Raw Fig & Pear Herb Salad w/ Cashew Cheese & Sweet Almond Vinaigrette

HerbSaladwCheeseFigPear

I am on a summer salad kick! They are so easy to make, and you really can’t go wrong. This Raw Fig & Pear Herb Salad with Cashew Cheese & Sweet Almond Vinaigrette is so satisfying that you might want to double the recipe. As always, try to buy organic and go to the farmer’s market, for crying out loud.

WHAT YOU’LL NEED (serves 2):

  • 2 cups of baby herb salad
  • 2 pears (of your choice)
  • 10 dried black mission figs
  • 1 wheel of Dr.Cows Aged Cashew Cheese
  • 2 Tbs Apple Cider Vinegar
  • 1 Tbs Agave Nectar
  • 2 Tbs Raw Almond Butter

DIRECTIONS:

  1. Chop the pear, half the figs, thinly slice the cheese, and toss with the herb salad.
  2. Pour the *Dressing on, and serve!

*DRESSING: in a cup or small bowl, mix the Apple Cider Vinegar, Almond Butter, and Agave.

Savory Summer

I am in heaven. The farmers’ markets in New York are starting to offer some of the northeast’s most amazing harvests. I picked up some local, naturally grown strawberries. I had no idea that ‘organic’ labeling was so prohibitive and damaging to small farmers (even if their products are considered ‘organic’). I spoke with some of the farmers whose produce I purchased and was appalled (but not surprised) to find out why USDA hates small farmers. Click here!

New York State Strawberries

VEGAN CHEESE PLATE

Just Like Honey Gluten-Free Rice NectarBelow, I made lunch for a few friends. The starter was a Cheese Plate featuring Dr. Cows raw, vegan, crystal manna blue cheese, toasted local sourdough bread, local strawberries, walnuts, and a Sweet & Sarah vegan coconut-crusted marshmallow. I drizzled some ‘Just Like Honey‘ which is an indistinguishable alternative to real bee vomit! Cheese plates are finally doable with Dr.Cow – for your own spin on this, try doing cheese & chocolate, cheese & veggies, or cheese & fruit! There usually is no way to go wrong with good cheese.

Cheeseplate

CHIVE BLOSSOM SALAD

chive blossom salad

Joshua\'s salad

I had no idea that a) chives even blossomed or b) you can eat the flowers that c) taste like spicy chives! Yum! Not only is this salad visually delicious, but the hearty mixed greens, NYS apples, powerful sliced radishes and hearty radish greens made an amazingly filling and tongue-invigorating dish. As for dressing, I made a simply apple-cider vinegar with coconut oil and black sesame dressing.

PICKLED RADISH & STEAMED VITAMIN GREENS

In this dish, I sliced some local radish and put them in my pickle jar along side Rick’s Picks ‘bee ‘n’ bees‘ pickles overnight. I steamed some local ‘vitamin greens’ and kale, drizzled a touch of sesame oil on top, and was good to go. Lesson here? Never throw out old pickle juice!

radish and vitamin greens

DB Gets Naked in Time Out New York!

Time Out New York Horny?

Seitan made me do it! I was recently featured in Time Out New York’s Horny Issue. I got down and dirty about eating local, vegan, and choosing good food over mediocre sex. Yes, that’s a local, organic beet leaf on my balls.

The amazingly talented (and friend of DB) Ryan Pfluger took the pictures, and we used the gorgeous home of Pablo & Veronica of Dr. Cow.

Discerning Brute takes it off for New York City

“It was a philosophical struggle for me to pose naked, but you do what you have to do to get your message out there. All forms of oppression are connected: mainstream-media sex, violence, social justice, environmental issues, animal exploitation. When you perpetuate one of them, you perpetuate all of them. But I believe you can live ethically and fabulously.”

“I’ve been vegan for 12 years. For the shoot, I went to the Union Square farmers’ market and bought a bunch of local, organic veggies, fruits and roots. The green movement is finally becoming sexy—and it’s because of food. Food is like sex: You interact with it physically, you put it in your body. I’d rather have an amazing meal than mediocre sex.”

Check me out and the other hot-blooded New Yorkers, on stands tomorrow!

UPDATE: New York Magazine Bloggers go at me! Get the New York Magazine dirt here.

Local, Organic Farmers' Market Meal

Marinated Portobello-Steak with Sautéed Purple-Scallions & Steamed Baby Bok Choy with Beets

I prepared this dish with all local, organic farm produce and bread from the Union Square Farmer’s Market in New York City. The farmers markets in New York are amazing – there is no reason not to buy ALL your produce locally. If you live in the northeast, this is a great vegan meal that’s fresh, local, and organic!

What you’ll need for dinner for 2:

  • 2 large potobello mushroom caps
  • 2 cups of baby bok choy
  • 4 purple scallion
  • 2 medium beets
  • 2 pieces of whole wheat sourdough bread
  • Oil & Vinegar
  • 2 Tablespoons of Tahini
  • 2 Tablespoons of Balsamic Vinegar
  • pinch of sea salt
  • pinch of pepper

Directions:

  1. Gently remove the stem, and rinse the dirt from the mushroom caps.
  2. In a shallow bowl, marinate the mushroom caps in the balsamic, tahini, salt & pepper while you prepare the veggies (about 15 minutes).
  3. Rinse the beets thoroughly, and cut off any undesired parts, but leave the skin (it’s full of nutrients).
  4. Chop Beets into medium cubes. Steam for about 20 minutes (or until fork penetrates it easily).
  5. Rinse the bok choy, and steam for about 8-10 minutes. These should stay somewhat crisp and sweet. If you steam too long they will get mushy.
  6. Sauté the scallions and mushroom caps on medium heat until caps have become flat and throughly cooked, and scallions have caramelized – about 10 minutes. Flip the caps twice.
  7. Serve the mushrooms on a ripped piece of organic, local bread. Top it off with the caramelized scallions.
  8. Serve the beets and bok choy beside the mushrooms, and drizzle with a touch of olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Add salt and pepper to taste

DB’s Etiquette Recommendation: I recommend serving this with a local, dry white wine. Be sure to tell you guest(s) about how your meal was prepared and where it came from. It makes for a more enjoyable food experience if people can understand how the food got from farm to table. Here is a list of all Greenmarkets in NYC

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