Tomato, Corn and White Bean Pesto Tart

1 puff pastry sheet

1 tablespoon of olive oil

2 tomatoes sliced into the thinnest rounds possible

½ cup freshly shucked corn

½ of a red onion sliced paper thin

a drizzle of olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

White Bean Pesto, adapted from Vegan Yum Yum

1 can of navy beans (15 oz)

½ cup raw cashews

2 teaspoons dijon mustard

2 tablespoons pesto

1 teaspoon olive oil

Following the instructions on the puff pastry box, defrost one of the puff pastry sheets on a piece of wax paper. Allow it 20-40 minutes to defrost depending on the temperature of your kitchen.

Pre-heat your oven to 350˚F.

To make the white bean pesto, pulse the raw cashews and the olive oil in a food processor or high-speed blender until smooth. Add the rest of the white bean pesto ingredients and pulse until they are incorporated and the mixture is creamy. Set aside.

When the puff pastry has defrosted open it up and transfer it, on the wax paper, on to a baking sheet. Apply a generous layer of white bean pesto on top of the puff pastry, allowing for a ¼ inch boarder for the crust. Next layer tomatoes, followed by red onion and then the shucked corn. Drizzle the tart with olive oil and then dress with salt and pepper.

Place the tart into the oven. Cook for 35-45 minutes or until it has browned. 

Just Plain Easy, Raw, Vegan Coconut Macaroons

1 cup of coconut flour

2 cups of shredded unsweetened coconut

8 tablespoons of raw agave

OR if you don’t need them to be raw 4 tablespoons of real maple syrup

1 teaspoon almond extract

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

A dash of kosher salt

Mix all wet ingredients together in a large mixing bowl. Add dry ingredients and mix. Tightly pack around a tablespoons worth of dough together with your hands until they form jawbreaker-sized orbs. Refrigerate in a sealed container for optimum freshness. Makes around 14.  

Sea Vegetable and Pan-seared Salmon Salad

Marinade for Tofu and Salmon, to be split between two separate bowls

4 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

2 tablespoons maple syrup, agave or honey

1 tablespoon ponzu, or substitute ½ tablespoon soy sauce and ½ tablespoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon sesame oil, in tofu marinade only

Salad

½ cup arame, soaked in cold water for fifteen minutes and then drained

½ head of radicchio chopped fine, or substitute 1 cup of red cabbage

the whites of four scallions, minced

1 carrot julienned into fine sticks

sesame seeds

6-8 cups of the small leafed, bitter green of your choice (watercress, arugula, etc)

Protein

extra firm tofu

two salmon fillets, boned and skin removed

1 tablespoon of olive oil

Mix the ingredients for the marinade together and then separate it evenly between two bowls. Prep your proteins: skin and debone the salmon; pat the tofu dry and then cut it into half by quarter inch slices. Place the tofu and the salmon into the two different bowls of marinade. The tofu can sit out on your counter, but the salmon should return to the refrigerator. Allow both to marinade for as long as possible, but around 30 minutes is fine.

Combine all of the salad ingredients together, add the tofu and pour a little of the tofu marinade on top, set aside until your fish is cooked.

To cook the salmon, heat a nonstick skillet on high for 30 seconds before adding in a tablespoon of olive oil, or enough to cover the bottom of the skillet. After the pan is hot (around 3 minutes should be fine) turn it down to medium-high and add the salmon. Cook the salmon for 3-5 minutes, until it is browned and releases easily from the pan and then turn over and cook for 3 minutes.

Plate the salad and place the cooked salmon on top, sprinkle with sesame seeds and scallions.

Lemony Green Bean Salad

adapted from the Food52 Cookbook

1 pound green beans 

4 ounces of feta 

1⁄2 small red onion, as thinly sliced as possible 

2 scallions, minced 

1⁄4 cup of olive oil (optional) 

1 lemon juiced and zested 

1 tablespoon of maple syrup, honey or agave nectar

3-4 cups of mixed salad greens

Combine together lemon juice, zest, sweetener and optional olive oil. Add in thinly sliced red onion and allow to macerate for 10-15 minutes.

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add green beans and cook for a scant 3-5 minutes, until bright green but not soft. Drain the beans and rinse them in cold water.

Combine cooled green beans with reserved dressing and cheese. Toss with salad greens and serve.

Coconut Milk and Shitake Mushroom Risotto

4 ½ cups chicken or vegetable broth

1 cup regular coconut milk

2 leeks chopped finely, white stem only

2 cloves of garlic chopped fine

1 ½ cups arborio rice

¼ cup of vermouth or a dry white wine

2 tablespoons of olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

2 cups of shitake mushrooms, cleaned and cut to your liking

2 scallions, diced fine

Heat the broth and coconut milk together in a small pot, bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Cover.

Heat another pot over medium-high heat and add the olive oil into it. Sauté the leeks until they are soft and slightly translucent, add the garlic and cook for another minute.

Add in the arborio rice allow it to toast for a few moments or until the outside of the rice begins to look translucent. Douse the rice in the vermouth or white wine and allow to simmer.

When the majority of the liquid has cooked off add in your first ladleful of the broth mixture and stir the rice gently around the pot making sure to scrape the sides. When the broth looks mostly absorbed add in another ladleful of stock.

Continue this process until you only have one ladle left of stock. Add in the shitake mushrooms and the last ladleful of stock, the heat of the risotto should cook the mushrooms quickly.

Turn off the heat. If you are feeling brave, put a pat of butter on top of the risotto. If not just add a little more of the coconut milk. Cover the pot of risotto with a lid and allow to rest for five minutes before serving. 

Fresh Corn and Endive Salad

3 ears of sweet corn 

2 purple endives 

2 scallions 

2 small tomatoes

1 teaspoon white miso paste 

1 1⁄2 tablespoons unsalted butter 

a dash of kosher salt

Husk and clean the ears of corn. With the ear of corn resting in a large mixing bowl cut the corn kernels off of each of the ears. Heat the butter in a medium sized skillet on medium high heat until it begins to bubble, around 2 minutes. Add in miso paste and allow the mixture to just begin to brown, approximately 30 seconds. Add in the corn kernels. Salt and cook for 2-3 minutes until warm and just barely cooked. Allow to cool for 5 minutes.

Cut off the bottom quarter inch of each endive and discard it. Then finely chop the remaining endive into thin strips. Mince the white and green parts of the scallions. Dice the tomatoes.

Place all ingredients in a serving bowl and serve. Salt and pepper as desired.

Broccoli Polenta

2 cups chicken broth or vegetable broth (bouillon is a-okay!)

A pinch of salt 

1 cup dry polenta 

1 tablespoon olive oil

2-3 cups very finely diced (1⁄4 inch pieces) broccoli, florets and stems 

A handful of pecerino romano or 1⁄4 cup of pesto is optional

Bring the broth and salt to a boil in a medium sized pot. Add the polenta in a slow, steady stream, whisking as you add it. Add in the broccoli and olive oil, stir well, and reduce heat to low. Cover and let simmer for 15 minutes, stirring often.

Transfer the polenta to a medium sized greased baking dish. Top with a little grated cheese or a thin layer of pesto if you like.

Preheat the broiler or bring the oven up as high as it goes. Place polenta filled baking dish into the oven Cook under the broiler for 7-10 minutes, or until golden-brown.

Serve. Eat it cold again the next morning for breakfast.

Brussels Sprout Fritatta

12 Brussels sprouts 

1 red onion 

2 smallish yams or 5 fingerling potatoes 

2 cloves of garlic 

1⁄4 cup of shredded sharp cheddar or other hard sharp cheese 

A hefty 1⁄2 cup of sliced sundried tomatoes 

4 cups of egg whites 

1 1⁄2 tablespoons of butter or olive oil salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 350 ̊F.

Clean and chop the Brussels sprouts into 1⁄4 inch strips. Slice the red onion, finely dice the garlic, cut the root vegetables of your choice into very thin rounds.

In a large skillet on medium heat melt the butter and allow it to brown (2-3 minutes). Add in the red onion and root vegetable, cook for 2 minutes. Add in the Brussels sprouts and garlic, sauté until everything is just barely cooked, around another 3-5 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste. Take the skillet off the stove and toss in sundried tomato slices and shredded cheese.

Oil or butter a good-sized baking dish. Pour in sautéed vegetables, pour in egg whites. Add a dash of salt and pepper, toss everything together with a spoon and then level it all out.

Put baking dish in the oven and cook for 30-40 minutes or until the frittata has set.