Something New & Easy Too!

Curry Veggie Burger
1 1/2 cups white beans (canned, drained + rinsed)
1 1/2 cups chickpeas (canned, drained + rinsed)
pinch of black pepper
1/4 tsp salt
1 Tbsp tahini
1 garlic clove smashed
1/2 lemon squeezed
1/4 cup white onions, minced
1 tsp curry powder
1/2 tsp turmeric 
sprigs of cilantro (about 10)
2 tsp maple syrup
pinch of cayenne (optional)
1 tsp virgin coconut oil (for pan)


Secret Sauce
1 tbsp mayo (vegan)
1/2 tsp sriracha  
1 lime squeezed

Burger Options:
Whole wheat buns or gluten free bun
Avocado
White Onion 
Tomato
Cucumber
Arugula, Romaine or Spinach

In a food processor, pulse your onion, cilantro until it's minced. Add garlic and add your beans and chickpeas. Pulse until they are lightly combined. Once the mixture looks like it's starting to come together but isn't gummy and in all your seasoning, tahini and lemon. Divide mixture into 4 portions and pat them in your hand until it's a thick patty shape. Heat oil in a non stick skillet and lay 4 patties down into the pan gently. Cook on medium heat letting the patties brown on one side before turning them. While the patties are browning, mix your secret sauce and take care of your other burger extras. Be creative! 

Coconut Corn Chowder
1 tablespoon coconut oil, or your oil of choice
1 medium whole leek, thoroughly cleaned, white and light green parts thinly sliced
3 medium carrots, chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon chili flakes
1 green chile pepper, stemmed and seeded, minced
1 can of northern white beans, drained
2 sweet bell peppers (red and yellow), chopped
1 tsp sea salt, or to taste
1 can of creamed corn + 1/2 can or a 1/2 cup of frozen whole kernel corn
14-ounce can of coconut milk
1 cup water 

In a medium pot, heat the coconut oil on medium-low heat. Add the leek, carrots, garlic, chili flakes and green chile and saute until they have softened, around 5-10 minutes.  

Once the leeks have softened, stir in the chickpeas, salt, red and yellow peppers, corn, coconut milk, and water.
 
Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cover for about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and serve immediately.

 
 
I was looking through all of my beautiful recipe books and found this amazing raw veggie lasagna recipe. I thought it would be boring and tasteless, but boy was I wrong. This is the best thing I've made lately. I love BareRootGirl who came up with this recipe for all of us. I loved how she dissected each layer so make it easy. Please tell me what you think. 

Veggie Lasagna
1 zucchini
1 yellow squash
1/2 c. fresh spinach
1/4 c. fresh basil leaves
Extra virgin olive oil for drizzling
salt and pepper

Cut zucchini and yellow squash lengthwise, about 1/4" thickness.  Tear spinach and basil into manageable pieces, matching the lengths of zucchini and squash.  Set aside.

For the sauce:
2 lbs cherry tomatoes, you for better flavor use 1 cup sun-dried tomatoes
1 shallot
1 small clove garlic
1/2 c. basil leaves
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
juice of 1 small lemon
splash of red wine vinegar
1 tsp. honey
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
shake of hot pepper flakes (optional)

Put all ingredients into a food processor and pulse until it's combined. You want it to be chunky, but well mixed. Taste and adjust seasoning. 

Pine Nut 'Ricotta"

1/2 c. pine nuts, soaked 15 minutes and drained

zest and juice of 1 lemon
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper

Place all ingredients in the bowl of a food processor and process until smooth (scraping down the sides occasionally), about 1-2 minutes.

Walnut Sage Pesto 
1 c. walnuts, soaked 30 minutes and drained
1/4 c. fresh sage leaves
a few fresh oregano leaves
2 tbsp. olive oil
splash red wine vinegar
1/4 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. pepper

Place all ingredients in the bowl of a food processor and process until smooth (scraping down the sides occasionally), about 1-2 minutes.

Layer it on up and enjoy with a hunk of crusty bread

New Broccoli Favorites

 Raise your hand if you love broccoli. Now raise your hand if your family only tolerates it! For me that's my gig, my husband and son just tolerates broccoli and it's got to be prepared in a specific way. Here are some new ideas that might perk up those old stand by's.



Italian Roasted Broccoli

1 large head broccoli, sliced into longer stalks
1 oz. pepperoni, diced (make sure it's nitrate free)
1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs (gluten free Van's or C4 are great)
2 tbsp parmesan cheese (I used the green can)
1/2 clove garlic
2 egg whites
red pepper flakes to your liking
1/2 tbsp Dijon mustard
Salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 425. Line a baking sheet with nonstick aluminum foil or parchment paper.
In a small food processor (or with a knife) pulse together the pepperoni and garlic until finely diced. Toss with the panko, parmesan, breadcrumbs and red pepper flakes and set aside.
In a shallow dish or bowl. whisk the egg whites with the mustard.
Season the broccoli with salt and pepper. Then dip one side into the egg whites and then press into the breadcrumbs. Place with the breadcrumbs facing up on your baking sheet. Repeat with all the broccoli.
Roast for about 15 minutes and then serve.

Dip them into marinara!

Adapted from Food & Wine 

This recipe is really refreshing. It comes to us from 101cookbooks.

Carmelized Onion Broccoli

4 cups tiny broccoli florets (and chopped stalks if you like)
1 garlic clove, smashed and chopped
scant 1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
1/4 cup almond butter
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 teaspoon honey
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons hot water
2 small crisp apples, cut into bit-sized pieces (if you aren't going to use the apples immediately, let them sit in a bowl of water with the juice of 1/2 a lemon)
1/2 cup toasted or candied walnuts or almonds
1/3 cup pan-fried crunchy shallots*
chives (optional)

Bring a medium pot of water to a boil and salt as you would pasta water. Boil the broccoli just long enough to take the raw edge of - 10 or 15 seconds. Drain and immerse it in cold water (or let cold water run over it). At this point, I like to spin the broccoli in a salad spinner to get the water off, but a few good knocks against the sink in a strainer can do the trick pretty well. Set aside.
Make the dressing by sprinkling the salt over the clove of garlic. Smash the clove and chop, smash and chop - turning it into a paste. In a small bowl whisk the salty garlic paste with the almond butter, lemon juice, honey and olive oil. Add the hot water and whisk until light and creamy. Taste, make any adjustments and set aside.
In a large bowl gently toss the broccoli, apples, most of the shallots and nuts with a generous drizzle of the almond dressing. Turn out onto a platter and finish with the rest of the shallots and chives if you like. *Stir together the shallots, a splash of clarified butter (or olive oil) and big pinch of salt In a large skillet over medium heat. Stir every few minutes, you want the shallots to slowly brown over about fifteen minutes. Let them get dark, dark brown (but not burn), and if needed turn down the heat. Remove from skillet and onto a paper towel to cool in a single layer where they will crisp up a bit.

 
Creamy Broccoli Soup

4 tablespoons butter, (I used vegan hemp)

1 tsp olive oil
1 1/2 pounds fresh broccoli
1 large onion, chopped
1 carrot, chopped 

1 tsp garlic
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
1/2 cup cream

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (a way to make it super creamy, add kraft sliced cheese, it melts great)

Melt butter and olive oil in a stock pot. Saute broccoli and onion for about 8 minutes. shredded or chopped carrot, garlic and season with salt and pepper. Add stock and cook on a medium heat for about 20 minutes. If you like a creamier soup, take out 1-1/2 cups of soup and set aside. Use an immersion blender and blend the soup till it reaches the consistency you desire. Add remaining soup back into pot, add cream, cheese and re-season with salt and pepper. 

How about a burger change up? Try these broccoli burgers with tahini sauce and you'll never miss that ground beef burger. This recipe is not gluten free, but you could exchange the couscous with rice and you'd be set. 

Broccoli Burgers
1/3 cup dry couscous
1 cup water
1 1/2 cups broccoli florets
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 cup chopped scallions
1/2 cup chopped yellow onion
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 15 ounce can of chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 tablespoon sesame tahini
1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
Tahini:
1/3 cup sesame tahini
1/3 cup water
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 garlic cloves, chopped
3/4 teaspoon sea salt

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
In a small pot, bring the water and couscous to a boil.
Remove from heat immediately and allow the couscous to sit in the pot for 10 minutes, soaking up the water.
While the couscous sits, steam the broccoli in a steamer for 5-7 minutes (or use a microwave or stove method, you just want the broccoli to be soft in the end)
In a skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat and add in the onion and scallions, stirring occasionally for 3-5 minutes until the onion softens.
Remove the onions from the heat and stir in the cumin.
Gather your couscous, broccoli, onion mix, chickpeas and sesame tahini and combine together in a food processor.
Pour the mixture into a bowl and stir in the bread crumbs.
Form it into patties and place the patties on a cookie sheet lined with foil.
Bake for 50 minutes, turning the patties over halfway through. You’ll know they are done when the tops begin to brown.
To make the tahini sauce, place all ingredients in a food processor and blend until combined, roughly 30 seconds.
Top your burgers with the sauce, throw some pickles, tomato and lettuce on there, and go to town!

 

Freshness Even In Winter

Ingredient of the Week: Swiss Chard

Swiss chard is not only one of the most popular vegetables along the Mediterranean but it is one of the most nutritious vegetables around and ranks second only to spinach following our analysis of the total nutrient-richness of the World's Healthiest vegetables. Multiple studies have shown that chard has unique benefits for blood sugar regulation. In addition, chard may provide special benefits in the diets of individuals diagnosed with diabetes. Chard also helps reduce carbohydrates because of it's fiber content. It also is high in protein having about 3.5g per cup. As an excellent source of vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin A (in the form of beta-carotene) and the mineral manganese, and a good source of the mineral zinc, Swiss chard offers an outstanding variety of conventional antioxidants. Low level inflammatory foods help prevent the risk of obesity, atherosclerosis, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, autoimmune diseases and several forms of arthritis, chard is very likely to show up in future studies on humans as a key vegetable for lowering risk of these health problems.Chard is packed full of calcium that helps rebuild bone strength, rebuilding collagen and helping alleviate joint pain. 

If you aren't familiar with swiss chard here are some tips:

1. Look for leaves that are crisp and bright green, have no yellow or brown spots 
2. Don't wash the leaves until right before you are about to use them 
3. Store them in the fridge in a plastic bag tightly packed and air removed
4. Boil chard before adding it to your recipes, discard the boiled water because it has  acids in it that are not healthy. Do not cover the pot while boiling.
5. Toss penne pasta with olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, and cooked Swiss chard. Add zest to omelets and frittatas by adding some boiled Swiss chard. Use chard in place of or in addition to spinach when preparing vegetarian lasagna. 

Kicked Up Chard with Bacon and Polenta

1 cup polenta

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

4 slices (6 oz.) thick-cut bacon 

2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil 

2 large shallots, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 large bunches rainbow chard, ribs cut into 1/4-in. pieces and leaves roughly chopped

1/4 to 1/2 tsp. red chile flakes or 1/4 tsp. granulated red pepper

1 tablespoon butter

1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese

2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar 

Sunset.com 
Cook polenta with salt as package directs.
Meanwhile, cook bacon in a large frying pan until crisp. Transfer to paper towels.
Discard fat from pan. Heat oil in same pan over medium heat. Cook shallots, garlic, and chard ribs until softened, 4 minutes. Stir in chard leaves, chile flakes, and 1/3 cup water. Cover, reduce heat to low, and cook until wilted.
Stir butter and cheese into polenta and spoon into bowls. Toss chard with vinegar and spoon over polenta. Crumble bacon and sprinkle on top.



Sausage and Swiss Chard Fritata

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 Italian sausages (8 oz. total), casings removed I used turkey

1/2 cup minced red bell pepper

1/2 cup finely diced mushrooms 

1/2 cup minced onion 

1 bunch Swiss chard, chopped ribs removed

8 large eggs

1/2 cup shredded swiss or cheddar cheese

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Preheat broiler with a rack set 4 in. from heat. Heat oil in a large, ovenproof frying pan over high heat. Cook sausage, stirring often, until browned, about 3 minutes. Add bell pepper, mushrooms, and onion and cook until vegetables are softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in Swiss chard, reduce heat to medium, and cook, stirring occasionally, until wilted, about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, whisk eggs in a large bowl until starting to foam. Stir in cheese and salt. Pour mixture into pan with vegetables; cook on stove until the bottom sets, about 3 minutes. Broil until firm and browned, 3 minutes.

Swiss Chard & White Beans 

1 tablespoon coconut oil/olive oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 small onion, chopped 

1 stock of celery chopped

1 medium carrot, halved and sliced 

1 bunch red Swiss chard, chopped

1 can (15 oz.) white beans, drained and rinsed

1 qt. reduced-sodium vegetable broth

Parmesan cheese

Heat oil in a medium pot over high heat. Add garlic, onion, celery and carrot. Cook, stirring often, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add chard, beans, and broth. Cover and cook until very hot. Serve with cheese.

Swiss Chard Parmesan Gratin
1/2 cup toasted or stale coarse gluten free breadcrumbs (I used C4 crumbs from walmart)
2 Tbs. unsalted butter; more for coating the gratin pan (I used vegan butter)
1 cup heavy cream (If you are dairy free, use Coconut creme from Trader Joes')
2 cloves garlic, smashed and peeled
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
3 strips bacon (about 2-1/2 oz.)
1 lb. (about 1 bunch) Swiss chard, washed and drained, stems removed and cut crosswise into 1/4-inch slices, leaves cut into 1/2-inch wide ribbons (to yield about 2-3/4 cups stems and 7 to 8 cups leaves)
1/3 cup grated Parmesan Cheese

Recipe and Photo Courtesy of finecooking.com

Heat the oven to 400ºF. Butter a shallow 5- or 6-cup ceramic gratin dish. Melt 1 Tbs. of the butter and toss it with the breadcrumbs; set aside.

In a medium saucepan, bring the cream and garlic to a boil (watch that it doesn't boil over), immediately lower the heat, and simmer vigorously for 5 minutes; the cream should be reduced to about 3/4 cup. Take the pan off the heat and remove the garlic cloves with a slotted spoon. Let the cream cool slightly, stirring occasionally to loosen. Season it with a few grinds of fresh pepper and 1/4 tsp. of the salt.
Meanwhile, in a large (12-inch) nonstick skillet, cook the bacon over medium heat until crisp and browned. With tongs, transfer it to paper towels; crumble when cool. Leave the bacon fat in pan (if there's more than 2 Tbs., drain a little off). Add the remaining 1 Tbs. butter to the skillet and let it melt. Add the chard stems and sauté them over medium to medium-high heat until they're somewhat softened and browned on the edges, about 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium, add the chard leaves and toss them with the contents of the skillet. Season them with the remaining 1/4 tsp. salt. (You can add the leaves in two batches for easier handling.) Sauté until all the leaves are wilted, about 2 minutes. Use tongs to transfer the contents of the pan to the gratin dish (leave behind any excess liquid in the sauté pan), spreading them evenly.

Sauté sliced chard stems first until tender; then add the leaves and wilt them.

Sprinkle the crumbled bacon and then the cheese over the chard. Pour the seasoned cream over all and top with the buttered breadcrumbs. Bake for 25 minutes; the gratin will be brown and bubbly. Let rest for 10 to 15 minutes before serving.