Gluten-Free Recipes for the Conscious Cook: A Seasonal, Vegetarian Cookbook by Leslie Cerier, Kathie Swift Ms Rd Page B

tight-fitting lid) over medium-high heat. Add the onion and sauté for about 5 minutes, until it begins to soften. Add the mushrooms and salt and sauté for about 5 minutes, until the mushrooms soften. Stir in the kale, grits, and thyme. Lower the heat, then slowly pour in the water. Cover and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes, until all of the water is absorbed.
    Add the cheese, cover, and let sit for about 3 minutes, until the cheese melts. Use the edge of a spatula to cut the dish into wedges. Serve immediately.
African-Spiced Teff and Lentil Stew with Collard Greens and Yams
    When I teach my Vegetarian Express cooking class, I include this recipe, which is often the first taste of teff for many of my students. Since teff is native to Ethiopia, cooking it with African spices gives it an authentic and robust flavor. Here, the combination with quick-cooking red lentils and coconut milk makes for a fabulous, rich-tasting stew with a great nutritional profile.
    serves 4 to 6
    2/3 cup red lentils, rinsed
    2/3 cup teff
    2 cups peeled, grated yams
    ¼ cup seeded, chopped poblano pepper
    1 teaspoon cumin seeds
    1 teaspoon ground fenugreek
    1 (14-ounce) can coconut milk
    2¼ cups water
    7 cups sliced collard greens
    1¾ cups diced tomatoes
    3 tablespoons grated fresh ginger
    1 teaspoon sea salt
    Combine the lentils, teff, yams, poblano, cumin seeds, and fenugreek in a soup pot. Add the coconut milk. Pour some of the water into the coconut milk can and swish it around, then pour it into the pan; if needed, repeat with more of the water so you get every last drop of the coconut milk’s goodness into the pan. Stir everything together, then bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Lower the heat, cover, and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, until the lentils practically dissolve and the teff is tender.
    Add the collard greens, tomatoes, ginger, and salt and simmer for about 5 minutes, until the collards are bright green. Taste and adjust the seasonings if desired.
Butternut Squash and Tempeh Stew with Shiitake Mushrooms
    The cooked butternut squash practically melts to form a sweet sauce in this warming stew. Chickpea miso is especially complementary to the flavors of this stew, but you can substitute other gluten-free varieties if you like; hearty brown rice, adzuki bean, or millet miso would all be good choices. You can use either red or white wine in this dish—or any other wine for that matter. I recommend using whatever wine you’d like to drink with the stew. For a special treat, try pear or peach wine.
    serves 4 to 6
    ½ cup dried shiitake mushrooms, stemmed
    2/3 cup wine
    2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
    1 pound tempeh, cubed
    4 cups cubed butternut squash
    4 cups cubed potatoes
    1½ cups water
    2 tablespoons chickpea miso
    2 tablespoons prepared mustard
    1 teaspoon dried rosemary
    1½ teaspoons dried thyme
    1 teaspoon dried sage
    Soak the shiitake mushrooms in the wine for about 15 minutes, until they soften.

    Heat the oil in a soup pot over medium heat. Add the tempeh and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 10 minutes, until golden brown. Add the squash, potatoes, water, wine, and mushrooms. (You may want cut the mushrooms into bite-size pieces or at least halve larger mushrooms.) Bring to a boil, then lower the heat, cover, and simmer for about 20 minutes, until the potatoes are tender and the butternut squash is melting into the pot.
    Stir the miso and mustard into some of the hot broth, then stir the mixture back into the stew, along with the rosemary, thyme, and sage.
Ethiopian Sunshine Stew
    This warming and stimulating stew is one of my favorite winter meals because it tastes like a trip to a sunny climate and keeps the cold at bay. In this recipe the spices are first sautéed in ghee to trap their volatile oils, then the chickpeas are cooked from scratch together with these spices to infuse them with rich, complex flavors. Long, slow cooking sweetens the cabbage and carrots and makes them practically melt in your mouth.