Side | V - Part 2

Entries Tagged as 'Side'

Spicy Jalapeno Corn Hummus

10.02.2012

Heyyya! Happy gloomy, gloomy Tuesday. As a way to kick up this chilly and droopy day, I made some spicy hummus to warm you up! Well…I didn’t exactly make it for you. I made the hummus for myself but I do have the recipe to share with you so that you can make it too! It’s the perfect afternoon snack to fill you up and give your metabolism an extra boost (did you know spicy food does that? How cool!)

Anyhow, I’m off to do more logo design proofing followed by a lazy evening filled with warm apple cider and Parks & Recreation marathons.

Spicy Corn Jalapeno Hummus

1 jalapeno
2 cups cooked chickpeas
2 large ears of corn, kernels removed from the cobs (about 3/4 cup)
1 Tablespoon butter
2-3 Tablespoons olive oil
2 Tablespoons tahini
2 teaspoons lemon juice
salt/pepper to taste
sriracha, optional (if you like it super spicy – add a few drops at the end)

Roast the jalapeno however you’d prefer. I stuck mine over my gas stove (see photo below) but feel free to use the broiler as well.

Heat the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the corn and saute for about 7 minutes or until they are soft and browned.

Combine, the jalapeno, corn, chickpeas, olive oil (start with 2 tablespoons and add more if it’s too thick), tahini, lemon juice, salt, and pepper in a blender (or food processor). Mix until everything is incorporated and the desired consistency is reached (add more tahini or olive if it’s still too thick and adjust flavor to your liking with the salt/pepper/lemon juice).

Fold in some sriracha if you want an extra kick and serve with warm pita.

Persimmon Pudding

9.30.2012

Persimmon pudding + vanilla bean ice cream = !!!

Last Sunday I attempted to go apple picking at a nearby orchard with Wyatt and a few friends. Although all the apples had already fallen from the tree, we had an enjoyable time checking out the tiny orchard shop filled with homemade dips, vintage candies, fresh produce, and more. As we were exploring, I came across a random cooler in the back corner labeled ‘persimmon pulp’. I had never heard of a persimmon before and was rather embarrassed when I sloppily tried to pronounce it only to be corrected by a nearby friend. He continued to tell me that his parents have a persimmon tree, they made pudding out the fallen fruit every year, and he had even made a short video about the process.

So… as a learning experience to myself (and perhaps you!), I purchased a container of the pulp and stick it in my fridge for later use.

And thus, later came this morning when I thawed the pulp and whipped up my first ever batch of pudding! If those pumpkin cinnamon rolls and apple crisp tasted like Fall then this taste like Thanksgiving [am I allowed to use events as describing words for flavors? well, I just did]. It’s loaded full of nutmeg and cloves and has a similar texture to pumpkin pie filling. Oh man, it’s so yummy!

I followed this video by my friend David Woodruff to make my own amazing persimmon pudding and I suggest you should too:

Fall Apple Crisp // The Worry Worm

9.28.2012

This is a picture from a fall afternoon [ last year ] that Wyatt (pictured above) and I spent laying by the water and having long conversations. Today, I wish this was us again. Life [ for no particular reason ] has been really stressing me out lately. I’m not sure what exactly happened but it was like something inside of me snapped when I graduated from college [about six months ago] that turned on my “worrying” button. Before that, I was known for being the “laid back” friend who never took anything seriously. I always trusted that what was happening was supposed to and that I felt pretty much invincible. This all changed, however, when I started my “real-world” journey and I began feeling the weight of all my decisions being put on me. If I don’t take care of myself, something terrible COULD happen to me. What I put in my body does actually affect my mood/general feeling. If I don’t pay attention while driving, I could get into a car accident. It has been a large reality check for me and really unearthed my way of thinking.

I bring this up because this un-nerving feeling struck me again this morning [ and has thrown the whole day off ]. Why? Because I read an article this morning about Trader Joe’s recalling their peanut butter due to salmonella contamination. This happens to be the same kind of peanut butter that I opened and gobbled down last night. I mean, realistically, I would already have been feeling the negative affects of the peanut butter if it had been affected. There is just something about the fact that a comfort food [ that I eat almost every day ] could turn and harm you. Arg.
Anyway, I am getting way too serious for even my own liking so let’s shift gears…eh? Enough about my hang-ups. Cool? Cool.

_______________________

Instead, let’s talk about fall comfort desserts. I love love love apple crisp because not only is it filled with cinnamon and oats but its 50% fruit [ which makes it totally acceptable for breakfast, lunch, snack, dessert, etc... right? ]. And you know what’s even better about this recipe? Wyatt picked it out so it has wayyy more butter than any recipe I would have approved of. That is probably what made it sooo freaking delicious. Shhhhh….don’t let him know that I admitted to that!

We attempted to go apple picking last weekend which ended up being a huge fail. Supposedly, the season is off because of the bad Midwest drought and the early frost that struck us last week. Ah well. We still picked up a bundle of apples and some recipe cards (they always have a stack of homemade recipe cards by the check out counter at the orchard). We made an apple pie from these cards last year and it was to die for (which is where my assumption comes in….old fashion = SO much butter // heavy cream). Anyhow, this recipe is from one of those cards and was nothing short of amazing.

I’d suggest making this when you are trying to impress guests (sadly, most of them aren’t going to be impressed by your low-carb fruit cake) or when you really want to capture that “fall is in the air” feeling. Don’t forget to serve this crisp warm with a big helping of vanilla bean ice cream.

Apple Crisp

6 large tart apples
juice of half a lemon
1 Tablespoon cornstarch
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup (2 sticks) cold butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup rolled oats
1 teaspoon cinnamon
dash of nutmeg

Grease a 9×9 pan and preheat oven to 375 degrees. Prep the apples by peeling, coring, and dicing them. Add the lemon juice, corn starch, and sugar to the apples and place in the baking dish.

In another bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Dice the cold butter into chunks and use your fingers to work them into the mixture until the dough is coarse and combined. Fold in the oats and then evenly top over the apples.

Cook for 45- 50 minutes or until the top has browned.

Remove from oven and let cool slightly while you prep the ice cream (!!).

Serve warm and gobble up while enjoying the crisp breeze on your porch.

Pumpkin Granola

9.26.2012

And so we continue our fall theme with another pumpkin recipe! And weirdly enough…another breakfast recipe! [ Not that you can't also eat granola for a dessert or as a snack or just because it taste good ]. Although we all wish that we could eat cinnamon rolls for breakfast everyday, it’s probably not the healthiest choice imaginable. I would probably find it hard to get up and do yoga every morning if I had just downed 3 cinnamon rolls for the third time that week. Anyhow, what I am getting at is today’s post is about a more of a….sustainable breakfast choice. Think of cinnamon rolls as your weekend breakfast and this granola can be your simple and quick weekday indulgence. Throw some Greek yogurt // almond milk // soy yogurt in a to-go cup and top it with this granola + maybe some honey // agave or sliced apples as you run out of the door [ oh, and don't forget to bring a spoon! ].

So, on that note, I have a confession. I LOVE parfaits and went through a big phase where I would whip them up for dessert [ as an attempt to avoid getting the 'I should make brownies because I'm craving sweet' thought that often follows dinner ]. However, I always bought granola from the store and this is my first attempt ever at making it myself. Damn, I am kicking myself now! Reasons why this should have been on my radar years ago:

1. It’s stupidly cheap to make your own! For 5 cups of organic rolled oats, it cost me 2.19 to get from my bulk section. Yeah! Do you have any idea how much 5 cups of oats it!? It’s a lot. Goodbye $4.69 box of organic Cascade Farm’s granola! You will never fool me again.

2. It’s SO SO SO easy to make. I throw all the ingredients together in 5 minutes and then did my entire morning yoga routine while they cooked. This meant…I had to wake up maybe 10 minutes earlier than I usually do. And then you have enough granola to last for twice as long as those skimpy pre-packaged boxes of cereal do.

3. You know exactly what is going into your granola. None of that hidden corn syrup or extra dose of sugar that you always pretended was not in there. And it also gives you total control! Don’t like your granola sweet? Cut back on brown sugar! Don’t like dried cranberries? Swap out for dried cherries! So easy!
Anyhow, I hope that I’ve inspired you and that this recipe gives you that extra push to try out making your own granola!

Pumpkin Granola

Adapted from Two Peas & A Pod

5 cups rolled oats
1 Tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
1 Teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1/4 cup apple sauce
1/4 cup honey (or agave to make vegan)
dash of vanilla extract
1/2 cup dried cherries

Preheat oven to 325 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the oats, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, salt, brown sugar, pumpkin puree, apple sauce, honey, and vanilla. Spread evenly onto prepared baking sheet and stick in the oven.

Cook for 40 minutes (stir the oats around halfway through cooking time). Remove from oven and let cool slightly. Fold in dried cherries.

Let cool completely (this will help crisp it up!) and then sprinkle over yogurt//milk//whatever you are feeling.

Store in an airtight container.

Chickpea Magazine // Stuffed Peppers with Goat Cheese & Corn

9.20.2012

I have some very exciting news for you guys! I am excited to announce that the new Chickpea Fall issue came out online today! I am even more excited to tell you guys that I have a 6 page spread in it! My article is about the lack of veganism in the United States Midwest and how Bloomington, Indiana is an exception to that. In addition, this issue is filled with mouth-watering fall recipes and gorgeous beach picnics. I don’t think I’ve ever fell in love with a magazine as much as I always seem to fall for Chickpea. They have such a hip aesthetic and beautiful photography that I wish my whole life could be lived through this magazine. Don’t believe me? Go check out a preview of the issue for free online or purchase a physical copy on their website.

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And now, back to business! Okay, remember yesterday when I made a deal with you that I get the rest of the week to still talk about yummy summer recipes? Well, today is not an exception and these delicious stuffed peppers are everything you want your beautiful {late} summer afternoons to be filled with. They are fresh, flavorful, and just the right amount of filling. I’d suggest to serve them with a grilled veggie burger or along side a stack of quesadillas.

Stuffed Peppers with Goat Cheese & Corn

2 bell peppers, sliced in half with the seeds removed
4 ounces of goat cheese
1 small onion, diced
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 Tablespoon unsalted butter
2 cups sweet corn kernels
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon lime juice
1 Tablespoon cilantro, chopped

First, we must roast the peppers! You can either do this over a gas grill if you have one handy or in the oven under the broiler setting. I opted to do the broiler setting and just put them under the broiler on each side for about 5 minutes (but check often because broilers are tricky things and we don’t want your peppers burning to a crisp just because my broiler doesn’t get as hot as yours!). You want them to have blackened spots on both side. Remove from heat and stick in a plastic bag until they cool. Once cooled, remove and peel the burnt outer skin. Set aside.

While waiting for the peppers to cool, heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium. Add the onions and saute for about 5 to 7 minutes or until they begin to soften. Add the garlic and saute for another minute. Then add the butter, corn, salt, and pepper. Saute for another 5 minutes or until the corn is cooked all the way through. Remove from heat and stir in the lime juice.

Divide the goat cheese evenly between the 4 pieces and spread along the inside. Top with the corn mixture and garnish with cilantro.

Serve warm and enjoy with a delicious beergarita!

Panzanella

9.19.2012

Okay, so I feel a bit behind the times posting a {gasp} tomato-themed recipe while the rest of the blog sphere is bustling with pumpkin flavored baked goods and spiced ciders. I guess this probably tells a lot about my character. I spent all summer dragging my feet and then the crisp, fall-feeling air kicked in last week was a slap in the face. It was a reminder that there are still plenty of summer produce recipes I wanted to conquer. So…here we are…scrambling at the last minute trying to fit every last possible heirloom tomato, sliver of basil, and piece of zucchini bread into my diet before the first frost comes. And thus, I am asking you to stick with me…give me THIS week (and maybe weekend) to get summer out of my system and I promise I will start fresh next week with pumpkin infused everything. Cool? Cool.

Anyhow, the main reason I probably took so long to make these recipe was coming to terms with using my day old bread in a salad. Don’t get me wrong….I loooove salads but old bread is meant for french toast. Everyone knows that! And the struggle between making a salad and french toast…was well not really a struggle for most of the summer. Sorry arugula but cinnamon and butter win every time. Well…every time up until now. After making this last week, I wish I had been more open to sharing my stale bread all summer long…maybe stocking up on twice as much bread to distribute evenly between sweet and savory. We could have come to some compromise had I known this was going to be pretty much the best salad ever to exist.

This recipe reminds me of a salad form of bruschetta (probably for good reason…you smart smart Italian chefs!). This is a huge relief for me because I LOVE the flavors of bruschetta but am not allowed to make it myself. I can’t make it myself because my old roommate and very very good friend makes the best bruschetta ever to exist. And this is probably due to the fact that she lived in Italy for a short period (and Belgium and South Africa and Jordan…sheesh, putting my cultural experiences to shame). Sooo… it’s awesome having a friend who can make pretty much the best summer dish ever but it means that my attempts are just pointless. And thus, this is a great alternative to trying to get my bruschetta fix without having to actually compete with Ella’s bruschetta.

Panzanella

1/2 loaf of old bread, sliced into 1 inch cubes
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 pepper, cut into 1 inch cubes
1/2 cucumber, cut into 1 inch cubes
1/2 red onion, cut into 1 inch cubes and soaked in cold water for 10 minutes
2 medium tomatoes, cored and chopped
1 Tablespoon capers
1/3 cup basil, roughly chopped

dressing:

1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
3 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
salt/pepper, to taste

To make the dressing: whisk all the ingredient together in a small bowl and set aside.

Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet over medium. Add the bread and toss until it is completely coated. Saute until browned and crispy on all sides. Add salt and toss to coat. Remove from heat.

In a large salad bowl, combine the pepper, onion, cucumber, tomatoes, capers, and toasted bread. Fold in the capers and salad dressing right before serving.

Munch down.

How easy was that?

Baked Potato Chips with Avocado Dip

9.12.2012

Oh man, it’s only Wednesday? This weekend needs to come sooner so I can spend time browsing the Farmer’s Market, drinking cocktails with my Ma, and making pumpkin cinnamon rolls.

However, with that being said, I am enjoying my week. I’ve been waking up early everyday to do Yoga before work which has been very energizing. And last night we went out to see one of our favorite musicians – Nobunny…which was both amusing and enjoyable. And I have a craft night scheduled tomorrow to finally made those billy buds I’d been thinking about for 4 months now. I must say…not too shabby of a week so far. How is your week coming?

Oh! And…before it becomes too much of old news and pointless, I have pictures that I was going to share from my “birthday hike” last Tuesday. Wyatt, Tuko, and I headed a bit north to check out a state park we had never been to. It was a bit muggy and buggy but none-the-less beautiful and quiet. In fact, we did not come across one person on our whole journey through the park…perhaps this place is a beautiful secret that many people around here have still not yet caught onto!

And we all know that after you go on a several mile hike that you need a post-hiking snack….right? Or is that just me? Anyhow, we whipped up these baked potato chips with avocado dip for an afternoon snack. And let me tell you….damn! I wish that I could spread this avocado dip on EVERYTHING. Think…guacamole but creamier. And dipping crispy, warm chips that were fresh from the oven was a perfect accompaniment.

Baked Potato Chips with Avocado Dip

Adapted from Food For My Family

2 russet potatoes, thinly (and evenly) sliced
1/8 cup olive oil
Salt/pepper

For the dipping sauce:

1 avocado, peeled and mashed
1/2 cup greek yogurt
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
1 Tablespoon fresh chives
1 Tablespoon dill
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt

Mix all the dipping sauce ingredients together. Place in fridge until ready to serve (the longer it sits the more time this will give the flavors to blend together!).

To make the fries: preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place the sliced potatoes onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Brush both sides of the slices with oil and then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake in 15 minute segments and flip every 15 minutes. It took me about 40 minutes for all the potatoes but I checked frequently and removed the thinner ones that cooked faster.

Enjoy with yummy dipping sauce as a snack! Or enjoy alongside some Veggie Sloppy Joes, Southwestern Sliders, or Black Bean and Goat Cheese Quesedillas!

Caprese Breakfast // Recipe Inspiration from Dishes Undressed

9.06.2012

And now it’s time for part 2 of the collaboration that I am doing with Angie from Dishes Undressed. She has been inspiring such fun and fresh recipes that I would have not stumbled upon otherwise. I love stepping outside of my comfort zone to try new things in the kitchen!

This recipe was basically meant for me. We started out this spring with massive ambitions for our garden. We planted lavender, cucumber, peppers, tomatoes, oregano, basil, mint, corn, rosemary, and spinach. But between the extensive heat wave that was July, moving into a new home halfway through the summer, and Tuko’s digging habits…we pretty much ended up with basil and tomatoes. Ah well, better luck next year.

With that being said…I love the flavor combination of tomato and basil so when she sent me this recipe, I knew I was going to love it. Using fresh herbs and vegetables from the backyard make the meal even more satisfying.

I tweaked it a bit from the original recipe that Angie sent. She originally had it set up as an appetizer but it was the only one eating so I figured I would make it into a meal for one and throw everything onto a piece of delicious, crusty bread.

This is one of those recipes that you can tweak to your liking…if you love tomatoes then put extra tomato and not so much cheese or vice versa. I’m not going to give amounts so you can totally take charge and make this recipe your own.

Caprese Sandwich

1 piece of crusty bread (I used a slice of whole wheat from a local bakery)
Cream cheese
tomato, sliced
basil, sliced
Fresh mozzarella, thickly sliced
balsamic vinegar + olive oil (mix equal parts together to make sauce)
Salt/Pepper, to taste

Toast the bread to your liking. Spread cream cheese and then top with tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil. Drizzle with balsamic/oil mixture and salt/pepper.

Enjoy in the morning with a cup of tea or as an afternoon snack.

Mmmmm.

Make sure to check out Angie’s mouth watering blog and expect more delicious recipes to come soon from this collaboration!

Dark Chocolate Zucchini Muffins // My 23rd Birthday

9.04.2012

And we are back with ANOTHER zucchini bread recipe (if you missed them, check out my Savory Feta Zucchini Muffins from last week here) but this time we are covering them in chocolate! Not so bad, eh?

It’s my 23rd (yikes! Weird!) birthday today so Wyatt and I took the day off to do whatever we please. So far we have just laid around in bed, I did some yoga, and then I made some delicious chocolate muffins. We are going on a picnic this afternoon at Hoosier National Forest so I thought these muffins would be perfect to bring along. I mean, what could be a better way to spend my birthday then baking and exploring outside with my boyfriend and puppy? Not much, I’d say. Here are a few new pictures from our lazy weekend around the house (since it rained so we couldn’t go camping like the original plan):

Tuko’s new hang out spot // Bruschetta // Lazy afternoons with Wyatt // New birthday outfit from my Ma // …more bruschetta // Kitchen Cacti Garden // Lazy morning with Wyatt // Citrus Plant from Wyatt for my birthday

And now onto the recipe! Hope everyone has a fantastic Tuesday. I’m off to go bake more for our afternoon picnic!

Dark Chocolate Zucchini Muffins

1 1/4 cups flour
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup buttermilk (I made my own with this recipe)
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/3 cup agave or honey
2 Tablespoons coconut oil (vegetable will work fine if that is what you have)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 large very ripe banana, mashed
1 cup grated zucchini (about 1 medium zucchini)
1/4 cup dark chocolate chips (semi-sweet is fine too)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 12-muffin pan. Wrap the grated zucchini in a clean kitchen towel and ring out any excess juice.

In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. In another bowl, whisk together the egg, honey/agave, buttermilk, oil, mashed banana, zucchini and vanilla.

Make a well in the center of the of the dry ingredients and and add the zucchini mixture. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ones until combined.

Fill each muffin tin 3/4 full and bake for 15 minutes or until a toothpick can be stuck in the middle of the muffins and comes out clean.

Enjoy warm or save for tomorrow’s breakfast.

Roasted Tomato Focaccia

9.03.2012

Happy Labor Day! It’s Monday morning and I am still at home instead of out camping. This tropical storm Issac has caused rain, rain, and more rain for the whole weekend here in the Midwest. We had everything packed and ready to go for camping and then woke up Saturday morning to a storm…followed by all day of rain….and the same thing again on Sunday. Perhaps it was not meant to be because the thought of having to spend the weekend cooped up in a tiny tent with a muddy dog is probably not ideal. Plus, it gave us time to be lazy around the house and spruce things up around here a bit (in the form of soooooo much plant shopping! Yay!) and finally framing all those posters we have hung around the house.

Anyhow, It’s been too long since I blogged about focaccia (since last fall, to be exact). It’s one of those breads that we eat within the first two hours of it being baked because it’s just that good. And eating a whole loaf of bad is just not that good for you. So I try to resist as much as possible only make it on special occasions. The special occasion this time was that I hadn’t made it in a while and had beautiful mini heirloom tomatoes…that’s good enough, right?

This bread is delicious by itself, used with sandwiches, dipped in oils, or served with soup.

Roasted Tomato Focaccia

2 teaspoons yeast
1 cup warm water
2 Tablespoons sugar
1 Tablespoon salt
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup olive oil

For the topping:

10 cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup red onion, sliced into long strips
2 Tablespoons fresh thyme
Salt/Pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced

In a large mixing bowl, combine the water and yeast. Let sit for five minutes or until it becomes foamy. Next, add in the sugar, salt, olive oil, and flour (add 1/2 cup of flour at a time). Use your hands (or a mixer with a dough attachment) to knead the dough for five minutes or until the dough has come together (add more flour if it’s sticky and add more olive if it’s too dry).

Grease a bowl, place the dough inside, and cover with a clean dish range. Let sit for an hour in a warm place or until it’s doubled in size.

Grease a sheet pan with olive oil (I used a 9×12 pan so that our bread is thick enough for sandwiches but use whatever works best for you) and roll the dough out onto a floured surface. Fit the dough into the pan and let rise for another 15 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. While it is rising the second time, prepare the toppings. Heat a tablespoon of olive in a skillet over medium heat-low. Add in the onions and sauté until just starting to caramelize (about 10-15 minutes).

Make dimples in the dough with your fingers and top the bread with olive oil, tomatoes, onions, garlic, and thyme. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes or until the bread has browned at the top and the cherries have roasted.

Serve warm with every meal!

Baked Chocolate Cake Donuts

8.31.2012

I can’t believe I managed to forget about these donuts! I made these a few lazy Saturdays ago and even showed a sneak preview picture of them in my Moody Monday post and then never followed through with the recipe! Sheesh, silly me! However, don’t worry because here it is now.

We live down the street from the local donut shop and Wyatt stops there more than I even want to know. I sometimes give in and join him but still felt a bit guilty about it. The whole concept of eating fried something for breakfast never appealed to me; however, as soon as I discovered I could BAKE donuts, I wanted in! All I needed was a donut pan…seems easy enough, right? However, Wyatt promised to get me a donut pan for my Graduation last spring…which never happened. This meant we spent all Summer donutless (his loss!). And then, at last, we ran across some pans while browsing the local Kro-Gucci (not to be confused with our other disgusting Kroger…which happens to be Kro-Ghetto) so I threw them in the cart before Wyatt had an opinion about wanting to buy me them or not.

And so, since TECHNICALLY Wyatt did buy me them (even if he didn’t mean to), I decided to start my donut-making journey with his favorite kind: cake donuts. Cake donuts are pretty awesome because they are just are the best excuse to eat cake for breakfast. I mean if the cake is shaped like a breakfast food….it’s acceptable, right?

I topped my donuts with peanut butter (while they were still warm so the peanut butter melted into a nice, thick glaze) and then lathered them in colorful sprinkles.

These donuts are ridiculously easy to make so I would just suggest waking up 15 minutes before your boyfriend/girlfriend/hubby/puppy, getting the coffee making going, and starting on these. They will be ready in less than 20 minutes so you’ll have the whole rest of the morning to be lazy and eat warm donuts. These go perfectly with a big mug of hot coffee and a Saturday morning movie.

Baked Chocolate Cake Donuts

1 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup buttermilk (made my own with this recipe)
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 teaspoons butter, melted

Preheat oven to 325 degrees and grease a donut pan. In a large bowl whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and cocoa powder. In another small bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, egg, vanilla, and butter.

Make a well in the center of the dried ingredients and pour the wet ingredients in the middle. Use a spatula to fold the dry ingredients into the wet until just incorporated.

Evenly pour the batter into the pans. Cook for 10 minutes or until baked all the way through.

Enjoy with peanut butter and sprinkles or powdered sugar or a glaze or by themselves! Seeeeeee….how easy was that?

Savory Zucchini Feta Muffins

8.30.2012

Am I the only one or is everyone feeling a bit stressed about getting ready for the long weekend? I know I am! My birthday is next Tuesday so Wyatt and I took off an extra day for a 4 day weekend! We are planning to go camping (which means I may be MIA for a few days) but I still have yet to research a spot…hmmm. I am thinking Smokey Mountains? Or somewhere with waterfalls? Or maybe on the beach along Lake Michigan? Choices, choices!

And I didn’t get around to posting yesterday because I went up to Indianapolis to meet my Ma for my birthday. We have a little tradition that she always takes me out shopping for my birthday/Christmas. No complaining here! Haha. We usually go shopping on Michigan Avenue in Chicago but since I now live so far south…we have been compromising on Indianapolis. Not quite as glamorous but still a wonderful experience. Plus this gives us a chance to hit up Trader Joe’s so I can splurge on soy chorizo and mass quantities of three layer hummus. ALSO, on that note…have you tried Trader Joe’s ‘Cookie Butter’? Thanks to Tracey from Shutterbean and Joy The Baker and…I am addicted.

Now shifting our focus to what this post is all about! Thank you to Baba Ganoush for helping me dwindle away at my eggplant supply. What’s next? All that zucchini! Whoever decided to throw a bunch of zucchini into bread was an absolute genius! There are so many endless options with zucchini bread/muffins/cupcakes! This was my first batch (of 3) so expect a little mini series in the next few days (Chocolate muffins to come next!). I served these muffins along side some eggplant caponata and they were a hit! Between Wyatt and his brother, I’m pretty sure they knocked out half a dozen in the first evening. There is just something about that the little surprises of salty feta through the muffin that leaves you craving more. I can’t wait to make these again in the winter with some hearty chowder!

Savory Feta Zucchini Muffins

adapted from Kalyn’s Kitchen

2 cups zucchini, grated
1/2 cup feta, crumbled
1/2 cup Parmesan, grated
4-5 scallions, chopped
1/4 cup buttermilk (I just made my own using this technique)
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon pepper

Preheat oven to 375 degrees and spray a 12-muffin tin with cooking spray.

Drain the excess zucchini by wrapping it in a clean dish towel and squeezing out as much juice as possible. In a large mixing bowl, combine the feta, Parmesan, and onions. Mix in the buttermilk and eggs to the zucchini mixture.

In another bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and pepper. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add in the zucchini mixture. Fold the dry into the wet ingredients until just incorporated.

Fill muffin tins 3/4 full (they will expand a bit) and bake for 40-50 minutes. Remove from oven when the tops have browned.

Enjoy with soup, pasta, for breakfast, as an afternoon snack, or just whenever you have a craving for something savory!

Baba Ganoush

8.28.2012

As I mentioned in my last post, this weekend was a busy one for me because of several scheduled work functions. I bring this up because I was assigned in charge of purchasing “snacks” for our boat trip on Saturday. Snacks? On a pontoon boat? My first thought was….but there’s no fridge! Where will I put all the hummus and carrots? When I mentioned this to my co-worker she laughed and said ‘I think by snacks he meant Doritos and Oreos’. Oh, duh! I don’t really buy potato chips or pre-made cookies so my first thought was what I eat as snacks…not 80% of the American population. We ended up compromising on Newman O’s (those things are pretty tasty!) and baked goldfish crackers.

The whole point of that anti-climatic story is that hummus is my everyday snack. I absolutely love hummus…. hummus for my carrots, hummus for my celery, hummus for my pita…you get the point. What I am trying to say (and I’ll stop beating around the bush) is that making Baba Ganoush was a no-brainer when I realized that I have an entire vegetable drawer in my fridge filled with eggplants (thank you, CSA box). We’ve been making homemade hummus for years now so I’m not sure why it took months of receiving dozens of eggplants in my CSA box for this to click. Perhaps I had to see the recipe in front of me (at which point I realized it is literally EXACTLY the same as making hummus minus the chickpeas and plus the eggplants).

And so, it happened. Move over hummus and helloooo Baba Ganoush. We ate this entire serving the night I made it and have already made several more batches this week (which has caused me to only have HALF a drawer full of eggplant now!). This stuff is addictive…it’s even smoother (dare I say velvetier) than my homemade hummus. Lather this on some warm pita bread or take it to work with some chopped carrots for an afternoon snack. You may never daydream about hummus again (if that is something you even do)…

Baba Ganoush

3 medium eggplants
1/2 cup tahini sauce
Juice from 1 lemon
1 teaspoon salt
4 garlic cloves, minced (use less if you like it less garlicky)
1 teaspoon cumin
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup cilantro

Preheat oven to 375 degrees and poke the eggplants all over with a fork. Place eggplants on a baking sheet and roast for 30 minutes or until very soft (should be able to pierce a knife through them).

Let cool enough until able to handle. Slice and scoop out the insides of the eggplant into a blender or food proceesor. Add the rest of the ingredients and blend until smooth. Taste and adjust to your liking (perhaps more lime juice or salt).

Garnish with cilantro and olive oil. Enjoy with warm pita and serve at your next Twin Peaks screening.

Farro Salad with Roasted Vegetables and Caramelized Onions

8.21.2012

Have you ever cooked with farro? Well, this was my first time and I was totally blown away. Imagine a mix between a softer wheatberry and a heartier brown rice. It is oh so delicious and a fairly easy grain to prepare so I am not sure why we don’t utilize it more in our culture. As expected, I didn’t know anything about farro when I picked up a few cups of it in the bulk section at my co-op. After during some research, I learned that farro is an Italian grain that has just recently hit the United States by storm. It’s not a wheat grain (but a grain all of its own) and contains starches similar to arborio rice which results in a creamy texture when cooked (but does not get as gummy as risotto). And most importantly, farro is packed with fiber, magnesium, and Vitamins A, B, and E. If you’d like to learn more about this Italian grain, I’d recommend checking out this New York Times article on it.

Anyways, now that I am done with the food lesson for the day, let’s talk for real. This dish was summer in a bowl for me. I feel like every season I connect with at least one dish (last summer was that Savory Vegetable Cobbler) that makes me wonder where this recipe has been all my life. This is it! Fresh, roasted tomatoes are already one of the best things ever to exist so to mix them with caramelized onion and then put them on a hearty grain like farro…done deal. This is one of those recipes that shines in its simplicity…it doesn’t even need to be cooked with herbs or sprinkled with cheese to bring out the flavors.

So yeah. I hesitate to call this a salad because it is more than hearty enough to be your whole meal. Feel free to entertain the idea of it being a starter but you will probably forget whatever your main is and want to keep digging into this creation. I highly suggest you give it a try and see for yourself!

Farro Salad with Roasted Vegetables and Caramelized Onions

1 cup farro, uncooked
2 cups cherry tomatoes (I used a heirloom mixture)
2 cups green beans, trimmed
8 ounces of white button mushrooms, sliced
1 medium red onion, sliced
2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 Tablespoon butter
2 Tablespoon olive oil
Salt/Pepper

Preheat ovan to 400 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place tomatoes and green beans in a single layer on sheet and evenly coat with 1 Tablespoon olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and cook for 15 to 20 minutes or until the tomatoes start to split.

Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil. Add farro and cook for about 15 minutes or until the farro is softened. Remove from heat and strain out excess water.

In a skillet, melt the butter and 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add the sliced onion and mushrooms and toss until they are coated in the olive oil/butter. Let cook for ten to fifteen minutes or until the vegetables have softened (make sure to stir frequently). Remove from heat and add the balsamic, salt, and pepper. Return to heat and cook for another 15 minutes or until everything is browned and deliciously caramelized.

Once everything has finished, toss together in a big bowl and enjoy warm!

Oh and it’s great as yummy leftovers for several days after!

Spicy Arugula Salad // A Guest Post

8.14.2012

Happy Tuesday! I am very excited to welcome Nicole from Masters2Marathons to VV today. She has a wonderful post about an absolutely scrumptous Trader Joe’s inspired salad. And feel free to hop on over to Masters2Marathon to see my guest post about DIY Granola Bars! Enjoy!

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Hi everyone, my name is Nicole (blog Masters2Marathons) and I am super excited to be featured as a guest writer on Vegetarian ‘Ventures! I started following Shelly’s blog a few weeks ago and absolutely love all the recipes she shares. Today I will be writing about my new favorite recipe called “Spicy Arugula Salad” which is jam packed with protein and flavor! As a runner, I need to make sure I eat foods that give me the most ‘bang for my buck’ and this salad does exactly that: quinoa is a complete protein, bell peppers and arugula contain lots of crucial nutrients, and currants quench my sweet tooth craving. For those of you wondering where my inspiration came from, this recipe is my vegetarian friendly version of Trader Joe’s “Lemon Chicken and Arugula Salad”. Now where does the ‘spicy’ part come in? Well the arugula certainly has a little ‘bite’, but so does the dressing consisting of fire roasted bell peppers and sliced pimento. They certainly round out the salad nicely. My version of this recipe is given below, but there is definitely room to ‘play’ with ingredients to make it your own (see some of my suggestions). Hope you enjoy!

How to make this healthy deliciousness:

1. Prepare the quinoa and Israeli (pearled) couscous. To make my life easier, I like to cook them at the same time. I pour 1 cup tri-colored quinoa and 2 cups water into my rice cooker and press the button because I have problems with quinoa on the stove. For the couscous, I follow the directions on the package: In a 2 quart sauce pan, saute 1 1/3 cups couscous with 2 tbsp olive oil over medium heat until lightly browned (~5 min). Slowly add 1 3/4 c boiling water (watch for spattering!!!) and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium/low, cover, and simmer for 12 minutes until liquid is absorbed. Once both are done cooking, let them cool completely if you want a cold salad. Otherwise head to step 3 if you were multitasking and made #2 during the cooking process

2. Make the spicy dressing. Add 1 fire roasted bell pepper and 2 ounces of sliced pimento (with a little bit of their juices) to a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth and salt to taste. To add a bit more ‘kick’ feel free to include a little lemon juice and cayenne pepper powder. Also, if you want extra dressing, just double the recipe!

3. Put it all together. Add the quinoa and couscous to a very large bowl. Mix in the currants, chopped bell pepper, and arugula. Serve yourself and dress the salad to your satisfaction! This recipe makes a few servings, around 3-4, for me personally.

Some suggestions: This salad would also taste great with some raw or lightly toasted pine nuts or raisins instead of currants. Also, feel free to throw in some chopped onions when sauteing the couscous for a caramelized flavor! Finally, this salad tastes great warm or cold (first time I made it, I couldn’t wait to dig in). Enjoy!

If you end up making your own version of this recipe, please share it in the comments below!!!

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Hop on over and check out Nicole’s blog here.

Vegan Mac & Cheese

8.08.2012

On Saturday afternoon I met up with Jamie of The Hearty Herbivore to cook up some vegan fare. Jamie and I were basically destined to be friends…we both host vegetarian food blogs, interned at the same record label, and majored in the same thing at Indiana University. Crazy similar? I’d say so. We spent the afternoon whipping up a vegan twist on a comfort classic, gossiping over stats, and poking fun at our foodgawker rejections.

To be completely honest, this recipe was a bit more labor intensive that I had fully anticipated. It was by far the creamiest and more flavorful I have ever had but I would recommend giving yourself a good amount of time to prep this recipe. But other than that, this recipe is a total winner and I would encourage it for any potluck or go to with some bbq tofu (perhaps from your homemade bbq sauce?).

Vegan Mac & Cheese

Cashew Sauce:

1 large Yukon potato, peeled and cut into small chunks
1 medium carrot, chopped
1 cup water
1/3 cup raw cashews
1/4 cup raw pine nuts
1/3 cup margarine
1/2 cup nutritional yeast
1/2 lemon, juiced
1 tsp. salt
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard

Creamy Sauce:

1/2 cup margarine
5 Tablespoons margarine
2 cups almond milk
1/2 cup nutritional yeast
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon salt

Breadcrumbs
16 oz. of cooked noodles

Prepare the pasta according to package directions.

In a small saucepan, combine the potato and carrots with a cup of water. Cover and cook on medium high heat for about ten minutes or until the vegetables have softened.

Put the carrots, water, and potato into a blender. Add the rest of the cashew sauce ingredients and blend.

Make the creamy sauce: In a saucepan, melt the margarine over medium heat and add the flour. Make a roux with it and once a thick paste as formed, start adding in the milk slowly. Sir constantly until the sauce has thickened. Remove from heat and add in the nutritional yeast, turmeric, and salt.

Add creamy sauce to the blender with the “cheese sauce” and blend until well combined. Add your cooked pasta to a 9 by 13 inch baking sheet and stir in the sauce from the blender.

Cover with tin foil and cook for 25 minutes. Remove from oven and add breadcrumbs on top.

Oh! And make sure to check out Jamie’s interpretation of the recipe here.

Zucchini Fritters with Dill Dipping Sauce

7.27.2012

Happy Friday! Does anyone have any big plans for the weekend? Wyatt’s band is playing tonight and my Ma is stopping by to see our new house later but I feel that my schedule is pretty open for Saturday and Sunday. I really would love to adventure in the form of canoeing, hiking, picnicing, and camping but I fear that the temperatures are not supposed to drop below 100 again this weekend. This means that I will most likely need to start planning ways to hide indoors during the day (I really have become a wuss when it comes to the heat). Perhaps make a few macrame plant holders or some homemade billy buds?

Or maybe it’s FINALLY time to make that homemade cheese that has been on my summer to-do list forever now! Who knows…but honestly, this heat makes me not want to eat anything lately…the only thing my body has craved for the past month has been coconut flavored La Croix and green smoothies. This would be great if I was the type of girl who wanted to be on a diet…but let’s be real here…I own a food blog! I LOVE to eat! This wasn’t brought up as a complaint…I’ve learned to adjust to the heat. We have been waiting to eat until about 9 or so every night so that it’s cool enough to tolerate cooked food (tolerate is such a terrible word for my recipes…they deserve so much more!). And on a good note – we have been eating a lot less so this has given me a chance to try out all those recipes that many would consider starters/appetizers as light meals for us to enjoy (like those yummy Corn and Feta Empanadas).

Speaking of light meals…I whipped up these zucchini fritters with what was left of CSA box from last week (remember…I didn’t get one this week because of the drought! Such a bummer. And as a warning: it’s not going to just be us Midwesterners who will be affected by this drought! Ek!). Anyhow, these were delicious as a light dinner but feel free to also feel these to your guests as a starter at your next dinner party.

Zucchini Fritters with Dill Dipping Sauce

For the dipping sauce:

1/2 cup sour cream
3 tablespoons fresh dill
1 garlic clove, minced
Juice of a small lime
Salt/Pepper, to taste

For the Fritters:

4 medium zucchini
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup fresh dill
1/2 cup flour
2 eggs, beaten
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
Vegetable or Coconut Oil for Frying

To make the dipping sauce: Combine everything together in a small dish and stick in the fridge until ready to eat (this will give it some time to let the flavors mend together).

To make the Fritters: Cut off the top and bottoms of the zucchini. Grate them using the largest setting on your grater (AKA side with the biggest holes). Sprinkle with salt and stick in a bowl. Cover and let sit for 10 minutes. Move the zucchini to a clean dish towel (or SEVERAL layers of paper towel so they are strong) and ring out any excess juice.

Next, combine the zucchini, dill, flour, garlic, eggs, and baking powder. Stir until everything is mixed and a thick batter has formed.

In a medium skillet, put just enough oil to cover the bottom of the pan. Heat the oil over medium and use a 1/4 cup measuring cup to scoop out the batter onto the pan. My pan was big enough to cook 3 at a time but this may depend on the size of your pan..make sure they have enough room to not collide. Cook for about 3 minutes on each side (time will depend on how hot your oil gets…usually will take less time as you go on).

Place cooked fritters on a paper towel lined tray and repeat with the rest of your batter.

Enjoy with that yummy dipping sauce and your favorite people/puppies.

Corn and Feta Empanadas

7.26.2012

I have been having some serious wonderlust lately. It’s a serious problem. I feel like it mine as well be 20 degrees out…this heat makes me feel just as claustrophobic as the freezing nights of January. It makes me long for cool breezes, sweaters, and hot apple cider. I had such a long list of camping destinations this summer and I fear we won’t be able to get to any of them if these constant heat waves don’t break! I need some ‘smores and waterfall adventures in my life ASAP.

Well, it is SUPPOSE to rain here all day…cross your fingers! Sadly, it has been so dry that the local crops have been growing at snail pace which means we didn’t get a CSA box this week! It’s a total bummer. This means no fresh sage or summer squash this week. Or no beautiful drive into the country to pick up our ‘goodie box’ full of delicious surprises. Ah, oh well. It does also mean that we will get to do it for an extra week in October but still….

Anyhow, we still have a few leftover veggies from last week’s crop (and we do live two blocks from the local co-op so I really shouldn’t complain that much). We get LOADS of corn on the cob every week (go figure! What else is Indiana known for?). This was a perfect recipe to use up the leftover 7 cobs.

This was my first time ever tackling empanadas but it was surprisingly easy. Imagine calzones but without the hassle of using yeast dough (no kneading, rising, etc). It was fantastic. The dough had to chill so I was able to make the filling in the mean time and this probably didn’t take more than 20-30 minutes (plus cooking time). I grew up enjoying my step-mom’s empanadas which were always filled with apples, cherries, or blueberries. I feel like I could never top their sweet delicious flakiness so I decided to go in the opposite direction. I made these savory ones knowing they would be nothing like hers but being able to claim them as my own (and not compare them!).
Anyhow, this post has become very wordy. I am going to end saying one last thing about these empanadas. The filling was AMAZING. Next time I decided to make a corn side for a potluck or family gathering, I am going to just make this filling (corn + feta = oh so delicious). I am telling you this as a warning so you don’t eat all of the filling before you manage to fill all the insides!

Corn and Feta Empanadas

Adapted from The Kitchn

3 cups flour
1 1/2 sticks butter, cubed and chilled
1 teaspoon salt
1 large egg
1/2 cup cold water, divided

For the Filling:

7- 8 ears of corn, boiled until softened (or about 3 1/2 cups frozen)
1/2 cup crumbled feta
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon mustard
3 Tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon of lime juice
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon olive oil

Start by prepping the dough: I made the dough by hand but feel free to use a food processor if you have one. Place the flour, salt, and chopped butter in a bowl. Use your washed hands to work the butter into the dried ingredients until coarse. Whisk together the egg and water in a small bowl. Add in the water/egg mixture a little bit at a time and mix with your hands. Repeat until the dough has formed a stiff ball (you may not need all the water for this).

Divide into two parts and wrap in foil or parchment paper. Stick in the fridge to chill while you prep the filling.

To make the filling: heat olive oil over medium in a large skillet. Add in the corn and cook for about 5 minutes. Next, add in the garlic, mustard, milk, lime juice, paprika, sugar, and salt and cook for another 5 minutes. Remove from heat and fold in the feta.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Take the dough out of the fridge and roll out on a floured surface. I suggest just making it as thin as possible (probably about a 1/2 in thick but this all depends on personal preference). Use a small tea saucer as a template to cut out a circular hole.

Place on a parchment lined baking sheet and fill with about 2 tablespoon of the corn/feta mixture. Use your finger to rub a tiny bit of water on the outer edges of the dough (to make it sticky) and fold in half. Make indents with a fork to insure the empanadas are sealed. Repeat with the rest of the dough/mixture.

Cook for 15 or so minutes (it took mine about 22 minutes but my oven seems to take longer than most..)

Enjoy as an appetizer or as a main with a big salad!

Summer Squash Gratin

7.19.2012

Here is a spectacular example of why the weekly CSA box is perfect for me. I never buy yellow squash- I am a total zucchini nut and don’t usually stray. However, we received five summer squashes in our box last week so I was forced to whip up a yummy recipe with them. And let me tell you, this was such a surprising and wonderful dish! Mmmm. (Although, let’s be honest- when is anything lathered in cheese and buttery crackers bad?)

You can easily enjoy this as a filling main or have it as a side to a bbq. It’s also super versatile so feel free to subsitute any kind of cheese you would like!

Not much other news here- it’s my Ma’s bday (so glad I remembered…unlike for my brother’s birthday last week…) but I won’t be spending it with her (4 hour difference is just enough to keep us from getting together on a regular basis). But they will be coming down to see our new house next weekend which I am oh so excited about!

Summer Squash Gratin

4 medium yellow squash, thinly sliced
1 small onion, thinly sliced
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 Tablespoon butter
1/2 cup Parmesan, grated
1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
1/2 cup sour cream
1 sleeve of ritz crackers, crushed
salt/pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil and butter over medium. Add the squash and onions and saute until soft (about 10 minutes or so).

Remove from heat and stir in the cheeses and sour cream. Season with salt and pepper.

Transfer to a casserole dish (I used a 2 gallon dish) and top with crushed crackers.

Bake for 25 minutes or until the top is browned.

Serve warm as a side to your grilled goods or as a filling main dish.

Berry and Pecan Summer Salad

7.12.2012

If any benefit that has come from the previous heat wave, it is that it was too hot for me to crave anything but a huge, juicy salad. The thought of greasy french fries and the sluggish afternoon they would lead to in this 100 degree weather makes my stomach twist.

From years of salad experimenting, I’ve discovered the key to a really satisfying salad is as follows:

Greens (spinach, iceberg, kale, etc) + a sweet (usually fruit- fresh or dried) + a savory (nuts or baked tofu) + veggies (everything is better with veggies) + light salad dressing (to bring the flavors out but not over bear it).

I have been playing around with many variations on these combination a whole bunch recently and this Berry Pecan salad is probably my favorite one so far. The light honey vinaigrette brings out all the veggie fresh flavors and the peach/blueberry duo adds beautiful color and just enough sweet to tame the salty feta.

I am not going to put exact measurements for the contents of the salad because that is all up to you and what you enjoy. Feel free to experiment and swap out whatever you have on hand!

PS- Substitute the honey for agave nectar and omit the feta to make it vegan!

Berry and Pecan Summer Salad

Mixed Greens assortment (mine was just from a farmer stand)
Blueberries
Sliced Peaches
Chopped Pecans (bet it would be even better if you roasted them before hand!)
Feta
Bell Pepper
Red Onion (I soaked the slices in water for about 15 to tame the flavor – it works great!)

For the Honey Vinaigrette:

1/4 cup olive oil
3 Tablespoons honey
1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar
Salt/Pepper

Whisk all together in a small bowl and pour over salad.

Veggie hotdog dressed All American Style + Summer Salad = Mmmmmmm.

Quinoa Primavera

6.26.2012

As an attempt to cure my pizza hangover (symptoms included but were not limited to lethargy, lack of desire to wear ‘going out’ clothes, food baby, etc), I decided we need a healthy dinner to counteract all the over eating lately.

This recipe was my answer. It’s a rather weird one because it basically replaces pasta with quinoa to create a “healthified” twist an Italian classic. So why quinoa, you ask? Well it’s considered the “superfood” of grains (it is a…seed?) because it is a complete protein (contains all the essential amino acids), has twice as much fiber as other grains, and is low in fat. And, if that doesn’t sell you then maybe it’s light texture and quick prep time will win you over!

Regardless, this was a super easy and delicious recipe that I managed to whip up in about 20 minutes. To make it even healthier (and vegan!) feel free to omit the cheese (but that will compromise the slight creaminess that the cream cheese gives it.)

Also, it made for delicious leftover to bring to work the next day!

Quinoa Primavera

1 1/2 cups uncooked quinoa, rinsed
3 cups vegetable broth
2 ounces of cream cheese
2 Tablespoons fresh basil leaves, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup onion, diced
3 cups zucchini, diced
1 cup orange pepper, diced
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup Parmesan

Start by bringing the vegetable broth to a simmer. Cook quinoa for 15 minutes or until the liquid has been absorbed. Remove from heat and stir in the cream cheese and basil. Cover and set aside while you prepare the vegetables.

In a medium skillet, heat a tablespoon of olive oil over medium. Add in the garlic and saute for about a minute. Next, add in the zucchini, onion, and pepper and cook until very softened (I did mine for about 15 minutes but you can judge it on how crispy or softened you like yours!). Season with salt and pepper and add into the quinoa mixture.

Serve warm with some delicious rose sangria and a baguette.

Summer Potato Salad

6.05.2012

I finally (!!) made it to the Farmer’s Market this weekend for the first time in a month. Oh, what a wonderful experience! Last time I went there was loads of vegetable and herb plants but not so much actual produce yet. But this time…this time there were endless rows of fresh basil, lettuce, spinach, beans, strawberries, potatoes, scallions, local honey, and homemade cheeses. What a beautiful site! (sorry- I get a little over excited about these things! I mean…I did work at a co-op grocery store for a few years so this is obviously the type of thing I like to surround myself with). Anyways, I restrained and only snatched up some cherry tomatoes, red potatoes, and green beans (well.. and a delicious broiche from a local bakery but that’s besides the point).

So it came as no surprise that I immediately wanted to whip something up with my new and fresh produce! We were having people over for a grill out later that day and it seemed only appropriate I made potato salad with my new goodies. This is actually a really funny statement because I have only made potato salad a total of (maybe) 3 times before. I LOVE potato salad but for some reason, I am always trying to find new and interesting recipes to cook up instead of experimenting with the traditional classics.

Of course, knowing me, I started to immediately search around for vegan and “healthified” versions of potato salad. However, I saw Wyatt’s face drop when I mentioned making this salad without ‘mayo’; that was when I decided that sometimes you just have to make a recipe the way you remember it as a child. End of discussion.

This recipe was an outcome of all the favorite things I remember biting into when eating potato salad as a child. It was a bit of an experiment but well worth jumping into the unknown. It turned out fantastic- maybe even BETTER than I remember it growing up. Feel free to add more (or less!) of whatever you prefer and make ahead of time (if possible) so the flavors can mend together in the fridge for an hour or so!

Summer Potato Salad

2 pounds red potatoes
1 pound of green beans, trimmed
3 hard-boiled eggs, chopped
4 celery stalks, chopped
1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped bell pepper
1/8 cup chopped sweet pickles
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon celery seeds
Salt/Pepper

Bring both a large pot and a medium saucepan to a boil with salted water. Place the potatoes in the large pot and the green beans in the saucepan. Let the potatoes boil for about 15 to 20 minutes or until you can easily pierce a fork through them. Cook green beans for about 10 minutes or until they are softened. Drain both the beans and potatoes and set aside to cool. When cool enough, chop the potatoes into large chunks and the beans (if they are super long).

Hard boil the eggs any method you prefer (I just stick them in a small saucepan full of water and let the water come to a boil. Once rapidly boiling, I remove them from the heat and let sit in the warm water for about 12 minutes.)

In a large mixing bowl, combine all the chopped goodies! Next, fold in the mayo, celery seeds, and mustard. Season (generously) with salt and pepper.

Stick in the fridge until it’s munch time!

Dinner Picnic Part 1: Southwestern Inspired Quinoa Salad

5.30.2012

Well Memorial weekend has come and gone which means summer is officially in full swing. To me, this means fresh produce and delicious salads! I am not a big fan of having just a salad as a meal but I do love them as a side and to compliment my main entrees. I am particularly fond of grain salads (wheat berry, quinoa, polenta, oh my!) so please let me know if I begin to get carried away in the coming months!

On Monday we piled 5 people, a dog, and a grill into my roommate’s tiny civic and off we went to spend the afternoon at the lake. It was 90 and sunny here in Bloomington so the water could have never felt better! I whipped this salad up to go with our grilled goods; what made me think to make this one was that I didn’t want a mayo based salad sitting in the heat all day! So I turned to my flavorful quinoa salad that doesn’t’ need to be lathered in thick dressing to be flavorful. This salad is lime juice based which means a little sun won’t hurt anything!

Also, I made a double recipe so that we would have leftovers for the week. Since I was just not into getting back to routine, I made Wyatt (and Tuko!) have a dinner picnic with me last night in our favorite garden. The main course recipe is coming in a post later this week (stay tuned!) but we had this salad again as a side. Such perfect picnic fare!

Southwestern Inspired Quinoa Salad

adapted from Mom De Cuisine

1 cup quinoa
1 15 oz can of black beans, drained
1 cup corn
1/2 cup onions, chopped
1/2 cup red pepper, chopped
2 jalapeno, chopped (use less if you don’t like spicy)
1/4 cup olive oil
1/3 cup lime juice
1 Tablespoon cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
salt/pepper
cilantro, for garnish

Cook quinoa according to package directions (if no directions- wash thoroughly with cold water and then boil the quinoa for about 15 minutes or until soft).

Whisk together the olive oil, lime juice, cumin, chili powder, salt, and pepper.

Once the quinoa has cooled completely, combine the quinoa, bell pepper, black beans, corn, jalapeno, and onions in a large mixing bowl. Fold in the whisked dressing.

Let it sit in the fridge for at least an hour before serving so that all the flavors can mend together deliciously. Serve cool and while at a picnic/grill out!

Summer Pasta: Pesto Linguine with Spinach, Edamame, Lime, and Toasted Pecans

5.29.2012

I am both excited and a bit embarrassed to admit that I am about as nerdy as they come! Not even two weeks into finishing up my 16 years of schooling, I signed up for another class! Luckily, it’s an online blogging course put on by Decor8! I am so excited to expand my blogging skills and see what new thing I can absorb from this. I already have so many goals for VV this summer that I am hoping this course will push me to reach in ways I would have not thought of otherwise. If you’d like to learn more about it (or become my classmate! haha), hop on over to Blogging Your Way.

Anyhow, back to the point at hand: easy pasta dish! This dish has it all – protein from the edamame, nutrients from the fresh spinach (and maybe-sorta the corn?), and energy packed into the whole wheat pasta and pecans. Not to mention it’s delicious, colorful, and can be made in under 15 minutes. What more do you want? Yeah, maybe some garlic bread and red wine but those things are so easily solvable as well!

I whipped this up for a date night we had a few days back because when you are planing to spend your whole evening with that special cutie, who wants to waste the first two hours slaving away in the kitchen? Although, if its a FIRST date, I might recommend holding off on the garlic bread (or bringing a toothbrush!- just sayin’).

8 ounces of linguine
1/2 cup prepared pesto
4 ounces fresh spinach
1 1/2 cups edamame, cooked according to package
1/2 cup frozen corn, cooked according to package
1/2 cup pecans, chopped
2 Tablespoons lime juice

Prepare the linguine according to the package directions.

While the pasta is cooking, add the chopped pecans to a small skillet. Saute on low for 5 to 10 minutes or until they are toasted.

Drain the pasta and toss with the pesto and lime juice. Fold in the edamame and corn. And finally, top with the toasted pecans!

Serve with garlic bread (I just took two pitas and put butter/crushed garlic on top and stuck it under the broiler for a few minutes) and red wine!

Done!

Saucy Saturdays: Strawberry Balsamic Dressing

5.26.2012

And Saucy Saturdays is back! After a three-week hiatus because of our little road trip to Arizona (and our lake trip last weekend), I refused to let another busy weekend get in my way! To be honest, I am actually probably on my way to Northwest Indiana as you read this post but knew I should write it ahead of time or else it would never happen.

I don’t know about where you live but it’s managed to get hot and muggy (suppose to hit the 100′s here – helloooo….May?) so I thought something light would hit the spot!

Strawberries are also popping up everywhere! Wyatt has a bunch of wild strawberries (they are so little and adorable!) growing in his backyard (AKA Tuko’s playground). Nothing like fresh strawberries (particularly when they are in season) and one of my all time favorite salads is a simple spinach salad with pecans, strawberries, and balsamic.

This sauce is super simple and great to drizzle on top of a spinach salad or just enjoy on top of some fresh fruit!

Strawberry Balsamic Dressing

1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup strawberry jam
1/8 cup balsamic vinegar
Dash of Salt/Pepper

Whisk together in a sealable jar and VIOLA! Fresh and homemade dressing for all your fruit and green eating needs!

Have a fantastic Memorial Day weekend!