No Need To Ask Why...Sheet Pie!

   

Apple Sheet Pie to be specific. Rose Wilde, who wrote the new cookbook Bread and Roses, stopped Tonia's Kitchen with a delicious recipe for Sheet Apple Pie with Khorasan. Rose told Tonia Khorasan is a sandy, buttery grain that leaves the pie with a delicious texture. She adds she uses an all-butter crust and is an excellent value because it really feeds a crowd! In addition, the pie offers an excellent crust to filling ratio. Also, it's really delicious!

No Chicken Needed For This Curry

  

Looking for a light, vegetable-based curry, that packs quite the flavor? Nicki Sizemore, who wrote the new cookbook Fresh Flavors for the Slow Cooker came by Tonia's Kitchen to talk about her recipe for this amazing dish, which is based on red curry paste, onion, garlic and ginger. Nicki says she also uses coconut milk and peanut butter to give it a creamier texture. She uses cauliflower, but Nicki says you can use most other vegetables create this curry, which is nutritious and delicious.

Ingredients

Aromatics

• 1 tablespoon virgin coconut oil
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon minced ginger
• 2 tablespoons red curry paste

Slow cooker

• 2 cups low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons fish sauce (preferably Red Boat brand)
• 1 tablespoon tamari or soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon packed brown sugar
• 1 large head cauliflower (2 1/2 pounds), cut into 2-inch florets
• 1 pound red potatoes (about 3 medium potatoes), cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1/2 cup canned coconut milk, well stirred
• 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
• 2 cups frozen cut green beans
• 1/3 cup roasted, unsalted peanuts
• 1 tablespoon sriracha
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

For serving

• Cooked rice or quinoa
• Coarsely chopped peanuts
• Chopped cilantro
• Sriracha

Playing with Your Vegetables

 

Sometimes it's hard to be creative with vegetables. Their reputation as a reliable side sometimes stifles the innovative ways you can prepare them. That is until you talk with Chef Alvaro Lima. The Chicago-based chef stopped by Tonia's Kitchen to talk about his Corn and Squash Gyoza. He told Tonia there's a lot to do here with items you might consider left over. Chef Lima told Tonia he adds a Salsa Matcha, which is a chili crisp, and a Charcoal Aioli, which is toasted onion and garlic, charred until their blackened, and pulverized. The flavor is incredible, and the dish is anything but boring.

There's No "Beeting" These Sliders

Sliders Sans Meat...but we promise you won't miss the beef! Chef Alvaro Lima stopped by Tonia's Kitchen to talk about his mushroom-beet sliders. Alvaro told Tonia he roasts the beets, and pulverizes them in a food processor, and combines them with delicious mushrooms and potatoes for a tasty, high protein snack. Chef Lima says he uses Hellman's Vegan Mayonnaise to help flavor these sliders, which he says is not only delicious, but really cuts down on food waste.

A Bread-Filled Reset

   

And that's because it does everything regular bread does, with all the goodness of Zucchini. Vasudha Viswanath who wrote the new cookbook Vegetarian Reset, came by Tonia's Kitchen to talk about her version of Zucchini Bread, which is different than the sweet bread you might be familiar with. Vasudha told Tonia this is more of a savory sandwich loaf. It's gluten-free and very versatile. Vasudha says you can use it to make everything from Avocado Toast to croutons, even breadcrumbs. It's nutrient-rich and most importantly, delicious!

serves: 10 

1 medium zucchini (7 oz./200g) 

1⁄2 tsp. + 1 pinch salt, plus more to taste 1 cup/120g chickpea flour 

1 scant cup/100g blanched almond flour 

1 Tbsp. baking powder 1 Tbsp. ground flaxseed 2 eggs 

vegan version 

1 medium zucchini (7 oz./200g) 

1⁄2 tsp. + 1 pinch salt, plus more to taste 

1 heaping cup/140g chickpea flour 

1 heaping cup/120g blanched almond flour 

1 1⁄2 Tbsp. baking powder 2 Tbsp. ground flaxseed 

6 Tbsp. aquafaba (soaking liquid from a can of chickpeas) 

directions 

Step 1. Grate zucchini using the smaller holes of a box grater. Sprinkle a pinch of salt over zucchini and let sit for 10–15 minutes to draw out moisture. 

Step 2. Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C. Lightly grease an 81/2-x-41/2-x-21/2- inch / 201/2-x-11-x-51/2-cm loaf pan. 

Step 3. Combine chickpea flour, almond flour, baking powder, flaxseed, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt in a large bowl and mix well. Beat eggs lightly in a separate bowl (skip for vegan version). 

Step 4. Place zucchini in a thin towel, paper towel, or a nut-milk bag and squeeze over a bowl to get as much moisture out as possible (I usually get at least 1/4 cup zucchini water). Reserve the water for the next step. 

Step 5. When oven temp reaches 350°F/180°C, add 1/4 cup zucchini water, beaten egg or aquafaba, and grated zucchini to dry ingredients and stir well with a large spoon or whisk, breaking up any lumps. If the batter is too thick to combine, add a bit more zucchini water 1 tablespoon at a time, up to 4 tablespoons, supplementing with regular water if needed. The batter should be thick, like a lump of wet sand. 

Step 6. Transfer batter to prepared pan and tap gently on the counter to settle. Bake for 35–45 minutes (45–55 minutes for the vegan version), or until golden brown on top and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. 

Step 7. Let cool 15–20 minutes. Loosen around the edges of the pan with a butter knife if necessary. Transfer to a flat surface to slice, and serve just as you would any other bread! 

cooking notes 

Squeeze zucchini hard to get as much moisture out as possible. This is the key to not ending up with a soggy mess! 

Store bread in an airtight container for 3–5 days at room temperature, or up to 3 months in the freezer. Defrost 4–5 hours or overnight at room temperature.