Rice Noodle Salad Formula

Use this formula to make an asian inspired rice noodle salad....

Prep:
Boil 4 - 6 cups of water

Sauce:
Prepare a noodle sauce. Here's my basic sauce recipe:

• 3 Tb. soy sauce
• 2 Tb. rice wine vinegar
• Dash of sweet - drizzle of honey or pinch of sugar

Noodles:
Once water boils, take the water off the heat and add the rice noodles to soak and soften
Let stand for 6 - 8 minutes until noodles are soft but firm
Drain and set aside

Veggies:
While the water boils and the noodles soak prep some veggies for stir-fry. I always have carrots in the fridge which I julienne. I also had some broccoli slaw at the ready. Use your favorites.

Stir Fry:
Drizzle some oil in your wok or large fry pan. Saute your veggies until tender crisp. Add drained noodles and your sauce. Stir to combine until noodles are warm again.

Top:
Nuts are always a delicious and nutritious garnish. In the summer I like a small diced crisp cucumber on top.

Enjoy!

Veggie "Reuben" with Minute Pickles

This is one of those recipes that to my delight seemed to evolve on it's own. Last week I made a Warm Winter Slaw as a side-dish. I ended up eating alone that night though and I just had the idea to throw the slaw on some bread and keep dinner simple. As I ate it, I was reminded how I used to enjoy a classic Reuben sandwich. I decided to try to figure out how to make a protein packed variation of thousand island dressing to make up for the lost cheese and meat. The sandwich got rave reviews from everyone. Two big successes in the kitchen this week and it's only Tuesday. Yippee!

Components:
Bread of choice (I used marble rye)
Warm Winter Slaw
KateEO's Reuben Sauce with Sweet + Sour Relish mixed in

You can prepare all the ingredients in advance and then just pile them up for a super yummy sandwich.

I wasn't sure how the kids would handle such a "big" sandwich. So they got a deconstructed variation which included a grilled cheese with all the components on the side. Everyone left the table with clean plates!


In a Minute Pickles are a family favorite. Fast, easy, finger-friendly, and delicious. 
I like to use English cucumbers because the skin is unwaxed so you don't have to peel it and the seeds are barely noticeable. This cuts way down on prep work.

Prepare the In a Minute Pickle marinade.
Combine:
2 Tb. olive oil
2 Tb. apple cider vinegar
1 Tb. honey (agave nectar for vegan)
1/4 tsp. sea salt

Slice 1 English cucumber into thin disks and soak in the marinade/dressing until dinner time.

Warm Winter Slaw

Cabbage and Carrots! What could be better on a cold winter night. If you have kids, you probably know how much they love ketchup. Well, I love Dijon mustard the same way. I could eat it with almost anything. So if you aren't as big as a fan of Dijon as I am, you could just leave it out. 


This recipe will likely turn out to be a base for some more winter recipes. You could add some walnuts to it for a little extra protein power or check out my Veggie Reuben which features a big pile of this slaw and a yummy dressing. 

Ingredients:
1/2 head of purple cabbage sliced into thin ribbons
1/2 head of green cabbage sliced into thin ribbons
2 large carrots grated
2 Tb. olive oil
3 Tb. apple cider vinegar
3 Tb. dijon mustard
a grind or two of sea salt and pepper 

Heat the olive oil in your pan. Add the cabbage ribbons and carrots. Let the veggies cook for a minute or two and add the vinegar and mustard. If your veggies stick to your pan just add a little water. Let them steam for about 15 minutes. Cook until the veggies feel like a good texture to you. I like mine al dente. Season to your taste.

"Go To" Black Bean Soup

This is the perfect soup when I don't have time to A. think about what to eat, B. go grocery shopping, and C. don't have time to cook at dinner-time.  I try to keep all of these ingredients in my pantry or fridge at all times. They work great in this and many other soups.


Because I work many evenings, I often have to prep the food before-hand so my family can eat while I'm off at work.  I often prep dinner at lunch time or if I'm organized enough;-) maybe the night before. For this recipe, I sauté the veggies ahead of time and then pop it all in the slow-cooker so it's ready when we need it. If you didn't want to take the time to sauté the veggies, you could skip that step. Just chop 'em up and put it all in the slow cooker. If you are making dinner at dinner time, skip the crock-pot. Just sauté your veggies in a big soup pot. And simmer until the beans are warmed through.

Heat a skillet over med-high seat. Add 1-2 Tb. olive oil to coat the pan.

Chop these veggies into a fine dice and add them to your pan as you go to soften and caramelize them: (Rachael Ray named this technique "chop and drop.")

• 1 small onion
• 3 stalks of celery
• 2 carrots
• 1 or 2 garlic cloves minced
• 1/2 tsp. sea salt
• 1/2 tsp. cumin
• 1 tsp. chili powder
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. coriander

Add the veggies to your crock-pot (or keep them in your soup pot) along with:

• 2 cans of black beans*
• 1 can of tomatoes (I like Muir Glen Organic Fire Roasted)
• 2 cups of water
• another 1/2 tsp. sea salt and a few grinds of black pepper

Cook on low heat until you are ready to eat.

You can leave the soup as is or blend it up. I like to blend about 3/4 of the soup and leave 1/4 so there are some veggie bites for texture. 

* I like to use organic beans and then feel comfortable adding the bean liquid in with the beans. If the beans aren't organic, I'll usually drain and rinse them before cooking. You may need to add a little extra water if you drain the beans before cooking. 

Enjoy!

Cabbage with Spaghetti and Asiago Cream Sauce

When I first heard about his combination I wasn't sure how it would go, but cabbage and spaghetti turned out to be a refreshing combination. This recipe is cheap, easy, and yummy. The cream sauce is reminiscent of Fettucinne Alfredo but of course healthier than the classic white sauce. Today's recipe is a remake of one of my older recipes, Whole Wheat Spaghetti with Cabbage and Walnuts. Cabbage is seasonal during fall and winter and this recipe is a great alternative to the traditional cabbage soup recipes you'll see floating around at this time of year. 

Prepare the Cabbage:

My family is good about eating their veggies so I go light on the spaghetti and heavy on the veg. You could switch it up if you know your folks will be looking for more pasta. Make a whole package of spaghetti and then just use a half a head of cabbage.

• Slice 1 small head of cabbage into thin ribbons

Prepare pasta:

• Cook (1/2 - 1) box spaghetti according to the package

Make the veggie saute: 

• Warm 1 Tb. olive oil  in a large skillet
• Season with a little salt and pepper
• Saute until the cabbage begins to soften 
• Add 1 Tb. apple cider or white balsamic vinegar and 1/2 cup of water to help steam the cabbage
• optional to add 1/2 - 1 tsp of fennel seeds
• Saute until the cabbage is tender

When the spaghetti and cabbage are cooked, combine them and keep them warm while you prepare the sauce. 

Prepare the cream sauce:

• In a large skillet melt 1 Tb. butter
• When the butter is melted, add 1 Tb. flour and stir the flour into the melted butter
• Add 1 cup of milk and 1/4 tsp. sea salt
• After several moments the sauce will thicken and you can grate 1/2 cup Asiago (or other hard cheese like parmesan) into the sauce

To serve:

• Combine pasta, cabbage and sauce
• Top with grated cheese, chopped walnuts, and/or a drizzle of fresh squeezed lemon juice

Better Than Chicken Soup

This soup is a sure-fire pick me up when you are feeling down. It's quick and easy to make with simple ingredients. With a base of packaged vegetable stock and hearty root vegetables, you can keep the ingredients on hand so that even if you don't feel well enough to go to the store, you'll have everything you need to treat yourself to a healing and nourishing soup.

Ingredients to have on hand:

1 box of vegetable stock - I prefer organic and low sodium

1 small onion

4 carrots

3 stalks of celery

2 large potatoes or about 6 medium new potatoes

Seasoning

• Put your soup pot on the stove and drizzle in a thin coating of olive oil 
• Finely dice 1 small onion, place the onion in the pot and turn the heat up to medium to soften the onion
• As the onion softens in the pot, peel and cut 4 carrots into coin-shaped slices and add to the pot
• Add 1 cup vegetable stock (water will work if you don't have stock) this will keep the veggies from sticking but will also allow them to get some direct heat to bring out their flavor
• Slice the celery stalks into half moon slices and add to the pot
• Chop potatoes into a dice that is similar in size to your carrot and celery slices
• Add to the pot and add the remaining stock
• Add seasoning* 
• For this soup, I used 1 tsp. celtic sea salt, 1/2 tsp. turmeric, and 1/2 tsp. cumin

*Different spices and herbs can have a different effect on each individual and in different situations. I'm guided by Ayurveda in many of my seasoning choices. Check out this link for an intro article on Ayurveda http://www.yogajournal.com/health/1722 and then maybe join them for their 7 day Ayurveda cleanse starting September 12 http://falldetox.yogajournal.com/. My daughter has a fever so I'm going a calm, cooling soup. Tumeric is a little heating but it's anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, and antiseptic are so powerful that I use it a bit. Read more about turmeric here http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=78

Last Day of Summer Break Simple Supper - Simple Tomato Gazpacho and Easy Cheesy Quesadillas

I spent most of this day soaking up quality time with my soon-to-be second grader. Like most parents, I'm ready for my kids to get back to school but the change is so drastic it makes me a little sad. We'll go from spending almost every waking moment together to just having a couple of hours between school, work, activities and bedtime. As the kids get ready for school and my hay-fever allergy starts to settle in, I also am acutely aware that summer is waning. It's time to really savor the signature flavors of summer. Looking for a quick, easy and summery menu I thought of tomato gazpacho and an easy side.

I had always resisted gazpacho, thinking, "soup should be warm and comforting. Well one year a friend made the most delicious gazpacho while we were vacationing at the beach and my mind was changed forever. It's a simple recipe filled with loving care and crisp, bright flavor. His recipe and many other gazpacho recipes call for worcestershire sauce but this isn't an ingredient I usually use so I've modified the recipe with ingredients from my pantry and backyard garden. I've got more common ingredients in parenthesis next to my sauce ingredients which are more normal to me but probably more exotic to most.

I knew quesadillas would be a hit at the table but I had no idea everyone would love the soup. There were arguments at the dinner table. Not about disliking the food but about who was more right about the soup being "delicious" or "good."

Simple Tomato Gazpacho
Prepare the Veggies
The loving care in this recipe comes from dicing these veggies super small. It takes some time but it's worth it! The soup flavors meld and deepen with time so feel free to make it a day ahead.

Dice these veggies super small and add to a bowl:

• peel, seed and chop 2 tomatoes 
• peel, seed and dice 1 cucumber
• seed and chop 1 bell pepper (I use yellow just to round out the colors but feel free to use your favorite)
• 1 shallot (or small onion)
• (opt. hot chili pepper)
• 2 Tb. basil chopped

Dress the veggies:
In a small bowl whisk up this simple dressing and then pour over the veggies you've prepared above.

• 2 Tb. olive oil
• juice of 1 lime
• 1 tsp. salt

While the veggies soak up their marinade,
Prepare the soup base:
In a large bowl, combine:

• 1 cup tomato juice (I love that I have a juicer now and can make my own! V-8 works too.)
• 1 Tb. balsamic vinegar
• 1 Tb. Organic Shoyu (soy sauce)
• 1 Tb. Umeboshi Plum Wine Vinegar (red wine vinegar/worcestershire sauce)
• 1 tsp. jalepeno pepper sauce
• 1 tsp. chili powder

Add the veggies to the soup base and let it rest until ready to serve. Most recipes will suggest you let the soup sit for at least 4 hours (or overnight) before serving but I don't have time for that. I let it sit while I made the quesadillas. No one noticed that I didn't "follow the rules."

Easiest Cheesey Quesadillas
So simple!
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
On a baking sheet, sandwich grated cheese between two 8" tortillas. Cook for about 8 minutes until cheese is melted and tortillas are slightly golden.
That's it... enjoy.

Cabbage Wraps with Black Bean Sauce

Prepare the Sauce

Place a saucepan over med-high heat and add:

• 1 can of organic* black beans
• 1 Tb. soy sauce
• 1 tsp. orange zest
• few dashes of hot pepper sauce

When the sauce bubbles, turn down heat and simmer to thicken for about 20 minutes. As the sauce thickens prepare the rest of the ingredients which you can then serve family style at the table so everyone can feel the privilege of making their own food. 

Prepare Cabbage Leaf Wraps

1. You will begin by removing the outer leaves one small cabbage to use as the wraps. 
2. Wash and dry your cabbage so that it is not slippery when you work with it. 
3. Take a small paring knife and carefully cut through the base of the stem to begin to separate the leaf from the head. The cabbage leaves tear pretty easily so you'll want to move patiently as you then peel the leaf away from the head. 
4. I usually pull back the edges all around the perimeter of each leaf working my way into the center. Continue trimming the base of each leaf and pulling them back. 
5. Stack the cabbage leaves into a pile. In our family the kids eat one wrap and the adults usually go for two. 
6. After you've pulled back enough leaves, cut the cabbage in half. You'll use one half of the interior of the cabbage for the filling for the wraps and you can reserve the other half for another day.

Prepare the Filling
This recipe has two fillings. One with mushrooms and one without. Mushrooms are the one thing that my son detests and I let him get away without even tasting. We should all have at least a little control over what we eat, right?

The Family Friendly Filling 
... only different in that there are no mushrooms or herbs. Although I often do include herbs in many of our family meals, fresh herbs are potent, powerful and medicinal so I take it easy if I'm making something specific for the kiddos.


In a large bowl combine:

• 1/2 of the interior of a small cabbage cut into thin ribbons
• 2 grated carrots
• 6 oz. snow peas cut into thin ribbons

Adult Filling

Divide the family friendly mixture in half so you can add adult ingredients:

• 3 shitake mushrooms cut into thin ribbons
• about 20 thai basil leaves cut into ribbons (chopped cilantro would be excellent as well)

Assemble wraps

1. Choose your wrap - (flour tortillas may be more kid-friendly.) 
2. Into your cabbage leaf cup or tortilla, scoop your veggie filling and top with black bean sauce.
3. Wrap up and enjoy! So yummy  - I scraped the black bean sauce bowl clean!

Here is what else was on the menu today and where I got the inspiration for the wraps. 

Breakfast - green go juice

Lunch - backyard garden salad

Dinner Inspiration = vegetarian times article and wanting alternative protein source = black bean sauce?

http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/asian-black-bean-sauce-10000000665258/

Friday Night Alfresco

Friday is a day I have a little more time to prepare; and more importantly, to actually savor dinner before rushing off to work or practices. I'm always appreciative when I have a little time peruse my plethora of cookbooks and food magazines to find something new, healthy,  and delicious. I had come across a recipe for cucumber gazpacho that I wanted to try and  was looking for something special to go with the simple cold soup. I came across two meal plans (links below) and, as usual, pulled from a few places to come up with a meal that fit my family's tastes and needs. I ended up making:

• Gazpacho of Cucumber and Green Tomato (better known as Pickle Soup)
• Sweet and Spicy Pepper Relish
• Balsamic Glazed Roma Tomato and Goat Cheese Crostini

Click the links above for my recipes and keep in mind the photo of the crostini does not do it justice. This is one of the tastiest bites I've had in a long time. It is on a classic white french baguette but the ingredients would be just as good on a gluten-free cracker or rice bread toast if you are looking for healthier alternatives.

Inspiration for my Friday Night Alfresco Meal Plan

Natalia Rose's Cucumber Gazpacho in Detox 4 Women

http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/cda/recipe_print/0,1946,FOOD_9936_554109_RECIPE-PRINT-FULL-PAGE-FORMATTER,00.html

http://www.cookingchanneltv.com/cook/cda/recipe_print/0,1946,COOK_41503_468966_RECIPE-PRINT-FULL-PAGE-FORMATTER,00.html#

As I'm typing this I'm watching Kelsey's Essentials on The Cooking Channel. She's making this pomegranate glaze for steak. It looks amazing! I'm going to have to try to come up with something to go with it.
Pomegranate Glaze
??? Pom juice
1 Tb Dijion Mustard
3 Tb. Balsamic
1 t. Cornstarch
1/4 brown sugar

I also came across this cocktail recipe to try:
http://www.marthastewart.com/318052/pineapple-and-mango-rum-cocktails

Green Gazpacho

This is a very easy cold soup perfect for a hot summer day. Because I tell my kids that cucumbers are pickles, this soup has the nickname of pickle soup.


Marinate your green veggies:
Prepare veggies and place in a long shallow dish:

• 1 english cucumber sliced thin
• 2 green tomatoes (if you can't get green tomatoes, use another cucumber)
• 1 shallot, chopped (garlic is a fine replacement)
• 1 jalepeno pepper, chopped - discard the seeds and ribs if you want a more mild soup
• juice of 2 limes
• 1 t. ground coriander
• 1 cup of water

Marinate veggies for at least an hour and up to 24 hours.

When it's supper time, simply blend your soup.

Here I've topped it with Spicy Sweet Pepper Relish and Served it with Balsamic Glazed Tomato and Goat Cheese Crostini.

Power Packed Corn Cakes with Zucchini and Chick Peas

These little cakes are adorable and delicious. They still need a little work to pass the "kids love them test" but my husband and I  can't get enough of them. They are my new favorite snack in fact. I started with another published recipe and wanted to give them a little more nutrition so I took out some of the wheat flour and added chickpeas instead. I'll be playing with the quantities in the next batches so watch out for a refined version of these coming soon. I had a request for the recipe though, so I wanted to get them out there for you. Frying them in a cast iron skillet will make them especially crispy.

Make the Veggie Base
In a food processor combine:

• 1 zucchini diced
  
• Chick peas - I used 1 cup for this recipe but will reduce this amount next time so not sure how it will affect the texture.
• 1 small shallot cut into chunks for easy processing (or onion and garlic if you prefer)
• 2 - 4 Tbs. water to make the puree smooth but not runny

Mix Your Dry Ingredients
In a large bowl combine:

• 1 cup of cornmeal
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Make the Batter

• Add 1 beaten egg to the veggie base and mix well
• Make a well in the center of your dry ingredients and pour the veggie base into the dry ingredients
• Add about 3/4 cup corn kernels (1 large or 2 small ears of corn worth if using fresh)
• Combine and add about 2 Tablespoons milk of your choice - any will work. I had buttermilk left over which is notorious for helping to make things a little fluffier and soft. Your mixture should stick together although it will feel just slightly crumbly. The egg will bind it as it cooks.

Make the Cakes

• Heat 1-2 Tbs. olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat for each new batch
• Use an ice-cream scoop to dollop the batter into the plan
• Gently flatten the scoops and fry until golden brown (about 3-4 minutes each side on my stove)
• Keep the cakes warm in the oven until it's time to serve them

Serving
My favorite way to enjoy these is with my Summer Salsa Verde and a little Green Jalapeno Pepper Sauce, which is by the way, my new favorite condiment. Red salsa is also a good complement.

French Fried Potato and Carrot Pancakes

Don't let the name fool you these little cakes are delicious AND healthy. Like my four-year old, it might take a little practice for your kids to enjoy the form of the food but they taste yummy. My seven year old ate her first one and then said, "These are sooo good - I NEED another one." The inspiration for these came from a recipe I made awhile back from Mark Bittman. He had a recipe for carrot cakes as a suggestion for breakfast. The recipe was little more than grated carrot, eggs, salt, and a dash of cornmeal. After recently falling in love with corn cakes and watching the zucchini grow in the garden, I thought they would combine well. Then my new Vegetarian Times Magazine came in the mail. In a glossy centerfold was a stack of Potato, Carrot, Zucchini Pancakes. I love synchronicity like this. I modified their recipe and decided to use the chick pea flour for protein instead of the cornmeal I had used in my previous carrot cakes and a star was born in these crunchy, savory pancakes. Writing about them now, I feel excited to have not only a yummy dinner option but I think they will be fantastic for brunch and maybe combined into a nice casserole when it comes time for buffet season this fall.

Prepare the Veggies

• Saute 1 large shallot* in a cast iron skillet (any other skillet is fine but the cast iron will give your cakes more crispness) 

In a large bowl grate:

• 1 medium potato (I used an Idaho potato but I think a sweet potato would be great too!)
• 2 large carrots
• 1 small zucchini
• Wrap the veggies in a kitchen towel and squeeze out as much of the liquid as you can over the sink

Prepare the Batter
In a separate small bowl mix:

• 1/4 cup flour - I used chick pea flour for added protein and to make it gluten-free but any type will work fine
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper

In the large bowl that once held your veggies (which are now wrapped in a towel in your sink;-)

• Whisk 2 eggs
• Add the sauteed shallot*
• Add the veggies
• Dust with your seasoned flour and mix well - Your batter will look a little like the texture of coleslaw and you might wonder will this work? As the eggs cook around the veggies it will bind the cake.

Making Cake

• Coat your skillet with a thin layer of olive oil for each new batch
• Use an ice-cream scoop to dollop the batter into the pan
• Gently flatten and shape your cakes
• Cook over med-high heat until golden brown (about 3-4 minutes per side)
• Keep the cakes warm in the oven until ready to serve

Serving
I'm going to work on some type of creamy sauce for these the next time. In the meantime, the adults ate them with green jalapeno sauce and the kids used, what else, ketchup! Vegetarian Times served them with a tomato corn relish.


* I prefer shallots but a little chopped onion and garlic work in the same way as the shallot

Whole Wheat Spaghetti with Cabbage + Walnuts

Walnuts are good for your heart and your mood. 

Today's recipe is not kid tested but I think absolutely refreshing and delicious. This is a meal I made for myself on my family's "meat" night. The recipe made enough for my dinner and lunch the next day. Just double the recipe for a family meal.

Prepare pasta:

• Cook 1/2 box whole wheat spaghetti

Make the veggie saute:

• Warm 1 Tb. butter (or oil of choice) in a large skillet
  
• Slice 1/2 head celery cabbage or (savoy cabbage) into ribbons and add to the skillet
• Toss in a handful of walnuts (pine nuts or slivered almonds would also be good)

Prepare the dressing:
In a small bowl whisk together:

• 2 tsp. lemon juice
• 2 tsp. djion mustard
• 1 tsp. sea salt

To serve:

• Combine pasta, cabbage and dressing
• Top with grated Parmasean cheese