Vegan Roasted Cauliflower Pizza with Caramelized Onions:

Soooo...this pizza is really good.

Ingredients:

1 premade pizza crust (I used Pillsbury)

4 1/2 cups cauliflower, cut into small florets

2 medium to large yellow onions, sliced

5 cloves garlic, smashed and coarsely chopped

1/2 cup Panko breadcrumbs

2 tbsp. vegan butter (I used Earth Balance brand)

1 tbsp. olive oil, divided

2-3 tsp. salt (to taste)

Dash of black pepper

Dash of cayenne pepper

Dash of cumin

Instructions:

1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Add the cauliflower, vegan butter, 4 cloves of garlic, black pepper, cayenne pepper,  cumin, and a teaspoon of salt to a medium roasting pan. Drizzle with 2 teaspoons of olive oil and roast for about 12 minutes.

2. Remove roasting pan from the oven and stir the cauliflower, adding a dash of salt or two if necessary. Return the pan to the oven and continue roasting for another 5 to 10 minutes, until tender and a little browned.

3. While the cauliflower is roasting, caramelize the onions: add the onions, 1/2 tablespoon olive oil, a few dashes of salt, and one garlic clove to a large pan. Cook on medium heat until tender and sweet, 15 to 20 minutes.

4. Grease a pizza pan and lay the pizza dough out on the pan. Drizzle with olive oil. Follow the baking instructions for the crust. You may have to pre-bake it for a few minutes before adding the toppings.

5. Once the onions and cauliflower are done and once you have pre-baked the pizza dough, add a layer of onions to the pizza dough, followed by a layer of cauliflower, and then a layer of onions.

6. Top with Panko breadcrumbs, drizzle with olive oil, and continue baking for the recommended amount of time. (I baked mine for an additional 10 minutes after pre-baking my dough for 5 minutes).*

*I used Pillsbury Thin Crust Pizza Dough. The instructions said to pre-bake the dough on 400 for 5 minutes, add the toppings, and then continue baking for another 6 to 10 minutes.

Vegan Oven Roasted Rosemary Potatoes:

Guaranteed to make your kitchen smell delicious. These oven-roasted potatoes won't disappoint. The garlic, lemon, and herbs provide a robust and comforting flavor that will keep your taste buds happy. I used white potatoes for this particular recipe, but redskin potatoes will also work. As a side, serve  arugula salad with balsamic or red wine vinaigrette. It compliments these potatoes well.

Ingredients:

4 1/2 cups white potatoes, diced into 1/4 inch pieces

1 yellow onion, diced
1/3 cup fresh parsley, chopped

3 or 4 cloves garlic, chopped

2 tbsp. olive oil

1 tbsp. vegan buttery spread

1 to 2 tsp. dried rosemary

1 tsp. dried thyme

1/2 Kosher salt (or to taste)
1/2 tsp. lemon juice

1/4 tsp. black pepper

1/4 tsp. paprika

Vegan Parmesan (optional - to taste)

Serves 6.
Total Cook Time: about 55 minutes.

Instructions:

1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.

2. In a 13 x 9 inch baking pan, mix the potatoes, onion, parsley, garlic, olive oil, buttery spread, lemon juice, rosemary, and thyme together. Sprinkle it with the salt, pepper, and paprika. Toss to coat.

3. Cover with aluminum foil, and bake for 35 to 40 minutes (or until tender), stirring every 10 minutes or so.

4. Once the potatoes are cooked, sprinkle with vegan Parmesan and serve.

Barley Citrus and Tomato Salad:

Sorry for the lack of posts. I was out of town over the weekend, and today, I have been dealing with a cluster headache or migraine for the entire day (not sure which it is, but it sure does hurt). As a result, I am much farther behind than I anticipated. I've tried everything to get rid of this thing: Motrin, ginger water, hot tea, ice, ear drops, a hot shower, sleep, TV (Yes, The Bachelor), vitamin b2...I even ate raw garlic, all to no avail. Oh well. You know what they say, tomorrow's another day. I'm finally starting to feel a bit better, so I couldn't help but post. (It's better than starting school work).

Anyways, this salad has a crisp, refreshing citrus flavor, with the surprising comfort of barley and garlic hidden in there. The pumpkin seeds add a nice crunch, while the cumin lends a hint of Mediterranean flavors. It's a nice and fresh meal that will definitely keep you feeling satisfied and healthy. Hope you like it.

Ingredients:

2 cups water 

1 cup barley, uncooked

1 tomato, diced

1 orange, peeled, seeded, and diced

1/2 cup yellow or red onion, thinly diced

1/3 cup fresh parsley, chopped

Dash of fresh basil, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 tsp. lemon juice

1/8 tsp. lemon zest 

1/3 cup pumpkin seeds

1/2 tsp. Kosher salt, divided (or to taste)

Dash of cayenne pepper

Dash of paprika

Dash of cumin

Serves 2.

Total Cook Time: 20 minutes. 

Instructions:

1. In a medium saucepan, bring the water to a boil. Stir in the barley, 1/4 tsp. of salt, and fresh garlic. Continue cooking until the water is absorbed, about 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally.

2. While the barley is cooking, chop up your veggies. Add the diced tomato, orange, onion, parsley, and basil to a medium bowl. Mix together. Add in the lemon juice, lemon zest, pumpkin seeds, 1/4 tsp. salt, cayenne, paprika, and cumin. Toss to coat.

3. Once the barley is cooked, stir it in with the salad, or you can just serve the salad on top of the barley.

Does anyone know of any good (and easily-accessible) home remedies for cluster headaches or migraines? Though I rarely have to deal with headaches like this, it would be nice to have something on-hand to help on days like today. I'm sure it would also be helpful to share with those who have to deal with these crippling headaches on a daily basis.