Chermoula Eggplant

Ingredients:

2 large eggplants
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons cumin
2 teaspoons coriander
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon paprika
1/4 cup olive oil
salt, to taste
1/2 cup preserved lemon, chopped
1 cup fine bulgur
1/3 cup golden raisins
2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
2 tablespoons mint, chopped
1/3 cup green olives, chopped
1/3 cup sliced almonds
3 green onions, sliced
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/3 cup greek yogurt

Prepare chermoula by combining garlic, cumin, coriander, red pepper flakes, paprika, preserved lemon, and olive oil. Set aside.

Cut eggplants in half lengthwise and crisscross score the flesh. Spread chermoula on the eggplant flesh and bake at 400 for 40 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook the bulgur and add raisins. Remove from heat. Stir in cilantro, mint, olives, almonds, green onion, and lemon juice. Season with salt.

Spoon bulgur mixture over the eggplants. Top with greek yogurt and garnish with cilantro and olive oil.

Moroccan Pasta Salad

Ingredients:

1 cup israeli couscous or moghrabieh
1 cup carrots, finely chopped
15 green olives, finely chopped
1/2 cup preserved lemon, chopped
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped (optional)
2 small shallots, minced
juice of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper
1/2 teaspoon ginger, minced
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon cardamom
2 tablespoons parsley, chopped
1 tablespoon mint, chopped (optional)

Cook the couscous and allow to cool.

Meanwhile toss carrots, olives, and lemon together. Whisk lemon with olive oil, shallots, salt and pepper, ginger, cumin, and cinnamon.

Toss couscous with the vegetables, dressing, parsley, and mint.

Spring Millet with Mushrooms and Carrots

Ingredients:

1 cup millet
vegetable stock
1 teaspoon oil
1 cup carrots, chopped
2 cups mushrooms, chopped
1/4 cup red onion
3 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted
1 tablespoon parsley, chopped
1 tablespoon mint leaves, chopped
lemon, cut into wedges

Allow millet to soak in water overnight. Drain and cook with vegetable stock.

Saute carrots with oil until soft. Add mushrooms and cook until mushrooms are caramelized. Add red onion. Saute a few minutes then stir in millet and pine nuts. Cook through and remove from heat. Stir in parsley and mint. Serve with a wedge of lemon.

Asparagus and New Potato Salad with Lemon Caper Dressing

Ingredients:

4 cups arugula or spinach
grapeseed oil
6 new potatoes, quartered
20 asparagus spears, cut in half
1/4 cup walnuts, roughly chopped
1/4 cup dill, chopped
salt and pepper
1 teaspoon marjoram

juice of 1 large lemon
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons capers, rinsed and mashed with the back of a spoon
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon honey
a pinch of red pepper flakes

Toss potatoes with grapeseed oil, salt, pepper, and marjoram. Arrange on baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes at 400 degrees. Toss asparagus with oil, salt, and pepper. Add to the baking sheet and cook for another 10 minutes. Add walnuts and bake for another five minutes. Remove from heat.

Meanwhile whisk together the dressing ingredients.

To assemble salads, arrange hot vegetables over leafy greens. Sprinkle dill and walnuts on top. Drizzle with the dressing.

Spinach Salad with Dates and Almonds

Ingredients:

4 cups spinach
1/3 cup medjool date pieces
1/2 cup red onion, sliced
salt
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
2 small pitas, torn into pieces
1/2 cup almonds, roughly chopped
1 teaspoon sumac
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
juice of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon zatar (optional)

In a bowl, combine dates and red onions. Toss with salt and vinegar. Allow to marinate for 20 minutes and discard residual vinegar.

Meanwhile, toast pita and almonds on a frying pan in a little bit of olive oil until almonds are golden and bread is crisp. Remove from heat. Add sumac, red pepper flakes, and salt. Toss together and allow to cool.

To prepare dressing combine lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and zatar.

To assemble the salad toss spinach with date mixture, almond mixture, and dressing right before serving.

Hawaiian Rice Bowls

Ingredients:

For the rice:
long grain rice
water
coconut milk
sugar
red beans

Combine water and coconut milk in a pot and allow the rice to soak for at least an hour. Bring rice to simmer, adding water and sugar. Cover, reduce heat, and allow to cook through. Add red beans and cook until heated.

 For the vegetables:
1 teaspoon grapeseed oil
2 carrots, shredded
1 zucchini, cut into small cubes
1 yellow squash, cut into small cubes
3 celery stalks, sliced
1 cup chopped broccoli
1 package soy based chicken pieces

Saute the celery in the oil and add carrots. When the carrots are tender crisp add remaining ingredients. Cover and allow vegetables too cook for several minutes.

For the sauce:
3 tablespoons teriyaki sauce
hot pepper sauce, to taste
2 teaspoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons ginger, minced
1 teaspoon brown sugar

Put all ingredients in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer. Add water and cornstarch if needed to thicken. Cool at room temperature.

To assemble rice bowls, spoon rice into the bowl and top with the vegetables. Drizzle the sauce on top and sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Warm Mushroom, Roasted Asparagus, and Wild Rice Salad

Ingredients:

1/2 cup wild rice
1 cup vegetable stock
grapeseed oil
1/2 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 cups cremini mushrooms, sliced
1 tablespoon tarragon, chopped (optional)
salt and pepper
asparagus spears
a handful of dill, chopped
1/4 cup balsamic vinaigrette
4 cups salad greens
1/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled

Soak wild rice for several hours. Drain and cook in vegetable stock until tender. Set aside.

Cook onion in oil until soft. Add garlic and saute for 2 minutes. Add mushrooms and tarragon and cook until caramelized about 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, toss asparagus spears with oil, salt, and pepper. Place in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake 15 minutes at 400 degrees.

Mix the wild rice, mushroom mixture, dill, and balsamic vinaigrette.

To serve, plate salad greens and top with wild rice mixture. Arrange asparagus spears on top and sprinkle with feta cheese.

Mini Saffron Couscous Cakes

Ingredients:

1-3/4 cup boiled water
1/2 teaspoon saffron
1 cup couscous
2/3 cup barberries
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup greek yogurt
2 tablespoons mint, chopped
3 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
salt and pepper

Allow saffron to infuse in the hot water for a few minutes. Pour couscous over the water and allow to rest for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, simmer water, sugar, and barberries and drain on a paper towel.

In a small bowl, stir eggs, yogurt, mint, and feta cheese.

Add salt and pepper to couscous and fluff with a fork. Stir in egg mixture and barberries.

Shape into 25 2 inch wide, 1 inch thick cakes. Cook cakes for 5 minutes with a bit of oil until golden brown on each side. Serve immediately.

Spinach and Artichoke Bruschetta

Ingredients:

12 marinated artichoke quarters, chopped
1 cup spinach, chopped
2 tablespoons shallot, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup ricotta cheese
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup italian cheese blend
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
italian bread loaf, cut into 1/4 inch diagonal slices

Place bread slices on a baking sheet.

Mix all the ingredients in a bowl and spoon onto bread.

Bake at 375 for 15 minutes and broil the last two minutes.

Black Bean Soup

Ingredients:

Ingredients:

6 cups black beans
4 cups vegetable stock
1 can tomatoes (optional)
2 tablespoons grapeseed oil
1 onion, chopped
salt and pepper
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon chipotle pepper (optional)
1 teaspoon chili powder

avocado, diced
cilantro, chopped
juice of 1 lime
radishes, halved and sliced

Combine half the beans and the tomatoes with a cup of the stock in a blender and puree until smooth.

Cook onions in the oil until caramelized. Add salt, pepper, bean puree, remaining beans and stock. Simmer until hot.

In a bowl, toss avocado, cilantro, lime juice, and radish. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Ladle soup into bowls and spoon salsa mixture into the center.

Serve with a wedge of lime or a dollop of sour cream.

Tatties

Ingredients:

2 large russet potatoes, cut into large cubes
salt and pepper
6 tablespoons butter
1 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
sharp white cheddar cheese, shredded

Boil the potatoes in salted water. When they are cooked through, drain and mash with a potato masher while still hot. Stir in salt, pepper, butter, and flour.

Divide dough into two equal pieces and allow to rest for half an hour.

When dough is cooled, roll one half out onto a floured surface into a circle or rectangle. Sprinkle cheese on top. Roll out second piece and place on top of the cheese. Seal the edges and cut into eight equal pieces with a pizza cutter.

Shallow fry the scones for a few minutes until golden brown on each side. Serve immediately.

Bibingka

Ingredients:

8 ounces cream cheese
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 pound (3-1/2 cups) rice flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup pineapple, cut into 1 cm cubes
15 ounces cream of coconut
1 cup milk
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons sugar

Beat the sugar and cream cheese. Add eggs one at a time.

Mix in remaining ingredients, alternating flour with milk.

Pour mixture into greased pan and sprinkle sugar and brown sugar on top.

Bake at 350 for 1 hour. Allow to cool completely before cutting to serve.

Curried Chickpea and Lentil Patties

Ingredients:

1 teaspoon coconut oil
1/2 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups carrot, grated
1/2 cup cashews
1-1/2 cup chickpeas
2 cups lentils
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 teaspoon masala powder
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup brown rice, dry
1 cup panko
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
vegetable stock

Cook the brown rice. Pour into food processor along with the chickpeas, lentils, and cashews.

Cook onion and garlic in the oil. Add carrot and cook until soft. Add to the food processor.

Add curry powder, masala powder, mustard seeds, turmeric, and salt to the food processor. Process until doughy consistency form, adding vegetable stock to soften.

Transfer mixture to bowl and stir in panko and fennel seeds. Cook in a frying pan with a little bit of oil.

Serve on a toasted bun with spinach, mango, and basil.

Chickpea and Couscous Stuffed Eggplant and Tahini Sauce

Ingredients:

2 large eggplants
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 cup couscous
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
3/4 cup chickpeas
2 teaspoons grapeseed oil
1/4 cup parsley, chopped
salt and pepper

1/4 cup tahini
1/4 cup water
1 clove garlic, minced
juice of half a lemon
salt and pepper

Cut eggplants in half lengthwise. Scoop out insides leaving half an inch of flesh on the shell. Brush hollowed eggplant with oil and bake 20 minutes at 400. Set aside.

Meanwhile, chop the eggplant pulp into small pieces and cook the couscous.

Heat oil in a pan and cook onion and garlic. Add eggplant pulp, cover and cook until soft. Stir in chickpeas and tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper.

In a small bowl, mix all the ingredients for the tahini sauce.

To assemble, spoon chickpea mixture into eggplant shells. Drizzle with tahini sauce and garnish with parsley. Serve with a wedge of lemon.

Everything White Bean Dip

Ingredients:

3 cups white beans
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons tahini
2 teaspoons sesame oil
3 cloves roasted garlic
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons toasted dried minced onion
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
1 tablespoon poppy seeds
1 teaspoon coarse salt
1 tablespoon caraway seeds
1 tablespoon nigella seeds
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

In a food processor, puree beans, olive oil, sesame oil, tahini, garlic, salt, and lemon juice. Stir in remaining ingredients. Serve with pita chips or crackers.

Lemon Artichoke Feta Wraps

Ingredients:

1 teaspoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 red chili, minced
1/2 jalapeno pepper, minced (optional)
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
lettuce, spinach, or arugula
2 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
20 kalamata olives
12 quarters of marinated artichoke heart
1/2 preserved lemon, finely chopped
3 sprigs mint
2 sprigs parsley (optional)
2 whole wheat pitas

Heat oil in a small skillet and add garlic, fennel seeds, and peppers OR roast them in the oven. Allow to cool.

In a bowl, stir together feta cheese, olives, artichokes, lemon, mint, and parsley. Add pepper mixture.

Arrange wraps by placing leafy greens on a pita and half the filling.

Chickpea Quinoa Pineapple Burgers

Ingredients:

1-1/2 cup chickpeas
1/2 cup coconut milk
1 teaspoon curry powder
1 teaspoon garam masala
1 clove garlic
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup green onion, sliced thinly
1/2 cup quinoa, cooked
2/3 cup panko
1/2 inch fresh pineapple slices
lettuce
whole wheat buns

In a food processor, combine chickpeas, coconut milk, curry powder, garam masala, garlic, and salt. Transfer mixture to a bowl and stir in onion, panko, and quinoa. Shape mixture into 4 patties.

Heat 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil in a frying pan and cook patties on each side until golden brown. Grill the pineapple slices until golden.

To assemble place lettuce on wheat bun. Top with a slice of pineapple, a patty, and red onions. Serve with a side of sweet potato fries.

Jicama and Carrot Slaw

Ingredients:

3 cups jicama, cut into matchsticks
1-1/2 cup carrot, cut into matchsticks
3 tablespoons cilantro, minced
1 jalapeno, minced
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon olive oil
juice of 1 lime
1 teaspoon honey

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and toss.

Portobello Wellingtons

Ingredients:

4 portobello mushrooms
4 small sheets puff pastry
1-1/2 cup cremini mushrooms
2 cups spinach
3 small shallots
2 cloves garlic
2 sprigs tarragon
1/2 cup soy crumbles (optional)
black pepper, to taste
1 teaspoon olive oil
3 tablespoons vegetable stock

Remove stem and gills from the portobello mushrooms. Bake at 400 for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.

Meanwhile, combine cremini mushrooms, spinach, shallots, garlic, and tarragon. Pulse until the mixture is pureed.

Saute spinach mixture with olive oil in a pan and add vegetable stock, crumbles, and black pepper. Cook until liquid is reduced. Remove from heat and squeeze out remaining liquid.

Fill cavities of the portobello mushrooms with spinach mixture. Enclose each mushroom with the puff pastry and place seamside down on greased baking dish.

Bake mushrooms for 25 minutes or until tops of the pastry are golden brown, about 25 minutes. Serve immediately.

Limonana

Ingredients:

1 cup lemon juice
1 bunch mint leaves
2 cups water
3/4 cup sugar

Boil sugar and water until the sugar is dissolved. Allow to cool.

Put sugar syrup, lemon juice, and mint in a blender and blend until mint leaves are pureed. Pour mixture into a jar through doubled up cheesecloth.

Pour the juice into ice cube trays and freeze. When juice is frozen, blend and serve.

Moroccan Quinoa Salad with Orange Dressing

Ingredients:

1/2 cup quinoa
1 navel orange, chopped
1 red bell pepper, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1-1/2 cup chickpeas
1/2 cup kalamata olives, chopped
1/2 cup pistachios, halved
2 tablespoons parsley, minced
2 tablespoons mint, minced
1/4 cup matchstick carrots (optional)

1/4 cup orange juice
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon cumin
salt and pepper

Cook quinoa and allow to cool completely.

Toss remaining ingredients with the quinoa. Stir dressing ingredients and combine with the salad before serving.

Hummus, Avocado, and Red Pepper Sandwich

Ingredients:

bread
1/2 cup spicy hummus
2 avocados
3 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
1/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled
2 teaspoons lemon juice
salt and pepper
1/2 cup roasted red peppers

In a bowl, combine avocado, basil, feta cheese, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Mash well with a fork.

Spread hummus on bread. Top with avocado spread and roasted red peppers. Cover with other piece of bread. Serve cold or grill on each side with olive oil.