Sides – Page 7 – Kacey Tess

Veggie pot pie casserole

What you’ll need:

1 package of extra firm tofu pressed (if you don’t have a tofu press place on a plate and wrap in paper towels, place heavy books or pans on top until excess water is removed)

Extra virgin olive oil

1 parsnip peeled and chopped
1 carrot chopped
1 russet potato peeled and chopped
1 celery stalk chopped
1/2 C sugar snap peas cut
1 yellow onion chopped
2 garlic cloves chopped finely
1/4 C unbleached all purpose flour
1 1/2 C water
1 vegetable bullion cube
1 Tbsp soy sauce or tamari
1Tbsp nutritional yeast
Sea salt to taste
Plain bread crumbs
Black pepper to taste
Fresh rosemary
Fresh sage
Crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

What you’ll do:
Hear oven to 400
In a large skillet heat olive oil over medium and add tofu
Brown tofu
Remove tofu from skillet and set aside
Add more olive oil to coat the pan
Add garlic, onions and carrots
Cook until onions are translucent
Add potatoes, peas, and parsnips
Mix thoroughly
Add flour, soy sauce and 1/2 Tbsp of nutritional yeast
Add water and bullion
Mix thoroughly
Add sage, rosemary, sea salt and pepper, tofu
Mix again
Transfer to a glass baking dish
Top with nutritional yeast, bread crumbs and red pepper flakes
Bake for 10 minutes
When playing top with fresh rosemary or sage

Enjoy!!!

I served mine with whole wheat toast topped with fresh avocado and ground peppercorn

Light fried baby eggplant

What you need:
5-6 baby eggplants
1 Tbsp sea salt
2 Tbsp of bread crumbs (I used plain, if you use italian you could forgo some of the other seasonings)
Crushed black peppercorn
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tsp season salt

What you’ll do:
Sweat the eggplant by cutting into thin slices and placing on a cookie sheet or plate, sprinkle all pieces with salt

Let sweat for 15 minutes

Mix all ingredients together

Place in a warm skillet

Cook until crispy about 5 minutes per side

Enjoy!!

Rosemary polenta with turmeric white beans

What you’ll need:

1 C uncooked polenta
3 C water
1 vegetable bullion cube
1 small fresh package of rosemary
1 can white beans drained and rinsed
2 cloves if garlic chopped
1/2 jar of marinated red bell peppers
1/2 Tsp red pepper flakes
1 Tsp turmeric
1 Tsp coriander
Sea salt to taste
2 celery stalks chopped
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 bunch of young broccoli (opt)
1 bunch of green onions chopped (light part only)

What you’ll do:
Cook polenta according to directions on package, mine were quick so I brought 3 cups of water to a boil added to bullion and polenta, reduced the heat and wisked frequently for about 5 minutes

Add rosemary and remove from heat

Keep covered and set aside

In a large skillet add olive oil, red pepper flakes and garlic

Let cook for about 1-2 minutes

Add celery cook another 2 minute

Add beans and red pepper, cook until beans are heated through

Add 1 C of water and mash mixture

Add turmeric, coriander and sea salt to taste

Add cleaned, cut young broccoli

Let simmer covered until thickened a few minutes

Spoon the polenta mixture on a plate and cover with white bean mixture

Add broccoli and green onions

I also did a micro radish greens salad with cherry tomatoes and a homemade dressing of red wine vinegar, lemon juice, agave nectar and sea salt.

Enjoy!!!

Smoked salmon and spinach salad

What you’ll need:
1 bag of spinach cleaned
1/2 Red onion
10 sugar snap peas cleaned and cut in half
3-4 spears of pickled asparagus
3-4 large button mushrooms sliced thinly
10 cherry tomatoes halved
1 package of smoked salmon ( I prefer to use Lox)
Sea salt to taste
Black pepper to taste
Goat cheese or feta cheese (optional)

1 batch of red wine vinegar dressing (recipe in previous blog post) or store bought

Mix all ingredients except salmon together thoroughly

Add salmon after you have plated the salad

If wanted add goat cheese or feta

Enjoy!!!

Brussel sprout quinoa salad

What you’ll need:

1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 bunch of brussel sprouts with the stems cut off and halved

1 head of broccoli cut into bite size pieces

1 cup of quinoa cooked

1/4 C dried cranberries

10 yellow tomatoes halved

Sea salt

Black pepper

1 lemon

1 Tsp honey

What you’ll do:

Cook the quinoa according to the directions

Place in a bowl

Heat olive oil over medium in a medium skillet

Add brussel sprouts and juice from 1 lemon and the rhine(remove before serving)

Add sea salt and pepper to taste

Cook for about 5 minutes and add broccoli

Cook for another 2-3 minutes

Add to bile with quinoa

Add cherry tomatoes

Add dried cranberries

Add honey

Mix thoroughly

Enjoy!!!

Whole Wheat Pasta Salad

What you’ll need:

1 package of whole wheat penne pasta
1/4 C shredded Parmesan cheese
1/2 bottle of low fat Greek salad dressing (or Italian)

1/2 package of cherry tomatoes halved
1 cucumber peeled and chopped
1 can of black beans drained and rinsed

Sea salt
Black pepper
Onion powder
Red pepper flakes (optional)

What you’ll do:
Cook pasta according to directions
Strain pasta and rinse with cold water until cool

Add salad dressing and cheese
Mix thoroughly
Add tomatoes and cucumbers
Mix well
Add beans and stir well

Season to taste with sea salt, black pepper, onion powder and red pepper flakes (dried)

Enjoy!!!

Cold Undon Noodle Salad

What you’ll need:
1 package of dry Undon noodles
1 bottle of soy or miso dressing of choice

1 yellow tomato (if available, if not red) cut thinly

5 cherry tomatoes chopped
1 carrot chopped
1/4 package of bean sprouts
1/4 package of snap peas
Any other veggies you have in the fridge

What you’ll do:
Cook Undon noodles according to directions on the package (normally boil for 8 minutes)

Rinse noodles in cold water

Transfer the noodles into the serving dish

Combine miso dressing with noodles

Add all veggies and mix thoroughly

Refrigerate for at least 1 hour

Enjoy!!

Buffalo Cauliflower

What you’ll need:

1 head of cauliflower chopped
1/2 C buttermilk
1/2 C unbleached all purpose flour
1/2 bottle of Frank’s Hot Sauce

What you do:
Heat oven to 350

Combine flour and buttermilk together in a large bowl

Add cauliflower and mix thoroughly

Spread cauliflower out evenly on a lined baking sheet

Bake for 20-25 minutes until crispy

Take out of oven, pour hot sauce on, and mix thoroughly

Return to oven and bake for an additional 10 minutes

Enjoy!!!

Chive Muffin

What you’ll need:
1 1/2 C unbleached all purpose flour
1 1/2 C whole milk at room temp
3 eggs at room temp
1 1/4 TSP sea salt
1/4 package fresh chives (about 2 TBSP chopped)

What you’ll do:

Heat oven to 450

Spray muffin pan with non stick spray

Wisk together 3 room temp eggs (if cold place in warm water for about 10 min) and room temp milk (heat in microwave for about 40 seconds or until warm if cold) until frothy

Add salt and flour and wisk for another 1-2 minutes

Add Chives and mix thoroughly

Pour mixture into muffin pan, filling each cup about 3/4 of the way full

Place on bottom rack in oven

Bake for 15 minutes, reduce heat to 350 and bake for another 20 minutes or until golden brown

Enjoy!!

I found this recipe in the November issue of Martha Stewart Living and loved it!

Homemade green enchilada sauce

What you need:

1 TBSP extra virgin olive oil
1 Green bell pepper
1/2 Yellow onion (chopped)
2 Garlic cloves (or pre diced garlic)
2 Vine ripened tomatoes
1 Cup vegetable stock
1/2 Bunch of fresh cilantro (chopped)
1 Jalepeno (chopped)
2 TSP sea salt (or to taste)
1 TSP ground black pepper
1 TSP Chili powder
1 TSP turmeric powder

What you’ll do:

In a medium skillet add the olive oil, onion, bell pepper, jalepeno and all seasoning and cook over medium until soft or about 4-5 minutes

Add chopped tomatoes, stock and cilantro

Continue simmering over medium, uncovered, for 10-15 minutes until tomatoes have broken down

Pour mixture into a blender and puree (be careful with hot liquid when blending!!)

Enjoy!!

You could use this recipe as a chip dip also (I would add a bit of lime juice in that case)