Zucchini steaks

While camping in my good pals back yard this summer (don’t laugh till you see the pics) he picked what may be the most gigantic zucchini I’ve ever cooked.

This recipe is simple and tasty without too many calories. In fact, it’s pretty much Bikini Competition friendly though, I didn’t weigh it out so I can’t give you exact quantities/cals this time – sorry, I was a hungry bear!

I am recommending spray seasonings as they are far easier to NOT overdose on unlike bottled varieties. The application is also far more simple in a large recipe setting.

Ingredients: 

1 gigantic zucchini or a few medium sized friends.

6 small tomatoes diced or sliced

2 tbsp fresh oregano

2 tbsp shredded parmesano reggiano or Vegan Parma

Balsamic vinegar (spray type if you have it)

Braggs liquid aminos (spray type if you have it)

Himalayan sea salt

Hot chilli flakes

Method: 

Slice zucchini into 1.5-2″ “steaks”. Place in large bowl tossing with a few pinches of sea salt and chilli flakes. Allow to sit for at least one hour to draw out some of the water in the vegetable. You will notice there will be a pool of water at the bottom of the plate/bowl you have rested them in.

Fire up the BBQ and let warm on high for 5 minutes. Reduce to medium heat.

Place “steaks” on BBQ and allow to cook for 8-10 minutes per side, rotating at approx. the 2.5 minute mark – as you would a steak to get the perfect grill marks.

Spritz each side with one quick shot of Braggs while cooking.

Remove from heat once grilled.

Top first with parmesan / vegan parma , then tomato, then oregano and a spritz of balsamic to each one to top.

Serve warm with freshly ground pepper if desired.

I plated this with a marinated pickled beet salad, my killer breaded cauliflower and a couple of Field Roast Apple Sage links. 

The large zuc I am holding in the picture will serve 4 adults at least. If you reduce this recipe to a couple mediums this will serve 2 with no side dish.

Doukhobor Zuchinni time!

Watermelon salad

I threw this recipe together in a matter of minutes armed with the challenge to continue eating six to seven 2-300 calorie meals per day in preparation for a fitness competition. Somehow, I forgot to take a snapshot…so I had some fun with this classic guy.

This recipe  is a compilation of all remnants from my fridge and I hope you enjoy it!

Ingredients: 

J100 g fresh Watermelon

100 g chopped Avocado

85 grams extra  firm Tofu chopped – toast this in a pan or leave raw ( I left raw in this recipe)

Optional – 15g crumbled Boursin garlic cheese

30g toasted pumpkin seeds

.5 tbsp Mint leaves chopped

1/2 tsp balsamic vinegar

Method: 

On stove-top lightly toast pumpkin seeds until browned.

Chop all ingredients and layer watermelon, avocado and tofu. Top with remaining ingredients and serve.

Warning – works out FAR better if you layer rather than try to toss everything – I tried both ways and layering is definitely the way to go for flavour and presentation.

Nutritional Info: 

537 Calories

41.2 gms fat

23.9 carbs

23.9 Protein

Pear & Arugula Salad

Health of the Irish to you!

After being abroad where FRESH leafy greens are the hottest commodity around, I felt like I needed to up my ruffage. As luck would have it it’s also St. Patricks day.

I created a nearly 100% green salad with just a few ingredients which I have given some ideas of how to interchange to suit your pantry.

Zippy, salty and with just enough crunch, this is a perfect base camp salad from where you can choose a tonne of flavourful paths.

Ingredients: 

1 pear sliced

5 dates pitted and chopped (try raisins or apricots if you have no dates)

2 cups green kale, torn

2 cups arugula

1 cup pea shoots, chopped

1 green onion diced

1/2 cup pumpkin seeds, roasted on the stovetop

1/4 cup asiago or crumbled goat cheese – or none

Dressing:

2 tbsp red wine vinegar

2 tbsp grape seed oil

3.5 tbsp grainy, german or dijon mustard

Salt to taste

Pepper to taste

I picked up some fantastic chili salt in Vienna in January which I used and LOVED.

Method:

Combine all ingredients, toss with dressing and top with cheese and pumpkin seeds.

Serves 2 as a meal, 4 as a side.

Vegetarian Naan Pizza in 15 minutes

A meal on the fly.

It was another one of those nights when you get home to “nothing” in the fridge or cupboards. I remembered (luckily) that I had a couple of frozen balls of naan bread dough in the freezer & with our recent local and organic fresh food order, we had PIZZA!

By far, Pizza  has to be our favourite fast food meal and if done right, isn’t unhealthy in the least. I opt out of any type of traditional pizza sauce with this one so that the flavour of the bread can be enjoyed.

Enjoy this one.

Ingredients:

1 small yam grated

1 cup spinach packed

1 tomato diced

1.5 cups broccoli florets

1 cup cheese or cheeselike product shredded

1/2 red pepper sliced

1 jalepeno cut into small rings

Naan – enough to roll into a 8-10 inch thin crust for pizza. Follow THIS RECIPE for my homemade Garlic Naan.

Method:

Preheat oven to 500 degrees and let run at this temp while prepping.

Roll out Naan dough on floured surface until SUPER thin.

Layer all ingredients however you wish onto naan. Top with cheese OR top with cheese and finish with jalepenos in case they are too hot for you. This way, the cheese absorbs some flavour and you can still pick off the hot bits before chowing down.

Place on baking sheet or pizza sheet or pre-heated pizza stone.

Cook in oven for 5-7 minutes or until edges begin to brown.

Enjoy.

Serves 2 starving adults or can be sliced up into small squares as an appy.

Health tips: 

Broccoli – full of iron & vitamin Common cold killer.

Spinach – loaded with protein, high in potassium and magnesium. Great for Veg-heads.

Best ever vegetarian nachos

 

Alright, so Nachos aren’t the most difficult thing on earth to create – this I know. In my world, GOOD “chos” however, need to be grease-free, hot, not too cheesy and full of nutrition. Here’s how you get some good protein and vitamins into a yummy snack. I’ll be honest. The day I made these it was lunch!

 

Ingredients:

1/2 bag organic corn tortilla chips

1/2 cup mozzarella cheese shredded

1/2 cup old cheddar cheese shredded

(*sub in DAIYA for real cheese!*)

1/2 green pepper diced

1 medium tomato diced

1/2 red onion diced

1/3 cup pickled jalapeno peppers

1 can organic black beans

Method:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Layer ingredients on baking as follows:

Handful chips, mix of 2 cheeses, handful of beans, sprinkling of red onion, sprinkling of green pepper, sprinkling of tomato. Repeat twice.

Place in oven and bake for 15 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Switch to broil for 5 minutes to brown cheese.

 

Serves 3-4 adults.

 

Serve with HOMEMADE Guacamole and Salsa! Links below:

 

Chickpeas – From south of the border

 

Easy, quick and delish.

This recipe is a favourite of mine for several reasons:

1- you can freeze it

2 – it’s UBER versatile

3 – summer or winter – it’s good

4 – easily packed

5 – cleanse friendly

6 – it’s spicy – or not

7 – blah blah blah – it’s protein packed

I could go on and on but this really is one of my more desired ways to prepare and consume chickpeas. Especially lately because I’ve been eating a whole tonne of them for no apparent reason! You CAN get Garbanzoed out, especially if you don’t eat meat.

You will need a slow cooker or a whole day (at least) at home for this one to turn out really well. I believe firmly that robust taste needs to settle in over night. I am serving it up “mexi-style” in this recipe but once you have the method down the flavours are easily interchangeable.

Ingredients: 

2 cans or 2 cans worth of soaked garbanzo beans

1/3 cup of your fave hot sauce ( I like Franks or sriracha)

3/4 cup veggie broth – try my easy at home recipe HERE

3 med-large onions diced

2 med tomatoes chopped

5 cloves garlic

2 tsp your fave oil that can be heated healthfully (avocado/grape seed)

1/2 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp paprika

1/2 pinch garlic salt

1/4 tsp celtic/himalayan salt

1/2 tsp fresh cracked pepper

*Optional 1/2 can of black beans/soaked favourite bean if you’re not super “tooty”.

Toppings: 

Lettuce, tomato, cilantro, green onion, cheese if you do cheese, nutritional yeast to sub cheese, sliced avocado.

*I opted to process some avocado with some apple cider vinegar and a hint of veganaise.*

Method:

Place all “non topping” ingredients in slow cooker on high for 4 hours, reduce to low for another 6 hours. Approximately 1.5 hours before serving, turn over to simmer setting and allow to simmer until serving. Check on your liquid levels after the first 6 hours or if you know your crockpot is temperamental.

For stovetop, use med-high and medium settings.

Serve – in taco shells, as wraps/burittos/as a chili or stew as a side. Play with different spices (curry??) to make a whole new meal of it.

Blend and freeze for a great soup base!

This served the two of us gorging until it was all gone.

 

 

 

Raw Vegan mushroom burgers with cashew cheese

I have to say that this recipe is by far, one of the easiest and most tasty for raw vegan fare. This makes it completely approachable and very rewarding. 

A few tips before you start: 

Be sure that you start this recipe with a few hours to spare for marinating and dehydrating!! Nothing worse than getting stoked to make something only to realize there is a time crunch that will leave your meal tasting less than stellar. 

Do not over salt your mushrooms and make sure that they are nice and plump so they don’t turn into hard disks in the process. 

Most of all, have fun and treat your body well.

Ingredients:

Burger

4 portobello mushroom caps

2.5 tbsp grape seed oil

2 tbsp namashoyu or low sodium soy sauce

Dress with lettuce, tomato, sauerkraut, kale or whatever else comes to mind. 

Cashew Cheese – click this link for a cashew cheese recipe that’s pretty great. 

Method: 

Clean off mushrooms and remove stem. Mix oil and soy sauce in bowl, coat mushroom caps & continue to stir every 30 minutes or so for a few hours to coat and marinate. 

Place mushrooms in dehydrator on live food setting and dehydrate for 3-4 hours. You can opt for oven baking at it’s lowest temperature if you do not have a dehydrator. 

Remove from dehydrator & put together all toppings and cheese to serve as a burger. 

Enjoy quickly and while still warm for best flavour. 

Serves 2. 

Raw Vegan Cashew Cheese

This recipe is a great place to start for people venturing into the raw unknown. Raw cheeses are not generally that difficult to make where rejuvelac isn’t a factor. This quick and fun recipe will give you a flair for the creative. 

You can serve this with pretty much anything. I like it with pickles and crackers and a little zest. 

Ingredients:

2 cups cashews – soaked for at least 2 hours

2 tbsp miso

1/2 cup nutritional yeast

4 cloves garlic

3 tbsp lemon juice 

1/2 tsp Himalayan sea salt

1/2 tsp freshly cracked pepper

1/2 cup water if needed

Method: 

Place all ingredients with the exception of water in food processor. Combine with pulse until creamy texture is achieved. If you didn’t soak your nuts, you’ll definitely need water. 

Spicing it up:

Think about some cool additions like: herbs de provence, mexican mix, garam masala, fresh diced jalepenos, chopped cranberries etc…

Form into a ball or brick, or use a miniature spring form pan to create a round of cheese. Refrigerate for at least 2-3 hours to reach harder consistency. 

Enjoy!