Spinach and Feta Quiche with Quinoa Crust

Another winner from Cooking Light! This one is from the December 2014 issue and we were drawn to it because of the unique crust. The cooked quinoa gives this quiche a welcome crunch. Because of the ingredients, this could be a very impressive brunch entree! According to Cooking Light, this costs $2.09 per serving. We'll let you do the math on this one. 

Prep time: 20 mins
Bake time: 35 mins

What you'll need:

• 2 cups cooked quinoa, cooled
• dash of black pepper and salt
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 1/2 onion, diced
• 1 bag of fresh baby spinach, about 6 oz
• 1/2 cup milk
• dash of salt, black pepper and red pepper
• 4 large eggs
• 2 large egg whites
• 2 oz feta, crumbled

What you'll need to do:

For the crust combine the quinoa, black pepper and egg in a bowl. Mix well until combined then press the mixture into a 9 inch pie pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 375 for 20 mins. Cool and set aside.

For the filling, saute onion until translucent, then add spinach. Saute for about 3 mins. Remove from heat.

In a separate bowl, whisk milk, salt, black pepper, red pepper, 4 eggs, 2 egg white.  

Arrange the spinach mixture on the bottom of the crust then pour the egg mixture over the spinach. Sprinkle the feta over the whole quiche. Bake for 35 minutes at 375, until mixture solidifies. Let sit for about 5 mins then serve!

Roasted Broccoli, Mushroom, and Barley Salad

Nothing like finding a delightful new side dish to complement your meals. This one comes courtesy of Real Simple-of course with a few tweaks to suit the pantry. 

The original recipe calls for an anchovy flavored dressing, but that's not really our jam. Instead, we substituted the anchovy paste with sriracha paste. Bonus points: this is very easy to make and you can substitute the vegetables with whatever you have handy.

Prep time: 10 minutes 
Cook time: 25 minutes 

Ingredients:

• 1 
  cup quick cook 
  barley
• 1 
  large bunch broccoli, cut into florets
• 1-2 shallots, cut into rings
• 1 
  pound 
  cremini or oyster mushrooms, halved if large
• 4 
  tablespoons 
  olive oil, plus 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Kosher salt and black pepper
• 1 teaspoon sriracha paste
• 2
   garlic cloves
• 3 
  tablespoons 
  fresh lemon juice
• Feta

What you'll do:

Wash and chop the vegetables. Preheat the oven to 425 and line a baking sheet with foil. 

In a large bowl, mix the broccoli, shallots and mushrooms with the olive oil, salt and pepper. When they are coated, spread in a single layer on the baking sheet. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until browned.

While the vegetables are roasting, cook the barley according to directions. 

Mix the remaining tablespoon of oil, crushed garlic, lemon juice and sriracha. Set aside.

When the vegetables are done, mix with the cooked barley and toss with the dressing and sprinkle with feta. Serve hot or cold! 

Sweet Pepper Pasta

Say that three times fast!

This is one of the most simple and satisfying meals. To boot, it also helps you eat seasonally.

Roasting the peppers give them a great taste, while topping it with burrata or fresh mozzarella is just fun.

Prep time: 45 mins
Cook time: 20 mins

What you'll need:

• 1 16 oz package of linguine or fettuccine 
• 2 red peppers
• 2 yellow pepper
• 1 clove of garlic
• 1 package of burrata (if that's not available, fresh mozzarella or ricotta)
• olive oil 

What to do:

Boil the water and cook the pasta according to directions.

Quarter the peppers and lay them out in a single layer on a foil lined broiler pan. Broil the peppers for about 10 minutes, or until the skin is blackened. Once they are nicely roasted, put them in a ziptop back and let sit for about 15 minutes. When the peppers are cooled, peel the skin and discard.

Take our your favorite food processor and puree 1/2 of each color of pepper and set aside. Chop the other half. 

Heat up the olive oil and brown the garlic. Toss in the chopped peppers and saute for 5 minutes. 

Drain the pasta and mix with pureed peppers. Top with chopped pepper mix and buratta. Serve immediately and enjoy. 

Fontina, Asparagus & Leek Strata

It's been awhile, but trust us it's worth it.

We've never made a strata before and if you're like us, you weren't sure what to expect. Think about it like a hearty combination between a quiche and a casserole. This particular recipe comes from Cooking Light, with some tweaks and notes from our kitchen. 

Some advanced warning: this is a bit of a time consuming recipe, but it is worth it as it makes some great leftovers. 

Prep time: 8h30 mins (includes chill time)
Cook time: 45 mins

You'll need: 

• 1 tablespoon butter 
• 1 healthy sized bunch of asparagus, chopped (or a 10-12oz frozen bag)
• 3 small leeks (remember, only use the white parts of the leek and don't use the tough, green parts)
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 tablespoons dried parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon dried tarragon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 12 slices of regular old white bread
• 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded fontina cheese
• 2 1/2 cups 1% low-fat milk
• 3 large eggs
• 1 large egg white
• 1 cup breadcrumbs

What to do:

Melt butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and add asparagus, leeks, and water. 

Bring to a boil, simmer on reduced heat for about 10-15 minutes, to make sure the vegetables are tender (but not too tender, or the strata will be too mushy). When you're done, strain the vegetables. 

Mix in parsley, tarragon, lemon rind, salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper.

Coat a 13x 9 baking dish with a little butter. Place 6 of the bread slices in a single layer on the bottom of the pan. 

Layer on top of the bread 1/2 the asparagus mixture, followed by 1/2 cup of the cheese.

Repeat with the last 6 pieces of bread and the other half of the mixture and cheese. 

In a separate bowl, combine the pepper, salt milk, eggs, and egg white, and stir with a whisk until well-blended. Pour the milk mixture over strata. Cover strata, and chill for 8 hours or overnight.

When you're ready to bake, preheat the oven to 400 degrees, sprinkle the breadcrumbs on top and bake for 40 minutes, until the cheese starts to bubble and the strata is set. 

Fattoush!

We all know we have to eat salads, but sometimes it's really hard to get excited about a bunch of leaves. Fattoush, a Lebanese bread salad, is a good way to have your daily dose of veggies, while keeping you interested enough to finish it! We love the version from Mark Bittman's app "How to Cook Everything"  and added our own touches to suit our tastes.

This salad is only as good as its ingredients, so try to find the best product for the best results. If you plan on having leftovers, do not dress the whole salad or toast all the pita, only what you plan on eating that night.

Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 5 minutes (to toast your pita)

Ingredients:
Salad:

• 6 inch whole wheat pitas, cut into strips or wedges
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 2 vine ripened tomatoes (medium ripe). chopped and seeded
• 1 medium cucumber, diced and seeded
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped and seeded
• Choice of greens (romaine works well, or a spring mix)
• pinch of salt

Vinaigrette:

• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• salt and pepper

Combine the parsley, tomato, cucumber, bell pepper, salt and greens in a large bowl. Set aside.

To make the dressing, whisk the olive oil, red wine vinegar, salt and pepper until it forms a creamy mixture. Store it in your favorite dressing dispenser. If you plan to refrigerate it, be sure to mix it and bring it to room temperature before using.

Add your toasted pita to the greens mixture, pour the dressing and toss! 

Crispy Cauliflower Patties

Vegetables are great, but vegetables coated in panko? Out of this world.  This is another gem from Cooking Light, with our edits to better fit a busy schedule.

Try pairing this with a some greens and a tangy vinaigrette, or place it on an English muffin for a light sandwich.

Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 45 minutes

Ingredients:

• Cakes: (makes about 8-10 patties)
• 1 head of cauliflower
• 1 peeled yellow potato, cut into 4 wedges
• 2 large shallots, sliced into quarters 
• 1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 
• 2 cups of Trader Joe's mixed shredded cheese (Parmesan, Asiago, Fontina and Provolone) or, just Fontina
• 1/2 teaspoon Kosher or sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 1/2 cup panko, lightly toaster
• 2-4 tablespoons of freshly grated Parmesan cheese 
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• Sauce:
• 2 tablespoons light sour cream 
• 2 tablespoons mayo
• 2 teaspoons minced fresh chives
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 garlic clove, minced

Preheat oven to 400 and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or foil. 

Cut the florets off the head and mix it with the cut potatoes and shallots. Drizzle olive oil on the mixture and spread it on the baking sheet. Bake for about 30 minutes. They should be tender. Keep the baking dish handy, you'll need it for the patties.

Cool the mixture for about 15 minutes. While it's cooling, toast the panko by placing it in a pan on low heat until lightly browned. Combine with the Parmesan in a shallow bowl.

Once the mixture is cooled, pulse until chopped. Place in a large bowl and mix in cheese, salt, pepper and the eggs.

Form small patties out of the cauliflower mixture and dredge it in the panko mixture. Line them up on the baking sheet and bake for about 12 minutes on each side.

To make the sauce, just combine the sour cream, mayo, chives, pepper and garlic. 

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Tex Mex Mac and Cheese

We wanted something a little spicy after gorging ourselves on sweets all through Thanksgiving. Rachael Ray had an interesting take on mac and cheese by adding jalapeños . It sounded interesting, but we wanted a bit more spice and have a soft spot for cheddar, so we put our spin on the recipe.

However, because of the spice, this could be an overwhelming main dish. Instead, we served this as a side with baked chicken breasts and roasted asparagus.

Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup butter
• 5 jalapeños, diced
• 1/2 medium onion, diced
• 3 garlic cloves, diced
• 5 tablespoons of flour
• 1 teaspoon of cumin
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 2 cups of buttermilk (any milk is fine too, the buttermilk just added some richness)
• 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
• 1/4 cup breadcrumbs
• 1 package of tube or curly pasta like a rotini

Preheat the oven to 350 and grease a 9x13 casserole dish and cook the pasta according to the package direction. 

Melt the butter slowly in a medium sauce pan, something big that will hold all the ingredients. 

When the butter is melted, add the jalapeños, onion and garlic. Cook until tender. 

Add the flour, cumin and chili powder and stir until smooth. Then slowly add the milk, stirring until well incorporated. Once the mixture looks smooth, add the cheese gradually. Stir until thick.

Mix the sauce with the pasta. Put the mixture in the casserole dish and sprinkle the breadcrumbs evenly on top. Bake for about 15 minutes, until the cheese is bubbling. 

Zucchini Pancakes

You've made your Turkey Cupcakes, but you have all these leftover zucchinis. What to do? The internet (and Ina Garten) gave us a great option: zucchini pancakes. These are crazy easy and make you feel great for smartly using your produce. 

The original recipe can be found on FoodNetwork.com. We rewrote the steps and ingredients to make it a bit easier to follow. 

Prep time: 15 mins
Cook time: 5 minutes a pancake
Makes about 6 large pancake

Ingredients:

• 2 medium sized zucchinis, shredded (about 2.5-3 cups)
• 1 tablespoon grated red onion
• 6-8 tablespoons all purpose flour
• 2 eggs
• pinch of salt
• dash of pepper
• 2-3 tablespoons of butter

Steps:

1. Using the larger grate on a box grater , grate the zucchini and red onion into a large bowl. 
2. Mix in the salt, pepper, two eggs and 6 tablespoons of the flour. As the original recipe suggests, if it looks a bit too liquidy, add in the remaining 2 tablespoons of flour.
3. Heat 1/2 tablespoon of butter on a flat griddle. When the butter is melted, spoon a dollop of the mixture on the pan, making sure to spread the mixture thinly.
4. Flip the pancake in about 2 minutes, or when it begins to solidify and brown
5. Try to wipe the pan between pancake batches
6. You can eat it plain, or serve with your favorite topping, like apple sauce or sour cream

Couscous with Tofu and Heirloom Tomatoes

We enjoyed our very first couscous recipe so much (Whole Wheat Couscous with White Beans, Tomatoes, Spinach and Red Peppers) we went searching for another way to use our box of couscous. We ended up combining ingredients that looked good at the store and the lucky winners were tofu and mini heirloom tomatoes.

This dish is flavorful, high in protein, and makes for great leftovers. 

Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 16 oz. packages of firm tofu, cubed and dried
• 1 16 oz package of mini heirloom tomatoes, halved
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 cup dry couscous
• Olive oil
• 2 tablespoons sriracha 
• 1/8 teaspoon of salt
• 2 cloves of garlic, crushed
• 1 medium sized cucumber, sliced (optional) 

In a shallow pan, make the couscous according to the directions. Set aside.

Heat the olive oil and brown the onion. Place the onions in a bowl. 

In a very hot pan, pan fry the tofu until it is browned, about 3 minutes per side. Place the browned tofu in the bowl with the onions.

In the same pan, saute the tomatoes and garlic for 2-3 minutes. 

Combine the onions, tofu and couscous with the tomatoes and heat for about 5 minutes. mix in the sriracha. Feel free to top with the cucumbers, if desired. 

Veggie Pizza (no pizza stone necessary)

Homemade pizza is a satisfying meal because you can put whatever you want on it! For this run through, we went with veggie toppings and a delicious garlic and herb crust from Trader Joe's. 

The instructions on most pizza dough call for a pizza stone, but don't offer any tips if you don't have one. Having limited space, we went about trying to find the best way to achieve the same crispy crust. Pre-baking the crust is key!

Prep time: 40  minutes
Cook time: 17-20 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1/2 yellow pepper, chopped
• 1/2 red pepper, chopped
• 1/2 orange pepper, chopped
• 1 cup frozen spinach, thawed and drained
• 1/2 onion, diced
• 1 cup pizza sauce
• 1.5 cups shredded mozzarella cheese 
• 1 package pizza dough

Lightly flour a surface and rest the dough out of its packaging for 20-30 minutes. 

Pre-heat the oven to 400. When the dough is ready, roll it out to about a 11x17 rectangle. Place the dough on a greased 11x17 pan. Bake the dough for 8-9 minutes. 

Pan fry the peppers, spinach and onion for about 10 minutes, or until the onions are slightly browned. 

Cool the dough for about 10 minutes, then evenly spread the sauce. Sprinkle 2/3 of the cheese, and spread the vegetable toppings. Top with the remaining cheese. 

Bake the pizza for 10-12 minutes, or until the cheese starts to bubble.

Whole Wheat Couscous with White Beans, Tomatoes, Spinach and Red Peppers

We're kicking of 2013 with a vegetarian recipe, to help any New Years resolutions out there. We've never dealt with couscous before, but this recipe has us clamoring for more. This is easy, fast and makes a lot of food. Good thing it heats up well, as you will definitely have leftovers. This recipe yields about 8-10 servings. 

To make this part of a healthy meal, try pairing it with corn bread (yum), a side salad or soup. 

Prep time: 10-12 minutes minutes

Cook time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

•  olive oil
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 1 bag (about 6 oz) of baby spinach, roughly cut
• 2 (15 oz.) can white beans, drained and rinsed
• 2-2.5 cups cherry or grape  tomatoes, each cut in half
• 1 roasted red pepper, cut into strips
• 1 cup of uncooked couscous (whole wheat is a great choice if it's available)
• Salt, red pepper flakes and sriracha, to taste
• 1 tsp cumin 

Make the couscous according to the directions. Set aside.

Heat the olive oil and saute the onions until translucent in medium high heat. Add the tomatoes, red pepper and spinach. Cook until the spinach is wilted, about 3-4 minutes. Season to taste with salt, pepper, sriacha and cumin. 

Lower the heat and add the couscous. Mix until well combined. Serve hot and with you choice of sides. 

Easy Warm Tofu Salad

With the holidays upon us, perhaps like us, you need a palate cleanser. This tofu salad has Asian flavors, mainly from the soy sauce and sesame seeds. Alone, it makes a light lunch, or a light dinner side salad. The flavors are mild, so if you're looking for something a bit bolder, toss the salad with our Thai Vinaigrette dressing. 

To keep the tofu from becoming too crumbly and losing its shape in the salad, be sure to pat it as dry as you can and properly brown it before mixing.

Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 10-12 minutes

Ingredients: 

• 3 tablespoons peanut oil
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 2 teaspoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
• 1 14-ounce package firm tofu, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1 bag mixed salad greens of your choice
• 2 medium carrots, peeled, halved lengthwise and sliced (we went with the pre-sliced carrots...because why not)
• 1 large cucumber, chopped

In a small bowl, combine peanut oil, rice vinegar, honey and sesame seeds. Set aside. (If using other dressing, skip this). 

Heat up one additional tablespoon of peanut oil and 2 tablespoons of dressing in a large pan. Pan fry the tofu over medium-high heat, turning every 3-4 minutes, until browned. Remove from heat and combine with salad greens, carrots and cucumbers. Toss with remaining dressing

Tomato Tart with Fontina

A light savory tart is just the antidote to the winter blues. This gem comes from Southern Living, which is a twist on a lighter French classic. We put our own small kitchen twist on the the tart and made it a bit smaller and manageable. 

This can be a side dish, or you can pair it with a hearty salad for a light entree. It's a great potluck choice as well. 

Prep time: 40-45 minutes
Cook time: 30-35 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1/2 (15-ounce) package refrigerated pie crust
• 1 garlic bulb
• 1/2 teaspoon olive oil
• 2 cups shredded fontina cheese
• 2 medium sliced tomatoes, sliced
• salt and pepper to taste

1. Preheat oven to 450. Press refrigerated pie crust on bottom and up sides of a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Be sure not to stretch the crust too much, as it will shrink down during baking. Bake the crust for 7-8 minutes or until pie crust is lightly browned; set aside.
2. Cut off the pointed end of garlic bulb and place it on a piece of aluminum foil. Brush the bulb with the olive oil and fold the foil to seal it. Place the garlic on a cookie sheet and bake at 425 for 30 minutes. Cool then squeeze the pulp through the cut end and brush the pulp on the bottom and sides of the pie crust. 

Sprinkle 1 cup fontina cheese over the garlic crust. 

Slice tomatoes and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place on paper towel and blot; let stand 10 minutes. Arrange tomato slices in concentric circles over shredded cheese. Sprinkle with remaining 1 cup cheese.

1. Bake at 350° for 30-35 minutes or until tart is lightly browned.

Black Bean Taco Salad & Lime Vinaigrette

A new favorite from Cooking Light! We take out the chicken to make this a vegetarian dish. The black beans gives the salad a protein punch, yet with a spicy and tangy side, courtesy of the vinaigrette. 


By taking out the chicken, this becomes a very thrifty meal. Canned black beans are less than $2.00 and the fresh produce doesn't add up to much. If you have the spices for the vinaigrette, this is also one of the easiest meals to prepare. For leftovers, just be sure to store the bean mixtures separately if you would like to heat them up.


With these ingredients, this meal can last two people about 4 dinners.


Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes


Ingredients:

• Vinaigrette:
• 1/4 cup chopped seeded, ripe Roma tomatoes (about 4)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil 
• 1 teaspoon grated lime rind
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
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• Salad:
• • You favorite salad greens (spinach works well, a nice spring mix, or even hearts of romaine) 
  • 1 cup chopped green bell pepper
  • 1 cup finely diced onion
  • 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained 
  • (optional: tortilla strips salad toppers,  1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded reduced-fat sharp cheddar cheese )
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  • To make the vinaigrette, throw everything in a food processor and pulse until smooth. Store in a convenient bottle and chill for at least an hour before serving.
  • For the salad, saute the beans, onion and green pepper in a pan until the onions are slightly translucent. Cool and top with vinaigrette and cheese and tortilla strips if using. 
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Thai Vinaigrette

In a quest for healthy eating, we cracked open The Joy of Cooking to search for some homemade salad dressing recipes. We settled on the Thai vinaigrette because of its balance of spicy and tangy. We modified the original recipe a bit to add some sriracha and bottled, instead of fresh, lime juice. This is a dual purpose recipe, as it can also serve as a marinade for fish or chicken.


A note on the gadget we used. The combination mixer, pourer, and storer is from The Pampered Chef: Measure, Mix & Pour. The side of the bottle offers easy to follow dressing recipes. It was very handy, but a whisk and your favorite container would do just fine.


Prep time: Under 5 minutes (chill for at least an hour before using)

Ingredients: 

1. 1/2 cup of lime juice (fresh or bottled)
2. 1 tablespoon soy sauce 
3. 1.5 tablespoons sugar
4. 1/2 teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes, or to taste
5. Salt to taste
6. 1/2 tablespoons sriracha
7. 1/2 cup vegetable oil

Whisk together the first 6 ingredients. In a slow and steady stream, add the vegetable oil. For best results, chill over night, and mix well before using. 

Crustless Broccoli and Cheese Quiche

A quiche is one of those rare rich, calorie packed food few have tried to de-fatify. The rich creams and cheeses in a quiche make for a guilty pleasure meal. With this recipe, we try to cut down on carb and fat intake by eliminating the crust and all its flaky, buttery goodness.


We tweaked the original Cooking Light recipe , (used 2% milk and cheddar instead of 1% and Swiss cheese, and a few others). The extra calories are definitely worth it. We also opted for a side salad, instead of the side of toast.


This quiche should last two people about  three dinners.


Prep time: 20 mins
Cook time: 45 mins

• 2 teaspoons olive oil 
• Cooking spray/oil to grease pan
• 1/2 cup vertically sliced red onion
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 10 oz package of frozen broccoli florets, steamed/defrosted (chopped broccoli pieces also works well)
• 1 1/4 cups 2% milk
• 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded reduced-fat Cheddar cheese
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cumin
• 4 large egg whites, lightly beaten
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 tablespoon grated fresh Parmesan cheese

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9 inch pie plate.


Sautee the onion and garlic until the onion is translucent. Add the broccoli and sautee under tender and place in pie plate.


In a large bowl, mix the milk, cheese, parsley, mustard, pepper, cumin, egg whites, and eggs. Pour egg mixture over the broccoli mixture and sprinkle with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.


Bake for 45 minutes or until top is golden brown and a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Roasting a Red Pepper

Roasted red peppers bring a complex texture and taste to any dish, from sandwiches to hummus. The ease and convenience of buying bottled, pre-made roasted red peppers is tempting, but doing it at home saves money and gives a tiny sense of accomplishment. Who doesn't love playing with fire a bit? 

• Before you start, prepare a bowl with cling wrap, as you'll need it quickly after the pepper is roasted.
• If you have a gas stove, you can roast the pepper directly on the range. If an open flame is not to your liking, you can roast them in the oven.
• With either method, use tongs to make sure all sides of the pepper are equally heated. On a gas range, turn it up to high and blacken all sides.
• When it is blackened, transfer the pepper to the bowl and cover it. The steam helps loosen the skin. Do not lift the cling wrap and let steam escape.
• The pepper will be cool enough to handle in 15-20 minutes. 
• Cut a small slit by the stem and remove it. 
• To peel the skin, lay the pepper on a cutting board and begin peeling. An easy way to do that is by rubbing the skin with your thumb.
• Slice the pepper, using the ribs as a guide line. To remove any remaining membrane and seeds, use a small teaspoon and scrape the inside.

Really Spicy Tofu

You have been warned: this is really, really, REALLY spicy. The mix of peppers gives this dish a complex heat, but it does have a kick. If tofu doesn't tickle your palate, chicken will fit the bill. Just be sure to cube and brown it before adding the rest of the ingredients.


Ingredients:

• • 3 tablespoons peanut oil
• 1 pound firm tofu, cubed
• 1 red onion, sliced
• 1 red bell pepper, sliced
• 2 serrano peppers, chopped (to reduce the heat, use 1 pepper)
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1/3 cup hot water
• 3 tablespoons white vinegar
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes (to reduce the heat, use 1 teaspoon)
• Brown rice (optional)

1. Heat peanut oil in a large frying pan over medium. Brown the tofu for at least 3 minutes.
2. Once browned, toss in onion, bell pepper, serrano pepper and garlic for 5 minutes.
3. Whisk together hot water, vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, cornstarch, and red pepper flakes. Pour over tofu and coat vegetable. 
4. Simmer 3 to 5 minutes, or until sauce thickens slightly. Tastes great over brown rice!

Falafel Pita Sandwich

Sandwiches are some of the easiest and satisfying meals, but sometimes deli meat doesn't cut it. Falafel is a good (and thrifty) vegetarian option. Making all the patties ahead in one night means simple reheats for the rest of the week.

The recipe below should 2 people 3-4 dinners.

Cook time: 20 minutes

Prep time: 45 minutes

Ingredients:

Falafel patties

• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 slice of wheat bread (the ends are fine)
• 1/4 tsp of salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp red pepper
• 1/2 red onion, diced
• 1 15 oz can of garbanzo beans, washed and drained
• 2 eggs

Sandwich fixins:

• Whole wheat pitas, cut in half and split
• lettuce
• tomato
• store bought tzatziki (yogurt and cucumber sauce)

Combine all the falafel patty ingredients in a food processor until well blended. Chill mixture for 20 minutes to make it easier to handle.

Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a non-stick pan. Using a spoon, scoop out the garbanzo bean mixture. The smaller and flatter the patty, the more evenly it will cook. Heat for 3-4 minutes then flip. The underside should be a golden brown.

To assemble the sandwich, split the pita to make a pocket. Line it with lettuce, tomato and the patty. Top with tzatziki sauce.

Appetizers: Edamame Hummus

I love hummus. It's one of the most versatile food items: great for groups or a quick and easy lunch. Much like traditional hummus, edamame hummus is a good source of protein. This variation has a more distinct bean taste. There are many recipe variations and this is one of the simpler versions that can easily be made with ingredients on hand.

Bonus: great with raw vegetables or even chips.

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 5 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 cups pound frozen shelled edamame
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 tablespoons of lemon juice
• 2-3 medium sized garlic cloves, minced
• 3/4 teaspooon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• Optional: 1 tablespoon of sriracha

Boil the beans in about 1/4 cup of salted water for 4 to 5 minutes. While the beans are boiling, mince the garlic in a food processor. Drain the beans and add to the food processor. Add the cumin, lemon juice and if using, the sriracha. Puree the beans and slowly add the olive oil, then the water until all the ingredients are mixed and the hummus is smooth.