Local Pumpkin Curry and Tamarind-Date Chutney

For my first order of business, I'll start off by announcing that I have moved! That's why I haven't blogged in so long...moving is busy busy busy! I now live in Indianapolis, Indiana. This city is awesome, and I'm particularly excited to discover all the tasty food here! Of course.

This was one of the first meals I made since moving, and it was a big hit. I had a bunch of new friends over for a South Indian feast, and I think it made a good first food impression!

This subzi, or vegetable curry, is made with local pumpkin I froze this fall. Combined with potatoes and lots of spices, it makes a fantastic main dish. I served this tasty curry with cardamom-scented basmati rice, homemade roti (whole wheat flat bread), mixed pickle, and a tamarind-date chutney. Of course, there was chai for dessert, too! If you can get your hands on fresh or frozen pumpkin, you should make this right away. It's so delicious and healthy, too!!
Pumpkin-Potato Curry (serves 6-8)
3 Tbs vegetable oil
2 Tbs black mustard seeds
1 Tbs cumin seeds
1 Tbs urad dal (split black lentils)
1 Tbs turmeric
12 fresh curry leaves, chopped
1 medium yellow onion, diced
6 cloves garlic, minced
6 chiles, minced (or to taste)
4 potatoes, diced
6 cups fresh or frozen pumpkin, large diced
1 cup vegetable broth
1 Tbs jaggery or agave nectar
1 tsp coriander
1 tsp salt, or to taste
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
12 fresh curry leaves, chopped

Heat oil in a large, deep skillet or wok over medium-high flame. Add mustard seeds and cook 30 seconds until they begin to pop. Add cumin seeds, urad dal, turmeric, and curry leaves. Cook 30 more seconds until the dal begin to brown. Add onion and saute 5 minutes until lightly golden and softened. Add the garlic and chiles and saute 1 minute to slightly brown. Add potatoes and pumpkin and saute 5 minutes (adding a few Tbs of water if too dry). Add broth, jaggery, salt, pepper, coriander, and cayenne. Bring to a boil; cover and reduce to a simmer for 20-25 minutes until the potatoes are tender and the liquid has reduced by at least half. Add the second batch of curry leaves and cook 5 more minutes, uncovered. Season/salt to taste and serve. Goes great with rice, roti, pickle, and chutneys!

And here's my Tamarind-Date Chutney...I'm obsessed and I think you will be, too!

Tamarind-Date Chutney (makes 1 qt, feel free to half if desired)
1/2 cup tamarind concentrate
1/2 cup dates, chopped
1/4 cup jaggery or agave nectar
Juice of 1 lemon
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup onion, diced
1/2" ginger, minced
1 chile, minced
1/4 tsp cayenne, or to taste
1 Tbs vegetable oil
3 cardamom pods, crushed
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp salt
3 cups water

Combine all ingredients in a medium pot. Bring to boil over medium-high heat. Cover and reduce to low; simmer 30 minutes until reduced and thickened. Use an immersion blender to puree until smooth, or pour into a blender and puree (being careful as it will be very hot). Serve at room temperature or chilled.

Breakfast for Dinner!!

My favorite meal in the world has got to be breakfast for dinner!! It is genius, because breakfast food is the best kind of food and you get to make and eat it when you aren't all tired and cranky! Brilliant.
So for dinner tonight, I made Blueberry Pancakes, Gimme Lean Sausage, and Roasted Potatoes. Not the most veggie-filled meal, but it's still healthy :) I promise! For the sausage links, I just used the tube of sausage from Gimme Lean and formed it into links, then pan-seared them in a skillet. To make the roasted potatoes, I diced russet and sweet potatoes, then tossed them with oil, garlic, salt, pepper, and thyme and roasted them for about 30-40 minutes. Super easy, but super tasty!! These pancakes are simply perfect: fluffy and light, yet hearty and not overly-sweet. Plus, they are all whole grain, so you can feel good about eating them for dinner! I used locally-grown organic blueberries in mine, so they were absolutely divine!

Blueberry Pancakes (serves 4)
1 T flaxseeds
1 1/2 cups rice milk, or milk replacer of your choice
2/3 cup water
1/4 cup canola oil
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup corn flour
2 Tbs baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/4 cup organic sugar
2 cups blueberries (if frozen, thaw first)

In a blender, blend all of the wet ingredients together until the flaxseeds are completely ground. In a large bowl, sift all of the dry ingredients together. Gradually pour the wet mix into the dry mix and gently stir until just combined. Do not overmix!
Heat a skillet over medium heat and spray with non-stick spray. When skillet is nice and hot, measure 1/2 cup of batter and pour onto the skillet. Spread out the batter to make pancake about six inches in diameter. Drop 10 to 15 blueberries evenly on the pancake as it cooks. Let the cake cook for a few minutes, until it starts to bubble on the surface, then gently flip pancake over to cook the other side for a few more minutes. When browned on both sides and not doughy in the middle, transfer to a plate and cover with a towel to keep warm. Repeat the cooking process seven more times until all the batter is gone, making eight pancakes total. Serve warm topped with maple syrup and more blueberries. WWWOOOOOWWWW!

Here's a nice stack of nekkid blueberry pancakes, ready to be dressed with warm syrup!

For the grand occasion of the first presidential debates, I thought I should celebrate by baking a yummy dinner and eating some delicious baked goods! I made the Date Crumb Squares from the Candle Cafe Cookbook. Ever since I ate at the Candle Cafe when I visited New York in May, I often think about that restaurant and how amazing the food is! I finally broke down and ordered their cookbook online! Thank goodness I did, because there are so many great recipes in this, you should definitely check it out!! Anyway, these bars are really tasty! A new way to use dates is always good...underused for sure! The crust is sweet but not too much, and crumbly in a way reminiscent of a nice apple crumble. They are actually quite healthy, so make up a pot of hot tea...perhaps Earl Grey...and dig in!

Date Crumb Squares (makes 12)
1/2 cup dates

4 cups oat flour

4 cups rolled oats

3/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

1 cup safflower, or canola, oil

1 cup maple syrup

1 tsp almond extract

1/2 tsp sea salt

The day before making these bars, soak the dates in a cup of warm water to soften. Drain, put the dates in a food processor, and blend until smooth. Preheat the oven to 350 F. In a large bowl, combine the flour, oats, and walnuts and mix well. In a separate bowl, blend together the wet ingredients and salt. Combine the two mixes together and mix well. Press half of the mixture into a greased 12 by 6 pan. Spread the pureed dates over the dough, then top with the remaining half of the mixture and press down to make an even surface. Bake for 30 minutes until the crust is lightly browned. Let cool, then cut into squares.

That's not all I baked this week....

I also baked a batch of lavender chocolate chip cookies!! God I love these cookies! They are even more perfect dipped in vanilla hemp milk!! This picture is Steve's hand doing just that! To make these beauties, make the Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe from the Joy of Vegan Baking, and add 1 cup of dried lavender flowers to the batter when you add the chocolate chips. Holy crap! Whoever first thought of combining chocolate and lavender deserves a kiss on the mouth.