A Pinch and a Dollop

A Journey To Health, One Bite at a Time
A Pinch and a Dollop
  • About
  • Breads & Pastries
  • Veggie Sides & Salads
  • Category: Side Dishes

    • Dressed Up Caprese Salad

      Posted at 9:13 pm by pinchdollop, on June 2, 2020

      Whomever stuck a hunk of cheese with some tomatoes Basel and called it a salad, I love you! Seriously, I was vegan for several years in the past, and cheese was really the only thing I ever missed or was shocked I was able to go without. It really is from the gods!

      This Caprese Salad is super easy and delicious. For those of you that have never tried it, you really must. It’s idiot proof, so refreshing, makes an amazing lunch or dinner starter (and sometimes I eat this for breakfast)!

      You can make it super fancy and elegant, or serve it really simply. Whatever goes. You just really want to use the best cheese you can afford, because it does make a difference. The fresh ball of mozzarella is exponentially better than the fake stuff from the grocery store, and they sell both. But, splurging the extra dollar or two, if you can afford it, is so worth it. And, if you have never had burrata, you DEFINITELY need to try this. Trust me, if you are throwing a party, buy the Burrata. You will thank me!

      When making something really simple, you want the best ingredients you can find. Because you will taste it! A mealy tomato will definitely taste like a mealy tomato in this, so you want to make sure you get a really delicious, ripe juicy one. I personally love the dark green/red heirlooms when they are in season (sometimes I will eat one by itself with some salt or avocado as a meal). Save the mealy ones if you have them for a sauce or stew.

      And, lastly, truffle salt and balsamic reduction. Truffles had a moment for awhile, and lots of people love or hate them. I personally love them, and use the salt when I can, instead of the oil. Most chefs laugh at truffle oil, but I think it can be great on pizzas and other dishes, depending on what that they are.

      Balsamic reduction: you can make this by slowly simmering balsamic by itself on the stove until it thickens (you can add a little sugar if desired to lessen the acidity), but I personally love buying a really delicious reduction that is already made to save time. Trader Joe’s has a great one that is not too expensive and I use it on savory and sweet dishes. It goes great on roasted or sautéed onions, with fruit, on ice cream; lots of ways to use this deliciousness.

      Ingredients:

      • 1 large ripe tomato
      • 1 ball mozzarella or burrata
      • ~6 leaves basil
      • high quality olive oil
      • balsamic reduction
      • truffle salt, to taste

      Directions:

      1. Slice the Tomato into thick slices. About 1/2″-3/4″ is generally a good size.
      2. Slice mozzarella ball into matching slices. You roughly want each tomato slice to have an equal slice of cheese and basil. If you are using the ball of burrata, don’t slice it before hand; Place in the center of the plate, dress as you would the full salad, and let your guests cut into it for the drama of the oozing creme fraiche inside.
      3. Place your tomato and cheese on a plate, alternating cheese and tomato. Top with basil.
      4. Drizzle good quality olive oil, balsamic reduction, and truffle salt to taste along all components on the plate. If serving burrata, drizzle on the top of that too, and you will get all of the flavors mingling when cut.
      5. Serve and enjoy!

      To add this recipe to you Yummly Recipe Box, Click the Yum Below:

      Yum

      Posted in Salads, Side Dishes | 0 Comments
    • Stuffed Poblanos

      Posted at 4:43 pm by pinchdollop, on November 15, 2013

      Stuffed Poblanos

      I saw these Poblano peppers in the market today, and my mind started imagining all the different ways I could stuff them. I threw some things together, and came up with a sure hit for a holiday side dish, or even a main course with a beautiful raw salad. The filling is amazing, and could be used to stuff an acorn or butternut squash, or just to eat on its own.

      10 poblano peppers (get a few extra, as some may crack when roasting)

      1 c cooked quinoa

      1 small onion, finely chopped

      2 green onion, finely chopped

      1 small shallot, finely chopped

      2-3 garlic cloves, minced

      ~ 5-7 oz spinach, more if desired, as it melts to nothing

      1 large portabello mushroom, chopped into small pieces

      8 oz extra firm tofu

      1 fuyu persimmon

      1/8 c raisins

      1/4 c raw sunflower seeds

      1/4c nutritional yeast

      1/8 c unsweetened dried coconut flakes (optional)

      1 ripe sweet plantain

      low sodium vegetable broth, approximately 1 c, but maybe more or less

      Wash poblanos and place on baking sheet with parchment or silpat, and bake in preheated 400 degree oven. Roast in oven until peppers are slightly charred and soft. Skin will begin to pull away from flesh, but don’t remove the skin, as the pepper will break and you will not be able to stuff.

      With the skin on, place plantain in microwave, cook on high 1 minute. Turn upside down and cook on high additional minute. Skin will split while cooking, so don’t be alarmed if it comes off slightly. In a bowl, mash plantain without skin using a fork, and set aside.

      In a large fry pan over medium heat, line the pan with enough broth to cover, and bring to a boil. Add onion, green onions, shallot, and garlic. Saute until onions begin to soften, and add chopped mushroom and spinach. If pan is dry at any point, add more broth as needed to keep enough moisture in the vegetables. Cover with lid, leaving small opening, and let the spinach wilt and mushroom break down. Dice persimmon, and add to saute pan. Crubmle tofo into mixture using your hands to break it into a consistency of hamburger meat. Add raisins, nuts, nutritional yeast, and coconut, stir to toss all together. Add mashed plantain and incoprorate throughout, and then take off heat, and add cooked quinoa. You can mix with your hands or a large wooden spoon, and set aside.

      While peppers are still hot, place under running cold water to cool off so you can work with it, but still keeping peppers warm. With a sharp paring knife, poke into and cut around stem and remove it with the seeds. Fill pepper with water, and make sure most or all of the seeds are removed. With a spoon or your hands, fill peppers with as much mixture as they will hold, periodically pushing down to really stuff pepper.

      Posted in Cooked Fruit Recipes, Cooked Veggie Recipes, Main courses, Nuts and Seeds, Side Dishes | 0 Comments | Tagged nutritional yeast, persimmon, poblanos, quinoa, stuffed, tofu
    • Cheesy Kale Salad

      Posted at 9:31 pm by pinchdollop, on November 14, 2013

      Cheesy Kale Salad

      So, I have to admit, I fell off the wagon for a minute there. While I stayed on the veg bandwagon, I started eating more carbs and sweets again, and veered away from the no sugar, no oils path I started out on. And, while I didn’t gain any weight, I didn’t lose any either. So, with renewed vigor, I decided to try again, and here’s what I made for breakfast this morning! I know, kale salad for breakfast? Honestly, it was so tasty, and hit all my perfect spots: cheesy, sweet, and crunchy. It’s a great way to get your maximum veg in, and you can experiment with different ones! I used the topping I normally use for my kale chips because it’s so tasty when liquid, and I wanted to enjoy the flavors without them having hardened into the chip.

      Salad

      5 or 6 curly kale leaves, ripped into small pieces, stems discarded (you can save these for juice too)

      1/2 stalk broccoli, no florets

      1 radish

      1 persimmon, chopped

      1 Tbs raisins

      Handful grapes, sliced in half

      1/4 c Spicy Kale Chip Dressing (see recipe below)

      Spicy Kale Chip Dressing

      1 c raw cashews, soaked or not

      1 bell pepper, cut into large chunks

      1- 2 Tbs Miso Paste

      1/2 c Nutritional Yeast

      1-2 Tbs Siracha

      1-2 Tbs groun flax seed (I grind my own)

      Juice of Half Lemon

      Vegetable Broth, 1-2 Tbs at a time until right texture is achieved

      Make dressing: Place all ingredients into high speed blender and run on high until all incorporated. You may have to scrape down a few times to blend it all evenly. The mixture should be somewhat thick and not too runny. If you add too much broth, you can always add in more cashews and a little miso to balance.

      For salad: place kale into a bowl, and add dressing. With your hands, as if you were making Kale Chips, gently massage the dressing into the leaves. This loosens up the toughness of the kale fibers, but also helps to evenly coat the leaves. Once all leaves are coated, add chopped fruit and using a mandolin, slice radish and broccoli over bowl. Mix all ingredients one last time, and eat!

      Posted in Main courses, Raw Fruit Recipes, Raw Veggie Recipes, Salads, Side Dishes | 0 Comments | Tagged Cashew, cheesy, kale, nutritional yeast, salad
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