Tofu Chili Dogs

With the warm weather upon us, I've found myself craving hot dogs right off the grill. At first I was skeptical of tofu dogs, but then I realized that I had no idea what the hell was in a real hot dog.

Sure, tofu dogs don't compare with delicious processed hot dogs that we've grown up eating. But, once you drown it in fixins, you're good to go.

Ingredients --
2 Tofu Hot Dogs (Available at most grocery stores)
2 Buns
Vegetarian Baked Beans
Handful of chopped up red onion
Shredded Cheddar Cheese
Pete Hot Sauce

Preperation --
Heat up Beans in a separate pot. Meanwhile, heat up medium-pan and spray with olive oil. Once hot, add tofu dogs.

Finely Chop Onions. Add buns to grill and toast evenly on each side. Once dogs are browned, place in buns. Now, the fun part! Add all toppings, including baked beans to the dogs. Splash hot sauce, and woolaaa, you're ready to binge!

Barley, Butternut Squash, and Portabella Risotto

Sorry for the lack of posts lately, but a mouse situation has steered me clear from the kitchen.

Put a twist on this Butternut Squash Risotto recipe. Used barely instead of the typical orzo rice. Came out great and made leftovers for the entire week.

Ingredients --

3 cups (1/2-inch) cubed peeled butternut squash (about 1 1/2 pounds)
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
2 cups thinly sliced Portabella mushroom caps (about 1/2 pound)
1/3 cup finely chopped red onion
1 cup uncooked pearl barley
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2/3 cup white wine
3 1/2 cups organic vegetable broth
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
4 ounces Taleggio cheese, diced


Preparation --

Preheat oven to 450°.

Combine squash, 1 tablespoon oil, and 1/4 teaspoon salt; toss well to coat. Arrange squash mixture in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake at 450° for 25 minutes, stirring once.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms; sauté 5 minutes or until browned, stirring occasionally. Transfer mushroom mixture to a bowl; keep warm.

Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in pan. Add onion; saute 4 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Add barley and garlic; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add wine; bring to a boil. Cook 3 minutes or until liquid is nearly absorbed. Add broth, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pepper; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 30 minutes or until barley is tender and liquid is nearly absorbed. Remove from heat; add cheese, stirring until cheese melts. Stir in squash, mushrooms, and thyme. Serve immediately.

Not Your Mom's Brussel Sprouts

Typically, when you see brussel sprouts in the produce section, you probably think back to those miserable days when your mother forced you to eat overly cooked green mush balls. (Interestingly though, you'd never actually see her consume them, as well). Little did your mother know that her attempt to provide you with a healthy diet actually scarred you into running far, far away from sprouts.

Luckily, we've learned other methods of preparing veggies, rather then over boiling them and causing them to lose most of their nutrients. So, be progressive and hide this brussel sprout misconception under your dinner napkin.

I recently became addicted to this vegetable after having the fried buffalo brussel sprouts from Somerville's Highland Kitchen. So I made a healthier, homemade version. Enjoy!

Roasted Buffalo Brussel Sprouts

Ingredients --
1/2 pound of Brussel Sprouts
1/4 cup of Pete's Buffalo Sauce
1/4 cup of Olive Oil (Might be too much. I just splashed a bunch until I felt guilty).
1 TSP of Butter
Salt & Pepper

Dipping Sauce --
1/4 cup of Mayo
Splash of Pete's Buffalo Sauce

Preparation --
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Heat medium sauce pan of medium heat. Once hot enough, add olive oil. Place brussel sprouts on pan and lightly sautee. Lightly season with salt and pepper. Place pan in oven and bake for around 20 minutes. Occasionally, pop open stove and shake up the brussel sprouts to cook evenly.

Meanwhile, heat up buffalo sauce, butter and dilute with a bit of water (just to take some the heat down). Bring to light boil.

Once brussel sprouts are cooked all the way through, add in a medium-sized bowl. Add buffalo sauce mixture and toss until sprouts are evenly coated with sauce.

For a dipping sauce, mix mayo and buffalo sauce together. Or you can just blue cheese.

Olala Chickpea & Onion Salad

Been ultra low on groceries lately, so I made this bomb-shelter friendly salad to go with my dinner tonight. Good way to get your protein in for the day.

Ingredients:
Can of Chickpeas
1/2 red onion
1 TBS of Parsley
1 TSP of Pepper
1 TSP of Salt
1 TSP of Garlic Powder
Some squirts of lemon
Splash of Vinegar
Splash of Olive Oil

Preparation:
This is an easy one! Drain Chickpeas and rinse in water. Throw in a medium sized bowl. Add olive oil, vinegar, and lemon. Chop up some onions and toss in bowl. Add salt, pepper, garlic powder, and parsley. Mix until everything is evenly distributed. Taste and if it needs anything, add whatever you think is missing.

Deli Guy's Vegetarian Caprese Sandwich

After the Deli Guy looked at me in disgust after ordering a half-pound of the questionable egg salad, he asked me if I really wanted something so unappealing. After I told him my difficulty in finding a good veggie sandwich, he wrote me this recipe on some receipt paper. It's a winner!

Ingredients:
Basil
3 slices Tomatoes
Roasted red peppers
3 slices of buffalo mozzarella
1 tbs of capers
1 loaf of sub bread
Olive Oil
Balsamic Vinegar
Some salt and Peppers

Preparation:
This is an easy one! Heat pan up at medium heat. Once hot, add some olive oil. Add roasted red pepper, tomatoes, and capers. Cook until properly sauteed.

Meanwhile, slice bread open and add cheese and basil. Add ingredients from pan. Sprinkle salt, pepper, balsamic vinegar, and oil on cheese for flavor. If desired, heat sandwich on Panini Press or george foreman grill.

Meatless Buffalo Chicken Wrap

Picked up some Boca Spicy Chicken Patties over the weekend. Maybe, I already forgot what chicken tasted like, but I was fooled into thinking I was really eating a chicken patty. Take a look at the below Buffalo chicken wrap I made tonight. It's a bit on the processed side, but we can't be perfect every night.

Ingredients:
1 Boca Chicken Spicy Patty
1 Whole Wheat Flour Tortilla (Burrito Size)
A couple squeezes of some Mayo
3 Tomato slices
Pete's Buffalo Sauce
1 Slice of American Cheese (or, Blu Cheese. I was out. But might be kind of overwelming with the Mayo).

Preperation:
Heat up skillet on medium heat. Once hot enough, spray with olive oil. Cook patty evenly on both sides and melt cheese on it.

Meanwhile, nuke the tortilla in the microwive for 15 seconds. Then, squeeze some mayo on the tortilla and squirt the buffalo sauce on top of the mayo and spread together with spoon.

Once patty is come complete, cut in half and place on tortilla. Add tomatos or any other toppings you dig and roll.

Got a killer, quick recipe? Post it and I'll give it a try!

Kale Chips with Lemon Aioli Sauce

Kale is probably the most underrated veggie out there. People, come aboard the kale lovin' express. Reasons? It's extremely high in calcium, vitamin c, vitamin k, and lots of other stuff I can't pronounce or spell. It's also hella cheap. You can get a bunch for $1.79. This week, I'm stocking up and trying out a few recipes with the Liz twist.

If you haven't already noticed by now. I am extremely lazy. I'll only make things that take minimal effort. So naturally I gravitated to this Kale Chip recipe when my sister emailed it to me. Also, check out my Lemon Aioli Sauce below. It's perfect for dipping.


Kale Chips

Ingredients:
2 bunches of Kale!
Parmesan Cheese
Salt
Pepper

Preparation:
- Preheat oven for 350
- Tear up some leaves and place on a lightly sprayed cookie sheet
- Then, sprinkle the cheese and any other of you favorite seasonings.
- Cook for around 15 minutes or until kale is crispy brown

Lemon Aioli Sauce:
Ingredients (Serving: One-Two)
1/4 cup of Mayo
Lemon Juice (Keep squeezing until you decide you want to stop).
1 tbs Capers
Pinch of Pepper
Pinch of Salt
Lemon Zest

Preparation:
Grab a medium-sized bowl and slowly mix in ingredients. Keep tasting until you're diggin' it. I am a lemon freak, so try with a few squeezes and mix.

Leftover Mini Bean Burritos

This was a delicious recipe I came up with after having enough beans leftover to feed an army from my bean and rice recipe.


Ingredients:
Leftover Beans from Rice Dish (See below entry for recipe)
2 Whole Wheat Tortillas
1/4 a cup of Mexican Cheese
Salsa
Sour Cream
Cilantro for garnish
And anything else you have in your fridge that you feel like throwing on.

Process:
Preheat Oven at 350. Meanwhile, spray pan with cooking spray. Place tortillas flat on the pan and spoon the bean and rice dish onto them. Then, add the rest of the ingredients. Tip: Make sure to put most of the contents in the middle of the tortilla, so you can easily roll.

Then, roll tortillas (need help? rolling tips). Once rolled, add more cheese and salsa. Place in oven for about 20 minutes or until rice and beans are warm inside.

FYI, I still have beans leftover from the original dish!

The Processed Food Blues

Day 6 -- Violently Happy by Bjork

So I am approaching a week without meat, which is exactly when everyone expected me to flake out by. Well, I've gone through the withdrawal stages and honestly don't crave meat as much anymore. For example, when my sister got chicken wings last night. The smell was great, but for the first time my instincts weren't to rip it out of her hands and gobble it down. Giving up meat and limiting processed foods have given me so much energy that I don't even need coffee anymore. It's almost like I'm on Speed all the time.

Did you know that when you Google Processed Foods, the following words come up: to avoid, and health, unhealthy, depression, and obesity. Hmm, maybe a conclusion can be drawn here? Just last week, I never wanted to do anything after work besides plopping on the couch and zoning out to The Real Housewives of the OC. I've pulled an 180, and can actually get things done after work. Just the other night, I started another blog, made a meal from scratch, went food shopping, and read.

Anywho, getting enough protein is one of the biggest challenges so far with this project. So, I decided to make dry beans for the first time. Did you know it takes an hour and half to boil them? (So used to processed foods, where everything takes 20 minutes or less.) I put a twist on the Goya Bean Bag recipe. And it came out pretty good! So, you should make a batch of beans when you have time and you then can use them for other meals during the work week, like burritos, salads, soups, and more. Also, they are insanely cheap!

MMM...MMM... Beans and Rice



Ingredients:
1/2 lb. Goya Dry Black Beans
A Splash of Olive Oil
1/2 Cup of Chopped Onions
1/4 Cup of Chopped Green Peppers
2 Cloves of Garlic
Pinch of Oregano
Pinch of Black Pepper
Pinch of Salt
A couple of Squeezes of Lemon Juice
1 box of Near East Whole Grain Roasted Pecan and Garlic

Preparation:
Soak Beans over night. (Look at the back of the bag for soaking instructions.) Once beans have been soaked, pour them into a medium pot and use the same water that you used for soaking to contain more flavor. Bring the water to a rapid boil. Once at a boil, simmer and cover with lid. (Warning, use a real lid for ventilation or you'll get a nice mess. See pics below). The beans will take about an 1-1/2 hour.

Once the beans are about 3 quarters of a way done, make the Whole Grain Near East Rice. (Follow instructions on box)

Heat pan on medium and pour a splash of Olive Oil. Chop up peppers and onions and pour in a bowl. Mince garlic and combine with peppers and onions. Once pan is hot enough, pour bowl's contents onto pan. Add spices and lemon juice for acidity. Cook until vegetables are lightly browned.

Once beans are tender or to your liking, drain and put back in pot. (The beans may be a little bland, so add some oil, salt, and garlic powder for flavor.) Pour rice and veggies into the bean pot and toss. Take a bite and see if needs anymore spices and add whatever you think is missing.

The Mess and Process:



Day 5 Diet --
Nutrigrain Bar
2 hefty helpings of Beans and Rice Dish
Organic Kettle Salt and Vinegar Chips
(Will start to eat more fruits again)

Day 6 Diet --
Nutrigrain Bar and Coffee
Sebestains Rustico Sandwich without the chicken (Yummy fru-fru sandwich with Roasted Eggplant, artichokes, olive tapanade, Sundried tomato Mayo, lettuce, cheese, etc.)
Organic French Onion Chips
Leftover Bean Tacos (Tune in tomorrow for recipe).

Carnie Turned Veggie

Day 4 -- Good Feeling by Travis

Wow, so completed my 4th day yesterday on my meatless experiment. Not going to sugar coat the first few days. I'd compare it with weening oneself off crack...(whatever that must feel like). Just for example, my sister had made a steak and the scent lingered in the apartment hours later. Ordinarily, I'd complain and say use the damn vent. But it was different this time, I smelled it like a canine. I immediately craved chicken, although she made steak. So side note intro aside, one of the biggest challenges with this whole scenario is peer pressure... No force feeding of chicken or anything like that! (Although, I probably wouldn't mind food injections of chicken Picatta). But, mainly meaning talking to friends about my decision to do this and being that annoying, picky eater in the bunch. Five days ago, I would have killed myself if I heard "Are there any meat bi-products in this? Or, I can't eat this. It has things that I can't pronounce on the ingredient list. But, if you take a healthy attitude when discussing it with peers and realize that you aren't going to be perfect, you'll be fine with giving up meat and focusing on organic foods. Don't kill yourself if you drunkenly eat a whole bag of Chex Mix. Our food industry makes it almost impossible to avoid such foods that are so overly produced.

Ok, the soap box is on the back burner for now. Anyway, I woke up yesterday without that empty stomach feeling, like if I swallowed something you could hear it hit the bottom of my stomach. Those veggie experts were not kidding. It's crucial that you get protein in your diet. (I am soaking beans as you read!) It can be tempting to go about this the wrong way, but you should really do your homework before suddenly discontinuing meat in your diet. For example, my friend discussed that many often become pastatarians. Or I remember a friend in school who was on the grilled cheese diet. Remember, you need a variety of food in your diet. Eat plenty of servings of fresh ingredients accompanied with protein and fat i.e. peanut butter, tofu, beans, etc. Check out this good read on info of how to be a veggie pro by Vesanto Melina.

Fun Recipe, but not huge on protein. Accompany with baked fries if you'd like.

Meatless Steak and Cheese (Yup, it's an oxymoron)
Servings: One

Half Green Pepper
Handful of mushrooms
1/4 cup of onions (probably not this much. Do whatever you can handle)
Cabot Garlic and Herb Cheese cut into thin cubes (enough for one layer of bread)
2 Slices of Whole Wheat Bread
Seasoned Mayo (Add some lemon juice, capers, and red pepper flakes and mix)
Cooking Spray or olive oil if you enjoy taste


Preparation:
Heat pan on medium. Meanwhile, cut up all of the veggies. Spray medium sized pan with cooking spray or use a little olive oil. Once pan is hot enough, toss the veggies and sautee until lightly browned.

Place cheese chunks on bread. Once veggies are cooked enough to your liking, place in a bowl. Spray pan and put heat on low. Place the slice of bread with the cheese on the bread. Carefully add the bowl of veggies to cheese bread. Spread your mayo concoction on remaining slice and top off the sandwich on the pan. (Just whatever mayo brand you like and mix in garlic powder, capers, and red pepper flakes). Also makes for good dipping sauce for fries.

Finally, once cheese is melted; flip and think you can figure it out from here.

Will take a pic next time!


Day 2 Diet --
Omelet with cheese, peppers, onions, and mushrooms (cage free eggs)
Sundried Tomato Pesto with broccoli (Great Giada recipe. Added broccoli.)
1 Kiwi

Day 3 Diet --
Omelet with beans, cheese, peppers, onions and god knows what else (no meat, though)
Meatless Steak and Cheese with fries (Works with peppers, onions, and mushrooms. See recipe above.)
Veggie Pad Thai with Tofu and other types of veggies
Veggie Spring rolls (fried, eeks!)

Day 4 Diet --
Nutrigrain Bar (processed)
Leftover Veggie Pad Thai
Saltines/Smartfood Popcorn (Random trip to convenience store)
Veggie Works Pizza and Mozzarella Sticks (ugh, unhealthy...but a drunk dinner)
ChexMix (processed)