I made this with chickpea/quinoa pasta we had on hand and initially created it as a pantry cleanout meal - some of our favorites! I ended up adding carrots, bell peppers, olives and chickpeas, and then an olive oil + herb dressing at the end. You can't beat a one pot meal!! And looks at all those veggies!

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Chickpea, Bell Pepper and Olive Pasta Salad

An easy, pantry-friendly Mediterranean inspried recipe for pasta salad with olives, chickpeas, bell peppers, kale and carrots.

Course Lunch

Cuisine Mediterranean

Keyword Bell Pepper, Chickpeas, Olives, Pasta, Salad

Servings 4 people

Ingredients

• 1 small package pasta I used gluten free chickpea/quinoa pasta here
• 3 bell peppers, diced
• 2-3 carrots, diced
• 1 can olives (diced or whole)
• 2 cans chickpeas (~ 25 ounces); 1 can would work too
• ¼ cup olive oil; more to taste
• ½ tsp salt; more to taste
• fresh cracked pepper
• ½ tsp each dried basil, oregano, parsley; fresh would be great too

Instructions

• Cook pasta according to package. While pasta is cooking, dice any veggies if you haven't done so already.
• Drain pasta, reserving about ½ cup of pasta water to use for sauce (if desired).
• Toss in the veggies, chickpeas and olives immediately, stirring to combine (this should warm everything up). Add in the olive oil, herbs, salt and pepper and combine. Add more olive oil and/or a bit of pasta water if the mixture looks (e.g., if it's a big box of pasta0.
• Serve on its own or on top of a bed of lettuce/kale like we did! Bon appetit!

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It's been about 10 years since I made my own madeleines (!!) so I knew i needed to brush up on recipe techniques and flavor ideas. After significant research, I landed on a BBC recipe that I decided to work with - it seemed the most approachable, with not too long of a wait time. My modifications were using regular orange zest and juice, swapping in Earth Balance for the butter and skipping the browning, reducing the chill time, and swapping in a bit of whole grain flour....making it a bit more whole grain and faster to make ;).

These madeleines are best day of - preferably warm out of the oven becuase they maintain their slight crisp on the outside. You can make a half batch (I did this), or save the batter for a day or two later to split up the cooking. The chocolate dip or drizzle is optional, but complements the chocolate very well!!

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Dairy Free Orange Chocolate Madeleines

Course Dessert

Cuisine French

Keyword Dark Chocolate, Madeleine, Muffin, Orange

Author Andrea | French Pressed Kitchen

Ingredients

• 100 g Earth Balance
• 2 large eggs
• 100 g granulated sugar
• 2 Tablespoons fresh orange juice, and zest of an orange
• 85 g all-purpose flour
• 15 g white whole wheat flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 100 g dark chocolate

Instructions

• Melt Earth Balance in a small bowl or pan over low heat until just melted (you don't need it to bubble, just be soft).
• Beat the eggs, sugar and orange zest in a large bowl with an electric mixer (or Kitchen aid) for about 3 mins until thick and pale. Add the orange juice and mix to combine.
• Mix the flours and baking powder together, then sift over the batter mixture and gently fold in with a spatula until just combined. Finally, gently fold in the melted Earth Balance butter.
• Cover the batter with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 1 day (I did a quick 30 minute chill, though I suspect a longer chill time would make these even fluffier).
• When ready to bake the madeleines, grease a madeleine tray with extra Earth Balance and dust with flour. Tap out any excess flour, then place the tin in the freezer for 10-15 minutes. Heat oven to 400F.
• After the pan has chilled in the freezer, add about 1 Tablespoon of dough to each crevice, making sure not to overfill. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the madeleines are golden in color. Let cool in the pan 1 minute, then carefully flip them out onto a wire rack to cool.
• Melt the chocolate in a small bowl in the microwave in 30 second bursts, stirring between each session. You don't want to the chocolate to burn, so keep an eye that it doesn't get too hot. You could also gently warm the chocolate in a double boiler pan. Dip the madeleine into the melted chocolate - I did at an angle, but you could do once side, or just the top or bottom. Or make it even lighter and just drizzle the chocolate on top. Enjoy!!

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What is a sunchoke?

Sunchokes are a tubular root vegetable, similar in form to ginger root. They're also known as Jersualem artichokes, and of the sunflower family. They taste similar to potato (a bit starchy), but have a hit of sweetness and a slightly more buttery flavor. I first discovered this root veggie earlier this summer at a Latin inspired restaurant with a friend, and recently enjoyed it on the winter menu at Tatte Bakery. At the bakery they serve these warm roasted root vegetable with a creamy labneh spread, sautéed spinach, aleppo chili oil and a poached egg - whoa. Served with warm, toasty sourdough, this dish was so delicious!! Where has this veggie been all my adult life?

This recipe is easy - slice the sunchokes, toss with oil, and roast until soft. Peeling is optional! It's nice to cut these on the thinner side so they cook a bit faster - and if you're patient, some parts will get a little crispy! Top with salt and pepper, and that's it. They would also be great with a hint of garlic (garlic infused olive oil).

Let me know if you try this recipe, and enjoy!!

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Easy Oven Roasted Sunchokes

An easy recipe for buttery, oven roasted sunchokes (also known as Jerusalem artichokes) with olive oil, salt and pepper.

Course Side

Keyword Root Vegetable, Sunchoke, Sweet Potato

Ingredients

• 2 handfuls sunchokes
• 1-2 Tablespoons oil (olive oil, avocado oil and canola will work)
• salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

• Heat oven to 400F. Rinse the sunchokes and peel off any dark spots if desired from the skin (peeling is optional).
• Slice the sunchokes in into rounds, similar in shape to a potato chip but thicker (about ¼" or 5cm). Add sliced sunchokes to a baking dish and toss with oil; place in oven to roast until soft. This took me about 45 minutes, but will vary depending on the thickness of your cut.
• Once slices are evenly cooked, browed a bit and quite soft, remove and toss with salt pepper. Serve warm.

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You can make this with a few different types - cod would be great (my go-to), but here I used an orange roughy white fish that I found at Costco. I had never heard of it before that trip, but we liked the texture and taste of the fish.

For this white fish bake, you can use any veggies that sound good that will cook fairly quickly - I went fairly classic with this recipe with peppers, onions, olive oil, citrus and herbs. I diced the veggies small-ish since I only baked the fish for about 15 minutes. The cooking time will depend on how thick the filets were, but for about half an inch I found that this cooking time worked well.

Pulling this dish together is easy - add diced veggeis to a big baking dish, add the fish, then drizzle on olive oil and citrus juice (I used lemon and orange here). You can add herbs, salt and pepper at the end. I used heres de provence and dill, which turned out great. To mix it up, you could use zataar, basil, parsley....whatever sounds good to you! It's great served with rice since there is a bit of a sauce at the end of from the juices of the vegetables + olive oil + citrus. A light and tasty evening meal.

Let me know if you try it out, and enjoy!!

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Easy Baked White Fish with Peppers, Olive Oil and Herbs

An easy 20 minute recipe for baked white fish (cod, haddock, orange roughy) with fresh peppers, citrus, olive oil, and herbs.

Course Dinner

Cuisine Mediterranean

Keyword Fish

Author Andrea | French Pressed Kitchen

Ingredients

• 2-3 cups small diced peppers
• 2-3 small filets white fish cod, hallock, orange roughy
• 1-2 oranges juiced
• 1 lemon juiced
• ¼ tsp salt or to taste
• ¼ tsp herbs herbes de provence and dill are great

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• .Add the diced vegetables (peppers/onions) to a large baking dish (mine was about 13"x9") to form a 'bed' of vegetables. Add the fish filets on top.
• Drizzle on the olive oil, orange juice and lemon juice, spreading evenly on top of the fish and in the dish.
• Sprinkle salt, pepper and herbs on top.
• Bake for about 15 minutes, or until fish looks cooked through (it should be flakey, but not dry).
• Let cool for a few minutes (this will let the veggies steam a bit more), then serve with the veggies and rice (if desired). Spoon the sauce on top and enjoy!

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There is nothing better than this dish on a cold day or when it is raining outside. You have to try it, but imagine a broth that is lightly spiced and with a distinctive taste of chorizo. It is delicious and filling and the leftovers keep perfectly on the fridge for a couple of days! Good option to prepare for the week.

This dish is a staple in the Chilean culture. If you like this dish, you may like this other Chilean beans and squash dish, too: Porotos Granados

Chileans love their beans and they have a squash that is similar to butternut which they incorporate in many of their recipes. This dish is no exception, but with the reins twist. Unexpected I know, but delicious. Trust me.

Don't forget the basil on top. Makes it extra delicious! We also added kale the next day to extend the leftovers a bit.

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Porotos con Riendas (Chilean Bean Stew)

Course Dinner, Lunch

Cuisine Chilean, South American

Keyword beans, butternut squash, sausage, soup, spaghetti

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 35 minutes

Servings 5 people

Author Pedro | French Pressed Kitchen

Ingredients

• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 1 cup butternut squash 1 inch cubes
• 3 links chorizo, sliced
• 2 cans white butter beans NOT drained! keep the liquid
• 1 teaspoon cumin more to taste
• 1 teaspoon oregano more to taste
• ½ teaspoon salt (we used a Borsari salt blend)
• t tsp Merken more to taste, can sub smoked paprika or chili powder
• 2-3 cups chicken broth more to taste, it will depend on how much water the pasta absorbs
• 1 cup water
• 100 grams spaghetti about 2 servings. We used gluten free rice noodles
• 1 handful chopped basil

Instructions

• Heat pan or pot on medium heat. Add a little oil, chorizo and butternut squash. Cook until the chorizo has released some of the grease. About 5 min.
• Add the onion and cook until translucent. About 8 min.
• Add beans and their liquid. Do not drain!
• Add the cumin, oregano, merken and the salt, chicken broth and water. Stir and taste the broth. Add additional water, salt or spices to taste.
• Bring to a boil and add the spaghetti. Reduce the heat and simmer for 20 min. The spaghetti doesn't have to be al dente for this recipe, but if you prefer it that way, add the spaghetti a bit later.
• Serve with fresh basil.

Buen provecho

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Here's how to start your bowl!

Mix Oats and Oat Bran

The combination makes the bowl really creamy! You could also use unsweetened instant oats. Mix up the dry ingredients, add a pinch of salt, and just cover with water. Let sit for a few minutes.

Microwave Steam Greens

Add a handful of spinach or kale to a bowl, cover with a microwave cover or paper towel and microwave for 1 minute to "steam" the greens.

Top it!

Add any toppings you have on hand after the greens (be creative!):

• Other veggies (raw, roasted, sauteed mushrooms, tomatoes, cauliflower, peppers, zucchini, corn)
• Sauces (pesto, mole, salsa)
• Nuts or seeds (almonds, walnuts, chia seeds, pumpkin seeds)
• Leftover protein (bacon, sausage, tempeh, tofu)

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Savory Oatmeal Bowls (Microwave Friendly)

A quick and easy way to make savory oatmeal bowls using rolled oats, oat bran, and water. Naturally gluten free, dairy free, and vegan friendly options as well!

Course Breakfast

Keyword Oatmeal, Oats

Servings 1

Author Andrea | French Pressed Kitchen

Ingredients

Oatmeal Base

• 3-4 Tablespoons Rolled oats
• 3-4 Tablespoons Oat bran
• Pinch of salt

Toppings

• 1 handful spinach or kale
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 egg fried, boiled or poached
• 1 Tablespoon nuts or seeds almonds, walnuts, chia seeds, pumpkin seeds,
• ¼ cup leftover vegetables baked, sauteed, or sauteed works - mushrooms, tomatoes, pickled onions - really, anything is good
• 1 Tablespoon sauce of choice (pesto, salsa, bean dip are great optional

Instructions

• Combine rolled oats, oat bran and salt in a bowl with water, adding just enough for the oats to absorb (start with a ¼ cup and add from there if needed). Let the oats soak for a few minutes, or up to 30. Alternatively, cook oats traditionally on the stove top.
• When ready, microwave the oats for about a minute to warm them up - you might need to add a bit more water if the oats look dry at this point.
• Cook or reheat any toppings. My favorite method for spinach or kale is to microwave them for 1 minute, then toss with a 1 teaspoon olive oil before adding on top of the oats.
• Finish with salt and pepper, or any other spices to taste. Get creative with toppings like peso, leftover protein, sun-dried tomatoes, or sprouts!

The post Savory Oatmeal Bowls (Microwave Friendly) appeared first on French Pressed Kitchen.

The Curry Base

Like any good curry, this chana starts with the basics - onion, garlic and ginger. I love using red onion because of the slight sweetness it brings, but you could use normal yellow onions as well. Once the veggies are sauteed, you can mix in the spices and let them cook a bit with the onion, garlic, ginger and oil.

Making the sauce naturally creamy

The *key* to this creamy chana masala is the secret blend step!! Once the onion, garlic and ginger are well cooked with the spices, transfer the mixture to a blender and puree with a bit of water. The mixture will look thick but once you add back the puree to the tomatoes and let the mixture simmer, it will thin out a bit. At least 30 minutes is ideal for simmering, but if you have time you can throw everything in a slow cooker and let it cook on low for several hours. At the end you can add coconut milk for an even creamier touch - I find that this addition balances out the acidity of the tomatoes well.

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Creamy Chana Masala with Turmeric Rice

An easy, naturally vegan recipe for creamy chana masala, made with onion, garlic, ginger, anti-inflammatory Indian spices, and coconut milk.

Servings 4

Author Andrea | French Pressed Kitchen

Ingredients

Chana Masala

• 2 Tablespoons oil coconut or canola
• 1 red onion diced
• 5 cloves garlic minced
• 1 Tablespoon fresh ginger grated
• 1 Tablespoon cumin
• 2 teaspoons garam masala
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• ½ teaspoon paprika smoked is great
• 1 ½ teaspoons turmeric powder
• ½ teaspoon red chili flakes optional, for additional heat
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ cup water
• 1 28- ounce can fire roasted diced tomatoes
• 2 Tablespoons tomato paste ketchup works too
• 1 can chickpeas garbanzo beans, drained (use 2 cans if you want a larger chickpea to sauce ratio)
• 1 ½ Tablespoons honey
• ½ cup full fat coconut milk
• Juice of ½ lemon
• Cilantro to taste

Turmeric Rice

• 1 cup white basmati rice
• ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt

Instructions

• Heat a pot or large pan over medium heat. Once hot, add the onion and sautee until onions are soft. Add the garlic and ginger and continue sauteeing until just fragrant.
• Add in the dried spices (cumin, garam masala, chili powder, paprika, turmeric, salt, red pepper if using), stirring to coat. Once the spices are combined with the onion mixture, transfer to a blender. Puree the mixture with a ¼ water, until creamy.
• Add the puree back to the pot, adding in the tomato paste and diced tomatoes. Stir to combine. Once the mixture is homogeneous, add in the honey and chickpeas. At this point you can transfer the mixture to a slow cooker on low heat for 3-4 hours, OR let it simmer in the same pot for at least 30 minutes. You want the flavors to deepen and mature a bit!
• Meanwhile, cook the rice according to the package instructions. Once you add the rice and water together, add in the salt and turmeric, stirring to combine. The rice will have a slight yellow color and a subtle taste that complements the chana masala well.
• When the chickpea and tomato mixture is nearly done, turn off the heat and stir in the coconut milk. Stir to combine, then add in the lemon juice. Adjust seasoning to taste with salt and pepper. Top with cilantro, if desired.

Enjoy!!

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This recipe packs a bunch of fall flavors into one dish - earthy carrots, onions, wild rice and kale, cozy roasted chestnuts, balanced by sweetness of dried fruit and a touch of decadence with bits of bacon. The best part is that you can make the filling and squash ahead of time, and bake them together as you're ready.

I made them here for two, but you could of course cut up a few more squash for a larger quantity (the recipe makes extra filling!).

Enjoy!

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Wild Rice and Chestnut Stuffed Acorn Squash

A cozy recipe for stuffed acorn squash with wild rice, onion, carrot, kale, dried cranberries and chestnuts. Perfect for a make ahead fall dish!

Course Dinner

Cuisine American

Keyword Acorn Squash, Wild Rice

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Servings 4

Author Andrea | French Pressed Kitchen

Ingredients

• 1 Acorn squash
• 4 cups Cooked wild rice
• 4-5 Carrots, diced
• 1 Onion, diced
• 1 teaspoon Dried rosemary or Herbes de Provence
• 1 cup Roasted chestnuts, diced
• ½ cup Dried cranberries
• 2-3 slices Bacon, diced (optional)
• 1 cup Kale, chopped
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

• Cut acorn squash in half and remove seeds. Brush with a little olive oil, then place cut side down on a baking sheet and roast for 15-20 minutes or until just soft. Remove and set aside once cool.
• Meanwhile, cook the bacon in a pan large pot or deep pan. Once cooked, remove and set aside on a paper towel lined plate to let cool.
• In the same pan, sautee onion with herbs and a bit of salt and pepper (if not using bacon, use a little olive oil). When onions are soft, add in the diced carrots and cook until carrots are just softened. Add in the cooked wild rice, chestnuts, cranberries, cooked bacon (if using).
• Add in the broth and kale and continue to stir until kale is wilted. If the mixture is dry, add a little more broth (you want a little bit of sauce but not too liquid-y).
• Stuff the partially cooked squash with the wild rice filling. You'll have quite a bit extra, but you can serve it with the squash, or use in other dishes (it's great on salads). Bake for 10-15 more minutes, or until squash is at desired softness.

The post Wild Rice and Chestnut Stuffed Acorn Squash appeared first on French Pressed Kitchen.

I had the delightful occasion to master the cookie recipe while staying with our dear friends in France, helping to make a huge batch for wedding favors. Practice makes perfect! I was courageous enough to remake the cookies for a friend's baby shower, and they did not disappoint!! The recipe results in a buttery, flaky, easy-to-cut out dough that's perfect for cookie cutters. Plus, you can make the dough ahead of time and choose any variation you like - for the wedding we actually made 4 different flavors: cocoa, hazelnut flour, vanilla and sea salt flakes. Almond extract, orange, and lemon zest would also be amazing!

The Recipe

The dough resembles a classic butter cookie or shortbread cookie. First the the butter, sugar and a little water are melted together, then cooled and mixed with the dry ingredients. You can sub out part of the flour for different kinds (almond flour, hazelnut flour) to have a different flavor, but even just a little will change the texture and make the cookies a bit harder to work with. I recommend staying with extracts such as vanilla and almond, or tiny add-ins like finely diced nuts or zest to keep the dough the same consistency.

I adapted this recipe slightly from Piroulie, but the original recipe was from a tiny, adorable little French cookbook and came with the cookie cutter. You could shape your own using a glass or other cookie cutter, or find a custom one on Etsy for a specific occasion - great party favors!! The animal crackers I made were these stamps from Amazon.

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French Butter Cookies (Petits-Beurre)

A basic recipe for French petits-beurre (butter) cookies. A customizable recipe that's perfect for holiday or special occasion cookie cutouts!

Course Dessert

Cuisine French

Keyword butternut squash, Cookies

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour

Author Andrea | French Pressed Kitchen

Ingredients

• 400 grams all-purpose flour
• 100 grams whole wheat pastry flour
• 200 grams granulated (white) sugar
• 200 grams salted butter (I love Kerrygold)
• 6.5 Tablespoons water
• 2 teaspoons vanilla or almond extract*

Instructions

• Mix the flour and baking powder together in a large bowl, whisking until thoroughly combined. Set aside.
• Melt the butter, sugar and water over low heat, stirring constantly. Wait until the mixture just boils, then remove from heat and turn off flame. Let the liquid mixture cool 15-20 minutes, stirring regularly. When the mixture is cool, add in the vanilla (or almond) extract.
• Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and slowly add in the liquid ingredients. Mix until just combined, slowly folding in the liquid so as not to overwork the flour. When the dough comes together, shape into a few balls, then flatten into discs. Cover tightly with saran wrap, then refrigerate for 1-2 hours (or overnight).
• When ready to bake the cookies, bring the dough to room temperature (depending on your disc size, fridge temp, etc., this may take a few hours – mine took a good 2.5 hours in cool weather). The dough should be pliable enough to roll, but not so room temperature that it feels oily.
• Roll dough out to a thin layer (2-3mm). If the dough is a little thick, the cookies will just take a little longer to cook, and that’s okay.
• If using cookie cutters, dip the cookie cutter in flour each time and tap off any extra before stamping a cookie in the dough. With the cutters that I bought, this method worked nicely. Slowly lift out the cookie and transfer to a parchment lined baking sheet.
• ake at 350F (180C) for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges of the cookie are just golden brown. The cooking time can vary greatly depending on ovens, so start with a shorter amount of time to make sure they don’t burn. The cookies will harden as they cool, so as long as they look golden brown on the edges they will turn out well set.

Notes

** Lemon or orange zest would work well, as would some finely diced nuts (not too many though!)

I found that the cookies keep well for at least a week - perfect for gifts or mailing as well! They wrap well in plastic bags as they are fairly sturdy, but a small paper box would also work well and be less delicate. The bags are super cute to display, though!!

Hope you enjoy, and bon appétit!

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As many of you know, Pedro and I are in France for a few months. We're pursuing a long time goal of living and working here, taking our time to really enjoy our friends, work on our French, visit the country and keep up our French. Part of our adventure has been staying with some of our dear friends, and consequently cooking lots with them. It's been a blast, and we're certainly eating well. It's been interesting adapting to all the different food options here - NO kale has been spotted yet!!! And I'm having bread for breakfast instead of eggs. What?

Instead, we're finding all the delicious local things to enjoy. We've had a lot of yogurt as after lunch snacks, and we're trying to test out some more local fish. Hence this inspiration for this dish! We made these tartines for lunch and found that it was a perfect light afternoon meal. Serve it with a salad or garnish with greens for an even simpler option.

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Smoked Salmon and Avocado Tartine

A quick and easy recipe for smoked salmon and avcocado tartines with a yogurt and cucumber spread.

Servings 4 people

Ingredients

• 8 slices whole grain bread
• 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 cup Greek yogurt
• ⅓ cup cucumber, diced
• 1 avocado, sliced or mashed slightly
• 1-2 Tablespoons lemon juice
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

• Heat oven to 400F (200C).
• Brush each side of the bread with olive oil. Place in the oven to crisp slightly, 3-4 minutes. Flip and let cook 1-2 more minutes. Keep an eye on your bread – you want it golden brown but not too crispy! Remove and let cool.
• Mix the yogurt with lemon juice, adjusting to taste. Mix in the diced cucumber, salt and pepper.
• Top the toasts with avocado, followed by the yogurt spread, smoked salmon and any remaining cucumber. Enjoy!

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