Happy Holidays everyone!

parsley pesto

This pesto was my mom's inspiration, since fresh basil isn't usually available this time of year where we live.  I was skeptical of a pesto sauce without basil, but I think the experiment was a success! You can use this sauce in or on anything you like. It's absolutely delicious as a sauce on pizza (pictured below). Serves 2-3

Ingredients

1 cup cashews (soaked beforehand if necessary)
1 cup parsley, washed and chopped
1/2 cup veggie broth
1 clove garlic
half of an avocado (optional)
salt and fresh pepper (to taste)

Blend ingredients in a blender or food processor.  Either flat or curly leaf parsley works for this and it keeps a little longer than basil (for my basil pesto recipe, see "cashew pesto").

vegetable soup broth

     Many of my recipes call for vegetable soup broth, so I thought it would be good to include a method for making your own broth.  Not all of us live near a health food store or can find soup broth without problem ingredients.  If you have the time, making your own soup stock is a good option.

    With our dietary restrictions, this skill can be quite useful as there will be no preservatives and you can include only ingredients which you know to be bladder friendly for you. I've found it's easy to do once you get the hang of it. It's fun to experiment with and it has a richer flavor (and less salt) than store bought.
 
    The following is just a basic method rather than a specific recipe. The ingredients will depend on what you have on hand and what's available where you live. If you haven't made your own stock before, there is a lot of information on the internet or in cookbooks that you can browse for more tips before you start.

                                                               

You can use any combination of vegetables, fresh herbs, and clean, edible vegetable scraps (broccoli stems or carrot tops, for instance) that you desire.

For a classic base, saute carrots, celery, and onions together for a few minutes. If you avoid onions you can just use carrots and celery, plus garlic (whole cloves) if you wish. Transfer to a large pot and add the rest of your ingredients.

Add enough water to just cover the vegetables. Add salt (to taste - I usually use 1-2 teaspoons).

Bring to a boil and then simmer. Length of time is up to you - I usually simmer for about 45 minutes.

Remove from heat and allow it to cool for a little while with the vegetables in the pot. Then strain all the vegetables out by pouring it through a strainer or colander into another pot or a large bowl. Discard vegetables in the compost.

The liquid broth is now ready for use in soups and sauces. It will keep for a few days in the fridge or longer in the freezer.

Good in stock (examples):  sweet potato, rutabaga, parsley (including stems), lovage, bay leaf, zucchini, turnip, fresh thyme including stems (in a loose leaf tea bag), celery (including heart and leaves), carrots (including clean peels or leaves).

   

chickpea dip

This is a nice dip if tahini is ok for you.

Ingredients

1 tin chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup soup broth
1 clove of garlic
2-3 T tahini paste
a generous amount of fresh dill
salt and fresh pepper (to taste)

Blend ingredients in a blender or food processor until desired consistency is reached.  If you want it thicker, add more tahini.  If you want it thinner, add more soup broth.  Serve with ic friendly crackers or vegetables.

veggie borscht

A healthy and comforting wintery soup.  Typically a sour soup, this variation has no vinegar but the beet-dill combination gives it a nice flavor.  This soup is easy to make, but requires a lot of chopping so you might want to listen to the radio or something as you chop away.        Serves 7


Ingredients

8 cups vegetable broth
half of a green cabbage
4 beets, peeled
2-3 carrots
about 3 cups fresh dill

Chop cabbage and julienne beets into small matchstick sized pieces, about 2 inches x 1/4 inch.  Bring broth to a boil and reduce heat.  Add the cabbage and beets and let them simmer while you chop the carrots.  Julienne carrots in matchstick sized pieces and add to the pot.  Simmer about 15 more minutes.

Meanwhile, wash and chop the dill and add to the pot.  Simmer another couple of minutes.  Taste test to see if everything is cooked and serve.  I like to put a few individual portions in the freezer for later as well.

date coconut hedgehogs

I got the idea for these cookies from some I had once at a raw food restaurant. They're tasty and pretty easy to make since they don't require baking.

Ingredients

4 medjool dates (no preservatives)
3 T almond butter
1/8 t cinnamon (optional - if tolerated)
1/8 t vanilla
1/4 cup almonds
1/2 cup shredded unsweetened coconut (no preservatives)
1/4 cup cashews

Soak the dates in a bowl with warm water for a minimum 1 hour, or until the skins come off easily.  Drain the water, remove the skins and pits.

Mash together the dates, almond butter, cinnamon (if using) and vanilla with a fork until well blended.

Measure the almonds whole and then finely chop them and add them to the date mix.  Squish and knead the almonds into it with your hands.  Add the coconut and squish it in, too.

Measure the cashews whole and then finely chop them.  Knead the cashews into the mix.  You can add a few more chopped cashews here or not, depending on how dry or sticky your mixture is at this point.

Spread a thin layer of shredded coconut on a plate.  Roll the mixture into little balls with your hands (about 1 inch diameter) and then roll them in the coconut.  Makes about 9 cookies.

stir fried broccoli and baby bok choy

Ingredients

1 cup broccoli florets
1 bunch baby bok choy
1 T toasted sesame oil
1 small shallot (optional)
2 garlic cloves
sea salt and fresh pepper (to taste)
1 t sesame seeds (optional)

In a frying pan or cast iron skillet with a lid, heat up sesame oil on a very low heat ( I did it on heat 2 on my stove).  Wash and chop broccoli and add it to the pan.  Peel and thinly slice shallot (if using), add it to the pan. Simmer a couple of minutes, removing the lid to stir.

Smash and chop garlic, add to the pan.  Cook another minute or so, stirring regularly.

Wash bok choy, chop stems and add them to the pan, saving the leaves.  Simmer another minute or so, then add the leaves, a pinch of salt and pepper, plus a little extra sesame oil if desired.  Press the leaves to the bottom of the pan.  Stir, cooking for another minute or so until they are just wilted.

Remove from heat, sprinkle with sesame seeds (if using) and serve.

roasted red pepper tapenade

My boyfriend made this tasty dip originally for a pasta sauce.  It works as both a sauce or as a dip for chips if you are missing salsa.  Requires a blender or food processor.

Ingredients

1 full bulb of roasted garlic (before putting it in the oven, cut off the whole top of the garlic bulb so that the fleshy part of the garlic cloves is showing. Bake for 30 minutes at 400F)

4 roasted red peppers (to make roasted red peppers, broil them for a few minutes until the skin is blackened, then remove the skin)

1 250ml container of green olives - preserved with salt only (optional - add a bit of salt if not using olives)

1/2 cup cashews (soaked beforehand if necessary)

Put everything together in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth.

potato cauliflower soup

Even better heated up the second day.  This is really good with new potatoes if they are in season/available. Serves 6-7

Ingredients

6-7 cups veggie broth
7-8 medium size potatoes
1 whole cauliflower
1 cob of sweet corn
2 leeks (optional - if tolerated)
2-3 garlic cloves
1T Olive oil
fresh thyme, fresh ground pepper, chopped fresh parsley (to taste)

Wash and scrub potatoes, cut into cubes.  You can leave the skins on if they are organic.

Bring the broth to a boil and add the potatoes.  Reduce heat and simmer.

If using leeks, slice just the white/light green part.  Saute in olive oil on a low heat  and let them soften, stirring occasionally (this takes a little while).

In the meantime, wash and cut up the cauliflower and add it to the pot.  Husk the corn and do your best to remove all the cornsilk.  Slice vertically into the pot.

When leeks are tender, add garlic to the pan and cook a minute or so, stirring frequently.  Add the thyme and simmer for another minute.  Add the contents of the frying pan to the pot.  Mash some of the potatoes and cauliflower against the side of the pot with a wooden spoon to thicken the broth.

Let simmer a few minutes more.  Add parsley and fresh ground pepper.  Serve!

dal

This is my mom's lovely dal recipe.  There's no lemon juice or hot spices, but it tastes so good I feel like nothing is missing :).                  Serves 3-4

Ingredients

2 cloves garlic
1/3 cup cooking onion (optional - if tolerated), peeled and chopped
1/2 t each cumin and tumeric (if tolerated - just use more italian spices if you aren't using them)
1 t  italian spice
1 cup red lentils
2 cups soup stock
1T olive oil
1 grated apple or pear
1 grated carrot

If using, saute the onion in olive oil at the bottom of a pot for a few minutes, until it is translucent.  Add the garlic and stir, cooking for about a minute.  Add the spices and toast them for another minute or so, stirring often.

Add the soup broth (2 cups broth and an extra little splish of water) and bring to a boil.

Rinse and add the lentils. Also add the grated pear/apple and carrot.

Reduce heat and simmer, about 35 minutes or until lentils are cooked and your desired consistency is reached. Stir every few minutes and scrape the bottom of the pot because the lentils and garlic will stick to the bottom.

Taste test to see if it is done. Serve with grains and maybe a side of steamed vegetables.

Additional notes:  Feel free to adjust spices to taste. Bay leaf, coriander and cardamom are also good in this. Salt and pepper if desired.