Saturday, September 13, 2014

Italian Salad

This quick and easy salad reminds me of my Grandma because she used to make something like this all the time. Back then I didn't appreciate onions, but as usual my Grandma was right! They are delicious! This little salad of tomatoes, red onions, and cucumbers is dressed with olive oil, apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, Italian seasoning and minced garlic for lots of zing and lots of crunch!

Wednesday, September 10, 2014

Lemon Artichoke Pesto Zoodles

Doesn't the name of this dish just make your mouth water??!! It's just as good as it sounds, and you can find the recipe here: http://theleancleaneatingmachine.com/2013/12/30/lemon-artichoke-pesto-zucchini-noodles/ I used a small jar of artichokes for this one. I also used the fresh parsley, lemon juice/zest, fresh garlic, olive oil, and salt and pepper that the recipe calls for, but since I didn't have any walnuts I used some raw almonds. The flavor was still amazing. Next time, I would definitely add more chunks of artichoke (I was all out after making the pesto) and maybe add some tomato, too. But this one is worth making again!

Friday, September 5, 2014

Vegetarian Sushi

We love sushi, but we don't usually make it at home because we're worried about using raw fish (yes, even buying sushi grade fish doesn't ease our minds). We've made veggie rolls, but I was really excited to find some nigiri recipes that are vegetarian! And, I have to say that they were pretty freaking amazing! Here are some of the recipes we referred to for our sushi night: http://www.tastespotting.com/features/vegetable-sushi-recipe http://www.olivesfordinner.com/2013/09/shiitake-nigiri.html http://cleangreensimple.com/2011/04/sushi-time/ http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/masaharu-morimoto/vegetable-sushi-recipe.html The roasted bell pepper (which we made in red and orange for variety) were a hit, but it was the mushrooms that really made the best nigiri! The flavors and textures were perfect for veggie sushi! The shiitake mushrooms were simmered in a soy/ginger sauce, and then topped with a glaze of soy, ginger, brown sugar, and mirin (my go-to Asian sauce). The roasted zucchini and squash were good, but the flavors weren't as strong as the others. Considering how time consuming this project was (it took about 2 hours to make everything) I think I would skip that next time.

Thursday, September 4, 2014

Tofu Lettuce Wraps

I usually like to make lettuce wraps with raw veggies (infused with things like ginger for flavor) but I was in the mood for something hot. Luckily, I found this great recipe: http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2012/02/vegetarian-lettuce-wraps/ Of course, I improvised (as I usually do). I cooked up some tofu in the skillet with some chopped zucchini and red bell pepper (the recipe uses corn, but I didn't have any). I added lots of chili powder (yum), cooked a bit, then added the soy. I also added the balsamic, but I think next time I might just skip this part. I had some pea sprouts that I needed to use up, so I added those to the lettuce boats and added the tofu, then topped with avocado and sriracha. So good!