As the leaves fall and swirl to the ground, the produce shelves fill up with different varieties of winter squash. Acorn, butternut, Kabucha, Pumpkin, and Delectica all call to my inner chef to create and explore the richness of this winter bounty.
I picked up a butternut squash, hoping for a bit of inspiration. Soup was calling to me.
One of the staple dishes in my kitchen is Calabacitas. The recipe combines squash with chilies and peppers and is not merely delicious, it provides balanced nutrition as well.
Anytime I cook this dish, people in the house -- vegan, vegetarian, or omnivore -- tell me it smells so good.
I've been remiss in posting one of my best-kept secrets: Grilled Vegetables. They are my go to summer filling for tacos, enchiladas, salads, and wraps. Grilled veggies pair nicely with garlicky hummus to make for a light summer lunch, especially when watermelon is served as a side.
Here's the best way to prepare the bounty of summer.
The late summer brings squash season. Yellow, green, crook necks, grey squash. Squash in all it's abundance. But what can you do with these soft and delicious vegetables? New Mexico solved the problem by inventing this dish.
In case you haven't guessed, I love roasted vegetables. I'll stuff them, make salsas, chop them up in salads, put them on a dinner plate with portabello mushroom burgers... And now, here's one more use for roasted veggies: stuff them into corn tortillas, topped with sauce and cheese (soy or real, your choice), bake in an oven for just a little while, and serve with smashed black beans, arroz, and calabacitas. Add guacamole, herbed "sour cream", and roasted salsa, and you'll have your kids, your neighbors, and your mom begging for more.
The other night I came home from work and was really tired. Still, I had to get dinner on the table. I had one can of coconut milk left on the shelf. In the refrigerator there were some left-over diced veggies, smoked tofu, and rice. I have a well stocked pantry, so I gathered up some spices, and went to work. And I came up with Smokey Tofu and Veggies, with Magic Coconut Sauce.
The weather is turning cooler and the cooking mind turns to comfort food: soups. I love lentils in stews and soups. This recipe that I developed is one of my favorites so far. You can also find it in my cookbook Delectable Vegan Soups.
Enjoy this soup on a cold winter's day with warm tortillas or crusty bread.
We had guests over the weekend. I like to cook for people when they stay with me. However, these folks were busy with a conference, so they were in and out all weekend. I figured Sunday would be a good day to cook for them. (I did not know that they would be having dinner at the conference as well).
I planned to make Spring Rolls, and an orientalish fried brown rice. A light but filling “snack.” I had all the ingredients but one. Red Fresno (or red jalapeno) chilis. I live in Southern Arizona, I ought to be able to find a fresh red chili somewhere.
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