Zucchini Zazzle Muffins

Ingredients: 1 1/2 cups shredded zucchini (about 1 large zucchini) 1.5 cup flour 1 cup brown sugar (not packed) 1/2 cup vanilla soy milk 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce 3 tbsp. light whipped butter 3 tbsp. crushed pecans 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder 1 tsp. cinnamon 1 tsp. vanilla extract 1/2 tsp. salt Directions: 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 2. In a medium bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. 3. In a separate medium bowl, mix together the zucchini, soy milk, applesauce, butter, and vanilla extract. Slowly add this mixture to the first bowl, and stir until thoroughly blended. 4. Mix pecans into the batter. 5. Line 9 cups of a 12-cup muffin pan with baking liners and/or spray with nonstick spray. Evenly distribute batter among the 9 cups. Top 6. Bake in the oven for 20 - 25 minutes, until a toothpick poked into the center of a muffin comes out clean. Let cool and then enjoy!

Quinoa & Smoked Tofu Salad

This is a simple and healthy protein packed meal that you can make ahead and store in an air tight container for up to 2 days. Make the night before and enjoy for lunch the next day!

How much do you know about quinoa? Quinoa has a light, fluffy texture when cooked, and its mild, slightly nutty flavor makes it an alternative to rice or couscous. Not only is it delicious, but so healthy too! It is highly appreciated for its nutritional value, as its protein content is very high, contains amino acids, fiber, magnesium and iron. It is also gluten free and easy to digest!

Ingredients:

* 2 cups water
* 3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
* 1 cup quinoa, rinsed well (see Tip)
* 1/4 cup lemon juice
* 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
* 2 small cloves garlic, minced
* 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
* 1 6- or 8-ounce package baked smoked tofu, diced
* 1 small yellow bell pepper, diced
* 1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
* 1 cup diced cucumber
* 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
* 1/2 cup chopped fresh mint

Directions:

1. Bring water and 1/2 teaspoon salt to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add quinoa and return to a boil.

2. Reduce to a simmer, cover and cook until the water has been absorbed, 15 to 20 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, whisk lemon juice, oil, garlic, the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper in a large bowl.

4. Add the cooled quinoa, tofu, bell pepper, tomatoes, cucumber, parsley and mint; toss well to combine.

Cheddar, Veggie & Vegetarian Protein Casserole

This is a yummy vegetarian hamburger helper-like version with added elements such as the fresh vegetables. Enjoy with a few slices of fruit or a side salad.

Substitutions: *
1. You use soy/almond/rice/hemp milk instead of regular milk
2. You can use vegan alternative cheese such as soy/almond/rice cheese

Serving Size: 6
Ingredients
-4 tsp. olive oil
-1 small red bell pepper, chopped (about 1 cup)
-1 1/2 cups frozen baby peas
-3 cloves garlic, minced (about 1 Tbs.)
-2 1/2 tsp. minced fresh thyme (or dry)
-8 oz. pasta
-1 3/4 cups low-fat milk *
-3 Tbs. all-purpose flour
-3 oz. sharp Cheddar cheese, grated (about 3/4 cup)
-6 oz. veggie crumbles, defrosted
-3 Tbs. Italian-seasoned breadcrumbs

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 425F. Heat 1 tsp. oil in 6-qt. Dutch oven over medium heat.

2. Add bell pepper, and cook, stirring often, 3 minutes. Stir in frozen peas, garlic and thyme, and cook, stirring often, 2 minutes more. Transfer to bowl and set aside.

3. Wipe out Dutch oven; fill with water, and bring to a boil. Add pasta, and cook about 4 minutes, or until just al dente. Drain and transfer to clean bowl. Drizzle with 2 tsp. olive oil, and toss to coat. Return Dutch oven to stove.

4. Heat 1 1/2 cups milk in Dutch oven over medium heat until almost simmering. Whisk together remaining 1/4 cup milk with flour in small bowl, then whisk into hot milk. Cook over medium-low heat, whisking constantly, 2 minutes, or until sauce thickens and bubbles.

5. Remove from heat, and stir in cheese. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add
pasta, bell pepper mixture and tofu, and stir to combine.

6. Mix breadcrumbs with remaining 1 tsp. oil in small bowl; sprinkle over casserole.

7. Bake uncovered, 20 minutes, or until golden. Serve hot.

Meatless Meatloaf

Oh boy! Here is a classic meat dish transformed into a vegetarian version packed with delicious flavors. This was a huge hit and something I will make again real soon. Enjoy with steamed vegetables (as I did) or a side salad with fresh bread.

Serves 4
Ingredients:
* 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil, more for oiling pan
* 1 small organic yellow onion, finely diced
* 1 to 2 cloves garlic, minced
* 1/2 green bell pepper, finely chopped
* 1 package veggie burger crumbles (i.e. Morningstar Griller Crumbles), thawed overnight
* 3 tablespoons tahini
* 1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
* 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
* 1/2 cup cooked brown rice
* 1/2 cup dried breadcrumbs
* 1 tablespoon dried parsley

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350°F.

2. Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add onion, garlic and pepper, and cook until onions are translucent and peppers are soft, about 7 minutes.

3. Transfer to a large bowl. Crumble the veggie burgers or veggie crumbles into the large bowl with the cooked onion mixture.

4. In a separate bowl, combine the tahini, 1/3 cup tomato sauce and soy sauce.

5. Add the tahini mixture, rice, breadcrumbs and parsley to the large bowl.

6. Stir to mix well. Transfer mixture to an oiled loaf pan. Spread 1/2 cup tomato sauce on top.

7. Bake 45 minutes. Allow to cool 15 minutes before slicing.

Tofu and Sesame Noodle Salad

Have you ever wanted to make a light, healthy and flavorful homemade dressing? This is a perfect chance to make a dressing that is designed to heighten the other flavors of the ingredients in the noodle salad. This is a perfect dish to prepare the night before and enjoy for a snack or lunch.

Tip: Purchase pre-marinated tofu at your local store. I purchased one package of baked teryaki flavored tofu slices.

Serving Size: 4-6

Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup reduced sodium tamari
- 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
- 1 tablespoon agave nectar
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
- Salt to taste
- 1/2 pound dried pad Thai-style rice noodles
- 1 cup thinly sliced green onions
- 2 small carrots, thinly sliced
- 1/2 English cucumber, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
- 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
- 1 (6-ounce) package baked tofu, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 2 tablespoons chopped Cilantro

DIRECTIONS:
1. In a large bowl, whisk together tamari, sesame seeds, agave nectar, garlic and oil to make a dressing; set aside.

2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Meanwhile, soak noodles in a large bowl of cold water until pliable, about 15 minutes; drain well. Add noodles to boiling water and cook, stirring occasionally, until just tender, about 6 minutes.

3. Rinse Noodles thoroughly in cold water, drain and transfer to bowl with reserved dressing; toss well.

4. Add green onions, carrots, cucumbers, peppers and tofu and toss gently to combine. Transfer to bowls, top with cilantro and serve.

Veggie, Cheese & Potato Mini Quiches

This was such a fun recipe for Christmas brunch. I bought adorable holiday themed cupcake baking cups too. This is an easy, healthy packed accompaniment to any breakfast feast.

Serving Size: 12 standard cupcake sizes
Ingredients
-1 (16 ounce) package veggie crumbles (optional)
-8 eggs, lightly beaten
-1/4 cup milk
-3/4 cup shredded Cheddar, mozzarella or provolone cheese
-1 teaspoon salt
-1/4 teaspoon black pepper
-1 tablespoon olive oil or butter
-1/2 cup thinly sliced green onion
-1/2 cup diced red pepper
-1 cup hash brown potatoes

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 F.

2. In a large mixing bowl, combine eggs, milk , cheese, salt and pepper; set aside.

3. Heat olive oil or butter in a large skillet; saute onions and any optional vegetables desired until vegetables are tender. Add vegetables and veggie sausage (optional) to egg mixture; stir well.

4. Place 12 foil baking cups into cupcake pan.

5. Bake for 22 minutes or until eggs are set. Remove from oven.

Pumpkin Granola Protein Bars

This is a simple recipe loaded with protein and nutritious ingredients ideal for a pre-workout snack or something to pack in your purse. This is a no-processed food zone too!

To prepare this recipe I used my bar baking ban which made exactly twelve bars. The aroma from the pumpkin and spices while they were baking made my mouth water! Enjoy!

Tip: Most supermarkets offer bins of dry ingredients and granola so you don't have to buy a large portion of oats, nuts, etc. Why over-pay if you don't have to?!

INGREDIENTS:

- 3/4 cup canned pumpkin, organic

- 1 egg, organic

- 1/4 cup butter at room temperature

- 1/4 cup agave nectar

- 2 cups rolled oats

- 1/2 cup chopped pecans (or any nut of your choice)

- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

- 1/4 cup wheat germ (optional)

- 1 scoop protein powder, whey vanilla flavor

- 1/2 cup vanilla soy milk

DIRECTIONS:

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees and grease with baking spray the bar baking sheet

2. In your mixing bowl or stand mixer, mix the pumpkin, egg, butter and agave.

3. Add the oats, nuts, wheat germ (optional) and cinnamon. Than add the protein powder and soy milk and mix well.

4. Spread the mixture evenly in the bar ban and make for 40 minutes or until golden brown.

Thumbprint Cookies

It's cookie time! Coming from a girl who adores chocolate, I have to highly suggest trying this delicious fruit, nut and shortbread alternative. It came out moist with so many flavors to enjoy. We made these cookies accompanied by a chocolate chip M&M chunk cookie in our holiday gift tins.

Tip: To save time, you can purchase pre-roasted or toasted nuts in many markets.

Toasting Tips: : To toast the nuts. Spread nuts on a baking sheet and bake in a 350 degree F (180 degree C) oven for 8-10 minutes. The nuts are done when they are light golden-brown in color and fragrant. Remove from oven and place the hot nuts in a dish towel. Roll up the towel and let the nuts sit (steam) for a few minutes then rub the nuts in the towel briskly to remove the skins. Let cool completely. Once the nuts have cooled, place them in your food processor and process until finely chopped. Alternatively, you could chop them by hand.

Serving Size: Makes approx. 20-30 cookies

INGREDIENTS:

-1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
-1/4 cup granulated white sugar

-1 large egg, separated
-1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
-1 cup all purpose flour

-1/8 teaspoon salt

-3/4 cup hazelnuts, almonds, almonds, pecans or walnuts, toasted and finely chopped

-1/2 cup jam (any flavor-I chose strawberry)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. In the bowl of your electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy (2-3 minutes). Add the egg yolk and vanilla extract and beat until combined.

3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour and salt. Add the flour mixture to the batter and beat just until combined. (If the batter is too soft to roll into balls, refrigerate for about 30 minutes.)

4. In a small bowl, whisk the egg white until frothy. Place the chopped nuts on a plate.

5. Roll the dough into 1 inch (2.5 cm) balls. Taking one ball of dough at a time, dip first into the egg white and then lightly roll into the nuts.

6. Place on the prepared baking sheet spacing about 1 inch apart. Using your thumb or end of a wooden spoon, make a indentation into the center of each cookie and fill with about 1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon of jam.

7. Bake for about 13-15 minutes, or until cookies are set and the nuts have nicely browned. Remove from oven and place on wire rack to cool.

Vanilla Pumpkin Pie

What a sweet delight with the addition of the vanilla flavors! Enjoy this traditional pie with a slight twist in preparation! It's less spicy than the common pumpkin pie.

INGREDIENTS:

- 1 1/2 cups pumpkin puree

- 1 (12 fluid ounce) can evaporated milk

- 2 eggs

- 3/4 cup white sugar

- 1 tablespooon all-purpose flour

- 1/2 teaspoon salt

- 1 1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract

- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

- 1 (9 inch) unbaked pie crust

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees

2. In a large bowl, combine pumpkin, evaporated milk, eggs, sugar, flour, salt, vanilla and cinnamon. Mix well and pour into pie shell.

3. Bake for 20 minutes at 450 degrees then turn oven temperature down to 350 degrees and continue baking for additional 40 more minutes. The pie is done when a knife is inserted in the center and it comes out clean.

4. Cool on a wire rack before serving.

Triple Berry Pie

Christmas time is all about baking! The next few posts from me are some delcious treats my husband and I prepared Christmas Eve for the next day's festivities. Enjoy with your closest family and friends!

This first recipe shared is for a triple berry pie. I purchased a pre-made crust from Trader Joes and defrosted it for approx. 2 hours. If you are brave and know how to make a crust from scratch-go for it!!

Tip: if you are using frozen fruit (I did for raspberries and strawberries) than be sure to defrost and strain well the extra water content. The store did not have fresh strawberries or raspberries available, so I bought the frozen version and strained well. The checker at Trader Joes said that many prefer frozen to fresh as at the point of freezing the fruit it at it's best ripe stage.

INGREDIENTS:

- 1 cup strawberries, halved

- 1/2 cup white sugar

- 3 tablespoons corn starch

- 2 cups rasberries

- 1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries

- 1 recipe pastry or pre-made pastry for 9 inch double crust pie

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a large mixing bowl, stir together the sugar and corn starch. Add the three berries and gently toss until berries are coated.

2. Line a 9 inch pie plate with the pastry. Stir berry mixture and transfer to the crust lined plate. Top with second crust and seal and crimp the edges. To prevent overbrowning, cover the edge of the pie with foil.

3. Bake at 375 degrees for 25 mionutes. Remove foil. Bake for an additional 20-30 minutes ir until the top is golden.

4. Cool on a wire rack.

Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Tempeh

It is a cold and rainy December day and it also so happens to be our holiday party with my Dad's side of the family. I advised my Aunt that I would bring a vegetarian dish for the holidays. So I played around online and came across this recipe on Whole Food's website.

Not only was I looking to try something new, but also try using tempeh in more dishes. I often experiment with tofu but tempeh offers a whole new variety of flavors and variations on how to prepare it.

This is a great recipe to try. Even non-vegetarians ate it up! I doubled the recipe below to yield more for the family party.

Serving Size: 6

Ingredients:

1/4 cup reduced-sodium tamari

1 tablespoon mirin (sweet Japanese cooking wine) or cooking wine

1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic or garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

1 (8-ounce) package tempeh, cut into bite-size chunks

2 medium sweet potatoes (about 2 pounds), peeled (optional) and cut into bite-size pieces

2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil

1/8 teaspoon ground ginger

1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 tablespoon canola oil

Salt and pepper to taste

2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley

Instructions:

1. Put tamari, mirin, granulated garlic, onion powder and sesame oil into a wide, shallow dish and stir to combine.

2. Add tempeh, toss to coat, cover and set aside to let marinate for 30 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, toss sweet potatoes with olive oil, ginger, cinnamon and 1 1/2 tablespoons of the marinade from the tempeh. Set the yams aside.

4. Preheat oven to 350°F.

5. Heat canola oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Drain tempeh then add and cook, turning frequently, until golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes.

6. Transfer to a 2-quart baking dish, toss with sweet potatoes, salt and pepper then cover with foil and bake until sweet potatoes are tender, 30 to 35 minutes.

7. Garnish with parsley and serve.

Vegetarian Pad Thai

Oh boy! This was a delicious meal. I made my sesame ginger tofu on the side as an added source of protein.

Tip: You can find pre-cooked noodles at most health food markets such as Whole Foods to cut down the prep time.

Ingredients:

-1 pound Asian-style rice noodles
-1/4 cup soy sauce (or Braggs)
-1/2 cup lime juice (I used lemon)
-2 tbsp organic peanut butter
-1/4 cup sugar
-1 onion, diced
-4 cloves garlic, minced
-2 tbsp sesame oil
-1/2 cup bean sprouts
-1/4 cup chopped or crushed peanuts

-4 green onions (scallions), sliced

Instructions:

1. Cook noodles according to package instructions.
2. Whisk together the soy sauce, peanut butter, lime juice, and sugar.
3. In a large wok or skillet, sautee the onion and garlic in sesame oil for a minute or two, stirring frequently. Allow to cook for another minute or two.
4. Add the cooked noodles and the peanut butter and soy sauce mixture.

5. Stir well, and allow sauce to thicken as it cooks for about 3 minutes.

6. Top with peanuts, bean sprouts and green onions and serve hot.

Vegetarian Sloppy Joes

Finally a meal we remember as kids (at least for me) has a vegetarian twist so I can enjoy it now. This was fairly simple to make with an approximate prep and cook time of under 30 minutes. I served with toasted sourdough bread with a slice of cheddar cheese. To make this dish vegan, eliminate the cheese entirely or try soy or rice cheddar flavored cheese.

Substitution Tip: You can also substitute the Morningstar veggie crumbles with Two 8 ounce packages of tempeh

Serving Size: 2-4

Ingredients:

- One 12 ounce package of Morningstar Veggie Crumbles
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup minced onion

- 1/2 cup minced green or red bell pepper

- 2 cloves garlic, minced

- 1/4 cup tomato sauce

- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce ( I used vegan version)

- 1 tablespoon honey

- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

- 1/4 teaspoon celery seed

- 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

- 1/4 teaspoon salt

- 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

- 1/2 teaspoon oregano

- 1/2 teaspoon paprika

- 1 pinch ground pepper

- hamburger buns or sourdough bread slices

- slice of cheddar cheese or vegan alternative (optional)

Directions:

1. Heat oil in a 10 inch skillet over medium-low heat. Cook the onion in the oil until translucent

2. Add the veggie crumbles into the skillet and cook until golden brown; approx. 2-3 minutes

3. Add the green pepper and garlic; cook for another 2-3 minutes

4. Add the tomato sauce, worcestershire sauce, honey, cayenne pepper, celery seed, cumin, salt, coriander, thyme, oregano, paprika, and black pepper. Stir.

5. Simmer another 10-15 minutes

6. Spook hot on toasted hamburger buns or sourdough bread with sliced cheese (optional)

Greek Marinade

Last night's dinner inspiration came from a yogurt cilantro sauce I purchased at Trader Joes this last weekend. I bought some fresh Naan bread and cucumbers. I really wanted to make a healthy Greek meal for Gary. I also bought some organic chicken breasts. How could I flavor the chicken to match the Greek inspiration and flavors from the sauce. Here is a simple herb combination I found online. We combined the following herbs and applied to the chicken breasts with some olive oil. The chicken breasts were baked in foil on the grill outside for approx. 20 minutes or so. Enjoy!

Greek Marinade
- 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried mint
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram
- 1/2 teaspoon dried minced onion
- 1/4 teaspoon dried minced garlic

Pumpkin Muffins

I awoke Halloween morning with the desire to make a fresh breakfast for myself and my husband. With our pumpkin carving party beginning at 11AM, I had a few hours to make a delicious breakfast. While the hubby slept, I went downstairs in my pjs (LOL) and prepared these muffins. The aroma was out of this world! The taste was just as sweet and amazing. I served these muffins alongside a veggie and cheese egg frittata baked in the oven. I highly suggest sharing this with your family or friends. Enjoy the declicious flavor of fall-pumpkin!

Health Plus: Did you know that walnuts are a great source of those all-important omega-3 fatty acids. The potential health benefits range from cardiovascular protection, to the promotion of better cognitive function, to anti-inflammatory benefits helpful in asthma, rheumatoid arthritis, and inflammatory skin diseases such as eczema and psoriasis.

Yielded 6 Large Muffins

Ingredients:

- 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

- 2 eggs

- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar

- 1/2 cup raisins

- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts

- 3/4 cup canned pumpkin puree, organic

- 1/2 cup vegetable oil

- 1/2 cup honey

- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

- 3/4 teaspoon baking powder

- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

- 1/2 teaspoon salt

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2. Grease or line your muffins pan with paper liners.

3. In a large bowl or stand mixer, stir together the flour, brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Mix well.

4. Add the eggs, pumpkin, oil and honey. Mix just until the dry ingredients are absorbed. Add the walnuts and raisins and mix well again.

5. Spoon into the muffin cups so they are 2/3 full

6. Bake for 18 minutes or until the tops spring back when lightly touched.
7. Serve with butter or pumpkin butter (in season now!)

Baked Oatmeal

Are you ready for a delicious breakfast?! This was a fast preparation too. I made this the night before and than re-heated my portion for 40 seconds. I finished it off with pouring 1/2 cup of vanilla soy milk over. The aroma of this cooking in the oven is amazing too-Enjoy!

Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 cups old fashioned oats
- 1/4 cup unsweetened apple sauce
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- 1/2 cup soy milk (or skim milk)
- 1 apple peeled and sliced thinly
- 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
- 1/4 cup nuts (I chose almonds and walnuts)
- 1/4 cup raisins

Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Line the bottom of a 8x8 pan with the sliced apples
3. In a stand mixer or in bowl, cream the apple sauce, sugar and egg.
4. Add all other ingredients and mix well
5. Pour into the 8x8 pan and bake for 30 minutes

Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers

This is a delicious recipe! I made this last night and it was such a comfort food during our rainy Sunday evening. I served this with fresh bread and a mixed green salad. Of course this recipe excited me as it used tofu rather than ground chicken/turkey/beef. This is a must try!

Serving Size: 4-6

Ingredients:
-1/2 cup uncooked white rice
-3/4 cup water
-4 green bell peppers
-1 onion, chopped
-4 tablespoons olive oil
-8 ounces textured vegetable protein (tofu)
-2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
-2 cups tomato sauce

- 1/2 cup frozen peas
-4 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese
-salt to taste
-ground black pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Combine rice and water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer for about 15 minutes.
2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (205 degrees C).
3. Cut tops off peppers, seed insides, and arrange peppers in a large baking dish. Chop usable portion of the tops.
4. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Saute chopped peppers and onions in oil until soft. Stir in textured vegetable protein, peas and parsley. Reduce heat to low, and continue cooking for 5 minutes. Mix in cooked rice and 1 1/5 cups tomato sauce. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Spoon the mixture into the peppers, and top each with remaining tomato sauce.
5. Cover, and bake about 45 minutes. Uncover, top each pepper with mozzarella cheese, and bake until cheese is melted.

Cilantro Tabouli

If you enjoy greek inspired dishes and are looking for a new twist on the tabouli salad, than this is a great one to try! Rather than using mint, this recipe uses fresh cilantro! Enjoy this healthy salad on top of a romaine salad with feta cheese, cucumbers or in a pita wrap with grilled chicken or tofu.

The hardest ingredient to find was the bulgar wheat. I found it at the Whole Foods store and I was able to measure out the exact amount needed as it was in their binds.

Ingredients:

- 2 1/4 cups waters

- 1 cup bulgar wheat

- 2 tomatoes, seeded and finely chopped

- 2 green onions, slicked into thin slivers

- 3/4 cup chopped cilantro

- 2 cloves garlic, minced

- 2 lemons, juiced

- 2 tablespoons olive oil

- 1 teaspoon ground cumin

- 1/2 teaspoon pepper

- salt to taste

Instructions:

1. Bring water to boil in a sauce pan. Turn off the heat and stir in the bulgar wheat. Cover and let sit for 30 minutes.

2. Place the bulgar wheat in a salad bowl and lightly toss with all ingredients.

3. Refrigerate the salad for at least 3 hours to allow the flavors to blend. Serve cold.

Vegetable Barley Soup

For the last seven days or so, we have had what California would call a "colder week." Now I am not complaining or anything, as compared to most parts of the country our cold spell is a heated day for them. We have had some rainy and cooler days, and nothing is better than cooking a fresh, hearty soup from scratch. This is by the far the easiest preparation with a huge benefit. This is a must try! Enjoy with grilled cheese or fresh bread or a side salad. I prepared the soup in a large dutch oven pot or you can use a large soup pot as well. This is a perfect opportunity to use fresh, organic ingredients picked up from your local farmers market (which I did!!)

Ingredients:
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 2 stalks of celery, chopped
- 2-3 large carrots, chopped
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 (15 ounce) can of diced tomatoes with the juice; I used one with basil, garlic and oregano
- 1 cup uncooked barley
- 2 quarts vegetable broth
- 1 zucchini, chopped
- 3 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon white sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce; I used a vegan one

Instructions: Pour the vegetable broth into the pot. Add the barley, carrots, celery, tomatoes, onion, peas, and bay leaves. Season with garlic powder, sugar, salt, pepper, parsley, paprika, and Worcestershire sauce. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer over medium heat for 90 minutes. Remove bay leaves before serving!

Tofu Peanut Stir-Fry

Here is another tested and tasted recipe from allrecipes.com! Enjoy with your favorite long grain rice or pilaf! As a first timer when it comes to using cornstarch with my tofu, this can me a messy production for the novice. I made a mess with the cornstarch stage when coating the tofu. Nothing a good clean-up cannot fix (lol). The time and mess is worth it! This is a delicious dish-Enjoy!

Serving Size: 8

Ingredients:
- 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
- 1 (16 ounce) package frozen stir-fry vegetables
- 1/2 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 1 cup cornstarch
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 (14 ounce) package firm tofu, drained and cubed
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 3/4 cup peanut sauce
- 1/4 cup chopped peanuts

Instructions:

1. Heat the vegetable oil in wok over medium heat, and cook the vegetables until tender. Mix in the ginger, and season with salt and pepper.
   
2. Remove vegetables from skillet, and set aside.
3. Place the eggs in a bowl. In a separate bowl, mix the cornstarch, salt, and pepper. Dip tofu cubes first in the egg, then the cornstarch mixture to coat.
4. Heat the remaining oil in the skillet or wok over medium heat, and cook the coated tofu 5 minutes, or until golden brown.
   
5. Stir in the peanut sauce and peanuts. Continue to cook and stir until sauce has thickened and tofu is well-coated. Serve with the vegetables.