Posts by Lauren
Baked Red Rice & Beans
When I returned to my kitchen after three weeks away, my deep desire for comfort food was in direct conflict with my lack of desire to grocery shop. I recalled bookmarking a pantry-friendly recipe in NYT prior to leaving that was a perfect match for the cold front moving into Texas. With a few adaptions,…
Read MoreVegan Tortilla Soup
I will apologize right up front to my dear Hispanic readers for my straying from tradition with this recipe. And yet such is the life of the vegan, always in search of ways to capture the essence of traditional recipes. So please forgive me as I share this quick and tasty interpretation. Ingredients 8 Yellow…
Read MoreAvocado Tahini Spread
There’s nothing like slow, simple meals that allow for some autonomous assembly. One of my favorites centers around a loaf or two of whole grain bread and a mix of spreads and toppings. If that sounds appealing, you might want to consider adding this bright green beauty to your own collection. Adapted from Salma Hage,…
Read MoreSummer Curry
The secret to this curry is in steaming the vegetables just enough to be tender, and if you have not yet had steamed eggplant, you are in for a treat. You can use any form of a steamer. Mine is a simple insert from Ikea that fits into a larger stainless steel pot. Ingredients…
Read MoreAsian Inspired Greens
When I discover fresh greens in August in Texas, I honestly can’t say no. That is exactly the reason that led to my having a bag of braising baby greens, a bunch of chard, and another bunch of spicy mustard, all needing to be cooked at once. I immediately knew that I would turn to…
Read MoreVegan Eggplant Fideuà
Intrigued recently by this Ottolenghi Guardian Catalan receipe this fideuà is a remarkable blend of flavors and textures. Not familiar with the term, I learned that it was a bit of a cross between a risotto and paella and often features shrimp and fish. Admittedly the many steps involved are not for the impatient, but…
Read MoreHerbed Pumpkin Seed Dressing
I’ve managed to keep a lovely herb garden alive this summer and absolutely delight in harvesting twice a week to make up a luscious dressing for salads. I eat a large raw salad daily, rotating ingredients with the season. You will find that this dressing is equally delicious on a raw broccoli salad, a cabbage…
Read MoreVegan Eggplant Parmesan
What would eggplant season be without a vegan version of eggplant parm? In this version I cut out the breading and frying making it a healthier and simplier dish to prepare. And because it’s now eggplant season in Texas expect to see a few more recipes that feature this summertime superstar. Ingredients 3 medium-large eggplants,…
Read MoreHerbed Mushroom Pizza
Have you ever cooked a pizza in your cast iron skillet? The results are truly amazing and if you can manage to do this in a convection toaster you can enjoy fresh made pizza without a sweltering kitchen. Here’s a no-recipe walk thru to guide you through the assembly process. Ingredients Crust I suggest you…
Read MoreAll the Flavors Cabbage Salad
Spicy, sweet, salty, you name it, this salad has it all. So cool and refreshing, it’s the perfect summer salad. This one was inspired by our soaring Texas temps and my day-long attempt not to wilt. Have some fun subbing in what you have on hand, but remember that the end goal is to keep…
Read MoreBuckwheat Crackers
Thought these might be a lovely snack for my sweetheart. He’ll take them along on his cross Atlantic flight Monday, headed to Germany where he will be with his mom for a stretch post surgery. And of course I couldn’t help but hold back a few to enjoy myself. Recipe adapted from Aran Goyoaga. Makes…
Read MoreSummer Corn Risotto
With four fresh-from-the-farm ears of corn in my fridge, I took the liberty of adapting Emily Weinstein’s adaptation of Corn Risotto. If you can carve out 90 minutes of cooking time this risotto is worth every bit of effort. Emily suggests preparing a corn stock and I wouldn’t pass that up. It was simple hands-off…
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