General Tso Eggplant

January 11, 2013 by hippydude in Food, healthy, Recipes and tagged 20 minute meals, baby boomers, diabetic recipes, General Tso Eggplant, gluten-free, healthy, Hunan, low fat, Meatless Entrees, Vegan recipes, vegetarian recipes | Permalink

It appears that the popular dish general Tso Chicken was not a general’s favorite or even originated in China. It’s origin can be traced to one of two Chinese restaurants in New York in the early 70′s as a dish to introduce Hunan style cuisine to the masses although real Hunan dishes are seldom as sweet and way spicier. So General Tso is an Americanized dish with some Hunan notes. My healthy twist is that nothing is deep fried and is not as sweet as some recipes. This is a pungent, piquant and gingery way to cook eggplant and is gluten-free and vegan.

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General Tso Eggplant

Yield: 2 generous servings

1 eggplant cut into 1 ½ inch strips
½ red onion julienne
6 large Crimini mushrooms sliced
4 tablespoons gluten-free tamari sauce
1 tablespoon coconut or olive oil
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon water
1 tablespoon seasoned rice vinegar
1 tablespoon garlic chopped
2 teaspoons ginger minced
1 teaspoon chili flakes

Dust eggplant, onions and mushrooms with cornstarch. Mix tamari, vinegar, honey, garlic, water, chili flakes and ginger and set aside. Heat a wok or sauté pan with oil. Stir fry eggplant, onion and mushrooms till they start to brown add seasoning mixture and cook another 1-2 minutes. Serve with rice.

Paleo Stuffing

November 22, 2012 by hippydude in Food, healthy, Recipes and tagged baby boomers, diabetic recipes, gluten-free, gluten-free stuffing, healthy, low carb stuffing, low fat, Paleo stuffing, Side Dishes, vegetarian recipes | Permalink

Bread-less stuffing? Yes, it’s true and very delicious.My wife Val said “could you make me a whole roasting pan full next time?” Cauliflower is my favorite mashed potato substitute so I figured why not use it to replace the bread. Well it works like a charm. This recipe is low fat, ovo-vegetarian, paleo, diabetic friendly, low-carb and heart-healthy. You can add your own preferential additions like: apples, walnuts, sausage, oysters etc. but it is just fine as is.

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Ready to serve

Stuffing just before baking

Paleo Stuffing

Yield 6 servings

1 head cauliflower
3 stalks celery
1 leek
1 red pepper
4 eggs
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 ½ teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
4-5 leaves of fresh sage (chiffonade)
Black pepper to taste

Steam cauliflower, set aside. Wash vegetables and dice cauliflower, peppers. celery and thinly slice the leek. Sauté all veggies and seasonings in the olive oil and remove from heat. Beat the eggs and add to stuffing mixture. Bake in a greased casserole dish at 375° for 20 minutes.
Serve.

Honey Glazed Root Veg with Walnuts

November 1, 2012 by hippydude in Food, healthy, Recipes and tagged 20 minute meals, baby boomers, diabetic recipes, gluten-free, healthy, Honey Glazed Root Veg with Walnuts, Paleo recipes, Side Dishes, Vegan recipes, vegetarian recipes | Permalink

Cooking seasonally is always preferred and this Fall/Winter side dish is a real winner. I got the walnuts and turnips at my local farmer’s market and they inspired me to pay homage to root veggies by creating this side dish that would be a welcome addition to any thanksgiving or harvest table. The beets stain the turnips and parsnips to a wonderful magenta when cooked together but if you want the separate colors, cook the beets by themselves if you feeling Martha Stewarty. this recipe is heart healthy, diabetic friendly, gluten-free vegan and Paleo.PRINT Honey Glazed Root Veg with Walnuts Recipe from MS Word

Honey Glazed Root Veg with Walnuts

yield:2-3 servings

2 parsnips
2 turnips
2 beets
2 carrots
4 oz. shelled walnuts
1 tablespoon honey
2 teaspoons coconut oil
½ teaspoon salt

Peel and battonet (French fry cut) all your root veggies. Steam 5 minutes or till firm but tender. Heat oil in a wok or sauté pan and add veggies, honey, salt and walnuts. Saute for 1-2 minutes and serve.

Broccoli and Cheddar Soup

September 14, 2012 by hippydude in Food, healthy, Recipes and tagged 20 minute meals, baby boomers, Broccoli and Cheddar Soup, diabetic recipes, gluten-free, healthy, Lunch Ideas, Side Dishes, soup recipes, vegetarian recipes | Permalink

I played with this idea for a while. How do you make a soup with cheese that can be served cold or hot. I can tell you that using a roux to thicken it is a mistake because cold it sets up like a thick pudding. I also wanted to make it gluten-free free so the roux is out. Cornstarch and water also doesn’t work because your saliva breaks down the cornstarch. So I decided to go as minimal as possible and preserve the fresh clean tastes of the mild raw milk cheddar from Full Circle Creamery and my Hometown Harvest broccoli. The answer was simple. Literally, this recipe has just 4 ingredients but is awesome. This recipe is lacto-vegetarian and gluten-free.

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Broccoli and Cheddar Soup

Yield: 2 servings

7 oz. broccoli
2 cups (16 fl. oz.) water
1 vegetable bouillon cube
4 oz. white cheddar (raw milk preferred)

Heat water in a saucepan. Add bouillon cube and dissolve. Add broccoli and shredded cheddar. Cook till broccoli is tender then transfer to a blender to puree. This soup is great hot or chilled.
Serve

Mission Fig and Goat Cheese Pizza

August 13, 2012 by hippydude in Food, healthy, Recipes and tagged 20 minute meals, baby boomers, Fig and Goat Cheese Pizza, healthy, main meals, Meatless Entrees, vegetarian recipes | Permalink

Many stores now carry pre-made balls of pizza dough which make a large, thin crust pizza. This is a real time saver for those meals on the fly. Today’s offering marries black mission fig and goat cheese which are great on a crustini and even better on pizza dough. The fresh sage and onions just kick it up a notch. Lately you may notice that we have been coloring outside the lines of traditional recipes. Our reasoning is to hopefully get you to be more adventurous with your food choices. Please let us know if we are succeeding!

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Kale Pesto

July 25, 2012 by hippydude in Food, healthy, Recipes and tagged baby boomers, diabetic recipes, gluten-free, healthy, Kale Pesto, Meatless Entrees, Pesto recipes, vegetarian recipes | Permalink

Val and I have an abundance of beautiful kale from our garden and it has also been showing up in our CSA box from http://www.yourhometownharvests.com/ lately so we have been brainstorming a way to put up our bounty for those winter months. We came up with this recipe which, like its basil counterpart, freezes well. This still retains the wonderful flavor of kale but we feel holds its own with the traditional basil version. You may of course play around with nut choices, combining it with basil or other herbs, amount of garlic etc. This pesto recipe is gluten-free, vegetarian, heart healthy, diabetic friendly and delicious!
Pictured: Kale Pesto over Trader Joe’s™ Chunky Portobella Mushroom Ravioli with grated Parmesan Reggiano (aged 24 months).

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Kale Pesto

Yield: 8 servings

2 cups blanched kale (we used Russian Red Kale) packed into measuring cup
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
¾ cup shredded parmesan
½ cup raw cashews
1 lemon juiced
3 cloves garlic
½ to ¾ cup water
1 teaspoon stevia
1 teaspoon of salt or to taste

Blanche chopped kale in hot water for a minute or two, drain and measure. In a blender add cashews, garlic and olive oil and puree. Add remainder of ingredients and puree till fairly smooth. This will freeze well.
NOTE: You can exchange the nut portion with pine nuts, walnuts, hazelnuts or your personal favorite for variation.
Pictured: Pesto over Trader Joe’s™ Chunky Portobella Mushroom Ravioli with grated parmesan reggiano (aged 24 months).

Red, White and Blue Potato Salad

July 20, 2012 by hippydude in Food, healthy, Recipes and tagged 20 minute meals, Appetizers, baby boomers, gluten-free, healthy, Potato Salad Recipes, Side Dishes, vegetarian recipes | Permalink

In my recent C.S.A. basket (week 6) I got to select my potatoes so I chose to mix up the colors and make a good old school potato salad. This is just a slight twist from my mom’s version and I must tell you the story of the bowl we use. My wife Valerie’s mother passed earlier this year and one of the things Val brought home from Abbotsford B.C. was her mom’s potato salad bowl. Her mother had this before Val was born, possibly a wedding gift, but she has fond memories of this bowl filled with potato salad and the occasional pile of buttered pierogies (her mom was Ukrainian). It is now our official potato salad bowl and recalls fond memories of family gatherings for her and gatherings to come for me. This recipe is gluten-free and vegetarian.

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Red, White and Blue Potato Salad

Yield: 4 generous servings

5 cups of diced cubed potatoes
1 ½ cups chopped organic celery
1 cup chopped organic onion (white, red or yellow)
3 tablespoons olive oil mayonnaise
2 tablespoons dill relish
1 tablespoon yellow mustard
1 tablespoon stevia
1 tablespoon fresh chopped dill or 1 teaspoon dry dill weed
2 teaspoons salt
Fresh cracked pepper to taste

Boil diced potatoes in 2 quarts of water with 1 teaspoon of salt added until tender. Drain and cool. In a mixing bowl combine potatoes and the remainder of ingredients. Mix thoroughly and chill before serving.

Zucchini Linguine with Oyster Mushrooms and Goat Cheese

July 12, 2012 by hippydude in Food, healthy, Recipes and tagged 20 minute meals, baby boomers, goat cheese recipes, healthy, low fat, main meals, Meatless Entrees, pasta recipes, vegetarian recipes, zucchini linguine | Permalink

The cabbage and Oyster mushrooms came from our recent C.S.A. box (see earlier posts). This recipe is subtle and flavorful with the fresh veggies and meaty mushrooms enhanced by the unctuous goat cheese and a slight zip with the red Fresno Chilies. I think you will love this pasta dish. A Merlot is a nice pairing but a sparkling chardonnay would be truly sublime.

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Zucchini Linguine with Oyster Mushrooms and Goat Cheese

Yield: 6 generous servings

2-9 oz. packages of Buitoni™ fresh natural linguine pasta
3 cups sliced oyster mushrooms (or Crimini)
2 medium zucchini shredded
2 cups cabbage chiffonade
½ cup Stella™ goat cheese crumbles
2/3 cup Stella™ Parmesan, Romano, Asiago blend shreds
2 tablespoons fresh basil chiffonade
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
5 cloves garlic chopped
4 julienne Fresno chilies (remove seeds)
Fresh cracked pepper to taste

Prepare pasta as per directions on package. Rinse and drain pasta. Sauté mushrooms, garlic, cabbage, zucchini, chilies, salt and basil in olive oil for 1 minute. Portion pasta onto plates and spoon sautéed mushroom veggie mixture over the top. Add cheeses and fresh cracked pepper and serve.

Purslane Pita Pockets

July 6, 2012 by hippydude in Food, healthy, Recipes and tagged 20 minute meals, diabetic recipes, gluten-free, greek style, healthy, low fat, Meatless Entrees, pita pocket recipes, Purslane recipes, salads, vegetarian recipes | Permalink

Purslane is sometimes looked at as a curse or a blessing. A curse if it is taking over areas you don’t want covered in it and a blessing if you enjoy eating it. I prefer the blessing since I love its peppery, lemony taste. I thought a Greek style recipe would perfectly suit this wonderful plant.This recipe is very healthful and nutritious and a snap to prepare. A perfect light lunch or dinner on those hot sweltering summer days when you don’t want to go near a stove. This recipe is lacto-vegetarian, high fiber, diabetic friendly and can be gluten-free if you omit the pitas and serve it as a salad.

PS: This is super easy and very quick to prepare.

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Purslane Pita Pockets

Yield 4 servings

4 cups organic spinach
½ English cucumber diced
1 cup crumbled feta cheese
1 cup purslane
1 cup grape tomatoes
¼ large red onion sliced
¼ cup Newman’s Own™ Lite Balsamic dressing
8 pita pockets
Optional:
¼ cup chopped fresh oregano

Combine the veggies, cheese, olives, and tomatoes in a bowl. Toss with dressing. Stuff into pita pockets and serve. 2 pockets per serving.
NOTE: Omit the pita pockets and serve as a salad for a gluten-free option.

Curried Cauliflower Pilaf

July 6, 2012 by hippydude in Food, healthy, Recipes and tagged baby boomers, Curried Cauliflower Pilaf, curries, East Indian recipes, gluten-free, healthy, low fat, Meatless Entrees, pilafs, Side Dishes, Vegan recipes, vegetarian recipes | Permalink

Val and I wanted to do something special with the cauliflower in our CSA box and decided a curried pilaf would be divine. This is a sumptuous side dish as is but could become a vegan main with the addition of either peas, chickpeas, edamame, or lentils to combine the amino acids and form a complete protein. This recipe is vegan and gluten-free.

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Curried Cauliflower Pilaf

Yield: 6 generous servings

2 cups brown basmati rice cooked (in a rice steamer: 2 cups rice, 5 cups water, salt)
1 cauliflower, sliced thin and chopped
1 bunch chopped fresh cilantro chopped
1 white or yellow onion diced
½ cup matchstick carrots
1 red bell pepper diced
2 jalapeno peppers diced
3 tablespoons olive oil
6 cloves chopped garlic
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 -1/2 teaspoons curry powder
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon ground coriander
½ teaspoon cardamom
½ teaspoon black mustard seed (optional)
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

Sauté onion, garlic and spices till onions are semi opaque. Mix in cauliflower, carrots and peppers. Cover and reduce heat till cauliflower is tender. Stir mixture into cooked basmati rice and add chopped cilantro. Serve.

Boomer Cuisine

Rockin' The Food World One Dish at a Time

Tag Archives: vegetarian recipes

General Tso Eggplant

General Tso Eggplant

Paleo Stuffing

Paleo Stuffing

Honey Glazed Root Veg with Walnuts

Honey Glazed Root Veg with Walnuts

Broccoli and Cheddar Soup

Broccoli and Cheddar Soup

Mission Fig and Goat Cheese Pizza

Kale Pesto

Kale Pesto

Red, White and Blue Potato Salad

Red, White and Blue Potato Salad

Zucchini Linguine with Oyster Mushrooms and Goat Cheese

Zucchini Linguine with Oyster Mushrooms and Goat Cheese

Purslane Pita Pockets

Purslane Pita Pockets

Curried Cauliflower Pilaf

Curried Cauliflower Pilaf

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