Grilled Adobo Tofu and Veggies over Fresh Citrus Salsa and Cilantro Sunflower Seed Pesto PLUS Tips on How to Make Tofu Look Like Chicken!

 Articles and Reading, Dairy Free, Egg Free, Favorites, Gluten Free, High Protein, How To Video, Kid Friendly, Lighter Fare, Low Cal, Main Meal, Native Sun Recipe, Raw, Tips, Vegan, Vegetarian  8 Responses »
Apr 162013
 

Grilled Adobo Tofu and Veggies
Open your mind……

“Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.” ― Michael Pollan, In Defense of Food: An Eater’s Manifesto

Grilled Adobo Tofu and Veggies over Fresh Citrus Salsa and Cilantro Sunflower Seed Pesto

Grilled Adobo Tofu and Veggies over Fresh Citrus Salsa and Cilantro Sunflower Seed Pesto

“Many people know that animals around the world are treated badly, yet they turn their minds away.” - Ruby Roth, Vegan is Love

So I say…..open your mind to what is going on in factory farms. 

“Were the walls of our meat industry to become transparent, literally or even figuratively, we would not long continue to raise, kill, and eat animals the way we do.”
― Michael Pollan, The Omnivore’s Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals
 

“I would NEVER.”  Some people say.
Never give up meat. Give up dairy. Eat tofu.

I do believe I heard that out of my husband’s mouth.

(But curiosity got the best of him.)

It looks like chicken.

“Hey! It’s pretty good!”

Score.

Grilled Adobo Tofu and Veggies over Fresh Citrus Salsa and Cilantro Sunflower Seed Pesto

Grilled Adobo Tofu and Veggies over Fresh Citrus Salsa and Cilantro Sunflower Seed Pesto

How did I manage to do this and WHY?

Let’s start with the why.

For the same reason I would pre-prep and pre-make dishes for my CSA….so folks would at least try it.  Even ONE meat and dairy free meal helps your body, the environment and, of course, the animals that were not eaten.

“But that’s the challenge — to change the system more than it changes you.”
― Michael Pollan, The Omnivore’s Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals
Grilled Adobo Tofu and Veggies over Fresh Citrus Salsa and Cilantro Sunflower Seed Pesto

Grilled Adobo Tofu and Veggies over Fresh Citrus Salsa and Cilantro Sunflower Seed Pesto

The HOW.

Tips on how to make tofu look like chicken.

Step 1: Press well.  Do this the day before you are going to eat it or at least a few hours in advance.  I LOVE my tofu xpress, or you can simply wrap the tofu in thick paper towels and a kitchen towel, place it between two plates and weight down the top plate with a very heavy book and/or soup cans.  If you are pressing it overnight, place in the fridge; if not, it is fine to leave on the counter.

Step 2: Cut around the entire tofu to remove any flat planes and edges – think chicken breast. Save all the little shreds to season and throw on a salad.

Step 3: Now cut the tofu into similarly sized but asymmetrical pieces.

Step 4: Run your knife along the flat planes making small downward cuts to shred the edges a bit and then throw the tofu in the marinade.  See the below video and I promise to get a better one soon! Stay tuned…..

(All these steps will also help the marinade seep in a bit better.)

Ever wondered how to disguise tofu? This very humorous, last minute (and shaky) video shows you how. 
Warning: The videographer was my 4 year old.

 Now that all the nuts and bolts are out of the way, let’s get down to the food.

The weather is getting warmer and people are ready to start grilling!  There is nothing like a nice crisp char on some veggies and a mouth-watering, marinated protein-of-choice (tempeh would be great too) - perfect with cool salsa and creamy avocado.  This whole concoction, nestled in a bed of aromatic-nutty cilantro and sunflower seed pesto, is a perfect medley of flavor, texture and temperature.

Grilled Adobo Tofu and Veggies over Fresh Citrus Salsa and Cilantro Sunflower Seed Pesto

Grilled Adobo Tofu and Veggies over Fresh Citrus Salsa and Cilantro Sunflower Seed Pesto 

Grilled Adobo Tofu and Veggies over Fresh Citrus Salsa and Cilantro Sun Flower Seed Pesto  

 ___________________________________

Grilled Adobo Tofu and Veggies

Grilled Adobo Tofu and Veggies

 Grilled Adobo Tofu and Veggies

Serves 6
Vegan, Gluten Free
Printable Recipe
Tip: Press the tofu overnight and then marinate during the day.

Ingredients

1 block organic, extra firm tofu, pressed 1 hour to overnight
2 Tbsp + 2 tsp adobo seasoning
1 Tbsp + 2 tsp olive oil
2 fresh zucchini, sliced
1 onion, quartered and cut into chunks
5oz button mushrooms

Adobo Seasoning Recipe
Notes: You will definitely have left over.
This step can be skipped by purchasing pre-mixed adobo seasoning.
2 tsp each; garlic powder, black pepper, onion powder, cumin, dried oregano
1 tsp chili powder
1 Tbsp paprika
2 Tbsp salt

Directions

1. Mix 2 Tbsp adobo seasoning and 1 Tbsp olive oil in a large bowl; cut tofu into chunks (see tip on how to make tofu look like chicken) and add to bowl; toss to coat and set aside for at least an hour or the day.

2. Preheat grill to medium high; season the vegetables with remaining 2 tsp adobo seasoning and 2 tsp olive oil; toss to coat.

3. Thread veggies and tofu onto skewers in an alternating pattern; spray with organic, non-stick spray.

4. Grill until nice char marks appear and vegetables are soft but not mushy; 5-10 minutes on one side and 5 or so minutes on the next.

Full Nutrition Info

Fresh Citrus Salsa

Fresh Citrus Salsa

Fresh Citrus Salsa

Serves 6
Vegan, Gluten Free
Printable Recipe

Ingredients

2 tomatoes, chopped
1 navel orange, peeled and chopped
1/4 red onion, chopped
Juice 1 lime
1 avocado, seeded and chopped
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
Dash coarse sea salt

Directions

1. Mix all ingredients in a medium bowl.

Full Nutrition Info

Cilantro Sunflower Seed Pesto

Cilantro Sunflower Seed Pesto

Cilantro Sunflower Seed Pesto

Serves 6
Vegan, Gluten Free
Printable Recipe

Ingredients

1 cup fresh cilantro
1 Tbsp chopped onion
2 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup roasted sunflower seeds
1/8 – 1/4 tsp coarse sea salt (depending on taste)
1/4 cup water

Directions

1. Mix all ingredients in Magic Bullet or blender.

!Full Nutrition Info

Enjoy this grilled Adobo Tofu and Veggies

Wine Down Wednesday – Caramelized Onion, Butternut Squash, Mushroom and Thyme Pizza with Garlic Chive Pesto with Dr Hermann Riesling and Organic Pares Balta Penedes Garnatxa Cabernet

 Main Meal, Side Dish, Vegetarian  No Responses »
Jun 202012
 
Welcome back to Wine Down Wednesday where I review a vegetarian dish paired with two different wines from Broadbent Selections.
To pair wines with a meatless dish we must look at the spices and main flavors of the recipe.
In this case, mushrooms, thyme, butternut, garlic and chives.
The wines to pair are Organic Pares Balta Penedes Garnatxa Cabernet, 2009, Spain  and Dr Hermann Riesling , 2011, Mosel Germany 
Organic Pares Balta Penedes Garnatxa Cabernet, 2009, Spain and Dr Hermann Riesling , 2011, Mosel Germany
This dish was one of those created on the fly.  I had butternut, mushroom and thyme on hand and the caramelized onions are a given when I’m making any pizza.  A tomato based sauce did not sound appealing so I grabbed some fresh chives from my herb garden and made a simple pesto by blended them with garlic, salt and a bit of olive oil.
Fresh Pesto
Here is the rating info.

Categories

Category #1 – How well my dish turned out.
Category #2 – How well I like the wine (and fellow tasters).
Category #3 – Pairing notes – How well this wine pairs with the dish.

Rating Scale
Bleck -This wine is pretty bad.
Ho Hum- I could drink it if I was at a football game and there was nothing else in the cooler.
Nice -Good table wine. I would keep this in the wine cooler if it was a good value.
Yum – This is good, I would pay a fair bit more and have it for a special occasion.
Damn that’s Good – Self explanatory.
** We will use the same terminology for how the dish turned out and how well it paired.

Category #1 How well the dish turned out.

Caramelized Onion, Butternut Squash, Mushroom and Thyme Pizza
with Garlic Chive Pesto Rating of  YUM

I liked the freshness of the herbs and chives with the earthiness of the mushrooms.  The caramelized onions and butternut squash add a touch of sweetness.  It made for an interesting appetizer on Father’s Day as opposed to the usual chips n’ salsa.

Category #2 The Wines

I actually did this wine tasting on Sunday during Father’s Day; the participants inlcuded me, my Mom and Dad, my father in law Paul and my brother in law Matt.  Paul’s career takes him around the world to many of the American Embassies to review energy efficiency.  During his visits he enjoys local wineries and sampling regional wines so we dubbed him our “expert” of the tasting.

Organic Pares Balta Penedes Garnatxa Cab

Organic Pares Balta Penedes Garnatxa Cabernet, 2009, Spain
” Black cherry, flecks of earth, anise, wild herbs, graphite.   Soft tannins, sees about 7 mos of oak.”
PARES BALTA is a family owned organic winery about half an hour south of Barcelona. The winemakers are two young women, Maria Elena Jimenez and Marta Casas. Pares Balta has a National Park as part of its land holdings. Pares Balta has their own colony of bees to pollinate the vines and a flock of sheep to eat weeds in the vineyards and provide a natural compost. These vineyards have never seen chemicals.

Me rating of YUM, lovely medium body, herby, earthy, toast
Mom rating of Nice, woody, smooth, no aftertaste, dry finish
Dad rating of Nice, dry
Paul rating of YUM, reminds him of Malbec, spicy
Matt rating of Nice-YUM, dry for him – likes his wine a bit sweeter

Dr Hermann Riesling

Dr Hermann Riesling , 2011, Mosel Germany “Fine concentration and intensity mark this creamy white, which offers apricot, apple compote and vanilla flavors tinged by botrytis. There’s enough acidity to keep this light and long on the finish.” This wine is fermented in steel tanks for 6 to 12 weeks and the winery is run by Dr Rudy Hermann and his so Christian. The family has been in wine making for several hundred years. Me rating of YUM, now mind you, I’m not a fan of sweet wines, but if I was, I would love this one. It is a little fizzy, cool, sweet and tasted like honey
Mom rating of YUM, smooth, could drink a lot of this
Dad rating of ho hum, not a fan of sweet wines
Paul rating of Nice, the more he drank the more he liked it. Tasted pears.
Matt rating of ho hum, likes drier wines. Reminded him of muscadine grapes

Category #3 The Pairing

Organic Pares Balta Penedes Garnatxa Cabernet, 2009, Spain Rating of Damn that’s Good
It tamed the garlic a bit and the wine became a sweeter as I started munching the pizza.

Dr Hermann Riesling , 2011, Mosel Germany Rating of YUMThe riesling enhanced the fresh herby flavor, the sweet butternut squash and earthy mushrooms.

Caramelized Onion, Butternut Squash, Mushroom and Thyme Pizza with Garlic Chive Pesto
Where to buy
All the wines will be for sale locally at the Grotto in San Marco. You can contact Mitch Woodlief, grottomitch@aol.com with questions and pricing and anyone outside the Greater Jacksonville area can contact E-MAIL: info@broadbent.com PHONE: US +1 415-931-1725.
Caramelized Onion, Butternut Squash, Mushroom and Thyme Pizza with Garlic Chive Pesto
Caramelized Onion, Butternut Squash, Mushroom and Thyme Pizza with Garlic Chive Pesto
Serves 8 appetizer size or 4 dinner
Vegetarian
Ingredients
1 Tbsp Earth Balance or other vegan butter
2 onions, sliced thinly
1 Tbsp olive oil
10oz (283 grams) cubed butternut squash, I used frozen
5oz (141 grams) mixed mushrooms, I used frozen organic Asian blend (about 1/2 bag)
1  tsp thyme
1/2 tsp salt
Fresh ground pepper
1 pkgs whole wheat naan (2 naan bread)
Garlic Chive Pesto
1 large clove garlic, pressed
1 handful fresh chives, minced
1 Tbsp water
2 Tbsp olive oil
1/8 tsp sea salt (increase to taste)
Directions
1. Heat 1 Tbsp Earth Balance over medium high heat.  Add onions, stir and reduce heat to low; cook, stirring frequently, about 30 minutes adding water or broth it mixture begins sticking; remove onions from pan.  Add 1 Tbsp olive oil to pan, increase heat to medium high; stir in butternut squash, mushrooms, thyme, salt and pepper.  Cook about 10 minutes or until mixture is heated through and butternut begins to brown, stirring frequently.  Stir onions back in, remove pan from heat and set aside.
2. Preheat oven to 400F.  Blend pesto ingredients in Magic Bullet or mix well by hand.  Place naan on a baking sheet; top each with half pesto mixture and half butternut squash mixture.  Bake about 10 minutes or until all ingredients are heated through.
Nutrition Facts
4 Servings
Amount Per Serving

Calories 370.4
Total Fat 18.9 g
Saturated Fat 3.2 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 1.9 g
Monounsaturated Fat 8.4 g
Cholesterol 0.0 mg
Sodium 891.0 mg
Potassium 412.8 mg
Total Carbohydrate 47.0 g
Dietary Fiber 4.8 g
Sugars 3.9 g
Protein 8.7 g

Vitamin A 101.9 %
Vitamin C 28.7 %

*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

Nutrition Facts
8 Servings
Amount Per Serving

Calories 185.2
Total Fat 9.5 g
Saturated Fat 1.6 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.9 g
Monounsaturated Fat 4.2 g
Cholesterol 0.0 mg
Sodium 445.5 mg
Potassium 206.4 mg
Total Carbohydrate 23.5 g
Dietary Fiber 2.4 g
Sugars 2.0 g
Protein 4.3 g

Vitamin A 51.0 %
Vitamin C 14.3 %
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

Wine Down Wednesdays with a Dish and a Wine Pairing from Broadbent Selections

 Dairy Free, Egg Free, Gluten Free, Lighter Fare, Soy Free, Vegan, Vegetarian  No Responses »
Mar 142012
 



Welcome to Wine Down Wednesday where I will feature some lovely wine pairings with a vegan dish. This all came about a few weeks ago when my friend Gregg and fellow yogi (who also happens, lucky for me, to be the VP – Director of Sales for Broadbent Selections) approached me with a suggestion to do a wine pairing

Here he is with Adi, the wine maker of the Chenin Blanc. 
Gregg is the one in the white.



I was excited about this prospect as I rarely see wine pairing suggestions with anything other than meats or seafood -what a unique opportunity to offer an alternative!

Going into a wine shop can be overwhelming because of the numerous wine regions and the multitude of grape varietals.  While I’m no expert, I’m thrilled to learn more about wine. It will be nice to take this in small bites of two at-a-time learning about the background of each wine to give it more depth in my mind. This informal section will post several Wednesdays a month.
Thanks Gregg!

  The selection suggestions for this dish are as follows:
BADENHORST ‘Secateurs’ Chenin Blanc 2011,
(Swartland, South Afria)
The proprietors, Hein and Adi Badenhorst, make the wine as naturally and biologically as possible.  The vines are un-irrigated and are grown from vines planted in the early 60′s.

 and, CHATEAU MUSAR Jeune Rouge 2009, (Bekaa Valley, Lebanon).  In Lebanon, this wine is known as Cuvee Rouge and it is a blend of grapes; Cinsaut, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah.  It’s all organic and has only a tiny trace of sulphites.


The Categories
Category #1 – How well my dish turned out.
Category #2 – How well I (and fellow tasters) like the wine.
Category #3 – Pairing notes – How well each wine pairs with the dish.
Official Wine Rating Scale
Bleck -This wine is pretty bad.
Ho Hum- I would drink it if I was at a football game and there was nothing else in the cooler.
Nice -Good table wine. I would keep this in the wine cooler if it was a good value.
Yum – This is good, I would pay a fair bit more and have it for a special occasion.
Damn that’s Good – Self explanatory.
** We will use the same terminology for how the dish turned out and how well it paired.

 
Category #1 – The dish
Balsamic Garlic Mushrooms over Pasta
Rating of Damn that’s Good.  If I do say so myself.

This dish couldn’t have turned out better and is going under “favorites”. It had a great balance of flavor – tart, salty, sweet and aromatic. I preferred the mixed mushrooms as they had a bit more bite than the portabellas I tried this with first. The key is definitely the little dash of honey. You don’t really know it’s there but it brings out the sweetness of the balsamic.

Category #2 – The wines
BADENHORST ‘Secateurs’ Chenin Blanc 2011, ( Swartland, South Africa)
Rating of YUM.
It was light and refreshing.  It reminded me of peaches and sweetness but without the sweetness, if that makes any sense.  It was nice and dry – just like I like it!
The Chateau Musar Jeune Rouge
Also Rating of YUM; however, two of the others that tried this gave it a Damn that’s Good.
Possibly because it was red I was thinking berries more than peach.  It had a bit more body than the white without being heavy.  Interestingly this wine is similar to the chenin as far as being a dry wine with the perception of sweetness.
Category #3 – The pairing notes

The rating for the pairing on both wines gets a Damn that’s Good.  It was interesting how the two wines paired with this dish. I loved the meatiness of the mushrooms with the Jeune Rouge and the sweet/tart balsamic with the Chenin Blanc. Lip smakin’ good. 

Since half the group really loved the red I would probably serve this dish with the Jeune Rouge but if it was just me I would go with the Chenin Blanc. I prefer dry to semi dry white wine because it seems to just go with the warmer weather in Florida.

Where to buy

All the wines will be for sale locally at the Grotto in San Marco. You can contact Mitch Woodlief, grottomitch@aol.com with questions and pricing and anyone outside the Greater Jacksonville area can contact E-MAIL: info@broadbent.com PHONE: US +1 415-931-1725.

Garlic Balsamic Mushroom Pasta
Inspired by Mushroom Stroganoff, E2 Diet
Serves 2-4
Vegan, Gluten Free, Dairy Free

Ingredients

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 small onion, diced
1 large clove garlic, minced
10 oz mixed mushrooms, I used Woodstock Farms Organic Frozen (or any mushrooms you like)
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 1/2 tsp agave
Coarse sea salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
4oz Fettuccini, I used Tinkyada Brown Rice
Chives for garnish, optional

Directions

1. Heat olive oil over medium high heat.  Add onions and cook about 5 minutes, lower heat, add garlic and cook an additional 2 minutes; add mushrooms, vinegar, honey, salt and pepper.  Simmer about 20 minutes or until balsamic vinegar has cooked down to a sauce.

2. Meanwhile cook pasta to package directions.

3. Divide pasta and mushroom mixture over four bowls, garnish with chives.  Serve with BADENHORST ‘Secateurs’ Chenin Blanc 2011, (Swartland, South Africa) or CHATEAU MUSAR Jeune Rouge 2009, (Bekaa Valley, Lebanon).
Nutrition Facts
4 Servings

Amount Per Serving

Calories 263.7
Total Fat 13.8 g
Saturated Fat 2.1 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 1.2 g
Monounsaturated Fat 10.0 g
Cholesterol 0.0 mg
Sodium 54.9 mg
Potassium 304.8 mg
Total Carbohydrate 29.7 g
Dietary Fiber 2.2 g
Sugars 3.5 g
Protein 4.5 g


Vitamin B-12 0.5 %
Vitamin B-6 5.6 %
Vitamin C 5.1 %
Vitamin D 13.5 %
Vitamin E 8.9 %
Calcium 0.7 %
Copper 12.0 %
Folate 3.7 %
Iron 4.7 %
Magnesium 2.1 %
Manganese 3.6 %
Niacin 21.4 %
Pantothenic Acid 11.0 %
Phosphorus 6.8 %
Riboflavin 17.7 %
Selenium 9.4 %
Thiamin 12.4 %
Zinc 2.8 %

*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs. Pin It

Gorgeous CSA Photos and my Kalesagnia – A Kale and Mushroom Lasagna

 Dairy Free, Egg Free, Gluten Free, Main Meal, Soy Free, Vegan, Vegetarian  No Responses »
Dec 302011
 
First the veggies.  Isn’t this why you are visiting after all?

Eggplant and Daikon

Edible Flowers (a present from Vivian) and Carrots

Beets, Cilantro, Spinach and three types of Lettuce

 Purple Onion, Broccoli, Collards, Peppers

 Butternut and Citrus  

  

Cauliflower 

A while ago I had a Crockpot Disaster.  I tried to make a vegan lasagna with it and the result-crunchy, uncooked lasagna noodles on top and super mushy filling-was disgusting.  This is one of those instances where an altered recipe totally flopped.


Luckily persistence paid off as I gave it another go with my very own recipe and was met with success!  I made a few changes-the lasagna cooked in the oven rather than the Crockpot, tofu wasn’t used as a replacement for cheese and the filling was made with fresh kale from the farm.  By topping the lasagna with only a bit of vegan mozzarella instead of all the heavy cheese baked inside, the flavor of the fresh veggies really shone through (feel free to top with regular shredded mozzarella if you eat dairy.)

Somehow this lasagna manages to be both comforting and light and flavorful-the perfect combo in my eyes-and a great way to use fresh CSA produce.

Kalesagnia
Serves 6
Gluten and Dairy Free, Vegan



Ingredients
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 onion
4 cloves garlic
1 bunch kale, washed and de-stemmed
1 pkg Baby Bella mushrooms
Sea salt, fresh ground pepper and garlic powder, to taste
1/4 cup julienned sun-dried tomatoes (packed in oil – drain well)
1 jar pasta sauce of choice
1 10 oz pkg no boil, gluten free rice lasagna noodles, such as De Boles

1/3 cup shredded vegan mozzarella, such as Daiya

Directions


1. Preheat oven to 350F; preheat 1 Tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.

2. Quarter onion and add to food processor and pulse to chop. Add chopped onion to preheated skillet, season with dash of salt and stir. While onion cooks, add kale, garlic and mushrooms to processor and pulse to chop. ** Add to skillet with onion, add sundried tomatoes and season with salt, pepper and garlic powder-taste and adjust seasonings if necessary. Cook until softened, about 5 to 7 minutes.

3. Spray a 9×13 pan with cooking spray, spoon a thin layer of pasta sauce on bottom of pan, top with a layer of noodles, breaking as needed to fit. Top with half the kale mixture then repeat layers. Bake for 45 minutes, top with cheese and bake an additional 15 minutes. Remove from oven and cool 10 minutes. **

**Half can be frozen by dividing mixture into two 8×8 pans, letting half cool and covering well with foil.  Do not add cheese until baking.  Freeze for two to four weeks. To bake, bring to room temp as the oven preheats to 350F.  Bake as directed.

Nutrition Facts
6 Servings
Amount Per Serving


Calories 241.1
Total Fat 2.1 g
Saturated Fat 0.5 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.2 g
Monounsaturated Fat 0.0 g
Cholesterol 0.0 mg
Sodium 223.1 mg
Potassium 478.7 mg
Total Carbohydrate 54.7 g
Dietary Fiber 3.6 g
Sugars 2.6 g
Protein 7.4 g

Vitamin A 177.5 %
Vitamin B-12 0.3 %
Vitamin B-6 10.0 %
Vitamin C 51.2 %
Vitamin D 9.0 %
Vitamin E 3.2 %
Calcium 9.2 %
Copper 15.2 %
Folate 5.6 %
Iron 25.4 %
Magnesium 5.8 %
Manganese 19.7 %
Niacin 23.2 %
Pantothenic Acid 8.3 %
Phosphorus 7.7 %
Riboflavin 16.8 %
Selenium 7.5 %
Thiamin 29.4 %
Zinc 3.4 %

*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

Chinese Five Spice Miso Soup with Shitakes and Edamame

 Appetizer, Dairy Free, Egg Free, Favorites, Gluten Free, Lighter Fare, Quick and Easy, Soy Free, Vegan, Vegetarian  No Responses »
Oct 092011
 
I’m still working on cutting back after my recent trip to San Francisco and wine country.  With the weather getting a bit cooler I thought a nice warm but light soup would be nice.
 
I simply sauteed onions and garlic, added in shitakes and edamame.  The flavor balance of almost sweet Chinese five spice powder is really nice with the salty miso.
 
This brothy little number fit the bill perfectly and I plan on having a cup with my lunches this week.
 

 Chinese Five Spice Miso Soup with Shitakes and Edamame

Serves 5 1-cup servings
Vegan, Gluten Free
Printable Recipe

Ingredients

1 tsp olive oil
3/4 cup, 5 oz (142g) shitake mushrooms (I used frozen organic)
1 onion, peeled and chopped
3 cloves garlic, pressed
1 tsp Chinese five spice powder
1/2 cup shelled edamame (I also used frozen here too)
5 cups water
4 Tbsp light miso paste

Directions

1. Heat olive oil over medium high heat, cook onion until translucent, about 5 minutes; add Chinese five spice, mushrooms, edamame and garlic and cook an additional 5.

2. Pour water into pot; bring to a boil; remove from heat and stir in miso paste.

Nutrition Facts
5 1-cup Servings
Amount Per Serving

Calories 49.5
Total Fat 1.7 g
Saturated Fat 0.3 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.6 g
Monounsaturated Fat 0.8 g
Cholesterol 0.0 mg
Sodium 52.4 mg
Potassium 130.9 mg
Total Carbohydrate 5.8 g
Dietary Fiber 1.0 g
Sugars 1.1 g
Protein 3.4 g


Vitamin A 2.2 %
Vitamin B-12 0.4 %
Vitamin B-6 5.4 %
Vitamin C 4.4 %
Vitamin D 5.4 %
Vitamin E 0.9 %
Calcium 3.7 %
Copper 9.2 %
Folate 2.8 %
Iron 4.8 %
Magnesium 3.5 %
Manganese 9.6 %
Niacin 6.3 %
Pantothenic Acid 5.1 %
Phosphorus 5.6 %
Riboflavin 9.2 %
Selenium 5.5 %
Thiamin 3.5 %
Zinc 3.8 %


*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

Portobello Mushroom, Cashew Cheese and Sundried Tomato Sandwich with Fresh Basil and Drizzled Balsamic

 BPBD - Before Plant Based Diet, Gluten Free, Lighter Fare, Low Cal, Main Meal, Quick and Easy, Six Ingredients or Less, Soy Free, Vegan, Vegetarian  12 Responses »
May 042011
 
Day four of my detox has arrived and other than a slight headache yesterday I feel fabulous.  After finding cane sugar in our vegan pea protein powder I typically use for my daughter’s smoothies (and had wanted to add to mine) I am on the lookout for sneaky hidden sugar.  Curses to the salt and sugar that lurk in every corner.  I will be diligent in my search and will leave no box, bag or container unturned to scour the ingredients.  At least there are no ingredients to read when you go buy some kale, oranges and mushrooms.  Mmm….mushrooms.
 
Say I were a tasty grilled Portobello mushroom.  What recipe would I want to be? 
 
Hide me in a bun you say?  NO!  I will BE the bun!  I will show my meaty, moist and flavorful self in all my glory on the outside of the sandwich!  And inside?  I want tart, sweet balsamic vinegar, creamy cashew cheese, fresh basil and tangy sundried tomatoes.
 
And oh what a sandwich I will be!
 
 
Portobello Mushroom, Cashew Cheese and Sundried Tomato Sandwich with Fresh Basil and Drizzled Balsamic
Serves 1
**4 WW Pts Plus
Ingredients

2 Portobello mushrooms
1 oz cashew cheese 
3 un-sulphured sun dried tomatoes
2 leaves fresh basil
Good quality balsamic vinegar for drizzling
Salt, pepper and garlic powder, to taste
Handful of fresh lettuce
Olive oil spray

Directions

1. Preheat grill to medium high heat; spray both sides of portobello with oil, season with salt, pepper and garlic powder.  Grill about six minutes per side.

2. Meanwhile, soak sun dried tomatoes as mushrooms cook, about 12 minutes. Remove from water and chop.

3. Lay grilled portobellos on a plate with top sides down.  Drizzle with balsamic. Layer one side with cashew cheese, sun dried tomatoes, basil and lettuce.  Top with other Portobello.  Enjoy with a fresh salad.

Nutrition Facts
1 Serving
**4 WW Pts Plus
Amount Per Serving

Calories 139.5
Total Fat 8.7 g
Saturated Fat 5.9 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.3 g
Monounsaturated Fat 2.0 g
Cholesterol 22.4 mg
Sodium 462.7 mg
Potassium 327.3 mg
Total Carbohydrate 8.4 g
Dietary Fiber 1.6 g
Sugars 3.4 g
Protein 8.2 g

Copper 16.1 %
Phosphorus 14.8 %
Riboflavin 18.7 %

*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.