Fennel, Beets, & Blood Orange

I have never cooked with fennel before, but I'm trying to branch out from my normal weekly veggie rotation, and {FENNEL} was the veggie I've been missing. I had no idea how to use it, and after doing a little research on how to prepare it, came up with this yummy dish, which actually felt pretty fancy for a {Monday} night! This would be a good dish for a special date night dinner at home, or if you want to impress your friends at your next dinner party!

FENNEL

also has innumerous health benefits, and can aid in treating anemia, indigestion, and constipation. It is also helpful in eliminating toxins from the body as a diuretic, prevents hair loss and eye disorders related to aging. 

Ingredients:

Fennel, 3-4 bulbs

Beets, 2-3 bunches 

Red onion

Olive Oil, about 1/2 cup 

Blood oranges, juice of 2

Garlic clove

Lemon, juice of 3

Black pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

The beets require the longest roasting time, so it's best to start with them. Rinse and remove the stems, and try to remove as much as the outside root as you can, without removing all the skin. Cut beets into fourths and wrap in aluminum foil to create a steaming package. Place directly on the oven rack and let steam for about 50 minutes, or until you can pierce them lightly with a fork. While the beets are steaming, cut off the fronds and bulb end from the fennel. Save the fronds for a garnish. Slice each fennel into fourths. Chop the red onion into large pieces, about the same size as the fennel slices. Place the fennel and red onion on a baking sheet. Drizzle olive oil, lemon juice, and a few grinds of black pepper on the fennel and onions, and place in the oven for 20-25 minutes. I set the timer for my beets at 30 minutes, and then added the fennel and onion to let everything cook for another 20-25 minutes.

To prepare the Blood Orange Vinaigrette, combine 1/2 cup olive oil, a garlic clove, and the juice of 2 lemons, and 2 blood oranges. Whisk all ingredients together, and add black pepper to taste.

Add beets to your dish, and then top with roasted fennel and red onion. Drizzle blood orange vinaigrette, and add fennel fronds as a garnish.

Voila...an easy, healthy, and {fancy} dish!

Kale and Brussel Sprout CHOPPED Salad

This week's Farm Fresh delivery included the most beautiful Lacinato kale I've probably ever seen, it was silky and had the most rich dark green color. I wanted to use it raw, and in a dish that really highlighted how fresh and flavorful it is, instead of throwing it in a smoothie or making kale chips.

Which led me to the most heavenly combination of chopped kale, brussel sprouts, onions, quinoa, and pine nuts, with a lemon garlic vinaigrette!

Let me just say, when I began making this dish, and my guy asked me what was for dinner and saw what I was concocting, he said he would order pizza...fine, more for me! Well, let me tell you, by the time this dish was done, he had forgotten about the pizza and was even suggesting some yummy additions to add to the mix for next time. DOUBLE SUCCESS...there will be a next time, and the kale and brussel sprout chopped salad beat out the pizza!

Ingredients:

Kale, 1-2 Bunches, Chopped with center stem removed

Brussel Sprouts, 12 Ounces,Trimmed and chopped

Onion, 1/4, Sliced

Quinoa, 1 Cup, Cooked

Pine Nuts, 1/4 Cup

Coconut Oil, 1 Tablespoon

Olive Oil, 1/4 Cup

Garlic, 1 Clove

Lemon, Juice of 2-3

Black Pepper

Remove the stems from the kale, chop into small pieces, and place in a large bowl.

In a large skillet, add coconut oil, trimmed and chopped brussel sprouts, and onion. Add a few dashes of pepper, and a squeeze of lemon to season. Saute on medium heat until onion and brussel sprouts soften. For the quinoa, boil 2 cups of water and bring to a boil. Add 1 cup of quinoa, cover and simmer on low for 10-12 minutes. Pine nuts can be added to the quinoa, or toasted in a skillet.

For the dressing, combine chopped garlic clove, olive oil, and juice of 2 lemons. Add 2-3 dashes of black pepper. Whisk to combine all ingredients.

Add brussel sprout mixture, quinoa, pine nuts, and dressing to your bowl of chopped kale and toss together.

Veggie Eats: Vegan Caesar Dressing

I am definitely a sucker for a good creamy dressing or dip, and this Vegan Caesar won't disappoint! 

It tastes divine drizzled over a salad, or as I prefer, drizzled over roasted potatoes...heck, I just dip each bite! ...Sure to satisfy my craving for some creamy comfort food.

Ingredients:

Olive oil, 1 cup

Water, 1/4 cup

Lemon, Juice of 1-2

White wine vinegar, 1 Tbsp

Salt, 1 tsp

Tamari, 1 tsp

Dijon mustard, 1 tsp

Black pepper, 1/4 tsp

Garlic, 2 cloves

Nutritional yeast, 1/4 cup

Tofu, 1/2 pound, 8 ounces

Add all ingredients to blender or food processor and blend until smooth.

Your salads will smile with this one!

Veggie Eats: Creamy Balsamic...Without the Cream

I hate to break the news to you, but those salad dressings you buy at the store, the ones that say they're low-fat...less this...less that...well they're full of sugar and hydrogenated oils, and there's an easier, tastier alternative out there! Yay!

It's so EASY to make your own dressings, and I guarantee once you start, you'll never buy another bottle of processed salad dressing again!

Tahini

is the star player in most of the dressings that I whip up, and gives it a creamy, nutty taste! Tahini is a paste made from ground up sesame seeds, and is usually used in making hummus. It contains a laundry list of B vitamins, increases metabolism, aids in your immune and nervous system functioning, and promotes vibrant skin and muscle tone.

**Tahini can be purchased at your local health food store, like Whole Foods, and is usually near the nut butters.**

To Whip up Your Own Creamy Balsamic:

Gather...

Tahini, 3 T

Balsamic Vinegar, 1 T

Olive Oil, 1 T

Lemon

Black Pepper, to taste

In a small bowl add tahini, and juice of 1/2 of a lemon. Add balsamic vinegar and olive oil till you reach a creamy, not-too-oily consistency. You don't want to add too much balsamic vinegar, or you'll get a really tart taste. Add black pepper to taste.

You're now ready to take your salads to the next level, and enjoy their full nutritional benefit! My favorite use of this dressing is drizzled over cooked veggies and quinoa...comfort food at it's best!