This dish is great warm, room temperature or slightly chilled – making it perfect for your next get-together.
Pumpkin Grain Bowl
1.5 cups chopped pumpkin (or any variety orangey squash)
1 carrot, shredded
1 cucumber, ribboned
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
2 cups wild rice mix (quinoa would also be good – you want something with a bit of body to it)
Crispy fried chickpeas (mine were pre-seasoned and halved)
2 scallions, chopped
1 Tbsp. turmeric olive oil (substitute with adding a little turmeric to your favorite oil )
2 tsp. cumin
1 Tbsp. curry powder
Dressing
1/4 cup turmeric olive oil
1 tsp. red pepper flakes
Juice of 2 limes
2 Tbsp. dijon or whole grain mustard
1 tsp. mustard seeds
1/2 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. salt
Lay your chopped pumpkin out on a prepared baking sheet. Drizzle the Tablespoon of oil over top and sprinkle with 2 teaspoons cumin, 1 Tablespoon curry powder, salt and pepper. Bake at 200C/375F for 30 minutes or until soft and beginning to brown. Remove.
While the pumpkin is working, cook your rice or other grains however you cook rice. Set aside.
Combine all dressing ingredients and whisk.
To assemble, combine all but the crispy chickpeas in a large bowl, adding the chickpeas as you serve so they don’t get soggy.
This recipe started off as a way to use up some fresh dill that wasn’t my favorite egg salad and somehow ended up morphing into a riff of an old Summer family favorite: seafood salad. Which I can’t believe I haven’t shared a recipe with y’all for yet. I c-r-a-v-e it every tomato season.
The original (to my family at least) salad included Krab, shrimp, hard boiled eggs & lots of mayo. Sometimes, depending upon which Aunt got a wild hair, chopped up bits of lettuce. Which is weird, but good.
Anyways. I gave myself an aversion to fake crab my first Summer out of high school (reminder, kids: check your expiration dates), so that was out. I swapped with flaked salmon but kept the shrimp in this version; I also sadly forgot the egg until I was eating trying to figure out what was missing. I was also wanting a little more mustard punch, so adjust yours as necessary.
And a note on seasoning: I happen to love this salad with way too much pepper and salt, because that’s how my family usually served it. This recipe includes a normal amount of each (depending on how HAM you go with the cracked pepper); I had to go back twice for more after the salad hit the fridge.
gluten-free, pescatarian, vegetarian and vegan with substitutions
Avocado Dill Pasta Salad
Dressing:
1 avocado (mine was small and I could have gone for more)
2 cloves garlic
3 Tbsp. chopped fresh dill
1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
2 Tbsp. water
Juice of 1/2 a lemon
Salad:
4 – 6 cups pasta of choice (I used rice spirals)
15 cherry tomatoes
1 smallish cucumber (about 2/3 cup chopped)
1 smallish bell pepper (about 1 cup chopped)
2 – 4 stalks celery (about 3/4 cup chopped)
1/2 shallot, minced
2 scallions, chopped
2 Tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped
1 tsp. celery seed (if using celery salt instead, you may not need to salt the salad – taste, taste, taste)
Loads of fresh cracked black pepper
Salt
Shrimp (I used 13 medium), peeled, cooked & chopped (optional)
Krab, crab or salmon (also optional)
2 – 3 Tbsp. your favorite mayo (optional)
Start you pasta boiling according to package directions, taking care to salt the water. When almost done, chuck your shrimp in to cook. Drain and set aside.
Pull the shrimp and chop. Add to a large bowl.
Chop the cucumber, bell pepper, celery, scallion and parsley. Add to the big bowl.
Mince the shallot and add. Halve the tomatoes and add those too. Add the celery seed.
In a blender or food processor, blitz all dressing ingredients until smooth. If you want your dressing a little runny, add more water until desired consistency is reached. Mine turned out a bit thick, which I liked, but I ended up adding 2 – 3 Tbsp. Kewpie mayo to the salad to loosen it a bit.
Add the cooled-ish pasta and dressing to the bowl. Mix well to combine. Hit with a bunch of pepper. Taste. Add more salt, lemon juice or some mayo to finish off.
Stash in the fridge for a bit to chill and let the flavors get acquainted.
This is no exception to that rule. This salad is about as light as one would expect, but works well. I worried that the zucchini wouldn’t be great, but it was; even raw. The key here is to peel it into ribbons. I used my regular vegetable peeler. My ribbons weren’t even, but they were delicious.
So much so, I can’t really say this is more than a 1-person meal. I mean, sure, you can feed 2 if you want to throw a main in, but I managed to knock it out in a second helping at lunch.
If you can’t find the Kewpie dressing, a nice sesame would be good. So would my love pomegranate molasses. Balsamic would also work really well. Grapefruit would play nicely.
I had also meant to grab some good vegan Feta for this salad but forgot. It would be nice and would definitely help fill this out to more of a meal, but wasn’t necessary.
gluten-free, vegetarian, vegan, paleo
Shaved Zucchini + Stone Fruit Salad
1 large zucchini, ribboned thinly
1/2 shallot, minced
1 plum, chopped
3Tbsp. Kewpie no-oil Yuzu dressing
1Tbsp. your favorite neutral oil
2Tbsp. smoked almonds, chopped
1.5tsp. fresh thyme
1/4c. fresh parsley, chopped
1/2tsp. red chili flakes
Ribbon the zucchini thinly and add to a large bowl.
I tossed any ribbons that were purely peel to the pups, and stopped when I hit all-seed strips. A bit is wasted here, but can be easily chopped and chucked in a pan for a quick little pop of veggie later in the week. I ended up using mine in a breakfast zucchini & fried egg rice with browned butter and snipped chives.
Mince the shallot, de-stem the thyme, and chop both the parsley and plum. Add to the bowl.
Add the red chili flakes, along with the dressing and oil. I’d start with 2 Tbsp. dressing, toss, and see if it needs more. Hit with a few grinds salt and pepper.
When it’s time to plate, add the chopped almonds and toss quickly so they don’t go soggy.
Serves 1 – 2 for lunch depending upon what all else you have going on
I set out to make a chimichurri-based salad, and ended up taking a trip to India instead when at the last minute I discovered my herbs had betrayed me. And it works.
Bombay chutney is a condiment used in a popular Indian street food sandwich and is kiiiiinda akin to the green mint chutney sauce served alongside a number of dishes alongside tamarind sauce. My version is a beautiful shade of emerald and has a nice spicy kick. It’s addictive, and I can’t wait to try making something akin to the actual sandwich, because I can only imagine how Bomb it would be with potato.
Like mashed potatoes. In a patty …. 🤤 But I digress.
This base recipe is great for lunch or dinner – I served it hash-style when fresh with some leftover Beyond Meat bratwurst & egg and again the next day for lunch with my favorite tuna and some bright crunch. Both ways were fantastic, but I think day 3’s lunch was actually my favorite.
gluten-free, vegetarian base, vegan base, paleo base
Lunch-To-Dinner Bombay Chimi
Base
1 head cauliflower
1 small red onion
4 cloves garlic
1/4 cup Bombay Chutney
1/4 cup neutral oil
Preheat the oven to 200C/375F and prep a baking sheet.
Break the cauliflower up into bite-sized pieces and spread out over the prepped pan. Halve and thinly slice the onion; add. Thinly slice the garlic; add.
Sprinkle liberally with salt & pepper.
In a small bowl, combine the chutney and oil. Pour over the veggies on the pan and toss well to combine, making sure to hit each piece.
Roast 25 minutes or until deeply browned.
Dinner Hash
1 leftover and cooked Beyond Meat bratwurst per person, sliced into rounds
1 – 2 eggs per person (optional)
1 handful chopped green beans
2 tsp. neutral oil
1 tsp. butter (vegan or otherwise)
In a large skillet over medium high heat, stir-fry the green beans in the oil until browned. Season with salt & pepper and add the bratwurst. Stir-fry until warmed through. Push to the side, add the butter and an egg per person to the pan. Fry until your desired doneness is reached. Serve with about 1/4 of the cauliflower per person.
Lunch Salad
1 medium cucumber, chopped
250g cherry tomatoes, halved
1 can chili (red pepper) tuna, drained (optional)
To your leftover cauliflower, add the rest of the ingredients and toss. Warm to room temp if desired by zapping for :30/:45 or so and tossing.
Serves 2 if you’ve got half the cauliflower left; 3 if you only fed 1 the night before.
Ok, so I’m on a harvest-theme here lately, and all the dishes that have been making me happy speak of (North American) Fall.
This dish is lighter-than-expected, makes a lovely salad for surprise company, and can be bulked up easily to feed a crowd.
It’s also fantastic topped with leftover turkey pancetta and pepitas from last week’s Fall Harvest Soup recipe.
Quick note: if your coconut flakes look like mine (shreds) and you toast your cauliflower as deeply as me (I like some burnt pieces), this dish may look like it has croutons in it. Which was giving my brain a weird disconnect that was less than pleasant. The coconut in here is actually really pleasant and gives a nice little subtly sweet nuttiness with a bit of texture.
Gluten-free, paleo, vegetarian, vegan, Whole30
Harvest Cauliflower Pilaf
1 smallish head cauliflower, cut into small bits or riced (I did small bits because with my current kitchen setup I just can’t be bothered to fully rice cauliflower)
1 apple (Granny Smith or Fuji – you want something with a bit of tartness or crispness)
2 cloves garlic, minced
Double hand full flat leaf parsley, chopped
Pomegranate seeds (I’m lazy and buy mine prepared – I used a good amount and keep adding more fresh every time I go for leftovers because they’re delightful and so very pretty. Use however much your eye wants to bring nice color to this otherwise very green dish)
3 Tbsp. coconut milk (optional)
Juice of 1 lemon
2 Tbsp. pomegranate molasses
Few generous sprays oil (I love a grape seed oil pump I’ve been using lately – it’s really cutting down on the amount of oil I feel I have to use)
Generous sprinkle black pepper
Liberal amount of salt
Generous sprinkle cayenne pepper
Generous sprinkle curry powder
Generous sprinkle cumin powder
1/2 cup slivered almonds
1/4 cup unsweet shredded or flaked coconut
Preheat your oven to 200C (400F). Prep a baking sheet with a liner, process your cauliflower into tiny bits, and spread in a single layer.
Hit with the oil, salt, pepper, cayenne, cumin, and curry). Toss and roast for 35-40 minutes or until your desired toastiness is achieved.
In the last 5 minutes (or if you forget, stir the cauliflower, flip the pan around and put back in the oven), chuck the almonds & coconut on the pan. Roast to toast 3-5 minutes, being careful to watch and make sure these delicate additions don’t burn.
When done, add to a large bowl.
Chop and toss in the apple, garlic and parsley. Add the coconut milk, lemon juice and pomegranate molasses. Toss to combine. Add enough pomegranate arils to make yourself happy.
Serve room temp or cold – either way is fantastic.
Serves 4 as a meal or a party as part of a larger spread
This recipe came out of a craving for veggies and color + yet another scroll through Instagram for inspiration.
Summer rolls can be made a million different ways, but this version incorporates most of my favorite elements – some sort of crunchy brassica, sweetness from carrots, the fresh crispness of cucumber, and a little kick of heat from pretty red chilis.
I also tried to recreate a slightly less suspect in color version of the sweet chili sauce often served with rolled appetizers – and then went a little heavier on the savory components because I really like to doctor my own sauces tableside.
Gluten-free, vegetarian
Summer Roll in a Bowl
The Salad
1 inch fresh ginger, sliced into thin matchsticks
1 medium carrot, shredded or cut into matchsticks
1 cucumber, sliced into half moons
1 clove garlic, minced
1 red chili, sliced into matchsticks
2 green onions, sliced into thin rounds
1.5 cups red cabbage, finely chopped
2 cups rice noodles, soaked in hot water 10 minutes to soften and drained
The Dressing
2 Tbsp. honey
Juice of 2 limes
1 Tbsp. sriracha
3 Tbsp. neutral oil (I used canola)
1 Tbsp. rice vinegar
1 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 Tbsp. fish sauce
2 tsp. red pepper flakes
Toppers
Big hand full chopped nuts for crunch and fat (I had roasted peanuts)
Big hand full chopped cilantro
Protein of choice (Simple poached chicken or shrimp would be great)
Boil water, add the rice noodles to a big bowl, and pour the boiling water over the noodles, making sure they are fully submerged. Let sit while you prep the rest o fly the salad.
Prep the salad veggies and add to a large bowl.
Whisk the dressing ingredients together and pour over the salad.
Drain the noodles and add to the salad + dressing, tossing to combine.
Preheat your oven to 200C. Scoop the seeds from the halved butternut squash, and drizzle with oil. Sprinkle rosemary, salt, pepper and ground cumin liberally. Roast 35-40 minutes or until soft.
Set aside until cool enough to handle, then scoop the roasted squash into a large bowl.
While the squash is working, add big handfuls of arugula to a large bowl. Whisk or whiz the dressing ingredients together. Add the squash when ready and sprinkle with the toppers.
I know, I know – another weird-sounding recipe that turns out surprisingly good despite sounding wrong.
This is a great way to sneak in a liiiiiiiitle extra nutrition (not that this already packed salad needed more greens) on weeks when you feel like you haven’t seen a real vegetable (helloooo, adulting).
This salad also keeps well even dressed and, if you’re like me and enjoy confusing your friends, is easy enough to bulk up enough to serve a crowd.
1 Tablespoon your favorite grainy mustard (y’all know my affinity for Maille)
1 Tablespoon Apple cider vinegar (I accidentally added 1.5 and it would have been too pungent on day 1 – I didn’t get around to eating a big bowl of this until day 2, so the flavor had mellowed)
2 teaspoons ground cumin
10 grinds salt
Generous sprinkle black pepper
2 teaspoons sweet paprika
50 pumps sprayable oil (or a few glugs)
A little water if needed to get things moving in the blender
Combine the dressing with the salad and either toss well or massage in.
This recipe came about because I was craving pineapple that had been on fire, but can’t be trusted to not try and eat my bodyweight at a churrascaria. Enter the oven – the broiler would have been even better, but come to find out, that’s not something my (European) oven cannot actually accomplish. Boo. The funny things you find you miss when living abroad.
This salad is pretty great, can be dressed up a million different ways, and would make a good addition to any potluck or Summer (even if only in spirit) gathering.
gluten-free, paleo, Whole30 (check your labels), vegetarian and vegan (with omissions)
Roasted Tropical Salad
1 bell pepper (green was less pretty than anticipated; opt for another color if making for a group)
2 medium carrots
1 shallot
1 can pineapple chunks in juice
Chop the above ingredients, sprinkle with a little oil + salt, pepper and chili garlic seasoning and roast in a 200C oven for 20 – 25 minutes, or until the pineapple gets to your desired brownness.
Toss with the following (chopped):
8 ounces shredded red cabbage
Big handful cilantro
1 jalapeno
Thumb ginger
2 cloves garlic
Add the roasted veggies and toss again.
Whisk together the dressing:
Juice of 1 lemon or lime
2 Tbsp. pineapple juice
1 Tbsp. coconut aminos or soy sauce
2 Tbsp. sesame oil
1 Tbsp. fish sauce (check your labels for Whole30; omit for veg)
1 Tbsp. rice vinegar
Toss bowl of veggies with dressing.
Top with the following optional ingredients:
1 big handful pepitas
2 tsp. sesame seeds
Roast chicken
Serves a crowd at a party, or 4-5 for a meal depending on what you add.
This recipe came about because I’ve been diving deep into Persian and Arabic cuisine, trying to wrap my head around what flavors are consistent and what ones are more regional – aaaaaaand I needed to use up a few stock ingredients before purchasing more fresh.
So – with this dish, we take the tomato, pomegranate and pistachio from this region, the parsley and onions found pretty much everywhere, cauliflower rice from the US (or you could probably go for India here – they have cauli, but riced is an American thing to the best of my knowledge), and blueberries from the US/Europe.
This makes a nice light side for basic chicken or beef (I first ate it with curry chicken breast), or alone and chilled as a salad.
gluten-free, vegetarian, vegan, paleo, keto (watch your carbs from tomatoes, nuts and berries)
Persian-ish Cauliflower Rice
1 small head cauliflower, riced about 4 cups (I used some I had frozen and thawed)
1/2 yellow onion
3 cloves garlic
2 Tbsp. fat of choice (I used coconut oil)
1 Tbsp. garlic powder
1 Tbsp. onion powder
2 tsp. tomato paste
1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
1 Tbsp. pomegranate molasses
2 Tbsp. lemon juice, divided
10 cherry tomatoes
1/2 cup blueberries
1/2 cup parsley
1/4 cup pistachios
Salt & pepper
Dice the onion and garlic. Heat your fat in a large pan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and sautee until translucent.
While the onion and garlic is working, gather the rest of your ingredients.
When the onion and garlic mixture is translucent, add the cauliflower rice, a hit of salt & pepper, stir, and let cook 3 – 5 minutes.
While the cauliflower mix is working, cut the tomatoes in half and chop both the pistachios and parsley.
Add the garlic powder, onion powder, tomato paste, apple cider vinegar, pomegranate molasses, half the lemon juice, and tomatoes. Stir to combine and cook, stirring occasionally, 2 minutes. Taste and add more salt if needed.
Cut the heat and add the blueberries, parsley and pistachio. Taste and add salt & pepper if needed – add the rest of the lemon juice here if desired. I wanted mine extra zingy, so I did. It would have been fine without.
Gastography 