Raw Carrot-Ginger Soup with Sour Coconut Cream, Thai Flavors

I don't know how the rest of the country feels, but it is damn hot here in Kansas. Lately I have had to shower after cooking just because slaving over a hot stove renders me sweaty and gross.

I have a friend--Amber of Almost Vegan--who has been experimenting a lot with raw foods. While our dietary goals are very, very different, I can't help but salivate over the idea of a delicious meal that doesn't require heating up the house. And, being the open-minded girl that I am, I do really like the idea of quite a few raw dishes. I'm actually planning to do a lot more raw food (mine will include meat and fish, however) in the near future to help beat the heat.

I've been craving carrot-ginger juice lately, and I always adore Thai flavors. I took these two and put them together into a soup that is absurdly filling, completely vegan, and--on top of all that--raw. It's the perfect meal for a hot, sticky day.

I realize that not all the ingredients I used are technically raw. I used normal canned coconut milk, as well as garnished my bowl of soup with sriracha. For all I know, my vinegar doesn't even qualify as raw. I trust that the true raw purists out there know where to find the appropriate ingredients for their own preparation, though.

Speaking of garnish, the Sour Coconut Cream actually ended up tasting like real sour cream. The viscosity is a little thinner (especially at room temperature!), but the flavor is absolutely perfect. This was nothing but pure luck on my part, but I am pleased nonetheless. I also made a simple cilantro-basil oil to drizzle over the top by blending together two tablespoons each of cilantro leaves, basil leaves, and olive oil. The sriracha was to add a little more heat to my serving, but could easily be replaced by making your own raw chili pepper puree.

Raw Carrot-Ginger Soup

Ingredients:

4 c carrot juice

2 medium carrots

1/2 red bell pepper, ribs and seeds removed (may peel if desired)

1-2 tsp fresh red chili, diced (adjust according to heat preference)

1 clove garlic, peeled

2 tbs fresh ginger, diced

3" stalk of lemongrass, the tough out 3-4 layers removed and reserved for another use

1 c coconut milk

1 avocado, removed from peel and pit

1 tbs tamari

juice of 1/2 lime

1/4 c cilantro leaves

1 tsp salt

1 tsp cardamon

pinch nutmeg

Directions:

Blend 2 cups of the carrot juice with the carrots until completely pureed. Add the rest of the carrot juice and the remaining ingredients and blend until completely pureed.

Transfer to a large bowl, cover, and refrigerate an hour before serving. Makes about 8 cups of soup.

Sour Coconut Cream

Ingredients:

1 c coconut milk, chilled

1 tbs rice vinegar

1/2 tbs coconut oil

1/4 tsp salt

Directions:

Beat all ingredients until fluffy. Chill an hour before serving. Makes about a cup of cream.

Italian-Style Meatloaf

It's meat. It's a loaf. It's a loaf of meat. Is there really anything else to say?

This is a meal I make probably about once a year. It's a random craving I get on occasion--or, rather, I crave sandwiches made from the leftovers! Having grown up with meatloaf that was nothing more than ground beef and ketchup, I had no basis for what became my version. In fact, I just assumed I hated all meatloaf until my mid-twenties when I decided to tackle the loaf-o'-meat on request.

I jam as many veggies as I can into this hunk of cow, and have even substituted a couple of cans of beans for half the beef. Because there is so much veg chopping involved in the meatloaf, I usually serve it with a simple salad tossed with vinegar and some thin toasted slices of beer bread.

Don't forget to save some for sandwiches the next day....a little garlic aoili and sliced tomato, and you'll wonder why you let your family eat so much for dinner the night before!

Italian-Style Meatloaf

Ingredients:

3/4 c Romano cheese, shredded

1 15oz can diced tomatoes with garlic and onion, blended

1 lb lean ground beef

1/2 lb ground Italian sausage

1 egg

1/2 c yellow onion, finely chopped

1/2 c bell pepper, finely chopped

1/2 zucchini, finely chopped

2 medium carrots, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tbs anchovie paste

1 tbs fresh oregano, finely chopped

1 tbs fresh thyme, finely chopped

1 tsp salt

2 tsp black pepper

1 c Italian style bread crumbs

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375F.

Set aside 1/4 cup of the cheese and half of the blended tomatoes for later.

Combine the rest of the cheese and tomatoes with the remaining ingredients until well-combined. Place in a greased 9" loaf pan and back, uncovered, for one hour. After one hour, top with reserved tomato puree and cheese. Return to oven and bake an additional 15 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to rest 5 minutes before slicing. Serves 8.

Bacon Cheesecake with Bacon-Infused Toppings

Alternate Title: How I Would Die Were I a Diabetic.

I am surely going to hell for this concoction, but I must say that the ride is totally worth it. I came up with the idea after the amusement that ensued after making bacon potato chips to go with vegetarian burgers. Thoughts evolved, and here she is....

The crust is a simple almond and graham cracker crust, which is then topped with a layer of candied bacon. Standard cheesecake is then poured over the crust and baked. The crowning glory is split between the crispy bacon bits mixed into a dark chocolate topping and the caramel sauce that is made with bacon fat (told you I was going to hell). This cheesecake has all the smooth creaminess and mild tartness you'd expect from such a dessert, with the subtle addition of smoky, salty bacon. The juxtaposition of flavors is pure sin.

Most cheesecake snobs would insist that you use a water bath when baking the cheesecake, lest it be marred by unsightly cracks. I have yet to come across a cheesecake that tasted better or worse based on the smoothness of its surface, so I don't bother. If cracks offend you, by all means find yourself a pan big enough to hold your spring form AND a quart of boiling water.

Bacon Cheesecake with Bacon-Infused Toppings

Ingredients:

Bacon Layer:

6 strips thick-cut bacon

3 tbs brown sugar

Crust:

2 c low fat graham cracker crumbs

6 tbs melted butter

3 tbs sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 c ground almonds

Cheesecake:

24 oz cream cheese, room temperature

1/2 cup sugar

3 large eggs, room temperature

1 c heavy cream

1 tbs lemon juice

1 tbs vanilla extract

1 tbs bourbon

2 tbs flour, sifted

Toppings:

6 strips bacon, diced

1 c sugar

1 tbs water

1 tbs butter

1/2 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp lemon juice

1/2 c heavy cream

1 c bittersweet chocolate chips

Directions:

Bacon Layer:

Preheat the oven to 400F. Lay the strips of bacon on a baking sheet lined with foil. Sprinkle brown sugar evenly over each strip of bacon and pat down to coat. Bake 10-15 minutes, or until sugar starts to caramelize and bacon has crisped. Remove from oven, cool, and chop. Set aside.

Crust:

Reduce oven to 350F. Mix together the crust ingredients until well-combined. Put 3/4 cup of the crust mixture to a air-tight container and store in the refrigerator for later. Press remaining crust mixture evenly into the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan. Sprinkle the cooled caramelized bacon evenly over the crust and set aside.

Cheesecake:

Combine cream cheese and sugar in a large bowl and cream together with a mixer until smooth. Add eggs and mix until fully incorporated, scraping down the bowl a few times to ensure all the cream cheese is mixed in. Add cream, vanilla, lemon juice, and bourbon; blend until smooth and creamy, again stopping to scrape the sides of the bowl a few times. Add flour slowly, mixing until cheesecake batter is completely smooth.

Pour batter into prepared crust and tap the pan on the counter to remove air bubbles. Bake 45 to 55 minutes, using a water bath if desired. The outer edges will be set, while the center 2 inches will appear uncooked. Do not remove the cake from the oven, but carefully run a rubber spatula around the edges to release the edges. Close oven and turn off heat; let the cake rest in the oven one hour. Remove, cover, and refrigerate overnight.

After the cheesecake has cooled overnight, release the springform pan and place cheesecake on serving dish. Press the reserved crust crumbs into the sides of the cheesecake.

Bacon Caramel Topping:

Fry bacon until crispy. Reserving 3 tablespoons of the bacon fat, drain the bacon and allow to cool. Set bacon bits aside.

Stir together sugar and water in a small sauce pan. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently. Once the sugar has melted, bring to a slow boil until mixture is caramel colored. Add bacon grease and butter. Remove from heat and whisk in vanilla, lemon juice, and cream. Cool sauce at room temperature for 20 minutes. Pour caramel over the top of the cheesecake.

Bacon Chocolate Drizzle:

Microwave chocolate chips in a small bowl for 30 seconds and stir; repeat until chocolate is completely melted. Stir in bacon bits, then drizzle chocolate over cheesecake in desired pattern. Allow chocolate to harden, then serve. Makes 16 slices; store in refrigerator.

BBQ Pork, Apple-Cabbage Slaw, and Fried Pickle Wontons

Ah, summer....sun, baseball, swimming pools, and--at least here in the Midwest--barbeque. This meal started out with me realizing that I forgot to thaw the pork loin that I had intended to prepare and asking the kids for input. As it turned out, my offspring had no strong feelings on what to have for dinner. So we headed to the store without a list or any idea what we were looking for. Pork roasts were on sale, and so a plan started to develop.

I am not allowed the luxury of a grill at my apartment, so this is strictly stove-top fare. The pork is essentially braised in the homemade BBQ sauce. The slaw is pretty and cools the palate nicely. The real star of this meal, however, is the fried pickle wontons.

'Round these parts, you can't have barbeque without pickles. Fried pickles are even better, but I have an aversion to the mess that batter creates. The last time I battered and fried something, I ended up covered in the cornmeal and egg combination. While I do believe that a person hasn't lived until she has had to wash an egg-based batter out of her hair, I am quite content with never experiencing it again.

Anyway, I had wonton wrappers, so I figured what the hell? It worked, and the kids absolutely flipped out over my version of fried pickles. Even better, it is nearly impossible to accidentally splash wonton wrappers into your hair.

Shredded BBQ Pork

Ingredients:

2 slices thick-cut bacon

1/2 yellow onion, sliced

1 tsp fresh lime zest

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/3 c tomato paste

1 cup apple cider vinegar

1/2 c brown sugar

1 tbs salt

1 tbs cumin

1 tbs paprika

1 tbs freshly ground black pepper

1 tsp cayenne

1 tablespoon dried leaf oregano

1 tablespoon dried thyme

1 tsp red pepper flakes

1 tbs stone ground mustard

1/2 c beer

2 lb pork roast

8 whole wheat rolls

Directions:

Heat stock pot over medium-high heat. Add bacon, and cook until crispy. Remove bacon and set aside for fried pickle wontons. Reduce heat to medium and saute onions in the bacon fat for 3 minutes. Add lime zest and garlic and saute another minute.

Stir in remaining ingredients except for pork until well-combined. Place pork roast in pot and cover. Allow to cook about 30 minutes, spooning sauce over the roast every ten minutes or so. With 2 forks, shred pork in the pot. Stir to combine with the sauce, turn heat to low, and allow to simmer another 10 minutes. Serve on whole wheat rolls. Makes 8 sandwiches.

Apple and Cabbage Slaw

Ingredients:

juice of 1 lime (about 2 tbs)

splash rice vinegar

1 tbs stone ground mustard

3 tbs olive oil

1/2 tsp cumin

1 tsp sugar

2 Granny Smith apples, cored and julienned

1/2 head purple cabbage, cored and shredded

1/4 c parsley, finely chopped

salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Wisk together juice, vinegar, mustard, oil, cumin, and sugar until combined. Toss apples, cabbage, and parsley with the dressing and season to taste. Serves 8.

Fried Pickle Wontons

Ingredients:

1 c dill pickles, chopped

2 tbs onion, diced

2 slices bacon, cooked crispy and crumbled

3 tbs provolone cheese, shredded

20 wonton wrappers

oil for frying

Directions:

Combine pickle, onion, bacon, and cheese. Place about a teaspoon of the pickle filling in the middle of a wonton wrapper. Moisten the edge of the wrapper with water and fold over the filling corner to corner to make a triangle, then bring the small corners together and moisten to seal. Repeat until each wrapper has been filled and folded.

Heat oil in a medium sauce pan over med-high heat to 350F. Fry wontons until golden (1-2 minutes), turning halfway though. Remove from oil with slotted spoon and place on paper towels to drain. Makes 20 wontons.

Vegetable and Pasta Carbonara with Italian Beer Bread

I don't know that there is anything more comforting than a big bowl of pasta, and pasta carbonara definitely tops my list for comfort food. The summer weather demands a lighter dish, so I added fresh veggies to balance out the heaviness of the sauce and pasta.

The bread is just a basic beer bread with the addition of herbs and cheese. I used a dark beer in the bread, but any beer will do.

If there are leftovers, make sure to reheat the pasta low and slow, otherwise you might end up with pasta and scrambled eggs! I put it in the microwave for 2-3 minutes at 30% power and stir frequently.

Vegetable and Pasta Carbonara

Ingredients:

1/2 lb bacon, chopped

2 c asparagus, cut into 2" lengths

1 c carrots, julienned

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 c dry white wine

1 c grape tomatos

5 large eggs, room temperature

2 tbs heavy cream, room temperature

salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 lb pasta, cooked al dente

1 c grated Romano cheese

1 tbs finely chopped fresh parsley leaves

Directions:

In a large sauté pan over medium heat, cook the bacon until crispy. Remove the bacon and drain on paper towels. Pour off all but 3 tablespoons of the bacon grease.

Saute asparagus and carrot in the bacon fat for 2-3 minutes, until asparagus turns bright green. Add garlic and saute another minute. Return bacon to the pan. Stir in wine and tomatoes; allow to simmer 2-3 minutes.

Beat eggs and cream together, then season with salt and pepper. Remove the pan from heat and quickly whisk in the egg mixture with the vegetables until the eggs thicken. Add hot pasta to the vegetable and egg mixture and toss to coat. Stir in cheese and parsley. Season to taste and serve. Makes 8 servings.

Italian Beer Bread

Ingredients:

3 c unbleached flour

1 tbs sugar

1 tsp salt

1 tbs baking powder

1 tbs each fresh rosemary, oregano, and thyme, minced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 c grated parmasen cheese

12 ounces beer

1 egg

2 tbs water

Directions:

Heat oven to 375F. Combine flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, herbs, garlic, and cheese in a large mixing bowl. Slowly stir in beer and mix just until combined (batter will be thick). Spread in a greased 8-inch loaf pan. Beat the egg and water together and brush onto the top of the loaf. Bake until golden brown and a toothpick stuck in the center comes out clean, about 45 minutes.

Cool in the pan on a rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pan and cool 10 more minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Vegetable and Pasta Carbonara with Italian Beer Bread

I don't know that there is anything more comforting than a big bowl of pasta, and pasta carbonara definitely tops my list for comfort food. The summer weather demands a lighter dish, so I added fresh veggies to balance out the heaviness of the sauce and pasta.

The bread is just a basic beer bread with the addition of herbs and cheese. I used a dark beer in the bread, but any beer will do.

If there are leftovers, make sure to reheat the pasta low and slow, otherwise you might end up with pasta and scrambled eggs! I put it in the microwave for 2-3 minutes at 30% power and stir frequently.

Vegetable and Pasta Carbonara

Ingredients:

1/2 lb bacon, chopped

2 c asparagus, cut into 2" lengths

1 c carrots, julienned

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 c dry white wine

1 c grape tomatos

5 large eggs, room temperature

2 tbs heavy cream, room temperature

salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 lb pasta, cooked al dente

1 c grated Romano cheese

1 tbs finely chopped fresh parsley leaves

Directions:

In a large sauté pan over medium heat, cook the bacon until crispy. Remove the bacon and drain on paper towels. Pour off all but 3 tablespoons of the bacon grease.

Saute asparagus and carrot in the bacon fat for 2-3 minutes, until asparagus turns bright green. Add garlic and saute another minute. Return bacon to the pan. Stir in wine and tomatoes; allow to simmer 2-3 minutes.

Beat eggs and cream together, then season with salt and pepper. Remove the pan from heat and quickly whisk in the egg mixture with the vegetables until the eggs thicken. Add hot pasta to the vegetable and egg mixture and toss to coat. Stir in cheese and parsley. Season to taste and serve. Makes 8 servings.

Italian Beer Bread

Ingredients:

3 c unbleached flour

1 tbs sugar

1 tsp salt

1 tbs baking powder

1 tbs each fresh rosemary, oregano, and thyme, minced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 c grated parmasen cheese

12 ounces beer

1 egg

2 tbs water

Directions:

Heat oven to 375F. Combine flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, herbs, garlic, and cheese in a large mixing bowl. Slowly stir in beer and mix just until combined (batter will be thick). Spread in a greased 8-inch loaf pan. Beat the egg and water together and brush onto the top of the loaf. Bake until golden brown and a toothpick stuck in the center comes out clean, about 45 minutes.

Cool in the pan on a rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pan and cool 10 more minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.