Tuna Rice Salad with Balsamic Tomato Vinaigrette

Spring is finally here in Philly! And for real this time! The weather is getting so much nicer, that I’m finally able to go to class without a puffy winter coat. Food wise, one of my favorite things about Spring season, is that I get to eat salads at every single meal. I crave fresh, tasty and healthy lunch options, which brings me to experiment with a ton of veggies and dressings. Since I get bored quite easily with the typical “mixed greens and tomatoes” type of salad, I love to add several types of grains, or other add-ins to my go-to recipes. Among “mixed salads,” rice ones are at the top of my list. Once you have the base, you can add whatever your heart desires and make a tasty dish in no time. This brown rice tuna salad is very easy to make, and adaptable so you can let your creative “kitchen juices” flow. All you need to remember is that simpler is better, and you’re in for a great new dish. Bon appétit!

Prep Time: 15 min

Ingredients:

1/4-1/2 cup brown rice
1 small can of tuna
1/2 cup cherry tomatoes
1/2 carrot
1/2 medium cucumber
1/4 shallot
a bunch of fresh parsley
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
salt, pepper to taste

Directions:

Bring salted water to a boil, and cook the rice for the time indicated on the packaging. Mine takes about 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, grate the carrot and the cucumber, and set aside. Using a fork, flake the tuna in its can.
Next, make the “balsamic-tomato vinaigrette.” Roughly chop the cherry tomatoes, shallot, and parsley, and put them in a food processor. Pulse until the mixture is still slightly chunky, but starting to get homogeneous. Add the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper, and pulse again. Set aside as well.
When the rice is cooked, put it in a colander and let cold water run over it. As soon as the grains are at room temperature, drain thoroughly and place them in a bowl.
Toss the rice with the flaked tuna, grated veggies, and “balsamic-tomato vinaigrette”. Enjoy!

Buckwheat Crepes with Smoked Salmon and Scrambled Eggs

It’s a fact: pancakes have nothing on crepes. Or at least it’s a widespread idea among French people. We love our crepes, and wouldn’t exchange them for pancakes in any way. Whether sweet or savory, buckwheat or regular flour, for lunch or dinner, there’s always a way to indulge in these deliciously warm circular treats. In fact, I really miss Parisian “creperies” when I’m in the US. Here, I mostly eat pancakes for brunch, but I don’t like savory ones. On the other hand, I find buckwheat crepes to be perfect savory options. This allows me to eat crepes for lunch or dinner as well. I just can’t get enough! The original recipe comes from the region of Brittany, but mine is slightly modified because I use milk instead of water. I find that it makes them more moist and flavorful, but that’s up to you! You can also be as creative as you want with the filling, and even go for sweeter options if you prefer (I’d then substitute AP flour for the buckwheat). Bon appétit!

Total time: 10 minutes (1 hour for the batter to sit)

Ingredients for the batter:

1/2 cup almond milk (or regular)
2 eggs
1/4 cup buckwheat flour
butter (for the pan)

Ingredients for the savory crepes:

2 slices smoked salmon
1 egg
1 tbsp plain yogurt
a bunch of fresh parsley
a handful of spring mix

Directions:

Make the batter: mix the buckwheat flour with the eggs, then add the milk and a pinch of salt, and mix until homogeneous. Let it sit for about an hour in the refrigerator.
Once the batter is set, cook the crepes. Melt some butter in a pan on high heat, and add just enough batter to cover the bottom of the pan. The crepes will start to bubble quickly, and once they’re set on one side, flip them to cook the other side for another minute. Set the cooked crepes aside, and keep going.
Meanwhile, make the yogurt sauce by mixing the yogurt with a splash of water, salt, pepper, and fresh chopped parsley.
Then, make the scrambled eggs. In the same pan, melt a little bit of butter, crack an egg, and whisk until the egg is just set but not dry.
To plate, start with a buckwheat crepe, add the scrambled egg, top with the sliced smoked salmon and spring mix, and drizzle with the yogurt sauce. Adjust the seasoning and enjoy!

TIP: Another one of my favorite savory crepes is ham, fried egg, and cheese. It’s a more traditional one in France and it’s amazing with a glass of spiked apple cider.

Mapple Lentil Salad with Tomatoes and Crumbled Feta

When it comes to cooking, one of my mom’s specialties is her “world famous” lentil salad with onions and a dijon vinaigrette. I grew up with it, and it has definitely become one of my go-to lunch options when I’m on a time crunch. It’s fast, easy, and incredibly satisfying. Yet, I recently stumbled upon a lentil salad recipe on My New Roots, Sarah Britton’s amazing food blog. What immediately caught my eye was her title: “The Best Lentil Salad, Ever”. When I first read it, I naturally thought to myself that however good her recipe would be, it wouldn’t top my mom’s. After trying it, I have to admit that it’s delicious, but in a different way. The star of her recipe is the dressing, a spicy Maple Vinaigrette with dijon mustard and apple cider vinegar (so basically a twist of my mom’s dressing). Since I was quite skeptic when I first saw the list of ingredients, I slightly tweaked it, and it turned out to be one of the best dressings I’ve ever tasted. So though I still love my original (more simple) recipe, this one’s a keeper for when you need to step up your game! Bon appétit!

Recipe for the dressing barely adapted from My New Roots.

Prep Time: 10 min

Ingredients:

1/2 cup cooked lentils
a handful of cherry tomatoes
a handful of sun-dried tomatoes
1/4 small onion
crumbled feta cheese (to taste)
chopped fresh parsley
salt, pepper to taste

Maple Vinaigrette:

2 1/2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1/2 tbsp maple syrup
1/2 tbsp dijon mustard
1/2 tsp ground cumin
a pinch turmeric
a pinch nutmeg

Directions:

Make the Maple Vinaigrette by mixing all the ingredients well together, in a closed container.
Meanwhile, roughly chop the cherry tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, onion, and fresh parsley, and put them in a bowl.
Add the cooked (and cooled down) lentils to the bowl, toss with the dressing and the veggies, and top with crumbled feta cheese and some more fresh parsley. Adjust the seasoning and enjoy!

Veggie Chili with Quinoa, Mixed Potatoes, Carrots, and Beans

I know what you’re probably thinking: “Who eats chili during Spring season?” Well, if you knew Philly weather right now, you’d understand. It’s been cold, rainy, gray, and anything but spring-like. So when the weather brings me down, my favorite way to warm up is to eat a big bowl of soup, or chili. These are my go-to options, and since I’ve already posted a soup recipe, I thought I’d share a chili one for today. This veggie version really hits the spot, and the beans and potatoes completely make up for the meat. Though the list of ingredients may look slightly intimidating at first, it’s a mix of canned ingredients, and common fresh produce. Plus, the recipe is basically a “one-pot stop”, and the only tough thing is to wait for it to cook, and hold yourself from eating out of the pot when your whole house starts to smell deliciously yummy. Bon appétit!

Recipe inspired by Ambitious Kitchen.

Prep Time: 40 min

Ingredients: Serves 2 people (at least)

1/2 cup dried quinoa
1 cup water
1 tsp olive oil
1/2 small onion
a handful of baby carrots
1/2 can tomato sauce
1 can black beans
2 cups vegetable stock
1 small yellow potato
1 small sweet potato
a pinch of nutmeg
a pinch of cumin
a pinch of cinnamon
salt, pepper to taste
plain yogurt (optional)

Directions:

Cover the dried quinoa with a cup of water, and cook until the liquid is absorbed and the grains are tender (about 15 minutes).
Meanwhile, chop the onion and the carrots in small pieces. Heat the olive oil in a large pot, and add the diced onion with the carrots and some salt. Sauté until the onions become translucent and soft.
Next, add the tomato sauce, black beans, vegetable stock, quinoa, and spices. Bring to a boil, and then reduce the heat before you add the mixed potatoes. Bring back to a simmer, cover, and let it cook until the potatoes are done (about 30 minutes).
To plate, scoop the chili in a bowl, and top with a dollop of plain yogurt, fresh salt and pepper, and a healthy drizzle of olive oil!

Shrimp Tacos!

It’s Taco Time! I’d been meaning to make my own tacos for a little while now, but never got to it until today. It looked really easy and I absolutely love tacos so I thought it was time for me to finally try my hands at it. I’m obsessed. Now all I want to eat is homemade tacos. All you need is tortillas, a bunch of veggies, and some kind of protein and you’re all set. I went for shrimp tacos because those are usually my favorite with pulled pork ones (but who’s got time for that at home?). To be honest the highlight of these tacos is the salsa. It’s absolutely delicious and goes perfectly with tender shrimp and slices of ripe avocado. I highly encourage you to try to make your own tacos at home as well. It’s actually not intimidating at all, and you can be as creative as you’d like with the ingredients. Bon appétit!

Prep Time: 20 min

Ingredients for the tacos:

1/2 cup shrimp (peeled and deveined)
1/4 cup salsa
1/4 cup mixed shredded red and green cabbage
Spicy Yogurt Sauce
2 small tortillas
1/4 avocado
salt, pepper
2 lemon wedges

Ingredients for the most amazing salsa:

1/2 cup cherry tomatoes
1/4 yellow bell pepper
1/4 onion
a bunch of fresh parsley
1/2 tbsp olive oil
juice from 1/4 lemon
1/2 tsp honey
salt, pepper
mild jalapeno tabasco (optional)

Spicy Yogurt Sauce:

2 tbsp yogurt
1 tsp olive oil
2 tsp water
good drizzle of sriracha

Directions:

Start by preparing the salsa. Mix the lemon juice, olive oil, honey, and salt in a bowl. Next chop the cherry tomatoes, yellow bell pepper, fresh parsley and onion in very small pieces, and add them to the bowl. Drizzle with mild tabasco, toss everything gently, and reserve in the fridge so that the vegetables release their juices and the flavors blend together.
Next, make the yogurt sauce by mixing the yogurt, olive oil, water, salt, pepper and sriracha in a bowl. Toss the shredded red and green cabbage with the sauce and set aside as well.
Finally, cook the shrimp. I use frozen shrimp that I heat up in a pan with a bit of olive oil, salt and pepper for about 5 minutes.
To plate start with the tortillas, previously heated up in the microwave (between sheets of paper towel) or on the stove. Then add some of the shredded cabbage, a good amount of salsa, and the cooked shrimp. Top with sliced avocado and another drizzle of the yogurt sauce and enjoy!