Quinoa, Tomato & Avocado Salad - vegan & gluten free

I hope you had a relaxing and enjoyable Memorial Day. I worked for part of the day, which was less than relaxing, but Mr Official Taster and I did have an enjoyable dinner in the city with some Seattle friends. Our trip was even (relatively) traffic free. Take that, I-95!

This salad is super simple to throw together, whether for a quick weeknight supper or for a summer picnic. To make it a more satisfying main course, consider adding some tofu (or sausage would be tasty), cheese, steamed spinach, or any other summer veggies.


Quinoa, Tomato & Avocado Salad - vegan & gluten free
This recipe serves 2-4 as a side. There's no reason not to make a larger amount to serve as a main course or to a larger group of people.  The oil and vinegar are totally optional- I like it with and without.

1/2 C quinoa (uncooked)
1 avocado, cubed
1-2 tomatoes or a handful of cherry tomatoes, sliced
avocado or olive oil (optional)
balsamic vinegar or white wine vinegar (optional)
salt and fresh ground black pepper

Measure quinoa into a fine mesh strainer. Rinse thoroughly and place in a small saucepan. Add 1 C water and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer. Cook 15 minutes, or until the seeds (yes, it's a seed, not a grain!) are translucent and the germ has spiraled out from each one. Turn off heat. Use the fine mesh strainer again to strain the quinoa+water. Gently press quinoa to force out as much water and return to pot. Fluff quinoa with a fork and leave in the hot pan about 15 minutes. That way it won't get mushy.

Add avocado and tomato to cooled quinoa. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, and drizzle with oil and vinegar, if using. Serve cold or at room temperature.

Chocolate Avocado Cupcakes - vegan

Even though I had grand plans to see the beach over the long weekend, both Mr Official Taster and I were a bit under the weather. So, no beach. Instead there was a lot of bad tv (Netflix makes it too so easy!), nose blowing, and general hibernating on the couch.

However, I started feeling better on Monday, and yesterday I was ready. Cupcakes cure a lot. And these count as healthy, for the same reason that carrot cake does - they are fruit/vegetable based. Clearly, being made of avocado, they have lots of vitamins and antioxidants and good fat and healthy stuff. I know, I know, you are thinking how bizarre it is to have avocado in a chocolate cupcake. Kaitlin over at Whisk Kid claims she can't taste the avocado, even in the frosting. I agree that I can't taste it in the cupcake by itself, but I think it's there in the frosting. But it's ok that it's there. Because it's gooey and yummy all together. Avocado frosting is a lovely spring green, which might come in handy to celebrate St. Patrick's Day next month. If you just can't handle the idea of avocado frosting, I suggest you try some mocha frosting.

Avocado Cupcakes - vegan
adapted from Joy the Baker

I successfully halved both this recipe and the recipe for the frosting and made 12 cupcakes. It seemed like a better idea for just the two of us. This same recipe can also make a cake! Check out Joy's post for cake-specific directions.

3 C flour
6 Tbsp cocoa powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp baking soda
2 C sugar
1/4 C vegetable oil
1/2 C soft avocado, well mashed, about 1 medium avocado
2 Tbsp white vinegar
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 C water

Preheat your oven to 350F and line cupcake tins (24). 

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. For the smoothest batter, sift the ingredients together prior to whisking.

In a smaller bowl, mash the avocado and then whisk in sugar, oil vinegar, and vanilla. Once combined, mix in the water. 

Add the avocado mixture to the flour mixture all at once, whisk until mostly smooth, and then divide among prepared cupcake pans. 

Bake 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. You can also test by lightly pressing a finger on the top of a cupcake - if it bounces back, they are ready, but if your finger leaves an impression, continue baking and check again in a minute or two. 

Remove from the oven, and allow to cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes. Remove from pan and finish cooling on a wire rack. 

Avocado Frosting - vegan

8 oz fresh avocado, about 2 small to medium, very ripe avocados
2 tsp lemon juice*
1 lb powdered (confectioners') sugar, sifted (use more for a thicker frosting)
1/2 tsp vanilla

In the bowl of a stand mixer, or in a large bowl if you're using a hand mixer, beat the avocado and lemon juice with the whisk attachment until smooth and slightly lighter in color (3-4 minutes). Be sure to scrape the sides down periodically to make sure you get all the chunks. Sift in the powdered sugar a little at a time and then add the vanilla. Beat until smooth. If not using right away, store in the refrigerator. 

*The lemon juice is critical as it keeps the avocado (and your frosting!) from browning. Fresh or bottled both work.

Creamy Avocado Sauce with Pasta - vegan & gluten free

I hope you had a good Valentine's/Singles Appreciation Day. Have you hit up the candy sales? I have not yet, though I don't know how long my willpower in that department will last. Probably about as long as the conversation hearts Mr Official Taster brought home last night.

Speaking of last night, it unfolded about as I predicted. Mr OT came home with flowers (mini carnations and tulips because, in his words, "roses are for suckers." I'm on board since the ones in stores never smell good anyway) and the aforementioned candy, we cooked dinner together, watched some internet tv, cuddled with the dogs, read, etc. The usual. Oh, except I made a card for him. I think it's a pretty good one. (inspiration here).

It didn't take too long and would certainly work for lots of other occasions. You can substitute all sort of fun things for "Zombies" and "brains." How about: I love you more than dogs love peanut butter or I love you more than moms love chocolate or I love you more than a hipster loves plaid. See? The options are endless.

I just printed out a picture of a brain I liked (thanks, Google), cut it out with some fancy scrapbooking scissors and pasted it onto some dark blue cardstock. Then I created a Word doc and typed my message and picked a font. In this case, I only used half the paper by creating two columns in Word and just using one. I cut the red paper to 8.5x11 in and printed directly onto it. Then, I cut off the blank half to save for something else later. I glued the blue cardstock onto the red paper. Finally, I traced over the black ink with a white gel pen to make it stand out better. You could totally make something like this if you wanted! Adjust the words, size, colors, etc to suit. 

This wasn't dinner last night, but it was on Monday and it turned out pretty well. I made it again for lunch today - it's that quick+easy. It was a pain to photograph, though. I wish the pasta pictures showed the green better. I'm not sure why and it made me really grumpy, but it really does look green in person. This photo of just the sauce is pretty true-to-life. 

When I had leftovers for a snack on Tuesday, I didn't even heat it up. It worked well as a cold pasta salad, so there's another serving option for you. 

Creamy Avocado Pasta - vegan & gluten free
adapted from Oh She Glows
Update 2/23/12: I made this again last night and increased the garlic and added chili powder and fresh parsley. Even more delicious! 

8 oz regular or gluten free pasta*
1 ripe avocado, skinless and pitt-less
juice of 1/2 a lemon (2ish tsp), plus zest for garnish**
3, more or less, garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp salt, or to taste
2 Tbsp olive or avocado oil
1/4 C fresh basil (optional)***
fresh ground pepper

Cook pasta according to package directions.

While that's happening, add avocado, lemon juice, garlic, salt, oil, and basil if using, to the bowl of a food processor. Process until everything is creamy and delicious looking. You may need to scrape the bowl down a time or two. If you don't have a food processor, you should be able to mash everything together with a masher or fork as long as you use a ripe avocado.

Once pasta is cooked, drain and then pour back into (empty) pot. Add avocado mixture and stir until pasta is evenly coated. Garnish with fresh ground black pepper, lemon zest, and/or some Romano cheese.

~~~

*I use about 8oz when I'm making a main course for two. Feel free to play with these numbers. However, I don't recommend using more than 1 avocado to serve 2. I thought it sounded like a good idea and was actually too avocado-y, which I didn't know was possible.

**The lemon juice is important because it keeps the avocado from turning brown, which would make leftovers super unappealing. It also adds a little lemony kick, which is always good.

***Oh She Glows used basil, and while it sounded fabulous, I didn't have any, so I can't offer guidance there. But I bet it would be yummy.

Avocado, Blood Orange & Spinach Salad - vegan & gluten free

If you are anything like most Americans, you ate yourself silly on Sunday. I sure did. It was in the name of family and football, so it doesn't count. right? I do feel slightly more ok about it because we didn't snack on chips and whatnot all afternoon. We just had really good deep dish pizza, salad, and dessert. I just ate some a lot of everything. 

So if you're feeling like you overindulged, this salad is the perfect antidote, and it's nice and seasonal. ish. I know avocados have been on sale in grocery stores, and winter = citrus fruit time. It's light and refreshing, and is good on it's own as a light lunch or as a side to something heartier, like chili. You may or may not have helpers when you prepare it, but I'm confident you'll have help eating it.

Avocado, Blood Orange & Spinach Salad - vegan & gluten free
These amounts are just what I used to make myself a lunch salad. Obviously, adjust as needed. To dress, I sprinkled some sea salt over the avocados and drizzled a little avocado oil over the salad. Because of the juicy oranges and the creamy avocados, I don't think it needs too much extra.

a couple handfuls of spinach, or other greens
1/2 an avocado, skin and pit removed, sliced
1/2 a blood orange or other citrus fruit, divided into segments*
sea salt and avocado oil to dress (optional)

Arrange spinach on a plate. Add avocado slices and orange pieces. Sprinkle salt on avocados and drizzle avocado oil over the whole thing. Enjoy!

*Any citrus fruit you'd like will work here - oranges, grapefruits, tangelos, etc. Also, for pictures, I got the blood orange segments out of their membranes because they are so much prettier that way. However, when I make it just to eat? The membranes stay on because I think it's a pain to take them off.

Guacamole - vegan & gluten free

Happy Friday! I am glad the weekend is tomorrow (or tonight if you're ambitious). I am looking forward to hanging out with Mr Official Taster, wrapping up the unpacking, and spending some time with my cousin and his lovely family on Sunday. I think there will be a tv on in the background with some good commercials every couple of minutes every time the big guys need a water break between important plays.

Guacamole has somehow become a traditional Super Bowl food, and I'm not really sure how that happened since I can't tell how avocados, a traditionally tropical food, and football, a sport traditionally idyllically played in either snowstorms or on glorious fall afternoons, are related. But, I won't argue too hard because once I moved to the West Coast, I fell hard for avocados, and chips are just a handy vessel for getting them into my mouth. Thus: manly games = guacamole = I have something to care about during said game. It's a win-win.

Guacamole - vegan & free of just about everything
Everyone has an opinion on guacamole, and this is just the way I like mine. Feel free to ignore completely and carry on with whatever you always do. Unless that means buying it in a tub. If you buy it in a tub, stop doing that and make this.

ripe avocados, skin and pit removed
salt or sea salt
garlic powder
chili powder

I tend to make this when I need an afternoon snack, so I only use 1 avocado (2 or more if I have company). Put said avocado in a small bowl, and mash with a fork or an avocado thinger. If you like some chunks in your guac like I do, you won't have to mash very long if your fruit is ripe. Lightly sprinkle with salt, garlic powder, and chili powder. Mix well and taste. Add more seasoning if you so desire.

Serve with chips or use as a sandwich spread. Some fresh lime probably wouldn't be amiss if you're feeling feisty.

Rainbow Salad - vegan & gluten free

Once in a (very great) while, it truly feels like summer here in the Pacific Northwest. On those days, I move away from pastas and risottos and towards light, fresh, and cool summer suppers. A big salad fits that description perfectly, but to elevate plain old salad, I decided to go for a rainbow (sensing a theme?). Plus, it's said that eating by color is a healthy way to go.

That, and rainbows make everything more fun.

Rainbow Salad
spinach, or other salad greens
pomegranate seeds
dried cranberries
tomatoes, chopped
carrots, chopped
orange or yellow pepper, chopped
cored avocado, chopped
extra firm tofu, drained and fried

Start with a bed of spinach and then simply arrange your fruits and veggies in rainbow order and top with your favorite dressing.

There's lots and lots of possible variations here...beans come in lots of colors, as do peppers and tomatoes. If you like blueberries (I don't) then you can work in blue, and beets, eggplant, cabbage, or onions can be your purple. Hard boiled eggs can also fill the yellow slot, and nuts would be a nice addition as well.

Simple Summer Supper - Vegan Avocado Sandwiches

It's summer (almost everywhere), so if it's too hot to cook, or you're too lazy tired after a long day, these no cook open face avocado sandwiches are a great solution. The best part is that you can pair the avocado with whatever you happen to have available. I combined mine with bbq sauce, hummus, and some romesco sauce.

Because there are so few of them, each ingredient really counts, so use good crusty bread and nice ripe, flavorful avocados.

These were really satisfying, especially when I followed them with the first peaches of the season.