CRUNCHY KALE SALAD + CITRUS DRESSING

This salad featuring the king of leafy greens has been a perfect match for my lighter fare cravings. It's sweet with the cranberries and bell pepper, a bit citrusy from the dressing and crunchy from the carrots, kale and sunflower seeds. Everything adds up to nice flavor and texture. My favorite way to enjoy a kale salad is to let the kale marinate with the dressing for about an hour. This will help relax the kale and take some of the bitterness away. Making your salad this way makes for a great pack-n-go lunch option. Your salad will be softened and ready by the time lunch comes. When your looking to add some freshness into your diet, I think you'll find this to be a great inspiration!

If you don't already know, KALE is a power house of nutrients. It's loaded with anti-oxidants and anti-inflammatory support as well as being rich in calcium, iron and vitamin K, A & C. It aids in the body's detoxifying process and offers cardiovascular support. But even with all this goodness, you may have heard that too much kale is not so good. That is true for some. Kale is a green that may be best consumed moderately, especially for those with kidney and gallbladder issues because of the high amounts of oxalates. If you're in good health, kale can be consumed on a fairly regular basis without much concern. Look for organic kale whenever possible. The 'dirty dozen' list has been revised to be the 'dirty dozen plus' with kale/collards greens coming in at #16 of produce with highest amounts of pesticide residue.

CRUNCHY KALE SALAD + CITRUS DRESSING

Ingredients

• 1 bunch kale, julienned
• 1/2 cup shredded carrots
• 1 red bell pepper, julienned
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 1/4 cup sunflower seeds (toasted or raw)
• 1/4 cup hemp hearts

Dressing

• 3 tablespoons orange juice
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1 -2 teaspoons pure maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon dijon mustard, optional

Prepare your vegetables and gather your cranberries and seeds. 

Mix kale, carrots, bell peppers and dressing together. Let set for about an hour at room temp or in the refrigerator (this will soften the kale nicely and reduce the bitterness). Serve in individual bowls topped with cranberries and seeds. If you don't have time to let the kale marinate with the dressing, the salad will still be great! 

Serves 2

Notes:

Use orange, lemon, lime and/or grapefruit as your citrus juice. Mix and match your citrus flavors using whatever you have on hand or is available.

Make this a creamy dressing by adding 1 - 2 tablespoon tahini when mixing the dressing.

The dijon is optional, I found that I preferred it with a small amount. Try it both ways and see what you think.

MEDITERRANEAN KALE SALAD

Summer in California is setting in, the temperatures are rising and salads are always welcome. I've been on an olive loving kick lately, as well as a chickpea kick (I'll tell you why soon), so this salad hit the spot with some salty olives, fresh sweet grape tomatoes & red bell peppers, refreshing cucumbers, red onion and fresh cooked chickpeas. All dressed up with a light vinaigrette and nice dollop of hummus. This salad didn't start with a dollop of hummus, but half way through eating I added a scoop and decided it needed to be included in the recipe (and photo), although I list it as optional. It adds such nice creaminess and rounds it out the salad well. If you find raw kale too hard to eat, even after letting it relax in lemon juice, a dollop of hummus will definitely do a world of good for you. It adds a nice creaminess to the overall salad while masking some of kale's bitterness. Similar to the Every Day Nourish Bowl, we now have another option of whole hearted goodness to choose from when a craving for salads occur! It's simple, accessible, not too expensive and good for you. Cheers to all of those things! :)

I have some fun news to share! I'm going to be immersed in all things chickpeas the next few months. I figured this post is a great place to introduce a project I've been working so hard on called, CHICKPEA: THE CHICKPEA HANDBOOK/COOKBOOK. It's all you need to know about chickpeas, with chapters containing information on nutrition, history, types, sprouting, growing (gardening), storing & selecting, flour, cooking and a few other relevant chapters. Plus, it will include upwards of 100+ recipes (not sure where to stop since there's so many good ones I want to add), including pictures of each one. It will include all of the favorite chickpea recipes from the blog and a ton of new ones. I'm excited out of my mind for this project! I was asked a few months ago what was the one ingredient that was important in my kitchen and my answer was chickpeas. They are so versatile and I use them often, especially for my hummus which is so much more than just a dip. After toying around with a couple cookbook ideas, doing a chickpea cookbook seemed so right. I want to celebrate the chickpea in all its glory and showcase its versatility, all the way from breakfast to desserts. It's a perfect fit for me and I know it will be a useful addition to any kitchen library! It's meant to be used often and will have my signature simplicity with a few recipes to kick it up a notch. I'm shooting for the end of the year but am really in no hurry as I want this book to be amazing. I ♥ chickpeas and think we should all eat more of them!

Enjoy the salad, and of course, this will be in the book! :)

MEDITERRANEAN  KALE SALAD

Ingredients 

• 3/4 bunch kale, stems removed and julienned
• 1 large lemon, juice of
• 1/2 small red bell pepper, sliced
• 1/8 small red onion, sliced
• 1/4 cucumber, sliced
• small handful cup cherry tomatoes, sliced in half or campari tomatoes, quartered
• small handful cup kalamata olives, pitted
• 1/2 cup cooked chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
• dollop of hummus, optional (but so good!), to serve
• fresh chopped parsley, to serve

Vinaigrette

• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• juice of one lemon
• 1 heaping teaspoon dijon mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano, optional
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• salt & pepper, to taste

Remove the stems from the center of the kale leaves, as least the thickest parts. Julienne kale leaves and place in a medium size bowl, add lemon juice, mix to coat the leaves and let set while you prepare the rest of the ingredients. The lemon juice will help soften the kale leaves. Toss every few minutes or so.

In a small bowl, add the ingredients for the vinaigrette. Whisk together until emulsified. It usually takes me about one minute, set aside.

Once you've prepped your other ingredients you're ready to assemble your salad. In a serving dish, add kale and top with bell pepper, onion, cucumber, tomatoes, olives and chickpeas. Add your vinaigrette over top and a dollop of hummus anywhere you like.

Serves one generously.

Notes:

Depending on the size of your produce, amounts will vary. Adjust accordingly to suit your taste and situation. For instance, I used small Persian cucumbers here but used a whole small one. Typically, you'll be using a regular or English cucumber and will only use about 1/4 of it, as per the recipe.

Enjoy!

HUMMUS VEGGIE WRAP

Wraps have been my thing lately! They're easy, economical and travel well. And let's not forget how versatile they are. Change up the spread using flavored hummus of your choice. Vary up the veggies, add spices and herbs to suit your taste. Layer and roll. Done and done!



I used kale, plain hummus, bell peppers, carrots, cucumber, mineral salt and red pepper flakes. All on top of lavash bread. You could easily use shredded cabbage (green or purple) in place of the kale, or any other leafy greens you prefer. I think these are a good combination of veggies here. You could try adding in some sliced avocado to the mix if you like. This just gives you an idea, you can take it from here and make it your own, or use this one...it was delicious!



Layer and roll...



Take it with you for a brown bag lunch! In this case, a blue bag since I like to recycle, reduce and reuse my paper shopping bags. It's kind of girly, so guys you can tote around your usual uni-sex lunch bag. It fits perfectly in this little reusable plastic container, they usually come in a set of four so you could make a few and tuck them away in the refrigerator for later. I paired my wrap with some mixed nuts & dried fruits along with a fresh apple. I eat at least one apple everyday, sometimes two or three and I always carry one with me. My favorite is the sweet, juicy Fuji apples. They are convenient, fit right in my purse along with my Nalgene water bottle. Next time I share a brown bag lunch I'll break it out for you. And if you doubt that I always carry an apple with me, I swear just look in my purse!



HUMMUS VEGGIE WRAP

Ingredients

• lavash bread (or large flour tortilla)
• kale or other leafy greens of choice
• red bell pepper, sliced
• yellow bell pepper, sliced
• 1- 2 carrots, sliced lengthwise or julienned
• cucumber slices
• hummus, to spread 
• salt, to taste
• red pepper flakes, to taste

Lay lavash bread (or tortilla) on a flat surface, spread hummus over 2/3 - 3/4 of the wrap leaving at least an inch on both ends, layer with veggies, wrap one end up, over, and roll. Slice in half and enjoy now or store for later. 

Notes:

Make 2 - 3 of these wraps at a time storing them in individual containers for the next day or two as a lunch or snack. They will hold up well and actually allow the bread to soften a bit in the refrigerator.

I have my cucumbers in long slabs but you can cut them in long 1/4 - 1/2 inch strips instead. 

BLACK BEAN FAJITAS + GUACAMOLE

Happy Friday to you all! For most of you, your work week is ending and you’re ready for some days off. Today I hope to inspire something wonderful for you to eat on your time off. I've always loved fajitas and if you’re like me you love them too. Finally, they have arrived to the recipe collection and I'm so happy to share them with you!

 I was so excited the day I was going to put this together, trying to do my full workout at the gym, just knowing I would be coming home to put this recipe together. I imagined a flavorful fajita mix with a big helping of guacamole on top. At last minute I added some shredded cabbage I had on hand, but that is optional. They are everything I wanted them to be and more! These are 'Eat like you mean it' tacos! I loaded mine and ate them just as you see here with no problem at all, hardly any mess either. Although the next couple tacos I had were a bit messier, just because I was at the bottom of the fajita mix where all the juiciness is. Not a bad thing at all, just be sure to have a couple extra napkins handy, and just like your mom might have told you, 'Eat over your plate'. I especially love making tacos, mainly because I love corn tortillas, but if you prefer flour tortillas, your options are open for making tacos or burritos (see notes). However you like, gather your ingredients and get ready to enjoy some of the best darn black bean fajitas you've ever had! At least I think they're pretty darn good. :)

Just simple, colorful ingredients that come together in the best way. If you're lucky enough, you may even find a prepared fajita mix where you just add your spice and protein. That's exactly what I have here, 2 packages, but the ingredients will reflect buying and slices your own bell peppers and onion. The tortillas I used are homemade tortillas from Trader Joe's. They are thick and can withstand a large helping.



Start with your guacamole. This is a very simple, classic chunky guacamole. I added chopped cilantro just before serving. Feel free to omit/add anything you like!



Cook up your fajita mix and warm up the tortillas...



  Layer your tacos and serve you & yours some hearty black bean fajita tacos!

BLACK BEAN FAJITAS + GUACAMOLE

Ingredients

• 2 cans (15 oz.) black beans, drained and rinsed (about 3 cups)
• 1 red bell pepper, cored and sliced
• 1 yellow bell pepper, cored and sliced
• 1 green bell pepper, cored and sliced
• 1 small white onion, sliced
• 1 tablespoon grapeseed or olive oil or 3 tablespoon water (for water saute)
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon chipotle or cayenne powder, optional
• 1/2 teaspoon mineral salt
• corn or flour tortillas
• 1/4 head of cabbage, shredded (optional), to serve
• lime wedges, to serve

Guacamole

• 2 - 3 avocados
• 1 small jalapeno, most seeds removed and diced
• 1/4 red onion, diced
• small handful cherry tomatoes, quartered or 1 small tomato, diced
• 1/2 teaspoon mineral salt, or to taste
• few sprigs cilantro leaves, diced
• 1 lime, squeezed

Start with your guacamole. Cut avocados in half lengthwise, remove seed and using a spoon scoop out the flesh, place in medium size bowl. Using a fork cut the halves into large chunks and mash about 1/3 - 1/2. Add diced jalapeno, onion, tomatoes, mineral salt and lime juice. Mix to incorporate. Add in chopped cilantro and mix again gently. TIP: To keep your guacamole from browning, pack your guacamole well, add about 1/4 - 1/2 inch water over top and place in the fridge. When ready to serve, drain water, mix and serve. This will keep air away preventing oxidation. 

In a large wok/skillet, heat oil or water over medium high heat. Add bell peppers, onions, and spices, cook for about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add black beans and cook until heated through, about 3 more minutes. Adjust seasoning to taste adding anything extra you like.

Warm your tortillas. I like to heat mine carefully over the open flame of the stove top.

Serve layering the fajita mix on top of each tortilla, then add cabbage and a nice helping of guacamole. Add a squeeze of lime to each taco if you like.

Serves 3 generously.

Notes:

These can easily double as burritos by simply using large flour tortillas. Layer just as you would the taco leaving about 2 inches at one end, fold up the end over the mixture, take one side of the burrito, fold over and roll. This style will leave you with one open end at the top. It's the way I usually make my burritos. For a completely closed burrito, take a look at this tutorial from the Kitchn: How To Wrap A Burrito (So It Doesn't Fall Apart When You Eat It!)

I read about the water trick for the guacamole from an article at Huff Post Taste: How To Make The Best Guacamole: Tips and Mistakes To Avoid

Enjoy!

Asian Rainbow Salad + Spicy Mango Dressing

You may remember a few posts back that I mentioned buying loads of strawberries each week, I shared with you all a Strawberry Chocolate Milkshake.  Not only have I been buying strawberries each week, and freezing most of them, I've also been buying mangoes. We have a local farmer who comes around selling them and I scoop them up as much as I can. Some have been chopped and stored in the freezer along with the strawberries for smoothies, others eaten with a sprinkle of cayenne or as is. I love mangoes with their sweet yellow/orange flesh  and have been wanting to put them to different uses. I've always wanted to try a mango dressing but just never felt like using the food processor, one more thing to have to wash...I'm all about keeping things easy. But sometimes you just have to give and the little extra cleaning was all worth it. This spicy mango dressing with it's beautiful color is the perfect accompaniment to this colorful salad. And, it's a nice mix up to all the peanut dressings that I usually tend to use. Light, bright and refreshing, this colorful salad is another welcome addition to the recipe collection!

Start with your spicy mango dressing. Add ingredients to food processor/blender, process until smooth. Set aside so flavors can develop.

Chop and shred your lettuce and cabbages, add to large bowl.

Add bell peppers, scallions and cilantro, toss and serve! 

Asian Rainbow Salad + Spicy Mango Dressing

Ingredients

• 1 head romaine, sliced
• 1 small head cabbage, or 1/2 head large, sliced
• 1/4 head red cabbage, sliced
• 1/2 red bell pepper, sliced
• 1/2 yellow bell pepper, sliced
• 2 scallions, sliced
• 1/2 cup cilantro, roughly chopped
• 1 avocado, sliced, to serve
• black sesame seeds, to serve
• slivered almonds, to serve

Spicy Mango Dressing

• 1 ripe mango, peeled and seed removed
• 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 3 tablespoons water, or more vinegar if you like
• 1 clove garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• pinch of pink salt

Start with the mango dressing by adding all ingredients to food processor/blender and blend until smooth. Set aside to let the flavors develop.

Add salad ingredients to a large bowl and toss. Serve in individual dishes, top with diced avocado and spicy mango dressing. Add a sprinkle of black sesame seeds & slivered almonds over top. If eating this as a monster salad, simply enjoy straight from the large bowl! 

Makes one very large salad or four smaller salads.

Notes:

Feel free to add cucumbers, carrots, broccoli....whatever you like.

Add some cubed plain, baked or crispy fried tofu for added protein if you like. 

Enjoy! 

Chinese Chop Salad + Peanut Sesame Dressing

Light, fresh foods are my inspiration these days. Fresh is back in my kitchen as I crave the lighter fare with the changing season. Today I share with you this Chinese chop salad which is meant to be enjoyed in abundance! It will make quite a bit so you can either graze on it throughout the day or simply have some, saving the rest for later if not making for a group, or simply half the recipe. It's meant to be versatile as well, using whatever ingredients you prefer or have on hand. I have used red and green cabbage along with romaine lettuce here. Feel free to use any combination if you don't want to use all three. The vegetables are in abundance too, I didn't add any carrots so that my be something you might like to add to yours. I have also included lightly grilled tofu on top of my salad but this is an option. The dressing will add a little extra protein to the salad. It's another peanut dressing. What can I say?! I love the creaminess as well as the little extra protein and nutrition it gives...and this one is a little different from the others. I used quite a bit of vinegar in this one giving it a nice bright zestiness. If your not a fan of vinegar, like I once was, you'll see a substitution for you in the notes. As Tim Gunn from Project Runway liked to say, 'Make it work!'...that's exactly how we'll approach this salad with the various tastes we all have. Hope you'll enjoy it as much as I did. Cheers to the changing seasons and new adventures in vegan fare!

Light, fresh and delicious! 

Chinese Chop Salad + Peanut Sesame Dressing

Ingredients

• 1 small head green, savoy or napa cabbage, sliced
• 1 head romaine lettuce, sliced
• 1/3 head red cabbage, sliced
• 1/2 red bell pepper, julienned
• 1/2 yellow bell pepper, julienned
• 2 Persian cucumbers or 1 small cucumber, halved and thinly sliced
• 2 stalks of celery, thinly sliced 
• 1/2 cup chopped cilantro, loosely packed
• 2 tablespoons black sesame seeds, garnish
• small handful slivered almonds, garnish
• 8 oz. plain or grilled firm or extra firm tofu, cubed (optional)

Peanut Sesame Dressing

• 1/2 cup apple cider or rice wine vinegar
• 3 tablespoons natural peanut or almond butter
• 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup (2 if using raw almond butter)
• 2 teaspoons sesame or toasted sesame oil
• 1/2 inch knob ginger, grated or minced
• 1 teaspoon sriracha, optional
• pinch of pink salt or splash of tamari

In a small bowl, mix your dressing and set aside letting the flavors develop. Taste before serving adding anything you feel it needs.

Prepare your vegetables, place in a large bowl. Here you can either add the dressing and toss to coat then serve in individual dishes. OR, you can toss and serve adding a drizzle of dressing over top once plated. Top with tofu, sesame seeds and slivered almonds.

Serves 4.

Notes:

Use whatever ingredients you like here. There is plenty so if you don't have access to a few of the items you can sub in something else or omit it all together. Make this a rainbow salad by adding in some julienned or grated carrots. You may like to add in some small broccoli florets, sliced scallions or zucchini too.

If you don't care for vinegar, I would suggest replacing the 1/3 cup of  vinegar with water or unsweetened almond milk and maybe a splash of vinegar for the extra zest it gives. This dressing is meant to be somewhat on the thin side. If you prefer it thicker add a bit more nut butter, to thin add a tad more of the liquids.

For the tofu, you can use uncooked or grilled. I lightly cooked mine using sesame seed oil and a cast iron griddle, about 6 minutes on each side. But it is perfectly fine with tofu from the package, just press if needed and cube it. If you're looking to use cooked tofu here is tutorial from Olives for Dinner that you can reference: 15-Minute Quick and Easy Tofu

Enjoy the lighter side!

Quinoa + Chickpea Salad

Quinoa salads are one of my favorite dishes to put together. They're an easy one pot meal that you can throw together in a cinch. Most of the time I don't plan on a specific list of vegetables to include in my quinoa salad unless I'm specifically doing a certain theme like this Greek Chickpea & Quinoa Salad or this Apple Harvest Quinoa Salad. This one here just happened to be ingredients that needed to be used up in the refrigerator that I threw together and as usual tasted amazing. I make these salads often using various ingredients each time. They usually always contain the ingredients listed here with maybe sliced cherry tomatoes, zucchini or cucumber added in, just depending on what I have on hand. They're always fresh tasting, hearty, have great texture and just plain make me happy! Make this ahead of time, keep it in the refrigerator and you'll have a great option available to snack on or have as a full meal. Breakfast, lunch or dinner, this salad is full of simple nutrient dense foods that will put a smile on your face and make you say AHH!

Quinoa + Chickpea Salad

Ingredients

• 1 cup dry quinoa (I used tri-color)
• 1 3/4 cup water
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 1/2 cups cooked or 1 can (15oz.) garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained and rinsed
• 3/4 cup carrots, diced small
• 1/2 cup scallions, thinly sliced 
• 1 red or yellow bell pepper, diced
• 1/2 cup parsley, chopped 
• juice of one lemon
• red pepper flakes, optional
• mineral salt & fresh cracked pepper to taste

In a fine mesh sieve rinse quinoa under cool running water.

In a large pot, combine water, quinoa and garlic powder, bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove cover and let set 10 - 15 minutes. Fluff with a fork.

Add chickpeas, carrots, scallions, bell pepper, parsley, lemon juice and spices, mix well. Serve warm or cold.

I love this with just lemon juice drizzled on top, avocado slices would be a great addition too.

Serves 3 - 4

Notes:

You can really use any seasoning here you like. I used a bit of Trader Joe's 21 Salute Seasoning mix. Or you can use an everyday seasoning, lemon pepper blend or any of your favorite spices. Even a teaspoon or so of thyme, basil, cumin or any of your favorites will work here. Keep it simple or add various spices to suit your taste.

Use more of less of any ingredient to suit your preference.

Enjoy!

Pan Bagnat (White Bean Niçoise Salad Sandwich)

This recipe was inspired by a recent post on BuzzFeed for 27 Awesome Easy Lunches To Bring To Work. I'm thrilled to have been included in the roundup with the Mashed Chickpea Salad Sandwich! There is also a few other great vegan options as well so be sure to take a look. In it I saw a Pan Bagnat from Food 52 and had to recreate it for us plant powered lovers. I love Food 52, and have always been inspired by the simplicity and beauty of their photography. And of course the recipes are great too! I have a few in my collection that were inspired from there like this Mushroom Bourguignon and these Gluten Free Banana Flap Jacks. It's a great community if you haven't heard of it yet! In fact, they have a vegan column called The New Veganism with Gena Hamshaw of Choosing Raw as the recipe creator. Be sure to take a look and be inspired by both the recipes and photography!

The pan bagnat (meaning 'bathed bread') is a classic specialty sandwich served in and around the region of Nice, France. It's a sandwich version of the salade niçoise which is a combination of tuna, anchovies and/or sliced hard boiled egg mixed with raw vegetables like red bell pepper, green beans, radishes, olives and onion. You will also find there to be olive oil and possibly vinegar, salt and pepper. Here we'll be using a few of these traditional ingredients but veganizing this classic using white beans as our protein. And I can guarantee you this is just as delicious if not better than the traditional version! Not only does the salad make for a great sandwich filler but it would be just as good on a bed of leafy greens as well. This recipe may give you leftovers, and that's a good thing because it only gets better in the next day. One day make a sandwich for work, home or a picnic and the next top it on some leafy greens or just eat as is. It's pretty amazing on its own!

I love the saltiness from the olives here, you can add a tablespoon of capers if you like. The fresh bell pepper and blanched green beans add a nice crunch and sweetness while the onion and artichokes add another layer of flavor. Tie the vegetables together with the white beans, dressing made of olive oil, lemon and mustard, add a good sprinkling of mineral salt & plenty of cracked pepper and this salad will be another favorite to come back to time and time again!

To create the traditional pan bagnet you'll first want to hollow out the insides of your bread. I left the top on this alone but from now on will hollow it out as well. It gives more room for your salad, helping to hold it together better while using less bread at the same time which is great too. Brush the insides of the bread with olive oil. Layer your bottom half with the salad. Since we're going to press the sandwich you can pile it on pretty good making a very hearty sandwich. Add your tomatoes across the top. Then layer basil, top with mineral salt & cracked pepper and remaining slice.

Wrap your sandwich tightly in saran wrap, fold ends under and press with a few heavy books or pots. This is an important part or your sandwich will be very messy and fall all over. Trust me, I know this from first hand experience. Plus, this helps the bread soak up the moisture of the salad dressing making for 'bathing the bread'. So be sure to press your sandwich, even if just for an hour, it will make all the difference...although overnight is even better. This makes a perfect grab and go sandwich for lunches and picnics, once pressed it's ready to go!

 Pan Bagnat (White Bean Niçoise Salad Sandwich) 

Ingredients 

• 1 can (15 oz.) cannellini or chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained and rinsed well or 1 1/2 cups cooked white beans
• 1/2 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup blanched French green beans, cut into half or thirds
• 1 jar artichoke hearts in water, drained and chopped
• 1/2 red onion, diced
• 3/4 cup kalamata olives, pitted and sliced
• 2 tablespoons parsley, finely chopped
• 1 -2 greek pepperoncinis, diced (optional, not a traditional ingredient)
• mineral salt & fresh cracked pepper, to taste

Dressing

• 2 - 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• juice of 1 large lemon (about 2 tablespoons)
• 1 heaping teaspoon Dijon mustard

To assemble

• 1 French baguette, ciabatta loaf, Pain de campagne, boule or artisan loaf of choice (even good sized rolls would be great)
• extra virgin olive oil, to brush
• 8 - 10 basil leaves
• 1 medium tomato, thinly sliced
• mineral salt & cracked pepper

Cut bread in half lengthwise. Remove some of the insides of each half making a trough for the filling (this will help keep the filling inside the sandwich when eating). Brush both halves with extra virgin olive oil.

In a small bowl, mix the dressing ingredients together until dijon has emulsified. Set aside to let the flavors develop.

In a medium/large mixing bowl, add beans and roughly mash leaving about 2/3 whole beans. Add in dressing to the beans and mix well. Add in the bell pepper, green beans, artichokes, red onion, olives, parsley, optional pepperoncini and salt & pepper. Mix to combine.

Layer your bottom half of bread with a good serving of the mixed salad. Add tomatoes across the top, then top with basil leaves and salt & pepper. Top with other slice of bread. (You can also vice versa this layer order starting with the basil and tomato on the bottom and salad on top.)

Wrap sandwich tightly in saran wrap and press with a few heavy books/pots for at least an hour to overnight. If overnight, be sure to press in the refrigerator.

When ready to serve, slice in half or make as many slices as you like. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Store any leftover salad mixture covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. 

Notes:

The cannellini beans have more protein and fiber than chickpeas so if that is a priority use them. Otherwise use your preferred white bean.

Try adding a splash of red or white wine vinegar to the dressing if you like.

As with all my recipes, add/subtract ingredients to your liking. Try adding a tablespoon or so of capers. I've had someone sub in asparagus for the green beans. Add sliced radishes along the top.

I edited this recipe on 11/10/13 at 12:15pm so it wouldn't make so much leftovers. The old recipe called for 2 cans white beans, 1 red bell pepper, 1/2 cup French green beans, 1 cup kalamata olives and 4 tablespoons olive oil. The old recipe was delicious, it just made a bit too much but of course feel free to use the old version instead so you'll have plenty of leftovers!

Enjoy!

MUSHROOM, BELL PEPPER & BASIL STIR FRY

This recipe is one of those on a whim recipes that just came about from cleaning out the fridge. I had all the ingredients in my kitchen, put them together and even shared my dish on Facebook and Instagram last week. It went well and I decided to put it into the recipe collection. I originally made this without any oil, using water to stir fry my vegetables. I simply forget that you can do that with great tasting results and will do it more often from now on. You could also use veggie broth for extra flavor if you like. In this recipe you'll have the option to either use oil or the water as you like. Since then I've been buying the ingredients to make this because it's just that good. I love basil and this stir fry is really all about the basil! I'm lucky enough to live in So Cal and have access to fresh basil year round. I use two cups in this recipe but feel free to add more if you like! I hope you're able to find it readily available too. As for the other vegetables, you can mix them up using whatever you like. That's what I love about stir-fry's is that they are so versatile. Try using different colored bell peppers, zucchini, bean sprouts, broccoli or carrots adding or replacing anything you don't care for...pretty much anything will work here. 

Lately, I've been buying tofu labeled either 'Sproutofu' from Wildwood or 'High Protein' from Trader Joe's. Both are high protein and extra firm. I find these do not need to be pressed making them a bit easier to work with in that you can skip the pressing process. They are so dense that there is no room for water to collect. Simply open your package, cut as desired and cook. It takes on the flavors surrounding it very well and has a nice tender texture. If you can find these in your local store, I highly recommend giving them a try. If you can't find these then you will still want to press your tofu for this recipe to release as much water as possible. 

So simple to assemble and serve!

MUSHROOM, BELL PEPPER & BASIL STIR FRY

Ingredients

• 8 oz. mushrooms, sliced
• 1 red & green bell pepper, julienned
• 1 large onion, sliced
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 cups basil, lightly packed
• 1/4 cup tamari, coconut aminos or soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon corn starch
• red pepper flakes, to taste (I used 2 teaspoons)
• 1 - 2 tablespoons sesame, coconut, olive or grapeseed oil OR water stir fry (see notes)
• 10 oz. extra firm tofu, cubed (high protein pref), cut into 3/4 inch cubes
• cooked grain of choice to serve (brown, basmati or jasmine rice...quinoa or soba noodles would be great too)
• black or white sesame seeds, for garnish

If using non-high protein tofu, start by pressing your tofu (if using high protein tofu as mentioned above there is no need to press). Place your block of tofu either between a few sheets/or folded paper towel OR between a clean folded dish cloth. Place a heavy book, or pot, on top and let sit for about 20 minutes. Remove weight and cube your tofu. 

Prepare your vegetables. In a small bowl, combine the tamari, maple syrup, corn starch and red pepper flakes. Set aside.

In large skillet/wok, heat oil/water over medium high, add onions, garlic, bell peppers and mushrooms. Stir fry for 5 minutes. Add in the wet mixture and toss to coat. Add in basil and tofu, mix well and cook another 5 minutes, or until vegetables are just softened, tofu is warmed and sauce has thickened. Add more tamari and pepper flakes to taste.

Serve over grain of choice (I used a sprouted brown rice here) with a sprinkle of sesame seeds on top.

Notes:

Feel free to use a larger block of tofu if you like. No need to buy a larger block and not use it all. It will just make your meal more protein packed. Feel free to omit the tofu all together if you like!

Try doing a water or vegetable broth stir fry in place of using oil. Use 1/4 cup water/broth in place of the 1-2 tablespoon oil.

Bon Appetit!