Vegan Shepherd's Pie with Cauliflower Puree

I'm taking a little hiatus from the holiday-themed dessert posts and swinging all the way to the opposite side of the pendulum with this recipe. I can only handle so much of a diet consisting primarily of sugary sweets and flour-laden treats before my insides cry out in despair for wholesome veggies- especially this time of year when seasonal obligations like Christmas shopping, holiday parties and baking are piled on top of the multitude of regular daily tasks we strive to accomplish. I don't know about you but I certainly can't afford a sugar crash in the midst of so much hustle and bustle...and forget about skipping meals because I'm too busy. You don't want to be caught anywhere near me when I'm hangry.

That's why I like to turn to dishes such as this vegetarian shepherd's pie that are loaded with vegetables and lean protein to nourish and fuel me through the holiday hullabaloo. The aggressive hunt for a parking spot, LOOONG lines at the store and endless gift wrapping all seem that much more bearable if I've got a good healthy meal in my belly to keep me going. And so much the better if said meal is something I can quickly prep, pop in the oven and enjoy for a few days to come, thereby cutting down on time spent in the kitchen and allowing more time for various errands. I secretly give myself a gold star for productivity whenever something like this happens.

This shepherd's pie is completely guilt-free: lentils (the steamed and ready variety from Trader Joe's makes this recipe a breeze), spinach, portobello mushrooms and other good-for-you ingredients are blanketed by a layer of vegan cauliflower puree, which seamlessly replaces the traditional mashed potato crust. Make a big batch for yourself and enjoy the leftovers for the remainder of the week, or prepare this in advance and reheat in the oven for an easy-peasy dinner for your holiday guests. Individual ramekin servings are optional- if you're feeling fancy.

makes 6-8 servings
Ingredients
for the filling:
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
3 carrots, chopped
1 tsp. fresh thyme, chopped
1/2 tsp. fresh rosemary, chopped, plus more for garnish
1 tbsp. garlic, minced
1 cup baby spinach
1 cup portobello mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup vegetable or chicken broth
2 cups cooked lentils
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

for the cauliflower puree:
1 head cauliflower
1/4 cup coconut milk
1/4 tsp. freshly ground nutmeg
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Instructions
1. Remove the core of the cauliflower and chop the florets into medium sized pieces. Steam until florets are tender with a hint of crispness left, about 10-15 minutes (prick pieces with a fork to check for doneness). Reserve steaming water. Transfer half of cauliflower and coconut milk to a food processor and puree until smooth. Add nutmeg, salt, pepper and remaining cauliflower to food processor and puree again until smooth, adding steaming liquid by the tablespoon if necessary. Set cauliflower puree aside.
2. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Heat olive oil over medium heat in a large stockpot. Add onions, carrot thyme and rosemary and cook until vegetables begin to soften, about 7-8 minutes. Add garlic, spinach and mushrooms and continue to cook for another 1-2 minutes or until spinach begins to wilt.
3. Add broth and lentils to pot and cook until broth is almost completely absorbed. Season to taste with salt and pepper and transfer lentil mixture to a medium casserole dish or individual ramekins. Cover mixture with a layer of cauliflower puree and bake for about 20 minutes or until cauliflower puree begins to brown (broil for a few minutes if desired). Garnish with fresh rosemary and serve.

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Cranberry Pear Tart with Cardamom Creme Anglaise

If you're looking for a dessert that will knock the thick, fuzzy socks off your guests this holiday season, look no further than this cranberry pear tart. This tart has everything: a crunchy walnut shortbread crust, a filling that's chock-full of seasonal goodness, a streusel topping, and if all that weren't enough, I whipped up a quick cardamom creme anglaise for drizzling. Just to seal the deal. It's no surprise that by the time I got around to photographing this tart there were only two slices left- it's pretty much the bomb diggity of all Christmas desserts.

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But a dessert doesn't earn a title like that just willy nilly- you are hereby fairly warned that this recipe requires a little bit of elbow grease. It's not that the recipe is difficult by any means. But each layer of the tart is given special attention and care: it's not just a crust, it's a walnut shortbread crust. It's not just creme anglaise, it's cardamom creme anglaise. Does this tart really need a streusel topping? No, but it's there...do you see where I'm going with this? It's that little extra bit of effort taken in each step that makes the whole thing come together magically in one heavenly bite. Trust me, it's worth it.

Ingredients

for the crust:

1 egg yolk

1 tbsp. heavy cream

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract 

1 1/2 cups flour

1/2 tsp. salt

1 stick butter, chilled and diced

for the filling:

3 anjou pears, cored and thinly sliced

2 cups fresh cranberries

1 tbsp. brandy

2/3 cup sugar

2 tsp. flour

1/2 tsp. ground cardamom

1/2 tsp. ground ginger

1/4 tsp. cinnamon

pinch salt 

for the streusel:

1/3 cup flour

1/4 cup brown sugar

pinch salt

2 tbsp. butter, melted

1/4 tsp. vanilla extract

for the creme anglaise:

1 cup whole milk

4 whole cardamom pods, crushed

1/4 cup sugar

2 egg yolks

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400°. To make the crust, mix the egg yolk, half-and-half and vanilla in a bowl. Add flour, sugar and salt in a food processor and pulse to combine. Add the butter and pulse, then add the yolk mixture in a steady stream with the processor running. Pulse for another 10-20 seconds and transfer the mixture to a bowl. Mix in the chopped walnuts by hand to distribute evenly.

2. Pour the crumb mixture into a 9-1/2-inch round fluted tart pan with a removable bottom. Firmly press the crumbs against the bottom and sides pan to form the crust. Prick the bottom of the crust all over with a fork and freeze for 10 minutes. Bake for about 15 minutes or until the bottom is set. Transfer to a cooling rack. Reduce the oven temperature to 350°.

3. To make the filling, coarsely chop the cranberries and add to a bowl along with the pears and brandy, stirring to combine. In a separate bowl mix the sugar, flour, cardamom, ginger, cinnamon and salt. Add to the cranberry-pear mixture, tossing to combine. Mound the filling into the par-baked crust.

4. To make the streusel, mix the flour, brown sugar and salt in a small bowl. Add the melted butter and vanilla. Combine with fingers until the mixture begins to clump together in small pieces when pressed. Sprinkle the streusel over the filling, breaking it into smaller pieces if necessary.

5. Bake at 350° until the fruit is tender and the crust and streusel begin to turn golden brown, about 50 minutes (if the tart begins to get dark at the edges, cover with foil).

6. While the tart is baking, make the creme anglaise: Set a mesh strainer over a medium bowl and set the bowl in a shallow pan of cold water. In a saucepan, combine the milk and cardamom pods and cook over moderately low heat just until small bubbles appear around the rim, about 5 minutes. In a separate bowl, whisk the sugar and egg yolks just until combined. Gradually whisk in half of the hot milk, then pour the mixture into the same saucepan and cook over moderate heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the sauce has thickened slightly, 4 to 5 minutes. Immediately strain the sauce into the bowl in the cold water bath to stop the cooking and remove the cardamom pods.

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Eggnog Marshmallows

I absolutely love all the festive holiday treats that come out this time of year, and one in particular that's hard for me to resist is eggnog. I feel ok about indulging in a glass or two each year but anything more than that and the dairy guilt starts to set in...I really don't drink milk anymore these days, opting instead for almond or coconut milk (because I'm super health-conscious like that). 

I'm sure there's a non-dairy version of eggnog floating around somewhere, but I haven't come across any in the grocery stores yet. In the meantime these eggnog marshmallows are hitting the spot. Sure, they're basically just a fluffy, spongy mass of sugar, which is probably in some ways worse than consuming dairy...but sometimes you just gotta live. I love popping one or two into my morning coffee and watching it slowly melt into a thick, frothy layer. Try tucking a few into a holiday mug along with some hot cocoa mix for a wonderful homemade Christmas gift! I'm all about the thrifty DIY presents, so if you end up receiving this as a gift from me try to still act surprised, ok?

Ingredients

nonstick cooking spray

2 envelopes gelatin

3/4 cup cold water

2 cups sugar

2/3 cup light corn syrup

2 egg whites

1/4 tsp. salt

2 tbsp. rum

1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

2/3 cup powdered sugar

3 tbsp. cornstarch

Instructions

1. Coat an 8-inch square baking pan with nonstick cooking spray and line with wax paper that has also been coated with non-stick spray.

2. Sprinkle gelatin over 1/2 cup of cold water in a heatproof bowl and set aside.

3. Bring remaining 1/4 water, sugar and corn syrup to a boil. Cook until temperature reaches 260 degrees (temperature should be taken with a candy thermometer; this should take about 12-15 minutes). Remove from heat, add gelatin mixture and stir to combine.

4. Meanwhile beat the egg whites and salt in an electric mixer on high speed until foamy. Gradually add remaining 1/4 cup sugar and beat until stiff peaks form, about 3-4 minutes. Add rum, nutmeg and gelatin mixture and continue beating for another 7 minutes or so until a thick consistency is reached. 

5. Pour marshmallow mixture into prepared pan, cover and let stand at room temperature for 1-2 hours

6. Cut marshmallows into 1-inch squares (coat knife and spatula with nonstick spray if marshmallows are sticking. Combine cinnamon, powdered sugar and cornstarch and coat marshmallows on all sides with the mixture.

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Lemongrass Chicken Stew with Potato-Chive Dumplings

There's no denying it: it's that sniffling, sneezing, coughing, stuffy head time of year. Fortunately, I have yet to catch the dreaded bug, and I believe I have my trusty mini hand sanitizers to thank for that (one in the purse, one in the car and one in the house- I swear by it).

Everyone knows that a big bowl of chicken soup is a cure-all remedy for nearly any ailment. But as much as I love a good old-fashioned recipe from grandma, the traditional version can get a little tired, am I right? Carrots, celery, noodles...yawn. Chicken soup is just begging to be doctored up, and personally I find that something with a strong kick helps to set me right again when I'm feeling under the weather. Heaps of garlic and ginger and a healthy dash of sriracha and suddenly I can breathe again. That yucky nasal spray can take a flying leap as far as I'm concerned. Sorry, I have a thing. It creeps me out.

Anyway, back to the soup. I found this Thai inspired version on Food and Wine and couldn't wait to try it. I mean, who could resist those little gnocchi-esque potato dumplings? Certainly far more exciting than plain old noodles! So when a client recently came down with a little bug I jumped at the chance to help nurse her back to health with this soup. I took the liberty of tweaking the recipe a bit, adding generous amounts of immunity boosting garlic, ginger and lemongrass. And sure enough, she emailed me the next morning saying she felt loads better. I like to think the soup had a little something to do with it, thank you very much.

adapted from food and wine

Ingredients

1/2 pound russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes

2 tbsp. canola oil

1 lb. boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces

1 onion, chopped

1 tbsp. ginger, peeled and minced

1 tbsp. garlic, minced

1 tbsp. lemongrass, chopped

1 jalapeño, seeded and thinly sliced

1/4 cup fish sauce

3 cups chicken broth

1/4 cup flour, plus more for rolling

1 egg yolk

2 tbsp. minced chives

1/2 tsp. salt

1 lb. baby bok choi, chopped

1 tbsp. cornstarch dssolved in 1 tbsp. water

2 tbsp. fresh basil, chopped

Instructions

1. Put the potatoes in a medium saucepan and cover with hot water. Cook over high heat until tender, about 12 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large, heavy casserole. Add the chicken and cook over high heat until lightly browned, 4 minutes. Reduce heat to medium and add the onion, ginger, garlic, lemongrass and jalapeño. Cook, stirring, until the onion is softened, about 4 minutes. Add 3 tablespoons of the fish sauce and the broth and bring to a boil. Cover and cook over moderate heat until the chicken is just cooked through, about 10 minutes.
3. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the potatoes to a ricer and press into a bowl. Save the potato water. Add flour, egg yolk, chives and salt to the potatoes and stir until a stiff dough forms (you may need to add additional flour gradually until the dough comes together). Turn the dough out onto a heavily floured board and divide it in half. Roll each piece into a 1/2-inch-thick rope. Cut the ropes into 1-inch pieces.
4. Add the bok choy to the stew and simmer for another 5 minutes. Add the cornstarch mixture and cook, stirring, until thickened, about 1 minute.
5. Return the potato water to a boil and add the dumplings. Cook over high heat until they rise to the surface, then simmer for 2 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to the chicken stew. Add the basil and the remaining 1 tablespoon of fish sauce and simmer the stew for 2 to 3 minutes. Serve with lime wedges and sriracha, if desired.

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