Ffagadau – Welsh Meatballs with Mashed Potatoes and Gravy

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You know what I love about cooking the most? It never gets old. No matter how many dishes I've cooked up, there's always going to be something I haven't yet made, i.e. something I've been missing out on my entire life.

Case in point: Ffagadau. They're Welsh Meatballs, a.k.a Welsh Faggots, and are like a typical meatball with breadcrumbs, onions, and spices, but they're better! Between adding the cooked bacon, liver, and sherry, the flavors are off the charts. Wrapped neatly in suet, also known as caul fat, these are the most solid meatballs you're ever going to eat.

According to my mom's family genealogy, I'm part Welsh, so this dish is basically in my blood. Unfortunately for me the recipe wasn't passed down through the 5 generations since my third great-grandparents lived in Wales.

Most fortunately, though, there are a ton of foodie series on television these days and Andrew Zimmern introduced me to this amazing dish for the first time on Bizarre Foods. I could just kiss that man! (Shh, don't tell Adrian).

Thanks to Zimmern, I picked up another trick in my recipe repertoire. Now I can dive into some delicious Welsh meatballs with gravy, mashed potatoes, and peas anytime I darn please!

Ffagadau – Welsh Meatballs with Mashed Potatoes and Gravy

Time: 1 Hour
Serves 6-8

Meatballs
¼ lb bacon, finely chopped
½ cup onion, minced
1 tbsp sage, finely chopped
1 tbsp thyme, finely chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 lb pork, ground
4 oz pork, lamb, or beef liver, finely chopped
1 tsp mace
1 tsp allspice
1 cup bread crumbs
1/3 cup heavy whipping cream
2 oz suet or strips of streaky bacon
1/3 cup sherry

Gravy
2 tbsp butter
½ cup yellow onion, thinly sliced
1 tbsp all-purpose flour
1 cup homemade beef stock
1 tbsp sherry
2 tsp heavy cream

Mashed Potatoes
3 russet potatoes, about 2 lbs, cut into 2-inch pieces
4 cloves garlic, peeled
2/3 cup whipping cream
½ cup butter
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Peas
2 tbsp butter
1 lb frozen peas
¼ cup onion, finely chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions
Preheat oven to 450F. 

Heat bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook until browned and crisp, about 5-6 minutes. Stir in onion, and sauté for 5-6 minutes, until soft. Stir in sage and thyme and cook until the herbs are fragrant, about 3 minutes longer. Season with salt and pepper to taste. 

In a large bowl, add cooked bacon mixture, ground pork, liver, mace, allspice, bread crumbs, and heavy whipping cream. Season with salt and pepper and gently mix with your hands to combine. 

Form meatballs into 3-inch balls, cutting up pieces of suet and wrapping each meatball tightly once formed. Place meatballs on a foil-lined baking sheet and bake meatballs for 10-15 minutes, basting with pan juices and sherry every 5 minutes. Bake until meatballs are golden and the internal temperature reaches 160F. Keep warm.

In a medium saucepan, prepare the gravy by melting the butter over medium-low heat. Add onions and cook until browned, 12-15 minutes. Add flour and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes. Stir in beef stock and sherry and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook until thickened, about 10 minutes. Season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Stir in whipping cream and set aside. Keep warm.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add potatoes and garlic and boil until potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes. Drain. Return potatoes to the pan. Season with salt and pepper and stir in whipping cream slowly while mashing the potatoes. Keep warm.

In another medium sauce pan, heat butter over medium-high heat. Add onion, and cook, stirring until soft, 5-6 minutes. Stir in peas with 3 tbsp water and reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer until peas are tender, about 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Serve meatballs on plates over mashed potatoes. Top meatballs with gravy and serve with peas on the side.

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If you liked this recipe, you will love my recipes for Pork Meatballs with Sautéed Kale and Golden Raisins, Crispy Pork Cutlet and Fried Egg Sandwich, and Pork Tenderloin Medallions with Roasted Vegetables!

Beef Stir-Fry with Shiitake Mushrooms and Snow Peas

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One of the things I love most about living in the modern era is that online grocery delivery makes my life SO much easier. I've been using various grocery delivery services for a couple years now, but finally one of my favorite grocery stores delivers to my house! 

No longer do I have to drive from Alameda to Oakland to get my Sprouts Farmer's Market fix! Powered by Instacart, my delivery arrived swiftly with ingredients that were beyond fresh. It's like magic, really.

To celebrate my first Sprouts delivery, I decided to make a beef stir-fry with shiitakes and snow peas. This recipe is a quick one (just like my delivery) but the depth of flavor is incredible! You can thank the mushrooms and the juiciness of ribeye for that. 

If you live in the Alameda or Oakland area, how are you going to celebrate your Sprouts delivery? Delivery is FREE for first-time Instacart users, so there's no reason to wait! 

Beef Stir-Fry with Shiitake Mushrooms and Snow Peas

Time: 20 Minutes
Serves 4

Ingredients
1/3 cup light soy sauce
¼ cup refined sesame oil
2 tbsp honey
2 tbsp mirin
1 tbsp oyster sauce
1-2 tsp sriracha (optional)
5-10 dried birdseye chilies (optional)
1 tbsp ginger, minced
1 lb ribeye steak, thinly sliced
12 oz large shiitake mushrooms, stems trimmed, thickly sliced
8 oz snow peas
1 cup green onions, chopped, divided
½ tsp five-spice powder
Steamed rice, to serve

Directions
In a small bowl, mix together the soy sauce, 1 tbsp sesame oil, honey, mirin, oyster sauce, sriracha, dried chilies, and ginger. Add ribeye to the sauce and set aside.

Heat a large wok over medium-high heat and lightly coat the wok with sesame oil. Add mushrooms in 3 batches, stirring until the mushrooms are soft and golden brown. Set mushrooms aside on a plate between batches.

Heat an additional layer of sesame oil in the wok over medium-high heat and add ribeye and its sauce. Stir-fry for 1 minute, until the ribeye has browned. Return the mushrooms to the wok with the snow peas, ½ cup of green onions, and five spice powder. Stir for another minute until the snow peas are soft. 

Serve stir-fry with steamed rice on the side. 

Pizza Two Ways: Anchovies for Adrian + Pepperoni for Anne!

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In my opinion, the only problem with pizza is that when you're eating it with others, it's hard to decide on just one! Ordering separate pizzas can get expensive when ordering out, even it does usually mean there's a delicious melange of pizza leftover.

Fortunately, making your own pizza is a creative process that's a lot more affordable and almost as easy as making a single pizza with a few toppings. You can also make your pizza as feel as guilt-free or guilt-y as you want! 

Case in point: Adrian loves anchovies on his pizza. I prefer anchovies in pasta and cooked in other various dishes, but why on pizza when pepperoni is SO much better?

Most other ingredients we like to add tend to be similar, which makes the process even easier. Although we do like to change up the greens on our pizzas to better utilize the diversity of our garden.

Once we've prepped our ingredients, the actual pizza making process is very simple: add a little tomato sauce, top that pie with cheese, and quickly top with the remaining ingredients to get that pizza pie cooking as fast as possible!

Whether or not you prefer anchovies or pepperoni on your pizza, I have two lovely recipes for you below that are consolidated into one recipe for convenience. The pizzas were so good that by the time I took the picture, there wasn't much left. But I think that's a good thing, don't you?

Pizza Two Ways: Anchovies for Adrian, Pepperoni for Anne!

Active Time: 30 Minutes
Total Time: 1 Hour, 30 Minutes
Servings: 4-6

Ingredients

Shared Pizza Ingredients
2 pounds pizza dough
6 oz fontina cheese, grated, divided
8 oz mozzarella cheese, grated, divided
2 (32 oz) cans whole peeled tomatoes with basil, divided
½ cup flour, for dredging
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped, divided
20 Kalamata olives, halved, divided
1 tbsp parmesan cheese, divided

Pepperoni Pizza Toppings
3 oz uncured pepperoni slices
1 large jalapeno, thinly sliced
¼ cup red onion, sliced
1 cup kale, stemmed, chopped

Anchovy Pizza Toppings
12 anchovies in oil, drained, chopped
1 cup baby arugula

To Garnish
1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes, or more to taste, divided
½ tsp dried oregano, divided
Extra virgin olive oil

Directions
Remove dough from refrigerator 60-80 minutes before stretching to proof.

Place pizza stone on the middle rack of the oven. Preheat oven to 550F or to your oven’s maximum temperature. 

In a medium bowl, combine fontina and mozzarella. Pour canned tomatoes in another medium bowl. Pick tomatoes out one by one and cut off the green stemmed ends with a paring knife. Discard ends. Squeeze out excess liquid and seeds from the tomatoes into the bowl and place the tomato flesh into a separate bowl. Discard tomato juice or save another recipe. Crush tomato flesh in a bowl with an immersion mixer.

On a lightly floured surface, lightly dredge one pound of dough in flour. Stretch the dough out a bit at a time, waiting 10-15 seconds between stretches. Then stretch a little more, being gentle, until you’ve stretched the dough into a very thin round. Build a small rim around the edges to form a crust. 

Place the dough on a lightly floured pizza peel and slide it around to make sure it’s not sticking. Spread half the crushed tomatoes over the dough with a spoon but add less to the center so the sauce doesn’t pool. 

Quickly add toppings for pepperoni pizza by adding half the fontina and mozzarella. Add peppe¬roni, jalapeno, red onion, and kale. Finish with half the garlic, olives, and parmesan cheese from the shared ingredients list. Season with kosher salt to taste.

Place the pizza onto the pizza stone with your peel and bake until the crust is golden brown, about 6-8 minutes (a bit longer if your oven temperature is lower than 550°F). 

Transfer pizza to a grill rack. Garnish pizza with half the oregano, red pepper flakes, and drizzle lightly with extra virgin olive oil. 

Prepare anchovy pizza by dredging it in flour, stretching it, and coating topping with crushed tomatoes per the instructions above. Then quickly add your anchovies and arugula. Fwith the remaining garlic, olives, and parmesan cheese from the shared ingredients list. Season with kosher salt. Cook per the pepperoni pizza instructions above. 

Allow anchovy pizza to slightly cool on a grill rack and garnish with remaining oregano and red pepper flakes. Drizzle lightly with extra virgin olive oil. 

Cut both pizzas and serve!

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If you liked this recipe, you will LOVE my recipes for Garden Vegetable Pizza Party, Fettuccine with Guanciale, and Kale and Green Bell Pepper Pasta!

Grilled Red Snapper and Clams in a Lovestuff Tomatillo Broth

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I have a confession to make: I'm absolutely enamored with a hot sauce called Lovestuff. 

I first realized I was over the moon about the sauce when I developed a fierce determination to make recipes that incorporated its flavors to take my dishes to another level of goodness.

My borderline obsession with Lovestuff can be solely attributed to Ground Up Flavor's founder, Maurice Tyms, who sent me a couple bottles to try out last year for free to see if I liked it, and to encourage me to get creative with its flavors.

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I knew before tasting Lovestuff that I would enjoy the spicy green nectar from its sexy name and label alone. Not surprisingly, I used up almost the entire bottle on my typical breakfast of eggs with English muffins in less than a week upon opening. With one bottle left for serious food business, I knew I needed to get busy in the kitchen with a recipe so I could continue my new breakfast hot sauce ritual.

Unfortunately, my schedule didn't permit a lot of time for recipe development. Knowing that this tempting, unopened bottle of hot sauce was sitting behind my kitchen cupboard for several months was difficult to say the least. But my natural patient attitude allowed me to survive this feat until I had time to develop a high quality recipe that may even get featured in one of Maurice's cookbook projects. Nice!

Now that it's Spring and I have a little more time in my schedule, I wanted to make something that is healthy, bright, and that would pair well with the flavors of Lovestuff. What could be healthier and brighter than snapper with clams in a tomatillo broth? Not much, in my opinion.

To take this Mexican-influenced seafood recipe to an even higher level, I added a frisee salad on top with a little bit of Lovestuff incorporated. It's so all so wonderfully edible and perfect for a fancy weekend dinner. The grilled red snapper is such a treat, and the clams in a mildly spicy broth of Lovestuff? Mmm, mmm, it's so complete!

Grilled Red Snapper and Clams in a Lovestuff Tomatillo Broth

Active Time: 1 Hour
Total Time: 2 Hours 

Serves 4

Ingredients
1 tbsp olive oil
6 whole garlic cloves, roughly chopped
1 small white onion, roughly chopped
1 large jalapeno, seeded and roughly chopped
1 lb tomatillos (about 8 medium) husked, rinsed and halved
1 ½ cups dry white wine, divided
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 quart low-sodium chicken stock
½ cup heavy ream
2 tsp light brown sugar
2 tbsp Lovestuff Five Pepper Sauce
Juice of 1 lime
4 rainbow carrots, peeled, cut into ¼”-thick rounds
1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, finely chopped
2 bay leaves
½ cup cilantro, roughly chopped
1 red jalapeno, seeded, sliced thin
1 tbsp butter
2 lbs clams, rinsed and scrubbed

Frisee Salad
1 tbsp olive oil
Juice of ½ lime
Zest of 1 lime
1 tsp light brown sugar
1 tbsp Lovestuff Five Pepper Sauce
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 cups frisee, trimmed
½ cup jicama, peeled, julienned
4 tomatillos, halved, thinly sliced
1 medium vine ripe tomato, cut into thin strips
¼ bunch cilantro leaves
1 red jalapeno, seeded, julienned

Red Snapper
4 (6 oz) red snapper fillets, pin bones removed, patted dry
1 tbsp olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

To Finish
Cilantro leaves

Directions
In a large skillet or Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium high heat. Add garlic, onion, jalapeno, and tomatillos over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring for 6-8 minutes, until softened.

Add 1 cup white wine to the pan and bring to a boil. Cook until the wine is nearly evaporated, about 10-15 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. 

Add chicken stock, heavy cream, sugar, Lovestuff, lime juice, half the carrots, chipotle pepper, and bay leaves. Bring to a boil and then down to a simmer. Cook until reduced by 1/3, about 15 minutes. Remove the bay leaves and add the sauce to a blender with cilantro. Puree until smooth. Let sit for one hour to allow the flavors to meld. Strain through a fine mesh strainer and set aside.

Meanwhile, add olive oil, lime juice, lime zest, Lovestuff, and sugar to a large bowl. Whisk to combine and season to taste with salt and pepper. Add frisee, jicama, tomatillos, tomato, cilantro, and jalapeno. Toss vegetables and dressing to combine. 

Lightly coat snapper fillets with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Cook snapper skin-side down in a hot grill pan or in large heavy bottomed skillet for 2 minutes. Then cook on the other side for another 2 minutes. Remove from heat.

Return tomatillo sauce with ½ cup white wine to the same skillet with remaining carrots, red jalapeno, and butter and heat over medium heat. Add clams and cover until the clams open. Discard any clams that do not open.  

Serve sauce on plates and top with clams. Plate snapper over clams and sauce, and garnish with the salad and cilantro leaves. Enjoy!

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If you loved this recipe, you will love my recipes for Salmon in Galangal-Tomato Compote, Halibut with Zucchini, Olives, and Sun-Dried Tomatoes, and Mahi Mahi With Avocado-Chile Salsa & Tropical Rice

Fish Tacos and Chili, Oh My! A Review of Homemade's Meal Kits by Ayesha Curry

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Happy Taco Tuesday, everyone!

Isn’t it great that we get to celebrate this holiday every week? I sure think so! Last week, Homemade by Ayesha Curry sent me a meal kit to try out, and not only did I receive an amaaaazing recipe for Fish Tacos with Chipotle Crema, but I also got to try Hearty Beef Chili with Cornbread!

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Both meals totally blew my socks off. They taste homemade in the best of ways, but you can tell that Ayesha and her chefs at Homemade are seriously talented at whipping up recipes that are easy to make while featuring high quality ingredients and that they can teach even the most novice cook how to improve their own game in the kitchen.

Ayesha’s meal kit is by far my favorite I’ve tried, and I’ve certainly tried a handful. What makes her kits even better is that they’re super eco-friendly – just about every item that the ingredients are packaged in can be recycled, reused, and/or composted. It’s like they thought about everything I ever wanted in a meal kit and made the perfect kit, just for me!

If you want to try Homemade, check out their website. The meals are affordable and taste way too good!

The recipes are below.

Fish Tacos with Chipotle Crema and Cilantro Lime Rice

Adapted from Homemade's Fish Tacos with Chipotle Crema and Cilantro Lime Rice

Serves 2
Time: 45 Minutes

Ingredients
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 chipotle chile in adobo sauce, minced, divided (seeds removed if desired)
Juice of 1 lime, divided
12 sprigs cilantro, leaves and tender stems, chopped, divided
1 tbsp honey
1/4 tsp ground cumin
2 tbsp kosher salt
Kosher salt and
Olive oil
2 (6 oz) cod fillets
8 small flour tortillas
1/4 cup Mexican crema
1 cup cabbage slaw
1/4 cup crumbled cotija cheese
1/2 cup long-grain rice

Directions
Preheat oven to 375F and arrange the oven racks to the upper third and lower third positions. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. 

In a bowl, whisk together the garlic, 2 tsp chipotle, 1 tbsp lime juice, 1 tbsp cilantro, honey, cumin, 2 tsp kosher salt, and 3 tbsp olive oil until combined. Pour the mixture into a large resealable plastic bag. Reserve the remaining lime juice and cilantro for the cilantro-lime rice. Cut the cod into 8 evenly sized pieces and place in the bag with the marinade. Seal the bag and refrigerate for 15 minutes.

While the fish marinades, cook the rice: Place the rice in a fine-mesh sieve and rinse under cold water until the water runs clear. Transfer the rice to a small saucepan and add 1 cup water and 1/4 tsp slat. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, an stirring once, then reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook until the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed, 20 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand, covered.

Remove the fish from the marinade and arrange on the prepared baking sheet: discard the marinade. Stack the tortillas on a large piece of foil and wrap tightly. Place the tortillas and fish in the oven and bake until the fish flakes easily with a fork, about 8 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the crema and reserved adobo sauce. Fluff the rice with a fork and stir in 2 tbsp of the remaining lime juice and the remaining cilantro.

To assemble the tacos, place 1 piece of fish in each tortilla, drizzle with spicy crema, and top wit cotija and cabbage. Serve with cilantro lime rice alongside.

Hearty Beef Chili with Cornbread

Adapted from Homemade's Hearty Beef Chili with Cornbread

Serves 2
Time: 55 Minutes

Ingredients

Cornbread
1 green onion, thinly sliced
1/2 cups cornbread mix

Chili
1 small red onion, diced, divided
1 red bell pepper, diced, divided
3 cloves garlic, minced
8 oz kidney beans
8 oz pinto beans
8 oz lean ground beef
1 1/2 tbsp chili powder
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp ground cumin
8 oz crushed tomatoes

Directions
Preheat oven to 400F. Grease an 8x8-inch baking pan or spray with nonstick cooking spray. Prepare the cornbread and chili ingredients. 

Stir cornbread mix, 2/3 cups water, green onions, and 1/4 tsp black pepper until well blended. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cornbread comes out clean, 18 to 20 minutes. Let cook on a wire rack until ready to serve.

While the cornbread bakes, make the chili. In a large saucepan, heat 1 tbsp olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the beef and cook until browned, 4 to 6 minutes, using a spatula to break up any large pieces. Transfer the beef to a bowl, leaving the fat and juices in the pan. Add 1/2 cup red onion, 1/2 cup bell pepper, and garlic, and sauté until the onion begins to soften, about 6 minutes.

Stir in the chili powder, oregano, cumin, 1 tsp kosher salt, and 1/2 tsp pepper and cook for 1 minute. Add the beef, beans, tomatoes, and 1/2 cup water. Bring to a boil. Lower the heat to medium-low and simmer until the chili has thickened (add more water if you like your chili a little more liquid), about 20 minutes.

Cut the cornbread into squares and serve with the chili. Garnish chili with remaining bell peppers and red onions.

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If you loved this recipe, you will love my recipes for Mushroom Tacos with Fried Eggs, Steak with Cilantro Mayo and Tomatillo Salsa, and Texas-Style Chili with Pork and Red Kidney Beans!

Hearts of Palm Pasta with Sausage Ragu

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I've often thought that a convincing low-carb pasta was almost impossible. In theory, I thought that maybe a food scientist would someday concoct something made from wonky processed food ingredients that could be believable. But pasta made out of real food that is low-carb? No way.

Palmini pasta was kind enough to send me a couple cans of their hearts of palm pasta. At only 90 calories, 18g of carbs, and 12g of fiber per can, I was skeptical. How could it be so healthy, but taste so similar to pasta?

I figured I could at least give one can of Palmini a whirl with a basic sausage ragu. To say I was impressed with the result would be an understatement.

When I opened my first can, I started snacking on the pasta right away. Luckily I didn't eat too much, so I didn't have to open up a second can to complete the recipe! I can't wait to cook up my next can soon!

Whether or not you're cooking with Palmini, this ragu is amazing and will be great with regular pasta too. Or if one person at your dinner table is living a low-carb or keto lifestyle, but you need your wheat noodles, why not make pasta two ways? Yep, now everyone's palates can be pleased!

Hearts of Palm Pasta with Sausage Ragu

Time: 35 Minutes
Serves: 4

Ingredients
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, divided
5 bratwurst sausages (about 1 lb), casings removed
1 tbsp fennel seeds
1 medium carrot, grated
2 tbsp garlic, finely chopped
1 tbsp oregano
1 tsp red pepper flakes (or more if desired)
1/4 cup Ruby port wine
1 28-oz can whole peeled tomatoes
3 bay leaves
1 can Palmini pasta, rinsed and drained
2/3 cups parmesan cheese, grated
1/2 cup parsley, finely chopped

Ingredients
In a large skillet or Dutch oven, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Add bratwurst and fennel seeds and cook until the sausage starts to brown, about 5 minutes. Add grated carrot and cook until sausage is completely cooked through, about 5 more minutes. 

Add an additional tablespoon of oil to the skillet and stir in garlic, oregano, and red pepper flakes. Cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in port and bring to a boil and cook until the wine almost evaporates, about 1-2 minutes. Add the whole peeled tomatoes and bay leaves. Reduce heat to medium and simmer for 15 minutes, until the flavors combine. Discard bay leaves.

Add Palmini pasta to the ragu and stir in parmesan and parsley until combined, about 3 minutes. Serve on plates and garnish with additional parsley and parmesan if desired.

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If you liked this recipe, you will love my recipes for Fresh Pasta with Favas, Tomatoes, and Sausage, Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta with Garden Greens, and Fettuccine with Guanciale and Garden Fresh Tomato Sauce!

Tofu Banh Mi with Sunflower Seed Pate and Squash Pickles

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Banh Mi Up, Scotty! 

Check out the recipe below for this incredible Tofu Banh Mi from Purple Carrot. The sandwich was so good that it transported me to a place where it is effortless to #PledgePlants and consume 100% plant-based dishes. 

As an omnivore, it is still important for me to cook up vegan meals on a regular basis because doing so reduces my carbon footprint and allows me to focus on nutrient-dense foods that lead to better health outcomes. 

If you want a meal kit that is healthy, easy to make, and extremely delicious, look no further than Purple Carrot. You can use the code Diet30 here to receive $30 off of your first order and thank me later for an out-of this-world gastronomic experience! 

Tofu Banh Mi with Sunflower Seed Pate and Squash Pickles

Adapted from Purple Carrot

Time: 45 Minutes
Serves 2

Ingredients
½ cup sunflower seeds
1 package extra-firm tofu, drained and sliced into 6 pieces
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
⅓ cup potato starch
1 small bunch cilantro, leaves and tender stems
1 garlic clove
1 tbsp olive oil
2 French rolls, sliced lengthwise
2 tbsp Vegenaise®
2 oz squash pickles
2 large carrots (about 5 oz), grated
1 jalapeño, thinly sliced
2 oz spring mix
1 tbsp miso ginger dressing

Directions
Preheat the oven to 400°F. 

Place the sunflower seeds in a small saucepan and cover with an inch of water. Bring to a boil over high heat and reduce heat to low for 35 minutes. Drain. 

Wrap each tofu piece in a paper towel and gently press to remove excess water. Lightly season the tofu with salt and pepper.

Place the potato starch on a plate. Coat each piece of tofu in the potato starch, dusting off any excess. Place the tofu on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake until browned and crisp on the top side, about 15 to 20 minutes. Flip and cook on the second side for another 15 minutes.

Add the sunflower seeds to a food processor. Add half the cilantro, 1 clove of garlic, 1 tbsp olive oil, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Pulse until nearly smooth, scraping down the sides of the food processor as necessary.

Place French rolls in the oven to toast, about 3 to 5 minutes.

Spread the sunflower pate on one side of the warm rolls. Spread Vegenaise® on the other side and lay the crispy tofu on top. Add a few squash pickles, remaining cilantro, carrots, and jalapeño slices. 

Divide the spring mix between your plates and drizzle with miso ginger dressing. Add tofu banh mi sandwiches to the plates and serve with any remaining squash pickles.

[Sponsored]

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If you loved this recipe, you will love my recipes for Beet Rueben Sandwich, Whole Wheat Croque-Madames with Lox and Arugula, and Chicken Salad Sandwich with Cherries and Walnuts

Greek Salad with Za’atar Eggplant and Marinated “Feta”

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Greek salad, anyone? How a Greek Salad that’s vegan? “Impossible!” you might respond, but if you try one from Purple Carrot, the results may surprise you! 

Purple Carrot’s Greek Salad recipe utilizes a vegan “feta” that put me on cloud nine. Having studied abroad in Greece in college, I know what a great Greek Salad takes like, so I can certainly vouch for this one! 

This recipe is a vegan find that couldn’t be more of a win-win for me because in an effort to #PledgePlants and cook vegan on a regular basis, I know I can still have my vegan Greek Salad and eat the cheese too! Check out the recipe below.

Want to try Purple Carrot? Sign up here and use the code Diet30 to receive $30 off of your first order! Their meal kits are too healthy and delicious to pass up! #Ad

Greek Salad with Za’atar Eggplant and Marinated “Feta”

Adapted from Purple Carrot

Time: 20 Minutes
Serves 2

Ingredients
2 sprigs of thyme, stemmed
Juice and zest of 1 lemon
¼ cup vegan ricotta
½ tsp dried oregano
3 tbsp olive oil, divided
1 tomato, cut into wedges
1 romaine heart, chopped
3 mini sweet peppers, sliced
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
¼ cup walnuts
1 eggplant, trimmed and cut into 1-inch cubes
2 tsp za'atar spice
2 oz kalamata olives, halved lenghtwise
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions
In a medium bowl, combine the thyme leaves, lemon zest, ricotta, half of the dried oregano, juice from half a lemon, 2 tsp olive oil, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Gently stir the “feta” and set aside.

Arrange the chopped romaine, tomato wedges, and sliced peppers on a large platter for serving.

In a small bowl, mix together the remaining oregano, red wine vinegar, 1 tbsp olive oil, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Place a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the walnuts and cook the nuts until fragrant and toasted, about 4 to 6 minutes. Transfer walnuts to the vegetable platter.

Return the large nonstick skillet to medium heat and add 2 tbsp olive oil. Add the eggplant and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until browned in places and tender, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add the za’atar spice and toss to combine. Cook eggplant for an additional 2 minutes.

Top the vegetable platter with the olives, marinated "feta," and za’atar eggplant.

Serve the Greek salad on plates and drizzle with red wine vinaigrette!

[Sponsored]

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If you enjoyed this recipe, you will love my recipes for Easy Chicken and Blue Cheese Salad, Roasted Pork Tenderloin Salad, and Steak & Arugula Salad!

Kale and Green Bell Pepper Pasta with Goat Cheese and Parmesan

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It's the middle of December, but my California garden is still going strong with kale and green bell peppers. I'm not a big fan of stuffed bell peppers, so I have to get creative in my kitchen every week or two in an attempt to use up every last one!

While we usually opt for red bell peppers in pasta, this recipe was a great way to use up our cute little green ones instead. They're still sweet and provide a nice texture that pairs well with kale and corkscrew pasta. 

Ready in 30 minutes or less, you'll also love this whole grain pasta between the tanginess of the goat cheese and lemon zest, which are balanced with a little umami from the parmesan cheese. It's bright, healthy, and just as important, finger-lickin' delicious! 

Kale and Green Pepper Pasta

Time: 30 Minutes
Serves 4

Ingredients
1 large bunch kale, about ¾ lb, stemmed, and roughly chopped
¾ pound kamut khorasan corkscrew pasta
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 small red onion, finely chopped
2 medium green bell peppers, chopped
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 tbsp capers, drained
½ tsp red pepper flakes
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
Juice and zest of 1 lemon
1/3 cup white wine (optional)
¾ cup goat cheese, crumbled
¾ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
Lemon wedges to serve

Directions
Bring a large pot salted of water to a boil. Add kale and boil until tender, about 2-3 minutes. Transfer the kale to a bowl with a slotted spoon and set aside. 

Return the water to a boil and add the pasta. Cook according to package directions, until al dente. Drain the pasta, reserving ½ cup of the pasta water, and set aside.

While the pasta boils, heat olive oil in a large medium skillet or Dutch oven. Add the onion and peppers and sauté for 5-6 minutes, until softened. Stir in the garlic, capers, and red pepper flakes, and season with salt to taste. Add the lemon juice, zest, and white wine, and simmer until the wine is nearly evaporated, about 3 minutes. Return the kale and pasta to the pan and stir until combined (add reserved pasta water if the pasta is dry). 

Stir in goat cheese and parmesan until the pasta is well coated and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve the pasta in shallow bowls, squeezing over lemon wedges if desired.

Rotisserie Chicken with Braised Root Vegetables

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There is nothing like root vegetables in fall and winter! One of my favorites is daikon radish, which I tend to purchase for Korean and Japanese recipes.

While most European radishes are pretty small, daikon radishes are ...well, ginormous! Not a problem for me, though - the radishes seem to last at least a couple weeks in the refrigerator, so I can make radish recipe after radish recipe, yum!

Wanting to make something beyond my go-to recipes for daikon this time around, I scoured a few of my favorite online recipe websites for radishes and found a recipe by Food and Wine for Braised Root Vegetables and Cabbage with Fall Fruit. Can you pack more fruit and vegetables into one recipe than this one? I'd gander that would be really hard to do. Incredible.

The recipe reminded me a lot of one that Adrian and I have cooked for years, which refer to as "German Chicken." We usually make it with chicken thighs, sauerkraut, carrots, and a 12-oz bottle of German beer, and simmer over the stovetop for about 45 minutes.  We decided that we could perfectly combine these two recipes and make something even more special. And that we did!

Bursting with so much flavor from the sweet apples, pears, and carrots, and daikon with some tang from the sauerkraut, I guarantee you will love this dish. Plus there's no better way to use leftover daikon if you have a lot in your refrigerator, like I always seem to have!

Rotisserie Chicken with Braised Root Vegetables

Time: 1 Hour
Serves 4-6

Ingredients
4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 small white onion, thinly sliced
4 carrots, sliced 1/3-inch thick
1 1/2 cups daikon radish, peeled, cut into 1-inch pices
¾ lb green cabbage, cored, and coarsely chopped
1 Golden Delicious apple, peeled, cored, and cut into 1-inch pices
1 tbsp garlic, thinly sliced
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
½ cup low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup sauerkraut
1 rotisserie chicken, carved into about 8 pieces
1 Bosc pear, peeled, cored, and cut into 1-inch pices

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a large, deep skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, daikon, cabbage, apple, and garlic. Season with salt and pepper and cook over high heat, stirring, until the vegetables are lightly browned in spots, 6 minutes. Add the broth and sauerkraut and bring to a boil. Cover and braise in the oven for 10 Minutes. Add rotisserie chicken, cover, and cook for another 20 to 25 minutes, until the vegetables are tender. Remove from the oven.

Stir in the pear pieces and cook over high heat until the liquid is evaporated and the pear is tender, about 5 minutes. Transfer to plates and serve immediately.