Pad Cashew Nut Stir Fry

Pad Cashew Nut is our go-to stir fry anytime we crave Thai. This version comes from an international food blog and it is delicious! We typically add prawns but you can keep it vegetarian, add tofu, chicken or whatever you crave. It's another very fast and easy stir fry that you can quickly throw together on a week night.

3 Tbsp cooking oil

4 cloves garlic, minced

4 Tbsp Thai roasted chili paste (you can find this in Asian markets)

1 ½ Tbsp fish sauce

1 ½ Tbsp soy sauce

1 Tbsp white vinegar

1 Tbsp sugar

20 medium sized peeled prawns

3 small sized sweet peppers (red or yellow), cut in large dices

1 medium sized white onion, cut into medium slices

2 spring/green onions, cut into 1 inch long slices

1 cup roasted cashew nuts

2 cups jasmine rice

Dry cracked chili (for spicy food lovers)

Cook Jasmine rice first, so when the dish is ready, the rice is ready too.

Prepare the sauce in advance too. Mix the Thai roasted chili paste, fish sauce, soy sauce, white vinegar and sugar. 

Set a frying pan or wok on a stove on medium heat, and add cooking oil. When the oil is hot, add minced garlic, and stir the garlic until it is a golden brown color, about 1-2 minutes. Add the sauce mixture, stirring until ingredients are well combined and have a thick sauce texture.

Add prawns to the sauce, stir and cook them for about 4 minutes. Don't overcook the prawns!

Add the sweet peppers and white onions and mix well. Quickly cook the vegetables, so they are still crunchy.

Turn off the heat, and add spring/green onion and cashew nuts. Stir all the ingredients until they are well combined.

Serve with steamed jasmine rice. It's fantastic with Tom Kha Soup too!

For spicy food lovers, you can sprinkle dry chili on top of the dish and enjoy.

Tom Kha Soup (Thai Coconut Milk Soup)

Tom Kha soup is one of our favorites of all time. It takes me back to college where a warm soup was the perfect remedy to a rainy Oregon day. There are many variations, depending upon which Thai restaurant you visit. This recipe is adapted from a top rated version by Sunset magazine and serves 2-3. We often pair it with a Pad Cashew nut stir fry and a really good beer. It is so easy and quick to make, much faster than waiting for take out at the local Thai restaurant!


1 can (14 oz.) coconut milk
1 can (14 oz.) chicken or vegetable broth
6 quarter-size slices fresh ginger
1 stalk fresh lemongrass, cut in 1-2 inch pieces so you can easily 'fish' it out later
1 cup sliced yellow onion
1 cup sliced button or crimini mushrooms

1 cup grape tomatoes, sliced in half
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon Thai or Vietnamese fish sauce (nuoc mam or nam pla)
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon Thai chili paste
1/4 cup fresh Thai basil leaves
1/4 cup fresh cilantro

You can add chicken or shrimp depending on your preference. 

• 1 pound boned, skinned chicken breast or thighs, cut into 1-in. chunks
• 16-20 medium shrimp, shelled and deveined

In a medium saucepan, combine coconut milk, broth, ginger, and lemongrass and bring to boil over high heat. Add onion, mushrooms, tomatoes lime juice, fish sauce, sugar, and chili paste. (Add chicken or shrimp here too). Reduce heat and simmer 5 to 10 minutes. If using chicken or shrimp, cook until firm and opaque.  

Discard lemongrass with a slotted spoon. Garnish servings with basil and cilantro.

Coconut Chana Saag

The only thing better than eating food is reading about it. As a big fan of Isa Chandra Moskowitz, I could not wait to devour new latest cookbook, "Isa Does It" and sure enough there is much inspiration contained within. Isa has created a Coconut Chana Saag that delights all of one's senses. Made with basmati or brown rice, and white wine if you are at my house, you are in for a TREAT!





Ingredients:

2 Tbsp refined coconut oil
1 medium onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp minced fresh ginger
2 Tbsp mild curry powder (I use Penzey's sweet curry powder)

Several grinds (or pinches) of freshly ground black paper
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp anise or crushed fennel seeds
1/4 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp ground cumin1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 24-ounce can whole tomatoes (or use fresh with a splash of water)
2 15-ounce cans of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
8 ounces of baby kale
1 14-ounce can of coconut milk
2 Tbsp fresh lime juice 

For serving:
Fresh cilantro, chopped
Mango Chutney (store bought)

Heat the coconut oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and saute for about 7 minutes, until lightly browned. Add the garlic and ginger, and saute until fragrant (about 30 seconds). Add the curry powder, salt, pepper, anise seeds, garam masala, cumin, and cayenne and mix well. Allow the spices to roast for about a minute.

Add the tomato juice from the can, and scrape the bottom of the pan to deglaze. (or use fresh tomatoes and add a splash of water to deglaze) Add the tomatoes from the can, squishing them with your fingers or mashing with a wooden spoon. Add the chickpeas and mix well. Cover the pot and increase the heat to medium-high. Let simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the kale and stir until wilted, and then simmer for about 5 minutes more.

Add the coconut milk and lime juice and heat through. Taste for seasoning. Allow to sit for 10-20 minutes (if possible), so that the flavors can mingle. It tastes even better the next day. Serve over basmati rice and add fresh cilantro and chutney, if desired.

Asparagus Avgolemono Soup

This soup is so easy and super delicious. It comes from the Moosewood Collection, perfect for a simple spring or summer lunch or light dinner. We served it with assorted fruit and it would pair wonderfully with a Melon or Chardonnay.

Ingredients
1 quart vegetable broth
¼ cup orzo or similar small pasta
2 cups asparagus cut into 1½- to 1-inch lengths
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
2 eggs
2 tablespoons lemon juice
salt and pepper

Instructions
In a soup pot, bring the broth to a boil.
1. Add the pasta and cook until almost al dente, about 4 minutes for pastina and 8 minutes for orzo.
2. Add the asparagus and dill and simmer until the asparagus is just tender, about 5 minutes.
3. While the asparagus cooks, in a bowl, whisk the eggs and lemon juice.
4. When the asparagus is tender, whisk a ladleful of the hot broth into the egg-lemon mixture.
5. Lower the heat and slowly pour the egg mixture into the soup in a thin stream, stirring briskly all the while.
6. Continue to stir until the soup is thickened somewhat and heated through, a couple of
7. minutes. (Constant stirring and low heat prevent the eggs from curdling.)
8. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Quinoa Salad with Black Beans and Mango

Seriously. This salad is delicious. No doubt about it. There is nothing else to say. Just try it and thank me later. It comes from Veganomicon. Back to eating, bet you wish you were too.

1 mango, peeled and diced small
1 red pepper, seeded and diced as small as you can get it
1 cup chopped scallion
1 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons grapeseed oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups cooked quinoa, cooled
1 1/2 cups black beans, drained and rinsed (a 15-ounce can)

Combine the mango, red pepper, scallions, and cilantro in a mixing bowl. Add the red wine vinegar, grapeseed oil, and salt and stir to combine. Add the quinoa and stir until everything is well incorporated. Fold in the black beans. Serve immediately or let it sit for a bit to let the flavors meld.

Asparagus and Lemongrass Risotto

Shhhh...no one will suspect this is vegan unless you tell them. The actual description of this recipe in Veganomicon is perfect:  This is a luscious, creamy asparagus risotto with a decidedly Thai twist. It's delightful served garnished with chopped roasted peanuts and a twist of lime.  We serve it with Red Thai Tofu for an unforgettable night. 

Lemongrass Broth:
3 cloves garlic, whole and unpeeled
1 1-inch piece fresh ginger, sliced into 1/4-inch slices
1 small stalk lemongrass
3 cups vegetable broth
3 cups water
3 tablespoons soy sauce

Risotto:
1/3 cup cooking sherry
1 pound asparagus
2 tablespoons peanut oil or 2 tablespoons vegetable broth
1 cup basil leaves (Thai, if you can find it), sliced into thin strips
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
6 large shallots, thinly sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 chile (anaheim, jalapeno or serrano) sliced very thinly (or 1/2 – 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes)
1-1/2 cups Arborio rice
1 teaspoon sugar (optional)
2 tablespoons lime juice
Chopped roasted peanuts and lime wedges, for garnish 

Prepare the lemongrass. Peel away and discard any brown stems from the stalk. Slice stalk in half lengthwise and cut into 3” to 4” lengths, then julienne.


Give garlic and ginger a good whack with a clever or back of a spoon.

Tip: Make a mini-bouquet garni of the lemongrass, garlic & ginger (i.e. wrap them in a small piece of cheesecloth, tying with kitchen string.

Place all broth ingredients in a large stockpot and bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Strain broth, discarding the vegetables and herbs. Pour broth back into pot, cover and simmer over as low a heat as possible to keep warm.


Slice asparagus into 1/2-inch pieces, discarding any tough parts from bottom of e stems. Separate tips from stems and place each in separate bowls.


In a medium-sized heavy-bottomed pot, saute asparagus in 1 tablespoon peanut oil or vegetable broth over medium heat until bright and crisp tender, 5 to 6 minutes. Add basil and mint, saute for 30 seconds, remove from heat and set aside.

Add remaining tablespoon peanut oil or vegetable broth to pan. Saute shallots and garlic, stirring occasionally, until shallots are very soft, about 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in serrano and rice, saute for about 6-8 minutes, until rice smells slightly toasted. Add sherry and stir constantly until liquid is absorbed.

Now, time for relaxation and stirring. Get a glass of your favorite beverage, turn on some soothing music, or a good movie. Ladle about 1/2 cup of broth at a time into rice, stirring constantly until each addition is absorbed. Stir and cook until the rice is creamy but center is still somewhat firm.

When broth is almost gone, stir sugar and lime juice into remaining broth before adding it to pot. You may add more water or vegetable broth in 1/4 cup increments if needed. This will take about 25 minutes.

Stir asparagus stems into risotto and cook for another 5 to 10 minutes, until asparagus has reached desired tenderness.

Garnish each serving with asparagus tips, chopped roasted peanuts, and lime wedges. 
Yield: 4 to 6 servings

Romaine Salad with Fresh Strawberries and Strawberry Tarragon Dressing

This salad is one of our absolute favorites. The recipe comes from the Forks over Knives cookbook, compliments of Chef Del Sroufe. The dressing is the key with flavors of strawberries, balsamic, shallot and tarragon. It is so delicious that you could pour it over ice cream!

Salad

1 large head of romaine lettuce, washed, dried & cut into 1" pieces
1 medium red onion, thinly sliced
1/2 cup toasted sunflower seeds
1 large carrot, peeled and grated
1 pint fresh strawberries, washed, hulled and cut in half

Dressing

4 cups strawberries, washed, hulled and sliced
1 medium shallot, minced
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 tsp fresh ground white pepper
1/2 cup agave nectar or brown rice syrup
1 tbsp dried tarragon
1 tsp salt

Mix all salad ingredients together in a large bowl

Puree all dressing ingredients in a blender until smooth & creamy, stopping once or twice to scrape down the sides.

Toss the salad with just enough dressing to taste or serve dressing on the side so each person can enjoy as much or little dressing as they would like.


Variations: Avocado or Goat Cheese could be added as well.