Month: December 2021

Categories
Vegetables

Southern Collard Greens

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Southern Collard Greens

This is an easy and delicious way to enjoy collards – low in fat but not in taste! Use smoked paprika for a more traditional take or sweet paprika for a milder version.

Ingredients:

  • 1 tablespoon olive or avocado oil
  • 2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
  • 1 yellow onion, diced
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
  • 1 bunch collard greens
  • 1-2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon paprika (smoked or sweet, depending on preference)
  • salt and black pepper, to taste

Instructions:

  1. Trim the collard greens, removing thick central ribs, stacking the leaves, and then slicing thinly.
  2. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until they soften and color slightly, about 5 minutes.
  3. Stir in the tomatoes and garlic, cooking about 2 minutes to soften.
  4. Add the chopped collard greens, paprika and 1 teaspoon vinegar, and stir, coating the greens.
  5. Reduce the heat to low, and cook until the greens are wilted and dark green, about 20 minutes, stirring frequently. Cook longer if softer greens are desired. Add a tablespoon of water at a time, if needed, to keep the greens from sticking to the pan.
  6. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Adjust seasonings, adding additional vinegar if desired.
Categories
Sauces, Dips & Dressings

Citrus Vinaigrette

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Citrus Vinaigrette

Our favorite dressing recipe!

Makes: 12 Tablespoons

Ingredients:

  • 1/3 cup fresh squeezed orange juice
  • 3 teaspoons orange zest
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil (or 2 T olive oil and 2 T sunflower seeds or nut butter)

Instructions:

  1. Add all ingredients to a dressing container or jar. Whisk or cover tightly and shake until the dressing is combined. If using sunflower seeds or other nuts, combine in blender or immersion blender.
  2. Use immediately or refrigerate for up to 1 week.
Categories
Family Friendly Sauces, Dips & Dressings

Amazing Cheese Sauce

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Amazing Cheese Sauce

This vegan cheese sauce will take care of all of those cheese cravings.  It is rich, creamy and gooey, and also very nutritious as it is made from mainly vegetables and spices.

Ingredients:

  • 12 oz. russet or gold potatoes, peeled and cut in 1 inch dice (approximately 2 1/2 cups)
  • 1/2 cup carrots (diced)
  • 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon white vinegar
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt, or more to taste
  • 1 tablespoon miso paste (optional)
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
  • Optional for nacho cheese flavor: ¼ cup canned fire roasted diced green chilis, drained; ½ teaspoon minced canned chipotle chili; 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin; 1/8 teaspoon mustard powder

Instructions:

  1. Boil the potatoes and carrots for about 20 minutes or until soft.
  2. Drain them (do not rinse) and add them to a blender. 
  3. Add all the remaining ingredients and blend until smooth, scraping sown the sides as needed (adding 1 tablespoon of water at a time if needed to blend- be careful not to thin too much). If making nacho cheese flavor, add spices and blend well then add chilis,  pulsing to combine. Some visible chili pieces will be seen.

Dip tortilla chips or use for macaroni and cheese, over steamed broccoli, etc.  We like to make a large batch and freeze in smaller containers. To use from frozen, defrost and warm, whisking with additional water if needed.

Categories
Salads

Vietnamese Vermicelli Salad

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Vietnamese Vermicelli Salad

This is an extremely refreshing salad and a classic Vietnamese dish.  The very low-fat preparation and amount of fresh herbs makes this an extremely healthful dish. Our proteins of choice are tofu and coarsely chopped edamame.

Our favorite noodle is Lotus Foods’ millet and brown rice ramen noodles.

Makes 4 servings, meal-sized

Ingredients:

Salad:

  • 7 oz dried thin vermicelli rice noodles (or other thin noodle)
  • 3 cups cucumber, julienned (about 2 cucumbers)
  • 3 cups carrots, shredded, (about 3 carrots)
  • 3 cups finely sliced Napa cabbage
  • 2 1/2 cups mixed fresh herbs (your choice of basil, cilantro, mint, scallions), packed tightly
  • 2 jalapeno peppers (optional), cut into thin rounds
  • Lime wedges, for serving
  • Crushed peanuts, for garnish
  • Cubed tofu, edamame, or other protein, warmed (optional)

Dressing:

  • Garlic paste equal to 2 cloves (or 2 cloves pressed)
  • 1 teaspoon red chili paste or a pinch of red chili flakes
  • 1/4 cup fish sauce
  • 2/3 cup hot water
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice with pulp (scrape as much pulp as you can from the rind after squeezing)
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1 tablespoon olive (or other neutral flavored) oil

Instructions:

  1. Rehydrate thin rice noodles by soaking them in boiling water for about 3 minutes or until completely soft. If using other noodles, follow the package directions. Do not overcook.
  2. Prepare the vegetables and herbs.
  3. Place all of the ingredients for the dressing in a bowl and stir to combine. Taste and adjust seasonings. (Makes about 1 cup.) Bring to room temperature.
  4. Place the noodles in a large bowl and top with the cucumbers, carrots, basil, cilantro, and any other fresh herbs. Add the jalapenos at this time (if using). Add enough dressing to coat and toss to combine. (Alternatively, the ingredients can be kept separate as shown in the photo. In this case, you will mix the cabbage and herbs together with enough dressing to coat and then place the other ingredients in a circle around the bowl and drizzle with the dressing.)
  5. Top with your choice of protein and sprinkle with crushed peanuts. Serve with lime wedges and additional red pepper flakes (if desired) on the side.

Note: because this dish usually gets its fat (to balance the acid) from the addition of meat, you may desire to add an extra drizzle of olive oil at the finish to achieve balance. 

Categories
Soups

Hungarian Mushroom Soup

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Hungarian Mushroom Soup

A satisfying, creamy soup with plenty of umami.

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:

  • ¼ cup water
  • 2 cups chopped onions
  • 1 ½ pounds fresh mushrooms, sliced (can use white, brown, shitake mushrooms or a combination)
  • 1 teaspoon dried dill weed
  • 2 teaspoons fresh thyme, chopped (or 1 teaspoon dried)
  • 1 tablespoon paprika
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • ½ cup dry white wine
  • 2 cups vegetable broth
  • 1 cup plant milk (original, unsweetened)
  • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ground black pepper to taste
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
  • ½ cup cashew cream (or sour cream)

 

Instructions:

  1. Water-sauté the onions by heating the water over medium heat, adding the onions and cooking 5 -10 minutes, until the onions soften. Increase the heat to medium-high and add the mushrooms, sautéing for 5 -10 more minutes.
  2. Stir in the dill, paprika, soy sauce, wine and broth. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes.
  3. In a separate small bowl, whisk the milk and flour together. Pour this into the soup and stir well to blend. Cover and simmer for 15 more minutes, stirring occasionally.
  4. Remove from the heat and stir in the salt, ground black pepper, lemon juice, parsley and cashew cream. Cover and let stand 3 to 5 minutes. Taste, adjust seasonings. Serve immediately, topping with a sprinkling of additional parsley.
Categories
Soups

Easy Tom Kha (Thai Coconut) Soup

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Easy Tom Kha (Thai Coconut) Soup

Check your produce section for lemon grass paste, ginger paste and garlic paste. Actually, get all of the herb pastes while you are at it – they make cooking a breeze!  We keep the less frequently used pastes in the freezer, defrosting 5 minutes before using.

Servings: 4

Difficulty level: moderate

Ingredients:

For soup:

  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 stalk lemon grass bottom portion only chopped and minced (2T.)
  • 2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
  • 1/2 small yellow onion, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon Thai red curry paste
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 6 cups vegetable stock
  • 8 oz white mushrooms, quartered
  • 3 tablespoons fish sauce
  • 1 tablespoon sugar, or coconut sugar
  • 2 (14 oz.) cans full-fat coconut milk
  • 14 oz extra-firm tofu (optional)
  • ½ cup snow peas, cut into ½ inch pieces
  • 3-4 tablespoons lime juice

For serving:

  • 1/2 cup fresh chopped cilantro
  • 4 green onions, green parts sliced
  • Lime wedges

Instructions:

  1. In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium high heat. Add onion, lemon grass and ginger and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute. Then add curry paste and garlic and cook, stirring for about 30 seconds.
  2. Whisk in 1 cup broth, scraping up any browned bits. Then add remaining broth, mushrooms, fish sauce and sugar and bring to a low boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 25 minutes.
  3. Stir in coconut milk, tofu, and peas and warm through, about 5 minutes.
  4. Add lime juice, taste and adjust seasonings as needed.
  5. Serve with lime wedges, top with cilantro and green onions and enjoy!
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