Fourth of July Recipe Round Up!

The Fourth of July is probably my favorite holiday. Ever since I was a little girl, we’ve had a huge family reunion at our lake home in the Northwoods of Wisconsin.

The Northwoods is so incredible — life is different “Up North” — Slower, calmer, and more connected with the beautiful nature all around you on the lake. That, and it’s Packer Country — the land of Beer Boiled Brats, Cheese Curds, Boating, and Friday Night Fish Fries — that are All-You-Can-Eat.

Things are a bit different on the food front since then — as I’ve become Vegan and Gluten Free. But, memories at the lake are second to none. Luckily, after the fire at our lake home this past week, we are still going to be able to have our reunion — just at a rented cottage on the other side of the lake:)

So I’ve rounded up some of my best Fourth of July recipes for your Patriotic Cookouts!

They are ALL Gluten Free and Dairy Free. The majority are Vegan. MD= Maker’s Diet, BED = Body Ecology Diet

Portobello Burgers w/ (or w/o) Goat Cheese (GF, V Opt’n, MD)

Onion Rings (GF, MD)

Sweet Potato Fries (GF, V, MD)

Vegan Pesto Potatoes (GF, V, BED)

Pink & Purple Pile Up (GF, V, BED)

Rockin’ Guacamole (GF, V, MD)

Princess Slaw (GF, V, BED)

Confetti Twice Baked Red Potatoes (GF, V, BED)

Falafel Burger (GF, MD)

Grilled Summer Veggies (GF, V, BED)

Mexican Quinoa Lettuce Wraps (GF, V, BED)

Fish Sticks – Baked (GF, MD)

Monster Cookies (GF, MD)

SF Cashew Custard in Cinnamon Crunch Bowls (GF, V, BED)

Happy Fourth of July, Happy Tummies!

Spunky Spud Cakes! GF, BED & V Opt’n!

Tags

basil, Body Ecology Diet, broccoli, gluten free, mushrooms, peas, potatoes, vegan, wisonsin

Here we are at the end of June! Where has this month gone?

super crunchy outside!

Well…I guess it’s been pretty eventful — from my procedure, to the fire at our lake home, to my Bro and his wife moving to Cincy — I’d say it was a jam-packed month! And now, we’re getting ready to head back up to Wisconsin for our Fourth of July family reunion! (We’ll be staying at a rented lake home, courtesy of our insurance! Thanks State Farm!)

so flavorful!

So — that leaves me with a nearly-empty fridge …. hmmmm …. a few sprigs of basil, a bit of broccoli, frozen peas, and red skinned potatoes.

It sounds like a night for Potato Pancakes with Broccoli and Pea Pesto!

what a meal!

Potato pancakes that are crunchy on the outside, chewy on the inside, and topped with a creamy and luxurious sauce! And they’re gluten-free and Body Ecology Diet friendly with a Vegan Option!

chewy shiitake mushrooms!

But wait — How are Red Skinned Potatoes on the Body Ecology Diet? That’s a ZERO sugar diet; and starchy veggies — ie: potatoes — are strictly prohibited! Welllll, it just so happens that Red Skinned Potatoes are the ONLY potato allowed on the BED because they have less sugar than their white and orange potato cousins, and therefore, don’t feed the yeast! (pg 52) Yippee!

yummmmm!

Here’s what you need: (Serves 4)

6 organic red skinned potatoes, grated
1/4 onion, minced
3 egg whites (Vegan option: 2 flax/chia eggs)
1/4 cup almond flour
salt and pepper

Sauce:
3/4 cup frozen peas, thawed
1 cup broccoli florets, steamed
2 garlic cloves
juice of 1/2 a lemon
1/3 – 1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted
1/2 cup basil
salt
1 tsp EVOO

5 shiitake mushrooms, sliced
green onions, sliced

Toast your pine nuts and steam your broccoli for about 5 minutes until bright green and tender. Rinse under cold water & drain. Add it to your food processor along with the other sauce ingredients. Puree until fabulously thick and creamy, scraping down the sides twice. Meanwhile, quickly saute your mushrooms until tender. Set aside.

Grate your potatoes on a box grater. Then, put them in a clean kitchen towel and wring out all the excess water. Put your potato, onions, eggs, almond flour, salt and pepper into a medium bowl and mix until well combined.

Heat a big frying pan and add 1 tsp EVOO. Place 1/3 cup scoops of the potato mixture in the pan and cook for 4 minutes per side, until golden brown.

mmm mmm mmm!

To assemble, dollop each potato pancake with about 2 Tbsp of the puree, and garnish with some mushroom slices and green onions.

gluten-free and Body Ecology Diet friendly!

With these pancakes, I served Lobsta Bakes’ wild, ocean-caught cod. So sweet and succulent! I broiled it with 1 tsp EVOO, salt, pepper, lemon zest and juice, and fresh dill. SO good.

luxurious broccoli and green pea sauce!

This meal was outrageous! The potato pancakes were crunchy on the outside, and chewy on the inside — just perfect! And the thick and creamy sauce complimented that *crunch* brilliantly! It was fresh and bright from the basil and lemon, and luxuriously rich from the pine nuts!

Spunky Spud Pancakes!

And what made it even more special, is that one of our dear family friends swung by our house when we were having dinner, and there was extra, so she had some with us!

That’s the best part about cooking — you get to share it with family and friends:)

What are you looking forward to in July?

Wish me luck on the 12 hour car ride!

See ya tomorrow!

Veggie Curry Lettuce Wraps! GF, V, BED!

Tags

asparagus, Body Ecology Diet, carrots, cashews, cauliflower, cilantro, curry, ginger, gluten free, millet, red peppers, vegan

Well it’s officially HOT in Cincinnati! Today was the first day of the summer that we broke 100 degrees! Yikes!

a fun and interactive meal!

You know what that means —- NO OVEN!!! :)

mmmmmmm!

As I mentioned yesterday, my Bro and his wife moved into town (YAY!), and today was the day their stuff arrived! Those poor movers who had to unload the truck in this heat! We were sure to supply them with ice-cold gatorade!

the cilantro adds a wonderful freshness!

I knew that after unpacking all day, they were going to come home exhausted, hot, and famished — so I wanted to have a delicious and filling meal waiting for them:) — I wanted to help, but I can’t lift anything heavy right now because of my Ulcerative Colitis flare — so I was on dog duty — watching Roxy and Vino:)

Roxy — the queen of the house :)

Vino — my “nephew” :)

So tonight for dinner, I served fabulous Veggie Curry Lettuce Wraps!

Veggie Curry Lettuce Wraps!

I’ve made a similar dish before…but Mexican! And they were a bit hit. So tonight, I thought, why not spice it up with a little curry! Lettuce wraps are cooling, crunchy, and delightfully satisfying! Sounds like the perfect meal for after a day of manual labor!

what a plate!

It’s Gluten Free, Vegan, and Body Ecology Diet friendly! And, as with last night’s meal – it can easily be adapted for vegans and non-vegans alike — my dad grilled some chicken for the carnivores at the table to add to their wraps:)

Gluten Free, Vegan, and Body Ecology Diet friendly!

Here’s what you need: (serves 4-5)

1 cup millet cooked in 2 cups veg stock
1/2 head of cauliflower, broken into florets and steamed
1 bunch of asparagus, ends trimmed, and chopped
2 large carrots, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 yellow onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbsp fresh ginger, grated
1 heaping tsp curry powder
1 cup vegetable stock
juice of 1 lime
14 drops pure liquid stevia (BED use alcohol-free)
1/2 can of coconut milk (light or regular)
Romaine lettuce leaves – about 3 per person
cilantro, chopped
green onions, chopped
chopped cashews or almonds

Cook your millet until it absorbs all the liquid, about 20-25 minutes. When it has absorbed all the stock, fluff it with a fork, and add salt to taste.

Meanwhile, prep your veggies and steam your cauliflower for about 5 minutes, until they’re somewhat tender, but not fully cooked. Take them out, and shock them under cold water. Set aside.

Then, in a big pan, saute your onion and carrots in 1-2 tsp EVOO, salt, pepper, and curry powder. Allow them to cook for about 5 minutes on medium, until the onions have softened. Next, add your asparagus, and let it cook for about 3 minutes. Then, stir in your peppers. Let them cook for about 2-3 minutes. Then, stir in your garlic, ginger, and steamed cauliflower. Let those cook for about 4 minutes. Pour in your vegetable stock, lime juice and stevia drops. Let that warm through. Finally, stir in your coconut milk and let it warm through.

so colorful!

Serve by filling a lettuce cup with millet (or rice), your veggies & sauce and garnish with cilantro, green onions, and chopped nuts. I also served a little extra sauce on the side for dipping. YUM!!

so crunchy and fabulous!

This meal was fabulous! Crunchy, fresh, spicy, cooling, slightly sweet – just perfect!

The Millet soaked up the sauce beautifully!

These Curry Lettuce Wraps had a lot going for them! Not only were they beautiful to the eye, but they were also really flavorful! There was a warm, sweet-heat from the ginger and curry, which was complimented so beautifully by the cold and crunchy lettuce cups!

tender-crisp asparagus and carrots!

And the millet was nutty and wonderfully chewy. It soaked up the sauce brilliantly! My parents joked that they could drink the sauce it was so good! Creamy and luxurious — just how a curry should be!

the red pepper and cauliflower shine:)

The touch of fresh cilantro and crunch of the cashews finished the dish stupendously! :)

A fun and interactive meal for sure!

What has been your experience with moving? Any advice?

Until tomorrow!

This recipe is featured on Wellness Weekend & Fresh Bites Fri & Fight Back Fri! & Allergy Friendly Fri!

Veggie Fajitas in Quinoa Bowls! GF, V, BED!

Tags

avocado, Body Ecology Diet, cilantro, gluten free, guacamole, mexican, mushrooms, quinoa, red peppers, vegan, zucchini

GUESS WHAT! My Brother and Sister-in-Law moved to town today!! YAY!!

love that guacamole!

They’ve been living in Baltimore for his fellowship, and they moved back to Cincy for good! We’re all so excited, and today was moving day!

want a bite?!

So as a way to welcome them, we had a Mexican Fiesta!

what a dish!

I’ve found that Mexican meals are really great when you’re feeding G-Free-rs, vegans, and non-vegans alike. Everyone loves it, and you can have toppings for everyone! Like tonight, my dad grilled some chicken for those who wanted it, and also had sour cream and cheese too. Totally versatile, and everyone’s happy!

eat a rainbow!

So tonight, I made Veggie Fajitas in Quinoa Bowls! Crunchy, nutty shells filled with spicy veggies, and topped with rockin’ guacamole! So delicious!

love those crunch bowls!

And, they’re Gluten Free and Body Ecology Diet friendly with a Vegan Option!

Here’s what you need: (Serves 5)

1 red pepper, sliced into strips
1 red onion, sliced
1 zucchini, sliced
8 shiitake mushrooms, sliced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp chili powder
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp paprika
1/4-1/2 tsp oregano
4 romaine lettuce leaves, sliced
fresh cilantro (minced) – garnish
2 green onions, sliced – garnish

Quinoa Bowls:
1 cup quinoa cooked in 2 cups vegetable stock
1/3 cup almond flour
2 egg whites (Vegan option: 2 flax/chia eggs)
salt

Rockin’ Guac:
2 avocados
2 Tbsp red onion, minced
1 garlic clove, grated
2 Tbsp cilantro, minced
squeeze of lime
1/2 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cook your quinoa until it cooks all the liquid, about 15-20 minutes. Fluff with a fork, and set aside to cool.

ready to go in the oven!

When your quinoa is cool, combine it in a bowl with the egg whites, almond flour, and salt. Mix well to combine. Take some parchment paper and cut 12 medium-sized squares— roughly 4 x 4. Spoon about 2-3 Tbsp of the mixture onto 1 piece of parchment. Put another piece of parchment on top and spread it out as thin as you can. LEAVE THE TOP PAPER ON…it will be a parchment paper sandwich! Do the same with the rest of the mixture. Then, place the “parchment sandwiches” over the cups of an upside-down muffin tin. Carefully mold them around the cups so they form little bowls. Bake for 25-30 minutes. Then, when you take them out of the oven, let them cool on the muffin tins, and then carefully peel the parchment off! YUM!

Meanwhile, prep your veggies. In a large frying pan, saute your onion in 1 tsp EVOO, salt, pepper, and your spices. After about 3 minutes, add your mushrooms. Let them cook for about 3 minutes, and then add your zucchini. After about 2-3 minutes, add your red pepper and garlic. Let them cook for 3 minutes, and then take off the heat. Your peppers and zucchini should be vibrant and still have a nice bite.

delicious!

Finally, make your guacamole. Mash your avocado with a squeeze of lime and salt with the back of your fork. Then, stir in your garlic, onion and cilantro.

so flavorful!!

To assemble: Fill your quinoa cups with romaine, and your veggie mixture. Top with guacamole and garnish with cilantro and green onions. YUM!

gluten free, and body ecology diet friendly!

This meal was fabulous! Everyone loved it! The flavors, textures and colors made it a 10! First, the veggies had such a warm-spicy flavor from the cumin and chili powder. It went wonderfully with the cooling guacamole and nutty quinoa bowls!

great flavors!

And the textures were outstanding! The bowls were super crunchy, while the mushrooms were nice and chewy! And the peppers and zucchini retained a beautiful bite, which paired wonderfully with the creamy and luxurious guacamole!

so colorful!

Finally, the colors just screamed “party!” Purple, red, and different shades of green all popped off of the dark quinoa. An all around great meal!

wonderful crunch!

What’s your favorite Mexican dish? Tacos? Tamales? Fajitas? Quesadillas?

Until Tomorrow!

This recipe is featured on Foodie Fri & Frugal Thurs!

Broccoli & Kale Pesto Pasta! GF, V, BED!

Tags

basil, Body Ecology Diet, broccoli, gluten free, kale, pasta, pesto, quinoa, vegan

Do you ever just crave pasta? A plate of warm, slurpy goodness that would make your inner Italian grandmother proud?

SO delicious!

I do! And I bet if you’re gluten-free — or even if you’re not — I bet you’ve probably had one of those days too :)

unbelievably healthy and yummy!

Pasta gets a bad wrap. It’s a “forbidden food” — seen as a diet-buster, unhealthy, and “pants-button-busting.” I’m here to tell you, that could not be further from the truth! Yes, it’s true that ordering a plate of fettucine alfredo from Olive Garden, or 4-Cheese Tortellini with Brown Butter Sauce — not the best thing for you, and probably deserving of the “sparingly” category of the food pyramid. However, pasta done right – in Happy Tummy fashion – is actually healthy for you!

wait a minute — the pesto is broccoli and kale!?

First of all, I’m using Quinoa pasta – which is gluten free and packed with protein.

want a bite?

And then the sauce — is ALL VEGGIES! In fact, this pasta could be called a Cruciferous Carnival — because the pasta is tossed with roasted cauliflower, and the pesto is a puree of broccoli, kale and basil! Talk about a nutrient dense meal!

what a plate!

And it’s gluten free, vegan, Body Ecology Diet friendly, and 100% delicious!

a cruciferous carnival!

Here’s what you need:

1 box of quinoa pasta
1/2 head of cauliflower, broken into florets and roasted

Sauce:
1 big stalk of broccoli, broken into florets and steamed
3 stalks of kale, stems removed, chopped and steamed
1 1/2 cups basil
1/3 cup pine nuts, toasted
juice of 1/2 a lemon
2 big garlic cloves
1 tsp EVOO
sea salt
reserved pasta water

packed with nutrients!

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place your cauliflower florets on an olive-oil-sprayed baking sheet. Spritz with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown, flipping half way though.

While they’re baking, toast your pine nuts, and steam your broccoli & kale for about 5 minutes, until bright green and tender. Rinse under cold water, drain, and set aside to cool slightly. Then, blend it with your pesto ingredients and about 3/4 cup of pasta water in the food processor until thick and creamy. Adjust salt to taste. Toss with your cooked pasta and roasted cauliflower. Garnish with chopped basil! YUM!

gorgeous crust on the halibut!

With this outrageous pasta, I served broiled halibut from Lobsta Bakes. This wild, ocean-caught fish was so delicious – sweet and tender! I broiled it for 10 minutes with 1 tsp EVOO, salt, pepper, chili powder, paprika, cumin, and garlic powder — delicious!

Gluten Free, Vegan, and Body Ecology Diet Friendly!

This meal was delicious! The pasta was so unbelievably yummy! The flavor was bright and fresh from the basil! And the streamed broccoli made it so creamy and luxurious! My parents found it hard to believe that there wasn’t any cream or butter in it because it was so rich and decadent tasting! Thank you broccoli!!

fabulously roasted cauliflower!

And it coated the spaghetti so fabulously! Slurpy, creamy and hearty, but incredibly light! And the roasted cauliflower was nutty and superb. It provided a nice crunch too! It was almost like they were cauliflower “meatballs!”

Broccoli & Kale Pesto Pasta!

This pasta is definitely no “diet buster!”

What’s your favorite pasta dish?

This recipe is featured on Whole Food Wed & Full Plate Thurs & Thriving on Thurs & Thurs Treasures & It’s a Piece of Cake & Something Swanky & Pennywise Thurs!

Hasselback Red Potatoes & Breaking News!

Tags

Body Ecology Diet, carrots, gluten free, mushrooms, potatoes, red peppers, vegan, Wisconsin

Breaking News!

our lake home!

For those newbie Happy Tummies out there, you may not know that I spent the past month at our lake home in Northern Wisconsin. I was there for the fresh air and relaxing atmosphere and lifestyle that you can only find in The Northwoods — hoping that the change of pace would be conducive to healing for the current Ulcerative Colitis flare I’ve been in since September.

beautiful times on the lake!

We left mid June to come back to Cincy for a procedure, and then were planning on returning this Saturday, and being there through our big family reunion over the 4th of July.

a slow way of life

Well, today, we received a call that there was a fire at our lake home!! It was struck by lightning, which traveled through all the wiring in the house and set one of the bottom floor bedrooms on fire! Thank the Good Lord above that my uncle knows about fire safety, and makes sure all the doors are closed before we close up the place. If it wasn’t for his “closed door policy,” we would have lost the whole house and all the cathedral pines around it! Because of that closed door, the fire was contained to the bedroom.

AND, thankfully, the woman who looks after our property when we’re gone just happened to be there to discover the fire, and was able to call the fire department to put it out! We were so lucky. So we didn’t lose the house. BUT, every inch of the house is coated in this slimy soot, requiring a 100% scrub down!

So as far as our 4th of July family reunion plans go, we’re going to rent another cabin on the chain — paid for by our insurance! Thanks State Farm! :) This family reunion is something everyone looks forward to all year. We live for it:) There was no way we’d bag it!

hasselback potato bliss!

OK — now onto dinner!

Body Ecology Diet friendly Red Potatoes!

Tonight was a real treat. I made Hasselback Herbed Red Skinned Potatoes with Grilled Veggies! It was so good.

a little accordion!

But wait — How are Red Skinned Potatoes on the Body Ecology Diet? That’s a ZERO sugar diet; and starchy veggies — ie: potatoes — are strictly prohibited! Welllll, it just so happens that Red Skinned Potatoes are the ONLY potato allowed on the BED because they have less sugar than their white and orange potato cousins, and therefore, don’t feed the yeast! (pg 52) Hurray!

warm and tender but crunchy

So I made Hasselback Red Skinned Potatoes — which are so cool! They look like an accordion, or an armadillo! :) And they’re fabulous.

yummm!

And this meal was Gluten Free, Vegan (minus the fish), and Body Ecology Diet friendly!

Here’s the run down for Hasselback Red Skinned Potatoes: (serves 3)

7 organic red skinned potatoes
3 cloves of garlic
dried oregano and basil

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. After you scrub and dry your potatoes, slice them 3/4 of the way through all the way down the potato. Then, slice your garlic. Put about 4-5 slices in each potato in between the slices of potato. Then, spray the potatoes with olive oil, and sprinkle with dried oregano, basil, sea salt, and pepper. Bake for 50 minutes, until golden. It will “fan out” as it bakes.

gorgeous grilled veggies!

With these potatoes, I served grilled veggies. Holy cow, these were SO good! Smokey, crispy-but-slightly-softened, and fabulous!

Here’s what you need:

6 shiitake mushrooms
1 red pepper, quartered
2 large carrots, sliced in half lengthwise
3 stalks of celery
1 big stalk of celery, broken into florets

Heat your grill pan or grill. Toss your veggies in 1 tsp EVOO, salt, and pepper. Grill for 4 minutes per side. Then, chop into bite-sized pieces and serve!

yummm!

I also served broiled grouper from Lobsta Bakes. This wild, ocean-caught fish was fabulous and sweet! I broiled it with 1 tsp EVOO, salt, pepper, chili powder and paprika.

so delicious!

This meal was SO delicious! Those potatoes — oh my gosh, I was swooning in bliss! Haha, but no really! The beautiful thing about these potatoes is that by cooking them like that — in thin rounds — the outside gets crunchy and golden brown, while the inside is creamy and delicious! They’re like glorified, healthy potato chips! And the garlic flavor subtly permeates through the entire potato, while the oregano and basil provide a delicious herby flavor! Not to mention, their appearance is slightly show-stopping:)

Fabulous grill marks!

And the veggies were fabulous! They were wonderfully warm and crispy-crunchy – but not “raw crunchy.” And they had such vibrant colors! I know it seems kinda strange to grill celery, but it is so outrageous! Since it has such a high water content, it softens beautifully, and all the sugars come out and caramelize! YUM!

the mushrooms were so good!

And for a special treat, I grilled a lemon to squeeze over the fish — I hear grilled citrus is the “latest food trend” — haha :P

so trendy ;)

What’s you favorite thing to make on the grill?

Until tomorrow!

This recipe is shared on Slightly Indulgent Tues! & Diet Dessert and Dogs!

Tasty Thai Flatbreads w/ GF Cauliflower Crust!

Tags

almonds, Body Ecology Diet, buckwheat, carrots, cauliflower, cilantro, cucumber, ginger, gluten free, vegan

Here we are at the beginning of another wonderful summer week! Another week of sunshine, long days, fireflies, and The Bachelorette! — Yes, I’m guilty — I watch that show. Reality TV at its worst finest. :P

grilled carrots and celery — mm!

So anywho, tonight we had a “scraping-the-bottom-of-the-fridge” kind of meal. Here’s what I had to work with: Celery, Carrots, half a head of Cauliflower and half a Cucumber. Haha — living large!

so colorful!

Since we were going to be getting our protein from nuts — (our fish monger is closed on Sundays) “Thai-ish food” was my answer!

mmmmm!

So what did I make? I made a Thai Flatbread with a Cauliflower and Buckwheat Crust! A creamy almond butter sauce, topped with delicious grilled veggies! Given my pathetic less-than-stellar list of ingredients, it was actually super delicious!

gluten-free and body ecology diet friendly!

And it’s Gluten Free & Body Ecology Diet friendly with a Vegan Option!

a sea of veggies!

Here’s what you need: (Serves 3)

Crust:
3/4 cup buckwheat cooked in 1 1/2 cups vegetable stock
1/2 head of cauliflower, riced
2 egg whites (Vegan option: 2 flax/chia eggs)
1/2 tsp sea salt

Sauce:
3/4 cup almond butter
3 tsp Apple Cider Vinegar
2 tsp grated ginger
juice of 1/2 lime
1 tsp water
8 drops pure liquid stevia (BED use alcohol free)

Toppings:
1/2 cucumber, sliced in half lengthwise, deseeded, and sliced thin
3 large carrots, sliced in half-length wise, grilled, and then chopped
2 stalks of celery, grilled, and then chopped
1/4 red onion, sliced thin
2 green onions, sliced
fresh cilantro, minced

fresh cilantro finishes it off!

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Cook your buckwheat until it absorbs all the liquid, about 7 minutes. Fluff with a fork, and then set aside to cool.

In the meantime, pulse the cauliflower in your food processor until it resembles rice. Then, put your “rice” in a clean kitchen towel and wring out all the excess liquid. Put it in a medium-sized bowl.

Once your buckwheat is cooled, add it to the bowl with your cauliflower, egg whites, and salt. Mix well to combine. Take some parchment paper and cut 6 medium-sized squares. Then, divide the mixture into 3 even portions. Put 1/3 of the mixture onto 1 piece of parchment. Put another piece of parchment on top and spread it out as thin as you can. LEAVE THE TOP PAPER ON…it will be a parchment paper sandwich! Do the same with the other 2 thirds of the mixture. Then, place the “parchment sandwiches” on baking sheets. Bake for 40 minutes, until golden brown. Then, when you take them out of the oven, the parchment will fall right off! YUM!

While your crusts are baking, prep your veggies, and combine your sauce ingredients — it is a thick sauce — more of a “spread” — like almond butter! After you slice your red onion, soak it in ice water for 10 minutes (this will get rid of the bitter onion-y bite). Also, grill you veggies on a grill pan, 4 minutes per side. Then, take them off the grill and chop them into 1 inch pieces.

fresh cucumbers and red onions!

When your crusts come out of the oven, let them cool for 2-3 minutes, remove the parchment paper, and then top each with 1/3 of the almond butter, your veggies, and cilantro! Enjoy!

i love the grill marks on the carrots!

These little flatbreads blew me away! They were fantastic! It tasted like pad thai in flatbread form! It had flavor, texture, and beauty! All in a dish that was literally “patched” together!

creamy almond butter spread!

First, the flavor! The almond butter spread was so wonderful — it was slightly sweet, and fabulously tangy from the lime and the ginger. Paired beautifully with the fresh veggies, which had a slightly smokey flavor from the grill. Finished off with the bright cilantro — just marvelous!

so delicious!

And the textures! Oh my goodness, they was outrageous. The crust was unbelievably crunchy, while the almond butter spread was rich and luxuriously creamy. Finally, the veggies were crunchy, but softened ever-so-slightly from the grill.

crunchy & fabulous crust!

Lastly, the colors were phenomenal. It was such a beautiful plate with the different shades of green, orange and purple. Stunning.

there’s cauliflower in that crust?!

And the cauliflower? My dad (who hates cauliflower) had NO idea it was in the crust! He devoured his flatbread and sung its praises!

What’s your go-to meal when the fridge is low? Do you try to patch something together, or do you go out?

See ya tomorrow, Happy Tummies!

This recipe is featured in Meatless Mon & Melt in your Mouth Mon & Mon Mania & Ms. enPlase & Something I Whipped Up & Make you Crave Mon & Tasty Tues & Tues at the Table & Real Food Forager & The Recipe Box & What’s Cooking Wed & Allergy Free Wed & GF Wed & Whole Food Wed & Wellness Weekend!

Mini Zucchini Timbale! GF, V & BED!

Tags

Body Ecology Diet, broccoli, cashews, gluten free, millet, red peppers, vegan, zucchini

Can you believe that it is almost July?!? Wow — this summer is flyyying by! Brakes!! Brakes!!

beautifully grilled zucchini!

No worries though … we still have lots of summer to enjoy:)

Lots of swimming pool days, lots of time to enjoy the garden, lots of farmer’s markets to visit, and lots of evenings to enjoy these:

a trio of deliciousness!

My Mini Zucchini Timbale!

gorgeous grill marks!

Grilled Zucchini cups filled with millet, broccoli, and green onion! And topped off with roasted red pepper cream sauce! Delicious!

And, they’re gluten free, vegan, and Body Ecology Diet friendly!

gluten free, vegan and Body Ecology Diet friendly!

Here’s what you need:

2 zucchini, slice into strips, tossed in 1 tsp EVOO, and grilled
1/2 cup millet cooked in 1 cup veg stock
1 cup broccoli florets
2 green onions, sliced
2 garlic cloves, grated

Red Pepper Cream Sauce:
1 red pepper, roasted
1/2 cup cashews
salt & pepper

Preheat your oven to 350. Cook your millet until it absorbs all the liquid, about 15 minutes. In the meantime, put your broccoli, onions and garlic into the food processor, and pulse until it is a the consistency of rice. Also, heat up your grill pan, and grill your slices of zucchini, about 2 minutes per side. While your zucchini is still warm, place 3 strips in an olive-oil-sprayed muffin tin, crisscrossing so that the muffin tin is entirely covered – forming a little cup.

Once, your millet absorbs all the liquid, take it off the heat, fluff it with a fork, and stir in your riced broccoli, onions and garlic. Add about 1/4 – 1/2 tsp salt to taste.

Then, place 2 Tbsp of the millet mixture into your zucchini cups, and press it down. (You will have millet left over. It makes about 4 full timbales with 1 cup left over millet). Spray the tops with olive-oil-spray. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes. For the last 4 minutes, turn on the broiler to give it a golden top.

what a plate!

While they are baking, make your red pepper cream sauce. You can use jarred Roasted Red Peppers, but I roasted my own:

To roast the red pepper, I literally set it on our gas flame burner and kept turning it with tongs until it was completely charred. I then put it in a bowl and covered it with plastic wrap so that the steam loosened the skin. Then, after about 15 minutes, the charred skin peels right off (use your hands), and you’re left with a wonderful, roasted pepper! If you don’t have a gas flame, you can do the same right under the broiler! After you peel the skin and take out the seeds, chop the flesh and put it in the food processor with the cashews, salt and pepper. Blend until you get your smooth, creamy sauce! YUMMO!

flipped out onto the cutting board!

Now, to extract your timbale. Wait until they have cooled for at least 5-7 minutes. Then, place a cutting board on top of your muffin tin. Then, with confidence, and in one big “swoop,” flip the muffin tin and cutting board so that the muffin tin is now upside-down. Place it on the counter and carefully lift the muffin tin off, revealing your beautiful timbale! Then, with a spatula, carefully transfer them to the plates! Top with a dollop of your red pepper cream sauce and garnish with green onions! YUM!

luscious roasted red pepper cream!

These were absolutely fantastic! First of all, they are gorgeous. The earthy green crisscrossed zucchini with the striped grill marks, topped of with a dollop of salmon-orange red pepper cream — it’s dramatic and beautiful!

fabulous millet center!

And then the flavor is outrageous! — You break into it, and you get the warm, nutty, garlicy millet, paired with the slightly smokey zucchini and subtly sweet red pepper cream! Just delicious.

yummmmm!!

And finally, the textures!! The zucchini slices are wonderfully chewy, the sauce is rich and creamy, and the millet is slightly crunchy yet moist. Superb.

What’s your favorite part of June? School finishing? Father’s Day? Longer Summer Days?

Until tomorrow!

This recipe is featured in Seasonal Celebration Sun! & Allergy Free Wed!

Savory Asparagus Cannoli! GF, V, BED!

Tags

asparagus, Body Ecology Diet, cashews, gluten free, quinoa, sweden, vegan

So did anyone else watch the Justin Bieber 2 Night special on NBC? I definitely did.

And loved every minute of it.

Bieber Fever after his movie Premiere!! (NYC ’11)

And no, I’m not ashamed:)

so delicious!

Anyway, enough about the Biebs. Lets talk my next favorite subject: Dinner! :) Tonight, I stepped a bit outside the box. I made Asparagus Cannoli! Quinoa and Amaranth Cannoli filled with creamy Asparagus Cream! Crunchy, creamy — So Delicious!

yum!!

Amaranth is another gluten-free grain…a teeny teeny tiny little seed-like grain! That makes this dinner gluten free and Body Ecology Diet friendly, with a Vegan option!

rich and luxurious asparagus cream!

Here’s what you need:

Cannoli:
1/2 cup quinoa + 1/4 cup amaranth cooked in 1 1/2 cups Veg Stock
2 egg whites ((Vegan option: 2 flax/chia eggs))
1/3 cup almond flour
salt

Cream:
1 bunch of asparagus, chopped & steamed
1 garlic clove
1 green onion, sliced
1/4 cup raw cashews
squeeze of lemon
salt and pepper

what a meal!

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cook your quinoa + amaranth together until they absorb all the liquid, about 15 minutes. Fluff and let cool.

Meanwhile, steam your asparagus for 4 minutes, until tender and bright green. Then, rinse under ice-cold water. Drain, and add to your food processor, along with your garlic, green onion, cashews, lemon and salt. Blend for about a minute, scraping the sides a few times, until smooth and creamy.

asparagus cannoli!

Once your quinoa’s cooled, add it to a bowl with your egg white, almond flour, and salt. Mix well to combine. Take some parchment paper and cut 18 smallish squares. Spoon 1 Tbsp of the “batter” onto 1 piece of parchment. Put another piece of parchment on top and spread it out as thin as you can. LEAVE THE TOP PAPER ON…it will be a parchment paper sandwich! Then, carefully roll like a cannoli and place on a baking sheet seam-side-down. Continue until your batter is gone (about 9 cannoli). Bake for 30 – 35 minutes. Allow them to cool for 5 minutes before you carefully take the parchment off.

Place your asparagus cream in a ziplock bag and squeeze it down to one corner. Snip off that corner and you now have a make-shift piping bag! Pipe the filling into the ends on the cannoli. Garnish with sliced green onions. YUM!

vibrant green asparagus cream!

With these eye-catching cannoli, I served wild, ocean-caught grouper from Lobsta Bakes. I broiled this succulent fish in 1 tsp EVOO, salt, pepper, chili powder and paprika.

crunchy quinoa and amaranth cannoli!

This meal was fantastic!! It was so fun to eat! The cannoli was crunchy, nutty and fabulous! That crunch paired so beautifully with the rich and creamy asparagus cream! And it was bright and fresh, with a subtle hint of garlic. Just scrumptious!

gluten free and body ecology diet friendly!

And the color was just fabulous! The green was so vibrant and jumped off the plate! An all around great meal!

Here are a couple more Sweden pics!

Visiting Copenhagen for the day!

the beach in Falsterbo, Sweden!

What do you think of the Biebs? Fever or Forget him?

Until tomorrow!

This recipe is featured on Allergy Friendly Fri! & Thurs Treasures & The Gallery of Favorites!

Broccoli, Basil & Avocado Quinoa Pilaf! & Sweden!

Tags

avocado, basil, Body Ecology Diet, broccoli, gluten free, mushrooms, quinoa, red pepper, sweden, vegan

It’s hard to believe that exactly one year ago today, I was in Sweden visiting one of my best friends! She and I met at acting school in NYC, and became like sisters! She lives in Malmo, but I visited her at her summer home in Falsterbo. While I was there, we celebrated Midsommar — the longest day of the year. You dance around the May Pole, wear white dresses and flower wreaths, eat a traditional smorgas, and stay up all night with the sun–it never sets!

I had such a blast. I stayed for 9 days, and was just amazed by the Swedes and their hospitality! I thought I’d share some of my favorite pics from the trip over the next few days!

Before I went, I literally bought 9 white dresses/outfits. I didn’t want to stand out as an “American” and wanted to fit in with Swedish style hah — and it paid off! People would start talking to me in Swedish! My friend said I actually looked swedish! — But that I spoke swedish (well — the few phrases she taught me) with a spanish accent! haha — Thank you 7 years of spanish!

More pics to come tomorrow:)

fabulous roasted broccoli!

So tonight for dinner, I had a few things that needed to be used up: some fresh basil, an avocado. and a bunch of broccoli. Avocado pesto? Eeh. A Broccoli Cream? Naah. I wanted something crunchy. But I didn’t want something raw — warm and crunchy. (What can I say, I’m a girl that knows what she wants!) :)

pine nuts ….mmmm!

So a warm quinoa pilaf fit the bill! A Broccoli, Basil & Avocado Quinoa Pilaf! Nutty, crunchy, warm, flavorful and delicious!

nutty and delicious quinoa!

And, it’s gluten free, vegan, and Body Ecology Diet friendly!

Broccoli Basil & Avocado Quinoa Pilaf! Yum!

Here’s what you need:

3/4 cup quinoa, cooked in 1 1/2 cups veg stock
1 big stalk of broccoli, broken into florets
1 red pepper, chopped
1 yellow onion, diced
3 shiitake mushrooms, sliced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/3 cup pine nuts, toasted
1/2 cup fresh basil, minced
1 avocado, diced

Dressing:
juice of 1/2 a lemon
1 tsp EVOO
1 garlic clove, grated
salt & pepper

warm and crunchy veggies:)

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Place your broccoli florets on an olive-oil-sprayed baking sheet. Spray the florets with EVOO and bake for 20 minutes, flipping half way. Cook your quinoa until the liquid absorbs, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, toast your pine nuts, and saute your onion in 1 tsp EVOO with salt and pepper. Let it soften for about 3 minutes, then add in your mushrooms. Let them cook for about 3 more minutes, and then finally add in your garlic and red pepper. Let those cook until they are still crisp and bright red, about 3 minutes.

After your quinoa has absorbed all the liquid, take it off the heat. Before you “fluff it” with a fork, place your minced basil in the pot, and cover with the lid, allowing it to steam for a few minutes.  Then, fluff it, and stir in your veggies (except the avocado), roasted broccoli, and toasted pine nuts. Top with your diced avocado and enjoy!

With this fabulous pilaf, I served Lobsta Bakes‘ wild, ocean-caught grouper! It was so sweet and succulent! I broiled it in 1 tsp EVOO, salt, pepper, chili powder and paprika. YUM!

rich and creamy avocado!

This meal was delicious! It was the exact flavor/texture combination I was in the mood for! It was warm and comforting, yet light and lovely! The flavor just exploded with the fresh basil and bright lemon juice. And the subtle garlic undertone paired beautifully with the nutty quinoa.

crunchy red peppers!

Next, the textures were wonderful. The avocado was creamy, while the red peppers and broccoli were crunchy. The pine nuts had a nice, buttery bite, while the quinoa *popped* in your mouth. So fabulous!

delicious!

And finally, the colors jumped off the dark quinoa! The lemony green avocado, bright red peppers, toasty cream pine nuts, and dark green broccoli. A beautiful display dish of goodness!

gluten free, vegan, and Body Ecology Diet friendly!

Have you ever been out of the country? What was your favorite vacation?

This post is featured on Pennywise Thurs & Fresh Bites Fri & Fight Back Fri & Foodie Fri! & Something Swanky & What I’m Loving!