Traditional hummus is smooth and creamy with a touch of lemon.
It only takes a couple of extra steps, and it is so worth the extra work!
Using this hummus recipe you will taste the difference immediately!
What is Hummus?
Hummus has become popular over the last few years for its flavor and health benefits. In America, we often buy pre-made hummus at the store. However, next time you want hummus, consider using this hummus recipe. It is super easy, the flavor is amazing, and the texture is soooooo smooth! Once you eat it, you will notice the difference. You will also always prefer to make hummus over buying it at the store.
If you are unfamiliar with hummus (also nicknamed yummus), it is a traditional Middle Eastern dip. You make this dip by combining garbanzo beans, tahini, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, and salt into a smooth paste. Traditionally, we dip the pita bread directly into the hummus and do not use utensils. For this second-generation American, I love hummus inside a pita with tabbouleh. It has a refreshing flavor, and I cannot get enough of it.
If you make this hummus recipe, leave a comment and/or rating below. Another option is to take a picture and tag me on Instagram and/or Facebook. I check all of them, and I love feedback!
How is This Hummus Recipe Different?
If you have had traditional hummus, you will notice one thing; the texture is very smooth. There is only one way to achieve this smooth texture, and that is by removing the garbanzo bean shells (ok, and to use a food processor). To this, you must:
- First: Soak the garbanzo beans with a little baking soda for five to ten minutes. This step is double acting, it softens the beans and losens the shell.
- Then: Remove the shells. Once the beans have soaked for a few minutes, the shells will start to disconnect from the beans. Gently rub the beans between your fingers to help facilitate the process. You will find the shells slide right off.
It only takes few minutes to do these two extra steps and it will take your hummus to a whole new level. I promise!
Hummus Ingredients
Hummus only takes a few ingredients to make, and most of them you will already have. I like to add all kinds of toppings to my hummus, especially kalamata olives. I find the flavors compliment each other and help make this dip insanely delicious! The ingredients you will need are:
- Garbanzo beans (15oz)
- Lemon juice (1/4 cup)
- Tahini (2 tablespoons)
- Garlic cloves (2 – 4)
- Pinch of salt
- Ice cubes (2)
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- Olive oil
- Optional toppings: parsley, kalamata olives, tomatoes, carrots, etc.
What the heck is Tahini?
Tahini is a Middle Eastern condiment made from toasted ground hulled sesame seeds. I like to think of tahini as sesame as the sesame seed version of peanut butter. Similar to peanut butter, tahini varies in quality. I strongly believe it is worth investing in good tahini. I always find the best tahini in the kosher section of the grocery store. At my store, a jar of tahini will cost around $6, which is a little more than a container of pre-made hummus.
How to Make Hummus (Visual Steps)
Remember to Save the Aquafaba
You are probably asking what the heck is aquafaba? In the simplest terms, aquafaba is the liquid leftover from canned chickpeas. This liquid is, well, amazing! Aquafaba is starchy. This starch has become a staple in vegan baking. Often aquafaba is whipped into a meringue or used in place of egg whites to give baked goods a lift. This once commonly discarded liquid has transformed vegan baking from meh into OH. MY. GOD. delicious!
There are many videos and blogs on how to use aquafaba. I recommend this video from Bake it Up a Notch or this post from America’s Test Kitchen.
How to Store Hummus
Making in advance: Hummus can be made in a day or two in advance (I find the flavor peaks on the second day). To store, place hummus in an airtight container inside your refrigerator. Before you serve it, create the wells for the olive oil and put any additions on top.
To store hummus: Place in an airtight container in your refrigerator. You can keep it for 3 – 5 days this way. The difference between making it in advance and storing it is the peak of the flavor. Starting around day 3, I find the taste is not as fresh, but I still love to eat it.
I do not recommend freezing hummus.
Authentic Hummus Recipe
Equipment
- Food Processor
Ingredients
- 1 can garbanzo beans (15 oz/drained)
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 tablespoons tahini
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 2 – 4 cloves garlic
- 1 pinch salt
- 2 ice cubes
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, soak one can of drained garbanzo beans in 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda for five minutes. After five minutes, gently rub the shells off of the garbanzo beans.
- Place the shelled beans in a food processor. Pulse for 3 – 5 minutes until the beans form a rough paste.
- Add the lemon juice (1/4 cup), tahini (2 tablespoons), garlic (2- 4 cloves), and salt (pinch) and process until smooth.
- Add two ice cubes and pulse until smooth.
- If serving as a dip or appetizer, create wells in the hummus and pour olive oil in the wells.
Video
Smooth and Creamy Hummus Recipe by lifeonwesterlycreek on Jumprope.
Notes
- I recommend using extra virgin olive oil
- I like to add toppings when serving the hummus as a dip. The toppings create a showstopper look. When doing this, I usually add.
- Kalamata olives
- Quartered cherry tomatoes
- Parsely
- Feta
- Pita bread, carrots, tomatoes, and celery are standard sides in the US.
- To store, place hummus in an airtight container in your refrigerator. You can keep it for 3 – 5 days this way.
Strawberry, Dried Apricot and Pistachio Salad (Spring Mix Salad Recipe)
Sweet strawberries, smooth dried apricots, warm earthy notes of pistachio all followed by a refreshing pop of mint. So dramatic, but also the perfect description of this spring mix salad recipe. It’s truly amazing!
WOW — sums up this salad in one word.
This salad takes less than ten minutes to make, and once it’s done, your taste buds will be having a celebration. I can write lots of words to describe this salad, but I say let’s skip an intro and get to making it! Why hold off on greatness?
If you make this spring mix salad, take a picture and tag me on Instagram. I would love to see it! If you’re in the mood to make this a meal, I will pair this salad with my pear, grape, and blue cheese focaccia bread. The salad and bread would go great with a glass of wine. Make it a bottle and celebrate spring (and the nearing the end of COVID).
Spring Mix Salad Recipe Ingredients
This salad comes together with only ten ingredients, eleven if you add balsamic vinegar reduction to the dressing (it was not pictured). Right now, in early spring, there are a lot of fresh strawberries, and avocado’s coming up from Central America. The freshness of the fruit makes this salad pop.
How to Make Shallot Dressing
The shallot dressing can be made with raw shallots or with sautéed shallots that bring out the flavor. While both options taste great, I prefer using sautéed shallots in the vinaigrette. It only takes about three minutes to cook them on the stove. This step will provide a depth of flavor to your salad that will enrich the overall flavor.
Ingredients for the shallot dressing:
- 1 shallot, finely diced
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar reduction
- 1 teaspoon agave syrup
- salt and pepper to taste
Steps to make the dressing:
- Start with a small or medium sauté pan and heat the pan over medium too low. Add one tablespoon of olive oil, and once the oil starts to “shimmer,” add the shallots. Cook the shallots for 2 -3 there minutes until they become fragrant. Once done, remove from heat and pat dry on a paper towel.
- In a small jar, combine olive oil, lemon juice, balsamic vinegar reduction, agave nectar, and shallots.
- Add salt and pepper to desired taste.
- Drizzle dressing over the salad.
Note: This recipe makes a large amount of dressing. I prefer light dressing, so I use only a quarter of the dressing. The remaining dressing can be stored in a closed container for up to one week. (Bonus, the flavor only gets better!)
Spring Mix Salad Ingredient Substitutions/Additions
The nice thing about this salad, and just about any salad, is it’s fun to modify into your perfect salad. Any of the ingredients can be swapped out for something you have in your pantry or your personal preference. Below are a few ideas.
Dried apricots – Dried fruits pack a flavor punch that amps up the sweetness of any salad. Currently, I love the flavor of dried apricots; however, just about any dried fruit will pack the same punch. Other substitutions that would also taste great include dried cranberries, mangoes, or pineapples.
Pistachio’s – This salad is so flexible that just about any nut or seed would taste great. If you are not a fan of pistachio’s try using almonds, sunflower seeds, or even pepita’s.
Agave Nectar – Provides sweetness to the dressing. I prefer agave nectar because it is vegan. Honey is a non-vegan alternative and can be swapped out at a 1:1 ratio.
Cheese – I made this salad vegan for all my vegan friends. However, if you prefer cheese on your salad, I recommend feta or goat cheese. The flavors in both of those cheeses would amplify the flavor for my vegetarian friends.
How to Keep Spring Mix Fresh
I recently found out the best trick to keep the spring salad mix fresh in the refrigerator. It’s so easy, and your spring mix, or really any lettuce, will last up to two weeks. All you need is a paper towel. Yep, that’s all you need to make your lettuce last. Fold the paper towel and place it inside the spring mix container. Then store the container upside down in your refrigerator. The paper towel will absorb all the extra moisture, and your mix will last longer. My lettuce mixes usually last two weeks.
Step one: Open the container 
Step two: Place a folded paper towel inside 
Step three: Store upside down
Storage
This salad can be stored in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. I recommend squeezing fresh lemon on top of the avocado to keep the color looking fresh.
Strawberry, Dried Apricot, and Pistachio Salad (Spring Mix Salad Recipe)
Ingredients
Dressing
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 shallot, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon agave syrup
- 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar reduction
- Salt and pepper to taste
Salad
- 4 cups spring mix lettuce
- 6-8 strawberries, sliced thin
- 1 avocado, sliced thin
- 1/3 cup driped apricots, sliced thin or diced
- 1/4 cup pistachio's
- 5- 7 fresh mint leaves, sliced thin
Instructions
- Dressing: Heat one olive oil in a skillet over high heat. When the oil shimmers, add the shallots and cook for 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool. Mix shallots with remaining olive oil, lemon juice, agave, salt, and pepper.
- Salad: Divide the salad among 2 – 4 bowls, arrange the strawberries, avocado, dried apricot's and pistachio's on top.
- Pour the dressing on top and sprinkle with mint leaves.
Video
Strawberry, Dried Apricot and Pistachio Salad by lifeonwesterlycreek on Jumprope.
Notes
Vegan Poke Bowl Topped with Dynamite Sauce
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
A large vegan poke bowl filled with crispy tofu, loads of veggies, rice and topped with a sweet dynamite sauce!
One bite and this will be your flavorful nutritious go-to in a bowl!
What is a Vegan Poke Bowl
Poke bowls seem to be all the rage the last few years. After I had my first poke bowl I knew why they were so popular, they are absolutely delicious!
The poke bowls originate from Hawaii and have their flavor roots in Japanese sushi. The word “Poke” literally means cut into pieces. Poke began with Hawaiian fishermen seasoning the cut-offs of fish. Poke in the most literal terms is pieces of fish that are seasoned with soy sauce.
While I love poke bowls, the truth is I really love the sushi flavors that are in a poke bowl. However, the fish, I am not so fond of. To enjoy all the great flavors of a poke bowl, I substituted tofu for fish and made this a vegan poke bowl. The tofu is coated in corn starch, marinated in a soy wasabi sauce, and baked crispy. This makes the tofu the perfect complement to all the great traditional bowl flavors!
How to Make a Bowl
I think of vegan poke bowls similar to a trip to Chipotle. The ingredients are interchangeable based on your personal preferences. Much like a Chipotle bowl, build your poke bowl with five layers.
Rice – Layer 1
Rice is the foundation of a poke bowl. I personally love sticky rice. However sticky rice takes a full day to make, which is a long time for even me, a person dedicated to the slow cooking process. So for this, I used a shortcut and bought VeeTee Rice & Tasty Thai Jasmine. This rice is sticky and perfect for a poke bowl.
An alternative is to use a bowl of short white rice and add vinegar and sugar. Start by making 2 cups of rice. Then mix 2 tablespoons of rice vinegar and 1 tablespoon of sugar. Microwave the vinegar and sugar combination until the sugar is dissolved (20 – 30 seconds). In a large bowl, mix the vinegar/sugar combination with 2 cups of rice. Let cool for five minutes and you have a great poke bowl rice.
Protein – Layer 2
Tofu is my protein of choice. I baked it and it was perfect. However if you prefer a different protein you could use a marinated packaged tofu, tempeh, jackfruit, or beans. This layer is interchangeable with your favorite protein.
Veggies – Layer 3
This bowl is loaded up with carrots, edamame, avocado, and red cabbage. The combination is delicious! Other veggies (and fruits) that would taste delicious include: cucumbers, radishes, pineapple, mango, and green onion. Really, the sky is the limit. Have fun and get creative with favors!
Dressing – Layer 4
I was craving dynamite sauce, however, I get that is not everyone’s favorite sauce. Substitutes include tahini or white miso dressing.
Zazz – Layer 5
Top off your bowl with some zazz. I sprinkled this bowl with nori (dried seaweed), other zazz includes jalapeños, sesame seeds, pickled ginger, and/or fried onion.
About Tofu
Tofu is one of those ingredients that takes some practice to get used to making. If you’re new to tofu, do not fear, it’s actually easier than you might think. If making tofu is not your thing, you can buy flavored tofu at the store. I get it and no judgment!
Buying tofu –
When buying tofu you must decide the type of firmness tofu you prefer – medium, firm, extra firm are the most common types. I only ever buy the extra firm. However, this is 100% a personal preference. My all-time favorite brand of tofu comes from Trader Joe’s. They have the firmest tofu I have ever found and it is perfect to cook with.
Pressing tofu –
Tofu comes in water and in order to achieve maximum flavor, the water has to be removed. This can only be achieved by “pressing” it out. There are several different methods and it can seem overwhelming. However, my recommendation is to not overthink it. It’s actually about placing something heaving and forcing the water out of the tofu block.
My two suggestions are
#1 – Place a towel over the tofu and place something heavy on top, like a cast iron pan or a regular pan. Then place something heavy in the pan, like cans of food, and let the tofu sit for 30 – 60 minutes.
#2 – My second suggestion is to buy a tofu press. A tofu press is two pieces of plastic or bamboo that are held together with screws. The press is placed on its side and then the scores are tightened even 3 – 5 minutes for 15 – 30 minutes. I personally prefer the press and I use this one.
How to prepare the tofu –
When making tofu you have to decide how to prepare it. The most common ways are baking, stovetop, and frying. All three have their merits. I personally prefer to bake tofu because it is so much cleaner. It’s like cooking your root vegetables on the stovetop or oven roasting. I will choose oven roasting every time!
Corn starch –
Corn starch is the key to making tofu just that crispy. This is a personal preference, but this is the only way I like my tofu. Extra-firm and crispy, but not fried crispy, that’s a little different.
To apply the corn starch you can toss it or dust it. Both ways have pros and cons. By tossing the tofu in corn starch you get an even coat. However, you have to be very gentle because the tofu can start to crumble. If you dust the tofu with corn starch, you will be able to coat the tofu on top and on the sides, but the bottom will not be coated. I prefer to dust the tofu to keep the tofu from crumbling and maintain the visual appeal.
Flavor/Marinate –
The great thing about tofu, it is a flavor conductor. It picks up the flavor of what you marinate or cook with it. For this poke bowl, I used the flavors I dip sushi in, soy sauce, and lots of wasabi! The flavor was fantastic. If that’s not your taste preference, you can use hoisin, miso, or teriyaki sauce to name a few.
Resources –
Pinch of Yum has an excellent video about making tofu. Click here to watch on how to prepare and four different ways to make tofu. This is a great video and will help prepare you into making tofu.
Vegan Poke Bowl Storage
To store, place in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. I would recommend removing the avocado. While it can last, I think they are always best fresh.
Vegan Poke Bowl With Dynamite Sauce by lifeonwesterlycreek on Jumprope.
In the mood for something else? Try one of my other favorite bowls, winter roasted veggie bowl.
Vegan Poke Bowl Topped with Dynamite Sauce
Equipment
- Baking sheet
- Large bowl
Ingredients
- 1 cup carrots, cut into matchsticks
- 1 cup edamame, shelled
- 1 avocado, sliced thin
- 1 cup red cabbage, sliced thin
- 1/2 tofu block, cube
- 4-6 sheets nori, crumbled (optional)
- 2 tablespoons corn starch
Tofu Sauce
- 2 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoon soy sauce
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon wasabi paste (optional)
Rice
- 2 cups cooked rice
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon sugar
Dynamite Sauce/Dressing
- ¼ cup veganaise
- 1 tablespoon sriracha
- ½ teaspoon rice vinegar
Instructions
Tofu
- Press the tofu to remove the water. Once the water has been removed, cut the tofu into small cubes.
- Toss or dust the tofu in corn starch.
- Mix the sauce (rice vinegar, soy sauce, wasabi, and garlic) and pour over the tofu. Sit for 5 – 10 minutes.
- Arrange tofu on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake the tofu at 425 for 25 – 30 minutes until tofu is crispy on the edges.
Rice
- Prepare rice as directed.
- (Optional) Microwave vinegar and sugar until sugar is dissolved (20 – 30 seconds)
- Mix rice with the vinegar and sugar. Stand until cool.
Dynamite Sauce/Dressing
- Combine veganaise, sriracha and rice vinegar.
Assembly
- Place one cup of rice in each bowl. Begin to layer each bowl with tofu and prepared veggies. Top with Dynamite dressing and nori (optional).
Notes
How to Make Dulce de Leche
Note: This post may contain affiliate sales links. Please see my full disclosure policy for details.
Dulce de Leche
My translation, caramelized heavenly milk
Actual translation, candy made from milk
Universal translation, damn that’s good!
What is Dulce de Leche?
For those of you who are new to dulce de leche, it is probably easiest to think of it as sweetened caramelized milk. It is made by reducing milk and sugar over low heat. It takes about an hour and a half to two hours to make, but like homemade caramel, it’s worth the work.
The exact origins of this sweet treat are a debate. Most believe that dulce de leche originated in Argentina. However, this is a continuous point and many Latin American countries claim to create this luscious sauce. Me, I say I don’t care who created it. I am just glad they did. So on behalf of American dulce de leche lovers, thank you, whoever you are (or were).
As much as I love it, I am embarrassed to admit that I did not discover dulce de leche until 2012. To be fair, I have been narrow in my dessert options until the last decade. However, I was getting married that summer and we wanted to offer two different types of desserts. We were eating at one of my favorite Denver restaurants, Tony P’s, and that is where I was introduced to dulce de leche. Tony’s cake introduced me to a whole new world of flavor. (Thank you, Tony!)
What is the Difference Between Dulce de Leche, Caramel and Butterscotch?
The truth is dulce de leche, caramel, and butterscotch are all very smilier and yet still very different. It took me some time before I could tell the difference between the three. Here is how I think of the differences…
Dulce de leche is made from slowly cooking milk and sugar together at a low temperature. The caramel color comes from the browning of the milk. Some recipes, including mine, use baking soda. By adding baking soda the cooking process is sped up (but note it still takes a long time to make).
Caramel is made from cooking granulated sugar at a high temperature. As the sugar melts, it caramelizes. To achieve caramelization, the temperature must reach between 240 – 245 degrees.
Butterscotch is made from cooking brown sugar with butter, also at a high temperature. Butterscotch has a sweeter flavor than caramel. It is also softer than caramel.
Easiest way to think of it…
- Dulce de Leche = Milk +Sugar
- Caramel = Sugar
- Butterscotch = Brown Sugar + Butter
What Can I Use it With?
I use dulce de leche where caramel is often used. In fact, I created this batch to use in a coffee cake recipe I am developing. There is enough leftover that I will also be using to make cinnamon rolls. Aka, there will be lots of dulce de leche recipes coming your way! Here are a few other places I think you will enjoy it.
Use as a topping on
- Budino
- Sundae’s
- Ice cream
- Doughnuts
- Cheesecakes
- Brownies/blondies
- Waffles
- Pancakes
Use as a filling with
- Cookies
- Macaron’s
- Cakes
- Crapes
- Swiss roll cake
- Trifle
- Tarts
- Chocolate
Use as a dip/mix with
- Apples
- Popcorn
- Strawberries
- Banana
- Marshmallow
- Pretzels
- Coffee
- Granola
How do I make It?
There are two common ways to make dulce de leche. One is the traditional Argentinian way and the other is using condensed milk. For this recipe, I am going to focus on the traditional Argentinian way. It is a slow process, but to be honest, I like the slow process. While the milk is caramelizing there is time to do other things in the kitchen. Just make sure you stay close towards the end so that you can stir the milk often.
Dulce de Leche Recipe
Equipment
- Heavy saucepan
Ingredients
- 4 cups whole milk
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 tbsp dark corn syrup
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1 cinnamon stick
Instructions
- In a heavy saucepan over medium heat add milk, sugar, dark corn syrup, and cinnamon stick and stir.
- Bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sugar has dissolved. Once the sugar has dissolved, add the baking soda and stir to combine.
- Reduce the heat to low and cook uncovered at a low simmer. Stir occasionally, but do not re-incorporate the foam that appears on the top of the mixture.
- Continue to cook until the mixture is a dark caramel color and has reduced to about 1 cup, approximately 1 1/2 to 2 hours.**About an hour into the process, stir more often to prevent the milk from burning.
- Remove from heat and transfer to a bowl to cool.
- Store in the refrigerator in a sealed container for up to a month.
Video
Dulce de Leche by lifeonwesterlycreek on Jumprope.
Winter Roasted Veggie Buddha Bowl (Vegan)
Note: This post may contain affiliate sales links. Please see my full disclosure policy for details.
The winter root veggies in this bowl are caramelized and then mixed with kale, quinoa, cannelloni beans, pistachios, and dried apricots. It is the perfect vegan buddha bowl to nourish your soul and body.
Buddha bowls are everywhere these days — and with good reason! They are healthy and always delicious. I love these bowls and go through entire phases where Buddha bowls are pretty much all I eat.
You might be asking, what exactly is a Buddha bowl? Honestly, the definition depends on the cook. Buddha bowls have no set rules. However, generally, a true Buddha bowl is filled with plant-based ingredients comprised of grains, veggies, nuts, dried fruit, and dressing.
If you’re looking to make this a meal, I recommend making one of my favorite bread recipes, easy yeast bread. With all the calories you saved, I won’t tell anyone if you want to top this meal off with a mint chocolate lava cake and make it a date night.
Winter Roasted Veggie Buddha Bowl Ingredients
I am writing this towards the end of January and root veggies match the season. Root vegetables are hearty, bursting full of flavor, and deeply satisfying on cold winter days. Below is a quick rundown of the vegetables I used to make this recipe. Feel free to swap out the ingredients with what is stocked in your pantry or currently available at your store. That’s the nice thing about Buddha bowls, they are very flexible and forgiving.
- Red quinoa – Is rich in protein, fiber, and many important vitamins and minerals. Red quinoa is also higher in antioxidants than other varieties of quinoa. If you cannot find red quinoa, you can substitute it with another variety or any other whole grain. (Brown rice, bulgar, etc.)
- Red kale – Also called Russian kale, has a sweeter and buttery flavor than traditional kale. I prefer this variety because of the milder flavor. Other substitutes you can use include regular kale, romaine, or spring lettuce mix.
- Carrots – You can use traditional orange carrots or rainbow carrots. Personally, I love rainbow carrots because they help me to “eat the rainbow”. However, the flavor is pretty much the same.
- Cauliflower – I used white cauliflower to add white into the mix. However, there is not much difference in taste between the different varieties and I recommend you use the color of cauliflower you prefer.
- Purple potatoes – These are my absolute favorite potato! They are the right size and taste great. These potatoes are indigenous to the Andes and are packed with antioxidants! You can substitute purple potatoes with red or sweet potato, either would taste great!
- Cannelloni beans – These beans are packed with fiber and protein. I really like cannelloni beans in this Buddha bowl because of their mild flavor. I recommend staying with this variety if possible and letting the vegetables be the star of the show.
- Pistachios – Did you know that pistachios are a member of the cashew family? They are from small trees found in Central Asia. Besides that random bit of trivia, pistachios taste great! I love them in this salad because they add a variety of flavor that is unexpected. Cut them into small pieces or set your food processor to chop and hit pulse a couple of times. However be careful not to over-process the pistachios, they can quickly become dust.
- Dried apricots – The nice thing about dried fruit is they have a rich deep flavor. These dried apricots are no different. Cut them into small pieces and sprinkle them over the salad. They provide a sweet surprise in every bite.
Tips to Perfectly Oven Roast Vegetables
The real star of this Buddha bowl is the oven-roasted carrots, cauliflower, purple potatoes. When done correctly, the vegetables actually caramelize. There are a few tricks to getting the caramelization right. It’s just a little bit of extra work and completely worth it!
Trick One: Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees. The high heat is necessary for the vegetables to caramelize.
Trick Two: Clean the vegetables and pat them dry. Super dry. If there is water on the vegetable then it will steam instead of caramelizing. However, note that pealing is a personal choice. I prefer to leave the peel on, my husband prefers root vegetables peeled. Either way is good.
Trick Three: Cut the vegetables into bite-sized pieces. For the carrots, I like them whole. However the thicker carrots I split them in half so they would cook evenly with the thinner carrots.
Trick Four: Spread the vegetables out on the baking sheet and give them lots of room. Space allows your vegetables will roast, rather than steam.
Trick Five: Embrace the char! The charing on roasted vegetables taste so good! Even if you can pierce a veggie with a fork (the sign the vegetable is fully cooked), you might want to continue roasting the vegetable until you have charred points (see the cauliflower below).
How to Make a Buddha Bowl
If you want to make your own Buddha bowl or make adjustments to my recipe, use these five components as a roadmap to the recipe.
- Whole or ancient grains – This is the foundation of your bowl. Aim for 2 -3 cups. of brown rice, quinoa, bulgar, or other whole grains.
- Veggies – An assortment of veggies in all types of colors –and pile them on!
- Protein – Beans, legumes, or tofu are great choices. Aim for half to one full cup.
- Sprinkles of flavor – Nuts, seeds, and dried fruits are great choices. Limit to 1 – 2 tablespoons.
- Drizzle with dressing – Make your own, it’s so easy. But go simple. The goal here is to accentuate the flavor, not to drown it.
For more information about Buddha bowls, I recommend visiting the Forks Over Knives website. They are an amazing resource for plant-based cooking. I personally love their cookbooks, magazines, and their film on Netflix.
Winter Roasted Veggie Buddha Bowl (Vegan)
Ingredients
- 1 bunch red kale
- 1 bunch carrots
- 1/2 head cauliflower
- 6-8 purple potatoes
- 1 cup cannellini beans
- 1/4 cup dried apricots
- 1/2 red quinoa (uncooked)
- 1/4 pistachios (unsalted or low salt if available)
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 tbsp balsamic vinaigrette reduction
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Oven Roasting the Vegetables
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- Wash the carrots, potatoes, and cauliflower. Peel the carrots and potatoes if desired.
- Pat the vegetables dry, super dry, and cut into bite-sized pieces.
- Toss the vegetables with one tablespoon of olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Arrange the vegetables on the baking sheet. Be sure to give the vegetables lots of room on the baking sheet and use two sheets if needed.
- Using a spatula, rotate the vegetables every 15 minutes to ensure they cook evenly.
Preparing the Other Ingredients
- Prepare the quinoa according to the directions.
- Remove the stems on kale and chop the kale finely.
- Once the quinoa has cooled, toss the quinoa and kale together.
- Mix 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 1/2 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar reduction together (this is your dressing). Pour half of the dressing over the quinoa and kale, sprinkle with salt, and toss well.
- Rinse the beans and set them aside.
- Using a food processor or a knife, chop the dried apricots and pistachios into small pieces.
Arranging the Buddha Bowl
- Arrange the kale/quinoa, potatoes, carrots, cauliflower, cannellini beans in separate sections in each Buddha bowls.
- Drizzle the remaining dressing over the potatoes, carrots, cauliflower, and cannellini beans.
- Sprinkle the pistachios and dried apricots across the top.
- Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.
Notes
- A traditional Buddha bowl has the vegetables and grains in different segments and then is sprinkled with dressing, fruit, and nuts on top. However, I often toss mine together like a giant salad. I believe this a personal preference and either way work.
- I portioned this out into two very large Buddha bowls. This recipe can easily be 4 Buddha bowls depending on your appetite.
- I tend to use very light dressing and seasoning in my bowls. If you prefer more flavor you can:
- Add additional seasoning to the veggies like rosemary, turmeric, or garlic halfway through the cooking process.
- Add 1/2 – 1 full tablespoon of tahini, mustard, lemon, or honey to the dressing.
Best Lebanese Tabbouleh Salad (Tabouli)
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Tabbouleh or tabouli is a traditional Lebanese salad full of flavor from parsley, tomatoes, green onions, bulgur wheat, lemon, olive oil, and mint.
This salad is known for its fresh taste and health benefits popular with the Mediterranean Diet.
I say tabbouleh, you say tabouli. Call it whatever you want, at the end of the day it’s all the same amazing salad full of fresh clean flavor. I have watched its popularity grow over the years and it’s now a fairly common option. There are many great takes on tabbouleh, however, if you’re going to have authentic Lebanese tabbouleh you need to know it is parsley-based. Yep, that’s right. Parsley. (I have actually had people argue this with me as if I was not Lebanese.)
Parsley seems unusual in western tastes. However, trust me, the flavors all come together and it’s works wonderfully. If you’re looking for a meal, I would recommend pairing this with my pasta puttanesca or creamy mushroom soup with baby bella’s. I know, not Lebanese, but it works.
Tabbouleh Ingredients
One of my favorite things about tabbouleh is how easy it is to make. You only need six ingredients and the recipe comes together in 20 minutes.
Parsley – You can use either curly or flat-leaf parsley. When preparing the parsley, I prefer to cut the parsley finely by hand. I have seen other people use a blender or a food processor and both work. However, I find the cutting the parsley by hand results in a fluffier salad. To do this, I simply chop off the bottom half of the parsley bunch. I then chop the top half, stems, and all, very finely. For fine chopping, I prefer a mezzaluna knife. It’ makes chopping so much easier.
Tomatoes – I prefer roma tomato’s, however, any tomato will work. Prepare the tomato by cutting the tomato in half and removing the seeds/liquid part of the tomato. It’s like a salad spinner for your tomato’s and keeps the water content in your salad down. The tomato still has great flavor and the salad will last longer in the refrigerator.
Green Onions – Are really baby onions. They provide a subtle flavor that supports the stars of this show, parsley, and lemon. Thinly slice the onion using the full onion (both the white and green sections).
Bulgur Wheat – Has a very subtle light, nutty flavor. My favorite thing about bulgur wheat is how easy it is to make. All you need to do is soak it in water for 20 minutes, fluff with a fork, and you’re done. Lately, I have been having a harder time finding bulgur wheat. I normally buy whatever I can find or have it delivered. If I cannot find bulgur wheat I like to use pearl (Israeli) couscous or quinoa. they are both very different in terms of texture, but both work great in tabbouleh.
Lemon – The sharp and tangy flavor of lemon is key to making a traditional tabbouleh. Use only a fresh lemon. There is no other substitute.
Mint – The coolness of mint with the sharpness of lemon is refreshing and an absolute must ingredient. The mint should be finely chopped and to achieve this, use the sharpest knife you have or a mezzaluna knife.
Olive oil – Extra virgin olive oil. There is no other choice:)
Salt and Pepper – To taste.
Non-Traditional Options
I am a straightforward traditional tabbouleh kind of girl. However, sometimes my family will ask for changes to the recipe. Here are a couple of options.
Cucumbers – These always taste great with Tabbouleh. To add them, scoop out the seeds and cut the cucumber into small pieces so that it blends with finely chopped parsley and tomatoes.
Garbanzo Beans – We sometimes add these as protein to the tabbouleh and make it meal.
Feta – For a Greek feel you can add feta. In this instance, I would increase the bulgar wheat ratio and decrease the parsley ratio for the best flavor balance.
Best Lebanese Tabbouleh Salad (Tabouli)
Ingredients
- 2 bunches parsley
- 3 roma tomatoes
- 3 green onions
- 1/4 cup bulgur wheat
- 6 fresh mint leaves
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 3 tbsp lemon
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Prepare the bulgur wheat according to the instructions. Set aside while soaking.
- Rinse and dry the vegetables. Remove the lower half of the parsley and finely chop the top half of parsley, stems, and all. The parsley should be chopped very finely.
- Cut the roma tomatoes in half and scoop out the seeds (the wet interior). Finally, dice the tomatoes.
- Thinly slice the green onion, including both the white and green parts.
- Finely chop the mint leaves
- Mix the olive oil and lemon juice. This is your dressing
- Mix all the vegetables, bulgar wheat, mint, and dressing. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Notes
Kale Salad with Apples and Pomegranate
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This kale salad pairs the lightness of crisp apple, sweet raisins, tangy goat cheese, and hearty walnuts tossed in a simple balsamic vinaigrette. These flavors come together to make the perfect salad. Enjoy this salad by itself or as a main course. Either way, you’re going to want more!
Few things are better than a good salad. Packed full of fresh flavors, this salad is satisfying and nutritious. For the base, I used my favorite salad ingredient, kale. This leafy green powerhouse is one of the most nutrient-dense foods on the planet and is loaded with antioxidants. Besides all of that, when the bitterness of kale is paired with the sweetness of fruit the result is perfectly balanced flavors.
What I love about this Kale Salad with Apples and Pomegranate, it’s
1. Super easy to make and comes together in 15 minutes
2. Easily made vegan and still tastes great, just remove the goat cheese
3. Perfect by itself, but also goes great with my easy yeast bread and/or my creamy mushroom soup with baby bella’s recipes.
Let’s Get Started Making Kale Salad with Apples and Pomegranate
This salad only takes nine ingredients, some you might already have.
- Kale
- Apple
- Pomegranate
- Golden Raisins
- Walnuts
- Goat Cheese
- Olive Oil
- Balsamic Vinegar Reduction
- Salt
The first step to making a great kale salad is to de-rib the kale then cut the kale into small pieces. Next, mix the dressing and toss the dressing into the kale. I like to use salad tongs to toss the salad. This method reduces the amount of dressing needed and ensures even distribution. Sprinkle the kale with salt and set aside. The oil from the dressing and the salt will help to soften the kale.
Next slice the apple to the desired size. For the picture above I use a chef’s knife to cut the apple. Using the tip of my knife, I place at the fine tip of the edge on the apple and slice through to the middle of the blade. This technique creates a thinly sliced apple.
The next step is to cut open the pomegranate. If you know how great, if you need help read the section below.
Once all the ingredients are prepped, arrange them on top of the kale. Since the dressing is already on the kale it’s super easy to make a good-looking salad top.
How to Cut a Pomegranate
Cutting a pomegranate stumped me for longer than I would like to admit. After trying once and having a red mess all over my kitchen it took me a few years before I tried again. Determined to master how to cut a pomegranate correctly, I watched a couple of video’s and I could not believe how easy it was. Let me show you my method in four easy steps.
Step One: Cut a square across the top 
Step Two: Remove the top 
Step Three: Cut down the sides along veins. 
Step Four: Pull the pomegranate apart along the cuts.
The seeds are now easier to remove.
Now isn’t that easy? Now that you know how to do it, you will never be able to pass up a pomegranate again!
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Vegetarian Pot Pie with Mushrooms and Thyme
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This rich and wholesome vegetarian pot pie is filled with a mushroom gravy in a homemade flaky crust. It’s so good, it’s worth all the carbs!
To me, winter is all about warm cozy comfort foods and I can’t think of many foods that are more warm and cozy than a vegetarian pot pie! This particular pot pie is filled with rich mushroom gravy and served in a flaky crust. The flavors are warm, wholesome, and certainly not low carb. But I promise it is worth all the carbs!
You can make this recipe over the course of an afternoon or in stages throughout a couple of days. It’s really up to you and how much time you have. I chose to make this over a couple of days and I loved the slower process.
Also, this vegetarian pot pies recipe might look longer and more complicated than it really is. That is because when I write out the instructions I try to be very detailed and take them step by step. This is how I like to read instructions. If you are reading this and you feel the instructions are too much or unnecessarily long, kindly let me know. I would love your feedback!
Vegetarian Pot Pie Variations
I made this pot pie as part of my personal Great British Baking Show challenge. Within that challenge, I made the pie dough from scratch. It’s not as much work as you might think, but I totally get why you would prefer an alternative. Below are a couple of variations on crusts and bakeware that you can use to modify the recipe to fit your lifestyle.
Variations – Crusts
When it comes to baking pies there are several different ways to crust a pie. For these instructions, I am writing out two basic pot pie variations, double-crusted and top-crusted.
- Variation #1, Double crusted – the bottom and the top of the pie are crusted. A traditional American apple pie is an example of double-crusted pies.
- Variation #2, Top crust – Just the top of the pie has a crust. A skillet meat or pot pie would be an example.
I chose to make to my mushroom pot pie double crusted. The upside was I had the rich pot pie I was craving. However the down side was it only made three pot pies. If you would like a larger pot pie I recommend making the gravy and adding extra fillings in a skillet. Than baking the pot pie with just a top crust in the oven.
Variations – Types of Crusts
Here are a couple of pie variations to choose from:
- Make the crust using the recipe below. The upside is this crust is homemade with no preservatives or funky ingredients.
- Buy a frozen pie crust at the store. If your a vegetarian check the ingredients. Often these crusts are made with lard.
- Use a phyllo dough as a crust. You can use phyllo dough on top or as a double-crusted pie. Be sure to use butter or cooking spray in between the layers for the full flake.
- Top with store-bought biscuits or my homemade Perfect Biscuit Recipe
Variations – Individual Pot Pie Bakeware Options
If you are like me you don’t have tons of random bakeware sitting around for that one time you bake something. In those instances, you have a couple of options.
- Ramekins – Large ceramic ramekins work great for this. Depending on your preference you can top or double-crust your pot pie
- Ceramic bakeware – There are many options on Amazon, such as these or these. You can also try your luck at a thrift store. The ceramic pots in the picture I found at Good Will for $2 each and I love them.
- Enameled cast ironed dutch ovens – I would recommend using a 1.5-quart pot for this recipe. There are lots of cute options on Amazon.
- Tinfoil – If your not sure you want to invest in bakeware I totally understand. There are always the tin foil options such as these.
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Great British Baking Show Bake
Season 1, Episode 5, Showstopper – Pastry
I am so excited to reach the pasty point in the challenge. I have always wanted to make the pastry, but I was too afraid to try. After watching 10 seasons of the Great British Baking Show, I knew I could successfully make a pastry, I just needed a reason to try.
When this challenge came around I was so excited to roll my sleeves up. I spent weeks researching the perfect savory pie. Being a vegetarian I felt as though I was limited. Then, I decided to make a mushroom pot pie. I was so excited about this recipe that I no longer felt limited.
When I sat down to eat, I could not believe how good this mushroom pot pie was. Like as in the best thing I can remember eating in ages. It did take a lot of time to make, but that was because I had my heart set on trying a recipe I found in Bon Appetit. The recipe was complex. I took my time and made it over three days. I am glad I did because I thoroughly enjoyed the process.
Even better, no soggy bottoms!
Count: 12 down, 266 to go!
Vegetarian Pot Pies with Mushrooms and Thyme
Equipment
- Oven-safe skillet, ramekins, or other individual pot pie containers such as tin foil, small ceramic bowls, small enameled cast iron, etc.)
Ingredients
Pie Crust/Dough
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup butter diced into small pieces
- 1 large egg
- 1 tbsp while vinegar
- â…“ cup ice water
Mushroom Gravy
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 5 tbsp butter – unsalted and divided
- 1 medium onion – diced
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 pound button or crimini mushrooms – stemmed and sliced
- 1/2 cup dry sherry
- 4 cups vegetarian broth
- 1/4 cup dried porcini mushrooms
- 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
Filling
- 1/2 bulb fennel
- 1 cup pearl onions – peeled
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter – divided
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2 sprigs thyme
- 8 oz oyster or wild mushroom combination
Assembly
- Flour – dusting
- 1 large egg
- flaky sea salt
Instructions
Step One: Pie Crust/Dough
- Whisk flour and salt in a large bowl to ensure even distribution of salt throughout the flour.
- Work in butter with your fingers until only pea-size pieces remain. *You will want to do this quickly to ensure the butter stays cold. The cold butter creates the flakes in the dough.
- Combine egg, vinegar, and â…“ cup ice water in a small bowl and drizzle over flour mixture. You will want to work quickly. the dough should be shaggy.
- Move the shaggy dough to a work surface. Work just enough to form a ball with no dry spots. Be careful not to overwork the dough and fully incorporate the butter.
- Wrap in plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator for at least two hours.
- The dough can be stored in the refrigerator for up to three days.
Step Two: Mushroom Gravy
- Heat oil and 2 Tbsp. butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
- Add the onion and cook until they are very soft, about 10-12 minutes.
- Stir in the tomato paste until the onions are completely coated. Cook for an additional minute.
- Add button mushrooms and cook 12–15 minutes. During this time only stir the mushrooms 2 – 3 times, allowing them to brown.
- Add sherry and cook for five minutes, until the sherry has almost completely evaporated.
- Add the vegetable broth and porcini mushrooms and cook for one hour, until the liquids have reduced by half.
- Pour the mushrooms into a strainer, separating the mushrooms from the liquid. Press down on the mushrooms to squeeze as much liquid as possible out of them. Then discard the mushrooms and save the liquid broth.
- Heat remaining 3 Tbsp. butter in a large saucepan over medium heat.
- Using a whisk, continually whisk in flour to avoid lumps until there is a nutty smell, about 4 minutes.
- USE CAUTION HERE: Slowly add 1/4 mushroom broth. The flour and butter mixture will rapidly increase bubbling. Continue to add in the remaining mushroom broth slowly while whisking vigorously. *This step is similar to making caramel.
- Simmer for one minute and then remove from heat.
- Mushroom gravy can be in a refrigerator in an air-tight container for three days.
Step Three: Filling and Assembly
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
- In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, combine, fennel, pearl onions, 1 tablespoon of butter, 1 cup of water, a dash of salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Then reduce heat and cover for 5 minutes.
- Uncover and cook for 15 – 18 minutes until the liquid has evaporated. Let cool
- Heat remaining 2 Tbsp. butter in a large skillet over medium.
- Add thyme sprigs and mushrooms, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms are browned and tender, 6–8 minutes. Let cool and remove the thyme.
- Mix mushroom gravy in with the filling. This will be referred to as the filling below.
Variation #1 – Double Crusted Pot Pies
- Beat the large egg and add a pinch of salt. Set aside.
- Lightly dust a flat surface.
- Remove the dough from the refrigerator.
- Divide the dough and filling according to the number of pie dishes you wish to fill.
- For each pie, roll the dough into two pieces, one to form the bottom and the sides and the other to go on top. The dough should be an 1/4 inch thickness and about 1/2 an inch larger for both pieces.
- Place the dough around the inside of the individual pie dish and leave the 1/2 hanging over the side.
- Fill the inside of the pot pie with the gravy mushroom filling mixture.
- Top the the pie with the second piece of rolled-out dough and then pinch the sides together.
- Cut the three to four vent slats in the top.
- Repeat until all pies are filled.
- Set pot pies on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until crusts are golden brown and domed. About 25–35 minutes.
- This recipe should make 2 – 3 double-crusted pies depending on the size of the bakeware.
Variation #2 – Top Crusted Pot Pies
- Beat the large egg and add a pinch of salt. Set aside.
- Lightly dust a flat surface.
- Remove the dough from the refrigerator.
- Roll out to a 1/4 inch thickness.
- Place the filling in an oven-proof skillet.
- Top the skillet with the rolled-out dough. You can cramp the edges for a visual look.
- Cut three to four slats in the top of the dough to vent the heat.
- Bake at 425 for 25 – 35 minutes, until the top is domed and golden brown.
Notes
Pasta Puttanesca with Kalamata Olives and Capers
Pasta Puttanesca is worth every sinfully garlic, salty, and spicy bite!
(and ready in 30 minutes!)
Pasta puttanesca is a tomato-based sauce that is packed with the salty deliciousness of olives and capers. The finish has a spicy kick. This pasta is perfect on a cold day or cold on a hot day. Who am I kidding, is pasta dish is perfect for any day!
This dish is super simple to make and is ready in less than 30 minutes. You can make it for any occasion. However if you make it for your date I am willing to bet you will never be single again. Yep, it’s that good.
Pasta Puttanesca Ingredients (most of them you probably already have)
To make pasta puttanesca you need only 10 – 12 ingredients, depending on your garnish choices.
- Olive oil
- Red onion (optional)
- Cherry tomatoes
- Red pepper flakes
- Garlic
- In the recipe, I wrote to use 5 garlic cloves. Honestly, I probably used at least 10. But I really love garlic, probably more than most people. I would adjust the use of garlic to your personal taste.
- Anchovy paste
- I used anchovy paste. But if you prefer, you can use canned anchovies. If you choose the canned option, saute the anchovies with garlic, onions, and olive oil. As the anchovy’s cook they will become very soft. Using your spatula mash them up.
- Diced tomatoes
- I like my pasta sauce on the drier side so I used one can. If you like your sauce on the wetter side I recommend using two cans.
- Kalamata olives
- Capers
- Pasta
- Pasta Puttanesca is normally made with medium-sized noodle-like spaghetti. I prefer angel hair so I used that type of pasta. Use the width of noodle you prefer.
- Basil, parsley, and/or parmesan as a garnish.
Additional Toppings Ideas
This dish is perfect on its own. However, it’s also really good with a variety of toppings. I like mine with shrimp (my husband makes the best shrimp )Here are a few ideas if you want to add to your dish:
- Shrimp
- Scallops
- Chicken
- Scallops
- Spicy sausage
- Salmon
Let’s Get Started
Start by slicing the garlic as thin as you can get it and dice the red onion.
Heat the olive oil in the pan over medium heat and then add the garlic and red onion. Once the garlic becomes fragrant, add the anchovies or anchovy paste.
Saute with Garlic, Red Onion and Anchovy
Add the cherry tomatoes and cook for five minutes, allowing them enough time to blister.
Add the canned tomatoes.
Shown below is one can of tomatoes. I tend to like my pasta on the drier side. If you like your pasta on the wetter side, add two cans of tomatoes.
While the tomatoes are simmering. Cook the pasta according to the instructions, minus two minutes. Drain the pasta and add to the puttanesca sauce. Cook for an additional two minutes.
When your ready, plate the pasta puttanesca and garnish as desired. For my garnish I used basil, parsley and parmesan cheese.
Make it a date night and follow my fresh bread
and butterscotch budino recipes for the perfect dinner.
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Pasta Puttanesca with Kalamata Olives and Capers
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 cup red onion, diced
- 5 garlic cloves, sliced thinly
- 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 tbsp anchovy paste
- 10 oz cherry tomatoes
- 14 – 28 oz diced tomatoes (depending on personal preference)
- 1/2 cup kalamata olives
- 2 tbsp capers
- 1 pound pasta
- parmesan as desired
- chopped basil, parsley, and/or oregano as garnish
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a large skillet, heat the olive oil then add the red onion garlic, and crushed red pepper flakes over medium heat. Cook for 4-5 minutes.
- Add the anchovy paste and mix well.
- Add the cherry tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes.
- Add the canned tomatoes and cook for 10 minutes or until the tomatoes become jam-like.
- Add the olives and capers
- While the sauce cooks, bring a large stockpot of water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook two minutes less than instructed on the package.
- Transfer the cooked pasta to the sauce, toss, and to cook for 2 more minutes.
- Add garnish and cheese as desired.
The Ultimate Antioxidant Detox Salad
This ultimate antioxidant detox salad has every color in the rainbow,
is very nutrient-dense, incredibly delicious, and whole-food nutritious.
Do you ever have days where you have eaten too many bad things? Me too! For me it is normally too many carbs, sugars, and dairy. The result is I start to feel sluggish and tired. The fatigue is my body telling me it’s time to change my diet and eat foods loaded in nutrients.
This particular detox salad is chocked full of whole foods and freshness. If you’re making this salad, use fruits in veggies that are in season. The food will be at its prime in terms of nutrients and budget. If there are items below that you do not have or are not in season, it’s ok. Just eliminate that item or swap it out for something else. Have fun making this salad and be sure to use fruits and vegetables you enjoy.
Key’s to Making a Good Antioxidant Detox Salad
There are four essential keys to making a good detox salad
- Use kale – this vegetable is the ultimate in terms of detox.
- Offset the bitterness of the kale with sweet fruits and vegetables
- Use only fresh fruits and vegetables
- Make your own salad dressing
How to Make the Ultimate Detox Salad
My goal was to pack as many nutrients into each bite of this salad as possible. To do this, I started with a rough chop of kale, broccoli, parsley, and red cabbage. Working in small batches, use the food processor on the chop setting, to achieve a very finely chopped salad base.
Rough Chop 
Food Processor Chop 
Food Processor Chop Close Up
After the base of the salad has been created, I toss the base with dressing and salt. This has three benefits…..
1. You will use less dressing
2. The dressing evenly distributed throughout the base of the salad.
3. The salt and oil combination will help to soften the kale.
The next step is to assemble the top of your salad. I like to do this in zones that create a dramatic look and give it that “wow” factor.
Ultimate Antioxidant Detox Salad 
Ultimate Antioxidant Detox Salad Tossed and Plated
Health Benefits of Each Ingredient Used
| Item | Color | Benefit |
| Red Cabbage | Red | A half-cup contains about 45% of the daily recommended amount of vitamin C and is a good source of fiber, vitamin A and potassium. |
| Pomegranate | Red | One pomegranate gives you about 28 mg of vitamin C, which is almost 50 percent of your daily recommended intake. Pomegranate is also rich in vitamins B and C as well as potassium, protein, carbohydrates, and fiber. |
| Carrots | Orange | One-half cup can give you up to 73% of vitamin A. Carrots are also an excellent source of vitamin C and fiber. |
| Opal Apple | Yellow | Rich in vitamin C and fiber, along with smaller amounts of vitamin A, calcium, and iron. |
| Lemon | Yellow | Excellent source of vitamin C and has been known to help skin, immune system, reduce the risk of complications from a cold or flu, and reduce inflammation in the body. |
| Kale | Green | Kale is among the most nutrient-dense vegetables on the planet. Kale is rich in antioxidants and packed with vitamins A (206%), K (684%), C (134%), and B6 (9%), especially folate. It has a fair amount of protein and iron and has more vitamin C than other leafy greens. It’s also high in fiber, and has more calcium, gram for gram, than a cup of milk. Researchers have even found that the phytochemicals in Kale may inhibit cancer cell growth. |
| Broccoli | Green | One cup of broccoli contains 134% vitamin C and 116% vitamin D. A valuable source of carotenoids that have antioxidant properties capable of preventing and reducing risks of cancer and cardiovascular diseases. |
| Parsley | Green | A good source of vitamins A, B, C, and K, and the minerals iron, potassium, and copper. Parsley has antifungal, antiseptic, and anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties. Parsley is used as a pallet cleanser and digestive aid. |
| Avocado | Green | Rich in B vitamins and vitamin K with good content of C, E and potassium. |
| Blueberry’s | Blue | Excellent source of antioxidants, vitamins C and K, manganese, copper and fiber. |
| Ginger | Anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antiviral, and other healthful properties. | |
| Garbanzo Beans | Contain folate, magnesium, and insoluble fiber. | |
| Almonds | Ounce for ounce, almonds are higher in fiber, calcium, vitamin E, riboflavin, and niacin than any other tree nut. Rich in vitamin E, magnesium, riboflavin, calcium, and potassium. | |
| Sunflower Seeds | Great source of amino acids, dietary fiber, vitamin B, vitamin E, and minerals such as copper, magnesium, iron, potassium, manganese, calcium, phosphorus, selenium, and zinc. | |
| Olive Oil | Source of omega-3 fatty acids, high antioxidant, anti-cancer agents (such as squalene and terpenoids). |
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In the Mood for Something Else? Try one of these recipes instead.
The Ultimate Antioxidant Detox Salad
Equipment
- Food Processor
Ingredients
- 4 cups kale
- 4 broccoli crowns
- 1/3 red cabbage
- 1 parsley bunch
- 1/2 cup pomegranate
- 1/2 cup blueberries
- 1 cup shredded carrots
- 1 cup garbanzo beans
- 1 apple (opal if available)
- 1/4 cup almonds (sliced)
- 1/4 cup sunflower seeds
- 1/2 avocado (diced)
Dressing
- 1/2 fresh-squeezed lemon
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/4 ginger knob
- 2 tbsp agave nectar
Instructions
- Mix the lemon, olive oil, ginger, and agave nectar and set aside. This is your dressing.
- Rough cut the kale, broccoli, red cabbage, and parsley.
- Placed the rough cut items in a food processor and process into small pieces.
- Take the small processed pieces and toss them with the dressing. This is your salad base.
- Arrange the other items on top of your salad base to create a dramatic-looking salad.
Creamy Mushroom Soup with Baby Bella’s
Homemade Creamy Mushroom Soup with baby bella’s has a rich flavor and is so easy to make, you will never buy mushroom soup from the can again!
Growing up I only ever had condensed cream of mushroom soup in the can. The most boring soup on earth. By only having that type of mushroom soup, I missed out on just how amazing creamy mushroom soup really is.
Then, one day in my 20’s, I had the real deal, real creamy mushroom soup. It was at a restaurant I use to work at while in college. We had creamy mushroom soup on our fall menu and I could not get enough of it. The flavor was mind-blowing. I had no idea mushrooms could taste like that. It was rich, full of flavor and I would have it every day before my shift. It was that perfect.
Fast forward several years and I still love the heavy cream version of mushroom soup, but my waistline does not. So I have adapted the recipe to have more broth and less cream. Hence creamy instead of cream. However, the cream (and butter) are still there, giving this soup the full flavor without the full fat. I promise, once you have this soup, it’s the only mushroom soup you will ever want again!
What makes this Creamy Mushroom Soup with Baby Bella’s so Special?
There are lots of creamy mushroom soup recipes, so what makes this creamy mushrooms soup with baby bella’s so special? It’s the slow cook of the mushrooms that bring out their rich flavor. You can use any combination of mushrooms for this recipe. For me, I try to stick with what is in season, in the budget, and in stock at the store. Therefore, I went with a combination of buttons and baby bella mushrooms. Feel free to work with whichever combination of mushrooms you prefer. They all taste great!
What are the Different Types of Mushrooms I can use?
There are so many different types of mushrooms that it can be confusing. Because I love all mushrooms I think any kind will work. However, here is a quick list of common mushroom types sold at most grocery stores. Choose any combination of mushrooms you prefer.
- Button – These are the most common mushrooms you will find at the store. They are also called baby or white mushrooms.
- Cremini (baby bella) – Are dark brown and firmer than the common white button mushroom.
- Portobello – The full-grown stage of the button mushroom’s life.
- Oyster – Are mild and sweet flavored (and look a little funny).
- Shiitake – Fresh shiitake have a light woodsy flavor and aroma, while their dried counterparts’ flavor is more intense.
- Chanterelle – Golden-hued, fleshy, and firm, they have an apricot-like scent.
- Morel- Have a spongy look and woodsy flavor
- Porcino- Are known for their smooth texture and aromatic, woodsy flavor.
How to Cook Mushrooms for Maximum Flavor
In order to bring out the full flavor of the mushrooms you must saute them. Here are a few tricks to bring out their full flavor.
- Stir the mushrooms well to coat them in the remaining olive oil that was used while cooking the onions.
- Then add a pinch of salt to the mushrooms. The salt will flavor the mushrooms, but it will also draw out any moisture in them as well.
- Distribute the mushrooms evenly across the bottom of the pot.
- This is the hardest part, do not touch the mushrooms for 5 minutes. It is in this stage the moisture evaporates and the heat brings out the full flavor of the mushroom. (I call this the darkening of the mushrooms phase.)
- Once you have reached the darkening of the mushrooms, then you can add the sherry. The sherry will enhance the flavor and bring a new layer of complexity to the taste.
Garnish Options
This soup is amazing on its own and honestly, I prefer it with no garnish. I actually paired it with my easy yeast bread and it is a perfect dinner. However, not everyone in my family feels the same way. There are so many different options that will work, but here are a few ideas.
- Mushrooms
- Green onions
- Garlic croutons
- Parsley
- Chives
- Thyme
- Bacon
- Cream
- Parmesan cheese
In the Mood for Something Else? Try One of These Recipes Instead
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Creamy Mushroom Soup with Baby Bella’s
Equipment
- Stick blender
Ingredients
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in the bottom of a dutch oven or stockpot
- Saute the onion for 2 – 3 minutes over medium heat.
- Add the garlic, thyme, and a pinch of salt. Saute for another minute.
- Add the mushrooms and let saute undisturbed for 5 minutes.
- Stir the mushroom and then sprinkle the flour over the mushrooms. Let cook for 3 minutes.
- Stir and then add the sherry. Cook for an additional 3 – 5 minutes
- Add the stock and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat, cover, and allow to simmer for 20 minutes.
- Use the stick blender to blend soup until desired creaminess.
- Remove from heat and add the cream.
- Top with preferred garnish.
Amazing Colorado Style Green Chile (Chili) Recipe – Spicy!
Colorado style green chile incorporates tomato’s and slow cooking to give this chile a rich hearty flavor that distinguishes it from other versions of green chile. To me, green chile is an art that should not be rushed. It is best slow cooked all day to allow the flavors to blend, or as my mother would say, marry. But if you don’t have time for a long slow cook, that’s ok, it’s still good even when made quickly.
Colorado style green chile can be made vegan, vegetarian or with meat (pork or chicken). I will show you how to make it vegetarian and write the modifications if you prefer it vegan or with meat (pork or chicken). All variations of Colorado style green chile taste great (or so I am told).
We love this green chile so much every fall we buy the chile’s in bulk, freeze them and use this recipe to make the chile in large batches. We then can the green chile and eat it all year (and give lots of it away). We use this green chile on just about everything — eggs, burrito’s, enchilada’s, nacho’s, burgers and as a stew. My personal favorite way to eat Colorado Style Green Chile as a stew. Because it’s can be very spicy depending on the chile, I load it up with cheese and sour cream to cool it off. I then, shamelessly, eat it with Frito Scoops. It’s not exactly low fat, but it’s soooo worth it!
Buying Chile’s
To start you have to choose your green chile’s. There are lots of options to choose from:
- Buying green chile’s road side and having them fire roasted on the spot (Seasonal)
- This is my preferred method, but not an option for everyone
- If you choose this method click here for link on how to safely clean the chile’s
- Frozen roasted green chile’s
- This is a great option because it saves you time and energy from cleaning the chile’s
- You can sometimes find these at specialized grocery stores or you can order green chile’s on line. When ordering on line you might have to purchase in a large quantity which can be expensive.
- Depending on how much you like green chile this might or might not be the best option.
- Buying green chile’s at your grocery store and roasting them yourself (Seasonal)
- This is the same preparation method you would follow for poblano peppers
- You must blister the pepper and remove this skin or you won’t get a result
- Here is a link on how to do this
- Buying green chile’s canned (Year around)
- If you choose this method try to find a fire roasted canned chile.
- The fire roasting adds a flavor that cannot be beat!
Photo credit Tony’s Market.
Preparing to Make Colorado Style Green Chile
Preparing to make the chile is pretty easy. In fact making the chile is very easy. All you need to do is prep a few ingredients, make some roux and give the chile flavors lots of time in large pot, dutch oven or crock-pot to marry.
I cook this either on the stove or in a crock-pot. The stove top is more work, but I enjoy the process of checking the chile, giving it a stir, tasting it and adding more garlic, salt, etc if need. The crock pot is nice because I never have to worry about stirring it.
Crock-pot Method — If you choose to cook it in the crock-pot, sauté your onions until translucent and then add garlic, chile, jalapeno’s, tomato’s and spices until soft. Then move them to a crock-pot. Add the fire roasted tomato’s, broth and roux. Let simmer. Adjust garlic and salt as needed (I like a lot of both) and then add a pinch or two or sugar and your done!
Stove Top Method — Sauté your onions until translucent and then add garlic, chile, jalapeno’s, tomato’s and spices until soft in a large pot or an enameled cast iron dutch oven. Add the fire roasted tomato’s and broth. Bring to boil. While boiling, make the roux in a small sauté pan. Add the roux to the chile and mix well. Reduce the heat to low and stir periodically so it does not burn.
Colorado Style Green Chile Variations
Vegan variation
To make a vegan variation simply switch out the butter in the roux with a vegan butter.
Meat variation
For all you meat lovers out there, simply replace the vegetable broth with chicken or pork broth. Either works fine and it’s ok if the broth is different then the meat you plan to add.
Meat variation with pork
Trim the fat off of the Pork and brown the meat. Save the meat off to the side and begin the sauté process from the juices left over from the pork.
Meat variation with chicken
Use the crock-pot method for this variation. Cook 4 bone in chicken breasts with the green chile in the crock-pot for 5-6 hours. After 5-6 hours, remove the chicken and then shred it. Remove the bones at this time.
Serve Colorado Style Green Chile in a bread bowl using my Easy Bread recipe! When making the bread, cut the dough into four sections and make each section into a ball!
Colorado Style Green Chile Recipe
Equipment
- Large pot or crock-pot
- Stick blender
Ingredients
- 1 Medium white onion, diced
- 3 – 8 Garlic cloves, minced
- 1 cup Green chile diced
- 1 Jalapeno, diced
- 3 Roma tomato's, diced
- 2 – 14.5 oz Canned fire roasted tomato's
- 2 cups Broth (vegetable, chicken, or pork)
- 2 tsp Cumin
- 2 tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Oregano
- 6 tbsp Butter (or vegan butter)
- 6 tbsp Flour
- 1 – 2 pinch Sugar
Garnish Suggestions (Optional)
- Sliced avocado
- Grated cheese
- Sour cream
- Cilantro
- Flour tortillas
- Frito Scoops (best thing ever)
Instructions
- Heat the oil in the bottom of the pot or pan, saut̩ the onions for 2 Р3 minutes
- Add the garlic and sauté for another minute
- Add the chile, jalapeno, tomato, and spices and sauté together until soft
- Add the broth, fire roasted tomato's, sugar and bring to a boil
- Melt the butter in a separate pan, once melted add in the flour and whisk in flour until smooth. Allow the roux to bubble and cook for a couple of minutes until a golden or medium brown. Add roux to green chile and incorporate into chile.
- Reduce heat and allow to simmer on low heat stirring as needed
- Pulse the stick blender a few time until you reach desired thickness. Be sure not to over blend and to leave lots of chucks . This is best as a thick stew like chile.
Authentic New Mexico Red Chile Sauce
Recipe for Authentic New Mexico Red Chile Sauce is perfect for huevos rancheros, enchilada’s, burrito’s, eggs and so much more!
I can honestly say, I don’t think there is anything better than New Mexico cuisine. New Mexico is distinctive because of its sauces, red and green chile. In the ’80s, my mother would buy burritos from the grocery store smothered in red, green, or Christmas chile (smothered in 1/2 red and 1/2 green). At the time I did not know these sauces were distinctively New Mexican.
New Mexican food is different in that it has evolved over a few hundred years. It is a fusion of Pueblo Native American’s, with Hispano Spanish and Mexican cuisine (thank you Wikipedia for that ). The distinctive ingredient of New Mexican food is the chile. There is a green chile and a red chile. The red chile is actually the green chile ripened (I just found that out. Mind blown!)
While everyone in my family prefers the green chile, I actually prefer the New Mexico Red Chile sauce. It has a rich flavor from the tomato sauce and a spicy kick! I love red chile sauce so much that I always have a jar of New Mexico Red Chile sauce on hand. Some of my favorite foods to put Red Chile sauce on are eggs, beans, enchilada’s, burritos, nachos, quesadillas even cottage cheese. Hands down New Mexico Red Chile Sauce is THE key ingredient in huevos rancheros, my absolute favorite.
As a general rule of thumb if you think of it as Mexican food, I can make it New Mexican by adding red chile to it!
Buying New Mexico Red Chile’s
For us, buying, cleaning, and preparing the chilies is a fall tradition. They are sold at many roadsides stands across the west (New Mexico, Colorado, Texas, Arizona, Idaho, and California). We buy our chile’s by the bushel, watch them being fire-roasted, take them home, clean them (remove the seeds) and pack them in bags of 10 to freeze. Over the course of the year, we open the bags, make large batches of chile and jar them. It might sound like a lot, but once you have had New Mexico Red Chile you will understand that it is worth the work!
Another option is to buy the chilies dried at your grocery store or at Amazon. The dried chilies are very easy to hydrate. I do find that they do not have as much “kick” as the fresh red chile’s do. To overcome that I would use more dried red chile’s that I use fresh.
It is worth noting, I like my New Mexico Red Chile Sauce hot. Probably hotter than most people. You can adjust the spice by reducing (or increasing) the number of red chilies used in the sauce. If your new to this type of sauce, I would start with adding in one chile at a time in the blender. Dab a finger in to taste and repeat until you find the taste and temperature that you prefer.
How to Hydrate the Red Chile’s
- Preheat the oven to 250 degrees
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper
- Place the chile’s on the baking sheet and place them in the oven for 20 minutes
- Once the chile’s have cooled, removed the seeds from the pods (I recommend wearing gloves for this step)
- Fill a large pot with enough cold water to cover the red chiles and bring to a boil.
- Once it comes to a simmer, cover and turns off the heat to steam for about 10 minutes.
- Using tongs, remove the chile’s from the water and set them aside.
Read this Before Working with Chile’s
This recipe is so so easy, you pretty much do a little cooking and then put everything in the blender! However, one important thing to note is that these chilis can be hot and their oil can stay on your hands. Before working with them I always remove my contacts and wear gloves. Once the oil gets on your hands it’s hard to get off, so please always remove your contacts before working with chilies and wear gloves if it all possible.
Making New Mexico Red Chile Sauce
Once you have decided on the chile’s, prepared them (while wearing gloves). It’s time to get making this amazing sauce.
- Dice the onions and the garlic.
- Add one tablespoon of olive oil to the saucepan to heat the oil (about one minute). Then add the onions and saute for two minutes over medium heat.
- While sauteing the onions, add the spices to allow the seasonings to incorporate into the onions.
- Add the garlic and saute for one additional minute.
- Transfer the saute onions and garlic to a blender.
- Add the remaining ingredients and puree until smooth.
- The sauce is ready to serve. You can store this sauce for one week in the refrigerator or can enjoy it all winter.
Red chile sauce ingredients 
Sauteing onions, spices and garlic 
All ingredients blended
New Mexico Red Chile Sauce
Equipment
- Blender
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 white onion
- 1 tsp salt
- .5 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp Mexican oregano
- 5 cloves garlic
- 10 – 20 red chile's (10 fresh/10 – 20 dried pods)
- 8 oz tomato paste
- 2 cups vegetable broth
Instructions
RED CHILE METHODS (Choose the appropriate method based on your chile)
Dry Red Chile Method
- Preheat the oven to 250 degrees
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper
- Place the chile's on the baking sheet and place them in the oven for 20 minutes
- Once the chilis have cooled, removed the seeds from the pods (I recommend wearing gloves for this step)
- Fill a a large pot with enough cold water to cover the red chilis and bring to a boil.
- Once it comes to a simmer, cover and turns off the heat to steam for about 10 minutes.
- Using tongs, remove the chile's from the water and set them aside.
Fresh Red Chile Method
- Wearing gloves, remove the seeds from the pods and set them aside.
Making the Sauce
- Dice the onion and saute on medium heat for 2 minutes. While sauteing add the salt, Mexican oregano, and cumin.
- Dice or slice the garlic and add to the onions, saute for another minute.
- Once the onions become translucent, add in the garlic and cook for another minute. Then remove from heat.
- Combine all of the ingredients and blend until smooth.