Dinner ~ Broccoli & Corn Soup

It's interesting going into many grocery stores today and seeing broccoli florets for sale. I've often wondered, what are they doing with the stems?  I tend to buy the entire broccoli and keep the stems for making soup. As a rule of thumb, making an attempt to eat the entire edible parts of a plant is usually a good idea, as different parts of plants have complimentary health benefits. Think yin and yang of being in balance.

Broccoli & Corn Soup

1 c water

3 c unsweetened rice milk

2 c chopped broccoli stems

1/2 c broccoli florets

1 c sweet corn

1 c chopped cauliflower

sea salt and pepper to taste

Heat broccoli stems in water and rice milk until tender. Process in blender until smooth. Return to pot and add sweet corn, cauliflower, and broccoli florets. Cook for 3 minutes longer on medium heat. Season with salt and pepper. 

Dinner: Broccoli and corn soup with homemade croutons, vegan steak tips, risotto, and vegetable medley with broccoli, collard greens, red cabbage and shaved carrots. 

Lunch ~ Corn Fritters

When locally produced corn is in abundant supply,  I will typically buy it in bulk, shuck it from the cob, and freeze for future use in soups, salads, and fritters. While warm corn fritters are absolutely delicious to have on their own, they are also a nice addition to steamed or raw vegetables as part of a complete meal. 

Lunch: Corn fritters with green onions and tarter sauce. 

Corn Fritters

2 c sweet corn

1/4 c chopped leeks

1 tsp minced garlic

1/2 c flour

1/2 c cornmeal

1/2 c water

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

Heat safflower oil in wok. Drop desired dollop of batter into heated oil. Cook on both sides until golden brown. Remove from wok and allow excess oil to absorb into paper towel. Serve with vegan tarter sauce, ketchup, or chutney preserves. 

Dinner ~ Seitan Steaks with Carmelized Onions & Mushrooms

Seitan is a excellent meal choice when you are feeling like a hearty, vegetarian/vegan meal. It is wheat gluten, that has a texture similar to meat products. When preparing seitan, it can be flavored with shoyu, ginger, curry, or a myriad of other spices. 

For this meal, I served the pan-seared seitan on a bed of wheat grain then topped it with caramelized onions and mushrooms. As I am not much of a baker, I chose to pair this meal with a local, seasonal fruit of Concord grapes.  When I was young, we had a grapevine in our backyard. Eating Concord grapes evokes an childhood memory of walking into our kitchen, the air thick with the sweet, sticky smell of homemade grape jam being preserved by my mother and grandmother.

To complete this meal, pour yourself a glass of merlot or cabernet. Salut!  

Dinner: Seitan steaks with carmelized onions and mushrooms, corn, steamed broccoli, wheat grain, and Concord grapes. 

Lunch ~ Arugula & Bok Choy Salad

Lunch: Arugula and steamed bok choy salad greens with red and orange heirloom carrots, radishes, and red peppers topped with a mustard tahini dressing, sprouts. Side of sliced avocado, couscous salad, bean salad and bing cherries. 

For lunch I tend to gravitate towards warm soups and abundantly leafy green salads. It feels good to eat food that is filled with bursts of color! I add a side of beans for protein and cherries for sweetness.

A homemade dressing is easy to make ~ from nutty tasting tahini, citrusy orange, to crunchy chia seeds ~ the various combinations of flavors are seemingly endless. When you make it yourself, you can assure that there is no added colors or so called "natural flavors".

Dinner ~ Vegetable California Roll Sushi

While sushi is typically made with a sticky sushi rice, you can also experiment and use a combination of other grains including brown rice, wild rice, jasmine, and quinoa. You'll often see recipes that have sugar and vinegar added to sushi rice, however I choose to omit these ingredients. When you order sushi at a restaurant, it can also include mayonnaise. For that reason, you may want to inquire what is added so you can keep it as heart healthy as possible.

Vegetable California Roll Sushi

1 c sushi rice

2 c water

1/4 red pepper

1/2 carrot

1 mini cucumber

4 sheets nori

soy sauce

Rinse sushi rice until it runs clear to remove excess starch.  Boil 2 c water, add rice, reduce to low heat. Add flame deflector under pan, cover, and cook rice for 15 minutes.  Cool for 15 minutes in refrigerator.  Cut red pepper, carrot, and cucumber into long, thin slices. Steam pepper and carrot strips for 5 minutes. Place nori sheet on bamboo rolling mat. Add 1/4 c sushi rice to nori sheet and thinly spread, leaving 1/2" strip uncovered on one end. Line vegetables on opposite end and slowly roll toward the uncovered end. Gently squeeze roll in matting to seal nori sheet. Refrigerate roll and repeat with next 3 nori sheets. Using sharp knife, cut in roll in half, then proceed to cut into bit size pieces. Each roll makes 8 pieces. Serve with soy sauce. 

Dinner ~ Hearty Seitan with Tarragon Mushroom Gravy

Thanksgiving is coming and it's time to think of hearty, filling meals. If you haven't given homemade seitan a try, you're missing out on a wonderful meat substitute that can have a flavor and texture that beats any store-bought similar product. Seitan is flavored wheat gluten that is packed with protein. Refer to my September 3 blog post for directions on making seitan. I prepare enough seitan to have for several meals over the course of the upcoming week. The miso salty gravy is balanced with the tartness of the cranberry sauce.

Tarragon Mushroom Gravy
2 1/2 c water
1 tbsp fresh tarragon
1/4 c mushrooms
1/4 c white onion
2 tbsp barley miso paste
1 tbsp kudzo root

Heat 2 c water in saucepan and heat. Chop tarragon, mushrooms, and onions.  Add to saucepan. Bring to boil. Dissolve miso paste in 1/4 c cool water. Dissolve kudzu root in 1/4 c cool water. Reduce heat to simmer. Add miso paste and kudzo root to water and stir several minutes until thickened.

Dinner: Seitan with tarragon mushroom gravy, steamed kale, barley and rice salad with cranberries and almonds, and orange cranberry sauce. 

Roasted Pumpkin Seed & Umeboshi Vinegar Dressing

Hearty steamed greens, such as kale, and even delicate greens, like yu choy, can be enhanced with the nutty taste of the roasted pumpkin seeds combined with the salty sour taste of umeboshi plums. Both Eden foods http://www.edenfoods.com and Mitoku http://www.mitoku.com have an excellent selection of umeboshi products. It is easy to make in a good quantity of the dressing, to store in the refrigerator. A small quantity gives your leafy greens the extra bite of flavor. It also taste delicious on corn on the cob.

Grind until seeds are coarsely ground. 

Roasted Pumpkin Seed & Umeboshi Vinegar Dressing

1 c pumpkin seeds

4 umeboshi plums or 4 tbsp umeboshi vinegar 

1/4 c chopped parsley, cilantro, or scallions

Washing dry roast pumpkin seeds in skillet until light brown. Grind to a paste in a suribacchi grinding bowl. Remove pits from umeboshi plums, finely chop, and grind with seeds in suribachi  or add vinegar to pulverized seeds. Add water to obtain desired consistency. Parsley, cilantro, or scallions can be added. Store in airtight container in refrigerator.

Lunch ~ Yu Choy, Pesto Spaghetti Squash, Bulgur Wheat & Cucumber Salads

Yellow blossomed yu choy. 

Flowering yu choy is as beautiful to look at as it delicious to eat. I was fortunate to find an ample supply during the summer growing season from Flats Mentor Farm http://www.flatsmentorfarm.org, a refugee and immigrant farming community in Lancaster, MA. They produce the most diverse crops from their ethnic countries, selling them at many farmers markets around the Boston area.

I lightly steam the yu choy, as it is delicate and tender. To add a little tang to the steamed greens, top it with a small dollop of roasted pumpkin seed and umeboshi plum dressing. It is plated with a pesto spaghetti squash, a bulgur wheat salad, and a cucumber salad. As I'm not much of a baker, I add freshly sliced oranges for dessert.

Bulgur Wheat Salad
1 c bulgur wheat
2 c water
2 large heirloom tomato
1/2 c curly parsley
1/2 tsp dried garlic
lemon

Boil water. Add bulgur wheat and salt. Cover and cook 10-15 minutes. Dice tomatoes, chop parsley and add to bulgur. Add garlic and juice from 1 lemon. Refrigerate.

Pesto with Spaghetti Squash
1 large spaghetti squash
4 c basil
1/4 c pine nuts
1/8 c nutritional yeast
2 cloves fresh garlic
1/4 c olive oil
sea salt

Cut squash into half. Remove seeds. Then cut into quarters. Place into boiling water and cook for 15 minutes, until soft to forks pierce. Place basil in food processor. Finely process. Add pine nuts, nutritional yeast, and garlic. Process. Add olive oil and sea salt. Process. Remove spaghetti squash from boiling water and separate from rind. In large bowl, combine squash with pesto.

Cucumber Salad
1 thinly sliced cucumber
sea salt
1/2 tsp umeboshi plum vinegar

Thinly slice cucumber. Place in small bowl, lightly salt, then massage. Sprinkle with umeboshi plum vinegar. Refrigerate.

Lunch: Steamed yu choy, basil spaghetti squash, bulgur wheat salad, cucumber salad, and orange slices.

Lunch ~ Curried Sweet Potato Soup & Vegetarian Pizza

I'm going to start sharing with you some of my favorite products that make it easy to eat healthy meals when time seems to be short.  I like to have on hand go-to quick foods that can be supplemented with fresh ingredients to liven them up. 

Lunch: Sweet potato soup with vegetarian pizza and maple glazed apples and roasted pecans.

On this day, I reached for a container of Imagine's http://www.imaginefoods.com light-sodium Sweet Potato soup.  While heating in a saucepan on low heat, I added 2 tsp dried curry, 1/3 c chopped sweet pea tendrils, and 2 tbsp fresh chopped dill.

After the soup was warmed, I served it in a bowl and topped it with 2 Friends Farm's http://2friendsfarm.com "The Longevity" sprouted mix of pea greens, buckwheat, kale, and daikon radish. One of the nice things about the microgreens are that they last for quite a while in the vegetable crisper.  I add them to smoothies, salads, sandwiches, soups, and just about any dish that needs a little snap of color and nutrition!

While the soup was warming, I sautéed chopped sweet onions, mushrooms, zucchini, and kale. I added the vegetables to Schar's http://www.schar.com gluten-free pizza crusts. I topped with Cabot's https://www.cabotcheese.coop sharp cheddar cheese that I picked up on a recent trip their Vermont store. Baked for 15 minutes @ 425 degree oven. 

Dessert of apples picked from our backyard, pan-steamed with Vermont maple syrup and topped with a few toasted pecans.

Breakfast ~ Corn Grits & Wheat Porridge

You've heard it many times before that breakfast is a crucial meal of the day. The name itself "break fast" is the first meal after an extended time without food. When my previous night's dinner is completed before 7 PM, you tend to wake up hungry. On those mornings, having a grain-based meal can be incredibly satisfying. There are many grains to choose from, but among them, corn grits and wheat grain are quick to prepare. Combine them with freshly prepared vegetables to round out the meal.

Reaching for a bowl of cereal or popping a bagel into the toaster may seem the quickest way to go when you have to rush out the door. However, this meal only takes 15 minutes to prepare and can be done as you're getting everything ready in the morning. Make this and you'll be less apt to stop for doughnuts and coffee on the way to the office!

Breakfast: Corn grits and wheat grain with whole kernal corn, celery, and grated carrots with black sesame seed seasoning.

Corn Grits & Wheat Porridge

2 cups water

1/2 c corn grits

1/2 c processed wheat grain

1/2 c corn

1/8 c diced celery

grated  carrots

black sesame gomashio

Boil water in heavy saucepan. Add grits and wheat grain. Lower flame to medium heat and cook until water absorbed, about 10 minutes. Add corn and celery. Gook additional 5 minutes. Serve with grated carrots and gomashio. Serves 2.

Breakfast ~ Barley Miso Soup with Apples & Turnip

This year our apple trees produced an abundance of fruit. We pressed quite a few, making naturally sweet apple cider. Several quarts were then frozen for enjoyment in the upcoming months.

During the autumn season, crisp diced apples add seasonal pleasure to just about any meal. On this particular cool morning, I combined apples, sweet corn and turnip in a warm barley miso broth. A wonderful way to start your day of walking in the woods or raking leaves!

Breakfast: Barley miso, corn, carrots, kale, turnip, and diced apples. 

Lunch ~ Marinated Tofu & Veggie Stir Fry

When you walk into my kitchen, one of the first things you may notice on my cook-top is the wok. For those of us that lead a busy life, food cooked with a high heat wok can facilitate a quick, healthy meal in minutes. Right up there on my go-to quick meals is a crisp vegetable stir fry with marinated tofu. Lots of color, taste, protein, and nutrition. Be sure to not over-marinate the tofu as it will be too salty or over-cook the vegetables as they will be too wilty. You want this meal to be fresh and delicious with lots of snap to the vegetables. Start to finish ~ 30 minutes and you're sitting down to a healthy meal.

Lunch: Shoyu-marinated tofu cubes, yellow onion, sliced button mushrooms, carrots, red peppers, green beans, celery, green onions, kale, and fresh dill.

Marinated Tofu & Veggie Stir Fry

1 tub extra-firm tofu

4 tbsp shoyu

1 large carrot

1 red pepper

1/2 c green beans

1/2 c celery

1/4 c green onion

1/2 c kale

 1/4 c fresh dill

Drain and press a tub of tofu. Pat dry then cut into cubes. Marinate in 4 tbsp of high quality, fermented shoyu for 20 minutes. Chop yellow onion, mushrooms, carrots, red peppers, green beans, celery, green onions, kale, and fresh dill. Heat sesame oil in wok. Lightly brown onions and mushrooms. Add diced carrots, peppers, green beans, and celery. Saute medium heat for 4 minutes. Add tofu and kale. Cover and heat 2 minutes longer. Add green onion and dill. Stir to combine. Serve.

Dinner ~ Steamed Mustard Greens & Tofu Salad

There are so many varieties of leafy greens to have with your meals. Mustard greens are often described as being "peppery". This most likely is due to their spicy, distinctive taste. I like to either lightly steam the greens or quick fry them in sesame oil in the wok to preserve their snappy taste. Either way, you can't go wrong. Mustard greens don't need any additional seasoning for enhancement as they are so flavorful all on their own. However, adding fresh fruit or vegetables nicely complements them.

I made a "mock chicken salad" with baked tofu. Add a some nuts and a bean salad for even more protein. I also added rosemary bread which is aromatically delicious to the senses. A few bright red strawberries to complete the meal. It is not unusual for me to follow a meal like this with a warm cup of soothing herbal tea. 

Dinner: Steamed mustard greens with corn, tofu salad, bean salad, raw cashews, rosemary bread with herb spread, and strawberries. 

Lunch ~ Wheat Berry & Calypso Bean Salad

I enjoy preparing a few different grains on the weekend that can be incorporated into meals during the week. At the same time, I cook up small batches of two bean varieties. In addition, I love bread so will also bake a loaf using varying grain flours.

In this way, the prep time has been reduced during a busy week when I want to eat healthy, but don't want to spend a lot of time in the kitchen. Throughout the work week, I will then combine the grain and bean ingredients in new and pleasing combinations with fresh herbs and vegetables.

Here I've paired wheat berries with a bean salad and homemade bread. For the bread, I just added a tablespoon each of poppy, fennel, and sesame seeds. It turned out aromatic and tasty.

Lunch: Wheat berry salad with fresh parsley and red onion on bed of arugula and sorrel, Calypso bean salad with kale sprouts and ginger sauce, moist homemade 3 seed (poppy, fennel, and sesame) wheat bread, Castelvetrano olives, and clementine. 

Wheat Berry Salad

2 c cooked wheat berries

1/4 c chopped curly-leaf parsley

1/4 c red onion
1/8 c white vinegar
2 tbsp apple juice
pinch sea salt
1 c arugula
1/4 c sorrel
3 Castelvetrano olives, pitted

Combine cooked wheat berries with parsley, onion, vinegar, and sea salt. Lightly toss. Best if marinated overnight. Serve on bed of arugula and sorrel. Add olives

Calypso Bean Salad
1 c cooked Calypso beans
1/4 c kale sprouts
1/8 c silken tofu
1/8 tsp fresh ginger juice
sea salt

Combine all ingredients. Best if marinated overnight. Serve.

Breakfast ~ Corn Grits & Steamed Kale

It's harvest season and corn is plentiful. In the morning, it takes a few minutes to boil water and cook up some corn grits. Add whole kernel corn if you have it in your house.

As I may have mentioned once or twice before, for nutritional benefits adding leafy greens to each meal should be a goal when planning your daily menu. Flavor with umeboshi plum paste instead of sea salt. You can typically find umeboshi plums, paste, and vinegar in the Japanese section of your market. They tend to be salty, vinegar tasting and a little goes a long way for flavoring. 

Corn Grits with Curly Kale

2 c water

3/4 c corn grits

1 c curly kale, center stem removed and thinly chopped

1/8 c pumpkin seeds

2 tsp umeboshi plum paste

Boil water. Add grits and reduce heat to simmer. Cook 10-12 minutes until water absorbed. Steam chopped kale for 1 minute. Dry roast pumpkin seeds in fry pan. Add greens to bowl, top with grits, toasted pumpkin seeds, and umeboshi plum paste. Serve.

Breakfast: Corn grits on bed of steamed kale with toasted pumpkin seeds and umoboshi plum paste.

Frozen Vegan Strawberry Grape Smoothie

When you want a frozen treat, you can easily make it dairy-free. If you don't have fresh fruit you can add frozen fruit from your freezer, a non-dairy milk (i.e. almond, rice, or coconut milk), and/or juice. Whenever I buy fruit, if it isn't being eaten in the first few days, I will put it into the freezer for a future smoothie.  This is delicious.  No additives, corn syrup, or thickeners were added. You will not miss the ice-cream or frozen yogurt. It's also better for your waistline.

Vegan Strawberry Grape Smoothie

1 c frozen strawberries (if using all fresh fruit, add 1 c ice cubes)

1 c frozen red grapes

1/2 c unsweetened cranberry juice

1 c coconut milk

Add all ingredients in blender. Pulse on high until smooth. Serve.

Frozen strawberry and red grape, cranberry smoothie.

Dinner ~ Grilled Veggies & Red Amaranth

Many people lament on how to cook a healthy meal at the end of a busy work day.  Sometimes it just seems easiest to stop and buy a prepared meal on the way home. However, it may not be always the healthiest option available. Consider preparing a meal of grilled vegetables.  I'm usually famished, so the shortest time from walking in the door to eating is paramount for me.  A prep and cook time of less than 30 minutes is the typical time it takes me to get a meal on the table.

 It takes only minutes to chop some fresh veggies and toss with olive oil and salt before putting into a grilling basket. If you have yet to try red amaranth, I highly suggest giving it a try. Its just so pretty to look at and, of course, eat.

After working inside all day, enjoy spending at least a few minutes outdoors before the sun sets.  Given that the Fall season is upon us, the sun goes down earlier and earlier with each passing day. Continue to cook on the barbecue until you can no longer see in the dark by the grill!

Grilled Veggies

1 small summer squash

1 small limelight hybrid zucchini squash 

1 carrot

small bunch red amaranth

1 sweet vidalia onion

2 tbsp olive oil

sea salt

Chop all vegetables. Toss in bowl with olive oil and salt. Cook on grill, tossing after 10 minutes, for 15 minutes or until lightly browned.

Dinner: Yellow and zucchini squash, sliced carrots, white onions, and red amaranth greens seasoned with olive oil and sea salt prepped for the grill.

Lunch ~ Chinese Broccoli with Guacamole & Hummus

I love going to the farmer's market and finding atypical vegetables not found in conventional markets. Here I found Chinese broccoli in all it's beautiful white bloom. When lightly steamed, it is delicately sweet, tender, and melts in your mouth.  I paired this with freshly made guacamole and hummus and warmed spinach tortilla triangles. A light and flavorful lunch.

Lunch: Chinese broccoli with guacamole, hummus, warmed tortilla triangles, and red grapes. 

Breakfast ~ Brown Rice Miso with Mushrooms & Snow Peas

The mornings are just starting to be a little bit on the chilly side. Why not start the day with a nice warm bowl of brown rice miso soup?  Miso is a fermented soy product that is a good source of nutrients, including copper, manganese, and vitamin K. I like the salty taste.

Brown Rice Miso Soup

2 c water

1/4 c cooked brown rice 

1/8 c cooked mung beans

1/8 c chopped kale

1/8 c fresh corn

1 mushroom, sliced

3 snow peas, sliced

1 tbsp brown rice miso paste

Boil water in saucepan. Add brown rice, mung beans, corn, and snow peas. Lower temperature to simmer. Cook 1 minute longer. Stir in miso paste and serve. 

Breakfast: Brown rice miso with brown rice, mung beans, kale, corn, mushrooms, and snow peas. 

Dinner ~ Zucchini Spiral & Brown Rice Rounds

At the end of the day, sometimes it's nice to have lighter fare especially if I've had a more filling lunch. I tend to like to pair a variety of foods that are visually pleasing  along with being savory, salty, sour, and sweet. This meal provides all of those requirements and gives me a sense of peace. It's not about quantity, it's about quality.

Dinner: Zucchini spirals and brown rice rounds with gomashio seasoning, corn on the cob, red and green cabbage sauerkraut, sea salt foccacia, and cantaloupe.

Lunch ~ Vegan BLT

Sometimes life gets busy and you want a quick, easy meal to feed your hunger. Here's a vegan BLT made with Morningstar "bacon" and rice "cheese" served on a thinly sliced seeded bagel.  Add a few pickled vegetables and sweet, seasonal apples to complete the meal. I call this "assembling" a lunch.

Lunch: Vegan bacon and cheese, tomato, romaine lettuce, and vegan mayonnaise on thin toasted "everything" bagel, pickled cucumber, red pepper, and garlic with Macintosh apple slices.

Breakfast ~ Stir Fried Brown Rice with Peppers, Onions & Celery

You read quite a bit about incorporating whole grains into your diet. With that in mind, many people start their day by having high fiber "whole grain" cereal, toast, or muffins for breakfast. However, have you ever considered having the actual grain for breakfast? Cook plenty of grain at a previous evening's meal, such that you have enough left over to warm for a breakfast porridge or meal the following morning. Add steamed or sautéed vegetables for flavor.  In this way, you truly receive all the benefits of the whole grain without the additional sugars and additives found in many packaged cereals.

Brown Rice & Vegetable Stir Fry Breakfast
2 c steamed short grain brown rice
1/4 c diced orange peppers
1/4 c sautéed chopped red onions
1/4 c celery
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tbsp chopped fresh dill
lightly salted

In wok, lightly sauté peppers, onions, and celery in 1 tsp heated sesame oil for 1 minute. Add rice and dill. Lightly salt. Cover and steam for 1 minute longer. Serve.

Breakfast: Brown rice stir fry with orange peppers, red onions, celery, and dill.

Dinner ~ Curried Seitan Cutlets & Calypso Beans

Seitan is a meat substitute that is made of wheat gluten, has no cholesterol, and is high in both calcium and iron.  It is a food staple in countries from Japan to the Middle East.  It can be shaped and flavored to mimic many meat products.  While you can buy prepared seitan at the store, it doesn't compare to the flavor that can achieved by preparing it at home.

Homemade Gluten

2 cups whole wheat flour
2 cups white flour

1 3/4 c water

In large bowl, combine flours. Add water and mix by hand, kneading for several minutes until flour is combined and somewhat elastic. Cover and let sit for 1 hour. Knead dough for 2 more minutes then place bowl in sink. Slowly add steady stream of warm water to wash away the starch away from the gluten. Pour off milky water. Slowly add steady stream of cool water to wash away the starch. Pour off milky water. Continue to alternate between warm and cool rinsing until you are left with only the elastic gluten. At this point, seitan can be frozen, refrigerated, or flavored for meal.

Curried Seitan

3 cups water

1/4 cup soy sauce

2 inch piece of kombu

6 slices of fresh ginger

1 tbsp curry

1 tbsp sesame oil

Boil water, soy sauce, kombu, ginger, and curry in large saucepan. Shape seitan into cutlets and drop into boiled broth. Simmer for 2 hours. Once simmering is complete, remove from broth. Cook cutlets for 1 minute each side in wok with sesame oil.

Dinner: Curried seitan cutlets on a bed of steamed kale, calypso beans with ginger dressing and sprouts, carrots, buckwheat with red carrots, leeks, and parsley, steamed green beans, carrots, and clementines. 

Lunch ~ Tabouli, Bean, Arugula & Couscous Salads

Some weekends, I'll spend time preparing fresh bread and salads that will last for the upcoming week.  In that way, it only takes a few minutes to make a meal mid-week. Here I have a little tabouli salad, a bean and corn salad, a couscous salad, and some arugula leaves with a mustard tahini dressing. You'll notice that on my plates, in addition to including leafy greens, I usually add some fresh fruit.  You know what they say...a little sweetness goes a long way.

Tri-color Pearl Couscous Salad

1 1/2 c pearl couscous

1 tsp olive oil

1/4 c chopped cranberries

1/4 c chopped green onions

1/4 c roasted chopped pecans

sea salt

Boil 2 cups of water. In bowl, coat couscous with oil.  Add boiled water to couscous in bowl. Cover and let sit for 30 minutes, until water is absorbed. Drain off excess water. Lightly salt. Add cranberries, onions, and roasted pecans. 

Tabouli Salad

1 c bulgur wheat

1/2 c fresh chopped tomato

1/4 c chopped red onion

1/4 c chopped fresh parsley

1/2 tsp fresh lemon juice

sea salt

Boil 1 3/4 c water. Add boiling water to bulgur wheat in bowl.  Cover and let sit for 30 minutes, until water is absorbed. Drain off excess water. Lightly salt. Add chopped tomato, onion, parsley, and lemon juice. 

Lunch: Tabouli, arugula with mustard tahini sauce, bean, olive and corn marinade, trip-color pearl couscous salad, fresh rosemary bread, mandarin oranges and cherries.

Breakfast ~ Barbecued Cubed Tofu with Parsnip, Onions & Peppers

On a warm Sunday morning it's nice to start the day with a filling and hearty breakfast cooked on the grill. Put away the eggs and barbecue up some tofu, as it doesn't increase your cholesterol! Then grab the newspaper, sit outside, and soak up the beautiful weather.

Barbecued Tofu

1 tub extra firm tofu

1 tbsp sweet miso marinade, shoyu or low sodium soy sauce

1/4 c celery

1/2 c steamed parsnip

1/2 red pepper

1/4 c red onion

1 tbsp fresh dill

Cut tofu into small cubes, place in bowl, and pour shoyu over it. Cut parsnip, onion and peppers. Chop dill. Fire up grill and put everything into vegetable grill basket to cook. Cook until vegetables and tofu browned.

Breakfast: Barbecued cubed tofu, parsnip, red pepper, onion, celery, and fresh dill in a sweet miso marinade, with half bagel, steamed broccoli, and sliced pineapple and orange. 

Dinner ~ Radicchio Cups of Vegetable Slaw with Tahini Dressing

The beautiful colors and shapes of food are integral when considering what I want to eat. Of course taste is also of key importance. Radicchio provides a perfect vessel for a myriad of possibilities. Here, I have prepared a vegetable slaw of heirloom carrots, red and green cabbages, summer and zucchini squashes, red and green onions. After filling the radicchio cup I drip a generous helping of a tahini and dill sauce on the vegetables. The tahini adds a nice creamy, nutty flavor. Adding the pea sprouts for some fun motion, visual interest and taste to the dish. I have a side of sliced radishes and broccoli sprouts.

Radicchio Cups of Vegetable Slaw & Tahini Dressing

Vegetable Slaw

1/4 c yellow carrots

1/4 c orange carrots

1/4 c red cabbage

1/4 c green cabbage

1/4 c summer squash

1/4 c zucchini squash

1/8 c red onion

1/8 c green onion

1/4 c white vinegar

sea salt

1 small radicchio

pea sprouts

Tahini Dressing

1/2 c tahini

3 tbs shoyu

Prepare ahead of time: julienne vegetable for slaw, add vinegar and salt. Refrigerate for several hours or overnight.  Mix tahini with shoyu. Can be stored overnight. When ready to assemble, gently peel and wash the radicchio leaves. Wash and cut pea sprouts. Simply fill cups with julienne vegetables, generously drip on tahini sauce, and add pea sprout for added drama. Voila!

 It's a winning trifecta - beautiful, delicious, and prepared with love.

Dinner: Radicchio with vegetable slaw of yellow, red, and orange carrots, red and green cabbage, red and green onions, yellow and green squash, and pea sprouts served with tahini dill sauce, radishes with broccoli sprouts, and sliced oranges. 

Lunch ~ Curried Homemade Angel Hair Pasta, Steamed Napa Cabbage & Maple Glazed Bartlett Pears with Pecans

I love kitchen tools and among my favorite is the pasta machine. Homemade pasta only takes a few minutes to make and even shorter time to cook up. With each meal, I look for ways to incorporate greens onto the plate. Here I quickly steam Napa cabbage while spending a few minutes simmering the pears in water.

Homemade Curried Pasta

1 2/3 c flour

2/3 c water

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp curry powder

1 tsp olive oil

1 c chopped broccoli

1/4 c finely chopped

Prepare pasta in machine and use angel hair pasta die.  Boil water and add 1 tsp oil.

Add pasta and cook 5 minutes. Add chopped broccoli and carrots for last minute of cooking time. Drain and serve.

Napa Cabbage (2 servings)

Wash, chop and steam 2 c Napa cabbage for 3 minutes.

Maple Syrup Glazed Bartlett Pears with Pecans (2 servings)

1 Bartlett pear

1/2 c water

1 tbsp maple syrup

1/8 tsp cinnamon

1/4 cup chopped, roasted pecans

Slice pear, remove seeds, and poach in 1/2" of simmering water in covered saucepan for 3 minutes. Remove cover. Reduce water then add 1 tbsp maple syrup. Cook 1 minute longer. Plate. Sprinkle with cinnamon and roasted pecans.

Lunch: Curry noodles with carrots and broccoli, steamed Napa cabbage, and maple syrup glazed Bartlett pears with roasted pecans. 

Breakfast ~ Sauteed Bitter Dandelion Greens

An abundance of food may be available right in your backyard should you have and choose to harvest the pesky dandelion. You may ask,"Why eat dandelions?" The dandelion leaf has more vitamin A than spinach, is loaded with calcium, rich in iron, good sources of protein, B1, B2, B6, vitamin E and K. The leaves help detoxify your liver, which regulates cholesterol and cleans your blood.

Dandelion leaves are bitter in taste. To reduce bitterness, gather the widest and youngest dandelion leaves before the yellow flower buds. Springtime and late fall dandelion leaves are tastiest, but they can be harvested throughout the summer. Also, when lightly sauteed in sesame oil with onion and sliced heirloom carrots, the bitterness is less pronounced. Adding a little sweet watermelon also balances the bitterness.

Just be sure that, if you are foraging in your yard, you haven't used pesticides for the last few years. Otherwise, buy organic dandelion greens at a farmer's market or your grocery store.

Sauteed Dandelion Greens

1 bunch dandelion greens

2 tsp sesame oil

1/4 c onions

1/2 c heirloom carrots

sea salt

Lightly sautee onions and carrots in sesame oil until lightly browned. Add chopped dandelion greens. Reduce heat, cover, and steam for 1 minutes. Lightly salt, toss, and steam 1 minute longer, then serve.

Breakfast: Sautéed bitter dandelion greens with diced onions and yellow carrots, and watermelon.

Dinner ~ Grilled Corn & Veggies with Steamed Collard Greens

A few years back we created an outdoor kitchen to extend our enjoyment of the outdoors. In the Northeast, the summers are short and at the end of the day, it's always enjoyable to sit outside to enjoy dinner as the sun sets.  A grilled vegan meal is simple to prepare and quick to cook.  Corn grilled in the husk comes out crisp and moist. Dining al fresco encourages a slowing down and a breathing in.

Dinner: Grilled corn, leeks, mushrooms, celery, purple and orange carrots, yellow squash, zucchini, rice with sprouted lentils, steamed radishes, collard greens, and purple cabbage, and cherries. 

Lunch ~ Butternut Squash Soup & Avocado Hummus Wrap

Sometimes you just want soup, salad, and a sandwich. The nice thing is, you don't have to worry about calories when eating all veggies. There is no cream in the soup, it's 100% butternut squash with seasoning to taste. The dollop of cranberry sauce adds a little snap to the soup. The hummus is homemade and combines nicely with the creamed avocado in the wrap.

Lunch: Butternut squash soup with basil leaf and cranberry sauce, olives, red peppers, grilled summer squash, 

radishes, celery, baby cucumbers, arugula, avocado and hummus on wheat roll-up, and raspberries.                                                                      

Breakfast ~ Granola & Apple Juice

Breakfast: Granola with blueberries and apple cider.

Granola: Oats, shredded coconut, sesame seeds,

 sunflower seeds, cranberry honey, sliced almonds, 

and raisins.

For over 20 years I have been making my own granola, thanks to my sister-in-law who provided me with a very basic recipe so many years ago. It's simple, quick, and you can adjust for your likes and dislikes. Not only that, it cost substantially less to make than most store bought granola. Have just about any cereal with apple juice instead of milk and you might as well just call it dessert!

Granola
4 c rolled oats
2 tbs safflower oil
1 c wheat germ
1/2 c slivered almonds or preferred nut
1/4 c sesame seeds
1/2 c sunflower seeds
1/4 c shredded coconut
1/2 c honey
1/2 c raisons

Pour oats in large mixing bowl and add oil to moisten. Add wheat germ, almonds, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, and coconut. Mix well. Add honey and mix. Pour onto greased cookie sheet and place in 300 degree oven for 20 minutes or until lightly browned. Check at 8 minutes and gently mix so that all cereal gets baked evenly. For last few minutes put on raisons. Keep eye on them. When raisons puff up, time to remove from oven. Pour onto parchment paper and let dry.

Dinner ~ Kale, Squash & Risotto

Dark leafy greens play an important role in our daily lives by providing important nutrients of calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium, phosphorous, zinc along with vitamins A, C, E, and K. Add leafy greens to your breakfast, lunch, and dinner meals. 

Dinner: Steamed kale and broccoli with miso-ginger dressing, cubed butternut squash and red onions, risotto, flax bread with olive spread, and red grapes. 

Lunch ~ Pickled Fiddlehead Salad

Fiddleheads are usually only available for a brief time in the spring. They are the coiled, young fern  plant before they grow and spread. I typically buy them as soon as they're in the marketplace. Later in the year, I am able to enjoy pickled fiddleheads, as shown below.

Lunch: A salad of romaine lettuce, summer squash, zucchini, topped with alfalfa sprouts and pickled fiddleheads, vegan chicken, croutons, and chopped strawberries.

Breakfast ~ Tofu Broccoli Quiche

Breakfast: Tofu broccoli quiche with

chickpea arugula salad and onions, and sliced

 bartlett pears.

Quiche with a twist ~ Use tofu instead of eggs. Tofu has 20 grams of protein per cup and is a good source of calcium and iron.

Broccoli Quiche

28 ounces (2 tubs) firm tofu

1 tsp curry

1/2 tsp cumin

sea salt

1 cup broccoli

1/2 cup red onion

Press and drain tofu to remove moisture, then place in food processor with 1tsp curry, 1/2 tsp cumin, and sea salt to taste. Add soy or rice milk until smooth. Stir in 1 cup chopped, steamed broccoli and 1/2 cup diced sautéed red onions. Pour into homemade pie crust shell. Bake 350 degrees for 25 minutes.

Pie Crust:

2 cups flour

1 tsp salt

1/4 cup cold water

3/4 cup butter

1/8 tsp garlic powder

1/8 tsp onion powder

Place flour, salt, and butter in food processor. Slowly add cold water until ball formed. Rolled onto lightly floured surface. 

Dinner ~ Roasted, Sautéed & Steamed Vegetables

Sometimes I just feel like having a big plate of vegetables. Adding a fermented vegetable, such as sauerkraut, offer probiotic and enzymatic benefits to your digestion.

Dinner: Steamed kale, sauerkraut, roasted onions and bliss potatoes, lighted sautéed seasoned green beans and yellow peppers, and fresh strawberries. 

Lunch ~ Green Beans & Rice Pilaf

Amaranth, barley, buckwheat, brown rice, bulgur, farro, flaxseed, Israeli couscous, millet, oats, quinoa, rye, spelt, and wheat berries are just some of the grains that you can incorporate into your weekly meal planning. They provide a great source of nutrients and fiber.

Lunch: Lightly buttered green beans, rice pilaf with roasted pumpkin seeds, and fresh raspberries.