Super-natural Supper

I am lucky to have gotten two cookbooks for my birthday. The first was Vegan Soul Kitchen by Bryant Terry in the previous post, and the second was Super Natural Every Day by Heidi Swanson from my sister. Both of these authors/chefs are local to the Bay Area, which is pretty awesome. These recipes from Super Natural Every Day are also awesome, especially the salad. I think I could eat this salad once a week easily. The quinoa patties were also delicious, but needed a bit of hot sauce to make them fantastic (but that's easy enough). Combined into one meal, these two dishes are a perfect and healthful dinner.

Yellow Split Peas and Greens (Super Natural Every Day, Heidi Swanson)

1 1/2 cups / 10.5 oz / 300 g dried split yellow peas, rinsed and picked over

fine-grain sea salt

1 cup / 4.5 oz / 125 g pepitas, toasted

1 cup / .5 oz / 15 g lightly packed cilantro leaves and stems

1/3 cup / .5 oz / 15 g freshly grated Parmesan cheese

3 cloves garlic, peeled

1 Tbs. fresh lemon juice

1 small serrano chile, mostly seeded and deveined

2/3 cup / 160 ml extra-virgin olive oil

2 large handfuls mixed salad greens

1. Bring 5 cups / 1.25 liters water to a boil in a large saucepan. Add the yellow split peas and simmer, uncovered, for 20 to 30 minutes, until tender. Drain and salt to taste. Make the cilantro pesto by communing one-third of the toasted pepitas, the cilantro, Parmesan cheese, garlic, lemon juice, 1/4 tsp. salt, a splash of the olive oil, and the chile and blend with an immersion blender (or in a food processor or standard blender) until smooth. Continue blending as you gradually drizzle in the olive oil, until the pesto comes together into a vibrant green sauce. Taste and add a pinch or two of salt, if needed.

2. In a large bowl, toss the yellow split peas and remaining pepitas with two-thirds of the pesto. Keep tossing until everything is coated. Add the salad greens and gently toss again. Taste and add more pesto, if needed. You'll have a bit of extra pesto, which can be used to refresh any leftovers.

Little Quinoa Patties (Super Natural Every Day, Heidi Swanson)

2 1/2 cups / 12 oz / 340 g cooked quinoa, at room temperature

4 large eggs, beaten

1/2 tsp. fine-grain sea salt

1/3 cup / .5 oz / 15 g finely chopped fresh chives

1 yellow or white onion, finely chopped

1/3 cup / .5 oz / 15 g freshly grated Parmesan or Gruyere cheese

3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 cup / 3.5 oz / 100 g whole grain bread crumbs, plus more if needed

water, if needed

1 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil or clarified butter

1. Combine the quinoa, eggs, and salt in a medium bowl. Stir in the chives, onion, cheese, and garlic. Add the bread crumbs, stir, and let sit for a few minutes so the crumbs can absorb some of the moisture. At this point, you should have a mixture you can easily form into twelve 1-inch / 2.5 cm thick patties. I err on the very moist side because it makes for a not-overly-dry patty, but you can add more bread crumbs, a bit at a time, to firm up the mixture, if need be. Conversely, a bit more beaten egg or water can be used to moisten the mixture.

2. Heat the oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium-low heat, add 6 patties, if they'll fit with some room between each, cover, and cook for 7 to 10 minutes, until the bottoms are deeply browned. Carefully flip the patties with a spatula and cook the second sides for 7 minutes, or until golden. Remove from the skillet and cool on a wire rack while you cook the remaining patties. Alternatively, the quinoa mixture keeps nicely in the refrigerator for a few days; you can cook patties to order, if you prefer.

Summer Soup

I have been wanting to make a vichyssoise for some time now, and this one was exactly what I hoped it would be. I'm not sure Adam loved it, but I thought it was a perfect summer meal, and a great way to get your greens in. We topped it off with a pinch of cayenne for an extra little kick.

Spinach Vichyssoise (Vegetarian Planet, Didi Emmons)

1 1/2 Tbs. butter
2 1/2 cups chopped onions or leeks
3 medium russet potatoes, peeled and chopped to make 3 cups
6 cups whole or low-fat milk
4 cups washed and stemmed spinach, firmly packed
1 large pinch fresh nutmeg
about 1 tsp. salt, to taste
1/2 tsp. fresh-ground black pepper
4 tsp. sour cream
chopped chives

1. Heat the butter in a stockpot over medium heat. Add the onions, and cook them, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes or until they have softened. Add the potatoes and milk, and bring the mixture to a simmer over high heat. Cover the soup, and turn the heat to low. Simmer for 30 minutes or until the potatoes are tender. Stir in the spinach, and simmer the soup 5 minutes more.
2. Puree the soup in batches in a food processor or blender. Season the soup with the nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Serve it either hot or cold (chilled for at least 1 1/2 hours), with a dollop or sour cream and a sprinkling of chives.

Variation: For a more imaginative, if somewhat offbeat, vichyssoise, add 2 tsp. curry powder to the onions or leeks after they have cooked for 5 minutes.