January 6, 2009

Entrées

Mexican Wrap

1 corn tortilla
1/2 cup cooked black beans
1/2 cup cooked brown rice
1/4 cup chopped, fresh tomatoes
1/4 avocado, sliced
1 tablespoon chopped, fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon grated soy or rice cheese
Hot sauce to taste

1. Place tortilla in heated heavy-bottomed skillet.
2. Add beans and rice and heat over medium heat for a few minutes until warm.
3. Remove from heat.
4. Place tomato, avocado, and cilantro on top.
5. Fold sides and ends in to make a package.
   

1 package rice noodles
1 12-oz package of extra firm tofu
3 T olive oil, divided
5 T white vinegar
3 T honey
4 T soy sauce
3 T fresh mint, chopped
2 T roasted almonds, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 C of eggplant, cut in half lengthwise and sliced
3 red peppers, sliced
4 zucchini, sliced
3 C fresh bean sprouts
5 to 6 scallions, chopped

1. Cook rice noodles, per directions.
2. Place noodles in a large serving bowl and set aside.
3. Cube tofu and cook in 1 T of olive oil for 5-7 minutes, or until brown.
4. In a medium-sized bowl, mix vinegar, honey, soy sauce, mint, almonds, and garlic. Set aside.
5. In wok or large skillet, heat remaining olive oil.
6. Add eggplant, red peppers, and zucchini.
7. Sauté for 4-5 minutes.
8. Add bean sprouts, scallions, and cooked tofu.
9. Sauté another 3-4 minutes.
10. Add vegetables and tofu to the rice noodles.
11. Pour soy sauce and mint mixture over top.
12. Mix well and serve.
    
    

20 large shrimp (about one pound), peeled, deveined, and cooked

1/4 C cornstarch
1/2 t salt
1/2 t paprika
2 large egg whites
1 1/4 C flaked coconut
olive oil

1. Preheat oven to 400°.
2. With tails intact, rinse shrimp and dry thoroughly with a paper towel. Place in a shallow dish and set aside.
3. In a second shallow dish, combine cornstarch, salt, and paprika and set aside.
4. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, beat egg whites until light and foamy.
5. Place coconut into a third bowl.
6. Dip shrimp, one at a time, first into the cornstarch mixture, then into the egg whites, then into the coconut. Place on a cookie sheet covered lightly with olive oil.
7. Once all shrimp have been coated, bake at 400° for 12 to 15 minutes, flipping the shrimp after 7 minutes.
8. Serve with Fruity Salsa.
9. Serving size is five shrimp per person.
   
   

olive oil
3/4 C of red onion, diced
3 portabello mushrooms, thickly diced
2 C fresh spinach, chopped
1/4 C ground corn meal
2 C unflavored soy or rice milk
4 eggs
1/4 C soy parmesan cheese
1 1/2 t garlic powder
1 1/2 t Spike or other mixed spice seasoning
1 t pepper

1. Heat olive oil in skillet on medium high for several minutes.
2. Add onion and portabellos and sauté for 4-5 minutes.
3. Add spinach and cook 3-4 minutes.
4. Add corn meal and mix thoroughly.
5. Place in a deep-dish pan – preferably a quiche pan or comparable dish – and set aside.
6. In a separate mixing bowl, whisk soy or rice milk with the eggs and parmesan cheese.
7. Add spices, then pour over the portabello mixture.
8. Bake at 350° for 40-45 minutes, until the center is set and firm.
9. Let stand 5-10 minutes before serving.

4 6-oz salmon steaks
2 t extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 t fresh parsley, chopped
1 1/2 t fresh chives, chopped
1 1/2 t fresh tarragon, chopped
olive oil to brush pan and salmon

1. Brush a grill pan with olive oil and place on high heat for several minutes.
2. Place salmon in pan and brush each steak with olive oil.
3. Grill for 6 to 8 minutes per side, or until it is white and flaky in the center.
4. Remove from pan and place on plates.
5. Mix parsley, chives, and tarragon in small bowl.
6. Drizzle each steak with 1/2 teaspoon of olive oil and sprinkle with herb combination.
7. Serve immediately.

Stuffed Peppers

6 green or red peppers
1/2 C celery, diced
1/2 large onion, chopped
2 1/2 C cooked brown rice
1/2 C low-sodium tomato juice
1/4 t sea salt
2 C tomato sauce*

1. Scoop out peppers.
2. Mix remaining ingredients, except the tomato sauce.
3. Fill peppers with mixture and place in shallow baking dish.
4. Pour tomato sauce over peppers and bake uncovered at 350° for 45 minutes.
5. Serve immediately.

*Tomato Sauce
(serves 6)

2 T olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 small onion, chopped
1/2 green pepper, diced
2 C tomatoes, chopped
1 6-oz can tomato paste
1 t basil
1 t oregano
1/2 t sea salt

Sauté garlic, onion, and green pepper in oil over medium heat until tender.

Add remaining ingredients and cook on low for 15 minutes.

Turkey Chili
(serves 6)

2 C diced onion
1 C diced green pepper
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 T olive oil
1 pound ground turkey
2 t cinnamon
2 t paprika
1 t chili powder
1 t cumin
1/2 t allspice
1/2 t marjoram
1/4 t nutmeg
1 cinnamon stick
1/2 t pepper
2 1/2 C chopped tomatoes

Sauté onion, pepper and garlic in olive oil. Add turkey and cook until completely browned. Add next seven ingredients (cinnamon through cinnamon stick) and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add pepper and tomatoes and simmer 30 minutes. Remove cinnamon stick before serving.

Seafood Skewers
Makes 8 skewers

1/3 C low-sodium soy sauce
3 tablespoons maple syrup
1 1/2 T white vinegar
1 T minced ginger (fresh, peeled)
1/4 t red pepper powder
1 T minced, fresh garlic
1 1/2 t cornstarch
1 1/2 t water
15-20 peeled and deveined pre-cooked shrimp
15-20 scallops
4-5 portabella mushrooms, quartered
3-4 leeks, cut into 15-20 pieces
1-2 T olive oil
8 skewers

Combine soy sauce, maple syrup, vinegar, ginger, red pepper powder, and garlic in saucepan over medium high heat. Bring to a boil and cook for 2-3 minutes. In a separate bowl, mix cornstarch and water. Add to mixture in saucepan. Bring to a boil and cook one minute. Set aside. On skewers, alternate shrimp, portabella, scallop, and leek until you have two or three of each per skewer for all eight skewers. Brush each skewer with olive oil and place in broiler or on a grill (also brushed with olive oil) for about three minutes. Turn and brush on half the soy sauce mixture. Cook 1-2 minutes. Turn and coat with remaining mixture. Cook another 1-2 minutes or until scallops are done.

Serve over rice noodles tossed with sesame oil, soy sauce, green peas, and sliced water chestnuts.

Vegetarian Burritos
(serves four)

1 red pepper, diced
1/2 small red onion, diced
2 T olive oil
1 14-oz can vegetarian refried beans
1/2 avocado, thinly sliced
1 tomato, sliced
1/2 C chopped lettuce
6 T salsa (click here for recipe)
4 corn tortillas

Sauté pepper and onion in olive oil for 4-5 minutes. While they are cooking, warm tortillas in oven (200º F). In separate pan, heat beans. Place tortillas on a plate. Evenly distribute the onion/pepper mixture, beans, avocado, tomato, lettuce, and salsa on each tortilla. Serve warm.

Easy Fettuccini with Marinara Sauce

Serves four

2 T olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
(2) 15-oz cans diced tomatoes with basil, garlic, and oregano, undrained
one package spinach fettuccini

Sauté garlic in the olive oil for 3-4 minutes. Add tomatoes and simmer for 10 minutes. While tomatoes are simmering, boil water and cook fettuccini. Drain fettuccini. In a large bowl, mix fettuccini and tomato mixture. Serve warm.

Artichoke and Olive Pizza
( Serves 4)

1 pizza crust (12-inch)
1 1/2 t olive oil
3/4 C low-salt tomato sauce
1 large tomato in thin wedges
6 cooked artichoke hearts, chopped
1/2 C soy mozzarella cheese, grated
10 black olives, chopped
1/2 small red onion, sliced thin
1/2 green pepper, chopped
1/2 t dry basil
1/2 t dry oregano

Preheat oven to 450°. Drizzle oil on pizza crust. Spread tomato sauce evenly over crust. Distribute tomato wedges, artichoke hearts, olives, onion, and green pepper over crust. Sprinkle with basil and oregano. Bake for 16 minutes or until crust is golden brown. Add soy mozzarella cheese if you like and bake another 4 minutes. These exotic artichokes not only add an elegant touch to your pizza, they deliver the vitamin B complex, calcium, magnesium, and potassium vital to your health.

Nutritional Facts:
Calories: 126	Fat: 4g	Fiber: 3g
Sodium: 151mg	Carbs: 20g