Autumn Supper

I planned supper in my head on the way home the other night: cooked white beans in the fridge, a small butternut squash in the cupboard, and a bunch of tiny turnips - greens detached but in a bag with them - in the fridge. That sounded like the makings of a good autumn supper.

I went outside to pick some thyme and rosemary, then started dinner.

I gently warmed some garlic in a covered skillet with butter while I peeled and diced the tiny squash. I added the squash to the pan with a splash of white wine, covered and let it braise until tender, about 20 minutes. I stirred it occasionally to make sure the squash wasn't sticking.

I put the beans in a covered pot with a little water over low heat. While they warmed, I puréed about 2 tbsp of rosemary, 1 tbsp of thyme, a small clove of garlic and a good glug of olive oil in the blender. I added a little water to thin the sauce, then poured it in with the beans. The piny aromas stimulated our appetites.

I turned to the turnips, which turned out to be watermelon radishes. You can see how I cooked them here.

It was a lovely dinner - a contrast of flavors and colors: orange, buttery squash; sharply aromatic beans; and peppery green and red radishes.

Grilled Zucchini and Onions

The zucchini plants we grew from seed have started producing, which is exciting. Expect many zucchini recipes to be showing up this summer, because zucchini tends to be prolific. Fortunately there are many ways to enjoy them.

The other day I barbecued chunks of zucchini and slices of red onion. Tossed with fresh mint and thyme from the garden, they made a great dinner alongside corn on the cob, potato salad and homegrown cherry tomatoes. Larry grilled some shisito peppers for us to munch on while the main courses were cooking.

Fresh vegetables eaten in the fresh air — summer is great.

Grilled Zucchini and Red Onions

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

1 tbsp chopped mint
1 tsp finely chopped thyme

1 small clove garlic, finely chopped

salt

3/4 lb zucchini, sliced in 1 inch rounds

1 large red onion, sliced in 1/2 inch rings

In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, mint, thyme, garlic and a little salt. Set aside.

Barbecue the zucchini and onion until they're starting to brown. Turn them over and cook another few minutes. Put them in a large bowl.

Pour the dressing over the hot vegetables and toss to coat.

Cover the bowl and let the vegetables marinate in the dressing for about 10 minutes — this really increases the flavor. Toss the vegetables again and serve.

Serves 2-3

Beans and Greens

Dried beans and fresh greens are staples in our household. We eat them regularly, and rarely the same way twice. There are so many varieties of dried beans and fresh greens that the combinations are endless.

Here's the most recent one I made, combining curly kale, white lima beans, and canned tomatoes.

It actually tasted as good as it looks.

Here's what I did.

White Beans and Curly Kale Stew
1/3 cup dry white lima beans or canellini beans
4 tbsp olive oil
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 dried red chile pepper, crumbled
1 large bunch curly kale, thinly sliced
1 1/2 cups vegetable stock
14 oz can diced tomatoes
1 tbsp chopped fresh thyme leaves

Cook the beans in boiling water until tender, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Drain and set aside.

Warm olive oil in large sauté pan. Add garlic and chile pepper and cook over medium heat until fragrant. Stir in kale and vegetable stock. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until the kale wilts, about 5 minutes.

Add the tomatoes with their juice, cooked beans and thyme. Cover and simmer 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Ladle stew into shallow bowls and serve.

Serves 4

Penne with Broccoli, Mushrooms, Rosemary and Thyme

I ventured out between the rain showers the other day to pick some rosemary and thyme to add vigor to this simple pasta dish. The aroma of the fresh herbs elevated this easy supper to another level, yet it was still quick to prepare.

One of the pleasures of living in Southern California is the ability to grow herbs outside year round. While they may not be at their most fragrant after all this cold rain, they still add pungency and freshness to a meal.

The broccoli and mushrooms cook while the pasta boils, and the dish is ready in under half an hour.

There is no real sauce per se, so save a couple of ladlefuls of pasta cooking water to add at the end to loosen it up if necessary.

Penne with Broccoli, Mushrooms, Rosemary and Thyme
1 (10 oz) head broccoli
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1/2 lb mushrooms, sliced
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp chopped fresh rosemary
2 tsp chopped fresh thyme
1 dried chili pepper, crushed into pieces
1/3 cup sunflower seeds
parmesan to serve (optional)
1/2 lb penne pasta

Cut the florets off the broccoli stems and set aside. Peel any tough skin off the broccoli stems and chop them into bite-sized pieces. Set aside.

Sauté the onion in the olive oil until it's browned around the edges. Add the chopped broccoli stems and stir for a minute. Add the mushrooms, salt, rosemary, thyme, chili pepper and sunflower seeds. Stir another minute or so. Add 1/4 cup water to the pan. Place the broccoli florets on top of the vegetables, cover the pan, reduce the heat and let it all steam, covered, 13-15 minutes until the stems are soft and the florets are cooked but still have some bite.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta in plenty of boiling water, following the directions on the package. Drain, reserving some of the pasta water.

When the sauce is cooked, stir in the pasta along with a little pasta water if desired.

Serve sprinkled with parmesan if desired. (If you're not using parmesan, a little extra salt might be necessary.)

Serves 4

New Year's Good Luck

I have adopted the Southern tradition of eating black-eyed peas on New Year's Day for good luck.

I'm willing to sign on for pretty much any tradition involving beans.

This year I cooked them with tomatoes, rosemary and thyme, tossed them with smoked cheddar cheese, and baked them in the oven.

Needless to say, they were delicious.

(The smoked cheese substitutes for the traditional bacon flavor in black-eyed peas. But you can leave it out if necessary, the dish will still be yummy.)

Black-eyed peas are one of the quicker legumes to cook. I usually don't even soak them, just let them simmer for an hour or so until they are tender. On New Year's Day, however, I did soak them in water to cover for 3-4 hours before cooking them. It shortened the cooking time a little, which was nice. Best of all, it reminded me that while 1 lb of dried black-eyed peas doesn't look like much, when they have expanded in the soaking water they make enough to feed an army. I cooked them in a large pot, and then baked them in a large casserole. Larry was a little taken aback at the size of the dinner.

Fortunately, they last well in the fridge. They will be my lunch for quite a few days to come.

And if black-eyed peas on New Year's are lucky, then more black-eyed peas must be even luckier!

Happy 2016 to you!

Baked Black-Eyed Pea Casserole
1 lb dried black-eyed peas (about 2 cups)
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 large onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
14oz can diced tomatoes
2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
2 tsp chopped fresh thyme
2 tsp chopped fresh rosemary
3/4 cup grated smoked cheddar or smoked jack
3/4 cup grated aged cheddar

Soak the peas in water to cover by 3 inches for a few hours. (The less time you soak them, the more minutes they'll need to cook.) Drain.

Warm the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and fry until golden-brown. Add the can of tomatoes, then fill the can with water and add that too. Add the salt, pepper, thyme, rosemary and drained black-eyed peas.

Simmer, covered, until the beans are tender, 30-45 minutes. Stir occasionally. This is a dry dish, so there shouldn't be a lot of liquid in the pot, but add a little water if it looks like it needs it.

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Remove the bean pot from the heat and stir in the smoked cheese.

Pour into a 7x13 casserole (or other 3 quart size) and sprinkle the cheddar on top.

Bake 35-40 minutes until the flavors are melded and the beans are piping hot.

Serves 8-10

Mushroom Oat Soup

This photograph does not do justice to this soup.

I love to switch up my grains. Last week I made mushroom barley soup with oat groats instead of barley. It was yummy.

Oats are fabulous healing foods. They are good for the heart, help lower cholesterol, and contain beta glucan — an excellent immune booster. And they aren't just for breakfast.

For this soup I used the whole groats - not the ones with husks on that are used for sprouting. They look a lot like barley, and add a similar silkiness to soups when cooked.

The parsnip adds an underlying richness to the soup. If you don't have one, just omit it. Or stir in a couple of teaspoons of tamari at the end to deepen the flavor.

You can use any combination of mushrooms that total approximately a pound. And if you're not able to go outside and pick a few sprigs of thyme and rosemary, you can use dried instead. Start with a sprinkle and let it cook a while before you decide whether to add more. They should enhance the flavor, not stand out too much.

Also, if you're using fabulous roasted vegetable stock, you'll only need a couple of cups in the large pot of soup. Use water for the rest of the liquid.

Mushroom Oat Soup
1/2 cup oat groats
1/2 oz dried porcini or shiitake mushrooms
3 medium leeks
3 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 lb oyster mushrooms
1/4 lb shiitake mushrooms
1/2 lb (or 6 oz) cremini mushrooms
6 cups vegetable stock
2 medium carrots
1 medium parsnip
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp minced thyme
1/2 tsp minced rosemary
2 tbsp minced parsley to serve

Put the oats in a bowl with water to cover by 2 inches and leave to soak 6 hours or overnight. Drain.

Put the dried mushrooms in a small bowl and cover with boiling water. Leave until softened, about 20 minutes. Remove the mushrooms from the liquid and slice them thinly. Reserve the liquid.

Cut the hairy root end off the leeks, then slice them in half lengthwise. Wash them thoroughly in cold water, making sure to rinse any dirt out from among the leaves. Thinly slice the white and pale green parts.

Warm the olive oil in a large soup pot over medium-low heat. Add the leeks and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, about 5 minutes.

Slice the oyster, shiitake and cremini mushrooms thinly and add to the pot. Cook about 10 minutes until the mushrooms have released their liquid and it has evaporated.

Peel the carrots and parsnip and slice thinly crosswise.

Add the reserved mushroom liquid, drained oat groats, vegetable stock, carrots and parsnips to the pot. Stir in the balsamic vinegar, thyme and rosemary. Bring to a simmer, then cover and cook until the oats are tender, about 35 minutes.

Season with salt and pepper and stir in the parsley. Serve hot.

Serves 8

This soup reheats well too.

Bean and Kale Soup

With actual cool, dark evenings, I'm enjoying serving hot soup for dinner.

A good soup that sticks to the ribs is also a great lunch after a morning of gardening, especially if the soup includes beans and greens.

Here's the soup I made last week. It lasted us many days, and continued to get better with age. I'll be making it often this winter.

As with all good soups, the ingredients can vary depending on what you have in the fridge. I used pinto beans because they're a great size on a soup spoon, but you can use whatever smallish beans you have on hand. Half the beans are puréed to give some body to the soup. This is not essential, but a nice touch.

Plus I had beet greens in the fridge so I stirred them in. Chard, spinach, turnip greens or even rutabaga greens would work just as well.

I defrosted some vegetable stock to use in the soup. You could use all water if needed, just make sure it totals 6 cups, and add a little extra salt or a spoonful of tamari to give some umami. If you don't have fresh herbs, use dried but cut down the amount by a third until you taste and see if you like it.

Bean and Kale Soup

1 cup pinto beans

¼ cup olive oil

1 onion, chopped

2 small carrots, chopped

1 stalk celery, chopped

4 cups stemmed and shredded curly kale

1 potato, peeled and diced

2 ½ cups stock plus 3 ½ cups water

greens from 1 bunch of beets, chopped, about 2 cups

½ cup cherry tomatoes, halved

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tsp minced rosemary leaves

1 tbsp minced parsley

1 tsp minced thyme

parmesan to serve (opt)

Soak beans for a couple of hours. Drain, cover with water and cook until tender, about 2 hours. Drain. Process half the beans in the food processor with a little water until puréed. Set aside the puréed beans and the whole beans separately.

Sauté onion, carrots and celery in olive oil until tender, about 5 minutes. Add kale, potato, puréed beans, stock and water. Bring to a boil and simmer over medium heat until vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes.

Add beet greens, cherry tomatoes, garlic, rosemary, parsley and thyme. Season to taste. Simmer another hour until the greens are tender and the flavors are well blended. Add extra water if necessary. (This should be a thick soup.)

Stir in reserved whole beans. Warm through. Season to taste.

Serve topped with grated parmesan if desired.

Serves 8 - 10

Goat Cheese and Spinach Phyllo Extravaganza

I'm not sure what to call the delicious vegetarian entrée I served at Thanksgiving. Layers of phyllo pastry top and bottom, a filling of spinach, goat cheese and mushrooms - all baked free form on a cookie sheet. I think Extravaganza is the only word for it.

I'm not really good with phyllo - to make it good and crispy requires a lot of melted butter, and I find myself going with the minimum. It's still delicious, even if the layers of dough don't hold together as well as they could.

Like lasagna, once all the parts are assembled, it's a quick dish to prepare. The longest part is cleaning the spinach and mushrooms. Working with whole food takes more time, but it's worth it for the great taste.

This dish is great leftovers - fortunately because it makes enough for 8-12 people. I've been enjoying it cold for lunch - the crust is not as crisp, but the flavor is great.

Here's the recipe in case you want to serve your own Extravaganza!

Goat Cheese and Spinach Phyllo Extravaganza
1 packet whole wheat phyllo (16-18 sheets)
2 tbsp olive oil, divided use
1/2 red onion, diced
6 cloves garlic, minced, divided use
3/4 lb cremini mushrooms, sliced
1/4 cup white wine
2 bunches spinach, washed and heavy stems removed
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley, marjoram and thyme
1 lb ricotta
2 eggs, beaten
2 tbsp grated parmesan
1/4 cup melted butter (or more)
1/3 cup pistachios, coarsely chopped
1/4 lb goat cheese, crumbled

Take phyllo out of freezer to thaw in its box.

Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add chopped onion, 1/4 tsp salt and a little pepper. Sauté about 5 minutes until onion begins to soften and release its moisture. Add half the garlic and cook another 3-4 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.

Heat another tbsp in the unwashed skillet. Sear mushrooms over high heat with 1/4 tsp salt and a little pepper. Cook about 7 minutes until golden-brown. Add remaining garlic and sauté another minute. Add wine to deglaze pan and cook until pan is nearly dry again. Add the mushrooms to the bowl of onions.

Again, don't wash the skillet. Add the spinach, 1/2 tsp salt and a few grinds of pepper. Cook over high heat, letting the spinach wilt. Then drain well and let cool a little. Squeeze out the moisture - it should be damp but not wet. Coarsely chop and add to onions. Stir in the fresh herbs. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

In a separate bowl, combine ricotta, eggs, 1/2 tsp salt, a few grinds of pepper, and the parmesan. Mix thoroughly.

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Unfold phyllo and cover with a damp towel.

Grease a 9x13 inch baking sheet. Lay a piece of phyllo on it, brush lightly with butter, and sprinkle with a few pistachios. Continue with 8-9 more sheets, brushing butter and sprinkling nuts, using about half of each.

Spread the ricotta mix on the phyllo, almost to the edges. Spoon the spinach mixture on top. Sprinkle the goat cheese over all.

Layer on the last sheets, brushing each lightly with butter and scattering with nuts. Brush the top layer thoroughly with butter.

Refrigerate for 10 minutes. Cut off excess dough at edges if necessary. Cut the Extravaganza into 8 squares, but don't separate them. This makes it easier to serve.

Bake at 375°F for 35-40 minutes until golden brown. Cut each square into triangles or rectangles, and serve.

Serves 8-12

Lemon Tofu

I have little patience for the flexitarian moniker. Basically it means you'll eat anything - you're flexible, an omnivore. Why that needs a special name, I'm not sure.

But I've enjoyed browsing through Peter Berley's book, The Flexitarian Table, and have tried some of his techniques that were new to me. (It helps that he was the chef at a vegetarian restaurant for a while.)

This tofu recipe is one he developed while chef at that restaurant in the 1990s, and it's definitely stood the test of time.

I tried it because both my thyme bush and my lemon tree are producing vigorously. But the main seasonings are the standard balsamic vinegar and tamari, so it's a good substitute for marinated tofu in any recipe.

Lemon Tofu
12 oz package firm organic tofu
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp tamari (or soy sauce)
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp finely chopped thyme
1/8 tsp cayenne
1 lemon

Rinse the tofu, wrap it in a clean kitchen towel, and press it between two plates. Put a weight on the top plate (a jar of barley or can of tomatoes or heavy skillet work fine) and let it sit about 30 minutes.

Slice the tofu in 4 1/2-inch thick triangles. Preheat the oven to 450°F.

Whisk together all but the tofu and lemon. Put the mixture in a  casserole large enough to hold the tofu in a single layer, and add the tofu. Turn it to coat both sides.

Roast the tofu, uncovered, for 20 minutes.

Wash the lemon with a little dish soap. Dry it and slice it thinly. You'll need 1-2 slices for each tofu triangle. Take the seeds out.

Turn the tofu over, put the lemon slices on top, and baste with the small amount of marinade in the pan. Roast another 10-15 minutes until the tofu is well browned and the marinade has been absorbed.

Serves 4

Barbecued Mushrooms

We had our Labor Day weekend barbecue on Sunday. Larry cooked a hamburger for himself, using grass-fed organic beef from Rocky Canyon Farms, and some shiitake mushrooms for me.

I selected large mushrooms at the market, removed the stems, and cut shallow slits in the side with gills. I mashed 3 cloves of garlic with the leaves from a dozen sprigs of thyme - it turned out to be equal quantities of garlic and thyme. I pushed this into the slits and filled the caps with the remainder. I brushed the mushrooms with olive oil, and then Larry grilled them for about 5 minutes until they were soft.

This simple recipe was delicious. The mushrooms were fragrant and earthy, altogether a great dish to celebrate the start of autumn.

Charred Zucchini and Onion Salad

Cooking vegetables in a cast iron frypan without oil is similar to barbecuing. The vegetables char and blacken and develop great flavor.

I usually use this technique when making Mexican food - it adds a smokey flavor to tomatillo salsa and enchilada sauce.

This recipe, however, is more Italian in nature, using basil, thyme and balsamic vinegar to season the blackened zucchini and onions.

It's from Peter Berley's interesting book The Modern Vegetarian Kitchen. It's a little too heavy on the seitan and tempeh for me, but has some good ideas like this one.

(There's nothing wrong with seitan and tempeh, but they are usually used to imitate meat. I don't like meat so I'm not interested in trying to replicate it.)

I cut the zucchini in 1-inch rounds. It looked a little weird, but I was happy with the chunkiness of the finished product. You could cut the slices lengthwise instead if you prefer.

Charred Zucchini and Onion Salad

3/4 lb green or yellow zucchini

1 large red onion

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

1 tbsp chopped basil

1 small clove garlic, chopped fine

1/2 tsp fresh thyme leaves, chopped fine

pinch of red pepper flakes

salt to taste

Cut the zucchini in 1-inch slices and the onion into 1/2 inch rings. Heat a cast iron fry pan over high heat until very hot (water should sizzle when a few drops are tossed on it). Lower the heat to medium and place the zucchini and onion on it. Cook for 6-10 minutes per side, turning each piece when it is brown in spots and beginning to char. Don't let it get too black.

The vegetables need to be in a single layer, so do a few batches if you have too much for your pan.

When cooked on both sides, put the pieces in a large bowl.

In a small bowl, combine the oil, vinegar, basil, garlic, thyme and red pepper flakes. Whisk well. Pour over the hot vegetables and toss to coat. Cover the bowl and let marinate at least 10 minutes. Toss again and salt to taste before serving.

Serves 2-3

Mint is good in place of the basil. The salad lasts well in the fridge for a couple of days.

Veggie Burgers on the Grill

Usually when Larry barbecues a burger, he grills a portobello mushroom for me.

Today will be no exception.

It will be a noisy day in our neighborhood - fireworks, M80s, firecrackers and other loud bangs will start before 10 a.m. and go on until after midnight.

With all that sound stress, we need an easy meal which we can eat while manning the fire hoses. So we'll have our traditional barbecue dinner of burger / mushroom, potato salad, green salad and black beans. (You can read about a previous holiday barbecue and get my excellent black bean recipe here.)

On Memorial Day weekend, however, Larry stretched his grilling prowess and barbecued a homemade veggie burger for me. Usually I fry these on the stove or bake them in the oven because they tend to fall apart.

But it was the Sunday of Memorial Day weekend, a relaxing day, and Larry said he was up for the challenge.

(On Memorial Day Monday, we had Tracie over for a Mediterranean-inspired cookout. You can read about it here.)

I sat quietly (and, I like to think, supportively) reading the Sunday papers while Larry grilled the burgers. I did not hear a lot of cussing, which I took as a good sign. But he did have to keep squishing the burger together in order to stop pieces falling off into the fire.

It looked a little messy open-faced on the bun, but it tasted great. I've put the 3 other burgers into the freezer for another day when Larry is up for a barbecue challenge.

Mushroom Carrot Burger
1 onion
2 cloves garlic
3 cups mushrooms
3 large carrots
2 tbsp olive oil
2 cups whole wheat bread crumbs
3 oz feta
3 tbsp chopped fresh basil
2 tbsp chopped fresh thyme
2 eggs, lightly beaten

Chop the onion and garlic in the food processor - they need to be very fine. Empty them into a bowl and chop the mushrooms. Put the mushrooms in another bowl and grate the carrots.

Sauté the onion and garlic in olive oil until soft but not brown, 3-5 minutes. Add mushrooms and cook another 5 minutes. Drain off any accumulated liquid, but don't squeeze the mushrooms dry.

Place the grated carrots and breadcrumbs in a large bowl. Crumble in the feta. Add the mushroom mixture, basil and thyme. Stir well and season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the eggs.

Shape the mixture into 4 burgers the size of hamburger buns. They will look huge. It's okay.

Brush the grill rack with olive oil, and cook the burgers over medium-high heat for 10-15 minutes, turning often, until they are golden.

Alternatively, you can bake them in a 350°F oven for 20 minutes, or fry them in a little oil on the stove.

The burgers can be frozen uncooked. Thaw before cooking.

Makes 4 large burgers.

Grazing the Garden

I went out to the garden before lunch the other day, and harvested some salad ingredients.

Our lettuces are too small to make a good-sized green salad, so I used a butter lettuce from Finley Farms as a base. To this soft sweet lettuce, I added the following:

tender leaves:
young lettuce
various mesclun

spicy leaves:
wild arugula
nasturtium leaves
watercress

flowers:
nasturtiums - just the petals
arugula
watercress

herbs:
marjoram
thyme
oregano

I felt good sharing this bounty with my family. Unfortunately, by the time the salad was dressed with honey balsamic vinaigrette, the flavors were muted. That might have been a good thing, because I was not feeding adventurous eaters.

And I wanted them to eat this dish. A diversity of plants gives us a diversity of nutrients, so this was one healthy salad.

Autumn Stew

If you're uncertain what to serve the vegetarians at Thanksgiving dinner, consider this lovely wild rice and squash dish that is both autumnal and protein-rich. Everyone will eat it as a side, and the vegetarians will thank you for a satisfying meal.

The vegetables can be prepped ahead, and the stew stirred together on the stove while the turkey rests.

We ate it for dinner Monday night. I pre-cooked the beans and wild rice, and diced the squash. It all sat on the counter until 30 minutes before dinner, when I stirred it together for an easy and excellent meal.

The stew is really good with parmesan shavings on it, but don't do that unless you know there are no vegans at your table (vegans don't eat eggs or dairy products). Instead, serve the parmesan on the side so people can help themselves.

Autumn Stew
1/3 cup dry lima or cannellini beans (or 1 can, drained)
3/4 cup wild rice
1/2 oz dried mushrooms
1 medium onion, chopped
8 oz mushrooms, halved or quartered
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tbsp fresh thyme (or 1 1/2 tsp dried)
3 cups vegetable broth
1 lb butternut squash
1 tsp salt
4 large chard leaves
parmesan

Cook the beans in plenty of boiling water until tender. This will take 2-3 hours depending on the freshness of the beans. Make sure they're cooked all the way through before you drain them.

Cook the wild rice in plenty of salted boiling water until tender, about 30 minutes. Drain and set aside.

Cut the butternut squash in half lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds and stringy flesh. Peel off the skin, and dice the squash in 1/2 to 3/4 inch pieces.

Cover the dried mushrooms with 1 cup boiling water and let steep 10 minutes. Remove the mushrooms from the soaking liquid, make sure they have no grit on them, and chop them coarsely. Strain any grit from the soaking liquid and keep it separate.

Warm olive oil over medium-high heat. Sauté onion, mushrooms, pepper and thyme, stirring occasionally, 8-10 minutes until lightly browned.

Add the broth, cooked wild rice, cooked beans, squash and 1 tsp salt. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer, covered, until the squash is tender when pierced with a thin knife, 12-15 minutes.

Add mushrooms and their soaking liquid.

Rinse the chard leaves and chop them, including their stems. Add to the pot, cover, and let cook until stems are tender, about 10 minutes. Season to taste.

Serve with parmesan shavings.

Serves 6 as a main course, more as a side dish.

Roasted Root Vegetables

Something magical happens to a root vegetable when you dice it, toss it in olive oil, and bake it in the oven. It gets tender and buttery - nothing like the tough gnarly thing you brought home from the market.

I like to use a variety of root vegetables in a casserole - each provides different nutrients, textures and colors. I can make a meal on this dish alone.

The ingredients vary depending on what is at the market. The recipe below is one I used last week, but vary it depending on what you like. I use roughly 1/3 potatoes and 2/3 other roots, by weight. I scrub all the roots well, and remove any hairs or nubbly parts. I always peel celeriac (celery root) and rutabagas. I sometimes peel parsnips, turnips and sweet potatoes. I never peel beets - way too messy.

Cut the vegetables in similar sizes - 3/4 inch is a good standard. Sweet potatoes cook more quickly than the others, so either cut them a little larger, or enjoy them a little soft.

What roots should you use? Start with potatoes and carrots, and add a few others. Try roots you don't think you like - you'll be amazed at the difference in flavor and texture when they're roasted.

You can use thyme or bay leaves (fresh or dried) in place of the rosemary. Sometimes I add peeled shallots or chunks of onion. Peeled garlic cloves are a good addition, as are cubes of peeled butternut squash.

This casserole is also wonderful re-warmed the next day - either as breakfast hash with a fried egg, or reheated in the oven as a side. Sometimes I make a quick root vegetable soup by puréeing them with some vegetable stock and reheating gently on the stove.

Roasted root vegetables - you'll wonder how you ever lived without them.

Roasted Root Vegetables
3/4 lb potatoes
1 celeriac (celery root)
1 sweet potato
2-3 beets
2-3 turnips
2 parsnips
1 rutabaga
1 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper
1 tsp chopped fresh rosemary

Scrub all the roots well. With a sharp knife, remove the peel and all nubbly parts from the celeriac - you'll probably remove about 1/4 inch of peel in total. Peel the rutabaga, and the sweet potatoes, parsnips and turnips if you like. Trim the ends off the beets and remove any hairs from the stem end. Chop all the vegetables in roughly 3/4 inch dice.

Toss them in a large bowl with the olive oil, a good seasoning of salt and fresh pepper, and the rosemary. Pour into a casserole, cover, and bake at 375°F for 45-60 minutes until they are tender.

Serves 4-6

Healthy Fast Food

I was asked the other day if I know any healthy take-out places.

Actually, I don't. I'm sure Whole Foods and similar stores have good prepared meals, but I've only eaten them cold while traveling.

When we do take-out, it's pizza (spinach on my half) or Thai from our local delivery place (spicy eggplant tofu!). It tastes good, and the next day we are swollen with salt.

If I want healthy take-out, I look to my freezer.

Last week I dug out a container of Lentils Burgundy. This is a great dish because it tastes good, freezes well, and can be turned into soup by adding more liquid. I make it with Two-Buck Chuck, not burgundy, and it is still delicious. (Lentils Chuck doesn't have quite the same ring.)

When I originally cooked it, I used the large brownish-green lentils I buy at the Hollywood Farmers Market. Lentils are a good source of protein (9 grams per half cup) and have lots of iron. They are also loaded with heart-protective nutrients, including folate and fiber. My dad would recommend serving them with a nice sausage. I've never found the need.

While the lentils were defrosting, I reheated some leftover sweet potatoes, and prepared some Tuscan kale. I washed the kale, removed the stems, and chopped the leaves coarsely. I sautéd half an onion and a clove of garlic in a little olive oil. When it was tender I added the kale and a chopped tomato, sprinkled on salt and pepper, and let it cook, covered, until tender, stirring occasionally so it didn't burn.

It was a good healthy meal in less time than it would take to call for delivery.

Lentils Burgundy
2 1/2 cups brown lentils, rinsed
6 cups water or vegetable stock - I used 3 cups of each
1 bay leaf
2 onions, diced
2 tbsp oil
3 carrots, diced
2 leeks, halved, washed well, and sliced
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 tsp dried thyme or 2 sprigs fresh
1 1/2 cups burgundy

Combine lentils, water or stock, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil and cook until lentils are done, about 30 minutes. Don't drain.

Sauté onions and carrot in oil until tender, about 8 minutes. Scoop out and add to lentils. Sauté leeks in the same pan until soft but not browned. Add them to the lentils and cook gently until all the vegetables are tender. Then add the garlic, thyme and wine. Cook another 25-30 minutes until thick.

Serves 4-6.

Thanksgiving Dinner

This Thursday, vegetarians across America will be digging into Tofurkey.

Not I.

I don't want to eat turkey. Why would I want to eat fake turkey?

(Yes, I know the fowl in the picture are not turkeys - they're our neighbor's chickens. In this case, they are fake turkeys - tofurkeys!)

As I've mentioned before, I like the look of vegetables. If we were having company at Thanksgiving, I would serve a stuffed squash, or a vegetable pot pie, or a beautiful filo vegetable tart.

But it's just Larry and me this year. He's doing the Trader Joe's pre-cooked piece of turkey, stuffing and gravy. And I am going to make a lentil-nut loaf.

Like turkey, lentil-nut loaf makes great leftovers: cold in sandwiches; or patted into burger shapes, dusted with breadcrumbs, and fried. And the last piece will freeze well for a few weeks, quick to defrost for dinner.

This is one of my favorite loaf recipes, even though it's not baked in a loaf pan. It's light, with a nice crunch from the nuts, and good flavor from the mushrooms, tamari and fresh herbs. (You can use dried if necessary.)

The loaf can be made the day before and refrigerated. Reheat it, covered, in a 350° oven for 20 minutes until warmed through.

I'll serve it with mashed potatoes and calabacitas - a sauté of zucchini, corn, red peppers, jalapenos, and my favorite poblanos.

Happy Thanksgiving.

Lentil-Nut Loaf
1 1/4 lb green lentils
1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
1/2 cup diced onions
1/2 cup diced red and/or green peppers
1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs (1 slice bread)
1/2 tsp minced fresh basil
1/2 tsp minced fresh oregano
1/2 tsp minced fresh thyme
1/2 tsp chili powder
pepper to taste
1 tbsp tamari
2 egg whites, beaten to soft peaks
1 tsp salt
3/4 cup shredded jack cheese
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/4 cup water

Place lentils, mushrooms, onions, bell peppers and water to cover in a 4-quart saucepan. Bring to boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat and simmer until tender, about 1 hour. Drain lentil mixture and cool slightly, 10 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Place lentil mixture in large bowl and stir in remaining ingredients. Pour into lightly greased 9" square pyrex dish, spreading evenly.

Bake until lightly browned, about 30 minutes. Cool 15 minutes before cutting and serving with gravy or tomato sauce.

8-10 servings.

Postscript: Make sure to cook the lentils until they're very soft. Otherwise you'll end up with lentil casserole, not lentil loaf.

Keeping Healthy in Flu Season

During flu season, it is important to listen to your body: rest when needed, consume lots of vegetables and very little sugar, and eat a large amount of garlic.

Garlic has been known for centuries for its healing ability. Science documents its anti-biotic and anti-viral activity. This means it can kill not only flu bugs but also those cold viruses that don't respond to antibiotics.

I knew someone in Montreal who swallowed a peeled clove of garlic every night during winter. He never got sick.

But that's a little intense for me. I prefer to eat my garlic for dinner, and share it with my loved ones. (Garlic has to be shared.)

The other night we had this wonderful garlicky pasta. I've written before that different nutrients are absorbed in different ways. Some are better for us to consume raw. Others need to be broken down for our bodies to use, and others need to be cooked with a little fat. This recipe includes garlic in all these forms so we can absorb the wide variety of beneficial compounds that it contains.

There's also a good amount of barely-wilted spinach for vitamin C and minerals. I used the Malabar spinach from Finley Farms at the Hollywood Farmers Market, which holds its crispness but is sweeter than regular spinach. You could substitute bagged baby spinach. Don't forget the thyme -- it soothes inflammation of the respiratory system.

See Roasting Peppers for instructions on roasting and peeling the orange peppers. If this is too much work, use them raw but cook them a little longer. The chickpeas add some protein to help your body stay strong. Skip the parmesan for a vegan dish - but add more salt to taste.

Despite this nutritional analysis, this pasta dish tastes like comfort food, not health food.

Garlicky Pasta with Spinach
1 head of garlic (about 13 cloves)
1/2 tsp salt
2 orange or red bell peppers, roasted and peeled
1 tsp chopped fresh thyme (or 1/2 tsp dried)
1/4 lb spinach, washed and dried
1/2 bag penne
3 tsp olive oil
1/3 cup dry chickpeas, cooked (or 1 can drained)
3 tsp balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp parmesan

Separate and peel the cloves of garlic. Keep three aside and put the rest in a small pan with 1 cup cold water. Simmer, covered, until garlic is very soft, about 30 minutes. Purée the garlic and liquid in a blender with 1/2 tsp salt until smooth.

With a large knife, chop 1 reserved garlic clove with the thyme and 1/4 tsp salt. Place in a large serving bowl and put the spinach on top.

Cook pasta according to package directions.

Chop last 2 garlic cloves and cook in 3 tsp olive oil over moderate heat, stirring, until pale golden, 3-5 minutes. Add peppers, diced in 1/2 inch pieces, and cook, stirring, 3 minutes. Add chickpeas and garlic purée and bring to a simmer over moderate heat, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper.

Drain pasta and add to serving bowl with chickpea sauce, vinegar and parmesan. Toss to combine. Serve immediately.

Serves 3-4

White Beans with Rosemary and Thyme

If you have room for just 3 plants on your Southern California patio, choose rosemary, thyme and bay. They grow well in pots, are drought tolerant (their flavor is more intense when they are mildly stressed), and make a big flavor pop in whatever you're cooking. They require a few hours of sun a day to thrive. The bay will try to be a tree. Trim it to the size you like.

I ventured into the rain last night to pick these herbs to serve with the big white lima beans from Lompoc that I buy at the Hollywood Farmers Market. I cooked the beans with bay, garlic, leek and carrots, and then stirred in a pesto of rosemary and thyme at the end. Wow. Served with acorn squash, it made a wonderful fall dinner.

For a quicker version, use 2 cans of cannelini beans. Drain them well and add to 2 cups simmering vegetable broth. Cook until they are warmed through, stir in the pesto, and dinner is served. You can speed up the roasting of the squash by cutting it into wedges, tossing it in olive oil, and roasting it for 20 minutes until tender. Or serve steamed vegetables or greens as a quick side dish.

White Beans with Rosemary and Thyme
1 1/2 cups dried white beans
6 cloves garlic, peeled - divided use
1 carrot, cut in 1" lengths
greens from 1 leek, washed well, (save the rest of the leek for another recipe) or 1/2 onion cut into large pieces
1 bay leaf
4 tsp rosemary leaves, stripped from the stems
1 tbsp thyme leaves, stripped from the stems
1/4 cup olive oil

Soak the beans overnight. (Or do the quick soak method. Cook beans 10 minutes in boiling water. Let stand one hour. Drain and proceed.)

Combine the beans with 3 cloves garlic, carrot, leek greens and bay leaf. Cover with 2 inches of water, bring to the boil, and cook until tender, about 45 minutes, adding some salt and pepper in the last 10 minutes. Drain, reserving 2 cups of the cooking broth. Discard the vegetables. (All their flavor will be in the broth.)

In a mini-chop or blender, mince the rosemary, thyme and remaining 3 cloves garlic. Add the olive oil and purée. (It will look more like salad dressing than regular pesto.) Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Combine the pesto, beans and reserved cooking broth. Warm over moderate heat. Serve in the squash halves.

Baked Acorn Squash
Preheat oven to 450°. Put the whole squash in the oven and cook 30-45 minutes (depending on the size of the squash) until a knife slides in easily. Let the squash cool until you can handle it. Cut it in half and scoop out the seeds. Serve the halves, or cut it into wedges for smaller servings.

Serves 4.

Vegetable Stock

I’m often asked how I make vegetarian food so flavorful. The secret is vegetable stock.

Homemade stock is culinary gold. Add it to soups, stews, even the water for cooking rice -- it adds a boost of flavor and cohesiveness to any dish.

You can buy organic vegetable stock in liquid or cubes, but while these will add flavor to your dish, they have that underlying processed food taste. Better to make your own.

Simply put vegetables in a pot, cover with water, and simmer a couple of hours until the flavor transfers from the vegetables to the water. Strain and use. I store the stock in 2-cup containers in the freezer.

Because the stocks I make are well-flavored, I can use just 2 cups in recipes calling for up to 5 cups of stock. I add water to make up the difference.

This is my current favorite recipe. Vary the ingredients as you like. Use canned tomatoes or different herbs. The mushrooms and onions are essential.

You can put the ingredients together before dinner, let it simmer on the stove for a couple of hours, and then stash it in the freezer before you go to bed. It’s a good winter project: it smells good while cooking, steams up the kitchen, and adds to your storehouse of good food.

Vegetable Stock
1 leek, trimmed and halved lengthwise, washed well, then chopped
3 onions (about 1 1/2 lbs), peeled and chopped
3 carrots, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
8 oz mushrooms, quartered
2 shiitake mushrooms, fresh or dried, washed well and chopped
2 plum tomatoes, rinsed and quartered (optional)
1 1/2 tsp dried thyme or 1 tbsp fresh
1 1/2 tsp dried oregano or 1 tbsp fresh
1 tsp salt (optional, but recommended)
1 tbsp black peppercorns

Combine everything in a large pot. Add water to cover (about 2 quarts). Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce heat, and simmer without a lid for 2 hours. Add water as needed to keep vegetables barely covered.

Strain through a fine mesh sieve (lined with cheesecloth if you like) over a large bowl. Gently press the vegetables against the sieve to release their moisture, then add to the compost pile. You should have about 8 cups stock. (If you have more, boil it down to concentrate the flavor.) Cool, then refrigerate for 1 week or freeze for 6 months.