Category: Veggies

Vietnamese Tomato Salad

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  • Version #2 with grape tomatoes, cucumbers and cashews.


Saw Emily Paster’s recipe in Midwest Living Magazine and realized I had everything I needed to make it. It’s so good and ready in just a few minutes. The dressing would be great on other fresh veggies, too. It’s really the perfect summer salad and we ate every last drop!

Ingredients
2 Tbsp lime juice
1 Tbsp fish sauce
1 Tbsp honey (or agave nectar or sugar)
1 Thai (or Serrano) chile, seeded and minced
2 Tbsp light olive oil ( or a neutral oil like canola oil)
5 medium plum (or heirloom) tomatoes, sliced
1/4 of a red onion, sliced
1/2 cup chopped fresh herbs – I used regular basil and spearmint, but you can also use Thai Basil and peppermint
1/2 cup dry roasted peanuts, chopped – I used half peanuts and half cashews
1/4 teaspoon flaky sea salt

Directions

For dressing: whisk together lime juice, fish sauce, honey and the chile, then continue whisking whil you slowly drizzle in the oil.

Arrange tomato slices on a large platter. Top with onion, herbs and nuts.

Spoon dressing over salad, sprinkle with flaky sea salt and serve immediately.

Version #2; Used grape tomatoes, with some quartered, sliced cucumbers (about a cup) and used cashews instead of peanuts. It was good, too.

Frog & Prince Sheet-Pan Baked Feta With Broccolini, Tomatoes and Lemon

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Note: this was the first time I made this, and hadn’t dipped the feta slices or nestled them down. But I had to share the tray before going into the oven with all these vivid colors!

Based on Yasmin Fahr’s recipe with a few tweaks, it is one of those incredibly beautiful dishes because of the colorful veggies, that also tastes wonderful. It’s also quick and easy.

The funny name came because I try new dishes all the time, and honestly, some are duds. (Those don’t make it on the blog.) Kumy tried this and said, “There are frogs and princes, and this one is definitely a prince.” You can add practically any vegetable, as long as you include sliced lemons, onions and tomatoes, which are the real stars. So good!

Ingredients
1 bunch broccolini, ends trimmed, thick stalks split lengthwise, and cut into bite-sized pieces
1 pint grape tomatoes, halved (about 2 cups)
1 big red onion, peeled, quartered and cut into 1-inch wedges
1 small zucchini, cut into ½” thick rounds (optional)
1 and 1/2 yellow or orange bell peppers, sliced into 1″ strips
1 lemon, 1/2 cut into thin rounds and the remaining 1/2 left intact, for serving
3 Tbsp olive oil, plus more for serving
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp garlic powder
½ tsp red-pepper flakes
1 tsp Kosher salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 (6- to 8-ounce) block feta, cut into 1-inch slices (can also use Queso Fresco wedges)

Cooked orzo, for serving
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, roughly chopped for garnish

Heat the oven to 400 degrees with a rack set in the lower third. Put all the veggies in a sheet pan.

Mix olive oil and seasonings in a bowl, then carefully dip the feta slices in the oil to coat, set them on a plate and drizzle the oil mixture over the veggies. Toss the veggies with your hands until the veggies are pretty evenly coated. Nestle the feta slices into the veggies.

Roast at least 20 minutes, until the broccolini stems are soft enough to pierce with a fork and the tomatoes blister and collapse a bit. Yasmin tosses the veggies 1/2 way through, but I didn’t want to break up the cheese, and it was fine.

Remove from the oven, squeeze a bit of fresh lemon over it then serve over orzo, and top with a drizzle of olive oil and the basil. Yum!

Bean & Edamame Salad

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My friend Vicky brought this salad to work the other day and said she always makes some to keep in the fridge. I had to try it because I love how colorful it is and that it has so much protein. You can always soak the beans yourself, but canned beans makes this incredibly fast. Vicky uses a little good red wine vinegar, but we ended up using a vinaigrette instead. It was so good.

Ingredients:

1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can Garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
1 package frozen Edamame, thawed
1 orange or red bell pepper, chopped
1/2 yellow onion, chopped
3 Tbsp wine vinaigrette (I used Brianna’s Blush Wine Vinaigette)

Add onions to vinaigrette in a small bowl, stir well and let it pickle for about 10 minutes.

Add everything together in a large bowl, and sprinkle with a little kosher salt. Delicious right away and keeps well in the fridge for a few days.

Cabbage, Leek and Toasted Walnut Pasta

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This is based on a great recipe from Hetty Lui-McKinnon in the New York Times. I’ve made it three times in the past month or so, and every time it is really good. I love sautéed cabbage and when you add leeks, cheese, walnuts and pasta, it’s practically perfect!

I usually have Romano Cheese in the fridge, but tonight I had a couple of other hard cheeses I needed to use up, and they tasted good, too. So it’s very forgiving about what kind of cheese you actually need.

Ingredients:
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp butter
1½ tsp whole cumin seeds
3 medium leeks, halved, cleaned and cut into 1″ lengths
1 lb. cabbage, cut into 1″ cubes (about 1/2 of a good-sized cabbage)
1 ½ tsp garlic powder
1 tsp kosher salt
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
½ pound spaghetti or any other pasta
1 cup grated Romano Cheese (or other hard cheese) plus a little more for a garnish
Juice of ½ lemon
1 cup walnuts, toasted in the oven for 5 minutes or so

Directions

Heat oil and butter in a large pan over medium heat. Add cumin seeds and stir for 10-15 seconds. Add leeks, cabbage, garlic powder, salt and black pepper. Cook stirring from time to time – about 10 minutes or until you can see the cabbage has softened and it’s starting to brown on the bottom of the pan just a bit. 

This is really delicious as is – and you could stop here for a simple side dish. But keep cooking it, so it caramelizes just a little and really brings out the sweetness in the cabbage.

Meanwhile, set a pot of salted water boiling and cook the pasta for the time recommended on the package. When it’s done cooking, save ½ cup of the pasta water and drain the rest of the pasta.

Add pasta, pasta water and cheese to the cabbage mix and stir well. Squeeze lemon juice over and stir in walnuts, saving a few for a garnish. Check seasoning and serve hot with extra walnuts and cheese sprinkled over. So delicious!

Mushy Peas with Mint

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I’ve been dreaming about Mushy Peas ever since we came back from Ireland. Finally had a chance to make them last night, when our friends hosted a wonderful dinner with the Ireland trip gang.

Fresh mint really makes this dish something special and unbelievably (January in Nebraska?) I still had some growing. These very bright green Mushy Peas were surprisingly delicious and definitely worth making again.

Ingredients

1 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 24 oz bag frozen peas (not petite or baby – you want full-size peas)
1 bunch of scallions, greens and white parts, chopped into 1″ sections
1 shallot, roughly chopped
big handful of mint leaves
1 ½ tsp kosher salt
½ tsp black pepper
3/4 stick butter, cut into chunks (can use vegan butter, too)

Heat olive oil in a large frying pan, and add scallions and shallots. Sautee for a couple of minutes and then add everything else except the butter. Stir well, cover and let cook over low heat for 5 minutes, shaking occasionally.

When you can see that the peas and scallions look softened and the mint leaves are wilted, remove from heat and transfer to a medium bowl. Use an immersion blender and buzz everything until it’s fairly smooth. (You can also use a food processor.)

Add the butter and stir until it’s completely melted. A little pat of butter makes a nice garnish! These also reheat nicely in the microwave.

Corn & Tomato Salad

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Gorgeous Cherry Tomatoes by Gavin Tyte on Unsplash.

I love when little tomatoes are so sweet they’re like candy! Last night I made a super easy, really delicious salad form Southern Living – perfect for a warm, summer evening. I had good cherry tomatoes and frozen corn, so that’s what I used. I also added a little more seasoning and an avocado, Yum!

Ingredients

Dressing:
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp lime juice
1 Tbsp mayonnaise
1 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 Tbsp dried onion flakes
1/2 tsp garlic powder
½ – 1 tsp Sriracha or other hot sauce

1 bag frozen corn, thawed (I used Trader Joe’s Roasted Corn)*
1 10 oz. container cherry tomatoes, halved
1 avocado, cubed
1/4 cup fresh Italian parsley or cilantro, chopped
3/4 cup grated mild cheese (I had a mozarella/parmesan blend)

Mix dressing ingredients in a big bowl until smooth. Add veggies and cheese and toss.

*Southern Living makes it with corn from 4 ears of yellow corn, so you could use that if you have it on hand, too. I’d cook the ears in boiling water for a minute or so and let them cool before cutting the kernels off the cob.

Garbanzo & Feta Salad

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I’ve made this amazing “Chickpea Salad” from The Pioneer Woman twice in two weeks. Does that tell you something? I did make a few changes to her recipe, but nothing too drastic. It’s a great side dish, or even main dish, since there’s protein in the garbanzos and feta. So delish!

I made it yesterday, holding back on the avocadoes and dressing until just before tossing it and serving it today at a picnic. So you can easily make it ahead of time.

INGREDIENTS:

2 15-ounce cans garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
6 oz. feta, cubed (omit for a vegan version)
4-5 baby cucumbers, (or 1 English cucumber), cut into half moons (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 pt. cherry tomatoes, halved
1 red or orange bell pepper, diced
1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced (optional – Kumy doesn’t like raw onions, so I didn’t add this.)
2 avocados, cubed
1/2 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley

FOR THE DRESSING:
1/3 cup olive oil
3 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 Tbsp dried Basil
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp Dijon mustard

Mix all veggies, beans and feta in a large bowl. If making ahead, don’t add avocadoes.

Mix dressing ingredients in a mason jar, close lid and shake like crazy.

Drizzle dressing over and toss well.

Note for photo: my avocadoes were quite ripe, and were very creamy.

Mushroom, Leek & Cheese Scrambled Eggs

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Poked through the veggie drawer this morning, hungry for something “brunchy” yet healthy. Fortunately I had some really nice mushrooms and a leek, perfect for scrambled eggs. I made up a recipe on the fly and to my delight, it was surprisingly delicious. Thought I’d have enough for leftovers, but nope – ate the whole thing!

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp olive oil
2 cups sliced mushrooms
1 medium leek, halved and cut into 1″ pieces (be sure to wash really well)
1/4 cup diced onions
2 Tbsp diced peppers
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 kosher salt
few grinds of freshly ground black pepper
Pinch of dried basil leaves
½ tsp butter
2 eggs, beaten
1 slice sharp cheddar cheese (approximately) torn into smaller pieces

Heat olive oil on medium heat in a large frying pan and add mushroom, onions and peppers. Cook, stirring occasionally until the mushrooms have released their water and it has dried back up again. (7-8 minutes?) Add the butter, leeks and seasonings and saute for another 5 minutes.

Once leeks have softened up a bit, turn the heat way down. After a few minutes stir in the beaten eggs and start folding and gently stirring. Once eggs are mostly cooked, add cheese and continue folding and stirring until cheese is mostly melted. Check seasoning and serve immediately.

End of Summer Pasta with Zucchini and Spinach

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Last night, as I started making Mushroom Ravioli with Spinach from JuliasAlbum.com for a potluck at a friend’s house, I realized that what I thought was ravioli in the freezer was actually Chinese Dumplings and the mushrooms were sludge.

But I did have some nice pasta, fresh spinach and a giant zucchini from my neighbors Amy and Steve, so I switched it up and made Pasta with Zucchini and Spinach. It was delicious and bonus point: another way to enjoy excess end-of-summer zucchini!

Ingredients:

1 lb Trottole or any other nice chunky pasta, cooked al dente
1 Tbsp olive oil
3 Tbsp butter
a sprig of Rosemary and a few sprigs of Thyme, or a generous pinch of dried Rosemary and 1/4 tsp dried Thyme.
4-5 cups thinly sliced Zucchini (If really large, cut into quarters first.)
1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes
5 oz. spinach (I’d be happy doubling this.)
4 cloves of garlic, smashed or 1 generous tsp garlic powder
1 large pinch red pepper flakes
1 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

Cook pasta in salted water until al dente stage and drain, saving 1/2 cup of the pasta water.

In a large frying pan, heat butter and olive oil on medium heat with Rosemary and Thyme. Add zucchini and sun-dried tomatoes with the oil they came in. Sauté for several minutes, until the zucchini have broken down quite a bit and are mostly translucent. They will reduce a lot in volume. Remove herb stems.

Add garlic and sauté for a couple of minutes. Add salt, pepper and red pepper flakes. Then add spinach in batches, continuously stirring and folding so the spinach wilts.

Add in the pasta and 1/4 cup of pasta water to start and stir to coat the pasta with the veggies. Add more pasta water if it seems too dry. Check seasonings and serve immediately.

For a vegan version, skip the butter and just use olive oil.

Baked Eggplant & Tomatoes with Pesto

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This is a delicious dish that looks gorgeous, but is very easy and really ticks all the boxes for me! The eggplant gets all creamy and the cheese gets all melty, and the pesto gets all… pesto-ey. Well, you get the point.

Ingredients

1 large eggplant, stem end removed and sliced lengthwise in 1/2″ slices (save end pieces for another use)
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly-ground black pepper
2 Tbsp Pesto
4-5 Roma tomatoes, sliced into 1/2″ slices (Any tomato is actually fine.)
1/2 cup grated Mozzarella
1/2 cup grated Romano or Parmesan cheese

Salt and pepper the sliced eggplants and place in a bowl, leaning on the edge so the water can run off a bit from the eggplant. Let drain for at least 15 minutes.

Lay the first slice of eggplant in a 9×12 baking dish. Spread about 2 tsp of Pesto on the first slice. Top with a layer of tomatoes, and sprinkle on a spoonful each of Mozzarella and grated Romano. Slide the layer over until it is at an angle leaning on the side of the dish.

Repeat for the second layer, sliding eggplant over to partially overlap the first layer.

Continue with all remaining slices of eggplant. Sprinkle any remaining cheese on top.

Cover with foil and bake at 350 for 20 minutes. Remove foil, and bake another 20 minutes.

Serve hot – it’s so good!