Lentil Almond Stir-Fry with Mint sauce and Carmelized Brussel Sprouts

The potatoes and brussel sprouts are the key to this fantastic dish.  We used homegrown purple, cranberry red, and yukon gold potatoes, but one can use any smaller and more flavorful potatoes you can find.  A nuttier black lentil will also be best for this dish because they hold their shape and do not get mushy over time.  Brussel sprouts are not everyone's favorite vegetable, but we haven't had anyone turn these away yet!

Ingredients:
Mint Sauce
1 cup fresh mint leaves
1/2 serrano chile pepper - deveined and seeded
2 Tbls olive oil
1 tsp salt
1 tsp honey or agave nectar
1 Tbsp lemon juice

Lentil Dish
6-8 small potatoes, cut into 1 to 1/2 inch cubes (do not peel)
2 cups cooked black or brown lentils
12 brussel sprouts, halved or quartered
1/4 cup almonds (sliced or whole crushed) - toasted

1/3 cup plain yogurt
2 dates pitted and chopped (optional)

Start by making the mint sauce.  Combine mint leaves, serrano, olive oil, salt, sugar and lemon juice in a food processor.   Pulse until the chilis are finely chopped.

Cook potatoes on a skillet with a bit of olive oil and salt.  Make sure they cook all the way through but do not make them mushy.  Add water and cover the skillet if needed to speed up the cooking process, then brown with the skillet lid off for the last few minutes.  While your potatoes are cooking, add almonds to a dry skillet pan and brown until toasted.  Set aside.

Add pre-cooked lentils to the potatoes and add the mint sauce, stirring until well-coated.  Turn out onto a platter and use the same skillet to cook your brussel sprouts.  Add another generous amount of olive oil to the pan and make sure the stove top is on medium to high heat.  Add sprouts and crunchy sea salt to taste.  Cook until the flat sides are a deep brown color and they carmelize on the edges.  Add the lentil dish and top with toasted almonds, yogurt and dates.       

Serves 4-6

This recipe was inspired by Heidi Swanson and her blog 101cookbooks.com

Coconut Curry Squash Soup

This was a fantastic soup we made a couple of weeks ago that utilizes all the garden goodness put away for the winter:  squash, apples, homepressed cider, onions and garlic.  We made a monster batch, and so we just kept roasting squashes that needed to be used soon (they were starting to get a bit wrinkled on the edges).  Roasting the garlic and squash seems to make a huge difference for my tastes, as would the fresh apple cider instead of apple juice from concentrate.

Ingredients:

2 medium sized sweet winter squashes (butternut, kuri, butternut, sweetmeat) - roasted
1 large apple
1 onion
2 Tbls olive oil
2 tsp fresh ginger
4 cloves garlic - chopped
2 cups apple juice or cider
14 oz coconut milk
3 cups vegetarian broth or water
2 tsp salt
2 Tbls curry powder
more salt and pepper to taste

Cut your squashes in half and face down on a baking sheet.  Roast at 400 degr F until the flesh becomes soft and slightly carmelized.  Scoop out seeds and remove skin.  Set to the side.

Sautee the apple and onion in olive oil for about 5-10 minutes.  Add ginger, garlic, salt and curry powder and continue to stir. Do not let the garlic brown.  Add the squash and the remainder of the ingredients and bring to a boil.  Once boiling, reduce to a simmer.  Puree completely for a smooth texture, or puree only half for a slightly more chunky style.  Both are delicious.

Serves 4-6

Recipe inspired and adapted from PCC Cooks Instructor Omid Roustaei

Honey Cornbread Muffins

These cornbread muffins are sweet and moist and a favorite on soup nights, especially with a spicy vegetarian chili.

Ingredients:
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup whole milk
2 large eggs
1/2 stick butter, melted
1/4 cup honey
Special equipment: paper muffin cups and a 12-cup muffin tin

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Into a large bowl, mix the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt.  In another bowl whisk together the whole milk, eggs, butter, and honey.  Add the wet to the dry ingredients and stir until just mixed.

Place muffin paper liners in a 12-cup muffin tin.  Evenly divide cornbread mixture into the papers. Bake for 15 minutes until golden.

Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Makes 12 muffins

(courtesy of The Neelys, from www.foodnetwork.com)

Herbed Cheese Scones

These savory and tasty scones were a perfect combination with Minestrone Soup and fresh salmon served at the Basecamp tonight.  They are flakey and buttery, but not too filling.  We use our fresh or frozen herbs from the Basecamp garden!

2 cups flour
2 Tbls grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/3  cup salted butter, chilled
1/4 cup pine nuts (optional)
1/2 cup fresh sage leaves, chopped
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 garlic clove (minced)
1 large egg
2 Tbsp milk
1/2 cup shredded Provolone cheese
1 egg white mixed with 1/2 tsp water for the top glaze

Preheat over to 375 deg F.  In a large bowl, stir together the flour, Parmesan cheese, baking powder and salt. Cut butter into 1/2 inch cubes and distribute over flour.  Blend, or cut butter into mixture until it resembles course crumbs.  If using nuts in this recipe, finely chop 1 Tbsp pine nuts with a food processor and scrape nuts into a small bowl.  Add herbs such as sage and parsley, oil, and garlic to the pine nuts.  Stir egg and milk into herb mixture and add to flour until combined.  The dough will be sticky.  With floured hands, knead in Provolone cheese and pat dough into 8 inch circle in the center of a buttered baking sheet.  Brush egg/water over top and cut into 8 wedges with a serrated knife.  Sprinkle the top with the remaining chopped pine nuts or parsley.  Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a tester comes out clean.  Let cool for 5 minutes before serving and enjoy!

Makes 8 scones.


This recipe is inspired from "simply scones" by Leslie Werner and Barbara Albright, and Kelli Lane (North Cascades Basecamp employee- winter 2014-15)

Quinoa Chowder with Kale, Feta and Leeks

This hearty chowder was a hit with the Methow Endurance Women's Trail Running and Yoga Retreat group. As we move into fall my body starts craving simple warm and filling dishes. This chowder is excellent because its easy to make and absolutely delicious.

Prep Time: 45 minutes
Serves 4-6

Ingredients:
3/4 cup quinoa, any color or variety
8 cups (2 quarts) water, plus more as needed
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 garlic clove, finely chopped or to taste
1 jalapeño chile, seeded and finely diced or to taste
1/2 lb par-boiled potatoes, peeled cut into 1/4 inch cubes
1 teaspoon ground cumin or to taste
1 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste
1 bunch scallions or garden leeks, include the greens thinly sliced
3 cups thinly sliced spinach or garden kale (about 1 bunch)
4 ounces feta cheese, small dice (about 1 cup)
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
1 hard-cooked egg, peeled and finely chopped

1.) Rinse the quinoa in a strainer under cold water until the water runs clear.

2.) Bring the quinoa and the 8 cups of water to a boil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer until the white outer casings on the quinoa have popped, revealing translucent little beads, about 10 to 15 minutes.

3.) Strain the quinoa through a fine-mesh strainer set over a large heatproof bowl. Measure the quinoa cooking liquid and add water as needed to make 6 cups; set the quinoa and cooking liquid aside.

4.) Heat the olive oil in a large, clean saucepan over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the garlic and jalapeño and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the potatoes, cumin, and measured salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes begin to soften, adjusting the heat as necessary so that the garlic doesn’t brown, about 3 minutes.

5.) Add the reserved cooking liquid and half of the scallions and simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 12 minutes.

6.) Add the cooked quinoa, spinach, and remaining scallions and simmer until the spinach just begins to wilt, about 3 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the feta and cilantro. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed. Top with the chopped egg and serve.

Inspired by Deborah Madison's Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone (2007).

Coconut Curry Peanut Sauce

This is a wonderful topping that we use at the Basecamp for grilled chicken or vegetables, usually served with a side of black forbidden or jasmine rice to soak up extra sauce. A great side dish or topping is adding fresh mung beans, sprouts, grated carrots, and raw unsalted peanuts.

Yields: 4 1/2 cups
Prep time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:
1 tsp canola oil
1 small red onion, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 serrano pepper, seeded and minced
4 tsp fresh ginger minced
4 tsp curry powder
4 tsp cumin powder
1 can coconut milk
5 Tbs organic peanut butter
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, minced
5 tsp tamari
4 tsp honey
1/8 cup ketchup
1/8 cup lime juice
3/4 cup water

Heat the canola oil in a medium saute pan over medium heat.  Saute the onion, garlic, pepper, and ginger until the onion is translucent.

Add the curry powder and cumin, saute over low heat for 1 minute.

Add the cocunt milk, peanut butter, cilantro tamari, honey, lime juice, ketchup and water.

Bring the sauce to a boil, whisking often.  Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes before serving

Inspired by Cameron Green's Basecamp recipe.

Massaged Kale and Currant Salad

At the Basecamp we grow three varieties of kale and love to find new ways to use them! This salad is always a hit with the Basecamp guests because it presents kale in a new fashion. Massaging the kale transforms it into a silky sweet tasty treat that will delight your eyes and tastebuds! 

Prep time: 15 minutes

Makes 6 servings

Ingredients:

1 bunch kale 

1 teaspoon sea salt

1/4 cup diced red onion

1/3 cup currants

3/4 cup diced apple (about 1/2 apple)

1/3 cup sunflower seeds, toasted

1/4 cup olive oil

2 tablespoons unfiltered apple cider vinegar

1/3 cup Gorgonzola cheese, crumbled

Wash the kale leaves and then spin or pat dry. De-stem kale by pulling leaves away from the stems. Stack leaves and cut horizontally into bite sized pieces. Place kale in large mixing bowl and add salt. Massage the kale with your hands for 2-5 minutes or until it begins to soften and almost wilt.

Toast the sunflower seeds by placing them in a cast iron pan over medium heat. Stir constantly until they turn color and release a nutty aroma. 

Stir onion, currants, apple and sunflower seeds into kale. Dress with oil vinegar. Taste for salt and vinegar, adding more if necessary. When at desired flavor, toss in cheese. This salad will keep for several days and still be delicious! 

This recipe is inspired by Jennifer Alder's recipe in Feeding the Whole Family by Cynthia Lair.