Vegetable & rice Gratin; Roasted Vegetables with cheese polenta, Roasted tomatoes, blanched asparagus and Russian red kale...how you prepared your vegetables IS more important than how you cook them...retaining valuable deep flavors and color when cooking vegetarian/vegan..photos of prep for tomorrow's menu

All the info about how to safely wash, clean and store fresh vegetables for healthy eating is discussed in my book "Recipes for Success" on www.amazon.com/kindle. Here fresh & clean tomatoes are sauteed in a little olive oil and thyme. This method makes them easy to peel and intensifies their flavors.

Previous 2 fresh asparagus and Russian red kale, blanch in boiling salted water with a pinch of baking soda, and their colors remain vibrant. Just plunge into boiling water , cover and remove right away. Plunge into cold running water and drain. Now they are ready to be cooked, and will remain vibrantly colored.

Cheese cornmeal polenta for the roasted vegetables

The vegetables for the rice gratin, this is similar to a GF lasagna, layers of cooked rice, tomato sauce and vegetables and topped with grated cheese. Bake in 350f oven for 25-30 mins.

Caramelized onions, fennel bulb, zucchini for the roasted vegetables

Roasted yellow squash, red potatoes, yams and grape tomatoes I always add either lemon juice or pomegranate molasses for a tang. Plus thyme leaves

As with all my vegan and vegetarian dishes, they become more mature/intense when prepared the day before delivery and eating.
Allow to cool completely before chilling in fridge.
Another heatwave is coming in to Los Angeles so whenever you DO get the chance, take time out to smell the roses!

Roasted Red Bell Pepper soup with Yam; Mushroom & Sweet Potato with sourdough basil crepes; Butternut squash and tomato sauce for pasta; peanut butter cookies with roasted cashews; Cauliflowe, Potato and scallion "pakoras"...photos of prep so far for tomorrow's menu

The butternut-tomato sauce for the pasta

Mushroom and sweet potato for the pancakes also finished with asparagus & coconut milk

"Pakora" mix...normally made with chickpea flour but they have to be eaten immediately, so these are made with yeast and  all purpose flour, with eggs added, and spices

Cooked "pakoras"

peanut butter cookies

Roasted red pepper and yam soup finished with coconut milk

Sourdough and basil crepes for the mushroom & sweet potato

Frying the "pakoras" also drain on wire racks NOT paper...to be baked again at client's home

Cooler weather is now coming in, at long last!
Here is last night's sunset from Venice Beach.

 

Pinto bean Gumbo; Chickpea and fresh fennel soup; Yam, parsnip and carrot soup; Vegetable curry; Roasted vegetables with curry, pomegranate molasses and chickpeas; Jasmine Tea rice with tofu & green beans; carrot cake with cranberries and walnuts; Raisin oatmeal walnut cookies; photos of Prep for a "Spring Fling"

Sauteing tofu...add cornstarch  and soy sauce to get a good color

Ready to be cooked at Client's home and adding sliced cabbage and bok choy and jasmine tea rice

Curried vegetables

Yam, parsnip and carrot soup

Make a good flavored curry sauce (cook slowly for 1 hour) then add the vegetables and cook very quickly, the sauce is not thickened

Cauliflower for the curry sauce

Curry roasted vegetables with chickpeas

Pinto Bean Gumbo

previous 2 the chickpea and fresh fennel soups

Brown rice cooked in Jasmine tea..makes a very well flavored rice

Yams & green beans for the curry

Whole wheat, Carrot cake batter with walnuts and dried cranberries

Very buttery, oatmeal, raisin, walnut wholewheat cookies

Here are some wonderful dishes to welcome in the Spring, as many of you know I always add twice as many vegetables than recipes suggest, the results are very very well flavored dishes and soups, even cakes and cookies!!

Make more of your vegetables!