vegetarian Archives - Page 9 of 13 -

November 10, 2014

Fennel Celery Salad {with Pomegranate and Pumpkin Seeds}

We finally got around to carving our pumpkins this past weekend. I am a firm believer in better late than never. After we carefully washed all of the seeds, we transferred them to the salad spinner to dry. My sweet 5-year old girl enthusiastically volunteered to do the spinning. She spun the spinner with all of her might and then, for whatever reason, she decided to take the lid off of the spinner while it was rapidly spinning and… pumpkin seeds went flying EVERYWHERE. Literally hundreds of seeds scattered over the entire kitchen and even into the connecting foyer. It was a sight to behold. I wanted to scream and make her pick up every one of those hundreds of seeds by herself, but instead I managed a heavy sigh and started helping her pick them up. My son offered to help as well and pretty soon all four of us were on our hands and knees picking up pumpkin seeds. Gotta love those unexpected family bonding experiences.

Even though pumpkin seeds, also known as pepitas, are sold throughout the year, I especially like adding them to my salads in the fall. They add a hint of crunch and a bit of extra protein. This Fennel Celery Salad seemed perfect for the addition of pumpkin seeds. Together with the pomegranate, they add another layer of color and texture. My favorite salads are green salads, but sometimes I enjoy the simple beauty of a white salad such as this one. The lemon dressing mellows out the licorice flavor of the fennel and the results are a bright, crisp, and refreshing salad.

Fennel Celery Salad {with Pomegranate and Pumpkin Seeds}

Serves: 4 small side portions

Ingredients

1 large fennel bulb
2 stalks celery
3 tablespoons shelled pumpkin seeds
3 tablespoons pomegranate seeds
1½ tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
½ teaspoon white wine vinegar
¼ teaspoon sea salt
freshly ground pepper

Instructions

Trim the long stalks off of the fennel and save some of the thin leaves for garnish. Slice the fennel in half lengthwise and use a sharp knife to cut both halves into thin slices.
Thinly slice the celery on a diagonal.
In a medium sized bowl, combine the fennel, celery, and pumpkin seeds.
In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, vinegar, and salt. Pour dressing over salad and toss together. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper.
Transfer to a serving bowl and sprinkle pomegranate seeds and fennel leaves on top.

Notes

adapted from Alice Water's The Art of Simple Food

October 26, 2014

Crispy Brussels Sprout Chips

I know it’s going to be hard for some people to imagine ever becoming excited about brussels sprouts. Believe me, there was a time when I would have also turned my head on them. The day I discovered these crispy brussels sprout chips, however, everything changed and all of the sudden brussels sprouts became exciting to me. And because I am so excited about these brussesl sprouts, I must tell you about them. Whenever I used to roast brussels sprouts, the favorite part was always the extra leaves that fell off of the main core. These little leaves would become crisp and crunchy during the roasting, similarly to how kale becomes crispy when making kale chips. It took me several batches of roasted brussel sprouts, but it finally occurred to me that I could just separate all of the brussel sprout leaves and make an entire batch of brussel sprout chips. My ideas do not always work out, but this one was a winner. We adore these. A few tips if you decide to give these a try:

When peeling off the leaves, it may become necessary to cut more stem off of the brussels sprout to loosen the leaves.
Using your hands to toss the leaves in olive oil helps to ensure that each leaf is evenly coated with oil.
Salt is essential for flavor, but a little goes a long way.
Do not overcrowd the pan or the brussel sprouts will not become crunchy. If you double the recipe, use two separate baking sheets.
Some leaves will turn crispy sooner than others. In order to avoid burnt brussels sprout chips, remove the leaves from heat once they become crisp and brown while allowing the rest to continue roasting.

So happy that brussels sprouts are now in the rotation of family dinner vegetables!

Crispy Brussels Sprout Chips

Ingredients

1 pound brussels sprouts
1 tablespoon olive oil
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350.
Cut the ends off brussels sprouts and peel off leaves of each sprout. As you reach towards the center of the sprout, you may need to cut more stem in order to peel off the leaves.
Place leaves on a large rimmed baking sheet and use hands to toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper until leaves are evenly coated.
Bake for 15 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes, until brussels sprout leaves are cripsy and the edges begin to brown. To avoid burnt brussels spout chips, remove the leaves once they become crisp and brown while allowing the rest to continue roasting.

October 13, 2014

Whole Wheat Apricot Scones {with Oats and Flax}

My very first experience with scones was at afternoon tea at the Hong Kong Peninsula Hotel. My dad used to take our whole family to the Peninsula for tea during our trips to visit my grandmother. It was a special outing that we always looked forward to. Everything about the Peninsula’s afternoon tea is remarkable- the service, the atmosphere, the classical music, and of course, the food. My definition of what a scone ought to be comes from my enjoyment of the scones served at the Peninsula. Their scones are a bit like biscuits with a soft interior and only subtly sweet. I once did a google search for the Peninsula Hotel scone recipe and found one that resulted in scones very similar to the ones served at the Peninsula. Over the years however, my taste preferences have gravitated more towards whole-grains and I’ve adapted a scone recipe that I enjoy every bit as much as the Peninsula’s. These whole wheat apricot scones are made with whole wheat pastry flour, oats, flax, and are lightly sweetened with dried apricots and honey. Often times I substitute other dried fruits for the apricots and occasionally I will use almond extract instead of vanilla. If I am ambitious I make a double batch and freeze one batch unbaked. Frozen unbaked scones can be baked directly from the freezer with just a few additional minutes of baking time. Those are perfect for days when you feel like baking, but don’t want the work the work of baking because let’s face it, don’t we all have days like that?

Whole Wheat Apricot Scones {with Oats and Flax}

Serves: 12 small scones

Ingredients

2¼ cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 cup rolled oats
3 tablespoons ground flax seed
1 tablespoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon sea salt
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled
⅔ cup chopped dried apricots
¼ cup honey
¾ cup plus 1 tablespoon buttermilk, divided
1 egg
½ teaspoon vanilla

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, oats, flax, baking powder, and salt. Cut butter into small cubes and add to the dry ingredients. Use a pastry blender to cut the butter cubes into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in the dried apricots.
In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the honey, ¾ cup buttermilk, egg, and vanilla. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir with a wooden spoon until just combined.
Transfer dough to a well-floured surface and form two circles ¾" thick. Use a floured knife to cut each circle into 6 wedges. Transfer scones to the baking sheet, leaving at least 1" between each.
Use a pastry brush to brush scones with the remaining buttermilk. Bake 12-16 minutes, until golden brown around the edges.

Notes

adapted from Whole Foods