Today we explore an elusive root vegetable: the Jerusalem Artichoke! Learn what it is, how it tastes, and how to cook it with this quick and easy recipe.
A Jerusalem Artichoke, also called a sunchoke, is the root of a species of Sunflower. It’s an ingredient I’ve seen used in resturants and on cooking shows, all the while thinking, “Where do I even buy that?” Turns out, at a local farm stand. When I saw them for sale at Rutiz Farms, I knew I had to seize the opportunity.
What does a Jerusalem Artichoke taste like?
Though a root vegetable related to the sunflower, the Jerusalem Artichoke tastes like its name – an artichoke! With a mild flavor, the sunchoke tastes how I imagine a cross between a potato and an artichoke would taste. Hearty and starchy with a hint of artichoke heart.
The inside of a sunchoke.
How do I cook Jerusalem Artichoke?
Bake it, boil it, stick it in a stew! But really, I’d suggest roasting Jerusalem Artichokes in the oven, like you would any other vegetable. It’d be great as chips, but true to form I chose to make them into fries, complete with a nice garlic aioli.
We found that, in cooking the sunchoke or eating it, our brains kept trying to tell us it was a potato. If you’re tempted to cook it as long as you would a potato, watch out. Taste test along the way to monitor progress and make adjustments as needed.
Scrub the Jerusalem Artichokes clean. You can peel if you prefer, but scrubbing the dirt off will work just fine.
Slice the Jerusalem Artichokes into matchsticks.
In a clean bowl, toss the Jerusalem Artichokes with olive oil and seasonings. Adjust the seasonings to your preference or taste. Remember you can always add more after baking.
Spread parchment on a baking sheet. Lay out the Jerusalem Artichokes in a single layer, making them overlap as little as possible.
Bake in a 350° oven for 40-45 minutes until tender.
Taste and adjust seasonings to your preference.
Serve warm with a side of garlic aioli or your favorite fry dipping sauce!
These marbled cupcakes are sure to impress — no mixer required! Make the separate orange and espresso batters then swirl in the cupcake tins to create the gorgeous marbled effect. Top with the orange espresso buttercream for the perfect treat for the adventurous dessert fanatic in your life — or you know, just to have around as a quick snack!
To best preserve the individual flavors, I’ve created two separate cake batters for these cupcakes; the orange and the espresso. The two are then playfully layered into cupcake tins and baked.
In order to keep this as simple as possible, no mixer is involved for the creation of the cake. Get two large bowls side by side and make your batter at the same time.
The recipe may look intimidating but I promise you can do it! As always, feel free to contact me with any questions.
The cake recipe is DAIRY FREE! No milk or butter used in the making of the cake. For a simple dairy-free swap in the buttercream, follow these replacements:
Use dairy-free or vegan butter.
Instead of heavy cream, use 2 tablespoons of your favorite dairy free milk, vanilla coffee creamer, or coconut cream.
Orange and Espresso: Delicious Flavor Combination
Initially, perhaps, this flavor combination seems counterintuitive. After all, chasing orange juice with espresso is a bitter experience. However, when layered with sugar in fluffy cupcake form, these flavors complement each other beautifully.
After much recipe testing, I perfected the amount of orange and espresso in each batter so that their true flavors come through but do not overpower one another. Additionally, these cupcakes are sweet which helps blend the two flavors together in a delicious way!
The espresso batter includes a dash of cocoa powder. This helps to round out the deep, bitter flavor of the espresso and complements the fresh orange zest and juice in the orange batter.
The buttercream frosting is a key component of this dessert, really tying the orange and espresso together in a smooth, creamy finish. I highly recommend taking the time to make the buttercream.
If you MUST skip the process of making the frosting, go for a vanilla store-bought, and mix in the orange zest, orange flavor and instant espresso as directed in the buttercream recipe.
The end result of the marbling technique before frosting.
Orange and Espresso: Special Ingredients
To truly bring out the orange and espresso flavor in these cupcakes, we enlist the help of some special ingredients.
For the orange batter, use fresh, ripe oranges. You’ll zest and juice these oranges to use in the batter, and reserve some zest for use in the buttercream frosting.
In the espresso cupcakes, I chose to use instant espresso. It’s a great ingredient to have on hand for baking, as you can use it in the plain powdered form to incorporate into other cakes, frosting, ice cream or cookies or use the powder to brew just as much espresso as you need for your recipe. Here’s a link to my favorite brand of instant espresso, pictured below.
Marbled Cupcake Technique
What makes these cupcakes so fun and pretty to look at is the marbling technique. The natural colors of the orange and espresso come through in each batter, so you wind up with one light orange batter and a nice tan batter for the espresso. By making the batters separately and marbling them in the cupcake tin, it results in a gorgeous marbled cupcake!
Cake Mix in Two Separate Bowls. Layer and Swirl with Toothpick!
How you marble and layer the separate cake batters is entirely up to you. There truly is no wrong way to do this. Use small spoons to scoop different layers into the cupcake tin, then use a toothpick to swirl the colors together. For a more hands-on tutorial, check out this video from Wilton. The recipe they use utilizes food coloring, which you don’t need when using this recipe. However, its a good video of how the marbling process actually looks and may help if you are feeling unsure about the process.
Marbled Orange Espresso Cupcakes
These marbled cupcakes are sure to impress! To keep this recipe as streamlined as possible, I've laid out step-by-step instructions. You'll be making the espresso and orange batters separately, then marbling them together in the cupcake molds. Lastly, while the cupcakes are baking, prepare the buttercream (if desired, or use store bought).
Stir 2 teaspoons instant espresso into warm water until fully dissolved. Set aside.
In a clean bowl, sift flour, baking powder and cocoa powder. Add in the salt and sugar and ½ teaspoon instant espresso. Whisk gently to combine.
In a different clean bowl, add the egg, oil, vanilla and espresso. Whisk to combine.
Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Whisk well to combine. Set aside until ready to use. If you prefer, you can pop this bowl into the fridge while you prepare the orange cake batter.
Orange Cake Batter
Zest two oranges into a small bowl, avoiding the white pith. In a separate small bowl or cup, juice both oranges.
In a clean bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt. Whisk gently to combine.
In a separate clean bowl, add the egg, oil, vanilla, orange juice, orange zest and orange emulsion. Whisk to combine.
Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and whisk well to combine.
Marbling the Cupcakes
Preheat the oven to 325°F.
Using paper or silicone liners, line one full-size cupcake pan.
Using two small spoons, scoop a bit of orange batter into the bottom of the cupcake tins, then add some espresso, alternating however you'd like. This is the fun part! Get creative and layer however you'd like. Stop filling the cups when it reaches halfway.
Using a toothpick, swirl the batters together in fun and interesting patterns. There's really no wrong way to do this, so have fun with it and experiment freely.
Bake at 325°F for 20-25 minutes or until the tops are firm and a toothpick inserted into the middle of a cupcake comes out clean.
Prepare the Buttercream
Using a stand or hand mixer, beat the butter until it is soft and fluffy about 5-7 minutes. Using room temperature butter will help speed up this process.
Incorporate powdered sugar ½ cup at a time, waiting until fully combined before adding more.
Once all the powdered sugar is mixed in, add the salt and vanilla extract. At this point, scrape down the sides of the bowl to make sure everything is fully combined.
Pour the whipping cream in a slow, steady stream while beating the buttercream.
If you prefer your buttercream to be plain vanilla flavor, you can skip this step. To get the full orange espresso flavor, add the espresso powder, orange zest and orange emulsions, mixing until fully combined.
If you don't have a piping bag, you can cut one corner off a Ziploc bag and use it to pipe, or simply spread the frosting onto the cupcakes with a butter knife.
Once the cupcakes have cooled fully, frost your cupcakes however you'd like. Incorporate some food dye into the buttercream for an extra burst of color!
A buckle is similar to a cobbler, but instead of biscuit dough, a buckle uses a cake-like batter. Classic buckles include a crumbly topping, but to keep things simple, I decided to omit it from this recipe.
To learn more about the difference between a buckle and a cobbler, check this out.
Everyone has their own technique for a buckle, and this recipe uses mine.
I use an easy buttery batter, adapted from this recipe. The batter is poured in first, then skinned peaches tossed in brown sugar go on top.
This way, as the buckle bakes, the batter rises up around the peaches, soaking up all that delicious peach juice and making for the best, sturdiest slice. Serve with some vanilla bean ice cream to cool off the warm summer nights.
I buy my peaches (and a myriad of other stone fruit and berries) from the Okui Fruit Stand in Grover Beach.
I may be biased, but something about Okui fruit just stands out above the rest. That being said, the peaches I used in this recipe were huge, bigger than I could hold in one hand, and may be larger than the peaches you find in your local supermarket.
For this recipe, the bigger the better! If you can only find medium sized peaches, adjust the blanching time when you boil the peaches to peel them.
Decadent Peach Buckle
Cake batter and fresh peaches come together in this easy summer dessert!
Over high heat, bring a large pot of water to boil on the stove. Gently rinse the peaches and score an X on the bottom of each peach with a paring knife.
Once the water is boiling, carefully drop the peaches in and cover with a lid for 1-2 minutes, depending on the size of your peaches. Larger peaches will take longer than smaller peaches.
Remove from boiling water and place in a glass bowl in the sink. Run cool water over the peaches.
When they are cool to the touch, peel the skin off starting at the X mark. If ready, the peach skin should come right off, detaching from the peach evenly and easily. If the skin seems stuck, try boiling again for another minute.
Slice the peaches in half and remove the pit. Cut into quarters, then slice the quarters in half. This should give you sixteen peach cubes per peach.
Place all sliced peaches in a large bowl and set aside.
Prep the filling.
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
To the bowl with the sliced peaches, add ½ cup brown sugar. Stir to combine. Set aside while you prep the batter.
Prepare the batter.
Melt the butter using a microwave safe bowl in the microwave, using 15-30 second intervals to ensure the butter does not spill over. (If you don’t have a microwave, you can use a toaster oven or melt it in a small pot on the stove.)
In a clean bowl, mix the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.
Allow the butter to cool to the touch, so that it is still liquid but not too hot.
Once the butter is cool, add it to the bowl with the dry ingredients. Add the milk. Stir to incorporate well. Set aside.
Bake the buckle.
Grease a 9×13” baking pan
Pour the prepared batter into the pan, and smooth out to cover evenly.
Add the peaches on top of the batter. If your peaches are extra juicy, use a slotted spoon to scoop the peaches into the pan. This way, you will retain some of the juice but don’t have to use all of it.
Sprinkle sugar on top. Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes, until edges are beginning to brown and the batter in the middle of the cobbler is no longer runny.
Allow the buckle to cool before serving. This gives the batter time to soak up any juices left behind by the peaches in the baking process, making for an extra tasty buckle!
Serve with vanilla ice cream and a bit of whipped cream. Enjoy!
This recipe is an adaptation of the Banana Loaf recipe in Mary Berry’s Baking Bible. I’ve made a few minor adjustments, converting the self-raising flour to accommodate all-purpose flour instead. I’ve yet to come across self-raising flour on the supermarket shelves, and this bread comes out as cakey and light by making your own.
You’ll notice your bread looks dark golden on the outside. That’s good! This recipe comes out light, fluffy and cakey on the inside, unlike any other banana bread I’ve tried before. In fact, that’s why I’m sharing it — this is my go-to recipe and its the only one you’ll ever need!
I tend to add a couple of generous handfuls of chocolate chips to the batter before pouring it into the pan. It makes for a great dessert, or toast a slice with some butter for a scrumptious breakfast.
Mary Berry’s original recipe calls for 4 oz of softened butter. I use half butter and half canola (vegetable) oil because I prefer the fluffier texture you get from using some oil alongside the butter. Make sure your butter is about room temperature, this will ensure it blends easily in with the rest of the ingredients. Melting the butter to a complete liquid state may affect the texture of the cake of the cake negatively.
I make this recipe by weight, but have included volume measurements as well if you don’t have a kitchen scale (though I recommend it!).
Ultimate Banana Bread
Light, fluffy, cakey version of the classic dense banana bread. Add chocolate chips for some extra enjoyment!
Preheat the oven to 350° F. Line a loaf tin with parchment.
Measure all ingredients into a mixing bowl and beat with a stand or hand mixer for about two minutes, until well-blended. Mix in ½ cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips, if desired. Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and level the surface.
Bake in the oven for about one hour, until well-risen and golden brown. a fine skewer inserted into the center should come out clean. Leave the tin to cool for a few minutes, then turn out onto a cooling rack before slicing and serving.
Notes
Recipe adapted from Mary Berry’s Baking Bible.
INGREDIENTS
2 oz softened butter
2 oz canola oil
6 oz granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 ripe bananas mashed
225 g AP flour
1 TB baking powder
pinch of salt
DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a loaf tin with parchment.
2. Measure all ingredients into a mixing bowl and beat with a stand or hand mixer for about two minutes, until well blended. Mix in 1/2 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips if desired. Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and level the surface.
3. Bake in the oven for about one hour, until well-risen and golden brown. A fine skewer inserted in the center should come out clean. Leave the tin to cool for a few minutes, then turn out to slice and serve.
This dish was inspired by one of my favorite Thai dishes, Pumpkin Curry, which uses a Kabocha Squash in a smooth and spicy curry. Here, I’ve borrowed the flavor profile and used a Baking Pumpkin instead, small and readily available this time of year.
I love Crock Pot soups, and this is one of them! The only prep required is dicing the vegetables and roasting the pumpkin.
Feel free to adapt as needed, replacing vegetables with your favorite. One thing I have learned making pureed soups over the years, (more often than not without a recipe) — choose vegetables with a similar color palette. Here, I used orange, red and white vegetables. The result was a beautiful bright orange soup that was appealing to the eye and the stomach.
A quick cautionary tale: In past attempts, I’ve combined green vegetables (like kale and spinach) in with carrots, peppers, other bright orange and red toned vegetables. This, as color theory teaches, results in an extremely unappetizing brown color. The soup may taste good, but you’ll have to trick your eyes when you eat it. My advice: choose a color palette — either orange & red or greens — and stick to it!
To Roast or not to Roast — that is the question
This recipe calls for pre-roasting the pumpkin. Now, if you simply peel and dice the pumpkin (removing seeds), you can throw it in the slow cooker with the other ingredients and cook as directed. However, if you have the time I strongly suggest roasting the pumpkin first.
Why roast? Roasting the pumpkin in the oven brings out more flavor, caramelizing the sugars in the pumpkin and providing a deeper flavor profile. It’s a simple way to add depth of flavor to your soup without too much extra effort.
To take this entire recipe to the next level, you could also roast the onion, bell peppers and sweet potato before adding it all to the crockpot. Again, customize it depending on how much time you’d like to spend on the recipe.
Sweet Potato and Roasted Pumpkin Curry Soup
Lauren Harvey
Indulge in all the fall flavors with this brightly colored and richly flavored fall slow cooker soup.
2red bell peppersor 4-5 sweet red shishito peppers
6cloves garlic, peeled
1TBThai red curry pasteor 2 TB if you like spice.
2tspground dried ginger
2 tspground dried turmeric
2 tspsmoked paprika
1½tspcayenne pepper
12ozcoconut milk (1 small can)
12ozvegetable brothadding more as needed to reach desired thickness
salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
OPTIONAL: Roast the pumpkin. Preheat your oven to 350°F. Cut the pumpkin in half, using caution. Scoop the seeds out of the pumpkin. Place pumpkin on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Rub the flesh of the pumpkin with a drizzle of olive oil and sprinkle of salt and pepper. Bake about 30-40 minutes, until fork tender. Once pumpkin is tender, let cool until it's safe to handle. Scrape the flesh away from the skin and add flesh to crockpot.
Add the onion, peppers, carrots, garlic and sweet potato to the crockpot with the pumpkin. Stir in ½ can of coconut milk and the one can of vegetable broth. Add in curry paste and all seasonings. You should have enough liquid (coconut milk and broth) to cover the vegetables. If not, add more until vegetables are covered.
Cook in the slow cooker on HIGH for 4 hours. After cooking, check to ensure all vegetables are tender by piercing them with a fork. If not tender, cook another 30 minutes.
Puree using an immersion blender until smooth. If you don't have an immersion blender, you can use a regular large blender.
Taste the soup. Add salt and pepper if needed. Add liquid as needed to achieve desired thickness.
Serve with roasted pumpkin seeds, a drizzle of good olive oil, pomegranate seeds and some fresh cracked pepper.
Keyword Fall Soup Recipe, Pumpkin, Slow Cooker Recipe
Made this recipe? Let us know in the comments below!
For the answer to this question, I consulted the experts over at Farmers Almanac. Turns out I’d been calling my crisp a crumble all this time!
The main difference: Cobbler uses a pie crust or dropped biscuit dough on top of the fruit, while a crisp use a streusel topping, typically some combination of oats, flour, butter and sugar. Crumbles are similar to crisps, minus the oats in the topping. Now you know!
While it’s not the prettiest dessert, it’s no doubt one of the tastiest.
A Dessert for Any Fruit
This on-the-fly fruit crisp is my go-to when I need dessert STAT. If using berries, you can throw this crumble together in 10 minutes flat. Bring it to a potluck, or let it bake while dinner is cooking! It’s a foolproof recipe that relies heavily on ingredients already in your pantry. No mixer required!
This crisp is also a great way to use up fruit that is right on the edge of turning bad. Even berries or stone fruit that are a little too soft to eat cook up nicely in the crisp.
I’ve made this crisp with various combinations of blueberries, apricots, strawberries and blackberries. I even tried it with only strawberries (super delicious). The point being, as long as your measurements are the same as the recipe, it will be great!
Choose your favorite combination of berries and/or stone fruits. Go with what’s in season, or what looks best at the market. That’s the true secret to a good crisp!
Bring It All Together
No one wants a crisp that’s turned to juice. This recipe requires quite a bit of corn starch, which helps to bind all the juices together as they cook out of the fruit.
Lemon juice & zest provide a contrast in flavor, and also help to draw out those juices! The topping crisps up nicely and also absorbs some moisture, resulting in a perfectly sweet, tart, crunchy, jammy crumble every time.
Sweet, jammy, with just a hint of lemon — perfection!
Berry Stone Fruit Crisp
Delicious, simple, comes together quick. This dessert checks all the boxes! Feel free to substitute in whatever fruit you have on hand — just stay away from citrus.
2lbfruit Fresh strawberries, blackberries, blueberries; stone fruit like peaches, nectarines, apples; whatever fruit you'd like!
1cupgranulated sugar
½cupcorn starchThis amount is appropriate for very juicy berries and fruit. If your fruit is not as juicy, you may not need as much, but it won't hurt to add it anyways.
2tsppumpkin pie spiceSubstitute: 1 tsp cinnamon, ½ tsp nutmeg, ½ tsp allspice.
1tspvanilla extract
2tsplemon juice
zest of one lemonAbout 1 teaspoon
For the Topping
1¼cupall-purpose flour
1¼cuprolled oats
½cupbrown sugar
½cupunsalted butterEquivalent to one stick
Instructions
Wash the fruit. If needed, trim and slice. The fruit will cook down in the oven, but bite-sized pieces are recommended.
Heat the oven to 350°F. Pull butter out of the fridge and let come to room temperature on the counter while preparing the rest of the crumble.
Using an 8"x8" baking dish, add the fruit. Measure vanilla extract, lemon juice, and lemon zest directly into the baking dish with fruit. Stir to combine.
In a clean bowl, add sugar, corn starch, and pumpkin pie spice. Whisk to combine.
Pour sugar and corn starch mixture over the fruit in the baking dish and mix well. You can use a spatula but I prefer to use my hands. Set aside.
Cut the softened butter into small, manageable chunks using a knife or bench knife. Place in a clean bowl. Add in the flour, oats, and brown sugar. Mix to combine, coating the butter with the dry ingredients and breaking it down into pea-sized pieces. You can use a pastry cutter to do this, which works best. Alternatively, try a hand-held potato masher or just your hands.
Sprinkled the topping evenly onto the fruit in the baking dish.
Bake about 45-55 minutes, until the fruit is bubbling and sticky and the topping is golden brown.
Let the crisp stand for 15-20 minutes before serving. This allows the juices to cool and thicken thanks to the corn starch. Serve with vanilla ice cream.
Keyword berry dessert, dessert in under 30 minutes, easy baking recipe, easy dessert, easy dessert recipe, fruit crisp, stone fruit dessert
It’s peak peach season! Optimal time to make this ultra-moist sweet peach cake. Ripe fresh peaches are quickly blanched, skinned, then sautéed in brown butter and sugar. A whole peach is chopped and folded into the batter, for double peach delight!
There’s a secret ingredient in this cake. Don’t be afraid!
I discovered a traditional Brazilian treat, cornmeal cake, a sweet cake often served with coffee. That is the base of this peach cake, loosely adapted from this recipe here. The cornmeal in the cake base lends texture and a subtle flavor that contrasts the sweetness of the peaches quite nicely.
The cake is baked, then set to cool in the fridge. While the cake bakes, the peaches are prepared on the stovetop. Once the cake is cool, the peaches are layered on top in whatever pattern or arrangement suits your fancy. The cake adorned with peaches is then set back in the fridge for an hour, where the buttery sugary juices of the peaches slowly seep into the crumb of the cake, creating that delectable moisture and permeating peach flavor.
Use a 9″ round cake pan for this recipe. You can make this for a party with friends, or just for yourself. It keeps extremely well and even holds up when left out on the counter overnight.
For gluten free and dairy free alternatives to the original recipe, scroll down to the recipe notes. A few simple substitutions turn this cake into a gluten and/or dairy free delight!
INGREDIENTS
For the Cake
Wet Ingredients:
2 eggs.
1/4 cup canola oil.
1/2 cup milk.
1/4 tsp vanilla extract.
Dry Ingredients:
1 cup granulated sugar.
1/2 cup regular cornmeal (not coarse).
1/2 cup all-purpose flour.
1/2 tablespoon baking powder.
Pinch salt.
For the Peaches:
Five ripe peaches, washed clean and patted dry.
1/4 cup unsalted butter.
3 tablespoon granulated sugar.
DIRECTIONS
Heat the oven to 325. Line a 9″ round cake pan with parchment on the bottom.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. As soon as the water boils, prep an ice bath in a separate pot by adding lots of ice and cold water. Fill the pot about halfway (enough to cover all five peaches). Score the bottom of the peaches with a small X. Using a pair of tongs, drop the peaches into the boiling water for about one minute.
Remove peaches from boiling water using tongs and add directly into ice bath. Wait about 5 minutes. Remove peaches from water and set out to dry. Remove the skin from one peach by gently pushing away at the X mark. Dice the skinned peach and set aside. Leave the four remaining peaches until a later time.
In a large clean bowl, add all dry ingredients. Sift in baking powder and flour. Whisk together to combine.
In a medium-sized clean bowl, add all wet ingredients. Whisk vigorously by hand to combine. Bubbles should appear on the surface.
Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Whisk vigorously by hand to combine. Batter should be smooth.
Add the one chopped peach to the batter. Fold in with a spatula.
Pour batter into cake pan. Bake in oven for about 35 minutes. (Baking times vary. Check cake at 30 minute mark. Insert toothpick. If toothpick comes out clean, cake is done. If not, leave in for another five minutes. The top will brown considerably, as there is a large amount of sugar in the cake.)
While the cake is baking, prepare the peaches. Skin the remaining four peaches and slice into about 1/4″ thickness. Keep the slices nice and uniform, as these will be going on top of the cake.
In a large sauté pan, add 4 tablespoons butter. Let melt. When it begins to bubble and emits a nutty aroma, add sugar. Stir to combine. Then add peaches in a single layer.
Let peaches cook for about 5-7 minutes over medium heat. They should be soft and caramelized but not falling apart. Remove from pan and set aside (I like to use a pyrex for this). Place in refrigerator until ready to use.
When cake is finished cooking in oven, turn out onto cooling rack. Let cool in refrigerator for about 30 minutes. Remove from fridge and level the cake, using a large serrated bread knife to even out the surface of the cake. The easiest way to do this is to place the knife level, then gently cut across.
Arrange peaches in a circular pattern, working from the outside in. Use the best-looking slices of peach first, then fill in the gaps with the smaller slices. Set in fridge for about an hour. This will allow the juices from the peach to absorb into the cake.
Slice and serve! Whipped cream optional.
RECIPE NOTES
TO MAKE GLUTEN FREE: Replace flour with Gluten Free AP Flour. Available from Bob’s Red Mill, King Arthur or Trader Joe’s! To be safe, ensure the cornmeal package you use says Gluten Free. Cornmeal, by nature, is gluten free, but you never know what may be added in certain products.
TO MAKE DAIRY FREE: Use unsweetened almond milk in place of the milk in recipe. Use vegan butter in pan with peaches.
Artichokes! With this easy-to-follow steam and spices recipe for preparing artichokes, I hope you’ll reconsider these hearty flowers not as intimidating to cook, but as an accessible side dish for any entree.
I may be biased — I grew up eating artichokes — but I consider artichokes one of the tastiest vegetables. Of course, the Garlic Butter Aioli dipping sauce may have a lot to do with that!
My preferred artichoke, available locally, are the Lyon artichokes, which are in a league of their own compared to regular grocery store artichokes. The Lyon artichokes tend to have more meat on them, making them 100% worth the effort. Typically, we enjoy them for dinner with sausages or chicken and another simple side dish, such as mashed potatoes. If you can’t find the coveted Lyon artichoke, other varieties work perfect in this recipe and will still be tasty.
Send me a note with any questions about the recipe or how to eat artichokes (the heart is the best part!).
YOU’LL NEED:
2 whole artichokes.*
1/2 tsp salt.
1 tsp Italian Seasoning.
1/2 tsp garlic powder.
1/2 tsp onion powder.
1 tsp paprika.
1 tsp black pepper.
Garlic Butter Aioli:
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter.
1 tsp garlic powder.
2 tablespoon mayonnaise (more or less to taste).
WHAT TO DO:
1. Cut the stems off the bottom of the artichokes. Turn them over. Using kitchen shears, trim the spiny leaves by cutting off the tips only, less than a fingertip in length.
2. Using a wide pot big enough to fit both artichokes stem side up, add the seasonings. Place the artichokes stem side up over the seasonings and fill the pot with water until the artichokes are covered about halfway. A drizzle of Olive Oil in the pot is also recommended, but not required.
3. Place on pot on the stove with lid. Turn the stove to medium high heat, bringing the water to a boil. Once boiling, turn down just a touch and set timer for 45 minutes. Check periodically to make sure the water isn’t boiling over or has evaporated too much. The artichokes should remain half submerged in water for the duration of the cooking process. If the water has evaporated too much, add some more. Keep the lid on the pot while cooking, this is what builds up the steam that cooks the artichokes.
4. About 10 minutes before artichoke are finished cooking, make the dip. Melt the butter. Once melted, whisk in garlic powder and mayonnaise to taste. Whisk vigorously to emulsify mayo and butter. For a low fat serving option, try eating plain or with olive oil.
5. Artichokes are done when tender when pierced with fork. Remove from water and place face down on plate to drain. Once cooled a bit, turn face up. Remove leaves one a time to eat, dipping in Aioli as desired. To access the artichoke heart, eat (or remove) all leaves, exposing the inside. Here you’ll find spiky hair-like area. Remove all the hair. Do not eat, as it can cause irritation and choking. Once all spiky hair is removed, you can eat the heart! Dipping heart in Aioli is highly recommended.
Recipe Notes:
*This recipe is intended to serve two people, eating one whole artichoke each. Adjust the recipe as necessary for your household. If you haven’t eaten many artichokes, make one to share by cutting the rest of the ingredients in the recipe in half.
Light and refreshing, Chickpea & Kale Pasta contains no dairy OR tomato sauce (only a dab or two of tomato paste). Olive oil and seasonings allow the pan-fried chickpeas and kale to shine in this dish.
The Bean with Two Names
Chickpeas (also called garbanzo beans) contain a plethora of nutritional benefits. In one cup (200 grams) of chickpeas you’ll get:
Protein – 39 grams (78% Daily Value)
Dietary Fiber – 35 grams (140% Daily Value)
Magnesium – 57% Daily Value
Vitamin B-6 – 55% Daily Value
Iron – 69% Daily Value
Chickpeas are particularly desirable in that they contain carbohydrates, protein and fiber — which means they actually fill you up while giving your body a boost of nutrients.
Such an impressive, versatile bean seems worthy of two names. Garbanzo comes from the Spanish name for the bean; while chickpea has Latin roots in the word “cicer.”
Kale is often associated as being a “superfood,” simply meaning it contains a slew of nutrients and vitamins essential to our diets. One cup (67 grams) of chopped kale packs quite the punch:
Vitamin A – 206% Daily Value
Vitamin C – 134% Daily Value
Vitamin K – 684% Daily Value
Magnese – 26% Daily Value
Previous iterations of kale blended in a smoothie or served as a salad may have deterred you from enjoying this leafy green powerhouse. Fortunately, this recipe serves the kale up sauteed in spices, which helps to break down its fibrous tough texture and allows it to absorb the flavors of the dish.
This Chickpea & Kale pasta is nearly a one pot meal. Sauté the kale and chickpeas in a cast iron skillet (or stainless steel pan) to cultivate the flavors and begin the simple sauce. The pasta boils in a separate pot, and is added directly to the skillet with the vegetables.
The dish comes together easily and makes enough to serve 2 people as a main course. I recommend serving with a side of mixed greens for a complete meal!
Though dairy-free, this pasta does not lack flavor. Nutritional Yeast (parmesan cheese can be used as a dairy-ful substitute) lends its cheesy flavor and chickpeas their creamy texture balanced by the brightness of lemon zest and the fresh green of kale.
INGREDIENTS
Kale and Chickpea (Garbanzo Bean) Pasta
A delicious one-pan pasta that makes for a quick vegetarian weeknight meal packed with essential vitamins and nutrients.
2tablespoonsNutritional Yeast substitute ¼ cup parmesan cheese
3cupstightly packed kale, trimmed and de-ribbed
2teaspoonstomato paste
1heaping teaspooncapers
1teaspoonhot sauce (optional)
Extra Virgin Olive Oil, as needed.
Zest of one small lemon.
Instructions
Peel and chop the garlic. Wash and derib the kale and roughly chop. Drain and rinse the chickpeas. Zest the lemon. Set aside all ingredients until ready to use.
Fill a pot with water for the paste. Add 2 tablespoons of salt. Cover and bring to a boil. Have your pasta ready to add to the water once it boils. While waiting for the water to boil, proceed with the steps below. Once water is boiling, add pasta and cook according to package directions.
Drain and rinse the chickpeas. In a large heavy-bottomed skillet (preferably cast iron, but stainless steel also works) over medium heat coat with olive oil. Add rosemary. Sauté for 3 minutes, then add tomato paste and chopped garlic. Sauté for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add chickpeas to the pan, along with salt, pepper, kale, capers, optional hot sauce and ¼ cup water. Lower heat and cover, allowing to simmer for 10 minutes and stirring occassionally. The kale should wilt and get brighter in color.
Add pasta to the pan with kale and chickpeas. Sprinkle Nutritional Yeast, or parmesan cheese, depending on your preference. Add lemon zest. Drizzle with olive oil and mix until well-combined.
Serve with a sprinkle of red pepper flakes, if desired.
Notes
*KALE: I used Kale for Cooking from Trader Joe’s. I like using this because it’s prechopped and prepackaged. It requires minimal effort, just some picking out of larger stems. However, you are welcome to use any kale you choose, just don’t forget to wash and derib before adding to recipe. *TOMATO PASTE: You definitely won’t use an entire can of tomato paste in this recipe. I recommend buying the tomato paste that comes in a tube, since it’s easier to store and use as needed. Or, use this simple hack: Empty out an ice cube tray. Scoop tomato paste into ice cube tray. Freeze overnight. Break tomato paste out of ice cube tray and store in a plastic bag in the freezer until ready to use. You’ll never waste your tomato paste again!
Keyword chickpeas, dairy free pasta, easy pasta recipe, easy weeknight dinner, garbanzo beans, kale, pasta recipe, vegetarian pasta
Of course, that’s the point! Make this recipe on a Sunday and snack on this delicious rice throughout the week.
This is a meal prep recipe that can easily be adapted to supplement different proteins and side dishes throughout the week, or to be used as is for a delicious and healthy meal prep lunch!
It’s flavor profile is flexible and truly can be made into a side dish or entree with anything. Similar to Spanish Rice, Spring Harvest Rice uses fresh tomatoes and a plethora of vegetables and spices.
See the recipe notes below for three ideas to turn this star side dish into the main event.
Make as is and this will yield about 10 cups of nutrient-rich rice.
INGREDIENTS
6 cups cooked white or brown rice (3 cups uncooked).
3 tablespoons Oil (Extra Virgin Olive Oil or Sunflower Oil).
1 green bell pepper, diced.
1 yellow onion, diced.
1 tablespoon salt.
3 cloves garlic, minced.
4 cups fresh tomato, diced (substitute: canned).
1/2 red bell pepper, diced.
1 lb frozen peas.
1 tsp Herbs de Provence (substitute: 1/2 tsp oregano and 1/2 tsp basil).
1 tsp black pepper.
1 tsp parsley, dried.
1 tsp onion powder.
1 tsp garlic powder.
1 tsp smoked paprika.
1/4 tsp cumin.
DIRECTIONS
1. First, cook your rice. I prefer cooking rice in my Instant Pot, but you are welcome to use any method you like, including microwaved steamed rice! For this recipe, make sure it’s unseasoned rice. Brown or white is fine. You can also substitute couscous, farro or barley (cook according to package directions).
2. In a large pot, heat the 3 Tablespoons oil. Add diced onion, garlic, red and green bell peppers. Sauté until tender, about 10 minutes.
3. Add tomatoes. Simmer uncovered over medium heat about 30-40 minutes, until tomatoes are cooked down and there is minimal liquid left in pot. Simply put, it should look less like tomato sauce and more like a big pot of sautéed vegetables.
4. Add all the spices and mix well to incorporate. Turn the heat from medium high to medium and add the bag of frozen peas. Mix to incorporate and defrost the peas.
5. Add the rice 1-2 cups at a time, mixing well to incorporate. Be sure to break up the chunks of rice to blend with the vegetables. Repeat the process until all of the cooked rice is added to the vegetables. Complete!
SPRING HARVEST RICE THREE WAYS:
1. Serve with shredded rotisserie chicken for an easy weeknight dinner.
2. Wrap rice with black or refried beans in a flour tortilla topped with shredded cheese for an easy vegetarian burrito.
3. Fry up a few cups of rice in a hot oiled pan. Add two to three scrambled eggs. Serve as vegetable fried rice alongside cooked steak.
