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Roasted summer vegetable tian recipe

After Barcelona, we went to Aix-en-Provence, which is the center and heart of Provence, France. I adore the South of France! We had a guide for the day since I don’t know the area well and I had no time before we left to do proper research. I absolutely love hearing about the history of European towns because it puts everything in context. This wall was here for this reason. These two towns were perched on opposite hills facing each other for that reason. Plus the only way to keep my son interested is if you talk drama – wars, fighting, weapons, who won, who got killed, etc.

More than that, I love seeing how other people live. Do they drive or walk? What do they eat for lunch and when? How much vacation do they get every year? What’s the coffee shop for locals? I am very, very nosy! I was so excited to find and experience the local farmer’s market in Aix and see what is sold here and how it is different from my market in Manhattan Beach. It thought I was so lucky to be here on market day, until our guide told me the market is open every day until 1:00. People in Provence prefer to shop daily for their food so it’s really fresh. Heaven. It was such beautiful market, where they sold everything from tomatoes, herbs, melons and lettuce, to eggs and the freshest fish, to the most delicious olives ever and lavender sachets with lavender from the fields in Provence. I could get used to that.

While I was in Provence, I remembered the recipe for this Roasted Summer Vegetable Tian that I taught when I was in France 2 years ago and in my cooking classes in LA last summer. It’s a very simple, easy, seasonal vegetable side dish and of course, it’s quite delicious. Who wouldn’t love a casserole with gently cooked onions on the bottom and then a mélange of tomatoes, zucchini and potatoes on top, where the tomato juice kind of infuses everything and mixes with a bit of fresh thyme and some Parmesan cheese? Yum! I love it because it goes with anything, whether you are making a piece of grilled fish or some roasted chicken or you want a light vegetarian meal with either a frittata or a simple green salad. Don’t forget a cold glass of rosé, too!

It does take some time to cook, so it’s not a last-minute deal. But you also don’t have to time it perfectly with your meal, since I think it actually tastes just as good warm and even room temp. You know how I love a good do-ahead!

The one thing I miss when I’m on vacation is cooking at home, especially when I see such beautiful ingredients around me. For now, I’m picking up inspiration everywhere I go. Next stop – Italy!

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Roasted Summer Vegetable Tian

Author: Pamela

Serves: 6

Ingredients

2 Tablespoons unrefined, cold pressed extra-virgin olive oil + more for drizzling
1 large onion, halved and thinly sliced
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, about ¾ pound, sliced ¼-inch thick
2 small tomatoes, about ¾ pound, sliced ¼-inch thick
1 medium zucchini, about ½ pound, sliced ¼-inch thick
1 Tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
2 Tablespoons freshly grated Pecorino or Parmesan cheese

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Warm oil in a skillet over medium heat and add onions and a pinch of salt and pepper. Sauté until tender and lightly golden, about 6 to 8 minutes. Add garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
Transfer onion and garlic on the bottom of an 11 x 9 gratin dish or a 10-inch round baking dish. Overlap potatoes, tomatoes and squash over the onion mixture. Season with salt (I use about ½ teaspoon) and pepper. Sprinkle with thyme and Pecorino/Parmesan and drizzle with olive oil.
Cover and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake another 30 minutes until golden and potatoes are tender. You can serve this hot, warm or at room temperature.

Notes

Try to find potatoes, zucchini and tomatoes with approximately the same diameter so the casserole looks balanced.

You can also add shredded gruyere or buttered bread crumbs to the top for an extra special finish.

Vegetable Paella Recipe

We made it to Barcelona! Neither my husband, the kids , nor I has ever been to Barcelona before, and hubby and I haven’t been to Spain in 17 years! We are very excited to start our European vacation here. So much to see and do in a short amount of time!

As you would imagine, I am fairly obsessed with what people eat around the world. As much as I love visiting landmarks and museums and churches (I am actually also obsessed with churches), local markets and restaurants are high on my list of places to experience. I am fairly open-minded when it comes to trying new foods, although I am not a huge fan of meat, game and pork. I know, my options will be limited in Barcelona since every other menu item contains some sort of the above mentioned. Moderation is my mantra.

I am for sure on the lookout for excellent paella, which is basically like the national rice dish of Spain. I L-O-V-E rice in any way, shape or form. Paella is particularly delicious because it is typically cooked with lots of seafood, chicken, pork and some other tidbits like olives and roasted peppers all mixed together in the same saffron-infused dish. It’s so tasty. And it’s basically Mr. Picky’s nightmare since he would eat all of those things PLAIN, and “why did they have to mess this up by cooking it all together?!” I already gave Mr. Picky a pep talk before we left about being open-minded about food, otherwise he might ended up starving, or worse, really cranky. I’ll keep you posted, friends. Wish me luck.

Whether I find the perfect paella in Barcelona or not (and if you know where I should go, speak up!), I did teach this Vegetable Paella in my cooking classes this past spring. And I might admit, it was so flavorful and rich even without all the meat. You don’t normally find paella loaded with vegetables, and I find that true about a lot of the dishes in Spain – not very veggie-heavy, unless you count (fried) potatoes as a veg. Asparagus, peppers, artichokes (by all means, use frozen), tomatoes, mushrooms all go in here. I did make this several times for my vegetarian students with veggie stock, and it was very good, but I do prefer using chicken stock.

The one ingredient that is missing from this paella recipe that makes it an imposter and non-authentic is saffron, which gives the rice a beautiful gold color and imparts a unique flavor. Saffron is absurdly expensive and I have always had success substituting a bit of ground turmeric for saffron when I need that great yellow tint. If you have saffron however, by all means use it by crumbling it and dissolving it in some hot stock.

I love eating this paella with a green salad on the side and that’s it (although a pitcher of sangria wouldn’t hurt.) More from Barcleona to come, including my quest for the best paella!

5.0 from 2 reviews

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Vegetable Paella

Author: Pamela

Serves: 6

Ingredients

2 Tablespoons unrefined, cold pressed, extra virgin olive oil
1 onion, chopped
¼ cup drained sliced jarred pimientos, chopped (one 4-ounce jar) or equivalent amount of roasted red pepper, diced
1 large tomato, peeled and chopped or ½ an 18-ounce jar of diced tomatoes, drained
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 ¼ teaspoons sea salt (or more if your stock is unsalted)
1 ½ teaspoons smoked paprika
¼ teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon paprika or sweet pimenton
1 ½ cups rice, preferably medium grain such as bomba or arborio
3 cups chicken or vegetable stock, preferably homemade
½ cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
½ pound asparagus, tough ends snapped off and discarded, spears cut into 2-inch pieces
1 cup frozen peas
6 ounces artichoke hearts, either frozen and thawed or jarred and drained*
optional: serve with lemon wedges on the side

Instructions

In a large skillet pan (between 12-14 inches,) heat the oil over medium-low heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the pimientos, tomato and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally for 2 minutes.
Stir in the salt, both paprikas, turmeric, and rice. Add the chicken stock and parsley and bring to a boil. Continue cooking over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until most of the liquid has been absorbed by the rice, about 7 minutes.
Stir in the asparagus, peas, and artichokes. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and let stand, covered for 10 minutes before serving. Serve with lemon wedges, if desired.
*to give the artichokes some extra flavor, pat them dry and sauté them in olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

Notes

you can also add mushrooms to the paella to add a meatiness. Sauté with onion in Step 1.

artichokes asparagus peas red pepper rice smoked paprika turmeric

Grain-free Chocolate Zucchini Cake Recipe and VIDEO

You’re either going to love me or hate me for this post. Why? Because this grain-free chocolate cake which just so happens to have zucchini in it is AMAZING. You will love how rich and chocolaty it is, how moist and tender. You will be utterly amazed that this cake has no flour of any kind and that there is zucchini in it. Zucchini! It is sweetened with maple syrup and that’s all. After your first bite, you might exclaim, “Three cheers for Pamela!”

Orrrrrrr, you will find this cake, which is more like a cross between a brownie and cake, completely irresistible and TOO amazing. You will walk by it on the countertop and find the uncontrollable need to even out all the edges until you are left with a mere crumb. But you’ll convince yourself it’s healthful! It contains almond butter and zucchini. Zucchini! And you will not be able to stop eating it. The next time you make it you will freeze most of it so that you are not tempted by its chocolaty goodness and inhale three-fourths of it before the kids get home. But you cannot stop dreaming about this cake so you find out it even taste good FROZEN because there is no waiting when it comes to this cake. And after you eat all of the frozen cake, you might exclaim, “I curse the day I met Pamela! Darn this chocolate amazingness!”

And that’s what I’m talking about.

Even Mr. Picky himself went crazy for this cake. I actually came clean and told him there was zucchini in here and he didn’t care!! If you are nut-free, don’t sweat. Substitute sunflower butter in an equal amount and it will work perfectly. Sunflower butter does have a slightly nuttier flavor, almost like peanut butter. But I when I made the cake with sunflower butter for some nut-free people, they couldn’t detect it. Make it. Devour it. Love it. Share it. Tell me all about it.

5.0 from 23 reviews

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Grain-free Chocolate Zucchini Cake Recipe and VIDEO

Author: Pamela

Serves: makes 1 8 x 8 or 9 x 9-inch cake

Ingredients

coconut oil or butter for greasing pan
1 cup creamy, unsweetened, unsalted almond butter, raw or roasted, or sunflower butter for a nut-free cake
⅓ cup pure Grade A maple syrup or raw honey
¼ cup raw cacao or cocoa powder
¼ teaspoon fine ground sea salt
1 teaspoon instant coffee powder (optional)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 large egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 ½ cups of shredded zucchini, about 2 small
1 cup dark or semi-sweet chocolate chips

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8 x 8 or 9 x 9-inch pan. If you want to remove the cake from the pan in one piece, line it with unbleached parchment paper as well.
In a large bowl combine the almond butter, maple syrup, cacao powder, salt, coffee powder, egg, vanilla, and baking soda until smooth.
Stir in zucchini and chocolate chips.
Pour into prepared pan and bake until just set and a toothpick comes out clean or with dry crumbs. Do not overbake. A 9 x 9 pan will take 35-45 minutes. An 8 x 8 pan will take 40-50 minutes. Allow to cool before serving.

Notes

Notes: You can also add ½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans to the batter.

almond butter cacao chocolate chips zucchini

Vegetarian Chopped Antipasto Salad Recipe

I learned via osmosis from watching my parents entertain that an antipasto platter is really all you need with drinks before dinner. It’s certainly simple enough for the busy host to put together, and always popular with guests because all those salty foods taste wonderful with cocktails. But there are antipasto platters and there are antipasto platters. My parents always had the best stuff because every time my father went to Italy, he would wedge all sorts of cheeses and salamis in his suitcases to bring back home. Actually, he still does it! But beyond delicious cheeses and cured meats were always beautiful olives, marinated artichokes, homemade roasted peppers with garlic and herbs and some crusty bread to put it all on. I don’t eat most of that anymore, but I still reminisce about the delicious flavors.

When I saw this amazing salad at Mozza, Nancy Silverton’s restaurant, it reminded me of my parents’ antipasto platters, but probably better for you since it’s disguised as a salad. I have been a Nancy Silverton fan since her days at Campanile and The La Brea Bakery. I think everything she creates is utterly delicious. It’s called the “Nancy’s Chopped Salad” and it’s almost famous in LA. Chock full of chickpeas, provolone cheese, salami and tomatoes, and a zesty oregano dressing, it’s similar to, but way better than, a lot of house salads I have had at Italian restaurants in the US, including the one they had at the old La Scala restaurant in Beverly Hills. That said, I couldn’t help but tinker with this salad to make it vegetarian, and a little lighter.

I taught my version of this salad in my classes this year, but encouraged everyone to adjust the ingredients to suit their tastes. I love, love, love bitter lettuces like radicchio, but when I am hoping to appeal to younger kids with this salad, I substitute red cabbage which is much milder, but just as crunchy and healthful. Sometimes I’m feeling cheesy and with a vegetable peeler I’ll shave lots of Pecorino or Parmesan into the salad (see top image), but if I’m not in the mood, I’ll just take my microplane and dust a bit on top (see image below.) My favorite part is the roasted artichoke hearts, which is my sub for the salami. Obviously they don’t taste the same. I haven’t completely gone off the deep end. But there is something really hearty and substantial about the artichokes, especially if they get a nice crispy edge to them.

During the summer, it’s not unusual for me to make a hearty salad for dinner. I always have Mr. Picky take out what he wants before I dress it because he’s not open to vinaigrettes yet. He will eat plain chickpeas, cherry tomatoes, romaine lettuce and the occasional pickled pepper. And Mr. Picky’s dad, my husband, has really come around to the Meatless Monday schedule. He used to look at me with raised eyebrows when I made a dinner without animal protein, but lately he’s been much more open to a very veggie dinner or weekend lunch. They all come around, don’t they!

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Vegetarian Chopped Antipasto Salad Recipe

Author: Pamela, adapted from the "Mozza Cookbook"

Serves: 6

Ingredients

10 ounces of frozen artichoke hearts, defrosted, quartered and patted dry
1 Tablespoon unrefined, cold-pressed, extra-virgin olive oil
Half of a small red onion or 2 large shallots, thinly sliced
1 head romaine lettuce, sliced thinly, about 8 cups
1 head radicchio or half of a small head of red cabbage, sliced thinly, about 4 cups
1 pint cherry tomatoes, quartered or halved
1 ½ cups cooked chickpeas or 1 15-ounce can, drained and rinsed
4 ounce block of Pecorino Romano or Parmigiano Reggiano, shaved with a vegetable peeler and crumbled or grated with a microplane (feel free to use less)
5 pepperoncini, stems cut off and discarded, thinly sliced (about ¼ cup)
Dressing:
2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar, preferably unpasteurized
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice or white wine vinegar
1 garlic clove, smashed
2 teaspoons dried oregano
¾ teaspoon fine sea salt
freshly ground black pepper to taste
½ cup unrefined, cold-pressed, extra-virgin olive oil

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with unbleached parchment paper. Place the artichoke pieces on the prepared baking sheet and toss with the tablespoon of oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast for 20 minutes or until lightly golden brown around the edges.
Optional: in a small bowl, soak the onion slices in ice water for 15-20 minutes. Drain and pat dry with paper towels. This will cut the harsh flavor of the raw onion. If you don’t mind raw onion, don’t bother soaking.
Place the lettuces in a large serving bowl. Add the roasted artichokes, cherry tomatoes, chickpeas, cheese, pepperoncini, and onion.
Prepare the dressing: in a medium bowl or in a screw-top jar, whisk together all the dressing ingredients.
Drizzle enough dressing on salad to lightly coat. Toss and taste for seasoning. Serve immediately.

Notes

Do not for a minute think you need to follow this recipe exactly. Just don't add so many extra ingredients that you don't have enough dressing. Cannelini beans are a great sub for chickpeas, you can add sundried tomatoes in the winter instead of fresh, add chunks of fresh mozzarella or pieces of fontina or Havarti cheese instead of Parmesan. The original recipe calls for provolone. Radicchio looks so pretty, but arugula would taste great, too.

chickpeas radicchio romaine lettuce tomatoes

Bircher Muesli with Hazelnuts and Golden Raisins Recipe

I had no intention of posting this recipe today because I already have a muesli recipe on my site. But that was from so, so long ago and I know I don’t even remember what I posted on this site back in the beginning so I don’t expect you to! Plus this one is better and ironically I made it up on the spot. I threw this muesli together on a whim on Sunday night because 1. it’s my favorite summer breakfast, 2. Mr. Picky was starting day camp on Monday and I needed one less thing to do in the morning, 3. it has actually been very warm and summerlike here in Manhattan Beach which never happens in the summer, just in September and October when everyone has gone back to school and resumed soccer on the weekends, and 4. I was a little naughty this holiday weekend which involved a homemade cherry pie, a new favorite rosé (did you see my instagram?) and some (a lot of?) mozzarella. Ooops. And that was after 9 days at my parents’ house which always involves too much pasta, pizza, wine and mozzarella.

I always say breakfast will set the tone for the rest of the day’s eating, so you want to start off right, eat a good breakfast. I had a good sized bowl of this muesli with some blueberries in the morning at 7:30 after a quick workout and then a little green tea at about 10:00 and I was completely fine until lunch at 1:00. That just about never happens. I am usually looking for a snack of some kind around 10:00 or 10:30. If you have issues with sugar and sweets, try making this without any added sweetener or add a couple drops of stevia. Of course, feel free to sub your favorite nut or seed for the hazelnuts and any good unsulphured fruit for the golden raisins (remember: sulphur dioxide is a preservative for dried fruit and it is not healthy for you, especially for people who have sensitive lungs.)

I actually think this muesli tastes more like the ones I have had a hotels both in the states and in Europe. Although it is not technically the original bircher muesli which uses condensed milk (eeek!), it is very similar in taste and texture. In my previous muesli, I used yogurt, water and orange juice to soak the oats with a little lemon zest. Decidedly citrusy, which I love, but not necessarily uber authentic. This one I used half almond milk and half kefir, although a nice think yogurt like Straus Family Creamery would be just as ideal. (Did you know Trader Joe’s European style yogurt IS Straus?!?) I still add shredded green apple which is a must, but for this batch I also included golden raisins and chopped hazelnuts and I was in heaven. Yum, yum, and YUM! Creamy, crunchy, lightly sweet. Perfect. I am dreaming of being in a European hotel for breakfast. And then I had to take Mr. Picky and his buddy to baseball camp. Wake up!

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Bircher Muesli with Hazelnuts and Golden Raisins

Author: Pamela

Serves: 4

Ingredients

2 cups old fashioned rolled oats
2 apples, unpeeled, grated (I like using green apples)
juice of half a small lemon
juice of half an orange
1 ½ - 1⅔ cups unsweetened almond milk (click here for instructions on how to make your own)
1 ½ - 1⅔ cups unsweetened kefir or yogurt
½ cup unsulphured golden raisins or dried fruit of choice
⅔ cup chopped hazelnuts
Toppings: fresh berries or sliced bananas, extra chopped nuts, raw honey or maple syrup

Instructions

The night before: In a large bowl, mix all the ingredients, except toppings, in a bowl. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
The next morning: add sweetener to taste, if necessary. Divide the muesli among four bowls and top with favorite nuts or fruits.
Keeps for several days covered in the refrigerator.

Notes

I don't sweeten this ahead of time because I prefer it unsweetened. Since my kids like a little honey, they add it to their own bowls in the morning. But feel free to add 2 Tablespoons or so of honey or your sweetener of choice.

almond milk apples hazelnuts kefir oats raisins yogurt

Charred Corn Salad with Tomatoes and Avocado Recipe

I am at the end of my summer visit with my family on Long Island and I am starting to pout. “I don’t wanna go home!” Believe me, home, which is Manhattan Beach, California, is not so shabby. But it’s not getting out of bed at 7:30 am (instead of 5:30.) It’s not wine at lunch AND dinner. It’s not lingering at the table outside without a sweater for hours. It’s not falling asleep to crickets at night.

I love summer and I love it more on the East Coast. It’s the way I think we should all be living regularly – present, in the moment, grateful for what we have. I associate summer produce with this emotion, too. Strange, but true. When I think of tomatoes and corn, I always think summer. And therefore I think of freedom and happiness and relaxation and good times. That’s what comes to mind when I see real, seasonal, local tomatoes and corn. They make me HAPPY! When summer rolls around, I am jumping for joy every week when I come back from the farmers market. “Guess whaaaaat, kids?! Corn is baaaack!” They are a little over it.

What I know for sure is that this corn salad is a winner. It’s simple and nutritious and darn delicious and it screams “Hey there, summer!” You can do most of it ahead of time which is the way I like to operate. I personally love corn with a little char on it. It’s a bit smoky and goes really well with the touch of smoked paprika or ground chipotle in the recipe. But, if you are lucky enough to get just picked (as in, a few minutes ago) corn, go ahead and cut it raw. Such a treat! I know corn is controversial because most of it is genetically modified, but if you can find certified non-GMO or organic, I say go for it! Add a little protein, like a veggie burger or some grilled shrimp and you have the perfect summer meal. Hope you have a safe and fun July 4th!

5.0 from 1 reviews

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Charred Corn Salad with Tomatoes and Avocado

Author: Pamela

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

4 ears of corn, husked
2 green onions, sliced (thinly sliced red onion can be substituted)
1 large tomato, chopped
1 avocado, cubed
2 ½ Tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
2 Tablespoons unrefined, cold pressed, extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon sea salt
¼ teaspoon ground chipotle chili powder or a few dashes of your favorite hot sauce
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions

Heat your grill to medium-high. Grill the corn directly on the grill, turning frequently, until the corn has nice char marks on all sides, about 10 minutes. Remove from grill. When cool enough to handle, cut kernels from cobs and transfer to a large serving bowl.
Add remaining ingredients to corn. Season to taste with more salt and pepper, if necessary and more lime juice, if desired.

Notes

The corn can be made 3 hours ahead of time and kept at room temperature.
The salad can be assembled 1 hour ahead of time and kept at room temperature.

avocado corn green onions lime juice tomatoes

Arugula and Farro Salad with Peaches Recipe

Mr. Picky is my third child, my 10-year-old son. He is a perfect child in every way, however he is rather picky when it comes to food. I know some people think that Mr. Picky is not at all picky because he eats things like lentils and beans and salmon. True. But he won’t eat an unbelievable amount of other, basic things, like eggs, cheese, and most cooked vegetables. Mr. Picky thinks the name I gave him is funny and doesn’t want me to refer to him as anything else on my blog. And since I am not worried that he is picky, the name can stay for now.

“Would Mr. Picky eat this?” That’s what many of my cooking class students will ask me when we are making something outside of the kid cuisine box, so to speak. Most people have a picky child and therefore struggle will meal planning and mealtime. I can get frustrated too, but in general I don’t sweat it because I truly believe that if I continue to provide a wide variety of nutritious whole foods on a regular basis, something will click one day and he will turn into a better eater. This is not a post about raising a healthful eater, but more to address how I make something like this delicious Arugula and Farro Salad with Peaches and get my son to eat it. It’s called “deconstruction.”

I know what Mr. Picky won’t eat, in the case of this salad that would be vinaigrette, arugula and cheese. No problem. First I ask him if this is the day he would like to try the salad with vinaigrette. 90% of the time he says, “I’m not ready yet.” No problem. So I deconstruct the salad and give him a scoop of plain farro (it’s like brown rice, I tell him), almonds and peaches. If I have some romaine lettuce in the fridge, I’ll give him some of that, too.

Arugula is a peppery, almost a little spicy, green. I love it, but I didn’t when I was 10. But I just can’t see only making recipes that are Mr. Picky-approved. That would be cooking to the lowest common denominator and that’s never a good idea.

I taught this salad last summer in my classes and just last week in Jenni Kayne’s Fourth of July class with The Chalkboard. This is the perfect salad for entertaining and I have even eaten a version of this for a lunch at home with my Everyday Salad Dressing #2. You don’t need the farro, but it does make the salad heartier which is helpful if you don’t want to eat the ribs or steak options at your BBQ. And if you are gluten-intolerant, unfortunately you can’t eat farro, but millet or quinoa would work well here. In any case, everything can be prepped in advance so all you have to do is assemble at mealtime. I have also done a version of this salad with pitted cherries and Pecorino. I think nectarines or blackberries would also be amazing. For that matter, any stone fruit or berry would be perfect. Yay summer!

5.0 from 1 reviews

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Arugula and Farro Salad with Peaches

Author: Pamela

Serves: 6

Ingredients

¾ cup farro*
pinch of kosher salt
6 ounces arugula
2 peaches, chopped
¼ cup chives, chopped
Dressing:
3 Tablespoons Champagne vinegar or white wine vinegar
2 teaspoons raw honey
½ teaspoon sea salt
a few grinds freshly ground black pepper
5 Tablespoons unrefined, cold-pressed extra-virgin olive oil
a sprinkle of chopped or sliced nuts, such as almonds or walnuts (I used Marcona almonds here)
a sprinkle of cheese, such as feta, gorgonzola or shaved Manchego, Parmesan or Pecorino (I used shaved Manchego here)

Instructions

Place farro in a medium saucepan with water to cover by at least three inches and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, lower to a simmer and cook until tender, about 25 minutes. Drain well. If using right away, rinse with cold water to cool down.
In a medium bowl or a glass jar with a fitted lid, combine all dressing ingredients.
Place the arugula, farro, chives, and peaches in a serving bowl and drizzle with enough dressing to lightly coat. Toss gently.
Add chopped nuts and/or crumbled cheese, if desired.

Notes

*about 2 ¼ cups cooked

almonds arugula chives farro manchego peaches

In the Veggie Kitchen: Fourth of July with Jenni Kayne and a Yogurt and Blueberry Tart Recipe

I once again had the pleasure of teaching the always stylish and gracious Jenni Kayne and her lovely friends a July 4^th cooking class at her gorgeous home. Although I teach at Jenni’s home every month, this was a special class in which we also partnered with The Chalkboard, one of my very favorite sites. With Independence Day just around the corner, Jenni wanted to create the perfect holiday get-together that was festive, but relaxed. My job was to come up with the deliciousness!

If you have seen some of the classes I have done at Jenni’s before, you know that every detail is so beautiful and perfect, you want to go recreate the whole thing on your own. One of the best parts of Jenni’s Rip + Tan blog is that she generously provides sources for everything, from table linens to straws to jars. What I just loved about the décor is that it was in the spirit of the holiday, but still beautiful and understated, without going overboard. Please check out Rip + Tan for more photos and details about the decor.

This year, I made five recipes that I think are easy, seasonal, healthful and perfect for summer entertaining. We started with some delicious vegan beet and black bean burgers which I will be teaching in my classes this summer. I love salads at this time of year and especially for entertaining since most of the ingredients can be prepped in advance. At Jenni’s I whipped up a charred corn salad, a vegetarian antipasto chopped salad, and an arugula and farro salad with peaches. All so yummy and healthy and I will post them all before July 4th! For dessert, you will love this yogurt and blueberry tart in a graham cracker crust, which I am sharing today.

Have you ever tried straining Greek yogurt overnight? It comes out with a texture like cream cheese! No joke! I stirred in a little Grade A maple syrup and some vanilla beans (although you could definitely use vanilla extract) and the result is a super thick and creamy, spreadable yogurt for a delicious tart filling. This tart is lightly sweet, which I love, and I think it would equally welcome for brunch as it is for a dessert.

Since I am beyond crazy for the fresh blueberry sauce I posted last year, I poured that on top for the perfect finish. Of course you can do something more red, white and blue by topping the tart with fresh raspberries and blueberries. These berry tarts from Martha Stewart look darling and can give you some inspiration for using fresh fruit. Or you can use any type of fresh fruit sauce like peaches, cherries, or citrus in the winter. So many delicious ways to enjoy this!

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Yogurt and Blueberry Tart

Author: Pamela

Serves: makes one 9-inch tart which serves about 8 people

Ingredients

For the Graham Cracker Crust:
2 cups graham cracker crumbs*, about 14 standard crackers pulverized in the food processor (click here for my recipe for homemade graham crackers. The recipe is gluten-free adaptable.)
3 Tablespoons coconut sugar or cane sugar
⅛ teaspoon sea salt
6 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
For the Filling:
3 cups plain, unsweetened Greek-style full- fat yogurt, strained 4 hours or overnight*
2 Tablespoons pure maple syrup, raw honey or cane sugar
1 vanilla bean, scraped (use the pod to flavor sugar or discard)
1 pint fresh blueberries for garnish or blueberry sauce (recipe below)

Instructions

To make the crust, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Blend graham crackers, sugar and salt in a food processor until graham crackers are finely ground. Add butter and vanilla; process until moist crumbs form. Press crumb mixture onto bottom and sides of a 9-inch round tart pan, springform pan or pie plate. Bake crust until deep golden brown, about 12 minutes. Cool completely.
In a medium bowl, mix the strained yogurt with the maple syrup and the scraped beans from the vanilla bean. Spread the yogurt mixture in the crust and smooth the top. Serve immediately or store in the refrigerator for a few hours.
Garnish with fresh blueberries or pour blueberry sauce over the top. Store leftovers in the refrigerator, however crust will be soft the next day

Notes

I have tried this recipe with alternative yogurts, such as coconut, but they will not strain to the same thick, cream cheese-like consistency as the Greek yogurt.

*To strain yogurt: place a thin, clean tea towel/flour sack towel or a double layer of cheesecloth inside a colander. Place the yogurt in the tea towel and wrap up to cover the yogurt. Place the colander in a large bowl or on top of a plate to catch any drips and place in fridge overnight.

FRESH BLUEBERRY SAUCE

make 1 1/4 cups of sauce

1 ½ – 2 teaspoons arrowroot powder (depending on how thick you want it)

1 Tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 pint blueberries

3 Tablespoons Grade A maple syrup

3 Tablespoons water

In a small bowl, whisk the arrowroot in the lemon juice until dissolved. Set aside.
Place the blueberries, maple syrup and water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and simmer for 4 minutes.
Add the arrowroot and lemon juice mixture and stir to combine. Simmer for another 3-4 minutes until blueberries are very soft and sauce has thickened.
Serve warm over pancakes or ice cream or refrigerate up to 5 days for later use.

blueberries butter graham crackers maple syrup yogurt