Tag Archives: vegetarian

Yammy Baby Kale Salad with Herb Honey Dijon Dressing

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You will need:

1 large yam (Peeled, Cubed, and Roasted with Olive Oil, Salt, Pepper and Rosemary- baked for 20-30 mins at 400 til soft)
2-3 Cups Baby Kale
1/2 Avocado- Cubed
1/4 dried cranberries
1/4 chopped Sweet/spicy pecans fom TJs (I use these in so many of my salads, because they add the perfect punch!)
Shaved Parmesan To taste

Massage Baby Kale with Dressing and pinch of salt and pepper. Toss together remaining ingredients.

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Serve with soup or cheese and crackers and enjoy!!

For the Dressing (Not sure about exact measurements but try the following)
1/2 Cup Olive Oil
1/4 Balsamic Vinegar
2 Tablespoons Dijon Mustard
1 Tablespoon Honey
Salt and Pepper
1 Teaspoon Fresh Rosemary- finely chopped
1 Teaspoon Fresh Thyme- finely chopped

Whisk Together and add olive oil or balsamic vinegar as needed to balance acidity. (I usually put mine in a mason jar and shake it up… great for storage and limited mess).

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Eazy Peazy Banana Berry Smoothie

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Here is the recipe for a simple and delicious smoothie, full of protein, anti oxidant rich berries and potassium from bananas:

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1 Organic Banana

1 Cup Plain Greek Yogurt

1 Cup Mixed Frozen Berries

2 Cups Coconut Water

Feel free to add frozen pineapple or mango, your favorite protein powder, or flax seeds to spice it up.

Blend until smooth and Enjoy!!!

I recommend finding some fun straws to make your smoothie fun!

 

Spicy Chili and Gluten Free Cornbread

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Caliente Chili!

Delicious recipe for a hearty, spicy three bean Chili flush with vegetarian protein! I made up this recipe with the help of fellow vegetarian, my mom!

2 T Olive Oil

1 Yellow Onion, Chopped

1 Carrot, Chopped

2 Celery Stalks, Chopped

2 Bell Peppers (Red, Yellow or Orange), Chopped

3 Cloves of Garlic, minced

1 (28 oz) Can Diced Tomato

2 ears of Corn-Kernels only (or 1 can of corn)

2 Cans Black Beans

1 Can Kidney Beans

1 Can White Beans

1 T dried Oregano

1 T Chipotle Peppers in Adobo, chopped (Add more to add Heat)

2 t Ground Cumin

2 T Barbecue Sauce

1 Shot Espresso

1 1/2 T Chili Powder

1  T Salt

Heat Olive Oil in a Large pot. Sautee onion, celery, carrot, bell peppers, and garlic until soft. Add Canned tomatoes, spices, beans and corn. Simmer for at least 1 hour, chili should thicken and ingredients should cook down. Stir occasionally. Add more spice and seasoning to taste.  Serve with Pamela’s Gluten Free Cornbread (mix can be found at Whole Foods). ENJOY!!!

 

Mushroom Lettuce Wraps

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My friend Jake is an excellent cook, fortunately for me he is always very considerate of my vegetarian lifestyle. This summer his specialty has been Ground Chicken Lettuce Wraps, but when I came over for dinner he made a vegetarian version, Mushroom Lettuce Wraps! So delicious and full of flavor; I had to recreate them at home. Now they have become a favorite in my home as well!

Mushrooms are a perfect substitute for meat, because they are very susceptible to flavoring and when you cook them down they have a hardy, almost meaty texture.

Remember that when cooking mushrooms, it is important to wash them well, and that the mushrooms cook down a lot! Meaning that 2 baskets of mushrooms can only feed about 2 people.

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Mushroom Lettuce Wraps A La Chef Jake 

2 Baskets of Mushrooms (Cremini, button, portabello, whatever’s clever)-finely chopped

1/4 Inch of Ginger- Grated

1 T Coconut Oil

1 Clove Garlic-minced

1/2 red or white onion- finely chopped

1/2 Can water chestnuts-chopped (Optional)

1 T Sambal (Asian Garlic-Chili sauce) (to taste, depending on desired heat level)

1 Head of Butter Lettuce

1/4 Chopped Cilantro- for condiment

1 Sliced Avocado- for condiment

In Large Skillet, Sautee Onion and garlic in 1/2 T of Coconut Oil, once soft(About 10 minutes) add rest of Coconut oil, ginger, mushrooms, water chestnuts. Cook for about 15-20 minutes until all moisture is out of mushrooms, add Sambal to taste. Let Cool, Assemble as if making a taco, where the butter lettuce leaf is the tortilla and the mushroom the filling! Add Avocado and cilantro for extra flavor.  Enjoy!

Kale Sweet Kale

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Fresh, delicious, filling, versatile. Kale.

Tender Greens is a great Mini Chain Restaurant in Southern California. They serve organic gourmet food in a production line style.

My Personal Favorite dishes at Tender Greens are the Simple Kale Salad w/ Roasted Vegetables with a side of Mashed Potatoes or the Tomato Soup.  The Kale is tossed with a Parmesan and Lemon Garlic dressing, emulating a caesar dressing. The Roasted Vegetables are a medley of seasonal vegetable. The mashed potatoes are something special, so delicious, unforgettable.

This week I played with Vegan Recipes, focusing on fresh vegetables from the farmer’s market and lean vegan proteins.  Last night for a dinner party, I prepared the vegetables and Tofu and let my friends bring their own Chicken to grill.  That way everyone is happy, the Vegetarian doesn’t have to touch or attempt to cook meat and the meat eaters are able to properly cook their meat!! (I’m learning to expand me knowledge of cooking meat, but not quite there yet!) Please enjoy recipes for last night’s Flexitarian Meal!!

Chopped Kale Salad, Zesty Roasted Brocoli, and Grilled Tofu

Chopped Kale Salad, Zesty Roasted Brocoli, and Grilled Tofu

           Chopped Kale Salad

            Ingredients

           1 large bunch of Curly Kale or Dino Kale

           1 Ripe Avocado-Cubed

           8-10 Baby Tomatoes (Make sure they are sweet and delicious)- Quartered

          1/4 of a Red Onion- Finally Diced

          1/4 Cup Hazelnuts- Diced

          1/4 Parmesan (Optional for non-vegans)

          1 Lemon-Juiced

          1 Tablespoon Soy Sauce

          2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

          Salt and Pepper

Rinse and Dry Kale. Cut the Stalk out of each leaf. Julienne cut the Kale (the finer the pieces the more it’s able to moisten and break down).

Place Kale in Large bowl, add lemon, Soy Sauce, Olive Oil, Salt and Pepper.  Massage liquids into to Kale using your hands.  Massaging the kale will make it more tender and flavorful. At this point you can store kale in the refrigerator  for up to 5 days, adding vegetables for a salad or mixing w Eggs, adding to stir fries, there are endless uses for Kale, especially when it is pre-prepped.

For this salad, the next step is to add all the chopped vegetables and nuts and toss. Enjoy!

Zesty Roasted Brocoli

Ingredients

1-2 Heads of Broccoli

2 Tablespoons of Olive Oil

Pinch of Chili Flakes

1 Lemon- Juiced

Pinch of Chili Flakes

2 Tablespoons Roasted Pine nuts

Salt and Pepper

Preheat Oven to 425.

Chop florets off the stem, cut the large florets in half.

Toss with Olive Oil, Salt and Pepper, Pinch of Chili Flakes

Even Place on Baking/Roasting sheet

Roast for Approximately 20 Minutes-or until Broccoli is Crispy on the outside

Grilled Tofu or Chicken

1 Cube Marinated Tofu (preferably Trader Joes Savory)

Your Favorite Marinade

Marinate and Grill it up!!!

Hope you enjoy this Delicious Flexitarian Menu!

Avocado Toast and Eveleigh

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Since having a quick 18-month vegan stint I have a special place in my heart for Avocado toast. Perfectly filling, naturally delicious and easy to make! When I spot avocado toast on a menu, I know the chef has a soft spot in their heart for Vegans and Vegetarians…. I always try it.

Deep in the heart of the Hollywood Hills, on the Sunset Strip there is a charming spot called Eveleigh. At night time, you can find tasty small plates, hand crafted cocktails, beautiful people, ….. but for me Eveleigh is all about the beautiful, breezy Brunch with a view. There are not too many vegetarian-friendly items on the menu, and the egg dishes didn’t overwhelm my taste buds, but all was redeemed with a side of their Avocado Toast and French press coffee. Check them out…. http://www.theeveleigh.com

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Recently I concocted a very special Avocado toast worth sharing:

Chili Basil Avocado Toast or AAA(Alisha’s Awesome Avocado Toast)

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Toast 3 Slices hearty bread (Udi’s Gluten free bread is a great alternative)

Slice 2 Ripe avocados and spread onto the toast

Chop up a handful of fresh basil leaves

Sprinkle basil onto toast

Sprinkle 1 teaspoon chili flakes over toast

Place 6-7 Roasted Pepitas(Pumpkin Seeds) on each toast

Drizzle high quality Olive Oil

Grind salt and pepper over toasts and you are ready to enjoy!!!

Alisha’s Frittata

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My favorite thing for breakfast is Frittata.  Growing up my dad would sautee some vegetables, chop up some herbs, and mix in eggs to create a delicious scramble.  After watching him do it 100 times, I took it to a new level, the Frittata. I love frittatas, because they are delicious, a great source of protein and you can experiment with all sorts of ingredients. Another great thing about the Frittata is that they can be sliced into nice, neat pieces that can be easily heated for another meal!

There are several restaurants around town(LA) that make a decent frittata, like Comme Ca, Gjelina, and Tasting Kitchen, but homemade is the way to go!!

 

Alisha Frittata

The Basic Alisha Frittata

Start with 1 Tablespoon of Olive Oil in a medium skillet

Sauté 1 Onion Chopped, 1 Bell Pepper (Season with Salt and Pepper)

While you wait for Onion and Bell Pepper to tenderize (10 minutes), chop other  vegetables that take a shorter time to cook down, such as mushrooms, baby tomatoes, and a leafy green like spinach or kale.

Once Onion and bell pepper are tender, mix in other vegetables. These vegetables will cook down fast (4-6 minutes).

It will look like a wonderful vegetable medley ready to eat…. but don’t forget the main ingredient… Fresh, organic eggs! (Or just plain eggs if you can’t find fresh ones).

Crack 4-5 Eggs in medium bowl, season with Salt, Pepper and Finely chopped Fresh Herbs (rosemary and Thyme), pour a splash(1 Tablespoon) of Milk or water, stir it up and poor it evenly over vegetable medley.

Cook over medium heat for approximately 8-10 minutes; place lid on skillet, turn heat to low and cook for another 8-10 minutes. Frittata is down when all egg mixture is cooked solid. Use your finger to poke it to determine readiness.

Serve with toast, avocado, fruit or if you eat meat, sausage or bacon!!

ENJOY!