Avocado & Quinoa Salad with Tomato Confit

2 cups cherry tomatoes

2 tsp olive oil, divided

1 cup quinoa

2 large avocados, diced

1/2 cup cilantro leaves

1 cup pitted, marinated olives

1/2 cup olive oil

2 Tbs white balsamic vinegar

1 tsp honey

1/2 tsp ground cumin

3 drops hot sauce 

1) To make salad: Preheat oven to 350F. Line baking sheet with foil or parchment paper.

2) Toss cherry tomatoes with 1 tsp olive oil, and season with salt and pepper, if desired. Roast 25 minutes, or until tomatoes have rendered their water and look slightly wilted. Transfer to paper towel lined plate and refrigerate until ready to use.

3) Cook quinoa according to package directions. Spread on large plate, stir in remaining 1 tsp olive oil, and cool.

4) To make dressing: Whisk together 1/2 cup olive oil, white balsamic vinegar, honey, cumin and hot sauce in a bowl. 

5) Combine tomatoes, quinoa and avocados in a large bowl. Top with cilantro and olives.

Review:  I didn't make this as fancy as it recommended, because I really don't care about presentation. I made this last night and allowed it to refrigerate for a tasty cold salad lunch. The flavors melded together so well and was phenomenal. It was slightly sweet, with an exotic Mediterranean flavor. Which was surprising with the avocado and cilantro. This was simply divine and will make a great potluck dish. 

Adapted from:

September/October 2016 issue of Vegetarian Times

Squash, Mushroom, Kale & Dill Soup

1 lb frozen mixed mushrooms
32oz vegetable broth
2 lb butternut squash, peeled and diced
1 cup sprouted rice blend
4 cups loosely packed baby kale leaves
1 cup chopped fresh dill

1) Preheat the oven to 400F. Spread the butternut squash evenly on an oiled baking sheet. Bake for 30-35 minutes, until tender.
2) Meanwhile, add the mushrooms and vegetable broth. Heat over medium heat until boiling. Add rice, cover and lower to low-medium heat. Simmer for 25 minutes.
3) Add roasted butternut squash to cooked rice mixture. Mix in baby kale and dill, until kale has wilted.
4) Serve warm.

Review:  I usually use Trader Joe's broth, but had to go with a different brand this time. It was oddly light on the vegetable flavor and weirdly sweet. I need to stick with what I trust!! This was otherwise a hearty meal. The kale wasn't too strong and the dill balanced the earthy flavors. I really liked this!

Adapted from:
http://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/browse-all-recipes/squash-mushroom-kale-soup-dill

Curried Quinoa Salad with Asparagus & Cauliflower

1 cup quinoa
3 Tbs lemon juice
5 Tbs olive oil
3 Tbs white balsamic vinegar
1 Tbs curry powder
2 tsp whole coriander seeds, coarsely cracked in mortar with pestle
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
1 bunch asparagus, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 head cauliflower, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

1) Preheat oven to 425F. On a greased baking sheet. evenly spread out the asparagus and cauliflower. Bake for 20 minutes.
2) Place quinoa in small saucepan, with 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil over high heat. Cover and reduce heat, simmering for 15 minutes, or until water is fully absorbed.
3) Whisk together lemon juice, oil, vinegar, curry powder and coriander in a small bowl.
4) In a large bowl, mix together roasted vegetables, quinoa, dressing and cilantro. Season with salt and pepper, if desired.

Review: The original recipe called for this to be a cold dish. I wasn't in the mood for cold curry, however. I roasted the vegetables and tossed this all together while still warm. I definitely think roasting was the way to go. However, I wasn't wowed by the flavor of the dish. I haven't been a big fan of regular curry (love Thai curry, though!), so maybe it's just me.

Adapted from:
June 2016 issue of Vegetarian Times

Golden Frittata with Red Bell Pepper, Chickpeas & Baby Spinach

5 large eggs
1 Tbs turmeric
1 tsp onion powder
2 Tbs avocado oil
1 large red bell pepper, diced
15oz can chickpeas
2 cups baby spinach

1) Preheat oven to 400F.
2) Whisk together eggs, turmeric and onion powder. Season with salt and pepper, if desired.
3) Heat oil in large, ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add bell pepper and cook 4 minutes, or until pepper is slightly softened. Stir in spinach, stirring for about 2 minutes, until spinach is wilted.
4) Add chickpeas, distributing evenly throughout the pan. Pour the egg mixture over the vegetables, ensuring the eggs are evenly distributed.
5) Transfer to oven, baking for 12 minutes, or until top and center of eggs are just set. Cool 2 minutes before serving.

Review: It's been a long time since I've been able to cook a meal for both my husband and I (which ultimately leads to me trying fewer new recipes). He's on a low-carb diet, which often means lots of meat and cheese. But, I proposed that this frittata wasn't too far from his diet and he acquiesced. I absolutely adored this dish. It was hearty, savory and had a strong turmeric flavor. Mike, however, felt like he could only taste chickpeas. He still ate it all, though! The original recipe called for 9 eggs, but I got away with 5. I think 9 would be just too much, but might mean more for a family.

Adapted from:
June 2016 issue of Vegetarian Times

Pasta with Swiss Chard & Tomatoes

12 oz pasta
2 pt cherry tomatoes, halved
4 Tbs olive oil
2 Tbs tomato paste
1 Tbs onion powder
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 bunch Swiss chard, trimmed and chopped
15oz can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
salt and pepper to taste

1) Cook pasta according to package directions. Rinse and set aside.
2) Meanwhile, in a large skillet, saute garlic in olive oil over medium heat until fragrant.
3) Add Swiss chard and tomatoes. Stir occasionally until Swiss chard is wilted and tender, and the tomatoes have all 'popped.'
4) Add tomato paste, onion powder and chickpeas. Stir until thoroughly warm.
5) Combine mixture with pasta and serve warm.

Review: The original directions called for making this all in one pot. However, since I'm using gluten-free pasta, I wasn't sure the recipe would work the same. I think doing it the way I did ultimately would be better. I made a great sauce with the tomatoes and chard that was incredibly savory and tasty. I adored this and it really didn't take that long to make!

Adapted from:
http://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/browse-all-recipes/one-pot-orecchiette-with-swiss-chard-and-tomatoes

Potato, Egg & Avocado Hash

1/2 lb baby Yukon gold potatoes, halved and sliced
3 Tbs avocado oil
2 eggs
1 avocado, chopped
2 Tbs lime juice
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
salt and pepper to taste
pickled jalapeños, to taste

1) Heat the oil in the skillet over medium heat. Add the potatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are golden.
2) Make 2 wells in the mixture with the back of a mixing spoon. Carefully slide 1 egg into each. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cover the pan and cook until the whites are just set, 6 minutes.
3) Top with the avocados, lime juice, cilantro and jalapeños.

Review: When I began making this, I lamented that I was making huevos rancheros with a hashbrown, but doing it the hard way. But this was so, so much better. The butteriness of the potatoes and avocado, mixed with the poached egg was so savory. But, then adding the tang of lime juice and the flavor of the jalapeños made this dish absolutely divine. I was SO full by the time I was done eating (all of it!!), but I still wanted more. Notably, I pickled these jalapeños myself through the lacto-fermentation process, so they're full of probiotics. This was also a pretty fast dish to make and will make it into my regular rotation of meals.

Adapted from:
http://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/browse-all-recipes/potato-egg-avocado-hash

Zucchini, Radish & White Bean Salad

2 zucchini, diced
1 bunch radishes, diced
1 bunch watercress, trimmed and chopped
15oz can white beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup olive oil
1/8 cup lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste

1) In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper.
2) In a large bowl, place all remaining ingredients. Toss with dressing from step one.
3) Serve room temperature or chilled.

Review: This was so easy to make and was really tasty. The punch of the radishes was tamed by the tanginess of the lemon juice, and the white beans added a bit of savoriness. It all balanced well together and was refreshing on such a hot night!

Adapted from:
http://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/browse-all-recipes/zucchini-radish-white-bean-salad