Nicoise Salad with Rosemary Roasted Potatoes & Tomatoes

Crispy rosemary potatoes!

Platter full of toppings for the guests to pick.

Serves 4

Ingredients

6-8 cups mixed salad greens, washed and spun dry

1 can chickpeas, rinsed & drained

1 can black olives, rinsed & drained

1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes

4 hard-boiled eggs, sliced

6 baby red potatoes, slices in half and poked with a fork several times

Vinaigrette for potatoes

2 Tbs olive oil

2 Tbs fresh rosemary, chopped

1/2 Tbs fresh sage, chopped

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

Vinaigrette for tomatoes

1/2 Tbs olive oil

1 1/2 Tbs balsamic vinegar

1/2 tsp agave nectar or honey

1 Tbs fresh rosemary, chopped

1 tsp fresh sage, chopped

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

Salad Dressing: Creamy Truffle Dressing (adapted from Vegetarian Times)

2 Tbs vegenaise (vegan mayo)

2 Tbs olive oil

2 tsp white truffle oil

1 tsp dijion mustard

1 tsp balsamic vinegar

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Mix up the vinaigrettes for the potatoes and tomatoes. Coat potatoes and tomatoes with the assigned vinaigrette and place on separate baking sheets. Bake potatoes for 20-30 minutes, turning halfway, until tender and slightly golden. Bake tomatoes for 15-20 minutes until the tomatoes start to burst.

2. Meanwhile, place salad dressing ingredients in a mason jar, put a lid on, and shake vigorously until well-combined.

3. On a large platter, lay out chickpeas, hard-boiled eggs, and olives. Once the potatoes and tomatoes are cooked add to the platter.

4. Place salad greens in a large bowl and a spoon in the salad dressing for serving.

5. Have guests plate their salad to their preferences.

I have always loved nicoise salads because I love all the different toppings and the many varieties you can create. I especially love hard-boiled eggs in my salads! I try not to eat eggs often, so I like to indulge when I have a nicoise salad. I am not a huge fan of raw tomatoes (but I am trying to be), but I love them roasted with agave to sweeten them up. The potatoes definitely stole the show because they were so flavorful with the rosemary and crispy! You can cook the tomatoes and potatoes with whatever herbs you have on hand, but I was lucky enough to get a bunch of fresh rosemary and sage from some good friends’ garden. Such a great idea for a hostess gift. I love this salad for entertaining because you can make almost everything ahead of time and then you can put the tomatoes and potatoes in the oven when the guests arrive. I also changed my usual truffle salad dressing recipe to make it more flavorful by using balsamic vinegar instead of sherry vinegar and by increasing the measurements of the seasonings. It’s such a great recipe that I keep coming back to. I also enjoy adding green or wax beans to the salad. I made this salad again recently and added steamed wax beans (from my garden) with an apple cider vinaigrette on them=a tangy delicious addition. Feel free to be creative! You can’t go wrong. 

Comforting Mushroom Lentil Meatloaf

Recipe slightly adapted from Tasty Yummies

Mushroom Lentil Meatloaf

Ingredients

• 2 Tbs ground flax seeds
• 6 Tbs boiling water
• 1 tsp ghee
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, pressed
• 2 cups white button mushrooms, diced
• 2 cups fresh spinach, roughly chopped
• 2 Tbs fresh thyme, roughly chopped
• 1 cup ketchup, (preferably Muir Glen)
• 1/2 tsp himalayan salt
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
• 2 cups cooked green lentils, cooled and split into 1 1/2 cups and 1/2 cup
• 1 cup rolled oats, split in half
• 1/2 cup oat flour

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 375F. Add the ground flax seeds to a small bowl, pour the boiling hot water over and stir to combine well. Set aside and allow it to thicken and cool.
2. Heat the ghee in a large cast iron pan over a medium heat, add the onion and garlic and sauté for 5-8 minutes until the onions are tender. Add in the mushrooms and cook another 5 to 8 minutes until the mushrooms are tender. Add in the thyme and spinach and cook until the spinach is wilted, about 2 minutes. Add in 1/2 cup of the ketchup, stir to combine and turn off the heat. Add salt and pepper to taste.
3. Process 1 1/2 cups of the cooked lentils and 1/2 cup of the oats in the food processor until smooth (some whole bits may remain, that’s ok). Spoon the mixture into a large bowl, add in the remaining lentils and oats, plus the flax “egg”, oat flour and vegetable mixture. Stir really well to combine. Then get your hands in there, just like you would with a regular meat loaf or meatballs, and make sure it is mixed and mashed together really well.
4. Spoon the mixture into a parchment paper lined 9″ x 5″ loaf pan, (leave a bit of the parchment paper hanging over so you can easily lift the loaf out when it is cooked). Using your hands, you really want to press it in good. Brush on the remaining 1/2 cup of ketchup over the top and smooth out with a fork.
5. Bake uncovered for 35 to 40 minutes at 375F. Cool in the pan for about 5, pull the loaf out by grabbing the sides of the parchment paper and lifting up and allow it to cool for another 5 to 10 minutes on a cooking rack. Slice and serve.

The one thing I really missed when I became a vegetarian was my Mom’s meatloaf. It was the ultimate comfort food and she would serve it with her comforting mashed potatoes and a vegetable side. We would cover the meatloaf with lots of sweet ketchup and our mouths were very happy. I never thought there would be a vegetarian alternative or at least one that had the texture and taste right. But now I feel I have found the perfect recipe to fit all my requirements for taste and I can feel better eating it because it is so much healthier. I fortunately came across this recipe online and I could tell by the ingredient list that it would turn out great. I love mushrooms and garlic, so I decided to double the amount. I also doubled the thyme because I figured the extra flavor couldn’t hurt. The original recipe called for almond flour, which I did not have, so I used oat flour. I would imagine you could use any kind of flour you prefer. They also used BBQ sauce, but I prefer ketchup. Eric and I love the Muir Glen brand, but you can use whatever brand you prefer. The meatloaf was amazing the next day when I warmed it up for lunch and we also enjoyed it in a meatloaf sandwich. Even though it is summer, this recipe is worth turning your oven on for. Otherwise, save it for the winter months, but I think it would be too hard to wait that long.

French Lentil Salad

So delicious and full of healthy folate!

Adapted from My New Roots

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups french lentils

1 leek, sliced & cleaned

1 tsp ghee

1 1/4 cups raisins, roughly chopped

1/3 cup capers

1/2 cup walnuts, roughly chopped

1 1/2 cups red cabbage, thinly sliced

2 cups green beans, ends cleaned

1 cup cilantro, chopped

1/2 cup fresh goat cheese (chevre), bite-size pieces

Vinaigrette

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1 Tbsp. maple syrup
1 Tbsp. garlic aioli mustard (Trader Joes)
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. turmeric
1/2 tsp. ground coriander
½ tsp ground cardamom
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
¼ tsp. ground cloves
1/4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
¼ tsp. ground cinnamon

Directions

Rinse lentils in a fine strainer, place in large saucepan, cover with 3-4 inches of filtered water, cover, bring to boil, reduce to simmer for 15 minutes, and rinse with cold water. Make sure you don’t overcook the lentils or they will be mushy.

Meanwhile, saute leeks in ghee on medium-low heat until soft and slightly golden, about 5 minutes. Place leeks in a large bowl. Use the same pan to saute the red cabbage for 3-4 minutes until slightly tender. You just want to cook it until you the strong bite softens slightly. If you wish you can cook it longer, but it’s not necessary. You can also chose to leave it raw. Add cabbage to large bowl.

Steam green beans for 2 minutes. Rinse with cold water. Add to large bowl. Also add in raisins, capers, and walnuts to the bowl.

Place all vinaigrette ingredients into mason jar, cover, and shake vigorously. Pour half the vinaigrette on the cold cooked lentils and mix thoroughly, but be gentle because you don’t want to make the lentils mushy. Pour the other half of the vinaigrette on the veggies in the large bowl and mix thoroughly. Mix together veggies and lentils. Fold in cilantro leaving a few tablespoons for garnishing.

Top each serving with fresh chevre pieces and garnish with cilantro.

I was scrolling through my favorite food blogs when I was preparing my weekly menu and I found this great recipe. I was looking for something lighter and healthier since I feel like I haven’t been eating as healthy as I would like with the Easter holiday. I had looked at the recipe in the past, but I didn’t think it was anything that special, but I was definitely wrong. Eric and I love it! Everything was so amazing it was hard to decide what flavors we liked best. The lentils were a perfect texture, the raisins gave a pleasant sweetness, the capers a nice salty sour flavor, and the chevre was cool and comforting. But the vinaigrette is what truly made the dish the best! I had no idea what it was going to taste like with all the spices in there, but somehow they came together beautifully. Eric would have been happy if I let him drink the vinaigrette:) So I might make more next time. We are already planning on making the vinaigrette tomorrow for a salad dressing topped with some leftover chevre. I recommend trying to find some fresh chevre because it makes a huge difference. We were lucky to find some amazing local chevre at our Co-op. I try to limit my dairy, so I can splurge on great cheeses every now and then. I think this is a great recipe for potlucks, picnics, or even dinner parties. It stores well and it makes hosting dinner easy because you can make it in the morning and you won’t have to worry about sweating over a stove when your guests arrive. I have learned the hard way that it’s best to make recipes ahead of time if you are hosting dinner. It makes life so much more relaxing and enjoyable.

Quinoa Spicy Tofu Sushi

Tasty & Healthy!

Tofu strips in a spicy stir-fry sauce

Mixed red and white quinoa seasoned with brown rice vinegar and honey

Quinoa and black sesame seeds on nori sheet

Plastic wrap placed on top for flipping

Filled with spicy tofu strips, avocado, sugar snap peas, and cilantro

All rolled up and ready to be stored or cut into slices

Ready to enjoy!

Inspired by My New Roots

Serves 4-5

Ingredients

Sushi Quinoa

1 cup red quinoa

1 cup white quinoa

2 1/4 cups filtered water

4 Tbs brown rice vinegar

1 tsp raw honey

2 Tbs black sesame seeds

Sushi Filling

4-5 nori sheets

1 avocado, sliced

1 tsp fresh lemon or lime juice

1/4 tsp Himalayan salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1 1/2 cups sugar snap peas, ends cleaned

1 tsp shoyu

1/4 cup cilantro, stems removed

Spicy Tofu Strips

1 block firm tofu, pressed for 30 minutes and cut into strips

1 tsp coconut oil

Stir-fry Sauce

3 Tbs shoyu

1 Tbs toasted sesame oil

1 Tbs maple syrup

1/2 Tbs sriracha (add more if you want it spicier)

Directions

Prepare quinoa by bringing quinoa and water to a boil in a large saucepan with cover on, then reduce heat to low, simmer for 15 minutes, and fluff with a fork. Mix in brown rice vinegar and honey. Spread out on baking sheet to allow it to cool.

Meanwhile, saute tofu strips in coconut oil on medium heat until golden, about 8 minutes. Whisk together stir-fry sauce ingredients and add to golden tofu. Saute for another 2-3 minutes until the tofu absorbs most of the sauce.

Steam sugar snap peas for 1-2 minutes and then coat with 1 tsp of shoyu.

Sprinkle avocado slices with lemon juice and salt & pepper.

Assemble sushi rolls by laying nori sheet on a bamboo mat, spread about 1 cup of quinoa on top of nori sheet, press in with fingers, and sprinkle with black sesame seeds. Cover with plastic wrap, flip over the nori sheet, and place the bamboo mat underneath. Place 3-4 tofu strips in the center of the nori sheet. Top with avocado, sugar snap peas, and cilantro. Roll up the nori sheet using the bamboo mat and pull out the plastic wrap as you roll. You can store the sushi rolls in the plastic wrap for up to 1 day (best eaten immediately) or you can cut the sushi roll into 1 inch slices. Repeat the same steps to make more sushi rolls. You will have extra quinoa. If serving as a main course, prepare 1 roll for each individual.

 

When I saw the My New Roots post about quinoa sushi I thought it was very clever. I never even thought about using a healthier grain than brown rice. Quinoa is a complete protein so the nutrition content is pumped up. I just happened to have red and white quinoa, so I thought it would be pretty to mix the two. The black sesame seeds, which are loaded with calcium, also add a great color contrast. I also thought my spicy tofu strips would be a perfect addition. I have added them to spring rolls before and they were delicious so I knew it would be good. I was also inspired by My New Roots to add in fresh spring veggies like the sugar snap peas. Of course, it wouldn’t be sushi without buttery avocados. All the flavors came together beautifully! These would be beautiful as an appetizer for a dinner party or even a main course. You could serve them with some miso soup. Also, you can play around with the leftover quinoa. I used the leftover seasoned quinoa in a stir-fry for lunch today. I always like to make extra grains if I am already going through the work. Don’t be afraid to be creative!

 

Truffle Mushroom Leek Pizza

Adapted from Whole Living

Serves 2

Ingredients

1 tsp ghee

1 leek, sliced and cleaned

1 garlic clove, pressed

2 cups button mushrooms, thinly sliced

1 1/2  tsp white truffle oil

1/2 cup red cabbage, thinly sliced

2 whole wheat pitas

4 Tbs ricotta cheese

1 tsp olive oil

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (add more if desired)

1/2 tsp freshly ground Himalayan salt

1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Saute leek in ghee for 3 minutes over medium heat. Add garlic and saute for 1 minute. Next, add in mushrooms and saute until tender, about 3 minutes. Add in truffle oil and saute for another minute. Assemble pizzas by placing the pita bread on a parchment-lined baking sheet, spread 2 Tbs of ricotta on each pita, top with leeks, mushrooms, and cabbage, and garnish with a drizzle of olive oil, red pepper flakes, and salt & pepper. Bake for 6-8 minutes until pita is golden.

 

Every month I get so excited when I get my Whole Living magazine in the mail. They always have great recipe ideas and great lifestyle advice. When I saw the recipe for the pita pizzas I loved the idea of using ricotta cheese as a base and I knew that truffle oil would be a great addition. I wanted to pump up the nutrients and color so I added in the red cabbage. When you slice the cabbage thinly you don’t have to worry about precooking it. The pita crust was delicious and crispy. The recipe comes together quickly, so it’s a great weeknight option. Feel free to experiment with other veggies or seasonings. I was contemplating using some smoked salt as a garnish rather than using truffle oil. After writing up this post now my mouth is watering for this pizza. I may have to put it on the menu again. 

 

 

 

Open-Faced Egg Salad Sandwich

Serves 4

Ingredients

8 organic eggs

1/3 cup veganaise (mayo)

2 Tbs garlic aioli mustard (Trader Joes)

1 garlic clove, pressed

1/3 cup fresh dill, chopped (save 1 Tbs for garnishing)

1/2 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp freshly ground Himalayan salt

1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper

1 cucumber, thinly sliced

4 slices whole wheat bread, toasted

Directions

Place eggs in a large saucepan, cover with water, place lid on, bring to boil, then reduce heat to low, and simmer for 10 minutes. Drain and top with cold water. Peel eggs, discard half of the egg yolks, and place the remaining in a medium sized bowl. Mash the egg yolks with a fork. Add mayo, mustard, garlic, dill, and salt & pepper to the mashed egg yolks. Cut the egg whites into a medium sized dice and mix into the mayo mixture. Top each slice of bread with the egg salad. Next, place cucumber slices on top the egg salad and garnish with dill, paprika, and more salt & pepper.

I have been making this egg salad recipe for several years now, so I thought I would share it on my blog. It’s really quite easy and so delicious! Eric loves when I make egg salad. We don’t eat a lot of eggs, but when we do buy eggs I love cleaning them out of the refrigerator by making egg salad. We enjoy the sandwich with a fork and knife on Eric’s grandma’s china making it feel more special. The cucumbers are a refreshing addition and helps with the presentation. This would be an easy weeknight supper. Just add in a salad and you have a complete meal. 

Horseradish Dill Lentils with Roasted Veggies

 

Adapted from http://adrienneats.blogspot.com

Ingredients
2 can lentils
1 can chickpeas
1 bunch green top carrots, cut into thin slices
½ head red cabbage, chopped
2 Tbs olive oil
½ tsp Himalayan salt
½ tsp pepper

Dressing
3 Tbs horseradish
1 ½ Tbs garlic aioli mustard (Trader Joes)
2-3 garlic cloves, pressed
2 Tbs olive oil
½ cup fresh dill, chopped
1 tsp Himalayan salt
1 tsp pepper

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Coat cabbage and carrots with olive oil, and salt &pepper. Place on 2 parchment-lined baking sheets and roast for 30-35 minutes, turning halfway. Meanwhile, whisk all the dressing ingredients together in a large bowl. Drain and rinse canned goods and add to the bowl. Finally add in the roasted veggies. Garnish with more dill.

 

After looking at the great horseradish lentil recipe from the adrienneats blog I was inspired to take the recipe and make it my own. Eric and I are big fans of horseradish so I knew it was going to be a hit. I didn’t want to have raw vegetables because I wanted them to be sweet and mild to balance out the strong horseradish. Of course, roasting is the best way to bring out the sweetness in vegetables. Another perk is that you can throw them in the oven and forget about them while you are preparing the other parts of the recipe. Eric and I also love fresh dill! I always think adding fresh herbs is a great way to make the recipe more special and it’s great for garnishing to make the meal feel more elegant. This recipe is super healthy and can be served cold or warm. It’s great for a potluck. I actually doubled the recipe and brought it to my annual girls weekend trip. With all the overindulgence going on it was great to have something healthy to balance you out.