We've moved!

Click HERE to follow us on Facebook! Check out our new website HERE

Quick Vegetarian Stir Fry-Thing

Yep, it looks red and weird. 

That's what happens when you use fresh beets. 

My fall schedule, though almost as busy as my summer schedule, leaves me just enough time to experiment with food. And, after almost an entire summer of pre-made quick fix meals (which were difficult to find given the amount of ingredients I have to avoid), I am ready to run back into my kitchen and make as many fresh meals as possible. 

Tonight, however, left me just enough time to throw my groceries in the fridge at 8:00 p.m. before wanting to just devour whatever was in sight. But I wanted something different, and this past week, my sister-in-law managed to convince me that beets are both tasty and easy to cook. So I decided on this... 

Ingredients

1 cup whole grain brown rice pasta

1 small eggplant, chopped 

2 large swiss chard leaves, chopped

1/3 package extra firm tofu, chopped

1 small beet, grated

goat cheese to taste

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Boil 2 cups of water and cook pasta according to directions 

2. Add all veggies and tofu in an oiled pan, cover, and let cook until veggies are tender. Stir frequently 

3. Mix pasta in with stir fry, and top with goat cheese, salt and pepper. 

Also makes for an excellent leftover-lunch! 

Uhm... You Could Probably Have one of the Salads...

This morning I came upon a fact (from Cabot) that stated there are approximately 3 million people in the U.S. that have some form of gluten intolerance. 3 million. I can't promise you that this is a true fact, but it does not surprise me. And I would have to ask, 3 million people who know? Or approximately 1 million who know, 1 million who know and don't care, and 1 million who still have no idea? Just curious. 

Either way, it's a growing problem. I could get into my whole theory (or lots of theories) with you as to why and what we can possibly do about it, but for now I'd like to save that for another post and just ask one simple question: Would you like a salad? 

Damn, I'm sick of that question. No, I do not want a salad. When I'm waitressing, I eat a salad almost every day because it's the easiest thing to pack and okay to take bites of in between tables without my food getting mushy or cold. When I teach, I eat salads multiple times a week, whether it be as a main meal (because I'm out of everything else), or a side to my lunch or dinner. When I go out, salads are often the only, and I do mean the only option for us 3 million people. 

But let's face it, you gluten free, vegetarian, or just plain healthy readers: Salad is a staple. It is a back up, a save-me-I'm-starving option, and sometimes, the only food in sight that is not dripping with gluten filled goodness.

So the other day I went out to a restaurant that promises to cater to food allergies. It's this tiny hole in the wall place that decorated with these incredible photos of food that actually make you want to trespass onto someone's farm and stuff yourself with their apples and veggies. This restaurant partners with farms to provide their customers only local and fresh food. It is delicious, and I even told my friend I was going with how excited I was that I could get something other than a salad there. 

The waitress was great. Problem was, they started breading some fresh fish and frying it, so my one and only place to get local-potato french fries (or any fries) was out. Their gluten free bread had eggs in it. Most of the things that looked good had garlic. I don't like taking too long in figuring these things out, because we're out to eat, not here to talk shop on food intolerances. And finally she said it: "You could have one of the salads..." 

Not wanting to hold anyone up, I settled. I wasn't excited, but it was better than a garden salad. But then it came, and I couldn't believe what I was tasting. Some sort of marinated (not garlic) shrimp seared to perfection paired with goat cheese and fresh apple slices? It was a combination I never would've thought of, but here it was. And it was incredible. It also occurred to me that I had better start being more creative. 

So here's my first try: 

Small handful romaine lettuce

1/4 sliced cucumber

small handful golden raisins

1 apple chicken sausage, sliced and pan seared

1 apple, sliced

2 oz sharp cheddar cheese, sliced

Not bad. Even, dare I say, a pretty good salad.

Help me out: Post your favorite salad recipe

Grilled Cheese and French Fries

   As much as I love creating healthy food from scratch, there are times when I feel the need for greasy, carb-loaded food. And usually when I'm looking for a fix like that, I don't want to search for recipes or spend a lot of time in the kitchen trying to figure out how to make it taste "normal".
So instead I found some "quick-fix" type foods that I keep stashed in my fridge and freezer. Here are couple I recommend based on taste and texture: 


~Good For Life English Muffins
~Good For Life Brown Rice Bread 
~ Amy's Sandwich Rounds
~Cascadian Farms Shoe String French Fries
~ Annie's Ketchup 


Featured above: Good For Life English muffin, a local tomato, Cabot Racer's Edge Cheddar cheese, Cascadian Farms Fries, Annie's Ketchup


Directions: 
1.Pre-heat oven to 450 degrees. 
2. Lay fries on a lightly oiled baking sheet, and bake for 13-19 minutes, tossing occasionally
3. While fries are cooking, lightly oil a small frying pan 
4. Heat your bread in the microwave or toaster
5. Fill your sandwich and place in the frying pan. 
6. Cover and let cook on both sides until the cheese is melted and the bread is golden brown on both sides. 

Salad Bar at Home

I read about someone who did something or other with a "salad bar" in her own fridge. And I thought, that is a genius idea. So I did it.  

DIRECTIONS

1. Buy a veggie platter with at least 5 sections

2. Wash and chop your veggies and salad makings

TIPS

1. Only chop enough for 3-4 salads. The fresher the better, but this will cut back on a lot of time for the next few days. 

2. Only include veggies, beans, nuts or dried fruit. This way, you only have to rinse your container every few days instead of washing it. Most of the time, you can just get away with giving it a quick wipe down

3. Pre-chop other toppings, such as chicken or fish and put those in a separate container for on-the-go meals. Cheese is best sliced the day of.

4. Find an itty-bitty container for your dressing, or invest in the ziploc containers that come with a dressing cup. I love those things

All set to go in the fridge! 

A quick and easy lunch to go! 

Vegetarian Crispy Flatbread Pizza

There was a whole lot of nothing in my fridge this afternoon. So I made this up for lunch...

INGREDIENTS

- 1 Nature's Highlights Brown   

   Rice Pizza Crust

- 1 piece Brown Rice Lentil 

   Casserole - Recipe found 

   HERE (3rd recipe down 

   after the 5 tips) 

- 1/2 tomato, chunked

- A large handful of greens (I 

  used arugula and kale) 

- Lemon Tahini Dressing - 

   Recipe found HERE 

Other optional toppings:  stewed tomatoes or tomato sauce, onions, peppers, pineapple, sundried tomatoes, artichoke hearts, olives.... just think pizza toppings! 

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 500 degrees

2. Place crust on a greased dish and bake for 5 minutes (or 10 if still frozen)

3. Heat your lentil casserole in the microwave for 1 minute (2-3 minutes if frozen), or until soft

4. Spread the casserole piece evenly on the crust, and top with the rest of your toppings

5. Bake for 10-15 minutes

6. Cut into triangles and dip into lemon tahini dressing

New and Improved Lemon Tahini Dressing

A quick, easy and improved version!

INGREDIENTS

1/3 cup tahini

1 tbs rice vinegar

4 tbs lemon juice

1/2 cup water

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

2 tbs honey

Blend all ingredients together using a magic bullet, food processor, or whatever you have!