Monthly Archives: August 2013

Cauliflower Dal

 dal 002

Cauliflower Dal

A dal is an Indian stew made from lentils or beans. This flavorful version uses panch phoran, a whole spice blend containing equal parts of fenugreek, fennel seeds, cumin seeds, black mustard seeds, and nigella seeds. You can find this blend in well-stocked spice shops, Indian markets, or online.
Servings: 4

Ingredients

  • 1 head cauliflower broken into florets
  • 2 TBSP coconut oil canola oil would work fine as well
  • 1 1/2 cups red lentils rinsed and drained
  • 4 cups vegetable stock*
  • 1 medium onion diced
  • 1 TBSP tumeric
  • 1 1/2 TBSP panch phoran
  • 1/2 TBSP crushed red pepper or aleppo pepper optional
  • 1 jalepeno or other chile minced (optional)
  • 1 1/2 inch piece of ginger grated
  • 2 medium tomatoes diced (you could also use canned diced tomatoes)
  • salt and pepper
  • cilantro for garnish

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees
  • Toss cauliflower florets with 1 TBSP coconut oil, salt and pepper and roast in oven for 15-20 minutes
  • Heat remaining TBSP of coconut oil on medium high heat; add panch phoran and stir until seeds begin to pop
  • When seeds begin to pop, add onion and saute for 3-5 minutes
  • Add chile and garlic and cook for another 1-2 minutes
  • Add broth, lentils and tumeric and bring to boil
  • Cook at a simmer until lentils are soft and breaking apart, about 20 minutes
  • Add roasted cauliflower to lentils and continue cooking for another 5-10 minutes until mixture and flavors are well combined
  • Season with salt, pepper, and chile flakes to taste and serve alone or over rice, garnished with cilantro

Notes

* I like Better Than Boullion No Chicken Base
Adapted from Fat Free Vegan Kitchen

Summer Vegetable Quiche

summerquiche

Potato Crusted Summer Vegetable Quiche

This quiche is an adaptation of a recipe from a great veggie cooking blog, A Veggie Venture.
Servings: 6

Ingredients

  • 2 medium yukon gold or red potatoes thinly sliced on a mandoline
  • Butter margarine, olive oil, or olive oil spray for greasing pan
  • 2 ears of corn cut off cob and cobs "milked" with the back of a knife to release juices
  • 1 medium zuchinni thinly sliced
  • 3 handfuls of baby spinach or arugula
  • 3 extra large eggs beaten
  • 1 cup gruyere cheese grated
  • salt and pepper
  • 1 large tomato preferably heirloom sliced

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 375
  • Butter or oil a spring-form pan or deep pie dish and line with the potato slices to form the crust.
  • Season potatoes with salt and pepper and spray with olive oil spray
  • Blind bake crust in oven for 15-20 minutes until potatoes are soft.
  • Mix corn, zucchini, spinach, eggs and cheese together in a bowl and season with salt and pepper
  • Remove crust from oven and pour in the vegetable and egg mixture.
  • Top mixture with sliced tomato and season with a little more salt and pepper.
  • Return to oven and bake for another 45 minutes or until egg mixture is set. (If you like a browned top, broil for the last 3 minutes of baking.)
  • Remove from oven and allow to cool before serving or removing from spring-form pan.