Grilled Cauliflower Steak with Chimmichuri

If you think this is one of those new health trends that's only for super healthy people, you are wrong. It's good. No it isn't steak. But it's good. and in this case the perfect use of my leftover chimichurri sauce, find that recipe here, and use it for everything (Including this Steak Salad). This makes a really good meaty main dish. You could probably sear the cauliflower steaks in a ban if you don't want to fire up the grill. Below this makes 2 servings depending on how big the cauliflower is. 

Grilled Cauliflower Steak with Chimmichuri

• 1 large head cauliflower 
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• salt and pepper to season

Chimichurri Sauce 

• 1 cup water
• 1 tablespoon coarse salt
• 1 head garlic, cloves peeled, and minced very fine
• 1 bunch flat-leaf parsley leaves only (my grocery store has been out of flat-leaf before and I used regular and it was just as good, just make sure you don't get much stem in there)
• 1 cup fresh oregano leaves
• 2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/4 cup of red wine vinegar
• 1/2 cup of Olive Oil

1. Cut 2-4 slices from center of cauliflower - about an inch to an inch and half thick. You can save the other ends of the cauliflower. 
2. Brush with olive oil each side of cauliflower steaks. Season with salt and pepper.
3. You can either bake or grill at this point. To grill - heat grill to medium high, and throw on there. Grill for about 10 minutes a side, until the cauliflower is charred and tender. 
4. To bake - start on the stove.  In a large oven-safe skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil on medium-high. Add cauliflower steaks and cook for 3 minutes on each side. Carefully turn slices over. Place skillet in the oven and roast for 10-15 minutes or until stem is tender.
5. To make Chimichurri sauce:
1. Make a salmuera by bringing the water to a boil, then stirring in the salt until dissolved. Remove from heat and let cool.
2. Mince your parsley leaves, and oregano leaves and combine them with the garlic and red pepper flakes in a bowl.
3. Whisk in the vinegar, then the oil. Then whisk in your salt water salmuera. Stir it up real good and put in a jar or container with a tight lid.
6. Use about 2 tablespoons of sauce on each cauliflower steak and serve. 

*Makes 2 servings

*2 on Bryce's dish scale! 

Kale and Roasted Veggie Salad with Carrot Top Pesto Dressing

I am not a potatoes in my salad kind of girl. But I do love using what's fresh at the farmer's market. So when this Kale Salad recipe popped up in my Pinterest feed using all the ingredients that we just got in our Farmer's market basket - I thought i would give her a whirl. OMG it was surprisingly delicious. I altered a little per usual and based on what looked good at the market.  I have since made several other variations too. This is a great base for a salad idea. And do not skip the carrot top pesto - It gives it a fresh taste that you can't get from a regular pesto. 

Kale and Roasted Veggie Salad with Carrot Top Pesto Dressing

• One bunch Dino Kale -  Sliced Thin
• 4 tablespoons raw Sunflower Seeds
• 1 Avocado thinly sliced
• 1 Lb baby red potatoes or fingerling potatoes cut into THIN rounds (the thin makes them roast up nice and crispy)
• 3-4 Large Carrots cut into rounds (use a fancy variety if you can find them)
• 1 15 oz Can Chickpeas drained and rinsed
• 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 tablespoon dried parsley
• 1/2 tablespoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon granulated Garlic 
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves

Pesto:

• Tops of 1 Bunch Carrots
• 1/4 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1/4 Tsp Salt
• 1/4 Tsp Pepper
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest 
• Juice from 1 Lemon

1. Preheat oven to 425. 
2. In a big bowl toss the cut carrots and potatoes with chickpeas, olive oil, salt pepper parsley basil, granulated garlic and thyme. (save this bowl) 
3. Spread out evenly on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake until they are brown and crispy. About 40 minutes.
4. Make the pesto by combining the ingredients in a food processor until smooth. You may have to add a little more lemon juice based on how many good carrot tops you have. 
5. In the same bowl you tossed the veggies in, toss in the thinly sliced kale. Use about half the pesto and toss the kale with it. 
6. Serve the salad by topping kale with roasted veggies, avocado, sunflower seeds and a little more pesto on top of all that. 

Spring Vegetable Bowl

This is adapted from an idea I saw in a Cooking Light magazine, and based on what was in season at my farmer's market this spring. Basically, grab some fresh veggies from the market, cook some farro, and top with fresh goat cheese. And it's springtime in a bowl.

Spring Vegetable Bowl

• 3 cups Arugula
• 3 beets, peeled and thinly sliced
• 1 1/2 cups small cauliflower florets
• 1 cup snap peas or snow peas thinly sliced on the bias
• 3 carrots, cut in half length wise, then thinly sliced AND SAVE THE CARROT TOPS 
• 3 stalks celery thinly sliced on the bias
• 1/4 cup sherry vinegar (divided)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil, plus one teaspoon 
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 oz goat cheese crumbled 
• 1 and half cups Farro

1. Cook Farro by combining 1 and half cups with three cups water and bringing to a boil then simmering for about 20 minutes. You may have to drain it, it doesn't absorb all the water. 
2. After cooking the Farro  toss it with 2 tablespoon sherry vinegar and one teaspoon olive oil, plus a little salt and pepper while it's still hot. 
3. While the farro is cooking heat the tablespoon of oil in a skillet. 
4. Toss in your cauliflower, carrots, celery and beets. Season with salt and pepper. 
5. Saute for about 10 minutes until veggies are warm but still crisp. Deglaze pan with the rest of the sherry vinegar and stir for about 3 minutes. 
6. To build a bowl, put arugula down in a bowl, then top with grains, some veggie mixture, a sprinkle of goat cheese and then top with the sliced snow peas and minced carrot tops. 

Shrimp Piccata over Zoodles

This is so easy, light and flavorful. I love piccata sauces because they combine my favorite tangy flavors like lemons and capers. But they aren't always healthy so I loved finding a way to healthy it up. The key in any zucchini noodle dish is not to skip the part where you try and get the liquid out of the zoodles, otherwise it gets soggy. I've seen several recipes for this online and combined quite a few, but H/T to Eating Well for always giving me the best jumping off point. 

Shrimp Piccata over Zoodles 

• 6 medium zucchini
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 pound raw shrimp peeled and deveined
• 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• ⅓ cup white wine
• 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
• ¼ cup lemon juice
• zest of one lemon
• 3 tablespoons capers, rinsed
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 1/4 cup shaved Parmesan 

1. Use a spiralizer to turn your zucchini into zoodles, I use the thickest setting. Don't pulverize the middle with the seeds, toss it when you get to those parts. THIS IS IMPORTANT: Place the zucchini "noodles" in a colander and toss with salt. Let drain for 15 to 30 minutes, then gently squeeze to remove any excess water.
2. In a large skillet, heat butter and 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Add shrimp and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.
3. Whisk broth and cornstarch in a small bowl. Add to the shrimp along with wine, vinegar, lemon juice and capers, season with salt and pepper. Simmer, until the shrimp is just cooked through, and the sauce reduces slightly. 
4. Remove from heat and set aside. 
5. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the zucchini noodles and gently toss until hot, about 3 minutes. Serve the shrimp and sauce over the zucchini noodles, sprinkled with parsley and Parmesan. 

**Makes 4 servings

**3 on Bryce's dish scale because I am usually thawing 

Spicy Sweet Cauliflower Tacos

Have you heard I'm obsessed with Cauliflower? I swear sometimes it tastes like meat. I love it because it takes on the flavor of whatever you cook it in, and it's so healthy. This recipe gets it crispy and delicious. Inspiration came from a number of recipes I found online but huge shout out to Eating Well for the Chipolte Lime sauce.  This was a combo of things we found fresh at our farmers market this season, but things you should be able to find year round. 

Spicy Sweet Cauliflower Tacos

• ¼ cup lime juice (from about 2 limes)
• 2 tablespoons chopped chipotles in adobo sauce
• 1/2 tablespoon honey
• 3 cloves garlic
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 large head cauliflower, cut into small bite sized floret
• 1 small red onion, halved and thinly sliced
• 1 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 8 corn tortillas
• ½ cup crumbled queso fresco
• 1 cup Sliced red cabbage
• 1 avocado, diced
• 1/2 cup micro greens
• 4-5 radishes thinly sliced (cut in half if large)
• 1/2 cup green salsa/hot sauce of some sort (I love herdez Salsa Verde, and recently found a hatch green chile salsa in a jar I loved) 

1. Preheat oven to 450°F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with foil.
2. Combine lime juice, chipotles, honey, garlic and salt in a blender. Process until mixed together well. 
3. Place cauliflower in a large bowl (microwave safe, this comes in handy later), add the sauce and stir to cover and coat. 
4. Transfer to the baking sheet. Sprinkle onion on top.
5. Roast, stirring occasionally, until the cauliflower is browned in spots, but tender, and the onion is cooked down. This takes about 20 minutes.
6. In the same bowl you tossed the cauliflower in, add your beans and toss around to soak up any of the sauce left. Heat in the microwave for about a minute, then mash beans with a fork so they smooth out. 
7. Heat tortillas either on a grill, directly on the gas stove top or in a pan. Do not take the microwave route or the taco shells won't hold up! 
8. To make a taco: Add mashed beans, then cauliflower and onions, top with cheese, cabbage, avocado, micro greens, radishes and salsa or hot sauce. 

**Makes 4 servings
**2 on Bryce's Dish scale since I reuse the bowl!

All the Green Salad: Green Lentils with Roasted Green Beans and Broccoli and Green Goddess Dressing

I have always loved the idea of Green Goddess dressings, but can't do a lot of dairy, so I found a way to make my own! I coupled that with this idea from Eating Well chock-full of green veggies and it makes the most hearty salad! It truly fills you up and is so yummy. And it's a salad you can save for leftovers by keeping the roasted veggies, dressing and lettuce separate. 

Green Lentils with Roasted Green Beans and Broccoli and Green Goddess Dressing

• 4 cups  broccoli florets cut into small pieces 
• 2 cups trimmed and halved green beans 
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• salt and pepper
• 1 teaspoon lemon pepper seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 2½ cups water
• ¾ cup French green lentils, rinsed
• 8 cups  green leaf lettuce
• 2 cups thinly sliced dino kale

Dressing 

• ½ cup fresh tarragon leaves
• 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves
• 1 tablespoon olive oil 
• 1 cup nonfat Greek Yogurt
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon white miso
• 2 cloves garlic

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees. 
2. Toss broccoli and green beans with oil, lemon pepper, red pepper flakes, and salt and pepper on a large rimmed baking sheet. Roast, stirring once, until tender, about 20 minutes. 
3. While that cooks, bring water and lentils to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover and cook until tender, about 25 minutes. Rinse with cold water to cool off and drain well. 
4. Combine dressing ingredients in a food processor. 
5. Layer lettuce and kale, then top with the roasted vegetables. Serve with the dressing.

Super Easy Black Bean Shrimp Salad

 It doesn't get easier than this. You can make this the night before and it's a great lunch salad. After seeing this recipe pop up on a million "Easy Lunch" lists from Eating Well, I knew I had to add to my rotation. I tweaked a few things and make it more "salad" like for my taste. But kudos to Eating Well for a great concept. Buying precooked shrimp makes this a breeze. This could make a good taco filling with corn tortillas too. 

Super Easy Black Bean Shrimp Salad

• 1 lb cooked peeled and de-veined shrimp, cut into bite sized pieces (I buy frozen and thaw quickly under cold water, it only takes a few minutes) 
• 1 bunch cilantro, roughly chopped
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes, quartered
• 1 poblano pepper, chopped
• 1 15 oz. can of black beans, rinsed
• 1 bunch green onions minced
• 4 cups mixed baby greens
• 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
• 2 garlic cloves minced
• salt and pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil 
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 tablespoon minced chipolte pepper in adobo sauce
• 1 avocado, diced

1. Whisk vinegar, oil, garlic, chipotle, cumin, chili powder and salt and pepper in a large bowl.
2.  Add shrimp, beans, tomatoes, poblano, green onions and cilantro; toss to coat. 
3. Serve over mixed baby salad greens, top with avocado.