Bombay Spice Salmon

Romantic Dinner for Two at the Baltzers tonight!  We had Potatoes Galette, Eastern spiced salmon, and kale salad that we paired with a California Sauvignon Blanc.  Here's the recipe for the salmon.  Enjoy!

Ingredients:
4 salmon filets
2 cups chopped fresh cilantro, most stems removed
4 cloves chopped garlic
*2 tbsps garam marsala or 2 tsps coriander, 2 tsps cinnamon, 1 tsp cardamon,
2 tsps ground ginger
3/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup grape seed oil
1 tsp Italian red pepper flakes
1 tsp coarse black pepper
1 tsp salt

Instructions:
Puree all ingredients except salmon in food processor.  Place salmon filets in covered dish and pour over 1/2 of the marinade.  Marinade salmon filets for 1 hour.  Grill salmon for 2 minutes on each side of filet. Unused marinade can be used to spoon over salmon right before serving or freeze

Vegan Vichyssoise (Potato Leek Soup)

Nothing sounds better to me on a cold, windy, winter night than hot creamy soup!  There is no dairy in my version of Vichyssoise, but you would never know it!

Ingredients:
32 oz. vegetable or chicken broth
4 large leeks, washed, chopped, and green tops removed
4 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
4 large cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
*1 cup raw cashews rinsed and boiled in 12 oz. water or 1 cup non-dairy milk
2 tsps grape seed oil
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp fresh thyme, chopped and reserve some sprigs for garnish
Salt/Pepper to taste
*Optional:  whole peppercorns


Instructions:
If you plan to use cashews instead of non-dairy milk, this recipe works best with a super blender.  Wash leeks carefully to remove all the sand. *If you are using cashews for cream, boil cashews in 12 oz of water for 5 minutes. To large frying pan, add broth, leeks, thyme, potatoes, cashews and water, peppercorns, and garlic.  Simmer until potatoes and leeks are soft.  Allow to cool then puree soup mixture in food processor or super blender.  There is too much of the mixture to puree all at once and you will have to repeat 2-3 times.  In large stock pot, add soup, oil, non-dairy milk (if you used that instead of cashews), salt, pepper, and vinegar.  You may also want to add water if your soup is too thick, but it should be the consistency of pea soup.

*Cashews are an amazing substitute for cream. I prefer them to non-dairy milk because I find they provide the richness needed for many recipes.

*Super blenders such as Blendtec or Vitamix take soup to a new level.  I highly recommend purchasing one!

Vegan Green Goddess Dip and Salads

Green Goddess Dressing...Yummy, creamy, and delicious!  This dressing used to be a thing of the past for us until we discovered a no-cholesterol alternative to mayo.  I have substituted Vegenaise for mayo here and have not sacrificed flavor in the least.  Here is a trifecta of fun and flavorful options for salads with Green Goddess dressing.

Dressing Ingredients:
1 ripe avocado
2 green onions
1/4 cup fresh parsley
1/4 cup fresh cilantro
1/2 cup fresh basil
1 large clove chopped garlic
3 tbsps fresh lime juice
1 cup Vegenaise
salt/pepper to taste
1 large head purple cabbage
lettuce leaves for garnish
veggies for dipping

To use as a dip:
Cut top off cabbage head and hollow out to make a bowl. To food processor, add first 8 ingredients and puree until blended. Add salt and pepper to taste. Spoon dressing into hollowed-out cabbage.  Make a bed of lettuce leaves for cabbage head.  Serve with veggies.

As an appetizer or tomato salad:
Slice heirloom tomatoes into 1/2 inch slices.  Cover tomatoes with a dollop of Green Goddess, then micro greens.  (The tomatoes pictured here are Romas as we didn't have any heirlooms- they work just as well.)

As dressing for a green salad:
Create your favorite green salad and toss with dressing right before serving.

Southwestern Dressing with Fritos

We are big on experimenting with dressings for Thanksgiving.  Since we like things spicy, southwestern dressing was a big hit.  Hope you enjoy it as much as we do!

Ingredients:
14 oz bag of Original Fritos
1 pkg whole wheat savory stuffing
1 onion, diced
1 bunch celery, washed and sliced
3 cloves minced garlic
2 large Poblano chiles, diced (sometimes grocers incorrectly identify these as pasillas)
1 diced red bell pepper
2 diced jalapeno peppers
1/2 cup sun dried tomatoes finely chopped
1 bunch chopped parsley
1/4 cup chopped fresh oregano
8 oz can diced green chiles
10 oz frozen corn
2/3 cup healthy oil
28 oz vegetable broth
Salt to taste

Instructions:
In large skillet, saute' all veggies and herbs in 2/3 cup oil.  Add Fritos and stuffing and stir.  Add enough vegetable broth to moisten thoroughly.  Remove from stove and add to casserole dish.  As  turkey is cooking, baste with turkey drippings.  Bake for 2 hours at 325 degrees.

Sage Pesto Chicken and Potatoes

I can't wait to try this recipe with a big ole turkey breast!  Dinner last night was so yummy that I just had to share.  We were so full and I was reminded of the words my baby brother said many years ago, "Mommy, my mouth is hungry but my stomach isn't!"

Ingredients:
2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Salt/Pepper
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
12 small Yukon Gold potatoes, or medley of red, purple, yellow baby potatoes
2 tbsp canola oil
1/4 cup water
2/3 cup sage pesto (recipe follows)

Instructions:
Salt and pepper chicken breasts.  Add canola oil to large fry pan and saute' both sides of chicken breast to brown.  Remove from pan.  Chop small potatoes in half and saute' in pan with onion for about 15 minutes, turning frequently.  Add chicken breasts back into pan, add 1/4 cup water then top chicken breasts with sage pesto.  Turn to simmer, cover, and cook for about 20 minutes. 


Sage Pesto Ingredients:
1 cup fresh sage
1 cup parsley
1 cup walnuts
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes
3 cloves garlic
Juice of one lemon
Salt/Pepper to taste


Instructions:
Wash parsley and sage, remove large stems.  Coarsely chop garlic.  Puree all ingredients in food processor for 1 minute.

Dairy-Free Pumpkin Swirl Cheese Cake

Back in our other life, (before Don's heart issues) I made pumpkin swirl cheese cake every Thanksgiving.  We all looked forward to it and it was a sad day when cream cheese became off limits!  Then I discovered that you can do amazing things with cashews!  They can substitute milk, sour cream, AND cream cheese!  I tried using other cream cheese substitutes, but like Don Adams, they missed it by that much!  I found that cashews add a degree of richness missed in some of the other cream cheese substitutes.  This recipe definitely takes more time but if you crave cheese cake and need to watch cholesterol, this is a delicious dessert for Thanksgiving!

Ingredients:
4 cups cashew-based cream cheese- recipe follows
2 cups crushed gingersnaps
1 cup pecans
2 tbsps healthy margarine (Smart Balance, Earth Balance, Benecol, etc)
15 oz. can pumpkin puree
1/2 cup non-dairy milk substitute
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 cup granulated cane sugar
1 tbsp. nutritional yeast flakes
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tbsp oil

For Cashew Cream Cheese:
Soak 4 cups raw cashews for at least 6 hours.  Drain and add cashews and 1 cup of water to food processor.  Puree and add more water until mixture reaches the consistency of soft cream cheese.  Add lemon, salt to taste, and 1 tbsp oil.  

For crust:
Preheat over to 350 degrees. Place pecans, gingersnaps, and margarine in food processor and puree until the gingersnaps are crumbly.  Press crumb mixture into bottom of spring-form pan.  Bake approximately 15 minutes until crumb mixture is slightly browned.  Remove from oven and turn oven heat to 325 degrees.

For filling:
Stir together milk substitute, sugar, yeast flakes, vanilla, and salt in large mixing bowl. With electric mixer, add in cashew cream cheese and blend for 1 minute.  Separate out 1 cup cream cheese mixture.  To this add pumpkin, cinnamon, and nutmeg, and stir to mix. Spoon batter over crust, alternating with plain batter, then pumpkin batter.  Use a knife to cut through layers to create a swirl pattern.  Bake approximately 1 hour.

Options for nut allergies: 
Eliminate pecans from crust-  Increase ginger snaps to 3 cups.
Instead of cashew cream, use 3 small (8 oz) containers of Tofutti or vegan substitute for cream cheese.

Hatch Green Chili Stew

As I was strolling through Whole Foods with my dear friend and mentor, Mary Jane, I saw the most mouth-watering sight!  It was the Whole Foods version of a green chili stew and it was yummy.  I took a look at the ingredients and decided to try it myself.  All I can say is if you like spicy, you will really enjoy this recipe.  Hatch green chilies are in season right now so you can either roast your own, or buy the large can of whole Hatch green chilies.  For me, I had some left over Hatch chilies that I roasted a few nights before so I combined those with the canned whole Hatch green chilies.

Ingredients:
1 large can whole green chilies (or 10-12 roasted fresh chilies, roasting instructions below)
1 large boneless, skinless chicken breast, diced into 1-inch chunks
2 tbsps. canola oil 
13 oz. can vegetable broth
2 tbsps. flour
1/2 large onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely diced
2 jalapeno chilies, diced
3 tomatillos, diced
Salt to taste


Instructions:
In large frying pan, saute' chicken in 1 tbsp. oil until almost cooked through. Add another tbsp. oil, onions, garlic, jalapenos, tomatillos, and continue to saute until onions are translucent.  In small mixing bowl, add flour to vegetable broth and stir until flour mixture is smooth with no lumps.  Add to chicken mixture.  Coarsely chop green chilies and add to mixture.  Simmer for 30 minutes.  This recipe is great served over brown rice or in a bowl by itself!


To roast fresh whole green chilies:
Place chilies on a cookie sheet.  Turn oven to broil.  Broil until the skin of the chilies blackens and blisters.  Remove from oven and immediately place chilies into plastic ziploc bag.  Leave the chilies in the plastic for 30 minutes.  The skin of the chilies will peel off easily. You must remove the skin and most of the seeds from the inside of the chilies. 

Saucy Southwestern Barley

I was never a barley aficionado!  To me, barley was something you added to canned vegetables (yuck), noodles, canned tomatoes, and called it Minestrone Soup.  One of the nutritionists at Scottsdale Cardiac Rehab encouraged us to take a look at barley as a grain to add to our diet.  So I did.  I looked up a lot of websites and info about barley and was amazed at all the health benefits contained in barley.  Apparently barley can not only lower cholesterol but can also lower the risk of Type 2 Diabetes. Here is a website  I really enjoyed that taught me a lot about barley:

http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=127

For us, the real test was in the tasting because no matter how beneficial, if we HATED barley, we wouldn't  eat it.  First I tried cooking it plain.  I washed, then simmered the barley in water until all the moisture was absorbed.  Then added a little salt and a little sesame oil.  Wow...so many possibilities!  Cooked plain, barley has a mild, nutty, and totally delicious flavor!  I imagine I will now be using barley as a whole grain for breakfast with some honey, raisins, and cinnamon or just adding honey and chopped fruit.  Also, I can add veggies and herbs and create tasty side dishes as well.

Following is a barley concoction I created which I usually use to make Spanish rice and as I discovered, it is delicious with barley too.


Ingredients:
1 cup barley
2 1/2 cups water
1 ear fresh corn
1/2 medium onion, diced
1 poblano chili, diced
1/2 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes
salt/pepper to taste
2 tsps. canola oil
2 tsps. sesame oil

Instructions:
Thoroughly wash barley in colander.  Bring water to boil in medium saucepan and add barley.  Simmer for about 45 minutes until water is absorbed.  (You can reduce cooking time by soaking barley in water over night.)  Shave corn off the ear then saute' corn, onion, sun-dried tomatoes, and poblano chili in canola oil until onion starts to brown.  Remove from stove and add to cooked barley.  Salt and pepper to taste. Instead of butter, I like to flavor with sesame oil.  In this particular recipe, sesame oil really enhances the nutty taste of the barley.

Tonight, Don and I are going to have Ancho-Honey Glazed Chicken Breasts with this barley recipe as a side and our yummy kale salad. (Check out the January and February archives on this blog)  We've been eating vegan for the last week and are having chicken as a treat!

Ranch Dressing for the Heart with Vegenaise

For those who have a heart condition or are struggling with high cholesterol...thanks to my favorite non-dairy, gluten-free mayo substitute,  no one has to say good-bye to ranch dressing! Vegenaise has a great tangy flavor and the ingredients contained in Vegenaise are very healthy.

The company that produces Vegenaise is called Follow Your Heart.  Check out their website to get a list of all the wonderful products they make.  The website has some great recipes too.

http://www.followyourheart.com/

 Ingredients:

1 cup reduced-fat Vegenaise

1/3  cup milk substitute (almond milk, soy milk, etc.)

1 clove  garlic

1 tsp. dill weed or 2 tsps. fresh chopped dill weed

2 tsps. fresh chopped Italian parsley
1 tbs. fresh lemon juice

1 tsp. black pepper

1/2 small shallot 

Instructions:

Add all ingredients to food processor and puree for about 30 seconds or finely chop ingredients and stir together thoroughly.

Black Bean and Spinach Vegan Enchiladas

Absolutely NO cholesterol in this vegan recipe however, adding 2 cups of cooked and diced chicken breast is a tasty option.

Ingredients:
1 pkg. frozen chopped frozen spinach, drained
1/2 diced med. onion
2 cloves minced garlic
1 cup diced fresh tomatoes
*1 chopped poblano chili, optional
 2 fifteen oz. cans black beans, drained
1 pkg. cheese alternative e.g. rice, almond, or soy cheese
28 oz. can  Las Palmas Red Colorado Chili Sauce 
18-24 corn tortillas
Canola oil for frying tortillas


Instructions:
Saute' onion, poblano chili, and garlic in frying pan in 1 tbsp. canola oil until onion is translucent.  Drain spinach,  then add spinach, tomatoes, and black beans.  Add 1/2 cup of red chili sauce and 1/4 cup of cheese alternative.  Stir together in frying pan then set aside.  Soft fry tortillas and blot oil with paper towels.  Tortillas can also be heated in microwave until they are pliable if you want to reduce fat.  In a 9" by 12" casserole dish, assemble first layer enchiladas by adding a dollop (approximately a heaping tbsp) of black bean/spinach mixture and rolling up in tortillas.  After first layer of enchiladas is assembled, pour chili sauce over and top with 1/2 remaining cheese alternative.  Assemble second layer of tortillas, top with cheese alternative, and pour remaining red chili sauce over the top.  Cover  with foil and bake at 350 for approximately 45 minutes.

Ribbon Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing

Summer is the best time for salads but keep them healthy by not adding too many high caloric, high fat foods.  Dr. Oz tells us that if we consume five different colors of food every day we can avoid many diseases.  A salad of many colors is fun to craft, can impress guests with your artistic prowess, and is delightful to eat! Use nuts (not the sugar-coated kind) instead of croutons and omit the cheese.

 I used a spinach base for this salad, then added cucumbers, tomatoes, cooked barley, left-over smoked salmon, craisins, left-over sweet potatoes, asparagus, raw almonds, and green onions.  SO many possibilities for veggies to go with this salad! Try shredded carrots, chopped avocado, celery, quinoa, black beans, fresh corn, chick peas, etc.  If you noticed, I used two different left-overs in this salad. Your family will love this salad, especially if you add ingredients they like!

Once I presented my beautiful salad to my audience (favorite guinea pig/husband) Don, I tossed and dressed the salad with a balsamic vinaigrette.  He loved it!

Basic Balsamic Vinaigrette:
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tsps. crushed garlic
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 1/2 cup olive oil
1 tsp. black pepper

Add ingredients to a cruet and shake well.  Drizzle over salad and toss with salad tongs. When dressing salads, just use enough to minimally coat ingredients.

Sweet Potato Salad

Paint outside the box with sweet potato salad!  I use Vegenaise instead of mayo and have created a bright, sweet and tangy summer salad great for picnics and beach outings. Absolutely NO cholesterol in this recipe!

Ingredients:
4 cups peeled, cubed, cooked sweet potatoes.  (approx. 4 lbs.)
3/4 cup Vegenaise
1 tbsp. deli mustard
4 chopped celery stalks
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 cup, diced fresh pineapple
2 scallions, sliced
2 tsps. curry powder
1-2 tsp. grated or finely chopped fresh ginger
1 tbsp. fresh chopped herbs, e.g. parsley, dill, tarragon
salt/pepper to taste
1/4 cup chives 

Instructions:
Boil sweet potatoes.  Cut into 3/4-inch cubes.  Mix potatoes, curry, and Vegenaise.  Add remaining ingredients and stir.  Refrigerate approx. 2 hrs. before serving.  Top with chives.

Chicken Salad with Chipotle Vinaigrette

Salad:
1 cup cooked and cubed chicken breast
1 bag cabbage slaw
1 sliced green onion
2 tsps. chopped fresh cilantro
1 carrot peeled and shredded
1 cup tortilla strips or crushed tortilla chips

Vinaigrette:
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup fresh lemon or lime juice
1 small clove minced garlic
1-2 tsps. chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
1/4 cup Italian parsley
1 chopped green onion
2 tsps. ground cumin
Salt/pepper to taste

Directions:
In salad bowl, toss cabbage, green onion, cilantro, chicken, and carrots.  Puree dressing ingredients in food processor for approx. 1 minute.  Dress salad right before serving.  Top with tortilla strips.

Heart Healthy Lasagna

By special request from Marian  (  :   here is another lasagna recipe.  I use soy cheese with this, but rice or almond cheese works too.

Ingredients:
1 pkg whole wheat or gluten-free lasagna pasta (I LOVE "no boil" lasagna- it works really well)
25 oz. jar pasta sauce
4 oz. tomato paste
1 1/2 cup water
12 or 13 oz. can diced tomatoes
1/2 large onion, diced
4-5 cloves chopped garlic
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 cup basil leaves
1/2 bunch fresh spinach, rinsed, chopped into strips and stems removed
1 zucchini squash, finely chopped (optional)
12 oz. shredded cheese alternative, e.g. soy, almond, or rice
2 tbsp. oil
1/2 lb. 99% fat-free turkey breast

Directions:
Boil pasta until done.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Saute' onion, garlic, and turkey in 2 tbsp. oil.  When meat is cooked, add pasta sauce and chopped spinach.  Stir in tomato paste, water, oregano, and tomatoes until mixed.  Remove from heat.  Grate cheese alternative.  In 9 by 13 casserole dish, layer 3 stacks of pasta noodles, pasta sauce, basil leaves, and cheese.  On the last layer, make sure the pasta sauce covers the cheese alternative. Cover with foil and bake for approx. 90 minutes. 

Spicy Quinoa with Pineapple and Peppers

Quinoa is native to the Andes Mountains and was a food staple for the Ancient Incas.  This gluten-free whole grain has been gaining in popularity not only because it is gluten-free but because it is also packed with protein and many other vital nutrients. Quinoa is actually a seed!

Quinoa is high in magnesium; a mineral that promotes heart health.  Magnesium can help reduce relax blood vessels, lower blood pressure, and may increase heart efficiency.

Ingredients:
1 cup red or white quinoa
1 1/2 cups water
1 1/2 cup fresh chopped pineapple
2 jalapeno peppers or 1 poblano pepper, seeded and chopped (If you want a little less heat, use a bell pepper instead)
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1 tbsp. oil
2 tsp. honey
1-2 tsp. red pepper sauce (optional)
Salt to taste

Directions:
Rinse quinoa thoroughly and drain.  Add water and quinoa to saucepan and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat, cover with lid, and simmer until water evaporates.  Saute' onions and peppers in oil until softened.  Turn off heat and stir in pineapples.  When quinoa is cooked, stir in pepper mix.  Then add honey, salt, and pepper sauce.  Serves 4.