Grilled Eggplant Pesto Melt

You know how sometimes you turn around and the person who's been there all along is the one you end up wanting?

That's how I'm feeling about eggplant right now.

Who knew it was so full of flavor, and that it would develop such an irresistible, almost buttery texture when grilled?  That it would melt on the tongue like that?  Clearly I didn't know what I was missing.

I made pesto the other night (something I've been meaning to do forever, since buying dairy-free pesto is usually not possible, and when it is, it is not cheap).  So far, I've made pesto chicken wraps, and I've had some on pasta.  And tonight, I threw some on the grilled eggplant I had just made.  And just for good measure, threw some Daiya Vegan Cheese on top.  And oh, my God.  Heaven.  This is a super easy dish to make, and if you eat enough of it, it could totally be your dinner!  But it would also be an excellent appetizer, and just fancy enough in its simplicity to be party food.  It takes less than 15 minutes to put together - but I swear it won't taste like it.

For grilled eggplant:
1/2 eggplant, cut into thin slices
Cooking spray or olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

For topping:
1-2 tsp. basil pesto per eggplant slice
Daiya Vegan Mozzarella Cheese

Heat a nonstick pan with cooking spray.  Place the sliced eggplant over medium heat and fry for about 4 minutes on each side, or until it's browned on the outside and soft on the inside.

You can do this next step either while it's still in the pan, or you can use the oven or microwave.  Spread some pesto on each slice of grilled eggplant and sprinkle with Daiya Cheese.  Heat until it melts.  You can either make them into little eggplant sandwiches or leave them open-faced.  Serve immediately.

Sun-dried Tomato, Basil, and Garlic Chickpea Farinata

This is sort of the power bar of bread.  I have written about farinata before, but since then, have experimented more with different flavors, as well as the consistency and how thick to make it.  This is my favorite new version so far - it's not quite as thick and bakes up in just 15 minutes, and it's loaded with the wonderful flavors of sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, and Italian herbs.  I have used it as a pizza crust, pan-fried it with melted Daiya cheese on top, and eaten it warm from the oven.  But I also find it to be a fantastic snack to bring along with me to munch, as it's full of protein, low in fat, and totally delicious.  The best thing about this recipe is that it is totally adaptable to whatever flavors you feel like in that moment.  Just start with the 1:1 ratio of chickpea flour to water and then add whatever else your heart desires.  I have yet to try a sweet version of this bread (although that is coming soon - I am thinking about a chocolate chip and berry jam swirl?), but so far, every savory combination I've tried has been fantastic.  It's great with cumin, but this recipe is proof positive that it meshes with Italian spices and herbs as well.  So while I definitely recommend trying out this particular combination of flavors, you can just add whatever happens to sound the most delicious to you in the moment.

Sun-dried Tomato, Basil, and Garlic Chickpea Farinata
Makes a 9-inch round pan

1 cup chickpea flour
1 cup water
1/4 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes
1 tsp. crushed oregano
1 tsp. crushed basil
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 - 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
1 tsp. sea salt

Preheat oven to 400 F.  Spray a 9-inch round non-stick pan with cooking spray.

In a bowl, combine the chickpea flour and water and mix well to get rid of any lumps.  Add the other ingredients and mix well.  Pour into the pan and spread evenly.

Bake for 15 - 18 minutes, or just until slightly golden brown on top and the sides start to pull away from the edges of the pan.  Remove from oven and slice to serve immediately.  Store slices in the fridge for up to a week for snacking.


Serving suggestions:  
-Serve plain and warm
-Toast slices on a skillet and melt some cheese (or "cheese") on top
-Use as a base for pizza
-Slice into bars and wedges and pack for a snack on-the-go

Creamy Basil Hummus

I love hummus.  It's one of the things I really missed being able to eat during the last year of living in Swaziland.  Sure, I could find hummus occasionally in the store, but the chances of it being labeled "gluten-free" were slim to none.  And without a food processor, I couldn't even make my own at home.  The same was true of pesto.  I love the taste of pesto, but the availability of pesto, period, was very limited, much less pesto that did not include cheese. 

That's why this recipe is so amazing.  It combines the wonderful, creamy texture of hummus with the fresh, bursting flavor of basil into something that you will not be able to stop eating.  It even packs a nice protein punch from the chickpeas and sesame tahini.  We ate this smeared onto our gluten-free breadsticks at an Italian dinner, and it was the perfect complement to the pasta and salads we were eating.  But I imagine this would be equally delicious spread into a sandwich, or eaten alone with chips.  Try adding different herbs in place of the basil if you have a different favorite!

Thanks to my cousin Erin for sharing her amazing recipe for this blog!

Creamy Basil Hummus

1 15 oz. can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed

1 green onion (just the green part, not the white part), chopped
1/8 cup plus 1 tsp. olive oil
1 tsp. sesame tahini
1 large garlic clove (or more to taste), put through the press
A handful of fresh basil leaves
juice from half a lemon
A tablespoon of water (only for thinning)
Salt to taste (optional, I put a dash in last time)
 
Toss all of the ingredients in a food processor. Process until smooth.


Note: I usually had to add about a tbsp of water so that it will process well.  It lasts a little less than a week in the fridge. Also, I think the "handful of basil" is probably about one of those 3/4 oz. packages of fresh basil you can buy at the store.  I just keep tasting it until I feel like it's the right amount of basil and garlic.

Pasta with Spinach Basil Pesto

I am currently house-sitting for someone at work, and theirs is a huge old house on a tree-lined street near Forest Park. The house has lots of space and best of all, a professional kitchen. Another unexpected amenity has been the free reign over the herb garden in the backyard, including three huge basil plants (the size of which I have never experienced, since plants typically die shortly after coming into my care). Well, since the plants are outside and will die soon anyway, I decided to "harvest" the basil plants and make myself some pesto. A friend of mine mentioned that adding spinach will enhance the flavor and color of the pesto, so I decided to try it. This turned out to be not quite the traditional pesto sauce, but a delicious one nonetheless.

Spinach Basil Pesto

1 cup fresh basil leaves
1 cup fresh or frozen spinach
1/3 - 1/2 cup olive oil (adjust according to your taste and the consistency)
5-8 whole cloves of garlic, according to taste
1/2 cup pine nuts (or more, according to taste)
1/4 cup blanched slivered almonds
1/4 - 1/2 cup Vegan "Parmesan Cheese" (or real Parmesan cheese if you can have it)
Salt and pepper to taste

Place all ingredients in a food processor and blend until a thick paste is formed and becomes creamy. Adjust ingredients to taste. Makes about 1 1/2 - 2 cups of pesto. Boil pasta and drain, then add the pesto to the pasta, toss, top with more Parmesan cheese, if desired, and serve!