i used to make a lot of quiches because they are really easy to make ahead of time for lunch leftovers and are a perfect catch-all for any veggies i have in your fridge.  but i realized that a frittata is basically a quiche without the crust – even lighter and easier to whip up!

i made this one with a slew of spring veggies, a little of everything that has just popped up at the market in the past few months, but most of which will be around all summer.  enjoy with any combination of your own produce.

spring veggie frittata
2 tbsp oil (i used coconut)
1 large shallot
1 small potato (~1/4-1/3 lb)
1 small yellow zucchini (~1/4-1/3 lb)
1/2 bunch of asparagus (~1/4-1/3 lb)
1 c english peas
3/4 tsp fine ground sea salt
5 jumbo eggs (or 6 regular)
1/4 c half and half

preheat the oven to 375F

start by chopping all the veggies.  the shallot, potato and zucchini should all be chopped pretty thinly, you can use a mandoline if you’d like but it just takes a minute to do with a knife.  the asparagus can be chopped into roughly 1 inch pieces.  if using fresh english peas then shell first and measure out one cup – mine are fresh from the farmers’ market but i froze them so they are easier to use and won’t go bad.

heat up a cast iron skillet (or oven-safe stainless steel frying pan – without any plastic on the handle) over high heat for a minute or two, then add in the oil.  i like coconut oil especially with eggs because it keeps a really light flavor, but you can use olive or canola oil too, even butter if you want.  reduce to medium heat and add in the shallot, potato and 1/2 tsp of the salt.  fry for about 3-4 minutes or until both are soft.

take this time to crack the eggs into a separate bowl, add in the half and half and other 1/4 tsp salt and whisk until evenly incorporated  i find that half and half or cream help to get a really fluffy texture from the eggs.

once the shallot and potato are soft, add in the asparagus, peas and zucchini just for a minute to mix in evenly.  it doesn’t matter if your peas are fresh or frozen because they will mostly cook in the oven.  next pour the egg mixture evenly around the skillet, turn the heat up to high for about 1-2 minutes or until the egg mixture begins to bubble up in a few places.

then cut the heat and put the pan directly in the oven.  bake for 30 minutes – until the egg is solid throughout and beginning to brown on top.  let cool for at least 10 minutes before cutting.

keeps well in the fridge in an air-tight container for 2-3 days.

yields 4-6 servings

well i’m back!  and yes, that is a bit embarrassing to say just two posts – and one year! – after i exclaimed the very same thing, then promptly went on a long hiatus again.  but this time i mean it.

the site has just undergone a total redesign, which i couldn’t be more excited about, and my diet has had a major revolution as well.  no longer a vegan – but still very much a veggie-touting, farmers’-market-crawling, lover of all things fresh – i now incorporate small, quality amounts of meat and dairy in my diet.  like the grass fed flat iron steaks we had for dinner last night, doesn’t it look good?  for more info on my transition to becoming a meat-eater again, you can check out my about page, but for those who don’t care, i will spare you the details.

some of the features of the new design, just to name a few:

• my upcoming posts will feature larger photos
• try scrolling over the drop down recipes tab at the top of the page to browse by seasons or most popular posts, or click on the tab to full a catalogue of recipes with multiple viewing options
• when viewing recipes by category you can now browse visually with featured thumbnails of each post
• i am now proud to announce the site fowards to sbandgb.com as well as sbandgb.net for your typing convenience.
• you’ll soon notice ads on the site, nothing too crazy, i just hope they can help cover some of the costs of keeping up the blog.  if at any point i make a profit from the ads, i can investment even more in these things!

this redesign was done by the very talented jacob reed of jacob reed design.  he does lots of other great stuff too, so check him out!

to make the steak:

acquire good quality meat from a reputable butcher.  you want to make sure anything you get is free of antibiotics, hormones and preservatives like nitrates.  i often get my meat from either the farmers’ market, whole foods, or my favorite: McCall’s Meat and Fish.  purchase it as close to when you are going to prepare it as possible, try to get it day of and you’ll notice the freshness.

this cut is a flat iron steak, but i’ve also had really great skirt steaks cooked on the grill too.  it is grass fed which means it is more lean than beef that was raised on grain.

sprinkle a dash of salt and pepper on both sides of the steak, heat up the barbecue on high heat for a few minutes with the lid down to get it nice and hot.  sear the steaks on each side for about 30 seconds, then reduce the heat to medium, cover and cook, flipping every few minutes, for about 15-20 minutes depending on how well you like it – i prefer it on the more rare side.

i have been working at juice bars for over 2 years now where we make fresh coconut milk daily.  its a tasty treat that isn’t too hard to whip up, just takes the confidence to swing around knives large enough to crack open the young thai coconut’s shell.  at one place i worked they required us to wear a chain mail glove on one hand to prevent the loss of any digits – a small price to pay for the light, sweet, creamy taste of freshly made coconut milk.

we would blend it into smoothies, or into raw soups and desserts, but its also great to cook with and a much healthier version than the stuff you find in a can.  the coconut water is extremely hydrating because it is rich in electrolytes, while the coconut meat is full of good fats.  you can make the milk into vegan ice cream, use it in a dressing or sauce, or cook it down with homemade curry powder and a load of fresh veggies like i have here.

fresh coconut curry
2 1/2 c homemade coconut milk
1 1/2 tbsp curry powder (see below)
1 1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 medium red onion
2 cloves garlic
1 medium portobello mushroom
1 medium carrot
1 heaping cup of chopped green beans
1 1/2 c chopped red cabbage
1 small head of broccoli
10 medium basil leaves

homemade curry powder
2 tbsp coriander seeds
1 tbsp fennel seeds
3 tbsp turmeric powder
1 tbsp cumin powder
2 tsp chinese 5 spice powder
1 tsp ground white peper
1 tsp garlic powder

the coconut milk:

make your coconut milk ahead of time so its ready to go.  this is pretty simple actually, you’ve just got to pick up some young thai coconuts at your local thai market, and get a little practice at cracking them open.

to do this, you must have a large knife with a little weight behind it, then sharpen it to reduce resistance. since i’m right-handed i hold the coconut steady with my left hand, and the knife in my right.  then i bring the knife down swiftly on the right side of the coconut, creating a little slit in the top of the husk and a tiny crack in the shell inside.  now turn the coconut 1/5th or 1/6th of a turn and give it another crack.  continue to do this until you have connected all of the cuts and created a removable lid.  if it doesn’t come off easily simply wedge it open with the corner of the knife.

if the water or flesh is even slightly pink, toss the whole thing or you’ll risk a little bout of food poisoning.

if the flesh is white, hopefully its thick enough to make thick enough milk, but not so thick that its hard to blend.  this coconut yielded the perfect amount, about 2 cups of water that made 2 and 1/2 cups milk when the flesh was blended in.  pour the coconut water into the blender and add in the meat as you scoop it out.  sometimes, if the hole in the top is big enough you can scoop it out of the whole coconut, but sometimes i need to make a series of cracks around the coconut, dividing it in half, then i pry it apart.

if the flesh is too thin or so thick its hard to spoon out, consider using a different coconut.  if the one you choose is too small, add another one.  and if the milk you make ends up being too thick you can always add a bit of purified water.  don’t worry about making too much milk, you’ll find a use for it.

blend on high for at least 2 minutes to insure all little bits have been broken up.  then run through a fine strainer in case any bits of the husk or shell are left.  luckily very little needed to be strained out of the mixture.

there’s no exact science to it, you’ll get the hang of it as you go.  and once you get used to making it you can use it in all sorts of different recipes!

the curry powder:

prep your curry powder beforehand as well.  i used whole coriander and fennel seeds, toasted them in a dry skillet over high heat, but if you can add in whole cumin seeds, peppercorns or peppers if you’d like your curry hot.

once toasted i toss them in my mortar to them grind up, but use an electric spice grinder if you have one.

then mix them with the rest of the powders.  store the extra in a sealed container.

putting it all together:

chop up all of your veggies and mince your garlic.  since i like my carrots cooked well i made sure to slice them thinly.  and i don’t much like broccoli stems so i just used the florets.

heat up 1 cup of the coconut milk over medium-high heat in a large skillet, then sprinkle in the curry powder and salt, and stir.  toss in the onion, garlic and mushroom and cook for 2 minutes.  add in the sliced carrot and cook another 2 minutes until they soften a bit.  add in the remaining coconut milk, as well as the remaining veggies and cook for 3 more minutes.  cut the heat and add in your basil leaves, stir until they wilt in.

serve immediately!

yields 3-4 servings

i recently experienced a bit of a culinary adventure when i volunteered to bar tend a private dinner party for a personal chef friend of mine.  among learning how to make a martini on the fly and tasting fresh black truffles for the first time, i got an invaluable little tip from someone who actually went to culinary school.  apparently, when making risotto it helps to fry the raw rice in the oil with your garlic and onion before you add water and boil it all down, it helps add a toasty flavor and hold the rice grains together.

i decided to toss in a bit of fresh ginger at this step and the dish adopted an asian-inspired variety of flavors from there on.  nori seaweed melts in to add an amazing depth of flavor, richness, and it’s own saltiness.  the “cream” is a thick blend of almond milk with cashews blended, no one will ever guess it’s vegan.  and like so many dishes in asian cuisine, it is then dressed with crisp, fresh veggies which are lovely in contrast to the savory richness of the risotto.

asian-inspired risotto
3 cloves garlic
3 tbsp minced fresh ginger root
1/2 medium red onion
1/4 c olive oil
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 c sweet brown rice
2 tbsp liquid aminos or soy sauce
2 tbsp lemon juice
3 c water
2 sheets nori wraps or a handful of shredded nori
1/2 c raw cashews
1 c almond milk

toppings
baby spinach
thinly sliced carrot
thinly sliced red or spring onion
chopped cilantro leaves
lemon wedges

before you start prepping anything else, put your cashews in a cup full of clean, purified water, and let soak for at least 45-60 minutes.

then set in to mince the garlic, onion and ginger, as finely as you can.

heat up the olive oil in a large pot over high heat for a minute or two, reduce to medium-high heat and toss in the garlic, onion, ginger and salt.  saute for about 5 minutes, or until the onions are a bit translucent.  toss in the brown rice to toast, cook for another 5 minutes, stirring frequently.

toss in the liquid aminos (or soy sauce) and lemon juice, and let them sizzle and infuse for a minute.  pour in the water, bring to a boil, reduce to medium heat, cover and let cook for 45 minutes – or until all the water has cooked off, leaving a sticky, porridge-like rice.

while the rice is cooking, if your seaweed isn’t already shredded then cut it up with some scissors.  drop it in with the rice in the last 5 minutes of boiling.

also take this time to chop up any veggies you’d like to top the dish with.  besides the ones i used you could use thinly sliced celery, daikon radish, baby bok choy or maybe a few bean sprouts.

also take a few minutes to prep your almond and cashew cream.  simply drain the cashews and blend them with the almond milk for 1-2 minutes on high.  then strain that mixture to remove any clumps.  you’re left with a thick, super creamy almond and cashew cream that adds just the right texture to the risotto.

once the rice is done, pour the cream in and cook over medium heat for another 10 minutes, stirring every few.  it should cook down into a very thick sauce, which makes the whole dish very sticky.  let cool for 5 minutes before dishing out and enjoying!

i suggest eating immediately, as the texture got a bit dry when refrigerated.  but with a friend or two around, that should be no problem!

yields 2-3 servings

fennel is an interesting vegetable.  when eaten raw i find it to have a celery-like texture with a hint of licorice – which is not my favorite flavor.  but like most vegetables, when roasted the flavors mellow out and gain a toasty and buttery quality.  i don’t roast the stems because i find them quite stringy, but i do save some of the fuzzy greens to chop up and season the bulbs with while they cook.  afterward, they’re dressed with fresh orange zest, a classic combination that never fails to make those subtle flavors pop a little more.

and while i haven’t written much about couscous here before, it’s because quite frankly i like quinoa and brown rice better.  but i will say that it is super quick and easy to make and it serves as a nice neutral background to compliment the more complex flavors atop it.

roasted fennel
2 large fresh fennel bulbs plus some of their greens
1 tsp kosher salt
3 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp fresh orange zest

couscous
1 c vegetable broth
1 c dry couscous

preheat your oven to 400F.

wash your fennel thoroughly.  chop off the tops and set them aside.

cut the bulbs into 10-12 pieces, so they are all roughly the same size and none are too big.  put them in a large bowl and toss with the olive oil and kosher salt.  finely chop up some of greens of the fennel, removing any thick stems, and toss 3 tablespoons of it in with the fennel bulbs.

lay them out on a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper.  bake for about 45 minutes, mixing and flipping with a spatula every 10 minutes or so.

while that’s cooking, you can grate the orange zest and prepare the couscous.  bring the cup of vegetable broth to a boil and cut the heat, pour in the couscous, give a quick stir, and cover for at least 5 minutes.  when you open it up, fluff it with a fork, add seasonings if you’d like, and it’s ready to serve!

when the fennel came out of the oven i served it on top of the couscous, but they would also be awesome tossed all together.  best enjoyed immediately, roasted vegetables are never as good after refrigerating.

yields 2-3 servings

i used to be obsessed with chicken pot pies when i was younger, the small microwavable kind.  now that i’m all grown up and can make them for myself, i prefer to enjoy a slice of a full-sized pie, piled high with tasty veggies in a savory gravy sauce, surrounded by a crispy homemade crust with spices baked right in.  i packed this dish with lots of rich, deep, savory flavors – from cumin, black pepper, liquid aminos and a bit of red wine – as well a little protein from quinoa, so you won’t miss the meat at all.

use these basic techniques to make this veggie pot pie your own.  substitute the carrot or sweet potatoes for different root vegetables, sub out the spinach for chard, kale, or collard greens!  you can use white wine instead of red for a bit lighter flavor, or vinegar instead of lemon juice.  swap out couscous, millet, brown rice or lentils for the quinoa.  and experiment with different spices – like ground coriander, oregano, or fresh basil.

crust
1 c unbleached all-purpose flour
1 c whole wheat flour
2 tbsp sugar
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 c vegan margarine (like earth balance)
2/3 c almond or other non-dairy milk

filling
1 c cooked quinoa (1/2 c dry quinoa, 1/2 c water, 1/2 veggie broth)
1 c chopped carrot (about 3 medium carrots)
1 c chopped sweet potato (1 small sweet potato)
1 c chopped celery (2 stalks)
1 c fresh english peas (about 2/3 lb with shells)
1 c chopped spinach
1 c chopped red onion
2 minced garlic cloves
1/4 c olive oil
1 tbsp fresh minced rosemary
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
2 tbsp whole wheat flour
2 tbsp liquid aminos
2 tbsp red wine
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 c almond or other non-dairy milk

“egg” wash
2 tbsp almond or another non-dairy milk
1/2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp olive oil

start with the crust.  let the margarine sit out for a little bit (~5 minutes) to let soften while you sift together the flours, salt, sugar and spices.  break the margarine up into pieces in the dry ingredients with a fork or pastry cutter, creating several small flour-covered bits.

then slowly mix in the almond milk – or other milk substitute of your choice – until it’s still a bit crumbly but just holds together.  then i sprinkled a tad more almond milk on top and stuck in the fridge.

cook the quinoa if you don’t have any on hand.  i like to cook extra and keep it in the fridge to easily add it to soups, salads, casseroles, etc.  i always use 1 part dry quinoa, 1 part water, 1 part veggie broth.  for about a cup of cooked quinoa you will need about 1/2 cup each.  bring the liquid ingredients to a boil in a small pot, add the dry quinoa, cover and cook over medium heat for 10-15 minutes – or until the liquid boils off and the quinoa is fluffy.  then set aside.

and while that’s cooking you can start chopping your vegetables.  chop your carrots, sweet potato and celery into little cubes and set aside in a bowl together.

chop the spinach and set aside.

chop your onion and garlic and set aside together.  and mince your rosemary to set aside as well.

if using fresh english peas then pop them open and collect the peas inside, discarding the shells – this will take a little while but the difference in taste is worth it.  if you don’t have fresh peas around, then you can use a cup of frozen peas instead, thaw first.

before you start to cook the filling, dust a large cutting board, cut the ball of dough in half and take half of it out onto the cutting board.  return the rest to the fridge.  dust the top with flour and roll out with a rolling pin.  lay out into your pie pan and trim around the edges.  you can add the trimming back in with the other piece of dough, toss it, or use it for something else.  stick the pan with the first layer of crust back into the fridge as well.

preheat your oven to 400F.

use a large skillet or pot to heat up the olive oil for a minute or two.  over medium heat add in the onion, garlic, fresh rosemary, salt, cumin and pepper.  saute for 2-3 minutes.

toss in the carrot, sweet potato and celery mix and continue to cook over medium heat for about 8 minutes, just to brown the veggies a bit.

toss in the whole wheat flour and mix so that the vegetables are coated by the flour and become a bit pasty in consistency.  continue to cook and scrape down the pan for about a minute to assure the raw flour taste is cooked off and the flour granules are fully coated in fat before we introduce the liquids.

then mix in the lemon juice, liquid aminos (if you have none use soy sauce) and red wine to really take the flavors to the next dimension.  liquid aminos and soy sauce, as well as red wine are loaded with umami – which is considered to be the fifth taste.  it’s the savory, rich quality of food that enhances all other flavors.  it is often associated with meats and cheeses but can be easily be replicated otherwise.

let those liquids coat the veggies and cook for a minute, then toss in the almond milk and cook for one or two more minutes to let reduce.

once the sauce has a gravy-like consistency, cut the heat, mix in the cooked quinoa, peas and chopped spinach.

put the pan with the crust into the oven for 8 minutes to toast a bit – to avoid a soggy bottom crust.

meanwhile mix together the ingredients for the “egg” wash, which you’ll use to coat the top of the pie, and roll out the other half of the ball of dough with additional flour dusted on top.

when the crust comes out spoon in the filling, brush the “egg” wash around the edges.  gently lay the other layer of the pie crust over top, seal the two layers with the prongs of a fork, trim the edges and poke a few holes in the center.

brush the top with the “egg” wash and bake for 30 minutes at 400F, taking out to brush with additional wash halfway and in the last 5 minutes.

remove and let cool for a few minutes before you cut up and enjoy!

yields 2-4 servings

i love pizza in all it’s forms.  sure it’s traditionally topped with red sauce and gooey strands of cheezy goodness, but also layered with pesto instead, or no sauce at all.  with this recipe i had the idea that rather than worrying about not only making a sauce but also a cheese substitute, i could make a combination of the two.

the sauce is made creamy by a little coconut milk, while all the flavor explodes from the roasted garlic, which permeates the soft chewiness of the crust.  complimented nicely by hints of tangy sweetness from sun dried tomatoes and little bursts of freshness added by thyme.

if you’ve never taken a crack at making your own pizza, what better time than now?

crust
1 1/2 tsp active yeast
2 tbsp sugar
1 tsp ground coriander
1 c warm water
about 2 c unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp + 2 tbsp olive oil

roasted garlic coconut cream
2 heads garlic
1/2 c coconut milk
1/4 tsp salt

toppings
1/2 c sun dried tomatoes
a few sprigs fresh thyme

mix together the dry active yeast, sugar and ground coriander in a large bowl.  mix in the 1 cup of water, which should be warm to the touch.  set aside for a few minutes until it foams.

then toss in the salt and 2 tablespoons of olive oil, and slowly sift in about 1 3/4 cups flour until it sticks together into a loose dough.

lightly flour a cutting board and turn the dough out onto it.  lightly knead it for about a minute, then set the ball in a large bowl greased with 2 tablespoons of olive oil.  turn the dough over to cover in oil.

then let sit in a warm place until it doubles in size, this may take an hour or two.

meanwhile roast the heads of garlic.  chop the tops off to make them easier to extract later.  lay them in aluminum foil and cover with a little olive oil.  roast at 375F for about an hour until light golden brown.

when they are cool enough to handle you can pop the cloves out with your fingers.  blend them with the coconut milk and salt, and set aside.

at least an hour before you assemble the pizza rehydrate your sun dried tomatoes in water, and drain before using.

once the dough has risen, preheat the oven to 475F to give it plenty of time to heat up.  lightly flour a large baking pan, then sprinkle the top of the dough and your hands.  gently remove the dough from the bowl onto the pan – it will deflate a little.  lightly flour the dough again if needed and press out to a large oval, slightly thicker around the edges.

lightly pour the cream across the crust, then dress with the sun dried tomatoes and bits of fresh thyme.

bake at 475F for 10 minutes or until lightly brown around the edges and the cream is starting to bubble.

cut up and enjoy immediately!

yields 3-4 servings

this has quickly become one of my new favorite dishes – so quick and easy to simply grate up an eggplant, add some taco seasonings and fry it up for a few minutes.  unlike store bought meat substitutes that may contain soy, wheat or high amounts of fat, this recipe is all natural vegetables and only contains 1 teaspoon of oil per serving.  it really is amazing how much it looks and tastes like meat, since the eggplant mimics the texture and the spices add all the flavor.

this recipe for carnitas can substitute in any dish that calls for taco meat.  it’s great over nachos, in a burrito or a taco salad.  you could even get creative and invent a 7-layer dip or mexican casserole – the possibilities are endless!  but i kept it simple here and served it with just some diced red onion, cilantro and a lemon wedge on the side.

eggplant carnitas
1 large chinese eggplant (about 1/2 a pound)
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp coriander
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 tbsp olive oil

coarsely grate the eggplant into a large bowl.  you can use 1/2 pound of any kind, but i like to use chinese eggplant because they are smaller and easier to grate than a large globe eggplant. they are also more tender and sweet, a lot of people complain of bitterness in large eggplants, so they slice it and sprinkle it with salt before cooking to bring out the bitterness.  there is no need for this if you are using smaller varieties like chinese or indian eggplants.

toss the shredded eggplant with all of the seasonings and the olive oil, mix well.

the spices i use are my version of taco seasoning, if you don’t have an extensive spice cabinet you can use 2 tablespoons of store-bought taco seasoning instead.

heat up a frying pan over high heat and toss the mixture in.  i find the best way to cook the mixture is to press it as flat as possible into the pan – to maximize surface area.  cook on high for at least 3-5 minutes, mixing every minute or so.  sometimes i like to cook it longer until it’s more crispy, but it’s fine soft too.  since it isn’t meat you don’t have to worry about reaching a maximum temperature, cook it to your liking!

serve right away or pack up for later.  enjoy!

yields about 3 servings (6 tacos)

would go great with:

• seasame-fried shishito peppers
• corn salsa
• super simple spicy hummus dressing
• simply cinnamon tea

last week at the farmers’ market a customer came up to my stand and told the girl i work for that her recipe for okra was amazing.  obviously i had to get it and see what it was all about.

the recipe as she told it was, “half and onion, some okra and some tomato, chop chop chop, fry in some oil, then add oyster sauce.”  sounded easy enough, and while i didn’t feel like enjoying any oyster sauce in the mix, i had red miso paste which substituted perfectly.

not only is the recipe unbelievably simple – with only 5 ingredients and about 10 minutes start to finish – the result truly was amazing.  i was mesmerized by it, never before had i tasted such a combination of flavors or textures.  i expected more of a stir fry but what i got was definitely an asian-style marinara.  it’s awesome with bread to dip in it or over noodles, or you could serve it up over steamed vegetables, rice or any other grain.

while heirlooms are pretty much done for the season, you can still get some tasty varieties out here in california.  that is, at least until the frost hits, so enjoy while you can!

okra and miso marinara
2 tbsp olive oil
1 c red onion (1/2 a medium one)
1 c okra (about 1/2 a lb)
1 c tomato (about medium ones)
2 tbsp miso

prep whatever else you’re serving with the sauce first, since this recipe is so speedy.  i put some water on the stove to boil and threw in a few soba noodles.  they were done in just a few minutes.

if you’ve never shopped for okra before, it’s not too difficult.  just pick the pods that are firm, without any large blemishes or bruises, slight browning around the edges is fine.  i prefer smaller ones because i find they are slightly more tender.

chop up all your ingredients before you get to cooking.  exact measurements are not necessarily, about a cup of all your veggies, give or take.  i choose jubilee heirloom tomatoes because i like their color and flavor, but any kind will due – since they are being cooked you don’t have to start with the most delicate flavors and textures, which are easier to enjoy when raw.

heat up the oil in a frying pan over high heat for a minute or two before adding the onion.  sauté for a few minutes, or until soft, before adding in the okra.  if you’ve never worked with okra before, it’s notorious for being sticky.  you’ll notice when you cut it that it feels a bit slimy, and when you cook it you can see long strands when you stir.  this will help to thicken the sauce.

after a few minutes, toss in the tomato and sauté until they are soft and starting to make the mixture more liquidy.  then scoop in the miso paste, mix thoroughly and cut the heat.  serve up immediately however you’d like, it’s best fresh and hot.

yields 2 servings

this recipe was inspired a few weeks ago by a post over at smitten kitchen.  i am constantly in awe of her creative recipes and stunning, crisp, clean presentation, but like to think of my own way to make the same dish.

based loosely on a creamy pasta sauce with tofu i once made, i created my own way to make homemade tofu goat cheese that even gets soft and melty!  the first time i served it up was to non-vegans who thought i had used cheese.

underneath it all is a gluten-free crust made of brown rice flour.  it’s much easier to make than wheat ones because you can’t over work the dough, and there’s no kneading required.  plus it’s easy to cook it up nice and crispy if that’s what you’re into.

gluten-free brown rice flour crust
1 c warm water
1 1/2 tsp dry active yeast
1/4 c turbinado sugar
3 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp salt
2 c brown rice or sweet rice flour
some corn meal

lemon herb tofu goat cheese
10 ounces firm tofu
3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
3 tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 tsp agar agar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp dry dill
1/2 tsp dry oregano
1/2 tsp dry basil
1/4 tsp garlic powder

toppings
1 large yellow zucchini
1 large green zucchini
a drizzle of olive oil
a squeeze of lemon juice
salt
fresh ground black pepper

begin with the crust.  activate the yeast in the warm water with sugar.  let sit for about 15-20 minutes until it’s foamy.  then add in the oil, salt and rice flour.  stir until there are no lumps, and stir all you want – since there’s no gluten there’s not worry of over working the dough!  but you don’t have to knead it or anything, just cover it and leave it in a warm place for about an hour to let rise a bit.

then start in on the goat cheese.  the key to this recipe is the agar agar – you could change most other ingredients but the agar is what gels everything and softens when it’s cooked.  it’s a gelatin substitute that is derived from seaweed, available at most health food stores or online.

blend all ingredients in a blender or food processor until smooth.  this may take a while if you don’t have a powerful blender but just be patient.  when blended the consistency should be slightly thick like a dip.

put the contents of the blender into a medium-sized pot on the stove over medium heat.  cook for about 3 minutes while stirring.  this does two things – cooks off some of the water to create a thicker consistency, and activates the agar so it will actually gel.

when you’re done put it all into a clean jar or other container at least about 8-10 ounces big.  stick it in the fridge to let it cool down and thicken.

then you can chop up your zucchini.  i like to use yellow and green zucchini fresh from the farmers market, but you can just use one kind if that’s all you have.  it would probably also be good with thinly sliced eggplant!  but my experience with tomatoes slices is that they are too juicy so the whole thing is too mushy.

once your crust has had time to rise and your goat cheese has had time to cool, you can preheat your oven to 425F and start to assemble everything.

you’ll notice the dough won’t get much bigger like a crust made with wheat flour, but you should notice a bit of inflating marked by slight cracks.  using yeast and letting it rise will a make some bubbles in the crust and give it a little softness like a normal pizza crust.  but if you want a really crispy crust turn the oven up to 500F and cook a few minutes less.

scoop out half of the dough to make 2 smaller but easier to handle pizzas.  i haven’t tried to make all the dough into one large pizza but it would probably work if you had big enough a pan.  for this i just used cookie sheets dusted with corn meal.

grease your hands with a bit of olive oil and pick up that half of the dough.  it has a strange crumbly texture but just gently hand it back and forth between your hands until it’s a smooth ball.  then gently set it on the baking sheet and begin to gently press it out in an even flat circle.  you an add more oil to your hands it it begins to stick.

once it’s the size you’d like, get out the goat cheese – which will have thickened to a solid mass.   crumble it with a spoon or fork and sprinkle the crumbles generously across the crust.

top with the zucchinis in any pattern you’d like, then a drizzle of olive oil, a squirt of lemon, and a little salt and pepper. that’s all!  pop it in the oven for 10-15 minutes, but watch closely as the crust will easily burn at those temperatures.

and enjoy as deb from smitten kitchen suggests, with a glass of crisp white wine.  the perfect summer dinner!

yields 2 small pizzas