Socca Beet and Onion Casserole

Whoa has It been a while since I have posted a recipe. Not that I haven’t wanted to or that I haven’t been making food, I just have been busy A.F. And truthfully I am as busy as ever but I happen to have my phone next to me when I was making this little casserole dish thing that I have made a few times now and I think it well worth a share.

What is it you ask? It is a creamy but dense chickpea base covered in tender roasted beets and onions with a lemon tahini drizzle. It is simple to make, super delicious, and can be tweaked in a million different ways to your liking.

Is it a fantastic dish to serve at say a Thanksgiving? Well yes, yes it is. You can serve it as a side or even make it bigger and have it as a sort of main dish. It’s a good protein that is naturally gluten and grain free, vegan, and blah blah blah. What really matters here though is that it is damn tasty and also bonus, it is so siimple to make and can even be prepared a day in advance so no stress. We will take all the wins here.

-C

---

Socca Beet and Onion Casserole

makes a 8x8 casserole

• 1 cup chickpea flour

• 2 cups boiling water

• 1 teaspoon salt plus more to taste

• ground black pepper

• 2 teaspoons cumin (feel free to omit or use a different spice.Thyme or rosemary are equally delicious )

• 2 medium beets

• 1 large onion

• a lemon

• 1-2 tablespoons tahini

• teaspoon or so olive oil.

Note. This dish is excellent made and eaten right away but also gets even better (in my opinion) cooled and reheated. Also you can change up the veggie situation and use whatever ones you like.

Place chickpea flour in a bowl and slowly whisk in boil water with a fork so that there are no lumps. Mix in cumin and a teaspoon of salt and a pepper. Scoop batter into a lightly oiled 8X8 casserole dish (you can use a round cake tin or a cast iron skillet as well) and set aside to rest for a few.

Preheat oven to 400.

Grab beets and onion and slice in about 1/8 thick slices. Layer slices on top of chickpea mixture, making it look pretty if you feel like it. Once the veggies are layered, lightly drizzle the top with a teaspoon olive oil and sprinkle with a good pinch of salt and pepper.

When the oven is preheated, covered the baking dish and place in oven,. Bake covered for 1/2 hour then remove covering and bake for another 20-30 minutes or until the beets are nice and tender and a tester poked into the center of the dish comes out clean. Remove from oven,

Once it’s out of the oven grab a little bowl and add the juice of the lemon to the tahini and mix. Season with salt to you liking.

Now serve. Drizzle the top with the tahini mixture and cut yourself a big old piece. Yes drizzle extra tahini on top. Sure squeeze on more lemon. You do you.

Store leftovers in fridge. Reheat in hot oven for 10 minutes..It gets crispy!

Green pea and Watermelon Radish Salad

We are getting closer and closer to spring (2 weeks!) and with spring comes color, in the form of all things, food included. (I am so ready for all the greens!!!!)

Speaking of color. Have you ever cut open a watermelon radish? It is pure joy. You have this creamy white and slightly green bulb, nothing much out of the ordinary but when you slice it open the inside is the brightest purplish pink. So freaking pretty! But better then pretty, watermelon radishes taste so freaking good! And then we have peas. They are just the best bright green and creamy little gems which pair perfectly prefect with the radish.

Bright purple radish and green peas tossed together with some onion and tahini. Yes and yes. On freaking tasty as all heck salad. A true spring delight!

Now to the pretty as all heck salad!

The stuff. A large watermelon radish, frozen and thawed green peas, red onion, tahini, red wine vinegar, salt and pepper, and aa small handful of cilantro.

First thing is to dice up radish. Cut into cubes about twice the size of a pea.

Place diced rashes on a lined baking sheet and pop into a hot oven.

In the mean time cut up the onion nice an thin.

Place cut onion into a big bowl, add a sprinkle of salt, and add in the vinegar. Toss around and let sit for 5 minutes or so then add in the tahini and toss around until creamy.

Slightly roasted radishes. You can roast them more but I find a good 20 minutes so they are slightly tender and haven’t lost have much color to e the best.

Toss the peas onto the hot sheet pan with the radishes and let them sit for a fe minutes just slightly warm up.

Then dump the peas and radishes into the bowl with the tahini onions. Sprinkle with pepper and toss around.

Look at that. Gorgeous right? And if you have and want, toss some fresh cilantro or parsley onto top because why not.

No stop starting at the how pretty it is and you know, eat it.

-C

---

Green pea and Watermelon Radish Salad

serve 2-4 as a side

• 2 cups green peas (fresh or frozen andthawed)

• 1 large (softball sized) watermelon radish

• 1 small red onion

• 3 tablespoons tahini

• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

• salt and pwpper

• handful of fresh cilantro or parsley (optional)

Preheat oven to 425.

Grab radish and cut into small cubes about twice the size of a pea. Place on a lined baking sheet and pop into hot oven.

While radishes are roasting, grab onion and slice as thin as you can Place sliced onion along with the vinegar into a big bowl and toss around with a pinch of salt. Let sit for a few minutes then add in the tahini. Toss around until creamy.

After about 20 minutes pull the radishes form oven They should be slightly tender. Dump peas onto baking sheet with radishes and let them warm up for a few minutes.

Dump the peas and radishes into the bowl with the tahini onions. Add black pepper and another small pinch of salt. Toss around until evenly coasted. Top with sm ripped up fresh herbs (if using).

Eat.

Store any leftovers (there will be none) in an airtight container for 4-5 days.

Carob Snack Cake with Tahini Maple Frosting

I made a snack cake and did so for a couple reasons. The first reason is cake and the mr loves him some snack cake so you know. Secondly is what else is there to do when you are basically suck inside because it is so cold that if you leave the house for more then15 minutes you are risking frost bite. (Ok so I have been going for my morning runs in the -20 degrees but that is different because I am running and getting relay hot. Once I come back I stay back.) It only makes sense to have the oven going for both reasons and who doesn’t want to get down with baked goods all winter.

Flavor wise, this snack cake is carob, not chocolate, although it looks like it. If you have never eaten carob it tastes somewhat chocolaty but way more fruity, less bitter, more sweet, more nutty. It is just really good. And it pairs really well with maple and tahini so that is the frosting situation. A cake of good flavors that is easy to throw together and you get to enjoy the residual heat from the oven…It is a no brainer. Basically what I am saying it that you should be making this cake. It only makes sense.

Now to the snack cake!

The stuff. Carob powder, flour, baking powder and soda, salt, oil, boiling water, vanilla extract, sugar, vinegar , tahini, and maple syrup.

Make the cake batter. Mix dry ingredients into a big bowl then in a separate bowl mix the oil, sugar, carob, vanilla. vinegar and boiling water together until completely incorporated. Dump the wet mixture into the dry and mix until incorporated.

Pour batter into a well greased and lined cake pan and pop into the oven to bake.

And baked it gets. Pop it out of the cake pan and place on wire rack to cool.

Now make maple tahini frosting. Just wish the two ingredients together with a fork and a splash or two of hot water until completely combined and creamy like frosting.

And frost cooled cake.

And for good measure add a sprinkle of sea solt and some sprinkles because why not.

And now you eat it because that is why you made the cake.

-c

---

Carob Snack Cake with tahini Maple Frosting

makes one 10 inch round

• 1 1/2 all purple flour

• 1/2 cup carob powder

• 3/4 cup white sugar

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 cup oil

• 1 cup boiling water

• 1 teaspoon vanilla

• 1/4 cup tahini

• 3 teaspoons maple syrup

• sea salt and sprinkles (optional)

Preheat oven to 375.

Grab a big mixing bowl and add in the flour, baking soda and powder, and salt and mix together. In separate bowl mix the carob, sugar, vanilla, vinegar, oil, and boil water together until completely incorporated and the sugar and carob start to dissolve. Pour wet mixture into dry and whisk until just incorporated. Pour batter into a well greased and parchment lined 10 inch round baking pan. (or a pan of similar size)

Place cake into oven and bake for 25-28 minutes , checking at 25 with a cake tester to see if it comes out clean.

Once baked, remove from oven, let cool for a minute in the pan, then pop out and finish cooling it on a wire rack.

To make the maple tahini frosting simply take the two ingredients and whisk them together with a tablespoon of hot water in a bowl with a fork until creamy. If the mixture seems to thick, add in another splash of hot water. The consistency should be a bit thinner then actually frosting, more like a thick glaze.

Once cake has cool frost it. Sprinkle top with a pinch of sea salt and add some sprinkles, if you want.

Then eat.

Left overs can be stored in airtight container for 5-7 days at room temperature.

Roasted Sweet Potato, Broccoli, and Kale Bowl

The other morning I woke up chilly, lke legit had to grab a sweater. It made me smile so hard. And when I left for my morning run through the woods, I spent the entire time in a long sleeve shirt, not stupid hot, thinking about all the food that I was suddenly craving. An hour of soups, casseroles, and basically everything hot and comforting running through my mind. Honestly, it’s what I think about during most of my runs. Anyway I was going through my food inventory I had at home and decided what I was going to make myself lunch on this fine cool day was this. Roasted sweet potato with broccoli, onion, and kale. Tahini too. And za’atar. I was drooling while running, again not out of the norm. Good times.

So I came home, did stuff, and made myself lunch. Exactly as I wanted, all for me, and it was everything that I thought it would be. Simple, fresh, hot but not heavy, and just the right amount of comfort to feel all the feels of soon to be fall. I grabbed my food, a book, and sat out on the porch, still in a long sleeved shirt, and ate my lunch. A fine lunch that was. A fine fine lunch.

You should have yourself a fine lunch (or any meal) too.

Now to the food!

The stuff. A sweet potato, a head of broccoli, 1/2 a large onion (or 1 small one), tahini, a lemon, a clove or garlic, za’atar, and salt and pepper.

Start by chopping up the sweet potato into mouth sized pieces, break apart the broccoli into smaller mouth sized pieces, and slice up the onion.

Toss it all onto a sheet pan and cover with the za’atar seasoning. You can toss around in a little oil if you want, but I actually just spray it wit ha little water and call it. I am over roasting with oil, it is to oily.

Put the seasoned goodness into hot hot oven.

Oh and place clove or garlic on pan too, just for a few minutes to get a little roasted and remove. It’s for the tahini dressing.

Chop up kale up.

Make the tahini dressing. Tahini, roasted garlic minced up, lemon juice, and a little hot water. Mix tighter until creamy smooth. Season with salt and pepper.

Roasted and delicious.

Grab kale and toss it around with everything while it is still hot so the kale kind of wilts. You can also pop it into the oven for a few more minutes to really get that wilt on.

Dump it all into a big bowl.

Drizzle that tahini all over, grab a fork (or not),and make you teeth dance with all this goodness in the mouth.

-C

---

Roasted Sweet Potato, Broccoli, and Kale Bowl

Serves 1 as a meal

• 1 sweet potato

• 1 head of broccoli

• a small onion (or half a big one)

• a few kale leaves

• 1 tablespoon za’atar seasoning

• 1 heaping tablespoon tahini

• a lemon

• a clove of garlic

• a few tablespoon hot water

• salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 450 degrees

Grab the sweet potato and cut into mouth sized chunks. Break apart the head of broccoli into florets And cut up stem into chunks, and slice onion into thick pieces. Place on a baking sheet, sprinkle on the za’atar, and toss around. Sprinkle or spray(with a spray bottle) with a little water. Also throw the garlic clove onto the pan too and place it into the oven.

After about 10 minutes, grab the garlic from the pan and keep everything else roasting.

In the meantime, make tahini dressing. Mince the roasted garlic and add to the tahini with the juice of half the lemon and a splash of hit water. Mix together until completely incorporated, adding in a little more hot water as needed to make the dressing into a thick, but drizz-able consistency. Season with salt and pepper.

And chop kale into smaller pieces.

After 20ish minutes, remove pan from oven and toss the veggies around and place back into oven and roasted for another 10ish minutes or until the sweet potato is soft and tender and the broccoli is looking all roasted. Remove and right away toss the kale with the hot veggies to get the kale to wilt a bit. Also can stick the pan back into oven for a minute to wilt it even more.

And then dump the contents of the pan into a big bowl, drizzle the tahini all over, and eat that shit.

ChickPeas and Peas

I am all about the quick meal. Sure I love me some kitchen time, but sometimes I just want good food good and fast. Chickpeas lightly sautéed, tossed with fresh green peas, thin pieces of raw onion, and tahini sauce. Sounds easy and so simple right? Well it is, simply freaking fantastic.

I am also thinking ahead to those summertime cookouts or when people are flowing through the house in need of food. This is a definite dish to bring to a cookout of potluck dinner situation. You know, when we can do those things safely again. Until then, I make it and eat it to my face. Now you should too.

To the chickpea and peas!

The stuff. Chickpeas, peas, an onion, some tahini, soy sauce, red wine vinegar, and a little oil. Also need a splash of chickpea waster or regular water. And pepper, if you want it.

Tahini, soy, vinegar, and a little bit of chickpea water. Stir until smooth and creamy.

Cut up onion, nice and thin like.

Now sauté chickpeas. Drain and rinse the beans and lightly coat a pan with oil. Toss chickpeas into pan on medium high heat and cook until they start to brown.

Once the chickpeas have somef dark color, toss in the peas and the onion. Mix it all tougher and turn heat off.

Dump it all into the bowl with the tahini sauce and mix it all together.

Add pepper, grab a fork, eat.

-C

---

ChickPeas and Peas

Serves 1-4 people

• 2 1/2 cups (or one can) cooked chickpeas

• 2 cups fresh or frozen (and thawed) green peas

• 1 small onion

• 1/4 cup tahini

• 2 tablespoon red wine vinegar

• 1-2 tablespoon soy sauce/tamari/liquid aminos

• a couple teaspoons olive oil for pan

In a medium sized bowl mix together the tahini, lesser amount of soy, and vinegar. Stir until smooth, adding in a splash or chickpea or regular water to thin out until it is the consistency of heavy cream. Taste. If it needs more soy, add a little more in until it tastes right.

Grab the onion and slice it up, really thinly and into small pieces.

Place a large skiller on medium high heat on stove. Add in a couple teaspoons olive oil to coat. If the chickpeas are still in water, rinse and drain. Dump drained chickpeas into hot skillet and cook for about 5-7 minutes or until they start turn deep brown on some sides. Throw in the peas and the onions, turn heat off, and mix around. Let sit in hot pan for a minutes or two then dump it all into the bowl with the tahini sauce. Mix it all around, add some cracked pepper, then, eat.