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!

Bibb lettuce salad 


Ingredient list:

1/2 small red onion sliced thinly 

1/2 C vinegar (I used white wine but white, red wine or rice would be okay also)

1 head of Bibb lettuce ripped into small pieces (I love the living kind)

2 vine ripened tomatoes sliced (I used orange)

1/2 English cucumber slices thinly 

1/2 lemon (juice)

2 tbsp olive oil

Sea salt

Black pepper

Method:

Place onions in a small bowl and cover with vinegar. Let onions pickle as you assemble the salad.

Place lettuce, tomatoes + cucumbers in a large bowl

Add lemon juice and olive oil on salad, toss

Top with onions 

Sprinkle with salt and pepper

Enjoy!

Vegetarian Korma

korma

Vegetarian Korma

I made this meal for $10 (I had a few things on hand) and in under 30 minutes, it doesn’t get better than that!

Ingredient List:

1 tbsp olive oil

1 yellow onion chopped

2 tsp minced garlic

2-3 yukon gold potatoes cubed

3 carrots roughly chopped

1 C sliced mushrooms

1 C frozen peas

1 8 oz can of tomato sauce

1 jalapeno (optional)

1 tsp ginger powder

1 tbsp yellow curry powder

1 green bell pepper chopped

1 Tbsp peanut butter

1 C non fat greek yogurt

Sea salt

Cilantro or parsley

Method:

In a large skillet heat the oil over medium

Add the onion, garlic and ginger and cook until onions are soft about 5 minutes

Taste and season with sea salt if wanted

Add potatoes, carrots, jalapeño, peas (frozen), mushrooms, tomato sauce and peanut butter

Cook until potatoes and carrots are tender about 10-15 minutes

Stir in yogurt and bell pepper

Cook for 5 additional minutes

Garnish with cilantro or parsley

Serve on rice ( I used couscous)

Enjoy!!

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Artichoke and spinach lasagna

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What you’ll need:

1 Tbsp olive oil
1 yellow onion chopped
2 small or 1 large green zucchini
1bag of spinach
1 small jar of marinated artichoke hearts ( I used the oil they are marinated in place of using more olive oil)
1 batch of marinara sauce (see previous blog post for recipe) or 1 jar of store bought marinara sauce
1 carton of sliced white mushrooms
1 box oven ready lasagna noodles
2 C shredded mozzarella cheese
1 Tbsp Italian seasoning
1 Tsp of cayenne pepper
Sea Salt to taste
Black pepper to taste
1/2 lemon (juice)

3-4 green onions chopped
Fresh basil 1/2 bunch chopped

What you’ll do:
Preheat oven to 350
Grease a 9×11 glass baking dish
In a medium skillet heat olive oil over medium

Add onion and cook until translucent
Add zucchini and cook another few minutes (3-5)
Squeeze lemon juice in the mixture
Add spinach, mushrooms and oil from the artichokes and cook until spinach is slightly wilted

Add marinara sauce and mix thoroughly

Add all seasonings

With a large ladle (or coffee mug) spoon a layer of the veggie mixture into the glass dish
Then place a layer of the uncooked lasagna noodles
Place artichokes evenly on the noodles
Sprinkle 1/2 of the cheese
Repeat steps until lasagna dish is full
Bake for 30 minutes at 350
Before you serve sprinkle with green onions and basil

Enjoy!!!

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!!!

Veggie Pizza with Pesto Sauce

Veggie Pizza with Pesto Sauce

What you’ll need:

Crust:
For the crust my good friend Jenny gave me the best whole wheat dough recipe you can find on a previous blog post. If you prefer you can buy a pre-made whole wheat pizza crust (that’s what I used tonight, it was brand Boboli)

Pesto:
You can buy pre-made pesto or I simply combined arugula, olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper and a squeeze of lemon juice in my food precessor. I didn’t happen to have pine nuts on hand but if you do, add a few in for an even heartier pesto.

Toppings:
Kalamata olives
Green olives
White onion cut thinly
Jalapeno cut thinly
Canned arktichoke hearts
Cherry tomatos halved and seasoned with salt, pepper and dried parsley
Canned pickled beets chopped finely

What you’ll do:

Preheat oven to 450

Cover pizza crust with pesto, olives, onion, arktichoke, jalepeno

Bake at 450 for 8-10 minutes until crust is crispy

Remove from oven and add tomatoes, beets and season with salt to taste

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!!!

Spinach and leek bake

Spinach and leek bake

What you’ll need:

1 TBSP of extra virgin olive oil
2 Leeks chopped finely (white part only)
1/2 Yellow onion chopped
2 Packages of fresh spinach
1 Cup of shredded parmesan cheese
1 Cup of cooked brown rice (I use one vegetable bullion cube in my rice to add flavor)
3 eggs
Sea Salt
Black pepper
Red pepper flakes
Coriander

What you do:
Pre heat oven to 375
Prepare a glass baking dish with non stick cooking spray
In a skillet saute leeks and onions in the olive oil until soft
Season with sea salt, pepper, red pepper flakes to taste
In a medium pot steam the spinach until soft
Drain and chop the spinach
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl (save some of the parmesan cheese to sprinkle on top)
Pour mixture into the glass baking dish
Bake for 30 minutes at 375

Enjoy!!