Tag: vegetarian

Butternut Squash Pasta with Pistachio Crumble

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For some unknown reason, a lot of vegan-related content comes up in my YouTube feed (actually, I think it’s because of the intersection between vegan and minimalist content creators – for some reason, I follow a lot of them). I recently stumbled upon this really cool creator from Saudi Arabia – Sukkari Life. She is a young woman that vlogs about culture, veganism, yoga and minimalism – and is crazy inspirational. I absolutely love how she blends local culture and tastes with standard vegan fare – and if she can go zero waste in Saudi, I can certainly quit whining about the lack of options right next door.

Check her out if you haven’t already – Sukkari Life blog and YouTube – this recipe (and my next!) were inspired by her.

gluten-free, paleo, vegetarian, vegan (with omissions)

Butternut Squash Pasta with Pistachio Crumble

Inspired by Butternut Squash Pasta & Garlic Crumble by Sukkari Life

1 small butternut squash
1/2 c. water (or more)
1/2 tsp. ginger powder
1/2 tsp. dry oregano
1 clove garlic
1 tsp. turmeric powder
1 tsp. lime juice
1 – 2 Tbsp. fat of choice (I used a combo of ghee and olive oil)
Hand full rotisserie chicken per person (optional)
Shiritaki noodles (I eat 1 package alone – the rest of this recipe serves 2, so if you want dinner for 2 and eat like I do, grab 2 packages)

Pistachio Crumble

2 Tbsp. pistachios
2 Tbsp. pecan halves
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. sweet paprika
1/4 tsp. cumin powder
Salt & pepper
Nutritional yeast (optional)

First, slice your squash down the middle length-wise, rub with oil, salt & pepper and bake on 200C until soft (mine took about 30 minutes). Remove and let cool.

When the squash is cool, scoop about half a cup into a food processor and blend with the garlic clove, ginger powder, oregano, turmeric and lime juice. Add water until you get a sauce consistency you like. Taste. Add salt, pepper and cayenne to taste. Set aside.

In a large pan over high heat, dry toast your nuts. Set aside.

Knock the heat back to medium-high and add your fat of choice. Drain and rinse your noodles and add to the pan. Hit with salt and pepper and cook, stirring frequently, until the liquid has evaporated and the noodles begin to smell nutty.

While the pasta is working, add the crumble ingredients to your (washed and dried) food processor and turn into a crumble. This may be even better with a little fat added, but I just made a dry crumble.

When your pasta is where you want it, add the chicken if you’re doing chicken, let go a minute or two, and add the pasta sauce. Toss well and let cook an additional minute or two to combine properly. Dust with nutritional yeast if you are using. Hit with one last pass of salt and pepper.

Plate and top with the crumble. Some nice fresh parsley may also be nice.

Serves 2 for dinner 

Note: I ate the second half of this the next day for lunch with some leftover cabbage noodles cooked in ghee with rosemary/salt/pepper/garlic powder/onion powder, ground beef cooked with garlic powder/onion powder/salt/pepper and a few cloves roasted garlic and it was even better.

Curried Cabbage with Eggs

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I was not sure this dish was going to turn out how I’d planned it to. I’m still on a Sri Lankan / curry kick, wanted to make some noodly cabbage, and thought I remembered seeing eggs with cabbage somewhere on the Internets or on a menu. Maybe. I’m glad I took a chance. This turned out fabulous.

Gluten-free, paleo, keto, vegetarian

Curried Cabbage with Eggs

1/2 small head cabbage (about 3 cups when cut into thin ribbons)
1 Tbsp. ginger garlic paste
1/2 red onion (about 1/2 cup diced)
1 Tbsp. madras curry
Pinch turmeric
1/2 tsp. chili flakes
2 – 3 Tbsp. fat of choice (I used ghee)
Juice of 1/2 lime

Cut your cabbage into ribbons and dice the onion.

Heat 2 Tbsp. fat in a large pan over medium. Add the cabbage, salt, and sautee until slightly browned – about 5 – 7 minutes.

When the cabbage is browned, push to the side and add the remaining Tablespoon fat, onion, curry powder, ginger garlic paste, turmeric and a bit more salt. Stir together and let go 1 – 2 minutes.

Stir into the cabbage and cook an additional 4 or 5 minutes or until the onions are soft and the cabbage is to your liking.

Take off the heat, sprinkle with the chili and stir. Toss with a couple cranks salt and the lime juice.

Place in a bowl and set aside while you make your eggs.

For The Eggs

2 eggs
1 Tbsp. fat of choice (I used ghee)
1 tsp. ginger garlic paste
1/2 tsp. yellow mustard seeds
1/2 tsp. turmeric
1 tsp. madras curry

Put the pan over medium-low heat. Add the fat, ginger garlic paste, mustard seeds, turmeric and curry and cook 1 – 2 minutes or until bloomed (fragrant).

Break the eggs into the pan and softly scramble until almost dry. Cut the heat.

Add on top of the cabbage and serve.

Makes 1 dinner sized serving or can stretch for 2 for lunch

Sri Lankan Style Curried Eggplant

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Mmmmm. I don’t know that this turned out *quite* right, but it was freaking delicious nonetheless. To make a well-rounded meal, add some rotisserie chicken to your bowl and top with this goodness.

gluten-free, keto, paleo, vegetarian, vegan

Sri Lankan Style Curried Eggplant

1 lb. eggplant
1/2 c. oil (I used coconut because that is what I had)
1 Tbsp. ginger garlic paste
1 red chili
1 small red onion
1 tsp. turmeric
1/2 tsp. chili powder
1 Tbsp. madras curry powder
2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
1/2 tsp. honey or sugar-free sweetener
1 tsp. yellow mustard seeds
Salt

Heat the oil in a large pan over medium-high. While the oil is heating, cut the eggplant into 1-inch strips; dice the chili and onion. When the oil is hot, add the eggplant in a single layer with plenty of room (you may need to do this in 2 – 3 batches) and fry until browned on all sides. Remove from the oil to a plate covered with paper towels and sprinkle with salt.

When all the eggplant is browned to your liking, drain all but a Tablespoon of oil from the pan. Add the onion and chili and cook until softened.

While the onion and chili is working, make a paste out of the ginger garlic paste, mustard seeds, turmeric, chili powder, curry powder, vinegar, and honey. Add to the pan when the onion and chili are soft. Cook 3 – 4 minutes, stirring continually, to mix.

Add the eggplant and let cook an additional 2 – 3 minutes. Taste for seasoning and add salt if needed.

Serves 2 – 3 as a side 

Sri Lankan Style Okra Curry

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Sri Lanka. Man, was that place full of good food. Home to many cultures, religions and ethnicities including: Sinhalese, Tamils, Buddhists, Muslims, Christians, Moors, Burghers, Malays, Chinese and Vedda; this tiny nation off the southern coast of India has a mix of flavors and influences when it comes to food (and everything, really – it’s also a former British colony, so there’s that as well).

Most of what we ended up eating (and craving) was curry, and most of those tasted like a combination of Indian (luckily only a little British-Indian) and Chinese flavors. Yuuuuuuuuuum.

Pics, btw, of the trip coming shortly-ish – DH took some great landscape HDRs and I’m waiting on him to process those. Of course, he has some Photoshop-free travel coming up — so it might be awhile. Hold, please.

Back to the food. DROOL. And there’s more Sri Lanka-inspired goodness coming in the next few weeks. CUISINE, I WILL LEARN YOUR SECRETS.

gluten-free, paleo, vegetarian, vegan, keto

Sri Lankan Style Okra Curry
inspired by Sri Lankan Lady’s Fingers (aka Okra, Bandakka) by Island Smile

1 lb. or so okra (3-4 cups when cut)
4 Tbsp. fat of choice (I used half neutral oil and half ghee)
1 medium tomato
1 medium onion
2-3 cloves garlic
1 Tbsp. ground turmeric
1/2 – 1 tsp. cayenne powder
Juice 1/2 lime
Salt

First, prep your ingredients by slicing your okra on the diagonal, and chopping the tomato, onion, and garlic.

Put your okra in a large bowl, salt liberally, and sprinkle with turmeric. Toss to combine.

Heat your largest pan over medium heat. Cover the bottom of the pan with okra (you may have to do multiple batches) and dry fry 5-7 minutes or until the edges start to brown. Set aside. (note: my okra did not kick off much of the dreaded horrorslime. If yours is, and I’ve only really gotten okra to kick slime the first time I ever tried cooking it, cook until it’s is gone. Nobody wants that – slime wins no hearts and minds).

Raise the heat to medium-high and add the fat, onion, garlic, tomato and another hit of salt. Sautee until the onions are soft and start to brown.

Add the okra back to the pan and cook, stirring frequently, another 4-5 minutes. Taste for salt. Sprinkle the cayenne over top, stir to combine, and cook an additional minute or so.

Turn the heat off and hit with some lime and more spice if desired.

Serves 2 for dinner as a main course – great combined with leftover rotisserie chicken – or 4 as a side

Roasted Cauliflower with Shallot Oil

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This isn’t the least fussy thing I’ve ever made, but it’s ready in under an hour and is freaking delicious.

Inspired by this Instagram post by Heidi Swanson at 101 Cookbooks. I’d forgotten just how inspiring I find her take on flavors. /swoon

gluten-free, paleo, keto, vegetarian, vegan

Roasted Cauliflower with Shallot Oil

1 small head cauliflower
Fat of choice
1/2 head garlic split into cloves
1/2 tsp. yellow mustard seeds
1/4 tsp. black cumin seeds
1 Tbsp. minced garlic & ginger
1 tsp. turmeric powder
1-2 large shallots
Salt & pepper
Optional: pulled rotisserie chicken

Preheat your oven to 400F/200C.

First, peel and finely slice the shallots. Add to a small pot with enough fat to cover the bottom. Place over med-high heat until simmering, lower to med-low, and let go until the shallots are crisped up.

Break your cauliflower up into florets and spread in 1 layer on a baking sheet. Add the garlic cloves on one end – it’s ok if they are still in the paper skins. Drizzle everything with a generous hit of the fat you’re using and sprinkle with salt & pepper. Bake 20 minutes or so or until the shallots are done and the cauliflower is to your desired brownness.

While those two are working, make some curry-ish paste by frying the mustard and cumin seeds in 2 Tbsp. fat over medium-high heat in a small pan. When the seeds start to pop, add the garlic & ginger and turmeric. Stir quickly until the mixture is very fragrant. Set aside.

To serve, scoop out some cauliflower and top with pulled chicken if desired, a couple garlic cloves (take out of the skin), a Tablespoon or so of the shallot oil, some fried shallots, and a Tablespoon of the spice mixture.

Serves 2 – 3, depending on the size of your cauliflower and whether you’re including meat – would also be delicious with golden raisins and/or toasted nuts (I’m thinking sliced almonds, pine nuts or pistachios)

Winter Salad with Haloumi Croutons

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This salad was inspired by this French cafe I love to grab coffee and lunch at, makes a great standalone lunch or dinner, and was well-received at a holiday potluck.

Glad to see my salad potluck touch didn’t disappear with the hemisphere jump. 🙂

If you’ve never had it before, Haloumi Cheese is a neat one. It’s firm, kinda salty, and doesn’t melt all the way down when you heat it – making it perfect to make crunchy little croutons out of. If you can’t find it, Parmesan crisps would be great or even that salty softer white cheese (gradana padano?).

Vegetarian, primal, almost keto

Winter Salad with Haloumi Croutons

4 cups mixed lettuce (I used baby chard and red leaf)

4 clementines

1/4 – 1/3 cup pomegranate arils

200g Haloumi Cheese

1/4 cup pistachio dust

1/4 cup olive oil

2 Tbsp. zaatar

2 tsp. Pomegranate molasses

1 Tbsp. Lemon juice

1 Tbsp. Grainy mustard (I always use Maille)

Salt & pepper

First, make your Croutons by cutting the Haloumi into thin slices and frying over medium/medium-high in a Tablespoon or two of ghee or other fat of your choice until golden brown and crispy on both sides. Your cheese will melt a bit, but won’t melt enough to stick to the pan even if your pan is crappy like mine. I ended up flipping mine with chopsticks and a spatula and then cutting the bits that had fused together back into chunks.

To make the dressing: in a small bowl, whisk together the oil, zaatar, pomegranate molasses, lemon juice, mustard, salt & pepper. Set aside until it is time to serve.

To assemble the salad: combine the lettuce and pomegranate arils in a large bowl. Peel and segment the clementines and add (you may want to cut the segments in half and de-seed first). Toss to combine. Top with the croutons and pistachio dust.

Drizzle the dressing over top and serve.

Serves 6-8 as a potluck side

Personal Pistachio Goat Cheese Balls

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Ok, so an apparent theme of this Thanksgiving has arisen and it’s personal-sized appetizers and desserts. I made these balls, the mini apple tarts I shared last week, and the strawberry parfaits I’m sharing next week. Mini is in?

These little mini balls are just the right size to pop into your mouth, and since they’re covered in pistachio they don’t even need crackers. Whoo. Taking one of my favorite appetizers – a cheese ball – and making it less messy FTW!

Gluten-free, vegetarian, primal, keto

Personal Pistachio Goat Cheese Balls

4 – 6 ounces goat cheese
2 – 3 Tbsp. snipped fresh chives
1 Tbsp. garlic powder
1 Tbsp. granulated onion powder
Juice of 1/2 a lemon
1/4 – 1/3 cup pistachios

First, make your pistachio dust by processing the nuts in a food processor or blender until tiny.

In a medium bowl, combine all the other ingredients and mix with your hands to combine.

Form into small balls – mine were about 1 ounce each – and roll in the pistachio dust to coat.

Chill a few hours to set up.

Serves 8 as an appetizer in a spread of a few appetizers comfortably

Mini Low Sugar Apple Tarts

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These personal sized apple tarts were a big hit this past Thanksgiving. They’re light, just enough for one person, and the combination of spices lends a little mystery.

Vegetarian

Mini Low Sugar Apple Tarts

1 granny smith apple
6 roughly 4 inch x 4 inch squares phylo dough or puff pastry
No added sugar or sugar free apricot preserves
A few Tablespoons melted butter
1 packet stevia
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. ground cardamom
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
Honey
Juice of 1 lemon
Himalayan pink salt

First, thaw your phylo dough for at least 10 minutes or until soft. If you have squares like I did, cool – if not, cut them while the dough is still semi-frozen.

Then, prep your apples by thinly slicing into wedges. I went really thin here – preferring a kind of wafer thin thing going on. Toss your apples in half the lemon juice so they don’t oxidize before they hit the oven.

Next, prep your cinnamon sugar by dumping the “sugar” and spices into a small dish and stirring.

Spread a thin layer of preserves over each dough square, going almost to the edges of each.

Arrange your apples however you like – I went for a pinwheel.

Drizzle with melted butter.

Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar over top.

Sprinkle lightly with salt.

Pop into the oven for 20 – 25 minutes on whatever temp your package says (I think mine was 200C). Watch after 15 minutes – you’re looking for the dough to rise and brown and the apples to be soft. Mine were really thin, so my apples got a bit caramelized but noone seemed to mind.

While your tarts are baking, take the leftover spices (I think I used about half on the tarts and half in the topper), and add to a small saucepan with a couple Tablespoons apricot preserves, about a teaspoon of honey, and a large squirt of lemon juice. Heat over low to combine.

Drizzle over the tarts when they get out of the oven.

Serves 6 

Brown Butter Zoodles with Walnut Crumb

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This low-carb pasta is rich, velvety and delicious – so good, you won’t miss the meat.

gluten-free, vegetarian, primal, keto

Brown Butter Zoodles with Walnut Crumb

1 zucchini
1-1/2 Tbsp. salted butter
Juice 1/2 lemon
1/4 c. walnut halves
2 handfulls rocket (arugula)
6 – 8 sprigs thyme
2 cloves garlic
Salt & pepper
1 ounce spreadable cheese (like Laughing Cow) or goat cheese (optional)

Whiz your walnuts until they’re dust. Zoodle your zucchini. Set both aside.

In a large pan, heat the butter over medium-high. Slice and add the garlic when it’s ready. Add the thyme sprigs and cook until browned.

When the butter is browned, pull the thyme and add the zoodles, lemon juice and walnut dust. Toss well to combine. Add a hit of salt and pepper.

When the zucchini is cooked through and the mixture is less wet, add the arugula. Toss to combine. Cook until the arugula is wilted.

Plate and top with crumbles of cheese if desired.

Serves 1 for dinner

Beet & Potato Mash with Pistachios

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This side was inspired by some of the new spices I’ve encountered in my new home. Plus, it’s a great shade – so that’s hard to resist.

Gluten-free, vegetarian

Beet & Potato Mash with Pistachios

2 small potatoes
1 small roasted beet
1/2 cup creme fraiche or cream cheese or crema
3 Tbsp. zaatar
1/4 cup pistachio meat
3 – 4 tsp. dry lemon powder or sumac or some preserved lemon
2 Tbsp. butter
Salt & pepper to taste

Peel your potatoes and chop into small pieces. Boil 8 – 10 minutes (or until soft) in a pot of salted water.

While the potatoes are working, chop the beet fairly finely and add to a large bowl with half the creme fraiche, the butter, a hit of salt and pepper, and half the spices.

Drain and mash the potatoes when they’re ready. Add to the bowl and mash – taste – add the other half of the creme fraiche and spices. Taste, salt & pepper and adjust to your taste.

In a dry pan, brown your pistachios. Chop and add to the top of the potato beet mixture.

Serves 2 for dinner + 1 for lunch