VEGAN CAESAR WITH SMOKY NUT CRUMBLE

So this started as a ripped page from Food&Wine. The piece was called All Well & Good, covering Sakara, the fancy plant-based meal delivery service popular in the Los Angeles area. The ladies who own it contributed a few recipes and their Kale-and-Brussels Sprout Caesar Salad intrigued me, so I kept the page in the side pocket of my car (where all keepsakes and important paperwork are best stored). Caesar is the historical origin of my love of salads. As a teenager, my Dad and I used to go on dates to the Chart House solely for a visit to their salad bar with freshly tossed Caesar and a slice of Key Lime Pie. So I got to it the other day. The only way to purge torn out recipes is to try them and eliminate I suppose. I started tinkering as soon as I made their crumble (the gluten free / dairy free sub for croutons in the classic). They called for sweet paprika, I stock smoked. The crumble seemed a little dry, so I added a drizzle of oil to help it clump a bit. The dressing called for half an avocado which I also didn't have so I subbed in cashew butter and water and then ended up merging with the Oh She Glows Caesar recipe which I love as well and here we are. I understand this is more a recipe for a dressing than a stand alone salad but I think it can take additions well. And I forget that sometimes salads don't need to have a bunch of stuff in them to still be good. If you have the ingredients, your food processor is already out for the dressing so you might as well make the crumble for intrigue. It takes minutes. I added some leftover grilled salmon to my bowl, or Hugh has been using the dressing as a sandwich spread. This makes way more crumble than you will need for the salad and I've been sprinkling it on top of roasted vegetables for an interesting finish. It has a cheesy flavor from the nutritional yeast and a bacon-y tone from the smoked paprika...I mean that in a good way. I'm going to make the salad for friends later this week and plan to add some crispy garbanzo beans on top like Angela does with the crumble for more crunch. Anyway, below is where I landed, and hopefully it can be a staple for you too. 

VEGAN CAESAR WITH SMOKY NUT CRUMBLE // Serves 4-6
Recipe adapted from Food and Wine and Oh She Glows

I keep my nutritional yeast in the fridge. It lasts longer this way. You can buy it online or at any health food store. If that sounds fussy to you and you don't care about the vegan element here, you can use finely grated parmesan in it's place for both the crumble and dressing. 
I use a food processor but a high-powered blender such as a Vitamix works great too. The dressing will keep a week covered in the fridge. 

crumble
3/4 cup raw almonds
1/4 cup hulled hemp seeds
2 Tbsp. nutritional yeast
1 tsp. smoked paprika (or sweet is fine if you don't want the smokiness)
1 tsp. extra virgin olive oil
1/4 tsp. sea salt, to taste
 

dressing
1/2 cup cashew butter
1/3 cup water
1-2 garlic cloves
2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp. capers
1 tsp. dijon mustard
1/2 tsp. vegan worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. nutritional yeast
4 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice (I may have used a little more but I like it lemony)
pinch of fresh parsley leaves
1/4 tsp. sea salt and pepper to taste

1 head of romaine, chopped
1 large head of tuscan kale, stemmed and chopped

Make the crumble. In a food processor, pulse all the ingredients until the mixture resembles fine crumbs. It should start to stick together a little bit. Transfer the crumble to a bowl and wipe out the processor.
For the dressing, into the processor, puree the ingredients until smooth. Taste for salt and pepper. Add a splash of lemon juice or water if it looks too thick. 
Place the chopped greens in a large bowl and drizzle desired amount of dressing. Toss to coat. Serve with a sprinkle of the crumble on top. 

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ROSEMARY ALMOND MEAL BREAD

A friend brought me this loaf after I had Cleo, over a year ago now, and I still think about it. She was very much a fast food girl in a season of taking care of herself - in part by learning to cook and eat cleaner, so it felt even more special. A loaf made of mostly ground almonds, flaxmeal, eggs, a few other pantry staples and studded with bits of fresh herbs. I would slice and toast it and spread a thin coat of coconut oil or butter on top and it was heaven to a tired and overwhelmed spirit at the time. Food has a beautiful way of evoking memories. I can remember how I felt, where I was, the state of our home with muslin swaddles drapped over every chair and pacifiers that my baby had no interest in but I kept trying for the chance at quiet. I remember that there was always a child in my arms when I think about eating that loaf. I did a quick search online and found what is pretty close if not exact to what I remember of the recipe she texted to me a year ago. I liked it that much, my photographic memory could recall the ingredients, just not the amounts. Anyway. I made it again yesterday and we did the same. Nibbled on it through the day and then I made it again the next day because I had some lost time to make up for. 
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In other important news, I am roping you guys in on my resolution to be a better lover of people. That's a general goal, I know, as the scale for that is short and long and deep and wide as you all know in your own lives. That can mean my own family or people I may never have any contact with. I am planning to host a couple dinners to raise money for charities that need more resources to fund the good work they are doing. I figure that instead of just donating money, I can put that money towards hosting a meal and then multiply those funds with the help of the guests. I want my feet on the ground too, but I have to start somewhere and this is a way I can do something by way of this platform. My hope is to gather with different, compassionate people to stir conversation and awareness and raise funding for organizations who have their hands in there getting shit done. The fact that dinner will be served is secondary; food merely being the glue that binds us. The price tag is high, but keep in mind this is to raise money. That is the focus. Given the present state of affairs, I am going to be donating all proceeds to the International Rescue Committee who respond to the world's worst humanitarian crises. I don't know how the fine details of all of this are going to go, but for now, I am planning to host two, twenty person dinners. The tickets are available on the Shop tab on the left side. If you don't live close, perhaps we could get a fire started to host dinners like this in other cities. Anyway, long overdue but here we go.

ROSEMARY ALMOND MEAL BREAD // Makes one 9x5 loaf
Recipe adapted from Mind Body Green

This loaf is to resemble a savory bread, not a sweet loaf, even though the texture makes you think of one. That said, it can take savory additions: chopped sun dried tomatoes, feta, olives, lemon zest, a micro-planed clove of garlic or bits of dried fruit if you'd rather go that direction. I am giving you the base recipe and trust you can manage the add ins, no more than 1/3 cup would be my suggestion. The subtlety here is part of the loafs' charm. 
The loaf is best day one. Still delicious day two but it does start to dry out at this point as flaxmeal sucks up any sign of moisture. Keep the loaf wrapped tightly in plastic wrap.

4 eggs
2.5 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil or warmed coconut oil/
1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
1.5 Tbsp honey

2 1/4 cups ground or blanched almond meal
1/4 cup ground flax
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1 tsp. baking soda

2 tsp. fresh thyme leaves, plus more for garnish
2 tsp. fresh rosemary leaves, chopped, plus a little more for garnish

Preheat the oven to 360' and grease a 9x5 loaf pan or line it with parchment paper.

In a mixing bowl, combine the eggs, oil, cider vinegar and honey and whisk well to combine. Add the almond meal, flaxmeal, salt, baking soda, thyme leaves and rosemary leaves and stir them into the wet mixture until evenly combined. Transfer to the prepared loaf pan and sprinkle a few extra herbs and a sprinkle of salt on top.
Bake on the middle rack for about 22-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out dry. 

ROASTED VEGETABLE PLATE WITH RED PEPPER SPREAD

Our "vegetarian dinners" have a history of coming with some grilled chicken or sausage on the side. Hugh believes it keeps him full and the kids like it too so I go with it. Everything I make can go with a little chicken, is that a marketing line? Anyway, I'm trying to make my vegetarian dishes more filling so no one asks for meat or finishes the meal with a row of peppermint jojos because they're still hungry. Sometimes I skirt by with a filling entree salad, but then I have to make something different for my kids. This plate gives a little something for everyone and my little people will eat warm, sweet vegetables like these. Ok, not the fennel or onions, but they like squash and potatoes. You approach the oversized squash wedge with a fork and knife, like you would a piece of protein, and maybe it's in my head, but this looks nothing like the 'rabbit food' that so many vegetable centric dishes get categorized as. For those who've asked about feeding my kids, I also have great luck with baked falafel bowls, burrito bowls and a mild tofu yellow curry. Cleo (1) is an unbelievable mess with all of the above but she loves to eat so I put a full upper body bib on her and a plastic tarp under her seat and she figures it out. 

The sauce here is sort of like a muhummara hummus blend - two creamy, delicious sauces that don't actually have any dairy. It is rich from the walnuts, thick from the beans and zesty and spiced like the classic muhummara spread. I am obsessed with it. We make the classic often but adding beans to it makes it more hearty. This makes a little more than you'll likely need for this meal, and we use it with eggs, or a sandwich spread or just to dip crackers. Think of cold weather vegetables here, but swap in what you have. Halved beets, large chunks of cauliflower, any sort of potato or winter squash. The point is just to have them larger in size and well seasoned so they make for a perfect meal with this delicious sauce and your grain of choice. 

ROASTED VEGETABLE PLATE WITH RED PEPPER SPREAD // Serves 4
I will change up the basic dried herbs here based on whatever needs some turnover in my spice cabinet. It's just to add some life to the vegetables, it's not a big deal (I'm a very specific recipe writer, eh?). You could use lemon pepper or Italian herbs or I'll buy unsalted "everyday" type of blends from whatever store I am shopping, I love sweet or smoked paprika on anything. It won't make all too much of a difference either way as it's in relative small amounts.

1 medium butternut squash, about 1.5 lbs
2 medium sweet potatoes
1 large (or 2 small) fennel bulb
1 red onion
2-3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil, ghee or warmed coconut oil
1/2 tsp. sea salt, to taste
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp. herbs de provence
handful of fresh thyme
fresh ground pepper

// red pepper spread //

2 garlic cloves
2 charred, cooled and seeded red bell peppers (or one jar, 7.5 oz. drained)
1/2 cup toasted walnut pieces, plus more for garnish
1/2 tsp. smoked paprika
1/2 tsp. cumin
sprinkle of red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp. sea salt, to taste
2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
3/4 cup cooked and drained garbanzo beans
handful of fresh parsley, plus more for garnish

fresh mint, for garnish
salad greens and quinoa or brown rice, for serving

Preheat the oven to 425' with a rack in the upper third. You'll need a sharp knife for this: Cut the butternut squash into quarters (or eighths if it's a really squaty squash), the wedges should be about 2" thick. Remove the seeds. Cut the sweet potatoes in half lengthwise, or 4" chunks on a bias. Cut the fennel bulb and onion into roughly 3" pieces, leaving the root in tact so they stay together. We are looking for rustic, thick chunks here. 
Spread the pieces on a large rimmed baking sheet and drizzle generously with olive oil. Sprinkle the salt, garlic powder, fresh and dried herbs, and pepper. Toss with your hands or use a brush to make sure all sides and edges are covered with oil and seasonings distributed. Roast for 40 minutes, flipping the vegetables halfway through.
While the vegetables roast, make the sauce. It can be made a week in advance though you want it room temp for serving. Into a food processor or blender, combine the garlic cloves, fresh charred or jarred bell peppers, walnut pieces, paprika, cumin, pepper flakes, sea salt and vinegar and turn the processor on to combine until smooth. Drizzle in the oil and add the beans and parsley and run to combine. Taste for seasonings, maybe more salt, more vinegar if you like it acidic or more pepper flakes for heat. 
Serve on a large family style platter or everyone build their own with bowls of a grain, greens and sauce on the side. Garnish with parsley, mint and toasted walnuts. 

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