Mediterranean Pesto Chickpea Salad

Rob started a new experiment last week: Bring back the homemade lunches.

Not that Rob doesn’t bring lunches to work, but this time, he is making meals specifically earmarked for lunch. And they are sandwiches.

Quick and Easy Black Bean Dip + tip for ultra creamy bean dips

Sometimes I have no clue which recipe will appear next on my blog.

I didn’t even think I would post anything this weekend, to be honest, but I made this wicked awesome black bean dip for my cousins and it was gobbled up. I knew I had to share it soon.

Heirloom Tomato and Beet Panzanella + Food52 Vegan cookbook GIVEAWAY

This summer other than learn how to barbecue (which was mostly Rob’s domain), I definitely increased my side salad repertoire. Potato salads a plenty, as the produce shifted, I worked with my abundance of tomatoes. Along with an abundance of fresh basil, this was a simple end of summer salad. Toasted bread defines this as a Tuscan bread and tomato salad, aka panzanella.

Mojito-Dressed Roasted Plantain and Black Bean Salad

As the weather cools off slightly, instead of gravitating towards my closest root vegetable (in due time), it seems I am gravitating towards meals that keep summer in my kitchen. Almost a fusion of my recent Jerk Tofu and Plantain Bowl and my Mojito-Inspired Tofu Skewers, I used a Mojito marinade for a black bean and plantain salad.

Middle Eastern Cauliflower and Hummus Tacos with a Tahini-Cumin Dressing

It is much more obvious in these photos that I like to overstuff my wraps.

With so many different parts, I wouldn’t want each bite to miss out.

Corn Chowder Salad

Aren’t vegetables just the cutest?

The purple and white fingerling potatoes, red and orange bell peppers and fresh corn were all from a recent haul from the farmer’s market. I hope you aren’t enthralled by winter squash just yet because I am happily munching through the summer bounty.

Jerk Tofu and Fried Plantains with Quinoa and Avocado

A few weeks ago, Rob told me he was taking Friday off of work.

He couldn’t bear to have a full 5-day work week.

I finally was able to join the 4-day workweek for the last few weeks as Rob and I headed out for the weekend to see friends and family via a fun roadtrip. 

Roasted Ratatouille with Basil Pistou

Despite making quite a few excellent dishes with eggplant, it is not an ingredient I turn to instinctively. It is probably because I almost killed Rob with his asthma when I smoked them in our house. I still think that is the best way to make smoky soft eggplant and with our new BBQ, Rob has lifted the smoky eggplant ban.

Thai Quinoa Salad

Some of you may have noticed I changed the look of the blog. Please come over, have a look if you subscribe through email or RSS and tell me what you think.

I have also updated some of my other channels on social media.

I finally signed up for twitter and slowly figuring it out. I am also now on instagram, too, but I haven’t done much (yet). I am still on pinterest (lots of pins there!) and you can follow me on facebook now, too.

A bit slow on the uptake, but check it out and follow me, if you’re already there. 🙂

I am trying to declutter my life but we’ll see how that contributes (or not).

Tomato and Pomegranate Salad with Fresh Oregano

It has been a while since I have gushed over an Ottolenghi recipe.

He came out with a new vegetarian cookbook, Plenty More last year but it wasn’t until I was overflowing in fresh herbs and summer produce did I take a stab at conquering his cookbook. Being that it is now September, I am sad I didn’t do it earlier.

Chocolate Chambord Ice Cream (Vegan and Sugar-Free)

Yes, it is still ice cream weather. Toronto had its hottest day of the summer last week and it could never have been a better time to have a freezer stockpiled with homemade ice cream. While I love instantaneous banana-based ice creams, I had been secretly pining the traditional ice cream, too.

Vegan Creme Caramel with a Blueberry Chia Compote

Apparently, it isn’t a party unless there is dessert and as such, throughout the summer, I have been working on the perfect make-ahead dessert.

No oven needed, just a bit of stovetop whisking. Let it chill in the fridge and the dessert is ready when you are.

Vegan creme caramel.

Pickle and Green Bean Potato Salad

I hope you’ve been enjoying the recipes from Vegan al Fresco. I don’t normally share so many recipes from the same cookbook (at least at once, because we all know I love to share Tess‘ fabulous recipes).

I was immediately drawn into this recipe. Adding a chopped pickle to a potato salad seemed ingenious. Adding the pickle juice to the dressing was doubly intriguing.

A perfect make-ahead salad for my next picnic.