Category: Summer

Garden Gazpacho

Published on by Alissa1 Comment

I am trying a few new things lately. Girlie things. Now, for those of you who do not know me very well, I am not a “girlie” girl. I’m an engineer that loves chemistry jokes.  I love love love t-shirts, cold beer, a great pair of jeans, duct tape, and power tools. I hate putting make up on or doing my hair (very apparent but I try). I have more running shorts than dresses or nice clothes in general. True story.

But a dear friend of mine is trying to convince me to give “girlie” a go. She loaned me a nice purse (my old purse looks like a nap sack bag according to my husband)and I even got a pedicure and a manicure. I felt like Eliza Doolittle!  I hate purses and I get irritated at the time it takes to get my nails done. That being said, I do have to admit that I feel a little more put together (even if this is the biggest and heaviest and most awkward purse and I want to throw it at someone everytime I can’t get it on my shoulder using just one hand). But I am trying…sort of. Right?

Another new thing that I have tried recently is cold soup. Cold soup? Really? Yes, really.

Give it a go.  It is quite refreshing on a hot muggy day. (Unlike this new purse!) And it’s easy. And no oven or stove! Bonus! Top with avocado slices or shredded chicken for a full meal or serve as a starter.

Throw all that produce that you have streaming out of that beautiful garden or farmers’ market into a blender or food processor, blend, chill, and then eat!  Or if you are like me and can’t wait for the darned soup to chill, eat it straight out of the food processor bowl. Mmmm. I recommend removing the blade first!

Garden Gazpacho

Serves 6 as a side

Ingredients

  • 6 large tomatoes, cored and roughly chopped
  • 1/2 large cucumber, seeds removed
  • 1 green bell pepper, cored
  • 1 clove of garlic
  • 1/2 medium onion, chopped
  • 2 to 3 tablespoons of red wine vinegar
  • 2 to 3 tablespoons of olive oil
  • 1 to 2 tablespoons of lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon of fresh basil
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Because this makes quite a bit, you will have to do this in batches. Combine half of the ingredients into a food processor or good blender. Blend until smooth. Pour into a container.
  2. Process the half of the ingredients and blend until smooth. Combine the soup with the first batch. Place in the refrigerator for at least an hour to chill properly.

Creamy Herb Cashew Dip

Published on by Alissa12 Comments

I think my husband is part fish. When the temperatures begin to increase, he craaaaaves water. Not to drink, but to swim and frolic. Well, I should clarify…he doesn’t really frolic, but he does squeel…a manly squeel and dance…a manly dance.  It’s a good squeel…like a kid discovering a never-ending stash of gummy bears…or me discovering a never ending stash of kale. Don’t judge.

He scoured the web for swimming pools in KC as the temperatures climbed higher and higher, topping at 107 F over the weekend. Luckily a friend allowed us to crash her apartment pool this weekend, quenching his need to be submerged in liquid. It was wonderful. I had forgotten how luxruious it feels to lay by a quiet pool sipping a cocktail, wearing big Jackie-O sunglasses, and munching on snacks.  

This weekend has solidified that my next purchase will be a kiddie pool to place in my tiny tiny tiny yard…Oh and to get some tiny unbrellas for my cocktails. Every girl deserves these two things! Wait..we also deserve pedicures…and great friends….and brunch…and…ok, ladies deserve a lot.

For a pool-side snack, I whipped up an easy dairy-free dip that gets its creaminess from pureed raw cashews. I made the dip dairy-free for two reasons: (1) dairy and the hot afternoon sun do not play well together and (2) my cute manly-squeeling-non-frolicing husband does not consume dairy. 

The dip is basically a vegan ranch dip that can be served with veggie sticks (or crudites for all you unbrella-adorned-cocktail-drinking Jackie-O glass-wearing ladies) or crackers or spread on a sandwich or even watered down and added to KALE as a dressing. It also would be great with these easy homemade beet chips from Meg at My Whole Food Romance, which was this weeks recipe for the Food Matters Project. Mmmmm…

Creamy Herb Cashew Dip (dairy free, gluten free, grain free, paleo, vegan, vegetarian)

Makes 1 1/4 cups

Ingredients

  • 1 cup raw cashews
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1/4 cup unsweetened coconut milk or almond milk
  • 2 to 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 2 teaspoons each of fresh dill, parsley, and chives (save a little bit to sprinkle on top)
  • 1 to 2 cloves of garlic, sliced
  • 1/4 teaspoon cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Instructions

  1. Add all ingredients to the bowl of a powerful food processor fitted with the steel blade. Process for 2 minutes or until smooth.
  2. Refrigerate until chilled (about an hour). Sprinkle with fresh dill and chives. Serve with plenty of veggies for dipping!

Quick Spicy Kosher Dill Pickles

Published on by Alissa3 Comments

This recipe is from a stash of old Kerr and Ball Jar canning recipes that were used by my husband’s great grandmother. Kiley’s mother gave me these amazing recipes and I cherish them so much. Hand written notes are in the margins and there are added notebook sheets browned at the edges and creased from use.

His great grandmother was a 4′ 10″ strong, fiery, and amazing woman that believed in Sunday suppers with family and walking every day to the end of her drive way for exercise wearing large sunglasses and a large rimmed sun hat.  I wish I would have known her. Especially since she would have been one of the only people that I would actually tower over.

These recipes bring me back to a simple time. A time when families would have a garden in the backyard. Produce was fresh and “organic.”  Except people didn’t have to call it organic, because why would they spray pesticides and chemicals on their own food. “Fast food” was reheating the leftover pot roast and green beans with new potatoes from Sunday’s supper. Oh ya…and it was supper, not dinner. Families sat down for supper together, a homemade meal that was made with love and the seasonal produce plucked from the backyard. No cell phones. No Facebook. No processed foods. Extra produce was canned or preserved in some way so that there was produce to eat in the winter.

I made both the kosher dill pickles and a batch of bread and butter pickles. Both are amazing. I’ve included the recipe for her kosher dill pickles which are amazing. You can adjust the heat depending on the quantity of red pepper flakes that you add.

These are quick refrigerator pickles that don’t need to be canned.  This is simple. Almost as simple as opening a jar of store bought. But so much more rewarding! You will love to bring these pickles out at parties or take them to picnics or munch on them as a snack.

So, you have a new assignment. You are making pickles. Use those extra cucumbers from the garden or gather up a bounty at the farmers market. Oh, get some fresh dill while you are at it. Make extra because your friends will want some and your family and your neighbors.

A few notes on canning brought to you by the great folks of Kerr: “Only fresh, firm, not too ripe cucumbers should be used for pickling. The cucumbers should be small or medium-sized and freshly gathered. Use a good grade of vinegar, one with 4% to 6% acidity. Strength of vinegar is usually shown on the label of the bottle. If vinegar brine is too weak, the pickles will spoil or become soft.”

Quick Spicy Kosher Dill Pickles

Ingredients

  • 30 to 36 cucumbers (3 to 4 inches in length) or 12 large cucumbers
  • 3 cups vinegar
  • 3 cups water
  • 6 tablespoons kosher salt
  • 6 cloves of garlic
  • fresh dill and dill seed
  • 3 tablespoons of mustard seed
  • 3 teaspoons red pepper flakes

Instructions

  1. Clean and sterilize 6 pint jars. I sterilize my jars in the dishwasher.
  2. In a medium saucepan, heat vinegar, salt, and water over medium heat until boiling. Remove from heat.
  3. Meanwhile, wash you cucumbers and slice lengthwise into spears or in 1/8-inch rounds.
  4. In the bottom of each sterilized pint jar, place 1 garlic clove (sliced or whole), 1/2 tablespoon dill seeds, 1/2 tablespoon mustard seeds, 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (more or less depending on how spicy you want your pickles). Stuff each pint jar with cucumbers. Layer fresh dill within the cucumbers.
  5. Pour liquid brine into each jar, leaving about 1/4-inch head space. Seal with lid. Refrigerate until cool, at least 8 hours. These improve over the week. Can be stored up to 4 weeks in the refrigerator.

Paleo Strawberry Rhubarb Coconut Crisp

Published on by Alissa7 Comments

My whole week has been thrown off with the fact that the 4th of July landed on a Wednesday. It was nice to have a break, but waking up early on the 5th of July after hearing fireworks exploding WELL into the wee hours of the morning did NOT make me a happy camper. I was Grumpy McGee.

The only thing that made it worth it was that leftovers of this amazing strawberry rhubarb coconut crisp were waiting for me at home. You’d never know that this was grain free, gluten free, and dairy free. This is perfect for those with gluten sensitivities or if you are simply trying to avoid grains and dairy. Or if you like food. Like ME! You’re welcome, America.

The crust is a mixture of almond meal, coconut oil, walnuts, maple syrup, and shredded coconut. Basically, it is a delicious coconut cookie crumbled on top of tangy sweet filling.

I ran out of almond meal in the middle of making this recipe. I decided to make my own by whirling almonds in a food processor for only 30 seconds to 1 minute (don’t over process your almonds or you will end up with almond butter…..which is cool and yummy but not what we are looking for in this recipe). Make sure your almonds are UNSALTED. I accidentally used salted almonds and then did not reduce the salt in the recipe, making the topping a bit too salty…even for me.

Happy birthday America…thank you for giving me a reason to make such a delicious and easy dessert.

Paleo Strawberry Rhubarb Coconut Crisp

Filling Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups diced rhubarb
  • 2 to 3 cups strawberries, cored and quartered
  • 1 tablespoon of maple syrup
  • 1 tablespoon of lemon juice
  • 1/2 tablespoon of pure vanilla extract
  • 3 tablespoons of arrowroot

Topping Ingredients

  • 1 cup of almond meal/flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
  • 1/4 cup maple syrup
  • 1/4 cup chopped walnuts
  • 1/2 cup shredded unsweetened coconut

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350F. Spray an 8″ x 8″ baking dish with nonstick spray or oil with coconut oil. Set aside.
  2. In a medium bowl, combine filling ingredients. Place filling ingredients into 8″ x 8″ baking dish. Set aside.
  3. In a medium bowl, combine almond meal, salt, baking powder, melted coconut oil, and maple syrup. Mix in walnuts and shredded unsweetened coconut. Mixture will look like wet badder.
  4. Sprinkle or crumble topping over fruit filling.
  5. Bake at 350F for 35 to 40 minutes or until top is golden brown and filling is bubbling.
  6. Allow to cool for 5 minutes and then dig in.

Open-faced Tomato and Cucumber Sandwich with Tahini-Miso Spread

Published on by Alissa5 Comments

I’m going to make this short and sweet….just like this recipe.  It’s hot. So hot. My oven is staying off…so off.

But you know what is not hot…this open-faced sandwich. She’s cold. Nice and cold to break that heat.  This is an awesome quick lunch or light dinner.

The tahini-miso spread is quite addictive. You can add a bit of water to it, thinning it out to use as a dressing for kale salads or veggies as in Cookie and Kate’s Raw Kale Salad with Creamy Tahini Miso Dressing. Brilliant.

Alright..got it? Good. Oh and this cute open-faced sandwich is loosely based on Mark Bittman’s Updated Tea Sandwiches. This recipe was chosen by Aura of Dinner with Aura. Check out the other recipes here at the Food Matters Project page.

Open-faced Tomato and Cucumber Sandwich with Tahini-Miso Spread

Serves: 2

Ingredients

  • 2 slices of whole grain bread
  • 2 tablespoons of tahini-miso spread (recipe below)*
  • 1/2 cucumber, sliced
  • 1 tomato, sliced
  • crumbled feta
Instructions
  1. Spread 1 tablespoon of tahini-miso spread on each slice of bread.
  2. Layer tomato slices and cucumbers. Sprinkle with feta. Enjoy!

*Tahini-Miso Spread Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup tahini
  • 1 tablespoon white or red miso paste
  • 1 teaspoon of lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon of rice wine vinegar

Instructions

  1. Mix all ingredients together in a small bowl.
  2. To use as a dressing for salads, add 1/4 cup of water.
  3. Spread/dressing can be stored in the refrigerator for a week.

Simple Cucumber and Tomato Salad

Published on by AlissaLeave a comment

What’s in season right now? EVERYTHING!!!!

Well, everything that I wait and wish and hope for during those long drab winter months: crisp refreshing cucumbers and orgasmic tomoates!  The first tomato was like heaven. Like an addict, I waited day after day for the tomatoes in my garden to start to blush. And then one day….there she was…I squeeled and picked it. I ran into the house holding my trophy tomato like the hammer of Thor. It was red…it was plump…it was perfect….and I got it before those stupid squirrels! HA! My husband and I savored every bite of that first tomato, lapping up the juice on the plate.  We have been waiting for this moment  for TWO YEARS.

Last year we planted SIX tomato plants…six glorious heriloom tomatoes with psychedelic names, but not one tomato was eaten by us. Every last tomato was devoured by those pesky, furry, beady-eyed rodents.

But this year is going to be different.  I may or may not have a sniper station set up in my second floor guest room to catch any salivating critter that even LOOKS at my tomatoes.

I even have more cucumbers than you can shake a stick at! I have been harvesting 2 to 3 cucumbers A DAY.  So as a result of my metric butt-load of cucs, I have been making this simple cucumber salad every day. It keeps well and is a refreshing snack or side dish to take to picnics for a 4th of July celebration. 

American style cucumbers will stay more crisp in this salad as opposed to the English seedless varieties.  Slice them and lay them onto a paper towel to drain for 10 to 30 minutes.  I also like to allow this salad to sit in the refridgerator for a few hours before serving. This allows all the flavors to meld into summery goodness.

Also, you can make the salad with or without the tomatoes. But, honestly people, why would you not want to include those succulent red gems? They are just begging to be devoured. Or send them my way….I’ll eat them until I have canker sores. Mmmmm.

Simple Cucumber and Tomato Salad

Ingredients

  • 2 to 3 medium cucumbers, sliced thinly
  • 1 small red onion, sliced thinly
  • 2 medium tomatoes, diced
  • 1 to 2 tablespoons of chopped fresh dill or basil
  • 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Place sliced cucumbers on paper towels and allow to drain or wick the extra moisture away. This will keep your cucumber salad light and crisp.
  2. Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl. Toss to coat. Eat! or chill for a couple of hours.

Grilled Cabbage with Cilantro-Mint Chimichurri Sauce

Published on by Alissa9 Comments

Grill it. Anything….grill it. No ovens. Pop open that grill. Look in your fridge…what do you have?  Me? besides ketchup….

Kale (of course…i’m obsessed)

Beets (another new obsession)…..red cabbage from my CSA….squash, onion, cilantro, cucumbers from the garden, and a whole chicken from the CSA. Hrmmm….

I am of the belief that when nearly anything is roasted or grilled, it makes it better…..like bacon.  Grilled romaine is awesome, so why not cabbage?

This is the easiest side dish. Cut a head of cabbage in 8 equal segments, keeping the core intact! This keeps all your pretty cabbage leaves together. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Throw it on a preheated grill for 5 to 10 minutes per side. Delicious. Any cabbage would work…green, red, nappa….uhm. I’m sure there are others. Try it.

I served the cabbage with a delicious cilantro-mint chimichurri sauce adapted from Mark Bittman’s Food Matters Cookbook.  As part of the Food Matters Project, the featured Mark Bittman recipe was Mixed Grill with Chimichurri chosen by Lexi of Lexi’s kitchen.  Check it out. Chimichurri is an Argentinian herby sauce similar to pesto, but is typically made from parsely. It amps up anything.   I’m a cilantro and mint whore, and they are taking over my garden. So these two fab herbs went into the chimichurri.

Side note. Does anyone else like to say chimichurri like I do? NO? anyone? just me? Sounds like a dance move. hrmmm…do the chimimimimichurri.

Anyways, I used the leftover chimimimimichurri as a salad dressing for kale the next day.  It’s like a secret power sauce and will make you want to do the chimichurri while you eat it. Note to self, add chimimimichurri to new food loves.

Grilled Cabbage with Cilantro-Mint Chimichurri Sauce

Serves 8

Ingredients

  • 1 head of cabbage, sliced into 8 equal portion making sure to keep the core intact! This keeps your cabbage segments from falling apart.
  • 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon of olive oil
  • 1 bunch of cilantro leaves
  • 2 tablespoons of fresh mint
  • juice of 1 lemon
  • 3 garlic cloves
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt , divided
  • 1/8 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper

Instructions

  1. Preheat grill for direct heat.
  2. Drizzle about 1 to 2 tablespoons of olive oil over cabbage segments. Season generously with salt and pepper.
  3. Carefully place cabbage onto grill, allowing to cook on one side for 5 to 10 minutes. You want those lovely grill marks. Carefully flip and cook on the other side for about 5 minutes, making sure to not completely char your cabbage. I like the edges slightly roasted. Remove from grill.
  4. Meanwhile, back at the ranch (or your kitchen), place the remaining ingredients (cilantro through black pepper) into a food processor or blender. Whirl and whirl until finely chopped. Pour into a jar.
  5. Spoon sauce over grilled cabbage and anything else that you want.

Vegan Strawberry Mojito Popsicles

Published on by Alissa10 Comments

I have a major weakness during summer. Snowcones and popsicles! Oh…and the ice cream truck. I swear, as soon as that creepy song and bell starts sounding on my street, my ears perk up and I want to order a Pink Panther ice cream bar or a dreamcicle or a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle bar with bubble gum eyes. Ya, I’ve been scoping them out. But I have had the willpower to not run directly into the street..only partially.

Instead, I made up a batch of uber yummy adult popsicles. These strawberry mojito pops have a splash of rum, making them perfect for an evening snack or party.  Or a solo party.   Hot days and nights are begging for these puppies. And they are totally portable. Plus, why must kids have all the fun. But, if you are making these for youths, the booze can be left out….well, should be left out. So make two batches…one for those kids and one for you…all for you.

These are dairy free, using coconut milk in place of milk, tangy from fresh squeezed lime and mint, and sweetened with strawberries and a dabble of maple syrup. If you love your dairy, you could easily use greek yogurt instead which will add more protein. These popsicles were made with fresh picked strawberries that were nearing their last days, but frozen strawberries also would work.

Popsicle molds can be found at most stores or online. You can also use paper cups. After allowing the pop to freeze and set for about an hour,  slide a wooden popsicle stick into the pop.  After at least 4 hours, these will be ready to devour!

So quit buying pop ice! Why are you even toying with that day glow frozen slush.  Jump on these easy pops. Sit back, enjoy your booze, stop sweating!

Vegan Strawberry Mojito Popsicles (gluten free, dairy free, vegan, paleo)

Serves 6

Ingredients

  • 1 15 oz can of organic unsweetened coconut milk (light is ok, but full fat coconut milk will provide a creamier result)
  • 1 cup of strawberries
  • juice of 2 limes (about 1/4 cup)
  • 1 tablespoon fresh mint leaves, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons maple syrup
  • 2 oz of light rum (optional)

Instructions

  1. Add all ingredients except rum to food processor. Process until smooth. Taste to ensure that it is sweet enough. I like mine more on the tart side.
  2. Add booze, pulse until combined. Taste…..add more booze. Whoa…not that much. Ok.
  3. Pour into six popsicle molds. Allow to freeze for at least 4 hours. When removing from the mold, you may have to run hot water over the bottom of the mold so that they release.

Baked Curry-Spiced Falafel Sliders

Published on by Alissa9 Comments

Hellooooo summer. I went on a lazy bike ride one evening this weekend and watched families grill on their patios, kids running through water sprinklers, in promptu baseball games in neighborhood streets, old couples walking hand in hand down the trail by our house, and dogs playing fetch with their owners. Lightning bugs danced around me and the first chirps of cicadas filled the air. It was magical and classic.

The change between seasons and its effect on people is so curious to me. During the short cold days of winter, we stay tucked away in our homes, hybernating and watching reality TV. But as spring and summer hit, bringing with them longer and warmer days, people bloom like the vegetables and flowers in gardens.  They open up their homes and patios to their freinds and family, communing with one another and experiencing the outdoors. Neighborhoods turn into blockparties every night. It sometimes feels like a scene out of a Norman Rockwell painting. 

Another awesome thing about summer versus winter is that food turns from heafty casseroles to finger foods! And oh how I looooove finger foods. Huge burgers leave me lethargic, but sliders….I can have two DIFFERENT kinds. This is perfect for a gal like me that can not make up her mind when it comes to food or anything really.

If you are looking for a handy dandy finger food to take or serve at a party, these falafel sliders are perf.  This recipe is adapted from “Braised Chickpea Fritters and Vegetables” from Mark Bittman’s Food Matters Cookbook and was chosen as part of the Food Matters Project by Lena of Mrs Garlic Head.

I adapted them to be spiced with curry and carrots, plus turned them into a picnic totin finger food. The curry kick makes them a winner for even meat lovers.  For this falafel, use uncooked chickpeas that have soaked overnight. You will need a good food processor to create the chickpea “flour” and mix in the additional ingredients. Baking the falafel makes them a bit crumbly, but still delicious. If you prefer, you can pan fry them in a bit of olive oil or coconut oil. The leftovers can either be frozen or refridgerated. I ate the leftovers cumbled over a delicious kale salad.

Baked Curry-Spiced Falafel Sliders

Ingredient

  • 1 cup dried chickpeas, rinsed, picked over and soaked for at least one hour and up to overnight (do not cook and do not substitute canned beans)
  • 1 small red onion, quartered
  • 1 cup fresh cilantro
  • 3 garlic cloves
  • 1 tablespoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon curry powder
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 2 medium carrots
  • coconut oil or olive oil
  • Slider fixings (12 whole grain rolls or pita, cucumbers, crumbled feta, cilantro, cucumber-mint raita*)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375F.  Oil a roasting pan with 1 to 2 tablespoons of olive oil or coconut oil.
  2. In a food processor, combine soaked and drained chickpeas, onion, cilantro, garlic cloves, cumin, curry powder, carrots, baking powder, salt, and pepper. Process until smooth, about 1 to 2 minutes.
  3. Scoop out 1 tablespoon at a time and shape the falafel into small 1-inch patties at 1/4 inch thick. Place each falafel pattie in the well oiled roasting pan.
  4. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove the roasting pan and flip the patties carefully. Place the roasting pan back into the oven (middle rack) for another 10 minutes. The patties will be light brown.
  5. Assemble your sliders with small whole grain rolls or pita flats, sliced cucumbers, red peppers, and cucumber-mint raita (recipe below).

*Cucumber-Mint Raita

  • 1 cup greek yogurt
  • 1 cup of peeled and diced cucumber, pressed with a paper towel to remove excess moisture
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lime or lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon fresh mint leaves, chopped
  • pinch of garlic powder
  • Salt to taste

Instructions – Mix above ingredients together in a medium bowl. Season with salt to taste.

Roasted Cauliflower and Beet Salad with Hazelnuts

Published on by Alissa2 Comments

Nothing is wrong with your eyes or your computer. Yes, this is PURPLE cauliflower…and yellow cauliflower.

Stunning. I know I just took your breath away. I’ll give you a moment to regroup.

And no, it doesn’t taste different. But daaaaaaaaang she is sexy. This is like cauliflower royale, people!  Be jealous. If you don’t have fun easter egg-colored cauliflower like me, well using the plain ol’ hum drum white works just as well.

I know at first glance that this salad sounds like every child’s dream come true…haha….first, it has beets in it and second, cauliflower. Torture.  But with all the fun colors, it’s like a party in your mouth.

Seriously, you know that I’m a HUGE fan of roasted cauliflower. If you have never tried cauliflower roasted…holy cow go do it now. These gems turn into popcorn-candy-goodness when roasted with just a drizzle of olive oil and seasoned with salt n’ peppa. The same goes for beets….boiling beets is gross…quit.  And for that matter, quit boiling vegetables in general. Makes them mushy and it’s wrong. Except for potato salad. I mean, it’s okay to boil potatoes that are going INTO potato salad. If you are boiling potato salad, you have serious problems.

But I digress, go roast those beets because it caramelizes those beet sugars. Yes, caramel….yummy red caramel.  Warning…I do recommend roasting beets in a separate pan to keep from making your cauliflower look like a hot bloody and beaten mess. Not recommended.

Now let’s talk about hazelnuts, also known as filberts. I’m totally digging these suckers lately. They add a bit of sweetness and crunch to this side dish. Buy them raw and roast them yourself in an oven heated to 350°F for 10 minutes. Hazelnuts are packed with folate, vitamin E, essential minerals, B-complex groups, linoleic acid, blah blah blah…their good and good for you.

Go spread your wings, try something new, and give this dish a whirl.

Roasted Cauliflower and Beet Salad with Hazelnuts

Serves 4 as a side

Ingredients

  • 1 medium head of cauliflower (2 lbs), cut into 1-inch wide florets
  • 2 to 3 small to medium beets, scrubbed clean, greens removed (reserving for another use), and cut into 1/4-inch rounds
  • 1 tablespoon of olive oil
  • salt and pepper
  • 1/3 cup of roasted hazelnuts, chopped
  • 2 to 3 tablespoons basil, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons crumbled feta

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Get out two roasting pans. In one pan, place the cauliflower and drizzle with olive oil and salt and pepper. Place in the oven.
  2. In the other pan, line with aluminum foil. Place the sliced beets on the aluminum foil in the pan. Drizzle the beets with olive oil and season with salt. Cover the beets with another sheet of aluminum foil.
  3. Roast the beets and the cauliflower for 30 to 45 minutes. Poke a beet with a fork and if the fork goes in easily, the beets are tender and cooked. Remove both pans from the oven.
  4. Add the roasted vegetables to a bowl. Top with roasted hazelnuts, feta, and sprinkle with basil. Serve warm.