5.17.2010

Ranch Dressing or Dip

I just got this recipe from one of my good friends Stefanie.. trust me it's amazing. This is one way to make raw vegetables taste good every time. Kids love dips dipping their food! This is an automatic hit. It is totally dairy free and delicious!

2 tbsp onion powder or onion bits
2 tbps parsley leaves
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 tbsp basil
1 tbsp celery seed (or salt)
1/2 tbsp salt (if used celery seed)
1/2 tsp pepper

mix about 4 1/2 tbsp of mix with:

1 tbsp lemon juice or apple cider vinegar
3 cups veganiase {found at health food stores}
rice/ almond milk to desired consistency


-Lara

4.29.2010

Foccacia Bread Pizza

So I got this recipe from my in-laws and so far it's been my favorite "healthy food". The nice thing is it's really not hard either! First you make the foccacia bread:

Mix dry ingredients below:

2 1/2 - 3 c whole wheat flour
1 T yeast (we have Red Star yeast from Wal-Mart - I believe it's Fast Acting Yeast or Bread Machine Yeast).
1/2 t salt

Warm wet ingredients below in microwave to 100-110 degrees (about 1 1/2 minutes.) You can also warm it up on the stove. You just want the liquid warm so the yeast will react.

1/4 c water
3/4 c soy milk
2 T apple sauce
1 T maple syrup (we actually used honey instead)

Sprinkle in liquid: oregano, basil, rosemary, onion powder, and garlic powder. You can also just use italian seasoning and then onion and garlic powder. Quantities aren't crucial, just depends on how much you like.

And then...

Roll out pizza dough on pizza stone or pan depending on what you have. Pull dough off carefully maintaining shape and sprinkle yellow corn meal on pizza stone then replace dough. (If you're careful you can just roll the dough out after you've sprinkled on the corn meal). Let the dough rise for at least 1/2 hour - it won't rise a lot.

Sprinkle pizza dough with more italian seasoning (if wanted) and then top with pizza sauce or spaghetti sauce. Slice up various vegetables and top with whatever you want! Our favorites are green peppers, tomatoes, red onion, and olives. Before throwing it in the oven add a bit more garlic salt :) just for flavor.

Bake in oven at 425 for 15-20 minutes (it took 17 in our oven).

Photobucket
-Richelle

4.28.2010

Kid's Favorite Salad

Kid's favorite salad??? Now come on....

Seriously, this is salad deserves it's title. My siblings and I love this salad! It's a great way to get  vegetables worked into a meal. I usually have a hard time eating raw broccoli and cauliflower.. but this stuff is delicious. It is a hit at parties and dinner alike!

1/2 head cauliflower, chopped
2-3 stalks broccolli, chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped
1 (12 ounce) bag frozen peas

Dressing:
1 cup healthy mayonnaise (such as Vegenaise)
2 tablespoons apple juice concentrate or honey
1 1/2 tablespoons vinegar
1/4 teaspoon salt

Make the dressing and mix into the chopped vegetables. Cover and refrigerate.

*Vegenaise is a gluten free, dairy free, eggless, non-GMO and contains no cholesterol or preservatives. It is made with a blend of Safflower, Flaxseed and Olive oils. and it tastes great! You should be able to find it at a local health food store.

- Lara

Asian Chicken Salad with Sweet and Spicy Wasabi Dressing

ok.. ok, I don't know how healthy this recipe really is. I think it's a great salad.. my personal favorite. However it does have meat and some wanton strips which really aren't healthy, but they sure taste good. I love the dressing. I would use it on any salad with or without chicken. It's so yummy.

2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons maple syrup
2 tablespoons olive oil
3/4 teaspoon wasabi powder (dried Japanese horseradish)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 (10-13 ounce) package of romaine lettuce with carrots and red cabbage
1 (8 1/4 ounce) can mandarin oranges in light syrup, drained
2 cups shredded cooked chicken breast
1 diagonally cut green onion
1 package wanton strips (such as Fresh Gormet)

1.  Combine first 6 ingredients in a large bowl; stir well with a wisk
2.  Add salad, chicken and oranges to to vinegar mixture; toss gently to coat. Top evenly with onion and a handful of wanton strips.

Recipe from Cooking Light

This makes about 4 servings. One side note. I just buy a rotisserie chicken and take all the meat off the bones. Then just use 2 cups of the meat and save the rest for another meal or recipe.

Seriously.. my favorite salad! Enjoy.

- Lara

4.27.2010

Whole Wheat Waffles

If you don't cook with milk, I'm sure you could use a substitute for the amount used in this recipe. These taste great and fill you up. Plus it's a super easy breakfast option!

1 3/4 cups lowfat milk
3 eggs
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups whole wheat flour

Combine all the ingredients in a blender or bowl {blender is easiest for me} and blend or mix till smooth. Pour over a hot waffle iron and cook till golden brown. Serve with real maple syrup and lots of fruit! Definitely a yummy breakfast... or dinner ;)

- Lara

4.26.2010

Meatless Spaghetti Sauce

This is an easy one. My personal favorite spaghetti sauce recipe.. but I'm partial ;) It's my mom's recipe. Add more or less chili powder depending on how "hot" you like your sauce. Enjoy!

64 ounces whole tomatoes (canned or bottled)
1 teaspoon paprika
2 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon basil
1 tablespoon brown sugar

Pour the tomatoes in a blender and blend lightly. Pour into a saucepan and add the remaining ingredients. Stir together and simmer for 15-30 minutes. To thicken mix 1/4 c flour with water. Stir the water and flour mixture into the sauce. And viola.. it's ready to serve over whole wheat spaghetti noodles!


- Lara