Tag: healthy eating

Whole Wheat Pasta Salad

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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!!!

Greek Salad

Greek Salad

What you’ll need:

Mixed greens
1/4 red onion sliced
Marinated artichoke hearts (3-4)
Olives (green, kalamata, ect)
Marinated peppers
Marinated white beans
1 tomato chopped

Dressing:
1/4 Cup Red wine vinegar
1/2 lemon (juiced)
1 TBSP olive oil
Sea salt to taste
Ground black pepper to taste

What you do:
Combine all salad ingredients

Combine all dressing ingredients

Pour on salad and enjoy!!!!!

Veggie Pad Thai

Vegan Pad Thai

What you’ll need:
1 package of brown rice noodles
2 TBSP extra virgin olive oil
3 garlic cloves chopped finely
1 shallot chopped finely
1/4 head of cabbage chopped finely
1 Cup of sugar snap peas cut in half
4-5 radishes cut finely
1-2 TBSP Sriracha (use more to make it more spicy or leave out if you don’t like spice)
Fresh cilantro (use as garnish)
1/2 lime quartered (for garnish)

1/3 Cup vegetable stock
3 TBSP rice wine vinegar
1/2 lime (juice)
3 TBSP brown sugar
2-3 TBSP fish sauce (can be found in the asian section of your grocery store)
1-3 TSP cayenne pepper (use to taste)
1 TSP black pepper

What you do:

Heat a pot of water until boiling
Add brown rice noodles to boiling water, turn the burner off and let noodles sit 5-9 minutes until soft

Drain and rinse noodles with cold water (this will help prevent them from sticking)
Set aside

In a bowl mix:
1/3 Cup vegetable stock
3 TBSP rice wine vinegar
1/2 lime (juice)
3 TBSP brown sugar
2-3 TBSP fish sauce (can be found in the asian section of your grocery store)
1-3 TSP cayenne pepper (use to taste)
1 TSP black pepper
Set aside

Heat a skillet over medium and add olive oil, shallot and garlic and cook for about 3 minutes

Add cabbage and Sriracha and mix thoroughly, let cook for 1-2 minutes

Add rinsed noodles and pad thai sauce you already mixed

With two forks continuously mix noodles and sauce until completely absorbed

When sauce is completely absorbed into noodles fold in peas, radishes and/or any other veggies you like

After you plate the noodles top with fresh cilantro and place one quartered lime on plate

Enjoy!!

Veggie Enchiladas

Veggie Enchiladas

What you need:

1 batch of green enchilada sauce—see my earlier blog post for recipe (or a bottle of store bought green sauce)

1 TBSP extra virgin olive oil
2 Bell peppers of any kind chopped
1 Red onion chopped
1 Small package(8 oz) of baby portobello mushrooms chopped
1/2 lime (just the juice)
1 TSP sea salt
1 TSP season salt
1 TSP ground black pepper
1 Can pinto beans rinsed and drained
6 Whole wheat soft taco tortillas

What you’ll do:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees
Put the chopped peppers, onion and mushrooms on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper

Coat the veggies with the olive oil
Sprinkle the salt and pepper on veggies

Bake for about 10-15 minutes stirring halfway through

Remove veggies from oven and stir in rinsed pinto beans

Coat the bottom of a large glass baking dish with the green sauce

Fill each flour tortilla with green sauce and veggie mixture

Roll each tortilla tightly and place seam side down in the baking dish

Continue this until baking dish is full

Pour the remaining sauce on top of the enchiladas

Bake until heated through, about 20 minutes

Optional:
Add fresh salsa (see previous blog post)

Enjoy!!!

Homemade green enchilada sauce

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)

Zucchini and Goat Cheese on Ciabatta

Zucchini and Goat Cheese on Ciabatta

What you need:
1 TBLS butter
2 green zucchini chopped
1/2 yellow onion chopped
Goat Cheese (I used tomato basil)
4 ciabatta rolls
1 TBLS olive oil
1 Clove garlic
2 TSP red pepper flakes
1 TSP vinegar (I used red wine)
1 TSP white sugar
6-7 leaves of fresh basil
1 can of diced tomatoes
Sea salt and black pepper to taste

What you do:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
In a medium sauce pan heat olive oil over medium
Add garlic, red pepper flakes, basil, sugar, vinegar and salt
Cook for a few minutes then add diced tomatoes
Simmer on low for 15-20 minutes

Melt butter in a skillet
Add zucchini and onion
Cook for about 10 minutes until golden brown
Season with salt and pepper

Spoon zucchini mixture and tomato sauce into a ciabatta roll
Add goat cheese
Wrap in aluminum foil (each sandwich individually)
Bake for 10-15 minutes

Enjoy!!

(I paired my sandwiched with a fresh watercress salad with balsamic vinegar)

Curried Cauliflower with Vegan Sausage on Wild Rice

Curried Cauliflower with Vegan Sausage on Wild Rice

What you’ll need:
1 head of cauliflower
1 Cup wild rice
2 Links of vegan sausage (I prefer italian flavored)
3 TBLS extra virgin olive oil
1 TBLS curry powder
1 TSP turmeric powder
1 TSP sea salt
1/2 lemon (juice)
1 cube vegetable bouillon(optional)

What you do:
Pre heat oven to 450 degrees
Line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil
In a bowl mix together 2 TBLS olive oil, curry powder, turmeric powder, sea salt and lemon juice

Cut cauliflower into bite size pieces
Place cauliflower in curry mixture and lightly coat all pieces

Place cauliflower on cookie sheet and bake for 25 minutes

While cauliflower is baking cook wild rice according to directions (Bring 2 cups of water to a boil, add 1 cup wild rice, reduce heat and simmer with lid on for 15 minutes)

After rice is cooked add bouillon and let melt into rice, stir occasionally until thoroughly mixed in

Heat remaining 1 TBLS of olive oil in a skillet or frying pan on med-high heat

Cut vegan sausage into 1/4″ pieces
Cook until golden brown on each side in olive oil
(about 3 minutes per side)

Place rice on plate, add sausage and cauliflower
Squeeze any remaining lemon on top
Sprinkle with sea salt

Enjoy!!

Fresh Salsa

Fresh Salsa

What you’ll need:
1/2 large white onion chopped
4 large vine ripened tomatoes chopped
1 large ripe avocado chopped
1/2 bunch of cilantro (you can use less or more to taste)
1 lemon (juice)

1 jalapeno

1 lime (juice)

Splash of rice wine vinegar
2 TSP sea salt (adjust to taste)

What to do:
Combine all ingredients
You can use a food processor or chop all ingredients well and mix
Keep for up to one week in the fridge

Enjoy!!

Vegan Pasta Shells

Vegan Pasta Shells

What you’ll need:
1 jar of your favorite pasta sauce
1 box of whole wheat jumbo pasta shells
2 cloves of garlic
1 TSP red pepper flakes (optional)
1 TSP black pepper
1 TSP sea salt
1 TBLS extra virgin olive oil
1 package of fresh basil
1/2 TBLS of parsley
1 package of extra firm tofu
2 handfuls of spinach
1 white onion
1/2 lemon (juice)
1 cup button mushrooms (optional)

What to do:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees
Use a tofu press to remove extra water or wrap tofu in paper towels and place a heavy item on top of tofu until most of the moisture is gone

Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook pasta shells according to the directions, add a sprinkle of salt to the water

Heat a large skillet on medium heat and cook onion and garlic in the olive oil until onions are translucent, about 5 minutes

Add basil and spinach, cook for a few minutes

Add tofu by crumbling it in the pan, combine thoroughly

Add salt, pepper, red pepper flakes and lemon

Cook until everything is heated, about 10 minutes

In a glass casserole dish place a thin layer of pasta sauce and 1/2 of the mushrooms

Spoon the tofu mixture into the shells

Place shells evenly over pasta sauce in the casserole dish

Pour the remainder of the pasta sauce on top of the shells and add the rest of the mushrooms and parsley

Bake, covered with foil, for 30 minutes

Enjoy!!

Seared Ahi Tuna on Soba Noodle Salad

Seared Ahi Tuna on Soba Noodle Salad

What you’ll need:
1/2 lb of ahi tuna
1 package of soba noodles
Miso dressing (see my miso dressing post for a great recipe)
3 vine ripened tomatoes
Alfalfa sprouts
1 TBLS extra virgin olive oil
Sea Salt
Black pepper
Cayenne pepper

What you do:
Bring a large pot of water to a boil
Place soba noodles in boiling water
Reduce heat slightly and boil noodles for 5 minutes
Drain noodles
Run cold water over noodles
Place chilled noodles in a bowl
Add miso dressing to noodles
Cover with saran wrap and place in fridge while preparing tuna

Season tuna on both sides with sea salt, black pepper and cayenne pepper

Heat 1 TBLS of olive oil in a skillet on med-high heat
Sear tuna until cooked, about 1 1/2 minutes on each side for rare

Remove noodles from fridge
Add tomatoes and sprouts
Mix together well
Place in bowl
Add tuna on top

Enjoy!!
Add additional sprouts if wanted