Vegetables Baked in a Cast Iron Dutch Oven

My beautiful sister and her beautiful family stayed with us recently, and it was joyous. One of the meals we made was this rustic baked vegetable dish, served with fresh spelt flour bread and fresh tomatoes and basil as a side salad. It was fantastic. This is one of those meals that somehow transcends and is far far more than the sum of it's parts. I highly recommend this as a scrumptious rustic meal especially if you want to impress someone with deliciousness. I made it in a cast iron dutch oven -- Nemesis, for those of you who remember my red pot. I imagine you can bake it in a large casserole dish, too, or a stainless steel dutch oven. Just make sure whatever you use has a lid. You can also vary the vegetables, but the ones chosen married together beautiful for maximum savoury awesomeness. Mostly, they were the vegetables that we found at the farmer's market in the morning. A tad opportunistic, perhaps? I'll never deny it.  In a word? Heavenly. A rustic peasant meal fit for an emperor. A naked emperor, perhaps ...?

I wish that you could smell how amazing, delectable, and savoury the house smelled when this was ready ...

ingredients:

2 tbsp coconut oil -- unrefined, extra virgin, organic, etc
1 medium onion, small dice
4-5 large green cabbage leaves, chopped
3 cups split chickpeas, cooked, or whole chickpeas cooked (or canned, rinse, drained)
1 kholrabi peeled and diced
4 celery ribs, diced
2 medium carrots, diced
3 large green zucchinis, diced

2-3 tbsp herbe de provence
4 tsp sea salt
1 can coconut milk (400 ml, full fat, organic)
1 cup water

directions:

heat oven to 345 and put your dish in to melt your coconut oil.

1. In a dutch oven I melted 2 tbsp extra virgin coconut oil, and then threw in my diced onion.
2. I layered on 4 or 5 large green cabbage leaves that I had cut fairly finely
3. on top of this went 3 cups of split chickpeas that had been previously cooked. Whole chickpeas would be fine, too. Cooked or canned (well rinsed).
4. Next I layered a diced kholrabi
5. On top of this went 4 diced celery ribs
6. Next went 2 diced medium carrots -- fresh from the ground and wonderfully tender
7. This was topped with 3 large zucchinis, diced
8. All this was sprinkled with 2-3 tbsp herbe de provence and 4 tsp sea salt
9. I then poured 1 cup of coconut milk on it, which washed the herbs and salt through everything
10. I baked it covered for 2 1/2 hours at 345
11. Then I stirred it and added 1 cup of water, and stirred again
12. I then baked it for another 30-45 minutes at 345, lid still on.

Fantastic ....

Remember to layer and not stir until after it has cooked for most of the cooking time. That's my secret I will share with you.

Flavourful Vegetable Soup

Weary travellers arriving need simple and delicious fare that won't keep them up. This definitely fit the bill with a fresh loaf of spelt bread fresh from the oven.

ingredients:

2 tbsp coconut oil

1 onion finely diced
1 cup  purple cabbage finely chopped
1/4 cup dried mushrooms, finely crumbled

3 cups split chickpeas, soaked but not cooked
3 cups green peas

1/4 cup amaranth
1/4 cup buckwheat groats
1/4 cup milllet

1 kohlrabi, peeled and diced (approx 2 cups)

1 large carrot finely diced (approx 1 1/2 cup)
3/4 cup celery finely  diced

2 cups zucchini diced
4 cups sweet potato diced

4 tsp sea salt
8 cups boiling water


directions:

1. layer all the ingredients in the crockpot and let it cook. Pour the water on after you've added the sea salt btw.
2. stir, and season to taste

Delicious served with fresh baked bread ...

Crockpot July 2013

Moong dal is great because it completely breaks down and makes the stew nice and thick. Yummy!

2 tbsp coconut oil
1 onion, finely diced
1 1/2 cup moong dal
2 tbsp millet
2 tbsp buckwheat groats
2 tbsp amaranth
3 cups frozen green peas
1/4 cup crumbled dried mushrooms
2 cup finely diced carrot
2 cups diced zucchini
2 cups diced sweet potato

4 tsp sea salt
3 cups water

1 cup finely diced celery



3 cups chopped broccoli florets, slightly cooked


directions:
1. layer the ingredients in the order listed (except the broccoli) and cook on high in your crockpot for 5 hours
2. stir well then add the broccoli
3. stir well, adjust seasoning if needed
4. let sit for 1 hour
5. serve

Nemesis Makes Dinner -- gluten free, vegan, vegerrific and palate pleasing

I managed to throw a bunch of stuff in a pot, throw it in the oven, and have it come out and be enjoyed by everyone. That's a bit of a win. Colin even had two helpings. Huzzah!!

ingredients:

2 tbsp extra virgin coconut oil
2 cloves of garlic, finely minced
2 medium onions, finely chopped

2 cups black lentils -- they are called 'beluga' lentils
1/4 cup quinoa
1/4 cup crumbled dried mushrooms -- I don't think it matters too  much what kind you use

2 cups roughly chopped carrots

2 cups roughly chopped celery (I use celery hearts, but probably any celery will do)

3 cups halved and sliced zucchini
6 cups diced tomatoes (do not use romas or plum tomatoes -- you'll need juicy ones)

1/4 cup almond butter

1 tbsp sea salt
1 tsp chili powder

1 can coconut milk -- I highly recommend using organic and stay away from 'lite'

1/4 cup roasted buckwheat groats -- aka kasha
2 tbsp nutritional yeast


directions:

in a large casserole (or cast iron dutch oven such as Nemesis)
1. layer the ingredients in the order listed and do not stir
2. finish it off with the sprinkled kasha and nutritional yeast and bake for at least 90 minutes
3. stir well then serve with whatever turns your crank -- we had raw spinach leaves

Because only the liquid from the tomatoes and other vegetables, as well as the coconut milk, will be used in this, it will be extra flavourful.

Rainbow Chard and Zucchini Saute

We decided to try a 2-box trial from an organic produce delivery company. We received our second box and found in it as well there was a bunch of rainbow chard. So pretty. Sadly, I'm the only person in my house who will eat it. 

I decided to do a quick saute with zucchini and the chard, and it was quite pretty.

ingredients:

1 bunch rainbow chard, washed and cut width-wise into thin strips and ribbons

2 small zucchinis, quartered and sliced

3 organic unsulphured apricots, finely chopped

1 tbsp almond butter

1 tbsp ginger finely minced

sea salt

black pepper

lime juice

1 tbsp coconut oil

2 tbsp hemp seeds, shelled

directions:

1. saute the zucchini in the coconut oil, and add the ginger, almond butter, a little sea salt, blackpepper, and a bit of lime juice.

2. add the chard, and toss well, cooking until hot through but not soggy. Be careful not to over cook the chard or it will be soggy and lose its colour.

3. take off the heat and toss with the hemp seeds