Recipe: Shepherd's Pie (All-Vegan All-Star!)

Vegan shepherd's pie

One essential part of managing my stomach issues is managing my stress!  One big relief is not worrying about "what to eat" after a long busy work-day.  I also worry about good nutrition -- eating "right" takes time.  

(Even for the most efficient of us, right?  When your day is full of work stuff, commuting, household chores, family commitments, and trying to exercise/breathe -- it can be exhausting to squeeze in home-cooking, even with meal plans, organized buying, and quick kitchen hands.)

Casseroles are my go-to for quick and good home-made meals!  A few months ago, I decided I was going to master a vegan Shepherd's Pie.  I love the idea of mashed potatoes topping -- and all those greenmarket roots look so happy under there together.   After studying several recipes in my book collection (Moosewood, Veganomicon and others) and online (including the Minimalist Baker's pie), I ended up with my take on it.  

And, as an easy to digest meal for cranky guts -- this one is so comforting and easy to tolerate for me. 

SHEPHERD'S PIE (ALL-VEGAN ALL-STAR!)

Ingredients: 

Amounts can and may vary depending on what you have available.  Generally, this is my favorite ratio:

Vegetable filling:

2 large or 3 medium parsnips, chopped 

3 medium carrots, chopped 

1 large leek, thinly sliced 

2 medium sweet potatoes (yellow or white), chopped 

3 cloves garlic, minced/pressed 

Optional:  Celeriac (that knobby thing in the photo) really adds flavor and texture to the dish.  I've made this with and without and prefer the celeriac.  I also have added celeriac to the boiling potatoes and mash it along for the topping.

Middle layer:

2/3 C. - 1 C. coarsely chopped walnuts 

1 16 ounce can kidney beans, rinsed (or 2 cans if you want more "middle layer").  I like the Brad's Organic beans shown here or any BPA-free can (or dried beans if you have time to prep them!)

Potato topping:

4-6 potatoes for the mashed topping, or enough to cover your pan of choice.

I usually use 4-6 potatoes.  Yukon or other white potatoes look the most "professional," but I have experimented with adding red and/or purple potatoes as well -- though the result looks not so appealing for guests.  :)   You can peel the potatoes for a more polished look but I always leave the nutritious and tasty skin on my mashed potatoes.  

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

1. Prep the vegetables:  peel and chop the parsnips, carrots, leeks and sweets, and celeriac if using.  A uniform size is key, on the smaller side is ideal.  But you don't have to use a ruler or worry too much about it -- just get everything about the same size!

2. In a large skillet (cast iron is exceptional for this), add a few spoonfuls of water and the leeks.   Cover with lid.  Cook for a minute and add the rest of the vegetables and garlic.  Cover with lid to "steam sauce" until softened.  Stir occasionally, adding more water as needed.

Vegetables soften up during the steam-saute.  Don't forget to cover with lid. 

3.  While this cooks down, make the mashed potatoes.  I literally mean "mashed potatoes."  I boil them, drain the water, and mash them.  No salt, no vegan butter or oil of any kind, no soy milk or other liquid.  Just mash 'em.  I leave the skin on because I like the taste and "all the vitamins are in the skin," as we learned years ago.  I also like how rustic it makes the dish look.  

4. Make the middle layer/filling:  take rinsed can of kidney beans and combine with nuts.  Blend very well so beans get smooshed with the nuts.  I have found the best technique is to just knead this together with your hands.   I usually start with less nuts and taste as I blend to get the right flavor.    

5.  In an 8x8 or 9x11 pan, spread the softened vegetable mixture.

6.  Spread the bean-nut mixture on top of this.  I have used one can and it doesn't fully cover the vegetables, but you can use 2 cans for a more thorough cover.  Whatever you prefer!    You will see it doesn't look pretty while you are putting this together...

  

This will transform and look much better after it is cooked!

7. Toss the mashed potato on top.   Do not press down -- you want this to be "thrown" together so the potatoes are not flattened.  (You could use a fork to make interesting patterns, and help with browning, but I had a great result by just literally "globbing" on the potatoes. 

8. Put in oven, uncovered, and bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes.   Check to see if "browned" and cooked through to your liking.  (You could eat the whole thing already, without baking, but the oven gets the potatoes pleasantly dried out on top and makes the nut-bean filling "come together.")

BONUS:  This dish is even better the next day when ingredients have mingled.  AND it freezes very well! 

I like serving with roasted squash (yes, MORE vegetables!) or just eat on its own.  A complete meal in one!

Recipe: Pinto Beans and Greens Tacos (with or without salsa)

Pinto and chard tortilla

Another successful experiment with "stuff laying around the refrigerator!"   I wanted something easy on my stomach after too many late dinners, and meals out.  So, some chard, a can of pintos, and frozen tortillas came together for this gut-friendly combo.  

A note on beans and other legumes:  Many of my meals involve legumes, a food often experienced by others as very non-gut friendly.  I've been eating this powerhouse food for decades -- peas, lentils and beans are a staple of my veg diet: I often eat legumes twice a day, and usually daily.    My guts don't seem to be bothered by most beans, except occasionally chickpeas or lentils can give me a gassy aftermath.    My thought is, as long as my guts are doing okay on legumes, load them up -- they are healthy, they are vegetarian :-) , and they are yummy!     For tips on reducing "bean issues" see this article on "respecting the bean" and Choosing Raw's guide to bean digestion.



PINTO BEANS AND GREENS TACOS

Ingredients
*Tortillas
Swiss Chard, kale, spinach, or whatever other "greens" you have on hand.  Mix and match!
**Pinto beans or whatever other beans you want to use
Fresh herbs (sage, oregano, thyme…)
Garlic (or garlic scapes, garlic greens, no rules here)
Tiny bit of olive oil for flavor and cooking assistance

1. In large pan (cast iron preferred), saute garlic in the small amount of oil until softened and aromatic.
2. Separate stems from leaves of the greens.  If using chard, chop stems and add to the softening garlic.
3. Cut leaves into strips.   Add to pan, and gently "fold" into the garlic/stems.
4. Chop/tear herbs into small bits and add to pan, stirring in.
5. Add water to just cover bottom of pan.
6. Cover the pan and slow-braise the greens until very soft, about 15 minutes.  Keep adding water, stirring/folding.  Braise longer if needed.  The longer the better!
7. Meanwhile, heat beans in a separate pan (or pot).
8. When beans and greens are done, heat tortillas on the stovetop.
9.  Place tortilla on plate.  Cover with spoonfuls of beans and then greens.
10. Fold and eat and enjoy!

Salsa:  Optional.

* My greenmarket sells Hot Bread Kitchen's corn tortillas, and they've become a welcome regular in MY kitchen!   They've inspired me to create all sorts of "bean and greens" combos for quick dinners and lunches. 

**I prefer to make my own beans "from scratch" but after not being able to find my beloved Cayuga Beans and a few busy weeks with no time to cook, I discovered Brad's Organic beans (in BPA-free cans!).  They're "good enough" and even pretty delicious, especially the kidney beans, pintos, and garbanzos.  There's even a fun "chili mix!"  Rinse the beans well to wash away excess sodium.

New Root Soup for a New Year!

New Roots Soup Recipe (see below for recipe)

Cranky Gerd is back!  I've updated the description of my blog to include Gastroparesis -- also known as "slow stomach emptying" or that unfortunate phrase, "lazy stomach."   After months of assuming I was suffering from "GERD,"  my doctor and my own self-observation realized it's not quite GERD that's the problem -- it's the more ambiguous gastroparesis.   In short, things don't move quickly enough through my GI tract.  Sometimes things get log-jammed in the stomach itself.  Other times, my intestinal tract is sluggish and there is "no movement" -- despite the healthy amounts of fiber, liquids, dried fruits, caffeine, and other traditional remedies.   This results in bloating, pain, gas, and overall feeling awful!  On a bad day, nausea can join in the fun. 

Gastroparesis is not just a physical discomfort -- it's a ridiculous waste of time, an annoyance, and emotionally draining.  Like right now, for instance.  I am supposed to be out the door in 10 minutes to have a relaxing Sunday, but my GI tract feels bloated, gassy, heavy -- I have to "go" but nothing is working "out."  Argh!  Do I leave the house like this and suffer for hours?  Or hang around for hours, possibly (most likely) for nothing but more waiting around until my guts decide to take action? 

This year, Cranky Gerd will continue to share my GI journey, and as in the past, recipes and tips for a healthy gut (or what works for me, in any case).   I'll also include "off topic" posts from time to time because 1) it's my blog :)  and 2) these things may be of interest to others here too, as we are not just our GI tracts!   :) :) 

So…

The first recipe of the year:  new root soup.   Inspired by the new roots emerging in the greenmarket these days, and the need to "de-tox" a bit after the holiday onslaught of treats, I tossed this soup together this morning.   Stay clear of salt, be stringent with oil, and enjoy the roots' naturally mineral-rich flavors and nourishing goodness. 

NEW ROOTS SOUP

This amount makes soup for a few portions -- depending how much you want to eat in one sitting.

Easily doubles or triples -- use a large pot to give the vegetables plenty of space to simmer.

• 2 small sweet potatoes, scrubbed, peeled as needed, and cut into small chunky slices
• 2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into small pieces
• 4 medium potatoes, cut into thin slices (any non-Russet potatoes would work best)
• 1 celeriac root, trimmed and cut into small chunks
•  2-3 cloves of garlic, crushed or minced
• 1 small leek, trimmed and sliced into small pieces  
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• water

1.  Heat garlic and oil in soup pot at very low heat.

2. Add carrots, sweet potatoes, celeriac, and potatoes.  Cover pot and leave over low heat for 5 minutes to "sweat" the flavors together.  Mix occasionally to prevent sticking.

3. Add water -- use enough to cover about an inch above the vegetables.    Add the leek.

4. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes or until vegetables are softened.

5. Stir occasionally throughout the simmering.   Add more water if needed -- you want the water to cover the vegetables just a bit so there is a nice broth going.

6.  The soup is done when the potatoes break up easily and the other vegetables are softened.  You can cook more or less to your taste.    Take a wooden spoon (or potato masher if you wish) and "mash" on section of the veggies in the pot to thicken the broth and add texture.

7.  Enjoy!   This is a nourishing but "light" root soup -- great as a prelude to any meal, or a snack between meals, or a light meal in itself.

Recipe: Root and Tuber End-of-Winter Soup

Roots and tubers soup

Got roots?  Got tubers?  Make soup!

After weeks of snow, vortexes, and overcast skies, though, even I've had enough of the roots and tubers -- the only vegetables at my greenmarket, for the most part.  As much as I love a good sweet potato, I've had it!  Except, we were still having it.  As I've noted elsewhere on this blog, our household gets most of its produce from the farmer's markets.  It's a fun challenge to eat locally and seasonally (though I have in recent weeks dipped into the hothouse greens -- I just needed some fresh leafy stuff.)

Inspired by our winter produce bin, I created this root soup, which is also inspired by my effort to avoid getting sick.  Everyone I know has come down with a cold or "flu."  I've felt fine all winter, which I attribute to my "anti-inflammatory, immune-boosting" diet hacks like large amounts of garlic, onion, cinnamon and ginger.    This soup includes a shallot, garlic, and lots of nutrient-dense roots and tubers.  It's also well-cooked, an easy to eat soup for the sensitive stomach and esophagus.  I'm still doing well with foods that are somewhat softer, more gruel-like.

ROOT AND TUBER END-OF-WINTER SOUP

Ingredients:

1 large shallot or a few small shallots, chopped
3 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
2 medium sweet potatoes, unpeeled, sliced and diced
1 large parsnip, peeled, sliced on the angle
2 white potatoes (Yukon are especially good here), unpeeled, sliced and diced
1-2 tsp olive oil
1 apple -- optional (I have not tried the apple addition yet, but initially thought it would work well)

Ingredients for the soup. 

1. Add 1 tsp oil to a large pot.  Cook over low heat and add the garlic.  When fragrant, add the onion and cover, stirring occasionally.  Cook for a few minutes, or until softened.
2. Add the sweet potato and parsnip.  Stir and cover, cook for a few minutes until fragrant.  Add a small amount of water if sticking to pot.
3. Add potatoes and stir.
4. Add water to cover pot contents by 1-2 inches.
5. Bring to boil and lower heat, simmering until vegetables are softened and "come together." (There's a point when making soup when the contents of the pot go from being "ingredients in water" to "soup" -- you'll know it when you see it, and you'll probably smell the change, too.)
6. If using the apple, chop into small pieces and add when you add the water.  (If you try this addition, let me know how it goes.)
7. If needed:  When vegetables are softened, use a potato masher to mash a small section of the pot's contents.  This thickens the soup a bit and provides interesting texture.  You may find the soup is already "thick" enough, to your taste, in which case omit the masher step.

Serve warm with bread or crackers of your choice.

MORE ON ROOTS AND TUBERS

Mother Nature Network: Root Vegetables 101 Primer

Healthy Home Gardening's article on The difference between roots and tubers

Oh My Veggies A Guide to Root Vegetables

Visual Dictionary: Tubers 

The Good Root Guide (Daily Mail)

Recipe for the New Year: Skillet Black-Eyed Peas with Chard and Carrots

Cast iron makes everything better!

New Year greetings!  Here's to happier guts and marvelous motility in 2014!

The past weeks have been challenging for me, with constipation issues returning, and a rise in reflux (no pun intended).  I actually woke up last week to foul stomach juices in my mouth -- scary and demoralizing and just plain icky.  Why now?  I'm ruling in "stress," since I have a few very stressful personal situations coming up.   And diet:  all that dairy and processed foods and sugar and sodium from meals out and decadent meals in.  Already I feel restored after a week of my "minimal" cooking.  (Constipation is better, reflux is so-so but getting there, and overall weight and bloat is much better.)

For the first day of the new year, I ate well and had no issues.  Lunch was at Le Pain Quotidien where I got a tofu scramble.  (You know I am a sucker for tofu scramble in general, so this was a must-order.)  I asked to hold the soy cheese (but I would have had it with Daiya) and the mushrooms, which left me with scallions and tomatoes -- a deliciously minimal dish, fluffy and soft tofu with no silly yellow spices to simulate "eggs" nor any harsh flavorings to "distract" from the simplicity.   Here is one blogger's review of her tofu scramble, which includes a photo.   And, here's a post by blogger Lemons-Life-Love, who offers her own tofu scramble recipe.  

(Side rant:  Why must EVERYTHING in restaurants be smothered in "flavor?"  The bane of my cranky gut.  Bland is not bland when the ingredients are high quality.  I call it enjoying"the flavor of the food."  Le Pain understands.  :-)  )

For dinner, I made this concoction using a box of frozen black-eyed peas and fresh greenmarket carrots and rainbow chard.  It was a success, to be repeated beyond January 1! 

RECIPE:  SKILLET BLACK-EYED PEAS, CHARD AND CARROTS Use greenmarket ingredients when possible!


1 T olive oil (or less oil, if possible)

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 bunch chard, sliced (I used rainbow chard, but any color/combination will do)

2 large carrots, diced into large chunks
2 C. black eyed peas (I used a small box of frozen ones, but canned or even better, fresh, would work)

1. Saute garlic over low heat until just browning.

2. Meanwhile, boil frozen block of black eyed peas in water 15-18 minutes until done.  If using canned or freshly made "fresh beans,"omit this step.   Drain.

3. Add chard; cover and steam-saute until wilted.  Stir frequently to prevent sticking.

4. Add carrots and a bit of water; cover and steam-saute until carrots begin to soften. 

5. Add black eyed peas.  Add water (enough to just cover bottom of pan -- to moisten but not drown everything).  Cover and cook over medium-low heat for 10 minutes until heated and flavors blend.  The longer the better...!

6. Serve over a grain or pasta.  

Close up of everything coming together.

Recipe: The Best Breakfast Cookie (or Homemade Bar or Vegan Oatmeal Cookie)

My first batch -- which I could not stop eating!

For years, I have been trying to find a granola or bar-like snack that is tasty and meets my high standards:  peanut-free, soy-free, sugar-free, minimal fat, and vegan.   Whew!  I found one -- and it's my own hybrid recipe of Glow Kitchen's Easy Oatmeal Vegan Cookie and The Minimalist Baker's "breakfast cookie."    I agree with John and Dana (the Minimalist Bakers) who confess these "turned out so good I simply could not stop eating (as in "6 cookies in one day" kind of good)."    Glow Kitchen calls this a cookie but I think it's closer to a terrific granola bar alternative!

BEST BREAKFAST COOKIE / HOMEMADE BAR / VEGAN OATMEAL COOKIE

Ingredients

1 and 1/2 C. oatmeal (I used Quaker Oats, regular variety)

2 tsp cinnamon

1/8 tsp salt

3 small to medium browning bananas (mine were lightly spotted)

1/2 C. applesauce, unsweetened

1/2 C. raisins

1/3 C. unsweetened dried cranberries (I prefer these)

1/4 C. ground nuts (I used a mix of walnuts and pecans from Tierra Farm)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Mix oats, cinnamon, salt, dried fruit and nuts.
3. Put bananas into a large bowl and mash with a fork. Or, if you don't mind doing this with your hands, it's really the most effective way.  Just squish the bananas between your fingers…   
4. Add applesauce and mix well.
5. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix/fold together.
6. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  (Critical -- cookies may stick if you do not use parchment paper!)
7. Use a tablespoon measuring spoon to drop 2 T. of batter per cookie on parchment paper.  Shape into "cookie" shape if needed and lightly press cookie as dropping it onto pan.
8. Bake for 25-30 minutes.   I left these in for an extra 5 minutes or so just until the first sign of browning on some of the cookies.
9. Cool individual cookies on plate or rack.  
10. KEEP REFRIGERATED.   I do not know the shelf life but it seems these need to be eaten relatively quickly.  Not that this will be difficult to do.  :)

The finished product, cooling! 

Cookies in Pyrex storage container ready for refrigerator.  The plated cookies never made it that far.

Secret Weapon: Saute-Braised Greens

"Dinosaur" kale from Paffenroth farms.

Greens are a constant on my table and in my guts.   I rely on them as a quick side, and for flavor and texture in casseroles and soups.   They're super-nutritious, easy to cook, versatile, affordable, and GERD-friendly -- what's not to love?   One of my favorite ways to use them is simply sauteed-and-braised, Southern style greens slowly cooked in a skillet with a bit of water (and I'll add a bit of olive or sunflower oil, though you can omit this according to oil-free recipes, or use vegetable stock in place of plain water for the braising).

Slow-cooking in liquid softens the greens to an irresistible melt-in-your-mouth texture, and mellows out any bitterness.    This method is great for all fresh greens:  kale, chard, spinach, collards, turnip greens, sweet potato greens, and whatever other greens come your way.

STEP ONE:  Prep the leaves

Rinse leaves.  For kales and other greens with chewy stems, remove all trace of the stem parts -- including along the inside of the leaves.  This is the key to achieving a smooth texture (versus a smooth mouthful of kale with jarring crunchy bits destroying the buttery mouth-feel).  Most restaurants do not go through this trouble, and I'm often disappointed by the results…

To remove the stem from the middle of the leaves, fold the leaf and grasp the stem, and pull… 

Soon, you will have a pile of leaves without stems… 

Gather the leaves into a pile, stacking them or bunching them in an organized heap.  Cut into slices with a large knife so you end up with strips or uniform chunks.

STEP TWO:  Cook the greens

I like to saute a few pressed cloves of garlic in a tablespoon of olive oil before adding my leaves.  Once the garlic is just starting to turn brown, add the greens.    Use a wooden spoon or spatula to turn the leaves so they start to wilt from the heat.  Keep turning a few times a minute until all the leaves are coated with the garlic/oil and wilting.

Add enough water to just cover the bottom of the pan, below the leaves.   You may add more water later -- the idea is to keep the greens in a thin layer of water throughout the cooking period, but not floating in water.  Cover with a lid and cook over low to medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, and adding more water as needed to keep the greens hydrated.    Cooking time will vary depending on the greens.   Taste periodically until done to your liking.

I did not take a photo of the finished kale I documented in the previous photos, but here is an example of Swiss chard after saute-braising.  In the case of chard, I am more generous with the stems since they soften quickly in the cooking process -- I don't need to remove the stems from the middle of the leaves, and even cook up a few bits of stem with the greens.

Served here with brown rice and red beans.

Recipe: Tofu-Spinach Lasagna (Vegan)

My latest lasagna -- perfect flavors and textures.

Lasagna!  So easy, so tasty, so make-ahead, so GERD-friendly when it's dairy-free.  

Note on tomatoes:  Fortunately, they are not usually a concern for me, but I know a lot of GERD-prone folks can't handle them, gut-wise.  In that case, behold tomato-allergy friendly recipes!  I found a few interesting tomato substitutions, including carrot sauce and butternut squash.  There is a helpful no-tomato sauce thread on the IBS board.  (All of these sauce alternatives look wonderful in their own right!  Filed in my "to make" folder.")

While I'd tried to bake it here and there in the past years (with and without cheese), I decided to "master" vegan lasagna this year.  I flipped through cookbooks and blogs to help guide my own construction of these magical layers, and fine-tuned my recipe after experimenting with three lasagnas. Here are my results.

TOFU-SPINACH LASAGNA (VEGAN)

My second effort -- good but still not quite there yet.

Inspired by versions in Isa Chandra Moskowitz's Veganomicon, Mark Bittman's How to Cook Everything Vegetarian, and my experience with my family's lasagna-making, I came up with this recipe.   It avoids nutritional yeast (I just haven't incorporated this into my diet yet) and "fake cheese" (too processed for my palate and mind).  I use a square 9 x 9  sized glass pan (in 2 cases, I used the foil pan which came with the lasagna noodles), which serves four as a main dish, along with a vegetable side.   A small salad, broccoli, or dark leafy greens such as kale or -- a new Farmer's Market favorite -- spigarello -- go especially well.

Ingredients and Steps

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Boil the Pasta (or Don't)
6-8 flat sheets or enough of any lasagna noodles to make three layers in your pan (I used "no boil" lasagna for the last 2 lasagnas I made -- my first no-boil effort, ever -- and liked them best.  The brand I tried was Delverde, which packages its pasta with two disposable foil pans.   My personal preference is for flat lasagna, not curly, but it's an individual choice.)

Make the Sauce
Use your favorite prepared sauce, or make your own.  I tried a prepared sauce, a quick marinara that I made (using a recipe from Isa Chandra Moskowitz, again), but the best lasagna was the one using my mother's homemade, 4-hour simmered vegetarian tomato sauce which she made/left for me on her last visit.  She promised to share it with  me, and I'll post it here.

Prepare the Filling
1 block firm tofu
2 t. lemon juice from fresh lemon
1 T. chopped fresh parsley
1 T. dried basil (I have not tried this with fresh basil, but I am certain it would be even better!)
1 t. dried oregano
1 T. olive oil
pinch of salt
Mash the tofu into a ricotta-like texture. (I like using my hands for this one, but use whatever you're comfortable with -- a fork, spoon, etc.)   Add the rest of the ingredients and mix. 

Simmer-saute the Spinach
Spinach -- the amount varies, depending on your taste and pan size.  You want enough spinach to make at least one good layer, then a bit more spinach for the top layer.
Prepare the spinach:  if frozen, just rinse with water to lightly thaw and add to pan.   If fresh, wash/chop.  Heat olive oil in pan (cast iron is ideal) and simmer-saute in olive oil on low flame, covered.   Let simmer for 10 minutes or until soft and "sweet."  Set aside.   Sauteing the spinach is a key step!

Compose the Lasagna
In a 9x9 pan (or whatever pan you have/need for the desired quantity), sprinkle olive oil on the bottom and then top with 1-2 ladlefuls of sauce.

Cover bottom of pan with lasagna sheets, using smaller pieces if needed to cover entire bottom.

Next comes a generous layer of sauce, and then 3/4 of the tofu filling.  Press the filling slightly to help it hold together.  Sprinkle with 2/3 of the spinach.

Another layer of pasta, followed by sauce, and whatever ricotta filling and spinach you have left.  Top with one more layer of pasta, more sauce, and drizzle a teaspoon of olive oil on top.

Baking Instructions
Cover pan with foil.  Bake lasagna at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.
After 30 minutes, remove foil and bake for an additional 20 minutes (or longer).  The top should be slightly browned (or cook to your preference).   I'm notorious for sticking a knife/fork in the center and gouging out some of the middle to see if "it's done" (holding together, bubbling) but after 50 minutes you should be okay.

This is better the second day, so I recommend making ahead, put into the oven on a week-night, and savor a lovely homemade meal on a busy evening.   If you have a lot of liquid in your lasagna pan, don't worry -- this will "absorb" and/or cook off in reheating.

Recipe: Loaded Cranberry-Oatmeal Muffins

A few days ago, I made one of my baking staples, Apple-Cinnamon Oat Bran Muffins.  Only to discover I had no oat bran, no eggs (I've been veering to vegan of late, so eggs don't often make it into the house these days), and lots of dried (unsweetened!) cranberries from Fairland Farm I bought at the Pawtucket Winter Market on a recent trip to Rhode Island.

I altered my original recipe and the results are a new favorite that uses a "flax egg," increases the oats and nuts, and makes for a healthy, crunchy, delightful breakfast or snack. 

Loaded Cranberry-Oatmeal Muffins

1/2 C. wheat flour 

1 C. oats

1 C. ground/chopped nuts (I used a blend of pecans and walnuts, chopped by hand)

1 T ground flaxseed for flax egg, and 3 T ground flaxseed for dough

1 tsp baking soda

1 and 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp cinnamon (I double or triple the amount!)

3 T walnut oil 

1/3 C applesauce (I use homemade)

1/4 C maple syrup

1 whole apple, grated (or pear)

Unsweetened dried cranberries (a 1/2 cup?  a cup?  whatever you prefer!)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease muffin tins.

2. In small bowl, whisk 1 T flaxseed and 3 T water.  Let sit to form a "flax egg."

3.  In large bowl, mix together oats, flour, flax, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and nuts.

4. To flax/water mixture, add: oil, applesauce and maple syrup.  Add grated apple.  Don't forget to add the juice of grated apple.

5. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients.  Spoon batter into muffin tins.  Bake for 22-25 minutes or until tops spring back when touched and are brown, and center is cooked.  I usually check them at 20 minutes and bake for an additional 10 minutes.  Place tins on wire rack to cool. 

6.  Remove from tins after 5 minutes or so, and cool on plate.    Keep refrigerated until ready to enjoy!

Recipe: Restorative Roots Soup

Stars of this restoring soup -- all those winter root cellar veggies!

The past few weeks have been lousy, motility-wise.   I've experienced the "clenched throat" feeling, one evening of shooting regurgitation, fullness after eating, a few moments of nausea, and constipation. The weeks have been emotionally draining -- is this the cause of my increased GERD/stress response?  An important work project and new office (a good thing, but like any move, stressful!), the recent blizzard, several late night events and lack of home-cooking -- no wonder I'm a wreck!

The three-day holiday weekend is already soothing my mind and body, and I'm thrilled -- empowered! -- to be back in the kitchen.  I lugged home sacks of root vegetables -- the winter greenmarket staples -- and decided to put the immersion blender to use to make a calming, restorative "roots soup."   The result was better than I imagined, a bowl packed with nutrition, easy to digest, and tasty, complex flavor.   When you make this, once again seek out local produce -- it makes a difference!

RESTORATIVE ROOTS SOUP

I used an immersion blender to get the pureed, creamy texture; if you do not use one, thinly slice/chop the vegetables and use a potato masher in the pot to "hand-blend" the ingredients.  It will be a more "rustic" version and will still taste lovely!   Once again, there is no salt in this recipe, and little seasoning - just some parsley.  Give this less-is-more approach a try.  Another root that might go very well here is ginger root -- a great digestion-friendly ingredient.

Note: After having broccoli-sunchoke soup at Angelica Kitchen, I'm obsessed with this root, so I tossed a bit in here.  Omitting it should not change this too much...

Ingredients

2 shallots, chopped
3 cloves garlic, pressed or chopped
4 large carrots, sliced
1 medium turnip, chopped
1 small sunchoke (Jerusalem artichoke), chopped into small pieces
6-7 fingerling and/or Butterball potatoes, halved and quartered
parsley
olive oil

1. Heat olive oil in soup pot, about a tablespoon, on low setting.   While heating, add shallots and garlic.  Saute in low heat for a minute or two, until shallots soften.   Stir often.
2. Add carrots.  Mix and let "sweat" and soften for 3-4 minutes.
3. Add turnip and sunchoke pieces.  Mix and heat for a minute.
4. Add water to cover vegetables by an inch or two and turn up heat.
5. Add potatoes; bring to boil.
6. When boiling, reduce heat.  Add parsley.   
7. Simmer uncovered until all vegetables are softened, stirring occasionally.
8. Turn off heat and immersion blend, adding water if necessary (I wound up adding about 1/2-3/4 cups of water).  Stir and blend  until desired consistency.

I served this with veggie sausage on the side, and today with a small portion of polenta instead of bread.   I think this would also go well with the special cornbread made famous by NYC's Angelica Kitchen. 

The soup -- just perfect!

MORE ON ROOTS…

Mother Earth's Guide to Root Vegetables

Giving Root Vegetables Their Due -- NYTimes recipes

Recipe: Lentil Walnut Apple Loaf (Revised)

Lentil walnut apple loaf with sides of broccoli and brown rice 

I'm always trying to combine "quick dinners" with "made from scratch."   When I found this recipe for a lentil-walnut loaf (courtesy of Angela Liddon's fantastic and photo-rich vegan blog Oh She Glows -- for reference see the original loaf recipe here), I was thrilled:  while it's a bit involved -- you are going to be grating, dicing, chopping and mixing for quite a while -- this is a great make-ahead main dish that is better the second day, and which freezes/reheats very well, allowing a home-cooked dinner on a busy work-night.  So make a big batch of this, and enjoy however you wish!

GERD-wise, this fits my criteria for a great food choice for me:  soft texture, stomach-pleasing ingredients that are savory but not spicy,  familiar ingredients that work well with my particular guts,  and the addition of the apple, a motility-friendly ingredient.  And, it's vegan, too.  :)   The only digestive problem I've had with this recipe is over-eating -- it is that yummy!  (Angela notes she once had this for "breakfast, lunch and dinner" and I could easily follow that lead.)   As always, GERD is person-specific, and if you have trouble with any of the ingredients, play around with substitutes and ratios, and find a combination that works for your guts.

LENTIL WALNUT APPLE LOAF (REVISED)

Ingredients

LOAF:

1 C. uncooked green/brown lentils
1 C. walnuts, finely chopped and toasted (I have not tried this recipe with toasted nuts and it's come out fine, but I'll bet it's even better if you take this extra step…)
3 tsp. ground flax and 1/2 C. water
3 garlic cloves, crushed
1 and 1/2 onion, diced
1 C. diced celery
1 C. grated carrot
1/3 C. peeled and grated apple
1/2 C. rolled oats (the original recipe calls for oat flour, but I was out of this so I used oats -- to great results)
3/4 C. breadcrumbs (I never have these on hand and just add a handful of whatever dried bread products I have on hand; I toast them to dry them out and just crumble them in)
1 tsp. dried thyme
2  T. fresh parsley, finely chopped
Olive oil as needed
Salt and pepper to taste

GLAZE: 

1/4 C. tomato paste
1 T. maple syrup
Water to thin

1. Grease loaf pan and line with parchment paper.  (I have made this recipe using a glass loaf pan, as well as disposable foil mini-loaf pans; both turned out well.)
2. Rinse and sort lentils.  Put in pot with 3 cups of water and bring to a boil.  Simmer 40 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Overcook slightly.
3. Toast walnuts in 325 degree oven for 8-10 minutes.  When done, increase heat in oven to 350 in preparation for the loaf.  (I have skipped this step in the interest of time, and my loaves have come out great, but I can see the benefit of this added flavor-building step.)
4. Whisk flax with 1/2 C. water.  Set aside.
5. Heat olive oil in skillet.  Saute onion and garlic for 5 minutes.
6. Add celery, carrot, and apple.  Saute 5 more minutes.
7. Mix all ingredients in large bowl:  oats, breadcrumbs, sauteed vegetables, herbs and flax mixture.
8. Make glaze:  Whisk tomato paste and maple syrup with water as needed to make spreadable glaze.   The original recipe calls for 2 T. of apple butter and 2 T. balsamic vinegar as well (and using ketchup instead of paste), which also sounds tasty. Your call!
9. Spread glaze over top of loaf.
10. Bake at 350 degrees for 40-50 minutes uncovered, until edges brown.  Both times I've made this, the cooking time was 30 minutes longer.  It seemed to take forever to move from a loaf pan full of mush to a cooked food.   Once, I removed the semi-cooked loaf and cut into slices, which I returned to the oven for a final baking (biscotti-style).   

         Here is a rather unattractive photo that demonstrates what I mean by twice-baked (looks can  
         deceive -- this was so tasty!):

What I did when my first loaf was too soft - twice-bake in the oven!