Recipe Night: Soups and Sides (November 2015)

SIDES

Oat and Buckwheat Bread

Topping:

• 4 teaspoons raw pumpkin seeds
• 1 teaspoon raw sunflower seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon chia seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon sesame seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon Herbamare or sea salt

Flatbread:

• 3/4 cup oat flour
• 1/2 cup buckwheat flour
• 1/4 cup raw sunflower seeds
• 1 tablespoon chia seeds
• 1&1/2 teaspoon xylitol
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 cup unsweetened and unflavoured non-dairy milk
• 1 tablespoon olive oil

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.  Line a 9 inch square pan with parchment paper.
2. Mix the seed topping together.
3. For the flatbread, combine all the dry ingredients in a large bowl.  Add the milk and oil to the dry ingredients and blend until there are no clumps. Pour the batter into the pan and smooth the batter with a spatula.  Sprinkle the seed mixture on top, (press the loose seeds into the batter).
4. Bake for approximately for 25 – 30 minutes.

 

Eat Your Veggies “Muffins”

Ingredients:

• 3 cups shredded zucchini, (squeeze out the excess moisture – use a tea towel is you have to)
• 4 cups cooked, mashed sweet potatoes, or butternut squash
• 3 green onions, thinly sliced
• 1 cup oat flour
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 4 eggs, beaten

Instructions:

1. Combine the zucchini, mashed sweet potatoes and green onion in a large bowl.  In a separate bowl, blend the dry ingredients, (i.e., flour, salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder), then add the dry ingredients to the vegetables. Next beat the eggs and add them to the mixture and blend until everything is mixed well.
2. Pour the batter into oiled muffin tins.  Bake the muffins at 350 F. for approximately 1 hour.  Allow the “muffins” to cool to room temperature before handling them.

 

3 Cheese Zucchini Bites (Advanced Diet)

(Recipe from Lin Hardick’s Good Food Blog)

Ingredients:

• 1 cup grated zucchini
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup almond flour (I used coconut flour)
• 2 shallots, diced
• 1/4 cup grated cheese (marbled mozza/cheddar blend)
• Sea salt and pepper – pinch of each

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400F. Grease mini muffin tins with coconut oil or use liners.
2. Grate the zucchini and then use a dish towel to squeeze out the excess liquid.
3. In a bowl, combine the egg, onion, cheeses, flour, zucchini, salt and pepper.
4. Using a spoon or a mini cookie scoop, fill the muffin cups to the top. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the muffin tops are brown.

Yield 15 – 18 mini muffins

Spaghetti Squash and Mushroom Bake (Advanced Menu)

Ingredients:

• 4 cups baked spaghetti squash – one large squash should do it
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 4 garlic cloves minced
• 2 cups sliced mushrooms
• 1 cup peeled and shredded apples, (green apples if you can)
• 1/4 cup almond flour
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon each of sea salt and pepper to taste
• 1 cup milk, use almond or rice
• 1 cup grated mozzarella cheese
• 3 tomatoes thinly sliced
• 1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese

*Hot pepper flakes served on the side

Instructions:

1. On a cookie sheet, bake the squash in the oven at around 450 F. until it is tender when you pierce a fork through it. Allow it to cool, then cut it open and scoop out the seeds.  Use a fork to scoop out the squash strands, i.e., your spaghetti. Set aside.
2. In a large stovetop pot, add the oil, garlic, mushrooms and apple and cook until the apples are soft.   Add the almond flour, spices, and milk and cook an additional few minutes.  Remove from the heat and blend in the mozzarella and spaghetti squash.
3. Transfer the mixture into a greased casserole dish.  Cover the top of the casserole with the thinly sliced tomatoes, then sprinkle the casserole with the parmesan cheese.  Bake at around 325 F. for approximately 30 minutes.

*Serve with hot pepper flakes on the side and extra parmesan cheese.

Oven Roasted Vegetable Medley (Advanced Menu)

Ingredients:

• 1 large onion, cut into 12 sections or wedges
• 1 large eggplant cut into chunks
• 1 medium zucchini cut into 1/4 inch rounds
• 2-3 tomatoes cut into wedges
• 1 cup sliced mushrooms
• 1 red pepper cut into strips
• 1 yellow pepper cut into strips
• 1 fennel bulb trimmed and cut into wedges
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
• 1 teaspoon dried parsley
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 4 tablespoons olive oil + olive oil for greasing pan
• 4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Instructions:

1. Spread the vegetables in a single layer on cookie sheets brushed with olive oil.
2. Blend the spices with the olive oil and the balsamic vinegar, then, lightly brush the mixture over the vegetables.
3. Bake the vegetables at 350 F. for approximately 1 hour or until the vegetables are roasted.
4. Scrape the vegetables, including any juices,  from the cookie sheets into a serving bowl and toss together.

SOUPS

Root Vegetable Soup (Core Menu)

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 leek, thinly sliced
• 1 carrot, finely chopped
• 1 parsnip, finely chopped
• 1 medium onion, finely choped
• 1 celery stalk, finely chopped
• 6 cooked beets, finely chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• 5 cups vegetable stock
• 1/4 cup lemon juice

Instructions:

Saute all the vegetables except the beets in the olive oil until they are tender.  Add the cooked beets, salt and pepper and the soup stock.  Bring the soup to a boil and cook for about another ten minutes. Cool slightly.  Puree the soup and add the lemon juice.

Serve the soup warm or cold with a dollop of sour cream or plain yogurt and chopped chives.

The intense red colour of the soup is a great choice for Christmas or Valentine’s Day.  Use heart or star cookie cutters to make floating pieces of toast form your favourite healthy bread.

Spicy Black Bean Soup (Advanced Menu)

Ingredients:

• 3 cans black beans, drained and rinsed
• 4 cloves chopped garlic
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 2 large carrots, chopped
• 1 chopped bell pepper
• 3 stalks celery, chopped
• chopped cauliflower, (equivalent to 2 large potatoes)
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 tsp. dried basil
• 2 tsp. dried cumin
• 1 tsp. chili powder
• 1/2 tsp. dried hot pepper flakes
• 1 jar passata (stained tomatoes in glass jar –found in the Italian section)
• 6 cups broth – chicken or vegetarian
• salt and pepper to taste
• juice of 1-2 limes

Saute the chopped vegetables in a small amount of olive oil for 5-6 minutes.  Add the spices and sauté for another 5 minutes.  Add the broth, beans, and passata.  Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer the soup for about 20 minutes until the vegetables are tender.  Puree 1/2 of the soup in a blender, then, return to the pot.  Salt and pepper to taste and add the lime juice.

Serve the soup with sour cream or plain yogurt and shredded cheese.  Chop fresh vegetables such as peppers, sweet onions, celery, and tomatoes to sprinkle on top.

Chicken, Bok Choy and Mushroom Soup (Advanced Plan)

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds chicken breast
• 16 cups water or a combination of water and chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon hot pepper flakes
• 1 teaspoon fish sauce
• 2 stalks of lemon grass – remove outer layer and thinly slice into rounds
• ginger root approximately 1 inch wide and 4 inches long – peel and cut into thin                                           match sticks about 1/2 inch long
• one package of baby bok choy (should be about 8-10 of them in the bag)
• 3 cups sliced mushrooms

Instructions:

1. In a large soup pot, combine the chicken, water and the spices and bring the liquid to a boil.  Turn the heat to low and place the lid on pot.  Cook the chicken for approximately 20 minutes until fork tender.  Remove the chicken from the soup pot and allow it to cool to the touch.  Slice the chicken breast into 1inch strips, them shred the strips with a fork.  Return the shredded chicken to the pot.
2. Add the mushrooms to the soup pot and simmer for 5 minutes.
3. Rinse the bok choy and chop into bite size pieces and add to the soup pot. Place the lid back on and simmer one more minute before serving.

*Serve the soup as is or over a bed of Rooster brand bean and pea noodles.

Ground Beef  and Vegetable Medley Soup (Advanced Menu)

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds grass fed ground beef
• 1 large onion, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 large carrots, diced
• 3 celery stocks, diced
• 1 large head of broccoli, stems and florets, diced
• 2 -3 cups diced green cabbage
• 2 litres organic beef broth
• 1 jar passata
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 4 dried bay leaves

Salt and pepper to taste

Cooked quinoa

Shredded cheddar cheese

Instructions:

1. In a large soup pot, sauté the ground beef with the onions and garlic.  With a wooden spoon, break the ground beef into small pieces.
2. Add the next eight ingredients and bring the mixture to a boil.  Turn the heat down to a simmer and place lid on the soup pot.  Simmer for approximately 15 to 20 minutes, until the vegetables are cooked.  Salt and pepper taste.

Serve the soup as is or over cooked quinoa.

Sprinkle with cheese

DESERT

Raw Vegan Carrot Cake Truffles (Recipe from Lin Hardick’s Good Food Blog)

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
• 3/4 cup nuts of any kind (I used walnuts)
• 4 small carrots, peeled and chopped into 2 inch pieces
• 1/4 cup hemp seeds
• 1/4 cup almond butter
• 1/4 cup coconut oil (if hard, heat slightly)
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon cloves
• 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoons ginger
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 droppers full of liquid stevia

Place all ingredients into a food processor.  When combined, form the dough into 1 inch balls and refrigerate.

Optional: Roll the balls in cinnamon or shredded coconut or dunk 1/2 the ball in melted dark chocolate.