Grains!

Happy Winter Solstice! We had a little celebration at home with the pets tonight. They opened their gifts, but I failed to get as many awesome pictures as I usually do. That's because I was lazy and using my iPhone instead of my Nikon. That may have been a strike out, but my Solstice dinner certainly wasn't!

I've been meaning to review The Great Vegan Grains Book by Celine Steen and Tamasin Noyes for awhile now. But I finally got around to trying a few recipes tonight. This book features more than 100 vegan recipes using whole grains, everything from common grains like brown rice and quinoa to more exotic stuff like freekah and einkorn.

Since it was Solstice, I figured a hearty, warming meal involving roasted veggies would be appropriate (even though it's 70 degrees here!). And when I was flipping through the book and saw the gorgeous photo of the Roasted Radish Freekah Bowl with Mustard Miso Sauce, I knew this would be perfect. I mean, the veggies are red and green for goddess' sake.

Broccoli and radishes are roasted and served over freekah, and then it's all topped with a tangy miso-mustard sauce. I'd never heard of roasting radishes, but oh my, it makes them so amazing. I like raw radishes okay on a salad, but I've never been totally in love with radishes. But roasting makes their spicy flavor mellow a bit, and they take on the texture of other roasted root veggies, like carrots or parsnips. Amazing. And we all know that roasting is the best thing that can happen to broccoli, right?

Freekah is an ancient Arabian grain that's got a similar texture to bulgur, but it has a naturally smoky flavor. I bought a bag at the Mediterranean market months ago, and I only used half of the bag then. The rest has been sitting neglected in my pantry. I was glad to put it to use.

On the side, I made Tacu Tacu from the book. These are Peruvian butter bean and rice patties with a spicy kick.

Aren't they gorgeous? I love the color! These are loaded with cumin and paprika, smashed butter beans, and brown rice. They're formed into patties and pan-fried in a little oil, like a fritter. I served this with lots of Yellowbird Serrano Sauce. Yum!

Both dishes I tried from The Great Vegan Grains Book were amazing. And I hope to make much more use of this book, as I clear out my massive stash of half-used bags of grain in my pantry. Other dishes on my to-make list: BBQ Bulgur Burgers, Tahini-Topped Kamut and Brussels Sprouts, Creamy Amaranth Polenta with Marinara, and Sausage Smash Potato Hash (made from vegan sausage created with freekah!).