Pass the Pesto!

Ingredients

2 cups of fresh basil leaves

1/2 cup of freshly grated parmesan cheese (VO: leave off/use vegan cheese/nutritional yeast flakes)

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/3 cup of pine nuts
3 garlic cloves (minced)
salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Add pine nuts and basil in food processor & grind

Add garlic to food processor & grind

While processing... slowly add olive oil...

Finally add parmesan cheese salt and pepper

Serve in any pasta, as a dip for bread, or with cooked veggies
Tip:add basil pesto to mayonnaise for a nice pesto mayo in your sandwich!(half and half)

Tip: Add a squeeze of lemon to give it a bit of zing

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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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!

Dip: White bean, parmesan, and oven roasted garlic

White bean Dip

What you will need:

Whole head of garlic

16 oz Can of navy white beans

6 Tbs olive oil

1 Tbs sweetener (or sugar)

Salt and pepper to taste

2 tps Cayenne pepper

1 ½ cups Parmesan cheese

½ cup shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cut top and bottom off garlic head; peel off skins and place cloves in tinfoil pouch drizzle with 2 Tbs olive oil season with salt and pepper. Bake for 25 minutes until golden brown and cloves fall apart with fork.

Rinse navy beans with cold water, drain and place in food processor. Add in roasted garlic, drizzle in remaining 4 Tbs olive oil. Add 2 tps cayenne pepper, sweetener and Parmesan cheese. Pulse on high for 3-5 minutes until mostly smooth.

Transfer mixture into casserole dish and mix in most of the cheddar cheese and sprinkle small amount on top. Bake for 10 minutes until top is bubbly

Serve with chips, crackers and cut vegetables. 

Entree or Side: Pumpkin Risotto

 Pumpkin Risotto


Prep Time: 5-10
Cook Time: 35 mins
Skill Level: Intermediate- Advanced

What you will need:

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 cup finely chopped onion

1 tablespoon chopped garlic

2 cups arborio rice

1 cup dry white wine (chardonnay or German Riesling)

About 6 cups of vegetable stock

1 butternut squash, one half baked in the oven and then pureed; the other half, peeled, cut into small dice, and Sauteed in a little oil and butter until tender

1/2 cup grated Parmesan

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

Shaved parmesan to garnish (you can use a vegetable peeler or microplane)

Directions:

In a medium-size heavy bottomed saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and saute, stirring continuously, just until softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the rice and continue to stir, using a wooden spoon, to coat the rice with the oil.

Add the white wine and continue cooking, stirring often, until it has been absorbed by the rice. Pour in enough vegetable stock to cover the rice completely, about 3 cups, and continue to cook, stirring often, until all the liquid is absorbed.

Pour in 1 cup more of the remaining stock and stir and cook until it has been absorbed. Repeat with 1 more cup. Add the remaining cup and cook, stirring, until the rice is al dente, tender but still very chewy, and most of the liquid has been absorbed.

Stir in the pumpkin puree and the diced pumpkin and reduce the heat to very low so that the risotto doesn't simmer anymore. Stir in the Parmesan and butter to give the risotto a nice, creamy finish. Spoon it immediately into heated (you can microwave plates for 4 minutes on 50% power) shallow serving bowls/pasta plates garnish with shaved Parmesan. Enjoy!

Higher protein Alternative:

Cube tofu and microwave in orange juice bath for 5 minutes before risotto is done

top with tofu chopped apricots and finish with shaved Parmesan garnish.

Appetizer or Side: Vegan cream cheese stuffed tomatoes

This recipe come from Canadian Living Magazine (Photo Credit: Canadian Living magazine)


Appetizer or Side

Vegan Cream Cheese stuffed tomatoes


Prep time: 5 minutes
cook time: 20-25
Skill level: Beginner to Intermediate 

What you will need
2 boxes cheery tomatoes

Vegan Cream Cheese full container

Spinach 2 cups frozen chopped

Roasted garlic 2-3 cloves whole (or sautéed in pan for 15 minutes)
1/2 tbs nutmeg 

Salt & pep to taste

Cayenne pepper to taste

Basil leaves to garnish

6 Tbs olive oil (2 in pan, 4 in blender/processor)

Directions:

Heat thick-bottomed pan or soup pot over medium heat.

Add with olive oil right away (it will spit at you if you add it to a hot pan)

Add garlic into pan sauté for 15 minutes or until soft.

Add in spinach, season with nutmeg, salt and pepper to taste

Fry for 6 minutes keeping things moving in the pan.

Prep food processor or blender

By drizzling 4 TBS olive oil along inside

Add whole container vegan cream cheese

Prep cherry tomatoes

Cut off ¼ of top off cheery tomato and scoop out insides

Tip: You can stand up in mini muffin tin to stuff or slice thin tip off bottom without piercing into hallowed out inside so the bottom is flat and they can stand up on a baking sheet

Take pan/pot off heat and add hot contents directly on top of cream cheese in food processor.

Blend or mix for 3 minutes pulsing button until garlic cloves are chopped and blended into mixture.

Spoon mixture into tomatoes or use pastry or sandwich bag to pipe mixture in.

Garnish with single basil leave and serve right away.

Note: this recipe can be prepared in advance and chilled in fridge for up to 2 days before dinner party or kept in the fridge for easy snack.