Black bean soup was one of the first recipes that I experimented with when I started cooking through a plant-based lens. I most likely did not soak my beans, and I remember feeling highly impatient with the unexpectedly long cooking time. I even gave up that evening and finished cooking the soup the following day. Through years of legume cookery and culinary school, I learned that black bean cooking time can be fickle, yet the rewarding taste and texture of dried beans surpasses anything that can come from a can
Read moremiso mushroom soba soup
Now that snow has finally fallen here on the East Coast, a warm and nourishing bowl of soba is the perfect antidote to a winter chill. Hearty mushrooms, fiber-rich soba, and ginger-filled miso broth make this dish a clean and simple winter standby.
Read moreroasted carrot ginger miso soup + za'atar dukkah
My husband likes to call this soup baby food - don't let that be a deterrent. Although it does have that baby food-ish consistency, it is also warming, hearty, and deeply nourishing. Carrot ginger soup is a classic and easy dish that should be added to your cooking arsenal. Nutty and flavorful dukkah and savory miso take this basic soup to the not-so-basic level.
Read morecrunchy radish clean-up: day five
You made it to day five! Congratulations. Hopefully you have noticed that eating cleanly and resetting your system does not have to boring, bland, or limiting. Making vegetables and whole grains the primarily focus of your plate is simple and an incredibly nourishing way to lead a clean and balanced diet. Day five closes out with a completely vegan menu and features dishes that should be in your back pocket all year long.
Read morecrunchy radish clean-up: day four
Happy day four! Hopefully, you are feeling more balanced and properly nourished from three days of clean eating goodness. Today continues with immune boosting and anti-inflammatory rich turmeric scrambled eggs with dark leafy greens, followed by a Moroccan style stew, and a fully loaded stir-fry packed to the brim with veggies.
Read morecrunchy radish clean-up: day one
Kick off day one with a nutrient-rich and filling green smoothie. How clichéd. Not quite. Smoothies as opposed to juices contain the whole fruit and vegetable, adding fiber and reducing the amount of waste that is generated from juicing. Continue day one with a completely vegan menu that includes a creamy nutritious turmeric cauliflower soup followed by a fortifying spaghetti squash with kale pesto.
Read morepumpkin icebox pie
If you think that pumpkin pie is just for Thanksgiving, then this recipe is not for you. For everyone else, especially all my fellow pumpkin heads and aficionados, then you have come to the right place. Pumpkin is a hallmark of the fall and winter season, and this pie allows you to celebrate the squash in all its orange-hued glory. Gluten-free, simple, and delicious, this icebox pie will be sure to leave its mark on any festive gathering.
Read moreNot Your Mama's J-Pen
J-Pen, as I affectionately like to call this soup, or Jewish Penicillin, is the type of recipe that has becomes habitual from years and years of exposure. Somehow, the steps and process permeate my being and, every time an inkling of a cold emerges, J-Pen is the first line of defense. In my family, each generation puts their unique imprint on the soup, but the root of the matter is always the same. For my version, I add extra immune boosters - ginger and turmeric - to add that nutrient oomph. I also take the extra step of browning the chicken, a simple albeit slightly timely step that yields a multitude of value in flavor. Browning the chicken not only locks in the juices and creates a caramelized crust on the meat, but also the browned bits in the pan add a fantastic foundation to the soup, lending depth and flavor. The finishing touch of lime, which is one of my favorite tricks learned from my Mexican co-workers during my restaurant days, provides a refreshing burst of acidity as well as a dose of Vitamin C. Although this soup is not your mother's J-Pen, it for sure will become a staple in your home on frosty nights or "under the weather" days.
Read moreWhat the F is a Mung Bean?
Every year a hot new food item emerges that is touted to make you feel better and look better. But maybe this trend setting food has been around all along. Mung beans have been praised for their nutrient properties by health-minded individuals and holistic practitioners for years and, most recently, they have started making their way into the mainstream dining arena. So what exactly are mung beans, and once you find them, what the heck do you do with them?
Read moreDid Someone Say Lentil? Smokey Lentil and Kale Soup to Fix your Winter Rut
This month is all about manifesting my insatiable love for soup. Not only are soups typically forgiving and flexible, they can be quite amenable to augmentation if you happen to run out of a particular spice or herb. A hearty soup or stew can be repurposed for multiple meals throughout the week, alleviating much of the 8pm, just home from work/gym, grab a bag of blue corn chips hangry drama. For my take on lentil soup, I enriched the flavors with smoked paprika, spicy chili powder, and warm and earthy cumin to add a distinct robustness to this hearty winter soup. A handful of baby kale is added right before eating for added nutrient density and a burst of color.
Read more