Beet and Parsley Salad

Hi there! I wanted to start by letting you know that this is my 200th post!! Crazy how time flies! I’ve loved every minute of working on this site, and I want to thank you guys for all of your support. Your likes and comments mean so much! To celebrate, I’ll be posting my top ten favourite recipes sometime this weekend, so be sure to check that out;)

Today I have a very colourful and fresh recipe to share- Beet and Parsley Salad! Other than roasting the beets, this recipes calls for very little prep and is a perfect lunch or side dish. I even used pre -roasted beets to cut down on prep time. Fresh herbs are great to work with and bring so much flavour. Paired with the earthy beets they really get a chance to sing! This salad is even better when it sits overnight in the fridge because it allows it to marinate in the dressing (which is a delicious combo of fresh lemon juice, red wine vinegar, and olive oil), but feel free to enjoy it right after you whip it up. Honestly, I wouldn’t blame you.

Beet and Parsley Salad

Serves: 4

Total Time: 10 minutes (using pre-roasted beets), 30 minutes (roasting the beets included)

Ingredients:

  • 1 beet
  • 1 tomato, diced
  • 1/4 of a red onion, diced
  • 1/2 a red bell pepper, diced
  • 3/4 cup packed parsley leaves (I used the flat-leafed Italian variety, but the curly leafed kind would work too)
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
  • salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

  1. If roasting the beet, peel it and dice it into small cubes. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit, toss the beets in some olive oil on a parchment lined baking sheet, and roast for about 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool completely before tossing with the salad.
  2. If you’re using a pre-roasted beet, make sure that it’s diced into small cubes. Toss the beet chunks in a bowl with the tomato, parsley, onion, bell pepper, lemon juice, olive oil and red wine vinegar.
  3. Season to taste with salt and pepper and enjoy!

**optional: let the salad sit in the fridge overnight in the fridge to marinate in the dressing**

Thank you so much for reading! Stay safe and I’ll see you again this weekend with my top ten favourite recipes;))

Yours Truly,

Olivia;))

Curried Sweet Potato Pita Pockets

Hi guys! Today I have an AWESOME recipe for you guys; these Curried Potato Pita Pockets are one of my favourite recipes ever! They’re super quick and easy to make, plus they pack in SO much flavour and freshness. Sweet potatoes are life my friends, so they had to be included in this recipe too. I was inspired by a veggie samosa wrap by VeganRicha, but I changed and simplified the recipe and it turned out great! The sweet potatoes are roasted with some red bell peppers in cumin and curry powder, then mashed a bit and paired with a fresh cilantro-y bean salad in a warm pita. Basically, my dreams in a pocket of bread. These pitas make great leftovers to, and will definitely be one of my go-to lunch recipes when I’m back at school. Enjoy the recipe;)

Curried Sweet Potato Pita Pockets

Serves: 3

Total Time: 50 minutes

Ingredients:

  • 1 large sweet potato or yam
  • 1/2 a red bell pepper
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tbsp curry powder
  • 1 tsp +1/2 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 can of red kidney beans, drained and rinsed (chickpeas or black beans can be used in a pinch)
  • 1/4 cup packed cilantro leaves
  • 1/4 of a red onion, diced
  • 1 tomato, diced
  • Juice of 1/2 a lemon
  • 3 whole wheat pitas
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

  1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit (after 200 posts I finally managed to spell Fahrenheit right the first time!)
  2. Peel the sweet potato and cut it into very small cubes, a little less than a centimetre in size. Chop the bell pepper into the same sized cubes and place the veggies on a parchment lined baking sheet.
  3. Toss the veggies in the olive oil, curry powder, 1 tsp of cumin and some salt and pepper. Place the pan into the oven and roast for about 20-25 minutes, until the sweet potatoes and peppers are soft.
  4. Meanwhile, toss the red kidney beans, tomato, red onion, cilantro, 1/2 tsp of cumin and lemon juice together in a bowl and set aside.
  5. Once the veggies are roasted, remove them from the oven and transfer to a large bowl. Use a fork to mash the mixture, leaving some sweet potato chunks whole.
  6. Warm up the pitas in the microwave and cut or rip them in half. Open up each half so that it forms a pocket, and scoop equal amounts of the roasted veggies and bean salad into them.
  7. Enjoy!

Hope you guys love this recipe as much as I do! Thank you for reading and I’ll see you on Friday;))

Yours Truly,

Olivia;)

Stuffed Pepper Stew

Hey there! Hope you’re all doing well;)) I find that cooking is a great way to stay busy, so I’ve been trying to at least plan out new recipes every day. I wanted to make stuffed peppers, because they’re so comforting and delicious. But it turns out that I only had one big pepper, and two mini ones. Here’s where some quarantine problem solving comes in! This Stuffed Pepper Stew combines all of the flavours of a stuffed pepper, but in stew form. It’s so good and uses super simple ingredients! It actually might be better than a stuffed pepper, because it reminds me of an amazing Hungarian pepper dish that my Mom and Grandma make. Plus, there’s lots of protein in there from lentils. I also used some soy sauce to boost the savoury flavour, which is a trick I learned from The Stingy Vegan. All the veggies get simmered in a delicious broth that’s loaded with herbs and spices, and it’ll make your house smell really good;)) This stew is also one of those things that tastes better the next day, because all of the flavours sit together overnight. Check out the recipe down below;))

Stuffed Pepper Stew

Serves: 4

Total Time: 90 minutes

Ingredients:

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 small onion, diced
  • 2 bell peppers, any colour, chopped
  • 1 clove of garlic, minced
  • 1 sprig of oregano, finely chopped (or 1/2 tbsp dried oregano)
  • 1/2 tbsp basil
  • 1 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1/2 tsp cumin
  • 1/4 tsp allspice
  • 1/2 cup green lentils
  • 1 can of diced tomatoes
  • 1 tbsp of tomato paste
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

  1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot. Add in the onion and cook until translucent, about 6 minutes.
  2. Add in the peppers and garlic, and cook for another six minutes until the peppers are soft.
  3. Dump the diced tomatoes, spices, soy sauce, herbs, and lentils into the pot and stir until combined. Bring the mixture to a boil, then turn the heat to low and simmer for about an hour, until the lentils have cooked through.
  4. Once the lentils are cooked, stir through the tomato paste and season with salt and pepper.
  5. Enjoy with rice, quinoa, some bread, or by itself!

Keep cooking and creating!

Yours Truly,

MyDayIsBooked

Seedy Energy Squares

Sure, you’re probably doing school from home right now and haven’t been out of the house in awhile, but who says staying inside is easy? It takes a lot of fuel to be productive at home, and so that’s why I made these delicious Seedy Energy Squares. They’re full of healthy fats, with some protein in there, too, to keep you going all day long! These squares are also super flexible, so as long as you have oats and bananas, which are two of my staples, you can customize this recipe to your heart’s content. Dried fruit and nuts would be great in these. I used hemp hearts and pumpkin seeds;)) If you want something dense, subtly sweet and seriously addictive, this is the recipe for you!

Seedy Energy Squares

Serves: Makes 20-25 squares

Total Time: 35 minutes

Ingredients:

  • 2 ripe bananas
  • 2 1/2 cups rolled oats
  • 1/3 cup roasted pumpkin seeds
  • 1/3 cup hemp hearts
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tbsp vanilla
  • 1/4 cup coconut oil

Directions:

  1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
  2. Mash the bananas in a large bowl, then mix in the oil, vanilla and cinnamon until well combined.
  3. Add in the oats, pumpkin seeds and hemp hearts into the bowl and stir until well mixed.
  4. Dump the mixture into a parchment lined 8×8 baking pan, and spread it evenly around the bottom. Bake in the oven for about 20 minutes, until the sides are golden brown.
  5. Remove from the oven and cool completely before cutting into 20-25 squares.
  6. Enjoy!

Hopefully these help you to power through your day and show that school work who’s boss!! Happy snacking;))

Yours Truly,

MyDayIsBooked;))

Spiced Carrot Falafel

Hey there! I’m starting to feel a bit of cabin fever, but I’m trying to keep busy and positive;) Cooking is a really great way to do that, and today I have a great recipe that’s freezable and super versatile. These spiced carrot falafel are super flavourful and easy to make! I like eating them with hummus in their own or in bowls, and they’d also be great in wraps or in pasta dishes. Maybe I could even make a sandwich with them… veggie sandwiches are amazing😍😍 Hope you like this recipe!!

Spiced Carrot Falafel

Serves: Makes 12 falafel

Total Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients:

Ingredients:

  • 1 can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • 1 clove of garlic, minced
  • 2 tsp cumin
  • 1/2 tsp chilli powder
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp turmeric
  • 1 tsp coriander
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 cup shredded carrots

Directions:

  1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
  2. In a blender or food processor, blend the chickpeas, garlic and all of the spices until smooth and combined.
  3. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and stir in the shredded carrots.
  4. Scoop out a tablespoon of the falafel mixture and form into a flat disc, and place onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Repeat until you have about 12-15 falafels.
  5. Place the falafels in the oven, and let bake for 15 minutes before removing the pan and flipping them over. Bake for another 15-20 minutes on the other side.
  6. Remove the pan from the oven and let the falafel cool completely before enjoying;)

I wrote a list in my bullet journal of ways to keep busy during this time, and so I’ll try to share it in my Instagram page soon;) For now, stay safe and hang in there!

Yours Truly,

MyDayIsBooked;))