Peach & Arugula Salad

Summer’s bounty has been glorious. Corn, squash, green beans, chard, potatoes, tomatoes (oh the tomatoes!), apricots, plums, basil, and now–right now— peaches. Ripe August peaches are the main event of this simple, Italian-inspired salad. Eat it barefoot in a grassy field or at your kitchen counter, and just try not to get this song stuck in your head.

*The ingredient amounts are rough approximations for one serving; adjust accordingly.

1 cup arugula
1/2 peach, sliced
1 tbsp sliced almonds
drizzle of olive oil
drizzle of balsamic vinegar
tiny pinch of sea salt

Heat almonds in a dry skillet over medium heat for 1-2 minutes, watching very closely and
agitating pan frequently, just until toasty and fragrant.
Drizzle a bit of olive oil onto arugula, sprinkle with a pinch of salt, and gently toss.
Top greens with peach slices, a drizzle of balsamic vinegar, and almonds.

Grilled Miso-Ginger Eggplant with Soba

Let me be clear about something: the only “grilling” I do is on my George Foreman. That’s right, this one window kitchen is in a one bedroom rental in Brooklyn; the yard is a stoop, a view, and nearby public parks. If you do have access to an actual grill, by all means use it! You can also use a stove-top grill, or any old frying pan (using a little high heat-friendly oil), browning on medium high heat, a few minutes per side.
*Note: Most soba noodles contain wheat and therefore gluten. I used King Soba sweet potato-buckwheat noodles, which are gluten-free.
*Optional: If bitter eggplant is a concern, just salt it and set aside for at least 1/2 an hour beforehand. (I didn’t bother.)

2-3 Japanese eggplants, sliced lengthwise
2 heaping tbsp miso
2 tbsp hot water
1 tsp sesame oil
1/2 tsp agave
1 tbsp freshly grated ginger
Pinch of red pepper flakes
Generous handful of fresh basil, chopped
1 package soba noodles
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp wheat-free tamari (or regular soy sauce, if gluten is not a concern)
1-2 scallions, sliced (optional)
Sriracha for serving (optional)

Pre-heat grill/cooking apparatus.
Whisk together miso and hot water, then mix in the sesame oil, agave, ginger, and red pepper flakes. Brush onto eggplant slices and grill for about 3 minutes, working in batches as necessary.
Meanwhile cook soba in lightly salted water according to package directions. Drain and rinse with cold water, then quickly toss with olive oil and tamari.
Top soba with eggplant, basil, and scallions (if using). Serve with sriracha, if desired.

Summer Squash & Quinoa Salad

This salad is so fresh, so easy, so summery– perfect for the kind of sweltering days we’ve been having here in NY. Even without the quinoa, the raw squash salad makes a lovely side. Or you could bulk it up with some chickpeas and avocado.

1 cup quinoa, rinsed if necessary
½ square of vegetable bouillon, dissolved in 1½ cups water
2-3 yellow squash, sliced thin
¼ cup pine nuts
Olive oil
Salt + black pepper, to taste
Fresh lemon juice, to taste (½ lemon should cut it)
A few leaves of fresh basil

Make your quinoa. Toast quinoa in a teeny bit of olive oil in saucepan for a couple of minutes, just until fragrant. Add liquid and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and let simmer for 15 minutes. Turn off heat and let sit 15 minutes more. Then uncover, fluff with fork, and let cool.
Toss squash with a few drizzles of olive oil, salt, and pepper. Let sit for a little while to allow flavors to mingle.
Mix squash salad with quinoa and pine nuts. Add lemon juice and freshly torn basil, and taste for salt and pepper.

Stevia-Sweetened Chocolate Mousse

I concocted this dreamy mousse for my boyfriend, who currently can’t eat sugar, gluten, or alcohol– but still needs his chocolate fix. Stevia can be tricky to work with because of its bitter flavor and unusual mouthfeel, but here that bitterness blends right in with the rich chocolate, while the creamy coconut milk rounds things out. The result is a dessert that is decadent and luscious and airy all at once.

1 (4 oz) bar 100% cocoa baking chocolate, chopped
1 (14 oz) can coconut milk (full fat)
30-35 drops vanilla stevia extract, preferably this kind
1 tbsp agar powder
Optional garnishes: berries, shaved chocolate, cacao nibs, coconut, nuts

Pour coconut milk into a cup and whisk in agar powder. Set aside.
Meanwhile, in a double-boiler, gently melt chocolate over medium-low heat, stirring frequently.
Whisk in coconut milk-agar mixture and stevia drops, starting with 30 drops and adding more if it tastes like it needs it. Turn heat up to high, and cook for about 2-3 minutes, whisking almost constantly and being careful not to let mixture burn.
Remove from heat and let cool slightly. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours. Using an electric mixer, mix for 1-2 minutes, until fluffy. Serve or keep in refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Yield: about 10 servings

Spaghetti with White Beans & Kale

A grain, a green, a bean: that’s my go-to formula for a healthful, vegan dinner. And this pasta dish is just the sort of thing you can catch me making—and eating—on a regular basis. Garlicky braised kale and creamy cannellini beans are natural BFFs, while gluten-free quinoa spaghetti (I love Andean Dream) provides the perfect toothsome base. Of course you could use any kind of pasta here, sub chickpeas for the cannellinis, swiss chard for the kale… really, when you’re cooking with garlic and olive oil, it’s hard to go wrong.
*If your kale seems very tough, you might want to boil it first (before braising), for about 5 minutes.

1 12-oz package of pasta
4 to 6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 bunch kale, trimmed of tough stems and chopped
1 cup vegetable broth (I use ½ square of Rapunzel veg bouillon mixed with 1c water)
1 can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
Olive oil
Salt, black pepper, red pepper flakes to taste

Cook pasta in salted water according to package directions.
Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet/wok over medium heat. Add garlic and red pepper flakes, and cook for about 3 minutes or so, til garlic is fragrant and a little golden.
Stir in kale and saute for about a minute. Pour in vegetable broth, stir, and cover pan with lid. Cook for about 6 to 8 minutes, turning up heat as necessary and stirring occasionally, until kale is cooked through.
Add beans and season to taste with salt and black pepper. Cook for about 2 minutes with the lid off, over medium-low heat, to allow flavors to meld.
Mix drained pasta with everything else. Drizzle with a little extra olive oil and serve.

Yield: about 4 servings