foodie: roasted eggplant with avocado salsa

the other night, with craig's request for a "light" dinner, my mind went to a salad.  salads can run the gamut from boring to brilliant, and this one fell more toward the latter...if i do say so myself.  to make our "light" dinner a little heartier, i roasted eggplant and made a chunky avocado salsa to add richness and texture to the dish.  served atop fresh baby greens, this meal was a winner!

what you'll need...

1 medium-large eggplant
1 avocado
2 plum tomatoes
2 tbsp minced garlic
2 tbsp grated or shredded parmesan
olive oil
salt & pepper

preheat your oven to 375-400 degrees

1. slice eggplant into 1/4-1/2 in slices.  try your best to keep them uniform, so they cook evenly.

2. lightly coat a baking tray with olive oil and lay out eggplant slices side by side.  mix 1 tbsp garlic with a bit of olive oil, and brush slices.  season with salt and pepper.

3. cook eggplant for 10-15 minutes, and then flip the slices - the underside should be nicely golden brown.  cook for another 10 min or so.  keep an eye on them so they don't burn!

4. in the meantime, roughly chop the tomatoes and avocado and mix together.  season with the remainder of the garlic and a bit of salt and pepper.

5. once the eggplant is done cooking, sprinkle the slices with parmesan - the hot slices will begin to melt the cheese - yum!

serve over baby greens, and feel free to add in other toppings like chopped nuts, minced red onion, or whatever else sounds good to you : )

bon appetit!

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foodie: cauliflower steaks

the past few weeks, every time i go to the grocery store, i come home with a head of cauliflower.  this vegetable that i used to despise as a child has now become one of my new favorites to play cook with.  it's mild, tender flesh is buttery and is a great "vehicle" for a number of flavors.  a few days ago, craig and i had my sister, hannah, over for dinner, and i was inspired by a recipe that i saw on martha stewart's show earlier that day - cauliflower steaks.  using martha's recipe for inspiration, i added my own twist to it to create a yummy meal that was both delicious and satisfying!

what you'll need...

1 head cauliflower
olive oil
curry
salt

1. from the cauliflower head, cut four 3/4-inch-thick "steaks". (save the end pieces for another meal.)

2. in a large skillet, heat approximately 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. once oil is hot, add 2 cauliflower steaks, sprinkle with salt and curry, cover, and cook until the underside of the steaks is golden brown, about 5 minutes.  next, flip the steaks, season with salt and curry, cover, and cook until they are fork tender, about 10 minutes.

3. transfer the steaks onto a baking sheet, loosely tent with foil, and keep warm in the oven until you're ready to enjoy them.

4. repeat the process with another tablespoon oil and the remaining 2 cauliflower steaks.

reviewing martha's recipe

i served our "steaks" over couscous and topped them with a roasted red pepper and caramelized onion chutney.  they were delicious!!!

credit {here}

bon appetit : )

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foodie: pan-fried sweet potato dumplings

i love sweet potatoes.  they are probably one of my favorite veggies right now.  i usually just roasted them in the oven whole, but i wanted to do something a little different, so i came up with savory sweet potato dumplings.  and they were yummy!

you'll need...

2 medium sweet potatoes, roasted (i usually pierce the skin and then roast them at 400 for 1 hr until they're super tender)
1 egg
1/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup breadcrumbs
1/2 tsp curry
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp chopped garlic
salt to taste
1 tbsp veggie or canola oil

makes approximately 12 dumplings

1. once sweet potatoes are tender, scoop out flesh and mix with salt, spices and garlic.  then mix in flour and breadcrumbs.  add in one whisked egg.

2. heat oil in a skillet until it sizzles when you spritz it with water.  drop dumplings by rounded tablespoon-full into the hot oil and cook for 1-2 min per side until nicely browned.

when finished, the dumplings will have a thin, crispy crust and a super-moist, mashed potato interior.  yum!  enjoy them immediately, or keep them warm in a 250 degree oven until you're ready to enjoy them.

i served ours with a super simple sauce: 2 tbsp mayo, 2 tbsp chopped pecans, 1 tbsp maple syrup, dash of cinnamon and curry, squeeze of fresh lime juice.

bon appetit!

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foodie wednesday: spaghetti spaghetti squash is twice as nice

i have been LOVING spaghetti squash lately.  craig and i have been enjoying this delicious veggie almost every week.  if you've never tried it, you must!  it's simple, yummy and is a fabulous substitute for spaghetti.  try this super easy recipe, and you'll be hooked.

credit {here}

spaghetti spaghetti squash
makes 4+/- servings

1 spaghetti squash
1 onion, chopped
1 jar of your favorite marinara sauce (i use organic 4-cheese marinara)
1/2 cup shredded cheese (italian blend)
olive oil
salt

preheat oven to 425

1. puncture the skin of the squash several times with a knife and place on a baking sheet.  roast in the oven for 45 min or until tender.

2. in the meantime, saute the onion in a bit of olive oil until caramelized.  season with salt.

3. once squash is done, allow to cool for a few minutes before cutting in 1/2 and scooping out seeds.  then, with a fork, shred the flesh into a large bowl.

4. add onions and sauce to squash and mix well.  season with salt.  put squash mixture in 9 x 13 inch baking dish and sprinkle the top with cheese.

5. reduce oven temp to 325 and stick the casserole back in the oven for a few minutes until the cheese melts.

serve with a side salad for a completely easy (and yummy) weeknight dinner.  i guarantee you will not miss your traditional spaghetti dinner at all!

mangia!  mangia!

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