Naraya Cooking Health Recipe

RAW VEGAN CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES with VANILLA CREAM FILLING

3:24 PM

Pan Bagnat (White Bean Niçoise Salad Sandwich)

11:50 PM

This recipe was inspired by a recent post on BuzzFeed for 27 Awesome Easy Lunches To Bring To Work. I'm thrilled to have been included in the roundup with the Mashed Chickpea Salad Sandwich! There is also a few other great vegan options as well so be sure to take a look. In it I saw a Pan Bagnat from Food 52 and had to recreate it for us plant powered lovers. I love Food 52, and have always been inspired by the simplicity and beauty of their photography. And of course the recipes are great too! I have a few in my collection that were inspired from there like this Mushroom Bourguignon and these Gluten Free Banana Flap Jacks. It's a great community if you haven't heard of it yet! In fact, they have a vegan column called The New Veganism with Gena Hamshaw of Choosing Raw as the recipe creator. Be sure to take a look and be inspired by both the recipes and photography!

The pan bagnat (meaning 'bathed bread') is a classic specialty sandwich served in and around the region of Nice, France. It's a sandwich version of the salade niçoise which is a combination of tuna, anchovies and/or sliced hard boiled egg mixed with raw vegetables like red bell pepper, green beans, radishes, olives and onion. You will also find there to be olive oil and possibly vinegar, salt and pepper. Here we'll be using a few of these traditional ingredients but veganizing this classic using white beans as our protein. And I can guarantee you this is just as delicious if not better than the traditional version! Not only does the salad make for a great sandwich filler but it would be just as good on a bed of leafy greens as well. This recipe may give you leftovers, and that's a good thing because it only gets better in the next day. One day make a sandwich for work, home or a picnic and the next top it on some leafy greens or just eat as is. It's pretty amazing on its own!

I love the saltiness from the olives here, you can add a tablespoon of capers if you like. The fresh bell pepper and blanched green beans add a nice crunch and sweetness while the onion and artichokes add another layer of flavor. Tie the vegetables together with the white beans, dressing made of olive oil, lemon and mustard, add a good sprinkling of mineral salt & plenty of cracked pepper and this salad will be another favorite to come back to time and time again!

To create the traditional pan bagnet you'll first want to hollow out the insides of your bread. I left the top on this alone but from now on will hollow it out as well. It gives more room for your salad, helping to hold it together better while using less bread at the same time which is great too. Brush the insides of the bread with olive oil. Layer your bottom half with the salad. Since we're going to press the sandwich you can pile it on pretty good making a very hearty sandwich. Add your tomatoes across the top. Then layer basil, top with mineral salt & cracked pepper and remaining slice.

Wrap your sandwich tightly in saran wrap, fold ends under and press with a few heavy books or pots. This is an important part or your sandwich will be very messy and fall all over. Trust me, I know this from first hand experience. Plus, this helps the bread soak up the moisture of the salad dressing making for 'bathing the bread'. So be sure to press your sandwich, even if just for an hour, it will make all the difference...although overnight is even better. This makes a perfect grab and go sandwich for lunches and picnics, once pressed it's ready to go!

Pan Bagnat (White Bean Niçoise Salad Sandwich)

Ingredients

1 can (15 oz.) cannellini or chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained and rinsed well or 1 1/2 cups cooked white beans
1/2 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1/4 cup blanched French green beans, cut into half or thirds
1 jar artichoke hearts in water, drained and chopped
1/2 red onion, diced
3/4 cup kalamata olives, pitted and sliced
2 tablespoons parsley, finely chopped
1 -2 greek pepperoncinis, diced (optional, not a traditional ingredient)
mineral salt & fresh cracked pepper, to taste

Dressing

2 - 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
juice of 1 large lemon (about 2 tablespoons)
1 heaping teaspoon Dijon mustard

To assemble

1 French baguette, ciabatta loaf, Pain de campagne, boule or artisan loaf of choice (even good sized rolls would be great)
extra virgin olive oil, to brush
8 - 10 basil leaves
1 medium tomato, thinly sliced
mineral salt & cracked pepper

Cut bread in half lengthwise. Remove some of the insides of each half making a trough for the filling (this will help keep the filling inside the sandwich when eating). Brush both halves with extra virgin olive oil.

In a small bowl, mix the dressing ingredients together until dijon has emulsified. Set aside to let the flavors develop.

In a medium/large mixing bowl, add beans and roughly mash leaving about 2/3 whole beans. Add in dressing to the beans and mix well. Add in the bell pepper, green beans, artichokes, red onion, olives, parsley, optional pepperoncini and salt & pepper. Mix to combine.

Layer your bottom half of bread with a good serving of the mixed salad. Add tomatoes across the top, then top with basil leaves and salt & pepper. Top with other slice of bread. (You can also vice versa this layer order starting with the basil and tomato on the bottom and salad on top.)

Wrap sandwich tightly in saran wrap and press with a few heavy books/pots for at least an hour to overnight. If overnight, be sure to press in the refrigerator.

When ready to serve, slice in half or make as many slices as you like. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Store any leftover salad mixture covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Notes:

The cannellini beans have more protein and fiber than chickpeas so if that is a priority use them. Otherwise use your preferred white bean.

Try adding a splash of red or white wine vinegar to the dressing if you like.

As with all my recipes, add/subtract ingredients to your liking. Try adding a tablespoon or so of capers. I've had someone sub in asparagus for the green beans. Add sliced radishes along the top.

I edited this recipe on 11/10/13 at 12:15pm so it wouldn't make so much leftovers. The old recipe called for 2 cans white beans, 1 red bell pepper, 1/2 cup French green beans, 1 cup kalamata olives and 4 tablespoons olive oil. The old recipe was delicious, it just made a bit too much but of course feel free to use the old version instead so you'll have plenty of leftovers!

Enjoy!

dessert

CHOCO MINT ALMOND BARS

4:59 PM

almond flour

RUSTIC APPLE & PEAR CRISP

9:28 PM

This simple rustic apple & pear crisp comes from The Physicians Committee of Responsible Medicine. I subscribe to their emails and receive their recipe of the week and almost daily informative articles. I love what they stand for in the way of health and animals rights. They are against the use of animals in medical and scientific experimentation and have fought hard to eliminate the use of animals in schools, universities and labs across America. They embrace a plant based diet and promote it as the preferred diet to prevent and reverse many health issues. They've made great strides for both humans and animals. By promoting new ways of thinking and changing old outdated systems their work is a most positive breath of fresh air! I thank PCRM for everything they do as their work is extremely important. To find out more about their inspiring work please take a moment to watch this short video (be warned it may bring a few tears): Opening the Doors to Compassion

I'm happy to share one of their recipes here and have a few others in mind from their collection as well. This recipe was actually shared back in September, I bookmarked it and decided to finally give it a try. It was delicious! I've always loved apple crisps, or crumbles as they are referred to in the UK and Australia. They're just one of those simple pleasures that I've never tired of. Something about the soft apples, cinnamon and crispy oatmeal topping that I just love. And with the abundance of apples and pears this time of year it seems the perfect time to enjoy these fall fruits together. This was even a hit with my daughter who said she'd like to have this around the house more often. I changed the recipe slightly, you can find the original here. This would be good with a scoop of vanilla non-dairy ice cream and extra cinnamon on top. I didn't add any here but feel free to add a scoop to your bowl. Alone this crisp is healthy as can be. Not only does it make a great dessert but it can double as a nice breakfast idea as well. I can literally sit and eat this all day long!

Pick your favorite apples and pears. I love Fuji apples for their sweetness and crispness, and I also added a granny smith for tartness and variation. Pears can be a variety or simply a few of the same.

Wash, core and dice your apples. I prefer to leave the skin on but feel free to peel your apples. Mix your apples and pears with lemon or lime juice, cornstarch, sugar and cinnamon, mix well. I didn't have any fresh lemons on hand and used a bottled lime juice I had available. If you find yourself in this situation, the lime juice will do just fine. You can also mix this right in your baking dish making for one less dish to wash.

Layer your apples, top with granola mixture and bake...

Once done, let cool and share the love!

RUSTIC APPLE & PEAR CRISP

Ingredients

3 medium apples, cored and chopped (peel if you prefer)
3 medium pears, cored and chopped (peel if you prefer)
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon coconut or organic pure cane sugar
1 heaping teaspoon cinnamon

Topping

1 3/4 cup quick or regular oats (I used quick oats)
1/4 cup almond meal, optional
1 cup finely chopped walnuts, optional
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
3 - 4 tablespoons coconut oil (at room temp)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon mineral salt
cinnamon, to garnish

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Wash apples well. Slice, core and dice apples and pears. In a large bowl (or right in your baking dish), combine apples, pears, lemon juice, sugar and cinnamon. Mix well and layer into a 9 x 9 baking dish.

In a medium size bowl, combine oats, almond meal, walnuts, maple syrup, coconut oil, vanilla and salt, mix well. Spread oat mixture evenly over the apples and sprinkle with a little cinnamon.

Bake for 35 - 40 minutes, or until apples and pears are fork tender. Let cool 5 - 10 minutes before serving.

Serves 6 generously.

Notes:

Make gluten free by using gluten free oats.

Feel free to use almonds, pecans or other nuts and seeds of choice in place of the walnuts.

Peel your apples if you prefer. I leave the skin on for the fiber and less work. Plus I love the rustic look and different colors the skin brings to the dish. If serving for everyday I won't bother to peel the apples but if serving for company I may consider peeling them. You may also like to dice your apples a little smaller than shown or cut them into thin to medium slices.

Make this oil free and omit the coconut oil. Your crisp top will be a little bit dryer but still good!

Add fresh cranberries for a splash of color. This is especially nice around the fall & winter holiday's.

Change the recipe to just be an apple crisp if you like, or vice versa.

From my heart to yours...Enjoy!