Vadouvan Vegetable Pie

This savory vegetable pie emerged from our experiments with Vadouvan paste, a wonderfully rich and elegant flavor base. We wanted a warm, comforting meal for the cold weather outside, and this was the prize winning pie. The recipe balances the subtle, hearty flavor of the toasted curry with the earthy goodness of cauliflower and butternut squash. If you don't have Vadouvan paste, then this versatile recipe can easily feature other flavor combinations. Missing one of the vegetables used in this pie? Use whatever you have on hand!

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Vadouvan Paste

Vadouvan Curry is a spice blend with South Indian and French influences, and the name means "sun-dried spices" in French. This fusion blend can be used just like a curry powder, or made into the iconic Vadouvan paste, a rich blend of onion, shallots and aromatics.Making Vadouvan paste takes a little doing, but is worth the effort. Some some specialty shops sell the paste for $100 per pound! A little does go a long way, and the paste is a wonderful short-cut to add fully developed curry flavors into your dish in an instant. The flavor is bold and subtle at the same time, with a meaty base surrounded by an intricate spice melange. Proportions and methods for making Vadouvan paste vary, we tried out several and liked this one best for its simplicity.Try Vadouvan paste in our Vadouvan Vegetable Pie.

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Lentil Loaf with Awesome Sauce

I've made this recipe for lentil loaf a million times. It is a go-to dish that keeps coming back around. Why? It's true the loaf is moist and flavorful, healthy, and satisfying. It's true that you can make it with just about any assortment of seasonal vegetables and spices. But the real reason is that the sauce is AWESOME. Seriously. For a family that loves to experiment with new dishes, the fact that we keep coming back to this recipe is a testament to its greatness.Credit goes to The Simple Veganista and her perfectly proportioned recipe for The Ultimate Vegetable Lentil Loaf. We've barely adapted it here. For our tastes, the secret is in the sauce, a simple blend of balsamic vinegar, ketchup and maple syrup, that pairs perfectly with all manner of flavors in the loaf. For this recipe I made it with New Mexico Chili Powder and our new Garlic Salt, but Sassy Steak Spice and Creole Seasoning also work well.

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Pickle Jar

It's easy to fall in love with a delicious recipe, and doubly so when that recipe is versatile and easy to make. Such is the case with this recipe Rose Water & Orange Blossoms, by Maureen Abood. This versatile mixed pickle jar, can easily accommodate whatever vegetables you happen to have on hand.  From the Author: "Mixing vegetables in one jar is a great way to make use of a variety of vegetables you may have on hand, and they look just great in the jar. The tops of the peppers sliced off and placed strategically to face out from the jar look like little flowers—so pretty that you hardly want to disrupt the jar to pull out the pickles to eat!"

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Vegetable Pasta Bake

For summer gatherings, this healthy pasta bake offers an easy way to keep a large group fed and get in some vegetables along with the burgers and brats. Using a medley of fresh summer vegetables, this dinner option is hearty, but still light. The version below is Greek inspired with our El Greco herbal blend and feta cheese but you can mix is up and use Fine Herbes or Provencal Seasoned Salt and goat cheese if you're feeling joie de vivre!

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Harissa Spiced Fig, Merguez, and Almond Salad

We love a good salad, and are always looking for a good salad cookbook to give us inspiration. Salmagundi: A Celebration of Salads from around the World by Sally Butchec has wonderful salad recipes from a variety of cuisines! This recipe for a spiced fig salad, which comes from the book, artfully combining sweet and spicy flavors in a spice-infused honey for predictably delicious results.From the Author: "This is a rather special salad. Actually, figs have the capacity to render pretty much anything special: their appearance is lush for starters - they have but to lie down on a plate or pose in a fruit bowl and they steal the show. They are also feted for their aphrodisiac properties: yup - they are the all-around floozy of the fruit world."

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Fajita Steak Salad

For a large summertime gathering, you want to find a dish to please the crowd with a minimum of fuss. This fajita steak salad offers pleasing grill fare for all without an excess of effort or mess. And it's delicious to boot. Hearty, but not too heavy, this salad is great served alongside grilled corn or cold margaritas for even more summer goodness.

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Bajan Chicken Salad

We are always looking for new and fun salad ideas, and Salmagundi: A Celebration of Salads from around the World has a wide variety to try. This Bajan chicken salad, a recipe from the book, combines allspice, cumin, paprika and oregano with a mix of fresh, bright-tasting ingredients for a unique and refreshing flavor.From the Author: "Bajan food is a beguiling mix of Africa and India and the Caribbean. This recipe is a similar jumble—of all the lovely flavors that we sampled on our trip."

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Northwest Watermelon Salad

Sweet, savory and salt combine perfectly in this refreshing summer watermelon salad with Emerald City Seasoning. Our signature spice blend allows the flavors of the food to shine through with just a subtle seasoning. This is a perfect side dish for any backyard BBQ because it takes only minutes to prepare and you don't even have to turn on the stove. So get out there and enjoy summer! 

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