Orange & Pomegranate Salad

September 12, 2012

orange-pomegranate-salad

One of the most annoying questions that you come across as a vegan is: “What can you eat except for salad?”

I love soup, pasta, indian food, veggie burgers, cookies … but the thing that is kind of ironic is that I really eat a lot of salads. And often as the main meal. I try to vary them in different ways but one trick that I often come back to is adding fruit to the salad. Pear, strawberries, pomegranate, apple, orange, kiwi and mango all works well in salads.

In this particular salad I used orange and pomegranate. Since the salad is quite light I would normally make it for lunch or as a side dish. The last time I served this we ate it along side falafel wraps (hmmm, maybe a future blog post…)

You may have heard time and time again how antioxidant-rich pomegranates are. But you may not know that the jewel-like seeds also contain iron, calcium, vitamin C, magnesium, and a good dose of fiber.

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orange-and-pomegranate-salad

Orange and Pomegranate Salad

Serves 2

Ingredients:

  • 3 cups green leaf lettuce, rinsed and torn
  • 1 orange, peeled and chopped
  • 1/3 cup pomegranate seeds
  • 1 Tbsp. onion, thinly chopped
  • 1 Tbsp. honey or agave nectar
  • 1/2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
  • pinch of sea salt and black pepper
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • sunflower seeds (optional)

Directions:

  1. Divide the lettuce between two bowls. Peel and chop the orange. Divide the chopped orange and pomegranate seeds among the two bowls and mix gently.
  2. In a small bowl combine the onion, natural sweetener, vinegar, salt and pepper and whisk until the salt is dissolved. Whisk in the olive oil.
  3. Slowly add desired amount of dressing into bowls of salad. Gently toss the salad with your hands or salad tongs, coating the ingredients well with the vinaigrette. If the salad seems dry, add the vinaigrette in small increments until it is dressed to your liking.
  4. Sprinkle sunflower seeds over salad for a little something extra.

(Photo Credit: my sister, Jenny Norris – jjnorris.com)

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Sweet Tart Juice

September 6, 2012
sweet-tart-juice

You want to know a funny thing about Irish people? They always talk about the weather. Always. Come rain or come shine, they will talk about it. Several times each day. It’s one of the first things they mention when arriving at work, buying lunch, taking a taxi or meeting a friend in town. And since I find myself progressing into Irish ways, I’ve decided to tell you about the weather we’ve been experiencing in Cork this week. It has been a little bit chilly during my early morning runs, but we’ve had blue skies and pretty nice temperatures. The perfect weather for lounging outside.

Here in Ireland we didn’t experience much of a summer, just rain upon rain. As soon as September arrived it seems so has our Indian Summer. You could have bet your bottom dollar (or euro) that this would happen after such a non-event of a summer – the kids go back to school and everyone’s knuckling down again, then the weather takes a turn for the better. I think it is a real treat to be savored and it makes reading a book in the sunshine a particular pleasure.

I created a refreshing summer drink that tastes surprisingly like Sweet Tarts – those mouth-puckering candies of childhood. A whole lemon tart up this juicy blend of apple, pineapple and kiwi, while carrot sweetens the affair. It’s candy in a glass. Enjoy this summer-inspired drink for your weekend barbeques, picnics, parties or just while hanging out with friends this weekend.

Sweet Tart Juice

Ingredients:

  • 1 apple
  • 4 carrots
  • 1/2 small pineapple
  • 2 kiwis, peeled
  • 1 whole lemon, peeled

Directions:

  1. Place everything in juicer and enjoy!

* Serve it frozen or chilled for extra perk.

 

(Photo Credit: my sister, Jenny Norris – jjnorris.com)

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New York City – Part 3 & Recipe

August 29, 2012

katie-in-new-york-city-part-three

A great trip lingers with you long after you return home. A successful holiday is one where memories are unpacked long after the suitcase is emptied and the laundry is done. It’s been more than a few weeks since I came back from New York City and I’m starting to realize that my trip reorganized a few things in my life while I was away: I’ve got a travel bug to foster and a whole new set of cravings to grapple with.

The city has instilled in me more purpose and inspiration in the every day, which are ultimately great things. NYC is where trends are set, tastemakers abound, and culture flourishes. I find inspiration comes from noticing what’s around…the sites, sounds and even smells. From the graffiti on the street to wandering local markets –  it’s a wake up call for my senses. I take this newly refreshed outlook with me to the kitchen and other areas of my life in the hopes I can inspire others to lead full, happy lives.

Since my return to Ireland, my imagination whirls over gems of stories of the NYC food world. I ate pretty amazingly on this trip. We tried the brand new raw eatery of Gingersnap’s Organic, had fresh baked treats from Life Thyme Natural Market, had a picnic salad in Central Park courtesy of Whole Foods, ate exotic cuisine (Thai, Japanese, Pakistani), purshaced a quinoa falafel while browsing Smorgasburg Flea Food Market in Brooklyn, drank a delicious smoothie on the boardwalk from Rippers and devoured a homemade meal while sipping on cocktails on my sister’s rooftop oasis. In sum: we ate great food.

One of my favorite things to do at this time of year to find inspiration is to visit the local farmer’s markets – especially the ones that are so abundant in New York City. From the rows of fresh fruit and produce to bundles of cut flowers, it’s as much a treat just to visit as the fresh produce I take home with me is to eat. My last day in New York was spent with my sister wandering the Union Square Greenmarket. Hundreds of regional farmers, fishermen, and bakers descend upon Union Square to sell their products. The atmosphere on a market day is electric with bustling crowds and farmed culinary treasures as far as the eye can see. After a thorough perusal of the goods up for sale, I settled on the ripest mango, fresh berries, limes and the most beautiful flower arrangement.

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Those memories have been just the reason why I’ve been spending so much time in my kitchen trying to recreate some of my culinary experiences. One of my favorite things I tried while on my travels were the Nori Rolls from Gingersnap’s Organic in the East Village. My sister and I popped in for a quick lunch and quite enjoyed the nori rolls, which were light but definitely flavorful and actually very reminiscent of veggie sushi. The dish features avocado, bell pepper, and sprouts, all tucked inside “rice” made from finely chopped cauliflower. Soy, pickled ginger, and wasabi stand guard to add additional flavor. I’ve attempted making this dish at home since returning from NYC. Though my version was almost nearly as delicious, my rolling skills could use some practice. It is a very simple recipe if you can master the art of rolling the nori. Why not give it a go the next time you’re in the mood for a raw meal?

raw-cauliflower-sushi-rice

Raw Cauliflower “Sushi Rice” 

Makes approx. 3 cups

Ingredients:

  • 1 head of cauliflower
  • 1 tsp. minced ginger
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 1 tsp. nama shoyu, or to taste
  • Pinch sea salt
  • a little squeeze of lemon juice

Directions:

  1. Place all of the ingredients in a food processor and pulse until the cauliflower is ground up small. Be careful not to over-process, stop when it looks like rice.

Nori Rolls

Makes two large rolls which can be cut into 8 pieces each

Ingredients:

  • 1 bamboo sushi mat
  • 2 nori sheets (if you want to keep it 100% raw make sure you get un-toasted)
  • 2 cups cauliflower “rice”
  • 1/2 large avocado or 1 small, sliced length ways
  • choice of vegetables, finely sliced and/or grated (I used sliced carrot, cucumber and grated beetroot)
  • sprouts of choice
  • sesame seeds for garnishing (optional)
  • low sodium gluten-free tamari or nam shoyu sauce, to serve (optional)

Directions:

  1. Prepare your work station with all ingredients ready to go into the nori rolls.
  2. Lie the nori sheet on your bamboo mat, with the smoother side face down and spread 1 cup of “rice” evenly over a section of it.
  3. Press the rice down firmly and top with veggies, avocado and sprouts in layers down the center.
  4. Take the side of the mat closest to you with only the small bit of seaweed exposed and gently roll over the mound of filling, squeezing lightly. Then continue to roll up tightly until you meet the other edge of the nori. Wet a thin strip at the far end to seal the roll together.
  5. Take a sharp knife with a serrated blade and carefully slice the roll into 8 pieces. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and enjoy with tamari or shoyu dipping sauce.

 

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Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

August 23, 2012

strawberry-rhubarb-pie

Rhubarb is one of the season’s sweetest gifts. These crisp, tart stalks that look like ruby-red celery start appearing in the farmer’s market in early spring. They get snapped up in a hurry by eager bakers, but to the uninitiated they are a bit of a mystery. That’s because rhubarb looks so much like a vegetable — it is in fact a vegetable– and is so lip-puckering sour that someone who’s never tried it before can’t help but wonder how it would fit in with sweets, where it is most often used. Well, I have an easy solution to make you a believer: put some rhubarb where your mouth is. But first, bake it into a pie, like this one I have for you today.

Strawberry rhubarb pie is adored by many, in spite of or perhaps because of its old-timey charm. At their best, cooked strawberries taste like cotton candy and rhubarb is the perfect almost citrusy-sour contrast. There’s no twist here, nothing fancy whatsoever. This recipe is simple, just the way I like it. I want you to have access to the most balanced approach to a strawberry rhubarb pie. This is a recipe to keep in your back pocket, taped to the inside of your pantry cabinet, or simply seared into your mind.

Vegan & Gluten-Free Pie Crust

Makes 1 approximately 9″ pie crust

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/2 cups rice flour (brown or white)
  • 1/4 tsp. baking powder
  • 1 Tbsp. agave nectar, or sweetener of choice
  • pinch of salt
  • 1 Tbsp. ground flaxseed + 3 Tbsp. water
  • 1/4 cup dairy-free buttery spread, melted
  • cold water

Directions:

  1. Stir together the flaxseed mixture and melted dairy-free buttery spread.
  2. Sift together the dry ingredients over the wet ingredients. Stir the dough together – it will be soft and crumbly. Add enough cold water so that the dough can be pressed together and holds.
  3. Lightly oil the pie pan.
  4. Press the dough into the pie pan and up the sides as far as possible being sure to keep the crust an even thickness. I use a flat bottomed measuring cup to help make the crust even and flat.

pie-strawberry-rhubarb

Strawberry-Rhubarb Filling

Ingredients:

  • 3 cups thinly sliced rhubarb
  • 2 cups rough chopped strawberries
  • 1/2 cup agave nectar, or sweetener of choice
  • 1/4 cup tapioca or cornstarch (gluten-free)
  • 1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tsp. lemon zest

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 425° F (218° C).
  2. Combine all of the filling ingredients together in a large mixing bowl.
  3. Add filling to the prepared pie shell. Cover loosely with tin foil and poke a few holes in the foil to let steam escape.
  4. Bake for about 20 minutes at 425° F (218° C). Lower heat to 350° F (177° C), and remove the tin foil. Bake for an additional 30 to 35 minutes, filling should be bubbling and the crust should be golden.
  5. Place on a cooling rack and let cool for about 30 minutes before serving.

 

(Photo Credit: my sister, Jenny Norris – jjnorris.com)

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