Udon and Vegetable Salad with Sesame Vinaigrette

Ingredients
Udon or Soba Noodles-cooked according to package
1/2 Red Bell Pepper-diced
Garlic-1 clove finely chopped
Green Onion-1 stalk sliced thinly
Fresh Green Beans-(Handful) fully washed, snip of both tips, sliced in bite size pieces
Edamame Soy Beans-(1 c.) steamed and taken out of pods
Peas-(1 c.)
Asparagus-(1 c.) sliced in bite size pieces and sauteed lightly in EVVO
Fresh Parsley and Cilantro-chopped
Sesame Seeds-For garnish
For Vinaigrette: Half EVOO and Half Sesame Oil, Garlic, Soy Sauce (Braggs substitute), Rice Vinegar, Lemon Juice, Wasabi Powder, Salt and Pepper.

~Toss the cooked noodles, red pepper, garlic, onion, green beans, edamame beans, peas, cooked asparagus, and fresh herbs in a large serving bowl.
~Add dressing to salad and lightly toss to coat the noodles and veggies. Garnish with sesame seeds! Mmm, it tastes so good, try it tonight!!

Chilled Tofu with Red Pepper & Green Onions tossed in a Sesame Vinaigrette

This dish can be a crowd pleaser at the dinner table as a side dish or when added to your favorite fresh greens, can be a yummy salad for lunch!

Ingredients
Extra Firm Tofu (sliced into bite sized pieces)
1 Red Bell Pepper (sliced or diced small)
1 Green Onion Stalk (sliced thinly), adding green top if desired
Sesame Vinaigrette: Half EVOO & Half Sesame Oil, Garlic, Soy Sauce (Braggs replacement), Rice Vinegar, Lemon Juice, Sugar (1 tsp), Cilantro (chopped finely), Wasabi Powder (1/2 tsp), and Salt and Pepper to taste.

~ Add all these ingredients for the dressing into the food processor and blend until it all becomes one big happy family! ;-) 
~ Placed sliced tofu in a large serving bowl, then place bell pepper and onion on top, then pour the dressing all over tofu and lightly toss with salt and pepper, if needed.

I Like Green Eggs Minus the Ham...

This recipe came to me while on a morning nature walk, listening to birds chirp, geese honk AND also my stomach growling at me, saying "I'm hungry! What's for breakfast"? Ok, ok...maybe it was my boyfriend asking me that question...And for some reason I immediately thought of a favorite childhood book of mine, "Green Eggs and Ham". So, here's my spin or twist of this lovely food that Dr. Seuss speaks of....

Free Ranged-Fresh Farm Eggs on top of Toasted, Sliced Whole Grain Bread. The eggs are smothered in a Artichoke-Basil Pesto, with freshly chopped tomatoes and peas to complete this wonderful light-breakfast. Mmmmm....My mouth is watering just blogging about it ;-P

Ingredients
1 egg per person
Sliced toasted bread (1 per person)
Chopped Tomatoes
Frozen Peas thawed completely
For the Pesto: canned artichokes, fresh basil, toasted pine nuts/sliced almonds, freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, red wine vinegar, EVOO, and salt and pepper to taste. Blend all ingredients in a food processor until its the consistency you desire. Assemble cooked and finished ingredients according to the photo above. Enjoy! 

Tandoori Tofu Skewers over Curried Rice & Lentils!

Take a little trip to India and explore the smell of wonderful spices and aromas.....

This recipe is only for the Tandoori Tofu Skewers, the curried rice & lentils dish was bought from our deli. These particular spices should be found in your ethnic foods aisle at the grocery store, if not check at Trader Joe's or Wholefoods.

Prep Time:5-10 mins.      Marinade Time: 1-2 hrs.       Cook Time: 15 mins.
Ingredients:
Your favorite package of Extra Firm Tofu
1 cup plain yogurt (however, I used Sour Cream--we had it on hand)
1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
1 tablespoon freshly grated garlic (or 2 tbsp. Garlic Powder)
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon garam masala
1 teaspoon coriander
1/2 teaspoon red chili powder
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1 tablespoon Tandoori Masala
Salt and pepper to taste
Lemon to garnish
Pack of wooden skewers

~ First cube the tofu into bite size pieces
~ Mix together the remaining ingredients in a bowl and pour into a large bag
~ Toss tofu into bag and shake until all tofu is evenly coated

~ Place bag in the refrigerator and marinade for about 1 hour or 2 hours if you prefer bolder flavors
~ While the tofu is marinading, place wooden skewers in a large dish, pan or deep plate and soak for a good 20 mins. before using.

~ When ready to start dinner, preheat oven to 400 degrees.
~ Thread the tofu on skewers, and let the skewers hang by the edges of a deep, lined baking pan to catch the drips. Yes, it will be a bit messy!

~ Let them bake for about 10-15 minutes, just as long as it takes for the tofu to crisp up nicely on the outside. Check to see if you need to rotate skewers, making sure the tofu is cooking evenly on all sides.
~ Squeeze lemon juice over skewers, then serve hot over a dish of your choice.
~ Yum-O...Enjoy!

Beet Salad with Microgreens and Herbed Goat Cheese!

YUM-O...this salad was delicious!! I found these cooked and ready-to-eat beets at Trader Joes, so I picked some up and got the idea to make us a salad for dinner. After picking up a few extra items, I couldn't wait to build this healthy and nutritious salad with a Strawberry Vinegarette! 

Ingredients:

Romaine Leaves - washed and cut    

Microgreens

Beets-cooked, tender, and cold

Goat Cheese with herbs

Raw Sunflower Seeds

Salt & Pepper

Strawberry Vinegarette:

3 Tbsp. EVOO

2 Tbsp. Champagne Vinegar

Strawberries (4-5)

Salt and Pepper
(blend the following ingredients in a food processor and make sure to taste and adjust if needed)
~Place your romaine down on the plate, topped with the microgreens
~Add beets around the edges for presentation purposes
~Then place the goat cheese sporadically all over the salad
~Sprinkle sunflower seeds and salt n pepper, to your liking
Enjoy these lovely in season ingredients in your home tonight!!! 

Tropical Sunrise!

This fresh, tropical juice smoothie will have you humming Bob Marley songs all day long while dreaming you are on the beach in Hawaii! I have called this little concoction Tropical Sunrise...

Ingredients:
Strawberries (handful 7-8)
Pineapple (quarter-with skin)
Carrots (2 cut in half)
Lime (whole-outer green removed)
Ginger Root (1/4 inch.)
Kale Leaves (2-stems removed)

*To make this smoothie requires a juicer.
-Roll the ginger into the kale and push through
-Feed through the strawberries, lime, carrots, and last the pineapple.
-And garnish with a lime wedge or strawberry and ENJOY!!

Benefits of ingredients...

~Strawberries: good source of Vitamin C, iron, flavonoids, and folate

~Carrots: good source of potassium, Vitamin E, Beta-carotene, and maganese

~Pineapple: contains Bromelain, which is an anti-inflammatory 

~Kale: great source of B6, Calcium, and Vitamin C

~Ginger Root: contains a high level of zinc

Its delicious and nutritious!!! Try it and if you don't a have juicer yet, get one! It will be your next best friend...I promise.

I suggest the Jack Lalanne Power Juicer Pro

Stuffed Swiss Chard Leaves w/ Tempeh & Roasted Red Peppers

(photo taken by Venus Martinez)

This recipe was a combination of a few, but I truly made it my own by adding my own seasonings and choosing Tempeh as my protein source. 

Marinara Sauce 

1lb. (12 oz. can) of Diced Tomatoes, drained, but reserving the liquid

3 cloves of garlic

Handful of basil leaves

1/2 tsp. Red Pepper flakes

Salt n Pepper to taste

-Blend ingredients together in food processor, pour in a bowl and set aside.

Tempeh & Roasted Red Pepper Filling 

1 block of Tempeh (I chose garden veggie, but use whatever is your favorite), finely chopped 

(should resemble ground meat)

1 jar of Roasted Red Peppers, drained & diced

1 medium Sweet Onion, diced

1-2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

Handful of Parsley, finely chopped

1/2 c. Breadcrumbs, unseasoned 

The reserved tomato juice from can 

Salt and Pepper to taste

2-3 Tbsp. EVOO

-Add EVOO to a skillet on Medium heat, saute onion and garlic (5 mins.), until translucent

-Add Roasted Red Peppers, saute for another 5 mins.

-Add Tempeh and remaining tomato juice and cook down until liquid has almost evaporated

-Add Parsley, bread crumbs, and seasonings and cook for an additional 2-3 mins. 

-Take off of heat and cover to keep warm

Swiss Chard Leaves 

8-10 Swiss Chard Leaves, red stems cut off, and carefully remove the rib from back of leaves

(helps to roll the leaves easier) *Note: I actually left on the stalk, so that I could use that as my handle when placing the leaf into the boiling water. Then cut them off once ready to roll the leaves*

6 cups of water

Plate with towels for draining & drying

-Once all leaves are prepared and washed 

-Bring the water to a boil in a large pasta pot

-Place one chard leaf in at a time 50-60 secs. (it doesn't take too long to get them soft), then place on the towels to dry off. Repeat with the remaining leaves until finished.

-Remove stems if needed once cooled off

-Preheat Oven to 375 degrees.

-Now you're ready to rock n roll!! 

Preparing Dish--> 

-Coat the bottom of the casserole dish with some of the marinara sauce

-Begin with placing about 2 tbsp. of the Tempeh filling onto one side of the leaf, roll over once, then tuck in the sides of the leaf and finish rolling. Place in dish and repeat with the remaining leaves until complete. 

-Pour the remaining marinara sauce over the entire dish and cover with your favorite cheese blends.

(I used shredded mozzarella and freshly grated parmesan cheese and added some basil too!)

-Place foil loosely over the dish and bake for 40 mins.

-Take off foil after the 40 mins. and place back into oven to melt the cheese until bubbling

-And enjoy with a slice of rustic bread and a nice glass of wine! 

                                                (Photo taken by Venus Martinez)

Baked Lemon Tofu over Spiced Quinoa & Chickpea Salad

MMMmmmmm...It really does taste as good as it looks! 
This recipe is fresh, light and delicious is flavor...trust me, you won't go to bed hungry!

                                                                    (photo taken by Venus Martinez)
Lemon Pepper Tofu
~ Prep Time: 5 mins.  ~ Marinade Time: 30 mins.  ~ Bake Time: 20-30 mins.  ~ Serving: approx. 4

For the Marinade:
5 Tbsp. Lemon Juice
1 Tsp. Balsamic Vinegar (or your favorite...I used part Balsamic & Pomegranet Vinegar)
1 Tbsp. Soy Sauce
1 Tsp. Lemon Zest
1 Tsp. Ground Pepper
1 Tbsp. EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)
AND of course,
Extra Firm Tofu, cut into slices (refer to the photo for example)

-Mix all 6 ingredients in a bowl.
-Add a small amount of marinade to the bottom of the baking dish, then place sliced tofu in the dish and pour the remaining marinade on top. Make sure all pieces are coated with the marinade (season with salt & pepper if desired).
-Place tofu in refrigerator for 30 mins., turning pieces after the first 15 mins.
-When ready to eat, preheat your oven to 375 degrees and bake for 20-30 mins. (bake time will vary)
-Throughout the baking time, bast the tofu a few times to give it maximum flavor! 
-When tofu is ready, place on top of quinoa salad

Warm, Spiced Quinoa & Chickpea Salad

~ Prep Time: 15 mins.  ~ Cook Time: 30 mins.  ~ Serving: approx. 4
Ingredients:
1 tbsp. EVOO
1 c. Red Quinoa (or one your favorites)
1 whole Sweet Red Pepper, diced (I used roasted piquillo peppers from jar)
1 can of Chickpeas (aka garbanzo beans)
2-3 Garlic cloves, minced (or 1/2 tsp. garlic powder)
1 tbsp. Ginger, diced (or 1/4 tsp. ground ginger)
1 Bay Leaf
1/4 tsp. Tumeric
1/2 Tsp. Coriander
1/4 tsp. Cumin
1/2 tsp Salt & Pepper (each)
1 3/4 c. Hot Water or Vegetable Stock
1 c. Spinach, fresh
1/4 c. Parsley or Cilantro
1/2 c. Peas (fresh or frozen)
1/2 c. Golden Raisins or Dried Cranberries
1/2 c. Almonds, sliced

-Heat EVOO in a large saucepan and saute the garlic and ginger for 5 mins.
-Add roasted red peppers and saute for another 5 mins.
-Mix in bay leaf, tumeric, coriander & cumin and turn heat to Med/High.
-Add quinoa and stir until its dry and it beings to make a popping sound.
-Add water/stock and salt, then bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for 15 mins.
-Stir in spinach, peas, parsley/cilantro, raisins/cranberries, almonds and seasonings, then cover and cook for an additional 5 mins.
-Serve warm and place tofu on top 

Try the recipe and then leave me a comment to share what you thought of the dish...ENJOY!
And ladies trust me when I say that your man will love this dish!