Posts Tagged vegetarian

Green Beans with Pistachios and Preserved Lemon

Hello, friends!

July was one of the crazier months of my entire life, but I made it through. I pulled off two large events (planned a grand opening party for the new 365 by Whole Foods Market and catered the Juliet Zulu retreat). We trekked to Seattle for my cousin’s wedding (and Margot’s flower girl debut!). I went to NYC with Bunk Sandwiches.

I am proud of all that I accomplished in July, and I plan to sleep for all of August. (Who am I kidding?! I have a toddler. No sleep for me!) In all seriousness, my plan for August is to lay low and enjoy time with my family. I want to snuggle with my kid and watch a lot of Olympics and eat long and leisurely dinners in our backyard.

So, I’m doing just that. Cooking and snuggling and Olympics-ing. Tonight, I made fresh tomato pasta sauce (check my Instagram for the recipe) and watched gymnastics with my daughter. She’ll be two in October and doesn’t exactly get what’s going on, but she exclaims happily, “Watch ‘nastics! Do flips! Oh my goooooodness!”

So, yeah, I’m feeling pretty great about life.

Since I now have the time and energy, I’ve been cooking up a storm the past week. I bought all the things at the Beaverton Farmers Market on Saturday (corn! heirloom tomatoes! green beens! a flat of mixed berries! peaches!) and I’ve been having a blast in the kitchen.

Of all the things I’ve made recently, these green beans with pistachios and preserved lemons might be my favorite. First off, these green beans take 15 minutes (tops!) to make. The only tedious thing about this recipe is shelling the pistachios. (Pro tip: it’s a little more expensive, but you can buy shelled pistachio meats!)

I got the idea for this dish from the magnificent Yotam Ottolenghi. He posted a very similar dish on his Instagram last week, and I thought it sounded like green bean perfection. I’m not sure if he has this recipe in any of his cookbooks, or if it was just a random dish that he made a posted. Whatever the case, it sounded simple enough and so I set about making my own rendition.

So, here it is. At long last, a recipe! And a good one, at that!

Green Beans with Pistachios and Preserved Lemon

Serving Size: 4 as a side

Ingredients

2 cups fresh green beans, trimmed
1 large clove garlic, peeled and minced
1/2 cup chopped pistachios
1.5 tablespoons minced preserved lemons
2 teaspoons minced fresh oregano
Olive oil
Salt & freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

Bring a pot of water to a boil. Blanch green beans in boiling water for 3-5 minutes, until tender. Drain and rinse with cold water.
Toss green beans with olive oil, to coat. Then toss with the minced garlic, preserved lemons, oregano, and half of the chopped pistachios. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. When ready to serve, sprinkle the remaining pistachios over the top of the dish.

http://rosemarried.co/2016/08/07/green-beans-with-pistachios-and-preserved-lemon/

My Favorite Lentil Salad

Lentils are a funny little legume. They’re teeny tiny little bits of awesome. They aren’t particularly pretty or glamorous, but lentils are affordable and nourishing. Bonus: lentils are also super delicious.

I cook with lentils often. And by often, I mean I make the same two lentil recipes over and over and over again: this Lentil and Sweet Potato Soup with Cilantro and Bacon and this crazy delicious Lentil Salad. I’m sorry to all other lentil salads out there, but this is my favorite lentil salad. It’s just so unexpected and awesome. The lentils are mixed with dried cranberries, capers, goat cheese, greens, and a phenomenal dressing that uses every spice in the cabinet. (If you think I’m kidding, look at the recipe. So. Many. Spices.)

I don’t know what else to say about this lentil salad. It’s wonderful and delicious and I make it all the time. I love it, my husband loves it, even the baby loves it. Just give it a try, and I bet this will quickly become your favorite lentil salad. Just make sure your spice pantry is well-stocked before you attempt to make the dressing because it uses a LOT of spices. (I noticed that this recipe really taps into “The C Spices”: cardamom, cayenne, cloves, coriander, cumin, cinnamon. So if you find yourself making this salad without a recipe, just toss in all the c spices and a few others and you’ll be fine!)

Oh, one last note! The original recipe calls for dried lentils (which then have to be cooked), but I’m lazy and I skip that step and just buy the pre-cooked lentils from Trader Joe’s and thus this salad is the easiest EVER. No cooking required. Thank goodness for the magic of TJ’s.

My Favorite Lentil Salad

Ingredients

Salad:
1 pound cooked lentils
1 shallot, sliced thinly
1 cup dried cranberries
1/3 cup capers
1/3 cup goat cheese crumbles
A few handfuls of arugula or spinach
Optional add ins: fresh parsley or cilantro, chopped pecans or almonds, green onions.
Dressing:
1/3 cup olive oil
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1 Tbsp. maple syrup (or honey)
1 Tbsp. whole grain mustard
Salt & pepper, to taste
1 tsp. ground cumin
½ tsp. ground cinnamon
½ tsp. turmeric
½ tsp. ground coriander
½ tsp ground cardamom
½ tsp. cayenne pepper
¼ tsp. ground cloves
¼ tsp. ground nutmeg

Instructions

Place all dressing ingredients in a small mason jar and give it a good shake until combined.
In a large bowl, combine cooked lentils, dried cranberries, capers, and sliced shallots. Toss with the dressing. Gently fold in the greens and half of the crumbled goat cheese, stir to coat. Before serving, crumble the rest of the goat cheese atop the salad. Serve at room temperature.
This salad keeps well in the fridge for a few days.

Notes

Adapted from My New Roots

http://rosemarried.co/2015/10/05/favorite-lentil-salad/

Pickled Nectarine and Burrata Salad

I blinked.

I blinked and suddenly it’s September.

I blinked and summer is already fading into fall. There are leaves on the ground and sweaters in stores.

I blinked and my baby is suddenly feeling less and less like a baby. Margot Louise will be a year old next month. (How did that happen?!) She refuses to crawl, but she is so close to walking. She is fierce and funny and stubborn and independent. She jabbers all day long. She devours (most) everything I put in front of her. She’s obsessed with my soba noodle salad and roasted sweet potatoes (with a touch of cinnamon and coconut oil). She hates blueberries.

She makes me feel all the things. (And now, a gratuitous cute baby pic!)

Despite my best attempts, the blog has largely been ignored. I’ve been cooking and eating and eating and cooking. (If you don’t believe me, peep my Instagram feed.) I just haven’t written a darn thing. I warned you this might happen, and I had every intention of proving myself wrong. It turns out that I was right all along.

I’ve made this pickled nectarine and burrata salad at least 3 times this summer (and have been meaning to post the recipe for weeks!). The grocery store next to my house started carrying burrata cheese and I have very mixed feelings about this development. The problem is that burrata is so incredibly delicious and I want to eat it all the time. However, burrata ain’t cheap. You’ve heard the expression “champagne taste on a beer budget”? Well, I’d like to change that expression to “Burrata taste on a Velveeta budget”. I love me some burrata cheese, but my wallet does not.

That being said, this salad is totally delicious and the creamy burrata mixed with the pickled nectarines is OUT OF THIS WORLD. The cheese is worth every penny. (Note: if you can’t find burrata cheese or would like a more affordable substitution, fresh mozzarella would also work nicely in this salad!)

So, soak up the last of summer while you still can. Buy all the nectarines and all the burrata cheese and eat this salad every night of September. (Ok, that might not be the reasonable choice. However, I implore you to make this salad while nectarines are ripe and in season. Get on it!)

Pickled Nectarine and Burrata Salad

Serving Size: Makes 2 plated salads

Ingredients

2 nectarines, thinly sliced
1/4 small red onion, thinly sliced
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
2 cups arugula
1/2 cup fresh mint
1/2 cup fresh basil
2 tablespoons olive oil plus more for drizzling
Fresh urrata cheese

Instructions

Mix together vinegar, salt, pepper, sugar and nutmeg. Combine nectarines and red onion in a small bowl and pour vinegar mixture over the fruit. Set aside and let sit for 15 minutes to an hour.
Drain nectarines and onions (reserve liquid). Combine the fruit and onions with arugula, mint, and basil. Mix 2-3 tablespoons of pickling liquid with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. Toss the arugula and nectarine mixture with the dressing.
To plate, place a small portion of burrata in the center of a shallow bowl. Arrange salad around the burrata cheese. Drizzle with a bit of extra olive oil or dressing. Season with salt and pepper, if needed. Serve with crostini or crusty bread.

http://rosemarried.co/2015/08/31/pickled-nectarine-burrata-salad/

Recipe adapted from Epicurious

Warm Curried Cauliflower Salad with Dried Cranberries, Cilantro, and Almonds

The other day I confessed to my husband that the blog is stressing me out. I know that I’ve neglected the blog recently, and that my posts are spotty and infrequent. I just feel so guilty about it. It sucks. But you know what else sucks? Feeling guilty about my blog. Frankly, it’s just stupid. I started this blog because I was working at a job I didn’t like and I desperately needed a creative outlet. I found so much joy in cooking and I wanted to share that joy with others. So, I cooked and I wrote and I found so much freedom in the process.

But here I am, nearly 5 years later and my life has changed drastically. I quit my job and started my own freelance marketing business. I started working for a farmer’s market. I had a baby.

In addition, blogging has changed. It’s become much more of a business. It feels much less like a community, and more like a competition. It’s become about imagery and props and styling, not about content. To be honest, I’m a little tired of it. I’ve been mulling over these thoughts for awhile, and then I read a recent post by Michelle at Hummingbird High and it really resonated with me. She spoke honestly about her thoughts on blogging, and it was refreshing to read someone speak openly and honestly about the current state of the blog world.

When I started this blog, I was working a 9-5 desk job. Blogging was strangely easier in those days, as I would come home after work and would work out the frustrations of the day in the kitchen. It was the best kind of therapy. These days, I don’t have set work hours. I’m a stay-at-home mom, sort of. I’m also a working professional, and I love my work. I’m juggling a lot. I have eight hours of childcare a week. Eight.

The reality is, I just don’t have a lot of time to devote to the blog right now and I feel I need to take a little time and reassess my priorities. I want to write and post for the right reasons, not out of stress or obligation. I started this blog because it was really good for me. It brought me a lot of joy and satisfaction. (It certainly wasn’t a source of stress!) I need to get back to that place.

Lest you panic, I’m not shutting down the blog. I promise, I’m not going anywhere. I’ll still post recipes, but I’ll post when I feel it makes sense. I’ll post when I feel inspired. I’ll post when I find a little spare time. I’ll post when my kid starts napping regularly and gives me a few hours to myself. ;)

I’m still here, I just need a little reboot.

Thanks for reading, and thanks for understanding. Chances are, I’ll post more frequently now that I’ve gotten this off my chest.

I feel better already.

WARM CURRIED CAULIFLOWER SALAD WITH DRIED CRANBERRIES, CILANTRO, AND ALMONDS

Ingredients:

1 head cauliflower

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1/4 cup roughly chopped cilantro

1/4 cup slivered almonds

4 green onions, sliced thinly

1 clove garlic, minced

2 tablespoons olive oil

1.5 tablespoons curry powder

1 teaspoon ground turmeric

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

Kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Method:

Preheat oven to 400 F. Line a baking sheet with foil or Silpat.

Trim the cauliflower into small (half inch or inch) florets.

Mix together the olive oil, spices, and minced garlic. Toss cauliflower florets with oil and spice mixture, making sure that cauliflower is well coated.

Place cauliflower on lined baking sheet and roast in the oven for 10-15 minutes, flipping once, or until fork tender and browning along the edges.

Remove cauliflower from oven and allow to cool slightly. Toss with dried cranberries, almonds, cilantro, and green onions. Taste and adjust seasonings if needed. Serve warm. (Note: I squeezed a little lime juice over the top of the salad before serving and it was delicious!)

Grilled Artichokes with Garlic Herb Aioli + My Favorite Labor Day Grilling Recipes!

I don’t post a lot of grilling recipes here. That’s mostly due to the fact that my husband is the primary griller in our home, and I have no idea how he does what he does. Therefore, I cannot share these recipes and tips with you. His grill methods are a mystery to me! (I will say, however, that he helped me develop a recipe for Grilled Flank Steak with Charred Green Onions and Hazelnut Romesco, which can be found in my new cookbook! Just sayin’.)

However, I do occasionally dabble in grilling from time to time.

There’s something about grilling that is just so satisfying. Cooking food over an open flame (or coals) in the great outdoors is a bit of a challenge, but it’s also a ton of fun. And, Labor Day weekend is the perfect time to grill up some grub and soak up the last bits of summer.

A few weeks ago, we decided to grill up a few artichokes with dinner. It was a fantastic decision. Honestly, I cannot begin to express to you how delicious they were. We gobbled up the artichokes in moments, leaving behind a big ole heap of artichoke carnage. It was awesome. I usually steam or boil artichokes, which is also delicious, but grilling brings them up a notch. The grill imparts just a bit of char and a slightly smoky flavor. It’s perfect.

So, then, I’ll share with you my recipe for Grilled Artichokes with Garlic and Herb Aioli. In addition, I’ve posted a whole list of my favorite grilling recipes, all of which would be perfect for your Labor Day BBQ. Whatever your plans may be, I hope you enjoy the holiday weekend and that you enjoy these last lovely bits of summer.

Grilled Artichokes with Garlic Herb Aioli

Ingredients

4 artichokes
2 lemons, halved
Olive oil
1/2 cup mayonaise
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
Freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon minced fresh herbs, such as rosemary, oregano, and thyme

Instructions

First, trim the artichokes. Clip the thorns (the sharp tips of the artichoke leaves) with scissors and remove any small outer leaves near the base of the stem.
Place the artichokes and a couple of lemon halves in a large pot of salted water. Bring to a boil, and cook for approximately 30 minutes. (To check and see if the artichokes are done, stick a fork in the stem of the artichoke. If it’s tender and the fork pulls out easily, they’re ready!)
Drain off the water and allow artichokes to cool for a few minutes. In the meantime, prepare your grill.
Once your grill is hot and the artichokes are cook enough to handle, prepare the artichokes for grilling. Using a sharp knife, cut the artichokes in half lengthwise. Then, using a spoon or paring knife, remove the choke (the fuzzy bits in the center). Brush artichokes with olive oil and place on a plate.
Place artichoke halves on the center of the grill, directly over the heat. Grill for 10 minutes, or until you get grill marks.
To make the aioli, mix together the mayo, pepper, garlic, and fresh herbs. Serve the grilled artichokes with the aioli and slices of fresh lemon.

http://rosemarried.co/2014/08/31/grilled-artichokes-with-garlic-herb/

A few of my personal favorite grilling recipes:

Grilled Brussels Sprouts with Whole Grain Mustard

Grilled Corn Salad with Cherry Tomatoes and Avocado

Grilled Zucchini Bruschetta

A few of my favorite grilling recipes from a few of my favorite blogs:

Grilled Pizzas – 101 Cookbooks

Grilled Chipotle Pork Tenderloin with Fresh Cherry Salsa – Sweet Peas & Saffron

Grilled Watermelon with Jalapeno, Feta, and Honey – Domesticate Me

Grilled Zucchini and Corn Pasta with Parmesan – The Scrumptious Pumpkin

Grilled Halloumi with Strawberries and Herbs – The Turntable Kitchen

Grilled Kale & Fig Salad – Local Haven

Grilled Apricot and Burrata Salad – PDX Food Love

Grilled Peaches with Mascarpone Whipped Cream and Caramel Sauce – Spicy Southern Kitchen

Happy Labor Day weekend, y’all!

xoxo

Lindsay

Roasted Corn and Blueberry Bruschetta

They say that necessity is the mother of invention, but I would also argue that abundance is another mother of invention.

Last weekend, I came home from the PDX Food Swap with 5+ pounds of fresh blueberries. I made jam (recipe to come!), enjoyed fresh blueberries with my yogurt and granola for breakfast every morning, and even froze a few berries. After all of that, I still had blueberries leftover.

With the remaining blueberries, I wanted to do something savory and unexpected. I took stock of what I had in the fridge and in the garden, and decided to roast blueberries with fresh corn and thus created this bruschetta. (Let’s be honest: roasting fruits or veggies and placing them atop goat cheese and bread is usually a good idea.)

I love the balance of sweet and savory flavors in this dish, and the pop of the fragrant basil and tangy goat cheese. Everything just works.

It’s a perfect little summer appetizer.

Roasted Corn and Blueberry Bruschetta

Ingredients

1 cup fresh corn kernels
1 cup fresh blueberries
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt & freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon honey
4-6 oz goat cheese, room temperature
Baguette
Handful of fresh basil leaves

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Toss blueberries and corn with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Place in a baking pan and roast for 8-10 minutes, until corn is starting to brown. Remove from oven and set aside and allow to cool.
For the crostini, you can serve them one of two ways. If you’re strapped for time (or don’t feel like turning on the oven), you could simply serve the bruschetta on fresh, soft slices of baguette. Otherwise, you can crisp the baguette slices in a 350 degree oven. Simply brush baguette pieces with olive oil and lay in a single row on a lined baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes, or until golden brown along the edges.
To assemble the crostini, spread a layer of goat cheese on each baguette slice. Place a generous spoonful of corn and blueberry mixture atop the cheese. Drizzle honey atop each, and sprinkle a bit of flake sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Top each with a fresh basil leaf.

http://rosemarried.co/2014/08/05/roasted-corn-blueberry-bruschetta/

Kale and Quinoa Salad with Lemon Tahini Dressing

Oh, vegetables. I used to love you. Then, I got pregnant and everything changed. I no longer wanted vegetables. All I wanted to eat was chocolate chip cookies and grilled cheese sandwiches.

However, a girl can’t live on chocolate chip cookies and grilled cheese alone. (I mean, technically, I could. But I shouldn’t.) I’ve had to practically force myself to eat vegetables, and it hasn’t been easy. But, just when I thought I might never like vegetables again, I happened upon this kale salad. I don’t know what it was about this particular salad, but it completely snapped me out of my anti-vegetable funk. It just tasted so good. Frankly, I couldn’t get enough of it.

This salad happens to be incredibly good for you. It’s vegan and gluten free. It contains a whole bunch of super foods – kale, quinoa, and cranberries. And, most importantly, it tastes good to this pregnant lady. (For the record, my husband also loved this kale quinoa salad. He ate two bowls of it for dinner one night, and ate the rest for lunch the next day. I’d say it was a hit.)

Kale and Quinoa Salad with Lemon Tahini Dressing

Ingredients

1 bunch of black (dinosaur) kale
1-2 small carrots
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1 cup dry quinoa
3 tablespoons tahini paste
1 teaspoon olive oil
Water, as needed
1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
The juice of 1 lemon
1.5 teaspoons honey
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
Salt & pepper, to taste
1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
Optional garnishes: red chili flakes or avocado

Instructions

Cook quinoa according to package directions. When the quinoa is fully cooked, set aside until needed.
while the quinoa is cooking, prep the vegetables. Using a sharp knife, slice the kale into thin strips. (No need to remove the stems!) Using a vegetable peeler, peel the carrot into thin ribbons. Toss the sliced kale and carrots together, along with the dried cranberries.
To make the tahini dressing, 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 honey, salt, pepper, and minced garlic.
Toss the kale mixture with 1.5 cups of cooked quinoa. Pour the dressing over the salad, and stir to coat. Sprinkle the sesame seeds atop the salad. Garnish with red chili flakes or avocado, if desired. Serve at room temperature.

http://rosemarried.co/2014/05/06/kale-quinoa-salad-tahini-dressing/