< Previous164 The Plant-Based Anti-Inflammatory Cookbook Savory Quinoa Cakes Makes 7 servings For many years these cakes have served as my plant-based centerpiece for Thanksgiving. They pair incredibly well with mushroom gravy or easy vegan gravy (see graciousvegan.com for gravy recipes), and produce a distinct autumn vibe with their parsley, thyme, and mushroom flavors. When not serving a crowd, I like to freeze the leftovers and take out a few cakes every now and then for lunch or dinner. They go well with side vegetables and any of the grain dishes in this cookbook. Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a sheet pan with parchment paper (do not use a silicone mat, because the cakes tend to stick to the mat). Toast the walnuts. Spread the walnuts on the sheet pan and bake them until they just start to change color and you can smell the aroma. Start checking after 5 minutes to see if they’re done. Remove and cool, then finely chop them in a food processor by pulsing multiple times—do not let them turn into walnut butter. Set aside and turn off the oven. ½ cup walnuts Cook the potato. Prick the potato in several places with a fork, then microwave it until soft, 3 to 5 minutes. Rinse under cold water so it is cool enough to handle, then cut it open, scoop out the flesh, and roughly mash it in a large bowl. 1 medium russet, red, or Yukon gold potato Sauté the onions and mushrooms. In a large skillet, Dutch oven, or other large pan, water sauté the onions and mushrooms until the onion is tender and transparent and the water released by the mushrooms has evaporated, 8 to 10 minutes. 1 small red, yellow, or white onion, diced (about 1 cup) 4 medium or large white button or cremini mushrooms, finely chopped (this can be done in the food processor) Put it all together and broil. Add the following ingredients to the potato mixture in the large bowl and stir everything until combined. Do not mash or puree. The toasted walnuts The onions and mushrooms 2 cups cooked quinoa (use the Whole Grains Cooking Guide on page 43) (Continued on page 166)166 The Plant-Based Anti-Inflammatory Cookbook 1/3 cup flour of choice ¼ cup fresh parsley, finely chopped 1 teaspoon thyme ¾ teaspoon salt (or to taste) ½ teaspoon paprika Right before cooking, stir the whipped tofu into the quinoa mixture. ¾ cup silken tofu, whipped until smooth in a food processor Shape the mixture into 12 to 16 cakes and lay them on the sheet pan. Position an oven rack about 5 inches from the broiler and turn the broiler to high (500°F). Broil the cakes for 4 minutes, until golden brown on top. Flip them over and broil 2 minutes more or until golden brown. The quinoa cakes are ready to serve. They will last about a week in the refrigerator, and they freeze well.213 Main Dishes (Continued on page 215) Vegetable Tikka Masala Curry Makes 5 servings Curry sauces are so helpful to a plant-based lifestyle. You can use them in a bowl with grains and vegetables, on baked potatoes, and with burgers or patties or even pasta. Tikka masala is a tomato and cream sauce often made with heavy cream or yogurt. Here I use cashews and blend them with water for a smooth milk that thickens once it’s stirred into the wonderfully spiced tomato base. You can make it as mild or spicy as you like. I often serve soy curls and vegetables with this sauce on top of rice. Make the cashew milk. Soak the cashews in water for 2 hours or pour boiling water over them, cover, let them soak for about 20 minutes, then drain them. ½ cup raw cashews Put the cashews in a blender with the water. Blend on high for 30 seconds or longer, until the cashews are dissolved. Set aside. ¾ cup water Make the sauce. Water sauté the following ingredients together in a large saucepan or skillet until the onion is tender and transparent, 8 to 10 minutes. ½ cup red, yellow, or white onion, diced 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, finely chopped Add in the following ingredients and cook, stirring constantly, for about 4 minutes, until the mixture is fragrant. 2 tablespoons tomato paste 1 teaspoon turmeric 1 teaspoon cumin 1 teaspoon coriander ¾ teaspoon garam masala ½ teaspoon salt (or to taste) ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (or more to taste) ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes or Kashmiri chili powder (or more to taste) ¼ teaspoon cardamom215 Main Dishes Add in the diced tomatoes, increase the heat, bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat. Simmer with the lid ajar, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes, adding a little water if it gets too dry. 1 (15-ounce) can fire-roasted or plain diced tomatoes Add in the following ingredients and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring often, until thick. Add water, if needed, and adjust seasonings after tasting. The cashew milk 1/3 loosely packed cup fresh cilantro leaves and stems, chopped Blend the sauce until smooth, if desired. I prefer to let it cool a bit and then blend it in my high- speed blender so that it is very smooth. Create a vegetable curry. For each serving, prepare about 1 cup steamed or cooked vegetables. Stir the vegetables together with the warm curry sauce and serve with rice. Steamed or cooked vegetables (red bell peppers, broccoli, cauliflower, peas, kale, etc�) Cooked brown basmati- or long-grain rice The sauce keeps in the refrigerator for about a week. The sauce freezes well.254 The Plant-Based Anti-Inflammatory Cookbook Orange-Cherry Cardamom Bars Makes 1 (8 × 8-inch) pan of bars The inspiration for these bars came from the Mayan Wonder Bars at Portland’s Dragonfly Coffee House. I’ve tinkered my way to healthy, chewy, moist, seed-filled bars that have a beguiling combination of flavors. Toasting the seeds, nuts, and quinoa separately would take quite a while, so I came up with a method for staggering their starting times. These bars are dense, not cake-like. The various flavors emerge the longer you chew. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line an 8 × 8-inch baking pan with parchment paper. Roast the quinoa, nuts, and seeds. Spread the following ingredients on a 13 × 9-inch or 16 × 12-inch pan. Bake them in the oven for 7 minutes. 1/3 cup raw pumpkin seeds ¼ cup uncooked quinoa Remove the pan from the oven and add the following ingredients. Bake for another 7 minutes. Everything should be aromatic and starting to brown. Set aside. ¼ cup raw sunflower seeds ¼ cup raw walnuts, pecans, cashews, or macadamia nuts, chopped 1/8 cup hemp or sesame seeds Make the date/chia paste. Grind the chia seeds in a small blender until powdery. 1½ tablespoons chia seeds Add in the following ingredients and blend again until smooth. 2/3 cup warm water 4–5 Medjool dates, cut into a few pieces each (about ½ cup) Put it all together and bake. In a medium bowl, stir together the following ingredients until smooth. The date/chia paste Zest from 2 oranges ¾ cup almond butter (almond butter, not flour) ½ cup whole wheat pastry flour or gluten-free flour ¼ cup date syrup or maple syrup (Continued on page 256)256 The Plant-Based Anti-Inflammatory Cookbook 2 teaspoons cardamom powder 1 teaspoon baking powder ½ teaspoon cinnamon Add in the following ingredients and stir again. The roasted quinoa, nuts, and seeds ½ cup dried cherries or other dried fruit of choice, chopped Spread the mixture in the baking pan and bake for 25 to 30 minutes until the bars are golden brown and the sides are a darker shade of brown. Allow them to cool completely, then refrigerate them. Store the bars in the refrigerator, where they will keep for about a week. They can be frozen.Next >