Sequestration Meal #677

 

More on my journey of mild pantry challenge--it makes sense to me, I'll explain as we go--I have here a tortilla I've toasted, some quinoa mujadara (recipe from Tory Avey), a salad popular across the Middle East, but which in the recipe I used (from Urban Farm and Kitchen) is called "Jerusalem Salad," and some zucchini dip (recipe from Feasting at Home).

I could have made flatbread, but needed to use the tortilla; it isn't authentic but it worked.

So how is this a pantry challenge? I already had the zucchini and it desperately needed using, and I was really excited to find a recipe that promised me that it was basically baba ghanoush but with zucchini rather than eggplant. I also always have quinoa, lentils, and onions, but I happened to have plain non-dairy Greek yogurt on hand, too, so quinoa mujadara it was! The salad was all fresh ingredients, but hey, I had money in the budget for fresh herbs and fancy cucumbers and tomatoes because I was otherwise focused on what I had.

This was pretty great! I accidentally put too much water in the quinoa and lentils--I was halving the recipe but didn't halve the water--so I can't really judge it as well because I think it ended up a lot less flavorful that way. However, adding the caramelized onions was a great flavor booster, plus the non-dairy yogurt, and ultimately I enjoyed it.

That zucchini dip is something I'd definitely make again. It lived up to its promises, and I could sauté zucchini in a pan rather than roasting an eggplant. I love eggplant and I love baba ghanoush, but this is good, too, and easier, so it wins for today.