Pineapple Veggie Lover Pizza - Gluten Free

It's been ages since I've had pizza and have been wanting to make one for a while now. It's always fun to make your own and this one came out so colorful & yummy! I picked up a package of Bob's Gluten Free pizza crust and thought I'd give it a go. I'm not gluten intolerant but do try to keep my recipes along those lines as much as possible. Feel free to use any pizza crust you like. I've heard Trader Joe's has a great pre-made crust I want to try later. This one was surprisingly easy to make. Once you get the dough together it sits for 20 min to rise and then about 7-9 min in the oven so you can chop up your veggies while waiting. Everything flows together nicely. After pizza is topped and in the oven you'll have about 20 min till ready. 

As usual, this is one of those dishes that can be adapted to your own flavors. These are mine!

Ingredients

Dough:

• Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free Pizza Crust Whole Grain Mix
• 1 1/2 cup warm water
• 2 flax eggs (2 tablespoons flax seed meal & 6 tablespoons water, mix and let set for 10 min)
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• Yeast packet, included in pizza mix
• fresh herbs or spices, optional (I didn't use any this time but it would be nice to spice it up with something)

Pizza topping:

• marinara sauce or any pizza sauce of choice 
• 1/2 cup pineapple
• 1-2 jalapeno
• small handful mushrooms
• 1/2 bell pepper, I used orange
• 4-5 grape tomatoes, quartered
• 1/2 small red onion
• 1 scallion
• 5-6 big leaves of basil, chopped

Directions

Prepare and cook pizza dough according to package, layer with pizza topping when called for. I cooked mine on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.

Try adding a little Almond Parmesan topping if you want to add a bit of cheesiness. It's really easy to make and a great pantry staple!

Enjoy!

I can finally check this off my 'to do' cooking list. After making this pizza I had a wonderful idea....'Pizza Pasta'...a little quirky but very tasty. If you can load all these gems on a pizza, why not on pasta! Pineapple adds a whole new level to this dish, I found myself searching for those sweet pineapple pieces, along with the mushrooms too....pretty good. 

Cheers to quirkiness...

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Pork-Fried Quinoa – Oh Say Can You Seed?

Finally, after only five or six hundred requests, we’re posting a quinoa recipe! People love eating this “super food” for all the obvious nutritional reasons, but based on the emails I’ve received, they’re constantly searching for new and delicious ways to use it.

Well, this was so tasty, so fast, and so easy, I’ll be shocked if it doesn’t make it into the regular rotation. And don’t think for a minute that we’ve simply overwhelmed the quinoa with a bunch of high-calorie, unhealthy ingredients, because that’s not the case. Not that I’m above such culinary shenanigans; but it just wasn’t necessary.

I was really surprised how decadent and satisfying this seemed, and with only a tablespoon of vegetable oil, and a handful of very lean smoked ham. These tiny quinoa seeds (that’s right, now you can sound like a d-bag correcting your foodie friends at cocktail parties who call this a “grain”) really are sponges for flavor. I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I can’t wait to experiment with other quinoa creations.

By the way, if you’re an experienced quinoa cooker, and have any great tips, please pass them along. I’m not sure how this would work with the other varieties/colors of quinoa. I assume it would, but have never used them. I also used less water than the directions call for, but wanted the seeds to be a little “al dente,” which seemed to work well here.

Anyway, whether you’re an experienced quinoaista or a newbie like me, I hope you give this delicious pork-fried quinoa a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 2 large or 4 small servings:

1 cup quinoa

salt to taste

1 1/2 cups cold water

1 tbsp vegetable oil

1 cup diced smoked ham

1/2 cup diced peppers

1/2 cup sliced green onions

3 cloves garlic minced

1 tbsp seasoned rice vinegar

1 or 2 tbsp soy sauce, or to taste

Sriracha, or any hot sauce to taste

toasted sesame seeds to taste

View the complete recipe

Bonus Quinoa Esoterica:

When my friend Tamar, from the always entertaining blog Starving Off the Land, heard I was doing a quinoa post, she sent me this photo. At first glace, this looks like some new variety of grey quinoa, but they're actually tiny oysters! Tamar farms oysters on Cape Cod, and you're looking at roughly 50,000 baby bivalves. Simply amazing. Thanks, Tamar!

 

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Vegetable 'Fried' Quinoa

This is one of those recipes that will make it into the meal rotation consistently. When I came across a recipe for a vegetable 'fried' rice using quinoa, I thought what a fantastic idea. I'm always looking for ways to make my dishes more nutrient dense and this was a great recipe for that giving me protein and fiber. I'm happy to have another nice addition to my recipes as this was a nice use of quinoa and fantastic!

Another reason I love quinoa so much is it comes out of the fridge the next day as well as it went in. It also tastes just as great warm as it does cold. It's unlike rice that hardens and doesn't reheat very well for my liking. Quinoa is a sure staple in my kitchen.

This dish can go any way you like...add/subtract whatever you want...my favorite kind of cooking. You could up the amount of quinoa to vegetable ratio. Here I have one cup quinoa to about 4 cups vegetables. You don't have to use all these vegetables either but I highly recommend a good assortment for nutrition, texture and color. I have so many because I just plain love veggies. :) This is also a great recipe for a 'cleaning out the fridge' meal. Almost everything and anything will be tasty!

Vegetable 'Fried' Quinoa

Ingredients

• 1 cup quinoa, rinsed (I used tri-color quinoa)
• 1 1/2 cups vegetable broth or water
• one ear corn off the cob, you could use canned but tis the season and it is so sweet 
• 1 cup mushrooms, sliced
• 2 carrots, diced
• 3 scallions, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup broccoli florets, cut small
• 1/2 cup zucchini, diced
• 1 cup shredded cabbage
• 1/2 cup bell pepper, diced...red, orange or yellow
• 1/2 cup basil, chopped, optional
• 1 tablespoons sesame oil or extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons tamari, Bragg's Liquid Amino's or soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• salt & pepper to taste
• Sriracha hot sauce or dash of cayenne pepper, to taste

Rinse your quinoa. In sauce pan combine quinoa with 1 1/2 cups water or vegetable broth, bring to a boil, simmer covered for 15 minutes. Once done remove cover and let set for another 15 minutes to soak up the excess water. Fluff with a fork and set aside.

In wok or large skillet, heat oil at medium high. Add veggies and stir fry for one minute. Add tamari, garlic powder and other seasonings to taste. I added a few drops of sriracha to mine, a little goes a long way. This dish doesn't need a lot of seasoning, I felt that the tamari alone would suffice too. 

Stir mixture for about 3 to 4 minutes and remove from heat. I like my vegetables a little crisp, cook a few minutes longer if you like them a little softer.

Combine quinoa with the warm vegetable mixture and serve. Top with a little more sriracha if you like.

Enjoy !

Adapted from The Vegan Chickpea....Healthy Garden Vegetable "Fried" Quinoa

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Orange Pistachio Greenies – They Only Sound Like Pet Snacks and Speed

Calling a brownie made with pistachios a “greenie” seemed like a perfectly sensible thing to do, until I realized that was also the name of a popular brand of pet treats, as well as the street name for amphetamines.

Most chefs, not wanting their recipe associated with such unsavoriness would have changed the name, but not me. I’m hoping that these become so popular that eventually the pet people and druggies will be forced to change their names instead. We shall see.

Anyway, as I exclaimed in the video, these were great, but some dark chocolate chips really would have put this over the top. I’m adding a half-cup of mini chips to the recipe ingredients below, and I highly recommend you do as I say, not as I did.

I’m generally pretty mellow (unless I’m on greenies) about substituting ingredients in my recipes, but I can’t think of another nut that would work here instead of the pistachio. There's something about the relationship between orange and pistachio that’s just so much more intimate than other nut/citrus combinations.

The good news is, thanks to mass-marketing and large grocery stores, shelled pistachios are now widely available at a very decent price. Buy a few extra, since snacking on them while you make these is virtually impossible not to do. They’re really addictive…like greenies, and greenies. I hope you give these a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 9 Orange Pistachio Greenies:

Wet ingredients:

1/2 cup melted butter

2 tbsp grated orange zest

1/2 cup white sugar

2 eggs

1 tbsp orange juice

1 tbsp milk

1/4 tsp vanilla extract

Dry ingredients:

2 cups shelled, dry-roasted pistachios (*note: mine were lightly salted, so if yours are not salted or heavily salted, please adjust the added salt in the recipe)

1/2 to 1 tsp salt to taste

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips (add when you combine dry into wet ingredients) 

*Bake at 350 for about 20-25 minutes
For the glaze:
1 or 2 tbsp orange juice
2 tsp orange zest
enough powdered sugar to thicken

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Favorite Summer Sandwich

Nothing like summer time with it's abundance of tomatoes, cucumbers & avocados. One of the best ways of putting them together is in a sandwich that I deem my 'favorite'. This is a true classic! It's loaded with flavor and juiciness. I have come back to this sandwich many times over the years. 

It's simplicity and deliciousness keep me coming back for more... 

Favorite Summer Sandwich

Ingredients (serves two)

• 1 tomato, sliced
• 1 avocado, sliced
• 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cucumber, sliced
• sprouts or leafy greens (or both would be great too)
• hummus, to spread (veganiase would be great too)
• 4 slices your favorite bread (I used a sprouted whole wheat bread)
• mineral salt & cracked pepper, to taste

Start by toasting, or not, your bread. Add a nice layer of hummus to both inside pieces of bread. Then layer with the tomato, avocado, red onion, cucumber, sprouts/leafy greens and sprinkle with a little bit of mineral salt and cracked pepper.

Notes: If you find your hummus very thick, try adding a tablespoon of water at a time and mix well until desired consistency. 

Nothing short of wonderful!

 Enjoy the taste of summer !

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White Gazpacho! I Eat This All the Time…Like Every 20 Years

A very, very long time ago, I had a white gazpacho. It was ice cold, very tasty, and super refreshing. It was similar to a classic gazpacho, but with no tomato and peppers. It was so unusually delicious that it really made an impression.

It had a cucumber base, was garnished with almonds and grapes, and was so good, I told myself to get the recipe and put it into regular summer rotation. That was probably 20 years ago, and I haven’t had it since. Totally spaced. 

Anyway, last week I came across this on Grubstreet, and it all came back to me. I knew I must try this soup! I’ve adapted the Dovetail’s versionslightly, but it’s one of those very personal recipes that you’ll want to adjust to your tastes.

Tweaking the amounts of salt, vinegar, and sweetness from the grapes will easily alter the final product, so experimentation is a must! The same goes for the texture. Add a bit more or less water depending on your dream viscosity.

The ice cube trick is optional, but really does keep the soup nicely chilled. The temperature is so critical here – you can’t serve this too cold. By the way, the dill oil I drip on the top was nothing more than a few tablespoons of vegetable oil mashed with some fresh dill with a mortar and pestle.

So, the next time you’re looking for a cool first course for that next great garden party, I hope you give this a try. You’ll love it so much, I’m sure you’ll make it all the time! ;) Enjoy!

Ingredients for 6 small servings:

1 tbsp olive oil 

1 cup whites part of leeks, washed, chopped

salt and pepper to taste

2 English cucumbers, peeled

8-10 green grapes

1/4 cup slivered almonds

1 tbsp olive oil

1/3 cup crème fraiche, sour cream or plain yogurt

1 generous cup fresh bread cubes

2 tbsp sherry vinegar, or to taste

1 tsp salt, plus more to taste

cayenne to taste

1 1/2 cups cold water, more if needed

dill oil and/or fresh dill leaves

View the complete recipe

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Carrot Ginger Sunshine Soup

Happy day when you add a bowl of sunshine to your life. This is just that...lot's of flavor and pretty colors to brighten any day. What else is so great about this recipe is that it's a one pot meal. It just keeps getting brighter and brighter. Simple to put together + simple to put away = Simply lovely! Even better still...this recipe is versatile to pretty much whatever you have in your kitchen. You can replace the potatoes with more carrots and zucchini if you like. I happen to have added coconut milk to this recipe but you can easily use your favorite nut milk instead without losing any flavor. Both ways are delicious and will you smiling!

Let's shine on...

Carrot Ginger Sunshine Soup

Ingredients

• 4 medium carrots, diced
• 3 medium potatoes, diced
• 1 medium zucchini, chopped
• 1 small onion or 1 shallot, chopped
• 1 inch fresh ginger, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon coriander 
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
• 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 tablespoon vegetable broth powder, optional
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 2 Tbs olive oil
• 1/2 lemon squeezed
• 1/4  water
• 1 can lite coconut milk, or nut milk*
• 3 cups water, give or take
• himalayan salt & pepper to taste

Directions

1. Heat oil in a large pot on medium heat. Add garlic, onion, ginger, pepper, cumin, coriander, paprika, turmeric, nutmeg. Saute mixture until garlic and onions are translucent, about 3 min.
2. Add carrots, potatoes, zucchini. Mix well with spices and cook 5 min.
3. Add lemon juice and 1/4 cup water. Stir regularly, cook partially covered, until vegetables are soft and cooked, 10 min give or take a little, depends on how small you chopped your pieces...the smaller the quicker they soften.
4. Turn off heat and remove. Purée vegetables to a creamy pulp with immersion blender. Or you can add the liquid in #5 and puree vegetables that way. I have to say I started without the liquid and then added most of it to finish blending, saving some for later. Seemed better with the liquid for me. Everyone is different so use your most comfortable way.
5. Return to medium heat. Add coconut milk, broth powder, salt. Stir well, simmer 2-3 min. Add water gradually, stirring regular, maintain low boil, cook for 5 min. Continue to cook on medium low, reduce to desired consistency. 
6. Serve with bread or crackers if you wish. I had some olive oil & sea salt pita chips with mine. Very delicious ! Serves 3 generously. 

* I started this dish without thinking about using the coconut milk. It wasn't till the end that I decided to add it in. This soup is just as well without it, so if for any reason you don't want to use coconut milk any nut milk will do. I had added 1 cup plain almond milk to the batch but I'm sure the coconut milk overflavored it which is why I removed it from the recipe above and added and extra cup of water instead. You can add the almond milk to start and see if you like the flavor and if you want the extra boost, the coconut milk will give you that. Both ways are very tasty in their own way ! Use either 1 cup coconut milk, 1 cup almond milk, or both reducing the water to 2 cups, give or take to your desired thickness.

Here's a picture of how to get the carrot flowers, definitely an art that I need to practice. Luckily they sort of sink into the soup a little softening the edges making them look practically perfect. It'll be our secret. They are just too cute !

Enjoy the sunshine !

Adapted from The Lotus and The Artichoke... Carrot Ginger Zucchini Soup

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Gluten-Free Goddess Zucchini Bread

Delicious gluten-free zucchini bread.

Today's post will be short and sweet. I have no proper words for the complicated stew of thoughts and feelings stirring inside me. My heart breaks for every living soul touched by Aurora, Colorado's horrific tragedy. As we collectively sift through the debris and damage, my hope is that insight, wisdom and peace will prevail.

I am reprising a favorite recipe here on Gluten-Free Goddess. A cinnamon laced tea bread made with garden fresh zucchini.

Read more + get the recipe >>

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Sweet & Spicy Fresh Thai Salad

This is one of those simple delicious salads that I so enjoy. Full of fresh flavors including mango, cucumber, carrots, tomato, cilantro and topped with a simple dressing that is lightly sweet, salty & spicy...a bit of everything. It will leave you feeling fresh and energized. Be warned it is slightly addicting!

  I haven't given amounts to use, just use however much or little as you want. I You can add/subtract whatever you want. I think pineapple would be a nice addition as well, ever red bell pepper, papaya, spring onions or parsnips in place of the carrots. The flavors of the simple dressing will go with many tropical fruits and a wide variety of vegetables. Have fun experimenting!

Sweet & Spicy Fresh Thai Salad

Ingredients

• 1 cucumber, julienned
• 2 carrots, julienned
• 1 mango, julienned or sliced
• 1 tomato, diced
• cilantro, as much as you like
• handful cashews or peanuts, optional
• 1 - 2 limes, squeezed

Dressing

• 1 garlic clove, diced
• 2 tablespoons tamari, soy sauce or Bragg's amino
• 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup, pure can sugar or raw sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, or to taste

In medium small bowl, mix together tamari, sweetener of choice, pepper flakes and garlic,  set aside. Prepare your veggies and place in a medium size bowl along with the nuts, mix well and top with dressing and squeeze of limes.

My kind of easy....and so amazingly delicious ! 

Enjoy !

Adapted from Trans-Planted...Fresh Thai Salad

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Chicken Spiedies – Is Binghamton’s Best America’s Next Big Sandwich Trend?

If it isn’t, it should be! This incredibly delicious sandwich, invented in central New York by an Italian immigrant named Camillo Iacovelli, breaks all the accepted rules regarding marinating meats, and not only does it work, it’s amazing!

You’ve heard me say on many occasions to be careful when soaking chicken in an acid marinade.  Usually an hour or two is the maximum I recommend, otherwise the meat will actually “cook” in the liquid, much like fish in a ceviche. Here, that’s exactly the idea.

You could almost call this twiced-cooked chicken, except that the food nerds would come out of the woodwork to remind us the meat doesn’t “cook” in the marinade, it becomes “denatured.” Whatever, nerds. All I know is when you grill that "over-marinaded" chicken over a hot, charcoal fire, some serious magic happens.

The term "spiedie" (SPEE-dee) comes from “spiedo,” the Italian word for spit, and simply refers to meat grilled on a skewer. The original protein was lamb, which explains all the mint and garlic in the marinade, which Iacovelli called, “zuzu.”

As I hope you find out, “zuzu” is also wonderful with chicken, and there are hundreds of credible reports of it being fantastic on pork, beef, and venison also. Yes, one taste and I think you’ll understand why this is so incredibly popular in and around Binghamton, NY.

The only mystery is why hasn’t this spread across the country? Seems like a natural. It’s got a great back story, catchy name, lots of room for local adaptations, and a marinade called “zuzu.” Come on, what more do you need? Anyway, every new sandwich trend begins with a single bun, or something like that, so I hope you give this a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for about 6 skewers:

3 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs (or any boneless meat!)

1/2 cup olive oil

1/4 cup freshly-squeezed lemon juice

3/4 cup wine wine vinegar

1 rounded tablespoon sugar

6-8 cloves garlic

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon dried basil

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup picked mint leaves

View the complete recipe

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Simple Udon Noodles

I love a good noodle dish. I've been trying all the Asian style noodles lately. Finally got around to the udon noodles today. I rummaged in my refrigerator and pulled out some produce I thought would be good and went to town. I can tell you after devouring this meal that I like udon noodles, they are a keeper! The seasoning in the recipe is really simple adding to the ease of this dish. I love that all of the Asian noodles I've tried so far only take 4 min to cook, makes everything move a little faster, which was good because I was hungry...and this was really scrumptious!

The udon noodles I used already came split into three bundles. I only used one batch as this recipe was for myself, so adjust accordingly to your needs. These are organic and made with 100% whole wheat...making this one of my very few non-gluten free recipes I have. I do hope you enjoy this as much as I did...

Simple Udon Noodles

Ingredients

• 1 bundle udon noodles
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 1 small zucchini, cut in half and sliced
• 4 medium sized mushrooms, sliced (I used baby bella's)
• 1 small shallot, diced
• handful of basil, julienned
• 3 tablespoons tamari, Bragg's Liquid Amino's or soy sauce (I used tamari)
• 1 teaspoon pure maple syrup
• pinch or two red pepper flakes
• 1 scallions, sliced
• 1/4 - 1/2 cup bean sprouts (I mixed mine in raw at serving...you could cook it in if you like)

Start the water for the noodles. While your waiting for the water to boil, begin slicing up your veggies. Cook noodles, drain and set aside. Preheat your oil in a saute pan, or pan you cook your noodles in, on medium high heat. Add your veggies and saute for about a minute, add the rest of the ingredients and cook for another 3 minutes. Remove from heat, add noodles to the pan and mix together. Serve with a little extra sprinkle of red pepper flakes, a few chopped scallions and fresh bean sprouts. Serves one generously.

Enjoy !

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Rustic Baked Potato Chips

Once you go homemade......there is no turning back ! 

Forget the bag, this is so simple and delicious. I used to love potato chips and had no real problem eating them before but now a days I eat a few and feel not so good to my tummy. My clean eating habits have dramatically altered my system. It knows when something is processed and not close to nature as it should be. Funny how we adjust. I prefer my new habits and feel terrific so there is no way back to the old ways for me.

Here is my grand solution. I can finally enjoy potato chips !

These can be made any way you want....simple as salt & pepper, or spice it up with some cayenne or chipolte powder. Other spices you can use are garlic salt, onion powder, any special blends you have....just about any spice or herb you can think of will work ! Maybe salt & rosemary will be my next batch ?!

I started with two potatoes, clean and ready to slice. I don't have a slicer so everything was done by hand with a shape knife. The whole process was simple and took about 10 min or so to prep. Once you get them on the cookie sheet your ready to go ! 

Rustic Baked Potato Chips

(recipe and photos inspired by The Talking Kitchen)

 Ingredients

• 2 medium potatoes, I used gold, organic from Sprout's ($2.99 for a big bag)
• 2 tsp olive oil
• himalayan salt, to taste...go easy as they can get too salty

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
2. Prep a baking sheet with parchment paper, a rack would be great too and you would need less cooking time. That's next on my list !
3. Using a sharp knife, food processor attachment or mandoline, thinly slice the potatoes. 
4. Toss with oil and salt in medium size bowl. Or you can go to step five and lightly coat each side with oil while on the cookie sheet using a silicon brush. One less thing to wash this way, which was my way. 
5. Place in a single layer on the baking sheet. 
6. Bake for 10-17 minutes, turning after 10 min. Remove any that seem ready or about to burn completely. 
7. Once baked, remove from oven and let cool for 2 - 5 min.  Makes two servings.

Enjoy !

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Braised Beluga Lentils – Black Ops and the Caviar of Beans

Braised black lentils, also known as Beluga lentils, since they resemble the most prized of all caviar varieties, is one of my favorite side dishes. That alone would have ensured an eventual appearance on this blog, but it was the suspiciously large number of recent requests that were responsible for today’s post.

I love a good conspiracy theory, so I’m assuming there was some kind of funny business going on…I mean, this could have been the work of some shady international consortium. Was “Big Lentil” responsible? They usually say, “follow the money” in these situations, but I’m not sure how to do that, so I’ll just move on.

This recipe is very straightforward, and as I say, when the lentils are tender, you are done. You’ll need to keep any eye on things after the 25-minute mark, adding a splash of stock if needed. It’s always easier to add than reduce, so don’t be afraid to adjust as you go. Also, be sure to add enough salt. Under-seasoned beans are bad beans. 

One thing I forgot to mention, you might want to pour the cup of lentils on to a plate to check for little rocks. Nothing ruins a great lentil eating experience more than shattering a molar, so it’s worth the two minutes to check. Other than that, not much can go wrong.

By the way, if all the requests for this recipe were the work of some clandestine organization, well, you got what you asked for…now, please leave me alone. I hope you give these a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 2 large portions:
1 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp butter

1/2 cup diced onion

1/2 cup diced carrot

1/2 cup diced celery

6 springs fresh thyme

salt and pepper to taste

1 cup black lentils

1 3/4 – 2 cups chicken stock, more as needed
1 tbsp champagne vinegar, or to taste

2 tbsp chopped Italian parsley

View the complete recipe

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Roasted Butternut Squash w/ Spinach, Beans & Barley

 A life uncomplicated. That is the way to live. Tonight's dinner was a perfect example of simplicity and elegance. At least I see it that way ! Colorful, tasty and extremely satisfying. This is a wonderful complete meal including lots of protein from the beans & barley, as well as tons of fiber. The butternut squash with it's sweet roasted flavor gives life and warmth to the dish while adding its benefits of iron, potassium and vitamin C. Add spinach, some avocado, a touch of rosemary and thyme, and this has rounded out nicely without breaking the bank either. These simple easy dishes are so many times overlooked. 

Roasted Butternut Squash w/ Spinach, Beans & Barley

Ingredients

• 1 butternut squash, cubed
• 1 cup pearl barley
• 1 can cannellini beans (15 oz)
• two handfuls of fresh spinach
• 1/2  teaspoon rosemary, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon thyme
• avocado, diced
• Himalayan salt & cracked pepper to taste

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400.
2. Cook your barley according to directions. That will take apprx. 45 min. 
3. While your barley is simmering prepare your butternut squash by cubing into 1 inch pieces. Place on roasting pan lined with parchment paper. You could use tin foil but your squash will stick a bit. I recommend having parchment paper on hand. I used a silicon brush and lightly brushed the squash with olive oil and sprinkled with the rosemary, thyme and salt. Cook in oven for 25-30 min, turning once. When fork pierces easily, it's ready. 
4. Cook your beans and spinach together. If you want to cook fresh beans, all the better !
5. Once everything is heated and cooked, serve with avocado and season to taste with salt & pepper. Serves 2 -3.

Enjoy the simples !

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Raw Pad Thai

A few weeks ago I was given a package of kelp noodles and finally found a nice dish to feature them in. I really enjoy Thai food and I've been interested in putting together a raw Pad Thai dish. I came across Ani Phyo's version using kelp noodles and that was it..inspiration hit. And I must say it came out very well considering at first I was having trouble getting the sauce to my liking. I actually had two inspirations to work with and tried them both coming up with my final version. The first was too salty, the other too oily and finally got it in the middle. Well worth the trial and errors of making the sauce. They're all simple ingredients, just tons of them. Although I prefer the minimalist approach, I felt this was to be a special dish and it was!

Kelp noodles are pretty interesting, I had no idea what to expect. They are a raw food with a neutral flavor and have a firm crunchy texture like a bean sprout. Reminds of plastic bands with their slight stretchiness. They are rich in 70 minerals and a healthy alternative to noodles containing no gluten, wheat or sugar. As an added benefit they are low in carbohydrates and calories. They can be eaten warm or cold. 

Now on with the recipe and the story that goes with...

When I made my first dish I forgot to add the purple cabbage and cauliflower. I had everything on the counter too, but it happens! The following is a picture of my first dish without the cabbage and cauliflower. This shows you can use more of less of what you want. So whether you like it simple or more varied it will still be delicious ! I thought this dish was pretty colorful but I really liked the color of my second plate too with the purple cabbage, and the additional crunch from the extra veggies. It's all a feast for the senses...sight, smell, taste and textures....mmmm, yummy !

Raw Pad Thai

Ingredients

• 1/2 package of kelp noodles
• 1 cup purple cabbage, shredded
• 1 large carrot, julliened
• 1 zucchini, julliened
• 1 cup cauliflower florets
• 4 scallions, sliced
• 1 cup bean sprouts
• 1/2 cilantro, roughly chopped
• jalapeno, optional
• cashews or peanuts, garnish
• lime & orange wedges, garnish

Sauce

• 1/4 cup raw almond butter, I used crunchy
• 1/4 cup tahini
• 3 tablespoons tamari, Bragg Liquid Aminos or Nama Shoyu
• 3 tablespoon pure maple syrup or raw agave
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil
• 1 teaspoon garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon ginger, minced
• 1/2 lime, squeezed
• 1 orange, squeezed...I just had some really sweet juicy oranges on hand and threw it in.

Directions

1. Place all sauce ingredients into a small/medium bowl and mix together until blended. Set aside for 30 min to let the flavors mingle. Add extra ingredients to your taste. 
2. While sauce is setting, prepare your veggies. You could cut your kelp noodles into smaller pieces or leave as is (I left mine as is). Put kelp noodles and other vegetables in a large bowl (saving a few veggies to garnish) and add half of the sauce mixture . Toss the ingredients together until thoroughly coated. I found this was a lot of sauce and it is better to add half to see if that is enough for your liking, if not add more. I personally do not like my food drowning in sauces so I had the other half left over to use with the rest of the kelp noodles later. (See notes below.)
3. Serve with garnishments and any extras on the side. Serves two. 

You could easily make this without the kelp noodles if you like but I do encourage trying the kelp noodles if you can, it's an experience. And a really good one at that ! But there are plenty of other vegetables in this dish that will fill you up. They all add vibrant color, texture and flavor...

 Enjoy !

Notes: 

1. If you find your left over sauce is not enough just add a small amount of water to the mixture, about 1/4 cup water, more or less should help. Or if you find you like a more thinner sauce you could add 1/2 cup or so to the starting batch as Ani Phyo calls for (she uses 3/4 cup). Or better yet, you could squeeze more oranges.
2. If not using kelp noodles add a couple extra carrots and zucchini, or extra sprouts and cauliflower. Even add whatever veggies you may prefer. The sauce is mellow and will go with just about any vegetable.

Adapted from Vegangela (This sauce was too salty my taste, but I love her using all the veggies she used.) & Ani Phyo....(This was too oily so I pared it down a little. Next time I will use the coriander she calls for.) You may find your own adaptations to all of ours. Shanti !

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