Fall Harvest Plant-Based Cooking Class

Crispy Cabbage Salad with Maple Tahini Dressing

Serves 4Prep 15 minCook 20 min

High-heat roasting turns cabbage crisp and browned at the edges. Tossed with a sweet-tangy maple tahini dressing and bright pomegranate seeds, it's delicious warm or cold.

Ingredients

Cabbage

• 1 medium savoy cabbage (about 2 pounds); green cabbage works too
• 2 tablespoons avocado oil
• Salt and black pepper

Maple tahini dressing

• 6 tablespoons tahini
• ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• ¼ cup hot water
• ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt

To finish

• ⅓ cup pomegranate seeds (or dried cranberries)

Herbed crumb topping (optional)

• ¼ cup panko breadcrumbs (check the label for vegan)
• 2 fresh sage leaves
• 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
• 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
• Pinch of salt

Method

1. Heat the oven to 450°F and line 2–3 baking sheets with parchment.
2. If making the crumb topping: pulse the panko, sage, fennel, rosemary and salt in a food processor until evenly fine. Toast in a dry skillet (or under the broiler) 4–5 minutes, until golden. Set aside.
3. Cut the cabbage into thin shreds. Toss with the oil and a good pinch of salt and pepper.
4. Spread the cabbage in a thin single layer across the pans. Give it room, since crowded cabbage steams instead of crisping.
5. Roast 17–20 minutes, until browned and crisp at the edges.
6. While it roasts, whisk the tahini, balsamic, maple syrup, hot water, pepper flakes and salt until smooth. If it's too thick, add a little more water.
7. Toss the warm cabbage with the dressing (start with about half and add to taste), then scatter with pomegranate seeds and crumbs.

Adapted from Justine Snacks.

Delicata Squash Tempura with Spicy Maple & Lime

Serves 4 as a sidePrep 15 minCook 15 min

Thin rings of delicata in a light, crackly tempura batter, finished with a drizzle of chile-warmed maple syrup and fresh lime. No need to peel, since delicata skin is thin and tender.

Ingredients

Squash

• 1 delicata squash, scrubbed and cut crosswise into ¼-inch rings
• 1–2 tablespoons cornstarch, for dusting (optional, helps the batter stick)
• Neutral oil for frying, such as canola or vegetable (enough for 1–2 inches in the pot)

Tempura batter

• ⅓ cup (50 g) cornstarch
• ¼ cup (35 g) all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons (10 g) rice flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ cup sparkling water

Spicy maple & lime

• ½ cup maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (use less for milder)
• 1 lime, zested and juiced
• Flaky salt, to finish

Method

1. Scoop the seeds out of each ring with a small spoon to make a "donut" hole. Pat the rings dry, then toss lightly in the dusting cornstarch if using.
2. Heat 1–2 inches of oil in a heavy pot to about 350°F.
3. While the oil heats, warm the maple syrup and pepper flakes in a small pot over low heat just until it starts to simmer, then take it off the heat.
4. Whisk the cornstarch, flour, rice flour and baking powder together. Add the sparkling water and stir just until no lumps remain.
5. Dip a few rings at a time into the batter, let the extra drip off, and fry, turning once, until crisp and the squash is tender, about 3–4 minutes. The batter stays pale rather than deep golden. Don't crowd the pot.
6. Drain on a paper towel–lined tray and sprinkle with flaky salt while hot.
7. To serve, drizzle with the spicy maple syrup, then finish with lime zest and a squeeze of juice.

Tempura batter adapted from The Viet Vegan; spicy maple and lime inspired by Liz Moody.

Creamy Mushroom & Wild Rice Soup

Serves 5–6Prep 15 minCook about 1 hour

A Minnesota classic, made silky with homemade cashew cream instead of dairy. Mushrooms bring savory depth and wild rice makes it a meal.

Ingredients

Cashew cream

• ¾ cup raw cashews
• ¾ cup water (plus hot water for soaking)

Soup

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 large yellow onion, diced
• 2 celery stalks, diced
• 2 carrots, diced
• 1 pound mushrooms, diced (a mix such as cremini and shiitake is great)
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• ½ cup dry white wine (optional)
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
• 1 bay leaf
• 4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup wild rice, rinsed
• Black pepper and salt to taste
• A splash of white wine vinegar or sherry vinegar

Method

1. Make the cashew cream: cover the cashews with hot water and soak at least 30 minutes (or simmer them 10 minutes). Drain, then blend with ¾ cup fresh water until completely smooth, 1–2 minutes. You'll have about 1 cup.
2. Warm the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, celery and carrots and cook, stirring now and then, until softened, about 6–8 minutes.
3. Add the mushrooms and cook until they release their liquid and start to brown, about 8 minutes. Stir in the garlic for 1 minute.
4. If using wine, pour it in and let it bubble, scraping up any browned bits, until mostly evaporated.
5. Add the thyme, rosemary, bay leaf, broth, water and wild rice. Bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer, cover partway, and cook 45–55 minutes, until the rice is tender and some grains have split open.
6. Remove the bay leaf. Stir in the cashew cream and heat through gently without boiling. Season with pepper, salt as needed, and a splash of vinegar to brighten.

Adapted from Food52.

Groundcherry & Apple Tartlets

Makes about 12 tartletsPrep 20 minCook 25 min

A quick stovetop apple filling gets a sweet-tart, slightly tropical lift from groundcherries, a husk-wrapped fruit that grows well in Minnesota gardens. Spoon it into crisp pastry cups.

Ingredients

Filling

• 3 medium apples (firm, tart types like Honeycrisp, Haralson or Granny Smith), peeled, cored and cut into ½-inch cubes (about 3 cups)
• 1½ cups groundcherries, husked and rinsed (halve any large ones)
• 2 tablespoons vegan butter
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ⅓ cup sugar (organic cane, brown, or coconut sugar)
• 3 tablespoons water
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 4 teaspoons cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons cold water
• Pinch of salt

Tartlet shells

• 1 package refrigerated vegan pie crust (2 rounds; check the label), or your favorite vegan pie dough, or store-bought mini phyllo cups

Method

Bake the shells

1. Heat the oven to 375°F. Roll the pie dough slightly thinner and cut 3½-inch rounds. Press them into a lightly greased muffin tin and prick the bottoms with a fork.
2. Bake 12–15 minutes, until golden. (If the dough puffs, gently press it down with a spoon halfway through.) Cool in the tin a few minutes, then lift out. Using phyllo cups? Crisp them for 3–5 minutes.

Make the filling

1. In a skillet over medium heat, melt the vegan butter with the cinnamon. Add the apples, sugar, water and salt.
2. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, about 4–5 minutes, until the apples just begin to soften.
3. Add the groundcherries and lemon juice and cook 1–2 minutes more, until a few berries start to burst.
4. Stir the cornstarch slurry, pour it in while stirring, and let the filling bubble about 1 minute until glossy and thickened. Apples should be tender, not mushy. Cool slightly.

Assemble

1. Spoon warm filling into the shells just before serving so the pastry stays crisp.
2. Garnish with a whole groundcherry (husk peeled back like wings) and a dollop of coconut whipped cream if you like.

Filling adapted from Spend With Pennies.