Lemon Rosemary Tempeh

8 oz. Tempeh
1/4 c. Soy Sauce
1/4 c. Vegetable Broth
1/4 c. Olive Oil
1 tbsp. Balsamic Vinegar
1 tsp. Dried Rosemary
1 tsp. Dried Basil
1/2 tsp. Dried Thyme
2 cloves Garlic, pressed or minced
zest of 1 Lemon
juice of 1/2 Lemon

Cut tempeh into triangles (or desired shape) and steam for 5 minutes (this softens it's grainy texture and allows it to absorb the marinade more easily). While it steams, combine the remaining ingredients in a bowl. Add steamed tempeh to the marinade and let sit at least 2 and up to 8 hours, flipping half way between marinating time. The longer you let it sit, the more flavorful it will be.

Broil for 7-10 minutes on each side.

Serve atop a slice of toasted baguette and some dijon mustard as a large tartine.

French Lentils & Barley

1 tbsp. Olive Oil

2 Shallots, sliced

4 cloves Garlic, minced

1 tsp. dried Rosemary

1 tsp. dried Thyme

1/4 tsp. Cloves

2 tbsp. Balsamic Vinegar

1 small Fennel Bulb, sliced

3 oz. Arugula

2 tbsp. Vegetable Broth or Water

1 c. pre-cooked Barley

2 c. pre-cooked Lentils

2 tbsp. Parsley, chopped

3 tbsp. Basil, chiffonade

1/4 c. Red Grapes, halved

1 stalk Celery, thinly sliced

10 French Radishes, grated

Juice of 1/2 Lemon

Salt and Pepper to taste

Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat.  Add in shallots and saute' 2-3 minutes.  Add in spices and cook another minute.  Deglaze with balsamic vinegar.   Add in fennel and cook, stirring occasionally for 2-3 minutes (cooking the fennel will calm down its bitterness).  Toss in arugula and vegetable broth.  Cook another minute or two until arugula has wilted slightly.  Let cool.

Chop up remaining ingredients and combine in a large bowl.  After fennel mixture has cooled for a few minutes, add into bowl and serve.

French radishes add a subtle bitter taste to this dish.  Ten may seem like a lot, but because they are less spicy/pungent than your standard radish, it's okay.  They're my new favorite addition to salads.  I have a hard time finding them at my local grocery stores, but they are very abundant at farmer's markets right now.

Roasted Parsnips & Carrots

I had something similar to this at whole foods and ate half of it in my car on the way home because it was so good.  I was craving parsnips like nothing else, and this hit the spot perfectly.  Their sweet, nutty taste combined with the freshness of the lemon and basil were delicious.  So, like I do, here's my attempt to recreate it.  You can probably use a little more olive oil if you'd like a little browning on them,  but I try not to use too much because of its high calorie content.  I like my veggies to still taste like veggies when I'm done with them and not drown out their nutritional benefits.

1 Meyer Lemon, thinly sliced

5 large Parsnips, 1/2" slice on the bias

3 Carrots, 1/2" slice on the bias

4 cloves Garlic, minced

2 tbsp. Olive Oil

Salt and Pepper 

1/4 c. Baslic, chopped

Simply chop up all of the ingredients and toss in a large bowl with oil, garlic, salt and pepper.  Bake in a 375 oven for about 30 minutes until the carrots and parsnips are tender, tossing halfway through.  Remove from oven and sprinkle with fresh basil.

Crustless Leek and Aspargus Quiche

A quiche might sound fancy, and therefor extra complicated, but this recipe is actually super simple. Just stir all of the treated parts together and throw it in the oven. Relax with a nice glass of wine while you wait or prep a salad to go with it. I served these mini quiches with a sweet arugula salad.

1 lb. Firm Tofu
1/4 c. Nutritional Yeast
1/4 c. Cornstarch
1 tsp. Dijon Mustard
1 1/2 tsp. Soy Sauce
1 tsp. Onion Powder
1/4 tsp. Pepper

2 tbsp. Olive Oil
1 lb. Asparagus, 1/2" slice and tips reserved
2 leeks, sliced (white and light green parts only)
1 tsp. dried Dill
1 tsp. dried Thyme
2 tsp. dried Basil
4 cloves Garlic
1/2 tsp. Salt
1/4 tsp. Pepper

Cornmeal or Breadcrumbs to coat pan
Large muffin pan (you can use a small one or a large pie pan, but baking time may differ)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Drain the tofu between two plates and paper towels. Weigh it down with something heavy until the tofu feels dry, about 20-30 mins. After the tofu has been pressed, combine it with the remaining ingredients in a food processor and process until smooth. It should resemble a custard.

To prep the vegetables, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add in everything except for the salt and pepper and cook for 7-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the asparagus is tender and leeks have slightly browned. Season with salt and pepper.

Boil a small pot of water and add asparagus tips. Boil for 30 seconds to a minute, depending on the size. Drain and reserve tips for decorating.

In a bowl, combine the tofu mixture with the vegetable mixture. Coat the muffin tin with non-stick spray and sprinkle the bottoms with cornmeal or breadcrumbs. Fill the muffin tins 1/2-2/3 of the way full with mixture. Arrange asparagus tips on top. Bake in a preheated oven for 30 minutes (test doneness with a toothpick, it should come out clean like when baking a cake). Let cool for ten minutes before removing from pan.

White Bean Ratatouille

1 tbsp. Olive Oil
1 1/2 c. Leeks, thinly sliced (white and light green parts only)
3 cloves Garlic
2 tsp. Dried Thyme
1 tsp. Dried Rosemary
1 1/2 c. Fennel, thinly sliced
1/4 c. White Wine
3/4 c. Cremini Mushrooms, chopped
15 oz. Can Diced Tomato
15 oz. Can White Beans (aka canelli)
1 Roasted Red Pepper, chopped
1 tbsp. Balsamic Vinegar

Heat olive oil over medium heat in a skillet or saute' pan. Add leeks and cook, stirring occasionally for 7 minutes until softened and beginning to brown. Add a pinch of salt if the pan becomes too dry. Add garlic, thyme and rosemary and cook another 30 seconds. Stir in fennel and cook another 30 seconds. Add wine to deglaze pan and stir until all of the wine has evaporated, another 2-3 minutes. Add mushrooms, tomatoes, white beans, roasted red pepper and balsamic and stir to combine. Bring to a simmer and continue to cook over medium-low heat, stirring often, for another 10-15 minutes until vegetables are tender and flavor has developed. Season with salt and pepper.

*I served the ratatouille atop a bed of raw spinach. The heat from the ratatouille wilted the spinach and I was able to mix it in with the rest of the dish.
Serves 3-4