Thursday, December 29, 2011

Black Bean Patties

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Kari's Black Bean Patties (makes 12 patties)
 
1/2 cup kasha (buckwheat) cooked in 1 cup water, cooled (makes about 1 1/2 cups cooked)

1/4 cup raw pepitas (pumpkin seeds), pulse in food processor or chop in smaller pieces

1 medium onion, minced

1 rib celery, minced 

1/4 cup bell pepper (red, green, or combination), minced

1 serrano chile, seeded and minced

One 15.5 oz can Trader Joe's Cuban Style Black beans (or 2 cups cooked black beans)

1/4 tsp. dried Mexican oregano

1/2 tsp granulated garlic

1 tsp. ground cumin

2 Tbsp nutritional yeast flakes

2 twists freshly ground black pepper, or to taste

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

1 Tbsp soy sauce

1/2 cup P.A.N. brand precooked white corn meal


Cook kasha and chop pepitas. Set aside.

Sauté onion and celery until soft and beginning to brown, adding a small amount of water if necessary. Add bell pepper and serrano chile; saute a couple minutes longer then remove from heat.

Place TJ's black beans in a large mixing bowl; mash some with the back of a spoon. Add oregano, granulated garlic, cumin, nutritional yeast, black pepper, cilantro, and soy sauce. Add cooked kasha and pepitas. Mix and mash together until combined. Add P.A.N. corn meal, stirring until mixture is uniform and no dry corn meal remains. Cover and chill at least 15 minutes in refrigerator.

To form patties: Take mixture by 1/3 cupful. Form into patties about 1/2 inch thick. Patties can be placed on a tray, chilled, and cooked later or cooked immediately.

Pan fry or grill. I used the George Foreman grill, cooking patties 5 minutes.

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Monday, December 5, 2011

Lentil Soup with Collard Greens

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I made this soup in the pressure cooker, but you can make it in a regular pot if you prefer. 




Kari's Lentil Soup with Collard Greens

1 cup brown lentils, rinsed well
1 cup chopped onion
2 ribs celery w/leaves, chopped
1 cup chopped carrots
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp Mirin
3/4 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp basil
1 tsp parsley flakes
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1 bay leaf
pinch cayenne
few twists fresh ground black pepper
2 Rapunzel vegetable bouillon cubes (no salt added)
2 Tbsp double concentrate tomato paste
6 cups water
14 oz can collard greens (no salt)
1/2 tsp salt, or to taste

Chop and add veggies as you go. In pressure cooker, saute onion, celery, carrot, and garlic. Add water as necessary to prevent burning.

When vegetables are richly colored and softened, add mirin to deglaze pan.

Add thyme, basil, parsley flakes, paprika, cayenne, black pepper, bay leaf, bouillon cubes, and tomato paste. Cook and stir a minute or so, then add water. Bring to a boil, cover, and bring pan to pressure. Cook 5 minutes at pressure.

Use quick release method to bring down pressure. Add collard greens; bring soup to a high simmer and cook 10 minutes or until lentils are as soft as desired. Add salt to taste.



Saturday, October 29, 2011

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Kari's Creamy Great Northern Bean Soup

1 pound Great Northern Beans, soaked
1 1/2 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped carrots
1 small bulb garlic, separated into cloves, peeled and minced
Freshly ground black pepper
8 cups water, divided
4 tsp Better Than Bouillon No Chicken Base (or vegetable bouillon)
1 tsp smoked paprika

Heat pressure cooker over medium-high. Saute onion with water until tender. Add celery and carrot; saute until softened, adding water if necessary to prevent burning. Add garlic and black pepper; saute 1 minute until garlic is fragrant.

Add beans and 6 cups water. Seal cooker and bring to pressure. Cook at pressure 8 minutes. Remove from heat and let pressure drop naturally.

Remove 1 cup beans and mash.

Add 2 cups water, bouillon base, and mashed beans to soup. Simmer 20 minutes until flavors meld. Adjust seasonings to taste.




Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Walnut-Flax Butter with Pumpkin Pie Spice

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Kari's Walnut-Flax Butter with Pumpkin Pie Spice
(makes 1 cup)

2 cups walnuts
1/4 cup golden flax seeds
4 medjool dates, chopped (1/4 cup)
1/2 Tbsp molasses
2 tsp cinnamon
3/8 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/16 tsp ground cloves

Preheat oven to 350.

Spread walnuts and flax seeds on a baking sheet and toast in oven 10 minutes, stirring halfway through. Remove from oven and let cool a few minutes.

Transfer walnuts and flax seed to food processor. Process 5 minutes, scraping sides of bowl occasionally.

Add dates and molasses; process 5 minutes, scraping sides of bowl occasionally.

Add cinnamon, sea salt, ginger and cloves; process 4 to 5 minutes or until as smooth as desired.

Transfer butter to jar and store in refrigerator.

Nutrition per tablespoon: 130 calories, 10.7g fat (1.9g omega-3, 5.7g omega-6), 2.8g protein, 8.5g carb., 2.3g fiber, 5g sugar


Sunday, October 16, 2011

Gimme Lean Loaf

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Kari's Gimme Lean Loaf
(serves 6)


One 14-ounce tube Gimme Lean Ground Beef Style Veggie Protein
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp ground flax seed
3 Tbsp water
1/2 cup salt-free tomato sauce
1 Tbsp parsley flakes
1 tsp basil
1/4 tsp oregano
3/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 1/4 cup oats

Topping (optional):

3 Tbsp ketchup
1 Tbsp Heinz 57 sauce


Preheat oven to 350. Lightly coat an 8x8 baking pan with cooking spray.

In a small bowl, whisk together flax seed meal and water; set aside.

In mixing bowl, crumble Gimme Lean; add tomato sauce flax seed mixture, onion, bell pepper, garlic, parsley, basil, oregano, and black pepper. With clean hands, combine the ingredients. Add oats and continue working the mixture together with hands until well-combined. Transfer mixture to baking pan and press evenly.

Combine topping ingredients and spread evenly over loaf. Cover pan with foil and bake for 1 hour. Let sit a few minutes before slicing.

Nutrition per 1/6 recipe (with topping): 280 calories, 15.9g protein, 46.3g carb., 8.3g fiber, 13.7g sugar, 2.9g fat, 949mg sodium

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Saturday, October 8, 2011

Cherry-Walnut Bars

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Kari's Cherry Walnut Bars
(12 bars)

Crunchy, chewy, and delicious bars, rich with cherries and walnuts and not too sweet.


1 cup oats
1/2 cup walnut pieces
1 Tbsp raw sunflower seeds
1 cup brown rice crisps cereal
1 cup dried cherries
1/4 cup walnut-date butter
1 Tbsp turbinado sugar
1/4 cup barley malt syrup
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp sea salt


Preheat oven to 350. Lightly spray an 8x8 square pan (glass is best) with cooking spray or line with parchment.


On a baking sheet, spread oats, walnuts and sunflower seeds. Bake 10 to 12 minutes, stirring halfway through. Remove from oven; cool slightly and transfer to mixing bowl. Add cherries and toss together.


In small microwave-safe bowl or 2-cup Pyrex measuring cup, combine walnut-date butter, barley malt syrup, and turbinado sugar. Microwave 1 minute, stirring halfway through, until bubbly. Stir in vanilla and salt.


Pour wet mixture over oat mixture and stir together until all ingredients are moistened. Transfer to prepared pan. Press mixture firmly and evenly into pan (using a piece of parchment paper helps). Chill pan in refrigerator for an hour or so.


Flip the contents of pan out onto a cutting board and cut it evenly into 12 bars. Wrap individual bars in plastic wrap.


Nutrition per bar: 175 calories, 3.3g protein, 25.9g carb., 2.3g fiber, 14g sugar, 6.9g fat, 83mg sodium, 0.8g Omega-3
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Friday, October 7, 2011

Jambalaya

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Jambalaya and collard greens w/garlic


Kari's Jambalaya
(serves 4)

1 medium onion, chopped
2 ribs celery, chopped
1 small green bell pepper, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups water
1 tsp Better Than Bouillon No chicken base
1 can no salt diced tomatoes
1 Spicy Smoked Kashi Seitan Sausage, cubed (See note)
1 cup long grain white rice
1 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/4 tsp cayenne
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 bay leaf

In a 4-qt Dutch oven, saute onion, celery and bell pepper until softened, adding small amounts of water if necessary to prevent sticking. Add garlic and sausage cubes and cook a couple minutes longer. Add water, Better Than Bouillon base, tomatoes, rice, and spices. Stir to combine. Bring to boil, cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 to 25 minutes until liquid is absorbed and rice is cooked. Cooking times may vary depending on your rice. Remove bay leaf and serve.

Note: I used my Kashi seitan sausage in this, but you can use any type of seitan you like. You could also substitute a can of rinsed and drained beans for the sausage. Red beans or blackeye peas would work well, but use your favorite. Mushrooms is another possibility.



Monday, October 3, 2011

Oatmeal Rolls

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Kari's Oatmeal Rolls
(makes 18 rolls)

2 cups boiling water
1 cup oats
1/3 cup turbinado sugar
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/3 cup plain soymilk creamer
2 cups white whole wheat flour (King Arthur brand)
1 Tbsp + 1 tsp active dry yeast
1 Tbsp ground flax seed
2 Tbsp vital wheat gluten
1 1/2 cups bread flour

Combine oats and boiling water. Microwave 1 1/2 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds.   (If desired, you can cook oats in a pan on stove top.)  Add turbinado sugar and salt; cool to lukewarm.

In medium bowl, combine white whole wheat flour, ground flax seed, vital wheat gluten and yeast.

When oatmeal is cooled to lukewarm, transfer to food processor; add soy creamer and pulse several times. Add flour-yeast mixture and process about 1 minute. Add the bread flour and process until dough comes together, another minute or so. Remove dough from processor, shape into a ball and place in a lightly oiled 2-qt bowl. Cover and let rise 1 hour.

Punch dough down and let rest 10 minutes.

Transfer dough to counter and divide into 18 pieces. Shape pieces into balls and place into two lightly oiled 9-inch cake pans. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 45 minutes. Bake at 350 degrees for 22 to 25 minutes or until golden. Transfer to wire racks to cool.

Nutrition per roll: 120 calories, 4.8g protein, 23g carb., 2.3g fiber, 1.4g fat, 196mg sodium


Monday, September 26, 2011

Walnut-Date Butter

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Kari's Walnut-Date Butter
(makes approximately 1 cup)


2 cups raw walnut halves or pieces
4 medjool dates, pitted and chopped (about 1/4 cup)
1/2 tsp Kosher salt


Preheat oven to 325.


Spread walnuts on baking sheet. Bake 10 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool a few minutes.


Transfer walnuts to food processor. Pulse to meal, then process 5 or 6 minutes, stopping now and then to scrape down sides of bowl with a rubber spatula. Add dates and salt; process 5 or 6 more minutes, scraping sides of bowl now and then, until a smooth consistency is achieved. Transfer to jar.


Nutrition per Tablespoon:  99 calories, 2g protein, 6g carb., 4.3g sugar, 1.2g fiber, 8g fat (1.1g omega 3, 4.8g omega 6)

sourdough toast with walnut-date butter and banana
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Thursday, September 22, 2011

Breakfast Biscuits

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Kari's Breakfast Biscuits (makes 18)

These soft, barely sweet oat biscuits are laced with moist pieces of prune. Eat them plain, or split and spread with nut butter or jam.

1 cup plain soy yogurt 
1/2 cup Chai tea concentrate (I use Third St. Chai Authentic)
3/4 cup water
2 Tbsp honey (or other liquid sweetener)
2 cups oats
1/2 Tbsp chia seeds
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/4 cup coconut flour 
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
20 prunes, chopped (about 1 cup)

In a large bowl, whisk together yogurt, chai concentrate, water and honey. Add chia seeds and oats, and stir well to combine. Set aside and let rest 20 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375.

In medium bowl, stir together flours, baking powder, soda and salt.

Stir chopped prunes into oat mixture, then add flour mixture. Stir until all flour is incorporated. The mixture should be thick and resemble cookie or biscuit dough.

Divide dough into 18 pieces. Roll into balls and flatten to thick discs. Place discs on lightly greased cookie sheets and bake 18 minutes. Cool biscuits on wire racks.

Nutritional data per biscuit: 133 calories, 27g carb., 3.9g fiber, 3.4g protein, 1.5g fat, 194mg sodium




Sunday, September 18, 2011

Vegetable Congee

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This is my very first congee!  Congee is a comfort food that goes by many names in different countries.  There are many versions and variations.  Change up the vegetables and spices or omit them altogether.  Make it thick or thin, spicy or not, whatever you choose.  You're the boss.  You are only limited by your imagination.

Kari's Vegetable Congee

(makes approximately 10 cups)

This is a comfort food that you can eat for breakfast, lunch or dinner. To me, the flavor and texture of this particular version are like a cross between cream of broccoli and egg drop soups, though it contains no eggs or cream.

3/4 cup jasmine rice, well rinsed
8 cups water
1 rib celery, minced
1 carrot, peeled and minced
5 button mushrooms, chopped
6 broccoli florets, chopped
5 cauliflower florets, chopped
2 cups boiling water
1 Tbsp Better Than Bouillon No Chicken Base
1 Tbsp tamari
1/4 tsp granulated garlic
1 scallion, thinly sliced

Place rinsed rice, celery, and carrot into rice cooker. Add water to 6 cup mark. (This is 8 cups of water in my rice cooker.)  Cook approximately 40 minutes, stirring occasionally. Tilt the lid so congee doesn't foam up and out of the rice cooker.

Stir in bouillon base, garlic, tamari, mushrooms, cauliflower and broccoli, and add 2 cups hot water. Replace lid, tilted, and cook 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Stir in scallions. Serve.

Note: I made this in a rice cooker, but you can make it in a pot on the stove top if you prefer. I have a very simple rice cooker with two settings, cook and warm. Some rice cookers have a congee setting.

Friday, September 16, 2011

Five Spice, Chili, Garlic Cucumber Salad

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Kari's Five Spice, Chili, Garlic Cucumber Salad (serves 4)

This is a fairly spicy side dish. If you prefer a less spicy salad, you can reduce the amount of chili-garlic sauce.

~~

3 cups cucumber (2 good size cucumbers, peeled and seeded, cubed)

1/2 Tbsp kosher salt

2 cloves garlic, minced

3 Tbsp rice vinegar

1 Tbsp turbinado sugar

2 tsp chili-garlic sauce (I used Huy Fong brand, the one with the rooster)

1/2 tsp toasted sesame oil

3 Tbsp water

1/8 tsp Chinese Five Spices blend (I used Dynasty brand which contains cinnamon, star anise, fennel, ginger, cloves, white pepper and licorice root)

~~

Place cucumber in colander and sprinkle with salt. Let rest in sink 10 minutes. Squeeze out excess water.

In 4 cup bowl, combine remaining ingredients. Whisk or stir until sugar is dissolved. Add cucumber and stir to coat. Refrigerate to allow flavors to meld.

Serve cold or at room temperature.

Monday, September 12, 2011

Spicy Smoked Kashi Seitan Sausage


Use bigger pieces of foil than I did.  You can see how mine "poofed" out of their wrappers.  Oops.  My logs all ended up with lumpbacks, but they were tasty lumpbacks.  Straight out of the steamer, this reminded me of stuffing--probably because of the sage.  Use this seitan sausage in recipes like you would any seitan sausage.  Or cut a log into slabs, grill or brown them in a skillet, throw a couple between pieces of whole grain toast with some tomato slices and fat-free mayo.  Call it lunch.  Eat the other slices later cold out of the fridge, and call them a snack. 

Kari's Spicy Smoked Kashi Seitan Sausage

This seitan is a little spicy, but not overly so. The bits of kashi grains add a little extra chewiness (and fiber).

Ingredients:

2 cups water

2 tsp Better Than Bouillon No Chicken Base

1 cup Kashi 7 Grain Pilaf

1 1/2 cups vital wheat gluten

6 Tbsp nutritional yeast flakes

1/2 tsp kosher salt  (Salt isn't prominent in this recipe, so increase this amount if you want a saltier tasting sausage)

4 Tbsp spice blend*

1 Tbsp tahini

1 Tbsp molasses

1 tsp natural hickory liquid smoke

1 1/4 cups cold water

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Spice Blend:

1 1/2 Tbsp smoked paprika

1 Tbsp granulated garlic

1/2 Tbsp red pepper flakes

1 1/2 Tbsp rubbed sage

1 1/2 Tbsp ground coriander

1 Tbsp fresh ground black pepper

2 1/2 tsp onion powder

Combine all ingredients.

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1. Bring 2 cups water and bouillon paste to boil in saucepan. Stir in kashi, reduce heat to medium, cover and cook 25 to 35 minutes until liquid is absorbed. Cool. (To cool quickly, spread kashi on a large plate or pan and place in the freezer.)  You want all the ingredients cool when you add the gluten.

2. In medium bowl, combine vital wheat gluten, nutritional yeast flakes, kosher salt and spice blend. Set aside.

3. Place cold kashi, tahini, molasses, and liquid smoke into food processor and pulse several times. Add 1 1/4 cups cold water, and gluten mixture. Pulse until mixture comes together. Scrap down sides of processor bowl, then process on low about 1 minute. Let rest 10 minutes.

4. Prepare steamer and large squares of foil.

5. Transfer seitan dough to counter and divide into four (or more) equal pieces. Wet hands and shape dough into logs. Wrap each log in foil, twisting ends of foil tight. Make sure it's wrapped well because the gluten will expand. Place foil-wrapped logs in steamer. Steam 1 hour.

Makes 4 large logs (or more smaller logs).

Thursday, August 11, 2011

Spicy Southwestern Citrus Dressing





Citrus and spice--Ooh that's nice.  

This is a take-off on Dr. Esselstyn's 321 Dressing.  321 standing for the amounts of vinegar (3), mustard (2), and liquid sweetener (1).  Some folks switch those numbers around, more sweetener or more mustard.  Whatever floats your boat, right?  My version could be called a 221, or even a 321 minus 1 plus 1/8, but that would be weird.

This recipe features Safeway's Sweet & Spicy Southwestern Style Mustard.  It's sweet and tangy and has a nice little bite.  If you can't find SSSSSM, use your favorite sweet and spicy mustard, or maybe a honey mustard plus some Southwest spice blend.  Just don't yell at me if you have to get out the calculator. 

Kari's Spicy Southwestern Citrus Dressing
(Makes 5 Tablespoons dressing)


2 Tbsp Ponzu Citrus Vinegar
2 Tbsp Safeway Sweet & Spicy Southwestern Style Mustard
1 Tbsp Brown Rice Syrup
1/8 tsp garlic powder

Combine all ingredients.



Wednesday, August 10, 2011

Masa-Chickpea-Brown Rice Crepe with Nutritional Yeast


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I don't know what to call these things, so I'm calling them crepes.  I suppose you can call them tortillas or flatbread or pancakes if you'd rather.  If you like the taste of nutritional yeast and corn tortillas, you might like to try these...things. 


Kari's Masa-Chickpea-Brown Rice Crepe with Nutritional Yeast

(Makes 6 savory crepes)

1/4 cup chickpea flour

1/4 cup brown rice flour

1/4 cup masa

1/4 cup KAL nutritonal yeast flakes

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp chili powder

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/8 tsp onion powder

1 cup water

Combine dry ingredients. Add water and stir until smooth.

Heat nonstick griddle or skillet over medium heat. Wipe with a bit of oil.

Take 1/4 cup of batter and pour onto hot griddle. Using the back of a spoon,gently spread batter from center out into a thin circle. Cook 1 or 2 minutes until top dries. Flip and cook another 1 or two minutes. Remove from pan and repeat with remaining batter. Use more oil as needed.

Serve as you would a savory crepe/pancake or tortilla or flatbread. Good plain, or filled, or sprinkled with hot sauce.

Nutritional Information per crepe (not including any oil used in cooking): 75 calories, 3g protein, 14g carb., 0 fat, 2g fiber. High in B vitamins.

Monday, August 8, 2011

Cajun Cabbage and Blackeye Pea Stew


Kari's Cajun Cabbage and Blackeye Pea Stew (Makes 8 cups)



1/4 cup White Whole Wheat flour
1 large onion, diced ( 1 1/2 cups)
1 green bell pepper, diced (1 cup)
2 ribs celery, sliced thin (1 cup)
3 small tomatoes, chopped (3/4 cup)
6 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 medium cabbage, chopped (8 cups)
4 cups water
1 vegetable bouillon cube*
1 (15.5 ounce) can Blackeye Peas, rinsed and drained

Spices:
3 bay leaves
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp dry thyme
2 tsp parsley flakes
1/2 tsp dry basil
1/2 tsp dry oregano
1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1/8 tsp onion powder
1/8 tsp smoked paprika
1/8 tsp ground cumin

In a small dry skillet over medium heat, toast the flour, stirring constantly, about 10 minutes until it's light brown in color. Don't let it burn. Remove from pan and set aside.

Combine spices in a small bowl and set aside.

In a large heavy pot sprayed with cooking spray, saute onion, bell pepper and celery over medium to medium-high heat until vegetables are softened and beginning to brown. Add water by tablespoon as needed to prevent burning.

Add tomatoes. Cook and stir 2 or 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook an additional minute or two.

Add flour and spices. Cook and stir 2 minutes.

Gradually add 2 cups of the water, stirring to make a gravy. Then add remaining 2 cups water and vegetable bouillon. Turn heat to high and bring to boil.

Add cabbage, then add blackeye peas. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer 30 minutes, stirring midway through.

Serve plain or with rice or another grain or with potatoes or cornbread.

Note: You might like to add additional vegetables such as kernal corn, okra, green beans or zucchini to your stew. For a spicier stew, increase the amount of cayenne or sprinkle your serving with hot sauce.

*You could substitute vegetable broth/stock for the water and eliminate the bouillon cube, if desired.


Nutrition (per 1 cup): 103 calories, 1g fat, 20g carb., 5g protein, 5.7g fiber, 636mg sodium
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Saturday, August 6, 2011

Banana-Peanut Oat Bars

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Kari's Banana-Peanut Oat Bars (Makes 30 bars)

Dry Ingredients:

1 cup oat flour (process 1 cup oats to flour in blender/food processor)

1 cup White Whole Wheat flour

1/4 cup partially defatted peanut flour (Trader Joe's brand)

1/4 cup coconut flour

1/2 cup turbinado sugar

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp baking soda

---

Wet Ingredients:

1 cup plain soy yogurt (I used Wildwood Probiotic Soyogurt)

4 medium (ripe) bananas

7 Tbsp water

1 Tbsp flaxmeal

1 tsp vinegar

1/2 tsp vanilla

---

1/2 cup chocolate chips

---

Preheat oven to 350. Spray a 9x13 pan with cooking spray.

Combine dry ingredients in mixing bowl. Set aside.

Add wet ingredients to blender and blend smooth. Add wet mixture to dry mixture and blend with electric mixture, or by hand, until smooth. Pour into prepared pan and spread evenly. Bake 28 minutes.

Remove from oven, and while still warm sprinkle chocolate chips over top. Let chips melt, then spread evenly over surface with the back of a spoon. Let cool and cut into bars. Makes 30 bars.

Note: You may want to chill the pan in the fridge to set the chocolate on top.





Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Thai Papaya Salad

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Kari's Papaya Salad

1 pound shredded green papaya*
1 carrot, shredded
1-3 Tbsp minced cilantro or basil (I like a combination of cilantro and Thai basil)
roasted peanuts, chopped (optional)
Dressing:
a couple pinches Thai chili flakes or fresh chiles or chile paste (to taste)
3 or 4 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
2 Tbsp soy sauce
4 Tbsp brown sugar


In a small bowl, whisk together dressing ingredients until sugar is dissolved.

In a large bowl, combine papaya, carrot, cilantro/basil . Pour dressing over and toss well to coat. Sprinkle with peanuts, if desired. Chill.

*Green (unripened) papaya is often available in pre-shredded packages in Oriental markets. I buy it in 1-pound packages. Alternatively, you can buy an unripe papaya and shred it yourself. You'll want to shred it into long threads.

Wednesday, April 6, 2011

Hominy Salad Escabeche

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Escabeche is a pickling liquid. In this recipe, I used La Costena brand Zanahorias en Escabeche. Pickled carrots with jalapenos. I used 1/2 cup of the carrots and jalepenos in this recipe. You could use more to up the heat. Use more escabeche liquid for a wetter salad. Sweet onions are best for this, but if you don't have sweet onions and use other (stronger) onions, I'd rinse them in cold water and drain well before adding to salad to prevent them from taking over. You also might want to reduce the amount.


This is tasty plain as a side dish or on top of salad greens. It's also good wrapped in a tortilla.


Kari's Hominy Salad Escabeche

(Makes 6 cups)

1 1/2 cups sweet onion, diced

1 red bell pepper, diced

1 medium tomato, diced

1/2 cup carrots and chiles, julienned, from zanahorias en escabeche (use more, if desired)

1 (15.5 oz) can yellow hominy, rinsed and drained

1 (15 oz) can pinto beans, rinsed and drained

1/4 cup minced cilantro

1 Tbsp escabeche liquid (use more if you want a wetter salad)

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp ground cumin

fresh ground black pepper  


Combine all ingredients and chill.