Veggie Pancakes with Spicy Mayo Sauce

This week I went to visit my parents in Chicago, and while I was there I got to enjoy a wonderful thunderstorm.  While growing up in the Midwest, I definitely took thunderstorms for granted.  I don’t feel like the East Coast storms are as grand.  It was nice to watch the lightning and listen to the thunder as your falling asleep.

The gloomy weather has spilled into DC this Saturday.  Today has been dreary and surprisingly cool (for mid-July).  To not just waste a cool day sitting on the couch, I signed up for a composting workshop at Common Good City Farm.  The organization grows food, educates and assists low-income DC residents in meeting their food needs.  They have a lot of workshops, hours open for volunteering- you should all check it out!

Do any readers compost?  If so, I’d love to hear about your experiences and what has worked (or not worked).  What kind of composting system do you use?

But for a gloomy, cool day like today veggie pancakes are perfect.  These are not breakfast morning pancakes, rather they are full of vegetables!  Perfect for lunch, dinner or snack.  Once you make them, they can be eaten warm or cold- and they last a couple of days in the fridge.

These are full of flavor, but they went perfectly with the Spicy Mayo Sauce we used previously on fish tacos.

Veggie Pancakes
Adapted from: Vegeterian Times (June 2011)

2 medium potatoes, grated
2 medium carrots, grated
2 medium zucchini, grated
1 onion, chopped
6 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 large eggs
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)

In a large kitchen towel (or paper towel), mix together the potatoes, carrots, zucchini, onion, and garlic.  Squeeze access liquid out of the vegetables.  Add the veggies into a large bowl, then add: flour, garlic, eggs, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes.  With about 1/4 cup of the vegetable mixture, shape the vegetables into patties and lay them out on a flat surface.

In a skillet, heat up the olive oil.  Once it’s hot, place the vegetable patties 2 or 3 at a time on the skillet.  Cook for about 3-4 minutes, or until it is lightly brown and crispy.  Then flip it over and cook it for another 3 minutes.

Serve with Sam’s Special Sauce (mayo & chipotle’s), which can be found here.

Book Club: Spinach & Artichoke Dip

I hosted my Book Club at our house last week, there were 8 of us here to talk about The Corrections, and catch up on what’s going on in our lives.  Check out what else was on the Book Club menu!

Sam and I really enjoy sharing meals with our friends and family, it’s a great way to spend an afternoon or evening.  Of course, when your guests arrive they need something to nibble on before everyone eases into the meal you will be eating.  There are some great appetizers our there: chips & salsa, hummus, tomatoes with mozzarella, or roasted mushrooms.

I wanted something a little different, a dish that would linger on the table longer.  Our book club tends to straggle in as everyone is finished with work, and we all have vastly different schedules.  Instead, I opted for spinach and artichoke dip- it’s everyone’s favorite.  I figured it’d go well with my “all-american” theme- what restaurant in the U.S. doesn’t have this on their menu?

I put out Peasant Bread and fresh veggies with this dip.  To make the plate colorful (which I forgot to take a picture of!) I had red bell peppers, yellow bell peppers, cucumbers and celery.

Everyone seemed to like it, since there was barely any left!  This dip was easy and can be done a day or two ahead of time- perfect for a busy host or hostess!

Spinach & Artichoke Dip
Adapted from: Dashing Dish

1/4 large onion, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
10 oz spinach, chopped (fresh or defrosted and dried)
8 oz cream cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
3/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
14 oz can artichokes, drained & chopped
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

Heat olive oil in a pan, when it’s warm add the onion.  Cook the onion for about 5 minutes, until it is translucent.  Add the garlic, and cook for a couple of minutes.  Then add spinach and cook until is heated through (about 3-5 min).  Next, add in the cream cheese, stirring frequently until it is melted.  Lastly, stir in the sour cream, Parmesan cheese, artichokes, salt and pepper.

Transfer the dip into a oven-safe dish.

Preheat the oven to 35oºF.  Bake the dip for about 10-15 minutes, until the top begins to lightly brown.

Serve with: peasant bread, pita bread, peppers, cucumbers or celery

Tuna & Veggie Sandwich

So I’ve actually noticed the recipe for this sandwich over a year ago, but haven’t had a chance to make it.  I like tuna, but not very frequently.  But when a craving hits me, I have to have it now.

The original recipe is titled Pan Bagnat.  Which is a French sandwich, made out of white bread, which has raw vegetables, hard boiled eggs, anchovies, and tuna.  And the recipe, which I found here playing off of the Pan Bagnat, instructs you to put the whole sandwich together to be eaten the next day.

Although it’s a great idea to think about tomorrow’s lunch, I wanted the tuna today.  So a little spin, and some additional veggies had to be added!  This is very filling, so a great light dinner (and fast to make) or a bigger lunch.

Tuna and Veggie Sandwich
Inspired by: Waverly at Food 52

3 garlic cloves, minced
8 oz of tuna, drained
1 cup Kalamata olives, chopped
1/2 cup black olives, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 yellow bell pepper, chopped
1/2 red onion, chopped
1/4 cup parsley, chopped
6 oz artichoke hearts, drained & chopped
1/4 cup basil, chopped
juice of 1 lemon
3 tbsp olive oil
pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
4 ciabatta square buns, halved lengthwise

In a large bowl, toss together: garlic, tuna, Kalamata olives, black olives, red bell pepper, yellow bell pepper, red onion, parsley, artichoke hearts and basil.  Stir well so all of the ingredients are combined.

In a small bowl whisk together: lemon juice, olive oil and pepper flakes.  Once combined, pour over the tuna and vegetable mixture.  Add the salt and pepper, and then stir to combine all of the ingredients.

Finally, add the tuna and veggie mixture into each ciabatta bun.