Kale-Radicchio Salad with Lemon Miso Dressing

• 1 cup farro, rinsed and drained
• 1 large bunch kale, finely chopped, stems removed
• 1 batch Lemon Miso Dressing (recipe below)
• 1 small head radicchio, quartered, cored and cut crosswise into thin strips
• 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 cup chopped toasted walnuts

In a large pot, place farro with enough water to cover by a couple of inches and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, until farro is tender but still chewy, about 30 minutes. Drain and set aside to cool. Toss kale with three-quarters of the dressing in a large salad bowl. With clean hands, gently massage kale with dressing to soften the leaves. Add radicchio, Parmesan, walnuts and farro, and toss again. Taste and add remaining dressing, if needed.

Lemon Miso Dressing

• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/3 cup lemon juice
• 2–3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tsp. miso paste (preferably mellow white)
• 1/2 tsp. fine sea salt
• 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

Combine oil, lemon juice, garlic, miso, salt and pepper in a glass jar with a lid. Use a fork to stir in the miso, then shake vigorously to emulsify. Pour generously over your favorite salad. This dressing will keep in the fridge for up to 1 week. If the oil solidifies, briefly microwave on low until melted.

VERDICT:  This took more effort than I would have expected and made a pile of dishes, but it turned out well and worked well as leftovers, a rarity for a salad. Keep.  From Eat Slow, Run Fast,

Warm Squash and Chickpea Salad with Tahini

• 2 pounds pumpkin or other winter squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Sea salt and black pepper
• 14 ounces canned or home-cooked chickpeas, drained
• 1/2 small red onion, finely chopped (soaked in cold water for 15 minutes if you want to soften the bite)
• 4 tablespoons roughly chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 garlic clove, crushed to a paste with a pinch of salt
• 3 1/2tablespoons lemon juice
• 3 tablespoons tahini paste
• 2 tablespoons water, to taste
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Heat the oven to 425°F.

Toss the squash with the garlic, allspice, olive oil, and some salt and pepper.

Place on a tray, optionally lined with parchment, in the oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until soft. Remove and allow to cool slightly.

While the squash is cooking, make the tahini sauce. Mix the crushed garlic with lemon juice and add the tahini. Now thin with the water and olive oil, and check for seasoning. You should taste a balance between the nutty tahini and lemon.

To assemble the salad, place the squash, chickpeas, red onion, and cilantro in a mixing bowl. Pour on the tahini sauce and remaining oil and toss carefully. Season with salt and pepper.

Serves 4.

VERDICT:  I liked this a lot--both the sharp bite of garlic and red onion against the sweetness of the squash and the easy ingredients.  Keep!

Fig Jam Cookies

Filling:

• 2 cups (10 ounces) dried black mission figs, stems removed
• ⅓ cup tahini (ground sesame seeds)
• 1 tablespoon water
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Dough:

• 1½ cups whole wheat flour
• 1 cup almond flour or almond meal
• ½ cup sesame seeds
• ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
• ⅓ cup coconut oil
• ½ cup maple syrup

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

To make the filling: In a food processor, combine the figs, tahini, water, and cinnamon and puree until smooth, stopping as needed to scrape down the sides and underneath the blade.

To make the dough: In a large bowl, whisk together the whole wheat flour, almond flour or meal, sesame seeds, and salt.

Place the oil in a small microwaveable bowl and microwave in increments of 10 seconds, stirring in between, until almost completely melted. (Alternatively, the oil can be melted in a small saucepan over low heat.) Stir in the maple syrup and vanilla. Pour over the flour mixture and mix until a dough forms.

To form the cookies: Divide the dough into 3 balls. Roll each ball out on a lightly floured work surface to create three 12 x 4-inch rectangles (use your hands to shape while rolling).

Divide the fig jam into thirds, shape into 1-inch wide logs, and place centered on each piece of dough. Fold the edges of the dough over the figs to overlap slightly in the middle and press gently to seal (use your fingers to smooth out any cracks).

Gently roll the tops of each log to slightly flatten. Slice each log into 8 cookies and bake until lightly golden, 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool.

Yield: 18 cookies.

VERDICT: Yum!  I made these out of an overwhelming desire for a cookie on a no-white-flour, no-white-sugar diet, and they were surprisingly good--way better than a real Fig Newton, even.  A little fussy, but not unapproachable.  They keep well, and feel healthy enough to eat for breakfast.  Keep!  From Eat Slow, Run Fast.

Vegan Corn Chowder

• 2-3 Tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 large white onion, chopped (~1 cup)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 small red potatoes (or 1 small russet), quartered (peeling, optional)
• Sea salt and ground black pepper
• 3 ears corn (or 1.5 cans), kernels sliced off
• 2 cups low sodium veggie broth
• 2 cups unsweetened plain almond milk (or regular milk if not vegan)
• 2-3 green onions (garnish), chopped
• paprika

To a large saucepan over medium heat, add olive oil, onion, and garlic and sauté for 3-4 minutes. Add potato, season with a little salt and pepper, and cover to steam for 4-5 minutes. Add most of the corn, reserving a little for garnish, and stir.

Add broth and almond milk, cover, and bring to a low boil. Reduce heat to low. Cook until the potatoes are soft and slide off of a knife when pierced - about 5 minutes.

If blending, add 3/4 of the soup to a blender and blend until creamy and smooth. Transfer soup back to the saucepan and bring back to a simmer. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. Cook for at least 10 minutes to let thicken. The longer it simmers, the more flavorful it will be.

To serve, top with chopped green onion, remaining fresh (or lightly sauteed) corn, and black pepper. Add a sprinkle of paprika for color.

Serves 3; 220 calories

VERDICT:  Surprisingly good flavor for the small number of ingredients and minimal seasoning.  I doubled the recipe to use up the last of the (not-red) potatoes from the garden and a bunch of leftover almond milk.  Eight cups of liquid seemed like a lot for the amount of potatoes and corn, so I only put five in, which turned out fine.  Keep!  From the Minimalist Baker.

Creamy Edamame Dip

• 1 (10-ounce) bag frozen shelled edamame (2 cups)
• 1/2 cup cottage cheese
• 1 cup packed cilantro leaves
• 1 serrano pepper, seeded and chopped
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• Carrots, for dipping

Boil edamame in salted water until tender, 8 minutes. Transfer to an ice-water bath; drain. Puree in a food processor with cottage cheese, cilantro, serrano, lime juice, oil, 3 tablespoons water, cumin, and salt until creamy. Serve with a drizzle of olive oil and carrots for dipping.

Yield: 2 cups.

VERDICT: Super easy, healthy, and good!  I didn't read the recipe in advance and just thawed the edamame, and it hasn't killed me yet.  I used a jalapeño from Jen's CSA instead of serrano--seemed fine.  Keep!

Black Rice Pudding

• 200 g black rice
• 1 ripe mango
• 1 lime
• 1 tablespoon blanched hazelnuts
• 1 tablespoon coconut flakes
• 2 ripe bananas
• 200 ml hazelnut milk
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• manuka honey, optional
• 4 heaped tablespoons natural yoghurt
• 2 wrinkly passion fruit

Cook the black rice according to the packet instructions, overcooking it slightly so it’s plump and sticky, then drain and cool.

Meanwhile, peel and destone the mango, blitz the flesh in a blender with the lime juice until smooth, and pour into a bowl.

Separately, toast the hazelnuts and coconut in a dry frying pan until lightly golden, then bash up in a pestle and mortar.

Peel the bananas and tear into the blender, then blitz with the hazelnut milk, vanilla extract and two-thirds of the black rice – depending on the sweetness of your bananas, you could also add a teaspoon of honey.

Once smooth, stir that back through the rest of the rice – this will give you great texture and colour. Divide between four nice jars or bowls.

Spoon over the blitzed mango, squeeze half a passion fruit over each one, then delicately spoon over the yoghurt and sprinkle with the hazelnuts and coconut.

Serves 4; 277 calories.

VERDICT:  Good!  Very slightly sweet.  I used regular milk, skipped the coconut, and used thawed frozen raspberries instead of passion fruit; it would probably be even better as written.  From Everyday Super Food.  Keep.

Jalapeño Paloma

• 2 oz jalapeño simple syrup (recipe follows)
• 1 oz lime juice
• 4 oz mezcal
• 4 oz grapefruit juice
• 4 oz club soda

Combine all the ingredients over ice in a cocktail shaker. Shake vigorously and pour into two glasses. Garnish with grapefruit and jalapeño slices.

Jalapeño Simple Syrup: 

• ½ cup sugar
• ½ water
• 2 jalapeños, coarsely chopped

Combine all the ingredients in a small saucepan. Heat over medium heat until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature, about 15 mins. Strain and reserve.

Serves 2.

VERDICT:  Mezcal is not for the faint of heart; we dialed it back a bit.  The recipe says you should include the club soda in the shaker, but that seemed odd, so we shook up the rest of the ingredients and then topped off with club soda.  Delightful--keep.  From What Should I Make For....