Tag Archives: spinach

Recipes

Vegan Sandwich – BBQ Carrot and Spinach

Leave a comment

Today’s lunch was a hearty, healthy vegan sandwich:

Vegan BBQ Carrot Sandwich

Vegan BBQ Carrot and Spinach Sandwich

For people eliminating meat, dairy and wheat from their diets, it gets tricky trying to make meals that have a satisfying taste and still provide healthy solid nutrition. Here’s one I made up today because I was craving BBQ. Would I rather have BBQ pork smothered in cheese on a wheat roll? Hell yeah! But I have to say, this was a delicious alternative I think you’re going to like. Also – It’s packed with vitamins and minerals, Vegan, Dairy-Free and Gluten-Free!

  • 1 large raw carrot, washed, sliced into 1/8 ribbons
  • 3 cloves raw garlic, peeled, diced
  • 1 tbspn olive oil
  • 1 cup fresh baby spinach leaves
  • 2 slices of your favorite bread
  • BBQ sauce to taste

I used a slicing mandolin to cut the carrot, add along with garlic, 1 tbspn extra virgin olive oil to a good size cast-iron frying pan over medium heat. Saute the carrot ribbons, turning every minute or so, until they start to soften enough that you can bend them easily; about 7 minutes.

Meanwhile, toast the bread. We like Whole Grain Genius by Glutino for this (an absolutely delicious gluten free bread). It’s hard to tell the difference between this and “regular” bread that contains wheat, especially when it’s been toasted.

Carefully layer the spinach leaves, carrot ribbons and garlic onto one slice of the bread, top with BBQ sauce (we also put a little A1 sauce as well) and the other slice of bread and chow down!

Oh yeah, and have a napkin handy before you sit down to eat… this is a leetle messy!

 

Farming

Great Vegan Recipe: Warm Spinach Salad with Lentils & Carmelized Onions

Leave a comment

vegan recipe: warm spinach salad with lentils and carmelized onions

This vegan entree is packed with vitamins and fiber and makes a very satisfying main course, even if you are not trying to avoid meat, dairy or wheat products. We make it from memory – having first enjoyed it at our all time favorite lunch eatery: The Chinook Cafe in North Conway NH. Now closed, it used to be a regular dining treat for us about once a month. So in honor of the beloved Chinook Cafe:

Ingredients:

3/4 cup uncooked dry lentils

8 0z fresh baby spinach leaves

2 medium yellow onions

1 tbspn brown sugar

1/2 cup real maple syrup

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

1/4 tsp each ground black pepper and salt

Recipe

Mix together the maple syrup and the balsamic vinegar in a measuring cup, add 1/4 tsp each fresh ground black pepper and salt. Set aside.

Peel and slice the onions as thin as you can. Begin sauteing them in a wide fry pan (we love our old cast iron pans for this) in a tsp or two of canola oil over medium heat stirring occasionally.

While the onions are cooking, put the lentils in a medium saucepan, cover them over with water to 2 inch above lentils. Bring to a boil. Set a timer for them: 20 minutes.

After about 10 minutes add a pinch of salt to the onions. Allow them to brown, but not burn. Once they are brown, add a tablespoon of brown sugar to the pan. Continue sauteing and stirring occasionally until they begin to stick to the pan, then remove pan from the heat. Set aside.

When the lentils are done, use a collander to drain them well. Then add the lentils to the onion pan and raise the heat to high. Once the onions and lentils are starting to sizzle real strong, add the maple/balsamic mixture. Let them sizzle for about 3 minutes, then turn off the heat.

In a separate wide frying pan, bring a few tspns of canola oil to medium heat. Add the spinach leaves. Stir them occassionally. Get four dinner plates ready. When the spinach is just wilted (about 5 minutes), spread it equally onto the four plates. Scoop the lentil/onion mixture equally onto the middle of the spinach on each plate.

Hope you enjoy this as much as we do! Drop us an email and tell us what you think.