Category: Recipe

Creamy Cauliflower Soup (DF)

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Ingredients:

1 head cauliflower (chopped into bite size pieces)

2 cups milk of choice (I used almond milk)

½ cups water

1 onion

2 cups mushroom

1 teaspoon fresh garlic

basil or cilantro for garnishing

salt, pepper, and chili flakes to taste

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place the cauliflower on a baking sheet and drizzle olive oil, salt, and pepper on top. Cook for ~40 minutes, until the cauliflower has developed crispy edges. Take out and let cool.
  2. Meanwhile sauté the onion, mushrooms, and garlic together. Once they are golden set aside to cool.
  3. Combine the cauliflower, onion, mushroom, garlic, milk, and water in a Vitamix and blend together. Alternatively, combine the ingredients in a large pot and blend together with an immersion blender. Add salt, pepper, and chili flakes. Serve with basil or cilantro on top.

Pumpkin Oat Muffins

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‘Tis the season for PUMPKIN! Here is an easy and delicious recipe for pumpkin oat muffins. Happy fall everyone!

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Ingredients:

1 cup coconut oil

1/2 cup honey (maple syrup or agave work too)

2 eggs

1 cup pumpkin purée

1/4th soy milk (or milk of choice)

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon almond extract

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon cinnamon

½ teaspoon ginger

1 teaspoon nutmeg

1 ½ cup whole-wheat flour

½ cup oats (plus more for garnishing)

Recipe makes 12 muffins

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Melt the coconut oil then immediately mix it with the maple syrup, eggs, pumpkin purée, soy milk, vanilla, and almond extract. The coconut oil will begin to harden again so it needs to be stirred in with the other ingredients right away.
  3. Mix the dry ingredients together (baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, flour and oats) then combine it with the coconut oil mixture.
  4. Divide the batter between the twelve muffin tins. Sprinkle a few oats on top of each muffin. Bake at 350 degrees until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean, around 20 minutes.
  5. Let cool and serve with pumpkin butter from TJ’s.

Indispensable Pesto

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This is a modified recipe from The Garlic Lover’s Cookbook. Warning: this pesto will leave a strong garlic taste in your mouth. Use less garlic if you plan on smooching anyone later in the night. For a healthy alternative try it over spaghetti squash or zucchini noodles.

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1 cup grated fresh Parmesan

2 cups fresh basil leaves

1/2 cup melted butter (or dairy-free, non-hydrogenated Earth Balance)

10-20 cloves fresh garlic (I use the whole bulb)

1 tbs pine nuts (I throw in a handful, because I love them)

3/4 olive oil

salt to taste

Directions:

  1. Using a blender or food processor, grate enough Parmesan cheese to make one cup; add basil.
  2. Then add melted butter, followed by garlic, pine nuts and finally the oil.
  3. Allow each added ingredient to blend smoothly with the preceding ones, and let stand at least one hour.
  4. Prepare pasta according to package directions.
  5. Mix pesto with pasta fresh from the boiling water. Do not add too much pesto, but allow each person a chance to adjust flavor to taste, by adding more pesto if desired.
  6. Leftover pesto will last for a quite a long while if refrigerated in a plastic container, but do not freeze.

Thai Coconut Veggie Curry

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Fall is upon us and there is nothing more comforting than a hearty bowl of warm coconut curry. Growing up with a Korean mother made me accustom to strong spices and flavors. Once it gets cold I crave warm Asian soups and curries. This is my version of my mother’s infamous Thai Coconut Curry. I cheated and used TJ’s Thai Yellow Curry Sauce, which makes almost anything taste good. I added all the veggies I had in my fridge along with TJ’s Baked Tofu and smothered it in coconut milk and curry sauce. Alternatively you can use chicken (or other meat of choice) and curry paste. I served it with garlic cauliflower quinoa rice (recipe below).
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Ingredients:

1 tablespoon coconut oil

1 onion

1/2 cup frozen spinach

1/2 cup frozen peas

1 cup organic baked tofu

1/2 cup organic broccoli slaw

4 carrots

1 broccoli

1 can lite coconut milk

1/2 cup TJ’s Yellow Curry Sauce (add more if you like spice)

1 cup veggie or chicken broth

1 teaspoon curry powder (I added another 1/2 of a teaspoon)

1/2 teaspoon ginger

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

Lime and cilantro

Directions for garlic cauliflower quinoa rice:

  1. Rinse 1 cup quinoa (or brown rice) thoroughly. Bring 2 cups of water to boil then add the rice. Alternatively for more flavor try using 1 cup water and 1 cup chicken/vegetable stock. It gives the rice a bit of seasoning and taste.
  2. After 5 minutes, lower to a simmer and cook for 15-20 minutes. Add a splash of water (or vegetable/chicken stock) as needed.
  3. Once the rice has absorbed the water, add 1 cup cauliflower rice along with a splash of water/chicken stock.
  4. Once tender and fluffy add the chopped garlic and salt.
  5. Set aside until serving.

Directions:

  1. Heat coconut oil and sauté onions until golden.
  2. Stir in spices then the coconut milk, curry sauce, and vegetable stock. Mix for 2-3 minutes.
  3. Add the chopped carrots and broccoli, stirring frequently. Cook until tender, around 10 minutes. Then add the frozen peas, spinach, and broccoli slaw.
  4. Taste (frequently!) and adjust seasoning as needed. I like a lot of spice so I am always adding more than I list.
  5. Serve with lime and cilantro.

Curried Mahi Mahi baked over Chickpea Cauliflower Rice (+ grilled asparagus)

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My own rendition of a recipe I learned in a Sur La Table cooking class.

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Ingredients:

1/2 lb Mahi Mahi (frozen or fresh)

16 oz or 1 bag cauliflower rice

1 can garbanzo beans

1 teaspoon curry powder

1/2 cup low-fat Greek yogurt

Juice of 1 lemon

1/2 teaspoon garlic

1/4th teaspoon ginger

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

1/4th teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

I served it with Trader Joe’s Balela Chickpea Salad.

Directions:

  1. Combine the curry powder, garlic, ginger, turmeric, and paprika together.
  2. Purée (or blend) the chickpeas with ~half of the spices. If it is too thick, add a splash of water. In a large bowl, mix the cauliflower rice and chickpea purée together. Pour in a baking dish.
  3. Combine the remaining spices with the yogurt and lemon.
  4. Place the Mahi Mahi (if frozen be sure to thaw beforehand) on the cauliflower chickpea mixture. Spread the yogurt mix over the top of the fish.
  5. Sprinkle the olive oil, salt, and pepper over the whole dish.
  6. Transfer to the oven and bake until the fish is firm and no longer translucent in the center, 20 to 30 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fillet. Bake at 275 degrees.

 

Savory Veggie Oatmeal

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I discovered this amazing concoction by combining all the ingredients left in my fridge at the end of the week. I added sweet potato, spinach, corn, and cauliflower rice but this recipe can be made with any veggies. It is simple and satisfying.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup oats

1 cup chicken broth

Juice of 1 lemon

1 teaspoon olive oil or butter

1 egg

1/4th cup sweet potato (baked)

1/4th cup spinach

1/4th cup corn (steamed)

1/4th cup cauliflower rice (frozen)

Parmesan cheese (optional)

 

Directions:

  1. Bring the broth to a boil then reduce to a simmer and stir in oats.
  2. Cook for about 10 minutes until the oats begin to absorb the broth. Stir in more chicken broth as needed.
  3. Once the oats start to thicken add the rest of the ingredients. I baked the sweet potato the night before and I steamed corn on the cob. I used frozen cauliflower rice from Trader Joe’s. On a side note, cauliflower rice is a great alternative to rice or pasta. TJ’s sells it frozen or raw. If you cook it with brown rice, broth, and parmesan cheese it resembles risotto. Recipe to come!
  4. Place an egg on top and serve!

Chocolate Avocado Peanut Butter Pudding

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Ingredients:

1 ripe avocado
1 banana
1/4th cup cocoa powder
1/4th cup peanut butter
1/4th cup almond milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4th cup honey or maple syrup
Directions:
  1. Blend all the ingredients together. I used a regular blender but a Vitamix or food processor works best.
  2. Add more sweetener and/or avocado until you reach the desired sweetness and consistency.
  3. Refrigerate for at least 12 hours. Serve and enjoy!

Breaded Curry Cauliflower

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Ingredients:

  • 1 head cauliflower
  • 2/3rds cup coconut cream (canned from TJs)
  • 1 egg
  • ½ cup almond meal
  • 2 teaspoons curry powder
  • 1 teaspoon coconut oil
  • salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

  1. Cut the cauliflower into large pieces.
  2. Mix together the coconut cream, egg, almond meal, curry powder, coconut oil, salt, and pepper.
  3. Coat each piece of cauliflower with the mixture.
  4. Cover a baking sheet with coconut oil and cook the cauliflower at 350 degrees for 25- 30 minutes.
  5. Serve with ketchup or dijon mustard. Enjoy!

Vanilla Coconut Granola

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Ingredients:

1 cup oats

1/4th teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon cinnamon

2 tablespoons coconut oil (melted)

1 tablespoons flaxseed

2 tablespoons honey (add an extra tablespoon if you like your granola sweet)

1/8th teaspoon salt

1/4 cup coconut shreds

Chopped nuts and dried fruit (optional)

  1. Mix all the ingredients together (except coconut and dried fruit). If the mixture is too wet add more oats. If the mixture is too dry add a splash of almond milk or more melted coconut oil.
  2. Cook at 350ºF for 15 min. After 10 minutes add the coconut shreds and dried fruit. Stir every 5 min. Let it completely cool before storing it.