Chilled Raspberry Beet Soup with Mint

I am obsessed with beets!  I pretty much eat them in some form almost every day.  So today when I felt like making a chilled soup, but wanted something a little out of the ordinary...the beets in my fridge came to mind.  I always cook off about 12 of them at the beginning of the week, so I have them on hand when I want them.  But I wanted this soup to be a bit different than borscht, so I decided to make a raspberry beet soup.  I decided that a bit of red wine would be incorporated into my soup, since I had a bit leftover, and I thought it would compliment the berries.  I added plenty of citrus as well as some wine and mint...and it turned out to be a very refreshing combination.  It was a beautiful deep red soup! It reminded me of a sangria in a soup form...but of course more substantial and soup like!  If you are in need of refreshment you should whip up a batch!  This soup is wonderful served as a first course as a light starter!

Chilled Raspberry Beet Soup with Mint

Serves 2

1 cup cooked beets, diced

24 oz fresh organic raspberries
3/4 cup fresh orange juice (about 2 large oranges)
2 Tbsp orange zest
juice of one lemon
2 Tbsp honey
1/4 cup fresh mint, packed
3/4 cup red wine (good red wine, choose your favorite!)
1/4 cup POM juice, or other pomagranate (plus more as needed)
sea salt to taste

freshly ground pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in a food processor or blender and process until smooth.  Add more POM if a thinner consistency is desired.  Chill well and serve!

Raspberry Lemonade with Fresh Basil

Nothing beats fresh lemonade in the summer!  Ok, I lied...fresh lemonade with raspberries and basil does!  I had a large bouquet of basil in a glass sitting on my counter...so I thought what would be a better way to use it than in a drink...lemonade!  And how about some raspberries thrown in as well, for a lovely red color...and an interesting flavor!  I love berries and basil together, so I thought it would be a perfect addition to my lemonade!  When I make lemonade, I like to use agave syrup instead of sugar, because it dissolves well, and is kinder on the blood sugar...I use less than most people, because I like my lemonade  very tart, but if you are making this you can choose to use a little or a lot depending on how sweet you like it.  This drink is refreshing...sweet, tart, herby, and fruity...not your Grandma's lemonade!  Try it out while raspberries and basil are abundant!

Raspberry Lemonade with Fresh Basil
Serves 1
3/4 cup lemon juice (about 2 large lemons)
1 cup cold water
1-3 Tbsp agave nectar
Ice cubes
about 6 fresh basil leaves
1/2 cup fresh raspberries

In a large glass, place the basil, raspberries and a few  of the ice cubes.  Use the end part of a wooden spoon to muddle, or crush the berries and basil up a bit.  Top off with a bit more ice.  In another glass, stir together the lemon juice, water and agave (1 Tbsp if you like it tart, 3 if you like it sweet).  Pour the lemon mixture over the ice in the other glass, and enjoy!

Nachos with Black Beans and Nectarine Salsa

When I was young, nachos meant a big pile of greasy tortilla chips with fake oozy cheese that probably came from a bag...and I actually liked when they served them for lunch in Elementary school!  But now that I am not into fake food, and I try and eat healthfully (but tastefully), I decided that I would like a delicious version of nachos that I can feel good about eating!  It had to contain some protein as well as some produce though in addition to the cheese, or it would not be a meal in my opinion!  So, I came up with a bean mixture to top my chips with that contained spiced black beans as well as a bit of fresh ingredients such as cilantro and lime.  I also made a home made salsa using nectarines, since I did not have any tomatoes in my kitchen...plus I enjoy fruit salsas more than tomato based ones.  I do not have any chips in my house, but I do have sprouted grain corn tortillas!  So, I made my own chips in the oven, which turned out to be very tasty!  But if you were making this and you had chips on hand by all means you could use them!  I used chihuahua cheese for my melting cheese, because I happened to have some in my cheese drawer...and was it delicious!  Ooey gooey...a far cry from the nasty bagged nacho cheese of my childhood, which I couldn't be happier about!  I topped off the mound of nachos with a bit of low fat sour cream and some cilantro, and voila!  Nachos fit for a queen!  If you are a fan of nachos, but you want to feel good about eating them as well as enjoy them...try these for a quick dinner!  I know they are nothing like the ones you ate in Elementry school lunch, but trust me, these are way better!

Nachos with Black Beans and Nectarine Salsa

Chips:

8 six inch tortillas, cut into 4 wedges each
coconut oil cooking spray (or other cooking spray)
sea salt
Beans:
1 Tbsp coconut oil (or olive oil)
1/2 cup red onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp chili powder

1 tsp cumin

ground chipotle to taste

1 1/2 cups cooked black beans or 1 15 oz can black beans
2 Tbsp cilantro, chopped
juice of one lime
sea salt to taste
Salsa:
2 nectarines or peaches, diced
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
2 scallions, sliced
juice of 1 lime

1 jalapeno, seeded and minced

1 Tbsp honey

1 cup grated Chihuahua cheese
fresh cilantro (optional)
sour cream (optional)

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with foil, and spray with coconut oil spray.  scatter chips on sheet and spray with oil, then sprinkle with sea salt (on both sides).  Bake until crispy and golden, about 10 minutes.  Remove from oven and increase oven heat to 500. Meanwhile, heat a medium non-stick skillet to medium heat, add 1 Tbsp coconut oil, and onions and saute until onions are translucent, about 5 minutes.  Add garlic, chili powder, cumin, and chipotle, and saute for ine minute until fragrant.  Add the beans, and cook until heated through, then add the cilantro, lime juice and sea salt to taste.  Set aside and keep warm.  To make salsa, combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix well.  To assemble, divide the chips evenly between 2 plates.  Top each with bean mixture, then the cheese.  Place in the oven, and bake until cheese is bubbling, about 2-3 minutes depending on your oven.  Keep an eye on it, because it could quickly burn at such a high heat.  Remove from oven, and top each with salsa, and a bit of cilantro and sour cream if desired. 

Cooling Cucumber Avocado Soup with Mint

Today was one of those days where you go outside for a walk and after just a few minutes you start sweating like mad.  Therefore, I did not want anything even remotely warm for dinner.  Instead I decided that a chilled soup and sandwiches were in order.  For my soup, which was to be the interesting part of the meal, I decided to use two of nature's natural coolers when it comes to summer produce...mint and cucumber!  They have a cooling effect on the body when eaten...which is just what I needed today.  I wanted a creamy soup, so I used an avocado and some soymilk instead of cream or yogurt because they were what I happened to have on hand.  I also threw in a bit of lemon juice and a clove of garlic to keep the flavors bright.  The soup was delicious on it's own, but I thought some mint oil would make a lovely garnish, so I whipped up a batch!  The lovely jade colored soup was just the thing for cooling me down on a hot day, and delicious as well!  There will be plenty of hot summer days to come, so try out this vegan soup and cool yourself off!  It is super simple, yet super satisfying!

Cooling Cucumber Avocado Soup with Mint


2 large cucumbers, peeled and diced
1 large avocado, diced
1 garlic clove
1/4 cup fresh mint leaves
juice of one lemon
1 1/4 cups soymilk
1 tsp sea salt
freshly ground black pepper to taste
mint oil for garnish*
fresh mint leaves for garnish

Combine all soup ingredients in the blender, and process until smooth. Place in the fridge to chill until very cold. Ladle soup into bowls, and drizzle about a Tbsp mint oil onto each bowl, garnish with mint and serve!

*Mint oil:
1/2 cup olive oil
4 Tbsp fresh mint leaves

To make the mint oil, Puree the olive oil and the mint leaves in a food processor until smooth. Store in the fridge. Makes 3/4 cup

Sunrise Over India Granola

I love the flavors of the fruits and nuts that you would find in India...coconut, pistachios, dates, almonds...there is just something about these ingredients that I find simply heavenly!  The spices as well are very aromatic and pleasing to the senses...which is why I decided to make my granola with these ingredients this time around!  I know granola is not an Indian thing, but hey, who says I can't give it the flavors inspired by India!  So I gathered up pistachios, almonds, coconut, and dates and got started on my granola!  I added some honey for sweetness, coconut oil so it would get nice and crisp, and cinnamon nutmeg and cardamom to make it aromatic!  While it was baking it filled the house with a wonderful aroma...and it was a shame to have to wait to sample it!  But when it was cool enough to sample, it was delicious!  I decided it needed to be called Sunrise Over India Granola...because it is something that is often enjoyed in the morning!  If you start your morning out with this you will have a sunny attitude by the time you are done devouring it!  But I wouldn't avoid eating it in the afternoon for your snack, because it would be a good cure for the mid-afternoon tired grumpies...try it out and you will see what I mean! 

Sunrise over India Granola

Makes about 14+ cups of delicious granola

6 cups old fashioned rolled oats

1 1/2 cups pistachios

1 1/2 cups sliced almonds

2 cups large flake coconut

3/4 cup coconut oil

3/4 cup honey

2 Tbsp maple sugar

1 1/2 tsp sea salt
1 Tbsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp numeg
1 1/2 tsp cardamom
1 tsp almond extract
1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
3 cups pitted halved dates

Line a large baking sheet with non-stick foil, and spray with cooking spray. Preheat the oven to 350 and set rack at the medium position. In a large bowl, combine oats, pistachios, almonds, and coconut, and set aside. In another bowl, whisk together oil, honey, maple sugar, sea salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, almond and vanilla extracts until well combined, then pour over oat mixture and toss to coat until completely blended. Pour out onto prepared baking sheet, and spread out evenly. Bake for 35 minutes, stirring about every 10 minutes or so until the granola is evenly browned. Remove from oven and let cool. Stir in dates, and enjoy!

Garlic Scapes and Pizza

I get very excited when the garlic scapes appear at the store...they are incredibly delicious, especially to a garlic lover!  They look sort of like a mass of twisted green wires when they are all in a pile, but scrumptious wires they are!  What they are is actually young garlic, for those of you who are wondering what the heck I am talking about.  They are harvested before they develop the white garlic bulb...and are more mild than a full grown clove of garlic.  My favorite way to eat them is roasted in the oven in a bit of olive oil when they are crispy...but I also enjoy them in a pesto!  So tonight when I was making my pizza I decided to make a pesto out of them and spread it on the crust under the toppings.  I had some Italian Sottocenere cheese with truffle that I thought would be wonderful on the pizza along with a bit of mushrooms, shallots and pine nuts.  I am always trying new interesting cheeses, and this one did not dissapoint! It was creamy, buttery and melted wonderfully...and of course the truffles were a delicious addition.  The pizza as a whole was wonderful with the scape pesto, exotic cheese and mushrooms all married together on the cracker thin crust.  My only complaint was that it was gone too quick! 

Pizza with Garlic Scape Pesto, Mushrooms, Pine Nuts, Italian Sottocenere with Truffle, and Mozzarella Cheeses

Makes 2 10 inch pizzas

2 whole wheat pizza crusts store bought or home made (see my recipe below)

Pesto:
16 garlic scapes

olive oil

1/2 cup toasted pine nuts

juice of 2 large lemons

sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

2 shallots, thinly sliced

2 cups mushrooms, sliced
4 oz Italian Sottocenere with Truffle or other melting cheese with truffle
4 oz mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
a few fresh basil leaves, cut into chiffonade

A good quality pizza stone is essential to a crispy crust. Place the stone on the highest rack in the oven, then crank up the heat as high as possible at least an hour before baking the pizza (but if you don't have a stone, still use the top rack, but you will need to leave the pizza on a sheet pan to bake). Line a sheet pan with foil, and spray with non-stick spray. Toss scapes with a little olive oil, and scatter on the pan. Roast for about 10-15 minutes in the hot oven until softened and browned. Remove from oven and let cool slightly.  In a food processor, combine scapes, about a Tbsp olive oil, pine nuts, lemon juice, and sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.  Process until smooth, adding water if necessary.  In a large non-stick skillet, heat about 1 Tbsp olive oil, and add shallots, cooking until softened about 4 minutes, then add mushrooms and cook until tender and starting to release juices.  Remove from heat.  To assemble pizzas, place one piece of the dough on a piece of parchment paper, spray rolling pin with non-stick spray and roll out as thin as possible (about 10 inches is best) Repeat with other piece of dough using another sheet of parchment. Sprinkle salt and pepper over crust, then spread each with pesto, and scatter over the mushrooms, shallots, then the mozzarella and Sottocenere. Using a pizza peel, or an upside down sheet pan, carefully slide the dough (keeping it on the parchment) into the oven. Bake for about 3-5 minutes, or until crust is starting to brown and cheese is bubbling. Carefully slide the parchment onto a sheet pan or pizza peel to remove from oven. Scatter the basil over the pizza and serve!

Amy's Whole Wheat Pizza Crust

Makes 8 10 inch crusts

Crust:

4 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

1 Tbsp Salt

2 Pkgs rapid-rise yeast

2 cups warm water

To make the dough, in a large bowl, combine the flour and salt. Make a well in the center, pour in the water and then dissolve the yeast in the water. Gradually stir the flour into the water mixture, until the dough comes together. Turn out onto a floured surface, then knead until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. Oil a large bowl with olive oil, then place dough in bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Place in a warm area, such as near the oven, and let the dough rise until doubled in bulk. When dough has risen, punch down and divide into 8 pieces. You can either freeze the dough in individual portions (just place in ziplock bags and take out the night before you want to use it, then it will be ready to use the next day), or set aside to use right away. If making the recipe above, you will need two crusts.

Roasted Peach Salad with Coconut and Mint

It's a steamy 90 degrees today, so I wanted something refreshing and summery for dinner.  Salad was sounding better and better as I drove home and was sweating up a storm in my car even with the air conditioning on full blast.  Salad it was...and I had bought some wonderful flavorful peaches, so I was thinking that they must be included.  I had a bit of fresh mint as well, and since mint and peaches love each other, the mint was tossed into the mix, as well as a bit of coconut...this was becoming a somewhat tropical combo.  The dressing was a combination of coconut oil, lime, lemon, a dash of ginger and honey...incredibly tasty and of course refreshing and summery!  Not satisfied with simply coconut oil in the dressing, I added some toasted coconut on top of the salad, as well as some pine nuts!  The end result was a wonderful cooling supper fit for a 90 degree summer day!  The coconut and peaches were heavenly...definately something you should try!  Here's the recipe:

Roasted Peach Salad with Coconut and Mint

Serves 2

1 Tbsp coconut oil
2 large fresh peaches, cut into wedges

Dressing:
1 Tbsp coconut oil
1 Tbsp lime juice
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp honey
1 tsp lime zest
1/2 tsp finely minced fresh ginger
sea salt to taste

3 cups mixed lettuces, washed and dried well
1/4 cup mint, cut into chiffonade
1/4 cup toasted large flake coconut
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts

Preheat oven to 475 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil. Toss peach wedges with 1 Tbsp coconut oil, and spread out onto prepared sheet. Roast for about 20-25 minutes, or until soft, and starting to brown. Remove from oven and let cool to room temp. Meanwhile, whisk together dressing ingredients and set aside. In a large bowl, combine lettuce, mint and peaches, and toss with dressing. Divide salad between 2 plates, and top with toasted coconut and pine nuts.

Tequila Refresh-Mint...

Since today is the first day of summer, I decided that the occasion called for a refreshing summer drink!  Since I have a big bowl of lemons on my counter, I decided that a sort of a spiked lemonade would be nice!  So I grabbed my bottle of tequila, some vanilla agave syrup I had made, and some fresh mint and whipped up a delicious refreshing cocktail!  Although this drink contains a little sweet with the agave, what you mainly taste is the minty freshness and the tart lemon...the agave just mellows it out.  This sort of reminds me of a mojito, but better!  Celebrate the solstice...make yourself a Tequila Refresh-Mint cocktail and go sit out in the sun on the patio! 

Tequila Refresh-Mint

8 mint leaves, plus more
about 6 ice cubes
1 oz vanilla agave syrup*
2 oz silver tequila
1/2 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup ice cubes
fresh mint leaves
about 1/2 cup sparkling water

In a martini shaker, muddle 8 mint leaves with ice, crushing them until they are in small pieces. Add the vanilla agave syrup, Tequila, and lemon juice, place top on shaker, and shake until well blended. Place 1/2 cup ice cubes and a few fresh mint leaves in a tall chilled glass.  Pour cocktail into the glass over the ice, top with sparkling water and serve!
 
*Vanilla Agave Syrup:

1/4 cup water
1/4 cup honey
seeds of one vanilla bean

Heat water until boiling, remove from heat and whisk in honey and vanilla beans, until honey is dissolved. Chill well before using in drinks. Makes 1/2 cup syrup

Vanilla Girl Martini

I decided that I needed to create a signature drink...it would be called the Vanillagirl Martini.  This drink would contain all of my favorite flavors...vanilla of course was a requirement.  Now normally when I order a drink I will order a classic dirty martini, or something else not too sweet.  So, I chose simply Prairie Organic Vodka as my base liquor.  I made a honey syrup, since I prefer honey to sugar any day, for it's wonderful complex flavor.  Then I added real vanilla beans to the honey syrup to give it lots of vanilla flavor, which I wanted to be very present in my drink!  I wanted a bit of sour to go with the sweet of the honey, so I chose lemon juice, since I can't get enough lemon in the summer!  Basil was my last addition to my drink recipe, because basil is my herb of choice in the warm months, and about every day I pick some fresh from my patio.  This may not be the classic way to make a martini, but it sure is delicious, and refreshing!  It ended up being my perfect signature drink, and I will be making it many times this summer!  No need to spend over $10 on a artisan drink in a fine restaurant.  Try this on a hot day, and you won't be disappointed! 

Vanilla Honey Syrup:
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup honey
seeds of one vanilla bean

Heat water until boiling, remove from heat and whisk in honey and vanilla beans, until honey is dissolved.  Chill well before using in drinks.  Makes 1/2 cup syrup


Vanilla Girl Martini
Serves 1

2 large fresh basil leaves
4-6 large ice cubes
1 oz honey vanilla syrup
2 oz Prairie Organic Vodka
1 oz fresh organic lemon juice

In a martini shaker, muddle the basil leaves with the ice, crushing them until they are in small pieces.  Add the vanilla honey syrup, vodka, and lemon juice, place top on shaker, and shake until well blended.  Pour into a chilled martini glass, and serve!

Quasi Mexican...Creamy Seitan and Spinach Enchiladas

Monday nights are pretty much always enchilada night at my house.  I often make vegan enchiladas with seitan and vegetables, but tonight I was feeling like some hard core comfort food with cheese...something very creamy, so I wanted to come up with a creamier enchilada than I would normally make.  I had some neufchatel in the fridge, so I thought, hey, what the heck I can incorporate it into the enchiladas to make a tasty filling!  It is lower fat than regular cream cheese afterall, so it won't be completely gut busting...

I had some spinach as well, so I thought why not make a creamy spinach and seitan filling!  I had made something similar before in my lasagna, but this time I would give it a mexican flavor, since I was making enchiladas afterall.  I used my usual corn tortillas, since I prefer corn to wheat when it comes to tortillas.  For the sauce I used a fire roasted tomato base with cilantro and mexican spices, slightly milder than my usual mole style sauce that I make for enchiladas.  I prefer to stack my enchiladas like a lasagna rather than rolling them because I am a bit lazy sometimes, and they taste just as good.  This time I topped them off with some chihuahua and mozzarella cheeses. These were becoming sort of quasi Mexican enchiladas, sort of like Mexican Italian fusion...wierd sounding combo, but very tasty it turned out when all was said and done (eaten), since the plates were completely clean!  Need some comfort food?  Whip up a batch, you will be glad you did!

Creamy Seitan and Spinach Enchiladas

Serves 2 generously

Filling:
1 Tbsp olive oil

4 cloves garlic
1 fresh jalapeno, seeded and diced
5 scallions, sliced
16 oz chicken style seitan, cut into small pieces
3 cups fresh spinach
8 oz neufchatel, softened to room temperature
1/4 cup grated chihuahua cheese
1/4 cup grated mozzarella cheese

juice of one lime

1 tsp ground cumin
sea salt to taste

Sauce:
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 small red onion, diced
4 garlic cloves

1 Tbsp chili powder

1/4 tsp ground chipotle pepper
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp smoky paprika
1 can fire roasted tomatoes
sea salt to taste
juice of one lime
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped

6 6 inch corn tortillas
1/2 cup grated chihuahua cheese
1/2 cup grated mozzarella cheese
sour cream
cilantro

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.  Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil in a large non-stick pan, and add garlic, jalapeno, scallions, and seitan.  Saute until onions and garlic are fragrant, a couple minutes, then add spinach, and cook until wilted.  let cool while you prepare the sauce.  In a meduim stockpot, heat 1 Tbsp olive oil over medium heat.  Add onions, and saute until softened, about 5 minutes, then add garlic, and spices, and cook another minute until fragrant.  Add tomatoes, and sea salt and simmer while you prepare the filling.  When the spinach has cooled to room temperature, add neufchatel, chihuahua, mozzarella, lime juice, cumin and a bit of sea salt to taste.  Mix well and set aside.  To finish the sauce, add the lime juice, and cilantro and remove from the heat.  To assemble enchiladas, spray 2 large shallow bowls or plates with non-stick spray.  Put a little sauce on each, and top with a tortilla.  Spoon half the filling onto the tortillas, dividing evenly between the two.  Spoon a bit of sauce over each, and top with another tortilla.  Spoon the rest of he filling onto each, dividing evenly between the two, spoon a bit of sauce over each, and top with a tortilla.  Spoon the remaining sauce over each enchilada, and top with the cheeses.  Place in the oven and bake until the cheese is bubbling and the enchiladas are hot.  Serve with a bit of sour cream and fresh cilantro! 

Cherry, Almond, and Roasted Onion Pizzas with Gruyere and Mozzarella Cheeses and Fresh Basil

 I bought a huge bag of cherries yesterday from the store, because as I walked by them they were calling my name...they looked wonderful, and they were on sale!  I hadn't had cherries since last year, and man did they look good!  I bought a bunch because I wanted to make some cherry desserts this weekend, but I thought they might be yummy in some other applications as well...so tonight they would be my pizza topping of choice!  I paired them with some toasted almonds and roasted red onions as well as some basil as a finishing touch.  Not forgetting the cheese, I used mozzarella as I always do on pizza, since it is such a superb melting cheese that halps blend flavor, as well as some gruyere, because it loves the cherries!  The combination was scrumptious, the tart sweet cherries, the salty melty cheese and the roasted almonds...along with the herby fresh basil...heavenly...the type of thing that makes me swoon and not be able to speak!  If you haven't tried cherries on a pizza, you simply must!

Cherry, Almond, and Roasted Onion Pizzas with Gruyere and Mozzarella Cheeses and Fresh Basil

Makes 2 10 inch pizzas

2 whole wheat pizza crusts store bought or home made (see my recipe below)

extra virgin olive oil

1 red onion, sliced

sea salt

freshly ground pepper

1 1/2 cups fresh cherries, pitted and halved 

1/2 cup toasted sliced almonds

4 oz shredded mozzarella cheese

4 oz shredded Gruyere cheese

about 4 fresh large basil leaves, cut into chiffonade

A good quality pizza stone is essential to a crispy crust. Place the stone on the highest rack in the oven, then crank up the heat as high as possible at least an hour before baking the pizza (but if you don't have a stone, still use the top rack, but you will need to leave the pizza on a sheet pan to bake). Line a sheet pan with foil, and spray with non-stick spray. Toss onions with a little olive oil, and scatter on the pan. Roast for about 5-10 minutes in the hot oven until softened. To assemble pizzas, place one piece of the dough on a piece of parchment paper, spray rolling pin with non-stick spray and roll out as thin as possible (about 10 inches is best) Repeat with other piece of dough using another sheet of parchment. Sprinkle salt and pepper over crust, then scatter over the cherries, onions, almonds then the mozzarella and gruyere. Using a pizza peel, or an upside down sheet pan, carefully slide the dough (keeping it on the parchment) into the oven. Bake for about 3-5 minutes, or until crust is starting to brown and cheese is bubbling. Carefully slide the parchment onto a sheet pan or pizza peel to remove from oven. Scatter the basil over the pizza and serve!

Amy's Whole Wheat Pizza Crust

Makes 8 10 inch crusts

Crust:

4 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

1 Tbsp Salt

2 Pkgs rapid-rise yeast

2 cups warm water

To make the dough, in a large bowl, combine the flour and salt. Make a well in the center, pour in the water and then dissolve the yeast in the water. Gradually stir the flour into the water mixture, until the dough comes together. Turn out onto a floured surface, then knead until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. Oil a large bowl with olive oil, then place dough in bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Place in a warm area, such as near the oven, and let the dough rise until doubled in bulk. When dough has risen, punch down and divide into 8 pieces. You can either freeze the dough in individual portions (just place in ziplock bags and take out the night before you want to use it, then it will be ready to use the next day), or set aside to use right away. If making the recipe above, you will need two crusts.

Pecan Crusted Tempeh with Raspberry Chipotle Sauce

I had a hankering for some tempeh yesterday. I could have made the usual suspects, a tempeh reuben, or maybe a stir fry...but I wanted something a little different that I hadn't had before. I love tempeh prepared in such a way that it is satisfyingly crispy on the outside...one of the best preparations I have had of it was lightly fried triangles in a delicious orange sauce. So I was thinking, why couldn't I crust the tempeh in some sort of nut, like I do when I make fish? Granted tempeh is quite different than fish, especially in reguards to the coating sticking to the tempeh. But, I tried it, using a four dredge...and it actually worked well with the tempeh! This time I used pecans for the crust, as well as a small amount of cornmeal...sounds like something you would put on catfish, but the tempeh took well to it! Not being one to ever leave produce out of a meal...I decided that the tempeh would need a fruit based sauce, to give it color as well as compliment the pecans in the crust. I had a carton of lovely raspberries in the fridge...and I thought the striking red of the raspberries would look beautiful on a plate with the tempeh, and go well with the pecans. I added a bit of chipotle to the berries as well as a smidgen of balsamic, as well as a bit of honey and some fresh basil. The whole completed dish of the tempeh was wonderful! The triangles were nice and crispy on the outside with the nutty pecans, and the tart sweet raspberries were definately the right choice for the accompaniment. Crusted tempeh is definately going to be made many times in the future for my dinner!


Pecan Crusted Tempeh with Raspberry Chipotle Sauce
Serves 2

1 8 oz container raspberries
1 Tbsp honey
1/4 tsp ground chipotle pepper
2 tsp balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp basil, cut chiffonade
a pinch of sea salt

8 oz tempeh, cut into 4 triangles
1 egg, beaten with 2 Tbsp milk
1 cup flour
1 cup finely ground pecans
2 Tbsp cornmeal
1 tsp sea salt

3 Tbsp coconut oil

In a bowl, mash raspberries until a sauce is formed. Stir in honey, chipotle, vinegar, basil, and sea salt, until well blended, and set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk egg and milk together. Place the flour in another bowl. Whisk together cornmeal, pecans, and sea salt in another bowl. Dip a triangle of tempeh in eggs, letting excess drain off, then dredge in flour, letting excess drain off. Dip tempeh in eggs again, letting excess drain off, then place in pecan mixture, pressing pecans into tempeh, and when evenly coated, place on a plate while you repeat with the remaining tempeh triangles. Heat 3 Tbsp coconut oil in a medium non-stick skillet over medium heat. when hot, place tempeh in pan, and cook for about 2-3 minutes on each side, until golden, then turn onto other sides to get them brown as well, but only for about a minute or two each of the smaller sides. Remove tempeh from heat, and place on a plate with the raspberry sauce.

Pricey Pistachios?

About a month ago, I was at the store, standing in the bulk section staring at the pistachios and wondering how much of them I should buy.  I was planning on making a carmelized pistachio tart, and I am the type that would rather have too much over too little, so I dove right into the shelled pistachio bin and filled my bag generously...not looking at the price per pound on the little green nuts.  When I arrived home, I realized that I just spent over $40 on pistachios! I had no idea that organic shelled roasted pistachios cost so much! The tart ended up only using about 2 cups...so I had at least 4 left over (yes, I bought over 6 cups)...so I learned a valuable lesson that day...always look at price per pound on bulk items before filling up your bag!  Thank goodness I wasn't buying pine nuts, because last time I looked I saw that organic can run you $39 a lb!  So with my pricey pistachios, I have been trying to come up with new recipes that use them in tasty ways.  One easy recipe that came to mind was pesto.  Why not substitute one classic expensive nut (pine nut) for another?  So I made my classic basil pesto with the pistachios instead of pine nuts.  It turned out a very lovely green different than the normal color of my pesto.  But what was important was that the pesto was mighty tasty!  I tossed it with some orzo pasta, more pistachios, cherry tomatoes and snap peas for a satisfying meal!  Cooked shrimp would be wonderful in this if you want to add even more protein...which I often do.  Here is the recipe if you happen to have some pistachios on hand...or simply want to try out a new pesto pasta recipe! And of course, you don't have to use the organic shelled expensive ones...if you shelled them yourself it would be a whole lot cheaper, but taste just as good of course!

Orzo with Pistachio Pesto

Serves 2 generously

1 garlic clove

2 Tbsp olive oil

1/2 cup roasted shelled pistachios

1/4 cup basil

1/4 cup shredded pecorino romano

juice one lemon

sea salt

freshly ground black pepper to taste

water as needed

sea salt

8 oz orzo

2 cups sugar snap peas

1 cup cherry tomatoes

1/4 cup roasted shelled pistachios

2 Tbsp shredded pecorino romano
1/4 cup roasted pistachios

In a food processor, combine oil, pistachios, basil, pecorino romano, lemon juice and sea salt and pepper to taste in a food processor, and process until smooth, adding a little water to smooth out, and more if a thinner consistency is desired. Set pesto aside. Cook pasta according to package directions in a large pot of salted water, and when done cooking, reserve about 1/3 cup of pasta water, and drain pasta. Place pasta back in the pot, and combine with the pesto, peas, and tomatoes, along with enough water to thin out pesto to a smooth consistency on the pasta. Place on a serving plate, sprinkle with pistachios and pecorino and serve!

Peach and Roasted Shallot Pizzas with Pecorino Romano and Mozzarella Cheeses and Fresh Basil

Peaches have been showing up lately at the store, and although it is not peach season, I was brave and bought some, because they were so fragrant and appeared to be good ones.  I was skeptical however about how good they were...but when I got home and cut into one, I discovered that they were actually delicious!  So tonight when I wanted to make a pizza, I included them in my toppings.  I combined them with some roasted shallots and fresh basil, since basil is my favorite summer herb and it goes so well with peaches!  For the cheese, pecorino romano and mozzarella were my choices, since the mozzarella is a good melter and pretty much goes with anything, and the pecorino loves peaches.  When the pizza was pulled from the oven, the roasted peaches smelled and looked wonderful...the cheese all bubbly and gooey around them!  But even better was how it tasted when it was finally cool enough to ingest with the fresh basil atop it!  Summer at it's best right there!  This was definately better than any old boring pepperoni pizza...

Peach and Roasted Shallot Pizzas with Pecorino Romano and Mozzarella Cheeses and Fresh Basil


Makes 2 10 inch pizzas

2 whole wheat pizza crusts store bought or home made (see my recipe below)

extra virgin olive oil

3 shallots, sliced

sea salt
freshly ground pepper
2 medium peaches, sliced
4 oz shredded mozzarella cheese
4 oz shredded pecorino romano cheese
about 4 fresh large basil leaves, cut into chiffonade

A good quality pizza stone is essential to a crispy crust. Place the stone on the highest rack in the oven, then crank up the heat as high as possible at least an hour before baking the pizza (but if you don't have a stone, still use the top rack, but you will need to leave the pizza on a sheet pan to bake). Line a sheet pan with foil, and spray with non-stick spray.  Toss shallots with a little olive oil, and scatter on the pan. Roast for about 5-10 minutes in the hot oven until softened.  To assemble pizzas, place one piece of the dough on a piece of parchment paper, spray rolling pin with non-stick spray and roll out as thin as possible (about 10 inches is best) Repeat with other piece of dough using another sheet of parchment. Sprinkle salt and pepper over crust, then scatter over the peaches, shallots, then the mozzarella and pecorino. Using a pizza peel, or an upside down sheet pan, carefully slide the dough (keeping it on the parchment) into the oven. Bake for about 3-5 minutes, or until crust is starting to brown and cheese is bubbling. Carefully slide the parchment onto a sheet pan or pizza peel to remove from oven. Scatter the basil over the pizza and serve!

Amy's Whole Wheat Pizza Crust


Makes 8 10 inch crusts

Crust:
4 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 Tbsp Salt
2 Pkgs rapid-rise yeast
2 cups warm water

To make the dough, in a large bowl, combine the flour and salt. Make a well in the center, pour in the water and then dissolve the yeast in the water. Gradually stir the flour into the water mixture, until the dough comes together. Turn out onto a floured surface, then knead until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. Oil a large bowl with olive oil, then place dough in bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Place in a warm area, such as near the oven, and let the dough rise until doubled in bulk. When dough has risen, punch down and divide into 8 pieces. You can either freeze the dough in individual portions (just place in ziplock bags and take out the night before you want to use it, then it will be ready to use the next day), or set aside to use right away. If making the recipe above, you will need two crusts.

Thai Peanut and Cilantro Yam Hummus

This week I decided to make my hummus with an Asian flavor.  Although navy beans are not Asian, that is the type of bean I had cooked off this time, so they were my bean of choice.  I had some leftover yams, so they needed to be incorporated as well I decided, if nothing else, to make the hummus a pretty color.  For some reason I can't resist incorporating vegetable purees into my hummus anymore, the vegetable lover that I am!  To give this hummus an Asian inspired flavor, the normal garlic was included...but I also added limes and rice vinegar instead of the usual lemon juice, and peanut butter in place of tahini...which made this really tasty, like the background flavor in peanut sauce you would serve on noodles!  I added some tamari as well, and some sesame oil in place of the usual olive.  Cilantro had to be included as well, since fresh herbs are a must in the summer months!  A thai chili found its way into this hummus also, because I felt it needed a little kick!  I buzzed it all together in the food processor, and by the time I had finished tasting the final product I think I had gone back for at least ten "tastes" not because it needed anything but because it was so increadibly good!  I would encourage you to try this recipe...but I will warn you, it is very addictive!  This recipe makes a rather large batch, at least 6 cups, but you can cut it in half easily. 

Thai Peanut and Cilantro Yam Hummus

Makes 6 cups

3 cups cooked navy beans (canned is fine)

2 cups cooked yam puree (or sweet potato)

6 small garlic cloves

juice of 6 limes

2 Tbsp rice vinegar

1/2 cup peanut butter

1/4 cup toasted sesame oil

1 Tbsp sea salt

3 Tbsp tamari

1 thai chili, seeded
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, packed
water as needed

In a food processor, combine all ingredients and process until smooth, adding water if necessary to thin out. Serve with chips or veggies for dipping, or as a spread on a sandwich!

Asian Soy Bean Carrot Veggie Burgers with Wasabi Cilantro Mayo

Yesterday I had some leftover rice and a few carrots...and I was trying to think of something I could make with them.  I could have made fried rice, which I often do, but I decided instead to make some veggie burgers since I had some soy beans as well to mix into them.  I added some scallions and garlic, since I am a big allium lover and I wanted my burgers to have big flavor.  I also threw in some sliced almonds for texture and toasted sesame seeds to keep it interesting.  Tamari and miso were essential in this case, as well as some sesame oil...because I love the three of them together, and I thought they would complement the other ingredients well.  Of course, I used a bit of panko in the burgers, because they are asian after all...and when you coat things in them they become so wonderfully crisp!  The burgers turned out to be very tasty, and a nice substantial meal with a salad on the side.  I topped them off with some wasabi vegannaise, which was the perfect complement to the burger's flavors.  If you like non-meat burgers, you should try these when you feel like something a little different.

 Asian Soy Bean Carrot Veggie Burgers with Wasabi Cilantro Mayo
1 Tbsp peanut oil
1 bunch scallions, thinly sliced
1 1/2 cups shredded carrots
6 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 cups cooked rice
2 cups cooked soy beans, mashed slightly
1 1/2 cups sliced almonds, toasted and crushed
1/4 cup toasted sesame seeds
2 large eggs
2 Tbsp sesame oil
2 Tbsp tamari
3 Tbsp white miso paste
1 tsp sea salt, or to taste
1/4 cup flour
1/2 cups panko breadcrumbs plus more for coating burgers
peanut oil

1 cup vegannaise
1 Tbsp rice vinegar
2 Tbsp chopped cilantro
1-2 tsp wasabi powder (depending on how spicy you want it)
Bell pepper rings for garnish

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F, line a baking sheet with foil, and spray with non-stick spray. In a large sautee pan, heat a Tbsp of peanut oil over medium heat, add carrots and scallions and saute until softened about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook a minute more. Remove from heat and pour into a large bowl. Add rice, beans, almonds, sesame seeds, eggs, tamari, miso, sea salt, flour, panko, and mix until well combined. Pour some additional panko into another bowl, and drizzle with a little peanut oil, toss to coat crumbs (so they brown in the oven). Divide the burger mixture into 6 balls, roll each in panko and place on prepared baking sheet. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until lightly browned and heated through. Meanwhile, combine vegannaise, rice vinegar, cilantro, and wasabi powder and blend well. When burgers are finished baking, top each with a dallop of wasabi cilantro mayo and a couple pepper rings and serve!

Tropical Summer Granola

I decided that I needed to make granola this week...but I wanted something a little different than the average granola.  You could probably call this clean out the pantry granola, since I used what I found there...some almonds, coconut, papayas, mango, and blueberries...it was sort of a quasi tropical but somewhat summery combination.  Since it was leaning toward tropical with the fruit and coconut, I decided to use coconut oil in place of the typical canola and agave nectar in place of my usual honey. I used almond and vanilla extracts to complement everything, but no coconut, because I did not have any on hand.  When I stirred the dried fruit into the finished granola, it turned out to be very lovely with all of the colors in the fruit.  The question was, whether or not the granola would meet my standard of approval...and it did!   It turned out very tasty, and in fact I ate way too much of it while it was cooling on the pan...it was extremely addictive.  Try out this snack, if you like things that are quasi tropical! 

Tropical Summer Granola

6 cups old fashioned rolled oats

3 cups sliced almonds

2 cups large flake coconut

3/4 cup coconut oil

3/4 cup agave nectar

2 Tbsp maple sugar

1 1/2 tsp sea salt

1 tsp almond extract

1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups dried papaya

1 1/2 cups dried mango

1 1/2 cups dried blueberries

Line a large baking sheet with non-stick foil, and spray with cooking spray. Preheat the oven to 350 and set rack at the medium position. In a large bowl, combine oats, almonds, and coconut, and set aside. In another bowl, whisk together oil, agave nectar, maple sugar, sea salt, almond and vanilla extracts until well combined, then pour over oat mixture and toss to coat until completely blended. Pour out onto prepared baking sheet, and spread out evenly. Bake for 35 minutes, stirring about every 10 minutes or so until the granola is evenly browned. Remove from oven and let cool. Stir in dried fruit, and enjoy!