The Smiling Onion

Vegetarian and Gluten-free Cooking

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Simple Citrus-Roasted Fennel

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We’ve been on a bit of an emotional rollercoaster weather-wise lately, at least in New York City. Beautiful, warm days followed by raw, biting cold. If your moods are severely impacted by weather (as mine are), it can be hard to stay uplifted when the temperature plunges and the wind picks up.

But there is a mood lifter – food. Rejoice in the fact that you can leave your oven on for 45 minutes, which in the warmer months feels at best irresponsible (if you have AC) and at worst like death (if you don’t). Embrace hearty, umami-laden foods like fennel and let your senses feast on bright, vibrant citrus (winter’s best candy). You’ll be feeling better in no time.

This dish is extremely simple but tastes quite complex. Sliced fennel is drizzled with olive oil, salt, and pepper; then covered with orange slices. The fennel becomes tender and meaty when left in the oven and is made even more delicious with the addition of a citrus-glaze which takes almost no time at all to prepare and which really takes this dish to the next level. (Once you make this glaze, I guarantee you’ll want to use it on other veggies too!) When everything comes out of the oven, you’ll be ready to emerge from your pile of blankets, no matter how cold it is outside.

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Coconut-Peanut Collards with Fried Plantains

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Collard greens are one of my absolute favorite vegetables. They do take a bit of work to prepare properly (blanching is a must, IMO) but when you do so, they have a wonderful, sweet flavor that lends itself to all sorts of spice mixes and dishes.

If you’ve ever had Ethiopian food, you’ve probably had collards sautéed with copious amounts of garlic and ginger (delicious). They are also great with cumin, cayenne, paprika — all the strong, bold spices. After they’ve been spiced like there’s no tomorrow, I like to throw in a sweet vegetable or two like carrot or sweet potato. But most importantly, they are amazing with creamy, zesty, coconut-peanut sauces like this one.

This dish is uber satisfying: warming, nourishing, and flavor-packed. The creamy, nuttiness of the collards combined with the sweet, crisp, and wonderfully starchy fried plantains is divine. It can easily be an entree or a side – if you want to make it a heartier entree, throw in some chickpeas and/or serve it with your favorite grain (though I think the plantains provide the perfect grain-free starch element). Finally, it fits the bill for all kinds of diets: gluten-free, vegan, grain-free, and Low FODMAP. If you wanted to make it Paleo, I’m pretty sure you could just use almond butter in place of peanut and you’d be all set. Yay for deliciousness that almost everyone can eat!

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Creamy Nori-Hemp Dressing (Vegan)

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Are you ready for my #1 piece of salad advice? Make your salads and dressings at home.

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve ordered a salad at a decent restaurant, only to have it arrive with a gelatinous vinaigrette that has clearly been squeezed right out of a package. This is a huge pet peeve, right up there with icy smoothies (you can read my thoughts on that and get a decidedly NON-ICY smoothie recipe here) and tofu scrambles that try to taste like egg (I think they should taste more like this). Being presented with any of these items usually has the unfortunate result of launching a 3-minute rant, which my dining partner (who may not share my opinion that the world revolves around food) has to sit through, trying – and likely failing, possibly rightly so – to fein interest or sympathy.

Another recurring problem with ordering salad in a restaurant is that the name of your chosen salad (Ex. Portobello and Mozzarella) is, far too often, actually just the name of the garnishes that will top your huge pile of $12 lettuce. Outrage!

Hence the aforementioned salad advice. In addition to saving you heartache and cash, making salad and salad dressing is one of the best ways to start flexing your creativity muscles in the kitchen. You have a built-in platform (a pile of fresh veggies – what could go wrong?) and the flexibility to combine them any way you want. Experiment with different cooking methods (I love combining raw veg with roasted), textures (crunchy pecans, creamy goat cheese…)  and flavor profiles (sweet, sour, spicy…). Elevate your salad by taking an element and transforming it in some way: Why not coat those crunchy nuts in maple syrup and cayenne and roast them in the oven first, for example, before throwing them atop your masterpiece? Finally, make an awesome dressing. Because awesome dressings have the power to transform even ordinary salads into bowls of pure glory.

This dressing, in fact, is actually best on an “ordinary” salad. (Think romaine or kale, cucumber, carrot, hard-boiled egg (if not vegan), chickpeas, etc.) Hearty farmer-style salads, in other words.  The zestiness of the roasted nori combined with the creaminess of the hemp gives the dressing a caesar or ranch-like quality that will leave you licking your fingers. But unlike caesar or ranch dressings – which aren’t generally touted for their health benefits – this one packs a nutritional punch. Hemp seeds are rich with protein, an optimal ratio of Omega-3 and 6 fatty acids, and a hefty dose of fiber. And the roasted nori adds minerals like iodine, magnesium, potassium, and selenium, to name just a few. Finally, you won’t be able to tell that this dressing is dairy-free – it’s as creamy and zesty as they come.

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Matcha Custard

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I didn’t realize until recently how fitting it would be to make custard for Valentine’s Day. Not because it’s insanely delicious (though there’s definitely that) or because you can serve it in cute little dishes (though there’s that too.) But because, to make custard properly, you really need to exhibit some of your best relationship skills.

So, in the spirit of Valentine’s Day, here are three relationship skills/lessons told through the experience of making custard. (Okay, I may have a bit of Dear Abby envy. This was way too much fun!)

Skill 1: Patience

Traditional custard is a mixture of milk and eggs, slowly thickened over a low flame. And the key word here is slow. If you get sick of waiting for it to thicken and raise the heat too high, your eggs will start to curdle, which means you’ll get chunks of cooked egg in your custard. The same thing will happen if you add the hot milk to your beaten eggs too aggressively. The trick is patience: add just a little at first; then once the egg has grown accustomed to the presence of the milk, you’ll start to drizzle in the rest. You then get to warm up the mixture – again, gradually and patiently on the stove, making sure to give it lots of love and attention (aka stirring) so nothing curdles.

Relationship Lesson:If you try to make an abrupt change without making sure your partner is on board, the relationship is likely to curdle. Best practice is to make changes and suggest improvements gradually, making sure your partner feels loved and supported (keep stirring that egg mixture!) throughout the process.

Skill 2: Trust

There is usually a point in the custard making process where I’m positive something has gone wrong. Custard sometimes takes its sweet time to thicken, and gives almost zero indication that it will thicken until it does. During those painful minutes when it looks like nothing is going to happen and I’m going to be left with a pot of liquid, remembering that I’ve been in this boat before and  always come out on top is key. Otherwise, I might be tempted to self-destructively turn up the heat or just drink the liquid then and there. I have to remember that the custard has always thickened in the end – no matter how much it looks like it won’t – and trust that this time won’t be any different.

Relationship Lesson: In a relationship built on trust, you always give your partner the benefit of the doubt. There will be times when you’ll question whether or not he/she has your back. When this happens, avoid getting worked up before you have all the information, since turning up the heat too fast could trigger exactly what you’re trying to avoid. Instead, trust your partner and give him/her time to explain before losing your cool. 

Skill 3: Experimentation

Maybe things do go awry in your custard-making process. The first time I made this matcha custard, it tasted great but had a drab, very unappealing color that just didn’t cut it. I normally outright refuse to put color in anything, but it occurred to me that maybe I could find a natural green food coloring that would work. I ended up finding this recipe, which suggested boiling spinach and then blending until completely smooth. I was a little bit nervous: Would it be too subtle? Too bright? Would it taste spinachy? (The recipe promised it wouldn’t, but I had my doubts.) Thankfully, I took the plunge, and it came out perfectly. No spinach remained after blending – it was completely liquid – and a couple tablespoons yielded the perfect muted green color. Oh, and there was no spinachy taste, whatsoever.

Relationship Lesson: It can be scary to try new things, especially if your relationship is already on the rocks. But sometimes breaking routine can be just what you need to lift you out of the doldrums and into the light. Don’t be afraid to give your relationship that little pop of color it was missing: you’ll be glad you did. 

Now that we’ve all learned soooo much, I think we deserve some custard, no?

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Savory Waffles with Caramelized Cabbage

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It took me a while to get on the waffle train. Give me a hefty stack of pancakes any day but I never got the fuss about waffles…weren’t they just like breadier pancakes, except NOT fried in butter? What was the point?

Once I got a waffle maker of my own, however, I didn’t just get on the train – I may have taken a turn in the driver’s seat! I think I made a different type of waffle every day for the first week – cornmeal, raspberry-chocolate chip … if you can think it, I probably made it. What makes them so satisfying? It’s hard to say. My waffle maker makes ginormous waffles – like seriously colossal – which definitely helps: sitting down to a gorgeous piece of bready goodness that takes up your whole plate certainly makes for a dramatic meal. Unlike pancakes, waffles also have this fantastic crispy-on-the-outside (if I let them cook a tiny bit past the “ready” light on my machine) soft-and-fluffy-on-the-inside thing going on. And one of the best things about waffles, in my humble opinion, is that you don’t have to stand by the stove frying them OR worry about making them come out the same size and shape. With a waffle, everything goes right into your handy dandy waffle maker, and they are guaranteed to come out beautifully cooked and perfectly shaped every time.

I was so waffle-happy, in fact, that I decided to create a savory waffle that wouldn’t be confined to just breakfast. Don’t get me wrong: these waffles do make a fantastic breakfast, but they are equally lovely for lunch, dinner, afternoon snack, late-night snack, you name it. They will dress up each and every occasion to put food in your mouth, period. The mix of teff, sorghum, and millet flours gives them a hefty dose of protein and whole-grain goodness as well as a wonderful flavor that I’ve spiked with thyme, herbes de provence, and parmesan: think pizza goldfish but swap out the mass production and junk food aspects with artisan bakeries and a dose of elegance and you’ll be halfway there. (I know that’s weird but you’ll see what I’m talking about when you make them!)

You can top these beauties with any number of delicious toppings, but my favorite is the caramelized cabbage in this recipe (which you should really make even if you have no intention of making waffles – it is seriously the best way to eat cabbage!) along with a poached egg. The cabbage is oh-so-buttery and sweet, delicately spiced with dill, paprika, and just a touch of allspice. And when you cut into the whole ensemble, that egg yolk will run all over your waffle and form the perfect sauce.
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Cornmeal-Crusted Parsnips with Jalapeño-Feta Dip

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Uh-oh: it’s eating season again. We had January to recover from the Thanksgiving and winter-holiday pile of sweets and treats that followed us everywhere, but tomorrow is February 1st and detox time (if you managed to squeeze any in) is over already. The Super Bowl is this weekend, then Valentine’s Day, and then we’ve got St. Patty’s pretty soon after that.

Not that eating season is anything to complain about. We are lucky enough to live in a society where significant events (even those involving sports) are marked by food, which sure makes the Super Bowl more palatable for those of us who still haven’t managed to grasp the rules of football (1st down, 2nd down is referring to the number of chips I’m eating, right?) Just kidding …

In all seriousness, I wanted to share this Super Bowl recipe with you because it manages to feel like junk food while actually being pretty good for you. (Provided you don’t binge on the spicy jalapeño-feta dip, which could be a tall order, actually :p) But let’s focus on the parsnips, which feature a range of vitamins and minerals like folate, potassium, and vitamin C. They also have about 3 grams of dietary fiber (mostly soluble) per 1/2 cup cooked serving. Best part: when they are baked, they become wonderfully sweet and starchy, which makes covering them in a crunchy, savory cornmeal crust and dunking them in a spicy jalapeño-feta dip all the more satisfying. And there’s no deep-frying required to get that lovely golden color.

So are you ready? Let’s do this!

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Lemongrass Baked Tofu

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I used to always eat tofu one way: stir-fried with sesame oil and tamari. And it was always delicious, which is perhaps why I never considered getting out of the Asian flavor profile realm until the past couple of years or so. When it’s not broke, don’t fix it — right?

Well, sesame oil and tamari are still my go-to seasonings when making a quick tofu stir-fry, but lately I’ve also gotten really into other flavor profiles. After all, tofu is one of the most versatile ingredients out there – it will soak up whatever flavors you create! It also lends itself to a variety of cooking techniques beyond the classic stir-fry: from boiling, to baking, to deep-frying. (If you’ve never tried boiled tofu, be sure to check out my Asian Tofu Salad!) Anyway, I started experimenting with other flavor profiles for my tofu when I got into morning tofu scrambles like this spicy one, which kicks it up a notch with some Indian spices. Then came baked tofu of all different types – with one of my favorites being this super savory lemongrass variety. Baked tofu takes a little bit more time than a stir-fry, because it does require pressing to get that optimal baked tofu texture that lends itself to topping sandwiches and salads. (See why you don’t have to press your tofu for stir-fries.) But it’s still pretty darn easy to make and awesome to have on hand in the fridge for when you want a quick salad topper, sandwich-filler, or just a satisfying, protein-packed snack.

This recipe is also a great jumping off point for you to do some experimentation with different spice combos and create your own signature tofu. Because once you make baked tofu once, you’ll definitely want to make it again.

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Kale Mac and Cheese (Plus a brief note about FODMAPs)

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Happy New Year everyone! I’m excited to be back from my blogging hiatus and absolutely ecstatic about this Kale Mac and Cheese. With all the craziness of the past few months (yes, I’m talking about the election and beyond) I, for one, have been craving comfort food: hearty, flavorful, cheesy goodness  to get us through the cold until the sun comes out again.

You may notice that, unlike 99.9 percent of my savory recipes, this one contains no onion or garlic (gasp!) You might also notice that that this recipe is tagged “Low FODMAP,” and if you were to check out the “By Diet” section of my blog, you’ll see that in addition to filtering recipes by vegan, dairy-free, grain-free, egg-free, etc., you can now search for recipes with this tag. So what does this all mean? And what the hell are FODMAPs?

I’ve waffled back and forth as to whether I wanted to share the reason for my blogging hiatus (Hint: it has to do with FODMAPs) and decided that I owe it to anyone who might be in a similar situation. So if you are struggling with SIBO or the Low FODMAP diet, or you just want to hear my musings on the topic, click here. I’ll explain what those terms mean, and talk a bit about my personal journey with them. For the rest of you, don’t worry: I triple promise that this Kale Mac and Cheese – and all of the recipes I share here – are NOT just intended for those on a special diet. They are packed with flavor and designed to appeal to anyone who enjoys deliciousness. In fact, many of the recipes I’ve shared here are already low FODMAP; I just hadn’t previously identified them as such.

Now let’s get to this Mac and Cheese.

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I’m Back…and Fodmapped

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My three month blogging hiatus is over (yay!) and I’m finally ready to answer the FODMAP question. Namely, what are FODMAPs and why should I care? The short answer? You shouldn’t. Unless your gut says that you should, of course. (Yes, that was a digestion pun. You know you liked it … er…ate it up.)

(I sincerely apologize for the above.)

Anyway, FODMAPs are fermentable carbohydrates that are present in grains, veggies, fruits, and dairy at different levels. They are fermented by your gut bacteria, which uses them as food. In individuals who have an overabundance of gut bacteria – or bacteria in the wrong place (as with SIBO, when there is too much gut bacteria in the small intestine) – eating a diet high in FODMAPs can cause all sorts of digestive distress.

My journey with FODMAPs started about a year ago, when my doctor suggested that I try the FODMAP elimination diet for six weeks and see if it made a difference for me. I only lasted two weeks – but that was enough to see a huge reduction in my primary symptom (looking pregnant). After the FODMAP elimination diet, I was supposed to gradually try to reintroduce FODMAPs one by one, since there are several different types and people don’t typically react to all of them. But I couldn’t handle the idea of staying on the diet for long enough to gradually reintroduce foods, and instead just tried to reduce my overall FODMAP consumption, eating low FODMAP some days and then whatever I wanted other days (not a plan that was condoned by my doctor). Then, just before my wedding, a different doctor suggested that I get tested for SIBO, a condition where too much gut bacteria ends up in the small intestine (your gut bacteria is supposed to primarily reside in the large intestine!) Not wanting to impose any new dietary restrictions on myself before the wedding, or mess up my summer trip to Italy, I ended up waiting until the fall to get the test. The result was – surprise, surprise – positive for SIBO.

The SIBO diagnosis meant a strict low FODMAP diet, at least for a while. (Note that a low FODMAP diet is not intended to be adopted permanently; once the SIBO clears – generally with antibiotics or herbs – people can usually eat a much more varied diet embracing many high FODMAP foods, although it’s still important to be conscious of your carb/fiber intake in order to prevent recurrence.)  Since being vegetarian on a low FODMAP diet and still getting enough protein/nutrients is far from easy (tips on that coming soon!) I took a break from blogging so I could focus exclusively on keeping myself healthy.

I’m happy to report that what began as an almost impossible diet has gotten considerably easier and has caused me to grow as a chef and recipe developer. If it weren’t for the new “Low FODMAP” tag and the noticeable absence of onion and garlic on the ingredients list of some of my upcoming savory recipes, you probably wouldn’t even notice a change. (Btw, while onion and garlic – both high FODMAP foods – are probably my two favorite things to cook with, it is empowering to be able to create flavorful recipes without relying on them. And any onion/garlic free recipe you see on this site is easy enough to “normalize” by simple adding in some onion/garlic if you wish!) Also, even though I’m still undergoing treatment for SIBO, I do have the green light to start the FODMAP reintroduction process, where you systematically test FODMAP foods one by one and see what you can currently tolerate.

So I’m back. And even though my blog name might be slightly ironic right now (onions haven’t smiled at me in a while) I hope you’ll stick with me. I’ll occasionally be sharing tips for cooking and meal planning on a low FODMAP diet (gotta help out my fellow low FODMAP vegetarians!) but for the most part, I’ll be focusing on the food. Food that is designed for all of you, FODMAP-conscious or not.

Sorghum & Kale Salad with Balsamic-Blue Cheese Vinaigrette

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Have you heard of sorghum? It’s a wonderful gluten-free grain that is similar to farro or wheat berries when cooked whole. If you haven’t seen sorghum in berry form, you might be more familiar with sorghum flour – which has a mild, nutty flavor that is wonderful in gluten-free baked goods or pancakes – or with sorghum syrup, which is made from the stalks of the sorghum plant and is a common alternative sweetener.

But sorghum berries are definitely worth knowing about! They are probably one of the heartiest gluten-free grains you can find – robust and nutty, with a lovely round shape and a satisfying chewiness that pairs exceptionally well with bold dressings like the balsamic-blue cheese vinaigrette in this recipe.

In fact, their bite and robustness make sorghum berries absolutely fantastic in salads of all kinds! But especially in this one, which screams October with every mouthful. Bite into this salad and you’ve got a perfect medley of autumn flavors and textures: the heartiness of the sorghum and kale punctuated by crunchy, juicy apples; the sharp saltiness of the shaved pecorino romano; and the honey hazelnuts from last week’s Apple-Ricotta Tart. (They were so good I couldn’t resist making some more!) And finally, this salad wouldn’t be the same without the punchy blue-balsamic vinaigrette mentioned earlier –  with its base of grainy old-fashioned mustard and tangy blue cheese.

Best of all, this salad is hearty enough that you can easily store it dressed in the fridge and take it with you to work, etc. You’ll have a wonderful, healthy, delicious, and seasonal lunch – and you won’t have to stand in a long line and drop what may seem like an unreasonable amount of money to get it!

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