We're getting deeper and deeper into October (don't know about you, but did this past week feel like a month or what?), which doesn't just bring us closer to my favorite holiday, Halloween, but all the signs are pointing to another very busy Thanksgiving-to-Christmas season. Meaning, with all of the impending insanity, it's always a good idea to have a few "make-ahead meals" on hand to save time on the off nights. Off nights that are better spent curled up with the BF watching a favorite show like Better Call Saul, or the World Series where his team the San Francisc—oh. Sorry. [Ed. note: Twist the knife, why don't you.]

This Moroccan stew is delicous the night it's made, and reheats well for lunches or make-ahead dinners, without losing any of its vibrant cumin, cinnamon and saffron flavors. Colorful and brothy, light and healthy, it's filling without being heavy. 

It's also vegetarian, but can easily be made vegan by replacing butter with olive oil and skipping the yogurt (see note).

Changes made to the original Smitten Kitchen recipe: substituted yams for the plain potatoes (I recommend the dark red Garnet yam variety), and left out the preserved lemon. 
​
The BF loves it over couscous, but I love it on its own. My dinner guests love all the toppings. A supremely versatile dish you can whip out while you prepare for the costumed kids soon to run amok. Amok! Amok! Amok!

Adapted from: Smitten Kitchen
Number of servings: 6-8

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, small dice
• 4 medium cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 (3-inch) cinnamon stick
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 pound butternut squash, peeled, seeded, large dice
• ¾ pound Garnet yam, peeled, large dice
• 2-3 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth (I like it brothy)
• 2 cups cooked chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 1 (14-ounce) can diced tomatoes with juices
• 2 pinches saffron threads (don't skip this!)
• 1 cup brined pitted green olives (recommend Cerignola)

Optional Sides & Toppings

• Steamed couscous or quinoa, for serving
• Fresh cilantro leaves, roughly chopped, for garnish
• Toasted slivered almonds, for garnish
• Plain yogurt, for garnish
• Hot sauce of your choice, for serving

Directions

1. Heat (medium heat) butter and olive oil in a 3-4 quart Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed saucepan with a tight-fitting lid. When oil shimmers, add onion, garlic, cumin, and cinnamon. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until spices are aromatic and onions are soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.
2. Add squash and yams. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, stir to coat, and cook until just tender, about 3 minutes.
3. Add broth, chickpeas, tomatoes and their juices, and saffron. Bring mixture to a boil then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer until squash is fork tender, about 10-15 minutes.
4. Remove from heat and stir in olives. Serve alone or over couscous, quinoa or rice. Garnish with cilantro, almonds, and yogurt if desired.

NOTE: To veganize this, replace the butter with additional olive oil, use vegetable broth and skip the yogurt.

PS: Sweet tooth? Did you miss a year ago when I whipped out the caramel apple cheesecake that destroyed the BF? [Ed. note: And no, she's not kidding.]​ (www.moveablefeast.me/blog/caramel-apple-cheesecake)

PPS:  Amok! Amok! Amok!

"Everything you see, I owe to spaghetti."
- Sophia Loren

The BF and I don't have pasta very often. When we do it's usually a celebration of some kind. [Ed. note: Why oh why can't it be a day ending in "y?"] Last time I made this dish was for my dear honorary niece and her BF, who were moving out of the state for a job opportunity.

Don't know about you, but every time I eat spaghetti I think of Louis Prima singing "Angelina" or "Just a Gigolo," or that scene from Lady and the Tramp wafts across my brain. Not sure what the BF is seeing when he looks across at me eating my bowl of spaghetti [Ed. note: It's not David Lee Roth's version of "Just A Gigolo," I'll tell you what"], but my noggin is loudly vibrating with various songs and images.

This pesto is not your traditional pesto. It's made with smoked almonds and arugula. Smoked almonds, folks. They bring this pesto to a whole other level.

Bonus: make this a vegan option and simply don't add the cheese.

Summer in your mouth.

PS: in case you missed them, one year ago:
www.moveablefeast.me/blog/one-bite-cheesecake-stuffed-chocolate-dipped-strawberries
www.moveablefeast.me/blog/grilled-romaine-and-corn-salad-with-pickled-cherries-and-shallots

Adapted from: Feasting at Home
Number of servings: 4

Ingredients

• 16 ounces bucatini pasta (spaghetti also works)
• ½ cup smoked salted almonds
• 4 cloves garlic
• 2 cups basil leaves
• 2 cups arugula
• 1 cup oil
• 1 teaspoon salt (see notes)
• ½ teaspoon fresh cracked pepper
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon lemon juice 
• Lemon zest (from regular or Meyer lemon)
• Cherry tomatoes, grated romano or parmesan cheese (for garnish)

Directions

1. Cook pasta according to directions on package.
2. Make the pesto.
3. In a food processor, place garlic and almonds. Pulse 4-5 times.
4. Add basil and arugula. Pulse a few more times.
5. Add oil, lemon, salt and pepper.
6. Process until combined, but not too smooth. A little grain is good.
7. Toss with drained pasta.
8. Garnish with cherry tomatoes (sliced in half), grated romano or parmesan cheese (optional) and a lemon zest.

NOTE: The pesto will taste salty and slightly bitter on its own, but don’t worry. Once it mixes with the bucatini, the pasta will soak up some of the salt and it will all balance out.

Over the years (I started making this about ten years ago), many clients have grown to love this lentil salad. One of them orders it practically every single week. No wonder.

So easy to make, it's an extremely versatile side dish, and by itself as a main course it's straight-up vegan. The BF loves it, but he needs another protein, so I like to add soft-boiled or poached eggs, and/or chicken sausage (pictured above). Easy to pack for on-the-go sojourns, the dish can be served cold, warm, or at room temperature, and it even tastes better the next day.

I cook fresh lentils all the time, but have to say a terrific hack and time saver is to use Trader Joe's steamed lentils, which are found in their fresh produce section. They're delicious and have a firm texture, which is key to this salad.

This one is a perfect summer dish, and unlike most of these blog recipes, isn't an adaptation–it's wholly original. Feel free to make subsitutions, i.e., substitute parsnip for carrot, dill for parsley, and if you don't like fennel, use only celery. Make it your own.

Number of servings: 4

Ingredients
Lentils

• 1 cup French green–also known as "Puy"–lentils, picked over and rinsed (one package of Trader Joe's lentils was used here)
• 3 cups water
• 1 Turkish bay leaf
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• ½ yellow onion, finely chopped
• 1 small fennel, cored, ends and stem trimmed and finely chopped
• 1 celery stalk, finely diced
• 1 medium carrot, finely diced
• 1 teaspoon thyme, chopped
• 2 tablespoons Italian parsley, finely chopped

Vinaigrette

• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 shallot, minced
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• ½ tablespoon Dijon mustard
• Salt & pepper to taste

Optional Toppings

• Goat cheese, feta
• Bacon, salami, chicken sausage, salmon
• Soft,or hard boiled eggs, poached egg
• Cornichons, tomatoes
• Radishes, watermelon radish

Directions

1. In a medium saucepan, bring lentils, water and bay leaf to a boil over medium high heat. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, until almost tender (about 15 minutes). Do not over cook. Stir in ½ teaspoon salt and simmer covered for about 3 minutes, until tender but not falling apart or mushy.  Drain in a colander or sieve and discard bay leaf.
2. While lentils are simmering, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium low heat.  Add onion, fennel, celery, thyme, salt and cook, stirring occasionally until vegetables are softened, about 5 minutes. Add carrots and cook just until al dente.
3. Meanwhile, make the vinaigrette. In a large mixing bowl, whisk ½ tablespoon Dijon mustard, 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar and minced shallot. Add ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil and whisk to emulsify. Add salt and pepper to taste.
4. Place warm lentils into bowl with the vinaigrette and gently toss to coat (do not mash the lentils). Add cooked vegetables and gently toss to incorporate. Add chopped parsley and toss.

NOTE: If using Trader Joe's steamed lentils, take out of box, make three slits in the plastic. Place on plate and microwave for approx 45 seconds. 

​Since it's Chinese New Year this Friday, February 16th (Year of the Dog), here's a take on a popular Chinese recipe that can be made in your own kitchen in under 30 minutes.

The BF and I love take-out Chinese, but I don't like the abundance of added thickeners, i.e., flour, cornstarch, etc. So I frequently make our own Chinese food at home where quantites can be better controlled. (Side note: BF also loves sushi and poke bowls that you can easily make at home, and you can see a poke bowl option here www.moveablefeast.me/blog/ahi-poke-bowl-with-kohlrabi-rice.)

My parents instilled my love of Asian food at an early age, as my dad lived in Shanghai for 10 years, so mom lovingly and expertly prepared Japanese and Chinese food for the five of us (two brothers, two sisters) when she could.

​Until I turned 10 years old, we went to one of our two favorite restaurants (Pagoda and Forbidden City) in Portland every Saturday night. The owners knew us by name and watched us grow up. They laughed as my mom dipped pacifers in sweet and sour sauce to quiet the infants. 

Every Saturday morning, we shopped at the local Japanese Grocery store called Anzen (100 year old store, now closed). I remember the scent and otherwordly yellow glow of the pickled daikon radish, gallon jug of sweet soy sauce, burlap bag of rice. And I remember the rice-paper-wrapped candy that my dad would give us if we behaved while waiting for them in the car.

This terrific recipe was adapted from The Woks of Life. A word about king trumpet mushrooms (smokefree.typepad.com/photos/uncategorized/2008/07/14/king10001_2.jpg) from Judy Leung, "King mushrooms seem to be named as such because of their massive stems. These are substantial and very versatile mushrooms–you can pan-fry them, stir-fry them, braise them, steam them, or grill them...it's a great candidate to serve as a meat substitute."

Specifically, I added a few ingredients that I like in Kung Pao Chicken–water chestnuts, zucchini and shitakes. I also substituted cashews over peanuts as that's my personal preference, but feel free to use peanuts if you like. 

NOTES: It's important to dice the vegetables according to the directions below. Everything will cook faster and evenly if you do. King trumpet mushrooms should be in the produce section of your local grocer (they're at my Safeway, Whole Foods, and Costco).

Adapted from: The Woks of Life
Number of servings: 4

Ingredients

• ¾ cup whole cashews or dry roasted peanuts
• 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon sugar 
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• ¼ cup water
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil (divided)
• 3 large king trumpet mushrooms (about 1 pound), diced into small pieces (if you can't find trumpet mushrooms, substitute with a combination of cremini, shitake, and portobello; remove gills)
• 6 ounces shitake mushrooms, small dice
• 2 slices ginger, minced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 6 scallions, white parts only, diced
• 1 teaspoon Sichuan peppercorns
• 2-3 dried chili peppers, de-seeded and cut into segments
• 1 cup diced red bell pepper
• 1 zucchini, small dice
• 1 can water chestnuts, small dice
• ½ teaspoon sesame oil

Directions

1. Prepare the sauce by mixing together the light soy sauce, sugar, rice vinegar, ¼ cup water, and cornstarch.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a wok or saute pan over medium heat. Add the king mushrooms and shitakes, and cook until they're caramelized and any liquid has cooked off. Don’t stir them too much, or the mushrooms won't caramelize! Transfer to a dish and set aside.
3. Heat another tablespoon of oil in a wok or saute pan over medium heat. Add the ginger, garlic, scallions, Sichuan peppercorns, and dried chilis. Cook for about 1 minute, and take care not to burn the spices.
4. Now add the red bell peppers, zucchini, water chestnuts and cooked mushrooms. Turn up the heat, and stir to mix everything together. Add the prepared sauce (stir it again before adding it to the wok, as the cornstarch will have settled to the bottom of the bowl).
5. Stir everything together quickly. Finally, add the roasted peanuts and sesame oil. Mix one more time to make sure everything is coated with sauce, and transfer to a serving dish.

One year ago the BF and I did an abbreviated version of Whole30 (we allowed for an exception...or two). He lost 8.5 pounds and thought it was pretty easy to stay on the program. [Ed. note: You give me meat an potatoes and I shall find a way to survive.] I didn't fare that well in the weight-loss department, but it was a terrific reboot, and the real saving grace was the coconut milk sauce I developed that was incorporated into everything. With the exception of Indian and Thai dishes, I rarely used coconut milk. This turned out to be a worthwhile challenge, and the result was a savory sauce that is a brilliant dairy-free option.

Here the coconut milk –infused into a garlic turmeric sauce– is a perfect foil to the crunchy cabbage, spicy chives and crispy skinned potatoes. We actually had this as a main course, but it would work as a side dish for steak, chicken, pork, or any protein. (We are unapolegetic carnivoires.)

We will be hopping on the Whole30 again soon, and certainly will be incorporating this into the process.

Inspired by Dolly and Oatmeal
Number of servings: 2-3 entrees or 4-6 side dishes

Ingredients
Potatoes

• 2 pounds baby Dutch or fingerling potatoes
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• Kosher salt
• Pepper
• 2 cups shredded purple cabbage
• 1 avocado, peeled, seeded and sliced
• ¼ cup chives, minced
• Black sesame seeds

Coconut-Garlic-Turmeric Sauce

• 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
• 2 shallots, finely minced
• 2 large garlic cloves, finely minced

• 1 ½ tablespoons curry powder (sweet curry from Penzey's was used here)
• 1 ½ tablespoons grated fresh turmeric or 1 tablespoon ground turmeric
• 1 (14 ounce) can coconut milk (full fat was used)
• 2 teaspoons tahini paste (to taste)
• 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
• Cayenne (to taste) optional

Directions
Potatoes

1. Preheat oven to 450 °F. Rinse and dry the potatoes thoroughly, then slice in half lengthwise. Toss on a large baking sheet with the olive oil, salt and pepper.
2. Place potatoes cut side down and spread out evenly on baking sheet. Roast at 450 °F for 20-25 minutes (longer if needed), until potatoes are caramelized, crispy, and fork tender.
3. Place cabbage on platter or in shallow salad bowls. Top with potatoes. Drizzle with coconut sauce and garnish with chives, avocado and black sesame seeds. 

Coconut-Garlic Turmeric Sauce

1. Heat olive oil in a medium saucepan. Saute shallots and garlic until softened, but not browned. Mix in curry powder and turmeric and saute 1 minute. Whisk in coconut milk and cook for 20 minutes or until it thickens to a gravy-like consistency. Whisk in tahini paste and apple cider vinegar and cook for 1 minute more.
2. Take a hand-held-immersion or standing blender and blend until very smooth. Taste. Add salt and cayenne if needed.

I'm writing this post on Halloween morning and it's the first cool day of fall (always pleased when it's sweater weather). Know you're seeing this the day after, and hope you had a fun evening with the trick or treaters.

Roasted yam wedges are common fare in our house, usually lightly slicked with extra virgin olive oil, sprinkled with salt, Aleppo pepper and coriander powder, and roasted until crispy like fries. Makes for a terrific side dish. Even "Supergirl" Marlowe (see pictures below) loves them.

However, this satisfying entree fits the bill for a meatless meal while having enough flavor, heft and protein to satisfy our carnivore tastes. It's also perfect for the cooler weather we have coming.

Servings: 2-3

Ingredients

• 2 large red-skinned orange-flesh Garnet yams

Crispy Tandoori Chickpeas

• 1 (15 ounce) can chickpeas
• 1 ½ tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• ¼  teaspoon curry
• ¾ teaspoon Spanish smoked paprika
• ¾ teaspoon ground cumin
• ¼ teaspoon turmeric
• Pinch or more cayenne pepper
• Kosher salt

Tahini Lime Sauce

• ½ cup Tahini
• ¼ cup warm water, or more if needed 
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 2 limes, juiced
• 1 small garlic clove, finely grated
• Salt & pepper

Toppings

• 2-3 scallions, green and white parts, minced
• 2 tablespoons cilantro
• Toasted sesame seeds and black sesame seeds

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 °F. Scrub yams and dry. Poke a few holes in yam with a fork. Place yams on a foil-lined baking sheet and bake for approximately 40-60 minutes. Yams are done when knife penetrates easily. Keep warm and set aside. Keep oven on.
2. Rinse and drain chickpeas, then dry by rolling them around in a kitchen towel (very important that chickpeas are dry or they won't get crunchy). Combine the oil, curry, smoked paprika, cumin, turmeric, cayenne and salt in a large bowl. Add chickpeas and toss to coat evenly. Transfer chickpeas to a foil-lined baking sheet and spread out in a single layer. Bake until crispy, 25-35 minutes. For super crunchy chickpeas bake for 40 minutes. Shake tray every 10 minutes.
3. While chickpeas are baking, make the tahini sauce. Whisk tahini, ¼ cup warm water (or more if needed to make a drizzle sauce), 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, lime juice, grated garlic,  and salt and pepper (to taste) until well combined.
4. Cut yams in half. Spoon tandoori chickpeas over yam. Sprinkle with scallions, cilantro and sesame seeds. Drizzle with tahini sauce.

​The countdown begins: twenty-seven days until Halloween. The pumpkins have found a rightful place in the house. Pumpkin lights are up and dare I say cinnamon-apple-cider candles are lit and wafting their collective fragrance throughout the house. The boyfriend is asking for caramel apple cheesecake—which is a sure sign that autumn is here (at least inside our house). He does not get as excited as I do for fall to arrive [Ed. Note: Perhaps it's the annual fall reminder of how aged I have become, but I digress], but does enjoy the autumnal foods and cute costumed kids ringing our doorbell on the 31st.
​
Although this post is not a pumpkin recipe [Ed. Note: Spoiler alert--next week], it's the perfect transitional dish through the end of our regular bay-area Indian summers, when  the Oregonian in me is chomping at the bit for crisper "soup, sweater, boot" weather.
​
In the meantime, enjoy this healthy, flavorful soup.

Adapted from: A Beautiful Plate
Number of servings: 3-4 (makes 4 cups)

Ingredients

• 1 ½ pounds medium carrots, trimmed, peeled, sliced lengthwise and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2 medium yellow onions, chopped into 1-inch pieces
• 2 tablespoons (liquid state) coconut oil or extra virgin olive oil
• 2 teaspoons ground garam masala 
• small pinch of ground cayenne pepper
• ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 can (13 or 14 ounces) full-fat coconut milk (or light)
• juice of half a lime
• freshly ground pepper
• microgreens, for garnishing (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 °F with rack in the center position. Line a sheet pan with aluminum foil. Place carrots and onions on sheet pan, drizzle with coconut oil (or extra virgin olive oil), ground garam masala, cayenne pepper, and salt. Toss vegetables with your hands to evenly coat. Spread into an even, thin layer.
2. Roast carrots and onions until lightly caramelized and very fork tender, tossing them halfway through, about 25 to 35 minutes.
3. Place the coconut milk (reserve about 1 to 2 tablespoons for drizzling and garnishing the soup) and 1 ¼ cups boiling hot water in a high capacity blender. If using a smaller blender, you may need to do this step in batches. Using the foil, transfer the roasted carrots and onions to the blender. Add lime juice. Puree until very smooth and creamy. If soup is too thick, add a few tablespoons of hot water at a time, until desired consistency is reached. Season the soup to taste with salt, pepper, and additional lime juice (if desired).
4. Serve soup hot from the blender, garnishing with a drizzle of coconut milk, olive oil, and fresh microgreens as desired.
5. NOTE: in the past, I used a hand-immersion blender for convenience, but I urge you to use a blender as the soup has a more velvety texture to it.

Growing up in Portland and Sweet Home, Oregon, we only ate corn in August. Not by choice. It wasn't available in the grocery store or from nearby farms at any other time.

There was a farm about five miles away that offered "U-pick" corn; my siblings and I would fill a laundry basket, weigh it, bring it to my mom, who would then steam it, poke corn holders www.dreamstime.com/royalty-free-stock-photos-corn-holders-image85158 (do people still use these?) in the cobs, and serve on the table with a cube of butter and shaker of salt. Corn was the only vegetable that I liked, and since we only could get it during August, it was a real treat that we all looked forward to.
 
Now, I’m spoiled, and live in an area with farmers markets and grocery stores carrying fresh corn all year round. (That said, I still try to buy it only in late summer because the quality is better. Chalk it up to childhood bias.) I like to make fresh corn in a variety of ways, always off the cob, usually sprinkled with lime and salt.

I streamlined this recipe from Food52, and loved that the corn flavor was so robust, yet the soup itself was very light. It's also vegan, dairy free, gluten free, paleo, Whole30, and comes together in about thirty minutes.

Remember, always try to get the freshest corn possible–the season is almost over!

Adapted from: Food52
Number of servings: 4

Ingredients

• 4 ears corn, yellow, white or both varieties (shucked)
• 8 cilantro sprigs plus 2-4 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro leaves
• ½ cup finely diced white onion
• 1 tablespoon butter or olive oil
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
• ½ teaspoon hot or mild paprika
• Sea salt or kosher salt and freshly gound pepper
• 1 can unsweetened coconut milk
• Juice of 1 lime (or more) to taste

Directions

1. Bring 6 cups of water to a boil in a saucepan. Slice the corn off the cobs. Place the cobs in a large mixing bowl and slice the corn off the cobs with a sharp knife.
2. Break the cobs and put them in the heating water with the cilantro branches. Simmer for at least 15 minutes–longer if you can (longer the simmer, the more flavorful the broth). Strain.
3. Heat the olive oil, or melt butter in a soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion, cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Add spices and cook a few minutes more. Add in the coconut milk, corn, 1½ cups corn stock and 1 teaspoon salt. If soup is too thick, thin it with more stock. Simmer over medium heat for 10 minutes. Squeeze in lime juice. Taste, adjusting salt if needed. 
4. Add chopped cilantro leaves and serve.

L-R: Jacquie, Michael, Janette, and John (missing little sister Julie), celebrating an August birthday.