Bulgur, Squash & White Beans

I keep thinking this dish is seafood, but it’s not. It looks like a delicious deconstructed crab cake, which seem amazing but I know I will hate. I hate seafood. With an undying passion.

That being said, this bowl is fantastic! It’s made with white (or navy) beans, bulgur, and summer squash that’s roasted with black pepper and salt. Then you smother that whole thing with delicious Caesar dressing from Appetite for Reduction.

It is missing a green element–I’m thinking kale (if you can find the good kind), asparagus, or even swiss chard. Any suggestions?

Chickpea Piccata

The first time I made this, it was terrible. I can’t even describe to you the disappointing flavors of sadness we experienced. However, that was the very first week I had Appetite for Reduction, and had NO idea what cooking vegan was all about. It’s amazing what I’ve learned in the three months I’ve been using that cookbook. Being a vegan has literally taught me how to cook all over again, and I’m much, much better than before.

As you can see, I’ve made some subs on this dish: the grocery store had no shallots (how is that even possible?), so I used a vidalia onion. I figured the sweetness would translate sort of like shallots do, though it’s less classy. And I used spinach instead of arugula. I don’t know why I dislike it so much, but I cannot handle arugula. Blech! I think I’m against any sort of bitter flavors, except I love dark chocolate. So, who knows?

I also didn’t put it over potatoes the first time, which is a giant mistake. I made caulipots (cauliflower+potatoes), but I made the recipe my own way. I baked the potato and roasted the cauliflower, and after adding the olive oil and broth, I put in about 1/2 a cup of unsweetened almond milk. Consider that only adds about 15 calories to the WHOLE thing, and maybe .5 grams of fat, I’m not worried about it losing it’s health-food-potato-status. And it really made the dish creamy, which it desperately needed. Those potatoes were DRY. But had more nutrients!

Anyway, it came out perfect. And it made me feel like a human giant.

 

Super Bowl Week!…the mediterranean bowl

This is our last bowl for this week, though I am going to make two more next week. This bowl ain’t pretty to look at either, folks.

I think this meal looks sort of like a crazy crab cake–at least the sauce on top. This may be my favorite bowl from the whole week, though you could just call it the beige bowl and be done with it. I had some chives–I probably could have thrown them on top. It’s got Caesar Chavez Dressing, bulgur, and roasted cauliflower (which, p.s., will make your house smell like hot butt when you cook it). But the dressing! So good. The shallot in it was raw, which was a little overpowering. I think next time I’ll possibly cook half the shallot, and leave the other half raw for some snap. That seems like a lot of work, though.

Also, I pretty much love any meal that has capers. And I love, love, love how creamy cashews make this dressing. All in all, I can’t wait to eat it again tomorrow! I also think this would be great with some jerk asparagus, also from Appetite for Reduction.

Salade Niçoise

There is literally no angle in which this photo does not look weird. But I kinda love how it looks like I put this delicious salad on the wall. Salade Niçoise! I don’t know how to say it, but I do know that I’ve always wanted to eat it. However, even before the whole vegan thing, I didn’t eat fish. So this tuna-smothered salad was never meant for me.

Until now! And honestly, the chickpea mash with capers is so close to tuna, it sorta weirded me out. I felt like I shouldn’t be eating it, but there I was, loving every minute of it. The flavors are so complicated, yet everything comes together in a fantastic way–I wonder if that’s why all the ingredients are typically kept unmixed? That, and it looks gorgeous that way.

My only problem was my red onion was so strong, I thought it was going to wrestle me from the table and steal my wallet. I could smell the onion in the house for hours after dinner. Sheesh! Quiet down, onion!

Salad courtesy of Appetite for Reduction.