Catching Up On Cooking: Falafel, Socca, Roasted Tomatoes, etc.

Recently, I’ve mostly just been posting recipes in order to remind myself of things I cooked and liked and will want to make again (like falafel and bacon chocolate chip cookies). In truth, I haven’t had much time or energy for cooking in the last year–save for regular things like stir fry (with tofu coated in nutritional yeast to make it fry up crispy) and salads–as I have been working non-stop on finishing my dissertation and grad school for that matter. Then, a few weeks ago after months of non-stop writing, I turned in my dissertation (which I defend later this week) and Oregon got sunny and I suddenly had more time and knew not what to do with it. Plus, summer always brings out the desire to cook in me.

First, it was spaghetti sauce and a strange realization that I had never cooked with wine. It was a revelation! Plus, I started drinking red wine again, which was also really exciting. I’ve been making just a simple meat red sauce with red wine that involves virtually no measuring. Here are the ingredients (and the order in which I throw them in the sauce pan):

-olive oil, salt, and then hamburger meat (broken up into pieces) with a dash of red wine (I use the real cheap stuff from TJs). I wait for the meat to start to brown and then in goes the chopped garlic and mushrooms and basil (usually I then add more wine). Lastly, chopped 100% tomatoes. I usually cook on medium-high and then once the tomatoes are in, I turn the oven down to simmering. Done! I usually eat my tomato sauce over Miracle Noodles (which are a gluten-free brand of Yam noodles that I love) with a dash of nutritional yeast.

Then, it was falafels, which I had never made before. Partially, I had never ventured there since I remembered them so fondly from my pre-allergen days and didin’t think they could be as good without gluten. But last weekend, I got the courage to give them a go (partially when I realized how easy they were). I used the recipe from the last post (Gluten Free Falafel from the Minimalist Baker) subbed in garbanzo bean flour (for oat flour), nixed the tahini, and used olive oil (vs. grape seed oil). They were so delicious and fun to eat! I had them over a mixed green salad topped with sauteed mushrooms, garlic, and onions and with a side of homemade basil-garlic hummus. It was a perfect summer meal, especially with a glass of Pinot Blanc.

Finally, today I thought I would try something completely new after wandering around the internet in search of an easy gluten-free crepe recipe. Instead, I happened upon Socca, which seemed like it might be particularly simple and delicious and up my alley in terms my love of salt and olive oil.  Here is the recipe I’m using (right now it is in the fridge as it is a very hot day here in Portland): Socca Recipe from David Lebovitz. Meanwhile, I’m slow roasting some tomatoes … So it is pretty hot outside and slow roasting means the oven is one for some time. BUT this is seriously the most amazing way to eat tomatoes so I am hoping the extra heat is worth.

That’s all for now! Since it is (unfortunately perhaps) time to get back to working on what I will say during my defense. On the upside, I’m really excited for dinner now. The results of Socca + Tomatoes, coming soon.