Pasta with Shrimp & Spinach
Prep Time: 10 minutes Cooking Time: 15 minutes Yields: 4 people
Ingredients
8 ounces uncooked string pasta like angel hair or linguine
1 1/2 pounds peeled and deveined large shrimp
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup finely chopped shallots or red onion
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons lemon juice
6 cups coarsely chopped baby spinach
2 tablespoons capers
Directions
1. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain.
2. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle shrimp with salt and pepper.
3. Add shallots or onion and sauté 30 seconds. Add shrimp; sauté 3 minutes. Remove shrimp mixture from pan.
4. Add chicken broth and lemon juice to pan, scraping pan to loosen browned bits.
5. Add cooked pasta, shrimp, spinach, and capers, and heat 1 minute or until spinach wilts, stirring frequently.
Notes: Capers add little bursts of flavor to this light but filling dish.
Oh-So-Delicious Green Cleanser
Prep Time: 8 minutes Cooking Time: 5 minutes Yields: 4 people
Ingredients
1 bunch lacinato kale, chopped, with stems
1/2 medium daikon radish, chopped into 1-inch chunks
1 tablespoon tamari
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon brown rice vinegar
1 tablespoon agave syrup
1 tablespoon nutritional yeast flakes
Directions
1. Heat a medium sized pot with 2 inches of water.
2. When the water boils, add kale and radish, blanch for 2 minutes.
3. Drain in a colander and transfer to a large mixing bowl.
4. Add all other ingredients and mix well, tasting to adjust amounts to your desire.
Notes: This dish has all of the five tastes: sweet, sour, bitter, salty and pungent. It can help bring balance to the system after a period of not-so-healthy eating. Heighten the flavors by adding some dulse (seaweed) flakes and sesame seeds. Also add other vegetables to your taste, such as cauliflower, broccoli, string beans, or asparagus.
Garlic Ginger Broccoli
Prep Time: 7 minutes Cooking Time: 12 minutes Yields: 4 people
Ingredients
1 bunch broccoli
3 cloves garlic, minced
6 cups water
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons tamari soy sauce
5-inch piece fresh ginger, finely grated
Tarragon or basil for garnish
Directions
1. Wash and cut broccoli into florets.
2. Peel the stems and cut into 1/2-inch pieces.
3. Add 6 cups water to a pot and bring to a boil.
4. Add broccoli and quick boil for about 3 minutes.
5. Remove from water and rinse quickly with cool water.
6. Heat skillet with oil, add garlic and sauté for a few seconds before adding broccoli.
7. Sauté broccoli and garlic, adding tamari soy sauce and ginger.
Notes: Try this dish with cauliflower or Brussels sprouts.
Brazilian Style Collards
Prep Time: 10 minutes Cooking Time: 7 minutes Yields: 6 people
Ingredients
2 bunches collard greens
3 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
1. Wash collards.
2. Remove leaves from stems, tear leaves in half and stack into piles 4 leaves thick. Roll the stack tightly, turn to the side and cut carefully into very thin strips. Repeat with all collards. The effect is that the leaves will be shredded.
3. Mince the garlic.
4. Heat oil in a frying pan and sauté garlic until golden brown, about 30 seconds.
5. Add collards, salt and pepper and toss quickly for about 5 minutes with tongs or a fork, making sure all greens cook through.
6. Remove from heat and transfer to serving dish.
Baby Bok Choy & Shitake
Prep Time: 8 minutes Cooking Time: 8 minutes Yields: 6 people
Ingredients
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1 small yellow onion, sliced into strips
4 heads baby bok choy, chopped
6 fresh shiitake mushrooms, sliced
1 tablespoons mirin
1 tablespoon tamari
Sesame seeds, optional
Directions
1. Heat oil in a frying pan.
2. Add onions, turn heat down and cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Add shiitakes, bok choy, mirin and tamari.
4. Cover and cook 3 minutes.
5. Spread on a flat surface to cool and stop greens from cooking.
6. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds.
Easy Fried Rice
Prep Time: 10 minutes Cooking Time: 20 minutes Yields: 8 people
Ingredients
1 small onion, chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 carrot, diced
1/2 bunch scallion, chopped
1 tablespoon ginger, grated
4 cups cooked long grain brown rice
2 tablespoons tamari soy sauce
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
Directions
1. Sauté onion in olive oil for 5 minutes.
2. Add garlic and carrot and sauté for 4 minutes.
3. Add scallion and ginger and sauté for about 4 more minutes.
4. Add rice and sprinkle with water to give extra steam to dish.
5. Add tamari soy sauce and toasted sesame oil.
6. Lower heat and cook for 5 minutes more, stirring occasionally.
Notes: Beat an egg together with the tamari and sesame oil. Pour this mixture into the pan and move it around quickly with fork to spread egg as it cooks.
Quinoa Collared Wraps
Prep Time: 20 minutes Prep Notes: Use pre-cooked quinoa. Yields: 4 people
Ingredients
8 large collard leaves
2 cups hummus (1/4 cup per leaf)
2 cups cooked quinoa
1/2 cup red pepper, chopped
1/2 cup shredded carrots
2 green onions, chopped
1/2 cup sprouts
1 avocado, sliced
Drizzle of balsamic vinegar dressing (or any dressing of choice)
Directions
1. Cut off the portion of the stalk with no leaf.
2. Soak leaves in a mixture of warm water and apple cider vinegar for about 15 minutes.
3. Shave down the thick part of the stalk until it is just a little thicker than the leaf, being careful not to cut the leaf.
4. In a medium bowl combine quinoa, red pepper, carrots and green onions.
5. Spread hummus on the side of the collard leaf that you didn't cut.
6. Top with quinoa mixture, sprouts and avocado.
7. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar dressing and fold.
Notes: Yield is two wraps per person. This spin on Asian lettuce wraps takes collards to a whole new level. Collard leaves are thicker, bigger and more durable than the lettuce typically used for wraps -- meaning you can actually make a real sandwich. Plus you get none of the carbs or gluten that comes with bread wraps. Mix up the ingredients: try chopped grilled chicken or veggies and dressings. I used an agave-mustard dressing instead of balsamic for a sweet and tangy twist.
Hearty Winter Grain Salad
Prep Time: 5 minutes Cooking Time: 55 minutes Yields: 6 people
Ingredients
1 cup kamut or wheat berries (or 1/2 cup of each)
3 cups vegetable or chicken stock
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 small yellow onion, diced
1/2 bunch kale, chopped
1/2 boiled yam, diced
1/4 cup chopped walnuts, toasted
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Directions
1. Wash grains.
2. Bring stock to boil and add grains and salt.
3. Reduce heat to low and simmer covered for 45 minutes or until grains are cooked and water is absorbed.
4. Fluff with a fork and let sit covered for 10 minutes. While the grains are cooking, prepare other ingredients.
5. Sauté onion in olive oil until translucent, about 7 minutes.
6. Blanch kale.
7. Transfer grains to a large bowl; add onion, yam, walnuts and kale.
8. Mix well. Add vinegar and olive oil to your taste.
Coconut Brown Rice
Prep Time: 5 minutes Cooking Time: 55 minutes Yields: 6 people
Ingredients
2 cups brown rice
2 1/2 cups water
1 can coconut milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
Directions
1. Wash and drain rice.
2. Bring water, coconut milk, and salt to a boil.
3. Add rice.
4. Reduce heat to low and cover.
5. Simmer 45 minutes until rice is cooked.
Notes: Use leftover rice for creamy and delicious breakfast dish.
Warm Gingery Oatmeal
Prep Time: 5 minutes Cooking Time: 15 minutes Yields: 3 people
Ingredients
2 cups water
1 cup rolled oats
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup goji berries (or blueberries)
2 teaspoons grated ginger
Pinch of salt
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
1 tablespoon agave nectar
Directions
1. Bring water to boil.
2. Add oats, raisins, goji berries, ginger and a pinch of salt.
3. Reduce heat to low.
4. Cook until water is absorbed and oats become creamy (about 7 minutes).
5. Remove from heat and add sunflower seeds and agave nectar.
Notes: To make oatmeal creamier add rice, soy or nut milk instead of water.
