New Mexico Red Chile Sauce

There are no other chiles in the world like those grown in Hatch, New Mexico. Traditional chile sauces often contain meat or flour, but the following is a vegan, gluten-free recipe that’s sure to be a hit in any crowd. Use it to top just about anything...as you’ll see, it’s quite addictive!

Prep time: 5m | Cook time: 15m | Total time: 20m | Serves 6

Ingredients:

3 Tbsp. olive oil
2 cloves of garlic, minced finely
3 Tbsp. brown rice flour
4 Tbsp. New Mexico red chile powder*
2-1/2 c. vegetable broth (or water)
1 tsp. salt

Heat oil over medium-low heat in a medium sauce pan. Add the garlic and brown rice flour, stirring often until flour begins to turn golden brown. Stir in the chile powder, then add broth/water, and use a whisk to break up any clumps in the sauce. Add the salt, raise the heat to medium and simmer for 10-15 minutes until sauce has thickened.

* While you can theoretically use any type of chile powder, for the true flavor, be sure to use chile powder from New Mexico. If you live outside the state, you can purchase New Mexico chile powder at specialty spice shops, or online. You can find organic powders pretty readily.

Creamy Cauliflower

This simple side dish is a great nutritive alternative to mashed potatoes, and a perfect way to serve cauliflower to kids. A member of the brassica family, cauliflower has been linked with cancer prevention, and provides detoxification and anti-inflammatory support to the body.

Ingredients:

1 large head cauliflower, chopped into small florets (approximately 5 c.)
1/2 c. unflavored/unsweetened non-dairy milk of your choice
1/2 tsp. salt
Freshly ground pepper

Bring water to a boil in a pot that is large enough to hold a steaming basket (a pasta pot with a couple inches of water can also be used). Put cauliflower in a steaming basket, place it in your pot, and cook covered for 20 minutes (or until florets are very soft).

Carefully remove cauliflower, and place it into a bowl. Add the non-dairy milk, and then use an immersion blender to process the cauliflower to a creamy consistency. (You can also complete this step using a standard blender or food processor.) Stir in salt, and add pepper to taste.

Pairing suggestion: Top each serving with a spoonful of New Mexican Red Chile Sauce.

Potato Lentil Coconut Curry Soup

This warm and hearty soup came together out of my pantry on a cold evening. It’s super easy to make, and is enough for several meals. Red lentils do not require pre-soaking, making things even simpler. Goes great with warm braised green.

Prep time: 15m | Cook time: 35m | Total time: 50m | Serves 4

Ingredients:

2 tsp. olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, diced
1.5 c. red lentils, rinsed
2 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed*
2 Tbsp. curry powder
3 c. veggie broth or water
1 can coconut milk
1.5 tsp. salt

In a medium stockpot, heat olive oil over medium heat, then add onion and cook until translucent.

Add lentils, potatoes and curry powder, and cook 1-2 minutes stirring often.

Add veggie broth/water and bring to a boil. Then reduce heat, and cook (stirring occasionally) for 15-20 minutes, or until potatoes can be pierced easily with a fork and lentils are soft but not mushy (note: add a little water during cooking process if too much broth/water evaporates and lentils begin sticking to bottom of pot).

Add coconut milk and salt. Stir well and cook another 3-4 minutes. Taste, and adjust seasonings, adding more curry powder or salt as you like.

* A non-waxy potato, like a russet, works best for this recipe.