Kale Skillet Pizza

Kale Skillet Pizza

Recipe courtesy of Vegetarian Times - February 2009

INGREDIENTS

• 1 tsp. light brown sugar
• 1/2 package dry yeast (1/4 oz.)
• 3/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 Tbsp. flax meal
• 2 tsp. olive oil
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 3 garlic cloves, minced (1 Tbsp.)
• 8 cups loosely packed kale
• 1 cup sliced mushrooms
• 1 tsp. ground fennel seed
• 2 Tbsp. Neufchatel cheese (2 oz.)
• 1 cup crumbled feta cheese (4 oz.)
• 12 cherry tomatoes, halved
• 2 Tbs. fresh oregano or basil

DIRECTIONS

1. To make Dough: Dissolve brown sugar in 1/2 cup warm water in large bowl. Stir in yeast, and let stand 5 minutes, or until liquid is cloudy and bubbly. Stir in whole-wheat flour, 1/4 cup all-purpose flour, flax meal, oil, and salt. Knead 2 minutes while adding 1/4 cup flour. Oil in separate bowl, and turn dough in oil to coat. Cover, and let rise in warm spot until dough doubles in size, about 45 minutes.
2. To make Topping: Heat oil in large pot over medium heat. Add garlic and saute 2 minutes. Add kale, cover, and cook 15 minutes, or until kale is softened, stirring occasionally. Add mushrooms and fennel seed, and cook 7 to 10 minutes more, or until all liquid has evaporated. Remove from heat, and stir in Neufchatel cheese.
3. Preheat oven to 475F. Oil bottom and sides of 12-inch cast iron skillet. With floured hands, pat and stretch Dough over bottom and halfway up sides of skillet. Let dough rest 5 minutes. Spread kale mixture on dough; scatter feta cheese, tomatoes, and oregano on top. Place skillet directly on oven floor, and bake 15 minutes. Remove carefully from oven, and let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Kale Almond Wild Rice Gratin

Kale Almond Rice Gratin

Adapted from 101cookbooks.com

INGREDIENTS

• 2 1/2 cups leftover/pre-cooked wild rice, room temp
• 1 1/2 cups cups finely chopped kale
• 4 ounces firm organic tofu, crumbled
• 10 black olives, chopped
• 1/2 medium red onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/3 cup slivered almonds, toasted
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/3 cup nutritional yeast
• 1/4 cup 1% cottage cheese
• 1 cup egg whites
• 1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 400F degrees. Rack in the top third. Grease a 10-inch round baking dish (or equivalent) with a bit of olive oil.
2. In a large bowl combine the rice, kale, and tofu. Now, reserving a bit of each for garnish, stir in the olives, garlic, red onion, almonds and olive oil. Now stir in the cottage cheese.
3. In a small bowl whisk together the egg whites, nutritional yeast, and salt.
4. Fold the eggs into the rice mixture and pour into the prepared baking dish. Bake for 30 minutes or until the casserole is set, and the top toasty and golden.
5. Remove from the oven, and sprinkle with remaining onions, olives, and nuts. Sprinkle with a bit more salt before serving - or taste and get a sense of whether you need any.

Balsamic Brussels Sprouts

Balsamic Brussels Sprouts

Recipe courtesy of 28 Cooks

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INGREDIENTS

• 16 oz brussels sprouts
• 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
• 6 cloves garlic
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• salt/pepper to taste
• 1 shallot, chopped
• 4 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 425.
2. Combine brussels sprouts, onion, garlic, and 3 tbsp olive oil.
3. Season with salt and pepper and spread out on a greased cookie sheet. Roast 25-30 minutes until tender.
4. Meanwhile, saute shallot in remaining olive oil over medium-high heat, until tender.
5. Add balsamic vinegar and cook another 3 minutes.
6. Stir in rosemary and pour over brussels sprouts.

Greek Gnocchi

Greek Gnocchi

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INGREDIENTS

• 1 lb. whole wheat gnocchi (DeLallo brand)
• 1 can quartered artichoke hearts in brine, drained
• 6 large black olives, pitted and quartered
• 3 roma tomatoes, pulp removed and chopped
• 2 shallots, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• olive oil spray
• 1 tsp white vinegar
• chives

DIRECTIONS

1. Boil gnocchi according to box instructions.
2. Meanwhile, spray a small skillet with olive oil over medium heat and saute shallots until soft and caramelized. Add garlic and continue to stir.
3. Toss shallot mixture with drained gnocchi. Arrange artichokes, olives, and tomatoes on top. Spray with olive oil and drizzle with vinegar. Snip chives over top with kitchen shears.
4. Serve warm or cold.

Roasted Yams with Spinach and Sauteed Onions

Roasted Yams with Spinach and Sauteed Onions
Recipe courtesy of Baking Obsession

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INGREDIENTS

• About 2 lb yams, peeled, cut into 1-inch cubes (you should get about 4 cups)
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tbsp butter (I used Smart Balance Light)
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 medium onions, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
• 3 garlic cloves, finely diced
• 10 oz frozen spinach, defrosted and squeezed dry
• 1 bunch of scallions, chopped (about 1 ½ cups)
• Pinch of nutmeg
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 400 F.
2. Toss the yams with some olive oil, salt and pepper in a roasting pan.
3. Roast just until tender, about 30 minutes turning them after 20 minute.
4. Meanwhile preheat a sauté pan over medium-high heat.
5. Melt the butter and olive oil, add the sliced white onions and sauté until light golden.
6. Add the garlic, sauté for 1 minute.
7. Then add the spinach, scallions and nutmeg. Sauté stirring for one more minute until the scallions start to wilt.
8. Take the pan off the heat. Add salt and pepper according to your taste.
9. Add the roasted yams.
10. Serve.

DB Pizza Duo

Pizza Crust Recipe and Instructions
Pizza Sauce (minus the anchovy paste)



Caprese Topping

INGREDIENTS

• 2 on-the-vine tomatoes, sliced
• sliced herbed mozzarella
• sliced basil

DIRECTIONS

1. Add sauce to pizza crust.
2. Arrange sliced tomatoes and mozzarella on top.
3. After done cooking, top with basil.

Sausage, Peppers & Onions Topping

INGREDIENTS

• 1 lb. spicy turkey sausage
• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• shredded mozzarella

DIRECTIONS

1. Remove the sausage from its casings and cook it completely in a heavy pan over medium heat. Remove sausage and set aside, reserving about one teaspoon of drippings.
2. Sautee the onion and pepper in the drippings until soft. Add garlic and cook until fragrant.
3. Add sauce to pizza crust.
4. Mix vegetables with sausage and arrange on pizza. Top with mozzarella.

Spaghetti with Sauteed Vegetables

Spaghetti with Sauteed Vegetables

INGREDIENTS

• 1 box DeBoles organic spaghetti (Made with jerusalem artichoke flour)
• 4 large handfuls organic baby carrots, sliced
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• salt and pepper to taste
• olive oil (I used rosemary and garlic-infused oil)
• basil, sliced
• fresh mozzarella, cubed (I used a marinated herb mozzarella)
• 1 container of organic marinara sauce

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat about one tablespoon of olive oil in a large, heavy pot. Add the carrots, bell pepper, and onion, stirring often until soft.
2. Add the garlic, salt, and pepper and stir frequently until fragrant. Cover pot and remove from heat. Let sit.
3. Boil spaghetti and drain. Simultaneously heat marinara in a small saucepan.
4. Assemble: spaghetti, sauce, vegetables, basil, mozzarella.

Deconstructed Sausage, Peppers & Onions

Casings gross me out. I'm sorry if you happen to like the snap of animal intestine to surround your meat, but I always try to nix the casing whenever possible. Thus, this sausage, peppers & onions recipe is a little bit different, almost like a topping. I am sure it would be excellent on an omelet or rice or whatever you love your spicy meat with.


Deconstructed Sausage, Peppers & Onions
Adapted from Everyday Italian

INGREDIENTS

• 1 pound sweet Italian turkey sausage
• 2 bell peppers, sliced
• 2 yellow onions, sliced
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves (I did not have any; substituted to taste with dried basil)
• 4 garlic cloves, chopped
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 cup Marsala wine (I used Guinness beer)
• 1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

DIRECTIONS

1. Remove sausage from casings and heat until almost cooked through over medium heat. Remove from pan and drain if necessary.
2. Keeping the pan over medium heat, add the peppers, onions, salt, and pepper and cook until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add the oregano, basil, and garlic and cook 2 more minutes.
3. Add the tomato paste and stir. Add the beer, tomatoes, and chili flakes, if using. Stir to combine, scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to release all of the browned bits. Bring to a simmer.
4. Add the sausage back to the pan and stir to combine. Cook until the sauce has thickened, about 20 minutes.
5. Serve in bowls, in a roll, over an omelet, etc.

Black Soy Bean Hummus

This is the delicious, protein- and fiber-rich dip that I ate with my Daring Baker vegan crackers. Yummm...

Black Soy Bean Hummus
Adapted from AllRecipes.com

INGREDIENTS

• 1- 15 oz. can black soy beans, drained
• 1- 15 oz. can garbanzo beans, drained
• 1/3 cup tahini
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 cloves garlic, halved

DIRECTIONS

1. Place the soy beans, garbanzo beans, tahini, lemon juice, salt and garlic in a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth.
2. Transfer mixture to a serving bowl.
3. Serve with your favorite accoutrements!

Spiced Sweet Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

Hummus... my love.

Usually. This version wasn't really my thing. I know. I feel like a traitor. But this whole spicy hummus thing was not up my alley. I usually love spicy foods. I like it so hot that my eyes water. Just don't mess with my sweet hummus.

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But, in the hopes that this is your kind of thing, I am posting it. Next time I might use it and just omit the cayenne.

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Spiced Sweet Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

From Allrecipes.com

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INGREDIENTS

• 1 (15 ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained
• 1 (4 ounce) jar roasted red peppers
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 1/2 tablespoons tahini
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
  

DIRECTIONS

1. In an electric blender or food processor, puree the chickpeas, red peppers, lemon juice, tahini, garlic, cumin, cayenne, and salt.
2. Process, using long pulses, until the mixture is fairly smooth, and slightly fluffy. Make sure to scrape the mixture off the sides of the food processor or blender in between pulses.
3. Transfer to a serving bowl and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. (The hummus can be made up to 3 days ahead and refrigerated. Return to room temperature before serving.)
4. Sprinkle the hummus with the chopped parsley before serving.

Aww... look how cute.

Spinach Artichoke Tofu Dip

This is an excellent appetizer or snack. It is full of vegetables, tofu, and calcium. It tastes indulgent, but it's not! Except for the cheese and tofu, this dip can be made completely fat-free! Even with the tofu and cheese, it remains very low in fat. I loved the creamy texture, but next time I may replace the yogurt with more sour cream and throw in some more parmesan. My only reason is that I enjoy a tarter, tangier dip. I would also replace the fresh mozzarella with shredded lowfat; I just needed to use up the fresh before it spoiled.

Spinach Artichoke Dip

Adapted from 101 Cookbooks

INGREDIENTS

• 2 14oz. cans water-packed artichokes
• 1 10oz. package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed free of water
• 4 ounces silken tofu
• 6 cloves garlic
• 1/2 red onion, roughly chopped
• 1/3 cup parmesan cheese
• 1/3 cup lowfat or fat-free sour cream
• 1/3 cup lowfat or fat-free plain yogurt
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 2 bonnoncini of fresh mozzarella, sliced
• extra parmesan for sprinkling on top

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350F degrees.
2. In a blender or food processor puree the artichokes, spinach, onion, tofu, and garlic.
3. In a separate medium bowl whisk together the parmesan cheese, yogurt, sour cream, and salt.
4. Stir in the artichoke puree and pour mixture into a medium-sized baking dish (or multiple smaller dishes).
5. Arrange mozzarella slices on top. Sprinkle the top with more parmesan. Bake uncovered until heated through and the cheese on the top starts to brown, about 45 minutes. For a browner top, place under a broiler on high for 2-3 minutes.
6. Serve with grape tomatoes, sauteed until burst in a tiny amount of sundried tomato oil.
   

Mmm... also, as you notice here, the top of the mozzarella is a bit greasy. Before I served this, I blotted away the oil with a paper towel. If you use reduced fat mozzarella, this should be less of a problem. If you aren't too worried about fat, this would be even more decadent with some toasted pinenuts sprinkled on top. Yum...