swiss chard + beet tacos with spicy vegan crema /  by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

tacos were never really my thing.  to this day i almost always eat out of the tortilla.  when i was a kid and it was taco night, my plate would often look like a deconstructed taco: a hard El Paso shell cracked in half with shredded cheese on either side, chopped lettuce, tomato, and shredded carrot in a pile to make a salad of sorts, and - when i wasn't being a vegetarian - a scoop of chopped meat on the side, without one piece of food touching another.  i never ate the sour cream until i was probably in my 20s, and i barely dipped my tortilla chip in guacamole.  yes, i was quite picky.  i guess my pickiness hasn't changed, only my way of making food i eat a lot better.   i now have broader knowledge of how to make my diet not just tasty, but really good. 

back to the tacos.  they're more of a seasonal taco than anything.  whenever i make these i generally use what's at the farmers' market that week and throw the ingredients together.  the past few weeks i've seen a lot of swiss chard, and now beets!  i added a poblano pepper for a little bit of heat, fresh spring onions for flavor, and quinoa for some protein.  the spicy vegan crema is cashew-based.  if you tolerate dairy and don't want to make cashew crema, i would suggest using sour cream and adding the lemon, paprika, and cayenne.  if you're vegan and nut-free, then i would sugget the same only using soy sour cream.  the amounts added to either sour cream should be done in small increments.  store bought sour cream (both dairy and soy) have added ingredients that the cashew crema does not.  so, add a little bit at a time, and taste as you go.  personally, i was really impressed with the cashew crema; it was super easy to make and the taste exceeded my expectations.  i'm totally looking forward to using it in more dishes.    

swiss chard + beet tacos with spicy vegan crema

this recipe is good for 2 adults, with one taco leftover.  i would recommend doubling the taco filling recipe if you are planning on serving more people.  additionally, the crema makes about 1 1/2 cups, so if you are doubling the recipe you should have plenty of crema to go along with the tacos without having to make more. 

| makes 5 small tacos

taco filling: 

  • 5 small beets (3 large), julienned
  • 1 bunch swiss chard, de-stemmed and chopped
  • 1/2 cup quinoa, cooked
  • 1 red onion, chopped
  • 1 poblano pepper, de-stemmed and seeds removed
  • 5 small tortillas  
  • 1 tablespoon cilantro, chopped
  • 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
  • 1-2 tablespoons olive oil

spicy vegan crema: 

adapted from Akasha Richmond, Food & Wine - March 2012

  • 1 cup raw cashews
  • 2 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons white vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt

instructions

make the crema

  • in a medium heat proof bowl, cover the cashews with hot water and let stand for 2 hours.  drain and transfer the cashews to a food processor.  add the lemon juice, vinegar, paprika, cayenne, salt, and 1/2 cup of water.  puree until smooth and creamy - about 6 minutes.  (i added more water to make the consistency a little thinner)

make the tacos

  • pre heat oven to warm and line a baking sheet with parchment paper
  • cook the quinoa according to the instructions on the package.  cook, and let sit 
  • in a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat.  add the poblano pepper and cook for 2-3 minutes.  add the onion, cook for another 5-6 minutes - until the onion is soft.  add the beets, sprinkle half of the chili powder and salt, stir and cook for about 7 minutes.  lastly, add the swiss chard, cook for about 1 minute - until the leaves are wilted. 
  • in a large bowl, mix the vegetable mixture and quinoa.  add the remaining chili powder and salt - mix to combine  
  • heat a small skillet on medium, one by one toast the tortillas on each side.  once toasted, place a dollop of crema in the center of the tortilla.  add a heap of the swiss chard and beet mix.  place in the warm oven and repeat with remaining tortillas
  • remove from oven and garnish with cilantro.  enjoy these as is or with extra crema! 

garlic scape basil soup /  by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

the past few days new york city has seen and felt temperatures in the 90s.  and while making soup probably wasn't the smartest idea, it was totally worth it.  the sweltering temperatures were more reflective of summer than spring, but i still continued my pursuit of a spring soup.  it started a couple weeks ago when frank picked up a vegan zucchini basil soup from a local market.  was probably one of the most delicious soups i have ever had, and since then i had been researching and making notes of various zucchini basil soups (i honestly didn't know it was as popular as it was), and thought that i would give it a shot.  but i decided to put the idea on hold for another few weeks until zucchini season.

the story continues at the farmers' market the other week when i picked up garlic scapes.  i thought maybe i would saute them and use them in a rice or quinoa dish, perhaps i would slice them and fry them up for a salad.  maybe a garlic scape pesto..?  ding!  a lightbulb went off when i started thinking about the traditional flavors in pesto and also thinking about the basil in the zucchini basil soup that i had loved so much.  so, i thought of making a variation of the zucchini basil soup by replacing the zucchini with a heap of garlic scapes and voila, garlic scape basil soup was born.

the great thing about garlic scapes is that you get a great flavor and aroma, without the punchiness of regular garlic.  the first time i attempted the soup i only used 10 or so scapes.  i didn't really get the flavor i wanted.  the second time i used almost the entire bunch and achieved an outcome that was closer to what i had imagined.  the basil adds a lot of flavor as well, and in my opinion makes the soup even more tasty.    

garlic scape basil soup

 

| makes 4 servings

1 bunch garlic scapes (about 20 or so), chopped

1/3 cup basil leaves, packed

1 large shallot or 2 small shallots, chopped

1 small white yam (or potato), peeled, halved, and quartered

3 cups vegetable stock

1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt

1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper

2 tablespoons pepitas, toasted

 

| directions

n a large pot, saute the shallot over medium-low heat - cook until soft, about 5 minutes.  add the chopped garlic scapes and saute for another 7 minutes or so - until soft.  add the yams and 2 1/2 cups of the stock.  raise the heat, and bring to a boil.  reduce the heat so that the soup cooks at a simmer.  simmer for 15 minutes.  remove from heat and let cool

while the soup is cooling toast the pepitas in the oven on 350° for 3 minutes.  let cool

in a food processor (or blender), pour the soup mixture in, add the basil leaves.  cover the basil with the soup (this helps to soften the basil leaves).  let the basil sit for about 5 minutes.  blend the soup.  depending on your preferred thickness, add the other 1/2 cup of vegetable stock.  taste, and season with more salt and pepper.  blend until desired consistency.  if serving immediately, heat the soup back up and top with a sprinkle of toasted pepitas. enjoy

potato salad | vegan | /  by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

it's been a little more than a year since my family has changed their eating habits.  it began when i was having really bad reactions to foods.  i didn't know what was wrong with me or what to do.  since i was little i knew i was sensitive to milk and other products that have dairy in them, but as i got older it seemed as though nothing was sitting well with me.  my mom had heard about a nutritionist who works with people with food sensitivities and we both made an appointment.  from that time on, i have cut out a lot of foods that were part of my every day diet.  foods such as: dairy, gluten, sugar, and certain starches.  many of the family dishes that my mom and i once prepared are now on the list of things that we don't eat.  potato salad was once one of these dishes.  the original potato salad was a dish my german great grandmother would make for her family, and my mom would make it at least once a week during the spring and summer.  a couple months ago, when my brother was visiting, he said that i should come up with a vegan potato salad using yams (since giving up potatoes we have all started substituting them with white yams).  i played around with the original ingredients my mother and great grandmother would use only substituting coconut milk for mayo, and white yams for potatoes.  the outcome tasted exactly like the original; a creamy sauce, with an added tang, and hint of mustard. 

* a note on coconut milk: i used Native Forest full fat coconut milk with great success.  I tried Thai brand coconut milk and found that the potato salad dressing comes out a little sweeter.  If you can find Native Forest i suggest using this.  my great grandmother never used measurements in this recipe, and neither did my mom.  rather, they tasted as they went along.  here i provide scant measurements that should be tasted along the way.  if you feel you need more of one ingredient then add more, if you want less of something then decrease the amount.  

| vegan | potato salad

serves 4, with leftovers

3 large white yams (or yukon potatoes), halved and quartered into 1/2 inch slices

3 tablespoons chopped onion

3-4 radishes, thinly sliced

1/2 cup unsweetened full fat coconut milk (i used Native Forest brand)

2-3 teaspoons vinegar

2-3 teaspoons good dijon mustard

1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped

1 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped

salt and pepper to taste

| directions

bring a large pot of water to a boil, dd the potatoes.  let the water come back to a boil, reduce heat to low and cover.  time the potatoes for 10 minutes.  after 10 minutes, check to see if they are ready by stabbing them with a sharp knife.  if the potato does not slide off the knife, time for another few minutes.  drain the potatoes and let rest

in a large bowl, combine the coconut milk, vinegar, mustard, and onion.  whisk the mixture until combined.  adjust the mixture - depending on the day and what you feel like, you may want a bit more vinegar or mustard.  add salt and pepper to taste

add the potatoes, radishes, parsley, and dill to the mixture.  using a spatula, gently fold the ingredients together.  let the potato salad chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve

enjoy!