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Miso Braised Carrots & Leeks with Cilantro Cardamom Basmati

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Miso Braised Carrots & Leeks with Cilantro Cardamom Basmati (vegan/gf recipe) | seasonal plant-based recipes via The Sweet Miscellany Blog

Spring carrots and leeks are braised in a miso flavored broth then served over a bed of cilantro cardamom basmati rice. This vegan and gluten free side dish is a fun and flavorful way to enjoy carrots and leeks!

So I took a bit of a break from the blog. Originally it started as a brief one to allow me time to fuel up on some inspiration. Then I decided to finally make the jump over to a real website instead of using this blogger platform. I figured I would wait to do a post until I could do it one the new website because it would be the perfect unveiling. But, everything didn’t transfer over smoothly. Of course. For the past several weeks I’ve had to re-format all 288 posts one at a time. ONE. AT. A. TIME. I’m currently in the summer of 2013 with 2 years of posts left to go.

Miso Braised Carrots & Leeks with Cilantro Cardamom Basmati (vegan/gf recipe) | seasonal plant-based recipes via The Sweet Miscellany Blog

I decided to take the break the universe was offering since I had so much on my plate at the time. I was trying to finish up my health coaching certification (which I did!!), keep up with my 200 hour yoga teacher certification, and work my job. Now that I’m done with my health coaching certification and nearly done with my yoga teacher training (!!) my time has been more flexible. A couple of weekends ago I had Saturday morning off so I was able to make it to the farmers market. After downing an acai bowl from Ripe Cuisine, I went to load up on some spring produce. The carrots and leeks I purchased from Gundermann Acres Farm were so beautiful that I immediately made plans for a blog post.

Miso Braised Carrots & Leeks with Cilantro Cardamom Basmati (vegan/gf recipe) | seasonal plant-based recipes via The Sweet Miscellany Blog

After feeling burned out and uninspired for weeks, all it took was a trip to the farmers market to give me back my creative spark. And I have to admit that the carrot and walnut doughnut from Ripe Cuisine helped out a lot, too 🙂

As I drove home from the market with my windows down, cool air ebbing and flowing through them, I started to formulate a plan for a post. Since roasting seems a bit harsh for spring veggies, I went with a nice braise in a miso broth. I’ve developed a bit of a soy sensitivity so finding a chickpea miso at Whole Foods recently was life changing! It’s become my favorite ingredient at the moment so I’ve been using it every way I can. It’s adds a subtle sweet earthiness to the veggies that is quite delicious. To add a bit of contrast I served the veggies over a bed of basmati flavored with cardamom, lemon, and cilantro. Mmmmmmm. Wishing I sill had some leftovers…

Miso Braised Carrots & Leeks with Cilantro Cardamom Basmati (vegan/gf recipe) | seasonal plant-based recipes via The Sweet Miscellany Blog
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Miso Braised Carrots & Leeks with Cilantro Cardamom Basmati

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  • Author: Courtney West
  • Total Time: 35 minutes
  • Yield: 4 servings 1x
  • Diet: Vegan
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Description

Spring carrots and leeks are braised in a miso flavored broth then served over a bed of cilantro cardamom basmati rice. This vegan and gluten free side dish is a fun and flavorful way to enjoy carrots and leeks!

Ingredients

Units Scale

for the braised carrots & leeks

  • 1 bunch of carrots
  • 2 leeks (just the white and light green portion)
  • 1 heaped tbsp coconut oil
  • 1 tbsp miso paste
  • 1 cup vegetable broth
  • pinch of sea salt
  • pinch of pepper

for the cilantro cardamom basmati rice:

  • 3/4 cup uncooked white basmati rice
  • 1 1/4 cups of water (plus a bit more if needed)
  • 1/2 tbsp coconut oil
  • 5 smashed green cardamom pods
  • juice of 1/2 a lemon
  • 3 tbsp minced cilantro
  • pinch of sea salt

Instructions

Make the rice: combine the rice, water, coconut oil, and cardamom pods in a pot. Heat over high until it just starts to boil. Reduce the heat to a low simmer, stir it a couple of times, then cover and cook for 15 minutes. If the rice looks a bit dry towards the end of the cooking time, add up to 1/4 cup more water. Remove the rice from the heat, leaving the top on it so it can steam.

While the rice is cooking, make the veggies. Heat the coconut oil in a large pan over medium heat. Mix the broth and miso together in a small bowl and set aside. Add the carrots and leeks in a single layer and sear for 2 minutes. Flip and sear on the other side for 1-2 more minutes. Add the miso broth mixture to the pan, sprinkle with a bit of salt and pepper, and reduce the heat to low. Partially cover the pan and braise the carrots and leeks 15-20 minutes until tender.

Put everything together: remove the cardamom pods from the rice and discard. Add the lemon juice, cilantro, and pinch of salt to the rice and mix to combine. Make a bed of rice on a serving platter or plate and arrange the carrots and leeks over the top of it. Spoon any of the leftover miso broth over the veggies and garnish with additional cilantro if you prefer.

Notes

  • Leave the root ends intact on the leeks so that they will stay together while braising.
  • If you already have some cooked rice on hand, you can sub in 2 cups.
  • The leeks will braise quicker than the carrots so make sure to check them a couple of times towards the end of the cooking time to make sure they don’t burn
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 25 minutes
  • Category: side

Did you make the recipe?

I love to see what you’re making so feel free to tag me on Instagram @courtweststudio!

Carrots, Leeks, & Cilantro were grown on Gundermann Acres Farm. They can be found at the Urban Harvest Eastside Farmers Market in Houston, Texas. 

Macadamia Banana Bread with Lime Zest

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Macadamia Banana Bread with Lime Zest (vegan/gf recipe) | seasonal plant-based recipes via The Sweet Miscellany Blog

This loaf of gluten free and vegan banana bread is flavored with macadamia nuts, lime zest, and spices. Enjoy it as a breakfast treat, snack, or dessert whenever you have some overripe bananas you need to use up!

There’s something so comforting about homemade bread. Maybe it’s the drawn out process of gathering ingredients, mixing, baking, and cooling. Or perhaps it’s the heavenly smell that wafts through the house and lingers in all of the nooks and crannies. Once the bread comes out of the oven, it’s a lesson in patience as you painstakingly wait for it to cool down enough to slice. When you take that first bite, you instantly feel as if all is right in the world, if only for that fleeting moment. And then you immediately want another slice (and another, and another…).

Macadamia Banana Bread with Lime Zest (vegan/gf recipe) | seasonal plant-based recipes via The Sweet Miscellany Blog

I’ve always found homemade breads to be far superior than anything I can buy (at least for the most part). This has become increasingly true the last couple of years as my dietary restrictions have changed. It’s rare to be able to buy a gluten free and vegan bread product of any sort that not only tastes good, but has good texture. Since Erin McKenna’s Bakery isn’t right around the corner, I’ve settled for satisfying my bread cravings the homemade way.

Macadamia Banana Bread with Lime Zest (vegan/gf recipe) | seasonal plant-based recipes via The Sweet Miscellany Blog

As the remainder of a bunch of bananas sat ripening the other day, the yellow skin mottled with dark blotches, I figured it was time for a loaf of banana bread. Though I tend to lean towards warming spices, pecans, and walnuts, I decided to take it in a different direction. I wanted a bit of lightness and perhaps a touch of the exotic. I wanted something special and original. The resulting loaf is scented lightly with lime zest and fresh ginger root and punctuated throughout with buttery chunks of toasted macadamia nuts. And, to add a slight spicy contrast, a bit of ground clove is added to the mix. I highly recommend this humble loaf as your next weekend or rainy day project, especially if you have a bunch of quickly ripening bananas on your counter top 🙂

Macadamia Banana Bread with Lime Zest (vegan/gf recipe) | seasonal plant-based recipes via The Sweet Miscellany Blog
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Macadamia Banana Bread with Lime Zest (vegan/gf recipe) | seasonal plant-based recipes via The Sweet Miscellany Blog

Macadamia Banana Bread with Lime Zest

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

No reviews

  • Author: Courtney West
  • Total Time: 55 minutes
  • Yield: 16 servings 1x
  • Diet: Vegan
Print Recipe

Description

This loaf of gluten free and vegan banana bread is flavored with macadamia nuts, lime zest, and spices. Enjoy it as a breakfast treat, snack, or dessert whenever you have some overripe bananas you need to use up!

Ingredients

Units Scale

dry ingredients:

  • 90g oat flour
  • 75g arrowroot flour
  • 50g brown rice flour
  • 50g buckwheat flour
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
  • 1 tsp psyllium husk or xanthan gum
  • 1/2 tsp ground cloves
  • 1/2 cup toasted and chopped macadamia nuts

wet ingredients:

  • 350g well-mashed ripe bananas (this will be 3 to 4 bananas depending on the size)
  • 90g melted coconut oil
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 125 g grade B maple syrup
  • zest of 2 limes
  • a one-inch sized piece of ginger, grated

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Grease your loaf pan and line it with parchment paper leaving an overhang. This will allow you to easily remove the bread after it bakes without having to dump it onto the cooling rack. Set your prepared pan aside.

Combine all of the dry ingredients together in a bowl except for the macadamia nuts, then whisk well to combine. Once the dry ingredients are mixed together, stir in the macadamia nuts to distribute them evenly.

In a separate bowl, combine all of the wet ingredients together. Mix well with the whisk until they are smooth.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix well until a thick batter forms and there are no remaining clumps of dry flour. Pour the batter into your prepared pan, then tap the pan on the counter several times to remove any air bubbles. Smooth the top of the bread out with your fingers or a spatula, then place the bread into your preheated oven.

Bake the bread for 40 to 45 minutes until a tester inserted into the middle comes out mostly clean (it will have moist crumbs on it) and the bread is deeply golden in color. Cool the bread for 5 to 10 minutes in the pan, then move it to a cooling rack using the parchment paper. Cool the bread an additional 20-30 minutes before slicing into it. Makes approximately 16 servings/slices. Once cooled to room temperature, leftovers may be wrapped in plastic wrap and left at room temperature for 3-4 days.

Notes

  •  After a few years of baking gluten free breads at home, I almost exclusively use my 8x8x4 pullman style loaf pan as the sides are straight up and down instead of slanted. This provides a better structure for gluten free breads as they bake up and rise. So, if you have one, use it. If not, use a standard sized loaf pan and start checking for doneness around the 30 to 35 minute mark.
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 40-45 minutes
  • Category: baked good

Did you make the recipe?

I love to see what you’re making so feel free to tag me on Instagram @courtweststudio!