Savoring Summer

I cannot believe we are already into the first week of September!

Summer in Portland always seems to fly. I wait all year for this beautiful season and then it fades before I can even settle into it. On the bright-side, the fleeting nature of summer compels me maximize the incredible wealth of seasonal bounty that Oregon provides.

I don't think I've gone more than a meal or two without incorporating some kind of local or homegrown produce. From blueberries on my almond butter toast in the mornings to kale in my smoothies to huge salads made with fresh greens to spiralized zucchini and carrot pastas with fresh pesto and cherry tomatoes - I am literally in produce heaven. Makes me feel so fortunate to live in such an incredible community of farmers, growers and other locavore-foodies.

I was invited to some friends' house the other night and, with no real meal plan, we pillaged from their garden and used the goods in order to craft an extra-fresh dinner. We started with a melon-tomato gazpacho. And by "we" I mean my brilliant friend Kristina used the orange watermelon I brought over and vitamixed it with tomatoes, spices and magic to make this amazing cold soup.

I wish I had the recipe for you but I don't. She whipped it up so fast I barely even had a chance to ask what the general ingredients were, let alone take down the full recipe. 

But don't worry - while she was crafting her magic-soup, I was throwing together this bruschetta which is one of my go-to summer dished that always seems to be a crowd-pleaser

Backyard Bruschetta

• 2 large heirloom tomatoes or a pint of heirloom cherry tomatoes
• 2 medium lemon cucumbers
• 1 large handful of basil
• White balsamic vinegar, to taste
• High quality olive oil, to taste
• High quality salt (like Jacobsen Salt), to taste

Chop tomatoes and cucumbers and combine in a medium sized bowl.

Chiffonade basil and toss with the veggies. 

Add olive oil, vinegar and salt and stir until combined. Continue to adjust until you get the right balance of acidity and smoothness.

Spoon on top of a toasted, locally baked baguette and enjoy.


In terms of the rest of our dinner, we simply picked veggies straight off the vine (tree, plant etc...), slathered them in various sauces and tossed them on the grill. Add a bottle of Rose' and it's difficult to imagine a more perfect summer night.

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Another bounty-inspired summer meal that I made recently was this one of collard wraps and my take on a Catalonian Romesco sauce.

I adore greens in all forms, but there I especially love greens that can be used to make wraps. Between green wraps and spiralized-veggie noodles, I am getting more than my fair share of fresh summer vegetables. To make these wraps, I used Collars which I have found are the best in terms of shape and texture to make wraps out of. Any heartier green will work, however, so it's really up to you.

I stuffed these wraps with steamed sweet potato, black beans, pan fried padron peppers from Viridian Farms, spinach and carmelized onion. Like I said, though - you can put pretty much anything in them. Despite not being the prettiest or most photogenic topping, I spooned a romesco-type sauce over the top which I thought complimented the flavors of the wraps nicely :) I didn't use toasted or stale bread in my romesco as is traditionally done - I used roasted eggplant instead for a thicker texture. 

Collard Wraps(Serves 2)

• 8-10 large collard green leaves
• 1 can black beans
• 2-3 sweet potatoes, chopped and steamed
• 10-12 padron peppers, roughly chopped
• Large bunch fresh spinach
• 1 medium Walla Walla sweet onion, chopped
• 2 Tbsp. coconut oil, divided
• 1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
• 1 large handful fresh basil, chopped
• 1 large handful cilantro, chopped
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning

Start by heating a tablespoon or so of coconut oil in a fry pan over medium heat. When the oil is heated, add the chopped padron peppers and pan fry until crispy (you can add more oil depending on the size of your pan). Remove the peppers from the pan and set aside.

Add the second tablespoon of coconut oil to the pan and bring up to medium heat. Add the chopped onion and begin to saute. After 5 or so minutes, add the balsamic vinegar and cotinue to caramelize for another 10-15 minutes. Add the black beans and steamed sweet potatoes and saute everything for another 3-5 minutes. Add spinach, fried peppers, fresh herbs and spices and saute until spinach is just wilted. Remove from heat immediately.

Next, fill up a large sauce pan with water and bring to a boil. Chop the thickest part of the collard stems off. Using tongs, submerge an individual collard leaf in the water for 10-15 seconds or until pliable. Remove from water and set on a flat surface. Spoon filling into the center of the collard leaf and roll up like a burrito. Repeat until all leaves and filling are used up! 

Lightened-up Romesco

•  1/4 cup raw hazelnuts (preferably from Freddy Guys)
•  1 medium eggplant, roasted and skinned
•  2-3 cloves of garlic, roasted
•  1/2 red onion, roasted
•  2 medium red peppers, roasted
•  1 large heirloom tomato
•  1-2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar (could also potentially use red wine)
•  1 tsp red pepper flakes
•  1 tsp smoked paprika

I roasted everything in my oven (the peppers I then broiled to scorch them to make it easier to remove the skin) but you could easily do it in the BBQ if you have that baby up and running. Once roasted, combine all ingredients in a food processor and pulse until chunky and blended. If necessary, heat over the stove for a few minutes until warmed through.

Top collard wraps with sauce and enjoy! Pair with steamed broccoli and flake salt if it suits you.

In other news. I've also been baking pies. With blackberries from my back yard. I don't have a recipe for this guy either because I literally used what I found in a family friend's kitchen to make it. Hadn't made a pie in a while (let alone on a whim, without a recipe) but I will say it turned out pretty well. Add enough sugar and shortening to anything and it will turn out just dandy. Vegan, yes. Healthy? Not so much. But DELICIOUS.

Also sometimes I put wine on Wyatt's head. He loves to go wine tasting with us :)

What a trooper.



Live long and prosper, lovers. And enjoy the rest of this stunning summer.

Fresh Cabbage Salsa

Happy Summer!

 

  

Tis' the season of BBQ's, potlucks, celebrations and outdoor entertaining.

 

Tis' the season of farmers' markets, garden abundance and colorful veggies a'plenty.

 

In my opinion, this is the easiest time of year to be vegan because there are SO many beautiful plant-based options everywhere you go. I am giddy with excitement every time I pass a farm stand with a stunning selection rainbow of fruits and veggies.

 

From this plethora of incredible abundance come recipes like this fresh cabbage salsa.

 

I swiped the idea from a friend of the family who created something similar at an outdoor concert-potluck we went to in White Salmon, WA a few weeks ago.

 



 I absolutely LOVED the recipe at the concert and thought it would be a perfect recipe to make for the July 4th potluck we were going to.

The morning of July 4th, I raced the Sauvie's Island Flat half marathon with some friends, and the stars aligned when we got to  hang out at the market on the island after the race.

Half Flat Marathon with two of the greatest girls alive. Seriously, you should meet these two.

I specifically brought my wallet to be able to buy some island-produce to bolster the wealth from our own garden. The result? This beautifully colored fresh cabage salsa.

You could also use green cabbage and/or a red tomato, but I thought the yellow heirloom tomato paired with the purple cabbage, white sweet onion and green peppers/herbs would be a lovely combination. This salsa is SO easy and uses so much delicious freshness!

Fresh Cabbage Salsa

Makes a HUGE bowl

• 1 large head of cabbage
• 1 large sweet onion (preferably a walla walla!)
• 2 fresh jalapeno peppers
• 2 large or 4 small heirloom tomatoes
• 1 large bunch of cilantro
• 1 medium bunch of basil
• Juice from 4-5 limes (I did 5 because they were little and I loooove limes)
• 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1-2 Tbsp agave (to counter balance the acids from the lime and vinegar - shouldn't add too much sweetness)
• Salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste (I used Jacobsen salt. That stuff is like baby angel flakes)

Assemble all ingredients. Have a LARGE bowl within arms reach.

Chop the cabbage and onion and toss them in the bowl.

Finely dice Jalapeno peppers - either remove or leave the seeds depending on your spiciness preference.

Dice heirloom tomatoes with a sharp or serrated knife and toss them in.

Chiffonade the basil and cilantro together if possible (or just chop the crap out of em') and throw those in the bowl.

Squeeze limes over the top and add vinegar and agave. Add your first round of spices before tossing the whole thing together. Taste and season further if necessary.

You can serve this right away, but it is advisable to wait at least an hour or so for the flavors to blend together. It's also great made a day ahead of time and will stay fresh and delicious for several days in the fridge. Just make sure to cover it because it will overpower everything else in your fridge!

If desired - save several large cabbage leaves and serve in those, as pictured :) Pair with fresh squeezed margarita for a balanced afternoon snack.

Don'tcha just love summer?!

Live long and prosper. And savor the season's bounties while you can!



California Lovin'!

A few weeks ago, I flew to LA to visit a college friend who lives in Long Beach.

I had no agenda; I simply wanted to get away from the endless Portland rain that seemed to occupy the entire month of May. And I'm SO glad I did. There is nothing like catching up with an old friend and exploring a new town. Long Beach is absolutely adorable, the beach is serene and there were TONS of fun vegan spots. Not to mention the weather was BEAUTIFUL every day (while it rained non-stop back in Portland).

Every morning I ran on the beach and every day we had a new adventure. From kayaking to wine tasting to visiting the Getty museum to just throwing the frisbee on the beach - every day was total bliss!

On one lovely afternoon, we decided to compile a vegan appetizer tray to pair with the beautiful Rose' I purchased at the wine shop where we wine tasted.



Thanks Brad and Angie!

This Rose was super special - lemme tell ya. Apparently, Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt bought the Chateau Miraval estate in Provence and teamed up with one of the most famous winemakers in all of France to produce this absolutely stunning Rose. I'm a huge Rose fan in the summer, and this wine did NOT disappoint. To celebrate it in all of its glory, we paired it up with some Jalapeno Garlic Harvati Daiya, grapes, carrots, asian pear, Back to Nature Stoneground Wheat crackers, and Trader Joe's crunchy curls.

Talk about an amazing summer snack. The Daiya wedges are incredible - even if you don't like the shreds, I highly recommend the slice-able stuff. It has a great flavor.

The first day that I got into town, Davis and I walked around to all the adorable shops and checked out the bar/restaurant scene at the main strip of Long Beach near his house. As we walked by an unassuming looking bar/restaurant, Davis remarked that it had his favorite brussel sprouts dish of all time. That's a big claim and since there are few things in the world I love more than brussel sprouts, I insisted that we stop and see what these sprouts were made of.

Drenched and roasted in oil and balsamic vinegar and tossed with fresh herbs, capers, salt and (what tasted like) a bit of maple syrup, these sprouts definitely lived up to Davis's hype. They were perfectly crisped and so flavorful. We split the appetizer and it was the perfect amount for a mid-morning snack. My first vegan food in California did NOT disappoint :)


I'm not in California very often but when I am, I always make sure to indulge in one of my guiltiest of guilty pleasures is In-N-Out.

I can honestly say I haven't eaten fast food (with the exception of Subway maybe once or twice) since I was last in California and ate In-N-Out.

I know what you are thinking: "Umm...you are vegan...how can you possible find anything to eat and In-N-Out."

I know it sounds crazy, but I just order the "veggie burger" sub ketchup for sauce, add extra tomato and onions. And fries of course. I don't know how, but I promise this fast food combo still satisfies! Davis, the friend I stayed with, and Colin both thought I was nuts but agreed to try the patty-less vegan option instead of the regular burger and both were shocked by how much they liked it. Plus it's like...a dollar (instead of 4)...meaning you can even have 2 or 3 if you are really hungry and it is still much healthier (by fast food standards I suppose) and cruelty-free! Everyone wins!

Speaking of guilty pleasures...I almost never drink hard alcohol, but every once in a while I love a good Bloody Mary. Especially in California where - I swear - hard alcohol is as cheap or cheaper than beer (and where they don't truly understand what an IPA is), I think drinking a mixed drink is appropriate (even while watching a soccer game - near blasphemy!)

I was worried about finding a bar in the vicinity that was playing the match, but fortunately for me, a bar within walking distance of Davis's house was not only playing the match but also had this mind-blowing BLOODY MARY BAR.

Don't get me wrong, I've seen bloody mary bars before. And I've loved them. But this was a new level of Bloody Mary goodness. The bar was about 15 feet long and covered with every assortment of tomato-based bloody mary concoction in addition to various hot sauces, lemons, limes and other citrus, a plethora of pickled vegetables and at least 10 different varieties of olives. There was also a large plate of fresh veggies and herbs. It was like a delicious, alcoholic salad in a glass.

Now I know why they give you mini pitchers...gotta have enough room to hold all that stuff!

And, naturally, I went back to get seconds of veggies and pickles. Looove me some pickled green beans!

Wonderful :)








I would be doing all of my readers a huge disservice if I didn't mention Paradis ice cream.

Portland has a bevy of amazing vegan frozen yogurt places, but sometimes I just want an ice cream cone. And as much as I love Coconut Bliss, I get a little tired of the hardened, coconut-milk based ice creams.

So when I saw this adorable little ice cream shop's sign that said "Vegan flavors!" I was a little skeptical. But let me tell you, whatever Paradis is doing behind the scenes is pure magic. This was hands-down the best vegan ice cream I've ever had. Smooth and creamy and light and fluffy, it tasted like frozen baby angels.

We went down to this shop every night that I was here because I just couldn't get enough. The flavor (badly) pictures was the strawberry chocolate chip. They also provided a regular chocolate, banana, banana chocolate chip, and a couple of other flavors but the banana and strawberry were my favorites.

If you are in Long Beach or anywhere near a Paradis, you need to get on this vegan ice cream, STAT. You won't be disappointed.

Those were the vegan highlights of my trip! I love being able to travel and explore new vegan options. Everywhere I go it seems like I don't have enough time to explore all of the amazing vegan options available. It's so exciting!

Like here, eating some edamame and vegan sushi and drinking Sake at a sushi restaurant in Hermosa Beach.

Another amazing experience - thanks in large part to my wonderful friend, Davis. Can't wait to go back for more!!


Live long and prosper. And travel vegan.

Cauliflower Wings Revisited

Back and better than ever!

One of my all time favorite posts was my Cauliflower Hot Wings post a couple of months ago. Since then, I have made this satisfying appetizer numerous times and have perfected the recipe.

As such, I thought I would update the recipe and post some new pictures to get your mouth watering ;)

This last batch was made while visiting one of my very best college friends down in LA. He had seen them on my blog and asked if we could make them! So we did. Twice.

Paired with Follow Your Heart Ranch dressing, these "wings" were hands-down the best yet. They are crunchier, chewier, more flavorful, and - best of all - even healthier!

A couple important lessons I have learned through trial and error:

• The buffalo sauce that you use is CRUCIAL. The better the sauce, the better the wings (this should be obvious but, of course, it wasn't)
• The wings turn out best when baked at a relatively high temperature, broiled until just crispy, tossed with sauce and served immediately. This way they are crispy on the outside, chewy on the inside, and warm when served.

This time around we used the Wing-Time Buffalo Wing Sauce (the HOT version) and it was absolutely amazing. Favorite wing sauce yet, hands down. It had the perfect level of spice, creaminess and kick for these wings - plus it is sugar free, gluten free, all natural and preservative free! Also, instead of adding earth balance when heating the sauce, I just added in a bit of unsweetened almond milk and it seemed to do the trick!

OK - enough talk, here's the recipe:

Cauliflower Wings

• 1 large head of cauliflower
• 3/4 bottle of Wing-Time Buffalo Sauce
• 1 cup + 2 Tbsp non-sweetened, plain almond milk
• 3/4 cup chickpea flour
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp curry powder
• 2 Tbsp nutritional yeast

Preheat the oven to 450°F.

Lightly spray a large non-stick baking sheet with oil.

Separate/chop the cauliflower into florets.

Combine the flour, spices and nutritional yeast in a bowl and stir until well combined.

Coat a handful of cauliflower pieces in soymilk and then with the flour mixture. Place on the baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes or until crispy.

While the cauliflower is in the oven, heat the Wing-Time sauce in a medium sauce pan over low heat. Whisk in 2 Tbsp of almond milk.

When the cauliflower is looking crispy, turn it with a wooden spoon and heat the oven to broil. Allow the cauliflower to broil with the oven open for 5-7 minutes or until beginning to brown. Pull it out of the oven and place it in a large bowl. Pour the hot sauce mixture over it and toss to coat.

Serve immediately!

 

Isn't that beauitful!

We made it two nights in a row :)

 

Live Long and Prosper! And enjoy the beautiful bounty of summer!

 

 

Nayonaise Review and Trail Running

Goodness it has been a while!

Life has been crazy over the past few weeks. Finished my second year of law school in the midst of my hard drive crashing, my car getting broken into, working two jobs, Colin and I's 3 year anniversary, and running a couple half marathons!

Phew! So pardon the pause on posts. I've been cooking lots of delicious things and have a ton coming your way :)

For now, I have a little product review and a couple trail run reviews. Enjoy!

Nayonaise

Being a long-time lover of Veganaise, I had never tried Nayonaise, although I've heard great things about it. Nayonaise is gluten free, non-GMO AND made in the US - all things I look for in pretty much all of the products I consume.

I sampled both the Nayonaise Regular and the Nayonaise Whipped - each different in both taste and texture. I think I preferred the regular over the whipped, only because the whipped reminded me too much of Miracle Whip in terms of the texture and, even as a kid, I always preferred regular mayo to the whipped alternative. Plus the regular seems to hold up better for sandwhiches, in sauces and in dips.

The main differences I noticed between Nayonaise and Veganaise is Nayonaise has a slightly more whipped, fluffy texture, and a sweeter taste. Veganaise is a thicker, more dense texture and isn't quite as sweet. Nayonaise is a great option for things like a vegan Waldorf Salad or in something like this Spicy Aioli, paired with steamed artichokes!

Spicy Aioli

• 3 parts Nayonaise
• 1 part Spicy Mustard
• 1 part Sriracha

Overall, very impressed with Nayonaise and stoked beyond belief for the free samples from the wonderful people at Nasoya/Vitasoy! For more info on Nayonaise, check out their website!

Trail Running

Since I have been out of school, a significant amount of my time has been devoted to trail running. We have had some seriously beautiful weather in Oregon (uncharacteristic for May) and I have taken FULL advantage of it. I ran two trails that I hadn't ever heard of until this year, despite growing up within 50 miles of each of them.

The first - Trail of 10 Falls in Silver Falls, OR - was one of the more beautiful places I have EVER been. It was a balmy 75 degrees and humid and I felt like I was in Hawaii with all of the lush foliage, sunshine and picturesque waterfall spray. Nowhere else (that I know of) can you see 10 distinct waterfalls on a single hike/run. I mean, seriously, this place was UNREAL. You walk behind 3 different waterfalls, all within a couple miles of one another. We went on a Friday and it was not too busy, but I have heard that on weekends in the summer the place is PACKED.

The trail itself runs somewhere in the neighborhood of 9 miles (a loop, not an out-and-back) but we added on here and there to make it about 10 miles. The trail is well maintained with nice, rolling hills and only a few rocky or gravelly spots. It is easily runnable in normal running shoes, although I imagine you would want trail runners if you were running there after a rainy spell.

Katie and I at Waterfall number 4 or 5!

 

I mean how incredibly beautiful is this place, right?! It's unreal. The trail, the waterfalls, the weather - everything about this place added up to a 10 in my book. It's one of my favorite places and favorite days in memory.


A couple weeks later I saw a picture of Dog Mountain on a friend's instagram account and thought: where ever this place is, I am going to go run there. Not a few days later, I ran it past my running partner and marathoner-extraordinaire, Katie, and she confessed she'd been dying to run there as well. So, despite having ran a half-marathon the day prior, we laced up our shoes and drove up to the Washington side of the Columbia Gorge to take advantage of the only nice day of weather forecasted for that week.

I will confess, I should have done a tiny bit more research before committing to this run, but in the end it was SO worth it. We got lost on the way there and ended up in some random person's private driveway, but once we had phone service again, we got it figured out. Part of the drive from Portland to Dog Mountain takes you over the Bridge of the Gods which was particularly fitting since I just finished Cheryl Strayed's book Wild and she ends her insane trek through the PCT at this very spot.

Katie and I -- summit of Dog Mountain

Anyway, when we got to the trail head, we paid for parking before opting to take the "easier" trail (3.7 miles to the summit instead of 3.1). I can now see why this trail is rated one of the most difficult in the Gorge. It is literally straight up hill the entire way up, over rocks and gravel and overgrown plants. It's not particularly technical, just steep as all get-out. It was 3.7 of the hardest miles I have ever run in my life. (The 3.7 down were significantly easier, although my quads were so angry with me the next day!)

After the 3rd or 4th person in the first quarter mile shot us a "you are crazy" look, I should have picked up on the signs of what we were in for. We were crazy. The trail is hard, even as a hike. But it's amazing what the human body can endure, and it is incredible how an individual can propel herself forward, simply by putting mind over matter. It was as taxing mentally as it was physically, but I loved every minute of it for what I took away from it. It felt amazing to challenge myself and I'd definitely do it again - although probably not the day after racing a half marathon.



So there you have it! Some Nayonaise and some trail runs! I have a lot more coming up for you in the next couple weeks so stay tuned!


Live long and prosper! And don't be afraid to push your limits every once in a while :)

Califlower Crust Pizza w/Creamy Sundried Tomato Pesto

I have been pinning cauliflower crust pizza recipes for ages now - critically analyzing each one and learning from others' mistakes to figure out what worked and what flopped. Finally, I decided it was high time to take a stab at trying out my own.

I'm pleased to say it was a success!

 

A few pieces of advice:

1. Pre-heat your pizza stone. If you don't have a pizza stone, pre-heat your pan. Gives it a nice, crispy binding bottom right from the get-go.

2. Use flax eggs AND cornstarch. Makes the crust nice and think and will ultimately be a more successful binder.

3. Have some spray oil (I use coconut) handy for your hands (see what I did there) so you can quickly and effectively press the crust onto your hot pan before you burn yourself and before it turns into a gloopy mess.

4. Try to make the crust slightly thinner in the center and thicker on the edges. The edges cook much more easily than the center, especially once you put the toppings on so if you want it to crisp up nicely, try to make the crust thinner as you get to the center.


Cauliflower Crust

• 1 medium head cauliflower, roughly chopped
• 1/4 cup gluten free (or not) breadcrumbs
• 1/4 cup chickpea flour 
• 3 Tbsp nutritional yeast
• 2 Tbsp flax + 4 Tbsp water
• 1 Tbsp cornstarch
• 1/4 cup Daiya (or other non-dairy cheese)
• 2 Tbsp Dried Italian spice blend (basil, oregano, thyme or any other combo that you like)
• Onion/garlic/salt to taste 

To Assemble 

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Place your pizza stone or pan inside to let it warm.

In a small bowl, whisk together the flax and water to make a "flax egg." Set in the fridge to thicken up for about 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, whisk in the cornstarch.

Using a food processor, pulse the cauliflower until it resembles the texture of cous cous, maybe slightly coarser.

In a large skillet, mix the cauliflower and flax/cornstarch mixture over medium heat to "sweat" the cauliflower and activate the cornstarch. Let it warm, turning the mixture slowly with a wooden spoon for about 5 minutes.

Turn the heat off and let cool slightly. Then, mix in the remainder of the ingredients, using the wooden spoon until everything is combined. Spray your hands down with oil and form the dough mixture into a ball.

Remove your pizza stone from the oven.

Spray the stone down with oil and spray your hands at the same time if you need another coat. Quickly place the dough mixture onto the hot pizza stone. Press the dough down onto the stone (careful not to burn yourself) until it is in your desired shape (I like mine in a flat circle - call me crazy).

Place the pizza crust into the oven and bake for 10-12 minutes or until beginning to brown.

Place your toppings (including spreading your creamy sundried tomato pesto - recipe to follow) onto the crust. Place back into the oven and continue to bake for 5-10 more minutes or until cheese is melty/veggies nicely browned.

Creamy Sundried Tomato Pesto

• 1/4 cup sundried tomatoes (packed in oil or water or dried + rehydrated)
• 1 cup marinara sauce
• 1/4 cup tahini paste
• 1 cup fresh packed basil
• 1 Tbsp lemon juice
• 1 large dollop of agave
• 1 Tbsp sriracha (optional)

Place all ingredients into food processor and blend until smooth! You shouldn't need to add oil or liquid because marinara sauce is more watery than pizza sauce - it should have a nice consistency :)

Yum yum yum! This was DELICIOUS. Colin and I ate the whole thing. I could have eaten the whole thing by myself. EASY.

Live long and prosper! And get crazy with your Pinterest recipes!!

15-Minute Farro Salad

I love making grain-based salads.

They make great bases for barbequed tempeh, grilled veggies or veggie burgers, or even oven-roasted tofu.

You can take them to any kind of pot-luck, barbeque or event.

There are infinite varieties of grains, veggies, herbs, beans, sauces and spices that can go into them, and there is always room to personalize or incorporate seasonal veggies!

Plus they are EASY, TASTY, HEALTHY and look great!

In this particular take, I utilized Trader Joe's BRAND NEW "10-Minute Farro"

It comes in this pretty little blue bag (but you could just as easily use the 10-minute barley or 10-minute bulgar or even just good ol' fashioned quinoa)

Then, I sauteed up some onions and garlic with a nice dollop of coconut oil

While the above two things were on the stove, I diced up some tomatoes, chopped some kale and chiffonaded some fresh basil (could use any type of fresh herb here!)

For the sauce, I just mixed together some tahini with a bit of lemon, balsamic vinegar and agave in a small bown (for brightness and sweetness) (again, you could use ANY type of sauce here - even pre-made/store bought!)

Then, when the farrow was done cooking, I mixed in the onion and garlic and then tossed it with the tomatoes, kale, basil, fresh edamame beans and finally, stirred in the sauce.

The heat form the farro wilts the kale beautifully - just enough that the bitter, crunchy edge is lessened.

Give it a few good mixes and you are good to go. A gourmet, customized hearty and uber-healthy salad ready for dinner, to keep in the fridge for the week's lunch, to serve up as a side at a BBQ or to take to a potluck! (Can you tell I'm ready for spring!)

 

Enjoy!!

Live long and prosper! And remember that sometimes the most delicious and nutritious things are also the simplest!