Tuesday, January 23, 2024
Good afternoon!
… From an airport! It’s been a bit since I updated from an airport, no? [It’s been 10 weeks.] But I am back on the road, heading this evening to Vancouver. Tomorrow evening (1/24) I’ll be at the Vancouver Public Library in conversation with Bronwen Tate and while the in-person tickets are sadly sold out, Livestream tickets (which are also free) are not. Details here. The following evening (1/25) I’ll be in Seattle in conversation with J. Kenji Lopez-Alt and while the in-person tickets are also sold out, the virtual tickets are not. Details here.
Last week I had a chuckle over this note and was reminded that many of us struggle — I used to, too! — to cook food in stainless steel and/or cast iron pans because it can seem like everything sticks. But two little tricks can fix this forever, so I made a video which you can watch on Reels or TikTok and maybe it helps you too.
And at last, a theme: This week I’ve shared several of my vegan and almost-vegan winter staples and I hope you find lots of inspiration and have a cozy, delicious week.
Cheers,
Deb
I’ve written three cookbooks and I’m a tiny bit biased, but I think you’d love them all. Wondering what you might cook from Smitten Kitchen Keepers in the depths of winter? I thought you’d never ask! The soup section is one of my absolute favorites with everything from a perfect weeknight ginger garlic chicken noodle soup, simple black bean chili, winter squash soup with red onion crisp, slow-simmered lentils with kale and goat cheese that you scoop onto grilled bread, cozy chicken and dumplings,
and a creamy tomato chickpea masala I could probably live on if allowed. To finish, I recommend the oatmeal date shortbread, better-than-classic pound cake, and/or toast with chocolate olive oil spread. Were you looking for a list of all the recipes in each of my cookbooks? I’ve added these in a separate page and hope it makes it easier for you to find everything you want to cook.
sweet potato tacos
Cubes of sweet potatoes roasted with so much spice, it almost forms a crust, atop a schmear of refried black beans, finished with lime, avocado, and more make for easy (vegan), hearty and flavorful weeknight tacos.
spinach and chickpeas
This is a longtime favorite of a hearty vegan meal that tastes like a luxury, not a compromise, especially when heaped on grilled or fried bread. (Don't forget to rub it with a halved garlic clove while still hot, then douse it olive oil for peak toast bliss.)
carrot soup with miso and sesame
I promise, I hadn't *intended* to make a soup so quintessentially early January, all gluten/meat/dairy- and mostly fat-free. That would have been boring. This accidentally healthy soup -- carrot soup meets miso soup meets toasted sesame nirvana -- is not.
miso sweet potato and broccoli bowl
Wild rice, deeply roasted sweet potatoes and broccoli and a miso-ginger-tahini dressing all piled into one bowl make this one of my favorite everyone-approved weeknight dinners -- use any kind of rice or combination of vegetables you've got; the dressing is the star.
cauliflower and tomato masala with peas
A craving for cauliflower in a spicy tomato sauce led me to gobi matar masala, where the peas (trust this pea-ambivalent cook) add the perfect complementary dots of sweetness. Vegan and cozy but unheavy, it feels perfect for a chilly winter day.
chana masala
Unquestionably the best chana masala I have ever made, a hint of sour transforms the whole dish. Have it for dinner with rice, toasted naan and/or a dollop of plain yogurt and end your day warm-bellied and content.
pasta and white beans with garlic-rosemary oil
This pasta is hearty and cold weather-ideal, getting its awesomeness not from the usual crutches of dairy, cheese, or fatty meats, but a finish of sizzling garlic-rosemary oil and crunchy sea salt.
chard and white bean stew
A cozy but simple vegetarian stew with white beans, chard (or any greens you’ve got around), finished with a nonnegotiable slice of grilled sourdough bread (even better if it’s drizzled with olive oil and kissed with a little garlic). You could even top it with a poached egg, if you’re into it, or a little parmesan, but it needs neither to taste wonderful.
plush confetti cupcakes
To make the most plush, moist, tender-crumbed vanilla-scented confetti cupcakes? Skip the eggs and butter. These cupcakes are vegan, one-bowl, and can be entirely finished in under an hour. You can use the same recipe to make a full-sized party cake as well; instructions in the recipe.
date breakfast squares
A little treat yourself breakfast/snack/vaccination against The Hangries with whole grains, restrained sweetness and cozy winter spices. This is one of my favorite ways to arm myself for a busy week ahead.
shop my favorites
Ever wonder where I get my cutting boards, paring knives, offset spatulas and more than you see when I cook? I've created a page on Smitten Kitchen with links to some of my favorite kitchen items, the ones I'm asked about the most. I recently added several new favorites I’ve bought in the last year. For each item, I've attempted to provide a range of shopping links so we're not just focusing on one giant retailer.
See you next week!