Veggie & Hummus Sandwich

I can't get enough of veggie sandwiches and am always trying to find ways to tweak it. So here's my latest reincarnation:

All you need is:
Toasted multi-grain bread
Roasted red peppers, sliced
Mixed greens
1-2 large fresh basil leaves
Cherry tomatoes, sliced
2-3 tbsp garlic hummus

Quinoa Veggie Bowl

Joe and I recently visited a new neighborhood restaurant that focuses on organic and locally grown veggies and meat. I ended up super happy with my meal choice, and had to try something similar at home! Three easy steps to a yummy meal!

Ingredients
(choose the quantities to your liking)
Olive oil
Garlic clove, diced
Cauliflower florets
Broccoli
Summer squash, chopped
Zucchini, chopped
Asparagus tops
Sun-dried tomatoes
1/2" tofu slices (or chicken for you carnivores)
1 cup quinoa
Salsa

1. In olive oil on a stovetop pan, lightly brown the garlic. Add the veggies and tofu and saute until browned. 2. Prep quinoa according to package directions. Mix in a few tablespoons of salsa. 3. Mix veggies into the quinoa and serve.

Sun-dried Tomato Hummus

Remember my post about homemade hummus?

Well, I thought I'd be a little creative and take a stab at altering it based on that grid. And it came out well, if I do say so myself.

Blend the following in a food processor and you're done!:
1 can chickpeas, rinsed
1/4 cup tahini
1 large clove of garlic, diced
1/4 cup packed sun-dried tomatoes (I used the ones not in oil)
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp dried italian seasoning (oregano, basil, etc)
1 tbsp lemon juice

I used this hummus as a spread for my lentil wrap (torilla, hummus, cooked lentils, sliced cherry tomatoes, arugula) and it complimented it perfectly.

Mega Salad - Broccoli, Quinoa, & "Bacon" with Tahini Dressing

I started with this recipe for this Creamy Broccoli Salad and put it over greens. Which was good. But then I kicked it up a notch by adding crispy tempeh bacon and almonds.


I found there was plenty of dressing when I made the broccoli salad, so I only used half and saved the other half to top the salad right before eating.

Mega Salad - Broccoli, Quinoa, & "Bacon" with Tahini Dressing
Makes 2 gigantic servings (or 3-4 normal servings)

Ingredients:
Creamy Broccoli Salad, plus leftover dressing
A few handfuls of greens (I used pre-packaged mixed greens, but kale or arugula would be great, too)
4 slices tempeh bacon
1-2 Tbsp Olive oil
2 Tbsp sliced almonds

Directions:
Heat olive oil in a small pan, then fry tempeh bacon until crispy on both sides. Crumble or chop into small bites.

In a giant salad bowl (or several smaller bowls), lay down a bed of lettuce dress lightly and toss. Then add broccoli salad, almonds and tempeh bacon.

Enjoy!

Note: If you're not eating right away, keep components separate so your greens and tempeh bacon don't get too soggy.

Brownies (pt 2) - Black Bean Brownies

I know. It sounds crazy. But hear me out. These are gluten-free and made with oats and texturally they are somewhere between an undercooked brownie and silk. The texture from the beans is creamy and yummy. The maple syrup flavor is a bit rich as suggested, so I recommend swapping it out for grade A syrup, which has a less pronounced maple flavor, or swapping some of the syrup for sugar. Or follow the directions and then only eat one brownie per sitting (I guess some people might think this is the sensible route, but it just feels wrong to me).

Chocolate Covered Katie's Black Bean Brownies

Apple Chimi-chimi-changas

I had bookmarked this recipe from RecipeSweet.net quite awhile ago. And one night I just decided to make them.

Rather than prop my laptop up on the counter like I usually do, I did this one from memory. And because of that, I forgot a few steps. But I wasn't starting with the original recipe either, so I guess I was just winging the whole thing.

A few weeks ago I was staring at all my jars of jams I made last fall and thought - dang, I really gotta start using these. I don't foresee the apocalypse coming so soon (or should I?...) so let's use these up. So rather than make the pie filler from the recipe, I used my Apple Pie Jam I made last fall with fresh apples I picked (similar to this recipe.)

I spread about 2 tablespoons of the jam on flour tortillas, rolled them up, and fried in veggie oil for a few minutes on each side until they got crispy. I laid them on paper towels to help soak up the grease - mistake as the towels stuck and I had to pick off the paper! Maybe I'll use cheesecloth or something similar next time.

I forgot about rolling the tortilla in the sugar mix (which might cover up some of the stickiness from the oil and eliminate the need to absorb that up) but honestly the pie jam was sweet enough. But they turned out well as is - as my coworkers cobbled them right up!

Brownies (pt 1) - Single-Serve Microwave Brownies

Winter is brownie season. Not because of Girl Scout cookies, but because what is better on a cold winter night than a brownie? Nothing, that's what. With all of the snow we've been getting hit with on the east coast, I have tried out some of the biggest internet phenomenons in the brownie world. This post highlights the single-serve microwave baked goods wave. I love everything about this recipe except for the fact that there are no leftovers. I microwave mine for 60 seconds instead of the recommended 50, because mine were coming out very underdone in the middle. I love how quickly these brownies are from start to finish. About 3 minutes from getting your butt of the couch to getting your butt back on the couch, including cleanup time. Can't beat that.

Preety's Vegan Mug Brownies


(I apologize for not adding a picture, but it is incredibly hard to get a nice-looking picture of a brownie in a mug, especially when that mug is also the mixing bowl)

Applesauce Oat muffins

I tried this recipe from Mel's Kitchen Cafe and I am definitely going to make it more often.

I did make a few edits though to veganize it:
Ground flax seed instead of egg
Coconut oil instead of butter

I had also used homemade applesauce I made last fall from freshly picked apples and canned for days like this!

A tasty healthy breakfast treat.

Spicy tomato soup

I recently tried this recipe from Vegetarian Times but made a few tweaks to the recipe.

Ingredients

Olive oil

1 cup chopped yellow onion

1 tbsp tomato paste or sauce

1 clove garlic, diced

1 tsp sugar

1 15-oz can diced fire-roasted tomatoes

2 tsp balsamic vinegar

4 cups water

1 tsp dried thyme

1-2 tbsp fresh basil

2 heaping tbsp cornstarch

Vegetable broth

1. In a medium pot, saute onion for a few minutes in a few tablespoons of olive oil, then add tomato paste, garlic, and sugar.
2. Add tomatoes, vinegar, water, and seasonings. Bring to a boil, the cover and simmer at a low temp for about 15 minutes.
3. With am immersion blender, process until smooth. 4. In a small bowl, whisk cornstarch and a few tablespoons of broth. Add to pot. Stir, let sit for 5 minutes to thicken, and serve.

The World's Easiest Tomato Tart

Another great pinterest find! I had to bring appetizers to two different parties last weekend (as well as 2-3 dozen cookies to each), so I wanted something simple, yet classy and tasty. This fit the bill perfectly. It's from babble and I doubled the amounts to make the two pictured.

1 sheet puff pastry, defrosted

2-3 large tomatoes, or a handful of cherry tomatoes, cored and sliced

2-3 branches fresh thyme

1 T. good quality olive oil

Pepper

a generous pinche of Sea Salt

1. Preheat oven to 375ºF. Line a jelly roll pan with parchment paper or a Silpat. Place the puff pastry on the lined baking sheet and lightly score a 1/2″ border around the edge with a sharp knife. Use fork tines to prick the pastry inside the border all over. This will prevent the pastry from puffing up too much when baking.

2. Place the tomato slices in a single layer on the puff pastry (the original recipe said be careful not to overlap, but I think that would make it even more delicious). Strip the thyme branches and sprinkle over the tomatoes, then drizzle with olive oil, a few cranks of good pepper and sea salt.

3. Baked for 30-40 minutes or until pastry is crispy and deeply browned. Sprinkle on a dash more salt. Serve.

Roasted Cauliflower, Broccoli & Sun-Dried Tomato Salad with Chickpeas

Another "inspired by pinterest" recipe.

I found a recipe for Roasted Cauliflower, Broccoli & Sun-Dried Tomato Salad with Chickpeas and knew immediately that it would be my lunch the entire following week. I love how easily it comes together and how little work is involved. Especially if you're roasting veggies for dinner, you can just make extra for tomorrow's lunch!

I left out the olives and served it over mixed greens. I added in some baked tofu and topped it with a dijon vinaigrette. So yummy! If I were going to eat it immediately, I'd roast the chickpeas in the oven and get them super crunchy. If you're preparing it ahead of time, I don't think that cooking them at all is really needed, but that's a personal preference.

Mexicali Burgers

A friend of mine told me about this recipe years ago, but I never got around to making it until recently. Big mistake. Instead of making sliders, I made big burgers, because I had big burger buns and it just made more sense. And I skipped the Spicy Mango Sauce, because I hate both mangoes and spicy food. And in the salsa I used my new favorite salsa, Trader Joe's Organic Tomatillo & Roasted Yellow Chili Salsa.

Chef Chloe's Mexicali Sliders

Fiesta salad

Somewhat similar to my fiest corn salad, here's a tasty sidedish from A Teaspoon of Happiness that's really easy and quick to prepare. No cooking involved!

I cut the recipe in half. That makes more than enough for two people.

No Guilt Lemon Cookies

Wouldn't that be my luck that my neighborhood bakery that sells gluten-free desserts would be closed the day I need to pick up stuff for my gluten-allergic coworker?! So I had to quickly google some recipes while I was riding the bike at the gym when I came across this recipe from TheVedge.org. I just had to pick up the coconut oil on my way home and I was set.

For some reason, my dough wasn't moist enough with the ingredient amounts posted, so I added a little more of each liquid.

These cookies pack a surprise: They are a little bit crumbly/powdery, but once it hits your tongue, they become a bit creamy (possibly because I added more liquids?). Very tasty, plus vegan and gluten free!

Summer Series: Too Hot to Cook - Part 1: Panzanella & BBQ Tofu

I'm attempting a summer-long series inspired by my lack of desire to do lots of prep work or stand over a hot stove as temperatures hover in the 90s.

Last night, I made a Panzanella salad and BBQ tofu strips (which I just called "BBQ strips" until my 3-year-old declared them a winner) with a side of sliced avocado. Simple, not a lot of prep and perfect for a hot summer evening. Honestly, I would eat just the salad for dinner with some sliced avocado, but for the kid's sake, I wanted to round the meal out.

For the BBQ tofu, I followed this recipe from my BBQ Tofu Sandwiches.

Panzanella Salad
Ingredients:
(all vegetables are approximate)
5 nice-sized tomatoes, cut into a large dice
1 English cucumber, cut into a large dice
1/2 red onion sliced thinly
1 loaf of yummy bread (ideally getting stale, but if it's not, that's okay!), cubed - I used ciabatta
1/4 cup vinegar (red wine or balsamic)
1/4 cup olive oil
1 (small) clove garlic, minced or grated on the microplane
salt & pepper to taste
1 handful basil, chiffonaded

Directions:
If your bread isn't stale, set your oven to 200 and put the cubes on a cookie sheet and let them dry out for about 40 minutes. Once that is done, continue with the recipe.

In a measuring cup, measure out the vinegar and oil, add the garlic and salt & pepper and mix together.

Put the rest of the ingredients in a bowl and mix together. Add the dressing and toss and toss and toss. Then refrigerate for at least an hour to let the dressing soak into the bread.

Add basil and toss again just before serving.

Blueberry Pie

I've never been a big pie person. Nor have I ever really made pie from scratch. But I decided THIS is the summer where that will all change.

So I started with Google and found a few great recipes from VeganDad:
Blueberry Pie
Homemade flaky pie crust

So yeah, now I'm a pie person. This pie won me over. My crust didn't turn out as pretty, but it was sure damn tasty.

Pancake puffs

Is it breakfast or dessert? Who can tell? But it doesn't matter - they're super tasty!
Pancake puffs from Vegan Fling.

I made several different ones - blueberry, strawberry, banana, and chocolate chip. It's very easy to make each puff differently since you don't add the variations to the batter, but to the muffin tin itself. It'll be fun to experiment with different ingredients!

Vegan banana nut muffin

Who doesn't love Pinterest? There, I found this super easy muffin recipe from MinimalistBaker.com.

Not only does it use simple ingredients, it only serves two! Perfect for when you don't want to make a big batch meant to last the week, but you'll just scarf down in one or two sittings anyways! (Or is that just me?)

Black bean & Sweet potato burgers

It's time to say goodbye to winter produce. I truly do enjoy a good butternut squash or turnip, but it's time to endulge in spring veggies now! So I had one last hurrah...

I had this recipe photocopied from a book a friend lent me. The only problem is, I don't remember which friend and which book it was! So I can't give credit where credit is due for this tasty patty.

Ingredients
1 can black beans, rinsed
1 large sweet potato, cut into 1" pieces
1/4 cup chopped sweet onion
1 clove garlic, diced
1 cup cooked brown rice
1 tsp cumin
1/4 cup cornmeal
Dash of salt & pepper
Olive oil spray
Olive oil

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place potato pieces in a pan sprayed with oil. Back for 20 minutes or until soft.
2. In a food processor, mix the rest of the ingredients until smooth. Add potatoes.
3. In a large pan, heat 2-3 tbsp of olive oil. Form mix into patties (I made 4 large patties), and brown each side.

I served on fresh pretzel bread from the farmers' market and topped with a little bit my tomato relish. It was heavenly.

And speaking of farmers' markets, for you southern Californians, here a great reference list of monthly in-season produce! From Southland Farmers' Market Association.

Choco-berry Crispy Cups

This recipe is loosely based on a recipe for Chocolate Cranberry Crunch Bars. I made a bunch of changes, though to make it exactly to my liking.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup Almond butter (or any other nut/seed butter you prefer)

3/4 cup dairy-free semi-sweet chocolate chips

1-3/4 cups Rice Crispies-type cereal

1/2 cup freeze-dried raspberries (strawberries would also be great, just crush them a bit first)

2 tablespoons pure maple syrup

Directions:

Melt the chocolate either in a double boiler or in the microwave (for about 1 minute).

Combine the nut butter and chocolate in a large bowl, whisking until relatively smooth. Stir in the cereal and raspberries until well coated. Finally, gently stir in the maple syrup until well combined.

Press the mixture into an 8×8-inch dish lined with parchment or wax paper, 9 to 12 muffin cups, or 24 to 30 mini muffin cups. If using a muffin pan, I suggest lining the pan with wrappers to get them out easier.

Chill for 15 minutes. If making bars, remove the batch with the parchment paper and cut into bars while still a touch soft. Return to the refrigerator or freezer to chill completely. To maintain their crispiness, store these crunch bars in an airtight container in the freezer. Pop one out when guests arrive or when the cravings strike!