Mini Crustless Tofu Quiches

So, This blog http://blog.fatfreevegan.com just rocks.  SusanV has some great recipes that I have showcased on my blog here.  This recipe is her most 'liked' recipe on her blog.  I started reading it and just had the desire to make these. Her photography is grade A and her stories are great too.  I suggest checking it out.

Mini Crustless Tofu Quiches

Ingredients

• olive oil spray
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1/2 cup bell pepper
• 1 cup chopped mushrooms
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh chives (or one green onion)
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary (or 1/2 tsp. dried, crushed)
• black pepper to taste
• 1 12.3-ounce package lite firm silken tofu, drained of water
• 1/4 cup plain soymilk
• 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch (may sub another thickener such as arrowroot or potato starch)
• 1 teaspoon tahini (preferred) or cashew butter
• 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
• 1/2-3/4 teaspoon salt

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 375 F. Spray 12 regular-sized muffin cups well with non-stick spray. (I used silicone cups like these.)
2. Lightly spray a non-stick skillet with olive oil and sauté the garlic, bell peppers, and mushrooms over medium heat until the mushrooms just begin to exude their juices. Stir in the chives, rosemary, and freshly ground black pepper, and remove from the heat.
3. Place the remaining ingredients into a food processor or blender. Process until completely smooth and silky. Add the tofu mixture to the vegetables and stir to combine. Spoon equally into the 12 muffin cups: it will fill regular muffin cups about halfway.
4. Put the muffin pan into the oven and immediately reduce the heat to 350 F. Bake until the tops are golden and a knife inserted into the middle of a quiche comes out clean–about 25-35 minutes depending on your oven and muffin cups (silicone will take longer than metal, so if you’re using a metal pan, check it at 20 minutes). Remove from the oven and allow them to cool for about 10 minutes. Enjoy! They’re light, so plan on making more of these—or serve hearty side dishes—if you’re serving more than 3 people.

Preparation time: 10 minute(s)
Cooking time: 30 minute(s)

Number of servings (yield): 3

Summer Salad with Nectarines

     This is a Salad I like to make and change up with different components.  For this one I used stuff laying around the house.  Most recipes should utilize the ingredients in your fridge and pantry.  Nectarines and peaches are really sweet right now making this a nice fresh salad that can be made in no time.

4C     Baby greens
1ea    Cucumber, diced
2ea    Plum Tomato, diced
2ea    Nectarines, diced
1T     Chia seeds
2T     Cashews, raw chopped
2ea    Oranges, squeezed
2T     White balsamic or cider vinegar

     Toss the first 6 ingredients and add the juice and vinegar.  Toss lightly and serve immediately.  Not a complex recipe but nutrient dense and satisfying.

Asian White Bean Dip

I made this bean dip at work the other day. It is really full flavored and the consistency is great. I snapped this picture after putting it in the case. It was super easy to prepare and can be made in 15 min.

2C    White beans, cooked

1T     Ginger, grated

1t      Garlic, minced

1/4C  Orange juice, fresh squeezed

3T     Brown rice vinegar

2T     Coconut aminos or reduced sodium tamari sauce

1/2C  Cilantro, chopped

3T     Black sesame seeds

1/2C  Scallions, chopped

In the food processor blend all ingredients except the seeds and scallions.  After removing from food processor mix in the seeds and scallions.  Use as a dip for veggies or inside burritos and wraps.  ENJOY!!!

Vegan Creamed Spinach

This recipe is a tweeked out recipe from Whole Foods that I made yesterday in the Greenwich store.

I was asked to come to the Greenwich store for a week to share my Health Starts Here creations.  The staff there was very eager to learn some tricks of the healthy eating revolution and it is great to work with them.

I ended up doing many recipes from this blog!

1/2 cup low-sodium vegetable broth
1 white onion, finely chopped
1 cup unsweetened almond milk 
1/4 cup raw cashews
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
1 teaspoon onion powder

Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
Pinch of red pepper flakes
4 cups chopped spinach or other dark, leafy green

Heat broth in a large skillet over medium heat. Add white onion and cook until softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer to a blender or food processor, add soy milk, cashews, nutritional yeast, onion powder, nutmeg and pepper flakes and purée until smooth.

Transfer blended mixture back to skillet and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Stir in spinach and continue simmering, tossing often until spinach is just tender, about 4 minutes

Vegan Chimichurri Burrito

     Made these today at work. These ROCK!!!!  Be sure to allow the collard leafs to soak for at least 48 hours. 

6      Collard green leafs, large unbroken
1C    Lemon Juice
1C   Brown rice vinegar

1C   Green beans, steamed
1/2C Parsley
5ea   Garlic cloves
5T    Nutritional yeast
1T    Chili flakes
1/2T  Cumin
1/2C Cilantro
1/2C Brown rice vinegar

1.5C Quinoa, cooked
1.5C Cabbage


     First off, grab the best collard green leafs that are undamaged and place them in a deep container and add the lemon juice and vinegar.  Allow to soak refridgerated for at least 48 hours.  This will allow them to soften up a bit and completely get rid of the bitter taste.  After 48 hours or so passes and you are ready to prepare the burritos, add the next 8 ingredients in a food processer and blend until smooth.  Add more or less vinegar to keep it just a little loose but not too loose.   Once blended, place the mixture in a bowl and add the quinoa.  Add enough quinoa to make this not too runny but more playable, Thick enough to spread like putty.

Assembly - Pull one collard leaf  out of the liquid. place on cutting board or table inside( dull side) facing up. Using the back of a chefs knife  gently bang the thick stem without hitting the leaf. Hammer it appx 2 inches up to allow it to bend without snapping.  Next take a handfull of the quinoa mixture and place it on the bottom where you just smashed the stem almost all the way vertical to the edge but leave some room on edges and bottom. (appx 1/2in space to the edge)  place a nice mound of cabbage on top of the mixture.

OK, in one motion you will roll from the bottom with your thumbs and once it folds over, tuck the sides in. then continue rolling to the end.  To make it stay closed at the end, just put a dab of quinoa mix across the top to act as glue when it flaps over. Place on the plate with the seam facing down.

After the first one you will get the hang of it.  Its actually quite simple the rolling motion.  All this writing and instruction make it seem hard....but it isnt :)

ENJOY!!!!!!

Five Spice Vegetables and Tofu

     Another at-work creation for the Health Starts Here program, LOVE IT! Basic, simple and very tasty. Be sure to cook the tofu extra long to give them a fried look, feel and taste.

2C      Green Beans, steamed
2C      Mushrooms , steamed
1LB    Extra firm tofu, sliced thin and baked
1Tsb   Five spice powder
1/2 Tsb Cayanne powder
1Tbs   Black sesame seeds
1Tbs   Coconut aminos

     Slice the tofu into thin slices about quarter inch thick and bake them on parchment paper for 20 min at 350 degrees.  When they are fully browned and crispy immediatly pull them off parchment and set aside, Mix the rest of the ingredients together and add the tofu last. Serve hot with brown rice if you like. YUM!

Mac and Cheeze

Leave it to SusanV again to come up with a delicious healthy alternative to traditional macaroni and cheese!  On her blog FatFreeVegan Kitchen she nailed it! I tweeked this a very small ammount to cut even more salt and starch and changed the type of pasta but her message is still there. Enjoy this and check out her quality blog too.


1 pound brown rice or whole grain wheat pasta
Blend together:
1 1/4 cups water
1 cup plain, fat-free soymilk (may use other non-dairy milk)
3/4 cup nutritional yeast
1.5 tablespoons cornstarch or potato starch
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
pinch cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons tahini
1 teaspoon mellow white miso
black pepper to taste

Put the pasta on to boil, according to package directions. While it’s cooking, blend all remaining ingredients together in a blender. When the pasta is al dente, drain it, reserving about 1/2 cup of the cooking water, and return the pasta to pan. Add the sauce mixture and cook, stirring, until mixture boils and thickens. Add a little of the pasta water if more moistness is needed.
If the sauce is not as flavorful as you’d like, add a little more mustard and onion powder.