Roasted Beet and Carrot Salad with Pistachios

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Roasting beets and carrots brings out their natural sweetness and earthiness. Mixed with a dijon vinaigrette and sprinkled with some chopped pistachios, this is one of those {paleo!} dishes that is so simple to make but so complex in taste.

Roasted Carrot and Beet Salad with Pistachios | danicaliforniacooks.com I am so thrilled to be back home in San Francisco after three weeks away! Honestly, it had felt like forever since I had been in our apartment, after so much travel for work and play. Landing the night before, on Friday morning when I threw on my Uggs and puffer jacket (hi, San Francisco fog) , I pretty much skipped to hot yoga and then grabbed a green juice afterwards and sipped it so joyfully. And I had a great, busy day in the office and grabbed dinner with a new friend on the Embacadero afterwards at Coqueta.

Roasted Carrot and Beet Salad with Pistachios | danicaliforniacooks.com

Saturday I walked to a hip hop class with a girlfriend at Uforia, where we totally sweated it out learning choreography. We grabbed a light brunch afterwards, and then I spent the rest of the afternoon shopping, grocery shopping, and getting my nails done. But after being gone from so long for my kitchen, I couldn’t want to get home that evening and rip open my CSA box to whip up something for dinner. One thing I love about recieving a CSA box is that it turns your kitchen into an episode of iron chef. Remember my Extra Fudgy Paleo Zucchini Brownies? They give you so much delicious produce and you certainly want to use all of it up, but you have to get creative because you don’t choose what you get! This week I received a bunch of beautiful beets and carrots. And some gorgeous tri-color corn. And nectarines and pluots and greens and cucumbers and peppers and squashes - oh my.

Roasted Carrot and Beet Salad with Pistachios | danicaliforniacooks.com I’ve found that roasted vegetables are my favorite in all forms - salads, purees, soups. There is something about roasting carrots and beets that totally transforms them into a totally different veg-experience. They become sweet and crunchy and soft and earthy all at the same time, and the fact that these are julienned makes ALL of the difference in terms of getting the right flavor and texture. You really don’t have to do much to them, but tossing them in a simple vinaigrette topped with a couple of chopped pistachios really makes this dish something special. It tastes great hot or cold, looks beautiful, and and pairs great with protein as a side dish. I recommend allow the vegetables to come to room temperature before tossing with the dressing, and this makes it even easier to make ahead and have for leftovers.

car Nate was out of town still this weekend, which meant that my home cooked dinners could be light and veggie-heavy. I paired this with another recipe that I can’t wait to share with you later this week. For the food bloggers out there whose husbands/boyfriends are classic meat-and-potatoes guys - what are some of your favorite recipes to cook for them that still satisfy your health requirements? I could use all the ideas I can get over here!

Roasted Carrot and Beet Salad with Pistachios | danicaliforniacooks.com

5.0 from 3 reviews
Roasted Beet and Carrot Salad with Pistachios
 
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Roasting beets and carrots brings out their natural sweetness and earthiness. Mixed with a simple dijon vinaigrette and sprinkled with some chopped pistachios, this is one of those dishes that is so simple to make but so complex in taste.
Author:
Serves: 4 servings
Ingredients
  • 5 beets, julienned
  • 4 medium sized carrots, julienned
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tsp honey
  • 1 tsp white wine vinegar
  • 2 tsp dijon mustard
  • Juice of half a lemon
  • Salt and pepper
  • 3 tbsp raw shelled pistachios, chopped
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F
  2. Place the julienned carrots and beets on a cookie sheet, and toss with 1 tbsp olive oil and the 2 tsp honey. Sprinkle with salt and pepper
  3. Roast for 15-20 minutes
  4. Remove from oven, and let cool
  5. While cooling, whisk 1 tbsp olive oil, white wine vinegar, dijon mustard, and lemon juice
  6. Once vegetables are at room temperature, in a bowl, place the roasted vegetables and toss with the dressing
  7. Serve with pistachios sprinkled on top

If you like this, you’ll love: Roasted Eggplant Salad with Chickpeas, Feta, and Mint (one of my first recipes!)

handandsalad

Roasted Corn, Basil, and Feta Salad

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Just what the blogosphere needs right now - another corn salad! But this sweet, savory, and herbal side dish will fit into any BBQ party menu this summer and is SO, so good.

Roasted Corn, Feta, and Basil Salad | danicaliforniacooks.com CHEESE! I’m incorporating some CHEESE back into my diet! And oh my lord, the tangy, umami, delicious flavors of cheese have never tasted so good. Just a little bit goes a long way! If you’ve kept up with DCC for a while, you’ll know that I’ve learned to quell my rheumatoid arthritis joint pain through nutrition and healthy habits. So when I’m feeling good and the inflammation is down, I try to incorporate those foods back into my life again. Granted - I’m still feeling the arthritis in my right wrist and shoulder, but I just really wanted to have some cheese on my salads again. So there.

Roasted Corn, Feta, and Basil Salad | danicaliforniacooks.com Also, remember the gigantic basil plant that’s been sprouting itself up in my kitchen? Well I have yet to manage to kill it (score!) so we’ve had basil recipes up the wazoo. There’s something about summer produce that just over produces (nice pun there) and by the end of summer you’re like I CANNOT HANDLE ONE MORE ZUCCHINI. I’m hoping that doesn’t happen with me and my basil plant, or me and corn. It’s certainly not going to happen with me and cheese.

Roasted Corn, Feta, and Basil Salad | danicaliforniacooks.com The two best things about this salad are that a) it comes together super quickly and b) it’s a huge crowd-pleaser. We ate it on the sailing trip and it held up super well over several days, and is served best at room temperature. I even made this easier on myself and use the pre-made fire roasted corn from Trader Joe’s, but I provided directions in the recipes if you’re feeling more adventurous and want to roast your own corn (also super easy). This is a great healthy side dish for burgers or hot dogs, but it also works well next to Mexican dishes, or kebabs as well. Depending on your type of 4th of July soiree! Roasted Corn, Feta, and Basil Salad | danicaliforniacooks.com When you read this, I’ll be finishing up work in Olympia, driving to Seattle, and hopping on another cross-country flight - this time to NYC! Have a great fourth of July holiday, and in honor of America’s great appetite, cheers to many a delicious holiday!

5.0 from 2 reviews
Roasted Corn, Basil, and Feta Salad
 
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This simple corn salad is dressed up with tangy feta and fresh basil. It's an easy and crowd-pleasing summer side dish!
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Serves: 4-6
Ingredients
  • 4 ears of corn, roasted and kernels cut off (I cheated and used pre-made fire roasted corn from Trader Joe's this time around!)
  • ¼ cup chopped basil
  • ½ cup crumbled feta
  • 1 small shallot, diced
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • Salt and pepper
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
  2. Place corn ears in oven (husks removed) for about 30 minutes
  3. Let cool completely before using a knife to remove kernels
  4. Mix kernels with chopped basil and shallot
  5. Sprinkle on the feta and drizzle the olive oil
  6. Toss lightly with a little salt and pepper, and serve!

If you like this, you’ll love: Warm Brussels Sprouts with Toasted Hazelnuts

brus2

Tofu Lettuce Wraps with Mango

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Served in fresh butter lettuce, tofu and mushrooms are cooked in a simple, fresh peanut sauce and topped off with mango. Enjoy as an appetizer or with brown rice for a full, healthy meal!

wrap First of all, let’s wish Mama Dani California Cooks a very happy birthday tomorrow! I wish I could say this meal was made in honor of her, but I’ve never seen her make tofu or eat lettuce wraps so…

I am such a creature of habit sometimes. I could probably have the same things for breakfast (eggs, or egg white oatmeal with PB), lunch (tuna salad) and dinner (salmon and veggies or tofu lettuce wraps) every day throughout the week and be happy. But I also love to try new foods and I LOVE to go out to eat and I obviously love to try new recipes! At the end of the day, I just end up eating a lot. There you have it.

let2 I discovered these tofu lettuce wraps at my favorite restaurant when I’m on the road in Spokane and I’ve been dying to recreate them at home - you know, because I don’t eat them enough during the week. You’ve seen them on my Instagram (see below) and my blog before. I probably could eat those lettuce wraps every day when I’m on the road! (I probably have, one week). So I put together a new take on these lettuce wraps, and I love them. The wraps at the restaurant are flavored with a lemongrass-ginger sauce and have crushed hazelnuts and peppers. These wraps have a more savory sauce with peanut butter, but with a little julienned mango for sweetness. I served them to two non-vegetarians and they loved them!

Mizuna’s lettuce wraps…

Loving this beautiful bouquet of tofu lettuce wraps for #dinner tonight! #vegan

A photo posted by Dani Nemzer (@danicaliforniacooks) on

And my take on the lettuce wraps!

wraps4 This recipe is super easy - it’s really just a new take on the stir-fry. Instead of placing your stir-fry over rice, place it in butter lettuce cups! Then you eat them like a taco [read stuff your face and get all good n’ messy]. The most difficult part of this recipe is getting the texture down. Tofu is not the easiest of things to work with. You have to drain it of its moisture, and let me reassure you, there is a LOT of moisture in tofu. I go through several handfuls of paper towels for even just using one block of tofu. But once that is done and your tofu is cubed, it’s an easy sautee and then an even easier plating. The presentation is beautiful - I love all of the colors. It looks impressive without being a complicated cooking effort. Always a win in my book.

wraps2 I have to say thank you to Mizuna for providing the presentation ideas of these lettuce wraps, and of course the original inspiration! Sylvia of Feasting at Home was the original founder of Mizuna, and she has fantastic vegetarian and non-vegetarian recipes on her blog that are homemade, restaurant quality.

let

Tofu Lettuce Wraps with Mango
 
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Serves: 3-4 servings
Ingredients
  • 1 block extra firm tofu, drained and cubed
  • 5 shiitake mushrooms, roughly chopped
  • 1 head of butter lettuce, leaves separated
  • ½ mango, julienned
  • 1 tbsp peanut butter, room temp or warmed
  • 3 tbsp rice wine vinegar
  • 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
  • 1 tsp grated ginger
  • 1 tsp honey
  • 3 tbsp peanuts, roughly crushed
  • Red pepper flakes
  • Additional olive oil
  • Salt and pepper
Instructions
  1. Remove your tofu from the casing, and layer between paper towels. Place something heavy on top of it to drain. You will have to replace the paper towels several times - tofu has a lot of moisture!
  2. While draining, roughly chop your mushrooms
  3. Once drained, cube the tofu into 1 cm x 1 cm cubes
  4. Place the tofu and the mushrooms in a pan with a little olive oil, and begin to cook on medium heat. Turn tofu cubes frequently, until golden brown
  5. In the meantime, whisk the peanut butter, ginger, vinegar, honey, salt, and pepper thoroughly. It helps if the pb has been warmed or is at least at room temp
  6. Pour sauce over tofu and mushroom mixture, and turn on low heat. Allow for sauce to thicken and soak up into the tofu and mushrooms
  7. Place your butter lettuce leaves on a plate or platter. It's ok if they are of different sizes - you will just have some smaller/some larger portions!
  8. Carefully spoon a 2-3 tbsp of the tofu mixture into each butter lettuce cup
  9. Lay 2-3 pieces of the mango, and then sprinkle on the crushed peanuts
  10. Shake red pepper flakes to taste
  11. Serve and enjoy!
If you like this, you’ll love: Tuna Salad Swiss Chard Wrap

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Triple Green Quinoa

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All sorts of green things - peas, herbs, spinach - are sauteed with quinoa to make for one flavorful and fresh side dish!

Triple Green Quinoa | danicaliforniacooks.com I may have grown up with smoked salmon and sun-dried tomatoes, but two things I didn’t grow up with? Quinoa and peas. I think I was the one who introduced my parents to quinoa in college when I made them this recipe from 101 cookbooks, and it came as a HUGE shock to my mom that I LOVE peas. I confessed my appreciation for this notoriously disliked vegetable when I made her this recipe. Sometimes I’m all about texture when it comes to foods, and peas have such a fun texture - if done right, they kind of pop in your mouth. I always joke that I love baby food textures too - I’m a huge fan of pureed anything.

Triple Green Quinoa | danicaliforniacooks.com I had a tough time naming this recipe! At first, I was thinking of calling it “super greens quinoa” but I feel like only juice and smoothies these days can be nicknamed “super green”. Then I started counting the number of green things in this recipe - peas, spinach, parsley, cilantro, lime juice - and I realized awful (and overkill) “quintuple greens quiona” sounded unappetizing, so I went with Triple Green Quinoa and lumped all of the herbs and lime juice as one big green. What I’m trying to get at here is that this light and healthy recipe is chock full of all sorts of green items, all of which just add to the wonderful flavors and textures of the dish without tasting too “green”! This dish is very simple, and can be easily made ahead.

Triple Green Quinoa | danicaliforniacooks.com Onions are sauteed down in a little olive oil, and then cooked quinoa is stirred in alongside peas, chopped spinach, lots of fresh herbs and plenty of lime juice and a little chili powder for spice. That’s all there is to it. I probably wouldn’t eat this alone for dinner, but you certainly could given its nutritional profile - you’ve got complete protein from the quinoa and peas, and then your leafy greens quota for the day thanks to the spinach, and the olive oil for healthy fat. Triple Green Quinoa | danicaliforniacooks.com It’s a fantastic side dish to any simple proteins - poached salmon, roasted chicken, etc. I used it as the base for some jazzed up burrito bowls using salsa chicken made in a crockpot. You could also stir in some freshly cooked shrimp or tofu for a more complete meal, and simply heat that up for leftovers the next day. I think I’ll bring this to plenty of dinner parties this summer when I want to impress the guests but not break the bank or spend too much time in the kitchen. It’s a great alternative just to simple quinoa or brown rice, and you likely have all of these ingredients in your pantry or your freezer already. Clearly I am very excited about this recipe because I’m thinking up all of the ways that this recipe works for me and the people I feed!

Triple Green Quinoa | danicaliforniacooks.com

Triple Green Quinoa
 
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All sorts of green things - peas, herbs, spinach - are sauteed with quinoa to make for one flavorful and fresh side dish!
Author:
Serves: 4-6 servings
Ingredients
  • 2 cups cooked quinoa
  • ½ white onion, chopped
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 cup chopped spinach (frozen or fresh)
  • 1 cup peas (frozen or fresh)
  • 3 tbsp chopped cilantro
  • 1 tbsp chopped parsley
  • Juice of 2 limes
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • Salt and pepper
Instructions
  1. Over medium heat, sautee the onions in the olive oil
  2. Once translucent, add the quinoa
  3. Mix in the spinach and peas, and allow all to cook for 5-7 minutes over low to medium heat
  4. Stir in the herbs
  5. Take off the heat, and stir in the lime juice and chili powder
  6. Add salt and pepper to taste, and serve!

If you like this, you’ll love: Quinoa with Roasted Vegetables, Feta, and Almonds

veg1

Sesame Vegetable Soba Noodle Salad

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This light and fresh chilled soba noodle salad is naturally gluten free, and combines crunchy vegetables with nutty sesame flavors. It pairs great with all kinds of proteins!

soba20 I was a bit nervous about how the food photography would go in the new apartment in San Francisco, but then I quickly learned that there is this amazing soft gray light pretty much all the time because the city is so foggy! Not so great for suntanning, excellent for this soba noodle salad and all future DCC creations in the future.

I am crazy, over-the-moon excited about this new city that I’m in. Honestly, around every corner there is a new, sexy, (healthy AND trendy) cafe to try. It’s the ultimate mecca for people interested in food! I’ve already found a couple of places that I can’t wait to go to again and a huuuge list of places that I need to try. But beyond eating out, I love cooking in my new kitchen. I’ve got a bunch of new taste tester roommates too! So I am going to be one happy eater here in San Francisco. Come visit?
soba24 soba77 So Nate has joined in on the gluten and dairy-free bandwagon - we’re going to see if it clears up any of the chronic ailments that’s been bothering him. But giving up the carbs and the cheese is a little more difficult for him, so I’ve taken it on as my personal mission to whip up the best meals so he won’t even miss the stuff. Enter, soba noodles. Made from buckwheat, these are naturally gluten free. Make sure to purchase 100% buckwheat soba noodles - there are some varieties that come with half whole wheat flour. Soba noodles make for great asian-inspired dishes and a gluten-free noodle alternative in soups. They have a bit of a nutty flavor which I love.
soba1 This dish is light, fresh, and pairs wonderfully with different proteins. I roasted some salmon and served it alongside this dish. You could toss in some sauteed tofu to make it a heartier meal. It also makes for great leftovers, and no heating up necessary and it’s best served chilled. Once you have certain staples in your pantry, the dressing for the vegetables and noodles comes together in a pinch. And if you want to keep it vegan and replace the honey, a dash of sugar should do the trick - you need something to cut the saltiness and tartness of the vinegar and soy sauce! soba2 I really am excited to share all of my eating adventures and in and outside of my new San Francisco kitchen with you all. In the meantime, go make this soba noodle salad and enjoy it all week! soba5

Sesame Vegetable Soba Noodle Salad
 
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This light and fresh chilled soba noodle salad is naturally gluten free, and combines crunchy vegetables with nutty sesame flavors. It pairs great with all kinds of proteins!
Author:
Serves: 6-8 servings
Ingredients
  • 1 packet soba noodles (make sure to buy 100% pure soba noodles if gluten free - I used eden brand)
  • 2 cups trimmed snap peas
  • 1 cup carrots, cut into matchsticks
  • ½ cup chopped green onion, green and white parts
  • ⅓ cup rice vinegar
  • 2 tbsp gluten-free soy sauce (I used Tamari)
  • 2 tsp toasted sesame oil
  • 1 tbsp grated fresh ginger
  • 1 tsp honey
  • 2 tsp red pepper flakes
  • ~2 tsp sesame seeds
Instructions
  1. Whisk the rice vingear, soy sauce, sesame oil, fresh ginger, and honey in a small bowl. Set aside
  2. Cook the soba noodles according to directions. They should take about 8 minutes, and they will get mushy fast
  3. In the meantime, blanch the snap peas and carrots
  4. Combine cooked soba noodles and vegetables, and toss with sauce
  5. Gently mix in the sesame seeds and green onion, and add more red pepper flakes if desired
  6. Chill for a minimum of ½ hour in the fridge, then serve!
Notes
I like to pair this soba noodle salad underneath some salmon, but you can easily toss in diced chicken or tofu and turn this into heartier meal!

To make this dish vegan compliant, swap the honey for a pinch of sugar.

Spicy Black Bean Dip

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This vegan black bean dip packs some serious heat and is layered with the flavors of jalapenos, onions, and fresh herbs and spices. It’s a great appetizer or addition to any sandwich or quesadilla!

Spicy Black Bean Dip | danicaliforniacooks.com Hi friends and a very happy Thursday to you all! Tonight I head to Virginia to spend the weekend with Nate and his family, and then return to Washington next week. It’s been a busy week at work, and I look forward to a weekend on the farm. You see, I don’t get cell service on the farm! We get wifi, so we’re pretty plugged in, but I do kind of look forward to not being able to receive calls/texts, and just being able to enjoy time on the farm. Last time I was there I was working remotely for the week so I didn’t get to fully relax, and I’m looking forward to a weekend of tending to chickens and cooking and snuggling on the couch with the cats and puppies! And also seeing what new spring vegetables and plants are being put in the ground for me to eat later in the season. That’s definitely my favorite part of the farm - the delicious goodies that come out of it (especially that I don’t have to do any of the planting myself). Nate has also arranged a date night for us on Friday night, and here’s to hoping its dinner and a movie…

Spicy Black Bean Dip | danicaliforniacooks.com Speaking of delicious goodies - this black bean dip would not be popular among members of the farm because it is SPICYYYYY! Some people are sensitive to certain spices, and Nate can’t handle a jalapeno. It’s kind of hilarious. He can handle all sorts of asian chilis, but a jalapeno or a habanero? Not happening. His parents aren’t fans of spicy foods in general, but my family LOVES spicy food so this was a perfect addition to our meal. This dip has so many interesting, complex layers of flavor, and while we served it with chips as an appetizer, I know it would be a great spread on a vegetarian sandwich or protein substitution in a quesadilla.

Spicy Black Bean Dip | danicaliforniacooks.com It’s really easy to make, and would be the perfect thing to bring to a game day viewing party (March Madness anyone? My bracketology is all sorts of messed up!). It’s the best kind of appetizer to bring to a potluck - easy to make, easy to make ahead, and tastes professional and special. If you’re tired of being the chips and salsa gal, step up your game and make this black bean dip! And then save some for yourself to use throughout the week for lunch, snacks, or dinner! I do have to admit something here. The entire time I made this recipe, I thought I was using fresh cilantro which I had purchased at the farmers market today. TOTALLY FALSE. It was italian parsley! So this was made with parsley instead of cilantro! We LOVED the dip and didn’t even realize the swap - italian parsley is super, super mild - but yeah. That happened. I recommend using cilantro, but if you happen to toss in some parsley, so be it!

Spicy Black Bean Dip | danicaliforniacooks.com

Spicy Black Bean Dip
 
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This vegan black bean dip packs some serious heat and is layered with the flavors of jalapenos, onions, and fresh herbs and spices.
Author:
Serves: 1 cup
Ingredients
  • 1 can of black beans, rinsed
  • 2 jalapenos, chopped and seeded
  • ½ white onion, chopped
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tsp cumin
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 1 tbsp fresh cilantro
  • Salt and pepper
Instructions
  1. In a pan, sautee the onions, garlic and jalapeno until softened, about 5-7 minutes
  2. In a food processor, place all ingredients and pour in the cooked vegetables
  3. Pulse until smooth
  4. Add salt and pepper to taste
  5. Cool in the fridge, and then serve!

Sunday Set Ups: Quinoa with Roasted Vegetables, Feta, and Almonds (+ meal planning!)

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On it’s own, this Quinoa with Roasted Vegetables, Feta, and Almonds is the perfect lunch or dinner - hot or cold - and holds up for the entire week. On top of it all, I will show you how you could use these four ingredients to supply any meal throughout your week!

Quinoa with Roasted Vegetables, Feta, and Almonds | danicaliforniacooks.com Let me start out this post by saying that I’m very excited that I had this light and healthy meal for dinner tonight because I’m hoping to indulge a bit (AKA veg out) during the Superbowl! We are going to our family friend’s Eric’s place for the game (he has an 80 inch TV!) and he is an AMAZING cook. I also am planning on bringing a flatbread (recipe to come!). I heard on the Today show that the strategy for healthy game day snacking is eat raw vegetables up until halftime. After halftime, go crazy! Not sure if i’ll make it til the halftime game. Not sure if I want to even try and do that. If you’re still looking for some healthy Superbowl snack ideas, my Baked Sweet Potato Chips, Garlic White Bean Spread, and Goat Cheese Deviled Eggs would be my recommendations :).

I’ll be honest with y’all (after spending a year working in New Orleans, I can truly say that y’all is an incredibly useful word) I had been thinking about a recipe like this for a while. When I do grocery shopping on a weekend, I like to think about how I can maximize the use of the things I buy outside of one recipe. If you’re feeding a family or just yourself, it’s no fun for anything to go to waste. It also feels silly to buy a million different groceries that are all supposed to make up different recipes throughout the week. So how about if you buy simple, few ingredients that can be utilized across meals, across cuisines, and that you will definitely use all up? Let me do the thinking and planning for you, and introduce you to this dish!

This recipe (or more of an assembly of items) is great for lunch or dinner. It applies to any time of year, where you can roast up whatever is available and in season. It tastes great warm, room temp, or even chilled as a salad. It’s light and healthy, and is great on it’s own or as a side dish. It’s the perfect Sunday set up! However, the best thing about this recipe is that if you store the ingredients separately , the versatility becomes endless. Oh yes - I’m talking breakfast, lunch, and dinner from these items. Quinoa with Roasted Vegetables, Feta, and Almonds | danicaliforniacooks.com That’s why it’s the perfect Sunday set up - you can make large batches of the quinoa, vegetables, keep the pre-sliced almonds and the feta on-hand and you honestly subsist on this (plus a few additions, of course!) throughout the week. So what do I even mean by that? Well, have you ever tried quinoa for breakfast? Think of it like a complete protein version of oatmeal. Take your pre-cooked quinoa, sprinkle on some almonds, and then pour on some milk and eat it with fruit. Voila, breakfast accomplished! My mom didn’t know that quinoa is a complete protein (like a meat) so it’s a great way to start the day, just not something that is in the repertoire of most. Quinoa with Roasted Vegetables, Feta, and Almonds | danicaliforniacooks.com And how about these using these items differently for lunch or dinner? I am a huge fan of roasted vegetable sandwiches, either with cheese or hummus. How about turn on that toaster oven and stuff a whole wheat pita with roasted veg and feta? Let it toast until melted and crispy. Or make it quesadilla-style with a tortilla on the stove and add some salsa. Lunch is served! Quinoa with Roasted Vegetables, Feta, and Almonds | danicaliforniacooks.com And then there is the ultimate combination of everything all mixed together, plus some added EVOO and lemon juice. We gobbled this down for dinner and am looking forward to eating it as a side dish to meats/fishes all week, or having it stand on it’s own as lunch. Another idea is to layer a bowl with the quinoa, then the roasted veg, then your protein of choice and then use some of the almonds to make my homemade spicy almond butter sauce (easy to just grind up the sliced almonds in a blender/food processor if you don’t have almond butter on hand!) - and you’ve got yourself a little Asian-influenced rice bowl.

Quinoa with Roasted Vegetables, Feta, and Almonds | danicaliforniacooks.com The opportunities are endless, and I hope this inspires you a bit to do a little meal planning on Sunday so you have plenty of options throughout the week for whatever meal you need.

Happy Superbowl Sunday! I’m rooting for the Seahawks, as my current work has me up working in Washington. I’m flying out there on Tuesday, and I’m sure everyone will be in great spirits if Seattle wins!

Sunday Set Ups: Quinoa with Roasted Vegetables, Feta, and Almonds (+5 meal ideas!)
 
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Mix roasted vegetables, quinoa, feta, and almonds for a perfectly proportioned salad to have all week.
Author:
Serves: 6-8
Ingredients
  • 6-8 cups chopped seasonal vegetables of choice (I used beets, broccoli, and brussels sprouts)
  • ⅓ cup quinoa
  • ¼ cup feta (or more, depending on your cheese preference!)
  • ¼ cup slivered almonds
  • Olive oil
  • Sprinkling of Herbs de Provence
  • Salt and Pepper
  • Juice of one lemon
Instructions
  1. Preheat your oven to 425 F
  2. Toss your chopped vegetables in olive oil, sprinkle on a little herbs de provence, salt and pepper and place on a baking sheet
  3. Pop in the oven for 45 minutes, or until carmelized and golden. Will depend on the size/type of your vegetables. I roasted my beets and brussels sprouts first, and then twenty minutes in added in my broccoli to the oven
  4. While the vegetables are roasting, cook your quinoa on the stovetop. For ⅓ cup quinoa, use 1 cup water. Bring to a boil and then let simmer. Quinoa cooks pretty quickly, so check to see that the little curly-q's are sprouting from the seed!
  5. Remove quinoa from stove and let cool
  6. Once vegetables are done, toss with quinoa, feta, and slivered almonds
  7. When ready to serve, drizzle on some good extra virgin olive oil, more salt and pepper, and a squeeze of a lemon
Notes
My recommendation is to store the vegetables and quinoa separately, and mix together in this salad for when you are ready to eat it. That way, you can use the vegetables in other ways (like recommended above!) and the pre-made quinoa for other meals as well!

This salad will hold up for a week in your fridge.

Sunday Set Ups: Paleo Creamy Broccoli Soup

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Surprise! This creamy broccoli soup contains no cream or coconut milk whatsoever. Tossing in one potato or a parsnip to your puree brings the layer of creaminess to this vegetable-packed soup. Include this warming dish alongside any lunch or dinner throughout the week!

Paleo Creamy Broccoli Soup | danicaliforniacooks.com

You know those recipes that are SO simple to make but taste really wonderful and are so pleasing to whoever you serve it to? It’s almost embarrassing, when they compliment the dish, you go, “oh, no, really I did nothing, emphasize on the nothing”. I bet the person who discovered the PB&J, throughout his/her life, felt awkward about their claim to fame. But they shouldn’t. Because it’s GENIUS. That’s how I feel about this (Paleo) Creamy Broccoli Soup.

It’s also one of my favorite things to make in bulk on Sunday evening and have throughout the week. I’ve often packed my own lunches and brought them to work, and then am completely unimpressed with what I made and then resort to running out and buying food. However, that never happens with soup! It’s wonderful to look forward do something WARM at my desk for lunch after zapping it in the microwave. It’s a great addition to a salad or sandwich. It pairs well with pretty much all dinner cuisines as well, whether you whip up some quesadillas or pasta or roast a chicken. It’s nice to have something that you can reheat on your stove while you pop in the shower after your evening workout. My mom and I ate this twice last weekend, and then when I left to travel for the work that week she had it every night with her dinner. Boom.

Paleo Creamy Broccoli Soup | danicaliforniacooks.com

I’ve made broccoli soup a couple of times and pretty much just pureed broccoli in stock. This time I decided to add a potato (or in my case, a leftover parsnip) cut the broccoli flavor and texture just a bit and add an additional layer of creaminess to the soup. I love that this is one creamy pureed soup that isn’t made fully with a starch OR dairy – there are so many of those out there already. Broth-based soups are a great way to fill yourself up and add volume to your meal without overdoing it. Although I certainly recommend having this soup with some protein or grains for a balanced meal!

Paleo Creamy Broccoli Soup | danicaliforniacooks.com On a different note, this was the second time I introduced my mother to the immersion blender. There are a few things that I’ve turned my mother onto recently that I feel particularly accomplished about – gel nails, for one. No one realizes how much an immersion blender is going to change their life until they get one. It reduces the hassle of making purees, soups, sauces, etc, by an incredible amount! It’s so easy to clean (unlike a blender) and you don’t have to transfer the recipe into a blender – you just stick that immersion blender right in your pot. And they go for about $10 on amazon. I know people who make smoothies in a large mason jar using an immersion blender. Almost as genius as the PB&J, no?

Paleo Creamy Broccoli Soup | danicaliforniacooks.com

This recipe takes only a couple of ingredients, and you will have delicious soup all week. Sweat out your onions and garlic slowly in a little butter or olive oil (important step before ANY pureed soup. Gives it complex flavor so no need to any cream). Then add the chopped broccoli, potato/parsnip, stock, water, and bring to a boil. Let simmer until the veggies fall apart at the poke of fork. Take off the heat, puree, and add salt and pepper to taste. Set aside to allow to thicken for a bit, and then serve! You can store in your fridge for up to a week and reheat on the stove or in the microwave as needed.

I highly recommend serving Turkish-style (meaning with a squeeze of lemon) and Dani California Cooks style (with lots of hot sauce).

Paleo Creamy Broccoli Soup
 
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Go back to the basics with this pureed broccoli soup. Adding a little potato or parsnip brings the perfect amount of thickness and creaminess to the soup to balance out the broccoli!
Author:
Serves: 6-8
Ingredients
  • 6 cups broccoli, roughly chopped (about three medium heads)
  • 2 cups peeled white potato or parsnip, roughly chopped
  • ½ onion, diced
  • 1 glove garlic, minced
  • 1 tbsp butter
  • 48oz vegetable stock
  • 4 cups water
  • Salt and pepper
  • Hot sauce (optional)
  • Lemon (optional)
Instructions
  1. In a large soup pot on low to medium heat, sweat out your garlic and onion in the butter with some salt and pepper
  2. Once the onions are translucent (about 5-7 minutes), add in the broccoli, parsnip/potato, water, and stock
  3. Bring to a boil
  4. Turn down to low heat and let simmer for a minimum of thirty minutes
  5. Once vegetables fall apart at the touch of a fork, turn off the heat
  6. Use an immersion blender to blend your soup to the consistency of choice OR pour into a regular blender to puree
  7. Taste and add salt and pepper to your liking
  8. Let sit for 10 minutes before serving to thicken up
  9. Garnish with more salt and pepper, hot sauce, and a squeeze of lemon
  10. Enjoy!
Notes
This soup will last all week in your fridge! And like any soup/curry/stew - it just gets better with a little age.
Paleo Creamy Broccoli Soup | danicaliforniacooks.com

Crockpot Mashed Cauliflower

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For those who are looking to make more low carb or vegetable swaps in 2015, this simple and comforting mashed cauliflower recipe is for you! Crockpot Mashed Cauliflower | danicaliforniacooks.com So this is a dish worth checking your bag for when you travel. I made these on a Sunday night and liked them so much I couldn't bear to leave them behind at home for the wolves (AKA the family) to finish off, so I packed them in my suitcase and checked my bag. Just. For. Cauliflower. It's that good - I swear! I've been wanting to make cauliflower mashed "faux-tatoes" for a while since they exploded across the low carb and paleo scene. I perfected this recipe and I'm so excited to share it with you all! It's an awesome versatile dish that stores wonderfully throughout the week and can be pared with any sorts of protein and other veggies. The first time I made this recipe I used a vegetable stock instead of slow cooking with water and while they tasted more flavorful, they looked like mashed sweet potatoes just due to the stock coloring. Crockpot Mashed Cauliflower | danicaliforniacooks.com I think I've been intimidated to make cauliflower swaps in recipes because they look really complicated - has anyone else looked at how to make cauliflower pizza crust and just shook your head no? Yeah, me too. But all this recipe takes is a crockpot. And if you don't have a crockpot, you could certainly boil on your stovetop! First, roughly chop your head of cauliflower and put it in your crockpot. I have the most adorable mini crockpot that could only fit the head of cauliflower, but if you have a larger slow cooker, feel free to double the recipe and make a lot more! Put in a two cups of water, two to three gloves of garlic and then let sit on low for 8-10 hours. Afterwards, they will be so easy to mash you won't even need a food processor or immersion blender, unless you want the consistency to be super smooth. Crockpot Mashed Cauliflower | danicaliforniacooks.com The next step is to stir in a half cup of grated fresh parmesan cheese, a little salt and pepper for flavoring, and then lots of chopped chives for garnishing and flavor. I think I used a meat pounder to get these guys to the consistency I wanted, and I like a little texture. Then you can serve immediately, or store for later use. Me? I put these in a tupperware container to pack in my suitcase. There's nothing like a homecooked meal on the road when you're traveling. Restaurant food gets so sad sometimes! Crockpot Mashed Cauliflower | danicaliforniacooks.com
Crockpot Mashed Cauliflower
 
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Swap in cauliflower for potatoes for a low carb take on the classic mashed potatoes! Parmesan cheese and garlic adds lots of flavor. No food processor needed!
Author:
Serves: 6-8 servings
Ingredients
  • 1 cauliflower head, chopped
  • 3 cloves of garlic
  • 2 cups of water, vegetable or chicken stock
  • ½ cup grated fresh parmesan cheese
  • 3 tbsp chopped chives (optional)
  • Pinch of salt and pepper
Instructions
  1. Put the cauliflower, water and garlic in a slow cooker and cook on low for 8-10 hours
  2. Once completely soft to the touch, take a fork or meat pounder or spoon to mash your cauliflower to your consistency of choice. This usually takes 3 minutes or so for me
  3. Stir in the salt, pepper, parmesan cheese and chives
  4. Serve or store for later!
Notes
- Depending on the stock or water that you choose to cook the cauliflower in, the color of your mash will range from white to orange - just FYI. All delicious!

- If you don't have a crockpot, you can boil on your stovetop until the cauliflower has the right mash consistency. This won't take nearly as long as the crockpot either.
These guys are ready to be taken on a week of travel. Worth the checked bag!
Crockpot Mashed Cauliflower | danicaliforniacooks.com

Apple Cider Vinegar Coleslaw

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Pack more veggies and eat the rainbow in 2015 with this crisp, light and flavorful coleslaw dressed with apple cider vinegar! Apple Cider Vinegar Coleslaw with Almonds and Raisins | danicaliforniacooks.com After spending two weeks in China eating fried noodles and sweet bakery goods, this is exactly the kind of food I want to be eating. Unfortunately I had to fly straight from Hong Kong to Central PA for work, and I have to say that even the Chipotle here was disappointing (RIGHT?!) So I'm pretty much drooling over these photos right now as I aim to get back on the healthy path now that I'm stateside again. I had been wanting to make a coleslaw for a long time - I LOVE all of the crunchy vegetables and a tangy dressing. So I combined the inspiration from a couple different restaurants into this paleo, gluten free and vegan vegetable-packed slaw. This might be one of my best recipes yet, and I'm pretty sure anyone on any diet can eat it (if you're nut-free, just omit the almonds!) If you're not a fan of heavy mayo coleslaw, this is for you. The crisp dressing is mostly apple cider vinegar, with a little of my favorite Earth Balance Mindful Organic Mayo. Anyone else heard a lot recently about the health benefits of apple cider vinegar? I've heard of everyone taking shots of this in the morning to sitting in a bath full of it. I think I'll stick to just keeping it in my slaw. Apple Cider Vinegar Coleslaw with Almonds and Raisins | danicaliforniacooks.com You can adjust the ratios if you'd like more kale, less broccoli slaw, etc. This broccoli slaw has been catching my eye at Trader Joe's for some times - looked like julienned broccoli stalks and carrots - and I knew I wanted to incorporate into something. Voila, coleslaw! These pre-cut veggies added a really nice touch to the coleslaw, although if you don't have a TJ's nearby, they could easily be omitted for more cabbage. The cabbage was an add in at the end. I've been wanting to make homemade sauerkraut for about a week now, and this big cabbage head was rotting in my fridge and I knew I had to use it today or it would be donezo. Isn't it great when a recipe comes together with a lot of ingredients that you have already, and you never thought to put them together in this combo before? Apple Cider Vinegar Coleslaw with Almonds and Raisins | danicaliforniacooks.com So I sat down to photograph this coleslaw, with the idea in mind that I would eat it a half hour for lunch. Mom came in before heading out to grab lunch with our family (little brother is back from college for the holidays!) and she just started eating it out of the mixing bowl. So I served myself a plate too...and we completely inhaled almost the whole thing. It's crunchy, light, and the almonds and raisins studded throughout add really nice texture and flavor. Apple Cider Vinegar Coleslaw with Almonds and Raisins | danicaliforniacooks.com Mom decided she didn't need to go out to each lunch anymore (homemade slaw for the win!) so we just sat there and ate more slaw. And now I have like a half cup left for lunch tomorrow. Little brother and dad felt left out of the lunch festivities so they left us and had a man lunch at a local taco spot. Probably not a place Mom or I would go anyways! Apple Cider Vinegar Coleslaw with Almonds and Raisins | danicaliforniacooks.com This is a great dish for winter, and you can always sub in some summer veggies to make it later in the year. I hope all of you enjoy. I can't wait to remake and brown bag it for lunch, or whip up a large batch for a BBQ, or even serve with some protein on the side for dinner.
Apple Cider Vinegar Coleslaw
 
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Eat the rainbow with this paleo, gluten-free and vegan coleslaw.
Author:
Ingredients
  • ¼ cup chopped red onion
  • 1 cup chopped cabbage
  • 1 cup julienned broccoli stalks and carrots (I used Trader Joe's pre-cut)
  • 1 cup chopped kale
  • ½ cup sliced almonds
  • ¼ cup raisins
  • 3 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tbsp Earth Balance Mayo for vegan/Sir Kensington Mayo for paleo
Instructions
  1. Mix all of the vegetables, raisins and almonds in a bowl
  2. Add in mayo and apple cider vinegar
  3. Toss, toss, toss until the dressing is balanced!
  4. Serve and enjoy, or store for later
Apple Cider Vinegar Coleslaw with Almonds and Raisins | danicaliforniacooks.com