Category: Veggies

Veggie Tacos

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Let me start off by saying that these Veggie Tacos are the thebomb.com. I for one am a huge taco lover, so this delicious combination of peppers, zucchini, and lentils is right up my alley. Theses tacos take about a half hour to whip up, assuming you’re using pre-cooked lentils. For this recipe, I used canned lentils, because they’re ready to use and have a texture that lends itself well to tacos. Add in some zucchini, peppers and Mexican spices, and top it off with some guacamole and Mango Salsa, and you’ve got yourself a killer meal.

Veggie Tacos

Serves: l4-6

Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 a red onion, diced
  • 1 tbs olive oil
  • 1 clove of garlic, minced
  • 1 bell pepper (any colour) diced
  • 1 medium sized zucchini, chopped into half inch cubes
  • 1 can of lentils, drained and rinsed, or about 2 cups cooked green lentils
  • 1/2 tbs cumin
  • 1/2 tbs paprika
  • 1/2 tbs Chilli powder
  • 1/2 tsp cayenne powder
  • 1/2 tbs oregano
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

  1. Heat the olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add in the onion and garlic and cook until the onion is translucent, about 3-4 minutes.
  2. Add in the zucchini, bell peppers, and lentils and stir. Next, measure out the spices and put them in the pan as well. Mix together all of the ingredients and let cook for about 15-20 minutes, or until the veggies are soft, and any liquid has evaporated.
  3. Place the veggie mixture in a tortilla with guacamole and mango salsa. Enjoy!

Hope you enjoy this delicious taco recipe! It’s great for hot summer days;)

Yours Truly,

MyDayIsBooked;))

Greek Pasta Salad

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Hi there! When I think of summer I think of barbecues and potlucks, and at these gatherings there’s often a pasta salad. But it’s usually covered in a heavier mayo based dressing, and contains little to no veggies. This Greek Pasta Salad is full of different textures and flavours, while being super healthy at the same time. Crispy chickpeas, olives, cucumbers, tomatoes, red peppers, and pasta all get tossed together with a delicious greek dressing. You can even toss in some feta and red onion if you’d like. This is the perfect recipe to bring to a barbecue, or to enjoy as a light lunch;)

Greek Pasta Salad

Serves: 4 as a meal, 6-8 as a side

Total Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:

For the Roasted Chickpeas:

  • 1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • 2 tbs olive oil
  • 1/2 tbs cumin
  • 1/2 tbs Chilli powder
  • 1/2 tbs paprika
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 two allspice
  • 1/2 the garlic powder

For the Dressing:

  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • Juice of 1/2 a lemon
  • 2 tbs red wine vinegar
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 clove minced garlic
  • 1 tbs dried oregano
  • Salt and pepper to taste

For the Salad:

  • 2 1/2 cups cooked rotini ( I used pasta made from chickpea flour)
  • 1 tomato, chopped
  • 1/2 a cucumber, chopped
  • 1 red bell pepper, chopped
  • 1/2 a can of black olives, sliced

Directions:

  1. In a medium sized bowl, toss the chickpeas with the olive oil and spices. Place them on a lined baking sheet and bake in a 400 degree oven for 25 minutes.
  2. Whisk together all of the dressing ingredients and set aside.
  3. In a large bowl, combine the salad ingredients with the roasted chickpeas. Add in the dressing and toss until everything is coated.
  4. Enjoy!

I hope you like this summer recipe! I’ve posted a video of myself making it on Instagram if you need extra directions. See you Wednesday!

Your Truly,

MyDayIsBooked;)))

Basil Week: Kale and Arugula Pesto

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Bad news!! MY BASIL PLANT IS DEAD! I went to check it this morning and it only had about 10 shrivelled leaves on it. All of my other herbs are growing like crazy, and I don’t think that it got enough sun. I salvaged as much as I can, but unfortunately it wasn’t enough to make a full on basil pesto like I’d planned. So, I used some kale and arugula instead! The colour, texture and flavour of this pesto is still amazing though. I can’t wait to eat it on pasta, fish, veggies, and in wraps! I used sunflower seeds instead of pine nuts or almonds, because they’re cheaper and still have a really good taste. Other than that, the ingredients you’ll need are super simple; lemon, garlic, olive oil, kale, arugula, and of course, a little bit of basil. Here’s the recipe!

Kale and Arugula Pesto

Serves: 4 (this recipe makes about 1 cup of pesto)

Total Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

  • 1/4 cup basil leaves
  • 3 cups kale and arugula mix, packed
  • 1/2 cup roasted sunflower seeds, hulled
  • Juice of half a lemon
  • 1 clove of garlic
  • 6 tbs olive oil
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

  1. In a blender or food processor, blend the basil, kale and arugula, lemon, garlic, and sunflower seeds until combined but chunky.
  2. With the blender on low speed, stream in the olive oil. Continue to blend until you’ve reached a fairly smooth texture.
  3. Enjoy with pasta, fish, veggies, salads and wraps!

And with that, Herb month has come to an end! I’ve enjoyed coming up with new recipes for all of the different herbs that I’ve grown, and love having my own little garden! Hopefully my other plants don’t die off😬😬. Thanks for reading my posts throughout the month;) I cant wait for summer- I have some awesome ideas! See you then☺️😊

PS. I’m planning to show you guys my July Bullet Journal today as well, so keep your eyes peeled!

Yours Truly,

MyDayIsBooked;)))

Basil Week: Tomato, Basil and Avocado Salad

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Hello:) I think that basil is my favourite herb out of the ones that I’ve posted about- the smell of it when you pick it off the plant is just amazing! This salad really showcases fresh basil, along with plump Roma tomatoes and perfectly ripe avocados. The simple balsamic dressing ties everything together. For this recipe, you’ll need to Chiffonade your basil, which basically means to cut it into thin strips. I’ll show you how to do this before giving you the recipe to this tasty salad. Enjoy!

How to Chiffonade

You can use this technique on any other flat leafed vegetable that you want to cut into strips. To chiffonade your basil, lay the leaves on top of each other, then roll them lengthwise.

Proceed to cut the rolled basil the opposite way that you rolled it. Does that make sense? When you unravel the leaves they should be cut into long strips that look like this:

There you go! Use this technique to chop the basil for your salad;)

Tomato, Basil, and Avocado Salad

Serves: 1-2

Total Time: 5 minutes

Ingredients:

  • 2 Roma tomatoes cut into eighths
  • 1 ripe avocado, cut into small chunks
  • 10-12 leaves of basil, chiffonaded (I just made up that word)

For the dressing:

  • 3 tbs olive oil
  • 1 1/2 tbs balsamic vinegar
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

  1. Toss all of the ingredients for the salad and dressing together in a bowl, and season to taste.

Super simple, but also very fresh tasting and delicious;))) Hope you like it! I’ll see you later this week for the last post of Basil Week, and of Herb Month!

 

Yours Truly,

 

MyDayIsBooked

Basil Week: Roasted Red Pepper Pasta

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Whew! I can’t believe that it’s already the last week of herb month already! I have to say, I’m probably the most excited for basil week, mainly because of this pasta recipe. It’s creamy, flavourful and just super delicious. The sauce is a great alternative to the usual marinara, and healthier than Alfredo. I used my favourite chickpea pasta, but you can use any variety that you’d like. Here’s some tips on growing basil before I give you the recipe;)

Basil plants like lots of sun, so make sure that they get 6-8 hours of sunlight a day. Keep the soil that they are planted in moist. When the basil plant has produced fairly big leaves, you can pick them off and leave the smaller ones to grow. I pick leaves as I need them, but if you want to store your basil the best method is freezing. Let’s get into the first recipe of Basil Week: Roasted Red Pepper Pasta!

Roasted Red Pepper Pasta

Serves: 2

Total Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients:

  • 2 large red bell peppers
  • 2 tbs olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
  • 1 clove of garlic
  • 1/4 cup basil leaves
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

  1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit
  2. Cut the red peppers into square pieces and toss them with the extra olive oil, some salt and pepper. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and roast in the oven for 15-20 minutes, until soft and slightly charred.
  3. While the peppers are roasting, cook 2 servings of pasta according to the package directions.
  4. In a blender or food processor, combine the roasted peppers, 2 tbs olive oil, garlic, basil, and a bit more salt and pepper. Blend until a smooth sauce forms. Taste and season accordingly.
  5. Drain the pasta and add the sauce to the pot, coating the noodles.
  6. Scoop into two bowls and top with chopped basil. Enjoy!

Mmmmmm! Does it get any better than that? Enjoy this recipe, and don’t forget to check in on Wednesday for another great basil post;)

Yours Truly,

MyDayIsBooked