Recipes

Recipe of the Week: Cucumber & Tomato Salad with Balsamic Shallot Reduction

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This wonderful salad can be served at any time, but is guaranteed to impress your guests at your next party.

INGREDIENTS
• 1 large tomato, sliced
• 1 large cucumber, sliced
• 1 cup baby spinach
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1 shallot, sliced
• 1T olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste

1. Place the balsamic and shallots in a small sauce pan on high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium low and reduce the vinegar by half. Set aside and let cool slightly while you prepare the remaining items.
2.Create a bed with the spinach for the tomato and cucumber to lay on; alternate the tomato and 2 slices of cucumber until all is used. Down the center top the cucumbers and tomatoes with the balsamic shallots and then drizzle the remaining sauce over.
3.Drizzle the olive oil over and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Recipe of the Week: Mexican Lentil Burgers

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Lately I have been craving veggie burgers and last week I finally incorporated them into my meal plan for the week. I had actually intended to make black bean burgers but I forgot to soak and cook my dried black beans so I swapped out the black beans for a can of brown lentils that I had in the pantry.

To help make perfect patties I used our Cuisinart Patty Maker, which was actually on our wedding registry because we love homemade veggie burgers so much. Two tips I have to make these really tasty burgers are to make sure to preheat your oven and line your baking sheet with unbleached parchment paper. Now these burgers are a little messy but they are delicious!

Mexican Lentil Burgers

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

  • 1 tablespoon canola oil
  • 1 medium red onion, deiced
  • 1 small red bell pepper, diced
  • 5 button mushrooms, halved and sliced
  • 1 carrot, peeled and diced
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 2 teaspoons chili powder
  • 1-15 oz can brown lentils, drained and rinsed
  • 1/2 cup whole wheat bread crumbs
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • Serve With:
    • Sriracha Mayo: Vegan Mayo + Sriracha
    • Avocado
    • Tomato
    • Whole Wheat English Muffin

Directions:

Preheat oven to 450. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

Heat oil in a skillet over medium- high heat.

Add the onion, bell pepper, mushrooms and carrots; cook for 5-7 minutes until soft.

Stir in the garlic.

Place all ingredients into a food processor and process just until combined.

Form into patties and bake for 15 minutes. Allow to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before serving.

Serve on an English Muffin (or bun or on a plate of greens) with sriracha mayo, tomato and avocado.

 

 

Mood Boosting Recipe: Chickpea & Potato Tagine

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Chickpea & Potato Tagine

Ingredients:

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 2 large carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2″ rounds
  • 4 Yukon gold potatoes, diced
  • ¼ teaspoon turmeric
  • ½ teaspoon ginger
  • ½ teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1-25oz can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
  • 1 ½ cup vegetable broth
  • 4 Medjool dates, chopped
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon Harissa (optional)
  • 2 tablespoons slivered almonds
  • 2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped (optional)


Directions:
Heat heat the oil in a 4-quart heavy bottom pot over medium-high heat.
Add  the onions and cook 5-7 minutes until soft.
Stir in the potatoes and carrots and cook for 5 minutes over medium heat.
Stir in the turmeric, ginger, and cinnamon.
Stir in the broth and bring to a gentle simmer.
Cover and reduce to low and cook for 30 minutes, until vegetables are tender.
Stir in the chickpeas and dates and season with salt and pepper and simmer for 5 minutes.
Stir in the harissa and almonds.
Garnish with cilantro and a slivered almonds.
Serve with Lemon-Herb Couscous.

Mood Boosting Recipe: Lemon-Herb Couscous

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Lemon-Herb Couscous

Ingredients:

  • 1 ¾ cup water
  • 1 cup whole wheat couscous
  • 2 teaspoons lemon zest
  • 2 scallions, thinly sliced
  • 2 tablespoons cilantro, minced
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • ½ tablespoon olive oil


Directions:
Bring the water to a boil in the small sauce pot. 
Stir in the couscous. Cover and turn off the heat.
Let stand 5-10 minutes until the water has been absorbed.
Transfer to a large bowl, add the lemon zest and juice, scallions, cilantro, and olive oil, as well as, salt and pepper to taste. Fluff with a fork to combine. Serve.

Other Options:

  • Serve this couscous as a cold salad.
  • Add chickpeas, diced tomatoes and/or parsley to make a new dish.

Recipe of the Week: Balsamic-Rosemary Tempeh Skewers

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Serves 2
INGREDIENTS
• 1 (8oz) package of tempeh,large dice
• 8-10 button or cremini mushrooms
• 8 Rosemary Stalks; remove all but the top leaves, reserve 1 Tbsp of leaves and finely chop
• 3 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
• 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 Tbsp dijon mustard
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper

Preheat oven to 400F
1. Using the rosemary stalks, skewer the tempeh and mushrooms. Place in one layer in a shallow baking dish.
2. In a small bowl whisk together the tablespoon of rosemary, garlic, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, dijon mustard, salt and pepper; evenly pour over the skewers.
3. Place the baking dish in the oven and bake for 35-40 minutes until most of the liquid has reduced; flip and baste after 20 minutes.

Crazy Over Lentils

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During the first trimester of my pregnancy I had an aversion to just about all of my favorite healthy foods. Once the icky feeling went away and I entered the second trimester I knew that I had to get back on track and nourish my body and my growing belly with high quality meals.

This morning I woke up to realize that we had no leftovers for lunch since Neil had made some delicious blueberry pancakes for us for dinner so I headed to the kitchen to whip something up. In my pantry I found red lentils which are full of fiber and folic acid both of which are important for a healthy pregnancy. Lentils are also energizing which is wonderful in helping fight the fatigue of pregnancy.

Red Curry Lentil and Vegetables

Serves 4

  • 1 tablespoon coconut oil or canola oil
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 2 carrots, peeled and diced
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 cups green beans, washed, trimmed and cut in half
  • 1 tablespoon red curry paste
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 cup cooked chickpeas
  • 1 cup dried red lentils
  • 1.5 cups vegetable broth
  • 2.5 cups water
  • 1 cup frozen peas
  • 2 cups lightly packed baby spinach

Heat the oil in a medium heavy bottom pot over medium- high heat.  Add the onion and carrot and cook for 5-7 minutes, until tender. Stir in the garlic and green beans and cook for 3 minutes.  Stir in the curry, salt and pepper and cook for one minute.  Add the chickpeas, lentils, broth and water and bring to a boil.  Cover and reduce heat to medium and simmer for 20-25 minutes until lentils are tender.  Uncover and add the peas and cook for 2 minutes.  Add the spinach at the last minute and stir until wilted.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Serve with brown rice, naan or pita.

This is so good I may have eaten it for every meal today.

Recipe of the Week: Coconut Lime Baked Tofu

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Serves 4
INGREDIENTS
• 1 tsp toasted cumin seeds
• 1 (14oz) block of extra firm tofu, 1/4 inch thick slices
• 1 small onion, minced
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 tsp coconut oil or vegetable oil
• 1 Tbsp ginger, grated
• 1.5 tsp ground coriander
• 1/4 tsp tumeric
• 1 tsp curry powder
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/4 tsp white pepper (optional)
• 1 tsp raw sugar
• 1 Tbsp low sodium soy sauce
• 1-3 red chilies, minced
• 1 (14oz) can coconut milk
• 2 limes, zest and juice
• 1 Tbsp sweet or dark soy sauce

1. In a small dry sauce pan over medium heat toast the cumin seeds for 3-5 minutes, until aromatic.
2. In a medium sauce pan heat the coconut oil over medium-high heat; add the onions and garlic and saute for 8-10 minutes until soft and slightly caramelized. Add to a medium bowl.
3. Stir in the ginger, turmeric, coriander, curry powder, smoked paprika, white pepper, toasted cumin seed and sugar into the onion-garlic mix.
4. Stir in the sweet soy, lite soy, lime juice, lime zest, chili pepper and coconut milk.
5. Pour 1/3 of the coconut milk mixture onto a medium sheet pan (size is around 15! x 10! x 1!), place the tofu down in one layer and then pour the remaining coconut milk mixture over. Marinate at room temperature or in the fridge for 30 minutes -2 hours.
6. Preheat oven to 425F and bake for 35 minutes, or until sauce has reduced slightly and the tofu is lightly browned on top. There should be a little sauce leftover; spoon the sauce over the tofu or toss with a vegetable side!