Moroccan Inspired Plant Based - Carrot Lentil Salad

Carrot and Lentil Salad Ingredients

● 3 cups cooked French green lentils (1 1/4-1 1/2 cup dry lentils)

○ cooked according to package directions.

● 6 medium carrots, peeled and sliced on a bias

● 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil

● 1 medium shallot, diced finely

● 2 large cloves minced garlic

● 1/3 cup unsalted pistachios, chopped

● 1/3 cup golden raisins or sultana raisins

● 3 tbsp cilantro, chopped

● 3 tbsp parsley, chopped

Vinaigrette Ingredients:

● 1/2 cup olive oil

● 2 tbsp lemon juice

● 1 tbsp maple syrup, agave or date syrup

● 1 tsp smoked paprika

● 3/4 tsp turmeric

● 3/4 tsp salt

● 1/2 tsp cumin

● 1/4 tsp cinnamon

● 1/4 tsp cayenne

Procedure

1. Preheat the oven to 400 F.

2. Rinse and sort lentils, then cook lentils according to package directions. Make sure to add a generous pinch of salt to the cooking liquid once it begins to boil.

3. In a small bowl, whisk together vinaigrette ingredients.

4. Wash and peel carrot, then slice on a bias into evenly-sized pieces. Toss carrot with 2 Tbsp of the vinaigrette, then add to a sheet pan and roast for 15-20 minutes, stirring once halfway through cook time.

5. Heat a small sauté pan over medium heat. Add olive oil and diced shallot. Sauté for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, then add garlic and raisins and continue cooking for a few more minutes, until softened and fragrant. Remove from heat.

6. In a large mixing bowl, combine cooked lentils, shallot + garlic + raisin mixture, roasted carrots, pistachios, cilantro, parsley and remaining vinaigrette.

7. Toss until well coated. Enjoy hot or cold!

Gluten Free Chickpea Flat Bread

Gluten Free Chickpea Flat Bread (aka Socca)

Need:

10-inch skillet

Spatula

Whisk

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup chickpea flour (4 1/2 ounces)

  • 1 cup water

  • 1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for the pan and drizzling

  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

  • 1 teaspoon seasoning of your choice (any seasoning blend, za'atar, Italian seasoning, cumin, sumac, coriander, etc)

Procedure:

  1. Batter - Whisk the chickpea flour, water, olive oil, and salt together in a medium bowl until smooth. Continue to whisk as needed. Let rest for 30 minutes to give the flour time to absorb the water. (Batter should be about as thing as crepe batter)

  2. Arrange an oven rack 6 inches below the broiler element and heat to 450°F. About 5 minutes before the batter is done resting, place a 10-inch cast iron skillet in the oven.

  3. Turn the Oven to Broil then carefully remove the hot skillet from the oven. Add about 1 teaspoon of oil, enough to coat the bottom of the pan when the pan is swirled. Pour the batter into the center of the pan. Tilt the pan so the batter coats the entire surface of the pan, if needed.

  4. Broil until you see the top of the socca begin to blister and brown, 5 to 8 minutes. The socca should be fairly flexible in the middle but crispy on the edges. If the top is browning too quickly before the batter is fully set, move the skillet to a lower oven rack until done.

  5. Use a flat spatula or offset spatula to work your way under the socca and ease it from the pan onto a cutting board. Slice it into wedges or squares, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and drizzle with more olive oil and sprinkle with the za'atar if using.

  6. ENJOY!

Zucchini Fritters

Lebanese Inspired Zucchini Fritters

Ingredients: 

  • 2 medium Zucchini, about 2 cups shredded

  • 1 teaspoon salt

  • 1 Vegan Eggs (1 tablespoon of ground flaxseed and 3 tablespoons of warm water to replace 1 egg)

  • 2 garlic cloves

  • 1 onion- halved 

  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

  • 3 tablespoons flour

  • 3 tablespoons cornstarch

  • 3 tablespoons olive oil, plus more if necessary

  • Lemon wedges, for serving

Preparation:

  1. Make your vegan egg and set aside

  2. Shred the zucchini in your food processor fitted with the shredding disk (or on a box grater). Transfer the zucchini to a fine mesh strainer and set over a bowl. Wring all of the excess liquid out of the zucchini with your hands, then set aside

  3. In a medium bowl, whisk the vegan eggs, salt and ground black pepper.

  4. Chop or Puree (Food Processor) Onion and Garlic.

  5. Add the shredded zucchini, and pureed onion and garlic mixture. Mix well until combined.

  6. Sprinkle the flour and cornstarch over the mixture and stir until uniformly incorporated.

  7. Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Drop 2-tablespoon sized portions into the pan, then use the back of a spoon to gently press the batter into 2-inch-wide fritters. 

  8. Pan-fry until golden brown on both sides, 2-3 minutes per side.

  9. Transfer the fritters to a paper towel-lined plate. 

  10. Add a bit more oil to the pan if necessary, then repeat with the remaining batter. Serve immediately with a dollop of sour cream or yogurt and lemon wedges.

OVEN BAKED Method

  1. ​​Preheat your oven to 400F (200C). Lightly grease a baking sheet.

  2. Follow instructions above 1- 6

  3. Place a Spoonful of the mixture on the pan and create a patty. 

  4. If the mixture is too liquid add more flour. 

  5. Bake for 20-25 minutes, flipping them once midway through. They are ready when both sides are nicely browned and they are cooked through. Serve hot or cold with a dollop of vegan sour cream, or your favorite dipping sauce.