Pear Balsamic Salad with Dried Cherries and Candied Walnuts

Serves: 4

Walnuts

1 cup raw walnuts

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F

Add walnuts to baking pan, once the oven is preheated, toast walnuts for 7 minutes.

1 tbsp coconut sugar
2 tsp coconut oil
2 tsp maple syrup
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

Then remove from the oven, add oil, coconut sugar, maple syrup, salt, ground cinnamon, cayenne pepper directly to the walnuts. Use a spatula to throughly toss / combine.

Place back in the oven and roast for another 5 minutes or until fragrant and golden brown. Set aside to cool.

Dressing

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
1 medium shallot, chopped
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp ground black pepper

In the meanwhile, prepare dressing by adding all ingredients to a mixing bowl, whisk to combine. Set aside.

Salad

16 ounces mixed greens
1 ripe Bosc or Barlett pear, thinly sliced lengthwise, stems and seeds removed
1/4 cup dried cherries or cranberries

To serve, add greens, sliced pear, dried cherries and roasted walnuts to a mixing bowl. Drizzle with dressing and toss to combine.

Taste Note: Tastes AWESOME
Source: minimalistbaker

Roasted Broccoli Sweet Potato Chickpea Salad

Serves: 2 (I usually make twice of this to feed 4, double everything except chickpeas)

Cook Chickpeas

1 cup chickpeas

Overnight soak chickpeas in water.

1 tsp salt
5 cups water

Drain chickpeas, wash, add salt, water and allow it to boil, reduce the heat to low, cook for 45 minutes.

Yields: 2 and 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas

Spiced Chickpeas

1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp tandoori masala
1 tsp coconut sugar
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper

Add the cooked and drained chickpeas to a mixing bowl, season with oil, tandoori masala, coconut sugar, salt and cayenne or red pepper flakes. Toss to combine.

Vegetables

1 tbsp olive oil

1 large sweet potato, chopped into rounds
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp black ground black pepper
1/2 tsp dried dill

Add sweet potato to a mixing bowl, add olive oil, salt, ground black pepper, dried dill, toss to combine.

1 tbsp olive oil

1 medium head broccoli, chopped into large bite size pieces
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp black ground black pepper
1/2 tsp dried dill

Add broccoli to a mixing bowl, add olive oil, salt, ground black pepper, dried dill, toss to combine.

1 medium red bell pepper, thinly sliced (leave raw or roast with broccoli, roasting is optional)

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly grease a baking pan.

Arrange in a single layer.

Bake for a total of 25 minutes, rotating the pan once near the halfway point. You can flip the sweet potatoes over to encourage even baking, but its not necessary.

You will know the broccoli is done, when its golden brown, the sweet potatoes will be tender and the chickpeas will begin firming up and taking on a slight crunch. Set aside.

Garlic Dill Sauce

1/3 cup hummus
1/2 tsp garlic, grated
1 tsp dried dill (or 2 tsp fresh dill)
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp water to thin

While the vegetables are baking, prepare the dressing by adding hummus, garlic, dill, lemon juice to a mixing bowl and whisk to combine. Then add only enough water to thin until pourable. Set aside.

To Serve

Mix roasted veggies, raw bell pepper and chickpeas with dressing and enjoy!

Source: minimalistbaker
Taste Note: Tastes GREAT

Creamy Kale Salad with Chickpeas, Beets, & Dukkah

Serves: 4

Cook Chickpeas

1 cup chickpeas

Overnight soak chickpeas in water.

1 tsp salt
5 cups water

Drain chickpeas, wash, add salt, water and allow it to boil, reduce the heat to low, cook for 45 minutes in low. Drain and throughly DRIED.

1 tbsp coconut oil
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp coconut sugar
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground cardamom
1/8 tsp ground coriander

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Add throughly dried chickpeas to a mixing bowl, add coconut oil, ground cumin, smoked paprika, coconut sugar, dried oregano, ground turmeric, ground cinnamon, salt, ground cardamom, ground coriander and stir to combine.

Spread on baking sheet, bake for 30 minutes or until deep golden brown and slightly crispy - they will crisp up more as they cool.

Shallot

1 cup shallot, thinly sliced (6 ounces shallots yield 1 cup)
2 tbsp brown rice flour
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp ground black pepper

In the meantime, add shallot to the same small mixing bowl, top with brown rice, salt and ground black pepper, toss to coat.

2 tbsp coconut oil

Heat a skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add oil, to lightly coat the bottom of the pan, add shallot and all of the coating. Sauté stirring occasionally until soft and light golden brown, about 5 minutes, set aside.

Dressing

1/3 cup tahini
2 tsp garlic, grated
3 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp maple syrup
1/4 cup water to thin

Make the dressing by adding tahini, garlic, lemon juice, maple syrup to a small mixing bowl and whisk to combine. Add water to thin until pourable. Whisk until creamy and smooth.

Yields: 3 Tbsp / serving

Salad

1 large bundle laminate kale (non curly)
1 tbsp oil
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 medium beet, thinly julienned / grated using big hole grater

Add kale to a large mixing bowl and top with olive oil, lemon juice. Massage with hands to soften and coat the kale for 1 minute.

Dukkah

1/2 cup roasted unsalted hazelnuts
1/3 cup sesame seeds
2 tbsp coriander seeds or 1 tbsp ground coriander
2 tbsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp coconut sugar

Add hazelnut to a food processor and pulse into fine meal.

Heat a skillet over medium heat, add sesame seeds. Toast / brown, stirring frequently, until the natural oil begins to release and they turn light brown and become fragrant.

Then transfer to the food processor.

To the still warm skillet add the coriander seeds and toast until some of the seeds begin to pop and they are fragrant. Move off the heat and smash with a pestle or wooden spoon.

Then add to food processor.

Add ground cumin, ground black pepper, salt, ground cinnamon and coconut sugar to the food processor.

Process to combine. Set aside.

Yields: 1/2 cup + 2 tbsp per serving

To Store

Store completely cooled leftovers in a sealed container at room temperature unto 3 weeks, though best in the first 2 weeks.

To Serve

To serve, add thinly sliced beets, chickpeas and shallots to the kale and top with several spoonful of dukkah. Add half of the dressing and toss to combine. Divide between serving plates and serve with additional dukkah and leftover dressing.

Taste Note: Tastes AWESOME
Source: minimalistbaker

Vegan Nicoise Salad

Serves: 4

Cook Chickpeas

1 cup chickpea

Overnight soak chickpeas in water

1 tsp salt
5 cups water

Drain chickpeas, wash, add salt, water and allow it to boil, reduce the heat to low, cook for 45 minutes. Drain.

Yields: 3 cups cooked chickpeas

1 tsp dijon mustard

1 tsp maple syrup

1 tsp dried dill or 1 tbsp fresh dill

1/4 tsp salt

1 tbsp roasted unsalted sunflower seeds

Add drained chickpeas to a mixing bowl, along with dijon, maple syrup, dill, salt and sunflower seeds. Stir to combine and mash few chickpeas to create texture. Set aside.

Potatoes

13.16 ounces baby red or yellow potatoes (12 baby potatoes),
water

Add potatoes to a small saucepan and add water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to medium. Cook uncovered for 15 minute. Then drain throughly and let cool on a cutting board. Once slightly cooled, slice each potatoes into 4 slices. Set aside.

Note: I think we can add 16 or 20 potatoes next time, so that each serving will get 4 to 5 potatoes, this time, each serving got just 3 potatoes 

Green Beans

2 cups water

Allow the water to boil.

7 ounces green beans, trimmed

Add washed and stems removed beans to steamer basket.

Insert the steamer basket to the pan with boiling water, close the pan, DO NOT reduce the heat and steam the beans for 7 minutes.

While they are cooking, fill in a large bowl with ice cold water. Once the green beans are done cooking, drain throughly and immediately add to the water to stop the cooking process. Drain and pat dry.

Chop each beans into 2 or just leave it.

Dressing

1/4 cup shallot, minced
1/2 tbsp dijon mustard
1/2 tbsp fresh thyme, chopped (3/4 tsp dried thyme)
1/2 cup white or red wine vinegar (I used red wine vinegar)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper powder
1/4 cup + 2 tbsp olive oil

Add dressing ingredients to a mason jar and shake vigorously to combine (or whisk in a small mixing bowl). Set aside.

Yields: 1 cup dressing (1/4 cup dressing per serving)

Salad

2 head lettuce, chopped (such as butter, green or romaine) (1/2 lettuce per serving)
24 green olives (6 green olives per serving)
24 kalamata olives (6 kalamata olives per serving)
1 pint grape tomatoes (divide into 4 servings)
1 cup red beet, grated using big whole grater or julienned (optional) (1/4 cup per serving)

To Serve

To serve, divide the lettuce between 4 plates and top with chickpeas, green beans, potatoes, olives, tomatoes and beets. Serve with dressing.

Taste Note: Tastes AWESOME
Source: minimalistbaker

Abundance Kale Salad with Savory Tahini Dressing

Serves: 4

Cook Chickpeas

1 cup chickpeas

Overnight soak chickpeas in water

1 tsp salt
5 cups water

Drain and wash the chickpeas, add salt, water and chickpea to a large pot allow the water to boil, reduce the heat to low and cook for 45 minutes.

Yields: 2 and 3/4 cups cooked chickpeas

Crispy Baked Chickpeas (MUST)

2 and 3/4 cups cooked chickpeas, very well drained, throughly dried
1 tbsp coconut oil
1/2 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and set out a bare baking pan.

Drain the chickpeas well and spread the chickpeas on a clean absorbent towel and use your hands to gently roll and dry the chickpeas. Some of the skins should start coming off. You can opt to peel all of the chickpeas - which can help for extra crispiness (the skinless chickpeas were really crispy and we loved them - so if you take some time to remove the skins, you will get amazing crispy chickpeas) - or simply remove the skins that come off.

Transfer the chickpeas to a mixing bowl, add oil and salt, mix well to combine. DO NOT add the other seasoning at this point - it can interrupt the crispiness process, so wait to add until after baking.

Bake for a total of 50 minutes or until golden brown and dry / crispy to the touch.  Turn the pan around and shake the chickpeas around at the halfway point for even cooking.

1 tsp curry powder / shawarma spice blend / chili powder

Remove from the oven and toss with seasonings while still warm. Then let cool 5 to 10 minutes - they will continue crisping as they cool.

Serve as is or atop bowls or salads!

Yields: 2 cups crispy chickpeas
Taste Note: Tastes AWESOME
Source: minimalistbaker

To Store

Place in a jar and DO NOT tightly cover. Instead crack lid so they can breathe a bit. This helps them stay crispy longer. These are best in the first day, but they will last for 4 to 5 days at room temperature.

Quinoa

1 cup quinoa (red or white)
2 cups water

Rinse quinoa throughly in a fine mesh strainer.

Add quinoa and water to a sauce pan, bring to boil, reduce the heat to low, cover and cook for 18 minutes.

Yields: 4 cups cooked quinoa

Roasted Vegetables

1 medium zucchini, sliced into 1/4" rounds (8.24 ounces)
1 medium sweet potato, sliced into 1/4" rounds (1pound and 0.81 ounces)
1 cup red cabbage, shredded
1 tbsp melted coconut oil
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp curry powder

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Arrange zucchini, sweet potato, red cabbage on a baking sheet.

Drizzle with coconut oil, curry powder and salt and toss to combine.

Roast for 25 minutes or until tender and slightly golden brown.

Dressing

1/3 cup tahini
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tbsp coconut aminos
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp garlic clove, grated
6 tbsp water

Add all the above to a mixing bowl, whisk to combine.

Yields: 12 tbsp

Salad

baby kale
4 small radishes, thinly sliced (1 radish per serving)
4 tbsp hemp seeds (1 tbsp per serving)
2 avocados (1/2 avocado per serving)
2 tbsp lemon juice (1/2 tbsp per serving)
organic micro greens

Assemble the salad by adding greens, radish, hemp seeds and avocado. Add lemon juice and toss to combine.

Add roasted vegetables, quinoa, crispy chickpeas and serve with dressing.

Taste Note: Tastes AWESOME.
Source: minimalistbaker

Roasted Vegetable Salad with Chimichurri

Serves: 4

Macadamia Nut Cheese

1 and 1/4 cup macadamia nuts
2 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup water*

Add all the above to food processor.

* First add just 1/4 cup water and blend until smooth. If needed, add 1 tbsp water at a time until a thick paste forms.

1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley or cilantro (optional) - I used parsley

If adding herbs, add at the end and and pulse for 10 seconds.

At this point, the cheese is ready to eat! But its better after chilling. Transfer cheese to nut milk bag and rest over a fine mesh strainer set over a mixing bowl. Twist the bag, so it forms a loose ball. Refrigerate for at least 15 minutes, up to 24 to 36 hours (I made the cheese on Sunday afternoon and used it on Tuesday night). The longer it chills, the firmer the cheese will become.

Note: Store leftover nut cheese in the refrigerator for up to 10 days.

Yields: 10.5 ounces

Note: The best texture results with a food processor,  but in a pinch, blender can work too. It just generally requires more scraping and more liquid.

Roasted Vegetables

5.2 ounces red sweet potato, chopped into 1/4" rounds (1 small)
1 pound baby yellow or red potatoes, quartered
4.2 ounces carrots, halved and chopped
1 tbsp melted coconut oil
1 tsp curry powder
1/4 tsp salt

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Add sweet potato, potato and carrot to a baking sheet and toss with coconut oil, curry powder and salt. Bake sweet potatoes for 25 minutes. Potatoes and carrots for 35 minutes.

1 bunch broccolini, chopped (9.2 ounces)
2 cups red cabbage, chopped
1 color (red/yellow/orange) bell pepper, sliced (7.45 ounces)
1 tbsp melted coconut oil
1 tsp curry powder
1/4 tsp salt

To a separate baking sheet, add broccolini, cabbage and bell pepper and toss with coconut oil, curry powder and salt. Bake for 20 minutes.

Chimichurri

1 tbsp garlic, grated
1 serrano pepper
1 cup (1.23 ounces) packed cilantro, thick bottom stems cut off
1 cup (1.18 ounces) packed flat-leaf / curly parsley
3 tbsp ripe avocado
1/4 tsp salt
3 tbsp lime juice
1 tbsp maple syrup
3 tbsp water

Add all the above to vitamix and blend until smooth.

Yields: 10 tbsp

Salad

2 cups hearty greens / serving (spinach, kale or mustard greens) - (I used 1 pound spinach box)
1/2 ripe avocado per serving
1 tbsp hemp seed per serving
1 radish, sliced per serving
1/4 of macadamia nut cheese per serving (2.625 ounces per serving)

Plate salad by adding mixed greens to a serving platter and topping with roasted vegetables.

Arrange avocado along the edges, along with radish and macadamia nut cheese.

Sprinkle the top with hemp seeds and serve with dressing on the side.

Taste Note: Tastes AWESOME and very very heavy
Source: minimalistbaker