Vegetarian – Emily Always Cooks

Maple and Harissa Roasted Carrots

October 24, 2015 emilyalwayscooks

It’s an Autumn Saturday morning in Chicago. As I sit here and type this, I’ve already seen the weather go from dark and cold, to windy and pouring rain. Now, its slightly breezy and a lovely 70 degrees F and sunshine. Why am I telling you this? Well, for one thing, my fiance is a weather geek and it’s rubbed off on me. For another thing, I’m attempting to draw the correlation between this simple carrot recipe (three distinct flavor profiles), and the three stages of this mornings weather. For the last thing, I realize this is a lame analogy … I’ll do better next time.

Silly food – weather comparisons aside, this IS a delicious and lovely carrot recipe. A great combination of sweet and spicy with a slight smoky flavor from the cumin. So easy, even your significant other couldn’t screw it up.

I love buying carrots with the leafy tops still attached. Remove tops when you arrive home and store in an airtight plastic bag in your refrigerator. They will last much longer this way. You already know this, but it’s worth reiterating that grocery store pre bagged carrots have nothin’ on fresh farmers market carrots.

Simple side dish is the name of the game here. Cut carrots, toss with glaze, and roast away. Just make sure to bring an umbrella when you leave the house today.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 lbs (about 6-8 large) carrots
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp maple syrup
2 tsp harissa chili paste, more if you like spicy
1 tsp cumin
Salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 450 degrees F and line a large baking sheet with foil or parchment paper.
Peel and trim off the ends of the carrots. Cut into quarters, first crosswise, then lengthwise.
Make glaze by combining the remainder of the ingredients.
Toss carrots in glaze.
Arrange carrots onto baking sheet in an even layer and bake for 30-35 minutes. Flip/turn carrots 2 times during the cooking process.

Kale Salad with Breadcrumb Croutons

September 23, 2015September 17, 2018 emilyalwayscooks

I’m guilty of it. I’ll readily admit. I’m guilty of eating kale multiple days a week. I love it in my Fall Quinoa and Kale Salad, Kale and Brussels Sprout Salad with Bacon, Almonds, and Pecorino, and Kale and Corn Salad with Basil Lime Vinaigrette. All incredibly tasty, satisfying, and hearty. But just because kale can be tough and bitter doesn’t mean you have to “sneak” kale into a salad. Kale actually CAN be deliciously featured in a salad with just a few other ingredients. This is not “kale propaganda.” This is the truth!

By massaging the fibrous leaves, you bring out their sweetness and transform them into something tender and easier to digest. Just chop up the kale, drizzle with a small amount of olive oil, and use your fingers to rub the oil into the leaves. After a minute or two, the leaves will begin to wilt and shrink. Trust me, you’ll notice the difference. This salad benefits from being dressed about 15 minutes before it is served. The acid in the dressing helps to break down the kale even more and yields a more tender green.

Preparation for this salad is minimal.

Homemade croutons and salad dressing are always easy on the budget.

Simple. Inexpensive. Kale. Yum.

Ingredients:

5 slices of day old french bread (or whatever you have on hand)
4 tbsp melted butter
A pinch of garlic powder
2 bunches of Lacinato kale (about 8 cups), cleaned and dried
1/3 cup olive oil
The juice from 1 lemon (about 3 tbsp)
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp apple cider vinegar (or red wine vinegar)
Salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Optional: avocado and tomato

Instructions:

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F. Place french bread on a baking sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes, flipping half way through until bread is crusty. Remove bread from the oven and cool. Tear bread into small (1/2 inch) pieces and toss with the melted butter, salt, pepper, and a pinch of garlic powder. Bake breadcrumb croutons for another 5-10 minutes until golden. Set aside and cool.
Remove stems from kale and slice into thin ribbons. Don’t forget to massage your kale!
Prepare salad dressing by combining olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, vinegar, salt and pepper.
Toss together kale and half of the dressing. Be sure to allow salad to sit for approx 15 minutes. Add additional dressing to your preference. Top with Parmesan cheese and croutons (and avocado and tomato if you desire).

Servings 4 (Serving Size: 2 cups)

Appetizers, Salads

Heirloom Tomato and Burrata Caprese Salad

August 18, 2015August 18, 2015 emilyalwayscooks

“It is the sweet, simple things of life which are the real ones after all.” Laura Ingalls Wilder was right on.

The freshness of your ingredients – heirloom tomatoes, burrata cheese, fresh basil – make this simple salad so beautiful and delicious. Ideal for late summer gatherings with friends or family. Pair with a good bottle of wine and fresh bread.

A simple post for a simple salad. I’d like to think Laura would wholeheartedly enjoy this. I’m certain you will.

Ingredients:

3 large Heirloom Tomatoes
2 balls burrata cheese (8 ounces total), torn into pieces
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, torn into pieces
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

Directions:

Wash, dry, and slice tomatoes into 1/2 inch slices. Discard ends and season tomato slices with salt and pepper.
Arrange tomatoes on a platter, overlapping slightly. Top with burrata and fresh basil. Drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

Servings: 4 (side-dish) or 2 (main-dish with some crusty bread)

Pasta Recipes, Vegetarian Recipes

Stove-top Gnocchi (not mac) and Cheese with Peas

May 4, 2015May 4, 2015 emilyalwayscooks

Fun enough for the kids. Just grown up enough for the adult palate as well. So simple to make. Ready for it? Sure you are.

This is a fun twist on macaroni and cheese. I like creating an opportunity to introduce children to new foods and expand their palates, while simultaneously eating something with a sense of familiarity. Stove-top Gnocchi (not Mac) and Cheese with Peas … does just that. It’s a rich, decadent cheese sauce. Move over kiddies, I’m diving in too.

If you’ve never cooked gnocchi (small potato dumplings) before, the time is now. Your family will love these little potato pillows. Just bring a big pot of salted water to a boil (as you would for pasta). Then add the gnocchi, give it a stir, and wait until they rise to the surface. About 3-ish minutes. Once they’ve floated to the top, just strain out the water and you’re ready to go! Easy peasy!

Prepare your ingredients ahead of time. Shred your cheeses and have your milk and seasonings out and ready. The thing about cheese sauce is that things happen fast. Because you’re working with milk, butter, cheese and heat – this sauce can burn easily if you’re not careful. By getting everything prepared ahead of time, you can focus on the cooking.

This dish comes together in under 30 minutes. Being prepared in one pot means minimal clean up. (We love that!) Happy family. Easy clean up. Delicious meal for the whole crew.

Ingredients:

2 17.5 ounce boxes potato gnocchi
4 tbsp (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 tbsp flour
2 cups whole milk
1/4 tsp mustard powder
1 tsp salt
Freshly cracked black pepper
2 cups freshly shredded cheddar cheese
1 cups freshly shredded fontina cheese
1/2 cup freshly shredded Parmesan cheese
1 1/2 cups frozen peas, thawed
(Optional toppings: chopped fresh basil, extra Parmesan cheese)

Directions:

Bring a large heavy-bottomed stock pot of salted water to a boil. Add the gnocchi and cook according to package directions. Drain, set aside, and reserve. Make sure to toss the cooked gnocchi frequently so they do not stick together when preparing the cheese sauce.
Next, make the béchamel sauce. In the same pot, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Once the butter has melted, add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the flour and cook the mixture, stirring constantly until light brown in color with a slightly toasted aroma, about 3 minutes. Add the milk slowly into the flour and butter mixture, whisking constantly so you get all the lumps out. Bring sauce to a low boil, whisking constantly, then simmer, still whisking occasionally, for 3 minutes to thicken. The sauce should thicken enough to coat the back of a spoon.
Stir in cheeses, mustard powder, salt and pepper until smooth. Note: Do not add your cheese too fast or too soon as this could result in clumpy, greasy chaos instead of creamy, cheesy deliciousness. Instead, wait for your béchamel to reach the right thickness. Then, add the cheese in three batches, making sure each batch is completely melted before adding more cheese.
Add the gnocchi and peas, stirring to combine, and cook over low heat just until warmed throughout. Serve immediately with fresh basil and additional parmesan cheese.

Note: It will originally seem that there is too much cheese sauce for the amount of gnocchi. Trust me – the sauce will continue to thicken and you will be happy with the extra creamy, cheesy deliciousness.

Note: Leftovers can be topped with homemade breadcrumbs (2-3 slices of day old bread pulsed in a food processor to form small crumbs then combined with 1 tbsp melted butter and 2 tsp fresh herbs) and baked in a 350 degree F oven for 40 minutes until bubbling and golden brown.

Servings: 6

Thank you Bell Family Company for featuring Stove-top Gnocchi (not Mac) and Cheese with Peas on your blog. Anyone living in the New York or Chicago area looking for an incredible nanny service, look no further. Need a sitter for date night? A TravelSitter for your summer vacation? A full-time nanny for a new baby? They have you covered. Visit their website for details. Let them know Emily Always Cooks sent you!

Pasta Recipes, Salads, Vegetarian Recipes

Roasted Tomato and Arugula Pasta Salad

April 7, 2015April 8, 2015 emilyalwayscooks

I’ve got roasted garlic and tomatoes, and I’ve got feta cheese, and I’ve got arugula, and I’ve got artichokes, and I’ve got a deliciously lemony dressing. And, you may partake with me on one condition; that you listen to (read) my short rant about Spring weather in Chicago. Those of you not dealing with these same weather conditions, just bare with me!

Mother Nature is currently unleashing her full schizophrenic arsenal on us. One day the temperature “soars” to 60F. The next day brings partial snow flurries and blustery winds followed by multiple days of perma-gray skies. This time of year has me craving bright Spring flavors while simultaneously hankering for Winter comfort foods. This dish is a lovely and beautiful combination of the two.

The produce isn’t exactly “there” yet. My easy fix … roasting my veggies. Roasting tomatoes brings out their natural sweetness and concentrates the flavor. The juice from the tomatoes combines with the vinaigrette. This coats the pasta, adding a fat free component to the sauce. The same goes for the roasted garlic.

If you live in a warm weather climate, just chalk my above rant up to ‘another Midwesterner complaining about the weather.’ If you’re here with me … Just chalk my above rant up to ‘another Midwesterner complaining about the weather.’ Either way, this dish is not weather discriminant. Great when served cold or at room temperature. Light and bright, yet hearty and comforting. The answer to this cold/warm/cold/warm weather.

Ingredients:

16oz whole wheat penne pasta
2 pints cherry tomatoes
1/3 cup plus 2 tsp olive oil, divided
3 garlic cloves, smashed
1 sprig rosemary (optional: I add rosemary to all of my roasted vegetables because I have a rosemary plant on my windowsill garden, this can easily be left out if you do not have it on hand.)
1 lemon, zested
1/4 cup lemon juice
A small handful of basil, about 1/8 cup, julienned
15oz can artichoke hearts, quartered
2 scallions, finely sliced
4-6 cups arugula
1 cup feta crumbled (or substitute 8 oz container ciliegine “small cherry” fresh mozzarella balls)
Salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

Directions:

Cook pasta according to package directions in a large pot of boiling salted water. For al dente, my whole wheat penne took 15 minutes. Drain and run under water to cool and stop the cooking.
Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees F. Combine cherry tomatoes with 2 tsp olive oil, garlic cloves, fresh rosemary, salt and freshly cracked black pepper. Cook for 20-25 minutes until tomatoes are soft, slightly charred, and some are just bursting. Discard rosemary and mince the freshly roasted garlic. Set aside to be added to the salad dressing.
To make the vinaigrette, combine 1/3 cup olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, minced roasted garlic, fresh basil, salt and freshly cracked black pepper. Give the dressing a good whisk. If using a mason jar, give a few shakes.
Combine cooked pasta, artichokes, and scallions with 1/2 of the dressing, and toss to coat. Add the fresh arugula and roasted tomatoes. Toss again *being careful not to crush the tomatoes.* Add additional vinaigrette to your taste. Note: The tomatoes are delicate and contain a lot of juice, so be careful when tossing. Also, if the tomatoes burst, the tomato juice will add liquid and become part of the vinaigrette, so be careful not to over dress.
Top with feta or mozzarella cheese.

Servings: 10 servings
Serving size: 1 cup – 1 1/2 cups (depending on the amount of arugula added)

Breakfast Recipes

My Favorite Morning Smoothie

January 31, 2015April 24, 2015 emilyalwayscooks

I should trademark this phrase. ‘My Favorite Morning Smoothie.’ It’ll undoubtedly be the upcoming title of a new band, a popular song, or political podcast. Alas, for now, it shall be the modest title of my most recent post. (Don’t any of you go stealing it!)

In addition to being low in calories and high in vitamin C, strawberries and raspberries are high in fiber. Banana adds a wonderful depth of flavor and an extra boost of potassium. Yogurt is added for a creamy texture and a bit of protein. Fresh orange juice gives the wonderfully subtle tang. Both fresh or frozen fruit can be used. I prefer frozen, adding a nice thickness. I adore this recipe. If you use all frozen fruits, you may need to add a bit of milk or water. If you use all fresh fruit, you may need to add a bit of ice.

Now you can be that person. You know where “My Favorite Morning Smoothie” actually originated. It came from Emily Always Cooks!

Ingredients:

10 strawberries (hulled), fresh of frozen
1/4 cup raspberries, fresh of frozen
1 banana, fresh of frozen, cut into thirds
The juice of 1 whole blood orange
1/2 cup low fat vanilla yogurt
2 tbsp of water or milk, if needed
Ice, if needed

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in your blender. Blend on high for 45 seconds or until smooth and creamy. Add additional liquid or ice if needed. Note: If you use all frozen fruits, you may need to add a bit of milk or water. If you use all fresh fruit, you may need to add a bit of ice.

Servings: 1 (Serving Size: 2 full cups)

Thank you Driscolls for sponsoring this post.

Salads, Vegetarian Recipes

Arugula and Cauliflower Salad with Farro, Feta and Avocado

December 10, 2014 emilyalwayscooks

Stuck in a salad rut? Well, not anymore.

This one has a fantastic variety of delicious and beautiful attributes. Time to bust that salad rut! (That sounds kinda weird, but I’m gonna roll with it.)

Charred cauliflower is a fun and unique salad ingredient. When combined with the nutty farro, a hearty quality is achieved without taking away from the salad’s inherent light/healthiness. Farro is a simple hearty grain with high contents of fiber, protein, and iron. I adore adding it to soups and salads, and I often use it as a substitute for pasta or rice. If you are a farro novice, check out Bob’s Red Mill Organic Farro. This cooks up easily and perfectly every time.

A few more bright ingredients and a simple lemon vinaigrette dressing round things out. Look at these pictures … There’s too much delicious harmony in this salad for any type of rut to continue.

Ingredients:

1 head cauliflower, cut into bite-sized florets
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
A pinch of red pepper flakes
1 cup uncooked farro, rinsed (I like Bob’s Red Mill Organic Farro)
2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
7 oz. bag arugula
20 pitted kalamata olives, halved lengthwise
1/4 cup oil packed sun-dried tomatoes, roughly chopped
3 ounces feta, crumbled (about 3/4 cup)
1 tbsp capers
1 avocado, sliced into thin strips
Simple Lemon Vinaigrette Ingredients: 1/2 cup lemon juice, 1/2 cup olive oil, 1 shallot minced, 1 garlic clove minced, 1 tbsp Dijon mustard, 1 tbsp honey, salt and black pepper

Instructions:

Pre-heat the oven to 425 degrees F. Toss cauliflower florets with olive oil, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Roast for 30 minutes, turning halfway, until the cauliflower is tender and golden.
Next, prepare the lemon vinaigrette . Combine 1/2 cup lemon juice, 1/2 cup olive oil, 1 minced shallot, 1 minced garlic clove, 1 tbsp Dijon mustard, 1 tbsp honey, salt and black pepper; mix well. I like to prepare this vinaigrette in a mason jar. Simply combine the ingredients, attach lid, and shake.
Meanwhile, cook farro. In a medium saucepan, combine farro, 3 cups of water (enough water to cover the farro by a couple of inches) and a pinch of salt. Bring the water to a boil, then reduce heat to a gentle simmer. Cook until the farro is tender to the bite but still a little chewy (about 30 minutes). Drain off the excess water and rinse well. Allow farro to drain well to remove as much water as possible. Toss cooked and cooled farro with a small amount of vinaigrette and 2 tbsp fresh parsley. (Note: Check the cooking instructions on the bag of farro you purchased. Shorter or longer cook times may be required depending on the type used.)
In a large serving bowl, toss together arugula and 1/3 cup salad dressing. Add the roasted cauliflower, reserved farro, kalamata olives, sun-dried tomatoes, feta and capers.
Top salad with avocado and additional salad dressing if desired.

Servings: 3 as a main dish, 6 as a side dish

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