Tofu Pesto Sandwiches

I love going to the deli at the local co op in Minnesota because they have the best tofu sandwiches.  Since moving to Cincinnati, we haven't been able to find a delicious tofu sandwich anywhere... so I decided to make my own.  And they were awesome! They were so incredibly filling, I swear we didn't have to eat for a whole week!  The pesto is so delicious and refreshing.  This is definitely a must for vegetarians.  And all you tofu haters... you just don't know what you're missin! Enjoy!

Tofu Pesto Sandwiches

Makes: 4

Ingredients:

1 loaf focaccia bread, (find recipe here)

1 block of tofu, sliced into 4 patties

1 red pepper, sliced & roasted

1/2 onion, sliced & roasted

4 slices fresh mozzarella cheese

2 tablespoons olive oil

Pesto:

1 package fresh basil, about 10 leaves

1/2 cup peas

2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/4 cup vegetable stock

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Place the sliced tofu on a greased baking sheet and bake at 400 for 25 minutes, flipping halfway through. (I added the red pepper and onion halfway through to roast).  Bake until the tofu is crispy. 

Meanwhile, add the ingredients for the pesto to a food processor or blender and blend until smooth.  

Slice the focaccia bread into 8 rectangles, to fit the tofu. Spread the pesto over one half and drizzle olive oil over other half.  Place cheese on one half and bake the bread in the oven for about 2 minutes, until cheese is melty.  Add tofu, red pepper and onion to the sandwich and place the top on.

Goes great with kale chips!!

Lentil Sloppy Joe's on Pretzel Buns

We bought a house... yay!! 

That means we need to, once again, pack up all of our belongings and move... boo!!

That means, I get the cupboards and fridge as empty as possible, to avoid having to move tons of food. 

As I was digging through the pantry, I found a lonely bag of lentils.  I rarely cook with lentils... in fact... I think I've cooked with lentils once.  I had really really low expectations for this meal.  

I used to eat sloppy joe's on a weekly basis.  Of course, it was a pound of hamburger mixed with canned sloppy joe mix on white bun.  Gross...   I wanted to make a healthier and more adult version of sloppy joes... while getting rid of my lentils.  

These were so super good!  I couldn't believe how great the pretzel bun went with the sloppy joe.  I also am so amazed that these tasted delicious and way way better than the "kid" sloppy joe's that I used to eat.  I will definitely have to buy lentils again and make these.  Plus... it was super super easy! And they were surprisingly filling.  We ate one each and were stuffed!

Lentil Sloppy Joes
Serves: 6

Ingredients:
3 cups of cooked lentils
1 cup brown rice, cooked
1/2 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/4 tsp chili powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp cane sugar or honey
1 14 oz can organic tomato sauce
1 tablespoon mustard, (I used Dijon)
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons soy sauce (I used Braggs)
1 tablespoon grapeseed oil
6 Pretzel Buns (recipe below)
sliced pickles, optional

Directions:
In an large saute pan over medium heat add oil, onion and garlic and saute for a couple of minutes.  Add lentils and rice and stir.  Add the rest of remaining ingredients and stir.  Let simmer over medium heat for 5 minutes.  If too thick, add water or vegetable stock to thin.  Scoop lentil mix over buns.

Pretzel Buns
Makes: 6

Ingredients:
1 cup milk
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon active rise yeast
2 teaspoons sea salt
3 cups all purpose organic flour

Boiling Solution:
3 quarts of water
3/4 cup baking soda

Egg wash:
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon water

Directions:
Heat milk and butter until warm (100-110 degrees F).  Combine yeast and brown sugar and add the warm milk/butter mixture in a large mixer bowl.  Stir in 2 cups of flour and salt, mix for 3 minutes.  Gradually add enough of the remaining flour to make a soft dough.  Knead on a floured surface until smooth and elastic, about 8-10 minutes.  Place in greased bowl, cover and let rise for 1 hour, or until doubled in size. 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Combine boiling solution and bring to a boil in a large sauce pot.  Punch dough down and divide into 6 equal portions and roll into balls.  Boil each ball in the solution for 2 minutes, turning after 1 minute.  Remove balls of dough from pot using a slotted spoon and place on greased baking sheet.

Brush with egg wash and make two slices across the top.  Bake for 15 minutes, then reduce temperature to 350 degrees F and bake an additional 10 minutes, until loaves are evenly browned.  Remove from pan and cool on wire rack. 

Note: The pretzel buns browned really quickly and almost looked burnt on the outside, but were perfectly cooked on the inside.  Next time, I will place on the 3 rack from the top to prevent the tops from getting too brown. 

Strawberry Lime Popsicles

These popsicles are so delicious and refreshing, especially on a hot summer day!  You can make even make adult versions and add rum instead of sparkling water, but I made them kid friendly. :)  Nick raved over these popsicles... probably because the strawberries were so sweet.  Again, you can add as much or little sugar as you want.  Enjoy!

Strawberry Lime Popsicles

Serves: 6

Ingredients: 

1 pint of fresh organic strawberries

zest and juice of 1 lime

1/2 cup sparkling water

1 tablespoon honey or cane sugar (add sweetness to taste)

Directions:

Remove stems from strawberries and add to blender, add the lime zest and juice, sparkling water and honey or sugar to taste.  Blend until smooth, pour into popsicle molds and freeze.  

Caprese Risotto

Insalata Caprese... is there really any better salad in the world?  It's a very fresh and flavorful salad made with fresh tomatoes, fresh mozzarella cheese and fresh basil. yum. yum. and yum.

As you know, I've been on a risotto kick lately.  Why? Because it's amazing, fancy, and cheap!  Especially if you make your own broth (make your own free broth Here).  I've been making broth so much these days, my crock pot permanently smells like veggie broth. It's amazing.  Anyway, back to the risotto.  I think this is one of the funnest meals to make with your partner.  Whenever we make risotto, Nick and I always break out the wine and Dean Martin and it really takes us back to Italy.  It's quite awesome.  

This risotto may be one of my best yet.  It's so beyond delicious.  When I took the photos for this, I admit, I was kind of sloppy cause I didn't really know how it would taste... After first bite, I almost went back to take more photos... but I didn't... cause it was too good to put down.  Nick had to work late last night so he heat his up when he got home and still said that it was the best risotto he's ever had!  I really can't wait to make this again... it's so wonderful and fresh for the summer. Enjoy!

Caprese Risotto

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

1 shallot, thinly chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup Arborio rice

1/2 cup dry white wine + more for drinking (I used Pinot Grigio)

4 cups of vegetable broth (here is the homemade recipe)

1 tablespoon butter

1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 cup fresh mozzarella cheese, cut into 1/2 inch cubes

1 pint cherry tomatoes, sliced in half

1 small package of fresh basil (about 20 leaves), thinly sliced

olive or grapeseed oil for pan

salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

In a medium sized sauce pot, bring veggie broth to a boil, then turn down to a simmer to keep warm.

In a large saucepan, heat a drizzle of oil over medium high heat and add shallot and garlic.  Stir and cook about 2 minutes.  Add the rice and stir to coat with oil.  Saute until it turns a golden brown, about 2 minutes. Add white wine and stir.  Add 1/2 cup of the broth and stir continuously until it soaks in.  Repeat this step until the rice is plump, but still has a bite.  You don't want it to be mush.  After the broth is all soaked up, add the pad of butter and Parmesan cheese and stir until cheese is melty. Add salt and pepper to taste. 

Remove from heat and add the mozzarella cheese, tomatoes and lastly fresh basil.  Serve immediately. 

Cantaloupe Popsicles

So if you know me, you know I have a homemade Popsicle obsession.  I love them and I think they are the greatest things ever to make with your kids.  I loved loved loved making homemade Popsicle when I was a kid... of course, mine weren't as healthy as the ones I make now.  I'd basically pour a can of root beer in a Popsicle mold or a glass of high sugar fruit juice.  Now, I love making them with fresh fruit because they taste better and have a way better texture.  

I ordered a new Popsicle mold on Amazon last week and it arrived in the mail this week.  I swear I almost jumped into the delivery guy's arms I was so excited.  If only they knew what was inside that smiley faced box.  I've only made one batch of Popsicle with these molds, but wow are they awesome! And HUGE! Nick and I couldn't finish our whole Popsicle  we had to save the rest for later.  Awesome!!  

Nick thought these Popsicle needed more sugar, but I think they were awesome.  Of course you can taste the puree and add sugar/honey to your liking. I was actually worried that this wouldn't work without adding some sort of liquid, but wow, cantaloupe has a ton of water in it.  They blended so easily and turned out delicious!  Super healthy snack when you need something cool on these hot hot days. 

Cantaloupe Popsicle
Serves: 6

Ingredients:
1/2 cantaloupe, pealed seeded and cut into cubes
1 tablespoon organic raw honey (more or less to your liking)

Directions:
In a large blender, puree cantaloupe and honey until soft about 10 seconds. Pour into Popsicle molds and freeze.  What a refreshing easy treat!

Bibimbap

I absolutely love all Asian food.  Though I have to admit, I wasn't that fond of Korean cuisine, until recently.  Who knew that Cincinnati, OH would have a fabulous Korean restaurant... better than anything we ate in Hawaii.  Yes, I'm shocked.  We also have a friend here form Korea and he got me to like Kimchi.  Again... shocker. 

For Nick's birthday, we went to this Korean restaurant.  Holy moly... it was delicious!  We got sushi, but it was different than Japanese sushi... amazing.  Then we got a whole bunch of things and I have no idea what they were, but they were all delicious.  We kept staring at everyone's dishes around us and it all looked amazing.  I can't wait to go back!

One really popular dish in Korea (well it's popular here in America/Cincinnati) is Bibimbap.  Super delicious and veritable.  Nick had it for the first time a while ago.  I've never actually had it from a restaurant, but I know the flavors in mine were outstanding.  Who knew that a little veggies and rice could pack so much flavor.  I love it! Makes me want to travel again. I highly recommend googling bibimbap to see what other awesome ingredients you can put in this dish. Enjoy!

Bibimbap

Serves: 4

1 cup brown rice

1 bunch of fresh spinach, rinsed

1 garlic clove minced

2 carrots, cut into matchsticks

1 zucchini, cut into matchsticks

1 package mushrooms, sliced (calls for shiitake, but I used baby bella)

1/2 block of tofu, baked (see how to perfectly bake tofu, here)

4 tablespoons Gochujang, (It's a Korean chili sauce... I just used Sriracha)

1 tablespoons sesame oil

2 tablespoons soy sauce, I used Bragg's

1 tablespoon honey

1 teaspoon brown sugar

4 eggs

Directions:

Cook brown rice according to package instructions.

Meanwhile in a large saute pan over medium high heat, add mushrooms, 1 tablespoon of sesame oil and a teaspoon of brown sugar.  Cook until mushrooms have released their liquid.  Set mushrooms aside and cover with foil to keep warm.

Add carrots to saucepan with 1 tablespoon of soy sauce and honey.  Saute until cooked, but still crisp, about 3 minutes. Set aside with the mushrooms and cover with foil. 

Add zucchini to the saucepan and saute for about 2 minutes.  Remove and set aside with the mushrooms and carrots, cover with foil. 

Add spinach and garlic to the saucepan with 1 tablespoon of soy sauce.  Saute until spinach is wilted. Set aside with other ingredients. 

In the same saucepan, fry up eggs, sunny side up. 

In a large bowl, add rice and top with fried egg.  Drizzle chili sauce over the top and arrange the vegetables and tofu around the egg.  Enjoy!

Raw Pasta with an Avocado Pea Pesto

Raw pasta... what?  This is my first time making zucchini noodles.  I've always thought that they can not be as filling as wheat or rice noodles and I can't stand when I'm hungry about an hour after dinner.  I was pleasantly surprised with how filling this meal was!  Yet again... this is a wonderful meal for a hot summer day.  It is really meant to be made raw, but for some reason, I really need my dinners to be warm.  Unless it's a sandwich. I basically put everything together like the recipe said and then just sauteed it in a pan for literally 2 minutes.  Just to warm it up.  But if you don't feel like heating the stove and if you're not a freak for warm food like me, you can totally eat this raw.  This was really good, super fast to make and filling too! I served it with my homemade Focaccia Bread, which is not gluten free, but you really don't even need bread to do with it because it is very filling itself.  Enjoy!

Raw Pasta with an Avocado Pea Pesto
Serves: 4

Ingredients: 
2 large zuchini
1 avocado, peeled and pit removed
1 bunch basil
1 small bunch mint leaves, about 10 leaves
1 clove garlic
1/2 cup frozen peas
1/4 cup cold pressed olive oil
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
juice of one lemon
salt and pepper

Directions:
To make the zucchini noodles, I used a vegetable peeler and peeled of strips, then I cut the strips in to small noodles, similar to the size of linguine.  Set aside when complete.

In a large food processor or blender, add the avocado, basil, mint, frozen peas, olive oil and lemon juice.  Blend until smooth and creamy.  

In a large mixing bowl, combine the zucchini noodles and pesto.  Add the cherry tomatoes and give it a gentle stir.  Salt and pepper to taste. 

Black Bean and Sweet Potato Quesadillas on Homemade Tortillas

For the past year, I have been making all of my bread products from scratch using organic flour, with the exception of flour tortillas. Why? ... Because I was intimidated to make my own.  Well, Whole Foods is out of organic tortillas far too often so I decided to give it a shot and make my own.  They weren't the most beautiful tortillas (according to Nick), but wow, did they taste amazing!! There are no added preservatives or unwanted ingredients when you make your own baked goods and seriously, it is so easy! I know that you can substitute gluten free flour or corn flour and they would taste just as amazing.  They actually looked a lot like some gluten free pancakes we made a few months back.  The best part about these are, you can make them on a rainy boring day and freeze them for later use.  Very delicious!

My new favorite vegetarian/Mexican ingredients are black beans with sweet potatoes.  They just go well together and are very filling.  These quesadillas were so delicious and ridiculously easy. Enjoy!

Black Bean and Sweet Potato Quesadillas

Serves: 3

Ingredients:

1 cup cooked black beans

1 large sweet potato

1 cup fresh spinach

1 avocado, sliced

1 cup cheese, whatever kind you like... I used raw white cheddar

Greek yogurt and salsa to taste

6 tortillas (recipe below)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and slice sweet potato into thicker slices.  Place on a baking sheet with olive oil and bake for 10-15 minutes, until soft. 

Place a tortilla on a plate and add black beans, roasted sweet potato, spinach, and avocado, top with cheese and remaining tortilla.  The amount depends on how full you want your quesadilla.  Transfer to a saute pan over medium high heat with a little spray.  After 2-3 minutes, flip and cook other side for 2-3 minutes.  Transfer to plate and serve with Greek yogurt and salsa. 

Flour Tortillas

Makes 6 tortillas

Ingredients:

1 cup all purpose organic flour, plus more for dusting

1 tsp sea salt

1/2 tsp. cumin

1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper

2 tablespoons grapeseed oil

1/2 cup water

Directions:

In a larger mixing bowl, sift together the flour, sea salt, cumin and cayenne pepper.  Add oil and water and mix with a wooden spoon until combined.  Roll out onto a lightly floured surface and kneed for about 2-3 minutes.  Roll into 6 small balls and let sit for 10 minutes.  

If you have a tortilla press, which I don't know anyone who has a tortilla press, but if you do, press out the dough on your press to form tortillas.  If you're like me, you can lay out a piece of saran wrap and spray it with oil, then place your ball of dough in the center.  Top with another piece of oiled saran wrap and press down firmly using a heavy pan.  I actually placed the wrap on the floor and stepped in the pan to press into nice thin tortillas.  Now that I think about it... I don't think I washed the pan afterwards... oops.  

In a large cast iron skillet over medium heat, add the tortilla and cook for about 2 minutes per side.  Remove from pan and let cool.  Enjoy!