vegan

Muhammara (Syrian Red Pepper and Walnut Dip)

March 3, 2014 by Erica

Muhammara (Syrian Red Pepper and Walnut Dip)

As I type this, I’m in the midst of the Sunday blahs.

I’ve eaten too much, our apartment is a mess, I haven’t done any of the work I have to do before tomorrow (despite the fact that I dreamed about it both Friday and Saturday night), and I’m trying to get up the motivation to go to the gym before it closes at 7:00.

Why does the gym close at 7 pm on Sundays?!

Muhammara (Syrian Red Pepper and Walnut Dip)

The more I think about it, the more I conclude I need a clone to stay at home and take care of all the things I want to avoid, like cleaning the sink and revising PowerPoint presentations. That way I can go about doing the important things, like baking cupcakes and getting to the gym on time, without that other stuff hanging over my head and causing unsettling dreams.

Any volunteers?

I guess if the worst things in my life are ~~dirty sinks~~ cleaning and PowerPoint, that’s not so bad, after all.

Forgive my complaining. I’ve been too busy lately, and I can just tell it’s going to be another crazy week. But isn’t that always the case? Luckily, this weekend I made it a priority to cook some delicious food to share with you. So let’s just hop to it, shall we?

Muhammara (Syrian Red Pepper and Walnut Dip)

Today I want to introduce you to something called muhammara. Because you need to get to know this deliciousness.

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Mediterranean Chickpea Salad Sandwiches

February 26, 2014 by Erica

Mediterranean Chickpea Salad Sandwiches

You won’t believe this – I barely believe it myself – but this recipe is inspired by a pre-packaged sandwich I bought in the Salt Lake airport.

I’m almost embarrassed to admit how much I enjoyed that shrink-wrapped airport sandwich… except clearly I’m not, because I led off this post with it.

Airport food is usually to be avoided, especially as a vegetarian. It’s terribly unfortunate, really, because nothing makes me so tired and cranky as travel (just ask my loving fiance…), and those are usually the moments when I could use some good food.

Mediterranean Chickpea Salad Sandwiches

During one of our many cross-country trips in September, I was digging through a pile of turkey sandwiches in an airport kisok when I found a single mysterious chickpea salad sandwich. I almost jumped for joy (it’s the little things in life) because I was thisclose to taking my chances on a portobello burger from Smashburger. Chickpea salad didn’t sound incredibly appetizing, but at least it didn’t have mayo.

No one was more surprised than me when it turned out to be absolutely delicious! I enjoyed it so much that I promptly snapped a picture of the ingredients, and resolved to make it for you ASAP.

And that was five months ago… but that’s just how these things go.

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Root Vegetable Tagine

February 17, 2014 by Erica

Root Vegetable Tagine

Hello Monday! Hello President’s Day. And hello new favorite meal.

Do I say that a lot? I feel like I do. I have a lot of new favorite meals, I guess. Like one or two a week. I’m gonna go ahead and say that’s why I started blogging.

Anyway, this meal is certified extra special, because I made it twice in the past two weeks, despite the fact that it makes a huge amount. So yes, I’ve essentially been eating this for 14 days straight. It’s my personal little veggie heaven.

Root Vegetable Tagine

So what is it, anyway? It’s a tagine. Ta-what? Tagine, pronounced “tuh-jhean.” Tagine is a Moroccan stew that typically contains meat and is named after the awesome-shaped pot it’s traditionally cooked in. Not to worry, we’re making ours in a regular ol’ pot, since a tagine is apparently the only thing available on Amazon for which I didn’t register. Not that I didn’t want to… but I have a hard time justifying the space that single-function kitchen items take up. And I think it’s safe to say we’re going to have to move because of all the kitchen stuff I did register for… so anyway, no tagine necessary for today’s recipe. And apologies for the tangent, but apparently I have to bring my wedding into every conversation. It will only last for… 7 more months? Sheesh.

So we’ve got a pot. And we basically throw a whole mess o’ root veggies in that pot – specifically carrots, sweet potatoes, and golden beets. (I used beets of the golden variety because I wanted to avoid this whole dish turning bright pink. But if that’s your thing, go to town with red beets!) Also to that pot, we’re adding a healthy amount of warm spices like cumin, coriander, cinnamon, and paprika. There are a handful of other ingredients, too (raisins, chickpeas, tomato paste, etc.), but those are the essentials. (Oh and raisin haters: you can totally use chopped dried apricots instead of the raisins.)

The result is a fragrant vegan stew that will take the edge off a cold winter’s day like that. And with these sweet root vegetables, the raisins, and the warm spices, the flavor is decidedly sweet. It’s worth mentioning that ahead of time, because if you’re against some sweetness in your entree, this one probably isn’t for you. We’re not adding sugar or anything like that, it’s just that the sweetness that naturally collects in a plant’s roots really comes through in this dish. It is so unique and I loooove it.

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Asian Orange Cauliflower

February 12, 2014 by Erica

Asian Orange Cauliflower

I usually reserve words like “insane,” “unreal,” and “magical” for creations like chocolate pecan butter, ice cream with bourbon in it, chocolate peanut butter cookies, etc. But today I’m about to use those words to describe a cauliflower dish… oh yes I am.

I recently made the discovery that cauliflower can be used in place of meat in all your old favorite Asian dishes. I tried it out first with the cauliflower coconut masala, and it was a magical. Also, though I came up with the idea independently, I totally wasn’t the first person to do so. That’s what happens when you have a unique idea in the year 2014… you Google it and realize that 2.1 million other people had the same idea, starting about 1000 years ago. Sigh.

Then I realized that, sure, cauliflower might be a typical component of Indian dishes, but it also works in practically everything else, too. Up until now I had considered tofu as the most logical vegetarian substitute. And I don’t always love the texture of tofu, so I pushed most of the chicken- and beef-based Asian recipes I knew to the back of my mind.

But cauliflower opens everything back up again, and with a new and improved texture. Can I get an amen from my fellow veggie texture lovers?

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Roasted Red Pepper and Cauliflower Soup

February 3, 2014 by Erica

Good morning! Did everyone enjoy the Super Bowl last night? Or were you like me, and just there for the food, beer and commercials?

I have to say the commercials didn’t really do it for me this year. I guess car commercials never really do… and there are sooo many of those. The Budweiser Clydesdales, on the other hand, just get me every time. Plus a cute puppy? Yes. That one definitely brought a tear to my eye, but I think last year’s is still my favorite. The one with the guy who raises one of the Clydesdales? Too too cute.

But yeah, I guess I am mostly there for the food and beer.

I made a good Super Bowl dip this year, though of course I didn’t get my act together to give you the recipe ahead of time. Oops? Planning ahead for food holidays is not really my strength, and for that I hope you’ll forgive me. Rest assured I’ll post that dip for you soon anyway. Maybe it can be a… Valentine’s Day dip? Now you know I haven’t planned for that one, either.

But what I do have planned is soup!

A vegan soup chock full of roasted red peppers, thyme, and cauliflower.

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