Berry Swirl Ice Cream (Vegan, Dairy-free)

As far as ice cream goes, berry swirl ice cream is my favorite. Intense, bright strawberry or raspberry sorbet threaded with the creamiest waves of vanilla is hard to beat. I often make a classic version (and will post that version before the weekend), but wanted to challenge myself to create a vegan, dairy-free version as well. A lot of you requested one when I posted about it to Instagram the other day.

The Recipe

I tried a number of different approaches here, and landed on a creamy, cashew milk base. Oat milk turned out too icy, and I wanted to opt for something other than coconut milk, which I suspect would have been the obvious choice.

I also wanted to simplify and streamline the process as much as possible, wondering if I could get away with making a “blender custard” instead of a cooked custard, the more typical approach. And I was really happy with the results! You definitely get mild nuttiness from the cashews, and theres the mouthfeel that reminds me of the hazelnut or pistachio gelatos you might get in Italy, but it’s really nice alongside the vibrant berry swirl. The dairy based version I make uses a classic vanilla swirl, creamy brightness. This is a slightly different beast, but a big hit with kids and adults!

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Grilled Zucchini & Bread Salad

The only zucchini recipes that have my attention right now call for pounds of it. One half cup here, or a medium zucchini there just isn’t going to cut into the supply coming out of the garden. Apparently many of you feel similarly, because a lot of you made the Pasta with Smashed Zucchini Cream I posted last week (so good! Also uses 2 pounds). Today’s recipe is a panzanella of sorts, a simple bread salad made with torn pieces of toasted multi-grain bread, grilled zucchini, chickpeas, and a simple, garlic-forward ponzu dressing. Like the pasta, it will also put a 2 pound dent in your zucchini haul.

The recipe

You can toast the bread, and pull the dressing together ahead of time if you like. Beyond that, when you see an opening on the grill, get in there. Grilling the zucchini takes ten minutes or so. This is a great side for whatever else you might have coming off the grill, but I also like it as a light main for summer nights.

Tips

Choosing zucchini: This is a great way to use up larger zucchini. Sliced zucchini with a larger diameter is easier to grill, if you’re not using a grilling basket.

Thickness: You want to get the thickness of your zucchini slices right here. In the recipe, you’ll notice that I I have you slice the zucchini 1/4-inch thick. The main thing is this – I’d rather you err on the thicker versus thinner side when slicing here. This way your squash will maintain some structure. It’s on the grill for a bit, and if you slice too thinly, the slices are more likely to tear or disintegrate. If your slices are right on the money at 1/4-inch-ish, you should be all good.

Bread: I like a good-quality multigrain bread here. Tear bread pieces large enough that the edges get crispy, but the interior stays a bit chewy when toasting.

Variations

– With Crispy Fried Shallots:  I wanted to keep this recipe as simple, summery, and straight-forward as possible, so I didn’t call for any intensive toppings. That said, crispy fried shallots, to finish things off, would be bonus here. If I’d had some on hand, I wouldn’t have skimped using them. I use them in this cilantro salad, and the recipe is included there.

– Spicier! To let everyone dial up the heat to their liking, serve with a little jar of sesame chile oil on  the table. Drizzle to taste.

– With cheese: Not for the vegans in the crowd, but a bit of crumbled feta or cotija cheese is a nice touch here. 

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Pasta with Smashed Zucchini Cream

There is an incredible amount of zucchini coming out of our garden right now, and I’m focused on using it. This means ignoring recipes that call for small quantities of zucchini, turning my attention to making things that can put a real dent in the supply. Enter this simple, garlic-boosted pasta. It uses two pounds of zucchini, and is endlessly adaptable.

Pasta Choices

I used long, slender bucatini pasta this time around, but enjoy this recipe with a wide range of pasta shapes. It’s nice with whole wheat pasta, or even some of the alternative lentil noodles. It’s particularly good with textured, short pastas because the sauce and garlicky zucchini chunks get caught up in every bite.

Favorite adaptations

Once you have your smashed zucchini sauce and pasta as a foundation, you can take this in a lot of different directions. We’ve been finishing it off with lots of halved cherry tomatoes plus garlic bread crumbs in place of the sliced almonds. The flavor pop of sweet from the tomatoes alongs with the crunchy crisp of the breadcrumbs is great. Alternately, you can boost the whole situation nutritionally by stirring in a few handfuls of thinly sliced kale that you’ve massaged with a bit of olive oil and lemon juice. You can also make more Asian-inspired, brothy version by adding more water to the zucchini, add a dollop of favorite curry paste, and use rice noodles. Top with crispy, grilled or oven roasted mushrooms and a drizzle of toasted sesame oil. Or, simply add a few dollops of pesto to the smashed zucchini sauce to up the summer basil factor.

Other ways to use up zucchini

I like this super quick, sautéed zucchini – similar in spirit to today’s recipe, it is also extra garlicky, and you get those nice browned bits where the zucchini hits the pan. You see it pictured over noodles as well, but I often enjoy it over quinoa or farro. And, this one is an oldie (posted in 2010), but these quick pickled zucchini are always nice to have on hand.

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Brilliant Non-Alcoholic Cocktails Everyone Loves

Non-alcoholic cocktails don’t have to be a bummer. And, there are an increasing number of reasons to enjoy them over their boozy counterpoints. For example, if you’re pregnant, if you’re attempting to improve your health overall, if you’re taking a break from alcohol, or if you’re just tired of waking up a bit groggy.

Winding Down with a Drink

That said, having something special to drink at the end of a day is a favorite ritual. A celebration of sorts, and a way for to transition from to-do list mode, into a more relaxed frame of mind. I’m hoping these will provide some booze-free inspiration. Play around with aqua frescas, shrubs, kombuchas, and fresh fruit syrups. All can be fun components in mocktail type drinks. I like to keep the components in nice jars and decanters, and serve in pretty glassware. Enjoy!

1. Rose & Rhubarb Soda – (QUITOKEETO)
Keep blushy pink rhubarb syrup on hand, and you’re just a splash away from a special soda. Love this for brunches, and if you serve the syrup on the side everyone can sweeten to their liking. Get the recipe here.

2. Hibiscus, Lemongrass, Basil, and Honey Sweet Iced Tea – (Half Baked Harvest)
If there’s hibiscus being brewed, I’m drinking it. Especially if something like this! I love the tangy sourness of this flower, and the incredible saturation of (anti-oxidant-packed) color. Hibiscus, lemongrass, lime and basil, in one electric iced tea. Get the recipe here.

3. Beet-Sumac Soda – (Healthyish)
Just look at that color! Fresh beet juice is paired with a quick syrup made from tangy sumac. Then you have bit of spritz from soda water, and a jolt of fresh lemon. Love this for autumn. Get the recipe here.

4. Homemade Tarragon Soda – (101 Cookbooks)
This is what you do with any leftover tarragon you find in your refrigerator. When you steep sprigs of it, the scent is like falling into a cloud of anise, and fennel, and green-ish black licorice. Making a syrup from it is simple, keeps well refrigerated, and makes a beautiful soda.Get the recipe here.

5. Pineapple Coconut Water – (101 Cookbooks)
Fresh pineapple juice is one of life’s simple pleasures. Enjoy it like this, spiked with fresh ginger juice, and rounded out with coconut water for a fragrant tropical refresher. Get the recipe here.

6. Tangerine Rosemary Mocktail – (The Merrythought)
Herbal citrus drinks are a weakness, and I love the unexpected use of tangerine juice here. The rosemary syrup is made separately, which is nice because you can sweeten to taste easily. Get the recipe here.

7. Cranberry Rosemary Refresher – (In Sonnet’s Kitchen)
The rosemary makes this refresher. Add it to your holiday repertoire this year! Get the recipe here.

8. Chai Blossom – (Healthyish)
I could drink this all day, every day. Perhaps the most vibrant, refreshing thing you can do with chai spices, lime juice, and club soda. Get the recipe here.

9. Louisa Shafia’s Watermelon, Mint, and Cider Vinegar Tonic – (Food52)
A beautiful summer option here. And, you can totally switch up the melon based on what you have on hand. Get the recipe here.

10. White Peach Maple Syrup – (QUITOKEETO)
When peaches are in peak season, make this. Get the recipe here.

11. Cider, Thyme, and Tonic Mocktail – (Offbeat + Inspired)
The combination of cider and tonic here, with a bridge of thyme, is quite brilliant. Get the recipe here.

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Favorites List (6.9.19)

Hi all! Here’s a fresh list of links, recipes, reading, and watch-worthy gems for the week ahead. I’m working on a garden edition for the next one. 

– Road Tripping with Diana Kennedy (NY Times) 
– 12 Lovely Swimsuits (great links in comments too!)
– Best Books for Summer (Vogue)
– This recipe. (LA Times + Botanica)
– Also, Diana Kennedy Says Goodby to Her Cookbooks (NY Times)
– Herbal Iced Tea brainstorm
– Summer Reading – (NY Times)
– A Tale of Two Kitchens (Netflix)
– Reading this right now, next up.
– Everything you didn’t even know you wanted to know about celery (LA Times)
– Flageolet Salad with Lemon, Radishes + Oven-Roasted Tomatoes
– The Mission grape is cool in L.A. again
– Also watching this.
– Karl Blossfeldt, Art Forms in Plants
– The Mexico City home of artist Pedro Reyes and fashion designer Carla Fernández 

Enjoy!

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Avocado Asparagus Tartine

Lunch on Monday was pretty great, and dead simple. I smeared avocado across toasted, day-old slabs of sesame bread, and started by layering a bit of arugula on top. Added a few stalks of garlicky caraway-sprinkled asparagus beyond that, and the final touch? A few toasted pepitas. Caraway is under-utilized, and I love it’s distinctive earthiness here playing off the bright green asparagus notes.

When you’re buying asparagus, whether it’s thick or thin, look for vibrant, green asparagus, with structured stalks. No soft spots, or droopiness.

I very rarely bother peeling asparagus, but will trim the bottoms to get rid of the woody, tough base of the stalks.

These little open-faced tartines took less than ten minutes to pull together, and ended up being the epitome of spring. You can also cut each one into 4 or 5 pieces, in triangles, for little party / get-together bites.

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