Category Archives: Cooking & Recipes

P. F. Chang-Like Vegetarian Lettuce Wraps

Notes: These are supposed to be like those served at P.F. Changs. I forgot to cook the cellophane noodles ahead of time so we didn’t include those.

Ingredients:

Servings: 4

Cooking Sauce

1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon dry sherry
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
2 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon sugar
2 teaspoons cornstarch

Marinade

1 teaspoon cornstarch
2 teaspoons dry sherry
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon Chinese chili sauce
2 teaspoons water
1 cup baked tofu, diced
2 tablespoons peanut oil or 2 tablespoons sesame oil, mixed
1 tablespoon sesame oil, mixed
1 teaspoon fresh minced ginger
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 green onions, minced
1/4 large red onion, minced
4 ounces bamboo shoots, diced
4 ounces water chestnuts, diced
1 (8 ounce) package cellophane noodles
1 head iceberg lettuce or 1 bunch green leaf lettuce

Spicy Sauce (Optional)

1 teaspoon rice vinegar
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon dry mustard (e.g., Coleman’s)
1 tablespoon water
1 teaspoon Chinese chili sauce

Directions:

1. Mix the cooking sauce in a bowl and set aside.
2. For the spicy sauce: In small dish, mix the dry mustard and water until smooth. Add remaining ingredients and mix well.
3. In medium bowl, combine sherry, soy sauce, chili sauce, sesame oil, cornstarch, and water. Mix well and stir in tofu. Allow to marinate for 15 minutes.
4. Heat wok or skillet over medium-high heat. Add the mixed oil and stir fry tofu for 2-3 minutes Set aside.
5. Add the ginger, garlic and onion; stir-fry for about a minute. Add bamboo shoots and water chestnuts; stir-fry for another 2 minutes Return tofu to wok/skillet. Add cooking sauce and cook until thickened (about 2 mins).
6. Place prepared cellophane noodles onto a platter. Pour tofu mixture over them and serve with lettuce and spicy sauce.

Carrot (Cup)Cake

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup raw sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 1/4 tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp salt
1 whole carrot, shredded
1 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 8oz can of pineapple drained
1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease a muffin pan or use liners. Mix flour, baking powder, soda, sugar, salt & cinnamon in a medium bowl. In a large bowl mix applesauce, vanilla, pineapple and carrots. Add dry mix to wet mix in 3-4 batches. Stir until combined. Fill muffin pan to the top.
Bake 15-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Cream cheese icing: Whip 1 container Tofutti cream cheese, 1 tsp vanilla extract and 1/2 cup confectioners sugar.

Mac & No Cheese

Notes: We both thought this was pretty good. Pictured it has red, yellow, green onion and diced tomatoes with green chiles and no red peppers.

Ingredients:
1 onion, chopped
1 cup cashews
1/3 cup lemon juice
1 1/3 cups water
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
4 ounce jar roasted red peppers, drained
3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon onion powder
16 ounces whole grain elbow pasta, cooked

Instructions:
Sauté onion on medium heat in non-stick skillet with a little water or low sodium vegetable broth for 5 minutes, until translucent.
In a food processor, combine the onions, cashews, lemon juice, water, and salt.
Gradually blend in roasted red peppers, nutritional yeast, garlic powder, and onion powder.
Thoroughly toss the sauce with the pasta.
Bake in the oven for 20 minutes until golden brown on top.

Source: Engine 2

Chocolate Mug Cake

Ingredients:
4 tbsp whole wheat flour
2 tbsp raw sugar
2 tbsp cocoa
1/4 tsp baking powder
3 tbsp milk substitute
1/4 cup applesauce
1/4 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:
Mix dry ingredients in one bowl, wet in another. Add wet to dry ingredients and mix. Add more applesauce if needed to achieve cake-like batter. Pour/spoon into mug.
Microwave 3 minutes.

Dining Out – Kosta The Greek

Kosta The Greek.

Our intention was to get the Dolmades (stuffed grape leaves) but they were out. So we opted for the Spanakopita (contains cheese), the Greek salad and pita bread with tzatziki sauce (more dairy). So we strayed a little. Got it to go and brought it home. It was all good. We’ll have to try again for the Domaldes.
Edit: I’ve since had the Domaldes and they were really good.

Impromptu Dinner

Leftovers for lunch from last nights impromptu dinner. Broiled brussel sprouts mixed with faux kielbasa, mushroom, onion and red pepper tossed around in the skillet. Served along side gnocchi w/marinara and kalmata olives

Stuffed Peppers with Veggie Sausage, Rice and Tomatoes

Notes: We both thought these were pretty good. Pictured is sans breadcrumbs.

Ingredients:
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Gimme Lean Veggie Sausage (use half a stick or more depending on how hungry you are)
1/2 Zucchini diced small
Onion, diced small (use as much onion as you want. I used about 1/4 an onion)
1 garlic clove minced
Coarse Salt and Ground Pepper
2 cups, cooked whole grain rice
1/4 cup of whole wheat breadcrumbs
2-3 large bell peppers halved length wise, remove seeds (pick 3 different colors to make it fun!)
Cherry tomatoes halved (however many you want! It’s your dinner!)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400. In a large pan heat oil over medium high. Ad the veggie sausage and cook breaking up the “meat” with a spoon until cooked, about 5 minutes. Transfer the “meat” to a plate or bowl.
Add a little more oil to the skillet along with the zucchini, onion, garlic. Season with salt and pepper and cook until veggies are tender. About 7 minutes.
Add zucchini mix to the bowl with the veggie sausage, along with the Parmesan, tomatoes, rice and a tiny bit of oil to combine.
In a small bowl, add some breadcrumbs, pepper and a little bit of olive oil. Stir together.
Spray a baking sheet with non-stick spray, arrange the peppers cut side up. Divide rice mixture among the peppers and top with the breadcrumbs. Bake until breadcrumbs are browned. About 30 minutes.

This is a recipe you could make the night before and just pop in the oven when you get home from work. Try the veggie sausage, but if that is weird to you, feel free to use a meat of your choice.

Source: SK Fitness.

Vegetable Lo Mein

I made Lo Mein using wheat linguini noodles that were left over from the Linguini Alfredo and whatever veggies we had on hand. I attempted to brown the noodles in a skillet sprayed with olive oil and a little vegetable broth. Meanwhile stir frying the vegetables in a wok. I made and added the sauce below per the instructions. Then stir fried for a couple minutes and then add the noodles to the wok and stir fried a couple minutes more. We didn’t have Hoisin sauce so I made my own using the recipe at bottom.

Notes: It was really good but a little too saucy/oily. If I make again I’ll add less sauce.

Stir Fry Sauce
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup hoisin sauce
2 tablespoons agave nectar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon groundginger
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon curry powder

Directions:
Mix cornstarch and chicken broth in a small bowl and add to stir fry. Stir in hoisin sauce, honey, soy sauce, ginger, cayenne pepper and curry powder. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly.

Hoisin Sauce
Ingredients:
4 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons peanut butter
1 tablespoon molasses or 1 tablespoon honey
2 teaspoons seasoned rice vinegar
1 garlic clove, finely minced
2 teaspoons sesame seed oil
1 teaspoon chinese hot sauce (more or less to taste)
1/8 teaspoon black pepper

Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a small mixing bowl.
Mix with a whisk until well blended.

Raise-The-Roof Sweet Potato Vegetable Lasagna

Our Notes: I thought this was really good. Nova didn’t care for it. She doesn’t like the canned spinach. We cut the recipe (approx) in half.

Recipe Notes: If you’re starting this from scratch, begin by baking two sweet potatoes and start layering the lasagna once they’re done. If you sauce dry noodles, generously when layering the lasagna, it’s not necessary to boil the pasta. Use a sauce with little or no added oil (Muri Glen’s Mushroom Marinara or Portobello Marinara; whole foods brand 365 roasted red pepper, light Ragu tomato basil, Trader Joe’s organic spaghetti with mushrooms).
Adapted from “The Engine 2 Diet”.
Number of Servings: 12.

Ingredients:
1 onion chopped
1 small head garlic, cloves chopped
8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
1 head broccoli, chopeed
2 carrots, chopped
2 red bell peppers, seeded and chopped
1 pound silken tofu
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
2 jars (about 25 ounces each) prepared pasta sauce
1 pound whole grain lasagna noodles (uncooked)
1 pound frozen spinach, thawed and drained
2 sweet potatoes, cooked and mashed
6 roma tomatoes, thinly sliced
1 cup raw cashews, ground

Directions:
1. Set the oven at 400 degrees, Have on hand a 9×13 inch baking dish.
2. In a large skillet over high heat, cook the onion and garlic, stirring constantly, for 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes or until they release their liquid.
3. With a slotted spoon, transfer the vegetables to a large bowl, reserving the liquid in the pan.
4. In the same skillet, cook the broccoli and carrots, stirring often, for 5 minutes. Ad them to the mushroom mixture
5. Add the bell peppers to the pan and cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes or until they soften; transfer to the bowl of vegetables.
6. Drain the tofu by wrapping it in paper towels. Break it into pieces. Add the tofu to the vegetables with the cayenne, oregano, basil and rosemary. Mix well.
7. Cover the bottom of the baking dish with a layer of sauce. Add a layer of noodles. Cover the noodles generously with sauce. Spread all the vegetables on top. Add another layer of noodles, then another layer of sauce.
8. Distribute all the spinach evenly on top. Use all the sweet potatoes to make another layer. Add sauce, then noodles, and finally more sauce. Lay the tomatoes on top.
9. Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes.
10. Remove the foil. Sprinkle with cashews and return to the oven. Continue to bake for 15 minutes. (total baking time 1 hour). Let rest 15 minutes before serving.

Source:: Sparkrecipes