Hollyhock Dressing

Back when I was in the midst of my Mindfulness Studies program, I had to attend a 7-day silent retreat. Which, by the way, is much harder than it sounds! But anyway, I discovered this fantastic dressing. When I got back home, I looked up the recipe on their website, but maybe you can see the problem:

3 cups apple cider vinegar

15 garlic cloves

2 cups soy sauce

4 cups canola oil

2 cups water

12+ cups large flake nutritional yeast

Combine all ingredients with a hand blender. Makes 1 gallon; serves 44.

A gallon? Oy!

So, here is my tweaks:

1/2 cup apple cider vinegar

1/4 cup soy sauce or tamari

1 tbsp minced garlic

1/2 cup water

1 cup oil - I use 1/2 cup EVOO and 1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup large flake nutritional yeast

Combine with a hand blender or small blender. (Will last for a month without refrigeration. 50 cals/serving.)

As on retreat, this is best served on Buddha bowls - like a salad bar for vegetarians - with your choice of grains, legumes, greens, and raw and/or cooked veggies. Dowse the whole affair with hollyhock dressing and you are good to go. 

If you are interested, here is the retreat center I attended:

CLOUD MOUNTAIN RETREAT CENTER 

Namaste!

DIY "Salad Dressing"

aka "Miracle Whip"

Always on the hunt for better quality food to offset processed, here is a great do it yourself copy-cat recipe for my favorite - Miracle Whip salad dressing. My version has a bit of an olive taste, since I used EVOO, but you can use canola or veggie oil for a more authentic taste without the high fructose corn syrup and excess perservatives. (This is a doubled recipe...cut in half for about a cup of dressing.)

DIY "Salad Dressing"

2 egg yokes
10 tsp apple cider vinegar (or white vinegar, if you prefer)
1/2 tsp + 1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp lemon juice (squeezed or bottled)
1/2 tsp dried mustard
1/4 tsp all-purpose salt-free seasoning (such as Spike)
8 tsp granulated sugar
1/4 tsp paprika

Put all ingredients except oil in blender or Vitamix - mix on low speed until thoroughly mixed. While blender is still on low speed, drizzle in oil. The mix will get quite thick...exactly what you want!

Place in lidded mason jar and store in fridge for 7 - 10 weeks.

Broccoli Cashew Salad

DESCRIPTION

Fresh Broccoli chopped with cashews, dried cranberries and red onions mixed in a mayo vinegar dressing. You will love the wonderful blend of these ingredients. Make this dish even lighter using a low calorie sugar substitute and light mayonnaise.

INGREDIENTS

• 3  Each Fresh Broccoli Tops, coarsely chopped
• 1/2  Cup(s) Cashews, roasted, unsalted, chopped
• 1/2  Cup(s) Cranberries, dried
• 1  Each Red Onion, finely chopped

DIRECTIONS

1. Wash your broccoli then cut off broccoli tops from stalks. Chop the broccoli coarsely and thenChop the cashews in half or to your liking. Next finely Chop your red onion and mix all ingredients including dried cranberries in a bowl.
2. To make your dressing: In a separate bowl mix your mayonnaise quick dissolving sugar (or splenda) and vinegar then taste. You can add more sugar or vinegar if you like.
3. Pour dressing over your ingredients and mix well ensuring you coat all of the ingredients. Cover put in fridge and let the salad marinate for a few hours.
4. If you would like to add more cashews you can salad will keep for up to 48 hours serve chilled

Source: http://www.idealchef.com/recipe/broccoli-and-cashew-salad1.html

Tri-Color Bean & Veggie Salad

 Tri-Color Bean & Veggie Salad (eVeggies)

4-5 cups spring greens or spinach mix (torn in small pieces)
2 cups fresh broccoli in bite-sized sprigs
2 handfuls of baby carrots, diced
1/4 red onion, sliced thin
1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 can pinto beans, drained and rinsed

house dressing:
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1-1/2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 garlic clove, crushed and minced
1 tsp tahini or (dry) grated Parmesan cheese
1 tbsp water
1 tsp dijon mustard
salt & pepper, to taste

Prep dressing and set aside. Combine all salad ingredients in a bowl. Add dressing and toss.

Tu B'Shvat 2012

Along with all the fabulous fruits and nuts that we are going to enjoy on Tu B'Shvat this year, I tried to slant our menu to have an Israeli feel in honor of our beloved land.

Beit Henderson Tu B'Shvat Menu

Honey Mustard Chicken

Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Greens & Salat Katsutz with Tahini dressing

Lemon Sorbet & Champagne

Honey Mustard Chicken, By Giora Shimoni
Prep Time: 10 minutes, Cook Time: 1 hour, 30 minutes

Ingredients
4 pounds chicken pieces
2-4 Tbsp. canola oil or 1/4 cup melted margarine
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup mustard (I used Plochman's Natural Stone Ground)
1 tsp. curry
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp. salt

Preparation
1. In a small bowl, mix together melted margarine, honey, mustard, curry, garlic and salt.
2. In a shallow baking pan, place chicken pieces skin-side down. Pour dressing over the chicken. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for 2 hours.
3. Preheat oven to 350°.
4. Place chicken in oven, covered, for 30 minutes.
5. Uncover the chicken and turn skin-side up. Baste.
6. Bake at 350° for an hour or until cooked through and browned. Baste once or twice during the hour.

Garlic Mashed Potatoes
by another of my Food Network heroes, Alton Brown
Prep: 20 min, Cook time: 30 min, Yield: 10 to 12 servings
(note: replace these mashed potatoes with Garlic Roasted Potatoes to omit dairy in this menu.)

Ingredients
3 1/2 pounds russet potatoes
2 tablespoons kosher salt
16 fluid ounces (2 cups) half-and-half
6 cloves garlic, crushed
6 ounces grated Parmesan

Directions
Peel and dice potatoes, making sure all are relatively the same size. Place in a large saucepan, add the salt, and cover with water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and then reduce heat to maintain a rolling boil. Cook until potatoes fall apart when poked with a fork.

Heat the half-and-half and the garlic in a medium saucepan over medium heat until simmering. Remove from heat and set aside.

Remove the potatoes from the heat and drain off the water. Mash and add the garlic-cream mixture and Parmesan; stir to combine. Let stand for 5 minutes so that mixture thickens and then serve.

Greens & Salat Katsutz (Israeli Chop Salad)

Perfectly chopped tomato, cucumber, green/red peppers, red onion, grated carrot, tossed with fresh greens and black pepper. Instead of the traditional olive oil and lemon juice, I'm serving it with Tahini dressing on the side.

Tahini Dressing

1/3 cup well-stirred tahini (Middle Eastern sesame paste, salted)
1/3 cup water
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 garlic cloves, chopped
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon sugar (optional, I used about 1/2 tsp honey)
3/4 tsp Perfect Pinch Mediterranean Herb  Seasoning (optional)

Find out more about Tu B'Shvat

Spicy Cole Slaw with Pecans

This recipe is courtesy of the awesome chef and Food Network personality Tyler Florence, who has always been a favorite of mine.

This salad/slaw was a huge hit at our Hanukkah celebration, and I was asked to post the recipe. I changed it up a bit to make it a little easier (read lazy); instead of the napa or savoy cabbage and shredded carrots, I use the ready-to-use cole slaw mix that comes in bags in the grocery produce section.

Spicy Cole Slaw with Pecans

1 bag cole slaw mix
1 granny smith apple, sliced thinly in small pieces
1/2 medium red onion, diced small
1 cup pecans, chopped (Tyler says to toast them, but I didn't)
(optional fresh mint for garnish)

dressing:
1 tbsp dijon mustard
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp ground chipotle (find on the spice aisle)
3/4 cup mayonnaise
juice of 1 lemon or about 2 tbsp

Mix all the dressing ingredients and add to the cabbage mix, apples, onion and pecans.

Tip: try spicing up your plain-ole, everyday sandwich by using sourdough bread, cold cuts, sliced cheeses, your favorite mustard and this slaw. Now that's a sandwich!