Hey everyone! So the summer is so extremely hot that it makes me want to eat pretty light sometimes. And, although I’m not vegan, I enjoy eating vegetarian and vegan food occasionally. Ever since I was introduced to Greek tomato salad at Milos restaurant in Manhattan, New York, I’ve made it myself and it’s absolutely delicious. The combination of salty feta cheese, kalamata olives and fresh tomatoes sends me over the roof!

Recently, I’ve been pairing it with BBQ Chickpea and cauliflower avocado mash. This is also a delicious vegan recipe. Don’t worry, sometimes it’s okay to go without meat. You make these and you’ll probably love it too.

What have you been eating this summer?

Greek tomato salad

Ingredients

• Feta cheese
• 4-6 fresh tomatoes on the vine
• one red onion
• splash of red wine vinegar
• dried oregano
• one cucumber
• pitted kalamata olives
• olive oil
• salt
• pepper
• green bell pepper 

Recipe

Slice up your tomatoes, red onion and cucumber. Add them to a bowl along with everything and give it a few tosses. Great summer salad.

BBQ chickpea and cauliflower avocado mash flatbread

Ingredients

• 12 ounces small cauliflower florets
• 1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 tsp. kosher salt, plus a pinch, divided
• 2 ripe avocados, pitted and peeled
• 2 Tbsp. lemon juice
• 4 flatbreads or pocketless pitas, toasted
• 1/2 recipe Crispy Barbecue Chickpeas (recipe below)
• Hot sauce, for serving

Crispy Barbecue Chickpeas

• 1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas
• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1/8 tsp. kosher salt
• 1/8 tsp. ground black pepper
• 1/2 tsp. dark brown sugar
• 1/4 tsp. ground cumin
• 1/4 tsp. paprika
• 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp. chili powder

Recipe (Oprah.com)

Rinse and drain chickpeas and pat very dry with paper towels, discarding any loose skins. On a large rimmed baking sheet, toss with olive oil, kosher salt and ground black pepper, dark brown sugar, ground cumin, paprika, garlic powder and chili powder. Roast at 425°, shaking occasionally, until crisp, 30 minutes. Remove from oven and transfer to a bowl. Chickpeas will continue to crisp as they cool.

Preheat oven to 425°. On a large rimmed baking sheet, toss cauliflower with olive oil and 1/4 tsp. salt.

Roast until slightly golden and tender, 25 minutes.

Mash avocados with lemon juice and pinch of salt and spread over flatbreads. Top with roasted cauliflower and chickpeas. Drizzle with hot sauce before serving.

Enjoy!

Sincerely,

“Fashionably-Late”

Malinda F. Knowles