Better Spaghetti

I love spaghetti....but a healthy portion really isn't very big, in fact it is about the size of your fist, or 1 cup. So how do you get the same satisfaction from your pasta dish while having less? Well I propose you have that healthy portion along with spaghetti squash and like myself, you will still feel satisfied.  So last night I made T a big bowl of spaghetti with a steamed asparagus and roasted tomato sauce. For myself, I had a side of spaghetti with a dollop of Earth Balance and fresh cracked pepper. For my entree I had steamed spaghetti squash with asparagus and roasted tomato sauce. Spaghetti squash is super easy to make: cut the squash in half and scoop out the seeds. Place face down in a steamer basket, or pressure cooker and cook until the squash falls off the skin.  You can alternatively roast it in the oven, simply place the squash face side down in a baking dish with about one half inch water in the bottom of the pan for about 30 mins at 350 degrees. This is the perfect comfort food dish that is much more healthy and satisfying than your typical big bowl of pasta. Enjoy!

Red Curry With A Twist

I've been craving tons of veggies lately....more than usual. Last night I decided to make red curry. This dish is so simple but packed full of flavor and heartiness.  The twist? To give the meal an extra hearty feel I added a can of garbanzo beans....delicious! I steamed some bok choy and kabocha squash for sides to really round out the meal.

Ingredients
Veggies- your choice (I used zuchinni, yellow squash, mushrooms, broccoli, and carrots)
1 can garbanzo beans- rinsed
1 small can coconut milk
Red curry paste
1/2 cup brown rice and 1/2 quinoa mix- cooked


Method
Cook 1/2 cup brown rice and 1/2 cup quinoa together according to the directions. (I love mixing rice and quinoa, it has a very hearty feel and is packed full of protein). Saute the veggies in a small amount of water until just tender. Add the garbanzo beans and curry paste. With the curry paste start small and add to your liking.  Simmer for another 4-5 mins. Add the can of coconut sauce and simmer for one more minute. Serve over the rice and quinoa mix. Enjoy

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Crispy Tofu with Orange Dipping Sauce- Kind Life Inspired

This recipe comes from the Kind Diet Cookbook, which I call my Bible. I literally cook a recipe from this amazing book three times a week, if not more.  And coincidentally I still haven't made everything in it! I usually get obsessed with one recipe and make it for a month then move on.  I even rediscover recipes that I have made previously and forgot how much I love.  Anyway, last night I finally made the crispy tofu with orange dipping sauce.  I did however add my own spin to the dipping sauce because I feel like the original recipe leaves it too watery.

Ingredients:
1 package savory baked tofu, low sodium
1/2 cup corn flour
1/2 cup brown rice flour
1/4 cup safflower oil
1/2 cup fresh squeezed orange juice
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 tbs dijon mustard

Method:
In a small saucepan mix the orange juice, maple syrup and dijon mustard. You may have to really mix the mustard to get it to separate evenly, I use my late frother.  Bring the sauce to a boil then remove from the heat and let cool.  In a separate frying pan, preferably cast iron, bring the safflower oil to med heat.  Slice the tofu into 1/4 in slices. Mix the two flours in a shallow dish.  Dip the tofu in the flour and lightly pan fry each side until golden brown.  Place tofu on paper towels or a brown paper bag to blot excess oil.  Serve warm with the now cooled orange dipping sauce.

Udon Miso Soup On A Rainy Day

This Boston weather has been pretty gloomy.  But I'm always inspired by the cold dreary weather to make delicious soups, stews, and other comfort food.  This last weekend T got sick and wanted a noodle soup.  I decided that the healing benefits of miso must be included in this soup, along with some immune boosting shitake mushrooms for maximum flu recovery.  This is what I came up with:

Ingredients:
4 cups water
2 vegan bouillon cubes or 4 cups veggie broth
1/2 package udon noodles
4-6 large shitake mushrooms
1/2 large yellow onion
2 cups chopped baby bok choy
2 tbs miso, light or dark (I used one tbs of each)
shoyu to taste
dash cinnamon
squeeze of lime
scallions to garnish

Method:
Bring broth to boil and add noodles.  In a separate pan sautee the mushrooms and onions until tender, season with a dash of shoyu.  In a small bowl dissolve the miso paste in small amount of warm water.  This allows it to mix into the soup evenly.  Once noodles are al dente add mushrooms and onions to the pot, along with the miso mixture, and the chopped bok choy. Add a dash of shoyu, a dash of cinnamon and the squeeze of lime.  Remove from heat and let cool for three minutes. Serve hot, garnished with scallions.

Antioxidant Salad

Last night I cooked for two amazing friends, Goldie and Michael.  Both are vegetarian and people I consider to have high standards for what they put in their bodies.  Thus, I pulled out my favorite unique recipes in order to impress.  I made my favorite green miso soup (April 2011) and an amazing salad full of antioxidant filled ingredients. Goldie made some black rice with coconut oil.  Then to finish the evening Michael brought Coconut Bliss for dessert!

Ingredients
handful arugula
handful sunflower sprouts
1/3 avocado
1/4 cup edamame
1/4 cup blueberries
2 oz pomegranate glazed salmon
2 oz pomegranate glazed tofu
pomegranate vinaigrette

Method- Super Simple
Brush salmon and tofu with pomegranate vinaigrette and bake for 20 mins at 350 degrees.  Toss the remaining ingredients in a bowl and top with the salmon and tofu!

Stuffed Peppers

My local farmer's market has had some amazing peppers recently, so I decided put a spin on a recipe my mom made when I was little for stuffed peppers! This recipe is easy and involves few ingredients. Feel free to add or subtract any ingredients to the rice mixture to give it your own spin. For example, my mom always adds tomato sauce to the rice mixture but I decided not to- however it tastes great either way!

Ingredients
3-4 bell peppers- color of your choosing
1 1/2 cups mixed rice- cooked
1/2 cup celery
1/2 cup red onion
3/4 can kidney beans- rinsed
1/4 cup cilantro
2 tbs earth balance butter
salt and pepper
salsa

Method
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut a hole in the top of each pepper and remove the core and seeds.  Boil for 15-20 mins until soft.  Drain and cool.  In a separate bowl combine the rice, diced celery, diced red onion, kidney beans, chopped cilantro, earth balance and salt and pepper.  Place the peppers upright in a baking dish and stuff with the rice mixture.  Bake for 20 minutes. Let cool and serve topped with a dollop of salsa.

Vegan Banana French Toast

Well it looks like Hurricane Irene has been downgraded to a "Tropical Storm"......though I would just call it a rain storm, as there is nothing tropical about whats going on outside. We are however stuck inside so what better to do than make brunch and watch soccer! I made vegan french toast, which is super easy and amazingly good, with a side of sauteed kale and shitake mushrooms.

Ingredients
1 ripe banana
1/4 cup almond or soy milk (vanilla is best)
4 slices bread of your choice (artisan breads are the best-like orange cranberry)
cinnamon
nutmeg

Method
Heat a frying pan to med-high. Mash the banana in a bowl with the almond milk. Add a dash of cinnamon and nutmeg. Spray the pan with non-stick spray. Dip the bread and lightly toast in the pan. Top with fresh banana and cinnamon.

Costa Rican Inspiration

I had an amazing post-bar trip to Colorado and then to Costa Rica......again this year.  This trip I was introduced to Cassava root and have really used typical Costa Rican fare to inspire my cooking since I have been back in Boston.

Cassava root, also known as Yucca, is a root vegetable native to South America. With a consistency very similar to a potato this root is super absorbent and takes on the flavor of the ingredients you cook it with. Cassava is higher in fiber and potassium than potatoes and is perfect boiled, fried, or in soups.

For dinner one night I got vegan tortilla soup from Whole Foods and boiled then lightly pan sauteed cassava root for a hearty side dish.  Cassava should be peeled, cored, and boiled.  It should not be eaten raw.

I also ate many many Costa Rican casados while traveling there last month.  The casado is a national dish consisting of beans, rice, plantains, salad, and a meat.  Finding a vegetarian casado was rarely difficult.  Vegetarian casados usually included sauteed veggies of different varieties. Last week I made a traditional casado with mixed rice, black beans, sauteed kale and summer squash, jicima avocado slaw and poached tilapia with cantaloupe salsa.

Straight From The Garden

For my post bar vacation I am home in Colorado for a 6 days.  I have been so lucky to get to stay with T's parents before going to my cabin on the flattops.  This morning I went on a beautiful 3 mile run- the air here is so crisp, I love running here, even though its at altitude.  Then Lori and Heather and I went to a Bar Method class....wow I'll be sore tomorrow. Next, I met up with the lovely Tara Donovan for coffee. And then I went to the best whole foods ever!!!! I got to see Brian Sanner, had an amazing veggie juice and got an awesome lunch- quinoa salad, kale and avocado, arame and buckwheat salad, thai chili cucumbers, and asian slaw. After my lunch Heather and I lounged in the back yard getting our vitamin D!

 Tonight we made dinner almost entirely from Lori's garden.  For an appetizer I made an artichoke basil pesto, with grilled portobello mushrooms on sourdough bread. And for dinner we had fish, with beets, steamed green and wax beans, and a cucumber salad all from the garden. For dessert Lori made vegan shortbread biscuits, with fresh berries from the garden and vegan whipped topping!

 ARTICHOKE BASIL PESTO

Ingredients
1 can artichoke hearts, drained, tough leaves removed
1/4 cup pine nuts
fresh basil
1 clove garlic
EVOO

Method
Blend ingredients in a food processor or blender, adjust ingredients to your liking. (I've used half pine nuts and half chick peas, or no garlic, its really about what you like or have ingredients for).

CUCUMBER SALAD

Ingredients
1 large sliced cucumber
2 tbs apple cider vinegar
2 tbs shoyu
red pepper flakes
toasted sesame seeds

Method
Toss ingredients together and chill in refrigerator for 1 hour