Baba Ganoush (Eggplant Hummus) - Two Ways!

  

This is like hummus, just made with eggplant instead of garbanzo beans, making a lower-carb food.  I almost like the taste better, too!  Two-ways...

Blended smooth...

Blended smooth

OR hand mixed...

Hand-mixed

Ingredients:

1 medium-large eggplant
1/4 cup tahini
2 tbs. olive oil
juice of 1 lemon
1-2 cloves garlic (chopped if blending in machine, minced if hand-mixing) or 1 bulb roasted garlic (see directions in red beet hummus recipe)
pinch salt
pinch cayenne pepper

Directions:

Wash eggplant, dry it and poke holes in it with fork.  Line a baking tray with foil and place eggplant on it.

Place in oven at 400 degrees and bake for approximately 40 minutes or until it shrivels and juice runs from it.  If I think it's getting there I take it out of the oven and cut open with a knife to see what it looks like inside.  When it looks like it does in this photo it's done:

Roasted eggplant

Allow eggplant to cool enough to handle.  Scoop the eggplant out of the skin.

Place it in a food processor or blender along with all the other ingredients.

Blend until thoroughly mixed.




Alternatively, you can mix all ingredients in a bowl for a coarser texture.  I think both ways turn out great, they are just different.  Use a fork to mash and mix or a mashing-tool...

These are great savory dip for veggies, crackers, etc.  Also, a great sandwich filling!

Broccolini with Yogurt-Lemon-Butter Sauce

Broccoli's cute little cousin deserves a special sauce...

Ingredients:

1 bunch broccolini
2 tbs butter (or 1 tbs butter and 1 tbs olive oil)
1-2 cloves minced garlic
1 tsp - 1 tbs freshly squeezed lemon juice (amount depends upon how tart you would like it - I used 1 tbs and it's nicely tart for my taste)
salt and pepper, to taste
2 tbs plain yogurt


Directions:

Begin by steaming the broccolini without chopping it.  While it is steaming, begin melting the butter in a small pan on medium.  Add the olive oil and garlic.  Let cook about 1 minute.

Then, remove from heat and stir-in the lemon juice, salt/pepper and yogurt.

Stick the broccolini with a fork to check for doneness.  When cooked to your satisfaction, use tongs to remove it on a plate(s) and drizzle with the sauce.  Enjoy!

Veggie Italiano

Wow-- I don't eat bowls full of spaghetti anymore but this is sure a pleasant substitute!  You might think the coconut doesn't go with the mix but I found it yummy and you don't notice coconut, specifically, through the other flavors, in fact I think it adds to the texture and richness of the flavor.  The pecorino romano surely makes this a veggie-treat, as I rarely let myself have cheese and it is SO very flavorful!  The combination of veggies along with the spices, tomato and romano make it fabulous (and we can't forget the secret ingredient: coconut!).  If you don't want to use the cheese, either simply leave it out or substitute hemp seeds instead.

Ingredients:

1 medium onion
approximately 6 collard or kale leaves
1 zucchini squash
1-2 tbs coconut oil
1 tomato
1 tsp dried crushed basil
1/2 tsp fennel seeds
1/4-1/3 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
2 cloves garlic, minced
ground pepper or crushed red pepper, to taste
2-4 tbs pecorino romano, grated (optional)
2-4 tbs hemp seeds (optional)
2-4 tbs fresh chopped parsley (optional)


Directions:

Peel and chop the onion and zucchini (I peel my zucchini because I frequently buy them non-organic but do not peel them if they are organic...).

Wash collard greens and chop.  Heat oil in stir fry pan on medium heat along with onion, zucchini and greens.

Stir.  Add the basil and fennel and allow to cook until veggies are done to your liking, being sure to stir frequently.  Keep lid on pan when not stirring so veggies will cook through steam, too.  When veggies are almost how you'd like them add the tomato (chop prior to adding), coconut, garlic and pepper.

Stir and cook just about one minute longer.  Finally, add the pecorino romano and stir (you do not need to add any salt as this cheese has plenty in it).  Serve & enjoy the YUM-YUM!  I eat this amount for one meal but it makes 2 generous servings of veggies.

Add fresh chopped parsley on top...

You can also add hemp seeds as a topping (or as cheese substitute)...

Green Leek Soup

This soup has a variety of textures.  Smooth, pureed base with chicken, carrots and onions.  If you'd like to make a vegetarian soup, simply leave the chicken out.  To make it vegan,  also substitute olive oil for the butter.  Only green items are blended together, creating a nice green color.  The carrots are left unblended to give a sweet bite but not dampen the nice green color.  

Ingredients:

1 lb chicken breasts (optional)

2 medium onions

5 carrots

2 large leeks

4 stalks celery (with leaves, if available)

3 kale leaves

2 medium potatoes, peeled

5 cloves garlic

2 tsp italian seasoning, rosemary, or oregano

salt, to taste

crushed red pepper

2 tbs olive oil

2 tbs butter (or olive oil)

4 cups water (or 2 cups broth and 2 cups water)

Directions:

Cut the chicken up into small bite-sized pieces, peel and chop the carrots and 1 onion.  Stir fry the chicken, carrots, onion and crushed red pepper in olive oil.   If cooking in the same kettle as you will cook the rest, remove and place in large bowl until later.

Separately, chop the potato into little cubes and stir-fry in olive oil (or butter).  As it begins to cook add the leeks, celery, remaining onion, and herbs in olive oil.  Once you can prick the celery with a fork (and before it turns mushy!) chop the kale, mince the garlic and add both.  (In my photo below you do not see potato, as I had it precooked and added it later... But, this is about what the leeks and celery looked like when I added the kale...).

Give it a stir, remove from the heat and add 4 cups water (or water/broth combination).  

Blend the leek mixture in several batches in the blender.  

Place back in a large kettle, add the chicken/carrot mixture to it and slightly reheat together.  Stir completely and serve.  Store in fridge and eat within several days.  Reheat individual portions on stovetop.  

Cold/Flu Wellness Soup

This soup delivers nature's anti-virals with rosemary, lemongrass, garlic, onions and lemon.  Also, veggies and chicken to give your body strength to recover quicker and healthfully from a cold or flu.  Not to mention the benefits of consuming the warm broth to help with congestion and warm the body.  I've made different variations on this, some of which I added seaweed or celery.  You can always try adding other veggies.  I don't use broth when I make soup because I believe I'm making my own broth with the ingredients I'm using.  So, I find it important to have the herbs, onion and garlic to help flavor it... it just works out so well they are helping you feel better, too!

Ingredients:

2-3 tbs olive oil

2 chicken breasts

3 stalks broccoli

4 carrots

1-2 large onions

5 cloves garlic

rosemary, 5 fresh sprigs

lemongrass, 1 stalk

salt (optional, to taste)

fresh lemon wedges

filtered water (enough to cover)

Directions:

Note about prep:  Have veggies prepared and ready before starting as things cook quickly and if you're not prepared some ingredients can get overcooked.  To  prepare carrots, peel and chop.  For broccoli, cut "woody" parts off stalks (and throw them away) and chop the remainder.  Chop rosemary finely. Peel outer layer off lemongrass and chop into approximately 6" pieces, then cut those down the middle to expose insides.  For garlic, smash cloves with chef's knife to remove skins, then chop finely.  Remove skin from onions and chop.

Note about herbs:  I have the rosemary and lemongrass growing fresh but if you don't you can always use dried herbs or substitute other herbs instead.  

Have your veggies/herbs prepared and ready then heat olive oil in large soup pot on medium-heat.  Using kitchen shears, cut chicken into strips, then cut those strips into small pieces.  Cook the chicken on the heat, stirring for a few minutes until most of the outside looks white.  Now, add the broccoli, carrots, onions, rosemary, and lemongrass.  Stir, then cover and cook for a few minutes.  Add water to cover then bring just to a boil over high-heat.  At once, reduce to a simmer and cook until the veggies are done to your liking.  Take soup off burner, keep cover off (or it will continue cooking) and stir in garlic and salt (if using) .  I add garlic at the end of cooking so as to preserve its beneficial properties.  The lemongrass is not to be eaten, it instead "brews" in the soup like a tea.  Leave the lemongrass stalks in the soup until right before eating as it will continue to steep.  For each bowl of soup squeeze a wedge of fresh lemon into it right before eating.

Cheers to Good Health!

You might also like to try this soup recipe by Feel Divine Food: Bunnicula's Carrot-Top Soup Medley.

Bunnicula's Carrot Top Soup Medley

Ingredients:

- 1 bunch multi-colored carrots with tops
- onion
- 3 bay leaves
- 3 tbs. olive oil
- 1/2 tbs. italian seasoning
- 1/2 tbs. turmeric powder
- 1/2 cup red lentils (optional, leave out for lower-carb version)
- 3 celery stalks
- several cloves of garlic
- fresh herbs, I used holy basil leaves
- moringa leaves
- cayenne pepper, to taste
- sea salt or Himalayan salt, to taste
- water, to cover
- 1 cup cooked quinoa


Directions:


Remove carrot tops and peel carrots.

 Chop onion and stir-fry in olive oil with bay leaves.

Add lentils and other (dry) herbs.

Add several cups water, and bring to a simmer...

Chop carrots and celery and add to soup, let cook several minutes.

Chop (washed) carrot top greens and add to soup.

Lastly, add moringa, holy basil leaves, and quinoa.

Salt to taste...

... and enjoy!