We moved! We’ve been in the Hudson Valley for 3 months now. Our view is amazing, we have a yard, access to fresh air and trees and all sorts of new things, but last weekend was one of the first we’ve had to enjoy it in full. Once we moved, it took us a lot of focus and energy to get into our groove (which is sometimes still hard to do.) Chris has been commuting into NYC for work 4 days a week and I went straight into wedding season after we finally unpacked. But now… NOW it’s quiet for a couple of months before the Fall busy season. If you want to see what I’ve been working on with Modern Kicks, please follow me on instagram (and say hi while you’re at it!) I’ve also been working on a fun project in Stone Ridge, helping develop Hasbrouck House, a boutique hotel that will reopen under new ownership this Fall.

I’ve had less time to focus on The Bored Vegetarian than I’d like, and have been been thinking about what this blog should become moving forward. I’ve been having more urges to write in recent months, so I may begin using this space for that, as well as recipes and photos. Stay tuned… In the meantime, try this really tasty Tuscan Kale Salad with Avocado, Toasted Pistachio, Gorgonzola & Lemon Tahini Dressing. I’ve made it multiple times in recent weeks, so it must be a keeper.

Have I mentioned that we have natural light in every room of our apartment? No more lighting food with things I have to plug into the wall!

Ingredients

– 4 cups Tuscan Kale, large stems removed, leaves chopped into ribbons
– 1/8 cup Toasted Pistachios
– 1/2 Avocado
– 3-4 Tbsp Crumbled Gorgonzola (or other bleu cheese)
– 2 Tbsp Tahini Sauce
– 1 Tbsp Fresh Lemon Juice
– 2-3 Tbsp Water
– 1 tsp Garlic Powder
– Salt & Pepper to taste

In a small bowl, whisk tahini and lemon juice. The tahini will thicken, add 2-3 Tbsp water and whisk until the dressing is smooth and slightly runny. Whisk in garlic powder. In a large bowl, drizzle dressing over the kale and toss until leaves are coated. Cut the avocado into cubes and gently toss with the kale, along with the pistachios and gorgonzola. Season well with salt & pepper. Transfer to a serving bowl. Serves 2-3 people.

And we’re back! On the East Coast that is.  Between work, the flight to Atlanta, pool lounging, seeing Tiffany and Clarence get hitched, attending a fish fry (I resisted a taste test,) and eating a vegetarian soul food brunch at Soul Vegetarian, I haven’t had a chance to sit down and rehash a meal I made way back in Washington. 
I hadn’t cooked for my mom before, so I was definitely a bit intimidated.  My dear mother used to spend days digging through old Bon Apetit magazines for the right cookie recipe and routinely throws epic parties at her house for friends and family.  She has always had a flair for food and entertaining, and is one of the reasons I love it too. Luckily, I had a few ideas of how to win her over.  1. Blueberries – I often tell friends about how mom would drag along my brother and I to the blueberry field in town to help her pick pounds of berries to freeze for future use.  At the time I felt enslaved (don’t get me started on having to pick blackberries from the sticker bushes on our street,) but perhaps those hours in the hot sun had a positive effect on me!  I nearly fainted when I saw a recipe for Blueberry Avocado Salsa and I knew she’d feel the same. 


Blueberry Avocado Salsa (via Manifest Vegan)
1 1/2 cups fresh tomatoes, quartered2 cups fresh blueberries2 tbsp lime juice + extra for drizzling onto avocados1/4 cup green onions, chopped1/2 cup fresh cilantro1 tsp sea salt1 tbsp chopped jalepeno pepper1 ripe avocado, cut into small chunks (I recommend two)1/2 cup chopped red onion (I wished the salsa had a bit more bite to it, so I would add this in for next time)
Directions:
Pulse all ingredients (except for avocado) a few times in a food processor. Cut up your avocado and drizzle with lime juice. Stir in chopped avocado with the rest of your salsa ingredients. Add a touch more salt if desired. Serve immediately. (no joke with the serve immediately part.  It was beautiful the day I made it, but lost some of its glorious color by the next day.)
2. Brie – My family loves cheese.  My brother and I would often always snack on slices of Tillamoock when we got home from school.  We were not a fruit snacks family, we were a cheese family.  Our tastes have since evolved (though I still find Tillamoock at both my brother and mom’s houses whenever I am in town) and now I always find a round of brie when I visit.  This time I used it in a grilled flatbread sandwich.


Brie & Apple Flatbread Sandwich for one sandwich
1 piece of flatbread (you could make this with a variety of breads, but this is what was in the cupbaord at the time)4 slices of good brie1/4 of an apple, sliced thin (green apple is best for its tartness)1/2 red onion, chopped1/4 cup chopped walnuts2 tbls olive oilsalt & pepper to tasteOther things that might be good that I didn’t have:Handful of arugula  (for its pepper flavor)Whole grain mustard Honey (for a bit of sweetness)Candy the walnuts with a bit of brown sugarHeat oven to 350 degrees and toast walnuts in a pan until brown.  In a small sauce pan saute red onion, olive oil and salt over medium heat until onions caramelize, stirring frequently.  Layer brie and apple one half of the bread and pile with onion and walnuts (you can add in optional ingredients at this time.)  Fold in half.Heat up pan on medium heat (or panini maker if you’re fancy) and toast each side of the sandwich until cheese begins to melt.  Serve immediately. 
While I love the taste of apple and brie together, next time I make this sandwich, I will likely tweak a few things (namely the items listed under “other.)  I love creating combinations as I go, but sometimes they require some adjustments.  If you make this and have new ideas, please share!  I’m looking forward to this week of downtime before things take off again.  Montreal is in the air until my passport arrives, but Philly is on for next weekend and I’ll be going up to Boston for work at the end of the month.  Perhaps it’s time to start looking at some fall recipes.

Chicago was upwards of 88 degrees yesterday, and after spending several hours on Lake Michigan (new love of my life) we hit up the Lincoln Park Whole Foods (second new love of my life) and went to work on creating our deep dish pizza dinner.  We needed some snacks and cocktails to keep us going during the 3 hour pizza prep, and this is what we came up with.  I’ve made this brushcetta before, and since avocados were on sale, it seemed time to give it another go. 

Avocado Chimichurri Brushcetta (via  Couture Au Chocolat)
2 ripe avocados 1/4 cup chopped parsley (I didn’t use parsley) 1/4 cup chopped cilantro (if not using cilantro, compensate with parsley) 1/2 shallot finely diced 2 tbsp. red wine vinegar 1 tbsp. honey Olive oil enough to bring everything together Salt and pepper to taste
6 slices of thick Italian bread (or baguette) Olive oil to brush on slices of bread 1 garlic, peeled and cut in half
Cut the avocados in half, take out the pit, and cut avocado into cubes.
Combine avocados, parsley, cilantro, shallots, red wine vinegar, honey and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.
Brush olive oil on slices of bread and grill on each side for a couple of minutes, or toast in a preheated 350 degree oven for 10 min.
Rub the cut side of a raw garlic on grilled or toasted bread slices. Spread avocado mixture on bread and serve.
(I didn’t do a good job of following the recipe here, so I was lacking in the amount of cilantro… still was delicious.)Ever since I made the mash of blueberry, basil and lemon to my Dutch Babies, I’ve wanted to incorporate it into a  drink.  Melissa loves a good cocktail, so I knew she’d be on board.  She mixed up the concoction while I worked on the brushcetta.  My intuition was right – the mash tasted great in a gin drink. Perfect for the hot weather!

Blueberry Basil Gin Swizzle 1/2 cup blueberries1 lemon (just the juice!)1/3 cup of chopped fresh basil1 tbls powdered sugardash of simple syrup2 ounces of ginclub soda
Mash the blueberries, lemon and basil and mix in sugar.  Add a few tbls to the bottom of a glass, add in remaining ingredients.  Use a swizzle to mix the ingredients together.  We recommend a straw for maximum enjoyment.