tahini | Delightful-Delicious-Delovely

All Photos © Christine Elise McCarthy 2016

To see images of my past posts & get links to the recipes – look on my Pinterest board – HERE.

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This is a really easy salad – especially if you buy already roasted beets or, like me, roasted them ahead & had them all ready. I used this ancient grains mix (above) but any grain you prefer could be used – like the quinoa below.

I made the dressing but you could use any dressing you prefer. I had the gorgeous bottle of blood orange olive oil from my friend, Alyse, but regular olive oil is fine.

How to roast beets:

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Wash beets well. Coat with a thin layer of olive oil & wrap in foil. Cook, undisturbed, for at least 45 minutes (it could take much longer for big ones), until a knife pierces one with little resistance. They may cook at different rates. Remove the skin on each when they are done by just pushing it off under running water.

Vegan Protein Salad Bowl – Chickpeas & Roasted Beets, Ancient Grains (Quinoa, Amaranth & Millet) with Orange Tahini Dressing & Chia Seeds

Serves 2

INGREDIENTS

4 beets – roasted (as outlined above), peeled & sliced

1 (15 oz) can chickpeas – drained

1 cup of dry grains – cooked as per directions

1/4 cup parsley – chopped

Chia seeds (quantity up to you)

for the Orange Tahini Dressing (makes more than you will need for these two servings)

3 TBS tahini

3 TBS fresh orange juice

2 TBS balsamic vinegar

2 TBS apple cider vinegar

1 TBS maple syrup or agave nectar

1 TBS olive oil (infused with orange if you have it but not necessary)

1 tsp orange zest

1 garlic clove – minced

1/2 tsp dry mustard

S&P

DIRECTIONS

Whisk the dressing ingredients together.

Plate the bowls by putting some grains, sliced beets, chickpeas & parsley in each bowl. Drizzle with dressing to taste. It does not need much. Sprinkle with Chia seeds. Toss.

Devour!

All Photos © Christine Elise McCarthy 2015

Follow @celisemccarthy

To see images of my past posts & get links to the recipes – look on my Pinterest board – HERE.

31 years ago today – I moved to Los Angeles intending to establish residency & go to a state school (UCLA) for film – hoping to one day direct. I was 19 & did not know anyone else in LA – and – I had never driven a car (and lived here for 2 1/2 years without car or even a driver’s license) and lived for the first week in a creepy, rent-by-the-week motel on Whitley just north of Hollywood Blvd – until I found an apartment at Sunset & Normandie – where I lived for the next 4+ years. 19 and alone – very far from anything familiar and, apparently iron-clad balls because I can’t imagine being that brave now. And to be honest – I cried almost every day for the first year & had to deflect my mother’s repeated offers to fly out here, pack me up & move me back home. Honest to God – I have no fucking idea what I was thinking or how my mother let me go in the first place. I look at my friends’ kids who are at or near that age & cannot imagine sending them off to a seedy big city (which Hollywood really was in 1984) – 3000 miles away. I am very, very proud of my 19-year-old self & what that kid pulled off – through sheer willpower. I wish I had the nerve & gumption now that I had then. I am very grateful to live in LA. It is a great town – despite what the haters will tell you. So, anyway – happy anniversary to me & my youthful courage.

See Los Angeles in all its coolness!

Below are some images of me from that general era. Notice the shaved sides in the top picture that I tried to mask with bangs in my first ever headshot – just below it. Little did I know that the edgier me was going to be the key to my ever working as an actress. Conformity – or my attempts at it – fooled nobody.

So – onto this gorgeous recipe! I saw it on The Iron You (seen in their photo above) and could not resist the chance to photograph something so gorgeous. I made a few minor tweaks – in the interest of it being vegan & a little less caloric – but it is really their recipe – and is is CRAZY delicious! As The Iron You states – “The end result is an addictive, creamy, smoky, tart, sweet, salty, and aromatic dip/spread/salad. It can stand on its own as a dip or condiment or as a side to meat or fish or it can be served as a refreshing Middle Eastern inspired salad.”

Funny that I often co-opt Iron You recipes because their primary focus is a Paleo diet which – in reality – is almost the opposite of my focus – a vegan diet. But they use lots of veggies & their photographs (like that one just above) are so inspiring – I am a big fan!

This is easy & requires no special tools. I used a food processor but out of laziness – not need. Chopping the mushy eggplant would be almost as easy by hand. It is basically a fancified hummus – but using eggplant rather than chick peas. I think it is virtually guiltless – as far as calories & it really does have a complexity of flavors that is delightful! And just LOOK at it! Can you imagine a pretty holiday appetizer?

Burnt Eggplant with Pomegranate Seeds & Cucumber – or Really Fancy Baba Ganoush

Serves several as an appetizer served with pita wedges

INGREDIENTS

1 large eggplant

1/3 cup tahini

1 TBS plus 1 tsp fresh lemon juice

1 tsp agave nectar

1 garlic clove – minced

3 TBS chopped parsley

1/2 large pomegranate

1/2 cucumber – peeled, seeded & diced

Sesame seeds

S&P

More parsley & maybe olive oil for garnish

DIRECTIONS

Roast the eggplant by placing it directly on a burner over a high flame. You might want to protect your stove with foil – but I didn’t. Turn frequently – and don’t walk away from it – lest it catch fire. This should take 10-15 minutes & the skin should be charred almost all the way off & the flesh of the eggplant should be soft. Allow to cool & then rub off the burned skin & stem top under cold, running water. Allow to drain in a colander for 30 minutes.

Get the seeds out of half the pomegranate. HERE are some tutorials showing how to do that.

If you do not have a food processor – chop the eggplant as finely as possible.

If you do have a food processor – pulse the eggplant a few times.

In either scenario – then mix/pulse in the tahini, lemon, agave, garlic & parsley. Then fold in the cucumber & 3/4 of the pomegranate seeds. Season with S&P. Salt adds depth to this so definitely use some.

Garnish with the remaining pomegranate seeds, some chopped parsley & some sesame seeds. Traditionally – olive oil is drizzled on top but I see no need to add those calories. Knock yourself out if calories are of no concern to you.