Veggie-"fried" Quinoa

Do you love the taste and texture of fried rice, but shy away from the useless starch of the rice and excess oil? I do. Enter my creative side and some delicious quinoa, where you can get all the good stuff - vegetables, eggs, and the added protein of quinoa. Yum!

This makes a great main portion for a bento box. I accompanied it with a side of steamed cabbage mixed with soy sauce and bonito flakes and a little pouch of raw almonds, dried edamame, and dried cherries.

Veggie-"fried" Quinoa
(~8 servings)

2 cups quinoa, cooked (I used a mix of red and white quinoa for color)
2 inches ginger, grated
5 handfuls baby spinach
2 handfuls mixed cabbage, shredded
16 oz shiitake mushrooms, diced
1/3 lb ground lean turkey meat (or ground chicken or Quorn ground "meat" substitute)
whites of 4 eggs
3 whole scallions, finely chopped (white and green separated)
1 red onion, diced
4 cloves garlic
vegetable broth
2 tsp sunflower oil, separated
2 tsp sesame oil, separated
sea salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
splash soy sauce

Cook 2 servings quinoa (replacing water in the recipe with vegetable broth). If you start this process first, the quinoa will just be finishing up by the time you finish with the rest.

Steam spinach and cabbage. Soak in cold water. Squeeze excess water out and chop finely.
Mince garlic. Grate ginger.

Heat a skillet. When it's warm, add the diced onions and season with sea salt and fresh ground black pepper. Add the ground meat. Cook until the onions become translucent and the meat is browned. Remove contents from skillet to a large mixing bowl.
Return skillet to heat. Add 1 tsp sunflower oil and 1 tsp sesame oil to the now empty skillet. Add garlic, ginger, and scallion whites, and cook for about 30 seconds. Add spinach, cabbage, and diced mushrooms. Cook, stirring, until fragrant and warm. Remove contents to the large mixing bowl.
Return skillet to heat one more time. Add 1 tsp sunflower oil and 1 tsp sesame oil to the now empty skillet. Add egg whites, season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook the eggs, scrambling them, until they are almost set. Add the scallion greens. Cook and stir until fragrant. Remove contents to the large mixing bowl.

Stir all contents of the mixing bowl until well combined. Add the cooked quinoa. Stir well to fully combine all elements. Add a splash of soy sauce. Serve warm. Go on, have a peace! Enjoy!

Quintessential Quinoa

When on the lookout for an easy, portable lunch meal, you need look no further than quinoa for your starting point. This protein-rich seed is a delicious and healthy way to make a one-bowl meal filling and nourishing. Not to mention, it's a perfect non-spilling meal to carry with you wherever you go.

So, are you looking for a healthy, delicious, easy to make meal that will leave you full and feeling good? Try this one out.

Quintessential Quinoa Bowl
(serves 6)

1 cup uncooked quinoa, cooked to direction (replace water in directions with chicken or vegetable broth)
three handfuls spinach
1/4 cup minced garlic
1 can unsalted red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 red onion, diced
16 oz baby bella mushrooms, diced
16 oz white mushrooms, diced
1 can sweet peas, drained and rinsed
1/2 tablespoon sunflower oil
salt and pepper to taste

Prepare 1 cup quinoa as directed (replacing water in directions with chicken or vegetable broth) in a large pot.

In a large skillet, add sunflower oil, garlic, and onions over medium heat and cook til the onions are translucent and the garlic is beginning to brown. Next add the spinach and cook until wilted. Next add the mushrooms and cook those until softened. Finally, add the peas and kidney beans, stirring to combine all flavors.

When the quinoa is finished, add all vegetables from the skillet to the quinoa pot and stir until thoroughly mixed. Add salt and pepper as desired. Serve hot.

This dish reheats magnificently, so feel free to make a batch at the beginning of the week and ease up your cooking schedule for the next four days. Go on. Have a peace. :)

Sweet Potato Protein Patties

Hello again! I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving week and weekend. While I was visiting my family in Texas, I reworked my Game-Changer patties for my aunt (who's vegan) and they turned out wicked good, so I thought I would share the new version of the recipe as well. You don't have to be vegan to enjoy these (and if you're serving them to your non-vegan friends, you can just call them a vegetable side if you want), but if you are - you'll find that they have a full serving of protein and delicious, healthy cruciferous vegetables. These are great for a protein-rich side dish or a meal on the go. Enjoy!

Sweet Potato Protein Patties

Makes 16 

1 lb sweet potatoes, cooked  

3/4 cup onions   

1/4 cup flax seed meal   

1/2 cup gelled chia seeds  

6 tsp olive oil

4 loose fist sized clumps of baby spinach, raw  

3 loose fist sized clumps baby kale, raw 

2 tsp salt 

1 tsp black pepper

2  sage leaves, crushed

1 sprig rosemary, crushed

1 tsp white pepper

• Preheat oven to 400°.
• Clean your sweet potatoes and brush them with olive oil. Pierce the potatoes with a fork. Bake them for about 45 minutes. 
• Pan brown onions and spinach and kale with ~6 tsp olive oil.  
• To make your gelled chia seeds, take 1/3 cup chia seeds and place them into a sealed container with 2 cups water. Stir them, let them sit for ten minutes, and then stir again. (You can keep the gel that you don't use for this recipe in the refrigerator for about 2 weeks. Mix it into salad dressings or juice for a little extra protein in whatever you like.)
• Peel your baked sweet potatoes. (I munch on the peels because they are delicious!) Puree baked sweet potatoes in food processor. Puree cooked spinach and kale and onions. Place pureed vegetables into a large bowl. Puree browned onions, cooked spinach and kale in food processor. Move to bowl. 
• Combine blended sweet potatoes, onions, chia seeds, flax seed meal, green onions, herba salle, egg whites, blended spinach, herbs, salt and pepper. 
• Form and flatten portions of the “dough” into patties.
• Lay the patties onto parchment paper that has been sprayed with cooking spray (or stoneware) and bake for 15-20 minutes, remove, flip them over, and bake again for another 20 minutes until they’re lightly brown and crisp on the outside.
• Serve warm, at room temperature, or straight from the fridge.

Go on, have a peace! Enjoy!

Sweet Potato Protein Game Changers

I was recently invited to participate in something called the Game On Diet, which is basically a diet/lifestyle change competition that involves collecting points for meals, water intake, and exercise. It's a pretty neat system, one that I recommend you looking into if it at all peaks your interest. But the point is this. As part of the game, we're required to eat five meals a day. I know. It's crazy. And since I don't have time to stay home all day and cook, I decided to look into a quick and easy way to prep for those extra moderately portioned meals on the go. This is the first thi I came up with. It has protein, cruciferous vegetables, fiber, and healthy carbs. All that and it tastes awesome hot or cold, and is extremely easy to pack and carry. So, here you go.

Sweet Potato Protein Game Changers
Makes 16 patties
1 lb sweet potatoes, cooked
1 bunch green onions, diced
1/3 cup onions
1/4 cup flax seed meal
1.25 lb 99% fat free ground turkey
6 tsp olive oil
4 fist sized clumps of baby spinach, raw
1/3 cup egg whites
2 tsp herba salle (you can make your own version of this by combining sea salt, dried rosemary, dried sage, and dried basil in equal parts)
1 tsp black pepper
2 dried sage leaves, crumbled
1 sprig rosemary, dried, crumbled 
2 tsp white pepper

Preheat oven to 350 F.
Bake sweet potatoes for 20-25 minutes. Pan brown turkey and onions with ~2 tsp olive oil. Puree sweet potatoes in food processor (I peeled the skins and munched them, but it's up to you). Steam and then puree spinach with sweet potatoes. Dump puréed vegetables into a large bowl. Purée browned turkey and onions in food processor. Combine blended sweet potatoes, onions, turkey, flax seed meal, green onions, herba salle, egg whites, blended spinach, herbs, salt and pepper.
Form and flatten portions of the “dough” into patties.
Lay the patties onto parchment paper that has been sprayed with cooking spray (or stoneware) and bake for 15-20 minutes until they’re lightly brown and crisp on the outside.
Serve warm, at room temperature, or straight from the fridge.


Go on, have a peace! Have two! Enjoy! Go on, have a peace! Have two!

Ghoulish Goulash

Ghoulish Goulash
(Serves 4)

olive oil
1 lb ground turkey meat
2 medium yellow onions, diced
1 large garlic clove, minced
1 bell pepper, diced
2 tbsp smoked paprika
1 can diced tomatoes with juice
2 cups chicken stock
3 large handfuls spinach, steamed
sea salt and ground pepper, to taste

Preheat your oven to 350 F.

Brown the turkey meat in the bottom of a large pot with some olive oil. Once the meat is cooked through, remove the meat to another plate or bowl. Brown the onions in the pot for about three minutes. Then add the garlic and bell pepper and cook them all, stirring regularly, for about five minutes over medium heat.

Add the turkey meat back to the pot and add the paprika, salt, pepper, tomatoes (and the juice), and stock. Let cook on stove top for a few minutes. Meanwhile, prepare a steamer tray (this one is my favorite) and steam your spinach for about six minutes in the microwave. Add the steamed spinach to the pot.

Place a lid on the pot and transfer to the preheated oven. Let the stew cook for about two hours and remove to serve. There will be a delectable, hearty stew waiting for you that has the suspicious look of brains and mildew. A lovely addition to any Halloween themed feast. Go on. Have a peace.

Spaghetti Spesto!

All right! More in the vain of easy to prepare, slow to indulge meals for the busy week. This one is wondrously simple, healthy, and satisfying. And, even more fun, you can do the main portion and then add different things to make it a slightly different meal so you don't feel like you're eating the same thing every day.

Spaghetti Spesto
(makes ~5 servings)

1 spaghetti squash, ~ 3lbs

Spesto sauce:
2/3 oz basil
~1 oz baby spinach
4 tbsp olive oil
3/4 oz fresh grated reggiano cheese
6 cloves garlic
1/2 oz sundried tomatoes, finely chopped
~1/4 tsp salt
small handful walnuts

Put about 1 cup of water in your crockpot and settle the spaghetti squash in, covering with a lid. Set to low and let cook about 9 hours. When done, remove the squash (carefully with a pot holder - it's hot!) and cut lengthwise. Remove the seeds and goopy innards (to a separate bowl if you like - squash seeds are as yummy as pumpkin seeds) and then, using a fork, break apart the 'noodles' of the squash and dump them into a nice sealable container.

For the sauce, place all ingredients in a food processor or blender. Puree until everything is well combined.

Pour the sauce over the spaghetti squash noodles, mix thoroughly, and enjoy.

I tried a few variations on this: adding quick-roasted chicken tenders, adding extra sundried tomatoes, making chicken meatballs and adding those to the mix. The possibilities are endless. Let me know if you think of more. :)

Go on! Have a peace! Enjoy!

Ultimate Green Splendor Soup

I've been experimenting with soups to bring with me to rehearsal at night, but this one was just so much fun to make that I'll probably just start making it at home to munch on. This is a completely guilt-free, extra tasty chilled soup to cool your palate in the hot weather and soothe your throat through flu season. It's sweet, tangy, and full of delicious nutrients.

Did you know that spinach is a super concentrated source of iron, calcium, magnesium, potassium, vitamins K, C, E, and many of the Bs including folate? Folate, for those of you who don't know, is a water soluble B vitamin that helps produce and maintain new cells (you need it to make DNA and RNA) and one of the cool things about that is that eating more of it can help prevent changes to DNA that lead to cancer! How awesome is that? Asparagus is also very handy, full of potassium, fiber, folacin, thiamin, B6, and rutin. There has been evidence that rutin strengthens blood vessels and can help improve circulation. And apples keep the doctor away; everyone says so.

Ultimate Green Splendor Soup
(serves ~8)

1/2 lb asparagus, wooden ends broken off, cut into 2 inch sections
1/4 lb baby spinach, chopped
5 green onions, white parts removes, diced
1 avocado
juice of half lemon
1/4 cup fresh mint leaves
3/4 cup water
sea salt
fresh ground black pepper
2 gala apples, chopped
1/2 cup coconut milk, unsweetened and unflavored

Puree asparagus with 3/4 cup water until smooth. Add the green onions and spinach. If you have a small food processor like me, just keep removing the blended veggies to a sealable bowl. After the green onions and spinach, add mint and lemon juice and blend again. Next add the avocado. Blend again. Chop up the two apples to small bits and blend those with the veggies. Add the coconut milk. Blend again. Make sure that all your delicious bits are well combined. Salt and pepper to taste (I used a couple turns of sea salt and about 3 tsp of fresh ground black pepper). Serve chilled. Enjoy!

The Popeye Bento!

Nutritious and delicious, the Popeye Bento consists of high iron and protein dishes in moderate portions to give me the energy to be strong and resilient and energetic through a weekend of rehearsals. Here's what's in it: Blackened Sea-caught Tilapia, Spinach and Tomato Salad, and Spinach and Lentil Soup. (Did you see where I got the Popeye name from?)



Blackened Sea-caught Tilapia
(2 servings)

Two filets of sea-caught tilapia (if you can only find farm-raised, substitute this with cod)
juice of 1/2 lemon
juice of 1/2 lime
~2 tbsp paprika
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp white pepper
1 tsp black pepper
3 tsp sea salt

Combine the spices and juices in a flat bottom dish. Coat each filet on both sides with the spice/juice combination and set aside for about twenty minutes to let the fish absorb the flavors. Warm about 1/2 tbsp olive oil in a skillet over medium heat and pan fry the filets; it should take about 3 minutes on each side, but the main thing is to keep an eye out for the blackening and test the fish with a fork when you think it's done. If the filet flakes, you're good to go. (The neat thing about this - I got this idea from my dad's apple pie recipe actually - is that the white pepper gives you a heat sensation without tasting "spicy", so even if you eat this fish cold - I did - it's still "warm" and delicious.)

Spinach and Tomato Salad
(8 servings)

10 plum tomatoes, diced
1/2 onion, diced
1 cup fresh basil, chopped
2 cups fresh baby spinach, chopped
1/3 cup olive oil
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

Combine elements in a bowl and toss. I only used the pepper, but it's a matter of preference at that point. Yum!



Lentil and Spinach Soup
(8 servings)

4 cups low sodium organic chicken stock (if you're veg, use vegetable stock)
3 heaping handfuls baby spinach, chopped
2 tbsp tomato paste
1.75 cups dried lentils, rinsed
1 tsp thyme
~3 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 small onion, chopped
fresh ground black pepper
5-6 pinches Erbe Salle (This is a wonderful herb ground sea salt I adore. If you can't find this, use regular sea salt, about 5 turns of the grinder.)

In a large saucepan over medium heat, sauté the chopped onion in a little olive oil until translucent. Add garlic, thyme, and 2 pinches of your salt of choice and sauté ~1 minute.
Stir in lentils. Make sure you really mix up the lentils with the onions and garlic. It should be smelling simply wonderful at this point.
Add the stock, tomato paste, and 1 cup of water. Raise heat to high, bringing the pot to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover partially, and allow to simmer 20-30 minutes. Add your spinach, simmer until wilted, about 2 minutes.  Serve hot or cold.
For the bento, I have an awesome little soup-storage container that retains the heat in the soup for about 3 hours. That said, I ate some of this cold the next day and it was still delicious, so go for it. Enjoy!

Portobello Wraps

In honor of the Halloween holiday season, I've begun combining my three favorite things: horror movies, good food, and friends in something I like to call "Home-cooked Horror Nights". This past Sunday, a few friends descended on my home to enjoy some blood-thirsty films and vegetarian fare. Now, you'd usually think that veggies wouldn't really lend themselves to that level of virtual violence, which is why I leaned a towards a more "meaty" taste. Portobello mushrooms have a rich, earthy flavor and a nice, thick texture.

Portobello Wraps
(makes 5 servings)

3 portobello mushrooms, chopped in half, then sliced
1 bag baby spinach, chopped
1 tomato, chopped
2 tsp mirin, soy sauce, olive oil
crumbled goat cheese
whole wheat tortilla wraps

marinade:
2 tbsp mirin
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp soy sauce

Marinate your mushrooms in a large bowl, stirring occasionally, for 10-15 minutes.
Chop spinach.
Chop tomato into little pieces.
Season a large pan with olive oil and heat over medium heat until warm. Transfer to the heated pan.
Cook, stirring, until the mushrooms have shrunk and softened (about 10 minutes). Transfer cooked mushrooms to a colander, drain, then pour into a serving bowl. Add 1 bag's worth chopped baby spinach to the pan and add 2 tsp mirin, soy, and olive oil. Heat until the spinach has cooked to a shrivel. Deposit in colander, drain, and deposit in a serving bowl.

Season a dry pan with olive oil and add a tortilla, warming on both sides.

Take the warm tortilla, add a little spinach, chopped tomatoes, mushrooms, and goat cheese. Wrap and enjoy. :)

Go on! Have a peace!

Popeye's Favorite Sammy

I recently had a conversation with one of my vegetarian friends about the beneficial bioavailability of iron in beets and it got me thinking. Why didn't Popeye gulp cans full of beets as well as spinach? The truth is, he probably did. He just did it off camera.

In honor of my favorite buff sailor's iron fetish, I invented this iron intensive treat. A meal that will make your muscles bulge and your head do that weird exorcist twisty thing. Okay, maybe not. But it does taste super good. :)


Popeye's Favorite Sammy
(1 serving)

1 healthy bun or spinach tortilla
2 spoonfuls delish beetslaw
5 grape tomatoes
handful fresh baby spinach
1 large spoonful fresh ranch dressing

Fresh Ranch Dressing
(This recipe is one I modified from Cooking Light and use regularly. Makes 1 cup.)

3/4 cup low fat buttermilk
1/4 cup low fat sour cream
1 tsp fresh dill, minced
1 tsp fresh basil, minced
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper
1 clove garlic, minced

Mix these ingredients into a bowl and stir well. For a lumpless consistency, throw them in the food processor. I like to make maybe 2-3 times this recipe and keep it in the fridge for salads, etc.

Delish Beetslaw
(~14 servings)

4 beets, cleaned, skinned, and quartered
2 carrots, chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped
1 large spoonful organic, raw honey
1 cup water
5 cloves garlic
3-4 inches ginger
ground sea salt, to taste
1 package shredded cabbage from TJ's

Add the water, beets, ginger, and garlic to the food processor and chop fine. Remove to a large side bowl. Next add the carrots, celery, honey, and salt to the food processor. Chop fine again. Add to the large side bowl. Stir all together, add the cabbage, and mix well, making sure the cabbage is well coated in the beet juice. You'll know because all that green is going to turn purple from the beet juice. :) Put the bowl in the fridge to chill. You can eat this plain, as a slaw or salad base. Or you can use it as a ;ettuce substitute in sandwiches, like Popeye's Favorite Sammy above. :)

Sumptuous Stuffed Tomatoes

In my delicious biweekly organic food delivery, I received the following items: fresh tomatoes, spinach, crimini mushrooms, and garlic. While I was perusing my take, considering what I could do with these savory delights, the scent of my little basil pot overcame my senses and gave me the idea for this delicious recipe.

Sumptuous Stuffed Tomatoes
(6 servings)

3 tomatoes, halved
2 handfuls raw pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
1 generous handful fresh basil
2 generous handfuls spinach
3 cloves garlic
1-2 stalks celery
4 crimini mushrooms, washed and quartered
pepper to taste

Set your oven to 350 F.

Take your pepitas and throw them into your food processor, grinding into a semi-fine dust. It's okay if there are some bigger chunks for crunch. Pour out half the ground pepitas into a small bowl.

Halve our tomatoes and scoop out the juicy innards, placing the "shells" onto a parchment paper covered cookie sheet.

Spoon the juicy innards into your food processor along with the remaining pepitas. Add the spinach, basil, celery, garlic, and mushrooms. "Mix" into a paste. You can add salt if you want, I didn't find it needed any.

Using a large spoon to scoop the mixture into the tomato shells. Sprinkle the tops with the saved pepitas. Bake for 20-25 minutes.

Go on; have a peace! Have two!

Cashew Crusted Basil Tilapia with Spinach

Cashew Crusted Basil Tilapia with Spinach
(6 servings)

~1.3 lb boneless, skinless tilapia
2 handfuls raw cashews
~3 oz spinach
~10 large leaves fresh basil, divided, roughly chopped
1/4 cup nonfat sour cream (or, for a vegan variety, use Tofutti's Better Than Sour Cream non-hydrogenated)
juice of 1/2 lemon
4 cloves garlic, divided, minced
3 tsp olive oil

Preheat your oven to 375 F.

Take your tilapia and cut into single serving portions (about 1/2 a filet) laying them out into an 11x15 in baking pan.

Take 2 handfuls raw cashews and "chop" them in the food processor in small chunks. Remove to a side bowl. If there is cashew "dust", leave that in the processor.

Into the dusty processor, add sour cream, lemon juice, 2 garlic cloves, and 5 leaves of fresh basil. Process until smooth.

Heat 3 tsp olive oil in a skillet over medium low heat. Mince the 2 remaining cloves of garlic and brown. Add ~3 oz spinach (unchopped) and about 5 large leaves of basil (roughly chopped). Cook until wilted (2-4 min), stirring gently. Remove from heat.

Spread sour cream blend over the fish evenly.

Lay the spinach over the spread fish evenly.

Sprinkly chopped cashews over top all.

Bake for 28 minutes.

This is simply delicious! The fish came out so flakey and smooth, the whole dish was rich and a real treasure for the tongue. So easy to make and so, so good. Go on! Have a peace!

Bento Box 4: Sweet Sesame Bento

Another Monday, another bento!


When I was growing up, the only thing I would eat at chinese restaurants was sesame chicken. I loved it! To be honest, I still do, but most of the time when you get it, it's covered in breading and thick syrupy sauce. That's just no good.


Here's an alternative, along with some delectable spinach. Enjoy!

Sesame Chicken

(makes 2 servings)

meat of 4 chicken thighs, skin and fat removed, cut into bit size pieces

1 tbsp soy sauce (+ more to your discretion)

1 tsp mirin

2 tsp sesame oil, divided

1 tbsp balsamic vinegar (use a nice thick one for this)

1 tsp honey

toasted sesame seeds

Mix the seasonings together in a bowl and marinate the raw chicken in it for 10-20 minutes, making sure the chicken is well-coated. Spray oil on a non-stick pan and pour 1 tsp sesame oil into the pan. Heat to medium heat. 

Lay out the marinated chicken on a piece of wax paper and shake sesame seeds out over the chicken and press them into the meat with a fork. Turn them over and sprinkle sesame seeds over the other side. Press them into the chicken again. Then transfer the chicken to the pan and cook until both sides get a nice, delicious seared brown color (took me about 4 minutes a side). As always, make sure your chicken is cooked all the way through!!

And you're done in no time. So good!

Marinated Spinach

(makes 2 servings)

~4 generous handfuls of baby spinach, roughly chopped

1 tbsp mirin

1 tbsp soy sauce

toasted sesame seeds

Blanch the spinach. [Boil it for 3-4 minutes, then take out, drain, and douse in cold water.] Mix the seasonings in a small tupperware container. Add spinach in, mix. Sprinkle in a generous portion of sesame seeds. Cover. Shake to really soak the spinach. Set in your fridge and chill for 15 minutes to overnight. 

Go on! Have a peace!

Q&A: What is Mirin?

Mirin is a Japanese cooking wine, or 'seasoning wine', made from glutinous rice. It has a low alcohol content and a very sweet taste. You should be able to find it in the liquor department at your local supermarket, or at a wine and spirit shop, even though it's extraordinarily low on the tipsy scale. (Manufacturers of Mirin only ferment it long enough to achieve the proper sweetness, without an eye for alcohol content.)

Mirin has a golden hue, sort of like the color you find in Tej or mead - very pretty. It is generally used as an additive in sauces and can even tone down the tastes and odors of a variety of meats (like fish). Apparently it is sometimes brushed onto fish and roasts to give these dishes a "sheen". In Japan, pleasantness of presentation is half the battle.

So that's my little expose on Mirin. Use it in very small amounts - a little goes a long way. :)

Baked Falafels Pita Pockets with Mint Tzatziki

I had some friends coming over last night and thought it might be fun to have a DIY dinner, rather than a serve-it-up like I usually do. I've had a yen for falafel since I got back from Israel, so this was my attempt and bringing the tastiness of Jerusalem vendors to my best pals at home. This meal is ridiculously easy to make, and fun - the only thing I would say is that it isn't the best meal to make when you're trying to have a conversation. The food processor is so loud! :)

Baked Falafel Pita Pockets with Mint Tzatziki
(makes ~8 servings)

Falafel:
(makes about 36)
1 can low sodium garbanzo beans, drained
1 red onion, finely chopped
A little less than 1/4 cup sorghum flour
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp cumin
3/4 tsp salt
Juice of 1/2 a lemon
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp baking powder

Preheat oven to 375 F.

Drain a can of garbanzo beans over the sink, rinsing them well. Drop them, along with all the other ingredients except the baking powder, into your food processor. [If you don't have a food processor, a blender could work. Otherwise, you can use an immersion blender or a potato masher. The processor is just faster.] Puree, until ingredients are a thick paste. When all elements are well combined, add the baking powder and stir in thoroughly.

Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper. Now, here, I used my awesome little melon scooper, but you could use a normal, small spoon - your falafels will just be a little bigger. Scoop healthy dollops onto the baking sheet, about 6 scoops on each row.

Put baking sheets into the oven. Bake for 15 minutes. Flip the falafel patties. Bake for another 15 minutes if you want them soft, 20 minutes if you want them lightly browned, 25 if you want them crispier.

Mint Tzatziki:
1 regular sized cucumber, chopped into small bits
2 cups plain, nonfat yogurt
~1/4 cup mint leaves, chopped into tiny bits
salt, to taste

I actually made this weird tzatziki sauce before as a sauce for grilled chicken. It's based on the recipe my friend Alex uses (she's Greek), but I had some mint leftover (from a fun squash stew I made) that I wanted to put to use. Wow, check out the parentheses use there. It's super easy to make. You just chop the mint really fine (use a big chef's knife - it's easier). You cut the cucumber lengthwise, then lengthwise again, then in slices. Toss these into a bowl, then scoop the yogurt in. Stir, mixing well, and you're done.

Pita Pocket and fillers:

3 whole wheat pita, cut in half

2 handfuls baby spinach, chopped into bite-sized pieces

1 roma tomato, diced

Take your half pita, open it up on a small plate. Dollop a couple spoonfuls of the tzatziki into the pita, accompanied by a sprinkling of the spinach and tomatoes. Place 3-4 falafels into the pita. Enjoy!

It was a simple meal, cool and warm, and delicious! Lots of protein from the chickpeas. Vitamin A and K and manganese from the spinach (not to mention Popeye muscles). Vitamin C in the tomatoes. Nom nom nom. Plus, my friends really seemed to enjoy getting to make their own little sandwiches and we all found them very tasty.

[You will have extras. The leftovers are easily stored and will keep in the fridge to make a tasty snack/meal for the next day or two.]

A Satisfying April Fool's Day Meal

You know what to expect here, right? I mean... really. So here's a couple little tricks that you can play on your friends if you want. :)

Jello Juice 
Okay. This is the easiest "prank" ever.

1 package strawberry or lemon flavored Jello
miniscule amount of either strawberry or cranberry juice (for the strawberry) or lemonade (for the lemon)

Follow the package directions and then, instead of pouring the Jello into a mold or tin, pour it into a clear juice glass with just a tiny bit of juice poured in on top of it. Insert a drinking straw and put in the refrigerator to set. Then, when someone asks for something to drink, pull out the glass and watch them try to get that juice out. :) [If you're concerned about top texture, you can add a little more juice on top the jello before you serve it.]


Protein Cupcakes
This one could be really mean, so don't pull this on your veggie or vegan friends... Remember, April Fool's is about playful pranks and is not an excuse to be recklessly cruel to people.

"Cupcake":
2 lbs lean ground chuck
1 cup chopped fresh spinach
1 cup chopped tomatoes
1 tsp dried thyme
salt and pepper to taste

"Icing":
Either Velveeta or blue cheese, melted, and mixed with a cheerful food coloring. Spread liberally on top.

Set your oven to 350F. Place opaque muffin papers into a muffin tin.

Mix the "cupcake" ingredients together in a large bowl - if you have a food processor, blend them first. Then divide the "batter" into the muffin papers. Bake for about an hour, or until the meat reaches an internal temp of 160 degrees. Take out and allow to cool to room temp, then place in the fridge.

Next, make your icing. If you use the blue cheese, you'll want to blend it so that it's a smooth texture. I'd use something innocuous like pink or blue for the coloring so it's more innocent looking. Once it's nice and gooey, spread it liberally on top of the "cupcakes" and return to the fridge to cool again.

Serve with pride. :)

Sea Bass Surprise Soup

Okay. So it's not really a "surprise", per se, when the ingredients and directions are all listed out for you, but you get the drift. :) Once more, I faced my freezer-full of fish with courage and defrosted another big hunk of sea bass. The following is a yummy recipe I made up on the fly just moments ago. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

Sea Bass Surprise Soup
(about 5+ servings)

skinless sea bass, about 2 lbs, cut into bite-sized pieces
5 cups water
four handfuls baby spinach, chopped roughly
4 cloves minced garlic
3 tbsp minced ginger
1 tbsp olive oil
~3 tbsp thai fish sauce, more to taste
~1 tbsp low sodium soy sauce

Take your stock pot, add the olive oil to the bottom and heat to medium low. Add your garlic and cook until just slightly browned (~1-2 minutes). Add the ginger and stir together; set stove to low and cook for ~4 minutes with the lid on. When you lift the lid, the combined scents should assault your senses and start to make you hungry. Now set stove back to medium, add 5 cups water and the spinach and stir. Add your soy sauce. Let cook for about 5-7 minutes, until the spinach is nice and soft [I like my spinach a little mushy]. Now add your fish and stir down into the broth. Then set your spoon to the side and let it cook in the broth for about 8-10 minutes. When the fish is fully cooked, add the thai fish sauce and taste test until you're satisfied with the taste of the broth. Let cook for another couple minutes and serve hot.

This soup is quick, easy, and delicious. Very filling, a little salty, and (surprisingly) not fishy at all. [Note: "fishiness" will depend upon the quality of your seafood.] You could add some lime juice for a little extra kick, or if you like spicy food (I don't) maybe a little chili paste.

Enjoy!

[PS. Does anyone know how to take a good picture of soup?]

Everything But the Kitchen Sink Soup

I've been in a soupy mood for the past few days. I've also been in 'I don't want to go to the grocery' mode. These two feelings, in conjunction, culminated in me searching my fridge and pantry for anything that might make a suitable soup. I love the way that sounds... 'suitable soup'.

Everything But the Kitchen Sink Soup
(5-8 servings)

1 box (~4 cups) Trader Joe's Garden Vegetable Patch Soup (could use plain tomato soup, or probably even V8)
~3 cups baby spinach, roughly chopped
~5 stems fresh basil leaves, finely chopped
8-10 cherry tomatoes, halved
5-10 button mushrooms, sliced in thirds
3 stalks celery, sliced small
1 can great northern beans, rinsed
1/4 cup diced red onions
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp olive oil
freshly milled sea salt, to taste (*I used about 10 turns of my sea salt mill)
freshly ground black pepper, to taste (*I used about 7 turns of my black pepper grinder)

In a medium stock pot, heat 1 tbsp olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onions and garlic to the bottom and saute for 4-6 minutes, until onions are soft and garlic is browned.

Add 4 cups of the soup base you've chosen and set the stove to medium heat. Allow the soup to come to a simmer.

Add the spinach and basil to the pot and stir well. Next take the celery and stir that in, followed by the cherry tomatoes and the mushrooms. Salt and pepper the soup and stir, scooping from the bottom, to make sure everything's well combined.

Finally stir in the great northern beans and then allow to simmer, unmolested, for 5-8 minutes. Stir a couple times and taste test to make sure you're happy with the seasoning of the soup. If you used more or less of any of the ingredients I did, you'll want to alter your salt and pepper usage accordingly. Also depending on what brand of soup base you use, it may already be salted or seasoned on its own. Check the label and make sure you're not oversalting.

When you're happy, remove from heat and ladle out. It comes out warm, filling, and delicious. Yum, yum! Enjoy!

Chunky Pesto Chicken Soup

Soup is by far one of my favorite things to make. Not only do you get to stir it around in a big pot, cackling all the while like a character from Hocus Pocus, but it's also delicious, nutritious (usually), and serves you for days.

I took the original recipe for "Chicken & Spinach Soup with Fresh Pesto" from the October 2009 issue of EatingWell, and then changed it - like I do.

You might like their version, but personally - having tried theirs as written last year - mine is yummier. So there.

Chunky Pesto Chicken Soup
(makes ~5 servings)

2 tsp extra virgin olive oil, plus 1 tbsp
2 carrots, chopped
2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts (weighing ~14 oz), cut into quarters
2 large cloves garlic
4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
1.5 tsp dried marjoram
~8 oz baby spinach leaves, coarsely chopped
2 stalks celery, halved lengthwise and chopped
1 15-oz can great northern beans, rinsed
~1/4 cup finely grated parmesan cheese
~1/2 cup lightly packed fresh basil leaves
1 tbsp toasted pine nuts
~3 inch parmesan rind
~2 tsp salt
~2 tsp freshly ground pepper, more to taste

Heat 2 tsp of olive oil in a large saucepan over medium high heat. Add chopped carrot and quartered chicken; cook, turning the chicken until it begins to brown (about 4 minutes). Add garlic and stir together until the chicken is seared on one side (another 1-2 minutes). Remove the cooked chicken with a pair of tongs to a clean cutting board. You are now done with your sauce pan.

Into a medium stock pot over medium heat, pour your chicken broth and add the marjoram. Stir. Now add the garlic and carrots from the saucepan to the soup. Stir. Add the chopped spinach and rinsed beans and chopped celery to the soup. Add ~2 tsp salt and 2 tsp fresh ground pepper. Stir all together, mixing well. Then drop your parmesan rind in and let it start to soak out into the soup. Set the heat to low, and remember to stir occasionally.

Now to make the pesto sauce. You will need a food processor for this portion of the program. [If you don't have one, you can just buy pesto from the store, but it'll be saltier than you want, so I would recommend not adding the salt to the soup earlier.] This pesto, by the way, is delicious, and would also go nicely over pasta or warm french bread. :)
Combine 1 tbsp olive oil, grated parmesan, basil, and pine nuts in the food processor and process until a coarse paste forms.
There. You're done.

Return to that chicken you left your cutting board. Cut it into little bite sized pieces and add it back into the soup. Spoon out all of the pesto you just made and add that to the soup as well. Stir over medium heat for 4-6 minutes, or until hot.

Before you serve, remember to spoon around in the soup and find the parmesan rind. It has served its purpose now and can be tossed.

This soup is yummy, warm, and really hits the spot. Lots of protein and iron in this one. Enjoy!

Garlic-Sunflower Chicken, with a side of Garlic Roasted Veggies

Let it be said: poultry is awesome.

I was afraid of chicken for a long time, mostly because of my terrible fear of e-coli and death. The key to healthy poultry (which is, by the way, one of the best meats - ever - if cooked properly) is taking the time and care to be safe and clean. These rules apply to messing with any raw meat:

1) Clean your counters and your hands before unpacking the meat.

2) Make sure that your cutting board is clean.

3) If you can, use one specific cutting board for meat, or for each type of meat. There are some nice, inexpensive sets you can get from Williams-Sonoma and Bed, Bath, and Beyond that have little pictures on each cutting board, denoting whether it's for fish, chicken, beef, or vegetables.

Now. All that out of the way, here's another yummy chicken dish for your savoring pleasure.

Garlic-Sunflower Chicken
(3 servings)

3 boneless, skinless chicken breast
1 tbsp olive oil
Garlic-sunflower mix (Remember this? I made it for the bass dish. I still had a bunch leftover, in a sealed container in my fridge, so I used about a quarter of it here)
10 cherry tomatoes, halved
5-8 button mushrooms, sliced in threes
1 handful spinach, shredded with knife

[Garlic-Sunflower Mix: Now take 1 cup of sunflower seeds, 3 tsp salt, and 3 tsp garlic powder and blend together in a food processor until all powdery and delicious smelling.]

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Preheat a skillet over medium heat with 1 tbsp of olive oil.

Rub sunflower-garlic mix all over the chicken. When the skillet is hot, add the chicken and sear. Then turn it over and sear the other side.

Meanwhile, chop your veggies and mix them in a small bowl with 2 tbsp olive oil. Now, if you're using a baking dish, spread these olive oil mixed veggies over the bottom of your baking dish. I used my brand new La Creuset - happy sigh - but you can also use a baking sheet with lips if you're really stretched for tools.

When both sides of your chicken breasts are nice and scorched, remove the chicken to the rectangular baking dish and rest them on top of the veggies; next place the baking dish into the preheated oven (on a low rack) to cook through; this should take about 15 minutes.

When finished, plate your chicken and strew a little of the spinach/tomato/mushroom mix over top prettily. You can serve this with a side of veggies or brown rice.

Speaking of veggie sides... This is what I did and it was quite tasty. :)

Garlic Roasted Zucchini and Cauliflower
(3 main dish servings, 6 side dish servings)

1 zucchini, sliced into 1 inch slices, then halved
1 head cauliflower, cut into 1-inch pieces
4 cloves roughly chopped garlic
1.5 tbsp jarred, pitted kalamata olives, chopped
1/4 cup olive oil, plus 1 tbsp
~15 cherry tomatoes

Preset oven to 400 F.

Slice cauliflower into one inch slices and mix in a bowl with 1/4 cup olive oil. Place parchment paper on a baking sheet and pour the cauliflower out onto the baking sheet. Bake for 15-20 minutes, on the top rack.

Meanwhile, chop the zucchini into 1 inch pieces, then halved. Set aside.

Chop garlic, olives, and tomatoes.

Add 1 tbsp olive oil to the skillet you just used to sear the chicken, add the garlic and olives and olive juice. Saute for about 2 minutes.

Next, add the slices of zucchini. Stir.

Remove, the now roasted cauliflower from the oven and add it to the skillet. Stir until the cauliflower has a chance to soak up all the other flavors in the skillet - about 2-3 minutes.

Remove from heat and presto: veggies as a side.

You can also serve over pasta or brown rice as a main dish in it's own right.

African Spinach and Peanut Butter Stew - Kwanzaa dish

There is no specific menu for a Kwanzaa meal, but according to my research Kwanzaa means "first fruit", and an important symbol of the festival is Mazao (crops), so it seems one should strive to include a healthy selection of vegetables and fruits in their meal plan. The following recipe is one I've actually made a couple times because it's easy and delicious, and it's very similar to several that came up in my research.

African Spinach and Peanut Butter Stew

Ingredients:
2 medium onions (I prefer red, but I've used white ones before too)
410g canned tomato
2 lb spinach
4 tbsp peanut butter
salt and pepper to taste
oil for frying (I use olive oil, but you can use whatever you prefer)

Directions:
Slice the onions and fry them in oil until soft. (You're going to want to do this either in a pot or a pan with high sides, because you're adding everything else into this.)
Slice the canned tomatoes and add them to the onions.
Wash, trim, and chop the spinach coarsely. (Don't skimp on the spinach. First, it shrinks when it's cooked; and second, it's your main veggie in this dish. If you're not a huge fan of spinach, you don't need to worry. You can hardly taste it in this dish.)
Add the spinach to the stew and cook, covered, over medium heat for five minutes, stirring to keep it from burning or sticking.
Thin the peanut butter with hot water (1 Tbsp at a time) until you've made a smooth paste; add that to the stew.
Season with salt and pepper, to taste, and cook for another 5-10 minutes, stirring and adding water as necessary to prevent it getting too sticky or glutinous.

You can serve this stew over steamed rice, vegetables, mashed potatoes, polenta, quinoa, er.... anything you want to, really. If you want to add more vegetables to the stew itself, you're welcome to. Just make sure to keep your ratio of peanut butter and water right to keep that "stew" feeling.

Enjoy!