Grated Raw Beet Salad If you think you don’t like beets (well, also if you do like them, but it will be less life-changing), I recommend this strongly. It’s better the second day.

Grated Raw Beet Salad

If you think you don’t like beets (well, also if you do like them, but it will be less life-changing), I recommend this strongly. It’s better the second day.

I created this recipe for dinner tonight, and I think it came out really well! This is the type of meal that makes Bryan look skeptical when I describe it, but he always ends up liking it much more than he thinks he will. The ingredients and preparation are simple, but the flavors and textures work together perfectly. It’s very nutritious and also happens to be vegan! Quinoa and Roasted Vegetables with Lemon Cumin Dressing 1 head cauliflower5 carrots2 large shallots1 15-oz can chickpeas1 cup quinoa1 lemonolive oilsalt & peppersmoked paprikaground cuminscallions for garnish (optional) Preheat oven to 400F. Cut cauliflower into florets and blanch for 3 minutes in salted boiling water, then quickly rinse in cold water or place in an ice bath to stop cooking. (This step is not strictly necessary, but I think it improves the texture of the cauliflower.) Peel the carrots and cut on the diagonal into long oval slices. Slice the shallots. Toss the carrots, shallots, and cauliflower with olive oil and spread them onto a foil-covered cookie sheet or baking pan in a single layer. Season with salt, pepper, and smoked paprika, and roast for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, cook quinoa according to package instructions (I used a mixture of regular and red quinoa). Drain and rinse the chickpeas. To make dressing, zest the lemon and then juice it. Mix the juice with the zest, 2 tbsp. olive oil, salt, pepper, and 1/2-1 tsp. cumin. Combine the quinoa, chickpeas, and roasted vegetables. Toss with the dressing. Garnish with snipped scallions.

I created this recipe for dinner tonight, and I think it came out really well! This is the type of meal that makes Bryan look skeptical when I describe it, but he always ends up liking it much more than he thinks he will. The ingredients and preparation are simple, but the flavors and textures work together perfectly. It’s very nutritious and also happens to be vegan!

Quinoa and Roasted Vegetables with Lemon Cumin Dressing

1 head cauliflower
5 carrots
2 large shallots
1 15-oz can chickpeas
1 cup quinoa
1 lemon
olive oil
salt & pepper
smoked paprika
ground cumin
scallions for garnish (optional)

Preheat oven to 400F.

Cut cauliflower into florets and blanch for 3 minutes in salted boiling water, then quickly rinse in cold water or place in an ice bath to stop cooking. (This step is not strictly necessary, but I think it improves the texture of the cauliflower.)

Peel the carrots and cut on the diagonal into long oval slices. Slice the shallots. Toss the carrots, shallots, and cauliflower with olive oil and spread them onto a foil-covered cookie sheet or baking pan in a single layer. Season with salt, pepper, and smoked paprika, and roast for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Meanwhile, cook quinoa according to package instructions (I used a mixture of regular and red quinoa). Drain and rinse the chickpeas.

To make dressing, zest the lemon and then juice it. Mix the juice with the zest, 2 tbsp. olive oil, salt, pepper, and 1/2-1 tsp. cumin.

Combine the quinoa, chickpeas, and roasted vegetables. Toss with the dressing. Garnish with snipped scallions.

Math for the Solstice

2 cups lemon juice + 1 cup simple syrup + 6 cups water = lemonade

1 liter vodka + 10 black tea bags + 30 minutes = tea vodka

3 ice cubes + 2 ounces tea vodka + 6 ounces lemonade = SUMMER

What should you do for dinner tonight? You should do this: Heat two or three tablespoons of butter or oil in a big pot over medium heat. Slice up the white and light green parts of three leeks, peel and cube three potatoes, and mince a few cloves of garlic. Dump it all in the pot and add salt, pepper, some thyme, and a bay leaf. Stir and cook for a few minutes, then pour in four cups of stock (or water) and simmer for half an hour. Remove from heat, puree with an immersion blender, normal blender, or food processor, return to heat, and stir in some cream (maybe 3/4 cup). Adjust seasonings, garnish with parsley or chives if you’re feeling fancy, and enjoy the warm, satisfied feeling in your tummy.

What should you do for dinner tonight? You should do this:

Heat two or three tablespoons of butter or oil in a big pot over medium heat. Slice up the white and light green parts of three leeks, peel and cube three potatoes, and mince a few cloves of garlic. Dump it all in the pot and add salt, pepper, some thyme, and a bay leaf. Stir and cook for a few minutes, then pour in four cups of stock (or water) and simmer for half an hour. Remove from heat, puree with an immersion blender, normal blender, or food processor, return to heat, and stir in some cream (maybe 3/4 cup). Adjust seasonings, garnish with parsley or chives if you’re feeling fancy, and enjoy the warm, satisfied feeling in your tummy.

It’s only September and I’ve already made this twice. What can I say? Apples are cheap, this comes together in 20-30 minutes (depending on how fast you can peel apples, I guess), and while you have to be patient for an hour or so of baking, the smell in your kitchen will be worth it! Well, and it’s delicious. But that probably goes without saying. This post is dedicated to my mom’s side of the family, who made short work of the one I made over the weekend! APPLE CRISP (from Lisa) about 7 good-sized baking apples (I like Cortlands) 1/2 cup dried cranberries 8 tbsp. (1 stick) cold butter, cut up 3/4 cup all-purpose flour 3/4 cup white sugar 1/4 cup packed brown sugar 1/4 cup oatmeal 1/2 tsp. salt 1 tsp. cinnamon (I think I use a little more) a pinch to 1/2 tsp. of any other spices you like - I often add a little nutmeg/mace, ginger, allspice, and/or cloves Preheat the oven to 350F and lightly grease or spray a 2-quart baking dish. Peel, core, and slice the apples. Pile them into the baking dish and mix in the cranberries. To make the topping, combine the flour, sugars, salt, spices, oats, and butter until the mixture looks like wet sand. You can do this with your hands, a fork, a pastry cutter, or (most easily) a food processor. When I make the topping in a food processor, I add the oats at the very end so they don’t get pulverized. Cover the apples completely with the topping, and bake for 45 minutes to an hour, until golden and bubbly.

It’s only September and I’ve already made this twice. What can I say? Apples are cheap, this comes together in 20-30 minutes (depending on how fast you can peel apples, I guess), and while you have to be patient for an hour or so of baking, the smell in your kitchen will be worth it!

Well, and it’s delicious. But that probably goes without saying.

This post is dedicated to my mom’s side of the family, who made short work of the one I made over the weekend!

APPLE CRISP (from Lisa)

  • about 7 good-sized baking apples (I like Cortlands)
  • 1/2 cup dried cranberries
  • 8 tbsp. (1 stick) cold butter, cut up
  • 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 cup white sugar
  • 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup oatmeal
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1 tsp. cinnamon (I think I use a little more)
  • a pinch to 1/2 tsp. of any other spices you like - I often add a little nutmeg/mace, ginger, allspice, and/or cloves

Preheat the oven to 350F and lightly grease or spray a 2-quart baking dish.

Peel, core, and slice the apples. Pile them into the baking dish and mix in the cranberries.

To make the topping, combine the flour, sugars, salt, spices, oats, and butter until the mixture looks like wet sand. You can do this with your hands, a fork, a pastry cutter, or (most easily) a food processor. When I make the topping in a food processor, I add the oats at the very end so they don’t get pulverized.

Cover the apples completely with the topping, and bake for 45 minutes to an hour, until golden and bubbly.

I keep stumbling into new biscuit recipes. Last time, I meant to make sourdough biscuits, but I forgot to take my sourdough starter out of the fridge in advance, so I made buttermilk biscuits instead. Tonight I had planned to make buttermilk biscuits, and since I am a genius, I didn’t buy any buttermilk or even regular milk. But I DID have half a container of sour cream and a garden full of fresh herbs! SOUR CREAM & HERB BISCUITS 2 cups all-purpose flour 1/2 tsp. salt 1/2 tsp. baking soda 3 tsp. baking powder 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh herbs* 3/4 cup sour cream 1-2 Tbsp. liquid (water, milk, half-and-half) *I used basil, parsley, and chives, but many different combinations could work. You can also substitute about 2 tsp. of dried herbs if you don’t have fresh. Preheat oven to 450F. Stir together flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, and herbs. Add sour cream and stir until blended, then gradually add the liquid until you have a soft, sticky dough. With floured hands, shape dough into round biscuits (this recipe made six for me) and place on a baking sheet. Bake for 12 minutes, until the tops are starting to turn golden. Eat them warm, with butter.

I keep stumbling into new biscuit recipes. Last time, I meant to make sourdough biscuits, but I forgot to take my sourdough starter out of the fridge in advance, so I made buttermilk biscuits instead. Tonight I had planned to make buttermilk biscuits, and since I am a genius, I didn’t buy any buttermilk or even regular milk. But I DID have half a container of sour cream and a garden full of fresh herbs!

SOUR CREAM & HERB BISCUITS

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1/2 tsp. baking soda
  • 3 tsp. baking powder
  • 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh herbs*
  • 3/4 cup sour cream
  • 1-2 Tbsp. liquid (water, milk, half-and-half)

*I used basil, parsley, and chives, but many different combinations could work. You can also substitute about 2 tsp. of dried herbs if you don’t have fresh.

Preheat oven to 450F. Stir together flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, and herbs. Add sour cream and stir until blended, then gradually add the liquid until you have a soft, sticky dough.

With floured hands, shape dough into round biscuits (this recipe made six for me) and place on a baking sheet. Bake for 12 minutes, until the tops are starting to turn golden. Eat them warm, with butter.

I found this recipe lying on the ground while I was walking to work today.

I found this recipe lying on the ground while I was walking to work today.

So I joined this new recipe site invented by the Pioneer Woman, who’s like the queen of food bloggers. I only have a couple things up so far, mostly because a lot of the recipes I use don’t feel “mine” enough to post as my own, but I’ll probably add more eventually. Anyway, for a new site, it already has some really good recipes up! I made these tomato and goat cheese tarts last week and we liked them so much I’m making them again this week. I finally used these cute little tartlet pans I have, and the result was a simple meal with a dinner-party-impressive look. You should make them. Here is the recipe.

So I joined this new recipe site invented by the Pioneer Woman, who’s like the queen of food bloggers. I only have a couple things up so far, mostly because a lot of the recipes I use don’t feel “mine” enough to post as my own, but I’ll probably add more eventually.

Anyway, for a new site, it already has some really good recipes up! I made these tomato and goat cheese tarts last week and we liked them so much I’m making them again this week. I finally used these cute little tartlet pans I have, and the result was a simple meal with a dinner-party-impressive look.

You should make them. Here is the recipe.

As promised: this is how we make falafel! We have tried other ways, and many recipes out there suggest deep-frying, but we’ve found this method to be delicious and pretty foolproof. It’s also really inexpensive for such a nice meal. The cucumber yogurt sauce is a cool, refreshing complement. FALAFEL 1 cup dry chickpeas, soaked 5 scallions (and/or half an onion) ½ cup (packed) fresh flat-leaf parsley 3 cloves garlic 1 tsp. salt ¼ tsp. ground cumin ⅛ tsp. ground cinnamon vegetable oil for frying Combine all ingredients except vegetable oil in a food processor and process until they are fully blended (but not pureed). Form into small patties about ½” thick and 1½” across—this recipe makes approximately 20. Add enough vegetable oil to a skillet to coat the bottom, and heat over medium-high heat. Fry the patties until they are golden brown on one side, then flip and do the other side. Serve in warm pitas with tahini sauce or cucumber yogurt sauce (see below!) CUCUMBER YOGURT SAUCE 1 cup plain Greek yogurt 1 medium cucumber 3 cloves garlic, minced a few mint leaves, minced juice of ½ lemon salt & pepper to taste Peel and seed the cucumber and slice it into pieces about ¼” thick. Place in a colander, sprinkle with salt, and let sit 30 minutes or so to release some of the liquid. Then, combine all ingredients in a bowl. Chill before serving.

As promised: this is how we make falafel! We have tried other ways, and many recipes out there suggest deep-frying, but we’ve found this method to be delicious and pretty foolproof. It’s also really inexpensive for such a nice meal. The cucumber yogurt sauce is a cool, refreshing complement.

FALAFEL

  • 1 cup dry chickpeas, soaked
  • 5 scallions (and/or half an onion)
  • ½ cup (packed) fresh flat-leaf parsley
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • ¼ tsp. ground cumin
  • ⅛ tsp. ground cinnamon
  • vegetable oil for frying

Combine all ingredients except vegetable oil in a food processor and process until they are fully blended (but not pureed). Form into small patties about ½” thick and 1½” across—this recipe makes approximately 20.

Add enough vegetable oil to a skillet to coat the bottom, and heat over medium-high heat. Fry the patties until they are golden brown on one side, then flip and do the other side. Serve in warm pitas with tahini sauce or cucumber yogurt sauce (see below!)


CUCUMBER YOGURT SAUCE

  • 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
  • 1 medium cucumber
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • a few mint leaves, minced
  • juice of ½ lemon
  • salt & pepper to taste

Peel and seed the cucumber and slice it into pieces about ¼” thick. Place in a colander, sprinkle with salt, and let sit 30 minutes or so to release some of the liquid. Then, combine all ingredients in a bowl. Chill before serving.

This is my lunch for the beginning of this week. It’s easy and summery, and it keeps well for a few days. This recipe made three lunches for me, but I suppose the yield depends on how much you like to eat.For the record, I eyeballed every single one of these measurements, and I’m not the world’s best estimator, so just use what looks and tastes good to you.BEAN & TOMATO SALAD 1½ cups green beans 1½ cups canned chickpeas, rinsed & drained 1½  cups grape or cherry tomatoes, halved ½ cup crumbled feta cheese 2 tbsp. flat leaf parsley, minced juice of ½ lemon 1 tbsp. olive oil a splash of balsamic vinegar salt & pepper to taste Remove the ends of the green beans and cut them into 2” pieces. Cook them in salted, boiling water for 4 or 5 minutes – they should be “crisp-tender,” not fully cooked. Drain and rinse with cold water. Combine the beans, chickpeas, tomatoes, feta, and parsley in a bowl. Separately, make the dressing by mixing the oil, vinegar, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Toss everything together. If you are not planning to eat this right away, I’d recommend mixing in the feta cheese at the last minute. It’s fine to dress it all at once, though-–I think it’s actually better if you let it “marinate” a bit.

This is my lunch for the beginning of this week. It’s easy and summery, and it keeps well for a few days. This recipe made three lunches for me, but I suppose the yield depends on how much you like to eat.

For the record, I eyeballed every single one of these measurements, and I’m not the world’s best estimator, so just use what looks and tastes good to you.

BEAN & TOMATO SALAD

  • 1½ cups green beans
  • 1½ cups canned chickpeas, rinsed & drained
  • 1½  cups grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
  • ½ cup crumbled feta cheese
  • 2 tbsp. flat leaf parsley, minced
  • juice of ½ lemon
  • 1 tbsp. olive oil
  • a splash of balsamic vinegar
  • salt & pepper to taste

Remove the ends of the green beans and cut them into 2” pieces. Cook them in salted, boiling water for 4 or 5 minutes – they should be “crisp-tender,” not fully cooked. Drain and rinse with cold water.

Combine the beans, chickpeas, tomatoes, feta, and parsley in a bowl. Separately, make the dressing by mixing the oil, vinegar, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Toss everything together.

If you are not planning to eat this right away, I’d recommend mixing in the feta cheese at the last minute. It’s fine to dress it all at once, though-–I think it’s actually better if you let it “marinate” a bit.