Yield: 2-3 servings
What a satisfying supper this pretty dish turned out to be. The original recipe called for broccoli rabe and no pasta. Since rabe isn’t always available where I shop, I substituted broccoli florets and, always looking for ways to boost protein in my meals, I added a tiny bit of whole wheat pasta, since it can be a little heavy. Though I love whole wheat pasta for nutritional, taste and texture reasons, a pasta that is whiter in color–like regular bow ties–would create a prettier visual contrast, as the white beans and whole wheat pasta are almost identical in color.
For this recipe and some 170+ more,
I invite you to purchase my first cookbook:
The Blooming Platter:
A Harvest of Seasonal Vegan Recipes
Vegan Heritage Press
Spring 2011
Trish’s Vegan Spiced Chick Pea, Greens and Red Pepper Tapas
My good friend and fellow art teacher-foodie, Trish, is inspired in the kitchen. Trish is the kind of cook who rarely measures or writes recipes down, yet she can repeat a dish and it will be as good or better as the first time.
At the end of the summer, Joe and I enjoyed appetizers and a glass of wine at her and husband, Ken’s, house before walking to dinner at a restaurant nearby. While the dinner was delish, Trish’s appetizer was even better. She adapted a chickpea tapas dish from Padma Lakshmi’s cookbook to wonderful effect; it was one of the best simple appetizers I’ve ever eaten.
I adapted Trish’s recipe, not because it wasn’t perfect as it was, but because I spied bags of chopped kale at the grocery store. The end result is different than when using the wilted, rung out and chopped spinach as she did, but I loved it. I also didn’t have any scallions, so I substituted the red onion. Its flavor is more pronounced, so I just let the flavors marry longer before serving.
Balancing flavors is all about the assertiveness of particular ingredients, which can differ from one time to the next. So, Trish’s pinch of cinnamon became a whole teaspoon in my version. I also halved the amount of lemon juice and zest and still added a tablespoon of maple syrup, probably because the kale is slightly more pungent than spinach.
The bottom line is to feel free to play with proportions.
10 ounces chopped fresh kale or spinach leaves (you may use half arugula)
1-14 ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
1/4 cup of olive oil
1 tablespoon maple syrup
approximately 1 tablespoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 teaspoon cinnamon
pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
Coarse sea or kosher salt to taste
Freshly ground pepper to taste
1/2-1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and diced
one bunch of scallions, chopped (or 1/2 of a red onion, finely diced)
Accompaniment: warmed, grilled or toasted whole wheat pita bread triangles, pita chips, or pita pockets
Slightly wilt kale or spinach in a saucepan with a tiny bit of water. If using spinach, drain, squeeze dry, and chop. Mix together next 9 dressing ingredients in a large non-reactive bowl. Add greens, bell pepper and scallions or red onion. Mix well and chill, preferably over night. Serve with warmed, grilled or toasted pita bread triangles, pita chips, or as a filling for a pita pocket.
Source: Adapted by Trish Pfeifer from a recipe by Padma Lakshmi.
Vegan Thanksgiving Menu 2009
You won’t miss the turkey—nor the butter, milk, eggs, or marshmallows—in this Thanksgiving meal.
For my November vegan cooking colum, “The Veggie Table,” published in today’s edition of the Virginian-Pilot, I created an entire vegan feast—including a main dish with plenty of protein—that could, quite possibly, satiate even the non-vegans at your table.
The pretty and tasty star of this meal is a creamy puree of baked sweet potatoes and cannellini beans encased inside flakey and buttery Phyllo dough. On the side is my from-scratch version of that old family favorite: green bean casserole with crispy onion topping along with pureed parsnips like you’ve never tried. Simmering them in soy milk for extra creaminess is only one of my secrets. Dessert is a silky pumpkin flan with a salted pecan and faux-caramelized sugar topping. Deceptively decadent, it is even packed with protein and vitamins.
Celebratory and extra-special—yet simple to boot—this menu won’t leave anyone feeling excluded, except maybe the turkey, and he’ll thank you for it.
Note: Each of these recipes is also posted separately with individual photos. For another vegan vegetable side dish to accompany this meal, try my Vegan Maple Mustard Roasted Brussels Sprouts on this site.
Vegan Sweet Potatoes and Cannelini Beans in Phyllo Dough
Yield: 4 servings (easily doubles)
Filling:
3 medium sweet potatoes, baked or microwaved until tender
I-14 ounce can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
2 tablespoons orange or apricot marmalade
1 tablespoon nutritional yeast (available at health food stores and some grocery stores near the flour)
1 tablespoon dry or 3 tablespoons fresh minced parsley
Garlic salt or powder to taste
Onion powder to taste
Coarse sea or kosher salt to taste
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Crust:
8 sheets Phyllo Dough, thawed and covered with a towel
Generous ¼ cup vegan butter, melted
2 tablespoons dried rubbed sage
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Scoop flesh from sweet potatoes into a medium sized bowl and mash well. Stir in beans and mash just to gently break them up. Stir in remaining filling ingredients until well combined. Stir together butter and sage and, with a pastry brush, oil bottom and sides of an 8-inch square metal baking pan. Working with one sheet of Phyllo at a time, fold one side down to make about a 9-inch square. Fit into bottom of pan and tuck edges in so that dough fits flat, brushing with sage butter as you go. Repeat 3 more times. Spoon filling onto bottom crust and smooth top. Repeat crust procedure with remaining four sheets, this time laying them on top of the filling to make a top crust. Place pan in center of oven and bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Cool approximately 10 minutes, and cut into four squares. Serve warm.
Vegan Green Bean Casserole
Yield: 6 servings
9 ounces frozen green beans, thawed in colander, drained and patted dry
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 green onions, thinly sliced
3-4 stalks celery, halved lengthwise, and thinly sliced
2-3 medium-large cloves garlic, thinly sliced
4 ounces sliced mushrooms
2 tablespoon nutritional yeast (available at health food stores and some grocery stores near the flour)
4 tablespoons all purpose flour
1 ½ cups unsweetened soy milk
Coarse sea or kosher salt to taste
White pepper to taste
Optional garlic salt or powder to taste
Optional onion powder to taste
1 2/3 cups French’s Fried Onion Rings in a can, divided into 2/3 cup and 1 cup
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Oil a 1 ½ quart casserole dish. In a large cast iron skillet or heavy saucepan over medium-high, heat olive oil to shimmering. Add onion, celery, garlic and a pinch of salt, and sauté, stirring frequently, until they begin to soften. Add mushrooms and sauté, stirring frequently, until softened. Meanwhile dissolve flour in a few tablespoons of the milk. When vegetables are soft, sprinkle with nutritional yeast and stir well to coat. Add flour and milk mixture plus remaining milk, stir well, and cook for about 3 minutes or until mixture thickens and flour loses its raw taste. Season to taste with next four ingredients. Remove from heat and stir in green beans and 2/3 cup onion rings. Spoon into oiled baking dish and bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven, gently stir, sprinkle top with remaining onion rings and return to oven for 5 minutes. Serve immediately, if possible, so that onion rings are crispy. To do ahead: bake casserole for first 30 minutes, cool to room temperature, and store, covered with foil, in the refrigerator. Reheat in a 350 degree oven, covered, and, when hot, uncover, top with onion rings and bake an additional 5 minutes.
Vegan Lemony Parsnip Puree
Yield: 4 servings (easily doubles)
4 parsnips, peeled, ends trimmed, and cut into ½” thick slices
Unsweetened soy milk
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, peeled, and diced
2 medium-large cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon vegan butter
1 tablespoon vegan sour cream
Zest of one lemon
Coarse sea or kosher salt to taste
White pepper to taste
Optional garlic salt or powder to taste
Optional onion powder to taste
Optional Garnish: parsley and additional lemon zest
Lay parsnip slices into large cast iron skillet and pour in enough soy milk to just barely cover the slices. Heat over medium-high to simmering and continue simmering until parsnips are tender and milk has cooked down and thickly coated the parsnips; this may take about 20 minutes. Remove from heat. Meanwhile, in a medium cast iron skillet over medium-high, heat olive oil to shimmering. Add onion, garlic and a pinch of salt, and sauté until vegetables are softened and golden. Place parsnips, any remaining milk, onion and garlic into the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Add remaining three ingredients and process until smooth, scraping down bowl with a spatula as necessary. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt, pepper, and optional garlic salt and onion powder. Transfer to a serving bowl and garnish with parsley sprigs and additional lemon zest. If you are not serving the dish immediately, cool puree to room temperature, cover and chill without garnishes. When ready to serve, reheat in microwave, garnish and serve.
Vegan Pumpkin Flan
Yield: 8 Servings
1-12 ounce block of firm Silken Tofu (drained)
½ of a 13 ounce can pureed pumpkin or about ¾ cup
1 cup unsweetened, plain, vanilla or lite vanilla soy milk
2 ½ tablespoons cornstarch (you may alternatively use 1/3 cup all-purpose flour, but the result may be slightly more cakey than custardy)
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
1/2 cup brown sugar (this is not a really sweet custard, so add another ¼ cup brown sugar if you prefer)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Topping:
1 teaspoon vegan butter
½ cup pecan pieces
Pinch salt
2 tablespoons water
½ cup brown sugar
Optional Garnish: 1 box Soy Whip
Custard: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Oil an 8-9 inch round glass or ceramic pie dish. Place all filling ingredients in a food processor fitted with a metal blade and process until smooth and completely combined. Scrape into the pie dish, gently smooth top, and bake 45 minutes (but check every 5 minutes beginning at 30.) Let cool to room temperature and, if not serving right away, chill, covered. Serve chilled or at room temperature with warm topping.
Topping: In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, melt butter, add pecans and salt, and toast, stirring frequently, until light golden brown which should take a very few minutes. Remove from heat and scatter nuts over the top of custard. In a small microwave-safe cup or bowl, mix together water and brown sugar. Heat in microwave for 30 seconds, stir, and pour evenly over the top of custard. Serve immediately with or without dollops of Soy Whip.
Optional Garnish: Pour Soy Whip into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment and beat until soft peaks form.
Vegan Sweet Potatoes and Cannelini Beans in Phyllo Dough
Yield: 4 servings (easily doubles)
This vegan main dish is special enough for a holiday feast, but simple enough for weeknight meals. Plus, it’s too good to only savor once a year!
For this recipe and some 170+ more,
I invite you to purchase my first cookbook:
The Blooming Platter:
A Harvest of Seasonal Vegan Recipes
Vegan Heritage Press
Spring 2011
Vegan White Bean, Caramelized Onion and Pesto Tart
For this recipe and some 170+ more,
I invite you to purchase my first cookbook:
The Blooming Platter:
A Harvest of Seasonal Vegan Recipes
Vegan Heritage Press
Spring 2011
Vegan White Bean Quesadillas Alfredo
Yield: 2 servings
Here, I use the topping for my Vegan White Bean Nachos Alfredo as a filling for Italian quesadillas–delish!
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 small-medium yellow onion, diced
1/2 orange bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and diced
2 cloves garlic
1-15 ounce can white beans, drained
4-6 sundried tomatoes in oil, diced
approximately 1/2 cup pitted and quartered Greek olives (the flavor of these is very pronounced, so you may prefer fewer or to use them as a garnish)
1/4-1/3 cup fresh parsley, minced
optional: a few basil leaves, chopped (I didn’t have any, so I didn’t add, but it would be good)
Coarse sea or kosher salt to taste
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
approximately 3/4 cup Vegan Alfredo Sauce (see recipe below)
2 whole wheat tortillas
1 tablespoon vegan butter (I like Earth Balance)
Optional Garnish: Vegan Spinach Pesto (see recipe below) or Veggie Marinara Sauce, parsley sprigs or basil leaves, and/or a tiny slice of Roma tomato or olive halves
In a large cast iron skillet over medium-high, heat olive oil to shimmering. Add onion, bell pepper and garlic and saute, stirring frequently, until they just start to turn golden. Add beans and heat through, stirring frequently. Add remaining ingredients and stir just to combine. Remove from heat. Transfer to a bowl. Wipe out skillet, return to burner, and heat the tablespoon of vegan butter to shimmering. Meanwhile, on a flat surface, spread each tortilla with a couple of tablespoons of Vegan Alfredo Sauce. Stir remaining Alfredo Sauce into bean mixture and spoon onto half of one tortilla. Fold other half up and over the filling, pressing gently to distribute filling nearly to the edges. Repeat with second tortilla. Carefully transfer both to the skillet and cook 2-3 minutes or until golden brown on the first side. Carefully flip, and cook 2-3 minutes on second side until it is golden brown as well. Transfer to plates and serve immediately or keep warm if making additional quesadillas. If desired, garnish each with Vegan Spinach Pesto or Veggie Marinara Sauce, parsley sprigs or basil leaves, and/or a tiny slice of Roma tomato.
Vegan Alfredo Sauce
Yield: approximately 2 ½ cups
1-12.3 ounce box Silken firm tofu (make sure it is the Silken variety)
1 cup unsweetened soy milk (not plain, as it is too sweet)
Juice of one lemon
3 cloves garlic
½ cup lightly salted cashew halves and pieces (don’t omit—they impart a rich buttery taste)
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1 teaspoon onion powder
Generous pinch ground coriander
Generous pinch nutmeg
Generous pinch white pepper (or black pepper if you don’t mind specks)
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt to taste
Place all ingredients in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Process until smooth, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Heat and use immediately, or store for a few days in an airtight container in the refrigerator. This sauce may, of course, also be used as you would any Alfredo sauce.
Vegan Spinach Pesto
Yield: approximately 1 ½ cups
10 ounces fresh baby spinach, rinsed and dried
1 cup lightly packed fresh basil leaves, rinsed and dried
3-4 garlic cloves
1 cup lightly toasted walnuts halve or pieces (toast in a dry skillet over medium to medium-high heat for a few minutes, stirring frequently)
1 teaspoon nutritional yeast (optional, but I highly recommend—available at health food stores and some supermarkets)
Juice of one lemon
1/3 cup olive oil
Generous amount of salt to taste (necessary to bring out flavors)
Place about ¼-1/3 of the bag of spinach in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Process until finely chopped. Continue adding spinach through the shoot, quickly, with motor running until all has been incorporated, scraping down sides as necessary. Stop processor and add remaining ingredients, except oil. Then turn motor on and stream in oil through the shoot until a thick bright green paste forms. Avoid over-processing at each stage. Check for salt and adjust if necessary. Heat or otherwise use immediately, or store for a few days in an airtight container in the refrigerator. This sauce may also be used as you would any pesto.
Veggie Marinara Sauce
Yield: approximately 4 cups
1 small-medium onion, peeled and cut into chunks
3-4 cloves garlic
1 cup raw baby carrots or peeled carrot pieces
½ large red bell pepper, stem, seeds and membrane removed
1 tablespoon olive oil
1-14.5 ounce can fire roasted crushed tomatoes
½ can water
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
Pinch garlic salt
Pinch onion powder
Place first four ingredients in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Process until a smooth pulpy paste forms, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the onion mixture and sauté, stirring frequently, for about 10 minutes or until the vegetables are no longer raw, and some of the moisture has evaporated. Lower heat if necessary to prevent sticking. Add remaining ingredients and continue to simmer for another 10-15 minutes or until flavors have melded and sauce is heated through. Use immediately, or store for a few days in an airtight container in the refrigerator. This sauce, too, may also be used as you would any marinara sauce.
Vegan White Bean Nachos Alfedo
Yield: 4 servings
Try this Italian riff on a Tex-Mex classic. It’s not authentic, but you won’t mind a bit.
approximately 56-60 tortilla chips (I like the blue corn variety), divided onto 4 oven proof plates or one large platter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 small-medium yellow onion, diced
1/2 orange bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and diced
2 cloves garlic
1-15 ounce can white beans, drained
4-6 sundried tomatoes in oil, diced
approximately 1/2 cup pitted and quartered Greek olives (the flavor of these is very pronounced, so you may prefer just to garnish with a few of them)
1/4-1/3 cup fresh parsley, minced
optional: a few basil leaves, chopped (I didn’t have any, so I didn’t add, but it would be good)
Coarse sea or kosher salt to taste
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
approximately 1/2 cup Vegan Alfredo Sauce (see recipe below)
Optional Garnish: Vegan Spinach Pesto (see recipe below) or Veggie Marinara Sauce and parsley sprigs or basil leaves
Preheat oven to 350 degrees if baking. In a large cast iron skillet over medium-high, heat olive oil to shimmering. Add onion, bell pepper and garlic and saute, stirring frequently, until they just start to turn golden. Add beans and heat through, stirring frequently. Add remaining ingredients and stir just to combine. Remove from heat. Spoon over tortilla chips, dividing equally. Top with a drizzle of Vegan Alfredo Sauce and bake for 10 minutes. Serve immediately. Or broil a few inches from heat just until bubbly. Garnish, if desired, with Vegan Spinach Pesto and parsley sprigs or basil leaves.
Vegan Alfredo Sauce
Yield: approximately 2 ½ cups
1-12.3 ounce box Silken firm tofu (make sure it is the Silken variety)
1 cup unsweetened soy milk (not plain, as it is too sweet)
Juice of one lemon
3 cloves garlic
½ cup lightly salted cashew halves and pieces (don’t omit—they impart a rich buttery taste)
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1 teaspoon onion powder
Generous pinch ground coriander
Generous pinch nutmeg
Generous pinch white pepper (or black pepper if you don’t mind specks)
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt to taste
Place all ingredients in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Process until smooth, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Heat and use immediately, or store for a few days in an airtight container in the refrigerator. This sauce may, of course, also be used as you would any Alfredo sauce.
Vegan Spinach Pesto
Yield: approximately 1 ½ cups
10 ounces fresh baby spinach, rinsed and dried
1 cup lightly packed fresh basil leaves, rinsed and dried
3-4 garlic cloves
1 cup lightly toasted walnuts halve or pieces (toast in a dry skillet over medium to medium-high heat for a few minutes, stirring frequently)
1 teaspoon nutritional yeast (optional, but I highly recommend—available at health food stores and some supermarkets)
Juice of one lemon
1/3 cup olive oil
Generous amount of salt to taste (necessary to bring out flavors)
Place about ¼-1/3 of the bag of spinach in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Process until finely chopped. Continue adding spinach through the shoot, quickly, with motor running until all has been incorporated, scraping down sides as necessary. Stop processor and add remaining ingredients, except oil. Then turn motor on and stream in oil through the shoot until a thick bright green paste forms. Avoid over-processing at each stage. Check for salt and adjust if necessary. Heat or otherwise use immediately, or store for a few days in an airtight container in the refrigerator. This sauce may be used as you would any pesto.
Veggie Marinara Sauce
Yield: approximately 4 cups
1 small-medium onion, peeled and cut into chunks
3-4 cloves garlic
1 cup raw baby carrots or peeled carrot pieces
½ large red bell pepper, stem, seeds and membrane removed
1 tablespoon olive oil
1-14.5 ounce can fire roasted crushed tomatoes
½ can water
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
Pinch garlic salt
Pinch onion powder
Place first four ingredients in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Process until a smooth pulpy paste forms, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the onion mixture and sauté, stirring frequently, for about 10 minutes or until the vegetables are no longer raw, and some of the moisture has evaporated. Lower heat if necessary to prevent sticking. Add remaining ingredients and continue to simmer for another 10-15 minutes or until flavors have melded and sauce is heated through. Use immediately, or store for a few days in an airtight container in the refrigerator. This sauce, too, may also be used as you would any marinara sauce.
Vegan Coconut Curried Mustard Greens with Apples and Chick Peas over Cinnamon-Cardamom Rice
Yield: approximately 4 servings
They don’t call them “bitter greens” for nothing! I love mustard greens, but only with the bitterness dialed back. Coconut milk, apples and chick peas do the trick in this recipe, especially when served with Cinnamon-Cardamom rice.
Coconut Curried Mustard Greens with Apples and Chick Peas:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, slivered
2 Fugi apples, halved lengthwise and cut into 1/4″ wedges (use whatever kind of apple you like, but Fugis are particularly good with savory dishes)
8 ounces mustard greens, coarsely chopped (I purchase them already chopped and ready-to-eat)
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/2 of a 14.5 ounce can of coconut milk
1 teaspoon curry powder
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 of a 14.5 ounce can chick peas, drained (add them all if you prefer)
1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
Garnish: approximately 4 tablespoons lightly salted cashew halves and 4 teaspoons chopped fresh cilantro or 4 cilantro sprigs
In a large wok or Dutch oven over medium-high, heat the olive oil. Add the onion and saute, stirring frequently, until it starts to soften. Add apples, and continue sauteing just until they start to soften. Add the greens and cook for a few minutes or until they wilt and begin to tenderize. Add remaining ingredients, except chick peas and lemon juice, and cook for at least 10 minutes and probably more until greens are tender and have lost most of their bitter bite. (Unfortunately, this means they will lose their brilliant green color.) Stir in chick peas, heat through, and then stir in lemon juice. Serve garnished with cashews and cilantro over or alongside Cinnamon-Cardamom Rice.
Cinnamon-Cardamom Rice:
3 cups water
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 stick cinnamon, broken in half
a few cardamom pods (about 1 tablespoon)
1 cup basmati rice
In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, bring all ingredients except rice to a gentle boil. Add rice, stir once, cover loosely with a lid, reduce heat if necessary and simmer for approximately 20 minutes or until water is absorbed and rice is tender. Watch closely so that rice doesn’t scorch or stick to the bottom of the pan.
Vegan Deconstructed Chili Salad
Yield: 8 servings (easily halved)
With summer almost here, my thoughts have turned to refreshing, but hearty salads (though I’m also pretty likely to crave cold weather foods in July). It occurred to me that all of the ingredients for a vegan chili would make a delicious salad: hence the reference to “deconstruction.”
The salad’s key ingredients are red kidney beans, tomatoes, bell pepper and red onion. The dressing includes a spice mixture similar to what I use in chili. If you use yellow bell pepper and dried instead of fresh oregano, you may want to add a tablespoon of minced fresh parsley or cilantro for some flecks of green throughout the salad. For the acid in the dressing, I chose red wine and lime juice, as I like a little red wine in my chili and I like to serve bowls of chili with wedges of lime. Because I chose to omit faux ground beef, which is ever-so-slightly sweet, I decided to add just a hint of sweetness to the dressing in the form of maple or brown rice syrup. Finally, one of my favorite vegan chili recipes calls for sunflower seeds so, here, I include them as a garnish.
Salad:
2-15 ounce cans Bush’s red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
2 cups grape tomatoes, sliced lengthwise
1/2 cup finely diced green or yellow bell pepper
1 ½ cups finely diced red onion
pinch of salt
pinch of freshly ground black pepper
Dressing:
1 teaspoon chili powder (I like Ancho chili powder)
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon salt
scant 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
scant 1/8 teaspoon allspice
1 tablespoon fresh minced oregano (or 1 teaspoon dried oregano)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon lime juice
2 teaspoons red wine
1 teaspoon maple or brown rice syrup
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste, if needed
Optional garnish: a couple of tablespoons of roasted, salted sunflower seeds
Gently toss together salad ingredients in a medium non-reactive bowl and set aside. Combine all dry dressing ingredients in a small non-reactive cup or bowl. Whisk in wet ingredients. Drizzle over salad and gently toss one more time, adjusting seasoning with salt and pepper as needed. Sprinkle with sunflower seeds if desired just before serving.
