I had the loose idea for this winter vegetable stack thingy in my mind, so I went to work on it instead. And by “went to work on it” I mean: I raged. Like hard. I still hadn’t accepted that my tiny plans for my tiny website on the huge internet on this gigantic earth had gone awry. I slapped it all together, made a huge mess, enjoyed eating it in a hurried way, but then started wondering if this was the kind of thing that only I could enjoy (just adding to my ridiculous rage-pile, you know). Sometimes when Mark and I are thinking about going out to eat somewhere and he asks me what I feel like, I put my hands up and huff out “I just want a plate of vegetables!” (likely cranky from way too much sugar at that point). He’s usually good at sorting a tangible plan out of my ambiguous wishes for fibre and vitamins, making me realize that I’m being a huge pain, and eventually forging a way ahead. It takes two to make the meal-time satiation thing go right sometimes.

So if you’re like me and you enjoy just a bunch of vegetables for dinner/any meal, this could definitely be your thing. It’s pretty easy in a make-ahead sense too. Roast the veggie slices, make the lentils, blend the dressing, keep everything warm until you’re ready to serve, build, drizzle, garnish, voila! Fancy healthy-happy dinner time for you and the total babe in your life. To go along with your amorous or perhaps self-love motivated cooking adventures (the second one is more important), my friend Michelle made TWO music mixes for you to enjoy, one highlighting the glow-y, lightbulb-level-warm heart fullness of love, the other speaking more to some straight-up heartbreak. Click the picture at the bottom of the post for the two separate downloads!

All my kisses, hugs, songs + plates of vegetables,
Laura

lemon rosemary winter vegetable stacks w/ lentils + creamy horseradish vinaigrette
serves: 2
notes: Do remember to cover the beets for two thirds of the cooking process. I’ve had beets shrivel up so horribly because I forgot to cover them while roasting. You can also make all of these components ahead of time and just re-warm them for serving, making meal time a little quicker and less harried.

vegetables:
2 sprigs of rosemary, leaves removed + chopped
juice of 1 lemon
3 tbsp grapeseed oil
1 small celery root, peeled
1 fat sweet potato, peeled
1 large beet, peeled
1 head of cauliflower, trimmed

lentils:
2 tsp grapeseed oil
1 shallot, diced fine
1/2 cup lentils (I used a mix of French + brown), rinsed
1 cup filtered water + extra
salt to taste

horseradish + maple vinaigrette:
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
splash of filtered water
1 tsp dijon mustard
1.5 tbsp maple syrup
horseradish to taste (I used 2 heaped tsp of fresh grated horseradish root)
salt + pepper
heavy 1/3 cup grapeseed or olive oil

to serve:
black olives
very roughly chopped parsley (I keep it rough because I like it as a separate, leafy kind of component-not just a garnish kinda thing)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line 2 medium-large baking sheets with parchment + 1 extra, smaller baking sheet. Set aside.

Combine the rosemary, lemon juice and oil in a small bowl. Set aside.

Slice the celery root + sweet potato about an inch thick across. You want to cut them so that you get a large cross section for stacking. Cut one little portion off of the bottom of each vegetable so that you have a flat and steady surface for the vegetable to rest on the cutting board. Proceed to make slices from there. Lay the celery root + sweet potato slices on one of the medium-large baking sheets. Brush both sides of all vegetables with the rosemary and lemon oil, season with salt and pepper, and slide baking sheet into the oven. These should take about 35-40 minutes to brown up and soften. Remove and set aside.

Slice the beets about 1/4-1/2 inch thick. Lay the slices on the smaller sheet. Brush with the lemon, rosemary and oil mixture, season with salt and pepper. Cover baking sheet with foil and place in the oven. Slide baking sheet into the oven. Roast for 20 minutes covered. Remove the foil and roast for another 10-15 minutes. Remove and set aside.

Slice the cauliflower into 1 inch thick cross sections with the core intact. Lay the slices on the last baking sheet and brush with the rosemary + lemon oil on both sides. Season with salt and pepper and slide into the oven. The cauliflower should take about 20-25 minutes, so make sure you prep this one last. Remove and set aside.

While the vegetables are roasting, start the lentils. Heat the 2 tsp grapeseed oil over medium heat. Add the diced shallots. Stir them around until they become translucent and soft, about 3 minutes. Add the rinsed lentils to the pan and stir them around in the oil and shallots. Add the water to the pan. bring lentils to a very faint simmer, like just a couple bubbles coming to the surface here and there. Cook until the lentils are soft with a tiny bit of bite intact, topping up the pot with more water as necessary, about 25-30 minutes. Season lentils with salt and stir in a glug of olive oil to keep the lentils individual.

Make the vinaigrette: Combine all of the vinaigrette ingredients in a blender and blend on medium-high until mixture is creamy and incorporated. Check for seasoning, adjust to your liking and set aside. I tend to like vinaigrettes on the more acidic side, so you may wish to add more oil.

To serve, divide the warm lentils among 2 dinner plates, pressing down on them with the back of a spoon to make a flat surface. Stack the roasted vegetables on top of the flattened lentils. Drizzle the whole thing with horseradish vinaigrette. Garnish with olives and chopped parsley. Serve warm.

Click the picture below for mixes!

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I take a few things for granted when I post recipes on here. I always get such lovely feedback and kind words from many of you and I’m grateful for that, fully. There are a lot of directions here, however, that call for blending, mandoline-slicing, ice-cream-maker-churning etc. These are assumptions about accessibility, something I strictly set out to avoid when I created this space.

My kitchen has a few bells and whistles, sure, and I approach recipe development from that privileged stance. The very hard reality is that you can never assume too much when assessing the task of making food at home. I have access to a car/bike that can take me to at least 15 purveyors of healthy and fresh food in my area at any time. This is unusual for many. Same goes for the kitchen I work in. We have functional plumbing, hydro, a 2+ HP blender and a host of other (possibly unnecessary) devices that simply make food. That’s all they do. This state of dwelling is surprisingly common and overwhelmingly “other” at the same time. I sense that duality every time I approach the food and the tools and the task at hand.

I know that so many of you just want to eat well and feel as good as possible, but may not have a spiralizer slicer or a mortar and pestle or whatever. Or maybe it’s just too hot to crank out a meal with a heat-based cooking method right now. Whatever the case, we all have that same basic goal in mind I think, and there are infinitely varied ways to get there that are within all of our reach. This vibrant, simple and delicious recipe is my offering, a way of trying to get to that place.

This dish is beautiful and healthy, but my favourite part? You only need a knife, a vegetable peeler and your own two hands to make it happen. It’s perfect for balmy end-of-summer days. Use whatever nuts/seeds you like in the cauliflower “pilaf.” Same goes for the elegant lime, spice and mustard-cured vegetable tangle on top. It’s an honest and filling plate of goodness built up very simply. And it’s within all of our reach.

vegetable ceviche with pepita & almond cauliflower “pilaf”
serves: 2
notes: The peeler isn’t even totally necessary here. Just small or thin cuts/dices is all you need to get the job done. Also, as noted you can use whatever veggies you have around that you like, but I will highly HIGHLY recommend the corn while it’s in season. So good.

for pilaf:
2-3 cups cauliflower florets, most of the stem removed
juice of 1 lime
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup raw pumpkin seeds + extra for garnish
handful of chopped almonds
1/2 tsp dried chipotle powder
salt and pepper
2 sprigs of mint, leaves chopped

for ceviche:
1/2 zucchini, peeled into ribbons
1 carrot, peeled into ribbons
2 radishes, thinly sliced
1 large cob of corn, kernels removed
1 small red bell pepper, stemmed and julienned
1 small shallot, thinly sliced
juice from 3 limes
2 tsp dijon mustard
2 tsp raw agave nectar
1.5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2-3 sprigs basil/cilantro, leaves finely chopped

Chop the stemmed cauliflower florets super fine. This can be done by milling your knife over them repeatedly, as if you were mincing garlic. Place into a medium bowl. To the bowl, add the pumpkin seeds, almonds, lime juice, olive oil, chipotle powder, salt and pepper. Stir to combine. Set aside while you prepare the ceviche. Chop and add the mint right before you’re ready to serve.

For the ceviche, place all ribboned/chopped vegetables in a large bowl. Pour the lime juice on top. Add the mustard and agave nectar. Toss with your hands to combine. Scrunch the vegetables down near the lime juice pooling at the bottom of the bowl. Allow this mixture to sit for about 10 minutes, tossing it up here and there. This is where the “curing” and softening up of the veggies happens.

After 10 minutes, drain out most of the juice from the ceviche, reserving about 1-2 tablespoons. Toss the remaining vegetables and lime juice with the olive oil and season to taste.

To serve: divide the pilaf between two plates, flattening it slightly. Divide the ceviche among the two plates next, placing on top of the pilaf. Garnish with the chopped basil/cilantro and more pumpkin seeds if you like.

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