Tag: vegetarian

‘Summer Is Almost Here’ Strawberry Mint Salsa

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As this hard won Spring starts its slow inexorable crawl toward Summer’s temperature indulgences, I’m happy to see fresh red pops of color starting to populate the produce section. This season’s first strawberries – check. Early tomatoes – check. Salsa craving in high gear – check.

This salsa is bright, refreshing, and was perfect perched on top of a simple salad loaded with cruciferous greens and simple pulled pork (omit, of course, if serving vegetarians or vegans). A winner in my book.

Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, paleo and Whole30 compliant

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‘Summer Is Almost Here’ Strawberry Mint Salsa

2 large strawberries
Half a shallot
3 leaves fresh mint
Juice of 1 lime
2 big pinches salt

Dice the strawberries and add to a small bowl. Mince the shallot (you’re looking for about 2 Tablespoons) and add to the bowl. Roll your mint leaves up into a little tube and chiffonade (cut into ribbons). Add to the salsa bowl. Sprinkle with 2 big pinches of salt and top with lime juice. Toss well to combine.

Serve with sliced cherry tomatoes, pulled pork and a glug of grapeseed oil over a bed of Cruciferous Crunch (kale + brussels + red cabbage + green cabbage salad mix sold at Trader Joe’s) for a tasty and healthy lunch.

Serves 1 for lunch. Can be easily scaled up and served in a myriad of ways – I’m thinking it would be especially nice over a light protein (chicken or fish) and would make a fine dip for plantain chips in place of standard red fruit salsa.

 

Roasted Carrot Strings with Meyer Lemon Cream & Basil

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Zoodles (carroodles?) are fun. I’m still loving the spiralizer I finally broke down and purchased and although the waste ratio is a little high on thin carrots, I’m still behind whipping a pound of carrots into strings for dinner. Kind of exhausting after an intense arm workout, but worth it.

Gluten-free, paleo, Whole30, vegan, vegetarian

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Roasted Carrot Strings with Meyer Lemon Cream & Basil

Adapted from Meyer Lemon Roasted Carrot Strings with Lemon Garlic Sauce from Running to the Kitchen

1 pound carrots
3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
Juice of 1 Meyer lemon (or 1 lemon + a squirt orange)
Kosher salt & fresh cracked black pepper
1/4 cup basil leaves

Meyer Lemon Cream

1/4 cup coconut cream (you can either buy a can of coconut cream or put a full-fat can of coconut milk into the fridge for a few hours so the cream rises and solidifies a bit)
2 cloves garlic
Juice of 1 Meyer lemon (or 1 lemon + a squirt orange)
1/2 tsp. apple cider vinegar
1/2 tsp. chipotle powder
Kosher salt & fresh cracked black pepper

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. While your oven is heating, spiralize your carrots into strings (or use a julienne peeler or cut into very thin strips).

In a large bowl, combine the olive oil with the juice of 1 lemon, a big sprinkle salt and a few cracks of black pepper. Whisk to combine. When the carrot strings are done, add to the bowl and toss to combine.

Cover a baking sheet with foil and lightly grease with ghee or coconut oil. Spread the carrots evenly on the baking sheet and pop into the oven. Roast for 20 minutes, tossing every so often to promote crispness.

While the carrots are working, make your cream. Mince the garlic and chiffonade the basil. In a small bowl, mix the coconut cream, juice of 1 lemon, apple cider vinegar, a big pinch salt, few cracks black pepper and chipotle powder. Taste for zinginess and salt. Add more acid or salt if needed.

When the carrots are finished, remove from the oven and serve with the lemon cream. Sprinkle basil over to garnish.

Serves 2 for dinner.

Macadamia Nut Ricotta Dessert Snacks – 2 Ways

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Even though these two variations on a theme are kind of like incomplete thoughts, I thought they warranted a blog post because they are both so good. I happily munched on both for an afternoon snack – and they would have both been great bulked up by, say, a sliced apple.

Or maybe with some sort of baked good in a dessert?

For either dessert snack, scale up as appropriate. I had 1/4 cup left to play with, so ended up making two amuse sizes.

However you slice it, delicious stuff.

Gluten-free, paleo, vegetarian, vegan, and Whole30-compliant (basil lime version only)

Macadamia Nut Ricotta

2 cups raw macadamia nuts
Big pinch Kosher salt
1-2 Tbsp. lemon juice (juice of 1/2 to 1 lemon)
1/4 to 1/2 cup water

Blend the macadamia nuts, salt, 1 Tbsp. lemon juice & half a cup of water until smooth, adding more water if necessary to hit the right consistency. Taste for acidity and salt, adding more lemon juice or salt as needed.

This recipe seems to be everywhere on the Internet. I was finally spurred on to action by Nom Nom Paleo’s Food For Humans book – but have seen it 999 other places.

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Macadamia Nut Ricotta with Lime and Basil

2 Tbsp. macadamia ricotta

Zest of half a lime

2 tsp. fresh lime juice

1 basil leaf, chiffonade

Combine the ricotta, lime juice and lime zest. Top with basil and more zest. Serve … on a spoon? I ate this one plain happily.

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Macadamia Nut Ricotta with Orange and Honey

2 Tbsp. macadamia ricotta

2 tsp. orange juice (I used tangelo)

Zest of 1/4 an orange (or tangelo, which is what I used)

1/2 tsp. honey

Orange segments to serve

Honey to drizzle

Combine the ricotta, juice, zest and honey. Top with more zest and a drizzle of honey. Serve with orange segments.

Crunchy Kale & Cabbage Salad with Lemon Tahini Dressing

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Yeah, yeah, yeah – another salad. I’m on a homemade salad kick lately, and inspiration seems to be striking hardest during lunch. So: salads. This particular rendition combines my favorite salad green – kale – with sweet peppers, crunchy cabbage and a nice kicky, fatty dressing for something that is both healthy feeling and hearty enough to carry you through the afternoon.

Paleo, gluten-free and Whole 30 compliant

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Crunchy Kale & Cabbage Salad with Lemon Tahini Dressing

5 ounces or so chopped kale (I used half a bag of the organic chopped kale from Trader Joe’s)
1 medium carrot
1 orange pepper
1.5 – 2 cups shredded cabbage (red would be fantastic here, but all they had at the store was regular green – which was also tasty)

Dressing

2 Tbsp. tahini
2 tsp. apple cider vinegar (Bragg’s ftw)
Juice of 1 lemon
1 Tbsp. grapeseed oil
3 big pinches citrus salt
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 clove garlic
2-3 Tbsp. water

Julienne your pepper & carrot (I used a mandoline), chop your kale if needed, shred your cabbage and mince the garlic. Combine the veggies in a large bowl and all dressing ingredients in a shaker or bowl. Whisk or shake the dressing ingredients to combine, adding more water if needed to reach a pourable consistency.

I like to massage my dressing into my greens when I’m having a hearty green like this.

Optional add-ins: roast chicken, hard boiled eggs, sliced scallions, some sort of nut. I had chicken the first day for lunch and eggs the second. Scallions would have been great here, and nuts may or may not have added anything worthwhile to the party.

Makes 2 big lunch salads

Quick Lunch Salad – Confetti Broccoli Slaw with Chicken

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Sorry about the hiatus, guys. If you couldn’t tell already from my Picture of the Day posts – we’ve moved! This past week has been full of not-cooking as my new kitchen has slowly taken shape. I’m finally back in business – and not a minute too soon. This lunch was the first thing I actually made in the new place, and it came together quick. Just the ticket for a healthy and vegetable-packed lunch.

Those of you that have been reading for awhile might recognize my favorite salad ingredient, broccoli slaw. I think I have an obsession issue with the stuff. I hate soggy lettuce with a passion, and home made salads always seem to disappoint – unless I use broccoli slaw. Then all is well with the world. I can’t get enough.

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Quick Lunch Salad – Confetti Broccoli Slaw with Chicken

1 bag broccoli slaw (I use the organic broccoli slaw from Trader Joe’s in a 10 ounce bag. Dole also makes a good one)
2 baby endive, chopped
1 yellow pepper, chopped
2 big handfuls pepitas, toasted
Leftover roast or grilled chicken – or what I had on hand, a chicken patty (1 portion per person) – Omit if you want a vegan or vegetarian salad

Dressing

3 Tbsp. grapeseed oil
3 big pinches citrus salt
3 tsp. apple cider vinegar (I use Bragg)
2 tsp. mustard (I went for grainy here, but only had smooth Dusseldorf style)
1 clove garlic, minced

Chop your veggies and add to a big bowl. In a small bowl or mason jar, combine the dressing ingredients & shake/whisk. Combine the dressing with the salad and toss.

Makes 2 huge lunch salads, or 3-4 more reasonable servings

Alternate seasonings: For lunch the next day, I decided to go a more curry route and added half a chopped apple and curry chicken to the salad mix plus 1 tsp. curry powder and 1 tsp. cumin powder to the dressing. Yum.

Arugula & Orange Salad with Pulled Pork and Tomato

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This salad came about because, here in January, I couldn’t stand not eating tomato any longer. Enter Fresh Direct. They tempted me with a beefsteak tomato – that while fairly costly, was actually fresh and actually tasted like tomato. Not sure if it was hot house (there was no mention in the description and it certainly didn’t taste like it), magic fairy house, or teleported from somewhere warm – but it was delicious. Just the breath of warm I was craving.

I ate this for lunch on my second day of Whole30 Take 2 – and didn’t feel deprived in the least.

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Arugula & Orange Salad with Pulled Pork and Tomato

2 cups arugula
1 tomato – I used a big beefsteak
1 orange – I used a Cava Cava orange, which was delicious – blood orange would also be great here, or clementine — any orange with a lot of taste
2 Tbsp. gremolata
2 tsp. grapeseed oil
4 ounces leftover pulled pork 

Supreme (cut off the outer rind and slice out each wedge individually – for video instructions, click here) your orange and cut the pieces into bite-sized chunks.

Cut the tomato into bite-sized chunks.

Warm your pork if needed.

Chuck the arugula, pork, tomato and orange into a big bowl and toss to combine.

Sprinkle with gremolata, the juice from the orange middle, and grapeseed oil.

Serves 1 for lunch.

Beer Cheese – aka ‘Man Dip’

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So… this recipe isn’t healthy, and it sure isn’t paleo. But it *is* tasty, and it *did* make a great ‘manly’ dip for my hubby’s UFC PPV viewing party. I’m glad I was out to dinner with my best friend who just happened to be in town – I have a feeling I would have had an aching stomach from eating too much dairy had I been there.

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Beer Cheese – aka ‘Man Dip’

1/4 pound extra sharp white cheddar cheese
8 ounces cream cheese (the full fat stuff)
2 tsp. garlic powder
2 tsp. chili powder
2 tsp. onion powder
4 ounces beer (I used Sixpoint Diesel brown ale, but your favorite beer will do just fine)

Combine all ingredients in a small sauce pot over medium heat. Stir fairly continuously until the cheeses are melted; once the cheeses are melted and look like a gross gloopy mess, whisk to break up the lumps until you get a nice glossy mixture. If your cheese isn’t liquid enough, add a few more splashes of beer and whisk to combine.

Serves a bunch – makes a small bowl full

Asian Pear & Celery Salad

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This is a nice little bright salad that is quick to whip up and uses the best that Fall has to offer. It’s fresh, goes with pretty much anything, and makes a great accompaniment to something light – like the pictured Spicy Tuna Cakes from the soon-to-make-it-to-my-hot-little-hands cookbook Nom Nom Paleo: Food For Humans. If this recipe (and everything on author Michelle Tam’s site, really – she’s never steered me wrong) is any indication, I’ll be cooking each and every dish from the book – and loving them.

And yes, that’s a snowman tuna cake, thankyouverymuch. Because I’m an adult, and have adulty things, like non winter-related cupcake tins.

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Asian Pear & Celery Salad

4 stalks celery, cut on a bias
1/2 an Asian pear, cut into bite-sized pieces
2 Tbsp. cilantro, chopped

Dressing

2 tsp. rice vinegar
Zest of 1 lime
2 Tbsp. grapeseed (or other neutral) oil
Big pinch Kosher salt

As you cut the things that need cutting, add to a medium bowl. In a separate small bowl, whisk together the dressing ingredients. Add dressing to salad and toss.

Serves 2 for dinner as a light side or 1 for lunch as a nice sized salad.

This would most likely also be tasty with a tangle of pecorino romano or other aged hard cheese added before serving, with a few cracks of black pepper.

Brussels Sprouts with Bourbon, Apple & Fennel

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I KNOW… I’m the WORST. More brussels sprouts. Just what you needed in your life.

But they are! I’m a long standing member of the brussels sprouts evangelical committee and I’m here to tell you: brussels sprouts are fantastic if you cook them right. Nutty, delicate, hearty, and comforting all at once – brussels can become the backbone of your fall and winter larder.

And I’m calling this recipe paleo-friendly, even though it has Honey Jack. A belt won’t kill you 🙂 If you don’t want/don’t have bourbon in your life, just omit – life will go on and your dish will still taste magnificent.

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Brussels Sprouts with Bourbon, Apple & Fennel

4 cups shredded fresh brussels sprouts
3 Tbsp. ghee
1/2 Fuji apple
1 bulb fennel
Apple cider vinegar (Dr. Bronner’s is the best)
Honey Jack
Kosher salt & black pepper

Set your broiler to high. If your brussels are pre-shredded, spread out on a cookie sheet wrapped in tin foil. If not, shred (I use the shredding disc of my food processor) first. Melt 2 Tbsp. of the ghee.

Spread the melted ghee over your brussels, toss with your hands to combine, and hit with salt & pepper.

Broil 10-15 minutes – tossing every 5 minutes or so to avoid scorching – or until browned at the edges and threatening to burn.

While your brussels are browning, slice the apple and fennel thinly. Add to a large pan over medium heat, along with the last Tablespoon of ghee. Hit with some salt and pepper and sautee until beginning to brown.

Turn the heat down to medium low and add 2 caps of vinegar and a glug of Honey Jack. Stir and sautee until tender and browned and the brussels are done.

Combine everything in a large bowl and toss to combine. Taste for seasoning. I hit with another 3 caps vinegar, salt & pepper. You’re looking for nice bright tastes here. Something bold.

Serve alongside something like a nice smoky pot roast. Serves 2 for dinner + 1 for lunch. 

Lazy Baked Squash with Goat Cheese, Arugula & Lime Vinaigrette

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Thank you so much, Molly Hays of Remedial Eating, for posting the methodology for this squash. This squash is truly a revelation – no longer will I have to endanger limbs and make my Darling Husband cringe in terror as I attack hard squash with a meat cleaver.

If you’re not familiar with Remedial Eating, check the link out. Molly’s writing is full of beautiful prose and her recipes are homey and comforting with interesting flavor combinations/takes on flavors – plus, she lives in (one of) my home town(s). So, there’s that.

I made this squash on a busy weeknight and the whole thing took 48 minutes from start to table. I will be repeating this dish’s success many times over the course of this winter – and see visions of weekly squash roasts in my Monday nights future. I’m dying to try some of the flavor combos listed at the end of Molly’s post – and am itching to add a few more of my own like:

Aged balsamic vinegar & pecorino cheese

Toasted garlic, chili or chipotle powder, egg & stout cheese (pecorino? glouchester? aged sheep gouda?)

Toasted cashews, curry, cilantro & lime

Apple, toasted pecan & lemon/lime vinaigrette

Bacon, toasted pecan & bleu cheese

Apple, sage, bacon & toasted pecan

The possibilities are endless.

This side is fantastic when served alongside a nice London broil – or a minute steak – or alone for lunch; whatever your fancy.

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Lazy Baked Squash with Goat Cheese, Arugula & Lime Vinaigrette

Adapted from Lovely Squash for Lazybones from Remedial Eating

1 acorn squash
1-1.5 ounces goat cheese per squash half (omit if strict paleo, vegan or doing Whole30)
1 Tbsp. grapeseed oil
1 tsp. lime or lemon juice (I used my go-to bottle of salvation, Nellie’s Key Lime juice)
1 tsp. spicy mustard (I used Gulden’s Spicy Brown Mustard)
1 big pinch kosher salt
A few cracks fresh black pepper
Chipotle to sprinkle
1 big hand full arugula per squash half

Preheat your oven to 375. Place your squash on a cookie sheet wrapped in tin foil and slap into the oven. Let bake 30-45 minutes, or until your knife goes in with minimal effort.

Slice the squash in half and place cut side down on the prepared sheet. Slip back into the oven until you can pierce the thickest part of your squash and it gives absolutely no resistance – like a knife through hot butter. This should take 15-30 minutes.

Remove the tray from the oven and set aside to cool until handleable – or if you’re impatient like me – let cool for 2 minutes and then pick up with a dish towel,  and scoop the squash guts out.

Sprinkle with goat cheese, vinaigrette and chipotle powder. Top with arugula.

Serves 2