Beet, Dill, and Avocado Salad (gluten free, dairy free, soy free)

I love vegetables... always have. But there was one I never quite liked. (okay two- the second was turnips). It was BEETS. My mom always has pickled beets or boiled beets on the table at dinner and every now and then I would "check in" with them to see if I had developed a taste for them and still... no.

Then last summer my cousin Samira made this beet and avocado salad with dill on it so I was like- oooh let me give the good ol' beets a try again! And what do you know... victory! I ate so much of it and then I came home and asked her for the recipe to make for my daughter's first birthday party and her response was add some lemon, olive oil, salt, pepper, and dill together. So I did that and have a few more times. So now I just thought I would share with you the deliciousness of this combo because I actually did some measurements, but feel free to add more of this or that according to your tastes. I think they go well together because the avocado is soft and the beets slightly hard, a bit tangy, and herb-y all at once. If you don't like fresh dill, add chopped basil- either would be great! It's great for spring and summer picnics and a refreshing yet filling salad.

Avocado, Dill, and Beet Salad 
(gluten/grain free, soy free, dairy free, nut free, egg free)

4 medium cooked beets (I steam mine)

2 avocados

4 Tbsp fresh organic lemon (1 large lemon)

2 Tbsp olive oil

1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper

1/2 tsp sea salt

2 Tbsp fresh chopped dill (or basil)

Chop your beets into cubes and put in a bowl. Cube your avocado into similar sized pieces and place on top of the beets. Add the rest of your ingredients on top and stir just enough to mix. Taste and adjust to taste. 

If you over-mix, your avocado will turn as red as the beets and get mushy so be gentle!

Enjoy!

***Update: 6/27/12:

This is also amazing with one or two chopped champagne mangoes as well!!

I used Chioggia Beets in this picture, and they don't bleed as red beets do.

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Roasted Butternut Squash with Corn

i blogged a little while ago about a Nando's side dish that I wanted to recreate-- a tasty butternut squash dish. since then i've tried to make it twice, each a little different. it's not exactly the same, but quite good! i use nando's sauces to spice up and add a bit more flavor, but you can also leave them out or sub a few other ingredients (or your own favorite hot sauce). i've added some suggestions for subs in the end. the recipe is quite simple to make and can be a main or side dish.



Roasted Butternut Squash with Corn

1 2 lb. butternut squash, peeled
1 large red onion, chopped (about 1.5 cups)
4 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp garlic peri-peri sauce
1 tsp wild-herb peri-peri sauce
1 Tbsp sea salt
1.5 cups frozen corn (roasted if you like) or 1 cup fresh
1/8 tsp cayenne
1/4 cup organic dried cranberries
1/2 cup chopped organic cilantro

-preheat the oven to 400 degrees F
-chop the butternut into pieces (about 4" x 3" pieces- the smaller they are the faster they will cook) and place inside down on a baking tray. you can lightly toss the pieces in olive oil or coconut oil and a bit of salt before baking if you choose.
-bake the squash until soft (mine took approx. 15 minutes, but check after 10).
-meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a pot and sautee the onion.
-add the corn, hot sauces, salt, and cayenne to the onions and stir for a minute or so. if using fresh corn let it cook for a bit.
-add the cranberries and stir until the corn is heated through.
-chop the squash into cubes and add to the onion mixture. continue to stir the mixture for a few minutes for the flavors to blend. i like there to still be some cubes left, but also a mashed consistency--the more you mix it the more mashed it will become. remove from heat
-add chopped cilantro to taste.

**notes:
- in the picture below, i made this dish with organic bison sausage chopped up and cooked with the onions. you can also add some grilled chicken if you would like more protein in the dish.
-if you don't have the nando's sauces, you can either leave them out, add your own smoky hot sauce, or probably a mixture of vinegar, herbs, garlic, lemon, agave, and some heat
-i've made this with sweet potato as well and added a dash of cinnamon in for some more added flavor

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Green Chard with Wild Rice

i know people often wonder about what to do with the tall green things in the store... those leafy ones, or the ones that have stalks attached. here's a quick and easy recipe i made the other day with green chard that arrived in my organic delivery. we've changed companies btw since we've moved... this is our new one: Door to Door Organics - they serve CT, NY, NJ, PA, DE, MD, VA, DC, so a pretty wide range and they have a variety of sizes. i must say i prefer our old company, but they don't deliver to our new place :(

anyways, i'm getting off track! i haven't been feeling that well recently, so i've been making a range of 'quick and easy' meals that i'll be sharing soon. in fact, this one was so easy, i'm kind of ashamed to share it! so this is more of a recipe idea than a recipe. anyways, it tasted great and is great for you...


Chard with Wild Rice

After boiling a serving of wild rice, i sauteed an onion and garlic along with some red pepper flakes, salt, black pepper, and peri-peri sauce. i used Galito's Famous Peri-Peri Sauce - Garlic or Nando's Garlic Peri Peri Sauce would be great as well- lots of flavor really quickly. i then added the chopped chard into the pan and cooked for about 8 minutes. i really wouldn't have thought about pairing the two of these, but they went so well together... the slightly nutty taste of the wild rice along with the spice and greens made a great quick meal.

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Cinnamon Chicken

a few weeks ago i asked my husband what he wanted for dinner and he commented that he really liked this "cinnamon chicken dish" called "arna chicken" from a greek diner he used to go to. i searched the web but found no such greek dish. so-- i decided to make my own up based on a loose description. it ended up tasting really great, and went along with things that i have been reading recently on the health benefits of cinnamon. these include (but are not limited to): lowering LDL, regulating blood sugar, a natural preservative, reducing cancer cells, and improving cognition and memory.

anyways, here is my recipe... i tried hard to write it down so i could recreate it later, but we know how that goes. my recommendation if you want to make it is to use your cooking intuition :)

Cinnamon Chicken

1 lb chicken breast (2 large pieces), cut into 1 inch strips
1 small yellow onion
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1-2 tbsp Nutiva Organic Coconut Oil (or your favorite oil)
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp cinnamon
3 cinnamon sticks (i broke mine in halves)
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp tahini
2 dried red chiles broken up (or less if you don't want it as spicy)
3/4 cup broth (veggie or chicken)
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 can-1 can rinsed chickpeas
1/4 cup pine nuts
4 medjool dates, chopped
chopped cilantro
sea salt to taste (approximately 1/2 tbsp)


-heat oil in skillet, then add chopped or sliced onions. allow to soften and turn slightly golden
-add garlic and stir for a minute or so, careful not to burn garlic
-add sliced chicken, and add salt, pepper, cinnamon, cumin, and cinnamon sticks to the chicken while it is cooking
-when chicken has almost cooked through, add broth, chickpeas, pine nuts, tahini, and chiles.
-let simmer for about five minutes on medium heat, then lower the heat and add chopped dates. -simmer another ten minutes or so, and add more broth if the water runs low.
-garnish (generously) with cilantro and serve

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hummus platter and pancakes (not together)

it's been a while, but i've been saving a few recipes to post. but before i post a recipe, i just wanted to say how much i enjoyed Trader Joe's Gluten-Free, Dairy Free Pancakes. I made them last weekend for breakfast with a blackberry sauce that i threw together. Very tasty :)


for the sauce i simmered the blackberries, some agave nectar, and some arrowroot starch and then poured over the pancakes.

the other recipe i wanted to share is a rather simple one but one of our very favorites. i know everyone has a hummus recipe they love, but this one has proved to be our favorite and we make it about every week :) it's based on The New Best Recipe cookbook's one, but adjusted to our tastes.

Hummus:

1 (15 oz) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
2 medium garlic cloves, pressed through garlic press
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
3 Tbsp lemon juice
1/4 cup tahini
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup water
pine nuts

Process all the ingredients in a food processor until smooth (about 40 seconds). Mix in some pine nuts to taste (we use a lot). If you can wait, transfer to a dish, cover, and refrigerate at least 30 minutes to let the flavors settle and chill. Enjoy!

to make a meal out of it, i add spinach on top that i cooked quickly with salt and pepper (can do it in the microwave if you please) as well as grilled chicken. for the chicken:

i coated chicken breasts in olive oil, then sprinkled cumin, coriander, chili powder, salt, pepper, lemon pepper, and cayenne pepper onto both sides. i have a great grill that i use for chicken all the time (Cuisinart GR-2 Griddler Express Contact Grill). i threw them on there for a few minutes and then cut it up into pieces. layered the chicken on the hummus (you can sprinkle some paprika and olive oil on top of the hummus as well), then the spinach, and a few more pine nuts for garnish, and voila! a simple, but very tasty meal.

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