LENTIL SOUP AND BEER BREAD

LENTIL SOUP

I made this soup about 2 weeks ago, so I can't remember exactly what I put in it. But that's the beauty of lentils: they're so hard to screw up. If you want more or less or different spices, do it. Add more or less water depending on how thick you like it. Add tomatoes or potatoes or whatever you like. If you don't have broth, just add about half a teaspoon of salt per cup of water.

2-2 1/2 cups brown lentils, picked and rinsed (meaning check to make sure there aren't any pebbles or big dirt clumps then rinse until clean)
About 8 cups vegetable broth
one onion, finely chopped
tw0 stalks celery, finely chopped
two carrots, finely chopped
1/2 tsp coriander
1/2 tsp cumin
olive oil
salt

Pour about 2 tbs olive oil in a large soup pot and set over medium heat. Add onions and a pinch of salt and sautee for 1 minute. Add celery and carrots and sautee another 5-6 minutes until onions are translucent. Add lentils, vegetable broth, coriander, and cumin. Raise heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer 35-40 minutes or until lentils are tender.

BEER BREAD

This recipe is a McCarthy Co-op favorite, so I ate lots of it in college. It is so easy and everyone loves beer. The recipe below is a basic recipe, but in the one I made recently, I replaced about 3/4 cup of the flour with whole spelt flour and used white spelt for the rest. I also added 2 seeded and minced jalapenos, which added a spicy flair. I used Guiness, which gives it a very strong stout flavor, but you can used something a little lighter if you want less beer taste.

3 cups self-rising flour (1 c all-purpose flour, 1 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp salt x3)
3 tbs sugar
12 oz beer (darker is better)
4 tbs butter substitute, melted

1. Preheat oven to 375.
2. Combine the flour, sugar, and beer in a bowl.
3. Scrape batter into a well greased loaf pan.
4. Bake for about 50 minutes.
5. Pour the melted butter over the top and bake for 10 more minutes

STRAWBERRY RHUBARB PIE

This pie was my dad’s favorite when I was growing up and it quickly became my favorite, too. Rhubarb is coming into season, so I couldn’t wait to get my hands on some. I combined recipes from the America’s Test Kitchen Family Cookbook (filling) and Love, Eric: Delicious Vegan Macrobiotic Desserts (crust). Even though it’s only about 5% vegan friendly the ATK cookbook is a bible to me. Before creating my own vegan masterpiece, I always check the ATK cookbook for tips on cooking a dish. For example, this recipe involves cooking the rhubarb before baking it to cook off some of the juices which firms up the rhubarb, makes the pie less soupy, and reduces the amount of arrowroot or cornstarch by half. I recommend serving this pie with coconut milk whipped cream (see recipe below).

DOUBLE PIE CRUST

This recipe can be halved for a single pie crust. I use this recipe for all my pies. I suggest putting all of the ingredients in the fridge for 30-60 minutes before you make the pie. Cold ingredients and not over mixing it make for a flakier crust.

2 cups white spelt flour
1 1/2 c unbleached flour (I use all spelt to make it wheat-free and it works just fine)
1/2 tsp sea salt
2/3 c maple sugar (regular sugar can be used, but I’d use a little bit less)
2/3 c safflower oil (or vegetable or canola)
1/2 c cold water (may not need all, may need more)

1. Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl. Add the oil and water and knead quickly to form a dough. Separate into two equally sized balls, cover with a cloth or plastic wrap to prevent drying and allow to sit for at least 15 minutes in the fridge or until needed.

2. After pie filling is created, flour a clean surface or line with parchment paper to prevent sticking. Using a rolling pin, roll one ball of dough into a circle to fit a 9-inch pie pan (dough thickness shouldn’t exceed 1/4 inch). Roll the other ball of dough into a circle of the same size and thickness. Roll the dough around the rolling pin to easily pick it up and transfer it on top of the pie.

FILLING

2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 1/2 lb rhubarb, trimmed and peeled*, and cut into 1-inch lengths
1 cup sugar
1 quart strawberries, hulled and quartered
2 tsp grated orange zest (optional but highly recommended)
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
3 tbs arrowroot (cornstarch works too)
pinch of salt
*stalks only need peeling if they are larger than celery-sized and very tough

1. Adjust an oven rack to the lowest position, place a rimmed baking sheet on the rack and heat the oven to 500 degrees. Heat the oil and a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until smoking. Add the rhubarb and 1/4 cup of the sugar. Cook, stirring frequently until the rhubarb has shed most of its liquid but is still firm (resist the urge to cook longer! I cooked it too long and it turned to mush). Spread the cooked rhubarb out over a plate and refrigerate until cool.

2. Meanwhile, roll out the top crust to a 12-in circle. Toss the cooled rhubarb, strawberries, orange zest, and vanilla together. Mix 3/4 cup of the sugar, the arrowroot, and salt together then sprinkle over the fruit and combine. Add up to 4 more tablespoons of sugar if the fruit tastes too tart. Spread the fruit in the unbaked pie crust and pack lightly.

3. Lay the top crust over the fruit, seal and crimp the edges, and cut eight vent holes. Wrap the edges of the pie crust in tinfoil to prevent burning (I didn’t do this, and my crust burned a little).

4. Place the pie on the heated baking sheet and lower the oven temperature to 425 degrees. Bake until the top crust is golden, about 25 min. Rotate the baking sheet, reduce the oven temperature again to 375, and bake until juices are bubbling and the crust is a deep golden brown, 30-35 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and cool to room temperature before serving.

WHIPPED COCONUT CREAM

This recipe only works if the coconut milk is thoroughly chilled (at least several hours if not days) so that the water and fat can separate. I usually buy a few cans at a time and always keep one in the fridge so it’s ready for this very purpose. Also, do not use light coconut milk, only whole fat.

1 can chilled coconut milk
Maple syrup, honey, or powdered sugar (about 1/4 c)
a few drops of vanilla

1. Open coconut milk can and drain the water.
2. Scoop the coconut milk fat into a bowl and beat with a whisk or electric mixer until fluffy.
3. Add desired amount of sweetener and vanilla. Return to fridge until ready to serve.

Hi friends,

So, I'm starting this blog for two reasons: (1) family and friends frequently ask me for recipes, and I want an easy way to share them with everyone. The problem is, I tend to do most of my cooking without recipes. I've done it enough over the last several years that I just throw stuff together without measuring. Unfortunately, this way of cooking prevents me from replicating recipes and sharing them with people, especially people who don't instinctively know how much soy sauce to add to some stir-fried greens or how long to cook them before they're overcooked. So, (2) I want to document my cooking so that I pay more attention to what it is I do. Also, I love cooking so much I want to burst, and sometimes I get so excited about something I made that I take pictures of it. With this blog I can do what I do without feeling like a loser. Enjoy!