The Smiling Onion

Vegetarian and Gluten-free Cooking

Subscribe

Open-Faced Breadless Eggplant Sandwiches
(Vegan Option)

By Leave a Comment

There is something incredibly satisfying about breadless sandwiches, and I think it has to do with breaking rules.

I mean, to most people, bread is one of the defining characteristics of a sandwich. When you think of a sandwich, you most likely envision two slices of bread, or if you went to alternative schools all of your life and consider yourself a unique thinker, possibly a roll or a bun. Maybe you sidestep the bread characteristic, but if you do, you’re probably thinking of an oreo or some other construction where something in the middle is sandwiched between two symmetrical edible surfaces. This sandwich, however, breaks both fundamental sandwich rules – it’s both open-faced and breadless. And yet it has the look, feel, and taste of a classic sandwich.

[Read more…]

Leche de Tamarindo

By 4 Comments

I don’t know about you, but when late August hits, I start to get a little sad. Summer is quickly waning, and if you’re me, you still haven’t made time to do all of the summery stuff you’d planned! In the New York City area, that means taking advantage of the free outdoor concerts, movies, boat rides, etc. It means braving a long public transit ride to get to something that vaguely resembles a beach. And to many it means getting out of the metro area all together – planning that one, glorious, summer vacation.

This post is a tribute to the vacations I planned, but didn’t take.

In fact, this summer was stacking up to be incredible. One of our friends was getting married in India, another was getting married in Mexico. India and Mexico in one summer? Hell yeah! Unfortunately, the timing of the two weddings was identical. Add  in a new apartment for both of us and a new job for one of us, and we quickly realized a big vacation just wasn’t in the cards this summer. I’m hoping we’ll brave that long public transit ride and get to one of the super crowded beaches New Yorkers flock to before the summer ends. But for now, I’ve decided to channel the tropics whenever I can. And what better way to start than with a fruit that happens to be pretty ubiquitous in both India and Mexico?

Tamarind is a pod-shaped fruit with a tangy flavor that is grown in most tropical areas of the world. If you’ve ever had tamarind chutney (the brown, sweet chutney often served in Indian restaurants), you are already somewhat familiar with its unique taste. Tamarind is thought to have many health benefits, including anti-inflammatory compounds, antioxidants, iron and B vitamins, and dietary fiber to improve your digestive system!

Leche de Tamarindo translates to — quite literally — tamarind milk. Sounds better in Spanish, right? Be that as it may, it tastes amazing whatever language you may happen to speak and wherever you may happen to be spending your summer.

[Read more…]

5-Ingredient Miracle Cookies (Sugar-Free, Gluten-Free, and Vegan!)

By 1 Comment

A gluten-free, vegan, and sugar-free cookie that contains only five ingredients and comes together in minutes? Now that’s a small miracle. Please don’t be skeptical – while I tend to shy away from baked goods with too many x-free, y-free qualifications (because what the heck is in them to make them taste good?) I promise you these cookies are utterly delicious. And no nasty sugar substitutes, either. These cookies are 100% date-sweetened.

There is nothing like baking your first batch of cookies in a new apartment (I moved this weekend!) to really scream “home.” That priceless cookie aroma wafting around my kitchen was just the thing to banish any lingering new-apartment smell – aka paint – for good. And then looking at my new  (and dare I say perfectly organized??) kitchen with racks of cookies cooling on the counter, I felt perfectly relaxed and oh so content. Yes, there were – and still are – boxes all over the living room – but they faded into the background as I grabbed a nice cold glass of almond milk and let myself be transported to warm, gooey, peanut-butter heaven.

[Read more…]

Cold n’ Creamy Cauliflower Soup

By 1 Comment

I love cold soups in the summer! I especially love the voluptuousness of silky, creamy, cold soups. Surprisingly, however, I’m not a huge fan of actually using heavy cream to make those soups creamy. While I’m far from lactose intolerant, my stomach is not super happy with me when I drink milk or eat foods with a lot of heavy cream in them. But aside from the lactose consideration, I also actually prefer the taste of a vegan creamy soup to a dairy-laden creamy soup. I’ve found that without the heaviness of the cream, the flavors really have  a chance to shine through.

This creamy cauliflower soup is no exception. When I first made this, I was genuinely shocked by how flavorful it was. I’ve always thought of cauliflower as enjoyable to a point, if a tad bland. It’s never been one of my favorite vegetables. However, after roasting and creamifying it, I began to see it in a whole new light. Cauliflower was born to star in soups like this.

[Read more…]

Roasted Tomatillo Salsa (And a Salute to “The Taco”)

By Leave a Comment

Is it just me or is this summer going by ridiculously quickly? I feel like I’m constantly struggling to keep up with all the wonderfully delicious fresh produce in season right now! And I’m fortunate enough to work RIGHT by the Union Square Greenmarket, a huge NY farmer’s market that constantly reminds me I better get to the kitchen, stat.

In my opinion, one of the best summer meals (and I may be influenced here by my Mexican-food obsessed fiancé) is THE TACO.  Yes, the article there is deliberate – in our household, tacos deserve the same amount of reverence and respect as The Macaron or The Rack of Lamb. (Although lamb doesn’t actually get any respect since we don’t eat meat.) But anyway, why is The Taco a perfect summer meal? For starters, you can pretty much make anything into a taco, so it’s a fantastic vessel for keeping up with all the delicious produce that keeps appearing in the summertime. Secondly, there’s not that much cooking involved – you may have to quickly sauté some veggies and heat up your tortillas, but you won’t have the stove/oven on for too long – a definite blessing in the summertime. Thirdly, you get to make your own salsa, which in my opinion is what makes a taco into The Taco.

While homemade salsa in all forms is absolutely delicious, I have always been partial to tomatillo salsa. I love the tangy, pungent, citrusy flavor of The Tomatillo. Okay, sorry – I’m overusing the article trick now :p But seriously, if you haven’t tried tomatillos, you must! They are related to tomatoes, and are used quite often in Mexican cooking. You may have heard them referred to as  “husk tomatoes,” since they grow inside a husk – this must be removed before you use them. After removing the husk (and any stems that you see), you’ll also need to  quickly rinse the tomatillos, since they will feel slightly sticky. But once husked and rinsed, they are ready to go! You can roast, sauté, eat ’em raw, whatever strikes your fancy! While some recipes call for seeding tomatoes, you will NEVER have to seed a tomatillo – just another of their many benefits.

[Read more…]

Middle Eastern Shake

By 3 Comments

When it comes to shakes, I’m a pretty picky eater … er… drinker? In my opinion, a good shake must be creamy, smooth, rich, luscious, full-bodied, sweet but not sweet enough to cause a sugar rush, and most importantly, NOT ICY. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve experienced severe buyer’s remorse after shelling out good $$ (shakes are expensive!!) only to realize my “cacao banana power shake” (or some variation thereof) is half ice and half store-bought almond milk with maybe a couple teaspoons of cocoa powder and a tiny piece of banana. Sadness! Anger! Ice! So. Much. Ice.

While I’ll occasionally throw one or two cubes of ice in a shake I make myself (usually because I have a cat shaped ice cube tray and the kitty ice cubes are so darn cute that I can put aside my ice hatred and remember that all things can be good in moderation) I generally find that if all my ingredients are cold, shakes do not need ice at all. And I much prefer them creamy and rich to cold and watery. This Middle Eastern Shake is no exception – it could probably be eaten as a pudding if you’re into that. Personally, I prefer to consume it in shake form (I mean, for one thing, you get more of it: it is so much more socially acceptable to consume a full glass of shake than a full glass of pudding.)  [Read more…]

Easy Vegetarian Chili

By 1 Comment

Isn’t it weird when your tastes start to change? As someone who has gone through life adamantly disliking chipotle peppers for their smoky flavor, as well as less passionately (but still steadfastly) relegating all varieties of chili to the boring school cafeteria domain, this recipe is a bit out of character. But I really like it!

It all started when I remembered a squash tamale recipe I made once with my college roommate – it called for chipotle peppers and I had begged her to leave them out. Miraculously,  despite the fruitlessness of my persuasion efforts, I ended up loving the tamales. I had puzzled over it for a day, and then promptly forgot – returning instead to my religious dislike of all things chipotle. Until I got a mysterious craving for those tamales – more specifically, for the characteristic deep and slightly smoky flavor of the chipotle peppers. So, against my better judgment, I went out and bought some dried chipotle, threw it in a pot with some beans, veggies, and tomatoes, and let the simmer setting do its magic.

And once again, I liked it! Was it a fluke? It appears not.  I’ve now made this chili three times, and I’ve liked it each and every time.

[Read more…]

Zesty Kasha

By Leave a Comment

UPDATE: This recipe was featured in a great list of other buckwheat-related recipes on The Stir. Check it out here and thanks to @zlatathoughts for including me! 

Buckwheat (contrary to its name) is both grain-free and gluten-free. It has no relation to wheat – in fact, it’s actually a seed that is related to rhubarb! Its health benefits are numerous – it’s great for your heart, it helps regulate your blood sugar, and it’s nutrient-packed (high levels of manganese, magnesium, and copper). Buckwheat is also high in protein relative to other grains and contains all nine amino acids.

If you’re not familiar with kasha already, you may be wondering why I’m rambling on about buckwheat. Well, kasha is actually toasted buckwheat, which means A) it has a wonderfully nutty, hearty flavor that makes for some fantastic eating and B) all my rambling about buckwheat is actually quite relevant.

[Read more…]

Spicy Pasta with White Beans, Caramelized Onions, and Roasted Tomatoes

By Leave a Comment

There is nothing like sitting down to a beautiful and delicious plate of steaming pasta. It’s elegance and comfort all rolled into one, which is kind of hard for most dishes to accomplish. Think about it – what other comfort food also brings with it so much elegance and class? Well, actually, all of the ones with Italian roots.

How do you make a sandwich elegant? Turn it into a panini.

What about a pizza? That’s easy. Ditch your NY-style pizza by the slice and go for a wood-oven baked pie with San Marzano tomato sauce and fresh mozzarella.

Fried dough? Sure. It’s a ricotta-filled zeppole.

In fact, if I had to make one general statement about Italian chefs, it would be that they sure do know how to combine comfort and elegance. And you can too. So put on some Puccini and pour yourself a nice glass of Chianti, because I have a delicious Italian-style pasta recipe for you.

[Read more…]

Triple-C Slaw

By Leave a Comment

For all you Sesame Street fans out there (best children’s show ever!), this post is brought to you by the letter C. Why? Because Cabbage, Carrots, and Coconut happen to make the perfect slaw.  And it’s pleasantly Crunchy. Add in some Cilantro, and you could even call this Quadruple-C Slaw. Cilantro begins with a soft  C, while Cabbage, Carrots, and Coconut all begin with hard  C‘s. But what about the raisins? They don’t belong here! Try as you might, you won’t find a soft  C or a hard  C anywhere in that seven-letter word. Ah, but the addition of raisins to this slaw will Caress your palate and leave you feeling quite Content.  So you see, the word raisins gives us two more beautiful C words!

[Read more…]