minced garlic, chopped parsley, basil, extra virgin olive oil and the juice of another lemon. Set the mixture aside.
Now you can make your yogurt sauce; this part is a lot easier than preparing the eggplant. Simply place all of the ingredients in a bowl and mix well to combine. Serve the eggplant salad along with the yogurt sauce and whole wheat pita bread or pita chips.
Pomegranate Carrots
Number of servings: 4
Ingredients
3 ½ cups of carrots, sliced into ¼” thick rounds
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp coriander
1 tsp salt
1 cup pomegranate juice, unsweetened
a pinch of cinnamon
black pepper, to taste
chopped fresh parsley, for garnish (use flat leaved Italian parsley if possible)
Preparation:
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet or medium saucepan over medium high heat. Once the oil is hot, add the sliced carrots to the pan. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring regularly. Add the salt and coriander, stir and continue cooking for another 1 - 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the cinnamon and pomegranate juice and reduce the heat to medium. Simmer, uncovered, over medium-low heat for 15 – 20 minutes, stirring regularly until the juice has reduced to a glaze and the carrots are tender. Serve hot topped with chopped parsley.
Broccoli with Bell Peppers
Number of servings: 6
Ingredients:
4 cups broccoli florets (fresh, not frozen); you can also include sliced broccoli stems in the dish if you like
1 medium sized yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 medium sized red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 medium sized tomato, diced
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tbsp olive oil (use extra virgin olive oil)
1 tsp oregano
6 cups water
1 tbsp grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
salt and black pepper, to taste
Preparation:
Bring 6 cups of water to boil in a large saucepan. Add the broccoli florets to the pan and boil, covered for 2 minutes. Drain and transfer the broccoli to a bowl of cold water immediately; allow the broccoli to cool in the water for a minute, then drain and pat dry with a clean kitchen towel.
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet. Once the oil is hot, sauté the peppers until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the blanched broccoli florets, minced garlic and oregano and cook for another 2 minutes, until the garlic becomes fragrant and the broccoli is almost heated through. Add the diced tomatoes and heat through, another 2 minutes. Season to taste with salt and black pepper and divide among individual plates, sprinkle with a little Parmesan or Romano cheese and serve hot.
Leeks with Vinaigrette
Number of servings: 6
Ingredients:
6 leeks (discard the dark green tops)
3 cloves of garlic, sliced thinly
6 – 8 sprigs of fresh thyme
juice of 3 lemons
4 tbsp olive oil (use extra virgin olive oil)
1 ½ tbsp salt
2 tsp Dijon mustard
salt and black pepper, to taste
extra sprigs of thyme, for garnish
Preparation:
Slice off the dark green tops and the very bottoms of the leeks, halve lengthwise and place in a large bowl of cold water. Allow the leeks to soak at least half an hour to remove dirt and grit – rinse the leeks thoroughly between soaking and using.
While the leeks soak, bring 4 quarts of water, the sliced garlic, 1 ½ tbsp salt and the juice of 2 lemons to a boil in a large stockpot. Reduce the heat and simmer until the leeks are soaked and rinsed. Add the leeks to the pot and continue simmering for 15 – 20 minutes or until the leeks are tender. Drain the cooking liquid and pat the leeks dry with a clean kitchen towel.
In a small bowl, whisk together the Dijon mustard, the juice of 1 lemon and olive oil, along with a pinch of salt and black pepper. Toss the leeks with the lemon dressing to coat and serve, topped with a little freshly ground black pepper and thyme sprigs.
Chickpea and Sweet Potato Dip
Number of servings: 6+ (this recipe makes about 2 ½ cups of dip)
Ingredients:
1 can (15 or 16 ounces) of chickpeas, drained and rinsed (or the equivalent amount of homemade cooked chickpeas)
1 medium sized sweet potato, well scrubbed
3 cloves of garlic, crushed
½ cup olive oil (use extra virgin olive oil), plus 1 tbsp for drizzling
salt and black pepper, to taste
hot sauce, to taste
Preparation:
Pierce the sweet potato in several places with a fork or knife and bake at 425 F for about 45 minutes or until tender when poked with a fork. Remove from heat, slice in half lengthwise (this will help it cool faster) and allow it to cool until it’s safe to handle.
Once the sweet potato is cool enough to touch, drain and rinse the chickpeas and add to a food processor along with the crushed garlic and a little salt. Scoop the flesh from the sweet potato and add to the chickpeas, garlic and salt. Process on low speed, adding olive oil (and hot sauce, if using) to the mixture little by little until the dip has become a smooth puree.
Transfer the dip to a serving bowl and drizzle with 1 tbsp of olive oil. Serve at room temperature.
Quinoa Salad with Kale and Avocado
Number of servings: 4 – 6
Ingredients:
2/3 cup dry quinoa
1 1/3 cups water
1 large bunch of lacinato kale (aka Tuscan or dinosaur kale), torn into manageable
