Shaved Brussels & Lentil Slaw w/ Creamy Hummus Vinaigrette

Happy Monday! Even though our Panthers didn’t pull it out, my Blue Devils did! (knock on wood, as I am writing this post with 24.5 sec left on the game clock…)

Last night we had a potluck at our house with some good friends, including members of our small group and my dear bosom buddy Sarah and her husband Mike. I made BBQ pulled pork for sandwiches, and this (healthier) brussels sprout slaw to balance out all the wings n’ things. Although, I do have to admit- Tawny made these incredible vegan stuffed mushrooms that went like hot cakes! Soooo good.

Shaved Brussels & Lentil Slaw w/ Creamy Hummus Vinaigrette
Shaved Brussels & Lentil Slaw w/ Creamy Hummus Vinaigrette

If you’re lazy like I am, you buy brussels sprouts that are pre-shredded (try Trader Joe’s) and pre-cut butternut squash. I had a ton of brussels sprouts and no TJ’s within 10 miles, so I decided to go crazy and whip out the grating attachment to my food processor. If you don’t mind a bit of extra cleaning/scraping out the little bits of shaved brussels that get stuck in the lip, it’s really pretty simple to just use the same food processor that you would make the vinaigrette in. Kill two birds with one stone! Also, if you want you can sub out the lentils for some other protein like chickpeas or edamame. I like the lentils for being so small, though- they really bulk up the salad without overwhelming it.

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The hummus vinaigrette is creamy and zesty from the orange and lime juice, and you can also customize the dressing to your own tastes (more olive oil, more vinegar, etc.). I also added some arils (pomegranate seeds, for the less fancy among us) and slivered almonds for a bit more crunch! Just make sure not to add them until just before serving so that the almonds don’t get too soggy!

Shaved Brussels & Lentil Slaw w/ Creamy Hummus Vinaigrette
Recipe Type: Salad
Cuisine: Healthy, Vegetarian
Author: Claire McCormick of “Claire Tastes”
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 8
A light side dish for your next potluck, perfected with a creamy hummus vinaigrette, crunchy almonds and juicy pomegranate seeds!
Ingredients
  • 1 lb brussels sprouts
  • 1 cup butternut squash, cubed
  • 1 onion, sliced thinly
  • 1 tbsp minced garlic
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp each salt and pepper
  • 3 tbsp olive oil, divided
  • zest and juice of one orange
  • juice of one lime
  • 2-3 tbsp hummus (I used edamame hummus)
  • 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
  • 1 tbsp maple syrup (or honey)
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • 1 cup arils (pomegranate seeds)
  • 1 cup dry French lentils
  • 1/4 cup slivered almonds
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 400 deg. Mix together squash, onion, garlic, garlic powder, salt and pepper, and 1 tbsp olive oil. Layer on a Silpat and roast for 20 minutes or until lightly browned.
  2. In a food processor with grater attachment (coarse shredding), shred brussels sprouts and combine with squash and onions. Set aside.
  3. In same processor with regular chopping attachment, make vinaigrette by processing orange, lime juice, hummus, red wine vinegar, maple syrup, and salt and pepper. Drizzle in remaining olive oil during processing. Add more olive oil, vinegar or a bit of water to your preference!
  4. Prepare lentils according to package directions. While still warm, add to brussels sprouts and squash mixture.
  5. Up to 2 hrs before serving, gently toss with vinaigrette.
  6. Just before serving, toss salad with arils and slivered almonds.
  7. Serve on top of pulled pork sandwiches for a little extra crunch, or with a poached egg on its own!

Happy week!

Turkey Sausage Egg Casserole with Sweet Potato Hash

Hope everyone had a great weekend! It was absolutely gorgeous here, and I was able to get outside for a few walks/bike rides in the sunshine after a fun Friday night at our first salsa dance class (our small group is taking lessons… it was a riot! You can follow the fun and see what we did to “re-fuel” on my Instagram page). Will have to get a video one of these days to capture the silliness… 😛

In other news, turkey sausage egg casserole was in the books for tonight! I had planned to make a Shepherd’s Pie for Ben to grab for dinners this week, but he said he’d prefer to have a lighter fare. I suggested quiche. He suggested egg casserole!

Of course, I made it as gourmet as I could. Sun-dried tomatoes and all! I kept things easy with some pre-cooked turkey sausage and frozen spinach, day-old bakery buns, and un-skinned (but very washed!) sweet potatoes.

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Hope you enjoy!

Turkey Sausage Egg Casserole with Sweet Potato Hash
Recipe Type: Casserole
Cuisine: American
Author: Claire McCormick
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 8
An easy and leftover-heavy egg casserole that can be enjoyed for breakfast, lunch, or dinner! Serve with a spinach side salad and dollop of Greek yogurt on top.
Ingredients
  • 4 hearty buns (I used a garlic brioche)
  • 4 T olive oil, divided (2T + 2T)
  • 1 small onion, chopped
  • 1 cup white mushrooms, sliced
  • 1 T minced garlic
  • 1/2 T each dried thyme and parsley
  • Pinch each of S&P
  • 3/4 cup chopped frozen spinach
  • 1 small package sun-dried tomatoes
  • 1 package fully cooked turkey sausage crumbles (you could also use uncooked or links- just cook, then slice thinly or crumble!)
  • 2 sweet potatoes, cut into chunks
  • 8 eggs
  • 1/2 cup low fat milk
  • 1 tsp nutmeg
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
  1. In a large casserole dish sprayed with cooking spray, tear buns into pieces and layer in bottom of dish.
  2. Heat 2 T olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add chopped onions, mushrooms, garlic, thyme, parsley, S+P, and cook for 3 minutes or until tender.
  3. Stir in frozen spinach, tomatoes, and turkey sausage and cook for 2-3 more minutes until spinach is heated through. Pour over the bread in casserole dish.
  4. In a food processor set to shredding setting, shred sweet potatoes to medium-fine thickness. Pour into a large bowl and stir in remaining 2 T olive oil. Spread in an even layer over the top of the sausage.
  5. In same bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, nutmeg and garlic powder.
  6. Pour egg mixture evenly over potatoes in dish, shaking dish a bit to make sure it’s evenly distributed (I also sometimes press down the casserole to make sure the bread gets saturated).
  7. Top with cheese, cover with foil and refrigerate at least 30 minutes (up to overnight) to allow it to set.
  8. When ready to eat, heat oven to 350 deg and bake 40 mins covered, then 15 minutes uncovered or until potatoes are crisped and cheese is melted.
  9. Allow to set at least 10 min before slicing and serving! Serve with side salad and a dollop of greek yogurt or sour cream.
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Cook onions, ‘shrooms, and tomatoes with garlic and spices.
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Add spinach and sausage.
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Tear bread and place in dish.
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Shred sweet potatoes.
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Whisk eggs.
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Layer sausage mixture on top of bread.
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Top with sweet potatoes.
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And cheese. 🙂
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Bake at 350 until cheese is melted and taters are tender!
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Serve with side salad, avocado wedges and greek yogurt.

Happy week!

Snowed-in BBQ Chicken & Spinach Casserole

Happy Friday, all! For all of you who are snowed in like we are on the East coast thanks to Jonas, hope you stayed dry and cozy today! I had to work this morning but the therapy team really pulled together and helped each other out to make sure we could all leave when we needed to! The roads weren’t great, but I was able to get home by mid-morning without a problem thanks to awesome tires on my new CRV. Nice to know it’s good in the snow!

Tomorrow it looks like it’s going to be another day inside… hope I can get a good workout video in so I don’t go crazy! Ben is vowing to run in the snow… he’s cray-cray. I went for a little walk around the neighborhood in rain boots and a raincoat today (welcome to the South, where we don’t own actual winter gear) and my feet were still sliding all over the place in the slush! Can’t imagine doing that in running shoes!

Ok, I will probably end up going with him.

In other news, we were out of food, except for the delicious Butternut Squash & Beet Salad I made yesterday in advance of the storm (picture here on my Instagram). But Ben does not live by beets alone, so it was time to make another crock pot chicken supper. I literally tossed every can of anything that semi-went together and wouldn’t taste awful… resulting in a BBQ style shredded chicken with spinach and kidney beans.

Snowed-in BBQ Chicken & Spinach Casserole
Snowed-in BBQ Chicken & Spinach Casserole

It wasn’t quite ready by dinnertime, so I finished it off (after shredding) in the oven with all the juices and some breadcrumbs/cheddar topping.

Ben loved it! Seems like any time I put next-to-no effort in, it’s a huge hit! I need to stop trying so hard.

Served with garlic naan (leftover), spinach, and couscous for crunch!

Snowed-in BBQ Chicken & Spinach Casserole
Recipe Type: Casserole
Cuisine: BBQ
Author: Claire McCormick of “Claire Tastes”
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 12
Snowed-in this weekend? Wherever you are, this throw-together crock pot chicken is a delicious way to use up some pantry staples and impress your man!
Ingredients
  • 4 large, frozen chicken breasts
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 onion, roughly chopped
  • 1 cup frozen spinach
  • 1 small can tomato paste
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1 can kidney beans, rinsed/drained and lightly mashed
  • 1/4 cup good BBQ sauce
  • 1 tbsp each BBQ seasoning (optional) and cumin
  • 1/2 tbsp each garlic powder and chili powder
  • pinch of parsley, chili flakes (if you like it spicy)
  • cheddar cheese, breadcrumbs, and/or couscous, for topping
Instructions
  1. Place all ingredients (except kidney beans) in large crock pot and set to high.
  2. Cook on high heat for 4-6 hours or until chicken is tender.
  3. Remove chicken and shred with two forks. Return to pot and stir in mashed kidney beans.
  4. Preheat oven to 350. Pour chicken mixture into casserole dish sprayed with cooking spray and top with cheese and breadcrumbs. Bake, covered loosely, for 20 mins, then uncovered for the last 5 min or until bubbly.
  5. Cool at least 5 minutes before serving with couscous and spinach.
Add ingredients to crock pot.
Add ingredients to crock pot.
Bake for 25 minutes.
Bake for 25 minutes.
Snowed-in BBQ Chicken & Spinach Casserole
Snowed-in BBQ Chicken & Spinach Casserole

Happy weekend! Stay warm and safe!

“Veggie Dump” Grain Bowl

Who’s in favor of dinner that you throw in a pot and walk away? I got the idea from fANNEtastic food a few nights ago- she has the best ideas for easy, throw-together dinners! While I didn’t include the chicken breasts due to the woes of vegetarianism, I added a few leftover meatballs in Ben’s bowl and added a fried egg on top of mine for a little extra protein!

Sorry for the site being down yesterday- glad that smart husband of mine knows computers and was able to fix the problem in no time! Yay computer scientists.

"Veggie Dump" Grain Bowl
“Veggie Dump” Grain Bowl

The ingredients are simple, and you could add any frozen veggies you like. I settled on some ready-chopped broccoli/cauliflower/carrot from Harris Teeter, frozen peppers and onions from TJ’s, a can of chickpeas, kalamata olives, frozen spinach, and diced tomatoes. With some capers and a TON of spices (I should have spring cleaned my spice cabinet while I was at it!). Two thumbs up for Mediterranean food!

“Veggie Dump” Grain Bowl
Recipe Type: Salad, Main Dish, Side
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Author: Claire McCormick
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 6
Dump and simmer away- dinner is served! Add any veggies you like- the only rule is that you are only allowed to do 2 minutes of chopping/prepping for this meal. The rest is up to the stovetop!
Ingredients
  • 1 T olive oil
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 1 T minced garlic
  • 1 can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
  • 2 cups chopped veggies (peppers, onions, broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, or any other ones you want!)
  • 2 cups frozen spinach, defrosted and drained
  • 1 can diced tomatoes
  • 1/2 cup kalamata olives (pitted)
  • 2 T capers
  • 1 tsp each garlic powder, oregano, Greek seasoning, parsley
  • 1/2 tsp each chili flakes, coriander, salt, and pepper
  • 2 T lemon juice
  • 1 T balsamic vinegar
  • 1/2 cup water or veggie broth
  • Feta, for serving
  • Protein of choice
Instructions
  1. In a large pan, heat oil on medium-high, then add onions and garlic to pan. Cook until tender, about 3 minutes.
  2. Add garbanzo beans, followed by veggies, spinach, tomatoes, olives and capers, and all spices/liquid. Cook, stirring every so often, for about 3 minutes.
  3. Cover and reduce heat to low, then simmer for 20 minutes.
  4. Prior to serving, top with feta and extra salt/pepper if desired.
  5. Serve with protein of your choice! I added some leftover grains we had (barley/quinoa/lentil mixture) and some crusty crackers.
Prep ingredients.
Prep ingredients.
Cook onions, garlic and chickpeas.
Cook onions, garlic and chickpeas.
Add veggies and simmer.
Add veggies and simmer.
Serve and enjoy!
Serve and enjoy!

Don’t work too hard on this one! It’s meant to take away stress, not add it!

What are you up to this weekend?

Vegan Lentil Chili

He calls it soup. I call it stew. See, apparently the amount of broth is the defining factor in whether you need to use a spoon or can just use a big hunk of crusty dipping bread. We decided to settle on “chili.” Crisis averted.

Vegan Lentil Chili

My sister Bethany got me these adorable Le Creuset Ramekins for Christmas and I was itching to use them to display my chili! (Don’t worry, we actually ate a lot more than what it looks like in the picture.) But you could totally use these cute little dishes as a container for ingredients, garnishes, or soup as an appetizer. They’re also the perfect size for a scoop of ice cream! Freezer, microwave, and oven safe, they’re completely versatile, and you know the Le Creuset name will not disappoint.

Anyway, back to chili. What better way to come back from Christmas travels than a nice hearty bowl of veggie-packed chili to fill you up without weighing you down? I was inspired by the original recipe by our good friends Sarah and Mike, who made a similar vegetarian chili for us a few weeks ago when they had us over for a pre-holiday dinner. For those of you looking to get a head start on your diet for the New Year, this vegan chili is protein and fiber-packed, and is also filled with vitamins and minerals from fresh and frozen vegetables. I used green lentils and black beans as my legumes, but you could also use kidney beans or chickpeas for a slightly different take. I originally planned to add another grain like farro or barley, but by the time I had all the ingredients in the crock pot, I literally had no room!

The struggle is real.

Serve with crushed tortilla chips, crusty bread, or whole-grain crackers for dipping. Then garnish with feta (or cotija for the fancy ones) and a dollop of plain greek yogurt. I also layered some spinach under mine because I can’t resist having spinach with every single dinner. I am a creature of habit.

Hope you enjoy!

Vegan Lentil Chili
Recipe Type: Main
Cuisine: Mexican, Vegan, Vegetarian
Author: Claire McCormick of “Claire Tastes”
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 12
A protein and fiber-packed stew/soup (stoup?) that will fill you up but not weigh you down! Get a head-start on your New Year’s diet resolution with this lentil chili recipe, perfect for rainy December nights.
Ingredients
  • 1 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 1 Tbsp minced garlic
  • 3 large carrots, chopped
  • 1 carton mushrooms
  • 2 cans diced or stewed tomatoes and juices
  • 1 can black beans, drained
  • 2-3 cups chopped butternut squash (buying pre-chopped saves so much time!)
  • 1 Tbsp dijon mustard
  • 1/2 cup frozen peppers and onions (I love the TJ’s bagged mix)
  • 1 tsp each garlic powder, coriander, cumin, basil, and chili powder
  • 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1 tsp cocoa powder
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 3-4 cups low sodium vegetable stock (depending on how much room you have!)
  • 1 cup dry lentils
  • salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
  1. In a large skillet, heat oil on medium high, then add onion, garlic, and carrot. Cook until tender, about 3 minutes. Add mushrooms and continue to cook about 1 minute more until tender. Layer in bottom of crock pot sprayed with cooking spray.
  2. Add all remaining ingredients and stir to combine.
  3. Set on high for 4 hours, or low for 6 hours until squash and carrots are tender.
  4. Serve with feta/cotija cheese and grain of your choice!
Vegan Lentil Chili
Vegan Lentil Chili

All opinions of products in this post are my own.

Roasted Butternut Squash, Apple, & White Bean Stew

Happy Tuesday! It’s been a rainy week here in Durham, after a beautiful Thanksgiving weekend! Since it’s finally feeling like stew soup weather (Ben tells me that stew has to have more “stuff” and less liquid, although I seriously beg to differ that this stew doesn’t have enough “stuff” in it…), I decided to raid the pantry and make a healthy, hearty supper to warm the bones.

I added a sliced apple for some sweetness (compliments of my Mother-in-law, Julie, who knows my favorite kind is Stayman and went out of her way to make sure I came home with a dozen after our visit to Pittsburgh this weekend!), and a bit of lemon juice and balsamic at the end for a tiny little bit of sharpness to balance out the starchiness of the squash and sweetness of the apple!

Serve with crusty bread and protein of choice, of course.

Roasted Butternut Squash, Apple, & White Bean Stew
Roasted Butternut Squash, Apple, & White Bean Stew
Roasted Butternut Squash, Apple, & White Bean Stew
Recipe Type: Soup, Stew
Cuisine: Fall, Winter
Author: Claire McCormick of “Claire Tastes”
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 12
A warm, hearty soup to warm the bones! Add your favorite protein (egg, tofu, or meat if non-vegetarian) and serve with crusty bread for dipping.
Ingredients
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 1 tbsp minced garlic
  • 8 oz sliced bella mushrooms
  • 2 cups cubed butternut squash
  • 1 sliced apple
  • 1 cup shredded or sliced brussels sprouts
  • 1 tsp dry rosemary
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp parsley
  • 1/2 tsp oregano
  • 1 32 oz. box low sodium vegetable stock (or chicken stock if non-vegetarian)
  • 2 cans diced or stewed tomatoes and juice
  • 1 can white beans, drained and rinsed
  • dash of lemon juice (optional)
  • dash of balsamic vinegar (optional)
  • salt and pepper
Instructions
  1. In a large skillet, heat olive oil on medium high and add onions and garlic until softened- about 3 min. Add mushrooms, apple and squash and cook until tender and squash is lightly browned, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. Add brussels sprouts and cook about 1 more minute.
  2. Remove from heat. Stir in spices and salt and pepper.
  3. Add mixture to crock pot, followed by stock, tomatoes, and white beans. Cook at least 4 hours on high, or 6 hours on low. (*Note: if not using slow cooker, you can also add all ingredients into a big stockpot and bring liquid to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.)
  4. Just before serving, stir in balsamic and/or lemon juice, and more salt and pepper if needed.
  5. Serve with crusty bread and cheese!

Have you put up your Christmas decorations yet? I feel like I just took down the Halloween ones! What’s your favorite holiday to decorate for?