strictly local california

moroccan chickpea stew 

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 small onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (if you don’t like spicy, just use 1/2)

1/2 teaspoon curry powder

1 pinch salt

4 diced tomatoes 

1 zucchini, cubed

4 oz. tofu, cubed (or potatoes or chicken would work fine too)

1 can chickpeas

1 bunch kale, ribs removed, chopped

directions:

heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat; cook the onion and garlic in the hot oil until the onions are translucent, 5-7 minutes. stir in the cumin, curry powder and cayenne pepper until fragrant, about 1 minute. add the veggies and tofu to the pot and cover with water and bring to a simmer. cook for about 10-15 minutes. add the kale and chickpeas until the kale wilts, about 3 minutes. 

serve over rice and enjoy! 

I haven’t posted in ages since September was a whirlwind. I went to London, Amsterdam and Barcelona and it was the most amazing trip I have ever taken. London was my favorite city for numerous reasons, but one of those reasons is Borough Market. It is the biggest and most comprehensive farmer’s market I have ever been to! They have fresh fruit and veggies but also cheeses, meat, desserts and more.

One of the pictures about is of me with the most outstanding green seafood curry I have ever had. Ever! If you are ever in London, Borough Market is a must. 

layered eggplant, zucchini and tomato casserole

this is one of my favorites! it is a perfect side dish and really simple to make. i LOVE swiss chard so i added about 4 cups to this recipe. highly recommend! 

3 tbs olive oil

3 medium zucchini sliced lengthwise 1/4 inch thick

2 eggplants, peeled and sliced 1/3 inch thick

4 c. swiss chard

1 large shallot

1 lb plum tomatoes, cut into 1/2 inch dice

3 oz low fat feta from trader joe’s

1/4 c. basil

1/3 c. organic breadcrumbs

preheat the oven to 425. oil 2 large rimmed baking sheets and put the zucchini slices on one sheet and the eggplant on the other. brush the slices all over with the oil, seasoning, salt and pepper. arrange slices on each sheet in a slightly overlapping layer and bake for 15 minutes, until tender.

in a larget skillet, heat the 2 tablespoons of the oil and add the shallot. Cook until softened. Add the tomatoes and swiss chard and cook over high heat until slightly softened and bubbling. 1 minute. 

oil a large, shallow baking dish. lay half of the eggplant in the dish and spread 1/4 of the tomato mixture on top. scatter with half of the feta and basil. layer half of the zucchini on the top, followed by another 1/4 of the tomato/chard and remaining basil, eggplant and zucchini. top with the remaining tomato and feta. sprinkle the breadcrumbs over the casserole and bake for 20 minutes. 

a little tip: i would cube the eggplants instead of slice. i love me some eggplant, but the pieces were way too big! 

beet burgers with goat cheese

BOMB! I highly recommend trying this recipe out. i got this recipe from stokedonyum.blogspot.com and it’s a great one. it makes a ton of burgers and and it doesn’t take too long. I hit up the ferry building farmers market this morning and bought all of the fresh ingredients. 

3 large beets, roasted, peeled, cut in half

1 red onion

3 large regular carrots

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed (trader joe’s brand)

2 tbs olive oil

2 tbs flax seeds (I used blueberry flax seeds from TJ’s but regular is okay too)

1/3 c. oatmeal

2 hot peppers

add ons: sliced tomatoes, spinach, goat cheese

directions

roast the beets in the oven for about 25 minutes. when they are finished, peel them and cut them in quarters. shred the beets, carrots, onion and peppers in the food processor. transfer to a large mixing bowl. add the black beans and olive oil and process until it turns into a paste. add the beans to the shredded vegetables. 

next, chop the oatmeal and flax seeds in the processor until crumbly. add to the big mixing bowl and make 6 patties 4-5 inches in diameter. cook 3-4 minutes on each side, flipping once. 

a little tip: looking back, I would add more oatmeal and flax seeds to the equation so the burgers stay together better. i would also add a little bit more spice, but they had a nice kick!