The Smiling Onion

Vegetarian and Gluten-free Cooking

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Oatmeal with Frothed Milk, Jaggery, Raisins, and Hazelnuts

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I tend to be very opinionated about things most people consider inconsequential. Oatmeal is one of them. After many disillusioning attempts at following package directions and different recipes from the internet, I finally realized I like to make my oatmeal with WAY more water than is usually called for. I also like to put the oats and water in at the same time for a creamier texture, and they must soak for a bit before the flame is turned on. Finally, I don’t really enjoy oatmeal when it’s piping hot. The texture and flavor are so much more satisfying when it’s served warm.

Since discovering my surprisingly strong oatmeal preferences a few years ago, I’ve developed my own oatmeal making method, and haven’t looked back. I’ll also share it with anyone who will listen, because…you know…passion about inconsequential matters is hard to shake! Recently, however, I discovered something new: the wonders of adding frothed milk to oatmeal. This happened because of something else I’m overly passionate about, of course: the proper ratio of frothed milk to espresso. While I enjoy a cappuccino now and again, I can’t stand it when too much milk waters down the boldness of the coffee. One day, I accidentally frothed more than I needed, and not wanting it to go to waste, I decided to pour it into my oatmeal. The results were quite incredible.

It sounds simple, but the interplay of textures – the creaminess of the oatmeal and the fluffiness of the milk – took my oatmeal to a whole new level. The addition of frothed milk may even turn some oatmeal agnostics into oatmeal believers. The stickiness that some find off-putting is mellowed by the frothy texture and it also serves to make your bowl of oatmeal much more visually appealing! My favorite way to enjoy it is with a sprinkle of jaggery – an unrefined sugar common in Indian cuisines that has incredible molasses-y notes – a few raisins and maybe some toasted hazelnuts for good measure. What a breakfast!

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Oyster Mushroom & Edamame Tacos

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Pandemic life has caused a lot of us to pick up new hobbies – whether it’s sourdough or zoom ballroom. While my day job keeps me pretty busy (hence the less frequent blog posts), one pandemic activity my husband and I have turned to time and again is taco making. As a result, we’re now complete tortilla snobs – casually making our own tortillas whenever the mood strikes. And the mood strikes often – because my husband is taco OBSESSED.

I’m beginning to share this obsession. There’s something uniquely satisfying about biting into a soft, hot tortilla filled to the brim with whatever savory goodness the day calls for. And you can really put anything in a taco. I’ve used Indian-inspired spiced potatoes topped with grated cheddar and sour cream, leftover tofu scramble with cilantro and fresh tomatoes, simple scrambled eggs with goat cheese and scallions – and of course, one of my favorites – these brussels sprouts tacos with spicy crema and feta. However, I recently came up with a new combo that might just be my new favorite: oyster mushrooms and edamame.

Similar to the brussels sprouts tacos mentioned above, these tacos have very few ingredients but the secret is in the way you cook them. You’ll use a large skillet so that everything browns and develops incredible flavor compounds, resulting in a filling  so good that it’s VERY difficult not to eat it all up before it’s in your tortillas. If you choose to leave these vegan, you won’t miss the cheese. That said, though not imperative, I *do* think a fried egg and a very light sprinkling of feta add to the magic.

If you’re looking for a special something on Valentine’s Day, I highly recommend giving these tacos a try. They are sumptuous and meaty, and super cute to boot! They would be perfect as part of a romantic, small plates style meal (one of my preferred ways to eat!) as they make just enough for one or two servings. Plus, according to the internet, mushrooms are an aphrodisiac, making these tacos even more Valentine’s Day appropriate. (Of course, soy doesn’t exactly fit into the aphrodisiac camp, but we’ll just overlook that tiny detail.) Also – if you’ve never made tortillas before – that’s either a great labor of love you can undertake yourself or a super fun activity to try with your special someone(s).

A few notes about making tortillas:

-There are a million tortilla making recipes. We just use the one on the back of the Organic Masa flour package from Bob’s Red Mill. BUT…we don’t let it sit for an hour, as they suggest. Just knead it until it seems like a good consistency and get pressing already!

-When we were researching tortilla making best practices, we came across a tip for fluffy tortillas: heat your skillet, add a tortilla, and let it sit for just 10 seconds or so. Flip it, cook until the second side is done, and then flip it back onto the first side to finish cooking. I’m pretty sure we got that tip from this page, which also has fantastically detailed instructions that tell you everything you ever wanted to know about tortilla making.

-I don’t mean to imply that you have to make your own tortillas! You can absolutely use store-bought corn tortillas for these tacos and they will be DELICIOUS! Seriously, you don’t even have to put the filling in a taco if you don’t want to – it’s SOOO yummy!

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Green Bean Chutney

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If I were the subject of one of those desert island thought experiments – you know, where you have to choose things to bring with you – I’m pretty sure my blender would be one of them. (That’s assuming, of course, that this desert island scenario included ingredients for me to put in said blender as well as some sort of electrical power – either run off currents or magic, I’m not fussy.) Why would I choose to bring a blender? Well, first of all, it would probably be hot so I would definitely need to make shakes like this one (yum, salted caramel!) and this leche de tamarindo. Ooh, and this tropical papaya smoothie would definitely help me cool down too. I also wouldn’t know what kind of protein sources would be available and how they would taste, so the ability to make vegan sauces like this creamy garlic staple, this decadent walnut sauce, and this spicy serrano cream would make anything taste delicious. (Hemp seeds would have to go on the list too as they are the BEST vegan sauce base, IMHO.) And, to finally get onto the topic of this post, my blender would also enable me to whip up bright and flavor-packed chutneys like the green bean one detailed here – keeping life fresh and beautiful.

Chutney was actually the middle name of one of my childhood pets, Mango. (Yes, Mango Chutney). No, I did not name him – my parents get credit for that. (Where do you think my love of food comes from?)

Anyway, this green bean chutney floated into my head one day after wondering what to do with the 1/2 pound of green beans I had left. I knew they’d be gone all too soon if I roasted them with balsamic, which is usually my go-to, and I was feeling kind of like a sandwich for dinner but didn’t really have anything to dress it up with and make it pop. So…I steamed some green beans, then whirred them up in my trusty blender with cumin seeds, tamarind paste, a bit of sugar, cilantro, lemon, some cayenne for spice, and some oil to help it blend. Delicious!

Bright, fresh, and tangy – but with some warmth from the cumin – this chutney is so versatile. I first enjoyed it on a sandwich with goat cheese and a fried egg, but it would also be amazing on potatoes, grain bowls, or mixed with a bit of yogurt/sour cream for a creamy sauce. You can also enjoy it by the spoonful, which I did rather too much of that first night. (I mean, gotta scrape out the blender, right?) Luckily, the recipe made a cup so even after binging on it, I had plenty to pack up and store in the fridge – ready to make the next meal pop.

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Spiced Carrot Salad with Fennel & Olives

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I tend to think a lot about food right before bed, probably because my mindless internet browsing of choice involves a lot of food blog scrolling. I’ll admit – it’s not a great habit. I end up having to expend a lot of will power in order to sleep on an empty stomach (which is definitely best for digestion, inflammation, disease prevention, quality of sleep…ugh, pretty much everything.) But I do sometimes get great ideas for what to make the next day!

I saw this salad from Smitten Kitchen during one of my pre-sleep food browsing sessions, and could not get the words “crushed olives” out of my head. I’ll spare you a detailed retelling of my dreams that night, but suffice it to say that the crushed olives made quite an impression on my subconscious. Anyway, I had some fennel stalks and fronds in the fridge (left over from making this lovely white gazpacho) and had been wanting to put them to good use, but – aside from the crushed olives – the rest of the salad didn’t look all that appealing to me. I’m not a fan of orange zest, and not that big on shaved fennel or fennel-centric dishes generally. I also didn’t have any fennel bulb  – just the stalks and fronds. What I did have was carrots! (You probably guessed that already.)

Now, one of my absolute favorite salads ever is Ottolenghi’s Moroccan carrot (which you can find here). So it occurred to me that I could do a sort of variation of that – but with the fronds, stalks, and olives from Smitten Kitchen’s recipe. I knew I wanted to vary up the spice mix a bit and simplify the recipe some as well. I also knew that I wanted to sauté my fronds, rather than leave them raw.

And thus, a perfect late summer/early autumn salad was born. I’m actually amazed that I got it so perfect on the very first try – measurements and all. It’s just the right amount of spice, just the right amount of tang, just the right amount of fennel (which I tend to prefer as an accent, not a centerpiece), and basically just balanced AF. The first night I made it, we ate it by itself for a late dinner.  The next day, we enjoyed it on our balcony with some barely warmed quinoa, simple sautéed chickpeas, and a cold kale and tomato dish. Yum!

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Unbelievable Salted Caramel Almond Shake (Vegan, Sugar-Free)

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If you were to blindfold me and give me something to eat or drink, I’m fairly confident in my ability to tell you what it is and what’s in it. Similarly, when I whip up this concoction or that one, I don’t usually run into too many surprises when it comes to the final product. It generally tastes about how I expected it would – sometimes a little bit better, of course, and sometimes a little bit worse. But when I took my first sip of this shake, I was shocked. Like, actually shocked. It may sound hyperbolic, but I believe this is one of the best shakes I’ve ever had and I was expecting it to be one of the worst. I’m calling it “unbelievable” because I definitely wouldn’t believe you if you gave me a glass of this and then told me the ingredient list.

Why would I purposefully create a shake that I thought would be mediocre? Pure laziness. My blender was in the fridge because I had made a miso-sesame dressing and was still working on using up the leftovers. And I wanted a banana shake. The thought of scraping all that dressing out, cleaning the blender, making the shake, and then re-cleaning the blender was, shall we say, a bit too much. But I really wanted that shake.

Now, I do know that culinary creations like miso caramel – even miso ice-cream – exist and are enjoyed. But this dressing also contained capers, black pepper, and olive oil. There was no way it would work in a shake. I resigned myself to maybe having some kind of half sweet, half savory concoction because that sounded better than cleaning the blender. In went 1 1/2 very ripe, frozen bananas, a dollop of salted almond butter (oh god, did I really want to add more salt?) and a hefty dose of unsweetened almond milk. I whirred it all up, anxiously awaiting what I was fairly certain would be a regrettable decision. And then I took a sip.

It was….it was…it was like going to one of those super gourmet, trendy ice-cream parlors that always have lines out the door and it actually meeting all the hype. I mean, it tasted like a dairy-laden, sugar-laden, salted caramel ice-cream shake with a hint of sesame and almond! And it was actually just bananas, a very healthy hippy-style miso dressing, and almond milk. HOW DID THIS HAPPEN? The almond butter and sesame flavors played perfectly with the front-and-center caramel flavor, and the whole thing was just the best sweet, cold, creamy, nutty, nuanced concoction I’ve had the pleasure of tasting in a while.

Ironically, I was originally going to post the miso-sesame dressing, but then figured – eh. Everyone and their mother has a miso dressing. Sure, it’s an enjoyable way to eat a salad, a lettuce wrap, or a grain bowl. But is it blog-worthy? Meh. This shake, however, (which requires first making the standard miso-dressing) is most assuredly blog worthy. And drinking worthy. My enjoyment of it was a little bit tinged by anxiety about whether I would be able to recreate it – after all, I just used a blender containing some dressing – I didn’t measure amounts at all! I’m happy to report, however, that I was. The recipe is below. Be prepared to be shocked.

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Freestyle Fried “Rice”

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These days, flexibility is key. While I used to be one of those people who would go to four different stores just to find one item, that’s obviously changed. Minimizing our time at the grocery store is important, as is adopting a “no-expectations” attitude when it comes to the items that will be waiting for you there. So, in the spirit of flexibility, I thought it might be nice to share a “recipe” that can be easily customized based on what you have on hand. It’s also comforting, flavorful, easy to make, and leftover-friendly (both in the sense that you can use up veggies or grains that are already cooked AND in the sense that it’s easy to make a LOT of this and eat it over a few days). I’m calling it freestyle fried “rice.”

“Rice” is in quotes because you can use just about any grain. My favorite is actually millet, or a mixture of rice and millet. The only grains you probably want to stay away from are the porridgy ones like teff, amaranth, and oats, as they won’t really give you that fried rice feel and are also strongly-flavored. This dish also works best with leftover (refrigerated) cooked grains, which is one reason I always make more than I need whenever I make a fresh grain as part of dinner. Even if I don’t end up making this freestyle “fried” rice, having a grain already prepped and ready to be reheated in the fridge means one component of a meal is already done!

In the spirit of freestyling, I’ve decided not to use measurements for this. It’s more of a general “how to” recipe that you can make using the guidelines below, your own intuitions, and your taste buds. (FYI, if you are interested in perfecting your cooking intuitions, my sibling, Rafael Natan, is offering sliding scale cooking lessons via Zoom. Rafael will help you use your taste buds and senses to create delicious meals suited to you and what you have available in your kitchen. Check it out!)

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Kabocha & Tofu Stew

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You know what sounds better than braving the New York restaurant scene on Valentine’s Day? Staying in and eating comfort food. And yes, I know that sometimes means nachos or fries or pizza, but with the crazy January we’ve had here in the U.S., I’ve been craving something a bit more nourishing.

After all, Valentine’s Day is about taking time out to appreciate those you love and giving them a little extra care and attention. That could be friends, a partner/partners, or even yourself. So in my book, cooking a nourishing (and incredibly tasty) meal is a great way to celebrate. And if you want to break out the ice-cream or alcohol later in the night, I won’t judge.

This stew will make your apartment smell insanely amazing. First, we fry some tofu with chives and ginger (a meal in itself!), then it gets simmered with kabocha, tamari, thyme, and cumin. Finally, we fold in some kale, add some more seasoning, and pop in some kabocha chunks to bite into (the first ones become part of the stewy sauce!). The result is a velvety, umami-laden sauce with a nice gingery punch, chunks of nutty kabocha and meaty tofu sprinkled throughout, and beautiful, tender greens to add to the love. Serve it with your favorite grain, or enjoy it on its own.

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Banana Spice Muffins

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I didn’t plan to bake today. But sometimes, inspiration just strikes and the mixing bowls have to come out. Of course, knowing your baking triggers can be helpful when it comes to acceptance. Here are mine:

-Rain or snow

-The remnants of rain or snow (snow-covered trees, clouds of fog, etc.)

-Waking up early without an alarm

-A clean kitchen

Today, waking up at 7 to a light dusting of very pretty snow and realizing that I had the morning free set my internal baking clock to “Go.” And why fight that? Especially when it resulted in these surprisingly healthy (you wouldn’t know it from the taste) banana spice muffins that happen to be gluten-free, dairy-free, and refined-sugar free. Yum!

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Rugelach Carrots

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Rosh Hashanah (the Jewish New Year) begins tonight, and my family has already started celebrating. Our traditional Rosh Hashanah hike happened yesterday; tashlich and apple-picking happened today. When asked which night we wanted to do the “big” dinner, Raf (the youngest of us) responded, “I was hoping both would be a decent size.” And so we’re doing two Rosh Hashanah dinners, both complete with plenty of sweet flavors to encourage sweetness in the year ahead.

Traditionally, I’ve made cake-like desserts for Rosh Hashanah, like this Chocolate-Hazelnut Cake, Apples and Honey Cake, and Apple-Ricotta Tart. However, this year, I wanted something a bit simpler and more veggie centric. I also wanted to embrace the fall theme, since the leaves are just starting to change and some of my happiest moments have been seeing these bits of color floating through the air and landing gracefully on the grass, where I know they will soon be crunched underfoot, raked, and potentially jumped in. Oh, how I love fall!

So carrots it was. Isn’t it always carrots? The lovely yellow, purple, and orange medley of rainbow carrots reminded me of the changing leaves and the luscious foliage that is right around the corner. I roasted them whole, until very tender, and then topped them with what I’ve termed “essence of rugelach” – walnuts, raisins, cinnamon, and brown sugar. (What is rugelach, you ask? It’s a very traditional Jewish cookie often eaten at Rosh Hashanah, with a cream cheese dough rolled around the aforementioned walnut mixture.) While I initially confused my parents quite a bit – they apparently thought I was making rugelach OUT of carrots (maybe next year, guys), they came around in the end and agreed that the dessert did have a rugelach feeling to it. I hope you concur!

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Cold Cucumber Soup

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My goal was to get at least one summer post out before September. I failed, of course. But at least it’s still summer for another eighteen days. I’m gonna call that a win.

If the humidity is getting to you, I highly suggest this cucumber soup. It hits all the right notes: fresh, sweet, tangy, spicy, nutty, and creamy. If you’re a fan of the green chutney often served in Indian restaurants, you’ll love this. The flavor profile is quite similar…but presented in a less intense, drinkable form, with some gazpacho-y notes thrown in. In fact, I guess you could say this soup is kind of a cross between gazpacho and green chutney. Except that doesn’t sound very good. And it’s actually incredibly delicious! Oh, and also there’s no mint.  Hm. I may be a bit out of practice with this whole blogging thing. Let me just get right to the point: Make. This. Soup.

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