Summer 2015 free preview by Chickpea Vegan Quarterly

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CHICKPEA MAGAZINE summer 2015

THANKS SO MUCH FOR CHECKING OUT THIS

FREE PREVIEW OF OUR SUMMER ISSUE!

GET THE FULL VERSION HERE

IN EITHER A HIGH-QUALITY PRINT OR EXTENDED DIGITAL EDITION.

SUBSCRIPTIONS ARE ALSO AVAILABLE HERE.

THANKS FOR YOUR SUPPORT!

CHICKPEA MAGAZINE summer 2015

Amandaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s appetite for most things is voracious, including her love for guacamole, television crime dramas, Malbec, and all things consumable in bowls. A writer, she lives in Brooklyn and spends all her free time cooking and planning what to eat next.

nourishpdx.squarespace.com I am a Portland, OR based food and farming obsessed chef, writer and photographer. I spend my free time with my wife and pet companions in the woods or at the ocean as often as possible.

dine-dash.com karolina-wiercigroch.com

emilystoker.com

Karolina is a Polish food stylist and photographer currently living in Cambridge, England. She loves culinary travels, books, hot yoga and boozy brunches.

Emily Stoker is a photographer and bookbinder residing in Dallas, Texas with her two pups and husband.

twitter.com/dakotakim1 Dakota Kim is a writer working on a burlesque cookbook called Bombshell Bakers. She divides her time roasting CSA kohlrabe in her tiny Brooklyn kitchen, hunting reishi mushrooms with the New York Mycological Society, and foraging for black raspberries on her best friendâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s farm upstate.

foodpornveganstyle.blogspot.com Freelance photographer, food stylist and recipe developer. Green smoothie addict. In love with japanese cuisine and raw desserts.

madebyambrosia.com

hannahfk.com

Tricia is a vegan chef and cookbook author. She lives, works, and plays in Naples, Florida.

Artichoke specialist, garlic generalist. Eats and writes about other foods too.

sweetlaurel.blogspot.com

paperdollparade.blogspot.ca

Laurel is a writer, photographer and recipe developer currently living in Phoenix, AZ. At her blog, she explores a passionate quest to understand the intersection of experience and food, and loves all things local, fresh and seasonal. Laurel’s free time is spent entertaining her small canine overlords, playing test kitchen with her partner as willing subject, and constantly striving to re-invent the taco as we know it.

Born in Toronto and based in Munich, Sasha Gora works as a curator and a writer who pens articles about contemporary art, museums and food culture. She takes breakfast very seriously and rarely turns down the opportunity to add maple syrup to a recipe.

mykindcloset.com sweetmiscellany.blogspot.com A background in anthropology and an interest in the correlation between food and health fuels my passion for seeking out and creating the healthiest and tastiest fare possible. It is my personal journey to not only share what vegans eat but to portray the vegan diet as one of inclusion, not exclusion.

Stephanie resides with her husband in Newport, RI. She enjoys traveling, writing, gardening, and exploring emerging ecofriendly and vegan fashion designers. On her blog, My Kind Closet, Stephanie shares with her readers alternatives to animal-based fashion products and hopes to inspire others to expand their understanding of “ethical consumerism” to encompass both humans and animals alike.

lauriesadowski.com Laurie Sadowski’s creativity in the kitchen began when diagnosed with celiac disease. Already a vegan, her love of food, health, and helping others drove her to becoming an avid food writer and cookbook author. Her books are devoted to gluten, dairy, egg, and soy-free vegan baked goods that taste just like the real thing.

Susanne spent most of her childhood watching cooking shows, cooking, or pretending to have a cooking show. She got an easybake oven for her fifth birthday, but upgraded to the real oven by the time she was six. If she’s cranky, feed her plums or fair trade dark chocolate.

kitchenbeet.com

theoverflowingtable.wordpress.com

Penelope loves the outdoors, cooking and her family. She is happiest when exploring new trails, using local food to create recipes for her blog and laughing so hard she cries. She thinks every day should end with a perfect glass of Cabernet and dark chocolate.

Jessica is a 25 year-old pastry making, food writing, adventure seeking woman. Food has always been a source of inspiration and expression, constantly serving as a guide throughout her life.

CHICKPEA MAGAZINE summer 2015

words by Erin Eberle kohlrabi photo by Penelope Rose Community Supported Agriculture, or CSA, is pop-

The CSA model represents all things Portland. It rep-

ping up all over the landscape. Our current shift in

resents freedom, choice, awareness, equality, and a love

thinking about food, farming and the environment

for and appreciation of organic produce. Here in Or-

have people from Seattle to Maine and everywhere in

egon, where I live and work as a plant-based private

between truly examining our relationship to food and

chef, I am surrounded by the bounty of endless farm-

where it comes from. This shared risk model of farming

ing and delicious food. My personal food philosophy

isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t new. Other cultures, such as a Japan, have been us-

is that you find or buy the highest quality ingredients

ing the shared risk model of growing and selling food

available and minimally intervene in the preparation

for hundreds of years. Rudolf Steiner, the founder of

process. I have had the pleasure of being inspired by

Biodynamic farming was philosophizing about a local,

and receiving my CSA from Mudjoy Farm. They farm

agrarian lifestyle similar to the CSA in the late 1890s

on land about 50 miles west of downtown Portland

and early 1900s in Austria and Germany. It is safe to

and specialize in organic, heirloom varietals including

say that our more recent attention to our connection

some of the Ark of Taste varieties that the Slow Food

with the land, its health and the health of our people

Movement is working to reestablish. The anticipation

and communities is why we have seen such an im-

and excitement that I feel each week before my pick-

mense growth in the number of CSAs across the USA

up are reminiscent of my early childhood Christmas

in the last 5 years even.

mornings. Not much can compare.

There are myriad benefits to the economic and farming

My mid summer share is always teeming with beauti-

structure of the CSA. When you choose to buy fresh

ful produce including but not limited to salad greens,

produce from a local farmer using this model, not only

heirloom tomatoes, fennel, golden raspberries, mint,

are you supporting a small farm and business but you

shiro plums, yellow doll watermelon and agretti, an

are celebrating the importance of eating locally, you

Italian succulent that burst with freshness in your

are making fresh produce a priority in your life, you

mouth. This specific CSA is a perfect match for me

are often supporting organic farming practices and you

because I am adventurous with my food choices and

are opening your eyes to an expanded knowledge of

love learning about new varietals and farming practic-

and experience with fruits and vegetables. The decision

es. The CSA is a great way to interact with our food,

to participate in a CSA creates massive social change

where it comes from and pushes us to cook at home.

with one small action. Essentially, when you vote with

Cooking is a true way of connecting with family and/

your dollar to support a CSA you are making a positive

or community. Sharing a meal with others has to be

impact on the local economy, organic agriculture, the

one of the most fulfilling ways to spend a summer eve-

environment, your own health and creativity as well as

ning.

ensuring that the future will have access to local produce. This is one of the most empowering decisions

Our access to fresh, local and organic produce is grow-

that you can make with almost little to no effort. The

ing everyday. Regardless of where you live, there is sure

CSA model makes it simple to participate in making a

to be a CSA for you to join. I highly recommend doing

difference in our world.

some research and get started this summer. You too can make a difference and be inspired to create new recipes like the ones we share below. Eat well and be well.

CHICKPEA MAGAZINE summer 2015

recipe by Penelope Rose For those of us who join CSAs, raise your hand if you’ve ever gotten to a point where you have just a few too many kohlrabi hanging out in the crisper, and no idea how you’re going to use them up. Kohlrabi, like celeriac, is kind of weird-looking. It has a smooth skin, reminiscent of broccoli, but with all these stems shooting out of it like it’s some kind of otherworldly growth. Again, if we avoid judging this book by its cover, and peel the skin, a firm, white flesh awaits. Kohlrabi is a member of the cabbage family, and has this sweet, peppery taste I find rather addicting. Though you could definitely roast it, I like it best raw, paired with other crisp veggies and fruits. This Kohlrabi-Mint Salad is refreshing in a healthy mojito kind of way. It’s the type of dish that requires little from you but chopping and squeezing a lime, and gives you a great bowl to bring to your next summer gathering. Salad Ingredients 2 cups kohlrabi, cut into matchsticks 2 cups purple cabbage, shredded 1 crisp apple (Honeycrisp is great), cut into matchsticks 1/4 cup mint, finely diced Dressing Ingredients 2 tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice 1 tbsp pure maple syrup 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 1 jalapeno, minced 1/2 tsp sea salt 1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper

Instructions 1. Peel kohlrabi and cut into matchsticks. 2. Cut purple cabbage in half, then quarters. Slice thinly, cutting into smaller strips as necessary to make 2 cups of shredded cabbage. 3. Without peeling the apple, remove core and cut into matchsticks the same size as the kohlrabi. 4. Cut mint into small, irregular pieces. 5. Toss all salad ingredients together. 6. In a small glass bowl with a pour spout, whisk together freshly squeezed lime juice, maple syrup, olive oil, minced jalapeño, sea salt and pepper so it is fully combined.

7. Pour over salad and toss well. This salad is best served the day you make it, or the next day.

CHICKPEA MAGAZINE summer 2015

recipe by Penelope Rose Kale gets a lot of press. I’m not saying it isn’t deserved; I love that leafy, healthy vegetable just as much as the rest. But as CSA and farmer’s market season heats up, it’s easy to forget about other veggies that might not be such media darlings. Let’s face it. Celeriac doesn’t have the aesthetic appeal that smooth peppers, vibrant beets, intricate cabbage and delicate greens do. It’s a homely-looking vegetable with bumps and knots and it’s kind of colorless, so that’s not beckoning you over to check it out either. However, once you get rid of the exterior, you’ll find a smooth, white flesh inside. To further entice, it has this delightful flavor that’s a cross between celery and parsley. You could pair it with potatoes to make a mash, you could layer it in a gratin, you could shred it for a slaw. Here, I use it to make my favorite vegan hot-and-sour soup. (Which is neither too hot, nor sour.) I love this soup not only for its use of our featured underestimated veggie, but because it seems to use up many other vegetables available when it’s time to harvest celeriac. It’s light enough to feel appropriate for summer, and will feel perfect on that mid-season night you find yourself grabbing for a sweatshirt. Base Ingredients 3 tbsp rice wine vinegar 2 tbsp tamari 1 tbsp sesame oil 2 tsp kosher salt 2 tsp freshly ground pepper 2 tbsp arrowroot (or corn starch), mixed with 1/4 cup water 4 cups organic vegetable stock Vegetable Ingredients 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 1/2 cup thinly sliced shallots 2 jalapeno peppers, seeds removed, chopped 1 cup peeled, diced celeriac 1 cup unpeeled, diced potatoes 1/2 cup peeled, diced carrots 12 bella button mushrooms, cleaned, stemmed and quartered 1/2 cup diced zucchini 1/2 cup diced tomatoes 1/2 cup sliced scallions additional sesame oil - to garnish

Instructions 1. Prep & chop all vegetables. 2. In a large bowl with a pourable spout, combine the rice wine vinegar, tamari, sesame oil, salt, pepper and arrowroot/ water mixture. Add in the stock and stir to combine. 3. Heat olive oil in a dutch oven or stockpot over medium heat. Add shallots and jalapeño peppers and cook, stirring, for 1-2 minutes. Add celeriac, potatoes, carrots and mushrooms, stir and cook for 2 more minutes. 4. Add stock mixture and bring to a boil. Turn heat to medlow and simmer uncovered, until vegetables are just tender, 15-20 minutes. (Note: If you prefer a thinner soup, you may want to add 1-2 more cups of broth or water before simmering.) 5. Add zucchini and simmer until soft, 5-7 minutes. Then add half of your scallions and tomatoes, and cook for 1 more minute. 6. Ladle soup into bowls and drizzle with sesame oil, placing a few more of the reserved scallions on top in each bowl. This soup is also delicious the next day for lunch.

CHICKPEA MAGAZINE summer 2015

words & photos by Sasha Gora Sugar can taste more than just sweet. It can taste smoky and caramelized, such as the sugar made from palm trees. Palm sugar isn’t a single type of sugar, but instead a category of sugars made from different species of trees and with different methods. The texture is often like a coarse, crumbly fresh fudge. It comes in all sorts of colors, flavors and textures, and the ones I brought home from a recent trip to Myanmar ranged from sour (tamarind palm sugar) to sweet n’ sour (sour plum palm sugar) to tropically sweet (coconut palm sugar). I packed a bag of each in my suitcase. In addition to the sugar, a case of the post-travel blues (which intensify when one cheats on winter by escaping to somewhere warm) and the flu accompanied me home. The first few days I decided to lay low. I rested, read and organized my pantry. It is a good feeling to concentrate on one’s spices and cupboards after a trip - storing new acquisitions in jars, writing labels (such as “soy bean disks, Inle Lake, Myanmar, January 2015”), throwing out expired baking powder, and taking inventory of spices and sugars, and where one has been. A couple of weeks earlier I didn’t know what to pack for the trip, let alone what I would later bring home. It was my first time traveling to a country I knew so little about. I had never even been to a Burmese restaurant. Formerly part of British India and located between China and India, I wasn’t sure if I should call it Burma or Myanmar. Whichever name you use, it is the largest country in mainland Southeast Asia. Yet to me it was a complete stranger. But food is as universal a language as they come. So it was with Burmese food that I began my trip, using cookbooks as guide books. My first entry point was a thick, hardcover book: Naomi Duguid’s 2012 Burma: Rivers of Flavor. After scribbling in its margins and making a list of foods to seek out once I arrived, I decided to write Naomi. She graciously replied and directed me to a blog post she had written with more specific suggestions for traveling and eating across Burma. Between descriptions of noodles served in coconut broth and soup made with peanuts, it was the mention of the local palm sugars in Bagan that stood out.

CHICKPEA MAGAZINE summer 2015

But before some sweet talk, let’s return to names. The country was called Burma until 1989 when the government (a repressive military regime) changed the official name to Myanmar. The change stuck and nearly everyone I spoke with in the country used it, even when adjectives became awkward (“Myanmar people” or “Myanmar food”). However, Naomi’s book is called Burma: Rivers of Flavor and not “Myanmar”. She explains that although the government decided to change the name that they saw as a relic of colonial times, historically it is actually the only name that applies to the country as a whole. This is because ‘Myanma’ refers only to the central valleys that are dominated by the Bamar, and excludes other ethnicities such as Shan and Kachin. With this in mind, I found, and continue to find, myself switching back and forth. I visited at the end of 2014 and already information from 2012 felt dated. The Burma I visited had smart phones and ATMs; only two years earlier, there wasn’t a single ATM machine. Now they circle around Shwedagon, the country’s most sacred Buddhist pagoda. To say that the country is changing quickly would be an understatement. But change is sporadic, affecting some things, while others seem to remain as they have always been. Electricity is now more reliable, yet the country still respects and follows the rhythm of the sun. Street stalls set up shop for breakfast as early as 5AM. Lunch is still the largest meal of the day. Outside of Rangoon, the country’s largest city and former capital, by 11PM the streets are empty, except for bands of dogs howling in the night. Meals, too, have a set rhythm. Just as the landscape goes from lush, green hills and tropical terrain to dry, flat planes, dishes can range from region to region. Nonetheless, certain ingredients and when one eats certain types of foods form a red thread throughout the country’s cuisine. Shallots, red chiles, turmeric, chickpeas (in all their diversity from whole chickpeas to toasted chickpea flour), peanut oil and sesame oil form the backbone of Burmese food. Breakfast is usually a bowl of noodles served in a pungent broth called mohinga, the country’s national dish. Lunch is centered around rice and curry, with dish after dish of accompanying greens, chutneys and small bowls of soup. For the rest of the day’s meals, one stops by tea or noodle shops, or street corners, for big bowls of noodles, Indian flatbreads, or freshly made salads. Sweets aren’t reserved for the end of the meal. Instead, they are snack food. Naomi Duguid writes: “In Burma sweets are a pleasure for the moments in the day when you’re not eating a meal and just want a little pick-me-up.” The sugar of choice for these sweets is palm sugar.

CHICKPEA MAGAZINE summer 2015

It was at the beginning of my second week in Myanmar when I made it to sugar country. Just outside of Bagan, on the way to Mt. Popa, one passes fields of peanuts and palm trees. Several small huts mark the farm where I visited a family who turn palm trees, the Palmyra palm (Borassas flabellifer), into sugar, liquor, furniture and even the huts themselves. The Palmyra can reach a height of 30 meters (nearly 100 feet) and live as long as a century. Whether it is sugar from palms, beets or sugarcane, to make sugar is to boil down a plant’s sweet liquid until it reduces. While watching a man collect the sap from the palm, I found myself thinking about my native Canada and maple syrup. In a country and culture so far away from my own, I was once again reminded that certain laws for producing food know no geographical boundaries. The Burmese word for palm sugar is htanyet but it also goes by jaggery, its well-known Indian name. Tappers, mostly men who aren’t afraid of heights, climb the tall palm trees barefoot, relying only on dainty looking ladders that are strapped to a tree’s trunk. With a machete in hand, the tapper cuts the tree’s inflorescene (a cluster of flowering spikes) and hangs a pot or two to collect the sucrose-rich sap. He returns the next day to gather the cloudy palm juice that has dripped overnight. Both male and female trees produce this sweet sap. To turn the sap into sugar, it is boiled in large, shallow woks. The sap is largely water, which evaporates, and the liquid thickens. While it reduces, it is rigorously stirred. Once the syrup has concentrated, it is pressed into soft bite-sized pieces. The color can range; here the sugar looked like a light toffee. Before it is dried, one can add ingredients to further flavor it, which is what this farm did with fresh coconut, sour plum powder and tamarind pulp. Beyond being sweet, palm juice can also pack a sting. The sap of palm trees is an ingredient for toddy (htan ye), a drink that comes in two forms; the first is naturally fermented, with a lower percentage of alcohol, and the second, arak (also called toddy wine), is distilled and as strong as the noontime heat. To make toddy, the palm juice is left on its own to ferment in a pot and is then boiled down - similar to the process of making sugar. To make booze, you take the pure jaggery and add it to a vat filled with water that has a layer of fermented sticky rice at its bottom. Fermentation is triggered by the sugar activating the yeast in the sticky rice, a two-day process. The fermented liquid is then distilled by being poured into clay pots that are heated over a stove.

CHICKPEA MAGAZINE summer 2015

Pure palm sugar alone can be eaten as a candy. Especially when flavored, you can just eat a small lump and call it dessert or a snack. It can also be used for baking. Staying within the Asian palate, it sweetens sticky rice cake and a crepe like street food called Hidden Treasure (Monpetok) or makes a rich syrup for dipping freshly fried doughnut rings. Departing Asia, this crumbly sugar pairs well with lime and lemon in cakes or cookies, or granita, Italy’s summertime sweet of shaved, flavored ice. Palm sugar tastes earthy and slightly smoky. The flavor is lighter than molasses. Although the process mirrors how maple syrup is made, palm sugar isn’t as sweet as North America’s sweetest sap. Nonetheless, in recipes one can substitute maple syrup or brown sugar or a mixture of the two for palm sugar. And then there’s the possibility of cocktails. In Rangoon (where cocktail bars and more adventurous restaurants are starting to pop up), I bought another cookbook. This time a soft-covered, oversized book that better resembles a school notebook than a cookbook. Mi Mi Khaing’s Cook and Entertain the Burmese Way may not reveal the year in which it was published, but it does tell one how to make palm syrup. Just like simple syrup, one dissolves palm sugar in boiling water. She really goes for it by suggesting 2 cups of solid palm sugar for every 1 cup of water. Naomi is slightly more conservative, stipulating only 1 1/4 cups of sugar. Sweetness aside, making simple syrup from tamarind palm sugar for cocktails is a very good idea. But I’ve been mostly eating the sugar just as is. The coconut palm sugar is the crunchiest, but the sour plum is my favourite. As it crumbles on my tongue, I am reminded how much one can learn about a faraway place by eating and paying attention to its flavors. Now when Myanmar, or Burma, is mentioned, I think about things other than politics. I think about just how sweet the people and the palm trees in this country are. r

CHICKPEA MAGAZINE summer 2015

words, recipes and photos by Karolina Wiercigroch Marinades are an easy, fuss-free way to season grilled foods. They will bring tons of tastiness to your summer BBQ. These recipes use fresh herbs and spices, olive oil and citrus juices to get flavor inside a pressed block of tofu or a bunch of vegetables. Make sure to use a shallow dish, as it will allow marinade to coat food evenly. You can also go for a large plastic bag. Marinate for at least 30 minutes, possibly for a few hours. Prepare the food before marinating. Trim asparagus. Cut baby eggplants in half lengthwise. Cut, trim and clean baby artichokes. Press the water out of a block of tofu before cutting it into cubes. To make the marinades, follow the same pattern: whisk all the ingredients together in a small bowl. Each recipe makes enough to marinate about 1 pound of food.

CHICKPEA MAGAZINE summer 2015

THANKS SO MUCH FOR CHECKING OUT THIS

FREE PREVIEW OF OUR SUMMER ISSUE!

GET THE FULL VERSION HERE

IN EITHER A HIGH-QUALITY PRINT OR EXTENDED DIGITAL EDITION.

SUBSCRIPTIONS ARE ALSO AVAILABLE HERE.

THANKS FOR YOUR SUPPORT!

CHICKPEA MAGAZINE summer 2015

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil juice of 1 lime 2 small green chilies, sliced 1/4 cup of fresh mint, chopped

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil juice of 1/2 a lemon 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped 2 tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped 2 tbsp fresh thyme, chopped 2 tbsp pomegranate seeds

CHICKPEA MAGAZINE summer 2015

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil 2 tsp soy sauce 2 small red chilies, sliced 2 stalks of lemongrass, sliced 1/2 oz. ginger, thinly sliced 2 kaffir lime leaves 1 tsp coriander seeds, toasted 1 tsp cumin seeds, toasted

4 tbsp miso paste 2 tbsp rice vinegar juice & zest of 1/2 an orange & lemon juice and zest of 1 lime 1/2 oz. ginger, thinly sliced r

reviews by Amanda Aldinger

CHICKPEA MAGAZINE summer 2015

the homemade vegan pantry Miyoko Schinner $29.99 print, $10.99 Kindle Ten Speed Press

WHO THIS BOOK IS FOR the vegan cook looking to elevate their cuisine with homemade staples

FIVE FAVE RECIPES oil-free eggless mayo well-crafted macaroni and cheese mix oil-free melty “pepper jack” gluten-free crunchy polenta and seed crackers san francisco fab cakes with capers (plus three vegan sauces!) When you review cookbooks for a category as niche as vegan, eventually the 587th recipe for a grain bowl makes you sigh long before it excites. Even if you’re forever obsessed and looking for new ways to riff off grain bowls, which I am. The more I page through recipes for roasted vegetables, veggie burgers and that endless reinvention of multi-bean chili, the more I hunger for something entirely unexpected. And because of this I sometimes find myself in a rut: totally in love with vegan food and a little bored by it at the same time. When I opened up Miyoko Schinner’s The Homemade Vegan Pantry, a foreword by the inimitable Isa Chandra Moskowitz said something that shot from the page and immediately put things into perspective. “We need to go beyond vegan cooking. We need vegan cuisine.” I had never thought of it that way, but it makes so much sense. Vegans too need time-honored, homegrown favorites. The made-fromscratch relics passed down from kitchen to kitchen…not the stuff from boxes, bags, or the vegan dairy section at the grocery store. Yes, there are recipes for many of these items out there. But Miyoko’s cookbook brings this approach together as a whole philosophy. And she makes it quick and easy while giving each recipe an organic touch that is really quite comforting. In her introduction, she shares that she’s been in the same rut I am. “After all,” she admits, “I like ‘slow food’—but I want it fast.” Breaking our bondage from cooking’s “sacred steps” (do we really need to spend hours stirring risotto for it to taste good?), Miyoko unlocks a million culinary doors and hands us the keys to an entire collection of so-simple, weeknight-friendly recipes for fundamental staples that are far more satisfying when made at home. Many of her creations, like one for macaroni and cheese mix, or an oil-free mayo, are spun in a blender or food processor and ready for swift consumption. Others, like a classic pancake and biscuit mix, come together effortlessly and give you all the tools to whip up a homemade, completely unprocessed meal in no time at all. Overall each recipe is much easier than you’d think, unveiling decadent, pure flavors easy on the environment, your wallet, and your digestive tract.

CHICKPEA MAGAZINE summer 2015

my new roots Sarah Britton Potter

$29.99 print, $12.79 Kindle

WHO THIS BOOK IS FOR My New Roots superfans, and plant-based, seasonal food aficionados looking for a fresh boost of inspiration

FIVE FAVE RECIPES mint chip ice cream sandwiches (made with raw chocolate chip cookies!) banoffee pie leek “scallops” and chanterelles on black rice full bloom arugula salad with millet, red currants, and nasturtiums trippy tie-dye soup This is a seriously beautiful cookbook. Featuring uncomplicated recipes that are so elegant, there’s a special flourish to the presentation that is at once organic, vibrant and entirely unfussy. If you’re at all in tune with the food blogosphere then you’ve likely heard of the “Life Changing Loaf of Bread” — that dense, nutty toastable comprised nearly entirely of nuts and seeds, save a bit of maple syrup for sweetness and the psyllium seed husks that tie the whole operation together. That came from Sarah, and that genius creation is the one that launched her blog, My New Roots, into unwavering food blog fame. Her cookbook is punctuated with those same bursts of culinary inspiration, courtesy of her creative interplay between the fun and different, the refreshingly practical (I’ve never been so inspired to sprout my own seeds), and a real about-face of beloved animal-based items made entirely plant-friendly (I’m looking at you, leek “scallops”). Whether it’s corn bread shot through with zucchini and chili flakes, grapes grounding a detoxifying salsa, or a tahini sauce spiked with tangerine and apple cider vinegar, these are recipes that gently, but deliciously, push boundaries, proving there’s always a new way to bring something unexpected to old favorites. Sarah is a nutritionist and extremely passionate about health, so the book is not only beautifully photographed and laid out, but it’s loaded with eye-opening musings on the nutritional potential of the superfoods that star in her recipes. Roasted red pepper walnut dip comes with the healthful tip that green bell peppers are simply immature red ones, and can actually be harder for your body to digest. The notes alongside a bright, verdant Fava Bean, Sweet Pea, and Tarragon Soup illuminate the fava bean’s powerful health benefits, including their remarkable fiber content — higher, in fact, than any other plant food except wheat. Hummus infused with sorrel notes that the lemony green has the same antioxidants and healing properties as kale. There’s a reason people are so excited about this cookbook. It’s a special collection devised by someone who is deeply passionate about good food, and who is uniquely talented at bringing her ingredients to life. As she says in her intro, “I love to eat. A lot. I often joke that my current way of living evolved from needing to find a way to eat a lot and still be healthy.” Count me in.

CHICKPEA MAGAZINE summer 2015

street vegan Adam Sorbel $25 print, $13.99 Kindle Clarkson Potter

WHO THIS BOOK IS FOR anyone enticed by the idea of decadent vegan street food (and all those mourning the loss of NYC’s beloved Cinnamon Snail food truck)

FIVE FAVE RECIPES yacon and cherry pancakes with lemon cashew cream and red wine cherries chimichurri tempeh empanadas with mint onion relish gochuchang burger deluxe red bean-scallion pancakes with thai basil tofu strips and tamarind plum sauce beer-battered french toast Adam Sobel is the mastermind behind one of NYC’s most cultish vegan food scenes: the Cinnamon Snail food truck. Over the last five years, Adam’s dramatic, inspired menu has won award after award, consistently lauded as one of the best food trucks in the city, so an announcement earlier this year that he would be closing down his prized restaurant-onwheels left New Yorkers devastated. Luckily, now we have Street Vegan: a one-stop-shop powerhouse compilation of Cinnamon Snail’s most beloved recipes — including the crème brûlée donuts that have become a fanatical obsession for so many, and an epic chapter breaking down the donut (chocolate ganache-stuffed s’more donuts, I’m coming for you) layered with Adam’s intricate notes and tips for crafting the perfect vegan pastry. Inspired by compassionate ethical practices, Adam’s recipes thrive on their invention, inversion of tradition and a host of crazy flavor profiles that inspire true creativity in the kitchen. Coconut milk is made even dreamier with infusions of maca powder and star anise, stuffed peppers feature a marinade steeped with lapsang souchong tea, and a live ramen gets the raw treatment. Ingredient lists are on the longer side and there’s no fear of frying, but these are recipes that have been constructed with a great deal of careful thought, as well as in-person trial and error on the country’s most critical food community. They require and respect imagination, and many of them, including the Miso Teriyaki Seitan sandwich, have seen people drive for up to an hour to wait in line just to savor a bite. Adam’s passion is infectious, and Street Vegan is filled with stories of misadventures, utter failures, and resounding accomplishments alike. It’s refreshing to hear that even an endeavor as profoundly successful as Cinnamon Snail routinely suffered so many setbacks — not because anyone would ever want Adam, or his family, to fail, but simply because it reminds us that great passion, and achingly hard work, are the necessary engines driving true success. Overflowing with innovative combinations (lavender-roasted shallots!) this may not be your everyday cookbook, but it’s definitely one to turn to when you want to blow anyone out of the water with the power and flavor-potential of plant-based cooking.

the complete vegetarian cookbook America’s Test Kitchen $29.99 print, $15.49 Kindle

THE BEST PART 700 recipes, covering every single type of food you could ever possibly want

FIVE FAVE RECIPES ultimate vegetarian chili israeli couscous with caramelized fennel and spinach stir-fried bok choy with noodle cake thai-style tofu and basil lettuce cups rice salad with cauliflower, cashews, and mango America’s Test Kitchen, that veritable food mecca, has given non-meat eaters a giant gift: their first vegetarian cookbook — a plant-based behemoth complete with 700 recipes. 250 are vegan, and that number jumps substantially with easy substitutions like coconut oil for butter, or the simple elimination of cheese (pesto is perfectly delicious without parmesan, as we all know), 500 are gluten-free, and not a single one contains any meat at all. The best way to describe this book is to say that it literally addresses everything you could possibly cover in the world of vegetarian cooking. From photographed steps for holding a knife and prepping the staple veggies in any kitchen, to a pasta guide printed with each one’s true names and what they mean (did you know “pappardelle” means “gulp down?”). Any possible technique that a home cook may not have attempted before is also photographed for easy instruction, from sorting dried beans and pressing tofu, to assembling potstickers and stuffing pre-baked naan. And while not all recipes come with their own photos, each does come complete with its own helpful key, noting whether it can be cooked quickly (45 minutes from start to finish), and whether it is vegan or gluten-free. America’s Test Kitchen operates under the philosophy that through their tried and true recipe-testing methods, they are able to deliver the best possible version of any given recipe. Unlike most cookbooks, where you’re getting one person’s solo perspective on what makes the perfect stew, or the best summer salad, here, the fruits of labor are a giant team effort. So while you might not be looking at the most innovative way to make a certain dish, you are definitely holding in your hands the recipe for a delicious, flavorful new staple, easy to whip together and guaranteed to be loved by any variety of eater. Each recipe also comes with a generous paragraph laying out why America’s Test Kitchen believes this particular recipe represents the best version of the dish. Their valuable insight is brilliant for explaining and educating about different cooking methods and flavor combinations. It’s an intellectual, and beautifully well-rounded, approach to cooking and sharing recipes. This book is so massively comprehensive it’s an unabashed win for absolutely anyone — from bold home cooks who relish being in the kitchen to fearful souls starting completely from scratch.

CHICKPEA MAGAZINE summer 2015

the sprouted kitchen bowl + spoon Sara Forte $25 print, $11.84 Kindle Ten Speed Press

WHO THIS BOOK IS FOR those who know, deep down, that food always tastes best in a bowl

FIVE FAVE RECIPES chunky mediterranean eggplant dip barbecue tempeh, greens, and cauliflower “couscous” tahini kale slaw and roasted tamari portobello bowl cocoa banana cups dark cherry hazelnut salsa Sara Forte, of the fanatically popular whole foods blog and cookbook, Sprouted Kitchen, has brought her fresh, vibrant approach to cooking to the health food community’s current fetish: bowl food. That is, quite simply, food served in bowls. Its popularity is not unwarranted. Bowl food is the ideal vehicle for repurposing any leftover: those last bits of rice languishing in a takeout container, an unused avocado half daring to brown, a handful of roasted veg, or the last of a bunch of greens not substantial enough to be turned into salad, but so satisfying when chopped into a crunchy garnish. It is the perfect intersection between comfort and nourishment, and, with the right sauce, is incurably addicting. Thanks to bowls, those unusable bits and bobs that have plagued the refrigerators (and consciences) of home cooks since forever are now the most luxurious ingredients populating the most delicious meals. And now, thanks to Sara, you have a whole book of luscious recipes to inspire the very meal concept you likely already lust after. Perhaps have even cooked to death. So why not find a new classic? Where she really inspires are her sauces, dressings and salsas, which are just insanely delicious. Her Tahini Citrus Miso Dressing had me moaning with every bite (cliché, I know, but that is literally what happened). A Thai Lemongrass Sauce brings fresh, bright, authentic flavors to traditional stir-fries. Perfect especially for summer gatherings or those moments when you want to whip up something fancy without being married to your kitchen for hours. I can’t wait to set out her Dark Cherry Hazelnut Salsa at my next gathering, or dish up a dessert pudding that requires little more than a blender and a few ramekins. From sides to desserts, and every meal in between, Sara’s easy, fresh, spoon-forward recipes come to the table bursting with joy, good health, and a need to be shared. r

CHICKPEA MAGAZINE summer 2015

recipes & photos by Agata Deja

CHICKPEA MAGAZINE summer 2015

Tofu indulgence. Sweet and decadent. Simple to make and gluten-free. Serves 6-8. Tools 17cm (about 7â&#x20AC;?) round cake pan Crust Ingredients 1 cup (130g) hazelnuts or almonds 1 cup (120g/15 pieces) fresh dates 2 tbsp carob powder or cocoa powder

Cheesecake Ingredients 2 cups extra-firm organic tofu (500g) 1 cup chopped dark chocolate - 70% cocoa content(150g) 3/4 cup brown sugar juice of 1 lemon 3 tbsp carob powder or cocoa powder 1/2 tsp dried vanilla powder (or the scraped seeds of 1 vanilla bean) 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon Toppings strawberries or raspberries

CHICKPEA MAGAZINE summer 2015

Instructions 1. Press the tofu. Remove tofu from the package, wrap it in 2 sheets of paper towel, put it on a plate and put some weight on top, for example, a bottle of water or a large jar with something in it; leave it like that for approximately 10 minutes. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s necessary to remove all the excess water from the tofu. 2. Next put hazelnuts, pitted dates and carob powder in a food processor and mix for few minutes, until a sticky dough is made. Line the cake pan with baking paper. 3. Distribute the crust mix on the bottom of the pan, and carefully level it with your hand. Put it in the fridge. 4. Melt the chocolate in a water bath. Use a double boiler or, simply, a heat-resistant bowl set on top of a pot of boiling water. 5. Grind the sugar in a coffee grinder to make it smooth and finegrained. 6. Unwrap the tofu and put it in a high-speed blender and add the sugar, melted chocolate, lemon juice, carob powder, vanilla and cinnamon. Blend until smooth. 7. Pour it over the prepared crust, and level with a spatula. Refrigerate overnight. Decorate with fresh fruits and enjoy. Store the cake in the fridge for up to 5 days. r

CHICKPEA MAGAZINE summer 2015

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CHICKPEA MAGAZINE summer 2015