Small Kitchen, Big Taste

Recipes from Chef Leander

Chef Leander

Greek Zucchini and Squash Stir Fry

by Chef Leander

We hosted a potluck at our home several years back. A middle eastern friend brought this dish and it was a real hit. It’s so simple to make and it adds a terrific taste of summer to any buffet table.

Rate This Recipe!

Greek Zucchini and Squash Stir Fry

from Chef Leander. To your health!
With the umami of red onion, garlic and sautéed mushrooms as a backdrop, your summer zucchini and squash will be the stars of the show. Add some fresh mint from your garden, and you have a fresh, memorable side dish or main course.
Print Recipe Add to Favorites
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings 2 people

Equipment

Ingredients
 
 

  • 1 TBSP 'cado oil (avocado oil)
  • ½ red onion, sliced thinly
  • 8 oz crimini mushrooms, sliced
  • 2 TBSP minced garlic
  • 2 yellow squash, sliced
  • 1 zucchini, sliced
  • ¼ cup water
  • 1 bunch mint, chiffonade
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 1 lemon juiced and zested

Instructions
 

  • Heat a medium non-stick skillet. Add 'cado oil and sauté the sliced onion until the onions start to turn translucent.
  • Add the mushrooms and sauté until they begin to weep. Continue cooking until the mushrooms dry out and begin to brown.
  • Add the garlic, squash and zucchini and saute until the garlic is fragrant (about 30 seconds).
  • Add the water, cover the skillet, and let the zucchini and squash steam until tender. Remove the cover and allow the excess water to steam off.
  • When ready to serve, add the chopped mint and give it a 30-second stir. Put on the serving plates immediately.
  • Garnish with lemon zest and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. Sprinkle with a pinch of kosher salt, to taste.
Support us at PatreonPatreon.com/chefleander

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts
Greek Zucchini and Squash Stir Fry
Amount per Serving
Calories
160.19
% Daily Value*
Fat
 
7.89
g
12
%
Saturated Fat
 
1.01
g
6
%
Polyunsaturated Fat
 
1.3
g
Monounsaturated Fat
 
4.99
g
Sodium
 
1185.93
mg
52
%
Potassium
 
1366.01
mg
39
%
Carbohydrates
 
20.33
g
7
%
Fiber
 
4.71
g
20
%
Sugar
 
10.04
g
11
%
Protein
 
7.32
g
15
%
Vitamin A
 
675
IU
14
%
Vitamin C
 
57.88
mg
70
%
Calcium
 
93.67
mg
9
%
Iron
 
1.83
mg
10
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Don't miss a single recipe ! ! !Subscribe to our YouTube channel!

NOTICE: Small Kitchen BIG TASTE is an Amazon Associate and, as such, we earn from your qualifying purchases. Any item you purchase once you click on an image on our “Store” page supports Small Kitchen BIG TASTE.  We appreciate it when you shop in our store and help us continue to put out delicious content.

 

Eat better with less time in the kitchen!

by Chef Leander

I promised several weeks ago, we would invite a movie star to our weekly posts.  This is the week!  It’s cheeky, but I hope you like it.

There are many ways to prep food quickly and to preserve the harvest well into the fall. But let’s not talk about it, let’s do it!  We are also introducing a new kind of “recipe” this next few weeks—How To postings.  several of you have asked about knives.  What kind/size? How many and why? How do I keep them sharp? We will try to answer these questions as they arrive.

“Must GO!” Quinoa Salad

This recipe is full of healthy veggies. Feel free to add veggies from your fridge that “Must Go!” Don’t forget the chili-mango dressing. It’s da bomb!

Click for the full recipe

How To-Kitchen Knives, Sharpening

Beyond knife technique:  How do I know the best knife for the job? What knives should I buy?  How do I sharpen my knives? Chef Leander explains it all.

Click for the full recipe

How To-Prepping and Chopping Food

Part of being vegan is spending time chopping fresh ingredients for your meals. Here is a way to save time, while also making your food look even better!

Click for the full recipe

Kitchen Knives: Sharpening and Cutting

by Chef Leander

The most basic tools of the chef are their knives. Here is a “How To” video that will help you make the best decisions on the knives you need. Chef Leander will also demonstrate how to sharpen them and how to accomplish basic cutting techniques. 

Rate This Recipe!

Kitchen Knives: Sharpening and Cutting

from Chef Leander. To your health!
The most basic of all kitchen tools are your knives. Chef Leander explains the chopping knife and the fillet knife and when to use each. Chef Leander also demonstrates the use of a superb, inexpensive knife sharpener. Never struggle with dull knives again.
Print Recipe Add to Favorites
Servings 0

Equipment

Ingredients
  

  • 1 small bok choy
  • 1 handful spinach
  • 1 red mango

Instructions
 

  • A sharp knife makes cooking so much easier and safer. If you are using the sharpener from our website, it is super easy to keep a sharp edge on your knife.
    Hold the sharpener in your left hand. Put the knife in the groove furthest to the left. Without adding pressure to the knife, drag the knife from heal to tip, through the groove. Do this seven times, then carefully wipe the blade to remove any shavings. Repeat on the middle groove, and finally on the right hand groove. Then be careful. At this point they will be sharper than usual.
    A nice feature of this knife sharpener is that the sharpening stones are removable, so, for you lefties, you can turn the device around for ergonomic comfort.
  • Chiffonade makes a great impression with leafy vegetables or herbs. You often see it with basil, especially on top of a pizza or bruschetta. First practice on the bok choy, slicing thin, horizontal slices off the plant.
  • To chiffonade something with separate leaves, like spinach or basil, stack the leaves with stems all going the same direction. Roll the leaves up like a cigar and then slice thinly across the roll.
  • The easiest way to serve mango is to "turtle" it with a fillet knife. Cut the mango "cheeks" away from the large seed in the middle. Then you can get the last bit of fruit from around the outside of the seed. Finally, gently the fleshy cheeks in a cross hatch pattern, being careful not to cut through the skin. If you turn the skin inside out, the mango will "turtle." Try it and you'll see where the name came from. You can use your fillet knife to separate the mango from the skin. Often it doesn't last that long as a turtled mango is also great for eating right from the rind, like burying your face in a thick juicy slice of watermelon.
Support us at PatreonPatreon.com/chefleander
Don't miss a single recipe ! ! !Subscribe to our YouTube channel!

To purchase the knife sharpener used in this How-To video, please click HERE!

NOTICE: Small Kitchen BIG TASTE is an Amazon Associate and, as such, we earn from your qualifying purchases. Any item you purchase once you click on an image on our “Store” page supports Small Kitchen BIG TASTE.  We appreciate it when you shop in our store and help us continue to put out delicious content.

How To: Prepping and Chopping Food for Vegans

by Chef Leander

 

Would you like to know what Chef Leander’s favorite tool is for food preparation?  As a vegan, this tool cuts ingredient preparation in half. And everything is neatly sliced and diced!  Wonder how chefs do that?  Here is their secret!

Rate This Recipe!

Chopping Food

from Chef Leander. To your health!
Part of being vegan is spending time chopping fresh ingredients for your meals.  Here is a way to save time, while also making your food look even better!
Print Recipe Add to Favorites
Servings 0

Equipment

Ingredients
  

  • 2 zuchini
  • 2 potatoes, peeled or unpeeled

Instructions
 

  • Slicing: Turn the slicing blade to 8 for a few thick slices. Adjust the blade to 3 for medium slices. Adjust the blade to 1 for a few thin slices.
  • Diced potato style hash browns: Make thick slices. Re-stack the slices. Place thick potato slices so the stack has the open potato face on the flat surface of the feeding tube.
  • Veggie Sticks: Set the slicing blade to 8 for thick slices. Turn one of the cross blades to full height. A few strokes and you will have short french fries. If you turn the thicknesses down you can have nice hash browns. They are not the same texture as grated, but they are thin enough to cook up quickly in your pan.
  • Those are the basic functions of the tool. Experiment with the zucchini if you like, and find what thickness settings work well for the vegetables you are cutting. Feel free to send us an email or message if you have specific questions you would like to ask.
  • Cleaning: The easiest way to clean is to move the slicing blade to position 8 and lower the dicing blades if they are up. Then a quick rinse usually will clear any residual food. if you need, there is a cleaning brush that comes with your mandolin that will help dislodge any stubborn food scraps. (WARNING: The blades are EXTREMELY sharp. Exercise vigilance and caution at all times.

Notes

For extra instructions, here is how to use the Dash Safe Slice Mandoline!
Video Link: Dash Safe Slice Mandoline
Support us at PatreonPatreon.com/chefleander
Don't miss a single recipe ! ! !Subscribe to our YouTube channel!

If you would like to purchase a mandoline, you can use this link to go directly to the mandoline that Chef Leander uses on our Amazon Affiliate page.

NOTICE: Small Kitchen BIG TASTE is an Amazon Associate and, as such, we earn from your qualifying purchases. Any item you purchase once you click on an image on our “Store” page supports Small Kitchen BIG TASTE.  We appreciate it when you shop in our store and help us continue to put out delicious content.

 

“Must GO!” Quinoa Salad

by Chef Leander

August! Warm weather! Abundant harvest! I created this recipe specifically for late summer, and it works all year round (with store bought veggies). Start with quinoa, chopped veggies, beans, and corn in a bowl. Give it a quick stir, pour on some fresh mango-lime dressing and garnish with avocado, cilantro, and sliced green onion!

Rate This Recipe!

Must Go! Quinoa Salad Recipe—Vegan, Fast, Easy, Inexpensive

from Chef Leander. To your health!
A refreshing, cold salad with the spotlight on fresh veggies! It’s a very forgiving recipe to boot. If you have veggies in the fridge that “Must Go!”, add them here. Then top it all with a fresh chili-mango dressing, avocado, and cilantro.
Print Recipe Add to Favorites
Prep Time 30 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 4 servings (main dish)

Equipment

Ingredients
 
 

Prepared Quinoa

  • 1 TBSP avocado oil, optional
  • 1.5 cups quinoa
  • 3 cups water

Chili Mango Lime Dressing

  • 2 limes, juiced
  • 2 TBSP soy sauce
  • ¼ cup avocado oil
  • 1 TBSP dry mustard
  • 1 red mango, cubed
  • 1 tsp chili pepper
  • 1 tsp salt

Salad Ingredients

  • 1 can black beans
  • 6 oz frozen corn
  • ½ cup red pepper, diced
  • ½ cup yellow pepper, diced
  • 1 ea bok choy, chiffonade
  • 1 ea cucumber, diced
  • 1 cup shredded carrot
  • 1 cup diced pineapple
  • 2 bunch green onion, sliced thin, divided for garnish
  • 1 bunch cilantro, chopped fine, divided for garnish

Garnishes

  • 2 ea ripe avocado, diced
  • reserved green onion
  • reserved chopped cilantro
  • ½ cup sliced or slivered almonds

Instructions
 

  • Optional first step: To give your quinoa a "nutty" flavor: In a saucepan, heat the avocado oil. Toast the quinoa in the hot oil until it becomes fragrant.
  • Cook the quinoa: Bring the water and quinoa to a boil in the saucepan. When the water is boiling, reduce the heat to simmer, cover the pan, and set the timer for 20 minutes. Don't peek! If you like, you can cook the quinoa up to 2 days in advance and keep it in the 'fridge.
  • Make the Chili Mango Lime Dressing: Put all the ingredients in a blender and process at high speed for 30 seconds.
  • Make the Salad: In a large bowl, stir together all the salad ingredients. Stir to combine the ingredients, and then add the quinoa and stir until incorporated. Add green onion and chopped cilantro to taste (reserving the rest for garnish) and stir until combined.
  • To serve: Serve the salad on a plate. Pour dressing on the salad. Top with a few slices of avocado. Garnish with sliced green onion, chopped cilantro, and slivered almonds.

Notes

NOTE: This recipe makes a large salad. It's great for leftovers in the fridge for a few days, so I prefer to make a large batch. However, if you are planning for leftovers to go in the refrigerator, it is recommended that you add dressing and garnishes when you serve the leftovers. If you prefer to make half a recipe, look for the “.5” button in the “ingredient multiplier."  
Support us at PatreonPatreon.com/chefleander

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts
Must Go! Quinoa Salad Recipe—Vegan, Fast, Easy, Inexpensive
Amount per Serving
Calories
745.59
% Daily Value*
Fat
 
32.25
g
50
%
Saturated Fat
 
3.44
g
22
%
Trans Fat
 
0.01
g
Polyunsaturated Fat
 
7.45
g
Monounsaturated Fat
 
19.47
g
Sodium
 
1263.62
mg
55
%
Potassium
 
1795.74
mg
51
%
Carbohydrates
 
98.31
g
33
%
Fiber
 
19.93
g
83
%
Sugar
 
17.91
g
20
%
Protein
 
26.13
g
52
%
Vitamin A
 
16232.23
IU
325
%
Vitamin C
 
210.54
mg
255
%
Calcium
 
375.53
mg
38
%
Iron
 
8.13
mg
45
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Don't miss a single recipe ! ! !Subscribe to our YouTube channel!

NOTICE: Small Kitchen BIG TASTE is an Amazon Associate and, as such, we earn from your qualifying purchases. Any item you purchase once you click on an image on our “Store” page supports Small Kitchen BIG TASTE.  We appreciate it when you shop in our store and help us continue to put out delicious content.

Quick Strawberry Shortcake

by Chef Leander

SUMMER! STRAWBERRIES! SHORTCAKE! Or peaches, or blueberries, or nectarines, or raspberries. . .you get the idea!

Rate This Recipe!

Quick Strawberry Shortcake

from Chef Leander. To your health!
Double the recipe of your Amazing Almond Flour, Vegan Biscuits. Cut up a pint of strawberries and let them sit in the fridge all day to make their own sauce. Plate it up after dinner, and you are ready to sit on the deck and watch the fireflies. Delicious!
Print Recipe Add to Favorites
Prep Time 10 minutes
Macerate time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 6 servings

Equipment

Ingredients
 
 

Optional garnishes

  • 1 pint oat milk, sugar free
  • 1 pint dairy-free ice cream
  • 1 can Trader Joe's coconut whipped cream

Instructions
 

  • Slice the strawberries thinly. Sprinkle lightly with coconut sugar. Allow the strawberries to "macerate" for 20-30 minutes. Macerate refers to the process where this small amount of sugar pulls some of the liquid from the strawberries to make a delicious natural syrup for the strawberries.
  • Slice room-temperature biscuits horizontally in half. Put prepared strawberries on top of the lower half. Add the second half and put a few strawberries on top.
    CHEF'S SECRET: for extra visual appeal, lean the top of the biscuit against the lower biscuit and strawberries on a 45 degree angle. Divide the strawberries over the biscuits.
    Drizzle with 2 tablespoons of sugar-free oat milk or garnish with another topping of your choice.
  • Serve immediately.

Notes

If you look closely at the ingredients for oat milk, I have occasionally seen as many as 7 grams of added sugar PER SERVING. I looked long and hard to find one with only 1 gram of added sugar. And the taste is fantastic. You don’t even need a whole serving to make this shortcake come alive.
Support us at PatreonPatreon.com/chefleander

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts
Quick Strawberry Shortcake
Amount per Serving
Calories
254.65
% Daily Value*
Fat
 
7.28
g
11
%
Saturated Fat
 
3.15
g
20
%
Trans Fat
 
0.17
g
Polyunsaturated Fat
 
0.63
g
Monounsaturated Fat
 
1.54
g
Cholesterol
 
21.29
mg
7
%
Sodium
 
150.26
mg
7
%
Potassium
 
330.63
mg
9
%
Carbohydrates
 
43
g
14
%
Fiber
 
2.97
g
12
%
Sugar
 
30.24
g
34
%
Protein
 
6.11
g
12
%
Vitamin A
 
526.8
IU
11
%
Vitamin C
 
47.32
mg
57
%
Calcium
 
265.23
mg
27
%
Iron
 
1.23
mg
7
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Don't miss a single recipe ! ! !Subscribe to our YouTube channel!

NOTICE: Small Kitchen BIG TASTE is an Amazon Associate and, as such, we earn from your qualifying purchases. Any item you purchase once you click on an image on our “Store” page supports Small Kitchen BIG TASTE.  We appreciate it when you shop in our store and help us continue to put out delicious content.

 

 

Amazing Almond Flour, Vegan Biscuits

by Chef Leander

First of all, a salute to one of my favorite health and nutrition-conscious chefs, Kassia Fiedor.

This (unpublished) biscuit recipe is from the kitchen of Kassia Fiedor.  They are fluffy, flaky, and full of great flavor. These were too good to not share with my readers.  Therefore the recipe uses vegan butter and a flax egg to make them paleo and fully vegan.  Win! Win! Win!   

And while you’re here. . .check out Kassia’s cookbook, Cocina Holistica! It’s the star of our resources shopping page.

Rate This Recipe!

Amazing Almond Flour, Vegan Biscuits

from Chef Leander. To your health!
These melt-in-your-mouth biscuits are so simple they may just become a regular on your table.  Easy enough to make for breakfast. Sturdy enough for dinner. And scrumptious enough for a summer dessert. Did I hear “Strawberry Shortcake?”
Thanks to Kassia Fiedor for permission to use this great recipe!  Make sure to check out her website as well!
Print Recipe Add to Favorites
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Rest Time 15 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings 6 BISCUITS

Equipment

Ingredients
 
 

Wet Ingredients

  • ¼ cup coconut milk
  • 1 tsp lemon juice

1 flax "egg"

  • 1 TBSP ground flaxseed (flax meal)
  • 3 TBSP water

Dry Ingredients

  • ½ cup almond flour
  • ⅓ cup tapioca flour
  • ¼ cup coconut flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • ¼ tsp baking soda
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • 3 TBSP vegan butter, very hard*

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 400 ℉ (205℃). Prepare baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone mat.
  • In a small mixing bowl: combine the coconut milk and lemon juice.
  • In a cup: combine the flax meal and water to make a flax egg. Let rest at least 5-10 minutes.
  • In a medium mixing bowl: Combine the dry ingredients except the butter. Give them a quick stir to combine.
  • Cut the cold butter into small cubes, and then mix into the flour mixture. Use your fingers to "cut in" the butter by hand until there are small pieces of butter surrounded by flour. The mix should look like coarse meal, not a cookie dough. Form a well in the middle of the flour and butter mixture.
  • Pour the flax egg into the coconut milk and lemon juice mixture and stir lightly.
  • Pour the wet ingredients into the well of the dry ingredients. Gently fold the edges of the flour mixture into the middle of the liquids, until they are combined. Let rest for 10 minutes to allow the dry ingredients to fully absorb the liquids..
  • Scoop six balls of dough onto the prepared baking sheet. Dip a dinner spoon into a bowl of water. Use the back side of the spoon to flatten the ball of dough slightly.
  • Using the scoop, put a second ball of the pastry mix on top of each of the flattened biscuits. Slightly fasten the second ball of dough on top of the first.
  • Bake in the oven for 13 to 15 minutes until golden brown around the edges. Serve warm, or store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Notes

Thank you to Kassia Fiodor for allowing us to use this recipe. For more of Kassia's recipes, check out her book here:
Cocina Holistica: Plant-Powered Recipes Inspired by Guatemalan Superfoods 
NOTE: For best results, measure the butter by the TBSP scale on the paper cover of the stick. Also, place the vegan butter in the freezer for the last 5 minutes before you cut it. This will insure that the butter doesn't soften too much while you are cutting it in.
Support us at PatreonPatreon.com/chefleander

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts
Amazing Almond Flour, Vegan Biscuits
Serving Size
 
1 g
Amount per Serving
Calories
171.59
% Daily Value*
Fat
 
13.48
g
21
%
Saturated Fat
 
3.92
g
25
%
Trans Fat
 
1.04
g
Polyunsaturated Fat
 
2.06
g
Monounsaturated Fat
 
2.89
g
Sodium
 
271.45
mg
12
%
Potassium
 
33.81
mg
1
%
Carbohydrates
 
11.49
g
4
%
Fiber
 
3.07
g
13
%
Sugar
 
0.72
g
1
%
Protein
 
3.1
g
6
%
Vitamin A
 
0.05
IU
0
%
Vitamin C
 
0.42
mg
1
%
Calcium
 
63.99
mg
6
%
Iron
 
1.02
mg
6
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Don't miss a single recipe ! ! !Subscribe to our YouTube channel!

If you missed it in the intro. . .be sure to check out Kassia’s cookbook, Cocina Holistica! It’s the star of our resources shopping page. If this is your first trip to our STORE link, it’s a great way to support our work here. You get the same Amazon price, AND we get a small commission on every item you buy.  It all adds up to more great, vegan recipes for your next meal!

NOTICE: Small Kitchen BIG TASTE is an Amazon Associate and, as such, we earn from your qualifying purchases. Any item you purchase once you click on an image on our “Store” page supports Small Kitchen BIG TASTE.  We appreciate it when you shop in our store and help us continue to put out delicious content.

This Week: Strawberry Shortcake!

by Chef Leander

Summer is here, and that means fresh fruits, vegetables, and herbs.  And what says summer better than strawberry shortcake?  Also, this week I am honored to introduce you to a friend and fellow chef, Kassia Fiedor.  Check out her cookbook here.

Amazing Almond Flour, Vegan Biscuits

These melt-in-your-mouth biscuits are SIMPLE TO MAKE. Great for breakfast, as a side bread with soup, or as the foundation for shortcake! Enjoy!

Click for the full recipe

Quick Strawberry Shortcake

Begin with a base of Amazing Almond Flour Biscuits, and top with some macerated (french for “cut and let them sit a bit!”) fresh strawberries. Then find your favorite outdoor spot, sit back, and savor the taste of summer!

Click for the full recipe

Oh no! Not another sign-in screen!
Yes! But this one is different:

We promise:
  • NO ADVERTISEMENTS before you get to the recipes. NONE
  • NO pointless emails
  • NO requirement to sign in.
Furthermore, we promise:
  • Tasty food, in easy to prepare recipes
  • Vegan, sugar-free, gluten-free recipes
  • 8-10 new recipes every month
  • Lots of kitchen tips and hints…no matter how small your kitchen!

...and listen to people RAVE about your food!