Ever find yourself with too many clementines? Try this: I love clementines because they are flavorful and juicy, but more challenging to peel compared to their tangerine sisters. My body is craving vitamin C, so I juiced 11 clementines… which produced about 1 cup of juice. That’s a lot of work for 1 cup! But well worth the effort. Sweet tangy and packed with lovely vitamins. Besides peeling those little guys would’ve been a pain! Breakfast is served
Asian Noodle Green Salad
Ingredients for dressing – whisk together and set aside:
1/3 cup rice wine vinegar
1/3 cup gyoza sauce (or low-sodium soy sauce)
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
1 tablespoon julienned thai basil leaves
Salad ingredients:
2 cups asian noodles, cooked then chilled and cut into 1-2″ pieces
1 cup carrots, sliced
1 small cucumber, cubed
1-8 oz can sliced water chestnuts, drained
1-15 oz can baby carrots, drained and cut into 1 inch pieces
1 yellow bell pepper, diced
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
1 tablespoon chia seed
3 stalks celery, diced
1/2 cup raw peanuts
1 cup baked tofu, cubed (I buy at Trader Joe’s; substitute edamame)
Toss together above ingredients with 1/2 dressing mixture. Add to 1 head red leaf lettuce and toss well. Serve with 1 avocado cubed and 1/2 cup rough chopped cilantro.
Serve immediately with extra dressing on the side. Will be plenty for 3 adults, or use as side dish for 6 people with another Asian dish.
My cooking juices are flowing… a new recipe emerges.
Ingredients:
Prepared polenta in tube, cut into 8 rounds
3 cups brussel sprouts, cut in half
1 15 oz can white beans, drained and rinsed
1 28 oz can stewed or crushed tomatoes
1 medium white onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, diced
1 tablespoon organic no-salt seasoning
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 cup fresh basil, rough chop
1 cup Daiya Mozzarella cheese
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake brussel sprouts for 15 minutes on parchment lined baking sheet. While baking, use large pot to water sauté garlic and onion for 3 minutes on medium high heat. Turn heat down to medium and add beans, tomatoes, spices. Add baked brussel sprouts and mix throughly, turn down to low after about 10 minutes. You’ll be baking the dish later, so don’t over cook the veggies.
Using the same parchment paper, place the polenta rounds on the cookie sheet and bake 15 minutes.
Using a small lasagna dish, place baked polenta on bottom. Generously cover with tomato sauce. Bake for 20 minutes, or until sauce is bubbling on edges and middle. Sprinkle the fresh basil across top, with Daiya on top of basil. Return to oven for 5-10 minutes, or until Daiya is bubbly.
Serve immediately as only dish, or with green salad. Serves 4.
My life is crazy busy, so having good #healthy food ready to go is key to eating right. Here’s a simple yummy recipe:
Ingredients:
2 cups grape tomatoes
Juice of 2 limes
1/4 cup cilantro, rough chop
1 can black beans, drained rinsed
1 avocado, cubed
1 teaspoon no-salt seasoning
1/4 cup raw pumpkin seeds
Directions:
Mix all ingredients together, store in air-tight container in fridge for up to 1 week (if it lasts that long!). For extra spice, add cayenne or tiny diced jalapeno.
Usage options: Great on green salad, add to quinoa or couscous. Or great as a side! Bon appetite!
Before going nutritarian, I was a sucker for nachos and all the cheesey gooey goodness. So here’s my version of no cheese nachos!
Ingredients:
Rice/bean chips
Diced tomato
Vegetarian chili
Cubed avocado
Chopped cilantro
Salsa
Just as good as the real deal!
Great side dish!
Easy to make and a crowd pleaser (adults & kids alike)
Ingredients:
3 cups cubed butternut squash
4 cups brussel sprouts halved
1/2 yellow onion, sliced
1 tablespoon no-salt seasoning
2 tablespoons olive oil
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375. Line cookie sheet with parchment paper. In large bowl, toss together squash, brussel sprouts, onion and olive oil. Spread out on cookie sheet. Sprinkle no-salt seasoning. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until squash is fork tender and brussel sprouts have some brown edges. Serve as side dish or main course.
Only bummer was no left overs.
Easy to make, a vegan bean casserole is delicious and any meat lover I’ve served this to, is impressed! I make for left overs and freeze in individual serving sizes.
Ingredients:
6 cups bell pepper, roasted 15 min 350 degrees
1 large yellow onion, diced
4 clove garlic, diced
2 15 oz cans corn, drained and rinsed
2 15 oz cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1 28 oz can tomato sauce
1 10 oz can Rotel
1 tablespoon no-salt seasoning
2 teaspoon cumin
1 package corn tortillas
Directions:
Using a high powered blender, mix roasted peppers, tom sauce and Rotel until smooth. Set aside. (You’ll probably have extra, I use for other sauces or base for hominy soup.)
Water sauté onion and garlic for 5 min.
Add corn, beans, half tomato sauce mixture, spices and heat through about 15 minutes.
(If you have extra, use in hominy soup.)
Using 9×13 lasagna dish, pour about 1.5 cup tom sauce on bottom and spread out.
Then layer bean mixture and tortillas until pan is full. Drizzle more tom sauce on top.
Bake 30 min at 350.
Serve with fresh guacamole, salsa, lime wedges, chopped cilantro. Enjoy!!
Need an appetizer for a party? Try Hummus with veggies and crackers/chips.
Recipe: 2 cans garbanzo beans, 1 drained Juice
1 lemon
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon paprika
2 teaspoon organic no-salt seasoning (my fav is Kirkland)
1/2 teaspoon cayenne/chili pepper
2 clove garlic
1 tablespoon tahini
Blend all ingredients in high powered blender for 35 seconds
Note: additional ingredients could include kalamata olives, sun dried tomatoes, or whatever you want!
Hominy soup is served! This is one of my favs! Great to make a large batch, then eat for few meals. Filling dish and super easy to make. Enjoy!
Recipe:
In medium pot, on medium-high heat, water sauté 1 white onion, diced, and 3 garlic cloves, minced, for 3 minutes.
Add 5 roma tomatoes, diced
1/2 jalapeno, diced (omit if you don’t want heat)
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1-20 oz can hominy (posole), drained
1-10 oz can corn, with water
1-10 o can black beans, with water
Heat through on medium-low heat for 20 minutes.
Serve with tortilla chips, lime wedges, avocado cubes, cilantro.
Dinner is served! Lentil soup is a healthy, easy dish to make. Bonus is that lentils are found all over the world! So wherever your travels take you, you’ll have a nutrient packed meal ready in 20 minutes.
Recipe:
1/2 lb. small potatoes boiled for 10 minutes, or until fork soft, drained and set aside.
Using same pot, water saute 1/2 medium size white onion, diced, with 3 cloves garlic, minced, and 1 carrot cut into rounds.
Add 1/2 teaspoon oregano and black pepper. Continue cooking on medium high heat for 2 minutes.
Add 20 oz cooked lentils (I found a jar of precooked lentils at the local Mexican tienda).
Turn heat down to medium until heated through, add potatoes-cut into bite size pieces-to soup and turn down to low.
Stir occasionally and served hot with crackers or bread and a green salad for a great vegan dinner!