small bites: artichoke & sun dried tomato bruschetta

this is the last post of my small bites series, and probably the most simple of 'recipes'.  it's actually just two ingredients, but the end result is super yummy.  i love artichoke hearts on... everything.  i want to create twist on the standard tomato bruschetta, and thought artichoke hearts would make a great ingredient to swap in.  and to give it a just another little zing, i used sun dried tomatoes, although i'm sure regular ones would make a nice flavour combo as well. the picture here is half a bowl of simple tomato bruschetta (left) and the artichoke and sun dried tomato on the right.  i didn't want to dirty up all of kim's dishes just for a pic!

• 6 oz. small jar of marinate artichoke hears
• 7-8 sun dried tomatoes, not oil packed

i buy sun dried tomatoes in bulk and just rehydrate them when i need.  in this case, i soaked them in a warm bowl of water for about 25 minutes, and then sliced each one into matchstick size pieces. next, drain the artichoke hearts. if you aren't using the marinated ones in a jar, i would suggest making a marinade of olive oil and some spices and letting them sit for a while.  the pre-marinated ones make this so much easier, though.

and that's it.  combine and let sit for a few hours.  no need to add garlic or other spices, cause the artichoke hearts take care of it for you!   

veggie and kraut pizza

pizza has long been one of my favourite foods. another one my favourites is sauerkraut, and when i went vegan, i found that kraut made a tasty substitute for cheese on pizza. it's not exactly apples to apples in terms of taste, mind you, but it's really worth giving it a shot (if you like kraut). the best part - it crunches up perfectly on the edges.

• 1 batch of pizza crust
  
• 2 handfuls baby spinach
• 1/2 cup artichoke hearts, quartered
• 1/2 red bell pepper, sliced
• 1 tomato, sliced and halved
• 5-6 mushrooms, sliced
• 1/2 cup vegan sausage crumbles
• 10-15 black olives, chopped
• 1 cup of sauerkraut, drained

for the pizza sauce:

• 1 small can tomato paste (6oz)
• 3/4 small can tomato sauce (6oz)
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 1 teaspoon basil
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1-2 teaspoons black pepper
• pinch of salt

jessy of happyveganface recently blogged about her whole wheat pizza dough and i had been dying to give it a shot. the verdict - absolutely perfect! i will definitely use this dough more often.

the pizza sauce recipe listed is my go-to recipe when i haven't really 'planned' on making pizza. i prefer a nice combination of fresh and sun dried tomatoes for my sauce, but sometimes a girl just doesn't have all the fresh ingredients she needs. and it's simple - just whisk up all the ingredients in a bowl. also, i really love black pepper in my sauce. i learned this from my italian grandmother, who i once watched make pizza sauce with a heavy hand of black pepper. her sauce tops mine of course, but i haven't forgotten the special black pepper ingredient. :)

i think everyone knows how to make pizza, so i'll just skip to the best part. after layering your sauce and veggies, drain and hand-squeeze your sauerkraut. spread it thinly over the top of your pizza - much like you would with shredded cheese. if you want the kraut to crunchify, make sure you can still see the veggies below. i've tried it both ways, and i say 'thin to win'...

pop it in the oven at 425°f, and let cook for at least 12 minutes. usually i just eyeball it after this, depending on how thick it is, and how crispy you like it.

mediterranean pasta

i love this pasta dish because it changes up the standard noodle and sauce combo. it wants to be a pasta salad, but has enough weight to make it a full meal. plus, i'm sucker for anything with artichoke hearts.

• 8 oz. ziti or rigatoni
• 1 can diced tomatoes (14.5 oz)
• 1 small can tomato sauce (8 oz)
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 can black olives
• 1 can artichoke hearts, quartered

as an italian, i must encourage you to use fresh tomatoes if you have them. alas, it is winter here in the midwest, and we don't have fresh tomatoes around too often. so heat your tomatoes (canned or fresh) with tomato sauce for about 10 minutes on medium-high. start boiling the ziti according to directions on package. after sauce has just started to simmer, add black olives, garlic and artichoke hearts. simmer on low for about 5-10 minutes more, until the ziti is done. mix the sauce, olive oil, balsamic vinegar and rigatoni together.

makes about 3 dinner servings.

chickpea, sun dried tomato & artichoke salad

i posted a feta recipe in my last post, and that yumminess found a home in this recipe. i'm always looking for new ways to mix up chickpeas, and this sort of just came together. i think it would be great for a potluck or holiday dinner, as this recipe makes quite a bit. and if you haven't tried miso mayo, you should give it a shot. it definitely has a unique flavour, but in small amounts, it's pretty dang tasty!


ingredients:

• 1 ½ cups dry chickpeas (about 3 cups cooked)
• 1 ¼ cups sun dried tomatoes (preferably not oil-packed)
• 1 can (14oz.) artichoke hearts
• 1/2 cups black olives, sliced
  
• 6 oz. vegan feta

dressing:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespoon stoneground mustard
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup miso mayo, original

combine all ingredients except feta in a large bowl. if you prefer, you can mix up the dressing ingredients in a separate bowl and pour over the mixture. i take the lazy way and just throw all the dressing components in with the rest of the salad, stirring as i go. add the tofu last since it will be the most delicate and susceptible to crumbling. toss gently a few times after adding the tofu. chill for at least two hours, really letting the flavours meld. serve up just like a pasta salad.

as a side dish, i think this would serve about 8 (or more if they are super-small-helping types of folk). :)