Fat and Happy originally started because I have a bad memory when it comes to creating recipes; I’ll make something great and then forget what it was or how I made it or exactly what I used. So now I have a very sophisticated process: I keep track of my ingredients by scratching down notes on a piece of paper. Then ultimately I type up my notes into the blog. My house is filled with hundreds of notebooks and piles of loose paper with chicken-scratch writing and food stains on them.
But there are times when I fall back to my old ways, when I assume I will remember all the random stuff I threw in. Then before I know it a couple of days go by, I use up a few brain cells at work and at play and BAM! I forgot I made this dip at all.
My friends reminded me it was good. Whew!
I’m fairly certain this recipe is close but feel free to try it out and tell me. Perhaps you will want add a little more of this or a little less of that. Be creative, try out a few things, deviate from the recipe and make it your own. That, my friends, is Fat and Happy cooking!
Grilled Vegetables
- Olive oil
- Salt and pepper
- Fresh Thyme
- An assortment of vegetables, I used:
- Sweet and white potato
- Zucchini
- Beets
- Broccoli (I use the stems and all)
- Cabbage (cut into a wedge to grill)
- Mushroom
Cut the vegetables into large chunks or strips. Toss with a good glug of olive oil, a few turns of fresh black pepper and a handful of fresh thyme. Grill the vegetables on high heat and remove when desired doneness is reached. I like my grilled veggies to have some crunch to them but cook to your liking.
Sprinkle with salt and serve warm or room temperature with the Carrot Basil Dip.
Carrot Basil Dip
- 2 carrots, chopped
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 3 tablespoons red onion, chopped fine
- 1 celery stalk, chopped fine
- 5 – 10 fresh basil leaves
- 1/4 cup water or broth
- 1 teaspoon chaat masala
- salt and pepper
In a small sauce pan, drizzle a tablespoon of olive oil and add in the carrots, red onion, celery and chaat masala. Cook until tender. Add in the water or broth to deglaze the pan and then remove from heat. Let cool slightly before pouring into a blender. Blend to combine, drizzling in a little olive oil as needed to reach desired consistency.
I let my mixture be thicker for a dip and served it next to the vegetables. You can also use this like a dressing or vinaigrette and toss the veggies with it—Your choice.
Fat and Happy Food Blog Tips and Techniques: If you don’t have a grill, roast the vegetables in the oven instead.
For more recipes, go to Monique’s blog: FatandHappyBlog.com