vegetize it

Vegetize It

The easiest romesco recipe – and 4 delicious ways to use it

Hailing from the Catalonia region of Spain, romesco is made from your favorite summer veggies, roasted for flavor that is deep, rich and savory.

September 1, 2017

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Roasted Beets

A funny thing happened recently when I announced I was working on beet recipes – not one of my friends offered to taste test. In fact, all conversation awkwardly ceased. Eye contact was avoided. One friend physically recoiled, though she swore it was just a muscle cramp throughout her entire …

July 31, 2017

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Green Garlic Harissa

Every summer, I sign up for a CSA (community supported agriculture) share. And every summer, my icebox becomes the cold place where zucchini and good intentions die. This year, I joined The Libertine Neighborhood Bag, which is carefully curated by co-proprietor Audra Luedde, hoping to do better. Along with a …

June 30, 2017

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Rhubarb Sauce

I’ve never known what to make of, let alone out of, rhubarb. It’s an edible oxymoron – a vegetable best known for its starring role in pie. Can you imagine a kale doughnut? Me neither. In the interest of continuing education and culinary adventure, I bought a few pounds of …

May 31, 2017

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Miso Paste

I drink coffee like a woman with three kids and a procrastination problem, which is why I spent 10 minutes coaxing my next cup’s water to precisely 205 degrees before writing this sentence. But there comes a time (2 a.m.) when motivation (insomnia) arises, and caffeine reduction becomes possible (necessary). …

April 30, 2017

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Chop Shop

Oh, how I love my one-use kitchen gadgets and their ability to solve cooking problems I didn’t know I had until I saw the infomercial. The Spiralizer, cherry pitter and pizza scissors all hold esteemed places in my kitchen. So when I purchased my immersion blender – a hand-held chopper-upper …

March 31, 2017

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A Cut Above

Mise en place: a fabulous French phrase that describes washing/chopping/measuring all your ingredients before you begin a recipe. Now, I know what you’re thinking: Why should you prepare to cook when you can, you know, just start cooking? Solid prep work lets you settle into a well-timed rhythm, which is …

February 28, 2017

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Magic Tomato Sauce

Winter cooking is all about comfort food. And by comfort, I mean snuggling in front of the fireplace instead of driving to the grocery store. The downside is that, around 5:30 p.m., I’m frantically curating a meal out of whatever lurks in the back of my pantry. For a while, …

January 3, 2017

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Veggie Marsala

Oh, heavy whipping cream, you seemed like such a good idea. But instead of adding a silky finish to this vegetarian riff on chicken Marsala, you whitewashed the mushrooms and clouded the translucent yellow onions. It’s not enough to vegetize this dish; it needs to look as good as it …

November 30, 2016

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Vegan Pumpkin Pie

This Thanksgiving, I will not sit at the kids’ table for the 44th year in a row. I will stride past cousins gulping riesling from The Flintstones jam jars and take my rightful place among Pinterest-inspired decorations donning the main table. This year, I am earning my adult credentials by …

November 7, 2016

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Vegan Pozole

I appreciate that some people peruse this column just to see what crazy thing I sneak onto Carnivore Bob’s plate, and have no intent to actually cook it. But this soup is for everyone. The technique is brilliant, and the dish is healthy, filling and spicy enough to warm you …

September 30, 2016

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Sweet Potato Nuggets

Leftovers have their own life cycle in my kitchen. Always presented with grand enthusiasm, usually received with mild disappointment, they shuffle from refrigerator to table and back again until the rules of food safety and family harmony deliver them to the dumpster. Baked sweet potatoes take zero effort, but they …

August 31, 2016

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ELTs

The controversial presidential race has created numerous opportunities for reasonable, well-mannered debates between Carnivore Bob and me (which I win, if he wants dinner). But all civility is lost when the subject of bacon arises. Depending on your side of the meat aisle, these smoky slices are either the best …

August 1, 2016

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Vegan Chocolate Zucchini Cookies

The first time I dined with my future mother-in-law, she caught me dipping a forkful of peas into my mashed potatoes. Embarrassed to be busted in a food faux pas, I over-explained, “I don’t like how peas taste. This hides their pea-ness.” In that moment, all parties involved hoped the …

June 30, 2016

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Vegetarian Philly Cheesesteaks

Last month, I bought a cart full of fresh veggies in the hope a stockpile of healthy alternatives would keep me from stuffing my gob with Mint Milanos. Instead, I later felt annoyed because I had to make something out of all the produce before it wilted, and I felt …

June 5, 2016