November 4th, 2015
I recently came back from a short stay in NYC with Masha (older daughter and Golubka photographer), where I was happy to get a glimpse of autumn with its turning trees and crisp air. Fall is something I miss a lot after being a resident of almost seasonless Florida for so many years.
All the falling leaves and a minor sniffle got me thinking about comforting soups, which are the best answer to being under the weather or any general cravings for warming, healing food.
This soup is simple in preparation, but full of powerful flavors and anti-inflammatory properties. I started with a play on chicken noodle soup, the classic ‘get well’ food, by using roasted spaghetti squash in place of noodles and making a nutritious broth. The broth is infused with the best of the best – turmeric, ginger, garlic, lemongrass and plenty of lemon. The sweetness of roasted carrots balances out the tartness and spiciness of the broth. Puy lentils complete the soup with body and substance. If you can get your hands on kaffir lime leaves, which can be found frozen at Asian markets, do not hesitate to include them, you’ll be in for a real treat.
I created this recipe as part of a healthy recipe package for Food & Wine online, see the detailed recipe here.
Tags: carrots, garlic, ginger, kaffir lime, lemon, lemongrass, lentils, soup, spaghetti squash, turmeric
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April 21st, 2013
Today we’re thrilled to welcome more guests, Shanna and Tim of Food Loves Writing, who came up with a delicious veggie dip recipe to share with us. You may have noticed a new wave of guest posts on Golubka lately – that’s because we’re still working on the cookbook, which is in the copy editing stage at the moment, and generally trying to take a little rest from intense recipe development. I enjoy the concept of guest posts so much, sharing and exchanging ideas often leads to the best recipes, meals and friendships.
Food Loves Writing is a literary food blog written by an amazing husband and wife team based in Nashville. Focusing on engaging storytelling intertwined with whole food recipes, Shanna and Tim run a warm and charming site, which I always find hard to leave, wanting to read just one more post. Be sure to pay them a visit and check out their ebook, Written Together. Here is Shanna’s beautiful story:
Hello, Golubka readers! I’m truly so honored to be posting here today, partly because, like many of you, I so admire the quality of work on this site, and partly because, also, I resonate so much with the philosophy here of a fearless approach to new foods. Thanks again for the generous invitation, Anya! I hope you all enjoy hearing a little of our story.
My husband, Tim, wooed me into married life through sixteen months of dating around the delight of what were then many new-to-me foods. When I’d visit from Chicago, he’d bring me into his Nashville kitchen and make me impromptu salads, perfectly fried eggs with the brightest yellow yolks, mashed avocado on toast, sweet potatoes roasted in coconut oil, thick morning smoothies made in a blender he’d packed to the brim.
We’d first met through food blogs (a story you can read more about in our ebook), so the idea that we’d grow together around the table makes good sense. And in the years since I’ve known him, Tim’s taught me about balsamic vinegars and the many varieties of leafy lettuce and how rich a diet can be when one sticks to foods that are real. One month into our married life, going through boxes in our living room, I found an old journal of his, stashed with handwritten notes on the intricacies of ice-cream making, and I thought again how much this man is just my match. Because of this, over time, I’ve learned that when he has an idea, I should listen to it—and that’s the story of how this raw garlic dip, which is at once dairy-free, gluten-free and vegan, came to be.
So Tim said he had an idea for a vegetable or chip dip that would be based off of a cashew cream. I’ve always marveled at what cashews become when you soak them overnight and blend them into a chocolate pudding or raw berry pie, but turning them into something savory would, for us, be new.
Here is what we did: In a high-powered blender, we combined the soaked cashews, coconut milk, two cloves of garlic, two chopped green onions, chili powder and salt. Tasting and adjusting until we had it right, we ended up with a new take on the standard veggie dip, one so delicious I could eat it by itself with a spoon. We ate it with raw vegetables, but it would also be so nice with chips—or spread onto a sandwich or stuffed inside a lettuce wrap. I like to think of it as a testament to quality ingredients, but, I suppose, also, it’s just as easily a testament to love.
Garlic Onion Veggie Dip (Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free, Vegan)
(Makes about three cups, which is plenty for a crowd, and is best served with fresh veggies or your favorite type of chip.)
1 cup of cashews – soaked in water overnight
Around 3/4 cup coconut milk
2 cloves of garlic – grated
2 green onions – chopped
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
Sea salt and pepper
Begin by blending the soaked cashews in a high-powered blender or food processor, with enough coconut milk to almost come to the top of the nuts. Once the mixture is smooth and creamy, add garlic, onions, chili powder and salt. Taste, and add more chili powder, salt and pepper as you like.
Tags: dip, garlic, guest post, onion, recipe, vegan
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