Brunette Ambition (11 page)

I saw a variation of this pizza recipe in my friend Alicia Silverstone’s excellent guide to veganism,
The Kind Diet
—my version is a little less healthy. I use store-bought whole wheat pizza shells—make sure that you check the packaging of your crust to see if it needs to be cooked a bit before you add the toppings.

1 12-inch premade whole wheat pizza shell

1 head radicchio, finely shaved (if it’s a large head, use half; I shave mine with a mandoline, but be careful not to cut your fingers!)

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon kosher salt

2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon olive oil

Parmesan cheese

1 egg

1 teaspoon truffle oil (optional)

1.
Preheat the oven to 400˚F.

2.
Cook the pizza dough as the directions dictate.

3.
Place the radicchio in a Ziploc bag with the lemon juice, kosher salt, and 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, and shake until it’s well mixed.

4.
Layer the top of the premade pizza crust with the radicchio mixture and bake until it gets crispy (you can also put it on an outdoor grill). This should take about 10 minutes.

5.
Shave Parmesan cheese over the top until the pizza is covered, and continue to bake until the cheese melts, about 2 minutes.

6.
Heat the remaining 1 teaspoon olive oil in a skillet over medium heat.

7.
When the pan is hot, break the egg into the skillet and cook for 2 minutes.

8.
When the pizza is almost finished (the radicchio will be getting crispy at this point), use a spatula to add the sunny-side-up egg (the yolk should be a bit runny) to the top of the pizza and bake for 2 minutes more.

9.
If you like, add a drizzle of truffle oil over top before serving.

Quinoa Pasta + Marinara

3 tablespoons olive oil

½ onion, chopped

4 garlic cloves, minced

2 cans whole peeled tomatoes (I use San Marzano)

Kosher salt

1 pound quinoa pasta

Parmesan cheese, freshly grated

1.
Set a large pot over medium-high heat.

2.
Add the olive oil to the heated pot.

3.
Add the onion and garlic and cook until the onion is slightly translucent, about 5 minutes.

4.
Add the tomatoes and lower the heat to medium. Season with salt to taste.

5.
Cook for about an hour, stirring occasionally and pressing the tomatoes up against the side of the pan to crush them. When ready, the sauce should have a nice, thick consistency.

6.
Meanwhile, boil water for the pasta with 1 tablespoon of kosher salt.

7.
Cook the pasta according to the directions on the package for al dente doneness; drain and transfer to a serving bowl or platter.

8.
Pour the sauce over the pasta and top with Parmesan cheese before serving.

DAY 2

BREAKFAST

Tofu Scramble + Ezekiel Toast

1 2 × 4-inch slab firm tofu

½ teaspoon salt (or to taste)

½ teaspoon black pepper (or to taste)

2 slices rice cheese

2 pieces Ezekiel toast

2 tablespoons salsa

¼ avocado, sliced

1.
Set a pan on over medium heat and let it warm.

2.
Mash the tofu roughly with a fork and add it to the pan.

3.
Add the salt, pepper, and cheese, and stir with a spatula.

4.
Heat for about 3 minutes, or until the cheese is melted.

5.
Layer the mixture over the Ezekiel toast, and top with the salsa and avocado.

LUNCH

Veggie Wrap

This is a very fast and nutritious option for a busy day—I always have these staples in my fridge for a quick power lunch.

¼ cup hummus

1 spinach tortilla

1 cup arugula

¼ red bell pepper, sliced

¼ orange bell pepper, sliced

¼ yellow bell pepper, sliced

1 celery stalk, sliced

¼ cup fresh cilantro leaves, torn

½ lemon

1 teaspoon salt

1.
Spread the hummus on the spinach tortilla and add the arugula, peppers, celery, and cilantro.

2.
Squeeze the lemon across the mixture, sprinkle the salt over top, and roll up the tortilla.

When I want to be super-healthy, I use a collard leaf instead of the spinach tortilla.

DINNER

French-Style Lentil Soup

I love to top a simple but hearty lentil soup with a layer of melted Gruyère cheese—it’s my own spin on French onion soup!

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 onion, finely chopped

2 carrots, diced

2 celery stalks, diced

1 cup canned lentils, rinsed

6 cups vegetable stock

Salt

Black pepper

¼ cup grated Gruyère

1.
Set a stockpot over medium-high heat and add the olive oil.

2.
Add the onion and sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes.

3.
Add the carrots and celery and sauté for 2 minutes.

4.
Stir in the lentils and sauté for 1 minute.

5.
Add the vegetable stock (you can swap in water if you like your soup to taste less rich), bring the mixture to a boil, and then reduce the heat to low.

6.
Let simmer for 30 minutes.

7.
Preheat the oven to 200˚F.

8.
Season with salt and pepper to taste.

9.
Ladle the soup into an oven-safe bowl, add the cheese, and pop into the oven until the cheese is melted, about 2 minutes.

DAY 3

BREAKFAST

Egg White Frittata

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped

1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped

¼ onion, chopped

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

8 egg whites (you can separate eggs or buy egg whites in a carton)

½ cup crumbled feta cheese

8 ounces fresh spinach

1.
Preheat the oven to 375˚F.

2.
Heat the olive oil in a heavy oven-safe skillet over medium-low heat.

3.
Add the bell peppers and onion and sauté until tender, about 7 minutes.

4.
Sprinkle the mixture with the salt and black pepper.

5.
Pour the egg whites into the skillet and cook for 3 minutes.

6.
Sprinkle the feta and spinach over top.

7.
Put the skillet in the oven and bake, uncovered, for 8 to 10 minutes.

8.
Loosen the edges of the frittata with a rubber spatula and then invert onto a plate.

LUNCH

Veggie Lentil Burger

1 cup dry lentils, picked over and rinsed