Eat: Roasted Vegetable Salad

This salad is absolutely delicious. The dish is warm, colorful, and filling. A perfect salad for a cold summers days. The weather in Calgary has been depressing and Vancouveresque lately; complete with endless rain. The warm roasted root vegetables are sweet and mix nice with the tang of the mustard dressing. Roasting and prepping the veggies takes a bit of time, but the salad will export you to a wonderful summer utopia void of bad weather blues. 

Roasted Vegetable Salad with Dijon Dressing

Ingredients:

Roasted Vegetables

1 large yam peeled and diced

2 large parsnips, peeled and chopped

1 fennel bulb quartered and sliced thinly

1 red onion sliced, and chopped

2 zucchini quartered and sliced

1 lb mushrooms halved

1 eggplant, cubed

3 beets peeled and quartered

1 bulb garlic (less two cloves)

1/4 cup olive oil

1 tsp salt 

1 tsp black pepper

1 tbsp cumin

1 tsp paprika

dressing:

1/3 cup apple cider vinegar

2 tbsp Dijon mustard

2 cloves garlic minced

1/4 cup maple syrup

1 tsp salt

1 tsp black pepper

1/3 cup olive oil

1 cup fresh basil, julienned

4 cups baby spinach

Preparation:

preheat the oven to 375

prep all vegetables, and divide into 3 different mixing bowls. 

(beets in one, yams, fennel and parsnips, and all other veggies).

Whisk together the olive oil, salt, pepper, cumin, and paprika. Pour the oil evenly between the 3 bowls. And cover vegetables evenly. 

Transfer the veggies to baking trays. One for the beets, yams, parsnips and fennel (as they take longer to cook), and one for the remaining veggies. 

Roast for 20 minutes,  flip the roast yams/beets and return to the oven for an additional 20 minutes. 

Take out the remaining veggies and let cool.

In a small bowl combine the salad dressing, and whisk until smooth. 

In a large salad bowl toss the cooled roast veggies with the spinach and dressing. 

-enjoy!

Eat: Cashew Teriyaki Tofu

When I first began cooking vegan, ( a good 6 years ago), this was the recipe I had on speed dial. The flavours are rich and the recipe is fool proof. This Cashew Teriyaki stir fry, is the perfect fix for a craving of panda express.

Tofu Marinade:

1 package extra firm tofu (cubed)

1 tbsp Tamari Soy Sauce (San J has an organic gluten free and vegan soy sauce that I often use).

2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

1 tsp ginger

In a small tubberwear container place in the cubed tofu, and add the soy sauce, vinegar, and the ginger. Cover, shake, and refrigerate. 

Teriyaki Sauce:

1/3 cup Tamari

1/4 water

3 tbsp agave syrup

1 large lemon squeezed

1 tsp fresh lemon rind

1 tbsp toasted sesame oil

5 cloves of garlic minced
1 tbsp crushed red pepper flakes

1 tbsp fresh grated ginger (or ginger powder)

1 tbsp arrowroot powder 

In a medium sized bowl, whist together all the ingredients for the teriyake sauce. Stirring until the arrowroot powder is dissolved. Set aside.

Stir Fry:

1 tbsp coconut oil (or any cooking oil)

4 cups broccoli florets

1 bunch swiss chard 

1 red onion sliced

2 bell peppers sliced

1 tsp sea salt

1/2 cup raw cashews

Garnish with cilantro

In a large fry pan or wok, heat the oil. Add the tofu and onion saute until lightly browned. Reduce the stove temperature to medium and add the broccoli salt and water. Toss well and cover, allowing the broccoli to steam and turn a rich green color.  Uncover and add the bell peppers stirring to mix everything together. Slowly pour in the teriyaki sauce  and return stove heat to high. Toss well, and let the sauce come to a slow boil. One the sauce has thickened, add the cashews and the cilantro. Remove from heat and serve as is or over rice, kelp noodles, or quinioa.

Enjoy!