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.