Natural Gourmet Institute Friday Night Dinner

07 Mar 2010 4 Comments

by marisashealthykitchen in New York Highlights, Vegan Recipes, Vegetarian Recipes Tags: , , , , , , ,

YUM!!

Over the years I have taken several fabulous classes at Natural Gourmet Institute. They also offer a Friday Night Dinner at which the “Chef Instructors and students
of our Chef’s Training Program pour their expertise and enthusiasm into a three-course vegetarian dinner”. We wanted to check this out and this last Friday we got to go! It was great! They transformed the classrooms into communal tables with candles and flowers but the highlight of the evening was the meal! It was so deelish. Sorry, I did not take any pictures, but at least you will be able to drool over the menu 🙂 It is a great deal and was super fun. At the end of the meal the chefs come out to explain the meal and answer questions. It was great to meet them and to applaud the people who created such an amazing feast!

They change the menu every week so I know we will be going back soon enough. Our entire meal was vegan (yeah!) but even if there is a vegetarian part of the meal, there will always be a vegan alternative.

Check out the menu!

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup (this was so good! they had roasted the butternut before pureeing, so it gave it this great carmelized flavor)

Bitter Greens Salad with Pecans, Shallots,  Spicy, Smoky Dressing (of course I have had my fair share of salads, but this one was amazing! The smoky flavor was so different and deelish!)

Tempeh Scallopini with Portobello Risotto, Roasted Asparagus, Pepper Coulis (YUM!! The Risotto was made with a brown basmatti and was sooo creamy. The tempeh was insane and the asparagus were perfect!)

Maple Pecan Cookie, Vanilla Bean Sorbet, Caramel Crème, Strawberry Coulis (we loved the whole meal, but for me, dessert is typically the highlight and this one was amazing! the cookie was so sweet and mapley! ahhh! the vanilla bean sorbet was made out of young coconut and the caramel creme was divine!)

Can you tell that I enjoyed our meal?? I want to plan another night out there, who’s in??

Prix Fixe: $40.00 (includes tax)
6:30 p.m. seating
BYOB
Reservations required: 212-645-5170 (ext. 0)

Cheesy Butternut Bake

03 Mar 2010 Leave a comment

by marisashealthykitchen in Vegetarian Recipes Tags: , , , ,

I love Hungry Girl! Most of her recipes are not vegan and many contain sugar-free ingredients but she never claims you should live solely on her food. I have only made a handful of her recipes and I always adapt them a little to fit the needs of my family, but I am always impressed. I know many other family members or friends that love her stuff too 🙂

This was a great one that Michael loved! It can be a fabulous side dish or a snack. This was super fast as well. Of course if you didn’t want to use the microwave, you could boil, steam or bake the squash till soft and saute the onions. Either way I would highly recommend this!

Cheesy Butternut Bake
recipe adapted from Hungry Girl (love her!)

4 cups cubed butternut squash
2 wedges The Laughing Cow cheese, Light Original Swiss, room temperature
1 onion, diced
2 eggs,  whites only
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. chili powder
1/8 tsp. pepper

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Place squash in large microwave-safe bowl with 1/4 cup of water. Cover and microwave for 6 minutes. Once cool enough to handle, uncover and drain water. Set aside.
  3. Place onions in a small microwave-safe dish with 2 tbsp. water. Cover and microwave for 3 minutes. Once cool enough to handle, uncover and drain any excess water. Set aside.
  4. Place squash and all other ingredients except for the onions in a blender. (Make sure squash cubes are not still piping hot.) Pulse until thoroughly mixed (but not liquefied). Remove blender from the base, and then stir in the onions.
  5. Transfer squash mixture to a small casserole dish sprayed with nonstick spray. Place in the oven, and bake for 35 – 40 minutes (until edges begin to brown). Then serve with a spoon as you would mashed potatoes! Enjoy!

MAKES 4 SERVINGS

Per Serving (1/4th of casserole): 101 calories, 1g fat, 457mg sodium, 20g carbs, 3g fiber, 5g sugars, 4g protein

Spinach and Tofu with Peanut Sauce

01 Mar 2010 1 Comment

by marisashealthykitchen in Home Cooking, Vegan Recipes, Vegetarian Recipes Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,

YUM!!! I love peanut sauce, tofu and spinach so what can be bad here?!?! You can serve this over rice or noodles as there is more than enough sauce to go around. What a deelish dinner!

Spinach and Tofu with Peanut Sauce
adapted from Vegan Feast Kitchen

Quick peanut sauce:

1/4 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup veggie broth
1/2 cup plain soymilk or nut milk
2 Tbs coconut powder
2 Tbs sweet Thai chile sauce
1 Tbs lemon or 2 Tbs lime juice
1 Tbs tamari

Whisk all ingredients in a small saucepan and heat gently.

The rest:

Cube 1 block of  firm tofu and brown it quickly in a nonstick skillet in 1 Tbs. peanut oil

Add the peanut sauce mixed with:
1 tsp. roasted (Asian) sesame oil
a few shakes of Thai or Vietnamese hot sauce

Stir this around the pan until the tofu almost absorbs it.

Add 12 oz. of fresh, cleaned baby spinach.

Stir around over high heat JUST until the spinach wilts. Serve immediately and ENJOY 🙂

Leek and Feta Frittata, Hashbrowns & Tangerine Juice

28 Feb 2010 1 Comment

by marisashealthykitchen in Vegetarian Recipes Tags: , , , , , ,

Frittatas are always a hit in my house. I love leeks so I figured this would be deelish. Michael really liked it, so I guess it was 🙂 I served this for breakfast so it paired perfectly with hashbrowns (with onions and peppers) and deelish tangerine juice! We love juice in my house, but tangerine juice is just so sweet and deelish, a wonderful treat! We use our Breville Juice Fountain Elite and the juice comes out so creamy it is amazing!

Leek and Feta Frittata

  • 2-3 leeks, washed and chopped
  • 2 onions, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
  • 8-12 eggs
  • 1/2 cup low-fat milk
  • 1/2-1 cup crumbled feta cheese
  1. Preheat oven to 350F
  2. Heat olive oil over medium heat and sauté leeks and onions until soft; season to tates with salt and pepper
  3. Whisk eggs,  milk and feta together, till combined
  4. Pour into pan over leeks and onions and cook on stove for 5 minutes. Transfer to the oven for 8-10 minutes till set.
  5. Enjoy 🙂

YUM!!!

Zucchini and Spinach Tofu Scram

23 Feb 2010 1 Comment

by marisashealthykitchen in Vegan Recipes, Vegetarian Recipes Tags: , , , , , , , ,

YUM! I have never met a tofu scram I didn’t like 🙂 This is one of those stir-fry kind of recipes that you can substitute and play with, with whatever you have handy or is fresh in season. I have eaten tofu scram for breakfast, lunch or dinner and it is always a hearty, healthy and delicious meal. If you want to add something more to the plate, serve this with an english muffin or roll.

Before adding the spinach

Zucchini and Spinach Tofu Scram
6  servings

2 tablespoons olive oil
1-2 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 medium zucchini, finely diced
12-16 ounces firm tofu, diced
2 teaspoon chili powder
1 – 2 tablespoon tamari
5 ounces baby spinach
1/2 cup salsa

  1. Heat oil over high-heat in a large non-stick skillet. Add onion and garlic and cook about 5 minutes.
  2. Add zucchini, tofu, tamari and chili powder. Reduce heat and cook, stirring often, about 5 minutes.
  3. Add salsa and spinach and stir until wilted, 1-2 minutes.

Butternut squash, Apricots and Apples with Quinoa

21 Feb 2010 2 Comments

by marisashealthykitchen in Vegan Recipes, Vegetarian Recipes Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

This is a great meal or side dish. The apricot and apples add such a nice sweetness and the spices were amazing! I left mine in the slow-cooker on warm for 2 hours after it was done cooking, it was still really good, but I would recommend not over-cooking this dish. I have said many time before how much I love slow-cooking. It is a tremendous time-saver and such a pleasure to come home to a house smelling so delicious and a meal ready to eat. YUM!

Butternut squash, Apricots and Apples with Quinoa

1 tbsp. cumin powder
1 tbsp. olive oil
2 onions, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp. ginger, minced
2 tsp. orange zest
1 cinnamon stick
1 tsp. turmeric
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. crushed black pepper
1 cup veggie broth
1/2 cup fresh orange juice
2 medium, peeled butternut squash
2 apples, peeled, cored and sliced
1/2 cup dried apricots, chopped
1 1/2 cups quinoa

  1. In a skillet or heatproof slow-cooker liner, heat oil over medium heat and cook onions about 3 minutes. Add garlic, ginger, zest, cinnamon stick, turmeric, salt and pepper, stirring for 1 minute. Add veggie broth and orange juice and bring to a boil. If using a skillet transfer to a slow cooker stoneware.
  2. Add squash, apples, and apricots to stoneware and stir well. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours or on high for 3 hours, until vegetables are tender.
  3. In a pot, bring 3 cups of water to a boil. Add quinoa stirring to prevent lumps and return to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes until tender and liquid is absorbed. Add to slow cooker and stir well. Serve immediately.

Simple Roasted Veggies

18 Feb 2010 2 Comments

by marisashealthykitchen in Vegan Recipes, Vegetarian Recipes Tags: , , , ,

This is one of those recipes where you can interchange almost any veggie or root vegetable and keep it delicious! When I am cooking a lot of other dishes, it is nice to make a simple veggie side that does not need a lot of attention or prep. It is not the most exciting recipe, but its simple and healthy.

Simple Roasted Veggies

1 head cauliflower, cut into florets
1 bunch of broccoli, cut in to florets and stem peeled and chopped
1 cup baby carrots
10 garlic cloves, unpeeled
1 onion, chopped
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
3 to 4 whole sprigs rosemary
1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted

  1. Preheat the oven to 425 F. Combine the cauliflower, broccoli, carrots,  garlic, and onion in a roasting pan. Drizzle olive oil over the veggies and season with salt and pepper, and toss to coat. Place the rosemary around the veggies and sprinkle with the pine nuts.
  2. Roast the vegetables for 20 minutes. Using tongs toss the veggies and add more oil if they are too dry. Roast for another 15 or so minutes.
  3. Take out the rosemary and chop up the softened leaves to sprinkle to veggie with.
  4. Season to taste with salt and pepper and enjoy! So simple!

Zucchini Strata

17 Feb 2010 Leave a comment

by marisashealthykitchen in Home Cooking, Vegetarian Recipes Tags: , , , ,

More grating! My box grater was sure getting a work out these last couple of weeks. If you hate grating or have a tendency to cut yourself, try using the grating blade on a food processor. It is super simple and fast. I have one and have used it in the past,  but for some reason I love to grate. So box grater it is for me.

Michael really enjoyed this one! It can be a great side dish, breakfast or even a vegetarian entrée. Super simple, yet I love the way it came out with great color!

Zucchini Strata
Serves 4

4 zucchini
2 teaspoons salt
2 large eggs
1/4 cup bread crumbs
1/2 cup Parmigiano, grated
1 teaspoon curry powder

  1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Grate the zucchini and place in a sieve with 1 teaspoon of salt. Let is drain for about 15 minutes and then rinse well to remove the salt. Squeeze the zucchini with a towel to get as much water out as possible.
  2. Whisk the eggs and add the bread crumbs, cheese, curry powder, and the remaining teaspoon of salt. Combine with zucchini and stir until combined.
  3. Pour the mixture into a sprayed/greased 8×8 baking and pat down until smooth. Bake for 15-20 minutes. If there is still liquid on top, blot with a paper towel and put back in the oven for 5-10 minutes. Remove and let cool slightly before serving.

Provencal Chicken with Rosemary Orzo

16 Feb 2010 Leave a comment

by marisashealthykitchen in Home Cooking, Vegan Recipes, Vegetarian Recipes Tags: , , , ,

This was a great dish. Michael loved it all and I thought the orzo was so simple yet super flavorful! I forgot to drain the can of tomatoes so it took me longer to reduce the sauce, so please do not make the same mistake I did 🙂 Although I did not eat the chicken, I knew this was going to be a good one because I love these flavors. Tomatoes, Olives, Leeks and White Wine, OH MY! YUM! Enjoy!

Check out those boiling bubbles!!!

Provencal Chicken with Rosemary Orzo
Recipe adapted from Gourmet

Provencal Chicken
Serves 6

6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 garlic cloves, minced
white part of 4 leeks, halved lengthwise, sliced 1/4 inch thick crosswise, washed well, and drained (make sure to drain!)
2 cups chicken broth
a 28-to-32 ounce can diced tomatoes, drained
1 teaspoon freshly grated orange zest
1 cup drained Niçoise or Kalamata olives

Pat chicken dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. In a large heavy flameproof casserole pan or deep skillet, heat oil over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking and brown chicken in 2 batches, transferring with tongs as browned to a large plate.

Turn on the fan, unless you want to the smoke detector going off 🙂 Add wine to casserole and boil, scraping up browned bits, until almost evaporated. Add garlic, leeks, broth, tomatoes, zest, and chicken with any juices accumulated on plate and simmer, covered, turning chicken once, until chicken is cooked through, about 15-20 minutes. Transfer chicken to a platter.

Add olives to tomato mixture and boil sauce until thickened slightly. Season sauce with salt and pepper and serve with chicken and rosemary orzo.

Rosemary Orzo
Serves 6

1 pound orzo
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves

Bring a 6-quart saucepan of salted water to a boil and cook orzo until tender, about 10 minutes. Drain orzo well and in a large bowl toss with oil, rosemary, and salt and pepper to taste.

Raw Chocolate Mint Coconut Cookies

15 Feb 2010 4 Comments

by marisashealthykitchen in Raw Desserts and Treats, Raw Vegan Recipes, Vegan Recipes, Vegetarian Recipes Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

These are DIVINE! I love anything chocolate, mint and coconuty so this is the perfect snack for me! YUM! They were incredibly fast to throw together and were ready and set super fast in the fridge. I was surprised… normally it takes at least a half hour to an hour for my desserts to set and this one was ready so fast! I would suggest doubling this recipe if you want them to last at all 🙂

If you are not into mint, I would recommend leaving the peppermint oil out and making them chocolate coconut cookies. I am sure that would be deelish as well!

YUM!! Such chocolate goodness!

Cookie batter is always so good, but now that I know how good this was Done, I was happy I waited 🙂

Spoonfuls, ready to start setting

So easy to peel these off and munch!!!

ENJOY 🙂

Raw Chocolate Mint Coconut Cookies
1/2 cup Cold Pressed Coconut Oil
1/4 cup Raw Cacao Butter
1/4 cup Agave
2 Tablespoons Raw Honey or agave
1 teaspoon Vanilla
1/4 teaspoon Celtic Sea Salt
5-10 drops organic peppermint oil
1 1/2 cup Raw Cacao Powder
1 1/2 cup Shredded Coconut

  1. Combine all ingredients except the cacao powder and coconut in a Vita-mix or food processor and process for 2 minutes till completely combined.
  2. Place the Cacao Powder and Coconut in a bowl and pour the liquid mixture on top and combine with a wooden spoon.
  3. On a small baking tray lined with wax paper, place tablespoon spoonfuls of the mixture and set in the fridge for 10-15 minutes. By the time you know it they will be ready to munch on. Be careful, they go quick 🙂

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