Roasted Broccoli and Fennel Gluten Free Pasta with Zesty Tempeh Bacon and Shallot Thyme vinaigrette

Posted in Recipe by alishafo

For Pasta

2 cups uncooked Brown Rice or Quinoa Farfalle Pasta

2 Heads Organic Broccoli, florets only

3 Scallions, chopped

1 Bulb of Fennel, thinly sliced

4 Basil Leaves, chopped

1 Lemon

1/2 Teaspoon Red Chili Peppers

Salt

Pepper

Olive Oil

Preheat the Oven to 350 degrees. Fill a Medium Sauce pan with water and put on high heat until boiling. In the meantime, chop florets of broccoli, place on baking sheet lined with parchment paper, drizzle with olive olive, juice of 1/2 a lemon, chili flakes, salt and pepper. Massage the seasoning and oil into the broccoli with your hands. Pop in the oven for about 25 minutes, or until the point just before it gets super crispy.

Wash and Chop Scallions, fennel, and basil. Put pasta in boiling water and cook according to package. I use quinoa and brown rice noodles. Be sure to cook them al dente. Save a cup of pasta water before draining.

Place pasta in a large bowl, drizzle with Shallot Thyme Vinaigrette, add chopped scallions, fennel, basil and broccoli.

Add lemon juice, splash of pasta water. Toss. Add more Dressing, salt and pepper for flavor. Serve into bowls and top with Tempeh Bacon, Enjoy!!!

Tempeh Bacon

1 Pack Organic Tempeh, Thinly Sliced

Chimichurri, homemade or store bought

Olive Oil

Make before broccoli. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Sprinkle with Olive Oil. Place tempeh strips on pan and smother in chimichurri sauce. Cook for 30-40 minutes or until brown and crunchy, but not burnt. Chop into small squares, place in bowl and toss with extra chimichurri sauce. This gives the pasta a delicious, salty crunch!

Shallot Thyme Vinaigrette

1 Tablespoon Dijon Mustard

1/2 Cup Olive Oil

1/4 Cup White Balsamic Vinegar

2 Tablespoons of Honey

1 Tablespoon Thyme, Finely Chopped

1 Large Shallot, Finely Chopped

1/2 Teaspoon Salt

1/2 Teaspoon Pepper

Mix all ingredients into a mason jar, place top on jar and shake it up. Give it a taste and add more honey, olive oil or vinegar needed to balance out the flavors.

17Feb2015

Roasted Nuts and Olives

Posted in Uncategorized by alishafo

I live in Playa Del Rey, a small beach community on the edge of Los Angeles. My husband and I love our town and the little gems in it. One of our favorite places is called The Tripel, started by Brooke and Nick Roberts, it is an amazing gastro pub with a friendly vibe and delicious food. Being a vegan, the menu is not so friendly, but it’s ok, because my favorite snack is their Nuts and Olives. A mixed bowl of juicy olives, roasted nuts, dried cherries, and some fresh parsley. Often times I will get two orders because they are so tasty, packed with zesty protein! Recently I recreated this delicious appetizer. It was so tasty and very easy! Luckily for the Tripel, we will keep coming back because my husband is hooked on their Squid Ink Spaghetti, Chicken Waterzooi and great craft beer selection (and their self titled burger).

What you will need:

1/4 lb Raw Cashews

1/4 lb Raw Almonds

2-3 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil

2 Sprigs Rosemary

Sea Salt

1/4 lb dried sour cherries

1 jar pitted Kalamata Olives

1 can pitted green olives (mild)

1 Cup fresh pitted green olives (tangy)- Found in Olive Bar

Handful of chopped Parsley

1 Lemon

Heat oven to 350 Degrees. In a bowl, mix together Cashews and Almonds with 1 Tablespoon of Olive Oil. Cover baking sheet with parchment paper (or tin foil). Spread nuts out into one layer on baking sheet.

Sprinkle with salt. Strip leaves off of 2 sprigs of Rosemary and place evenly throughout nuts. Bake for 20-25 minutes, checking to ensure the nuts do not over cook.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl mix olives, cherries, and chopped parsley together. I usually save 1 or 2 tablespoons of Kalamata Olive juice for the marinade. Add 1 Tablespoon of Olive oil and the juice of one lemon. Add a pinch of course sea salt.

When the nuts are roasted to perfection, toss in with olive mixture and voila, delicious Nuts and Olives.

Enjoy as a snack, appetizer, meal accompaniment, or perfect potluck dish.

8Jan2015

Fresh Spring Rolls with Tofu and Peanut Sauce

Posted in Uncategorized by alishafo

In the heart of this mildly cold winter in LA, it is nice to be able to hunker down and make a nice home cooked meal. There are always delicious take out or delivery options for Thai food or Chinese food, but I prefer to recreate my favorite dishes using healthy, fresh ingredients. Restaurant food always uses an excess of salt, sugar and oil in their food. I try to cook with healthy oils like Coconut Oil, Organic Sesame Oil or Organic Olive oil and I use Tamari instead of sodium ladened Soy Sauce. Tonight I am making Paul’s favorite, Fresh Spring Rolls with Tofu and Peanut sauce, to go along with my standard stir fry vegetables and quinoa. You can find the recipes for the Stir Fried(Steamed) Vegetables and Peanut Sauce on my most recent post.
You will need to go to the grocery Store to pick up a few special ingredients for this including Spring Roll Skins(found in a clear plastic, frisbee like container), Rice Stick noodles (I used Maifun brand), and some kind of marinated pressed tofu (I used Wildwood Teriyaki flavor). Other than these three, the rest of the ingredients are pretty straight forward.

You will need:

1 Pack Spring Roll Skins- Use however many you desire
1 Package Rice Stick Noodles
1 Package Pressed, Marinated Tofu- Cut in long slender rectangles.
1/2 Cup Cilantro
2 Carrots Carrots (Grated)
3 Scallions- Cut in strips the long way
Handful of Mint Leaves
Handful of Basil(preferably Thai Basil, can be found at Asian grocery stores)
1 Cup Mung Bean Sprouts
1 Cup Butter Lettuce or Romaine- Washed and Dried
Optional- Serrano Pepper sliced thinly without seeds (I didn’t use peppers, because my Peanut Sauce was extra spicy)

Measurements are dependent on how many rolls you are making and how thick you want them. Prepare all your fixings and place in individual bowls, easy for grabbing and placing on your spring roll.

First you will want to prepare your noodles, simply follow the instructions and let cool for a few minutes.

Next, make sure you have a good, clean area to work. Clear off counter space and place all your bowls filled with fixings close together.

For the Spring Roll skins you will need a deep plate or serving dish, just deep enough for a small amount of water. Get a clean, dry dish towel and place it on the counter near your fixings. Warm some water, place on plate, take one skin and submerge it with your hands, make sure all the surface area is under water. Hold under for approximately 10-15 seconds. The skin will become extremely malleable and completely translucent. Pick it up with two hands and lay it flat on to the dry dish towel. Smooth out any wrinkles and voila you are ready to roll.

There is no perfect way to fill a spring roll. If you are a big fan of basil, load it on, if you hate sprouts, leave them out, if you are an uber healthy no carb fiend, the leave the noodles off (although I don’t recommend that because they are delicious). Just start with a fixing and start piling it in, just remember that the skins are fragile so you can’t pack too much in.

Once you have filled your roll, very gentle mash all the ingredients with your thumb and other fingers. Take one side of the skin and roll away, while pushing the filling in simultaneously, think rolling a burrito, enchilada or Bouche De Noel.

Slice in half, serve with Peanut Sauce or your favorite dipping sauce. I always put out the Sambal (Chili Sauce) just in case anyone wants an extra kick. This is an excellent appetizer or entree lunch. Enjoy!

Our delicious Asian Feast, complete with Asian Bowls (Quinoa, stir fried vegetables and Spring Roll Fixings) and one of my favorite green teas, UCC! Such a delicious, satisfying and healthy Vegan meal.

2Dec2014

Sesame Citrus Tempeh with Peanut Sauce and Steamed Vegetables

Posted in Recipe by alishafo

Tempeh is a delicious soy product that can be marinated and grilled in place of meat or fake meat. It is a much cleaner form of protein than fake meat. It is simply cooked soy beans that form a white block during a fermentation process. I recently had a request for a tasty Tempeh recipe, here is what I concocted… It takes some time but is worth it to fully marinate the tempeh. It is amazing served with home made Peanut Sauce and Steamed Vegetables. The Peanut Sauce is my mom’s recipe, it is so tasty up will want to lick the pan!

For the Tempeh you will need:

1 Pack of Organic Tempeh (found at Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods, Sprouts, etc)

1 Teaspoon Cumin

1 Teaspoon Curry Powder

Juice of 1 Lemon

1 Tablespoon Braggs Liquid Aminos

2 Tablespoons Toasted Sesame Oil

1 Tablespoon Diced Fresh Ginger

2-3 Tablespoons Olive Oil

Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Cut tempeh into 1/4 Inch Slices and place in a glass baking dish preferably with a cover.

Add Cumin, Curry Powder, lemon juice, Braggs Liquid Aminos, Toasted Sesame Oil, diced fresh ginger. Mix ingredients with tempeh, make sure each piece of tempeh is being marinated. If it looks too dry, add more toasted sesame oil and Braggs. Place in oven and cook on 250 for one hour. This will ensure that the tempeh will marry with the spices. While the Tempeh is cooking prepare the peanut sauce and vegetables. After one hour, put a sauté pan on medium heat, add olive oil. Fry each piece of tempeh until golden brown. If you are on a strict diet you can skip the frying party, but it won’t be quite as delicious. Place on paper towel and get ready to serve.

For the Peanut Sauce you will need:

1 Can Lite Coconut Milk

1/2 Cup Peanut Butter

1/4 Cup Fresh Lemon Juice

2 Tablespoons Soy Sauce or Tamari

1 Tablespoon Brown Sugar

2 Cloves Fresh Garlic, chopped

Fresh Grated Ginger, to taste (1 Tablespoon)

1 Teaspoon Crushed Red Peppers

1/2 Cup Chopped Cilantro

Place all ingredients except cilantro and red peppers in a medium sauce pan, turn heat to medium low. Let simmer, stirring occasionally. after 20 minutes or so the sauce should thicken and begin to smell good. At this time add cilantro and desired amount of red chili flakes. If you can handle the heat, add more chili peppers. They go a long way, so don’t over spice. Continue to simmer until cilantro has blended in. Voila, you have delicious Peanut Sauce, great for all Asian inspired dinners. It is packed with protein and good fats!

For Steamed Vegetables

1 Head of Broccoli

1/2 Red or Yellow Onion

1/2 Cup Sliced Mushrooms

1-2 Carrots, peeled and chopped

Dark Leafy Greens such as Kale or Spinach, washed, and chopped.

Chop all vegetables. Place in Large Saute pan or wok. add 1/4-1/2 cup of water. Cover for 10 minutes or until water is evaporated. Depending on how you like your vegetables, pour more water and steam for longer. I personally like my vegetables to have a little crunch to them. Serve with the delicious Tempeh Slices and Peanut Sauce. ENJOY!

19Nov2014

Delicious Potato Leek Soup

Posted in Recipe by alishafo

It is starting to feel like fall in LA…. kind of. With fall brings one of my favorite things to make, Potato Leek Soup! Creamy and delicious, this dish is sure to keep you warm on chilly nights. This is for a large batch of soup, you can have a soup party or freeze it for later. Serve with a salad, tea sandwich, panini, or just on it’s own! ENJOY

You will need:

8 Peel Russet Potatoes

5 Large Leeks Whites Only

3 Celery Stalks

2 Tablespoons of Butter

10 Cups Vegetable Stock

1 Bay Leave

2 Sprigs Fresh Thyme

Salt

Fresh Ground Pepper

Parsley

1 Cup Heavy Cream

Chop green section and tip off leeks, wash thoroughly and dry. Cut in half the long way and then slice in 1/2 inch pieces (does not have to be exact). Wash and chop celery. Peel and chop potatoes into medium sized chunks.

Put Large Stockpot on medium heat, add butter, once melted put leeks in pot with a dash of salt. Sweat the leeks for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Turn heat down to medium low and cook leeks for 25 minutes until tender.

Add the vegetable broth, potatoes, and bay leaf. Chop the thyme and add it. Turn the heat up to medium-high and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for about 40 minutes. Check to see if potatoes are soft, if they are you are ready for the next step. Place half of the soup in a large mixing bowl or pitcher and the other half into a large blender. Blend the soup until smooth and creamy. Pour back into Stockpot and then blend the other half. Once all the soup is nice and cream and the cup of heavy cream. Stir well. Add salt and pepper to taste. IMG_6514-2 IMG_6513-2

Serve healthy bowlfuls with a handful of chopped parsley on top and voila, amazing potato leek soup.

Disclaimer: You will want seconds.

Recipe inspired by Alton Brown and Robert Irvine.

6Aug2014

Summer Cheese Plate

Posted in Uncategorized by alishafo

Mid Summer’s Night Cheese Plate

Summer marks a wonderful time of year for farmers and diners alike. Nature provides an abundance of delicious fruits and vegetables for us to enjoy. What goes better with fruits and vegetable you may ask, but of course, cheese! Sliced, cubed, smeared… cheese is delightful. Cheese is my reason for not being vegan. Explore new cheese, go blue, go hard, go French! Enjoy your cheese with vegetables, fruit, crackers, bread. Arrange neatly and carefully. Presentation pays off.

For this mid summer’s night cheese plate I chose two cheeses; Humboldt Fog Chèvre and mozzarella balls. I spread the Humboldt fog on some Crunch Masters Gluten Free Crackers and put a dollop of Blackberry Sweet Heat Jelly on top. Both Humboldt Fog and Sweet Heat are local products from my hometown of Arcata, California. Find a friend who lives there and have them send you Sweet Heat, it’s the most delicious condiment with so many uses; toast, meat/tofu marinade, served over cheese or yogurt, the possibilities are infinite!

Mini Caprese Skewers. Very easy and oh so elegant. Simply skewer a cherry tomato, mozzarella ball and basil leaf with a toothpick. Repeat. Arrange so they look pretty and then drizzle with balsamic glaze.

caprese skewers

I sliced fresh, ripe figs in half and laid them in the middle of the plate. They are delicious on their own, but also divine added to the Humboldt Fog Crackers.

For a punch of protein I served green hummus and regular organic hummus with rosemary crisps and more Crunch masters. Hummus is a great addition to any meal, packing protein and flavor into every bite.

The moral of this story is there is no wrong way to make a cheese plate, even if you hold the cheese and just chop of vegetables and add dip, it’s all about getting creative and making the food into art. There is something delightful about arranged food that will make your taste buds happy and communal food is a lovely way to chat and socialize with friends and family.

Happy Summer!

9Jul2014

Quinoa Stuffed Peppers with Roasted Broccoli

Posted in Uncategorized by alishafo

One of my favorite dinners to make is stuffed peppers; they are so fun to make, because you can get creative and add whatever vegetable, grain, or delicious morsel you desire to the filling. If you are a meat eater, you can add chopped up sausage for an extra protein punch. Vegetarians will get their full dose of protein when using Quinoa, because it is a complete protein! Stuffed peppers are very filling and are great served with a small salad or delicious crispy Roasted Broccoli. Enjoy this delectable plant based recipe; get creative and have fun in the process.

Quinoa Stuffed Peppers

4 Bell Peppers(Mixed colors)

2 Cups Chopped Spinach

1/2 Cup Chopped Calamata Olives

1/2 Cup Chopped Tomatoes

1 Cup Mushrooms

1 Onion-Chopped

1 Tablespoon Coconut Oil

1 Cup Quinoa

2 Cups Vegetable Stock

1 Teaspoon Salt

1/2 Teaspoon Cumin

Juice of 1 Lemon

1/2 Teaspoon Pepper

Preheat Oven to 400 Degrees.

To make Quinoa, follow instructions on the package, substitute water for vegetable stock to add flavor. Add coconut oil, salt and cumin to boiling liquid. Make sure all moisture is absorbed into the quinoa. Fluff and set aside.

Wash peppers and cut off the tops and cut a little bit off the bottoms so the peppers can sit upright. Remove seeds and pepper innards. Set Peppers aside.

Sauté mushrooms,spinach and onion in olive until slightly soft, chop tomatoes and olives. With a wooden spoon, fold everything into quinoa mixture. Add lemon, salt, pepper and olive to taste. Feel free to substitute or add different vegetables/beans into quinoa mixture. Also, if for some weird reason you are not a fan of quinoa, this recipe will work with brown rice or couscous.

Place peppers in a glass baking dish. Fill with 1 inch of warm water. With a large spoon, stuff peppers with quinoa mixture. Be liberal with the quinoa, make sure the peppers are fully stuffed.

Bake for 1 hour or until the pepper is soft and the quinoa is browned.

Let cool for 15 minutes and enjoy!

Roasted Broccoli

1 Head of Broccoli

2-3 Tablespoons Olive Oil

1 Teaspoon Salt

1/2 Teaspoon Pepper

2-3 Shakes of Red Chili Flakes

Preheat oven to 425. Wash and Dry broccoli. Chop Broccoli florets off the stems and into smaller bite sized pieces. In a medium bowl toss broccoli with a olive oil, salt, pepper and chili flakes. With your hands, massage olive oil into the heads of the florets ensuring a crispy finish.

Place Broccoli on a baking sheet covered with tin foil or parchment paper.

Roast for 15-20 minutes until broccoli is slightly browned and crispy.

Remember to share as this dish can be quite addicting!

Cooking Cutos with Cindy

My mom Cindy is a huge inspiration as a chef, gardener and creative being. She has been a vegetarian/pescatarian for over 40 years. She has a bountiful garden full of beautiful flowers, vegetables, herbs, garlic, apples and blueberries. She and my dad live a farm to table lifestyle. The food she must purchase, she ensures is local, organic and sustainable. I am so lucky to have grown up with her as a beautiful example of how to eat and live.

This video shows my mom making her original specialty, Cutos. Lightly fried tofu, tossed with tamari (or soy sauce) and nutritional yeast flakes. The perfect vegetarian treat to enhance any dinner. Cutos go great with brown rice and vegetable stir fry. Enjoy!

23Jun2014

Celebrating the Summer Solstice with a Fresh, Plant based Feast

Posted in Recipe, Uncategorized by alishafo

On Saturday, the farmer’s market was full of so many fragrant, colorful fruits and vegetables. I chose to get bright yellow summer squash, basil, juicy tomatoes, fresh avocados, peaches, bloomsdale spinach and some tangy lemons. I had no idea what I was going to do with them….. but to me half the fun of being in the kitchen is creating unique and custom recipes. Letting the ingredients I have determine what make. Last night, I made a brief plan and improvised along the way. I served:

Grilled Summer Squash with Humboldt Fog Goat Cheese Drizzled with Balsamic Glaze

Slice the Squash into thirds, the long way.

Grill on low for about 8 minutes per side. You want the squash to still be a little firm, to hold it’s shape.

While grilling, thinly slice Humboldt Fog Goat cheese.

While the squash is hot, place a healthy amount of cheese on the squash.

Let sit for 5 minutes. Drizzle balsamic glaze or reduction over the top and enjoy!

Basil Chimichurri and Avocado Quinoa

Add 1 Cup of rinsed Quinoa and 2 Cups of liquid into a sauce pan and bring to a boil. I use 1 Cup of water and 1 Cup of Vegetable stock to add flavor. I also add Olive Oil and a pinch of salt. Once the water is boiling, turn to low and cover for 15 minutes or until all liquid is absorbed.

In a small bowl, add 3-4 Tablespoons of Olive Oil, 1 Teaspoon of Pepper and 1/2 Teaspoon of salt. Rinse 1 1/2 Cups of Basil Leaves, chop finely and mix into sauce. Creating a fresh and delicious pestoey/chimichurri sauce.

Once Quinoa is cooked, put it in a large glass bowl and toss it with the Chimichurri Sauce. Finely chop 2 Scallions, peel and cube 2 ripe avocados. Toss together and enjoy this delicious and nutritious dish! Quinoa is a complete protein, so this can act as your main dish as well as your grain.

Bloomsdale Spinach salad with Truffle Parmesan and Tomato

Wash, Slice and Half 1 large flavorful tomato. The tomato juices double as a component to the salad dressing. Rinse and rough chop about 4 Cups of Spinach. Finely slice 1/4 of a red onion. Add the juice of 1 Lemon. Sprinkle a pinch of salt over the spinach. Grind about 1/2-1 teaspoon of pepper into the salad. Give the salad a drizzle of about 2 Tablespoons of High quality olive. Toss with your hands. Add a handful of sunflower seeds and voila, your salad is ready!

Enjoy The Taste of Summer!!

21May2014

Holy Guacamole!

Posted in Uncategorized by alishafo

One of my favorite foods is guacamole. There is nothing better than a salty crunchy tortilla chip dipped in a bowl full of chunky, tangy, rich guacamole. My guacamole recipe has been evolving since I was a small child. My mom’s recipe called for smashed avocados mixed with several heaping spoonfuls of fresh salsa. This was one of my favorite after school snacks. In college, I began to chop onion and jalapeño and add it to this recipe. As my taste buds matured and my chopping skills improved I learned a new way to make guacamole.

I call it Chop Til You Drop Guacamole

4 Avocados Peeled, Pitted and Halved

Juice of 1 lemon

1 Clove Garlic, Minced

1/2 Cup chopped Cilantro

1/4 Cup Chopped Red Onion

2 Medium sized tomatos, de-seeded and finely chopped

1/2-1 Jalapeño finely diced

1 Teaspoon Salt

Place avocado halves in a medium sized bowl, pour the juice of 1 lemon over the avocado to keep fresh. Chop all the other ingredients. Place ingredients in bowl with avocados. Use a small sharp knife to slice avocados and ingredients together. This keeps the guacamole chunky and beautiful. Enjoy with chips, tacos, or just eat it with a spoon!

Kale Couture

Recommendations and Recipes

Tag Archives: vegetarian

Roasted Broccoli and Fennel Gluten Free Pasta with Zesty Tempeh Bacon and Shallot Thyme vinaigrette

Roasted Nuts and Olives

Fresh Spring Rolls with Tofu and Peanut Sauce

Sesame Citrus Tempeh with Peanut Sauce and Steamed Vegetables

Delicious Potato Leek Soup

Summer Cheese Plate

Quinoa Stuffed Peppers with Roasted Broccoli

Cooking Cutos with Cindy

Celebrating the Summer Solstice with a Fresh, Plant based Feast

Holy Guacamole!