mulligatawny soup with homemade almond milk

Saffron is such a gorgeous color, and stands out beautifully against the white of our homemade almond milk

     On a visit to my hometown in Pennsylvania, I noticed that my father-in-law had checked a cookbook out of the library entitled Splendid Soups by James Peterson. What an inspiring book! As I browsed through it, I was excited to discover a recipe for mulligatawny soup, because I had tried various versions at Indian restaurants and had often wondered how to make it myself. Once back in Vegas, Katherine and I got together and embarked on a mulligatawny soup adventure. It began at the local farmer's market, where we picked up the produce we needed for the recipe, as well as a beautiful loaf of artisan whole wheat bread and a bag of wild mache to use for a side salad. Then we headed home and spent a few hours preparing and enjoying this delicious lunch.
     This soup has a secret, magical ingredient... homemade almond milk! Sure, you can use supermarket almond milk, but as we found out, it's not only really fun to make your own, but the homemade variety tastes about a thousand times better. It was so unbelievably delicious, I could barely wipe the smile off my face. I have to admit, though, I didn't try very hard. Smiling cooks make good food, after all... or so I've heard.
     The following is the recipe as we made it. We didn't stray far from the original, changing only a few minor details.

Ingredients:
4 T. ghee (you can also use unsalted butter or Earth Balance margarine or coconut oil if you're vegan)
2 medium-size carrots, chopped
2 medium-size onions, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 medium-size waxy potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
4 cups vegetable broth plus 3 cups water
1 cup tightly packed spinach leaves
1 cup raw almonds, soaked overnight and 1 cup water (or about 1.5 cups store-bought almond milk - original, unsweetened)
1/4 tsp. saffron threads, soaked in 1 T. water for 15 minutes
2 T. ghee (or unsalted butter or vegan margarine)
4 tsp. curry powder
1/2 cup coconut milk
2 T. finely chopped cilantro leaves
salt and pepper

Method:
Melt the butter (or ghee, margarine or oil) in a 4-quart pot over medium heat and add the carrots, onions, garlic, and potatoes. Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring every few minutes, until the onions start to turn translucent.

Add the broth and bring the soup to a medium simmer. When the vegetables are soft and can be crushed easily against the side of the pot with a spoon, about 20 minutes, add the spinach leaves and simmer for 2 minutes more.

While the vegetables are cooking, use the almonds and water to make almond milk (see below for instructions).

Puree the soup in a blender or through the fine disk of a food mill. If you want the soup to have a smoother texture, strain it through a medium mesh strainer. Add the almond milk and the saffron with its soaking liquid.

Combine the ghee (or butter or margarine) and curry in a small sauté pan. Stir over medium heat for about 2 minutes, until you can smell the curry. Add this mixture to the soup.

Stir in the coconut milk and the cilantro. Season with salt and pepper. Bring the soup to a simmer and serve.

We garnished our soup with a quick pour of coconut milk and a sprig of cilantro, and had a hearty slice of toast and salad tossed with vinaigrette on the side.

Make your own almond milk!
The extra effort is entirely worth it, in my opinion.
You can use the milk for this and other recipes, but you can also use it for your cereal or in your tea, or any other way you might use dairy milk.
Soak a cup of raw almonds overnight. Cover them amply with water, because they will bloat up and the top ones won't be soaking anymore unless you use extra water. When you wake up in the morning, change the water. When you're ready to begin, squeeze each almond between your thumb and index finger, and the skins should pop right off. Once you get the hang of this technique, it's very easy work. Then, simply blend the almonds with a cup of water in a blender, until smooth and creamy. You may need to add more water, a little at a time, to achieve the desired consistency. Next, pour the almond pulp into a nut milk bag or onto a double layer of cheese cloth over a bowl. Close the bag, or gather the sides of the cloth, and start squeezing it until almond milk begins to drain into the bowl. This process is amusingly reminiscent of milking a cow. You can store your almond milk in an airtight container in the refrigerator for a few days until you're ready to use it.

multigrain blueberry pancakes

"He who goes to bed hungry dreams of pancakes." 

- Maltese proverb

Every once in a while on a Sunday morning I'll wake up with an appetite for some pancakes. Although nothing really compares to making pancakes from scratch, Arrowhead Mills makes a delicious Multigrain Pancake and Waffle Mix that is quick and simple to throw together when I'm still bleary-eyed and hungry after sleeping in. This way I can have my pancakes... and my lazy morning, too.

I initially chose this mix because it does not contain eggs, nor does it call for any. It is not vegan because it contains buttermilk and whey, but if, like me, you're trying to keep the eggs and dairy in your diet to a minimum, this is a great choice. The pancakes are delicious, with a bit of a cornmeal flavor that I love. All you need to add is almond milk (or soy or rice milk) and oil. I use grape seed oil because it has a neutral flavor and because it is known to have some health benefits, such as increasing antioxidant levels in the body. As an aside, you may have heard that there is some controversy about negative health effects associated with another common choice, Canola oil. Canola oil (initially a trademarked term, which is why it is capitalized) is extracted from a genetically engineered version of the rapeseed plant, but the claims about its detrimental effects are widely disputed. Because the idea of genetically modified food freaks me out a little, while the jury is still out I'll stick to grape seeds.

Combine 1 1/2 cups of the pancake mix with 2 tablespoons of grape seed oil and 1 cup of almond milk, adding more milk as necessary. Just before cooking, stir a half cup of fresh blueberries into the batter. (If you're using frozen blueberries, soak them in some hot water for a few minutes to defrost before using.) Then proceed as usual to cook the batter. This makes enough pancakes for two people.

I like to serve the pancakes with some fresh orange banana pineapple juice, which I make in my VitaMix blender. I'll write a separate post soon on making juice with a VitaMix, so for now I will just say this: Unlike other kinds of juicers, which extract primarily only the fruit's water and sugar for you to drink, leaving the pulp fiber behind for the garbage, the VitaMix is able to liquify the whole fruit, including the fiber and skins - where most of the nutrients reside - so your juice is much more nutritious.

Serve these pancakes topped with extra blueberries and some nice maple syrup or raw honey.

roasted sweet potato sandwich on homemade focaccia

This past spring Dennis and I traveled to Sedona, Arizona, where we were very graciously hosted by my friend, Meredith. Sedona itself is amazingly beautiful. Its distinctly southwestern architecture is so unobtrusive, it seems to disappear into the landscape, and the dramatic backdrop of peculiar, bold-colored rock formations, dotted with rich green pines, junipers, cacti and succulents, all set against an impossibly blue Arizona sky, create an idyllic setting for a weekend getaway. We will definitely be going back.

We were fortunate to have Meredith's insider viewpoint on what is, understandably, a heavily touristed town. Following a Saturday morning hike, Meredith took us to lunch at a beautiful little cafe called Wildflower Bread Company. It was there that I had one of the most delicious sandwiches I have ever eaten, a menu item they call "Roasted Sweet Potato," featuring, as you might expect, sweet potato, as well as fresh mozzarella, fig confit, tomato, arugula, marinated fennel and balsamic vinaigrette on herb focaccia. I insisted we return the next day so that I could enjoy it one more time before we headed back to Las Vegas, and as I finished my last bite I became determined to try to reproduce this fabulous combination of flavors at home. I'm proud to announce that Katherine and I did manage to create a respectable version of our own and we're very excited to share it with you.

The first task at hand was to bake our own focaccia. We used a recipe from the Food Network site, with a few minor adjustments. Instead of 2 tsp. of rapid-rise yeast, we used 3 tsp. of active dry yeast (and allowed the yeast to stand in warm water for a longer period of 10 minutes). We replaced the standard sugar with turbinado, and changed the flour quantities to 2 c. all purpose flour and 1 1/2 c. whole wheat flour. Of course, if you're short on time, any nice store-bought artisan bread will do.

The rest was relatively easy. I cut a sweet potato lengthwise into half-inch-thick slices, lined a baking pan with aluminum foil, laid the slices out in a single layer, brushed them with olive oil and sprinkled them with sea salt, then roasted them in the oven at 425 degrees, flipping them once part way through, until they began to brown and the flesh was soft. In the meantime, Katherine was busy caramelizing some onions, a process she will describe for you below.

Once all the ingredients were prepared we assembled the sandwich, starting with a layer of royal fig fruit spread I found at Wholefoods, followed by a slice of roasted potato, a layer of fresh mozzarella, then arugula tossed with a balsamic vinaigrette dressing, and finally a generous helping of caramelized onions. I also recommend spreading the top slice of bread with more balsamic vinaigrette to intensify the balsamic flavor, if you're a fan like we are.

Katherine, about to enjoy the fruits of our efforts

Katherine's Note: I was in heaven to make these sandwiches with Stefanie. And I loved making foccacia from scratch, enough to make me wonder why I don't do this every day. It is such a decadent kind of bread to bake, with the rich aromas and flavors from the olive oil and rosemary.

The biggest secret about making great caramelized onions is patience. It takes a long time compared to other kitchen tasks for the onions to cook down. I usually use one large or two medium sized onions. I cut these in half and slice them. Then I add a couple of tablespoons of oil to a skillet set to medium heat, add the onions, and cook them until they start to brown, approximately 15 minutes. It is important to stir frequently. The final touch for me is to throw in a tablespoon of balsamic vinegar, and a bit of sugar. I think I used roughly a 1/2 tbsp of Rapidura. Then I let this cook for another few minutes until the onions are nicely glazed.

A former chef I know once told me he likes to make a batch of caramelized onions regularly to keep in the fridge to serve along with all kinds of dishes, and it makes sense to me.

I want to lastly send some gratitude out to my friend Ayla, who I just realized takes me to a different location of Wildflower Bread Co. when I visit her in Tempe, AZ, and we pair it with visiting the most wonderful bookstore, Changing Hands, next door.

pesto grilled vegetables with israeli couscous, quinoa and baby chickpeas

"Brevity is the soul of wit."

So William Shakespeare wrote in his timeless play, Hamlet. Admittedly, wit is not my strong point, and perhaps being long-winded is where I go astray. I brainstormed for a long time about a more succinct title for this post, but in the end I was willing to forego cleverness in favor of capturing the soul of this recipe. In the interest of clarity and informativeness, I give you Pesto Grilled Vegetables with Israeli Couscous, Quinoa and Baby Chickpeas. If you're the impatient type, I'll throw you a bone. This recipe is quick enough to make for lunch.

The inspiration came from a package of "Harvest Grains Blend" I picked up at Trader Joe's. It's a mixture of Israeli couscous (which is basically tiny round pasta balls), orzo (rice-shaped pasta also known as risoni), baby garbanzo beans (also known as chana dal) and red quinoa. The brilliant thing about this blend is that all of these "grains" take about the same amount of time to cook. I find that this mix is a little short on the quinoa, so I supplement from my own stash. Quinoa, by the way, is a superfood, with very high protein content and a unique combination of amino acids, such that NASA is considering it for its Controlled Ecological Life Support System [more on the benefits of quinoa]. Just like Tang, if it's good enough for astronauts, it's good enough for me. (All right, in the interest of full disclosure, I've never tasted Tang and I don't blindly follow celebrity endorsements, but hopefully if you haven't already tried quinoa, you'll give it a go. It's delicious and really good for you.)

I grill my veggies on a George Foreman Grill. It sits on my kitchen counter and gets a lot of use in the summertime. If you don't already own one, I highly recommend it; just make sure you get the model with the removable grill plates, because otherwise it's a real pain in the neck to clean. This reminds me of a quote from one of my favorite comedians, the late Mitch Hedberg. "This shirt is dry clean only... which means it's dirty." Infer what you will.

The exact proportion of veggies to grains doesn't really matter here. You can't go wrong; these quantities are provided as a guideline. If you don't usually work with asparagus, here's how to prepare it: Hold the spear at both ends and bend it until it breaks. The natural breaking point is where the tough, woody part ends and the soft, yummy edible part begins. This tip came to me courtesy of my brother-in-law Ed, a former NYC chef. Thanks, Eddie!

One more note: This recipe is vegan except for the Parmesan cheese on top (and maybe the pesto sauce depending on your choice of sauce). I think the cheese is essential to the flavor of the dish, but if you're vegan, I'm sure you already know of a few alternatives. Some high-quality sea salt should do the trick, for example.

Ingredients:
- 1 cup Trader Joe's Harvest Grains Blend (or your own mixture of Israeli couscous, orzo, baby chickpeas and red quinoa)
- 1/4 cup (additional) red quinoa
- 1 3/4 cup water
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 red pepper, deseeded and sliced into rounds
- 1 zucchini, sliced into rounds
- 12 asparagus spears, broken to remove the woody bottom part
- Half a small eggplant, sliced into rounds
- 6 stuffing-sized portobello mushrooms, sliced
- Half a large red onion, sliced into rounds
- 3 tablespoons of pesto sauce (I recommend Basiltops Dairy-free Vegan Pesto, which I get at WholeFoods, but any ready-made pesto sauce will do... or of course you can make your own)
- Freshly grated Parmesan
- Salt and pepper to taste

Method:
Put the water, olive oil and grains into a saucepan and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat, and simmer for about 13 minutes.
While the grains are cooking, heat up the grill, slice up your veggies and toss them on. I brush them with olive oil and sprinkle them with salt once they're on there. Keep an eye on them, as different veggies take different amounts of time to cook. Once they're grilled, chop them up into smaller pieces. By now, the grains will be done (I recommend tasting them to be sure - all the water should have evaporated), so add your chopped grilled veggies right to the cooking pot, and then your pesto sauce. Stir to combine. Spoon the mixture out into bowls and top with some freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

Katherine's Note:
I think this little recipe is deserving of its long magnific title; it is so awesomely easy and delicious. I love TJ's for offering such a creative and appealing mix with this blend. I looked around online to see if anything else is written about it, and someone suggested incorporating it into a soup, which I think is a good idea also.

It is fun to read that NASA article about the potential use of quinoa on the long space mission. It is actually an easy-to-read and informative summary about the grain. I am a big fan of having quinoa as a breakfast cereal, and I had read somewhere that it is important to rinse it in cold water before using, but didn't remember why. In the NASA article, it's explained that the grain has a coating of saponin glycosides, a bitter chemical that the plant naturally uses to deter insects. These saponins can presumably interfere with digestion, and may taste bitter anyway, so be sure to rinse.

And I am happy too that you brought up the long term space mission because it gives me a chance to plug one of the best short stories I have read in recent years: Lostronaut, by Jonathan Lethem. Luckily it is available online. If you are a lover of fiction, check it out.