Apple cider vinaigrette salad dressing

This homemade apple cider vinaigrette is SO much better than any store bought dressing! Made with 7 simple ingredients, it's tangy, healthy, and easy to make. 

Ingredients

• ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon maple syrup, or honey
• 1 garlic clove, grated
• ¼ teaspoon Dijon mustard
• ¼ teaspoon sea salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

Instructions

• In a small bowl, whisk together the apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, garlic, mustard, salt, and several grinds of pepper.
• Drizzle in the olive oil while whisking and continue to whisk until the dressing is emulsified. Alternatively, combine everything in a jar with a tight-fitting lid and shake to combine.

 

Crispy Chickpeas

https://www.loveandlemons.com/roasted-chickpeas/ 

Easiest recipe ever.  Really good - almost tastes ~ potato inside.  Might add more spices on the outside next time - Everything bagel seasoning sounds like a winner.  This time, I just used oil and salt I think. 

• Eat them fast! Roasted chickpeas are best day-of, and they lose their crispiness as time goes on. I aim to finish up a batch by the second day for best texture and flavor.
• Store them at room temperature. Don’t refrigerate these guys. They become chewy quickly! I recommend leaving them in a bowl or jar on the counter, loosely covered with a piece of foil.
• Spice them up! I like to toss my chickpeas with spices right as they come out of the oven. Try using a dash of paprika or your favorite spice mix. Chili, curry, or shawarma spices would all be great here. They’re also delicious with Everything Bagel Seasoning!

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
• Sea salt
• Paprika, curry powder, or other spices (optional)

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 425°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Spread the chickpeas on a kitchen towel and pat them dry. Remove any loose skins.
• Transfer the dried chickpeas to the baking sheet and toss them with a drizzle of olive oil and generous pinches of salt.
• Roast the chickpeas for 20 to 30 minutes, or until golden brown and crisp. Ovens can vary, if your chickpeas are not crispy enough, keep going until they are!
• Remove from the oven and, while the chickpeas are still warm, toss with pinches of your favorite spices, if using.
• Store roasted chickpeas in a loosely-covered container at room temperature. They are best used within two days.

Tofu (or chicken) Tortilla Soup

Another KindSoups success!  Everyone took seconds!  Served with avocado, cilantro, plain yogurt.  Would also add red onion.  Takes time, but not difficult.

Ingredients

• 4 whole boneless, skinless chicken breasts (vegetarians may replace with a few cans of hominy)
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 3 tsp. cumin (plus some coriander)
• 2 tsp. chili powder
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• 1 tsp. salt
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 2 c. diced onion
• 1 diced green bell pepper
• 1 red bell pepper
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 cans (10 ounces) Rotel Tomatoes & Green Chilies
• 8 cups low-sodium chicken stock
• 6 tbsp. tomato paste
• 4-5 c. hot water (add more as needed)
• 4 cans (15 ounces) black beans, drained (or use dried beans, rinse, simmer for ~ 1 hour)
• 3 tbsp. cornmeal or masa (I actually thought this detracted from the color and taste)
• 10 whole corn tortillas, cut into uniform strips around 2 to 3 inches - toast some of these for topping
• (Sour cream, diced red onion, diced avocado, pico de gallo, salsa, grated Monterey Jack cheese and/or cilantro, for garnishing, at least for your own)

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 375˚. Mix cumin, chili pepper, garlic powder, and salt. Drizzle 1 tablespoon olive oil on the tofu or chicken breasts, then sprinkle a small amount of spice mix on both sides. Set aside the rest of the spice mix.  If using tofu, you can do this in the toaster oven.
• Place chicken breasts on a baking sheet. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until chicken is done. Use two forks to shred chicken. For tofu, it took about 30 minutes at 375-400 degrees, Just watch it as you’re cooking the soup).  Set aside.
• Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a pot over medium high heat. Add onions, red pepper, green pepper, and minced garlic. Stir and begin cooking, then add the rest of the spice mix. Stir to combine, then add tofu or shredded chicken and stir.
• Pour in Rotel, chicken stock, tomato paste, water, and black beans. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer for 45 minutes, uncovered.
• Mix cornmeal with a small amount of water - I might skip this next time. Pour into the soup, then simmer for an additional 30 minutes. Check seasonings, adding more if needed—add more chili powder if it needs more spice, and be sure not to undersalt. Turn off heat and allow to sit for 15 to 20 minutes before serving. Five minutes before serving, gently stir in tortilla strips.
• Ladle into bowls, then top with sour cream, diced red onion, diced avocado, pico de gallo, grated cheese and/or, if you have it! (The garnishes really make the soup even more delicious.)

 

Black Lentil Lasagna

 From Joe Yonan, WaPo 

Consider trying this with vegan cheese, or just lest cheese than in ingredients.  Seems good for a vegan main dish if it works.  

Ingredients

measuring cup

Servings: 8

• 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for greasing
• 1 large white or yellow onion (12 ounces), chopped
• 2 large bell peppers, cored and chopped
• 2 celery stalks, chopped
• 1 large carrot, scrubbed and chopped
• One (28-ounce) can no-salt-added crushed tomatoes
• 1 cup water
• 2 teaspoons Aleppo-style chile flakes
• 1 teaspoon garam masala
• 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon fine salt, plus more to taste
• 3 cups cooked black lentils (from two 15-ounce cans), drained and rinsed (see NOTE)
• 1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
• 1 1/2 cups (5 ounces) finely grated parmesan cheese
• 1 pound no-boil lasagna sheets

Directions

Time IconActive: 40 mins|Total: 1 hour 30 mins

1. 
   

   DIRECTIONS 

   Step 1

   Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees. Brush a 9-by-13-inch baking dish, at least 3 inches deep, generously with olive oil.

2. Step 2

   In a large skillet over medium heat, heat the 2 tablespoons of oil until it shimmers. Add the onion and saute until translucent, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the bell peppers, celery and carrot and saute until the carrots and peppers start to soften, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, water, chile flakes, garam masala, turmeric, black pepper and salt. Increase the heat to high and bring the mixture to a boil. Remove from the heat, taste, and season with more salt, as needed.

3. Step 3

   Use an immersion blender to pulse for a few seconds to get a chunky sauce, or longer to get it smooth, if you’d like. (Alternatively, you can transfer the mixture to a blender or food processor, pulse or puree, and return the sauce to the pot.) Stir in the lentils.

4. Step 4

   In a small bowl, mix the mozzarella and parmesan cheeses until combined.

5. Step 5

   Line the base of the greased baking pan with enough sheets of pasta to cover in a single layer. Cover the pasta with 1 1/2 cups of the sauce and spread evenly. Sprinkle about 3/4 cup of the cheese mixture on top, and add another layer of pasta. Repeat the sequence three more times, layering sauce and cheese on the pasta. The final layer should be covered with the sauce and cheese.

6. Step 6

   Cover the dish tightly with foil, and set the baking pan on a large sheet pan to catch any drips.

7. Step 7

   Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, or until the cheese is melted, the sauce is bubbling, and the pasta layers are all cooked. Carefully remove the foil, turn on the broiler, and broil for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the cheese begins to bubble and lightly brown. Watch carefully so the cheese does not burn.

8. Step 8

   Remove from the oven and let cool for at least 10 minutes before slicing and serving warm.

   
   

Substitutions

No black lentils? >> Use French green (du Puy) lentils.
Aleppo-style chile flakes >> Urfa, Morash, crushed red pepper flakes, or a combination of mostly sweet paprika with a pinch of cayenne.
Crushed tomatoes >> Diced tomatoes or tomato puree.
Garam masala >> Curry powder.
Mozzarella >> Vegan mozzarella-style shreds, such as Daiya brand.
Parmesan >> Vegan parmesan cheese, such as Violife brand, or nutritional yeast.

Notes

If you can’t find canned black lentils, simmer 1 cup dried black lentils in 4 cups water until tender but not mushy, 25 to 30 minutes, then drain.

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Roasted squash and red onion gratin

 From NYT cooking app

I substituted many ingredients - will try as written.  Used flax eggs instead of 3 eggs, some nutritional yeast instead of Parmesan, and non-dairy milk instead of 2%.  It was interesting - we finished it quickly - but the texture might seem odd to others.  Used butternut squash. 

1½ pounds butternut or kabocha squash, peeled, seeds and membranes removed, and cut in small dice (½ to ¾ inch) (about 4 cups diced)

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

½ red onion, chopped

1 leek, white and light green parts only, cut in half, cleaned thoroughly, and chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 teaspoons fresh thyme

2 ounces Parmesan, grated (½ cup)

3 eggs

½ cup milk (2 percent)

½ cup cooked rainbow or black quinoa

DIRECTIONS: 

Step 1

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Cover a baking sheet with parchment or foil. Toss squash with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Spread on baking sheet in an even layer. Place in oven and roast for about 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes, until tender and caramelized. Remove from the oven and turn the  heat down to 350 degrees. You should have about 2 cups roasted squash.

Step 2

Meanwhile, heat remaining olive oil in a medium skillet and add onion. Cook, stirring, until it begins to wilt, about 3 minutes. Add leek and a generous pinch of salt and cook, stirring, until onion and leek are tender, another 3 to 5 minutes. Add garlic and thyme and cook, stirring, until the garlic is fragrant, 30 seconds to a minute. Remove from the heat.

Step 3

Oil a 2-quart baking dish or gratin. In a large bowl, beat eggs and add salt and pepper to taste (I use about ½ teaspoon salt). Whisk in milk. Add onions and leek mixture, squash, Parmesan and quinoa, and combine well. Scrape into the prepared baking dish.

Step 4

Bake 35 to 40 minutes, until set and the top is lightly browned. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes or longer before serving.

Tip

Advance preparation: The roasted squash will keep for a couple of days in the refrigerator. The gratin will also keep for 2 to 3 days. Reheat in a medium oven for about 20 minutes.

Sheet Pan Salmón and Broccoli with Sesame and Ginger

From NYT cooking app.  Easy and very good.  Tried with broccoli and bell peppers - also very good.

INGREDIENTS:

4 tablespoons toasted sesame oil

2 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari

1 tablespoon rice vinegar

1 tablespoon honey

1 (2-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated (about 1 tablespoon)

1 garlic clove, finely grated

1 pound broccoli, trimmed and cut into florets, thick stems discarded

2 scallions, trimmed and cut diagonally into 1½-inch segments, plus thinly sliced scallions for garnish

1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more for brushing the salmon

Kosher salt and black pepper

4 (6-ounce) skin-on salmon fillets

½ lime, for serving

Sesame seeds, for serving DIRECTIONS: 

Step 1

Heat the oven to 425 degrees. In a small bowl, whisk 3 tablespoons sesame oil with the soy sauce, vinegar, honey, ginger and garlic until smooth. Set the glaze aside.

Step 2 Place the broccoli florets and 1½-inch scallion segments on a sheet pan. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil and the remaining 1 tablespoon sesame oil. Sprinkle with ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper, toss well and roast for 5 minutes.

Step 3

While the broccoli and scallions roast, place the salmon fillets on a plate and pat dry with paper towels. Brush all over with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Step 4

Toss the broccoli and scallions and move to the edges of the pan, clearing spaces in the center for the salmon fillets. Place the salmon fillets, evenly spaced, on the center of the pan. Brush the fillets generously with the glaze.

Step 5

Return the pan to the oven and roast until the salmon is cooked through but still slightly rare in the center, about 12 minutes.

Step 6

Squeeze the lime over the broccoli and sprinkle with salt. Scatter the sliced scallions and sesame seeds over the salmon, and serve hot.

Broccoli with Panko and Sundried Tomatoes

From Forks over Knives

Supercharge your side dish skills with this colorful, crunchy, and totally crave-worthy panko broccoli recipe. Each floret is simmered in flavorful veggie broth until tender, and then mixed with garlic-infused whole wheat bread crumbs for a crispy textural contrast. Strips of sun-dried tomato add bursts of umami-rich flavor and really dial up the intrigue of this five-ingredient dish. If you make a big batch, this is the perfect recipe to bring to a potluck to up the veggie count on everyone’s plate. 

For more vegan broccoli recipes, check out these tasty ideas:

• The Best Broccoli Slaw
• Individual Broccoli and Wild Rice Casseroles
• Potato Broccoli Mini Frittatas
• Creamy Vegan Broccoli Chowder with Garlic Croutons

By Ellen Boeke,

Dec 18, 2023

INGREDIENTS

• 1½ lb. broccoli (1 large head)
• ⅓ cup low-sodium vegetable broth
• ¼ cup whole wheat panko
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons slivered sun-dried tomatoes (not oil-packed)

INSTRUCTIONS

• Cut broccoli head into small florets. If you like, peel and thinly slice broccoli stalks. In an extra-large nonstick skillet cook broccoli in broth over medium-high 6 to 8 minutes or until crisp-tender, stirring occasionally.
• Meanwhile, in a small bowl combine panko and garlic. Add to skillet with sun-dried tomatoes. Cook 2 to 3 minutes or until panko is toasted, stirring frequently. If you like, season with freshly ground black pepper.