Recipe: Spicy Sunflower Salad with Carrot Dressing

Using a mix of small-to-larger and delicate-to-crunchy greens makes this salad lively. The vibrant dressing contains only a teaspoon of oil.

Yield: Serves 6
Time: 30 min.

Ingredients
Dressing
1 pt. fresh carrot juice
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon Sriracha (Asian chili sauce) or 1/4 tsp. cayenne
1 teaspoon Asian (toasted) sesame oil
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Salad
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 large orange or yellow bell pepper
6 ounces sunflower sprouts (1 1/2 qts. lightly packed) or 5 oz. mixed baby lettuces (2 qts.)
1 1/2 cups lightly packed pea shoots or micro greens
1 1/2 cups lightly packed mild or spicy sprouts such as clover or radish
1/3 cup long, fine shreds of carrot, preferably shredded with a mandoline

Preparation
1. Make dressing: In a wide, 3- to 4-qt. saucepan, boil carrot juice over medium-high heat, stirring often, until reduced to 1/4 cup, 12 to 15 minutes. Pour into a small bowl and let cool. Whisk in remaining dressing ingredients.

2. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350°. Toast sunflower seeds in a shallow pan until light golden, shaking pan occasionally, 4 to 8 minutes. Let cool.

3. Trim off membrane and curved ends of bell pepper. Cut pepper lengthwise into very thin slices.

4. In a large bowl, use your hands to toss and separate all vegetables until evenly mixed. Pour seeds and dressing on top; mix gently. Season with salt to taste.

Note: Raw sprouts can occasionally contain bacteria that cause food borne illness, so children, the elderly, and those with weakened immune systems should avoid eating them.

FOUND HERE.

Recipe: Spicy Chickpea Sandwiches

Food cart vendors are popular in our city, Portland, Oregon. Recently, I discovered there's a cart located in the Sellwood neighborhood, called Garden State, that serves these sandwiches. Going to have to pay them a visit soon and then try making these at home!



You Will Need

Chickpea patties
1 1/2 cups chickpea (garbanzo) flour*
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

Spicy lemon mayo
1 cup mayonnaise
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1/8 teaspoon cayenne
Finely shredded zest and juice of 1/2 lemon

Carrot slaw
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 cups shredded carrots (2/3 lb.)
1 cup shredded radishes

Cooking and assembly
6 ciabatta or pane francese rolls (3 oz. each)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
About 1/4 tsp. kosher salt
4 ounces salad mix (5 cups lightly packed)

Preparation

1. Make chickpea patties: In a 3- to 4-qt. pan, mix chickpea flour and dry seasonings. Gradually whisk in 2 1/2 cups water until smooth. Cook over medium heat, whisking often, until mixture begins to thicken, 3 to 5 minutes. Switch to a spoon and stir until mixture pulls away from pan bottom and mounds in center of pan, 4 to 6 minutes. Stir in parsley. Using an oiled spoon or fingers, evenly spread mixture in an oiled 9- by 13-in. pan. Let cool.

2. Make mayo: Mix all ingredients together in a small bowl. Chill, covered.

3. Make slaw: Whisk together vinegar, oil, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl, then gently stir in carrots and radishes.

4. Now for the sandwiches! Preheat broiler and set a rack 4 in. from heat. Split rolls, leaving one side attached, and open up. Place rolls cut side up in a large rimmed baking pan; lightly brush tops with 1 tbsp. olive oil. Broil until golden, about 1 minute. Tip onto counter and drape with foil.

5. Oil the baking pan. Brush chickpea mixture with 1 tbsp. olive oil; sprinkle with salt. Cut into 12 rectangles and set slightly apart in oiled pan. Broil until golden, 4 to 6 minutes. Turn patties over and broil until golden on second side, about 2 minutes.

6. To assemble, generously spread mayo on cut sides of rolls. Place some salad greens on one side of each roll and top with some carrot slaw, then 2 chickpea patties.

*Find in the baking aisle of well-stocked grocery stores and at health food stores.