Smashed Potatoes

April 15, 2018

Smashed Potatoes

Rustic Smashed Potatoes are so yummy! Here is a quick method to use and cook a variety of potatoes. We usually have yellow, red and sweet potatoes on hand. Use yellow potatoes as the base, red potatoes are so creamy and sweet potatoes, of course, add a slight sweetness. OR use any type you have. So just grab a few…no peeling needed…easy to mash with a simple hand-held potato masher. In no time you’ll have a pot full of cooked potatoes. Add your favorite leafy greens to make an outstanding side dish.

Serves: 8 || Prep Time: 15 minutes || Cook Time: 15 minutes

6 medium yellow potatoes, 1 1/2″ cubed (do not peel)
1 medium red potato, 1 1/2″ cubed (do not peel)
1 medium sweet potato, 1 1’2, cubed (do not peel)
3/4 cup non-dairy milk, as needed
1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
1 tablespoon Dijon style mustard
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon salt or to taste
1/4 teaspoon black pepper or to taste

++++++++++++++++

Place prepared potatoes into a medium pot and cover with cold water. Boil about 15 minutes until potatoes are easily pierced with a knife. Drain (reserve hot water to wilt leafy greens) and add nutritional yeast, mustard, onion powder, salt and pepper to a serving bowl. I use a hand-held masher to smash the potatoes by adding milk, little by little, until desired consistency is reached.

Nutrition Facts
Calories 117 Calories from Fat 4, Total Fat 1g, Saturated Fat 0g, Cholesterol 0mg, Sodium 127mg, Total Carbohydrate 23g, Fiber 3g, Sugars 0g, Protein 3g

Add leafy greens:

To make the potatoes even more nutritious, add your favorite leafy greens
Tear greens into bite-sized pieces and place into the reserved hot potato water for 2 minutes to wilt
Drain and stir greens into potatoes

I have eaten rustic smashed potatoes for breakfast, lunch or dinner. I love the chunkiness and creaminess of this dish and you can’t beat the lovely color!

ENJOY!!

April 3, 2018January 11, 2022

Angel Hair Pasta with Spinach Pesto

This easy-to-prepare meal is sure to become a favorite! A mix of spinach and basil, along with other ingredients, for the pesto results in a tasty combination. Add the pesto to Angel Hair or your favorite pasta and enjoy the deliciousness!

Serves: 4, Prep Time: 20 min, Cook Time: 15 min
1 (13-ounce) package whole wheat pasta angel hair or your favorite whole grain pasta
1 cup fresh spinach
1/2 teaspoon salt
For Pesto:
1/2 cup cashew nuts, soaked
1/2 – 1 cup water (depending on consistency desired) 1/2 medium onion or 1 shallot, quartered
1 clove garlic, sliced
2 cups fresh Spinach
1/2 cup fresh basil
1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
1/2 lemon (juice)
1/8 teaspoon salt
Optional: red pepper flakes and Parm-Like Cheeze

++++++++++++++++

To Make Pesto: In a small bowl, microwave cashews in about ½ cup water or enough water to cover cashews for about 1 or 2 minutes. Place softened cashews and remaining ingredients in a blender. Blend, adding tablespoons of water until desired consistency is reached.

To Cook Pasta: Cook pasta according to package directions. To the boiling pot, add fresh spinach during the last 2 minutes. Drain and add salt and Spinach/Basil Pesto to the pasta, gently toss. After plating, add ParmLike Cheeze and red pepper flakes.

Nutritional Facts: Amount per Serving, Calories 446, Calories From Fat 84, Total Fat 8g, Saturated Fat 3g, Sodium 328mg, Total Carbs 76g, Dietary Fiber 11g, Sugars 4g, Protein 18g

ENJOY!

March 11, 2018

Make Onion-Potato Stock

ONION – POTATO STOCK: Sometimes you need a lighter colored stock especially for creamy soups. Use this stock in potato soup, New England no-Clam Chowder or others. This stock will add a wonderful base without overpowering other ingredients. Stock can be prepared with yellow potatoes (cubed with skins). If you need an even whiter stock, use red potatoes (peeled and cubed).

Serves: 8 cups || Prep Time: 10 minutes || Cook Time: 4 minutes pressure cooker

3 medium yellow potatoes (cubed with skin) or for whiter stock use red potatoes (peeled and cubed)
1 pound (3 cups) yellow onion, cubed
8 cups (2 quarts) water
1/8 teaspoon salt

PRESSURE COOKER instructions: Prepare the onions and potatoes; cut into cube sizes. Place in pressure cooker with the water. Cook on medium pressure for 4 minutes. Remove the pot from the hot burner. Once the pressure has been released, blend the ingredients in the pot with an immersion blender.

(NOTE: To prepare the stock in a soup pot on the stove, cook until the potatoes are soft then blend the ingredients in the pot with an immersion blender.)

Nutrition Facts
Calories 55 Calories from Fat 0, Total Fat 0g, Saturated Fat 0g, Cholesterol 0mg, Sodium 37 mg, Total Carbohydrate 13g, Fiber 2g, Sugars 3g, Protein 2g

RED POTATO SOUP: Yummy potato soup made with **onion-potato stock** base using peeled red potatoes.

February 23, 2018

RYE CRACKERS w/CARAWAY SEEDS

Bob Red Mill Dark Rye Flour — BOB’S RED MILL DARK RYE FLOUR

So I had this bag of Bob’s Red Mill DARK RYE FLOUR and wasn’t sure what I was going to do with it. Don’t you just love their products. Didn’t want to make bread. I turned the package over and there it was… a recipe to make Rye Crackers! But of course it wasn’t whole foods, plant-based. No sweat, this was a simple one to revise.

Here’s how I revised their recipe to make it WFPB:

Subbed Whole Wheat All Purpose Flour for white flour
Less salt and less sugar
Subbed Peanut Butter for margarine/butter
Used Almond Non-Dairy Milk, needed to add a bit more to be able to form into a ball
Because I didn’t roll really thin, it needed more bake time

Here are the crackers with a dab of our homemade apple butter…they were so yummy!

February 10, 2018January 11, 2022

Roasting Red Bell Peppers

Roasting red bell peppers without oil results in delicate pepper pieces full on nutrients. Use in salads, hummus, sandwiches, pastas and you name it. Roast the peppers until the skins wrinkle and the peppers are charred as shown below.

How to Roast Red Bell Peppers: Preheat oven 400° F. Thoroughly wash red bell peppers, place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Roast the peppers in the oven for about 40 minutes (depending on size), turn several time during roasting. After roasting, place peppers in a bowl, cover the bowl with a dish for 10 minutes to steam (so the skins can easily be removed). Strain and save off juices. Remove and discard the core, seeds and skin. Don’t wash peppers, at this point, or they lose much of the nutritional value. Wipe remaining seeds out with a paper towel and strain juices.

Now they are ready to use – make a lovely sammy or enhance various recipes. We freeze some in zip lock bags, then add to marinara sauce. So yummy!

February 3, 2018March 22, 2020

ColeSlaw with Fruit

One of my favorite sides – coleslaw with fruit! It’s easy to make tasty plant-based coleslaw with pre-packaged coleslaw mix or, of course, you can make your own slaw. To add visual interest and ramp up the taste, just add various fruits. In this case golden raisins, Granny Smith apples and colorful grapes. The bottom line…it is nutritious, easy on the eyes and fabulous tasting!

Serves: 8

1 (12-ounce) package coleslaw mix
1/2 onion, quartered
1 clove garlic, quartered
1 cup golden raisins (divide)
1/3 cup raw cashew nuts (soak overnight or microwave)
1/3 cup water (to be used for cashew soak)
1 Granny Smith apple (core and cube with skin, soak in lemon juice)
1/2 lemon juice
1 tablespoon Stone-ground or Dijon style mustard
1/4 cup or, as needed, non-dairy milk
1/4 cup (or more ) black or red seedless grapes, halved
1/2 teaspoon celery seeds (sprinkle on top)

Pre-soak: In the 1/3 cup water, soak 1/3 cup cashew pieces overnight or soften in the microwave for a few minutes.

Dressing: In a food processor, puree pre-soaked cashews with onion, garlic, lemon juice, 1/4 apple with skin, 1/3 cup golden raisins and mustard. Add non-dairy milk, as needed, for desired consistency. Blend in food processor until dressing is smooth.

Combine Dressing with Slaw: Place slaw in a large serving bowl. Mix the prepared dressing into the slaw. Add remaining 2/3 cup raisins, 3/4 cup cubed apples and grape halves to the slaw; toss gently. Sprinkle celery seeds on top. Refrigerate a few hours so that the flavors meld.

ENJOY THE RECIPE

January 24, 2018November 12, 2019

Pumpkin Peanut Butter Soup

Sugar Pumpkin as shown below, a type of winter squash, or your favorite squash can be used as the base for this decadent curry soup. Next add fresh roasted peanut butter or almond butter and various spices…oh my! A small cup full goes a long way to satisfy your peanut butter taste buds found in this tasty smooth soup. As someone told me, “it reminds me of a dessert”.

Serves: 7 || Prep Time: 15 minutes || Cook Time: 15
1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin or 2 cups precooked pumpkin or squash
1/3 cup peanut butter or almond butter
3 cups vegetable stock homemade or commercial, no added salt
2 cups water
1 small onion, diced
3 tablespoons coconut flour
2 teaspoons mild curry powder(or to taste)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon coriander
1 clove garlic, sliced or 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
2 teaspoons ginger root, grated or 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger powder
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flake (or more to taste)
1//2 cup unsweetened non-dairy milk

++++++++++++++++
Mix all ingredients in a soup pot, except non-dairy milk. Heat to a boil then reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Blend soup in pot until smooth with an immersion blender. Add non-dairy milk until you reach desired consistency, stir. Serve warm or cool.

Nutrition Facts
Calories 128 Calories from Fat 63, Total Fat 7g, Saturated Fat 2g, Cholesterol 0mg, Sodium 123mg, Total Carbohydrate 10g, Fiber 6g, Sugars 3g, Protein 5g

Hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do!

January 10, 2018

Cornbread topped with Cranberries

I revised my basic cornbread recipe to accommodate my extra cranberries this winter. It’s been so much fun photographing cranberries…they are colorful and beautifully translucent. During those chilly days it was uplifting to spend time in my studio photographing these lovely fruit dishes. The warm sun coming through the windows was marvelous! One bonus was enjoying the cornbread after the photo shoot.

CORNBREAD TOPPED WITH CRANBERRIES: Simple healthy corn bread with fresh Cape Code cranberries.

Serves=10
1 cup cranberry sauce – see recipe – (make before preparing cornbread)

1 cup unsweetened non-dairy milk
1/3 cup water
1/2 lemon (juice plus 1 teaspoon zest)
1 cup white whole wheat flour
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
2 tablespoon date paste or maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons flaxseed meal
3 tablespoons aquafaba (chick pea brine)

Preheat oven to 375° F. In a small bowl measure non-dairy milk and water, add juice and zest from 1/2 lemon into this liquid. Set aside. In a medium size bowl mix these dry ingredients – flour, corn meal, baking soda and baking powder. To the wet ingredients add sweetener, vanilla, flax seed meal and aquafaba then whip this mixture. Combine wet ingredients into dry ingredients. Pour batter into non-stick loaf pan. Place cranberry syrup on the top of the batter. Bake for about 30-35 minutes. Cool before slicing.

Nutrition Facts (without cranberries)
Calories 120 Calories from Fat 13, Total Fat 1g, Saturated Fat 0g, Cholesterol 0mg, Sodium108mg, Total Carbohydrate 24g, Fiber 2g, Sugars 3g, Protein 2g

CAPE COD CRANBERRIES – Beautiful fresh cranberries are full of antioxidants for a healthy heart.

Enjoy adding cranberries to your winter baked goods especially when they are fresh from Cape Cod, can’t be beat!