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!!!

Chicken with Peppers and Hummus

24 Feb 2010 1 Comment

by marisashealthykitchen in Home Cooking Tags: , , ,

This dish was super easy and had bright fun colors! The hummus blended in with the chicken but Michael said it was a great addition. This is a great weeknight meal that can be thrown together so quickly! You could even just buy chicken tenders and throw this together with the veggies for a super fast dinner.

Chicken with Peppers and Hummus
adapted from Gourmet
4 servings

1/3 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano, crumbled
1 1/2 pounds skinless boneless chicken breasts, sliced in 1 1/2 inch tenders
1 red or orange bell pepper, cut lengthwise into 1/2-inch-wide strips1 Italian frying or Cubanelle pepper, cut lengthwise into 1/2-inch-wide strips
1 medium red onion, cut lengthwise into 1/2-inch-wide strips
1 (8- to 10-ounce) container prepared hummus

  1. Preheat broiler. Line a large baking pan with foil.
  2. Stir together oil, salt, cumin, pepper, and oregano in a large bowl, then toss with chicken and vegetables.
  3. Arrange in baking pan and broil 4 to 6 inches from heat, stirring once, until chicken is just cooked through and vegetables are lightly charred, about 8-12 minutes.
  4. Divide hummus among plates and top with chicken and vegetables.

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.

Short Ribs with Pasta

22 Feb 2010 1 Comment

by marisashealthykitchen in Home Cooking Tags: ,

I love making Michael Short Ribs because I know it is one of his favorite things. Rare that I cook red meat at all, but I do this sometimes because I know he likes to eat it every once in a while. He really liked this dish but, as I found out, prefers his meat separate from his pasta. So all the leftovers I packed up were meat only 🙂 He also said that the chocolate didn’t add much, so forget about it if you don’t have that, although it did add a pretty touch to the dish. Overall, he really liked this dish, but I don’t think he has met a short rib he didn’t like.

Short Ribs with Pasta
Recipe adapted from Giada De Laurentiis
Serves 4-6

  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 3 pounds short ribs
  • Salt and Freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 1 carrot, peeled and chopped
  • 1/2 cup fresh parsley leaves
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1 (14-ounce) can tomatoes (whole or diced)
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary leaves
  • 2 teaspoon fresh thyme
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 1/2 cups beef broth
  • 3/4 cup red wine
  • 1 pound pasta
  • 4 to 6 teaspoons shaved bittersweet chocolate
  1. Place the olive oil in a large heavy soup pot over medium heat. Season the short ribs with salt and pepper, and dredge in the flour. Add the short ribs to the pan and brown on all sides, about 7 minutes total.
  2. Meanwhile, combine the onion, carrot, parsley and garlic in a food processor and blend until finely minced. Then add the tomatoes and tomato paste and pulse.
  3. Once the short ribs are browned, carefully add the mixture from the food processor to the pot. Add the rosemary, thyme, oregano, bay leaf, beef broth, and wine. Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Remove the lid and simmer for another hour and a half, stirring occasionally.
  4. Remove the meat and bones from the pot. Discard the bones. Shred the meat and return it to the pot. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 3/4 teaspoon pepper, or to taste.
  5. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until done. Drain the pasta, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid. Add the pasta to the pot and stir to combine. Add the reserved pasta liquid 1/4 cup at a time, if needed, to moisten the pasta.
  6. Transfer to serving bowls, top each bowl with 1 teaspoon of chocolate shavings. Serve immediately.

Short Ribs and Sauce before cooking

Short Ribs after cooking and shredding

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.

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