Step Into Savory... Easy Dinner Recipes

I've been a busy bunny lately with the creation of the Moonie Pie Challenge, in addition to making chocolate creations, having friends over for dinner, and working on other fun kitchie projects ;)

As you know, things are often on the sweet side around here, but I do eat and come up with savory recipes too! Here are a few of my latest veggie delights...

Spinach Basil Pesto

Packed with spinach and much lower in fat than most pestos, this is great over zucchini/kelp noodles, salad, crackers, or veggie sticks. 

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups packed spinach

3/4 cup fresh basil leaves

1/3 cup sun dried tomatoes, chopped

3 Tablespoons hemp seeds

3 Tablespoons lemon juice

2-3 Tablespoons water

3 Tablespoons olive oil

1 Tablespoon nutritional yeast

1 large clove garlic

1/2 teaspoon Himalayan salt

In a food processor, blend all ingredients into a paste. 

Taste, adjust salt. 

Veggie Wraps

I whipped this up for dinner the other evening as a little something different from my normal salad. It was nice to use collard leaves for the wraps, especially since I can't get them at home - not even in the big city 5 hours away from my home! If you don't have access to them either, you can use chard or romaine leaves, which is what I normally do. 

Ingredients:

Leafy wrap of choice

Veggies of choice, sliced into long thin strips

(I went with cucumber, carrot, avocado, red pepper, and Philip's home grown alfalfa sprouts)

Hemp Dip

2 cups chopped zucchini

1/2 cup hemp seeds

Juice of 1/2 lemon

2 Tablespoons tahini

1 clove garlic

Sea salt, to taste

In a blender, combine all ingredients until smooth and creamy. 

Assembly:

Remove the stems from the collard or chard leaves, creating two wraps. 

Spread some of the hemp dip on a wrap.

Arrange veggies at one end of the wrap and roll it up. 

Serve with extra hemp dip.

Nori Rolls 
Tried and true - nori rolls are quick, easy, and delicious! Roll veggie strips of your choice with pate, all together in a nori sheet.

Carrot Ginger Pate

Ingredients:
1 cup chopped carrots
1 cup almonds, soaked*
1 Tablespoon tahini
1" knob of ginger, minced
1 large clove of garlic, minced
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Tamari/ Nama Shoyu, to taste
Handful chopped cilantro (optional)


Add all ingredients to a food processor. Grind into a moist pate. Taste the mixture and re-season.
*Dry amount. 

Tomato Basil Pasta

Can't go wrong with pasta! Zucchini noodles and sauce... a light meal packed with flavor.  A friend and I made this the other day for a group dinner - it was enjoyed by all. The hemp seeds add a cool parmesan-like texture.

Tomato Basil Sauce

Ingredients:
1 cup sun dried tomatoes
(soaked at least 4 hours in water)
1 cup diced tomatoes
1/4 cup fresh basil
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
2 teaspoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons nutritional yeast
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon honey or 1/2 date
Sea salt, to taste
2 Tablespoons hemp seeds

Blend all ingredients in a food processor, until smooth, or leave slightly chunky. 

A reminder about The Moonie Pie Challenge!

A chance to put your creativity cap on and jump into the kitchie! I'm excited to see all your pies and hear about your adventures - let me know when you blog about it! Click Here for all contest rules and more information, OR check out this post if you're only interested in purchasing the recipe ebook!