Roasted Cauliflower + Chickpeas + Mustard Dressing

Can I interest you in some roasted cauliflower? Or maybe some roasted chickpeas? These are both just about the greatest thing ever...at least in my book they are! Pair them with this mustard dressing and you've got yourself another simple dish that is sure to please. I love all the ingredients in this recipe but have to admit that once I put the mustard dressing together, I wasn't so sure if it might have too strong of a mustard flavor. I was pleasantly surprised to find that once the dressing was mixed with the roasted chickpeas and cauliflower it mellowed out immensely. This has ended up being a new favorite dish of mine for ease of preparation and great flavor. It is also a complete meal with the addition of quinoa that adds extra protein and fiber so you can be sure you are getting what you need from your plant based diet. Try adding in some brussels sprouts as well for a nice variation. 

The recipe was first spotted within the beautiful blog photos from Bluebird and originates from Gwyneth Paltrow's and Julia Turshen's cook book, It's All Good. A quick google search gave me the ingredients and more inspiration to put this together. 

Gather your ingredients and begin...

Start by preparing your chickpeas and cauliflower for roasting...roast for 45 minutes.

In the meantime, prepare your dressing and cook your quinoa. Just a note about the dressing, I chose to use lemon instead of white wine vinegar like the original recipe called for. I also sought out a Dijon mustard that didn't use white wine vinegar. My reasoning is that white wine may or may not be a vegan product as many use animal remnants in the production. After searching on the shelves I found this great Dijon mustard from Maille that doesn't use any white wine vinegar in the ingredients, just vinegar. And as luck would have it, it is an award winning Dijon mustard! Win, win. And the lemon in the dressing to me was just perfect!

Once chickpeas and cauliflower are ready...toss with the mustard dressing and serve over a bed of quinoa. Simply wonderful!

Roasted Cauliflower + Chickpeas + Mustard Dressing

Ingredients

• 1 can (14 oz) garbanzo beans (chickpeas), rinsed, drained and patted dry on a kitchen towel
• 1 large head cauliflower, cut into florets
• olive oil
• mineral salt
• 1 cup quinoa (I used tri-color)
• 1 1/2 cups water or vegetable broth
• 1/4 cup fresh Italian parsley, chopped
• fresh cracked pepper, to serve
• lemon wedges, to serve

Mustard Dressing

• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon whole grain mustard
• juice from 1 lemon or 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar 
• 1 - 2 tablespoons evo or olive oil

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Prepare cauliflower and chickpeas, toss together in a large roasting pan with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and dash or two of salt. Roast for 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes or so.

In a medium pot, add quinoa, water and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove cover and let set 10 minutes and fluff with a fork.

In a small bowl, prepare your mustard dressing and set aside. You may like to double this recipe and have some to drizzle over top your plated serving.

Once roasting is done, let cool a few minutes. While still warm, place cauliflower and chickpeas in a medium size bowl, add dressing and toss. Add in parsley last or top your portion when before serving. Tastes great warm or at room temperature.

Serve cauliflower and chickpea mix over a nice bed of quinoa along with lemon wedges.

Serves two with left over quinoa.

Enjoy often and eat more chickpeas!

Can I interest you in some roasted cauliflower? Or maybe some roasted chickpeas? These are both just about the greatest thing ever...at least in my book they are! Pair them with this mustard dressing and you've got yourself another simple dish that is sure to please. I love all the ingredients in this recipe but have to admit that once I put the mustard dressing together, I wasn't so sure if it might have too strong of a mustard flavor. I was pleasantly surprised to find that once the dressing was mixed with the roasted chickpeas and cauliflower it mellowed out immensely. This has ended up being a new favorite dish of mine for ease of preparation and great flavor. It is also a complete meal with the addition of quinoa that adds extra protein and fiber so you can be sure you are getting what you need from your plant based diet. Try adding in some brussels sprouts as well for a nice variation. 

The recipe was first spotted within the beautiful blog photos from Bluebird and originates from Gwyneth Paltrow's and Julia Turshen's cook book, It's All Good. A quick google search gave me the ingredients and more inspiration to put this together. 

Gather your ingredients and begin...

Start by preparing your chickpeas and cauliflower for roasting...roast for 45 minutes.

In the meantime, prepare your dressing and cook your quinoa. Just a note about the dressing, I chose to use lemon instead of white wine vinegar like the original recipe called for. I also sought out a Dijon mustard that didn't use white wine vinegar. My reasoning is that white wine may or may not be a vegan product as many use animal remnants in the production. After searching on the shelves I found this great Dijon mustard from Maille that doesn't use any white wine vinegar in the ingredients, just vinegar. And as luck would have it, it is an award winning Dijon mustard! Win, win. And the lemon in the dressing to me was just perfect!

Once chickpeas and cauliflower are ready...toss with the mustard dressing and serve over a bed of quinoa. Simply wonderful!

Roasted Cauliflower + Chickpeas + Mustard Dressing

Ingredients

• 1 can (14 oz) garbanzo beans (chickpeas), rinsed, drained and patted dry on a kitchen towel
• 1 large head cauliflower, cut into florets
• olive oil
• mineral salt
• 1 cup quinoa (I used tri-color)
• 1 1/2 cups water or vegetable broth
• 1/4 cup fresh Italian parsley, chopped
• fresh cracked pepper, to serve
• lemon wedges, to serve

Mustard Dressing

• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon whole grain mustard
• juice from 1 lemon or 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar 
• 1 - 2 tablespoons evo or olive oil

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Prepare cauliflower and chickpeas, toss together in a large roasting pan with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and dash or two of salt. Roast for 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes or so.

In a medium pot, add quinoa, water and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove cover and let set 10 minutes and fluff with a fork.

In a small bowl, prepare your mustard dressing and set aside. You may like to double this recipe and have some to drizzle over top your plated serving.

Once roasting is done, let cool a few minutes. While still warm, place cauliflower and chickpeas in a medium size bowl, add dressing and toss. Add in parsley last or top your portion when before serving. Tastes great warm or at room temperature.

Serve cauliflower and chickpea mix over a nice bed of quinoa along with lemon wedges.

Serves two with left over quinoa.

Enjoy often and eat more chickpeas!

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Blackened Roasted Cauliflower “Steaks”

There was a time when I actually didn't like cauliflower and was missing out on some of the best stuff on earth. It comes right next to my favorite dark chocolate bar dipped in raw almond butter. Yes, cauliflower, especially roasted cauliflower, is that good and these blackened steaks are proof!

The cauliflower is the center of attention here. Most of the flavor is in the blackened seasoning so I paired this with a simple, yet delightful, combination of roasted grape tomatoes and bell peppers along with some quinoa as my grain of choice. Quinoa with everything around here, I just love it! Now back to point.... The tomatoes and bell peppers have enough flavor on their own that I just simply added a smidge of himalayan salt and that was that. The entire dish came together very easy without anything complicated creating a simple and casual meal...my favorite kind. And don't forget your steak knife...it will come in handy for your cauliflower steaks!

I roasted my bell peppers in the broiler while the cauliflower and tomatoes were roasting. Be sure to check on them every ten minutes to turn. My disclaimer: I've never heard of anyone roasting in the broiler while cooking in the oven but it worked here saving a whole extra step. Have you ever done this? Depending on what stage you put your food in you may get slightly different results. The ones shown above were done after I put in the cauliflower so the flame was going on and off to keep the oven warm but they still charred and roasted nicely. This morning I tested another batch while the oven was heating and the result was much more evenly charred with the flame on full time heating up the oven. Both were cooked for the same amount of time, about 25 minutes. Either way you will have nicely roasted bell peppers. They were soft, flavorful and delicious! For timing purposes I have suggested starting to roast your bell peppers while the oven is heating in this recipe so they have time to cool and be prepared. 

As for the 'steak' seasoning, feel free to use an already prepared seasoning. There are many good ones in the spice isle these days all bottled up and ready to use. I would suggest looking for salt free ones if possible and adding your own salt to taste. Look for creole, cajun, blackening types of seasonings. It is also very easy to make your own so I have included a homemade version for those who prefer to prepare their own spice blends. Something for everyone, that's a win, win!

Blackened Roasted Cauliflower “Steaks”

Ingredients

• 1 large head cauliflower 
• blackened, creole or cajun seasoning of choice (recipe for homemade below)
• couple tablespoons olive oil
• 1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes
• 2 medium bell peppers
• couple tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
• himalayan salt and cracked pepper, to taste
• grain of choice...quinoa, brown rice, farro, etc. 
• lemon wedges to garnish

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

For the bell peppers, start roasting them in the broiler while the oven is heating (as mentioned above). Place your bell peppers in the broiler and be sure to turn them every 10 minutes or so until charred and tender, about 25 minutes. Once done, let cool a few minutes, remove stem, cut in half, remove remaining seeds and gently peel and remove the charred skin. Julienne the bell peppers by slicing lengthwise and chop further for smaller pieces if you like. Keep warm by the oven until the cauliflower is ready. You may want to wrap them in foil to keep warm.

Next, start preparing the cauliflower. Place the cauliflower stem side down, and using a sharp knife cut into the top center slicing the cauliflower in half. You want to create as many cauliflower steaks as you can from the center cut out that will be at least 1/2 inch to 3/4 inch thick. The remaining sides and pieces can be cut into florets and roasted alongside the steaks or on a separate baking sheet. I feel it's best to use two baking sheets to prepare this meal. Using two will give you plenty of room for the steak slices to be turned over without too much crowding. 

Grease your baking sheet/s and carefully place your cauliflower steaks along with the broken florets, or place the florets on a separate baking sheet. Using an oil brush, gently brush the steaks and florets with oil. Sprinkle as much seasoning as you wish to coat on steaks and florets (you may like a heavy coat or a light coat). Add your tomatoes to the baking sheet, you can coat these with oil too if you like and add a sprinkle of sea salt. 

Place your baking sheet into the oven, or if using two, place sheets on separate racks or side by side depending on the size. Bake for 15 minutes, flip steaks and stir florets, season again and bake for an additional 15 minutes. 

Serve immediately with roasted tomatoes, bell peppers, grain of choice, sprinkle of chopped parsley and lemon wedges.

• • • • •

 Making your own seasoning is so easy. If you have all the ingredients already hand, I especially recommend you make your own using an old spice jar or small container of choice.

Blackened Seasoning

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons paprika
• 2 tablespoons garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon onion powder
• 1 tablespoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon dried thyme
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 2 teaspoons sea salt, or to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon mustard

Place ingredients into small jar or container and blend well. Store leftovers in the pantry for later use. Makes just under 2/3 cups.

• • • • •

Enjoy this blackened cauliflower often!

Inspired by this recipe from Martha Stewart and this one from Food Doodles.

There was a time when I actually didn't like cauliflower and was missing out on some of the best stuff on earth. It comes right next to my favorite dark chocolate bar dipped in raw almond butter. Yes, cauliflower, especially roasted cauliflower, is that good and these blackened steaks are proof!

The cauliflower is the center of attention here. Most of the flavor is in the blackened seasoning so I paired this with a simple, yet delightful, combination of roasted grape tomatoes and bell peppers along with some quinoa as my grain of choice. Quinoa with everything around here, I just love it! Now back to point.... The tomatoes and bell peppers have enough flavor on their own that I just simply added a smidge of himalayan salt and that was that. The entire dish came together very easy without anything complicated creating a simple and casual meal...my favorite kind. And don't forget your steak knife...it will come in handy for your cauliflower steaks!

I roasted my bell peppers in the broiler while the cauliflower and tomatoes were roasting. Be sure to check on them every ten minutes to turn. My disclaimer: I've never heard of anyone roasting in the broiler while cooking in the oven but it worked here saving a whole extra step. Have you ever done this? Depending on what stage you put your food in you may get slightly different results. The ones shown above were done after I put in the cauliflower so the flame was going on and off to keep the oven warm but they still charred and roasted nicely. This morning I tested another batch while the oven was heating and the result was much more evenly charred with the flame on full time heating up the oven. Both were cooked for the same amount of time, about 25 minutes. Either way you will have nicely roasted bell peppers. They were soft, flavorful and delicious! For timing purposes I have suggested starting to roast your bell peppers while the oven is heating in this recipe so they have time to cool and be prepared. 

As for the 'steak' seasoning, feel free to use an already prepared seasoning. There are many good ones in the spice isle these days all bottled up and ready to use. I would suggest looking for salt free ones if possible and adding your own salt to taste. Look for creole, cajun, blackening types of seasonings. It is also very easy to make your own so I have included a homemade version for those who prefer to prepare their own spice blends. Something for everyone, that's a win, win!

Blackened Roasted Cauliflower “Steaks”

Ingredients

• 1 large head cauliflower 
• blackened, creole or cajun seasoning of choice (recipe for homemade below)
• couple tablespoons olive oil
• 1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes
• 2 medium bell peppers
• couple tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
• himalayan salt and cracked pepper, to taste
• grain of choice...quinoa, brown rice, farro, etc. 
• lemon wedges to garnish

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

For the bell peppers, start roasting them in the broiler while the oven is heating (as mentioned above). Place your bell peppers in the broiler and be sure to turn them every 10 minutes or so until charred and tender, about 25 minutes. Once done, let cool a few minutes, remove stem, cut in half, remove remaining seeds and gently peel and remove the charred skin. Julienne the bell peppers by slicing lengthwise and chop further for smaller pieces if you like. Keep warm by the oven until the cauliflower is ready. You may want to wrap them in foil to keep warm.

Next, start preparing the cauliflower. Place the cauliflower stem side down, and using a sharp knife cut into the top center slicing the cauliflower in half. You want to create as many cauliflower steaks as you can from the center cut out that will be at least 1/2 inch to 3/4 inch thick. The remaining sides and pieces can be cut into florets and roasted alongside the steaks or on a separate baking sheet. I feel it's best to use two baking sheets to prepare this meal. Using two will give you plenty of room for the steak slices to be turned over without too much crowding. 

Grease your baking sheet/s and carefully place your cauliflower steaks along with the broken florets, or place the florets on a separate baking sheet. Using an oil brush, gently brush the steaks and florets with oil. Sprinkle as much seasoning as you wish to coat on steaks and florets (you may like a heavy coat or a light coat). Add your tomatoes to the baking sheet, you can coat these with oil too if you like and add a sprinkle of sea salt. 

Place your baking sheet into the oven, or if using two, place sheets on separate racks or side by side depending on the size. Bake for 15 minutes, flip steaks and stir florets, season again and bake for an additional 15 minutes. 

Serve immediately with roasted tomatoes, bell peppers, grain of choice, sprinkle of chopped parsley and lemon wedges.

• • • • •

 Making your own seasoning is so easy. If you have all the ingredients already hand, I especially recommend you make your own using an old spice jar or small container of choice.

Blackened Seasoning

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons paprika
• 2 tablespoons garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon onion powder
• 1 tablespoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon dried thyme
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 2 teaspoons sea salt, or to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon mustard

Place ingredients into small jar or container and blend well. Store leftovers in the pantry for later use. Makes just under 2/3 cups.

• • • • •

Enjoy this blackened cauliflower often!

Inspired by this recipe from Martha Stewart and this one from Food Doodles.

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Roasted Buddha Bowl

What I have to share with you today is my take on the Roasted Buddha Bowl from Oh She Glow's. It is my kind of meal...simple, flavorful and easy! I added some radishes to my mix. Once roasted, they become sweet and tender. If you've never grilled or roasted radishes, I highly recommend adding that to your list of must try's. I also made my own sauce for this recipe. I've been having lots of cashew based sauces lately and decided to mix it up with a lemon white bean sauce. It came out wonderful and pairs really well with the quinoa and vegetables. I would consider it more of a hummus that has been thinned out a bit. I think you'll love it. So we have another nutrient dense meal that tastes great, is filling and easy to make. Be sure to pick up some radishes and give this bowl a try...you may find that you will make it again and again. I have. :)

Before we begin, let's go over a little bit about what a Buddha bowl is. Personally, this is my first experience with it, although I have made it many times before, I just didn't know it. Buddha bowls can be whatever you want them to be...they typically include a grain, a sauce and vegetables. But you can add anything your kitchen holds and/or your heart desires. Usually you will find the vegetables to be sautéed or steamed. I really love roasted vegetables so this Buddha bowl is perfect for me. You can keep your Buddha bowl simple or go all out adding all kinds of colorful ingredients. Chances are you've already had many Buddha bowls too! 

Now let's be full of gratitude for all that is and dine in peace...

Roasted Buddha Bowl

Ingredients (serves 3 generously)

• 1 broccoli head, cut into florets
• 1 cauliflower head, cut into florets
• large handful radishes, halved (or quartered depending on the size)
• 1 - 2 tablespoons olive oil or sesame oil
• generous sprinkle of garlic powder
• pinch or two of salt

Creamy Lemon White Bean Sauce

• 1 can (15 oz) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 tablespoons tahini
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast, optional
• 1 large garlic clove
• juice of 1 large lemon
• salt to taste
• 2 - 4 tablespoons water for thinning

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a large bowl, combine broccoli, cauliflower and radishes, drizzle with oil, garlic powder and salt, mix well to coat. Place mixture on rimmed cookie sheet or roasting pan. Cook for 30-40 minutes, stirring once in between.

Prepare you sauce by placing all the ingredients in food processor/blender, except the water, and blend until creamy smooth. Add water 1 tablespoon at a time until desired consistency. You may also like to add more lemon in place of water for a really zesty lemon sauce. Taste for flavor adding extra garlic or salt if needed.

Serve vegetables on top of grain of choice (I used quinoa) and add a generous amount of sauce on top. Add some freshly cracked pepper if you like. So clean and delicious!

Notes: If you have sauce left over, you can use it a dip for veggies or pita chips, or as a spread for sandwiches. Store left overs in an air tight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.

You may also like to try this Sriracha Cashew Cream Sauce in place of the sauce suggested above for a spicy twist or this Tahini-Miso Dressing for another mellow sauce!

Enjoy!

Image of the sitting man with his Buddha bowl comes from the first published book by Anna Thomas called, The Vegetarian Epicure. You can find all four of her books here including her new book, Love Soup. I stumbled onto this graphic from this blog post at Gluten Free For Good: Buddha Bowls and Hippie Chicks.

What I have to share with you today is my take on the Roasted Buddha Bowl from Oh She Glow's. It is my kind of meal...simple, flavorful and easy! I added some radishes to my mix. Once roasted, they become sweet and tender. If you've never grilled or roasted radishes, I highly recommend adding that to your list of must try's. I also made my own sauce for this recipe. I've been having lots of cashew based sauces lately and decided to mix it up with a lemon white bean sauce. It came out wonderful and pairs really well with the quinoa and vegetables. I would consider it more of a hummus that has been thinned out a bit. I think you'll love it. So we have another nutrient dense meal that tastes great, is filling and easy to make. Be sure to pick up some radishes and give this bowl a try...you may find that you will make it again and again. I have. :)

Before we begin, let's go over a little bit about what a Buddha bowl is. Personally, this is my first experience with it, although I have made it many times before, I just didn't know it. Buddha bowls can be whatever you want them to be...they typically include a grain, a sauce and vegetables. But you can add anything your kitchen holds and/or your heart desires. Usually you will find the vegetables to be sautéed or steamed. I really love roasted vegetables so this Buddha bowl is perfect for me. You can keep your Buddha bowl simple or go all out adding all kinds of colorful ingredients. Chances are you've already had many Buddha bowls too! 

Now let's be full of gratitude for all that is and dine in peace...

Roasted Buddha Bowl

Ingredients (serves 3 generously)

• 1 broccoli head, cut into florets
• 1 cauliflower head, cut into florets
• large handful radishes, halved (or quartered depending on the size)
• 1 - 2 tablespoons olive oil or sesame oil
• generous sprinkle of garlic powder
• pinch or two of salt

Creamy Lemon White Bean Sauce

• 1 can (15 oz) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 tablespoons tahini
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast, optional
• 1 large garlic clove
• juice of 1 large lemon
• salt to taste
• 2 - 4 tablespoons water for thinning

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a large bowl, combine broccoli, cauliflower and radishes, drizzle with oil, garlic powder and salt, mix well to coat. Place mixture on rimmed cookie sheet or roasting pan. Cook for 30-40 minutes, stirring once in between.

Prepare you sauce by placing all the ingredients in food processor/blender, except the water, and blend until creamy smooth. Add water 1 tablespoon at a time until desired consistency. You may also like to add more lemon in place of water for a really zesty lemon sauce. Taste for flavor adding extra garlic or salt if needed.

Serve vegetables on top of grain of choice (I used quinoa) and add a generous amount of sauce on top. Add some freshly cracked pepper if you like. So clean and delicious!

Notes: If you have sauce left over, you can use it a dip for veggies or pita chips, or as a spread for sandwiches. Store left overs in an air tight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.

You may also like to try this Sriracha Cashew Cream Sauce in place of the sauce suggested above for a spicy twist or this Tahini-Miso Dressing for another mellow sauce!

Enjoy!

Image of the sitting man with his Buddha bowl comes from the first published book by Anna Thomas called, The Vegetarian Epicure. You can find all four of her books here including her new book, Love Soup. I stumbled onto this graphic from this blog post at Gluten Free For Good: Buddha Bowls and Hippie Chicks.

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

High Protein White Bean & Cauliflower Alfredo Sauce

 This is just an awesome sauce all around! I say if you don't like it you must be crazy...but that's just me. :) It's not the high saturated fat and high calorie sauce your used too...no, no, no...this is much better and in my opinion tastes better too! This whole meal is high protein and high fiber with wonderful flavors to match. I really love using the kale and sun-dried tomatoes with this as well for their added benefits...the sun-dried tomatoes add a nice sweetness to the dish. Did you know that sun-dried tomatoes contain 12 times the amount of Lycopene as raw tomatoes ounce for ounce. Lycopene is a phytochemical and proven antioxident that fights free radicals in the body. More reason to add a few sun-dried tomatoes to your dishes.

Pair all this goodness on top of this wonderful pasta I found and this meal is as healthy as it can get!

Bella Terra 100% Organic 8 Whole Grain Pasta with Milled Flaxseed - Penne Rigate

Per serving it has...190 calories...1 gram fat...7 grams protein...7 grams fiber...those are great numbers! Along with this high protein, high fiber white bean alfredo sauce...plus a little kale, sun-dried tomatoes and mushrooms you have a nutritionally dense meal that tastes great! I promise :)

I will be using this sauce over and over again varying the added vegetables...you could also use broccoli, peas, spinach, etc...or even serve this sauce over rice quinoa using some of  the leftovers. 

Now lets' make some awesome Alfredo sauce that you will come back to again and again making it your own each time...

Ingredients

Alfredo Sauce (makes apprx. 4 cups)

1 can cannellini beans (15oz), drained and rinsed

1/2 cauliflower

1 to 1 1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk

3 tablespoon olive oil, divided

1 large shallot or 1/2 onion, diced

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

himalayan sea salt & pepper to taste

1 or 2 tablespoon nutrtional yeast, optional (I didn't use any)

addtitional veggies

a few kale leaves

1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes

1/2 cup mushrooms, sliced

1 or 2 teaspoons red pepper flakes, to taste

1 tablespoon olive oil

whole grain pasta, cooked

adjust these measurements to suit your needs

Cut cauliflower into large florets and place in pot of boiling water. Cook for about 20 minutes, or until soft, drain. While Cauliflower is cooking, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in saute pan over medium to medium high heat, add shallots and cook until soft and lightly browned.

Place cooked cauliflower in blender/food processor along with beans, milk, shallots and nutmeg. Blend until creamy. Taste for flavor adding salt, pepper and any other spice you might like. Also if sauce is too thick add a splash or so more milk as needed, blend again.

And now for the veggies. In same saute pan as you cooked the shallots, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Add mushrooms, kale, sun-dried tomatoes and red pepper flakes. Saute kale until it has sweated down, apprx 5 min. You could use a cover to help. Turn off heat when done. 

Bring pasta back to the same pot as cooked in, add as much sauce as you like to coat the pasta. Add the veggie mix and gently stir. Add a tad more sauce if needed. Turn heat to low and cook until warmed through adding a splash or so of milk if needed to keep from drying out. We want to keep it moist and creamy! Serve. I've been working on a loaf of french bread I bought last week so I paired mine with a well toasted piece drizzled with a bit of olive oil. Heavenly!

Keep remaining sauce or any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge. Will last up to a week. When reheating, add more non-dairy milk to maintain creaminess if needed.

Enjoy !

Inspired by this recipe from Cupcakes and Kale 

 This is just an awesome sauce all around! I say if you don't like it you must be crazy...but that's just me. :) It's not the high saturated fat and high calorie sauce your used too...no, no, no...this is much better and in my opinion tastes better too! This whole meal is high protein and high fiber with wonderful flavors to match. I really love using the kale and sun-dried tomatoes with this as well for their added benefits...the sun-dried tomatoes add a nice sweetness to the dish. Did you know that sun-dried tomatoes contain 12 times the amount of Lycopene as raw tomatoes ounce for ounce. Lycopene is a phytochemical and proven antioxident that fights free radicals in the body. More reason to add a few sun-dried tomatoes to your dishes.

Pair all this goodness on top of this wonderful pasta I found and this meal is as healthy as it can get!

Bella Terra 100% Organic 8 Whole Grain Pasta with Milled Flaxseed - Penne Rigate

Per serving it has...190 calories...1 gram fat...7 grams protein...7 grams fiber...those are great numbers! Along with this high protein, high fiber white bean alfredo sauce...plus a little kale, sun-dried tomatoes and mushrooms you have a nutritionally dense meal that tastes great! I promise :)

I will be using this sauce over and over again varying the added vegetables...you could also use broccoli, peas, spinach, etc...or even serve this sauce over rice quinoa using some of  the leftovers. 

Now lets' make some awesome Alfredo sauce that you will come back to again and again making it your own each time...

Ingredients

Alfredo Sauce (makes apprx. 4 cups)

1 can cannellini beans (15oz), drained and rinsed

1/2 cauliflower

1 to 1 1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk

3 tablespoon olive oil, divided

1 large shallot or 1/2 onion, diced

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

himalayan sea salt & pepper to taste

1 or 2 tablespoon nutrtional yeast, optional (I didn't use any)

addtitional veggies

a few kale leaves

1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes

1/2 cup mushrooms, sliced

1 or 2 teaspoons red pepper flakes, to taste

1 tablespoon olive oil

whole grain pasta, cooked

adjust these measurements to suit your needs

Cut cauliflower into large florets and place in pot of boiling water. Cook for about 20 minutes, or until soft, drain. While Cauliflower is cooking, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in saute pan over medium to medium high heat, add shallots and cook until soft and lightly browned.

Place cooked cauliflower in blender/food processor along with beans, milk, shallots and nutmeg. Blend until creamy. Taste for flavor adding salt, pepper and any other spice you might like. Also if sauce is too thick add a splash or so more milk as needed, blend again.

And now for the veggies. In same saute pan as you cooked the shallots, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Add mushrooms, kale, sun-dried tomatoes and red pepper flakes. Saute kale until it has sweated down, apprx 5 min. You could use a cover to help. Turn off heat when done. 

Bring pasta back to the same pot as cooked in, add as much sauce as you like to coat the pasta. Add the veggie mix and gently stir. Add a tad more sauce if needed. Turn heat to low and cook until warmed through adding a splash or so of milk if needed to keep from drying out. We want to keep it moist and creamy! Serve. I've been working on a loaf of french bread I bought last week so I paired mine with a well toasted piece drizzled with a bit of olive oil. Heavenly!

Keep remaining sauce or any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge. Will last up to a week. When reheating, add more non-dairy milk to maintain creaminess if needed.

Enjoy !

Inspired by this recipe from Cupcakes and Kale 

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Curry & Sriracha Roasted Cauliflower

 I never used to care much for cauliflower a few years ago...but times have changed. Cauliflower is awesome! I especially love it roasted. I had a head of cauliflower in my fridge that I was going to do buffalo wing style but didn't feel like going through the whole ordeal so I decided to simply coat it with curry and sriracha and roast it up. It was fantastic on all accounts...taste, texture and color. I thought maybe it was going to be too spicy but it was perfect. I sat and ate the whole thing to myself enjoying this as a mono meal. You can of course use this as a side dish along with some rice or quinoa too. I absolutely love this dish and make it often! Simply delicious...

Curry & Sriracha Roasted Cauliflower

Ingredients

• one head cauliflower
• 1-2 tablespoons sesame, coconut or olive oil
• 1 heaping tablespoon sriracha chili sauce
• 1 heaping tablespoon curry powder
• generous dash of garlic powder

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Cut cauliflower into florets and place in large bowl. Combine oil, siracha, curry and garlic powder in a small bowl. Pour over cauliflower and coat well, mixing for a minute or so. Place coated cauliflower in a single layer on a roasting pan lined with parchment paper or lightly greased with oil if needed. Cook for 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes. 

Serve alone, or over basmati, jasmine or brown rice, even quinoa would be excellent.

Feel free to add more curry, sriracha and garlic powder to your taste...

Enjoy !

Sriracha makes everything better...well, almost! Get your sriracha on :)

 I never used to care much for cauliflower a few years ago...but times have changed. Cauliflower is awesome! I especially love it roasted. I had a head of cauliflower in my fridge that I was going to do buffalo wing style but didn't feel like going through the whole ordeal so I decided to simply coat it with curry and sriracha and roast it up. It was fantastic on all accounts...taste, texture and color. I thought maybe it was going to be too spicy but it was perfect. I sat and ate the whole thing to myself enjoying this as a mono meal. You can of course use this as a side dish along with some rice or quinoa too. I absolutely love this dish and make it often! Simply delicious...

Curry & Sriracha Roasted Cauliflower

Ingredients

• one head cauliflower
• 1-2 tablespoons sesame, coconut or olive oil
• 1 heaping tablespoon sriracha chili sauce
• 1 heaping tablespoon curry powder
• generous dash of garlic powder

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Cut cauliflower into florets and place in large bowl. Combine oil, siracha, curry and garlic powder in a small bowl. Pour over cauliflower and coat well, mixing for a minute or so. Place coated cauliflower in a single layer on a roasting pan lined with parchment paper or lightly greased with oil if needed. Cook for 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes. 

Serve alone, or over basmati, jasmine or brown rice, even quinoa would be excellent.

Feel free to add more curry, sriracha and garlic powder to your taste...

Enjoy !

Sriracha makes everything better...well, almost! Get your sriracha on :)

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

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 !

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 !

reade more... Résuméabuiyad