healthy – Kacey Tess

Watermelon Radish Salad

Ingredient list

Salad:

2 watermelon radishes sliced thinly with a mandolin

1 pear sliced thinly

1 nectarine cut into small slivers

1 fennel bulb cut thinly

2 cucumbers cut into matchsticks

1 tbsp fresh thyme chopped finely

Dressing:

1/4 C champagne vinegar

1 tbsp honey

1 tbsp dried shallots

1 tsp mustard

Salt and pepper to taste

1/3 C extra virgin olive oil

Method:

Combine all salad ingredients and set aside

Combine all ingredients for dressing minus the olive oil in a food processor, gradually poor in olive oil

Combine dressing and salad, enjoy!

This is a salad that will get better with time, so great the next day.

Shaved carrot + cucumber salad

What you’ll need:

2 tbsp honey

2 tbsp rice wine vinegar

1 tsp ginger

2 carrots shaved

1 English cucumber chopped into small pieces

1/2 C cilantro chopped roughly

Sea salt + pepper to taste

Method:

In a small bowl combine honey, rice wine vinegar and ginger, set aside

Shave carrots into ribbons, put in large bowl

Add cut cucumbers

Add honey sauce

Combine thoroughly

Let marinade for 1 hour if possible

Add cilantro + salt + pepper

Enjoy!

Caprese-Pepper Sandwich

What you’ll need:

Makes 2 sandwiches

4 pieces whole grain bread (I use Dave’s Killer Bread)

Olive oil (I use an extra virgin oil that I infused with basil, Parmesan cheese, sweet peppers and red pepper flakes)

1 large red tomato

2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

2 sweet yellow peppers

5-6 large basil leaves

1 round of fresh mozzarella

Sea salt

What you’ll do:

Slice tomatoes and place in a zip lock bag with balsamic vinegar

Let marinade refrigerated for at least 10 minutes

Toast your bread

Cover each piece with olive oil

Add tomatoes

Sprinkle with sea salt

Add cheese

Add basil

Add one pepper to each sandwich

And enjoy!!

Hawaiian Salmon Sliders

What you’ll need:

Whole wheat dinner rolls
Teriyaki sauce
Dill pickle spears cut in bite size pieces
Red onions sliced thinly
4 pineapple slices
Salmon filet {I use wild caught}
Sea salt
Ground black pepper

What you’ll do:
Cook your salmon after seasoning with salt and pepper (I used my George Foreman grill, you could also BBQ or bake it)

Grill your pineapple until you see the grill marks (on a BBQ or George Foreman)

Assemble:
Slice your dinner roll in half
Spread teriyaki sauce on both sides
Place salmon
Add onions
Add pickles
Add pineapple
Place top on
Secure with a toothpick if desired

Enjoy!!!

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

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!!!

Chili Relleno Casserole

What you’ll need:
2 7 oz cans of whole green chili peppers sliced in half

1 bag (2 cups) pepper jack cheese shredded

1/4 white onion chopped

1 can of diced jalapeños (optional)

1 5 oz can of evaporated milk

1/2 C of milk

2 Tbsp unbleached all purpose flour

2 eggs

1 jar of salsa verde

1 batch of fresh salsa (see previous blog post) I also added crab to this but you can leave it out to keep it vegetarian

What you’ll do:

Heat oven to 350

Grease a 9×13 glass baking dish

Place 1/2 of the peppers on greased baking dish

Sprinkle 1/2 of the pepper jack cheese

Sprinkle onions

Spread jalapeños out evenly over peppers

Mix milk, eggs and flour in a bowl

Pour milk mixture over peppers

Bake for 25 minutes

Take out of oven

Pour salsa verde over casserole

Sprinkle the rest of the cheese over casserole

Bake for an additional 20 minutes or until bubbly

Add fresh salsa to each serving

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!!

Whole wheat pasta primavera

What you’ll need:

1/2 container of cherry tomatoes
1 can diced tomatoes
1 TBSP olive oil
2 garlic cloves chopped
1/2 TBSP Italian seasoning or to taste
1/2 white onion
1/2 container of sliced mushrooms
2 Cups if broccoli florets
1 package of whole wheat linguine

What you do:

Heat olive oil over medium and add garlic and olives, cook for about 5 minutes until onions start turning translucent

Add diced tomatoes and Italian seasoning

Lower heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes

Cook pasta according to instructions on box (normally for al dente pasta boil for 7 minutes then drain)

Strain pasta, add a small amount of olive oil to noodles to prevent them from sticking

Add pasta sauce to pasta

Enjoy!!!