Cauliflower “Rice” Veggie Rolls with Asparagus, Roasted Red Pepper & Thai Basil
Both the grilled peppers and cauliflower rice can be made ahead; just make sure to refrigerate until ready to use. Plan to not cook the asparagus ahead of time- that way you won’t lose its vibrant green color.
INGREDIENTS:
2 Bell Peppers, red, washed
24 Asparagus stalks, thin, washed & trimmed
1/3 Cauliflower head, washed, trimmed + chopped into medium pieces
1 tsp Mirin
1 tsp Simple syrup
1 tsp Vinegar, rice
1/2 tsp Sesame seeds, white
4 Nori sheets
26-36 Thai basil leaves (substitute regular basil leaves if unavailable)
PREPARATION:
Grill red peppers, turning occasionally, until all sides are black. Place peppers in a bowl; cover bowl in saran wrap and let peppers rest for 20-30 minutes. Unwrap bowl; remove and discard pepper skins, stems & seeds. Cut roasted pepper into long strips.
Steam asparagus until al dente, about a minute. Throw asparagus into ice bath to stop cooking; remove from water.
Place cauliflower, mirin, simple syrup and rice vinegar into food processor. Chop until cauliflower pieces are about the size of rice grains. Stir in sesame seeds.
To assemble: Place 1 nori sheet on sushi mat. Thinly spread cauliflower mixture over nori sheet, leaving a 1/2 inch “lip” of one side bare. Place a row of basil leaves in middle of cauliflower (running parallel to bare lip.) Lay some pepper strips on top of basil leaves. Lay 3 steamed asparagus stalks over pepper, allowing the asparagus heads to extend beyond the end of the roll. Take three more asparagus stalks and trim to fit the space left at the end of the first three stalks, again allowing for some length so that the asparagus tips will stick out of veggie roll end. Roll mat slowly toward “lip”; wet bare Nori lip with water and rub onto roll to seal.
Dampen a chef’s knife with a moist cloth. Carefully slice roll into 6-8 pieces. For easier cutting, make sure to clean and re-moisten blade with damp cloth in between each slice.
Red beets really give this dish a great look since, as the dish roasts, the red color transfers onto the edges of the other vegetables. If you don’t like beets, you can omit them (of course, then the dish will not live up to its “Roasted Red” name.) I do suggest cutting the sweet potato into larger sized pieces than the other vegetables since its cooking time is less. I also suggest wearing gloves when handling the beets so your fingers are not red during dinner.
INGREDIENTS:
2 medium Beets, red, peeled, diced medium
2 medium Carrots, peeled, diced medium
2 medium Parsnips, peeled, diced medium
2 medium Sweet potatoes, peeled, diced medium-large
4 small Red Potatoes, diced medium (skins on)
1 medium Onion, peeled, sliced into 12 wedges
12 cloves, large Garlic, peeled
1/3 cup Olive oil
1/3 cup + as needed Vegetable Stock
1 tb Herbs de Provence
1/8 tsp White pepper
1/2 tsp Sea salt, smoked
PREPARATION:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Place diced beets in large mixing bowl along with the carrot, parsnip, sweet potato, onion, garlic cloves, olive oil, Herbs de Provence, pepper and salt. Toss everything together to mix.
Place vegetable mix in a roast pan along with the 1/3 cup of stock. Roast vegetables until tender (but not mushy), about an hour, making sure to toss vegetables occasionally during cooking and add more stock, 1/4 cup at a time, as needed.
Onion DipBaked Taro Chips with Onion Dip on Radicchio
Very quick to assemble, and tastes much better than any processed, store-bought version.
Serve with chopped veggies or baked chips.
INGREDIENTS
1 cup Cottage cheese, nonfat
¼ cup Milk, nonfat
2 oz Cream cheese, nonfat
¼ cup Onion, white, chopped
½ tsp Garlic cloves, minced
1/8 tsp Onion powder
½ tb Vinegar, rice
1/12 tsp Pepper, white
¼ tsp + to taste Salt
to taste Black Pepper
1/8 tsp Paprika
as needed Olive oil
1 tb Chives, minced (optional)
PREPARATION:
In a food processor, combine cottage cheese milk, cream cheese, onion, garlic, powdered onion, rice vinegar, salt and pepper until smooth and creamy. Garnish with chives (optional). Keep refrigerated until ready to use.
YIELD: 8 servings
SERVING SIZE: 1/4 cup
CALORIES: 40
FAT: 0
Hawaiian Patter with Veggie Rolls, Baked Taro Chips with Onion Dip, Sweet Potato Curry Yogurt Salad
Rub the entire inside of a medium wooden bowl with the cut side of a garlic clove half. Mince the garlic and add to bowl along with the avocado. Mash the avocado with a fork until creamy. Add the lime juice, cilantro, salsa, jalapeno, cumin, salt and pepper to bowl and stir everything into the avocado. Serve immediately.
To store leftovers, flatten the top with a spoon, squeeze some lime juice over the top, then cover with plastic wrap, making sure no air gets trapped between the guacamole and the plastic.
This dish is great for any brunch or lunch; serve it alongside a small salad of mixed greens. For a variation, substitute whatever veggies you enjoy in place of any or all of the ones suggested. It’s a great way to utilize any leftovers at the end of a week.
INGREDIENTS:
1/4 cup Sun-dried tomatoes
1/3 cup Water, warm
2 tsp Olive oil
1/2 medium Onion, peeled and chopped
1 clove Garlic, peeled and chopped
1 cup Asparagus, trimmed and chopped
1 cup Mushrooms, stems removed and sliced
1/2 cup Red Bell Pepper, seeded and minced
3/4 cup Artichoke hearts, sliced in eighths
1/8 cup Parsley, fresh, chopped
1 tb Basil, fresh, chopped
1/4 tsp Nutmeg, fresh grated
1/4 tsp Sea salt
1/8 tsp White pepper
1/8 tsp Chili flakes
2 medium Potatoes, red, washed and sliced very thin
1/3 cup Emmental Cheese, fresh grated
3 each Eggs, whole, large
5 each Eggs, large, whites only
1/2 cup Sour Cream, low-fat, organic
1 large Tomato, seeded and sliced thin
2 tb Asiago cheese, fresh grated
non-stick spray
PREPARATION:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Pour water over the sun-dried tomatoes until fully covered, and allow to soak for about 30 minutes, or until they become soft and plump. Strain liquid off , reserving a 1/4 cup of the liquid and discard the rest. Coarsely chop the tomato.
Heat olive oil in a large saute pan. Add onions and garlic and saute on medium heat until onions are soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add asparagus, mushrooms, red pepper, artichoke hearts, parsley, basil, nutmeg, salt, chili flakes and white pepper and cook for another 3 minutes. Remove from heat.
Spray a 9-inch pie pan lightly with non-stick spray. Lay the potato slices on the bottom and sides of the pan, making sure to overlap them slightly and cover pan completely.
In a large bowl whisk together the whole eggs, egg whites and water to combine. Add the sun-dried tomatoes, Emmental cheese, sour cream, and whisk another 30 seconds. Add the sauteed vegetables and mix until everything is fully coated with the liquid egg mixture; pour into pie pan on top of arranged potato slices. Top quiche with the tomato slices; sprinkle tomato slices with the asiago cheese.
Bake quiche for one hour, or until very firm. Cover the top with aluminum foil after about 45 minutes, or once the top is browned. Rest quiche 10 minutes before slicing and serving.
