mmmmmm.....pppaaarrrssssnnniiiipppsssss

Have I mentioned my new found supreme love for parsnips???  Just in the past couple of weeks, I've used them in several applications: baked, raw, shaved, chunked.  They smell so peppery and delicious when peeling the skins off, and are quickly becoming one of my go-to veggies. 

Last night I had a volleyball game, so I wanted to keep dinner on the light side.  I whipped up two salads in record time with amazing results.  The ideas for both salads came from my body screaming at me to load it with fiber!  I highly recommend, if either of these salads sound yummy to you, making the parsnip salad as a main dish, because it is filling and very satisfying.

 

Parsnip and Avocado Salad
salad mix
parsnips, shaved (discard peel and woody insides)
Craisins (dried cranberries)
avocados, chunked
safflower oil
ume plum vinegar
KS&P
chopped raw almonds

Green Bean, Mushroom and Grape Tomato Salad
fresh green beans, blanched (steamed then immediately plunged into ice cubes and water)
grape tomatoes, halved
button mushrooms
shallots, thinly sliced
fresh dill
safflower oil
white wine vinegar
fresh squeezed lemon juice
KS&P

We polished off the parsnip salad because it would not have been as good the next day, but there are some leftovers of the green bean salad that I am looking forward to eating for lunch today.  The green bean salad would make a great summer salad to bring to BBQs or picnics, because it's good cold or at room temperature.  Plus, it's pretty. :)

vegan dinner inspired by Jamie Oliver

I picked up the April 2011 issue of Better Homes and Garden magazine the other day while waiting in line at the grocery store, and I am so glad I did!  Not only did I find some really beautiful Spring blooms for hubby to plant in the yard {I have a black thumb}, but they did an awesome story on Jamie Oliver.  He shared a super user-friendly diagram of an easy garden setup--for hubby to base this year's garden plan off of--along with a few yummy recipes.  I made his Braised Peas with Scallions and Lettuce dish, and paired it with a late winter vegetable hash I thought up, using ingredients I am not all that familiar with...and both turned out sooo delicious.  Hence, I am sharing both recipes with you. :)

Braised Peas with Scallions and Lettuce
Jamie Oliver for BH&G mag

a pat of butter (+/- 1 tsp)
olive oil
6  scallions, trimmed, outer leaves discarded, and finely sliced
1  head romaine lettuce, washed and sliced
2  16-oz pkg. frozen peas
sea salt and fresh ground pepper
1  heaping tsp. all-purpose flour
1  to 1 1/2 cups vegetable stock
a few sprigs fresh mint
juice from half of a lemon
extra virgin olive oil

1. Melt butter in medium skillet over med heat. Add about 1 T olive oil and scallions. Cook for a few minutes until scallions are softened.
2. Meanwhile, set a small handful of sliced lettuce aside. Turn heat up and add peas and rest of lettuce. Season with sea salt and pepper.
3. Cook for 1 minute, then sprinkle in the flour and stir until everything is coated.
4. Slowly pour in the stock, then cover and turn the heat up to high.
5. Cook for 4 minutes or until peas are tender.
6. Taste and season if necessary. Sprinkle fresh mint in the pan and add the lemon juice. Stir then scatter reserved fresh lettuce over top and serve immediately with a tiny drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.

Winter Roasted Vegetable Hash

sweet potato, washed, peeled and chopped
parsnips, washed, peeled and chopped
asparagus, washed and chopped into 2" pieces
whole shallot, skin still on
olive oil
white wine vinegar
fresh Italian parsley
KS&P

Preheat oven to 400°. Toss all veggies in olive oil and season with KS&P.  Roast veggies, turning once, for roughly 20 minutes.  Remove veggies from oven and carefully take off and discard the shallot's skin.  Combine all veggies in a large serving bowl and sprinkle with fresh parsley, and season with more KS&P to taste.  Drizzle desired amount of white wine vinegar to taste (about  1 1/2 T) and serve warm.

Both dishes were excellent the next day, warm or cold.  My new favorite thing to do is roast whole shallot bulbs in the oven.  I can't wait to try them on the grill this summer.  They are so yummy when roasted.  And parsnips?? How am I only just now discovering them? I love roasted parsnips!

The pea dish leftovers were transformed into a penne pasta dish for lunch a couple days later, and I added partially stale baguette bread chunks to the veg hash the night I made it, adding a little more olive oil and vinegar, to create a filling panzanella-esque dish for lunch the following day.  If you try making either of these, please let me know how it turns out for you.  And share your version if you change it up, please! :)

recipe: mmm...Brussels sprouts...

Last week I promised I would share with you the veg treats I made for our annual Halloween party.  Since I just spent the last couple hours putting together a full-on-party-post on my other blog, I am just going to link it for you to check out in your spare time.  Here.

I will however share with you a quick veg recipe I whipped up today for lunch.  Oh man.  So yummy.  Let's call it Lemony Brussely Brussels Sprouts.

Lemony Brussely Brussels Sprouts
serves 2

1 pound Brussels sprouts
1 lemon, zested and juiced
2T safflower oil
1/4 yellow onion, thinly sliced
few splashes of sparkling water
few dashes of Lawry's garlic salt {the only kind we buy}
freshly ground black peppercorns
splash balsamic vinegar

1.  Heat safflower oil in skillet over medium heat and add onions.
2.  While onions are sauteing, slice the sprouts in half, discarding the base and any non-pretty outer leaves.
3.  Stir the onions.  You want them to caramelize.
4.  Add the sprouts to the pan of caramelizing onions and add the lemon zest and juice, and the Lawry's and pepper.  Stir and flip.
5.  Turn up the heat and leave the sprouts alone for a minute, allowing them to brown.
6.  Add a splash of sparkling water {or tap water; I just happened to be drinking a sparkling water while I was cooking} and scrape the bottom of the skillet, releasing the brown bits.
7.  Add a little more water and cover the skillet with a lid, allowing the sprouts to steam so they cook all the way through.
8.  Oh my gosh, they are so cute!  These adorable tiny baby cabbages...
9.  Stir some more and stab one of the bigger sprout halves with a fork to see if they are ready.  They shouldn't be too hard to stab, but they shouldn't be mushy either.
10.  Spoon into individual bowls and drizzle with a little balsamic vinegar.  Serve warm.
11.  Indulge.

I snapped a quick photo before Gabe + I polished off our bowls.

Have a fab weekend!

vegan. chocolate.

Thank you, Kristina, for introducing me to the Martha Goes Green cookbook. These gals collaborated with friends to independently create and publish this adorable vegetarian cookbook.  Although not all of the recipes are vegan, many ingredients can be substituted.  That's the beauty of it!  Well, that and the fact that we're talking chocolate.  

Is there anything more beautiful than chocolate?

{Men: don't answer that.}

Here's their recipe for a yummy sounding mousse:

{They're in Melbourne, so you'll need to convert the measurements here in the States.}

Chocolate tofu mousse

vegan : gluten free : serves 4

• 200g silken tofu
• 250g vegan chocolate, melted
• 2 tsp pure maple syrup
• 2 tsp peanut butter

to serve:

• grated chocolate  

Blend all ingredients until just smooth, careful not to overmix. Pour into jelly moulds, small dishes or glasses and garnish with grated chocolate.  Refrigerate for a few hours until set. Serve.

 

I plan on making these soon.  Like, next week soon.  I'll report back with results, or if you make them first, please share your results!  :)