SAUSAGE SANDWICH

 

a very good product

 

INGREDIENTS:

 

1 white onion, cut in half and sliced

1 red onion, cut in half and sliced

2 Tbsp. olive oil

Vegan Italian Sausage

Vegenaise

Pesto sauce

whole wheat rolls, lightly grilled

 

 

DIRECTIONS:

 

Combine the oil and onions and saute either in a skillet on the stove top OR in a pan on the grill.  Cook till well done and start to brown.

 

Grill the sausage.  These don't take long.  Towards the end of the cooking time, grill the rolls.

 

For the sandwich: 

 

Spread one half of the roll with pesto, the other with Vegenaise.  Cut the sausage in half lengthwise and crosswise.  Layer on your roll.  Smother the sausage with the cooked onions.

 

DELICIOUS

QUICK SAUTEED GREENS

a quick tasty dinner

INGREDIENTS:

3 Tbsp. olive oil

1 red onion, quartered then sliced thin

1 bag baby spinach, remove large stems and chopped

1 - 2 cups frozen peas

1 tsp basil

1 tsp oregano

salt and pepper to taste

water as needed

splash of balsamic vinegar

1 pkg gnocchi, prepared right before serving

DIRECTIONS:



Saute the red onion in the oil, adding a bit of salt.

Next add the spinach, peas, basil, oregano, salt and pepper.  Continue to saute, cover and let greens steam.  Add water if it starts to look dry and in need of steaming liquid. 

When finished, add a splash of balsamic vinegar.  Toss into the fresh drained gnocchi and serve with Vegan Parmesan cheese.

VEGETARIAN KOFTA

Kofta served with peanut sauce

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup bulgur

2 cups vegetable stock

1 can black beans, drain and rinse

2 Tbsp. olive oil

1 onion, finely chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp. ground cumin

1 tsp. ground coriander

2 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro

1 tsp. hot pepper sauce

egg replacer, equivalent of 1 egg OR use 1 egg

1 cup stale whole wheat flat bread, cut into small cubes

1 cup skim milk or soy or almond, etc

salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:

Combine the bulgur wheat and veggie stock in a saucepan.  Bring to a boil, then simmer for about 10 minutes, or until liquid has been absorbed.  Set aside to cool.

Meanwhile, in a food processor, combine the beans, oil, onion, garlic, cumin, coriander, cilantro, hot sauce, and the egg replacer.  Process lightly till just mashed and fairly smooth.  Place into a large bowl.

Soak the bread in milk, then squeeze out the excess;  add to the bean mixture along with the bulgur. Mix using your hands until everything is well blended.  Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour or until firm.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

Wet your hands and form the kofta into whatever shapes you desire.  I choose the croquette shape over oval or circular.  I placed mine on parchment paper, sprayed lightly with olive oil and baked for 15 minutes.

Kofta ready to bake

I served mine with peanut sauce and a

side of creamed mustard greens.



CREAMED MUSTARD GREENS

fresh mustard greens

recipe inspired by a visit to a local eatery

INGREDIENTS:

large bag of mustard greens, washed and stems removed

1 recipe white sauce (below)

DIRECTIONS:

Bring a pot of water to a boil.  Add the greens and let them simmer for 15 minutes.  Drain, shock with cold water to keep their beautiful color. 

Drain well and wring them out with your hands.  Chop very small.  Mix into the white sauce.

cooking mustard greens

the white sauce

white sauce:

2 Tbsp. Earth Balance

1/4 tsp. pepper

2 Tbsp. flour

1/8 tsp. nutmeg

1 cup milk (any kind)

1/4 tsp. salt

Melt the Earth Balance in a sauce pan.  Stir in the flour till dissolved.  Pour in the milk.  Continue to stir till smooth.  (use a whisk)  Add seasonings and cook till thickened.  

my dinner: Vegetarian Kofta with peanut sauce

 and Creamed Mustard Greens

FALL GARDEN UPDATE

collards growing in an earth box

the only watering is through the PVC pipe

strawberries hanging out near the fence

okra still blooming and producing

romaine, already abundant

VEGAN CHOCOLATE MOUSSE

I blended three different recipes for chocolate mousse

and came up with this one.  Really tasty!

INGREDIENTS:

1 package of silken tofu

2 tsp. vanilla

1 Tbsp agave nectar

1/4 cup chocolate chips (or carob for VEGAN) melted IF NOT using a Vitamix

3 Tbsp. baking cocoa

2 ripe avocados

DIRECTIONS:

Place the tofu, vanilla, agave nectar and both chocolates into the Vitamix / blender.  Blend all together until really smooth.

Peel the avocados and cut them in half lengthwise.  Scoop out the pits with a spoon and discard them.  Add the cubed avocado to the blended mixture and run blender to completely combine. 

You can eat this immediately, chilled (gets thicker), layer it in dessert dishes OR use it in a pie crust.

What a great healthy treat!!! 

avocado added to the mixture

the end product, thick creamy delicious chocolate mousse

who wouldn't serve this to their children???

DRINK YOUR COLLARDS AND SPINACH

fall garden collards

a great way to start the day

A really great friend called today and told me to sit down.  She's sick with a large part of her colon removed and in the hospital for the second time and still facing more surgery.  The shock for her today came when the doctor recommended a better diet for her: the bulk being organic fruits and vegetables with KALE and other dark greens being the star.  She remembers when everyone made fun of me and my KALE (couldn't wait to tell me).  Now at 64, she's determined to start this new eating regime.

This recipe would be a good start. 

WHAT I USED:

6 collard leaves

3 hand fulls of spinach

1 carrot, cut in chunks

1 peeled orange

1 cup frozen pineapple

2 Tbsp. flax seed

water as needed

DIRECTIONS:

Blend all together.  Drink!

I always place the water and frozen food on the bottom.

Pour in more water as needed.



green health

GREEN ONIONS / the HOW TO

 

Sept. 22, 2012

 







 

 

Check out my post and pictures of 3/29/12.  At that time I planted a bunch of green onions that I had been rooting for 7 to 10 days.  Here they are, going strong, after 6 months of use.  These are the BEST tasting onions!  I will never buy them from the grocery store again unless it's rooting time.

 

This is from the original post:

"Next time you buy scallion,s don't use the whites - sprout them. Simply secure bulbs with a rubber band and place in a glass with an inch of water. Change the water daily and in about 7 to 10 days new shoots will appear and the roots will double in length. Plant them in a garden or container and snip the greens as you need them."

AN UNCONVENTIONAL BREAKFAST

for a quick and healthy breakfast, spread almond butter

on lettuce leaf and sprinkle with blueberries.

a refreshing breakfast!

MUSHROOM PIZZA

tortilla mushroom for a quick lunch or lite dinner

INGREDIENTS:

tortillas

mushrooms, any type or combination is even better

1 onion

vegan Parmesan

peanut sauce

DIRECTIONS:

Saute the sliced mushrooms and onions in a bit of veggie broth.  Cook till liquid is absorbed.

Cook tortilla in oven on cookie sheet at 400 degrees.  Remove when one side is cooked and turn over.  Arrange mushrooms and onions on the other side. 

Sprinkle with Vegan Parmesan cheese.  Return to oven and cook till hot and bubbly.  Remove and drizzle peanut sauce on top.  Slice to serve.



BRUSSELS SPROUTS N' MUSHROOMS via grill

cooked in a buffet skilled on an electric grill

INGREDIENTS:

1 box mushrooms, portobellos

3 Tbsp. olive oil

3 to 5 cups Brussels sprouts, cut into 4 slices

sweet yellow peppers, cut into strips

1 cup okra, sliced

2 large onions, cut in halve then sliced

10 cloves garlic, sliced

1/2 cup white wine

3 sprigs fresh oregano, cut off stem and chopped

salt and pepper, to taste

1 cup cooked rice

DIRECTIONS:

Cut each mushroom into sixths and saute in the oil.

Cook till liquid is reduced. 

In a large buffet skillet, place the mushrooms,  Brussels sprouts, peppers, okra, onions, garlic, wine, oregano and salt and pepper to taste.

Place this pan on the grill (I use an electric George Forman), setting 5.  Keep grill lid on while cooking.  Cook till veggies are roasted.  Remove from the grill and stir in the cooked rice.

Serve with Braggs Liquid for an extra delicious flavor.

a nice healthy meal

always with vino!  :)





FALL GARDEN PLANTING / BIG PLANS

earthboxes, not yet covered, tomatoes for fall

who knew?

One of the most exciting features about living in the south is the two season planting.  It's a constant harvest.  It's time again and this year I have a much better handle on it.  As of today, all is planted and I await the first of the crop!

kale

romaine lettuce

mixed salad greens

kale in a barrel

broccoli

cabbage

romaine in a still uncovered earthbox

Swiss Chard, to be covered soon

kolrabi, new for my garden

I also planted spinach seeds, we'll see how that goes.  The okra and eggplant continue to produce.

The strawberry plants and sweet potatoes continue to grow.  Can't wait to harvest both!!!

AND ROOM FOR LOTS OF OTHER

INTERESTING THINGS





ASIAN NOODLE SOUP / VEGAN

 

 

This is one of my very favorite soups and I'm not sure why I've never posted it.  The basic recipe comes from my very favorite book, A Beautiful Bowl of Soup.  Great book!  As usual, I changed it up by adding tofu and substituting glassy noodles for the wheat-flour noodles. 

 

INGREDIENTS:

 

8 cups vegetable stock

1 block tofu, drained and cut into small cubes

1/4 cup tamari

dash of ground white pepper, or to taste

4 oz. glassy noodles, soaked in hot water as per pkg directions, drained and cut into smaller pieces

8 cups (about 8 oz.) stemmed and coarsely shredded fresh spinach

2 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels

2 green onions, including green parts, finely chopped

1/4 to 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes

 

 

DIRECTIONS:

 

Combine the vegetable stock, tofu, tamari, and pepper in a large pot.  Cover and bring to a boil over high heat.  Turn down heat and simmer for about 10 minutes.

 

Add the noodles, spinach, corn, green onions and red pepper flakes.  Again bring to a boil, cover, turn heat to low.  Cook about 10 minutes.  I serve with extra tamari for additional seasoning and white pepper.

 

This is my all time favorite cookbook.  Every recipe I've tried has been totally

successful and offers the most unusual blend of flavors.

The Asian Noodle Soup is made quickly for lunch or dinner.

 

 

 

 



MY MOST FAVORITE BREAKFAST SHAKE

tastes like a chocolate milkshake

thick and rich

Make this recipe for one by decreasing the amounts.  As shown, this will serve two.

INGREDIENTS:

1 frozen banana

3/4 cup frozen black cherries

2 Tbsp. flax seeds

2 Tbsp. almond butter

3 seedless medjool dates

3 handfuls kale

1 heaping Tbsp. cocoa powder (unsweetened baking type)

almond milk as need, start with 1/2 cup

DIRECTIONS:

Put all of the ingredients into a high power blender and process till all is smooth.  Add more milk to achieve the desired consistency.

 

 

pre-mixed, ready to go

 



CAULIFLOWER SWEET POTATO SOUP

At the first sign of cooler temperatures (ONLY in the 80s now) I always turn to my comfort food = SOUP! 

INGREDIENTS:

1/4 cup veggie broth
1 onion
1 tsp dill
1 head sliced cauliflower
6 cups water
3 large sweet potatoes, peel and dice
3 bay leaves
1/2 tsp. tamari
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup corn

DIRECTIONS:

Saute the onion and dill in the veggie broth till the onions are clear.

Add the sliced cauliflower and saute for 5 minutes more.

Add the water and the potatoes, cover pot and simmer for 30 minutes.

At this points, put in the immersion blender and blend a bit till it thickens but is still has chunks.

Add 3 bay leaves, the tamari, salt, pepper and corn.  Simmer an additional 25 minutes.

 

veggies just starting to cook

 

 

 

soups done!  serve with tamari and black pepper

 

THAI INSPIRED LETTUCE WRAPS

beautiful Bib lettuce for wrapping

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup red lentils, cook and set aside

1/2 tsp. fresh ginger, minced

1 tsp. dried lemongrass

juice of 1/2 lime

1/2 tsp. garlic chili sauce

1/2 Tbsp. peanut oil

1/2 Tbsp. sesame oil

1 Tbsp. soy sauce

1 Tbsp. agave nectar

1/2 tsp. Thai basil (or regular)

black pepper to taste

1 large onion

2 cloves garlic

1 lb. baby portobello mushrooms, cut in half then into thirds

2 cups shredded kale

small amount of veggie stock

DIRECTIONS:

In a bowl mix all of the sauce ingredients tog. and let marinate for at least half an hour.

Meanwhile, in a lg. skillet, saute the onion in veggie stock.  When semi-cooked, add the mushrooms and garlic and cook till finished and not much liquid remains.  Add the kale and cook about 3 to 5 minutes or until wilted.  Add the lentils.  Combine.

Add the marinated liquid at the end, stir to heat and cook the garlic. 

Take a piece of bib lettuce and spoon 1 Tbsp. of the mushroom mixture into the center.  Top with green onions if desired.

cooked mixture: spoon into lettuce cups and enjoy



SORBET in seconds

 

my fruits of choice, blueberry and peach

 

 

INGREDIENTS:

 

about 2 cups frozen peaches, semi-thawed

1 cup frozen blueberries

1/2 tsp. vanilla

generous squirt of agave nectar

1/2 cup ice

 

 

DIRECTIONS:

 

Put all of the ingredients into a high speed blender. 

 

Increase the speed slowly to high.

 

Blend for 30 to 60 seconds

 

In a Vitamix, the sound of the motor will change AND four mounds should form.