Tag: vegetarian

Mango Kimchi Salad

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Yeah – I know. Another seemingly weird flavor combination that I swear works. And is delicious.

This summer salad is quick to throw together, tastes great after hanging out for awhile in the event of some sort of potluck affair, and can stretch with a protein or bulk item like quinoa or blanched broccoli.

Gluten-free, paleo, vegetarian, vegan

Mango Kimchi Salad

1 medium mango – I used the light green kind

1 medium cucumber

1/4 – 1/3 c. Kimchi – I used spicy but could have done with a shot or two more spice

Juice 1/2 lemon

1/4 cup pistachios

2 Tbsp. Fresh mint

Salt

Pepper

Curry powder

Garlic powder

Peel and chop the mango and add to a bowl. Chop the cucumber, kimchi, mint and pistachios and add to the bowl. Add the lemon juice and toss. Sprinkle with the spices and toss.

As written serves 1 for lunch – 2 if you stretch it with a protein (chicken, shrimp, beef, salmon or even canned tuna would work)

Okra Mango Hash

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I know. Hang with me for a second. While this may sound like stoner or pregnant woman food, it strangely works.

Unbeknownst to me until relatively recently, the American South doesn’t actually corner the market in okra – okra curries are actually popular throughout India, and they’re delicious. Mango curries are also a thing that are delicious.

I had intended on including a couple spoons red pepper pesto to make a vaguely curries sauce, buuuuuuuut mine had molded. Oops. As did the miso butter I made months ago. So, no sauce but egg yolk and the taste I was thinking of turned out much more subtle than the original Chopped style concept (what can I say, I’ve been too lazy to go grocery shopping).

Gluten-free, paleo, vegetarian

Okra Mango Hash

1/2 – 1 c. okra, cut into 1/4 inch thick rounds

1 small mango – I used the yellow kind

2 ounces leftover chicken – I used curried breasts I’d bulk cooked earlier in the week

2 tsp. fat of choice

2 eggs

1 tsp. butter or other egg cooking fat

Salt, pepper & your favorite curry powder

In a large pan over medium-high heat, bring the 2 tsp. fat to temperature. Add the okra, hit with the spices, and cook, stirring frequently, until the okra is browned a bit.

While that is working, shred your chicken and peel and chop the mango.

When the okra is done, add the chicken and mango and cook, stirring frequently, until the mango gets a kiss of brown.

While that is working, cook your eggs to their desired doneness after sprinkling with the spices.

To serve, top the hash with the eggs.

Serves 1 because DH is 1000% not into anything about this dinner

Roasted Mustard Veggies

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This dish was exactly what I was picturing when I picked my bottle of mustard oil up.

It’s simple, quick, keto, pantry-friendly and delicious. Plus: it can be dressed up a million different ways. I served with 2 fried eggs for a low-effort dinner one night.

gluten-free, vegetarian, vegan, keto, paleo

Roasted Mustard Veggies

10 ounces frozen veggies (I used a mixture of cauliflower, broccoli, and romanesco)
2-3 Tbsp. Fat of choice (I used coconut oil)
1 Tbsp. Mustard oil (can be found in Indian or middle-eastern groceries)
1/4 c. Slivered almonds
Sprinkle nutritional yeast or Parmesan (optional)
Salt & pepper

Preheat your oven to 200C.

While your oven is heating, line a baking sheet with tinfoil and spread your frozen veggies on top. Sprinkle with the oils and hit with salt and pepper.

Bake 20-25 minutes or until browned to your liking.

While the veggies are roasting, dry toast the almonds over high heat in a large pan. Set aside.

To serve, top the veggies with the almonds.

Makes a hearty main (with something light like eggs) for 1 or decent side for 2

Persian-ish Cauliflower Rice

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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.

Serves 4 as a side

Red Curry Miso Sauce

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This is one of those sauces that came about because I had expensive ingredients to burn before they went bad.

I’m glad I had the space to dick around in the kitchen – this Sauce is fantastic. I served it with roasted butternut squash and chicken breast for a quick & easy dinner. It would also be delicious with any sort of potato or pasta, toasted hazelnuts, and any roasted veg. I’m thinking: baked potatoes topped with toasted hazelnuts, fry dip, hash sauce, shrimp zoodle pasta with pistachios, swirled around roasted broccoli, or slathered on a nice juicy steak.

Gluten-free, vegetarian, keto

Red Curry Miso Sauce

2 tsp. Thai red curry paste
1 tsp. yellow miso
1 tsp. ginger garlic paste
1 Tbsp. minced shallot
2 Tbsp. Ghee

Mix all ingredients together. Spoon over or toss with something (see headnote) for a flavorful dinner.

Makes enough for 1 – maaaaaybe 2, depending on what you make and how strong you like your flavors. Doubles or triples nicely.

Dilled Butternut Squash

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This sounds like a whole bunch of weird in one dish, but it’s freaking delicious. I ate both servings in one day – and was suuuuuuuuuuper sad when I didn’t have enough for leftovers the next day.

gluten-free, paleo, vegetarian, vegan

Dilled Butternut Squash

Small butternut squash
3 Tbsp. fresh dill
2 tsp. paprika
1 Tbsp. onion powder
1 Tbsp. garlic powder
2 tsp. cumin powder
2 tsp. cayenne powder
1/4 c. tahini
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 Tbsp. pomegranate molasses
2 Tbsp. water
Fat of choice
Mustard oil (optional – this ingredient is Middle Eastern/Indian and is freaking delicious with roasted veggies and meats)
Salt & pepper

Preheat your oven to 200C/400F. Chop your butternut squash into 1/2 inch chunks, and arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet. Drizzle with your favorite fat (I used coconut oil) and sprinkle with salt & pepper. Drizzle with a little mustard oil as an accent – I used about a Tablespoon (think of it like sesame oil in Japanese food) and I think that was the right amount.

Bake 25 minutes or until soft.

Note: I don’t peel my squash and don’t mind the skin – you may want to peel yours; you don’t have to. 

While your squash is roasting, combine the rest of the ingredients in a large bowl into a thick paste. Whisk in the water slowly until you reach your desired consistency.

When the squash is done, add to the bowl and toss to combine.

Serves 2 as a side dish

Vegan Za’atar Lasagna

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This recipe was inspired by a Roasted Eggplant and Za’atar Lasagna recipe posted by Lottie + Doof. Za’atar is one of my favorite new spice blends, and I’ve been looking at using it lately in a wider context of flavors. How it would blend with traditional Italian seasonings was intriguing, and I’m glad to say it’s a good match. The za’atar isn’t super prevalent in this dish, but I think the nuttiness kind of rounds out the flavors going on here and gives good balance for the fatty “cheese” and sweet veggies.

Gluten-free, paleo, vegetarian, vegan

Vegan Za’atar Lasagna

1 large Italian eggplant
Fat of choice
Head of garlic (about 10 cloves)
1 small onion
1 small butternut squash
400g (about 14 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
3 Tbsp. za’atar
1 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 Tbsp. onion powder
1 Tbsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. cayenne
Curry powder (I used madras)
Salt & pepper
1/4 c. sliced green olives
Nutritional yeast

For the Vegan Ricotta

1 c. raw cashews
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
2 Tbsp. nutritional yeast
2 small cloves garlic
1 Tbsp. onion powder
Salt & pepper

First, set your cashews to soak in warm water. You want these to soak for at least 20 minutes.

Next, set your oven to 200C and cover a baking sheet with foil. Cut the eggplant into roughly 1 inch cubes, sprinkle with oil, salt, pepper & curry and roast 20 – 25 minutes or until browning and soft.

While the eggplant is working, dice the onion and garlic and add to a large pan over medium – medium-low heat with a couple Tablespoons fat. Saute until translucent.

Add the tomatoes, za’atar, basil, oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper. Crush the tomatoes with your stirring spoon if they are not already crushed and cook an additional 3 – 5 minutes to marry the flavors.

When the eggplant is done, make the ricotta by blending all ingredients with enough water to make the mixture go but not get too thin.

Slice the butternut squash width-wise into 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick rounds (remove the seeds of the seeded end and cut into moons).

To assemble, cover the bottom of a baking pan with a little sauce, a layer of squash, a later of ricotta, a sprinkle of nutritional yeast, and a layer of eggplant. Repeat, ending with sauce.

Bake at 180C for 20 minutes or until the squash is soft. Serve sprinkled with olives.

Southabic Summer Fridge Salad

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Southabic? What’s a Southabic?

I was craving Southern-style tomato/cucumber/onion/vinegar salad, had a bunch of local tomatoes and cucumbers, and have a lot of Arabic-style spices on hand (plus: I have a whole literal drink cup full of pomegranate arils I have to use up before they go bad) – so, this salad was born.

And it was so freaking delicious I ate it for two dinners in a row with ground beef mixed in as a protein.

gluten-free, paleo, vegetarian, vegan, keto

Southabic Summer Fridge Salad

2 medium tomatoes
2 – 4 cucumbers (I used Arabic cucumbers, which are smaller than the American or English varieties, with less large seeds)
1/4 red onion
1 clove garlic
1 slack hand full dill
1 slack hand full parsley
Red chili pepper
1/4 c. sliced green olives
2 Tbsp. olive oil
Sprinkle (about 1 Tbsp.) apple cider vinegar
Salt & pepper
Madras curry (or your favorite curry, really, I just went for the most generic)
Cumin powder
Optional garnishes: chopped pistachios and pomegranate arils
Optional bulk proteins: ground beef or rotisserie chicken

To prepare the salad, chop the cucumber and tomato and add to a large bowl. Mince the onion, dill, parsley, chili and garlic and add to the bowl. Add the olives.

Drizzle the olive oil over top. Sprinkle the vinegar and spices (I’d say I used about a teaspoon of curry and half a teaspoon cumin all told), and hit with salt & pepper.

Toss to combine and stick in the fridge a couple hours to let the flavors marry.

Serves 2 for dinner when bulked up by a protein

Cauliflower Bowl with Lime Miso Sauce

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This recipe was inspired by a really timely blog post in my inbox from Simply Recipes derailing a hand full of sauces she makes when bulk cooking meals for the week. This sauce is a riff on one of those and takes a simple roasted veg & rotisserie chicken bowl and elevates it to something special.

gluten-free, keto, vegan and vegetarian with substitutions

Cauliflower Bowl with Lime Miso Sauce

Fresh or frozen cauliflower or broccoli florets
Fat of choice
Salt & pepper
Rotisserie chicken (optional)
Pomegranate arils (optional)
Pepitas (optional)

For the sauce

1/2 cup tahini
2 Tbsp white or yellow miso
1 Tbsp honey or a few drops stevia
2 tsp sriracha
1 Tbsp sesame oil
1 Tbsp rice vinegar
1 clove garlic
1/4 cup lime juice
2 Tbsp water (or more)

Roast the brassica by placing the frozen florets on a baking sheet, drizzling with fat, and sprinkling with salt and pepper. Bake 25 – 35 minutes or until as browned as you like.

To make the sauce, combine all ingredients in a blender and add water until you have a thick and creamy dressing.

To serve, toss the cauliflower with a hand full of shredded rotisserie chicken per person in a large pan over medium-high heat with a teaspoon of oil. Cool until heated through and beginning to caramelize. Add a couple Tablespoons sauce and toss.

To serve, top with a hand full of pomegranate arils + a slack hand pepitas.

The sauce makes enough for 2 servings

Sweet Potato Toasts with Vegan Labneh

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This is another recipe inspired by the talented Sukkari Life – who, I’m happy to say, has inspired me to get off my butt and finally start buying bulk nuts & spices – and to focus on reorganizing my pantry with a focus on reusable containers that aren’t a pain to use and that actually fit into my space and how I use it.

I’ve only been here 6 months – it’s about freaking time.

gluten-free, paleo, vegan, vegetarian

Sweet Potato Toasts with Vegan Labneh

Inspired by Vegan Labneh from Sukkari Life

1 sweet potato
1 c. cashews (soaked in warm water for at least 20 minutes)
1 Tbsp. rice vinegar
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Salt
1 – 2 tsp. dried rosemary
1 – 2 Tbsp. water
Dash white pepper
1 small garlic clove
Pomegranate arils
Pomegranate molasses (make sure to grab one with no sugar added!)

Preheat your oven to 200C. Wash your sweet potato and cut into “toasts” about 1/4 inch thick (or thinner if you happen to have a mandoline and want to make your life easier).

Arrange on a baking sheet, rub with a little oil, and hit with salt and black pepper.

Bake 25 – 35 minutes or until browned and blistered in spots – your thinner slices will be crispy and the thicker ones will still be good. Keep in mind that if you save some for tomorrow, your tomorrow toasts will not be shatter crisp like today’s. Which is still fine. I ate mine over 3 days and loved them cold and a touch floppy for breakfast on day 3.

While the toasts are toasting, blend everything else but the pomegranate products to form a thick paste not unlike a thick yogurt that happens to taste tangy.

To serve, spread the labneh on the toast and top with double pomegranate. Would also be delicious with a sprinkle of fresh thyme if you have it. I did not.

Serves a few, depending on the size of your potato