Golden Avocado Dressing Bulgur Bowl

Here's my version of a delicious and healthy grain bowl recipe from Cooking Light magazine.  Cooking Light gave credit to Adam Hickman for the original, and I left his sauce as originally published except...I doubled it!  It's the crowning glory of this bowl recipe.

Ingredients:

2 c. boiling water

1 c. uncooked bulgur

1 t. salt, divided

2 15-oz cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained

1.5 T. canola oil

2 cups finely chopped carrots (I use the bagged, pre-shredded carrots.)

½ c. sliced shallots or white parts of scallions

2 bunches lacinato kale, de-stemmed and chopped (I am sure other kale varieties would work fine, too.)

½ t. freshly ground black pepper

1 avocado, peeled and pitted

3 T. extra virgin olive oil

Juice of 1 lemon

2 T. tahini

2 cloves garlic, peeled

½ t. ground turmeric

½ c. flat leaf parsley, chopped (or more, to taste)

Method:

Mix the boiling water, bulgur, and ¼ t. salt in a medium bowl, and allow to stand until the bulgur is chewy, about 15-20 minutes.  When chewy consistency is reached, drain off any excess water.

In a large, deep-sided skillet with a lid, add the chickpeas and lightly dry them over medium-high heat, about 3-4 minutes.  Add the canola oil, carrots, and shallots (or scallions), and sauté about 5 minutes.  Add the kale, cover, and cook until the kale is slightly wilted and carrots are tender, about 3 minutes.  Uncover and remove from heat.  Stir in ½ t. salt and the black pepper.

Process the avocado, olive oil, lemon juice, tahini, garlic, turmeric, 2 T. water, and remaining ¼ t. salt in a blender or food processor until smooth.  Additional water can be added 1 T. at a time if needed to bring the avocado sauce to the desired consistency.

Stir the parsley into the kale mixture.  Divide the bulgur between 4 wide, shallow bowls.  Top with the veggie mixture and drizzle with the avocado dressing.  Serves 4.

Burrito Bowl

This recipe kind of seems like I should have thought of some riff on this idea myself, but since I didn't, I'm thankful Southern Living magazine did.  I tweaked it to make it vegan and a little more "from scratch", but it's otherwise as they published it:  YUM!

Ingredients:
1 c. brown rice
2 1/2 c. water, divided
1 t. salt, divided
2 T. canola oil, divided
juice of a lime, divided 
3 large Roma tomatoes, chopped
1/2 jalapeno pepper, seeded and de-veined, minced
3 T. finely chopped onion
2 15-oz. cans black or pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 t. chili powder
1/2 t. ground cumin
2 ears corn, shucked, de-silked, and kernels cut away from the cob
4 c. finely chopped romaine lettuce
2 ripe avocados, diced
4 T. vegan sour cream

Method:
Combine rice, 2 c. water, 1/4 t. salt, and 1 T. oil in a large saucepan with a lid.  Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer 40 minutes.  Remove from heat.  Let rice stand 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork

Meanwhile, combine the tomatoes, jalapeno, onion, juice of 1/2 lime, and 1/4 t. salt.  Set aside.

Combine beans, remaining 1/2 c. water, chili powder, cumin and 1/4 t. salt in a small saucepan.  Cook over medium until beans are hot, about 5 minutes.  Remove heat and cover to keep warm.

Heat remaining 1 T. oil in a medium-size cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the corn and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly charred (about 5 minutes).  Sprinkle with juice of remaining 1/2 lime and remaining 1/4 t. salt.

Divide rice, beans, corn, tomato mixture, lettuce, avocado, and sour cream between 4 wide, shallow bowls.  Serves 4.

Buddha Bowl

Another adaptation of a magnificent Eating Well recipe.  If you have leftovers, keep the avocado and tomatoes separate from everything else.  Once the main dish has been gently reheated, top with the fresh veggies.

Ingredients:

2 small-medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch chunks
6 T. extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 1/4 t. salt, divided
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 c. quinoa
2 1/4 c. water, divided
1/4 c. tahini
juice of one lemon
1 clove garlic, peeled and minced (or 1/4 t. garlic powder)
2 15-oz. cans chickpeas (a.k.a. garbanzo beans), drained and rinsed
2 avocados, peeled and coarsely chopped
1 c. grape tomatoes

Method
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

On a rimmed baking sheet, toss the sweet potato chunks with 2 T. olive oil, 1/2 t. salt, and pepper to taste.  Spread potato chunks out to a single layer and roast, stirring halfway through, 20 minutes or until potato chunks are easily pierced with a fork.

Meanwhile, rinse the quinoa under cold water in a fine-mesh strainer.  In a medium saucepan, combine the quinoa, 2 c. water, and 1/4 t. salt.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 15 - 20 minutes or until all the water is absorbed.  Fluff with a fork.

Mix 4 T. olive oil, 1/2 t. salt, tahini, lemon juice, garlic (or garlic powder), and pepper, to taste, in a medium bowl.  Add remaining 1/4 c. water, 1 T. at a time, to bring sauce to desired consistency.

Serve quinoa topped with sweet potato, chickpeas, avocado, tomatoes (if using).  Drizzle each serving with tahini sauce.

Serves 4 to 6.

Tofu Zoodle Salad

This is a slightly modified version of a super-healthy recipe I found on a fascinating and beautifully photographed blog called Scaling Back.  Check it out here.

NOTE:  This recipe requires a special tool called a spiralizer.

Ingredients:
1 lb. Chinese tofu  (Tofu has a more desirable texture if it has been frozen for 24 hours, then thawed.  Plan ahead.)
soy sauce (or shoyu or tamari), to taste  (If you need to avoid gluten, check ingredients.  Not all of these are gluten-free..)
2 T. canola oil
1 c. frozen mukimame (shelled edamame)
3 T. peanut butter
2 T. lime juice
2 t. sesame oil
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
2 t. garlic chili paste
2 medium zucchini
1/2 c. shredded carrot (I buy the kind that is already shredded.  So convenient!)
1/2 avocado, peeled and cubed
1/2 c. chopped fresh parsley
1/4 c. chopped cashews (roasted but not salted)
1 T. toasted sesame seeds

Method:
Squeeze as much water out of the tofu as possible.  Cut the tofu into 1/2-inch cubes.  In a large non-stick skillet, cook the tofu over medium-high heat until water is no longer sizzling out of the tofu.  Drizzle the tofu with soy sauce, to taste.  Drizzle tofu with the canola oil.  Toss the tofu to coat in oil, and cook until browned on one side.  Toss again, and cook until browned on another side.  Remove from heat.

Cook the mukimame according to package directions.

Whisk the peanut butter, lime juice, 1 T. water, sesame oil, minced garlic, and chili paste in a small bowl to create the dressing.  Add water judiciously, if needed to thin the dressing.

Using a spiralizer, spiralize the zucchini on the most narrow setting so that it is about the diameter of spaghetti noodles.  Toss the zucchini, carrot, avocado, and parsley together with the dressing to coat.  Toss in the tofu and mukimame.  Top with cashews and sesame seeds, and serve immediately.

Serves 3 as a main dish.

Tempeh Breakfast Sandwich

I am not really a huge fan of traditional breakfast fare.  Too starchy, meaty, eggy, or sweet, in general, for my tastes.  Don't get me wrong, I love homemade biscuits (I'm from the Southern U.S., so I have them nearly every weekend.  Recipe here.), and I definitely want pancakes or waffles every once in a while, but usually I'm looking for something off the beaten path.

One of my new favorites is this breakfast sandwich, which I guess you could really eat at any meal.  It's filling and tasty!  Fry up the whole package of tempeh, and you'll have sandwich fixin's for the week.

Ingredients:

canola oil

soy sauce

smoked paprika

tempeh (I love the Lightlife "Garden Veggie" variety.), cut into 1/4-inch strips

bagel

avocado slices

roasted red peppers (from a jar or from your grocer's olive bar)

Method:

In a non-stick skillet, heat the canola oil over medium heat.  Add soy sauce and smoked paprika to taste, then add the strips of tempeh.  Fry the tempeh until browned on the bottom, then flip and fry the other side until browned as well.  Remove from pain and drain on paper towels.
NOTE:  I usually fry up a whole 8-oz. package of tempeh at a time, which takes about 3 T. canola oil and maybe 1/2 t. of soy sauce and a heaping 1/4 t. smoked paprika.  I'm guessing, but the amounts are flexible.

Toast both halves of the bagel in a toaster.  Sandwich tempeh strips with avocado slices and roasted red pepper, and enjoy.

Spicy Green Tomato Salad

Looking for something to do with those green garden tomatoes until they turn red?  Me, too!  Enter Food Network Magazine with this fantastic recipe.  It allowed me to use some green tomatoes and a garden jalepeno.  Tell me what you think!

Ingredients:

1.5 lbs. green (unripe - not the kind that are SUPPOSED to be green) tomatoes, cut into thin wedges

1.5 t. salt, separated

juice of 1 lime

1 t. dijon mustard

1 T. honey (local honey is best)

1 small jalepeno pepper, deseeded and minced

1 T. fresh thyme (or 1 t. dried thyme)

freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1/4 c. extra-virgin olive oil

2 avocados

2 c. chopped lettuce leaves (or more, to taste)

Method:

Put the tomato wedges in a bowl and sprinkle with 1 t. salt.  Let set 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, whisk the lime juice, mustard, honey, jalepeno, thyme, 1/2 t. salt, and pepper, to taste, in a large bowl.  Gradually pour in the olive oil, whisking constantly until emulsified.

When ready to serve, half the avocados, remove the pits, peel, and thinly slice.  Add to the bowl with the dressing, then add the lettuce and tomatoes.  Gently toss to coat.  Season with additional salt and pepper, if desired, and serve immediately.

Serves 6 - 8.

Tempeh Sliders

Here's a delicious dinner:  tempeh sliders garnished with tomatoes, avocado, and onion with a side of waffle fries!  Recipe for the sliders here.

Fried Green Tomato Po'boys

Let me thank Southern Living magazine right now for this fantastic idea:  fried green tomato po'boy sandwiches!  I also based this fried green tomato recipe on theirs.  I made these sandwiches for a late lunch/early dinner today, and I cannot tell you how thrilled I am with the results!  I didn't use rémoulade sauce, but you certainly can if you want.

Fried Green Tomato Ingredients:

½ c. all-purpose flour, separated

1 egg

½ c. rice milk

½ c. cornmeal

3/4 t. baking powder

heaping ½ t. salt

heaping ½ t. freshly ground black pepper

3 medium green tomatoes, cored and sliced 1/3 inch thick

canola oil

Sandwich Ingredients (per sandwich):

6-inch baguette, sliced lengthwise

2 slices fried green tomato

4 slices avocado

thinly sliced onion rings, to taste

shredded lettuce

2 slices red tomato

Tabasco chipotle sauce

salt and freshly ground pepper



To make the tomatoes, set up a dredging station with 3 shallow bowls.  The first will have 1/4 c. AP flour.  In the next bowl, whisk together the egg and rice milk.  In the last bowl, mix the remaining 1/4 c. AP flour, cornmeal, baking powder, heaping 1/2 t. salt and freshly ground pepper.

Heat the canola oil in a deep-sided cast iron skillet over medium-high heat.  Dredge each slice of green tomato in the AP flour first, then in the egg mixture, then in the cornmeal mix.  Place the slice in the hot oil.  It should sizzle but not splatter.  (No sizzle = not enough heat.  Splatter = too much heat.  Be VERY CAREFUL with hot oil!  Protect your skin and clothes!)  Fry each slice until golden brown, about 2 - 3 minutes on each side.  You may have to add more oil as you work through the tomato slices.  Drain the fried tomatoes on paper towels.

Once you have the tomatoes fried, the hard part is over!  Now open your baguette and layer up your sandwich like this or in whatever manner suits you:  2 fried green tomato slices, avocado slices, thinly sliced onions, shredded lettuce, red tomato slices, generous salt and pepper, and Tabasco chipotle shots to taste.  Close up your sandwich and get to work!

Scott and I ate them with cold homebrewed beer and finished up with a chocolate chip cookie from a local bakery.  Tres bien!!!

Summer Fruit Salad

Here's a simple summer fruit salad that was inspired by a couple of recipes I saw (one in Southern Living magazine and one in Martha Stewart's Living magazine).  They were both twists on the same idea, so I just took it down to the bare bones.  It's delicious!  This recipe serves 2.

Ingredients:

1 mango, peeled, pitted, and chopped

1 pink grapfruit, halved crosswise (This way each section will be exposed in each half.  It will have the design of a sunburst, if you're not familiar with grapefruit.  Hey, some people aren't!)

1 avocado, peeled, pitted, and chopped

1/2 juicy lime, juiced

Method:

In a medium bowl, mix the mango, avocado, and lime juice.  Using a paring knife, make a circular cut so separate the grapefruit meat away from the peel.

Now, hovering over the salad bowl, use the same paring knife to slice each section away from the membrane.  You'll have to cut on each side of each section's membrane.  Let the grapefruit meat and juices fall into the bowl. 

Mix and enjoy!

Guacamole

This is a delicious recipe from Peta that I have modified to my own taste. Feel free to do the same!

Ingredients:
2 or 3 ripe avocados
juice from 1 lime
1/4 t. chili powder
1/4 t. salt (or increase chili powder by 1/4 t. if omitting salt)
1 ripe tomato, chopped
1/4 c. onion, minced
1/2 t. garlic, minced


Method:
Peel and the avocados

Combine the peeled avocado, lime juice, chili powder, and salt (if using) in a bowl, and use a fork to mash the avocado to desired texture.  (I like mine with a few chunks remaining.)

Mix remaining ingredients into the mashed avocado mixture, and enjoy! Easy!