10 Minute Artichokes and Dip

   

A Wild Rice Pilaf Makes an Excellent Side for These Artichokes

    Growing up, artichokes in our home were a delicacy.  Because they were so rare, I always assumed that they were either very expensive or very difficult to make.  I was wrong.  Artichokes are very inexpensive (around $1.50-$3.00 each) and easy to make.  The total amount of time you'll take on making the artichokes and the dip is 10 minutes!  They are incredibly healthy and delicious as well.

Artichokes and Dip 

2 Artichokes, stems and tops removed
1/4 Cup vegenaise (can be found in most grocery stores)
1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon dill weed
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon celery salt
1/2 teaspoon ground mustard
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
Salt, to taste

    Place artichokes in pressure cooker with water just up to to the bottom of the steam rack.  Seal pressure cooker and cook on high.  Once it starts pressure cooking, turn heat down just a few degrees and cook for 9 minutes.  Take pressure cooker off heat and hold under cold running water until it can be released.

  For the dip:  Mix all ingredients together in a small container, adjust seasoning and mustard to taste.

*Note: to make the artichokes have a rich, smoky flavor, try putting a small amount of liquid smoke and onion powder in the pressure cooker water.



That's it! Super simple!  

Quick, Healthy, Wild Rice Pilaf

    Like many of you, Malissa and I celebrate Thanksgiving at our parents home surrounded by our family.  We estimated that there will be close to 30 people at this feast!  That many mouths will generally also include many different diets, allergies, and food restrictions, so, for this thanksgiving feast, we decided we wanted to bring a side that would be hardy, substantial, and one that the whole family could enjoy!  This wild-rice pilaf is Vegan, organic, nut free, gluten-free, and delicious!

Wild Rice Pilaf
 

1-2 Tablespoons Olive oil 

1 Small onion, diced  

2/3 Cup mushrooms, sliced 

2 Cloves garlic, minced  

1/4 Cup celery, chopped 

1/4 Cup fresh parsley, chopped  

1 teaspoon dried sage, 

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon dried rosemary 

2 cups wild rice (for a unique taste and texture, you can mix brown rice in with it)  

3 1/2 cups water or gluten-free vegetable broth

 
In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium heat.  Add onion and cook until soft.  Add mushrooms, garlic and celery and cook 5 minutes or until mushrooms are cooked.  Stir in parsley, sage, thyme, rosemary. Add rice and stock or water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer. Cook for 50 minutes or until rice is tender.  Fluff with a fork before serving.

Easy Homemade Crockpot Applesauce

     Growing up, it was always a treat when I was at school, opened my lunch, and saw a small cup of applesauce from my mom!  The applesauce was always delicious, however, looking back and thinking of the added preservatives and sugar I was consuming de-romanticizes my elementary school days a bit.  Fortunately, after getting 22 pounds of apples, and scrambling to figure out what to do with them, Malissa and I discovered how to make delicious applesauce with no preservatives, and no artificial ingredients!  Now I can re-live my childhood memories without re-living the chemicals!

...OH! And it's SUPER EASY!...

Crockpot Applesauce

12 Apples, peeled and sliced into cubes (we used Fuji, which were really good!)
1-2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 Cups water
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
1 Tablespoon sweetener (optional)


Combine all ingredients in the crockpot, cook for 6 hours on low setting, stir and mash occasionally.

  

Easy Crunchy Kale Chips

      I have a secret I need to confess to everyone who reads this blog.  I love chips!  I know, I know, chips aren't healthy, they're really oily and fatty and have way more sodium than I should be consuming...but chips are my vice!  Malissa always gives me grief because I can turn away the ice cream, chocolate, candy, or any other type of junk food, but when chips are placed before me, my mouth immediately starts watering.  Fortunately, I have devised a plan to turn that weakness into a strength!  Behold the kale chip!  A healthy, delicious chip that you can eat guilt-free!  (And I think that picture looks cool too).  For all of you who have a weakness of loving chips too much, I have an incredibly easy win-win solution!

Kale Chips

Kale, stemmed and cut into chip-sized pieces
Olive oil
Salt or Seasoning of your choice

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.  Combine a small amount of olive oil (just enough to lightly coat all your kale), kale, and seasoning in a bowl.  Mix well and spread kale evenly in one layer over a cookie sheet.  Bake for about 20 minutes or until they are nice and crispy, but not burnt.  Enjoy!
 

Spicy Tomato Basil Pasta

    Okay people, move over sloppy joes,  this is the new favorite recipe in our house!  Malissa and I have recently discovered a new sauce that we have become completely converted to.  It's called Harissa and it is divine!  Now, you all know how much I love to read labels, so I can tell you that I have read the label of the Harissa sauce thoroughly and there is nothing hidden or bad about its contents.  Every ingredient is healthy and natural.  As we mixed it in with some garlic, basil, cherry tomatoes, and spices, we created a middle-eastern pasta sauce that is out of this world.  If you try one of the recipes I have written this year, make it this one.

Spicy Tomato Basil Pasta

1 Pound spaghetti, cooked (or any pasta)

4 Tablespoons olive oil

1 Pound cherry tomatoes, halved 

3 Garlic cloves, sliced (NOT diced or minced)

3/4 Cup fresh basil, chopped

2 Tablespoons dried oregano

2 Tablespoons dried chives 

2 Tablespoons dried parsley

2 Tablespoons onion salt

1 Tablespoon tomato paste

1-3 Tablespoons harissa

Salt and Pepper, to taste

Heat olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat.  Add garlic and cook until browned, about 2-3 minutes.  Lower heat to medium low.  Add cherry tomatoes and cook for five minutes. Add one tablespoon of oregano, chives, parsley, onion salt, and 1/4 cup of the fresh basil. Simmer another 5 minutes. Add Harissa paste (amount depends on how spicy you want this), salt, pepper, and 1/4 cup of fresh basil. Cook another 5 minutes. Add tomato paste, another 1/4 cup of fresh basil, and 1 Tablespoon of oregano, chives, parsley, and onion salt. Cook another 5 minutes. Add sauce to pasta and enjoy!
     

Summer Veggie Pasta Salad With Balsamic Dressing

    I have loved pasta salad all my life.  Every time I eat some, I can't help but reminisce about my childhood, eating with my family outside on a warm summer evening.  My craving for pasta salad has not been satisfied for a long time however, as most pasta salads usually come with fatty, sugary dressings, and bleached, unhealthy pastas.  Malissa and I have successfully remedied this inability to enjoy pasta salad with our new healthy, whole grain version.  This meal only takes 15 minutes to make and will create new lasting memories ingrained in your mind forever!

*Veggie Pasta Salad

1 Pound whole wheat pasta (we use fusilli)
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 Clove garlic, minced
1 pint cherry tomatoes, cut in half
2 Bell peppers, diced (red, green, or both!)
2 Zucchini, chopped
1 Tablespoon thyme
1/2 Cup fresh basil, cut into small pieces
Salt, to taste

Dressing:
4-5 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
5 tablespoons olive oil
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
Salt and pepper, to taste
Dash of cayenne or chili powder (optional)
Dash of crushed red peppers (optional, for a little spice!)

    Cook pasta according to package directions.  Place in large bowl.  Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add the cherry tomatoes and garlic and cook for 2 minutes.  Add the peppers, zucchini, and thyme.  Cook until *veggies are soft, about 5-7 minutes.  Add to pasta bowl, along with the basil.  For the dressing:  Combine all ingredients and stir.  Add to pasta bowl.



*Note:  I call this a veggie pasta salad even though from a scientific point of view, all the main ingredients are actually fruits...however, I think you would agree with me that to claim this as a fruit salad would be ridiculous!  Therefore, I am taking a culinary liberty, and calling these vegetables.

Easy Ratatouille

    

    

    The word Ratatouille always brings my mind back to the beautiful city of Paris, with it’s glamorous tower, renowned breads, and small rodents cooking for food critics.  Yes, the first time I was ever introduced to this dish was when I watched the animated character Anton Ego take a bite, then dramatically drop his pen in slow motion as he savored the delicious taste.  Now, several years later, we are cooking our own ratatouille, and it is good!  Its flavor didn’t cause me to go into shock and have a flashback of my childhood…but it probably would have if I had ever had ratatouille when I was younger! 

    This meal is a great way to get rid of all that squash you have piling up in your refrigerator, and you can cook it as a delectable side, or serve it over rice as a wonderful main course.  Bon Apatite!

Ratatouille

1/4 Cup olive oil
1 1/2 Cups yellow onion, diced
1-2 Cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves (The spice works if you don't have fresh)
1 Cup green bell peppers, diced
1 Cup red bell peppers, diced
*3 Cups zucchini squash, diced
1 Cup yellow squash, diced
1 1/2 cups tomatoes, peeled and chopped
1 Tablespoon fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced
1 Tablespoon fresh parsley leaves, thinly sliced
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 Tablespoon Harissa sauce (optional, if you like spiciness)

Directions

Set a large 12-inch saute pan over medium heat and add the olive oil. Once hot, add the onions and garlic to the pan. Cook the onions, stirring occasionally, until they are wilted and lightly caramelized, about 5 to 7 minutes.  Add the thyme, green and red peppers, zucchini, and squash.  Continue cooking for an additional 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, basil, parsley, salt and pepper, and Harissa (if you want it spicy), and cook for 5 minutes. Stir well to blend and serve either as a side, or on rice as a main course.

*Note- if you like eggplant, you can substitute 2 cups of eggplant and only use 1 cup of zucchini.  Add the eggplant before the peppers, zucchini, and squash and let it cook for five minutes.