totally vegan super satisfying cesar salad
July 9, 2010
My cookbook of choice this holiday – to read, explore, focus on, and experiment with – is the rebar modern food cookbook by Audrey Alsterberg and Wanda Urbanowicz. Today for lunch I decided to experiment with the rebar Cesar Salad which is not a vegan salad but I veganized it to see what it would taste like. It was a highly successful lunch. Who needs cheese, anchovies, and bacon when you’ve got roasted garlic, local romaine lettuce, and homemade croutons? Not me! Andrew and Bekah decided they wanted shaved parmigiano on theirs; I went without. We were all super satisfied.
1 bulb roasted garlic (see below)
juice of 1 lemon
1 tbsp capers
1 tbsp caper juice
1 1/2 tsp dijon mustard
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cracked pepper
1 cup olive oil
Combine all of the ingredients, except oil, in a blender or food processor and blend. Add olive oil in a slow, thin stream. Correct seasoning to taste.
To serve, toss the dressing with washed, dried, and torn romaine lettuce and fresh croutons (see below), and garnish with shaved parmigiano (optional), fresh cracked pepper, and lemon wedges. Enjoy!
Roasted Garlic
1 garlic blub
2 tsps olive oil
pinch of salt
pinch of cracked pepper
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Using a sharp knife, slice the top off the garlic bulb, just enough to expose the tops of the garlic flesh. Center bulb on a square piece of parchment paper. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Pop it into the oven.
After 45 minutes you should start to smell the sweet roasting aroma, but depending on the size of your bulb, it may need a bit more time. Test by slipping the sharp point of a paring knife into one of the cloves. If it slides in effortlessly, or the bulbs are starting to poke out of their skins, then the garlic is ready.
Garlic Croutons
5 slices of bread, cubed
3 tbsps olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 tsp salt
Toss the bread cubes with oil, garlic, and salt. Spread out on a lined baking sheet and bake in the oven at 350 degrees for 8 – 10 minutes, or until evenly browned and crisp on the outside.
arugula with grilled asparagus pear and thyme vinaigrette
April 26, 2010
I just discovered this recipe in the (relatively) new Moosewood Cookbook called Cooking for Health. It was so good I made it two nights in a row and drizzled it liberally on an arugula salad with grilled asparagus and grilled pear. It’s sweet and thyme-y, and packed full of nutrients, particularly with the pear and apple sauce. The recipe calls for a raw pear, but since I was grilling pear for the salad anyway, I used grilled pear which was really nice – added sweetness with a little smokiness from the BBQ.
1 ripe pear, cored and chopped (and grilled)
1/3 cup olive oil
2 tbsps apple cider vinegar
2 tbsps apple or pear juice (I used apple sauce)
1 tsp dijon mustard
1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
1/4 tsp salt
generous dash of ground black pepper
1 small garlic clove, pressed or minced
maple syrup (I used about 1 tbsp)
Combine all ingredients in a blender and puree until smooth and creamy. If the dressing is too thick, add a little water or juice. This dressing will keep in the refrigerator for 3 or 4 days. If the chilled dressing congeals, bring it to room temperature before serving.
beet potato and snow pea salad
April 17, 2010
IMPROMPTU BONUS on this lovely Saturday morning. I thought I was done posting today but I had a bunch of left-overs in the fridge that I wanted to use up and made this salad. It was so good I decided I had to share it with you. The greens are Greenbelt Farms Certified Organic Spring Pea Mix with Hong Vit and Pea Shoots. Wow. Definitely worth a trip to your local food shop, or the Greenbelt itself!
Left-over red beets
Left-over red potatoes
Left-over snow peas
Cut them up and throw them in a bowl.
Add
Spring greens
Chopped green onion
A yummy dressing of your choice
Sprinkle with Gomashio and some freshly ground pepper.
Presto. You’re done.
rice barley and quinoa salad with cranberries and nuts
January 3, 2010
I made up this recipe based on a few I’ve eaten when I’m out and about. I’m really happy with it. You can add more or less dressing depending on your preference. It makes quite a heap so unless you’ve got lots of mouths to feed, are cooking for a potluck, or would like it to last you several days, half the recipe.
1 cup mixed wild rice, cooked
1 cup barley, cooked
1 cup black quinoa, cooked
2 tbsps olive oil
5 celery stalks, chopped
4 large carrots, chopped
1 bulb fennel, chopped
1 – 2 cups pumpkin seeds (roasted tamari pumpkin seeds are nice)
3/4 cup of dried cranberries
bunch of green onion, chopped
bunch of parsley, chopped
bunch of cilantro, chopped
Dressing:
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 tbsps grainy Dijon mustard
1 tbsp grated ginger
dash maple syrup
1/2 cup olive oil
sea salt and pepper to taste
Cook the grains and then set aside to let cool. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a heavy skillet. Add celery, carrot, and fennel and sauté until cooked through to desired consistency. When cooked, mix grains, vegetables, pumpkin seeds, cranberries, green onions, and herbs in a large bowl. Prepare the dressing by mixing all ingredients well. Add dressing to the salad and serve.
v:gourmet 