Baby cauliflower with crispy shallots and sesame seeds

Adapted from Veganomicon 10th anniversary edition

This recipe was meant to be used with baby bok choy, but TJs and Whole Foods didn't have any - they did have these cute little baby cauliflowers, though.

Tried again with baby bok choy - and mushrooms - very good.

.  I haven't met a vegetable I'm not willing to try cooking - at least once!  Turned out great.  How bad could agave and tamari sauce be, with a sprinkling of shallots, ginger and toasted sesame seeds?!  

The baby cauliflower was tender and had a light taste.  The sauce did not adhere well to the veggies - which just means fewer calories.  But the taste was great, especially with dipping into the sauce a bit.

Ingredients:
1 pound baby cauliflower
2 small shallots, sliced into very thin rings
1" fresh ginger, peeled and minced
2 tablespoons peanut oil
1 Tbsp agave nectar or mirin
1 Tbsp tamari
1 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds

Directions:
1) Heat the oil over medium heat.  Add the sliced shallots and remove with a slotted spatula when lightly browned, otherwise they burn quickly.
2) Drizzle extra oil if needed, then add the ginger for 15 seconds, add the cauliflower and stir fry until they soften a little.  Add the mirin or agave and tamari, cover and steam on a very low flame.
3) Transfer to a serving plate, top with the shallots and sesame seeds.

The same recipe can be used for bok choy or baby bok choy.  They would need to be soaked in cold water and swished around several times to remove any sand.  Then cut thicker stems into chunks and saute the chunks first for a few minutes before adding the green leafy parts.

Green beans (or peas) and cherry tomatoes with pesto

Seriously adapted from Amy Riolo :  The ultimate Mediterranean Diet Cookbook  2015

I made so many changes in this, that it actually isn't the same recipe.  But I did start out looking at it, was missing key ingredients, but wanted my potatoes!  I'm not sure about the health benefits of pine nuts, and tend to buy them for one recipe, then toss the rest months or years later when they taste stale.  So I substituted walnuts and sunflower seeds instead of pine nuts.  I didn't have any string beans, so I used peas, which I prefer anyway.  Love the idea of a vegetable that supplies protein!

Oh, and I also changed parmigiana-reggiano cheese to nutritional yeast to keep it vegan.

The dish looks much prettier immediately after composing it, but as with most dishes, tastes better the next day.

So here's my very own version:

Ingredients:
1.5 pounds baby yellow potatoes or Yukon gold, washed and cut into 1" chunks
1 pound peas (or green beans cut in half on the diagonal)
1.5 cups cherry tomatoes, cut in half
1/4 cup walnuts
1 Tbsp sunflower seeds
1 clove garlic
3 cups lightly packed basil leaves
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, unfiltered if possible
2 Tbsp nutritional yeast
~1/4 tsp salt
~1/8 freshly ground black pepper


Directions:
1)  Steam potatoes over a pot of boiling water for ~ 8-10 minutes.  Add the green vegetable and continue to steam for ~4 minutes.  Check potato texture to make sure they're ready.  Drain and immediately plunge into an ice bath if possible to cool.

2) Make the pesto by combining the nuts, garlic, basil, and olive oil in a food processor.  Process until a smooth paste forms.  Using a spatula scoop pesto out of the processor and into a bowl.  Add the nutritional yeast.

3)Transfer the steamed vegetables to a large serving bowl and add the cherry tomatoes.  Add the pesto to coat evenly.  Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve.