On The Ninth Day of Christmas My True Love Made For Me…

Polenta is made from corn.  Corn is high in carotenoids, which are great antioxidants.  Corn is also a good source of dietary fiber. Eggplant is high in a phytonutrient called nasunin. Nasunin is a potent antioxidant and free radical scavenger that has been shown to protect cell membranes from damage. Eggplant also lowers cholesterol which is a good thing during the holiday season!

Eggplant and Polenta Casserole

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons grape seed oil
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 pounds fresh plum tomatoes, peeled and chopped or 2- 14 oz can diced tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 tsp italian seasoning
• 1/4 cup fresh basil chopped
• 1  medium eggplant, sliced into 1/4-inch rounds
• 1 log polenta, sliced into thinly
• sea salt and black pepper to taste

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
2. In a medium saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic, and cook, stirring, until soft and lightly golden, about 8 minutes.
3. Add tomatoes and salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, until sauce has thickened, about 30 minutes. Stir in vinegar, italian seasoning, basil and black pepper. Remove sauce from heat.
4. Meanwhile, heat a large cast-iron skillet or grill pan over medium heat
5. Lightly brush eggplant slices with the remaining tablespoon oil. Working in batches, lay slices in skillet in a single layer; cook until browned and they begin to soften, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate.
6. In a large skillet, add enough oil to coat the bottom.  Add polenta slices and cook until slightly brown on both sides
7. Spoon about 1/2 cup tomato sauce into a baking dish, spreading to coat evenly. Arrange eggplant slices snugly in a single layer. Spoon about 1 cup tomato sauce over eggplant, and arrange polenta rounds in slightly overlapping slices on top. Repeat with sauce and another layer of eggplant. Finish by dotting with remaining tomato sauce.
8. Cover with foil and bake until bubbling, about 30 minutes
9. Remove foil and continue baking about 15 minutes more
10. Remove from oven, let cool slightly, and serve

Cook Time and Prep Time: 60 min

Serves: 4

Recipe Courtesy of Martha Stewart Living with adjustments made by me!

On The Third Day of Christmas My True Love Made For Me…

This delicious pasta salad is packed with nutritious ingredients such as artichokes, sun dried tomatoes and black olives.  Olives are packed with iron and copper, and they are a good source of dietary fiber. They’re also rich in vitamin E, which is an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory.  Sun Dried Tomatoes are a natural source of vitamins C (and antioxidant) and a good source of iron.  Artichokes are high in fiber, they improve digestion and they are good for the liver.

Mediterranean Pasta Salad

Ingredients

• 1 package brown rice fusilli pasta
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 2 tsp dijon mustard
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/3 cup diced sun-dried tomatoes (from jar)
• 5 artichoke hearts, diced
• 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped finely or 1 tbsp dried
• 2 tsp chopped fresh oregano or 1/2 tsp dried
• 1/4 cup diced red onion
• 3/4 cup black or kalamata olives, sliced
• 1 tsp garlic powder

Directions

1. Whisk the vinegar, mustard, salt, and pepper to taste in a small bowl. Gradually whisk in the oil to make a smooth dressing. Set aside.
2. Bring a large pot of salted water (about 1 tbsp salt to 4 quarts water) to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente; drain, then pour pasta into a large bowl.
3. While the pasta is still warm, pour a couple tablespoons of the dressing over the pasta and toss so that the pasta doesn’t stick together as it cools. Let it cool to room temperature, tossing now and again to help the cooling process and to prevent sticking.
4. When the pasta has cooled, add the sun-dried tomatoes, artichokes, basil, onion, olives and oregano and toss. Add the vinaigrette and toss again until the pasta ingredients are evenly coated. Chill until ready to serve.

Prep Time and Cook Time: 30 min

Serves: 6-8

Garlicky Tomato Salad

Ingredients

• 1 large leaf lettuce, large leaves torn into smaller pieces
• 4 large or 6 small ripe Italian tomatoes sliced
• 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
• 16 fresh basil leaves
• 2 tablespoons toasted pumpkin seeds
• 2 tablespoons toasted sunflower seeds

Garlic Vinaigrette

• 1 small garlic clove, finely chopped
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• pepper to taste

Directions

1. To make the garlic vinaigrette, whisk together the garlic, vinegar, oil and pepper in a small mixing bowl.
2. Place a layer of lettuce leaves on a serving platter or on 4 plates and arrange the sliced tomatoes and then the cherry tomatoes on top. Drizzle over the vinaigrette.
3. Scatter the basil leaves and the pumpkin and sunflower seeds over the tomatoes, and serve at once.

 

Eggplant and Polenta Casserole

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons grape seed oil
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 pounds fresh plum tomatoes, peeled and chopped or 2- 14 oz can diced tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 tsp italian seasoning
• 1/4 cup fresh basil chopped
• 1  medium eggplant, sliced into 1/4-inch rounds
• 1 log polenta, sliced into thinly
• sea salt and black pepper to taste

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
2. In a medium saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic, and cook, stirring, until soft and lightly golden, about 8 minutes.
3. Add tomatoes and salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, until sauce has thickened, about 30 minutes. Stir in vinegar, italian seasoning, basil and black pepper. Remove sauce from heat.
4. Meanwhile, heat a large cast-iron skillet or grill pan over medium heat
5. Lightly brush eggplant slices with the remaining tablespoon oil. Working in batches, lay slices in skillet in a single layer; cook until browned and they begin to soften, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate.
6. In a large skillet, add enough oil to coat the bottom.  Add polenta slices and cook until slightly brown on both sides
7. Spoon about 1/2 cup tomato sauce into a baking dish, spreading to coat evenly. Arrange eggplant slices snugly in a single layer. Spoon about 1 cup tomato sauce over eggplant, and arrange polenta rounds in slightly overlapping slices on top. Repeat with sauce and another layer of eggplant. Finish by dotting with remaining tomato sauce.
8. Cover with foil and bake until bubbling, about 30 minutes
9. Remove foil and continue baking about 15 minutes more
10. Remove from oven, let cool slightly, and serve

Cook Time and Prep Time: 60 min

Serves: 4

Recipe Courtesy of Martha Stewart Living with adjustments made by me!

Basil Spinach Pesto

Ingredients

• 2 cups fresh basil leaves
• 2 cups fresh spinach leaves
• 1 cup pitted green olives
• 1/2 cup walnuts
• 1/2 cup pine nuts
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

Directions

1. Place all ingredients in a food processor and pulse until combined
2. Transfer to a bowl, cover and chill until ready to serve.

Almond Avocado Dip

Ingredients

• 2 scallions finely chopped
• 1-2 cloves garlic
• 1/4 tsp red chili powder
• 1 avocado
• 1 medium tomato
• 2 tsp basil
• 1/3 cup almonds
• 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

Directions

• Soak almonds for 12-24 hours, discard water
• Pour 1 cup of boiled water over the almonds and let them soak for 30-60 seconds and then discard water
• Peel skin off almonds (they are now blanched)
• Put blanched almonds in food processor until finely chopped
• Add basil and scallions to food processor
•  Then add tomato, avocado, garlic, red chili powder and lemon juice
• Serve this dip with your favorite raw veggies or crackers (we use Crunchmaster’s or Mary’s Gone Crackers gluten free crackers available at Costco)

Recipe courtesy of The Quintessential Recipes for Vibrant Health with modifications made by me!

Babyfood – Mashed Chickpeas and Potato

Ingredients

• 1 tsp grape seed oil
• 1/2 can organic BPA free chick peas or 1 cup dried chickpeas soaked over night
• 1/2 small tomato diced finely
• 1 small potato peeled and cubed
• 5 basil leaves finely chopped
• 1-2 tsp olive oil
• himalayan sea salt to taste

Directions

• In a medium sauce pan, boil potato until soft and tender
• In another sauce pan heat grape seed oil on low-medium heat
• Add tomatoes and saute for 5 min with lid covered
• Add chickpeas and cook until soft with lid covered
• Add boiled potato
• Add basil and himalayan sea salt
• Stir well and mash with a fork to desired texture
• Turn stove off and then add olive oil on top and stir wells

I would recommend this recipe for infants over one year old and to start with a small amount of chick peas initially since they can cause stomach upset and gas.

Zucchini & Spinach Lasagna

Ingredients

• 1 medium onion diced
• 7-8 cloves garlic minced
• 8-10 fresh roma tomatoes
• 6 mushrooms chopped
• 1 green pepper diced
• 2 tsp fresh basil chopped
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme or fresh
• 1/4 tsp red chili powder
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 2 tsp balsamic vinegar
• 2 tsp grape seed oil
• sea salt and black pepper to taste
• 3 cups spinach
• 1.5 lbs zucchini

Directions

• Puree tomatoes in a food processor
• In a medium sauce pan, saute onion on medium-low heat until translucent
• Add garlic and saute for 1 min
• Add green peppers, saute for another 3 min, then add mushrooms and saute for another 2 min
• Add pureed tomatoes and bring to boil
• Add balsamic vinegar, red chili powder, garlic powder, thyme, sea salt and black pepper
• Boil for another 2 minutes, bring to simmer covered for 15 min
• Add basil and set aside
• Chop ends off zucchini and slice thinly – similar to pasta (may use a mandoline) and set aside
• Wash and chop spinach and set aside
• Preheat oven to 375 F
• In a greased glass dish layer zucchini, then sauce, then spinach
• Repeat 2 more times
• Bake for 40-45 min
• Let it sit for 10 min before slicing

Mediterranean Pasta Salad

Ingredients

• 1 package fusilli brown rice pasta
• 1 large bunch asparagus cut into 1-inch lengths, discarding bottom fourth
• 1/2 medium red onion, minced
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
• 5-6 medium cloves garlic, pressed
• 3 tbsp chopped fresh basil
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh tarragon
• 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• sea salt and black pepper to taste

Directions

• Cook pasta according to instructions on package
• While pasta is cooking prepare rest of the ingredients. Place everything but asparagus in a bowl and set aside
• When pasta is about 3 minutes from being done, add asparagus to cooking pasta. (If asparagus is thick you may want to add 4 minutes before it’s done. Or if it is thin, add 2 minutes before it’s done.) Drain and rinse in cold water in a strainer. Make sure you drain the water well, so it doesn’t dilute the flavor of the dressing
• Toss with rest of ingredients, and season with salt and pepper

Serves: 4

Cook  Time and Prep Time: 25 min

recipe courtesy of whfoods.org

Grilled Corn Salad

Ingredients

• 1 tsp dijon mustard
• 3 tablespoons sherry vinegar
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• sea salt and pepper to taste
• 4 ears corn, grilled
• 1 pound green beans, blanched and cooled
• 1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
• 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
• 1 cup basil leaves, thinly shredded

Directions

• Prepare vinaigrette by whisking together mustard, vinegar, oil, salt and pepper. Set aside.
• Cut kernels off corn cobs and put in a large bowl
• Add beans, tomatoes, onion and basil
• Drizzle vinaigrette over and toss to combine

Recipe courtesy of wholefoods.com with modifications made by me!