Category Archives: Vegetables

Farro with Roasted Sweet Potato, Kale, and Pomegranate Seeds

November 25, 2013

farro kale

It’s finished! (Well, almost.) Welcome to the new A Hint of Honey. I hope you’ll take a look around and enjoy the new space. I love it and think you will too! You’ll find all the original features, plus a few. I’ve updated the about page with new photos. The recipe index is still under construction, but hopefully by the end of the week it will be updated with photos of every recipe and be much easier to navigate. If you have any questions or comments or notice any issues, don’t hesitate to let me know. You can reach me via the contact form or on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, or Instagram.

A huge thank you to Maggie Waller from Type and Title for her talent and hard work over the last few months. She designed and implemented everything you see and is so wonderful to work with! Check out her site and work here.

Now for today’s recipe- Farro with Roasted Sweet Potato, Kale, and Pomegranate Seeds. Farro is one of my favorite foods right now. It’s chewy and nutty and filling and pairs well with so many other ingredients. Here roasted onion and sweet potato are spiced with cumin and coriander. The kale is lightly sauteed with garlic and olive oil. And the salad is topped with toasted walnuts and pomegranate seeds and finished with a squeeze of lemon and drizzle of olive oil. It makes a large bowlful (more than is pictured here), so gather a few forks and a few friends and try your best to share.

Happy Thanksgiving! Have a wonderful week!

Farro with Roasted Sweet Potato, Kale, and Pomegranate Seeds

INGREDIENTS

1 cup semi-pearled or regular farro
1 medium onion, halved and cut into 1/4-inch wedges
2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil, divided + enough to coat the onion for roasting
kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 large sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 2 1/4 cups)
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. ground coriander
1/4 cup walnuts, chopped
3 packed cups roughly chopped kale
1 large clove garlic, minced
freshly squeezed lemon juice, to taste (up to 1 Tbsp.)

DIRECTIONS

1. Cook farro according to package directions. Drain excess water, then place grains into a large bowl and allow to cool.

2. Preheat oven to 400 F. Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil. Toss onion with enough oil to lightly coat, but not soak. Spread across the prepared baking sheet and sprinkle with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Toss sweet potato with enough oil to coat and spread on a separate sheet pan. Sprinkle with cumin, coriander and a pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper. Place both baking sheets in the oven and roast until the vegetables are tender and onions have begun to brown. The onions will be done before the sweet potatoes. Stir and turn vegetables at least once during cooking.

3. To toast the walnuts, place them in a dry skillet over medium heat. Cook until golden and fragrant, tossing frequently. Set aside to cool.

4. While vegetables and nuts cook, heat 1 Tbsp. olive oil in a large skillet. Add kale and garlic and lightly saute until the kale has wilted but is still bright green in color.

5. Combine cooked greens and farro in a large bowl. Add sweet potato and onion. Fold the ingredients together, then drizzle with the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and lemon juice to taste (about one tablespoon or less). Season to taste with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Gently stir in walnuts and pomegranate seeds.

Serves 6.

(Adapted from Food 52)

Roasted Green Beans

November 1, 2013

roasted green beans

This is hardly a recipe. More of a formula, really. Fresh green beans + olive oil + salt + pepper. So simple. So delicious.

I like green beans steamed and plain, without a touch of anything. But this way- roasted to perfection- I love them. Soft in the center, crisp on the edges. You’ll be popping them like french fries and wondering how something so good for you could be so crazy good.

Roasted Green Beans

INGREDIENTS

fresh green beans, ends trimmed
extra virgin olive oil, enough to coat
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 425 F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and lightly coat with cooking spray (or line with parchment paper).

2. Drizzle olive oil over green beans and toss to coat. Sprinkle with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.

3. Bake in preheated oven for 12-15 minutes, stirring halfway through, until lightly caramelized and crisp-tender.

(Adapted from Food Network)

Grilled Summer Vegetable Pizza

August 30, 2013

summer vegetable pizza

Just because September is upon us doesn’t mean summer is over. We have a few official weeks left. And the peaches and tomatoes and berries aren’t going to disappear overnight. Thank goodness. I’m not ready to say goodbye yet. I picked up some end-of-summer veggies at the farmers market this week and decided they were destined for a pizza.

I didn’t actually grill the pizza (although you could- I did so here) but I grilled the zucchini and peppers and onion before I put them on the pizza. (Just with a little olive oil and s&p.) Those grilled veggies combined with sliced tomatoes, fresh mozzarella and Parm, bits of shaved garlic, and chopped fresh basil made for one stunning pizza. (Oh, and I threw on some chicken sausage which is good, but not necessary.)

You really don’t need a recipe (other than a good pizza dough). Gather the most beautiful vegetables you can find (or fruit- fruit is awesome on pizza) and grill them. Add your favorite cheese(s) and fresh herbs. Bake it ’till it’s golden and crisp and the cheese oozes. And you’re there. Summer on a crust.

Grilled Summer Vegetable Pizza

INGREDIENTS
1 recipe pizza dough
extra virgin olive oil, for grilling vegetables and brushing crust 1-2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced as possible
summer vegetables (zucchini, yellow squash, eggplant, bell peppers, onion, tomatoes, etc.),
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
chicken sausage (optional)
fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced
freshly grated Parmesan cheese
fresh basil, julienned

DIRECTIONS
1. Prepare pizza dough according to recipe directions.

2. While the crust is rising, grill the vegetables. (I grilled everything except the tomatoes.) Preheat indoor grill pan or outdoor grill to medium-high heat. Prepare vegetables (wash and stem, pit and slice, etc.), brush with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. (NOTE: You don’t want to chop your veggies up too small before grilling. Leave them in large pieces to go on the grill and then afterwards cut them up for topping the pizza.) Grill until tender and slightly charred. Set aside to cool before chopping into the size you want for topping the pizza.

3. Preheat oven and pizza stone to 450 F.

4. Brush prepared crust with a thin layer of olive oil. Sprinkle with the sliced garlic and roasted vegetables and chicken sausage (if using). Top with slices of mozzarella and freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Sprinkle with freshly ground black pepper.

5. Bake in preheated oven on pizza stone for about 10 minutes, until the crust is puffed and golden brown and the cheese is bubbling. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with fresh basil. Slice and serve.

Makes 1 large pizza.

(an A Hint of Honey original)

Pesto and Roasted Vegetable Pizza

February 3, 2013

My gym shares a parking garage with Whole Foods. The elevator (I’m not about to lug an 18 lb. baby + 10 lb. diaper bag + groceries down and up all those stairs) deposits you in the Whole Foods lobby (which you then have to exit and cross the street to access the gym and return through on your way back). I’m suspicious that the two have teamed up to keep each other in business. If the intense aroma of baked goods wafting through the parking deck doesn’t prevent you from reaching the gym in the first place, you’ll surely succumb when you’re ravenous post-workout. I can’t decide if this situation is perfectly convenient or entirely hazardous- for my budget and my body. I love being able to pick up a few groceries without making an extra trip. But I can always find a reason to go in and end up with a few more goodies than intended. I might be able to resist the cookies, but I usually come out with a loaf or two of bread and a new variety of cheese or a roll of sushi.

One day, being particularly hungry, I grabbed a slice of sweet potato spinach lasagna to take home for lunch. It looked and sounded delicious- two favorite vegetables layered with pasta and bubbling cheese. And then I took my first bite to realize that this was no normal lasagna. A quick inspection of the ingredients list revealed that it was in fact vegan. Layers of tofu replaced the pasta and cheese and what I thought was little flecks of Parmesan on top was nutritional yeast. (The vegetables did turn out to be real.) I still ate it. And it wasn’t completely disgusting- just extremely disappointing for a cheese-loving girl like me. (And hopefully really good for me.)

And then there was the day I picked up a slice of this pizza. Quite the opposite experience. Aside from a mediocre crust, I was wowed. There was a generous layer of basil pesto and chopped roasted vegetables topped with genuine melted mozzarella. Mmmmhhh. I knew at once I’d be recreating it at home. And so here it is.

I roasted a combination of bell peppers, summer squash, eggplant, mushrooms and onion. And had a pile of leftover vegetables which I’ve been adding to sandwiches, omelets, and quesadillas throughout the week (so clearly not a problem). I purchased a container of pesto at the store, but homemade would be even better. For half of the pizza I combined the mozzarella with Parmesan and on the other half I added goat cheese. Both were excellent so no recommendation there. I didn’t provide exact amounts in the ingredients because I didn’t measure anything. The more veggies and cheese the better, I say.

Pesto and Roasted Vegetable Pizza

INGREDIENTS

1 recipe pizza dough
combination of roasting vegetables, diced (I used red and yellow bell peppers, yellow squash and zucchini, eggplant, cremini mushrooms, red onion)
olive oil
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
~ 2 cups mozzarella, grated
freshly grated Parmesan or goat cheese, crumbled
pesto (jarred or homemade– I used half of a 7 oz. container)

DIRECTIONS

1. Prepare dough according to recipe directions.

2. Meanwhile (or ahead of time), to roast vegetables preheat oven to 400 F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet (or two baking sheets if you have a lot of vegetables) with aluminum foil and coat with cooking spray. Drizzle the vegetables with olive oil and toss to coat. Sprinkle with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Spread in an even layer on the prepared baking sheet and roast in preheated oven for 25-35 minutes, turning occasionally, until golden and tender.

3. Preheat oven and pizza stone to 450 F.

4. Top prepared crust with a thin layer of pesto, the roasted vegetables, mozzarella and Parmesan (or goat cheese).

5. Place on pizza stone and bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the crust is puffed and golden and the cheese is bubbling.

Makes 1 large pizza.

Spicy Southwest Slaw

January 22, 2013

I love this slaw. The addition of red pepper, cilantro, and jalapeno give it a southwest flair and a bit of heat. I could eat it with anything. It’s fantastic with tacos, of course. But pairs just as well with burgers or barbecue (pulled chicken or pork, ribs, etc.) or eggs for breakfast (especially since it tastes even better the next morning). One of my best friends has been making it for years (always a hit at get-togethers) and I finally got around to “borrowing” and sharing her recipe. I added a little mayonnaise to make it a creamier and a pinch of cumin for kick.

Spicy Southwest Slaw

INGREDIENTS

3 cups shredded green (or a mixture of red and green) cabbage
1 large carrot, peeled and shredded
1 medium red bell pepper, seeded and finely diced
1/2 small red onion, finely diced
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced (more or less to taste)
3 Tbsp. fresh cilantro, chopped
1/4 cup canola oil
2 Tbsp. mayonnaise
3 Tbsp. cider vinegar
2 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. ground cumin (optional, but recommended)
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper (more or less to taste)
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. In a large bowl, toss to combine the cabbage, carrot, bell pepper, onion, jalapeno, and cilantro. In a small bowl, whisk to combine the oil, mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar, cumin, and cayenne. Pour over the cabbage mixture and toss to coat. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving.

Serves 6.

(courtesy of Chelsey Sanford, adapted from All Recipes)