Mediterranean Vegetable Bread

Like so many cooks I find recipes that inspire me and then tweak them to my own liking.  I'm also an avid reader of cooking blogs and my favorite, Adventures of the Yankee Kitchen Ninja, regularly posts recipes that intrigue and inspire me.  (It doesn't hurt that this blog is also written by a fellow Mount Holyoke alum).

The Kitchen Ninja posted this recipe as a savory olive bread after having tweaked it herself from Susan Hermann Loomis, author of On Rue Tatin.  See, this is how recipes evolve!  The Kitchen Ninja's recipe called for 3 1/2 cups of fresh spinach.  Try as I might, I could not find any fresh spinach, or any suitable substitute in Albania in November.  I used a small amount of frozen spinach instead and added in shredded carrots for bulk.  I also added fresh chopped basil.  The only jarred roasted red peppers I had in my pantry were marinated so I used those instead of the plain variety.  The result?  A tangy vegetable infused bread the blended together my favorite flavors of the Mediterranean.

MEDITERRANEAN VEGETABLE BREAD

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

6 eggs

1/4 cup olive oil

2 garlic cloves,  minced

1 cup frozen spinach, chopped and squeezed dry with leaves separated

2 cups shredded carrots

1/2 cup chopped basil leaves

1 cup marinated roasted red peppers, chopped

1 heaping cup black olives, chopped

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 cup shredded Swiss cheese

1)  Preheat oven to 400 degrees F / 200 degrees C.  Grease a loaf pan and set aside.

2)  Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl and set aside.

3)  In another large bowl, beat the eggs; whisk in the olive oil, then stir in the garlic, spinach, carrots,

      and basil.

4)  Add the flour  mixture and stir until well combined.  Fold in the red peppers, olives,

      black pepper, and cheese.

4)  Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake for 45 minutes, until the bread is browned and a

     skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean.  Let cool in the pan for about 10 minutes then

     continue cooling on a wire rack.

Moroccan Carrot Salad

Fresh carrots ready for cooking

An invitation to a friend's "Falafal-fest" made me think about what dish I could add- falafal, hummus, stuffed grape leaves, and the like and needing something both easy and that I could find the ingredients to actually make, I settled on a carrot salad.   Fresh carrots are bountiful this time of year.  Besides, Sidney loves all things carrots and bringing a carrot dish would guarantee that there would be at least one dish that my sporadically finicky toddler would eat.

I couldn't find a recipe that actually excited me after perusing a variety of options I set about creating my own dish based on what looked and tasted right.  The verdict?  From Sidney, who ate two servings before it even left the house, "So good.  More carrots in a bowl please."  (For some reason carrots on a plate a simply not acceptable to him).  I think my mostly empty bowl I brought home indicates that this dish was a success.

MOROCCAN CARROT SALAD

1 1/2 lbs carrots, peeled and cut into uniformly sized thin sticks

3-4 tbsp olive oil

4 cloves garlic, finely minced

1 generous tsp cumin powder

1/2 tsp coriander

Freshly ground black pepper

Freshly ground sea salt

Fresh chopped parsley

1 lemon

1)   Place the carrots in a large skillet, add just enough water to cover, and steam on high heat for 5-7  

      minutes (or more if you like your veggies softer).  Drain and set aside.

2)  Return the skillet to high heat, add the olive oil, garlic, and spices and saute for 30 seconds.  Add the 

      carrots and toss to coat.

3)   Remove carrots from heat and place in a serving bowl.  Squeeze the lemon juice over the top, add 

       the parsley and mix to combine.  Adjust the seasonings to taste.  I prefer stronger flavors and added

       a bit more cumin powder.  The salad is best served at room temperature.

Easy-peasey and tasty to boot!

Ready to eat