Fab Fall Salad (vegan)

Recipe from Nisha Vora
Adapted and Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen
Serves 2

This is a delicious salad that is full of autumn goodness.  Most of the components* can be made in advance on your prep day. Then, when it’s dinner time, slice the apple and toss with the ingredients you prepped.  

1 batch Baked Tofu*
1 head of curly kale or lacinato (dinosaur) Kale* 
1 sweet-tart crisp apple
2 to 4 Medjool dates, chopped or ¼ cup golden raisins
¼ cup cooked and rinsed Black or French Lentils*
4 Tablespoons Creamy Blender Balsamic Vinaigrette* 
2 ounces vegan feta
¼ cup Sweet Pumpkin Crunch* 

Baked Tofu 
1 (12 to 14 oz.) block of extra firm tofu 
1 1/2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoons kosher salt
Freshly cracked black pepper 
2 Tablespoons potato starch or arrowroot powder 

Preheat the oven to 425F and arrange an oven rack in the top 1⁄3 of the oven. Line a rimmed sheet pan with parchment paper. Press the tofu for a bit and pat dry.  Cut into ½ inch cubes.
In a large bowl, add the tofu, oil, salt, and pepper to taste. Toss gently to coat, using either a silicone spatula or your hands. Now add the potato starch or arrowroot powder and, as gently as possible, toss to coat the tofu. Arrange the tofu cubes in a single layer onto the sheet pan. Bake for 15 minutes, then remove the pan from the oven. Flip with a spatula or carefully turn the tofu with your hands. Bake for 15 more minutes, or until the tofu is golden and crisp. Set aside the baked tofu for this recipe. While the tofu presses and bakes, prep the rest of the salad. 

Creamy Blender Balsamic Vinaigrette
Makes ¾ cup 

1 small shallot 
2 garlic cloves
¼ cup good quality aged balsamic vinegar 
1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon maple syrup or organic cane sugar 
¼ cup + 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 
½ teaspoon sea salt, plus more to taste
Freshly cracked black pepper 

Place all the ingredients in a high speed blender OR do the following:  Use a grater or Microplane to grate the shallot into a wide-mouth jar. Grate the garlic into the jar as well. If you don’t have a Microplane, finely mince both by hand. To the jar, add the balsamic vinegar, mustard, maple syrup, olive oil, salt, and black pepper to taste. Seal the jar with a lid and shake vigorously to emulsify. Season to taste with more salt or maple syrup as needed. Store the vinaigrette in a sealed jar in the fridge for 1 to 2 weeks. 

Sweet Pumpkin Crunch
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg (optional)
¼ teaspoon ground allspice (or 1/8 tsp ground cloves)
⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
A big pinch of kosher salt
1 Tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil (use ½ Tablespoon for a nonstick pan)
¾ cup pepitas 
1 Tablespoon pure maple syrup

Line a large plate with parchment paper. Stir the cinnamon, nutmeg if
using, allspice, cayenne, and salt together in a small bowl. Heat a medium frying pan for 1½ to 2 minutes. Add the olive oil and heat for 30 seconds. Add the pepitas. Cook for 2 ½ to 3 minutes, stirring from time to time, until they start to smell toasty and some have started to turn golden.
Add the maple syrup and spice mixture. Allow to sizzle, and stir very frequently, for about 2 minutes, tossing to coat the pepitas in the mixture. Immediately, transfer the mixture to the lined plate and allow to cool for 5 minutes. Store in a jar in the pantry for at least 2 weeks.

Kale
Strip out the tough center ribs. Wash and dry the leaves using a salad spinner (or a wash in a large bowl, then dry with clean dish towels). 
Option 1: Tear the kale into small pieces with your hands. 
Option 2: Stack several large kale leaves on top of each other, then roll them up. Slice the kale as thinly as you can. 
Massage the kale: Add the kale to your largest serving bowl. Add a few drizzles of olive oil and a couple pinches of salt. Use your hands to massage the kale until it softens a bit, 30 to 60 seconds. 
Add the kale to a paper towel lined container or reusable bag; refrigerate for up to 1 week to use in other meals. 

Lentils
Add 1 cup rinsed black (beluga) lentils or French lentils to the Instant Pot.  Add 1 ¾ cup water or vegetable broth.  Add a pinch of salt.  Place the lid onto the Instant Pot and set to Sealing.  Cook at high pressure for 5 minutes.  Do a natural release for 15 minutes. Rinse the lentils and store in a airtight sealed container.

ASSEMBLE THE SALAD: Using a sharp knife, slice the apple as thinly as you can. Add the sliced Apple to the massaged Kale, along with the chopped dates (or Raisins) and Lentils. Spoon on the Creamy Blender Balsamic Vinaigrette and toss well to coat. Add the Sweet Pumpkin Crunch, the Feta and the Baked Tofu. Toss again and add more Balsamic Vinaigrette to taste. 

Strawberry Salad with Candied Hazelnuts (Vegan)

Here we have Strawberry Salad with Candied Hazelnuts
served along side bbq tofu.

Recipe from Minimalist Baker
Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen 
Servings: 4 (2-cup servings)

It’s strawberry season where we live, therefore, we must eat ‘em any way we can.  Minimalist Baker has consistently posted great recipes and so I was pretty confident this one would be great too.  I confess to making a double batch of the hazelnuts to toss in other salads for the week, but they are absolutely the perfect nut to pair with the strawberries.  I buy vegan feta cheese from Trader Joes.  The strawberries were locally grown and so they were extra tasty.  All in all, this salad is summer in a bowl.  Yum!

Hazelnuts
1 heaping cup raw hazelnuts, roughly chopped
2 tsp olive oil or melted coconut oil
1 Tbsp coconut sugar
2 tsp maple syrup (or agave nectar)
1 pinch sea salt
1 pinch ground cinnamon

Dressing
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp maple syrup
1-2 Tbsp minced shallot
1 pinch each sea salt and black pepper

Salad
1 (5-oz.) package baby spinach OR mixed baby greens
1 ½ cups thinly sliced strawberries
1/4 cup vegan feta cheese crumbles 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (176 C) and add raw hazelnuts to a parchment-lined baking sheet.  Once oven is preheated, toast hazelnuts for 7 minutes. Then remove from oven and add remaining ingredients directly to the hazelnuts (oil, coconut sugar, maple syrup, sea salt, and cinnamon). Use a spatula to thoroughly toss/combine.
Place back in oven and roast for another 4-6 minutes or until fragrant and golden brown. Set aside to cool.
In the meantime, prepare dressing by adding all ingredients to a jar (or mixing bowl) and shaking vigorously (or whisking) to combine. Taste and adjust flavor as needed, adding more balsamic for acidity, maple syrup for sweetness, salt or pepper for flavor balance, or olive oil for creaminess. Set aside.

To serve, add spinach or baby lettuces/greens, half of the strawberries, and half of the roasted hazelnuts to a large mixing/serving bowl. Drizzle with half of the dressing and toss to combine.
Plate and garnish with the vegan feta and remaining strawberries and hazelnuts, and serve with remaining dressing (if you like a more heavily dressed salad).
Best when fresh, though leftovers store separately in the refrigerator up to 3 days. Store hazelnuts well sealed at room temperature.

Nutritional Info: (1 of 4 servings) Calories: 368; Carbohydrates: 19.1 g; Protein: 7 g; Fat: 31.9 g; Saturated Fat: 2.9 g; Polyunsaturated Fat: 4 g; Monounsaturated Fat: 23.5 g; Trans Fat: 0 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 68 mg Potassium: 557 mg; Fiber: 5.6 g; Sugar: 11.2 g; Vitamin A: 3337 IU; Vitamin C: 43 mg; Calcium: 94 mg; Iron: 3 mg

Layered Polenta Dish (Vegan)

 

Recipe from Alice's Kitchen

Makes 2 generous servings

Wednesdays are busy days for me.  After doing my morning household chores, I go for a long walk and then head home to eat a quick lunch, take a shower and drive one hour to rehearse with the fellas in the band I'm a member of.  After making music all afternoon, I drive the hour back home and make dinner.  So, dinner must be quick and easy because I'm usually bushed. Today, I wanted to serve up a starchy side besides the usual brown rice or quinoa, etc.  I found this polenta at Trader Joe's and decided I would make some sort of layered dinner.  As usual, I keep some sort of sauce in the fridge that I've made on my food prep day.  I also usually have salsa or pico de gallo in the fridge.  Of course, there are always beans and greens around.  This meal got a big thumbs up from the hubster.  I loved it too.  I'm thinking the other half of the tube of polenta will make a nice Italian style meal with layers of garlicky white beans, greens and marinara sauce.  

2 large handfuls of your favorite greens

2 Tablespoons 1-Minute Sauce (optional)

1/2 tube of Trader Joe's Polenta, sliced

1 can pinto or kidney beans, rinsed and drained and mashed with a fork

Vegetable broth for "frying"

1/2 onion, minced

1 clove garlic, minced

1 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon cumin powder

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Sea salt, to taste

Freshly ground pepper, to taste

1 cup pico de gallo or salsa

1/4 cup crumbled vegan feta

1/2 avocado

Place the sliced polenta in a single layer in the air fryer.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper, if desired. Set the air fryer to 350F and air fry for 10 minutes.  When the timer is up, flip the polenta over and add another 10 minutes.  

Meanwhile, heat a non-stick skillet to medium-high.  When it is hot, add a splash of the broth.  Add the onions and garlic.  Sprinkle with the spices.  Stir for about 1 minute or until the onions are softened.  Add the mashed beans.  Add more broth, about 1/4 cup.  Turn down the heat to medium.  Stir the bean mixture and allow to cook for a few minutes, adding more broth to keep the beans from sticking.  Turn off the heat and set aside.

While the beans are cooking, place the greens on the dinner plates.  Drizzle the one-Minute Sauce over the greens, if using.  Top the greens with the polenta slices.  Top the polenta slices with the "refried" beans.  Add the the pico de gallo or salsa.  Sprinkle with the feta.  Peel and slice the avocado and place the avocado slices on the side.  Serve it up.

Butternut Squash Salad with Feta, Dates, & Chile

Recipe from Emma Laperruque of Food52

Husband-Tested in Alice's Kitchen

Makes 4-6 side servings

I was intrigued with the idea of eating butternut squash raw.  This is an excellent way to serve it up without turning on the oven or stovetop.  Its vivid orange color is a nice foil to the bright green of the pepper and the white of the feta cheese.  We especially loved the texture of the raw sweet squash along with the tastebud party it provided when combined with the sweet dates and salty cheese.  This is definitely company worthy.  For an especially lovely, easy dinner, serve it up with some Instant Pot Rosemary and Garlic White Beans and some sauteed greens.  

1-2 fresh chiles (jalapeno or serrano)

3 Tablespoons vinegar (apple cider vinegar, brown rice vinegar, or white wine vinegar)

1 medium butternut squash

6 Medjool dates

4 ounces feta cheese (Use non-dairy feta if vegan.)

Extra-virgin olive oil

Thinly slice the chiles* (crossways) and combine the slices in a small bowl with the vinegar.  Set aside.

Peel* the squash and cut it into thin-as-possible matchstick pieces.  Add the squash to a large bowl and sprinkle generously with kosher salt.  Toss to combine.  Set aside.

Halve, pit and slice the dates.  Add them to the butternut squash, along with the chiles and vinegar.  Break apart the feta cheese with your fingers and sprinkle over the top.  Drizzle the salad with about 2 Tablespoons olive oil and toss.  Adjust the seasonings, if needed.

Transfer to a serving platter and serve.

NOTES: 

If you are a weenie when it comes to heat/spice, be sure to remove the seeds and membranes from the peppers.  You can also pick out the peppers from the salad after it's put together.  The peppers flavor the vinegar nicely, so don't omit them completely.

Butternut squash will stain your hands with a sticky substance, so I would highly recommend wearing gloves when peeling and cutting up butternut squash.

 

Beet & Blueberry Salad with Walnuts & Mint

Recipe from KitchenGenius

Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

Serves 8 (1 cup servings)

This stunningly beautiful salad will wow your guests.  When the local blueberries are plentiful and the young beets are ready, you MUST make this salad.  Save yourself some time and roast the beets a day or two in advance.  You can also make the vinaigrette in advance as well.  Purple/blue foods like beets and blueberries are packed with antioxidants that help fight inflammation and will boost your immune system too!

For the vinaigrette: (Can be prepared in advance.)

1/3 cup fresh lemon juice

2 Tablespoons honey

2 Tablespoons olive oil

1 Tablespoon fresh grated ginger

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

Kosher salt, to taste

Freshly ground pepper, to taste

For the Salad:

3 large beets (2 lbs.), roasted and peeled* (Can be prepared in advance.)

4 cups blueberries

1 cup chopped walnuts, toasted**

½ cup chopped fresh mint

¼ cup crumbled goat cheese or feta cheese or blue cheese

Whisk all the vinaigrette ingredients together in a small bowl.  Set aside while preparing the salad.  In a large bowl or on a rimmed platter, gently toss together the beets, blueberries, walnuts and mint.  (Do this with a light hand because you won’t want to crush the berries.) Drizzle with the vinaigrette and toss again to coat. Sprinkle the salad with the cheese and serve.

*How to Roast Beets:  To roast the beets, preheat the oven to 400.  Place a piece of foil on a baking sheet.  Place a piece of parchment paper on top of that.  Put the beets in the center and drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Toss the beets to coat.  Fold the foil/parchment in a loose-fitting but tightly sealed packet around the beets.  Roast the packet on the baking sheet until the beets are tender, about 1 hour and 15 minutes. (This might take longer if the beets are large.)  Let the beets cool completely in the foil/parchment. When cool, use a paring knife to peel and slice he beets into wedges or bite-sized chunks. (It’s best to wear an apron and rubber gloves for this because beet juice will stain everything!) Beets can be roasted up to 2 days ahead and refrigerated.

**How to Toast Walnuts:  Preheat the oven to 350F.  Arrange the walnuts on a rimmed baking sheet and place in oven.  Roast until browned and crisp, about 7 to 10 minutes, watching carefully so they don’t burn. 

Nutritional Info:  (1 cup serving) 264 calories; 15 g fat (3 g saturated fat); 7 mg cholesterol; 173 g sodium; 29 g carbohydrates; 6 g fiber; 7 g protein

Spinach Feta Quiche with Quinoa Crust

  

Recipe from Cooking Light

Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

Serves 4 (9-inch pie plate)

If you have cooked quinoa in the freezer, thaw it overnight in the fridge and you’ll be just about set to make this delicious quiche. 

Crust

Cooking spray

2 cups cooked quinoa, chilled** (I used “tricolor” quinoa to change up the color, but regular white/cream colored quinoa will work just fine.)

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 large egg, beaten

Filling

1 teaspoon canola or olive oil

½ onion, thinly sliced

1 (5 oz.) bag baby spinach (Try other veggies such as mushrooms, asparagus, broccoli, bell peppers, etc.)

½ cup 1% low-fat milk (I used unsweetened almond milk.)

½ teaspoon kosher salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

4 large eggs

2 large egg whites

1.5 oz. feta cheese, crumbled (Blue cheese or goat cheese would taste fabulous as a substitute.)

Preheat oven to 375F.  Coat the bottom and side of a 9-inch glass pie plate with cooking spray. 

For the crust, combine the quinoa, pepper, and egg in a bowl.  Mix well.  Press the mixture into and up the sides of the pie plate.  Bake at 375F for 20 minutes; cool.

For the filling, heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat.  Add oil and onion.  Sauté 3 minutes.  Add the spinach and sauté for 3 minutes, or until wilted but still bright green.  Remove from heat; cool.

Combine milk, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, eggs and egg whites in a bowl.  Whisk well. 

Arrange the spinach mixture in the crust; pour egg mixture over the spinach.  Sprinkle with feta.  Bake at 375F for 35 minutes.  Let stand for 5 minutes.  Cut into 4 wedges.

Nutritional Information:  (1 of 4 wedges) 282 calories; 11.6 g fat (3.8 sat. fat; 3.6 mono. Fat; 1.6 g poly fat) 17 g protein; 28 grams carbs; 5 grams fiber; 243 mg cholesterol; 4 mg iron; 552 mg sodium; 172 mg calcium

** How to Cook Quinoa (pronounced KEEN-wah) Just 1 cup of uncooked quinoa will yield almost 4 cups cooked. (Prepare a batch and then use half for the recipe above.  Freeze the other half to use for another recipe.) Here's what you will need to cook the quinoa: 1 cup  uncooked quinoa; 2 cups water for cooking; a sieve; water for rinsing; a saucepan with a cover and a kitchen timer. Place 1 cup of uncooked quinoa in a sieve (strainer.) Quinoa has a bitter coating (called saponin) that must be rinsed off.  An effective method for rinsing off the bitter coating is to place the quinoa seeds in a fine-meshed strainer and run cold water over the quinoa while gently rubbing the seeds together in your hands. Place the rinsed quinoa in a saucepan and add 2 cups water. Bring the cooking liquid to a rolling boil. Turn down the heat to a simmer. Place a tight-fitting lid on the saucepan. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes. (Set a kitchen timer to 15 minutes so you won't forget to check for doneness.)  Fluff the cooked quinoa with a fork.