Tabbouleh is always a fabulous picnic or party side dish. Light and fresh and and healthy. But for those who are looking for an even healthier version, try substituting the Bulgar wheat and grains for cauliflower. My vogue veggie of the month, this is a fun, crunchy and tasty spin on a middle eastern favorite!

• 1/2 head of cauliflower, chopped into florets
• 3/4c finely diced tomatoes
• 3/4c finely diced cucumbers
• 2 green onions, very finely minced (use whites and greens)
• 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
• Juice of 1/4 to 1/2 of a lemon
• 1 teaspoon fresh tarragon, minced
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme, minced
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon coriander
• salt and pepper, to taste

Chop cauliflower into florets – make the size fairly uniform.

Add cauliflower to food processor and chop for about a minute or so until the cauliflower begins to look like rice.

Transfer to a large bowl and add tomatoes, cucumbers and onion to the cauliflower.

Add olive oil, lemon juice, herbs, and spices. Salt and pepper to taste. Set aside or refrigerate.

Looking to get all the flavor and satisfaction from your favorite pasta but looking to cut out the calories and starch? Eat all the pasta you want with this raw zucchini pasta! It’s easy, colorful, full of flavor and best of all, mega healthy! Leave the guilt behind and indulge in this yummalicious new way to make an Italian fave!

• 2-3 medium zucchinis – slice into fettuccine noodles with a vegetable peeler or mandolin. If you have a spiral vegetable cutter, it will make beautiful spaghetti noodles!
• 1/2 cup fresh basil
• 1/4 cup raw pine nuts
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 cloves raw garlic
• 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast or grated pumpkin seeds

Blend all ingredients, except for the zucchini, in a food processor until smooth. Scoop zucchini pasta into bowls and top with pesto sauce.

Add in vegetables of choice to add flavor, color and texture such as olives, sundried tomatoes, mushrooms, artichoke and  colorful peppers.

For those of us who don’t dine on turkey at Thanksgiving, it’s the sides that really get us in a tizzy. Even folks who do look forward to the bird really load up on their favorite holiday side dishes. Who doesn’t love stuffing, mashed potatoes and gravy? Well, below I’ve compiled some great traditional as well as non-traditional sides that will keep you happy and stuffed through to Cyber Monday!

Maple Chipotle Sweet Potato Bisque

• 4-5 small/medium sweet potatoes
• 1 cup plain soymilk (keep extra on hand if you want to thin out the soup a bit)
• 1 chipotle pepper in adobo
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1/2 cup vegan sour cream
• 4 tablespoons softened vegan butter
• Salt and pepper to taste

Wash and peel sweet potatoes, then cube and boil until fork tender. Add cooked sweet potatoes in a large bowl.

In a food processor or using an immersion blender pulse the soymilk and chipotle together. In a saucepan bring the soymilk and chipotle mixture to a simmer on low. Then add the maple syrup, sour cream, butter and salt and pepper to the milk mixture. Pour the soymilk mixture over the cooked sweet potatoes and again use the  immersion blender or a hand mixer to mix the ingredients together.

Pumpkin Empanadas

Dough

• 1 cup water
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 (1/2 ounce) packages dry yeast (4 1/2 teaspoons)
• 1/8 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 3 cups all purpose flour, divided in half
• 3/4 cup vegetable shortening

Filling

• 2 tablespoons vegan butter
• 1 cup firmly-packed dark brown sugar
• 1 cup pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
•  1 – 1 1/2 teaspoons Pumpkin Pie Spice
• Grated orange zest, to taste

Garlic Rosemary Mashed Potatoes

• 5 medium baking potatoes peeled and coarsely chopped
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 5 tablespoons vegan butter, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup vegan sour cream, at room temperature
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1-2 teaspoons finely minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon rosemary
• 1-2 tablespoon soymilk, at room temperature or warmed
• Salt and pepper
• 1 tablespoon chives, for garnish

In a medium pot, cook the potatoes in salted water until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain the potatoes and return them to the saucepan.

In a medium saucepan, sauté the garlic and rosemary in the olive oil until slightly brown.  Add this to the potatoes along with the butter and sour cream.

Mash the potatoes with a potato masher or hand mixer until the ingredients are blended. Add the milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the potatoes are the desired consistency. Taste and add salt and pepper, if needed. Garnish with chives.

Cornbread, Herb & Apple Sausage Stuffing

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 large onion
• 1 cup celery, chopped
• 1 package Field Roast vegan apple sausage, chopped into bite sized chunks
• 4 cups vegan cornbread
• 1 cup vegetable broth
• ½ teaspoon of each: dried sage, thyme, and savory, with a pinch of rosemary
• Salt and pepper
• Chinese sesame oil for brushing

Fry onion and celery in oil until translucent but still crunchy.  Add in the sausage.

Remove from heat and add bread crumbs, pour broth and remaining ingredients over, and stir well while heating on low.

Place stuffing in an 8-inch square pan. Lightly brush the top with sesame oil and cover with foil, baking for 350 degrees for 30 to 60 minutes, depending on desired crispiness.

Combining 2 summer faves, barbecue and salad, in one yummy dish!  Great for a quick dinner or even to bring as your potluck dish for a summer soiree, omnivores and herbivores alike will gobble up this salad and ask for seconds! People who love reading about and cooking healthy foods often enjoy taking
cooking and nutrition courses. Guide to Online Schools is a resource with more information

• 2 vegan chicken cutlets (such as Gardein) (use vegan baked beans or grilled tofu for gluten free option)
• 1 head red leaf lettuce, rinsed and torn
• 1 head green leaf lettuce  (like romaine), rinsed and torn
• 1 fresh tomato, chopped
• 1 medium cucumber, finely chopped
• 1 bunch cilantro, chopped
• 1 (15.25 ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained
• 1 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained
• 1 (2.8 ounce) can French fried onions or 1/2 cup crushed tortilla chips
• 1/2 cup vegan ranch dressing (below)
• 1/2 cup barbeque sauce

Grill or pan sear the vegan chicken until cooked through. Remove from heat, cool, and slice.

In a large bowl, mix the red leaf lettuce, green leaf lettuce, tomato, cucumber, cilantro, corn, and black beans. Top with the grilled chicken slices and fried onions.
In a small bowl, mix the Ranch dressing and barbeque sauce. Serve on the side as a dipping sauce, or toss with the salad to coat.

Ranch Dressing

• 1/2 cup vegan mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup plain vegan vanilla yogurt
• 1/4 cup vegan buttermilk (1 cup plain soy milk with 1 teaspoon of apple cider or coconut water vinegar, set aside to curdle for at least 15 minutes)
• 2 tablespoons chopped celery leaves
• 1 1/2 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
• 1 1/2 tablespoon diced onion (white or green)
• 1 clove garlic, diced
• 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
• 2 teaspoon lemon juice
• salt and pepper to taste

Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.

Nothing tastes so good in the summer like a fresh salad. And Caesar salad is always welcomed for lunch or even a nice entree sized dinner serving. But how about combining all the health benefits of kale with this popular salad style? It’s easy, tasty and will be a big hit with friends and family this summer be it dinner in front of the tv or out on the patio. Chop it up, whip it up and All Hail The Kale Caesar!

• Juice of 1 lemon
  3 to 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon Dijon Mustard
  2-3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon capers
  Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
  4 to 6 cups Tuscan kale, midrib removed and chopped
• 1/2 cup croutons
• Nutritional yeast, for sprinkling
• Cherry tomatoes, optional
• Avocado, diced, optional

Prepare vinaigrette: In a small bowl, whisk together lemon juice, olive oil, dijon, garlic, salt, pepper, and capers. Place kale in serving bowl. Add vinaigrette and toss well. Add in nutritional yeast, to taste. Let sit for at least 5 minutes.

Add croutons and toss. Top with remaining nutritional yeast, tomatoes and/or avocado.

What better way to get tons of vitamins, nutrients, antioxidants and protein then in a hot, steaming bowl of hearty soup? Super simple, full of flavor and fantastic as a quick snack or even an entree, a ginormous pot of this will last you days, giving you excuse to make time for a healthy and tasty meal!

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 8 large garlic cloves, crushed or minced
• 1 medium white onion, chopped
• 4 cups chopped raw kale
• 4 cups vegan chicken broth (made with vegan chicken bullion)
• 2 (15 ounce) cans white beans, cannellini or navy, undrained
• 4 plum tomatoes, chopped
• 2 teaspoons dried Italian herb seasoning
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 cup chopped parsley

In a large pot, heat olive oil. Add garlic and onion; saute until soft. Add kale and saute, stirring, until wilted. Add 3 cups of broth, 2 cups of beans, and all of the tomato, herbs, salt and pepper. Simmer 5 minutes. In a blender or food processor, mix the remaining beans and broth until smooth. Stir into soup to thicken. Simmer 15 minutes. Ladle into bowls; sprinkle with chopped parsley.

Enjoy on Meatless Monday

In an attempt to keep folks on track with their weight loss goals this new year, I thought I’d offer up a quick, easy and delicious way to get your fruit servings in.  For a sweet snack or even as dessert, this winter fruit salad will help you stay on your diet without feeling deprived. All the while getting a bunch of essential vitamins, minerals and fiber that will keep you healthy all winter long!

• 2 pears
• 3 bananas
• 1/2 pineapple
• 2 oranges
• 2 Granny Smith apples
• 3 kiwi

Cut and slice to desired bite sizes and mix all fruit together in a bowl. Dress with the dressing below and lightly toss. Refrigerate until time time to serve.

Dressing

2 tablespoons orange juice
2 tablespoons pineapple juice
4 tablespoon agave
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Stir together and pour over fruit mix.

Enjoy on Meatless Monday

Are you sick of your new year’s resolution to lose weight yet? Well, don’t give up because here’s a way to make it fun! Sure no one wants to just eat salad at every meal but what if they were easy, tasty and a hoot to make? Salad shakers are a great way to shake up the usual boring salad while also making lunch or any meal time quick, fresh and healthy.

If you have a large shake cup, like for protein shakes, great! If not, go out and get one as they are cheap and you’ll get a lot of use out of it. What you do then is make a salad parfait from all of your favorite salad fixins.

For instance, start with chopped mixed baby greens or even spinach and kale. Fill half of your shaker cup with the greens then layer chopped cucumbers, garbanzo beans, chopped tomatoes, sliced olives, etc and then close it up. When it’s time to eat, pour in your dressing, close it up, shake, and eat!  It’s like a gourmet chopped salad with all of your faves in one easy container!

These are especially great to take to work, on road trips, etc. and you can make all sort so variations. I happen to love a good southwest salad by layering baby greens, chopped tomato, black beans, corn, chopped cucumbers, shredded vegan cheese, avocado slices and tortilla strips and voila, southwest Salad shaker! And ot save calories and fat, skip the dressing and pour in some salsa instead, mmmmm!!

Shake it up the healthy way in 2011!!

Enjoy on Meatless Monday

The holidays are behind us and the new year ahead. What to do after a season of overeating and overindulging? Start it off by loading up on healthy meals! One great way to get your veggies in along with lots of vitamins and nutrients is soup. Not to mention that its still cold out there and nothing satisfies like a hot bowl of soup with a side of crusty bread.  Here’s one chock full of colorful veggies, protein filled chickpeas and more!!!

• 1 butternut squash
• 1 large yam
• 1 onion
• 1 leek
• 10 cups vegetable stock
• 4 large red potatoes cubed (soaked and drained)
• 1 large yam cubed (soaked and drained)
• 1 can chickpeas (drained and soaked)
• 4 tablespoons of maple syrup
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 to 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon a pepper
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Cut squash in half and remove seeds. Rub inside of both squash halves with oil and roast for 45 minutes.

Roast whole bulb of garlic for 30 minutes. Add oil to pot and turn burner to low. Julienne onion, dice leek, and add to pot. Cook on low for as long as possible without burning. 15 to 30 minutes.

Cube yam and potatoes and place in a bowl of water. Soak for 10 minutes to remove starch.

Once onions have caramelized, add vegetable stock to pot. Add potatoes and yam.

Rinse and soak chickpeas in water for 10 minutes and bring soup to a boil.

Drain and add chickpeas. Add salt, pepper, cinnamon, and maple syrup.

When garlic has finished roasting, peel it and add to soup. When butternut squash has finished roasting, scoop squash from peel into the soup.

Simmer soup for 30 minutes or until potatoes and yam are soft. Stirring occasionally.

Remove from heat and blend soup in the pot with a hand blender. Once smooth and creamy, let soup cook for a few more minutes.

Add more maple syrup, salt, and pepper if needed. To make it spicy, add 1/ 8 to 1/4 teaspoon of cayenne pepper.

Serve with garlic toast and garnish with a sprinkle of cayenne, parsley, or both.

It’s time for another holiday feast! Families and friends will gather around their dinner tables after tearing open presents, braving the roads and decompressing from the season.  Make it fabulous, make it delicious and make it healthy with some of the recipes below. Don’t forget to serve up dessert and tasty drinks from the last few posts of holiday treats!!  In addition, be sure to check out our Thanksgiving recipes as well!!  I wish you very Happy Holidays!!

Cranberry Chutney

8 cups fresh or frozen cranberries (2 pounds)
2 shallots, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups red-wine vinegar
2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
2 tablespoons whole mustard seeds
1 tablespoon freshly grated orange zest
1 tablespoon freshly grated lemon zest
2 teaspoons salt

Combine all ingredients in a large saucepan; bring to a boil over high heat. Simmer, uncovered, stirring often, until the cranberries have broken down and the mixture has thickened somewhat, 10 to 15 minutes. Let cool completely and serve or store in glass jars.

Arugula & Pear  Salad (featuring Comice pears from Crave at Work)

• 1/2 cup walnut halves
• 5 to 6 cups arugula, cleaned and dried
• 1  thinly sliced pear
• 1 lemon
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, eyeball it
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 8 ounces vegan feta cheese

Holiday Shepard’s Pie

Filling:
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 1/2 pounds ground soy beef (boca, ives or sub with marinated tempeh)
16 ounces canned tomato sauce
1 1/2 cups cooked mixed vegetables (peas, diced carrots and corn)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Mashed Potatoes:
5 russet potatoes, peeled and quartered
1/2 cups unsweetened soy milk
1/2 cup vegan butter
1/2 cup vegan sour cream
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Cornbread Crust:
1 (12-ounces) boxed cornbread mix (follow instructions but sub eggs with egg replacer, butter with vegan butter & milk with unsweetened soy milk)

Directions
In a large skillet over medium-high heat, saute the onion in vegetable oil. When the onion is soft add the soy ground beef, breaking it apart with a wooden spoon and brown. Stir in tomato sauce and mixed vegetables. Season with salt and pepper.

In a pot of boiling, salted water, cook the potatoes about 20 minutes or until fork tender. Drain well and return to the pot. Whip the potatoes with an electric mixer until moderately smooth. Add milk, butter and sour cream and mix well. Season with salt and pepper. Adjust consistency with more milk, if desired.

Follow directions on box to make cornbread batter.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Lightly grease 6 (8-ounce) ramekins with nonstick cooking spray.

Spoon the mashed potatoes into the bottoms of each prepared ramekin, spreading them evenly with a rubber spatula. Then add the meat filling, spreading that evenly over the mashed potatoes. Pour the cornbread batter evenly over the meat layer in each ramekin.

Bake for about 30 minutes until the cornbread is cooked through and golden on top.

Butternut Squash Rice Pilaf

2 pounds butternut squash, peeled, halved and seeded
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 large red onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 parboiled brown rice
1 3/4 cups water or 1 14-ounce can vegetable broth
1/2 cup white wine
1/2 cup chopped fennel fronds (leafy tops)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano
1 teaspoon salt
Pinch of cinnamon
Freshly ground pepper to taste
Grate the squash through the large holes of a box grater.

Heat oil in a large cast-iron or nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring, until soft and lightly colored, 10 to 12 minutes. Combine 2 tablespoons water and tomato paste in a small bowl and stir it into the pan. Add rice and stir to coat. Add the squash, in batches if necessary, and stir until it has reduced in volume enough so that you can cover the pan.

Increase the heat to medium-high, pour in 1 3/4 cups water (or broth) and wine, cover and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, covered, stirring once or twice, until the rice has absorbed most of the liquid and the squash is tender, 25 to 30 minutes.

Add fennel fronds, oregano, salt, cinnamon and pepper; gently stir to combine. Remove from the heat and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Enjoy on Meatless Monday