Roasted Vegetable Cornmeal Tarts, Two Ways

What do you get when you have a whole fridge of vegetables that needed to be eaten like, yesterday, and no ambition to use a fork?

A vegan variation of pizza, of course.

But let’s be honest: it’s difficult to sell people on a pizza with no cheese (although really, who needs it?) that’s why this is a tart. Tarts are fancier; they get the people excited.

So now it’s not a “hey, I know how to chop vegetables and put a frozen crust in the oven” kind of night, but a “why yes, we’re having roasted vegetable cornmeal tarts in two varieties” kind of night.

Which do you think is more likely to attract that hottie at the health food store and get way more instagram likes?

That’s what I thought.

Toppings:

-Onions, green peppers, sun dried tomatoes, and olives.

-Oven roasted zucchini, butternut squash, tomatoes, mushrooms and garlic.

Saute the peppers and onions separately until just tender, everything else can go in the oven at 400 for 10 minutes before loading it all up on your crusts and baking for an additional 12-15 mins. I bought the crusts in the freezer section of whole foods next to the frozen pizzas, but I know my secret’s safe with you. Now go show off.

Bon appetit.

Fast Food, or Real Food Fast

If there is one thing I would impart to the entire world if I could, it would be that being vegan is easy. Many people understand the environmental and health benefits of being vegan, but don’t think it would fit into their busy lifestyle.

Well, that’s bullshit because it can, and this blog is here to prove it.

For lunch today I opened the refrigerator and did that thing we all do where I stared at the contents and waited for something to jump out and cook itself. Nothing did. I checked the cabinets, the pantry and eventually came back to the fridge to look again because obviously something might have changed while I was gone.

Nope; Not really.

So, I grabbed a few containers of canned goods we hadn’t finished and decided to mush them up together and put the result on bread. Brilliance or luck? I’d like to think both but being honest, probably the latter. I don’t have that many brilliant moments, I just get hungry a lot.

Either way, the outcome was an amazingly accidental sandwich spread/potential dip that took literally 20 seconds to make and used up some leftover ingredients.

Layered on a baguette from last night (that dad served with some meaty chili I couldn’t eat) with avocado and cucumber slices. I scooped some mellon on the side and this was a beautiful product of happenstance, jerry-rigging, experimentation, or whatever you would like to call random food-processing.

The moral of the story: this took less time than it would to cook a chicken breast, chop a salad, or order takeout. Don’t be afraid to throw something together, and see what you get. You’d be surprised what goodness comes out of taking risks, and being vegan.

Bon appetit.

Ingredients

1/2 can of artichoke hearts

1/2 can of black beans

1/4 C. roasted red peppers

Olive oil

Method

Put all ingredients in a food processor and blend, adding oil until mixture reaches desired consistency.

You could blend longer for a creamier spread, or only a few pulses for a chunky dip.

Serving suggestion: On everything; chips, carrots, peppers, bread, crackers, veggie burgers, or mixed with green beans for a cold salad.