sun on the table

A cold and sunny day we got. When I had lunchtime I wasn't sure if I should go home for half an hour or stay in the city. As it was so cold I went home for a short time. Mostly I went home, cause my cats had no "breakfast" and I assumed they must be hungry and so I went home to feed them. They weren't that hungry as I expected. One cat was really tired and ate really slow.

For lunch I ate some breadleaves with my leftover spread I made the day before.


Creamy Tapenade Spread

Ingredients
1 small garlic clove
1/4 heaping cup sun-dried tomatoes, drained
1/3 heaping cup mixed pitted Spanish & kalamata olives, drained
1 1/2 cup vegan cream cheese
a generous handful of fresh flat leaf parsley and basil
(2) large soft french bread loaves, cut diagonally (to serve)

Instructions
Pulse the garlic clove in the food processor by itself. Add and pulse the rest of the ingredients. Spread on soft French bread and say “Wow, this is marvelous!”

Makes about 3 Cups. Store in the fridge.

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Zucchini Noodles with Arrabiata Chickpea Sauce

Ingredients

Arrabiata sauce

1 small onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil

1/2 tsp dried red pepper flakes

1 red bell pepper, chopped

3 or 4 diced tomatoes, seeded, with juice

2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained

Zucchini pasta

2 to 3 zucchinis

olive oil

sea salt

black pepper

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. In a large pan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic and sauté until the onion starts to caramelize, which will take about 10 minutes. Add the pepper flakes and red pepper and cook until the pepper softens, about 2 minutes.
2. Add the tomatoes and heat until the sauce begins to simmer. Lower heat and cook (uncovered) until thickened, about 15 minutes. Stir frequently.
3. Slice the ends off two to three zucchinis. Use a vegetable peeler to shave off strips of zucchini. It’s easier than you think it’ll be.
4. On a baking sheet, layer the zucchini a few layers deep, and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle some freshly ground black pepper on top.
5. Bake for about ten minutes, until the zucchini has lost its crunch.
6. Back to the sauce: stir in the basil and chickpeas. Add salt and pepper, to taste. Cook about 5 more minutes, until everything is heated through. Serve generous portions of zucchini pasta topped with arrabiata sauce!