Tag Archives: healthy

Summer Sausage Creole

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One of my favorite one-pot wonder meals is this hearty sausage creole. It’s thick, spicy, and smoky and serves great with a side of freshly grilled summer corn, boiled red potatoes and steamy rice mixed right into the stew. The simplicity in this dish is finding a great creole seasoning spice mix you can keep stocked up in your pantry, like Cajun’s Choice or Old Bay Seasoning. This is a great “base” dish that can easily be developed into a Cajun meal served with a cold beer, so don’t be afraid to try different hot sauces or proteins to create your own signature style! I tend to use Field Roast plant-based sausages which crispy up nicely and have a variety of sweet and savory flavors that add a smoky depth to the dish, but any sausage of your choice would work well in this simple meal.

Ingredients

  • 1 14 oz can diced tomatoes
  • 1 14 oz can kidney beans, drained
  • 1 lb (or package) sausage of choice, cut into slices
  • 1 green pepper, diced
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 3 stalks celery, diced
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 3 TB creole seasoning
  • 2 TB olive oil
  • 1/4 lemon
  • 1/2 cup parsley, diced
  • Salt and pepper to flavor
  • Hot sauce of choice to flavor

In a large skillet, cook the sausage, onion, peppers and celery in olive oil over medium heat until vegetables are tender and the sausages are browned and crispy. Next add diced tomatoes and kidney beans and toss to combine. Stir in your creole seasoning and mix. Cover and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently. You can add more creole seasoning, salt and pepper, and hot sauce to flavor. Serve with fresh parsley and a squeeze of lemon.

Creamy Miso Tahini Ramen

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With the recent turn in cold weather following the first day of Spring, I was craving a hot bowl of soup rich in Asian flavors. This savory miso tahini broth absolutely nailed it! Tahini has this creamy nutty sesame flavor that marinates into a delicate creamy soup base enhanced by the salty miso paste without adding any cream or butter. A fresh array of roasted shiitake, oyster and baby bell mushrooms add a deep umami earthy flavor. If you don’t have the Japanese seasoning nori fumi furikake, it is an absolute must have for your spice cabinet that contains toasted sesame seeds, nori seaweed bits, salt, sugar, and miso powder that adds authentic Japanese flavors to any dish. Stir in a simple block of ramen noodles right from the packet before serving, or for a low carb and low calorie version try shiratake noodles which are readily available at in the refrigerated section near the tofu. Top with sliced hard boiled eggs for serving. This really is a truly no-fail recipe that will impress your family with endless possibilities for ramen night!

Ingredients:

  • 6 cups of vegetable broth
  • 2 cups water
  • 1/4 cup soy sauce
  • 1/4 cup tahini
  • 1/4 cup soy sauce
  • 3 TB white miso paste
  • 1 inch fresh ginger, minced
  • 2 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 2 pounds of mixed mushrooms, roughly torn or chopped (I used shiitake,
  • 4 cups baby spinach
  • 2 cups bok choy, chopped
  • 4 – 6 hard boiled eggs
  • 1 block of tofu, cubed
  • Furikake seasoning, or use a scissors and cut up a sheet of maki seaweed for topping
  • Sliced carrots and green onions, for serving
  • Asian chili paste, optional

In a large soup pot, combine the broth with water, soy sauce, vinegar, tahini, miso paste, ginger and garlic. Set over medium heat, then bring to simmer for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, toss your your mushrooms in 1 TB olive oil and roast at 400 degree for 20 minutes. Add mushrooms and tofu to soup and simmer another 10 minutes, then add ramen noodles to broth and let simmer another 3-4 minutes. Stir in spinach and bok choy, then serve immediately topped with eggs, sliced carrots, green onions, furikake, and Asian chili paste. I also added air fried tofu and hard boiled eggs for protein. Even my kids loved this!!

Roasted Cauliflower with Herb Tahini

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Ingredients

  • 1 head of cauliflower, leaves removed and bottom trimmed
  • 1 – 15 oz can of chickpeas
  • ½ cup green olives
  • 2 TB olive oil
  • 1 TB paprika
  • 1 TB cumin
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • ½ cup of slivered almonds

Herb Tahini

  • 1/2 cup tahini
  • 1 garlic clove
  • 1 cup fresh parsley and cilantro combined
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 4 – 5 TB water

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Slice the cauliflower into ½’’ slices down the middle (rather than in florets) and place flat on a nonstick sheet pan. Drizzle with olive oil and coat generously with paprika, cumin, onion powder, garlic powder. Roast in oven 25-3 minutes. While roasting, mix the chickpeas and green olives in a separate bowl and set aside. These will be served fresh, not roasted. Meanwhile toss your raw slivered almonds in a nonstick pan on medium heat, turning frequently for about 4-5 minutes until golden brown then remove to cool. The herb tahini sauce can easily be prepared in a food processor or Vitamix by combining all ingredients and blending until it is smooth and creamy with a vibrant green color. This sauce will last all week in the fridge and makes a great marinade or dressing. Once the cauliflower is browned and crispy on the bottom, remove from oven and arrange on your serving platter. Pour your chickpea olive mixture over the top, sprinkle with some fresh parsley, then top with your crunchy pan roasted almonds. These add an unexpected nutty bite to the creamy herb dressing and the sweet roasted cauliflower – a perfect vegetable side dish or main attraction!

Here are cats in the winter:

Farmer’s Market Farro Salad

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There is something magical about shopping for farm-fresh produce, cheeses, baked goods, and flowers from your local farmer’s market, and now is truly the best time of year to explore these markets and road-side stands because there is such an enormous bounty of produce in season. I love a no-lettuce salad, and this simple Farmer’s Market Farro Salad combines the flavors of warm grilled vegetables, salty olives, fresh sweet peaches, and tangy citrus dressing. Farro is my favorite quick-cook grain as it’s high in fiber, protein, and nutrients and has a delightfully chewy and nutty flavor that makes it ideal for warm or cold recipes. This dish is highly adaptable depending on whatever ingredients you pick up at the market, so don’t be afraid to experiment with produce and herbs and throw in what you have! 

SALAD INGREDIENTS

  • 1 pound of Farro, cook al dente according to package in a medium pot or rice cooker (typically 10-15 minutes)
  • 1 can chickpeas, drained
  • 3 cups mixed grilled vegetables (this week I used eggplant, zucchini, red pepper, asparagus)
  • 1 cup mixed pitted kalamata and green olives
  • 1 cup fresh cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 2 TB fresh parsley, diced
  • 2 peaches, chopped
  • 1 TB extra virgin olive oil

DRESSING

  • 2 large lemons, juiced
  • 2 TB extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 TB Dijon mustard 
  • ½ tsp maple syrup
  • ¼ tsp salt

Cook Farro according to package and then let cool to room temperature. Chop vegetables into 1” cubes and toss to coat with olive oil, then grill on a sheet pan in oven at 400 degrees for 30 minutes, or grill over BBQ in large slices then chop smaller once fully cooked. Mix dressing ingredients in a small bowl and whisk to combine. Add warm vegetables, fresh peaches, chickpeas, and parsley to a large bowl with Farro, drizzle with dressing then toss well with to coat. Serve immediately, and salt to taste.

We celebrated our 13th anniversary last month with a museum visit to see the Frida Kahlo exhibit, vegan and fish sushi, cocktails, cupcakes and a hike!

Father’s Day with a back yard knight’s templar scavengar hunt and escape room activity! More fun for dad than kids methinks, but still a fun find on Etsy. Managed to find some to relax and in the heat.

Tuscan White Bean, Kale and Acorn Squash Soup

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“I am grateful for what I am and have. My thanksgiving is perpetual.” – Henry David Thoreau

In preparing for the Thanksgiving week of feasting, I recently found an absolutely addictive and delicious vegan version of a white bean, kale and sausage soup recipe from Veggie Society using puréed acorn squash and leek as the broth base, and I have happily made four times already! Like me, most people are familiar with sweet roasted butternut squash tossed with fall spices like nutmeg, cinnamon and ginger, but to my surprise the acorn squash purées into a very smooth and surprisingly buttery soup base with a mild sweetness which pairs really nicely with fresh Italian spices like rosemary and thyme. I love the simplicity of cooking with ten ingredients or less, and I especially love a good soup to stock up the fridge all week, and this is one is going to be my new standby this year!

Ingredients

  • 1 acorn squash, seeded and diced into chunks
  • 1 bag or bunch of Tuscan kale, chopped
  • 15 oz can Cannellini beans, extra can if you like it chunkier
  • 2 leeks, cleaned and sliced
  • 1 package of any vegetarian Italian sausage (we prefer Trader Joe’s brand but also enjoy Lightlife brand), sliced
  • 2 TB Better Than Bouillon soup base OR 10 cups vegetable broth
  • 1 TB fresh rosemary or 1 tsp dried rosemary
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 tsp fresh thyme or 1/2 tsp dried
  • 2 garlic cloves, diced
  • 1 TB olive oil

Sauté leeks with olive oil and garlic in a soup pot on medium heat until wilted and started to caramelize. Toss in acorn squash along with rosemary, thyme and bay leaves then add vegetable broth or 10 cups water with Better Than Bouillon and stir everything together. Once boiling, turn down to simmer and let cook for 25 minutes, or until squash is soft. Remove bay leaves then use hand blender to purée everything into a very smooth thick consistency. Stir in the beans, sausage and kale, then let simmer for another 10 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste. According to original recipe your can also add lemon, red pepper or liquid smoke for additional flavor. So easy!

Summer Herb Garden Ratatouille

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It’s almost the end of July, and that means the long hot days of humidity smelling like wet grass are followed by roaring thunderstorms and heavy rains all through the night. And if you garden, this is most certainly your garden’s favorite time of year!

This summer I set up two planters on our back patio and pretty much threw in whatever plants and seeds I could fit. Along with some festive patio lighting, a clean-up of our table and chairs, and a shrub trimming, the space is finally livable again. It also smells wonderful with a fresh lavender plant, a bountiful herb garden and two very healthy and fast-growing cherry tomato plants beside a lettuce bed and assortment of vegetables that are currently fighting for nutrients and light!

If, like me, your herb garden and zucchini plants are ready to burst forth, this herb garden ratatouille is the perfect summer dish to showcase your summer harvest. I’ve made a few variations of this sliced vegetable ratatouille over the years, but this version from Tasty has a rich sweet tomato sauce base to help soften the vegetable slices as they bake, and is topped with an incredibly robust herb sauce that really celebrated my home-grown herbs. It’s also a beautiful display and can easily be shared for a potluck. My adaptation from the original recipe was to remove the eggplant (not my husband’s favorite vegetable), double up on zucchini and add one sliced potato, but you can easily eliminate that for a simple low-carb summer dish.

Ratatouille Ingredients:

  • 3 large zucchini, sliced into 1/4″ rounds
  • 2 large yellow squash, sliced into 1/4″ rounds
  • 1 Idaho potato, sliced into 1/4″ rounds
  • 6 roma tomatoes, sliced into 1/4″ rounds
  • 1 red pepper, diced
  • 1 yellow pepper, diced
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes
  • 2 TB olive oil
  • 1 garlic clove, finely diced

Herb Sauce:

  • 2 garlic cloves, finely diced
  • 2 TB olive oil
  • 8-10 fresh basil leaves, diced
  • 2 TB fresh parsley, diced
  • 2 tb fresh thyme, diced

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large pan, add olive oil, garlic, onions and peppers and cook on medium heat until onions are soft and translucent, then stir in crushed tomatoes. Transfer this sauce base to bottom of a large casserole dish. Arrange sliced vegetables in alternating patterns on top, however you like! I prefer rows in a rectangular dish, but you can also arrange in a circular pattern in a round baking dish. Mix herb sauce and add to top of ratatouille. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 40 minutes, then uncover and for additional 20 minutes. Serve while hot, but also tastes great cold the next day!

Final version bubbling up right out of the oven…

Healthy Butternut Squash Mac n Cheese

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Well it’s January, which means we all eat healthy about 50% of the week but with better intentions. To kick off the new year, I was searching for something crave-able and satisfying that didn’t feel like diet food. I’ve been reading about and this butternut squash mac n cheese for a while now and decided to give it a try. It’s a clever riff on a classic comfort food that’s low on calories and high on fiber, and completely guilt-free!

I learned a few things on my first go here. I cut out the butter and flour from the original recipe and substituted fat free cream and low fat shredded cheese. My sauce to pasta ratio was a bit off and it came out a bit dry so I would add pasta slowly until you have a thick base, almost like a stew-like consistency. I also used a whole wheat rotini instead of the traditional macaroni. Big mistake! Everybody asked “Where’s the mac?!” Finally, I added a vegetarian spicy sausage which I have to say is a DEFINITE KEEPER. The puréed squash provides a surprisingly sweet and luxurious sauce paired with sage flavors of the sausage.

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 large butternut squash, cubed
  • 1/2 pound elbow macaroni
  • 1 cup fat free cream
  • 1/2 cup vegetable broth
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1 cup aged low fat cheese, shredded
  • 3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
  • 1 package Lightlife vegetarian sausage
  • 2 TBs olive oil (for frying and roasting)

Pan fry the entire package of sausage until the chunks are nice and browned. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and drizzle butternut squash chunks with olive oil on baking sheet. Roast for 20-30 minutes or until tender. While the squash is roasting, cook the macaroni according to package directions then drain well and set aside. In a medium sauce pot, add the cooked squash, cream, nutmeg and vegetable broth then use a hand blender to purée to a smooth texture, like a thick soup. Add the sausage, cheese and pasta to mixture and fold together. Pour into a greased casserole dish and sprinkle breadcrumbs on top. Place the pan in the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes.

Hazelnut and Chard Ravioli

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Some pasta dishes are best served room temperature on a cold day when you just wanna stress eat like a pro with little prep, AKA Thanksgiving.

This year we avoided airports and opted for an overnight stay at the nearby Great Wolf Lodge waterpark with friends followed by a lovely dinner with family. I love the simplicity and versatility of this fresh lemony, chard recipe combined with the sweet caramelized onions from 101 Cookbooks. I skipped the fresh pasta prep and used fresh, ready to eat ravioli from Trader Joe’s which means lunch was ready in about 20 minutes total — not bad!

Ingredients

  • 1 container Trader Joe’s butternut squash ravioli
  • 2-3 TB olive oil
  • 2 small onions, thinly sliced
  • 2-3 cups chopped Swiss chard, deveined and chopped
  • 2 TB fresh lemon juice
  • 2/3 cup hazelnuts, toasted and chopped (I purchased whole toasted at Trader Joe’s)
  • 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

Prepare ravioli as directed, about 3 minutes in boiling water and cooled in colander then tossed gently with about a teaspoon of olive oil to prevent sticking. In pan, caramelize the onions over medium high heat with 1 TB olive in a pan, turning constantly for about 10 minutes and then cooled. Meanwhile, squeeze the lemon juice over the Swiss chard and top with salt, then massage the leaves gently for 2 minutes in a mixing bowl and set aside. When you are ready to serve, combine Swiss chard salad with ravioli on serving dish then top with crunchy hazelnuts and Parmesan cheese. My version was heavy on the Swiss chard and looked more like salad but next time I would serve on a long, flat dish to really make the ravioli shine.

My amazing friend Shaun once again had dessert covered and prepared the most amazing Coconut Cream Pie – and I don’t even like coconut! Recipe found here.

Tofu Banh Mi with Pickled Carrots and Daikon

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Nothing says summer more than street food and beer – but it’s even better when you can make it at home! I was looking for a reason to use the fresh basil, mint and cucumbers picked from our neighbors Dory and Andy’s garden who thankfully have quite the green thumb and are so generous with the neighborhood kids tramping through their carefully tended vegetables and raspberry bushes.

This tofu and veggie Banh Mi with pickled daikon and carrots is fresh, bright and crunchy with a hint of spice and is totally crave-able. Sadly, it doesn’t compare to the outstanding lemongrass tofu Banh Mi we used to buy at Nhu Lan Bakery in Chicago but hey it definitely hit the spot. I also experimented with adding the same ingredients to lower calorie Vietnamese rice paper wraps which was also a big hit.

Ingredients

  • 2 jalapeños, seeded and sliced
  • 1 English cucumber, julienned
  • 1 tofu block of your choice (I would recommend Trader Joe’s baked sriracha tofu)
  • 1 bunch fresh cilantro
  • 1 bunch free Thai basil
  • 1 bunch fresh mint
  • French bread roll or Vietnamese bread roll, both toasted slightly in oven or toaster oven until crunchy
  • 2 TB mayonnaise (vegan or regular)
  • 1 TB sriracha
  • Juice of 1/2 lime

Pickled Daikon and Carrots

  • 2 carrots, peeled and julienned
  • 1 medium daikon, peeled and julienned
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 cup rice vinegar
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • Pinch of salt

Bring the pickle mixture to a boil in medium sauce pot, then sit and let cool. Pour over carrots and daikon in a mason jar or glass Tupperware container, then seal and let marinate at least 1 hour in fridge but up to 12 hours overnight is ideal. To make sriracha mayo just combine mayo, sriracha and lime juice in small bowl. If you want it thicker to smear on bread base just leave out lime juice and squeeze on top of sandwich once assembled instead. Assemble sandwich with all ingredients and gulp down with beer!

Lemony Bulgur Tabouleh

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Ok. I admit it. I googled what Jennifer Aniston eats. Turns out she’s a fan of salads, no surprise there!

Apparently her favorite go-to salad is a crisp cucumber, bulgur, chickpea salad with fresh mint and parsley. Bulgur is actually a great grain to add to your diet as it’s in rich in vitamins, fiber, antioxidants, iron and other vital minerals as well as making it a solid plant-based protein. Bulgur is also a low glycemic food with fewer calories yet twice the fiber of rice – about 25% of your daily needs in one cup. And seriously it is THE quickest and easiest grain to prepare; just add 1.5 cups hot water to 1 cup of bulgur and let it sit in a bowl for 10 minutes then fluff it with a fork!

For this lemony tabouleh I omitted the feta and pistachios that are featured in The Jennifer Salad but I will try that next time for some crunch. I opted for medium grain bulgur but you can also try coarse grain or fine grain depending on your palette. Just combine all ingredients once the bulgur is cooled. I paired this with kalamata olives, tomatoes and whole wheat pita pocket which was great after a summer’s July 4th bike ride and day outside. Remember – don’t skimp on the fresh herbs!

Ingredients

  • 1 cup cooked bulgur
  • 1 cucumber, skinned and diced
  • 1/2 red onion, diced
  • 1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
  • 1/2 cup fresh mint, chopped
  • 1 – 2 cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • Salt and pepper to taste