Dragon Bowl with Tahini Dressing

"What's a Dragon Bowl?" I ask as I am sitting on the floor of Cassandra and Ben's beautiful light-drenched and art-dappled apartment in New York City.  We've just rehashed one of the most exquisite (and also screamingly FUN) wedding weekends I've ever experienced, and now the newly wed Cassandra and Ben are hosting us for one last night of New York camaraderie.

"A Dragon Bowl is a life-changing discovery," my friend Ben V. tells me in all seriousness.  The others in the room nod their heads.  I sit up a bit straighter, my full attention has now been captured since I am always up for life-changing discoveries, especially if they involve good food.  The nagging thoughts of my blistered toes (from all the dancing), pink nose (from all the sunshine), and pounding head (from all the champagne) are banished as I try to picture what this Dragon Bowl must be like.

My question had interrupted Ben V. and his wife Angela telling us about their lunch at Angelica Kitchen, where they ordered the Dragon Bowl.  They described it as a mix-n-match bowl of grains, greens, and protein topped with a dressing or sauce of your choice.  It sounded heavenly after several days of reckless overindulgence in the Big Apple.

As soon as I had a free night back home in Minneapolis, I stocked up on veggies that I was craving, specifically:  beets, carrots, red bell pepper, snap peas, and sprouts.  This Dragon Bowl was going to be customized especially for me!

I was also on a mission to try a new whole grain.  After a futile hunt for amaranth, I came across millet and decided to give it a shot.  Simply boiled in vegetable stock until all liquid is absorbed into the grain, it tasted like couscous or rice - very fluffy and light.

Then I needed to figure out what kind of sauce to put on my Dragon Bowl.  Google helped me find a great recipe for a tahini sauce that had the double bonus of not only using up the smidge of great co-op tahini from my fridge, but also called for the exact amount of of nutritional yeast I had on hand.

Nutritional yeast (aka "nooch") is a new-to-me ingredient (pictured above).  Apparently, nooch is a great darling of vegans for it's cheesy and nutty flavors and tastes great on popcorn, potatoes, and vegetables.  The cheesiness is what prompted me to buy it awhile ago, but I hadn't had the motivation to use it until now.  It looks like a yellow powder, and you find it in the refrigerated bulk section of your specialty health-food store or co-op.

The sauce was lovely.  Lovely to taste, that is.  I know it's horrifically ugly looking, hence the pretty peonies from my backyard in the photo to distract you.  It tastes tremendously like the peanut sauce you'd find on cold peanut noodles, only much better, I think.  The only change I made from the original recipe is to swap the water for vegetable stock, and to add more of it to get the right consistency of the sauce.

It wasn't until after all the vegetable prep, millet boiling, sesame seed toasting, and sauce blending...after the arrangement of the salad on the plate...the drizzling of the sauce...the garnishing of the sesame seeds....that I realized a Dragon Bowl is the same damn thing as Hippie Chow, which I discovered nearly 3 years ago right here on this very blog.  The main difference is in the presentation since Hippie Chow is messily thrown together and a Dragon Bowl is very beautifully composed.

Whatever!  Dragon Bowl or Hippie Chow, I don't really care what you call it.  It's healthy, colorful, satisfying, and most of all incredibly delicious!

Dragon Bowl with Tahini Dressing, adapted from G Living
Serves 4 (at least!)

2 cups cooked whole grain of your choice (rice, quinoa, wheatberries, millet, amaranth, oat groats, etc)
2 cups chopped greens (I used a raw baby kale and spinach mix, but sauteed kale would be great)
1 cup each of your favorite chopped veggies (I used red pepper, carrot, beet, sprouts, snap peas, avocado)
1 cup each protein of choice (I used chickpeas and edamame)
1/2 cup toasted sesame seeds for garnish

For the Tahini Dressing:
1/2 cup nutritional yeast
1/3 cup olive oil
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup tamari or soy sauce
1/4 cup tahini (or any nut butter of your choice)
1/4 cup vegetable stock (And add more as needed to get runny consistency)
1 clove garlic
1 big pinch crushed red pepper flakes

First, blend all sauce ingredients together.  Taste and adjust to your liking.

On each plate, arrange cooked grain.  Top with greens.  Then arrange all your veggies in a way that's pleasing to the eye (I like every other thing to be green).

Drizzle sauce over everything and garnish with sesame seeds.

ONE YEAR AGO:  Peanummus
TWO YEARS AGO:  Tofu Caesar Salad Dressing
THREE YEARS AGO:  Roasted Mushroom and Tomato Sandwich w/ Goat Cheese

Creamy Beet Green Pasta

All too often I throw away the green leafy tops of beets.  I have heard rumors that they taste good and can be eaten, so I feel guilty when I toss' em.  Not this time.  I had a TON of beet greens leftover from all the beets I roasted up for eating and cake-making last week, and I was determined to use them in a delicious way.

This recipe comes together so fast.  I swear, after you get the water boiling it takes 10 minutes to get it ready for serving.  And make sure you wait till the last minute to cook if serving to guests.  This pasta is best piping hot fresh off the stove.

Here's all it is:  sauteed beet greens, onions, and garlic mixed with whole wheat pasta and sauced with a small log of fresh goat cheese melted with a little cream.

I tasted it like this and it was good, but throwing in some parmesan and toasted pine nuts really made it great.  So great, I had two servings.  And I don't even really like pasta.

Creamy Beet Green Pasta, adapted from Food Blogga
Serves 4

1/2 cup pine nuts (easily substitute sliced almonds or walnuts)
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/2 pound whole wheat pasta (I used fettuccine)
beet greens from 2 bunches beets, cleaned and chopped
1 small shallot, or 1/2 small onion, diced finely
2 garlic cloves, minced
salt, pepper, and fresh ground nutmeg
1/2 cup heavy cream
4 oz log of goat cheese

Put a large pot of water on to boil and while it gets hot, toast your pine nuts and grate your parmesan. Then chop your onion and garlic (your beet greens should already be chopped but if not, do it now).  Now everything is ready to go.

When the water boils, add a lot of salt and your pasta.  In the same large skillet you used to toast your nuts, heat a couple tablespoons olive oil and saute your shallot and garlic for a minute, then add your beet greens.  Cook and stir until greens are wilted (about 4-5 minutes), then season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg.

Add cream and goat cheese and use tongs to stir together.  The goat cheese will melt.  Scoop out your cooked pasta with a big strainer and add to creamy greens and toss.  Save a cup of hot starchy pasta water in case you need help melting the goat cheese.

Serve with grated parm and toasted nuts.

ONE YEAR AGO:  Asparagus and Goat Cheese Pizza
TWO YEARS AGO:  Avocado Boats
THREE YEARS AGO:  Chicken Palliard

Chocolate Chip Beet Cake

I'm a terrible baker.  I often try to improvise on baked goods, like I would when cooking a meal.  But baking is truly a science and measurements matter, so I've ended up with more than my share of failures.

This experiment to take a red velvet cake recipe and make it all-natural and healthier was a failure on one hand.  It certainly didn't end up red enough to suit me.  I wanted shocking red color without all the artificial food dye that usually goes into red velvet.  But it was a big success on the other hand because it tasted so good!

We're doing a big wellness kick at work and rarely do we have cookies, doughnuts, or other sugary desserts around anymore.  So I thought a free cake would be well-received, even if it was filled with BEET PUREE to bump up the fiber, iron, potassium, and vitamin C.  

I was right, the cake was universally praised, and not just because it was free.  They thought it tasted great.   I even told people it had beets in it, and they still liked it!  If you can make cakes out of carrots, zucchini, and pumpkin, well why not beets too?  The batter is a beautiful fuchsia, but after it comes out of the oven it's pretty much just a chocolate cake.  But with chocolate chips.  And cream cheese frosting.  And a ton of nutrients.

Chocolate Chip Beet Cake, adapted from Bakerella

Makes 1 double layer 9 inch round cake

3 medium beets, roasted, peeled, and pureed (about 1.5 cups puree)

2 eggs

1 c. buttermilk, well shaken

1/2 c. olive oil

1 Tbsp vinegar

1 tsp vanilla

2 1/2 c. flour

2 c. sugar

1/2 c. cocoa powder (important:  NOT Dutch processed)

1 tsp salt

1 tsp soda

2 c. chocolate chips

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.  Grease your 9-inch cake pans, and line with parchment.

In a large bowl, mix together your beets, eggs, buttermilk, oil, vinegar, and vanilla.  In another bowl, mix together your flour, sugar, cocoa, salt, and soda.

Add dry ingredients slowly to wet and stir to combine.  Fold in chocolate chips.  

Pour batter evenly into cake pans and bake for 25-30 minutes.  Cool cakes in pans for 10 minutes then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely before frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting

8 oz cream cheese, room temperature

1 stick butter, room temperature

1 tsp vanilla

3 c. powdered sugar

Mix all ingredients together and use to frost cake.

ONE YEAR AGO:  Chocomole

TWO YEARS AGO:  Lemon Yogurt Cake

THREE YEARS AGO:  Green Beans with Almonds

Quinoa Corn Chowder

Only I would bring you a chowder recipe on the first sunny and 80+ degree day in recent memory.  But now that's it is nice out again, I'm thinking I need to use up last summer's produce before I re-fill my freezer with new stuff.  And actually, a meal made with such fresh summer ingredients tastes great on summer's first real day, even if it's served in the form of a hot soup.

One thing I have excess amounts of from last summer is fresh sweet corn, cut from the cob and vacuum sealed on the same day it was picked.  I have not really been very sure how to use it over the winter months.  But last night I happened to be visiting with a chef from a local restaurant and he provided me with a great idea on how to use up my corn...chow-dah!

To make my summertime corn chowder, I simply sauteed onion, hot pepper, smoked paprika, and garlic in some olive oil, toasted some quinoa in that mixture, then added the frozen corn kernels and vegetable stock.  Once cooked, I added milk and herbs.  Blend a small portion of the mixture for extra creaminess, then mix it all back together before serving with more herbs and milk, goat cheese crumbles, and/or avocado slices.

This chowder ends up with such a great balance of sweet, spicy, and savory flavors.  The sweetness is due entirely to the market fresh corn.  The spiciness comes from a serrano pepper also saved from last year's market (but the heat is cooled somewhat by the milk).  Finally, herbs and cheese are the final touch when serving up bowls of this goodness.

Quinoa Corn Chowder, adapted from a commenter on this post
Serves 4

1 small yellow onion, diced
1 large clove garlic, minced
1 hot chili pepper, diced (I used serrano)
1/2 cup quinoa, raw
4 cups stock
3 cups (at least) frozen sweet corn kernels
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 cup whole milk or cream
2 tsp assorted fresh herbs (chives, basil, dill, etc).
Goat cheese and/or avocado for garnish if needed.

In a large dutch oven, heat your onion, garlic, and chili pepper over medium heat with some salt and pepper in some olive oil or butter until soft( about 5 minutes).  Add quinoa and toast in oil/butter mixture for another 2-4 minutes, or until it smells good and nutty.

Add your stock, corn, and paprika.  Increase heat to high, partially cover, and boil gently for about 10 minutes.  Cut the heat, add milk, then remove a couple ladels full of soup to puree.  Return puree to pot and serve topped with extra herbs, goat cheese crumbles, and/or avocado slices.

ONE YEAR AGO:  Sprouted Lentil Tacos
TWO YEARS AGO:  Mango Avocado Salad w/ Grilled Shrimp
THREE YEARS AGO:  Eggs Baked in a Tomato w/ Lettuce Pesto

Garlic Parmesan Croutons

If I'm going to eat an entree salad for dinner, it must include something pretty indulgent to balance out the extreme healthiness of all the raw vegetables.  Today's indulgence is the butteriest, cheesiest, garlickiest, most delicious homemade croutons I've ever tasted.  They are incredible and I could eat them ALONE as an entree and be perfectly satisfied.

I often can't finish a whole loaf of really good bakery bread before it gets stale.  Well, actually, that's a bald-faced lie.  I can much too easily polish off a loaf of bread in a couple of days, but I try not to!  So when the butt-end of a great loaf of bread (Rustica's multigrain, for example) starts to get a little old and difficult to cut, I dice it into cubes or pulse it in a food processor and store in the freezer.  It's a great way to always have high quality breadcrumbs on hand.

Tonight I took some frozen bread cubes, tossed them with melted butter and olive oil, pasted garlic, parmesan cheese, and chives.  After a brief stint in the oven, they came out golden and crisp on the outside, soft and chewy on the inside, and completely exploding with a toasted garlic and parmesan flavor.

I served these rich croutons on a bed of romaine with chopped cucumber, carrot, radish, cherry tomato, and hard boiled egg.  The dressing was another indulgence:  homemade buttermilk, herb, and blue cheese.  But without a doubt, the best part of this salad was the magical little baby cheesy toasts.  They're so good, I'm bringing them to lunch tomorrow with another big green salad and I don't even care if I get garlic breath.

Garlic Parmesan Croutons
Serves 4

3 cups bread cubes (it helps to use best quality you can find)
2 Tbsp melted butter
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 garlic clove, pasted * (see note)
1/4 cup finely grated parmesan cheese (again, quality counts)
1 heaping Tbsp chopped chives or other herbs, optional

*Note:  Pasting garlic is one of my favorite kitchen techniques.  To paste garlic, chop a clove with a big pinch of kosher salt, then smoosh on your cutting board with the wide side of your knife.  Alternate chopping and smooshing until it forms a paste.  This will ensure you don't get a big bite of garlic, just lovely flavor permeating all your croutons.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Place your bread cubes in a large bowl.  Melt your butter and add oil and pasted garlic.  Pour over bread crumbs and mix thoroughly to coat all the bread with the oil/butter.  Toss in cheese and herbs and stir again.

Spread bread on a baking sheet in single layer.  Cheese might not stick to bread, that's OK, it will still taste great on your salad!  Bake until cubes are golden brown and slightly crispy.  It took my oven 12 minutes.  They get crispier as they cool.  Serve with soup or salad.

ONE YEAR AGO:  Peanut Maple Salad Dressing, aka "Ben's Sauce"
TWO YEARS AGO:  Chipotle Salad Dressing
THREE YEARS AGO:  Breakfast Strata

Grilled Vegetables with Balsamic Reduction

Last summer my friend Ann brought a plate of grilled vegetables to a potluck party, along with a squeeze bottle of balsamic reduction sauce.  It was brilliant and heavenly, but she said she has to buy the sauce online, and I think it was pretty expensive.

Balsamic reduction sauce is simply balsamic vinegar boiled down until it's thick and syrupy.  Really, it's a snap to make at home as long as you have a pot and a stovetop.

A few important things of note in making a balsamic reduction sauce.  First, this is not the time to use your fancy aged vinegar, it would be a waste.  It's OK and encouraged to use your cheap stuff (I think my large jug from Trader Joe's was about $4), because in reducing you get all the sugars to concentrate and make a great sauce.

And second, make sure you open your doors and windows while boiling the vinegar and DO NOT breathe in the fumes.  I busied myself with the grill outside while my vinegar was boiling because every time I stepped in the house, my eyes began to water.  After an hour of open windows, though, the house was aired out and habitable again.

It's worth the temporary inconvenience, because you can keep the sauce for last minute drizzling on salads, vegetables, meat/beans, eggs, or with bread.  It provides a great depth of flavor and sweetness to whatever you are cooking.

Grilled Vegetables with Balsamic Reduction
Serves 4

2 cups cheap balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp sugar (optional - I didn't use)
Your favorite variety of cleaned, cut vegetables and/or meat.  I used bell pepper, red onion, mushrooms, zucchini, and extra firm tofu.
Brown rice or quinoa, cooked in vegetable stock

In a medium saucepan, bring vinegar (and sugar, if using) to a boil.  Reduce heat slightly (do not cover, you want the water to cook off and evaporate) and continue to boil gently for 30-45 minutes or until the vinegar coats the back of a spoon.  I ended up with about 3/4 cup reduced vinegar.

Cook your rice or quinoa in vegetable stock and keep warm until ready to eat.

Heat your grill or oven.  Coat veggies and meat/tofu with oil, salt, and pepper.  Grill or roast until slightly charred.

Serve quinoa/rice, topped with grilled/roasted veggies, then drizzled with balsamic reduction.

ONE YEAR AGO:  Ten Minute Tuna Noodle Casserole
TWO YEARS AGO:  Steamed Artichoke with Balsamic Aioli
THREE YEARS AGO:  Fish Tacos

Miso Butter Green Beans

I've lived in my house for over 7 years and ever since I moved in, my refrigerator has been a noisy companion. It's small (has to be, to fit into my tiny house!), only 14.8 cubic foot capacity, but it suited my needs and kept things cold (or occasionally/randomly, frozen - I lost a lot of greens this way).  Sometimes, loud banging sounds would come from inside and I told people it was the little refrigerator man trying to get out.  I said I'd keep it until it died.

Well, it didn't die, but it was on its deathbed this week and started making a very frightening buzzing noise.  It was so loud, my brother Zack thought it was my clothes dryer buzzing.  So, I mercifully euthanized my refrigerator and now have a brand spanking new model that's quiet and efficient and clean and wonderful.

During the transfer of all my condiments (I have many), I found my tub of miso that I haven't used in a long time.  Then I thought of the delicious baked sweet potatoes with miso butter I had on my yoga vacation.  I don't have any sweet potatoes in the house, but I did have green beans (and a yellow bell pepper and carrots) that need to be used up so...presto!  Miso butter green beans were born.

Miso is a fermented soy product that's incredibly good for digestion because it contains micro-organisms, similar to yogurt.  It's got a great savory salty taste.  And vegetables like green beans, carrots, and bell pepper....c'mon, you know they're good for you, too!  A little butter just blends it all together in a delicious rich way.  And, since pretty much everything on the planet tastes better when topped with a poached egg, I went ahead and did just that.  It was awesome.

Miso Butter Green Beans
Serves 4

1 lb green beans, stems removed and washed
other veggies, optional (I used carrot and bell pepper, sliced to same size as beans)
1 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp white miso paste

Heat a half cup of water to a boil in a large pot.  Add green beans and a pinch of salt.  Cook for only 2-3 minutes, or until green beans are crisp-tender.

Drain out any water and return hot beans to pot and immediately add butter and miso and toss to melt it all together.  Serve with a poached egg and red chili flakes.

ONE YEAR AGO:  Saag Paneer
TWO YEARS AGO:  Seafood Lasagna
THREE YEARS AGO:  Spring Rolls and Lychee Martinis