Mexican Black Bean and Butternut Squash Stew

This is a great stew for a cold, rainy day like we are having today! It is high in fiber, low in fat, and the beans are a great source of iron and protein. Serve it with some tortilla chips or crusty bread and grated cheese if you want. If you use vegetable broth instead of the chicken broth and use mock cheese, this is a great vegan alternative. This recipe serves four people and can easily be doubled.

Ingredients:

2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 a Vidalia onion, finely chopped 
1 medium sized orange or yellow sweet bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1/2 of a small butternut squash, peeled and chopped into bite sized pieces
1 large carrot, peeled and cut into bite sized pieces
2 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
1 cup hot salsa
1 tbsp very hot pepper sauce (optional)
4 large fresh basil leaves, torn into small pieces
2 tbsp dried parsley
1/2 tsp cumin powder
1 can (28 oz) diced tomatoes
1 cup low sodium, low fat chicken or vegetable broth
1 cup water
1 can (16 oz) black beans
1/2 cup of fresh, frozen or canned corn
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste


Directions:

1. In a medium sized, heavy bottomed sauce pan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and peppers and saute and soft, about 5 minutes. Add in butternut squash, carrot and garlic and basil & saute for another 2 minutes.

2. Stir in salsa, hot sauce, parsley, cumin, tomatoes, broth and water. Cook over medium low, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are soft, about 30 minutes. Add in the corn and beans, season with salt and pepper to taste, stir and cook for another few minutes. Ladle into soup bowls and grate cheese over top if using. Serve with tortilla chips or crusty bread.

Pan Fried Cod with olive and pepper sauce

This is a great way to cook cod fish, so that you don't know that you are eating cod fish! Very flavourful, with a little zing from the spices and lime. I served this with sauteed onions, mushrooms and spinach. This recipe serves 2 but can easily be doubled.

Ingredients:

2 boneless cod fillets, fresh or thawed
1 tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup of green olives, chopped
1/4 cup of roasted red peppers (from a jar), chopped
1 tbsp picante hot sauce 
freshly ground black pepper to taste

1 tsp lime zest and juice of 1/2 a lime

1/2 cup low fat, low sodium chicken stock
1 tbsp chopped parsley

Directions:

In a large non-stick frying pan heat olive oil over medium-high heat, then gently sear fish on both sides, about 1 minute per side. Remove fish from pan and set aside.

2. Add green olives, roasted red peppers, lime zest, hot sauce and stock. Bring to a gentle simmer and return fish to pan, cover and cook on medium-low heat for 8-10 minutes.

3. Remove fish and keep warm. Turn heat to high and reduce sauce by half, about 2 minutes.

4. Remove from heat, stir in ground pepper, parsley and lime juice and generously spoon sauce over fish.

Chicken Fennel Carrot White Bean Soup

This is a great, tasty soup for a cool autumn dinner. Soak up the juices with a crusty artisan bread. Delicious and so easy! Just toss everything in one pot, cover and cook on low for 7 hours. To speed up the cooking time, you can increase the heat to medium low and cook for about 5 hours.

Ingredients:

6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (they stay juicier than breasts in this type of recipe)
4 cups low sodium, low fat chicken broth
4 cups water
4 carrots, chopped
1 large fennel bulb, chopped (including the fronds)
1 large onion, chopped
1 large garlic clove, peeled and flattened (just bang it under a wide knife to let the flavours out as the soup cooks---remember to remove it before serving the soup)
1 small jar fire roasted red peppers, including liquid (that is where a lot of the flavour is)
1 can (28 oz) white kidney beans, drained and rinsed
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions:

1. In a large dutch oven with a heavy lid, combine all ingredients, except the jar of peppers and beans. Heat on medium until just beginning to boil. Reduce heat to low and cook for about 7 hours, until chicken is cooked through and vegetables are tender.
2. Remove chicken from pot about 20 minutes before serving (take the garlic clove out at this point as well and discard it). Chop the chicken into bite sized pieces and return to pot, along with the beans and jar of peppers. Cook on low, covered, for another 10 minutes, stirring once or twice. Serve with the bread.

Pan-Fried Tilapia and Herbed Yogurt

This is a delicious and easy way to serve Tilapia, which requires very little cooking time and is delicious!

 

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup low fat probiotic yogurt
• 1/4 cup (60 mL) chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 green onions, finely chopped
• 2 tsp (10 mL) grated lime zest
• 2 tsp (10 mL) lime juice
• 2 pieces (each 4 oz/115 g) tilapia fillets
• 1/4 tsp (2 mL) salt
• 1/4 tsp (2 mL) pepper
• 1/4 cup (125 mL) all-purpose flour
• 1 tbsp (30 mL) extra-virgin olive oil

Preparation

In small bowl, mix together yogurt, cilanttro, green onions, lime zest and lime juice. Set aside.

Sprinkle both sides of fish with salt and pepper; coat in flour. In large skillet, heat oil over medium heat; fry fish, turning once, until golden and fish flakes easily when tested, 4 to 5 minutes. Serve with yogurt sauce.

Pineapple Salsa

This is a tasty salsa that you can use over fish or chicken to give it a nice zing! 


Ingredients:

• 1 can Dole pineapple rings, cubed
• 1 green onion, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup diced red onion
• juice and zest of one lime 
• 1/2 tsp dried red hot chili peppers, or to taste (optional) 
•  Directions:
• Stir all ingredients together in a bowl and allow flavours to blend for about ten minutes
• serve over cooked fish or chicken

Stuffed Crimini Mushrooms

Ingredients:

36 mushrooms (crimini, stems removed)

12 cup olive oil

2 12 cups yellow onion (chopped)

13 cup shallot (minced)

6 cloves minced garlic

3 tbsps italian flat leaf parsley (chopped)

34 cup chopped fresh chives

3 ozs lemon juice

2 cups bread crumbs (fresh)

5 ozs gruyere cheese (shredded) 

	-Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add mushrooms, and cook for about 3 minutes. Drain, and set aside to cool.
	-Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, shallot, garlic, parsley, and chives. Cover, and let the vegetables sweat for a few minutes to release the aromas. Remove from heat, and stir in the breadcrumbs and lemon juice.
	-Preheat the oven's broiler. Scoop out the mushroom caps, and fill with the bread crumb mixture. -Place on a baking sheet. Top with shredded cheese.
	-Broil for 3 to 5 minutes, until cheese is melted. Serve hot.

Balsamic Roasted Vegetables

Grilled and lightly dressed vegetables are delicious served warm or at room temperature. Red or yellow peppers (or a combination) add colour. Leftovers can be used in sandwiches the next day.

Ingredients

4 sweet bell peppers/red and yellow
2 medium zucchini
1 small red onion
Balsamic Dressing:
1/3 cup olive_oil
3 tbsp balsamic_vinegar
1 tsp minced fresh rosemary
1/2 tsp each salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

Core and seed sweet peppers; cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) widths and place in large bowl. Cut zucchini lengthwise into 1/4-inch thick strips; add to bowl.

Cut onion into 1/2-inch thick rings; set aside on plate.

Balsamic Dressing: In bowl, whisk together oil, vinegar, rosemary, salt and pepper. Toss half with vegetables, brushing over onions; let stand for 10 minutes.

Place vegetables on greased grill, or on grill pan on stove-top, over medium-high heat; cover and grill, turning once, until tender and lightly charred, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove to platter, drizzle with remaining dressing.
 

Grilled Greek Flatbread

Brush Greek Flatbread with olive oil (both sides) and then top with:

sundried tomatoes
Kalamata olives
Feta Cheese
dried oregano
roasted red peppers (from a jar)

Place in a grill pan on stove top at medium heat or on a pizza pan in the oven, preheated at 450F. Cook until cheese is melted and all ingredients are heated through, about 10 minutes. Don't overcook!

Raw Food Kalamata Sauce for Zucchini "Pasta"

Here is a different variety of sauce to use on Zucchini Pasta (made in the spiral slicer). Serves 4.


Ingredients:

3 cloves minced garlic
2 sundried tomatoes
1 sweet red bell pepper, cut into large chunks
6 tomatoes, quartered
1 cup kalamata olives, pitted
juice and zest  of 1 lime
1/2 cup fresh basil
2 tbsp olive oil
salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste
pinch of dried red hot chili peppers or hot sauce (optional)
1/2 tsp each of dried parsley, thyme & oregano


Place all ingredients in a food processor and process for a couple of minutes until well combined. Cover for at least one hour to allow flavours to blend. Toss over spiraled zucchini right before serving. Sprinkle with grated parmesan cheese.

Raw Food Marinara Sauce for Zucchini "Pasta"

We had my birthday lunch at a wonderful raw food restaurant in our area! They use a "spiral slicer": http://www.therawfoodworld.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=316_328 to make the zucchini "pasta". You can use other vegetables to get the same result (large carrots are a good option). To make the Marinara Sauce, put all ingredients in a food processor and process for a couple of minutes until well combined. It is a good idea to do this about an hour before you want to eat, so that the flavours have time to blend nicely. Put the zucchini through the spiral slicer at the last minute to maintain freshness. Be very careful with the blades on these slicers as they are extremely sharp!


Ingredients for sauce (serves 4):

-4 medium ripe tomatoes, quartered
-1 large red bell pepper, cut into large chunks
-4 sundried tomatoes packed in oil
-3 garlic cloves, minced (or 1 tsp garlic powder)
-6 or more large fresh basil leaves
-1/4 cup fresh oregano
-salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
-pinch of dried, red hot chili peppers or hot  sauce (optional)
-2 tbsp olive oil


After processing in food processor of a couple of minutes, cover and store in air tight container for one hour before tossing with zucchini. Serve with freshly grated parmesan cheese.

Balsamic Grilled Vegetables

Grilling vegetables with this balsamic dressing gives them a wonderful sweetness! This is a great side dish for salmon or chicken.

 

Ingredients

4 sweet peppers
2 medium zucchini
1 vidalia onion
Balsamic Dressing:
1/3 cup olive oil
3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp basil  

salt and  freshly ground pepper to taste

Preparation

Core and seed peppers; cut into 1-inch widths and place in large bowl. Cut zucchini lengthwise into 1/4-inch  thick strips; add to bowl.

Cut onion into 1/2-inch thick rings. Set aside on plate.

Balsamic Dressing: In bowl, whisk together oil, vinegar, basil, salt and pepper. Toss half with vegetables, brushing over onions; let stand for 10 minutes.

Place vegetables on greased grill pan over medium-high heat; turning once, until tender and lightly charred, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove to platter and drizzle with remaining dressing.Serve hot or at room temperature.

 

Red Potato Rendang

This is a variation of a recipe from the Big Vegan cook book. I made it while visiting my son in Vancouver. He and his fiance are vegan and they have this great cook book. I added stewed tomatoes and used only 1/2 the amount of coconut milk. The original recipe called for 2 ground cloves, which I omitted (personal taste). Nice and spicy, this one! It is a Malaysian dish. Enjoy:) This recipe serves about 4 people.

Ingredients:

1 heaping tsp spicy red curry paste
1/4 cup chopped red onion
1 tsp ground ginger
3 large garlic cloves, minced through a garlic press
1 lemon, zested
1 lime, zested
1 tsp ground turmeric
1/2 cup coconut milk
2 cups pureed, stewed tomatoes with basil (you can get these in jars at most supermarkets--Sugocasa is a good brand)
8 small red new potatoes, unpeeled and thinly sliced
4 cups green beans, trimmed and cut into thirds
2 medium carrots, thinly sliced
1 tbsp tamari or soy sauce
1/2 tsp salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions:

1. In a small bowl, combine curry paste, onion,ginger, lemon and lime zest, turmeric & a couple of tsps of the coconut milk. Transfer the mixture to a large frying pan (I used cast iron and it worked well).
2. Stir in the rest of the coconut milk and the stewed tomatoes. Add the potatoes and bring them to a simmer. Cover and check them periodically, stirring to keep them from sticking.
3. When the potatoes are almost tender--about 10 to 15 minutes depending on size--add the green beans, carrot, tamari or soy, and salt and pepper and stir well. Cover and cook, stirring periodically, until the vegetables are tender and the sauce is very thick, about 10 minutes.
4. Squeeze the juice of the zested lime over the vegetables and stir lightly. Serve hot.

Edamame Bean Salad

I made this great vegan protein/carb salad last night for dinner; my son requested it. It was very tasty and healthy. All of the ingredients that I used were organic.

Ingredients:

- edamame beans (you can buy them organic/frozen and cook them for five minutes and let them cool)
-canned corn
- chopped small red bell pepper
-1/2 a chopped english cucumber
- 1 tomato, chopped
-2 garlic cloves, peeled and put through a garlic press
-1 tsp dried dill weed
-1/2 tsp ground cumin
-2 tbsp olive oil
- juice of one lemon
-salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Once the edamame beans are cooked per package directions, rinse them under cold running water. Drain well and sit them in a bowl until they are cooled to room temperature. Combine all ingredients and serve in individual serving bowls.

Vegetarian Brazilian Feijoada-Black Bean Stew

Brazilian Feijoada is a recipe for black bean stew originally developed by slaves to use lesser cuts of meat. This is a vegan version. Serve this dish with brown rice or quinoa and greens. I made this for my book club meeting yesterday and it was a hit. Instead of adding the habanero hot sauce into the stew, I took the bottle along so that anyone who wanted to add some heat was free to do so.

Ingredients:

2 16 0z cans black beans, rinsed under cold running water

• 1 clove garlic, chopped fine
• 1 can stewed italian tomatoes, chopped
• 1 can (19 oz) black beans
• 3 cups of water
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 carrot, chopped
• 2 ribs celery, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 teaspoon orange zest
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 tsp habanero hot sauce (optional)
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano (or 1 teaspoon dried)
• Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
• Chopped fresh parsley or cilantro

Directions:

• Heat olive oil in a large, heavy bottomed sauce pan.
• Sauté the onion, carrot, garlic and celery for five minutes, or until the onion is translucent.
• Add the zest, cumin and oregano and cook two minutes.
• Add the beans, water and tomatoes to the vegetable mixture.
• Bring to a boil, lower heat to medium and stir in the tomato paste. Salt & pepper to taste.
• Stir in the hot sauce if using. Add more water to desired consistency, if necessary.
• Reduce heat to low and stir in the parsley.
• Allow to simmer at low heat, partially covered, for about 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  

Flat Roasted Chicken

This is a great recipe to roast a whole chicken in much less time and it is juicy and delicious! Sometimes you can buy the whole flattened chicken in the regular poultry section of your grocery store. Otherwise, ask your butcher to prepare one for you. It is simply a matter of breaking the backbone & breastbone and flattening the chicken down. I served this with roasted potatoes and roasted asparagus.

Ingredients:

One 3 to 4 lb flattened whole chicken
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tsp garlic powder
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1/4 cup dried parsley
2 tsps habanero hot sauce (optional)

Directions:

Place chicken in a roasting pan
Combine oil, garlic, salt, pepper, parsley and hot sauce in a small bowl & mix well.
Brush over chicken to coat well. Cover with foil and allow to sit in fridge for a few hours.
Preheat oven to 4ooF & place chicken in oven uncovered.
Roast for about 50 to 60 minutes until juices run clear, tenting the foil over the chicken once it is browned to your liking.
Allow to sit for 5 minutes before separating.

Broccoli Soup

I'm on a soup kick this week! It is easy to pack it full of veggies; puree it in the food processor and then take it with you in a thermos, so you are getting a full dose of healthy veggies on the run. I add some cooked quinoa (pronounced keenwa) which is a full protein grain. My friend Anne gave me that idea:) This gives you a complete meal in a cup!

Ingredients:

1-1/4 cups chopped carrots (about 2 medium)

3/4 cup chopped onions (about 1 medium)

1/2 cup chopped celery (about 2 stalks)

2 Tbsp. olive oil

2 cups 25%-less-sodium chicken or veggie broth

2 cups water

4-1/2 cups broccoli florets (about 2 small bunches)

2 cups milk (optional): if not using, add 2 cups water or broth to make up the liquid

1/4 cup grated Parmesan Cheese (optional)

Directions:

COOK and stir carrots, onions and celery in hot oil in large saucepan on medium-high heat 3 min. Add broth and water; stir. Bring to boil.

STIR in broccoli. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer 10 to 15 min. or until vegetables are tender, stirring frequently.

ADD soup, in batches, to blender or food processor; cover. Blend until pureed. Return soup puree to saucepan. Add milk (if using) & cook until heated through, stirring occasionally.

Serve with grated Parmesan cheese to sprinkle over top.

Swiss Chard Recipe

Swiss Chard is a wonderful vegetable that is rich in vitamins and minerals. To make it tasty you just need a little olive oil, garlic and seasoning. This is a quick recipe & the result is a delicious side dish for salmon or chicken. The healthy fat in olive oil actually helps your body to absorb the vitamins from the vegetables.

Ingredients:

• 1 large bunch of fresh Swiss chard
• 1 clove garlic, chopped
  
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 Tbsp water
• 1 tsp dried red hot chili peppers
• salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste
  

Directions:

1. Rinse out the Swiss chard leaves thoroughly. Remove the toughest third of the stalk, discard.

2. Roll & roughly chop the leaves into inch-wide strips.

3. Heat olive oil in a skillet on a medium heat setting, add garlic and the crushed red pepper. Sauté for about a minute.

4. Add the chopped Swiss chard leaves. Cover. Check after about 5 minutes. If it looks dry, add a couple tablespoons of water. Toss the leaves over in the pan, so that what was on the bottom, is now on the top. Cover again & cook for another 5 minutes. Add salt & pepper to taste. Serve immediately.

Parsnip and Lemon Zest Soup

Parsnip & Lemon Soup

1 tbsp (15 mL) olive oil

1/2 cup (125 mL) diced Vidalia onion

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 cups (500 mL) diced parsnips (about 1 lb/450 g)

4 cups (1L) chicken stock, vegetable stock or water

1 tbsp (15 mL) finely grated lemon zest (from about 2 lemons)

1/4 tsp (4 mL)salt & freshly ground black pepper

In large saucepan over medium heat, heat olive oil. Add onions. Cook, stirring, 2 minutes to soften. Add garlic and cook another minute. Add parsnips and stock or water. Raise heat to high; bring to boil. Stir in zest. Reduce heat to medium. Simmer 15 minutes or until parsnips are tender. Remove from heat; cool slightly.

In blender or food processor, purée soup, in batches if needed. Season with salt & pepper. Makes about 4 cups (1L) for 4 servings.