Basil Arugula Pesto with Toasted Pine Nuts

This delicious pesto recipe makes the perfect amount to be tossed with 1 lb to 1 1/2 lb of your favorite pasta. Today I had a 1 lb bag of Trader Joe's penne

Basil Arugula Pesto Recipe

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

  3 cups (loosely packed) fresh basil leaves

  1 cup (loosely packed) fresh arugula

  1/3 cup pine nuts, toasted

  2 garlic cloves, peeled

  1/2 teaspoon grated lemon peel

  Juice of 1 small lemon

  1/2 cup nutritional yeast

  2-4 tablespoons water, as needed

DIRECTIONS

Place 1/2 cup oil, basil, arugula, pine nuts, garlic, lemon peel and juice in blender. (My new Vitamix blender makes this process a breeze). Blend to thick paste. Add nutritional yeast, and blend until smooth With motor running, add 2-4 tablespoons water to processor. Season pesto to taste with salt and pepper.

Boil pasta according to package directions. Halve 1 quart of grape tomatoes. Drain pasta and add tomatoes. Gently fold in pesto and combine. YUM.

What made this recipe a BREEZE to throw together was this fantastic bag of pine nuts from Trader Joe's, which are already toasted. Keep them in the freezer for whenever the mood to make fresh pesto strikes...especially popular in the Summer months with gardens full of fresh basil. ^_^

Big Fall Juice Clean 2014- Day 1

The Natural Energizer

This is juice number two (2) and three (3) on Monday (Day 1) on the 5lbs in 5 Days Juice Plan by Jason Vale.

"Creamy, sweet and mellow pineapple juice is the perfect balance to the mineral rich juice from the cucumber, spinach, sugar snap peas and zucchini. This juice is then taken to the next level by adding a hint of fennel and a dash of zesty lime". 

I've done Jason's full 5 Day Juice plane twice this year, and then try to follow it throughout various weeks for breakfast and lunch only. Sometimes I can't always find fennel, but when I have it and add it to this, I think it gives this juice an amazing subtle hint of freshness which really brings this up to the next level!

"Not only is this juice creamy and delicious, but unlike the array of artificial energizer drinks (that ultimately rob your body of nutrients, cause stress to your vital organs and send you on a roller coaster of refined sugar energy highs and lows) this juice will energize you the natural way – say “high” to nature"! ~Jason Vale

Ingredients:
1/4 pineapple

1 large handful of spinach

1/4 cucumber

1/2 zucchini

1 inch chunk of fennel

15 sugar snap peas

1/2 organic lime (with the skin on)

How to create
Simply Juice all the ingredients. I make a double batch of this recipe in the morning, and then pour into two (2) mason jars. Then fill with ice so the juice reaches the top. Place the lid on, fasten tightly and you are good to go! I usually drink mine around 12 noon and 3 o'clock. This will definitely brighten up you day with a burst of green energy!

Mediterranean Hummus Pizza

A few years back,  I managed to convince my Pampered Chef consultant and friend to do an all-vegan Pampered Chef party at our home. Very few of the Pampered Chef recipes are actually vegan in their original state, BUT we managed to fine some contenders. And, with only a few simple tweaks or omissions, we pulled off cruelty-free vegan goodness, and quite well, too.

Still to this day, one of my favorite recipes was the Mediterranean Hummus Pizza, which, as you can see, is a virtual rainbow of vegan fun! It’s fresh and delicious, especially if you are in the mood for pizza, but don’t want something really heavy.

The basic recipe that I follow is below, but there is room for great improvisation here, which makes it all the more fun:

Crust
1   half recipe of whole wheat pizza dough (Julie Hasson's from Vegan Pizza)
1   tablespoon olive oil, for brushing
1   garlic clove, pressed
oregano, salt and pepper to taste

Toppings
15  grape tomatoes, halved
1/4   medium red onion, finely chopped
2 baby cucumbers, halved and chopped
1/2   cup pitted kalamata olives
1   container (7 ounces) plain hummus spread (roasted red pepper is great, too)
1/2 cup each diced bell pepper (I had yellow and green this time)
OR
2   jars (6-7.5 ounces each) quartered marinated artichoke hearts, drained

*some swaps that work well too:  roasted red peppers, tofu feta cheese, scallions, vegan tzatsiki, fresh basil for garnish

First we are going to bake the crust. Preheat a pizza stone in your oven at 425 for 30 minutes. I actually cook this crust at a little lower heat than my usual pizza with toppings.

Roll out you dough on some parchment paper into a 12" circle. Brush with olive oil and sprinkle on the garlic or powder, then some oregano, salt and pepper. Sometimes I will add some crushed red pepper too!

Slide dough onto your stone and bake for 12-14 minutes or until the crust is a light golden brown. Remove from the oven off the pizza stone and onto a cutting board. Spread the container of hummus evenly onto the crust. Then arrange the chopped vegetables on top. Cut into squares, (I like the square shape rather than wedges for this) and enjoy!

Deconstructed than Re-constructed Omelet, Tofu Style

There are some days where a dish comes together from the random leftover ingredients in the fridge, and this particular Tofu Scramble is just that.  The day prior, we had treated ourselves to our favorite diner for breakfast.  Patriot's Diner in Woonsocket, Rhode Island has some of the best home fries I've even had, the service is great, and the decor is fantastic!

Now this place is far from vegan, but after going there for several years, I have settled on my old-standby: A side of home fries, which is HUUGE, and then add on the vegetable medley (broccoli, peppers, mushrooms tomatoes and onion) from the Vegetarian omelet on the side, which is equally as huge. Most of the time I bring home at least half of the dish, so the next day, I decided to make my own "Vegetarian" Omelet, Tofu Style!

I had a coupon for the Black Soybean Tofu pictured above, as well as half a package of Tofurkey Kielbasa that we had eaten the night before, dipped in mustard (YUM).

Next time we are going to serve them on crusty sub rolls with spicy mustard, but I thought the leftovers might be a nice meaty addition to the scramble.

So, scramble away!

Don't forget to add some salt, pepper, turmeric if you want it yellow (I didn't this time) and extra Nooch! Serve with Frank's RED Hot, if you dare. That's how we do it here! ^_^

The Rocket - Margherita with a twist!

The inspiration for this pizza comes from one we had at Providence Coal Fire Pizza. Essentially, it is a Margherita Pizza topped with a few handfuls of fresh arugula after baking. Fantastic!

The homemade crust you see here is from Julie Hasson's new book, Vegan Pizza, for which I was lucky enough to be a tester. 

This is the whole wheat version of her homemade dough, which is quick, simple, NO knead, and comes out fantastic every time! The recipe for the "Easy-Peasy" basic white flour pizza dough can be found here in this article from The Oregonian. To make you dough whole wheat, simple replace two (2) cups of the white flour with whole wheat flour (I use Bob's Red Mill). One of the many things I can say about being a tester for this book, is that I have lost ALL fear of homemade dough, and working with yeast. Pizza is now in the regular dinner rotation here at our house. Thank you, JULIE!

So for the rest, we have:

THE ROCKET (adapted and veganized from Providence Coal Fire Pizza)

• 1/2 batch of whole wheat pizza dough form Vegan Pizza, (brushed with extra virgin olive oil, and sprinkled with Italian seasoning, salt, pepper)
• 1/2 cup San Marzano tomato puree
• 1 tsp Greek oregano (from the festival)!
• 6-8 slices of Teese mozzarella (sample from Vida Vegan Con)!

Bake pizza at 500 degrees on a PREHEATED pizza stone for 11-12 minutes. 
*Try and preheat your stone for at least 30 minutes. I roll my dough out on parchment paper on top of my cutting board, top the pizza with sauce, cheese and/or toppings, and then use the cutting board to transfer the parchment right to the pizza stone. I try and work as quickly as possible, so the oven doesn't loose any of that wonderful heat while the door is open.

While the pizza bakes, toss several handfuls of baby arugula with a small drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and some sea salt to taste. When the pizza comes out of the oven, I spray it a bit with the fantastic chili basil oil (pictured in the back of the first photo), that my mom brought me back from Italy. And, then top with the fresh arugula and a bit of nutritional yeast. Today, we also had some leftover cherry tomatoes, which I thought looked nice on top, too!

Slice in to 8 pieces and ENJOY!!  The peppery arugula gives this traditional plain pie a nice fresh kick. Try it out and let me know what you think. ^_^

Wacky Cake with Chocolate Glaze

*Today, I am dusting off this recipe because it is my friend's bridal shower! Mailed out with the invitation was a recipe card to fill out with a (family) recipe to share. Of course, I wanted my recipe to be vegan, but I DID want it to be one she would actually consider making.  This is the one I shared:

I think almost every vegan has a Wacky Cake recipe up their sleeve. For those of you that don't know, WACKY CAKE is "wacky" because it's a chocolate cake, made without any milk or eggs. Recipes such as this one came to be during the Great Depression, where ingredients such as milk and eggs were extremely had to come by, and often too expensive for the average family. The "lift" in this cake comes from the reaction between the baking soda and vinegar. 

I found this recipe buried in a random website, labeled as the BEST CHOCOLATE CAKE EVER" and it just so happens to be vegan. The chocolate glaze totally makes this recipe, so do yourself a favor and try it at least once. Cake IS still amazing in its own, dusted with some powdered sugar. I added in the "optional" extracts that I use when making the cake too. They really add a great flavor.

THE Best Wacky Cake with Chocolate Glaze

INGREDIENTS
1 1/4 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup warm water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon chocolate extract (optional)
1/3 cup canola oil
1 teaspoon white vinegar or 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

For the Chocolate Glaze
1/2 cup sugar
4 tablespoons margarine (I use Earth Balance vegan margarine)
2 tablespoons soymilk or 2 tablespoons almond milk, unsweetened
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract (optional)

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Lightly spray a square cake pan (mine's 9x9) with nonstick cooking spray.
3. In a mixing bowl, mix together flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, and salt with a whisk, making sure it is blended together well.
4. In a large measuring cup add the water, vanilla, oil, and vinegar, and whisk to combine.
5. Add wet ingredients to the dry and mix batter until blended together well.
6. Use a spatula to scrape down the sides if necessary.
7. Pour batter into cake pan, place in oven and bake for about 25-30 minutes, or until a knife comes out clean.
8. Cool on a rack completely.
9. For the glaze: in a small saucepan, bring sugar, margarine, milk, and cocoa to a boil.
10. Stir frequently; then reduce heat to a simmer for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
11. Remove from heat and stir for another 5 minutes.
12. Add vanilla and almond, if using, stir, and immediately pour onto cake.
13. The glaze will begin to dry really quickly, so if it doesn't cover the whole cake (mine usually does) spread the glaze to the edges quickly, before it dries.
14. If you like, top with sprinkles, and let cool for a hour.

Thirsty Thursday - The Grange

(I am failing at MOFO this year, but I'm not giving up)!!

A new vegetarian restaurant opened up on Broadway, here in Providence, and it is slowly becoming one of my all time favorite places! The philosophy of The Grange is to highlight local and seasonal ingredients, as well as operate a low carbon, sustainable business.  

For Thirsty Thursday this week, I'd like to focus the Grange's fabulous selection of original cocktails, which are balanced and crafted to perfection, using a variety of local spirits.

The Ampersand (&)

Bully Boy White Rum, fresh orange, Cherry Heering, Dolin Rouge, shaken with ice, strained and served!

Here you can see the spirits up close. Some of them were new to me. The Cherry Heering is a luscious cherry liquor and the Dolin Rouge is a sweet red vermouth made in Chambery, France.

Next, we have The Basandere

The Grange's take on the classic Margherita: Agavales Blanco Tequila, Velvet Falernum, lime, torched sage, B&H Orange Bitters. I have discovered that Falernum is the generic term for a spiced citrusy sweet syrup used to flavor Caribbean cocktails. It contains flavors of almond, ginger or cloves, lime and vanilla. Velvet Falernum is the alcoholic version made in Barbados, and is similar to a low proof rum, and is the perfect addition to any TIKI bar!

And last, but not least, my all time favorite, The 00 (Double Ought) Buck

Rittenhouse Rye B.I.B., Grange ginger lemon, Bittermens Hellfire Bitters, garnished with a flamed orange peel. Luscious, with a lovely, fiery heat from the ginger and Hellfire Habanero Shrub .

The Grange is truly bringing back the art of mixology, as well as the love of cocktail classics.  As the bartender says: "There are no "Bacardi and Diets" here". ^_^

Recipe Urban Legends (Facebook Edition) ~Crack Potatoes~

For those of you on Facebook, I am sure you have seen a few of these "reposts" sneak through your feed from time to time...  I call them Recipe Urban Legends, because they are usually posted with such a sense of urgency, while shrouded in awe and mystery:

~Finally!! I FOUND it! DONT want to lose this again - DON'T be like me! SHARE to save this on your wall!! You won't believe it!!!!!!
NO FLOUR, NO OIL, NO WHITE SUGAR
**SHARE so it will save in your timeline**
✔ Like ✔ “Share” ✔ Tag ✔ Comment ✔ Repost ✔Follow me
To SAVE this , be sure to click SHARE so it will store on your personal page.
SHARE THIS TO YOUR WALL AND U WILL ALWAYS BE ABLE TO FIND IT!! 

Of course, I have yet to see a vegan one.  Maybe they exist.  Who knows? For the most part these recipes are something along the lines of: bacon, ranch, crescent roll, buffalo, biscuit, cheesy, chicken, 1-dish crockpot, casserole. Most of the time, I think to myself, EW who on EARTH would eat this, or better yet, make it for family or guests?  But then sometimes I think, "well, if you swap out a couple things... this could make one fine vegan dish..."

So, for those of you who do not know, I am in my most busiest time at work: University back-to-school.  Think: 12 hour days, six days a week, some pretty intense overtime pay, and hardly a moment to put together a decent, healthy meal.  And, then there is Vegan mofo on top of all that...  

So, as I gazed at 6 lonely potatoes sitting in a bowl on my counter, as well as a lovely sample of Wayfare whole grain bacon-y bits from Vida Vegan Con:

a recipe "urban legend" that passed through my Facebook feed earlier that day came to mind:  

CRACK POTATOES.  The name says it all... or does it?

Either way, I had everything on hand, including leftover vegan ranch dressing that I made up from Joni's mix in Vegan Food Gifts (great book, I tested recipes for it ~ check it out)!

Crack Potatoes - Vegan Style!

*Now, this recipe has been shared up, down, and all over Facebook, but, to give credit where credit is due, the original post and recipe I used is here.  (Apparently, there is a Crack Dip, too...)

Ingredients

• 3 lb potatoes, washed and cubed

• 4 Tbsp, butter Earth Balance (I used half this and it was STILL too much. 1T at the most)

• 1/4 c. Real Bacon Bits Wayfare Vegan Bacon-y Bits

• 1/4 c. ranch dressing

• 1/2 c. cheese Daiya Cheddar shreds

Instructions

1. Put potatoes in an 8x8 in glass dish. Put butter on top of potatoes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle bacon bit on top. Cover with aluminum foil and bake at 400 degrees for 1 hour.

2. Take potatoes out of oven and top with ranch dressing and cheese. Stir. Put back in oven until cheese is melted.

Before baking

Ya know, these weren't half-bad. Not quite the level of "crack" I was expecting, but not too shabby either. I would definitely cut the Earth Balance way back next time, and maybe sprinkle the potatoes with the dried ranch seasoning mix instead. My vegan ranch separated from the heat of the oven before the cheese was melted.

So, you all may be the judge, and I am curious your thoughts:  Just because a recipe CAN be veganized, should it? ^_^

Vegan Parmesan - A Perfect Addition to any Pasta Dish

Photo by Sharon123 @Food.com

Many vegetarians resist making the transition to veganism, finding it hardest to give up CHEESE. If I had a dollar for every time I've heard: "I could totally be vegan... except I could NEVER NOT HAVE CHEEEEESE", which is then usually followed by emphatic nods from everyone within earshot.

Well, fear not, my on-the fence friends! I'll let you in on a secret: Sometimes it's okay just to leave the cheese off.  But, for those times when it's not, you can give this quick and easy recipe a go:

Vegan Parmesan

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup raw slivered almonds
• 3-4 TBSP Nutritional Yeast (what is this)?
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp lemon zest, optional

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients into a blender, or (clean) coffee grinder, and pulse until almonds turn into tiny crumbs.  That's it!

Keep leftovers in a sealed container in your fridge to have on hand for impromptu pasta nights.  I have to say, this version of grated parmesan comes pretty darn close to that nutty, salty bite that grated parmesan, or other hard cheeses give to a dish of pasta. This recipe is great too, because you can make it in seconds right in you kitchen, instead of shelling out 3 times as much for the pre-made shakers of vegan grated cheese they sell in supermarkets or online.

Photo by Chef Prose @Food.com

Risotto Agli Asparagi e Limone ~ Lemon Garlic & Asparagus Risotto

Today's blog post is inspired by Sapori di Roma, or Flavors of Rome.

In Fall 2012, my parents spent the semester living in Rome, Italy, while my father taught a course for the Center for Theology and Religious Studies global campus.  My birthday happened to fall during their stay, and to commemorate me turning the big 4-0, my mom sent me a care package that would make any cook weep for joy:

Believe me, I am enjoying every bit of these ingredients.  So today, I would like to pay particular attention to the lovely packet in the far right foreground of Risotto. Deliciously creamy arborio rice straight from the mother land, flavored in a packet with bits of garlic and asparagus, aptly labeled: Sapori di Roma

Now, I knew I wanted to incorporate some fresh asparagus into the dish, because even though they were from Italy, the little dehydrated bits of "asparagi" that came in the package looked a bit tired.

I decided I would bust out my Le Creuset grill pan and grill some fresh asparagus. Since we don't eat meat in our house, this doesn't get used that often, so it is nice to give it some "love" every now and again.

Grilled Asparagus with Lemon

1 pound large asparagus, trimmed
2-3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3/4 teaspoon coarse salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

• Preheat the grill to medium.
• In a shallow baking dish, toss the asparagus with the oil to coat. Add the salt, and pepper and toss.
• Place the asparagus on the grill pan in a single layer, and cook, turning every 5 minutes, until marked and tender, about 15 minutes. 
• Transfer to a cutting board, sprinkle with the lemon juice. 
• Cut into 1 inch bite sized pieces and set aside. 

Now, on to the risotto:

Although I have watched it being prepared many times on countless Food Network shows, I have never actually made risotto.  But seriously, I knew I was ready.  Plus, the Arborio rice straight from the heart of Italy gave me the inspiration to conquer this dish.  So here we go:

Risotto Agli Asparagi e Limone ~ Lemon Garlic & Asparagus Risotto

Ingredients:

6 cups vegetable stock

1/4 cup olive oil

1 small onion, finely chopped

1 cup Arborio rice

1/2 cup dry white wine

1 bunch asparagus, trimmed, grilled, stalks cut into 1-inch pieces

1 teaspoon grated lemon zest, plus more for garnish

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1/4 cup nutritional yeast, or more to taste - or

1/2 cup of home made vegan parmesan (will post my recipe tomorrow)!

Directions:

1.  Bring stock to a simmer in a medium saucepan.

2.  Heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium heat in another saucepan. 

3.  Cook onion, stirring frequently, until soft, about 6 to 7 minutes. 

4.  Add rice, cook, stirring, until edges are translucent, 2 to 3 minutes. 

5.  Add wine; cook, stirring, just until evaporated.

6.  Add 1/2 cup hot stock; cook, stirring, until almost absorbed. 

7.  Continue adding 1/2 cup stock in this manner until liquid is creamy and rice is al dente, about 25-30 minutes total (you may not need to add all the stock). 

8.  Add the grilled asparagus with the last addition of stock, reserving about half of the tops for garnish.

9.  Turn off the heat and stir in lemon zest and juice, nutritional yeast or vegan parmesan, and remaining 2 tablespoons oil. 

10. Season with salt and pepper and serve immediately.

Bursting with Summer Sweetness

Shartner Farm, here in Exeter, RI has "Pick your own Blueberries" during the Summer months.  Aren't they just beautiful?!  And they taste utterly fantastic.  I see a pie in my future, or maybe a Blueberry Buckle Cake from Vegan Pie in the Sky!

For the moment, a breakfast smoothie will have to do...

Blueberry Peach Summer Fruit Smoothie

(For two)

2 1/2 cups fresh blueberries

2 ripe peaches, sliced

2 bananas (1 of mine was frozen)

1-1/2 cups unsweetened soy or almond milk

1-2 kale leaves

1 tbsp chia seeds

Combine fruit, kale and milk in a blender and process until smooth and kale leaves are blended.

Add chia seeds and blend one more time.

Enjoy your Purple-y goodness!! ;)))

Classic Tabbouleh - An Atypical Salad for the 4th of July

"Because nothing screams 'Fourth of July' like a big bowl of fresh, Middle Eastern parsley and grain salad..." ~My co-worker's reaction when I told her what I was planning to bring to a Fourth of July cookout.

But, I did not let that discourage me. While the rest of America was feasting of burgers, dogs, pulled pork and sausages, I had something else in mind. I was asked to bring something fresh and healthy to L's co-worker's family cook-out, to balance out meat-centric fare that was going to be served.  L mentioned something along the lines of a grain salad, so I thought this would be a great choice.



Several years ago, I attended a Vegetarian Cooking class over at Johnson & Wales University Culinary School.  This Classic Tabbouleh recipe was one of my hands-down favorites of the day.  I have never made Tabbouleh any other way since.  For this batch, I decided to add a 28 oz can of chickpeas, which I roasted for about 25-30 minutes with some olive oil and Greek rub (oregano, garlic, salt, pepper and lemon peel).

Classic Tabbouleh

Total Time: 30 mins

Prep Time: 15 mins

Cook Time: 15 mins

Serves 10 

1 1/2 cups bulgur wheat

4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

3 cups vegetable stock, boiling

1/2 cup scallion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

3 cups flat leaf parsley, chopped

3/4 cup mint leaf, chopped

4 tomatoes, diced

1 seedless European cucumber, diced

1/4 cup lemon juice

salt & pepper, to taste

Directions:

1.  Mix bulgar wheat and 1 tbsp olive oil in a bowl.

2.  Pour boiling stock over, cover and let stand for 15-20 minutes, or until tender.

3.  Not all broth will be absorbed, so please drain bulgur well in a strainer.

4.  Toss rehydrated bulgar with remaining ingredients and remaining olive oil.

5.  Add salt and pepper to taste, and refrigerate until ready to serve.

The results:  A big hit, and both the host and her good friend asked to take home leftovers, something that always makes me smile!

And there was even enough for lunch the next day!

Blueberry Banana Green Smoothie (with a shot of Chia)

This week, organic blueberries were on sale, so I took full advantage and bought two pints. My plan to make blueberry buckwheat pancakes with some of them never came to pass, so I made up some luscious fruit smoothies for breakfast instead.

Here we have:

2 cups unsweetened almond milk

1 large banana, frozen

3/4 cup organic blueberries

1 1/2 cups baby spinach

1 package of chia shots*, from my Vida Vega Con swag bag!

*ice cubes, if you like it extra cold

*What's nice about chia seeds is that they pack all the omega 3s, fiber and protein of flax seeds, but they do NOT have to be fully ground in order to digest or reap the nutritional benefits. So these cute little packs are great for on the go to add into yogurt or salads, too.

Add ingredients to your blender and blend until smooth and creamy. This makes a fantastic breakfast on the go. And, considering the blueberries have now doubled in price, this was a nice treat while it lasted! ^_^

Millet Salad with Carrots and Kale

So, I went a little overboard with the free samples from Bob's Red Mill at Vida Vegan Con 2013, and have now found myself overrun with MILLET (which is not necessarily a bad thing)!

As part of the new packaging on their Grains of Discovery series, the lovely representative from Bob's Red Mill was armed and ready with simple size packets of several unique and interesting ancient grains which have nourished many of the world's civilizations since the dawn of time.  Some were quite familiar to me such as quinoa and farro, others like amaranth and kamut, were not.  Millet I had heard of, but had never cooked with it before now.

For those of you unfamiliar with millet, it look like quinoa's cousin, tiny pellets without the quinoa "tail". You might also recognize it as the #1 ingredient in most bird seeds...  (I kept that part to myself, as this might be a tough sell for my better-half). I have read that millet is highly nutritious, expands quite a bit when cooking, and has the tendency to become mushy if overcooked.

So what to make with this "rediscovered" ancient grain...

One of my favorite talks at Vida Vegan con was Terry Hope Romero's Recipe Creation and Testing, where Terry discussed, in depth, her recipe development process. One of her tips was to let yourself be inspired by food and food trends, and not just VEGAN food trends.  She takes inspiration from Sauveur, Bon Appetite and the Washington Post, publications not know for vegetarian or even vegan dishes.  So instead of typing my usual:  "MILLET RECIPES VEGAN" into Google, I left the 'vegan' out, and found this:

Warm Millet, Carrot and Kale Salad With Curry-Scented Dressing

  -from the New York Times Website.

With a little tweaking I came up with this adaptation, which I veganized, and added some ingredients I had on hand

Millet, Carrot & Kale Salad

12 kale leaves, stemmed and washed thoroughly

Salt to taste

2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil

1/2 cup millet

1 cup vegetable broth

1-2 tsp Tandoori Seasoning (Penzey's)

2 tsp extra virgin olive oil

1/2 pound carrots, peeled halved and thinly sliced
1/4 cup pickled red peppers (leftover from Indian take away)

1/2 cup chopped cilantro

1 TBSP nigella seeds sesame seeds, toasted, plus onion powder to taste

For the Dressing:

2 TBSP fresh lemon juice

2 TBSP seasoned rice vinegar

1 tsp sweet curry powder (Penzey's) 

Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste 

2-3 TBSP extra virgin olive oil

1/4 cup buttermilk sunflower milk, plus 1 T Tofutti Sour cream

Now because I was making this on a weeknight, I decided to skip the kale prep. TWO ways from the original recipe, and just go for blanched (or in my case, steamed) kale. Chop kale leaves into strips and steam for about 5 minutes until bright and vibrant green.  Rinse in a colander under cold water and set aside, drain and squeeze out excess water. Kale can be chopped a bit more, at this point (especially nice if you have a kale hater in your house like I do)!

Heat 2 teaspoons of oil over medium-high heat in a heavy 2- or 3-quart saucepan. Add the millet and Tandoori seasoning and toast, stirring, until it begins to smell fragrant and toasty, 3 to 5 minutes. Add 1 cup of vegetable broth and salt to taste, and bring back to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer 25 to 30 minutes, until the liquid in the saucepan has evaporated and the grains are fluffy. Turn off the heat and let sit for 10 to 15 minutes.  At this point I also added the sliced carrots and my leftover pickled red peppers from Indian takeaway the previous night.

 Whisk the dressing ingredients together in a measuring cup.  At this point, the original recipe had suggested reheating the whole mixture with the dressing in a skillet, but I thought it was just warm enough.  Add the chopped kale to the millet and carrots, add dressing (I only used about 3/4 of the dressing) then stir to combine.  Mix in the sesame seeds and  chopped cilantro, (I like to save a bit of each to top the final salad) and serve!