Vegetarian

Veggie Wrap With Homemade Jalapeño Hummus

September 9, 2018 by Sarah Baade Leave a Comment

I have to say that I’m fortunate to have a cafeteria available to me at work. It really is convenient when I don’t have any leftovers to bring in for lunch. However, the meatless options in the cafeteria aren’t stellar. I often default to the veggie wrap but it seems like half of the filling options typically aren’t available for one reason or another. This can result in a lettuce and tomato wrap with a little bit of hummus and/or cheese. Not filling. Not flavorful.

With just a little bit of meal prep at the beginning of the week, I’m sure I can provide myself with a better wrap for lunch. My plan is to chop and slice all of the vegetables then place them into individual bags that I can quickly grab out of the fridge as I head out the door for work. By assembling the wraps at work, the wrap/tortilla won’t get soggy. This homemade jalapeño hummus provides so much flavor and can easily be used for dipping veggies, crackers, etc. as a side dish or snack.

Tips:

If you want to add more spice to your hummus, add more jalapeño. If you prefer a milder level of heat, remove the seeds from the jalapeño before chopping and adding it to the hummus.
To avoid getting the jalapeño oils on your hands (and potentially in your eyes if you rub them) wear plastic gloves while chopping it.

Veggie Wrap with Homemade Jalapeño Hummus

For the jalapeño hummus:

15oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

2 Tablespoons tahini

1/3 cup Tablespoons olive oil

2 Tablespoons fresh jalapeño, chopped

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon garlic powder

½ teaspoon onion powder

Hummus Directions:

Place all ingredients in a food processor or blender and process until smooth. You may need to scrape the sides of the processor part way through in order to fully incorporate the ingredients.

For the wrap:

1 wrap or large tortilla

¼ cup jalapeño hummus

Handful of kale

Handful of red cabbage, chopped

4 slices cucumber

4 rings of sliced red onion

3 slices tomato

Handful of zucchini noodles

3 slices bell pepper

Wrap Directions:

Spread hummus on 1/3 – 1/2 of the wrap. On top of the hummus, layer the kale, cabbage, cucumber, onion, tomato, zucchini noodles and bell pepper. Fold the wrap around the vegetables and enjoy.

Rainbow Fruit Salad

August 28, 2018 by Sarah Baade Leave a Comment

My husband and I are pretty active in our church and this naturally leads to potluck meals a few times per year. My husband’s answer to bringing a dish is always “Let’s just pick something up from the store on the way to the party.” I, on the other hand, never even think of this as an option until he mentions it. Instead, I go through my mental rolodex of easy recipes and some sort of cookie usually wins out. I’m honestly not sure why I feel obligated to bring something homemade. I don’t expect it of others and I’m pretty confident others don’t expect it of me. Then again, homemade always tastes better than store bought, even with a simple recipe.

This weekend we attended a pool party and you guessed it, it was a potluck situation! I’ve been obsessed with fresh fruit lately so cookies didn’t even make the short list of ideas for once. Instead, I made my rainbow fruit salad. Guys, this is so easy and so delicious! I promise, the hardest part of this recipe is cutting some fruit and there isn’t even very much to cut. This fruit salad is so refreshing but it will also satisfy your sweet tooth – this counts as a win-win in my book!

Tips:

Don’t be afraid to swap out some of the fruits for whatever is seasonal. Ultimately, the goal is about 8-10 cups of FRESH fruit.
I always like to add a few berries to my fruit salad because they don’t require cutting. Just wash and toss them into the mix!

Rainbow Fruit Salad

1 large peach, rinsed and cut into bit sized pieces (I left the skin on)

3 kiwi, peeled and cut into bit sized pieces

1 mango, peeled cut into bit sized pieces

12oz raspberries, rinsed

11oz blueberries, rinsed

2 teaspoons agave syrup (or honey if you prefer)

1 teaspoon fresh mint, chopped

Juice of 1 lime

Directions:

Toss all fruit into a large bowl. Drizzle with agave syrup then add mint and lime juice. Gently stir until fruit is evenly coated with the syrup and lime juice. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Watermelon Salad

August 1, 2018 by Sarah Baade 2 Comments

I keep wondering if I’m getting wimpier with age or if this summer really has been excruciatingly hot. I’m leaning toward the latter but the honest answer is that it’s probably both. I’ve been thinking back on all those summers I spent working at YMCA camps (shout out to Camp Wood and Camp Cosby!) and wondering how I survived living in little cabins with no air conditioning. I’m confident that I survived by being preoccupied with lots of fun activities and friends. I mean, who has time to think about the heat when you’re guiding a group of kids through a mud hike?! Still, we’ve been hitting triple digit temperatures on a daily basis with not much relief in sight. I give a lot of credit to all the summer camp staffers out there who have pushed through this heat to give kids the best week(s) they could imagine.

When it’s this hot outside, I have no interest in turning on the oven. Simple fresh ingredients are the way to go and summer provides such delicious seasonal produce! Naturally, I had to use this to my advantage. My daughter has been on a watermelon kick lately so I opted to use that as my base. I’m all about use what you’ve already got at home when possible. With just five ingredients, the hardest part of this salad will simply be cutting the watermelon. Other than that, this is as easy as a recipe can get. Enjoy!

Tips:

Although more expensive, you can certainly buy pre-cut watermelon to make this recipe even easier to make.
You can certainly toss the salad together a day ahead. Just be sure to cover and store in the refrigerator and don’t add the salad dressing until you are ready to serve it.

Watermelon Salad

Salad:

8 cups watermelon, cut into bite sized pieces

2 cups blueberries

½ cup feta cheese, crumbled or cubed

1 Tablespoon fresh mint, chopped

Dressing:

1 cup blueberries

¼ cup balsamic vinegar

Directions:

In a large bowl, toss together all of the salad ingredients. In a blender, liquefy the dressing ingredients. Drizzle dressing over individual servings of salad, as desired.

Savory Spinach Turnovers

July 15, 2018 by Sarah Baade 4 Comments

Is there actually a better meal out there than brunch? The combination of savory and sweet breakfast items plus lunch is arguably perfect. It is also the only time adding a little booze to your diet before noon is not just acceptable but encouraged. Hello mimosas and bloody Marys! Next month I will be helping to host a baby shower with brunch so I’ve had all sorts of ideas running through my head. The hardest part of menu planning will be narrowing down our options.

I can’t quite decide what I like best about this recipe. It is incredibly easy to make with just 8 ingredients. But the bonus is that it would be great served at a brunch or as a grab and go option on a busy morning. I actually made these on a weeknight and then brought them to the office the next morning to share. My co-workers happily grabbed one to take back to their desks as a mid-morning pick me up.

Tips:

You can make the filling a day ahead and refrigerate it until ready to use.
If you have whole frozen spinach on hand, you can chop it yourself rather than buying the pre-chopped.

Savory Spinach Turnovers

Makes 8 turnovers

10oz package frozen chopped spinach, thawed

½ cup ricotta cheese

¼ cup shredded mozzarella cheese

½ teaspoon garlic, minced

2 Tablespoons shallot, finely chopped

¼ teaspoon salt

2 sheets ready to bake puff pastry dough, thawed

1 egg, beaten

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Drain spinach of any excess water. In a medium bowl, stir together spinach, ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese, garlic, shallot and salt.

Unfold sheets of puff pastry. Cut each sheet into four equal squares. Place 2 Tablespoons of spinach mixture into the center of each pastry square. Fold each pastry square diagonally over spinach. Pinch edges of dough together with a fork. Brush the tops and sides of each turnover with the beaten egg.

Place each turnover on the lined baking sheet. Bake 16-18 minutes or until pastry is golden brown.

Cherry Limeade Popsicles

June 22, 2018 by Sarah Baade 2 Comments

It is now officially SUMMER!!! And I am celebrating with popsicles. We have been reaching 90’s and even into triple digit temperatures for a few weeks already. I can’t even think about how hot it will be by mid-summer. Over Memorial Day weekend we were visiting family and the kids were all hanging out on the back porch sharing popsicles. Sticky hands and faces, bright red/purple/blue lips, and huge smiles all around. I love how such a simple treat can bring pure joy.

I’ve been trying out a few different popsicle recipes ever since my parents gifted me a nice set of molds. I think their goal was for me to recreate a sangria popsicle we had a while back at a restaurant. I’m sure I’ll get to that before too long but right now I’m focused on non-alcoholic popsicles so my little one can partake. This cherry-lime-aide is my favorite flavor so far. I’m sure this could easily incorporate some wine on the next go-round. (Mom, Dad – I’ve got you covered.)

Tips:

I’m going to be honest, I used frozen cherries for this one because they were already pitted – I’m all about less work when it can still create a delicious result!
If the popsicles are sticking to the molds, briefly run them under cold water, they should loosen right up without actually melting.

Cherry Limeade Popsicles

Makes 6 popsicles

1 cup sweet red cherries, pitted

1/3 cup fresh squeezed lime juice

1/2 cup sugar

1 cup water

Directions:

In a small saucepan, over medium heat, stir together all four ingredients. Continue stirring until all sugar has dissolved. Remove from heat and pour fruit mixture into a blender. Blend on high until all ingredients are liquefied. Pour mixture into popsicle molds and freeze overnight.

No Churn Chocolate Chunk Coffee Ice Cream

May 22, 2018 by Sarah Baade Leave a Comment

I have so many wonderful memories that include ice cream! Clearly a sign of a happy childhood. A sign of a happy adulthood, while we’re at it! Blizzard dates with high school friends and clown cones for my 7^th birthday party were awesome but the best memories are with my grandfather. He would pull out the big crank churn and help us make homemade ice cream. It felt like it took hours of churning and adding more salt and more ice. But the reward was always worth the wait. Fresh from the churn, it was like soft serve ice cream. I always added chocolate syrup on top and Grandpa would help me scrape every last bit from my bowl.

Those memories with Grandpa are incredibly sweet. However, as a career woman, a wife and a mom, I don’t have the patience to wait on ice cream to churn. When I saw the no-churn ice cream trend I knew I had to try it. The basic concept is combining whipped cream with sweetened condensed milk. Beyond this, the flavor combinations are limited only by your own imagination. The coffee flavor I’ve created here seems to me like a great excuse to have ice cream for breakfast.

Tips:

If you’re caffeine sensitive, feel free to use decaf instant coffee rather than regular.
Be sure whip the heavy cream yourself rather than using premade whipped cream. There is a difference in texture and sweetness.

No Churn Chocolate Chunk Coffee Ice Cream

16oz heavy cream

1 single serving packet instant coffee granules (I used Starbucks Via)

1 Tablespoon hot water

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

14oz sweetened condensed milk

½ cup chopped dark chocolate

Directions:

In a large, cold bowl, beat heavy cream until soft peaks form. In a medium bowl, stir coffee and hot water until coffee dissolves. Stir vanilla and sweetened condensed milk into coffee until well combined. Mix coffee mixture into whipped cream. Stir in chocolate. Pour ice cream into a 9×5 loaf pan. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze for a minimum of 6 hours, preferably overnight.

Market Couscous Salad

April 28, 2018 by Sarah Baade Leave a Comment

The weather is finally getting warm again and I am looking forward to scouring my local farmers market for my favorite summer produce. In particular, I’m already craving fresh tomatoes and cucumbers. I feel fortunate to have access to most produce all year long at my local grocery store but there is something special about meeting your local farmers and buying their fresh from the farm products.

With warm weather also comes outdoor potlucks. The great thing about this dish is that it can be served warm or cold (I actually prefer it cold). With just ten ingredients, this dish is easy to put together and you can make it ahead of time.

Tips:

Don’t feel limited by the grape/sweet tomatoes I used here. Grab whatever is freshest at your local farmers market or grocery store. Even better would be homegrown tomatoes!
Make sure you add that 1 teaspoon to the water as you’re cooking the couscous – it helps to keep it from turning into one huge blob as it cools.

Market Couscous Salad

Ingredients:

1 teaspoon + 1 Tablespoon olive oil

1 cup uncooked pearl coucous (I used tri-color)

¼ cup red wine vinegar

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon fresh thyme

1 cup cucumber, chopped

1 cup tomatoes, chopped (I used a mix of sweet tomatoes)

¼ cup red onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

¼ cup crumbled feta cheese

Directions:

In a medium pot, bring 1 ½ cups water and 1 teaspoon olive oil to a boil. Add couscous then reduce heat and simmer for 7-9 minutes or until water is absorbed and couscous is tender. Remove from heat. Add remaining ingredients to couscous and stir until ingredients are evenly dispersed. Salad can be served warm or cold.

Honey Date Nut Bars

April 8, 2018 by Sarah Baade 2 Comments

Last week we had family in town for Easter. I had every intention of cooking a couple of vegetarian dinners but ultimately did not cook one single meal at home. I have no regrets though! Ultimately, the time I would have spent cutting vegetables or creating a sauce was spent having amazing conversations. I love cooking but I love quality time with family even more.

A couple of days before our guests arrived, I made these nut bars. I am definitely a grab and go breakfast kind of person. Even as a child, I did not eat a big breakfast. I’m so glad I had these on hand because they provided all of us with a quick, light breakfast or snack when we needed it. You’ll notice that there isn’t any fruit or chocolate in this recipe. It is so hard to find a granola or nut bar without these ingredients which is why I decided to create one of my own. If I really want chocolate, I’ll go grab a cookie. For a light, grab-and-go breakfast, I’ll stick with these nut bars.

Tips:

Don’t bother cleaning the food processor in between uses, it is all going to end up mixed together in the end anyway.
If mixture is too gooey to cut into clean rectangle shaped bars, refrigerate for an hour or more to help firm it up.

Honey Date Nut Bars

Makes 12 bar

2 cups roasted, unsalted almonds

1 cup roasted, unsalted macadamia nuts

8 pitted medjool dates

½ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

¼ cup honey

¼ cup pepitas

2/3 cup crispy rice cereal

Directions:

Preheat oven to 250°F. In a food processor, pulse almonds 8-10 times or until they are broken into half-quarter sized pieces. Pour almond pieces into large bowl and set aside. Place macadamia nuts in food processor and pulse 8-10 times or until they are broken into half-quarter sized pieces. Add macadamia nut pieces to almonds in bowl. In the food processor, blend dates, salt, vanilla and honey until smooth. Pour date mixture into bowl of nuts. Add pepitas and rice cereal, stir until all ingredients are evenly coated.

Spread nut mixture over parchment paper on a cutting board. Form into a square shape that is approximately ¾” thick. Cut mixture into 12 equal sized rectangles. Move bars (still on parchment paper) to a baking sheet. Spread bars apart, allowing at least ¼” of space. Bake for 40 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool completely before serving.

Baby Bella Shepherd’s Pie

March 13, 2018 by Sarah Baade Leave a Comment

I’m not Irish, not even a little bit. I know this because my dad has written not one but TWO books on our genealogy. What a treasure those books are. To know where you’ve come from and to have stories (some first-hand) about your family members is such a unique gift. Despite my lack of Irish heritage, my parents have always encouraged exploring cultures through food. What better way to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day than by taking a new twist on a classic Irish dish?

Shepherd’s pie is one of those ultimate comfort foods. Am I right? It is so rich, warm and flavorful. Traditionally, this dish is made with lamb but s a vegetarian, I had to make my own version. I subbed the meat with a ton baby bella mushrooms but kept the basics for the sauce. To make this a bit healthier and to add a level of sweetness, I swapped the potatoes for sweet potatoes. The result turned out to be glorious! I could have eaten half the casserole dish by myself!

Tips:

To save time the on the day you plan to make this, chop all your vegetables the night before.
Be patient. It takes some time for the liquid to reduce but give it the time it deserves so you don’t end up with soup under the sweet potatoes.

Baby Bella Shepherd’s Pie

Topping:

4 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed

½ cup unsalted butter

¼ cup half & half

Filling:

2 Tablespoons olive oil

1 medium yellow onion

3 large carrots, cut into ¼” slices

2lb baby bella mushrooms, stemmed and quartered

1 Tablespoon minced garlic

1 Tablespoon fresh thyme

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon ground black pepper

3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 ½ cups peas

1 cup vegetable broth

1 cup dry red wine

2 Tablespoons tomato paste

Directions:

Place sweet potatoes in a large pot and cover with water. Boil potatoes until they are fork tender. Drain potatoes and move them to a large mixing bowl. Mix on low speed with butter and half & half until potatoes are smooth and creamy. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 400°F. In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onions and cook until translucent. Add carrots, cook an additional 2-3 minutes. Add mushrooms, garlic, thyme, salt & pepper. Cook until mushrooms start to sweat. Sprinkle flour over vegetable mixture and stir until evenly coated. Add peas then pour in vegetable broth and wine. Stir in tomato paste and increase heat to bring pot to a boil. Reduce heat and let simmer until liquids reduce to a gravy-like texture.

Pour vegetable mixture into a greased 9”x13” casserole dish. Spread sweet potatoes over vegetables, making sure potatoes reach the edges of the dish. Bake for 20 minutes. Let cool slightly before serving.

Five Spice Citrus Salad

February 25, 2018 by Sarah Baade Leave a Comment

It has been such a long and rainy winter here in San Antonio. I’m not used to needing a heavy coat for more than a day or two at a time, let alone weeks at a time. I find myself daydreaming about bright colors and warmer climates. I won’t be going on a tropical vacation any time soon so my next best bet is eating bright, flavorful fruit.

We are currently right in the middle of prime orange and grapefruit season. There are so many varieties of citrus available and I took full advantage of that for this recipe. I love the variety of colors as well as flavors from these fruits. Given the tartness that sometimes comes along with citrus, I wanted to contrast that with a little bit of sweet and a little bit of spice. The result is a perfect dish to serve with brunch or eat as a snack.

Tips:

Place some paper towels under the edges of your cutting board, this will help to catch any juice that runs off the edge as you’re cutting the fruit.
Feel free to mix and match your citrus fruits to your liking or based on what is available seasonally. The main idea is variety.

Five Spice Citrus Salad

Serves 6-8

3 grapefruit (I used one large and two small)

6 oranges (I used blood oranges, tangelos, sumo citrus)

¼ cup pomegranate seeds

¼ cup crumbled feta cheese

1 Tablespoon fresh mint leaves

4 Tablespoons honey

½ teaspoon Chinese five spice seasoning

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

Cut citrus fruits into ¼ – ½ inch slices, removing seeds as they are found. Cut rinds off of slices then place slices on paper towels to absorb excess any juice. Move citrus slices to a serving platter and top with pomegranate, feta and mint. In a small bowl, mix together honey, Chinese five spice and vanilla. Drizzles honey mixture over citrus salad as desired.