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Vegan Kale Ceasar Salad

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Summer is (luckily) getting closer and closer, which means so do salads for summer bodies. But please, it shouldn’t be about the way you look but the way you feel! For me plantbased or veggie heavy dishes always make me feel the best, give me tons of vitamins, a lot of energy, make my sleep be that best it could possibly be and just shine grin the inside and out. 

But I know for a lot of people when they read „salad“ they either think of rabbit food (as my brother likes to say :)) or some green leaves underneath a ton of dressing. So today, we are doing none of those. Neither super boring and leaving us hungry, nor drenched in a fat heavy dressing. No. We a re doing a super delicious vegan and healthy version of the super popular ceasar salad. Still a little cheesy, with self dried tomatoes (best thing ever!) and crispy pan fried rosemary chickpeas. Sounds like a pretty solid dish to me and it definitely is! 

Why Kale?

That’s super simple: to switch things up. As good as Romain lettuce is sometimes, it is good to change things every now and then. And kale is a true superfood. Super high in fiber, minerals, vitamins, iron, antioxidants, and all of that other healthy stuff. And no, it’s not the raw one that is hard to chew but we are steaming it so it is softer, easier to digest and tastier. I know that there are a lot of people that absolutely can’t stand kale at all, no matter in which form, then I would recommend using spinach or lambs lettuce as this would work best for this. Also a mix with arugula would be great!

What else?

That’s a good question. Where to start? The oven roasted tomatoes, the incredible dressing, the crispy chickpeas or the croutons? 
One after the other. So what else is super typical for ceasar salad are the croutons. No normal croutons here but whole wheat garlic ones. You heard me right. A little healthier but so good! Pan fried with fresh garlic and a little olive oil, it’s the best add in (to any salad actually).

Homemade dried tomatoes

Next up; oven roasted tomatoes. If you have never made this before, you sure missed out on something and spent way too much money on store bought ones before. It is essentially 3 steps: cut the tomatoes, place them in the oven, take them out. Oh, yeah and eat them of course! That’s how easy it is. You just leave them in the oven for an hour and go take a bath in the meantime. After an hour they are going to be somewhat I like to call semi-dried. They are dried, but still a little juice and not tough like leather. 

Best crispy chickpeas

Next up, the crispy chickpeas. That’s THE way to do crispy chickpeas. So good you drain them from the can and rinse them. After tap them dry (this is important bc otherwise they are not gonna be crispy) with a kitchen paper. In a pan we add olive oil, garlic and rosemary and let them fry for 2 minutes to infuse the water. Rosemary and garlic out, chickpeas in and crisp them up for 5-10 minutes with some smoked paprika powder and sea salt. If you like the fried garlic and rosemary, go ahead and add them to your salad, otherwise don’t. 
You can make those chickpeas ahead of time and just keep in a jar to snack on every now and then. A life changer.

The dressing:

And lastly to top it all off, the star of the show: the vegan Caesar dressing. Yep. Vegan. No cheese and no sardines. No mayo. Good and good. Instead of Parmesan cheese (not that Parmesan wouldn’t be good, it’s delicious, but sometimes it’s better not to have too much cheese) we are using nutritional yeast (German: Hefeflocken)! You can get those in your local health store (Reformhaus) or in some organic shops. It is made out of yeast, high in protein and really resembles the taste of cheese. The base of the dressing are cashews. Ideally we soak them a few hours or the night before so they get softer and easier to blend. They will ensure everything to get really creamy and add a really nice flavor. We also have some Dijon mustard and capers in it, to replace the sardines, a little vinegar and that’s it. It actually is not super difficult but tastes amazing! 

So now, it’s just left to be mixed up! Nothing more nothing less! The steamed kale, the oven dried tomatoes, the croutons, and the dressing. Toss it all and enjoy! 

Note:

If you want to meal prep this, make sure to leave the chickpeas aside to keep the crunch. You can already toss the salad in the dressing because when using kale, it doesn’t really matter, since the kale then absorbs the flavor and gets softer! 

Happy cooking!
Katie // Une Petite Cuisiniere

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Vegan Ceasar Salad with Crispy Chickpeas

A vegan twist on the classic and it is so good! Super delicious dressing, best ever chickpeas, oven roasted tomatoes and homemade croutons.

Course Appetizer, bowl, brunch, dinner, Main Course, Salad
Cuisine American
Prep Time 10 Minuten
Cook Time 1 Stunde
Soaking Time: 2 Stunden
Total Time 3 Stunden 10 Minuten
Servings 2 servings
Calories 411 kcal

What you will need

For the salad:

  • 4 handful kale off the stem
  • 15 cherry tomatoes
  • 1 slice bread
  • 4 cloves garlic
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 120 g chickpeas

For the dressing:

  • 25 g cashews
  • 2 tsp dijon mustard
  • 2 tsp capers
  • 1/2 lemon, juiced
  • 2 tbsp plant milk
  • 2 tbsp water
  • 1 tbsp nutritional yeast

How to

That is how it works:

  1. Soak the cashews for about 2 hours to overnight in water. 

    Preheat the oven to 100*C. Slice the tomatoes in half and lay them on a baking tray lines with parchment paper. Bake them in the oven for an hour.

  2. In the meantime bring a pot with water to a boil. Take a sieve and place the kale leaves, that have been removed from the stem in there. Let them steam for 2-3 minutes. After remove them and drain under cold water. This will ensure the color to stay and the kale to cool down quicker.

  3. Take the bread and cut it into 1 cm cubes. Press out or grate 2 garlic cloves and combine them with the olive oil. Toss the bread cubes in the oil mixture and then fry them in a pan for about 2 minutes until crispy. 

  4. Take the chickpeas out of the can. Drain and rinse them to get rid of the liquid around them because this would make you go gasy. Tap them dry with some kitchen paper. In a pan heat up the olive oil. Once hot add the garlic and rosemary and fry for about 2 minutes, then take them out. After, you throw the chickpeas along with the sea salt and smoked paprika in and let them fry on medium high for about 5-10 minutes until super crispy.

  5. Drain the cashews from the water. Add them to a food processor and add the nutritional yeast, Dijon mustard, capers, salt, pepper, water and plant milk. Blend until smooth. If too thick, add some more water, if too thin, some more cashews! 

  6. Place the kale in a bowl and mix with the dressing. Separate it into bowl. Take the tomatoes out of the oven and add them into the bowls with the croutons. Top with the chickpeas and if you like it, the fried garlic.

    Serve and enjoy!


Italian Meatball Sub

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This is the perfect combination of the traditional Italian meatballs and the American sub! Juicy, light and delicious meatballs in a super good tomato sauce paired with crispy baguette and freshly grated Parmesan cheese! Comfort food all the way! 

I have actually never really eaten meatballs before I had gone to the USA the first time! I have been to Italy multiple times before but I have never seen it at least never noticed pasta with meatballs before! They only have pasta with ragù (aka Bolognese Sauce) or Poletti (meatballs) without pasta! So, I ate them the first time when I was in the US because there they are a real thing there and I fell in love! 

I really like the texture and the combination with the tomato sauce. But there is a big difference between American meatballs and Italian ones! The Italian ones are traditionally made with ground veal while the American ones are often made with pork or a mix of pork and beef! I personally prefer the veal ones, because of the flavor but also, they are lighter. The only issue is that veal meat is kind of expensive, so I would recommend using ground turkey or chicken instead for a little less pricey option. 

In my recipe I decided to add an egg and ricotta to the base of the meatballs because ethos makes them super juicy and good! Ricotta is the key for creamy and tangy dishes in the Italian cuisine! It is like an Allrounder you should always have on hand. The egg helps to bind the entire texture and the breadcrumbs help to hold it all together. For seasoning it I would always recommend using fresh herbs over using dried ones because I believe that they have way more flavor! I use parsley and sage but basil would also work great in here. But honestly if you make them, the sage is a MUST! It is sooo good in here, not to top! 

The great thing about this dish is that it comes together in 20 minutes, which makes it the perfect weeknight dinner! Also, it is something that the entire family will love. If not during the week, I love this recipe as a Sunday night dinner. Sunday night is always Italian in our house! What about you? Of course, you can eat pasta with this such as spaghetti or tagliatelle but the fresh baguette adds a good amount of crunch from the outside and it is soo good when the inside is soaked with all the good tomato sauce! 

For the sauce I would recommend using my homemade tomato sauce because it is just sooo good! If you don’t have it on hand or have the time to make it, you can also use any store-bought sauce or canned tomatoes and season them yourself. Also, for the Parmesan in top, I would recommend using freshly grated one and not store bought grated because the flavor is just so different! 

Anyway, for whichever occasion you decide to make this you are going to win the hearts of the people you are cooking for! I hope that you will love it as much as I do. If you recreate it be sure to tag me on Instagram with @uneptcuisiniere or with #unepettecuisiniere and leave a comment here on the blog! 

Enjoy! 

Katie

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Italian Meatball Sub

The perfect mix of the Italian Meatballs and American Subs! A great weeknigt dinner and so delicious!

Course dinner, lunch, Main Course
Cuisine American, Italian
Prep Time 10 Minuten
Cook Time 10 Minuten
Total Time 20 Minuten
Servings 4 servings
Calories 586 kcal

What you will need

  • 1 Baguette
  • 600 g ground veal or chicken
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tbsp Ricotta
  • 1 tbsp Parsley
  • 1 tbsp sage
  • 2 tbsp breadcrumbs
  • 2 tbsp Olive Oil
  • 4 servings tomatoe sauce can also use storebought (about 400ml)
  • 30 g Parmesan Cheese
  • 1 smal red onion
  • 2 garlic cloves

How to

That is how it works:

  1. Into a food processer add the onion and garlic or mince finely with a knife. Into a bowl add the ground meat, crack the egg, the ricotta, the finely chopped herbs, salt, pepper, and the breadcrumbs. Combine and knead, best by hand.

    Take an ice cream scoop or a tablespoon in order to size the balls. Roll them in your hand in order to form them and set them aside.

  2. In a pan heat up the olive oil. Once hot add the meatballs and fry on each side for about 1 minute on high heat, then turn down to medium-low heat and let them cook for another 3 minutes. Add in the tomato sauce and let simmer for about 10 minutes.

  3. Take the baguette and cut it into four. Slice each piece in half lenghwise and add the meatballs into the middle. Top with some freshly grated parmesan and serve!

Green Beans with Almond Bread Crumbs

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It’s Thanksgiving next week and Christmas very soon! Although here in Austria we do not celebrate thanksgiving, I know that a lot of people around the world do! November and December are the months for family come-togethers and dinner party’s with friends. I don’t think that in any other month there are that many big meals. 

For us, at Christmas we always make a huge Roastbeef with some potatoes and a salad but this year, for sure, I am going to change the usual game and make these beans instead of the salad! They are so good! I made them once when friends were over for dinner and they immediately asked for the recipe. 

Since it always is difficult to cook for so many people and still chat with them while being a host, I have made a super quick and simple side dish for you. I really love to make this whenever someone is over at my house because it is something almost every one likes, plus it is super simple to make. Also, you can make it vegan, which is perfect for anyone who has a dietary restriction. It is a side that goes with really any dish. 

This green bean recipe works great with meaty dishes such as a Roastbeef, a meatloaf, turkey, a roasted chicken or pork. If you add a little twist to it, such as adding some lemon zest, it already is completely different and works perfectly with some fish or seafood. Also if you make a vegetarian or vegan pie, this is a great and fresh addition! If you already have a carby and filling side, this is a great addition in place of the boring green salad to get some more veggies. 

It is as quick as preparing a salad and really good! Just boiling the beans, tossing them in olive oil. Roasting the breadcrumbs and chopped almonds in some butter or olive oil and assemble. If you are vegan, use oil, if you are gluten free, go for only nuts or some gluten free breadcrumbs. If you do not like almonds, switch them out for any other nuts (but believe me, almonds work really good in here)! It is super versatile.

What I also really like about this recipe is that if you do not eat all of it you can use it for lunch next day or you can even meal prep it! Store the almond breadcrumbs in a separate container and it will last in the fridge for a few days! When I have this for lunch, I like to pair it with some boiled eggs as whole-wheat bread or some Quinoa to make it more filling. This is a really delicious and balanced meal then, as you have a lot of vitamins from the beans and eggs, a healthy amount of protein from the eggs, healthy fats from the almonds and oil, and some whole grain carbs from the bread or the Quinoa. 

So stop looking for a side dish recipe for thanksgiving or Christmas! Make these healthy and flavorful cream beans with almond bread crumbs to make everyone happy! And a little tip: try it before the big event to convince yourself that it is REALLY good! So if you do like it, it would mean a lot to me if you could leave a rating and/ or a comment here on the blogpost. Also if you decide to try it out be sure to tag me on Instagram with @uneptcuisiniere or #unepetitecuisiniere !

Enjoy!

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Green Beans with Almond Breadcrumbs (Vegan)

This is a great side dish for Christmas Eve or Thanksgiving, or litteraly any occasion. It is super versatile and incredibly delicious.

Course Appetizer, dinner, lunch, Side Dish
Prep Time 5 Minuten
Cook Time 5 Minuten
Total Time 10 Minuten
Servings 4 people
Calories 166 kcal

What you will need

That is what you will need:

  • 400 g green beans
  • 40 g breadcrumbs preferably whole wheat
  • 20 g almonds
  • 20 g Butter if wanting it vegan, use Olive Oil or vegan Butter instead
  • 1 tbsp Olive Oil
  • optional some lemon zest see recipe notes

How to

That is how it works:

  1. Bring a large pot with water to a boil. Generously salt. Cut of the ends of the green beans, and if they are very long cut them in half too. Add them to the boiling water and let them cook for about 5-7 minutes until ready. You will be able to notice that once you can stab through with a fork easily.

  2. In the meantime chop up the almonds into small chuncks. Heat up the butter in a small pan. Once hot add in, both the breadcrumbs, and the almonds and fry them for about 2-3 minutes on medium heat.

  3. Once the beans are done, rinse them and shock them with cold water. This helps to preserve the colour and the vitamins. Toss them in some Olive Oil and add them onto a pretty serving plate. Add the breadcrumbs on top and serve!

    Enjoy!

Notes

Feel free to add some lemon or orange zest to give it some freshness. This addition would make the dish a perfect match to fish and seafood! 

If you do not like almonds, you can use any other nut, but almonds work really great in here!

You can also use gluten free breadcrumbs. 

Crispy Pumpkin Gnocchi with Browned Sage Butter

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Halloween is over, but that is by no means a reason to declare pumping season as being over too! Since this year fall lasts pretty long, regarding the weather, and it still is pretty warm, there still is some time for pumpkins to grow and plenty ways and occasions to enjoy them. I thought I’d get a little creative with the typical fall veggie and experiment with it.

And, as you can see, the mission was successful! 🙂 I know that if you are not a veggie lover, eating one and the same vegetable, just because it is in season, can get really boring really quickly. Because I want to avoid that, I always vary with the way I prepare them. Steam, bake, pan fry, eat them raw, just whatever I feel like. In order to give you some inspiration on what else to do with the star of fall I combined two of our favorite dishes; Pumpkin + Gnocchi to make this real good Pumpkin Gnocchi with sage butter.

I know that it sounds a little complicated to make, and to be honest it is not super quick BUT you can prepare them in large batches and freeze them. Just important to know is that if you freeze them, thaw them before pan frying because otherwise they will be crispy on the outside while they are not done on the inside, and not nice and soft!

I recommend using Hokkaido Pumpkin because I believe the consistency of it works best with this recipe. If you really do not like Hokkaido you can switch it out for any other of your desire you may need a little bit more flour then, depending on what you chose. Pumpkins are very nutritious as they are high in Vitamins especially Vitamin A! Also they contain a bunch of antioxidants and help boosting your immune system, which is great especially for the cold months! 

The only other necessary ingredient in making the Gnocchi except for pumpkin is flour! The flour helps the pumpkin to get a gnocchi like texture and taste. It binds it together. I also added some spices to give it more flavor and a heartier note which transforms the into pure deliciousness! 

Making the gnocchi is not too complicated, just a lot of work. First you have to cut and peel the pumpkin into smaller pieces. Best is about 4cm wide and 2 thick. I steamed my pumpkin because when boiling they soak up a lot of water which later would make the gnocchi squishy and not crispy. Another option would be to bake it in the oven until soft. You can test this by simply piecing through with a fork. If that works easily, it is done, if not, it’ll take a little more time! Depending on the size of your chunks it will take approximately 20-30 minutes.

After steaming, they are mashed and all the water needs to be squished out for the perfect results! Combine it with the flour and spices. When the dough is done you can cut off some small pieces, for them into gnocchi and place them on a plate. Let the finished ones chill in the fridge while preparing the rest. 

The preparing after that is really easy. You just have to melt some butter with fresh sage in a pan until it gets brown. At this point, your kitchen will smell like heaven, so good. The sage works perfectly together with the pumpkin, it is just so good! Once it got a little brown, add the gnocchi and pan fry them for about 2 miuntes on each side. I know, this is not the traditional way to prepare gnocchi but it really is incredibly delicious. We do nto boil them in water because the Gnocchi are softer than usual gnocchi and would fall apart. If you really do not like the frying, you can add more flour until the dough is harder and then boil it. 

To serve it top it with some more of that butter and a fresh burrata because you can never go wrong with burrata! Otherwise you can also add some freshly grated parmesan cheese, pecorino, or mozzarella.

If you do look for a different way to enjoy pumpkin, you will definitely like this recipe. It is such a great one to enjoy in fall. 

If you decide to recreate it be sure to tag me with @uneptcuisiniere or #unepetitecuisiniere on Instagram and it would mean a lot to me if you would leave a rating here on the blog!

Bon appetit!

Katie

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crispy Pumpkin Gnocchi with Browned Sage Butter

A great way to enjoy the star of fall in a different way. If you like Gnocchi and Pumpkin, this dish will be for you!

Course dinner, lunch, Main Course
Prep Time 40 Minuten
Total Time 1 Stunde 10 Minuten
Servings 5 bowls
Calories 408 kcal

What you will need

For the Gnocchi

  • 400 g Hokkaido Pumpkin
  • 380 g Flour
  • 1 TSP Cinnamon
  • 1 tsp muskat
  • 1 tsp paprika powder
  • 1 tsp sea salt
  • some more flour for forming

For the Preparing/ Garnish:

  • 70 g Butter
  • 1 handful Sage
  • Burratta
  • some pine nuts

How to

Thats how it works:

  1. Bring a large pot with water to a boil. Peel the pumpkin and cut it into about 3-4cm wide and 2cm thick pieces. Lay them into a steamer and add the steamer on top of the water. Let the pumpkin steam for 25 miuntes.

  2. After 25 miuntes the pumpkin should be soft. You can test this by piecing through it with a fork. If it goes through easily it is done. If you do not have a steamer, you can also boil or bake the pumpkin. Smash the pumpkin down with a fork. there will be some water at the bottom now and we want to get rid of that in order to mak our gnocchi moist and not smushy.

  3. Take a kitchen towel or a cheese cloth and add the smashed pumpkin into it. Gently sqish it so some more water will come out. Once all the excess water is out, return the pumpkin into a bowl. Add the flour little by little, mixing through continuosly until a dough is formed. If you feeel like you have a good dough without adding all of the flour, leave some out, and if you feel like you do need more, add some more.

  4. Once the dough is formed take a smaller piece of that and roll it out into a saussage form. Cut off 3cm large pieces of that and form them into gnocchi in your hands. Here you might need some more flour on your working place in order to not make the Gnocchi stick. Once you have formed them place them on a plate and store in the fridge while making the other ones.

  5. When all of them are done, melt the butter in a large pan and add the sage. Let the butter brown for about 1-2 miuntes. Then add the Gnocchi in and let them fry for about 2 miuntes on each side.

  6. Add them onto the plates and top with some more butter. Cut uo the burratta and add it on top as well. To finish it off sprinkle some pine nuts and serve!

    Enjoy!