Grilled Veggie Fusilli salad

Great Summer Patio Party Dish!

Ingredients:

2 large roasted red peppers chopped
2 zuchinni
1 diced yellow bell pepper
2 large portobello mushrooms
2 red onions
feta cheese
3 tbsp of olive oil
1 carton of cherry tomatoes sliced in halves
3 1/2 cups of fusilli pasta
1 tsp of freshly chopped basil
1 tsp of fresh oregano
salt and pepper to taste
Black olives (optional)

Directions

sautee veggies in non stick pan

cook pasta in boiling water

Drain & let pasta cool for ten minutes

add olive oil, basil, oregano and S&P to pasta

add sauteed veggies to pasta
top with crumbled feta cheese and black olives when ready to serve

MexiCali Spread

Always a crowd-pleaser

This MexiCali taco dip is always a hit at parties. Great for crowds and excellent spread when you're hosting the game!

Ingredients
1 (18 ounce) package of light cream cheese
1 (8 ounce) tub of sour cream
1/2 package of powdered taco seasoning
2 diced hot house tomatoes

1 cup of diced green peppers

2 diced green onions
2 cups of fresh organic salsa

2 cups of finely shredded old cheddar cheese

sliced black olives (optional)

1/2 cup of jalepeno chopped (optional)

Directions

Mix cream cheese, sour cream, and taco seasoning in mixing bowl

Place mixture in serving dish
Top with fresh organic salsa
Cover with shredded cheese and veggies

Serve with warm tortilla chips

Rosemary and Artichoke appetizer

Great for entertaining!

Recipe

1 (14 ounce) can of artichoke hearts drained and diced
1 (8 ounce) package of light cream cheese
2 fresh rosemary sprigs finely chopped
1 clove of garlic minced
salt and pepper to taste
1 dash of tobasco
1 oz of freshly shredded monteray jack cheese


Directions
*mix together the above ingredients in medium sized mixing bowl
Place the mixture into a baking dish
Top the baking dish with 2 oz of shredded asiago cheese
place in oven until cheese is melted and browned on surface
Remove from oven and garnish with fresh rosemary sprig
Serve with baked pita chips or thinly sliced baguette drizzled in olive oil




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1)Improves memory
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Vibrant Veggie Stir-Fry

FUN. FRESH. FILLING.
Stir-fry ingredients
1 1/2 teaspoons of olive oil
1 cup of broccoli florets
1 cup of cauliflower florets
1 red pepper, cored, seeded and julienned
1 green pepper, cored, seeded and julienned
3 green onions, sliced
100g mushrooms cleaned and diced
1/2 cup of thinly sliced red onion
1/2 cup of snow peas
2 full zuchinnis sliced
1 small can of pineapples

Sauce
1 clove of garlic minced
1/4 cup of soya sauce
1 tablespoon of honey
1 slice of ginger minced
black pepper to taste

Cooking instructions
Spray non-stick wok or non stick skillet with cooking spray
Heat over medium high heat
Add olive oil, peppers, mushrooms, and onions and cook for approximately 3-4 minutes
Add broccoli, cauliflower, pineapple, zucchini, snow peas, and turn to low heat for 3 minutes

Serve
Serve on a bed of basmati rice or glass noodles. Top with toasted cashews or almonds for that protein kick!

Breakfast or Dessert: Mango Parfait

I'm a new vegetarian. How new? Well, it's been about two weeks, so I've been trying new recipes like crazy lately and came across one for mango parfait. Perfect for breakfast or as a dessert, mango parfait is delicious, filling and takes almost no time to make. My brother and sister-in-law had a Father's Day brunch and this was my contribution. My dad loves mangoes. He inhaled this.

Ingredients (serves 4-5)

1 cup of President's Choice Blue Menu Omega-3 Almond Vanilla Granola

1 tub of PC Greek Yogurt-- Vanilla

1 cup of PC Mango Chunks, thawed + chopped.

And from there, all you need to do is layer the ingredients. Start by adding the granola, then add a layer of Greek yogurt, and top with the chopped mango. If you have a sweet tooth like me, you can drizzle some agave nectar on top too... other than that, you're golden.

Enjoy!

Drink: Sweet and Spicy novel-tea

Better start licking your lips. This sweet and spicy drink will get your temperature up and best yet-Its VEGAN Yay.


What you will need:

250ml/1 cup-Organic Creme Earl Grey Tea Brewed (or chia or black tea or choice)
250 ml/1 cup mil substitue of choice (I love original unsweetened Almond Breeze)
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Agave syrop to taste
few drops organic vanilla extract (optional)
Tool: Milk frother (I just handheld about $15 to buy)
Clear glass (double-walled of with handles is recommended-thin glass gets HOT)
Garnish: Carob/raw sugar **Note** this will cause the fluffy steamed milk sub. to start sinking. So its helpful to put on just as you are about to enjoy.

This is what a hand frother looks like. 

Heat up your milk on the stove or (Shock the horror: in the microwave) and then pour into glass until its just over 1/4 way up the glass. Break out your handy-dandy milk frother and frother that puppy up until its super foamy on top.

Take a large spoon and pour hot brewed tea over the spoon against the side of the glass so the tea by-passes most of the milk froth, you will begin to see the hot tea layering in the middle of the glass between the hot milk and the frothy whipped top section. Continue pouring until froth reaches top of glass.

Then use spoon to spread milk froth to cover your entry hole where you were pouring the tea. Garnish with carob and cinnamon or raw sugar. Enjoy this brilliant little novel-tea.

Carob garnish YUM*

Dinner or Side: Tofu Almondine

Tofu Almondine

This is a personal favourite of mine as an entree- this time I served it separate over basmati rice, but often I make it with quinoa or CousCous too for a crunchier texture.

What you will need:

2 lb. tofu, drained, pressed and cut into cube size of your choice
**note if you are using quinoa or CousCous you can also incorporate silken tofu into the mix which helps bind everything together and is less tofuish- for the nouveau tofu eaters**
4 tablespoons tamari (sub 2 tablespoons soy sauce if you don't have tamari)
1/2 cup almond butter
2 cups water or veggie broth
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 large onion finely chopped
1 green pepper chopped
3 medium carrots chopped
3 stalks celery chopped
2 cups chopped mushrooms
1/2 cup tamari or regular almonds sliced (optional:garnish)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees, place tofu cubes in baking dish and coat with 4 tablespoons tamari, bake for 20 minutes- middle rack of the oven.

While your tofu is baking, heat a deep frying pan over medium heat and fry your chopped onion in 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add celery, carrots (if you have I didn't this time-oops) and green pepper. Sautee for 5-10 minutes and reduce heat.

Prepare basmati, cous-cous or quinoa as per package directions (or rice cooker directions)

Remove tofu from oven and toss in frying pan with veggies. Add mushrooms, veggie broth, almond butter and simmer for 5 minutes. Transfer back into baking dish that tofu was baked in. Let everything settle into the pan and then sprinkle with sliced almonds. bake for 10-15 minutes.

Serve over grain of choice. Enjoy!

  

Drink: Vegan 'Buh-Bye Buddha Belly' Shake

Hi Everyone,

Its been a while since my last blog recipe- I have to apologize, its been a busy few months. Brian got unexpectedly deployed, I was juggling our condo, his house, doggie-care and a 6 courses at school. My brain goes to mush even thinking about how busy I have been.

Spring is here and so is the new addiction to the gym (my long lost love) and eating lighter and healthier. After all summer is just around the corner (Halifax is still trying to get those temperatures up).

Slim down while you drink up this delicious vegan beverage.


What you will need:

1 1/2 cups Almond milk (I like original unsweetened)
1 whole nectarine sliced
handful of blueberries to taste
1 Scoop 'Sequel' Vegn complete Whole Food Health Optimizer (available at grocery stores-check natural food section)


Toss it all in a blender and pulse until smooth. To burn a few calories while you wait you could do a little shimmy around your kitchen, while your drink dances along with you in the blender. When its done it froths up into a delightful soft green.

Pour into a tall glass- cheers to a slimmer figure and a happier you!