 3 tablespoons initially and adding more if needed. When a creamy consistency is reached, add the herbs and pulse to combine. Serve this as a spread or dip.
  • This can be layered with pesto, olive tapenade or cranberry relish to make a festive presentation.

Golden Pumpkin Spice Honey

Chef KimLeave a Comment on Golden Pumpkin Spice Honey

This recipe is so nice to have on hand for making quick warm spiced drinks to enjoy in place of your morning cup of coffee or as a relaxing evening cup of comfort.

  • 1 tablespoon turmeric
  • 1 tablespoon cinnamon
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon ginger
  • 1/2 teaspoon utmeg
  • 1/8 teaspoon clove powder
  • 1/4 cup honey

Mix everything together in a small container and jar.

When ready to use, spoon 1 teaspoon into warm plant milk or hot water, stir and allow the spices to disperse andsteep for 5 minutes Enjoy!

this honey mixture can also be stirred into coffee, hot cocoa or drizzled over plant yogurt or baked apple dessert, or blended into a smoothie.

meatless burger

Buffal-Oat Chickpea Burgers

Chef KimLeave a Comment on Buffal-Oat Chickpea Burgers

Are you looking for a meatless burger recipes? Meatless burgers are all the rage now! And if you don’t trust “lab meat” and need another alternative for a burger, try this Buffal-oat Chickpea burger that you can customize to your liking.  If you’re wondering if you should eat the Impossible Burger, I wrote a post about that.

This burger gets its protein from oats and chickpeas, or you could use any cooked beans, cannellini, black or kidney. The vegetables add flavor but also moisture as the burger cooks.

The flavor profile can change depending on the spices and sauces you add. The recipe is written for a Buffalo burger, but omitting the buffalo sauce and substituting salsa for a Mexican burger or adding mushrooms and smoked paprika for a smoky flavor are great ways to change it up. Or use BBQ sauce instead of the spicy buffalo sauce.

This is your burger, you really can have it your way! I like a little less spice, so I reduce the buffalo sauce and serve it topped with vegan mayo, tomato and microgreens. Yum!

meatless burger
Print Recipe

Buffal-oat Chickpea Burgers

Protein rich plant burgers that hit the spot1 Wonderful topped with vegan mayo, tomato and microgreens.
Prep Time45 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: buffalow sauce, chickpea, oats, veggie burger
Servings: 8

Equipment

  • food processor
  • Cutting board
  • chef knife
  • baking sheet or skillet
  • 1/2 cup measure

Ingredients

  • 4 tsp flax or chia meal plus 5T water
  • 3 T nutritional yeast
  • 4 tsp granulated garlic
  • 2 tsp granulated onion
  • 2/3 cup old fashioned oats
  • 2/3 cup oat flour
  • 2 Tbsp Buffalo sauce or 1 tsp cayenne powder plus 2 Tbsp water
  • 3 Tbsp water
  • 2 Tbsp tamari soy sauce or coconut aminos
  • 1/2 cup chopped carrots
  • 1/4 cup chopped celery
  • 1/4 cup chopped onion
  • 1 cup chopped cauliflower
  • 2 cans chickpeas

Instructions

  • In a food processor or with a knife, finely chop the vegetables. The vegetables can be anything you have on hand or need to use up. You just need the combined amount, 2 cups, of vegetables in any combination
  • Combine flax meal and water in a small bowl, stir and set aside to thicken.
  • n a large mixing bowl, combine spices, oats and flour. Stir in the water, buffalo sauce and soy sauce. Mix well.
  • Add the flax mixture and chopped veggies. Stir well.
  • Use the food processor to pulse or a fork to mash the beans in a bowl and add the beans to the oat mixture.
  • Mix well pressing everything together to form a firm dough.
  • Use a half cup measure to scoop and make into patties.

To cook:

  • Place skillet over medium heat, wipe the pan with a little oil if necessary, place burgers into pan and cover, cook for 5 minutes, flip and cook another 5 minutes.
  • Burgers should be light brown on each side, cook longer if needed.
  • To bake a larger amount, place burgers on a parchment-lined pan and bake for 30 minutes, flipping half way through the cooking time. Patties can be frozen for quick and easy dinners

Notes

*Flavor profiles:
To change up the burger flavors, omit the buffalo sauce or cayenne and add the followig:
For Mexican burgers, add 3 Tbsp of salsa and 1 tsp of cumin.
For Smokey Mushroom, add 1 cup mushrooms sauteed until dry and add 1 tsp smoked paprika.

Nutty Stuffed Delicata Squash

Chef KimLeave a Comment on Nutty Stuffed Delicata Squash

This recipe comes together quickly, but will take about 40 minutes to bake depending on the size of your squash. The one I used in this recipe was pretty large for a Delicata. But this recipe works with any size squash.  Delicata is easy to work with because there’s no need to peel this squash, the skin is tender enough to eat and doesn’t really have much flavor.  Just be sure to wash the squash before using.

The filling is a combination of sauteed onions, garlic and nuts. I used almonds and walnuts, but pecans and pine nuts could be thrown into the mix as well. To bind these together we’ll mix equal parts chickpea flour and water, add some nutritional yeast and plant milk and any herbs you’d like to bump up the flavor. Mix this with the onions and nuts and spoon into the squash. Place in the oven and bake until tender.

 

Print Recipe

Nutty Stuffed Squash

Fall flavors come together in this light dinner or lunch fair with sweet squash and crunchy nuts.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time40 minutes
Course: Main Course, Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: chickpea flour, harvest flavors, hemp seeds, pine nuts, winter squash
Servings: 2

Ingredients

  • 1 large Delicata squash
  • 1 1/2 cup onion chopped
  • 1 garlic clove minced
  • 1/3 cup almonds chopped or slivered (sub pecans, hazelnuts)
  • 1/3 cup walnuts chopped (pine nuts or seeds)
  • 1/4 cup chickpea flour
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 2 T plant milk
  • 1-2 T nutritional yeast to your liking
  • 2 tbsp fresh herbs to taste rosemary, sage, thyme or go sweeter with cinnamon, nutmeg and clove

Instructions

  • Wash your squash, halve it and scoop out the seeds.
  • In a bowl, combine the chickpea flour, water, plant milk and nutritional yeast.
  • In a skillet over medium high heat, saute onion and garlic until soft and golden. Add the nuts, herbs, a couple pinches of salt and stir to combine. Turn off the heat and pour in flour mixture.
  • Stir to evenly mix. Spoon this into the squash halves. Depending on the size of your squash, you may have extra filling. If you do, cook the filling in muffin tins, it will make a mock mini quiche.
  • Bake at 350 degrees for about 40 minutes or until the squash is tender when pierced.

 

Cauliflower Happiness + 3 Recipes

Chef KimLeave a Comment on Cauliflower Happiness + 3 Recipes

I’m sure the cauliflower farmers are happy with all the new cauliflower products out there (pizza, buffalo tenders, tortillas) and the push to substitute this bland low carbohydrate vegetable for potatoes and rice. But we can be happy as well, because it is easy to prepare and is a nutritional powerhouse boasting high amounts of vitamin C and B6, calcium, magnesium phosphorus and potassium, antioxidants and fiber. All this leads to improving memory, inflammatory response, blood pressure, cardiovascular risk and cancer reduction.

I love it and use it as a base for cream sauces, frozen and added to smoothies, and as the star of a crunchy turmeric salad. If you try these recipes, please leave a comment.

Creamy White Sauce / Gravy 

  • 4 cups cauliflower, separated into florets
  • 1 cup yellow onion
  • 1-3 garlic cloves (how you like it)
  • 1/2 cup cashews
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 cup broth or plant milk
  • 1 T white miso
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning (or thyme, oregano, marjoram)
  • pinch cayenne or black pepper to taste
  • For Gravy: 1 lb mushrooms, sliced

Add the cauliflower, onion, garlic and water to a pot, bring to a boil and turn heat down to low, cover for 10 minutes until cauliflower is very tender. When done cooking, add the mixture to a blender along with the cashews, broth/milk, miso, and seasonings. Let cool a bit so the heat doesn’t blow the top off the blender. 🙂  Blend for a full minute, scrape down the sides of container and blend for another 30 seconds. It should be thick and creamy.  Use this as a white sauce for noodles, over root vegetables to make a scalloped casserole, in a squash lasagna or to make creamed greens.  For a gravy, slice and saute mushrooms and another cup of chopped onions, and pour this sauce into the pan once the mushrooms have cooked and lost most of their moisture. Use the gravy over grains, cooked with lentils, on top of veggie burgers or as a Rague with kale, chard and collard greens.

Cauliflower Berry Smoothie

  • 1/2 cup frozen cauliflower
  • 1/2 cup frozen strawberries
  • 1/2 cup frozen blueberries
  • 1-2 cups spinach
  • 1 cup nut or oat milk
  • add in to your taste, some cinnamon & ginger, or maca & cacao

Blend everything until thick and smooth. Drink Up!

Turmeric Cauliflower Salad 

  • 4-5 cups cauliflower florets in bite size pieces
  • 2 T red onion, chopped
  • 1 rib celery, chopped
  • 1/2 cup chickpeas (optional)
  • 1/2 cup veganaise
  • 1 1/2 tsp ground turmeric,(more to taste)
  • 1 T rice or cider vinegar
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper

Break up the florets and add to a mixing bowl along with the onion, celery and chickpeas. In a separate small bowl, whisk together the veganaise, turmeric, vinegar, mustard and pepper. Taste this and see if you’d like more turmeric. Stir this into the cauliflower mixture, tossing to coat everything with the dressing. chill and serve. Keeps for 5 days.

Berry Oat Mylk

Chef KimLeave a Comment on Berry Oat Mylk

Making your own oat mylk is so easy and economical. Adding berries takes it to a new level of enjoyment and can be frozen into popsicles.

  • 1 cup old fashioned oats
  • 4 cups water
  • 2 cups berries, your choice or use cherries, mango, kiwi or pineapple
  • softened dates, depending on the sweetness of fruit. I usually add 5 and adjust more after tasting if needed.
  • Adding spices/herbs that you like add a nice flavor variation (cinnamon, chili, cardamom, nutmeg, mint, basil, etc.)

Combine everything in a blender and blend until smooth and creamy. You can drink it like this, but I prefer to strain out the remaining oat fiber and berry seeds, so I pour the mixture through a nut milk bag or fine strainer/sieve. Refrigerate and enjoy by the glassful, poured over granola or chopped fruit, or freeze in popsicle molds or ice cubes trays for frozen treat..

 

Berry- Spacho

Chef KimLeave a Comment on Berry- Spacho

This is a wonderfully refreshing cool starter or dessert soup. Perfect at the height of berry season or you can use frozen berries that have been thawed.

  • 2-3 cups fresh berries, mixture is nice (strawberries, black, blue or raspberries)
  • 1 kiwi, diced
  • 1 apple, diced
  • 1/2 cup cucumber, diced
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh mint
  • 1 lemon, squeezed
  • 11/2 cup fresh / frozen berries ( these are for blending so frozen and thawed is fine, I like strawberries  and raspberries for this. Blueberries will thicken up because of all the pectin they naturally have, so use more l juice or water if using them.)
  • 2 oranges, peeled and seeds removed or 1 cup juice
  • 5 softened dates
  • 1 cup water
  • pinch of cayenne, optional

In a mixing bowl, add fresh berries, diced kiwi, apple, cucumber and mint. In a blender, combine the lemon juice, fresh/frozen berries, dates, oranges and water. Blend into a creamy sauce. Pour this over the diced fruit and serve or chill. Sprinkle with a pinch of cayenne when ready to serve.