This is for my friend, Byron, who was challenged by his wife to not only create meals for his entire family for the next 30 days, but to keep it all LIVING food. This stuff makes a great dip or a filler for big green leaves...
Ingredients:
2 cups of walnuts
1 red bell pepper
5 green onions
2 stalks of celery
pinch of sea salt
Directions:
Blend it up in a food processor.
That's it.
Dip your veggies in it, or wrap it up!
Good luck, my friend!!!
Friday, July 30, 2010
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Stuffed Mushrooms
Don't feel like cooking? Is the hot summer day making you loathe turning on your stove? This dinner whips up in 5 minutes flat!
But first, a little information about why you would want to eat portabella mushrooms, I mean, besides their magnificent taste and wonderful, meaty texture...
Portabella mushrooms contain a high amount of vitamin D, selenium, sodium, potassium, and phosphorus, conjugated linoleic acid and antioxidants.
But most exciting, a clinical trial is scheduled to take place at the City of Hope National Medical Center due to earlier research indicating that the common mushroom can inhibit aromatase, and therefore may be able to lower estrogen levels in the human body, which might reduce breast cancer susceptibility. In 2009, a case control study of over 2000 women, correlated a large decrease of breast cancer incidence in women who consumed mushrooms. Women in the study who consumed fresh mushrooms daily, were 64% less likely to develop breast cancer, while those that combined a mushroom diet with regular green tea consumption, reduced their risk of breast cancer by nearly 90%.
Did you read that number? 90%!!!! How many people do you know have had this horrible affliction?
The table mushroom has also been shown to possess possible immune system enhancing properties. An in vitro study demonstrated the mushroom enhanced dendritic cell function.
Beyond all of these benefits, they just taste yummy!
Ingredients:
2 whole, large portabella mushrooms
1 large avocado
1-2 tablespoons onion (it can be green, red, yellow, white)
1 large tomato
10 kalamata olives
1/2 cucumber
Two big handfuls of mixed greens
2 lemon wedges
1 tablespoon of Bragg's Liquid Aminos (or soy sauce, if you don't have this)
Extra virgin olive oil for drizzling (optional)
Directions:
Place greens on a plate.
Wash mushrooms, remove the stems, and use a spoon to scoop out the gills (this just makes room for the stuffing)
Mash avocado in a small bowl, finely chop onion and add it to the avocado. Place mushroom on the plate of greens and stuff it with the avocado mixture.
Dice tomato, slice olives (if you feel like it), and dice cucumber and distribute evenly among the two plates.
Sprinkle Bragg's over the mushroom, squeeze lemon over the entire salad, and drizzle with a bit of olive oil. Top with fresh cracked pepper if you wish.
Have a sharp knife on hand for eating this...these mushrooms are huge and satisfying!
Saturday, July 10, 2010
Mediterranian Noodles
This one's for you, Julie, since you have tired of steaming your zucchini and making bread from it...
Zucchini originates in the Americas. Archaeologists have traced their origins to Mexico, dating back from 7,000 to 5,500 BC, when they were an integral part of the ancient diet of maize, beans, and squashes. That pre-Columbian food trio is still the mainstay of the Mexican cuisine and is known today as the "three sisters."
Ironically, just thirty years ago, this fruit (yes, it's actually a fruit) was not highly recognized in the United States. However, it's popularity has exploded as people discover that there is much that can be made with this yummy thing.
In Italy, zucchini are served in a variety of ways, especially breaded and pan-fried. Some restaurants in Rome specialize in deep-frying the flowers, known as fiori di zucca.
In France zucchini is a key ingredient in ratatouille, a stew of summer fruits and vegetables prepared in olive oil and cooked for an extended time over low heat. The dish, originating near present-day Nice, is served as a side dish or on its own at lunch with bread. Zucchini are stuffed with meat with other fruits like tomatoes or bell peppers in a dish named farcis (stuffed).
In Turkish cuisine, zucchini is the main ingredient in the popular dish mücver , or "zucchini pancakes", made from shredded zucchini, flour and eggs, lightly fried in olive oil and eaten with yogurt.
In the Levant, zucchini is stuffed with minced meat and rice plus herbs and spices and steamed. It is also used in various kinds of stew.
In Greece, zucchini is usually fried or boiled with other fruits (often green chili peppers and eggplants). It is served as an hors d'œuvre or as a main dish, especially during fasting seasons. Zucchini is also often stuffed with minced meat, rice and herbs and served with avgolemono sauce. In several parts of Greece, the flowers of the plant are stuffed with white cheese, usually feta or mizithra cheese, or with a mixture of rice, herbs and occasionally minced meat. Then they are deep-fried or baked with tomato sauce in the oven.
In Bulgaria, zucchini are fried and then served with a dip, made from yoghurt, garlic and dill. Another popular dish is oven-baked zucchini—sliced or grated—covered with a mixture of eggs, yoghurt, flour and dill.
Different types of zucchuni
In Egypt, zucchini are cooked with tomato sauce, garlic and onions.
In my kitchen, I like to make it like this:
Ingredients:
2 zucchinis or 1 zucchini and 1 yellow squash
1 pint of mushrooms
1 small onion
5 cloves of garlic
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning (I like Penzey's Tuscan Sunset)
Salt and pepper
Olive oil
Cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes (optional)
1/2 pound noodles of your choice
Parmesan cheese (optional)
Directions:
Prepare noodles according to package instructions.
Slice onions and mushrooms thinly and mince garlic.
In a large skillet, pour 1 tablespoon of olive oil and heat to medium.
Add in onions, mushrooms and garlic. Saute for about 5 minutes. Sprinkle salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning over it and saute another minute or two. (I also like to add a sprinkle or two of cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes.)
While mushrooms and onions are cooking, chop zucchini and/or squash into slices, matchsticks, cubes, or whatever you are feeling.
Add zucchini/squash to the skillet and saute for 5 minutes.
Remove from heat.
Toss vegetable mixture with the drained noodles, add a splash more olive oil if needed, and sprinkle with cheese if you like. Serve with a simple green salad and crusty, warm bread.
Sometimes I toss in spinach at the last moment, or I add white kidney beans or garbanzo beans in with the zucchini. Sometimes some toasted pine nuts also find their way into the mix, or juice from a fresh lemon (both of these you would add in at the very end, when everything is being combined)...it all depends on what's in my kitchen at the time. It's really quite versatile and oh, so good!
Zucchini originates in the Americas. Archaeologists have traced their origins to Mexico, dating back from 7,000 to 5,500 BC, when they were an integral part of the ancient diet of maize, beans, and squashes. That pre-Columbian food trio is still the mainstay of the Mexican cuisine and is known today as the "three sisters."
Ironically, just thirty years ago, this fruit (yes, it's actually a fruit) was not highly recognized in the United States. However, it's popularity has exploded as people discover that there is much that can be made with this yummy thing.
In Italy, zucchini are served in a variety of ways, especially breaded and pan-fried. Some restaurants in Rome specialize in deep-frying the flowers, known as fiori di zucca.
In France zucchini is a key ingredient in ratatouille, a stew of summer fruits and vegetables prepared in olive oil and cooked for an extended time over low heat. The dish, originating near present-day Nice, is served as a side dish or on its own at lunch with bread. Zucchini are stuffed with meat with other fruits like tomatoes or bell peppers in a dish named farcis (stuffed).
In Turkish cuisine, zucchini is the main ingredient in the popular dish mücver , or "zucchini pancakes", made from shredded zucchini, flour and eggs, lightly fried in olive oil and eaten with yogurt.
In the Levant, zucchini is stuffed with minced meat and rice plus herbs and spices and steamed. It is also used in various kinds of stew.
In Greece, zucchini is usually fried or boiled with other fruits (often green chili peppers and eggplants). It is served as an hors d'œuvre or as a main dish, especially during fasting seasons. Zucchini is also often stuffed with minced meat, rice and herbs and served with avgolemono sauce. In several parts of Greece, the flowers of the plant are stuffed with white cheese, usually feta or mizithra cheese, or with a mixture of rice, herbs and occasionally minced meat. Then they are deep-fried or baked with tomato sauce in the oven.
In Bulgaria, zucchini are fried and then served with a dip, made from yoghurt, garlic and dill. Another popular dish is oven-baked zucchini—sliced or grated—covered with a mixture of eggs, yoghurt, flour and dill.
Different types of zucchuni
In Egypt, zucchini are cooked with tomato sauce, garlic and onions.
In my kitchen, I like to make it like this:
Ingredients:
2 zucchinis or 1 zucchini and 1 yellow squash
1 pint of mushrooms
1 small onion
5 cloves of garlic
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning (I like Penzey's Tuscan Sunset)
Salt and pepper
Olive oil
Cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes (optional)
1/2 pound noodles of your choice
Parmesan cheese (optional)
Directions:
Prepare noodles according to package instructions.
Slice onions and mushrooms thinly and mince garlic.
In a large skillet, pour 1 tablespoon of olive oil and heat to medium.
Add in onions, mushrooms and garlic. Saute for about 5 minutes. Sprinkle salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning over it and saute another minute or two. (I also like to add a sprinkle or two of cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes.)
While mushrooms and onions are cooking, chop zucchini and/or squash into slices, matchsticks, cubes, or whatever you are feeling.
Add zucchini/squash to the skillet and saute for 5 minutes.
Remove from heat.
Toss vegetable mixture with the drained noodles, add a splash more olive oil if needed, and sprinkle with cheese if you like. Serve with a simple green salad and crusty, warm bread.
Sometimes I toss in spinach at the last moment, or I add white kidney beans or garbanzo beans in with the zucchini. Sometimes some toasted pine nuts also find their way into the mix, or juice from a fresh lemon (both of these you would add in at the very end, when everything is being combined)...it all depends on what's in my kitchen at the time. It's really quite versatile and oh, so good!
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