If you are planning a picnic this summer, please consider this recipe for a pressed sandwich and fruit salad. The sandwich travels very well wrapped in sections and you can put the fruit in small plastic containers (those that hold sliced lunch meat work well).
Rumbledethumps - submitted by Dr. Leslie Harrelson
This is a side dish. It is from the North of England and Scotland. This is especially good with any beef dish. It can also be the base a serving of stew or ratatouille (especially when serving stew on a plate). Even better the next day.
In Northumberland leftover Rumbledethumps is browned like a pancake in a skillet and served with a fried egg on top.
Ingredients: All measurements are rough; this is a dish that adapts to whatever is on hand.
* About a pound of potatoes chopped half. (Peel if you prefer Rumbledethumps not flecked with brown)
* 2 carrots
* 1 onion, shallot, leek or clove garlic, thinly sliced
* 1 medium turnip, peeled and chopped into large chunks * 2T butter (or to taste) * 8-10 oz savoy cabbage or kale, finely sliced—make sure to take off the stems * salt and freshly ground black pepper * 25g/1oz cheddar cheese, grated (many other cheeses work well, but cheddar is the classic. Cheddar gives a rich, orange color.)
Preparation method
1. Preheat the oven to 350
2. Cook the potatoes, carrot, onion and turnip in a saucepan of salted boiling water until tender. Take the pan off heat and add greens. Cover and leave all vegetables in the pan on the burner covered for 5 mins—until greens are bright, but not khaki green. Drain, leaving just a few tablespoons water and return to the pan.
3. Add the remaining butter and cheese, and then mash together. Add salt and freshly ground black pepper.
For richer flavor (but at the cost of slightly more time), in Step 2, you can sauté onion and cabbage in the butter and combine with the potato mixture.
Lunchbox Chocolate Chip Cookies
Makes 24 cookies
Source: "Forks Over Knives: The Cookbook", Author: Del Sroufe, 2012
I love chocolate and chocolate chip cookies are one of my favorites and are a great summer treat! Following the recipe exactly will give you vegan cookie. Doyle and I use dark chocolate chips and flaxseed if we have it. Dry sweetener are non-liquid sweeteners (evaporated cane juice or cane sugar with date sugar, Sucanat, and maple sugar being other options). Doyle and I use Sucanat sugar. These are healthier chocolate cookies, but are still a dessert to be enjoyed in moderation.
1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/3 cup almond butter
1/2 cup cry sweetener
1 tablespoon ground flaxseeds
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1-1/3 cups oat flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup sorghum or whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup grain-sweetened chocolate chips
Steps:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Beat together applesauce, almond butter, dry sweetener, and flaxseeds in a large mixing bowl with a fork. Once realtively smooth, mix int he vanilla.
3. Add in the oat flour, baking soda, and salt and mix well. Add the sorghum flour and chocolate chips and mix well.
4. Drop spoonfuls of batter onto the prepared baking sheets in about 1-1/2 tablespoon scoops, about 2 inches part. Flattend the cookies a bit, so that they resemble thick discs because they will not spread much during baking. Bake for 8-10 minutes. The longer they bake, the crisper they become.
5. Remove from oven and cool on sheets fro 5 minutes. Cool longer if needed on cooling rack.
Oven-Baked Chickpea Ratatouille
Makes 5-6 servings. Great left over and made into wraps! Portions can also be frozen.
Source: "The China Study All-Star Collection", Author: Leanne Campbell, PhD., 2014
Doyle and I love beans with vegetables, rice, in a fajita, as a burger, or just plain with some seasoning or a nice vinaigrette dressing so this recipe was right up our alley. It is so healthy and filling and vegan for those interested in trying a vegan recipe...delicious! We use no salt added canned beans and tomatoes. If using maple syrup, which we do, it needs to be real not artificial...it makes a difference and healthier!
3-1/2 -4 cups cooked or 2 14- or 15-ounce cans garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained and rinsed.
1 1/4 cups red onion, finely chopped
3-4 medium-large cloves garlic, minced
1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes
1/2 cup diced red or orange bell pepper
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon finely grated ginger
2 teaspoons maple syrup or agave nectar
2 teaspoons mustard seeds
2 teaspoons dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
Freshly ground black pepper to taste - fresh ground makes a taste difference!
2 dried bay leaves - we don't keep bay leaves so we usually leave this out.
Steps:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F
2. In a large, deep casserole dish, combine all ingredients except bay leaves.
3. Stir through until well combined, then embed bay leaves in the mixture.
4. Cover and bake for 30 minutes.
5. Stir through, cove, and bake for another 35-45 minutes until onions are tender and translucent (stir through once more during baking).
6. Remove bay leaves and serve over quinoa or brown rice. - We use any kind of healthy rice as well as could work with barley or bulgar wheat.
Spanish bread salad with chickpeas, chorizo and baby spinach
Serves 4
Source: "Cooking with Wholefoods", Author: Ross Dobson, 2012
Chorizo is a great sausage and it doesn't take much to flavor a dish, which means less meat! For a vegetarian dish, replace the chorizo with smoked tofu or a tofu or vegetarian sausage. If so, cook separately and add to finished dish. This is a nice summer dish that everyone is sure to enjoy and feel good afterwards!
4 thick slices of sourdough bread
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves, peeled and left whole
2 chorizo sausages, thinly sliced - Doyle and I use one!
1 red onion, thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon Spanish smoked sweet paprika - must have!
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
14-ounce can chickpeas, rinsed and drained well
4 handfuls of baby spinach leaves
9 ounces of cherry tomatoes, halved - use the amount you like
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice - fresh is important!
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper - fresh is important!
Steps:
1. Preheat grill pan over high heat
2. Trim the crusts off the bread and discard. Brush both sides of the bread lightly with olive oil. Add to the preheated pan and cook until golden and slightly charred on both sides. Rub the garlic cloves over the toasted bread and let cool. Tear into large chunks and set aside.
3. Heat the remaining oil int he pan. Add the chorizo slices and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes, until golden and aromatic. Add the onion, paprika and thyme and cook for 2-3 minutes, until softened. Transfer to a large bowl and pour in the seasoned tomatoes and lemon juice. Season to taste with the salt and pepper and toss well to combine. Serve immediately.
*Check out more great recipes from the cookbooks Doyle and I posted under the "cookbooks" tab. Enjoy!