Category Archives: Salad/Side

Asian Noodle Zoodle Salad with Peanut Sauce

July 22, 2016Appetizer, Dairy-Free, Dressing/Rub/Sauce, Entree, Gluten-Free/Wheat-Free, Multi-Veggie, Salad/Side, Vegetarian (lacto-ovo)chefmichelle

Asian Noodle Zoodle Salad with Peanut Sauce
The Recipe Redux – July, 2016: Get your Fruits and Veggies in Shape

Here’s the problem with pasta in a healthy, balanced diet: When properly portioned, a single serving is so ridiculously tiny on your plate, you think someone is trying to starve you. That’s why with pasta it is really easy to find yourself overeating your starch portions.

Here’s my easy solution: mix in delicious veggie noodles, or “zoodles,” along with the grain-based pasta. Now you can have your big plate full of noodles, and feel good about it too. It is really fast and easy to make zoodles out of zucchini, as long as you have the proper slicer or spiralizer tool on hand. If fact, you can probably make the zoodles faster than you can bring the pot of pasta water to boil for the noodles!

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I love the color contrast between the black rice noodles and the zoodles. They sure do taste great together too.

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Can’t find black rice noodles? Then substitute with buckwheat pasta; you won’t have as much color contrast but it will still have delicious flavor (do make sure there’s no wheat in either noodle variety if you want dish gluten-free). If you are using brown or white pasta noodles I suggest substituting black sesame seeds for the white for more color contrast on your plate.

rice, pasta, zoodles, health, wellness, fiber, multiveggie, diet, salad, registered dietitian, nutritionist, healthcare, insurance, medical, michelle moreau, healthy kitchen, weight loss. diabetes, celiac, cardiac, gluten, vegan, vegetarian — Black Rice Pasta – fresh out of the package!

This pasta salad includes a rainbow in veggie colors. Any meal you can squeeze in a whole bunch of antioxidants I say is a meal put to good use!

pasta, multiveggie, salad, vegetables, vegan, vegetarian, gluten, health, wellness, rainbow, healthy kitchen, chef, diet, registered dietitian, nutrition, nutritionist, medical, insurance, counseling, healthcare, diet, weightloss, celiac, cardiac, diabetes, gluten — Great for your next picnic, lunchbox or group gathering

The secret to the best peanut sauce is using a great Asian spice blend. Here’s the one I usually use:

health, wellness, diet, dietitian, nutritionist, new hampshire, NH, Portsmouth, michelle moreau, chef, wellness, healthcare, diet, medical, insurance, celiac, cardiac, diabetes, gluten, vegan, vegetarian — Shichimi Togarashi (Red Pepper Mix) with Red Pepper, Roasted Orange Peel, Black Sesame Seed, Yellow Sesame Seed, Japanese Pepper, Seaweed, Ginger

I love this stuff! It adds great flavor and heat to practically any Asian dish, and a little goes a long way. It is one of my kitchen’s secret weapons, and now it can be one of yours too. I have seen it for sale in some regular grocery stores down South and out West in the US, but in the Northeast I only seem to find it available in Asian specialty stores. It’s worth the trip to the specialty store to have this included in your culinary arsenal.

INGREDIENTS

peanut, health, wellness, diet, registered dietitian, nutrition, nutritionist, multiveggie, chef, recipe, rainbow, fiber, salad, healthcare, insurance, Portsmouth, NH, medical, diet, counseling — Asian Noodle Zoodle Salad with Peanut Sauce

4 ounces Black Rice Pasta
2 teaspoons Olive oil
2 large Zucchini
1 large Red bell pepper, seeded and sliced
1/2 cup Tomatoes, grape, yellow, sliced
1 large Carrot, shredded
2 large Scallions, thinly sliced
1/3 cup Cilantro, fresh, minced
1 tablespoon Sesame seeds, white

for the sauce:
2 tablespoons Tamari, low-sodium
2 tablespoons Peanut butter, creamy
2 tablespoons Lime juice
1 tablespoon Rice Wine Vinegar
1 tablespoon Water
2 teaspoons Honey
1 teaspoon Sesame oil
1 tablespoon Ginger, fresh, minced
2 medium Garlic cloves, minced
1/4 teaspoon Asian spice blend

PREPARATION
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Break pasta in half to shorten, add to boiling water and cook until al dente.

While pasta cooks, cut zucchini into long, thin, noodle strands. Set aside.

Once cooked, strain pasta from water with a colander, then add pasta to a large mixing bowl. Toss pasta with olive oil to coat. Add the cut zucchini, pepper, tomato, carrot, scallion, cilantro and sesame seeds and lightly toss to mix.

In a medium mixing bowl add all the sauce ingredients. Whisk everything together until thoroughly combined.

Pour sauce over noodles. Toss to coat salad entirely with sauce. Refrigerate for at least an hour so that the flavors meld. Serve cold or room temperature

Makes 6 servings.

zucchini, zoodles, noodles, pasta salad, multiveggie, gluten, vegan, vegetarian, celiac, diabetes, cardiac, weight loss, diet, registered dietitian, nutrition, nutritionist, michelle moreau, Portsmouth, NH, seacoast, diet, recipe, healthy kitchen, wellness, healthcare, medical, counseling — Making fresh Zoodles with special slicer

health, wellness, diet, dietitian, nutrition, nutritionist, michelle moreau, chef, healthy kitchen, healthcare, medical insurance, Portsmouth, NH, seacoast, celiac, cardiac, diabetes, diet, weight loss, recipe, chef, couneling, healthcare — Tip: Use a mushroom scrubber to help clean special noodle slicer

Summer Zoodles with Creamy Walnut Pesto Sauce

June 9, 2016Appetizer, Dressing/Rub/Sauce, Gluten-Free/Wheat-Free, Multi-Veggie, Raw Food, Salad/Side, The Recipe Redux, Vegetarian (lacto-ovo)chefmichelle

Summer Zoodles with Creamy Walnut Pesto Sauce
Recipe Redux: We Heart Walnuts! Recipe Challenge

Disclaimer: I received free samples of California walnuts mentioned in this post. By posting this recipe I am entering a recipe contest sponsored by the California Walnut Commission and am eligible to win prizes associated with the contest. I was not compensated for my time.

Summertime is a perfect time for getting active outdoors. Nothing beats a long day of hiking, biking or group sports out in the warm sun and fresh air. On these high activity days I often find myself craving a hearty meal, yet don’t want to fill my kitchen up with a bunch of heat from the stove.

This dish is a perfect and simple solution to this dinner dilemma. The Creamy Walnut Pesto sauce is so rich and satisfying, and everything- even the noodles- need no cooking!

“Zoodles” is my name for zucchini noodles. Making them is super easy if you have a spiralizer peeler. This fun, timesaving tool has blades that run in two directions. With it, you can cut out perfect noodle strips with every slice you make. Serve the zoodles uncooked so that they have a nice al dente texture. Making summer pasta will never get easier than that!

I love using walnuts in my pesto because I know they give my dish a big boost of Omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3s are anti-inflammatory, and especially beneficial on a long, hard day of exercise and play. Just one ounce of walnuts has 2.5 grams of Omega-3 alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) Bonus: they taste delicious in it too. Now that’s something to get nutty over.

INGREDIENTS
1 cup Walnuts
5 cups Basil leaves, fresh, rinsed
3 large Garlic cloves, peeled
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, chopped
1/3 cup Olive oil, extra virgin
4 large Summer Squash, cut into noodles
4 large Zucchini, cut into noodles

for the garnish
1/4 cup Walnuts
1/3 cup Cherry tomatoes, sliced

PREPARATION
To a high-powered blender add the 1 cup walnuts plus the basil, garlic, and Parmesan cheese. Blend on high, using a damper to help feed in ingredients as needed. While blending, slowly add in the olive oil. Blend until all the basil is chopped and you have a creamy sauce consistency.

Add summer squash and zucchini noodles to a large mixing bowl. Add Walnut Basil Pesto sauce to noodles and gently toss to combine. transfer noodles to serving bowl(s), top with remaining walnuts and cherry tomatoes and serve.

Makes 4 entree servings.

Quinoa Black Bean Salad

June 4, 2016Dairy-Free, Entree, Gluten-Free/Wheat-Free, Multi-Veggie, Salad/Side, Vegan, Vegetarian (lacto-ovo)chefmichelle

Quinoa Black Bean Salad

This quick and easy salad is a tasty side dish for your next cookout. The quinoa and black beans together make a complete protein, making it a good vegan entree too. Try making this once and it and it will soon become a family staple, as it keeps well in the fridge for days, and it’s also is a delicious lunchbox option.

I made this batch with a blend of white and red quinoa. Black quinoa works great in the mix too. I recommend using a blend of quinoa grains for the variety of texture.

Quinoa Black Bean Salad, health, wellness, diet, dietitian, nutrition, nutritionist, michelle moreau, chef, healthy kitchen, healthcare, medical insurance, Portsmouth, NH, seacoast, celiac, cardiac, diabetes, diet, weight loss, recipe, couneling, healthcare, vegetables, multiveggie, rainbow, whole grain — Quinoa Black Bean Salad

INGREDIENTS
3 cups Quinoa, cooked
1 can Black beans, low-sodium, drained, rinsed
1/2 cup Red bell pepper, seeded, diced
1/2 cup Yellow bell pepper, seeded, diced
1/2 cup Orange bell pepper, seeded, diced
2 large Scallions, thinly sliced
1/3 cup Parsley, flat leaf, chopped
3 tablespoons Lemon juice
1 tablespoon Apple cider vinegar
2 teaspoons Honey
1/4 teaspoon Salt
1/4 teaspoon Black pepper
3 tablespoons Olive oil

PREPARATION
To a large bowl add the quinoa, black beans, peppers, scallions and parsley and toss to mix.

To a medium mixing bowl add the lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, honey, salt and pepper and whisk to combine. As you continue whisking slowly pour in the olive oil to dressing.

Pour dressing over salad and toss to combine. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.

Makes about 7 servings.
Serving size 1 cup.

A Lentil – Veggie Fest

March 2, 2016Dairy-Free, Entree, Gluten-Free/Wheat-Free, Multi-Veggie, Salad/Side, Vegan, Vegetarian (lacto-ovo)chefmichelle

A Lentil – Veggie Fest

March is National Nutrition Month. One powerful, yet simple, way for many people to improve their diet is to include more veggies. The recommend goal is to consume 3 cups of veggies daily, yet the average American does not reach even half that amount.

Need to get in more veggies? This dish can deliciously help up your veggie intake throughout the week. It stores well in the refrigerator, and reheats easily in the microwave. With so many veggie varieties included, it’s a festival of color and flavor. Serve it as an entree or as a side to your favorite protein. Add a side of greens for an even better, balanced plate.

In this recipe I used fresh turmeric. While it is very delicious (with flavor kind of like a spicy carrot when eaten raw), working with fresh turmeric is messy, as it can stain things yellow. Wear gloves and use a cutting board that does not have much sentimental value to you when preparing it (unless you find the color yellow on everything appealing). If you cannot get fresh ginger and/or turmeric, then substitute with a teaspoon each of the dried spice versions. Add the spice(s) when you add the onions to the coconut oil at the start of cooking.

turmeric, garlic, ginger, vegan, vegetarian, diary free, fiber, health, wellness, diet, dietitian, nutrition, nutritionist, michelle moreau, chef, healthy kitchen, healthcare, medical insurance, Portsmouth, NH, seacoast, celiac, cardiac, diabetes, diet, weight loss, recipe, couneling, healthcare, coconut — fresh turmeric, garlic and ginger

I prefer using fresh turmeric and ginger over their dried spice versions for several reasons. The depth of flavor is definitely greater in fresh turmeric and ginger than in the dried. Using the fresh root versions are also a safer bet when it comes to food allergies and intolerances. Depending on where and how processing is done, there is often risk of cross-contamination with possible allergens during manufacturing. Always read spice labels and/or check with manufacturers first before using spices in dishes prepared for someone with a food allergy or intolerance.

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I love using coconut oil with lentils because lentil + coconut flavors are so amazing together. If you don’t have coconut oil, you can substitute it with olive oil instead.

The Garlic Chili Paste can be found in most grocery and specialty stores. Don’t have any on hand? Then use 1/2 teaspoon of chili pepper flakes and 1/4 teaspoon of salt as a replacement. Add the chili pepper flakes when you add the onions to the coconut oil, and add the salt the same time you add the lemon juice.

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Try to cut the veggies into very small pieces, especially the sweet potato. The larger the dice, the longer you will have to cook the veggies to bring them to an al dente consistency.

Lentil, Veggie, vegetables, multiveggie, fiber, ginger, garlic, turmeric, coconut, vegan, vegetarian, health, wellness, diet, dietitian, nutrition, nutritionist, michelle moreau, chef, healthy kitchen, healthcare, medical insurance, Portsmouth, NH, seacoast, celiac, cardiac, diabetes, diet, weight loss, recipe, couneling, healthcare, side dish — A Lentil – Veggie Fest

INGREDIENTS
1 pound Lentils, dried (about 2 cups)*
4 cups Vegetable stock, low-sodium*
1/4 cup Sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
1/4 cup Water
2 tablespoons Coconut oil
2 cups White onion, peeled, diced small
2 cups Sweet potato, peeled, diced small
1 1/2 cups Carrot, peeled, diced small
1 cup Celery, diced small
2 tablespoons Turmeric, fresh, peeled, minced
2 tablespoons Ginger, fresh, peeled, minced
3-4 cloves Garlic, peeled, minced
1 cup Scallion, minced
2 medium Lemons, zested and juiced
2 tablespoons Rice vinegar
2 tablespoons Tamari, low-sodium*
1 teaspoon Chili Garlic Sauce
3/4 cup Parsley, fresh, chopped

PREPARATION
Add lentils and vegetable stock to a medium saucepan on high heat. Bring to boil, then simmer until lentils are softened, about 20-30 minutes. Set aside.
In a small bowl, add the dried tomato and water. Soak tomato for at least 15 minutes.
To a large wok over high heat add the coconut oil. Add the onions and saute 3 minutes.
Add the sweet potato, dried tomatoes and soak water to wok and saute another 5-6 minutes, or until sweet potato is softened.
Add carrots, celery, ginger, turmeric and garlic to wok and saute another 5 minutes, or until veggies are al dente.
To wok add the cooked lentils, scallions, lemon juice and zest, vinegar, Tamari, and Chili Garlic Sauce and saute another 3-4 minutes, making sure to stir well.
Remove wok from heat. Toss in the chopped parsley. Serve warm.

*Note: These food items may contain gluten; check label before using if preparing gluten-free.

Makes about 10 servings.
Serving size 1 cup.

fiber, lentil, vegetables, multiveggie, wok, vegan, vegetarian, ginger, garlic, turmeric, health, wellness, diet, dietitian, nutrition, nutritionist, michelle moreau, chef, healthy kitchen, healthcare, medical insurance, Portsmouth, NH, seacoast, celiac, cardiac, diabetes, diet, weight loss, recipe, couneling, healthcare, coconut, dairy free — A Lentil-Veggie Fest: A delicious way to get in more veggies and fiber into your diet.

What will you serve with it?

Cucumber Shrimp Salad

July 23, 2015Appetizer, Dairy-Free, Entree, Gluten-Free/Wheat-Free, Multi-Veggie, Salad/Side, The Recipe Reduxchefmichelle

Cucumber Shrimp Salad
Recipe Redux – July, 2015: Fresh from the Garden

One of the best things about summer is shopping the farmer’s markets. It is such a treat to have so much local produce readily available. It’s especially nice when you live in a city like New York, where housing usually doesn’t leave much room for plant growing. Here, living spaces larger than a closet are considered expansive! Alas, I do not live in such luxury… :/

Every Tuesday there is a lovely little farmer’s market that springs up right by NewYork-Presbyterian’s Columbia University Medical Center. During my lunch break I always make a quick stop over and pick up some freshly harvested goodies. (Someday I will have a little room to grow my own again – thank goodness for Farmer’s Markets until then!)

As fruits and vegetables age, they can lose some of their nutritients. So buying and preparing locally grown foods helps you get the most nutrition bang out of each delicious, healthy bite.

This week there was an amazing deal on cucumbers – 3 for $1.00! (Who says healthy eating is too expensive?!?!) I also grabbed a fragrant bunch of dill, parsley and purple spring onions. I was on my way to making one delicious cucumber salad.

The shrimp I used were not not natives to NYC . They came from Ecuador. Says they were “sustainably” raised on the bag, but – who knows?!? Nonetheless, they co-mingled with the veggies quite deliciously in the mixing bowl.

With all the light pastel colors, this salad is very pleasing visually. I also like how the way the cucumbers are sliced mimics the curves of the shrimp. The light, lemony sauce makes for delightful dining on a hot summer day.

Cucumber Shrimp Salad, health, wellness, diet, dietitian, nutrition, nutritionist, michelle moreau, chef, healthy kitchen, healthcare, medical insurance, Portsmouth, NH, seacoast, celiac, cardiac, diabetes, diet, weight loss, recipe, couneling, healthcare, seafood, appetizer, herbs, farmers market, lunch, brunch — Cucumber Shrimp Salad

Cucumber Shrimp Salad Recipe

INGREDIENTS
2 large cucumbers, peeled
1 pound Shrimp, peeled, deveined, boiled, chilled
1/2 cup Red onion, peeled, minced
1/4 cup Dill, fresh, chopped
1/4 cup Parsley, fresh, chopped
1/4 cup Lemon juice, fresh squeezed
1 teaspoon Honey
1/8 teaspoon Sea salt
1/4 cup Olive oil, extra virgin
2 cups Watercress leaves

PREPARATION
Slice the cucumbers lengthwise so you have two long halves. With a spoon, carefully scrape out all the seeds from the center of the cucumbers. Slice the cucumbers into 1/4″ slices and toss into a mixing bowl with the shrimp, onion, dill and parsley.
In a small bowl, add the lemon juice, honey and sea salt. Whisk the dressing as you slowly pour in the olive oil.
Pour dressing over salad. Toss to mix everything well.

Serve salad over the fresh watercress.

Serve chilled.

Makes 6 substantial salad servings, or 12 mini salad appetizers

An InLinkz Link-up

Sauteed Escarole with Garlic and fresh Parmesan

November 23, 2014Appetizer, Gluten-Free/Wheat-Free, Salad/Side, The Recipe Redux, Vegetarian (lacto-ovo)chefmichelle

Sauteed Escarole with Garlic and fresh Parmesan
Recipe Redux – November, 2014: Thankful Food Memories

Most of my fondest memories with friends revolve around food. OK, I guess that is not so surprising a statement coming from a foodie. However, with so much thought and time and preparation put into so many dishes, I find it ironic that often it is the simplest dishes that linger the most with fondness.

Sauteed Escarole with Garlic, leafy greens, Italian, vegetarian, gluten free, appetizer, lunch, dinner, health, wellness, diet, dietitian, nutrition, nutritionist, michelle moreau, chef, healthy kitchen, healthcare, medical insurance, Portsmouth, NH, seacoast, celiac, cardiac, diabetes, diet, weight loss, recipe, couneling, healthcare — Sauteed Escarole with Garlic

Enter escarole. The first time I tried some of it was in a bowl of wedding soup. Of course, that was not much of a true escarole experience as there was so little green to be found floating amongst the meatballs. Fast forward a few years later, when my dear Italian cuisine-loving friends eventually introduced me to some

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homemade, sauteed escarole and- oh boy! My life has never been the same.

When you look at a head of escarole in the produce section, it really doesn’t look like anything much (no offense escarole!) But take a little time to chop it up and saute it down in a pan and you end up with something really quite special. While many greens turn dull and lifeless with cooking, escarole gets deeper and richer and more delicious with each minute over heat.

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The key to making memorable escarole – be FRESH:
1. Fresh escarole
2. Lots of garlic. Use fresh chopped, not jarred
3. Use fresh lemon juice (no concentrated stuff)
4. Freshly grate Parmesan yourself (no pre-grated)

This recipe I provided here calls for baguette slices to serve your sauteed escarole on, which makes for the most delicious (and greenest) garlic bread you will ever eat! I used Schar’s gluten-free baguettes, which toast up in 5 just minutes in a 400 degree oven. Do make sure to lightly spray your baguette slices with a bit of olive oil before baking for the best results.

In the mood for more of a meal than an appetizer? In that case, simply toss the cooked escarole mixture with some of your favorite cooked pasta, olive oil plus juice of another 1/2 lemon. Sauteed broccoli and boiled, chopped egg also pairs nicely with the escarole pasta too.

Felice sana alimentazione!

INGREDIENTS
1.5 pounds Escarole, rinse, dried
2 teaspoons Olive oil
Pinch Hot pepper flakes (optional)
5-6 cloves Garlic, chopped
to taste Black pepper, fresh ground
Pinch Sea salt
1/2 medium Lemon
1/8 cup Parmesan, fresh grated
1 large Baguette, gluten-free, sliced on bias and toasted

PREPARATION

Chop escarole into either thin strips or small pieces. Discard the tough core.

Heat saute pan over medium heat and add olive oil and hot pepper flakes. Add garlic to oil and saute a 1/2 minute. Add about 1/3 of the chopped escarole, or as much as will fit into the pan without spilling as you saute. As the escarole wilts, add more raw escarole to the pan. When all the escarole is in the pan. Saute until leaves are wilted and cooked though, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat; and add the black pepper, salt and lemon juice and toss well.

Scoop the sauteed escarole onto the baguette slices. Grate the Parmesan cheese on top. Serve warm.

Serves 6-8