Mediterranean-Style Stewed Chickpea Salad

I can't seem to get enough salad variations in spring + summer. This Mediterranean-inspired twist adds tons of extra flavor and nutrition to basic chickpeas, paired with a creamy avocado-yogurt-tahini dressing with lots of lemon, crunchy radishes and fresh cilantro. Getting hungry yet? This would make a great salad served family-style on a large platter with the dressing in a bowl on the side as a starter for falafel, lamb or even a chicken kabob. These flavors just holler summer and would make a nice dinner eaten outside on the patio. My family loves doing this. It adds a little special something and almost feels like we're eating out!

INGREDIENTS
1 - 2 cups cooked or canned chickpeas
2 ripe avocados
1|2 cup plain greek yogurt
1|4 cup raw sesame tahini
1 lemon, juiced and zested
5 - 6 radishes, thinly sliced
1 shallot, thinly sliced
2 cloves of fresh garlic, minced
cherry tomatoes cut in half
peeled, diced cucumber
red onion, thinly sliced or shaved (optional)
your favorite salad greens
cilantro, green onions, mint, parsley about 1 T each
cumin, turmeric, paprika about 1|8 tsp each
crushed red pepper or cayenne for heat, if desired
olive oil or ghee
sea salt + black pepper to taste
sprouted flatbread or pita

METHOD
Warm the olive oil and a teaspoon of ghee if you have it in a medium sauté pan on medium. Add the shallot and the garlic and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring constantly because they burn easily. Add the powdered spices and stir for another minute until they become fragrant and bloom. Stir in the chickpeas and a about 1|4 cup of water or stock to make a little pan sauce. Add the parsley, a bit of lemon zest and cover and turn off the heat. Make the dressing as this cools down a bit. Combine the avocado, yogurt, tahini and juice of 1 lemon, a pinch of salt and half of the mint and cilantro. Whisk it with a fork or blend it in a blender for a super creamy consistency. Assemble your salad by starting with a bed of greens, then tomato halves, cucumber and shaved red onion if desired. Spoon the chickpeas on next and wedge the radishes into that on their sides so that the red rim is showing. This makes a nice presentation. Top with your green dressing and garnish with the green onions and the remaining herbs. Toast your pita or flatbread and cut into wedges for scooping and dipping.

ENJOY!

Fusion Flatbread Tostadas

I'm a big supporter of seasonal eating. Our bodies are in tune to the seasons with regard to temperature, moisture levels and day length. They respond to the foods that are in season, or currently producing in the climate you live, much the same way. We instinctually crave the freshest, most available produce. It will always be the most beautiful items you find at your local farm market and of course, in health food stores, you will find that there will be an abundance of locally-sourced fruits and vegetables. These foods will have been picked most recently and are the freshest because they have not undergone multiple temperature changes traveling to your state from outside of it. Eating in tandem with the seasons is a sustainable and nourishing ritual that will fill you with the most vital energy available in living foods. That said, this plate is bursting with five different current vegetables, three of which came from our organic garden at The Herban Fortress.

How beautiful are these pretty little radishes? If you plant them at just the right time in Oklahoma, you can get two nice harvests. Honestly, the ones I get in November are even better. Root vegetables develop better in cooler temperatures. We just happened to have one of the wettest springs in the history of Oklahoma this year since 1921, which allowed me to prolong the window of maturation for these and my carrots.

I always crave South American food in the summer, bursting with lime, avocado, tomatillo and cilantro. These are some of my all-time favorite flavor combinations. I have been obsessed with making pickled red onions for some time. The brine mellows out the sharp flavor of the raw onion and anything in vinegar is delicious to me. They're super tasty added to nachos, tacos, salads, sandwiches and tartines. I like to use them as a garnish like I would use sauerkraut. The process is different but the flavor profile is similar. I used ACV in this brine which gives them a leg up in the nutritional profile. I also added fresh, julienned radishes to the mix which was so good. A julienne is a matchstick cut. You could do thin slices on the mandolin but I prefer to keep the cuts the same for this use. I'll include the pickling recipe as well, and I encourage you to try this zesty addition to your foods using a high-quality vinegar like apple cider. This jar will keep in your fridge for at least two weeks.

INGREDIENTS
Your favorite flatbread or tortilla (I have a recipe on the site for a homemade tortilla)
Greek yogurt
Organic, air-chilled chicken breasts, pounded thin (optional)
napa cabbage
cilantro
avocado
cheese of your choice, if using, I used fresh mozzarella
sliced jalapenos fresh or pickled (optional)
salsa verde or hot sauce
1 red onion
5 radishes
1|2 cup apple cider vinegar
1 T natural sugar
1|4 cup water or low-sodium chicken stock
1 T chili powder
salt + pepper
olive oil

DIRECTIONS
You will need to make the pickled onions and radishes an hour ahead of time if you want to use them. I highly advise it! Cut the onion in half, then shave into thin slices against the bias. Cut the radishes in half and then into matchsticks. Add all of it to a mason jar. Mix the ACV, sugar and 1.5 t kosher salt in a bowl with a whisk until dissolved. Add it to the jar and cover and shake and set aside.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees if using chicken. Pound the breasts thin between two sheets of plastic wrap and drizzle with olive oil, salt + pepper. Bake for about 30 minutes until internal temperature is at least 175. Allow the breasts to cool slightly, then shred using two forks to pull them apart into desirable pieces. Add to a medium hot skillet and season with 1 T chili powder and a spot of olive oil. Add the water or chicken stock when it's hot. Let the liquid reduce for about 15 minutes while you prepare the toppings.

Shred the napa cabbage on a box grater or mandolin or shave with a chef's knife. Rough chop the cilantro. Cube the avocado by cutting each half into a grid and scooping it out with a spoon. Reduce the oven to 375 degrees and pre-toast the flatbread or tortillas for about 2 minutes. Remove them and spread a tablespoon of yogurt. Top with the shredded chicken and cheese. Return to the oven for another 5-7 minutes until the cheese has melted and the base is crispy.

The secret to a good tostada is proper layering. Add the cabbage and cilantro. Drizzle with salsa verde or hot sauce. Add the avocado, jalapeno, and pickled vegetables. Garnish with smoked paprika or chili powder if desired. You are ready to get down!

ENJOY!

Vegetable Quinoa Chili

Who doesn't love chili? The classic can be pretty heavy in saturated fat and calories, not to mention overly seasoned with salt. This is as close as you can get to chili perfection without sacrificing your body for your love of food. Don't get me wrong - I'm all about indulging but doing it the right way with some modifications allows you to still get all of the satisfaction from your very favorite foods without putting your levels on the chopping block. And this recipe can be modified even further to make it just right for you no matter what your restrictions or requirements are. 

Basically, I used red quinoa instead of ground beef or turkey, and the addition of crumbled tofu or TVP will take the texture up a notch. I used pinto beans but of course kidney or black will work. The secret is getting lots of textures in there so that it's thick and chunky and full of a variety of vegetables. This is gluten free, and could easily be vegan without the yogurt on top. Coconut yogurt works pretty good for that. I'll let you in on a little secret though. This can be made on the fly by using a can of Amy's Vegetable Chili as a base and adding your own embellishments! Using a can of low sodium chili as a base provides a solution when you're in a time crunch, but the one made from scratch looks and tastes identical. You will be making it with all of the same ingredients anyway!

INGREDIENTS

1|2 of a yellow onion, diced

2 large carrots cut into 1|4 inch chop (or sweet potato or butternut squash)

5 large cremini mushrooms, thick sliced

2 cloves of garlic, minced

2 ribs of celery, minced

10 -15 grape tomatoes, halved (or a can of tomatoes with their juices)

1 T tomato paste

1|2 - 3|4 cup vegetable stock or filtered water

1|2 c red quinoa, cooked

1|2 crumbled tofu or TVP (textured vegetable protein) - optional

1 can pinto, kidney or black beans

chili powder 

smoked paprika

cumin

sea salt + pepper

olive oil

nutritional yeast always!

fresh chopped cilantro

greek yogurt or sour cream

DIRECTIONS

Warm some olive oil in the bottom of a medium to large sauce pan. Add the onions, carrots and celery. Cook 7 - 9 minutes until they start to brown. Add the mushrooms and the garlic. Cook 5 - 6 minutes until the garlic is fragrant. De-glaze the bottom of the pan with a splash of water or stock until all of the fond is pulled from the surface. That's the delicious brown stuff! Add the rest of the liquid, the quinoa and the beans and the tomatoes. Cook until thickened about 5 minutes, then add all of the seasonings except the cilantro and the yogurt. Cover and simmer another 10 - 15 minutes or so. Adjust the salt and pepper before serving. If you don't like cilantro, parsley is also very good. Top with a spoonful of yogurt and the fresh herbs. Serve with crunchy corn chips or warm corn bread!

ENJOY!

Butternut Bisque with Kale Cream, Pepitas + Smoky Mushrooms

This might be the most gorgeous soup I've ever made. The intense color - blocking turned out so good and only works this well when the consistency of the two layers are thick enough not to mix when you pour the cream on top just before serving. The addition of toasted pepitas, cremini mushrooms and smoked paprika put the entire thing over the top. This can be made vegan by using coconut milk instead of dairy milk. It is delicious both ways! The kale cream is also delicious over pasta, rice or quinoa with roasted butternut squash for a variation. I've also used it in lasagna, as a flatbread pizza sauce and as a creamy dressing on a winter salad. Experiment!

INGREDIENTS
For the soup:
1 butternut squash, peeled, de-seeded and cubed
1 cup coconut milk or vegetable stock
1|2 medium yellow onion, sliced
olive oil
sea salt + black pepper
nutritional yeast
pinch of cayenne
a little grated nutmeg
toasted pepitas are pumpkin seeds
sliced cremini mushrooms
1 clove of minced garlic

For the kale cream:
8 large leaves of kale, washed, deveined and chopped
1|4 shallot, diced
1|2 - 3|4 cup coconut milk
pinch of sea salt

DIRECTIONS
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Toss the cubed squash and sliced onion in a bowl with a drizzle of olive oil, seasoned with salt + pepper. Roast on a sheet pan for about 30 minutes, shaking the pan half way through to ensure even cooking, until they are golden and fragrant. Remove the pan from the oven and scrape everything into a blender. Add the nutritional yeast, cayenne and the nutmeg. You could also add it directly to a soup pot with the coconut milk or stock and use an immersion blender. Blend until thick and creamy. Adjust the liquid so that it is not too thin or the cream will not sit on top and you'll get a murky blended effect instead. Return the soup to the pot.

Start making the kale cream by adding all of the ingredients to a second small pot and cook until just tender and the kale is bright green. If you overcook this step, the kale can become bitter. While this is cooking, gently saute the mushrooms and garlic, season with salt + pepper. Blend the kale cream in the blender (rinse it out first) or with the immersion blender. It should be thick as well. Build your bowl by ladling in the soup first. Gently and slowly pour or spoon some of the kale cream on top. Gently set the mushrooms in the middle and top with the pepitas  and smoked paprika. These layers should sit one right on top of the other for maximum wow factor and to get the color - blocked effect.

ENJOY!!

Green Eggs and 'Ham'

Here's a healthy deviation to your morning scramble that will maximize the nutritional profile while minimizing calories and saturated fat, keeping you full and focused all morning long. My favorite substitution for meat ( ham in this case ) for nearly any recipe is a hearty brown mushroom. They absorb what ever you cook them with and they will develop a deep, satisfying flavor by using roasted garlic, smoked paprika and black pepper. The real trick to getting a healthy scramble is by substituting one of the yolks for a spoonful of greek yogurt and using fresh avocado and nutritional yeast in place of cheese. Adding lots of vegetables will obviously drive up the fiber and mineral content while filling you up without adding heavy animal products. One egg white contains 17 calories, while a whole egg has 70. One yolk isn't a big deal but when you omit the others, it keeps the saturated fat to a bare minimum while still giving you some good protein, which you certainly need in the morning to jump start your metabolism. I used kale but you can substitute spinach or swiss chard if you prefer.

INGREDIENTS
2 green onions, chopped, white ends omitted
5 spears asparagus, chopped leaving the tips whole
2 - 3 cremini mushrooms or a portobello, sliced
big handful of kale, stemmed and chopped
fresh jalapeno, minced ( or crushed red pepper to taste )
half of a ripe avocado
2 -3 eggs, one yolk and the rest whites
1 tablespoon plain greek yogurt ( optional )
roasted garlic powder
smoked paprika
nutritional yeast
sea salt + black pepper to taste
olive oil

DIRECTIONS
Whisk together one whole egg and 1 or 2 additional whites. Whisk in the greek yogurt and set aside. Warm a saute pan to medium and add the olive oil. Add the asparagus and the mushrooms and the jalapeno if using. Season them with salt + pepper, a sprinkle of the garlic and the paprika. Let them go for about 5 - 6 minutes. Add the kale and the green onions and 1/2 teaspoon nutritional yeast. Cover the pan for about 2 minutes just enough to steam the greens. Pour this mixture off into the bowl you will be eating out of. Return the pan to medium and add a little more olive oil or butter or ghee. Add the eggs and stir constantly until just scrambled. Season to taste and pour them on top of your vegetables. Top with fresh avocado slices and parsley.

ENJOY!

Baked Avocado Eggs Diablo

Something magical happens when you combine eggs and avocado. This is so perfect for a quick breakfast when you are pressed for time. It works best with a large avocado. When you're eating something with so few ingredients, it's really worth it to buy organic. Consider the relationship between the egg and the hen. Free range, local and organic will always shine through with delicious taste and quality.

INGREDIENTS

1 large avocado 

2 small or medium eggs

sea salt + black pepper

smoked paprika

diced jalapeño or cayenne

DIRECTIONS

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees. Cut your avocado in half by running your knife around the outside in a circle from end to end. Twist the halves in opposite directions and gently pull them apart. A ripe avocado is slightly soft on the outside and does not have any air pockets between the skin and the flesh. Check the stem end for mold.

Next, take a spoon and scoop out about half of the flesh and set it aside. Use a small baking dish that will support the halves in their position so that they don't tip over during baking and spill the egg. Crack an egg in each one carefully. Try to let the yolk drop in first and then the white. Sprinkle the top with salt + pepper and paprika. Bake for 15-20 minutes until the eggs are set. Top them with hot peppers or hot sauce when they come out if you like it spicy! Serve them on top of a bed of greens dressed with a nice vinaigrette for an appetizer or accompaniment for brunch.

ENJOY!

Fortress Fundraiser

I've been invited to participate in a local fundraiser for a friend and local musician who is navigating a life-threatening condition. We're holding a silent auction on July 18 at the Mainsite Gallery in Norman to raise money for his family and I am so honored to donate from The Herban Fortress. His wife is a talented local artist who maintains a studio above Mainsite. You can see Ruth Ann Borum-Loveland's  work on her site or by visiting the studio during Norman's 2nd Friday Artwalk.

I am donating a three course meal for two, prepared and tailored to the individuals, incorporating fresh, seasonal ingredients from my garden. This is true garden to table philosophy. Everything can be made vegetarian, vegan, gluten free, raw or macrobiotic. I will come to your home and lovingly prepare everything in your kitchen and serve you at your dining room table. The experience will consist of an appetizer, a main course and a dessert. This is a test shot of a new recipe I was trying and something similar that I could prepare. This was an experimental dish but a successful one - it was incredibly delicious! Recipe follows.


SPICY CRAWFISH CAKES with GREEN CHILE GRITS AND GREENS
INGREDIENTS
1 pound or package of crawfish tail meat
1|2 red onion
3-4 ribs of celery
2-3 garlic cloves
1 egg
gluten free bread crumbs
chopped parsley
salt + pepper
smoked paprika
cayenne to taste for heat

GRITS
Cook grits according to directions. I used chicken stock instead of water and it gave it a lot of added flavor. Mix in green chiles and sharp cheddar at the end when you turn the heat off. Form into a timbale using a sauce cup or something similar. Turn it out and create your plate.

TARTAR SAUCE
vegenaise and|or greek yogurt
lemon juice
a big pinch of traditional creole seasoning
or a combination of cayenne, paprika, garlic and black pepper
a dash of hot sauce
diced green onions
chopped pickles

DIRECTIONS
Saute the onion, garlic and celery until tender and then add to a medium bowl with the egg, crawfish meat and bread crumbs. Use enough bread crumbs to create a nice form. Season and shape into patties. Cook them in olive oil until brown and crispy - about 4 minutes on both sides. Mix the sauce ingredients together and drizzle over the patties either served on a bed of greens or in french bread for a traditional presentation. Garnish with lemon juice and zest, green onions and fresh, diced red peppers.

ENJOY!

Kale Pesto

This heavenly take on a traditional pesto is something that I may never turn back from. Made with freshly picked kale right out of my winter | spring garden, this recipe takes the nutritional profile over and above. I threw in a handful of spinach too, but this is 75% kale. I also added a grab of parsley and a few sprigs of basil because I still wanted that spicy flavor in it. It doesn't take much basil to give it a  fresh, summer flavor. But since my own basil will not be ready for another month,  I wanted to use up all of these greens that are trying to bolt as the temperatures are warming up. By adding lemon juice, it retains that bright green color for a week or two.

Kale is pretty perfect on the pH scale at 6.36 - 6.80 when cooked or blanched. It works as a powerful internal cleanser but can generate gas if the body is overly acidic. It works on the digestive and nervous systems, builds up the calcium content of the body, and is one of the cancer - preventative foods. It contains the nutraceuticals lutein and zeaxanthin which protect the eyes from macular degeneration, and indole - 3 - carbinol, which may protect against colon cancer. All Brassica genus of plants (including broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage and brussels sprouts) contain dithiolthiones, a group of compounds that have anticancer and antioxidant properties. Sulfur has antibiotic and antiviral characteristics. This family of vegetables also stimulates the liver and other tissues out of stagnancy.

These are the typical ingredients you will find in most variations of pesto. You can use pine nuts or cashews in place of the walnuts and any variation of hard Italian cheese will work. I love pecorino romano best, but parmesan will also work. Raw garlic, freshly ground peppercorns and lemon juice make this absolutely delicious on just about anything savory.

I made this tray of goodies for my Easter party. A sliced and toasted baguette topped with the pesto, Italian or heirloom tomatoes and fresh mozzarella is always a hit.

Green means chlorophyll. Literally, it's plant blood. It is almost identical to our own red blood cells. It cleanses the blood, binds with heavy metals and helps remove them from the body. It cleanses the bowel, increases red blood cell count, oxygenates and alkalizes the blood, helps fight disease and strengthens immunity. Anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and cancer preventative. EAT GREEN FOOD!

INGREDIENTS
1 large bundle of kale with the tough stems removed
1 handful of spinach
2 - 3 tablespoons chopped parsley
3 - 4 sprigs of fresh basil
2 cloves of garlic
1|2 cup chopped nuts
half a can of artichoke hearts - optional
juice of 1 lemon
sea salt + black pepper to taste
olive oil

DIRECTIONS
Sometimes kale can be a little bitter when raw so this recipe works well to blanch it for about 30 seconds in salted water. Remove it from the hot water and run it under cold water to stop it from cooking. Squeeze out the excess water. Add everything to a food processor except for the olive oil. Slowly drizzle the oil in through the top until you get the consistency you like. This will be about 1|4 cup or so. Store it in the refrigerator in a jar. It will keep for a week or two and stay incredibly fresh. You can also freeze it for up to 3 months.

ENJOY!

Kombucha Home Brewing Workshop 3 + 4

This was the third Home Brewing Workshop for The Herban Fortress, hosted by Native Roots Market in downtown Oklahoma City. We had an amazing turn out and met lots of new faces. Friendships and business relationships were forged. It was a pleasant afternoon in December as we snacked on fresh, crisp radishes picked from my garden that morning. We sipped on different flavors of my home brew and talked about urban homesteading, fermentation, sustainability, health and wellness.

Beautiful green and black teas and hibiscus flowers were displayed to showcase the simple ingredients that go into making a delicious home brew. There was fresh culture and magical starter tea set out to touch, smell and explore.

These picture perfect radishes had been picked just a few hours before the workshop. They were spicy, crunchy and tasty dipped in my roasted red pepper hummus.

I always have a SPIDER CIDER display with me where ever I go, available in three sizes. Integrating this wellness tonic along with 8 ounces of kombucha is what I recommend for a daily routine that keeps your immune system responsive and alert as well as nourishes the gut and the digestive system. They both regulate internal ph and work in tandem to purify the blood and the skin.

Pretty little pro-biotic teas for the starter kits that are teeming with millions of organisms, bacteria and yeast.

I served a roasted garlic and red pepper hummus topped with smoked paprika and fresh parsley, a warm tomato bruschetta with balsamic and wilted basil, fresh mozzarella pearls, crispy radishes and my Herbed Seed and Nut Crackersfrom the blog. Everything was hand made (except for the mozz) and gluten free. These were perfect and delicious for December as I always tailor my table around seasonal foods and flavors.

These raw 'cheesecake' bars were made of cashews, swirled with dark chocolate and had an almond cacao crust. Sweetened with maple syrup and coconut oil, they were also vegan and gluten free. What a treat!

Jelly jars and paper straws for the home brew cocktails.

Proud of this pretty little bundle.

Guests dined, sipped and chatted for the first hour as everyone got to know one another and opened up the conversation about the benefits of home brewing and making kombucha in our own kitchens.

I brought four different flavors of my home brew to taste, showcasing some creative combinations such as black cherry ginger and peach pomegranate.

A BIG thanks to Native Roots Market for generously putting us up in their swanky club house for the day, and to everyone who came and made it special!

I'm happy to announce the date and location of my next workshop! We will gather on May 3 at the BE LOVE Yoga Studio in Tulsa which is formerly the I AM Yoga Studio. They have gone thought some changes and updates recently and are eager to roll out a new season of events and classes.

Check out the official event post on my blog here or visit the studio page to read more. You can pre-register here to reserve your spot. Space is limited!

All photos by Greer Inez

I hope you'll join us - HAPPY BREWING!

Seasonal Spaghetti Squashes

Spaghetti squashes are one of my favorite gluten free substitutions for pasta. They're perfect eaten roasted, straight out of the oven with salt and pepper or tossed with your favorite ingredients and sauce. These perfect halves are ready to scrape down. They have cooled for about a half hour and can now be handled. Using a spoon, run it between the skin and the flesh. The 'spaghetti' comes right out.

This version was made with some lightly sauteed red onion, garlic and cabbage. I left the spinach raw so that it could slightly wilt with the warm squash. I added chopped tomatoes and toasted almonds. You can toss the cooked squash into the saute pan at the last minute to bring it back up to temperature and distribute your flavors. Season with salt and pepper and your done! In order to keep it entirely gluten free, I paired it with my Herbed Seed and Nut Crackers instead of toast.

For this version, I used zucchini and garlic in my saute and threw in some chopped tomatoes at the last minute to warm them up. I seasoned it with a little butter, fresh basil and pecornio and lots of lemon juice. I think this one is my favorite.

DIRECTIONS
Preheat your oven to 375. Cut the ends off of the squash and slice it in half from end to end. Scrape out the seeds. You can roast these at the same time and add them to the top of your dish. Rinse them under cold water after you have separated them from the pulp. Spread them out on a paper towel and pat dry. Toss them with olive oil, salt + pepper and spread out on a separate sheet pan. Take your cleaned squash halves and brush them with olive oil and season generously with salt + pepper. Lay them flat side down and roast for thirty minutes. Check the tenderness with a knive. When they're done, it should slide right in. Allow them to cool until you can handle them. Scrape out the flesh and discard the skin. Now you're ready for the perfect pasta! Pick your ingredients and you're all set. The possibilities are pretty endless. Be creative!

ENJOY!