by BEaCOE
| June, 24, 2022
Create healthy and delicious summer dishes from The Ranch at Live Oak Cookbook
We’ve reimagined tabbouleh, creating a beautiful, nutrient-rich dish that retains all the flavor and satisfaction of the classic, without all those carbs and calories. The bulgur wheat has been replaced with raw grated cauliflower for a delicate, elegant tabbouleh that’s lightly sweet in flavor. Try it—this salad is delicious, and never fails to win over the hearts and minds of even the most hardline tabbouleh fans.
Makes 4 servings
Ingredients
1 garlic clove
3 Persian cucumbers, stems removed, diced
1 pint cherry tomatoes, quartered
Leaves and tender stems from 1 bunch
Flat-leaf parsley, coarsely chopped
½ cup fresh mint leaves and tender stems,
Finely chopped
3 scallions, minced
1 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and chopped
Juice of 1 lemon, plus more as needed
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
½ teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper,
Plus more as needed
1 medium head cauliflower
Crush the garlic clove into a large bowl with a garlic press. Add the cucumbers, tomatoes, parsley, mint, scallions, and olives along with the lemon juice, oil, and pepper. Toss well to combine.
Using the coarse side of a box grater, grate the cauliflower florets onto a cutting board (you should have about 3½ cups grated cauliflower). Wrap the leaves and stems and refrigerate for another use.
Mix the grated cauliflower into the salad. Taste and adjust the lemon juice and black pepper before serving.
This is a good dish for entertaining as it can be made completely ahead. Try the mildly spicy tomato sauce on whole grain gluten-free pasta and sautéed kale if you are running short on time.
Makes 4 to 6 servings (12 rolls)
Ingredients
For the Spicy Tomato-Basil Sauce
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
½ red onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
2 (15-ounce) cans diced tomatoes
2 tablespoons chopped basil leaves
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 large eggplants (about 18 ounces each), cut lengthwise into ¼-inch-thick slices
¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
Sea salt
1 cup diced zucchini or yellow squash
1 cup diced red bell pepper
4 garlic cloves, minced
Freshly ground black pepper
2 cups cooked quinoa
¼ cup pine nuts
½ teaspoon dried oregano, crumbled
¼ cup low-sodium vegetable broth
1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup thinly sliced onions
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
4 cups firmly packed torn kale leaves (about 4 ounces)
1 cup low-sodium vegetable broth
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 teaspoon unfiltered apple cider vinegar
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Make the Spicy Tomato-Basil Sauce: Heat the oil in a heavy medium saucepan over medium high heat. Add the onion, garlic, and crushed red pepper and sauté for 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and half of the basil and simmer until reduced to about 3 cups, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes. Season to taste with salt and black pepper. Let cool, and then stir in the remaining basil. (The sauce can be made up to 1 day ahead; cover and refrigerate.)
Make the Eggplant Rolls: Preheat the broiler. Arrange the eggplant slices on two large baking sheets in a single layer. Using a pastry brush, lightly coat the eggplant slices with ¼ cup of the oil. Sprinkle with salt. Broil without turning until the eggplant is soft and slightly browned, watching carefully to prevent burning, about 5 minutes. Let cool completely. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add the zucchini, bell pepper, and garlic and sauté until tender, about 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and black pepper. Mix in the quinoa, pine nuts, and oregano. Stir in the broth, remove from the heat, and let cool. Using your hands, knead the quinoa stuffing mixture until all the ingredients are well moistened. Season to taste with more salt and black pepper.
On a work surface, place 1 eggplant slice, browned side facing down, with the wide, rounded end closest to you. Place 2 tablespoons of the stuffing on the rounded end and roll the eggplant up and away from you. Place the roll seam-side down on a large heavy baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining eggplant and stuffing. (The rolls can be made up to 1 day ahead; cover and refrigerate.)
Make the Caramelized Onions and Kale: Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and crushed red pepper and cook until the onions are golden brown, stirring frequently, about 10 minutes. Add the kale, broth, and garlic and cook until the kale is tender and the mixture is caramelized, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes. Add the vinegar and cook for 1 minute. Season to taste with salt and black pepper. (The kale and onions can be made up to 2 hours ahead. Set aside at room temperature.)
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Uncover the eggplant rolls, if refrigerated, and bake until heated through, about 15 minutes. Bring the tomato sauce to a simmer. Spoon about 1/3 cup of the sauce onto each serving plate and top each pool of sauce with 2 or 3 eggplant rolls. Spoon the caramelized onions and kale over the rolls and serve.
Dried hibiscus flowers produce a lovely crimson-colored tea that makes an amazing refresher poured over ice on a summer day. It’s super tart (and packed with vitamin C). Here we mellowed it with watermelon and turned it into ice pops that are fun for kids and adults.
Makes about 6 ice pops
Ingredients
¼ cup dried hibiscus flowers (see Note)
2½ cups watermelon chunks (from about 1¼ pounds watermelon or ½ mini watermelon)
¼ cup raw agave nectar
½ teaspoon lime zest
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
In a small saucepan, bring ¾ cup water and the dried hibiscus flowers to a simmer. Turn off the heat and let stand until cool. Pour through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl.
In a food processor, blend the watermelon chunks until liquefied. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve lined with muslin into a pitcher; discard any solids. (You should have about 1½ cups watermelon juice.)
Stir the hibiscus water, agave nectar, and lime zest and juice into the watermelon juice. Pour the juice mixture into ice pop molds and freeze until firm, about 7 hours.
Ingredient Note: You can buy dried hibiscus flowers (also known as sorrel) in Indian, Latin, Caribbean, and Middle Eastern markets.
