Category Archives: Vegan

Homemade Tacos

Homemade Tacoshealth, 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, gluten free, taco, seasoning, spices, mexican, vegan, vegetarian
The Recipe Redux – February, 2017: Taco Tuesday

Tacos are a favorite dish in many households, including mine. They are almost as much fun to assemble as they are to eat.

But most people rely on processed tortillas as the base for their tacos. I am here to tell you – STOP!

Make your own tortillas from scratch instead.

Making tortillas from scratch is so easy, and so incredibly inexpensive too. For one large bag of Masa Harina (corn flour) you pay about 4-5 dollars, and could make over a hundred corn tortillas. That is cheaper than one package of store-bought processed tortillas, and each one will be tastier too. So good, you may decide to make tacos the meal of choice for more than just on Tuesdays!

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Homemade Corn Tortilla almost ready to eat!

When making the tortilla dough, it is important to kneed it well. Because corn flour has no gluten you can’t overwork it, so squeeze away with no worries. For a little added romance, kneed with a friend!

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Yes, couples that kneed together, stay together

The taco seasoning works really well with chicken breast, pork tenderloin, any white fish, extra-firm tofu or tempeh. For tofu, it is a good idea to freeze then thaw the tofu before using. The freezing process changes the tofu texture so it has a more meaty consistency.

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Pan-Seared Chicken Breast Strips with Taco Seasoning

You will notice in the recipe Ingredients section I have a couple of options for salsa and guacamole listed. I especially love the Pineapple Mango Salsa with fish, and the Fruity Guacamole is killer with pork. Go ahead and mix and max whichever way your heart desires.

Happy Taco Tuesday! Which flavor combo will you try?

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, gluten free, taco, seasoning, spices, mexican, vegan, vegetarian
Black beans, Guacamole, Fresh Tomato Salsa, Lettuce

INGREDIENTS
1 cup Masa Harina
3/4 cup Water, plus extra if needed
pinch of Salt
1 pound Chicken, Fish, Pork OR Extra-firm tofu, cut into thin strips
1.5 Tablespoons Taco Seasoning Mix
1 cup Fresh Tomato Salsa OR Pineapple Mango Salsa
1 cup Guacamole OR Fruity Guacamole
1 cup Lettuce, shredded
1 cup Black beans, cooked

PREPARATION
To a large plastic ziploc bag, add your cut protein of choice and taco seasoning. gently toss ingredients to coat protein. Seal bag and store in refrigerator until ready to cook.

To a medium mixing bowl, add the Mesa, water and a pinch of salt. Mix together by 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, gluten free, taco, seasoning, spices, mexican, vegan, vegetariansqueezing ingredients together with your hands until a dough forms. If too dry, add another teaspoon or two of water. Divide batter into 10 even pieces. Roll each piece into a small ball.

Heat a long skillet to medium and lightly spray with oil. Wrap a piece of plastic wrap around the top and bottom plates of a tortilla press. Place one of the balls in the center of the press bottom. Gently press the press cover onto the ball, so to flatten it out and form a tortilla. Slowly lift press cover.

Peel tortilla from plastic wrap and place on heated skillet. Cook 30 seconds and flip. Cook 30 seconds and flip again. Cook another 30 seconds then place cooked tortilla into a tortilla holder to keep warm. Repeat process with remaining dough. If skillet is big enough, cook more than one tortilla at a time.

Raise skillet temperature to medium-high. Remove protein from fridge. Cook on preheated skillet, turning occasionally, until protein of choice is fully cooked through. Add protein to serving bowl and allow to rest a few minutes before serving.

To assemble Taco: On to 1 tortilla spread 1.5 tablespoons guacamole. Then layer 1.5 tablespoons each lettuce and black beans. Add 1-2 strips of protein, then top with 1.5 tablespoons of salsa.

Serves 4.

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Taco Assembly Time

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Taco Seasoning Mix

Taco Seasoning Mixhealth, 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, gluten free, taco, seasoning, spices, mexican, vegan, vegetarian

Why buy overpriced taco seasoning packets that are loaded with ingredients which you can’t even pronounce, when you can easily mix up your own batch at home?! That’s right, now you can season chicken, fish, pork, tofu or tempeh perfectly for your tortilla wraps with your very own taco seasoning.

It’s so easy to use too: After liberally tossing your protein in this stuff, either grill, pan fry or broil. Then enjoy!!!

Try it once, and you will never buy the premixed taco seasoning from the store again.  Triple the recipe, jar it, tie on a ribbon and use it for your next housewarming gift. The recipients will surely love it too. Maybe they will even invite you back for 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, gluten free, vegan, vegetarian, dairy free, spices, seasoning, taco, mexican
Taco Seasoning Mix

INGREDIENTS
1 tablespoon Chili powder
½ tablespoon Cumin, ground
½ teaspoon Smoky paprika
½ teaspoon Sea salt
½ teaspoon Oregano, dried
¼ teaspoon Black pepper, fresh ground
¼ teaspoon Garlic powder
¼ teaspoon Onion powder
¼ teaspoon Hot pepper flakes, dried

 

PREPARATION
Mix all ingredients together. Store in a cool, dry place in an airtight container.

How to Cook Eggplant

How to Cook Eggplantnutrition, health, wellness, healthy kitchen, nutritionist, dietitian, recipe, eggplant, entree, vegan, vegetarian, chef, Portsmouth, New Hampshire
The Recipe Redux – September, 2016: First Cooking Recollections

Growing up I was lucky enough to have a dad that was a real wiz in the kitchen. He was Classical French trained, and he even cooked in a couple restaurants during college to help pay for his tuition.  I remember him being really good at creating tasty dishes made up from whatever he found on hand in the kitchen. And since my mom did most of the grocery shopping, for him it really was a surprise of what foods he would have to work with in the refrigerator.

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Roasted Eggplant tossed with Chicken Sausage, sauteed spinach and gluten-free Pasta. Topped with fresh grated Italian Parmesan.

One of my favorite foods dad prepared was eggplant. Whether grilled, roasted, baked or fried, his eggplant was always delicious. Sometimes he would restuff the eggplant shell with eggplant and other vegetables and roast – incredible!

Outside of the home, there have been many times where eggplant tasted on the bitter side. But never was one bite of my dad’s. He always managed to avoid that issue entirely.

How? His secret: before cooking, always make your eggplant “weep”.

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Weepy Eggplant makes the tastiest dishes!

Yes, weepy eggplant makes for happy diners! Simply salt and rest your eggplant slices, and soon the salt will draw out all the bitterness from your eggplant. It’s so easy.

I prefer to layer the eggplant slices in between sheets of paper towels or coffee filters to help absorb all the moisture that will be drawn out of the eggplant by the salt. If you prefer not to use either option, you could just salt the eggplant slices, wait 30 minutes, and then rinse eggplant.

Whether grilled or roasted, having cooked eggplant on hand is great. Toss it with pasta, layer it into sandwiches, or serve it up on its own as a delicious side dish.

Did you know that eggplant is technically a berry fruit and part of the nightshade family? Well, now you do!

INGREDIENTS

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Eggplant slices, “wept” and ready for cooking

2 medium Eggplants, stem removed, sliced
1/3 – 1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon Olive oil OR
2-3 cups Tomato sauce, low sodium

PREPARATION
On a large plate lay out a paper towel sheet or 2 coffee filters. On top of the towel/filters place slices of eggplant in a single layer. lightly salt the eggplant, then cover salted slices with another paper towel sheet or 2 more coffee filters. Add another eggplant layer on top of your first pile, salt, cover and repeat process until you have used all the eggplant slices.

Let eggplant slices sit for 20-30 minutes, so that the salt draws out some of their moisture into the paper towels or coffee filters.

Separate the eggplant slices from the towels/filters. Discard the used paper towels and coffee filters. Rinse the eggplant to remove any excess salt and towel dry.

To grill eggplant: Toss eggplant in olive oil. Grill eggplant over medium-high heat until cooked thoroughly.

To Roast Eggplant: preheat oven to 400 degrees. Add a small layer of tomato sauce to a large baking dish. Add a single layer of eggplant slices on top of the sauce. Add more sauce on top of the eggplant slices. Add another layer of eggplant in the dish. repeat the process until you have no more eggplant, making sure to have enough sauce to cover the top layer of eggplant.

Bake until eggplant is thoroughly cooked, about 45-55 minutes.

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Delicious Roasted Eggplant with Fresh Basil Tomato Sauce

What’s your favorite way to eat eggplant?

 

Buffalo Cauliflower

Buffalo Cauliflowerhealth, 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, buffalo, cauliflower, vegan, vegetarian, superbowl, party food

It’s amazing how some foods seem to pair so perfectly with certain events – like that box of popcorn in the movie theater, the candy apples on a stick at the carnival, or the big tower of cake at any wedding. For many sports fans no gathering is complete without a batch of Buffalo Wings within the food mix. But with all that saturated fat and salt, traditional Buffalo wing recipes can be far from heart-healthy.

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The star of the table at your next sporting get-together.

This Buffalo Cauliflower recipe gives you the best of both worlds – a spicy, flavorful treat that is also more heart-friendly. There’s much less saturated fat (especially if you leave out the butter entirely), it’s and lower in sodium than traditional Buffalo wings. It’s also nice to have a homemade buffalo sauce on hand of which all of it’s ingredients you can pronounce.

I like to serve this dish with typical Buffalo wing sides: raw carrot and celery sticks and a bit of crumbled blue cheese. But even all on its own, this Buffalo Cauliflower is quite tasty. The Chili peppers give it a really nice heat.

If you want, make the Buffalo sauce ahead of time. Store it in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 6 days. Also, for this recipe you will need to use only about 1/2 of the sauce. So, there will be plenty leftover to turn just about anything Buffalo throughout the week! Toss the extra Buffalo sauce with more roasted cauliflower, or with chicken breasts, shrimp or tofu, or use it as a dip with your favorite corn chips or toasted tortillas.

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A few veggies perfect for use in homemade Buffalo sauce

INGREDIENTS
5 medium Plum tomatoes
1 medium Red bell pepper
1 medium Onion, peeled, sliced in quarters
2 large Garlic cloves, peeled
6-8 Cayenne pepper pods, dried
2 teaspoons +2 tablespoons Olive oil, divided
1 tablespoon Water
1/4 teaspoon Salt
*3 tablespoons Butter, unsalted
*(or substitute another 3 tablespoons Olive oil for butter)
2 large Cauliflower heads, cut to small “wing”- sized pieces

PREPARATION
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Add tomatoes, red pepper, onion, garlic and cayenne pods to a medium roast pan and toss with 1 teaspoon of olive oil. Cook for 1 hour, or until red pepper is soft. Peel and seed red pepper, discarding its peel and seeds. Add roasted veggies, water and salt to blender and blend smooth. Slowly drizzle in 2 tablespoons of olive oil while continuing to blend. Blend in the butter (or slowly drizzle in additional 3 tablespoons olive oil).

Toss the cauliflower with 1 teaspoon olive oil in a large roast pan. Lightly season with salt. Cook in oven 20 minutes, or until cauliflower is slightly softened.

Toss the cauliflower with about 1/2 of the Buffalo sauce. Roast the Buffalo Cauliflower another 15-20 minutes, or until cauliflower is al dente.

Serve alongside sliced, raw carrots and celery, plus blue cheese and/or blue cheese dressing.

Serves 8-12 people.

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Buffalo Cauliflower with Carrot & Celery Sticks, Blue Cheese and Blue Cheese Dressing

Quinoa Black Bean Salad

Quinoa Black Bean Saladhealth, 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, gluten free, quinoa, veggies, multiveggie, dairy free, gluten, salad, whole grains

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.

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, quinoa, black bean salad, veggies, multiveggie, whole grain, fiber
Deliciousness in every bite

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.

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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.

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Serve alongside a leafy greens salad for your next meatless Monday dinner

Stuffed Baby Bella Bites

Stuffed Baby Bella Bitesmushroom, artichoke, spinach, multiveggie, appetizer, 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, dairy free
The Recipe Redux – May, 2016: Small Bites

For gatherings big or small, often the perfect party dishes come in little packages. Small bites are done right when packed with big flavor. It’s much so easier for your guests to mingle around with a little plate of goodies versus a big dinner dish.

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Stuffed Baby Bella Bites ready to party

Stuffed mushrooms are a definite party favorite, but their fillings are often not very heart-friendly. Fortunately, there are ways to make delicious mushroom appetizers without all the added saturated fat. Here we chose to stuff the savory mushrooms with flavorful, heart-healthy veggies. The red pepper flakes add a little nice heat to each bite as well.

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Ingredients jam-packed with flavor and goodness

When prepping the mushrooms, do make sure to save the stems so you can later add them into your next vegetable stock.

Portobellas, mushroom, spinach, artichoke, vegan, vegetarian, dairy free, 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, appetizer
Portobellas stuffed and ready for the oven

Planning on using plain, and not marinated, artichokes for this recipe? Then I recommend you add a 1/2 tablespoon vinegar to your saute pan while as you are cooking the shallots and spices. But the marinated artichokes will give you the most flavor, so do try your best to use those instead.

Have a big crowd coming over? This recipe can easily be multiplied.
Bonus: There’s no such thing as eating too many of them!

portobella, mushroom, baby bella, spinach, artichoke, vegetable, multiveggie, 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, appetizer
Stuffed Baby Bella Bites

INGREDIENTS
1 pound Baby portobella mushrooms
2 teaspoons Olive oil, divided
1/8 teaspoon Red pepper flakes
1/8 teaspoon Smoked paprika
1/8 teaspoon Dried mustard
1 large Shallot, minced (about 1/4 cup)
5 cups Baby spinach
3/4 cup Artichokes, marinated, minced
salt and pepper

PREPARATION
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Carefully remove the stems from the baby portobella mushrooms. With a small spoon, gently scrape gills out from the underneath of the mushrooms. lightly baste outside of mushrooms with 1 teaspoon of the olive oil. Set aside.

Add the second teaspoon of olive oil into a heated saute pan over medium high heat. Add the red pepper flakes, smoked paprika, dried mustard and shallots and saute until shallots are softened, about 2 minutes. Add baby spinach and saute until the spinach is softened, about another 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the minced artichoke. Lightly season with salt and pepper.

Stuff mushrooms with the artichoke/spinach mixture, making sure to pile the filling high for each bite. Bake mushrooms until mushrooms are fully cooked, about 15-18 minutes.

Plate the stuffed mushrooms, making sure to drizzle some of the liquid on the bottom of the baking pan onto each bite.

Serve warm.

Makes about a dozen servings
Serving size: 2 Baby Bella Stuffed Bites

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Stuffed Baby Bella Bites