Vegetarian Stuffed Grape Leaves with Brown Rice & Cinnamon

You know how you can go to a market for 1 particular item and end up with 10 unrelated ingredients with no plan as to how to use them? I had one of those moments this week. In my local Indian Market. It is a glorious place with more spices than I could ever hope to use, bulk bins of okra, and a whole lot of naan. Enough said.

But today is not about Indian food. One of the items I walked out with with was a GIANT jar of grape leaves. I think it must have been an unconscious desire for the cool, bright flavors of Greek food. I have always loved the Mediterranean stuffed grape leaves (dolma or dolmathes) but had yet to try them myself, so this weekend I went for it.

Veggies and Tailgating. Yes they can happen at the same time.

It is mid-september and that means one thing to my husband and my family: football. Yes that's right, college football season is well underway, so 3 weekends in a row, husband and I have been packing it up and heading to Tallahassee for the Florida State Seminole games. I have to be honest up front, football itself isn't really my thing, but the 4-8 hours of socializing beforehand is ok by me.

Last Call for Tomatoes in THE BURG

Hang on to those last summer tomatoes as long as you can! Read my tomato article in the Burg with cooking tips, pretty pics, and some delicious recipes.

Chipotle BBQ Seitan Tacos with Jicama Slaw

Have I mentioned my love for tacos? Not just traditional Mexican tacos, but tacos of all variety. I discovered while working in a restaurant that almost anything tastes good in a grilled flour tortilla. Anything. Also, tacos are a great way to make any food portable. There was no time for a fork and a plate during dinner service. The forks were for the customers.

Feel Good Soup

I am sick.

It rarely happens, but this week I came down with the flu. All feverish and achy, I didn't each much on the first day. You know that feeling. But then I needed nourishment, and I kept thinking about this soup I had once while working at the restaurant in Philly. It was one of those cold, rainy days, and half the kitchen staff had a cold. Our boss had it waiting for us when we came in - his "feel good" soup, he called it. It was chock full of healing ingredients - garlic, ginger, seaweed, chiles, etc. These ingredients are said to increase circulation, build up immune systems, and reduce inflammation. The fresh chilis also opened up my sinuses, and the hot broth felt great on my throat. It didn't hurt that it was delicious.

So, I decided to make this soup for myself at home, but wasn't sure how to go about it. I found a recipe for "long life soup" in my Candle Cafe Cookbook, which seemed to have many of the same ingredients I was looking for. It was simple enough to make, and didn't take too long, which was important so that I didn't pass out in-process. It turned out to be hot, delicious, and just what I needed.

We all get sick sometimes, and I want to share this recipe with you all for when you or someone you love comes down with the "crud," as my grandmother would say. I made a couple changes to the original recipe, and added some frozen asian dumplings in at the end.

A note on the Candle Cafe Cookbook: I recommend this one for any vegan cooks our there looking for some really special dishes. Candle Cafe and Candle 79 are two of the best vegan restaurants out there, and they know what they are doing.

Enjoy, and feel better.

Feel Better Soup (Adapted from Candle Cafe)

Ingredients
1 oz. dried shitake mushrooms
1/2 cup arame seaweed*
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/2 yellow onion, peeled and thinly sliced
1/4 cup minced garlic
1/2 cup peeled and minced ginger
1/2 cup tamari or soy sauce
2 fresh chilis, cayenne or jalepeno, minced
2 teaspoons brown rice vinegar
2 teaspoons sesame oil
1/2 cup green onion, thinly sliced
10-12 frozen vegetarian dumplings (optional)

Instructions
1. Place the dried shitake mushrooms and the arame in 2 separate bowls and pour 4 1/2 cups of hot water over each. Let sit for 20 minutes each. Drain the mushrooms and reserve the water. Thinly slice the mushrooms. Drain and rinse the arame and discard the water. Coarsely chop the arame.

2. Heath the oil in a saute pan and cook the onion, garlic, and ginger until softened, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a soup pot and add the tamari, cayenne, vinegar, and sesame oil. Add the reserved mushroom water, mushrooms, arame, and an additional 4 1/2 cups to the pot. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer uncovered, for 10 minutes.

3. Place 3-4 dumplings in your bowl. Pour soup over dumplings and let sit for 1 minute. Top with sliced green onion and additional chilis if desired.

*Note: Arame is an ingredient you may not have worked with before. It is a certain type of sea vegetable that has a mild, sweet flavor, and a bunch of health benefits. One serving of arame contains 50% of your daily calcium needs, which is great for vegans. You can find arame at your local asian market, or at a health food store. I prefer the asian market because it is much more affordable. Don't be intimidated by sea vegetables - they are incredibly easy to work with, and so very good for you.

Grilled Corn Bruchetta with Tarragon

Will travel for food.

Last week, at the end of our summer in Virginia, my husband Geoff and I took a little trip to NYC for theatre (Geoff) and food (me). I have a habit of traveling to specific locations based solely on the food they offer, and as you might guess, the big apple is no exception to that. New York restaurants offer more amazing vegan food and local, organic produce than any other city I have been to. Ok, maybe the super-crunchy Asheville rivals their vegan options, but only NY has this variety of high-end, gourmet vegan cuisine. Since this is a food blog I will spare you the details of the vacation (and the pics!), but let me hit some high points of the food before moving on to today's post. My favorites include chimichurri seitan and grilled kale salad at Candle 79, kimchi pancakes at the vegan Korean spot Hangawi, and the best damn grilled cheese I have ever had at the Chelsea market (clearly not vegan or healthy in any way but soooooo amazing).

Simple Grain Salad with Cashews & Mint

Hello friends. It's been a while. I've been away for the summer, in a place where the chance to cook a meal is a rare occurrence, and the chance to cook one well is non-existent. So, I am happy to be home and to refocus on cooking healthy, veg-focused food. I can't wait to try new things, perfect old recipes, and to take advantage of the local summer produce while it lasts.

This morning I was looking through my fridge, and seeing a bunch of leftovers that didn't call to me. How can I accumulate this many leftovers in only 4 days? Not entirely sure. Is there a leftover fairy that visits my home in the night and leaves half-eaten dishes in my fridge? Possibly. Anyway, I won't get a chance to hit the farmer's market until Saturday anyway, so today's recipe is one of those "clean out the fridge" ones. However, I can tell you, sometimes those can be the best, and it is a great feeling to re-purpose something into a new, tasty dish. Also, I hate throwing away food. I am morally opposed to it. Not really, but it does hurt my heart a little.

Happy Bowl & Ginger Dressing

One of my favorite easy meals is a giant bowl of brown rice (or other whole grain) topped with fresh veggies, tofu or tempeh, nuts, herbs, and some sort of tasty dressing. This is a formula that is hard to screw up, and can be easily adjusted to what you have sitting in your pantry/fridge at the time. Brown rice can be replaced with quinoa, bulgar, kasha, or even whole-wheat couscous. You can throw really any veggies in here - this is a great way to use leftover grilled or roasted veggies from the night before. Then, I like to add in some raw, easy veggies like crated carrot, green onion, bean sprouts, grated zuchinni, spinach, or kale. I am big on texture so I always add a little crunch in the form of nuts or seeds. Tonight I used almonds because I had them, but you can use anything from walnuts and pecans to sunflower or pumpkin seeds. Then - throw on a handful of whatever fresh herbs you have - parsley, basil, cilantro, mint - and top it all off with a dressing that works for what you have created. It can be as simple as lemon juice and olive oil, vinaigarette, soy sauce - whatever sounds good.

Perfect gift.

Simplicity can be beautiful, but my table loves color! Beautiful place mats made with love by my friend, Luisa.

Herbs & Hors d'oeuvres

The farmer's market on Saturday was an herby delight! Although it is only Spring, the summer vegetables are in full-force here in Florida. I left the market with beautiful bunches of dill, parsley, mint, cilantro and basil. I got so excited about my bounty that I decided to use all of them in one dinner.


Luckily, I was having some friends over to eat some of these herby creations. I already had curried tofu marinating in the fridge, and some beautiful butter lettuce from the market as well. Indian was the obvious thought, but that cuisine alone wouldn't allow me to use all my goodies. So, i decided an international appetizer night was needed. Please excuse the picture quality - I hope to get a better camera soon!

Southern Comfort - Vegan Style

It's been a while, my friends. I hope you have been eating some great food!

I took a little time off. When the metaphorical plate gets too full, its best to rank the items in order of importance and say goodbye to the potatoes. Just came up with that, but I think it makes sense. The past couple months, my plate was overflowing with activity, so I decided, with some sadness, that cooking would have to be put on hold. So, while I taught my classes, planned my wedding, trained for a half marathon, and organized a fundraiser, I subsisted mainly on microwaved sweet potatoes and peanut butter. Not at the same time.

Greens and beans! Oh, and pasta too.

Hello all. After quite a long and restful holiday break, I am back in my kitchen with a renewed culinary appetite. The new year is a time for new beginnings, and for many, a resolution to live a healthier lifestyle. While it is true that many resolutions can be half-hearted and short-lived, I believe any day that makes Americans re-think the way they eat is a good day, and should be embraced.

Thanksgiving Warm-Up

Who says it can only come once a year?

Thanksgiving! It is the holiday that all foodies (and really any food-lovin' people) await with great anticipation. It also happens to be the holiday that vegetarians and health-conscious individuals find the hardest to navigate. Stuffing soaked in chicken broth, greens cooked with ham, pies galore, and of course, the centerpiece of it all - a huge roasted turkey served with gravy made from its own juices.

mmm......Miso Soup

It's been too long, amigos.

October was a busy month. A half marathon, my first catering gig, 2 new classes - all good things, but they ate up my time.

So, in order to make up for my lengthy absence from the blogosphere, I am posting twice. In one day. Look out!!!

I have been reading a new book - The Kind Diet by Alicia Silverstone. I know what you are thinking. A book. By Cher. Well, I understand. I too was a little skeptical about a vegan cookbook by yet another celebrity. What does she know, right? Yet, as I was standing in the cookbook section of the library the other day, I found myself grabbing 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, yes 10 books. My recent self-imposed ban on cookbook purchases has left my addiction a little starved, and a wall full of free books was just overwhelming. They are free, people! Free!

Roasted Pears

I listen to NPR religiously. Fresh Air, This American Life, Wait Wait Don't Tell Me - but my favorite is the all-food talk show, The Splendid Table. Each week, I tune in to hear one of my idols, Lynn Rosetto-Casper, discuss yummy recipes, new techniques, and great restaurant finds. As a tip: never listen to this show while hungry, because she and her guests have a habit of describing the flavor of food in such a way to your mouth water instantly. Hunger ensues.