Spinach Pesto Lasagna

Considering I had never made Lasagna before in my life and I have to change each recipe drastically because of my allergies, I was not too sure how this one would turn out.  Specially when I ran out of stuffing half way though and improved (I’ve adjusted the recipe below for that!).  I assured Manuel multiple times that take out was only a call away.  But ALAS!  IT turned out so good I was kinda disappointed, because now I’m going to have to make this instead of my husband making his.   Bake time is about 35 minutes, but all together it takes about an hour, 20 or so of actual work and the rest baking.  You cna also make this lower in fat by using low fat ingredients.

What you need:
One package of uncooked wheat lasagna noodles
3 tablespoons of olive oil
garlic powerer (or you can use the real thing)
3 10 oz packages of frozen spinach thawed and squeezed dry
two containers of ricotta cheese, about 4 cups (32 oz)
1 1/2 – 2 cups pesto (if you love the pesto, use more, if not use just 1 1/2 cups)
handfull of Parmesan cheese (again, if you love the stuff, toss in a  little more than a  handful!)
handfull of Pine nuts
4 cups of shredded mozzarella cheese

What you do:
1. Preheat over to 350
2. Cook lasagna noodles according to package, except only boil for about half the time indicated.  They should be partially cooked.

3. In a large skillet heat the olive oil and mix in the garlic or garlic powder.
4.  Add the spinach and stir for about 5 minutes before transferring to a large bowl
5. Add the ricotta cheese, Parmesan, pesto and pine nuts to the spinach and mix very well
6. Spray a 13×9 inch casserole pan with non stick cooking spray (I love the olive oil kind!)
7. Add the noodles slightly overlapping and top with 1/3 of the spinach mixture and 1/3 of the mozzarella, repeat 2-3 times
8. bake that puppy for 35 minutes and then enjoy!

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December 21, 2010

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Lite Orange Sweet Potato Love

I have no words for this one – except the fact it’s requested at every family get together.  Republicans AND democrats can agree on this one!  And you gotta say the name sexy style  The first time I saw it and tried to make it (failed miserably) was a Barbara Walters special and Jody Faster was demonstrating it because she made it every year.   You can use real sugar in place of the Splenda for some extra Holiday calories!

Special tools to help you along:
An Orange Peeler!  A few years ago I peeled the oranges by hand and it took FOREVER!  Get this cheap tool, you’ll thank me!  They are sold pretty much anywhere.

What you need:
6 Oranges
3 cups cooked, mashed sweet potatoes
1 cup Splenda, no calorie sweetener, granulated
1 cup Splenda brown sugar blend
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup butter, softened, divided
1/2 teaspoon all-purpose flour
halved pecans

What you do:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Cut the oranges in half (using the peeler if you have one) and scoop the fruit out leaving a shell
3.  Combine sweet potatoes, sugar, orange juice, eggs, vanilla extract, 1/2 cup butter in a large bowl. Spoon mixture into orange shells. Place in a deep casserole dish.
4. In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine remaining 1/2 cup butter, brown sugar, flour and pecans. Cook until sugar dissolves in melted butter. Spoon over oranges.
5. Fill casserole dish with water to cover the bottom of the oranges, about 1/2 inch
6. Bake  30 minutes.

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December 2, 2010

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Gobble gobble goo and Gobble gobble gickel, I wish turkey Only cost a nickel!

T(of)urkey for me
T(of)urkey for you
Let’s eat the t(of)urkey
In my big brown shoe

Eat that t(of)urkey
All night long
Fifty million Elvis fans
Can’t be wrong

White meat, dark meat
You just can’t lose
I fell off my moped
And I got a bruise

 

But we still love our meat eaters…

And formula drinkers!

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December 2, 2010

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Farfalle Tomato Salad

Quick and easy!  This one keeps for days to make plenty and eat often!  It’s light and quite addicting.  Original recipe calls for only 9 oz of the pasta, but I find that leaves to much beans and corn behind once it’s gone so go ahead and toss in the whole box!  you won’t be sorry!

What you need:
Farfalle Pasta
3-4 medium sized tomatoes, mix up the type if you are really into tomaoto’s
1 1/4 cup frozen corn
Garbanzo beans (chickpeas) 1 can
Artichoke hearts 1 can (in the can, not the jar works much better)
Basil
1/4 cup lime juice (fresh  squeezed is best!)
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp olive oil (or more to taste)
Feta cheese

What you do:
1. Follow directions for Farfalle and make aldente.  Add frozen corn for the last 2 minutes of boil.
2. Combine lime juice, cumin, and olive oil
3. slice tomato’s into bite size chunks
4.  combine tomato’s, artichoke hearts, and garbanzos into the mixture
5. When pasta and corn are ready and drained mix with tomato/lime mixture
6. shred up your basil and add as much as you like
7. Mix it and go!  You can add feta cheese on top for garnish

Hers, Recipe

September 26, 2010

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Portabella mushroom sandwich…mmmmm

Since I’m home with the baby I’ll be posting a lot of great lunch type things, and this has to be one of the best.  It’s easy to make and only takes about 10 minutes, with most of that waiting.  You can get a little crazy and add some more stuff to it to suit your taste.

What you need:
Portabella Mushroom
olive oil
Salt
Pepper
Sun Dried Tomato Basil Pesto
Avocado
Baby Spinach Leaves (optional)
Cheese – your choice Swiss, Mozzarella, etc.
Bread

What you do:
1. Get the broiler on your over started
2. Remove the stem from the mushroom and drizzle both sides with olive oil.  Sprinkle salt and pepper on each side to taste.
3. Broil each side for 4-5 minutes until soft
4. Toast bread and spread with Sun Dried Tomato Pesto
5. Slice mushroom into half inch strips and add to bread
6.  Add avocado, spinach,  and cheese
7. OPTIONAL STEP: IF you have a grilling pan grill each side of the sandwich for a few seconds until cheese melts. Mmmmm…

Enjoy!

Hers, Recipe

10 minutes, avocado, lunch, portabello, sandwich

September 26, 2010

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Spinach, Mushroom and Brocolli Mac&Cheese

YUM!!! This is a great easy recipe that originated from a Cooking Light magazine, but has been modified greatly.  Feel free to add in anything you like!  Make it spicy or add more veggies.  It’s great and so easy to cook!  It’s lower in calories than regular Mac & Cheese if you get low fat items!

What you need:
1 egg
1 cup low fat cottage cheese
3/4 cup low fat sour cream
1/2 cup non fat or low fat milk
2 TBS grated onion
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground pepper
2 cups (8 oz) grated cheese- Choose your favorites here, we did all mozzarella and it was great!
4 cups elbow noodles cooked (12oz uncooked)
1/2 cup dry bread crumbs
2 tbs olive oil
pinch of salt, pepper, and paprika
Baby Spinach chopped
Mushrooms, chopped largely
Broccoli, chopped into small flourettes
What you do:
1. Pre heat the oven to 350.
2. In a bowl mix the egg through the ground pepper until mixed.

3. Add in the cheeses, sour cream, milk and mix.
4. Add in Broccoli, spinach, and mushrooms
5. Fold in the cooked noodles.
6. Spread into a 2 quart casserole pan and pat down to evenly fill the pan.
7. In a small bowl, mix the bread crumbs, butter and salt, pepper, and paprika. Sprinkle over the pasta and cover the pan with foil.
8. Bake for 30 minutes and uncover and bake another five minutes or until the bread crumbs brown.

Hers, Recipe

August 4, 2010

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Brussels and Gnocchi! YUM!

This  is a quick and easy recipe and after making it once you won’t even need to look at the recipe again!  It takes about 10 minutes to make and can be a side or even the main dish if you’re up for something creamy.  This is one of my use your own judgment recipes, where you get to decide for yourself how much of some ingredient to use.  You really can’t mess this up either way.   Steam the Brussels Sprouts ahead of time. I absolutely could not survive without the ziplock steamer bags.  3-4 minutes in there and you are ready to go.    See them here if you aren’t sure what I’m talking about.

What you need:
2 tbsp Olive Oil
1 tbsp unsalted butter
Brussels Sprouts steamed, trimmed, and sliced in half length ways- the original recipe for making this a side dish calls for 8oz, but who knows what 8oz is?  If you are making it for a side then about 15 pieces, more if it’s a main dish.
Potato Gnocchi – original recipe called for Sweet Potato Gnocchi but I have not been able to find this.  Regular potato was fine.
Salt & Pepper to taste
Walnuts
Parmesan cheese

What you do:
1 Heat 2 tbsp of olive oil in a non-stick skillet.  Once heated melt the butter in the skillet and let heat for about a minute.
2 Take steamed sprouts and place them flat side down in the olive oil/butter and let cook until just brown around the edges.  Add salt and pepper to taste and then mix well.
3  Remove from heat.
4 Meanwhile boil gnocchi for 3 minutes or until the rise ot the top of the water.  Leave there for one minute and then with a slotted spoon remove from water and place with Brussels.
5 Mix well with the butter sauce and add the walnuts.  If you enjoy toasted Walnuts you may add them earlier to get them toasty!
6 Once on your plate, top with a little cheese and you are ready to go!

Hers, Recipe

June 4, 2010

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Broccoli Pesto?

And this one will really trick your kids, there’s no trace of that stinky vegetable when your kids see this meal!  This pesto gets it’s green from broccoli and mint, no basil here!  At first the smell got to me so I wasn’t sure it was going to be any good, but it actually was!  Mixed with some (almost) healthy pasta, like the wheat kind, this is an most a healthy meal.  (I typically avoid pasta like the plague (no nutritional value, carbs, etc.), but being pregnant I’m a slave to my cravings and have had pasta constantly!)

What you need:
6 tbsp pine nuts
2 cups broccoli florets
1 1/2 cups loosely packed parsley leaves
1/4 cups plus 2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup mint leaves
4 tsp lemon juice
1 1/2 tsp lemon zest
Parmesan Cheese!  It’s up to you how much you want to sue, I did about 1/4 cup

5 Garlic cloves – or garlic powder for those with my fortunate allergy.
Pasta – whatever you like.  I used Farfalle.

What you do:
1. toast the pine nuts in a skillet over med heat (they burn quickly!) for about 5 minutes or until golden.  Set aside.

2. Steam broccoli is steamer bags (Ziplock steamer bags are amazing!) 2 minutes will do, rinse and drain to cool off
3. Mix it all in the blender – pine nuts, broccoli, parsley, oil, mint, lemon juice, lemon zest, Parmesan and garlic (powder).  Season with salt and pepper if you want.
4. Make you pasta according to directions.  Toss pesto with pasta and get to eating!

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April 19, 2010

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Brocolli Pizza?

Broccoli and Pizza, isn’t that an oxymoron?  Here’s one way to get the kids to eat their broccoli!  Manni saw this on the cover of Vegetarian Times and just had to throw his own flavor into it!  The result was great!  With the white sauce it can be a little heavy, so it’s a one piece type of pizza, but ohhhh it’s worth it!

What you need:
2 tbsp butter
6oz mushrooms
3 cups of broccoli
1 tbsp flour
1 cup soy milk
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
and whatever yo want to do for the crust, make it or buy it already made

What you do:

1. Manni is still not giving up that dough recipe but he’s doing it now with wheat and it’s fabulous.

2. Get your pizza stone ready whit you corn meal and heat it to 425 in the oven
3. Melt 1 1/2 tsp butter in a skillet over med-hi heat.  Add mushrooms and cook for 6 minutes, always stirring.
4. Add broccoli and 1/3 cup of water. Cover and steam for 4 minutes (until tender)

5. In another pan heat 1 1/2 butter on a saucepan over med-hi heat.  Add flour and cook 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
6. Stir in milk and salt and cook 4 minutes, or until it thickens and begins to boil.  Remove from heat!
7.  Stir in 1/4 cup mozzarella and 2 tbsp Parmesan until it’s smooth and cheese melted
8.  By now that oven should be ready,  Place dough on the hot stone
9. Spread white sauce over dough to within 1/2 inch of edge and top with broccoli mixture
10. Sprinkle remaining cheeses over the top
11. Bake 18 to 20 minutes.  The edges will be golden and center hot!

Enjoy!

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April 19, 2010

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Mexican Quinoa Salad

This is a little variation on the Mexican Salad at Spiral Diner.  It’s simply amazing!  You cna put some in a tortilla for a taco, or even scoop it on a chip for a different dip/salsa!  It’s pretty simple to make, too!

What you need:
1 cup uncooked Quinoa
1 mango, peeled and diced
1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 cup of chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons grapeseed oil
1/4 teaspoon of salt
brocolli, 1 cup small florets
1 can black beans, drained

What you do:
1 Take one cup quinoa and bring to a boil in 2 cups of water.  Reduce heat and cook for 12 minutes, or until the water had been sbsorbed.
2. Combine mango, bell pepper and cilantro in mixing bowl.
3. add red wine vinegar, grapeseed oil, and salt and mix well
4. Once the quinoa is cooled add it to the mix
5. Mix in the beans
6. steam your brocolli in a steamer pouch

Serve immediately or let sit for a while to mix flavors!

Recipe, Uncategorized

30 min, vegan

March 30, 2010

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Restaurant Review: Suma Veggie Garden (Richardson, Tx)

Suma Veggie Garden is an awesome little vegan hole in the wall in Richardson, Tx. For lunch, it’s a delightful buffet that serves the some of the best offerings from the dinner menu, such as: sweet n sour chicken, beef and broccoli, hot and sour soup, egg rolls, spicy chicken, steamed veggies, fried rice and tofu curry. Yes you read right beef, chicken, shrimp, and fish are all on the menu and after tasting it you can hardly tell it’s vegetable protein and not real meat! The lunch buffet is about $7 a person.

For dinner, the menu looks like any chineese food restaurant. The sweet and sour chicken is suggested for people new to the whole fake meats thing, but I also suggest the Crispy Fish and Spicy Eggplant! Manni loves the sea food fried rice. These plates are large enough to share and average about $7. Enjoy!

My steal from the buffet… I had to be rolled out.

Hers, His, Restaurant

asian, buffet, Restaurant, vegan, vegetarian

August 29, 2009

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Easy Homemade Tomato Soup

It’s not La Madeline, but it a quick and healthy alternative and uses only a few ingredients!  You can omit the cheese and make it a very low calorie soup.

What you need:

3 Tomato’s
1/4 cup olive oil
A sweetener: 1 packet Stevia or 1 tbs agave nectar
Parmesan Cheese (optional)
Basil

What you do:

1. Chop up the 3 tomato’s

2. Put tomato’s in the blender with the olive oil, sweetner of your choice and two cups of water and blend until smooth
**NOTE: If you use Stevia, Splenda or the like go easy at first and add as to taste, a little goes a very long way here!

3. Once in bowl add a few sprinkles of cheese and top with a  few cuts of basil.

Recipe

soup, tomato

August 29, 2009

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Landon Winery in McKinney, Tx

We had the pleasure of enjoying a beutiful wedding and reception at the Landon Winery in McKinney last night.  The winery is very cute with a lively patio,and located in the historic downtown area.  My suggestion for this place is to go eat dinner at one of the near-by restaurnats (there’s an itallian place close that is great!) and then stop in and split a bottle of The Grand Finale 2002 Tawney Port with your friends ($50).    I think they have done a good job with their dessert wines, but still need to work a little on the others.  We’ve been here twice and the staff is super friendly and attentive.

Wine

port, tawny

August 30, 2009

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Stuffed Zucchini with Seasme-Mint Pesto

I love Zucchini but can’t always figure out what to do with it, so when Vegetarian Times wrote an article with 5 ways to cook our little green friend I was pretty excited.  This recipe takes a little prep and cooking time, all together maybe about 45 minutes, but it’s well worth it!  (I’m highly allergic to garlic so I make all recipes sans garlic and they are great!)

What you need:
1/3 cup of breadcrumbs
1/3 cup whole almonds
2 garlic cloves peeled
2 Tbs. fresh mint leaves
2 tsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. grated lemon zest

1 1/2 tbs. olive oil
1 Tbs. sesame seeds
4 medium zucchini cut in to 4-5 wheels each

Special tools that would help
a grapefruit spoon will help if you have one handy!

What you do:
1. Pulse breadcrumbs, almonds, garlic, mint, lemon juice and lemon zest in a blender or food processor until coarsely chopped.

2. Add oil and seeds, and process again until you have a chunky pesto

3. The directions say score an X in each zucchini and then carefully pry out the inside leaving 1/2 inch at the bottom.  I found this a little hard so I grabbed the grapefruit spoon and the whole process became fast and easy!

Stuff each with a heaping tsp of the pesto.

4. Place zucchini snugly in a single layer, stuffing side up (DUH!) in a medium sauce pan.  Add 1 cup of water, cover and bring to a simmer over medium heat.  Cook 20 minutes (or until Zucchini is tender).  Serve hot with cooking liquid drizzled over the top – I forgot to do this part.

Enjoy!  We both loved this.  It comes in at about 196 calories per 5 wheels, 7g protein,13g fat and 17g carbs.

Hers, Recipe

45 minutes, mint, zucchini

August 30, 2009

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Restaurant review: Thai Soon (Richardson, Tx)

Thai Soon in Richardson is a great place to visit with your meat eating friends! Each dish come with a chicken, beef, fish, or tofu option and the best part… It’s BYOB(ottle of Wine)! Again, it’s a little hole in the wallish, but aren’t most veggie places in Richardson? We’ll usually start with the fresh spring rolls with Tofu while we enjoy our first glass of wine.

.

I always get the Royal Curry with Tofu and it’s amazing! Manuel likes the spice.  He usually orders the spicy friend rice with tofu, but this time around he tried the sweet and sour big noodle with tofu. The menu only goes up to 3 on the spice scale, but if you ask for more they will lie to you the first time and see if you can really handle it (manni asked for an 8 and got a 5, at least the guy admitted he lied) and if you’re all good and haven’t passed out they will let you have more next time you come (you’ll have to remind them that they lied last time, or they will do it again!)

We highly recommend this place!  It’s usually pretty packed on the weekends being that there are only a few tables and the service is not always the greatest, but enjoy your wine,  just relax and you’ll get your food sooner or later!

Restaurant

spice, tofu, vegetarian

September 1, 2009

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Chipotle Seitan & Roasted Potato Taco’s! AKA: Engagement Taco’s

After just a few bites Manuel was moaning.  After a few more he informed me his dead grandma would be proud (he never says that when it comes to food).  After the second taco, he tells me all single girls should learn to cook this and it’s the new Engagement Chicken.  When he was done, he said if I cooked something like that 3 times a week I could make a big a mess in the kitchen as I wanted and not worry about cleaning it up.

I think it was a hit.

I could go on and on about what Seitan is, but long story short it’s a wheat gluten meat substitute.    And damn, it’s kinda good!  This recipe took a little time to make, about 45 minutes, but 15 of that was waiting so I was able to get some other stuff done.  This is great for people who love the spicy and for those who don’t!

What you need:
For the roasted potato’s:
1 1/2 lbs of waxy potato’s, skins left on, 1/2 inch  diced
3 tbsp of olive oil
1/2 tsb salt
For the marinade:
1 cup light-colored beer (Corona)
3 garlic cloves
2 chipotle peppers in adobo, chopped
2 tsp chipotle adobo sauce
1 tsp of dried oregano
1 tsp ground cumin
2 tbsp lime juice
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
For the seitan:
1 pound of seitan, sliced into 1/8 inch strips.  Whatever, just slice it.
1/2 cup of peanut oil – I used OLIVE OIL here instead
8 soft white corn tortillas
For toppings:
pico de galio, salsa, cabbage, cilantro, jalapenos, onions – whatever you want!

What you need to do:
1. Preheat oven to 400.  Toss the potato’s with the oil and spread them on a large baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt and roast for 20 minutes flipping once.  Once done remove from over and set aside.

2. in a large bowl mix together beer, garlic cloves, chipotle peppers, adobo sauce, dried oregano, cumin, lime juice, olive oil and salt.  Add seitan and marinade for 15, mixing occasionally.

3.  In a large skillet, over med-hi heat, heat the peanut (or olive) oil.  Add half the seitan and fry each side for 3 – 4 minutes, flipping once until brown and crispy.  I didn’t let mine get to crispy here since I like seitan chewy! Once fried pile  on a  place and put tin foil over it to keep warm.  SAVE the marinade.

4. In the same skillet, add half the roasted potato’s and half the marinade. Fry for about 3 minutes stirring often (I just put it all in there and it turned out fine).  Repeat with the remaining mixture and add it to the seitan.

5. Wipe down the skillet with a paper towel and place one tortilla in there to heat for about 20 – 30 seconds each side.

6. Assemble you taco’s with the seitan/potato mix in the middle and top with whatever!  We used lettuce and jalapeno’s and mmmmmm was it good!

Add more chipotle and jalapeno’s if you like the spice!

I didn’t do this, but as another topping mix up: 1 cup plain soy yogurt, 3 tbsp of lime juice, 1 tbsp of cilantro, 1/4 tsp salt, 1/8 tsp dried oregano.  I wish I had noticed this because it sounds great and I can see how it is a good compliment to the spicy taco’s!

ENJOY!

Hers, Recipe

45 inutes, seitan, spicy, taco

September 2, 2009

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Quick Lunch: Mediterranean Wrap

This is one of my favorite things to take to work for lunch!  All the ingredients fit nicely into a zip lock bag, plus the tortilla wrapped in tin foil on the side!  This very low calorie meal takes less than 5 minutes to put together.   All of these ingredients are optional, find out what works for you!

What you need:
Spinach
Red Bell Pepper
Sliced Mushrooms
Grated Carrot
Black Olives
artichoke hearts
Large wrap tortilla low calorie (I perferr Schwebel’s Sun Dried Tomato & Basil Tortillas, only 120 calories per wrap making it about 100 less than any other!)

Optional
Feta cheese
Sun dried tomato’s or sun dried tomato pesto (Everything above is less than 200 calories, so this will add a little more if you can take it!)

What to do:
Put it all on the tortilla and eat it!

Mmmmmmm!

Hers, Recipe

5 minutes, wrap

September 4, 2009

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Quinoa and Mushroom Stuffed Zucchini Boats

This little dish is going to be a GREAT side dish or finger food at a party!  I got it from the peeps over at The Kitchn (http://www.thekitchn.com).  The ricotta cheese was a nice creamy surprise and added a tasty consistency to the meal.  Toasting the quinoa gave it a yummy peanut buttery smell. I can’t wait to do this dish again for other people!   It takes about 30 minutes to make if you time your self well!

What you need:
1 cup quinoa
1/3 cup pine nuts
4 zucchini, cut in half along their length
4 large garlic cloves, minced
2 medium shallots, chopped
Stems of three large portabella mushrooms, chopped
Olive oil
Fresh sage leaves
Fresh rosemary
Fresh or dried thyme leaves
Salt and pepper
1 cup whole-milk ricotta
Parmesan cheese

What you do:
1. Rinse the quinoa repeatedly in a fine mesh strainer. Let drain. Toast the drained quinoa in a hot pan over medium heat for about five minutes, or until it smells nutty.

2. Bring two cups of water to boil in a medium saucepan.  Add a pinch of salt and the toasted quinoa. Cover tightly, lower the heat to simmer and cook for about 20 minutes.

3. While the quinoa is steaming, use the same skillet you toasted the quinoa in to carefully toast the pine nuts.  They should be golden brown and toasted when you’re through. Set aside.

4. Heat oven to 350. Scrape out and reserve the insides of the zucchini, leaving about half an inch of flesh inside. Put the hollowed out zucchini on a cookie sheet in the oven for about 20 minutes or until softened and tender.

5. Chop or shred the zucchini innards. Mince the garlic, shallots, and mushroom stems. Chop the herbs and set aside.

6. Heat a heavy skillet over medium heat with a little olive oil. Saute the garlic and shallots until golden, then add the zucchini and chopped portabella stems, along with the herbs. Saute, stirring often, until most of the zucchini’s moisture has evaporated and the mushroom stems are tender. Add the herbs and season to taste. Remove from the heat and cool.

7. When the quinoa finishes cooking it should be soft yet nutty. Fluff with a fork and put in a large bowl. Add the ricotta, cooked zucchini, quinoa and pine nuts. Stir well and add salt and pepper to taste. Your stuffing is now ready.

8. Heap the stuffing in the cooked zucchini shells. Sprinkle some fresh Parmesan on top of each then return to the oven for about 5 minutes to rewarm. Serve immediately.

Hers, Recipe

45 minutes, quinoa, vegetarian, zucchini

September 9, 2009

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Sacred Cellars, Dallas Tx

Wine.  Free tastings.  What else is there?

We like to find these little gems that are brand new (at least to us), small. cozy and personal.  Sacred Cellars Wine Hideout (and they ain’t kiddin’~ it’s buried in an odd spot)  is actually a store with a hand picked, hard to find selection of all price points.  But each Friday, and the rare Thursday, they invite everyone out for a free tasting of 6 pre-selected wines and it becomes more like a friendly get together than a store.  Everyone has been extremely friendly and the owners, Rudy and Paul (check out Rudy’s ring!), are right there pouring for you and telling you all about what it is you are about to drink.  We like that.  Alot.  They have a passion for the wine and it shows.

Their selection is quite impressive.  We were sold when we spied a 05 Signorello Vineywards Cabernet ($50). We haven’t been able to find it anywhere but the Vineyard, and since this and the Signoello Padron were what we served at our wedding you can imagine our excitement (of not having to pay shipping fees on these extremely heavy bottles!).  The best part is that their pricing seems to be about $5 or more cheaper than online outlets.  My suggestion is go for the tasting and then buy a bottle to take to your favorite BYOB afterwards.

Did I say that the atmosphere is cute and cozy?

Hers, Wine

Wine

September 10, 2009

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Restaurant Review: Cosmic Cafe, Dallas, TX

Have you ever thought, “Hmmm, I’d like to get my yoga on and then eat some yummy vegetarian food, maybe a glass of wine, in one stop”?  If so, then Cosmic Cafe on Oak Lawn in Dallas is your place!  If not, what’s wrong with you?

So here is one of the few vegetarian restaurants on town where the environment is just as good as the food.  It starts in the parking lot (if you’re lucky enough to get into the small lot, if not you can park at what used to be Tony’s next door) where you are followed to the front door by vibrant, interesting Indian art that doesn’t stop once you enter.

Cosmic Cafe front

I began eating here long before I was a vegetarian, while the menu is pure veggies and herbs, I still don’t think I ever even thought twice about it when I was a meat eater.  The menu is even a fun read with items like “Socrates Plato” and “the bombay sage” containing items like portabella mushrooms, mango chutney, basmati rice… need I go on?  I’d suggest the Taco Trinity (three soft tacos filled with onions, mushrooms, zucchini, bell peppers & cheddar – served with black beans, rice & salad) for meat eaters and then just about anything else on the menu for the rest of us!  This is also the only vegetarian restaurant we’ve found in town that serves wine.  It’s not the most amazing list, but if you need a glass they got that and beer.

Taco Trinity

Also try the Dharma Bell (sauteed bell pepper stuffed with seasoned potatoes topped with cheese and served with salad) and their hummus is some of the best!  Check out the black board specials, we once ordered a vegan cheese cake that was amazing, but your life will never be the same once you’ve had Sweet Awareness: creamy peanut butter, sliced bananas, tahnini & honey on nan…mmmmmm.

If you can still walk after all of that, go take a yoga or dance class upstairs!  check the website for schedule: http://www.cosmiccafedallas.com/activities.asp

Restaurant, Wine

Indian, Restaurant, vegetarian, yoga

September 10, 2009

1 Comment

“Romo Friendly” Quinoa & Butternut Squash Chilli

The Cowboys game started and we were ready to jump start the fall with some football and chili!  But I’ll admit, most vegetarian chili’s bore me.  I loved my chili with big chunks of meat and light on the beans.  So, what’s a girl to do?  Quinoa & Butternut Squash to the rescue!  This is a quick, fairly easy dish to make.  About 30 minute cooking time, but only about 5 or so prep.

What you need:
1 cup Quinoa
4 tomato’s
1 can of Kidney Beans
1 butternut squash (or two smaller ones)
1 tbsp of chili powder
1 tbsp of olive oil
Optional: Onion and garlic (I’m highly allergic to both of these so I made the dish without and it was delish!)

What you need to do:
( Optional Step 1: Saute the garlic and onions in the olive oil until tender ( about 7 minutes ) and  then add the chili powder to that in step 3)
1. Add one cup of  Quinoa to cold water and let sit for 10 minutes
2. While that sits, cube the squash and dice the 4 tomato’s.
3. Add 1 tbsp of Olive Oil to pan over medium heat and drop in the chili powder
4. Drain the quinoa and add that, and the diced tomato’s and squash to the pan and mix
5. Let simmer for 15 or until the squash is tender
6. Add in kidney bean and heat all the way (about 2 more minutes)

and you’re done!  I added a little bit of garlic powder at the end to my bowl.  Enjoy!
290 calories, protein 14g, carbohydrate 53g, fat 6 g,

PS – I can see adding things to this like brown sugar and other spices… if you try that, let me know what works!

Hers, Recipe

30 minutes, quinoa, tomato, vegan, vegetarian, zucchini

September 13, 2009

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Grilled Veggies – The Secret Ingredient

Yes, I realize grilled veggies – veggies on the grill – is not really a receipe .  Slice some veggies, put them on the grill, eat them.  But what do you put on them?

Cavenders All Purpose Greek Seasoning to the rescue!  No other spices needed! (Their line, not mine)  My aunt first told me about this spice mix two years ago today, and now I’ll let you know it’s my secret ingredient in my guacamole!  Doh!!  It’s a blend of 13 spices including: salt, black pepper, garlic, & oregano. This spice is absolutely amazing on everything from veggies to meat, from fish to eggs.  Get it and try it on some stuff, you’ll be impressed!

Check out their website while you are at it, they have history! http://www.greekseasoning.com/

His, Recipe

spice

September 29, 2009

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Grilled Eggplant with Goat Cheese and Tomato

I got this recipe from the kitchn.com and edited it by using just the spices I had at hand, and it was amazing! I think it would make an excellent starter, or even a  fun side!  it only took about 15 minutes to make!

What you need:
2 medium eggplants
1/3 cup olive oil
1 tablespoons balsamic vinegar and a pinch of sugar
Italian parsley and fresh chives
3 medium tomatoes, finely chopped
Small handful fresh chives, chopped
Salt and pepper
goat cheese, crumbled

Anything Special?
A stove top grill pan!

What you do:
1. Slice the eggplants into patty’s about 3/4-inch thick. Salt lightly and set aside. Heat the grill (or stovetop grill pan) to high heat.

2. Whisk together the olive oil and vinegar and lightly dunk the eggplant slices so each is moist with the oil. Place them on the heated grill and cover. Cook, turning halfway through, for 8-10 minutes, or until they are as soft as you prefer.

3. Meanwhile, toss the chopped tomatoes with the minced herbs and mix with just a little salt and pepper to taste.

4. In the last couple minutes of cooking, sprinkle each eggplant slice with a few crumbles of goat cheese and cook so that the cheese begins to soften.

5. Remove the slices, top with the tomato mixture, and serve!

Hers, Recipe

15 minutes, Eggplant, vegetarian

October 2, 2009

1 Comment

Quinoa Tabouli

This is an awesome quick and easy meal that goes great with grilled veggies!  Cook time is about 15 minutes since you can prepare the mix wile the quinoa is cooking.  It’s best cold, so I suggest making it with plenty of time to get cool/cold, but it fine if you don’t!  Enjoy!

What you need:

1 cup quinoa
1 small onion,
1 large English cucumber. Peeled and diced.
juice of 2-4 lemons (depending on taste)
1 tablespoon olive oil
mint minced
cilantro minced
1 cup of cherry or grape tomatoes
Salt to taste.

What you do:
1. Bring 1 cup quinoa and 2 cups water to a boil.  Reduce and let simmer for about 12 minutes.
2. Peel and dice cucumber, Chop mint and cilantro
3. Once quinoa is done set aside and let cool ( I put mine in the freezer to speed things along!)
4. When it’s cool mix it all up and eat it all up!
NOTE: I made this without Olive Oil and it was still great!  And low fat

Hers, Recipe

15 minutes, quinoa

October 23, 2009

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ALMOST Vegan Spicy Potato Taco’s!

This shit’s goooood.  It takes about a 10 minute prep time, but bakes for 35.  And of course, you can use regular options for the sour cream and mayo instead of vegan. But I refuse to eat mayo after a facial incident my Senior year of high school.  If you leave a comment I might tell you.  You can also make it less spicy…or MORE! (The food, not your comment)

What you need:
2 russet potatoes, cubed
1 red bell pepper, cut into strips
1/2 medium sized onion (optional)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1 tablespoon olive oil
Corn or Flour tortillas
Pickeled Jalepeno’s (for garnish)
Cilantro (for garnish)
Dressing Ingredients:
2 tablespoons tofutti non dairy sour cream
1 tablespoon Veganaise
1 tablespoon fresh goat cheese (this is the ALMOST, but you can do without and just spice up the jalepeno )
1 teaspoon fresh cilantro
1 teaspoon diced jalepeno
1/2 teaspoon fresh lime juice

What you do:

1. Preheat oven to 420
2. Toss the Olive Oil, Cumin, Chili Powder, Salt, Onion, Potato and Bell Pepper until completely coated.  Place on cookie sheet and bake for 35 minutes
3. Combine Dressing ingredients
4. Place potato mixture of tortilla, put dressing on top… Voila!
5. Garnish with Jalepenos and Cilantro.

There it is kids, enjoy!

Hers, Recipe

45 minutes, potato, taco

October 24, 2009

3 Comments

(Almost fried rice) Tofu Veggie Stir Fry

Manuel is the King when it comes to making up dishes off the top of his head with whatever ingredients we have laying around.  He would type this himself but he’s busy watching football so he’s dictating.  Tonight he tried a Vegan Tofu Fried Rice with the new cheap wok we got from Ikea, but the result was more stir fry than fried rice.  Next time we will know to get the egg substitute and make it more like fried ricie, but what we got was still amazing!  Have fun trying new things in this like snap peas! It’s about a 45 minute cooking time if you make your own rice, quicker if you do instant!

What you will need:
Broccoli – chopped
Cauliflower – chopped
Red Bell Pepper – sliced into thin slivers
Frozen Peas & Carrots
Mushrooms – sliced
2 packages of Silken Extra Firm Tofu
1/3 cup of Canola Oil (or Vegetable Oil)
1/4 cup of Tamari
Jasmine Rice
Cavenders Greek Spice – see previous post, but any spice you would like for the tofu will do
Low Sodium Soy Sauce (optional)
Special Tools:
Rice Cooker (optional, but handy!)
Ikea Wok

What you do:
1. Cube the tofu and cover in the Cavendars
2. Preheat oven to 375 and bake Tofu for 15 minutes
3. Cook the rice according to directions provided with that brand
4. In a wok (or something similar) preheat oil and tamari on high heat for 1-2 minutes
5. Add frozen peas & carrots first, tossing frequently, for 2 minutes
6. Add in the rest of the vegetables, tossing frequently, for 4-5 minutes
7. Add in the baked tofu and toss for 2 minutes
8. Add cooked rice and toss for 2 more minutes

That’s it!  I added some low sodium soy sauce to mine and it was great!  We had this with Viansa Prindello.  Chill to 58 and decant for 15 minutes to bring to the coco. Hmmm, reminds me that I have not been posting the wine reviews!  I need to get on that!

His, Recipe

45 minues, stir fry, tofu, Wine, wok

October 26, 2009

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Talkin’ to Manni

In our house Manuel has certain things that are just his to make and vice versa.  One of his special things is PIZZA!  Most importantly, the DOUGH!  Last week we made a most amazing grilled veggie pizza that was just to die for!  I could post the directions to make it, but it wouldn’t be the same without the special yummy dough he makes from scratch…. and guess who won’t give it up?  I’m working on him!

STAY TUNED! (suggestions taken)

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October 27, 2009

3 Comments

Quinoa with grapes and almonds – a great breakfast!

This is a great snack or meal for anytime, but I’ve begun to really look forward to having it for a protein packed breakfast!  The grapes wake me up and flavor and texture is reminiscent of cerial!  I like to prepare it on Sunday night and eat through out the week, it’s amazing after all the ingredients have been together for a few hours.

What you need:
Almonds, a handful depending on taste.  If you really like almonds then use more!  (Or pre-packaged almond slivers 1 cup)
Red Seedless grapes, again depending on taste
2 teaspoons of majoram
2 tablespoons of flaxseed oil (or grapeseed oil)
1/8 teaspoon of salt

What you do:
1. Add two cups of water to one cup of quinoa.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and let simmer for 12 minutes.  You cna start this part early since you will need to let the quinoa cool before adding the other ingredients.
2. While quinoa is boiling place almonds in a baggie and beat with a tenderizer until all peices are broken up into smaller pieces.  You can use pre-packaged almond slivers if you don’t want to get violent with your nuts
3. Slice grapes into quarters length wise.
4. Once quinoa has cooled (usuallya bout 30-45 minutes in the fridge) add in Almonds, Grapes, Majoram and Flaxseed oil.

Enjoy!

Here’s a little tid-bit about quinoa, the worlds best protein:
In contemporary times, this crop has become highly appreciated for its nutritional value, as its protein content is very high (12%–18%), making it a healthy choice for vegetarians and vegans. Unlike wheat or rice (which are low in lysine), quinoa contains a balanced set of essential amino acids for humans, making it an unusually complete protein source. It is a good source of dietary fiber and phosphorus and is high in magnesium and iron. Quinoa is gluten-free and considered easy to digest.

Hers, Recipe

15 minutes, almonds, grapes, quinoa, vegan

November 15, 2009

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A few Merlot suggestions…

Nickel & Nickel 2006 Suscol Ranch Napa Valley Merlot.  $50
The fun thing about Nickel & Nickel wines is that they are all single vineyard, meaning they are 100% varietal.  100% PURE merlot, no cab or pinot in there!  In America, a wine must contain, for instance, 75% merlot to be labeled as a merlot (don’t quote me on that number but it’s very close).  Anything less than that 75% is considered table wine or a red blend.  All the grapes for this merlot were grown at Suscol Ranch and if you visit the N&N site you can even see a picture of the vineyard (but I’ll show you here: http://www.nickelandnickel.com/wines_vineyards/VN_jpgs/suscolRanch_lo.jpg).  So after tasting this pure merlot you will have a better understanding of what merlot really is.  This tends to be full of berry and plums and obvious tannis.  I suggest to decant it and let if breathe for about 30 minutes before enjoying.

Rutherford Hill 2004 Merlot $20-$25
The composition of the N&N was 100%, so what’s in this?  Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, and Syrah.  I saw a positive review of this wine that described it as “brambly flavors of mixed berries, cherry and pencil shavings.”  If my memory of second grade serves me correct, I did NOT taste pencil shavings in this wine.  This is a great wine, after sitting about about 10 minutes you’ll get cherry, berry and some mocha at the end.  No pencil shavings.

Hers, His, Wine

merlot, Wine

November 15, 2009

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Roasted Veggies on Spinach

This was easy to make, healthy and OH SO YUMMY!  I got this idea from one of those fun little discount book at Barnes & Noble.  So if you like one veggie more than another add more of it! Play around with this one and make it your own.

What you need:
1 cup sliced Mushrooms
1 cup sliced Carrots
1 cup sliced red pepper
6 Asperagus tips
2 tomatos quartered (or more)
2 tablespoons of chopped and pitted kalamata olives
2 teaspoons of lemon juice, but I used juice from 2 small lemons
2 teaspoons of olive oil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon of black pepper
1 teaspoon of sugar (I used half a packet of sweet ‘n low)
fresh spinach or baby spinach

What you do:
1. Preheat oven to 375.
2. combine mushrooms, carrots, bell pepper, tomotes, olives, asperagus, lemon juice (from 1 or both lemons), oil, oregano, sweet n low, and black pepper in a  large bowl and toss until coated evenly.
3. Spread veggies in a  single layer on a cookie sheet and bake for 20 minutes
4. Serve over the spinach for a nice veggie salad!

How you feel:
GOOD!

Hers, Recipe

25 minutes, bell pepper, spinach, tomato

November 17, 2009

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So you’re getting Tempeh in your stocking… now what?

Veggie Stir Fry is what!  Remember the lovely little recipe a few posts down with tofu stir fry?  Not a fan of tofu?  Have a hankering for something nuttier?  Try some tempeh! Slice it into cubes and add it to the Wok ($7 at Ikea!) first with some soy sauce.  It’s up to you if you want it extra crispy or a little squishy, I prefer somewhere in the middle.  Remember, we’re talking veggies here, there no such thing as done or undone, just preference.  Follow the rest of the recipe as listed.  Since tempeh has a nutty flavor I like to mix in a little gluten free thai peanut sauce to compliment it.

What exactly is tempeh?  Here’s an excerpt from Wiki:
Like tofu, tempeh is made from soybeans, but tempeh is a whole soybean product with different nutritional characteristics and textural qualities. Tempeh’s fermentation process and its retention of the whole bean give it a higher content of protein, dietary fiber, and vitamins compared to tofu, as well as firmer texture and stronger flavor.

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November 18, 2009

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Jalepeno & Cilantro Hummus

This is a fun recipe because you can make it as hot or as mild as you want! Also, I don’t typically use olive oil in my home made hummus so the fat content is cut way back. Without it, it’s not quite as creamy, but it tastes just fine.

What you need:
2 cans of garbanzo beans
2 tablespoons of Tahinni
2 limes
1 jalepeno (or more)
1 bunch of Cilantro
Salt
Pepper
Garlic powder

What you do:
1. In a blender empty one can of garbonzo’s and the liquid. Add two tablespoons of tahini and the juice of two limes. Do a quick puree until it is reduced to a liquidy mess.
2. Empty the water from the second can of Garbanzo’s into the sink (you don’t need it) and slowly add the remaining beans while blending.
3. Now for the cilantro, garlic, jalepeno, salt and pepper… start off adding a little of each and add more to taste!  Taste frequently, the pepper sneaks up on you!

Enjoy!

Hers, Recipe

November 20, 2009

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Asperagus and Spinach Baked Risotto

Mmmmm, this is a good one! I got it from one of those cheapie giveaways and adjusted it a bit.  I actually made it in a  much larger dish than you really need, so what you need to get for this is a smaller square baking dish (9x9ish).  This takes about 45 to prepare, but 30 of that is cooking.

What you need:
1 tbsp olive oil
1 cup arborio rice
8 cups fresh spinach
2 cups vegetable broth
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground ntmeg
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 1/2 cups sliced asparagus

What you do:
1. Preheat the oven to 400.
2. Spray baking dish with cooking spray
3. Heat olive oil in large skillet over med-hi heat.  Add in rice and stir to coat.
4. Add in spinach a handful at a time, adding more as it wilts.  Add broth, salt and nutmeg.  Simmer for 7 minutes.
5. Stir in 1/4 cup of cheese
6. Transfer to the square baking dish, cover and bake for 15 minutes
7. Remove from oven and stir in asperagus.  Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup cheese.  cover and bake 15 minutes.

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December 20, 2009

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Good Ole Veggie Soup!

An oldie, but goodie! It’s hearty and healthy and you can really add whatever you want to it and make it your own! It’s about a 15 min prep and 20 min simmer time (25 if you want to count the time it takes to get the water simmering in the first place.)

What you need:
2 varieties of beans, 1/2 cup each (kidney beans, lentils, pinto beans, or other)
1 medium potato, half-inch cubes
1 stalk celery, sliced
1 carrot, sliced
1 small bunch turnip greens, spinach, mustard greens or other green
3 medium tomatoes
1 red pepper, diced
1 zucchini, sliced
1/2 cup brown rice
Other vegetables as desired
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon dry oregano
1 teaspoon curry powder
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon salt
4 cups of vegetable stock

What you do:
Combine ingredients with 4 cups water, bring to a simmer, cook 20 minutes or until potatoes and beans are tender, adding water along the way if necessary.

Hers, Recipe

40 min, soup, vegan

March 5, 2010

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Lebanese-Style Quinoa Salad

This is one of those dishes I created by misreading a recipe from the Sprouts Magazine and ended up with something completely different… but in my opinion completely better!  It’s a total crowd pleaser!  Everyone who has tried it has asked for the recipe, vegetarian or not.  So give it a try.  I will say, it takes some preparation time, 45-1 hour the first time, but the more you make it the faster you will get.  Read the entire recipe before beginning to get an idea of what can be done at the same time.  It is also enough to last a few days.  I suggest that you make it on Sunday afternoon and then eat it that evening or the next day, because this dish also gets better with age!

If your wondering what the heck quinoa is, here’s some quick facts.  It’s basically a super-food:

Its protein content is very high (12%–18%), making it a healthy choice for vegetarians and vegans. Unlike wheat or rice (which are low in lysine), quinoa contains a balanced set of essential amino acids for humans, making it an unusually complete protein source.^[4] It is a good source of dietary fiber and phosphorus and is high in magnesium and iron. Quinoa is gluten-free and considered easy to digest. 

What you need:

1 cup quinoa

2 cups boiling water

1 pound baby spinach

1 cup finely chopped fresh parsley

½ cup finely chopped fresh mint

1 cucumber peeled and diced

4 tbsp of sundried tomato pesto
(You can also use regular sliced and diced sun dried tomato’s here, but I’m not a fan of the flavor)

1 cup cooked chickpeas (garbanzos), rinsed and drained

1 teaspoon sea salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

½ cup fresh squeezed lemon juice

2 tablespoons flax oil (So good for you!!!)

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

crumbled feta cheese

fresh tomato quarters, for garnish

What you do:

1. Bring 2 cups of water and 1 cup of quinoa to a boil, then reduce heat and let simmer for 12 minutes (stirring once or twice). Once done place in large bowl to cool before adding other items.  While this is simmering and the water for the spincah is coming to a boil (next step) is a good time to start chopping the mint, parsley, cucumber, etc.
2. Blanch spinach in plenty of boiling salted water for 30 seconds or so. Drain, plunge in cold water, and drain thoroughly. Squeeze out every bit of water. I literally take it in my hands in small amounts and squeeze.  You won’t get all the water out, but you’ll come close enough. Chop finely and add to quinoa. Add parsley, mint, cucumber, sun-dried tomatoes, and chickpeas, stirring well.
3. Combine salt, pepper, lemon juice, flax oil, and olive oi in a small bowl. Whisk until emulsified. Add to quinoa mixture. Stir well and let sit for at least 15 minutes, allowing flavors to develop. This is best served cold so be sure to put it in the fridge to cool off.  Remember, the longer the better!
4. To serve, scoop salad into low, flat bowls and garnish with feta and quartered tomatoes.

Hers, Recipe

45 min, quinoa

March 5, 2010

1 Comment

Cucumber Disaster

What I made vs what I actually ate (bottom right).  I won’t be posting this recipe, but it was terrible.  The seed things made me gag, though I usually love them.  Maybe I toasted them wrong, who knows, but ewwwww.

Hers, Recipe

March 15, 2010

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Quinoa Stir Fry

This was simply amazing!  It had some surprise spice to it that I wasn’t expecting (but not overbearing), but if you really like that sort of thing add more jalapeno or different chilies.  In this recipe you cook the quinoa in pineapple juice instead of the usual water, this made me wonder what ther things I could cook it in to make it taste different.  Vodka anyone?

WHAT YOU NEED:
1 cup quinoa
1 cup pineapple juice
1 cup water
1/4 teaspoon soy sauce

4 ounces cashews raw and unsalted
garlic powder
3 tablespoons peanut oil
1 thinly sliced jalapeno (I only used about half of it but you can do as much as you like for taste!)
1/2 inch piece of ginger, peeled and minced
1 red bell pepper diced
1 cup frozen green peas
1/2 cup of fresh basil, sliced into shreds
2 table spoons of chopped mint
2 cups pineapple chunks
3 tablespoons of soy sauce
3 tablespoons vegetable stock

WHAT YOU DO:
1. combine water, pineapple juice, 1/4 teaspoon soy sauce, and quinoa.  Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to med and cook for about 15 minutes, or until the liquid is absorbed.  After cooking set aside to cool to room temp (about an hour) or put it in the fridge for 30 min – 1 hour depending how much time you have.  I made this ahead of time so it had time to cool.
2. place cashews in wok and toast over low heat for about 5 minutes constantly stirring.  Remove from pan when done.
3. Add the 3 tablespoons of peanut oil to the pan now and change to med heat.   I tossed in a little garlic powder in here, just however much you like.
4. Add the jalepeno and ginger to the pan and fry for 2 minutes (Warning: I’ve never actualy “fried” anything before so I was a little surprised by the noise and popping oil at this step!  be warned!)
5. Add bell pepper and peas and stir fry for 4 minutes
6. Add basil and mint and stir fry for 1 minute
7. Add pineapple and qinoa
8. combine 3tbsp soy sauce and 3tbsp of veggie stock separately, then pour over the quinoa and mix completely
9. Stir fry for 10 minutes (stirring frequently!!)
10.  Add cashews, mix it up and eat it!

OPTIONAL  – You can try different sauces on it like peanut sauce or the really red hot sauce if you like the spice.  A squeeze of lime is nice too!

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March 17, 2010

1 Comment

Pressing Tofu

I was asked the other day what that meant.  Tofu is packed in water so it’s good to get all that water out before cooking so you don’t have soggy tofu.  The way I do it is simple:

Be sure to turn it over once and use new paper towels, and it’s good to go!

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March 30, 2010

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