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Healthy Chicago Cooking Classes

sauces

Roasted Vegetables with Almond-Carrot Top Crumble

Sheet pan roasted vegetables are my absolute go-to dish in the fall and winter. I always have a batch of them around because they are so super simple to do, they make a great side or a fine main, can always be blended into a soup and it’s a great way to use up all the odds and ends.

But plain ol’ roasted veggies can certainly get boring, even to me. Yummy sauces (like my Cashew Bechamel Sauce or my Coconut Almond Dipping Sauce) are just a couple ways to mix it up. Today I’m giving you another fun option with this Almond and Carrot Top Crumble. Think of it as a loose pesto that just needs to be tossed together.

Fresh kaleidoscope carrots, purple sweet potatoes, honey nut squash and a couple of onion slices provided a great backdrop for the topping, but any roasted veggie is going to perform great in this dish. I toss all the veggies on a tray and let them cook, then just toss the remaining ingredients on top- it couldn’t be simpler!

Happy Eats,

~Monique

Roasted Veggies with Almond-Carrot Top Crumble

1 sheet pan full of veggies, chopped into large pieces (I used 1/2 small squash, 1 small potato, two handfuls of carrots and onion slices)

2 tbls olive oil, divided

1 tsp Himalayan pink salt

fresh ground black pepper

1 cup carrot tops, roughly chopped

1/4 cup slivered almonds

1 garlic clove, minced

Juice and zest of 1 lemon

->Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Toss the veggies with 1 tbls of the oil, the salt and a few grinds of fresh black pepper. Roast 25 minutes or until just fork tender. Finish under the broiler for 2 minutes.

While the veggies bake, toss together the remaining oil, carrot tops, almonds, garlic clove and lemon juice and zest in a small bowl.

When potatoes and done, drizzle the dressing over the top.

Tahini Kale Coleslaw

You can never go wrong with a side of coleslaw and this Tahini Kale Coleslaw is no different. But this one changes up the dressing with creamy tahini and ume paste- a sweet and salty fermented plum paste that offers an addictive flavor.  Substitute vinegar and perhaps a touch of honey in place of the ume.

 

Tahini Kale Coleslaw

2 cups red cabbage, sliced thin

1 cup kale, torn into pieces

1/2 green apple, cut into matchsticks

1 carrot, shredded

2 tbls pumpkin seeds (pepitas)

2 tbls craisins

handful of snipped chives

2 tbls tahini

2 tsp ume paste (or apple cider vinegar + a touch of honey)

6 tbls orange juice

1 tbls lemon juice

1 tbls extra virgin olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

 

Whisk together the tahini, ume paste or vinegar, orange & lemon juice and oil.

Toss the cabbage, kale, carrot, apple, pepitas and craisins with dressing.  Top with snipped chives.

Add salt and pepper as desired to taste.

 

Cashew Bechamel Sauce

A creamy, delectable, ‘cheesy’ bechamel sauce made from cashews and nutritional yeast. It’s sunning and you’ll never miss the dairy! This cashew cheese sauce is great on EVERYTHING (like my Chorizo Stuffed Squash). Trust me!

~Monique

Cashew Bechamel Sauce

1 cup soaked cashews

2 tbls olive oil

1/2 onion, diced

3-4 garlic cloves

1 celery stick

1 tbls dijon mustard

1/4 cup lemon juice

1/3  cup nutritional yeast

2-4 cups broth or water

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

Heat 1 tbls of oil over medium heat, add the onions and saute 5 minutes. Add in the celery and saute another 5 minutes, the onions should be becoming browned. Add the garlic in and saute for another minute or two. Remove from heat.

Place the  onion mixture in the blender with the soaked cashews, remaining olive oil, mustard, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, salt, pepper and 2 cups of broth or water. Blend on high until creamy and warm. Add additional liquid as needed to reach desired consistency. Taste and adjust as needed.

NOTE: Be careful of heating cashew sauces in a pan, they become very thick and burn quickly. I like to use them straight from the blender. But if you need to re-heat the sauce, do it on low temperature and stir constantly. Stop before boiling. 

Chorizo Sausage-Stuffed Summer Squash

Take your summer squash up a knotch by making a sausage-stuffed summer squash using chorizo. Guaranteed to fill you up and taste amazing.  I created it dairy free, but give you an option to top with cheese based on your preference.

Enjoy!

~Monique

 

Chorizo Stuffed Summer Sausage

4 large yellow summer squash or zucchini

4 chorizo sausages

2 tbls olive or avocado oil or ghee

1 small onion, diced

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 celery sticks, diced

1 tbls fresh thyme

Salt and pepper

Cashew Bechamel Sauce

Optional: edible flowers, cheese

Remove the sausages from the casing and saute until cook, using a wooden spoon to break up the meat. Remove from pan and set aside. Remove an extra grease from pan as well.

While the meat is cooking. Cut the squash in half lengwise and scoop out the insides (saving this for the stuffing), leaving just enough flesh for the squash to retain their shape.

Rub the squash with 1 tbls of oil, season well with salt and pepper. Grill (or roast) the squash until just fork tender.

Dice the onions and celery and mince the garlic. Also dice up insides of the squash.

Heat remaining oil over medium high heat, add the diced onions and celery. Cook for about 5 minutes just to soften. Add in the garlic and the diced squash and a good sprinkling of salt and pepper. Cook another 5 minutes until the squash is lightly sauted. Add back in the chorizo nd the fresh thyme and toss well. If the pan is super dry, add a couple tablespoons of water.  Taste and add additional salt and pepper as needed.

Place each squash on a platter and fill each with the chorizo filling.

Drizzle with my creamy , ‘cheesy’ Cashew Bechamel sauce. Top with edible flowers. Enjoy while warm.

Optional: Or top with a bit of cheese, then place under the oven broiler for a couple minutes to melt the cheese.

Cauliflower Cheese Sauce

Prep Time: 

Cook Time: 

Ingredients
1 tbls ghee

2 cups cooked, warm cauliflower

2 tbls nutritional yeast

4 tbls milk (dairy free)

2-4 garlic cloves, roasted

1 tbls lemon juice

pinch salt and pepper

Directions
If the cauliflower isn’t cooked, steam it to fork tender.

Place all the ingredients in the blender, blend until smooth and creamy.

Enjoy over roasted veggies, chicken or turkey or pasta.

Notes
Cooked cauliflower makes a creamy, delicious sauce. Add more or less roasted garlic to your liking.

Almond Coconut Dipping Sauce

Ingredients
3/4 cup almonds

1/2 cup coconut milk

1 thumb fresh ginger

1 tsp maple syrup

1.5 tsp sesame oil

1 tsp tamari or coconut aminos

pinch salt

squeeze of lime (optional)

Directions
Place all the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.

Store in the fridge.

Notes
This little power-packed dip is a protein filled, inflammation fighting and good fat delicious dip.

Use with a grilled chicken, as a dip for fresh veggies or a spread for a sandwich.

NOtella: Nut-free Chocolate Nutella

Prep Time:

Cook Time:

Ingredients

3 tbls sunflower seeds

3 tbls pepitas (pumpkin seeds)

2 tbls sesame seeds

3 tbls hemp seeds

2 tbls cacao nibs

2 tbls raw cacao powder

3 tbls coconut sugar

1 tbls neutral oil (avocado, grape seed)

Directions

Toast the pepitas, sunflower and sesame seeds. They will all toast at a different rate, so ideally toast each separately.  Or try my trick for toasting them all in one pan together:

Begin toasting the pumpkin seeds over low heat. As they start to become toasted on one side add in the sunflower seeds and toss well. After a few minutes as those seeds begin to toast add in the sesame seeds and toss well. Toast everything a few more minutes. Remove from heat and cool slightly.

Place all the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Add a touch more or less oil as needed to achieve desired consistency.

Store in a glass jar in the refrigerator.

Sundried Tomato Pesto

Prep Time:
30 minutes (for soaking)

Cooking Time:
>5 minutes to blend

Ingredients
12 sundried tomatoes

3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/3 cup almonds

1 tbls fresh rosemary

1/2 tsp smoky paprika

2 garlic cloves

1 packed cup kale

1 1/2 tbls white balsamic vinegar

Directions
Soak the tomatoes in the olive oil for about 30 minutes.

Combine all ingredients (including the soaked tomatoes and oil) in a blender or food processor. Blend until combined and chunky, but stop before the pesto is smooth. Leaving some texture in the pesto gives it more depth.

Use immediately or store in the fridge for up to one week.

Garlic Cashew ‘Cheese’ Dip

Prep Time: 

Cook Time: 

Ingredients
Garlic Cashew Cheese Dip

2 garlic cloves
2 tbls lemon juice
2 tbls nutritional yeast
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup water~ more as needed
scant tsp salt
1 heaping cup cashews, soaked 2 hours

Directions
Soak cashew in water for up to 4 hours. Strain and rinse well.
Place all ingredients, except for cashews in a blender and blend until smooth.
Add the cashew and blend again until smooth. Add more water as needed to get the mixture to blend smooth.

Can use immediately but I find it best after chilling a few hours to a day.
*Add more water to turn this into a dressing, or less water if you want it to be a much thicker dip.

Cumin Salsa

Prep Time: 

Cook Time

Ingredients
1 white onion

2 tomatoes

juice of 1 lime

1/2 jalapeno

1 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp ground coriander

1 Tbls fresh oregano

Directions
Finely dice the onion, place half in a blender and set the other half in a bowl. Chop one tomato and add to the onion bowl. Rough chop the other and place in the blender.

Add the remaining ingredients to the blender and pulse a few times to combine and break everything down. Pour into the bowl with the diced onions and tomatoes. Stir to combine. Enjoy.