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vegan

Lemon Quinoa & Chickpea Salad

October 6, 2012
lemon-quinoa-chickpea-salad

Today I’m sharing a simple and satisfying lunch recipe that we prepare when we need a quick but tasty meal. This Lemon Quinoa & Chickpea Salad  is crisp and refreshing with crunchy radishes, chives, basil, chickpeas and quinoa with a lemony kick. It is guaranteed to please.

These kinds of salads have been on our table a lot lately. Throwing together a meal by using up whatever vegetables are at hand – bonus points if we don’t have to go to the store. So I’m going to keep this short. Get off the internet, go do something fun outside and enjoy the fresh autumn air. And make salad.

lemon-quinoa-and-chickpea-salad

Lemon Quinoa & Chickpea Salad

Serves 2

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup cooked quinoa
  • 1/2 can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • 2 cups of arugula or other leafy greens
  • 2 or 3 radishes, sliced
  • 1/2 cup chives
  • 1/4 cup basil
  • salt and pepper to taste

Lemon Dressing

  • 3 Tbsp. olive oil
  • juice and zest of 1 lemon
  • 1 clove of garlic, minced
  • salt & pepper, to taste
  • 1 tsp. honey (or agave or brown rice syrup)

Directions:

  1. Rinse & cook quinoa.
  2. Whisk dressing ingredients together. Chop and prep the rest of your vegetables and herbs.
  3. In a large bowl, place minced garlic and salad followed by your cooked warm quinoa. Toss it until incorporated.
  4. Combine the rest of the veggies into the bowl of quinoa and pour dressing on top. Toss and taste. Add more salt & pepper if necessary.

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

Wishing you all a lovely weekend! If you haven’t done so already, be sure to sign up for the figgy & sprout Newsletter. I’ll be sharing exclusive content, lots of fun recipes and little tidbits of what I’ve been up to.

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Coconut Curry Butternut Squash Soup

October 3, 2012
coconut-curry-butternut-squash-soup

It’s a bright and crisp autumn day. The kind of day that is cheery but demanding of a colorful bowl of tasty soup, so that’s what I whipped up! The colder weather feels as if it is here to stay. There has been an ever so slight transition that is hard to grasp, a certain feel to the air. Even though the sunshine has managed to pop it’s head through the clouds, I can’t seem to get warm. To combat this I’ve wrapped myself up in a cozy sweater and I’m cooking up a storm in my kitchen.

Rich in phytonutrients and antioxidants – butternut squash in the perfect addition to an autumn meal. It delivers an ample dose of dietary fiber, making it an exceptionally heart-friendly choice. It provides significant amounts of potassium, important for bone health, and vitamin B6, essential for the proper functioning of both the nervous and immune systems. What’s more, with only a 1-cup serving, you get nearly half the recommended daily dose of antioxidant-rich vitamin C.

This is the perfect rich and creamy warming meal. Bright & vibrant, but also comforting. The butternut squash provides something sweet, the garam masala and curry bring a smoky flavor and the coconut milk is lush. I like to include live enzymes with every meal so I serve this soup along side a green salad and perhaps a slice of sprouted organic whole grain bread. This recipe will yield a generous pot of soup that you can invite friends over for or you can portion up left overs for lunch or you can freeze some for other quick meals.

coconut-curry-butternut-squash-soup-vegan-gluten-free

Coconut Curry Butternut Squash Soup

Vegan & Gluten-free

Serves 4

Ingredients:

  • 1 tsp. coconut oil
  • 1/2 tsp. cumin
  • 1 1/2 tsp garam masala
  • 2 tsp. madras curry powder
  • 1/2 medium onion, minced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 cups butternut squash, peeled and chopped
  • 1 cup light coconut milk
  • 3 cups vegetable broth
  • salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

  1.  Add oil to a medium soup pot on medium heat. When oil is hot add onion, garlic and sauté. 
  2. Add cumin, garam masala, curry and mix well cooking another minute. Add broth, light coconut milk, butternut squash and cook covered until squash is soft, 12-15 minutes.
  3. Remove cover and using an immersion blender , puree soup until smooth. Season with salt and fresh pepper.
10 Comments

Peach Tostada

September 26, 2012

This might actually be too simple to call a recipe, but that’s ok. Most of my at home recipes are simple, and I know that most of you don’t have time for complicated anyway! The great thing about this dish is that you can customize it to suit your mood. More spice, less spice, different herbs.. the options are endless.

The crispy tortillas are the perfect contrast to the sweet, juicy peaches. They’re mixed together with lettuce, avocado tossed in tangy lime juice. This would be great as a side dish for a picnic but it’s also hearty enough to be a full meal. The plan was to save the leftovers for lunch the next day, but if you put a bowl of food between my fella and I, leftovers don’t stand a chance.

Peach Tostada

Ingredients:

  • corn tortillas or whole wheat tortillas
  • black beans
  • avocado, choped
  • romaine lettuce, sliced
  • 1/2 of a small red onion, finely chopped
  • juice and zest of 1 lime
  • 2 ripe peaches, finely chopped
  • 2 tablespoons chopped mint (or you could use cilantro)

Directions:

  1. Combine chopped peaches, mint and lime juice in a bowl and mix.
  2. Place tortillas in a pan over medium heat for a few minutes on each side, until warm and crispy.
  3. Top with all of the toppings.

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

2 Comments

Melon Salad

September 24, 2012
melon-salad

Even though it’s perfectly legit to enjoy a melon with nothing but a fork, it only takes a few extra steps for something even a little more special. You can serve this as an afternoon snack, or alongside a more elaborate meal.

You may be surprised at the sight of basil, show curious interest in the addition of olive oil but it will surely prompt an addiction to each salty, sweet, cool and crunchy bite. It’s as simple as a few ingredients and magically transcends the sum of its parts, as they say. With Autumn well upon us, this may be our last chance to enjoy a few last bites of summer.

Melon Salad

Vegan, Raw & Gluten-free

Ingredients:

  • seedless watermelon, cubed
  • cantaloupe, seeds removed and cubed
  • cucumbers, cut into large chunks
  • Several branches of fresh basil
  • 1 Jalapeno–thinly sliced or diced small
  • 2 limes, juiced
  • olive oil
  • pinch of sea salt and pepper

Directions:

  1. Prep the ingredients, being careful to put each in its own container. Remove basil leaves from the stem, tear.
  2. For the chili vinaigrette, remove seeds from the pepper and rinse before slicing, dice the pepper and add to the lime juice. Let macerate for several minutes. Add a healthy splash of olive oil to the citrus and pepper mix. Add salt and pepper for taste.
  3. When ready to serve, build each salad individually with an equal portion of colorful melon and cucumber. Toss with two tablespoons of chili vinaigrette and a big pinch of fresh basil. Top each portion with a nice drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of sea salt.
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