Veggie Surprise Peppers! GF, V Opt’n, BED, & SCD!

Tags

Body Ecology Diet, eggs, gluten free, grain free, mushrooms, red pepper, SCD, Specific Carbohydrate Diet, spinach, zucchini

Howdy! How was your weekend? Did you do anything especially fun?

gluten free, BED & SCD!

Well, I made this scrumptious creation:) It’s a delicious veggie and egg stuffed bell pepper. I know, you may be scratching your head…but I’m a vegan that eats pastured, farm fresh eggs. So I’m a 99% Vegan.

super delish!

But no worries for my vegan lovelies! You can make this vegan by simply subbing 3 Tbs crumbled firm tofu, and reducing the bake time to 35 minutes! However, that makes it *not* BED or SCD friendly.

packed with protein and flavor!

Here’s what you need: (Serves one)

1 red bell pepper, top cut off (reserve)

2 egg whites (or 3 Tbsp tofu)
2 Tbsp onion, minced
1/2 cup spinach, chopped
2 button mushrooms, minced
3 Tbsp zucchini, small dice
3 Tbsp reserved red pepper, small dice
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp cumin
salt and pepper

Garnish:
1/4 Zucchini, sliced thin on a mandoline
1 button mushroom, sliced thin
bed of lettuce or spinach

cozy night in :)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Saute your onions in 1 tsp EVOO, with your spices. Let it soften slightly. Then, add your mushrooms to the pan and brown both sides. After about 4 minutes, stir in your spinach and let it wilt down. Take off the heat and let cool slightly.

Meanwhile, cut off the top of your red pepper. Dice that piece up and set aside with your zucchini. Also, trim the bottom of your pepper to make it sit flat. (Don’t trim it all the way through….you want it to still be sealed). Then, mix your diced raw zucchini and raw red pepper with your 2 egg whites (or crumbled tofu). Once the onions/mushroom mixture is cooled, mix it in as well.

Line a deep casserole dish with tin foil and spray with olive oil. Stand your pepper up in the center and fill with your vegetable mixture. Cover the dish with tin foil and bake covered for 30 minutes. Then, take off the top and cook, uncovered, for 45 more minutes. It will look a little “soupy” on top, but fear not…the eggs are completely cooked inside, and when you let it sit for 5 minutes, the top firms up. This is just the liquid from the zucchini coming out.

To make the garnish, quickly brown your mushroom slices in a touch of olive oil. For the chips, carefully slice your zucchini on a mandoline. Place the slices on a tin-foil lined, olive-oil-sprayed baking sheet. Place them in a single layer, spritz with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake for 20 minutes in your 400 degree oven, and flip the slices halfway through.

chuck full of goodies!

This stuffed pepper was fabulous!! It had such fantastic flavor: it had a slightly spicy note from the chili powder, complimented beautifully by the warmth from the cumin. This paired really nicely with the earthy mushrooms and slightly sweet red pepper.

so healthy!

And it was so beautiful! It was like a pinata with the veggie surprise inside! This would be a great way to get the picky eater in your life to eat some healthy veggies!

How are the New Year’s Resolutions coming?

Until tomorrow!

“Spaghetti” w/ Pink Sauce! GF, V, & SCD!

Tags

basil, carrots, gluten free, grain free, mushrooms, SCD, spaghetti squash, specific carb diet, Specific Carbohydrate Diet, tomatoes, vegan, zucchini

2013!!!!!

I hope everyone had a wonderful time last night ringing in the new year. I know I did!!

This is going to be a fabulous year, I can just feel it!

super yum!!

Did you make any new year’s resolutions? I know I did…I’ll let in you in on one…to post more exciting recipes! I’m super excited about sharing them with you!

Here’s one to kick off Jan 1…I made this the other night for my parents.

so many yummy veggies!

They LOVED it. I mean, they were raving about it, telling me I need to rethink my career path (acting) and open a restaurant.

What was it?  “Spaghetti” w/ Pink Sauce!

Spaghetti w/ Pink Sauce!

And it’s gluten free, vegan, and Specific Carb Diet friendly!

So how’d I make spaghetti without any grain?….Because it’s SPAGHETTI SQUASH!!

you mean that’s not really spaghetti?!

And it is sooo good!

SO GOOD!

Here’s what you need: (serves 3)

Sauce:
1/2 onion, diced
4 roma tomatoes, diced
1 medium carrot, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted

1 zucchini, diced
10 mushrooms, sliced
1 spaghetti squash, pricked and nuked :)
basil, sliced thin (garnish)

Prick your spaghetti squash with a fork all over…a lot! Then, put it in the microwave for about 9 minutes on a paper towel. Flip it half way through. Carefully (it’s hot!) take it out and let it cool for a few minutes. Meanwhile, toast your pine nuts on a dry pan over low heat. Also, sauté your onions and carrot in 1 tsp EVOO, with salt, pepper, your oregano and basil. Let them soften for about 8 minutes, until the carrots begin to get tender. Then, stir in the garlic for about 2 minutes, and finally stir in your tomatoes. Let them cook for about 2 minutes. Then, transfer this mixture to the food processor and process along with your pine nuts until smooth.

Next, brown your mushrooms in a pan with 1 tsp EVOO. Once they brown, add in the zucchini, salt and pepper and let them cook for about 3 minutes.

Once your spaghetti squash is cool enough to handle, carefully slice it in half lengthwise. With a spoon, scoop out the seeds. Then, with a fork, scrape the sides, creating spaghetti strands! Place a mound of spaghetti on the plate, and top with several scoops of the sauce. Then, place a scoop of zucchini and mushrooms. Top with a bit more sauce and basil. DIG IN!!

so delicious!

This meal was SO good…just ask my parents! My mom even posted it on facebook! Haha

The spaghetti squashed has such a wonderful texture…it’s like al dante spaghetti! And that sauce…oh my gosh it absolutely MADE the meal! It was so velvety and creamy! My mom’s words, “I can’t believe there’s not butter or cream in here!” There you have it folks!

gluten free, vegan, and Specific Carb Diet friendly!

Finally, the flavors and textures were wonderful. The slurpy, kinda crunchy spaghetti squash with the creamy sauce and chewy mushrooms were so fabulous. The flavor of the sauce was rich and buttery from the toasted pine nuts. And the basil gave such a fresh and bright flavor to round it out!

what a meal!

This meal’s a definite 10!

What are some of your New Year’s resolutions?

Until tomorrow!

Spunky Spud Cakes! GF, V, BED!

Tags

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

Ever have one of those days where you just don’t make it to the grocery store? You have every intention, but your day got the best of you – whether it’s because Christmas shopping took longer than expected, or because you had a last minute audition, sometimes, you need to get creative with what’s left in the fridge.

super crunchy outside!

Yep, there I was with a nearly-empty fridge …. hmmmm …. a few sprigs of basil, a bit of broccoli, frozen peas, and red skinned potatoes.

so flavorful!

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!

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!

luxurious broccoli and green pea sauce!

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!

Spunky Spud Pancakes!

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

How’s your holiday shopping coming along?

Until next time

luxurious broccoli and green pea sauce!

Green Bean Casserole! GF, V, BED, SCD!!!

Tags

almonds, Body Ecology Diet, gluten free, grain free, mushrooms, SCD, Specific Carbohydrate Diet, vegan

It’s officially the Christmas Season! Break out the decorations, turn on the Christmas music, trim the tree, hang the lights! It’s time!!

me and my pops:)

I love this time of year, if you can’t tell!

Happy Thanksgiving!

So how was everyone’s Thanksgiving?! Our was wonderful. The entire family was together and let’s just say, no one went hungry. Truth be told, we had so. much. food. You see, we had three diets to accommodate! 1) The ‘Regulars’ 2) Gluten Free 3) Specific Carb Diet/Vegan. SO, as a result, there were a lot of different dishes!

We went with “Casual Chic”

And what did I contribute? Wellllll, I made Green Bean Casserole!!

Green Bean Casserole!

Yep, I Veganized and SCD-ified the classic standby – canned green beans with cream of mushroom soup and french fried onions. Sounds like a dish out of the fifties doesn’t it?! Not this one, friends. I used fresh, organic green beans, a homemade mushroom soup, and homemade baked onion rings! It was remarkable.

gluten free, vegan, body ecology diet and specific carb diet friendly!

And, it’s Gluten Free, Vegan, Body Ecology Diet friendly and Specific Carb Diet friendly!

A Remake on a classic!

Here’s what you need:

3 cups of fresh green beans, blanched

Soup:
5 1/2 cups of sliced mushrooms – I used 1 carton of shiitake and 1 carton of button (BED use shiitake only)
1/2 onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 tsp minced fresh rosemary
2/3 cup coconut milk
1/2 tsp salt
pepper

Onion Rings:
1/2 onion, sliced and separated into rings
1 cup almond flour
1/4 tsp salt
5 cracks of black pepper
1 egg white (Vegan option: almond milk)

Preheat oven to 375. Set up your “breading station.” You’ll need one bowl filled with your egg white (or almond milk). You’ll need another bowl filled with your almond flour, salt and pepper. Then, you’ll need a baking sheet that’s been covered with tin foil and  sprayed with olive oil.

onion rings…..gluten free amazingness

Coat your onion rings with the egg, then with the almond flour, and then place on the baking sheet. Fair warning: this is a bit of a messy job. I find it’s helpful to have a “wet hand” and a “dry hand.” Once all your rings are coated and on your baking sheet, spritz them with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake for 20 minutes, until golden brown, flipping half way through. Cut into 1 inch pieces, and set aside.

look at those crunchy onion rings!

Meanwhile, blanch your green beans by boiling them for 2 minutes, and then shocking them in a bowl of ice water.

Next, the soup: Saute your onion and garlic in 1-2 tsp of EVOO, salt and pepper for about 4 minutes. Once they’ve softened, add your mushrooms and let them cook down. Transfer the veggies into your food processor along with the rosemary, coconut milk, and salt. Blend until smooth. It will be thick.

Finally, spray a small casserole dish with olive oil. Toss your green beans with the soup, and put in the casserole dish. Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes. After you take it out of the oven, sprinkle your onion rings over the top. Then, dig in!

This was fantastic!! The flavor was so incredibly savory and homey. The slight hint of rosemary really elevated the flavor and gave it a gourmet touch! The onion rings on top were crunchy and had a toasty, nutty flavor from the almond flour.

yum yum yumm

And the soup was just delicious with the fresh green beans! It was creamy and velvety and just…decadent:)

sweet potato casserole, green bean casserole (the “regular” version), stuffing!

It was the only dish on the table that we polished off!! Everyone loved it…no matter what diet they followed!

SCD Sangria!

Well, except for my Homemade Sangria…that we definitely polished off! One bottle of DRY white wine, 2 “droppers-full” of pure liquid stevia, and one apple and one orange, diced. Chill in the fridge for 6 hours, or overnight.

And for dessert, I made a variation on my Sweet Carrot Pie….Instead of using carrots, I used PUMPKIN! I actually roasted a pumpkin in the oven for 45 minutes at 400 (2 cups) and used the same recipe, minus the carrots! It was truly spectacular.

Sweet Carrot Pie!

And as evidence of how delicious it was, this is a photo of the “regular” pumpkin pie, and what was left of mine on the left!! People raved about it! This is how it went: they would take a bite, close their eyes, and say “oh my Gosh, this is amazing!” I think it’s safe to say they liked it! And the crust was everyone’s favorite part!

my pumpkin pie was demolished!

This Thanksgiving was so much fun because everyone contributed. My sisters-in-law made Brussels sprouts, homemade Amish-recipe apple sauce, a sweet potato casserole (that rivaled Paula Deen’s!), and a gorgeous salad.

so. much. food!

 

My mom made a gorgeous turkey (complete with rosemary under the skin), mashed potato casserole, apple and pumpkin pie, stuffing, and green bean casserole (the 50’s version). So we all had fun cooking in the kitchen together!

look at that bird! complete with rosemary under the skin!

What was the highlight of your Thanksgiving?!

Until Next Time!

Confetti Twice-Baked Red Potatoes! GF, V, BED!

Tags

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

Mashed potatoes are a key player in the Thanksgiving line up. But as I watched Paula Deen add an entire stick of butter and tub of sour cream to her spuds, I thought…there needs to be a healthy alternative to this madness!

Today’s Challenge: Make potatoes taste great without pounds of butter and sour cream.

spud love:)

Easier said than done…..but I think I did it!!!!

packed with veggies and nutrition!

To allow food to speak for itself, and let its natural flavor shine is a beautiful thing. By utilizing fresh herbs and spices, you really can eat delicious, flavorful food, without ingredients that will make a Happy Tummy not so happy!

mmm!

Tonight, I made Confetti Twice Baked Red Potatoes! They were SO incredibly delicious. And filling too!!! My goodness, I was full — in a good way:) And, my tummy was still 100% happy!

what a plate!

Do you remember how Wisconsin was the first place I found that carriedorganic red skinned potatoes? Well, lets just say, we bought enough to feed an army to bring back to Cincinnati! haha…The cashier must have thought we were preparing for a famine, or nuclear war with the bags of potatoes we bought! Oh well…they’re the only potato allowed on the Body Ecology Diet — a girl needs her spuds:)

Confetti Twice Baked Red Potatoes!

Your typical Twice Baked Spud has butter, sour cream, cheddar cheese, bacon, and green onions. All of which, I don’t/can’t eat — minus the green onions:) My Confetti Twice Baked Red Potatoes are bursting with fresh veggies and spices! Delicious!

such beautiful colors!

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

Here’s what you need:

6 Organic Red Skinned Potatoes
2 carrots, fine dice
1 red pepper, fine dice
1 stalk of celery, fine dice
1/4 red onion, fine dice
3 green onions, fine dice
3 shiitake mushrooms, fine dice
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp Chili Powder
1/2 tsp Paprika

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Prick your scrubbed and dry potatoes all over with a fork. Then, place in the oven for 50-60 minutes. Meanwhile, prep your veggies. Saute them in 1 tsp EVOO, salt, pepper, chili powder and paprika for about 3 minutes. Transfer them to a plate when they are still firm, crisp, and bright.

When you potatoes finish baking, take them out and let them cool for a few minutes – until you can handle them. Then, cut off the top 1/3 of the potatoes. Put the “lids” into a medium-sized bowl. Then, using a spoon or melon baller, scoop out a hole in the center of the potato that you can fill with the “stuffing.” Put the scooped out potato flesh into the bowl with the “lids” and mash with salt, pepper, and 2 tsp EVOO. Then, stir in your veggies. Fill each cavity with about 2 Tbsp of the veggie mixture – or as much as you can mound on top! Spray with Olive Oil, and put back into the oven for 10-15 minutes. Enjoy!

fresh, flavorful and fun!

With these colorful potatoes, I servedLobsta Bakes‘ wild, ocean-caught flounder. It was delicious! I broiled it for about 10 minutes in 1 tsp EVOO, salt, pepper, paprika, and chili powder. YUM!

so delicious!

This meal was delicious! The potatoes were bursting with flavor! And the textures were phenomenal! The veggies took on a sweetness from the red peppers, carrots and celery, which was complimented by a spicy heat from the chili powder and paprika!

And the textures were wonderful! The skin of the potato *snapped* while the inside was nice and creamy. And then the veggies were crunchy and fabulous!

Gluten Free, Vegan and Body Ecology Diet Friendly!

Finally, the colors made this meal so appealing! Red, Orange, Green, and Purple! They looked like confetti! Party on! These potatoes may not have been smothered in butter, sour cream and cheese, but they WERE delicious and beautiful!

What’s your favorite potato dish?

Happy tummies!

Weekend Update & GF Spaghetti Frittata!

Tags

brown rice, eggs, gluten free, mushrooms, New York City, pasta, tomatoes

Hey Guys! Happy Monday to you all!

I thought I’d share a little bit about my exciting weekend! Well, as you may know, the NYC Wine and Food Festival was this weekend. And sure enough…I had to go. :)

Giada and Bobby leaving

There was one talk in particular that really struck my fancy: Giada De Laurentiis and Bobby Flay talking about their roles on The Next Food Network Star. Well…I didn’t have a ticket for this powerhouse duo of a talk…so I arrived to The Times Center an hour early and talked to the guy at Will Call. He promised to let me know if there were any last minute cancellations or no shows. Sure enough, there was…and I ended up Second Row, dead Center.

SECOND ROW!!!!!

So if that wasn’t enough, I knew this was my big chance to talk to them about Gluten Free Happy Tummy. So I made up a packet and was ready to strike when the opportunity presented itself.

And did it ever! After the show, I was able to talk to Mr. Flay about GFHT, and gave him the packet! My life is complete:) haha juuuust kidding, but it truly was exciting.

So anyway, that was my excitement of the year:) haha

Tonight I thought I’d share a fabulous recipe for my Spaghetti Frittata! Sadly, it’s not vegan, but it IS Gluten and Dairy Free and 100% delicious.

When I first served this, I got some skeptical looks….spaghetti and eggs? But once they tried a bite they were hooked!

This recipe is a great way to use up leftover spaghetti. But I made spaghetti and marinara just for this fritatta! (shh! don’t tell!)

First: The spaghetti and marinara.

1/4 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 can organic diced tomatoes
1/2 tsp dried oregano and basil
pinch red pepper flakes

Sautee 1/4 onion and 2 garlic cloves in 2 tsp EVOO with salt, pepper, oregano, a pinch of red pepper flakes, and a tiny bit of fresh minced rosemary. Add in one small can on diced tomatoes and let simmer. This is your chunky marinara to serve with the fritatta as well as the sauce for the spaghetti.

After the sauce is prepared, mix your cooked brown rice noodles with it. Set aside.

Next, get your veggies ready for the frittata:

1/2 onion, diced
6 button mushrooms, sliced
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
1 cup spinach, chopped
a dozen or so kalamata olives, sliced

Sautee your onion, mushrooms and garlic in 2 tsp EVOO with salt and pepper. Add in: chopped sun-dried tomatoes and chopped spinach with a drizzle of balsamic vinegar and a splash of water to wilt your spinach.

Take off the heat and stir in: sliced kalamata olives. Set aside.

Assembling your fritatta:

Beat 5 whole farm-fresh, pastured eggs and 3 egg whites with a little salt and pepper.

Spray a square baking dish with olive oil spray. Take out your noodles from the sauce. There should only be a little bit of sauce on the noodles. Try and keep the chunks of tomatoes out of the fritatta (you will serve the marinara on the side). Toss with the eggs and the veggie mixture. Pour this into the prepared baking dish.

Next shred some Old Kentucky Tomme Goat Cheese or use Daiya Cheeze shreds.

Sprinkle the cheese over the spaghetti. Mmmmmm! Are you getting excited yet?!?

Bake in a 375 degree oven for 35-40 minutes.

Serve with the chunky marinara on the side and enjoy!

This fritatta was fantastic. The texture was so enjoyable–each bite had a different hidden “gem.”  There were so many different flavors goings on: tangy goat cheese; salty olives; rich, sweet sun-dried tomatoes, and the zingy marinara. And the spaghetti was marvelous…there were different textures…some got crunchy and golden, while others were chewy and succulent. I loved the chewy, meaty mushrooms too!

A hearty and delicious meal to say the least!

What was the highlight of your weekend?

 

Grilled Portobello Burgers! GF, Vegan, MD!

Tags

avocado, burger, eggs, gluten free, mushrooms, tomato, vegan

Today was one of those days where the sun never came out. Yep. It was gray and rainy all day. I have to be honest…it takes a lot of will power to be productive on days like this…especially on a Sunday.

Roxy’s got the right idea:)

So I thought I’d brighten up today by sharing one beauty of a recipe.

A real treat. A bit of a splurge, you could say…even though it was mainly veggies! I made grilled GF Grilled Portobello Mushroom Burgers! Ooooh boy, these were amazing.

A beautifully layered steaky mushroom, creamy mashed avocado, melty goat cheese (Old Kentucky Tomme) or Daiya cheeze, a “fried” farm fresh pastured egg (optional), tomato, grilled onion, and a fluffy GF bun! *swoon*

hellooo avocado!

Here’s what you need:
1 portobello mushroom per person
1 avocado, mashed w/ salt
1 sweet yellow onion, sliced and grilled
1 tomato, sliced
Cheese of choice – Daiya or raw goat milk
*optional* 1 egg per person
Udi’s GF Bun

gluten free onion rings! recipe coming soon!

I grilled 3 large portobello mushroom caps (1 p/p). I lightly brushed the tops with 1 tsp EVOO, salt and pepper. I grilled the rib side down first, so that when I flipped it, I could fill it with a bit of shredded goat (or Daiya) cheese, so it could melt.

Meanwhile, I mashed 1 avocado with salt, and sliced a tomato for the burger.

After the mushrooms have grilled for about 5-6 minutes per side, I took them off and let them cool for just a second while I fried the eggs–no oil, just a light spritz of olive oil spray.

Here’s how I layered the burger: bun -– avocado -– mushroom cap with melted cheese -– ”fried” egg –- tomato -– grilled onion -– organic ketchup/mustard -– bun. Lets just say I was wearing half of it by the end of the meal!

These burgers were amazing. Hands down, one of the best things around. The mushroom was so chewy and “meaty,” and with the melty cheese…it was just divine! This chewiness, combined with the creamy and fresh avocado was just faaabulous. A burger worth celebrating.

What do you do on a rainy Sunday? Movie marathon? Stay in your PJ’s?

Until tomorrow!

NYC Update & Hummus Pasta! GF & Vegan!

Tags

basil, chickpeas, gluten free, mushrooms, New York City, pasta, red peppers, vegan, zucchini

Hey Guys! I thought I’d give you all a bit of an update about NYC!

yum-tastic!

Pretty much, same old – just adjusting to the new life, and trying to keep my stress level down for my Ulcerative Colitis. I am very protective of my health – something that I’ve definitely had to learn how to do. I’m making sure to slow down, making time to keep my eating patterns regular, and keep the stress to a minimum. Also – getting enough sleep and not being too much of a party animal:) But in all seriousness, I’m protecting my health and putting it first….important and necessary.

So on the acting front, I got my headshots taken last week by the wonderful Sam Khan, and am just waiting to get the hard copies so I can start submitting them to casting directors. I have a pretty exciting audition coming up next week, but we’ll cross that bridge when we get there:)

So many gorgeous colors! Red Green and Purple! — Eat the rainbow everyday!

So tonight, I thought I’d share another favorite recipe of mine. Hummus Pasta!

what a delicious forkful!

It’s Gluten Free and Vegan and completely delicious!

A scrumptious, creamy and decadent pasta sauce that’s light, yet satisfying. How??

With Hummus.

the basil brings it all together!

Yes, the humble chickpea got the starring role in this yummy pasta sauce. Hummus is packed with protein and delicious creamy flavor, without the heavy aftermath of say, an alfredo or cream sauce.

decadent and creamy, yet guilt free!

Here’s what you need:

Hummus:
1 can of chickpeas (aka garbanzo beans), drained and rinsed
1 clove of garlic, roughly chopped
juice of 1 lemon
2 Tbsp Tahini (sesame seed paste — found at most supermarkets)
salt to taste — probably 1/2 – 3/4 tsp
about 1/4 cup water — to reach desired consistency
dash of paprika
scant 1/4 tsp cumin

Fire up your food processor for this hummus! This first step is totally *optional* — Peel your chickpeas. Chickpeas have an outer shell-membrane that comes off if you pinch the bean. I find that the consistency of the hummus is much smoother and creamy like Sabra Hummus if you take the tedious time to do this. But it is completely optional! OK — Put everything –minus the water– in your food processor and give it a whirl for about 1-2 minutes, scraping down the sides every 30 seconds or so. While it is whirling away, slowly drizzle in your water. Add enough to get to your desired consistency. It will be smooth and luxurious!

Let that hang out while you cook your pasta and prepare your veggies.

the velvety hummus sauce beautifully coats the pasta and veggies

Here’s what you need:

1 zucchini, chopped into bite-sized pieces
1 red pepper, chopped into bite-sized pieces
6 mushrooms, sliced
1/2 red onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 big handfuls of spinach, chopped
splash of veg stock
dried basil
fresh basil
reserved pasta water — 1/2 – 3/4 cup

Saute your onion in 1 tsp EVOO with salt, pepper, and dried basil. Let that soften for about 4-5 minutes. Then, add your mushrooms and let them cook down and release their moisture — about 4-5 minutes. Then, add your zucchini and peppers. Allow them to cook for about 6 minutes, until they become slighty tender, but still with a firm bite. Then, add your garlic and stir for a minute. Finally, add your spinach and a splash of veg stock to wilt the spinach. Stir in your cooked pasta and hummus. Thin out the hummus with about 1/2 cup of the reserved pasta and toss everything to coat.  Reseason with salt and pepper. Serve garnished with fresh basil. YUM!

mmmm!

This meal was delicious! It had a wonderful, almost Greek flavor with the garlicy hummus. It was so enjoyable with the bright zucchini, sweet peppers, earthy mushrooms and fresh basil! The sauce was creamy and velvety — simply luxurious if you ask me! The zucchini was wonderful in this because it was almost juicy! When you bit into it, there was a fresh, succulent explosion of sweet zucchini that beautifully complimented the thick, creamy, garlic hummus sauce.

gluten free AND vegan!

What’s your favorite way to enjoy pasta? Spaghetti? Lasagna? Mac and Cheeze?

Until tomorrow!

Lasagna Roll Ups! GF, Vegan, MD!

Tags

basil, brown rice, gluten free, mushrooms, New York City, pasta, spinach, tomatoes, vegan

Happy Wednesday everyone! And a special L’Shana Tovah to everyone observing Yom Kippur today.

Particularly slow day today — but that’s ok. It’s good to have a day like that every now and then. I’m going to be going to bed super early tonight, becaaaause…….

I’m taking my headshots tomorrow!!!! :D

I’m super super excited. I’m going to be packing lots of snacks. Last time I was there for 9 hours! haha (he took me shopping to get just the right look) :)

But anywho, if you follow me on Facebook, you will know that my profile picture is of this recipe…….LASAGNA ROLL UPS!

These were SO unbelievably delicious.

And they’re gluten free and vegan! To make them vegan, just sub Daiya for the goat milk’s cheese!

Comfort food to the max….lasagna! Thinking about it, I thought…how fun would it be to make little individual roll ups!

These were *good.* A bit labor intensive, but sooo worth it. I made 2 sauces: one was a marinara sauce, and the other was the spinach & mushroom filling.

Marinara:

1/4 red onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 can organic diced tomatoes
3/4 tsp dried oregano and basil
1/4 c white wine
fresh basil

I sautéed the onion and garlic in 1 tsp EVOO with salt and pepper in a small sauce pan. After a few minutes I added the herbs. After about 6 minutes, I stirred in the wine, let it reduce and then add in the tomatoes.  Let that warm through for about 5-7 minutes, and take off the heat.  Stir in the fresh basil.

Next, the spinach/mushroom filling.

1/2 red onion, fine dice
~10 baby bella mushrooms, chopped to a fine dice — almost minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp dried oregano and basil
1/2 c white wine
3 big handfuls of spinach, chopped finely

I sautéed the onion and garlic in 1 tsp EVOO for about 5 minutes and added in the dried herbs and mushrooms. I let those cook down until the mushrooms released their water. After about 5 more minutes, I stirred in the white wine and the spinach.  Finally, after the spinach wilted, I stirred in about 1/2 cup of the marinara sauce.

Now that the 2 sauces were finished, I was ready to roll ;) I cooked 8 brown rice lasagna noodles until al dante. I put a piece of tin foil (sprayed with olive oil spray) on the counter, and then laid out my noodles. Next to my “rolling station,” was a small casserole dish, sprayed with olive oil spray.  I put about 1/3 cup of the marinara sauce on the bottom of the casserole dish.

To roll: I put a heaping Tbsp of the spinach/mushroom filling on the lasagna noodle, and rolled it up! I then placed it seam-side-down in the dish. I rolled out the remaining 8 of them, and then combined the remaining filling with the marinara. I then spooned this new mixture over top all the rolls. To really make it special, I sprinkled a bit of grated raw goat cheese (Old Kentucky Tomme) (or Daiya) over top.  I baked it for about 10 minutes in a 350 degree oven until the cheese had melted.

This meal was just yummy.  There’s something about lasagna that is so comforting, and makes you feel all warm inside. The wonderful thing about this lasagna is that it doesn’t weigh you down, and make you feel lethargic like most lasagna do! Since the filling was just veggies, it was light, yet extremely satisfying.  A funny thing happens when you finely chop — almost mince — mushrooms. They take on a flavor and texture that is very similar to ground beef! A perfect filling for our lasagna! When all was said and done, this meal only had 3 tsp EVOO, and a small amount of goat cheese! Wow. Healthy, flavorful, and 100% happy tummy approved:)

What’s your favorite to enjoy Italian food? Spaghetti? Lasagna? Ravioli? Soup?

Until tomorrow!

Vegan Pad Thai and NY Update! GF, V!

Tags

avocado, carrots, cilantro, cucumber, ginger, gluten free, mango, mushrooms, New York City, pasta, peanut butter, radishes, red peppers, tofu, vegan

Happy Saturday everyone! I hope your weekend is off to a great start!

Things here are okay — I’m still sick, but I have a lot of fun stuff to look forward to next week — I’m getting a haircut, and getting new headshots taken! Yay! So excited:)

I’ve found myself missing this little girl lately:) I see so many little dogs around the city. I even saw one yesterday wearing shoes!! #crazy!

So we’re back with another archive recipe tonight…and this one is another favorite! This was my dad’s favorite meal. Tofu and all! And it’s gluten free and vegan!

Vegan Pad Thai!

Slurpy noodles smothered in a luxurious peanut sauce, and highlighted with fresh cilantro and ginger.

This dinner was a 1-2 Punch! A “K-O” for team Pad Thai! No really, this was fantastic. Spicy, sweet and sour all come together in a zesty symphony of flavors that keep you coming back for more!

Here’s what you need: (Serves 3-4)

First the tofu…

1) Tofu needs to be drained. So I take it out of the package and slice it into 8 slabs. I then place those on a paper-towel-lined baking sheet and put a couple more towels on top and then put a big frying pan on top of them and press all the extra water out of the tofu.

2) While its pressing, I make the MARINADE!

Tofu Marinade:
2 T Tamari (GF soy sauce)
2 T water
1 tsp agave
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
1 T fresh ginger, grated
2 big cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 tsp EVOO
1 green onion, sliced

3) Then I cut each slab into tiny little cubes and put all the little cubes into a bowl with the marinade and let them sit — coated — for about 15 – 20 minutes.

4) Put all the cubes onto a baking sheet sprayed with olive oil in a single layer and pour rest of marinade over. Pop in a 400 degree oven for 30-35 minutes, turning each over half way through.

This is a definitely a labor of love for your tofu, but let me tell you, it is delicious and sooo worth it. They caramelize and almost become like candy. My dad actually loved it!

Sauce:
2 grated garlic cloves
1/4 cup tamari
1/4 c fresh squeezed lime juice
1 1/2 T apple cider vinegar or rice wine vinegar
1 T red curry paste
1/4 cup peanut butter
1/8 cup agave
1 tsp grated fresh ginger
1 tsp toasted sesame oil or EVOO (we used EVOO)

Combine those in a bowl and whisk together. Set aside for later.

Then I prepared my veggies:

2 large carrots, diced
1/4 red onion, finely diced
bunch of green onions, chopped
5 button mushrooms, sliced
1 red pepper, diced

At the very end, you will also add,

1/2 c frozen peas
bean sprouts ~ 3/4 cup
thawed edamame

And garnish with:

fresh cilantro, chopped
peanuts, chopped

So this meal is a bit labor intensive, but sooo worth it. There is a lot of slicing and dicing. But just put on some Kenny G, relax, and get in the “chopping zone.” :) You will thoroughly enjoy the finished product!  It is important to have everything chopped, set out, and ready to go, because this meal all comes together at the very last minute.

You’ll want to try to time your brown rice noodles to finish cooking around the same time that your vegetable/sauce mixture is ready to go.

1) Start to saute the onions and carrots in a large frying pan in 2 tsp EVOO and sprinkle of sea salt and pepper.

2) After 4-5 minutes, add the mushrooms, peppers and green onions to the carrots and onions. After the mushrooms soften, add the prepared tofu, bean sprouts, edamame, and frozen peas.

3) Add the hot noodles to vegetable mix and pour in the sauce. Toss to coat.

4) Plate it up and top with cilantro and chopped peanuts!

5) DIG IN!

Just a note: The cilantro is not just for garnish–it really elevates the flavor and brings an appreciated light freshness to a deep, hearty sauce.

With it, I served incredible Mango Spring Rolls. These are so light and refreshing. Here’s how you make them:

1/2 cucumber — peeled, seeded and grated
3 carrots — grated
3 radishes — grated
1 mango — diced
cilantro, chopped
tofu cubes — prepared, see above
(optional – avocado)
rice paper wrappers

Get a bowl of warm water. Soak your rice paper wrapper until it is pliable. Put it on a plate, and fill with 2-3 tablespoons of the shredded veggie mixture. Also include 4 mango pieces, 3 tofu cubes, and a touch a cilantro. Then, wrap it up like a burrito. The rice paper will be sticky and stay together beautifully.

Here’s the fantastic Peanut Dipping Sauce! Be warned! This is addicting stuff!!

1 T peanut butter
1 t agave
1 1/2 t apple cider vinegar
water to consistency
grated ginger

Mix all together and adjust to taste…add more cider if it’s too sweet.

This meal was so delightful. Lets start with the Mango Rolls. The rice paper is such a wonderful, gummy, chewy texture. And they’re filled with the bright, fresh, sweet filling of the carrots, cucumber and mango. There’s also a slight freshness from the cilantro. But what really elevates these to Outstanding is the Peanut Dipping Sauce! Oh my Gosh. It is peanutty, rich, sweet, and slightly bright from the ginger; and goes fantastically with the fresh spring rolls! It was almost like dessert!

Finally, the star of the show: the Pad Thai!! Goodness, this was just Yummy with a capital “Y.” This dish is so fun because there is just so much going on! There are so many flavors and textures! Each bite is a new adventure! First, there is just a fantastic plethora of fresh vegetables! Oh wow! And they all have such different textures! The red bell pepper and carrots are crunchy, while the mushrooms are chewy. The noodles are “slurpy” and a bit chewy, while the peas “pop” in your mouth. The edamame give it a nice bite, while the peanuts finish it with a satisfying crunch!

Finally, the numerous layers of flavor give it such an intense depth and sophistication. There’s spicy, sweet, and sour all at play on your palate! The sweetness from the peppers and carrots, paired with the spicy thai chili sauce create a layer of underlying sweet heat. Then, the slight heat from the ginger, the bright *zing* of the lime, and buttery-rich peanut butter are all tied together beautifully with the fresh cilantro. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed this Thai Treat. A household favorite for sure!

Do you ever order pad thai at restaurants?

Until tomorrow!