yoga gumbo

4 medium beets (about 1 pound without greens), plus 4 cups packed beet greens (if you can’t find beets with healthy-looking greens attached, use red chard in place of the beet greens)
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 medium shallots, sliced thin
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
1/2 cup walnuts, toasted in a dry skillet until fragrant
2 ounces goat cheese, crumbled (about 1/2 cup)

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. Trim all but the last inch or so of the stems from the beets. Wash the beets well and trim any dangling roots. Wrap the beets in aluminum foil. Place the beets in the oven and roast until a metal skewer glides easily through them, 1 to 1 1/4 hours.
3. While the beets are roasting, wash and shake dry the beet greens. Tear any large leaves in half.
4. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a medium skillet. Add the shallots and saute over medium heat until golden brown and crisp, about 5 minutes. Add the damp beet greens and saute until wilted, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste and cool to room temperature.
5. Place the vinegars and salt and pepper to taste in a small bowl. Whisk in the remaining 3 tablespoons oil until the dressing is smooth. Set the dressing aside.
6. When the beets are tender, remove them from the oven, open up the foil, and cool slightly. Discard the foil. Use paper towels to hold the warm beets and rub them gently to slip off their skins. Slice the beets into 1/4-inch-thick rounds.
7. Divide the beet greens among four individual salad plates. Arrange the beet slices over the greens and drizzle with the dressing. Garnish the salad with toasted walnuts and cheese. Serve immediately.

1 cup whole wheat (pastry) flour
1 cup white flour
3 tsp. baking powder (I use a little less to compensate for being at 6000 ft.)
1 tsp. salt
1 tablespoon brown sugar
3 eggs, separated
2 cups milk
1/3 cup oil
1 mashed banana

Separate eggs and beat egg whites until stiff. In another large bowl, beat milk, oil and egg yolks together. Blend in mashed banana. Sift flour, baking powder, salt and sugar onto egg/banana mixture, and combine until just blended.

Fold in egg whites. Cook on greased griddle or frying pan.

You can sprinkle diced banana, chocolate chips, blueberries, or whatever you fancy on top of the pancakes after pouring the batter on the griddle.

Yogamum’s Southwestern Sweet Potato Soup

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
4 sweet potatoes, peeled and diced (about 4 cups)
1 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. smoked Spanish paprika
1 tsp. salt
2 tablespoons New Mexican chile powder
6 cups veggie stock
2 cups frozen corn
1 jalapeño, chopped
zest and juice of 1 lime

Sauté the onion in a skillet with olive oil over medium heat until softened, about three minutes. Add garlic, oregano, paprika, salt and chile powder and sauté for another minute or two. Turn off heat. Add onion mixture, sweet potatoes, and veggie stock to a Crock Pot and cook on high for4-6 hours, or low 8-10 hours, until sweet potatoes are soft. Puree soup in batches or use a handheld immersion blender. Return to Crock Pot and stir in corn, jalapeño and lime zest and juice. Let simmer for 20 more minutes until heated through. Serve with shredded cheese or sour cream on top, and homemade cornbread.

Lemon Cheesecake

1 ¼ c graham cracker crumbs (about 18 wafers or 16 squares)
2 T sugar
3 T butter, melted
2 packages (8oz each) plus 1 package (3oz) cream cheese, softened
1 c sugar
1/4 t vanilla
2 t grated lemon peel
3 eggs
Sour Cream Topping (below)

Heat oven to 350. Mix crumbs & 2 T sugar; mix in butter thoroughly. Press evenly onto bottom of ungreased springform pan, 9X3 inches. Bake 10 minutes; cool.

Reduce oven temp to 300. Beat cream cheese in 3qt bowl. Gradually beat in 1 c sugar until fluffy; add vanilla & lemon peel. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Pour over crumb mixture. Bake until center is firm, about 1 hour. Cover & refrigerate at least 3 hours but no longer than 48.

Prepare topping; spread over cheesecake. Loosen cheesecake from sides of pan. Refrigerate any leftovers immediately. 12 servings.

Sour Cream Topping

Beat 1 cup dairy sour cream, 2 Tablespoons sugar & 2 teaspoons vanilla until well blended.

Creamy Lime Vinaigrette

1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup freshly-squeezed lime juice
1 tablespoon chopped shallot
1/2 tsp. salt (to taste)
1/2 tsp. pepper (to taste)
2 tablespoons sour cream

Whisk together olive oil and lime juice. Stir in shallots, salt and pepper. Whisk sour cream in until smooth.

This is especially good over a salad made of romaine & spinach, topped with cherry tomatoes, avocado, red onion and shredded leftover roast chicken.

Yogamum’s Fish Enchiladas with Creamy Green Chile Sauce

1 lb. firm-fleshed white fish, such as halibut, cooked and flaked into small chunks
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. ground cumin
I small tomato, diced
Juice of one lime
1/4 cup chopped cilantro; reserve 1 tbs. for topping
Salt and pepper to taste

12 corn tortillas
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Creamy Green chile sauce:
1 16 oz. can green chile enchilada sauce (I used Hatch brand, my favorite)
3/4 cup reduced fat sour cream

Preheat oven to 350° F. Spray a 13×9 baking pan with cooking spray.

Heat a medium skillet over medium-high heat and add olive oil. Swirl to coat the pan. Add garlic and sautee about two minutes, until slightly golden, then turn the heat to low and stir in cumin. Add the fish and tomato and heat through. Turn off the heat and add the lime juice, cilantro and salt and pepper to taste. Stir.

Mix the green chile sauce and sour cream in a small bowl.

Place about two tablespoons of fish mixture in tortillas and roll up, then place in casserole seam side down. (I find the tortillas more pliable and easier to work with if I wrap a stack of them in a damp kitchen towel and microwave them for 45 seconds.) After all the tortillas are filled and rolled, pour the green chile sauce evenly over them and sprinkle cheese on top.

Cover and bake for 30 minutes until sauce is bubbly and cheese is melted. Sprinkle with reserved cilantro and serve. Preferably with margaritas.

Festive Cranberry or Rhubarb Cake
(My Grandma’s recipe)

Cake:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
3 tbsp. butter, melted
1 cup milk
2 cups fresh cranberries or diced fresh rhubarb

Butter Sauce:
1/3 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 cup cream
1/2 tsp. vanilla

Directions:
Cake: Sift dry ingredients together. Stir in melted butter, milk, and cranberries. Pour into greased 8×8×2 pan. Bake at 350 degrees for one hour. Serve warm with Butter Sauce.

Butter Sauce: Heat butter, sugar, and cream over boiling water until well-blended. Add vanilla. Serve hot. Makes two cups sauce.

Yogamum’s Spinach Artichoke Dip

1 10 oz. package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
1 15 oz. can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1 cup plain yogurt
1 8 oz. package cream cheese, softened
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Couple dashes Worcestershire sauce
Salt to taste
2 cups shredded pepper jack cheese

Blend yogurt and cream cheese, then stir in remaining ingredients, reserving a bit of cheese to sprinkle on top. Bake at 350° F for 30 minutes until brown and bubbly on top.

Indian Rice Pudding for Lazy Efficient Cooks

1 22 oz. container Kozy Shack Rice Pudding
1 tsp. vanilla bean paste (if not available, try 1/2 tsp. vanilla)
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. ground cardamom
1 tablespoon candied crystallized ginger, finely chopped
1 tablespoon dried mangoes, finely chopped

Stir together first four ingredients. Sprinkle ginger and mangoes on top. Chill and serve.

Yogamum’s Crazy Hippie Banana-Agave-Flaxseed Pancakes
aka
“The Best Pancakes Ever” – according to Yoga Spell, FreckleBoy, and FrogGirl

Servings: 6 (3 of us had four, one of us had 3, and there were eight left over for freezing)

1 cup white flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
3 tsp. baking powder
1 ½ tbsp. milled flax seed (I found this in the baking section of my grocery store, but you can also take whole flax seeds and grind them very finely in a coffee grinder)
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon

3 large eggs
2 cups milk
½ cup canola oil
1 generous tablespoon agave nectar (sold near the honey in my supermarket; you can substitute honey – use a little less, because honey is sweeter and has a stronger flavor than agave nectar — but I would encourage you to try the agave if you can find it)
1 tsp. vanilla
1 mashed ripe banana

Beat the eggs in a large bowl. Beat in the milk, oil, agave nectar, and vanilla. Stir in the mashed banana. Sift the flours, baking powder, flax seed, salt and cinnamon into the wet ingredients. Stir until combined; batter will be somewhat lumpy. Cook on your favorite pancake griddle. Top with butter and REAL maple syrup.

Coconut Macaroons

from Nigella Lawson’s “How to Be a Domestic Goddess”, a baking cookbook that has wonderful and unusual cake and cookie recipes.

2 large egg whites
1/4 tsp. cream of tartar
1/3 cup sugar
2 tbsp. ground almonds
pinch of salt
1 tsp. vanilla extract (or coconut extract)
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons shredded coconut (sweetened)
1 baking sheet, lined with parchment or wax paper

Preheat the oven to 325°.

Beat the egg whites until frothy — no more — then add the cream of tartar and carry on beating until soft peaks are formed. Add the sugar a teaspoon at a time and whisk until the peaks can hold their shape and are shiny. Fold in the almonds, salt, vanilla, and coconut. The mixture will be sticky but should, all the same, hold its shape when clumped together.

Form into clementine-sized domes, 2 to 3 inches in diameter. Don’t make them too flat; they look best if you keep them nicely rounded, but this is really just a matter of personal taste, so follow your own.

Cook for 20 minutes or until they’re just beginning to turn golden brown in parts.

Makes 8 large macaroons.

Apple-Blackberry Oatmeal Bars

2 Granny Smith apples, peeled and shredded
1 tbsp. butter
½ tsp. cinnamon
½ cup blackberry jam (can substitute whatever jam you have on hand)

½ cup butter
½ cup packed brown sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 ½ cups rolled oats

Preheat oven to 350°. Grease a 13×9 inch pan.

Melt butter in a skillet and sautee shredded apples until soft, about 3 minutes. Stir in cinnamon and jam.

Put remaining ingredients into a food processor and pulse until well-blended and crumbly. Press two cups of the mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan. Spread apple mixture evenly over the top. Spread the rest of the oat mixture on top, pressing gently until it holds together. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes.

**

As requested, the recipe for Mattar Batata, from Madhur Jaffrey’s “From Curries to Kebabs” (a cookbook which I love, and highly recommend, not only for the recipes, but for the gorgeous photos as well):

Potato and Pea Curry
Mattar Batata

Serves 4 to 6

3 tablespoons corn or peanut oil
1/2 teaspoon whole brown mustard seeds
1/2 teaspoon whole cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon whole hot dried red chiles
A generous pinch of ground asafetida
1 pound boiling potatoes, peeled and cut into chunky pieces
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon sugar
2 cups frozen peas, defrosted
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
3 medium tomatoes (about 1 pound, grated on the coarsest side of a grater)

Pour the oil into a medium, lidded pan and set over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, throw in the mustard seeds, cumin seeds, red chiles, and asafetida. As soon as the mustard seeds begin to pop, a matter of seconds, add the potatoes. Stir and fry until the potatoes brown a little. Now add the cayenne pepper, cumin, coriander, turmeric, and sugar. Stir once or twice and put in the peas. Stir a few times, then add 1 cup of water and 1 teaspoon of the salt. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce the heat to low, and cook gently for 15 minutes. Stir in the grated tomatoes and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of the salt. Simmer gently, uncovered, for a further 10 minutes.