The Smiling Onion

Vegetarian and Gluten-free Cooking

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Roasted Broccoli with Creamy Hemp Seed Dressing

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Have you tried hemp seeds yet? They are a staple in my kitchen! Touted for their health benefits (just 3 tablespoons of these guys will give you a walloping 10 grams of protein and they also happen to contain nearly the perfect ratio of Omega 3 to Omega 6), these little seeds are great in salads, soups, and sauces. They are also a wonderful vegan creamifier. (Yes, I think I made that word up because it’s not in the dictionary.) In case it’s not apparent, let me define it for you:

Creamifier, n.  A substance that can be used to make something creamy. Example Sentence: Some non-vegan creamifiers are milk, yogurt, and sour cream, while some vegan creamifiers are hemp seeds, tofu, tahini, and nuts.

Now that we’ve all learned a new (fake) word, let me tell you about this dressing.  [Read more…]

Yam-Coconut Breakfast Pudding

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One of the many juice chains in the NYC area has this Korean Yam pudding that I really like. It’s smooth, creamy, sweet but not too sweet, has a subtle hint of ginger – I’m a fan. I’m not really a fan of the price tag though, since one small pudding cup will run you close to 7 bucks once tax is added. The solution? Make my own!

Creating something similar proved pretty easy. I got it right on the first try, and tested it again just to make sure. While the juice chain uses agave to add sweetness, I chose to use raw honey in my version. (To make this vegan, just sub agave or maple syrup.) I also just used a regular Garnet yam instead of a Korean yam. And I’m not sure how the juice place makes their pudding, but I chose to simmer my yams rather than bake them so that their sweetness isn’t overpowering.

What I love about this pudding (aside from the taste and texture) is its versatility. My recipe is fairly light on the ginger – it’s more of a subtle hint than a main component. But if you’re feeling gingery, feel free to take it up a notch. You could also add cinnamon and nutmeg for a pumpkin-pie style pudding, increase the sweetener for something a bit more decadent, or top these with cashew or coconut cream for a real treat.

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Fusion Superfood Salad with Harissa-Sesame Dressing

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This salad is ridiculous. No, seriously, I don’t even mean ridiculously delicious (though it’s that too.) I mean ridiculous in that I can’t even categorize it accurately. I wanna say it’s Asian-inspired, because it’s got toasted sesame oil, grated daikon, and cucumber. But there’s also quinoa, harissa, and lemon juice – middle eastern?? Then we add toasted sunflower seeds and avocado – California? New American? Aaahhh. I don’t know WHAT this salad is but I can promise you that it’s great. Like really great. It’s one of those salads that manages to hit the perfect balance of textures and flavors – creamy, spicy, crunchy – it’s all there. It also happens to be packed with superfoods. And, it hits all three of the macronutrients we need to function properly- protein, carbs, and fat – in one dish, which is always a plus. (This also means if you become completely obsessed with this salad and start eating it for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, you’ll probably be okay for at least a couple days…not that I know this from experience or anything :p)

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