Avocado, Blood Orange, Tomato & Arugula Salad

Avocado, Blood Orange, Tomato & Arugula Salad

A quick fresh salad for some of the amazing citrus that's available right now. Top with some grilled chicken and you'd have dinner! It's also an excellent side dish for some vegetable enchiladas.

Salad: 
1   Blood Orange, peeled, and white removed (use a knife to shave it off), sliced on the cross section
1-2 Large Organic Tomatoes, heirloom would work great, but I just used slicing tomatoes
1 large avocado, sliced thinly
1-2 cups of arugula
1 radish, sliced with a mandoline
Cilantro for garnish, optional

Layer salad, arugula, followed by alternating slices of tomato, orange, top with avocado, radish, and cilantro. Chill for 20 min, spoon dressing just before serving. 

Mustard Vinaigrette: 
 2 Tbsp honey mustard
1 clove of crushed garlic
2-3 tsp white wine vinegar
2-3 tsp of water
1 Tbsp olive oil

Mix till incorporated, you shouldn't be able to see the oil. I just use a ramekin and a long fork for about 30 seconds.

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Winter Whiskey Cocktail

Winter Whiskey Cocktail 

1oz Orange Juice
1oz Grand Marnier
2oz Whiskey
2 squeezes of Lime
Orange for garnish

Mix all ingredients, and shake till frosted.

Serve immediately, it's strong so plan to stay where you are a while!

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Ginger Molasses Cookies

Ginger Molasses Cookies

My first attempt at making ginger cookies, and they were a success! Super soft, chewy and delicious! 

Ginger Molasses Cookies 

makes 20 cookies

2 1/4 cups flour
1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup Brown Sugar
1 Tbsp ginger powder
1 Tbsp fresh grated ginger
1/4+ cup water
1/4 - 1/3 cup molasses
1/4 cup Canola Oil

1 beaten egg

1 Tbsp Maple Syrup
3/4 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder

Preheat Oven to 375 degrees. 

1. Mix egg, sugar, vanilla, molasses, fresh ginger, oil, maple syrup, and water till sugar dissolves. 

2. In a separate bowl mix flour, baking power, baking soda, salt, and powdered ginger. 

3. Mix wet ingredients with dry thoroughly, dough should be stiff and thick.

4. Place dough in the fridge for 15 minutes, and then roll dough out into small balls, dipping one end in sugar and then flattening slightly onto an un-greased cookie sheet.  (makes about 20 balls)

5. Bake for 8 minutes in a 375 degree oven, cookies will firm up on standing. Cook longer for crunchy cookies. Serve with your favorite vanilla milk! 

recipe adapted from http://kblog.lunchboxbunch.com

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Coconut Curry Cauliflower and Sweet Potato Soup

Coconut Curry Cauliflower and Sweet Potato Soup

I'm a huge fan of creamy spiced soups! Tonight I had some left over coconut milk which made me  inspired to create a soup similar my favorite Thai take out dish, noodle curry! The result was pure deliciousness. 


Ingredients: 
1 whole cauliflower, chopped
1 peeled sweet potato, diced
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1 med onion, diced
2tsp of minced ginger
2tbsp red curry paste
2/3c of coconut milk
1qt of Vegetable Broth
3c of water
1/2c white wine
1tbsp olive oil
Pepper to taste

Top with chickpeas, and cilantro (optional)

1. In a dutch oven saute onion in oil till softening, add garlic and cook additional 1min. 
2. Deglaze pan with white wine, add ginger, thai curry paste and stir. 
3. Add cauliflower, sweet potato, vegetable broth, and water. Bring to boil for five minutes. Stir. 
4. Reduce heat to simmer, and cover. Simmer for 30 minutes. 
5. Turn burner to low. Working in batches, blend soup with blender or immersion blender until smooth. 
6. Add coconut milk, and pepper. Stir to incorporate. Ladel soup into bowls, and top with chickpeas, cilantro, and rooster sauce (if you like it hot! ;) Don't forget to add your favorite flat bread on the side.


Enjoy!

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Lemon Blueberry Bread

Lemon Blueberry Bread

 
I had some leftover blueberries I bought on sale last week at Whole Foods, and we still had quite a few left so I thought what better way to enjoy them but to make a lovely sweet dessert bread!


Ingredients

1 ½ cups  all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons butter, melted
3 tablespoons unsweetened applesauce ( you might be able to further reduce the oil and replace with applesauce)
1/2 cup  granulated white sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Zest from one medium lemon (outer yellow skin of the lemon)
2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice
½ cup  milk (soy, almond will work as well)
1 cup fresh blueberries

Optional Frosting/Glaze: (if you like things a little sweeter this adds a nice touch)
3tbsp of powdered sugar (add more for a thicker frosting)
2tbsp lemon juice
1tbsp of water

1. Preheat Oven to 350 degrees. Mix all wet ingredients in small bowl, incorporating eggs one at a time till smooth.
2. Mix flour, salt, baking powder. Add wet ingredients to flour mixture and mix till smooth.
3. Add blueberries and gently fold into batter till well distributed, taking care to not break blueberries.
4. Prepare a glass loaf pan by lightly buttering the entire inside of pan, and then coating in a thin layer of flour. This will make it incredibly easier to remove the loaf from the pan after baking.
5. Add batter to floured dish, and place on the middle rack in the oven for 55-65 minutes. Checking with a toothpick for doneness, if your toothpick comes out clean you're done! (Add frosting after cooled, if desired)

Enjoy!

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Roasted Red Pepper and Eggplant Pasta

Roasted Red Pepper and Eggplant Pasta 

This makes a thick hearty veggie rich tomato sauce best served with spaghetti. ( we were hungry and forgot to take a picture ;)

Ingredients:
1 Eggplant
1 Roasted Red pepper, chopped
1 Onion, diced
4 cloves of garlic minced
1 jar of favorite tomato sauce 12oz
1 tsp basil
1 tsp thyme
2 tsp Balsamic Vinegar
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
1/2 cup white wine


Pasta cooked al dente
Optional - Portobello mushrooms


1. Roasted one eggplant (slice in half, cut side down) on a cookie sheet for 30-45 min at 400 degrees. Or until soft and deflated. Let cool and dice into chunks.
2. Saute onion with a little olive oil till soft (in a deep saute pan or dutch oven), add garlic and cook an additional min. Deglaze pan with white wine.
3. Add eggplant, roasted pepper, balsamic, and tomato sauce, stir and simmer for 15min.
4. After 15 min using an immersion blender rough blend the sauce till desired consistency.
5. Add al dente pasta to simmering sauce, and cook pasta in sauce an additional 2 minutes.
6. Serve immediately, and top with arugula or grilled portobello mushrooms.

Tasty!

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Vegan Oatmeal Engery Cookies

Vegan Oatmeal Energy Cookies

A quick and simple kitchen sink vegan oatmeal cookie, I practically never make the same cookie twice.. the ingredients are very interchangeable so go to town and add the things you love the most!

1c of Rolled Oats

3/4c Flour (I use whole wheat, you could sub GF flour here)

1/3c Brown sugar

2tsp Baking Powder

1/2tsp Salt

1/3c Maple Syrup

1-2 tbsp oil

4tbsp apple sauce

1tsp Vanilla

1tsp cinnamon

1/4tsp  nutmeg

1/4c    dried cranberries (cherries, blueberries, whatever!)

1/4c Coconut, shredded raw

1/4c Chocolate Chips

1/4c Chopped nuts of choice (or seeds)


Bake in a 350 degree preheated oven for 8-12minutes. Cookies will not brown much on top, but they should be a nice golden brown on bottom.

Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Everybody Likes Sandwiches

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