Chinese Take-out My Way

The more I write for this blog, the more I realize how picky I really can be when it comes to food. However, I'm usually picky when it comes to unhealthy foods, which is good. Well, unhealthy savory foods, that is... I never did meet a dessert I didn't like.

Well anyway, I'm really not a fan of most American Chinese food. And by "not a fan," I mean that I throw-up, have horrible indigestion or that other digestive upset no one likes to talk about (yeah, I mean the other end.) Or all three of the above. I am not about to blame it on MSG or anything, because while it's not great for you or anything, most studies prove that it really won't give you any adverse side effects, other than maybe dehydration. I think my bad experiences with Chinese food might have something to do with the oils they use, but I'll never really know.

My boyfriend, however, is something of a fanboy for Asian culture, and so he loves Chinese food. So this meal tonight was kind of a favor to him, with a healthier spin on Asian cuisine that I can actually stomach. And yes, some of it is fried, but I only use canola oil for frying, and if you let oil get hot enough when you deep-fry, your food really shouldn't end up saturated with a lot of the oil. Moreover, a little (non-animal) fat is good for you. Everyone hears all that jazz about "good fats" helping to lower cholesterol, which is true if they're consumed in moderation, but the body also needs a little fat to break down fat-soluable nutrients. Which is why you really can't have a diet totally devoid of fat, because your body will be starved of those nutrients, which only makes you feel hungrier, meaning you will eat more.

Yada, yada, yada... here are the recipes:

Crispy Egg Rolls

For the rolls:
½ medium head green cabbage, thinly slices or shredded with core removed
1 carrot, shredded
½ small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1-inch piece fresh ginger, grated
½ c. frozen sweet corn
salt, to taste
2 T. olive oil
2 T. soy sauce (preferably low-sodium)
1 T. cornstarch
6 wonton wrappers (look for vegan ones without eggs, or just use egg roll wrappers if you don't care)
1 T. water
canola oil or olive oil, for frying

For the dipping sauce:
½ c. apricot preserves, strained of any "chunks"
½ T. honey (optional)
1 pinch red pepper flakes (adjust based on how hot you like it)
1 tsp. cider vinegar
1 tsp. rice vinegar
½ tsp. soy sauce (preferably low-sodium)
¼ tsp. garlic powder
¼ tsp. grated fresh ginger

Combine the cabbage, carrots, corn, garlic, onion and ginger in a large bowl. Sprinkle with salt just before you are ready to cook the mixture, or else too much moisture will be drawn out.

In a large pot, heat the olive oil and add the filling mixture. Cook until all of the vegetables begin to wilt significantly, about 5 minutes. Make a slurry by mixing the cornstarch and soy sauce, then pour over the vegetables, stirring well to coat. This will soak up any excess moisture. Add more cornstarch a little at a time if the mixture is still too wet. Remove from the heat.

Begin heating 1-inch of canola oil or olive oil to about 350°F.

Meanwhile, lay out an wonton wrapper with the points facing upward and downward (so it looks more like a diamond than a square.) Place about 2 T. of filling horizontally across the middle. Fold in the two side corners first, then fold the bottom corner up and over the filling. Use the 1 T. water to moisten your fingertips and run them along the edge of the remaining corner. Roll the egg roll upward towards this remaining corner and press the wet corner gently to seal. It sounds confusing, but it's really simple. There should be directions on any package of wrappers you buy anyway. Continue this process until you use up all the filling.

Gently place one roll at a time into the oil, turning once, until golden brown and crisp.

Mix the ingredients for the dipping sauce in a small bowl and serve alongside the warm egg rolls.

Fried Tofu "Nuggets"

1 block firm tofu
2 T. maple syrup
2 T. soy sauce (preferably low-sodium)
¼ tsp. garlic powder
1/8 tsp. chili powder
1/8 tsp. ground ginger
1 pinch red pepper flakes
½ c. flour
1 T. cornstarch
1 tsp. sesame seeds
salt and pepper
canola oil or olive oil (for frying)

Drain the tofu and crumble into large pieces (or cut it into cubes, if you prefer.) Place the tofu into a shallow dish (such as a pie tin or cake pan) and pour the maple syrup, soy sauce, garlic powder, chili powder, red pepper flakes and ginger over the tofu. Make sure the marinade is evenly distributed. Allow to sit and marinate for about 15 - 30 minutes.

On a large plate, mix roughly ½ c. flour, 1 T. cornstarch, 1 tsp. sesame seeds and season with salt and pepper. These proportions might be more or less depending on how much tofu you are preparing, but it doesn't need to be exact. Dredge the tofu crumbles in this mixture, discarding any excess marinade.

Bring about 1-inch of canola oil or olive oil to about 350°F. Carefully drop the tofu into the oil for only about 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until golden brown and crispy on the outside. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside to drain on paper towels. Season lightly with salt, if desired.

Marinated Veggie Salad

1 medium cucumber, peeled (unless using English cucumber) and sliced thinly into half-moons
1 carrot, shredded
3-4 radishes, trimmed and thinly sliced
1 scallion, chopped

3 T. canola oil or olive oil
2 tsp. salt
the juice of 1 lemon
1 T. white wine vinegar or rice vinegar
¼ - ½ tsp. garlic powder
1 pinch Demerara sugar

Prepare all of the vegetables and combine in a bowl. Pour the remaining ingredients over the vegetables and stir well to incorporate. Cover and refrigerate for 30 - 60 minutes.

Notes: The tofu actually wasn't supposed to end up quite like this, but I actually like it better this way. Before using tofu, I always drain the excess moisture out by putting it in a pie dish and putting a skillet on top, then weigh it down with a tea kettle filled with water. Gaining inspiration from Rachael Ray's skillet butterfly chicken method, I decided to try weighing it down with two heavy cans of tomatoes instead, and the weight was just too uneven. It split the tofu block into pieces, yielding these "nuggets" rather than allowing me to cut the block into little cubes, as is the traditional way to fry up tofu. I kind of like it better this way though... Also, I really highly recommend this vegetable salad. It's based on a Christina Pirello recipe, but I left out the daikon (they didn't have any at the supermarket this week, though sometimes they do) and I added a couple extra ingredients. It's excellent for aiding in digestions, as are any vinaigrettes.

Vegan Tortilla Pizza

This recipe is very similar to the Mexican Pizza I recently posted. As I usually do when I am cooking for one, I just turn to whatever I have in my refrigerator and pantry.

I have said it before, and I will say it again because I cannot stress enough how much I do not like cheese. I am the only person I know who really, really hates cheese. I will only eat it in very particular circumstances, and even then I am picky. I usually will eat a slice or two of pizza, provided it's not loaded with an inch of cheese, and I need to let it get to room temperature... I cannot stand that ooey-gooey, stringy thing melted cheese does when it is really hot. Well, with that rant having been said, I do prefer something more like this... a flatbread with sauce, veggies and minimal cheese, if any.

Growing up in the Tri-State area, "pizza" is, for me, synonymous with "thin crust." I do love the flaky, almost pastry-like consistency of Chicago deep-dish pizzas, but it's just not "pizza." But I almost prefer even more a super crispy, almost cracker-thin pizza crust - almost California or Roman style. For this reason, the whole wheat tortilla is a constant stand-by in the kitchen for me for a lot of uses, but almost invariably it turns into some kind of make-shift pizza like this at least once a week.

None of these ingredients are necessary... just use whatever you like or have on hand. And if you like cheese, go for it, but I find that the cannellini beans add a little extra creaminess without all the saturated fat. This makes a super fast and tasty lunch or even a weeknight dinner with salad on the side. Enjoy!

Vegan Tortilla Pizza

1 large whole wheat tortilla
1 small onion, sliced in half-moons
1-2 T. olive oil (or as needed)
sprinkle kosher salt
sprinkle Demerara sugar (can also use another all-natural sugar or all-natural maple syrup)
2 heaping tablespoons homemade or jarred tomato sauce
1½ T. black olives, pitted and roughly chopped (recommended: Kalamata)
½ roasted red pepper (jarred or fresh), chopped
1-2 T. beans (whatever you have on hand; recommended: cannellini)
¼ tsp. vegan Parmesan topping (or real Parmesan cheese)
freshly ground black pepper
1 T. fresh parsley, chopped, or fresh basil, cut in a chiffonade (or both)

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Start by caramelizing the onions: Heat the olive oil in a small skillet or saucepan until it shimmers. (You may also add a pat of maragarine, such as Olivio or Smart Balance, for a more buttery taste.) Add the sliced onion and stir well to coat. Season with salt and pepper and add a light sprinkle of Demerara sugar or a light drizzle of maple syrup to help with the caramelization. Allow to cook over medium heat for about 15 minutes, stirring often, until golden brown.

Meanwhile, spray a cookie sheet with non-stick cooking spray and place the tortilla in the center. Spoon the tomato sauce into the center, then use the back of the spoon to spread it into a thin layer, leaving about ¼-½-inch border. Top with olives, roasted red peppers, beans and, when they are finished, the caramelized onions. Sprinkle lightly with the Parmesan topping and a few grinds of fresh black pepper.

Bake for 10 - 15 minutes, or until the tortilla is crisp.

Sprinkle the pizza with chopped fresh basil or fresh parsley. Slice into quarters and serve.

Makes one serving (one pizza.)

Notes: I used both black and cannellini beans on this pizza because I had quite a few left over from last week when I made Guy Fieri's veggie burger. I can always find ways to use up leftover beans because I love them so much.

Soupe Poireaux et Pommes de Terres

My boyfriend's mother makes a great, easy Potato-Leek Soup, and because she has a severe dairy allergy, she cannot add cream to it. While I appreciate this, W always says he enjoys the creaminess, so I tried to come up with a compromise.

Potato Leek Soup

3 medium leeks
¼ c. olive oil
1 tsp. margarine
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 medium baking or white potatoes (about 2 lbs.), scrubbed, peeled and diced
6 c. low-sodium vegetable stock (or water, but there will be less flavor)
1½ c. plain soy milk
1 tsp. cornstarch (optional)
1½ T. chives, fresh or dried
salt and pepper, to taste

Fill a large bowl with water and set aside. Cut the roots off of the leeks, then make a single slit down the length of the white portion only. Cut the white parts of the leeks perpendicular to this slit and you should get half-moon slices. Separate these pieces well with your fingers and place them in the large bowl filled with water. The grit and sand will sink to the bottom while the leeks will float at the water's surface. Discard the green tops of the leeks, or save them for a vegetable stock. If you plan on using dried chives, at this point you should add them to a small bowl with about 3 T. water to reconstitute them.

Add the olive oil and margarine to a large stock pot over medium-high heat and heat until the butter until it melts and the oil starts to shimmer. Drain the leeks from the water with a slotted spoon and add to the oil and butter. Dump out the water with all the dirt in it; do not try to strain the leeks by pouring it out over a colander or strainer... the dirt will only get back onto the leeks.

Sauté the leeks until softened and translucent, about 3 - 5 minutes, seasoning with salt and pepper. Make a small space on the bottom of the pot for the garlic and sauté it for about 1 minute, or until fragrant. Stir in the diced potatoes and coat them with the oil. Cook them for about 2 minutes, then pour in the stock or water. Lower the heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes, or until the largest pieces of potato easily fall off the end of a knife.

You can leave the soup just like this, and it's delicious, but it's not very close to the traditional potato-leek soup everyone knows and loves. I use an immersion blender right in the pot to blend all the ingredients together.

If you don't have one, allow the mixture to cool slightly and transfer it in batches to a blender or food processor. If you use this method, remember to keep the lid off or cracked open, covered with a kitchen towel, so you don't have a vacuum explosion. Return the soup to the pot to re-warm and continue.

Use 1 or 2 cans of evaporated milk, depending on your preference for creaminess; I used only one. In a small bowl, add the soy milk and cornstarch and stir briskly with a fork or whisk to get the lumps out. Add this mixture to the soup and stir well. Snip in the fresh chives and stir, or drain the reconstituted dried chives and stir in. Season well with salt and pepper.

Ladle into bowls and garnish with any additional chives. I had no baguette left, so to make it easy on myself, I just toasted some regular, sliced whole wheat bread, rubbed it with garlic, drizzled some olive oil on each piece and seasoned lightly with salt and pepper. I love to dunk bread in my soup!



Notes: This is such a fast and simple weeknight meal, and there is nothing bad for you in it, especially considering that traditional recipes call for tons of butter and cream. Leeks have most of the antiseptic, cleansing properties of onions, but they are milder in flavor and easier to digest. They are also good sources of potassium, calcium and Vitamin C. Potatoes are also high in Vitamin C, but these vegetables, unfortunately, lose a lot of their Vitamin C when cooked. Potatoes, however, are also high in potassium, B6 and iron. Although if you wanted to really preserve their nutritional value, you should leave the skins on. Most of the nutrient in potatoes are found right at the border between the flesh and the skin. They have also been proven to help lower cholesterol because they are so high in both soluble and insoluble fiber. It's one thing to avoid eating "French" fries, but I'm finding a lot of diet-crazed friends dodging potatoes at all costs. But in reality, the calories in a potato, as compared to the nutrients they contain, are relatively low. In general, after cutting or slicing potatoes, I tend to give them a good rinse in a colander to remove a lot of their excess starch. And finally, the poor overlooked chive: like parsley, it is high in vitamins A and C due to its deep green color.

On another note, W and I are going out to a very nice restaurant tonight with his parents and grandparents... so I get the night off!

Piccata di Pollo al Limone (Chicken Piccata) with Wilted Spinach and Brussels Sprouts

I have been really excited to try Ina Garten's Chicken Piccata recipe, since I've never had a recipe of hers let me down. I had some leftover thin-cut chicken breasts from earlier in the week, so I figured, why not? Man, there is nothing not to love about this. Fried chicken with lemon sauce? I particularly like that there are no capers in this recipe... we never had capers when I was growing up, so when I started taking an interest in cooking after being out on my own, I remember looking forward to trying capers, thinking I would like them. But I really don't... they have an odd, floral aftertaste. There are lots of foods I dislike more, but they aren't at the top of my list of favorite foods. I do find that Ina is one of those cooks on the Food Network who doesn't sacrifice flavor for health, using butter left and right. So I substituted the butter in this for Olivio, which I think has a nice buttery taste, and used only a thin pat of butter for authenticity (and because it's tasty.) It still came out absolutely delicious.

Alongside I served wilted spinach and Brussels sprouts, which are possibly my favorite vegetable. I know it's a lot of green, but green is good for you! Though I have to say, I buy the baby Brussels sprouts because I think they have a sweeter, more delicate flavor than regular ones. My boyfriend isn't a picky eater by any means, but lima beans and Brussels sprouts were on the top of his list for foods he absolutely refused to eat. That is, until I made Brussels sprouts my way... now he loves them and even asks me to make them with dinner! We're still working on the lima beans... I also like that I can just pop them in the microwave while I'm doing other things on the stovetop, because I hate babysitting 3 different pots on the stove at once.

Wilted Spinach
1 (5-6 oz.) bag baby spinach leaves
1 T. butter or margarine (recommended: Olivio)
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1/4 c. dry white wine (recommended: Chardonnay)
salt and pepper, to taste

Melt the butter or margarine in a large saucepan and add the garlic. Cook for a couple of minutes, then add the spinach leaves, stirring to coat all the leaves. Leave the spinach for a few minutes until the leaves start to wilt down significantly, then add the wine and allow the alcohol to cook off for about a minute. Season with salt and pepper.

Brussels Sprouts
1 (10 oz.) package frozen baby Brussels sprouts
1 T. water
1 T. Dijon mustard
1 T. butter or margarine (recommended: Olivio)
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
salt and pepper, to taste

Place the Brussels sprouts in a microwaveable container along with 1 tablespoon of water. Cover tightly with a lid and microwave on High for 4 minutes. Stir, then return to microwave and cook for an additional 4 minutes. Stir in Dijon, butter/margarine, Italian seasoning and season with salt and pepper.

The Best Veggie Burger Recipe I've Had Yet

I've been looking for a good vegetarian burger for a long time now... I always kind of like the Black Bean Burger at Chili's, but it's pretty high in sodium (as is any of the fare at that kind of restaurant.) I've tried a lot of different veggie burger recipes, with everything in them from lentils, beans, nuts, TVP... and nothing quite did it for me. They were always either bland or too dry and fell apart no matter how many herbs or aromatics I added to the mix. But this recipe from Guy Fieri (who I strongly dislike, but I have to give it to him on this one) is quite good... Guy's whole image really irks me, personally... he's got to be in his late 30s, but he dresses like an unpopular 13-year-old. W really likes his shows, though... he claims Guy Fieri is one of the few representatives of "man food" on TV, and I think he's probably right.

Anyway, I'm going to stick with this particular recipe for a while (PS - egg substitutes work just fine), though I'm sure I will gradually make slight alterations. I already made some adjustments the first time I made it based on my veggie burger-making experiences of the past: I mashed the beans before adding in the rest of the ingredients, I added about a teaspoon or so of low-sodium soy sauce (I'm sure Worcestershire sauce or even liquid smoke would be nice additions too), I used jarred roasted red peppers instead of fresh, and I pulsed the oats in a food processor a few times. I have made burgers with oats in them before, and I don't really like chomping down on big oat flakes in every bite. For this recipe, I also used canned, "no salt added" beans to cut down on the salt, and I let my burgers chill for a few hours rather than just 30 minutes to help them set up. I would also suggest serving these on whole wheat buns over regular burger buns. The preparation is just a little bit of work... nothing too elaborate, but not exactly a quick-fix.

I served these with an off-the-cuff aïoli sauce: roughly ¼ cup vegan mayonnaise, ¼ tsp. ground mustard, the juice of half a lemon, some salt and about a teaspoon (more or less, according to taste) of garlic powder. You could use fresh garlic, which is obviously more traditional, but I didn't have time to chop the garlic before getting the food on the table.

The side dishes I made were an Italian coleslaw (inspired by the sandwiches at Primanti Bros. in Pittburgh, as per W's request) and baked sweet potato "fries." The sweet potatoes are super simple. Cut the sweet potatoes into matchsticks, spread out on a baking sheet, spray with nonstick canola cooking spray, toss with salt and pepper and bake at 450°F for about 30 minutes (tossing every so often), or until crispy. And if you're wondering why they don't look orange, it's because my supermarket only has white sweet potatoes or yams, which won't work as well for this.

And finally, the slaw: W and I don't really care much for mayonnaise-based salads or slaws, so this kind of thing is much more our style. W just took me to Primanti's for the first time a couple of months ago, and I thought I'd hate it. But the indulgent corned beed sandwich I had was pretty delicious, and I really liked the slaw. This is my best shot at recreating it:

Primanti's Style Cole Slaw

1/2 medium head cabbage, shredded or thinly sliced
1 carrot, grated
1/4 c. olive oil or vegetable oil
1/4 c. apple cider vinegar
1/4 c. granulated sugar
1/2 tsp. celery seed
2 tsp. salt (to draw the moisture out of the cabbage), plus more to taste
pepper, to taste

Shred the cabbage and place it in a colander or sieve over a bowl. Sprinkle the salt over the cabbage and let it sit for about 30 minutes or more, gently pressing on it every so often. Discard any water that drains into the bowl. Whisk together the oil, vinegar, sugar, celery seed, pepper and additional salt, if desired. Dress the cabbage with the mixture and stir in the carrots. Refrigerate until ready to serve.




Notes: I am not really a burger lover, but W certainly is, so I've been trying for a while to find something he wouldn't turn his nose up at. He actually liked this recipe, so that makes it a keeper in my book. Roasted or baked potatoes (regular or sweet) will never be lighter-than-air like the trans-fat-laden death sticks at McDonald's, but I think they're a good alternative. And the cole slaw isn't the healthiest, with all the sugar and salt, but it's certainly better than Southern, may0-doused slaw, and I only eat about 2 tablespoons of it per serving. Otherwise, cabbage is great for your health. For someone like me, who gets occassional arthritis pain, it's a fantastic anti-inflammatory. It's also full of vitamins, such as A, C, E and B vitamins, and the lactic acid it contains helps to cleanse your colon. Plus, I think it's just tasty.

Spicy Thai Noodles with Peanut Sauce

Let me preface this entry by saying that I love Thai food. I don't care much for Pad Thai, which seems to be the most popular dish among Americans. I love the dish I prepared today because it tastes just like the peanut sauce you would get with satay chicken in a Thai restaurant. But it's over noodles, and I am a carbohydrate lover through and through. It's super simple to make... not exactly the most authentic, but it does the trick when I get a craving for something like this, instead of going out and spending $10 - 15 at our local Thai joint. Lunch is always the hardest meal of the day for me because it takes me very little to prepare a healthy breakfast, and I usually dedicate most of my day's culinary effort to dinner. But this made for a quick midday meal; it took me more time to boil the water than it did to do anything else!

Spicy Thai Noodles with Peanut Sauce

12 oz. whole wheat spaghetti (most whole wheat pastas come in this size)
2 c. fresh or frozen sugar snap peas
1 c. julienned carrots
2 c. broccoli florets
1 stalk celery, finely chopped (optional)
1/2 c. all-natural peanut butter
1/4 c. soy sauce (preferably low-sodium)
2 T. rice vinegar
2 T. brown sugar
the juice of 1 lime
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
2 scallions, chopped
1-inch piece of ginger, peeled
1/4 c. water, or more as needed
Any other ingredients you enjoy, such as bean sprouts, mushrooms, onion, etc.
A handful of unsalted, roasted peanuts, for garnishing
Additional chopped scallions, for garnishing

Boil a large pot of salted water and cook spaghetti according to package intructions.

Meanwhile, steam the carrots, celery, broccoli and sugar snap peas, either in a steamer basket over boiling water or by placing them in a tightly covered, microwave-safe bowl with 1 T. water for 5 - 7 minutes.

Combine the peanut butter, soy sauce, rice vinegar, brown sugar, lime juice, red pepper flakes, scallions and water in a blender. Grate the piece of ginger over the blender, then blend until smooth. Add more water if the sauce seems too thick.

In the large pot used for cooking the noodles, combine the vegetables and spaghetti, then pour the sauce over it, stirring well to combine.

To serve, garnish with peanuts and chopped scallions. (To roast the peanuts, place them in a dry pan over low heat for about 2 minutes, or until fragrant. Be careful not to burn them.)

Makes 6 servings.


Notes: There are usually a lot of healthy ingredients in Eastern cooking, and this is no exception. Veggies aside, ginger is so great for you. It cleanses almost every part of your body - namely the digestive tract and the bloodstream - and has been proven to help lower cholesterol. The spiciness attributed to the red pepper flakes is also great for jump starting metabolism, so when you can, add as much spice to your food as you can stand! Now, while most traditional Asian food is quite healthy by most standards, Thai food is distinctly a little richer (which is what makes it so tasty.) They often use ingredients high in calories and fat, such as peanuts and coconut. So if you are diet-crazed, you might be thinking, "But this has peanut butter in it!"
Yes, good ol' PB is high in calories and saturated fat, but in moderation, it has some good health benefits. It's never a good idea to cut anything natural (although synthetic ingredients are okay to forego), so having a completely fat-free diet really isn't ideal. Lots of healthy vitamins are fat-soluable in our bodies... meaning we need a little fat sometimes in order to process them... but the key word is a little. That said, most of the fat in peanut butter is monousaturated (if you buy natural... the processed stuff usually has trans-fats.) I'm sure if you watch the Food Network, you hear all these ladies who cannot cook without butter and oil, etc. talk about "good fats" and "bad fats." Well, fat is fat, and it's high in calories no matter how you cut it. Sorry, there is just no way around that. Some fats are not as bad for you, and monounsaturated fats can even help lower your "bad cholesterol," but it is still fat. And if you don't exercise or exert yourself enough to use up those calories, it's going to turn into fat on your rear end. You'd think drinking a cup of olive oil for breakfast every day would make you skinny or something if you listened to Rachael Ray yammer on about it. I have literally heard her say something like, "Have as much of it [olive oil] as you want... it's the good kind!" Idiot...
So while peanuts are high in the kind of fat that is not as bad for you and generally helps reduce the amount of bad lipids in your bloodstream, it's still something to be eaten in moderation. The general serving size for nut butters is usually 2 tablespoons. The way this dish works out, there is 1⅓ tablespoons in each serving. It's high in fiber, since it uses whole grain pasta, 2 servings of vegetables per serving and contains peanuts, which are high in fiber. Peanuts are also great sources of vitamins E and B3 (niacin) and, being legumes, they area great source of protein. So all in all, this is a satisfying and healthy meal.

La Pizza Messicana (La Pizza Mexicana)

The bee-eff (who I will refer to simply as "W") is at a dinner engagement tonight, so that left me eating on my own tonight. And, as I usually do when I am only cooking for one, I turned to my pantry staples. I am an avid lover of jalapenos, so I buy them every week at the supermarket and always find a use for them. Other than that, the ingredients are likely something that the average person might have on hand. I did actually have some leftover Pepperjack cheese in the refigerator, but I am not at all a fan of cheese, so I left it off of mine. I imagine that, for those who do enjoy cheese, it would be a great addition. I have made this before for W before in the past, so the recipe as given below is perfect for two individual pizzas.

Mexican Tortilla Pizza

2 large whole wheat or whole grain tortillas
2 – 3 medium yellow onions, sliced
Oil (olive or canola)
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 (15 oz.) can black beans, rinsed and drained (look for "No Salt Added" varieties)½ c. vegetable stock or water
½ tsp. ground cumin
½ tsp. ground coriander
¼ tsp. garlic powder
¼ tsp. onion powder
¼ tsp. chipotle chile powder
¼ tsp. adobo seasoning
2 – 3 T. jarred or fresh salsa
2 – 3 jalapeños or Anaheim chile peppers, sliced
1 tomato, diced
2 T. grated soy nacho-style cheese (optional)
2 T. grated soy Cheddar cheese (optional)
1 T. fresh cilantro or parsley, chopped

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Begin by caramelizing the onions: In a medium skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat.  Add the onions and stir well to coat each piece in the oil.  Spread the onions out as much as possible so that each piece makes contact with the pan. Sprinkle in a pinch of sugar and season well with salt and pepper. Reduce heat to medium and allow onions to cook slowly for 15-20 minutes, or until golden to light brown in color. Be sure to stir the onions in a few minute intervals to prevent sticking.

Meanwhile, combine the beans and vegetable stock in a medium saucepan. Stir in the spices and salsa. Season with salt and pepper, if desired. Cover and bring to a boil. Remove lid and simmer until the beans are softened and most of the liquid has reduced. Mash with a potato masher, or transfer to a food processor and pulse until the mixture is smooth and spreadable but still slightly chunky.

Place the tortillas on a large, ungreased baking sheet and pre-bake for about 5 minutes.  Remove and carefully spread the bean mixture onto each tortilla (you may have some left over), leaving about ½-inch border around the edges. Top each pizza with diced tomato, sliced jalapeños, caramelized onions, and any other “Tex-Mex” toppings you prefer.

Bake for 10 minutes, or until the soy cheese has melted, the tortilla is crispy and the jalapeños and tomatoes have started to soften slightly. Garnish with cilantro or parsley. Slice each tortilla into quarters and serve.

Makes two servings.



Notes: The first time I made this, I used a blend of soy jalapeno cheddar cheese and just a little bit of real pepper jack. However, the only soy cheddar product available to me at my supermarket was Galaxy Nutritional’s Veggie Slices, which look like American cheese and are more geared toward sandwiches. Consequently, the cheese melted as it would on an ooey-gooey grilled cheese sandwich and never took on a “pizza cheese” consistency. Some people who love melty cheese might prefer this, but I am not a cheese lover. Not to mention the hassle of chopping those slices into bits to simulate grated cheddar. Since then, I use the real thing on W's pizza but only sparingly (about 1 - 2 T. of the cheese blend total.) He loves cheese, as would most Americans, I would say, but sometimes I find it very excessive. A little bit goes a long way, but always be mindful of how much real cheese you use. For example, one cubic inch of pepper jack cheese contains one third of your daily recommended saturated fat! If I'm going to get that much saturated fat from a dairy product, you'd better believe it's going to be chocolate. :-)

Salsa di Pomodoro (Tomato Sauce)

I must admit, I am not the biggest fan of fresh tomatoes. I find them delicious sundried, roasted, made into a soup and lots of other ways. But I omit them from my salads and sandwiches, personally... I also get the occassional signs of some mild arthritis in my knuckles and hips, so I eat from the nightshade family as sparingly as possible. Anyway, growing up, I absolutely hated tomato sauce. I am still rather picky about tomato sauce, and I discovered later in life that I prefer a more "Italian-American" version over a very simple, traditional marinara sauce which often includes little more than crushed tomatoes and maybe some garlic, salt and pepper. I just can't have tomato sauce without basil, for starters, and I do tend to like it a little on the sweeter side.

As I have said before, I always keep some of this sauce on hand because it's simple to make in a large batch, it saves really well, and I rely on it for pizzas, pastas, last-minute vegetable broths and lots of other dishes pretty often. It's a little more labor-intensive than just sauteeing some crushed garlic and dumping some crushed tomatoes into a pan, but I think it's well worth it.

La Mia Salsa di Pomodoro

1 head of garlic, halved horizontally

2 – 3 T. olive oil
2 small-medium onions, roughly chopped
2 carrots, peeled and roughly chopped (or a handful of baby carrots)
1 stalk of celery, roughly chopped
1 (6 oz.) can tomato paste
¼ - ½ tsp. dried red pepper flakes (or to taste)
1 c. white wine, or more if needed (such as Chardonnay)
2 – 3 tsp. organic cane sugar
3 T. parsley flakes
3 tsp. dried basil
2 tsp. dried oregano
¼ tsp. dried thyme
1 – 2 T. vegan soy Parmesan topping
1 (28 oz.) can tomato puree
1 (28-oz.) can tomato sauce
¼ tsp. onion powder
¼ - ½ tsp. garlic powder
2 bay leaves
1 – 2 c. filtered water
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Preheat the oven or a toaster oven to 400°F. Place the halved head of garlic on a sheet of foil. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Roast for 30-40 minutes, or until the cloves are tender and golden. Remove from the oven and set aside.


Roughly chop the onion and add it to the food processor for a few seconds until it is very finely chopped, almost a paste. Add to the 2-3 T. olive oil, season with salt and pepper and allow to cook for about 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, add the roughly chopped carrot and celery to the processor and let run until finely minced. Add the mixture to the pot as well, and sauté the vegetables for 4-5 minutes, or until softened. Season with salt and pepper.

Add the tomato paste and stir until well incorporated with the vegetables. Allow to cook 1-2 minutes, or until it smells sweet. Season again with salt and pepper. Make a space for the red pepper flakes and toast them lightly for a minute. Squeeze the roasted garlic cloves out of their papers and into the pot, smashing them with the back of a spoon. Cook for no more than 1 minute.

Deglaze the pan with the white wine and cook until the liquid had reduced. Then add the sugar to the mixture and stir well. Allow sugar to caramelize for about 1 minute. Add the dried herbs (parsley, basil, oregano, thyme.) Sprinkle in the vegan Parmesan topping. Pour in the tomato puree and tomato sauce and stir very well. Add onion powder and garlic powder and stir. Add 1 more teaspoon of sugar if necessary. Also adjust seasonings if needed, including salt and pepper. Add the bay leaves and water and stir. Cover and reduce the heat to low. Simmer for at least 2 hours, stirring often.

Notes: I know, it's not the freshest recipe in the world, but if you use good quality canned tomatoes, like San Marzano, and avoid canned products that have extra sodium added, you can avoid some of the preservatives.

Also, I only recently altered this recipe from the original, which used pancetta and real Parmesan cheese. You could use soy bacon is, of course, but it's not as authentic.  I just leave it all out, personally.  But if you are not vegetarian and can afford a little indulgence in your diet, by all means, try it with about 1/8 lb. pancetta sauteed before the onion.

Every time I make this (and I make it a lot), I am never exact with my seasonings... these measurements are my best estimate of the amounts I use when I play around with "a little of this, a little of that" according to my taste. So you can use these as guidelines, but always follow your own tastebuds.

A Super Easy, Cozy Vegan Meal

Just thought I would share last night's dinner with everyone, since that's what I aim to do here. Even if people rarely stumble across this page, I'd like to at least put some tasty and easy recipes out there for the taking.

Last evening was one of those nights where I had all kinds of produce left over in the fridge, so I was feeling inspired. Now that I've become more or less vegetarian, it's so much easier to come up with off-the-cuff meals that I formerly would have viewed as "just side dishes," but in combination with one another, they make a feast in and of themselves.

This was also easy because everything was popped in the oven and ready to eat with very little prep work. Roasting is just my absolute favorite way to cook anything; not only does it develop rich, deep flavors in most any food, but it's so simple and non-labor intensive, and it makes the whole house warm and cozy. (Of course today we had freakishly warm, summer-like weather, so I'm glad I did this last night!) A short re-cap of what we ate: roasted beets, sautéd beet greens, roasted onions (sounds odd, I know, but they are so delicious!) and some little baked snacks I made from leftover zucchini.

Roasted Beets

3 medium-sized beets, rinsed and pat dry (reserve greens)
1 carrot, roughly chopped – OR 1 handful baby carrots, cut in half on a bias
3 T. olive oil
2 T. balsamic vinegar
1 tsp. honey (optional)
Salt and pepper, to taste

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking pan or cake pan with foil.

Remove the stems and tip from the beets. Wearing latex gloves, peel the beets and cut into bite-sized pieces. (Alternately, you may leave the beets whole and the skins intact, and they will peel off easily when they are cooked, but I find that it's easier to infuse them with flavor with the flesh exposed. If you've worked with raw beets before, you know how badly they stain everything they touch, so some people prefer this method.)
Combine olive oil and balsamic vinegar in a bowl. Pour over the beets and toss well to coat. Sprinkle vegetables with salt and pepper. Drizzle lightly with honey.

Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, stirring once halfway.


Beet Greens

Greens from 3 beets
1 – 2 T. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
¼ tsp. red pepper flakes
1 T. red wine vinegar
Salt and pepper, to taste
½ tsp. butter or margarine, optional (recommended: Olivio)

Thoroughly wash the greens of all dirt and wring out as much moisture as possible. Discard any leaves that look like they have seen better days, such as those that are faded or have bug-eaten holes. Roughly chop, removing thick stems.

Heat the oil in a medium skillet and add the garlic. Cook for about 45 seconds, then add the red pepper flakes, toasting them lightly. Add in the greens (if they are wet, they may spit oil) and sauté for a few minutes, or until wilted and the garlic is toasted and nutty. Season with salt and pepper. Add the red wine vinegar and allow to cook for about 30 seconds. Stir in butter or Olivio (margarine) just before serving.

Makes about two servings.

For the roasted onions, I used an Ina Garten recipe, and I wouldn't change a thing about it. It's so delicious!

And finally, the zucchini. Man, I love zucchini. They are so versatile and filling, yet one medium zucchini has only about 25 calories in the whole thing! Some of my favorite diner fare has always been fried zucchini sticks, and this is a healthier version.

To make them, I sliced the zucchini to about 1/2 - 1/4-inch thickness. Toss them in a small amount of olive oil, or spray them with canola oil cooking spray. Combine equal parts plain dried bread crumbs and soy Parmesan cheese topping (such as Galaxy Nutritional's Grated Topping), then season with a little salt, fresh black pepper and dried basil. Toss the zucchini in this mixture, coating them well. Then lay out in a single layer on a baking sheet that you have sprayed with nonstick cooking spray or lightly brushed with olive oil. Since I made these just after everything else, I bumped the temperature of my oven from 400°F to 450°F, but you can play with the temperature and it will all work out fine. Bake the zucchini for about 30 minutes or until crispy and golden.

So I just popped a few trays in the oven and did a quick sauté on the stovetop for about 5 minutes. And as easy as that, I had dinner ready in no time!

Notes: When I take my beets home, I wash and dry them thoroughly. I store them in a zip-top bag with lots of paper towels until I am ready to use them. If you plan to roast them, DO NOT rinse them again... any added moisture will make them steam instead of roast, and you will miss out on that sweet, caramelized flavor. All of the benefits of beets are not known, but it has long been thought to be a blood detoxifier, and they are purported to be a great cancer preventatives due to its high concentrations of antioxidants.

An Introduction of Sorts

Ah, the first post. I have blogged before, but they were all angsty expressions of a teen aged emotional wreck. I am hoping to do something a bit different here, now that I'm a little more on in years...

It's hard to know what to do with an initial blog post, so I am just going to state what I hope to do with this here web log thingy. I love to cook, and more specifically, I love to cook healthy food. As a recent and unemployed college grad, I have a lot of time on my hands, and I spend most of it in my kitchen. Cooking not only makes me feel cozy and "at home," but depending on what I prepare for myself, I find it also often cures me of whatever is ailing me.

So here is my background: I am 22 and a recent college graduate. Like most students, I ate horribly (which can be hard to avoid living in dorms) and drank a lot. Between sitting in classes, sitting in front of the computer doing schoolwork, sitting on a bus to get to and from classes and taking many naps throughout the week, I was almost always sedentary. So upon graduating, I kicked myself for having let myself gain those extra few pounds around the middle. I was also first diagnosed with high cholesterol at the age of 12 (a great genetic trait inherited from my mother) but allowed it to go unchecked for years.

Until, that is, about a year ago when my doctor decided something should be done. She advised me against foods high in saturated fat, handing me a list of foods I should stop eating before a reevaluation. But seeing as I already hate most of the foods hypolipidemia patients are urged to avoid (cow milk, cheese, sour cream, cream cheese, shrimp, lobster and more) and I really don't care for red meat or cooking with butter, only a couple of culprits sprang to mind. Was it possible that my very occasional trip to Coldstone Creamery and Wendy's were doing me in? So after 4 months of no real dietary changes, my doctor (who is since no longer my doctor) put me on the drug Zetia to “safely” reduce my LDL levels. Well, not to mention the horrible diarrhea, stomach pain, heartburn and other side effects it gave me, Zetia is a new drug and has not been tested for long-term effects in people who take it. But of course my doctor insisted I stay on it, even though every other doctor or specialist I visited (the doctor at my college clinic, my OB-GYN, nurses in the E.R., even the pharmacist who filled my prescriptions) all gasped in horror and surprise to hear a 22-year-old young woman was on such a potent, untested drug. They all urged me to stop taking it, but my doctor was unrelenting. To be fair, it did take my cholesterol level down from 276 to 213 in about 6 months, but I still hated feeling like I needed to be on such serious medication at my age. Fed up and without consulting a doctor first (which my have been rash, but oh well) I just stopped taking it and felt all the better for it. Finally I switched doctors and got the “all-clear” to dump the rest of my Zetia pills in the trash where they belong. Good riddance.

That still didn’t fix the fact that I was 22 with high cholesterol. When my blood work was done by my new physician, my levels had shot back up to 265 after a mere 3 months or so off of Zetia. At that point, I still hadn’t really made any changes to my college lifestyle. Now I cook myself a mostly vegan diet with lots of fiber and vitamins, and I exercise 20 minutes every day. I've even made my cleaning regime into a workout routine.

Now, I am by no means a registered dietitian, but I am a good cook, and I have improved my own health through simple changes in what I eat. If anything, I would like to at least post a recipe every so often in the hope of sharing tasty, easy and healthy recipes with both my fellow fans of the culinary arts, as well as those who are more inclined to be gourmand than gourmet but just want an easy meal to prepare.

Here is one I made the other week, just to get the ball rolling:

Vegan Stuffed Shells

For the tofu 'ricotta': (inspired by PostPunk Kitchen's Isa)

1/2 lb. firm tofu
the juice of half a lemon
1 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp. garlic powder (or 1 small clove of garlic, minced)
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp. dried basil (or a few fresh leaves, if available)
salt and pepper, to taste
a light drizzle of organic honey

Place the tofu in a clean kitchen towel and wring out the moisture over a bowel. When you are done, it should look like the consistency of ricotta. Mix in the remaining ingredients and set aside. (This can be done a day or so in advance.)


For the stuffed shells:

6 oz. or about 1/2 a package of jumbo pasta shells (whole grain, if you can find it, otherwise regular semolina pasta works)
1 T. olive oil
5 - 6 slices soy bacon (such as Smart Bacon), roughly chopped
1 recipe tofu ricotta
1 (10 oz.) package of frozen spinach, thawed in the microwave
1/4 c. soy Parmesan cheese (such as Galaxy Nutritional's Grated Topping)
salt, to taste
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 pinch nutmeg (freshly grated, if available)


Preheat the oven to 375°F.

Boil water for the pasta shells and follow package directions for cooking time.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a medium skillet and cook soy bacon until crispy. Because soy meat-substitutes are usually lower in fat than real bacon and other meats, you may have to add more oil to the pan to prevent sticking. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.

In a large bowl, mix the tofu 'ricotta' with the soy bacon, spinach, Parmesan and nutmeg. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

When the pasta shells are cool enough to handle, stuff them with the mixture and place in a casserole dish that has been lightly coated with non-stick cooking spray or brushed with olive oil.


For the sauce:

1 T. butter or margarine (recommended: Olivio)
1 clove garlic, minced
1 pinch red pepper flakes (optional)
1 T. unbleached, all-purpose flour
1 c. plain soy milk
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 T. soy Parmesan-style topping
1 T. fresh parsley, chopped


In the same skillet used for the bacon, melt the margarine. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes, and cook for about 30 seconds, or until fragrant. Sprinkle in the flour and whisk to combine, allowing the mixture to cook for about 1 minute. Then, slowly pour in the soy milk, whisking vigorously to prevent any lumps. Season with salt and black pepper. Stir in the soy Parmesan topping and parsley, and mix well to combine.


Pour the sauce over the shells. I also like to top the shells with a dollop of my homemade tomato sauce (which I will post at a later date) because I always have it on hand. Sprinkle the tops with a bit of fresh parsley and additional soy Parmesan cheese topping.


Cover and bake for 20 - 30 minutes, or until the shells just start to turn golden.

O
f course, this can all be prepared and assembled days in advance and baked off as needed. That's what's so great about casseroles. I hope anyone who tries this will enjoy it!




Notes: Typing this whole thing out, this probably seems really labor-intensive, but it's really not. A lot of it can be done ahead of time, or in stages, and none of it is particularly difficult to prepare.


Of course, if you prefer, you can use lowfat ricotta cheese for this recipe, but you'll miss out on all the protein and goodness of tofu! It's a great, versatile recipe for all kinds of Italian classics without any of the saturated fat. Also, I used to use a small amount of pancetta instead of the soy bacon, so if you're not afraid of a little animal fat once in a while, feel free to substitute. However, even though soy substitutes are a great alternative sometimes, they are still often high in preservatives and sodium, so they should be eaten in moderation. I, personally, don't really like red meat that much, so I don't miss it and, therefore, rarely seek substitutes for it, such as Boca Burgers. Bacon is, I must admit, my Achilles' Heel... ham is too. So I will occassionally induge in a Smart Deli Ham sandwich, but I try to limit myself to times when I really get that craving for a salty pork product. These products are not intended to be consumed on a daily basis but, rather, when you feel that occassional nostalgia for less-healthy meat versions.