Miso-Charred Eggplant over Asian Giant Couscous Salad

This sauce/marinade is possibly one of the best I have ever had. It's great on this dish but it's also great as a sauce or drizzle on almost anything. I'm obsessed!

Miso-Charred Eggplant with Asian Giant Couscous Salad

Ingredients for eggplant/sauce:
-2 medium purple eggplants
-3-4 tbsp. sesame oil
-4 tbsp. dark miso paste
-3 tbsp. sugar
-2 tbsp. soy sauce
-4 tbsp. rice vinegar
-2 cloves garlic, finely chopped or even ground into a paste
-2-3 tsp. Sriracha or sambal oelek chili sauce
-2 scallions, finely chopped

Ingredients for couscous salad:
-1 package giant Israeli couscous (or regular couscous if you prefer)
-1 tbsp. lime juice
-2 tbsp. sesame oil
-1 tbsp. rice vinegar
-1/2 tsp. ginger powder
-2 scallions, chopped
-handful of snow peas

Method:
First, make the couscous according to package directions. Drain and set into a bowl. While it's still warm, whisk together (or shake in a jar until emulsified) the other ingtedients for the couscous salad - lime juice, sesame oil, rice vinegar, and ginger powder. Pour over the couscous and toss in the scallions. Boil up some water, throw the snow peas in for 3-4 minutes until bright green and a little soft but still crisp, and then drain. Run the peas under cold water, then toss them in with the couscous. Set that aside.

Meanwhile, heat the sesame oil for the eggplant in a frying pan (large) over medium heat. Cut the eggplants in half lengthwise, and then score each one diagonally (crosshatch in a diamond pattern) with a sharp knife (do not cut the skin, just the flesh) with cuts about 1" apart. Once the oil is hot, place 2 of the eggplant halves flesh-side down into the frying pan and cook for 4-5 minutes. Then turn them over and cook for 2-3 minutes more on the skin side. Do this with the other 2 halves next. Set all 4 halves flesh-side up in an oven-safe dish and set aside.

Preheat your broiler to the top heat. In a bowl, whisk together the ingredients for the miso marinade (miso paste, sugar, soy sauce, rice vinegar, garlic, chili sauce). Spoon the marinade thickly over the eggplant halves then put in the oven under the broiler. Watch it carefully - they should probably only be in there for about 5-6 minutes, until the eggplants look a little softer and the marinade is bubbling but NOT burned on top of them. Remove from oven.

Plate any way you want - I piled some couscous salad on the plate and laid eggplant halves on top, then topped with more sliced scallions. I saved some marinade to use as extra topping sauce as well. Enjoy! 

Baked Sweet Potato Fries with Citrus-Chipotle Aioli

Sweet potatoes are so good for you and so easy to bake with! These are a great snack and the dip is fantastic and flavorful.

Baked Sweet Potato Fries with Citrus-Chipotle Aioli

Ingredients:
-3 medium sweet potatoes, washed but skin on
-1 1/2 tbsp. olive oil
-freshly ground pepper, to taste
-sea salt

Ingredients for aioli:
-1/3 cup tahini
-1/3 cup water
-1/4 cup nutritional yeast
-3 tbsp. lemon juice
-1 clove garlic
-1/2 tsp. olive oil
-3/4 tsp. salt
-2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (canned)

Method:
Preheat oven to 400F. Cut potatoes into fry-size slices (about 1/2" width) and put in a bowl with olive oil, pepper and salt and toss with your hands. Spread out on a baking sheet in a single layer and bake for 10-12 minutes. Then flip them and bake for another 10 minutes (or until desired done-ness). I like mine a little well done.

For aioli, put all ingredients into a blender or food processor and blend extremely well, making sure there are no lumps. You might have to scrape down the sides with a spatula if the tahini sticks.

Greek Lemon-Tahini Quinoa Salad

This is a really filling “salad” that is different from the usual green salad.  It also holds up well in the fridge for a couple of days so it’s good as leftovers.

Greek Lemon-Tahini Quinoa Salad

Ingredients:

Finished product

-1 cup uncooked quinoa

-1/2 cucumber, diced small

-1 small red onion, sliced very thinly

-1 ½ cups cherry or grape tomatoes, halved

-2 scallions, sliced thinly

-1 red bell pepper, diced small

-1/2 cup pitted Kalamata olives

-6 cups baby spinach or baby field greens of your choice

-1/2 cup pickled Italian hot peppers, halved and stems discarded (optional)

Ingredients for dressing:

-1/3 cup tahini

-2 cloves garlic

-2/3 cup water

-3 tbsp. lemon juice

-4 tbsp. ground flax seed

-1 tbsp. miso paste

-1/4 cup nutritional yeast flakes

Method:

In a saucepan, boil 2 cups of water with 1 tsp. salt and ¼ tsp. fresh black pepper. Once boiling, add quinoa, stir, and turn heat down to medium.  Cook for about 15-17 minutes, until quinoa has absorbed all of the water and is cooked through.

Meanwhile, chop all the veggies and throw together in a large bowl.  In a blender or food processor, process the dressing ingredients until very smooth.  Taste and add salt and pepper if desired.

Veggies mixed in bowl before sauce, greens and tahini

Once quinoa is done cooking, combine with the veggies and fluff.  Then pour dressing on the whole thing and mix well.  Enjoy!  Can be served at room temperature or chilled.

Vegans Like Creamy Salad Dressing Too!

Just because I am vegan doesn't mean I don't get bored with olive oil and vinegar on my salads all the time.  Obviously there are lots of ways to spice up oil and vinegar with different herbs or different vinegars or mustards, etc... but here is a great salad dressing recipe which really satisfies the craving for something creamy.

Creamy Lemon Tahini Dressing

Ingredients:

-1/3 cup tahini paste -1/3 cup water -1/4 cup nutritional yeast -3 tbsp. lemon juice -1 tsp chopped garlic -1/4 tsp olive oil -3/4 tsp sea salt -1/4 tsp sesame seeds (toasted sesame seeds optional)

Method:

Blend all ingredients in a food processor or blender until well combined and smooth.