Beet, Kale and Pomegranate Salad

This salad has been a huge hit at many of my retreats this fall, and was so frequently requested that I've decided to share it here. If pomegranates are not in season, you can omit them or use dried cranberries in their place to maintain a sweet-and-sour kick.

¼ c. balsamic vinegar
2 T. Dijon mustard
1 t. salt
¼ c. olive oil
1 bunch curly green kale, de-ribbed and cut into thin ribbons
¼ c. walnuts, chopped coarsely
2 pounds red beets, peeled and shredded
½ c. pomegranate arils (what are commonly called seeds)

Whisk together vinegar, mustard and salt in a small bowl. Slowly drizzle in olive oil, whisking constantly, until dressing is emulsified.

Place prepared kale in a large bowl and pour dressing over it. Use your hands to massage the dressing into the kale until it becomes noticeably softer. Let kale marinate for 20-30 minutes.

While kale marinates, toast walnuts in a pre-heated 350-degree oven for 4-5 minutes, until fragrant and slightly darker. Remove from oven and set aside to cool.

Add beets, pomegranate arils and toasted walnuts to the kale and stir well. Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve. 

Roasted Chestnut and Mushroom Stuffing

This is a healthier, vegan version of a stuffing my grandmother would make. You can easily make it gluten-free by using GF bread or packaged GF stuffing cubes. If you are new to roasting chestnuts, you can easily learn the process online, e.g., in this illustrated guide. It's also possible to buy roasted and peeled chestnuts in packages if you're short on time, but I encourage you to learn the process as you'll have access to a delicious snack all winter long.

1/4 cup olive oil
2 cups celery, chopped
1 cup onion, diced
~1 lb. assorted mushrooms, sliced
5-6 cups stale bread (cubed) or packaged stuffing cubes
3 cups vegetable broth (or more for a wetter stuffing)
1 cup roasted and peeled chestnuts, quartered
2 teaspoons fresh sage, finely chopped (substitute dried if needed)
1 handful flat-leaf parsley leaves, chopped
1/4 t. black pepper
1/2 t. salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly oil a 9x13” baking dish.

In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat, and cook onion until it begins to soften and turn translucent. Add celery and cook 1-2 minutes, then add mushrooms and sage and cook until they soften and begin to shrink.

In a large bowl, combine cooked veggies with all remaining ingredients, being sure to stir well so all bread cubes get moistened. You may add more or less of the broth, depending on whether you want a wetter or drier stuffing. 

Arrange stuffing evenly in the baking dish, and bake for approximately 1 hour. Cover with foil if it begins to dry out or is browning too fast. Keep covered until ready to serve.

Mung Bean, Tahini and Dill Soup

As we move into vata season, simple soups and stews are some of the most nourishing foods we can choose, and are especially beneficial for evenings where we have dinner a bit on the later side. If you've been on a retreat with me this year, chances are you've had this soup. I absolutely fell in love with it after stumbling upon it on A Brown Table. The creator of this stellar foodie site, Nik Sharma, has given me permission to share my adaptation of the recipe here and I hope you'll enjoy it as much as I have. The mung beans in this dish are detoxifying, while tahini adds rejuvenative qualities to the this easy soup, which is a meal in itself.

2 Tablespoons ghee (or coconut oil for vegan option)
2-3 cloves garlic, finely minced
1/4 teaspoon dried red chile flakes (I like using Aleppo chile)
Pinch of hing (asafoetida), optional
2 cups split yellow mung beans (moong dal), rinsed and drained*
6 cups vegetable broth or water
2 Tablespoons tahini
1/3 c. chopped dill, plus extra for garnish
Juice of one lime
1 teaspoon salt

Heat ghee in a soup pot over medium-high flame. Add the garlic and chile flakes, along with the hing (if using), and stir constantly for about 30-45 seconds, or until fragrant. Add the drained mung beans and vegetable broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a low simmer.  Cook soup 30-40 minutes, until beans are soft and soup is starting to thicken, stirring occasionally. You can add a bit more water if needed if the soup gets thicker than you desire.

Stir in the tahini, dill, lime juice and salt. Cook another 5 minutes, then taste and adjust salt if needed. Serve individual portions topped with extra chopped dill.

* Note: The consistency of the soup will not be correct if you use whole green mung beans.

Masala Ratatouille

This is my Indian take on a French summertime classic. I developed the recipe for the wedding of two dear friends who asked me to cater their nuptial dinner last month. I drew spice inspiration from one of my culinary heroes, Yotam Ottolenghi, but stuck to a more traditional preparation than his oven-baked version that is similar in concept.

1 large eggplant, cut into 1/2" rounds
3 T. ghee or grapeseed oil (or other neutral cooking oil of your choice), divided
1 large green zucchini, quartered length-wise and chopped into 1/2" pieces
1 large yellow zucchini, quartered length-wise and chopped into 1/2" pieces
1 t. each: fenugreek seed, kalonji*, cumin seed, fennel seed and brown mustard seed
1 t. ground cardamom
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 large red bell pepper, chopped
1/4 lb. okra, quartered lengthwise
3 ripe tomatoes, diced
Salt

Lightly rub salt into the side of each eggplant slice. Place in a large bowl or colander and let sit 10-12 minutes. Use a clean towel to rub any excess juice off the eggplant, then cut each round into 1/2" cubes.

In a Dutch oven or other large pot, heat 2 T. ghee or oil over a medium-high flame. Add eggplant and sauté for 8-10 minutes, stirring often, until eggplant is soft and beginning to shrink slightly. Use a slotted spoon to transfer eggplant to a large bowl.

Add green and yellow zucchini to the pot and sauté for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Transfer zucchini to the bowl with the eggplant.

Add remaining 1 T. of ghee or oil to the pot. Stir in all spices and cook for about 1 minute, or until fragrant. Add onion and red bell pepper and sauté for 7-8 minutes, until vegetables are visibly beginning to soften. Add in okra, tomatoes and the cooked eggplant and zucchini, and stir well. Reduce heat to medium low, and cook for 35-45 minutes, stirring often. Be mindful not to overcook vegetables, and reduce heat along the way if needed. Add salt to taste and serve immediately.

* Also known as nigella, these flavorful seeds can be found at Indian markets or specialty spice shops.