Search This Blog

Wednesday, September 30, 2015

Chocolate Mousse


Ingredients:
• 1 pack (12.3 oz) Firm or Extra Firm Silken Tofu
• 1.2 oz semi-sweet chocolate
• 5 tbsp cocoa
• 3 tbsp honey
• 1 tsp vanilla
• Dash salt
• 2 tbsp milk

Directions:
Combine all ingredients except the chocolate in a blender. Melt the chocolate and add it to the mixture. Refrigerate until chilled. It will firm up the longer it sits. Serve as it is or pour into a pie crust or tart shell.

Squash soup

Makes four 1 1/2 cup servings

Ingredients:
• 1/2 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1/2 tbsp good olive oil
• 2 cups chopped red onion (two medium)
• 2 medium butternut squash (2.5 lbs = approx. 6 cups cubes)
• 3 cups low sodium chicken stock (using home-made makes so much difference)
• 1/4 - 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 cup milk (I use low fat)

Directions:
Cut the squash in half and remove the seeds. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place cut side down on a baking sheet lined with foil, poke holes in the skin and bake at 400 for 45-60 minutes. Scoop out the flesh and put aside. Heat the butter and oil in a stockpot, add the onions, and cook over medium - low heat for 15-20 minutes, or until translucent (slow cooking is important to develop a good flavor). Add the cooked squash, chicken stock and pepper. Cover and simmer over medium - low heat for about 10 minutes. Puree the mixture until it reaches your desired texture (some people like it a bit chunky, but I like mine smooth). Return to the pot, add the milk, and heat slowly. Season with salt and pepper.

Tuesday, November 25, 2014

Black Bean and Butternut Squash Stuffed Peppers

Yield: 8 half peppers – can use this filling for burritos, too, and it’s excellent!

Ingredients:
• 1 med. butternut squash, peeled, cut into small cubes (about 3 cups raw)
• ½ cup uncooked quinoa (or brown rice)
• 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken stock
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 cup chopped red onion
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• Salt, to taste
• 1 ½ tsp ground cumin
• ¼ tsp sweet paprika
• Fresh ground black pepper
• A pinch each of chili powder and red pepper flakes, or to taste
• One 15-oz can black beans (about 1 ¾ cups cooked), drained and rinsed
• 1 tbsp lime juice
• Fresh chopped cilantro
• 3/4 cup cheese, grated
• 4 medium-large red peppers
• Optional toppings, to serve – sour cream or yogurt, lime juice, avocado

Directions:
Steam or bake squash cubes (I toss with 1 tsp olive oil, salt and pepper and bake at 400 for 30-40 minutes, turning halfway).
In a small pot, bring quinoa, water and chicken stock to a boil. Stir, cover and reduce heat to simmer until cooked, about 20 minutes.
While quinoa is cooking, saute onions in 2 tsp olive oil over medium-low heat, until softened. Stir in garlic, cook another few minutes until fragrant and then remove from heat. Add cooked quinoa, along with black beans and spices. Stir in half the grated cheese.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Cut bell peppers in half, scoop out seeds and place on baking sheet. Stuff each pepper with quinoa filling and top with remaining cheese.
Bake 40-45 minutes or until the pepper is cooked to your liking. Serve hot.

Friday, February 22, 2013

Mediterranean Grain or Pasta Salad




Salad:
• 1 cup cooked grain of choice (green lentils; couscous; mix of 3/4 couscous & 1/4 chickpeas; etc.) or fusilli, penne, etc.
• 1 cup chopped cherry or regular tomatoes
• ½ cup diced English cucumbers
• ½ cup diced sweet red pepper
• 2 tbsp chopped red onion
• ¼ cup chopped black Kalamata olives
• ½ cup crumbled feta cheese
• 2 tbsp fresh parsley (optional)
• 2 tbsp fresh mint (optional)

Dressing:
• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• ½ tsp dried oregano, rubbed between your fingers to release flavor
• ¼ tsp dried mint
• Fresh ground black pepper and salt, to taste

Directions:
Mix together all of the salad ingredients except for the feta cheese. In a separate bowl, whisk the olive oil into the lemon juice and then whisk in the other ingredients. Add salt and pepper according to your taste. Add as much of the dressing as you like to the salad and mix to distribute. Add the feta cheese at the end and gently stir it in so that it doesn’t fall apart. Let sit several hours in the fridge before serving, to allow the flavors to blend and emerge.

Friday, February 15, 2013

Pasta Primavera

Ingredients:
o 3 cups raw vegetables - I use julienne carrot, zucchini, red pepper, frozen broccoli and peas
o 1/2 lb (8 oz/250g) angel hair pasta or whatever type of pasta you prefer
o 1 tbsp olive oil
o 2 tsp fresh garlic, chopped
o 1/3 cup chicken or vegetable stock
o 2 tbsp fresh basil, julienne cut
o 1 ½ tbsp finely chopped sun-dried tomatoes (optional, but recommended)
o 1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
o 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated
o Reserved pasta cooking water, if needed
o Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
o Either ½ tsp lemon zest OR 1 tsp mixed Italian spices (both versions are delicious!)
o Fresh parmesan, to garnish

Directions:
1. Steam all vegetables until soft, but still retain some crunch.
2. Salt a large pot of water, bring to a boil and cook pasta according to package directions until al dente.
3. Heat oil in a large non-stick pan over medium heat and fry garlic for several minutes. Add stock and bring to a boil.
4. Strain pasta (reserve ½ cup cooking liquid), add both pasta and vegetables to the pan, and stir to coat. Add 1-2 tbsp reserved pasta water to moisten if needed.
5. Remove from heat and stir-in fresh basil, lemon zest (or Italian spices), parmesan cheese, sun-dried tomatoes and parsley. Toss pasta thoroughly and serve immediately. Garnish with fresh parmesan and additional herbs.

Greek Lemon Roasted Potatoes

Ingredients:
o 2 lbs potatoes (6 medium potatoes or 4 ½ cups peeled and diced)
o ½ cup water
o ¼ cup olive oil
o ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
o 1/2 tsp dried oregano, rubbed between your fingers to release the oils
o ½ tsp salt
o 1/8 teaspoon fresh ground pepper

Directions:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Place potatoes in a large baking dish, add remaining ingredients and toss until well coated. Bake uncovered for about 50 minutes until tender, turning halfway. Add a bit of water if it gets completely absorbed during the cooking process.

Middle Eastern Spiced Lentil and Vegetable Soup

Ingredients:
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 cup finely chopped onion
• 1 cup finely chopped carrot
• 1/2 cup finely chopped celery
• ½ cup frozen spinach
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 cups dried brown or green lentils, rinsed
• 1 14 oz can chopped tomatoes
• 4 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable stock
• 4 cups water
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1 ¼ tsp ground cumin
• 1/3 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/8 tsp hot paprika
• 1/3 tsp allspice
• 1/8 tsp cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp cloves
• 1/4 tsp cardamom
• 1/3 tsp ginger
• Salt, to taste

Directions:
Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, and celery and cook, stirring often, until the onions are translucent (approximately 6 to 7 minutes). Add the garlic and cook for another minute or two until it begins to brown. Add the spices and cook briefly until fragrant, about a minute. Add the lentils, tomatoes, broth and water and stir to combine. Increase the heat to high and bring just to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover and cook at a low simmer until the lentils are tender, approximately 35 to 40 minutes. If you like you can puree the finished soup to your preferred consistency, but I leave it as is. Garnish with parsley and serve with lemon wedges, if desired.