Cracklin' Cauliflower

So it's not secret that I could easily make a meal out of some roasted vegetables. Not only are they easy, but they are so hearty and satisfying that I have no problem sitting down with a large serving and calling it "dinner."

I was monkeying around on the internet and stumbled across a recipe called "Cracklin' Cauliflower." Apparently it's a recipe from a Whole Foods cookbook. I've never seen the original, but I was instantly intrigued by the variations that I came across. I decided to give it a try and boy, I was not disappointed. I didn't put in most of the ingredients that were in the original recipe, but I have to say I don't think this recipe misses them or lacks in some serious flavor punch.

Whether you eat this as a main dish or as a side dish, I think you'll be very satisfied by the amazing flavors!




Cracklin' Cauliflower
Serves 1, 2 or 4

1 large head cauliflower, cut into florets
1 red onion, cut into large pieces
4-5 garlic cloves, halved
1 tbsp fresh ginger, minced
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tbsp curry powder
1/2 tbsp garam masala
1/2 tbsp fennel seeds, mostly crushed
1 tsp salt (to taste)
Pepper

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a large roasting pan, combine cauliflower, onion, garlic, and ginger. Drizzle with olive oil and toss well. Add spices and mix well until evenly coated. Place in oven and bake for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from oven and serve.

Spicy Thai Dipping Sauce

So when I like to eat healthier, I love to get as much raw food into my diet as possible. Go ahead and Google "raw diet", but let me tell you first hand it is amazing and makes a huge difference. After just a few days of all raw fruits and vegetables, you notice a significant difference in energy levels. You also lose that heavy bloated feeling that can come from eating heavy, rich meals. Even my fiance has tried it and admits that he feels much better after a few days of eating clean and raw. (So very lucky to have a fiance that willingly eats vegan or raw whenever!) But living on the East Coast, it can be somewhat hard to stick to eating all raw, especially in the cold winter months, but recipes like this make it so much easier!

I don't know why I haven't made my own spring rolls well before this. I mean, I love Vietnamese food and almost every time I go, I order their vegetarian spring rolls. I finally decided to make my own and was shocked by how easy it was. Seriously - just get yourself some spring roll wrappers and try. They can stay in your pantry forever, and you just simply soak them in warm water for a few minutes to soften them. And the best part - you can fill them with whatever strikes your fancy. Sprouts, shredded carrots, avocado slices, scallions, cilantro, marinated mushrooms, lettuce or spinach leaves - seriously, whatever you want!

But no spring roll is complete without a dipping sauce, and that's where this recipe comes in handy. Quick, delicious, and seriously tasty. The first time I made this, I was shocked by how tasty it was. It's got all the flavor points you're looking for, and is a wonderful companion to whatever spring rolls you're making. Oh, and it's not just good for spring rolls. I've used it as a dip for fresh veggies and even as a salad dressing - it's good no matter how you use it!



Spicy Thai Sauce
Serves 4

1 tbsp fresh ginger, minced
2 cloves garlic
1/2 c raw almond butter (or roasted, if that's the kind you have)
1/4 cup water
2 tbsp lime juice
1 1/2 tbsp nama shoyu (or soy sauce or tamari)
2 tsp sesame oil
drizzle of agave nectar
drizzle of sriracha (optional)

In a small food processor, pulse ginger and garlic until well minced. Add remaining ingredients and process until well combined. Chill for a few minutes in the fridge until flavors get all friendly like. Serve and enjoy!

New Year, New Resolutions, New Recipes!

Well, hello there! Welcome to 2012! As with any New Year, there are always new resolutions of things we'll try to do better at or change within the coming year. Along with eating healthier, another resolution of mine is to bring this poor neglected blog out of retirement.

And what better way than with a new recipe? This is by far one of my most favorite granola recipes of all times. It is my variation of an old favorite from Cafe Gratitude's cookbook, "I Am Grateful." It's hearty, it's fulfilling, and it's perfect for breakfast or a snack. I use my dehydrator to make this, but those without could easily make it in a low heating oven or even baked at a low temperature. Regardless of how you make it, this will be the perfect recipe to jump start your day and help you stick to that "eat healthier" resolution.

And stay tuned later in the week for some more healthy recipes!



New Year's Granola

1 cup raw almonds, soaked 12 hours
1/2 c raw sunflower seeds, soaked 6 hours
1/2 c whole buckwheat, soaked 6 hours
3 apples, grated
7 medjool dates
1 banana
1/2 c dried cranberries (or blueberries or cherries)
1/2 c chia seeds
1/2 c dried coconut
2 tsp apple pie spice
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 c shelled hemp seeds

Soak nuts and buckwheat, then drain and rinse. Add to large bowl. In small food processor, process dates and bananas until creamy. Add to bowl, along with remaining ingredients. Spread out onto dehydrator trays (use a paraflexx sheet if mixture is too wet). Dehydrate at 105 degrees for at least 12 hours. I prefer my granola a little softer, but dehydrate to desired texture. Store in refrigerator up to 2 weeks.

Looking for more recipes to use with your dehydrator?
*Flax Crackers with Everything
*Lemon Macaroons
*Mexican Crackers

Summer Vegetable Pasta with White Wine Pesto Sauce

So it would appear I've got some 'splainin to do about where I've been for the past few months. Well, suffice it to say I've made several changes in my life and have been completely busy with them. I got engaged to a wonderful man, which was very exciting and of course, brings lots of wedding planning with it. I started back to school for my Masters degree, so the past several Saturdays have been spent in class. I'm also transitioning to a new job at work, so I've been busy closing out my current work load to prepare for the new job. So yeah, I've been busy! But enough about me - let's get to the food!

I'm not just saying this because I made it, but this is probably one of the best pasta dishes I've ever tasted. Not only is it tasty, it's extremely easy and took me about 20 minutes to make, from start to finish. And to top it all off, youhttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif can substitute whatever vegetables you want to use. I used mushrooms, onion, and fresh tomatoes. But you got some zucchini you need to use up? Throw it in! Want to add some artichoke hearts or some sundried tomatoes? DO IT! Oh, and on top of it all, it's vegan if you use a vegan pesto sauce, like I did - so it's sure to please everyone.

This can be made one of two ways. You can either just toss the sauce with pasta and serve, or to make it extra special, top with breadcrumbs mixed with a drizzle of olive oil and bake for a few minutes. No matter how you make it, this is a pasta dish that is sure to please the masses!




Summer Vegetable Pasta with White Wine Pesto Sauce
Serves 4

4 tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup diced onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 (8 oz) container of sliced mushrooms
1 1/2 tbsp flour
1 cup almond milk (or whatever milk you choose)
1/3 cup white wine (or sub with more milk)
1/4 cup prepared pesto sauce (either homemade or jarred)
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups cooked pasta (I used whole wheat rotini)
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

Prepare pasta and set aside. In a medium saucepan, heat olive oil. Add onion and saute 2-3 minutes, until starting to soften. Add garlic and mushrooms. Saute another few minutes. Sprinkle flour over vegetables and saute for another 2 minutes. Slowly whisk in milk and wine. Bring to a boil and simmer for a few minutes until starting to thicken up. Add pesto sauce and salt, and stir well. Remove from heat. Stir in pasta and tomatoes. You can either serve it at this point, or place into a greased casserole dish and top with a few tbsp seasoned breadcrumbs, mixed with a drizzle of olive oil. Bake in a 375 degree oven for 15-20 minutes, until sauce starts to bubble. Remove from oven and serve.

Arrabbiata Sauce, "Angry" Sauce, or what you make for dinner when you don't feel like cooking

I discovered Arrabbiata sauce during my first trip to Italy. I immediately fell in love with the spiciness of the sauce and ordered it at almost every restaurant. (probably also because there wasn't much of the menu that I could understand)

I've been wanting to make it for awhile and actually had planned to make this for dinner a few days ago. I had decided on my way home from work the other night that this was what I was going to make. However, when I got home, I just didn't feel like cooking. I was hungry but didn't feel like putting forth any effort for my dinner. I did some things around the house and contemplated ordering something in, but I finally decided just to go ahead and make the sauce.

And boy, am I glad I did. Not only did it exceed my expectations, but the whole meal took about 30 minutes from start to finish. The sauce is quick, easy, and flavorful, yet without the fuss. And although I've added squash, mushrooms, fresh spinach, and onions, you could easily add or subtract whatever vegetables you'd like.

So the "Angry Pasta" will be making its appearance many times again I'm sure, especially on those days I don't feel like cooking.



Arrabbiata Sauce

2 tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, diced
1 cup mushrooms, chopped
1 cup yellow squash, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 (15 oz) can diced tomatoes
1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
1/3 cup red wine
1/2 tsp fennel seed, crushed
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 - 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (depending on how angry you want it)
Freshly cracked pepper
2 cups fresh spinach leaves, thinly sliced

In a saucepan, heat olive oil. Saute onion for a minute or two, then add squash, mushrooms, and garlic. Saute for another 3-4 minutes, until vegetables are starting to soften. Add tomatoes, wine, and remaining ingredients. Stir well and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer sauce for another 10 minutes. Add spinach and simmer for another 5 minutes. Remove from heat, garnish with freshly minced parsley, and serve over your favorite pasta.

Wild Rice and Cannellini Bean Salad with Dijon Vinaigrette

I love rice salads. Not only are they a nice change from the normal green leaf salads, but they are perfect for packing into your brown bag for lunch. And even better, you can serve them warm or cold, depending on your mood. This makes rice salads, like this Orange Chipotle rice salad, perfect for almost every season!

I recently found this recipe on Ginger Beat for a lentil salad with a mustard dressing and thought it looked simply delicious. The funny thing about mustard is that it was only within the past few years that I really started to love the flavor of it and appreciate all that it had to offer. So as soon as I saw this recipe, I knew I wanted to try my hand at making something similar.

As I started monkeying around in the kitchen, ideas of what to add to the recipe were flying around and soon enough, this recipe was born. Whoa - the flavors are absolutely delicious. It has a nice little kick from the coarse mustard, which is just perfect with the fresh parsley. Best of all, this recipe can be thrown together in as long as it takes you to make the rice.

So go ahead and give this a try - your brown bag lunches will thank you!

And stay up-to-date with all of the 28 Cooks' happenings on the 28 Cooks' Facebook page!




Wild Rice and Cannellini Bean Salad with Dijon Vinaigrette
Serves 4

2 tbsp white wine vinegar
3 tbsp whole grain mustard
2 tbsp olive oil
1 clove garlic
Freshly ground pepper
2 cups cooked wild rice
1/3 c chopped scallions
1/3 c chopped red bell pepper
1/4 c chopped fresh Italian parsley
1 (15 oz) can cannelini beans, drained and rinsed

In a small food processor, combine vinegar, mustard, oil, garlic, and pepper. Process until dressing creamy. Set aside. In large bowl, combine remaining ingredients. Pour dressing over contents of bowl and stir well. Serve warm or cold.

3-Cheese Stuffed Mushrooms

Seriously, if you haven’t served a stuffed mushroom as an appetizer, then you need to get on that train – STAT! Not only are they tasty and delicious, but they are the perfect size for fingers and unmessy eating. And not only that, but they are super easy to make and can be prepared ahead of time, which means you only have to throw them in the oven right before serving. Even better? They freeze extremely well, so you can always have a delicious ready-to-wow-your-guests appetizer on hand for all those last minute events.

Or check out these Spinach Artichoke Stuffed Mushrooms for another great variation.

And stay up-to-date with all of the 28 Cooks' happenings on the 28 Cooks' Facebook page!



3-Cheese Stuffed Mushrooms

1 (12 oz) package Baby Bella mushrooms, destemmed and degilled
½ cup ricotta cheese
¼ cup shredded Mozzarella cheese
¼ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup shredded fresh spinach leaves
1 tsp Italian seasoning
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
A few tbsp seasoned breadcrumbs
2 tbsp olive oil

Preheat oven to 375. Prepare mushrooms by removing stems and gills and set aside. In a small bowl, combine cheeses, garlic, spinach, and seasonings. Mix well. Stuff each mushroom with a few teaspoons of cheese mixture. Lightly dust each mushroom with breadcrumbs and drizzle with a bit of olive oil. Place on oiled baking sheet and place into preheated oven. Bake for 18-25 minutes, until cheese is bubbly and breadcrumbs are toasted.