Category Archives: Vegetarian (lacto-ovo)

Go Med 7-Layer Party Dip

May 14, 2017Appetizer, Gluten-Free/Wheat-Free, Multi-Veggie, The Recipe Redux, Vegetarian (lacto-ovo)chefmichelle

Go Med 7- Layer Party Dip

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

May 13th was National Hummus Day. Forgot to celebrate? That’s OK, since hummus can make for a delicious plant based protein source, it’s a great food option on just about any day of the year. With so many different flavor varieties available, it’s hard to get bored with it too. No surprise it’s often a favorite at parties and social gatherings.

health, wellness, diet, dietitian, nutrition, nutritionist, michelle moreau, chef, healthy kitchen, healthcare, medical insurance, Portsmouth, NH, seacoast, celiac, cardiac, diabetes, diet, weight loss, recipe, counseling, healthcare, gluten free — Go Med 7-Layer dip

Layered dips are always a party favorite. Most are made with Mexican-influenced ingredients. This recipe takes a fun Mediterranean spin on the classic. Gluten-free and vegetarian, it will satisfy a greater number of your party-goer’s dietary needs than most other dishes. It’s fast and easy to make, too.

For this recipe I used Skyr yogurt to save a step. Skyr contains much less water than Greek yogurt. If you substitute with Greek, you will want to strain the yogurt a few hours with cheese cloth and a strainer before adding it to the dip, otherwise your dish will become watery.

INGREDIENTS
1 – 15oz can Chick peas, rinsed, dried
2 containers Sabra Roasted Pine Nut Hummus
1.5 cups Romaine lettuce, cut into thin strips
1.5 cups Yogurt, Skyr, plain (about 3 serving containers)
1 large Lemon, zested and juiced
1.5 cups Cucumber, English, diced
1.25 cups Tomatoes, grape, quartered
1 medium Scallion, sliced into rings
.25 cup Feta cheese, crumbled
.25 cup Black olives, sliced

PREPARATION
Add chick peas to small mixing bowl. Carefully scrape out pine nut topping from the center of the Sabra Roasted Pine Nut Hummus and add to the chick peas. Slowly pour the flavor oil from the Sabra Hummus container onto the chickpeas as well. Toss chick peas in the pine nuts and oil to coat. Set aside.

To an 8×8 glass container add the remaining Sabra Roasted Pine Nut hummus. With a spatula, spread the hummus so that it evenly covers the bottom of your container. This is your dip’s bottom layer.

Add the chopped Romaine lettuce, spreading evenly over the top of the hummus layer.

Zest and juice the lemon. To a medium mixing bowl, add the yogurt with all the lemon zest and stir to combine. Evenly spread the yogurt mixture layer over the lettuce layer.

Add a layer of the chopped cucumber on top of the yogurt. Take 2 teaspoons of the lemon juice and drizzle it over the cucumbers. Reserve the remaining lemon juice for another use.

On top of the cucumber add the seasoned chick peas, making sure to spread layer evenly.

Top the chick peas with a layer of chopped tomato.

Top the tomato layer with the sliced scallions, olives and feta cheese.

Refrigerate dip for a couple of hours before serving so flavors can meld.

Serve chilled with your favorite chips.
Makes a boat-load of servings (20)!

What are some of your favorite party dishes?

Roasted Veggies with Carrot-Top Pesto

April 22, 2017Appetizer, Dressing/Rub/Sauce, Gluten-Free/Wheat-Free, Multi-Veggie, Soup, The Recipe Redux, Vegetarian (lacto-ovo)chefmichelle

Roasted Veggies with Carrot-Top Pesto
Recipe Redux – April, 2017: Easy Ways to Reduce Food Waste

Did you know that the most nutritious part of a beet is the is the greens at the top of the plant and not the ruby red root below?!

That’s right, it is.

The same holds true for other root vegetables, including carrots. The leafy green tops on a carrot are incredibly nutrient dense. Sadly, most people throw these incredibly valuable parts away.

Don’t follow the crowd and toss these nutritious greens out with the trash. Instead, toss them into your recipes in the kitchen!!!

But how exactly do you prepare those carrot top greens?

One way to use them is in your vegetable stock. That’s an really good use for the bottom part of the greens, especially when they are on the tough side.

But an even tastier idea for the softer stems and the leafy green parts: throw those carrot greens into a tasty garlic pesto. You won’t believe how delicious the pesto will be using carrot greens in place of basil. And imagine the money you can save using something you normally throw away in place of expensive bunches of basil! The recipe uses both the lemon juice and zest, so nothing is wasted from your citrus either.

This carrot top pesto tastes great tossed with roasted veggies; it really gives them an extra big punch of flavor. This recipe also yields way more pesto than your veggies will need. Use the extra pesto as a sandwich spread, or as your sauce with regular or zucchini pasta.

A little bonus: I managed to find these beautiful white onions with their tops also attached at the grocery. I took some of its whiter greens, sliced them and added them to the roasted veggies as well. the remaining greens I will throw in a stir fry later this week. Waste not, want not!

INGREDIENTS
2 bunches Carrots, with green tops
2 small Onions, white, peeled, sliced into eighths
1/4 cup Olive oil, divided
1 bunch Parsley, fresh, rinsed
2-3 large Garlic cloves, peeled
1/2 cup Walnuts
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1 small Lemon, juiced and zested

PREPARATION
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Cut the green tops off of the carrots and rinse the greens and carrots well. Set aside the carrot greens.

In a medium roast pan toss carrots and cut onion in 1 teaspoon of the olive oil. Roast the veggies for 30-40 minutes, or until al dente.

Separate the softer greens from the hard part of the carrot greens. Save the hard green stem parts for stock making at a future time by placing in a sealed ziplock bag in the fridge or freezer.

To a food processor add the softer carrot green tops, plus the parsley, walnuts, Parmesan cheese, lemon juice and zest and process to combine ingredients. Slowly drizzle in the remaining olive oil while processing. Use a rubber spatula to remove pesto from processor container.

Toss all the roasted vegetables in 1/4 cup of the carrot pesto. Serve warm.

Refrigerate the remaining pesto for future use. The pesto can keep 5 days in the refrigerator.

Makes 4 servings roasted vegetables and about 2 cups pesto.

Homemade Tacos

February 22, 2017Appetizer, Dairy-Free, Entree, Gluten-Free/Wheat-Free, The Recipe Redux, Vegan, Vegetarian (lacto-ovo)chefmichelle

Homemade Tacos
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!

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!

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.

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?

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, vegetarian squeezing 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.

Taco Seasoning Mix

February 22, 2017Dairy-Free, Dressing/Rub/Sauce, Gluten-Free/Wheat-Free, Vegan, Vegetarian (lacto-ovo)chefmichelle

Taco Seasoning Mix

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!

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.

Holiday Pumpkin Pie

November 21, 2016Dairy-Free, Dessert, Gluten-Free/Wheat-Free, The Recipe Redux, Vegetarian (lacto-ovo)chefmichelle

Holiday Pumpkin Pie
the Recipe Redux – November, 2016: Trimming the Table

Nothing says holidays more than a pumpkin pie on the dessert table. While it’s a tasty end to a meal, most recipes call for it to be loaded with sugar.

Here we sweetened things up with dates and orange juice instead of brown sugar and sweetened condensed milk. You will love the flavor of the dates with the pumpkin, so you and your holiday guests won’t miss all the missing sugar one bit!

nutrition, dietitian, nutritionist, healthy kitchen, pumpkin pie, dairy free, gluten free, holiday baking — Pumpkin Pie – a sweet little slice of heaven

We also took out the dairy and replaced it with coconut milk. If you use a gluten-free crust, then this recipe is free of 7 of the 8 major allergens (hard to omit egg in a custard). This may prove helpful when feeding guests with allergies at your holiday dinner.

Use water to soak the dates for a more traditional pumpkin pie. Use orange juice to add a little extra burst of flavor. Either way is delish!

INGREDIENTS
1 cup Dates, pitted
1/4 cup Orange juice or Water
1/2 cup Coconut milk, lite
1 can Pumpkin, 15 ounces
2 large Eggs, beaten
2 tablespoons Molasses
1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
1 1/4 teaspoons Cinnamon, ground
3/4 teaspoon Ginger spice, ground
1/4 teaspoon Nutmeg, ground
1/4 teaspoon Allspice, ground
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1 pie crust, gluten-free, par-baked

PREPARATION
To a medium bowl add the dates and orange juice (or water). Let dates soak 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Add dates, soaking liquid and coconut milk to a blender and blend on high until date mixture is smooth, about 30 seconds.

To a large bowl add the blended dates with the pumpkin, eggs, molasses, vanilla, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice and salt. Stir until fully combined.

Pour pumpkin batter into pie shell. Bake until pie is set and bounces back to touch, about 45-55 minutes. Remove from oven.

Serve warm or allow to completely cool before serving.

Serves 8-10.
Serving size 1 slice

nutrition, dietitian, healthy kitchen, wellness, health, pumpkin pie, nutritionist, Portsmouth, New Hampshire — Your family will never know all the sugar is missing from this pumpkin pie (well, unless you tell them!)

nutrition, wellness, dietitian, Portsmouth, new Hampshire, gluten free, dairy free, pie, pumpkin — This is the gluten-free pie crust I used. I par-baked it for 7 minutes before filling it with the pumpkin mix.

How to Cook Eggplant

September 21, 2016Appetizer, Dairy-Free, Entree, Gluten-Free/Wheat-Free, The Recipe Redux, Vegan, Vegetarian (lacto-ovo)chefmichelle

How to Cook Eggplant
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.

Health, wellness, eggplant, nutrition, nutritionist, dietitian, recipe, dinner, entree, vegetable, Portsmouth New Hampshire, chef — 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”.

Health, wellness, nutrition, dietitian, nutritionist, Portsmouth new Hampshire, Healthy kitchen, chef — 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

eggplant, nutrition, nutritionist, dietitian, recipe, cooking, vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, Portsmouth New Hampshire, healthy kitchen, chef — 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.

health, nutrition, dietitian, nutritionist, wellness, recipe, eggplant, roasted, Portsmouth New hampshire, chef, gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian — Delicious Roasted Eggplant with Fresh Basil Tomato Sauce

What’s your favorite way to eat eggplant?

Healthy in the Kitchen

Every Meal is Opportunity to Nourish your Body