Moroccan Vegetable Tagine with couscous

I have had these tagine pots pushed to the back of my cupboard for a year! When I was making a meal plan for the week, I found a website that featured a tasty looking tagine recipe.So today was the day!

I was thinking that the process would be a lot of work, which explains the year that the pots sat collecting dust. I was surprised to find that making this dish only requires chopping of the vegetables and letting the cute little pots and oven do the rest.

Note: Simmering vegetables with spices in the oven makes the house smell good!

Moroccan Vegetable Tagine

3-4 small potatoes-peeled and diced
1 onion-sliced
2 tbsp fresh ginger-minced
2 cloves garlic-slice
1 cinnamon stick-broken in half
1/3 cup raisins
1 can diced tomatoes
2 cups chickpeas
1 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp turmeric
1 cup vegetable stock

Couscous-cooked according to package
fresh cilantro- garnish

Preheat oven to 350
In a bowl combine ingredients, stir it up to coat the vegetables with the spices.
Scoop into tagine and bake for 1 1/2 hours.
Serve with couscous.

MOFO Iron Chef Challange: Chickpea Frittata

Its a Vegan MOFO Iron Chef Challenge and the secret ingrident is...

CHICKPEAS!

I thought it would be fun to do a brunch recipe..since that is what time of day it is for us here, and I am starving. I have made vegan quiche lots but never a vegan frittata. Its basically a quiche without the crust and filled with vegetables.  I did mine in a casserole dish in the oven..but I am sure you could try and cook it in a non-stick skillet too. O yeah..its gluten free too!

Chickpea Frittata

1 block medium tofu
1 cup soy milk
1/2 cup nutrional yeast
2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup chickpea flour

1 potato peeled and small diced
1 large shallot-sliced
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 cup broccoli florets
1 cup chickpeas
1/2 tsp garlic powder
fresh ground pepper
sea salt to taste
fresh parsley (optional)
green onions (optional)
fresh tomato slices (optional)

Using a blender, mix up the first 6 ingriedents.
Over medium heat saute the potato until golden, add the rest of the veggies and season to taste.
In greased casserole dish combine the soy mixture with veggies. Bake at 375 for 50 minutes.

Also don't miss the chance to win some glass straws!

10 minute summer stew

Super simple and delicious! I used the vegetables I picked up at the market, some left overs in my fridge, with a can of chickpeas. You could add anything you like to this. Keep the cooking time down to 10 minutes, to keep the vegetables crisp. I served it with a 8 grain loaf of bread.

10 minutes summer stew

2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion-chopped
1 clove garlic- minced
1 stalk celery- chopped
1 yellow zucchini- chopped
1 carrot-chopped
1 tomato- chopped
1 cup water
1 can chickpeas
1 tsp dried dill
fresh thyme
fresh basil
sea salt
freshly ground pepper

In a large pot heat oil add onion, saute until soft.
add the rest of the ingredients, bring to a boil.
Simmer for 10 minutes.
Season with salt and pepper.

market goodies

Roasted carrot, chickpea & basmati rice salad

I was invited to a potluck party this evening, I wanted to make something that didn't need to be heated up but still packed a good protein punch. I have a book that I regularly look to for inspiration, Culinary Artistry. It doesn't have recipes, what it does have is a list of different foods and spices and what they pair well with. Very helpful.

I had a bunch of mint that I wanted to use up, and when I looked at the pairings the word carrot spoke to me....I had some local carrots in my fridge.

I like roasted vegetables but I don't like overly roasted ones..hehe
So this is what I came up with...I had a few taste testers on hand and they gobbled it up.

1 cup cooked basmati rice
1 red pepper- small diced
1 stalk celery- small diced
1 1/2 cups chickpeas
1/4 cup chopped mint

Combine ingredients in a bowl

2 carrots- peeled and sliced
drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with cumin powder, dried mint, sea salt, freshly ground pepper, and a splash of maple syrup.

In an oven at 375 roast carrots for about 25 minutes or until soft. Combine with rice.

Dressing

1 tbsp 3-6-9 oil
4 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp dried mint
1 clove garlic-minced
1/4 tsp paprika
2 tbsp rice vinegar
2 tsp maple syrup
sea salt
freshly ground pepper

In a mason jar combine ingredients and shake up. Pour over salad

Falafel with Tahini sauce

These are fun to make...and eat! Not too much to know except that you should soak your beans the night before you cook them off ( like all beans), so this would fall into the category of "planned meal". You can add any fresh veggies you want, but you must add PICKLES! :)

To make these yummy morsels you put about 3 cups of cooked chickpeas in a food processor, and mix until chopped up well, not completely mush. Then add...

1 lemon juiced
a half a onion minced
1 clove garlic minced
2 teaspoons of ground cumin
1 teaspoon of paprika
2 tablespoons flour
1 tsp baking powder
2 tsp sea salt
1/4 cup parsley chopped

Mix this in a bowl together so that it looks like this....

Form into patties ( makes about 12)

Heat up about 1/2 inch of sunflower oil in a pan ( I like to use a cast iron) and fry both sides until golden. Remove from pan and place on a cookie sheet and bake in an oven on 350 for 20 minutes. Wrap up in a pita with your favorite veggies.

Tahini Sauce

4 tbsp tahini

1/4 cup water

1/2 lemon- juiced

1 tsp sea salt

4 tbsp sunflower oil

In a blend put the first 4 ingredients and blend, slowly add the sunflower oil until thickens.