a cinco de mayo fiesta for two in quarantine

cinco de mayo fell on tuesday this year which was extra exciting since tuesdays are for tacos ("taco tuesdays!").  we made a little cinco de mayo fiesta for dinner for two quarantine style on our back screen porch.  it was so yummy! 

we had tacos with all the fixings: vegetarian beef, tomatoes, lettuce, onions, cheddar cheese, sour cream, salsa, and guac!  we also had mexican street corn as a side and virgin margaritas!  it was all so good and it was a fun little date!

love, laurie

toasted israeli couscous with toasted sunflower seeds and raisins (vegan)

i was looking to throw together a quick side dish to accompany some falafels that we were having for dinner, when i found some israeli couscous tucked away in the pantry.  i pulled it out to use it up since it had been sitting in there forever and ended up tossing in several other things i found in the pantry.  the result was a moroccan-inspired side dish that smelled and tasted delicious!

toasted israeli couscous with toasted sunflower seeds and raisins
prep time: 5 minutes
cooking time: 25 minutes
yields: 6-8 servings

ingredients:
8 oz. dry israeli couscous
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 cups water
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons onion powder
2 tablespoons dried parsley
1/3 cup toasted sunflower seeds
1/3 cup raisins
salt and pepper to taste

directions:
combine the couscous and the olive oil in a sauce pan.  toss to make sure the couscous is evenly coated.  toast over medium-low heat, stirring frequently to avoid burning, until the couscous is fragrant (about 5 minutes).  meanwhile, bring the water to a boil.

add the water to the couscous, stir, and bring to a boil.  reduce the heat to medium-low and cover.  simmer for 12 minutes until tender, fluff occasionally to avoid sticking.  add the cinnamon, onion powder, parsley, sunflower seeds, raisins, and salt/pepper.  stir to combine and serve warm.

enjoy!

love, laurie

spicy vegan vegetable soup

i looked back, and it turns out that it has been over a month since i've posted a recipe here!  that is crazy since i'm constantly cooking/baking.  life has just been too hectic lately to stop and take the time to photograph any food.  on sunday, i had the opportunity to make a few meals for the week and actually photograph them.  one of the things i made on sunday was this soup.  i made a big pot of it, and it has been feeding us for lunch all week.  a few years ago, my mom bought us these travel soup containers, and they are just perfect for carrying our soup into work with us.

this soup is super tasty and healthy.  it's packed with 8 different veggies and it has a little kick to it too.  i love base recipes like this because you can really personalize them and make them your own by adding/omitting any veggies and you can play with the spice level to your personal taste.

spicy vegetable soup
prep time: 10-15 minutes
cooking time: 45 minutes
yields: 8-10 servings

ingredients:
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 medium yellow cooking onion, diced
5-6 carrots, peeled and diced
5-6 celery stalks, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 zucchini, diced
24 oz. mushrooms, stems removed and diced
8 oz. kale, chopped
1 can (28 oz.) low-sodium crushed tomatoes
4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
2 cups water
2 teaspoons italian seasoning
2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
hot sauce to taste
salt and pepper to taste

directions:
in a very large soup pot over medium heat, warm the oil.  saute the onion, carrots, and celery until tender.  add the garlic, zucchini, and mushrooms.  cook for 5 minutes.  add the kale, tomatoes, vegetable broth, water, and seasonings.  stir well.  bring to a boil and then simmer covered for 15-20 minutes on medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are all tender.  serve warm.

enjoy!

love, laurie

tuscan kale and garbanzo beans (vegan)

our weeknights are so hectic and crazy, so i really appreciate when we have something ready to go in the refrigerator for dinner that can just be reheated as we run from one event to another.  i like to do what i can on the weekends to prep for the week in order to make our week nights easier.

over the weekend, ryan was flipping through wegman's menu magazine and found this tuscan kale and garbanzo bean recipe.  it sounded great, so i made a big pot of it on sunday and it has been feeding us all week long.  it's a healthy recipe, packed with lots of veggies.  it's both delicious and filling, and it's vegan too!

tuscan kale and garbanzo beans
prep time: 10 minutes
cooking time: 40 minutes
yields: 10 servings
adapted from wegman's menu magazine

ingredients:
2-3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, diced
4 large carrots, diced
4 celery stalks, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 (15 oz.) cans low-sodium garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
1 (28 oz.) can low-sodium diced tomatoes
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon ground coriander seeds
3 dried bay leaves
1 (24 oz.) jar tomato sauce
3 1/2 cups water
16 oz. kale, cleaned and chopped
salt and pepper to taste

directions:
in a large soup pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat.  add the diced onion, carrots, and celery.  saute until tender (about 5-6 minutes).  add minced garlic and saute for 1 minute.  add beans, diced tomatoes, spices, and bay leaves.  cook for 2-3 minutes.  add tomato sauce and water.  bring to a simmer on high, and then reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes.  discard bay leaves, add the kale, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes.  serve warm.

enjoy!

love, laurie

eleven vegetable soup

we were so happy when the weather started to warm up and finally feel like spring in the end of april.  now that it's may, the weather reversed and it has been overcast, rainy, dreary, and cold for the past several days.  it's so gross and i would really like to see the sun again soon!

this cool rainy weather has me craving warm comfort food.  this week i made a big batch of soup for us.  we have been enjoying the leftovers for lunches every day at work.  knowing that you have a nice warm bowl of soup waiting for you is the perfect thing to get you through the morning.

i'm calling this eleven vegetable soup because, yes, there are really 11 different vegetables in this soup!  we loaded this soup with onion, shallot, carrots, celery, garlic, green beans, zucchini, yellow squash, mushrooms, kale, and tomatoes.

all of the flavors from these veggies blend together so well.  this soup is so delicious and so very comforting!

eleven vegetable soup
prep time: 10-15 minutes
cooking time: 45 minutes
yields: 8-10 servings

ingredients:
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 medium yellow cooking onion, diced
1 shallot, diced
5-6 carrots, peeled and diced
4-5 celery stalks, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups green beans, sliced in half
1 medium zucchini, diced
1 medium yellow squash, diced
8 oz. white mushrooms, stems removed and sliced
3-4 kale stalks, stems removed and chopped
1 can (28 oz.) low-sodium whole peeled san marzano tomatoes
1 can (28 oz.) low-sodium crushed tomatoes
4 cups low-sodium vegetable stock
1 cup water
1-2 leftover parmesan cheese rinds
1 can (15 oz.) low-sodium cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
2 teaspoons italian seasoning
salt and pepper to taste

directions:
in a very large soup pot over medium heat, warm the olive oil.  saute the onion, shallot, carrots, and celery until tender.  add the garlic, green beans, zucchini, yellow squash, mushrooms, and kale.  cook for 5 minutes.  add the tomatoes, vegetable stock, and water.  stir well.  add 1 or 2 leftover parmesan cheese rinds to the soup.  bring to a boil and then simmer covered for 20 minutes on medium-low heat, stirring occasionally.  remove the parmesan cheese rinds and throw away.  add the beans and seasoning and cook for 5 minutes.  serve warm.

*recipe note: to make this soup vegan, simply omit the parmesan cheese rinds.

enjoy!

love, laurie

vegetable fried rice

over the weekend we were craving chinese food.  instead of going out to eat or ordering take out, we made homemade vegetable fried rice right at home.

we had a ton of fresh veggies that we had just picked up at the grocery store, so we threw all sorts of yummy veggies into this dish including red pepper, yellow pepper, scallions, carrots, celery, broccoli, mushrooms, and zucchini.

the scrambled eggs and soy sauce give this dish that distinct fried rice quality, and the sesame oil and toasted sesame seeds give it a great flavor!

this recipe is a great base recipe because you can add anything into the fried rice that you want in order to make it your own.  this dish is so easy to make that you won't need to order fried rice take out again!  it makes enough for leftovers all week long too!

vegetable fried rice
prep time: 10-15 minutes
cooking time: 30 minutes
yields: 6-8 servings

ingredients:
2 cups water
1 1/2 cups botan white rice
2 teaspoons sesame oil
1 small red bell pepper, diced
1 small yellow pepper, diced
8 scallions, diced
4-5 medium carrots, peeled and diced
2-3 stalks celery, diced
1 head broccoli, broken into small florets
8 oz. white mushrooms, diced
1 medium zucchini, diced
1 tablespoon salted butter
2 large eggs, scrambled
1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
3 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds

directions:
in a sauce pan bring the water to a boil.  add the rice, reduce the heat, and simmer covered for 20 minutes until the rice has absorbed all of the water.  fluff with a fork.

meanwhile, heat a wok over medium heat and add the sesame oil.  add the diced vegetables and saute until tender (about 10-15 minutes).  once the vegetables are cooked, remove them from the wok and set them aside in a large bowl.

melt the butter in the empty wok.  scramble the egg in the butter.  add the cooked rice to the wok and pour the soy sauce over the rice.  toss to evenly coat the rice, adding more soy sauce if needed.  cook for 5 minutes.  add the vegetables to the rice.  toss to evenly incorporate the vegetables into the rice.  top with toasted sesame seeds.  serve warm.

enjoy!

love, laurie

creamy vegetable tortellini soup

the weather has been all over the place lately.  some days have been so cold that i feel like my face is going to fall off as soon as i step outside, and then other days have been so lovely and warm that people are walking around without jackets.  what is going on, mother nature?!

on the cold days in february, we crave warm meals.  recently we made a batch of this soup when it was particularly cold outside.  we made enough so that we could have it all week for lunches at work.  it was so nice to have something to look forward to all morning at work, knowing that the soup would warm us from the inside out when our offices were so bitter cold.

this soup is packed full of goodness.  it has lots of veggies like onions, carrots, celery, tomatoes, and spinach for nutrients, and it's flavored with garlic, oregano, basil, and rosemary.  the tortellini give it something special, and the cream makes it decadently creamy.  this is the perfect cold-weather soup!

creamy vegetable tortellini soup
prep time: 10-15 minutes
cooking time: 40-45 minutes
yields: 8 servings

ingredients:
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 small spanish onion, diced
6 large carrots, peeled and chopped
4 celery stalks, chopped
5 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary
1 (28 oz.) can crushed tomatoes
32 oz. low-sodium vegetable stock
3 cups fresh spinach leaves
5 oz. cheese tortellini
3 tablespoons heavy cream

directions:
in a large soup pot, over medium heat, warm the olive oil.  saute the onion, carrots, and celery until tender.  add the garlic, oregano, basil, and rosemary.  cook for 1-2 minutes.  add the crushed tomatoes and vegetable stock.  stir well.  simmer for 25-30 minutes on medium-low heat, stirring occasionally.  add the spinach and tortellini and cook for 4-6 minutes until the tortellini are tender and fully cooked.  stir in the heavy cream.  serve warm.

enjoy!

love, laurie

vegetarian tamale casserole

on sundays we love to cook and make big dinners to last us all week long.  it sure makes life easy to come home on a weeknight and just heat something up in the microwave.  recently we made this vegetarian tamale casserole.  it really reminded me of a mexican version of shepherd's pie, with polenta on top instead of mashed potatoes.  this is healthy comfort food with a kick of spice.  the recipe makes enough for leftovers to last all week long.

vegetarian tamale casserole
prep time: 15 minutes
cooking time: 90 minutes
yields: 8 servings
adapted from annie's eats

ingredients:
2 (28 oz.) cans diced tomatoes
1 onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce
1 teaspoon chili powder
4 teaspoons fresh lime juice
1 (15 oz.) can black beans
1 (15 oz.) can pinto beans
1 1/2 cups frozen corn
1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro
1 teaspoon dried oregano
8 oz. cheddar cheese, shredded
4 cups water
1 1/2 cups cornmeal

directions:
preheat your oven to 475 degrees F.  lined a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil.  drain the cans of diced tomatoes, but reserve 2 cups of the liquid.  in a large bowl, combine the drained tomatoes, chopped onion, minced garlic, oil, and salt/pepper to taste.  toss to combine, then spread evenly on the foil-lined baking sheet.  roast for 35-40 minutes, until the veggies begin to brown around the edges.

remove the veggies from the oven and lower the oven temperature to 375 degrees F.  transfer the roasted veggies to a blender.  add the chipotle, chili powder, lime juice, and the reserved 2 cups of tomato juice.  puree until just slightly chunky.  in a large bowl combine the blended sauce with the rinsed and drained beans, corn, cilantro, and oregano.  toss to combine.  evenly distribute into a 9x13 baking dish.  evenly spread the shredded cheese on top.  set aside

in a saucepan over high heat, bring the water to a boil.  slowly add the cornmeal while whisking vigorously to prevent clumping.  reduce the heat to medium-low and whisk until the cornmeal softens and the mixture thickens (about 3 minutes).  remove from the heat and spread over the casserole with a spatula.

place the casserole on a baking sheet to avoid a mess if it bubbles over.  cover the casserole with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes.  remove the foil and continue to bake for 30 minutes, until the crust begins to brown and the filling bubbles.  let cool for 10-15 minutes before cutting and serving.

enjoy!

love, laurie

vegan cleansing detox soup

starting in the fall straight through to the winter, i feel like all we do is eat!  it all starts with halloween candy in october, followed by my dad's birthday and thanksgiving in november, followed by my mom's birthday and christmas in december, followed by new years eve/day, and then my birthday in the beginning of january.  it's an endless stream of gatherings involving food that yield a ton of left overs for four straight months.  don't get me wrong, i absolutely love it, but it certainly takes a toll on my waistline.

now that the holidays and my birthday are behind us, we are trying to get ourselves back on track and eat better.  say hello to this vegan cleansing detox soup!  perfect for this time of year especially.  this soup is cleansing because it is packed full of veggies, and it is free of oil.  a detox soup doesn't have to be boring.  oh no, it has tons of flavor!  this recipe will make enough for leftovers to last you all week long, and a bowl of this warm soup is ideal on a cold winter day.

vegan cleansing detox soup
prep time: 10 minutes
cooking time: 25 minutes
yields: 8 servings
adapted from the glowing fridge

ingredients:
1/2 cup water
1/2 spanish onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
4 celery stalks, diced
3 carrots, diced
3 small tomatoes, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh ginger root, peeled and minced
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
6 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
1 small head of broccoli, florets
1 cup kale, de-stemmed and chopped
1 cup napa cabbage, chopped
1 cup purple cabbage, chopped
1/2 lemon, juiced

directions:
in a large pot over medium heat, warm the water.  add the onion and garlic.  saute for 2 minutes, stirring  occasionally.  add the celery, carrots, tomatoes, ginger, cinnamon, black pepper, and cayenne pepper.  stir and cook for 3 minutes (adding extra water as needed).  add the vegetable broth and bring to a boil.  reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.  add the broccoli, kale, cabbage, and lemon juice.  simmer for 5 minutes, until the broccoli and cabbage are tender.

enjoy!

love, laurie

panera's broccoli cheddar soup {copycat recipe}

when the weather starts to cool down in the fall we turn to warm soup, and we are huge fans of traditional cream of broccoli soup.  we were walking through sam's club the other day and noticed that they sold panera's broccoli cheddar soup which you could just warm and serve.  i saw ryan eyeing it up and said, "look at the price of that!  who do they think they are charging that much for soup?!  if you want that we'll make it from scratch at home."

thus off to the kitchen i went to work on creating a copycat version of panera's broccoli cheddar soup.  what i like about panera's version is that instead of just broccoli, they add carrots, celery, and most importantly cheddar cheese.

this soup is easy to make and it is really wonderful.  you know me, i am always a fan of the homemade version of anything as opposed to the store-bought version.  you can control exactly what goes in it and there are no surprises, mystery ingredients, or chemicals.

this soup is one of those cool weather comfort foods.  it is really filling and warms you from the inside out!

broccoli cheddar soup
prep time: 10 minutes
cooking time: 20-30 minutes
yields: 6 servings

ingredients:
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 sweet onion, diced
3 carrots, peeled and diced
2 stalks celery, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
8 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
2 lbs. fresh broccoli, chopped
1/4 cup half-and-half
3/4 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 cup water
salt and pepper to taste

directions:
in a large soup pot over medium heat, saute the onion in the olive oil until the onions are almost translucent.  add the diced carrots and celery along with the minced garlic.  saute until tender, then cover and cook over low heat until the vegetables are soft.  add the broth and simmer over medium-low heat.

meanwhile steam the broccoli florets until bright green and tender.  be careful to not overcook the broccoli.  once cooked, add the broccoli to the soup.  transfer the mixture to a blender and puree until smooth.  return the soup to the pot and add the cream.  cook for 2-3 minutes then stir in the cheese until melted.  in a small bowl, whisk together the flour and water.  slowly add the flour mixture to the soup and stir until slightly thickened.  season with salt and pepper to taste.  serve warm.

enjoy!

love, laurie

roasted beet and carrot quinoa with kale and chickpeas (vegan + gluten free)

after visiting ryan's family for his grandmother's funeral this past weekend, we came home with a bag of gorgeous fresh beets from ryan's aunt and uncle's garden.  let's just take a moment and pause to think about how glorious it would be to have a garden to grow beets like that.  yum!

i put the beets to good use as soon as we got home.  i made crispy baked beet chips (which are way better than potato chips in my opinion) and i also made this incredible quinoa dish for dinner with roasted beets.

roasting beets in the oven with a little olive oil, salt, and pepper makes them so delicious.  yes, your hands will temporarily turn pink from peeling and dicing the beets, but it washes off eventually and it's worth it for the end result.

beets and carrots roast together in the oven until they are soft and tender, kale gets sauteed, and then everything gets tossed together with chickpeas and orange dressing.  it's a light and refreshing dish that can be served either as a side dish or as a main meal.  it is loaded with great vitamins and nutrients.  we ate this for dinner all week long.  it is good hot, at room temperature, or cold.  i just love dishes like this!

thanks for the wonderful beets, uncle ed and aunt sandy!

roasted beet and carrot quinoa with kale and chickpeas
prep time: 10-15 minutes
cooking time: 45-50 minutes
yields: 8 servings

ingredients:
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
2-3 large beets
6 large carrots
1 1/2 cups dry quinoa
3 cups water
5-6 stalks of kale
1 (15.5 oz.) can chick peas, drained and rinsed
salt and pepper to taste

dressing:
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup orange juice
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 teaspoon agave nectar or honey

directions:
preheat your oven to 400 degrees F.  wash, peel, and dice the beets and carrots.  (dice the beets into smaller pieces and the carrots into larger pieces so that they cook evenly).  line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and grease the foil with 1 tablespoon of olive oil.  place the diced beets and carrots on the baking sheet, drizzle an additional tablespoon of olive oil over the vegetables, season with salt and pepper to taste, and toss to evenly coat.  roast for 25-30 minutes, until the vegetables are tender.  once cooked, remove from the oven and set aside.

meanwhile, combine the quinoa and water in a pot and bring to a boil.  reduce to a simmer and cover to allow the quinoa to absorb the water (about 15 minutes).  once all of the water has been absorbed, remove from the heat, fluff with a fork, and set aside.

heat a large skillet with the remaining tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat.  remove the stems from the kale and chop the kale leaves.  place the kale in the heated skillet and saute for 5 minutes.  season with salt and pepper to taste.  once cooked, remove from the heat and set aside.

to make the dressing, combine the olive oil, orange juice, vinegar, and agave/honey in a bowl and whisk well to combine.

to assemble, combine the roasted beets and carrots, the cooked quinoa, the sauteed kale, and the chickpeas in a large bowl.  pour the dressing over the mixture and toss to evenly coat everything.  serve warm, at room temperature, or cold.

enjoy!

love, laurie

pesto pasta salad with sun dried tomatoes, roasted asparagus, and fresh mozzarella

we were in charge of making pasta salad as a side dish for our family's fourth of july picnic this weekend.  instead of making either an italian dressing based pasta salad or a mayonnaise based macaroni salad, we decided to dress our pasta salad with pesto.

we absolutely love pesto.  there are so many different types of pesto.  traditional basil pesto is what we used for this recipe, but i bet this salad would also be good dressed in arugula, mint, and pistachio pesto or sun dried tomato, parsley, and almond pesto too.

the pasta is covered in delicious homemade pesto, full of fresh ingredients.  it is tossed with sun dried tomatoes, asparagus which was roasted in the oven until it was super tender, and cubes of fresh mozzarella cheese.  yum!

this pasta salad is an easy dish to make and it is perfect as a picnic side dish, or as a main meal for a busy week night.

we served this pasta dish cold as a salad, but you could certainly serve it warm too.  the warm mozzarella would melt into the pasta and that would be delicious!

pesto pasta salad with sun dried tomatoes, roasted asparagus, and fresh mozzarella
prep time: 10 minutes
cooking time: 30 minutes
yields: 6-8 servings
adapted from damn delicious

ingredients:
12 ounces pasta
1 lb. fresh asparagus
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup basil pesto
3 oz. sun dried tomatoes, chopped
8 oz. fresh mozzarella cheese, diced

directions:
bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook pasta according to package instructions.  drain, then rinse under cold water.

preheat your oven to 425 degrees F.  cover a baking sheet with aluminum foil and grease it with olive oil.  trim the ends off the asparagus and place the asparagus on the baking sheet.  toss with additional oil and season with salt and pepper.  roast for 10-12 minutes until tender.  set aside to cool.  once cool, cut into small pieces.

in a large bowl, combine the pasta and the pesto.  toss well to make sure the pasta is evenly covered.  mix in the asparagus, sun dried tomatoes, and mozzarella.  refrigerate until ready to serve.

enjoy!

love, laurie

cast-iron skillet pizza

we spent memorial day monday at home.  it was a super productive day with countless hours spent outside working on our yard and our flower beds.  we sure worked up an appetite doing all of that yard work outside in the hot sun.

we both had a hankering for pizza, so we decided to take a break from our yard work and make pizza for lunch.  we had never made pizza in a cast-iron skillet before so we thought we would give it a shot to see how it worked, and it turned out great!  the result was a delicious deep-dish pizza with a fabulous crust that was crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside.

we topped our pizza with marinara sauce, tomatoes, lots of cheese, and sauteed onions, peppers, and mushrooms.  the flavors worked together so well.

we made two pizzas and polished off a whole one between the two of us for lunch.  (i guess working outside really did make us hungry!)  we saved the second one and had the leftovers last night for dinner.  it reheated perfectly in the microwave.

we loved baking our pizza this way and can't wait to make it like this again.  if you're looking for a different twist on traditional pizza, give cast-iron skillet pizza a try!

cast-iron skillet pizza
prep time: 5-10 minutes
baking time: 20-25 minutes
yields: two 12-inch pizzas

ingredients:
1 tablespoon salted butter
1/2 large onion, sliced
6 mini sweet peppers, sliced (red, orange, and yellow)
4 oz. mushrooms, sliced
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
28 oz. pizza dough
2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
12 oz. marinara sauce
8 oz. grape tomatoes
seasonings of choice

directions:
saute the sliced onions, peppers, and mushrooms in butter in a pan over medium heat until the onions are soft and translucent.  remove from the heat and set aside.  allow the pizza dough to come to room temperature (if previously refrigerated or frozen).  preheat your oven to 475 degrees F.  separate the dough into two parts and roll the dough out into two 12-inch circles.  grease two 12-inch cast-iron skillets with extra virgin olive oil and place the dough in each greased skillet.  bake the dough for 5 minutes.

remove the skillets from the oven and spread 1/2 cup of shredded cheese on the bottom of each crust.  divide the marinara sauce between the two pizzas, spreading it on top of the cheese.  slice each grape tomato in half and divide the tomatoes between the two pizzas.  spread 1/2 cup of cheese over each pizza.  divide the sauteed vegetables between each pizza and arrange on top of the cheese.  sprinkle with seasonings of choice (i used dried basil, dried oregano, and garlic powder).  bake for 15-20 minutes until the cheese is melted and the filling is bubbling.  serve warm.

enjoy!

love, laurie

grilled foil packet dinners (fish and vegetables)

we were absolutely thrilled to be able to grill for the first time this season on sunday.  to kick off the grilling season, we grilled foil packets for dinner.  foil dinner packets are quick, easy, and delicious.  they are also so versatile because you can put just about anything you want in them, and you can customize them to each member of your family.

we love fish, but it can be a bit tricky to grill.  often, fish is so thin and delicate that it burns quickly on the grill.  it also tends to stick to the grill grates and makes a mess to clean up.  plus, who wants their entire grill smelling like fish?  not us.  the solution?  grill your fish in a foil packet!  if you are looking for a quick and easy dinner with hardly any clean up involved, look no further.

we grabbed two large pieces of aluminum foil and filled them with a pile of veggies.  we used vegetables that we had on hand: carrots, celery, onion, and spinach.  we seasoned the veggies (we love this seasoning) and then put a piece of fish on top of the veggies (i had tilapia and ryan had haddock).  i seasoned my fish with some ground pepper and dried parsley, while ryan sprinkled some old bay on top of his.  the trick to keeping everything moist is putting one ice cube in each foil packet.  the ice cube melts on the grill and helps to steam everything in the packet.  as everything in the packet cooks on the grill, the flavors all come together and make a wonderful tasting meal!

grilled foil packet dinners
prep time: 5 minutes
grilling time: 20-25 minutes
yields: 2 servings

ingredients:
4 carrots, peeled and diced
2 stalks of celery, diced
1 small onion, diced
1 teaspoon salted butter
1 cup fresh baby spinach
2 fish fillets
2 ice cubes
salt and pepper to taste
seasoning to taste

directions:
preheat your grill (approximately 450 to 500 degrees F).  spread out two large pieces of aluminum foil.  evenly divide the diced carrots, celery, and onion between the two pieces of foil.  place 1/2 teaspoon of butter on top of each vegetable pile.  season the vegetables to taste.  place 1/2 cup of spinach on top of each vegetable pile.  place the fish on top of the spinach.  season the fish to taste.  place one ice cube in each foil packet (in the bottom near the vegetables).  tightly fold up the foil packet, keeping the folded seam facing up.  place the foil packets on the grill.  cover and grill for 20-25 minutes, until the fish is cooked throughout.  unfold the foil packets and serve warm right out of the packets.

love, laurie

sweet potato black bean burgers (vegan + gluten free)

i asked ryan what he wanted for lunch on sunday, and of course he had no idea.  he grabbed the ipad and started scrolling through my pinterest boards and within a few minutes exclaimed: "how about these sweet potato black bean burgers?!"  man after my own heart right there, i'm telling you.

these burgers are loaded with black beans, walnut meal, pecan meal, rice, and some spices.  the mashed sweet potatoes act as the glue to hold all of the ingredients together.  these veggie burgers are vegan and gluten free too (without the roll of course).

we served our veggie burgers on fresh brioche rolls with a few mixed greens, sliced avocado, and tomato.  they were insanely delicious, and they sure were filling!  we made a few homemade french fries to go along with our burgers.  after all, some things are just meant to be together like burgers and fries.

this recipe made a lot of burger patties, so we left some in the fridge to eat this week and froze the rest.  it's so nice knowing that you have things like homemade veggie burgers in the freezer when you need a meal in a pinch!

sweet potato black bean burgers
prep time: 40 minutes
baking time: 35 minutes
yields: 12 burgers
adapted from minimalist baker

ingredients:
2 large sweet potatoes
1 cup uncooked white rice
1 1/3 cups water
1 cup black beans
1/4 cup walnuts
1/4 cup pecans
1/2 cup diced scallions
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon curry powder
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

directions:
preheat your oven to 400 degrees F.  cut the sweet potatoes in half length wise.  rub the cut side of the sweet potatoes with olive oil, and place them cut side down on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil.  bake for 30 minutes until tender.  meanwhile, combine the rice and the water in a sauce pan.  bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low.  cover and let simmer for 20 minutes until the rice is cooked.  once cooked, fluff with a fork and set aside.

once baked, remove the skins from the sweet potatoes and mash the sweet potatoes along with the black beans.  pulse the nuts in a food processor until they are the consistency of nut meal.  add the nut meal to the potato and bean mixture, along with the scallions and spices.  mix well.  add the cooked rice and mix to combine.

reduce the oven temperature to 375 degrees F.  scoop 1/3 cup amount of the mixture into your hands and roll into a ball.  flatten into a patty and place on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil and greased with olive oil.  bake for 35 minutes.

enjoy!

love, laurie

lemon orzo with parmesan and peas

a few months ago, i stumbled across kelsey nixon's blog.  i started watching her show on the cooking channel, and following along with her on instagram.  she is so cute and down to earth (and she lives in brooklyn)!

last week, kelsey posted a few of her family's favorite go-to recipes on instagram.  when i saw her recipe for simple lemon orzo i couldn't wait to try it.

this orzo was so easy to make, and it was so flavorful.  the fresh lemon zest and lemon juice give it such a bright flavor, and the parmesan cheese and half-and-half make it decadently creamy.  the peas give it a great pop of color too.  i served this orzo along side these tuna cakes.  it was a great combination!

lemon orzo with parmesan and peas
prep time: 5-10 minutes
cooking time: 15-20 minutes
yields: 8 servings
adapted from kelsey nixon

ingredients:
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion
16 oz. dry orzo
3/4 cup white wine
4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
1 lemon (zest + juice)
1 cup frozen peas
1/3 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
1/4 cup half-and-half
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon ground black pepper

directions:
heat the olive oil in a large pan and saute the onion until translucent.  add the dry orzo and the wine.  cook until the wine is absorbed.  add the vegetable broth and bring the mixture to a simmer.  reduce the heat and cover the pan.  cook for 10-12 minutes, until almost all of the broth is absorbed and the orzo is tender.  zest and juice the lemon.  stir in the lemon zest, lemon juice, peas, parmesan, cream, basil, and pepper.  serve warm.

enjoy!

love, laurie

tuna cakes with spicy mayo dipping sauce

it's no secret that leko loves tuna.  he goes crazy over it.  but, we're pretty big fans of tuna too.

over the weekend, i was looking for a quick and simple dinner idea, and i decided to make tuna cakes.  these tuna cakes are full of flavor.  they are great on their own, but they are even better with a little bit of spicy mayo sauce spread on top of them.  

if your not a fan of tuna, you could easily substitute salmon.  i used canned tuna for this recipe since it's what i had on hand, but you could easily use fresh salmon or tuna that you bake in the oven and then flake apart into small pieces.

tuna cakes with spicy mayo dipping sauce
prep time: 5-10 minutes
cooking time: 10-12 minutes
yields: approximately 16 cakes
adapted from pancakes

ingredients:
1 teaspoon salted butter
1/2 onion, minced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 cup plain breadcrumbs
1/4 cup fresh baby spinach, finely chopped
1 teaspoon dried parsley
2 teaspoons dijon mustard
2 large eggs, whisked
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
3 (5 oz.) cans low-sodium tuna fish, drained
salt and pepper to taste

sauce ingredients:
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon sriracha sauce
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

directions:
to make the tuna cakes, melt the butter in a pan and saute the minced onion on medium-low heat until translucent (about 4-5 minutes).  add the minced garlic and saute for another minute.  in a large bowl, combine the sauteed onion and garlic with the breadcrumbs, chopped spinach, parsley mustard, eggs, lemon juice, and tuna.  mix well to combine making sure all of the mixture is evenly distributed and evenly coated.  season with salt and pepper to taste.  scoop 3 tablespoon sized balls of the mixture into the palm of your hands and form into a paddy.  repeat with the remaining mixture.  cook the fish cakes on a lightly buttered skillet or griddle for 5-6 minutes on each side until they are golden brown and cooked throughout.  serve warm with chilled spicy mayo dipping sauce.

to make the sauce, whisk the mayo, lemon juice, mustard, sriracha, and pepper together in a bowl.  refrigerate until ready to serve.

enjoy!

love, laurie

vegetarian shepherd's pie

the weather outside is frightful.  truly it is.  temperatures have been in the single digits and the wind chill has been below zero!  january is here and the weather is numbing.  cold days call for warm and hearty comfort food.  when i think of comfort food, one of the things that comes to mind is shepherd's pie.

i was delighted when i found a recipe for a vegetarian version of shepherd's pie.  brown lentils take the place of traditional ground beef.  the lentils are packed full of nutrients and protein.  they are also inexpensive and cook up in no time.  that's a win-win.  the lentils come together with mixed vegetables and everything is covered in a layer of fluffy mashed potatoes.  yum!

this vegetarian-friendly shepherd's pie is both hearty and filling.  it's going to be a staple in our house this winter for sure.

vegetarian shepherd's pie
prep time: 10 minutes
cooking time: 40 minutes
baking time: 10-15 minutes
yields: 6 large servings
adapted from minimalist baker

ingredients:
6-8 large baking potatoes
2 tablespoons salted butter
2 tablespoons cream
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 yellow onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 cups uncooked brown lentils, rinsed and drained
4 cups vegetable stock
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 (16 oz.) bag frozen mixed vegetables (carrots, corn, peas, and green beans)
2 tablespoons cornstarch
salt and pepper to taste

directions:
peel and dice the potatoes, then place them in a large pot filled with water (so that the potatoes are covered).  bring the water to a boil and cook for 15-20 minutes until the potatoes are tender.  drain the water and add the butter and cream to the potatoes.  beat with an electric hand mixer until smooth.  season with salt and pepper to taste.

while the potatoes are cooking, preheat your oven to 425 degrees F and lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.  in a large soup pot over medium heat, saute the onions and garlic in olive oil until translucent.  add the lentils, stock, and thyme.  bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and allow the mixture to simmer until the lentils are tender (about 35-40 minutes).  stir in the frozen vegetables.  scoop out 1/4 cup of the liquid and whisk it into the cornstarch.  return it to the pot to thicken the mixture.  season with salt and pepper to taste.

pour the mixture into the baking dish and evenly spread the mashed potatoes on top of the mixture.  place the baking dish on a large baking sheet and bake for 10-15 minutes until the mashed potatoes are lightly browned on top.

enjoy!

love, laurie

vegan curried carrot and apple soup

the weather has been super cold this past week.  it has been so dreary and overcast, and it's been raining constantly.  i feel like i haven't seen the sun in days.  it's down right depressing.  cold weather like this makes me want to curl up in my pajamas.  it's definitely soup weather.

i made a batch of this vegan curried carrot and apple soup recently and we absolutely loved it.  it is loaded with onions, celery, carrots, and apples.  never thought of putting apples in your soup before?  me either . . . but let me tell you, it's a game changer.

the flavors of the veggies and the apples are a great combination.  the curry powder gives this soup a warm spice.  if you're not a fan of spicy foods, you could put less curry powder in, or your could leave it out entirely.

this soup not only tastes great, but it is also super healthy for you and very low in calories!

vegan curried carrot and apple soup
prep time: 10 minutes
cooking time: 30-40 minutes
yields: 4 servings
adapted from kitchen daily

ingredients:
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped
2 large carrots, peeled and sliced
2 large apples, peeled and chopped
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 bay leaf
4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
salt and pepper to taste

directions:
heat the olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat.  saute the onion and the celery until softened and the onion is translucent.  (be careful that it does not brown.)  stir in the carrots, apples, and curry powder.  cook for 2 minutes.  add the bay leaf and vegetable broth.  bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low.  cover and let simmer until the carrots and apples are tender (about 20 minutes).  remove the bay leaf.  transfer the mixture to a blender and blend until completely smooth.  pour the pureed soup back into the soup pot.  reheat and season with salt and pepper to taste.  serve warm.

enjoy!

love, laurie