Tasty Plan

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[tastyplan]

Wild Rice Khichdi with Roasted Cauliflower

https://www.tastyplan.com/tastyplan/2017/3/1/wild-rice-khichdi-with-roasted-cauliflower

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https://www.tastyplan.com/tastyplan/2017/3/19/brownies

[tastyplan]

https://www.tastyplan.com/tastyplan/2017/3/19/brownies

[tastyplan]

Orange, Poppy Seed, & Currant Bread

[tastyplan]

Announcing Coseena

Happy New Year!

I hope you enjoyed the Holidays with your friends and family and are ready to kick-start this year refreshed!

2016 was a whirlwind of a year. On top of everything that’s been happening in the world, I kept busy the latter half of the year working hard to create Coseena – today I am super excited to finally share it with you.

A few years ago I was chatting with my husband about what would actually help our friends cook more often. I was getting into a lot of conversations with them about how they never found the time to cook, yet alone shop, and often opted out in favor of take out. As much as I love cooking, I agreed with them, confirming that dinner, especially after a long days’ worth of work can be hassle unless you have the right tools, a stocked pantry, and tasty ingredients in your refrigerator, ready for every night.  

I started recording the recipes I made every week and noticed, that even though I gather and use different ingredients, I made a very similar set of recipes every week. These are more often than not, super simple and fast! I thought, if I shared this way of cooking with my friends, I could help them cook more often and eat better while enjoying the process – making dinner a daily ritual.

After several months of polishing the recipes, photographing them, and writing down all the tips and tricks I learned over the years, I created a guidebook I’m very proud of and I think you’re going to love it!

 So what the heck is Coseena?

Think of it as a how-to guidebook for winning at dinner.

Filled with tasty recipes and all the essential tools to cook better, Coseena is a new way to dinner. All of the recipes in Coseena celebrate vegetables, and sometimes they will be paired with eggs, chicken, or fish.  We will use lots of spices to make them delicious and unique. The recipes are easy to follow and made in under an hour. Easy, right?!

Coseena is broken down into two parts. In the first part, we will build a kick-ass pantry and polish basic cooking techniques, like how to cook perfect whole-grain rice and quinoa. The second part contains five weeks of recipes, each week with an easy to follow shopping list – shop once, cook five tasty dinners!

Coseena is available to pre-order on the site and will ship in just a few weeks. You can get it in three formats – as a limited edition print, a digital PDF or iBook. Snatch your copy today and let’s start cooking dinner together! (The limited edition print will come with some extra special goodies!)

I hope you are as excited as much as I am!

[tastyplan]

Radicchio & Roasted Beet Salad

It's pouring ice cold rain outside, the oven sizzling hot. I am working on something over by the sofa, wrapped in a blanket, wishing it were summer. Luca is close enough I feel his thick fur with the tips of my toes. It finally feels like winter.

Big, fat beets are giving into the heat, slowly cooking away until their flesh becomes tender and sweet. Over by the sink, fennel is pickling in apple cider vinegar. Today, there is no rush to get dinner on the table. I am letting things take all the time they need, making sure each minute tastes well spent.

My fingernails turn bright magenta as I peel the skin off each beet. I steal a few bites before folding the rest into a bowl of freshly sliced, zippy radicchio.

Beets have to be the earthiness of all winter vegetables, and paradoxically also the sweetest.

This feels good. Different from the ins and outs of every day. If I could I would make these instants last forever. Once ready, I take another bite, this time it is bright and tangy, a little bit sweet and a little bit bitter.

 Radicchio & Roasted Beet Salad

This gorgeous beet and radicchio salad is great for entertaining during the Holidays. Double or triple the recipe to feed a crowd effortlessly. 

Serves 3-4

Cook time 75 minutes

 Ingredients

4-6 small to medium beets

1 fennel bulb, plus fronds to garnish

3 teaspoon apple cider vinegar, divided

2 tablespoon olive oil, divided

1 whole radicchio

1 big handful sunflower sprouts

¼ cup shelled pistachios

juice ½ lemon

1 teaspoon za’atar, divided

sea or kosher salt

Process

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Individually wrap clean beets in aluminum foil. Roast for 60 minutes.

As the beets roast, prepare fennel, radicchio, and dressing.

Using either a mandolin or a very sharp knife, cut fennel into thin slices. Aim for 1/8” to 1/16” thickness.

Place into a large bowl. Add 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar, 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and a pinch of salt. Toss until evenly incorporated. Then let marinate in dressing for at least 15 minutes.

Cut radicchio in half. Remove core, then cut into quarters. Cut each quarter into thin ribbons.

Whisk together juice of half a lemon, za’atar, 1 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar, and 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Whisk until well incorporated.

Once beets are ready, remove from the oven. Once cool, peel skin off.  Cut into quarters.  

In a large bowl, mix radicchio, cooked beets, and fennel. Add a generous pinch of salt, then toss in dressing until well incorporated.

Add chopped shelled pistachios, sunflower sprouts, and a handful of fennel fronds. 

You should serve immediately, but it holds well at room temperature and for up to a day.

[tastyplan]

The Amazing Whole Roasted Cauliflower with Chimichurri & Tahini

Let’s throw a party, a real party. One studded with vibrant food and lots of wine. One that starts with laughter and ends with dancing. Let’s celebrate what we got right now, and be thankful for it. Not because somebody told us to, but because we really mean it. Detached from what's outside we can to focus on what's inside the four walls we call home. I am not talking about politics, for a change. I am talking about everything else.  In this space we can devour food with absolute joy, unafraid of what's to come tomorrow or what happened yesterday. With a few hours to spare away from our laptops and phones we can talk about our dreams. We can cheer to the right now, a celebration of each other, and our friendships.

At the center of this party hails a dish that will put everybody in the right mood. One that is festive, vibrant, and delicious. One that it unexpected, and very much deserving of your love. I am talking about The Amazing Whole Roasted Cauliflower. Doused in two of my favorite sauces, Chimichurri and Tahini, this is cauliflower is big, bold, and begging to be admired by all.

Sprinkled with a confetti of seeds, nuts and herbs, this dish brings life and color into your dinner table. Oozing with flavor, each bite is addictive and scrumptious. The combination of spicy, tangy chimichurri, and creamy, nutty tahini is a match made in heaven few things in life can to.

  If you want enjoy your Thanksgiving, this is a great alternative to turkey that will take less than an hour to make. With a simple two step cooking process, the whole head is first cooked in boiling water, the roasted until crispy golden, before being immediately served with a two delicious dressings you will forever .

 The Amazing Whole Roasted Cauliflower with Chimichurri and Tahini

Serves 4-6

 For the Chimichurri

Makes about a cup

1 large bunch cilantro (about 3 cups chopped)

2 cloves garlic

¼ tsp. chili flakes

¼ cup apple cider vinegar

½ cup olive oil

½ tsp. sea salt

Place cilantro and garlic in food processor. Pulse several times until well chopped. Transfer to a separate bowl or jar.

Add chili flakes, apple cider vinegar, olive oil, and sea salt.

Stir until well incorporated. You can make up to a day in advance!

 For the Cauliflower

1 whole cauliflower

kosher salt

2 tbsp. olive oil

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Wash cauliflower then trim any exterior leaves.

Find a pot that is large enough to fit a whole head of cauliflower. Fill it with 4-6 inches of fresh water. Over high heat, bring to a boil.

Place cauliflower into boiling water. Cook for five minutes.

Remove from pot and place in a baking sheet.

Using a sharp knife make an 2” deep cut cross across the center of the cauliflower.

Place in the oven and cook for 30 minutes, or until golden around the edges.

Remove from heat.

  To Garnish

1-2 tbsp. tahini

¼ cup chopped shelled pistachios

1 tbsp. black sesame seeds

1 handful fresh chives

1 handful fresh cilantro

Add a heavy drizzle of the Chimichurri over the Cauliflower.

Drizzle the tahini over the Chimichuri, then sprinkle with pistachios, sesame seeds, chives, and cilantro.

Serve immediately.

Happy cooking!

[tastyplan]

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Ginger and Lemon

I wish I had a magical wand that would tell me I have gotten too used to something. With a quick tap I would get unstuck from whatever I have gotten comfortable with - unwind myself from the routines that make each day pass by as if played on a recorder. This magical wand would tell me when I need to try a new workout, go to a different bar, or use something other than za'atar to season vegetables with. It is too easy to get stuck in our ways to stay within the boundaries of our comfort zone. I certainty stick, that's why I got so excited about Meike Peter's cookbook "Eat in my kitchen". 

I treasure cookbooks as a teenage girl treasures magazines, or I guess these days more like their Instagram feeds. Obsessed. You can imagine how giddy I am during this time of year, when all the cookbooks get simultaneously released. This year, there is Anthony's, Molly's, Amanda and Merrill's, Andrew's, and Jessica’s. 

I dig through each page looking for inspiration, examining each photograph meticulously, then wonder how long each frame took to perfect. I imagine how the author cooks when they are not writing a recipe down, free from the constraints of measurements and steps.

The funny thing though is; I rarely ever cook from cookbooks. Plenty of cooks and chefs talk about how cookbooks are solely for finding inspiration. But sometimes, as I recently discovered, there is so much freedom in simply finding a recipe and following each step as prescribed. No flares, no playful adaptations: just follow all the way through, free of decision making and fully guided by somebody else’s voice. It is only then that you can taste the world through somebody else's perspective. 

If you haven’t, I really suggest you do for a change to mold out of your ways.

I met Meike, a truly talented blogger and author that hails from Germany, but cooks with the flare of a Maltese goddess, last week. I didn't get to really know her until I cooked a recipe from her book. During the launch of her book at Maman, she talked about how important it was for her to keep each recipe simple, always showcasing her favorite ingredients: lemon, ginger, and salt. Immediately after the event, I dug briefly through the recipes on the subway ride home. While some recipes jumped out as excited and robust, I settled on the simplest of them all: Roasted brussels sprouts with ginger and lemon.

When roasting vegetables, I always turn to a sprinkle of sea salt, za’atar, and olive oil. Mike’s recipe relies on fresh lemon zest, lemon juice, and grated ginger. I have never roasted with either. With heat, these two robust, tangy ingredients mellow down, while staying fresh and tart. I associate roasted vegetables, especially brussels sprouts with hearty, earthy flavors. These, on the other hand are light, bright, and surprisingly original. More than a winter dish, it felt refreshingly summery: casual and light. As Meike recommends, this side dish is perfect for the Holidays, but don’t save it just for that, it is perfect for any which day, for lunch or dinner. 

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Ginger and Lemon

Serves 2-4

Cooking time 30 minutes

Ingredients

1 ½ lb. brussels sprouts

1/3 cup olive oil

2 tbsp. freshly grated lemon zest (from 2 lemons)

2 tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice (from 1 juicy lemon), plus half a lemon for garnish

1 ½ tablespoon freshly grated ginger

sea salt to taste

 Process

Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit

Trim ends of each brussels sprout, then cut in half. Discard the ends, and place halves in a bowl.

In another bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, and ginger.

Drizzle mixture onto brussels sprouts and with clean hands, toss until evenly incorporated.

Sprinkle a heavy pinch of salt, and toss again.

Transfer to a baking sheet, and roast, tossing every five minutes, for twenty minutes. Sprouts are ready wen golden and crispy on the edges.

Serve hot with a sprinkle of salt and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. 

[tastyplan]

Apple Butter & Cinnamon Bread

My upstairs neighbors brought us a giant bag of freshly picked, upstate apples: gala, mackintosh, pink ladies, and big crisp, golden delicious. When opening the bag, the crisp aroma of fall filled up the room like a cloud, taking me back to my undergrad years in Ithaca. The air, dry, the temperature low,  and the mood angsty. I wish I could remember more about those days, but my memory is clouded by all-nighters, Red Bull, and super-glue fumes, when my diet consisted of lettuce and rice cakes. The ins and outs of each day seem vague and repetitive -wake up, go to a couple classes, then glue my ass to the studio stool until enough work was produced.  

For the quick jolt of energy they provided, amplified by the gallons of green tea, I quickly fell for the tart-sweet crunch of apples. I must have eaten at least a couple a day. I was obsessed. The few apples that made their way to Puerto Rico were far from tasty: the skin dry, the flesh gritty and flavorless. Lucky for me, the apples I had now access to at the campus cafeteria were fresh and as sweet (an addcitive) as candy.

Food has a funny way of reminding you of specific times in your life. I will forever associate my obsessive apple eating to college. Almost as if I didn't want to go back to those days, I can't bring myself to diving me teeth into raw apples as much as I used to back then. It's not that my love for apples has dissipated, but I am more curious about the unexplored, undiscovered potential flavors that might forge new memories.

This is the kind of recipe I want to remember my 30’s for.  One that celebrates effort and complexity only time can develop. I am not in it for the quick jolt of energy, but rather the complexity of flavors; the shit that makes hard work worthwhile.

Today I am sharing two delicious recipes that celebrate just that: slow cooked apple butter and a scrumptious Apple Butter Cinnamon Bread.

I had just bought a jar in the farmer’s market a few weeks back. It tasted like sugar and I wanted to try making a more interesting, less sweet, apple butter that I could use to top toast and more importantly, bake with.

While baking with apples, or apple sauce for that matter, is great, apple butter adds the kind of flavor complexity only time can achieve.

In this recipe, apple butter serves as a base to a batter of ground oats and almond flour, that is perfumed with cinnamon, vanilla, and maple syrup, this cake .  Once baked, this bread is then drizzled with a glaze of maple sugar, tahini, and cinnamon. A light sprinkling of pistachios and sesame seeds adds crunch. Crumbly, light, and delicate, this bread is a tasty treat that is best when eaten warm with either a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a giant mug of piping hot tea. Eat it for breakfast, as a snack, or for dessert, as for this recipe is the kind that gives you courage to get out of bed and into the day. As for the apple butter, it is delicious all to itself. Stir it into oatmeal, spread it over toast, or whisk it into yogurt and savor fall.

Apple Butter

Cook time 2 ½ hours

Makes 3-4 Cups

Ingredients

10-12 apple

1 cup water

1 cup apple cider vinegar

1 tbsp. cinnamon

1 tbsp. vanilla extract

maple syrup to taste

Process

Wash apples, then cut into quarters.

Place apples in a large pot. Add water and apple cider vinegar. Cook for an hour, until

Transfers cooked apples and liquid into a food processor. Pulse until smooth.

Transfer back into pot. Add cinnamon, vanilla, and maple syrup. Cook over low heat for another 45 minutes, until golden brown and thick!

Remove from heat and let cool. Transfer into jars and store for up to four weeks, refrigerated.

Apple Butter & Cinnamon Bread

Cook time 60 minutes

Serves 8

Ingredients for the Bread

1 cup gluten-free rolled oats

1 cup apple butter (feel free to use homemade or store-bought, but make sure you adjust maple syrup based on you sweetness preference)

3 eggs

½ cup maple syrup

1 tbsp. vanilla extract

2 dates

¼ cup coconut oil

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 ½ cups almond flour

½ tsp. sea salt

1 tsp. baking soda

Ingredients for the Cinnamon & Tahini Glaze

2 tbsp. maple sugar

4 tsp. tahini

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 tbsp. water

¼ cup pistachios, to garnish

2 tbsp. sesame seeds, to garnish

Process

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease a loaf pan with 1 small coconut oil. Line with parchment paper. Set aside.

Place gluten-free oats in a food processor, pulse until fine. Transfer out of the food processor and into a bowl. 

Add apple butter, eggs, maple syrup, vanilla, coconut oil, and cinnamon to a blender. Pulse until smooth and well incorporated.

Add oats, almond flour, salt, and baking soda into the wet ingredients and pulse until well incorporated.

Pour batter into greased pan. Bake for 40 minutes. Test for doneness by inserting a sharp knife into the center of the bread. Bread is ready if knife comes out clean. 

Once ready, remove from oven and let cool completely before transferring out.

As bread cools, prepare glaze my whisking together maple sugar, tahini, cinnamon and water in a small bowl.

Once bread cools, drizzle glaze, then sprinkle sesame seeds and pistachios. 

Serve warm or at room temperature.

[tastyplan]

Delicata Squash, Brussels Sprouts & Shiso Dressing

I found these beautiful shiso leaves at the farmer’s market. Big, spiky, shiny, deep green. I grabbed a bunch and took a big whiff and a tiny bite. Aromatic, bright, slightly sweet. An initial hint of anise, grew bolder within seconds. That was good, unique, and incomparable to anything I have tasted before. I can’t remember the last time I tasted something foreign, almost exotic, and immediately falling head-over-heels for it.  Open a closer look, I realized that these deep green leaves weren’t just green, but also hued in a gorgeous, rich purple. Each leaf was double sided and striking. Two completely different things, yet part of the same. I wanted to turn it into something that could stand up to the complexity of these hauntingly beautiful, delicious shiso leaves.  

Succumbing to the changing seasons and the overabundance of winter squash, a roasted vegetable dish seemed fit. I settled on delicata squash, because in the words of Heidi Swanson, it “is the lazy cook's winter squash”. Unlike butternut, kabocha, or spaghetti squash, delicata is easy to cut into and roasts perfectly within a half hour. Its thin skin and small size makes it my favorite of all winter squashes to work with. Its mild flavors are elevated when cooked, making it a somewhat sweet, somewhat nutty counterpart to the herbaceous aroma of the shiso leaves.

As I walked home from the farmers, I envisioned the dish. Brussels sprouts seemed like an obvious addition. The stapling of sweet squash, grassy brussel sprouts, and shisho was quickly making this dish a robust and autumnal one. The missing link here was the dressing.

I wanted to celebrate the aromatic, almost pungent flavor of the raw shiso leaves. In cooking vegetables, I have learned that sauces, especially those make with vibrant herbs and vegetables, are a great way of quickly saturating a dish with flavor. Combined with a few spices, vegetable sauces, unlike the traditional ones made with broths and butter, are bold, bright, and alive. This was how I was going to make shiso the center piece of the dish, and individualize this recipe from any other roasted vegetable dish I have made before. Soy sauce, ginger, vinegar, and miso exalt the flavors of shiso, making this an addictive, umami-rich dressing: a great counterpart to the sweet flavors of the roasted vegetables.

I like this dish. I love this dressing. I am happy to have found shiso.

Delicata Squash, Brussels Sprouts & Shiso Dressing

Serves 2

Cooking Time: 35-40 minutes

Vegetables

15-20 brussels sprouts

1 drizzle olive oil

1 generous pinch of salt

1 tbsp. sesame seeds

sunflower sprouts or micro greens of choice

 Dressing

1 bunch shiso leaves – about 3 big handfuls (alternatively use an equal mix of half leave parsley and basil)

juice ½ lemon

2 tbsp. tamari or soy sauce

2 tbsp. olive oil

2 tbps. apple cider vinegar

1 tbsp. miso paste

1 tsp. grated fresh ginger

1/3 cup water

 Process

(1) Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. 

(2) Wash squash then pat dry. Cut squash in half, lengthwise. Using a spoon, scoop out the seeds. UNlikeed A when r, and tender texture roasts within half an hour.and it there. a otic, and immediatly y.vering my tongwrouts andLay the squash down on its flat side and cut into thin, half-moon slices.

(3) To clean brussel sprouts, cut the bottom stem, peel away any brown leaves, and cut into halves.

(4) Place cut squash and brussels sprouts in a baking sheet. Add a drizzle of olive oil and a generous pinch of salt. With clean hands toss until everything is evenly coated.

 (5) Roast for 25-30 minutes. Vegetables are ready when tender, golden, and slightly crisp of the edges.

 (6) As the vegetables roast, prepare the dressing. Saving a few of the smaller shiso leaves for garnish, wash shiso leaves and pat dry. Transfer to a food processor, with the rest of the dressing ingredients. Pulse until evenly incorporated. Set aside until ready to use.

(7) Once vegetables come out of the oven, transfer to serving bowl add dressing and toss. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and sprouts, then serve hot or at room temperature.  

[tastyplan]

Quick Pickled Cauliflower & Fennel Salad with Gotham Greens and Chimichurri

A pinch wouldn’t wake me up from this half-dream, half-fantasy I have been living in for the past week. For the first time in my life, I put on a chef’s apron and publicly cooked as Tasty Plan. While I had been producing this event for the past month and a half, it was never in the works for me to cook. I was meant to orchestrate the event from behind the scenes, ensure along a team of wonderful colleagues, that everything would run smoothly by ensuring glasses were always full and plates cleared. I was supposed to just shake hands and smile; tell the story of how a design company got into curating events like this one atop the Gotham Greens greenhouse. With shaking knees and a nerves as tangible as those I felt before getting married, I took a shot of tequila and put a smile on my face. I rolled up my sleeves and started entertaining as if it came naturally. I thought I was prepared, I had worked my ass off leading to the event. Like a mad scientist I carefully prepared everything, divided into labelled containers. Nonetheless, nothing could have helped me predicts the nerves, the adrenaline, and the the reactions in everybody’s faces. How did this unknown blogger, get to cook with some amazing chefs? 

That night I got share everything I believe in with100 people, and now I get to share it with you.  

This salad is a celebration of my favorite things: sustainably produced, locally sourced vegetables, bold flavors, and community. These practices and beliefs are embodied a salad you want to throw a party for. It is colorful, vibrant, and addictive (and yes, it pairs wonderfully with a glass of Gruner, if you are into that). I like to talk about it as a roots to leaves salad: velvety smooth, beet hummus serves as a base to a tangy salad of tender Gotham Greens and quick pickled vegetables. Drizzled with Chimichurri and topped with sprouts, cilantro, and seeds, this salad is a bright contrast of colors and complimentary flavors. The textures and flavor are meant to be layered. Every component works together, to make a unique, vibrant dish that is hard to forget. Serve it with crackers, and you are in for a treat that you will want to go back for seconds, thirds, and fourths. Promise. 

Even though this salad contains several components, they are all easy to make. Yes, they take some time and work, but all good things do. I hope you recreate this, share it with friends and call it the best Salad Party, ever!

Photos Credits to Jen Brister / Story & Gold 

Dreamy Beet Hummus

Makes 1 ½ - 2 cups

Cook time: 8-10 hours, mostly inactive

1 cup dried chickpeas

2 tsp. Baking soda, divided

2 tsp. Salt, divided

 2 medium sized beets

1 tbsp. olive oil

2 tbsp. Tahini

Juice of half a lemon

1 clove garlic

1 tbsp. Za'atar, plus more for plating

¼ - ½ cup ice cold water

 To Cook Chickpeas & Beets

(1)  Place chickpeas in a large pot with enough water to cover by 2-3”.

(2)  Add a teaspoon of baking soda, and let the chickpeas soak for 8-10 hours.

(3)  After 8-10 hours, drain the chickpeas through a sieve and rinse.

(4)  Add back into the pot with a teaspoon of baking soda and 1 tsp. salt. Add enough water to cover chickpeas by 2-3”.

(5)  Bring water to a boil, then reduce to medium heat and cook for 45-60 minutes. Chickpeas are ready when they just start to fall apart. Taste them as they cook.

(6)  Once ready, drain, rinse, and set aside. You can do this ahead of time, and refrigerate until ready to prepare hummus. Set aside until ready to use.

(7)  As the chickpeas cook, roast the beets: Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Wash each beet, then pat dry. Wrap each beet in aluminum foil. Bake for 60 minutes.

(8)  Remove beets from the oven and let cool. Once ready peel off skin (should come off easy, and cut into quarters.

 To Make Hummus

(1)  Place cooked chickpeas, cooked, roasted beets, 1 tsp. salt, olive oil, tahini, lemon juice, garlic, and za’atar in a food processor. Pulse until smooth.

(2)  Slowly add ¼ - ½ cup ice cold water through the food processor’s chute while you continue to pulse the hummus. The amount of water you add depends on the texture you prefer, I prefer adding just enough water for a smooth, but not too runny. Add water and taste until you achieve desired consistency.Play with it.

(3)  Set aside until ready to serve.

 Chimichurri

Cook time: 10 minutes

Makes about a cup

 1 large bunch cilantro (about 3 cups chopped)

2 cloves garlic

¼ tsp. chili flakes

¼ cup apple cider vinegar

½ cup olive oil

½ tsp. sea salt

(1)  Place cilantro and garlic in food processor. Pulse several times until well chopped.

(2)  Transfer to a jar. Add chili flakes, apple cider vinegar, olive oil, and sea salt.

(3)  Refrigerate until ready to use.

 Quick Pickled Cauliflower & Fennel Salad with Gotham Greens and Chimichurri

Cook time: 20-25 minutes

Serves 4

1 small fennel bulb

 ½ cauliflower head

¼ cup apple cider vinegar

juice half a lemon

1 pinch of salt

1 tbsp. capers

3-4 tbsp. olive oil, divided

1 big handfuls Gotham Greens Arugula

 2 big handfuls Gotham Greens Queens Crisp

Za’atar to taste

Handful cilantro

Handful pumpkin or sunflower seeds

 (1)  Using either a mandolin or a very sharp knife, cut fennel and cauliflower into very thin slices. Aim for 1/8” to 1/16” cuts.

(2)  Place vegetable slices into a large bowl. Add apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, salt, capers, and olive oil. Toss until evenly incorporated. Let sit for at least 15 minutes.

(3)  Place Gotham Greens in a large bowl. Add a pinch of salt and a drizzle of olive oil. Toss until evenly incorporated.

(4)  Add pickled vegetables and toss again. Taste for seasoning, and add more salt or olive oil if needed.

(5)  To plate, scoop hummus onto the bottom of a large bowl. Add a dash of za’atar, salt, and a drizzle of olive oil.

(6)  Scoop salad directly over the hummus. Drizzle a couple spoonful’s of chimichurri over the salad, then sprinkle with seeds, and cilantro. Serve immediately with crackers.

[tastyplan]

Fall Cabbage Salad with Plum and Avocado

Summer puts a spell on New Yorkers. Everybody comes out of their shell, transforming into the most social, adventurous, joyful version of themselves. Parties get planned, barbecues become the only way to spend Saturday afternoons (unless of course you decide to take a hike upstate, sail through the caribbean, eat at one of the world’s best restaurants siting next to Rene Redzepi, or drive out to the middle of the desert to party with 75,000 people, sigh!). 

Summer is good. Summer is what we live for.

Eventually people start coming back into themselves after Labor Day. With a little bit of nostalgia for the summer, and a desire to turn back inwards, the streets slowly start to become quieter. And for those early Fall nights, when we haven’t yet fully transitioned, there salads like this that remind us of the sweltering heat and the boozy afternoons that make up for winter. 

Dressed in a tangy, spicy, and earthy combination of lemon, cumin, and thai chili, thin ribbons of cabbage get transformed into a decadent, crunchy salad. Studded with yellow wax beans, sweet plums, and creamy avocados, this salad is equal parts summer and Fall. The complex combination of crunchy, creamy, and sweet allow for a complex explosion of decadent flavors. 

Fall Cabbage Salad with Plum and Avocado

Serves: 2

Cook Time: 15 minutes

To make the Spicy Cumin Dressing

 Ingredients

1 Thai chili

1 tsp. cumin powder

juice of 1 lemon

1 tbsp. olive oil

kosher salt to taste

 Process

(1)  Wash and thinly slice once Thai chili.

(2)  Place chili in a bowl with cumin powder, lemon juice, olive oil and salt.

(3)  Wish until well incorporated.

 To make assemble the salad 

Ingredients

3 baby  sweet cabbages, or ½ cabbage

Spicy Cumin Dressing

¼ lb. yellow wax beans

½ avocado

1 plum

1/8 cup

handful fresh cilantro

kosher salt

 Process

(1)  Wash cabbage, remove outer leaves, and cut off stem.

(2)  Using a sharp knife, slice cabbage into very thin ribbons.

(3)  Place cabbage in a bowl with dressing. Add a heavy pinch of salt and toss until cabbage is fully coated in the dressing.

(4)  As the cabbage marinades, wash wax beans, then remove stems.

(5)  Place a large pot of with 4 inches of water over high heat.

(6)  Bring to a boil. Add a pinch of salt, then add wax beans. Cook for three to five minutes. Then quickly remove beans and rinse under very cold water.

(7)  Add cooked and cooled wax beans to the cabbage.

(8)  Using clean hands, toss beans into cabbage.

(9)  Thinly slice plum and avocado, then place over cabbage.

(10) Sprinkle sunflower seeds and cilantro over salad, add a pinch of finishing sea salt, and serve.

(11) This salad refrigerates well for a couple of hours in a air tight container. 

Enjoy!

[tastyplan]

Dreamy Hummus on Toast

I have a confession to make: I have been making hummus wrong my entire life. Maybe it is more like, I never really knew how to make really good hummus well.

Phewph. There. I said it.

In essence, I was close - chickpeas, tahini, olive oil, salt - but once I realized how much better hummus could be, I began to obsess over the details. As if making up for lost time, I tested the recipe quite a few times, looking for perfect technique and the perfect ratio to achieve the creamiest, dreamiest of all hummuses (is that a word?). All this fussing got me to concluding that: (1) dried chickpeas are way, way better than canned, duh! (2) you need more tahini than you need olive oil, (3) ice cold water is your best friend, (4) good things take time. There are no shortcuts, no hacks, just patience (and a good food processor).

 Dried chickpeas are way, way better:

I always used canned chickpeas because I was intimidated by the process and extra time. While you can achieve good hummus with canned chickpeas, being able to control the texture is key for it to be extra creamy and smooth. To get the right texture it is important to first soak the dried beans in water and baking soda, then cook them until they are so tender they start to fall apart. The softer, the creamier.

 Tahini over olive oil

Tahini is already a very creamy source of fat. Tahini also adds a lot of flavor. Hummus without olive oil can still be hummus, but you cannot work that logic the other way around.

 Ice Cold

I cannot explain this one because I am neither a chemist, nor a physicist, but slowly adding cold water into the hummus as it is being puréed works like magic. The tahini just opens up and the chickpeas release, giving in to the blades of the food processor. I guess the best analogy I can think of is the trick bartenders use to open up a very boozy spirit. An ice cube opens up the flavor in a way that makes it more flavorful and smoother. It just works, so take my word for it.

 Time makes perfect

In this digital era we are all looking for hacks, but the longer I spend cooking, the more I discover time is the most important of all ingredients. In this case, properly soaking (at least 8 hours) and thoroughly cooking (45-60 minutes) is the only way to transform hard beans into creamy-smooth hummus.

Now that you know how to make the best hummus, serve it on top of toast with a little bit of avocado, and feast.

 Dreamy Hummus

Makes 1 ½ - 2 cups

Cook time 8-10 hours

1 cup dried chickpeas

2 tsp. Baking soda

2 tsp. Salt, divided

1 tbsp. olive oil

2 tbsp. Tahini

Juice of half a lemon

1 clove garlic

1 tbsp. Za'atar, plus more for plating

1/4 - 1/2 cup ice cold water

To Cook Chickpeas

(1)  Place chickpeas in a large pot with enough water to cover by 2-3”.

(2)  Add a teaspoon of baking soda, and let the chickpeas soak for 8-10 hours.

(3)  After 8-10 hours, drain the chickpeas through a sieve and rinse.

(4)  Add back into the pot with a teaspoon of baking soda and 1 tsp. salt. Add enough water to cover chickpeas by 2-3”.

(5)  Bring water to a boil, then reduce to medium heat and cook for 45-60 minutes. Chickpeas are ready when they just start to fall apart. Taste them as you cook.

(6)  Once ready, drain, rinse, and set aside. You can do this ahead of time, and refrigerate until ready to prepare hummus.

To Make Hummus

(1)  Place drained, cooked, chickpeas, 1 tsp. salt, olive oil, tahini, lemon juice, garlic, and za’atar in a food processor.

(2)  Pulse until smooth.

(3)  Slowly add ¼ - ½ cup ice cold water through the food chute while you continue to pulse the hummus. The amount of water you add depends on the texture you prefer, I prefer adding just enough water for a smooth, but not too smooth hummus, but play with it.

(4)  To serve, scoop hummus into a shallow plate. Serve with a good drizzle of olive oil, a pinch of za’atar, and some pistachios. Alternatively store in an air tight container.

To serve over toast

1-2 tbsp. hummus

¼- ½ avocado

handful of pistachios

herbs or microgreens of choice

tahini to taste, i am using black tahini on this toast

(1)  Toast bread until crispy.

(2)  Scoop a good tablespoon of hummus onto toasted bread.

(3)  Top with sliced avocado, herbs, chopped pistachios, and tahini.  

(4)  Devour immediately.

[tastyplan]

Charred Broccolini Salad with Vegan Curry Aioli

We went to a bar to wait for a table at a nearby, trendy pizza joint, you know, typical New York stuff. Our wait was an estimated 120 minutes, you know, typical New York wait times. We had one cocktail, then two. It must have been 90 minutes when hunger kicked in. The wait was dragging out. We collectively decided to screw the restaurant and eat and the bar. We ordered some small plates, and waited patiently. Then, the cauliflower arrived: deep fried, scalding hot, salty, with a spicy, citrusy, curry dipping sauce. With a lase focus that immediately forgot anything and everything else we ordered, we scarfed the cauliflower down and immediately ordered it again. It was that good, and two weeks later,  I am still thinking about it.

This adaptation is ridiculously good. Though neither cauliflower, not fired, this fire roasted broccolini is as flavorful, crispy, salty, and delicious. Drenched in a super tangy, citrusy dressing, this salad is balances, hearty, and light. The lemon, miso, and curry combination cuts through the smoke, making each bite both smoky, aromatic, earthy, and light. This is good by itself, or as a side dish to anything summery.

Vegan Curry-Lemon Aioli

Serves 2

Cook time: 15-20 minutes

 Ingredients

1 tbsp. miso paste

juice of 1 lemon

½ tbsp. curry powder

1 tbsp. olive oil

 Process

Place all ingredients in a small bowl. Whisk until well incorporated. Set aside until ready to use.

 Charred Broccolini Salad

 Ingredients 

1 handful fresh string beans, about 15-20

About half a pound broccolini

1 heavy drizzle olive oil

1 pinch sea salt

1 handful shelled pistachios

A few sprigs fresh chives

¼ sunflower shoots or your favorite micro greens 

Process

Bring your grill to high heat. You can use indoor, charcoal, or gas.

Rinse and dry both broccolini and string beans.

Slice string beans diagonally into three or four pieces per bean. This should give you inch long pieces.

Place broccolini and string beans onto a large bowl. Pour a heave drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt. With clean hands, toss to evenly coat vegetables.  

Place vegetables over grill. Cook, turning once for five to seven minutes. You are looking for them to turn bright green and start to char on the edges.

Remove from grill.

Place in serving plate.

Chop pistachios into rough pieces, then cut chives using scissors. Sprinkle over vegetables. Add sunflower shoots and Vegan Curry-Lemon Aioli. 

Serve immediately.

[tastyplan]

Peaches and Cream Vegan Ice Cream

I have a million ice cream recipes on this blog. I keep going back to it because there are so many different possible variations. It, obviously, happens to be my favorite dessert. No matter the season, no matter the mood, ice cream is the answer. I have these very vivid memories of eating ice cream throughout my life.

I remember whisking Nestle Quick into vanilla ice cream at my grandmother’s house, waiting for the ice cream to melt just enough so that the chocolate powder would mix perfectly through. I remember eating cinnamon ice cream over an apple crisp upon moving out of my house and into my dorm room. I remember the frozen yogurt walks on my way back to studio in the middle of the freezing Ithaca night. I remember the first horrible batches of homemade ice cream I made and the euphoria of finally figuring it out. If my choice in ice cream is a reflection of what I am currently loving in life, I must really be into peaches these days.

Life moves too fast, and most things take too long. The idea of taking things slow, letting things sit, roast, and then move when the time is right, is bizarre to most of us. We want our food, wine, and groceries delivered. We want our drivers to emerge with the click of a button, and Amazon to remember every purchase. We are impatient. But while convenient, we don't remember any of these interactions. What we remember is that that we dreamed about and what we worked for, the things that we failed at doing, the opportunities well let slip through the cracks. We remember the things we actually worked hard for. But for some reason, i still believe that the hardest thing is learning when to wait and when to move quickly; when to let things unfold and when to be agressive.

I always go back to cooking because I continues to prove an exquisite analogy to life. You can try to force things together or you can watch, listen, learn, then act. You can try to Frankenstein foods, or you can learn to understand that the best food is usually combination of multiple factors, and using ingredients when they are at their peak tends to give you the best of results.

A few days ago, we had too many peaches to eat, some were starting to wilt away in their own skin. Instead of gorging them raw, I decided to make them into an ice cream. The peaches were first roasted until they started to fall apart. Once cooled , I whipped them into a base of coconut ice cream, yogurt, dates and cinnamon. After a few hours in the refrigerator, the ingredients came to life as they churned away into a light, fluffy, soft ice cream. Every single step took some time, necessary for the pieces of the puzzle to fall together. At each stage, the ingredients mixed and the flavors fused into a sweet, refreshing dessert that is quintessentially summer and only right, at this exact second.

Peaches and Cream Vegan Ice Cream

Cooking time: About 8 hours, mostly inactive

Serves 6-8

*Notes: Before starting, freeze ice cream machine over night!

Ingredients

3 peaches

1 can 14oz. best quality light coconut milk

1 cup, best quality coconut yogurt, such as Anita’s Creamline Coconut Yogurt, alternatively, use really good full fat cow’s milk yogurt

¼ cup maple syrup

4 dates, pitted 

1 tsp. cinnamon

Process

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Cut peaches into quarters. Discard pits.

Place cut peaches on a baking sheet.

Bake for 25-30 minutes. Peaches are ready when caramelized and soft.

Remove cooked peaches from oven and let cool for 15 minutes.

Place coconut milk, yogurt, cooled roasted peaches, dates, maple syrup, and cinnamon in a high speed blender.

Pulse until evenly blended and well incorporated.

Refrigeratefor at least an hour, or four. The longer it cools the better it will freeze. 

Pour coconut mixture into pre-frozen ice cream machine. Turn on at the lowest speed and leave running for approximately 30 minutes. Once the mixture looks like a thick milk shake, remove and freeze in a sealed container until hardened, about 8 hours or overnight.

Let sit at room temperature for five minutes before serving.

[tastyplan]

Early Summer Asparagus Soup

I've been out. On hiatus. Taking a break from this. I am sorry if you missed me, but I needed it.

After five years of developing, photographing, and building stories around recipes, I had to take a break to evaluate which direction I wanted to take Tasty Plan in. Blogging is something I do because I love it. For the past year I have been itching to transform it into something else, something that is more impactful and relevant. During these past six weeks, I didn't get struck by lightning, become enlightened, or figure it all out, but what I do know is that I am more loyal than anything else, I don't know how to quit, and transitions are impossible without questioning every second.

So here we are, craving the snapping sound my camera makes between shots, running through markets in search of that new ingredient (hello, celtuce!), the smell of food cooking on lazy weekend afternoons, writing about asparagus in early summer, the quick thrill after posting a recipe, and the satisfaction of somebody making my food. All of this seems to have become a part of who I've become. I don't have all the answers yet, but I want to believe good things are coming.

If everything else fails, at least we’ve got soup.

 Early Summer Asparagus Soup

A sweet, smooth, and creamy asparagus soup served with beautiful chive flowers and sesame seeds. Sweetened with peas coconut milk, then seasoned with miso this soup is a celebration of early summer. If you are looking to make this a meal, serve with cooked quinoa, bread, soft boiled eggs, or avocado. 

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Serves 4-5

Ingredients

1 bunch asparagus

½ cup fresh or frozen sweet peas

2 cloves garlic

1 tbsp. miso paste

½ cup coconut milk

1 cup water

½ tsp. salt

2-3 chives, and chive flowers if available

1 tbsp. black sesame seeds

Let’s Cook

1.    Start off by preparing the asparagus.  Hold a spear with both hands near the bottom of the spear. Then bend until the bottom part snaps. Discard dried- out, woody ends. 

2.    Place 3-4 cups of water in a large pot.

3.    Bring to a boil.

4.    Add asparagus and cook for four to five minutes. Asparagus is ready once it turns bright green.

5.    Remove pot from from heat.

6.    Add peas and garlic to pot. Cook in hot water for a minute.

7.    Remove vegetables from the pot and transfer into a blender.

8.    Add miso paste, coconut milk, 1 cup of fresh water, and salt.

9.    Blend until smooth. Taste for seasoning, add more water, salt, or coconut milk as needed. Set aside. 

10. Thinly slice chives and flowers, if using.

11. Scoop a good cup into serving bowls. Sprinkle with chives, flowers, and sesame seeds.

12. Serve immediately. 

[tastyplan]

Flourless Chocolate Cake

Today, Tasty Plan turns five years old.

In the past, I have gone down memory lane as a way of memorializing the paths I have taken that led to here. I am not going to do that today. I am going to let the photographs and the recipe do all the work for me. I am going to have my cake and eat it too.

This cake is life changing, mainly because It is made with very few, unprocessed ingredients, it is naturally sweetened, and has no flour. Almond flour, eggs, dates, and cocoa powder come together in a moist, rich batter that is then topped with a coconut milk, chocolate frosting that is as creamy as the real thing and light as air. Because this is an anniversary cake, I splurged, and decorated it with edible gold leaf, blackberries, and sesame seeds. The combination of these makes for a delicious, super chocolatey cake that looks as good as it tastes.

Thanks for cooking and sharing these past half decade with me. It’s been fucking delicious!

  Flourless Chocolate Cake

Serves 8

Cook time 1 ½ hours

* frosting requires refrigerating a can of full fat coconut milk overnight! Prepare accordingly.

For the cake: 

•   2 tbsp. coconut oil, plus more for greasing pan 

•   1 cup almond flour

•   20 medjool dates, pitted

•   5 eggs, separated

•   juice and zest of one orange

•   1 tbsp. cinnamon

•   ¼ cup good quality cocoa powder

•   ½ tsp. baking soda

 (1)  Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

(2)  Cut parchment paper into a 10” diameter round piece. Add about a teaspoon of coconut oil onto pan to and evenly distribute using a paper or kitchen towel. Place parchment into baking sheet and set aside.

(3)  Separate egg yolks from egg whites. Set aside until ready to use.

(4)  Place almond flour, pitted medjool dates, egg yolks, juice and zest of one orange, and coconut oil. Pulse slowly until everything comes together.

(5)  Place egg whites in a stand mixer with the whip attachment. Whip for about 5 minutes, until hard peaks form. 

(6)  Gently fold batter, cinnamon, cocoa powder, and baking soda into egg whites using a rubber spatula. You want the everything to be evenly distributed.

(7)  Transfer into baking sheet. 

(8)  Bake for 40-45 minutes.

(9)  Cake is ready when firm and golden on top. To test, insert a toothpick, or a knife, into the center of the cake If it comes out clean, the cake is done! Otherwise bake for five minutes at a time, until desired consistency is achieved. 

(10)  Remove from oven and let cool completely.

 For the Frosting:

•   1 can coconut milk, refrigerated for 24 hours

•   1 tbsp. maple syrup

•   ¼ cup cacao powder

 (1)  Open refrigerated can of coconut milk. Refrigeration allows the thick part to separate from the water, creating a thicker base for the frosting.

(2)  Without shaking the can, scoop the thicker, fattier part of the coconut milk into a stand mixer. Reserve the coconut water for smoothies, curries, or soup!

(3)  Using the whip attachment, whip coconut milk until stiff peaks form.

(4)  Add maple syrup and coconut powder, whisk until well incorporated.

(5)  Depending on your taste, you can add powdered sugar, but no more maple syrup. (I prefer a less sweet frosting on this cake, but you should make frosting to your liking.)

 To Garnish:

•   edible gold leaf

•   5-6 blackberries

•   1 tsp. black sesame seeds

 (1)  Let cake cooll completely before frosting, then transfer onto a serving plate before garnishing!

(2)  Once ready, spread frosting over the top of a cake using a spoon.

(3)  Slice blackberries in half and scatter them over the frosting.

(4)  Sprinkle sesame seeds and edible gold leaf.

(5)  Serve immediately, or cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve.

(6)  Keeps for up to 5 days in the refrigerator.