Simplicity in Salad-Form

Unlike some vegans who feel compelled to go against the age-old stereotype that herbivores subsist entirely on twigs and leaves, I’m not afraid to say that I love salads. Think what you may, but in my eyes, a “salad” can be just about anything, and rarely involves lettuce when I’m in charge.

Truly, how would this most basic and yet complex term be defined? Anything chilled and mixed with a dressing? Think about fruit salad- A sweet twist on the concept that everyone should be quite familiar with. And then there are bean salads, grain salads, and some bewildering “salads” from down south that involve mayo, pineapple, and bacon.

They don’t always make sense, they aren’t always healthy, and I certainly don’t endorse them across the board, but it pains me to think that most people still imagine a sad bowl of limp, pale iceberg and maybe some tired old tomato wedges when I say the word “salad.”

On that note, I have come bearing salad, but not one of those obligatory, unwanted side salads that must be choked down in order to get to dessert. This salad here is comprised mainly of toothsome barley, making it a more wholesome interpretation of pasta salad, in a sense. Fresh, sweet peas take advantage of the season’s bounty, although frozen and thawed can absolutely work in a pinch. Add in a generous glug of vinegar for a pleasant acidic bite, a handful of chives, and you’re practically done.

Simple almost to the point of brainlessly easy, it’s the perfect quick dish for a hot summer day, or lazy picnic any time. Just pack it up into little jars, and you’re good to go. It keeps well, both refrigerated and not, so you don’t have to worry about it spoiling while you go play outside.

Yield: Serves 4 – 6 as a Side Dish

Barley and Fresh Pea Salad

Name: Barley and Fresh Pea Salad
Prep time: 2 min
Total time: 2 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 Cups Cooked Barley; 1 Cup Shelled Peas, Blanched, or Frozen and Thawed; 3 Ounces Vegan “Feta”; 2 Tablespoons Rice Vinegar; 1 Tablespoon Umeboshi Vinegar; 1 Tablespoons Extra-Virgin Olive Oil; 1/4 Cup Fresh Chopped Chives; 2 Tablespoons Fresh Chopped Parsley; Salt and Pepper, to Taste

This salad here is comprised mainly of toothsome barley, making it a more wholesome interpretation of pasta salad, in a sense. Fresh, sweet peas take advantage of the season’s bounty, although frozen and thawed can absolutely work in a pinch. Add in a generous glug of vinegar for a pleasant acidic bite, a handful of chives, and you’re practically done.

Prep Time 2 minutes

Total Time 2 minutes

Ingredients

2 Cups Cooked Barley
1 Cup Shelled Peas, Blanched, or Frozen and Thawed
3 Ounces Vegan “Feta”
2 Tablespoons Rice Vinegar
1 Tablespoon Umeboshi Vinegar
1 Tablespoons Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
1/4 Cup Fresh Chopped Chives
2 Tablespoons Fresh Chopped Parsley
Salt and Pepper, to Taste

Instructions

A salad like this hardly needs instructions, but here goes: Toss the cooked barley and peas in a bowl, crumble in the “feta,” drizzle in both vinegars and oil. Add the chopped herbs and toss well. Taste, and add salt and pepper as desired. Serve immediately, or cover and chill for up to three days.

Recommended Products

Please note that some of the links above are affiliate links, and at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you decide to make a purchase after clicking through the link. I have experience with all of these companies and I recommend them because they are helpful and useful, not because of the small commissions I make if you decide to buy something through my links.

Eden Foods, Vinegar Plum Ume, 10 Fl Oz

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 147Total Fat: 6gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 13mgSodium: 183mgCarbohydrates: 20gFiber: 4gSugar: 2gProtein: 5g

All nutritional information presented within this site are intended for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and any nutritional information on BitterSweetBlog.com should only be used as a general guideline. This information is provided as a courtesy and there is no guarantee that the information will be completely accurate. Even though I try to provide accurate nutritional information to the best of my ability, these figures should still be considered estimates.

July 21, 2010May 31, 2019

Hannah (BitterSweet)37 Comments

All About Balance

Stress. The general public, myself included, simply oozes stress. It’s bad enough on a typical day, with the usual work- and school-related pressures, but now that it’s officially December, as of a few hours ago, the whole game has changed. For many, it’s time to go into full-out holiday madness mode, eschewing a quiet and cozy celebration for something big, perhaps a touch complicated, but above all else, labor intensive.

While most of my own ideas revolve around blog posts or decorating the house, it’s slowly occurred to me that even this “simple” strategy could easily spiral out of control, threatening to eat up every spare moment up until the big day (or in my case days) to hammer out all the fine details. And boy, if you’re working on a Hannukah extravaganza, good luck; the first day will be on our doorsteps in less than two weeks. Less than two weeks! I kid you not, it’s enough to overwhelm even the calmest party planners among us. Even I’m getting a bit freaked out now, so let just take a moment to breathe, shall we?

Like my boss would say, it’s all about balance. All the rich, fatty delights of the holidays are sure to tempt at every turn, but this early in the game, they’re nothing but trouble. Pair this with the urgent need to get things done, and it’s no wonder that stress levels are through the roof! With a belly full of soy nog and candy cane fudge, all one could reasonably hope to accomplish might be a sound nap, not focused worked of any sort. Trust me, I know from experience!

To dilute some of that excess holiday cheer that will be headed your way, I offer today not a sweet fix, but instead a wholesome savory dish in an attempt to balance out the treats to come. Quinoa, my favorite super grain (well seed, technically) is paired with one dynamite green spread that will definitely see many repeat performances in my kitchen from here on in. Although I’m calling it a pesto, you may notice that it is not, in fact, anything like traditional pesto- There’s no basil nor pine nuts. Pistachios stand in for the nuts, and spinach provides the greenery here, creating an earthy but dare-I-say buttery sauce. If nothing else, make the pesto and use it in sandwiches, as a tofu marinade, over pasta, or even as a party dip!

Although I went down a more unusual route and decided to soak both the pistachios and quinoa, you could easily skip over this step to make the dish more speedy, using plain pistachios and cooked quinoa. Just be sure to cool the quinoa completely before adding in the veggies, because there’s little worse than hot cucumber!

Yield: Makes 4 - 6 Servings

Lean, Green Quinoa Salad

Quinoa, my favorite super seed, is paired with one dynamite green pesto. Pistachios stand in for the nuts, and spinach provides the greenery here, creating an earthy but dare-I-say buttery sauce.

Prep Time 10 minutes

Total Time 10 minutes

Ingredients

Pistachio Pesto:

1/4 Cup Pistachios, Soaked Overnight
3 Cloves Roasted Garlic
2 Tablespoons White Miso Paste
2 Tablespoons Nutritional Yeast
6 Ounces Fresh Baby Spinach
1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

Quinoa Salad:

1 Cup Quinoa, Soaked Overnight and Sprouted
1 English Cucumber, Diced
1 Large Red Pepper, Roasted and Diced
1 Ripe Avocado, Diced

To Serve:

Enoki Mushrooms (Optional)
Additional Spinach (Optional)

Instructions

The pesto comes together very quickly and easily, just like any other pesto would: Toss the pistachios and garlic into your food processor or blender first, and pulse until there are no large pieces of either
left. Add in the miso, nutritional yeast, and spinach. It will seem like way too much greenery, but trust me, it blends down to practically nothing. Pulse until the spinach is largely broken down, and then
drizzle in the lemon juice and oil while the machine runs. Blend longer if you want a smoother sauce, or stop right here and set the pesto aside.
In a large bowl, toss together the [very well rinsed and drained] sprouted quinoa, cucumber, red pepper and avocado. If you plan on keeping this salad and serving it later, just toss the avocado pieces in lemon juice first and drain them thoroughly, to prevent them from browning. Add your pesto into the mix, and stir to evenly distribute the veggies and coat everything evenly in pesto. Top each serving with mushrooms and extra fresh spinach, if desired.

Notes

Happy Accidents

Experimenting in the kitchen and writing recipes means a lot of failures, something that I’m very used to at this point. With no formal training, one could only expect to struggle when developing new dishes, learning first hand why certain things do and don’t work- And why others blow up like a mushroom cloud in the oven. Luckily, trial and error seems to have gotten me pretty far, and fewer of those mistakes end up being so dramatic or explosive. Sometimes, the wrong approach leads me somewhere entirely different than I had intended, but it actually turns out to be a greater success than one could have imagined.

Just the other day, it was a random trial of using chia seeds as a binder for an angel food-like cake that backfired for me. Knowing that the create a “goop” when immersed in water, I was hoping that perhaps the gel could be separated from the seeds, leaving a clear, thick liquid… And in case you’re thinking the same thing, forget it. Impossibly absorbent, those tiny seeds held onto every last drop of water with all their might, and no strainer could convince the two substances to part. Not wanting to waste this otherwise perfectly good binder, and with a packet of fresh yeast on hand waiting to be used, it was only a matter of minutes before I switched gears and pulled out the loaf pans.

And thus, this fantastic, golden loaf was born not of careful calculations, but of a happy accident. Soft but hearty, with a delightfully crisp but yielding crust, it’s absolutely wonderful sliced thick and toasted for breakfast. Use a spread if you must, but that powerful wheat flavor paired with a very satisfying chew was enough for me. Sliced thin, I’m certain it would be excellent as sandwich bread too… Although I think it may not ever make it to that stage in this household.

Sometimes the best things are, so I want to remind all of you bakers and cooks out there not to give up when things go awry- Especially when all of us are pinching pennies Anything that can be salvaged should be, and you never know- It could end up being even better than you planned.

Yield: Makes 2 Loaves; 20 - 24 Servings

Hearty Chia Bread

Soft but hearty, with a delightfully crisp but yielding crust, this golden loaf is wonderful sliced thick and toasted or used for sandwiches.

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 35 minutes

Additional Time 4 hours

Total Time 4 hours

Ingredients

3/4 Cup Warm Water
1/4 Cup Chia Seeds
2 Cups White Whole Wheat Flour
2 Cups Bread Flour
1 Cup Old Fashioned Rolled Oats
1/2 Cup Toasted Wheat Germ
2 Teaspoons Salt
1 (.6-Ounce) Cake Fresh Yeast or 1 (1/4-Ounce) Packet Active Dry Yeast
1 Cup Apple Cider or Unfiltered Apple Juice
1/2 Cup Water
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

Instructions

Begin by combining the chia seeds and warm water, and allow them to sit for at least 15 minutes, giving the mixture a good sir after the first 5. The water should be entirely absorbed by the seeds before proceeding.
Meanwhile, combine both flours, oats, wheat germ, and salt in your mixing bowl and crumble in the fresh yeast. Stir to distribute all of the dry ingredients. Add the chia mixture in when ready and stir briefly.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the apple cider, water, and oil. Pour this into the mixing bowl as well, and using the dough hook attachment to your stand mixer, slowly incorporate the wet into the dry. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary, and make sure you’re not missing patches of unmixed flour on the bottom, too. After everything is incorporated, let the mixer work the dough for an additional 10 minutes.
Wait 15 minutes for the dough to relax again. Pour it out onto a lightly floured surface and kneed it by hand for 10 minutes. Add in more flour if necessary, but don’t go crazy; it shouldn’t need too much. Place it in a grease bowl when done, cover with a tea towel, and let proof in a warm place for 1 – 2 hours, until doubled in volume.
Lightly grease two 8 x 4 inch loaf pans. Slide the whole mass out of the bowl and cut it into two equal pieces. Flatten each piece out into a rectangle, and then roll it up from the widest side to form a log about the length of your loaf pan. Place them seam-down into the pans, and let them proof for another 1 – 2 hours, until nearly doubled.
Once risen, bake the loaves in an oven preheated to 350 degrees for about 30 – 35 minutes, until golden brown all over. Let the bread rest in the pans for 10 minutes, move them onto a wire rack, and then wait at least 30 minutes before slicing and enjoying.

Carb-Lovers, Unite!

I can’t fathom a world without bread. The foundation of many meals, this most basic staple is something that can elevate a ho-hum meal into something really special. I love everything about it- The taste, the smell, the texture, the way it must be kneaded and the way it rises by it’s own accord. It may surprise you since I’m so fond of creating desserts, but if I could only specialize in one baked good for the rest of time, I would choose to make bread.

Naturally, when I heard about the third World Bread Day, I was chomping at the bit to start a fresh loaf rising. Easy as it is to create, it always seems to be much more difficult to simply decide what kind to make! Pressed for time as it was, I settled on the first recipe that appealed, which happened to be Dakota Seed Bread. Why “Dakota”? I have no idea, but the hearty mixture of wholesome grains, wheat germ, and seeds sounded like the perfect bread to build a satisfying meal around.

But you know me; I can’t leave well enough alone, and my bread ended up with almost nothing in common with the original recipe. Substituting forbidden rice instead of wild, pepitas instead of sunflower seeds, and white whole wheat flour for almost all of the flour, not to mention omitting the dry milk altogether, it was an entirely different animal than the writers of Bon Appétit had intended. I’ve gotta tell you though, it was incredible.

Sure, it’s hard to go wrong with fresh, homemade bread in general, but this stuff was irresistible. Toothsome from all the add-ins, soft and tender crumb, with a strong but not brittle crust wrapped around it all, it definitely ranks near the top of my favorite breads. While I had planned on saving it to toast for breakfasts to come… I must sheepishly admit that I ate nearly the whole thing still hot from the oven, right then and there.

The black rice is more of a focal point in my loaf, coloring the interior an unexpected purplish hue, so I decided to name my version accordingly.

Yield: Makes 1 Loaf; 8 Servings

Forbidden Seed Bread

Toothsome from chewy whole grains and seeds mixed into a soft and tender crumb, with a strong but not brittle crust wrapped around it all, this might just be your new favorite loaf.

Prep Time 25 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Additional Time 3 hours

Total Time 3 hours 55 minutes

Ingredients

1/4 Cup Uncooked Black Rice
1 1/4 Cups Warm Water, Divided
1 Tablespoon Light Agave Nectar
1 1/2 Teaspoons Active Dry Yeast
2 Cups White Whole Wheat Flour
1/4 Cup Pepitas, Toasted
1/4 Cup Wheat Germ, Toasted
3/4 Teaspoon Salt
3/4 Cup Bread Flour

Instructions

In a medium pot, bring 1/2 cup of water to a boil and add in the black rice. Cover, reduce heat all the way down to the lowest setting, and cook for 25 – 30 minutes until all of the liquid has been absorbed. Remove from the heat and let cool completely.
Mix together the warm water and agave, and sprinkle the yeast over it. Let sit until the yeast has reawakened and become frothy, and then add in the cooked rice, white whole wheat flour, pepitas, wheat germ, and salt in large bowl. Stir well to combine, and once there are no more dry patches, slowly add in the bread flour at little bit at a time. It will still be very sticky, but don’t worry about it; it’s a rather wet dough which makes it a moist loaf.
Give it 15 minutes to rest before using a dough hook attachment to knead it in your mixer for 10 minutes. Lightly oil a large bowl and drop the dough into it. Toss it to coat, cover with plastic, and stash it in the fridge overnight for better flavor, or leave it out in a warm place for 1 hour if you want your bread the same day.
When you’re ready to bake the bread, preheat your oven to 375 degrees and lightly grease an 8 x 4 loaf pan.
Grab your dough, and turn it out onto a well-floured surface. Knead it briefly by hand, adding in more flour if necessary, and then press it out into a rough rectangle, keeping it the width of the loaf pan. Roll the rectangle up and drop it into the pan, seam-side down. Cover loosely with plastic for about 30 – 45 minutes, until it has risen to about the top of the pan. It’s a fairly short loaf in the end, so it won’t reach any great heights.
Bake for 30 – 35 minutes, until evenly browned all over and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Give it 10 minutes before de-panning, and let cool on a wire rack. Try your hardest not to wolf it all down immediately!

You Win Some, You Lose Some

It’s true that you can’t always win, but I have a feeling that it’s quite possible to always lose. Slogging through a bit of a losing streak myself, it certainly seems that way at least. My apricot ice cream lost, although I’m not the least bit surprised, having watched first-hand as the tally of my competitors’ votes swelled into impressive numbers, while my own inflated temporarily only to burst and collapse like a cheap inflatable pool toy. I’ve given up on entering blog raffles, as the suspense kills me and by the time some one else’s name is announced, you’re just beating a dead horse over here. Nope, I have better things to pin my hopes to. Even though I haven’t officially heard back from the lovely folks at Whole Foods about the most recent contest of theirs that I entered, I have no doubt that a gentle letter of rejection is sure to arrive any moment.

The premise for this contest was simple enough; Make a healthy meal for $4 or less per serving. No problem, that’s pretty much the norm around here anyways. Savories still aren’t my forte though, so taking the safer route, I whipped up a tasty tofu dish and an easy pilaf. Admittedly, the tofu was rather forgettable- Delicious, yes, but nothing to write home about. It was that pilaf, a bulgur pilaf to be exact, that really got my appetite going. I even contemplated sending in an entry of only the pilaf, since it’s a good balance of protein, grains, and veg if you ask me, and I’m all for one-dish meals as well.

Ginger, garlic, and miso make up a flavorful broth, which toothsome whole grain bulgur is only too happy to soak up. Rounded out by some nutty almonds and bright green peas, it’s a simple yet comforting dish that is agreeable to just about every palate. It might not win any awards, but it’s a keeper in my book.

Yield: Serves 2 as a main dish, 4 as a side.

Miso Bulgur Pilaf

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes

Additional Time 5 minutes

Total Time 35 minutes

Ingredients

1 Cup Bulgur Wheat
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
2 Cloves Garlic, Finely Minced
1/2 Teaspoon Ground Ginger
1/2 Teaspoon Lemon Zest
1 Teaspoon Soy Sauce
2 Tablespoons Brown Rice Miso Paste
1 3/4 Cups Water
1/4 Cup Frozen Peas, Thawed
1/2 Cup Whole Almonds, Toasted
1 Tablespoon Chopped Chives

Instructions

Heat a dry skillet over the stove and toss in the bulgur. Toast for about 10 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally to keep the bulgur moving, until it smells nutty and turns slightly darker brown. Pour the grains out onto a plate, and place the emptied skillet back over the heat.
Add in the oil, garlic and ginger, and cook for just a minute or two until the spices have browned a bit. Stir in the lemon zest, soy sauce, and miso paste, breaking up any lumps that may form. Stand back a bit while slowly pouring in the water, as it may hiss and splash slightly. Scrape everything off the bottom if it’s sticking, and add your toasted bulgur into the mix, along with the peas. Turn down the heat, cover, and let simmer for 15 minutes. If all of the liquid hasn’t been absorbed by then, simply continue to cook over low heat, uncovered, until it has all evaporated.
Let stand for 5 minutes off the heat, and stir in the almonds and chives.

Simple Sprouts

Zooming about the kitchen at a manic pace on even a good day, it’s difficult enough to muster the patience for bread to rise, or dough to sit overnight at times. With the instant gratification of simple cookies and rolls tugging at the corners of my pleasure-seeking mind, it’s hard to justify taking more than a day or two to make one single item. It doesn’t help that counter space is at a premium as its teeming with baked goods of all sizes and colors; there’s barely even space to house more time-consuming recipes.

Thus, sprouting seemed an impossible venture to attempt. Despite all of the wonderful reports on how delicious and healthy sprouted grains and beans are, I never took the initiative to go ahead and try it out for myself. Thank goodness I was finally given a reason to step out of my normal pattern and do just that for this month’s Bread Baking Day, as chosen by Zorra, which involves baking with sprouts.

Limited knowledge and supplies both dictated my decision to sprout quinoa, which I’ve heard is faster to sprout than most options. Still figuring that I would have a full 2 or 3 days to wait until the actual bread baking could begin, I nearly gasped in shock when only 24 hours after beginning when I lifted the cheesecloth covering my jar of previously raw grains and discovered this:

Look at those beautiful tails! How they had grown so quickly, I can only attribute to the incredibly humid weather we’ve been experiencing lately. While I hate this wet, clammy warmth, I suppose it’s good for something after all! Tossing in a good handful of my sprouted quinoa and continuing a wholesome theme by using all whole wheat flour and no refined sugars, the dough came together with ease. Before I knew it, I had a beautiful loaf rising and browning in the oven, dispersing its yeasty aroma throughout the kitchen. Really, there are few things that smell as good as freshly baked bread.

Besides just being a lovely, healthy loaf, it has incredible flavor, drawing upon Mediterranean influence; Sun-dried tomato paste is mixed in, as well as a touch of balsamic vinegar for a slightly tangy bite, toasted pine nuts provide a toothsome crunch, and fresh herbs straight from the garden round the whole thing out. A nice change of pace from the usual onslaught of sugar, this could very well take a place of honor as one of my favorite savory recipes.

Yield: Makes 1 Loaf; 10 - 12 Servings

Mediterranean Sprouted Quinoa Bread

Besides being packed full of healthy, high-protein sprouted quinoa, this loaf has incredible flavor, drawing upon Mediterranean influence. Sun-dried tomato paste and balsamic vinegar add a tangy bite, toasted pine nuts provide a toothsome crunch, and fresh herbs straight from the garden round the whole thing out.

Prep Time 25 minutes

Cook Time 35 minutes

Additional Time 2 hours 3 seconds

Total Time 3 hours 3 seconds

Ingredients

3 Tablespoons Sun-Dried Tomato Paste
1 Cup Warm Water
1 Package Active Dry Yeast
2 Teaspoons Agave
1/4 Cup Olive Oil
1 Teaspoon Balsamic Vinegar
3 1/2 - 4 Cups Whole Wheat flour
1/3 Cup Toasted Pine Nuts
Handful Fresh Parsley and Basil, Finely Chopped
1 Teaspoon Salt
1 Cup Sprouted Quinoa
1 Tablespoon Vital Wheat Gluten

Instructions

First, stir the tomato paste into your water so that it dissolves, and then add in the agave and yeast. Let that sit for about 5 minutes or so until the yeast reawakens and it becomes frothy.
Toss this mixture into your stand mixer or a large mixing bowl, and stir in the oil and vinegar. Add in about 2 cups of the flour, as well as all of the remaining ingredients. Mix thoroughly to combine, and then add in enough of the remaining flour to create a cohesive dough that is neither very sticky nor dry.
If using a stand mixer, let it kneed on a slow speed with a dough hook for 5 – 10 minutes, or knead by hand for 10 – 15 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic. Lightly grease a large bowl and let the dough rest there, covered, until doubled in volume.
Press down the risen dough and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Kneed is very lightly to flatten it out into a rectangle approximately the length of your loaf pan, but much wider. Roll it up tightly and lay the log into greased medium loaf pan. Cover and let rise until doubled again.
Bake it in an oven preheated to 350 degrees for 35 – 40 minutes. Let cool completely before slicing.

Notes

If you have a lot of pine nuts on top of your loaf, you might want to tent it with aluminum foil after the first 15 or 20 minutes so that they don’t burn.
Kalamata olives or finely chopped artichoke hearts could make a lovely addition to this loaf as well!