Tag: Vegetarian

BBQ Chickpea and Cauliflower Avocado Mash Flatbread and Greek Tomato Salad

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

 

Sweet Potato Pierogis with Brown Butter Sage Sauce

© Todd Porter & Diane Cu

So in accordance with my pledge to be “veggie-forward” last year I have adopted a few vegetarian recipes that I’ve made over and over again. One of them is sweet potato pierogis in a sage brown butter sauce. They are so good!

Now, I have to admit, it is a bit time consuming because you are making your own dough and sweet potato filling but since we’re all at home might as well give it a try. I’ve made these several times and they are really filling and tasty too. The recipe is from Food & Wine’s online magazine.

Ingredients

Pierogi Dough

    • 2 cups flour
    • 3/4 cup sour cream
    • 1 large egg
    • 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
    • 1/2 teaspoon kosher or sea salt

Filling and Finishing

    • 1 pound sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
    • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
    • 8 sage leaves, sliced
    • Additional kosher or sea salt, to taste
Directions
 
Step 1    

In a bowl, mix together the flour, sour cream, egg, olive oil and salt until the ingredients bind together. Place the dough on a lightly floured surface and knead for a couple minutes, or until smooth. Wrap in plastic wrap and let rest for 30 minutes.

Step 2    

Place the sweet potatoes in a large pot and fill with cold water to cover the potatoes. Bring the water to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low and then simmer for 10-15 minutes or until the sweet potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork. Drain the sweet potatoes and mash. Allow to cool.

Step 3    

On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to about 1/8-inch thick. Using a 3-inch round cutter, cut out 12-15 rounds. Brush the edges of each round lightly with water, then place 1 tablespoon of filling on one side of the rounds. Fold the dough over, making half moon shapes, pressing out the air. Press and crimp the edges to seal the pierogi.

Step 4    

Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Cook the pierogi for 3-5 minutes, or until tender. Drain.

Step 5    

Heat 2 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the pierogi to the skillet with the butter and sear each side for about 1 minute or until golden. Remove from the pan.

Step 6    

Add the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter to the skillet. Allow the butter to foam, then settle down. Add the sage leaves and continue to cook until the butter just begins to brown and develop a toasty, nutty aroma. Season with salt.

Hope you enjoy!

Sincerely,

“Fashionably-Late”

Malinda F. Knowles

 

My Veggie-Forward 2019 and Mushroom Spinach Gnocchi

So I definitely gained some weight over the holidays and am trying to get it off now (like everybody else). So I decided to have a very vegetable-forward diet for a while. Notice I said vegetable-forward, not vegetarian. 🙂 Yea, I don’t think I could go all the way vegetarian or vegan but I have made vegetable dishes as the main dish for a few weeks. Have to share a recipe that I absolutely adore! You have to be a mushroom and spinach fan though. I find the more vegetables you eat, the more of a taste for them that you will have.

It’s actually from this great food site called saltandlavender.com which unfortunately is not a vegetarian recipe site but pretty good nonetheless. I had to actually go to an Italian market to grab the potato gnocchi but other than that, the ingredients are pretty easy to find. Check out the recipe below and definitely let me know if you make it!

Creamy Mushroom and Spinach Gnocchi

Creamy and delicious vegetarian mushroom and spinach gnocchi with a creamy parmesan and white wine sauce.

Course Entrée
Cuisine American
Keyword mushroom gnocchi
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 4
Author Salt & Lavender

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1/2 medium onion chopped
  • 12 ounces portobello mushrooms chopped
  • 2-3 cloves garlic minced
  • 3 dashes Italian seasoning
  • 1 heaping teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1/3 cup dry white wine
  • 1 cup heavy/whipping cream
  • 1 pound uncooked potato gnocchi
  • 1 generous handful baby spinach
  • 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
  • Salt & pepper to taste
  • Fresh parsley chopped, to taste

Instructions

  1. Add the olive oil to a skillet on medium high heat. Add the onion and sauté for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. It’s ok if it becomes lightly browned.
  2. Add the mushrooms, garlic, and Italian seasoning. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, for another 5 minutes.
  3. Stir in the Dijon mustard and white wine. Let it bubble for a minute or so.
  4. Add the cream and gnocchi. Wait until it starts to bubble again, then cover the pan and reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook for 3 minutes.
  5. Stir in the spinach, cover the pan again, and cook for 3 minutes.
  6. Stir in the parmesan and season with salt & pepper. Give it a taste; gnocchi should be soft. If not, continue to cook for another few minutes. Garnish with fresh parsley. Serve immediately with more parmesan cheese grated over top if desired.

Recipe Notes

  • This makes 4 reasonably sized portions. If you’re feeding extra hungry people, I recommend serving this with a salad, garlic bread, and/or something else.
  • The gnocchi will cook right in the sauce. 

Photo Credit: Salt and Lavender

Sincerely,

“Fashionably-Late”

Malinda Knowles

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