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2/28/21

Indo Thai Curry With Broccoli And Paneer

Bowl of curry with broccoli, carrots, and paneer

It's a rainy Sunday morning here in Arlington, VA, and I thought I'd share a recipe with you I made yesterday. When I say a recipe, it's mostly my recollection of the ingredients and the steps I took to make this Indo Thai Curry With Broccoli And Paneer.

It all started with a bunch of produce I had and a block of paneer I bought weeks earlier. I wanted something that would be of comfort, not too long to make, and do well as leftovers.

The Indo part of the recipe, as an Indian, comes from mustard seeds, cumin seeds, paneer, and cilantro. The Thai part is lime leaves, coconut milk, Thai red curry paste, and fish sauce. Of course all these ingredients are widely used in a multitude of cuisines.

Indo Thai Curry With Broccoli And Paneer

Ingredients

olive oil

2 teaspoons cumin seeds

2 teaspoons mustard seeds

1 tablespoon finely chopped ginger

1 head broccoli, cut into bite size pieces

2 carrots, peeled, sliced on diagonal into 1/4" pieces

14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes, drained and pureed (I drank the liquid)

14.5 ounce can coconut milk

1-2 tablespoons red Thai curry paste

lime leaves (mine were old, so I used a bunch of them)

1 block paneer, cut into cubes

fish sauce to taste

salt to taste

1-2 cups defrosted peas

To serve: Basmatti rice, lime wedges, chopped roasted cashews, chopped cilantro

Directions

1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Add cumin and mustard seeds and saute for a few minutes. Add ginger, broccoli, and carrots, and saute for about 5 minutes.

2. Add pureed tomatoes and coconut milk, red Thai curry paste, and lime leaves. Mix to combine.

3. Nestle in cubed paneer, a few dashes of fish sauce and a pinch of salt. Simmer covered for 10 minutes.

4. Taste. Adjust for seasoning. Simmer a bit longer if your vegetables aren't tender enough for your liking.

5. Add defrosted peas and simmer until they are warmed through.

6. Serve the curry on top of Basmatti rice with a wedge of lime and topped with cashews and cilantro.

You can go to town when it comes to variations: use whichever vegetables you have on hand, tofu instead of paneer, green curry instead of red, zoodles instead of rice.

My favorite part of this dish is the flavorful sauce! 

1/5/21

Green Curry With Sweet Potato, Peppers, And Peas

curry, coconut milk, sweet potato, vegan, vegetarian, plant based, pepper, soup, meatless monday, peas

If you have a few roasted sweet potatoes, or regular potatoes for that matter, you can have Green Curry With Sweet Potato, Peppers, And Peas in about 20 minutes!

Green Curry With Sweet Potato, Peppers, And Peas

Serves 2-3 depending on how hungry you are and whether you are eating this curry with rice

Ingredients

2 teaspoons olive oil

1/2 onion, thinly sliced

2 yellow peppers, thinly sliced (of course you can use any color you like)

2-3 tablespoons green curry paste

1 can (about 14 ounces) coconut milk

1/2 to 1 cups of water

1 large or 2 medium roasted sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed

1 cup defrosted peas

salt to taste

1 lime, quartered

nuts, chopped (I would prefer cashews or almonds, but only had Brasil nuts)

cilantro, chopped

Directions

1. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil. Add onions and peppers and saute on medium heat for about 7 to 10 minutes until the vegetables have softened and browned slightly.

2. Add the curry paste and saute for a few minutes.

3. Add the coconut milk and enough water to thin it out to your desired consistency.

4. Bring the mixture to a simmer. Add sweet potatoes and peas and mix to combine.

5. Simmer the curry covered for about 10 minutes. Taste for salt.

6. Serve the curry in a bowl with a squeeze of fresh lime juice, chopped nuts, and cilantro.

Options: you can serve this curry on top of rice and or with crispy tofu or a protein of your choice. 

12/20/20

Burrata, Beet & Avocado Salad

salad, meatless monday, avocado, citrus, orange, beets, burrata, cheese, healthy, winter salad, vegetarian

How gorgeous is this Burrata, Beet & Avocado Salad?

Salads aren't only for summer, although when I think of burrata, I immediately think of ripe summer tomatoes. Because we are in the middle of winter, how about switching things up a bit?

Burrata, Beet & Avocado Salad

Roasted beets, peeled and sliced
orange, segmented
avocado, sliced
burrata, torn into big chunks
salt
sumac
salt
olive oil

Arrange on a pretty platter. Eat.

Other things you may want to add: pistachios, herbs, endives.

10/5/20

Delicata Squash, Beets & Feta Salad

salad, squash, delicata squash, feta, beets, oranges, olives, healthy, meatless monday, vegetarian

In a blink of an eye, fall is here! How is the time flying so fast, and at the same time dragging?


Let's talk about Delicata Squash, Beets & Feta Salad instead!

Yesterday I saw Domenica post an insta story of her salad from La Fromagerie that had delicata squash, beets, turnips, and feta. I took that idea and ran with it...to the kitchen using produce I had from my Washington's Green Grocer order. 

Delicata Squash, Beets & Feta Salad

Ingredients

olive oil

delicata squash, sliced into 1/4" rounds, seeds removed with a biscuit cutter or a spoon

salt

roasted beets, sliced into wedges

orange, segmented

green olives

feta, sliced into planks

dill

red pepper flakes

Directions

1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Sauté delicata squash slices seasoned with salt until they are tender, about 5-7 minutes on each side.

2. Plate a salad on a plate. Drizzle with more oil and a few dashes of salt. Sprinkle with dill and red pepper flakes. 

9/14/20

Roasted Sweet Potatoes & Brussels Sprouts With Tahini Dressing And Pickled Red Onions

sweet potato, brussels sprouts, vegetarian, vegan, pickled onions, side, salad, healthy, cilantro

This past weekend I created a vibrant and healthy vegan side dish: Roasted Sweet Potatoes & Brussels Sprouts With Tahini Dressing And Pickled Red Onions.

This recipe is incredibly easy to make because you can make all the components ahead of time, and you can serve this side hot, at room temperature, or cold. Because it's vegan, it's good for you and you can bring it on a picnic without any worries of things spoiling.

A note on tahini dressing: I make mine without any specific proportions, but to taste. I learned a trick of pouring lemon juice over minced garlic and letting it sit for about ten minutes to infuse the lemon juice with the garlic. Then, strain and discard the garlic. Add tahini to the lemon juice, a pinch of salt, a pinch of cumin and enough cold water to whisk into a smooth sauce.

Roasted Sweet Potatoes & Brussels Sprouts With Tahini Dressing And Pickled Red Onions

Ingredients

sweet potatoes, peeled, cubed into bite size pieces

Brussels sprouts, trimmed, halved or quartered depending on the size

za'atar

salt

olive oil

pickled red onions

tahini dressing

cilantro

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 425F.

2. In a bowl combine the sweet potatoes and Brussels sprouts with za'atar and salt to taste and enough olive oil to coat.

3. In a large cookie sheet, in a single layer, roast the vegetables for about 25 minutes, occasionally shaking the sheet. 

4. Serve the roasted vegetables on a large platter topped with pickled red onions, drizzle of tahini dressing, and fresh cilantro. 

8/3/20

Garlic Lemon Green Beans From Hemsley Hemsley


green beans, garlic, lemon, side dish, vegetables

Last week I received a surprise cookbook in my latest produce order from Washington's Green Grocer! After being a trusted customer for over 6 years, this was such a sweet gesture.

Looking through Hemsley Hemsley cookbook, I immediately flagged a recipe for Garlic Lemon Green Beans and made it over the weekend.

You basically steam the green beans while heating ghee (I used olive oil) with chopped garlic, lemon zest and lemon juice, and fresh parsley. Once the beans are tender, drain and add them to the "bath" and seasons with salt and pepper. Top with parsley. 

I highly recommend doubling the recipe because it's great reheated in a skillet the next day.

cabbage, peaches, cookbook, hemsley hemsley, produce, corn, green beans

7/20/20

Meatless Monday: Patty Pan Squash & Corn With Feta Dip


Ready or not, it's another Monday!! If you are swimming in summer corn and squash, I have a super fast and flavorful recipe for you: Patty Pan Squash & Corn with Feta Dip.

Earlier last week I saw Ellie Krieger's instagram post about feta dip: basically feta, yogurt, herbs, lemon juice, olive oil, and garlic, and magically happened to have all the necessary ingredients!

I also had a few patty pan squashes and fresh corn, and thought the dip would be awesome on top of patty pan squash and corn pancakes.

But my pancakes UTTERLY fell apart. Such is life sometimes.

Instead, I sauteed everything together: grated patty pan squash, kernels of corn, minced garlic, chopped parsley, a bit of cayenne powder, one egg, a bit of bread crumbs, and salt. 

I then topped this mixture with Ellie's feta dip and extra parsley on top.

This was a lovely lunch and I had leftovers for breakfast with an egg.

If you don't have patty pan squash, use zucchini or summer squash.

BONUS: here's a recipe for summer squash and corn fritters that actually works.  

2/11/20

Taco Tuesday: Purple Cauliflower Tacos With Garlicky Yogurt Sauce


Welcome to Taco Tuesday! Let me tell you about these gorgeous (tooting my own horn) Purple Cauliflower Tacos With Garlicky Yogurt Sauce.

Last week I received my monthly gifted box of produce from Seasonal Roots which included striking purple cauliflower. Of course it's more about how produce tastes than how it looks, but why not choose a vibrant shade of purple when you get a chance? Even as a little girl I always asked my parents does it come in another color?

After doing a quick internet search for recipes to make with purple cauliflower that will keep the color intact, I found this gem from frieda's for Turmeric Roasted Cauliflower Tacos. I had to make them!

This was the first time I ever used fresh turmeric. It looks like ginger, but has a bright deep orange inside. Because I used frieda's recipe pretty closely, I'm not going to retype it here. Follow the link instead and give them some love!

Instead of flour tortillas I used corn ones and gave them a quick little char directly on my gas stove.

Also, I added a salad of diced fennel and red peppers to the roasted purple cauliflower and a bit of fresh cilantro.

I love anything that has red pickled onions because they brighten up the flavor of any dish, add a deep pink color, and a bit of a crunch.

The only reason I served the garlicky yogurt sauce on the side is for the visual effect. I spooned it over the tacos before eating them and added a squeeze of a fresh lime.

These were stellar and quite filling. 

Note: if you are the first time subscriber to Seasonal Roots, use mangotomato to receive a discount. I'll then receive a bit of credit ;) Thanks for supporting me. This a non sponsored post. As always, all opinions are my own!

9/9/19

Meatless Monday: Tomatillo & Avocado Salsa


Tomatillo & Avocado Salsa is a recipe that comes together quickly and is great not only with chips, but also as a salad dressing, a sauce for grilled chicken, or mixed into pasta.

Once a month, Seasonal Roots sends me a box of their produce as a gift. This past month, I got an extra credit when someone used my referral code mangotomato!!! I don't know who used it, but I thank you!!

I  added tomatillos to my box using the credit from the referral code. Did you know tomatillos are not green tomatoes? Although both tomatoes and tomatillos are members of the nightshade family, as are peppers and eggplant, tomatillos aren't unripe tomatoes. 

I decided to make a quick salsa using tomatillos and posted a question on my insta story whether to roast them first or use raw. ROAST was the overwhelming response.

Not having an outdoor grill, I decided to "roast" tomatillos in a dry cast iron skillet. You can also broil them!

Tomatillo & Avocado Salsa
Makes about 2 cups

Ingredients
18 tomatillos, husks removed and discarded, washed, dried
1 jalapeno
1/4 Vidalia onion
1/4 cup water
1 cup cilantro
1 avocado
salt to taste
plantain chips

Directions
1. Heat a cast iron skillet on the stove. Add tomatillos, jalapeno, and the onion and cook until all the vegetables have blackened, rotating occasionally.

2. Remove the seeds from the jalapeno and discard. Add blackened tomatillos, jalapeno, and onion to a blender with water, cilantro and avocado and pulse until you get your desired consistency. Season with salt.

I recommend refrigerating the salsa before eating. You may also substitute lime juice, at least partially, for water.

If you like more heat, leave the seeds of the jalapeno!

How gorgeous are these??? I think that's the first time I've seen purple tomatillos: alas once cooked, the color doesn't remain.

6/21/19

Corn Salad With Sesame Dressing


One of my favorite summer salads is a combination of raw corn with cherry tomatoes, avocado, olives, and herbs drizzled with olive oil and seasoned simply with salt and pepper.

Earlier this week, however, I stepped out of my comfort zone and made Corn Salad With Sesame Dressing slightly adapted from Savory Simple's recipe. The star of Jennifer's recipe is the sesame dressing: I want to put it on everything!

Because I very rarely make salad dressings, I was happy to see how easy it was to make Jennifer's sesame dressing. I substituted a few ingredients based on what I had in my cupboard, left out a few, and added garlic. 

Below is my version of the dressing that I drizzled over a combination of raw corn, grape tomatoes, green pepper, red onion, and basil.

Sesame Dressing Adapted from Savory Simple
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons roasted sesame oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon crunchy peanut butter
1 smashed garlic clove

In a small blender puree all the ingredients until smooth.

This dressing is also great in a cucumber and red onion salad. It'd be great in a chicken salad or drizzled on top of sauteed or roasted vegetables. 

4/15/19

Meatless Monday: Big Ass Salad With Feta


If you follow me on instagram, you saw that I basically ate 10 pounds worth of lamb yesterday at the lamb jam event with my friend Jazmin. 

For something lighter, my lunch today is a version of what I like to call BIG ASS SALAD. What's a big ass salad? It's a salad that has a bunch of fun ingredients served in a large bowl or plated that can be a meal in itself. The salad most often doesn't even have lettuce, and instead combines a variety of vegetables in different colors and textures, with a few fun ingredients such as cheese or nuts or protein.

Meatless Monday Big Ass Salad With Feta
lettuce, chopped
cherry tomatoes, halved
red onion, finely diced
yellow pepper, diced
cucumber, diced
kalamata olives, halved
avocado, sliced
feta
olive oil
salt
za'atar

Note on feta: I very much prefer to buy a big block of feta instead of crumbles. It's usually more expensive, but tastes better and you can control how to serve it. This time I added a big slab of feta to my salad. 

Note: to "beef" up the salad, you can add a boiled potato and/or chickpeas!

3/11/19

Meatless Monday: Saag Paneer From Scratch


I don't say this often, but I was so proud of myself yesterday after making Saag Paneer from scratch at home!

It all started after a coworker shared a recipe he made in his pressure cooker for saag (an Indian spinach side). I thought I will do the same, and also make paneer (Indian cheese).

Special thanks to my friend Sangeetha for providing dried fenugreek leaves: they add a great depth of flavor to saag.



I used My Heart Beets' Recipe for saag with a few changes:

1) I used 36 ounces of spinach because I could not find mustard greens
2) I did not have ghee, so used olive oil
WARNING: use less salt than what the recipe calls for. Don't freak out about how much spinach you have in the beginning: add it to the pressure cooker in batches and allow it to wilt before adding more.

For the paneer, I used Swasthi's recipe. I had to add more lemon juice, but the final result was pretty good, if not perfectly shaped as I had to run out to a museum outing with my friend. I used the leftover liquid from paneer to cook basmatti rice.



Leftovers for lunch will be awesome!

3/4/19

Meatless Monday: Roasted Artichoke With Garlic & Parsley


Last week I received one of the largest artichokes I've ever seen in my life in my order from the Washington's Green Grocer. Luckily, they also linked to a recipe from Tasty that was incredibly easy to follow.

You cut off the top and the bottom of the artichoke, tear off some of the bottom petals, then drizzle the cut side of the artichoke with lemon juice and olive oil, season with salt, top with microplane'd garlic and chopped parsley. I left out the cheese because I did not have it.

You then wrap up the artichoke in aluminum foil and roast it for about an hour depending on the size at 425F. I served mine (to myself) topped with freshly chopped parsley and a side of Ranch dressing. I then cut up the artichoke heart and made a salad with it with potatoes, cucumbers and leftover Ranch.


How do YOU usually prepare an artichoke?

2/19/19

Roasted Beet Salad With Chipotle Vinaigrette


Roasted Beet Salad With Chipotle Vinaigrette looks beautiful plated, and tastes even better once you mix all the ingredients together.

I was inspired to create this salad after seeing a picture of beets on my friend Laura's insta story and asking her what she was going to make with them. Laura sent me a link to her recipe for Roasted Chipotle Beets With Goat Cheese & Egg Tostadas. I took some of the same ingredients, added a few extras, and turned it into a salad!

Roasted Beet Salad With Chipotle Vinaigrette
Ingredients
beets, scrubbed
olive oil
avocado, sliced
red pepper, sliced
blue cheese, crumbled
6 minute egg (put eggs in cold water, cover, bring to a boil, shut off the heat, wait 6 minutes, cool in an ice bath, peel, slice)
cilantro
for the dressing
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1-2 tablespoons adobo sauce from a can of chiles in adobo 
1 tablespoons lime juice plus extra lime wedges
salt to taste

Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 425. Put beets on an aluminum foil, drizzle with olive oil, wrap, and roast for about 1 hour, depending on the size. Cool slightly, peel, dice.
2. Arrange the beets, avocado, red pepper, blue cheese crumbles, sliced egg, and cilantro on a plate.
3. Whisk the dressing ingredients together.

For the purposes of the photo, I poured the dressing into a little bowl. You shall pour it onto the other ingredients.

The dressing was awesome! It could also act a a marinade for chicken if you want.

If you love beets, definitely make this salad. 

12/17/18

Raw Brussels Sprouts, Red Cabbage, And Carrot Slaw


Raw Brussels Sprouts, Red Cabbage, And Carrot Slaw is the perfect way to use winter produce literally in minutes! This slaw is colorful, crunchy, keeps well in the refrigerator, and is basically negative calories dish: you'll burn more calories chewing ;)

I had a bunch of produce from my latest Washington's Green Grocer order and instead of roasting the Brussels sprouts and making a cabbage soup, decided to thinly slice all the vegetables and mix in the beautiful pomegranate arils. 

For the dressing, I used tangerine juice, olive oil, and whole grain mustard. You can use as little or as much of each of these ingredients depending on how spicy or sweet you want the dressing to be. In fact, feel free to add a bit of honey or lemon juice.

Also, I used a food processor to shred my vegetables. You can use a knife or a mandoline if that's what you have.

Raw Brussels Sprouts, Red Cabbage, And Carrot Slaw

Ingredients
Brussels sprouts, shredded
carrots, thinly shredded
red cabbage (or purple) thinly shredded
pomegranate arils (leave some for garnish)
salt and pepper
olive oil
fresh tangerine juice
whole grain mustard

Directions
1. Combine the vegetables in a very large bowl. 
2. Sprinkle most of the arils on top, season with salt and pepper and drizzle with olive oil, tangerine juice and top with a few tablespoons of whole grain mustard. 
3. Gently mix to combine: you don't want to crush the pomegranate arils.
4. Serve in individual bowls topped with extra arils.

11/26/18

Meatless Monday: Green Beans With Pomegranate & Smoked Almonds



If you are looking for what to do with green beans, look no further! Green Beans With Pomegranate & Smoked Almonds is a gorgeous side to serve with your meal and is a great contender for your Christmas meal if you celebrate that holiday because of the vibrant green and red colors.

If you don't celebrate Christmas and just love pomegranate seeds and smoked almonds, make this immediately!!

Green Beans With Pomegranate & Smoked Almonds

Ingredients
water
salt
green beans
olive oil
salt
pepper
red pepper flakes
pomegranate molasses
pomegranate seeds
smoked almonds, chopped
parsley, chopped

Directions
1. Cook the beans in boiling salted water for a few minutes. Drain and dry on a paper towel.
2. Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Add the beans and season with salt, pepper and red pepper flakes. Saute until the beans are browned.
3. Serve the beans drizzled with pomegranate molasses and topped with pomegranate seeds, smoked almonds and parsley.

What are YOU cooking?

11/6/18

Radicchio & Roasted Squash Salad from Now & Again Cookbook from Julia Turshen


Thanksgiving is a few weeks away and maybe you've already started planning your menu, or maybe just like me you have a few butternut squashes sitting around and are looking for a fun recipe to make with them.

Either way, the Radicchio & Roasted Squash Salad from Julia Turshen's Now & Again Cookbook is a great way to use your butternut squash. My friends at OXO sent me a copy of Julia's book and a few kitchen tools. 

The book is divided into seasons and presents menus and recipes based on special occasions for each. If you, like me, love leftovers, Julia provides plenty of ideas for those too. 

If you've read my blog, you know I love oxo tools. One of my favorites is the angled measuring cup. I had the 2 cup capacity cup and am happy to add the mini one to my collection (see the photo below). I used the cup to measure 4 tablespoons of vinegar for the dressing in the recipe, which equals 1/4 cup.

I have many peelers, but this new one from oxo has a great grip, is light weight, has a swivel blade, and had no trouble peeling the tough skin of the butternut squash. I gave my old peeler to a friend!

Finally, I added fresh parsley to the salad and used oxo's Greensaver Herb Keeper to store the leftover parsley in my fridge. I love that the container is tall and doesn't take up too much space and allows the air to circulate around the herbs which makes them live longer: less money in the garbage!


And now the recipe!


Reprinted  from  Now  &  Again  by  Julia  Turshen  with  permission  by  Chronicle  Books,  2018 
Radicchio  +  Roasted  Squash  Salad 

SERVES  12 

This  salad  is  especially  great  for  the  holiday  not  only  for  its  wonderful  fall  flavors  but  also  because  it’s  hearty  and  can  sit  on  a  buffet  table  for  hours  without  losing  any  integrity  or  flavor.  In  fact,  you  can  mix  the  whole  thing  up  to  a  day  before,  refrigerate  it,  and  then  bring  it  to  room  temperature  before  serving. 

If  you  can  find  delicata  squash,  try  it  (just  seed  it,  no  need  to  peel it).  Note  that  if  you  can’t  find  squash  (or  if  you  dislike  it),  sweet  potatoes  make  an  excellent  substitute. 

3  lb  [1.3  kg]  butternut  squash,  halved  lengthwise,  tough  skin  peeled  and  ends  trimmed  and  discarded,  seeded,  and  cut  into  1-in  [2.5-cm]  pieces 
¾  cup  [180  ml]  olive  oil 
Kosher  salt 
Freshly  ground  black  pepper 
2  Tbsp  Dijon  mustard 
1  Tbsp  honey  or  maple  syrup 
¼  cup  [60  ml]  apple  cider  vinegar 
1  garlic  clove,  minced 
3  heads  radicchio,  each  about  ½  lb  [230  g],  cored  and  thinly  sliced 

Position  one  rack  in  the  center  of  your  oven  and  a  second  rack  in  the  top  third  and  preheat  to  400°F  [200°C].  Line  two  sheet  pans  with  parchment  paper. 

Divide  the  squash  evenly  between  the  prepared  pans,  then  drizzle  each  pan  with  2  Tbsp  of  the  olive  oil  and  season  generously  with  salt  and  pepper.  Use  your  hands  to  toss  everything. 

Roast  the  squash,  stirring  once  or  twice  along  the  way  and  switching  the  pans  between  the  racks  and  rotating  them  back  to  front  halfway  through  the  roasting,  until  softened  and  browned,  about  30  minutes. 

Set  the  squash  aside  to  cool  down  a  bit. 

In  a  large  bowl,  whisk  together  the  mustard,  honey,  vinegar,  and  garlic.  While  whisking  constantly,  slowly  drizzle  in  the  remaining  ½  cup  [120  ml]  olive  oil  to  make  a  dressing.  

Season  to  taste  with  salt  and  pepper.  Add  the  reserved  squash  and  the  radicchio  to  the  bowl  and  use  your  hands  to  combine  everything  gently  (messy,  but  fun). 

Transfer  the  salad  to  a  serving  platter  and  serve  immediately  (or  within  a  few  hours;  it  holds  well  at  room  temperature). 

It’s  Me  Again 
SQUASH  GRILLED  CHEESE 

Make  delicious  vegetarian  sandwiches  by  spreading  mayonnaise  on  both  sides  of  two  slices  of  bread,  top  with  your  favorite  melting  cheese  (such  as  Cheddar  or  Muenster),  and  add  a  large  handful  of  leftover  radicchio  and  squash  salad.  

Close  the  sandwich  and  cook  in  a  skillet until  browned  on  both  sides  and  the  cheese  is  melted,  about  1½  minutes  per  side  (the  mayonnaise  will  help  the  exterior  brown). 


Serve  with  mustard  and  pickles.  See  the  cover  of  the  book  if  you  need  any  convincing!  


This was such an easy recipe to make. I poured the dressing into the oxo squeeze bottle and drizzled it over the salad. That way you can easily store extra dressing in the refrigerator.

I had this salad for breakfast a few days and as part of dinner another night. I added fresh cucumbers and dried cherries to my leftovers!

Thanks oxo for sending me the book and the tools! As always, opinions are my own. I was not paid for this post. 

10/15/18

Vegan Split Pea Soup In A Pressure Cooker Adapted From SkinnyTaste


It finally feels like Fall, which means it's soup weather (although for me, almost any weather is soup weather). If you are like me and love split pea soup, you'll want to make my vegan version of SkinnyTaste's Split Pea Soup in a pressure cooker! I added potatoes, because that's what my mom always does, took out the meat, and added a few extra spices.

Remember when slightly over two years ago I received a PowerPressureXL to play with in my kitchen? I've loved that pressure cooker and used it often, but a few months ago noticed that the non stick coating started to come off. Luckily, the company has rebranded itself into PowerQuickPot, updated its pressure cooker model and now has a stainless steel insert! I received the new model and tested it out by making the split pea soup.

Vegan Split Pea Soup In A Pressure Cooker Adapted From SkinnyTaste

Ingredients
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 carrots, peeled and diced
1 small onion, diced
2 celery ribs, peeled, diced
1 large Russet potato, peeled, cubed into 3/4" pieces
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons curry powder
2 teaspoons bourbon smoked paprika
1 pound dry green split peas, washed well
1 bay leaf
6 cups water
chopped parsley for garnish

Directions
1. Set the PowerQuickPot to a saute setting. Add olive oil, allow to heat slightly, then add carrots, onion, celery and potatoes. Saute for 5 minutes.
2. Add the rest of the ingredients, other than parsley, and mix to combine.
3. Set the PowerQuickPot to the bean setting. {Note, the bean setting was for 20 minutes. I used a quick release after 15 minutes.}

Adjust the seasoning and serve topped with parsley. Keep in mind the soup will thicken as it sits in the fridge.

This will be lunch today and tomorrow and the day after!

Thanks PowerQuickPot for my new pressure cooker! I'm giving the older version to a friend and sending her a link to a stainless steel insert.

Note: I received the PowerQuickPot as a gift. I'm not being paid for this post. All opinions are my own.

8/20/18

Quick & Easy Pickled Red Onions With Sumac


One of the ingredients I always have on hand are onions. I add onions to soups, salads, thinly sliced into sandwiches, main dishes, and side dishes.

Pickled onions aren't only easy to make, but can elevate any dish and enhance its flavor.

Last weekend I made a quick batch of pickled onions without using any measurements and with an addition of sumac. It was so good and easy, I decided to make a second batch and to share the recipe with you.

Quick & Easy Pickled Red Onions With Sumac

1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
juice of 1 tangerine
white vinegar
a few dashes of sumac

Place sliced onions into a small jar. Add juice of tangerine and enough white vinegar to cover. Add sumac. Add the lid. Shake. Refrigerate for at least a few hours.

I've added these onions to a pulled pork sandwich, tuna salad, and a big potato salad that I'll blog about later this week.

8/6/18

Summer Eggplant, Zucchini & Pepper In A Pressure Cooker


Good morning! It's another Monday, and I have another Meatless Monday recipe for you. Don't worry, I eat plenty of meat ;)

Last night I was thinking about how to use summer produce I had in my refrigerator including an eggplant, red pepper, and a zucchini. I considered making ratatouille, but could not be bothered to saute all the vegetables in a skillet. Instead, I decided to literally dice and dump all the vegetables into my pressure cooker and call it a night. The results were awesome!

Summer Eggplant, Zucchini & Pepper In A Pressure Cooker
Serves 4-6

Ingredients
1 large eggplant, diced
1 red pepper, diced
1 zucchini, diced
1 onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, sliced
14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes
salt & pepper to taste
drizzle olive oil
1/3 cup chopped parsley, more to garnish

Directions
1. Add all the ingredients into a pressure cooker (other than the garnish parsley). 
2. Using the vegetable option, pressurize for 10 minutes.
3. Release the steam, taste, add more salt if needed. Serve topped with chopped fresh parsley.

My condo smelled so good! You can serve this dish as a side, use it as a base for shakshuka, puree into a soup, or pulse a few times in a food processor to turn into a chunky salsa.