embodied eating, skillful nutrition + transforming your relationship with food
This light, creamy soup makes a simple, elegant lunch or first course for dinner; it”s topped with bright green pistou (like pesto, but without the pine nuts). Some pistou versions add finely grated mimolette, gruyere, or other hard cheese—I’m keeping this one vegan. I also …
Gluten-free? Paleo? Piece of cake. This amazing take on almond torte is as dense and rich as the sugar- and gluten-loaded original. You can grind whole almonds into flour just before making this torte, for fresher and more flavorful results, but you’ll need a food processor …
Best way to sneak kale (or spinach, or any green) into your diet: enrobed it in olive oil, lace it with garlic and basil, and pretend it’s pesto. Macadamia nuts make a rich, indulgent pesto; or use cashews for a less-pricey option. This recipe uses Parmesan cheese, but you can swap Asiago, or skip it altogether for a vegan option. I tossed this with zucchini noodles, made from an abundance of oversized zucchini from my garden and called it Plain Old Pesto. No one was the wiser.
Basil, Kale and Macadamia Pesto
Makes about 1 cup
1/3 cup olive oil
1/2 cup kale leaves, stems removed
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 cup macadamia nuts
3 tablespoons grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, or other hard, sharp cheese (optional)
In a small food processor, combine olive oil, kale, basil, garlic and macadamia nuts, and process into a thick paste. Add additional oil if needed to thin. Add cheese, if desired, and season with salt and pepper.
Last winter, rushing to beat a mighty snowstorm that laid waste to most of my yard, I fashioned a makeshift cover for my still-thriving greens garden. I drove old tent stakes into the ground, connected those with PVC pipe, then draped sheets of thick plastic and layers …
The perfect grain-free chip: these baked-not-fried chips are sturdy enough to serve as crackers or dippers, or munch on them instead of chips. We used red beets, but golden or chioggia beets are a gorgeous addition. Either way, use large beets, since they’ll shrink during cooking. Play with the …
Panna cotta, a creamy custard that’s firm enough to mold (like a creamy jello) is traditionally made with gelatin. This vegan version uses agar agar, a natural gelling agent made from seaweed. Look for it in large natural grocery stores, or any Asian market. To make easy pumpkin puree that’s vastly superior to canned, cut a 3-pound pie pumpkin (not carving pumpkin) into quarters, scoop out seeds, halve each quarter, and steam pumpkin pieces for 20 minutes, or until soft. Let cool, peel off skin, and puree flesh.
Serves 4
2 cups pumpkin puree
1 1/2 cups coconut milk
1/3 cup agave nectar
1 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground clove
1/2 vanilla bean
2 teaspoons agar agar powder (not flakes)
Vegan chocolate sauce
Cocoa powder for dusting
1. Combine pumpkin, coconut milk, agave, cinnamon, nutmeg and clove in a blender. Split vanilla bean lengthwise and with the tip of a sharp knife, scoop seeds into the blender. Reserve the vanilla pod. Puree until smooth and creamy. Taste and add more agave or spices, if you’d like.
2. Pour the mixture into a medium saucepan. Whisk in agar agar powder until well blended. Add reserved vanilla pod. Bring to a high simmer and cook for 7 minutes, maintaining a lively simmer, but not allowing the mixture to boil, and stirring frequently. Mixture should be very thick and creamy.
3. Pour panna cotta mixture into four individual rounded dessert cups or ramekins, and refrigerate for 1 hour, or until very firm. To serve, dip each ramekin into a bowl of hot water, being careful not to get water in the panna cotta, then run a butter knife around the edge of each ramekin, and invert on a small dessert plate. Top with chocolate sauce, sprinkle with cocoa powder, and serve.