14 Dec 2009
by marisashealthykitchen
in Home Cooking, Vegan Recipes, Vegetarian Recipes
Tags: agave, breakfast, comfort food, crock-pot, oatmeal, quick and easy, quinoa, sides, slow cooker, snack, vegan, vegetarian
I know you had all heard me profess my new-found love for breakfast but I haven’t posted one in a while. For the last couple of weeks I have been making Crock-Pot Oatmeal. As you know I am always cooking up a storm in my kitchen, so to have this one be super easy really takes the pressure of breakfast off me 🙂 What I do is throw all the ingredients in the crock pot on sunday, let it do its thing and then refrigerate them in perfect portions for the week. Love it! This really couldn’t be easier and there are so many versions to play with! The one below is this week’s breakfast but I will list addition as well.
Crock-Pot Oatmeal
1 cup of steel-cut oats
1/2 cup quinoa
1/2 brown rice
5 cups water
1/3 cup raisins
1/2 – 1 teaspoon salt, to taste
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup agave
In a crock-pot, combine the oats, quinoa, rice, water, raisins and salt. Turn on high for 2.5 hours or slow for 6 hours. About 1.5 hours in, stir and recover. Once the oatmeal is finished cooking add the sweeteners of your choice. Enjoy 🙂
Additions or substitutions
- apples, chopped (before cooking for baked apples or after for crisp apples)
- dried fruits (goji berries, cranberries, chopped figs, etc. )
- berries (after cooking)
- other grains (wheat berries, barley, buckwheat, cornmeal, etc)
- sweeteners (honey, stevia, date sugar, etc.)
13 Dec 2009
by marisashealthykitchen
in Home Cooking, Vegan Recipes, Vegetarian Recipes
Tags: brussel sprout, chicken, comfort food, quick and easy, sides, vegetarian
This is a super easy one to throw together. My husband loved it! I am sure this would be great for kids as well if you use chicken tenders instead of breasts, such a better version than the fried chicken fingers out there! This would be great with a sauce or on its own. You could always play with the mixture and add spices as well. I love that I mixed the mayo with mustard to cut the fat in half. Michael does not like the taste of mustard, but he said he couldn’t taste it at all, which is perfect! It adds all the moisture you need while cutting the fat.
As usual I doubled the recipe so I could freeze these in individual portions, but I wrote it out for more functional use 🙂 But feel free to do what I did, they froze perfectly!
I always make my own breadcrumbs but to keep this extra simple just buy a good store brand. But I find making them is just as simple 🙂 What I do is toast about 4 slices of multi-grain bread (we keep it in the house, so it is really convenient). I then let the slices cool a bit before cutting the edges off and tossing the pieces into the food processor. A couple of pulses and I have bread crumbs.
Multi-grain Crusted Chicken
- Olive oil for brushing
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken-breast halves
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 1 1/2 cups multi-grain bread crumbs
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Pat the chicken breasts dry and season with the salt and pepper.
- Blend together the mustard and mayonnaise and coat the chicken with the mixture.
- Pour the breadcrumbs onto a dinner plate, or equivalent and roll the chicken around on it to cover them.
- Place the chicken on the baking sheet and cook until cooked through 14-25 minutes (depending on how thick your chicken is)
I love roasted veggies! Of course, my beloved brussel sprouts found their way into this one 🙂 I could eat a dish like this all year-round but it just feels right in the fall/winter. Super simple, yet all the goodness and nutrition of the veggies. Pearl onions are one of my favorites too. I used fresh ones for this recipe, but to keep it simple and easy just buy a frozen box of them and toss it in.
As usual, I encourage you to play around with the recipe and substitute your favorites!
Roasted Veggies
1 pound baby carrots
1 pound Brussels sprouts, trimmed and quartered
1 1/2 cups pearl onions
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Combine all the veggies with the olive oil in a large baking pan. (9×13 is the best for this)
- Place in the oven and stir half way through. Roast are tender, about 30 to 40 minutes total.
- Season with salt and pepper and Enjoy!
09 Dec 2009
by marisashealthykitchen
in In the News, New York Highlights
Tags: cake, chocolate, comfort food, cookies, dessert, vegan, vegetarian
OMG!! I am going to be all over this! Thank you NY TIMES!! How fabulous! Stay tuned……
For Vegans, Sweets of Their Own
Published: December 1, 2009
Vegans, who avoid all animal products, must read the fine print when it comes to chocolate because even the darkest bittersweet may contain milk solids. Pamela Blackwell, above, an owner of the vegan restaurants Blossom in Chelsea and Blossom Cafe on the Upper West Side, has given them a place, Cocoa V, to ease their concerns: two narrow brick-walled spaces, one a vegan dessert and wine bar and, next door, a shop.
Chester Higgins Jr./The New York Times
The chocolates created by Patrick Coston, her pastry chef, are made with organic cocoa, cocoa butter, soy lecithin and sugar or agave syrup. They are dark, smooth and intense. In the wine bar, which is outfitted with low tables, chocolates, brownies and savories like dairy-free “cheeses,” quiche and tea sandwiches are served with wines, coffee, tea and satisfyingly intense hot chocolate. The store also sells the sweets, including bonbons for $2.75 each, and pastries.
Cocoa V, 174 Ninth Avenue (21st Street), (212) 242-3339.
08 Dec 2009
by marisashealthykitchen
in Cleansing, Raw Desserts and Treats, Raw Vegan Recipes, Superfoods, Vegan Recipes, Vegetarian Recipes
Tags: agave, breakfast, comfort food, dates, dessert, Mesquite, quick and easy, raw, smoothie, snack, superfood, vegan, vegetarian
Butterscotch Smoothie anyone? OMG! This was so good! Non-green smoothies are rare in my house and normally a weekend treat. This one is perfect for a treat anytime though! SO good! Mesquite is always a great addition. If you have never had it before I would definitely suggest this sweet, butterscotch tasting powder that is made from ground mesquite pods. Check it out here.
Plus they match the wood 🙂
Butterscotch Smoothie
4 large ripe bananas (I used some frozen and some ripe)
1 ½ cups water
4-6 dates
1 tablespoons of agave nectar
2 heaping tablespoons mesquite powder
Also the best thing about this smoothie, is you just put everything in the blender and blend away! You can add more mesquite or sweetener to taste.
07 Dec 2009
by marisashealthykitchen
in Home Cooking, Vegetarian Recipes
Tags: breakfast, comfort food, mushro, pesto, quick and easy, sides, snack, vegetarian
I think you all know that we love frittatas in my house. See my Spanish Tortilla, Zucchini, Potato and Goat Cheese Frittata with Cilantro Sauce and Fontina, Asparagus and Zucchini Frittata. They are delicious, quick and nutritious. So similarly to the Italian Ribollita soup, this is my go-to leftovers meal. I hate wasting food so this is the perfect way to make sure your veggies don’t go bad and to empty out your fridge all while really enjoying what you make with the ingredients. Also, as I have said before, frittatas are perfect for breakfast, lunch, snacking and dinner! All you need is the eggs and have fun with the rest. This recipe is one that I made recently, but you can play with whatever you have and as long as it makes sense and you will have a tasty, quick and inexpensive meal.
Everything but the kitchen Sink-Frittata
6 eggs
left-over goat cheese from Judith’s Fig and Goat Cheese Bruschetta (thanks Judith 🙂 )
2 onions chopped (there are always onions in my house)
1 10 ounce bag of spinach leftover from the Polenta Vegetable Casserole
1/2 cup of pesto leftover from the Raw Corn Cakes
3/4 cup chestnut puree, divided, leftover from the Chestnut and Mushroom Pâté en Croûte
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
3/4 cup mushrooms leftover from the Chestnut and Mushroom Pâté en Croûte
1/2 cup cottage cheese
garlic, chopped (of course!)
Preheat over to 375 degrees. Heat some oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sautée onions and garlic for 5 minutes. Add mushrooms and spinach and cook for another 2-3 minutes, till spinach has wilted. Add goat cheese, cottage cheese, pesto and half of the chestnut puree and stir till combined with vegetable mixture. Turn heat down to medium and pour eggs on top of vegetable mixture and let settle. Top parmesan, other half of chestnut puree, salt and pepper. After 5-7 minutes on the stove top put the skillet into the oven for another 10-15 minutes to set. Once it is golden on top you can take out and Enjoy 
06 Dec 2009
by marisashealthykitchen
in Home Cooking, Vegan Recipes, Vegetarian Recipes
Tags: comfort food, cream, quick and easy, sides, snack, vegan, vegetarian
We love cauliflower mash in my house. It is so good yet so much healthier than mashed potatoes. Plus check out the gorgeous Yellow Citrus Cauliflower I picked up from Satur Farms, so fabulous! That really made this batch so special. I know people have been making this dish for years, but it is just so satisfying and always a great side dish. Instead of margarine or butter I normally use Brummel and Brummel All Natural Yogurt Spread and I love it! Click on the link and see how great the stats are compared to regular butter or margarine. I also use almond or soy milk instead of whipping cream. Of course whipping cream would make this sinfully great, but my version is still pretty amazing!
Note: Now that I am completely vegan – I used Earth Balance instead of Yogurt Spread
Cauliflower Mash
1-2 heads cauliflower, trimmed
sea salt
1/4 cup whipping cream, soy milk, almond milk or regular milk (or more to taste)
4 tablespoons unsalted butter or margarine (or less, to save on calories) – I use Earth Balance
Cut the cauliflower, including the core, into large pieces/ Use a steamer to cook the cauliflower till they are tender, 15-20 minutes. Transfer the cauliflower to a food processor or Vita-mix. Add the liquid and butter and puree until completely smooth. Season to taste with salt.
02 Dec 2009
by marisashealthykitchen
in Home Cooking, Vegan Recipes, Vegetarian Recipes
Tags: coconut milk, coconut water, comfort food, entertaining, quick and easy, Rice Noodle, sauces, soup, sweet potato, tamari, tofu, vegan, vegetarian
My fabulous girlfriend Dina sent me the most deelish and simple recipe recently. I made it and was beyond delighted. I am already thinking about making it again soon. It was really quick and I had almost all the ingredients in my house already. This was just so tasty! I used wide noodles which took about 10 minutes to cook. It came out with the most delicious, thick, coconuty sauce! If you use thin noodles, it might need less cooking time and turn out more brothy. I had sliced the yam with a mandolin so it was super thin and broke up during cooking which just added to the thickness of the sauce. We do not normally eat that much tofu in our house, but Michael and I agreed that this was the best we ever had it prepared, it was so good!
Dina’s Chili-lime Ginger Tofu in Coconut Basil Broth with Rice Noodle
2 cups veggie broth
1 can light coconut milk
1 cup coconut water (or more veggie broth/coconut milk)
Fresh basil, chopped
1 yam, peeled and slice thin
rice noodles
2 tsp safflower, grapeseed or another neutral oil
1 block tofu, cubed
Soy sauce or tamari, to taste
fresh ginger, grated
juice and zest from 1 lime
red pepper flakes
sriracha sauce.
Combine the veggie broth, coconut milk and coconut water in a saucepan over medium heat. Next add basil and the yam and bring to a boil. Cover and let simmer until the potatoes were tender. Add the rice noodles and cook till soft, 3-7 minutes.
Pour the oil in saute pan over medium heat and add the tofu. Hit it with some soy sauce, ginger, lime zest, lime juice, red pepper flakes and sriracha sauce. Saute until nice crust forms on tofu.
Combine broth, noodles and tofu in a bowl. As Dina says, “Holy guacamole!!!!!!!! Try it! You’ll never do Thai takeout again!!”
01 Dec 2009
by marisashealthykitchen
in Raw Vegan Recipes, Vegan Recipes, Vegetarian Recipes
Tags: avocado, comfort food, quick and easy, raw, sides, soup, vegan, vegetarian
Here is another version of a deelish corn soup. This one is simpler but still super good! So easy, so creamy and good! This is best in the summer with fresh corn. This was the last of the fresh corn that I am using till next season 😦 Oh well, many fun winter recipes to come! Check out my other Raw Corn Chowder. 🙂
Raw Corn Chowder II
3 ears of sweet corn
3/4 cup walnuts
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves of garlic
1 tsp sea salt
2 cup water
2 avocados, diced
ground pepper to taste
Set aside 1 cup of corn and avocado. Blend the corn, walnuts, oil, garlic, salt, and water. Pour the soup into bowls and top with avocado and corn. Ground fresh pepper on top and serve. Enjoy 🙂
30 Nov 2009
by marisashealthykitchen
in Raw Desserts and Treats, Raw Vegan Recipes
Tags: agave, almonds, breakfast, buckwheat, coconut, cookies, dates, dessert, flax, oats, raw, snack, vegan, vegetarian
More Apple Cookies 🙂 I am on a kick here. These were great! They had a bunch of ingredients and made a little more than I wanted, but since when do I complain about too much of a good thing?!?! It was a little hard to work with all these ingredients in the food processor. I would suggest processing all the dry ingredients and then pouring that mixture into a large bowl. Then adding the wet ingredients to the processor and then combining dy and wet together…that would simplify matters. But either way I am sure you would be happy with the results. These are good!
Buckwheat Apple Cinnamon Cookies
Recipe from The Sunny Raw Kitchen
makes a big batch of cookies
1 1/2 cups soaked almonds
1 1 /2 cups soaked buckwheat
2 cups apples, peeled and roughly chopped
1 cup dates, soaked
3/4 cup dried coconut
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1/4 cup agave nectar (or to taste)
1/4 cup liquid vanilla
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup ground oats
1/4 cup ground flax
1 tbs cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup oat flakes
Mix all ingredients except oat flakes in a food processor until well incorporated. (You may need to do this in more than one batch!)
Transfer batter to a large bowl and mix in the oat flakes by hand.
Drop by the spoonful directly onto a dehydrator mesh and flatten with a spatula or a glass. (Mine were about 1/3″ thick.)
Dehydrate overnight at 110.
29 Nov 2009
by marisashealthykitchen
in Home Cooking, Vegetarian Recipes
Tags: cake, comfort food, dessert, entertaining, figs, snack, vegetarian
After enjoying our deelish apps and my entrée course we were all really full. But after we saw and then tasted Liz’s super amazing Grape and Fig pie we all made room! haha! I love her homage to raw food for me, even though this is a baked pie. The flavors were so bright and luscious. The mascarpone cheese added such a nice finish. Really great flavors!! Thanks Liz and Edo 🙂
Another funny note is both Judith and Liz made food with figs in it. I doubt they knew it was one of my favorite foods, but of course it worked out perfectly! Such a great evening!
Liz’s Grape and Fig Pie
Recipe from Pie; editor: Haedrich
1 recipe piecrust
Filling:
1 ½ cups stemmed and diced dried Black Mission figs (other figs will work)
4 cups halved seedless black grapes
½ cup sugar
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1 ½ teaspoons Frangelico or ½ teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
1 ½ tablespoons cornstarch
1 Tablespoon cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces.
Garnish: sweet mascarpone cheese
1. Prepare the pastry and refrigerate until firm enough to roll (about an hour)
2. On a sheet of lightly floured waxed paper, roll the larger portion of the pastry into a 12 inched circle with a floured rolling pan, Invert the pastry over a nine inched standard pie pan, center and peel off the paper, Gently tuck the pastry into the pan, without stretching it, and let the overhang drape over the edge. Place in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.
3. Place the figs in a steamer basket set in a saucepan (or directly in the saucepan) and as about ½ inch of water to the pan. Cover tightly and bring the water to a boil. Reduce the heat slightly and simmer-steam the figs for five minutes. Drain in a colander or sleeve.
4. In a large bowl, combine the grapes, figs and all but about 2 tablespoons of the sugar, the lemon juice, lemon zest, and Frangelico (if using). Mix well, and then set aside for 15 minutes. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
5. Mix the cornstarch and remaining 2 tablespoons sugar together in a small bowl. Sprinkle the mixture over the fruit and stir to combine. Turn the filling into the chilled pie shell and smooth the top. Dot the filling with the butter.
6. Roll the other half of the pastry into a 10-inch circle on a sheet of lightly floured waxed paper, Moisten the outer edge of the pie shell with a pastry brush. Invert the top pastry over the filling, center and peel off the paper. Press the top and bottom pastries together along the dampened edge. Using the back of a buttered knife, trim the pastry flush with the edge of the pan. With the back of a fork, press the tines all alone the edge to seal. Using a fork, poke several seam vents in the top of the pie, including a couple alone the edge so you can check the juices there later.
7. Place the pie on the center oven rack and bake for 30 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 375 degrees and rotate the pie 180 degrees, so that the part of the pie that faced the back of the oven now faces the forwards. Just in case, slide a large aluminum, foiled lined p baking sheet on the rack below to catch any spills. Continue to bake until the pie is golden brown, about 25 minutes. When done, you may notice thin juices bubbling out of the steam vents alone the edge.
8. Transfer the pie to a wire rack and let cool for at least two hours before serving. Garnish with sweetened mascarpone.
the Mascarpone Cream 🙂
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