Veggies 101: Roasted Broccoli

I've had a thing for roasted veggies since I can remember. Something about roasting vegetables takes their flavor up a notch- more than just steaming- and I absolutely prefer most vegetables roasted (there are obviously exceptions here). Being completely honest here, one of my favorite snacks is a big plate of roasted broccoli. It's filling, nutritious and SUPER low in calories. I literally eat the stuff like candy, but without feeling regretful and guilty after like candy would.

Shredded Veggie Rainbow Salad

I recently returned from a week-long trip to Israel with some family members. One of my key takeaways was to never visit Israel in August. It was blazing hot! We kept hearing "heat wave, heat wave, blah blah", but man we roasted. Second, and far more exciting to me, Israel has AMAZING produce. I'd heard that Israeli farmers do some impressive things, but it wasn't until I visited that I realized how impressive it is. We saw all different types of farms and orchards and fields and the produce in the markets was always fresh and gorgeous.


One of my favorite meals we had (and we had some really great meals) was at a lovely restaurant in a small town in upper Galilee. We sat, sweating, on a lovely veranda overlooking the valley and gushed over the amazing food. I absolutely flipped over one of the salads we were served. It was a combination of simply-dressed shredded raw vegetables topped with candied walnuts and Parmesan cheese. The light flavors of the raw vegetables balanced out the rich nuts and cheese and dressing just perfectly and it was so lovely in the heat. (Technically it wasn't actually my salad, but I'm confident the rightful owner didn't mind that I ate most of it.)

In all of of its grainy glory, here is The Salad. So delicious we're making it a proper non.  

My sister and I went back and forth trying to break down the ingredients. She was convinced it was dressed with olive oil and lemon juice, but I just couldn't believe it was that simple. We finally asked the waiter in what turned into an embarrassingly long ramble about "how much we loved the salad and how we wanted to make at home and could he please oh please tell us what was in it because we couldn't quite figure it out, and would he be so kind as to tell us, please and thank you." He stared at us for what seemed like way too long and then, with what I'm sure was a heroic effort at suppressing an eye roll, confirmed that the salad was dressed simply with lemon juice and local olive oil. Bam.

Of course, I knew immediately I had to recreate this salad. Dear readers, these are the lengths we go to for this blog: embarrassing ourselves in front of Israeli waiters and a healthy lack of self respect. Dedication, folks. Dedication.

Two Bean Salad

I have another easy and perfect-for-summer side dish for you today. This one was inspired by the three-bean salads that are served so often during the summer. You probably know what I'm talking about - they're generally green beans plus chickpeas and red beans pickled in a strong vinegar and sugar base. I always like the idea of the three-bean salad and occasionally I find one that tastes pretty good, but usually I'm disappointed.

A few months ago while flipping through an old Everyday Food magazine I ran across a tuna-green bean-salad-thingy recipe that looked pretty tasty. I didn't love the original recipe, but I played around with it for awhile and it easily adapted into a really great three-bean salad update. I ditched the third bean and kept the other ingredients really light and fresh. It's just terrific for the summer and I LOVE serving it with grilled fish or tuna sandwiches. The green beans are just barely cooked, so they're fresh and crunchy and pair really well with the creamy white beans.

Oh, and in case you're wondering, Everyday Food was a little magazine from the Martha Stewart Living company that I absolutely loved. Sadly, it went out of publication several years ago. So many of my staple recipes came from this publication and I was a real shame that the publication went under. Fortunately, it evolved into a terrific video series and you can sign up to get daily emails from them, which I highly recommend. Also, I hoard old copies and find myself pouring through them for ideas more often than I care to admit. Nostalgia runs in my family so I'll just blame it on the genes.

Simple Garlic Green Beans

Food doesn't always need to be fancy. Sometimes the simplest treatment - a drizzle of good olive oil, a splash of lemon juice, or a bit of fresh herbs - is enough to make flavors sing. Simple food treatments are incredibly quick and easy, two things I highly value in cooking. Well, in anything really.

After many years of overcooked green beans I finally wised up and applied this concept to green beans - so often treated as a side dish afterthought - and found that green beans really shine when treated with the lightest hand. After some trial and error (mostly error) I hit on an easy and simple cooking method that works really, really well EVERY TIME. (Very important!) The beans crisp-tender and the garlic and lemon juice add just enough flavor without being overwhelming.

I almost didn't post this recipe because I thought it was too easy and simple. But then I realized that this is something people would actually use - not just pin and never look at again. On top of being really, really easy, this recipe is just about perfect for spring and summer. Since I pretty much live for summer, it's really a win all around.

Build a Better Side Salad

I have pretty bold statement to make: I love (love!) side salads. I'm not talking about the sad mix of limp lettuce and few pathetic veggies, all drowned in some heavy, calorie-fest of a dressing so often trotted out at restaurants as salad. As a result of years of veggie training (thanks, mom!!) I learned that a mix of crisp greens, veggies, and even fruits can, with a little thought, round out a meal perfectly. Sadly, I've noticed over the years that many people just don't understand how to do this. So today, we reclaim the side salad!

Let's first talk a bit about what I mean when I say "side salad." I'm talking here about a lettuce-based dish that includes just a few elements meant to complement a meal. I'm NOT talking about main-course salads, which tend to be more substantial and have multiple ingredients, created to serve as a meal. What we want to create is a simple salad to "round out" the meal. Really, the sky's the limit on putting together salads. I really like to mix together unusual ingredients. You can be as simple or creative as you like.

Cauliflower Steak and Frites

As one last homage to cauliflower, the wonderful winter cruciferous vegetable, I thought I'd share this nostalgic and elevated comfort food with you all. If you've ever been to France or Belgium, you'll recognize from whence this dish came (steak-frites). My husband and I did a home exchange in France a few years before our two-year-old son was born. Needless to say, these are flavors that we fell in love with and I was happy to find a way to recreate this dish at home without the heavy and buttery steak. But don't you worry, this is a flavor explosion.

This vegetarian re-mix is the ultimate comfort food features hearty cauliflower steaks that are roasted, bursting with flavor topped with a warm sage mushroom gravy (vegetarian!) with oven-baked crispy potato and sweet potato frites (really just ultra thin and crispy fries) on the side. Every taste bud will do a dance on your tongue with this warm and flavorful favorite.

One of the things I'm loving about this dish is that it is totally customizable. If you prefer a real jus or meaty flavored gravy, use beef stock. if you like steak, try a bit served over the cauliflower as a garnish. If you do not like mushrooms (sacrilege!!), make the pan gravy sans mushrooms. The real star in this dish is the cauliflower and the sage. The adults in your family will love this grownup meal with mature favor profiles and the kiddos in your family will appreciate something new and different. Plus, what kid does not like a fry with something to dip it in. You poutine lovers can go the extra mile and add a bit of curd if you'd like. Have fun making this a new family favorite.

Sweet Potato Hummus

I have found when is comes to hummus people fall into two categories: they love it or hate it. I personally love this delicious dip in all flavors, but my husband is more of a hummus hater. Then entered in  the Sweet Potato Hummus. I adapted a recipe from my sister-in-law Jana and created a flavorful combo of garbanzo beans and sweet potato flavored with lime and a few spices. It has a lot of flavor and more kick then the classic hummus. All the hummus haters I have introduced this have liked this veggie-packed version. If you're a hummus hater, just give this sweet potato hummus a try. I think you'll like it. Happy dipping!

Prep and bake red sweet potato: give it a few pokes with a fork and toss it in the oven at 400 degrees for about an hour. (Remember, it will mostly likely be called a "yam" or "jewel yam" at the grocery store.)

Cook until fork tender, about 1 hour, and set aside until cooled. (You can easily cook the sweet potato a day or two in advance.)

Start the hummus by putting two minced garlic cloves and 1 can of rinsed and drained garbanzo beans into a food processor.

 

Pulse for 10 seconds or just enough to chop up the garbanzo beans but still leaves some texture.

 

Add 1/4 cup tahini, which is sesame seed paste and can be found by the other nut butters in your grocery store. If you're lucky you'll have a toddler-aged sous chef that can pour it right on the center of the blade for you. :)

Add 1/4 cup lime juice, either fresh or bottled. I used a mix of both because I didn't have enough fresh limes on hand. Add the salt, cumin, and cayenne pepper. Don't be scared off by the cayenne - it just adds a nice undertone of flavor but it does not pack any heat in the hummus. Pulse 3-4 times, or until just combined

 

Now for the sweet potato. You can either peel the sweet potato and mash in a bowl, or if it is soft enough I just cut it open and scoop it out into the food processor. Use one whole sweet potato, or around 2 cups. Add the sweet potato to the food processor and process until combined. Make sure you don't over process it; you still want the hummus to have texture.

Tip: if you don't like garbanzo beans, or need to avoid them for some reason feel free to leave them out. Just replace them with 2 additional cups of sweet potato. It has much more pureed and smooth texture, while I prefer the classic hummus texture - but it is still delicious and a great dip or condiment.

Serve at room temperature or chilled. We love this with fresh veggies, pita bread, or our favorite crackers. This is also divine spread on whole wheat tortilla or pita and filled with your favorite protein and veggies. My 2-year-old prefers it on a spoon straight from the bowl!

Sweet Potato Hummus
Serves 8-10

2 cups mashed sweet potato
1 can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
2 cloves minced garlic
1/4 cup tahini
1/4 cup lime juice
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons cumin
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper 
  
Cook the sweet potato for 1 hour at 400 degrees. When fork tender, set aside until cook. Combine the minced garlic and garbanzo beans to a food processor. Pulse for 10 seconds or just enough for the garbanzo beans to be chopped but still has some texture. Add the tahini, lime juice, salt, cumin, and cayenne pepper. Pulse just until combined. Add the mashed sweet potato and process until combined. Serve at room temperature or chilled.

Smashed Potatoes and Leeks

I made up this recipe a few months ago when I was scraping around for something to eat and didn't have much to go on. You know what I'm talking about - you dig around in your kitchen only to find a few sad ingredients straight from the Island of Misfit Toys and no hope that they would possibly make a meal - and a decent one at that. 

In this case, I emerged from the depths of my refrigerator with a couple of potatoes, a quickly-withering leek purchased for a recipe I never actually made (I can't tell you how often that happens), and some cabbage. Let's be honest - at first blush that doesn't exactly sound too appealing. On a whim I cooked up the potatoes, sauteed the leeks and cabbage, combined them, and seasoned the whole mess. Delicious! I'm sure I'm not the first person in the entire world to make something like this, but it was new to me and I felt a little like a potato genius. 

Spiced Cauliflower Soup with Spinach Pesto

About 8 years ago a friend of mine gave me a recipe to make a cauliflower spinach soup. I was hesitant, but it was delicious. It was bright green and loaded with flavor. Naturally I lost the recipe and have tried to re-create this creamy and flavor-rich soup with a bit of a re-mix. After much trial and error - I had only made the original soup one time after all - I created a version that had even more flavor and some elevated twists.

Maple-Glazed Carrots

This week we are going to share a few of our favorite veggie sides for the holiday festivities. While the center piece of the meals are general protein, turkey, ham, prime-rib, etc. that doesn't have to be the only delicious part of your meal. Couple that with a few delicious veggie sides and you are going to have one delicious Holiday meal.

My husband and I grew a massive garden this summer, great in theory but then we had to cook all those veggies! I had veggies up the wazoo and had to get really creative with cooking them all. I had more carrots then I knew what to do with! After trying about every way to cook carrots these really became one of our favorites. There carrots are full of flavor, easy to prepare, and fast. They are a perfect side to any holiday meal or any meal for that matter. But the maple in them really gives them a great holiday flare. They are adapted from this recipe from Saveur.