Les Bouchées Quotidiennes

Hi everyone! So did I mention that I got another recipe testing position? Well I did and it's for one of my favorite bloggers: An Unrefined Vegan. This was my first recipe I made for her, and I can't say much, but it was a delicious, lemony creamy pasta with steamed broccoli! I also wanted to mention that I finally bought a vegetable steamer basket last week. Since taking my nutrition class, I realized how important it is to keep the vitamins and minerals intact in my vegetables so they don't diffuse into the water (which is how you can lose most of them). So I invested in a steamer to try to keep as many vitamins and minerals as I can! I highly recommend getting one if you can.

I spent a few hours at the farmer's market last weekend and had a great time. Mike was out of town so I prepared myself a fancy lady dinner: a big salad with organic romaine, farmer's market cherry tomatoes and a silken-tofu fresh basil dressing. I also roasted some potatoes with fresh rosemary, whole garlic cloves and olive oil (highly recommend trying this!). And of course, one of my favorite cocktails: elderflower lemonade and gin!

I am so happy that I've been keeping up with most of my summer goals this year! I'm lame and make a list every single April/May of things I want to try over the summer. One of them was to make sushi, which I FINALLY did last weekend! An employee at Sur La Table recommended this silicone sushi mat because it doesn't stick to the nori/rice, and she was right! Luckily my friend Sofia has made sushi before, so I let her roll some first. We used this spicy tempeh nori roll recipe from Veganomicon. This recipe is great for first time sushi makers because it's easy, has minimal ingredients, and oh my gosh it's tasty. It almost tastes better than some sushi I've had in Greensboro! We were very pleased with how these turned out!

Sofia and I had a fancy food party last weekend, which consisted of making sushi and my hands down no questions asked favorite zucchini fritters. I have made these once before and there is just no comparison to any I've ever had before. The ingredients are so simple, but the outcome is absolutely incredible. I don't know if it's because of the cast iron skillet or grating the zucchini through a food processor, but these are the tastiest little zucchini fritters in the world! To make them GF, just sub bob's red mill GF all-purpose flour. It's that easy!

I've obviously been on a fresh herb kick lately, so I decided to make these herbacious eggs with cilantro-lime brown rice. These eggs have cumin seeds, turmeric, fresh oregano, coriander, and fresh thyme. As you can imagine, the resulting flavor is craaazy good. I could have eaten four whole eggs this way by myself. The cilantro lime rice is the perfect background for these eggs, and I'm sure adding vegan sour cream/cashew cream on top would make it even tastier. If you're vegan, I'm positive that you could make a tofu scramble or omelette using the same herbs and get the same results!

Somehow I've never put chia seeds in smoothies, but now I think I always will. It makes the smoothie thick, almost fluffy, and delicious! This is a strawberry ginger smoothie, which is the perfect accessory to a good book!

This is another recipe testing dish: a white bean salad with a creamy Italian dressing! I seriously can't wait for this book to come out! Everything has been so delicious so far.

I had some leftover tempeh from our sushi rolls, so I made some tempeh "bacon" with it. I just cubed the tempeh into small pieces, chopped leftover onion and two cloves of garlic. I sauteed the onion and tempeh in oil, on medium until the tempeh was lightly browned. I then added some soy sauce, liquid smoke and apple cider vinegar until it was absorbed into the tempeh (just enough of each to make it taste like bacon and light on the liquid smoke). Then I added the garlic in the last few minutes of cooking. Served on some GF toast slathered with vegan mayo, it was the perfect breakfast and lunch with a side of Thai pickles!

I bought a beautiful bunch of rainbow chard at the market last weekend for only $2, so instead of using it for my favorite minestrone recipe, I decided to try something new. I made this bowl of quinoa, swiss chard, and roasted sweet potatoes with a tangy miso sauce. This recipe is super easy to make and is great for all seasons! I left out the chickpeas due to laziness and tested another recipe instead, which was lemon-garlic baked tofu. And obviously, everything was drizzled with sriracha! 

Les Bouchées Quotidiennes

I'm not sure why, but when I get new kitchen appliances, it usually takes me a few months to use them. I received a lovely waffle iron for Christmas, but I didn't use it until this past weekend! I don't think I've ever had homemade waffles before (not from a restaurant), so these were a real treat. I had a few recipes picked out, but I settled on this one because the ingredients are very basic for a GF vegan recipe. 

As you can see, they turned out great! The best part is that they really don't take very long to make, which is always a plus for breakfast. These turned out super fluffy and delicious, but didn't reheat so well the next day. For serving (shown in the first picture) I made some cinnamon rum fried bananas and maple syrup. 

We went to Clayton this past weekend and our dinners were filled with delicious vegetables and herbs from the garden! These are farmer's market vegetables to be roasted on trays with fresh herbs (oregano, thyme, basil, rosemary), smashed garlic cloves, balsamic vinegar, olive oil and some pepperoncinis (and their juices). So delicious! 

After having to kick out one of my "go to" places for a decent meal, I've been searching around for somewhere that won't kill me when I don't feel like cooking. I happened to find not one, but two places last week in the same day. This delicious tuna steak Niçoise is from Liberty Oak, which is downtown. They were very careful to prepare my food properly and I was fine afterwards. This same day, I also went to Fuji Sushi where I tried ikura for the first time. I would normally never want to try roe, but I am hooked. It makes a great substitute for soy sauce too, since almost every sushi place in Greensboro doesn't have GF soy sauce. I also tried yellowtail, which was alright. I was feeling pretty adventurous, I guess you could say! For Memorial Day, my family grilled some salmon and tuna steaks, so I think I'm "fished out" for a while, but I definitely want to start cooking it more. And maybe make some ikura topped deviled eggs while I'm at it...

I love recipes that have different variations on it, like miso soup or this: mejadra or mujaddara (depending on how you spell it). The best part about mujaddara? It's a fast, simple, and delicious meal that is satisfying on any night. I have made the second linked recipe, which is a lot more simple but topped with a spiced yogurt. This one is chock full of crunchy coriander seeds, allspice and cinnamon, and other warm spices. Squeeze lemon juice on top with extra fried onions, and you're good to go. This definitely would've been better with some vegan yogurt, but it was still satisfying (and it makes a TON of food). I actually used the onion part of the recipe from the second one since it's not deep fried, but use whichever one you want!

It's smoothie season! Especially when I have fresh herbs and local produce on a regular basis. Smoothies are a great lunch option when you're busy or not feeling so great. This recipe has: strawberries (local), basil (from the garden), frozen banana, kale (local), peanut butter, hemp seeds, lemon juice, and almond milk.  It may sound like an odd combination but it was actually really good. Hopefully I'll be posting more smoothies around here now!

Fresh Basil Scrambled Eggs & Zucchini-Potato Hash

I can finally check something off my bucket list: we have an herb garden going! Yesterday we ventured to the Raleigh farmer's market to buy some herbs (and produce, of course). We are now growing: globe basil, Thai basil, fennel, Italian oregano, mint, silver thyme, lettuce and banana peppers. I am beyond excited to see how they do over the summer. I will be adding dill and maybe some French (Provence) lavender to the mix if these turn out well. I'd also like to do some more peppers, if possible. Anyways, I'm thrilled, and this morning I woke up craving a typical summer breakfast for me: something with fresh herbs and farmer's market produce. So here are two recipes I created this morning that you can enjoy all summer long!

Fresh Basil Scrambled Eggs

• 2-4 fresh eggs 
• 1 TBS almond milk 
• 1-2 TBS fresh basil, thinly sliced
• salt + pepper
• 2-3 tsp vegan (or regular) butter

1. Preheat a skillet on medium heat. Add a small pat of vegan/regular butter and wait for it to melt.
2. In a bowl, beat the eggs with almond milk, a pinch of salt, pepper and basil until smooth. I usually do two eggs per person. 
3. When the butter is melted, add the eggs and a teaspoon of butter. Scramble, using a spatula, for another minute or two. 
4. Add another teaspoon of butter and scramble some more, until cooked to your desired consistency. The butter makes the eggs super fluffy and adds a little decadence! 

Zucchini + Potato Hash

• 1-3 large Russet potatoes, diced
• 1 large or 2 small zucchinis, diced
• 2-4 garlic cloves, minced,
• 1 TBS olive oil, divided 
• salt + pepper
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1/4 tsp cumin

1. In a pot big enough to fit the potatoes with some room, place the potatoes inside and add enough water to cover by an inch or more. Set to boil on the stove. When boiling, turn down slightly and cook until tender, about 8 minutes. It should pierce easily with a fork. When tender, drain and set aside.
2. Preheat a large skillet on medium heat. Add 1/2 TBS olive oil, then potatoes and a pinch of salt. Saute, until starting to get crispy, about 6 minutes. 
3. Add the zucchini, paprika, cumin, another pinch of salt and another 1/2 TBS olive oil. Turn the heat up to med-hi to sear. Stir, and cook about 5-6 minutes, until everything is starting to sear and cook through. There should be little black marks under everything and the zucchini should be tender.
4. In the last two minutes of cooking, add the garlic and stir. Adjust seasoning to your liking and serve!

Smoky Summer Edamame Succotash

One thing I would like to start doing this semester is getting in the kitchen, once a week, and throwing a recipe together. I had my heart set on making some kind of succotash, but didn't feel like going to the store. I never have lima beans on hand, but I almost always have frozen edamame (in pod and shelled). Edamame makes a great snack, a quick lunch, or even a tasty hummus when paired with coriander. 

I also have a TON of squash, peppers, okra, etc. leftover from a trip my dad took to a local farm. I have never cooked okra before, but I didn't want to just deep fry it. This succotash may not be "traditional" by any means, but it satisfied my craving for something smoky, flavorful, and packed with vegetables. It comes together quickly and can be adjusted to fit whatever is in your fridge. This makes a great weeknight end-of-summer meal! Pair with a good glass of white wine and you'll be in Southern summer heaven.

Smoky Summer Edamame Succotash

• 1/2 medium onion, minced
• olive oil
• salt
• 1 green pepper, minced
• 1 yellow squash, chopped
• 1 zucchini, chopped
• 1/2 - 3/4 C frozen organic corn, thawed*
• 1/2 - 3/4 C frozen organic edamame, thawed*
• cajun seasoning, paprika, smoked paprika, pepper, oregano, dried basil
• 15-20 okra pods, tops removed + sliced
• hot sauce
• liquid smoke
• juice of 2 small limes, or 1 large
• 2-3 garlic cloves, chopped
• serving options: cajun rice, quinoa, polenta rounds, cornbread, baked potatoes

1. Preheat a large skillet on medium heat. Add the oil, then onion and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion begins to soften (about 3 minutes). Add the green pepper, squash and zucchini. Cook until they begin to soften, about 3 more minutes.
2. Turn the pan up to medium-high. Add the corn and edamame, stirring to combine. Then add all the spices (and more salt if needed) to coat the vegetables. You can use different spices, but these are the ones I found fitting for a succotash. Cook a few more minutes to warm the thawed vegetables and slightly brown them.
3. Add okra, as much hot sauce as you desired (I used about 10 drops), a few drops of liquid smoke, and lime juice. Stir to combine and cook 3 more minutes. A few minutes before serving, stir in the garlic. Taste for seasonings and adjust as necessary.
4. Serve over whatever you desire (I used quinoa with vegan butter and salt) and enjoy!

**notes: I find the easiest way to thaw frozen vegetables is to briefly run them under hot water in a colander. Feel free to use fresh corn and edamame here if they're available!

Rainbow Market Tofu Scramble

The farmer's market is a great place to get inspiration for the kitchen. It has somehow taken me all summer to finally get out there, but I really enjoyed it! The prices were incredibly reasonable, like most farmer's markets, and the selection was good. I have been going to this year-round market on Yanceyville Street because it's closer than the one off the highway. 

I found tomatoes, zucchini, squash, beautiful heirloom peppers, okra, german butter potatoes, cucumbers, jalapenos, russet potatoes, and even more vegetables! I always find myself ready to cook and inspired after I leave, so I decided to make a tofu scramble out of my market produce. The result was a spicy, nourishing scramble loaded with vegetables. Feel free to substitute whatever you have here, but this is what I used. This would be great served with roasted baby potatoes (which is what we did) or even quinoa. Go to your local farmers market and explore!

Rainbow Market Tofu Scramble

• 1 (16 oz) block of extra-firm tofu, not pressed
• olive oil
• salt + pepper
• 1/2-1 onion, diced
• 2 heirloom bell peppers, thinly sliced
• 2 tomatoes, de-seeded + diced
• 1 zucchini, diced
• 1 yellow squash, diced
• GF soy sauce
• any combination of herbs works but I used these: (tumeric, cayenne pepper, paprika, garlic powder, coriander, thyme, oregano, smoked paprika, etc.)
• optional add-ins: any other vegetables you have from the market, smashed garlic cloves, greens (swiss chard or kale would be great here)

1. Heat a large skillet over medium high. Add about 1 T oil, then the onion and a pinch of salt. Cook 3 mins then add squashes and peppers. Add all the herbs you are using. Cook for 3 mins more.
2. Add tofu and smash until your desired consistency is reached. The water that you didn't press from the tofu will actually cook it and prevent you from having to use oil. If you're adding tumeric for color, add it only after you add the tofu. Add a splash of soy sauce to help deglaze the pan. 
3. Cook 5 more minutes, until tofu and vegetables are cooked to your desired consistency. Then add your tomatoes, another splash of soy sauce, and salt/pepper. If you are adding greens, add them in the last 5 minutes of cooking and do not dry them. 
4. Remove from heat and enjoy! The spices I used actually worked incredibly well together so it was very flavorful. I topped mine with hot sauce + avocado. Feel free to add whatever toppings.

Dill CLT Wraps

This week I am trying to challenge myself to cook from my pantry and farmer's market finds. More importantly, I am trying to challenge myself to create my own recipes, which I've never really done. Creating recipes seems scary and daunting to me, so I am starting off very slowly with little things I've made before and things I'm not afraid to experiment with.

Where's the best place to start? Lunch. This meal is so easy to work with because it doesn't have to be an extravagant meal with a lot of ingredients. Something simple can usually tide anyone over and make them happy. 

It's summertime, i.e. incredibly hot, so I like to eat cool vegetables and drink lots of water! This recipe comes together quickly and can easily be adapted to your liking. I got my tomatoes and cucumbers from the farmer's market, which made it even better!

Dill CLT Wraps (Cucumber-Lettuce-Tomato)

• a few leaves of romaine lettuce
• 1/2 tomato, cut into chunks
• 1/2 small cucumber, sliced
• 1-2 TBS hummus (I used kalamata olive)
• 1-2 TBS veganeise * (see note)
• paprika, garlic powder + pepper; a pinch each
• 1 TBS fresh dill, minced
• optional add-ins: pickled red onions, chickpeas for protein, squeeze of lemon, hemp seeds, toasted nuts, crumbled cashew cheese

1. Put your lettuce on a plate or cutting board. Mix together the hummus, veganeise, paprika, pepper, and dill in a bowl. Add a squeeze of lemon if you like. Use more hummus for a more spread-like consistency, or more veganeise for a sauce-like consistency. I did about 1 1/2 TBS veganeise and 1 TBS hummus.
2. Spread an even amount of this mixture on each piece of lettuce
3. Add cucumbers and tomatoes on top of the spread
4. Top with any additional add-ins
5. Enjoy this simple and delicious snack!

note: I used to hate mayo when I wasn't GF or DF. Veganeise, however, is a great thing to have in your kitchen. You can quickly whip up a spread for a sandwich or wrap, or brighten up a simple summer snack like this. There is a link in the ingredient list for the kind I use, which is made with olive oil. Because this spread uses hummus and veganeise, there's no need for salt! If you totally hate any type of mayo or veganeise, just use all hummus.

Garlicky Seared Summer Squash Pasta

We all need to change up our pasta every once in a while...so let's ditch the tomatoes and use fresh summer produce! I found some great local squash at a market on my street that received it from a local college's farm. How awesome is that? I also got two pounds for $2, so I was very pleased. 

Over the years, I have taught myself a few handy cooking techniques. Searing is a great method of cooking because it cooks it quickly, thoroughly, and it has a slightly "blackened" taste, which is always great. I used things I needed to use up in my fridge, so feel free to change things out or add other vegetables!

Garlicky Seared Summer Squash Pasta

• 1 box of GF corn-quinoa pasta (or regular pasta)
• olive oil
• salt and pepper
• 1/2 yellow onion, diced
• 1 medium or two small summer squash, cut into 1/2" chunks (any variety)
• 3-4 cloves garlic, smashed and minced (or more!)
• red pepper flakes
• fresh basil
• nutritional yeast or cheese

1. Bring a pot of water to boil for your pasta. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add about 1 TBS of olive oil. Add onions, a pinch of salt, and cook until just translucent, about 5 minutes. 
2. When water is boiling, add pasta and cook according to directions.
3. Add squash to the skillet and turn up to medium-high heat. Add red pepper flakes and cook until cooked through and lightly browned, about 4 minutes. Turn back down to medium heat. Add the garlic and cook 1-2 minutes, being careful not to burn it. Remove the pan from the stove.
4. Drain your pasta. Toss in a big bowl with the seared squash and fresh basil.
5. Top with nutritional yeast or cheese. Served with a big salad! 

(833) the nature of evil

It has been quite a busy week, and an unexpectedly "crazy" weekend, so I haven't had a chance to post until this quiet Sunday morning, where I can finally gather my thoughts. tomorrow marks one week before my (21st!) birthday. I can hardly believe it, yet I'm so ready for it to get here. There will be lots of planning and running around this week, and next, so I better have some good meals under my belt!

trying to make breakfast more versatile, yet again: leftover fresh cooked chickpeas smashed with avocado, lemon juice, paprika and salt over tomatoes + GF toast rubbed with garlic.

Sometimes I need to bake to forget about things. That sounds silly, I know. The act of baking over actually eating what I make? Yes, to me it's more therapeutic. It helps me block out anything I am worrying about and just focus on what I'm doing. It's a well known fact that I am not a last minute/spur of the moment kind of girl, but these apple cider donuts definitely were. I have only made donuts one other time, but these were perfect. I used this recipe with a few changes, as per Babycakes' recipe: 3/4 C brown rice flour, 1/3 C sorghum flour, + 1/2 C tapioca starch. These were chewy, delicious, delicate, and everything I needed!

Farmer's Market haul

This could be my new favorite quinoa + tempeh dish. Oven baked almond flour battered and soy sauce drenched tempeh with nutritional yeast studded quinoa, and tomatoes + spinach of course. The best part was the creamy avocado, which slightly melted in the hot quinoa. Super delicious, filling, and nutritious. (and easy!) [source: Oh, Ladycakes!]

I am hard headed, I guess you could say. After I burn a pot of rice, I throw it out, soak the pot, and cook another one. When I mess up a shortbread crust, I throw it out and make another crust in the same bowl. I don't give up easily, especially in the kitchen. My first pot of curry was nothing short from a disaster: pot too small, burnt the entire bottom of the pot, etc. I was frustrated. I yelled a few "sacre bleu"s and "merdes" before going to the store for more potatoes and an instant pad thai to tide me over. The final result was a beautiful, delicious golden potato curry. It has few ingredients, and doesn't take much effort, but the flavor is complex from whole cumin seeds, tumeric, and soy yogurt. [source: WFM Cooking]

One thing my family used to eat a lot was Mexican food. They would go out maybe once a week or so to whatever little Mexican joint around here (there are more than a few) and come back with leftovers, of course. I grew up on the stuff. Sometimes I miss it: the atmosphere, the chips and salsa, the "caliente" plates. But, I have found more than a few ways to be satisfied with homemade, fresh, market friendly Mexican food. This one is a winner. Sauteed market squash + zucchini with red onions and garlic. Freshly cooked pinto beans in a spicy broth with peppers, cilantro, lime juice, and roasted red peppers. Vegan Queso cheese. Guacamole. I redid the leftovers as burritos and let me tell you, this could beat Chipotle's butt any day. [source: Adrienne Eats]

I try to plan meals that are balanced, nutritious, and delicious (most importantly). I made an Asian Slow-Cooker Cabbage + Corn soup this weekend (next post) and I made these tofu sticks to go along with them. The flavor of the GF breading is amazing (with fresh GF breadcrumbs) and they pair well with ketchup or any other dipping sauce. I will make these again, maybe for a vegan party or just to snack on while I'm busy. They were super easy to make too! [source: Good Things Grow]

I'll be back later this week before my birthday, I'm sure!