Mofo 2013 - Day 12 - K is for Kick-Booty Kale Wraps with Kalamata Olives

K is for Kale. Some dub kale the new red meat, which might be a slight exaggeration. But kale is seriously good for you and packs a lot of nutrition in those beautiful emerald leaves. 1 cup of chopped kale contains a whopping 133% of the RDA of Vitamin A and 134% of Vitamin C. Amazingly it also contains 2.9 grams of protein. You get all of this for only 33 calories!!! OK maybe it isn't an exaggeration. This stuff rocks. I love to eat it raw in massaged kale salads. It's awesome to throw in soups. Oh and if you saute it with a little sesame oil, garlic, ginger and tamari, sprinkle with a little bit of raw sesame seeds you have an easy crazy healthy side dish.

Below are two varieties. The bunch on the left is regular green kale (red kale looks about the same with red ends). To the right is Dinosaur or Lacinto kale. I think this kale is the best for "beginners" to try as it has a more pleasing texture raw.

For K day, I decided to make something raw and gluten-free for those of you who are looking for more fun ways to eat that way. These pretty little rolls have lots of omega 3's thanks to the walnuts and lots of fiber and vitamins thanks to all of the fresh, fabulous veggies. Enjoy on their own or with some raw flax crackers.

Kick-Booty Kale Rolls with Kalamata Olive Flecked Walnut Meat

Makes 4 Rolls

1 cup raw walnuts, soaked overnight
8 fresh basil leaves, about 1/4 cup lightly packed
1 tablespoon chopped sun-dried tomato (oil packed)
1 clove fresh garlic, minced
1 teaspoon shoyu (if you want all raw) or tamari
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons extra virgin cold pressed olive oil
6 kalamata olives
1 large carrot, grated
1/2 large red bell pepper, julienned
1 medium sized tomato, sliced thinly
1 handful of your favorite sprouts (I prefer pea or broccoli myself)

4 large kale (I use dinosaur or Lacinto), collard or chard leaves, taking care to remove woody part of stems but leaving large part of leaf intact.

Place walnuts, basil, sun-dried tomato, garlic, shoyu, balsamic vinegar, and lemon juice in bowl of food processor. Pulse together until mixture resembles a corse meal, scraping down the sides as needed. Turn processor to on and drizzle in olive oil, scraping sides between additions as needed. Once mixture is combined, add olives and pulse until olives are chopped coarsely.

If using kale leaves, spray lightly with lemon juice and lightly massage to make leaves more pliable. Place 1/4 cup walnut mixture on large end of leaf about 1 inch from the end. Top with carrots, a few slices of bell pepper, 2 slices tomato and sprouts. Roll fold in sides if leaves are large enough and roll up from large end to small end. Secure with toothpick. Serve immediately or refrigerate and serve the next day.

Mofo 2013 - Day 3 - B is for Basil, Beans and Bruschetta

About a year and a half ago, we planted some basil in a half of an old wine barrel. I'm not sure if it was the variety of basil or the container, but it was never very happy. It grew strongly flavored tiny leaves that were just no fun to chiffonade. We did not have a loving relationship. This year, we planted Genovese basil in the garden. As you can see below, this plant is happy and is producing beautiful, fragrant, delicious leaves. Basil loves the sun, so AZ is a perfect place to grow it as long as you give it lots to drink.

Pesto is a no-brainer for using the bounty of basil coming off of this plant. It's super easy to make, freezes great and makes dishes pop.

Basil-Spinach Pesto

Makes about 1 1/4 cup

3 cups lightly packed basil leaves, stems removed

3 cups lightly packed spinach leaves, large stems removed

1/4 cup nutritional yeast

5 cloves garlic, crushed

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1/4 cup pine nuts

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup olive oil

Add basil and spinach to food processor with a large bowl. Pulse a few times to make more room in the bowl. Add remaining ingredients, except for olive oil. Pulse a few more times to roughly blend ingredients. Scrape down the sides of processor bowl. Turn processor to the on position. Slowly drizzle olive oil down the tube until mixture is well blended an emulsified. Pesto can be served immediately, stored in the fridge for up to a week or frozen in smaller batches for easy use later on. GF

Lets go for some more B action. True story. My step-daughter (I hate that term because it seems kind of impersonal and she is amazing) offered to cater her cousin's wedding last year. In turn, I volunteered to help. We made and ate so many bruschetta that weekend, we both swore we would probably not eat it for years to come. Well like childbirth and other painful experiences, the memory fades with time. I'm back to my bruschetta making and eating ways. This version featured another of my favorite "B" foods; beans. Cannelini Beans are perfect for a mediterranean appetizer. The salty and piquant capers and kalamatas compliment the mild creamy beans. Get some really crusty Italian baguette to make an impressive small plate for your friends.

Bruschetta with Mediterranean White Beans and Pesto

1 - 15 oz. can Cannelini beans, rinsed and drained
3 tablespoons chopped sun-dried tomatoes in oil, measure after chopping small
1 tablespoons capers
12 kalamata olives, quartered
2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil from sun-dried tomatoes
salt and pepper to taste
1/3 cup Basil-Spinach Pesto (or your favorite pesto)
8 slices of toasted baguette
8 small basil leaves for garnish (optional)

In a medium size non-reactive bowl, combine beans, sun-dried tomatoes, capers, olives, vinegar, and olive oil. Taste and add salt and pepper to taste. The bean mixture can be used immediately, but I highly recommend giving it at least and hour to let the flavors meld and really get amazing. You can make this the day before as well.

Spread about 2-3 teaspoons basil on each slice of baguette. Top with about 2 tablespoons of bean mixture. Add a small dollop of pesto and a basil leaf on top for garnish.

Serve immediately.

Mofo 2013 - Day 2 - A is for Artichoke Arancini with Arugula Salad and San Marzano Tomato Sauce

The beginning of the alphabet is a joyous beginning to this year's MoFo. While there were several very worthy foods starting with A (asparagus, avocado, apples, apricots, almonds, etc.), I decided to utilize the noble artichoke and nutty arugula.

The artichoke is believed to be a native Mediterranean plant from the thistle family. There are over 140 varieties of artichoke. If you have been a follower of the blog for a while, you may remember our epic artichoke plant that yielded more than 50 of these beautiful globes. For this recipe, I used canned artichoke hearts. you could easily sub fresh or frozen. Oh man, now I want fresh artichoke hearts!

Arugula lends a nutty backdrop for the rich Arancini. Arancini is a pretty name for friend rice balls. These Sicilian balls of glory are crispy and a touch sinful. The San Marzano Tomato Sauce is the perfect sauce to dip your balls in! Enjoy!

Artichoke Arancini with San Marzano Tomato Sauce

Makes 16 balls

1 recipe Artichoke Risotto
1/2 package Daiya Havarti Wedge Cheese, cut into small cubes (a little smaller than 1/2 inch), keep very cold until ready to use
1/2 cup plain breadcrumbs
1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs

1 recipe San Marzano Tomato Sauce (recipe below)

10 large basil leaves, chiffonade for garnish

Oil for frying ( I prefer to use grapeseed oil)

Artichoke Risotto

1/4 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons minced yellow onion
1/3 cup canned artichoke hearts, drained, chopped small (measured after chopping)
1 cup arborio rice
1/2 cup white wine, chilled
1 3/4 cups cold vegetable stock
1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley or 1 teaspoon dried

In medium sauce pan heat olive oil over medium heat. Add minced onion and saute for about 3 minutes until slightly softened. Add artichoke and saute for another minute. Add rice and saute, stirring to coat, about 2-3 minutes. Turn heat to low and add wine. Simmer, stirring constantly until wine is absorbed. Repeat with cold vegetable stock (1/2 cup at a time). Risotto should be cooked through, but not mushy. If all liquid has been added and risotto is still not done, add 1/4 cup cold vegetable stock at a time until proper doneness is attained. Remove from heat and stir in nutritional yeast and parsley. This risotto is wonderful as a side dish on its own. If you want to have it that way, stop here and serve immediately. For the balls, cool completely in refrigerator. This step is very important. If risotto is not completely cooled it will be sticky and difficult to work with. Can be made a day ahead of time.

While risotto is cooling, start preparing tomato sauce (see recipe below).

Using a xx oz. scoop, scoop out approximately 1 1/2 tablespoons risotto. with index finger, make indentation large enough to insert cube of cheese. Insert cheese and cover up hole completely. Set ball on plate. Repeat for next 15 balls. Set aside.

Add oil to 10 inch iron skillet until about 1 inch deep. Heat oil to 350 degrees.

In bowl combine bread crumbs. Roll each ball in breadcrumbs to coat and place back on plate. Cooking in batches of 4, carefully slide arancini into oil. The balls can be delicate, so use caution when putting them in the oil. Fry for about 2-3 minutes or until golden brown. Carefully turn to other side. I find using two forks to gently turn them works really well. Fry for another 2-3 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oil and place on paper towel lined plate. Repeat for remaining balls.

Serve immediately drizzled with warm San Marzano Tomato Sauce. Garnish with fresh basil chiffonade. Serve with Arugula Salad on the side.

San Marzano Tomato Sauce

This is a very simple sauce. The San Marzano tomatoes are key to making the flavor, oh so special. Sauce can be used on pasta as well.

Makes about 3 cups

1/3 cup minced sweet onion
2 large cloves garlic, minced
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dried oregano or 1 tablespoon fresh oregano, minted
1/4 teaspoon dried red pepper
28 oz can pealed whole San Marzano Tomatoes with juice

Heat olive oil in medium saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and saute until translucent, about 3-5 minutes, stirring occassionally. Add garlic and saute until just fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add salt, pepper oregano and crushed red pepper. Saute until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add tomatoes. Turn heat to low. Break apart tomatoes with wooden spoon. Let simmer for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. I let it keep cooking until risotto is cold, which is sometimes longer. Can be made ahead and refrigerated for several days.

Arugula Salad

6 cups baby arugula
1/3 cup dried cranberries
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons raspberry balsamic or 2 tablespoons balsamic with 1 teaspoon agave nectar

Place arugula and cranberries in large bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and vinegar. Toss. Salt and pepper to taste.

Lavosh Pizza

Last week I was shopping at Trader Joe's and came across some whole wheat lavosh. My original plan for the lavosh was to make a wrap with some type of white bean dip and lots of fresh veggies. I'm not sure why that hasn't happened yet. Maybe later this week for lunches. What did happen was lavosh pizza! The lavosh was a great crust. It was very thin and light. The edges got super crispy with the center being more tender.

Probably the biggest reason I went with pizza is that I had small amounts of a few ingredients left over from other recipes. Pizza is such a great way to use up small amounts of goodies that might otherwise get left behind. I had opened a jar of roasted red peppers for some soup I made this weekend. I had just a small amount of kalamata olives left over. Then I found a partial onion hanging out. Then there was some basic about to brown on me. I had a few creminis hiding out, but sadly my fridge did a Mr. Freeze on them. This recipe is very flexible, you can use your favorite toppings. Make sure not to over crowd the pizza so the crust can get nice and crispy.

If you haven't made it yet, Isa Chandra Moskowitz's Tofu Ricotta recipe is a fantastic substitute for the dairy version. This is often my go-to recipe for first time vegan diners. I served stuffed shells to my very meat eating extended family. They had no clue it was vegan. It's just incredible. As an added bonus, it is super easy to make. You can make the ricotta and the sauce ahead of time to make this a quick week night dinner. I always have a hard time finding a pizza sauce that I really like, but I think I may have created a winner tonight. I'll let you be the judge. It's very easy to make and has lots of yummy herby flavor. If you do try it, I'd love to hear what you think...leave me a comment.

Lavosh Pizza

Makes two pizzas

2 Lavosh

1 recipe pizza sauce (recpe below)

1/2 recipe Tofu Ricotta

1/4 red onion, very thinly sliced

1/2 cup sliced kalamata olives

2 roasted red peppers, sliced into thin strips

12 slow roasted halved cherry tomatoes

15-20 medium sized fresh basil leaves

Preheat oven to 425.

Place each lavosh on a cookie sheet (no need to oil). Spread with a thin layer of pizza sauce over the lavosh, leaving about 1 inch of the edge naked. Drop ricotta by the generous tablespoon about 1-2 inches apart. Using the back of the spoon, flatten ricotta. This will help it cook more evenly. Spread toppings evenly over the top. Bake for 10 minutes until lavosh is crisp on the edges and ricotta is hot. 

Slice and serve immediately. Serve with extra sauce on the side. 

Pizza Sauce

Makes approx 1 1/2 cups

2 teaspoons olive oil

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 teaspoons fresh oregano, chopped

1 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped

pinch fresh rosemary

1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds, crushed

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

15 oz can organic tomato sauce

White Bean and Orzo Soup with Fresh Italian Herbs

This past year, two of my very close girlfriends have been undergoing breast cancer treatment. As a survivor myself, I know how hard it is to ask for help. It is also difficult to keep up with all of the doctors' appointments, keep your energy up and take care of everyday life. It's hard to know what to do to help. One thing I know I can always do is make some healthy eats for them.

My friend who was just diagnosed has always been crazy about my soups, so much so, that she suggested I start my own line of healing soups. I thought that was pretty darn cute of her. But she is one to always find new business propositions. The challenge I have when creating recipes for her is that she is allergic to garlic. I adore garlic and rarely make anything savory without it. It is such a great flavoring agent and nothing is quite the same.

To offset the lack of garlic, I decided to ramp up the flavor with robust fresh herbs. This soup is loaded with nutrient dense vegetables. Great white Northern beans provide protein and additional fiber. The fresh tomatoes and roasted red peppers boost the vitamin content and add lovely color and flavor to the soup. Caramelized onions lend a hint of sweetness. This is a meal in a bowl. Serve with a nice crusty Italian bread and a simple green salad if you are very hungry.

Today at the farmers' market had some absolutely beautiful tomatoes (I love this time of year in AZ).

We have some wonderful red Russian kale coming out of the garden, so that became part of the mix.

I also grabbed some fresh thyme and oregano from our herb garden. I bought some fresh basil for another recipes that didn't happen this week, so I really had some great stuff to start with!

White Bean and Orzo Soup with Fresh Italian Herbs

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 large onion, halved and thinly sliced, approx. 3 cups

1 tablespoon brown sugar

3/4 teaspoon salt, divided

2 large tomatoes, 1/2 inch dice

3 roasted red peppers (I used jarred this time), 1/2 inch dice

1/3 cup tightly packed fresh Italian parsley, chopped fine

1/4 cup tightly packed fresh oregano leaves, chopped fine

1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves

1/2 fresh cracked pepper

6 cups vegetable stock

1 - 14.5 oz can Great Northern beans, liquid included

1/2 cup dry orzo

1 bunch kale chopped into small pieces

2 oz fresh basil leaves, chiffonade

In a 6 quart heavy bottomed saucepan or stockpot over medium low heat, add olive oil, onions, brown sugar and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Saute onions until they are just turning golden and slightly caramelized, stirring occasionally. This may take a little bit of time, but it is worth the wait to coax out the sweetness of the onions. This will give you time to chop your fresh herbs. 

Add diced tomatoes, roasted red peppers, oregano, thyme, black pepper and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Raise heat to medium. Simmer until tomatoes just soften and liquid is almost gone, about 5-7 minutes.

Add vegetable stock and let simmer for 15 minutes. Add white beans, orzo and kale. Simmer for 15 more minutes until orzo and kale are both tender. Remove from heat and add basil. Let sit for 10 minutes. This will allow the basil to release it's flavor. Garnish with fresh basil leaves if desired.

Stuffed Wild Mushroom Manicotti

This weekend we headed up to the Grand Canyon. If you have never been there, it truly is a wonder of the world. However, the food service outlets are average at best. For the second time at the North Rim, the restaurant greatly disappointed our group. Last year the service was deplorable and the food cold. This year we thought we'd give them another try. We had a 645pm reservation. At 645pm we were told that two tour busses had come in and we wouldn't be seated for at least an hour. Are you kidding me? You have to make reservations far in advance for the dining room. Our group was getting up at 3am to hike. This was completely unacceptable and we will not spend our hard earned money there again.

We opted for the deli which had very few vegan options...not really any on the menu itself, but you could work it out. I ended up eating a lot of fried vegetables and chips. Yuck!! I did finally find a nice salad and a baked potato to hold me over. So you can imagine when I got home I was ready for some real, tasty, vegan fare. I was planning on doing something quick as I was pretty sleep deprived. Then I got this bug to get a bit more creative. I've been wanting to develop my own version of tofu-cashew ricotta for an upcoming Valley Dish appearance...and so I did. I decided to take it for a spin in these delicious stuffed manicotti. I still need to do a little work on the sauce, but you really could use your favorite marinara sauce on these with great success. I used a red-pepper sauce that I am toying with and don't quite have perfected. It was fantastic on this! Below I have posted a different sauce than I used, but this one is already tested and really yummy!

Stuffed Wild Mushroom Manicotti

Makes 10 Manicotti

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 shallot, minced

2 cloves garlic, minced

½ black pepper

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon dried oregano

2 tablespoons red wine

1/4 lb. Oyster Mushrooms, medium dice (about 2 cups)

1 large portobello, fins removed, medium dice (about 2 cups)

1 recipe Tofu-Cashew Ricotta (recipe below)

10 manicotti shells (cook up a few extra to compensate for any ripped pasta)

2 cups of marinara or your favorite red sauce* (or I have posted a recipe below)

Vegan Mozzarella or Vegan Parmesan (optional)

In a 12 inch cast iron pan or skillet heat olive oil over medium heat. Add shallots and saute until just soft, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add black pepper, salt and oregano and combine. Deglaze with red wine. Saute until liquid is almost gone. About 2 minutes. Add diced mushrooms. Saute until they are almost dry, about 10 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Preheat oven to 350.

Prepare manicotti according to package directions. Drain and let cool. 

While the pasta is cooking, prepare Tofu-Cashew Ricotta (recipe below).

In medium bowl combine the cooled mushroom mixture and the Tofu-Cashew Ricotta. Put mixture into a large pastry bag with no tip. Using your best pastry bag skills. Fill each pasta tube with the filling by squeezing mixture in slowly. Place each stuffed tube in a lightly oiled 9 x 13 pan. When all 10 are filled and in the pan, spread sauce over the top. Sprinkle on cheese (if using). Bake covered for 30 minutes, then uncovered for the last 5 minutes. Let sit for 10 minutes before serving. 

Tofu-Cashew Ricotta

1/3 cup raw cashews

1 – 14 oz. firm tofu, water squeezed out

1/3 cup nutritional yeast

½ cup loosely packed basil, roughly chopped

1 tablespoon oregano, roughly chopped

2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon olive oil

½ teaspoon salt

¼ black pepper

Place cashews in a small bowl with enough water to cover and come over about 1 inch. Let soak for an hour or longer.

Drain cashews. In large food processor bowl, place cashews and remaining ingredients. Pulse to mix ingredients. Process until smooth (about 5 minutes), scraping sides of processor bowl as necessary. 

Serve this with a simple salad or simple grilled vegetables for a nice filling meal.

* I like a lot of sauce, so if you are like me use 3 cups so you will have some on the side to slather on the pasta.

Roasted Pepper and Garlic Marinara

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 teaspoons olive oil

1 large roasted red bell pepper, peeled, seeded and finely diced

1 head roasted garlic, peeled and chopped fine*

1 28 oz can fire roasted crushed tomatoes

1 15 oz can diced fire roasted tomatoes

1 teaspoon oregano

½ teaspoon dried leaf thyme

½ teaspoon dried basil

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon crushed red pepper

Fresh cracked black pepper to taste

In a large sauce pan over medium heat sauté garlic in olive oil until fragrant, 30-45 seconds. Add red pepper and roasted garlic and sauté for another minute or so. Add remaining ingredients. Let simmer on low for about 30 minutes to let the flavors really develop and meld. If you like a smoother sauce, feel free to blend with a stick blender, in a food processor, or blender. This will be even better the next day.

* To roast garlic, peel outer white layers off of garlic head. Cut top of head off to just barely expose cloves. Bake in 350 degree oven for 30-45 minutes depending on the size of the head. It is done when the garlic will feel soft like a sponge. Squeeze each individual clove to get the beautiful garlic "meat" out. A note of caution, make sure you let your garlic cool before attempting to squeeze the garlic out. It is extremely hot when it first comes out of the oven.

Mediterranean Influenced Bean Salad

Fred is embarking on a new health and fitness journey. Part of his plan is to up his protein intake. In an effort to do all I can to support him (and to limit the possibility of meat being suggested) I am whole heartedly getting on the bandwagon to find veg sources of protein rich dishes. I find my body is happier on a higher protein regimen, so this should be a very good thing for both of us.

After our Mediterranean themed Easter dinner, I am still feeling the glow of love for things Med. Before work yesterday, I needed to throw something quick, filling and healthy together. (I was hoping for Easter leftovers, but there were none to be had). I have to say, working with what I had in the fridge and the pantry, this salad came out quite nicely. It is just perfect for the warm weather here and our eating goals. This one could be easily doubled for a big pot luck too! It screams of spring and of picnic fare. If you are looking for a quick cool treat, this is a great option! I hope you enjoy this one.

Mediterranean Influenced Bean Salad


2 - 14.5 oz cans cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1 red bell pepper, about 1/2 inch dice
2 medium sized tomatoes seeded and diced
1 large cucumber, unpeeled and cut into bite sized pieces
1/4 cup tightly backed fresh basil, chiffonade
1/4 cup pitted kalamata olives, quartered
1 tablespoon capers, drained
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon dried oregano (or 1 tablespoon fresh, finely chopped)
1/2 teaspoon salt (or more to taste)
fresh ground black pepper to taste

Get yourself a big old bowl. Throw all of the goodies in and stir to distribute ingredients evenly. This one is best if you let it marinate in the fridge for several hours or overnight.

Serve with sliced baguette. You could also use this as a wonderful bruschetta topping.