Roasted Eggplant “Steaks” with Chickpea, Tomato and Feta Salad

Yields: 6 servings

Roasted Eggplant

3 medium Italian eggplants (approximately 2¼ pounds), tops removed

10 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

kosher salt, to taste

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

2 tablespoons za’atar, divided

Adjust an oven rack to the middle position, then preheat the oven to 425ºF.

Slice each eggplant in half lengthwise. With the skin side resting on a cutting board, score the flesh into a 1–inch crosshatch pattern. Score the flesh as deep as possible while trying not to cut through the skin. Open the eggplant, spreading and bending the eggplant so it lays as flat as possible, flesh side up. To accommodate this, you can make small cuts around the circumference of the eggplant to release any tension in the eggplant.

Lay eggplant halves scored side up on a parchment-lined sheet tray.

Brush olive oil (1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon per eggplant half) evenly over flesh. Sprinkle each half with a little salt and pepper and evenly sprinkle over 1/2 teaspoon of za’atar per eggplant half.

Transfer to oven and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, rotating the tray after 15 minutes, until eggplant is soft and cooked through.

Remove from oven, evenly drizzle with the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and evenly sprinkle over the remaining 1 tablespoon za’atar. Lightly press (with a fork) the center of each steak to create a nice bed for the salad.

Serve on plates, scored side up and top each eggplant half with a serving of the salad.

Chickpea, Tomato and Feta Salad

1 large shallot, peeled and diced small

1 teaspoon red wine vinegar

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

¼ teaspoon kosher salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

4 small Persian cucumbers (½ lb), halved lengthwise and diced on an angle into ½-inch slices

1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas drained and rinsed

25 cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered, depending on size (1/2 pound)

3 ounces Feta cheese, crumbled

¼ cup packed roughly chopped fresh parsley

¼ cup packed roughly chopped fresh mint

Add the shallot, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, salt and pepper to a medium bowl. Whisk to combine. Let sit for 5 minutes to mellow the shallot. Add the olive oil and whisk again to combine.

Add the remaining ingredients to the bowl. Gently fold to combine just before serving.

Season to taste with salt, pepper and/or additional lemon juice.

Roasted Spiced Eggplant with Greek Salad Pita

Yields: 6 to 8 servings

Spiced Eggplant:

½ teaspoon ground turmeric

1 teaspoon ground fennel

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon kosher salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 large Italian eggplant, ends trimmed and cut into 1 1/2 -inch coins

2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.

Line a sheet tray with aluminum foil and top with parchment paper (for easy clean up).

Combine all the spices into a small bowl and mix to combine.

Pour 1/3 cup of the oil on a sheet tray and dip each eggplant coin into the oil (both sides) to coat. Continue with the remaining oil until all the eggplant is generously coated with oil.

Evenly spread the eggplant on the sheet tray.

Season both sides of the eggplant with the spice mix.

Bake for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, flip each coin and continue baking for another 15 minutes. Let rest on sheet tray until you are ready to serve.

Greek Salad:

Vinaigrette:

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh oregano

3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives

2½ tablespoons red wine vinegar

2½ tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

¼ teaspoon kosher salt

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 large garlic clove, peeled and grated on a Microplane

Whisk to combine all ingredients in a large bowl.

Salad:

3 Persian cucumbers, end trimmed, sliced in half lengthwise, thinly sliced into half moons

20 grape or cherry tomatoes, halved and/or quartered depending on size

½ cup pitted Castelvetrano olives, thinly sliced

¼ of a red onion, ends trimmed, peeled and very thinly sliced

6 ounces feta, crumbled

½ head of iceberg lettuce, thinly sliced and then chopped

Add all salad ingredients to the bowl with the vinaigrette and toss gently to combine.

Pita Ingredients:

8 Pita

Toum Sauce (I used this recipe https://feelgoodfoodie.net/recipe/lebanese-garlic-sauce/)

Spread a generous amount of Toum on the base of the pita or inside the pita pocket. Add the helping of the salad followed by a slice or two of eggplant. Enjoy!

Seedsy Kale Salad with White Beans

Yields: 4 servings

Juice of 1 large lemon, plus additional lemon juice for seasoning

1 tablespoon pure maple syrup

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

½ teaspoon kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1 bunch curly kale, stems discarded and leaves very finely chopped

1 large avocado, pitted and diced small

1 (15-ounce) can white beans (great northern, kidney, navy or cannellini), drained and rinsed

1/3 cup roasted and salted sunflower seeds

1/3 cup roasted and salted pumpkin seeds

1/3 cup hemp hearts

Add the lemon juice, maple syrup, olive oil and pepper to a large bowl. Whisk to combine. Add the remaining ingredients and stir to combine. Season to taste with additional salt, pepper and/or lemon juice.

Serve immediately.

(This is inspired by/a replica of the kale salad with avocado from Erewhon which I had last year and was quite tasty!)

Endive Salad with Hazelnuts, Orange Supremes and Toasted Quinoa

Yield: 2 to 4 servings

2 tablespoons quinoa

2 medium oranges

2 small heads endive, leaves separated (root end trimmed as needed)

½ cup toasted hazelnuts, roughly chopped

¼ cup packed roughly chopped fresh Italian flat-leaf parsley

1 medium shallot, peeled and diced small

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar, plus more to taste

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

¾ cup freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano (grated on a box grater – not pre-grated)

Kosher salt, to taste

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Place a medium sauté pan over medium heat. Let pan heat up until hot, about 1 minute. Add the quinoa to the pan. Toast, stirring frequently, until the quinoa begins to pop. Reduce the heat to medium low. Shake or stir pan continuously to prevent any quinoa from burning once the popping starts. Remove from heat when the popping sound diminishes, approximately 45 seconds to 1 minute. Transfer to a small bowl and set aside. (Pro Tip: if you have a glass lid, it will help to contain any rogue poppers!)

Cut the peel and pith off the oranges, then segment them by cutting between the dividers. Discard any seeds and squeeze the remains for juice and reserve the juice for the vinaigrette.

Add the orange segments, endive, hazelnuts, parsley, shallot, red wine vinegar, orange juice, olive oil, Parmigiano Reggiano and toasted quinoa to a medium bowl. Fold to combine. Taste and season with salt and pepper and additional vinegar as needed.

Divide among plates and serve.

Kale Caesar Salad with Roasted Delicata Squash and Crispy Garbanzo Beans

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

Roasted Squash and Garbanzo Beans:

3 small delicata squash, ends trimmed, halved lengthwise, seeded and sliced into ¼-inch slices

1 (14.5 ounce) can garbanzo beans, rinsed, patted dry and roughly chopped

Extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling

Kosher salt, to taste

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Adjust 2 oven racks to the upper and middle position and preheat your oven to 400 convection or 425 (still) degrees Fahrenheit.

Line 2 sheet trays with aluminum foil and parchment paper for easy clean up.

Place the delicata in a large bowl and coat the pieces with a healthy drizzling of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Mix well and transfer to one of the prepared sheet trays, making sure that the squash is evenly spaced.

In the same (now empty) large bowl, add the roughly chopped garbanzo beans and drizzle to coat with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and stir to combine. Transfer to your other prepared sheet tray, spreading out the pieces so they are evenly spaced out and not clumped up.

Place both sheet trays in the oven, with the squash on the top rack. Bake for 15 minutes and flip the squash pieces to ensure even cooking. Bake for an additional 10-15 minutes until the delicata is lightly caramelized and the garbanzo beans are crispy. Remove from the oven and set aside.

Caesar Dressing:

1/3 cup mayonnaise

½ teaspoon Dijon mustard

¾ teaspoon Worcestershire

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice, plus more to taste

½ teaspoon minced garlic

6 oil packed anchovies, crushed with the side of a knife to form a paste

5 to 6 dashes Tabasco sauce

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl (you can use the same one you used for seasoning the squash and garbanzos) and whisk to combine. Season to taste with additional pepper and lemon juice as needed.

Kale Salad:

1 small bunch Dinosaur/Lacinato kale, leaves stripped from the stem and very finely chopped

2 large Persian cucumbers, quartered lengthwise and diced small

3 medium carrots, peeled and grated on a box grater

1/2 pound (30) cherry tomatoes, halved

½ cup packed freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano (not pre-grated)

1/3 cup toasted, salted sunflower seeds

1 large avocado, pitted and diced medium

Add all ingredients except the avocado, delicata and garbanzo beans to the large bowl with the dressing and fold gently to combine. Add the avocado and roasted delicata and fold gently one last time.

Divide among bowls, top each bowl with a handful of crispy garbanzo beans and serve.

Celeriac and Cauliflower Salad with Apple, Pine Nuts and Parmigiano Reggiano

Yield: 4 servings

1 medium apple, unpeeled (preferably Braeburn, Fuji, or Honeycrisp) 

1 small celeriac (3/4 pound), peeled

¼ of a small cauliflower, root end trimmed  

1/3 cup toasted pine nuts

3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh Italian flat-leaf parsley

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano (grated on a box grater – not pre-grated)

Kosher salt, to taste

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Slice the apple and celeriac bulb into 1/8- inch julienne strips on a mandoline, for approximately two cups apple and two cups celeriac. Alternatively, slice into matchsticks using your knife.

Thinly slice the cauliflower for approximately 2 cups cauliflower.

Add the apple, celeriac, cauliflower, pine nuts, parsley, vinegar, lemon juice, olive oil and cheese in a medium bowl. Gently fold to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Pan Fried Brussels Sprouts with Lemon Aioli, Balsamic Vinaigrette and Candied Pecans

Yields: 2 to 4 servings

Lemon Aioli

3 tablespoons mayonnaise

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 medium clove garlic, peeled and grated on a Microplane

¼ teaspoon anchovy paste

1/16 teaspoon kosher salt

Whisk all ingredients together in a small bowl. Set aside.

Balsamic Vinaigrette

2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar

½ teaspoon red wine vinegar

¼ teaspoon honey

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

Whisk all ingredients together in a small bowl. Set aside.

Brussels Sprouts

1 pound brussels sprouts, ends trimmed and cut in half lengthwise

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

½ teaspoon kosher salt

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

4 teaspoons finely chopped candied pecans

3 tablespoons freshly shaved Parmigiano Reggiano, not pre-grated

Place the brussels sprouts, cut side down, in a single layer in a 12-inch nonstick pan (that has a lid). Evenly drizzle over the olive oil. Cover. Set over medium-high heat for 5 minutes. Do not disturb. Uncover and continue cooking (do not stir) for approximately 2 minutes, until the Brussels (cut side only) are well caramelized. Remove from heat. Season with the salt and pepper and stir.

To serve, spoon some of the lemon aioli around a plate. Place/mound Brussels in the center of the plate (atop the aioli). Drizzle a little of the balsamic vinaigrette over the Brussels. Top with candied pecans and shaved Parmigiano.

Curried Chickpea Salad with Apples and Pecans

Yield: 4 servings

1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained

4 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 small shallot, peeled and diced small

¼ cup mayonnaise

½ teaspoon Dijon mustard

1½ teaspoons curry powder

½ teaspoon kosher salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 medium apple, cored and diced small

2 stalks celery, diced small

¼ cup chopped toasted pecans

1/3 cup dried cranberries or dried cherries

Crackers or butter lettuce (optional, for serving)

Add chickpeas to a medium bowl and mash half with the back of a fork or potato masher. Add lemon juice and shallot followed by the remaining ingredients and stir well to combine using a rubber spatula.

Serve with crackers or make a lettuce wrap with butter lettuce.

Lentil Salad with Toasted Walnuts, Fresh Mint and a Dijon Vinaigrette

Yield: 4 servings

1¼ cups French green “puy” lentils, rinsed and drained

4 cups vegetable stock

3 large dried bay leaves

5 medium garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

2 teaspoons sherry vinegar

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive

1 medium shallot, peeled and diced small (3 tablespoons)

3 medium carrots, peeled and chopped roughly (1½ cups)

4 medium celery stalks, halved lengthwise and diced small (1 cup)

1/3 cup packed flat-leaf Italian parsley leaves, chopped roughly

¼ cup packed fresh mint leaves, chopped roughly

¾ pound grape or cherry tomatoes, halved

½ cup toasted walnut pieces, chopped roughly

3 ounces feta cheese, crumbled

Kosher salt, to taste

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Add the lentils, stock, bay leaves and garlic to a medium saucepan. Place over high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer 15-18 minutes, until lentils are cooked through. Drain and rinse lentils with cold water for 30 seconds to cool. (Drain well.) Discard bay leaves. Set aside.

In a large bowl whisk together the Dijon mustard, lemon juice, sherry vinegar and olive oil. Add the shallot, carrots, celery, parsley, mint, tomatoes, walnuts, drained lentils and feta. Fold gently to combine.

Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve.

Homemade Ranch Dressing

Yields: 9 ounces
 
6 tablespoons mayonnaise
6 tablespoons buttermilk
¼ cup sour cream
¼ teaspoon minced fresh garlic (grated on a microplane)
½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh chives
½ teaspoon finely chopped fresh dill
¼ teaspoon finely chopped fresh oregano
½ teaspoon onion powder
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
 
Combine all ingredients together in a medium bowl and whisk to combine. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.