Two Recipes Starring Collard Greens

If you, like me, are from the South you may typically think of collard greens just as a mushy side perhaps with some ham or ham hock that you get at places like Cracker Barrel. However, there is so much more you can do with this vegetable, and it is super nutritious. And it is currently in season, so #winning.

I found two recipes featuring collard greens on the Green Loot, in their post of 31 Vegan Clean Eating Winter Recipes: http://thegreenloot.com/vegan-clean-eating-recipes-weight-loss-winter-dinners/. Since the bin at Harris Teeter was overflowing with collard greens, I decided to double up and make two recipes in one week: Eat Healthy Eat Happy’s Fat-Busting Collard Green Soup and Making Thyme for Health’s BBQ Chickpea Collard Wraps with Homemade Vegan Ranch Dressing for both lunches and dinners. Both were delicious and filling, but I felt light and energized afterward.

Note: as soon as you buy the collard greens, wash them so they can dry. It can take quite a while. Also, they will look like something from dinosaur times but don’t let that scare you.

Behold my sink. I am not kidding–this was a hugeeeee bunch.

The soup is full of great ingredients like lentils, quinoa, carrots, onions, celery, diced tomatoes, and a ton of spices. When the collard groups get cooked they become super tender and flavorful. I felt really healthy whenever I ate this, and it is great with some whole wheat toast or a grilled cheese sandwich to dip. Warning: this soup makes SO MANY LEFTOVERS. I was planning on halving it, but my dad was like that sounds good, I’ll have some (of course he never did), so I was eating a lot of soup. But it is great. And it’s surprisingly good cold. Definitely recommend.

Now for the BBQ Chickpea Wraps. I LOVED this recipe. I am 100% planning on making again. It is protein-packed with chickpeas and quinoa, and the cabbage slaw brightens it up. I made my slaw with red cabbage to mix it up. I wasn’t feeling trekking to Whole Foods to get hulled hemp seeds, so I just used soaked cashews and it worked perfectly well. The dressing tasted just like ranch but lighter tasting, and all you do is blend everything up in a blender. Voila.

Now when it came to slicing off the stem from the leaves I was having a little trouble, so I just wrapped them with the stem intact and it worked fine for me. Alternatively, you could boil them for a minute or so to soften them, but I actually liked the crunch. I served mine with Annie’s BBQ sauce, since I always love that company’s products.

Look at that goodness.

So, there you have it! Take advantage of these recipes while collard greens are still in season.

#artfulliving

Buzzfeed Tasty Challenge: 32 Fall Recipes with No Meat or Dairy; Numbers 4 and 30–Tofu Cashew Coconut Curry and Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Pasta with Black Pepper Chickpeas

A week ago, I tackled two more of the recipes (haven’t posted until now because took quick trip to DC): Tofu Cashew Coconut Curry and Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Pasta with Black Pepper Chickpeas.

I LOVE curries, so I was super excited to whip up the tofu cashew one because CASHEWS. Such a great nut. This recipe is super simple; it’s basically just chopping and stirring. Be sure to press your tofu, though–I typically use three huge cookbooks. This recipe is great because it’s chock full of veggies: sweet potatoes, carrots, bell peppers, cauliflower, and jalopeno, (I even added in some broccoli because #greens), but is still comforting because of the coconut milk.

Paired with ginger, garlic, and warming spices, this makes for a comforting dish. I made cauliflower rice on the side. The ground cashews are a game changer and garnishing with extras brings out their flavor. Garnish with cilantro for some freshness, pair with a glass of red and #winning (I love a good glass of red–looking at you, Apothic Red Blend.

Next, I decided to make the Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Pasta with Black Pepper Chickpeas. Since this recipe calls for a lot of black pepper, I ground a lot of black peppercorns before. Seriously, my hand was sore. DO NOT use the black pepper that comes in its little container. Hardly any taste and no flavor. I also used nutritional yeast for the first time–SO. GOOD. Highly recommend purchasing.

First, I made the chickpeas. Drain and rinse, and heat in skillet with spices and herbs. Delicious. And spicy as per the pepper. Look at those yummy herbs.

I felt super cool roasting my own peppers. Yeah, you can buy them pre-roasted, but it’s way cheaper and empowering to roast your own. And it’s SO easy.

Preheat your oven and leave them in there for around 25 minutes. Then let cool and remove the skins. Easy as pie.

Once they’ve cooled, you can make the sauce. While I started making the sauce, I went ahead and started boiling water for the elbow noodles. Nothing more frustrating than having everything ready and having to wait for water to boil. For the sauce, there is the usual chopping of onion and garlic, addition of roasted red peppers, and blending. Then, when noodles are ready, fold into sauce so it absorbs it better, and garnish with basil. I absolutely loved this recipe. It had a nice kick, but still tasted so comforting. Sometimes I feel guilty eating a big bowl of pasta, but serving a correct portion and having the chickpeas for protein and fiber made it feel super balanced.

I also had a salad and red wine (duh).

There you have it. Thursday was the official first day of winter, so I will not be making any more recipes off the list. BUT I am going to make more wintery recipes in 2018 and blogging, so be on the lookout for that.

Happy Holidays and Happy New Year!

#artfulliving

Buzzfeed Tasty Challenge: 32 Fall Recipes with No Meat or Dairy Numbers 3, 14, and 18

My cooking self is back! Thanksgiving and a quick trip to Richmond are to blame for the hiatus.

I decided to make Number 3, Green Goddess Broccoli Soup, for the first part of one week’s lunches.

Maybe it’s just me, but it always takes me way longer to prep than recipes call for. Washing, slicing, dicing, and drying is time-consuming. This soup called for broccoli (duh), kale, onion, leeks, and garlic. Getting the broccoli floret-ed (is that word? it should be), kale washed, de-stemmed, and chopped, onion diced, leeks cleaned and sliced, and garlic minced took me way longer than it would someone like Bobby Flay. Anyway, I eventually got that all set up and ready to go (note the mise-en-place! Sorry, I know I’m a cooking nerd).

Next came the soup preparation. First you saute the onion, garlic, and leeks in coconut oil. This took way longer than I was expecting–I think because I used too small a pot. Note of caution. Then, add the broccoli and vegetable broth (I really want to make my own one day). Then, once it has boiled and simmered for a bit, the recipe calls for cooling and pureeing. However, I whipped out my immersion blender and then added the mixture to the milk, flour, and seasonings. Then, just add on some kale chips and pepitas. (I made mine while waiting for the aromatics. Then, voila! You have a super fancy  and beautifully green soup.

I know I have mentioned before that often I find recipes to lie about serving sizes. This one most decidedly did not. I had SO. MUCH. SOUP. Luckily, it was delicious and my mom also ate two bowls over the course of the week. No matter how much I love something, I cannot eat the same meal for lunch multiple days in a row. I do need to work on my kale chip making abilities, because mine were a bit soggy. However, the pepita seeds added a nice crunch. Some days I just had a big bowl of the soup, while others I opted for a smaller bowl with a cheese toastie on the side. A great fall meal.

Next up was Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Tempeh Chunks. I was excited to get back to making some tempeh after my experience with Number 1. I love the chewiness of it and I find it takes to marinades better than tofu, at least in my experience. Also, fermented foods are all the rage right now, so hop on the bandwagon. The Teet did not have the Soy Lightlife Tempeh the recipe called for. Not to be daunted, I found a soy/maple/balsamic marinade on Pinterest that was actually pretty similar to the one I made for Number 1 on the list. So, I sliced up the tempeh and poured the marinade over for 2 hours.

I peeled and diced up the sweet potatoes when the tempeh was close to being finished marinading and tossed the marinaded tempeh and sweet potatoes in olive oil and rosemary, then popped it in the oven. Easy as pie. Next up was the sauce, which included orange marmalade, butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, oregano, and water. I am not too experienced in making sauces, so I wasn’t sure what to expect. I do not exaggerate when I say the sauce basically MADE the recipe.

It added lip-smacking flavor. I now understand why chefs always make such a big deal about sauces on Chopped. This recipe is officially one of my favorites thus far. It is super Thanksgiving-y, and I would definitely make it one year for the holidays. As it was, I paired with a little arugula side salad to add some spice and freshness to contrast the sweet, roasted, chewy aspects of the dish. Delicious.

Finally, I decided to make number 14, Autumn Roasted Veggies with Apples and Pecans, to add to a bed of kale. This also required a lot of prep, but I was surprised by how easy it was to break down a butternut squash with my chef’s knife. The last time I did it was before I got mine, and the arduous, time-consuming process put me off it. It was so easy! Add in a red onion, brussels, and apples, toss in some butter and spices/brown sugar, and you’re all set to roast away! The pecans add a nice crunch, while the dried cranberries add an extra fall flavor and sweetness. Warm up and put on top of massaged kale and you have a great and healthy fall meal. If not a vegan, a sprinkle of feta or goat cheese would go great.

So there you have it! 145 total down.

On another note, I looked up the official first day of winter, and it is December 21st. I recently found a list of 31 vegan recipes perfect for winter, so even if I have not finished the fall list by that point, I am going to transition and challenge myself to cook those. I would persist, but since I live with my parents and I don’t cook every night, it is not realistic. I also try and cook with seasonal ingredients as much as possible, and it is almost time for winter vegetables to come out. A side benny of doing these challenges is I never have to wonder what to cook for lunch or the odd night my parents aren’t home for dinner. Stay tuned my friends!

#artfulliving

Buzzfeed Tasty: 32 Fall Recipes with No Meat or Dairy–Numbers 1, 7, and 21

The challenge continues! I think my mom is ready for it to be over–she is not a big cook and is SO picky about cleanliness. I mean, obviously I always clean up, but it is impossible to reach her level of fastidiousness. I’m too scared to tackle another recipe this week because the Thanksgiving stress is descending on her and she does not want any more room taken up in the refrigerator or crumbs on the floor. On hold until post-Thanksgiving.

So, I made number 21, the cauliflower soup, for us to have for dinner one night. My mom and I both LOVED it, but my dad was not a fan. He is an extremely basic eater.

The recipe calls for a lot of slicing and dicing, which I enjoy. It’s like therapy. You break down the cauliflower and roast it along with a head of garlic (look at all those yummy brown bits on the cauliflower), and then start in on the mirepoix. This is actually the first time I have ever made a soup (instead of a stew) from scratch, and the first time I have ever made a mirepoix (onion, celery, and carrot: the holy trinity of cooking), and it smelled heavenly cooking. Observe my mise-en-place:

Also note the large glass of red wine: a must. Once the mirepoix has cooked down, add the cauliflower, broth, seasonings, garlic paste, and full-fat coconut milk. Then, puree it to desired smoothness with an immersion blender. I prefer soups a little chunky. Then, top with leftover cauliflower florets, garlic, and a garnish. The recipe calls for parsley, but I forgot it and subbed with celery leaves, which I found refreshing and nice, as the soup has celery in it. We served it with a simple wedge salad.

This soup was incredible. Rich, luscious, but with hints of freshness through the garnishes. I loved it. A perfect fall meal.

Next up: Number one, Maple Balsamic Tempeh bowls with Pumpkin Rice. I have been looking forward to making this one. I halved the recipe to make two lunch servings. I LOVE tempeh. It is hardier than tofu and I enjoy the chewy texture.

I marinated it for about two hours before cooking it. Instead of rice, I made cauliflower rice again since this was going to be for lunch, and I find a lot of carbs in the middle of the day tend to make me sleepy. The canned pumpkin and coconut milk were delicious with it. It was almost a soup-like consistency.

If you made it with actual rice, it would probably absorb the liquid better, but I liked it the way it was. The final step is just steaming some broccoli, and voila.

This is one of my favorite recipes so far, and I will definitely make it again. A bite with the fresh broccoli, chewy tempeh, and sweet rice is perfection. The tempeh especially was delicious.

Now, for number 7: Vegan Beet Burger. I decided to make these to have on hand for packed lunches. I have never actually made a veggie burger patty from scratch before. Most tend to want food processors, and I finally can since I have one! View my mise-en-place again:

You pulse oats to make oat flour, and then add the cooled, sliced beets and chopped dates to the mixture. Then, add these to onions, mushrooms, black beans, and cooked quinoa.

Let rest in the fridge, and then you are ready to cook up a patty! I am so mad at myself because I FORGOT TO TAKE A PICTURE OF THE ASSEMBLED BURGER. I had mine with chipotle aioli, tomato, avocado and lettuce. The next two times I was out of those and just had it with the aioli, and it was not quite as good. However, I loved the patty. A hint of sweetness, deep roasted beet flavor, and so much protein from the quinoa and black beans. Will definitely make it again. So, three more down! Excited to continue post Thanksgiving. Happy cooking and eating to all!

#artfulliving

Buzzfeed Tasty Challenge–32 Fall Recipes with No Meat or Dairy: #s 5, 8, & 29

3 recipes. 1 week. Multiple meals. Bam.

I have to plan these meals around my non-vegetarian roommates (aka, my parents. I know, boomerang status over here). This is why so far my meals have been primarily made for lunches that I can pack/have ready when I come home hangry at 1pm since my parents are not about to sit down to, say, beet wellington with balsamic reduction (number 26 is looming over me. Not because of taste, but because it looks so difficult). So, when my parents informed me they were going out for dinner with friends one rainy Sunday night, I decided to make cauliflower “wings,” which is number5 on the list. I have made them before, but this recipe turned out way better, and I think it was because of the crispiness that resulted from the flour.

All you have do is break a cauliflower into florets, dip them in the batter (I regret not shaking off excess batter–caused some sticking), roast, coat them in the sauce of your choosing (Frank’s Red Hot will always have my heart when it comes to this), and roast again.

I paired mine with celery sticks and some blue cheese dressing (I should have made vegan aioli) (I know I use too many parentheses). Anyway, SO good. Great flavor combination and the green onions and celery added a fresh element. The perfect comfort food to kick off my viewing of Stranger Things 2. If you  haven’t yet, WATCH THIS SHOW.

Next up was the Fall Harvest Power Bowl, which I have been looking forward to making. BRING ON THOSE FRUITS AND VEGGIES: brussels sprouts, acorn squash, kale, honeycrisp apple, and tomatoes. I added some sweet potato since I had one lying around. I was glad I started making this at 10:45 because squash. Sqaush is SO HARD to cut, and I always forget this. I struggled for about 15 minutes to get it cut and broken down for roasting. The brussels were easy. Put both veggies on a sheet pan, drizzle with EVOO and salt/pepper, and stick them in the oven. Word to the wise: the squash will take longer, even though the recipe does not say this. Mine needed another 20 minutes while the brussels were perfectly roasted and ready to come out after the allotted time.

(post-brussels removal)

Then, de-stem, chop, and massage that kale, chop up your apple (I prefer really small pieces) and cherry tomatoes, and make the dressing. I used a blender because I find tahini can be quite lumpy and I wanted a smooth texture. The final step is slicing the skin off of the pieces of the squash and assembly. The verdict: THIS WAS SO GOOD. I am already planning on making this again. The perfect fall meal. Crisp apple, rich squash, fresh kale, and creamy dressing punctuated by cherry tomatoes, which to me are like candy. I used red quinoa instead of freekeh since I had some leftover from the Cajun Cauliflower Salad from last week.

I managed to get three lunches out of it instead of the 2 the recipe claimed because the next two days I paired it with a small bowl of….drumroll please….NUMBER 29.

Number 29 is Red Lentil, Sweet Potato, and Carrot Chili. Full disclaimer: my parents agreed to eat this because they like lentil soup in the fall. HOWEVER. My dad does not like sweet potatoes and my mom does not like red lentils–just “regular” lentils. Whatever. So, we made it with white baby potatoes and plain lentils. This meal involves a lot of chopping and then just simmering, so after prep it was pretty hands off. We paired it with a wedge salad with Thousand Island dressing (very fancy of us, I know). This soup was AMAZING. I personally prefer white potatoes to sweet potatoes, so this change didn’t bother me, and I think was actually an improvement. And, lentils are lentils (I personally can never tell a difference between red/white quinoa or lentils. But I can with black). I am still eating this soup. And it makes a huge batch. My dad had two bowls with dinner and my mom and I have been eating it every day since then and I am already looking forward to having a big bowl for dinner tonight. Another comforting fall meal. However, I am not sure how it qualifies as a “chili,” as it lacked the spice and beans I associate with chili. But: delicious soup. Highly recommend.

10 down, 22 to go. Ready to make more soups on the list since my immersion blender came! Stay tuned. #artfulliving

Buzzfeed Tasty Challenge: Numbers 15 and 17 from 32 Fall Recipes With No Meat or Dairy

Back from the cruise and back to the challenge! I could use some vegan food after all the cruise meals. This past week I made the Roasted Cajun Cauliflower Salad and Sheet Pan Crispy Teriyaki Tofu and Broccoli to be my lunches for the week.

The Cauliflower Salad has alllll the veggies. Seriously: kale, carrots, tomatoes, radishes, beets, cucumbers, and, of course, the cauliflower. Most of the prep is simply washing, slicing, and grating all these veggies. Behold one of my biggest bowls. Full to bursting.

The cauliflower, roasted with cajun spice and thyme, is delicious. Look at all those yummy brown spots. The kitchen smelled amazing. I am definitely going to be incorporating cajun spice more in the future. Savory and with a bit of a kick.

The tahini dressing on top ties it all together. Since the recipe calls for kale, the sturdiest of greens, you don’t even have to worry about the salad getting soggy. In fact, I thought it was better the next day since the dressing had soaked into the kale more. Massaging the kale with the dressing is not a bad idea. The recipe also called for red rice, but I used red quinoa instead to up the protein content. I also added a few dashes of Texas Pete to go along with the cajun spice. Yes, I am a freak who put hot sauce in a salad. Anyways, I thought the salad was great and very fall. Fresh and crunchy veggies, chewy roasted cauliflower, and a creamy dressing. Highly recommend next time you feel you have over-indulged over the weekend. It satisfies and feels healthy but still yummy.

For the rest of my lunches, I decided to make the Sheet Pan Teriyaki Tofu and Broccoli. I decided to go with cauliflower rice, which is so easy to make with a food processor (and super low-calorie–needed post cruise). I pressed the heck out of the tofu so it wouldn’t be watery. I used three giant cookbooks to weigh it down and I have never been so successful with getting the water out. The cornstarch also makes it pleasantly crispy. I was excited to make teriyaki sauce since I have never made one before, and it turned out great! Great flavors, and the sauce soaks into the cauliflower rice. Add plenty of sriracha and some soy sauce (duh). The recipe says it makes 4 servings, but I just got 2 lunch-sized portions out of it.

I bought way too much broccoli, so I’m planning on making number 1 on the list to use some of it this week, among others. Stay tuned! #artfulliving

Buzzfeed Tasty Challenge: Numbers 9 and 27

This week, I tackled two more recipes on the Buzzfeed Tasty list: 32 Fall Recipes with No Meat or Dairy. Since highs have still been in the eighties here in Winston, I decided to do ones that sort of combine fall and summer, so I made the Green Pesto Pizza from the blog Edible Perspective and the Yellow Squash and Zoodle Salad from Krazy Kitchen Mom.

First, I roasted the vegetables. You could really do whatever you want here, but I liked the recipe’s use of brussels sprouts, onions, and broccolini, which I had never tried before but found at the Fresh Market. Chop up those suckers, drizzle some olive oil, and pop in the oven. Mmmm, roasted veggies.

My food processor is finally back in action, so I was super pumped to make homemade pesto, which I have never done before. I was very interested that the recipe on Edible Perspective for pesto is vegan: all you it is is roasted and salted pistachios, baby greens (I used arugula and some baby kale), garlic, salt and pepper, and lemon juice. It was SO GOOD it took serious willpower not to devour the entire bowl before making the pizza. But I held strong because #pizza.

Next, I rolled out the crust. One day I will make a crust from scratch. This was not the day. I got a bistro style crust because I wanted it to be thin, spread on the pesto, distributed the veggies and black olives, and slid it into the oven. I also added a few dollops of goat cheese, which may just be my favorite cheese. But maybe not. I find it hard to discriminate when it comes to cheese.

LOOK AT THAT GREEN BEAUTY. I let it cool, got out my pizza cutter, cut it into several slices, and sat down to feast.

Now, I have always been a steadfast lover of red sauce when it comes to pizza, but this was a game-changer. The pesto worked beautifully with the thin crust, and the richness of pesto, sweetness and tenderness of the roasted veggies, and creamy lusciousness of the goat cheese made for a winner. I am also officially a huge fan of broccolini–it’s sweeter than plain old broccoli and makes the pizza more special. This pizza might even have been better leftover for lunch the next day. If you are making this just for yourself, you get to enjoy leftovers for dayssss.

I also needed to make a lunch to pack for work later that week when my pizza had been devoured, so that was when I decided to make the Zucchini and Yellow Squash Zoodle Salad, which was incredibly easy. The hardest part was roasting the garlic, and that was super easy. I used a muffin tin for the garlic head. Next time I roast garlic, I am so spreading it on toasted baguette. Yum. However, it was delicious in this salad and added another dimension flavor-wise. I also toasted pine nuts for protein.

After the garlic is ready, all you have to do is spiralize and whip up the dressing, and voila. Lunch.

This salad is definitely delicious and very refreshing. However, the recipe says it serves 4, and that is definitely when you use it as a side. Also, it didn’t really stand on its own protein-wise, even with the addition of the pine nuts. Would I make this again? Absolutely. I would just add some sauteed tofu or tempeh, or even some cannellini beans for staying power.

One week. Two recipes. Success! I’ve already got my eye on my next ones, so stay tuned.

#artfulliving

Buzzfeed Tasty Challenge: 32 Recipes Featuring No Meat or Dairy #23

In light of my interest in vegetarian food and my love of all things Buzzfeed, I was very interested in the recent post centered on 32 Fall Recipes that didn’t include meat or dairy (see it for yourself here.) Since they all look delicious, I love to cook, and I love fall, I decided to challenge myself to make them all and document it here!

I started with number 23: Easy Turmeric Chickpea Salad Sandwich from Karissa’s Vegan Kitchen since I needed something easy and delicious to pack and take to work. I am no stranger to chickpea salads, but this one was shut-the-front-door delicious. While I do have a food processor, it was out-of-whack for the moment, but I was able to make it in the blender by shifting the contents periodically. The combination of savory chickpeas, creamy mayo, and the warming aspect of turmeric was to die for. Add on your favorite sandwich toppings and vegetables, and you have yourself a healthy and filling lunch option. I am a tortilla lover, so I threw it in a whole wheat wrap with arugula and some chopped tomato. The next day I added some sweet bread and butter pickles to the mix, and it was magical. It would be equally delicious sandwiched between two pieces of bread or even on its own. Let me tell you, this is the best lunch I have made in a long time. And it took less than 15 minutes!

Even if you are a staunch meat-eater, you need to acquaint yourself with the wonder of chickpeas. They belong to the trending pulse family, and are cheap, protein-packed, full of fiber, and can be manipulated in so many ways–from mock-chicken/tuna salads like this one, blended into hummus and other dips, cooked into delicious curries, and even roasted as a snack! The possibilities are endless. Stay tuned!

Note: if you want to cook these ahead for quick lunches all week, I recommend doubling the recipe. One serving made me about two wraps.