guacamole!

I went to the Pinecrest Garden's green market this past Sunday. I love this farmer's market! So many organic fruits and veggies. My best pick up was 2 HUGE local Homestead avocados for $3 each. These avocados were for sure about 2 lbs each. Naturally, I made some guac with 'em! Here is a simple recipe for guacamole.

Ingredients
1 large Florida avocado, cubed
2 organic tomatoes, chopped
1/4 cup chopped yellow onions (or red)
handful cilantro, chopped
1 tbsp minced garlic
juice of 2 lemons
sea salt, ground pepper
*small* dash of red pepper flakes
Directions
1. In a large mixing bowl add all ingredients, adding spices last.
2. With a masher, mash all ingredients. Mash avocado to your desired amount of creaminess.

And that's it! Sooo yummy.

Happy cooking!
-Kat

Baked Tofu and Summer Pasta salad

Today I am going to a BBQ for my friend's birthday and everyone will be bringing a little something. I decided to make a Summer Pasta salad for a side dish and Baked tofu with vegan spicy mayo as an appetizer. The pasta salad is vegan and gluten-free.

Summer Pasta Salad 
Ingredients
Gluten-free brown rice/veggie pasta spirals
Red onion, chopped
Green and Red bell pepper, chopped
1 carrot, grated
1 can cannellini beans, no salt added, drained and rinsed
1 can artichoke hearts, drained and rinsed
1 can heart of palm, drained
3 tbsp vegenaise
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
drizzle of evoo
sea salt, ground pepper + smoked paprika to taste

Directions
1. Cook pasta according to directions. In a large bowl mix all the veggies.
2. Drain and rinse pasta with cold water. Toss into bowl with veggies.
3. Add spices, vegenaise, vinegar and evoo. Mix evenly and store in fridge until ready to serve.

Baked Tofu
Use extra firm sprouted tofu. I used the Nasoya brand for this. Drain tofu and pat down with a paper towel. You want to get most of the liquid out. Cut tofu into slices then cubes. In a large bowl season the tofu how you like. I used Braggs nutritional yeast, ground black pepper, low-sodium soy sauce, a dash of cayenne pepper, and freshly minced garlic. Toss until evenly coated. 
Brush EVOO on a baking sheet and set to 400 degrees F. Evenly spread the tofu on the baking sheet. Bake for about 15-20 minutes. Take out of the oven and flip tofu. Broil for 3-4 minutes. Done. For the vegan spicy mayo just use some Vegenaise and sriracha.  Perfect party appetizer for vegetarians and carnivores alike! 
 
Cooking can be simple and fun. Take the time to make things at home. It's healthier than eating out and you know exactly what's going into your food.

Enjoy!
-Kat

'now or later' vegan burgers

This recipe came from the latest issue of Vegetarian Times magazine. I've always wanted to make my own veggie burgers but have always been intimidated by the task. I came across this very simple recipe and got excited. The result was excellent.

Ingredients
2 cups canned black beans, 1/4 cup canned lentils (both no salt added)
^you can use any beans you like and save the liquid
4 carrots, grated
1 small onion, chopped (1 cup)
1/2 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup chopped cilantro (or parsley)
3 cloves garlic, chopped (1 tbsp)
spices of your choice, sea salt and ground pepper (tsp each)
4 tbsp olive oil

Directions
1. Pulse beans, carrots, onions, oats, parsley, garlic, spices in a food processor. (I have a small one which this would work better in a large processor. You want the consistency to be chunky and since I have a small processor it takes longer to pulse everything causing it to liquefy easier).
2. Let rest for a bit before shaping patties. The above ingredients gave 5 patties. Wrap them up in plastic and refrigerate. In about 30 minutes they will be ready to cook.
3. Spray cooking spray onto a skillet at medium heat. Cook each side of burger for 3-5 minutes. You want some crispiness on each side.
4. Pop any patties that you don't use into the freezer!

As a side dish I roasted some asparagus and mushrooms. YUM! Roasting veggies is soo easy. Set your oven temp to 425 degrees. In a large bowl mix the veggies with 2 tspn olive oil, nutritional yeast, ground pepper, sea salt, dry parsley and garlic salt. Bake for about 15-25 minutes, checking on the veggies at 10 minute intervals.

More recipes soon!! Happy cooking and cook with more vegetables! Green is good for you....

-Kat

Rotkohl and cauliflower mash potato

My grandfather on my mother's side was German. My Mom made a typical German dish for the family when I was growing up which consisted of Rouladen, wrapped onion, pickle, mustard and bacon in thinly sliced beef, Rotkohl, boiled red cabbage, and mashed potatoes. This is one of the dishes I miss the most since I've become vegetarian. I went to my Mom's house last week and she was cooking some boiled red cabbage so I decided to give this German staple a vegan swirl. 

Vegan Rotkohl Ingredients
1/2 yellow onion diced
3 slices vegan bacon, chopped (I used Light Life smart bacon)
1/2 red cabbage, shredded
1 gala apple, quartered
1/2 cup red wine
1 tbsp honey
1 cup water or apple juice
1 bay leaf
ground black pepper

Directions
1. Sauté onions and bacon in a drizzle of evoo for about 5 minutes.
2. Add cabbage and cook another few minutes.
3. Add apples, honey, spices, wine, water/juice. 
4. Let simmer at medium heat for about an hour. You may need to add more water/juice/wine as cabbage soaks up liquid.
5. Serve cabbage as side w/out apples.

Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes 
Ingredients
Medium head of cauliflower, cut into florets
2 red potatoes, cut into chunks
1 yukon gold potato, cut into chunks
3 tbsp unsweetened almond milk
1 tbsp vegan butter
garlic salt
ground pepper
sea salt

Directions
1. Boil potatoes and cauliflower for about 15 minutes, until tender.
2. Drain. Pour back into pot. With potato masher, mash cauliflower and potatoes. Add butter, milk, and spices to desired taste.
3. Continue mashing until smooth.

Man this came out beautiful! And the cauliflower is soo good! Next time I am making the mash with only cauliflower to cut carbs. 

genießen!!!

-Kat

Roasted Stuffed Poblano Pepper

I've actually been daydreaming about this recipe. I bought some poblano peppers and a dry wild rice/lentil/bean pilaf at the farmers market last week. I have been trying to think of my own stuffed peppers recipe. Here it is, my own recipe-

Ingredients

2 large poblano peppers

1 cup rice pilaf mix, cooked

4 baby bella mushrooms, chopped

handful of watercress, chopped

1/4 cup shredded cheddar and monterrey jack cheese

Salt + Pepper to taste

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Sauté the shrooms and watercress in a drizzle of evoo or cooking spray. 

3. In a small bowl, mix the pilaf, shrooms + watercress and cheese (I also drizzled some sriracha in there to add a little more spice).

4. Cut the tops off the peppers and clean out the inside (take out all seeds).

5. Stuff the peppers with the pilaf mix. 

6. Place tops back on peppers and lay out on a baking sheet.

7. Roast for about 8 minutes at 400 degrees then set to broil for about 4-5 minutes, keeping a close eye. 

I accompanied the stuffed pepper with some roasted red and yukon potatoes. Roasting vegetables is one of easiest, tastiest and healthiest ways to incorporate veggies into your diet. In a large bowl, I tossed the chunks of potatoes with a drizzle of evoo, nutritional yeast, sea salt, freshly ground black pepper, paprika, garlic salt and fresh basil from my herb garden. You roast them in the oven at 375-400 degrees for close to 30 minutes. You can do this with practically ANY vegetable.

Happy cooking everyone!

-Kat

Quick and easy Tabbouleh

I have to say I am a lucky woman. As a young girl my father exposed me to so many foods from so many different cultures. Can you believe that when I was 8 one of my favorite foods was tabbouleh? For my lunch today I made Tabbouleh with baked plantains. 

Ingredients

juice of 2 lemons, freshly squeezed

tomato, diced

1/2 cucumber, diced

1/2 onion, diced

fresh curly parsley,finely chopped

fresh mint, finely chopped

1/2 cup cooked couscous

apple cider vinegar

sea salt + black pepper

Mix all ingredients in a bowl. Only add a couple dashes of apple cider vinegar. I also added a LITTLE bit of water. This salad is so refreshing!

I sliced up some ripe plantains and preheated the oven to 350 degrees. With a brush, coat a baking sheet with olive oil and the tops of the plantain slices as you add them to the sheet. Sprinkle some garlic salt and pop them in the oven. After 5 minutes flip the plantains and leave in the oven for about 5 more minutes. 

And you have a meal! The fresh tabbouleh compliment the plantains well. Healthy and delicious!

 

Happy cooking!

-Kat 

  

Spinach and feta stuffed portobello mushrooms

I've been wanting to make stuffed mushrooms ever since I ruined a recipe a couple years back. Tonight for dinner I made stuffed shrooms and a quinoa spaghetti w. sauteed asparagus, fresh basil  and spinach.

Ingredients

2 portobello mushroom caps

watercress, chopped

spinach, chopped

feta cheese

1/2 orange bell pepper (any color bell pepper will do), chopped

green onion, chopped

1 cup whole wheat bread crumbs

1/2 cup cooked couscous

1 egg white

Directions

1. Scoop out the brown gills of the two mushrooms. Sauté the brown gills in a drizzle of olive oil, with the bell pepper, spinach, watercress and green onion. Cook for about 3-4 minutes, adding salt, garlic salt + pepper.

2. In a large bowl, mix the sauteed veggies with the feta cheese, couscous, bread crumbs and egg white. 

3. Set oven to broil. Spray the baking sheet with cooking spray and place both mushroom caps on baking sheet. Take the stuffing mix and stuff the mushroom caps. 

4. Broil for about 10 minutes then leave in at oven at 350 degrees for another 5 minutes.

5. Serve with any side you choose!

Happy cooking!
-Kat