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Week 14 (August 3rd): Menu at a Glance


GF pizza with eggplant and basil


Beet and chickpea salad


Zucchini Fritters


Sweet potato pad thai


watermelon skewers


oat chocolate chunk pumpkin seed cookies

Pizza with Eggplant and Basil

Beet and Chickpea Salad

Zucchini Fritters

Sweet Potato Noodle “Pad Thai”

Watermelon with Macadamia Skewers

Oat Chocolate Chunk Pumpkin Seed Cookies

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Week 14 – 6 Recipes

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The Recipes:

1. Pizza with Eggplant and Basil

 
GF pizza with eggplant and basil

Pizza with Eggplant and Basil

We hope you love pizza as much as we do! There's nothing like it on a hot summer night, especially a pizza that's easy to digest and doesn't cause congestion. We've made this recipe really really easy but still use gluten free and dairy free (unless you want to use real cheese) ingredients to keep it allergy friendly. It's okay to get some help compiling dinner together with some pre-made things. Thankfully there are a lot of healthy options out there these days. We've included a link below for the cauliflower pizza crust brand that we've been loving lately.

Eggplant

  • 1 small eggplant (cut in thins discs or half moons)
  • pinch sea salt and pepper
  • drizzle extra virgin olive oil

Greens

  • 1 bunch dandelion greens (or spinach bunch) (chopped)
  • 2 cloves garlic (minded or sliced)
  • pinch sea salt and pepper
  • drizzle extra virgin olive oil

For the Pizza

  • 1 package pre-made cauliflower crust pizza ((or sub crust that you prefer))
  • 1 cup passata or tomato sauce of choice
  • 1 cup dairy-free cheese of choice ( (or feta cheese))
  • 1/2 cup sundried tomatoes (sliced)

Topping

  • 1/2 cup basil leaves
  1. Preheat oven to 375.

For the eggplant

  1. You’ll want to cut the eggplant as thinly as you can.  The thinner it is, the easier it will be to roast quickly.

  2. Spread the pieces of eggplant out on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.  Rub with sea salt, pepper and extra virgin olive oil.

  3. Place in the oven and roast for 15 minutes or until the eggplant is starting to crisp on the edges.

For the greens

  1. Chop the dandelion greens (or spinach) and chop the garlic.

  2. Saute the garlic with some extra virgin olive oil in a skillet for 30 seconds.  Then add the chopped greens and saute for 3-5 minutes, until wilted and tender.

Compile the pizza

  1. Spread the passata or tomato sauce over top of the pizza crust.  If you’re using the Caulipower brand the package comes with 2 crusts.  You’ll want to use both to make the full recipe.

  2. Spread the cooked greens over top of the sauce.

  3. Divide the cooked eggplant over top of the greens and sprinkle the chopped sundried tomatoes over as well.  Lastly, sprinkle dairy-free cheese of choice over top.  We used dallops of cashew cheese.

  4. Bake for 15 minutes, or until the pizza crust is cooked.

  5. Top with fresh basil before serving.

Substitution Guide:

  • Cauliflower Crust: Here’s one of the brands that we like: Caulipower  You can use any brand of pizza crust that you like instead, or feel free to make from scratch if you desire
  • Eggplant: If you can’t eat it, you could use zucchini or mushrooms instead.  It won’t get as crispy as eggplant does, but it’ll still taste good.
  • Greens: dandelion or spinach work best, but you could use kale or even beet greens.
  • Dairy-free cheese: We used a cashew cheese for out pizza so arranged it in dallops.  But, any dairy free cheese that you like will work here.  You also could use feta cheese instead if you eat dairy.

Prep Guide:

  • Eggplant: can be roasted in advance and stored in the fridge until ready to use.
  • Greens: these also could be sauteed in advance and stored in the fridge.

2. Beet and Chickpea Salad

Beet and chickpea salad

Beet Chickpea Salad

We usually associate beets with the hearty root veggies of autumn and winter, but in this salad they work well for a more summer themed recipe. We love adding fresh basil to recipes this time of year – it just adds a whole other level of fresh flavour. This salad works really well as leftovers for dinner. If you find you like it, we recommend making a double batch and keeping it in the fridge for lunches over the next 4 days.

  • 1 19 oz can chickpeas (drained and rinsed (or 1 and 3/4 cups chickpeas))
  • 1/4 cup parsley (chopped)
  • 3 Tbsp green onions (chopped)
  • 2 Tbsp basil (chopped)
  • 3 Tbsp sundried tomatoes (chopped)
  • 2 to 3 tsp lemon juice
  • 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 clove garlic (minced)
  • 2 to 3 tsp tamari
  • pinch sea salt and pepper

For the Beets

  • 1 lb beets (around 4 medium or 8 mini beets)
  • drizzle of avocado oil or extra virgin olive oil
  • pinch sea salt and pepper

Additional Options

  • 2 to 3 cups cooked chicken (sliced in cubes)
  • 1 cup goat or sheep feta cheese

For the Beets

  1. Preheat oven to 375. Trim the beets and remove any stringy or tough parts. If the beets are large, we would cut them in half, otherwise they'll require a longer cooking time.

  2. Place the beets in a small baking dish and rub with extra virgin olive oil, sea salt and pepper. Cover the baking dish (either with aluminum foil or another small sheet can be placed right on top instead).

  3. Roast for 1 hour, or until the beets are tender.

  4. Once the beets are cooked, let them cool slightly and then remove the skin. Slice into discs or half moons.

Compiling the salad

  1. While the beets are roasting, you can compile the rest of the ingredients.

  2. Chop the herbs and sundried tomatoes and toss together in a bowl with the chickpeas. Add all of the seasonings. You can taste adjust the seasoning if you prefer, for example you might want extra lemon juice or more green onions or more tamari for a stronger savoury taste.

  3. When the beets are sliced and ready, combine together with the chickpea mixture.

  4. Feel free to add extra fresh herbs on top before serving.

Additional options

  1. If you'd like to add in an omnivore protein, you can add chicken. If you eat dairy, it would be delicious with sheep or goat feta cheese.

Substitution Guide:

  • Chickpeas: You could use white beans instead.  If you prefer making this an omnivore dish, you could swap in 2 to 3 cups of cooked chicken chicken breast, cut in cubes.  Or you could use a can of tuna (1 can of tuna along with the chickpeas would pair well together).
  • Herbs: You can use other fresh herbs instead of basil and parsley.  Chives, cilantro or mint could potentially be used.

 

Prep Guide:

  • Beets: These can be roasted in advance and store in the fridge until ready to use.  You could also buy pre-cooked beets if they are available to you, if you want to save a lot of prep time.  We’ve used this brand before: cooked beets

3Zucchini Fritters

Zucchini Fritters

Zucchini Fritters

We had a lot of zucchini this week – it is zucchini season afterall and the CSA gave us this gigantic zucchini! So, we decided to get creative and shred the zucchini and cook it into these fritters. They're kind of like a spin on a potato pancake or latke, but way lighter, fresh and summery. Although you may be tempted, do not skip the step of squeezing the liquid out of the zucchini (otherwise the patties will be too wet). Even after squeezing out the liquid, the zucchini will still lend itself to a soft, tender fritter. If you have leftovers, warming them up in the oven is a delicious way to dry them out a little bit more.

  • 2 medium zucchini ((4 cups grated or shredded))
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/4 cup green onions (chopped, including white part)
  • 1/4 cup parsley (chopped)
  • 2 eggs (whisked)
  • 1/4 cup arrowroot starch ((or tapioca starch))

Optional for serving

  • dallop of yogurt (dairy-free if needed) or tahini
  1. Once the zucchini is grated, place in a large bowl and sprinkle the ½ tsp sea salt over top, mixing with your hands to gently combine.  Let this sit for 10 minutes.  The salt will pull the liquid out of the zucchini.  After 10 minutes, pour into a strainer and squeeze or press the zucchini with your hands to remove the excess water.  You’ll be surprised by how much water comes out!  The zucchini will reduce in size- you’ll have around 2 cups now, instead of 4.

  2. Add the whisked eggs, garlic powder, chopped green onion and parsley to the squeezed zucchini.  Mix all together.  You’ll find the mixture is slightly liquidy- that’s normal. It will stick together once cooked.

  3. Heat a cast iron skillet or other pan over medium heat and add extra virgin olive oil.

  4. Scoop out ¼ cup of the mixture to form a patty, it’ll look like a pancake. Cook for 2 minutes on the first side, flip and cook on second side for 2 minutes. Repeat until all of the mixture is used up.

  5. Serve with a dollop of yogurt or drizzle of tahini if desired.

  6. These are great with a big mixed green salad or with roasted veggies to make a complete meal.

Substitution Guide:

  • Fresh Herbs: you can use chives, basil, cilantro, thyme, rosemary instead of green onions and parsley if you want a different flavour profile.

 

Prep Guide:

  • You can make these in advance and store in the fridge earlier in the day or the day before serving.  It’s easy to reheat these in the oven or toaster oven- spread out on a baking sheet and warm for around 5 minutes at 350. 

4. Sweet Potato Noodle “Pad Thai”

Sweet potato pad thai

Sweet Potato Noodle “Pad Thai”

  • 1.5 lbs sweet potato, spiralized into noodles (around 2 medium-large sweet potatoes)
  • 3 cloves garlic, sliced
  • 1 zucchini (diced in cubes)
  • 3 cups green cabbage (slivered)

Sauce

  • 1/3 cup tamari
  • 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1.5 limes, squeezed
  • 2 Tbsp almond butter
  • 1.5 Tbsp maple syrup
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1/3 cup water

Protein Options

  • 1 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • 1 block tofu or tempeh (cut in cubes)

Garnishes

  • 1/3 cup cashews (roasted)
  • 1/4 cup cilantro (chopped)
  • 1 lime (cut in wedges)
  1. Mix together all of the sauce ingredients in the blender so it's smooth and creamy. Set aside.

  2. Once your sweet potatoes are spiralized, prep the other veggies.

  3. Heat some avocado oil or coconut oil in a large skillet. Add the garlic for 30 seconds once the oil is hot. Then add in the zucchini and saute for 2-3 minutes. Add in the sweet potato noodles and stir fry for around 5-7 minutes. Add the slivered cabbage for another few minutes.

  4. Once the veggies are tender, remove from the skillet. If you want to include an additional protein option, sear the shrimp or tofu/tempeh in a skillet with coconut oil or avocado oil. It'll take around 3-4 minutes for the shrimp to turn pink and cook through. You can sea the tofu/tempeh on one side for around 4 minutes and then flip and sear on second side until crisp.

  5. Toss the veggies and optional protein together, along with the sauce. You might have more sauce than you need for the dish, so we recommend adding it gradually. If you have leftover sauce it works really well as salad dressing or as a marinade for another day.

  6. Top with cilantro and toasted cashews. You can add a few lime wedges on the side for garnish.

Substitution Guide:

  • Sweet potato noodles: you can use zucchini or carrot noodles instead.  If you don’t have a spiralizer (or aren’t able to find them pre-made at the store), you can use a vegetable peeler to peel zucchini and/or carrots into ribbons.
  • Veggies: any veggies will work in this stir fry if you don’t have zucchini or green cabbage.  Broccoli and bell peppers would work well!
  • Almond butter: tahini can be used for nut-free version

 

Prep Guide:

  • Sauce: this can be made in advance and stored in the fridge until ready to use. Leftovers are also great for a marinade or even as a salad dressing
  • Spiralized sweet potato: to save time, buy these pre-made from the store!

5. Watermelon with Macadamia Skewers

watermelon skewers

Watermelon with Macadamia Skewers

This is the ultimate summer snack, with juicy watermelon, refreshing lime and sweet basil. It only takes minutes to make and will make you feel like you're relaxing on the beach.

  • 4 cups watermelon (a large wedge of watermelon) (cut in cubes)
  • 1 lime
  • 2 to 3 sprigs basil leaves
  • 1/4 cup chopped macadamia nuts (toasted)
  • wooden or bamboo skewers
  1. Preheat the oven to 375 and spread the macadamia nuts out on a small baking dish. Roast for around 5 minutes or until lightly browned, be careful not to burn. Once toasted, put the macadamia nuts on a cutting board and use a knife to finely chop.

  2. Cut the watermelon into cubes. Slide 3 to 4 pieces of watermelon onto each skewer. Dip the watermelon in the chopped macadamia nuts to coat. You can also sprinkle the chopped macadamia nuts over top of the watermelon.

  3. Squeeze lime juice over the watermelon and sprinkle basil leaves on top.

Substitution Guide:

  • Nuts: you could use slivered almonds instead of macadamia nuts

 

Prep Guide:

  • This recipe is best eaten fresh.  But you can prep it a few hours in advance and store in the fridge until ready to serve if you need to make it in advance.

 

6. Oat Chocolate Chunk Pumpkin Seed Cookies

oat chocolate chunk pumpkin seed cookies

Oat Chocolate Chunk Pumpkin Seed Cookies

They're rich and one of the best cookies we've had this summer. We're extra excited about these cookies because they are egg-free and we're always trying to come up with good baked goods that don't rely on them. These work really well for snack or dessert and if you really want a special sweet treat for breakfast, they can be enjoyed in the morning.

  • 2 Tbsp dark molasses
  • 2 Tbsp maple syrup
  • 1 Tbsp ground chia seeds (or ground flax) (mixed with 2.5 Tbsp water)
  • 1/4 cup almond butter ((or replace with tahini))
  • 1/4 cup tahini ((or replace with almond buter))
  • 2 Tbsp coconut oil (softened)
  • 1 cup rolled oats
  • 1 cup coconut flakes, unsweetened
  • 1/4 tsp sea salt
  • 1/4 cup chopped dark chocolate
  • 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
  1. Preheat oven to 350 and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

  2. Mix together the wet ingredients. First combine the ground chia or flax with 2.5 Tbsp water in a small bowl and let sit for a few minutes to make an "egg." Combine in a mixing bowl: molasses, maple syrup, almond butter, tahini and softened coconut oil. Then fold in the chia or flax "egg."

  3. Once the wet ingredients are combined, fold in the oats, coconut flakes and sea salt.

  4. Add in the chopped chocolate and pumpkin seeds.

  5. The mixture will be sticky. Wet your hands before shaping into cookies and then re-wet your hands after making every 2-3 cookies. This will really help you with shaping the cookies and prevent the batter from sticking as much to your hands. Scoop out around 2 Tbsp of batter and press together into a cookie shape. You might think it looks like the cookies will fall apart, but they will stick together more as they bake.

  6. Bake for 15 minutes, or until they are lightly browned on top.

  7. Let cool for 10 minutes before eating.

Substitution Guide:

  • Nut/seed butter: You can use 1/2 cup almond butter or 1/2 cup tahini if you don’t want to use both of them.  You also could swap in peanut butter instead or any other nut/seed butter that you prefer.
  • Add-ins: If you don’t like chocolate, feel free to use raisins or other dried fruit instead. Cacao nibs could work too.  You can use any chopped nuts or sunflower seeds instead of the pumpkin seeds.

 

Prep Guide:

  • These will last for many days and even for a week, especially if you keep them in the fridge.  

© 2020 The Living Kitchen Wellness Group