May Peas Be Upon You

After an extra 2 months of frosty winter weather, spring has sprung and so have spring’s veggies! And I’ve spent the past 2 months eagerly anticipating this spring’s first peas.  After listening to me talk about peas and how deeply my love of peas runs, a friend challenged me to cook a new dish with peas every day this month. And all I have to say is 

CHALLENGE ACCEPTED.

I’d like to start off this marathon of pea-based puns with a simple and easy saute of local, spring veg that also uses up some of the leftover root veg I’ve got sitting on the counter from this super long winter.

Peas with potatoes, asparagus, and mushrooms:

 

Ingredients:

• 1 potato, diced
• 2-3 stalks asparagus, chopped
• 1/3 cup fresh shelled peas
• 2 baby bellas, thinly sliced
• 1/4 block firm sprouted tofu, diced
• evoo
• kosher salt
• all-purpose seasoning

Directions:

1. Heat a few tablespoons of evoo over med high heat.  Add the diced potato and a pinch of salt.  Cook the potatoes until crispy golden brown.
2. Add the tofu and sprinkle generously with your favorite all-purpose seasoning. Let cook 5 mins till warmed.  
3. Toss in the asparagus and saute 1-2 more minutes.  Add the sliced mushrooms and cook another minute before stirring in the peas.
4. Let all the veggies saute 1-3 minutes until hot, but still crunchy.  Reseason as needed.
5. Enjoy!!

Vegan (Avocado-based) Chocolate Mousse

Yes, it’s true!! Fluffy, rich, and decadent in less than 5 minutes – from The Sweetest Vegan.

Blend 4 ripe avocados, 1 cup agave syrup, 1 cup cocoa powder, 1/2 tsp instant coffee, and 1 cup unsweetened coconut milk in a food processor.

Voila!!

An Allergen-Friendly Birthday: Blueberry Grunt

This weekend we’re celebrating my roommate’s birthday.  But, we’re an allergen-sensitive duo.  Between the two of us, we need food that is gluten, dairy, egg, cruelty (yes, I’m allergic to cruelty), soy, and peanut-free.  At the same time, as two first-year grad students in a new town, I want to give my roommate a taste of her native Nova Scotia for her birthday away from home.

So here goes!

Allergen-friendly Blueberry Grunt:

For this stove-top dessert, the hardest part is finding a soy-free all purpose gluten-free flour, but thanks to the careful eye of my mother, we found some! Thanks Mom!

After that, it’s pretty much smooth sailing.  Heat 4 cups of fresh or frozen blueberries in a heavy-bottomed or cast iron pot with 1 cup water (less if frozen fruit) and bring to a boil.  Stir in 1 cup sugar (or 1/2 cup agave syrup) and the juice from one lemon.  Let simmer 15-20 mins until the blueberries are cooked down and ooey gooey good.

Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl, stir together 1.5 cups flour, the zest of the lemon, 1/4 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp nutmeg, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, and 2 tsp baking powder.  With a fork, mix in 3/4 cups unsweetened coconut or almond milk.  Then plop the dumplings into the skillet full of blueberry sauce.

Cover with a tight lid and simmer over medium heat 10-15 mins until the dumplings are puffy and test done with a toothpick.  Serve hot in a bowl with cold almond yogurt or ice cream.

Happy birthday to my Canadian co-denizen!!