Spicy Super Bowl Turkey Sliders

Tried this last night with cabbage leaves instead of slider buns.  Just added a dollop of organic ketchup, dill pickle, and Dijon mustard.  Didn't even miss the buns. We love the heat and used cabbage instead of buns to cut carbs and were very happy with the results! Leave out the jalapenos if you don't like the heat.

Ingredients:
1 lb. 99% fat free ground turkey
1 cup grated vegan cheese alternative (jalapeno almond or Daiya jalapeno shreds work well)
3 cloves crushed garlic
1 tbsp Mrs. Dash chipotle
1 tsp ground pepper
(Optional) small can of diced jalapenos, drained
Canola oil
Several cabbage leaves (cut the toughest part of the spine off)


Directions:
Separate cabbage leaves by running cold water over the leafy edge.  Mix together ground turkey, vegan cheese, garlic, spices, and jalapenos.  Shape mixture into 3-inch patties. Saute' patties in oil on both sides until browned.  Serve with condiments, pickles, tomatoes, etc.

New Year's Soup

Happy New Year!

I published this a while back but it's a new year and I've revised it a bit.

My grandmother Florence was from the South and every New Year's Day she made sure we were equipped for the New Year with a healthy, good-luck tradition.  We always ate black-eyed peas and collard greens with ham for good luck on New Year's Day.  The greens symbolize prosperity and the peas symbolize good health.  Since we can't eat ham anymore in our family, I have substituted Tofurky which is an awesome Vegan sausage.

15 oz. can organic black-eyed peas or cook dry beans according to package instructions
32 oz. vegetable or chicken broth
1/2 onion, diced
2 cloves finely diced garlic
1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes
1 tbsp. fresh chopped herbs, e.g. parsley, thyme, oregano
1 bunch rinsed and chopped collard greens
1 diced Tofurky Sausage
2 tsps. balsamic vinegar
*1-3 tsp. hot pepper sauce, optional- if you want a little heat!
Salt/Pepper to taste
1 tbsp. grape seed oil

Saute onions, garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, and Tofurky sausage in oil, set aside.  In stock pot, add black-eyed peas, broth, collard greens, vinegar, and herbs.  Add sauteed ingredients to stock pot.  Simmer for about 30 minutes or until greens are soft.  Add salt and pepper to taste. Serves 6-8.

Tofurky Italian Sausages are just one of the products made by Turtle Island Foods.  Check out their website to look at their products.

http://www.tofurky.com/

Cedar Plank Honey-Peppered Salmon with Rosemary

Can't decide which of my salmon recipes I like best!  Sometimes it's this one!

Ingredients:
4 salmon filets
3 cloves finely chopped garlic
1 tbsp honey
1 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsps rice wine vinegar
2 tsps. black pepper
1 tbsp ancho chili powder
1 tbsp paprika
1 tbsp sesame oil
1 tbsp finely chopped fresh rosemary

Directions:
Two hours before grilling, place cedar plank in water.  Mix ingredients for marinade together.  About an hour before cooking, place salmon in marinade, skin side up so the marinade soaks into the meat. I remove the skin because I like the marinade to soak into both sides of the filet but not necessary.

To grill:
Place salmon on cedar plank. Set grill for indirect grilling and heat to medium high. Cove grill and cook  for about 20-25 minutes or until the internal temperature reads 135 degrees.

Stove top directions: In medium hot pan, saute' salmon approximately 3-4 minutes then flip over and cook for an additional 3-4 minutes until the meat is done-flaky but not too dry.

Chicken Curry Salad with Veganaise

For those of us who must refrain from foods with high cholesterol, Vegenaise is the absolute best option for a mayo substitute and we like it so much better than mayonnaise!  

Ingredients:

2 cups cooked chicken breast, chopped into small cubes

1/4 cup finely diced onion

1/2 cup seeded grapes cut into halves

1/2 cup chopped apple

1/2 cup Vegenaise

1-3 tsps curry powder (I like a lot of curry so adjust to your palate)

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1/2 cup chopped celery

1 tsp. coarse black pepper

Salt

Directions:

Mix ingredients together-serve on greens as a chicken salad or on toast for sandwiches.

*I've also used raisins instead of grapes in this recipe.

Turnips, Potatoes, and Greens

Every Saturday, we visit Guy Gillespie from On the Vine, LLC at Scottsdale's Pima Crossing Farmer's Market.  We call Guy the "Sam Malone" of Farmer's Markets.  He loves to chat, share his wife, Heather's awesome recipes, and sells fresh, beautiful produce!  Saturday, Guy gave us some turnips and threw down the gauntlet challenging us to come up with a recipe.  I have never cooked turnips so this was an experiment but I'm happy to say...Yum!

I did take some time to look at the health benefits of turnips and turnip greens.  Wow! Some of the benefits derived from turnips are: They are really high in calcium, low in sugar, a great antioxidant, has anti-inflammatory properties, and high in Vitamins C, E, and K...just to name a few.

For this recipe, I used both turnips and turnips greens so although it was easy, it was a 2 step process.

Turnips and Potatoes
Ingredients:
3-4 turnips peeled and quartered
3 medium red potatoes, diced into 1-inch cubes, do not peel
2 shallots, thinly sliced
1 clove garlic, crushed or finely diced
2 tbsp. canola oil
1 tbsp Mrs. Dash
2 tsps. paprika
Salt/Pepper

Directions:
Brown potatoes and shallots in oil, turn stove to low and cook for 10 minutes.  Add garlic, and turnips. Cook on low until turnips and potatoes are soft.  Season with Mrs. Dash, paprika, salt and pepper.

Turnip Greens
Ingredients:
2 bunches of turnip greens, washed and coarsely chopped, large stems removed
2 shallots, thinly sliced
1 tbsp canola oil
1 tbsp. lemon juice
1 cup toasted pecan or walnut pieces

Directions:
Saute' shallots in oil until they start to brown then turn off stove.  Add turnips greens and lemon juice to skillet.  Mix until the greens start to wilt- 1 minute or less. Try to preserve that beautiful green color of the greens.  It's so much better for you and looks more appetizing!

Mix the potato/turnip mixture with the greens and serve.  We served this recipe with honey peppered salmon.

Adzuki Bean Enchiladas

This is spicy!  It is also totally vegan.  I use Las Palmas Red Chili Sauce instead of enchilada sauce-if you don't like as much heat as we do, try the enchilada sauce.

Ingredients:
15 oz can Adzuki (Aduki) Beans
10 oz pkg frozen chopped spinach
12 oz shredded vegan cheese
1/2 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves crushed garlic
1 tbsp canola oil
28 oz can Las Palmas Red Chili Sauce
18 corn tortillas


Directions:
Thaw and drain spinach. *Easy tip:  Leave the spinach in the package and squeeze moisture out of the package.  In fry pan, sauté onions and and garlic in oil for about 1 minute, then add spinach, 1/2 cup of the Red Chili Sauce, and 1/2 cup vegan cheese.  Drain beans then stir into ingredients in pan.  Remove from stove.  Heat tortillas in microwave for about 2 minutes-until they are soft and pliable. In a medium casserole dish, spoon about 2 tbsp. of the bean mixture onto a tortilla then roll up.  Lay the tortillas side by side until the bottom of the casserole dish is covered.  Pour 1 cup of the red chili sauce over the 1st layer of tortillas and top with vegan cheese. Roll second layer of tortillas, top with vegan cheese, then pour 2 cups of the chili sauce over.  Cover and bake at 350 for approximately 40 minutes.  There will be chili sauce left over.

There is enough spice and sodium in this recipe that I don't add additional salt.  Black beans are also perfect with this recipe.

Sage Pesto

Great recipe as we prepare for Thanksgiving!  This can be used as a spread for breads, served with turkey, or add as flavoring to vegetables.

Ingredients:
1 cup fresh sage
1 cup parsley
1 cup walnuts or pine nuts (for nut allergies, I use garbanzo beans)
1/2 cup olive oil
1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes
3 cloves garlic
Juice of 1 lemon
salt/pepper to taste

Directions:
Wash sage and parsley, removing large stems. Add all ingredients to food processor and puree for 1 minute.

Gluten-Free Asian Pear Tart with Honey-Rum Glaze

Ingredients for crust: 

2 & 1/2  cups Bob's Red Mill gluten-free flour

3 tbsp sugar

8 tbsp Earth Balance butter substitute

1/4 tsp salt

1 small egg or 1/2 large egg

2 tsp. vanilla

Ingredients for filling:

5 Asian pears

1/3 cup fresh lemon juice

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 tbsp cinnamon

2 tbsp corn starch

Ingredients for honey glaze:

1/2 cup honey

1/8 cup water

2 tbsp. rum

Directions:

Peel and slice pears into 1/4-inch wedges. Mix lemon, brown sugar, and corn starch together, then add pears.  Cook pears in microwave for 5 minutes.

Mix flour, salt, and sugar in food processor, then add Earth Balance, mixing on pulse until dough starts to clump together.   Stir vanilla and egg together and add enough to moisten the dough.  The consistency of the dough should be similar to sugar cookie dough.  Press into tart pan.  Using a dinner fork, poke some holes in the bottom of the crust and bake at 375 degrees for 12 minutes.  Remove from oven and turn oven to 350.  Arrange pears in a circular pattern on top of the tart crust.  Return to oven and bake for 20-30 minutes until crust begins to brown.  

In small saucepan, bring water to a boil and add honey, turn down heat to simmer and cook for an additional 10 minutes, stirring constantly so it doesn't boil over.  Remove from heat and cool then whisk in rum.  After tart has cooled, brush honey glaze over the top.

I also tried this with apples...both yummy!

Pear Tart

Apple Tart

Veggie Stir-Fry with Turkey Cutlets

Ingredients:
1/2 pound turkey cutlets, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 tbsps oil
3 cloves chopped garlic, finely chopped
1-inch piece of fresh ginger, finely chopped
6 cups chopped, fresh veggies-I use broccoli, onions, carrots, red bell pepper, and zucchini
1 cup chopped fresh pineapple
1/2 cup peanuts
1 tbsp. sesame seeds
1-2 tbsps curry
2 tbsps low sodium soy sauce

Directions:
Saute' turkey in oil, adding garlic, sesame seeds, and ginger when almost cooked. Sauté until turkey is slightly browned.  Add veggies, peanuts, soy sauce, and pineapple to turkey.  Toss until veggies are hot, slightly softened but not soggy.  Season with curry powder to taste.  The more curry powder, the spicier this dish becomes. Add salt if needed.

Roasted Sweet Potato Wraps with Fig Balsamic Syrup

Did you know that sweet potatoes contain more beta-carotene than any other fruit or vegetable?  Especially those with orange inside!  They are not that high in calories either.  One cup of baked sweet potatoes has 180 kcal. Our bodies convert beta-carotenes into vitamin A (retinol). We need vitamin A for healthy skin, mucus membranes, our immune system, and good eye health and vision. Although yams are good for you, they don't pack the same nutritional punch that sweet potatoes do.  It is hard to tell the difference and you may need to ask.

This wrap is very easy when you purchase fig preserves and add them to a balsamic vinaigrette.  If you have time and feel adventurous, I have added a recipe for my roasted fig vinaigrette.

Ingredients:

·         3 large sweet potatoes, peeled, diced into 2-inch cubes

·        10 whole wheat or gluten-free tortillas/wraps- also works very well with whole grain sandwich bread!

·        1 cup  balsamic vinaigrette

·        ½ cup fig jam

·        2 cups arugula

·       1 sliced sweet onion

·        sliced tomatoes

·        vegan cheese

Directions:

Line cookie sheet with foil, lightly oil. Place sweet potatoes and onions on cookie sheet and bake for 30 minutes or until potatoes are soft.  Stir balsamic vinaigrette and fig jam together to make a thick syrup. 

After potatoes and onions are cooked, warm tortillas on stove (no oil- just warm in pan on both sides) or heat in microwave oven.  Place veggies and vegan cheese into the edge or tortilla.  Drizzle enough syrup over the veggies to add a bit of flavor.  Roll up and serve.

The sky’s the limit here!  Add whatever lettuce you choose, add pesto, tomatoes, olives…I’ve had a lot of fun building this yummy sandwich!

Roasted fig vinaigrette 

Ingredients:

·        10 figs, halved, remove stems

·        1/3 cup balsamic vinaigrette

·        1 tbsp. honey

·        ¼ cup grape seed oil

·        ½ tsp salt

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400°. Place fig halves on a cookie sheet and roast in the oven for about 15 minutes.  Start with flat side down, turning once. Figs should be slightly softened and starting to dry. In food processor, puree figs with honey, oil, and balsamic vinegar until smooth.  Add salt to taste. This preserves well for about 3 months in the freezer.  If you aren’t going to use it all at once, it would be a shame to waste it as it will go bad after about a week in the frig.

Portuguese Bean Soup

I've revised this recipe many times over the years, adjusting to our dietary needs. We first tasted this at a family owned farm/restaurant on the Island of Hawaii and decided I would find the recipe.  It is a family favorite and fall is the perfect time of year to have hot, hearty soup simmering on the stove.  Many versions of this soup include shell or elbow pasta, mine doesn't but it could be added.  Now...since we live in the AZ desert...if the highs would just get out of the 90s...

Ingredients:
13 oz can red kidney beans
13 oz can cannellini beans
1 medium onion, chopped
1 lb. ground turkey sausage
2 carrots, diced or shredded
2 medium red potatoes, diced
13 oz can stewed, chopped tomatoes
1 tsp thyme
1 quart vegetable broth
1 pkg frozen, chopped spinach
2 tsp balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp. canola oil
3-6 cloves crushed garlic
1 bunch parsley, stems removed, washed and chopped
6-8 large leaves basil
1 tsp cayenne pepper
Salt/Pepper to taste

Directions:
Saute' onions and turkey sausage in canola oil until turkey is slightly browned.  To stockpot, add all ingredients, reserving 1/2 of the parsley. Do not drain beans.  Bring to boil, then simmer for 30 minutes.  To serve, ladle soup into bowls, adding about a tablespoon of parsley to each bowl.  This soup gets better after a night in the frig so making it a day ahead gives the flavors time to mature.

Chicken Noodle Soup

Our grandmothers used to tell us that chicken soup cures colds and a lot of us in my family this month have colds.  Is there any scientific basis for this or is it just an old wives tale?  According to the doctors at the Mayo clinic, "Chicken noodle soup acts as an anti-inflammatory by inhibiting the movement of neutrophils — immune system cells that participate in the body's inflammatory response. Second, it temporarily speeds up the movement of mucus, possibly helping relieve congestion and limiting the amount of time viruses are in contact with the nose lining."  Yay!

And don't overlook garlic!  In many studies, garlic has been found to reduce plaque in our arteries and chicken noodle soup wouldn't be the same without garlic. Besides...chicken noodle soup is comfort food and when you are sick, it really tastes good.

This simple, easy soup is very low in cholesterol and high in...garlic!

Ingredients:
1 large skinless, boneless chicken breast
1 medium onion, chopped
2 quarts chicken or vegetable broth
2 tsps. chicken bullion
1 carrot, shredded
3-4 garlic cloves
1/2 cup fresh herbs, diced (I usually use basil, but thyme and parsley are good too)
6 oz. extra-wide yolk-free noodles
Salt/Pepper to taste

Directions:
In stockpot, boil chicken, onion, bullion in 3 cups of water until chicken is cooked (about 25 min), reserve liquid and remove chicken. Add broth and noodles. Bring to boil, then reduce to simmer until noodles are soft.  Chop chicken into small pieces.  Add chicken, garlic, carrots, and herbs to noodles and simmer for about 20 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper.

Stuffed Pesto Bell Peppers

This recipe is very low in cholesterol!  99% fat free ground turkey is the only culprit here.

Ingredients:
4 red or green bell peppers- best to choose large bell peppers whose structure allows them to stand up.
1 lb 99% fat free ground turkey
1/2 large onion, chopped
8 oz pkg Uncle Ben's prepared rice
1/4 cup diced sun-dried tomatoes
2 cloves minced garlic
3/4 cup vegan pesto- recipe follows. Prepared pesto works also but contains parmesan cheese which will slightly increase the cholesterol count for this recipe.
3 slices vegan cheese
2 cups prepared pasta sauce
Salt/Pepper to taste


Directions:
Cut tops off of peppers and heat in microwave oven until  peppers start to soften. Pour 1 & 1/3 cup pasta sauce in oblong baking dish and place peppers on top of sauce. Sauté turkey, onions, tomatoes, and garlic in skillet until turkey is cooked.  Stir in 2/3 cup pasta sauce and add vegan cheese, stirring until well mixed, then add 3/4 cup pesto.  Prepare rice according to package instructions.  Add to turkey mixture.  Scoop turkey/rice mixture into each pepper. Cover and bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

Vegan pesto:

3 cups fresh basil leaves

3 cloves garlic

1 cup olive oil

1/3 cup fresh lemon juice

1 cup pine nuts or walnuts (for those with nut allergies, substitute 1 cup chick peas)

1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes (optional but really yummy!)

Salt/pepper to taste

Puree ingredients in food processor until thoroughly blended.

Stuffed Poblano Peppers

A spicy variation on traditional stuffed peppers that is full of flavor and looks like you have been cooking all day. I have fallen in love with the new prepared rice packages.  Perfect rice in just 90 seconds!  For this recipe, I have found Uncle Ben's to be the best!

Ingredients:
4 poblano peppers (sometimes called pasillas)
1/2 medium onion, diced
1 tbsp canola oil
1/4 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes
1 cup  chunky salsa
2 slices vegan cheese
8 oz. pkg Uncle Ben's fully-cooked brown rice
1/2 lb lean ground turkey
1 tsp. chili powder
Salt/Pepper to taste

Directions:
Lay peppers on their sides and cut off 1/3 off the sides-they do not stand up like bell peppers.
Dice the portion of the poblano chiles you cut off.

Heat oil in skillet and add turkey, onions, chopped poblanos, tomatoes, and seasonings.  Sauté until turkey is done.  Prepare rice according to pkg. instructions.  Add to skillet then stir in 1/2 salsa.

In rectangular baking dish, spoon filling into each poblano.  Fill until about 3/4 full, add 1/2 slice of vegan cheese, then spoon the rest of the mixture over the top.  Allow the remained rice/turkey mixture to fall to the bottom of the dish. Stir the remaining salsa into the extra rice at the bottom of the dish.















Cover and bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

Pesto Chicken Kebobs

This is a keeper!  Great recipe to serve to company.  It is pretty and goes really well with lemon marinated veggie salad.

Ingredients:
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-2-inch cubes
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
2 cloves minced garlic
1/2 cup pesto sauce (I make my own, omitting the parmesan cheese-recipe included)
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp coarse ground pepper
1 medium onion cut into 1-2 inch pieces
Optional- 1/2 tsp Italian red pepper flakes

Directions:
Marinate chicken and onion in lemon, garlic, salt/pepper, and pesto sauce for 2 hours.




Heat grill to 325 degrees.  Thread chicken and onion on skewers.  Place on grill turning 1/4 turn about every 4-5 minutes until chicken is cooked.  Baste chicken with remaining sauce as you turn.  Turn grill to 375, to put grill marks on chicken turning twice.


Vegan Pesto Sauce:

3 cups fresh basil leaves

3 cloves garlic

1 cup olive oil

1/3 cup fresh lemon juice

1 cup pine nuts or walnuts (for those with nut allergies, substitute 1 cup chick peas)

1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes (optional but really yummy!)

Salt/pepper to taste

Puree ingredients in food processor until thoroughly blended.