It's Getting Hot In Here
It's Getting Hot In Here
Let's take off all our stoves.
Hey there!
Can you believe another month has passed? [Me looking in disbelief]
2020 has simultaneously been the longest and shortest year in history. I’m over here like “What! How is it June?!” Also me: “the year has just started, we’re only now getting out of quarantine.”
Nevertheless, as June whimpers away and July creeps up on us, it’s starting to get really hot. As temperatures are heating up, no one wants to stand up over a hot stove.
So, this month, I’m bringing you two soul satisfying salads and a salad-ish dish to quell your hungry belly. These three recipes require minimal stove time, but deliver maximum flavor.
I’m not a huge fan of skimpy salads that are chocked full of lettuce. So for this issue, I’ve chosen some heftier salads that will fill you up while keeping you cool and a dish that’s just as easy as salad.
So let’s get cooking…
Fanciful Fajita Salad
Okay, so full disclosure: I’m OBSESSED with walnut “meat!” I’ve been making up any excuse to make it and use it. It’s one of my favorite meat substitutes right now because it is sooo easy to make and as delicious as you allow it to be. If you season it well, you’ll be licking your fingers and asking “Walnuts?! What walnuts?!” It’s meaty, hearty and reminiscent of minced chicken or pork on its own. If you add mushrooms to the mix with the right seasoning, you can easily get a beefy flavor. And, you know what else?You can control the salt, and season it exactly to your liking unlike the prepackaged vegan sausages that I love.
I tried Beyond Meat Hot Italian Sausages and I’m not going to lie, they SLAP! However, this here walnut meat is a great quick substitute for days when you want to eat a little cleaner.
You might be asking yourself why I am waxing poetic about walnut meat when this is a fajita salad recipe, but the truth is, the walnut meat is the centerpiece of this recipe for me. Along side some crisp sweet peppers, onions, corn, cucumbers and tomatoes (optional), the walnut meat makes this the perfect fajita salad. Not to mention, it’s literally the only thing that you need to cook in this entire recipe. AND, you don’t even have to do that; you can make your walnut meat raw if you like because as Tabitha Brown says “that’s your business!”
If you don’t like walnuts, try pecans. If you have an allergy or nuts are not your jam, you can add whatever vegan mince or grounds you like. For the love of all that is holy, just season them up really well.
Ingredients:
1/4 cup of walnut pieces
Trini green seasoning
Paprika
Garlic powder
Roucou/ Goya Sazon/ achiote powder (optional)
Liquid aminos (soy sauce, coconut aminos, or tamari will work)
2 medium-sized cucumbers diced
1 can of sweet corn (drained and washed)
1-2 small white onions julienned
1 medium-sized green bell pepper (sweet pepper) julienned
1 medium-sized tomato diced
1 large clove of garlic
Red chili flakes (optional)
Black pepper
Olive oil
Lime juice
Mustard
Agave (honey or brown sugar will work)
First things first…
Get your walnut meat going.
I cook mine because I’m terrible at time management and boiling the nuts saves lots of time in softening them up. I fill a small pot with water, add green seasoning , two to three splashes of liquid aminos, a splash of roucou, some hearty shakes of paprika, garlic powder, a smashed clove of garlic, and the walnuts. Let it boil for 20-30 minutes or until it’s fork tender on a medium fire.
Don’t want to touch your stove at all?
Soak your walnuts in hot water for at least an hour. Two to three hours is most recommended. You can do it in the morning when you wake up and go about your day.
Set it and forget it. When you return, drain the water because walnuts can be quite bitter and then add your marinade (all of the seasonings I added to my boiling water). Let the nuts sit for another 20 to 30 minutes to absorb the flavors.
No matter which method you choose, your next step is to pile your softened nuts, a sprinkle of paprika, some roucou and red chili flakes into the food processor and pulse gently until you achieve a ground meat-like texture. If you over pulse, expect pate. Although, pate is delicious, it’s not quite the mouth feel we want for our salad. So, be careful.
If you are NOT extra like me, your walnut meat is complete. If you are a little extra, you can take a small frying pan, and brown your walnut mince quickly. This is totally optional and it will be delicious without it. It just makes me feel like I’m eating ground meat.
Next…
Whip out the sharpest knife in your drawer and get to chopping. Julienne (thinly slice) your onions, and sweet pepper. Do a nice chunky dice on your cucumbers and tomatoes. Then drain, rinse, and season your corn with a sprinkle of paprika and garlic powder. Grind or sprinkle a little black pepper over all of your veg and begin to assemble your salad.
Note: if you’re not a fan of raw onions you can quickly saute them or squeeze an extra little bit of lime juice on them.
Get a colorful bowl because as one of my good good friends says “food tastes better in a colorful dish!” This is your chance to get super creative, arrange your salad like a work of art with each component getting a nice position. If you want to get crazy with it, you can arrange your heartier veggies like the corn, cucumber, and tomato next to the walnut meat and garnish with your nicely sliced peppers and onions.
Let’s Gild the Lily…
Once your masterpiece is complete, if you’ve got time, you should mix up a little homemade dressing to adorn it.
Whisk together a tablespoon or two of spicy mustard, a few substantial splashes of agave (or whatever sweetener you like), equal parts lime juice and olive oil, and some red chili flakes. Add a pinch of sea salt to season and voila!
P.S. If you have Avocado or Zabouca as we call it here in Trinidad, cut some up and add it to the fold. You won’t regret it. They are now coming back into season here and at the time of this recipe testing, I didn’t have any [insert sad face] but don’t cry for me Argentina. By next month, I’ll be swimming in them!
Spicy Roasted Pineapple, Tomato, and Quinoa Salad
1 fresh or canned pineapple (diced chunky)
2-3 large roma tomatoes diced
1/2 cup of quinoa boiled
Agave (honey)
Chili garlic paste
Sesame Oil or Olive oil
1/4 cup of toasted sesame seeds
Vegetable stock (optional)
Liquid aminos (soy sauce)
Vinegar
This is technically the most cooking but some might argue, the tastiest dish of this issue. This salad will be complete in 20-25 minutes.
Preheat your oven to 210 degrees Celsius.
Dice up your pineapple and tomatoes into similarly sized chunks. Lay them out on a baking tray, drizzle a bit of oil over the top. Sprinkle a tiny bit of sea salt and black pepper over the top and get them in the oven. Keep them in there for 15 minutes or until they start get a little color.
While your fruits are roasting (yes! Tomato is a fruit, let’s not debate), get your rinsed quinoa into a pot with a little water or vegetable stock. You want about half of an inch in liquid above your quinoa. You can add two very tiny splashes of liquid aminos or soy sauce to the pot at this point. That’s all the seasoning its going to need because your dressing will pack an amazing punch. Your quinoa is going to boil for approximately 13 minutes covered. At which point, you are going to turn the fire off and let it steam for an additional 2 minutes.
As your fruit roasts and quinoa boils, put a dry pan on a low to medium fire and drop in your sesame seeds. Watch them closely because they can burn very quickly. Once they’ve acquired a caramel-ish tan take them off the fire. This is completely optional but I LOVE the pop of crunch and sesame-ness that these add. Not to mention, sesame seeds are high in iron. You can replace them with another seed if you wish but whyyyyyy? why would you do that?
In a bowl, mix two tablespoons or as much or as little as you like of chili garlic paste—You’ll want to do less if you aren’t into spice because it is VERY spicy—about 1/3 cup of agave, a 1/3 cup of your chosen oil, and a splash of vinegar. I used white vinegar because that is what I had. If you are fancy and have another that you prefer, use that. Whisk well until it is all incorporated.
Then add your drained quinoa, and roasted fruit to the bowl. Combine until all ingredients are well-coated with dressing and top with your toasted seeds.
You can serve this warm, cold, room temperature and it will be equally delicious!
Walnut Thai Basil Lettuce cups
Remember your walnut meat from the first recipe? You’re going to use that to make this quick and delectable Thai Basil stir fry and then you’ll simply wash a few lettuce leaves (I’m partial to butter lettuce but use what you have or what you like) and then scoop it in. AND REPEAT, REPEAT until you are full.
Here’s how we do it…
Ingredients:
1 small onion thinly sliced (julienned)
1/2 of a large green bell pepper julienned
1/4 to 1/2 cup of walnuts
5 to 7 medium cloves of garlic diced
Liquid aminos (soy sauce, tamari or coconut aminos will work)
Trini green seasoning
Vinegar
Brown sugar
Garlic powder
Grated ginger (or ginger powder)
Red chili flakes
2-4 large basil leaves
High heat oil of your choosing
Boil your walnuts in water seasoned with fresh green seasoning and liquid aminos on a medium fire for 30 minutes. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before using.
While your nuts cool, slice up your onions and pepper.
Get your veg in a hot pan or wok on a medium fire with a little bit of oil. Saute until your onions are just barely translucent. Add your minced garlic cloves, 1/2 teaspoon of green seasoning, a few red pepper flakes.
While your onions and peppers cook down, drain your walnuts. Then, put them in the food processor and pulse 2 to 3 times. Just like you did before.
Add your walnuts to the pan and saute until they brown a bit. Grate in a fresh piece of ginger to taste. Add as much or as little as you can handle. I love the spice and flavor of ginger so I used a nice sized piece but not enough to overpower the other flavors. You want balance. Stir in your basil leaves and put on low heat.
In a bowl combine, a healthy splash of liquid aminos, a pinch more sugar, a tiny splash of vinegar. Mix thoroughly. Turn your heat back up and add to the pan. Once your sauce has coated everything you've completed the mission.
Serve in your favorite lettuce leaves— lettuce cups. I served it with rice on the day I made it as pictured here but for a hot summer day, get your lettuce leaves in a gear!
A guilt free summer meal if ever we’ve made one! Enjoy!
It’s always great getting to cook with you. Eat until your belly is full and meet me back here next month for more.
Until we cook together again, stay safe.
XOXO
Mel
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