holy garlic

we bought garlic from the farmer's market on saturday... it is so intense. like, the most potent garlic on the planet. i naively used an entire clove in the dressing of my salad, i have now killed all my taste buds. learn from my mistake - be cautious with your organic garlic. start with half a clove if you've got strong stuff.

besides the garlic insanity, this salad was friggin delish. i had a great workout up at my campus gym and all i wanted to eat afterward was a big salad from my garden. i added some chickpeas for extra protein. hemp seeds would also be a nice addition. we had grilled zucchini from last night and well... that's never a bad thing to throw in. enjoy! i sat in the sun and fought with wasps to eat this.

walnut garlic salad: serves one

dressing:

1 tablespoon mustard

1 tablespoon tamari

3 tablespoons almond milk (or water)

1/2 garlic clove

1 tablespoon miso 

1 tabelspoon honey/maple syrup (or 2 dates)

1 tablespoon hummus (optional... but yum)

salad:

2-3 grilled zucchini slices

1/2 cup chickpeas

4-5 cups kale and/or rainbow chard

2 figs

3 olives

make the dressing by blending all ingredients until smooth. hopefully you like it, it might be a little thick so feel free to add more liquid. chop up the salad topping and tear up the leaves into bite-size pieces. pour on the dressing and mix into the greens, then add your toppings. yummers.

garden kale salad

we have so much kale in our garden.

this is not a problem though, i could eat it all day... and i do. i use it in smoothies, wraps, kale chips, soups, and salads! mainly in smoothies though. so yesterday i figured i make it into a salad instead of the usual green smoothie. oh wait - i had a green smoothie for breakfast.

but still.

dino kale is a bit bitter and tough for regular salad greens so what you do to make it all nice, soft and flavourful is massage your dressing in and let it sit for a few minutes. i did that while i cut up my other salad ingredients. they included: THE BEST TOMATOES EVER, grown on our deck. i also added some bell pepper, beans, and gardein because well... i like the taste. my dad thought i had put real chicken in the salad for a second. hah.

garlic kale salad: serves one

salad:

1 large organic tomato

4-5 cups organic dino kale

1 organic bell pepper

1/2 cup cooked chickpeas (or throw in some nuts to keep it raw)

1 serving of tempeh or gardein (optional) 

handful of raisins

dressing:

1 tablespoon miso

1 tablespoon mustard

2 dates

handful of walnuts

3 peeled garlic cloves

1 tablespoon tamari

water, as needed 

chop the veggies and kale, set aside. to make the dressing blend all ingredients until smooth. i hope you like it! then massage the dressing into the kale and let it rest for a 5-10 minutes, getting soft. put the tomato, pepper, raisins, chickpeas/nuts and protein on top and enjoy!

Lemon Chickpea Lentil Soup

Photo Credit: Nora Kuby, www.prideandvegudice.com

Recipe from eat, drink & be vegan.  wheat-free, gluten-free, soy-free, oil-free option

This soup has warm, earthy tones of cumin and thyme.  It's easy to make, and yields extra portions for leftovers or freezing.  Pair this smooth-yet-rustic soup with a whole-grain bread or brown rice and a light salad.

1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil (or splash of water for oil-free version)
2 cups onion, diced
1 1/2 cups celercy, diced
3 large cloves garlic, minced
3/4 tsp sea salt
freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 - 1 1/2 tsp dried thyme
1 cup dried red lentils
3 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas
2 cups zucchini or tomatoes, chopped (I used tomatoes)
3 cups vegetable stock
2 cups water
2 dried bay leaves
1/4 - 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice

In a large soup pot on medium heat, add oil or water, onion, celery, garlic, salt, pepper, mustard seed, cumin seeds, paprika, oregano, and thyme and stir to combine. Cover and cook for 6–7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Rinse lentils. Add lentils and 21⁄2 cups chickpeas (reserve remaining 1 cup), zucchini or tomatoes, stock, water, and bay leaves and stir to com- bine. Increase heat to bring mixture to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 20–25 minutes until lentils are completely softened. Remove bay leaves. Stir in 1⁄4 cup lemon juice, then using a hand blender, purée the soup, keeping some texture. Stir in remaining 1 cup chickpeas. Season with additional sea salt, pepper, and lemon juice if desired, and serve.  Makes 6-8 servings.

Three-Bean Curry Tomato Soup

This soup is a must for curry enthusiasts! It’s straight-forward to make, and combines three kinds of healthful beans with vivid curry seasonings (without too much heat!). Serve with a cooked grain or some whole-grain bread for a complete meal.
Recipe from Vive le Vegan!

1/2 tbsp olive oil (or other oil of choice)
1 1/2 - 2 cups chopped onion
1 - 1 1/2 cups chopped celery
1 cup chopped carrot
1⁄4 tsp sea salt
freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 tbsp mustard seeds
1 - 1 1⁄2 tbsp mild curry powder or paste (or more for extra heat)
1⁄2 tsp ground ginger (or 1/2 tbsp fresh)
1 tsp ground fennel
1⁄2 tsp ground cardamom (don't skip! adds beautiful flavor!)
1⁄4 tsp ground cinnamon
1 28-oz can diced tomatoes
2 cups cooked chickpeas
2 cups cooked black beans
1 cup dry red lentils
2 cups vegetable stock
3 - 3 1⁄2 cups water
2 bay leaves
1/2 - 1 tsp pure maple syrup or other sweetener

In a large pot over medium heat, heat the oil. Add the celery, onion, carrot, salt, and pepper, and stir through. Add the mustard seeds, curry paste, ginger, fennel, cardamom, and cinnamon. Stir through, cover, and let cook for 6-8 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients. Stir through and increase heat to high to bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and let simmer for 15-20 minutes. For a thinner consistency, add a little extra water. Remove bay leaves, and season to taste with additional sea salt and black pepper.  *Soup even better the next day! :)

Makes 8 or more servings.

Festive Chickpea Tart

Photo credit: www.toliveandeatinla.com

Move over faux turkeys! This savory tart takes center plate with its combination of chickpeas, crunchy walnuts, spinach, and seasonings nestled together. This dish is elegant enough to serve for holiday gatherings, but also easy enough to make for a family dinner any time of the year.

1 tbsp olive oil
1 cup onion, diced
1/2 cup celery, diced
4-5 medium-large garlic cloves, minced
1⁄4 tsp sea salt
Few pinches freshly ground black pepper
2 cups chickpeas, reserve 1/3 cup
2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tsp tamari
1/2 tsp ground sage
1/4 tsp sea salt
3/4 cup walnuts, toasted
1/3 cup rolled oats (optional, see note)
1 - 10 oz pckg frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed to remove excess water (about 1 cup after squeezing)
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1 tbsp fresh thyme, chopped (or 1 tsp dried thyme added to puree)

1 prepared whole-wheat pastry pie crust, thawed (see note)
1/2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp tamari
2 tbsp walnuts, chopped (for topping, no need to toast beforehand)

Add oil, onion, celery, garlic, salt and pepper in a skillet over medium-high heat. Cook 9-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and turning golden. In a food processor, add chickpeas (except reserved 1/3 cup), lemon juice, tamari, sage, salt, and sautéed mixture, and partially puree (not fully like hummus, but leaving some chunkier consistency). Add toasted walnuts and oats, and briefly pulse to lightly break up nuts. Transfer to a bowl, and stir in spinach, cranberries, parsley, thyme, and reserved chickpeas. Transfer mixture to pie shell (or lightly oiled pie plate, see note), smoothing to evenly distribute. Combine oil and tamari, and brush over top. Sprinkle on walnuts. Bake in preheated oven at 400 degrees for 30-35 minutes, until tart is golden on edges and top. Cool 5-10 minutes, then serve with cranberry sauce, a spoon drizzling of oil/balsamic vinegar slurry, or other sauce of choice.  Serves 4-5.

Note: The rolled oats, while lending some structure to the tart, can easily be omitted.

Note: This tart can be made without the pastry crust, if needed. Do not over bake as tart will tend to dry out without a crust.

Recipe © copyright 2007 Dreena Burton.

Chickpea Ratatouille

wheat-free, gluten-free, soy-free, & oil-free option

This recipe is one of my favorites from Vive le Vegan! (outside of desserts, of course)! It’s much like a ratatouille, but using chickpeas instead of the traditional eggplant and zucchini, and an original spice combination. The result is a dish with a complexity of flavors and the bonus of minimal preparation!

3½ - 4 cups cooked chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
1 ¼ - ½ cups red onion, finely chopped
3 - 4 medium-large cloves garlic, minced
1 28-oz can (796-ml) diced tomatoes (see note)
1⁄2 cup red or orange bell pepper, diced
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1-2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil (optional, can omit for oil-free version)
1 tbsp freshly grated ginger
2 tsp pure maple syrup or agave nectar
2 tsp mustard seeds
2 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano
1⁄2 tsp dried rosemary
1 tsp sea salt
1⁄8 tsp allspice
freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 dried bay leaves

Preheat oven to 400°F (204°C). In a large, deep casserole dish, combine all the ingredients except the bay leaves. Stir through until well combined, then embed the bay leaves in the mixture. Cover and bake for 30 minutes. Stir through, cover, and bake for another 35-45 minutes, until the onions are tender and translucent (stir through again once or twice through baking). Remove bay leaves and serve with a cooked grain such as quinoa, wild rice, or brown rice.

Makes 4-5 servings or more, depending on accompaniments.


Cooking Notes:
-You can use regular diced tomatoes, or Italian flavored or fire-roasted.
-Try making burritos with any leftovers. Spoon the mixture onto flour tortillas; roll up and place side-by-side in a baking dish. Sprinkle with some nondairy cheese and bake.

Tamari Roasted Chickpeas

Recipe from eat, drink & be vegan  wheat-free, gluten-free, oil-free option

These scrumptious roasted chickpeas will quickly become a weekly go-to recipe in your home. They are a snap to prepare, and each chickpea absorbs the tamari and lemon juice during baking, making every nibble delicious!They are ideal for packing into lunches, but are especially wonderful still warm served straight up, or to top salads, soups, pastas, or pizzas!


1 can (14-oz/398-ml) chickpeas, rinsed and drained (about 1 3/4 cups)
2 – 2 1/2 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice (balsamic vinegar is also good)
2 – 2 1/2 tsp tamari
1 tbsp olive oil (optional, can omit for oil-free - if doing so, add another 1/2 tsp each of lemon juice or vinegar, and also tamari to keep the chickpeas moist
1/2 tsp fresh rosemary, chopped (or 1 tsp fresh thyme
or oregano) (optional, can omit if making for children)
1/8 tsp sea salt
1/8 - 1/4 tsp pure maple syrup or agave nectar

Preheat oven to 400°F (205°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. On the baking sheet, add all ingredients and toss to combine. Bake for about 20-25 minutes, tossing chickpeas once or twice during baking, until tamari and lemon juice are absorbed (chickpeas will still be tender, not crunchy). Serve warm for appetizers or at room temperature for snacks.  Makes 1 3/4 cups.

Notes:
1) To lower fat content in this recipe, use 1–2 tsp oil or omit altogether.
2) These chickpeas make a sensational topper for salads, pasta dishes, soups, and stir-fries. Also, leftovers can be lightly mashed with condiments for a sandwich spread, or whizzed in a mini-food processor with a touch of oil, lemon juice, and tahini for a chunkier hummus!