Strawberry Avocado Rice Cake Snack

I can take or leave the strawberries available at the grocery store year-round. Sure, they’re fine– but that’s about it. Local, in season strawberries, however, are a completely different story. Juicy and flavorful, not overly refrigerated, and adorable to boot, these are the berries that fruit dreams are made of. Here I’ve combined them with their friends balsamic and avocado for a sweet and savory snack that’s light but substantial and just right for these warm early summer days.

1 rice cake (Lundberg is the best; not sponsored)
¼ peeled ripe avocado
sea salt and black pepper
a few strawberries, hulled and sliced
drizzle of balsamic vinegar (the thicker the better)
spoonful of hemp seeds
little fresh basil, torn at last minute, optional

Use a knife to spread ripe avocado on rice cake. Season with salt and pepper. Top with strawberry slices, balsamic, hemp seeds, and basil (if using). Eat!

Yield: 1 serving

Warm Weather Lentil Quinoa Bowl

Like most people, I like my lunches to be as effortless as possible. This usually means left-overs from last night’s dinner, some sort of sandwich or rice cake creation, or– especially as the weather gets warmer– grabbing whatever items I have in the fridge and throwing them into a bowl. One of my favorite bases for the “grain” element of the bowl lunch is quinoa, which tastes great at any temperature and is easy to cook a big batch of to have throughout the week. The same goes for lentils, or feel free to substitute canned (BPA-free and rinsed, please). Of course with any bowl dish it’s the toppings that make it shine. Here I used sliced almonds, radish microgreens, olives, and avocado, and seasoned with olive oil, lemon, and a little harissa. It’s hippie food in the best sense possible. Delicious, delicious hippie food.

¾ cup cooked and cooled quinoa
½ cup cooked and cooled lentils
olive oil
squeeze or two of lemon
sea salt
a little hot sauce (I like something thick here, like harissa or sriracha)
diced avocado
chopped olives
handful of microgreens, pea shoots, sprouts, etc.
handful of sliced almonds

Combine quinoa and lentils in a bowl and toss with a little olive oil, squeeze of lemon, and sea salt. Top with everything else, then, if desired, finish with another small drizzle of oil and squeeze of lemon.

Yield: 1 serving

Spring Avocado Cracker Snacks

Radish and butter make for a classic combination, but radish plus extra-virgin coconut oil and avocado equals total buttery, plant-based, creamy, crunchy bliss. Feel free to use any cracker you like here, though I prefer something savory and hearty like these seedy gluten-free ones from Mary’s Gone Crackers. These would also make great party hors d’oeuvres (as long as you use crackers substantial enough to handle sitting around). After all, spring produce is something to celebrate.

Crackers
Extra-virgin coconut oil (solid)
Ripe avocado
Radishes, sliced into thin rounds
Pea shoots (or microgreens, fresh herbs, etc.), cut to fit
Sea salt

On each cracker, spread a bit of coconut oil and then ripe avocado. Season with salt, add a radish slice, and top with pea shoot.

Pasta with Peas, Arugula, & Sun-dried Tomatoes

Lightly adapted from Mario Batali’s Farfalle with Sun-dried Tomatoes and Arugula

This is one of those dishes that is so simple and easy to throw together yet somehow feels sophisticated. Simultaneously fresh and comforting, it’s a bit like a lighter, updated version of that 90’s Italian American restaurant staple, the pasta primavera. Pasta, peas, and wilted arugula are coated in a silky, garlicky, almost creamy sauce, though there’s no actual cream or cheese here (or cashews or nut milk for that matter; this is a vegan blog after all). Instead olive oil, sun-dried tomatoes, vegetable broth, and nutritional yeast combine to make a sort of a magic– a small glittering sea of umami richness.
*I prefer the more flavorful oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes here, but you can certainly substitute the dry kind. Just be sure to rehydrate first by covering in hot water and soaking for about ten minutes, then draining.

12 oz pasta
1 cup frozen peas, preferably petite
EV olive oil
5-6 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
pinch of red pepper flakes
¼ cup sun-dried tomatoes, preferably the oil-packed kind, cut into slivers
1 cup vegetable broth, divided
2 tbsp nutritional yeast
4 cups arugula
sea salt and black pepper

Cook pasta in salted water according to package directions; set a timer for cooking time. When there is one minute left on the timer, add the peas. Cook pasta and peas together for remaining minute and then drain.
Meanwhile, drizzle some olive oil into a large pan and cook garlic and red pepper flakes over medium low heat for a few minutes, watching closely and agitating frequently, until fragrant.
Stir in sun-dried tomatoes, a ¼ cup of the vegetable broth, and nutritional yeast. Cook for about 3 minutes, stirring now and then, til thickened.
Stir in the arugula and the rest of the broth. Cook for another couple minutes, letting arugula wilt. Combine with pasta and serve.

Yield: About 4 servings

Soba Noodles with Ginger Tahini Sauce, Black-Eyed Peas, & Sauerkraut

When the cat’s away… the mouse will eat weird healthy shit like soba noodles with sauerkraut. This recipe came about one night recently when Phil was already heading out to practice by the time I was leaving work. I was hungry and tired and as I rode the train I tried to think of what easy thing I might have for my dinner. I knew I had soba noodles and pasta at home, so when I got off at my stop I ran into the local, 24 hours produce market in hopes of getting some fresh herbs, too. But after inspecting the different leaves of varying shades of pale green with brown edges, I decided to save my money. Home I went, where I threw together this dinner (and the next few days’ lunches) with what I already had in my own kitchen. Then I painted my nails and watched Girls. I’m joking. That was the next day.

1 cup cooked black-eyed peas/1 14oz can, drained and rinsed
1 (8.8. oz) packaged soba noodles (I like this kind)
¼ cup tahini
1 tbsp tamari
1 tbsp rice wine vinegar, plus a tiny bit more
1 tsp toasted sesame oil
3 tbsp warm water
chunk of ginger, about 1-1½”, peeled and minced
heaped ½ cup sauerkraut, drained
hemp seeds
salt and pepper
sriracha for serving, optional

Toss black-eyed peas with a splash of rice wine vinegar and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
Cook noodles in lightly salted water according to package directions. Drain and rinse with cold water.
While noodles are cooking, make the sauce. In a small bowl whisk together the tahini, tamari, rice wine vinegar, toasted sesame oil, warm water, and ginger.
Toss noodles with tahini sauce, black-eyed peas, and sauerkraut. Taste for seasonings, and serve topped with hemp seeds with sriracha on the side if desired.

Yield: About 4 servings