Bringing together simple, good quality ingredients makes for kitchen magic. This delicious Lemony White Bean Soup is a stand-out example of that principle. 

INGREDIENTS

• • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 large carrots, diced
  • 1 bunch sturdy greens, I used cabbage and  kale, finely sliced and stems chopped
  • 1 can of chopped tomatoes
  • 3 tablespoon tomato paste
  • ¾ teaspoon ground cumin, plus more to taste
  • ⅛ teaspoon red-pepper flakes, plus more to taste
  • 3  shallots, minced
  • 1 leek finely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
  • 2 veggie broth cubes prepared with boiling water to dissolve
  • 2 (15-ounce) cans white beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 cup chopped fresh, soft herbs, such as parsley, mint, dill, basil, tarragon, thyme, chives, or a combination
  • salt and pepper to taste
  •  Fresh lemon juice from 2 lemons (and grated zest for topping)

PREPARATION

1. Heat a large heavy pot over medium-high for a minute or so to warm it up. Add the oil and heat until it thins out. Add leek, shallots, and carrot, and sauté until soft and brown at the edges, 7 to 10 minutes. 
2. While the vegetables cook, rinse the greens and pull the leaves off the stems. Chop stems into small bite-size pieces and cut the leaves into thin strips. Set aside.
3. Once vegetables are ready, stir tomato paste, 3/4 teaspoon cumin and 1/8 teaspoon red-pepper flakes into the pot, and sauté until paste darkens, about 1 minute. Remove this mixture from pot and set aside. Wiping pot clean with a paper towel
4. Adding a splash more oil to the pot, sauté stems and leaves from greens until just barely tender.
5. Combine in leek, shallots, carrots and white beans stirring into the greens.
6. Grate in ginger and cover mixture completely with prepared broth adding additional water if needed.   
7. Bring soup to a gentle simmer, cover, and cook for 20-25 minutes. Add lemon, herbs, and salt and pepper to taste.
8.  Serve topped with a drizzle of olive oil, grated lemon zest, and more red-pepper flakes, if desired.

I must admit I was equally skeptical and intrigued by this recipe and danced around it for several days before giving it a go. Worried it would taste like a bowl of warm hummus I had Plan B on the ready, but it was never required. The real problem turned out to be not making enough! Like with many cultural mainstays, it is the bringing together of good quality simple ingredients that make for kitchen magic, and you will soon discover that this soup is no exception.  

Just an FYI- This recipe must be started 8 hours in advance with soaking the chickpeas

Ingredients

FOR THE CRISPY CHICKPEAS:

1 ¾ cup cooked chickpeas or 1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

½ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste

1 teaspoon za’atar, plus more to taste

FOR THE SOUP:

1 ½ cups dried chickpeas, soaked overnight and drained

¼ cup plus 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving

2 bay leaves

1 ½ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste

½ loaf hearty rustic bread (about 8 ounces – I used this one)

1 cup chopped onion

6 garlic cloves, minced or finely grated ( I used shallots)

1 tablespoon ground cumin, plus more for serving

2 chopped Roma tomatoes

1 tablespoon harissa paste or spice mix plus more for serving ( adjust this according to taste)

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest, for serving

½ cup chopped flat-leaf parsley, for serving

Crispy chickpeas: 

Layout chickpeas on clean toweling to completely air dry for at least 30 mins.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees

Move chickpeas onto a parchment-covered baking sheet. Splash 2 -3 teaspoons of olive oil and toss well with salt and a sprinkle of za’atar. 

Bake 15 mins or until crispy, add more seasoning if desired, and set aside to cool.

At the same time, you can toast the rustic bread until crispy for the soup. Tear in bite sized pieces, and place on a baking sheet for about 10 minutes.

Chickpeas for soup:

In a heavy stockpot or pressure cooker, combine drained soaked chickpeas, 5 cups water, 1 tablespoon olive oil, bay leaves, and 1/2 teaspoon salt over high heat. Bring to a boil for 2 to 3 minutes, then reduce heat to a simmer, cover, cooking until chickpeas are tender, 30 mins in the pressure cooker, and about 1 to 2 hours in a stockpot.

When the chickpeas for the soup are tender, discard bay leaves. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the chickpeas, 1/2 cup of the chickpea cooking liquid, and 1/4 cup olive oil to a blender or food processor, and purée until smooth. Set aside.

In a large skillet over medium-high, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil until shimmering. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic or shallots and cook until golden, about 2 minutes. Add the remaining 1 teaspoon salt, 1 tablespoon cumin, and tomatoes and cook, stirring, until fragrant, 1 minute. Add a splash of the chickpea cooking liquid to the pan, and bring to a simmer to deglaze, scraping up the browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Turn off heat.

Combine chickpea purée and onion mixture, remaining cooking liquid along with harissa and lemon juice, and stir well. Add water as needed if the soup seems too thick, and adjust seasonings. 

Serve by dividing toasted bread pieces among soup bowls, add soup and garnish with lemon zest, parsley, olive oil, more cumin, and some of the crispy chickpeas. Serve hot, with more harissa on the side.

Enjoy!

Adapted from Melissa Clark NY Cooking

I love this recipe because it tastes like bread is meant to taste AND it is free from added starches, dairy products, eggs, and yeast. Although the actual effort that goes into this loaf is minimal the process must begin three days in advance.

Ingredients

½ to ¾ cup of brown rice sourdough (which will need organic brown rice flour)

525 grams (3 cups) buckwheat groats

175 grams (1 cup) of quinoa or millet

2-4 teaspoons of salt

Filtered water

1 tablespoon of maple syrup or honey (can omit)

25 g hemp seed

25 g chia seed

25 g sesame seed – white or black

50 g ground flax seed

75  g sunflower and pumpkin seeds

OR any combination of nuts and seeds to equal at least 250 grams or 1 cup.  I have used up to 1 ½ cups of seeds with good results.

Directions

Step One – 5 days prior to baking bread

Make a Brown Rice Sourdough following this or one of the many processes available online. I use only two ingredients: organic find ground brown rice flour and filtered tap water. Store sourdough in a glass lidded jar in fridge.

Step Two – Two evenings before finished loaf

Take starter from fridge and feed with organic brown rice flour and filtered tap water.

Place buckwheat groats in large bowl, cover just to the top of the groats with filtered water, check after an hour and add more as it absorbs water quickly.

Place quinoa or millet in smaller bowl and just barely cover with filtered water.

Allow all three items to stay on the counter overnight covered with a tea towel.

Step Three – 12 hours later

Check buckwheat groats for excess water pooling over the surface, if there is drain off just a bit. Use a metal sieve to catch any groats. Pour into high speed blender, blending well into a dough-like very thick pancake batter. Completely drain millet or quinoa and add to mixture in blender.  Continue processing until all grains are incorporated into the dough. Add Add ½ to ¾ cup sourdough and pulse blender to integrate.

Empty all into large bowl for further fermentation.

Step Four – 24 hours later

Preheat oven to 375 degrees with convection fan if available.

Measure all nuts and seeds. Measure salt (and honey or maple syrup if desired).  Fold all into the proofed dough.  Allow to rest 30-60 mins.

Oil loaf pan, pour in batter, smoothing top and sprinkling with your choice of nuts or seeds.

Step Five – Bake for 60 minutes.

Check that top has crusted and is not wet.  If loaf is well formed, gently remove from pan, return to oven rack or pizza stone if one is available.

Bake another 30 minutes.  Turn oven off and let bread sit in over overnight or at least until completely cooled.

The ability of this bread to keep is completely dependent on local weather conditions. In high humidity it should be stored in the fridge.  I prefer to slice the loaf completely once cooled and freeze the individual slices between strips of parchment paper. I remove slices as needed to toast or bring to room temperature.

Enjoy!!

Inspiration for this recipe came in the form of my prolific sage plant and the oversized butternut squash that arrived in my CSA last week. As I write this it is seriously taking every bit of will power I have to not sneak back into the kitchen for another bite of this amazing combination. I hope you and someone you love can enjoy this dish as much as we did.

Ingredients

1 medium butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cubed

1 liter of prepared veggie broth ( use only enough to keep vegetables covered while cooking)

1 medium onion diced

Olive Oil

1 cup of soaked cashews, soaked in very hot water for 30-45 minutes and drained

12 sage leaves, plus an extra prig or so for serving 

1 bunch of cleaned and trimmed spinach or 1 bag of baby spinach

Salt and Pepper 

1 box gluten-free pasta, cooked al dente 

Directions

Heat olive oil in a large pan, add onions, saute on medium heat until soft and they begin to turn golden. Add the sage leaves, squash, and just barely cover all vegetables with veggie broth.  Simmer until squash cubes are quite tender. 

Add cashews and blend with an immersion or high-speed blender until very smooth and creamy.

Season to taste. 

Fold spinach into sauce and pour over prepared pasta. 

Top with a sprig of sage and serve. 

Enjoy!

Chopping these gorgeous vegetables is a perfect opportunity to practice mindfulness in simple everyday kitchen tasks. Take your time and appreciate the gift of this present moment.  

Ingredients

Salad

• 1 large or 2 medium kohlrabi, peeled and cut into matchsticks
• 2 medium carrots, grated
• ½ medium red cabbage sliced thin
• ½ cup of toasted chopped nuts and or seeds

Dressing

• ½ cup vegan mayo
• ½ cup of toasted chopped nuts and or seeds
• 1.5 tabl coconut vinegar
• 1-2 tabl maple syrup or 2 dates
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• ¼ water to thin to desired consistency

Mix prepared vegetables in a large bowl.  Blend all dressing ingredients in a high-speed blender or with an immersion blender, thinning with water to reach the desired consistency.

Cover vegetables with dressing and allow to sit at room temperature or in the fridge for an hour before serving.

Enjoy!

Enjoy this refreshing potato salad from the Swabian region of Germany.  Be sure to plan ahead as it improves when the potatoes are given a few hours to absorb the simple dressing. 

Ingredients

• 1 ½ lbs Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled
• 1 veggie broth cube and ½ cup boiling water  
• 3 Tbsp white or apple cider vinegar
• 3 Tbsp mild oil such as sunflower
• 1-2 Tbsp maple syrup or coconut sugar
• 2 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp ground white pepper
• ½ onion, diced
• Chopped fresh chives or dill for garnish (optional)

Directions

1. Steam unpeeled potatoes until fork tender but firm. Set aside until cool enough to easily handle.
2. While potatoes cool, dice onions and prepare the broth, 
3. Add onions to the hot broth along with vinegar, oil, sweetener, salt and pepper to make a dressing.
4. Peel potatoes, slice and arrange in serving bowl.
5. Cover with dressing.
6. Set aside at room temperature for flavors to meld.  
7. When ready to serve, adjust seasonings and garnish with fresh herbs.

Enjoy!

If there is any remaining salad (which would be a rare occasion at my house), refrigerate. Then, prior to serving again, allow the salad to once again reach room temperature.

Ingredients

• 500 g organic okra, well dried and stems trimmed (careful not to open pods and expose the seeds) 
• Avocado, grapeseed or olive oil
• Juice from one whole lemon
• Sea salt
• Za’atar seasoning mix (make your own or order this one)
• 12 -15 organic cherry tomatoes

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
2. Heat cast iron skillet over medium to high heat.  
3. Add one layer of okra and dry roast until skins begin to blister, shaking pan so that all sides of the okra begin to color.
4. Continue until all have been lightly roasted, moving each completed batch to a sheet pan lined with parchment paper and drizzled with oil. 
5. Add whole cherry tomatoes.
6. Sprinkle with seasoning, salt and lemon juice.
7. Using your hands, see that the veggies are covered with oil and seasonings.
8. Place the pan in the preheated oven for 15-18 minutes or until cherry tomatoes begin to color and collapse.

Serve and enjoy!

If you are on the lookout for a quick, healthy and satisfying weeknight meal, search no further. This lemony kale pesto is as nutrient dense as it is delicious. A favorite way to serve it at the Hubele house is tossed with freshly cooked gluten-free penne, adding in a handful of chopped garden fresh tomatoes. An equally good alternative would be to coat these salt crusted fingerling or baby creamer potatoes with a few heaping tablespoons of this pesto and serve them up with a salad or slaw.

Here is the basic pesto recipe, but please feel free to make it your own by switching out the greens or fresh herbs.

Ingredients

• 2 cloves garlic (although I like to use shallots for a milder flavor)
• 2 bunches of kale, stripped from the stems
• A handful or two of fresh herbs (consider basil, parsley and cilantro)
• Juice from two large lemons
• Good quality organic olive oil (adjusting amount to achieve desired pesto consistency)
• 1 cup nuts and seeds (can be a combination of pistachios, almonds,walnuts, pumpkin seeds and/or pecans)
• 4 heaping T nutritional yeast
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Place nuts/seeds in the food processor. Pulse and process until finely ground. Add kale and herbs, pulsing until all are chopped. Drizzle oil through opening of the food processor, adding a few tablespoons at a time, pulsing and checking consistency, scraping down sides if necessary.
2. Sprinkle in nutritional yeast, pulse again until well incorporated. Finally, add salt and pepper to taste, setting aside while pasta cooks.
3.  Once pasta is tender, drain, reserving a bit of the cooking water for thinning the pesto if needed. Add pesto by heaping tablespoon, stirring gently. Toss in tomatoes and fresh herbs for garnish.
4. Serve immediately.

Enjoy!

Don’t waste any time waiting for a special occasion to make this yummy dish. It goes together in a snap as you prepare the filling and topping while the potatoes bake to a creamy and caramelized perfection. 

Ingredients

• 4 medium organic sweet potatoes, washed and sliced in half lengthwise (all varieties are suitable)
• Olive oil
• 1 medium onion peeled and diced
• 1 sweet pepper seeded and  diced
• 1 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels
• 1 can black beans rinsed and drained
• 2 medium seeded and chopped tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1  teaspoons cumin
• Pinch of cayenne or chili pepper of your choice
• 1 avocado
• 2 T vegan mayonnaise
• Juice of 2 limes
• Handful of fresh parsley and cilantro leaves (reserve a few for serving)
• A few slices of jalapeno (adjust to taste)
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Liberally oil heavy baking dish or parchment lined baking sheet and arrange potatoes cut side down, not touching each other.
3. Bake until tender and cut side is caramelized but not burnt, 25-35 minutes.
4. While potatoes bake, heat a heavy skillet, covering the bottom of the pan with olive oil.  When the oil is hot, add onions, saute until translucent, adding peppers. Once peppers are tender, add corn, allowing it to roast and color a bit. Add tomatoes, black beans, seasonings and salt and pepper to taste.  Stir well and cover with lid, simmering 5-10 minutes for flavors to meld. Set aside.
5. In a small blender or food processor, add avocado, mayo, lime juice, fresh herbs and jalapeno slices if desired. Blend until smooth, season to taste.
6. Once potatoes are ready, arrange the cut side up on a serving platter. Use a sharp knife to split open down the center without cutting all the way through. Potatoes should be quite tender and fall open, wide enough to be filled. If not, gently use a fork to open up the space.  Divide the filling between the potatoes and top each with a generous dollop of the avocado cream. Sprinkle each with a bit of smoked paprika and some of the parsley and cilantro leaves before serving.

Enjoy!

When time permits, I love to use Saturday afternoons to play a bit with new recipes. This past weekend, I found myself exploring new territory as I experimented with this comforting Haitian meal. It was interesting to discover how such familiar ingredients as polenta, black beans and coconut milk can be brought to life in a completely different context. This meal was simple to prepare, and the beans could certainly be prepared in advance. Enjoy!  

Sos Pwa Nwa

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 2 scallions, chopped
• 1 cup dried black beans, rinsed
• ½ cup coconut milk
• ½ tablespoon unsalted butter
• ½ tablespoon finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
• ½ chicken bouillon cube
• Salt, to taste  
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper  

1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan or pressure cooker over medium heat. Sauté the onion, garlic and scallions until golden, about 8 minutes. Add the beans and cover with 2 inches of water.   Bring the water and beans to a boil over medium-high heat, cover, then cook until the beans are soft, adding water if needed, or cover the pressure cooker and process for 20-25 minutes. 
2. When beans are tender, uncover and remove from heat. There should be some water remaining, not quite enough to cover them, if there is an excess, drain it off. 
3. Pour beans and cooking liquid into a high-speed blender. Purée the beans until smooth.
4. In the cooking pot, over low heat, add coconut milk, butter, bouillon cube and chopped parsley. Add beans and bring to a gentle simmer. 
5. Cook the bean purée until it’s the consistency of rich gravy. (Adjust with water or coconut milk if necessary.)  
6. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
7. Warning: This mixture is so yummy on its own you may be tempted to stop right here and eat it all with your tasting spoon. But don’t, you will miss the full effects which are more than worth the wait!

Mayi Moulen

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 cup coarse yellow cornmeal
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
• ½ teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme  

1. Heat the oil in a heavy medium saucepan over medium heat, and sauté the onion and garlic until barely golden, about 6 minutes. Add 4 1/2 cups water, and bring to a boil.
2. Pour in the cornmeal in a thin stream into the boiling water, stirring constantly, and add the parsley, thyme, salt and black pepper. Continue to stir for a few minutes to avoid lumps.  
3. Lower heat to a gentle simmer. Cook uncovered,  stirring occasionally, until the cornmeal is tender, with a soft but not runny consistency, 20 to 25 minutes. Adjust with more water or salt if necessary.
4. Spoon onto a large serving platter or individual plates, topping with a layer of sos pwa nwa, sliced avocados and chopped parsley  

Enjoy!

There was a time in my life when every Friday night was pizza night. Every Thursday evening, I would put my Kitchen Aid to working kneading the dough, giving it a slow rise in the fridge overnight. An hour before dinner, I would set out the dough to bring it to room temperature while skillets on the stove sizzled with fresh tomato sauce, onions, peppers, spinach and mushrooms. It was quite the event, and quite the meal.

That was many years and dietary changes ago. Then, at the start of quarantine, my daughter Kate gifted me with a kitchen scale and Aran Goyoaga’s Cannelle et Vanille: Nourishing Gluten-Free Recipes for Every Meal and Mood. Before long, a similar scene was recreated in my kitchen, and the results were amazing.

Here I share the crust recipe from Goyoaga with a few adaptions. I will say, however, I have since made two adaptations. One is to replace the brown rice flour and some of the water with brown rice sourdough. The other is to use some quinoa flour along with the sorghum. I wouldn’t skimp on the overnight rise, but if you must, at least allow it up to 6 hours in the fridge. I also recommend a pizza stone.

Ingredients

Enough for 4 individual pizzas

• 4.5 tsp dry yeast
• 5 cups filtered water
• 1.5 tsp sugar, maple syrup or honey
• 210 g brown rice flour or brown rice sourdough
• 210 g sorghum flour (or a mix of sorghum and quinoa flour)
• 120 g tapioca starch
• 120 g potato starch
• 4 T psyllium husk powder
• 3 tsp kosher salt (adjust to taste)
• 3 T olive oil

Directions

1. Proof yeast with 250 ml warm filtered water (110 degrees F). While waiting, measure out dry ingredients into the bowl of your mixer.
2. When yeast is ready, add along with olive oil and water, 1 cup at a time, as the amount needed will vary. Begin mixing with dough hook on low speed to combine all ingredients. This dough should be wet but hold together well in a large mass. Add flour or more water to adjust.
3. Place in a well-oiled bowl, cover, and put away in the fridge overnight for a beautiful slow rise.
4. Remove an hour before baking. Preheat oven to 475 degrees F.  
5. When ready, divide into four pieces and roll on parchment paper that has been dusted with any of the flours you have handy. 
6. Slide crusts into the preheated oven onto the baking stone or heavy baking sheet.
7. After 12 minutes of baking, top the crust with your own version of sauce, any variety of sauteed veggies… and if you are a vegan cheese lover, be sure to splurge on this mozzarella.
8. Return pizza to oven and bake another 10 minutes or so depending on the thickness of the crust.  I like making this pizza in a rectangle and serving each one on its own board. 

Enjoy!

If you have never been a sweet potato fan, here is the recipe to change your mind. And if you already have a fondness for this tuber, you are really in for a treat. This recipe has all of my favorite elements: a short ingredient list, herbs to enhance flavor and a hands-off cooking method. So here you are, with my compliments.

Ingredients

• ½ cup olive oil
• Herbes de Provence
• Sea salt 
• Fresh sprigs of rosemary
• 2 large or 3 medium orange-fleshed, Garnet or Jewel sweet potatoes, scrubbed and cut into 1.5-inch cubes 

Directions

Heat oven to 450 degrees F. Put potato chunks in a large bowl, season generously with salt and toss to coat. Leave for a few minutes to let potatoes absorb the salt. Then add herbs and olive oil, tossing to coat well (be sure not to skimp on the oil as it can be strained and saved after cooking for future use). Allow to set 15 minutes while prepping a salad or other dish to accompany the potatoes. 

Transfer potatoes and oil to a large cast-iron skillet or heavy roasting pan. Keep to a single layer, using two pans if necessary to avoid crowding. Be sure there is oil in the bottom of each pan.

Place pans in oven and roast 15 minutes, until potato chunks are well browned on the bottom. With a metal spatula, carefully turn chunks over. Reduce heat to 400 degrees, and continue roasting until potatoes are well browned and the inside is tender (about another 15 to 20 minutes).

Because I am a sauce fan, I had planned to serve these with this vegan aioli, but they needed nothing extra. Absolutely divine all on their own!