Zucchini Croquettes with Turmeric Spiced Chickpeas + Tzatziki

This is one of my favorite recipes and I find myself coming back to it all the time with little tweaks and modifications on the original to fit what I happen to be in the mood for. Sometimes I put them on pita and eat them like felafel and sometimes I want them as a savory side to a soup or salad. This time, I was really craving a little of all of that. I made the traditional mint tzatziki and added lemon zest, more fresh herbs and these AMAZING turmeric spiced chickpeas for added protein and heat. Your optimal choice would be to sprout the chickpeas overnight, but using a can of rinsed peas works just as well and certainly expedites this as a quick lunch. I usually make the batter for the croquettes ahead of time and keep it in the refrigerator so that I can just scoop out individual portions and make them right on the spot. They take minutes in the skillet. You can also bake them on a sheet pan at 375 ahead of time and freeze them for later. They are easily reheated in the oven. So versatile!

INGREDIENTS

CROQUETTES
1 medium to large zucchini, grated
1 large leek, thinly sliced (white and light green parts only - save the dark green tops for stock!)
2 cloves of garlic, minced
4 - 5 medium cremini mushrooms, diced
1|2 cup arborio rice
1 cup vegetable or chicken stock, warmed
1 egg (substitute a flax egg for vegan - 1 T flax meal soaked in 3 T water)
1|4 cup flour ( I used oat flour - gluten free works great)
1|4 tsp baking powder
1 - 2 T nutritional yeast
freshly chopped parsley
sea salt + black pepper to taste
olive oil
--> Put the zucchini into a thin dish towel and squeeze out all of the water. Set aside. Cook the arborio rice like risotto. Add the rice to a dry skillet and toast for 2 minutes on medium heat. Gradually add the warm stock one half cup at a time, stirring until it has been absorbed until all of the stock has been added and the rice is tender and a little sticky. Remove it to a mixing bowl and set aside. Warm some more olive oil in the same skillet and add the leeks, mushrooms and garlic, cooking until tender. Add the vegetables and the zucchini to the cooled rice and season with salt and pepper. Mix the dry ingredients together and add the rice mixture until a sticky, doughy batter comes together that can be formed into patties. Chill for about 20 minutes while you make the chickpeas and the tzatziki.

SPICED CHICKPEAS
1 cup cooked chickpeas, drained and rinsed if using canned
turmeric powder
cumin powder
paprika powder
garlic powder
sea salt + black pepper to taste
olive oil
fresh chopped cilantro
--> Warm 1 T olive oil on medium in a skillet. Add the chickpeas and spices and cook until they become slightly crispy and very fragrant. Season with salt + pepper and garnish with cilantro. Set aside.

TZATZIKI
1 cup plain, Greek yogurt (substitute coconut yogurt for vegan)
1|4 cup cucumber, peeled and grated
1 - 2 T fresh lemon juice, peel reserved for zest
fresh chopped mint
sea salt to taste
--> Mix all ingredients together in a small bowl and refrigerate while you assemble the croquettes.


Form the croquettes into small patties, pressing down slightly and cook in olive oil until golden on each side, about 2 - 3 minutes. Serve immediately or freeze for later.

Try them on mixed greens with seasoned, sliced tomatoes. Add the chickpeas and top the croquettes with the yogurt sauce and garnish with extra mint and lemon zest. These are also good in pita bread or served with the yogurt and a soup or even tabouli.

ENJOY!

The Anytime Frittata

I might otherwise call this the end of summer frittata, but we just rolled over into fall officially. I'm still using up the slowly fading harvest of the heat as the tomatoes, peppers and basil have hit their peaks and appear to be ready for retirement. I'll be making a ton of pesto to freeze, pickling an assortment of peppers for the pantry and stewing some tomatoes with garlic chives for those tasty pastas, lasagnas, manicottis, pizzas and calzones. How wonderful it is to be able to savor the flavor of summer well into the winter when we get snowed in, become wracked with cabin fever and are left to spend our time hovering around the oven and stove, creating delicious things to eat. Preserving, pickling, canning, freezing and fermenting are incredible ways to extend the life of your garden and get creative with sustainable practices that not only bring us tasty joy, but reduce our kitchen cook print.

Frittatas are about the easiest, one - pan dishes you can make that is suitable any time of the day. I take the opportunity to clean out the crisper and use any excess produce on hand. The combinations of ingredients are limitless and I've found one that nearly suits everyone in my family. The only tools you need are a cast iron skillet and a wooden spoon. I like using my enamel coated one because the egg doesn't stick so badly to it as it does the raw iron. Both will work, but one is tougher to clean. Furthermore, choose the one that is the right size according to how many you want to serve. This is an 8 inch pan and made four lovely servings. Pair it with a fresh salad and you have a perfect plate.

INGREDIENTS

For a basic frittata, make a base of eggs and a little milk or cream. This is basically a crustless quiche.  The ratio of 2 - 3 eggs to about 1|4 cup of milk works well and will give you a nice custard.
For this variety, I used these other optional embellishments.

5 - 6 spears asparagus, ends trimmed, stalks chopped, tips reserved
1|4 c red onion, diced
5 - 6 cremini mushrooms, medium to large, thick sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1|2 bell pepper, any variety, chopped
5 - 6 large cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes, halved
crumbled goat cheese
fresh parsley, basil, garlic chives
nutritional yeast
grass - fed butter + good olive oil
salt + pepper + crushed red (or diced jalapeño)


DIRECTIONS

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Warm your pan on medium high and gently warm the olive oil until it glimmers. Sauté the onion and bell pepper for about 5 minutes until softened. Add the garlic, mushrooms and asparagus stems. Season everything with salt + pepper + crushed red until just right for your taste. Add 1 -2 tablespoons of butter, the fresh herbs (reserving a little for garnish), nutritional yeast (a few shakes or a palmful) and mix everything together well. Turn off the heat. Mix your eggs and milk together in a bowl and pour right over the vegetables. Arrange the asparagus spears on top with the tomatoes. Crumble the goat cheese all over and bake until golden brown around the edges and little bubbles begin to form and brown across the top, about 30 minutes for this size pan. Up to 40 - 45 for a ten inch or larger. Check the center with a toothpick. It should not be wet and should be firm in the middle if gently pressed with your finger. Serve with a side salad and a basic vinaigrette and some crusty french bread, if desired. It's good for mopping up your plate!

ENJOY!

Macrobiotic Black Bean Burger

Over the last month, I've literally made over 100 of these, and changed the recipe at least three times. I made 100 of them for the BIG OM YOGA RETREAT I cooked for earlier this month, and they were well-received! Check out their page for announcements on upcoming yoga retreats in Oklahoma!

The secret to the best vegetarian burger is the ratio of grains and vegetables to your sticky ingredients, such as flour, breadcrumbs and egg. I recently did a vegan version for a family I was cooking for and though they were delicate and softer than the ones made with egg, the taste was incredible. The trick is to let them cool for 5-10 minutes before assembling your burger or salad in order to allow them to set up. This recipe, as always, has room for many tasty embellishments and substitutions to fit your lifestyle preferences. I'll include those at the end of the recipe directions. Meanwhile, you can imagine the multitude of ways to have these deliciously healthy patties. Assembled traditional burger-style, on a salad or in a wrap, they make a protein-rich addition to any vegetarian ensemble just about.

INGREDIENTS
1 c cooked or canned black beans
3|4 c toasted, cooked quinoa ( be sure to rinse the quinoa before cooking )
1|2 c yellow onion, minced
2-3 carrots, grated
4 medium mushrooms, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 T white miso
1|4 c oat flour
1|2 c breadcrumbs ( you can toast gluten free bread and put into the food processor if needed )
1 egg or substitute a flax egg if you're vegan ( 1 T flax meal hydrated in 1 T water for 5 minutes )
1-2 T nutritional yeast
pinch of cumin and smoked paprika
fresh chopped parsley or cilantro
sea salt + black pepper + cayenne to taste ( or fresh, diced jalapeño )
olive oil for sautéing

Good vegetable modifications are grated zucchini, bell peppers and sweet potato!

METHOD
Warm the olive oil in a medium skillet. Add the onion and the carrot and sprinkle with salt to soften. Cook about 5-7 minutes and add the mushrooms and the garlic for another 5 minutes. Combine the quinoa and the black beans in a large bowl. Mash them together with a fork or potato masher until about half of the beans are broken down. Add the cooked vegetables and stir. Add the remaining ingredients and combine until the texture resembles a typical burger consistency, making sure that it is not too wet. You can add a little more breadcrumbs or flour until it becomes a little sticky and more on the dry side. Adjust your seasoning and put the bowl into the refrigerator for about 20 minutes before you cook them.

When it's ready, warm some more olive oil in the same skillet and form them into burger patties, making sure that they are mostly flat on both sides and have smooth edges. This can all be done with your hands. They will cook evenly this way but they are mostly cooked already, except for the egg. Cook for about 6 minutes on either side on medium to medium high. They can be prepared ahead and refrigerated or frozen between sheets of parchment paper for later and are easily reheated in the oven on a baking sheet or back in the skillet.

Serve them on whole grain buns with your favorite condiments and fixings or on a salad with fresh sliced tomatoes and avocado and a creamy dressing. Also great on pita or tortillas as a pocket or a wrap. The sauce in the photo is greek yogurt, whole grain mustard and sriracha! Topped with cilantro, this was my favorite way to eat them. Super light for breakfast and easily adapted as vegan and gluten free!

ENJOY!

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!

Summer Cucumber Salad

A summer favorite that can be made in under 30 minutes is a real winner when it comes to lunches, picnics and get togethers. Using all of these fresh, seasonal ingredients makes it a snap. They all grow really well in Oklahoma and can tolerate our intense heat during the summer when other plants are struggling to produce. Be creative with homemade vinaigrettes, using your favorite herbs and vinegars. I've included a simple one along with this recipe that I love.

I love the way our little emerald path looks in the summer when it's super green and freshly mowed. This leads to our garden, which makes the walk a little magical when you head out to pick a big bowl of goodies for lunch or dinner. 

I liked using these spicy cayenne peppers for the heat in my salad. You can use jalapeno or pequin peppers. If those are too spicy, crushed red pepper or dried cayenne are more mellow. We have fresh basil popping up all over the yard, even in the cracks in our patio!

Ripe cucumbers are great for lots of uses other than salads and dips. Great with yogurt on felafel and with avocado on sandwiches, they also make a refreshing addition to your cold ice water, infusing it with a green flavor that is unmistakable. You can also let some slices sit in room temperature water for a few hours and use it as a refreshing facial tonic, especially after sun exposure. Nature provides for us exactly what we need when we need it most.

Leafy green parsley is one of the most versatile herbs you can grow all season. Unlike cilantro which bolts quickly and turns to coriander, parsley lasts all summer long especially when clipped back every couple of weeks. It's good on just about everything! Try adding it to pesto, marinades and all of your dressings and sauces. A perfect garnish that should always be eaten!

These young leeks are a variety I've never grown before. They seem to be a cross between that and a flat leaf green onion. I chopped these up for my salad as well and it added just the right amount of mild onion flavor to a raw salad. It's a great substitution for sliced red onion if those are too strong for your liking. They have a mild garlicky flavor which was delicious!

INGREDIENTS
3 - 4 medium cucumbers, peeled and gently seeded
2 - 3 chopped tomatoes
thinly sliced red onion
minced green onion
minced cayenne, jalapeno or pequin peppers (optional)
chopped parsley and basil

HERBED DIJON VINAIGRETTE
1|2 cup sherry or champagne or red wine vinegar
1|4 cup good quality olive oil
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
1 teaspoon honey
1 clove minced garlic
freshly chopped parsley, thyme and basil
salt + pepper to taste

Toss all ingredients into a small jar and shake vigorously for about a minute until emulsified.
Gently mix everything together in a bowl. You'll want all of the ingredients to be combined but not lose their shape. Toss with your favorite vinaigrette and adjust the salt and pepper. Serve immediately or chill for up to two hours before serving. Delicious as a side dish with grilled chicken, salmon or shrimp.

ENJOY!

Curried Acorn Squash Soup with Toasted Chickpeas

The best recipes are usually the most simple. You can take a little extra time making some special garnishes that will make a basic soup seem pretty fancy. This recipe has room for many optional embellishments. I think my favorite herb is cilantro and I find myself creating dishes around it just so that I have really good excuse to eat it. I know that it offends some people because of it's particular flavor, so feel free to substitute fresh parsley instead.

 However, the primary function of cilantro is to rid the body of heavy metals, which can be absorbed by consuming foods that are packaged in cans, from products we use and from the basic exposure to it. It mobilizes mercury from it's storage containers in the body, which is adipose or fat tissues. It can move it quickly from the brain and central nervous system. Combined with algae, which binds to the excreted toxin, this combination is extremely efficient at working together. Just some quick facts about this delectable herb and it's powers.

Now that we are heading toward warmer weather, I will be growing my own squashes and looking forward to mixing up my recipes with them. Try making this delicious soup - it's very easy and takes about an hour, start to finish. Most of that time is the slow cooking and doesn't require a lot of fuss.
This can easily be made vegan by omitting the yogurt drizzle on top, but it's totally worth it!

INGREDIENTS
1 large acorn squash, halved and seeded
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
3 stalks of celery, minced
4 cloves of garlic, minced
2 cups vegetable broth or chicken stock
1 cup coconut milk
1 tablespoon curry powder
olive oil
salt + pepper
cayenne

OPTIONAL GARNISHES
fresh chopped cilantro or parsley
1 cup of cooked chickpeas or toasted cashews
greek yogurt
sauteed mushrooms
green onions
smoked paprika

DIRECTIONS
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Take each half of squash and rub it down with a drizzle of olive oil and season with salt + pepper. Put them face down on a baking sheet and cook them for about 35 minutes or until the tip of a knife can pierce the outside easily. While the squash bake, start a saute in a medium to large sized soup pot. Warm about a tablespoon of olive oil and add the onion and the celery. Season with a pinch of salt + pepper. Let them go about 10 minutes until they begin to brown slightly. Add the garlic, curry powder and cayenne and cook just until it becomes fragrant. De-glaze your pot with your stock liquid by pouring in about a half cup at first, then add the rest. Add the coconut milk and adjust the salt. When the squash is done, remove it from the oven and let it cool about five minutes. Using a spoon, scrape each half down to the skin and add this to the soup. You can blend the soup right in the pot by removing it from the burner and using an immersion blender. This is a tool that is totally worth the investment. If you don't have one, you can use a blender but you will need to allow it to cool down a bit first.

In the meantime, you can toast your nuts or make crunchy, spiced chickpeas in the oven that's probably still warm. Bring it down to 375 degrees. Toss the chickpeas in a bowl with olive oil, salt + pepper and smoked paprika. Spread them out single layer on your same baking sheet and pop them in for about 20 minutes, giving them a shake halfway through. After they cool, they will be crunchy and crispy like nuts. So delicious.

If you have a squeeze bottle fitted with a small tip for dressings or sauces, use this to make your fancy zig zag. Fill it with a couple tablespoons of plain, greek yogurt and a splash of water. Shake it up and you've got a great little tool for finishing touches. Dress your bowl with sauteed mushrooms if you're using them, and top it with fresh herbs and nuts. Add your design last. You will love this versatile soup that can be made just as easily with a butternut squash or even sweet potato.

ENJOY!!

Herbed Seed and Nut Crackers

The philosophy behind Urban Homesteading is to find a balance between what we consume and what can make ourselves. We all know that our food is fresher in taste and quality when prepared in our home kitchens. The ritual itself eliminates the need for preservatives and reduces consumer packaging, meaning less waste, more sustainability. Though it's more time consuming than hopping over to the store, I think you'll find that carving out a little time to make something yourself will leave you with a feeling of pride and accomplishment. What have we sacrificed in order to maintain our health? A little television time? Compulsively checking email? I have no doubt that everyone leads a busy life in one way or another so what I'm getting at is, find a time when you can devote an hour or so to creating something delicious and healthy for yourself and your families. It will inspire you to share your success with others which in turn creates a higher consciousness in communities as we inspire, lift up and co-author our lives together. 

 These crackers are really high in plant based protein, omegas and fiber. The addition of fresh herbs greatly enhances their artisan like quality and makes them really good with a cheese plate, fresh tomatoes, other nut cheeses and spreads.

This is yet another recipe where I get to use my almond meal in place of flour for a gluten free pastry like cracker that is light and fragrant. The sesame seeds make it really nutty and the cashews have a creamy note. I use flax and chia meal in just about everything possible, which is really easy to make yourself. You can buy the whole seeds and put them into a coffee bean grinder or small food processor. If you don't have either of those, they are also available in powder form.

Picking fresh herbs for a meal is so satisfying. It's really worth the investment to start a kitchen garden. These herbaceous perennials are my constant companions. Rosemary, Thyme, Oregano and Lavender are evergreen so I get to use them all year long. Other tender herbs like Basil, Cilantro and Parsley only grow as an annual in Oklahoma. These can still be enjoyed in small pots indoors during cold weather, and pinched until spring when they can be transplanted outside again.

You can also preserve the delicate flavor of herbs by chopping them and making herbal vinegars or infused oils which makes a great marinade for vegetables, chicken and fish. Another easy way to keep them over the winter is to fill ice cube trays half full and top with olive oil. Wrap with a few layers of plastic wrap and they can be thawed quickly in a saute pan or soup.

I love this miniature chef's knife. Perfect for herbs and tiny things. Rosemary goes through a secondary flowering in the fall and puts on little purple blooms that make a pretty garnish for your dish when you are plating up.

This dough is made in the food processor, then wrapped in plastic and chilled in the refrigerator for an hour or overnight. It's so beautiful and simple with flecks of green herbs and sesame seeds running through it.

After you take your dough out of the refrigerator, put it between two pieces of parchment paper and roll it out with a rolling pin to about 1|8 inch thin. Thicker than that, the crackers won't be as crispy and thinner than that, they will fall apart and can't retain their cracker shape. I like the irregular edges.

Using a pizza wheel or sharp knife, cut the dough into what ever shape you like. You can do triangles or rectangular bistro style cuts. There is no real science to this part. Do letters or hearts with a cookie cutter - have fun!

The aroma of these cooking is quite heavenly. I love cooking smells in the home. It's always been a source of comfort for me. I come from a long line of green thumbs and homesteaders. These sensory images are something I have always known.

INGREDIENTS
1|2 cup almond meal
1|2 cup raw cashews
2 tablespoons flax|chia meal
1|3 cup sesame seeds
2 tablespoons freshly chopped herbs such as thyme, rosemary, oregano or a combination of them
1|2 teaspoon sea salt
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 tablespoon coconut oil
2 tablespoons filtered water

DIRECTIONS
Combine the almond meal, cashews and flax meal in a food processor and pulse until it is evenly ground. Add the sesame seeds, herbs, half of the sea salt, maple syrup and the coconut oil until combined. Add the water a little at a time until everything starts to stick together. Form the dough into a ball and wrap in plastic wrap. Chill for a minimum of one hour or up to overnight.

Preheat your oven to 325 degrees and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

Remove the dough from the refrigerator and put it between two pieces of parchment paper. Roll it out to 1|8 inch thick. Cut the crackers into a desired shape. Using a sharp edged spatula or pastry knife, gently lift the crackers up and place them 1|4 inch apart on the prepared baking sheet. Bake the crackers 12-14 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through the cook time. The edges should be toasted, light brown and crispy. Sprinkle the remaining sea salt on top upon removing. Let cool completely.

Serve these with the Lemon Rosemary Cashew Cheese or your favorite hummus. I think they would be good with any kind of creamy addition and of course fresh tomatoes. Add them to a fruit and cheese plate for the holidays or serve with a hearty soup. The possibilities are endless!

ENJOY!!