B'tay Avon!

One of my favorite parts of living in Israel was the food - fresh hot pita from the bakery, savory juicy shwarma carved right in front of you, creamy hummus at every meal and crispy falafel covered in tahini sauce and salads/veggies. I've tried to recreate as many of those foods as I can on my own, and when I can't, I simply head over to any local Middle Eastern restaurant and indulge my craving. 

Since I've been on this Standard Elimination Diet (SED); however, it's not that simple. I can't eat anything from a restaurant, on the off-chance that it's been contaminated by something that will cause me to flare. Usually, I've found that nightshades are the culprit, as paprika, red pepper flakes, and cayenne are used very often as a spice...especially in falafel. Who knew!? 

I did find a recipe, though, that allowed me to adapt falafel to my SED, and when I paired it with some homemade hummus (coming in another post) and tahini sauce, it really hit the spot. Now, it's definitely nowhere near as good as my favorite falafel stand in the middle of Mahane Yehuda market in Jerusalem (chetzi eish t'nor em chips, hummus, tahini, v'kol h'salateem, b'vakasha!) but it was pretty dang good. Even the threenager liked it - never mind the fact that we had to agree that it was a Spongebob crabby patty. He ate it, and that's what counts! 

 

Falafel Burger 

adapted from Healthy Girl's Kitchen 

Ingredients: 

2-3 large garlic cloves
Packed ½ cup fresh parsley
Packed ½ cup fresh cilantro
½ cup scallions, rough chopped
2 14.5 ounce cans chickpeas  rinsed and drained-reserving at least 2 TBS of the liquid
1 cup rolled oats (I used flaxseed meal for allergies, which worked nicely!)
2 ½ TBS fresh lemon juice
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 ½ tsp ground coriander
1 tsp salt (I would leave this out, as it made it too salty)
¼ tsp pepper

Optional: red pepper flakes for heat 

Instructions: 

Using your food processor, chop garlic, parsley, cilantro and scallions until fine.

Add in everything else, and process, but be careful not to over process into a paste. It's good for their to be texture differences, but yet you want it to be able to hold patty forms. If it's too dry, add in a little bit of the reserved chickpea liquid.

Transfer the mixture into a bowl and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Heat a nonstick skillet on medium-high until hot, and form patties while you wait. You can either dry fry them until crispy, or use a little bit of EVOO. Place patties into the pan and cook for about 5 minutes per side, until browned.

Notes: Veggie burgers can be served immediately or refrigerated for up to a week. Simply reheat them in a pan, a toaster or a microwave before serving.

Alex and I thought these tasted best when you added a little more crunch/texture to them. Serve with cucumbers, lettuce, Israeli salad, or any other toppings that you enjoy!

Tahini Sauce 

Ingredients:

¼ cup tahini
2 Tbsp fresh squeezed lemon juice
2 garlic cloves, pressed
2 Tbsp water
Dash of salt (optional)

Instructions: 

Combine everything in a bowl and mix well. Store in the fridge until ready to serve. 

Taste the rainbow

 

 

I love this dish, not only because it's easy and delicious, but it's also so dang pretty. I love all the bright colors from the carrots, kale, curry, and turmeric. The flavors are a bit sweet, a bit sour and a little bit spicy, and it's a great side dish for chicken or fish.

 

This one is SED friendly, and now it's also Kosher for Passover friendly! Alex and I love it, and I've made this about 6 times in the past few months. As long as you have the quinoa pre-cooked and ready to go, it will take about 15 minutes to throw it all together. Normally, it calls for almonds, but I was all out, so I used cashews. They got a little too soft and lost their crunch, so stick with almonds when you make this. And you should make this! Look how pretty it is!

 

Moroccan Quinoa Pilaf

adapted from Nourishing Meals

Ingredients:

2 to 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
4 carrots, sliced into rounds
1 cup raw almonds, chopped
½ cup currants or raisins
1 ½ to 2 teaspoons mild curry powder
½ teaspoon turmeric
½ teaspoon ground cardamom (I never have this, so I just leave it out)
4 cups chopped kale
4 to 5 cups cooked and cooled quinoa
1 small lemon, juiced

Instructions:

Heat a large over medium heat. Add olive oil, then add the chopped onions. Sauté onions for 4 to 5 minutes. Then add the sliced carrots and sauté for about 10 minutes more. Keep the heat at a medium temp to allow the onions to cook but not brown.

 

Add the almonds, raisins, spices, and salt and sauté 5 minutes more. Add the kale. Sauté about 5 minutes, or until kale is tender. Then add cooked quinoa and stir together over low heat. Add a few tablespoons of water if the pilaf seems dry. An extra tablespoon of oil will also help prevent the quinoa from sticking to the pan.

Remove from heat and add the juice of the lemon. Stir together, taste, and adjust salt and seasonings if needed.

 

Cooking with Gwyneth

 

Me and Gwyneth Paltrow are total BFFs. Okay, not really at all, but I did technically have her over for dinner the other night. This recipe is from her blog, which I had never heard of until I started my elimination diet. Apparently good ol' Gwynnie likes to eat clean and the majority of her recipes are Standard Elimination Diet (SED) friendly.

 

This recipe is one that I will keep in our rotation long after this diet is over. It's incredibly easy, delicious, filling and even the 3 year old likes it. Well, he picks out the kale, but I'll take what I can get. Alex wraps this up in corn tortillas, and I just eat it plain. We both like to top it with diced avocado, but I imagine it would also taste good with some sour cream or tomatoes. I recommend doubling the recipe so that you have more than enough for lunch the next day.

 

Sweet Potato, Black Bean and Kale Skillet

adapted from Goop

Ingredients:
2 sweet potatoes, peeled (I like to leave the peel on)
1 can black beans
2 hearty handfuls kale, torn into bite-size pieces
1 lime
olive oil
pinch of sumac (I omitted)
pinch of cumin
sea salt
freshly ground pepper

Instructions:
Dice the sweet potatoes into small/medium chunks.

Place large sauté pan over medium high heat and drizzle with olive oil. Add sweet potatoes, sumac(if using) and cumin to pan and cook for a minute until they begin to brown, stirring throughout to coat. Cover after a minute, bring the heat down to medium and let cook for about 5-8 minutes, stirring once or twice, until they’ve softened up.

Add black beans. Stir to mix. Add kale, season with salt and pepper, mix and cover. Let cook for 2-3 minutes, uncover and stir. (It will most likely be a bit too dry at this point, so drizzle over more olive oil.) Cook for another minute or so until kale is cooked to your liking. Squeeze the lime juice over top and toss gently to coat.

Serve with diced avocado, warm tortillas or any other topping you desire.

Dust it off

Sometimes, the best new recipes are old ones. I received a Southern Living slow-cooker cookbook from my friend many years ago, but never really made anything from it. While the recipes all sounded delicious, they were pretty intricate, which defeated the purpose of slow-cookers! However, I decided to dust it off last month and take another look. I am *SO* glad I did, because I found this gem of a recipe.

It's one of those "throw everything in the pot" recipes that makes slow-cookers a working parent's dream. The sweetness of the coconut milk is absorbed by the vegetables and chickpeas, and the cilantro and curry balance everything out. Serve over rice, and you've got yourself an exotic and healthy dinner.

Chickpeas in Curried Coconut Broth
Adapted from Southern Living Cookbook

Ingredients:
2 teaspoons canola oil 

1 1/2 cups chopped onion       

2 garlic cloves, minced        

2 cans chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed and drained                

2 (14.5-ounce) cans no-salt-added diced tomatoes, undrained                

1 (13.5-ounce) can light coconut milk

1 tablespoon curry powder

2 tablespoons chopped pickled jalapeño pepper

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

6 cups hot cooked basmati rice (any kind of rice will do!)

 

Instructions:

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add onion and garlic; sauté 5 minutes or until onion is tender. (I have skipped this step the last two times and there was no difference in the final outcome. The onions cook perfectly if you throw them into the slow-cooker as-is).

 

Place onion mixture, chickpeas, and next 5 ingredients (through salt) in a 3 1/2-quart electric slow cooker; stir well. Cover and cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours. Stir in cilantro. Serve over rice.

Toddler Approved...sort of

Trying to get a toddler to eat vegetables can sometimes be like herding drunk cats covered in motor oil. He'll scarf down broccoli one day, and then fling it across the table with a loud "NO!" the next. This Pinterest (what else?!) inspired recipe was a big hit...for one day. He picked at it the next day, pulling out and eating the tomatoes, his favorite. But overall, we really enjoyed it. It's a great way to use summer-fresh veggies, and makes a delicious side dish.

Vegetable Tian
Adapted from For the Love of Cooking

Ingredients:
2 TBS olive oil (divided)
1 large sweet yellow onion cut in half and sliced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1-2 russet potatoes, unpeeled and sliced 1/4 thick
1 zucchini, sliced 1/4 inch thick
1 yellow squash, sliced 1/4 inch thick
3 large Roma tomatoes, sliced 1/4 inch thick
Sea salt, freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
Dried thyme, to taste
1/2 cup of grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Coat a baking dish with olive oil cooking spray. Heat 1 TBS of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the onions and saute until translucent, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another 60 seconds. Spread the onion mixture on the bottom of the greased baking dish.

Layer potatoes, zucchini, squash and tomatoes alternately in the dish on top of the onions, fitting them tightly into a spiral, making only one layer. (I didn't have a round dish, so I just did rows in a rectangular dish. Still tasty!) Season with sea salt, black pepper and dried thyme, to taste. Drizzle the last tablespoon of olive oil over the top.

Cover the dish with tin foil and bake for 35 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender. Uncover and sprinkle the Parmesan cheese on top and bake for another 25-30 minutes or until browned. Enjoy.

My Pinterest Kitchen

Have you seen my Pinterest kitchen? It's 50% healthy foods and 50% ooey-gooey cheesy or chocolatey fattening goodness. I probably won't ever make the "bad" 50%, but it's nice to look at them and have a little mental dessert every once in a while.

But, the other healthy recipes are great for inspiration when I've hit a meal planning wall. Take this samosa casserole. It's not something I ever would have considered, but after seeing it on a friend's board, I convinced myself to try it. We love Indian food, so I had all the spices on-hand already. The one thing I was lacking was a kosher pre-made roll out pie crust. However, Whole Foods to the rescue! I am going to keep a steady supply of this pie crust in my freezer. Love it!

Overall, we enjoyed this recipe, especially with the cucumber riata. I think, though, that I will make a few changes for the next time, such as increasing ALL the spices (also noted in recipe). The potatoes are really starchy, and they absorb spices really easily, so it takes a lot to make the flavors pop. It's very tasty, filling, and made for some great leftovers, too.

Indian Samosa Casserole
adapted from Vegetarian Times

Ingredients:
Crust (or use premade!)
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
1/4 tsp. salt
2 Tbs. vegetable oil
Filling
1 Tbs. black or yellow mustard seeds (2 TBS)
1 tsp. curry powder (2-3 tsp)
1 tsp. ground ginger (2-3 tsp)
1/2 tsp. ground cumin (2 tsp)
1/8 tsp. red pepper flakes, optional (1/2 tsp)
5 medium potatoes, peeled and quartered (decrease to 4. Don't need all 5)
1 1/2 tsp. vegetable oil
1 medium onion, diced
1 medium carrot, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup frozen peas
1 cup low-sodium vegetable broth
2 tsp. agave nectar or sugar (skip, unneccessary)
2 Tbs. soymilk (or regular)

Instructions:
To make Crust:
Preheat oven to 375°F. Whisk together flours and salt in bowl. Stir in oil until clumps form. Add 6 to 10 Tbs. cold water, 1 Tbs. at a time, until dough holds together. Shape into ball, cover with damp towel, and set aside.

To make Filling:
Stir together mustard seeds, curry, ginger, cumin, and red pepper flakes, if using, in bowl; set aside.

Cook potatoes in boiling salted water 15 minutes, or until tender. Drain, return to pot, and mash, leaving small chunks.

Heat oil in skillet over medium heat. Add onion, carrot, and garlic, and sauté 5 minutes, or until carrot is tender. Move onion mixture to side of pan, and add mustard seed mixture in center. Toast 30 seconds. Stir in peas and broth. Fold onion mixture into potato mixture; stir in agave nectar. Season with salt and pepper, if desired. Spread Filling in 9-inch pie pan. Set aside.

Roll out Crust dough to 11-inch circle on floured work surface. Cover Filling with dough, pressing down to make sure no air pockets remain. Trim away excess dough, and crimp edges with fingers. Cut X in center to vent steam; brush with soymilk just before baking. Place pie on baking sheet, and bake 40 to 50 minutes, or until crust is golden. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Frozen cooking instructions: Preheat oven to 375°F. Place casserole on baking sheet, and bake 75 to 90 minutes, or until Filling bubbles and Crust is golden. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Cucumber Riata Ingredients:
1 8-oz. carton plain low-fat yogurt (Greek yogurt works nicely!)
1/2 cup finely chopped, seeded, peeled cucumber
1/4 cup minced green onions
2 Tbs. chopped fresh mint (or dried)
1/4 tsp. ground cumin

Instructions:
Combine everything together in a bowl, adjust seasonings to taste.

When I eat my words...

I have to confess, I'm a Judgy McJudgersons. I roll my eyes at "casserole" recipes, because they usually call for canned cream o'something soup. Or Velveeta. Or something else that makes my skin crawl. I know. It's really really snobby. I'm sorry.

However, I post this to show you that I'm eating my words. And they are freaking delicious.

This casserole recipe was floating around Pinterest (follow me!) and I knew I had to make it. Layers upon layers of deliciously roasted veggies, nestled in between gooey cheese, spicy salsa and chewy tortillas. Sign me and my belly up!

It's a bit time consuming, so I'll note how it can be done in stages. But the end result is well worth it!

Stacked Roasted Vegetable Enchiladas
adapted from Perry's Plate

Ingredients:
1 poblano chile, cut into matchsticks (I omitted)
2 red bell peppers, cut into matchsticks
1/2 head of cauliflower, cut into 1/2-inch chunks
1 small sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 medium onion, halved and slivered
1 cup corn kernels, fresh or frozen
3 T heat-safe oil like grapeseed or coconut (I used olive oil)
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
2 garlic cloves, minced
salt and black pepper
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 cups homemade or store bought salsa/pico de gallo
2 ounces baby spinach leaves (about 2 big handfuls)
9-10 corn tortillas, halved
2 cups shredded cheese
sour cream and thinly sliced scallions (green onions) for garnish, if desired

Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Lightly oil a large shallow roasting pan or rimmed cookie sheet.

Place poblanos, red bell peppers, cauliflower, sweet potato, onion, and corn kernels onto cookie sheet. Drizzle olive oil and sprinkle the cumin and minced garlic over top. Add a generous pinch or two of salt and black pepper, then use your hands to mix everything together. After everything is coated well, spread the vegetables evenly in the pan. Roast for 30-40 minutes until vegetables are tender and begin to brown in spots. Stir or shake the pan every 10 minutes for even roasting. Remove pan from oven and reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F.

*Once veggies are roasted and cooled, you can stick them in the fridge if you want to assemble the casserole later or the next day. I wouldn't leave them more than 1-2 days, max, though.*

Prepare an 8x8x2 or 9x9x2-inch square baking pan with nonstick spray. In a small bowl, stir the cilantro into the salsa. Spread 1/4 cup of salsa into the bottom of the baking pan. Add a layer of tortilla pieces, to completely cover the salsa. Top with 1/3 of the vegetables, a handful of spinach, and 1/3 of the cheese. Make a second layer of tortilla, salsa, vegetables, spinach, and cheese. Top with with a layer of tortillas, salsa, vegetables, and cheese. Cover with aluminum foil.

Bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake another 10 minutes, until cheese is melted and everything is heated through.

Let it sit for 5 minutes and cut into squares. Serve with sour cream and a sprinkle of sliced scallions.
Serves 4-5

Captain Vegetable

One of the easiest and tastiest ways to serve vegetables, in my humble opinion, is to roast them. The char brings out a crispy savory sweetness in nearly every veggie, and makes them so delicious. Roasted (and grilled!) asparagus is one of our favorite side dishes. It's so simple, too.
Ingredients:
1 bunch raw asparagus
Olive oil
Salt & Pepper

Instructions:
Pre-heat oven to 425.
Trim the woody ends off of the stalks (easy to do by snapping them off where they break. If you try to snap it and it doesn't break, try another point along the stalk). Lay all the trimmed stalks on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and then sprinkle on S&P. Toss everything together to make sure it's fully coated, and roast for about 15-25 minutes, until they are slightly charred and crisp on the ends.

Serve hot and enjoy!

The Magnificient 3

Ugly picture, delicious sauce


This recipe took me by surprise. I'd seen it floating around food blogs for a while, but I didn't pay much attention. Sauce from only 3 ingredients? No spices? No garlic? Please.

Oh, I was so so wrong.

There is magic in this sauce. The 3 ingredients blend and simmer together, creating a velvety, rich, tangy, sweet and incredibly delicious tomato sauce that you can use on anything from plain spaghetti to your favorite lasagna recipe.

Alex and I made a few adjustments to this, but nothing drastic. We cut back on the butter a little bit, leave in the onion, and use the immersion blender at the end (hence the orange color of my sauce above).

Please go make this tonight. You won't be sorry. Make it and then come back and tell me how much you loved it. I triple dog dare you.

Tomato Sauce

adapted from Smitten Kitchen (and a bajillion other food blogs)

Ingredients:

1 28-oz can of whole peeled tomatoes

5 TBS butter (we only use 3)

1 yellow onion, peeled and cut in half

Instructions:

Put the tomatoes, onion and butter in a heavy saucepan over medium heat. Bring the sauce to a simmer then lower the heat to keep the sauce at a slow, steady simmer for about 45 minutes, or until droplets of fat float free of the tomatoes.

Stir occasionally, crushing the tomatoes against the side of the pot with a wooden spoon.

Remove from heat, discard the onion, add salt to taste. If you like the flavor of stewed onions, as we do, leave them in. To make it smooth, stick in your immersion blender and carefully blend.

It's food, baby

These types of posts will be few and far between, I promise. Homemade baby food is fairly intuitive - steam something, puree it. Steam something, then mash it. Steam something, then break it into small pieces. Etc, etc, etc.

I'm posting this recipe because it's a little more involved and I think that it would be tasty for picky toddlers as well. Eli loved it, as you can clearly see. I also deliberately took this picture on top of the jarred food I use for him. While yes, making your own baby food can be cheaper and sometimes easier, often, I'm really pressed for time and it's faster to grab a jar of something I know he'll like. Supermom, I'm not.

He is getting better at feeding himself, and I'd say that about 75% of the food actually ends up in his mouth. This recipe is great for new eaters because it's fairly mild in flavor, and when it cools, it's clumpy enough for chubby fingers to grab.

The dog had a blast helping us clean up afterwards, too. She's a real giver like that.

Ingredients:
Pastina (or Stelline pasta. They are both little tiny stars)
Cheese
Milk (cow, soy, breast...your choice)

Instructions:
Cook pastina according to package directions for the “cereal.”

When the cooking pastina starts to thicken and absorb the majority of the water, add cubes of Colby and American Cheese, directly into the cooking water and pasta (cheddars and other stronger cheeses may be used according to baby’s age/taste preferences.)

Melt cheeses and stir thoroughly while cooking. Add 2 or 3 tablespoons of whole milk when cheeses are melted and stir thoroughly

As baby gets older and eats more table foods, you can also add meats and veggies as well – these additional chunkier foods will enable easier pick-up for tiny fingers
Serve warm

Puddin'

There ain't nothing in this world that a little bread pudding can't fix, right? Even if it's savory bread pudding, it's still a delicious and comforting dish that just warms your tummy right up. I'd always wanted to try a savory version of BP, and when I stumbled upon a recipe last week, I immediately bookmarked it.

It's fairly healthy - whole wheat bread, vegetables, light on the oil, and 2% milk - but a big dense, due to the bread I used. I think next time, I'll use a lighter and crustier loaf, rather than a whole wheat fiber-loaded bread. Overall, though, it's really easy to make and pretty delicious.

Savory Spinach and Mushroom Bread Pudding
adapted from Eating Well

Ingredients:
4 large eggs
2 cups low-fat milk
1/2 teaspoon hot sauce, such as
3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, divided
3 1/2 cups cubed stale whole-wheat country bread
1 10-ounce package frozen spinach
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup chopped onion, (1 medium)
1 cup chopped red bell pepper, (1 small)
4 cups sliced mushrooms, (12 ounces)
1 clove garlic, minced
1 cup grated Gruyère, Emmentaler or Manchego cheese (3 ounces), divided (I used Swiss)

Instructions:
Whisk eggs in a large bowl. Add milk, hot sauce, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper; whisk until blended. Add bread and stir to coat well. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350ºF. Coat an 8-by-8-inch (or similar 8-cup) ceramic or glass baking dish with cooking spray. Put a kettle of water on to boil for the water bath.

Cook spinach according to package directions. Drain, refresh with cold water and squeeze out excess moisture. Set aside.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion and bell pepper; cook, stirring often, until tender and golden, 4 to 5 minutes. Add mushrooms and garlic; stir to blend. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Uncover and increase heat to medium. Cook, stirring, until any excess moisture from the mushrooms has evaporated and mushrooms begin to brown, about 5 minutes. Add the spinach, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper; cook, stirring, 2 minutes.

Add the mushroom mixture and 1/2 cup cheese to the egg mixture; stir until blended. Scrape into the prepared baking dish; sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup cheese evenly over the top. Place the baking dish in a larger pan, put in the oven and pour boiling water into the larger pan to about halfway up the sides of the baking dish. (I skipped this step completely. I've made plenty of bread puddings, and never baked one like this. It turned out just fine!) Bake until the pudding is set in the center, 50 to 60 minutes. Let cool slightly; serve hot or warm.

Opa!

My big fat Greek dinner! This recipe was so colorful, it made me smile to see it plated so prettily. Usually, peppers are stuffed with meat, rice and sauce, making a heavy dinner that's better suited for cold weather. These stuffed peppers were light yet flavorful and surprisingly filling!

The one downside to this recipe is that it's a wee bit complicated. The Yiddish word is "ungapatchka", which means that it's busy, ornate, fussy, etc. I used about 5 different dishes in the prep work, creating a whole sink of dirty pots and pans. Maybe if I hadn't been so tired, I could have thought it through to make the process more streamlined, but I was cooking on auto-pilot last night.

However, the end product is well worth it! My changes are noted in the recipe below.

Opa!

Greek Orzo Stuffed Peppers
adapted from Eating Well

Ingredients:
4 yellow, orange and/or red bell peppers
1/2 cup whole-wheat orzo
1 15-ounce can chickpeas, rinsed
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
6 ounces baby spinach, coarsely chopped (I used 10oz frozen, chopped spinach - defrosted and drained)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano, or 1 teaspoon dried
3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese, divided
1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, (not oil-packed), chopped
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar, or red-wine vinegar
1/4 teaspoon salt

Instructions:
Halve peppers lengthwise through the stems, leaving the stems attached. Remove the seeds and white membrane. Place the peppers cut-side down in a large microwave-safe dish. Add 1/2 inch water, cover and microwave on High until the peppers are just softened, 7 to 9 minutes. Let cool slightly, drain and set aside.

Meanwhile, bring a large saucepan of water to a boil. Add orzo and cook until just tender, 8 to 10 minutes or according to package directions. Drain and rinse with cold water.

Mash chickpeas into a chunky paste with a fork, leaving some whole.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring, until soft, about 4 minutes. Add spinach and oregano and cook, stirring, until the spinach is wilted, about 1 minute. Stir in the orzo, chickpeas, 1/2 cup feta, tomatoes, vinegar and salt; cook until heated though, about 1 minute. Divide the filling among the pepper halves and sprinkle each pepper with some of the remaining 1/4 cup feta.

Moisten with the hoisin

When I was in high school, I went out for Chinese food with some friends while we planned and designed our youth group yearbook. At the restaurant, the waiter explained how to eat moo-shu, and told us to "moisten with the hoisin", which we (as 16 year old girls) found absolutely hilarious. Now, 15 years later, I still smile a little bit when I see hoisin sauce anywhere.

This easy recipe uses hoisin sauce, along with a small amount of soy sauce and rice wine vinegar, to create a really flavorful combination reminiscent of Chinese take out. But, you know, minus the MSG and copious amounts of oil. I threw it together in about 20 minutes, with the help of these fabulous bags of pre-shredded veggies that I've heard about for years now - broccoli slaw. I know that Hungry Girl is a big fan of them, and now I can see why.
We ate these with warm whole wheat tortillas, as suggested in the Eating Well recipe, and enjoyed every messy bite.

Moo Shu Vegetables
adapted from Eating Well

Ingredients:
3 teaspoons toasted sesame oil, divided
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 12-ounce bag shredded mixed vegetables, such as “rainbow salad” or “broccoli slaw” (I doubled so that we'd have enough for leftovers)
2 cups mung bean sprouts
1 bunch scallions, sliced, divided
1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce (doubled)
1 tablespoon rice vinegar (doubled)
2 tablespoons hoisin sauce (doubled)

Instructions:
1Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add eggs; cook, stirring gently, until set, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove to a plate.

Wipe out the pan and heat the remaining 2 teaspoons oil over medium heat. Add ginger and garlic and cook, stirring, until softened and fragrant, 1 minute. Add shredded vegetables, bean sprouts, half the sliced scallions, soy sauce and vinegar. Stir to combine. Cover and cook, stirring once or twice, until the vegetables are just tender, about 3 minutes.

Add the reserved eggs and hoisin; cook, uncovered, stirring and breaking up the scrambled eggs, until heated through, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the remaining scallions and remove from the heat.

Black Bean Croquettes with Fresh Salsa and Adobo Polenta

Yeah, you kind of wish you could eat dinner at my house! Granted, we don't eat around 9PM when Alex gets home, and there are squeaky toys and bibs scattered underfoot...but at least the food is good!

My sister introduced me to this wonderful new website, http://www.eatingwell.com/, and I've been hoarding away recipes for the past week. This one caught my eye because it's very similar to our favorite Tamale Pie, and it seemed fairly simple. I was able to throw it together in about 20 minutes, and it was perfect! I upped the spice because we love adobo sauce in just about everything. The fresh salsa recipe was really easy and a perfect balance to the croquettes. I will definitely make these again! Probably without the polenta, as it was a little starch heavy.

Enjoy!

Ingredients:
2 15-ounce cans black beans, rinsed
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed
1/4 cup plus 1/3 cup plain dry breadcrumbs, divided
2 cups finely chopped tomatoes
2 scallions, sliced
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 teaspoon chili powder, hot if desired, divided
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 avocado, diced

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 425°F. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray.

Mash black beans and cumin with a fork in a large bowl until no whole beans remain. Stir in corn and 1/4 cup breadcrumbs. Combine tomatoes, scallions, cilantro, 1/2 teaspoon chili powder and salt in a medium bowl. Stir 1 cup of the tomato mixture into the black bean mixture.

Mix the remaining 1/3 cup breadcrumbs, oil and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon chili powder in a small bowl until the breadcrumbs are coated with oil. Divide the bean mixture into 8 scant 1/2-cup balls. Lightly press each bean ball into the breadcrumb mixture, turning to coat. Place on the prepared baking sheet.

Bake the croquettes until heated through and the breadcrumbs are golden brown, about 20 minutes. Stir avocado into the remaining tomato mixture. Serve the salsa with the croquettes.

Bet you can't eat just one...

This is another recipe from my childhood. I'm not sure where my Mom got this one, but I have fond memories of her making them in our old blue kitchen. So now I make them in my red kitchen!

They are a healthier version of potato chips, and a great side dish for a dinner. It's easy to throw them in the oven while you prepare the rest of the meal, but they are dangerously addictive. I nibble my way through the extra-crispy ones while I wait for Alex to come home.

Ingredients:

Baking potatoes, approx. 1/2 potato per person

Olive oil (the spray is better)

Salt

Pepper

Other seasonings, optional (Old Bay, Rosemary, Thyme, etc...)

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400.

Slice the potatoes very thinly, making sure to keep the slices even. Spread them out in a single-ish layer on a baking sheet and LIGHTLY coat with olive oil. (Too much oil and they remain soggy. That's why I like the spray!) If the slices overlap slightly, it's okay. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and any other seasonings you want to use.

Bake for approx. 15-20 minutes, until the potatoes are lightly browned and crisp. Thinner slices might burn a little, but you can remove them and continue cooking the rest.

Leggo my egg yolk...

I enjoy a good egg salad, but I practically ate my weight in it during my entire pregnancy. I don't know what it was, but there was something so AMAZING about an egg salad sandwich. I'm surprised Eli didn't come out demanding the Egg Salad Cheese Toast sammie from Cafe Hon upon birth.

However, now that I'm back on the WW Wagon (dang stubborn last 5lbs of baby weight!), I needed something a little lower in calories and fat. Enter the Low Yolk Egg Salad from Skinny Taste! So easy to make and super delicious. I doctored it up with some celery and scallions, and it was perfect. I'm going to make egg salad this way from now on because honestly, you don't even miss the extra yolks.

Ingredients:

4 hard boiled eggs, peeled
4 tsp Hellman's light mayonnaise
1/2 tsp dijon mustard
2 tbsp chopped green scallions or chives
salt and fresh pepper to taste

Instructions:

Separate the yolks from the egg whites and discard 3 of the yolks. Chop eggs and combine with mayonnaise, dijon mustard, scallions, salt and pepper.

Summer Gazpacho & Product Rave

I've posted a few gazpacho attempts on here, but I think I've finally struck gold with this recipe. Alex loves to eat gazpacho when it's hot out, and there is just something incredibly refreshing about a huge bowl of spicy fresh and cold summer flavors. Make sure you use the ripest vegetables you can find and you'll be in for a real treat!

Ingredients:

2 cups peeled and diced hothouse cucumber
2 cups diced red bell pepper
2 cups diced ripe tomato
1/2 cup diced onion
2 cups tomato juice (I used Spicy V8. SO good!)

1/2 cup red-wine vinegar
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 dashes Tabasco sauce (or more!)

Instructions:

Place all of the diced vegetables in a large bowl. Add the tomato juice, vinegar, oil, and Tabasco. Season with salt and pepper and toss.

Transfer half (we like it mostly pureed with some pieces, so I blended about 90% of the diced veggies) of the mixture to a blender or food processor and pulse the machine on and off to coarsely puree the contents. Return the pureed mixture to the bowl and stir to combine.

Refrigerate for 4 to 6 hours before serving. You can easily double this recipe for a large party.

Product Rave!

My mom introduced me to this amazing little frozen herb that Trader Joes carries in their freezer section. I *love* to cook with cilantro, but I can't use it up before the rest of it goes bad. It's so annoying. But this, I love. Andplusalso, it's Israeli, so I speak a little Hebrew when I take it out of the freezer.

Each frozen cube is 1tsp of the chopped herb (comes in garlic, cilantro and basil), and you just toss the frozen cube into your recipe as-is. Ta da!

Love!

Vegan Lentil Shepherd's Pie

I love Shepherd's Pie. It's definitely a fall/winter dish, all hearty stewed vegetables with meat and potatoes; however, this somewhat lighter version is a good addition to your spring menu if you have a few cool nights.

I found the recipe on Ezra Pound Cake, a great cooking blog, and I loved that this dish would give me the flavors I craved, but at a much lighter calorie count. I also liked that the topping wasn't straight up mashed cauliflower because, let's face it, it will NEVER taste like mashed potatoes no matter how much you want it to. This dish is a bit labor intensive, but worth it. It's delicious, healthy and filling!

Ingredients:

2 teaspoons olive oil

1 onion, chopped finely
4 ounces (1 1/2 cups) shiitake mushrooms, chopped (Feel free to substitute another mushroom.)
1 zucchini, diced small ( 1 1/2 cups)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon dried tarragon or oregano
2 teaspoons dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 cup carrots (about 3), peeled and diced small
3/4 cup lentils, rinsed
3 cups vegetable broth
1 tablespoon vegan Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup frozen corn (optional)
1/2 cup frozen peas
1 recipe Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes (recipe below)

Instructions:

Heat the oil in a 4-quart pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onions, and saute them until translucent, about 4 minutes.Add the mushrooms, zucchini, garlic, tarragon, thyme, salt and pepper. Saute for 5 minutes.

Add the carrots, lentils and broth. Cover and bring to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer and cook for about 25 minutes, stirring every once in a while.

By now, the lentils should be tender, and most of the broth should be absorbed. If that hasn’t happened, then keep the pot covered and simmer the lentils a while longer. Conversely, if the broth has evaporated and the lentils are not soft, then add a bit of water and simmer. (Mine was not absorbed, so I cooked for an additional 10 minutes. There will still be some broth left in the pot).

When the lentils are soft, stir in the Worcestershire sauce, corn (if using) and peas. Let the mixture sit off the heat for 10 minutes or so for maximum flavor. Taste and adjust the seasonings.

To Serve: Spoon a cup of Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes into a bowl, and top it with a cup of lentils. I layered the mash on top of the lentils because I wanted it to look just like the real deal.

Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients

2 russet potatoes, cut into 3/4-inch pieces (about 1 1/2 pounds)
1/2 head cauliflower, cut into florets (I used a bag of frozen florets because chopping cauliflower is annoying and SO messy!)
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 to 4 tablespoons vegetable broth
1/2 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Smart Balance buttery spread (optional)

Instructions:

Place the potatoes in a 4-quart pot, and fill it with enough cold water to cover them, making sure there are about 4 inches of extra water on top (for when you add the cauliflower). Bring the potatoes to a boil.

Once the water is boiling, add the cauliflower, and lower the heat to a simmer. Cook for about 15 minutes, until the potatoes and cauliflower are tender.

Drain them in a colander, return them to the pot, and use a potato masher to mash them a bit.

Add the oil, 2 tablespoons of broth, and the salt and pepper. Mash a bit more. Use a fork to make sure all the seasoning are mixed well.

If needed, add another 2 tablespoons of broth. Taste, and adjust seasonings. Serve warm.

Chip, Chip, HOORAY!

Trust me. These aren't gross and scary, but rather delicious and incredibly addictive. However, just don't eat a whole baking sheet full of them. Again, trust me.

Kale Chips
adapted from allrecipes.com

Ingredients:
1 bunch kale, stems removed and torn into bite-sized pieces (I use the bags of pre-torn kale, but be sure to tear out the stems and re-wash it yourself)
Olive oil (I use the spray for better coverage)
Salt
Pepper
Old Bay (optional)

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350. Combine kale with olive oil, salt, pepper and old bay, if using. Spread out into an even layer on the baking sheet and bake for 12-15 minutes. Keep a VERY close eye on this, as it can burn easily. You want the chips to be slightly browned and crisp, not soggy.

I want to quiche you all over

This quiche is probably one of the easiest and most impressive dishes you can throw together for a last-minute brunch/lunch. You probably already have the ingredients in your house, and all you need is a baking time of 40 minutes! My mom got this recipe from a family friend, and passed it along to me. It's cheesy, filling, flavorful and did I mention, incredibly easy?

Crustless Spinach Quiche

Ingredients:
1 TBS vegetable oil
1/2 onion, chopped
1 10 oz package of frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and drained
5 eggs (or eggbeaters)
3/4lb Munster cheese, grated (could use another kind if you prefer, but I think Munster gives it a perfectly creamy and cheesy flavor)
Salt
Pepper
1/4 tsp dried dill
dash of nutmeg
dash of dry mustard

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 and spray a round pie pan or quiche pan (10-12 inch).

Heat oil over medium-high heat in a pan and saute the onion and drained spinach. Continue to cook until the onion has softened and the liquid has evaporated from the spinach.

In a separate bowl, beat together the eggs and cheese, and then stir in the onion/spinach mixture and the spices. Pour into your dish, and bake for 40 minutes (until top is browned). This can be made ahead, cooled, and then frozen. Defrost in the fridge and reheat in the oven prior to serving.