pasta primavera with peas, asparagus and mint

June 14, 2015 radish*rose 1 Comment

Ever find yourself with some random veggies and no plan? That happens to me all the time. I think it’s a fun “problem” to have, because then you have to get creative. I was perusing the New York Times Cooking website, which I love, and came across a recipe for Pasta Primavera with Asparagus and Peas. It looked so pretty! But I didn’t have everything that recipe required, so I invented my own. Here it is! It’s a light and refreshing summery take on pasta with crisp green veggies, just enough sherry-cream sauce and a little lift from fresh herbs.

vegan buffalo ranch salad with tempeh and garlic croutons

May 30, 2015 radish*rose 3 Comments

One of our favorite restaurants, Sweet Grass Grill in Tarrytown, New York, serves buffalo tempeh “wings” as an appetizer. THEY ARE SO GOOD. Each time we order them, our server reminds us that they don’t contain chicken. We don’t care! We love them! Give us more! So imagine my intense curiosity when I saw this buffalo ranch salad recipe featuring buffalo-ized tempeh or tofu in Salad Samurai: 100 Cutting-Edge, Ultra-Hearty, Easy-to-Make Salads You Don’t Have to Be Vegan to Love. You know, sometimes I just like to try things to see if they work. This works! It totally delivers the spicy, vinegary buffalo flavor, as well as a creamy pesto ranch dressing, without any animal products. And there’s the question of that creamy pesto ranch dressing. How is this achieved without dairy, you ask? Raw cashews soaked until soft and blended with all kinds of good stuff. That’s how. I know, it’s crazy. But in fact it’s a fairly common practice to use cashews for creamy stuff in the vegan world (which I only dabble in). OK with me! Continue reading

smoky chickpea farro salad with olives, capers, and pine nuts

May 25, 2015 radish*rose 3 Comments

Smoked paprika, olives, pine nuts and golden raisins combine with garlic seared chickpeas and capers as well as fresh spinach and chewy farro to make an unforgettable Spanish-influenced hearty salad. This dish is vegan, but my best taste-tester husband actually thought (hoped?) there might be bacon in it due to the smoky flavors. Nope. Just a bunch of veg and nuts! Interesting how one can make things taste kinda bacon-y without actual bacon, isn’t it? Must investigate further.

crab salad with lime, mint, and chives on endive

January 25, 2015 radish*rose 4 Comments

Light and flavorful, here is a super-easy, clean, and low-carb way to enjoy a lovely crab salad. The herbs provide an interesting, subtle flavor that highlights the crab, instead of overwhelming it with a lot of cream or butter. And also, herbs are pretty. Aren’t they? Continue reading

roasted eggplants with thyme, garlic yogurt sauce, and pomegranate arils

November 5, 2014 radish*rose 1 Comment

Hey Radishers! Get ready for an intense crispy-tender eggplant with garlic yogurt sauce and sweet-tart pomegranate arils. What?! It’s on the cover of a cookbook, but you can make this, friends. Trust me. Continue reading

spicy garlic dilly beans

October 1, 2014 radish*rose 5 Comments

Do you love green beans? Me too! These are a crunchy fresh green bean flavor bomb of garlicy, vinegary, dilly goodness – yet they are low in fat and salt. Healthy eating does not have to be boring! The first time I made these, I had a handful and my husband ate the rest of A WHOLE POUND of beans, he loved them so much! (A pound of green beans is kiiiind of a lot for one person. LOL. He’s awesome.) The nice thing is, you can make these ahead and/or make a ton, because the longer they sit in the marinade, the more imbued with flavor they become. A great addition to your fresh appetizer, picnic, or tapas table, or to accompany a healthy wrap or sandwich! Or just eat ’em standing up in the kitchen. They’re that good.