Asparagus with Indian Spices: a Perfect MatchBy foodjoyaThere is something poetic in shiny asparagus spears arranged in a row. But wait until you try our broiled Asparagus with Indian Spices. After a crunchy bite, you discover succulent, steaming core ... and you are in heaven! In our experience, broiled asparagus is the juiciest of all. To complement the caramelized skin, we use coriander and cumin. We brighten up the color of the broiled asparagus with a generous squeeze of lemon juice. In just 10 minutes of your time, you are ready to admire and chow down the Asparagus with Indian Spices. Vegan Tomato Fennel Soup: Best and Lightest!By foodjoyaThe Vegan Tomato Fennel Soup will impress you (and your S.O.) with creaminess, sweetness, aroma, and subtle anise flavors. And yet, this soup is made without cream, cheese, sugar, sweeteners or substitutes. Not a dollop, not a pinch. Try this luscious easy Vegan Tomato Fennel soup! It's perfect as an appetizer or light lunch. Before you start, note that we roast tomatoes until they are soft, but not burned. To intensify sweetness, we finish the pureed tomatoes on the stove. Do you agree that soups should be light and flavorful without dairy fat or sugars? What is your favorite tomato soup?Green Beans with Almonds, Parsley and GarlicBy foodjoyaGreen Beans with Almonds, parsley, and garlic is an easy, foolproof way to cook the green beans. Bite by bite, this recipe yields a delicious taste and a slightly crunchy texture. The beans turn out perfectly tender - not mushy and not watery. The secret to our Green Beans with Almonds is that we first blanch them using the technique from The Cook's Illustrated cookbook. See Cook’s Illustrated, Perfect Vegetables (2003).Paleo No Bake: Dried Plums with Walnuts and CreamBy foodjoyaThis Paleo No Bake Dessert - the dried plums (aka prunes) stuffed with walnuts and served with whipped cream and chocolate - originates from my native Moldova. You can find the original on this site (in Romanian). No matter what delectable desserts were on the menu, stuffed prunes with cream and shaved chocolate were the only dessert I'd ever order in a Moldovan restaurant. I learned how to make this dessert from my aunt and over the years perfected it. First, to make it a really healthy Paleo no bake dessert, I omit the sugar used in the original version. To add complexity to the taste of the dried plums, I presoak them in a little cognac. Finally, to achieve some sweetness, I melt high quality semi-bitter chocolate over the dried plums. The best part: this sugar-free, super-easy, paleo no bake dessert is packed with nutrients from the superfoods like prunes, walnuts, and dark chocolate! Make it and you're guaranteed to love it!Roasted Jerusalem Artichokes: New Veggie to LoveBy foodjoyaRoasted Jerusalem Artichokes (aka sunchokes) are a fantastic, healthy, easy side dish. They have a mild creamy, nutty flavor similar to water chestnuts. Did you know that Roasted Jerusalem artichokes are nutritional powerhouses? These quaint root veggies contain iron, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium and water-soluble vitamins. See SFGATE, Health Benefits of Jerusalem Artichokes. Sunchokes are also high in inulin, an indigestible starchy substance that helps manage weight and prevent diabetes. See WebMD, Inulin.Pumpkin Bisque with Lemon and Sumac: DelectableBy foodjoyaOur Pumpkin Bisque is wonderfully flavorful. The secret is that we use 1/4 of the kabocha pumpkin skin, lemon zest (a little), lemon flesh (a little), and the slighly tart sumac. (Sumac can be easily found in the spice aisle of your Whole Foods Market.) We have added red onion, thyme, marjoram, and sesame seeds to deepen the flavor, and turmeric to brighten the color of the Pumpkin Bisque.
