Caprese Salad with Avocado and Tofu Mozzarella

I have really been in the mood for a Caprese salad lately, but I wasn’t quite sure how to replace the mozzarella. After a little research, I found the ‘tofu method’ that others have used, and very skeptically went about marinating my tofu. I was surprised and delighted to find that it is a darn close match in flavor and texture! This salad is so basic and simple, a nice cool treat on a hot summer night. And why the addition of avocado? Just ‘cuz.

Caprese Salad with Avocado

serves 2 as side salads

1/4 block of tofu

1/4 cup olive oil + 3 tbs 

Juice of 1 lemon

Salt and pepper

1/2 tsp oregano

1 big tomato

1/2 avocado

6 basil leaves, chopped

3 tbs balsamic vinegar

Slice the tofu into 1/4 thick slices. Combine the oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and oregano in a bowl and toss the tofu in it to marinate. Let it sit for about 1 hour or overnight in the fridge.

Slice the tomato and avocado and layer them one at a time with the tofu.

Top with the chopped basil leaves and drizzle with oil and vinegar. 

Mung Bean Falafels with Cucumber Tahini Sauce

Have you ever had mung beans? They don’t SOUND like they would be good, but they are now my new favorite bean! They are so yummy— almost sweet like peas, but still very firm and savory. They have insanely high protein and iron content compared to other legumes. This recipe is based on the Ayurvedic Falafels from One Green Planet, but they are a little more punched up with herbs and spices! They say that Ayurveda considers mung the king of beans! Now I know why. Four falafels have 240 calories, about 12 grams of protein, 17% of your daily required iron, 4 grams of fat, and 6.5 grams of fiber, and 39 grams of carbs. They are gluten free and full of anti-inflammatory ingredients like garlic and turmeric. 

You would never guess how healthy these falafels are because they are so tasty. I tried a round of deep frying them, which was delicious, but then I tried baking them and they really were just as good (if not better, less greasy) so that’s the way I would recommend. Whenever I have tried falafels at restaurants, they are like rock hard balls of dry salt, so I wanted to create falafels with a crispy exterior and a multi-dimensional flavor. I had never used potato flour, but I think it really helps with their lighter texture. However, you can use regular flour if you can’t find potato flour. 

Mung Bean Falafels with Cucumber Tahini Sauce

Makes 15 falafels

2 shallots

8 cloves garlic

1/2 cup fresh chopped parsley

1/4 cup fresh chopped cilantro

2 tsp coriander

1/2 tsp cumin

1 tsp salt

1 tsp turmeric

A couple sprinkles of nutmeg

1/4 tsp cayenne

1/2 tsp black pepper

Juice of half a lemon

3/4 cups dried mung beans

3 tb potato flour

1 tsp baking powder

1tb olive oil

Sauce

3 tbs tahini  

3 tbs coconut yogurt 

Juice of half a lemon

1/2 persian cucumber (or a quarter of a regular cucumber) peeled and minced

A dash of paprika

To cook mung beans, just bring them to a boil with 1 part mung beans, 2 parts water, then cover and lower heat to simmer for 30 minutes. They should be ‘al dente’, not mushy.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

In a food processor, combine all falafel ingredients except the mung beans and blend into a chunky puree. You don’t want it to be perfectly smooth but you don’t want big hunks of garlic either.

Then add the mung beans and pulse until they are just broken down. Don’t puree.

Add the potato flour and baking soda and mix in with a spoon or your hands.

Form the dough into little patties, about 2 big tablespoons per patty. They should basically be a ball, but a little flattened. 

Line a baking pan with a layer of parchment paper and brush both sides of the falafels with the olive oil.

Bake the falafels for about 20 minutes, then flip them and bake another 10 minutes. Keep an eye on them, you want them to be golden brown on both sides. Cooking time may vary.

To make the sauce, just combine all ingredients.

Serve your falafels on pita, lavash bread, or on a bed of lettuce. Wrapped up as a sandwich with lettuce, diced tomato, diced onions, olives, hummus, garlic fluff, and some Sriracha! They freeze well too, so you can whip up a big batch and have a falafel feast anytime, just heat in a 400 degree oven for 10 minutes or so. 

Eggplants Around the World: Moroccan Zaalouk

Aubergine, brinjal, melongene, garden egg, guinea squash, baingan, melanzana… whatever name you call them, eggplants are awesome. Wikipedia tells me that eggplants, being the night shades that they are, are a relative of the tobacco plant, which might explain my addiction to them (although you’d need to eat thirty pounds in order to get the nicotine equivalent of one cigarette, I still think they are crave-worthy, and certainly better for you!) I was looking for a new eggplant recipe to try and came upon a few really cool dishes from other cultures, so this week I’m going to do three posts about eggplant recipes from different ethnic cuisines. It seems that just about every corner of the globe has their own signature dish to showcase the giant purple berry. First up is a tomato/eggplant dip from Morocco, which can be eaten hot or cold. It’s spicy and rich, perfect for scooping onto pita chips or flatbreads. You can also serve it hot over some rice, or rolled up in a lavash wrap with some shredded cabbage for a quick meal. One generous serving of this yummy spread is about 150 calories.

Moroccan Zaalouk

Makes 3 meal sized servings, 6 appetizer sized servings

1tbs olive oil

1 eggplant

3 large ripe tomatoes

1 tsp salt

1 tsp black pepper

2 tsp harissa

2 tsp paprika

1/4 tsp cumin 

1/8 tsp cayenne

6 cloves garlic, finely minced

1/3 cup fresh cilantro and parsley, mixed

Juice from 1 lemon wedge

3/4 cup water

Peel the eggplant and tomatoes and chop them up. 

Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium/high heat and add the eggplant, tomatoes, and spices, stirring occasionally.

After about 20 minutes, add the garlic and continue to cook, stirring. If the mixture starts to stick and dry out, add a splash of water, only 1/4 cup at a time as needed. 

After another 15 minutes, add the cilantro, parsley, and lemon and cook for 5 more minutes. Smash the eggpplant and tomoto a bit with the back of a fork or potato masher to break them down. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.

Garnish with a little olive oil and fresh chopped parsley if desired. It would also make a complimentary side dish to Moroccan Spiced Stew.

French Lentil, Arugula, and Avocado Salad with Pecan Pesto

It’s Earth Day tomorrow! Well, really everyday is Earth Day am I right? Eh? But tomorrow’s the official one. My friends and I did a beach clean up this weekend, and tomorrow, I’m going to plant some herbs and vegetables in the yard. One of the easiest ways you can honor Earth Day is to try a plant-based diet, even if it’s just for the day.(Actually did you know that it’a also Earth Month? Just throwing that out there!)  Especially if you are in the drought-stricken state of California like me, it’s so important for us all to actively find solutions and make little sacrifices to better our environment. A salad is the perfect place to start.

To be honest, I stole this salad recipe from the Le Pain Quotidien menu, because I really loved the combination of ingredients, but I can make it at home for a whole lot less money. The thing I like about this salad is that it contains a couple things that I’m not generally fond of (radishes, fennel, yuck) but somehow when it’s all mixed together the flavors are fantastic! This salad has more than 12 different vegetables and herbs, so it’s a nutrient powerhouse. Plus the lentils contribute tons of protein, fiber, and iron.

I used a mandolin to slice the radishes, fennel, and cucumber into paper thin shavings, and I’d like to take a moment to remind you that cooking is dangerous! There’s fire, sharp objects, scalding oil– you have to be very careful. Or else, you end up like me and slice your finger open on the mandolin and have to prepare the rest of your meal with one hand. And type with one hand. And where a rubber glove to wash your hair. So yeah, don’t cut your fingers open like I do, it hurts a lot.

French Lentil, Arugula, and Avocado Salad

Makes 2 entree salads or 4 small salads

4 cups arugula

6 grape tomatoes, diced

4 tbs finely diced red bell pepper

3 green onions, sliced

1 sprig dill, finely chopped

1/3 bulb of fennel, thinly sliced

1 radish, thinly sliced

1/3 cucumber, thinly sliced

1 carrot, grated with a fine cheese grater

1 cup cooked French green lentils

1 avocado, sliced

Pecan Pesto Dressing:

1/3 cup raw pecans

1/2 cup first cold pressed olive oil

juice of 1 lemon

5 cloves garlic

a generous sprinkling of salt

1 bunch basil leaves

Combine all salad ingredients in a big bowl. Put all dressing ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth, about 30 seconds to 1 minute. I sometimes replace half the oil with water, just to make it a little lighter, but the oil tastes richer, naturally. Poor the dressing on and toss. This would also be great with some toasted sunflower seeds on top. Happy Earth Day!

 

Cannellini Beans with Seven Herbs and Lemon Zest

I had a ton of fresh herbs laying around, and I hate having to throw away food that I wasn’t able to use in time. So I decided to just use all of them in one dish. This accidental savory dish is bursting with flavor! I even took it one step further and took about 1.5 cups of the finished beans and put them in the food processor with some water to make a thick and creamy white bean dip. Add a bit more water and you have yourself a lemony, herby cream sauce that you can pour over pasta, roasted veggies or a green salad. Three dishes in one! A half cup serving has 175 calories, 8 grams of protein, 10 grams of fiber, and 10% of the required calcium and iron. I served these beans over a bowl of quinoa and baby kale, with some sliced yellow tomatoes. A quick and comforting lunch. It’s good hot or cold- an inexpensive and easy side dish to make for 2 or 200 people.

Cannellini Beans with Seven Herbs and Lemon Zest

makes 7 servings

1 bunch of fresh basil

4 sprigs fresh parsley

1 sprig fresh rosemary

1 sprig fresh thyme

2 sprigs oregano

3 green onions

the zest and juice from 1 lemon

8 cloves garlic

1 tsp red pepper flakes

generous salt and pepper

3 tbs first cold pressed olive oil

32 ounces cooked, rinsed, and drained cannellini beans (I used 2x 16 ounce cans)

Remove all stems from the herbs. Combine all the ingredients except the oil and beans in a food processor and pulse until well broken down. (You can also just chop all the garlic and herbs by hand, it’ll just take longer.)

In a large frying pan, heat the oil over medium high heat. Add the herb mixture and cook till it is bubbling and aromatic.

Add the beans and gently toss. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes, till the beans are heated through. Serve hot or cold.

White Bean Dip: blend 1.5 cup of the bean mixture with 1/4 cup of water and 3 tbs tahini. Chill before serving with crudités.

White Bean Cream Sauce/Dressing: blend 1 cup bean mixture with 1/3 cup water.

 

Lebanese Garlic Fluff

If you have ever been to Zankou Chicken in Los Angeles, then you may have tried this rich garlicky spread, also known as ‘toum’. It is traditionally made with a mortar and pestle but today I am using a food processor- much easier. It only uses four basic ingredients and has the texture of whipped butter. The key to making it correctly is in the emulsification. Make sure you are using a light vegetable oil, not olive or sesame. This is fantastic on a falafel sandwich, or just as a dip or sandwich spread. It really shines as a dip for french fries. It is INTENSE! When you first make it and taste it, it will be like the garlic version of eating a spoonful of wasabi. I  love it like that! However it does mellow out after you store it in the fridge for a day or so. The original recipe I looked at called for 5 cups of oil…which just sounded wrong and gross. I found that 1 cup was just perfect. I can’t wait to eat mine right now!

Lebanese Garlic Fluff (A.K.A. Toum)

makes about 1.5 cups

40 peeled garlic cloves (this was about 3-4 bulbs for me)

1 cup grapeseed oil

juice of 1 large lemon

1/2 tsp pink sea salt

Start with everything at room temperature. Put the garlic in a food processor and process until a paste forms. You will probably have to stop and scrape down the sides about 10 times. After a smooth paste has formed, keep the processor running for about 8-10 minutes total. During this time, slowly pour the oil in a thin stream a little at a time. About halfway through, stream in a little of the lemon juice as well, and continue to alternate a little at a time, until the time is up. A thick spreadable fluff should form that you can use immediately or store in the fridge for about a week.

Shitake and Enoki Calamari

Last weekend I went to New York for my birthday and we went out to dinner at a very cute little vegan restaurant that I had really been looking forward to trying. Specifically, I was super excited to try their ‘mushroom calamari’, because it sounded like such a perfect idea! Now, I try hard to be generous with my reviews of vegan restaurants because I want them to get business and succeed. However, I cannot tell you how much of a fail this dish was. It was just awful. It’s like they took trumpet mushrooms, sliced them into uniform discs, then used a small cookie cutter to cut out uniform holes to make them look like rings, then ever-so-lightly breaded them in sand from the beach, and then baked them until they were burnt. They were so gritty it hurt my teeth. The rest of our food was decent (not spectacular) and the service and ambiance was lovely, so I’ll just give you a hint, their name (ironically) rhymes with Awesome. I wouldn’t have minded so much but this place was really pricey.

If you haven’t noticed yet, one of my favorite hobbies is to research restaurants that look interesting or cool and learn about their menu, philosophy, and public perception. Then I go and taste as much as I can. Usually there is something so amazing that I just have to try to copy it at home, like an homage. If I were a musician, these would be my ‘cover song’ recipes. But every once in a while, I try something that just makes me want to yell, ‘you’re doing it wrong!’ And then I can’t sleep or work until I get in that kitchen and make whatever it is, the way I think it should be. So this is one of those situations. Haha.

So a few notes about why my mushroom calamari brings all the boys to the yard: first of all, I used shitake mushrooms, which have a very similar ‘rubbery’ texture to real calamari. Instead of a cookie cutter, I used the tip of a sharp knife to cut out rings, this led to a more irregular and realistic looking squid ring. I also used enoki mushrooms, because you have to have tentacles right?! I experimented with a few different breadings, from bread crumbs, to panko, to egg replacer and flour. All were pretty good, but the best result turned out to be good old fashioned beer batter. I’ve got to admit this recipe is my pride and joy! Alright, enough gloating, here’s the recipe:

Shitake and Enoki Calamari

Serves two as an appetizer

3 cups peanut oil

1.5 cup flour

1-2 cans pale colored beer (I used Bud Light, don’t judge me)

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp paprika

12 shitake mushrooms, the pointier the better, as opposed to flat cap

1 bunch of enoki mushrooms

Salt to taste

Lemon wedges

1/2 cup good quality marinara or cocktail sauce

In a deep frying pan or dutch oven (or deep fryer) get the peanut oil heated up to about 350 degrees, or over med-high heat.

First combine the 1.5 cup of flour and 1 can of beer in a large mixing bowl and stir to combine. You are going for a pancake batter consistency, so add more beer if necessary. Add the garlic powder and paprika and stir it up. Then let it rest on the counter while you prepare the mushrooms. For the shitake, sometimes I was able to slice off the pointy top two thirds of the cap, and the stem would fall away, leaving me with a  perfect ring. But mostly, I held them stem-up on the cutting board, and used the point of a knife to saw a little circle around the stem. Try to keep the rings as thin as possible without breaking them, because the batter adds a lot of bulk!

For the enokis, I just broke them apart in little bunches of 8 (they stay attached at the base), and be careful because these little guys are delicate.

One by one, coat the mushrooms in the batter and drop them into the hot oil. After dipping them into the batter, really shake them off, because the batter puffs up so much, you only need a thin coat. For the enokis, try to separate the stems from each other, so they fry with little splayed ‘tentacles’.

Turn them a couple times as you fry, they are ready when they turn light golden.  Take them out of the oil with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel. Serve immediately with a light sprinkle of salt, lemon wedges, and a small dish of marinara for dipping. Remember that the tedious cutting away of the stems to make rings is purely an aesthetic exercise, so if you don’t care if these look like sliced squid, just skip that step and get to the good stuff. Yum!

P.S. I had quite a bit of batter left over, because I wanted to work with a nice deep bowl while dipping the mushrooms. Feel free to do what I did and go on a mad hunt around your kitchen looking for anything and everything that could possibly be battered and deep fried, onion rings anyone?

Exotic Immunity Juice

There were so many pretty fruits in the produce aisle this week, I got a little bit of everything. I found these gorgeous little fruits called kiwiberries. I had never heard of them. They look and taste exactly like a kiwi, maybe sweeter, but they are only about an inch in diameter, and don’t have a fuzzy skin. It turns out they have 5 times the vitamin C of oranges and more potassium than a banana ounce for ounce. I am in love. Last weekend I flew to New York for a vacation and on both flights I was sitting next to very sick people. They were taking medicine and ordering hot lemon water and everything, stay home sick people! Anyway, I figure I have some serious bacteria battling to do right now, and what better way than with juice? This juice probably has a weeks worth of vitamin C and lots of other nutrients and minerals to keep your immune system running at it’s best. I actually recommend drinking this during the week leading up to travel– prevention first!! This is delicious by the way.

Exotic Immunity Juice

makes 1 large serving

8 kiwiberries

3 blood oranges

1/2 cucumber

1/2 pomegranate

1 lemon

.25″ of ginger (optional)

I peeled the oranges but not the lemon. Also, crack the pomegranate open and take all the pith away, it’s too bitter! Just use the seeds. If you can’t find kiwiberries, you can use regular kiwis, it just might not be such a pretty color, as the berries have a purplish hue to them.

Throw everything in the juicer, stir and sip. Stay well.

Love Potion Juice

Now let’s say you are really really worried about the garlic breath issue from the Beet of My Heart Hummus recipe I posted yesterday. That’s ok, there is another way for you to get all those important beet-y benefits for the big V day. This fresh Love Potion Juice will protect your heart and stain your lips a gorgeous shade of pinkish-red. There, now your heart is ready and your make-up is half way done! (Just go easy, no one wants to go out in public with someone sporting one of those kool-aid mustaches.) I don’t know if this fun fact will help with all the beet juice and red wine you will be consuming today, but strawberries actually act as natural teeth whiteners!  So go ahead and share a bowl of strawberries with your sweetheart today, and show your teeth some love too.

Love Potion

makes 2 big glasses

1/2  beet

16 strawberries (ripe strawberries make all the difference here, they can even be a little over-ripe)

1/2 cucumber

1/2 lemon

1/4 pineapple

Juice all and stir well. This makes enough for yourself and the one you love.

Beet of My Heart Hummus

Tomorrow is Valentine’s Day! Ah, the day of love, what could be more appropriate than beets on the day of love? I know you were thinking chocolate, which is also great, but I have some secrets for you about beets that will get your heart pumping!

Beets were used by the Romans as an aphrodisiac, because they expand your arteries and increase blood flow. They also contain large amounts of Boron, which increase the levels of sex hormones in your body. Just one serving of beets can lower your heart rate by 2% after consumption, and I don’t know what you have planned for tonight, but a single small serving of beets can even increase the length of time you can hold your breath! For professional divers, the increase was 11%! They also give you tons of energy, so they really are the perfect food for a day like today. Now the amount of raw garlic in this Beet of My Heart Hummus might make you worry about your breath, but love and mouthwash can overcome any obstacle. Not to mention, garlic is a fiercely powerful heart protector also!

Beet of My Heart Hummus

Makes about 1 cup

1 medium beet

2 tbs olive oil

4 tbs tahini

juice of 1 lemon

8 cloves garlic

1/2 tsp coriander

a few micro mint leaves for garnish, I like the little baby leaves at the tips of the stems, but any mint will do

2 tortillas

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Scrub the beet till it’s totally clean of debris. (mine was pretty gnarly so I peeled it a little.) Put your beet on a piece of foil on a baking pan and douse it with olive oil, rubbing it all over. Wrap it up in a little foil pocket, this is a very messy recipe. Do not wear white at any point in making this recipe! Roast it for about 25 min, or until fork tender. Once cooled, cut it into quarters.

In a food processor, combine all the ingredients except the mint and puree until smooth. Serve sprinkled with mint.

I served my hummus with tortillas cut into little hearts. I sprayed them with some coconut oil and a dash of garlic salt. Roast them in the oven next to the beet for about 6 minutes, turning once. Once they were out and the beet was roasted, I rubbed the edges of the tortillas with a little beet juice.

Now go forth and take care of your heart, tomorrow is the big day!