Spicy Almond, Chickpea & Kale Stew with Vegan Chorizo

This stew is rich, and spicy and full of flavor. The addition of almonds adds an unusual, light crunch you don't usually find in stews. Almonds and Chorizo are a natural pair in Spanish cuisine so it's no wonder they work beautifully in this dish. The taste of this dish will vary greatly depending on what type of vegan chorizo you use. I used Field Roast which is slice-able and stays firm unlike most vegan chorizos that are meant to crumble and lean towards more Mexican flavors. Serve with a crusty baguette to sop up all the broth and you've got yourself a meal you will be making over and over again.

Spicy Almond, Chickpea & Kale Stew with Vegan Chorizo
serves 4
2 tbl extra virgin olive oil
8 garlic cloves, minced
1 yellow onion, small dice
1 red chile pepper, seeds removed, minced
salt and pepper, to taste
3 Field Roast chorizo sausages, 1/2" slices
1/4 cup toasted almonds, roughly chopped
1 head kale, stems removed, chopped into medium sized pieces
4 cups vegetable broth
1-15oz can tomato sauce
1-15oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

In a medium sized pot, combine the olive oil and garlic and turn the heat on medium to allow the garlic to slowly infuse the oil.
Once the garlic starts to lightly brown, add the onion, red chile and season with salt and pepper. Saute 5 minutes.
Add the sausages and almonds and saute 3-4 minutes.
Add the kale, broth, tomato sauce and chickpeas and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook uncovered for 25 minutes.
Taste and season with salt if necessary.

Stuffed Avocados with Sunflower Pumpkin Seed "chorizo", Cilantro Mint Chimichurri & Hominy Salsa

Roasted sunflower and raw pumpkin seeds combined with onions, jalapeno, garlic and all the spices used for traditional chorizo preparation come together to make this fantastic, spicy filling perfect for avocados, tacos, burritos, tostadas or anything that Mexican-style chorizo might taste great on.

One Year Ago Today Tostadas with Walnut Meat and Chile Verde Sauce

Two Years Ago Today Chocolate Covered Strawberry Smoothie

Three Years Ago Today Pineapple Ravioli with Marionberry Filling, Coconut Ganache and Macadamias

Sunflower seed chorizo stuffed inside ripe avocados with sour cream and my own take on chimichurri using mint and cilantro instead of parsley and oregano. Serve with this easy, thrown together hominy salsa and you have a full meal.

Stuffed Avocados with Sunflower Pumpkin Seed Chorizo
serves 4 or yields 2 cups
1 tbl extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup minced sweet onion
2 garlic cloves, smashed
1 jalapeno, seeded, roughly chopped
1 tbl cumin
1 tbl ancho chile powder
1 tbl paprika
1 tbl garlic powder
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 cup roasted, salted sunflower seeds
1/4 cup raw pumpkin seeds
1 chipotle pepper in adobo, seeded

2 ripe avocados, halved
vegan sour cream, for garnish

In a saute pan, cook the onion, garlic and jalapeno in olive oil over medium heat until the vegetables start to become tender, 5 minutes. Add all of the spices and cook 3 minutes more. Transfer to a food processor.
Add the sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds and chipotle. Pulse many times until the mixture has broken down and clumps together but still has texture. Serve in avocado halves and top with sour cream and chimichurri.

Cilantro Mint Chimichurri
1/4 cup cilantro leaves plus stems
10 mint leaves
1 garlic clove, smashed
3 tbl extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp red wine vinegar
1/4-1/2 tsp salt, to taste
pinch of black pepper

Combine all of the ingredients in a blender and blend for a few seconds until combined but still chunky, adding 1-3 tablespoons of water if necessary to thin out the sauce.

Hominy Salsa
1 cup white hominy, drained and rinsed
1 red chile, seeded, minced
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 cup minced red onion
3 tbl cilantro, roughly chopped
2 tbl extra virgin olive oil
2 tbl lime juice
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp organic cane sugar
1/2 tsp salt
pinch of black pepper

Combine all of the ingredients and enjoy.

Butternut Squash, Fennel & Chorizo Tart with Carrot Jam

Carrot Jam!?!? Yeah! It's sweet with a surprisingly easy-to-eat taste that will leave you wondering how else to use it. If you absolutely love carrots, use this jam as you would any fruit spread. Toast and English muffins would love this stuff. If you're like me and you like carrots just fine, use this as a sauce-like component that will marry well with other flavors.

Slightly sweet & smooth carrot jam topped with caramelized butternut squash, fennel, onions and vegan chorizo on a whole wheat crust.

Carrot Jam
4 large carrots, small dice
1/2 cup packed organic light brown sugar
1 tsp lemon juice

Cover the carrots in cold water and bring to a boil. Cook until tender. Drain, reserving some of the water.
Transfer to a blender and add the brown sugar and lemon juice. Blend until smooth, adding 2-3 tbl of the starchy water to help the blender.
Pour back into the pot and cook over low heat for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent burning, until the jam is super thick.

Butternut Squash, Fennel & Chorizo Tart
serves 3
1 ball fresh whole wheat pizza dough
2 tbl extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
1 small yellow onion, small dice
1 small bulb fennel, cored, 1/4" slices
1 1/2 cup butternut squash, small dice
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp fresh thyme, plus more for sprinkling
salt and pepper
1 cup water
6 oz tofurkey chorizo crumbles

Let the pizza dough sit at room temperature while you prepare the filling.
Preheat the oven to 400.
Saute the onion and fennel in olive oil with salt and pepper until the vegetables start to soften, 7 minutes. Add the squash, garlic and thyme. Add the water and cover, steam for 10 minutes over medium heat until the squash is cooked almost completely through.
Remove the lid and add the chorizo, saute 5 minutes more to caramelize the vegetables. Season with more salt to taste.
Roll the pizza dough out to a 12 inch circle.
Spread some carrot jam on the dough, leaving a 1/2" border and top with the vegetables. Drizzle a little olive oil over the crust and sprinkle with dried thyme.
Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown.