Sunday, March 25, 2012

Challenge #69 - Mexican Style "Rice"

I wanted to jazz up the plain millet I used when making the Deconstructed Burrito using Mexican Rice as the inspiration. You can eat this as a side dish or as part of the deconstructed burrito.

Ingredients:
1 cup millet (yields 2 cups when cooked)
1 small yellow onion
1 green pepper
2 cloves garlic
1/2 lime
1/4 cups + 2 tbsp tomato paste
2-3 tsp cumin (to taste)
Sea Salt (to taste)
1/4 cup water
cilantro - optional

Step #1 - Dice onions and green pepper and saute.  Grate 2 gloves of garlic and continue to saute until tender.
Step #2: Add cooked millet.  (I made mine the night before.  To cook millet,: soak over night, rinse, and add 1 cup millet to 2 cups boiling water or veggie broth. Lower to medium and cook about 20 mins.  Millet is done when all the water or broth is absorbed.) 
Step #3: Stir millet into onions, pepper, and garlic.  Add tomato paste and cumin. Add water a little at a time to help thin out tomato paste.  Add sea salt and lime juice.  Mix well.  Continue to cook until everything is heated through and well mixed.  This will take less time if you cook the millet and use it instead of making it the night before.
Step #4:  Mix in cilantro if desired.  I left it out because my husband and I liked the flavors as is.  Enjoy.
I sauteed up some peppers, onions, and zucchini and added it on top of my Mexican "rice" and then topped with guacamole.  I forgot to take a picture of the final result, but below is the colorful bowl of veggies.


Sunday, March 18, 2012

Challenge #68 - Garlicky Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

To of my favorite things (ok I know, I have a lot of favorites!)- garlic and roasted red peppers.  Combined they are just fabulous.  Below is a recipe for garlicky roasted red pepper sauce.  Though this is easy, it takes some time to broil the peppers and roast the garlic.  I would recommend this as a make a head for a week night or a weekend dinner.

Ingredients:
3 red peppers
1 head garlic (only a few cloves will be used for this recipe)
1 small zucchini or 1/2 med/lg zucchini (diced)
stevia (optional)

Spaghetti squash

Step #1: Cut the red peppers into slices (3-4 per pepper).  Place on parchment lines tray and but in oven with the Broiler set to HI.  You will want to watch them as they char.  I discovered with my oven, I need to rotate the tray a few times to get an even char on all the peppers.  When the peppers are done (sorry I forgot to take a photo), remove from oven and place a wet towel over the peppers for at least 10 mins.  This is a tip I learned from Doris to help remove the skins easily.  I found this method to be easier than sticking the peppers ina brown paper bag.  When cool enough to handle, remove skins.
Step #2: Roast the head of garlic wrapped tightly in foil on 400 degrees for about an hour.  I had this in the oven at the same time as my spaghetti squash.  See Challenge #47 for spaghetti squash instructions.
Step #3: Putting to all together.  In food processor, add diced zucchini, roasted peppers and 3-5 cloves of roasted garlic as desired.  (I like a lot of garlic).  Blend to creamy consistency.  Taste, add stevia if needed/desired to taste.

Step #4 - Add to spaghetti squash or anything else of your choosing.  I think this would be also good over raw zucchini noodles, soba noodles, or pasta.  I mixed sauce into the spaghetti squash and them added a little extra in the middle.  Enjoy!

Challenge #67 - Avocado Salad

This is one of mine and my husband's new favorites.  I have made it at least 3 times now.  It's a nice change from guacamole and can be as versatile as you like.  You can eat this as a side, on a bed of your favorite greens, or my husband had corn chips with his.

Ingredients:
2 avocado (cut into large chunks)
1 pepper (any color you like, I like to use yellow or orange)
Couple handfuls of grape tomatoes (halved)
1 small red onion (thinly sliced)
1/2 hot house cucumber
juice of 1/2 to 1 whole lemon
Sea salt to taste
1 clove garlic zested (optional)

Step #1: Slice, chop, and cut all ingredients.  Throw together in a bowl and toss with sea salt and lemon juice.
Note, I thought I would need 1 whole lemon, but the 1/2 of lemon yielded plenty of juice.
Serve and enjoy in desired fashion.

Challenge #66 - Apple Pie for Breakfast!

I am going to share with you something super simple and delicious that I often eat on weekends after having a large veggie juice.  I did not think to post this until I was telling someone about it and they requested it.  So here you go....

Ingredients:
2 of your favorite kinds of apple (Below are Pink Lady Apples)
Cinnamon (to taste)
1/2 juice of lemon

Step #1: Slice apples, squeeze juice of 1/2 a lemon, and sprinkle cinnamon.  Enjoy!
 For a bit more tart "apple pie" try using Granny Smith Apples.  I love those as well with lemon and cinnamon.

Wednesday, March 7, 2012

Challenge #65- Trying something new - Dulse Flakes

Dulse is a sea vegetable that are packed full of minerals.  It is an excellent substitute for salt.  I have read about it in many nutrition books and blogs and finally decided to try it.  You can buy dulse flakes or granules.
So below is a super simple salad using lemon juice and dulse as the dressing/seasoning.
If you feel like you may want to use less salt, give dulse a try.


Ingredients:
1 orange pepper
Handful cherry tomatoes
2-3 heirloom tomatoes
1 cucumbers
1/2 lemon
Dulse granules (or flakes)

Step #1: Chop up pepper, heirloom tomatoes, and cucumber and throw into bowl.  Add cherry tomatoes.
Step #2: Add juice of 1/2 lemon and dulse flakes.

Challenge #64- Refreshing Salad

I went to brunch a couple of weeks ago with some friends and brunch was buffet style.  On of my friends got a salad on the side that look delicious and refreshing.  Inspired by this, I have created my own version with out any dressing, juice a squeeze of lemon.  I plan to make this again in the future, especially in the summer months as it is very hydrating.

Ingredients:
1 cucumber
2 carrots
2 stalks celery
Handful parsley
1 lemon

Step #1: Peel and  rough chop veggies and parsley and add to bowl.  I went for large rustic cuts this time like they had at brunch.  (Note, I did not have organic or hot house cucumbers on hand, so I chose to peel the skin.  If I had one of the others, I would have left the skin on)
Step #2 -Zest half a lemon and add to  salad.
Step #3- Add Juice of half to whole lemon.  I went with the whole lemon because I love it, but you can certainly scale back.
Note I deliberately chose not to add any sea salt, but feel free to add if desired.
I food this salad mix to be very refreshing, clean flavor, and hydrating.