vegan Archive

Vegan Kale Caesar Salad with Hazelnuts and Meyer Lemon

Fun fact: did you know that the Caesar salad originated in Mexico? An Italian immigrant named Caesar Cardini moved to Tijuana in the 1920’s and opened a few restaurants. It is rumored that he invented the now-famous salad one evening when he ran out of his usual salad dressing ingredients and was forced to make up a salad dressing on the spot. The salad was a huge hit, and its popularity quickly spread to the United States. Nowadays, you can find Caesar salads on menus across the country, from high end restaurants to fast food chains.

So, there’s your history lesson for the day!

What I would like to do today is re-write a little bit of culinary history. I would like to reclaim the Caesar salad. Don’t get me wrong: I love a good Caesar. I love it when the lettuce is fresh and crisp, when the dressing is made from scratch (and with love!). I love the salty brine of the anchovies. The crunch of the croutons. The bite of the garlic.

But let’s be honest… when was the last time you had a good Caesar salad? Caesar salads have devolved into convenience store food; pre-packaged in plastic containers filled with with rubbery white chicken (complete with fake char marks!), soggy croutons, and wilted lettuce. Most modern-day Caesar’s resemble nothing of Cardini’s 1920’s invention.

As for my version of the Caesar, it is also a far cry from Cardini’s original recipe. My version is vegan, which means it contains no eggs or anchovies. While I love a classic Caesar dressing, there’s something about the vegan version that I adore. It actually tastes like Caesar dressing – it’s creamy, briny, peppery, and garlicky. The key to this dressing is the capers (and the caper brine), as they add that certain fishy/briny element that we all know and love in a classic Caesar.

This dressing is really simple to make, it’s flavorful, and it’s healthy. And since I want to start my new year off on the right foot, I thought I’d share this recipe with you all. I’ve been making a version of this dressing for years, but in the past I’ve made it with olive oil, almonds, and romaine lettuce. I decided to class up the recipe a little, and make it with dinosaur kale, hazelnuts, Meyer lemons, and hazelnut oil. I couldn’t be happier with the results, it’s a delightful winter salad.

One last funny tidbit, and then I’ll post the recipe. I must confess, I added some roast chicken to the salad. It completely negated the veganness of it, but oh well. It was delicious. That’s the best thing about this salad, there’s a lot of wiggle room. You can change and edit it as you see fit.

Vegan Kale Caesar Salad with Hazelnuts and Meyer Lemon

Ingredients

Salad ingredients:
1 large bunch Dinosaur Kale (also called Black Kale or Lacinato Kale)
1/3 cup toasted hazelnuts, roughly chopped
1 tablespoon capers
1 handful fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
Optional salad ingredients:
Red bell pepper, sliced thinly
Carrots, sliced thinly
Meyer lemon zest
Garlic croutons
Protein: Tempeh, Tofu, Grilled salmon, chicken, etc.
For the vegan Caesar dressing:
1/3 cup toasted hazelnuts
2-3 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
3/4 cup silken tofu
2 tablespoons hazelnut oil (or olive oil)
3 tablespoons fresh Meyer lemon juice
1 heaping tablespoon capers
4 teaspoons caper brine
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
Sea salt & freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

To make the dressing, first pulse the hazelnuts in a food processor until they are finely ground (1 minute or so).
Add in the silken tofu, lemon juice, capers, caper brine, garlic, salt, pepper, and red wine vinegar. Process until the mixture is thoroughly blended.
While the food processor is on, slowly pour in the hazelnut (or olive) oil, until the dressing is thick and creamy. (Note: There is no need to worry about the dressing being completely ‘smooth’. I happen to like the nutty texture, so I blend until it reaches the texture I like. There is a lot of flexibility with this dressing, just make it how you like it!)
Once you have mixed the dressing, taste and adjust seasonings as needed. Add in salt and a healthy dose of freshly ground black pepper. If the dressing doesn’t taste briny enough, add in a bit more of the caper brine. Set aside.
To assemble the salad, slice the kale into thin strips with a sharp knife. Toss the kale with the dressing and any other ingredients (carrots, bell pepper, croutons, protein, etc.). If the dressing is too thick, feel free to dilute with a bit of water or more oil.
Sprinkle the salad with remaining hazelnuts and capers, and season with a few grinds of black pepper.
Serve immediately, or store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 24 hours. If you are not serving the salad immediately, I recommend squeezing a bit of fresh lemon over the salad prior to serving. If you have extra dressing, it will keep in the fridge for up to a week.

http://rosemarried.co/2013/01/06/vegan-kale-caesar-salad/

Thai Coconut Butternut Squash Soup: Here’s to a Happy and Healthy 2013!

I’m not gonna lie, this year was a doozy.

There were a lot of ups and downs, but I got through it. It wasn’t easy, but it was good.

I am happy, I am healthy, and I can honestly say that I am welcoming the new year with a spirit of excitement and anticipation. I know there are a lot of good things ahead.

I don’t really do New Year’s resolutions, they just aren’t my thing. However, I view the new year as an opportunity to reflect and to refocus. It’s a time to be thankful, and a time to move forward.

And, as silly as it might sound, it’s a time to get back to eating healthy, to eating the food that makes me feel good. (While I love all the treats and goodies that come with the holidays, they make me feel downright miserable!) It’s time to eat more fruits and vegetables. And it’s time to eat less grains, sugar, and processed foods.

I am ready for the new year, and whatever changes it may bring.

I’m ready to start things off on the right foot.

All that to say, here’s to a happy and healthy 2013.

{The following is a list of recipes that I’ve been inspired by recently.}

Butternut Squash with Farro and Honey Harissa Dressing from Happy Yolks
Garlicky Kale with Bacon and a Poached Egg from Pearl & Pine
Scallops with Carrot Cream and Marjoram from Food Republic
Braised Coconut Spinach with Chickpeas and Lemon (over a Sweet Potato) from The Kitchn
Raw Kale, Cabbage, and Carrot Salad with Maple Vinaigrette from Gourmande in the Kitchen
Vegan Pho from Green Tea Broth from The Cozy Herbivore
Wintery Spring Rolls from 101 Cookbooks

{And here are a few of my own recipes that are healthy and seasonal.}

Pumpkin and Kale Salad with Tahini Dressing
Quinoa Stuffed Poblano Peppers with Roasted Red Pepper Cream
Potato and Kale Soup with Tomatoes and Rosemary
Roasted Carrot Tacos with Carrot Green Chimichurri
Roasted Broccoli with Honey, Sriracha, and Soy Sauce
Chickpea Pancakes with Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad

{And here is a brand new recipe for a spicy butternut squash soup!}

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Thai Coconut Butternut Squash Soup

Ingredients

1 small butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1″ cubes
6-7 cups vegetable (or chicken) stock
1 can coconut milk
2 cloves of garlic, peeled & minced
1 small yellow or white onion, peeled & diced
1 stalk of lemongrass (or 1 tablespoon frozen lemongrass, which can be found in most Asian grocery stores)
2 teaspoons fresh squeezed lime juice, plus 2 large strips of lime zest
2 teaspoons fish sauce (omit if vegetarian)
1 tablespoon Thai red curry paste
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
Salt & pepper, to taste
Coconut or olive oil
Optional garnishes:
Cilantro
Sriracha hot sauce

Instructions

In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat oil (coconut or olive oil) over medium heat. Add in the minced onion and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add in the garlic and cook for 2 minutes more. Add in the curry paste, coriander and cumin, and stir to coat.
Next, add in the squash cubes, stock, coconut milk, lemongrass, fish sauce, and lime juice and zest. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Allow the soup to simmer for 30 minutes (or more), until the squash is cooked through and tender. Remove lime zest strips and lemon grass stalk.
Using an immersion blender, puree the soup until it reaches a smooth consistency. Taste, and adjust seasonings as necessary. (If you feel the soup is too thick, feel free to add in more stock or a bit of water to thin it out.)
Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with Sriracha and fresh cilantro.

http://rosemarried.co/2012/12/30/thai-coconut-butternut-squash-soup-heres-to-a-happy-and-healthy-2013/

Pumpkin & Kale Salad with Tahini Dressing (Recipe Swap)

Last month, I wasn’t able to participate in the Recipe Swap, as I was driving across the country with my sister. In two years of swapping, this is the only post I’ve missed! I was bummed to miss out on all the recipe swap fun, but driving across the country isn’t exactly conducive to cooking. (On the contrary, driving across the country is conducive to eating a lot of crappy food and drinking gas station coffee.)

That being said, it’s good to be back.

There are times when Christianna emails the swap group our recipe for the month, and I’m completely inspired by it. This was not one of those times. This month’s recipe – “Russian Salad” is just plain nasty. It’s essentially a potato salad with veal and herring. (Yes, herring.) If I’m being truly honest, I got to the herring part of the recipe and decided to read no further. I am just not down with fish in my potato salad. So, I went in a totally and completely different direction. Really, the only thing my pumpkin kale salad has in common with Russian Salad is that they are both….salads. That’s it.

I blame this salad on Pinterest. I’m not sure if you’ve noticed, but there’s been a bit of a ‘pumpkin craze’ on Pinterest as of late. It’s all pumpkin spice lattes and pumpkin cookies and pumpkin cocktails, etc, etc. I hate it! You see, I love pumpkin. I love it in curries and soups and stews. I love pumpkin in salads, gratins, and casseroles. Pumpkin is an amazingly flavorful and versatile fruit. And, sure, I love pumpkin pie as much as the next person, I just happen to believe that pumpkin does not belong in coffee. ;)

So, this is my take on the Russian salad, as well as my official submission to the great pumpkin craze. I hope you like it.

PUMPKIN & KALE SALAD WITH TAHINI DRESSING
Makes 6-8 servings

Salad ingredients:
1 small heirloom pumpkin (or 1/2 of a large pumpkin)
2 heaping cups of chopped lacinato kale
2 heaping cups of roughly chopped romaine lettuce
1/2 cup candied pecans*
1/4 cup minced flat-leaf parsley
Salt & pepper
Olive oil
1 teaspoon nutmeg

For the Tahini dressing:
2 tablespoons sesame tahini paste
2 small cloves of garlic
the juice of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon water (more, if needed)
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt & pepper

*You could easily make your own spiced or candied pecans, or use plain pecans. I happened upon some candied pecans at Trader Joe’s that I thought were quite tasty in this salad.

Method:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with foil or a Silpat.

Using a sharp knife, cut the pumpkin in half. Scoop out the seeds with a spoon and then cut each half in 2 or 3 pieces (whatever is easiest to handle). Using your knife, carefully remove the pumpkin skin from each segment. Once the skin is removed, chop the pumpkin into 1″ cubes. In a bowl, toss the pumpkin cubes with olive oil, salt, pepper, and nutmeg to coat. Spread the pumpkin pieces into an even layer on the baking sheet, and roast until fork tender, but firm (about 30 minutes). Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.

While the pumpkin is cooling, mix the dressing together. Stir together tahini, olive oil, and lemon juice. The mixture will thicken and turn a lighter shade. Begin adding water, a little at a time. Stir until the mixture is light and creamy, and the desired thickness. Stir in yogurt and garlic and season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.

In a large bowl, toss together the chopped lettuce and kale. Toss with tahini dressing, and gently mix in the pumpkin cubes, pecans, and minced parsley. Toss with a bit more tahini dressing, until coated. Taste, and season with extra salt & pepper, if needed.

Red Cabbage Slaw with Creamy Avocado Dressing: Recipe Swap

The recipes from our Recipe Swap never cease to surprise me. They’re always odd, or old-fashioned. Sometimes they’re just plain gross.

This month, Christianna from Burwell General Store asked a group of us to re-interpret a recipe for “Coleslaw – Oregon Style.“

I was instantly intrigued by this recipe, as I am an Oregonian. And I happen to love Oregon, a lot. I assumed that an Oregon-style coleslaw would be awesome.

I was quite wrong.

When I looked closely at the recipe, I realized that this coleslaw recipe calls for exactly one cup of sugar. ONE CUP OF SUGAR FOR 2 POUNDS OF CABBAGE. That’s a lot of sugar. It just seems so un-Oregon?

So, my goal for this recipe swap was to help set the record straight. I set out to make an Oregon-style coleslaw that reflects what I know and love about Oregon. I made a coleslaw that’s healthy and light. It’s unique. It’s green (Literally green. The dressing is made out of an avocado and green onions). It doesn’t have any sugar in it whatsoever.

This is my version of Oregon-style coleslaw. If I may say so myself, I think Oregon would be proud.

RED CABBAGE SLAW WITH CREAMY AVOCADO DRESSING
(Adapted from Blackberries and Blood Oranges)

1 small head of red cabbage (or 1/2 of a large head of cabbage)
1 bunch of green onions
1 avocado
1-2 carrots, julienned
1-2 serrano chilies
1/2 cup of cilantro, roughly chopped
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons lime juice
Salt & pepper, to taste
Optional: Extra avocado for garnish

In a blender or food processor, blend green onions (reserve a few to toss into the slaw), vinegar, chilies, olive oil, lime juice, cumin, avocado and half of the cilantro. Blend until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Season with salt and pepper. (The dressing will be rather thick at this point, so feel free to add extra oil, vinegar, or water until it reaches desired consistency.)

Using a knife or mandoline, slice the cabbage thinly. In a large bowl, toss the cabbage, sliced carrots, and the rest of the cilantro and green onions.

Gently toss the cabbage mixture with the avocado dressing, until coated. Chill for 15 minutes before serving. Prior to serving, squeeze a little extra fresh lime juice over the slaw.

Note: this slaw does not keep well. It is best consumed on the day you make it. However, if you have extra dressing leftover, it can be stored in a sealed jar in the fridge for a few days.

+++++++

Roasted Strawberry Vinaigrette

First off, I’d like to thank you all for your support, kind words, and encouragement! I’m so excited to start my new job at Plate & Pitchfork, and your support means a lot.

In all the excitement of preparing for the new job (and training my replacement at the old job), I’ve not had a lot of time to cook. Honestly, I’ve not had a lot of time to do anything (Laundry, housecleaning, etc.). It’s just a busy season in life.

But, I bought a few pints of strawberries at the Montavilla Farmer’s Market last weekend and they sort of forced my hand. I used up some of the strawberries to make Minted Strawberry Shortcakes with Lemony Whipped Cream.

But I was over-zealous in my strawberry purchasing (they looked so good!) and I had a lot of strawberries leftover. They were just sitting in the fridge, begging me to use them. I noticed that a couple of the strawberries were beginning to brown, and I knew I had to do something about it. I couldn’t let them go to waste!

So I roasted the strawberries and then blended them with garlic, olive oil, balsamic vinegar and spices. I transformed the last of my strawberries into a vinaigrette (and a darn good one, at that).

I saved the strawberries and got a delicious salad dressing out of the deal.

It’s a win-win situation.

ROASTED STRAWBERRY VINAIGRETTE
(Slightly Adapted from Glow Kitchen)
Makes 1.5 cups (or so) of vinaigrette.

Ingredients:
1 pint of ripe strawberries (2 cups)
1-2 cloves of garlic
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
1/4 cup olive oil
14 cup balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme
1/2 teaspoon fresh rosemary
Salt & pepper, to taste

Method:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. While the oven is preheating, de-stem the strawberries and slice them in half. Line a baking pan with tinfoil and place the strawberries on the lined baking pan. Bake, until the strawberries are roasted and caramelized, about 20 minutes.

Remove strawberries from the oven and allow to cool. Once cooled, blend the strawberries together with the rest of the ingredients, using a food processor or blender. Blend until smooth. Depending on your preference you can add more olive oil (or water) if the dressing is too thick.

Store the vinaigrette in an airtight container in the fridge. The dressing will keep for a week (or more).

Sriracha & White Bean Dip

I’m a serial snacker.

No, really, it’s a problem. I have a whole drawer in my kitchen that is dedicated to chips, crackers, nuts, and other salty snacks. (Please note: I do not keep chocolate or sweets in the house and my sisters curse me for it.)

If I don’t eat every couple of hours, I get grumpy. My husband calls this hangry: a combination of hungry and angry. It’s not a pretty sight. That being said, I always keep snack food on hand and I like to have an arsenal of good snack recipes. I bookmarked this gem of a recipe a while ago, as I had a lonely can of cannellini beans in the pantry that I wanted to use up. (It should go without saying that I always have a bottle of Sriracha nearby.)

I finally got around to making this dip one afternoon when I was particularly hangry. I didn’t have much snack food in the house and dinnertime was rapidly approaching. Nich was at work and I just didn’t have the energy (or patience) to make dinner. Luckily, I remembered that I had a can of cannellini beans and I managed to muster up the energy to throw the beans (and various other Asian spices) into a food processor. And just like that, I was transported to a world of happy snacking. (Did I make dinner that evening? Nope. Did I eat chips and dip for dinner? You betcha.)

Truthfully, this is hardly a recipe. It’s just a simple bean dip, with the addition of a few key Asian ingredients.

It’s easy, it’s tasty, and it’s absolutely fantastic for staving off hanger. ;) I highly recommend it.

SRIRACHA & WHITE BEAN DIP
(Slightly adapted from White on Rice)

Ingredients:
1 can of cannellini beans, rinsed
1 tablespoon canola (or other neutral) oil
1.5 teaspoons sesame oil
1.5 teaspoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons Sriracha hot sauce
1-2 cloves of garlic, peeled
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
A squirt of fresh squeezed lime juice
Chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish
Optional: You may add water in to thin out the dip or make it smoother.

Method:
Combine all elements in a food processor or blender. Blend until well combined and smooth. You may want to add in water (one tablespoon at a time) and blend until dip is smooth and creamy.

Serve with chips, crackers, or crostini. (I ate the dip with these Adzuki bean chips from Trader Joe’s. SO DELICIOUS.)

DIY Grenadine, Chipotle Lime Salt & The PDX Food Swap

If I had a nickel for every time I started a post with the words “It’s been a busy week!”, I’d have at least fifty cents.

I probably do too much.

However, I happen to love my life and all the crazy things that I’m involved in. I love my job. I love wedding planning. I love being on the board of The Montavilla Farmer’s Market. I love coordinating the PDX food swap. I love working with and writing for Plate & Pitchfork.

And, of course, I love writing this blog.

But as I’ve said before, sometimes life gets in the way of writing (and cooking). I ate out a lot this week, as I had zero time to cook anything. It happens. I’m certainly not complaining, as it was a week full of awesome things such as: the DOC dinner at R. Stuart Wine Bar on Wednesday, the Blazers vs. Grizzlies game on Thursday, The Hunger Games on Friday, and The PDX Food Swap on Sunday.

So, then, I’m going to kill two birds with one stone. Meaning: I’m including two recipes in this post – one for Chipotle Lime Salt and one for Pomegranate Grenadine! I thought these recipes fit well together, as they are each simple DIY projects that would make great additions to any home bar. In addition, I happened to make both of these items for the PDX Food Swap.

The chipotle lime salt is as simple as it sounds: it’s a combination of salt, chipotle powder, and lime zest. It has revolutionized my margarita consumption (I might be drinking a chipotle-salt-rimmed margarita as I type this…) and I cannot wait to try this salt on popcorn, proteins, veggies, and more.

I had no idea that making grenadine was so easy. I’m sort of kicking myself for not making it sooner! This DIY grenadine is thick, sweet, and flavorful. It has a much deeper color than the hot pink grenadine you see in stores (and far fewer preservatives!). I’ve taken to using this grenadine in the place of simple syrup in a few different cocktail recipes, and it’s fantastic. Who needs boring old simple syrup when you have homemade grenadine on hand?!

Lastly, I want to thank everyone who came out to our Spring PDX Food Swap. I’m always amazed by the creativity of the Portland food community, and this event was no exception. I brought chipotle lime salt, grenadine, BBQ sauce, onion jam, and strawberry jam to swap – and I came home with arugula pesto, thai spiced peanut butter cups, kimchi, elderberry liqueur, limoncello, grapefruit marmelade, doug fir jelly, tomato jam, and more! My pantry is exploding with goodness.

So, there you have it – two recipes for the price of one. Life’s a blur, but it’s a good blur.

DIY POMEGRANATE GRENADINE SYRUP
(Adapted from The Kitchn)
Makes approx. 8 oz

1 cup unsweetened pomegranate juice (Pom brand is fine)
1/2 cup granulated sugar

Heat pomegranate juice and sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat. Allow the mixture to gently simmer, stirring occasionally, until the juice has reduce and the syrup is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon (30-40 minutes). Transfer syrup to a clean jar or container and store in the fridge. The syrup should last for 3-4 weeks.

CHIPOTLE LIME SALT
(Adapted from the Cozy Herbivore)

Ingredients:
3-4 tablespoons finely grated zest from organic limes (about 4 large limes)
1 cup quality coarse grain salt (kosher or sea salt)
3 tablespoons ground chipotle peppers

Method:
Preheat oven to 225 degrees. In a large bowl, toss together fresh lime zest and salt, squeezing the salt and zest between your fingers to release the oils from the zest. Mix together with your fingers until fully incorporated.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, Silpat, or foil. Bake The lime-salt mixture for 60-70 minutes, or until the zest is completely dried out (and crumbles easily).

Remove mixture from the oven, and allow to cool. In a small bowl, stir together the lime-salt and chipotle powder. Store in an airtight container.

And now you’re ready for a margarita! :)