Veggie Taco Salad

I've been on a Mexican kick lately, mostly because I'm loving avocado and can't eat it enough.  This salad has the solid protein and fiber of soy and black beans, spiced with a kick of jalapeno.  Combine that with creamy avocado and you have one delicious meal.
Recommended sidekick:  a classic margarita, of course


Basic ingredients:

Butter lettuce (can use romaine, or whatever you prefer)
Light sour cream
Avocado
Tomato
Shredded cheese blend
TJ's Authentic Salsa (medium in heat)
Black Beans, 1 can, drained
Soy Crumbles (soy ground beef, I use TJ's or Morningstar Farms)
1 jalapeno
Taco Seasoning

Instructions:
1)  Sauté soy crumbles with taco seasoning and a small amount of water.  I sometimes use the juice from the black beans, as it adds flavor.  And hey, I'm dumping it down the drain anyway.

2) When soy is almost cooked, add drained black beans, just to warm them.

3) Chop avocado, jalapeno and tomato.

4) Layer lettuce on bottom of salad bowls.  Next add the soy crumbles and black beans.  Top with shredded cheese, chopped tomatoes, avocado and jalapenos.

5) Top your salad off with salsa and a dollop of sour cream.

6) Wash it down with a fabulous margarita, especially if you happen to have a former professional bartender in the house!  (boy, that comes in handy)

Enjoy!

Shan's Secret (Easy) Stir Fry

Do you have a go-to weeknight meal, for those nights you are tired from work, kids, men (ha!) or your new puppy?  This is mine.  This stir fry is an easy mix of only a few ingredients and is delish.  You can alter the specific veggies to suit your taste.  Leave a comment and tell me your go-to meal, I'd love to hear them!

Basic ingredients:

Broccoli

Fresh spinach

Carrots

Green and yellow peppers

Red onion

Super Firm Tofu-Trader Joe's is my fav, very substantial, as in you need a sharp knife to cut it.  None of that silken style tofu (sorry Chinese restaurants)!

Additional ingredients:

Jasmine Rice 

Tamari sauce You can sub soy sauce for this, but pick some up next time you shop, the flavor is much richer. You'll thank the blondie!

365 Organic Soy Ginger Sauce, KEY INGREDIENT, buy at Whole Foods

Spectrum Organic Asian Stir Fry Oil, KEY INGREDIENT, buy at Whole Foods

**IF YOU DO NOT BUY THE 2 KEY INGREDIENTS, I CANNOT BE HELD LIABLE FOR HOW BORING YOUR DINNER TASTES.  JUST SAYIN... :)

1) Start by chopping up all veggies.  Also, get the boiling water and rice going, according to the package's instructions.  Most are: add water and rice at a 2:1 ratio, bring to a boil then simmer on low heat for 15 minutes.

2) Next cut tofu into 1"x1"cubes.  Or strips, or big squares, however the spirit moves you.....

3) Heat a few tbsp of the Asian oil over medium heat for a few minutes. Your kitchen will smell deee-vine!   A wok works best,  Add the tofu and cook, turning frequently until golden brown.  You can also start to add a few splashes of Tamari or Soy Sauce, whichever you are using.  Please, for the love of good food, do not use low-sodium varieties in this recipe.  It just won't taste the same and will anger the stir-fry gods.

4) Add in the veggies, saving the spinach for last.  Cook several minutes while stirring frequently.  Add Soy Ginger sauce generously over the cooking veggies and tofu.  Cover.

5)  Remove rice from heat, spoon into bowls.  Then top with stir-fry hot from the wok.  If you like additional "heat," add a bit of Red Rooster (Sriracha) Sauce too.

Enjoy!

Sautéed Spinach with Toasted Pine Nuts

Spinach is what I consider a "power food."  It is packed with vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin K, magnesium, folate, iron, niacin, omega-3's and even protein.  This recipe might make you forget about everything I just said, because it tastes so darn good.

Basic ingredients:

Fresh spinach (you can easily use 1/2 to an entire bag, since it shrinks down so much when cooked)
Minced garlic
Fresh ground pepper
Golden raisins- Trader Joe's are my fav
Pine nuts
Olive Oil

1) Start by warming a small amount of olive oil in a sauté pan.  Add garlic, pine nuts and cook until they're toasted golden brown.

2) Next add the golden raisins.  These are a little heat sensitive, but can be lightly cooked.

3) Finally, add spinach and stir until it begins to wilt.  This won't take long!

Notice there are no real amounts given in this recipe, because I don't like to measure.  :)  Just go with what looks good, I promise you can't mess this one up!


4) Top with freshly grated black pepper, then serve.

Enjoy!

Ricotta and Spinach Stuffed Shells with Tomato Sauce

As a girl who can appreciate floury carbs and good cheese, Italian food flows seamlessly from my kitchen.   I might hide a few veggies, and soy for clean protein in this dish but no one hasta' know!  Just dig in!

Basic ingredients:

Beef-less ground beef; Trader Joe's is FAB
Chopped fresh basil
Ricotta cheese
Italian herb blend, Penzey's
Minced garlic, Penzey's
Baby Spinach
Jumbo pasta shells
Marinara sauce; again, TJ's rocks my socks
1 can peeled whole tomatoes
Shredded Italian Blend of Cheeses: provolone, asiago, parmesan
Olive oil

1) Begin to heat the olive oil.  When it warms, add beef-less ground beef.  In a separate pot, boil the shells pasta, not quite until tender.  Remember, they'll still go in the oven, so we went them a little harder than normal.

2)  Chop the spinach and add to the sauté.  This mixture is going to join our friend Ricotta in a few minutes.  When cooked thoroughly, remove from heat.

3)  Bring the tomatoes and marinara sauce to a light boil.  Add garlic and herbs while it simmers.

4)  Let's begin preparing the cheese mixture.  This is the important part because it's how we'll dress the pasta shells and will become the bulk of our meal.  Blend 5-6 oz of Ricotta in a bowl, with fresh chopped basil and stir.

5) Also stir in the soy crumble and cooked spinach. Add a few ladles of marinara sauce from the other pot, to this mix.  The liquid helps soften it up and blend better
P.S. Clayton wanted to make his blog debut here, sneaky furry guy.

6)  Next, spray the 9x11 glass pan with olive oil to coat, then begin laying out the cooked empty pasta.  Fill each shell with 1-2 Tbps of the ricotta/soy/spinach/sauce mixture.  Line them up so they're not touching in the pan as much as possible.  (Obviously, mine have all become friends!)

7)  Finally, pour over remaining sauce and sprinkle with grated cheeses.  Bake at 350 degrees for 35-45 minutes.

Enjoy!

Rustic "Sausage" and Peppers

Sunday night calls for a hearty well-rounded meal to ease into a slumber before the workweek begins.   This hits the spot, without being so filling there's no room for a little dessert.  Call it a vegetarian twist on an old Italian favorite.

Basic ingredients:

Red, green and yellow peppers (not pictured)
Onion
Tofurky Vegetarian Beer "Brats"
Marinara sauce
Thin spaghetti
Italian herbs (oregano, parsley, basil)*
Crushed red pepper
Olive oil

*I cook with Penzey's Spices.  Since I moved from WI 3 years ago, I have been unable to find anything that parallels their herbs and spices.  I miss the smell of their brick & mortar store, but thankfully, they ship!  I recommend buying new spices every 4-6 months, to keep the flavors fresh.  Over time, spices lose their potency and fragrance.

1) Cut peppers and onions into thin strips.  Warm olive oil and italian herbs over medium heat.  Add onions and peppers, saute until tender.

2) In separate pan, cook soy brats until lightly browned.  Boil pasta, separately.

3)  Reduce heat to medium-low, and add marinara sauce to peppers.  Cover and simmer, stirring frequently.

4)  Drain pasta, then divide into dishes to serve.  Top with soy brat, then ladle sauce and peppers on top. Sprinkle crushed red pepper over dish and serve hot.

**Suggested sidekick:  Ciabatta garlic bread.  Whole Foods has a fabulous Ciabatta in their deli area.  Cut into slices, lightly butter and sprinkle with garlic salt.  Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes.

Enjoy!

Balsamic & Butter Glazed Carrots

Carrots for dessert?  With this concoction, almost!  This is an easy spin on our little, orange, vitamin A-packed friends.  I whipped it up on Friday when I made dinner for my coworker and I.  She approved.

Basic ingredients:

 


















Carrots, peeled
1 Tbsp butter
1 1/2 Tbsp sugar
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
Black pepper

1) Chop carrots into one-inch strips, halved.

2) Melt butter over medium heat.  Add carrots and cook for 5 minutes.

3) Add balsamic vinegar and sugar, stirring frequently for an additional 5 minutes, until desired tenderness is reached.

4) Remove from heat, top with fresh black pepper and serve hot!

Enjoy!

blissmobox review

blissmobox
My July blissmobox:

EDIT 8/16/11: The fabulous folks at Blissmobox saw my blog and are offering Eat Your Veggies readers a discounted subscription rate!  By using this link, and entering "EatYourVeggies" as the referral code, you get 50% off a 2 month subscription.  Thanks blissmo!  Offer expires 8/25.  http://www.blissmo.com/blissmobox-exclusive2/

What: A fabulous, new way to try organic, eco-friendly products without spending a fortune.  Costs $19/month and you receive about $30+ in products.

Why: Instead of wandering around stores like Whole Foods, not sure what new food to try, these are hand-selected and tested eaten by a small team of people.


How: http://www.blissmo.com/member-referral  You get your first box at a discounted rate of $11.  (Don't be shy, you can use me as your referral segill18@hotmail.com ).  Then mid-way through the month, you'll get an email with your choice of themed boxes for the month.  I chose the snack box vs eco-friendly products last month, but through live chat with their staff Andrew (who was incredibly friendly and personable, I have to say!), I heard next month there will be a choice between 4 different boxes....can't wait!!
*Note. Not being paid to endorse this, just loved it so much I had to share a review!!*

Let's review the goods:

Clockwise from top left:
RARE FRUIT CHERRIES: Half sweet, half tart dried cherries bake dried with no pesticides, herbicides or antibiotics.  My favorite part of these is the only ingredient is....wait for it....organic cherries!  A lot of dried fruit is laden with sugar and preservatives, but not these.
Rating 3 1/2 ****

OLOMOMO NUTS Chai Bliss Almonds:  A sweet little treat with the subtle taste of chai (tea).
Rating 3***

JUSTIN'S CLASSIC & HONEY NUT BUTTER:  Both delicious, natural-tasting nut butters that actually taste like nuts, not oil.  The one-serving pouches are great for packing in lunches too.
Rating 4****

BUMBLEBAR in AMAZING ALMOND:  Holy guacamole this is good!  Brown sugar, sesame, almonds all nestled in one thin snack bar.  Gluten-free, dairy-free means it's easy for everyone to enjoy.  I like that the ingredients are bought from co-ops and small farms to make this bar, too.  It's a good afternoon snack, curbs my hunger more than a little granola bar.
Rating 5*****

SURF SWEETS SOUR BERRY GUMMIES:  These little guys are made with organic fruit juice, no corn syrup, GMOs, gluten or animal by-products.  I love gummies, but most have gelatin and aren't vegetarian friendly.  These make me want to dive in and eat half the bag!  An added bonus is they give you 100% of your daily dose of Vitamin C.  Just sayin'.
Rating 4 1/2 ****

PURITY ORGANIC LEMONADE & ICED TEA: This was an easy one to love because I'm an Arnold Palmer kind of girl.  Why is this special?  It's real lemonade (not from concentrate) and real brewed black tea.  You can actually taste both in here.  I already ordered a case on Amazon, if that is any indication.
Rating 5*****

ALLGOOD PROVISIONS ORGANIC BANANA CHIPS: Hands down, my favorite product of the box.  I tried these the day they arrived and they didn't last long.  My roommate had a bag of Trader Joe's Banana Chips in the house, so I did my own little taste test.  These won, no contest.  (Sorry TJ's, I still love you.)  The only negative is finding them in the store.  I've been to several Whole Foods and other grocery stores and can only locate them online so far.  Leave a comment if you have better luck than I!
Rating 5*****

Enjoy!