Browsing Tag

veggies

Tasty

Zucchini Patty Pita

July 28, 2014

Zucchini Pita 14

As I wrote the title of this post I realized that while it may be catchy, it may not be the most appetizing option.   But if you make this dish, I promise you, it will more than make up for it…

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Zucchini Patty Pita

Patty:

  • 1 zucchini, grated
  • 1 15.5 oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • 1 cup plain breadcrumbs
  • 1 small red onion, grated
  • 1 egg, lightly whisked
  • 1/4 cup EVOO
  • 1 teaspoon coarse salt

Fillings:

  • Whole wheat pitas
  • Tzatziki or Greek yogurt
  • Hummus
  • Chopped heirloom tomatoes
  • Cucumber slices
  • Lettuce leaves
  • Mint leaves
  • anything else you can think of!
  1. Mash chickpeas in a medium sized mixing bowl until smooth.
  2. Stir in zucchini, red onion, breadcrumbs, egg and salt.
  3. Form mixture into patties (the sized of a hamburger patty)
  4. Saute patties in olive oil until golden and crispy (about 3 minutes a side)
  5. Serve patties in pitas filled/topped with whatever your heart desires (I love lemon hummus, cucumber slices, chopped tomato, torn mint and a dollop of tzatziki -yum!)

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My favorite thing about this dish (aside from the taste) is how easy it is!  It’s turned into my go-to meal option for those nights where I just don’t feel like cooking (and don’t feel like figuring out takeout options).

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This fun spin on the Falafel helps to get your veggie intake in and use up your farmer’s market produce! The perfect option for your next Meatless Monday!

 

Tasty

The Easiest Miso Soup

June 18, 2014

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I love a dinner that makes for a great lunch the next day and this soup was an answer to my prayers!  Super easy, quick and VERY delicious!

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Miso Soup 

  • 1 portion of soba noodles (usually about 3 oz)
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 tsp. freshly grated ginger
  • 1 tbsp. vegetable oil
  • dash sesame oil
  • 7 cups water
  • 2 carrots, cut into matchsticks
  • 5 tbsp. white miso paste
  • 1-2 tbsp. soy sauce
  • 1 lb extra firm tofu, cubed
  • 4 cups fresh spinach, sliced
  • 2 scallions, chopped
  • sesame seeds
  1. Cook soba noodles according to package directions. Drain and set aside (make sure to run under cool water to stop cooking).
  2. Heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat and sautee garlic and ginger for about one minute.
  3. Add water and bring to a boil.
  4. Add carrot and boil for about two minutes.
  5. Reduce to a simmer, then add miso and soy sauce and stir.
  6. Add tofu, soba noodles and spinach to pot and stir until spinach is wilted.
  7. Serve soup and top with scallions and sesame seeds. Enjoy!

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Tasty

Soba Noodle Bowl

June 11, 2014

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I’m going through a “bowl” phase… the idea of grains, veggies and a protein all touching and mixed together may terrify my 5 year old self, but now I can’t get enough – one dish to clean? Sign me up!

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Amazing Soba Bowl

  • Soba Noodles
  • 1 bell pepper, sliced into matchsticks
  • 2 carrots, peeled into ribbons
  • 1/2 a bag of edamame, cooked
  • 1/4 of a head of purple cabbage
  • 4 leaves of kale, de-stemmed, cut into ribbons
  • 1-2 bunch of green onions, chopped
  • Large handful of cilantro

Dressing

  • 1 1-inch piece of fresh peeled ginger, grated
  • 3 tablespoons oil
  • 3 tablespoons lime juice
  • 2 tablespoons agave nectar
  • 1½ tablespoons white miso
  • ½ teaspoon minced garlic
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  1. Cook soba noodles and be sure to rinse them with cold water after draining them to stop them from cooking further.
  2. Top them with prepped veggies.
  3. Make dressing of your choice (I used the one above) and stir until well combined
  4. Drizzle with Sriracha and lime juice if you like.

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The joy is, you can mix and match to your heart’s delight… just find a dressing that fits your mood and get creative! Here are some of the “usual suspects” in my rotation (don’t forget that preparation variations make for even MORE combinations – hard-boiled/fried/poached eggs, shredded/grilled/roasted chicken, etc.):

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Dressings are key to making this all come together… if your ingredients are bold enough, perhaps you can go the oil and vinegar route, but if you want to mix it up, here are some of my favorites:

  • Coconut Peanut Sauce
    • 1/2 cup light coconut milk
    • 1/4 cup natural peanut butter
    • 2 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
    • 1 tablespoon lime juice
    • splash of agave
  • Mustard Vinaigrette
    • 1/3 cup olive oil
    • 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
    • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
    • pinch of sugar
  • Shallot Dijon Vinaigrette
    • 3 tablespoons finely diced shallots
    • 1 tablespoon honey
    • 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
    • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
    • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • Cilantro Balsamic Dressing
    • 2 cloves garlic
    • 1/2 cup cilantro
    • 1/4 balsamic vinegar
    • 2 teaspoons dijon mustard
    • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
    • 1 cup olive oil
    • juice of half a lemon
  • Sesame Ginger Dressing
    • 2 tablespoons low sodium tamari sauce
    • 2 tablespoons water
    • 1 tablespoon sesame oil
    • 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
    • 1/4 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
    • 1 clove garlic, minced
    • 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes

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Tasty

Vegan/GF BBQ Salad

March 17, 2014

IMG_8002 This week is all about getting Spring Break ready!  While being a college grad/adult, I may not get an actual “Spring Break” on my calendar anymore.. but I am lucky enough to get to tag along on my family’s annual vacation – thus gifting myself a “Spring Break” each year.

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That being said, working 8-10 hour days everyday takes a toll on your body, and getting spring break ready is a lot of work… so this week is going to focus on some key points.  First up – health.

The past few weeks I have been focusing on clean eating – a lot of produce and fish, and minimal red meat/gluten, and no processed foods.  That being said whole eating is a priority, and here is one of my go-to salads (great for dinner or lunches for the week).

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BBQ Veggie Salad

  • 1 head of Romanesco cauliflower (or regular cauliflower)
  • Lentils or black beans
  • Radishes
  • Carrots
  • Red Onion
  • Avocado
  • 1/2 cup BBQ sauce
  • Vegan Ranch Dressing
  • Tortilla Chips (optional)
  1. Cut cauliflower into florets and roast at 350 degrees for 7 minutes.
  2. Brush BBQ sauce onto cauliflower and bake 3 minutes more.
  3. Assemble salad with ingredients of your choice.
  4. Top with more BBQ sauce and/or ranch dressing.

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* Disclaimer: The joy of this salad is it doesn’t really need a recipe – you can add (or not add) whatever you would like – other ideas include cilantro, corn, celery, cheese (if you don’t want to go dairy free), etc.

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Tasty

Farm Fresh to You

January 27, 2014

images via Farm Fresh to You

I am a big Farmer’s Market junkie.  I love the idea of eating what’s in season (now that I have tasted the MAJOR difference in food straight from a garden/farm) and really enjoy going to the market and picking my produce for the week.

Unfortunately, I have realized the whole “pay with cash” thing, does not work in my favor. I am very bad at tracking just HOW much I spend on a given morning at the market – $2 here, $5 there… and after filling my bag up with goodies at a particular stand, I realized that I had spent $11 on brussels sprouts.  I wasn’t buying brussels sprouts for a family of 12 – I was buying it for my little family of 2.  You wouldn’t even pay $11 for a side dish of them in a restaurant! And these weren’t even cooked! Ok rant over…

Long story short(er), I realized that while I thought I was saving “some” money, I probably was doing just the opposite.  Some things are great deals – but sometimes seeing $5 written in a cute font on a chalkboard, makes me feel like I’m getting a great deal on a bunch of kale, when in reality, I was probably taken to the house a bit.

After this realization, my sister brought to my attention that Farm Fresh to You (they have a stand in the Ferry Building), delivers organic produce straight from the farm to your front door!  They have different box sizes and contents, starting at $25 (which will last 1-2 people a week or two!).  I also love that the box is a surprise each week, containing only the freshest, highest quality produce.  You have the option of deselecting items you really dislike and can log in a couple of days before to see what you will be receiving.

They make it very easy – with a vacation hold capability and an interactive scheduling portal.  You even can add on a dozen cage free, organic eggs (I’m telling you – I didn’t like eggs before I crossed over to these kind!) for a few extra bucks!

This is my first week with the box and I already love it… Here is what I received:

  • 2 D’Anjou pears
  • 3 assorted apples
  • 1 bunch golden beets
  • 1 bunch broccoli
  • 1 bunch carrots
  • 1 bunch red leaf lettuce
  • 1 bunch spinach
  • 1 lb fingerling sweet potatoes

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I wanted to share a few things I whipped up with the contents this week… so here we go!

Cowboy Steak with Roasted Fingerling Sweet Potatoes and a Red Butter Leaf Salad with Pecans and Dried Cranberries (used potatoes and lettuce)

Honey Sesame Chicken with Broccoli (used the broccoli)

Oven-Roasted Golden Beets over Couscous (used beets)

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Then I had carrot sticks with apple and pear slices for snacks at work and used the spinach in a breakfast scramble with Italian turkey sausage and sweet potato… yum!

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If you are interested in trying out Farm Fresh to You for yourself, click here to sign up and use code 6164 for to save $10 off your first order – just say Whitney Beaver referred you!