Spicy Veggie Tofu Soft Tacos

I was very absent in May so I will make up for it in June. Here is a great tofu recipe and very healthy. When I get back from Sayulita, Mexico next week, I will be blogging my face off about Mexico food and hopefully lots of different spices and flavors I have yet to learn.

These are great, quick and healthy. I love cooking new things that combine zucchini and tofu that are not your typical stir fry. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 small zucchini, halved lengthwise and cut into 1/4″ slices (about 2 cups)
1 cups sliced mushrooms (I used button, whatever you have on hand is great)
1 carrot, coarsely chopped
1 small onion, cut into 1/4″ strips
1 tsp. minced garlic
6-oz. can of tomato paste or 6 oz. from cooked can of diced tomatoes
1/2 cup water
2 tsp. chili powder (or to taste)
1/2 tsp. hot pepper sauce (or to taste)
1/4 tsp. ground cumin or 1/4 tsp cumin seed
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper (or to taste)
1 pkg. 12 oz Tofu Extra Firm, cut into 1/2″ cubes (about 2 cups)
3 plum tomatoes, cut into 1/2″ cubes (about 1 cup) or 1/2 can tomatoes from puree
10 soft taco wheat tortillas

Optional: avocado slices for garnish.

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Heat olive oil in large, nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.
3. Add the zucchini, mushrooms, carrots, onion and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender but not browned, about 5 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, combine tomato paste (or cooked tomato puree), water, chili powder, hot pepper sauce, cumin and pepper in a small bowl; add the mixture to the skillet.
5. Gently stir in the tofu cubes and plum tomatoes. Reduce heat to low; cover and heat through, about 5 minutes.
6. To serve, spoon about 1/2 cup of mixture into each of the heated tortillas.

Baked Couscous with Herbed Summer Squash

I'm into baking grains these days. It started a month ago with doing baked rice. The flavor is much more intense.

Ingredients

• 1 (14-ounce) can fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth or water, divided
• 3/4 cup uncooked couscous
• Cooking spray or 1 Tbsp olive oil
  
• 2 cups sliced yellow squash (about 2 small)
• 1/2 cup sliced green onions - about 2
  
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil or 1 tsp dried basil
  
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano or 1/2 tsp dried oregano
  
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/2 cup (1 ounce) grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
• 1/4 cup egg substitute or 1 egg beaten
  
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 4 - 6 small fresh mozzarella balls (optional)
  

Preparation

Preheat oven to 400°.

Bring 1 cup chicken broth/water to a boil in a medium saucepan; gradually stir in uncooked couscous. Remove from heat; cover and let stand 5 minutes. Fluff couscous with a fork.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray ot olive oil. Add squash, onions, basil, oregano, and garlic; sauté 3 minutes or until squash is tender. Set aside.

Combine couscous, squash mixture, and half of cheese mixture in a large bowl; stir in remaining chicken broth/water, egg, salt, and pepper. Spoon mixture into an 8 x 8-inch baking dish lightly coated with cooking spray. Top with remaining cheese mixture. Place fresh mozzarella balls randomly on top if you using. Bake at 400° for 35 minutes or until golden. Serve warm.

Veggie Bean Corn Tortilla Casserole

I am always surprised and encouraged by what I can come up with just looking into the refrigerator. Tonight I made something by connecting some great dots in the form of what I had on-hand. The red enchilada sauce in the 'frig has been there for awhile and this was just the time to use it, considering I had black beans, cheese and corn tortillas. The bonus is that I had some fresh veggies to add huge flavor and made it super healthy. I hope you try and enjoy!

8 (6)-inch white corn tortilla, I used La Mariposa from Denver cut in half
1 jar, you'll need 8 oz. of Red Enchilada sauce, I used Fronterra
1/2 medium yellow onion diced
1 large clove garlic minced
1 tbsp olive oil
1 carrot sliced thin about 1/2 cup
1/2 cup yellow squash
1/2 cup green zucchini
1/2 tsp cumin
salt and pepper
1 cup canned black beans rinsed well
1 cup shredded Monterrey jack cheese

Preheat oven 350 degrees.
Heat olive oil over medium heat, saute garlic and onion until transparent about 5 minutes, add carrot, yellow squash, zucchini. Season with salt, pepper and cumin. Saute about 5-7 minutes, until flavors mesh. In the meantime, cut tortillas in half. Poor about 1/2 cup of enchilada sauce in bottom of 8 x 8 casserole dish. Take each tortilla half and soak on both sides in sauce then lay on bottom of dish to create a layer of tortillas (about 4 half moons per layer) with a bit of the sauce still on the bottom. When saute is finished scoop about 1/2 the veggies onto the tortillas sprinkle 1/2 cup of black beans over veggies, then layer gently 1/3 of the shredded cheese. Continue the same process with the next layer, soak tortillas in sauce, layer veggies, black beans then cheese. Finally, layer last 4 half-moon tortillas and the remaining 1/3 cup cheese, any remaining enchilada sauce over the entire dish and cover with Aluminium foil. Bake for 30 minutes, remove foil and bake for another 5 minutes. Serve immediately. Optional, serve with salsa, sour cream, or both.

This is an excellent way to get more veggies into your diet and not additional fat.
Substitute shredded chicken for black beans. And green chili for red.

Serves 4.

Carmelized Onion, Red Pepper, Mushroom Frittata

Happy Easter 2009 - Easter Frittata

1 Tbsp. Olive Olive
1/2 medium onion sliced very thin
1/4 cup sliced red pepper
2 large white mushrooms sliced thin
5 Eggs Beaten
1 tbsp fresh thyme
salt and pepper
3 Tbsp. shredded cheese (I used Colby Longhorn)

Pre-heat over 350 degrees.
In an overproof skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onions and carmelize for about 10 minutes. Add the thyme, red pepper and mushrooms. Cook for about 5 - 7 more minutes. Lower heat just a bit and add the beaten eggs. Let cook and set for about 6 minutes with the cover on. Remove cover and sprinkle shredded cheese over frittata. Put in over for 3 minutes or until cooked through. Remove from oven, losen the frittata with a spatula around the sides. Cut into 4 pie slices and serve with toast.

Homemade Snackfast Granola

Well, if we can take Breakfast and Lunch to make Brunch then we can take a healthy anytime snack that is traditionally eaten as breakfast and call it - Snackfast Granola. Other items can be entered into the Snackfast category but here is the inaugural Snackfast Recipe. Feel free to a add/delete nuts and dried fruits based on what it's the house but the molasses is really worth it for the rich, satisfying taste and it's really good for you too.

Homemade Snackfast Granola

3 cups oats
3 T blackstrap molasses
1/8 cup raw sugar
1/8 cup canola oil
2 T Light Brown Sugar
1/8 cup water
1 T cinnamon
1/8 cup raw unsalted sunflower seeds
1/4 cup raw unsalted chopped almonds

1 T sesame seeds
1.5 T flaxseeds
4 T Dried Apricots or Apples
2 T. Dried Cranberries

Directions

Mix oil, sugar, molasses, cinnamon, and water in a bowl. Add oats, sunflower seeds and almonds and mix well.
Spread on baking sheet and bake at 250 for 75 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes or so.
When it's done baking, add flaxseeds, sesame seeds and dried fruits.
Allow to cool before placing in resealable container. This granola is fairly low in fat, and it doesn't stick together in large clusters.
Eat dry as a snack or add soy milk for breakfast.

8 Servings

Carmelized Onion, Goat Cheese & Artichoke Pizza

Carmelized Onion & Fennel Pizza with Goat Cheese & Artichoke Spread

I don't know what my problem is but I just have not been in the St. Patty's Day mood. Normally, I would be cooking up some Irish Soda Bread or drinking Guinness or something. But no, I'm interested in pizza, healthy pizza. For these pizzas, use the recipe for Pizza Dough.

Click here for Pizza Dough recipe.
Heat oven to 450 degrees. Place a baking-stone with some cornmeal dusted on it, and heat it in the oven. Note: This recipe only covers 1 small 8" pizza so the entire pizza dough this recipe should be tripled.

Carmelized Onions and Fennel

1/4 of a Fennel Bulb thinly sliced
1/4 of a medium yellow onion sliced
1/4 of a medium red onion sliced
2 Tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper

In a wide medium saute pan heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and saute until they start to brown, stirring constantly, then lower the heat and cover, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper. They should cook for about 8 more minutes or until they are turning brown, then remove from heat. Taste and season with salt and pepper if necessary.

Goat Cheese Artichoke Spread
2 oz. Haystack Mountain Goat Cheese
2 Tablespoons chopped sun-sundried tomatoes in oil
1/3 cup marinated artichoke hearts, drained
1/4 tsp. dried thyme
Salt and Pepper to taste

Add the tomatoes, artichokes to the goat cheese with the salt and pepper and thyme. Combine until spread is uniform.

Spread over prepared pizza dough. Dollop the spread and move it around to cover entire dough. Scrape carmelized onions and fennel over the entire pizza.

Place pizza on warmed baking stone and return to over, bake 11 - 12 minutes. Let sit for 2 minutes then cut and enjoy!

Creamy Egg Salad with Avocado

Creamy Egg Salad with Avocado


This is a great recipe if you want to reduce the amount of mayo and increase flavor and nutrients. A fresh avocado is used to create a creamy texture. It is also very high in Vitamin E, which is good for the heart.

Makes 2 sandwiches.

4 Hard-boiled eggs
1/3 Ripe Avocado
2 Tablespoons white onion or 2 scallions chopped
1 Stalk of Celery diced
1 Tbsp. Dijon (like Grey Poupon)
2 Tablespoons Light Canola Mayo
1 Tbsp Fresh Squeezed Lemon Juice
1/2 tsp. Sweet Paprika

Mince eggs. Combine mustard, mayo, lemon juice and whisk together. Then mix in the chopped avocado and stir until creamy and the avocado is mostly mashed. Add the eggs and mix until completely combined, add Sweet Paprika and mix well. Salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate at least 1 hour.

Spread onto toasted wheat bread or eat with whole wheat crackers. Also, makes an excellent pita filling.