spaghetti squash sesame noodles

Since we live in Houston, we are just now creeping into fall-like weather.  For many of us fall goes hand-in-hand with pumpkins and winter squashes, which is why I wanted to test a new spaghetti squash recipe with an asian flair.  The flavor was outstanding!  A, went back for seconds!  Definitely try this recipe out when you get a chance.  The only changes I made was to add fresh ginger for flavor and bok choy for more substance.

spaghetti squash sesame noodles
adapted from Family Fresh Cooking

detox kale salad..

enough said.

detox kale salad

1 bunch of kale, washed and chopped
1/2 cucumber, diced
1 beet, roasted and diced
2 tbsp pistachios
1/4 cup walnuts, chopped
1/4 cup feta cheese
s&p, 1/8 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tbsp olive oil

Clean one bunch of kale in a salad spinner and chop roughly.  Then begin massaging the kale with a pinch of s&p, extra virgin olive oil and garlic powder.  Add the remaining ingredients and serve with a glass of kombucha of your choice.

peanut tofu udon noodle bowl

A and I generally have a stir fry or noodles on our weekly menu at home so when I saw this post on eat, live, run blog I knew I had to try it for one of those late nights at work.  There's something about eating a warm meal in a large bowl doused with lots of sriracha, especially when it's warm outside!  I followed this recipe mostly, except didn't have any bok choy or red bell pepper in the fridge but decided to toss in extra carrots and onions.  The only "unhealthy" part of this meal was the amount of peanut butter however you could swap out PB with almond butter.  Hope you enjoy!

peanut tofu udon noodle bowl
adapted from eat live run

spinach lasagna rolls

Another great recipe from skinnytaste.  I enjoyed the presentation of this dish but would serve with additional marinara sauce as it turned out a bit dry.  Enjoy the sneaky pic of A and Shorty!

spinach lasagna rolls
recipe below from skinnytaste

10 lasagna noodles, cooked
10 oz frozen chopped spinach, thawed and completely drained
15 oz fat free ricotta cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 egg
salt and fresh pepper
1 jar marinara sauce
1 cup mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 350°. Combine spinach, ricotta, Parmesan, egg, salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Ladle about 1 cup sauce on the bottom of a 9 x 12 baking dish.

Place a piece of wax paper on the counter and lay out lasagna noodles. Make sure noodles are dry. Take 1/3 cup of ricotta mixture and spread evenly over noodle. Roll carefully and place seam side down onto the baking dish. Repeat with remaining noodles.

Ladle sauce over the noodles in the baking dish and top each one with 1 tbsp mozzarella cheese. Put foil over baking dish and bake for 40 minutes, or until cheese melts. Makes 10 rolls.

Serve with garlic bread and red wine.

eggplant panini & avocado white bean hummus

My brother and sister-in-law gifted us a panini press/grill several months ago so we've been discovering more recipes to utilize this great appliance.  I found this recipe on skinnytaste one morning and knew I had to make it that evening.

eggplant panini
adapted from skinnytaste

1 large eggplant
olive oil spray
1 whole grain loaf
1 mozzarella ball
4 basil leaves (didn't have enough to make a pesto due to a pesky grasshopper in my garden)
1 tomato, sliced
s & p, to taste

Slice the eggplant into slices. Place the eggplant slices on a plate and season with salt; set aside about 30 minutes. Pat the eggplant dry with paper towels. Preheat panini grill. Spray the eggplant with olive oil and s&p.  Grill eggplant about 7-8 minutes, turning once half way through. Set aside.  Layer the ingredients on the bread, lightly spray the bread and place on panini press.  Once cheese has melted and bread is toasted, remove from the press and serve immediately!

avocado & white bean hummus

1 avocado
15 oz. white beans (I used fresh that I had prepared and frozen)
3 garlic gloves
s & p
paprika
1 lemon, juiced
2 tbsp olive oil

Place all ingredients in the food processor and pulse for 1 minute.  Taste and add any seasonings if necessary.  Serve alongside the eggplant panini as a dip or with pretzel chips.  Enjoy!

vitamix recipes: juices & smoothies

A few weeks ago, A and I purchased a Vitamix from Costco!  This thing is beyond amazing!  If you're in the market for a juicer, forget it and splurge on the Vitamix.  Every morning we start our day with delicious smoothies or juices.  The Vitamix came with their own recipe book but we've found it easiest to just throw in any fruits and/or veggies we have on hand.

Favorites:

Kale, cucumber, pineapple, greek yogurt
Grapefruit, carrot, ginger
Papaya, orange, banana
Cucumber, mint cooler
Celery, carrot, tomato - V8 Cocktail!
Pineapple, orange, ginger
Carrot, celery, orange, ginger
Kale, mango, strawberry, blueberry

I'm excited to try more of the Green Monster Smoothies, but I don't think A is as thrilled!

black bean mexican pizza

black bean mexican pizza

1 whole wheat pizza crust
1 can black beans, drained/rinsed
1/2 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp paprika
1 tsp red chili powder
1/2 white onion, finely diced
1 tomato, diced
10-12 green olives, sliced
3/4 cup mexican cheese
3 tbsp jalapenos, finely diced
1/4 cup salsa

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Prebake pizza crust for 5-7 minutes.

In a food processor, blend black beans with a few tbsp of water.  Mix in the cumin, paprika, red chili powder and salsa. 

Once the crust is prebaked.  Evenly spread the black bean mixture, then add the remaining toppings and cheese.  Bake for 10 minutes and enjoy with a side of ranch dressing!

Serves 2-3 people

butternut squash mac-N-cheese

butternut squash mac-N-cheese
adapted from Cooking Light

All Sunday, A and I kept thinking of things to make for dinner and then finally I suggested macNcheese, but with a twist.  I had a container of frozen butternut squash from Costco which is the base veggie in the cheese/milk sauce.  The only changes I made to the recipe were using Smoked Gouda and Parmesan instead of the parm-reggiano/romano.  I served this with a side of our favorite spicy picante sauce.

Serves 6-8. 

spinach lasagna

spinach lasagna

1/2 box of whole wheat lasagna shells
1 container low-fat ricotta cheese
1.5 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
1 bag, frozen chopped spinach (thawed, drained)
1 cup, frozen mixed veggies (thawed, rinsed)
1/2 medium sized white onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, sliced lengthwise
1 bottle marinara sauce
crushed pepper, 1 tsp
italian seasoning, 1 tsp
s&p, to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add lasagna shells and cook for 8 to 10 minutes; drain.

Meanwhile, in a skillet over medium-high heat, saute onions, garlic in olive oil until onions are tender.  Add spinach and mixed veggies and heat evenly.  Combine ricotta cheese, salt, italian seasoning, pepper, and crushed pepper in a bowl.

Pour marianara sauce to cover the bottom of the 9x13 inch baking dish and lay 3 lasagna shells. Spread spinach/veggie mixture over shells. Sprinkle 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese.  Repeat steps with ricotta cheese, sauce, 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, 3 lasagna shells.  Lastly add lasagna shells and remaining mozzarella cheese.

Cover dish with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes.  Serve with green salad, garlic bread and red wine :)

Serves 4.

buddha's delight with tofu, broccoli and water chestnuts

Buddha's Delight with Tofu, Broccoli and Water Chestnuts
Adapted from Cooking Light Way to Cook Vegetarian

Marinade:
3 tbsp reduced sodium soy sauce
1 tbsp sesame oil
1 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tsp agave nectar

Veggies:
1 pkg extra firm tofu, 1" cubes
1 tbsp vegetable oil
2 small heads of broccoli, chopped (florets and most of the stem)
3 carrots, sliced diagonally
1/2 yellow onion, sliced
1 tbsp minced fresh ginger
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups snow peas, trimmed
8 oz can sliced water chestnuts, rinsed and drained
1 tsp cornstarch
1 cup brown rice, cooked (about 3 cups cooked)

In a shallow dish, combine soy sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar and agave nectar. Toss the tofu in and let marinate in the refrigerator for 1 hour. When ready to use, drain the tofu and reserve the marinade.

Cook broccoli florets, carrot, and broccoli stems in boiling water for 2 minutes; drain. Plunge into ice water. Drain and set aside.

Heat canola oil in a nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat. Add tofu and stir fry for 5 minutes, until lightly browned on all sides. Add in onions, ginger and garlic - stir fry for 30 seconds. Add in broccoli and carrots - stir fry for 1 minute. Add in snow peas and water chestnuts - stir fry for 1 minute. Whisk together marinade and cornstarch. Add this mixture to pan; bring to a boil. Cook for another 2-3 minutes, or until marinade has thickened. Serve with rice and Sriracha.

Serves 4

lemon garlic steamed artichokes

lemon garlic steamed artichokes 

This is one of my favorite vegetables to prepare because of the flavor and oddly enough, the determination required to get to the heart.  In the past, I've baked the artichokes but I find that steaming yields a better texture.  To learn about initial prep of the artichokes click here.

2 fresh artichokes
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 lemon, halved
2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
salt & pepper, to taste

Meanwhile, in a large pot place a few inches of water and insert a steaming basket.  Once they're cleaned and trimmed, drizzle extra virgin olive oil and juice of half a lemon onto each choke. Then add the garlic, salt and pepper.  Add the artichokes to the steaming basket and cover.  Bring to a boil and then simmer for 30-45 minutes, depending on the size of the artichokes.  You will be able to remove the outer leaves with ease when they are ready.  One by one you will remove the leaves and scrape away the flesh.  Once you get to the choke (inedible furry part), scrape this away until you see the remaining bottom.  This is called the heart of the artichoke, and my favorite part! Enjoy

*Many recipes call for heavy butter sauces to dip each artichoke into but I enjoy mine plain and simple.

Serves 2

soba noodle bowl with tofu and veggies

soba noodle bowl
inspired by boom noodle

The weather has cooled down a bit after our springlike weather a few weeks ago.  Both A and I were craving something hearty and healthy so I decided to take a spin on a meal I had at a great noodle restaurant in Seattle.  This meal was absolutely delicious and I could not wait to have it the next day for leftovers.

2 bundles of buckwheat soba noodle (3 per package)
1 small broccoli crown, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 shallot, sliced
1/2 tofu block, diced
2 tsp vegetable oil
1/2 cup hoisin sauce
1 tbsp sriracha sauce

In a large pot, boil 8 cups water.  Add soba noodles when rapidly boiling.  Let cook for 5-6 minutes until tender.  Meanwhile, in a nonstick pan on medium high heat, saute shallots in the vegetable oil.  Once fragrant add the tofu and let brown for a few minutes.  Add the bellpeppers and broccoli.  Cook for an additional 2 minutes then add the cooked (and rinsed in cold water) to the pan.  Pour in the hoisin/sriracha sauce and combine well.  Make sure the sauce has evenly coated the veggies and noodles.  Turn off heat and serve. 

Serves 2-3 people.

baingan bartha

baingan bartha
adapted from Sinfully Spicy and my mom

I've been wanting to make this recipe for awhile so when my parents were visiting from Austin last weekend, my mom and I made this together (actually it was more her making and me supervising!).  Aside from doubling the recipe, we followed this recipe mostly except mom added 1/2 tsp hardar (tumeric) and 3 tbsp dhanajeeru (ground cumin) for a gujurati flair :)  On the side, mom prepared vegetable pulao (recipe to come later) and chili paratha.  As always served with gunda pickle and greek yogurt. 

Serves 4-6 people.

paneer jalfrezi

This recipe is fantastic!  I do not prepare many dishes with paneer but after trying out this one from the Sinfully Spicy blog, I think I'm hooked!  I followed the recipe exactly, although it was a bit spicy I would not change a thing.  Try it out and let me know what you think! 

paneer jalfrezi

straight from sinfully spicy

Ingredients  (Serves 2):

3 tbsp canola/olive/sunflower oil
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp coriander seeds, lightly crushed
1 large onion, sliced
2-3 garlic cloves, minced
1" fresh gingershoot, minced
2 Thai green chilies, chopped
2 medium roma tomatoes, quartered & sliced
3/4 tsp turmeric powder
1.5 tbsp red chili flakes (adjust to tolerance)
1 cup sliced bell peppers (use any colored peppers of choice)
7 oz / (200gm) paneer (Indian cheese), sliced into 2” batons
Salt to taste
½ tsp garam masala
1.5 tbsp white vinegar / fresh lemon juice
¼ tsp sugar
Chopped Cilantro for garnish
 Method:

Heat oil in a cast iron skillet or pan /wok/kadhai on high. Once smoking, add cumin & coriander seeds and fry for 30 seconds or so till they crackle.
 

Next, add the minced ginger & garlic along with green chilies and cook for another 30 seconds till you smell the aroma.
Reduce heat to medium and add sliced onions next to the pan and fry till soft and translucent. About 2-3 minutes.
Add sliced tomatoes, turmeric powder & red chili flakes to the pan next and fry for 5-7 minutes till tomatoes begin to sweat & soften but do not turn mushy. You will see oil separating on sides of the pan. Stir frequently to prevent tomatoes from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Add the sliced peppers next, stir and fry them for 5-8 minutes so that they cook slightly but still hold their shape & are crunchy.
 

Add the paneer next along with salt, increase heat to high and cook for 2-3 minutes with gentle tossing so as not to break the cheese.
 

Remove from heat, sprinkle the garam masala, sugar & top up with vinegar. Combine well. Garnish with chopped cilantro & serve with steamed rice or Indian breads.  (VegOutGirl note: I served with plain quinoa and greek yogurt)

tempeh coconut curry

I adapted this recipe from my Cooking Light cookbook.  A, was definitely a fan but I'm not sure I particularly enjoyed the tangy-ness (is that a word?) of the tamarind...or I think I added too much!  This is why you should always use your measuring cups and spoons! 

tempeh coconut curry
adapted from Cooking Light Way to Cook Vegetarian cookbook

ingredients:

1 tbsp vegetable oil

1 medium onion, finely chopped 

1 tsp salt

2 tsp tamarind pulp

1 tbsp finely chopped peeled fresh ginger

1 tbsp finely chopped fresh garlic

1.5 tsp cumin powder 

0.5 tsp turmeric

1 tsp red chili powder 

1 (3-inch) cinnamon stick

1 sweet potato, chopped and peeled  

1/2 head of broccoli, chopped with stems

1 cup water

1 can coconut milk

8 ounces tempeh, cut into 3/4-inch cubes

1 tablespoon fresh lemon or lime juice 2 teaspoons Bragg's liquid aminos (or low sodium soy sauce)

To prepare curry, heat oil in a large heavy bottom pot over medium-high heat. Add onion and salt. Cook 2 minutes or until onion is tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in tamarind; cook 2 minutes until tamarind is evenly distributed.Add ginger and next 5 ingredients (through cinnamon); cook 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Add remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, potato, water, milk, and tempeh; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Uncover; stir in juice, Bragg's and broccoli. Simmer 3 minutes or until slightly thickened. Discard cinnamon stick. I served the curry with fluffed brown rice and sriracha.

pineapple tofu stir-fry

pineapple tofu stir-fry
adapted from Eating Well

Any thai/chinese dish with pineapples is fine by us!  I enjoyed this recipe as it's light, healthy and perfect for shedding some of those holiday pounds!  I doubled this recipe, used agave nectar instead of brown sugar and used 1 whole green pepper and one half of a red pepper.  Of course, A added a good bit of Sriracha for an extra kick.  Overall a really tasty dish and I definitely will be making this again.  I served with brown rice but next time will try it with quinoa.

Serves 3-4 people

stuffed mushroom kale phyllo roll

stuffed mushroom kale phyllo roll
adapted from Oh She Glows

After seeing this recipe on Angela's blog I instantly bookmarked it.  I love when I have all the ingredients to make a recipe!  The only changes I made were to use real butter, added chickpeas (for protein), didn't use the thyme or Herbamare and completely forgot to add cheese!  How could I do that, you ask? I don't really know... :(    I was definitely a fan of this dish, I think A would be happy if I didn't make it again. Ha! 

On the side I served roasted beets with pomegranate seeds and said cheese sprinkled on top.

Serves 4

tuscan kale and chickpea pasta

A lot of people ask me how I get enough protein being a vegetarian.  I respond by saying vegetarians have several food options when incorporating tofu, legumes and nuts.  Enter this recipe.  Equally appreciated by my meat-eater hubby, A!

I made no substantial changes to Veggie Belly's recipe besides decreasing olive oil to 1 tbsp instead of 4 tbsp.  Hope you'll try it out!

kicchadi, gujarati comfort food

We used to eat this every Sunday evening when we were growing up.  It's the perfect comfort food for really anytime you're feeling under the weather and need something hot and soothing.  I prefer to eat kicchadi with a bowl of steamy kadhi but A, prefers just yogurt.


kicchadi

learned from my mom 

3/4 cup of plain white rice, rinse/soak for 30 minutes

1/4 cup split green lentils, rinse/soak for 30 minutes

1/2 onion, diced

1 inch piece of ginger

1 eggplant, chopped

handful spinach

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp jeeru (cumin seed)

1/2 tsp rai (mustard seed)

pinch hing (asofetida)

3 tsp dhanajeeru (cumin powder)

1/2 tsp garam masala

1/2 tsp marchu (red chili powder)

1/4 tsp hardar (tumeric)

1 tsp vegetable oil

2 cups water

Rinse rice and green lentils thoroughly and soak for 30 minutes.  On medium heat in a pressure cooker, add oil and once sizzling add rai.  Wait 15 seconds and then add jeeru and hing.  Once fragrant, add onion and ginger to spice mixture.  Once the onion is translucent add the eggplant and saute for 1-2 minutes.  Add remainder of spices and pour in the rice/lentil mixture.  Add 2 cups of water and handful of spinach.  Taste the liquid to check for spices.  If you like it spicier add more garam masala or marchu.  Set pressure cooker top with whistle and let it cook for 10 minutes on medium high heat.  Turn the heat off and let sit idle for 10 minutes to release all of the pressure in the cooker.  Serve with plain yogurt and gunda pickle.

Serves 2

coconut red curry with tofu and veggies

I always prefer healthier, low calorie foods but somehow the healthier version of coconut curry isn't quite the same.  This recipe is a great way to finish up all the veggies in your fridge.   Please bear with my awful winter time pictures!

coconut red curry with tofu and veggies

1 block of extra firm tofu (drained/pressed and cut into bite size pieces)
1 head of broccoli, chopped
1/2 green and yellow zucchini, chopped
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, minced
4 carrots, chopped at an angle
1 can coconut milk
3-4 tbsp red curry paste
2 tbsp oil

In a small bowl, whisk together the red curry paste and coconut milk until well combined.  Set aside.  In a large nonstick pan, heat 1 tbsp of oil and add pieces of tofu, cook until well browned on all sides.  In another large heavy bottom pot, over medium heat, add 1 tbsp of oil and onions/garlic.  Cook until translucent.  Add in the zucchini and carrots.  Wait a few minutes then add the coconut curry mixture to the veggie pot.  Cook for an additional 2 minutes.  Add tofu and cook with cover over low heat for 25-30 minutes until sauce has thickened.  After 25 minutes, add the remaining broccoli and let simmer for 2 minutes, then serve!  I add the broccoli last to maintain the crunch and color. 

Served with quinoa for me, plain white rice for A!  Don't forget the Sriracha either :)