Moroccan Carrot Salad

I have great affection for this salad. My Israeli roots are partly to blame. I grew up visiting my family there and frequenting restaurants where warm pita and a meze of vegetable and pickled salads were complimentarily served. The moroccan carrot salad was usually among them. This culture of immediately serving a guest with several dishes started in the home; whenever I visited someone's house, they would immediately bring out a collection of different foods - olives, nuts, cheeses. It made a huge impact on me, being fed, taken care of in someone's home. And with enough options to ensure there was something for me to enjoy. Ever since then, whenever a guest comes through our door, I immediately (and excitedly) put out a mix of grubbery for them.

The moroccan carrot salad is incredibly popular across Middle Eastern cuisine and can be served raw or cooked. Although the raw is more nutritious, I am a sucker for the savory flavor of the cooked variation. It's spicy, refreshing, and has become a staple in our home.

INGREDIENTS
carrots (8-10) peeled (it's important to peel them otherwise the skin becomes dry and flaky after cooking)
garlic cloves (2) crushed
cayenne pepper (1 t)
fresh lemon squeeze (2 T)
oil (1 T)
salt (1 t)
ground cumin (1/2 t)
flat or curly parsley chopped
zhug or harissa (1/2-2 t) optional

DIRECTIONS

1. Get a pot of water boiling.
2. In the meantime, stir all ingredients together except the carrots and parsley and set aside; this will give the dressing some time to harmonize together while the carrots cook.
3. Once the water is boiling, drop in the carrots until they soften. About 20 minutes. Don't overcook, it's nice to have some firmness in them (plus you retain more nutrients as a bonus).
4. When they reach the desired softness, strain and let cool.
5. Slice the carrots into coins and toss with the dressing and parsley. Let cool in the fridge for at least an hour. It makes a big difference in overall flavor.

Enjoy! xo, J

Tahini Salad with Roasted Chickpeas

I've been going garbanzo crazy since starting a plant-based diet. They're chock-full of fiber, iron, calcium, a bit of vitamin C, and have a very low GI for slow-releasing energy. I've always loved them (hummus holds a special place in my heart), but am newly discovering their incredible versatility (i.e. vegan cookie dough). I came across roasted garbanzo beans on the Whole Foods site and thought it would turn any romaine-type lettuce into a great salad. I looked up tahini dressings until I found this one by Mark Bittman. I've had it two days in a row now for lunch. Cheap, nutritious, filling and delicious.



INGREDIENTS
Roasted Garbanzos
garbanzo beans rinsed and drained
pimenton or paprika
cayenne
olive oil
lemon juice
salt
Tahini Dressing
tahini (2 Tbls)
cumin (1/4 tsp or to taste)
lemon juice (1/2 tsp or to taste)
garlic (1 small clove) minced
salt
water


INSTRUCTIONS

1. Heat oven to 425º, mix all garbanzo ingredients together, spread out on a cookie sheet and pop in the oven until crispy. About 40 minutes. Shake cookie sheet a couple times to prevent burning. (Make sure they retain a bit of softness in the center, otherwise your jaw will get a strenuous workout - I made this mistake when Brent & John came over the other night for dinner.)
2. Whisk dressing ingredients together. Use drops of water to thin consistency. Hand massage into lettuce. Garnish with roasted garbanzos (and flaxseeds if so inclined).

Ready to serve! xo, J

Israeli Salad

Nothing fancy, but close to my heart.  I dice the veggies as finely as possible (without making it into a gazpacho) - that way each bite is nicely balanced.  Israeli Salads are deeply personal.  The ratio of everything is completely up to your palette, but this is the recipe my tongue personally loves (Serves 4):

Not the finest dice, but yummy still!

persian cucumbers (5) diced
small tomatoes (5) diced
red onion (3/4) diced
olive oil (1 T)
lemon (1) squeezed
salt & pepper to taste


*Word about the tomatoes: one of my all time favorites is the Japanese aka Tough Boy aka Momotaro tomato. It is super sweet and flavorful...and expensive and usually only available at Farmer's Markets or the like.  So!  I usually end up using tomatoes on the vine from any grocer.