When you have a plethora of vegetables, there are only so many things you can do with them without getting tired of the same old thing. I tend to make a lot of soups from vegetables, but sometimes I want the taste of something grilled. This recipe is nice because you can even do it if you have a small oven or toaster oven, or even just a small amount of vegetables to grill.
Simply cut the vegetables all the same size so that they cook evenly.
Add some sea salt and drizzle generously with olive oil. You’ll save that oil for your salad and not waste a drop, so don’t worry.
Grill at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 30 minutes (keep an eye on them to make sure they don’t burn, as some will ultimately cook a little faster than others).
They look so delicious and curl up so nicely. I like to add tomatoes, peppers, onions, eggplant.
When they’re out of the oven, I simply throw them all into a bowl, olive oil included. It makes a great side dish to meat or fish, or simply eat on its own with rustic bread.
It’s also pretty, so it’s nice to serve in a glass bowl for guests so they can see how pretty it is, too, from any vantage point of the dinner table.
Is it just me or are there cookies everywhere, right now? Not to mention cakes, chocolates, candy canes and the like. Even if one doesn’t celebrate Christmas, it’s still part of the social scene and family gatherings that just can’t seem to be avoided- and who refuses good chocolates, anyway? I’m not complaining, but I do need to have a plan for healthy recipes that help to compensate for all those sweets- and get me back on track quickly.
That’s where I turned to the beloved salad, and the Saffron Road products you hear me talk about so much. I often talk about their Crunchy Chickpeas, their halal broths, and conveniently made gluten-free dinners, but I want to remind you about their ready-made chicken products like the Tandoori Seasoned Chicken Nuggets. I’ve used these before on pizza and that was a hit. Now, this salad is another big hit at home, too. The recipe is super simple, too.
Most of the ingredients for this recipe are actually for the dressing: Olive oil, lemon juice, pomegranate vinegar……and spices: dried parsley, ginger, cumin, parsley, black pepper and fresh or dried garlic. Plus the salad greens and red cabbage for color.
Some red onions and scallions, too, if desired.
The final recipe took less than 10 minutes to pull together, if the lettuce leaves and cabbage as well as onion and scallions were prepped ahead of time. The chicken can either be microwaved or baked in the oven, which takes a little longer. I love the light but evident South Asian seasoning because it’s a taste I don’t always make at home, but when I’m craving to have it quickly (and not just in a rice dish) it’s such a welcome flavor. Surprising to some, it really works on a salad like this, too.
Enjoy, get healthy and eat lots of vegetables. This is just one way to do that and I hope you’ll try it.
My passion for soup intensifies every time I come up with a new way to blend different veggies. Since I’m usually always stirring in some kind of dairy into my soups- whether it’s milk, heavy cream or creme fraiche, this recipe is one I’m especially happy to show you because there is a secret ingredient in it that removes any need for dairy- perfect for vegans or those who are lactose-intolerant. Would you believe that the secret ingredient – cauliflower – is what makes it so creamy and milky? Without telling anyone there isn’t any cream in the dish, you might easily fool even your foodiest of foodie friends. Seriously. But there is another secret ingredient that is my go-to whenever I’m making soup and need a quick and convenient broth to add flavor and depth to all of my soups: the Saffron Roadhalalbroths, whether it’s the vegetable, chicken or lamb broths. So you can start this dish with riced cauliflower OR fresh or frozen cauliflower florets. These are sautéed with chopped zucchini, some onion and garlic, too. Once the broth is added, the liquid should come to a boil. It should cook for about 20 minutes to soften all of the ingredients, then removed from heat and pureed with an immersion blender, one of my favorite kitchen gadgets to use when making my soups. I then add in some fresh or dried herbs- always the fresh variety if and when you have those: parsley, dill, basil, cilantro- any or all of them. I like to serve this soup nice and thick with a drizzle of olive oil on top, but you could add more liquid- more broth or some water added to the broth. On the side, I love to serve this soup with Saffron Road’s Sea Salt Lentil Crackers, which are totally wheat free and a true gift to those who are avoiding wheat in their diets. For that, I’m so thankful. Great halal products like Saffron Road’s broth and lentil crackers (which are also gluten free) that pay attention to the special diet needs so many people have today.If you haven’t tried these products yet, check out my Instagram account on 11/30/17 where I’ll be giving away a week’s worth of Saffron Road coupons to one randomly-selected winner so there is no excuse not to give these fabulous products a try with your family.
One of my most popular Instagram posts in recent months was when I posted about how I make my own almond milk. It has changed so much about the way I eat and has increased my plant-based eating incredibly. I had to learn how to do it on my own as I didn’t find too much information in the detail I was looking for, but once I did I got it down to a system and shared how to make the milk in this post.
Well, once you make the almond milk for yourself, you’re also left a wonderful side gift as a result: almond meal, which can then be turned into the very precious, very useful, very healthy almond flour.
A post shared by Yvonne Maffei (@myhalalkitchen) on
But you have to process it just a little bit in order to use it in baking recipes. Once you follow the instructions in my post about making almond milk and you have the reserved almond meal without any ‘milk’ left in it (i.e. you’ve squeezed it all very tightly), you can leave the almond meal (wrapped in its cloth) in the fridge for up to about 2 days. Do not leave it out on the counter, as it will mold. The best thing to do, if you can, is to process it right away.
Spread it all out on a baking sheet, trying to get as many lumps and clumps out of it. Bake in your oven at the lowest temperature for about 20 minutes. Once it’s baked and kind of toasty, let it cool completely.
Place in an airtight jar and keep in a cool, dry place until you’re ready to use it in baking where almond flour is one of the ingredients, like this one. Enjoy! It’s a homemade specialty you can get into the habit of making if you’re an almond milk drinker- have you seen the prices of that flour in the stores? Yours will be the freshest, most tasty variety you’ve ever had!
If you’ve watched my Facebook Live video series with Dr. Madiha Saeed, you’ll probably know a little bit about this recipe and why it’s appearing here- because it’s a total family favorite- and now passed on to more family and friends.
Dr. Saeed started bringing this Pumpkin Cake to me to try quite some time ago and to show me how a non-dairy, non-wheat based “sweet” or treat could be healthy and delicious and easy to make –and something I would actually enjoy making and eating regularly.
And that’s exactly what this is- believe me, you just have to try it. You really won’t believe how good this recipe is and it will change the way you think about baking. I’m actually relieved that I can go dairy-free (if you don’t use ghee) and wheat-free and still have something to drink with my coffee or tea in the morning and afternoon- regularly.
Most of the ingredients for this recipe are actually for the dressing: 
…and spices: dried parsley, ginger, cumin, parsley, black pepper and fresh or dried garlic.
Plus the salad greens and red cabbage for color. 
Enjoy, get healthy and eat lots of vegetables. This is just one way to do that and I hope you’ll try it. 
Would you believe that the secret ingredient – cauliflower – is what makes it so creamy and milky? Without telling anyone there isn’t any cream in the dish, you might easily fool even your foodiest of foodie friends. Seriously. 
But there is another secret ingredient that is my go-to whenever I’m making soup and need a quick and convenient broth to add flavor and depth to all of my soups: the
So you can start this dish with riced cauliflower OR fresh or frozen cauliflower florets. These are sautéed with chopped zucchini, some onion and garlic, too. Once the broth is added, the liquid should come to a boil. 
It should cook for about 20 minutes to soften all of the ingredients, then removed from heat and pureed with an 
I then add in some fresh or dried herbs- always the fresh variety if and when you have those: parsley, dill, basil, cilantro- any or all of them. 
I like to serve this soup nice and thick with a drizzle of 
For that, I’m so thankful. Great halal products like 
If you haven’t tried these products yet, check out 
Bake in your oven at the lowest temperature for about 20 minutes. 
Once it’s baked and kind of toasty, let it cool completely.
Enjoy! It’s a homemade specialty you can get into the habit of making if you’re an almond milk drinker- have you seen the prices of that flour in the stores? Yours will be the freshest, most tasty variety you’ve ever had!