Vegetable Pho

I tried Pho for the first time in Hawaii and it was awesome!  It's definitely one of the things I missed the most and I just knew that no restaurant around here could even become close to comparison... so I made it myself!  Let me tell you, this is the closest to the real deal that I've gotten when it comes to dish recreation.  Normally, we add the appropriate raw toppings, but unfortunately Thai basil is scarce here.  Normally, you can find it at your local Asian Market, but ours is under renovation, boo hoo.  

I highly highly recommend this dish especially on those cold evenings when you want a nice gluten free noodle soup.  It's delicious!!

Vegetable Pho
Serves: 4

Ingredients:
Broth:
4 cups unsalted vegetable stock (Make your own healthy Vegetable Stock!)
4 cups water
2 shallots, thinly sliced
5 garlic cloves, smashed (I just peal and smash with a knife
1 inch piece of fresh ginger, sliced 
6 Tablespoons organic soy sauce (I just use Bragg's)
3 star anise pods
1/2 cinnamon stick
3 cardamom pods

Additions:
1 cup chopped broccoli
1 cup chopped cauliflower
1 cup largely sliced carrots
1/2 onion thinly sliced
5 mushrooms, thinly sliced
1/4 red pepper, thinly sliced
1/2 block of tofu, baked (learn how to bake the best tofu here!)

1/2 pound dried rice noodles

Toppings:
1 cup thai basil
1 jalapeno pepper, thinly sliced
1 lemon, quartered

Sauce:
3 parts Hoisin sauce
1 part Sriracha sauce (depending on how spicy you like things, Nick uses 2:1 ratio)

Directions:
In a large soup pot, add vegetable stock and water and bring to a small boil.  Add the rest of the broth ingredients, through the cardamom pods and bring to a gentle simmer for an hour to soak up all the spice flavors.  Towards the end, add the broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, onion, mushrooms, and red pepper to a steamer basket and place above the broth to steam for just a few minutes, be sure not to overcook as they will soften more in the broth. 

While the broth is cooking, soak your rice noodles in warm water for about 20 minutes, or until softened.  You don't want them to be completely done because they'll cook more in the broth.  Drain noodles.

When the broth is finished, strain out the spices and pour back into soup pot.  Bring to a small boil.  

In the bottom of a soup bowl, add a handful of rice noodles, followed by some gently steamed vegetables and top with tofu.  Pour broth over the vegetables until it reaches the top of your soup bowl.  Add raw thai basil, jalapeno and a squeeze of lemon.  

Serve with Hoisin/Sriracha mix.  We usually dip our veggies in the sauce, but you can pour it right into the soup. 

Enjoy!  You can always modify the broth to your liking.  It's all about the broth. :)

Baked Tofu

I know there are a lot of Tofu haters out there and that's probably because if you don't cook it perfectly, it's pretty bad.  I've been to restaurants where they don't do anything to the tofu before serving and I swear it's like eating flavorless jello cubes.  I must say, I've cooked tofu several times and found a method that I will forever use.  It's easy and flawless and results in perfectly seasoned, crispy tofu that's baked and not fried!

 Start with a block of organic extra firm tofu.  It's important that it's organic, because soy beans are highly genetically modified.  Also, extra firm tofu is the best tofu to bake. 

 Slice the tofu in half lengthwise and soak in hot salted water for about 15 minutes.

 Remove the tofu from the water and lay on a kitchen towel.  Place another kitchen towel over the top and weigh down with come books or cans or anything heavy. 

 Place in a 350 degree oven, on an oiled baking sheet for 15 minutes.  After 15 minutes, remove from oven and slice into cubes, or however you'd like to slice them. Return to oven for another 15 minutes, giving them a stir every 5 minutes. 

This will result in perfectly crispy and seasoned tofu!  Add to your favorite dish and enjoy!

Vietnamese Summer Rolls

I love summer rolls.  They are so refreshing and healthy.  They are like eating a salad, except way more fun.  They are super easy to make too once you get your assembly line going. I love ordering these at restaurants rather than the spring rolls because they are made with rice paper, meaning they are gluten free, and they aren't fried.  They will definitely impress at a gathering and perfect with a peanut dipping sauce.  We used Annie Chun's gluten free peanut sauce and they were perfect.  Enjoy!

Vietnamese Summer Rolls

Serves: 6

Ingredients:

6 sheets of rice paper

2 carrots, sliced into matchsticks

1/2 medium sized cucumber, seeded and sliced into matchsticks

1/2 block of tofu, baked and sliced very thin

1 cup chopped romaine lettuce (I just used spring greens because that's what I had)

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1/4 cup chopped fresh mint

Peanut sauce for dipping

Directions:

Soak the rice paper one at a time in a plate of warm water for a minute or so, until soft.  Place veggies in the middle of the rice paper and fold and roll.  I like to fold one side over, followed by the top and bottom, and then the other side. Rice paper will be very sticky so spray whatever you place them on.  Serve with peanut dipping sauce.

It is easiest to get all your ingredients together in an assembly line before you start. 

Soak the rice paper in a plate of warm water for a minute until it softens.

Place the rice paper on a bamboo cutting board or a plate sprayed with oil, rice paper will be extremely sticky.

Place veggies in the center of the wrap.  I like to wrap one side over, then the top and bottom, then the other side.  It's best if you spray your serving dish too so they don't stick to it. 

Mango Banana Berry Smoothies

I'm not really a breakfast person. I'm a "sleep in as late as possible and rush out the door" person.  So these smoothies are a great "grab and go" breakfast idea that's healthy and filling for that mid-morning snack.  We make a huge batch of smoothies, stick them in small jars and place them in the freezer for the week.  Then in the morning, we pop them out of the freezer and take them to work.  By 10:00 or so, they are just melted enough to enjoy.  Everyone at work will be so jealous of your healthful and ingenious ways.  Enjoy!

Mango Banana Berry Smoothies

Makes: 9 small smoothies

Ingredients:

2 fresh mangoes, pealed and chopped

5 ripe bananas, pealed and broken up

6 large organic strawberries, stems removed

3/4 cup organic almond milk (I used almond/coconut blend, it's amazing)

1 cup Kefir (super good for your immune system, you can find it in the organic dairy section of your grocery store.  I used strawberry flavored. You can also substitute with yogurt if you want.)

1/2 cup orange juice

Directions:

Place the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.  Delicious! You can also place in the freezer until ready to eat.

Greek Veggie Pizza

I love making Greek pastas and Greek salads and I thought tonight, I'd try a Greek pizza!  All those lovely flavors on a pizza... it's gotta be amazing.  And it was.  This will definitely be made again in this household.  It was so flavorful and even though it was pizza, it felt healthy.  It wasn't loaded with greasy cheese and I made this on a thin crust because I wanted the toppings to stand out. Man I'm so excited for lunch so I can eat the leftovers.  Highly Highly recommend this pizza. 

Greek Veggie Pizza

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

1/2 jar homemade pizza sauce

1 homemade pizza crust (I used half the dough for a nice thin crust)

1 cup of canned artichoke hearts, chopped

2 cups of fresh baby spinach, chopped

1/2 cup Kalamata olives, sliced

1/2 cup grape tomatoes, sliced

1 (4 oz) tub crumbled feta cheese

Directions:

Once the crust is spread out onto the pan, spread with sauce.  Top with spinach, artichokes, olives, tomatoes and lastly the cheese.  Bake in a 400 degree oven for about 15-20 minutes until the crust is crispy and the cheese is golden.  

Remove from oven and transfer pizza to a cooling rack.  Let cool and slice into squares!

Pizza Crust

I love how easy this pizza crust is to make.  Forget the boxed garbage, this is so simple and you probably have the ingredients already on hand.  For this recipe, you can either make two large thin crust pizzas or one large thick crust pizza.  Either way is delicious!  I suggest that if you have a lot of toppings, use the thin crust and if you have very few toppings, use the thick crust!

I like to split the crust in half, wrap one half up and freeze it until the next pizza party. (Which is weekly in our household)

 Here is what the pizza dough looks like right after you stir until combined. 

Here is the dough after you let it rise for just 5-10 minutes.  You don't have to wait long for the dough to rise. 

And here is the complete dough kneaded and ready to spread onto your baking sheet.  Blends right into the counter tops!

Pizza Crust

Makes: 1 thick crust large pizza or 2 thin crust large pizzas

Ingredients:

1 Tablespoon active dry yeast (or one packet)

1 teaspoon organic cane sugar

1 cup warm water (110 degrees F, make sure it's not too warm because it'll kill the yeast)

2 1/2 cups all purpose organic flour

2 Tablespoons grapeseed oil

1 teaspoon sea salt

Directions:

In a large mixing bowl, dissolve sugar in warm water, add yeast and whisk until mixed.  Let sit until foamy, about 10 minutes.  Add oil, flour, and salt in that order.  Mix with a wooden spoon until smooth.  Let sit in mixing bowl for about 5-10 minutes in a warm spot until it rises a little.  

Turn dough onto a floured surface and knead a couple of times until it is smooth.  At this point, you can cut the dough in half and freeze half.  

To cook the dough, preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Place a large cookie sheet in the oven to preheat with the oven.  Once preheated, remove the cookie sheet (with potholder!).  Oil the pan and spread the dough onto the hot pan being sure not to burn yourself.  The pan cools fast to don't be to worried.  I find that it's easiest to oil the pan and the top of the dough so it's not super sticky.  Once the dough is streatched evenly in the pan, add your favorite sauce and toppings!  For a great sauce recipe, click here!

Place back into preheated oven and cook for about 15-20 minutes or until crust is golden brown and crispy and toppings are cooked.  Time will vary depending on the thickness of the crust and amount of toppings.  I suggest if it's a thick crust, to cook on the second to bottom rack and if it's a thin crust, to cook the second to top rack. 

Pizza Sauce

This is definitely my go-to pizza sauce.  It's amazing and I love it.  I especially love making it ahead of time and throwing it in the freezer until ready to use.  That makes pizza night super easy.  You could also make a ton ahead of time and can it if you're running out of freezer space. 

Pizza Sauce
Makes: 1 pint of sauce

Ingredients: 
5 cloves of garlic, minced
1 Tablespoon grapeseed oil
1 (16 oz) can organic tomato sauce
1 (6 oz) can organic tomato paste
2 Tablespoons organic cane sugar
1 Tablespoon dried oregano
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
sea salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
In a medium sized sauce pot, drizzle grapeseed in the bottom and add garlic.  Turn heat to medium and saute the garlic for about 3 minutes, making sure not to burn it.  Add a grind of salt to release the oils and stir.  Add tomato sauce and paste, sugar and oregano.  Stir to mix until smooth.  Reduce heat to low and add Parmesan cheese. Stir until cheese is melted and blended.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  The longer you let sit at low heat, the more the flavors will blend and the better it will taste.

Delicious on pizza or for bread stick dipping!

Veggies and Dip Pizza

This pizza is great to bring to parties, potlucks and showers.  It always gets gobbled up and rave reviews.  And it's super easy to make!  I don't advise eating a whole pizza because though it's packed with raw veggies, it's also packed with cream cheese and crescent roll, but one or two pieces are totally fine.  

Veggies and Dip Pizza

Serves: 12

Ingredients:

1 pkg crescent rolls

6 oz cream cheese

1 Tablespoon mayo

splash of milk

1 Tablespoon dried dill

1 garlic clove, minced

salt

1 cup broccoli, chopped into small pieces

1 cup cauliflower, chopped into small pieces

2 carrots, shredded

3 green onions, sliced

1/2 cup sliced black olives

Directions:

Roll out entire crescent roll dough into a rectangle on a medium sized baking sheet. Pinch seams shut and smooth out with fingers.  Place in a 350 degree F oven for 10 minutes or until crust is golden brown.  Removed from oven and set aside to cool.

To make the dip, place the cream cheese, mayo, dill, garlic and a pinch of salt into a mixing bowl and mix aggressively until smooth. You may add a splash of milk to thin it out (I didn't have any Greek yogurt, but I bet you can replace some of the cream cheese with that and skip the mayo, making it a bit healthier).  

When crust is cooled, spread dip over the crust in an even layer.  Top with fresh veggies and olives.  Chill until ready to serve.  

Gluten Free Chickpea Blondies

A few weeks ago, I decided I'd try and make Black Bean Brownies since I kept hearing about them and wanted to see what all the hype was about.  They were really an excellent way for you to get your yummy chocolaty brownie fix, while keeping it gluten free.  

Today, I tried making the Black Bean Brownie's cousin, the Chickpea Blondie.  I must say, in battle the Chickpea Blondie definitely takes the cake... or bar?  It might be that I blended the chick pea batter a lot more than the black bean batter to make it silky and smooth... I also added a little bit of almond coconut milk, to make it creamier so it would blend better. 

All said, these blondies are delicious if you're gluten free or not.  They have a deliciously nutty flavor and man I tell you, organic chocolate chips are da bomb (I just aged myself didn't I?).  I will definitely make these again for all my gluten free friends... and I'll probably make them for my non-gluten free friends and they won't even know the difference so there. 

Enjoy!



Gluten Free Chickpea Blondies
Serves: 16

Ingredients:
Coconut Oil or cooking spray
1 can (15 oz) chickpeas, rinsed and drained OR 1 cup dried chickpeas soaked and cooked
1/2 cup organic peanut butter, I used chunky
1/3 cup pure maple syrup
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 organic egg, optional (adding an egg will make the blondie more cake like and fluffy)
1/4 cup organic almond or coconut milk, optional (I added this to make the batter creamier)
1/3 cup organic chocolate chips
Himalayan Sea Salt for sprinkling

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and spray an 8x8 inch pan with cooking spray or rub bottom and edges with coconut oil.

In a food processor or blender, add all ingredients except chocolate chips and process until batter is smooth. Transfer to mixing bowl and fold in 1/3 cup organic semi sweet chocolate chips.  

Spread the batter evenly into prepared pan and sprinkle a few chocolate chips over the top.  Grind a dash of sea salt over the top. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean and the edges pull away from pan.  Be sure not to overcook, as they will become dry. 

Cool pan on a wire rack for another 20 minutes and slice into 16 squares and serve!

Swedish Meatballs

Nick and I are not really meat people, but for some reason I have been craving Swedish Meatballs lately.  I have no idea where this is coming from because I think I remember eating them once in my life.  And I don’t even know if they were really Swedish Meatballs. 

Since we don’t eat beef or pork right now, I wanted to find a good recipe that would go well with turkey.  However, because I can’t follow a recipe, I decided to just make one up and it turned out quite well!  I would recommend adding some currant jam or grape jam to the top though, just to sweeten it up.  We didn’t have any jam in the house. Sad face.

I loved this recipe though.  It just reminded me of a nice meal we’d eat at grandma’s.  Good ole northern Minnesotan meat and potatoes AND a can of green beans from grandpa’s garden.  A very feel good meal. 

Swedish Turkey Meatballs

Serves: 6

Ingredients:

1 ½ cup panko bread crumbs

¼ cup milk

2 Tablespoons butter

1/2 cup finely chopped onion

1 pinch salt

1 lb organic ground turkey

1 large egg

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

3 cups vegetable broth

¼ cup whole milk (additional)

Directions:

In a 12-inch straight sided saute pan, melt a dab of butter over medium heat. Add the onion and a pinch of salt and sweat until the onions are soft. Remove from the heat and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the bread crumbs, ¼ cup milk, ground turkey, egg, 1 teaspoon of salt, black pepper, allspice, nutmeg, and onions. Mix until combined, but don’t over mix.  By the tablespoon, scoop up meat and form into balls. 

Heat the remaining butter in the saute pan over medium-low heat. Add the meatballs and saute until golden brown on all sides, about 7 to 10 minutes. Remove the meatballs to an ovenproof dish using a slotted spoon and place in the warmed oven.

Once all of the meatballs are cooked, decrease the heat to low and add the flour to the pan or skillet. Whisk until lightly browned, approximately 1 to 2 minutes. Gradually add the veggie stock and whisk until sauce begins to thicken. Add the whole milk and continue to cook until the gravy reaches the desired consistency. Remove the meatballs from the oven, cover with the gravy and serve.

I served with mashed potatoes and they were delicious!!

Burrito Bowls with an Avocado Dressing

I've been making Chipotle burritos a lot lately because they are so delicious, but I've really been getting away from flour tortillas lately because I don't really much care for them.  Organic corn tortillas are so much tastier and wheat free!  PLUS... did you know that just the tortilla in a Chipotle burrito is 290 calories?! This is why I opt for the bowls.  Plus, I like eating with a fork.  

This could very well be my favorite meal that I make.  It's delicious, super easy, fresh and healthy.  I think that I could make these on a weekly or even daily basis.  They are so good and I highly recommend them.

Burrito Bowls with and Avocado Dressing

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

1 cup organic brown rice

1 cup organic dried black beans

2 cups spring salad mix

1 container of plain Greek yogurt

Salsa:

1 cup organic corn

1 fresh tomato, chopped

1/2 jalapeno pepper, chopped

Juice of 1/2 lime

3 Tablespoons of fresh cilantro, chopped

Avocado Dressing:

1 ripe avocado

zest and juice of 2 limes

1 cup fresh cilantro

1/2 cup olive oil (I think you could cut this down and add veggie broth instead as a liquid)

Directions:

Cook the brown rice according to package.

Soak the beans in water overnight.  Rinse and place in a pot with water to reach a couple inches over the beans.  Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer for about 2 hours, or until beans are soft.  I try to plan ahead and cook the beans ahead of time and just reheat them.  

To make salsa, combine all ingredients in a small mixing bowl.  

To make the dressing, place avocado, lime juice and zest, cilantro and olive oil or broth in a food processor or blender. Pulse until combined.

To assemble bowls, place a scoop of rice on the bottom of the bowl, add beans, add salad mix and salsa.  top with avocado dressing and add a dollop of plain Greek yogurt.  We also served these with a toasted corn tortilla. Enjoy!!

Ginger Coconut Fish Soup

I don’t really order fish at restaurants, unless they really specialize in it.  But one day, I decided to order the Ginger Fish at a local Thai place (in Hawaii).  I am so glad I did, it was so delicious and fresh (because it was Hawaii) and made me love ginger!  Since I didn't have a recipe, I tried to recreate the Thai ginger fish dish that I fell in love with.  It turned out exceptionally well.  Because I lack patience, I didn't let the broth boil out enough before adding the vegetables, which ended in a really soupy dish… and that is why I call this “Fish Soup.” 

If you are in the mood for an awesome gingery coconut fish soup, this is your dish.  It just tastes fresh and healthy.  Also, if you're not a fish person, you should be cause it's super healthy for you, but you can also make this with chicken or tofu instead... or just leave the meat out all together! Enjoy!

Ginger Coconut Fish Soup

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

2 cod fillets, or fish of your choice

1 cup white wine

2 cups low sodium organic vegetable broth (See how I make homemade broth!)

1 can organic coconut cream

1 small onion, minced

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 inches ginger, minced

½ red bell pepper, sliced into thin strips

3 carrots, sliced into matchsticks

2 cups broccoli, chopped into smaller pieces

2 inches of ginger, sliced into matchsticks

1 cup of brown rice

Grapeseed oil of pan

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Cook brown rice according to package.

Heat a drizzle of grapeseed oil in a large saute pan over medium heat, add minced onion, garlic, and ginger.  Saute for about 3 minutes or until soft.  Add white wine and let cook down for about 2 minutes.  Add broth and bring to a gentle boil.  Add fish fillets and poach until done, about 8 minutes depending on the type and size of fish.  When fish is cooked, remove with tongs and set on a plate and cover. 

Boil out broth until there is only about a cup left.  Add veggies and ginger and cook for about 2 minutes.  Turn heat to low and add coconut milk.  Stir to combine. 

Scoop rice into a soup bowl and top with fish. Pour vegetables and broth over the top.  Enjoy!!

BBQ Chicken Taquitos

One of my most favorite meals to have during summer is BBQ chicken sandwiches.  They are so delicious, especially if you grill the chicken. YUM!

Well, a coworker of Nick's gave us this delicious bottle of homemade sweet and spicy BBQ sauce and I really wanted to make something BBQ chickeny with it.  Since we’re not bun people these days, I decided to make BBQ Chicken Taquitos and wrap the ingredients in a corn tortilla instead.  YUM!  These are so delicious and crunchy and I can’t wait to make them again.  We cooked the chicken in a pan and added beer towards the end... it really added a nice flavor.  Since we live in an apartment and don't have a grill, we had to go with the pan method.  However, if I had a grill, I'd marinate the chicken in the beer beforehand, then grill it slathering it with the sauce.  BUT... for those cold winter nights where the grill is buried in snow, this is a great alternative method.  

BBQ Chicken Taquitos

Serves: 4 (or 6 depending on how hungry you are)

Ingredients:

2 Organic Chicken Breasts

1 cup chopped pineapple (don’t get the canned crap, buy a pineapple and chop it dang it!)

½ cup sweet and spicy BBQ sauce

½ chopped red onion

1 cup Colby Jack cheese (We actually forgot the cheese and they still turned out great!)

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

10 organic corn tortillas (Trader Joe's has great corn tortillas)

1 bottle beer (We used Corona)

Zest and juice of 1 lime

Salt and Pepper to taste

Oil for cooking

Directions:

In a saute pan over medium heat, add the chopped onion and cook until soft and translucent  about 3 minutes.  Remove from pan and place in a large glass mixing bowl.  

In the same saute pan over medium heat, cook the chicken breasts until done, adding beer a half cup at a time.  (Or grill it using the method above.)  When chicken is complete cooked, remove from heat and using two forks, shred the chicken.  Place shredded chicken in the bowl with the onions and add pineapple, cilantro, BBQ sauce, cheese, lime zest & juice.  Salt and pepper to taste and add more sauce to the mix to your liking. 

Place the corn tortillas in a 400 degree oven for about a minute to soften.  Quickly remove from oven, add a scoop of chicken mixture to the middle of the corn tortillas and roll up.  Place on a baking sheet and when all the tortillas are stuffed, bake in the 400 degree oven for about 15 minutes, or until tortillas are crispy.  

We served these with sweet potato chips and they were delicious!