Spicy "Tuna" Rolls and Kale Salad

So this week was all about cooking for me. I was addicted to vegan, vegetarian and healthy living blogs looking for the perfect dish. I made this dinner earlier in the week from Detoxinista and I was blow away with how refreshing and delicious it tasted. It would also make the perfect appetizer for any dinner party.

Directions

1. Roast Peppers (cut off the 4 sides of a pepper and place cut side down on a baking sheet lined with alumium foil. Broil for 10 minutes then immediately place in a large zip lock bag for 20 minutes. Once the peppers are cooled, and the skins have been easily removed, slice the peppers into long strips, and toss them with a bit of Sriracha Hot Chili Sauce. These will become your “spicy tuna” slices!
2. Prepare your sushi “rice.” The recipe called for Jicama but I choose to use a Turnip which turned out great! Simply peel it, chop it, and pulse it in a food processor. Then transfer to a thin towel, and squeeze all the moisture out.
3. Thinnly slice your choice of vegetable fillings- I used cucumber, carrots and avocado– but you can use whatever you like. 
4.  Now its time to roll. Using Toasted Nori make sure the lines are vertical when you place them on your sushi rolling mat. Then add your rice, filling the bottom third of the sheet.Followed by your sliced veggies of choice and "tuna", keeping them in the middle of the rice.
5. Now begin to roll, starting from the bottom edge where your rice and veggies are, and tightly roll away from yourself, making sure the edges get tucked evenly into the roll. Roll the nori into a long cigar-like shape, leaving a bit of an edge at the end.Then dip your finger in water, to moisten the end, and roll up the rest! The moistened edge will help “seal” the roll.
6. Using a very sharp knife, gently cut the roll into 8 even pieces.

Massaged Kale Salad- quick mix of avocado, fresh ginger and garlic, Nama Shoyu (soy sauce), lemon juice, and scallions, then massaged it all in so that the kale would wilt a bit.

Zucchini "Fettuccine"

I made this recipe for Jason and I this weekend and it was great! Its the perfect fresh salad before dinner!

To make dressing whisk 1/3 cup unseasoned rice vinegar, 4 tsp extra virgin olive oil, 1/2 tsp of salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper in a large bowl until blended. Stir in 2 thinly sliced shallots (I didn't have any shallots so I just used a sweet onion).  With swivel blade vegetable peeler, peel each of 4 green zucchini and 4 golden zucchini or yellow crookneck squash lengthwise into 3/4 inch wide strips, stopping at seeded center of each. Discard seeded centers. Add zucchini strips and 1 cup fresh flat leaf parsley leaves to dressing; toss. Let stand until flavors are blended about 5 minutes. Divide mixture among 4 serving bowls. Top evenly with 4 seeded and diced plum tomatoes and 6 TB crumbled low fat goat cheese or blue cheese.

Per serving: (generous 1.5 cups_ 176 calories, 9g total fat, 5g fiber, 9g protein

**I saved the seeded centers and threw them on the grill. Perfect for a grilled veggie sandwich for lunch the following day!

In the Koop

This is awesome!!! Its an edible garden in a box, that allows you to start your garden 6-8 weeks before the last frost. Check out the site they even sell seed packets for rare unique vegetables and other gardening supplies.

Spring Vegetables

Here is a list of the top 5 spring vegetables.

Asparagus

• 1 cup calories 27, fat 0g, carbs 5g, fiber 3g, protein 3g
• Good source Vitamins A,C,E & K, thiamine, riboflavin, folate, iron, potassium, manganese
• Try it balanced in a crudites platter or lightly tossed with olive oil, sea salt and pepper and roasted for 15 mins at 375 degrees.
• Asparagus is a nutrient superstar. An individual serving of this vegetable provides more than 15% of your total recommended daily allowance (RDA) for four or more different vitamins and minerals.

Artichokes

• 1 medium- calories 60, fat 0g, carbs 13.5g, fiber 7g, protein 4g
• Good source of Vitamins C & K, folate, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, manganese
• Try it steamed, thornes leaf tips trimmed in a steamer basket with water spiced with a few peppercorns, half a teaspoon oregano, a splash of red wine and lemon wedge until you can pull off leaves easily (30-45 mins). To eat pull off leaves dip in balsamic vinegar and drag base ends through your teeth scraping off the tender pulp and discarding the tougher parts of the leaves. When leaves are gone scoop out thirstly fibers (choke) and enjoy tender "heart" (base) and stem.
• Artichokes are antioxidant superstars and nutrient superstars.

Dandelion Greens

• 1 cup calories 25, fat 0g, carbs 5g, fiber 2g, protein 1.5g
• Good source Vitamins A, C, E & K, riboflavin, calcium, iron, mangenese
• Try them raw, whole, dipped in hummus or chopped (raw or steamed) in a salad with a zippy homemade low-fat Caesar dressing with lots of garlic.

Fava Beans

• 1 cup (whole in a pod) calories 111, fat 1g, carbs 22g, fiber 37g, protein 10g
• Good source of thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, folate, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, manganese
• Try them: shell the bean like pea pods and cook them in lightly sea salted boiling water for about two minutes. No need to remove bean skins if very young and fresh. Add to salads or toss with whole wheat pasta, shaved low fat romano cheese, thin slivers of low fat ham, a drizzle of olive oil and sea salt/pepper to taste

Fiddlbehead Ferns

• 200 grams (just under 1 cup) calories 68, fat 1g, carbs 11g, fiber 3g, protein 3g
• Good source of Vitamin A&C, riboflavin, niacin, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, manganese
• Try them rinsed several times in cold water (rubbing them gently to remove any remaining chaff), steamed for 20 minutes, and added last to salads or sauces. They're great in a vegetable stir fry with a light teriyaki sauce or in a lemon butter saute with morels or other wild mushrooms.
• Fiddlehead Ferns are another nutrient superstar.

The Best of Clean Eating page 138-139

Polenta Lasagna

Don't judge this recipe yet just by the name! On Sunday night my husband was frying up some Pheasant he had recently hunted so I decided to try this new recipe I found in Oxygen magazine for Polenta Lasagna. I had a bad experience with polenta in the past but I decided to give it another try.  It turned out beyond delicious, super cheesy and even my husband asked me to save him some for his lunch tomorrow.

The polenta (a gluten free grain) is a super easy substitute for pasta and the taste is extremely similar. You can't taste the tofu in the recipe it just adds to the creaminess of the ricotta and Parmesan cheese. Plus its only 221 calories for a big serving but you leave the table not feeling bloated or stuffed like you usually would after a huge lasagna meal. Also a great recipe for lent as its a meatless option.

This recipe is ready in 45 minutes and makes 6 servings.

Ingredients
15oz low fat ricotta cheese
1/2 cup fresh grated parm cheese
1 package firm tofu, drained and mashed
10 oz package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and dry
1 jar roasted red bell peppers, drained and copped
1 jar marinara sauce or tomato basil sauce (i used tomato basil)
18oz tube of pre-cooked polenta, sliced into 18 rounds
sea salt & pepper to taste

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large bowl mix together ricotta and Parmesan cheese. Set aside 2 tablespoons. Add tofu, spinach and peppers and gently mix together. (*I mixed the tofu and the cheese first before tossing in the veggies)
2. Layer 1/2 cup of tomato sauce on the bottom of a 11x7 inch glass baking dish. Place six polenta rounds over sauce.
3. Top with half of the cheese mixture. Pour 3/4 cup of sauce over cheese. Repeat layering polenta rounds, cheese mixture and sauce.
4. Sprinkle remaining 2 tablespoons of cheese on top. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 25 mins. Remove the foil and set the oven to broil. Cook 4 more mins or until the cheese starts to turn golden. Remove from oven and sprinkle with sea salt and pepper to taste.

Nutrients per serving: Cal 221, fat 8g, carb 22g, dietary fiber 2g, protein 14g, sugars 6g

Forks over Knives

This new movie speaks for itself. Please take a second and click on the image above, as the trailer alone is extremely POWERFUL!

Chai "Creme" Brulee

So I was reading the new issue of Clean Eating Magazine (GREAT issue!!) and decided I would make the Chai "Creme" Brulee for dessert one night. I am not a fan of tofu but let me tell you this recipe is delicious and an excellent substitute for the real creme brulee at only 126 calories, 3g fat, 1g carb, 0g fiber and 7g protein. Even my husband liked it :) Enjoy!

Ingredients
1 cup of 1% milk
3 chai tea bags
3 whole cloves
1 cinnamon stick, broken into pieces
2 cardamom pods
8oz firm tofu, drained of all water
1 egg
2 egg whites
1/3 cup plus 2 TB organic evaporated cane juice divided (this is a sugar)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees
2. In a small saucepan heat milk to a simmer over medium heat. Remove from heat and add tea bags, cloves, cinnamon stick and cardamom. Cover and let stand for at least 5 minutes.
3. Meanwhile in a food processor fitted with a metal blade, combine tofu, egg, egg whites and 1/3 cup can juice. Process until VERY smooth.
4. Remove tea bags and spices from milk. With food processor running slowly pour milk through feed tube until combined. Divide mixture equally among 6 ramekins. Place ramekins in a baking dish and fill dish with hot water until it reaches halfway up the sides of the ramekins.
5. Bake in oven for 18-22 minutes until set. Remove from oven and chill until serving. To serve top each creme with 1tsp cane juice and place under preheated broiler until crystals melt and become browned.
   

New Find Kocbocha Squash!

This sweet starchy , Japanese favorite is like the butternut squash cousin but way cooler. Its tastes AMAZING and is a great potato swap. A 3oz serving (about 3/4 cup of cubes) is 30 calories, 0g fat, 7g carbs, 1g fiber and 1g protein. You can find it at select grocery stores and Asian markets. Try it in your favorite Butternut Squash recipes.

Sweet Potatoes vs. Yams

First of all I am not sure I can even tell the difference between a sweet potato and a yam, aren't they the same thing? I just read an article from self.com about the difference between the two and I was shocked! The sweet potato which is related to the morning glory, is lower in calories, has a lower glycemic load and is much higher in beta carotene compared to the yam which belongs to the lily family. As the sweet potato is considered to be moderately anti- inflammatory a serving of yams is moderately inflammatory. Although the yam does have a few redeeming qualities like higher levels of vitamin C and folate the sweet potato is a better bet, nutritionally.


But don't panic as the US tends to use the terms "yam" and "sweet potato" interchangeably and the odds are that anything you bought from an American market was probably from the sweet potato family. To find a true yam you'll probably have to go to an international market that carries a lot of African or Caribbean foods. True Yams are quite larger than sweet potatoes and can be up to the length of someones arm, as they are usually cut into smaller chunks.

Creamy Cauliflower Soup

There's nothing better than a bowl of warm soup on a cool fall day. This recipe is so simple I had to share!

Serves 4

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. In a medium pot combine 2 1/2 cups of low sodium chicken broth and florets from 1 head of cauliflower, season with kosher salt and ground pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce and simmer. Cover and cook until cauliflower is very tender, about 20 minutes. Working in batches puree cauliflower until smooth (thin it with broth if necessary).
2. Meanwhile on a small baking sheet toss 8 small cauliflower leaves or 2 large leaves coarsely chopped with 1/4 tsp of extra virgin olive oil; season with salt and pepper. Roast until brown and tender, about 10 minutes. Serve as a garnish on soup.

Per serving: 80 calories, 1g unsaturated fat, 12g carbs, 8g protein, 5g fiber.
Whole Living November 2010

Quinoa Pilaf with Pine Nuts

Ingredients

2 cups of low-sodium chicken broth

1 cup quinoa, rinsed

1/4 cup pine nuts

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 large onion, chopped

1/3 cup chopped parsley leaves

salt and pepper

• Put the broth and quinoa in a medium sized saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover and cook for 15 to 20 minutes, until liquid is absorbed and grain is tender.
• Meanwhile toast the nuts in a large dry skillet over medium-high heat until golden brown and fragrant, about 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove nuts from pan and set aside.
• Heat the oil in the same skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions soften and begin to brown, about 6 minutes.
• When the quinoa is done, fluff with a fork and transfer to a large serving bowl. Stir in the pine nuts, onions and parsley. Season with salt and pepper and serve.

Per Serving (yields 6 servings, 3/4 cup each) 180 calories; total fat 8g, protein 6g, carb 23g, fiber 2g, cholesterol 0mg, sodium 30mg

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