Sweet Potato Veggie Chili

When the weather starts to get cold, the only things I want to eat are soups, stews and chilies.  These three dishes are pretty obvious since they are warm and hearty. I don't typically eat a lot of meat, so to compensate for that, I like to load up these types of dishes with a lot of different vegetables and whole-lot of spices.

This sweet potato veggie chili is exactly the kind of dish that I crave on a chilly evening. The vegetables that I put in are robust and flavorful, and the spices add another layer of warmth besides the temperature. To cool off some of the spice and balance the sweetness of the honey, I like to add some crème fraîche or goat cheese on top.

Here is how I did it:

Sweet Potato Veggie Chili

Sweet Potato Veggie Chili
- 1/2 onion
- 3 shallots
- 1 clove of garlic
- 3 large stocks of celery
- 1/2 pound of carrots (peeled)
-  2 large sweet potatoes (peeled)
- 1/2 a large eggplant (peeled)
- 12 oz can of kidney beans
- 28 oz can of crushed tomatoes
-12 oz water
- 2 tbs olive oil
- 2 tbs chili powder
- 1 tbs cinnamon
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp hot pepper flakes
- 3 tbs honey
- Salt and pepper to taste

Heat up two tbs of olive oil in a large saucepan. Chop up half an onion, three shallots and one clove of garlic and sauté for 2-3 minutes. Take the celery, carrots, sweet potatoes and eggplant and chop them up into medium sized pieces. Sauté the vegetables with the onions and shallots for about 5-10 minutes, until the vegetables are tender.

Add the can of kidney beans, crushed tomatoes and to the vegetables. Add the chili powder, cinnamon, cumin, pepper flakes and honey and stir. Season with salt and pepper. Let the chili simmer under low heat for about 30-45 minutes, until the vegetables are completely cooked through.

Serve with crème fraîche or goat cheese.

Enjoy!

Roasted Fig Salad with Honey Infused Goat Cheese

 Roasted Fig Salad with Honey Infused Goat Cheese

Roasted Fig Salad
- 10 fresh figs
- 1/2 tbs brown sugar
- 4 oz goat cheese
- 1 tbs honey
- 3 cups of mixed greens
- 2 tbs toasted chopped walnuts

Honey Lemon Vinaigrette 
- 1/4 cup of olive oil
- 1/2 juice of a lemon
- 1 tsp dijon mustard
- 1 tsp honey
- Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Take the fresh figs and cut them half way through, in fourths. Sprinkle brown sugar and bake for 15 minutes.

Take the goat cheese and honey and mix together. Once the figs are out of the oven, drop a small amount of goat cheese inside each fig.

For the dressing, mix all of the ingredients together and pour over the mixed greens. Place the salad on two large plates and add 5 figs each. Garnish with some toasted walnuts and pepper.

Enjoy!

Portobello and Goat Cheese Flatbread with Truffle oil

I am a huge fan of flatbread (and all things bread). I love that you can start out with just a base (the dough) and build off of that with whatever you want. You can make simple flatbreads with just cheese, or make fancier ones with extra ingredients and signature pairings like brie and pear or sausage and peppers.

One of my favorite flatbreads is my portobello and goat cheese flatbread with truffle oil. This flatbread is a fantastic appetizer that is definitely a crowd pleaser. The prep is so easy and it takes no time to make. The only way that you can make it more complicated is by making your own dough, but why bother when you can buy fresh pizza dough from your favorite pizza joint or food store.

 Portobello and Goat Cheese Flatbread with Truffle Oil

Flatbread:
- Pizza dough (store bought or homemade)
- 3 large portobello mushrooms
- 6 oz goat cheese
- 3 tbs olive oil
- 2 tbs truffle oil
- 1 clove of garlic (chopped)
- Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat your oven to 500 degrees. Heat up a large sauté pan with 2 tbs of olive oil. Chop three large portobello mushrooms and place in the pan along with the chopped garlic.  Sauté the mushrooms and garlic for 10-15 minutes until cooked and season with salt and pepper. Stir in 1 tbs of truffle oil.

Roll out your dough with a little bit of flour and place on a baking pan. Drizzle 1 tbs of olive oil over the dough and add the goat cheese over top. The goat cheese doesn't need to be spread out evenly. Put the dough in the oven and bake for 12-15 minutes. Take out the flatbread and add the portobello mushrooms and drizzle 1 tbs of truffle oil. Bake for another minute and garnish with a little bit of parmesan cheese.

Enjoy!

Garlic Kale Caesar Salad

My favorite salad these days is caesar salad, especially kale caesar salad. Anytime I see it on a menu at a restaurant, I have to order it. I love the salty and tangy taste of the dressing and the kale has more substance than just regular lettuce, that it makes you feel like you are eating more than just salad. The crispy croutons don't only add texture but they are great for when you want to soak up the leftover dressing at the end. 

I decided to make my own kale caesar salad tonight. I made it extra garlicy because I love the taste and I love that it adds some additional spice to the salad.  You can make this salad as a side dish or add grilled chicken or fish to make it more filling. 

Here is how I did it:

 Garlic Kale Caesar Salad

Kale Caesar Salad:
- 6 large leaves of Kale
- 1 1/2 cup of diced crusty bread
- 1 tbs olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Freshly shaved Parmigiano Reggiano

Caesar Dressing:
- 3/4 cup olive oil
- 3 tbs sherry vinegar
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tbs dijon mustard
- Zest of 1 lemon
- Juice of half a lemon
- 1 clove of garlic (chopped)
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
- Salt and pepper to taste

Prepare all of your ingredients.

Wash and cut the kale into bit sized pieces and place in a salad bowl. For the bread, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cut the bread into medium sized cubes and put on a baking pan. Drizzle 1 tbs of olive oil on top of the bread and sprinkle salt and pepper. Toss the bread and place in the oven for 10-12 minutes.

For the dressing, combine all of the ingredients and whisk until completely combined. Pour overtop of the kale and toss.

To assemble, place the salad on a large plate and sprinkle the homemade croutons overtop . Shave Parmigiano Reggiano and add freshly cracked black pepper to finish.

Enjoy!

Anne

Turkey Lettuce Wraps with Asian Slaw

The first time I ever tried lettuce wraps was at Sangkee Noodle House. I remember I was with my cousins and they were raving about them. I understood soon after why they were because they were delicious!!! I love that you can use the bibb lettuce as a cup and fill it with whatever you want. I've made plenty of versions of lettuce wraps with rice noodles and vegetables and whatever protein I want.  

These lettuce wraps are by far my favorite ones yet! The almond butter just adds the right amount of nutty flavor to the turkey and doesn't overpower the meat. The slaw is also delicious and refreshing and is the perfect pairing to the turkey. 

Here is how I did it 

Turkey Lettuce Wraps with Asian Slaw

Turkey Lettuce Wraps

- 1 head of bibb lettuce

-1 lb of lean ground turkey

- 1 (8 ounce) can of bamboo shoots 

- 2 cloves of garlic

- 1 tbs fresh ginger

- 2 tbs vegetable oil

- 2 tbs almond butter

- 1 tbs soy sauce

- 1 tbs sesame oil

- Salt and pepper to taste

- Sriracha to taste

Asian Slaw

- 1 (16 ounce )bag of coleslaw mix

- 1/4 cup sesame oil

- 1/2 cup rice wine vinegar 

- 2 tbs fresh ginger

- 1 clove of garlic

- 2 tbs soy sauce

- 1 tbs sriracha

- 4 tbs toasted sesame seeds

- Salt and pepper to taste

- 2 tbs chopped scallions 

Heat up a large pan with two tbs of vegetable oil. Chop up two cloves of garlic and one tbs of fresh ginger. Place in the pan with the vegetable oil and toast for a minute. Add the ground turkey. Once the turkey is fully cooked, add the almond butter, soy sauce and sesame oil. Add one can of bamboo shoots (roughly chop the bamboo before you add it in with the turkey). Add sriracha and salt and pepper to taste. 

For the slaw, place one bag of coleslaw mix in a large bowl. Place the sesame oil, rice wine vinegar, ginger, garlic, soy sauce and sriracha in a blender and mix. Pour the sauce over the coleslaw. Add four tbs of sesame seeds. Add salt and pepper to taste. 

To assemble the wraps, layer lettuce leaves with the ground turkey mixture and place a large spoonful of the slaw overtop of that. Garnish with scallions and sriracha. 

This is a great meal to eat with friends. Make it as a started or as your main meal. It's a fun and interactive dish!

Anne

Simple Corn and Tomato Salad with Agave Citrus Dressing

My favorite produce season is spring. Some of my favorite fruits and vegetables during this season are artichokes, asparagus, corn, fennel, limes, mangos and oranges. I love all of these items because they are all unique in flavor and texture, and pair perfectly with one another.

I typically make a lot more raw dishes during the spring and summer months because the ingredients taste much better. This salad is the perfect dish during a warm evening. It is both crisp and refreshing, and is naturally sweet. This salad is also ridiculously easy to make and stays fresh for a couple of days!

Here is how I did it:

Corn and Tomato Salad with Agave Citrus Dressing

Corn and Tomato Salad:

- 5 ears of corn

- 3 lbs tomatoes

- 1/2 medium red onion

- 1 tbs chopped chives

Agave citrus dressing:

- 3 tbs olive oil

- 1 tbs agave syrup 

- 2 tbs lemon

- Salt and pepper to taste

Boil the five ears of corn until cooked. Set aside to cool. Once cooled, cut off the corn from the cob and place in a large bowl. Cut the tomatoes in quarters and add to the corn. Finely slice half of a red onion, length wise, and add along with the chives to the corn and tomato salad. Incorporate all of the ingredients for the dressing in with the salad and mix. Serve cold. 

I served this salad along with balsamic grilled chicken. This salad would also be delicious with a grain or a nice piece of fish. (If you want to splurge a little, add some goat cheese to the salad). Enjoy! 

Anne

Stuffed Eggplant with Lemon Tahini Dressing

One of my recent favorite vegetable is eggplant. This meaty purple produce absorbs flavors so well and can be prepared in a variety of different ways. You can roast, grill, fry, sauté or bake it for any type of dish. You can add it into sauces and dips or make it into a main or side dish, whatever you're in the mood for. One suggestion though, it needs to be cooked. When prepared, eggplant becomes sweet and tender but when raw, it is bitter and has absolutely no flavor.

For my eggplant dish, I decided to grill and roast the eggplant to bring out the smokiness of the eggplant and caramelize the flavors. I decided to stuff it with a chickpea, barely and shiitake mushroom and drizzle a lemon tahini dressing overtop. This dish is a great vegan/vegetarian main dish that even meat eaters will love!

Here is how I did it:

Stuffing for the Eggplant:
- 1 extra large eggplant
- 5 tbs olive oil
- 1 small onion
- 1 cloves of garlic
- 1 1/2 cups of barely
- 1/2 cup of white wine
- 4 water
- 1 bouillon of vegetable/chicken/beef
- 1/2 tsp of paprika
- 1 15 ounce can of chickpeas
- 1 cup of shiitake mushrooms
- salt and pepper

Lemon and Tahini Dressing:
- 1/4 cup of tahini
- 2 tbs lemon juice
- 1/4 cup of greek yogurt
-1/4 cup of water
- 1/4 tsp paprika
- salt and pepper

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Place a grill pan over high heat. Take the eggplant and cut it into quarters lengthwise with the stem still on. Coat the eggplant with olive oil and place on the grill. Grill each side of the eggplant.

Once the eggplant it grill, place it on a baking sheet and place in the oven. Bake for 30 minutes.

Take the shiitake mushrooms and cut into small pieces. Place on a baking sheet and drizzle olive oil and salt and pepper. Bake for 20 minutes.

While the eggplant and shiitake mushrooms are baking, heat up a a large pan and add the remaining olive oil. Finley dice a medium onion and garlic. Place in the pan and sauté for 3 minutes. Add the barley and let it toast for a minute, like you would with risotto. Add the white wine and stir.

Once the barely has absorbed the white wine, add the water with the bouillon, one cup at a time, until the barely has fully absorbed the liquid. Season with paprika, salt and pepper. Drain and rinse a can of chickpeas and add to the barley. Finally, add the roasted shiitake mushrooms.

For the dressing, add all of the ingredients and whisk together.

To serve, take a wedge of eggplant. Cut the center open and stuff with the chickpea and barley mixture. Drizzle the tahini dressing overtop and garnish with basil.

You will have leftover barley and chickpea, but who doesn't like leftovers? Enjoy!

Anne