Here's the second vegetarian Indian-inspired dish I've got for you this week. We've been eating a lot of great vegetarian dishes lately. Not because we're vegetarians, but because money's been tight and it costs an arm and a leg for good, clean animal products. I guess you could say we're "flexitarians" -- eating meat maybe once or twice a week instead of every day.

We've also been trying to make our meals more vegetable-based instead of grain-based, so we like our burgers and burritos "naked" over a salad instead of a bun, flatbread, or a tortilla. We had these curried "burgers" over a bed of simple cabbage slaw and drizzled with some spiced yogurt sauce (recipe below). Can I tell you how much I love that cabbage slaw? It goes great with Latin as well as Indian, Thai, and Middle-Eastern dishes. Or with a simple fried egg. (One of my favorite breakfasts.)

We loved these little patties! I think using a good, quality curry powder makes these extra special. (If you have a coffee grinder, grind your own curry powder!). My girls happily ate theirs that night and then again for lunch the following day. They like other types of Indian food, though, which I'm SO happy about.

If I could only convince them to eat sushi . . .

Curried Potato, Chickpea, and Corn Burgers

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Instructions

To prepare the burgers: Mash the chickpeas in a large bowl or pulse them in a food processor until a chunky paste is formed. Set aside. Steam or boil the potatoes until soft. Meanwhile, in a large pan, cook the onion in 1 T vegetable oil over medium heat until golden, 5-7 minutes. Add the garlic, tomato, chile, and corn. Raise the heat to medium-high and cook until the tomato is soft, 2-3 minutes. Add the curry powder, salt, and a generous pinch or two of pepper. Stir and cook for an additional minute or so. When the mixture begins to stick slightly, add the stock. Cook until the mixture has reduced slightly to a thick sauce. Remove from the heat. Add the curry mixture and steamed potatoes to the chickpeas. Mash the potatoes while mixing them in well. Mix in ½ cup bread crumbs. Add the vinegar and additional salt and pepper to taste. If the mixture is still too wet, add more bread crumbs. Let cool completely, then form into eight patties about 3 inches across. Heat the ¼ cup of oil in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Spread out the remaining bread crumbs on a clean plate. Coat the patties on both sides with bread crumbs and place in the skillet when the oil is hot. The burgers should sizzle loudly when they hit the oil. Fry burgers, 3 or 4 at a time, 2-3 minutes on each side until each side turns crispy brown on the outside and heated through. Add remaining ¼ cup of oil and cook remaining burgers when the oil is ready. Drain on paper towels and serve with spiced yogurt sauce. Makes 8 3-inch burgers or about a dozen 2 to 2 ½ inch ones. To prepare the yogurt sauce: Whisk together all ingredients in a small bowl and chill until ready to use. Keeps for about a week.

The post Curried Potato, Chickpea, and Corn Burgers appeared first on Perry's Plate.

Does anyone remember these? I posted them YEARS ago and called these "Tortured Strawberries"

It's a chocolate covered strawberry dipped in marshmallow fluff AND THEN TOASTED WITH A TORCH.

Yes, for real. And, yes, it's as good as it sounds.

PSSST: There's a way to make these low-carb and keto-friendly!

Mothers Day is a more appropriate time to use strawberries in desserts than Valentine's Day. I mean, look at how red and gorgeous these berries are!

Have you ever made chocolate covered strawberries? They're easier than they seem. As far as easy desserts go, they're high on the impressive meter and low on effort. The best kind, really.

Tips for making chocolate covered strawberries

1. Melt the chocolate gradually. It burns easily, so do 20-second intervals in the microwave (the easiest way) or set up a double-boiler situation with a bowl that nestles inside of a pot of simmering water (not the easiest way).
2. Speaking of water, DON'T GET WATER IN THE CHOCOLATE. It'll make the chocolate seize up and get stiff and weird. If this happens, you can add a teaspoon of coconut oil and pop it in the microwave for 15 seconds and it should get smooth again.
3. Make sure your strawberries are completely dry before you dip them. It also helps if they're room temperature so the warm chocolate doesn't make them sweat.
4. Put a sheet of parchment or wax paper on a sheet pan to make the strawberries easier to move around while they're sticky.

Can I make chocolate covered strawberries ahead of time?

Yes! Chocolate covered strawberries keep for about 4-5 days covered and chilled.

Can I make the marshmallow fluff ahead of time?

If you use a low-carb sweetener, then nope. You'll want to use that immediately because it doesn't last long. Swerve sweetener tends to do better in this fluff than Lakanto monkfruit sweetener, too.

If you use regular cane sugar you can make it a couple of hours ahead and keep it chilled, but honestly, it's best if you whip it up immediately before you plan to use it.

This marshmallow fluff takes less than 10 minutes! See how it holds its peaks when you lift the beaters? That's what you're going for.

If you whip it too long it'll start to break down -- using monkfruit sweetener is less forgiving than cane sugar.

Once the chocolate has set up on the strawberries, you can take them for a ride in this fluff!

If your marshmallow fluff is still warm, you may end up with some chocolate streaks in the bowl, but is chocolate-streaked marshmallow fluff a bad thing?

Probably not.

And then torch them!

My old torch was on its last leg, so I just ordered this Kitchen Torch from Amazon. They sell butane refills, too, so you might want to grab both if you need them.

If you don't have a torch you can stick them on a skewer and toast them over a gas burner or campfire, but be warned -- the chocolate melts really easily and you might lose the chocolate AND the marshmallow fluff if you aren't careful.

We like to make these when we have company over and everyone gets a kick out of torching their own strawberries!

You can also use your torch to make some Instant Pot Crustless Pumpkin Pie Cups with Toasted Marshmallow Fluff!

(I love toasted marshmallow fluff if you can't tell.)

If you make one of my recipes, I'd love to see! Post it on social media and tag me at @perrysplate or #perrysplate so I can send you some love!

Chocolate Covered Strawberries with Toasted Marshmallow Fluff

Yield: 1 pound of strawberries

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

aka Chocolate Covered (or not) Strawberries in Bruleed Marshmallow Crème

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Ingredients

For the strawberries:

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• 1 pound strawberries, rinsed and dried
• 6 ounces dark chocolate chips or a bar cut into small chunks
• 1 teaspoon coconut oil

For the marshmallow fluff:

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• 2 egg whites
• ½ cup granulated sweetener (see note)
• Pinch cream of tartar
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• Pinch salt

Special equipment:

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• Kitchen Torch 

Instructions

1. Make sure the strawberries are completely dry and preferably at room temperature.
2. Put the chocolate and coconut oil into a small bowl and microwave in 20-second intervals, stirring after each one, until the chocolate is completely melted and smooth.
3. Lay a piece of wax or parchment paper on a sheet pan. Dip the strawberries, shaking off the excess chocolate and lay them on the paper. Place the pan in the freezer for about 5-10 minutes until the chocolate is set.
4. When you're ready to dip them in marshmallow fluff, set up a double-boiler situation with a heat-safe bowl that nestles inside a medium saucepan. Put about an inch of water in the saucepan. Bring the water to a low boil.
5. Combine egg whites and sweetener in the heat-safe bowl. Place the bowl on top of the saucepan. Stir constantly with a spatula or a whisk until the whites are very warm to the touch and the sweetener has dissolved.
6. Turn off the heat and transfer the bowl to your countertop. Whisk in the cream of tartar, salt, and vanilla. Beat the whites with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form, about 2-5 minutes, depending on the sweetener you use (see note). Marshmallow fluff is ready when it's smooth and holds stiff peaks. Don't overbeat.
7. Dip and swirl each strawberry into the marshmallow fluff. Using a blowtorch (or gas burner, if you are using skewers), brown crème as desired. Place on serving plate or directly into your mouth. :)

Notes

Nat's Notes:

1. You can use a low-carb sweetener (like Swerve or Lakanto, but Swerve works better than Lakanto) if you like. It takes longer to dissolve into the egg whites, it whips up faster, but the fluff doesn't last as long as regular sweetener -- it changes texture pretty quickly, so use it immediately. Liquid sweeteners don't work as well here.
2. Also, you'll need ½ cup of sweetener. If you cut back on the sweetener it'll affect the texture of the marshmallow fluff.
3. Stevia-sweetened chocolate like Lily's works really well in this recipe, if you're trying to reduce the sugar content.
4. This would also be good with apple or pear slices.

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• 
  Sondiko Butane Torch

The post Chocolate Covered Strawberries with Toasted Marshmallow Fluff appeared first on Perry's Plate.

Toasted Coconut Ginger Blondies

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Ingredients

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• 1 cup gluten-free flour blend
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon baking powder
• ⅛ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ cup chopped crystallized or candied ginger
• ⅓ cup butter, coconut oil, or palm shortening
• ¾ cup packed brown sugar or coconut sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• ½-1 cup flaked unsweetened coconut

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease an 8x8 baking pan. Whisk the sifted flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda together into a small bowl. Stir in the crystallized ginger. Melt fat of choice gently over low heat in a medium sized saucepan. Add brown sugar or coconut sugar, mixing well. Let cool slightly if warm.

 Whisk egg and vanilla extract into the sugar mixture. Add flour to the sugar mixture in small amounts until well combined, stirring after each addition just until incorporated.

 Spread batter into prepared pan and sprinkle flaked coconut on top. Bake for 15-25 minutes.

The post Toasted Coconut and Ginger Blondies appeared first on Perry's Plate.

Cauliflower is one of my favorite vegetables because of its incredible versatility!

(No, not because of its taste. There are definitely others that rank higher in that category.)

Cauliflower's subtle flavor and benign color makes it easy to puree and hide from picky kids. It also does well sliced up, breaded, and baked like meat. Or blended into soup. Or masquerading as rice. (My personal favorite.)

For its next trick, it becomes a gluten- (and grain) free pizza crust!

A couple of years ago Steve and I gave up gluten for lent, and to get our pizza fix, I tried out a couple of gluten-free pizza crust mixes & recipes. Um, ick. We're pizza snobs, so those mixes didn't cut it.

We did like this cauliflower version. Instead of trying to (unsuccessfully) mimic the texture of real pizza crust, it takes it in a different direction -- more like a cauliflower pizza bake. I've made it several times, and I'm always surprised how much flavor it has! It's easy, too and doesn't require rising.

Just whack apart a head of cauliflower, steam (or boil) it, and make a puree.

Add some eggs, cheese, and herbs, then spread it out on a baking sheet.

This isn't a dairy-free recipe, but I bet you could omit the cheese and add a couple more eggs. You might have a more eggy flavor in the crust, but at least it will have enough binder to stay together.

Bake the crust first.

Then add the toppings. I'm so glad I made gobs of Easy Roasted Balsamic Tomato Sauce to freeze last fall. It's fantastic on pizza!

My kids are pepperoni fans and pick off most everything else. (Except spinach. I've trained them since infancy to tolerate green bits of stuff in their food. Best thing I ever did.) So this is our default pizza unless I'm experimenting or feeling adventurous.

Let's talk about texture. This is not a bready, chewy pizza crust, but it's pretty darn tasty. It has a quiche-like flavor and texture, but the whole thing still tastes like pizza. And once it cools down, you can pick it up and eat it with your hands.

That's the goal, right?

Cauliflower Pizza Crust

Yield: Serves 4-6

I love using cauliflower different ways. This cauliflower pizza crust has more of a soft, quiche-like consistency with all of the flavors of your favorite pizza!

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Ingredients

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• 1 head cauliflower, stems removed and cut into 2-inch florets
• 3 eggs
• 2 cups mozzarella cheese
• 1 ½ teaspoon dried herbs (oregano, thyme, rosemary, Italian seasoning, etc.)
• A couple big pinches of salt
• Your favorite sauce, toppings, and cheese

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
2. Prepare a rimmed baking pan with nonstick spray or silicone liner.
3. Boil or steam the cauliflower until it is easily stabbed with a fork. Drain well, transfer to a food processor and process until smooth.
4. Transfer cauliflower puree to a large bowl and add the eggs, 2 cups of mozzarella cheese, dried herbs and salt. Mix well.
5. Spread mixture in an even layer on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for about 18-20 minutes or until the crust begins to turn a darker golden brown around the edges with spots on top.
6. Remove from the oven. Add desired sauce, toppings, and cheese.
7. Return to oven for 10-12 minutes or until toppings are heated through and cheese is melted and golden.

The post Cauliflower Pizza Crust (Grain-Free) appeared first on Perry's Plate.

Perry's Plate turns eight years old today! That's how old my first born is. She was almost the same age as this little guy when I started blogging. . .

Gah. I can't even believe it's been that long. This place has changed so much over the years, as well as our nutritional philosophy. I've also never known what it is like to run a blog without babies or small children underfoot.

Speaking of babies, did you know the secret to getting a baby to sleep well at night (well, THIS baby) is to feed him dinner, then breastfeed, then right before bed feed him some slow-cooked shredded meat and then breastfeed one more time and then -- POW. Out for the night. I kid you not.

Shredded meat happens to be my little guy's favorite thing to eat. (Along with clementines, sweet potatoes, marinated cucumbers and anything that resembles bread. He also loves sips of La Croix sparkling water and foraging under the kitchen table -- *cough* 4th child.)

He loves all of it, but particularly shredded beef with Mexican-type flavors. He'll fit in nicely here.

I've been using my slow cookers a lot lately, and it has made dinner prep SO much easier knowing there's little to do right before we eat. It's a lovely feeling -- like someone has been cooking for you all day.

It never occurred to me until recently that I could use my 2.5 quart slow cooker to make a pot of food for the baby to eat all week. My little guy is a great eater -- when I can keep him from throwing it everywhere. I thought for a while he was being picky, but really, he just likes to play in his food.

He loved this shredded chicken and vegetables I made for him -- except the zucchini. Not a fan . . . yet.

If you make one of my recipes, I'd love to see! Post it on social media and tag me at @perrysplate or #perrysplate so I can send you some love!

More Recipes on Perry's Plate

Slow Cooker Chicken and Veggies for Baby

Homemade baby food using a slow cooker! You can change up the vegetables and seasoning however you like. Using a slow cooker makes homemade baby food a snap. You can even puree it if your baby doesn't have teeth -- and it preserves the nutrients much better than boiling vegetables.

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Ingredients

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• 2 large carrots, peeled and diced
• 1 small zucchini, peeled and diced
• 1 small sweet potato, peeled and diced
• 5 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 1 teaspoon no-salt seasoning blend
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• ⅓ cup chicken broth
• 1 Tablespoon of melted ghee or coconut oil

Instructions

1. Put the carrots, zucchini, and sweet potatoes in a 2 or 3 quart slow cooker. Rub the chicken with the seasoning blend and sea salt. Place the chicken on top of the vegetables.
2. Pour the chicken broth along the side of the cooker and drizzle the chicken with the ghee.
3. Cover and cook on low for 4-5 hours until the chicken is very tender and pulls apart easily with a fork.
4. Remove the chicken and vegetables and dice them as small as you need to for your baby to eat.
5. Serve warm. Store the leftovers chilled in an airtight container.

Notes

Nat's Notes:

1. You can substitute any vegetables that have a similar cooking time, like other root vegetables, squash, or potatoes.
2. I used chicken thighs because they have a higher fat content and are more moist and soft when cooked. Fat = good for babies.

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The post Slow Cooker Chicken & Veggies for Baby + A Blogiversary appeared first on Perry's Plate.

Last week I was sitting with Steve in the Orange County airport craving this cauliflower soup. Or a salad. Or even a piece of fresh fruit.

We spent last weekend attending the Natural Products Expo (Expo West) in Anaheim, CA, and used this as an excuse to have a kid-free vacation. The SECOND kid-free vacation we've had since we had kids. Long overdue, right?

We spent a day at Universal Studios (Harry Potter World! Amazing!) and a day and a half at the Expo which was such a crazy place. There were over 2000 exhibitors and over 70,000 attendees at this thing. Mind blowing, right? Add the fact that everyone gave you a sample or a pamphlet or a bite to eat at almost every booth and.... that extra suitcase came in handy.

I tried to highlight some of the great products I found in my Instagram stories, but I'll have more later to show you.

After a day and a half of eating samples at the Expo, I was still craving fresh food because all of it was pre-packaged, yet relatively healthy energy bars, nuts, trail mixes, gluten/grain-free crackers, grass-fed jerky, yogurt, and cheese, protein shakes, vinegar drinks, oxigenated water, naturally-sweetened chocolate, oils, dips.... and all I've been able to think about was a giant salad bar. Or a bowl of soup.

Maybe even this soup.

A while back I did a tutorial post for Pioneer Woman's Tasty Kitchen Blog for Bacon-Stuffed Roasted Chicken Cauliflower. This is still one of the most divine-smelling dishes I have ever made -- bacon + roast chicken + caramelized vegetables. It's intoxicating.

I took the bones of that recipe and made my own little twists -- using chicken thighs and baking it all on a sheet pan. When you take this sheet pan of roasted heaven out of your oven and you want to eat it as-is -- GO AHEAD. It'll be one of your favorite sheet pan meals, I promise.

I decided to take this one step further by blending up the roasted vegetable and garlic and adding some chicken stock to make a cozy soup. The roasted chicken and bacon pieces are then added on top to create some meatiness and texture.

And as an extra bonus -- this soup is gluten-free, paleo-friendly, and Whole30 compliant (if you've got compliant bacon).

Bacon-Roasted Chicken & Cauliflower Soup

Yield: Serves 6

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

You'll love this creamy, hearty soup, but if you pull that sheet pan out of the oven and want to eat the roasted meat and vegetables as is, go right ahead.

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Ingredients

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• 1 medium head of cauliflower, cut into 2-inch florets
• 1 large white potato (Yukon gold or 2 medium red potatoes), cut into 1-inch pieces
• About 10 whole garlic cloves, peeled
• 3 Tablespoons avocado oil, divided
• 1 teaspoon sea salt, divided
• ½ teaspoon black pepper, divided
• 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs or drumsticks
• 1 10-12  ounce package of bacon
• 1 quart of chicken stock
• 1 Tablespoon red wine vinegar
• Chopped chives or thinly sliced green onions, for serving

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
2. Place the cauliflower, potatoes, and whole garlic cloves on a heavy rimmed sheet pan. Drizzle with 2 Tablespoons of avocado oil, then sprinkle with ½ teaspoon of salt and ¼ teaspoon of pepper. Use your hands to toss everything together and then spread the vegetables out evenly on the pan.
3. Roast for 20 minutes.
4. Remove the pan from the oven. Flip the vegetables around, then lay the chicken evenly on top of the vegetables. Lay the bacon slices over the chicken. Return the pan to the oven and roast for another 35-40 minutes until the bacon is cooked to your liking and the chicken is cooked through.
5. Transfer the bacon to a bowl. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and cover to keep warm.
6. Transfer the vegetables and pan juices to a large soup pot. Add the chicken broth to the pot with 1 teaspoon of salt. Bring the mixture to a simmer. Use an immersion blender to blend the soup until smooth. (Or blend in batches using a counter-top blender.) Add the red wine vinegar. Taste, and add a little more salt or vinegar if it needs some brightening.
7. Chop the chicken and crumble the bacon.
8. Serve the soup with bits of chicken and bacon and a sprinkle of chives.

Notes

Nat's Note: If you're avoiding white potatoes you can use parsnips, turnips, or an additional half head of cauliflower in place of the white potato. The white potato simply adds some creaminess and helps the soup to blend more smoothly.

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