AMERICAN LIFESTYLE THE MAGAZINE CELEBRATING LIFE IN AMERICA ISSUE 69 Homage to Nourishment - pg. 12 California Greening - pg. 20 Into the Woods - pg. 32 Yellow Owl Workshop - pg. 6 ISSUE 69 $5.95 US CANADA/FOREIGN $6.95 69 12345 67890 678 678
Homage to Nourishment VEGETARIAN RECIPES FOR A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE text: ANYA KASSOFF photography: MASHA DAVYDOVA Fresh and seasonal ingredients abound in the recipes from The Vibrant Table: Recipes from My Always Vegetarian, Mostly Vegan, and Sometimes Raw Kitchen by Anya Kassoff (Roost Books, 2014). From The Vibrant Table by Anya Kassoff, 2014. Photographs by Masha Davydova. Reprinted by arrangement with Roost Books, an imprint of Shambhala Publications Inc., Boston, MA. www.roostbooks.com FOOD I love cooking with tofu, as its texture and ability to absorb any flavor allow so much creativity in the kitchen. The flavor of this marinade is sensational the combination of cardamom and citrus is vibrant and sunny, perfect for a summer meal. citrus broccolini with cardamom tofu SERVES 4 1 package (14 ounces) firm tofu 1 bunch (about 10 ounces) broccolini For the marinade Juice and zest of 2 limes Juice and zest of 1 lemon Seeds of 7 cardamom pods, crushed in a mortar and pestle 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes 2 tablespoons coconut sugar 4 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for greasing the baking dish ¼ teaspoon sea salt 1 bunch cilantro, leaves and stems (about 1 cup) 1 tablespoon purified water Handful almonds, toasted and chopped 1. Drain the tofu, and place it on a plate. Cover with another plate, and put some weight on it, such as a glass jar filled with water. Let it drain for about 2 hours. 2. In a medium bowl, mix the citrus juices, cardamom, red pepper flakes, coconut sugar, olive oil, and salt. Pour into a food processor, add the cilantro and water, and pulse to incorporate. Reserve ½ cup of the dressing for later. 3. Pour away the water drained from the tofu. In a medium dish, crumble the tofu with your fingers. Pour the remaining dressing over the tofu, and leave to marinate for 30 minutes to 1 hour. (You can do these steps in advance and marinate the tofu overnight.) 4. Preheat the oven to 425 F. 5. Blanch the broccolini in a large pot full of well-salted water for 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer to an ice-water bath to stop the cooking. Remove the broccolini from the water once cool, squeeze out the excess water, and pat dry with paper towels. 6. Place the broccolini in a lightly oiled baking dish, drizzle the reserved ½ cup of dressing over it, and top with marinated tofu. Bake for 10 minutes. 7. Sprinkle with the toasted and chopped almonds, and serve immediately. 12 AL 13
When I first made this salad, it was nothing more than an attempt to put together the produce I had on hand into one meal. It turned out so well that everyone who tried it declared it was one of the best salads they d ever had. I don t think anyone has changed their mind since. summer bounty salad SERVES 4-6 Sea salt About 10 ounces young green beans or French beans, ends trimmed About 6 ounces fresh shelled green peas 1 small carrot, shaved with a vegetable peeler 1 small head radicchio, thinly sliced About 10 radishes, thinly sliced Zest and juice of 1 lemon 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley 3 tablespoons chopped fresh dill 2 teaspoons whole coriander seeds 1 teaspoon whole cumin seeds 1 teaspoon whole yellow mustard seeds ½ teaspoon whole fenugreek seeds (optional) 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed with a knife Handful of berries, such as cherries and raspberries (optional) 1. Blanch the green beans in a pot of well-salted boiling water for about 4 minutes, until crisp-tender, and shock them in an ice-water bath. In the same water, blanch the peas for about 20 seconds, until crisp-tender, and shock them in the ice water. Remove the vegetables from the ice water when cool, and gently dry them with a dish towel or paper towels. 2. In a large bowl, combine the green beans, peas, carrot, radicchio, radishes, zest of the lemon, parsley, and dill. 3. In a mortar and pestle or coffee grinder, coarsely grind the coriander, cumin, mustard, and fenugreek seeds. Heat the olive oil in a small skillet over medium-low heat, add the crushed seeds and garlic, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until fragrant. Pour the hot oil over the salad, season with salt, and add a generous squeeze of lemon juice. Mix gently, add the berries, if using, and serve immediately. 14 AL 15
I have a deep fondness for vegetable pancakes or fritters; they were one of the tastiest and simplest meals of my childhood. My mother made them with zucchini in summer and pumpkin in fall and winter. To make them with zucchini, just squeeze out the excess water, eliminate the sage and nutmeg, add 1 tablespoon each minced mint and dill, and use almond flour rather than hazelnut flour. butternut squash and sage fritters MAKES 12 1½ tablespoons olive oil, divided ½ medium yellow onion, finely chopped 1 large garlic clove, minced 2 cups packed finely shredded butternut squash 1 large egg Large pinch of sea salt Freshly ground black pepper 1½ tablespoons minced fresh sage (from about 5 sage leaves) 1 tablespoon minced fresh flat-leaf parsley ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika Dash of freshly grated nutmeg 1½ ounces feta cheese, preferably goat s milk and/or sheep s milk feta, crumbled ½ cup hazelnut flour or almond flour 1. Warm ½ tablespoon of the olive oil in a small sauté pan over medium-low heat. Add the onion and garlic, and sauté for 4 to 5 minutes, until translucent. Set aside to cool. 2. Preheat the oven to 400 F. 3. Wrap the shredded butternut squash in several layers of paper towels, and squeeze gently so the paper towels can absorb the excess liquid. Remove the paper towels, and place the squash in a medium bowl with the egg, salt, pepper, sage, parsley, paprika, nutmeg, cheese, and hazelnut flour. Add the onion and garlic, and mix to combine. 4. Line a baking sheet with lightly oiled parchment paper. With your hands, shape the squash mixture into patties, and arrange them on the baking sheet about 1½ inches apart. If the batter doesn t stick together or is too wet, add a little more flour. Brush the patties with half of the remaining olive oil, and bake for 10 minutes. 5. Remove the sheet from the oven, and flip the patties using a thin spatula. Brush the other side of the patties with the remaining olive oil, and bake for another 10 minutes. Serve with sour cream or yogurt, and/or a simple green salad on the side. 16 AL 17
Halva is one of my favorite desserts. Whenever I see those irregularly shaped blocks of nuts and sugar at Middle Eastern markets, I lose all willpower. I can t ever pick just one kind sesame, sunflower, pistachio they are all delicious in their own way. It s no surprise that I wanted to create a healthier alternative so I wouldn t feel a sugar overload after every burst of indulgence. 5 large soft dates 1 cup raw walnuts 1 cup raw hazelnuts ½ cup raw sunflower seeds ½ cup rolled oats ½ cup raw Brazil nuts Pinch of sea salt 2 tablespoons maca powder (optional) 3 tablespoons coconut butter or coconut oil 2 tablespoons sesame tahini ¼ cup pumpkin seeds ¼ cup unhulled or hulled raw sesame seeds ¼ cup hemp seeds ¼ cup chia seeds 2 tablespoons quinoa puffs 1/3 cup goji berries 1 heaping tablespoon cacao nibs ½ tablespoon bee pollen 3 tablespoons honey everything halva MAKES 24 SMALL BARS 1. Place the dates in a medium bowl, and cover with purified water. Let them soak while you follow the next few steps. Make sure your dates are very fresh, soft, and moist; if they re not, soak them for several hours. 2. Preheat the oven to 350 F. 3. Spread the walnuts and hazelnuts on a baking sheet, place it in the oven, and toast the nuts for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven, and let cool. Meanwhile, spread the sunflower seeds on a separate baking sheet, and toast them for 5 minutes. Remove from the oven, and let cool. Rub the toasted walnuts and hazelnuts with a kitchen towel to remove their skins. 4. Pulse the rolled oats in a food processor to partially grind them, about 10 pulses. Transfer into a large bowl. Add the walnuts, hazelnuts, sunflower seeds, Brazil nuts, and salt to the food processor, and grind to the consistency of breadcrumbs. Drain the dates, remove the pits, and add to the nut mixture in the food processor, along with the maca powder, if using, the coconut butter, and tahini. Grind until well combined and as smooth as possible. 5. Add the remaining ingredients to the large bowl with the rolled oats, followed by the nut-date mixture. Using your hands, combine everything very well. The mixture should be sticky and hold together when pressed between your fingers. 6. Line an 8-by-8-inch baking pan with parchment paper extending up the sides. Press the mixture into the pan in an even layer, and freeze for 1 hour. Remove the pan from the freezer, lift the halva out with the parchment paper, and place the halva on a cutting board. Carefully slice it into bars with a large, sharp knife. It will keep refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 weeks. You can also store the bars in the freezer; they don t harden completely, so you can eat them straight from the freezer. 18 AL 19