Recipe: Thai Pizza with Peanut Sauce!

      Keeping in the spirit of Asian inspired dishes, as well as finding a use for the leftover ingredients from my egg rolls, I created this delicous Thai Pizza with peanut sauce!

      I used my breadmaker to make a whole wheat pizza crust. You could use a store bought crust too if you don't feel like making one! If you plan to make one using your breadmaker there should be a recipe for a pizza crust in the manual/recipe guide.

      I placed the pizza dough on a hot pizza stone and then spread the peanut sauce on the dough.

Peanut Sauce Recipe
1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 table spoon rice wine vinegar
1 clove garlic, finely chopped (I use a garlic press)
1 tablespoon ginger, shredded
1 teaspoon lemon or lime juice
splash of water, enough to make the sauce smooth and spreadable
optional: red pepper flakes

    The peanut sauce can be used for stir fry too!

     Then I chopped up all the toppings. You can mix and match what type of toppings you want to include on your pizza. I used:

red cabbage

green onions

carrots

bean sprouts

herbs: cilantro, mint, basil

mozarella cheese

     I spread the toppings on top of the sauce and baked in the oven at 415 degrees F for about 10-15 minutes, until the cheese was bubbly and the crust was browned. You can see that I used fresh mozarella. I had it left over from another dish but you can use shredded cheese too!

     I hope you enjoy this pizza!

Cheers,

Brittney

Baked Veggie Egg Rolls!

     Last night for dinner I made some delicious veggie egg rolls. I had actually originally intended to make spring rolls but could not find the wrappers anywhere! So I decided to make egg rolls instead, and ended up being very happy with them!

Baked Veggie Egg Roll Recipe

Ingredients:
olive oil
1/2 head of red cabbage, sliced
1/2 cup of carrots, julienne
1/2 cup of bean sprouts
4 green onions, sliced
1/4 cup of mint leaves, cilantro, and Thai basil, finely chopped
1 package egg rolls wrappers (usually found near the tofu in grocery stores)
dash of salt and pepper
dipping sauces (I used sweet and sour, soy sauce, and hot mustard)

Directions:
Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees F. Heat a small amount of olive oil in a skillet. Saute cabbage, carrots, bean sprouts, green onions, and herbs until just tender. Add a dash of salt and pepper to taste.

When the veggie mixture is done sauteing, let it cool. Then add a small amount of the mixture to the center of the egg roll wrapper and wrap according the directions on the back of the package (it's actually very easy!). Place the egg rolls on a cooking sheet. Once all the egg rolls are on the sheet, brush the tops lightly with olive oil.

Bake on the center rack for about 10 minutes, or until the egg rolls are beginning to turn golden brown. Enjoy with your selected dipping sauces!

    You can add whatever ingredients you want for the filling of these. It can be a fun activity with kids to have them fill their own egg rolls. Enjoy!

Cheers,
Brittney

Recipe: Re-fried Bean Tostadas with Tomatillo Salsa!

    A fairly simple little dish I concocted using some traditional Mexican ingredients. I am absolutely in love with Mexican food and am always trying out new recipes at home! This recipe is also meatless of course, and includes a variety of vegetables to provide lots of nutrients!

    First of all, I made the tomatillo salsa, which I adapted from my all-time favorite cookbook: Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone by Deborah Madison. Tomatillos can be found at many grocery stores near the fresh peppers. If you cannot find them there, Whole Foods or other specialty stores usually has them. This recipe is sooooo easy!

Tomatillo Salsa Recipe:
5 tomatillos 
1 small red onion
1 jalapeno
1 clove garlic
cilantro, to taste
dash of salt

    First, boil the tomatillos for about 10 minutes until they turn dull green.

     I used this tip that I just learned to make sure the tomatillos were evenly cooked in the boiling water. Weigh them down with a plate so part of them is not sticking out of the water! Brilliant! (Make sure your plate is heat resistant, and be careful when you remove it because it will be hot! I used tongs to remove the plate.)

    While they are boiling,  roughly chop the onion, jalapeno, cilantro, and garlic.

      Put it all in the food processor until smooth. And voila! The salsa will keep in the fridge for about a week!

    I refrigerated the salsa for about an hour and then assembled the tostadas. You can add whatever you like to your tostadas. This can be a fun recipe to get kids involved in the kitchen. Letting the kids assemble their own tostadas is a good way to encourage them to try new veggies!

My Tostadas:
Crunchy tostada shell
Vegetarian re-fried beans
frozen corn kernels
chopped red onion
crumbly Mexican queso
cilantro
sliced avocados
tomatillo salsa

     I added the beans, corn, onion, and cheese and then baked in the oven at 350 degrees F for about 10 minutes to heat the beans and warm the cheese. Then I added the rest of the ingredients. Yum!

      I hope you enjoy this recipe! It is very easy and can be adapted to include your favorite ingredients! Enjoy!

Cheers,
Brittney

Recipe: Roasted Veggie Sandwich!

     Tonight for dinner I tried a delicious recipe from the Meatless Monday website: Zucchini Eggplant Sandwich (find the recipe here: http://www.meatlessmonday.com/zucchini-eggplant-sandwich/) I created a slight variation using squash, as well as zucchini and eggplant. I did not add the tomatoes and bell peppers. Half the fun of cooking is being creative in the kitchen! I had squash from my CSA box this week but I didn't have any bell peppers, and I used all my tomatoes in a roasted tomato recipe (recipe here: http://inspiredrd.com/2011/08/slow-roasted-roma-tomatoes.html), so I doctored it up to fit with what I had available!

     First I chopped up the veggies and heated some olive oil in a skillet. Then I sauteed the veggies until they were nice and tender.

     I used some french bread that I made using my bread maker earlier in the week and drizzled it with balsamic vinegar and added some shredded Parmesan cheese. I added some basil to the top and the veggies and voila! Delish!

     This is a great way to get your veggie servings for the day. Add a side of fruit and a dark chocolate square for dessert and you've got yourself a pretty nice little dinner!

Enjoy!

Cheers,
Brittney

Recipe: Vegetarian "Fish" Tacos!

     Happy Meatless Monday! Did you know that reducing or eliminating meat in your diet can help reduce our global energy consumption? The process of getting meat from the field to your fork requires much more energy than the same process for fruits, vegetables, and grains. According to an article published in Scientific American in 2009 "Producing the annual beef diet of the average American emits as much greenhouse gas as a car driven more than 1,800 miles." Here is a graph that illustrates the point really well:



     Check out this article published in the Rock Island [Illinois] Virtual Farmer's Market website, to learn more about the negatives of meat production: http://www.rockislandmarket.com/greenhousehamburger.shtml.

     With that being said, here is a great recipe to try for dinner tonight. It is a vegetarian version of fish tacos, and is just as delicious, but with less environmental and health consequences!

Vegetarian "Fish" Tacos

Ingredients: 
Tacos:
Small soft tortillas
Cannelloni beans (white kidney beans), can be replaced with vegetarian refried beans if you prefer
Cabbage, sliced
Red onion, sliced
Tomato, chopped
Optional: shredded cheddar cheese

Sauce:
1/2 cup light sour cream
1 tablespoon hot sauce (I used Franks)
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon lemon pepper seasoning

Directions:
1. In a medium bowl, mix sauce ingredients.
2. Heat tortillas in the microwave to soften them.
3. Layer on sauce, beans, and vegetables.
4. Eat and enjoy!

All the ingredients for this recipe will last in the fridge, so you can always take leftover for lunch the next day!

Cheers,
Brittney

Recipes for Meatless Monday (or any day!)

      Wondering what to eat for Meatless Monday? Here area a couple of great recipes! I made enough to take for lunch all week!

Lime Cilantro Quinoa Salad
     From www.5dollardinners.com

Ingredients:
Salad:
3 cups cooked quinoa (1 cup dry)
3/4 cup dried fruit (I used golden raisins and cranberries)
1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
1/4 cup cilantro, finely chopped
1 bell pepper of any color, chopped

Dressing:
1/4 cup lime juice
1/4 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard (it's used as an emulsifier - to keep the oil and vinegar from separating)
2 garlic cloves, minced (I used a garlic press)
Pinch of salt

Directions:
1. Prepare quinoa using package directions.
2. Mix all salad ingredients together in a large bowl
3. In a seperate, smaller bowl, whisk together all dressing ingredients
4. Pour the dressing over the salad and mix thoroughly
5. Can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge!

Greek Salad
     Adapted from "Skinny Bitch" by Rory Freedman and Kim Barnouin

Ingredients:
Salad:
3 tomatoes, diced
1-2 cucumbers, peeled and diced
1 cup pitted kalamata olives, halved
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
Optional: tofu cubes or feta cheese

Dressing:
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
4 garlic cloves, minced (I used a garlic press)
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup olive oil

Directions:
1. In a small bowl, whisk together the dressing ingredients, except the olive oil. Once mixed, slowly whisk in the olive oil. Set aside
2. In a large bowl, combine the salad ingredients, except the tofu or feta cheese.
3. Pour the dressing over the salad and mix thoroughly.
4. Add tofu or feta right before serving.
5. Can serve as a dish of itself or over salad greens.

Lunch!

   
     This, along with fruit and a dark chocolate square, is going to be my lunch all week! Its a great option for Meatless Monday, and if you don't use feta cheese it makes a vegan meal! This is a great way to meet your daily recommendations for grains and vegetables! Enjoy!

Cheers,
Brittney

Recipe: Veggie Stir Fry

     Happy Meatless Monday everyone! Here is a great dinner idea for a Monday or any other day you want to go meatless! I find that the greater variety of veggies you add, the less you will feel like you are missing meat. And if you absolutely cannot go without it, try adding a meat substitute such as tempeh, tofu, or veggie sausage. (More on meat substitutes in the future!)

Recipe:     

     Start with the rice! When using long grain brown rice, not instant rice, it will take the longest to cook, so its best to put the rice on first and then do the veggie prep. Long grain brown rice has more protein, iron, thiamin, and niacin than brown instant rice. It has more fiber than white instant rice.

    Follow the directions on the back of the package of rice. I made enough for dinner and to take leftovers for lunch tomorrow. Since I wanted to make two servings, I used 1/2 cup dry rice and 1 cup water; stirred it up in a small kettle, and let it simmer while I was chopping and stir frying the veggies. The rice fluffs up with cooking so 1/2 dry turns into over a cup when cooked!

     For the stir fry itself, I usually use whatever type of veggies I have around. This week I got quite a variety in my CSA and I used some I bought at the grocery store too. 

     Today for the stir fry I used: 

• broccoli 
• mushrooms 
• garlic 
• sweet potato
• orange bell pepper
• carrots 
• green bell pepper
• purple basil
• lime for garnish!

Raw ingredients

     I heated some canola oil in a frying pan and once it was nice and hot I added all the ingredients except the garlic, basil and lime. I like to use canola oil because it has a higher percentage of mono-unsaturated fats, which can help improve cholesterol levels! But don't take this as an invitation to go crazy, only use as much as necessary! As it was stir frying, I added some red pepper flakes (spicy!) and a Thai seasoning blend that I bought from Whole Foods. Once the veggies were nice and tender, I added the basil and garlic. Before I took the veggies off the heat I added the stir fry sauce and stirred it to coat everything. You don't need a lot of sauce, a little goes a long way! Last, I squeezed a little bit of fresh lime over the top.

Stir fryin'

     By the time the veggies were all done, the rice was ready too! Right away I put half of the food in a container for my lunch tomorrow. That way I wasn't tempted to eat more than I should! The rest I served up on my plate and enjoyed, guilt free!

Dinner is served!

     Yum! This is just one of the many ways to enjoyed a meat free meal! Veggies have lots of fiber so the bulk helps you feel full. Eating slowly, enjoying each bite, and listening to your body's fullness cues help make sure you are not stuffing yourself. Nobody wants to feel full and bloated hours after eating a meal! 

Enjoy!

For more information on mono-unsaturated fats please visit: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/fat/NU00262

Cheers, 

Brittney

Now is the time to start observing Meatless Monday!

    As you probably know, for years nutrition professionals have been stressing the fact that there is no "magic pill" or "miracle diet" for weight loss or good health. The only true way to lose weight and keep it off, or honestly improve your health through diet is to make small changes gradually in a way that you will be able to maintain for the long run. One of these small changes you can make towards a more nutritious you is adding more vegetarian dishes to your personal cookbook! A great way to get started is by participating in Meatless Monday. This, of course, is exactly what it sounds! Many people may have a meager supply of vegetarian recipes to pull from in the beginning. However, if you are truly committed to improving your health and joining the thousands of people and organizations that already participate in Meatless Monday this will change very quickly. There is a huge variety of meat-free dishes besides the dreaded garden salad made with iceberg lettuce. From beans to veggie burgers and tofu to fresh vegetables themselves, the possibilities are surprisingly endless! Furthermore, you will hardly be alone in observing this emerging tradition, as I mentioned earlier. Celebrities, restaurants, schools of public health, and hotels are all jumping on board! Overall, this is a great way to learn about new foods and recipes and improve your health! Even if you don't consider yourself to be an adventurous eater there are tons of vegetarian recipes for you!

     Some of you may be wondering why exactly cutting back on your meat intake can improve your health. This is not to say that meat is the enemy, but it is often tied in with unhealthy habits, and the endless benefits of fruits and vegetables cannot be denied!

• Meat has saturated fat and cholesterol. Both of these contribute to serious health conditions, such as heart disease. Did you know that cholesterol is only found in animal products? 
• Meat is more likely to be prepared in a less healthy way than foods such as fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. For example, a fried chicken breast gets a lot of added fat from the preparation. Preparing your own vegetables or whole grains at home or even ordering them at a restaurant is likely to lead to you consuming less calories, saturated fat, and cholesterol!
• If you commit yourself to observing Meatless Monday you will be more likely to plan your meals ahead of time and less likely to impulsively pick something up from a fast food restaurant on your lunch break or on your way home from work or school. And have you noticed that nearly all of the entrees from any fast food restaurant are centered around meat? If you plan out your meals ahead of time you will not be buying food when you are already starving so you will be able to make more controlled, less impulsive decisions!
• Some long term studies from researchers at Cornell University have found that animal protein intake at the level most Americans consume may contribute to a host of diseases such as cancer and diabetes.

     So, with all that said, I would like to offer a few options for vegetarian eating this Monday and all Mondays in the future! 

• Breakfast ideas: 
• Part 1: 1/2 cup blueberries, sliced apple with peanut butter (or Nutella for a special treat!),  half grapefruit, dried cranberries, fresh plum, 1 cup strawberries.
• Part 2: 1/2 bagel with low fat cream cheese, whole wheat toast with jam, peanut butter, or butter, 1 cup cereal such as Cheerios, Rice Krispies or Chex.
• Part 3: Morning Star makes great (really great!) meat substitutes! Give them a try, maple flavored sausage patty, sausage link, or veg bacon make for a great breakfast!

• Lunch ideas: 
• Caesar salad made with: romaine lettuce, shredded Parmesan cheese, croutons, hard boiled eggs, chopped onions, and Caesar dressing (no anchovies or course!)
• Rainbow salad made with: romaine lettuce, cherry tomatoes, sliced in half, chopped orange peppers, chopped red onions, croutons, and papaya citrus dressing.
• Fake BLT: Pumpernickel rye swirl bread, light mayo, lettuce leaf, sliced tomato, two Morning Star fake bacon strips. 

• Dinner ideas: 
• Pizza made with: whole wheat pre-made pizza crust, tomato sauce (add your own Italian spices to make pizza sauce!), low-fat shredded mozzarella, basil leaves, sliced tomatoes, anything else you want!
• Roasted veggies. Trust me, this is enough to make a meal in itself! Choose from any that you want: sweet potatoes, onion, squash, carrots, broccoli, parsnips, turnips, bell peppers, or any others that sound good. Chop into similar size pieces and marinate with oil and spices or a store bought marinade; any with lemon are great!
• Quesadilla made with: whole wheat tortillas, low-fat shredded cheese, chopped tomatoes, onions, mushroom, spinach, black beans, anything else you want!

     I hope these ideas will be helpful to you! Check back often for new recipes! 

For more information on: 

Meatless Monday: http://www.meatlessmonday.com/

Research on the potential harmful effects of animal protein: http://www.thechinastudy.com/

Cheers,

Brittney