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!

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!

Sweet Summer Quinoa

The Fourth of July is always a big holiday for my family. It is my nephew's birthday, and a national holiday; two very good reasons for us to get together and celebrate...and we will use any excuse to party.

Trying to get away from the usual, traditional Fourth of July fare, I created this sweet and tasty summer salad. It's fruity enough for the kids to go crazy, and nutritious enough for me to be happy to give them.

Use this idea as a base for your own, and add your favorite fruits and nuts. It is a perfect cold dish to share!


Sweet Summer Quinoa

Ingredients:
1 cup quinoa
1/4 fresh pineapple, diced
1 fresh mango, diced
1 tablespoon shredded dried coconut
1 handful of cilantro, chopped
1 handful of toasted, sliced almonds
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 tablespoons coconut oil


Directions:
Bring 2 cups of water to a boil. Add quinoa, reduce heat and cover, simmering for 15 minutes, or until all the water is absorbed.

While the quinoa is cooking, chop up your pineapple, cilantro and mango. If your almonds are raw, toast them on medium heat in a nonstick pan for about 5 minutes, tossing occasionally.

When the quinoa is done cooking, heat a large skillet on medium heat and add the coconut oil. Toss in the quinoa and mix well. Remove from the heat. In a large bowl, combine quinoa, pineapple, mango, cilantro, brown sugar, coconut and toasted almonds.

Refrigerate and enjoy!

Monkey Fruit Cake

Here it is: as seen on TV! I know I've mentioned before with my ice cream blog all of these options, but now you can see just how quickly and easily your sweet tooth can be satisfied! And with good, body-nourishing ingredients. Enjoy!!

Blueberry morning!

Breakfast is a snap! Here's what I made.

Blueberry Smoothie
Ingredients:
1 pint of fresh blueberries
3 bananas
2 frozen bananas
3 pitted dates
1 cup Good Belly blueberry acai probiotic drink

Blend all ingredients together, drink and enjoy!

Good Belly probiotic drinks are great for people that are lactose intolerant or want to cut back on dairy, because they have all those great gut-friendly bacteria that yogurt contains and the flavors are awesome! I love adding it to my smoothies. Good Belly can be found at most health food stores, co-ops, and some grocery stores, in the soy milk area.
http://www.goodbelly.com/probiotic-drink

What to do with turnips

Community Supported Agriculture (CSAs) are becoming ever more popular as the desire to eat fresh, organic, locally grown food is growing. A CSA is set up so a person can buy a "share" of a farm, and then every week the bounty of the season is delivered fresh, usually picked the same day. A whole array of fruits, vegetables, herbs and flowers can be expected, although one never knows what exactly will show up in the box each week.

My darling sister received turnips in her box this week, and has challenged me to find ways to prepare them. I do love challenges! So here we go.

First, a little bit about why you would want to eat a turnip. Turnips have been enjoyed since ancient times, when they were cultivated nearly 4,000 years ago in the Near East. This round, apple-sized vegetable was prized by the Greeks and the Romans, and was even called one of the most important vegetables of the time by ancient author Pliny the Elder. They belong to the same family as broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage (cruciferous vegetables), giving them powerful cancer-fighting abilities as well as nutrients such as fiber, vitamin C, vitamin B6, folate, calcium, potassium and copper. When eaten raw, they have an earthy, spicy taste, like a radish, but when they are cooked the flavor becomes very mild, so even your fussiest child will enjoy them.

You can use turnip roots anytime you would use a potato, and then some. Try them mashed, baked, boiled, in stews, soups and stir-fries, or lightly steamed with some butter, salt or lemon juice for flavor. Or you can thinly slice them, brush them with olive oil, lightly salt and bake them like potato chips. Or you can try the recipe at the end of this post.

Don't forget about the greens! They are delicious sautéed or steamed as a side dish with garlic, onion, olive oil and lemon, or as an addition to soups, stews and pasta.

And now, for a recipe...

Hearty Rooty Casserole

Ingredients:
1 medium turnip
1 large parsnip
1 large carrot
1 medium onion
1 medium rutabaga
1 Tablespoon Italian seasoning
1/2 Tablespoon garlic powder
1 Tablespoon olive oil

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Peel the vegetables and then coarsely chop. Put them in a 13X9 baking pan, sprinkle seasoning and garlic on top, and then drizzle with olive oil. Give it a quick stir, cover and bake for 1 hour.

Cheeseless Cheesecake!

Say cheese! And then remember that while our palates may have a love affair with the stuff, our bodies certainly do not. More and more people are realizing they are lactose intolerant, and if your body is telling you it does not want something (and it gives you signs like pain, diarrhea and excess mucous) then common sense would tell you to stay away from it. Even if you don't experience these symptoms, all scientific evidence points to cheese as an artery-clogging substance.

But I LOVE cheese! I don't want to give it up! Well, the good news is, nobody has to completely abolish the stuff from their diets. Our bodies can handle moderation. Using a substitution like this will translate into less cheese consumption. A double treat!

This recipe is for those cheesecake lovers out there that don't want to be without. Again, this was inspired by Angela Elliot and her raw dessert book. Can soaked nuts really stand up to cheese, delicious cheese? I shared this dessert with my friends, and they all went cuckoo! It is super easy to do, and if you don't have a spring form pan, just make this baby up in whatever pan you have.

Ingredients:
For the crust:
2 cups macadamia nuts
6 pitted dates
1/4 cup dried coconut

The Cheesecake:
3 cups soaked cashews
3/4 cup lemon juice
9 pitted dates, soaked in enough water to cover them
3/4 cup coconut oil
pinch of sea salt

Strawberry sauce topping:
1 pint fresh strawberries
6 pitted dates, soaked and drained
extra strawberries for garnish


Directions:
Get the cashews and dates soaking. You should soak them for at least 1 hour.

Line a 9 inch spring form pan with coconut (or whatever pan you're using)

Process the macadamia nuts and dates in a food processor. Press over dried coconut.

Process cashews, lemon juice, dates (with the soaking water), coconut oil, salt and half cup of water until it is smooth like cheese.

Pour over the crust and shake the pan to settle the ingredients.

Freeze for 2 hours.

At the end of the 2 hours, process your pint of strawberries with the soaked, drained dates until smooth.

Remove cake from freezer and place on a plate, or if you used a cooking pan, you can just leave it in there. Pour strawberry sauce over the cake and decorate with more strawberries.


This will keep in the fridge for about a week. And if you keep it in the freezer, it keeps even longer of course!

*A note about coconut oil: If you don't have this stuff in your cupboard, you are really missing out! It's packed with nutrients and tastes delicious. It gives depth to stir-frys and desserts and is crazy good on popcorn. When you purchase the oil, you will notice it is hard, like vegetable shortening. To use it in this recipe, stick the oil jar into a bowl of hot water to melt it a bit, and pour out the 3/4 cup you need.