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

Roasted Vegetables are a great pre-dinner dish.  These roasted vegetables are extraordinarily tasty because they are marinated in our homemade balsamic dressing.

Roasted Vegetables with Balsamic Dressing

Ingredients

• 1 red pepper sliced
• 8 baby bella mushrooms quartered
• 8 artichoke hearts marinated in oil
• 10 asparagus pieces –  chopped in 2 inch segments
• 10-15 brussel sprouts
• 1/4 cup balsamic dressing (click here to see recipe)
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• sea salt and black pepper to taste

Directions

• Marinate all vegetables in balsamic dressing, olive oil. sea salt and black pepper for a few hours
• Roast in oven at 350 Fahrenheit for 10-15 min

The Sixth Day of Christmas My True Love Made For Me…

This is a great dip to serve with veggies such as celery, carrots, cucumbers and bell peppers or with your favorite flat bread or rice crackers.  Its packed with lots of antioxidants and has anti-inflammatory benefits.

Artichoke and Green Olive Tapenade

Ingredients

• 1 cup artichokes
• 3/4 cup green olives
• 1/2 cup parsley
• 1 clove garlic
• 8 raw almonds
• 1 tbsp olive oil

Directions

• Blend all ingredients in a food processor and enjoy with your favorite veggies, flatbread or crackers!

The Fourth Day of Christmas My True Love Made for Me….

This recipe is a great way to incorporate kale into your diet and into your healthy holiday feast! Kale has cholesterol lowering benefits, it helps the body detox, and it is very high in antioxidants.  It is an excellent source of Vitamin K and Vitamin.  Kale also has a whole list of other beneficial properties.  Therefore it is a great addition to your diet during the holidays.

Kale and Olive Oil Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients

• 3 pounds potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks
• sea salt to taste
• 2 tablespoon grape seed oil
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 bunch kale, large stems stripped and discarded, leaves chopped
• freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 3 scallions, white and green parts, chopped finely

Directions

• Put the potatoes in a large pot and cover with water. Add a pinch of salt. Bring the water to a boil and continue boiling for 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender.
• Heat two tablespoons of grape seed oil in a large pan or skillet over medium heat
• Add the garlic, chopped kale, a big pinch of salt, and saute just until tender, and then set aside
• Mash the potatoes with a potato masher or fork
• Add sea salt and black pepper and olive oil and mix well
• Add the kale on top of the potatoes and give a quick stir
• Garnish with scallions

Cook Time and Prep time: 30 min
Serves: 6

recipe courtesy of 101cookbooks.com (with adjustments made by me!)

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

Lets start the holiday feasting with a warm and hearty soup that’s packed with protein. This soup contains plenty of healthy ingredients such as, black beans, pumpkin seeds, kale and garlic which all combine so well to make it taste amazing! In addition to being so healthy, its fast and easy to make!

Spicy Black Bean Soup

Ingredients

• 1 – 15 oz can black beans
• 1 – 15 oz can yellow corn
• 1 – 15 oz can diced tomatoes
• 1 zucchini diced
• 4 cloves garlic
• 1 onion diced
• 1 cup collard greens or kale chopped
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 1 tsp taco seasoning
• 1/2 tsp red chili powder
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 green jalapeno minced
• 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds
• 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
• sea salt and black pepper to taste
• 1 tsp coconut oil

Directions

• In a large stock pot heat coconut oil and saute onions until translucent
• Add garlic and zucchini
• Add vegetable broth, black beans, corn and diced tomatoes and bring to boil
• Add red chili powder, ground cumin, taco seasoning, jalapeno, sea salt and black pepper
• Reduce heat to simmer, add collard greens or kale, pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds and simmer for 15 minutes
• Turn stove off and add chopped cilantro
• Serve and Enjoy!

Serves: 4

Prep time and cook time: 30 min

Vegetable Pad Thai

Ingredients

• 8 ounces dried, wide, and flat rice noodles (pad thai noodles)
• 1/4 tsp raw honey
• 3 tbsp fresh lime juice, plus wedges for serving
• 4 tbsp soy sauce or 2 tbsp Bragg’s liquid amino’s soy sauce alternative
• 2 tsp coconut oil
• 3 scallions, white and green parts separated and thinly sliced
• 1 medium onion diced
• 1 large red bell pepper thinly sliced
• 1 & 1/2 cup green cabbage thinly sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 inch piece of ginger, minced
• 1/2 tsp Sriracha sauce (add more if you would like it more spicy)
• 2 large eggs (optional), lightly beaten
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1/4 cup chopped roasted, salted peanuts

Directions

1. Soak noodles according to package instructions. Drain.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together honey, lime juice, and soy sauce.
3. In a large nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium-high.
4. Add onion and cook until translucent, then add one clove garlic and red bell pepper and stir fry for 2 min.  Then add green cabbage and ginger and stir fry for an additional 3 min.  Add 1/4 of soy sauce mixture and cook for additional 2 min. Transfer to a plate.
5. Add scallion whites and garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, 30 seconds. Add eggs (if using) and cook, scraping skillet with a rubber spatula, until eggs are almost set, about 30 seconds. Transfer egg mixture to a plate. If not using eggs, just stir fry scallion whites and garlic and set aside.
6. Add noodles and remaining soy-sauce mixture to skillet; cook, tossing constantly, until noodles are soft and coated with sauce, about 1 minute. Add veggies and egg mixture (or just scallion whites and garlic if not using eggs) and toss to coat, breaking eggs up gently. Add Sriracha sauce and mix well.
7. Serve noodles with lime wedges, garnish with scallion greens, cilantro, and peanuts.

Prep Time and Cook Time: 35 min

Serves: 4

Potato and Tomato Galettes

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp grape seed oil, plus more for baking sheet
• 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves, plus sprigs for garnish
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 3 medium red potatoes (about 3/4 pound total), cut crosswise into thin rounds
• 1 medium tomato, cut crosswise into 8 slices

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
2. Brush a baking sheet with oil; set aside
3. Stir thyme, oil, garlic and salt in a medium bowl. Add potatoes; toss to coat.
4. Arrange potatoes on prepared baking sheet, overlapping slices slightly in a spiral to make 4 rounds (about 5 inches in diameter each)
5. Add tomatoes to bowl with remaining oil mixture; turn to coat
6. Place 2 tomato slices on top of each potato round
7. Bake until potatoes are tender and edges are beginning to brown, 15 to 22 minutes
8. Garnish with thyme sprigs.

Prep time and cook time: 35 min

Serves: 4

Recipe courtesy of marthastewart.com with adjustments made by me!

Tofu and Broccoli Stir-Fry

Ingredients

• 1 package (14 1/2 ounces) firm tofu, drained, cut in half into 2 slabs and then cut diagonally into triangle shaped pieces
• 1 1/2 pounds broccoli, stalks trimmed, peeled, and cut into 1/4-inch rounds, florets separated into bite-size pieces
• sea salt
• 2 tablespoons grape seed oil
• 1/4 tsp tumeric
• 1/4 tsp red chili powder
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce (gluten free)
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon red-pepper flakes
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 3/4 cup water
• 1/2 cup cashews, toasted

Directions

1. Arrange tofu in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with several layers of paper towels. Top with more paper towels and another baking sheet; weight with canned goods. Let tofu drain, about 20 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, cook broccoli (stalks and florets) in a large pot of boiling salted water until bright green, 2 minutes. Drain; set aside.
3. In a medium mixing bowl whisk together 1 tbsp grape seed oil, tumeric, sea salt to taste and red chili powder.  Then add drained tofu to bowl and coat each piece with mixture
4. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add tofu; cook until golden brown on each side, turning gently.  Transfer to a bowl once browned.
5. Meanwhile, make sauce.  In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, vinegar, red-pepper flakes, garlic, cornstarch, and 3/4 cup water; set aside.
6. Add broccoli to skillet; cook over high heat, stirring often, until crisp-tender, 2 to 3 minutes.
7. Whisk reserved sauce to combine; pour into skillet. Return tofu to skillet; stir to coat, about 1 minute more.
8. Serve topped with cashews.

Cook Time and Prep Time: 40 min

Serves: 4

recipe and picture courtesy of marthastewart.com with adjustments made by me!

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!

Tofu Lasagna

Ingredients

• 1 (14-ounce) package firm tofu, drained
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp italian seasoning
• sea salt and pepper to taste
• 1 jar vegan marinara sauce
• 2 bell peppers, cored, seeded and chopped (red and green)
• 1 onion diced
• 5 mushrooms chopped
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 cups baby spinach chopped
• 9 rice lasagna noodles
• 1 tsp coconut oil

 

Method

1. Preheat oven to 350°F
2. Wrap tofu in 3 or 4 layers of paper towels and gently press out as much water as possible, changing the paper towels once or twice as needed
3. Transfer tofu to a large bowl and add garlic powder, italian seasoning, sea salt and pepper and mash with a fork. Set tofu mixture aside.
4. Heat coconut oil into a medium pot on low-medium heat until translucent.  Add peppers and mushrooms and simmer until tender
5. Add marinara sauce into pot and bring to boil and then simmer for 10 min
6. Spoon enough marinara sauce into baking dish to cover the bottom and then arrange 3 noodles on top
7. Spread one-third of the tofu mixture over the noodles and then sprinkle spinach over the tofu mixture.
8. Spoon more sauce over the spinach. Repeat the process 2 more times, ending with sauce and tofu.
9. Bake for 40 min and then set aside for 10 min before serving

Serves 8

Cook Time and Prep Time: 60 min