Tomato Caramelized Onion and Spinach Pizza (Recipe ReDux)

There are two types of pizza: adult pizza and kid pizza.  I'm guessing you know which one is which.

While kid pizza is not limited to only children, it is the kind most eight year-old's will reach for.  Thick, fluffy crust, tomato sauce, and melty cheese to top it all off.  Maybe some sort of meat on top.

Then there's adult pizza, the type that I love.  All bets are off when it comes to adult pizza.  One can throw pretty much whatever they want on top and no one will question it.  Lemons, beans, squash; it's all fair game.

The pizza I'm sharing today is a mix of the two primary types of pizza.  It's not super crazy, but it isn't your average cheese pizza either.

You start with some caramelized onions.  OK, a lot of caramelized onions.  Once they're all golden and delicious, stir in some marinara sauce and coat the onions with it.  That's gonna be the first layer of your pizza.

Next comes baby spinach.  Nothing fancy, just lay it down in a thick layer covering the onions.  Don't worry about there being too much because it's gonna shrink down a ton in the oven.

Finally, top your pizza with fresh mozzarella and sun dried tomatoes.  Perfect!  This pizza is simple, but delicious, and you're going to love it!

Tomato Caramelized Onion and Spinach Pizza

• 1 pizza crust of choice (I used store bought, but you can make your own)
• 2 onions, chopped
• marinara sauce of choice (either store bought or homemade is fine)
• baby spinach
• fresh mozzarella
• sun dried tomatoes, packed in oil

Preheat oven to 450F.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Add some olive oil to a pan and add chopped onions.  Caramelize onions; if you don't know how, check out these directions.  Add marinara sauce and mix to coat onions.  Place pizza crust (pre-baked, if homemade) in prepared pan.  Arrange onions in an even layer on top of crust.  Add a layer of spinach, and top that with a generous amount of fresh mozzarella.  Lastly, evenly distribute sun dried tomatoes on top.  Bake in preheated for 15 minutes, until cheese has melted.  Slice and enjoy!

Slow Cooker Moroccan Stew

Toss All of That CSA Stuff into Your Slow Cooker!

 It’s week 21, and I think I have CSA fatigue. Or maybe it’s CSA battle fatigue.  (For those of you have not yet discovered the WTF CSA series from Huffington Post, they are worth a detour.)  http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/08/02/nettle-recipes-stinging-how-to-cook_n_3690035.html

In August, we conquered ½ bushel of Asian eggplants.  No problem.

In September, we won a hard fought battle against 26 pounds of fresh tomatoes.  (Toward the end, we just cored them and threw them into the freezer.  You can just toss a few into your soup or stew, and it works just like canned tomatoes.)

Now I am faced with 4 pounds of carrots, collard greens, and a whole lot of turnips.  (I am pretty sue I hate turnips, but I am willing to give them a chance.)  But I have a new weapon…  A slow cooker!

So I cleaned and chopped, tossed it all in with a handful of spices, and waited.  Turns out, my slow cooker is about to be my new best friend.  This stew is absolutely delicious!

Moroccan Vegetable Stew

2 Tbs. olive oil

2 medium onions, chopped coarsely

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. cumin

1 tsp. paprika (smoked)

1 tsp ground coriander

1 tsp cayenne pepper

2 cups water or vegetable broth

1 (28 ounce) can of tomatoes

11/2 lbs. carrots, peeled and cut into ½-inch chunks

2 medium turnips, peeled and cut into ½-inch chunks

1 bunch collard greens, cut into ½-inch strips

1 (15 ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained

½ cup yellow raisins

1 Tbs. balsamic vinegar

Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the onions and a pinch of salt and cook over medium heat until translucent, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic, cinnamon, coriander, cumin, cayenne,, and a pinch of pepper and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Transfer the mixture to a slow cooker, add the liquid and canned tomatoes, mixing them with the onions and crushing the tomatoes into smller bits. Add the  carrots, turnips, and collard greens. Stir to combine.

Cover and cook on high for 1 1/2 hours.

Add the chickpeas, raisins, and balsamic vinegar, season with salt, and stir to combine.

Cover and continue to cook on high until a knife easily pierces the vegetables, about 2 hours more, stirring after 1 hour.

Israeli Couscous with Asparagus and Snap Peas

Spring means flowers blooming, lots of sunshine, and a whole lot of asparagus.

Since it came into season, I've tried asparagus in nearly every way known to man.  We've done sandwiches, pizza, pasta, roasted, and finally an Israeli Couscous Salad.

It was all delicious, but my favorite would have to be the recipe I'm sharing today.  It's absolutely fantastic.

Let's talk about Israeli Couscous.

Have you ever tried it?  It's not like small and beady North African Couscous (the normal kind), but instead is a bit for substancial with more of pasta mouthfeel.  We love it at my house.

But, it is possible to make it better.  And cheese, preserved lemon, and lots of veggies are how ya do it.  You're gonna love this thing.  I just know it.

Israeli Couscous with Asparagus and Snap Peas

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 1/3 cups Israeli couscous (6 to 7 ounces)
• 1 3/4 cups (or more) vegetable broth
• 14 ounces slender asparagus spears, trimmed, cut into about 1 inch pieces
• 8 ounces sugar snap peas (you can trim them if you like, but I didn't)
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add couscous and sauté until most of couscous is golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add broth, increase heat, and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until liquid is absorbed and couscous is soft, about 10 minutes. Add more broth if needed.  In another saucepan, heat another 1 tbsp of oil.  Add asparagus, snap peas, onion, and garlic.  Season with salt and pepper and saute until tender, but still a bit crisp.  It should take about 5 minutes.  Add vegetables to pan with cooked couscous (with heat still on).  Mix together.  Add cheese and cook until cheese is melted.  Serve and enjoy!

Revisited Recipe of the Day:

Minty Tabbouleh

Tater-less Tots

I'm gonna tell you something now and you have to promise not to laugh.  Ok?  You promise?  Alrighty then.

Here it is:

Before making this recipe, I didn't realize that the "tater" in "tater tots" had to do with potatoes.  I know, I'm an idiot.

But it just never occured to me.  I thought tater was just a funny word that sounded good with tot, which was just another funny word that let you know that whatever dish you were about to eat is small.

The whole tater = potato thing sort of flew right past me.  Whoops.

I didn't realize the connection until after I had made these tater tots (which actually taste like the real thing, believe it or not, even though they're made with a single 'tater).  I was trying to decide on some clever name for the recipe, with no luck might I add, when everything became clear.

I felt so stupid!  After a big long "ohhhh" I decided to call this recipe Tater-less Tots, and then I ran into my kitchen to eat more of them in hopes of halting the embarassment.  It didn't work... but at least the tots were delicious!

Tater-less Tots

• 1 1/2 cups (1 can) chickpeas, rinsed and drains
• 120 g cauliflower, chopped into small pieces
• 1 cup cooked quinoa (about 1/3 cup dry)
• 1/4 cup ground flax
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup finely minced shallot
• 1/4 cup whole wheat flour

In a large bowl, mash chickpeas until mostly broken up.  Add in remainging ingreidents and mix until combined.  Mixture probably won't hold together too well.  Do your best to form into tater tot shapes.  Warm a frying pan over medium heat and pour a bit of olive oil in.  Place tater tots in batches on pan and cook for a couple minutes on each side until browned and crispy.  Store in fridge.   Recipe makes 3-5 servings.

Right now you're probably looking at the ingredient list above and thinking that I'm even crazier than the story I already told you implied.  Just trust me.  It sounds nuts, but those ingredients really do come together to create something that tastes like a potato.

Which by the way, is what "tater" means in the phrase "tater tot".  You know, 'cause I know that now.

Revisited Recipe of the Day:

Vegan Sweet Potato Chili

Mixed Grains with Kale and Apple

Welcome to dinner at my house.

This is pretty much what I eat most of the time... or at least a variation of it.

I absolutely love dishes that are packed with hearty grains, delicious greens, and sweet fruit.  If it were up to me, those types of foods would be the ones served in fast food restaurants, school cafeterias, and tons of dinner tables worldwide.  We gotta show people that healthy can taste good!

For real though, sometimes I wonder why simple salads, like the recipe I'm sharing today, aren't made more often.  I mean, it's not like they're complicated dishes to make.  I'm no master cook, and I threw this together pretty easily.  All you gotta do is toss some grains on the stovetop, cut up some apples, and then saute it all together with some kale.  My desserts are harder to make!

And do not tell me that people are hesistent to make this sort of thing because they think it won't taste good.  Oh, please.

Grains = delicious.  Apples = awesome.  Kale = even better.  So, c'mon, what on Earth leads one to believe that all of that combined is anything short of fantastic?

Answer = nothing.

Mixed Grains with Kale and Apple
Salad:

• 1/2 cup red quinoa
• 1/2 cup pearled barley
• 1 medium onion
• 1-2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 apples
• 6 (packed) cups kale, washed and cut into bite size pieces
• 1/4 cup dried cranberries

Dressing:

• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 1/2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 tsp honey
• salt + pepper, to taste

Place quinoa in rice cooker along with 1 cup water and let cook until ready.  Repeat process with barley.  If you don't have a rice cooker, cook according to package directions, using same amount of water and quinoa/barley.  Cut onion into thin slices.  Saute with olive oil over medium heat for 5-7 minutes, until soft.  Add kale and apples and saute for another 10 minutes, until kale is wilted.  Mix in cranberries and grains and heat until warmed.

Make dressing my combining all ingredients in a small container, and shaking or mixing until very well combined.  Toss salad with desired amount of dressing (I used about half).  Serve warm.  Makes 4-6 servings as an appetizer, or 3-4 as a main dish.

If you still don't have faith in this dish, then all I can tell you is try it.  You will change your mind.  And if you don't, well, then I've got nothing to say to you.

Revisited Recipe of the Day:

Grilled Peach and Sausage Salad

Lemony Edamame Hummus

Beans and I have a weird relationship.

Take black beans for example.  I pick them out of chili, yet gobble up black bean brownies like there's no tomorrow.

Or chickpeas.  Alone or in hummus, they're just "uck", but the moment you roast them they become a highly addictive snack.

It's the same with edamame.  Just the plain bean... I think I'll pass.  Blended into hummus... oh my god, give me more!

I told you it was weird.

But sometimes, it's good to embrace your oddities.  After all, they can lead to very good things.  Like Lemony Edmame Hummus, which is indeed, very good.

Lemony Edamame Hummus
(makes 1 1/2-2 cups)

• 1 12-oz bag shelled and cooked edamame
• juice of 1 lemon
• zest of 1 lemon
• 3 tbsp water
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp tahini

Place all ingredients in a blender.  Blend on high until desired consistency is reached.  I like mine just slightly chunky, so it still has a bit of a chew to it.  You can make it as smooth or chunky as you like.  Stop to scrape down sides of blender and move mixture around when necessary.  Serve hummus with chips, on a sandwich, or with vegetables.  Keep refrigerated.

Have you ever tried Trader Joes Edamame Hummus?  This recipe was based off of it.

Though similar, this spread isn't exactly the same, as it has more of a lemony punch than that from the container at the store.  Personally, I like this version better.

But, then again, homemade is always better.

Revisited Recipe of the Day:

Carrot Chickpea Hummus

Vegan Sweet Potato Chili

Vegan food can taste good.  This dish is complete proof of that.

Occasionally, when I'm trying a vegan dish, I feel like I'm missing something.  Like the meat or cheese or cream wasn't entirely replaced.  With this Sweet Potato Chili, no one will get that feeling.
Why?  Because I didn't make it vegan on purpose.

This dish wasn't meant to be meat free.  Or dairy free.  Or both.  Nope, it was meant to be chili, and that's all.  It wasn't until looking oven the ingredients afterwards that I realized that the dinner I had created was, in fact, vegan.

And that means that it's pretty impossible to tell it's vegan.  No one noticed while preparing it, no one noticed while eating it, and no one would have noticed if I hadn't bothered to write down everything in it.

That proves this this dish is not missing anything.  There will be no wishes for meat, or even dairy while enjoying this chili.  All you'll be able to think about is how delicious it tastes.  And isn't that the way it should always be?

Vegan Sweet Potato Chili

• 1 medium red onion, chopped
• 2 red bell peppers, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 tbsp chili powder
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 2 tsp cocoa powder (unsweetened)
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• salt and pepper
• 1 28-ounce can tomatoes, liquid included
• 1 cup vegetable broth
• 3 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2" cubes 
• 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 bag frozen corn (10-12 ounces)

In a large pot, saute onions with 1-2 tbsp olive oil over medium heat, stirring occasionally.  Once onions become translucent, lower heat to medium low.  Add red pepper and garlic, and saute until softened. Add spices and cook for another 2 minutes.  Add in canned tomatoes and break up any clumps.  Mix in vegetable broth and potatoes.  Lower heat and simmer for 40 minutes, until potatoes are cooked through, but not mushy.  Add in black beans and corn and cook another 10 minutes, or until warmed through.  Ladle into serving bowls and serve warm.  If desired, you can serve with greek yogurt (though it would no longer be vegan).

Though I can't completely relate, I know that sometimes when you follow a vegan lifestyle, feeding large groups can be an issue.  You don't want to serve something that your guests won't enjoy, but at the same time, you want something you feel comfotable eating too.  This Sweet Potato Chili is the answer.

Meat eaters and vegetarians alike will love the taste, so you and your guests will both get to enjoy an awesome meal.

The same goes for if you're feeding a vegan friend.  With this recipe, you won't feel cheated and everyone at the table will get to enjoy some tasty food.

So enjoy, and let the vegan goodness make an appearance on your table!

Revisted Recipe of the Day:

Roasted Balsamic Sweet Potatoes and Tofu

Healthy Gingerbread Cake

Christmas is the time for gingerbread, is it not?

It's also the time that most people find themselves overindulging.  After all, it's hard no to.  What with the endless tables of unhealthy foods found at most holiday parties.

While gingerbread sounds great as the weather gets cooler, the overindulgence does not.  So, in an attempt to get into the healthy holiday spirit, I've created a much healthier Gingerbread Cake... and it tastes just like the real thing!

Surprise surprise, it also has a secret ingredient.

Cauliflower! 

It keeps the cake super moist and you can't taste it at all.  Not one bit, I tell you.  Not.  One.  Bit.

Instead, all you do taste is a gigantic blast of delicious gingerbread flavor.  Goodness, it's so good.  Like, exceeding my expectations good.  Want to eat the whole cake good.  Can't believe it's not full of fat good.  So good the cauliflower will be forgotten, and the only thought crossing your mind will be "I want more".

Yes, that good.

Healthy Gingerbread Cake
(makes 8 slices)

• 1 tsp date paste
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup frozen cauliflower, thawed
• 3 tbsp molasses
• 2 tbsp milk
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp ginger
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp (6 tbsp) flour
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• pinch salt
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tbsp ground flax

Preheat oven to 350F.  Combine first 7 ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth.  In another bowl combine remaining ingredients, and miz well.  Pour wet into dry and mix again until all incorporated.  Pour batter into a greased loaf pan and bake in preheated oven for 14 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.  Let cool before slicing and serving.

If you need a healthy dessert for the holidays look no further.  This cake is moist, spicy, delicious, and has a secret vegetable hidden in it!

Overindulgence?  Forget it!

Revisited Recipe of the Day:

Coconut Ginger Cookies

Butternut Squash Tofu Curry

I hate bland food.

It's just so... ugh.  If I'm gonna eat something I want it to have flavor.  And lots of it.  I want to be able to remeber what it tasted like the next day so I can fantasize about how delicious it was.  

And bland foods?  Well, usually I forget what they tasted like mere hours after eating them.  Not o.k. in my book. 

So, you can imagine my annoyance (fine, fury) when the dinner I was halfway through making was just that.  Bland and forgettable.  Big uh-oh.  It was time to change something, and fast.

In a panicked frenzy, I dug through my pantry, looking for something, anything, to impart some flavor into the dish.  Eventually, after a couple minutes of total mayhem, I found something I thought might do the trick.  A jar of Trader Joes Thai Green Curry Simmer Sauce.

I had never tried the sauce before, and didn't even recall buying it... but I was pretty desperate.  That's what a bland food does to ya.

After quickly reading through the ingredients - coconut milk, ginger, cilantro - I decided "what the heck" and dumped the whole jar into what I was making.

This could have easily been a huge mistake (I don't advise throwing random sauces into all of your bland foods), but, meraculously, it wasn't.  Not.  One.  Bit.

Instead, my boring dish was transformed into a flavor packed pot of spicy deliciousness.  Thank you Trader Joes.

Butternut Squash Tofu Curry

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 medium butternut squash, cut into 1 inch cubes
• 1 package extra firm tofu
• 1 12 oz jar Trader Joes Thai Green Curry Simmer Sauce or something similar
• 1 package frozen spinach or 12 oz fresh spinach

Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.  Add onion and saute until soft.  Lower heat and add squash, tofu, and simmer sauce to pan.  Simmer for 20 minutes, stirring often.  Mix in spinach and cook 5 more minutes or until, if using frozen, the spinach has thawed.  Turn off heat.  Serve curry over rice, greens, or on it's own if you think you can handle the spice!  This also makes great leftovers.

For the record, I've already purchased another Trader Joes simmaer sauce just so I can be prepared for the next bland food crisis.  This ones Masala, and, let me just say, I can't wait to use it.  Bland food, watch out!

Revisited Recipe of the Day:

BBQ Tofu