Dairy-Free Breakfast Nachos

You can have nachos for breakfast - why not?

Here's the thing, too.  These don't have cheese in them.

I'm keeping it quiet, because cheese is one of my oldest and dearest friends.  And I don't want to hurt its feelings.

But you know, some foods have enough stuff going on that they just don't need cheese.

Shh!  Hear me out.

Mexican food, with its lime, its cilantro, its salsa, its guac, its raw white onion.  Leave the cheese off, you won't even notice.

Observe that the most authentic Mexican food at most only uses a sprinkling of queso cotija.  It's a condiment, a light sprinkling.

In the summer I like my dishes light (if you can call something with guacamole and a fried egg on it light).

But please don't tell cheese - we have a scheduled rendezvous coming soon, and I wouldn't want things to get awkward.

Dairy-Free Breakfast Nachos

some chips
a egg
salsa
chopped white onion
1 can black beans
cilantro, torn
guacamole
lime juice

The nice thing about nachos is you really can make them to taste.  I created the guacamole here by mashing up avocado, lime juice and salt (about 1/2 lime and a generous pinch of salt per avocado).  Put it together how you like, fry an egg and put it on top.  Ta da!  Breakfast.

Blood Orange Marmalade

What are your thoughts on marmalade?

I really am on a bitter kick lately, although wait be fair!  This is only just a little, teensy weensy bit bitter.

The peel is softened overnight, soaked in water and juice to lose most of its bite.

Most of it...not all.

Strawberry jam it ain't, is all I'm saying.

But friends and neighbors if you put this junk on a bakery-fresh English muffin you picked up while jogging (jogging with muffins in hands is an acceptable way to add strength-training to your cardio regime)...

Top it with clotted cream, which is like butter but creamier and without the salt.  Like if whipped cream and butter had a baby...

And then dollop on this bittersweet madness, you will just go to food heaven.

You will, I promise.

Sort out your affairs, because it will be the end.

Blood Orange Marmalade
adapted from the love website Food in Jars

1 lb blood oranges (4-5 medium sized fruits)
2 1/2 cups white sugar

Wash oranges well.  Trim away ends and slice in half.  Core with very sharp knife, removing white inside.  Pluck out any seeds you see.  Keep ends and cores for now.

Halve oranges and slice them very thin, about 1/8 inch thickness.  Keep slices together in shape and cut again, quartering the orange.  You should have little triangles of orange.

Bundle up seeds and cores in cheesecloth and tie tightly.  Place chopped oranges and cheesecloth bundle in a medium bowl.  Cover with about 3 cups of water, chill overnight.

Discard cheesecloth bundle.  Combine remaining fruit and water with white sugar in a medium saucepan.  Bring marmalade mix to a simmer and cook until reduced by more than half and sugar thermometer reads 220.  When it is finished, pour into prepared jars.  Wipe rims and put on lids, turning them to 'fingertip tightness'.

Submerge jars in boiling water bath for 10 minutes,*  Leave to dry and seal overnight.

*!arning, read up on canning here if this is your first attempt.  I can't take responsibility for anybody's botulism!  But really, it's pretty easy once you know the rules.  The botulism-destroying rules.

Quinoa Cabbage Cups with Tomato Jam

Cabbage cups!

Cabbage, with stuff inside.

You bake it in a muffin tin, you stuff it with stuff that you like.

My husband was inspired by it.

What about taco cabbage cups?  What about putting kim chi inside?

Honey, I think you are onto something.

These have chick peas and quinoa, plus raisins for a surprising burst of sweet between the onions and red bell peppers.

And easy.  Hello!  Sold.

Plus tomato jam!  Have you ever heard of such a thing?  It's not sweet, and it's not for the faint of heart.  It's like a strong marinara, times a million. 

Tasty.

Quinoa Cabbage Cups with Tomato Jam (adapted from Living Without)
Serves 6



For the jam:
6 tomatoes
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 teaspoon ground paprika (I used smoked for some spice)
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon gluten-free Worcestershire sauce, optional

For the cabbage cups:
½ cup uncooked quinoa
1 cup water or broth
2 teaspoons canola oil or grape seed oil
1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
1 red bell pepper, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup cooked or canned chickpeas
⅓ cup raisins
Juice of ½ lemon
1 teaspoon thyme
¼ teaspoon salt
12 green cabbage leaves

The following steps can and should be done simultaneously.  Like, not all at once, but while one thing is sitting for 10 minutes get started on the next.  No need to wait until the jam is done to start everything else, for example.

To make Tomato Jam, slice a shallow X into the bottom of each tomato using a sharp knife. Fill a medium saucepan about halfway with water and bring to a boil. Drop tomatoes into boiling water for about 15 seconds and remove with a slotted spoon. When cool enough to handle, peel back the skin from the tomatoes starting at the points created by the X. Slice in half and chop the tomatoes.

Mix together tomatoes and sugar in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes, stirring often. Stir in cider vinegar, paprika, salt, pepper and Worcestershire sauce, if using. Simmer until thickened, about 10 minutes.

To make Cabbage Cups, place quinoa in a small saucepan along with 1 cup water or broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer covered for 12 minutes or until quinoa is tender and water is absorbed. Remove pan from heat.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook until softened. Add red pepper and garlic and cook 2 minutes. Stir in quinoa, chickpeas, raisins, lemon juice, thyme and salt. Remove from heat.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease 12 standard-size muffin cups with oil. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and prepare a large bowl of ice water.

In batches, blanch cabbage leaves for 1 minute to soften slightly and then plunge into the ice water bath. Drain and slice off the tough lower spine of each leaf.

Working one at a time, press cabbage leaves into prepared muffin cups, making sure a generous amount of leaf hangs over the sides. Fill each with an equal amount of quinoa mixture. Fold over tops to seal.




Place in preheated oven and bake 20 minutes, being careful not to burn the leaves. Let cool for about 5 minutes and then place a flat object, such as a cutting board, over muffin tins and invert to unmold.

Serve Cabbage Cups with Tomato Jam.  High five yourself.

Buckwheat Chocolate Cake with Raspberry Sauce

I like me a heavy cake.  A dense cake.  A heavy, dense chocolate cake.

A bitterly chocolatey heavily dense chocolate cake.

How's it going, you guys?  You might be asking yourselves, what am I eating these days?

I know I was wondering it about you.

I've been off sugar, wheat and dairy for more than a month now (health reasons grumble grumble).  It's been a bit of a sparse time for food-blogging, I have to say.

I'm still off most of those things, but I am eating fruit now.

Fruit!

Bananas in my granola and oranges with my plain almond yogurt.

It's becoming a better day.

I'm giving up fish this month (I dumped chicken in March, yo).  We are on our way, vegans by June!  And then back again.

Also, running!  I'm doing that too, sometimes.  Like, four days a week now?  Or at least that's the goal.

And crunches.

Anyway, shut up about exercise.  Let's eat some cake!

Buckwheat Chocolate Cake with Raspberry Sauce (adapted from David Lebovitz, genius that he is)

I adapted this recipe to be sugar- and dairy-free, although it was gluten-free to begin with.  If you are a hardcore chocohoover, you will love it.  It's like huffing a cocoa bean.  I also made this raspberry sauce, in case you have to share it with someone and they want some sugar, or something.  Also feel free to sprinkle (or spread) with powdered sugar.  Sweeten to taste, is what I'm saying.  In the original recipe he adds in a half cup of sugar with the wet ingredients.  You can do that too.  Also, if you want to go whole hog, swap butter for the coconut oil and whole milk plain yogurt for the almond milk.  If your health isn't holding you hostage, why not?

6 ounces (170g) bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped 
1/2 cup (115g) coconut oil
4 large eggs, separated
1/3 cup (80ml) almond milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup (75g) almond or hazelnut flour
1/4 cup (35g) buckwheat flour

Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC.) Butter an 8-inch (20cm) cake pan and line the bottom with a round of parchment paper.

In a large, heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water, melt the chocolate and coconut oil until smooth, then remove from the heat and let cool slightly.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, almond milk, vanilla, and salt, the whisk them into the melted chocolate. Stir in the almond or hazelnut flour, and the buckwheat flour.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, or by hand, whip the egg whites until they form firm peaks. Fold one-third of the whipped egg whites into the chocolate mixture to lighten it, then fold in the remaining chocolate mixture just until it’s completely combined.

Scrape the batter into the pan, level the top, then bake for 25 to 30 minutes; the cake will feel relatively set, but the center of the cake should still be soft. Let cool for 10 minutes, then remove.

For raspberry syrup:
Combine 1 cup raspberry jam with 1/4 cup water and simmer over low heat until reduced and syrupy.  Strain out the seeds.

Rosemary Almond Olive Oil Bread

I'm going on vacation tomorrow!

We will be hiking, and biking, and swimming, and all that jazz.

We are going east of the mountains, which in Oregon, signifies a sudden and total climate change.

Snow, maybe!  And not raining every day!

Smaller trees for sure.

Also - mountains and lakes!

I'm very excited to take baby, although his favorite will probably be the hotel swimming pool.  And the tub!  We don't have a tub, and he's so big now he's all elbows and knees in his little baby bathtub.

Here is a soft and lovely delicacy.

Gentle olive oil, earthy rosemary, and that lightness only yeasted breads have. 

It's a keeper.

Rosemary Almond Olive Oil Bread (adapted from Living Without)

1 cup warm water (110ºF)
2 tablespoons honey
2 teaspoons active dry yeast
1¼ cups almond flour
1 cup cornstarch
½ cup tapioca starch/flour
3 teaspoons xanthan gum
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, diced
½ teaspoon table salt
¼ cup flax seed meal
1 cup almond milk
¼ cup olive oil

Preheat oven to minimum oven temperature, no higher than 170ºF. Grease a standard (8x5-inch) loaf pan.


In a small bowl, combine warm water and honey. Stir in yeast and let mixture sit 5 to 10 minutes or until froth forms on top.



In a large bowl, place almond flour, cornstarch, tapioca starch/flour, xanthan gum, rosemary, salt and flax
seed meal. Mix very well.

In a medium bowl, mix together almond milk, olive oil and yeast mixture.  Pour into dry ingredients and mix well.

Pour batter into prepared pan. Smooth top with a spatula.



Place bread in preheated oven and let rise about 40 minutes.

Leaving bread in oven, increase temperature to 375ºF and bake for 50 minutes or until done.

When done, remove loaf from oven and let cool in pan for 5 minutes. Remove from pan and place on a wire rack to cool completely. 

Lentils with Rhubarb

 
See!  I promised you rhubarb!

When my husband and I were still dating, I remember asking him if he could have one wish, what would it be?

He answered that he would never have to eat again.

I was astonished.  Still am, really.  What a response!  That's like wishing never to take a warm shower again, or never smell a flower.  Not eat!

And yet.  I'm beginning to feel like that.  For those of you not caught up, due to a minor health issue I've had to undergo a major (though temporary) diet change the past week or so (has it only been a week?  Really?).

No wheat, no dairy, no sugar.  Everyone always asks, 'what do you eat?'

It's a challenge and no mistake.  It's a blast when I find something grand that fits, like this granola, or this egg, rice, edamame and avocado salad.

But mostly it's a long line of vegetable soups and rice cakes, calculated to fill, to fuel brain and muscle function and not much else.

This must be what purposefully fit people feel like (and yes, I have dropped a few pounds).  They say they'll live forever.  I say, you call this living?

Anyway, enough outta me.  I've got about one more week of the hard stuff, then I'll be eating fruit again.  Fruit!

Until then, maybe let's try some millet together?  What do you think?

Lentils with Rhubarb adapted (appropriately) from Living Without Magazine
This is food with nutrients.

2 teaspoons olive oil
2 shallots, finely chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 medium-size carrot, peeled and chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1 jalapeño or serrano pepper, seeded and diced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon ground turmeric
½ teaspoon sea salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 cups chopped rhubarb
1 cup French green lentils, rinsed
3½ cups vegetable broth (or water)

In a medium-size saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add shallots, bell pepper, carrot, garlic, ginger and jalapeño pepper. Cook 3 minutes, stirring often.

Add cumin, turmeric, sea salt and black pepper; cook 1 minute. Add rhubarb and cook 2 minutes, stirring often.

Add lentils to the pot along with 3½ cups broth. Bring mixture to a boil. Then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer covered for 30 minutes or until lentils are tender. 

African Peanut Soup

It's gonna get hearty up in here.

Rice!  Beans!  Sweet potatoes!

Time to get some meat on those bones.

Time to fill some empty bellies!

Is this soup actually African?  I have no idea.

But I tell you what it is:  a tasty combination of textures.  And aromas.

Lately I've been having a lot of smoothies.  Like, for breakfast and stuff.

And soups too.  Pureed squash, sweet potatoes, carrots.  A lot of orange stuff.  Nutritious, but doesn't stick with you.

A hearty, bean-y soup was just what I needed.

And the peanut butter gives it this sort of, mmm, creaminess?  And the little crunchy peanuts...

Well, you get what I'm saying.

Good soup.

African Peanut Soup

The original recipe also included 2 cups of cooked chicken.  Add it with the broth, after sauteing the vegetables, for a non-vegetarian version.

1 1/2 cups cubed peeled sweet potato (about 3 small or 2 medium)
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup diced red pepper
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 jalepeno pepper, seeded and minced
1 cup bottled salsa (I actually used black bean dip, which was great)
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
4 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup uncooked rice
1 15-oz. can black beans, drained
1/2 cup peanut butter (I used crunchy)
1-2 tablespoons olive oil

Heat olive oil in a large soup pot over medium-high heat.  Add sweet potato, onion, bell pepper, garlic, and jalepeno.  Saute for 5 minutes.  Add remaining ingredients, except peanut butter; bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.  Add peanut butter, stirring with a whisk, and cook for 2 more minutes.  Serve hot.

Vegan Yellow Rice and Bean Enchiladas

I haven't posted anything savory for quite some time.  If you're wondering whether that reflects my life over the past few months, yes it does.

Now I am posting something both savory and vegan (and dairy- and gluten-free!).  If you're wondering whether that reflects my life over the last week, yes it does.

I've had that thing happen again.  You know the one?  The terrible one.  Where I can't eat sugar for a while.

Oh man, the withdrawals the other day!  I was like, shivering and disordered, man.  

I'm doing a little better now.  And this won't last forever.  But the upshot is that, generally, eating less sugar is a good thing (noooo!), and it fits in with some of my February goals.

February goals!  Remember the goals I'm making this year?  In my year of seasonal eating?

I'm happy to report that my January goals have all been met.  And now it's time to up the ante, just a little bit.

Nothing too sudden in our year of seasonal eating.

February plans:
Cook three meals a week, one meat, one vegetarian, and one soup (this is the same as January, it's working fine)
Stop eating beef after the 15th of the month, but feature it in my meals until then. (Dropping pork has been pretty easy, although I miss bacon...but guess what!  They make turkey bacon!)
Run two days a week, a little further now.  About 1 1/3 miles.
Do yoga or another gentle, indoor exercise four days a week, and rest the last.

Good plans?  Good plans.  Things are going smoothly so far.  I am pleased to feel slightly more fit than I did a month ago at this time, and looking forward to being slightly more fit a month away than I am now.

We'll catch up on this in March!

Vegan Yellow Rice and Bean Enchiladas adapted from Silvana Nardone's "Cooking for Isaiah: Gluten-Free and Dairy-Free Recipes for Easy, Delicious Meals" (great book, although sister loves the sugar)

Just have to take a minute to mention the photos here.  Uh, I'm not really proud.  In the transfer from the pan to the plate my lovely enchiladas sort of...morphed into more of a...food pile.  Don't get me wrong, I love food piles.  They go down smooth.  But not the prettiest pictures.  But please trust me...this recipe does make actual, beautiful enchiladas.  And they taste awesome.

Serves 8

2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, 1 smashed and 2 finely chopped
2 tablespoons chile powder
2 cups dry red wine or broth
1 28-oz can tomato puree
3 cups water
Salt
1 cup long-grain white rice
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons ground turmeric
8 corn tortillas
1 15-oz can black beans, drained
1 cup corn kernels
2 ripe avocadoes
Juice of 1 lime (about 2 tablespoons)
4 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat.  Add the onion and finely chopped garlic and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.  Add the chile powder and toast for 1 minute (smells so good!).  Add the wine or broth and bring to a boil; simmer until reduced, about 5 minutes.  Add the tomato puree and 1 cup water; cook for 15 minutes.  Season with about 2 teaspoons salt.

In the meantime, in a medium saucepan with a tight-fitting lid, combine the smashed garlic, rice, cumin, turmeric, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and remaining 2 cups water.  Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.  Cover, reduce the heat to low and simmer until the water is absorbed, about 15 minutes.  Take off the heat and let sit, covered, for 5 minutes; fluff with fork.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.  Grease a large baking dish.  Dip the tortillas, one at a time, in the chile sauce and place in the dish.  Fill each one as you go with 2 heaping tablespoons rice, 1 heaping tablespoon of black beans, and 1 heaping tablespoon of corn kernels.  Roll it up and place seam-side down in your prepared dish.  Brush them with olive oil and bake, uncovered, until golden and crisp around the edges, about 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, to make the guacamole, mash together the avocados, lime juice, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 2 tablespoons cilantro.

To assemble, pour the remaining sauce down the middle of the enchiladas (I also poured on the remaining rice, beans, and corn...thus the food pile) and top with the remaining 2 tablespoons cilantro and the guacamole.  Serve immediately.