Cauliflower Cucumber Salad

Ingredients

1 small/medium head of cauliflower, cut into small pieces
1 English cucumber, sliced into thin half circles
5 scallions chopped
½ cup Vegeneise
½ tsp salt, plus more to taste
¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
Add a clove of garlic to the dressing for a little extra zing, if you like :)

Instructions

Dice your cauliflower and place in a medium salad bowl (we used the small holes of the Vidalia Chop Wizard).
Cut your cucumber in half the long way and thinly slice. You end up with thinly sliced half circles.
A mandoline slicer will help speed up the process! Add cucumbers to your bowl.
Finely chop your chives and toss them over your salad (Chop and add the white parts if you like it more "oniony").
In a separate bowl, mix together ¼ cup sour cream and ¼ cup plain Greek yogurt with ½ tsp salt and ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper. Stir the dressing into the salad and add more salt to taste if needed. I added an extra dash of salt at the end. Garnish with a sprig of parsley or dill if you like.

This is adapted from: http://natashaskitchen.com/2013/05/31/cauliflower-cucumber-salad-recipe/

Eggplant "Crab"cake

This came out really well. The texture of a crab cake, the health factor of eggplant. Win Win!

Ingredients:
2 small eggplants
1 cup nutritional yeast
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
1 tbsp fresh parsley
2 shallots
1 garlic clove
1 onion
1 tsp tarragon
olive oil

Directions:
Roast the eggplant. Just put it on a cookie sheet with a few fork pricks at 400 degrees. (I roasted this for 2 hours)
Once the eggplant is roasted, remove skin and mash it with potato masher. Add the nutritional yeast, breadcrumbs, chopped parsley, minced shallots and minced garlic. Combine.
Put in fridge for 30 minutes.
Heat skillet with some olive oil and form the mixture into patties. This makes about 4. Place the patties in the skillet and flip when it's gotten golden brown so the patties don't fall apart. Cook until golden brown, flip, cook until golden brown.
Meanwhile, slice the onions, add a tiny bit of olive oil and the tarragon. Caramelize the onions.
Serve on a bun or English muffin with sriracha mayo and the caramelized onions.
Enjoy!

Flourless Thumbprint Oatmeal Jam Breakfast Cookies

I did this with raspberries instead of one of the bananas. Awesome. I'm sure you could do it with any berry. I also threw in some vanilla extract.

 

From Oh She Glows

Ingredients:

• 1 cup mashed ripe banana (2 large)
• 2 cups rolled oats (use certified gluten-free if necessary)
• 3 tablespoons ground flax seed
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
• 8 teaspoons jam
• Peanut butter (or almond or sunflower seed butter), for serving (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a food processor, add the oats and pulse until a coarse meal forms (see picture in blog post).
3. In a large bowl, mash the banana. Stir in the rest of the ingredients, except the jam and nut butter. The mixture will be very wet and dense.
4. With a retractable ice cream scoop or a spoon, scoop the dough into 8 mounds. The cookies do not need to be spaced far apart on the baking sheet as they don't spread out. Press your thumb (or small spoon) into the centre of each cookie to create a well. Fill each well with 1 heaping teaspoon of jam.
5. Bake cookies at 350F for 11-13 minutes, until the cookies are slightly firm, but soft and doughy in the middle. Transfer cookies to a cooling rack for 10 minutes or so.
6. If desired, serve cookies with your favourite nut or seed butter. They also taste great with a pat of coconut oil or vegan butter!

Read more: http://ohsheglows.com/2014/10/24/flourless-thumbprint-breakfast-cookies-vegan-gf/#ixzz3ZsDXpEVA

Sweet Potato Black Bean Quesadillas

These were delicious. Rich, creamy, interesting texture, and quite satisfying. I only used one tortilla and just folded it over.

From: http://fitfoodiefinds.com

Ingredients
For the Sweet Potatoes

2 large sweet potatoes
1 small red onion
2 tablespoons EVOO
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon chili powder
½ teaspoon paprika
salt and pepper

For the Quinoa & Black Beans

½ cup quinoa, uncooked
1 cup vegetable broth (I used low sodium)
1 15 oz can black beans
½ jalapeño, diced
⅓ cup salsa

Additional Ingredients Needed

Cilantro Lime Avocado Spread
coconut oil cooking spray
~8 tortillas

Instructions
For the Sweet Potatoes

First, preheat oven to 400ºF, then line a baking sheet with tin foil.
Prep sweet potatoes by washing and patting dry. Then, chop into bite size pieces. Mince onion. Spread vegetables onto baking sheet and drizzle with EVOO.
Then, sprinkle on garlic, chili powder, paprika, and salt and pepper and toss with your hands.
Bake at 400ºF for 25-30 minutes, or until the sweet potatoes have reached desired texture.

For the Quinoa and Black Beans

Place quinoa, vegetable broth, and diced jalapeño in a medium size pot. Then, bring to a boil. Cover and turn down to low. Let simmer for about 15 minutes or until all the liquid has absorbed.
Add in black beans and salsa and mix.

For Quesadillas

First, spread on some Cilantro Lime Avocado Spread. Then, place ~ ⅓ cup of vegetables and ~1/3 cup quinoa/black bean mixture on top of a tortilla shell. Then, place another tortilla on top of that.
Heat a large sauce pan to medium heat and spray with coconut oil spray. Cook both sides for 1-2 minutes or until they begin to brown. Serve with more Cilantro Lime Avocado Spread and a sprinkle of paprika.

Make these cheese-free vegan sweet potato quesadillas that are packed with protein and flavor and topped with a delicious cilantro avocado spread!

Orange Cashew Salad Dressing

From Super Healthy Kids

I think you can get away with 3 Mandarin oranges...


For dressing:

1 cup raw cashew pieces
4 oranges

Blend in a high powered blender until very smooth and runny. If you need to add more oranges to thin it out, feel free! Top your favorite citrus salad with the dressing. For Dip:

1 cup raw cashew pieces
1-2 oranges

Blend in a high powered blender until very smooth, thick and creamy. Use to dip apples, strawberries, bananas, or even celery.

Sweet Peanut Soba Noodle Sauce

From the lunchboxbunch...

Ingredients

6oz soba noodles (100% buckwheat preferred)
sauce:
1/2 cup roasted peanuts (unsalted)
1/2 cup almond milk, plain
1 clove garlic
2 tsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp maple syrup, grade B
a few pinches of cayenne for heat
optional: 1/2 tsp grated fresh ginger or 1/2 tsp ginger powder
salt and pepper to taste
optional: for more perkiness, add in a teaspoon of ice vinegar or seasoned rice vinegar (seasoned will be a bit sweeter)
2 cups fresh leafy greens (like spinach or chopped kale)
2 tsp chopped peanuts for garnish

Instructions

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the soba noodles, reduce heat to medium, and cook until tender, usually about 5-8 minutes.
While the noodles are cooking, add all your ingredients to a blender like a Vitamix. Blend until creamy smooth. Tip: Use a narrower-style container to really whip some fluffy air into the sauce. Season with salt and pepper and cayenne to taste.
Drain the pasta and rinse in cold water.
Place pasta and sauce in a large bowl and toss well. For lighter-sauced noodles, start out by only adding half the sauce and add more to taste or over top to serve.
Serve over a bed of fresh greens, and a sprinkle of chopped peanuts on top.

Sweet Potato Burgers

I have a new favorite thing: liquid smoke. Check out these sweet potato burgers from Forks over Knives!

Ingredients:

1 (15-ounce) can white beans, drained and rinsed

For the sweet potatoes:

2 small or 1 large sweet potato
2 tablespoons nondairy milk
1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
1¼ teaspoons smoked paprika
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
Few drops of liquid smoke (about ½ teaspoon)
2−3 tablespoons ketchup
⅓ cup rolled oats
¼ cup instant oats
Hot sauce (optional)
Chipotle powder
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Smoky Sweet Potato Burgers
By Lindsay S. Nixon on November 14, 2014
Email

I love a good bean burger, but sweet potato burgers are in a category of their own! These smoky-sweet but spicy burgers will dazzle anyone they’re served to, so if your friends tend to snub bean burgers and other meat replacements, try serving these at your party. They’re so beautiful guests can’t help to be intrigued … then wowed!

From Happy Herbivore Holidays & Gatherings

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

2. Mash the beans with a fork or pulse in a food processor so no whole beans are left, but the mixture is still chunky with some half beans.

3. To make the sweet potatoes, I cook mine in the microwave, but you can also steam for 15 to 17 minutes. (I leave the potato skins on for added nutrition, but you can peel them off after cooking, if desired.) Then mash and mix them with the nondairy milk to make “mashed potatoes.”

4. Mix the mashed beans with 1 cup of the mashed sweet potato, nutritional yeast, smoked paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, cumin, liquid smoke, and ketchup (use 3 tablespoons for a slight tomato flavor), stirring to combine.

5. Add the rolled and instant oats and stir to combine again. Add hot sauce to taste if desired, plus a few dashes of chipotle powder (a little goes a long way!), then season to taste with salt and pepper, if desired. Taste and add more heat or smoke as desired.

6. Separate into five equal portions and roll into balls with damp hands. Place balls on baking sheet (leaving room to spread), and press lightly into patties with your palm.

7. Bake for 10 minutes (patties should be somewhat firm after 10 minutes; if not, wait a few more minutes), flip with spatula, and bake for 5 more minutes. Then flip them again and bake for another 2 to 5 minutes, until they are deep in color, crisp, and firmer, but be careful not to burn.

Vegan Pumpkin Cheesecake

Yes. A dairy free CHEESEcake.

My favorite part about this recipe is the crust. Spicy, flavorful, and crumbly goodness.
My second favorite part is that it is not too sweet. I only used 1/3 cup brown sugar in the filling.

I found this recipe here: http://www.onegreenplanet.org/vegan-food/recipe-pumpkin-cheesecake-with-a-gingersnap-crust/Vegan Pumpkin Cheesecake

Here is the recipe:



For the Crust

1 1/2 cups organic vegan gingersnap cookies (about 24 cookies)
1/4 cup almonds
2 teaspoons fresh ginger, grated
2 tablespoons neutral tasting oil
1/4 cup brown or palm sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon sea salt

For the Pumpkin Filling

2 (8-ounce) containers vegan cream cheese
1/3 cup evaporated cane sugar
1/3 cup evaporated cane sugar
1 (15-ounce) can organic pumpkin, or pumpkin pie filling
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon whole-wheat pastry flour
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon neutral tasting oil
1/8 teaspoon sea salt

Preparation

For the Crust

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Place cookies, almonds, ginger, oil, sugar, cinnamon, vanilla extract and sea salt in a food processor and pulse until uniform, about 20 to 25 times. Mixture should be a crumbly, even consistency that pulls away from the walls of food processor.
Grease a springform pan. Use damp hands to firmly press mixture into pan to form crust. Be sure to evenly distribute mixture and use thumbs to press crust into corners of pan. Bake for 7 minutes, to help crust stick together.

For the Filling

In a food processor, add cream cheese, sugar, pumpkin, cloves, nutmeg, allspice, cinnamon, flour, lemon juice, oil and sea salt. Blend until uniform.
Pour filling into baked crust and gently tap mixture on counter to release any trapped bubbles. Bake for about 40 minutes or until mixture is slightly browned on top and feels firm when pan is slightly shaken.
Remove from oven and allow cheesecake to cool on counter for at least 20 minutes, then refrigerate for 4 hours to overnight before serving, to firm up.

Scuffins

Apparently, every pastry needs a cool identifier these days. Scuffins are exactly what you would imagine: a combination of scone flavor and muffin shape. Plus, there's jam inside!

This recipe is from the NY Times. I made them and they are definitely more scone-like, but quite good. Not a lot of sugar, which makes me happy. If you like cardamom, stick with the recipe. They definitely have a kick. If you're not so much a fan, lower the amount, or exclude it altogether.

Scuffins

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter (2 ounces), plus 2 tablespoons for buttering muffin cups
• 1 cup whole-wheat flour (4 1/2 ounces)
• ¾ cup all-purpose flour (3 ounces)
• ¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon flaxseed meal or wheat germ (1 ounce)
• 3 tablespoons light brown or raw sugar (2 ounces), plus extra for sprinkling
• 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
• ½ teaspoon sea salt or kosher salt
• 1 egg
• ⅓ cup whole milk
• ⅓ cup heavy cream
• ¾ cup fruit jam, conserves, preserves or fruit butter (do not use jelly or marmalade)

Preparation

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a microwave or over very gentle heat. Using a pastry brush, butter the cups of a standard-size (3 1/2-ounce-capacity) 12-cup muffin tin. Let each coat of butter cool, then apply another coat; continue until the 2 tablespoons are all used.
2. In a mixing bowl, combine dry ingredients. Meanwhile, melt remaining 4 tablespoons butter, add to dry ingredients and mix with a fork until just combined.
3. In another bowl, whisk together egg, milk and cream. Add to dry ingredients and mix to combine (the dough will be quite sticky).
4. Reserving about a quarter of the dough for topping, scoop 2 tablespoons dough into each cup. Using the back of a spoon, press dough gently down into the cups. The dough will move up the sides, and there should be a shallow well in each dough cup. Don’t worry if the dough doesn’t come all the way up to the top; there should be about 1/2 inch of space between the top of the dough and the rim of the cup.
5. Spoon about 1 tablespoon jam into each well. Using your fingers, pinch remaining dough into small clumps and scatter evenly over the jam in each cup, making a bumpy topping. Sprinkle sugar over the tops.
6. Bake 20 to 25 minutes, or until browned. Let cool in the pan on a rack; run a blade around the sides of each scuffin before turning out.

Fall and Halloween Wreath

Fall is my favorite season for many reasons--Delicious Orchards apple cider doughnuts, pumpkin craft beer, Halloween and Thanksgiving, true running weather, The Hunt, sweaters, jeans, hoodies and sweats, the leaves, apple pie, FOOTBALL... I could go on and on. Anyway, point is I get ridiculously excited about fall. So to prepare I decided to make this simple wreath. I saw it all over the Internet, so I'm not entirely sure who to credit! 

I bought heavy felt from JoAnns on sale for $2.99. You'll also need a foam wreath form in the size of your choice; I did 12"  and you'll need some dress pins. 

Basically, you cut the felt into 3 inch rounds and fold it twice. Once in half and then in half again. Stick a pin in the bottom so you connect all 4 layers and then stick the pin into the foam. It's a lot of cutting of circles, but it's rather meditative. I like the orange because it can go for fall and then transition into Halloween with a spider and then transition into Thanksgiving with a turkey. I will also make a green one for Christmas and St. Patrick's! 

I also would like to try and make one of of dyed coffee filters or cupcake liners or newspaper or magazine... So many options! 

Finished product 

Chocolate Yogurt Banana Breakfast Shake

Thick shake that will keep you full all morning!

Blend:

1/2 cup Greek yogurt
1 frozen banana
1 tbsp peanut butter
1 tbsp cocoa powder
1/2 tsp honey or agave
1/2 tsp vanilla
pinch of cinnamon

Delicious!

Pregnancy 3rd Trimester Magic Shake!

When I was pregnant with Maddox, I drank this shake every day in the 3rd trimester. Baby came with an easy delivery, so I'm going to pretend that this shake had something to do with it. :) They say eating 6 dates a day is great for preparing your body for labor and delivery... 

Plus, it's absolutely delicious!

1 frozen banana

1 cup almond milk (vanilla or chocolate were great, preferred vanilla)

1 raw medjool date

1 tbsp peanut butter

1 big pinch cinnamon

Blend and enjoy the awesomeness!

   

Chicken Mole: Slow Cooker

A while back I saw 10th Avenue Burrito's YouTube clip from Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives. Ever since then, I've wanted to try and make my own mole sauce. I went to the restaurant to taste theirs, because the clip just made my mouth water: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N4wqNRjKBkw

I mean, seriously. The amount of ingredients...

But I found their pork mole to be a bit bland. Maybe I was expecting a 4th of July in my mouth due to all the amazing ingredients, but I thought their signature dish was just, "eh."  Perhaps it's the lack of sauce? The wait time from kitchen to plate? Regardless, I wanted to try and make my own.

I found this recipe at: http://www.honeygheeandme.com/2013/03/crock-pot-chicken-mole-simple-html/


As per that website:

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

2 lbs. chicken (I used 2 breasts & 2 thighs- bone-in, skins removed)

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

2 tbsp ghee (or butter)

1 medium onion, chopped (2 cups)

4 cloves garlic, minced (1 tbsp)

5 large whole tomatoes, skins removed- see how-to below (or 1 can whole tomatoes)

5 dried New Mexico chilies, chopped

1/4 cup almond butter (unsalted, crunchy or smooth are fine- keep in mind chunky adds a crunch to the finished product)

2.5 ounces dark chocolate (I used Trader Joe’s salt & pepper chocolate, see photo above)

1 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp guajillo chili powder

1 tsp salt

So, this is how the magic happens...

First you chop the onion and garlic and saute it in 1 tbsp of butter. Then add that to the crock pot. Using the same skillet, this time on high, add the other tbsp of butter. Rub the chicken down with salt and pepper and saute about 3 minutes per side. I used 2 lb of chicken thighs. Add to crock pot.

I used canned Italian whole peeled tomatoes since it's not exactly tomato season here in Jersey. I added the can to the crock pot. 

As for the chile peppers... Great article that I found. Yes, I research my dinners. http://www.chilepepperinstitute.org/content/files/00%20winter.pdf

"New Mexico chilies" just didn't cut it for me. So I went to the international section and managed to find 2 out of the 3 mole chiles. I used 2 mulato and 2 pasilla, both chopped after discarding the seeds. I also have no idea how hot this dish will be, but so much of the heat is in the seeds so I figured I could always add more heat later if I needed to. I couldn't find the ancho chile peppers, but I thought 66.6% was okay. Add to crock pot. 

I used crunch almond butter, and just eyeballed it. Which means it was more like half a cup. 

I also used ghiradelli dark chocolate. Not because I'm a snob, because it was on sale. 2 oz. 

Then I added the dry spices. I also threw in half a box of raisins, since that's traditional, but not included in this recipe. Be careful with raisins. People think they are healthy, but their sugar content is off the charts. I didn't add tortilla strips though, which is also traditional...

Now, I could have blended this all up, and I still might with my immersion blender. I like having the option. But I think it cooks down enough that it's not really necessary. I set it to low for 6 hours and it smells and tastes delicious! So many flavors... Highly recommend. 

Pasta Fagioli

This recipe comes from: http://www.italianfoodforever.com/2012/01/pasta-e-fagioli/ I am posting it here because it is by far the closest thing I have ever made to my grandmother's famous pasta fagioli. Now, if you're the type of person who likes the variety that comes from Olive Garden, just know that this is very, VERY different. And it's delicious. And the best thing in the world to eat on a cold, snowy night.

My additions: My grandmother's secret: always add the celery LEAVES. Also, I didn't add the carrot. My grandmother never put carrots in her pasta fagioli. I also didn't add the pancetta or bacon. My grandmother would have used water, but I went with the chicken broth and loved it. Definitely use cannellini and ditalini. And do not over puree. Just enough to make the color change. I love this soup! Enjoy!



Ingredients:

3 Tablespoons of Olive Oil
2 Large Garlic Cloves, Minced
1 Large Carrot, Finely Chopped
2 Celery Stalks, Finely Chopped
1 Small Onion, Finely Chopped
1/3 Cup Finely Chopped Pancetta or Bacon (Optional)
6 Peeled, Seeded and Chopped Ripe Roma Tomatoes (or About 1 (14 Ounce) Can Chopped Tomatoes)
1 Quart Chicken Broth
2 (14 Ounce) Tins Cannellini Beans (or Equivalent, Prepared From Dried)
1 1/4 Cup Small Pasta (Tubettini or Ditalini)
1/3 Cup Chopped Fresh Parsley
Salt & Pepper
Dash Of Red Pepper Flakes
To Serve:
Good Quality Olive Oil
Shaved Parmesan Cheese
Fresh Chopped Parsley
Directions:

Heat the oil in a large heavy pot, then cook the onion, carrot, pancetta, and celery until soft.
Add the garlic and cook another minute.
Pour in the broth, beans and chopped tomatoes, and cook for 15 minutes.
Remove a few scoops of the bean mixture and puree or mash, then return to the pot.
Add the pasta, chopped parsley and seasonings.
Cook until the pasta is cooked al dente.
Serve in bowls topped with a drizzle of olive oil, the shaved cheese and a sprinkling of chopped parsley.

Indian Curry Lentil Soup: The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel: Foreign Film and Taste Night 1

New Year's Resolution: Foreign Movie and Foreign Food Night!

We started this Friday with "The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel" which is a British flick that takes place in India. Currently on HBO Go, and features a star studded British cast. Great movie. So to go along with it, I made Indian Curry Lentil Soup. Delish and totally set the mood.

Found this great Indian curry lentil soup recipe online. Awesome because I already had all of the ingredients in my pantry and it was delicious. Healthy and yummy and a great start to the new year :)



3 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion
1 medium carrot
2 large garlic cloves
2 tbsp curry powder
1 cup green lentils
4 1/4 cups water
1 15 oz can chickpeas
1 tbsp lemon juice (I used more)
2 tbsp butter
salt and pepper
2 green onions and a thinly sliced lemon as garnish

Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion and carrot and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook until onion is translucent, about 4 minutes. Then add half of the chopped garlic and cook for another 4 minutes--everything should be soft but not brown. Add 2 tbsp curry powder and stir until fragrant (about one minute). Add lentils and 4 cups of water. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and then reduce to medium and let it simmer for about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, puree the chickpeas, lemon juice, 1/4 cup water, remaining 2 tbsp of olive oil and garlic in your food processor.

Add the chickpea mixture and butter to the lentil soup and season with salt, pepper, and more curry if you like.

Fall Feast: Butternut Squash, Apples, Chicken, and Grains

One of my new favorite recipes, so I thought I would share. A true OP Sands invention here.

 1/2 package of Harvest Grains Blend from Trader Joe's. (Israeli Style Couscous, Orzo, Baby Garbanzo Beans, and Red Quinoa.)
1 3/4 cup reduced sodium organic chicken broth
1 onion
1 apple
1 butternut squash
2 chicken breasts
1 tbsp. butter
olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Ok, so this could really be a one pot deal if you wanted it to... But this is what I did:

Make the Harvest Grains by bringing the chicken broth to a boil.  Add 1 tbsp of butter and the harvest grains. Bring back to a boil and then let simmer covered for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, slice and dice the butternut squash, onion, and apple. Put all the ingredients into a plastic baggie, add olive oil and salt and pepper, and toss. Then spread onto a cookie tray. Roast all three of these together at 450 for about 25 minutes, and broil for 2 minutes on high at the end to get a slight crisp.

Cook the 2  chicken breasts and cut into bite size pieces.

Combine everything into one pot of delicious fall taste sensation! Add a glass of wine if you will.

Thai Coconut Curry with Jasmine Rice

This is one of my all time favorite dishes. This recipe is really simple, and brings a little Thai to my home. Try it out!

1 can lite coconut milk
1 tbsp brown sugar
2 tbsp Thai red curry paste
1 package of stir fry veggies (or cut up your own: mushrooms, broccoli, red pepper, onion, snap peas)
1-2 tbsp fish sauce
Thai basil leaves
Jasmine rice for serving

Bring the coconut milk to a simmer. Add the brown sugar and curry paste (more if you like a kick!). Bring to a boil. Add the veggies. (You can add chicken and shrimp, too!)  Cook for about 3-5 minutes. Add some Thai basil leaves if you like, and the fish sauce to taste. Serve over jasmine rice.
Makes 4 servings. 

Delicious!

Heat Wave Water

Thirsty?

When it is so hot outside that you feel as though you are in a sauna, you need to hydrate. But plain old tap water may not taste that great. And who wants to ruin the environment with plastic bottle waste? So, from someone who dislikes Jersey tap water because I'm a New York City tap water snob, here is a great way to make the best drink for you incredibly refreshing and tasty!

1. Fill a pitcher with water (approx 2 liters)
2. Add sliced, fresh ginger (1 tsp)
3. Add cucumber slices (1 medium)
4. Add lemon slices (1 lemon)
5. Add mint leaves (approx 12)

I swear, this is delicious, and the ginger helps to soothe your tummy.

Try it! Soooo good.

Spicy Fish Tacos with Pineapple Slaw

So you made the stir-fry, but you have some pineapple left over? And you loveeee fish tacos? Well, I have a treat for you!

You need:
1 can of chipotle peppers in adobe sauce (International section, by Goya products).
1/2 cup sour cream (reduced fat/fat free or Greek Yogurt fat free is an awesome substitute)
3/4 cup chopped cilantro
some olive oil
1 pound firm fish--salmon, mahimahi, tilapia if you must... I used canned wild Alaskan salmon because a. time b. cost c. quality of fish
4 cups thinly shaved green cabbage (love that food processor!)
1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced (I food processed this, too, since it was already out and utilized)
1/2 jalapeno, seeded and minced (I took this out; didn't seem necessary with the chipotle, but if you LOVE spice, go for it!)
1/2 cup small diced FRESH pineapple
1 lime
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 oregano
1 avocado, pitted and sliced
corn or flour tortillas, toasted

As you can see, a decent amount of prep. But don't let that scare you! These tacos are amazing! And even if you don't like fish, you can always substitute with chicken, beef, shrimp, or even black beans. The flavor is incredible.

Ok, so here's what you do:

In a bowl, combine the chiptole peppers with the sour cream/Greek yogurt and 1/2 cup of the cilantro. Now, this is to taste. The recipe I used said to use 1/2 of a 7 oz can. But if you can't handle heat, you should use an EXTREMELY small portion. These chipotles pack a lot of bang for their buck. I used one pepper for myself and scooped out many of the seeds, and it was still pretty spicy. So beware. This could ruin it for you. I suggest tasting it as you go until you've reached your "hot spot."

If you're using real fish (or chicken, or beef, or shrimp), coat your fish with the sauce, reserving 1/4 of the mixture. Try to let it marinate for at least 30 minutes. If you're me, dump your canned salmon right on in there (do the same for precooked black beans). Then toss your fish, chicken, beef, shrimp on the barbie. Grill it up nice--you want it charred. Turn once, 6-8 minutes total for fish. Then coarsely chop it up.

While it's marinating, combine cabbage, red onion, jalapeno, pineapple, the juice of the 1 lime, the rest of the cilantro, cumin, and oregano. Toss and season with salt.

This cole slaw is incredible. Seriously. You have no idea. Magnificent. I might serve this separate from these tacos one day.

Ok, now lay out your toasted tortillas (or not toasted if you're me and you're starving and a few minutes and another dirty dish is starting to make you anxious). Divide your fish/meat among them. Top with the slaw and a slice or 2 of avocado. Spoon reserved sauce on top. Serves 4. (You get 2 each! yay!)

Sweet and Sour Tofu Stir-Fry with Pineapple!

Ok. So I have accepted reality. I am no longer on vacation. Which means I can no longer eat Mexican (Read: CHEESE. Copious amounts of melted cheese!) and wave my hand proclaiming, "It's ok, it's vacation!"

Time to get back on track. So for the next week, I'm putting myself on a veggie-heavy, extremely healthy meal plan. Last night I made this gem, and let me tell you... FANTASTIC. Loved it. Could have eaten the entire wok. But I didn't... because I am no longer on vacation. Sigh.

But, here's the recipe:

1 block Firm tofu
1/3 cup veggie broth
2 tbsp rice vinegar
2 tbsp ketchup
1 tbsp soy sauce (reduced sodium, obviously)
1 tbsp brown sugar
2 tsp cornstarch (I use 3 tsp of arrowroot instead. Why? Because I'm mad healthy like that!)
1 red bell pepper
2 cups broccoli florets
3 green onions (scallions) or, if you're me, one onion
1 tbsp fresh ginger, sliced
2 sliced garlic cloves
1 cup fresh pineapple
some oil. You can use grapeseed, peanut, avocado, rice bran, or canola (withstands high heat), or if you're me and you don't have those right now, then use olive and go "oh well."

First, make the sweet and sour sauce. This consists of the ketchup, rice vinegar, veggie broth, brown sugar, soy sauce, and cornstarch (arrowroot). Whisk it all together and set aside.

Heat wok over medium high heat. Add some oil. Cube the tofu and then add it to the wok, browning it for about 4 minutes.

*Note: when using tofu, you must drain it. For a long time. I wrap mine in paper towels, put a cutting board on top for weight, and change the paper towels every so often. If you don't drain it, it doesn't take on the flavors and is pretty nasty.

Remove the tofu. Chop your veggies!

Add more oil if needed, and throw in the sliced red pepper, your onion choice, the broccoli, 2 sliced garlic cloves and the sliced ginger and let it cook until everything becomes soft.

Throw the tofu back in along with  the 1 cup of pineapple. Add the sweet and sour sauce. Stir-fry for 1 minute. Serve over brown rice.

Voila!

I served this with a green bean salad:

Cut the ends off the french green beans
Boil french green beans for 4 minutes
Immediately drain and put in ice water.
Put in a bowl along with a 1-2 chopped tomatoes, some chopped red onion, a drizzle of olive oil, and some salt.

Healthy and delicious, for sure.