Sautéed Parmesan Kale

Stupidly good. And healthy to boot! This simple dish has become one of my go-to meals over the last few weeks. It's so easy to throw together, is quick, healthy, and can be eaten alone or with a grain mixed in (I've used brown rice and quinoa so far). It would also be delicious in a grilled cheese sandwich. I love it so much that I've eaten it for two meals in a row a few times. It is possible that not to long from now, I will have eaten my own weight in kale.

And I'm ok with that. See, kale has intimidated me for a long time. I just didn't know what to do with it. There it was, all....leafy. Leafy and expectant, as if I knew how to turn it into something delicious. Well, I didn't. So I avoided it. Even though I knew how healthy it is, and had heard all the promises about how kale is basically the answer to all life's problems. I still avoided it.

And then one day, at the grocery store, there it was again. This time, in the frozen aisle. And I picked up a bag and decided that I would make kale.

And I did! This recipe is so easy, and I especially love it for the fact that this Vegan Parmesan Cheese is the closest thing to real parmesan cheese I've tasted in a while. The best part is that it's foolproof! Everything can be adjusted to your own taste. This takes 6 - 9 minutes tops to make, and can be a side dish or a main dish - it just depends on how big a bucket of kale you're in the mood for.

Sautéed Parmesan Kale
Makes 1 serving

Cooking spray
1 cup frozen kale
2 - 3 tbsp. minced onion (to your own taste)
1/4 - 1/2 tsp. garlic powder (to your own taste)
1/8 - 1/4 tsp. chipotle powder (or substitute another chili powder or red pepper flakes)
Salt and pepper to taste
2 - 4 tbsp. Vegan Parmesan Topping

Coat a skillet well with cooking spray. Combine the kale, onion, garlic powder, and chipotle powder, spray well with cooking spray, and sautee over medium heat until the minced onion is slightly browned. Continue cooking for another few minutes and then salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the vegan parmesan topping and serve immediately.

**Ideas for other ways to use this recipe:

• Combine the sauteed kale and parmesan with cooked quinoa for a lovely pilaf.
• Add a layer of this to a grilled cheese sandwich (using Daiya cheese wedges).
• Serve as a side dish with scrambled eggs and toast.

Banana Cream Pie Bites

I DARE you to eat only one of these.  Triple dog dare you.

I developed this recipe for the Boston Pie Experiment this last weekend.  It was a pie contest really (or maybe pie bonanza is a better way to describe it, with just under 30 different kinds of pies to be sampled), but I didn't enter to compete.  I kind of just wanted an excuse to bake a ridiculous number of pies and create a new recipe.

This recipe underwent many iterations over the last few weeks.  I tried almond milk and coconut milk (both vanilla and regular flavors). With and without gelatin.  With less Earth Balance and with more Earth Balance. As a whole pie and as tiny pie bites.  They were all delicious, but I finally settled on this recipe as the one that held up best under adverse conditions (read: outside of refrigeration for any period of time).  My co-workers tried it, and I made one for my friends for my birthday a few weeks ago.  It got rave reviews.

My personal goal was not to win the pie contest.  It was simply to have people like my pie, even though it was the ONLY gluten- and dairy-free pie amid 30 regular old gluten pies.

And they did.  I tried not to stare at people as they ate it, but I surreptitiously stole glances at them as they tasted this, an expression of surprise coming over their face as the flavors washed over them (first the lovely banana flavor topped with whipped soy cream, followed by the slight kick of the gingersnap crust).  I read their mouths through the din in the room as they commented to their friends, "That is REALLY good!" A few people came back for a second sample.  And one of the guys running the event even high-fived me after tasting it. 

It was a true test of taste to put a banana cream pie with a gluten-free crust and no cream (!) up against the buttery, flour-y, dairy-laden pies I was surrounded by.  But no one (that I saw) spit this out.  Most seemed to enjoy it, perhaps to their surprise.  And that's all the prize I wanted.

Banana Cream Pie Bites
This will make one regular banana cream pie or about 50 - 70 banana cream pie bites.

For the crust:
1 bag Trader Joe's Gluten-free Gingersnaps
2.5 tbsp. Earth Balance Buttery Spread

For the filling:
1 tbsp. brown rice flour
1 tbsp. sweet rice flour
1.5 tbsp. cornstarch
1/8 tsp. salt
1/2 cup + 3 tbsp. white sugar
3 very ripe medium bananas
3/4 cup So Delicious Vanilla Coconut Milk (Trader Joe's has a new vanilla coconut milk that works, too!)
1 packet Knox gelatin + 2 tbsp. hot water (don't mix until right before you're going to use it!!)
3 egg yolks, beaten
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1.5 tbsp. Earth Balance Buttery Spread

If desired: Soyatoo Soy or Rice Whip to top (totally optional!)

For a whole pie:  A regular pie dish.
For banana cream pie bites: Mini-cupcake liners.


Preheat the oven to 350 F.

Put the whole bag of gingersnaps and the 2.5 tbsp. Earth Balance in a food processor and blend until very smooth and crumbly.  You want these to be very tiny crumbs that are well-incorporated into the butter.

If you're making a whole banana cream pie:  Pour the crumb mixture into a pie dish and pat it evenly around the sides and bottom of the pan.  Make sure you pat it down very firmly.

If you're making banana cream pie bites: Place a heaping teaspoon of the mixture into each mini-cupcake liner.  Using your thumb or the teaspoon, press it down firmly into the cupcake liner, creating a little well for the banana cream. 

Separate your egg yolks and whisk them lightly in a medium-sized bowl.  Set aside.

Rinse the food processor out and blend the bananas and coconut milk together for about 3 - 4 minutes, or until very smooth.  In a large sauce pan, combine the brown rice flour, sweet rice flour, cornstarch, sugar, and salt and whisk together.  Add the banana and coconut milk mixture and whisk together.  Combine the Knox gelatin powder with 2 tbsp. of hot water, whisk together, and add immediately to the pot, stirring it in well (if you don't add it right away, it will become a block of gel).  Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly to avoid the flours settling, until it comes to a full boil.

When it comes to a boil, turn off the heat.  This is where it gets slightly tricky. You're going to add some of the hot mixture to the egg yolks, but just a tiny bit at a time, whisking each bit thoroughly into the eggs before adding more.  You're doing this to bring the temperature of the eggs up slowly so they don't cook or curdle on you.  Add about a tablespoon or less at a time until you've added about 1/3 of the banana cream mixture, and then return the egg mixture to the original pot and mix it in with the rest of the banana cream.  Return to medium heat and continue to whisk until it comes to a boil.  Boil for 2 more minutes (keep on whiskin'!) and then remove from heat.  Stir in the vanilla and Earth Balance Buttery Spread.

If you're making a whole banana cream pie: Pour the whole thing into the pie crust you prepared earlier.  Bake for 10 minutes at 350 F.  Remove from oven and let cool, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours to set.

If you're making banana cream pie bites:  Measure out a heaping teaspoon of banana cream for each pie bite. Bake for 6 - 8 minutes or until the edges of the crust are golden brown. If you're baking two trays at once, be sure to rotate them halfway through so they don't bake unevenly.  Let cool and then refrigerate for at least 4 hours to set.

No matter what kind of pie you're making: Top with Soyatoo Rice or Soy Whip and any leftover gingersnap crumbs before serving, if desired.  And try not to eat all of it yourself!

Tangy Vegan Chili

And just when I thought I couldn't be surprised by chili!  This is a recipe I have actually been meaning to post since a few months ago, when I first had it at a party hosted by my friends Matt and Mimi (click on their names to check out their fabulous blogs). It was an April Fool's party, and there was talk of chili, so I came with a batch of my banana cornbread muffins in tow, still warm from the oven.  Before I'd even climbed all of the stairs, I could smell the chili wafting down to me.  And if it smelled good, it tasted even better.

Matt made the chili, but says the recipe comes from his mom, Fonda Lowe.  It's a forgiving recipe, and most of the spices can be added to your own taste.  What you see below is an adaptation of what Matt did, which was based largely on the availability of ingredients in my kitchen when I made it.  It is quick and easy to throw together.  You can use any beans you want - black, white, pinto, chili.  Go to town!  The taste offers a slight departure, but one you'll be glad you took - trust me.  It's a chili that might not taste exactly like the chili you're used to.  That's because of a few less traditional - but brilliant - additional ingredients.  This chili is smoky and sweet, with a little kick and tang.

The other wonderful thing about this chili for me was that it introduced me to an ingredient I had never tried before: textured vegetable protein (Bob's Red Mill makes a gluten-free one!  I haven't checked any other brands.).  And therein lies the secret to the "meatiness" of this vegan chili.  TVP is super easy to use and expands into hearty little chunks that add an air of dense protein to the chili. 

It's seriously, seriously good.  Just try making it and not practically licking the pot clean.

Tangy Vegan Chili

1 tbsp. olive oil

1 onion, chopped finely
1 tbsp. minced garlic
1 large or 2 small green peppers, diced
2 tbsp. tomato paste + 1 1/2 cups water OR 1 can diced tomatoes (with the juice) + water to cover all ingredients
1 cup Bob's Red Mill Textured Vegetable Protein
1 tsp. cumin powder
1 - 2 tsp. chili powder (to taste)
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/2 bottle Trader Joe's Barbecue Sauce
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed well
2 - 4 tsp. liquid smoke (optional, but highly recommended) (Colgin is gluten-free!)

Salt and pepper to taste

Combine the olive oil and onion in a pot and cook over medium heat for about 4 - 5 minutes.  Add the garlic and continue to cook until the onion is translucent.  Add the green pepper, tomato paste, water, textured vegetable protein, spices, barbecue sauce, black beans, and liquid smoke and stir well.  Bring to a low boil and then reduce the heat and simmer for 15 - 30 minutes, or longer.  Basically, you should simmer it until you are happy with the way it tastes.  Add more water as needed if you're going to simmer it for a longer period of time.  It's delicious on its own or served with corn bread.

Sweet and Spicy Chicken Pad Thai

I cannot remember the last time I had Pad Thai.  It's not something I ordered very often in Thai restaurants to begin with, being much more of a coconut curry fan, but there's something about obtaining a bottle of gluten-free soy sauce that makes you feel adventurous and ambitious.  All of a sudden, you crave Pad Thai for the simple reason that now, you can eat Pad Thai. 

A quick survey of my kitchen revealed that conditions were perfect for my first attempt at this dish.  I had a bottle of tamarind sauce from an international grocery shopping spree of long ago, a bag of scallions in the freezer, frozen chicken tenderloins, stir-fry rice noodles, and several cloves of garlic.  And that new bottle of soy sauce.  It was a done deal - Pad Thai was happening.

I looked up a few recipes to get a general sense of what to do and then started frying.  I make no claims that this is a remotely authentic method of preparation, but what I can say is that my kitchen quickly started to smell amazing, and what resulted lived up to the smell.  This comes together pretty quickly and is easily doubled if you're cooking for more than one.  Whether this is an old favorite or you're developing a new taste like I was, I think you'll love this recipe.

Sweet and Spicy Chicken Pad Thai
Makes 1 serving

Small handful of Stir-Fry Rice Noodles (just enough for 1 serving)
1 - 2 tsp. olive oil
1 small chicken tenderloin, chopped into small pieces (or about half of a chicken breast)
1-2 scallions
2 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp. crushed cashews or peanuts
1 tbsp. reduced sodium gluten-free soy sauce
1 1/2 tbsp. tamarind sauce
1 tsp. sugar
1 - 2 tsp. lime juice
Ground black pepper to taste
Cayenne pepper or crushed red pepper to taste
Salt (optional - you probably won't need it because of the soy sauce)
1 egg


*If you have a wok, that will be the optimal pan to use, but a nonstick pan will work just as well.

Place the rice noodles in a bowl and pour several cups of boiling water over them.  Set the timer for 8 minutes and let them soak.  You want them to be soft but not too soft; otherwise, they'll break up in the pan when you fry them.  When they are al dente, drain them and set aside.  If you aren't going to be using them right away, you might want to cover them in the interim with a bit of cold water to keep them from sticking to each other.

In a nonstick pan or wok, heat the oil.  Add the garlic, scallions, cashews, and chicken and cook over medium heat until the chicken is cooked through.  Add the cooked noodles, soy sauce, tamarind sauce, sugar, lime juice, and spices and cook until the sauce is mostly absorbed.  Push it all to the side of the pan and crack the egg into the open space.  Quickly scramble it, keeping it on that side of the pan until done, and then mix to combine it with the rest of the ingredients.  Serve immediately topped with another squirt of lime juice and crushed cashews or peanuts.

Roasted Broccoli and Edamame with Garlic

There's a lot of green in this post.  I was feeling the need for something really healthy for dinner tonight, and, feeling inspired by a friend who raved last night about some roasted broccoli she had made, I decided to try it out.  I've always prepared broccoli by boiling it or steaming it.  And don't get me wrong; I love it that way.  But I feel like I discovered broccoli for the first time with this recipe. Seriously, you will never look at broccoli the same way again.  No longer will your mind fly to adjectives like "smushed" and "overcooked" when you ponder broccoli.  Instead, you will think about slightly crisp yet soft florets, roasted under high heat with whole garlic cloves and simple spices.  I was definitely cursing the fact that I only had 1 1/2 cups of broccoli in my freezer tonight!  Check out the inspiration for this recipe here on the Amateur Gourmet's site.  He does a better job of raving about this broccoli than I have, plus offers a few more tips for ways to spruce this up if you feel it needs sprucing.  I adapted his recipe slightly and have re-posted it below.

Originally, I was just going to make the broccoli, but at the last minute, decided to throw in the edamame for some protein (but did not add any extra oil to coat them).  I put them on separate halves of the pan so the edamame would have a chance to get crispy without being overshadowed by some of the larger broccoli florets, and they were fantastic, crispy, and full of spice.  So if you are in need of a green dinner, make this.  Trust me, you won't be sorry - you will never look at broccoli the same way again.

Roasted Broccoli and Edamame with Garlic

For the broccoli:
1 1/2 cups broccoli florets, rinsed and patted dry
3 whole garlic cloves, chopped into large chunks
2 tsp. olive oil
To taste:
Sea salt
Ground black pepper
Dash of garlic powder
2 - 3 tsp. lemon juice
Optional:  Sprinkle of parmesan cheese or vegan parmesan cheese

For the edamame:
1/2 cup frozen edamame, thawed, rinsed and patted dry
1 - 2 garlic cloves, chopped into large chunks
To taste:
Sea salt
Ground black pepper
Dash of cayenne pepper
Ground Cumin
Garlic powder

Preheat the oven to 425 F.  Line a baking dish with a sheet of foil.

Toss the broccoli, garlic, olive oil, and spices together in a bowl and spread onto one half of the lined baking dish.  Then toss the edamame and spices separately and spread onto the other half of the lined baking sheet.  Bake for 20-25 minute, stirring once or twice for even browning.  When the broccoli is browned and tender, and the edamame is crispy on the outside (but soft on the inside), remove from the oven.  Sprinkle the lemon juice over the broccoli.  Serve immediately.

Creamy Soy Ice Cream

Yes, it is freezing in Swaziland.  Frost blankets the landscape in the early morning, even after the first light has peeked over the top of the mountains.  Leaving the house without a coat and gloves is not an option.  In fact, even being inside the house without a coat and gloves is not a smart move, as the lack of central heating makes indoors just as cold, if not colder, than outdoors.

However, not even this can overcome my love of ice cream.  It is probably what I have missed eating most for the last 13 months here in Swaziland, as there are absolutely no commercial gluten- and/or dairy-free options available.  Watching crowds spilling out of KFC during the summer months clutching flaky cones stacked high with deliciously creamy vanilla ice cream was like torture, knowing that I was still months away from enjoying any sort of frozen treat.  I usually averted my eyes, mouth watering, and wanting nothing more than a big bowl of Trader Joe's So Creamy or Purely Decadent.

Recently, the small health food store in town let me borrow a cookbook for allergies and food intolerance, and when I found this recipe, I marched immediately to my kitchen and set to work.  I made vanilla and chocolate chip to begin with, and then later experimented with mint chip and maple flavors.  You can take this basic recipe and turn it into any flavor you want.  I used only one can of coconut cream (165 ml) instead of two to reduce the fat content, and while what I ended up with was not as creamy as regular ice cream, it was still delicious.  Still, if you're after a creamier texture, add that second can of coconut cream and see what happens.

I can guarantee one thing: While it may not be as convincing as some of the commercial brands in the U.S., if you are ice cream-deprived, this will definitely satisfy that craving.  Darryn and I sat shivering in our sweatshirts, under a huge blanket, next to the heater, with hot tea in front of us for damage control, enjoying every last bite of this ice cream.

Creamy Soy Ice Cream (Adapted from "The South African Cookbook for Allergies and Food Intolerance")

1/2 cup white sugar

1 tbsp + 1 tsp cornstarch

pinch of salt

1 1/2 cups soy milk (or other non-dairy milk)

1 medium egg, beaten

1 - 2 tsp. vanilla essence or 2 packets vanilla sugar

1 or 2 165-ml cans (1 1/3 cups) Shogun (or other brand) Coconut Cream OR 1 cup Cool Whip

Mix the sugar, cornflour, salt and a little soy milk until smooth.  Bring the remaining soy milk to the boil.  Stir in the sugar mixture.  Cook, stirring, over low heat for 1 – 2 minutes, until thick.

Stir some of the hot mixture into the beaten egg, then return to remaining mixture in the saucepan.  Stir in the essence.  Allow to cool. 

Stir coconut cream or Orley Whip into cooled mixture. Chill until ice cold. 

Churn in an ice-cream maker or freeze in a bowl in the freezer.  If you follow the second method, beat the mixture twice to break up the ice crystals before freezing until firm.

Serve topped with chocolate syrup, crushed gluten-free cookies, sprinkles, caramel, whipped topping, and a cherry!

You can substitute another type of dairy-free milk for the soy milk if you are avoiding soy; I'd recommend a thicker one like hemp milk or almond milk, but rice milk could work as well.

Some suggestions for delicious routes to take with this base of vanilla ice cream:

Coffee ice cream:  Mix 1 tbsp. strong instant coffee powder with 1 tbsp. boiling water.  Add to the cooked ice cream mixture after adding the essence.

Maple ice cream:  Mix 2 - 3 tsp. maple extract into the cooked ice cream mixture after adding the vanilla essence.

Chocolate ice cream:  Mix 4 tbsp. cocoa powder with boiling water until smooth.  Stir into cooked custard mixture after adding the essence.

Orange ice cream;  Add 1 cup orange juice and 2 tsp. finely grated fresh orange rind just before adding cream to the cooked mixture.  Omit vanilla essence.

Mint chocolate chip ice cream:  Add 1 - 3 tsp. mint essence (to taste) to the mixture in place of the vanilla.  Place in the freezer to cool for 10 - 20 minutes before adding chocolate pieces.  Take ½ dark chocolate bar and cut into small chips or pieces and add to the mixture, stirring well.