Asparagus and Zucchini Farro Salad

Ingredients:
1 cup farro
1 zucchini (thinly sliced)
1 handful asparagus (cut into bite sized pieces)
2 tablespoons basil pesto
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 cup chickpeas
1/4 cup walnuts (optional)
1/4 cup pecorino romano (optoinal)

Directions:
1. Cook the farro as directed.
2. Blanch the zucchini and asparagus in boiling water.
3. Mix the basil pesto, olive oil and lemon juice.
4. Toss every thing to mix.

Roasted Strawberry and Asparagus Quinoa Salad

Ingredients:
1 cup quinoa
2 cups water
1 cup strawberries (sliced)
1/2 pound asparagus (cut into bite sized pieces)
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup chickpeas
1/4 cup feta (crumbled) [Optional]
1 handful pecans (chopped)
1 clove garlic (chopped)
1 teaspoon honey
1 teaspoon mustard

Directions:
1. Simmer the quinoa in the water until the water is absorbed, about 20 minutes.
2. Toss the strawberries and asparagus in the balsamic vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper.
3. Roast the strawberries and asparagus in a preheated 400F oven until caramelized, about 10-20 minutes.
4. Assemble the salad.
5. Mix the juices left in the roasting pan with the garlic, honey and mustard in a small bowl.
6. Pour the dressing onto the salad and toss to coat.

(Source: closetcooking.com)

Baba Ganouj

Baba Ganouj Recipe

Ingredients

2 medium eggplants, (about 1 pound each)
4 cloves garlic, unpeeled
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 tablespoons tahini, (see Note)
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
Extra-virgin olive oil, for garnish
Ground sumac, for garnish**

Preparation

Preheat grill to high.
Prick eggplants all over with a fork. Thread garlic cloves onto a skewer. Grill the eggplants, turning occasionally, until charred and tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Grill the garlic, turning once, until charred and tender, 6 to 8 minutes.
Transfer the eggplants and garlic to a cutting board. When cool enough to handle, peel both. Transfer to a food processor. Add lemon juice, tahini and salt; process until almost smooth. Drizzle with oil and sprinkle with sumac, if desired.

**If you can’t find ground sumac for the garnish, chopped pistachios are traditional as well.

oohhhbaby:

black bean burgers

Chilled Watermelon Blackberry Soup

Ingredients:

6 cups watermelon , diced and seeded
1 -2 teaspoon lemon juice or 1 -2 teaspoon lime juice
1 pinch salt
2 cups blackberries
1 tablespoon honey (optional)
1 -2 teaspoon rose water or 1 -2 teaspoon orange flower water
1 lb red watermelon
1 lb yellow watermelon
1/4 cup pomegranate seeds
mint sprig , for garnish

Directions:

1

Purée the diced watermelon, add lemon juice and salt, cover, and refrigerate for one hour.
2

Stir together blackberries, sugar, and a few drops of rosewater. Cover and refrigerate for one hour.
3

Seed the red and yellow watermelon and cut into bite-size pieces.
4

Add rosewater to the cold watermelon purée, to taste. Ladle the juice into the soup bowls, then add the melon pieces, berries, and pomegranate seeds.
5

Garnish with the mint and serve.

(Source: food.com)

Quick and Easy White Bean Salad

Quick and Easy White Bean Salad Recipe

Prep time: 5 minutes

You can easily double or quadruple the recipe to serve a larger group.

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INGREDIENTS

1 14.5-ounce can white beans, drained but not rinsed
2 Tbsp chopped red onion
A squeeze of lemon juice
2 teaspoons wine vinegar (red or white)
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon dry herbs de provence (crumbled) OR 1 teaspoon of some combination of finely chopped rosemary, tarragon, thyme, and lavender
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

METHOD

1 After you chop up the onion, squeeze a little lemon juice over it and let it sit while prepping the other ingredients. According to my mother, this will take the edge off the onion.

2 Combine all ingredients into a serving dish. You can serve right away if you want, but if you chill for a few hours, the flavors will come together better.

Lasts a couple of days in the refrigerator.

Carrot Vichyssiose

Ingredients

yield: 4

2 tablespoons olive oil
3 large leeks (1 1/2 pounds), white and light green parts coarsly chopped
1 medium clove garlic, minced
4 small Yukon Gold potatoes (1 1/2 pounds), peeled
5 carrots (9 ounces), peeled
2 1/2 cups vegetable stock or low-sodium vegetable broth
1 1/2 teaspoons salt, or to taste
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
2 cups whole milk (Subsitute with your choice of non-dairy ‘milks’ I think coconut milk might pair well with this)
3 tablespoons snipped fresh chives

Directions:

Divide the carrots and potatoes. Cut half the potatoes into small chunks and half the carrots into 1/4-inch thick rounds. Reserve the remaining potatoes and carrots.
In a dutch oven or stock pot, heat the oil over medium heat until shimmering. Add the leeks and garlic, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until wilted, about 10 minutes. Add the cubed potatoes, sliced carrots, stock, salt, pepper, and two cups of water. Bring to a boil, then simmer until vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes.
Remove from heat and stir in the milk, then transfer to a blender to puree until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper. If desired, chill in the refrigerator, or return to the heat to warm through.
In the meantime, bring a saucepan of salted water to boil. Cut the remaining potatoes and carrots into fine matchsticks and blanch them in the water until just tender, 2-3 minutes. Drain and, if serving the soup cold, shock them in cold water. Otherwise, add them to the soup.
Serve the soup in shallow bowls with the vegetable matchsticks and snipped chives.

(Source: seriouseats.com)

Middle Eastern Chickpea Burgers

Ingredients:

1 (8-ounce) red potato
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 (15.5-ounce) can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed, drained, and divided
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon rind
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 large egg whites, lightly beaten

Preparation

1. Place potato in a saucepan; cover with water. Bring to a boil; cook 20 minutes or until very tender. Drain. Cool slightly. Coarsely chop, and place in medium bowl. Add 1 tablespoon oil and garlic to bowl; mash potato mixture with a potato masher until slightly chunky. Remove 3 tablespoons chickpeas; place in a small bowl. Add remaining chickpeas to potato mixture; mash until well blended. Stir in remaining 3 tablespoons whole chickpeas, parsley, and remaining ingredients. With moistened hands, divide mixture into 6 equal portions (about 1/3 cup mixture per portion), shaping each into a 3-inch patty.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 3 patties to pan; reduce heat to medium, and cook 4 minutes or until bottoms are golden. Carefully turn patties over; cook 3 minutes or until bottoms are golden and patties are set. Repeat procedure with remaining 1 tablespoon oil and 3 patties.

(Source: myrecipes.com)

Apricot-Strawberry Cobbler

Ingredients

½ c water
2 T lemon juice
½ c + 2 T sugar
1 T cornstarch
3 cups unpeeled apricots, chopped
1 cup strawberries
1 c flour
½ t baking soda
1 t baking powder
½ t salt
3 T melted butter
½ c buttermilk or cream

DirectionsCombine water, lemon juice, cornstarch and ½ c sugar in pot over medium heat. Stir well to dissolve cornstarch, then add fruit.

Simmer for a minute, taste, and add more sugar or lemon if necessary.

Pour into baking dish or casserole.

Preheat oven to 400.

Combine flour, baking soda and powder, salt, and 2 T sugar in a bowl.

Whisk the melted butter into the buttermilk, then add it to the dry ingredients.

Mix minimally but well, until you end up with a sticky mixture.

Drop spoonfuls of dough on top of the dish of fruit. (Because the dough is so sticky, the easiest way to do this is to take a spoonful and use the other spoon to scrape it out.) You’ll end up with a lumpy biscuit that does not quite cover the fruit.

Bake for 20-25 minutes, until the topping is golden brown. Serve warm, topped with whipped cream, crème fraîche, or vanilla ice cream.

(Source: theveggietable.com)

Portobello Burger Recipe

1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
4 (4-inch) portobello mushroom caps
1 small red bell pepper
Cooking spray
1/4 cup low-fat mayonnaise
1/2 teaspoon olive oil
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
4 (2-ounce) onion sandwich buns
4 (1/4-inch-thick) slices tomato
4 curly leaf lettuce leaves

Preparation

Combine first 4 ingredients in a large zip-top plastic bag; add mushrooms to bag. Seal and marinate at room temperature for 2 hours, turning bag occasionally. Remove mushrooms from bag; discard marinade.
Prepare grill to medium heat.
Cut bell pepper in half lengthwise; discard seeds and membranes. Place pepper halves on grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 15 minutes or until blackened, turning occasionally. Place in a zip-top plastic bag; seal. Let stand 10 minutes. Peel. Reserve 1 pepper half for another use. Finely chop 1 pepper half; place in a small bowl. Add mayonnaise, 1/2 teaspoon oil, and ground red pepper; stir well.
Place mushrooms, gill sides down, on grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 4 minutes on each side. Place buns, cut sides down, on grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 30 seconds on each side or until toasted. Spread 2 tablespoons mayonnaise mixture on top half of each bun. Place 1 mushroom on bottom half of each bun. Top each mushroom with 1 tomato slice and 1 lettuce leaf; cover with top halves of buns.

(Source: myrecipes.com)