Tag Archives: vegan

Snap Peas with Garlic Scapes & Radishes

I know, I know… another recipe with snap peas and garlic scapes. In my defense, though, these ingredients rock– and I encourage you to savor them while you can. I love garlic scapes because they lack the pungency of cloves, which can be overpowering in large amounts, yet still have plenty of savory flavor. They very much hold their own with a certain verdant brightness and sweetness from sautéing that pairs deliciously with tender-crisp snap peas, radish, and basil.

2 cups snap peas, trimmed and de-stringed
extra-virgin olive oil
5 garlic scapes, trimmed of stringy and dried ends, chopped
pinch of red pepper flakes
handful of small radishes, sliced thin
juice from ¼ lemon, or to taste
sea salt and black pepper
handful of fresh basil, chopped

Heat a pot of salted water over high heat. Prepare a bath of ice water. When water reaches a boil, add snap peas and cook for about 4 minutes. Drain and immediately transfer to ice bath to cool, then drain thoroughly.
Meanwhile, heat some olive oil in a pan. Cook garlic scapes and red pepper flakes over medium low heat, stirring now and then, until golden brown, about 5-7 minutes.
Toss cooled snap peas with garlic scape-oil mixture, radish slices, and lemon juice; season with salt and pepper; and garnish with basil.

Yield: About 4 servings

Blueberries with Matcha Whipped Coconut Cream

Maybe it’s because I indulged in an exquisite green tea macaron from Confectionery last week. Or maybe it’s because right after that Phil and I got sucked into a documentary on the Japan channel (and now I want to go live in the Japanese countryside and farm heirloom rice and drink from natural spring waters and make my own miso with adorable, healthy food loving children). Or maybe it’s because it’s summer and hot AF and I’m craving fresh, clean flavors. Whatever the reason, I’ve had whipped matcha coconut cream on the brain. I had originally intended to serve it with raspberries, but the blueberries at the market just looked so much better (and yes, they were cheaper). I still think this would be good with raspberries, and probably peaches as well, but I urge you to try it with blueberries. The flavor combination is sublime.

1 13.5oz can (full fat) coconut milk
1 tsp matcha powder (I used this kind)
1 tbsp sugar
blueberries (or fruit of choice)

Turn can of coconut milk upside down and refrigerate for at least 24 hours.
Remove can from refrigerator, turn right side up, and open. Slowly pour out the watery liquid, and set aside for another use. Scoop out the thickened cream and place in a medium bowl along with the matcha and sugar. Use a hand mixer (or stand mixer with a whisk attachment) on speed 2 to whip the mixture until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Serve as a topping for berries, or refrigerate until ready to use. The whipped cream will firm up significantly in the fridge, so you may wish to re-fluff it with the mixer just before serving.

Yield: About 1 cup whipped cream

Sorghum with Snap Peas, Garlic Scapes, & Dill

There’s a comfort in ritual. For me, Sunday means farmers’ market. While I’m fortunate enough to have access to multiple greenmarkets throughout the week (hello, Union Square), it’s the smaller, slightly quirky one that I can breezily walk to without making a day of it that is dearest to me and the one I get most excited about. Phil teases me for this (and we laugh about this Superbad scene often), but even he has to admit that the fresh, local produce this time of year is pretty wonderful. He also loved this dish– which is pretty damn seasonal.
*If you can’t find garlic scapes just use 2-3 regular garlic cloves, thinly sliced, and watch very closely while cooking.
*You can also substitute farro, wheat berries, or pearl couscous for the sorghum (though note that the recipe will no longer be gluten-free).

1 cup sorghum, rinsed and drained
3 cups water or vegetable stock (I used water + ½ bouillon cube)
extra-virgin olive oil
pinch of red pepper flakes
10-12 garlic scapes, trimmed of stringy and dried ends, chopped
2 cups snap peas, trimmed and de-stringed
1 cup chopped tomatoes (I used heirloom grape)
generous handful of dill, chopped
sea salt and black pepper, to taste

Place sorghum, water/stock, and a drop of olive oil in a saucepan and cook over high heat until boiling. Cover, reduce heat to low, and cook for about 50-60 minutes (mine took 60) or until tender but still a little chewy. Drain.
Meanwhile, drizzle some olive oil into a large pan and cook garlic scapes and red pepper flakes over medium heat for about 5 minutes, stirring now and then.
Add snap peas, turn up heat a bit, and cook, stirring as needed, for 3-5 minute, or until snap peas are just cooked through.
Add snap peas and scapes to sorghum, and toss in the tomatoes and dill. Season with salt and pepper. Serve warm or cool.

Yield: About 4-5 servings

Strawberry Avocado Rice Cake Snack

I can take or leave the strawberries available at the grocery store year-round. Sure, they’re fine– but that’s about it. Local, in season strawberries, however, are a completely different story. Juicy and flavorful, not overly refrigerated, and adorable to boot, these are the berries that fruit dreams are made of. Here I’ve combined them with their friends balsamic and avocado for a sweet and savory snack that’s light but substantial and just right for these warm early summer days.

1 rice cake (Lundberg is the best; not sponsored)
¼ peeled ripe avocado
sea salt and black pepper
a few strawberries, hulled and sliced
drizzle of balsamic vinegar (the thicker the better)
spoonful of hemp seeds
little fresh basil, torn at last minute, optional

Use a knife to spread ripe avocado on rice cake. Season with salt and pepper. Top with strawberry slices, balsamic, hemp seeds, and basil (if using). Eat!

Yield: 1 serving

Soba Noodles with Ginger Tahini Sauce, Black-Eyed Peas, & Sauerkraut

When the cat’s away… the mouse will eat weird healthy shit like soba noodles with sauerkraut. This recipe came about one night recently when Phil was already heading out to practice by the time I was leaving work. I was hungry and tired and as I rode the train I tried to think of what easy thing I might have for my dinner. I knew I had soba noodles and pasta at home, so when I got off at my stop I ran into the local, 24 hours produce market in hopes of getting some fresh herbs, too. But after inspecting the different leaves of varying shades of pale green with brown edges, I decided to save my money. Home I went, where I threw together this dinner (and the next few days’ lunches) with what I already had in my own kitchen. Then I painted my nails and watched Girls. I’m joking. That was the next day.

1 cup cooked black-eyed peas/1 14oz can, drained and rinsed
1 (8.8. oz) packaged soba noodles (I like this kind)
¼ cup tahini
1 tbsp tamari
1 tbsp rice wine vinegar, plus a tiny bit more
1 tsp toasted sesame oil
3 tbsp warm water
chunk of ginger, about 1-1½”, peeled and minced
heaped ½ cup sauerkraut, drained
hemp seeds
salt and pepper
sriracha for serving, optional

Toss black-eyed peas with a splash of rice wine vinegar and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
Cook noodles in lightly salted water according to package directions. Drain and rinse with cold water.
While noodles are cooking, make the sauce. In a small bowl whisk together the tahini, tamari, rice wine vinegar, toasted sesame oil, warm water, and ginger.
Toss noodles with tahini sauce, black-eyed peas, and sauerkraut. Taste for seasonings, and serve topped with hemp seeds with sriracha on the side if desired.

Yield: About 4 servings