What's In Season, Early Spring Edition Part 2

I love watching the world awaken this time of year. The trees budding, the birds coming back north, little bits of grass bursting from the ground. Everything about it makes me smile. Here are a few more tasty dishes to create with what is currently springing forth from mother earth.

Creamy Kale Pasta

3 cups Cooked Pasta (any small noodle will do, but I like Bow tie for this dish)

3 tbsp Olive Oil

1 bunch Kale, chopped into small pieces

2 tbsp Braggs Liquid Amino Acids

1/4 cup Vegetable Broth

1 cup Soy Milk

2 tbsp Earth Balance

1/2 cup Nutritional Yeast

3 cloves Garlic, minced

1 tsp Yellow Mustard

A dash or two of Hot Sauce

Saute the kale in the olive oil over medium heat for 5 to 7 minutes, being sure not to burn it. Kale needs to cook slowly. Add the amino acids and vegetable broth and let cook another 8 to 10 minutes. Toss the pasta with the soy milk, nutritional yeast, garlic, and mustard until well combined. Stir the pasta mixture into the kale and heat through. Add a few dashes of your favorite hot sauce when serving.

Rhubarb Short Cakes

4 stalks Rhubarb, rinsed and chopped

1 cup Water

1/2 cup Cane Sugar

1/4 cup Lemon Juice

1 1/2 cup All Purpose Flour

1/2 cup Whole Wheat Flour

5 tsp Baking Powder

1/2 cup Cane Sugar

1 tsp Salt

3 tbsp Coconut Oil

2 tbsp Earth Balance

2/3 cup Soy Milk

Place the rhubarb, water, sugar, and lemon juice in a sauce pan and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and allow to cook down until the rhubarb is tender and the liquid is thick like syrup.

Preheat oven to 450 and lightly grease a cookie sheet. Blend together the flours, baking powder, sugar, and salt. Cut in the coconut oil and earth balance with a fork or pastry blender. Add the milk and form a nice a dough that pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Drop by the tbsp onto the cookie sheet and sprinkle with a touch more sugar. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes. Top the shortcakes with the rhubarb sauce and enjoy.

Samosas

1 cup All Purpose Flour

2 tbsp Coconut Oil

1/2 tsp Sea Salt

Cold Water by the tbsp to form the dough

1/4 cup Coconut Oil, for frying

2 tbsp Coconut Oil, for sauteing

2 large Potatoes, diced and boiled

1/2 cup fresh Peas, par-cooked

1/2 a medium Onion, diced

2 hot Chilies, diced

1 tsp Ginger, ground

1 tsp Coriander, ground

2 tsp Garlic, minced

1 tsp Garam Masala

1 tsp Salt

1/2 tsp Turmeric

Cut the 2 tbsp coconut oil into the flour and salt. Add the cold water by the tbsp until a soft dough forms. Let the dough rest cover with a damp cloth for at least 20 minutes. 

Saute the onion in 2 tbsp coconut oil for 5-7 minutes. Add the chilies, ginger, coriander, garlic, garam masala, salt, and turmeric to the onion and cook for 1-2 minutes. Stir in the potatoes and peas and heat another 1-2 minutes and remove from the heat. 

Heat the 1/4 cup coconut oil to 350. 

Separate the dough into 1 inch balls and roll them out into small circles. Spoon the filling by the tbsp into the center of each circle and gather up the edges and seal them together. Fry each until golden brown, remove from oil, and allow to drain on a baking rack before serving.

Fava Bean Spread 

2 cups Fava Beans, shelled, soaked, and cooked

1/4 cup Olive Oil

2 tbsp Garlic, minced

1/4 cup Lemon Juice

2 tbsp Tahini

Sea Salt to taste

Place beans, oil, garlic, lemon juice, and tahini in food processor and blend until smooth. Add sea salt to taste blending as you go. Serve with warm pita bread, bruschetta, with veggies, or spread on your favorite sandwich.



I hope you enjoy this enstallment of What's In Season. Also, I'm running a contest over at the Season of The Vegan Facebook site. If the FB site gets 100 "likes" by April 16th one lucky person will recieve a Season of The Vegan t-shirt of their choice from my Cafe Press store. So, "like" SoTV on FB and then "share" SoTV with your friends so we can make it to 100!