Soda bread

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Soda bread is quick, versatile, and easy to make, involves no kneading and no worries about whether your dough will rise because of the yeast. This version trades the traditional wheat for gluten free flours and produces a chewy crust and a light, lightly sweet crumb. Shown here as a roasted tofu sandwich with spring mix and kale.

Ingredients

1 cup brown rice flour
3/4 cup cornstarch
3/4 cup tapioca flour
1T masa harina flour
1T coconut sugar
1T milled flax seed
1t baking powder
1/4t baking soda
Coarse sea salt to taste
1 cup soy milk
1T balsamic vinegar

Optional: Glaze with 1T unsweetened soy milk for a browner crust. Raisins are a common addition. This version uses no oil, but 1T cooking oil with the liquids will yield a flakier crust. Replace the balsamic vinegar with white vinegar if you prefer.

Method

Mix together the dry ingredients. Mix the wet. Mix the dry with the wet until a stable dough forms, form into a ball, but don’t knead. Preheat the oven to 450F (or the highest temperature to which your baking paper is rated). Let the dough rest while the oven warms up.

When the oven is ready, add the dough to the baking sheet lined with baking paper, press down slightly, and cut the top of the loaf with a large cross (or similar design). Bake for 25 – 35 minutes, or until the bread is lightly browned. Ovens vary; use the colour and texture of the bread as a guide. Remove from heat. Cover with a clean tea towel while the bread cools. Slice and serve.

For a more traditional version, replace everything up to and including the flax seed with 2 – 2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour. Start with 2 cups and add more flour as necessary. Replace the baking powder and soda with 1t baking soda. Replace the 1T balsamic vinegar with 1/2T balsamic and 1T unpasteurized sauerkraut vinegar if you have it. Adjust the baking time accordingly.

Single-serve banana walnut breakfast cake

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A lightly sweet, airy breakfast cake with no added oil, sugar, gluten, or salt.

Ingredients

3T sweet sorghum flour
1T brown rice flour
1/2T cornstarch
1/2T tapioca flour
1//4t heaping baking powder
1 medium, very ripe banana (about 3/4 cup)
1/2t pure vanilla extract
2T unsweetened soy milk
1T chopped walnuts, 1t reserved for garnish
1t milled flax seed
Stevia to taste

Optional: Use shelled sunflower seeds in place of walnuts. You can use a tablespoons or so coconut sugar in place of the stevia but adjust the baking time accordingly. You can use other plant milks, but this will also affect the crumb and bake time.

Method

Mix the flours, cornstarch and baking powder. Puree the banana, vanilla, and walnuts until relatively smooth. Add the soy milk to the banana and puree.

Whisk the wet with the dry to form a smooth batter. Add the flax seed and stir to combine. Sweeten to taste with the stevia (it should be sweet to the taste). Pour the batter into a ramekin. Let rest while you preheat the oven to 450F.

When the oven is ready, bake for 15 minutes on the middle rack at 450F. Sprinkle with reserved walnuts, reduce heat to 350F, and bake another 15 – 20 minutes or so. Ovens vary; use a toothpick to determine when the cake is done.

Remove from heat. Cover with a clean tea towel and let cool. When cool, run a knife around the edge of the cake to loosen and carefully remove from the ramekin. Enjoy fresh or wrap in plastic wrap to enjoy later.

Sweet, smoky tempeh steamed buns with creamy red miso-cashew dressing and spring mix

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A lovely dish for brunch, this makes 16 buns, enough for a small appetizer for 8, or a light lunch for 4. Adjust the amount of spring mix and dressing to suit the serving size.

Ingredients

For the buns
2 1/2 cups whole wheat bread flour
1/2t coarse sea salt (or to taste)
1T yeast
1 cup warm water (as per the directions for your yeast)

For the filling
1T cooking oil
1/4t coarse sea salt (or to taste)
2T scallion, minced, 1″ white reserved for the sauce
1T fresh garlic, minced
125g tempeh, finely diced (use pasteurized)
1T smoked paprika
A pinch dried red chilis (or to taste)
1 medium poblano pepper, finely diced (about 1/2 cup)
1 cup loose maitake mushrooms, stemmed and finely diced
1T tamari
1/2T balsamic vinegar
1 – 2T coconut sugar
1 cup vegetable stock
1T packed sun-dried tomatoes, minced (dehydrated, not jarred)
A few drops toasted sesame oil
Coarse sea salt, coconut sugar, and black pepper to taste
About 1/3 cup nutritional yeast
About 1/3 cup sauerkraut (I use unpasteurized)

For the dressing
2T red miso
2T cashew butter
2T white pickling vinegar
1T fresh garlic, minced
A pinch coarse sea salt
3-4T unsweetened plant milk
3-4T tomato passata (or puree)
1/2T scallion white, minced (as noted above)
1/2T smoked paprika
1t sriracha (or similar/to taste)
Coarse sea salt and black pepper to taste

For the garnish
2 -3 cups loose spring mix
2-3T dressing

Optional: Use unbleached all purpose flour for a white bun (although you’ll lose nutritional value and you may need to adjust the ratio of flour to water). A small amount of sugar is often added to the dough; here, it’s added to the filling, and so, omitted.

If you’re avoiding oil, skip the saute. Replace the oil with 1T cashew butter or similar. Add all of the ingredients for the filling to the pan (except as noted below for the sauerkraut and nutritional yeast). Simmer for 20 minutes.Uncover and simmer for another 10 minutes or so until the pan begins to dry.

Method

Start the buns first. Proof the yeast, and then mix the dry with the wet until a smooth elastic dough forms. Knead for about 5 minutes. Cover with a warm, moist tea towel and let the dough rise for about an hour, punching it down periodically.

At about the 30 minute market, start the filling. In a medium frying pan with a lid, bring the oil to heat on medium high. Add the scallions and stir fry for 1 minute. Add the garlic and tempeh and stir fry for 3 minutes. Add the smoked paprika, chili, poblano pepper and mushrooms. Stir fry another 3 minutes.

When the pan is starting to brown, add the balsamic vinegar and tamari. Deglaze the pan. Add the coconut sugar, stock, and sun-dried tomatoes. Add 1 tablespoon coconut sugar to start, and add more to taste if needed (see the note below).

Bring the pan to a light boil, cover, reduce heat to medium low and simmer 20 minutes. Uncover, and simmer until the pan begins to dry. Remove from heat, and let the filling stand 10 – 15 minutes to cool. Add the sesame oil and season to taste.

When the filling is done, your dough should be ready. Divide the dough into 16 small balls (about 2 tablespoons in size). On a lightly floured board, roll out each to about 4″ diameter, about 1/6″ thick. Keep the remaining balls of dough in the bowl with a warm, moist tea towel until you’re ready to use them.

Flute the edges of the rolled dough with a small pinch. Fill each with about 1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons filling. Pack the filling a little. Add 1t sauerkraut. Sprinkle with 1t nutritional yeast.

Note, if you haven’t made steamed buns, purses or similar, start with about 1 tablespoon filling, and add more if there’s room. Be careful not to overfill or push your dough too much by packing the filling (it will tear). A lot will depend on how finely you minced the tempeh and the size of your piece of dough. You’ll be able to add more filling with practice.

With the bun and filling secure in your palm, gather the dough up and around the filling. Pinch the sides together to form a purse with pleats, packing the filling a little as I go around the ball. When the sides are all pleated in, twist lightly to close, mostly but not completely (there should still be a small hole. Repeat until all the dough is used.

Add about 1 cup cool water to your steamer. Add the buns at least 1″ apart (1 1/2″ preferred). If you’re using a stop top steamer, bring the water to a steam on high heat. Reduce heat to medium. Cover and steam for about 10 minutes. When you are ready to remove the buns from heat, remove the lid, turn off the heat and let cool for 1 – 2 minutes. Steam in batches, adding more water as necessary. Repeat until all your buns are ready.

While your buns steam, make the dressing. Whisk the cashew butter, vinegar, plant milk, sea salt, garlic and red miso together until the dressing is light and fluffy. This may take a minute or so, but you’ll know when it emulsifies.

Add the remaining ingredients until the dressing is nice and smooth, adding the nutritional yeast last. Let stand covered until your buns are ready. It will thicken further as it stands.

When the buns are ready, stir the dressing. Add more plant milk or passata to adjust colour and taste to your preference, 1 teaspoon at a time. Add sea salt, black pepper, or more sriracha to taste.

To plate, add a small circle of spring mix to the middle of the plate. Add dressing in a line cross the edge of the plate or in a small bowl for dipping as you prefer. Rest the buns on top of the spring mix and serve.

Slowcooked chickpea, potato and vegetable stew

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A simple, flavourful, slowcooked stew that goes well with fresh tortilla chips (as shown here), bread, socca or other accompaniments. This makes enough for 4 medium bowls or 2 large ones.

Ingredients

1/2 cup dried chickpeas
2 cups water
1 ‘sprig’ dried kombu, about 2″
1 Italian eggplant (about 1 1/2 cups), ends trimmed, halved and sliced, 1/3″
1 medium zucchini (about 2 cups), ends trimmed, halved and sliced, 1/4″
1 large sweet onion (about 2 cups), trimmed, peeled, quartered and sliced, 1/3″
4 medium cremini mushrooms (about 1 cup), trimmed and sliced, 1/8″
1/2t coarse sea salt (or to taste)
2 cups vegetable stock
2 medium red potatoes (about 2 cups), 1/2″ dice
1 cup tomato passata (or puree)
2T fresh garlic, minced
1T smoked paprika
1/4t dried red chilis (or similar/to taste)
1T dried herbes de Provence (or similar), rubbed
2 cups flat-leaf parsley, minced (1/4 cup reserved for garnish)
1T tapioca flour dissolved in 1T cold water
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
Coarse sea salt and black pepper to taste

Optional: Other beans will work with this, but be mindful of differences in cooking time. Add some olives, nut butter or oil for additional richesse and flavour. You can replace the tapioca with arrowroot powder or cornstarch, but arrowroot is not as sturdy and cornstarch requires a higher temperature to thicken.

For a chunkier, brothier stew. slowcook the chickpeas until they’re soft, and add everything from the eggplant to the herbes de Provcence at the same time. The flavours won’t be as blended, but this will shorten the cooking time as a whole.

Method

Either add your chickpeas to your slowcooker and cook for about 2 hours on high to soften, or let them soak in cool water overnight in a covered bowl. Drain the water, but reserve the kombu.

Return the chickpeas to the slowcooker, add the ingredients up to and including the stock. Cook for 4 hours on low heat or until the chickpeas are soft (remove the kombu at this point).

Add the potatoes and everything else up to and including the herbes de Provence. Slow cook another 2 hours or so until the potatoes are fork tender. Increase the heat to high if necessary for your slowcooker (you know it better than I do).

When the potatoes are tender, add the parsley. Add the tapioca mixture and stir to distribute evenly. Increase heat to high and cook until the stew thickens, stirring periodically.

Once the tapioca thickens, turn off the heat. Add the nutritional yeast, and stir to combine. Let stand 5 minutes or so to cool. Season to taste. Ladle out, garnish with reserved parsley and serve.

Roasted red pepper, tomato soup with sesame and parsley

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A simple soup with a lot of bright colour. Served here with socca, but fresh bread, crackers or potatoes all make good accompaniments.

Ingredients

1 cup vegetable stock
1/4t coarse sea salt
1 red pepper, roasted, cored, seeded and peeled
1 cup tomato passata (or puree)
1/2T fresh garlic, minced (reserve a little for the garnish)
1t herbes de Provence (or similar)
1/2 cup flat leaf parsley, minced (1 – 2T reserved for garnish)
Coarse sea salt and black pepper to taste

For the garnish
1/2T sesame seed butter
1T white pickling vinegar
1T unsweetened soy milk
1/2t fresh garlic, minced (as noted above)
1/4t coarse sea salt (or to taste)
1 – 2T parsley (as noted above)

Optional: A tablespoon or so of nutritional yeast will add flavour and nutrition.

Method
Preheat the oven to 450F and roast the pepper until the skin is charred (or use the stove top method if you have a gas stove). Remove from heat and set aside to cool. Peel, seed and core the pepper. Chop roughly.

Bring a medium pan with a lid to heat on medium high. Add the pepper, garlic and herbs and stir fry for 2 minutes. Add the stock and passata. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer about 10 minutes (or until reduced by about 1/4).

While the soup reduces, whisk together the sesame seed butter, vinegar, soy milk and sea salt until thick. Set aside while the soup finishes. It will continue to thicken and the taste will soften.

When the soup is ready, remove from heat. Add about half of parsley to the soup and stir to combine. Let stand 2 minutes to cool. Season to taste. Ladle out. Season the garnish to taste. Drip the garnish gently onto the soup and then style how you like. Sprinkle with remaining
parsley and serve.

Creamy chickpea, sea vegetable soup with arugula and teff fries

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This is a simple, creamy soup with a lot of rich flavors. Whole grain teff has a similar texture to polenta, and served here as fries, it add a fun crispy texture, nutrition and taste. This makes a light starter for 4 or a light but filling lunch for two.

Ingredients

For the soup
2T water
2T scallion, minced
1T fresh garlic, minced
1/4t dried red chilis (or to taste)
1/2T lemon juice
1 cup cooked chickpeas
3 cups vegetable stock
1 ‘sprig’ dried kombu (about 1″)
1/2 cup unsweetened plant milk (I use soy)
1T sesame seed butter
1T dried wakame, crumbled
1 1/2T tapioca flour dissolved in 2T water
Coarse sea salt and black pepper to taste
1t purple dulse flakes
1t nori flakes
2 cups loose baby arugula

For the fries
1/2 cup whole grain teff
2 cups water
1/4t coarse sea salt
2T unsweetened plant milk (I use soy)
2T nutritional yeast
1T fresh garlic, minced
1T tamari
Coarse sea salt and black pepper to taste

Optional: The soup doesn’t have to be spicy, but the chilis add flavor and to the mouth feel. Cornstarch and arrowroot powder will both work in place of the tapioca here. The fries are made without oil here assume the soup — brush the cut teff with a little oil and bake on a lightly oiled baking sheet for something more like a traditional fry.

Method

Start the fries first, and then make the soup.

In a medium pan with a lid, toast the teff for 2 – 3
minutes. Add the water and sea salt. Bring the pan to a light boil. Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer for about 20 minutes until the water has been absorbed and the teff is thick (it should be pulling away from the sides).

When the teff is ready, add the remaining ingredients, stir to combine, and season to taste. Pour/spoon the mixture into a 3″x9″ baking dish and refrigerate for 30 minutes or so to setup (it should be firm).

Preheat the oven to 450F (or the highest temperature for which your baking paper is rated). Slice the cooled teff into 12 – 16 pieces width-wise. On a baking sheet or roasting pan lined with baking paper, bake for 20-30 minutes on the middle rack until the fries are lightly crisp,
turning every several minutes. Remove from oven, plate with the soup when ready.

With the teff in the oven, start the soup. Warm a medium sized pan with a lid to heat on medium heat. Add the scallions and 2T water to the pan and water saute for 2 minutes. Add the chilis and garlic. Saute for 1 minute. Add the lemon juice and deglaze the pan if necessary. Add the chickpeas, stock, and kombu.

Bring the pan to a light simmer and simmer on medium low for about 10 minutes. Remove the kombu. Add plant milk and sesame seed butter and stir to dissolve. Simmer 5 minutes. Puree smooth. Add the wakame and simmer another 10 minutes.

Stirring continuously, slowly add the tapioca mixture until the soup thickens (should be immediate). Let cool for a minute. Ladle out, sprinkle with the dulse and nori, add the arugula and serve with the fries on the side.

Masa hot pocket with portobello mushrooms and poblano peppers

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Inspired by gordita, pupusa, and other dishes, but not very authentic, this wraps a thick layer of masa harina (nixtamalized corn flour) around a savoury filling. Because it has no gluten, working with corn-based dough takes mindfulness and some practice.

Ingredients

For the filling
2 large portobello mushrooms (about 5″ diameter), stemmed, sliced 1/4″
2t tamari
1t lemon juice
1/4t dried red chilis
1T scallion, minced
A good pinch coarse sea salt
1/4 poblano pepper (about 1/2 cup), 4″ x 1/8″ julienne
1T sun-dried tomatoes, finely chopped (jarred, not dehydrated)
Coarse sea salt and black pepper to taste

For the shell
1/2 cup masa harina
1/4t coarse sea salt (or to taste)
1/4 cup hot water

Optional: Once you have practice with the base, you can try other fillings. Garnish with coleslaw or sauerkraut if you like. Refried beans make for a nice, traditional filling.

Method

Make the filling, then the shell.

Preheat the oven for 450F. Mix the tamari, lemon juice, chilis, scallions, and a pinch of sea salt. Toss the portobello slices until coated. On a baking sheet or roasting pan, roast the portobellos in a thin layer on the middle rack until nice and brown. Expect about 20 minutes, but adjust accordingly for your oven.

When done, remove from the oven and toss with the peppers and the sun-dried tomatoes. Set aside. Mix the flour and sea salt. Whisking with a fork, add the water slowly to the masa. Whisk until a dough comes together and then knead as soon as the dough is cool enough for you to do so. Add more water or more flour to balance out the dough. It should be firm, and slightly elastic.

Roll the dough out to about 6″ between sheets of plastic wrap. Fill, and with the dough in the palm of your hand, gather it up around the filling and pinch closed. This is the tricky part. You have to be gentle with corn-based dough to avoid tearing. You can shape it into a cylinder as I did here, but for something more traditional, press it flat into a circle (carefully). Either way, the dough should be about 1/4″ thick.

Once the dough is sealed, wrap in foil and return to the oven. Bake on the middle rake at 450F for about 20 minutes. Unwrap carefully. Broil for about 2 – 3 minutes (for a crispier crust). Remove from the oven and serve.

Note, you can also try breaking the dough in half, rolling out two pieces to 6″, fill and then seam the two pieces of dough together. You can also fry on the stove top with a little oil if you prefer that approach to baking, but it can also be a challenge if you haven’t fried corn-based dough before.

Crispy polenta fries with sriracha, black strap molasses catsup

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Oil-free polenta fries paired up here with a healthier, spicier alternative to squeeze bottle ketchup.

Ingredients

For the fries
2 cups water
1/2 cup coarse yellow corn meal
1T fresh garlic, minced
2T unsweetened plant milk (I use soy)
1/4t turmeric powder (or to taste, I use 1/2t)
2T nutritional yeast
Coarse sea salt and black pepper to taste

For the catsup
2T tomato passata (or puree)
1/2t garlic powder
1/4t onion powder
1t black strap molasses
1/2t white picking vinegar
1/2t tamari
1/4t sriracha (or similar/to taste — I use 1/2t)
Coarse sea salt and black pepper to taste

Optional: The fries assume the dip. For something more like a traditional fry, add some oil with the turmeric and other ingredients, brush the fries with a little for baking, or both. I usually add 1 – 2t herbes de Provence to my polenta as well. Minced scallion also makes a nice addition. Teff and chickpea fries are also terrific alternatives. Replace the powders in the catsup with finely minced garlic and scallion white if you prefer.

Method

Make the fries and then the catsup.

In a medium pan with a lid, bring the water to a boil. Whisking, slowly add the corn meal to avoid lumps. Return the pan to a light simmer. Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer for about 20 – 40 minutes, stirring periodically. Much depends on the grind of your corn meal and the heat of the pan. The polenta will be done when it’s coming away from the sides when you stir.

When the polenta is done, remove from heat, add the remaining ingredients, cover and let stand another 5 minutes. Season to taste. Pour/spoon in a 3″x9″ loaf pan. Chill uncovered for 20 minutes in the refrigerator. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least and hour to setup.

When the polenta has setup, preheat the oven to 450F (or the heat to which your backing paper is rated). Carefully turn out the corn meal onto a cutting board. Slice into stick width-wise (about 16 fries).

On a baking sheet or roasting pan lined with baking paper, bake on the middle rack for 30 – 40 minutes, turning periodically to ensure even cooking. Ovens vary; the fries will be done when they’re crispy and golden. Use the colour and texture of the fries as a guide.

At about the 30 minute mark, mix the ingredients for the catsup. Let stand covered until the fries are ready. When the fries are done, remove from heat, plate, and serve with the catsup on the side.

Gingerbread frozen dessert swirled with raspberry sorbet

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A rich combination of flavours and textures. Adjust the spice and sweetener to your taste.

Ingredients

For the bananas
2 medium, very ripe frozen bananas (about 1 1/4 cups)
1/2T blackstrap molasses (or to taste — I use 1T)
1-2t fresh ginger, grated and minced (or more to taste, I use 2t)
1/4t dried, ground cinnamon (I use 1/2t)
A tiny pinch cloves
1/2t vanilla extract

For the raspberries
1 1/2 cups frozen raspberries
2t lemon juice
1t chopped walnuts
Additional sweetener to taste (stevia, maple syrup, agave nectar, etc.)

Optional: 1t powdered maca root. Replace the walnuts with pistachios, peanuts, or sunflower seeds.

Directions

Make the bananas first. Blend the ingredients up but not including the raspberries till smooth. Let stand a minute to let the flavors soften. Freeze the bananas while you blend the raspberries with the lemon. Stir 1/4 cup of the bananas with the raspberries to marble. Sweeten to taste. Spoon out the raspberries, then the bananas. Garnish with walnuts and serve.

Beluga lentil, masa dumpling stew with roasted poblano peppers

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With kale, cabbage, dumplings, and a number of spices, this is a flavourful and filling stew. This makes 1 large bowl or 2 small ones. Garnished here with a little nutritional yeast and sour cashew cream.

Ingredients

For the stew
1 poblano pepper, cored and seeded
3 cups water, divided
1/4 cup lentils
1/2T smoked paprika
1t dried ground cumin
1/2t dried ground coriander
1/4t dried red chilis (I use 1/2t)
1/4t black pepper, freshly ground
1/2t dried oregano, rubbed
1 cup green cabbage, shredded (I use coleslaw mix)
1/2T fresh garlic, minced
1T fresh scallion, minced
1/2 cup tomato passata (or puree)
1 cup green curly kale, roughly chopped
2T masa harina mixed with 1/4 cup warm water
Coarse sea salt and black pepper to taste

For the dumplings
1/2 cup masa harina
1T tapioca flour
1/2T milled flax seed
A good pinch coarse sea salt
1/3 – 1/2 cup hot water

Optional: You can use vegetable stock with this for a little extra flavour, but you may find it superfluous. Garnish with capers, flat leaf parsley, black or white sesame seeds, nutritional yeast, black olives, or cilantro for a little extra flavour. While the stew uses masa harina as the
thickening agent, cornstarch, tapioca flour, and arrowroot flour will also work.

Method

Start with the stew, and then the dumplings.

Preheat the oven to 450F. Core and seed the poblano. Cut into quarters length-wise and roast until lightly blistered. Expect about 20 – 30 minutes, but ovens vary. Use the colour and skin texture of the pepper as your guide. Remove from heat. Set aside to cool. Coarsely chop and
add to the stew when the lentils are ready.

In a medium pan with a lid, bring 1/2 cup water to a simmer. Add the lentils and kombu. Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer 15 minutes. Drain the lentils (reserving the kombu).

Either dry the pan, or use another to toast the dry spices for 2 -3 minutes or until they’re nice and aromatic. Add the lentils, kombu, remaining water. Return to a light simmer. Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer another 5 – 10 minutes until the lentils are still lightly firm but done.

When the lentils are soft, add the poblano, cabbage, garlic, and scallions. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer another 10 minutes or so until the cabbage is lightly wilted but still a little crisp.

While the stew simmers, make the dumplings. Mix the masa, tapioca, salt, and flax. Whisking with a fork, add the hot water. Mix and knead until a solid but elastic dough forms. If you need to add additional hot water, do so. Roll into balls, about 1T in size. Let them dry on the cutting board will the soup finishes.

When the cabbage is the right texture, uncover and bring the pan to a simmer on medium high. Remove the kombu. Add the dumplings and simmer for another 5 minutes.

Add the passata and stir to combine. Stirring
continuously, add the masa solution. Simmer another 2-3 minutes uncovered, stirring regularly until the masa has thickened. Remove from heat. Add the kale. Stir to combine. Let stand 2 minutes for the kale to wilt and the stew to cool.

Season to taste. Ladle out. Garnish with nutritional yeast, sour sesame or cashew cream, white or black sesame seeds, minced black olives, capers, parsley, cilantro or whatever you enjoy.