Pumpkin, Sunflower and Flax seed butter

When it comes to nut butters, most people ride the peanut butter train.  I don't blame them.  It's cheap, easy, and healthy.  It is also good to give to your dogs when they are running laps around the house trying to kill each other.  It's like a spoonful of valium for them.

I'm a fan of peanut butter myself, but there are a whole lotta other nut and seed butters out there that are worth exploring... cashew, almond, sunflower, pumpkin seed, hemp seed etc...
Each one has a unique flavor and offers different health benefits... and different price tags!

My latest obsession has been sunflower seed butter.  I had been shelling out six dollars a pound for this stuff... whereas, one pound of sunflower seeds only cost a buck and some change.

You do the math.

I figured I would try making it at home.

Why not?

I was going to use straight up sunflower seeds which, by the way, are great for you.. They are high in vitamin E (good for the skin) and magnesium (good for frazzled nerves) and they help to lower cholesterol.

To up the nutritional profile I added some pumpkin seeds (aka pepitas) and ground flax seed.

Pumpkin seeds are a great source of magnesium too, as well as iron and zinc. They are good for the prostate (eat up boys!) and have anti-inflammatory effects for people with arthritis.

Flax seed is pimpin' in terms of nutritonal benefits.  It contains alpha linolenic acid, an omega 3 fat, which has anti-inflammatory effects, protects against heart disease, cancer, diabetes and helps to control high blood pressure.  It's high in fiber and is particularly rich in lignans, which can help protect women from developing breast cancer.  It's also super cheap.  Add some ground flax to a smoothie or oatmeal. Sprinkle some on a salad or make some delicious sunflower, pumpkin and flax seed butter, and do your body a favor!

Pumpkin, Sunflower and Flax Seed Butter (makes 1 1/4 c.)

Based on this recipe:
http://www.thekitchn.com/thekitchn/diy-recipe/recipe-pumpkinsunflowerflax-seed-butter-154946

1 c. raw pumpkin seeds
1/2 c. raw sunflower seeds
1/4 c. ground flax seed
6 T. sunflower oil (I used more than the original recipe.  The amount you use mary vary depending on how creamy you like it!)
a pinch of salt

Toast the sunflower and pumpkin seeds in a skillet over low heat until fragrant. Set aside to cool.  Place the seeds along with the ground flax in a food processor and process for a minute.  Scrape down the sides.  With the processor running, stream in the oil a little at a time until it becomes creamy, scraping down the bottom and the sides as needed. Add the salt and process again.

Be sure to share some with your dogs...

pizza with zucchini, corn, feta and cilantro

The full title should actually read: thin crust pizza with zucchini, fresh corn, red onion, jalapenos, lime, feta, cilantro, and black wax pecorino romano with roasted garlic oil.
Yeah, there is alot going on here.

Fortunately, this is one of those recipes that comes together in no time. A little bit of slicing and dicing and a quick, no rise pizza crust and you are good to go. It honestly takes less time than ordering takeout... unless, of course you live next to a pizza joint.  But I'm guessing you don't.

This came together based on one of the pizzas at the famous Berkeley, California institution, The Cheeseboard Collective http://cheeseboardcollective.coop/pizza.
If you live in Berkeley or any where near Berkeley (I'm talkin' a 60 mile radius), do yourself a favor and hit up the joint.  It is probably hands down one of my top three pizzas evah.
And...I'm a New Yorker so I don't play when it comes to pizza..

This recipe is pretty versatile. Use as much or as little toppings as you prefer.  I heart vegetables and cheese so I went a little heavy on both...

Thin crust pizza with zucchini, corn, feta and cilantro (serves 2-4 people)

1 batch thin crust pizza (i like this one: http://www.thekitchn.com/thekitchn/main-dish/recipe-homemade-thin-crust-pizza-045499)
1 medium zucchini, sliced into 1/4" rounds
1-1/2 c. fresh corn (about 2 ears)
1/4 small red onion, sliced
1/2 c. feta, crumbled
1/2 c. grated pecorino romano
1/2 c. cilantro, chopped
1-2 jalapenos, seeds removed, diced
2-3 T. roasted garlic oil or extra virgin olive oil
juice from 1 lime
salt and pepper, to taste

Roll out your pizza crust.  Spread a layer of garlic oil on the bottom, just enough to coat the dough. Scatter the jalapenos on the dough. In a small bowl, toss the zucchini, corn and red onion with a little olive oil, salt and pepper. Pile the toppings on the dough, followed by the feta.  Bake on a pizza stone until the edges of the crust are browned and the cheese is nice and melty. Top with the grated pecorino, cilantro, a squeeze of lime and a drizzle of roasted garlic oil or olive oil.  Sprinkle some salt and pepper on that pie and you're in business.

Moroccan Chickpea Patties

This is not a Rachael Ray dish.  You will not have this on the table in 30 minutes or less.
This is a dish that you will spend an hour or more making and will dirty your food processor three times.

You could easily serve these badboys with a simple lemon tahini sauce and call it a day.
However....
I tend to go into freak out mode if I don't get my daily dose of vegetables, so I normally go the extra mile and pair these with some simply steamed broccoli and miso whipped sweet potatoes. 

I make this recipe whenever I have a can of chicpeas on hand.  I figure it's better than making hummus and eating the ENTIRE batch myself.
It's also one of the few ways I can get my husband to eat chickpeas.  Yes, he's a garbanzo hater.  Issues, I know.

Moroccan Chickpea Patties (from vive le vegan by dreena burton) Serves 4

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium fennel bulb, chopped (stalks and core discarded, roughly 1-1/2 - 2 cups)
1⁄8 teaspoon sea salt
freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/2 cup red bell pepper, chopped
2 cups cooked chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
1 medium clove garlic, chopped
1-1/2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil for purée
2 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
1⁄2 teaspoon sea salt
1⁄4 teaspoon cumin
3⁄4 teaspoon paprika
1⁄8 teaspoon cinnamon
1⁄3 - 1/2 cup sliced green onions
1/2 cup good quality breadcrumbs (see note)
3 tablespoons sesame seeds
1⁄8 teaspoon sea salt
1 tablespoon olive oil for frying patties
In a skillet over medium heat, heat the oil. Add the fennel, salt and pepper and cook for 5-6 minutes. Add the red pepper and cook for another 5 minutes or until the fennel has softened. Remove from heat.
In a food processor, combine the chickpeas with the garlic, vinegar, olive oil, ginger, salt, cumin, paprika and cinnamon and purée until the mixture becomes smooth (scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed). If still a little chunky, add a touch more oil or water, and purée again until smooth. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl, and stir in the fennel/red pepper mixture and green onions. Stir through to combine well. If you have the time, refrigerate for at least an hour—the mixture will firm up and be easier to shape.
Mix the breadcrumbs, sesame seeds and sea salt, and pour onto a plate. Take a mound of the chickpea mixture (roughly 1/3 cup) and form patties; then dip both sides in the breadcrumb mixture.
In a skillet over medium heat, heat the oil and fry the patties for about 7-9 minutes on each side, until lightly browned (flip only once or twice to prevent breaking up patties).

Lemon Tahini Sauce

1/3 c. tahini
1 lemon, juiced
1/4 t. salt
1 large clove garlic, minced
1/4 c. water (more or less depending on how thick you like your sauce)

Place all ingredients except water in a food processor. With motor running stream in water.  Taste and adjust lemon, garlic and salt depending on personal preference.

Miso Whipped Sweet Potatoes

2 lb sweet potatoes, peeled cut into 1" chunks
1-2 T. miso
salt, to taste

Boil sweet potatoes until fork tender. Allow to cool a bit, then transfer to a food processor. Add miso and a pinch of salt.  Process until creamy.

Steamed Broccoli...

broccoli + steam.

Make this on a rainy day.  You'll be in the kitchen for a couple hours.
Just sayin'.

Lickity Split Granola Bars

These take five minutes to make.
They contain five ingredients.
Five year olds will love them.


And... so will you.

I love granola/energy bars.  They are great for breakfast or as a snack or are perfect for those times when your blood sugar is going to crash and you are ready to kill someone.

I adapted this recipe from this site
http://www.choosingraw.com/hurry-up-vegan-five-minute-no-bake-sunflower-oat-bars/
They are highly versatile.. you can use different nuts and seeds, dried fruits, nut butters and sweetners, depending what you like and what's chilling in your cupboards.

Get crazy with it.

Lickity Split Granola Bars (makes 9-12 bars)

2 1/2 c. rolled oats
1 c. sunflower seeds
1/2 c. raw cacao nibs
2/3 c. sunflower seed butter or any nut butter
1/2-2/3 c. honey or agave

Line a 9" by 9" pan with aluminum foil.
In a large bowl mix together the oats, raw cacao and sunflower seeds.
In a seperate bowl mix together the honey and sunflower seed butter.
Pour the honey/sunflower seed mixture into the oat mixture and mix until all ingredients are incorporated.
Press mixture into the lined pan. Place another piece of foil on top and press down even more. 
Refrigerate for at least for hours.
Cut into squares and keep stored in the fridge until ready to eat.

Savory Oat and Nut Vegetable Burgers

This veggie burger is no joke.
If it got into a fighting match with a boca burger it would do some serious damage.

I'm not a big fan of storebought frozen vegetable burgers. 
Why?
1.They are super expensive.
2.They have way too many ingredients.
3.They taste like cardboard.

These burgers are cheap to make, contain whole food ingredients (oats, almonds, walnuts, vegetables etc.) and come together in two shakes of a lambs tail (aka mad quick)

oats, walnuts, almonds, sesame seeds, nutritional yeast and other savory spices..

grated carrots, onion, parsley and cooked oats...

All together now!

Savory Oat and Nut Vegetable Burgers (makes 2 large burgers)

1/2 c. oats
1/4 c. cooked oats
1 medium carrot, peeled and grated
2 T. parsley, chopped
2 T. onion, diced
1 T. nutritional yeast
1 T. sesame seeds
1 T. tamari
1/4 c. almonds, ground
3 T. walnuts, ground
1/4 t. rubbed sage
1/4 t. mustard powder
1/4 t. celery seed
1/4 t. black pepper
1/4 t. sea salt
oil for frying

First, cook up some oats.  Place 2/3 c. water, a pinch of salt and 1/4 c. oats in a small saucepan.  Cook on medium low heat until oats are cooked. Set aside to cool.
Place 1/2 c. oats, the ground nuts, sesame seeds, nutritional yeast and spices in a medium sized bowl.  Add the onion, carrot, parsley and tamari.  When the oats have cooled a bit stir them in and mix thoroughly.  Place in the refridgerator for at least one hour.  This will help them to firm up so they don't fall apart.
When you are ready to cook 'em up, heat a small amount of oil in a non stick skillet over medium high heat. Form the mixture into patties and place in the hot oil.  Cook 3-4 minutes each side or until lightly browned.  Gently flip and cook for 3-4 minutes on the other side.  Place on a plate lined with a paper towel to absorb any excess oil. 
I served these up on toasted sourdough bread with some lettuce, red onion and a little dijon mustard mixed with some vegenaise. 

Crack open a cold beer, make yourself a burger and get down with it...

caprese salad and aglio e olio

99.9% of the time I'm a tomato hater.  I don't like bloody mary's, ketchup or salsa fresca. The thought of putting a tomato on a sandwich makes me cringe. 
Yes, I have issues.
For one brief moment, usually mid-August to mid-September (aka now) a tomato actually tastes like a tomato!
Strange concept, I know.
I decide to put my tomato phobia aside and do what anyone in their right mind would do with a bunch of local fresh picked tomatoes.

Make caprese salad.

In my eyes, this is one of the most quintessential summer dishes.  Basil is plentiful and tomatoes are everywhere.  Grab yourself a ball of fresh mozzarella and you're in business!

Slice up some tomatoes, tuck in some fresh mozzarella and basil.  Drizzle with a nice extra virgin olive oil and a generous pinch of sea salt and fresh cracked pepper.

I decided to follow this up with the simplest of pasta dishes, aglio e olio (aglio=garlic. olio=oil).

Aglio e olio in seven steps

1. Bring a large pot of  salted water to a boil
2. Add pasta.  Cook till al dente. Reserve a 1/2 c of the cooking water. Drain pasta and rinse under cold water.
3. In the same pot, heat a nice glug of olive oil. 
4. Add lots of grated garlic and a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes.  Cook 15 seconds, stirring constantly.
5. Add the pasta back in along with a splash of the pasta cooking water and some grated parmesan or pecorino romano. Cook for a minute or so, constantly stirring pasta. 
6. Throw in some fresh chopped parsley.
7. Serve with more grated cheese, cracked black pepper and a nice drizzle of olive oil.

Easy peasy summer eats!

Salt and Pepper Tofu, Baby Bok Choy and Jasmine Rice

I love the asian supermarket. 
There are few places you can purchase durian, green bean popsicles, mayonnaise in a squirt bottle and fifty pound sacks of rice.
I walk in with a ten dollar bill and walk out with an arm load of babybok choy, a brick of tofu, scallions, chilis, ginger and a huge bag of jasmine rice. 
Two words. Bargain shopper.

I am one of those people that prefer to use a few dishes as possible when I cook, but sometimes you have to fill every single burner and dirty every pot in the house.  You will dirty three pots, some bowls and couple of plates. You will also love every single bite.

This recipe is adapted from the awesome ladies over at http://www.theppk.com/. 

Salt and Pepper Tofu (serves 3-4)

1 15 oz. block extra firm tofu, pressed for 30 minutes*
1 T. mirin
2 T. tamari
1/4 c. arrowroot
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
2" piece of ginger, minced
1/4 t. crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 t. fresh cracked black pepper
1/4 t. coarse salt, kosher is good.
1 T. brown rice vinegar
1/3 c. scallions
grapeseed oil  (or another neutral oil) for frying

*To press tofu: wrap in a tea towel, cover with a plate and place a heavy object (something in the 3 lb. range) on top for 30 minutes. Pressing the water out will allow your tofu to take on a nice marinade and will give it a nice firm texture.

Cut pressed tofu into 1/2 inch cubes. In a large bowl mix together the mirin and tamari.  Add the tofu to the marinade and let it sit 20 minutes.  Place the arrowroot in a seperate bowl large enough to hold the tofu.  After 20 minutes, drain any excess marinade from the tofu and gently coat with the arrowroot.
Heat a swirl (appx. 1 tablesspoon) of grapeseed oil in large non-stick skillet over medium heat. When the oil is hot, gently slide the tofu into the pan and fry a couple minutes on each side until golden brown and crispy. 
Transfer the tofu to a plate lined with paper towels to absorb any excess oil.
In the same pan, add another swirl of oil.  Add the ginger, garlic, salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper.  Sautee for thirty seconds then stir in the tofu.  Sautee the tofu for one minute, then add the brown rice vinegar.  Cook another minute then add scallions.  Cook one more minute and serve hot along side some jasmine rice and baby bok choy sauteed up with a little ginger and garlic. Top with some scallions and a spinkle of sesame seeds.