Tag: celebrate

  • Seafood Gumbo with Christine Waltermyer

    Seafood Gumbo with Christine Waltermyer

    Seafood Gumbo

    Thanks to Christine Waltermyer & The Natural Kitchen Cooking School!

    Christine Waltermyer is a local and renowned Wellness Chef, private chef to celebrities, published cookbook author and founder of the Natural Kitchen Cooking School, which offers an online Plant-Based Cooking Program. She also loves shopping at Basil Bandwagon! Visit naturalkitchenschool.com to subscribe to her email newsletter for new recipes, tips, and FREE access to the Power of Veggies mini-course!

    New Orleans Gumbo is an amazing fusion of cultures and flavors. While the roots of gumbo
    are African, the modern dish is a culmination of contributions from Native American,
    French, Spanish, and Caribbean cuisines. Enjoy!

    Seafood Gumbo

    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Servings: 6
    Ingredients Method Notes

    Ingredients
      

    Seafood Gumbo Stock
    • 1-2 cups shrimp shells
    • 3 cups chopped vegetables (onion, celery, leeks, scallions, carrots, parsley, squash, etc.)
    • 3 sprigs fresh thyme
    • 2 cloves garlic
    • 2 dried bay leaves
    • 10 cups water
    Mild Creole Seasoning
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • ¼ teaspoon white pepper
    • 1 teaspoon paprika
    • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
    • 1 teaspoon onion powder
    • ½ teaspoon dried thyme
    • ½ teaspoon dried oregano
    Gumbo
    • ½ cup ghee (clarified butter) divided (or tallow or bacon fat)
    • 2 cups frozen okra sliced and thawed
    • ½ cup all-purpose flour
    • 1 medium yellow onion chopped
    • 1 medium bell pepper seeded and chopped
    • 2 stalks celery chopped
    • 2 cloves garlic minced
    • 2 bay leaves
    • 1 pound sausage sliced
    • 5 sprigs fresh thyme
    • 1 tablespoon coconut aminos
    • Sea salt to taste
    • White or black pepper to taste
    • 2 pounds shrimp peeled, deveined, and rinsed
    • 4 cups cooked rice
    • 1-2 teaspoons filé powder
    • Fresh parsley to garnish

    Method
     

    Make the seafood gumbo stock
    1. In a large soup pot, place all of the seafood gumbo stock ingredients. Bring to a boil over medium high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 30 minutes. Strain the stock through a large fine-mesh strainer. Set aside. If not using right away, the stock can be cooled and stored in a glass jar in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
    Make the mild Creole seasoning
    1. In a small bowl, stir together all of the Mild Creole Seasoning ingredients until well combined.
    Fry the okra
    1. Heat 2 tablespoons of the ghee in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the okra and fry for a few minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the okra to a paper towel-lined plate.
    Make the roux
    1. Whisk together the remaining ghee and the flour in a large soup pot over medium-low heat until for 25 minutes. Whisk constantly, until it turns a rich brown color. Watch closely, being careful not to burn the roux. Remove from the heat and continue whisking until it cools down.
    Cook the gumbo
    1. Place the soup pot containing the roux back on the stove. Add the onion, bell pepper, celery, and the mild creole seasoning. If you like more seasoning, feel free to increase the amount of spices used. Cook and stir for 5 minutes over medium heat, or until the onions have softened. Add the garlic and bay leaves.
    2. Increase the heat to medium-high heat. While whisking or stirring constantly, add the seafood gumbo stock, a few cups at a time. Add the okra, sausage, thyme, and coconut aminos. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer uncovered for 1 hour. Add more salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the shrimp. Cook for 10 more minutes. Stir in the filé powder.
    3. Ladle 2 cups of the hot gumbo into each bowl. Add one cup of rice in the center of each bowl. Enjoy!

    Notes

    Note: Cool any remaining gumbo by placing the soup pot in an ice bath, then transfer to a covered container and refrigerate immediately to prevent spoilage.

    Thank you to Christine Waltermyer and the Natural Kitchen Cooking School for working with us to help promote healthy, nutritious meals and products that are affordable, full of nutrients, and simple to make at home!

  • Elegant and plant-based

    Elegant and plant-based

    Elegant and plant-based

    Celebrate the season with this holiday meal

    This wow-worthy, plant-based holiday meal won’t disappoint—whether you nix the meat entirely or incorporate some of these recipes into your celebratory meal. This gluten-free, vegan menu has “festive” written all over it.

    Stuffing with Thyme, Rosemary, and Dried Cranberries

    In this plant-based stuffing, fresh herbs and dried fruit replace the depth of flavor usually infused by chicken juices, so use fresh thyme and rosemary if possible to maximize the flavor return.
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Servings: 3
    Ingredients Method

    Ingredients
      

    • 3 fresh thyme sprigs or ½ teaspoon dried
    • 1 fresh rosemary sprig or ½ teaspoon dried
    • 1 loaf gluten-free bread cubed, about 6 to 8 cups cubes
    • 1 cup chopped green onions
    • 3 tablespoons chopped dried cranberries
    • 2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth

    Method
     

    1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
    2. De-stem thyme and rosemary sprigs and coarsely chop. In large bowl, combine herbs with bread cubes, green onions, and dried cranberries. Add 1 ½ cups broth and toss to coat. Bread should be moistened and slightly softened. Add remaining broth if needed (some gluten-free breads are denser than others).
    3. Taste and add salt if desired. Grease or line 8 x 11 in baking or casserole dish with parchment paper. Transfer stuffing to dish and bake for 50 to 55 minutes.
    4. Enjoy!

    Green Beans with Dukkah

    Subbing Middle Eastern dukkah for classic toasted almonds with your green beans is like taking your first international trip (or the first in a long time …) and (re)discovering that there’s a world of flavor out there.
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Servings: 4
    Ingredients Method

    Ingredients
      

    • ¼ cup hazelnuts
    • ½ teaspoon whole fennel seeds
    • 1 teaspoon whole cumin seeds
    • 1 teaspoon whole black or green peppercorns
    • 1 tablespoons whole coriander seeds
    • 2 teaspoons white or black sesame seeds
    • ¼ teaspoon salt
    • ⅛ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper optional
    • 2 pounds green beans trimmed
    • 1 teaspoon hazelnut oil optional

    Method
     

    1. Preheat oven to 325°F. In nongreased baking dish, roast hazelnuts for 20 minutes.
    2. Heat medium skillet over medium-high. When hot, toast fennel seeds, cumin seeds, peppercorns, and coriander seeds for 45 seconds, stirring occasionally to prevent burning. Seeds should start to pop. Transfer to spice grinder, mortar and pestle, or directly to food processor or blender. In same skillet, toast sesame seeds, stirring every 10 seconds or so, until aromatic and, if using white sesame seeds, golden. Transfer immediately to medium bowl.
    3. Grind, or pulse all seeds except sesame seeds several times in blender or food processor, until lightly crushed and aromatic. Transfer to medium bowl with sesame seeds. Rub hazelnuts between kitchen towels to remove some of skins if needed, then coarsely chop in food processor (not in blender), or by hand. Add to bowl with crushed seeds. Stir in salt and optional cayenne.
    4. Steam green beans for 5 to 7 minutes, until tender-crisp. Serve topped with dukkah and a drizzle of hazelnut oil, if desired.
    5. Enjoy!

    Oyster Mushrooms with Garlic and Thyme on Caramelized Parsnip Puree

    This dish is a plant-based showstopper, with tender mushrooms in a sweet-and-sour glaze soaking into ultra-thick roasted parsnip puree.
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Servings: 4
    Ingredients Method

    Ingredients
      

    Caramelized Parsnip Puree
    • 8 cups water
    • ½ teaspoon baking soda
    • 2 pounds parsnips peeled and chopped into 2 inch pieces
    • 2 garlic cloves peeled
    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • ¼ teaspoon cane sugar
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • ¼ teaspoon pepper
    Mushrooms
    • ¾ cup balsamic vinegar or 6 tablespoons aged balsamic or balsamic glaze
    • 1 teaspoon olive oil
    • 14 ounces oyster mushrooms cleaned and, if necessary, trimmed so they grill flat
    • ¼ teaspoon salt
    • ¼ teaspoon pepper
    • ¼ cup finely chopped green onion
    • 2 thyme sprigs stripped from stem, or ½ teaspoon dried
    • 2 tablespoons toasted pistachios roughly chopped
    • ½ cup finely chopped chives, parsley, or green onion to garnish

    Method
     

    1. For parsnip puree, preheat oven to 400°F.
    2. In medium saucepan, bring water, baking soda, and parsnips to boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 5 minutes. Drain parsnips, but don’t rinse. Set aside until cool enough to handle, about 3 minutes.
    3. In large bowl, combine parsnips with remaining ingredients for puree. Spread on baking sheet and roast for 10 minutes. Turn and roast for 10 minutes more, or until tender and caramelized. Transfer to large bowl and mash with potato masher or immersion blender, or transfer to food processor and blend until smooth. Taste and adjust seasonings.
    4. For oyster mushrooms, in medium saucepan, boil balsamic vinegar until reduced by half, about 10 minutes. If using aged balsamic vinegar or glaze, skip this step.
    5. In large skillet, heat oil over medium-high. When hot, add mushrooms, salt, and pepper and cook for 1 minute. Flip mushrooms and add balsamic reduction, green onions, and thyme and stir to coat mushrooms. Lower heat to medium-low; cover and cook for 5 minutes, or until mushrooms are tender, adding 1 Tbsp water to prevent sticking, if necessary. Taste and adjust seasoning.
    6. To serve, spread parsnip puree on bottom of large platter. Place mushrooms on top. Top with toasted pistachios and garnish with chopped chives, parsley, or green onion.
    7. Enjoy!

    Article Provided by Alive Magazine

  • Celebrate National Soup Month with Christine Waltmyer

    Celebrate National Soup Month with Christine Waltmyer

    Celebrate National Soup Month

    with Christine Waltermyer

    Christine Waltermyer is a local Wellness Chef, private chef to celebrities, published cookbook author and founder of the Natural Kitchen Cooking School, which offers an online Plant-Based Cooking Program. She also loves shopping at Basil Bandwagon! Visit naturalkitchenschool.com to get your FREE copy of her cookbook, “7 Days of Deliciousness.”

    Vegetable Soup

    Serves 8-10

    Ingredients

    1 tablespoon olive oil

    ½ onion, chopped

    2 cloves minced garlic

    3 carrots, sliced

    3 – 4 ribs celery, sliced

    1 cup chopped potatoes (I used baby heirloom potatoes but you could use red-skinned potatoes)

    1 medium red beet, peeled and diced

    8 cups vegetable broth

    13 ounces cooked kidney beans

    ¼ cup wild rice, soaked in water to cover for several hours, then drained

    2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, or 1 teaspoon dried thyme 

    1 cup chopped green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces

    4 scallions, chopped

    1 cup baby bok choy, chopped

    1 small zucchini, chopped

    1 small bunch parsley, stems removed and chopped

    1 cup corn kernels

    1 teaspoon sea salt, or more to taste

    Optional: Black pepper

    Method

    1. In an Instant Pot, pressure cooker or large soup pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic. Cook and stir for five minutes. Add the carrots, celery, beets and potatoes. Add 4 cups of the vegetable broth, along with the kidney beans, drained wild rice and thyme.

    2. Place the lid on your cooking pot of choice. 

    3. If using an Instant Pot or pressure cooker, bring up to full pressure. Once full pressure is achieved, reduce heat to cook for 10 minutes. Then turn off or remove from heat to allow pressure to drop naturally.

    4. If using a regular soup pot, bring to a boil over medium high heat. Reduce heat to cook on low, covered, for 30 minutes.

    5. Add the green beans, scallions, baby bok choy, zucchini, parsley, corn kernels, sea salt and enough vegetable broth to cover everything. If your Instant Pot or pressure cooker is too full you can cook in two batches.

    6. For Instant Pot or pressure cooker bring back up to full pressure. Reduce heat to cook on low for 5 more minutes.

    7. If using a regular soup pot, bring back to a boil over medium high heat, then reduce the heat to cook on low for 10 to 15 more minutes.

    8. Season with black pepper if desired, and additional sea salt to taste. I like to serve with a drizzle of olive oil as well. If a tart taste is desired you can add a splash of apple cider vinegar as well.

    9. Store leftover soup in a covered glass container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or freeze leftovers for up to a month.

    Thank you to Christine Waltermyer and the Natural Kitchen Cooking School for working with us to help promote healthy, nutritious meals and products that are affordable, full of nutrients, and simple to make at home!