Posted on March 22, 2016 by seeksatiation

Easter is getting closer, I’m prepping my menu more by more, and I’m realizing that I may have a vegan or two to feed that afternoon. I had already planned on making a slew of roasted vegetables for the meal, but I’m trying to figure out a way to make one of the vegetables a main dish, rather than just a side.

Hmmmm…

There is something very fun about slathering oil and spices onto an entire head of cauliflower and rubbing it all in. That being said, I’m a very sensory-oriented person.

A constantly wonderful blank palate, various combinations of spices would work for this dish. However, I started simple with a garlic and curry base.

In addition to carving up a ham or a lamb this Easter, a head of roasted cauliflower makes an excellent accompaniment.

Curried Whole Roasted Cauliflower
(Serves 3 as a main dish, 6 as a side dish)

Ingredients:

– 1 head of cauliflower
– 2 – 3 tablespoons olive oil
– 1/2 tablespoon garlic powder
– 1/2 teaspoon yellow curry powder
– 1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions:

1.) Preheat oven to 375°F.

2.) Remove the leaves and stem of the cauliflower, taking care to keep the head in tact. Discard leaves and stem.

3.) Drizzle oil over cauliflower and rub in until coated.

4.) Combine spices in a small bowl; apply spice to cauliflower and rub in until coated.

5.) Place cauliflower in greased baking dish and cover with aluminum foil. Place in oven and cook for 30 minutes; remove foil and cook for an additional 60 – 75 minutes, depending on how roasted you prefer the outside of the cauliflower to be.

6.) Remove from oven and test doneness; if a knife slices through the cauliflower with no resistance, it is finished. Serve as is or with additional toppings.

5 Comments

Posted on March 19, 2016 by seeksatiation

Here I am, back on my avocado grind…

I spent the earlier part of this afternoon curled on my couch, a Word document splashed across my computer screen boasting my Easter menu for next Sunday. In addition, I’ve been toying around with some dessert ideas as well as some vegan side dishes. I was about five minutes away from taking an entire head of cauliflower, rubbing it with coconut oil and green curry, and roasting it for an hour in my oven. Then I realized, “…wow. It’s 1:30 and I haven’t had anything to eat today.”

Avocado, per usual, to the rescue.

I’ve wanted to try an avocado cream sauce for pasta for ages. I’ve come home, many nights, and would get amped to finally make a batch. Then I’ve thought, “I’ll have to pull out the blender, then I’ll have to use the blender, then I’ll have to clean the blender…” I have too many eight hour work days and long commutes with the MTA. It’s enough to make a woman not want to pull out the heavier cooking artillery on an average week night.

But, on a lazy and roommate-less Saturday afternoon in which I was planning on cooking en masse anyways…

Side note: I never made that cauliflower. That may transition to a Sunday recipe development project, as I ended up getting all – to – cozy watching episodes of “Family Guy” circa 2000 on Hulu on that same couch I started off on earlier.

Being an adult is cool.

Creamy Avocado Pasta
(Serves 2)

Ingredients:

– 1 ripe avocado
– 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt or skyr (I used Siggi’s 4% Whole-Milk Yogurt ; OMIT for vegan version of recipe)
– 1/4 cup room temperature water
– Juice of 1/2 lime or small lemon
– 2 tablespoons olive oil
– 1 clove garlic, peeled and left whole
– Small handful of cilantro, washed (eyeball it; should fit in palm of hand)
– Salt to taste
– 1 cup pasta, uncooked, small shapes or short-cut. (I used Ditalini.)

Directions:

1.) In a blender, add avocado, yogurt (omit if creating vegan version), juice, olive oil, garlic, and cilantro. Blend until smooth; if mixture is too thick, slowly add water and blend until desired consistency is reached. Add salt to taste.

2.) Cook pasta until al dente. Mix sauce with pasta until fully coated. Serve with additional cilantro.

22 Comments

Posted on March 5, 2016 by seeksatiation

I love some good alliteration, don’t you?

Shakshuka is something that I’ve grown a love for, especially as my hatred of runny yolks has cooled significantly over the past few years. About two years ago, for a quick post-work dinner, I impulsively decided to spoon some marinara sauce over some sliced hard boiled eggs, and I found it to be a odd yet satisfying choice. My former roommate Emily (whom I miss every single damn day) had an enthusiasm for Shakshuka, telling me about her love for it and how she’s had it in Israel many a time.

Oh hey there, typical tiny Manhattan Kitchen…

I now regret not attempting to make a full-size of this recipe when you were around, Em! What a fool I was!

I promise, if and when I get myself down to Raleigh-Durham to visit you, I’ll make you a skillet. You don’t have to share it with anyone!

In the meantime, I’ll just craft a recipe for all of us single eaters.

Shakshuka [Single Serving] (As Featured on Buzzfeed’s Tasty)

(Serves One…if you were unable to deduce that)

Ingredients:

– 1 to 2 eggs
– 1 cup crushed tomatoes or 1 cup marinara sauce
– 1 tablespoon tomato paste
– 1/4 small yellow or white onion, diced
– 1/2 bell pepper, diced (pick your favorite color!)
– 1 clove garlic, minced
– 1/4 teaspoon cumin
– 1 tablespoon olive oil
– Cilantro, for garnish (optional)
– Feta, for garnish (optional)
– Salt and pepper, to taste

Before We Get Started…

– It is entirely possible that you don’t have tomato paste. Goodness knows that I normally don’t have any on reserve. You can skip adding it, but I think it adds an extra depth of flavor. If you would like to create your own, there are many articles available via search engines regarding substitutions and creating your own tomato paste. However, for this individual-sized serving, I’d suggest going out and getting that small can of tomato paste. I got mine for 79 cents. Haaa.

– This recipe is best baked in an 8″ – 9″ oven-safe skillet or a ramekin with a 2 cup capacity.

Directions:

1.) Preheat oven to 375°F.

2.) Pour oil into a large skillet and warm over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, and pepper and sauté until onions are translucent, approximately 4 – 5 minutes; if garlic starts to brown too fast, lower heat. Add tomatoes (or sauce), tomato paste, and cumin. Stir to combine. Simmer for 4 – 5 minutes. Transfer tomato mixture to ramekin or oven-safe skillet. (See Before We Get Started…; though it is an extra skillet to wash, it’s much easier to cook the tomato mixture in a larger skillet than a smaller oven-safe skillet.)

3.) With the back of a spoon, make an indentation in the tomato mixture. Crack egg(s) into indentation, being sure not to break the yolk(s).

4.) Place skillet or ramekin in oven and cook for 18 – 20 minutes or until whites are set and yolks are thick but runny. If preferred, at the ten minute mark, baste egg whites lightly with the tomato mixture, taking care not to disturb the yolk; return to oven to cook for the remaining time.

5.) Remove from oven. Top with cilantro and feta, if desired. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately, preferably with thick toasted bread.

6 Comments

Posted on February 18, 2016 by seeksatiation

When a person is used to doing things in a certain way, it can be exceedingly hard to look at them in a different light. It may not be due to stubbornness, but more due to being stuck in a routine, to being conditioned.

Growing up, my oats were always served sweet. Maple syrup, sugar, fruits, you name it. The closest it got to savory was adding in a small pat of salted butter to melt across the top. Oats are blank palate for flavors, but why do we always go the sweet route? Why not make them savory? It wasn’t until a few weeks ago when I made this earth-shattering realization! (I’d NEVER use hyperbole to prove a point.) Over the past few months, I’ve been experimenting with using quinoa in sweeter meals, such as toasting them and adding fruits to them, rather than drizzling them with olive oil and herbs. Then, one day, I thought, “Why don’t I cook my oats in chicken stock?”

BOOM.

Admittedly, after years of being conditioned to equate oatmeal with sweet, my first few bites of this recipe took me to an odd place, mentally. I was chewing oats, but tasting garlic and turmeric. I bit into a piece of sauteed spinach and thought, “This doesn’t taste like a blueberry.”

This is innovation at its lowest level, but, it’s something.

I’d like to think I’m on my way to being the next Marcus Samuelsson…

By the way, I also found out that some people abbreviate savory oats as “Svoats”.

Oh…shut up. Stop it. Just call them savory oats. Ha!

Savory Oatmeal with Spinach & Fried Garlic
(Serves 2)

Ingredients:

– 2 cups old-fashioned oats
– 3/4 cup stock (vegetable or meat)
– 1/4 cup water
– 1 teaspoon garlic powder
– 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
– 1 tablespoon olive oil
– 3 cloves garlic, sliced
– 4 cups baby spinach, roughly chopped and divided into 3 cup and 1 cup portions

Before We Get Started…

– This dish makes a great base for some many things. Feel free to add extra vegetables, and a fried egg on top adds that essential extra protein.

Directions:

1.) In a small frying pan, heat olive oil over medium-low heat. Add garlic, being sure to separate the slices so they cook without sticking to each other. Cook until a light golden color; remove from oil and drain on paper towel. Set aside.

2.) In large saucepan, combine stock and water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Add oats, garlic powder, and turmeric. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 10 – 15 minutes, uncovered, or until liquid has almost completely absorbed. Add 3 cups of spinach and mix with oats until wilted. Stir in half of the fried garlic. Remove from heat.

3.) Ladle oats into bowls; in saucepan, add remaining spinach plus one tablespoon of water and cook over low heat until wilted. Top oats with extra wilted spinach and remaining fried garlic.

Seek Satiation

Carefully Curating Culinary Love

Curried Whole Roasted Cauliflower

Creamy Avocado Pasta

Shakshuka [Single Serving]

Shakshuka [Single Serving] (As Featured on Buzzfeed’s Tasty)

Savory Oatmeal with Spinach & Fried Garlic

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