It's pretty straightforward - I think you can see all the main ingredients in the photo! A base of arugula (or other light greens like baby kale + spinach would work well too), a few dollops of ricotta (I used good whole milk ricotta), sliced peaches, sliced avocado, torn basil, thyme, salt, and peppers. I drizzed on a tablespoon each of extra virgin olive oil and white balsamic vinegar at the end. You could use regular balsamic, too, but the lighter flavor of the white balsamic is nice to complement the fresh fruit and herbs. A diced version of the fruit + avocado would also be great and not require a knife!!

Enjoy, and bon appetit!

Print

Peach, Ricotta, and Avocado Salad with Thyme, Basil and Arugula

The perfect summer salad, bursting with flavor from ripe peaches, creamy ricotta and avocado, and brightness from white balsamic vinegar, basil and thyme. No cooking needed so this comes together in just a few minutes!

Prep Time 10 minutes

Total Time 10 minutes

Servings 1 serving

Author Andrea @ French Pressed Kitchen

Ingredients

Salad

• 2-4 cups arugula or other greens
• ¼ avocado sliced or diced
• ½ ripe peach sliced or diced
• ⅓ cup ricotta
• 3 Tablespoons fresh basil torn or finely chopped
• 1 Tablespoon fresh thyme

Dressing

• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 1 Tablespoon white balsamic vinegar
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

• Add salad greens to a large bowl.
• Add on the sliced (or diced) peach and avocado. Dollop on the ricotta, a few spoonfuls at a time.
• Drizzle the whole dish with the olive oil, then the vinegar. Sprinkle on the salt and pepper.
• You can mix it up or enjoy as is, mixing as you dig into the salad!

The post Peach, Ricotta, and Avocado Salad with Thyme, Basil and Arugula appeared first on French Pressed Kitchen.

This salad would be great for a potluck or any other gathering because it presents itself so well! Assemble all the salad components and keep the dressing separate until you’re ready to toss and serve. I didn’t have any nuts on hand, but toasted almonds, walnuts or pecans would complement the flavors well and add a little extra crunch. We served ours with seafood since we were at the beach, but this would be great with any other protein like grilled chicken or fish.

Enjoy 🙂

Print

Easy Peach Goat Cheese Sweet Corn and Arugula Salad

Fresh arugula greens are mixed with sweet peaches, sweet corn and crumbled goat cheese, then finished with a honey balsamic vinaigrette for a delicious and satisfying summer salad. Naturally #glutenfree and #grainfree. Omit cheese for a #vegan option!

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Total Time 25 minutes

Servings 3 -4 small servings, or 2-3 large

Author Andrea Shome

Ingredients

Salad

• 10 ounces arugula or other salad greens
• 4-5 ounces 120g or so goat cheese, crumbled
• 1 peach sliced
• 1 ear sweet corn peeled
• 3 Tablespoons 25g toasted and chopped nuts, optional

Dressing

• ¼ cup white balsamic vinegar
• ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon mustard
• 1-2 teaspoons honey
• ¼ teaspoon salt

Instructions

• Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add the corn and boil until soft, about 8-10 minutes. Let cool, then carefully slice off the kernels.
• Mix the dressing ingredients in a small bowl or jar. If using a jar, shake to combine thoroughly. If using a bowl, mix thoroughly until the mustard binds everything together.
• Add the salad greens, goat cheese, corn peach and nuts into a large mixing bowl. Serve as is, with dressing on the side, or drizzle the dressing on top and toss to combine.

The post Easy Arugula, Peach, Goat Cheese and Sweet Corn Salad appeared first on French Pressed Kitchen.

This recipe uses Indian spices in a less typical way - toasting seeds vs. just adding in curry or turmeric powder. "Golden" everything with turmeric is so popular lately, but I think the warmness of these spices is much more subtle. Adjust the spices according to the levels that you like. I think the cumin and mustard seeds really make it; the fennel is optional.

Start by warming a pan over medium heat and add in some oil (I used avocado oil). When the oil is getting hot, add in your spices and toast them up. You'll smell them get fragrant and they seeds will begin to pop! You can cover it at this point and let it cook a few more minutes.

Then just toss in the chickpeas with some lemon juice! Done.

Serve on top of a salad or yogurt or alone as a side dish. It would also be great if you mixed in the chickpeas with yogurt, lemon and cilantro into a salad. Bon appetit!

Print

Easy Indian Spiced Chickpeas

A quick, one pan recipe for Indian spiced chickpeas with cumin, fennel and mustard seeds. Perfect for a salad, on top of yogurt, or as a side salad dish.

Course Side Dish

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Total Time 15 minutes

Servings 4 -5 servings depending on how many chickpeas you use

Author Andrea @ French Pressed Kitchen

Ingredients

• 1 can chickpeas or about 2 cups cooked, drained
• ½ teaspoon mustard seeds
• ½ teaspoon fennel seeds
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 Tablespoon avocado or canola oil
• 1 lemon juiced
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

• Heat a pan over medium heat. Add the oil and let warm.
• Add in the spices and stir to coat. Continue cooking (toasting) the spices until fragrant and they begin popping (you may want to cover it or take it off the heat if your pan is small and they pop all over).
• Add in the chickpeas and toss to coat. Finally, stir in the lemon juice and combine.
• Serve as a side salad, on top of greens, or on top of savory yogurt.

The post Easy Indian Spiced Chickpeas appeared first on French Pressed Kitchen.

I discovered this recipe on Serious Eats while looking for a panzanella salad recipe last summer. If you haven't had panzenella before, think of it as a savory bread salad! Veggies + a light dressing tossed with crusty bread. By letting it sit for about 30 minutes, the delicious juices soak into the bread and make it *super* delicious.

BUT what makes this version different- you don't need the bread. I've found that the tomato version keeps better since you don't have to worry about the bread getting soggy. Plus, it's more versatile since you can serve it on top of a bunch of things - crusty bread, an omelet, salad, or even savory oats! The possibilities are endless!! I had mine first on an omelet:

Then on polenta! An underrated side in my opinion!

The secret to this salad is salting the tomatoes and letting their juices run out. This makes for the best vinaigrette. Don't skip this part!!

Print

Easy Summer Tomato Salad

A fresh and easy tomato basil salad, inspired by summer ingredients. Make it into panzanella or make it as-is for a grain free dish! Adapted slightly from Serious Eats.

Course Salad, Side

Cuisine American

Keyword Basil, Summer, Tomato

Prep Time 40 minutes

Total Time 40 minutes

Servings 3 -4 small servings

Author Andrea | French Pressed Kitchen

Ingredients

• 1 pound cherry tomatoes halved or other tomatoes cut into small bites
• ¾ teaspoon salt
• 5 Tablespoons good olive oil
• 2 small shallots minced
• 1 clove garlic
• ¼-1/2 teaspoon dijon mustard I like more!
• 1 Tablespoon white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar
• Freshly ground black pepper
• ⅓ cup basil leaves chopped

Instructions

• Place tomatoes in a colander set over a bowl and season with the salt. Toss to coat. Set aside at to drain, tossing occasionally. Let them drain for at least 15 minutes (I usually do 30).
• After you're finished draining, remove the tomatoes from the colander and add them to a separate serving bowl. In the small bowl with the tomato juice, add the rest of the dressing ingredients: shallot, garlic, mustard, vinegar and olive oil. Season to taste, adding more salt and pepper if needed.
• Add the dressing to the tomatoes and stir to combine.
• Keeps well in the fridge for 2-3 days!

Bon appétit!

The post Easy Summer Tomato Salad appeared first on French Pressed Kitchen.

The inspiration for these delectable mini scones was our latest Winedown, where the theme was Harry Potter!!! Obviously I was very excited. One of the first recipes that came to mind and after googling was Hagrid's rock cakes. In the book they are more of a sweet scone and terribly over baked, but I took a different spin and made them savory and more edible 😉

I borrowed the recipe from two sources, Budget Bytes and the best ever Deb aka Smitten Kitchen. I'm a huge fan of Deb's cream biscuits, but wanted to make these a little lighter and more dairy free, so I looked for a recipe that used a bit of milk for moisture instead of cream. The cheddar cheese I got was labeled lactose free (see some like Cabot here!), and I used almond milk and Earth Balance in place of regular milk and butter. Worked great! I know Deb's with heavy cream would be amazing and a bit lighter, but the adopted version was pretty darn good, too. I liked Deb's technique of sauteing the jalapenos a bit before adding to the mixture.

Pre-bake delicious-ness! Finished with an egg wash and fresh black pepper.

Aaaand post bake with all that cheesy goodness. Makes for great cheddar crisps.

Print

Cheddar, Jalapeno and Scallion Scones (Lactose Free!)

Cheddar and jalapeno scallion scones made lactose more digestible with Earth Balance, almond milk and lactose free cheese used in place of normal dairy products. Adapted from Smitten Kitchen and Budget Bytes.

Course Appetizer, Breakfast

Cuisine American

Keyword Cheddar, Jalapeno, Scone

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes

Total Time 40 minutes

Servings 8 medium or 16 small scones

Author Andrea | French Pressed Kitchen

Ingredients

Dry Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour*
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons baking powder

Other Ingredients

• 5 Tablespoons Earth Balance or vegan butter
• 2 jalapenos diced small**
• ½ cup small diced extra sharp cheddar cheese
• 3 -4 green onions scallions, sliced
• ¼ cup almond milk
• 2 large eggs beaten

Instructions

• Heat oven to 400 degrees.
• Heat a skillet over medium heat and sautee the diced jalapeno with a little butter or oil for a few minutes until softened. Set aside and let cool.
• Combine the dry ingredients together in a big bowl. Cut in the butter to the dry mix until it looks dry and crumbly and no big chunks remain.
• Mix the cooked jalapeno and cheddar chunks in a small bowl with 1 tablespoon of the flour until well coated. Add this mixture to the dry ingredients along with the scallions and stir to combine.
• In a separate small bowl, combine the milk and beaten eggs.
• Slowly add the milk and egg mixture to the flour mixture and stir until just combined. The dough will be a bit sticky, but try to form it into a rough ball.
• Turn the dough out onto a well-floured surface and knead gently while forming into a large circle or square shape, with a thickness of about 1 inch. Cut into desired shape (I did squares, then divided in half to triangles), and place on a parchment or silpat lined cooking sheet.
• Optional: Beat an egg and a teaspoon of water together until smooth, then brush the tops of the scones with the mixture. This will help the scones to brown.
• Bake for 20-25 minutes or until brown (this will depend on the thickness of your scones).
• Serve warm if possible!

Notes

* I substituted some Bob's Red Mill gluten free flour for all purpose flour. I suspect you could substitute all of it and while the texture may change it would still be delicious!
** I took out the jalapeno seeds but you could keep some for extra heat.

Enjoy and bon appetit!

The post Cheddar, Jalapeno and Scallion Scones (Lactose Free!) appeared first on French Pressed Kitchen.

BISCUITS happened last weekend. I was inspired by this recipe from Minimalist Baker, but wanted a heartier spin than all purpose flour. I played around with a few different flours and really enjoyed the end product!

So here we go, sharing with you! STACKS of biscuits, which is the preferable quantity, don't you think?

These could totally go sweet or savory - your choice! If you go sweet, try adding more cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and a pinch of sugar. If you're leaning savory, try Thanksgiving flavors (sage // thyme // rosemary) or just kick of cayenne pepper and paprika. Dare I even say cheese?

We had these not one but TWO days in a row, making them into sandwiches for round two (hello, sausage). Noms. They stored well wrapped up in a cloth tea towel.

Try them out and let me know what you think!!

Print

Vegan and Gluten Free Pumpkin Biscuits

Vegan and gluten free pumpkin biscuit recipe, adapted from Minimalist Baker.

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 35 minutes

Servings 8

Author Andrea Shome

Ingredients

Liquid Ingredients

• ¾ cup unsweetened almond milk + 1 Tablespoon vinegar
• ¼ cup pumpkin puree

Dry Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups gluten-free flour blend I used Bob's Red Mill
• ½ cup fine almond flour
• ¼ cup oat flour finely ground oats
• 1 Tablespoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• Pinch of paprika

Other

• 4 Tablespoons Earth Balance butter works too for a non-vegan option

Instructions

• Heat oven to 450 degrees.
• Whisk together the milk and vinegar in a small bowl. Let curdle, then add the pumpkin puree.
• Whisk the dry ingredients in a large bowl.
• To the dry ingredients, add the butter and work in until the dough looks crumbly and the butter is evenly distributed. Stir in the almond milk - pumpkin mixture until the dough is a little sticky (not wet). You should be able to gently ball it at this point.
• You can go the traditional route of rolling out the dough and cutting OR, I just flour-ed my hands and formed the biscuits into 8 rounds.
• Place the dough rounds on a parchment lined baking sheet, nestled close to each other. Bake for about 15 minutes or until golden brown. These won't rise quite as much, but should get golden brown on the edges.
• Serve warm with lots of butter and/or as egg sandwiches!! Leftovers store well in a tea towel and can be retoasted in a cast iron for extra crunch the next day 🙂

The post Vegan and Gluten Free Pumpkin Biscuits appeared first on French Pressed Kitchen.

Bread for DAYYYYSSSS is what these popovers scream.

Popovers are a treat I remember from my childhood growing up in a small town in New Jersey. The local bakery / store in town (yes there was only one) made them and I remember them in my mind being SO SO good. Such a treat! I rediscovered them in college when I learned they were actually "a thing" and there were special pans made just for them!!! What!

Nom. Cue popover re-entry into my life! I made them a few times in college and on special occasions since, but it had been a while since I made them.....until last weekend. I hadn't made them in so long because they're mainly white flour and milk - things I'm avoiding lately - and have never tried them with any alternate ingredients. I was afraid I would ruin them with any healthier changes 🙂

On a whim, though, I decided to make them for the 3 day weekend as a treat a guests who had come over for breakfast. I tried them with the Trader Joe's gluten free flour blend in place of all-purpose, lactose free milk, and Earth Balance instead of butter. (If you don't have a TJ's near you I think this Bobs Red Mill blend would be great too). Note: they are *perfect* with the original recipe, but I was SO excited about how good they turned out with these changes. And by good I mean flaky, butter and TALL! That's usually a problem with non-white flour baking - things don't seem to rise or brown as well. These guys, though, no problem. Serve with butter and jam and you'll be SET.

There are a couple key factors in cooking popovers you should know if you haven't made them before. One, start the oven super hot - 450 degrees F!  This helps the immediate rise. Two, don't peek during baking! You have to reduce the temperature at the halfway point, but you don't want to open the oven before 35-40 minutes lest these beauties collapse. Finally, I highly recommend a good pan, like this Nordic Ware one, so you are working with those deep muffin pockets. I need to try regular muffins in this pan...I think they would be divine!

Anyway, on to the recipe because you just need to make them now. It's adopted from King Arthur recipe with some of my notes....Try them out and tell me what you think!!

Print

Breakfast Popovers

These egg-y breakfast popovers are a true weekend treat! They require just a few simple ingredients but are a truly delightful treat you will want to make over and over again! This recipe is adapted from King Arthur Flour.

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes

Total Time 55 minutes

Servings 6

Author Andrea Shome

Ingredients

• 4 large eggs room temperature (I keep them out overnight)
• 1 ½ cups 2% lactose free milk
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 ½ cups Trader Joe's gluten free flour blend
• 3 Tablespoons Earth Balance melted

Optional Add Ins

• ¼ cup Shredded cheese
• 1 teaspoon herbs or other spice

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Make sure your rack is low enough for your popover pan!
• Grease the popover pan well with a bit of oil, butter or Earth Balance.
• Beat together the eggs, milk and salt in a KitchenAid mixer or with a hand mixer until well combined (no egg yolk streaks). Add the flour and whisk until there are no lumps; be careful not to overbeat (30 seconds should do it). With the mixer running, pour in the melted Earth Balance until just combined. If using any add-ins, stir these in at the end.
• Pour the batter into the pan, about ⅔ full or until evenly distributed. Into the oven: place the pan on the lower rack and close! This is the part where NO PEEKING begins!
• Bake the popovers for 20 minutes at 450 degrees F, then lower to 350 degrees F and bake for 15-20 minutes more. Don't peek until the very end of the cooking time! This will ensure that they don't collapse.
• Once the popovers have browned and risen nicely, remove and serve immediately. You can poke the tops with a fork to release some steam so they don't get soggy inside. Best eaten right away!

Notes

You could also mix this recipe up in a blender to make it even easier!

Bon appetit!

The post Mile High Popovers appeared first on French Pressed Kitchen.

You've probably heard me rave about this rice recipe before but now I can share it with the WORLD and it should be shared with the WORLD because it's so good!!!!

But really, at some point we were making this at least once a week. Sometimes twice. That's pretty serious when you have a "to do" list of recipes as long as me.

This recipe came to me from an Indian cooking class done by Rupen Rao, one of our chef friends over at Culinaerie. Somehow things are always better when he makes them but we've managed to make this recipe quite delicious at home!

So what's so special about this you ask? Well, it's super creamy for starters. I also love the sweet and savory combination and the complexity of the cinnamon and mustard seed with the rice. Sounds so fancy but it's true. It's a great standalone dish, but also goes with anything (in my opinion!) since it's a powerhouse recipe. For an easy weeknight dinner, serve it with seared chicken or fish and some greens on the side, or with an Indian or Thai chickpea salad for a vegetarian option.

I'm getting excited just looking at these pictures and typing it up.

Note: Fresh ginger is missing form this photo but necessary!

A few notes about the recipe. I've tried several variations for this recipe - if I don't have fresh ginger on hand, powdered works as an okay substitute (just use a dash). I love the punch of the jalapeno but that can be left out as well if you prefer. If you don't want heat but still the jalapeno flavor, just leave out the seeds. One thing I DON'T recommend using is brown rice. I did this by mistake a couple times and it just wasn't the same. I ended up having to cook the rice quite a bit longer and add more water, so the texture wasn't quite right (i.e., as creamy as I'd like). I use jasmine or basmati rice - see Trader Joe's version below!

Don't forget to soak the rice and rinse at the beginning - it does make a difference! You can use this time to chop your onion and ginger and gather the other spices.

If you try this, let me know how it goes!! Be prepared to eat rice for days.

Print

The Best Coconut Rice

My very favorite rice recipe, made sweet and savory with coconut milk and an Indian spice base. Adapted from Rupen Rao via Culinaerie!

Course Side

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 40 minutes

Servings 3 -4 servings

Author Andrea @ French Pressed Kitchen

Ingredients

Rice Ingredients

• 1 cup basmati rice
• 1 can full fat coconut milk
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon peeled grated gingerroot
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 Tablespoon coconut oil
• 1 Tablespoon finely chopped onion or shallot
• ½ teaspoon brown mustard seeds I do up to 1 teaspoon sometimes
• 2 small red Thai chilis or 1 small jalapeno

Optional Toppings

• Flaked coconut
• Cashews or peanuts
• Sesame Seeds
• Scallions sliced
• Cilantro

Instructions

• Soak the rice in cold water for 20 minutes. Drain, rinse and repeat the rinse two more times. Drain.
• Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, mustard seeds, chilis or jalapenos if using, ginger and cinnamon stick; cook until onion is soft and mustard seeds are fragrant.
• Add the rice and salt to the pot and stir to coat the rice with the oil mixture. Pour in the coconut milk. Bring the mixture to a light boil, then reduce the heat to low (a gentle simmer) , cover the pan and cook the rice until the coconut milk is absorbed and the rice is soft. This usually takes about 15-20 minutes (*see note below for brown rice).

Notes

I've tried this recipe with brown rice (by accident) and it didn't work quite the same. Because the cook time is quite a bit longer you'll need more liquid (water or more coconut milk). The texture will be different for brown rice, too.

Bon appétit 🙂

The post The Best Coconut Rice appeared first on French Pressed Kitchen.