Roasted Rainbow Carrots and Sautéed Kale

Tonight's dinner was quick and simple using a few seasonings and all natural ingredients. 

Roasted Rainbow Carrots

Ingredients: 

1 bundle of Rainbow Carrots

2 tbsp. of extra virgin olive oil

Himalayan Pink Salt

Fresh Ground Pepper

I purchased my first ever bundle of rainbow carrots at Trader Joes the other day and was very excited to roast these. Often when I have roasted root vegetables in the past I have used a sweet maple syrup/Dijon Mustard glaze. Tonight I went simple and here is how I simply made these in 2 easy steps.

Toss carrots, salt and olive oil in ziploc bag until coated. 

Spread carrots on foil covered pan and bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes. 

DONE. 

This is my always go-to way to serve up kale for supper. It is so simple and takes less than 5 minutes. 

Sautéed Kale

Ingredients:

4 cups of fresh kale; chopped

2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

1 tsp. crushed red pepper

Salt and pepper to taste 

Splash of vegetable broth 

Directions: 

Stir chopped kale in a pot over medium-high heat with olive oil and spices and seasonings. Once coated, add splash of vegetable broth and stir around. Cook stirring some for a few more minutes. DONE. That simple.

Both of these dishes were so simple to make and simply delicious. I also made a side of all natural wild rice. I cooked 1 cup of rinsed wild rice in 4 cups of water and a dash of salt for 45 minutes. Then drain excess water and add additional seasoning. 

This meal was approximately around 400 calories. It was very filling and full of flavor. Sometimes a vegan meal doesn't have to be extravagant and can be simply made with a dash of salt, pepper, and olive oil. 

Enjoy!

~Crago

Vegan Potato Salad

Calling all potato salad fans.... This is it. Meet the best potato salad there is, period. I've made this vegan potato salad several times with different tweaks here and there and every time has been superb.

Ingredients:

1 bag of small red-skin potatoes 

2 stalks of celery chopped into small pieces

1 small bunch or green onions, finely chopped 

2 tbsp of Veganese

4 tbsp of Dijon mustard

2 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil

1/3 cup of almond milk

2 tbsp of vinegar 

3 tsp. of dill 

1 tsp. of celery seed

Sea salt

Fresh ground pepper

Directions:

Boil potatoes for about 25 minutes. Drain and break up and slightly mash potatoes with fork. Add remaining ingredients and mix evenly. Chill for several hours before serving. 

I served this delicious potato salad with my wholesome homemade veggie burgers. This made the best meal! This recipe is also just in time for all upcoming cookouts. I dare you to just have one serving...

Until next time,

~Crago 

Couscous and Kale Summer Salads- 2 (Recipes) in 1 (Night)

After finishing up another school year with my kiddos and venturing off to the beach for a week, I've been out of my kitchen for some time now! It felt so good to get back into the swing of things. Being that it's summer and rather warm out, I wanted to put together something fresh and chilled. What better way to say summer than chilled summer salads? My first summer salad is a pearled couscous salad with spinach and  cherry tomatoes. The second salad is a cold shredded kale salad with toasted slivered almonds and dried cranberries. Both are very different but compliment one another. 

Starting with the first salad:

Pearled Couscous Spinach Tomato Salad

Ingredients:

2 boxes of plain Pearled Couscous

2 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil (extra teaspoon for cooking)

4 cups of baby spinach; chopped

1 cup of cherry tomatoes 

1/4 cup of champagne vinegar 

Sea salt to taste

Fresh ground pepper to taste 

Directions:

Cook both boxes of couscous in 5 cups of boiling water and a teaspoon of olive oil and dash of salt. Cook for 12 minutes until couscous is fluffy and water is absorbed. Set aside to cool. Once couscous is cooled, add spinach and tomatoes and vinegar and olive oil. Add salt and pepper to taste. I also added a spritz of lemon juice to top. Serve chilled and voila, there you have it!

Now..next fantastic salad: 

Shredded Kale Salad with Cranberries and Almonds 

Ingredients:

1 bunch of Kale, thinly chopped into small shreds

3 tbsp of distilled vinegar

1 tbsp of pure maple syrup

2 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil

1/4 cup of dried cranberries

1/4 cup of slivered almonds, lightly toasted 

2 tbsp of "Go Veggie" Vegan  "Parmesan" 

Sea salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Chop kale and put in large bowl. Toss kale and olive oil. Add vinegar and toss. Toss in maple syrup. Add toasted almonds and cranberries. Give final toss with salt, pepper, and "parm". Serve chilled. Go ahead now and enjoy the sweet yet tanginess of this delectable summer salad.

I served both of these chilled salads with fresh summer tomatoes sliced with sea salt and pepper and roasted sweet potatoes.

For the Sweet Potatoes:

1 large sweet potato; peeled and sliced

1 tbsp of olive oil

1 tbsp of Dijon mustard

2 tbsp of pure maple syrup

Sea salt and pepper to taste 

Directions:

Slice one large sweet potato and toss slices with all ingredients. (I used a large zip loc bag and tossed everything around in zipped bag). Blot slices in paper towels to get excess ingredients off. Line cookie sheet with foil and lay slices on pan. Bake in oven for 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Flip halfway through. Once out they will be a little sweet and tangy with a softness down the middle. 

The best part about these two great chilled salads is that they will make great leftovers to last me throughout the week! I will definitely be enjoying these for lunch or dinner again and they will be just as delicious. 

Enjoy!

~Crago

Tuscan Quinoa Salad

Being that tomorrow is Monday and the work week has begun, I began planning for the week ahead. Sunday afternoons are perfect for preparing snacks and food  for the upcoming days. I am always looking for something filling, yet quick and easy to take for my lunch when at work. Well, this quinoa salad does just that. After tossing in the few simple ingredients that make up this chilled salad all I had to do was place it in the fridge and my lunch was set. The sundried tomatoes and champagne vinegar make this quinoa salad sweet and flavorful. 

Ingredients:

2 cups of quinoa; rinsed (4 cups of water for cooking) 

1 cup of thinly chopped greens (baby kale and spinach mix)

2 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil

3/4 cup of sundried tomatoes (chopped into tiny pieces) 

1 tbsp of "Go Veggie" Parm (optional)

1/4 cup of pecans (chopped into tiny pieces)

1 tbsp of minced garlic

1/4 cup of champagne vinegar

2-3 tbsp of lemon juice

Sea salt (to taste)

Fresh ground pepper (to taste)

Directions:

First take your rinsed quinoa and water and bring to boil with a dash of salt. Simmer on low for 10-12 minutes (until water is absorbed and quinoa appears fluffy. Remove pot from heat and place a sheet of paper towel on top tucked right under the lid. Let sit for 5 minutes (the paper towel will absorb any left moisture from steam). Fluff with fork and set aside to cool. 

Chop your baby greens and drizzle a little olive oil over while tossing. Let sit for 2-3 minutes. Take chopped sundried tomatoes and combine with prepared quinoa and greens. Add champagne vinegar and lemon juice. Toss. Add sea salt and pepper and toss. 

In a small pan sauté the garlic in about 1 tsp of olive oil for 2-3 minutes. Add pecans and toss around another minute or two. You will notice soon the mixture will become fragrant and crisp. Add mixture to prepared salad and give another toss. Chill salad in fridge for at least 2 hours for desired temperature. Best if left in fridge over night. 

This Tuscan quinoa salad will have the sweetness of the sundried tomatoes along side the pecans with the tartness of the champagne vinegar and lemon juice. Altogether it is a delicious combination of flavors and textures and a filling, satisfying dish. My Tupperware container is packed and ready to grab tomorrow morning on my way out the door! So later while sitting at a table filled with 2nd graders, I can close my eyes and pretend I'm sitting at a Tuscan Villa while dining on this delicious salad. One can dream right? At least this recipe will get you to the next best thing! 

Until next time....

~Crago