Black Sesame Noodles

Tonight I wanted to try a recipe from my newest cookbook: A Year In a Vegetarian Kitchen by Jack Bishop (Thanks Stacey & Austin for introducing us!). So I decided to try to make Black Sesame Noodles. It was deeeee-licious. Not too many changes, but a few Lora Dever touches here and there...!

Black Sesame Sauce
1/4 cup black sesame seeds
1/4 cup smooth natural peanut butter
2 medium garlic cloves
1 tablespoon grated fresh gingerroot
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4- 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 cup hot water
1/8 cup tamari (or 1/4 cup soy)
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar

For Pasta:
Salt
linguine
1/2 medium cucumber, peeled and grated through a box grater
1-2 medium carrots, peeled and grated
3-4 medium radishes, grated
Diced red pepper
chopped fresh cilantro leaves
1 teaspoon toasted black sesame seeds (reserved from 1/4 cup, above)

Directions:

1. For pasta: Bring water to a boil in a large pot and salt generously

2. For the sauce: toast the seeds for a few minutes over medium heat, stirring, careful not to burn. Reserve 1 teaspoon of the seeds. Pour all the sauce ingredients into a food processor or blender. Blend until smooth.

3. Cook pasta until al dente. Drain and toss with the sesame sauce. Add cucumber, carrot, pepper, and radish. Salt, and top with reserved sesame seeds and cilantro.

I used the extra sauce for baked tofu, which made for an excellent marinade!!! Ryan paired it with some pork dumplings from a local chinese restaurant, also a super tasty idea!

Happy Anniversary: 2 years of Green Eating!

I wanted to take a moment to celebrate my 2nd anniversary of veggie-dom! It's been a pretty awesome year, with lots of new delicious veggie recipes making their way onto the blog, and mastering nutrition in the dead of winter. I can't believe my one month experiment has turned into such a comfortable lifestyle, but the more I know, the more I stand by my decision! It's been perhaps a strange coincidence that since I turned veg, I've made four really close friends who are veggies too, and some days it seems like we will soon rule the world.

Even Ryan, initially the most meat-and-potatoes-man on earth, now eats veg 3-4 nights a week. Perhaps he's just gotten lazy. Maybe it has to do with our grill running out of gas. But I think the cute baby pig argument is also finally getting to him. Big Softee.

Even my family seems to be trending toward 'less meat', and kudos to them. Who needs to eat adorable farm animals anyway!?!

Can't wait to try some more recipes in year 3... ! Stay tuned!!

Stuffed Poblano Peppers

This recipe is from my dad and stepmom, vis a vis Martha Stewart. I've made almost no changes- except to perhaps shake slightly more cumin on top, and leave some seeds in to kick up the spice. I've also paired it with a nice salad. Oh yes, and heed the warning below!!

Ingredients:
1 can(s) (28-ounce) whole tomatoes in puree
1 jalapeño chile, seeds in for heat, seeds out for a little less
2 small onions, chopped
3 clove(s) garlic, 2 whole, 1 minced
Coarse salt
Ground pepper
1 can(s) (19-ounce) black beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup(s) yellow cornmeal
1 cup(s) shredded pepper Jack cheese
A really good shake of ground cumin
Handful of Cilantro leaves, garnish
sour cream, garnish, optional
4 large poblano chiles, halved lengthwise, stems left intact (for pretty, if you want), ribs and seeds removed

**** DO NOT TOUCH PEPPERS WITH YOUR HANDS --- YOU WILL DIE***** NO, REALLY. Put on gloves, or use sandwich bags- try not to touch the seeds. No amount of scrubbing will get the burn off your fingers- and then you will touch your eye, or nose, or mouth... and no bueno. You have been warned!


Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

In a blender, combine tomatoes in puree, jalapeño, half the onions, and 2 whole garlic cloves; puree. Season with salt.

Pour 3/4 of the sauce into a 9-by-13-inch baking dish; set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine beans, cornmeal, 1/2 cup cheese, remaining onions, minced garlic, cumin, and 3/4 cup water; season with salt and pepper.

Dividing evenly, stuff poblano halves with bean mixture; place on top of sauce in baking dish.

Sprinkle poblanos with remaining 1/2 cup cheese; cover baking dish tightly with aluminum foil.
Bake until poblanos are tender, about 45 minutes.

Uncover, and continue to cook until sauce is thickened slightly and cheese is browned, 10 to 15 minutes more. Let cool 10 minutes.

Garnish as desired and serve with yellow rice and avocado or mixed green salad with a cilantro-lime vinaigrette!!

Baked Haddock

Ryan and I loved the flaky, tasty, and light piece of fish this recipe created. But we didn't love the way our house smelled afterwards. I'd recommend making it on a day with the windows open, OR, as I discovered, have a batch of brownies ready to go in the oven to clear the air!!

Ingredients:
3/4 cup milk
2 teaspoons salt
3/4 cup bread crumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon ground dried thyme
1-2 haddock fillets
1/4 cup butter, melted

Directions

Preheat oven to 500 degrees F (260 degrees C).
In a small bowl, combine the milk and salt. In a separate bowl, mix together the bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, and thyme. Dip the haddock fillets in the milk, then press into the crumb mixture to coat. Place haddock fillets in a glass baking dish, and drizzle with melted butter.
Bake on the top rack of the preheated oven until the fish flakes easily, about 15 minutes.