Zucchini Pasta with Homemade Tomato Sauce

In my effort to cut gluten out of our diet and do something with all the zucchinis in my garden I decide to try out zucchini pasta.  I’ve had it a time or two before but for whatever reason this time I really enjoyed it more than ever.  So here is it zucchini pasta, a healthier way to eat!

What You’ll Need:

2 pounds zucchini
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
Fresh Tomato Sauce (recipe to follow)

Use a vegetable peeler to cut the zucchini into lengthwise ribbons. Peel off several from one side, then turn the zucchini and peel off more. Continue to turn and peel away ribbons until you get to the seeds at the core of the zucchini. Discard the core. You can also do this on a mandolin, adjusted to a very thin slice.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. When oil is hot, add the zucchini and salt. Toss and stir the zucchini while cooking, for two to three minutes, until softened and beginning to turn translucent. Adjust salt and add freshly ground pepper to taste, and transfer to a serving dish. Serve, topping with tomato sauce

Fresh Tomato Sauce

What You’ll Need:

1 Tablespoon olive oil

½ medium onion, diced about 1 cup

½ dried basil

Salt and Pepper

3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

¼ cup dry red wine

1 ½ pounds fresh tomatoes, chopped

1 bay leaf

Heat oil in medium sauce pan, add onion, basil, ½ teaspoon salt and a few pinches of pepper.  Saute until onion is soft, about 7-8 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes. Then add red wine and simmer a minute or two, when the pan is almost dry add tomatoes and bay leaf.  Reduce to low and cook for 30 minutes.

Braised Red Cabbage and Apples with Dijon Mustard Marinated Tempeh

I had this dish at Holy Cow, a local restaurant here in Eugene. It was so beautiful and delicious that I attempted to recreate it. It turned out great! The flavors are simple yet amazing. It does take a bit of time, but it’s completely worth it.

What you’ll need:

1 garlic clove, smashed
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 large head of red cabbage (about 2 pounds), cored and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
1-2 Gala or Fuji apple, cored and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/2 cup unfiltered apple cider
2 whole allspice (optional), crushed
1 1/2 tablespoons apple-cider vinegar

For Mashed Potatoes

Potatoes
Soy Milk
Earth Balance
Salt and Pepper

What you’ll do:

Cook garlic in butter in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium heat, stirring, 1 minute. Add cabbage, apple, cider, allspice (if using), 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until cabbage is tender, 15 to 18 minutes.

Add vinegar and cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until liquid has evaporated, 2 to 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

In the meantime you can prepare you mashed potatoes. No recipe necessary (I assume).

Dijon Mustard Marinated Tempeh

What you’ll need:

½ pound plain tempeh
½ cup apple juice or locally pressed apple cider
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon tamari
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons raw apple cider vinegar

What you’ll do:

Cut tempeh into 4 even rectangles. Then slice each one in half horizontally, re-stack each half and cut into triangles. Repeat with the 3 remaining pieces.

Place tempeh triangles into a baking dish in a single layer

Place the apple juice, Dijon mustard, tamari, oil and vinegar into a bowl and whisk until emulsified. Pour over tempeh and allow to marinate for 30 minutes or longer.

Pre heat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Bake tempeh for 30 to 45 minutes or until the marinade has been absorbed and the top is golden brown.

To assemble:

Place a scoop or two of the mashed potatoes in the center of the plate. Spoon the braised cabbage and apples around the outside of the mashed potatoes. Add the tempeh triangles into the mashed potatoes. Your guest will be so impressed with the artistic look and delicious flavors.

J and J Pad Thai

Jaime has always been great at experimenting with Asian foods, so when she told me we’d be making Pad Thai for dinner - I wasn’t surprised. The end result was incredible! Consequently, Pad Thai has turned into a family favourite. It’s so simple and pleasing. So if you’re one of those individuals who always orders Pad Thai when dining out, or you just love Asian recipes, then this one is for you!

What You’ll Need:

8 oz. dried Pad Thai rice noodles, OR enough for 2 people (linguini-width)
Tofu cut into cubes and fried

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 medium onion, finely chopped

Chinese cabbage or Bok Choy, roughly chopped

Broccoli, chopped

2-3 carrots, chopped
2 cups bean sprouts
2 green onions, sliced
Fresh coriander/cilantro
1/4 cup ground (or well-chopped) peanuts (OR substitute cashews or slivered almonds)

PAD THAI SAUCE:

3/4 Tbsp. tamarind paste (available at Asian/East Indian food stores)

1/4 cup hot water
3 1/2 Tbsp. soy sauce, we like Braggs Liquid Amino (or gluten-free soy sauce)
1/2 to 2 tsp. chili sauce (to taste), OR 1-2 fresh red chilies, minced
3 Tbsp. brown sugar or 2 palm kernels
3 Tbsp. smooth peanut butter

OTHER:

3-4 Tbsp. oil for stir-frying 2-3 Tbsp. vegetable stock
lime wedges for serving

What You’ll Do:

I like to make my sauce first so it’s ready when everything else has been cooked. Start by dissolving the tamarind paste in the hot water. Add the other sauce ingredients and stir well to dissolve the sugar. Add as much or as little chili sauce as you prefer, but don't skimp on the sugar (you’ll need it to balance the sourness of the tamarind). Reserve.

Bring a pot of water to a boil and remove from heat. Soak noodles in the hot water for 6-10 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water. Tip: Noodles are ready to drain when they are soft enough to eat, but still firm and a little bit "crunchy". The noodles will finish cooking when they are fried.

Place your wok (or large frying pan) over medium-high heat. Add 1-2 Tbsp. oil plus the garlic and onions. Stir-fry 1 minute to release the fragrance. Add broccoli and carrots and cook for 3-5 minutes.

Add the Bok Choy plus the stock. Stir-fry 2 minutes, or until Bok Choy is bright green and slightly softened. Add fried tofu.

Now add the drained noodles and 1/3 of the sauce. Stir-fry everything together for 1 minute using 2 utensils and a tossing motion (like tossing a salad).

Add a little more sauce and continue stir-frying in the same way for 1-2 more minutes, or until the noodles begin to soften and become sticky. Reduce heat to medium if noodles begin to stick and burn.

Add the bean sprouts plus the remaining sauce. Stir-fry to incorporate everything together for 1-3 more minutes, or until noodles are done. Noodles are cooked to perfection when they are soft but still deliciously chewy and a little bit sticky.

To serve, scoop noodles onto a serving platter. Sprinkle with the green onion, coriander/cilantro, and ground nuts. Add wedges of fresh-cut lime on the side. Serve immediately and ENJOY!

Salad Rolls

Salad Rolls are a healthy alternative to spring rolls. They make a great appetizer, snack or the perfect lunch. I made these this weekend and they turned out just great. Quick and easy with so much flavor. What more could you ask for?

The great thing about salad rolls is really you can add any veggies (or even fruit) that you like. So what are you waiting for? Get moving and make some salad rolls!

What You’ll Need:

1 package of baked tofu (I liked the teriyaki one)
1 cucumber, remove the seeds and cut into thin strips
2-3 medium carrot, shredded
1 mango, cut into thin strips
Salad greens
Large round rice paper wrappers
Dipping Sauces of choice (I like the Sweet Chili sauce and Plum sauce) or better yet stay tuned for our peanut sauce

What You’ll Do:

Soften 1 rice paper wrapper by immersing in warm water until soft (about 10-20 sec), carefully remove and place flat on a large plate or cutting board. Be careful not to let the paper fold on itself when removing the wrapper from the water.

Place veggies in the middle of the wrapper, making sure not to add too much. Roll rice paper as you would a burritos, tucking in the sides, it should stick to itself easily. Repeat for the remaining wrappers.

Cut in half and serve with your favorite dipping sauce.

Spinakopita

Growing up on the east coast gave me the opportunity to experience many diverse ethnic cuisines. As a child, Greek Diner’s became one of my favorite places to frequent. My grandmother used to bring me (regularly) to ‘Penny’s Greek Diner’ in Norwalk, CT. We went there so often that eventually the owners had no need to take our order - they just brought out our meals.

Later on in life when I began dating my husband, my grandma just had to invite him along to our special Greek Diner. Wouldn’t you know he quickly discovered his favorite dish too- ‘Spanakopita’, Greek Spinach Pie. He shared with me (reluctantly) and it became my favorite as well.

After moving to Oregon, we actively sought out Greek restaurants to test their versions of our favorite dish, but none compared. Many disappointments later, we realized we needed to learn how to make this specialty on our own to satisfy the cravings. Thankfully, Mollie Katzen, author of Moosewood Cookbook, had just the recipe we were looking for. We’ve made some modifications, but our version is originally adapted from her recipe. So here it is - an old time favorite that my children and all of my friends seem to enjoy just as much as we do.

What you’ll need:

1-2 Tbs Olive oil
About 2 cups of chopped onions
¼ tsp salt
1 Tbs basil
1 Tbs oregano
2 pounds of fresh spinach, stemmed and chopped
5-6 cloves or garlic, minced
3 Tbs flour
About 1 pound feta, crumbled
1 cup of cottage cheese
Black pepper
Phyllo - defrosted
Additional olive oil for Phyllo

What you’ll do:
Pre-heat oven to 375. Oil a 9X13 baking dish.

Heat olive oil in a large sautépan. Add onions, salt, basil, oregano and sauté for about 5 minutes or until onions are soft. Add spinach a handful at a time, cook for about 8-10 minutes. Stir in garlic.

Sprinkle in flour, stir in and cook for 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat. Mix in cheeses. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Place a sheet of Phyllo in the oiled dish. Brush lightly with oil and add another sheet. Continue this process until you have 6-8 sheets, this will give you a nice crisp bottom layer. Add half the filling, spreading it evenly over the entire sheets of Phyllo. Then add 6-8 more layers of Phyllo followed by the remaining filling. Layer the remaining Phyllo over the filling. Oil top and cook uncovered for 45 minutes or until golden brown.

Serve hot and top with Tsaziki.

Shish Kabobs

Colorful, healthy and delicious! What more could you ask for in a meal?

We love shish kabobs. They are simple, quick and flexible. Yes flexible! You can use whatever veggies and/or fruit you have on hand (yes I said fruit). They can be cooked on the grill or right in your oven. Get your kids involved - trust me they will love creating their own kabob, each one is different and unique (just like your littles). Oh and did I mention how much fun they will have painting them? Yep, painting the Kabobs! So what are you waiting for? Grab your favorite marinade and veggies, and then get cooking!

What you’ll need:


Marinade – We like Sweet Baby Ray’s BBQ sauce
Tofu- cut in cubes
Mushrooms -sliced in half
Grape tomatoes
Red onions - cut in large chunks
Zucchini - thick slices
Pineapple (fresh is best) - cut in large chunks
Bell peppers (use yellow and orange to add more color ) -cut into large chunks
Any other veggies or fruit of your choice
Wooden skewers

Marinate your tofu for about one hour in the fridge, make sure to flip the container about half way through so that the tofu gets completely covered. In the meantime cut up your veggies.
Now you are ready to assemble your kabobs. Take your skewer and add one ingredient at a time. The order doesn’t really matter and each one will be different and unique.

Oven version:
Place skewers on a cookie sheet and paint additional marinade over veggies. Broil on high until nice and crispy golden. Flip and repeat.

Grill version:
Place skewers on grill and paint additional marinade over veggies. Grill until nice and crispy golden. Flip and repeat.

Red Quinoa with Veggies

Red what? Red Quinoa (keen-wa). It's a grain. And a really good one too, according to the ancient Incas who believed the crop to be sacred and termed it,"Mother of all grains". Yep, we looked it up on Wikipedia. We like research, what can we say.

We have been using Quinoa for quite some time now. In our opinion, it's a good rice replacement, and goes perfectly with tofu and veggies.

This recipe is a recent creation and went over real well with the little ones. In addition to it's excellent taste, Quinoa is loaded with protein for all of you vegan/veggies out there who worry about getting enough in your diet.

So get your bowls ready....here comes a yummy meal!

What you'll need:

Red Quinoa

Black Beans

1-2 Tsp cumin

1-2 Onions

Cilantro: as much you like (we love it, so use a ton)use at least 1/2 cup

3 cloves of garlic

1 pound firm Tofu pan fried til golden brown in a tsp of sesame oil (or whatever you like)
Lots of Atulfo Mangos - say one for each person eating
Bunch Spinach
Half a Tomato for each person
Avocados

Salsa to taste
Lime to taste
Tortilla Chips as needed to scoop up yummy stuff

Cook Quinoa according to package directions, only, add a vegetable bouillon cube to the water.

Make your own 'refried' black beans, or use canned, put black bean in a large frying pan with some of the liquid, add add onions, cumin, garlic and cilantro and mash. Cook until a nice thick consistency mashing and stirring often.

Put a layer of chopped fresh spinach in the bowl, add quinoa, beans and other toppings to taste. Enjoy!

Portobello Mushroom Burger

What can I say about this mock 'burger' ? Well, it's definitely not a burger. But it certainly looks like a burger.... right? Portobellos make the perfect buns, don't they? If only I brushed them with a bit of olive oil and sprinkled some sesame seeds on top.... oh well, there is always next time. Hey, you can still do it.

This just may be one of my 'top 1o' favourite 'living foods' recipes. I adore Portobello Mushrooms. They go perfectly with our Sun-dried Tomato Cashew Pate and a drizzle (or two) of our classic Original Pesto. Top it off with some mixed greens and fresh cherry tomatoes, add some onions and sliced Avocados and you have yourself a beautiful, nutritious and tasty meal.

Oh, and don't forget, you are what you eat! Seriously, it's true. What's your body made of?

What you'll need:

'Burger':
2 Medium - Large Portobello mushrooms
optional olive oil brushed on top, sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Sun- Dried Tomato Cashew Pate:
Raw Cashews - I don't know how many....I don't measure for raw foods recipes. Throw about a 1/2 cup into a food processor.

Add the following:
One or two cloves of Garlic. Start with one, taste, adjust. You can always add more, but you can't take it away. Use the same principle for the rest.

a dash or two of Sea Salt.
a dash or two of Pepper.

Sun - dried Tomatoes - start with about 7, than taste and add more if you want

Olive Oil - start with a drizzle or two... add more if you need/want to.

Note, If you are using Sun-dried tomatoes in a jar with olive oil, you may not need to add anymore oil.

Process all until you like the consistency and flavor. If you want it thinner, add more olive oil. If you want it thicker, add more nuts. Raw food is sooo easy!

Toppings:
Avocados
Mixed Greens
Cherry Tomatoes
Sliced Onions

Original Pesto Recipe -See former post

Hearty Broccoli Soup

My daughter loves this soup so much that she had four bowls full! That sure is a lot for a 10 1/2 month old. This soup goes well with both the sweet rolls (previously posted) and the upcoming fresh baked 'Peasant Bread'. This recipe is adapted from Grandma Kathy... thanks Grandma. Our whole family loves this, we hope you will too.

Ingredients:

1 bunch of broccoli, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
2 carrots, sliced
2 potatoes, chopped
8 oz of Earth Balance or other vegan butter substitute
1/2 cup flour
2 cups soy milk at room temperature
1 vegetable bouillon cube
1 tsp garlic powder
Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:
Steam broccoli over two cups of water. In a large soup pot melt Earth Balance, add onion, celery and carrots; saute for 5 minutes. Add flour, stirring quickly. Cook for another 2 minutes. Slowly add the liquid from the broccoli, stirring constantly. Add broccoli and remaining ingredients. Mix well and cook over low heat for 1 1/2 - 2 hours. Stir often to prevent scorching.

Sweet Potato and Tomato Salad

A nice accompaniment to Sloppy Joe's, or the perfect dish to bring to a potluck! Grab a big helping, cause this one won't last long!

Dressing:

1/2 cup red win vinegar

3 Tbs olive oil

1 tsp Dijon mustard

Pepper to taste

Salt to taste

Combine ingredients and whisk.
Set aside

Salad

1 large sweet potato, cut into 2 inch thick slices

2 Roma tomatoes, cut into 1/2 cubes

1 green onion, chopped

Chopped walnuts for garnish

Preparation:
Cook Sweet Potatoes for 15 minutes in boiling water ( until tender but not falling apart).
Drain and rinse with cold water.
Add Potatoes and remaining ingredients to the bowl with dressing and toss gently.
Garnish with Walnuts, cover and store in refrigerator until ready to eat.