Simple Veggie Sides and Sweet Mustard Dressing

I was fortunate to come into some produce! Grapes in the middle of winter is definitely a luxury item, although you can find them on sale here and there and if you use them judiciously they can still fit within the budget. If I had purchased the grapes, I probably would have gone with beans on the salad instead of the more expensive Nutty Goat Cheese.  I finished the salad with my Sweet Mustard dressing and some oranges for this delicious breakfast.

Sweet Mustard Dressing

• 1/4 c Lowfat Vegan Mayo  
• 2 T Dijon
• 2 T Yellow Mustard
• 1 T Onion Powder
• 1 T EVOO
• 2 T Apple Cider Vinegar
• 2 T water
• 1-2 T Braggs or Soy Sauce
• very scant 1/4 t stevia powder

I am going to be making some Gluten Free Pizza tomorrow tomorrow. One of my favorite toppings is this simple Zucchini Pepperoni. I like it to sit for at least 12 hours so the flavors can really infused the zukes. You can also dehydrate these into zucchini chips or a chewy version for raw pizzas! Sometimes I make a triple marinade and add in a big onion and green pepper. The salt draws the water out of the veggies so when you bake your pizza, the top won't be swimming in water. ( Make sure you drain the veggies before putting them on your pizza! )

I'm not usually a fan of baby carrots. They must be washed in some sort of chemical before packaging. I notice the same taste in pre-shredded carrots and coleslaw mix. I was teaching a cooking class once and I grabbed some shredded cabbage for a quick shortcut and it ruined the dish! 

That being said, why am I giving you a recipe for baby carrots? Well, someone gave me some so I'm using what I have and I know that many people love them, so here's a quick and nice side dish. 

Dilly Orange Carrots

• 1 T EVOO
• 1/2 c thinly sliced onion
• 1/2 t garlic salt
• 1 t smoked paprika
• 1 lb baby carrots
• 1/4 c water
• juice of 1 orange
• 1 t orange zest
• 1`T honey, agave or brown sugar
• 1 t dried dill ( or better yet, 1 T fresh dill )

Method:

1. Saute onion in the evoo along with the garlic salt and smoked paprika for 10 minutes
2. add the baby carrots, water and orange juice
3. Bring to a strong simmer and cook uncovered until carrots are soft (around 5 minutes)
4. Stir in zest, honey and dill 

These would be really good to serve with Lentil Loaf which I will be making in the next couple days. 

What's your favorite pizza topping? Mine is hands tons of veggies and a really strong nut cheese. Or simple very spicy jalapeno and mushroom with tofu ricotta.