Vegetarian Recipes | DanaSlatkin.com

Vegan (or vegetarian) Kale Caesar Salad with Miso Almond Crumble

02/11/2013 By Dana Slatkin Leave a Comment

Since we’re in the midst of the month of love, the age of Aquarius, and my birthday, I thought I’d give a shout out to someone I really love. My heart. Yes, my tireless little blood sausage of life deserves some appreciation this week. Did you know that neglected hearts account for more deaths in women than all of the cancers combined? I’m making sure to give mine plenty of love. In fact, I’ve been cooking just what it wants lately, thanks to the trove of new tips I learned from Ashley Koff, the renowned dietician that Dr. Oz and Dr. Weil turn to when they need answers. Last week, Ashley and I teamed up for the third time to teach a Heart-Healthy class aimed at teaching my students how their hearts like to be fed. With her … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Dairy-free, In the Kitchen, Vegan Recipes, Vegetarian Recipes

Vegan Lentil Meatballs

01/09/2013 By Dana Slatkin 2 Comments

"Good to go, good to come home." This was one of my father-in-law’s favorite aphorisms, one he would say after doling out bear hugs whenever we’d return from a trip. Though Papa Burt is no longer with us, my husband and I often find ourselves quoting him, with a wink and a smile. In the car on our way back from our holiday safari, I thought about coming home. We had spent the day at the San Diego Safari Park, feeding a rhino, petting giraffes, cuddling an armadillo and watching wildebeests mate. It was as up close and personal as we had ever come to these beautiful creatures…less than two hours from the city. As we drove back to our concrete jungle, past sprawling malls and office parks, I wanted to bring the animals and their … [Read more...]

Filed Under: In the Kitchen, Vegan Recipes, Vegetarian Recipes

Scallion Pancakes with Sweet Soy Dipping Sauce (Gluten-free)

12/17/2012 By Dana Slatkin Leave a Comment

Makes about 2 dozen small (about 3-inches in diameter) pancakes, or 6-8 servings It’s beginning to feel a lot like…get me to January 1. If you’re already over the holidays, you’re not alone. All the forced festivity, cloying crooning and nonstop consuming can start to grate on nerves. But in light of the heartbreaking tragedies in last week’s news, let’s count our blessings. In the final stretch to the finish of 2012, I get busy cooking. For those I love. For those who are suffering or struggling. For those who are no longer here to enjoy the holidays. One ritual I always look forward to: Chinese food on Christmas Eve. It’s practically a cultural imperative. Some years we head to our favorite local restaurant for … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Appetizer Recipes, Gluten-Free Recipes, Holiday Recipes, In the Kitchen, Side Dish Recipes, Snack Recipes, Vegetarian Recipes

Quinoa Vegetable Latkes (gluten-free)

12/04/2012 By Dana Slatkin Leave a Comment

Makes 12 3-inch latkes Pull out that cast iron pan, stockpile your potatoes and onions, arm yourself with oil. It’s latke time. This month I’m knee-deep in them. After pouring through shelves of Jewish cookbooks over the years, testing countless recipes and swimming in oil every December, I think I’ve finally managed to master the perfect latke. For the past decade or so, I’ve stuck with what works, a failproof formula that somehow manages to get raves every time. I have gradually made some minor tweaks to the recipe, adjusting the potato to onion ratio, adding zucchini, and honing the process down to a few steps. For you traditionalists, here is the recipe. But if you’re willing to stretch a little this year, I have a … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Appetizer Recipes, Dairy-free, Gluten-Free Recipes, Holiday Recipes, In the Kitchen, Side Dish Recipes, Snack Recipes, Vegetarian Recipes

Easy Dairy-free Gluten-free Cheese Puffs

11/15/2012 By Dana Slatkin Leave a Comment

The last time I came up with a recipe that seemed too good to be true, it actually was. Good and true, that is. A luscious dark chocolate pudding made with coconut milk and maple syrup, ten minutes to prep and good to go days later. It sounded like a fantasy, but it turned out to be one of the big hits of the year. So last week, when I stumbled upon a recipe for a gluten-free cheese bread called Pão de Queijo, I thought I was dreaming again. The adorable little puffs reminded me of the heavenly rolls we used to buy every week at the farmers market over the summer. Made of tapioca flour (a.k.a. tapioca starch, cassava flour, or manioc flour), they were crusty on the outside, chewy and cheesy on the inside, and totally addictive. I pictured … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Breakfast and Brunch Recipes, Dairy-free, Gluten-Free Recipes, In the Kitchen, Side Dish Recipes, Vegan Recipes, Vegetarian Recipes

Vegan Creamed Spinach

10/01/2012 By Dana Slatkin Leave a Comment

Dinnertime is usually when my kids get their fill of Mom wisdom. The other night, over bowls of polenta and Stephanie Izard’s tasty wild mushroom ragout (thank you, Food + Wine Magazine), I told them a story about how I made a new friend recently, just on the heels of having to let another one go. “You see,” I shared, “When one door closes, another one opens.” My teenagers sat rolling their eyes, but the kindergartner chimed in winsomely, “And when two doors close, I open the window!” Hilarious! We all burst out laughing. But when I thought about it that night, I realized the little guy was absolutely right. We all have those moments in our lives where we just need to breathe in some fresh air. This … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Dairy-free, Gluten-Free Recipes, Side Dish Recipes, Vegan Recipes, Vegetarian Recipes

Luscious Vegan Red Wine Sauce

09/18/2012 By Dana Slatkin Leave a Comment

When I was cooking in France just a couple of years — okay, decades — ago, nouvelle cuisine was just beginning to emerge onto the haute cuisine scene. At the time, it was almost heretical to think of French food prepared without massive quantities of cream and butter. Michel Guèrard, proprietor of the idyllic resort and spa Les Pres d’Eugenie, and my boss at the time, was daring to cook without either, using vegetable purées or yogurt to thicken luxuriously flavorful sauces. His enlightened style of cooking drew crowds of gastronomes from around the globe. How did Chef Guèrard manage to polish up centuries of baked-in Gallic tradition? After a few months apprenticing in his kitchen, I managed to crack … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Gluten-Free Recipes, Vegan Recipes, Vegetarian Recipes

Vegetable Torte

01/06/2012 By Dana Slatkin Leave a Comment

Some of you like to start out the year with resolutions. A few days into 2012, and I’m betting you’re still on a roll. This month, you’re rocking your new clean, virtuous lifestyle. Bravo! Me, I’m back in the kitchen, cooking up comfort food. Because in the first few weeks of the year, I’d rather do anything than get back to work. Call me sentimental, but I want to hang on to the warm glow of the holidays for as long as possible (maybe that’s why I can’t bring myself to toss all those shiny, happy holiday cards). So even though it hardly feels like winter here, I’m sticking with hearty, reassuring fare. This beautiful vegetable torte fits the bill. I’ve made it several times for dinner … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Vegetarian Recipes