vegetarian

Amy Cantu

Autumn Harvest Buddha Bowls by Amy Cantu

Print Friendly and PDF


September is the month of birthdays in my family–there are at least four. As evidenced here, here, here, and here, I have a very soft and tender spot for cake. And so, more than anything this month, I've been craving foods that I could feel good about eating. I'm talking nutritionally dense foods that are also filling and easy to source, as the bountiful summer produce disappears from the market. A beautiful, colorful Autumn Harvest Buddha Bowl filled with hearty quinoa, bright orange butternut squash, earthy roasted mushrooms, deep green wilted spinach, and protein-rich tofu make me feel good about the meal, while the richly satisfying peanut sauce keeps me eating to the very last bite. I told my 5-year-old that it was "peanut butter sauce", which made him grin from ear to ear and eagerly eat the entire buddha bowl. (Because who doesn't love peanut butter?)

Notes: Buddha Bowls are highly customizable. The quinoa can be replaced with quick-cooking farro, barley, or brown rice. The roasted vegetables could be pumpkin, carrots, sweet potatoes, and/or kale. The tofu could be chickpeas, beans, or lentils. If you're feeling more like having a Dalai Lama bowl, shredded or chopped rotisserie chicken would be a great substitute for the tofu. The optional fish sauce will also deepen the flavor or the peanut sauce.

The chiles in the peanut sauce are there for flavor and can easily be modified for your heat preferences. Smaller red or green Thai chiles provide the most heat, especially if you leave the ribs and seeds intact. Jalapeños with the seeds and ribs removed will be super mild–I used one and no one noticed any spiciness at all.

Peanut sauce adapted from Bon Appetit.



Time: 40 minutes
Servings: 4

For the vegetables and tofu:
1 14-ounce block Firm or Extra-Firm Tofu
2 pounds butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1" pieces (about 1 large butternut squash)
8 ounces crimini (brown) mushrooms, quartered
5 ounces baby spinach
3 tablespoons grape seed or olive oil, divided use
Kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper

For the quinoa:
2 cups quinoa
4 cups water
Kosher salt
1 lime, juiced

For the peanut sauce:
1 or 2 Jalapeño or Thai chiles, chopped (see notes above)
2 garlic cloves, grated or minced
1 cup creamy peanut butter
3/4 cup unsweetened coconut milk
2 tablespoons maple syrup
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons fish sauce (optional)
1/2 cup water
Kosher salt

For the garnishes:
Finely sliced green onions
Chopped cilantro
Chopped peanuts

For the vegetables and tofu: Preheat oven to 450 degrees F., with one rack in the top third of the oven and the second rack in the bottom third.

Cut tofu block in half horizontally (width-wise), and cube into roughly 1" pieces. Lay tofu in a single layer on top of a double-layer of paper towels to drain while preparing the vegetables.

Arrange butternut squash in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon oil and season with kosher salt and pepper; toss to coat squash evenly. Push the butternut squash to one side of the pan, keeping them in a single layer. 

Blot the tofu cubes dry with another paper towel, pressing down on them gently to release any excess liquid. Arrange tofu next to the butternut squash. Drizzle with 2 teaspoons oil and season with kosher salt and pepper; toss gently to coat evenly. Space tofu so that they are in a single layer.

On a second rimmed baking sheet, toss quartered mushrooms with 2 teaspoons of oil, kosher salt and pepper; arrange in a single layer.

Place the butternut squash and tofu on the top oven rack and the mushrooms on the bottom rack. Roast for 25 minutes. 

Add spinach to baking sheet with mushrooms, drizzle with 1 tablespoon of oil, kosher salt, and pepper; toss to combine. Continue to roast for 2 more minutes or until spinach is wilted. Remove both baking sheets from oven. Check the butternut squash with a fork–there should be little resistance. If squash is not done, return baking sheet to the oven for another 5 minutes.

For the quinoa: Bring 2 cups of quinoa, 4 cups of water, and a generous pinch of salt to a boil, then reduce to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit for 5 minutes, before fluffing with a fork. Drizzle with lime juice and stir with a fork to combine.

For the sauce: Pulse all the ingredients, except water and salt, together in a blender until smooth. Pour into saucepan with water and whisk together over medium-low heat until hot. Remove from heat.

To assemble: Place quinoa at the bottom of a bowl. Heap roasted vegetables over the quinoa and drizzle generously with peanut sauce. Garnish with green onions, cilantro, and chopped peanuts.

Lentils with Broiled Eggplant by Amy Cantu

Print Friendly and PDF

Luxurious. I would not have ever imagined that I might describe a lentil salad this way, but luxurious is exactly the perfect word. Smoky, silky, creamy, spicy, and a bit tangy: All of these sensations tangle together into one luxurious bite after another. Eggplant can be sensual. Yes, I said it. The broiled eggplant lifts ordinary lentils into a sensual tizzy of textures and flavors, and I don't think I've been the same ever since! Please eat this. It's a feast of colors for the eyes, sustaining nutrients for the body, and sensual luxury for the mouth and tongue. I understand completely now why Yotam Ottolenghi's approach to treating and eating vegetables can become an obsessive experience. I am forever changed, and now seeking to cook every single recipe in his cookbooks. (Speaking of which, Cynthia shared Ottolenghi's Rice Salad with Nuts and Sour Cherries with us, and I will be making this immediately. So good.)

Notes: The smoky broiled eggplant is what makes this dish so special. Roasting them directly over a gas stove is the fastest way to cook them and achieve that smoky flavor, but it definitely made a mess that took scrubbing to clean up. If you can lay down aluminum foil around the flame to catch some of the drippings, that would help a lot, but this was hard to do with my particular stovetop. Using the oven broiler to roast the eggplant is a less messy alternative, but it does take an hour instead of 15 minutes. If you choose the broiler method, please ensure that you poke the eggplant all over with a small sharp knife, to allow steam to escape. Otherwise, the eggplant may explode all over the oven - an even bigger mess to clean up!

The harissa is optional, but I was so happy to have a jar of homemade harissa gifted to me from Cynthia. It elevated this already excellent lentil salad into something truly special.



Time: 45 minutes to 1 hour, 30 minutes (depending on your method for roasting the eggplant)
Servings: 4

2 medium eggplants
2 tablespoons top-quality red wine vinegar
salt and black pepper
1 cup small dark lentils (such as Puy or Castelluccio), rinsed
3 small carrots, peeled
2 celery stalks
1 bay leaf
3 thyme sprigs
1/2 white onion
3 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra to finish
12 cherry tomatoes, halved
1/3 teaspoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon each roughly chopped parsley, cilantro and dill
2 tablespoon crème fraîche (or natural yogurt, if you prefer)
2 tablespoons harissa (purchased or homemade), optional

To cook the eggplants on a gas stovetop, which is the most effective way: Start by lining the area around the burners with foil to protect them. Put the eggplants directly on two moderate flames and roast for 12 to 15 minutes, turning frequently with metal tongs, until the flesh is soft and smoky and the skin is burnt all over. Keep an eye on them the whole time so they don’t catch fire.

To broil the eggplants in an oven instead: pierce the eggplants all over with a sharp knife. (This creates exit points for the steam to escape the eggplant; otherwise, the eggplant will explode and make a giant mess!) Put them on a foil-lined tray and place directly under a hot broiler for 1 hour, turning them a few times. The eggplants need to deflate completely and their skin should burn and break.

Remove the eggplants from the heat. If you used an oven broiler, change the oven to its normal setting. Heat the oven to 275°F. Cut a slit down the center of the eggplants and scoop out the flesh into a colander, avoiding the black skin. Leave to drain for at least 15 minutes and only then season with plenty of salt and pepper and 1/2 tablespoon of the vinegar.

While the eggplants are broiling, place the lentils in a medium saucepan. Cut one carrot and half a celery stalk into large chunks and throw them in. Add the bay leaf, thyme and onion, cover with plenty of water and bring to the boil. Simmer on a low heat for up to 25 minutes, or until the lentils are tender, skimming away the froth from the surface from time to time. Drain in a sieve. Remove and discard the carrot, celery, bay leaf, thyme and onion and transfer the lentils to a mixing bowl. Add the rest of the vinegar, 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and plenty of salt and pepper; stir and set aside somewhere warm.

Cut the remaining carrot and celery into 3/8-inch dice and mix with the tomatoes, the remaining oil, the sugar and some salt. Spread in an ovenproof dish and cook in the oven for about 20 minutes, or until the carrot is tender but still firm.

Add the cooked vegetables to the warm lentils, followed by the chopped herbs and stir gently. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Spoon the lentils onto serving plates. Pile some eggplant in the center of each portion and top it with a dollop each of crème fraîche or yogurt and harissa. Finish with a trickle of oil.

Three Cheese Fondue by Amy Cantu

Print Friendly and PDF

Fondue is so fun to eat! Who can resist crusty bread dipped into a pot of ooey-gooey, unctuous cheese? No one, that’s who. (Unless you hate cheese, in which case, I’m sorry- we can’t be friends. Just kidding . . . maybe.) Twirling bits of food into a pool of melty goodness is somehow therapeutic and it also bonds you with those dipping with you. Added bonus: My 4-year-old got a big kick out of dunking his broccoli and carrots into the cheese sauce, and he probably ate a week’s worth of veggies in this one meal alone.

Notes: This is a fairly classic fondue recipe, but make it your own by using any combination of good melting cheeses, liquid, and flavoring. For example, you could substitute smoked cheddar, hard apple cider, and apple butter for a completely different fondue. Or how about extra-sharp cheddar, beer, and bacon bits? You get the idea!



Time: 25 minutes
Servings: 4

1 medium clove garlic, cut in half
1 cup dry white wine, such as Sauvignon Blanc, plus more as needed
⅓ pound Gruyère or Comté cheese, grated
⅓ pound Emmentaler cheese, grated
⅓ pound Fontina cheese, grated
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon fresh juice from 1 lemon
1 tablespoon kirsch (optional)
Freshly ground pepper

Ideas for dipping:
Baguette or other rustic bread, large cubes
Small new potatoes, boiled and cooled (can be left whole or halved)
Broccoli or cauliflower florets, blanched
Carrots, bite-size pieces, blanched
Asparagus, blanched
Sausage, cooked and sliced into bite-sized pieces
Salami, diced into bite-sized pieces
Apple slices, Granny Smith or other tart apple

In a medium bowl, evenly coat the cheeses with cornstarch.

Rub the cut sides of garlic around the inside of a double boiler or stainless steel mixing bowl set over a pot of simmering water on low heat. The bowl should not touch the water. Pour in the wine and heat until hot. (You should see wisps of steam.)

Gradually stir in the cheese, one handful at a time. Stir each handful of cheese until it is completely melted, before adding another handful. Do not allow the cheese to come to a simmer. Once you have a smooth, glossy cheese sauce, stir in the lemon juice and kirsch, if using. Season with freshly ground pepper. Pour fondue into a fondue pot to keep it warm.

Choose your dippers, dunk and swirl into the cheesy goodness, and enjoy!

Mango and Coconut Sticky Rice by Amy Cantu

Print Friendly and PDF


Time: 1 hour (plus soaking time)
Servings: 4-6

2 cups glutinous (sweet) rice
1 13.5-ounce can unsweetened coconut milk, well-stirred
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon sesame seeds, roasted
4 small mangos, peeled, pitted, and cut into 1/2" cubes (The smaller Ataulfos or Manila mangos are sweeter than the larger Tommy Atkins mangos, and are worth seeking out at Asian supermarkets or well-stocked grocery/specialty stores.)

cheesecloth for steaming (optional)

Rinse the rice in a bowl, using a few changes of cold water until the water is clear. Cover the rice in cold water and let soak at least 1 hour, but preferably overnight.

Drain the rice. Pour 1 cup of water into a saucepan. Add rice to a steamer insert (lined with cheesecloth, if using,) and place inside the saucepan. Cover tightly and steam over low to medium heat for 20-30 minutes, or until the rice is tender and shiny. (Add extra water to the saucepan, if it seems like you need extra time.)

While rice is cooking, in a saucepan bring coconut milk to a boil with sugar and salt, stirring until sugar is dissolved, and remove from heat. Keep mixture warm.

Transfer hot cooked rice to a bowl and stir in coconut-milk mixture. Let rice stand, covered, 30 minutes, or until coconut-milk mixture is absorbed. Rice may be prepared up to this point 2 hours ahead and kept covered at room temperature.
To serve, spoon sticky rice on dessert plates. Top with cubed mango, and sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Meatballs with Tomato Sauce and Polenta by Amy Cantu

Print Friendly and PDF
Meatballs with Tomato Sauce and Polenta

We were out of town for two weeks over the holidays, visiting family and friends. So when we returned home an hour before dinnertime, I stared into the cavernous empty fridge and let out a loud groan. Ugggghhh. What are we going to eat?! I started freezer diving, and when I came up for air, I bestowed upon my family the bag of frozen meatballs from Cynthia! (Cue angels singing and bright spotlight on the frozen meatballs.) I fished out a bag of polenta and a can of tomatoes from the pantry, and dinner was on its way. While the meatballs and polenta baked in the oven, I stirred together a simple tomato sauce on the stove. Within an hour, we enjoyed creamy, parmesan polenta, crowned with savory meatballs bathed in a simple tomato sauce. I gave myself a pat on the back, and whispered a silent thank you to Cynthia. Voila! Dinner is served!

Notes: Cynthia's recipe for Swedish Meatballs are spiced mildly enough that when combined with the tomato sauce and polenta, the dish tastes decidedly more Italian than Swedish. If you are starting from scratch and using Cynthia's recipe, you can substitute 1 teaspoon dried oregano for the allspice and nutmeg. Or, feel free to use your own meatball recipe here.  To make this an easy vegetarian meal, serve the polenta topped with a runny, fried egg and the tomato sauce - yum!



Time: 50 minutes

Serves: 4

20 small meatballs, Cynthia's or your own recipe
1 recipe Simple Tomato Sauce (recipe below)
1 recipe Baked Polenta (recipe below)
Parmesan cheese, grated (optional garnish)
Fresh basil, chiffonade/thinly sliced into ribbons (optional garnish - see photo below)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. I baked Cynthia’s frozen raw meatballs on a sheet pan, alongside the polenta for the last 35 minutes of cooking. The meatballs were shaped on the smaller side, so make sure to test that your meatballs are cooked through by splitting one open. You could also simmer the meatballs in the tomato sauce, while the polenta is baking in the oven.

Spoon polenta into four shallow bowls. Top polenta with meatballs and tomato sauce. Sprinkle with grated parmesan and basil, if using.

Simple Tomato Sauce

Developed from here and here.

Notes: This is a simple sauce that can be made on the fly with items from your pantry. I like the sweet, subtle anise flavor of fresh basil in this sauce, but if you don’t have any in the house, substitute dried oregano, which will give it a more Italian-American flavor. Dried basil tends to have a flat, dusty flavor, so I prefer dried oregano.

Taking an extra minute to hand-crush canned whole tomatoes (as opposed to already crushed or diced tomatoes), will give your sauce better flavor. The best tomatoes go into cans of whole tomatoes, while the inferior tomatoes get diced up or crushed.

The onion in this recipe is used for flavor and then removed once the sauce is cooked. This leaves you with a rich tomato sauce infused with onion flavor and a nice texture. You can save the onions for something else (they would be delicious alongside pan-seared chicken or roasted meat), or serve them on the side.

1 28-ounce can whole San Marzano tomatoes
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil or butter
4 garlic cloves, peeled and slivered
Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 medium onion, peeled and halved
1 large fresh basil sprig, or 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano, more to taste

Pour tomatoes into a large bowl and crush with your hands, and reserve.

Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. When it is hot, add garlic. Sauté until the garlic sizzles, but is not brown (see photo above - about 1 minute). Add the crushed tomatoes to the pan, along with the red pepper (if using), salt, onion, and large basil sprig.

Cook uncovered at a slow, but steady simmer for about 45 minutes. Stir occasionally, when you feel moved to do so.

Remove the onion and basil. Taste and correct for salt. Serve.

Baked Polenta

Notes: Baked Polenta takes more time than polenta made on a stove-top, but there is very little active time. Polenta made over the stove requires constant stirring for at least half an hour, while baked polenta cooks in the oven, freeing me up to fix a salad or wrangle with the kids (more likely). The results leave you with a piping hot bowl of creamy corn goodness.

This polenta would also be great topped with any saucy protein (like a meat stew), a fried egg and a side of sauteed greens, or some roasted vegetables.

4 cups (1 quart) low-sodium broth (any kind) or water
1 cup polenta, coarse ground cornmeal, or corn grits (not quick-cooking)
1 teaspoon kosher salt (if using unsalted broth or water)
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons butter
2 ounces Parmesan, grated (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Butter an oven-safe 2 quart dish. (An 8"x8" pan works well too.)

Combine broth (or water and salt), polenta, and pepper in the buttered dish and stir. Bake uncovered for about 1 hour, stirring once or twice. Polenta is done when it is thick and creamy.

Remove from oven, and stir in the grated parmesan and butter. Serve.

Kale Salad with Butternut Squash and Cheddar by Amy Cantu

Print Friendly and PDF
kale salad

I began the new year like a lot of people do - thinking about ways I could eat more veggies. I’ll share this tidbit about myself - I’m super picky about salad and dislike a lot of them, including creamy dressings. (I know, who doesn’t like Ranch or Blue Cheese dressing??? Just me.) I generally prefer my vegetables cooked; maybe it’s growing up in an Asian household where vegetables were just incorporated into the dishes we were eating. Anyway, January rolled around, and I felt like I needed to give this salad eating business some real attention. A kale salad was in order. Has kale salad been overdone? Probably. It’s seems like it’s on every menu that includes a salad these days. So, I wanted a kale salad that would be simple, not overly thought out, and well . . . delicious! This salad is just the thing. The main ingredient is kale, so you can feel really good about eating a leafy green vegetable, but this salad also includes a healthy dose of delicious aged cheddar, which is equally important for making this salad too yummy to pass up. Add a sprinkling of toasted almonds and a tart lemon vinaigrette, and we’ve got a really simple salad that tastes amazing. I hate salad. I loved this salad.

Recipe adapted from Northern Spy’s Kale Salad.

Notes: This salad is highly adaptable. Instead of roasted squash, you could roast carrots or sweet potatoes. In the summer, you could use fresh or roasted strawberries or peaches, and experiment with a soft goat cheese or dollops of good ricotta. I’m a sucker for salad toppings, so I’m always extra generous with the squash, nuts, and cheese. To make this salad vegan, omit the cheese, but add 1 to 2 tablespoons of nutritional yeast (found in health food stores), which lends a savory, cheesy flavor.

If you are staring at the butternut squash thinking, “What do I do with this thing???” here’s how to peel it.

It’s tempting to buy those bags of pre-cut kale in the salad section, but to avoid having to masticate your greens like a cow, don’t do it! The kale pieces are too large, and they don’t remove the tough rib (stem) that runs down the center of each leaf. If you are reading this note too late, and you already have a bag of kale salad, never fear. Spend a few minutes to sort through the leaves to find the pieces with hard stems and tear away the soft leafy part from the stem and discard. Then tear the leaves into smaller pieces with your hands (or use a knife).

Lastly, sometimes both new and seasoned cooks alike, forget to taste their food before serving it. Add the salt, then taste it. Add additional salt and pepper until it tastes good to you. (I tasted the salad three times before I got it right.) The right amount of salt and pepper can change any dish (and especially salad) from ho-hum to wow!


Read More: The Shared Lunch


Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 4

1 1/2 cups cubed butternut squash, or other winter squash (about ¾ lb)
1 tablespoon plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (divided use)
1 teaspoon plus 1 teaspoon kosher salt (divided use)
½ teaspoon plus ½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper (divided use)
2 bunches kale (preferably lacinato, also called cavalo nero, black, tuscan, or dinosaur kale), ribs removed and sliced into thin ribbons, about 6 cups (see above photo)
3/4 cup almonds, cut roughly in half
1/2 cup crumbled or finely chopped Cabot clothbound cheddar (or any good, aged cheddar - I love Trader Joe’s Unexpected Cheddar for this recipe)
4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (about 1 large juicy lemon)
Pecorino, Parmigiano-Reggiano, or other hard cheese, for shaving (Optional. Use a vegetable peeler to shave thin slices from a block of cheese.)

Heat oven to 425° F. Toss squash cubes in 1 tablespoon of olive oil to coat, and season with 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. Spread on a baking sheet (lined with parchment or foil for easier cleanup), leaving space between the cubes. Roast in the oven until tender and caramelized, about 40 minutes, tossing with a spatula every 10-15 minutes. Toast the almonds on a baking sheet in the same oven until they start to smell nutty, tossing once, about 10 minutes. Let cool.

In a large mixing bowl, toss the kale with the almonds, cheddar and squash. Season to taste with lemon juice and olive oil (approximately 4 tablespoons lemon juice and 2 tablespoons olive oil). Season with 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper, adding more if needed.

Divide salad between four plates or shallow bowls. Garnish with shaved pecorino, if desired, and serve.