Vegan doesn't have to be boring....Roast Vegetable Spread + another HRH recipe....Thursday Nov 8th Menu

Here are some fabulous, Vegan and Vegetarian(eggs and butter) Fall/Winter Dishes, some oven roasted, some steamed, all wonderful; and all on Thursday's Menu

 Roasted vegetable spread:
When I first tried this recipe I have to admit I was  hesitant, but it is honestly, really good.
Use whatever vegetables you have in season locally, I am using roasted potatoes, roasted yams, tomatoes, squash, green and brown onions,carrots, Brussels sprouts ( roasting Brussels sprouts, cauliflower and broccoli actually sweetens the flavors) garlic, bell peppers.
Roast the vegetables in a 400f oven, cook the potatoes and yams for 25 mins before adding the softer vegetables.
I am using a non-stick sprayed cookie sheet and olive oil, sea salt & pepper, fresh rosemary and thyme sprigs, ground black pepper.

When all are cooked ( approx 1 hour total) remove from oven and allow to cool, cool enough to handle.

Remove the stems from the cooked herbs and  place the vegetable mix in a food processor bowl and blend well.
I prefer mine chunkier, you can blend until smooth if you wish.

Store in the fridge in a container with a tight fitting lid.

Additional ingredients to personalize this spread, before blending add:

toasted nuts or seeds ( sunflower, sesame, almonds, walnuts), you may have to add some citrus juice to thin the spread.

Tahini, sesame seed paste

Hot pepper sauce

Nutritional yeast

Nut butter either roasted or raw

dried herbs/dried ground spices

chopped fresh parsley or cilantro

Dijonmustard/soy sauce/ tamari/prepared horseradish/ wasabi mustard

vinegar/citrus juice

spicy peppers ( better to roast them if using fresh or canned chipotle chop then add to the bowl)

citrus zests.
This is great with crusty bread, crackers, raw vegetables, with cooked pasta, on baked potatoes..the list is endless.


Soups:
A wonderful chunky tomato bisque...usually garnished with chopped Roma tomatoes , I will be instead using grape tomatoes and fresh basil leaves

A miso- wild asparagus ( very fine, pencil thin young asparagus) & white bean soup..hearty comfort food

The entrees all come with a  small chopped salad ( another tip for  eating more raw vegetables is to chunk-chop, broccoli stems, carrots, scallions, cucumbers, even cauliflower heads,  add some chopped fresh herbs and you have a great  easy to eat, healthy salad)

Artichoke and Mushroom turnovers 

A fantastic Wild asparagus and pistachio couscous warm salad with a lime and cilantro dressing.


3 nutritional dense  side dishes:
Stir-steamed ( cooked like pot stickers..sauteed in a little oil then steamed)

Broccoli with sesame seeds and soy sauce

Orange( the variety) cauliflower with sea vegetables and almonds

Collard greens and Turnip greens with paprika and green onion


Own grown bean sprouts ( chickpea, green pea, lentil, black eyed pea)..did you ever realize that you have the makings of a home grown, nutrition dense salad in your pantry?
If you have dried lentils, chickpeas, black eyed peas, dried whole green peas in less than a week you can have your own grown salad.. wash the legumes and sort out any broken ones or small pebbles, soak the legumes  overnight, in cold filtered water, you might have to add more water, (1 cup legumes yields 1 1/2 cups salad sprouts).
The next day drain the legumes well and rinse in cold running water, drain well then cover with a clean dish towel and 12 hours later do the same thing. Continue to rinse and drain the legumes ( 2 times a day)  and in 5 days you should have fresh sprouts.
Do not grow them to green stage as by then they will have used up most of their nutrients, and will just be fiber and water .
DO NOT SPROUT RED KIDNEY BEANS,NOR BLACK BEANS AS THEY ARE TOXIC to humans, RAW.
Large legumes grow well in moderate heat, Micro greens ( broccoli, garlic, teff, radish) need it much warmer and I only grow these in the hot summer months, to prevent them molding. 
Blue corn and buckwheat can also be sprouted. 

Rejuvelak with spiralina  ( a non-dairy pro-biotic made from fermented rye berries)

For Dessert:
HRH The Duke of Cornwall's ( HRH Prince Charles of Windsor)
 Fav. Bread & Butter Pudding..whole wheat bread and butter pudding made with eggs, unsalted butter, brown sugar, milk, ground nutmeg, raisins, Scotch whisky and topped with warm orange marmalade..this is fantastic and great on a  cold night.


Below are the photos so far...washing and air drying all market buys...washing well in clean water helps remove debris, some pesticides ( if commercial grown) and revives tender vegetables, which in this California sunshine..95f today, is really necessary.
Plunging asparagus and broccoli or cauliflower with the stem cut, in cold clean water, helps to revive and can almost double the size of the vegetable, and makes them crispier...leave them under water for about 20 mins to see the difference.

Even if you buy your tender greens in "pre-washed" bags it is good sense to plunge them into cold fresh water and leave them for 20- 30- mins to revive them ( last year several people in USA lost their lives to a virus that was on so called,  ready washed spinach)..washing well does no harm, except to raspberries and mushrooms, which should be well brushed (the fungi).
When I worked in Beverly Hills, California & Palm Beach, Florida with a well known, celebrity client, he was amazed when I washed and air dried all my fruit and vegetables for every lunch and dinner, but had to admit it DID make all the difference.

Wild asparagus soaking overnight

Shredded broccoli stems, broccoli florets and sliced carrots, soaking for 30 mins before draining; to be chopped for the salad

Chopped collard and turnip greens, soaked for 30 mins then air dried

white and orange cauliflower

scallions, grape tomatoes, Brussels sprouts and cucumbers, air drying