The Sensual Vegetable: 2014

From garden/farm/farmers market to table.

Tis the season to have fresh veggies everyday.

I am lucky to have some space to have a garden.

I plant flowers in between my vegetables and herbs.

Attracts a lot of bees, butterflies and dragonflies!

If you are not able to grow your own...

make sure to go to your

local farmers markets or farm stand.

I just found two local farms that are open to the public in my area... that I

never knew where so close.

Be sure to search all

your surrounding towns and cities.

Here are links to find farmers markets.

http://www.localharvest.org/

http://search.ams.usda.gov/farmersmarkets/

http://www.pbs.org/food/features/farmers-market-listings/

http://farmersmarketcoalition.org/farmers-market-coalition-celebrates-national-farmers-market-week-in-dc/

Kale

Big pickle

Just picked cherry tomatoes.

(made the bowl also)

Chard, greens, tomatoes, snowpeas, baby onion and

nasturtiums flowers and leaves .

Cucumber, tomato, basil and thyme

Vinegar and a little coarse salt...that's all. No need

for a heavy dressing...when it's this fresh.

What do Vegans eat?

I am constantly asked "but what do you eat"...like all I eat is salad and

broccoli all day.

This is a dinner I prepared...I didn't plan it....I just used what was in the frig.

Portobello mushrooms in a red wine reduction served over a

roasted poblano pepper,

creamed (cashew cream with my home grown herbes de provence seasoning),

fresh carrots and corn topped with caramelized whole sage leaves,

stuffed artichoke bottoms served over a bed of braised balsamic vinegar arugula, grilled tofu slice, grilled avocado

and a slices of roasted acorn squash.

I have not eaten animals for decades now...recently (in the last two years) I adopted a plant based diet and I must say that it has inspired and enhanced my cooking and my approach about how I think about flavors and textures. When you use only fresh (& organic) ingredients the end results

can only be amazing.

Tempeh - Rule # 1

The key to awesome tempeh is

to marinade, and roast it first.

Marinade for a little while before baking - if time permits.

Yum - golden brown

Cut the tempeh into strips, cubes or squares.

Lay on an roasting pan - one layer. Sprinkle some good tamari (not soy sauce*), a bit of oil and water, to about half way up. Swish it around a little. Bake at 300 until golden brown. Can be served as is but I love to, add it to any recipe that uses tempeh or as a substitute for tofu or meat.
Great in wraps with some peanut sauce or a TLT (Tempeh, lettuce and tomato).

I make a full tray - so that I have enough
for a few meals for a week.

Doing this really locks in some favor. Tempeh right out of the bag is pretty bland.

Check back for my recipe for maple walnut tempeh!

I consider tamari in the same terms as wine.
There are all kinds of tamaris and grades - it has a richer, mellow
taste than soy sauce. The average soy sauce is has a very
specific flavor that goes well with asian style recipes and a salter taste.
Tamari lends itself to well to many different dishes.
Tamari and soy sauce are produced in different ways. Traditional tamari
is a by product of miso and soy sauce is make directly from soy beans.
A good tamari is like a fine aged wine...some soy sauce
(not all) are like wine in a box.