Ginger-Almond Fruit Plate

What can be better than fresh fruit during the month of July when pretty much everything is fresh and ripe? Then add the fabulousness of coming in from the hot summer heat and sitting down to a plateful of crispy, cold, tangy, sweet fruit! MMMmm, delic!

Now, I'm kind of a weirdo and I don't really have a taste for certain fruits so when I made this I used the stuff that I like! You need to do the same! This is really just about the method of incorporating the gingery dressing and the crunchy almonds to a beautiful fruit salad, and at the end of the day YOU need to love it and whatever you put in it, i.e., don't use fruits you don't like! Duh! :-D

Ingredients & Recipe:
Printable Recipe

• about 1 pint of strawberries
• 3 clementines, peeled & sliced into rounds
• 1 pint of blueberries
• -OR- whatever fruit you prefer, perhaps 1 yellow grapefruit instead of the clementines, 1 pint of raspberries instead of the blueberries, etc.

• 1/2 cup honey (local honey from a cider mill or farmers market is always best!)
• 2 Tbls. lemon juice
• 1 tsp. fresh grated ginger root; (peel about 1-2 inches of fresh ginger root and grate it on a fine grater or a microplane/zester seen here)
• 1/3 cup of slivered or sliced almonds, toasted (toasting the almonds is quite easy- place the almonds on a dry skillet over medium heat for 2-3 minutes, tossing around frequently, until just fragrant & lightly browned)

Arrange your fruit decoratively on a plate, or just toss together in a bowl. Combine the honey, lemon juice & ginger in a small bowl, using a fork or a small whisk. Drizzle the dressing over the fruit & top with the almonds. Eat, smile, then make comment on NICHe in the KITCHe about how much you loved this! ;-)

Parsley Pesto in a Presto!

My fabulous hubster has been wanting to mimic his mama's awesome veggie garden for a long, long time now, and if you've ever been over to our home, you know we have an excess of space in the back yard for one. Well, this was the year, and though it's the very beginning, things are progressing quite nicely! We have lettuce, zucchini, peppers & broccoli growing (although there are some weird bugs on the broccoli leaves that Mike is trying to safely kill), and then there is a cute little area for my herb garden, which is my forte'. Last year I went crazy stuffing herb seeds and herb-starters into pots, only so that they could overgrow each other and become entangled and messy- not ideal for a 'type A' home cook! So, my 3 X 4 rows and columns of herbs that the hubster organized and planted for me (I am not a green-thumb person, my place is IN the kitchen, NOT in the garden), are perfection!!

Last year I got a little of every herb out there- well, not EVERY herb in the world, but the most common. And though that was fun, I really didn't end up using the lemon verbana too much or the marjoram- just not enough varieties of recipes to use them up. This year, I figured I would replace the the ones I didn't use much with a few extras of the herbs I wished I had had more of, so I ended up with; 2 big flat leaf parsley, 1 curly parsley, 1 dill, 2 gigantic rosemary (I seriously have rosemary for days so if you need some, let me know!), 1 oregano, 1 chive, 1 mint, 1 sage, and 1 thyme. I normally get a lot of basil as well to make basil pesto, but I haven't been able to find any good looking basil plants around town (do you know where I can find some?).
Well, pretty much everything is growing out of control in my cute little 3 X 4 garden except for my dill (which is disappointing because usually dill doesn't need much love or attention), so I have a ton of flat leaf parsley- perfect for a fresh pesto to; toss with a whole-wheat pasta, spread on top of a crusty bread, stuff inside a deli sammy, drizzle on some fresh veggies, stir into a vegetable soup for added flavor, or mix with some olive oil to create a sparkling salad dressing.
Here are the basics...

Ingredients & Recipe:
Printable Recipe

• 1 large bunch of fresh flat-leaf parsley, enough to creative about 1 cup (packed) when it is all chopped up (p.s. It is okay to use some of the stems of the parsley!)
• 1 large garlic clove
• 2 tsp. lime juice, or to taste
• 2 Tbls. olive oil
• kosher salt, pepper- to taste

There are 2 ways to go about this;

A) Coarsely chop all the parsley and combine all the ingredients in a bowl- simply mash everything together with a fork.

B) Kind of rip apart the parsley a little as you throw it in your mini-chopper. Chop the garlic in 3 pieces and toss it in the chopper, followed by the other ingredients. Pulse until you get to a desired consistency/texture-kind of chunky yet smooth.

You Could Also Try...

• Set aside a specific ice cube tray JUST for pesto- fill the little compartments with your homemade heaven and then cover with plastic wrap, followed by a freezer bag. Freeze your ice cube tray full of fresh pesto and save it away for for your next special use! When you're ready to cook with it, just pull the tray out and thaw in the fridge for a few hours, or defrost for 30 seconds-1 minute in the microwave, and use however much pesto you need. Again, freeze the leftovers for another day!
• Ideas for ways to use pesto; toss with a whole-wheat pasta, spread on top of a crusty bread, stuff inside a deli sammy, drizzle on some fresh veggies, stir into a vegetable soup for added flavor, or mix with some olive oil to create a sparkling salad dressing.

Protein-Packed & Fresh Veggie Tabbouleh

So a few months back I started my venture on eating more "anti-inflammatory" foods, in order to help my body become the best it can be in all facets of life. (Check out this post to review where this all came from...) Well, long story short, it turns out I needed another knee scope last week to see what the heck was going on with this knee of mine that wasn't healing from a scope-gone-bad from December last year. So to continue my "anti-inflammatory" journey and prepare my body for the outpatient procedure and long recovery ahead, I sought out some high protein and high fiber recipes to give my body a good fighting chance!

Why do you need protein, and why do you need more of it when you're going under the knife and/or about to need your body to really work well for ya? Well, think of of it like this; Your muscles are like a factory you are building- and the bricks to assemble the building are found within protein-rich foods. So you have to have enough of the bricks to properly assemble your building, right!? And when you're body is already feeling slightly defeated, it deserves for YOU to be on top of things and give it as many bricks as you can!

Well, I'm NICHe in the KITCHe of course, and I'm not just going to cart in plates full of meat to eat- no way! There ARE ways to combine really great, tasty, low fat proteins with other recipes I love, and reep the benefits!

One recipe I came across combined the basics of the popular Middle Eastern parsley salad, and the protein benefits of the popularly growing, grain-like, quinoa. And I must say- I'm hooked! All the veggies provide tons of fiber and vitamins, and the quinoa is awesome for protein & antioxidants! This is a very well-rounded salad and it really is perfect to go as a side to a piece of grilled fish, BBQ chicken, shish kabob, shrimp stir fry, summery gazpacho soup...well, you get the point...

(You'll want to eat this all up within 2 days or so, otherwise the veggies will start to get a little mushy)

P.S. This is totally Gluten-Free too, so safe for all you GF'ers out there!

Ingredients & Recipe: (adapted from Anti-Inflammatory Foods for Health)
Printable Recipe

• 1 cup of water
• 1/2 cup quinoa (I like this Ancient Harvest brand)
• kosher salt
• juice from 1/2 of a lime
• drizzle of olive oil
• 2 Roma tomatoes, diced
• 1/2 English cucumber, diced finely (skins are okay to eat)
• 1 carrot, peeled and diced very finely or grated
• 1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped finely
• about 3 Tbls. fresh mint leaves, chopped finely
• 1 tsp. dried paprika

Begin by preparing the quinoa; stir the quinoa and water in a small pot, add in a pinch of salt and bring up a boil. Once boiling, cover the pot, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 15-20 minutes, until the quinoa has absorbed all the water and is fluffy & tender. Set aside to completely cool.

Meanwhile, do all your chopping of the veggies and combine them all in a large bowl. Stir in the lime juice and olive oil, and add the paprika.

When the quinoa is cool, gently stir it into the veggie mix. Chill the salad for at least 2 hours to let all the flavors merry together.

Roasted Asparagus with Popping Tom's

I love lots of color on my plate- it just looks so appealing and gorgeous when you have a dinner with a variety of shapes, sizes & colors all over it. You are also getting a wide variety of nutrients and vitamins when you color your plate with the rainbow!

This side-dish is super easy for a week night but is elegant enough to be served for a group- in fact, I'm making this one on Sunday for my family for Easter dinner. The freshness of the lemon zest and the parsley will really impress! And even better is that you basically let the oven do all the work- but YOU take all the credit!

Ingredients & Recipe:
Printable Recipe

• about 2 lbs. of trimmed Asparagus (Trim each piece by breaking off the woody end. Do this by holding each end of the asparagus & start bending it in half until it breaks- it will naturally break off where it needs to-discard the end piece)
• 1 pint of grape tomatoes
• 6 garlic gloves, smashed
• 1 Tbls. olive oil
• S & P
• 1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
• 1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
• the zest of 1 lemon
• cooking spray

Begin by heating your oven to 450 degrees. Cover a baking sheet with a piece of foil and spray very lightly with cooking spray.

Lay the asparagus on the baking sheet, drizzle the olive oil and some S&P to taste- toss the asparagus around to coat evenly. Roast for about 15 minutes total- except for the last 5 minutes of roasting, add the grape tomatoes & give everything a small toss. Once the asparagus begin to get brown and that tomatoes are starting to pop (hence, "Popping Tom's), pull the baking sheet out of the oven- you are almost ready to serve.

While the veggies are roasting, mix the pine nuts, parsley, lemon zest and a little more S & P. Transfer the veggies into a nice serving dish and then sprinkle the mixture over the top, serve and enjoy!

Leek, Spinach & the Kitchen Sink Soup w/Tofu (Vegetarian)

Well, you'd probably think with the weather getting nicer (yesss!) that I'd stray away from soup but there is just something so soothing and simple to me about a bowl of soup. I love that you can make a big pot of it on a Sunday and rely on it all through the week- maybe for lunch with a half sandwich, or for a super fast dinner with a green-leafy salad! Soup just knocks my socks off-winter, spring, summer or fall! This soup is full of so many healthy veggies that I've been learning about to help me reduce the inflammation in my body-(if you have no idea what I'm talking about, refer to this post.)
For example, the spinach in the soup is an awesome antioxidant (which help to repair our cells in our body), and is really high in vitamin K (which helps our blood do what it needs to do & protects our bones)
Leeks are great for us because of the way they help our cholesterol levels, and the vitamin C levels inside a tomato is through the roof!! I've just touched on only a few benefits of the ingredients in this "Kitchen Sink" soup- give it a shot!

Ingredients & Recipe:
Printable Recipe

• 5-6 cups of vegetable stock or broth (use the kind with No MSG, 98% fat-free, low sodium)
• 6-7 white mushrooms, sliced thin
• 1 large leek, or 2 small leeks, rinsed well then sliced thin
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 large tomato, chopped
• 1 medium zucchini, chopped (optional)
• 1-2 green onions, chopped (optional)
• 2-3 cups of fresh baby spinach
• 8-10 oz. extra firm tofu, pressed, then cubed
• Kosher salt, Pepper
• 2 Tbls. fresh parsley, chopped
• Olive oil
• Cooking spray

Begin by heating a drizzle of olive oil on the bottom of a Dutch Oven or a large pot, over medium heat. Add the mushrooms, leeks & garlic, and saute for 5 minutes just until they begin to get a little tender. Stir in the stock/broth and simmer for about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring a small skillet up to medium heat. Spray it lightly with cooking spray and give it a very light drizzle of olive oil. Sprinkle in a little salt and pepper directly into the pan, then place the pressed/cubed tofu into the skillet to brown for about 3-4 minutes on each side.

Once the tofu is seared, finish up by performing the "kitchen sink" technique; toss in the cooked tofu, the tomatoes, zucchini, green onion, baby spinach (as is, no need to chop, it will wilt down), parsley, and a little salt and pepper to taste. Give it a stir, let everything heat through for about 5-8 minutes then give it a taste (do you need more salt? more pepper? more parsley? add whatever you need). Now it is time to enjoy!

You Could Also Try...

• Add in 2 Tbls. of "Tom Yum" paste from the Asian Food Market or aisle, right at the end during the "kitchen sink" portion, to give the soup an Asian-flair.
• Instead of tofu, sear pieces of Tilapia in a skillet (just like we did with the tofu), and add it to the soup for a delicious Omega-3 Kick!

Spanish Keen-Who? Quinoa!

I know, I know, we all keep hearing more and more about this wacky grain called Quinoa (pronounced Keen-Wah). Well, as I've posted before in this Mexican Quinoa recipe, Quinoa is a wonderful option for those with a Gluten allergy or with Celiac disease, because it is totally Gluten-free, and it is perfect for vegetarians because it is ridiculously full protein! You cook it much like rice and can serve it hot or cold, and really, you can do pretty much anything with Quinoa- it's basically like a miracle food! Rowe & Davis tell us in, "Anti-Inflammatory Foods for Health", that not only is Quinoa full of protein but it is also full of iron, magnesium, potassium, zinc, folate...basically all great things our body needs to stay balanced!

Where can you find this miracle food? I've purchased it at Kroger or Meijer- usually in the "healthy food" section, and I've used the red & the white varieties (they tasted the same to me).

This Spanish recipe was the perfect filler dish for a Spanish Tapas party we had this past weekend, and with just a few ingredients you're able to keep cost down, flavor up and tummy's full!

Ingredients & Recipe:
Printable Recipe

• 1 cup quinoa, (check the brand you purchase to see if you need to rinse it before cooking)
• 3 (10 oz.) cans of Rotel chopped tomatoes with green chilies
• 1 small white onion, chopped
• 2 garlic gloves, minced or pressed through garlic-press
• Olive oil
• 2 tsp. chili powder
• 1 Tbls. cumin
• good pinch of Kosher salt

Begin by heating a soup pot over medium heat, add in some olive oil and begin to saute the onions and garlic for about 5 minutes, until the onions begin to get tender.

Meanwhile, drain each can of chopped tomatoes, but drain all the juice into a large measuring cup. Add enough water into the measuring cup to equal 2 cups. Add the liquid into the onion & garlic mixture and bring everything up to a boil.

Once boiling, stir in the salt and quinoa. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the pot and let the quinoa simmer, about 20-35 minutes, until the liquid is absorbed. (The time varies so much depending on the brand of quinoa you purchase.)

Once the liquid is absorbed into the quinoa (it looks fluffy and soft), stir in the tomatoes, chili powder and cumin, allow everything to heat through, give it a taste (check to see if you need to add a bit more salt or not), and you are ready to serve!

You Could Also Try...

• This recipe can be cut in doubled for a crowd, and it also can be made the night before, stored in an air tight container and warmed up before serving.

Nacho Ordinary Vegetarian Nachos!

This recipe LITERALLY took me from start to plate, 15 minutes! And on a Friday night when you just want to plop down on the couch with a Corona and put your feet up, there is nothing better than that!

This recipe is also full of veggies and healthy, low-fat protein-specifically, soy protein! If you have never tried the soy crumbles, this is a perfect recipe to test it with. It is simply amazing the texture and taste of the soy crumbles-they take on the flavors of whatever you're cooking with and have the same texture as any other ground meat (just look at the pictures, you would have never known if I wouldn't have told you!)

Ingredients & Recipe:

Printable Recipe

• 1 red, orange or yellow bell pepper, chopped in large chunks
• olive oil, S & P
• 1 tsp. chili pepper
• 1 package of soy crumbles, like Morningstar Farms or Smart Ground
• 1 (10 oz.) can of Original Rotel, Diced Tomatoes & Green Chilies
• 2 green onions, diced finely
• Tortilla chips/Corn chips
• 1 cup of shredded cheese (cheddar, Monterrey jack, your pick!)

Begin by heating a deep saute pan over medium heat. Chop your bell pepper while you wait for the pan to heat up. Drizzle in a few tablespoons of olive oil, add your bell pepper, chili pepper, a dash of S, and saute it for 3-4 minutes, stirring once in a while with a wooden spoon.

Next, add in the entire bag of frozen soy crumbles to the pan- use the wooden spoon to break up the pieces and incorporate into the peppers. Add a dash of salt, continue to stir and saute until crumbles are well heated through. Now add the can of tomatoes, and again, stir and saute until well heated through.

Assemble a bowl or plate with chips. Just before you are ready to serve, stir in almost all the green onions to the mixture, leaving a few on the side for garnish. Spoon some of the mixture over the chips, top with shredded cheese, garnish with green onions and enjoy!

You Could Also Try...

• Top your nacho with fresh chopped tomatoes, olives or lettuce, add a spoonful of sour cream.
• Turn your nacho into a salad by substituting a bed of greens instead of chips.
• Not into the soy crumbles thing? Use ground turkey or chicken, or ground beef.

Parmed-Up Potato Wedges

This amazing potato side-dish can go with just about ANYTHING! Tonight we had them with steak, but you could make them in the summer to go with turkey burgers and hot dogs, or with a sauteed chicken breast, pork chops or even a slice of meatloaf! Adjust the seasonings to your likings but be sure to start with a hot oven and a lot of Parmesan cheese and your result will continue to satisfy. Mmm, I wish we hadn't eaten them all...I could go for a few more right now:)

Ingredients & Recipe:

Printable Recipe

• 3-4 Potatoes (any kind you want)
• 2 Tbls. canola oil
• Cooking spray
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 tsp. kosher salt
• + your choice of herbs/spices such as; 1/2 tsp. onion powder + 1/2 tsp. garlic powder + dash of cayenne pepper + 1/4 tsp. pepper

Mix the together Parm, salt and herbs/spices in a cereal sized bowl, set aside.

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Place a piece of foil on a baking sheet and lightly spray with cooking spray.

Slice each potato in half, lengthwise. Then cut each half in three wedges. Combine the wedges in a large bowl with the canola oil, toss to coat completely.

Use the Guy Fieri method of "dry hand- wet hand" when you coat the oiled potato wedges with the Parm/herb mixture. This means, designate one hand, your "wet" hand, to pick up a few oily wedges at a time and place them into the cereal bowl that contains the Parm/herb mixture. Use the other hand, your "dry" hand to toss the Parm/herb mixture up and around the wedges to coat them evening and carefully place them on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat, the "wet"/"dry" method until you've coated all the wedges.

Bake for 45-55 minutes, until golden brown. No need to toss or flip during cooking.

You Could Also Try...

• Use sweet potatoes instead of white potatoes, and a mixture of Parmesan cheese, salt and chopped rosemary.

"Zero"-Spinach Soup

Soup is something that can be a total life-saver during the week, especially when you can feel guilt-free about each serving! I call this "zero" soup because with all the veggies and the clear broth, there are very limited calories and tons of nutrients - and just because this soup is good for you, do not assume it is limited on taste- because it is not!
(The nutmeg at the end really adds a depth of flavor that you just can't get with anything else, so don't skip it- no, it won't taste anything like pumpkin pie, I promise!! )

Ingredients & Recipe
Printable Recipe

• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 celery stalk, chopped
• olive oil
• 2-3 cups (firmly packed) fresh spinach
• 2 cups of vegetable broth, plus more if desired
• S & P
• dash of nutmeg

Heat a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Drizzle in a tablespoon or so of olive oil and begin to saute the onion, garlic and celery, for about 5 minutes until they begin to soften.

Pour in 2 cups of broth, bring up to a boil. Add in the spinach, cover and simmer for 6-8 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat, uncover and let it stand for about 5 minutes. Transfer the soup into a blender in batches and blend to your desired texture, or use a handheld blender to puree right in the pot. Season the blended soup with S & P, nutmeg, and add a little more broth as you like. Serve nice and hot, with no guilt!

You Could Also Try...

• Add in turkey meatballs to the soup after blending
• Use a 10 oz. box of frozen spinach instead of fresh, no need to defrost

Southwest Black-Bean Cakes

Alright foodies, I just got the hubster to mow down 3 of these vegetarian black-bean cakes in the last 12 hours! Do not pass this one up because you think a "veggie burger" is ridiculous, tasteless or only for those with a light appetite! These are flavorful and have awesome texture, and are filled with tons of fiber and protein. Serve with sour cream or a packet of Taco Bell sauce (like Mike did!)

Ingredients & Recipe:

Printable Recipe

• 2 green onions, sliced thinly
• 2 cans (15-16 oz. cans) black beans, drained & rinsed
• 1 large sweet potato, peeled, grated (about 2 cups)
• 5-6 garlic cloves, minced very finely or pressed through a garlic-press
• 2 jalapenos, chopped finely (I used jarred)
• 1/2 tsp. chili powder
• 1/2 tsp. southwest season OR cumin
• 1 egg (lightly scrambled)
• S & P

Begin by doing all your prep work; slice your green onions, drain and rinse the beans, grate the sweet potato, mince or press the garlic, chop the jalapeno...

Preheat your oven to "broil". Place a piece of foil on a baking sheet, spray it with cooking spray.

Place a small pan over medium heat. Drizzle in a teaspoon or so, of olive oil into the pan and begin to cook the green onion for about 1 minute. Next, add in the garlic, jalapeno and spices, cook for 1-2 more minutes until everything is softened. Transfer to a large mixing bowl.

Now add the beans and a few dashes of S & P to the bowl. Use a potato masher (or a fork) to mash the beans, leaving about 1/4 of them whole. Use a rubber spatula to fold in the sweet potato & egg. Divide the "batter" into 8 balls, flatten each into "patties" and place on the prepared baking sheet, about 1-inch apart. Broil the cakes for about 8 minutes, until golden brown. Turn the cakes carefully, and broil on the other side, about 3 more minutes, until crisp.

Serve right away with a side of sour cream. To store in the fridge, allow the cakes to cool on a cooling rack and store in a Tupperware container between pieces of wax paper.

Citrus-Glazed Baby Carrots

As a little tot, my preschool teacher used to always try to make me eat "afternoon snack". I said "heck no" because the snack was raw carrots dipped in Italian dressing. Well, okay, I didn't actually say "heck no"- it was more of a whiny "wah", but nonetheless, I was not into carrots or the bland dressing.

Carrots get a bad rap at times...this recipe sets the record straight. The glaze brings out the natural sweetness of the carrots and really takes no time at all to prepare, which is perfect during the week to go with a quick turkey burger or chicken breast.

Ingredients & Recipe:
Printable Recipe

• 1 package of baby carrots (about 2 cups)
• 3/4 cups orange juice
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 2 Tbls. cornstarch
• 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. ground allspice
• 1 Tbls. butter
• S & P
• 1 Tbls. fresh parsley, or a dash of dried parsley

Begin by placing carrots in a pot, cover with 1-inch of water and simmer, covered, about 10-12 minutes, until tender but still crisp (A.K.A. not mushy!!!)

Meanwhile, use a fork to mix together the orange juice, brown sugar, cornstarch, and spices in a small saucepan, over medium-high heat. Stir constantly and boil the mixture, about 1-2 minutes until thickened. Now, stir in the butter until melted, season with S & P.

To serve, arrange the carrots in your serving dish. Pour the glaze over the carrots, sprinkle with parsley.

You Could Also Try...

• Not a fan of the "baby-carrot"? Just peel and chop "adult"/regular carrots and continue with the recipe
• Drizzle this sauce over sweet potatoes!

Crumbly- but not Crummy- Broccoli

Thanks to Sean on Facebook who wanted a few veggie side-dish ideas, I'm able to post some of my faves! It's definitely easy to get into the habit of the same ol' sides each week...don't be afraid to switch it up

Ingredients & Recipe:

Printable Recipe

• 1 1/2 lbs broccoli, cut into "florets"
• Vegetable cooking spray
• 1/4 cup dry, plain breadcrumbs
• 4 Tbls. chopped pecans or almonds
• a few dashes or 1/2 tsp. dried marjoram
• a few dashes or 1/2 tsp. dried parsley
• S & P, garlic powder to taste

Place florets in a microwave safe dish with a lid. Sprinkle the broccoli with a few tablespoons of water, season with garlic powder and S & P, then spray the broccoli with cooking spray. Microwave (with the lid to the dish on) for about 4 minutes. Carefully, toss the broccoli and check for done-ness...add on 1-2 more minutes to get to desired firmness.

Meanwhile, spray a small skillet with cooking spray and heat over medium heat. Add the nuts to the hot pan, spray them with cooking spray, & cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally (you're toasting the nuts!). Now add in the breadcrumbs, cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently until crumbs are toasted. Add the herbs to the crumbs during the last minute of toasting.

To serve, spoon the crumb mixture over the cooked broccoli.

You Could Also Try...

• You really could top any cooked veggie with this crunchy-crumbly mixture; perhaps sauteed zucchini and yellow squash, or top a baked potato.

Crock Pot Veggie 'N' Lentil Soup

My girlfriends reminded me the other day how important a crock-pot can be in the winter. Just turn that puppy on in the morning before work, or at lunch, and when you get home you'll have the most comforting and simply meal to feast upon!

If you don't have a crock-pot, you can get a basic model at Kohl's, Target, Meijer, or Wal-Mart for under $30. And don't be mistaken...a crock pot can also be used for side dishes, main dishes, stews, chili's & even desserts!! I'll post some good ideas starting with this simple vegetable and lentil soup that is both healthy AND gluten-free! Yeah baby!

Ingredients & Recipe:
Printable Recipe

• 2 (19 oz.) cans of lentil soup (I like the one from Trader Joe's or Amy's brand)
• 1 (15 oz.) can of stewed tomatoes
• 1 (14 oz.) can of low-sodium, all-natural, no MSG vegetable broth (or chicken broth)
• 1 white onion, chopped finely
• 1 green pepper, chopped finely
• 3 celery ribs, chopped
• 1 carrot, peeled and chopped
• 2-3 garlic cloves, minced finely
• 1 tsp. dried marjoram or oregano

Simply combine all the ingredients in your crock-pot and stir up well. Cover and turn the crock-pot to Low. Cook for 6 hours. Done:)

You Could Also Try...

• Add in 1 pound of raw skinless chicken breast, cut into cubes, for extra protein and heartiness
• Remember to be creative with your ingredients; don't love green peppers? Add in 1 cup of frozen peas instead

Lemon-Dijon Baked Tofu

This is for all you vegetarians out there that are sick of watching everyone drool over their baked chicken or grilled fish. This is for all of you that think the only place to get a decent tofu dish is at a Thai restaurant. And this is for all the tofu-lovers out there, that simply need a new recipe-this one conveniently allows us to take advantage of very common ingredients that we already have!

Keep in mind when you serve this that you may have some very surprised faces surrounding you- happy, surprised faces- that have a whole new recognition for tofu!

Ingredients & Recipe:
Printable Recipe

• 1 block of tofu (firm or extra-firm), well pressed
• 1 Tbls. soy sauce
• 1 Tbls. lemon juice
• 1 Tbls. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 Tbls. Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp. sugar
• 1 tsp. dried basil
• 1 tsp. dried thyme
• S & P

After you've pressed your tofu, slice your tofu into 1/2-inch strips. In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce thru S & P, dump it into a zip top bag. Gently add the tofu to the bag, marinate at least 1 hour in the refrigerator, turning after 30 minutes.

Once marinated well, preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Transfer the tofu to a baking dish (lightly sprayed with cooking spray), and bake for 30-40 minutes, turning once or twice. (Baking tofu essentially removes the moisture from it, while keep the flavors behind).

Serve the tofu over a bed of rice pilaf and a veggie on the side! Voila!

How To...Bake Tofu

My friend Dana reminded me that tofu is a very under-appreciated food. She and I are very used to using it in stir-fry, but tofu a very flexible ingredient and can be tossed into a variety of vegetarian meals. If you don't really know the first thing about tofu, you may want to check out this earlier post for the basics.

More specifically, baking tofu is a great way to push a variety of flavors/marinades into the soy product, so it can then be used in a variety of recipes. Tofu is famous for taking on whatever flavors it is surrounded by, so you really can use whatever marinades and tastes that would match your meal.

Baking Tofu:

1. Follow my earlier post to press your tofu (you're essentially draining all the water from the tofu)


2. Slice, chop, cube, crumble your tofu as you like. Marinate it in your favorite marinade for at least 30 minutes.


3. Now, simply assemble the marinated tofu on a cookie sheet (which you should spray with cooking spray), and bake in the oven, low and slow, at 300 degrees for 1 1/2 hours, turning or tossing the tofu every 20 minutes or so, to allow for browning on all sides. (When we bake the tofu we are trying to take the moisture out of it, leaving the flavor behind). If you do not have 1 1/2 hours to bake the tofu, then turn the oven up to a higher temperature and cook for less time (remembering to turn it more often).

Now, check out my tofu recipes for a few new ways to use this baking method. Together we can demolish the rumors that tofu is yucky and tasteless!!!

Bachelor Basics: 5 Ingredient Spinach-Artichoke Pie

Okay, boys (& gals)...you literally only need to have 5 ingredients to assemble this delicious Greek Spinach pie! AND, you only need a big bowl and a pie pan (9-inch preferably) to bake it!

Let me just spell it out for you...

Ingredients & Recipe:
Printable Recipe

• 1 (10 oz.) package of frozen chopped spinach, located in the freezer section at the store where it says "Vegetables"
• 1 (15 oz.) container of ricotta cheese, usually by the sour cream or yogurt
• 1 (8 oz.) container of garlic-herb spreadable cheese, like this, usually near the cream cheese
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup of marinated artichokes, chopped, usually in a jar near the olives, pickles, etc.
• S & P
• Cooking spray

Early in the day, take the frozen spinach package out of the freezer, place it in a bowl and set it out to defrost for a few hours. When it is finally defrosted, it will be very watery- you need to "wring it out" by squeezing handfuls of the spinach over a bowl.

1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Lightly spray a 9-inch pie pan with cooking spray
2. Now, bust out a large bowl. Put the ricotta cheese, garlic-herb cheese and eggs in the bowl and begin to whisk it (with a whisk or just use a fork)
3. Add the spinach and chopped artichokes, and some S & P to taste.
4. Stir it all up
5. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan
6. Bake it, about 45 minutes until golden brown.
7. Eat

You did it! Rock on with your bad self!

Cabbage Soup... A Delectable Difference!

For one reason or another, cabbage soup has been brutalized in American culture as being "nasty", "tasteless", and "gassy"....well I can't take the gas away from cabbage soup, but I sure extinguished the negative connotation that it has had for years with this recipe! I tried doing the "7-day Cabbage Soup diet" with this recipe, and only lasted until day 4 until I couldn't eat anymore soup, but not because it didn't taste good...I won't comment further...

Ingredients & Recipe:
Printable Recipe

• 6 green onions, chopped
• 1 green pepper, chopped
• 2 onions, chopped
• 4 carrots, chopped
• 4 celery stalks, chopped
• 2-3 roma tomatoes, chopped
• 1 head of cabbage, outer most leaves removed, the rest chopped
• 1/2 bag of baby spinach, chopped
• 1 package of onion soup mix, perhaps Lipton or another brand
• 3 cups of chicken or vegetable broth
• 4 cups of water
• 1 cup tomato juice (optional)

You may need to use two large pots!

Literally, all you need to do is throw the veggies into a really large pot or into 2 separate pots (split up equally), sprinkle in soup mix, broth, water and juice(optional). Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer for 1 hour until all the veggies are tender. Season with S & P to taste and go to town!

You Could Also Try...

• Add in whatever veggies you like! For example: mushrooms, pea pods, fennel, water chestnuts...but if you're trying to lose weight, stay away from seriously starchy carbs like potatoes, corn, parsnips, green peas...

Super Easy Roasted Garlic & Herb Pasta

Tonight I'm making Roasted Bone-in Chicken Breast. When I began marinating it this morning, I noticed how small the chicken breasts were that I got from the butcher this time, so I knew we'd need something filling, yet quick to eat with it. This Roasted Garlic & Herb Pasta is an incredibly fast and tasty side to go with any main course, any day of the week, and chances are you already have everything you need to make it!

Make sure you feed this to your love-bug so when you smooch, you'll both have garlic breathe!

Ingredients & Recipe

Printable Recipe

• 1/2 box of whole-wheat pasta (your choice)
• 6 whole garlic cloves, smashed a bit
• Extra-Virgin Olive oil
• S & P
• 1/2 small white onion, diced, OR 1 shallot, diced
• a large handful of flat leaf parsley, rinsed and chopped

Begin by roasting the whole garlic cloves. Heat your oven or toaster oven to 425 degrees. Pull off a piece of foil (about the size of a salad plate), roughly fold the sides up, place garlic on foil. Drizzle garlic with a teaspoon of olive oil or so, and place in the prepared oven for 20 minutes.

While the garlic is roasting, boil plenty of pasta water. Salt the water and cook pasta as directed on the box. Drain pasta at the correct time, set aside, and be sure to save about 1/2 cup of the pasta water, set that aside.

When garlic almost done roasting, heat a large pan (with sides) over medium heat, drizzle with about one teaspoon of olive oil and begin to saute the diced onion, about 5 minutes. Add roasted garlic into onion pan, saute for another 2-3 minutes. Add parsley and heat through in the pan for about 1 minute, remove from heat.

Finish by tossing the cooked pasta into the pan, add in reserved pasta water, season with S & P as needed. Serve in a nice large bowl, top with a bit of chopped parsley for a nice garnish, serve right away!

You Could Also Try...

• Sprinkle the finished product with grated Parmesan cheese
• Add veggies like sliced mushrooms, halved cherry tomatoes or brocolli chunks into the pan when you saute the onions for a few more delicious flavors.
• Add skewers of grilled shrimp or scallops.
• Enjoy this pasta with a glass of Riesling or Chardonnay as described in my new favorite wine pairing website

Middle Eastern Veggie Burgers

Veggie burgers do not have to be lame, tasteless and dissatisfying! I enjoy a few of the frozen veggie burgers out in the market but for the most part, when eating them I don't really feel the sense of satisfaction that you get out of big ol' hefty meat burger. The record will be set and you will have a whole new appreciation & approval for veggie burgers after you make this recipe.

Ingredients & Recipe:
Printable Recipe

• 1-1 1/2 cups Red Potatoes
• 1 tsp. garlic, minced
• 1 (15.5 oz.) can chickpeas/garbanzo beans, rinsed & drained
• 1 Tbls. chopped fresh parsley
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. grated lemon zest
• 1/2 tsp. paprika
• 1/4 tsp. pepper
• 2 egg whites, lightly beaten
• 2 Tbls. olive oil

First begin by placing potatoes in a sm-medium pot, cover with water and bring to a boil. Cook for 20 minutes until quite tender, drain them and let them cool for a few minutes. Roughly chop up the cooked potatoes and throw into a large bowl. Add in 1 Tbls. of oil and the garlic into the bowl and begin to mash the potato mixture until chunky. Take out and place 3 Tbls. of chickpeas from the can into a separate small bowl. Add the remaining chickpeas from the can into the chunky potatos and mash up until well combined. Mix in remaining 1 Tbls. of olive oil, parsley, salt, lemon zest, paprika, pepper & egg whites. Carefully stir in the separated (3 Tbls.) chickpeas into the mixture.

Begin to heat up a large non-stick pan over medium heat. Divide the potato/chickpea mixture into equal sized patties (either 6 mini burgers or 4 regular size). Slap them onto your heated pan (do not overcrowd, cook in batches if needed) and cook about 4 minutes per side, or until each side is golden brown.

Assemble burgers on slider sized or regular sized buns, and play around with toppings. I loved mustard and lettuce with these, but you could try mayo, tomato...

You Could Also Try...

• Leftovers were amazing, maybe even better than the originals. I heated mine up in the toaster oven so that I could keep the crispiness.
• Slice cooked burger over a big bed of lettuce for an original Middle Eastern salad. Use lemon juice and olive oil for dressing so you don't lose the flavors of the burger slices!

How to...? Pressing Tofu

I actually really like Tofu and appreciate what a flexible food it is! Tofu is basically made from soybeans and water, so it is a vegetarian food, and is pretty high in protein and calcium. There are a variety of "types" of tofu but when it comes down to it, you either have "Silken" or soft tofu, OR "regular" or more firm tofu.

I add Silken tofu when I make a fruit smoothie to add protein. I've actually tricked my husband into trying my tofu smoothies in the past and he had no idea there was anything "weird" in it!

You see firmer types of tofu used a lot in Asian cooking, and since I learned how to prep the tofu better, I've been able to use it successfully in a variety of stir-fry dishes. Usually when you take the tofu out of its container, it has been soaking in water, so it is pretty moist when you begin. In order to get the tofu ready for cooking, follow these simple steps:

Pressing Tofu:

1. Drain the block of tofu and cut it as your recipe directs.

2. Lay the tofu out onto a few layers of paper towel.

3. Top with a few more layers of paper towel and place a heavy pan or plate on top.

4. Let the tofu sit for 10-15 minutes with the pressure on it, gently pressing down on occasion.