Power Protein Potato Hash

Dressing up your favorite starchy friend

The Goods:

Potatoes – 8 roasted pounds of them, to be exact. 

Why? Because for my dad, convenience is the holy grail of all culinary pursuits. If a recipe involves too much chopping, prepping, or clean up – forget it. “I don’t care if Christ’s coming to dinner,” he’ll say. It’s just not gonna happen.

Some days, though, he’ll get on a roll: slicing and dicing everything in the fridge and packing it up into neat stacks of Tupperware. With most of the prep work done in advance, early morning omelets or afternoon salads come together in a matter of minutes. 

Short on ingredients? Sub in some zucchini, squash, broccoli, or pinto beans.

So I wasn’t surprised to find enough potatoes to feed an Irish army when I was trolling through the family fridge this past weekend. Roasted and lightly seasoned, they were mine for the taking/making. With an afternoon of swimming in 100 degree heat before me, I needed something filling yet bikini-friendly. 

And so, of course, I grabbed a can of beans (because let’s be real, a little bloating won’t hold me back) and my vegan Power Protein Potato Hash was born.

The Recipe:

Get started by dicing 3 large russet potatoes into small squares. Toss the diced potatoes with EVOO, sea salt, pepper and garlic power. Freshly pressed garlic and parsley would work wonderfully, as well. Spread your potatoes into a flat layer on a large baking sheet and roast at 350 degrees, flipping every 10-15 minutes for about 45 minutes total. 

As your potatoes are roasting, grab and prep:

• ½ red onion, finely chopped
• 1 TBSP EVOO
• 1 can kidney beans (14.5 oz)
• 1 ear corn, de-kernelled
• 1 Portobello mushroom, sliced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 6 cherry tomatoes, quartered
• Pinch of red pepper flakes
• ½ avocado, sliced
• Salsa & cilantro for garnish

Remove the potatoes from the oven when they’re fork-soft. In a skillet over medium heat, heat the EVOO and add the onion. Let cook for 1-2 minutes. Add the mushroom and bell pepper and let cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring regularly. Incorporate ½ can kidney beans, corn, and cherry tomatoes, cooking for another 3 minutes. Finally, add in the potatoes, toss in your red pepper flakes and season with sea salt and pepper. 

Top it off with avocado slices, roughly chopped cilantro and a few scoops of your favorite salsa. If you want an even bigger protein boost, add in some sliced vegetarian sausage. 

Breakfast, my dears, is served!

Easy There Avocado Toast

Because an avocado a day is the way to stay sane

The Mood:

Working from home: the fantasy is a familiar, ya? Waking late, answering emails in your yoga pants and eating an inspired vegan breakfast on the back porch.

Riiiight.

Avocado-hummus toast isn't only for frantic madwomen...
it's the light-lunch of champions.

After this morning’s frantic few hours in my home office (more accurate: kitchen table), lunchtime had come and gone. Around 1:30, when the current of emails calmed and I found myself on the verge of a hanger meltdown (hanger = hunger-anger, a dangerous condition, indeed) I needed something quick and clean. 

Because, I guess, there's no time for washing dishes when you're working from home. 

The Method:

This recipe is like the LBD of food: simple, streamlined and supremely adaptable. There’s nothing you can’t wear eat it with.

To get started, grab some:

• Crusty whole grain bread
• Hummus
• Arugula or sprouts
• Avocado
• Tomato
• Garlic powder
• Salt & pepper

...and do your thang. Dice it, slice it, turn it into anything that makes sense in the moment. If you don’t have these exact ingredients on hand, try out any of these alternative toppings:

• Cucumber                                                       
• Shredded carrot                                             
• Red onion                                                       
• Cilantro   
• Hot sauce
• Guacamole
• Bell pepper
• Your favorite veggie deli meat 

Dig into the fridge and use your imagination. It’s nearly impossible to go wrong!

Root - Inspired Food & Juicery Restaurant Review

No frills, but plenty of flavor

Root ∙ 487 Cambridge Street ∙Allston, MA

Opening their doors on July 9 in the space previously occupied by the much beloved Peace o’ Pie, Root has big shoes to fill. Yet based on my visit just 48 hours after the grand opening, I suspect Root is going to do more than hold its own – with fantastic food, friendly staff and an inspired space, Root is poised for success. Like FoMu, a nearby vegan ice-cream shop by Deena Jalal, Allston’s top vegan visionary, Root has veggie-friendly food service on lockdown. 

The food:

Root offers a fully vegan menu of down-to-earth café fare. Sandwiches, salads, juices and to-die-for fries are reasonably priced and served in generous portions. Where the menu lacks in length, it makes up for in fresh flavor and downright deliciousness. And be sure to come hungry, because the portions are impressive.

The Roasted Root salad, served on a bed of arugula and dressed with fresh fennel and balsamic, is surprisingly filling – even the half size portion. This salad is a perfect balance of subtly sweet red beets and a citrus smack of diced orange. At $5, it’s a steal.

Root's 5-star Sweet Potato Quesadilla

Then there’s the Sweet Potato Quesadilla ($7), boasting a blend of sweet potato, kale and sautéed onion. Here again, Root doesn’t skimp on size. The quesadilla was cut into four large slices, each delicately crisped and veggie-packed with an ever-so-slight layer of cheeze hugging it together. A side of thyme dipping sauce added a touch of creaminess where the cheeze left off. Comfort food incarnate, you've been looking for this quesadilla for your entire vegan life, promise.

The scene & service:

Here’s where it may get tricky. Root can seat about 25 people, and on my Thursday night visit, it was packed to capacity. Seating seems iffy, especially at peak hours. Since the space is cozy, there’s nowhere to wait for a table without lurking over the shoulder of at least two diners.

Root also offers fresh juices
made to order. The Veg Blend (pictured)
contains carrot, kale,beet and lemon.

The staff, however, seems on top of their game – well trained, pleasant and altogether into providing a satisfying experience. After placing my order at the counter - there are no servers, per se – the Roasted Root salad was almost immediately upon me. The quesadilla arrived shortly thereafter, allowing just enough time to enjoy most of the salad without the entrée competing for my attention.

Silverware, water and napkins are self-service, and bussing, too, is each patron’s obligation. Root appears to compost food scraps and napkins, providing two bins and friendly disposal directions.

The upsides of this DIY arrangement: no tipping, quick table turnarounds, and a nod toward urban composting.

The verdict:

Where growing pains can consume a start-up restaurant like Root for months on end, no such spasms were apparent during my visit. As an unpretentious vegan eatery, Root’s laid-back, inclusive ethos is one to aspire toward – and reason to recommend it to your friends, vegans and meat-eaters alike.