Frozen Food Made Gourmet?

Canned and frozen foods are part of my plan for the survival of the fittest. At least I can always tell myself that it's better than running down the street to a fast food restaurant and momentarily meeting the needs of my body but creating a huge nutritional deficit in the long run. If you need easy, economical but still delicious, try this recipe using frozen asparagus and canned mushrooms. That way you can have the ingredients on hand and make it whenever you feel ready.

Asparagus Mushroom Rice Cups

with a Dijon Cheddar Sauce

1 1/2 cups rice (white or brown) I only had white on hand tonight.

3 cups water

1 bag frozen asparagus (or 1 lb fresh)

2 TB butter

1 small onion, finely chopped

1 TB garlic

1/2 tsp dried dill weed

1 tsp thyme

1 can shiitake mushrooms, drained (any variety would work)

2 TB lemon juice

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp ginger tamari dressing (any brand dressing, or you could use plain soy sauce or tamari sauce) *If you use soy sauce, leave out the salt.

Sauce:

I cup almond milk (or cow's milk)

1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese

2 tsp Dijon-style mustard

1/8 tsp dried dill weed

1. Cook rice as directed. I used a rice cooker to make it easier and quicker. Place the rice in the cooker add the water, hit "on". Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2. Place frozen asparagus on cutting board. Carefully cut 1/2 inch pieces. Place in a frying pan on low heat and steam until just tender.

3. Add 2 TB butter, onions, garlic, dill weed, thyme and mushrooms to asparagus. Stir-fry until the onions are tender.

4. Place rice in a large bowl. Add the asparagus mixture, lemon juice, salt and tamari to the bowl. Stir well. Place into individual ramekins and bake 15 minutes.

5. Pour milk into a double boiler. When it gets hot, add the cheese and stir till melted. Add the mustard and dill weed. Keep warm over the double boiler. (I place a smaller sauce pan on top of a larger sauce pan for my double broiler. Add 1/2 cup water to the bottom one, stack the smaller sauce pan to sit on top of it and bring the water to a boil.)

6. Run a knife along the sides of the baking dish. Place a small plate on top of it and flip the plate over holding the dish on it. This should loosen the rice and keep it in a nice shape.

Spoon the Dijon cheese sauce over the top and you are finished!

I hope that each of you eat well, play hard, and go a little easier on yourselves when you are doing the best you can.

Peace and Good Eats,

DandelionHeart

Zucchini Hot Potato Soup

If you planted zucchini, I bet you are like me and can't eat it or give it away fast enough to keep up with it all! Whether you have zucchini growing out of your ears or need to pick some up from the store, you will want to try this soup!


Zucchini Hot Potato Soup

4 cups water
4 cups chopped zucchini
4 cups chopped, unpeeled potatoes
1 cup chopped carrots
1 cup diced onion
1 TB garlic
1 tsp basil
1 TB olive oil
1 cup almond milk
1 heaping TB sour cream
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
2 TB dill weed
1 tsp salt
dash of black pepper


1. Bring water to boil in a 4-quart soup pot. Add potatoes and carrots, cook until tender.
2. In a fry pan heat olive oil, saute the onions, garlic, and basil on medium heat.
3. When onions are beginning to brown add zucchini. Cook until tender.
4. Add zucchini mixture to carrots and potatoes.
5. Puree all in blender.
6. Pour back into large pot. Add almond milk, sour cream, parsley, dill, salt and pepper. Stir well and serve!




Grab a good crusty loaf of bread to go with it and your meal is complete! This soup is SO good.


Nutritional Tips:
One of the great things about zucchini is it's known to be one of the lowest calorie
foods in existence. It should be in your arsenal if you're trying to lose weight! It's fiber
content will help you feel full. Also, zucchini contributes folate, Vitamins A and C, potassium and magnesium
to the body. Magnesium helps protect bones, heart, arteries and blood pressure. Even a mild
deficiency in magnesium may provoke major health problems. These are just a few of the nutritional points you will score with this soup!
Not to mention, that it tastes delicious!


I would love to know if you have any favorite ways of preparing zucchini! Especially since I have it growing out my ears!




Laugh Hard and Eat Well!
DandelionHeart

Lemon and Swiss Chard Cream Pasta

Are you still looking for yummy ways to cook all your swiss chard? This pasta is usually made completely with Basil but I substituted Swiss Chard and it turned out delicious! This recipe is very quick, so start the pasta first. It will take the longest to cook. Let me know what you think!

Lemon and Swiss Chard Cream Pasta

3 Cups Swiss Chard

1/2 Cup Basil

1 TB garlic

1/2 Cup Olive Oil

1 Cup Kefir

1 Cup Milk

1/4 Cup Lemon Juice

1 Cup Parmesan Cheese

1 Package of Farfalle Pasta (bowtie)

Place olive oil, garlic, greens, and milk into the blender. Blend until liquid. Pour into a saucepan and heat on low. Stir in the lemon juice. When pasta is finished, add in the parmesan cheese and stir till melted. Immediately, pour over the bowtie pasta.

I keep slices of fresh lemon and parmesan to add on top. So good!

Exchanges:

Some exchanges you can make if you do not have the kefir:

1. add all milk.

2. add 1 1/2 cups milk and 1/2 cup sour cream (for a richer dish)

3. add two cups of heavy cream only (if you really want to indulge in a creamy pasta)

I think kefir is a good choice because of its probiotics. They help our digestive systems stay healthy. As long as you do not heat the pasta to extremely hot, you should not destroy the good bacteria in this dish.

Once again, swiss chard is a nutritional powerhouse. I love finding new ways to cook this amazing green.

Here's to a great summer dish!

DandelionHeart

Luna Pie and The Horn of the Moon Cafe

This came from a great cookbook called Horn of the Moon Cookbook by Ginny Callan. It was a lucky find at our local thrift store for $2. The book tells the story of this incredibly popular local vegetarian restaurant in the prime of its life. It was an establishment for 23 years in Vermont. Unfortunately, The Horn of the Moon Cafe was dealt a terrible blow. Here is an article talking about the final end for this incredible little restaurant, when the owner tragically killed himself.

http://www.mtbytes.com/mpbridge/article.cfm?articleid=119

It's a story worth reading and a cookbook worth investing in. The book can still be found on Amazon.com.

I feel grateful to have unintentionally fallen into this story and still be able to cook some of their most famous dishes. Thank you, Horn of the Moon Cafe.

Luna Pie

4 TB oil
1 cup finely, chopped onion
1 tsp basil
1 tsp dried leaf thyme
1/2 tsp oregano
1 1/2 cups finely, chopped celery
1 lb mushrooms chopped finely
1 package tofu
3 eggs
1 1/2 cups grated cheddar cheese
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 cayenne pepper
1 tsp mustard, dry or wet
1/2 box phyllo dough
1/4 butter, melted


Heat 2 TB oil, saute first 5 ingredients until onions begin to brown. Set aside.
Heat remaining oil, saute mushrooms on medium to high heat until all moisture has evaporated.
In a bowl, mash tofu with a fork. Using an electric mixer, beat in eggs. Add cheese, salt, cayenne, and mustard mix well. Stir in sauteed veggies.
Preheat oven to 375. Cut phyllo dough into 12 inch squares. Using a pastry brush, brush a sheet with butter. Drape the dough over a 10-inch pie plate. repeat layers until 7 are stacked.
Gently push dough into bottom of pan. Pour in filling. Butter 3 more sheets and lay on top of filling. Roll over the hanging dough to form a pie crust edge. Brush top with butter. Slash top carefully down the center. Bake 30 to 35 minutes, until browned. Let set 10 minutes after removing from oven before cutting.

*recipe taken from Horn of the Moon Cookbook
*Tips:
1. Use a food chopper to chop all veggies finely, quickly
2. place dough in a large pan and place a wet dish towel over it as you are working with it. It will keep it from drying out.

ENJOY! It is SO good!

DandelionHeart

Luna Pie- mushrooms and cheesy goodness!

Rosemary Chicken and Veggies

While my parents were in town meeting their new grandchild, my mother whipped up a delicious meal. Rosemary is the star performer in this dinner. This dish is elegant enough to serve to special guests, a romantic night at home, or just every day life. It's a beautiful dish and very tasty! If it's been awhile since you've tasted rosemary, you will fall in love all over again. Here is her recipe. Thanks Mom!

Rosemary Chicken

Chicken Breast (best quality you can afford, preferably hormone/antibiotic free)

1 or 2 sprigs of Rosemary per chicken breast

tsp Basil

Dash of salt and pepper

1 large onion, sliced into rings

1 slice of Bacon (nitrate free) per chicken breast

1. Salt and pepper chicken breast. Chop basil and sprinkle on chicken.

2. Lay sliced onion rings on top of chicken breast.

3. Place sprigs of rosemary on top and wrap chicken breast with the bacon.

4. Make sure the ends of bacon are underneath the breast. Place the pieces on a jelly roll pan.

5. Cover and Bake @ 425 degrees for about 30 minutes, uncover cook for additional 15 minutes, until juices run clear.

Rosemary Potatoes, Broccoli, and Onion Medley

1 Head of Broccoli, cut into pieces

12 New Potatoes, sliced thickly

1 large onion, sliced thick

1/4 cup of Olive Oil

salt and pepper to taste

2 sprigs Rosemary, chopped

Place all chopped veggies in a glass casserole dish. Pour olive oil over vegetables. Add the salt, pepper, basil and Rosemary to the veggies. Stir well, until all is well coated with the oil and spices. Cover vegetables with tin foil for about 30 minutes and bake in oven at 425 degrees for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake 10 more minutes. Enjoy!

Nutritional Tips:

Rosemary is a potent anti-inflammatory due to caffeic acid and rosemarinic acid. These are strong antioxidants which protect our bodies from degenerative diseases. Rosemary has a long history of culinary use and it is exciting to hear the research proving the medicinal effects for protecting us from cancers, asthma and pain-causing inflammation. Eat rosemary regularly for the protective benefits to build up in your system!

Sincerely,

DandelionHeart

Pizza- The cooking Easy Button

Having a new baby home for 5 days has made my usual joy of cooking turn into a chore. Sleep deprived and exhausted, emotionally thrilled but overwhelmed, I am looking for the cooking easy button. So, what do you cook when all you want to do is order a pizza and let someone else do the work? This pizza fits the bill. It is quick and delicious, and when you cook it yourself you do not have to worry about cheap, harmful ingredients like high fructose corn syrup, preservatives or any added flavor enhancers, aka. excitotoxins that many fast food restaurants put into their foods. Here's the quick solution:

Spinach and Pepper Pizza

Pizza Dough:

1 pkg. Quik Rise dry Yeast
1 cup lukewarm water
2 TB oil
1 TB Honey
1 1/2 Cup Whole Wheat Flour
1 Cup All-Purpose Flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp Italian seasonings

Mix in yeast and water in large glass bowl. Add in oil, honey, flours, salt, garlic, onion powder and Italian seasonings. Let it sit in the bowl for 5-10 minutes. Flatten on a greased pan.

Easy Pizza Sauce:

Open can of tomato sauce. Add in 1/4 teaspoon of italian seasonings, garlic and onion powder. MIx well.

Spinach and Pepper Toppings:

1/2 cup Frozen Spinach
1/2 Cup Frozen Bell Peppers
1 tsp of Oil

Heat oil in a frying pan. Add in frozen vegetables and cook until they are seared down. I used a cast iron skillet to get a nice roasted flavor on mine.

Assembling the Pizza:

Roll out the dough, spoon on the pizza sauce and add the vegetables. Place a generous amount of cheese on top of it all and bake for 12 minutes at 450 degrees.


Changes in your life and routine can set you back, but with a little determination, you can eat fast and healthy from home! When you need comfort food that is easy, reach for this recipe.

Going with the flow,
Dandelionheart

Tarragon Mushroom Cream Sauce

Here is the delicious dish made with fresh picked chanterelles. The dish that will make your momma cry with pride. The recipe is from one of my FAVORITE cookbooks! Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone by Deborah Madison. She is hands down the best at teaching others to cook amazing food! If there is one cookbook I would recommend this would be it!

Tarragon Mushroom Cream Sauce

2 TB butter

1 pound mushrooms, sliced 1/2 thick

salt and freshly milled pepper

1/2 cup white wine

1/4 cup cream

1/2 cup sour cream

2 TB parsley, chopped

1 garlic clove

2 tsp tarragon, chopped

Heat butter in large skillet over high heat, add the mushrooms, and saute until a nice color. Season with a little salt and pepper, add the wine and lower the heat. Let the wine cook down to about half. Add the cream, sour cream and simmer until thickened slightly. Chop the parsley, garlic, and tarragon together. Add them to the mushrooms and serve!

I served it over wide egg noodles and it was a perfect match. This dish will work well with any kind of mushroom, so use your favorite.

Nutritional Tips!

Chanterelles can be as much as 23% Vitamin C. They are considered to be one of the best wild mushrooms in the world. They are fruity and have a apricot smell mixed with an apricot, nutty flavor. They are high in potassium and mushrooms have powerful antiviral, antitumor, and anticholesterol properties!

In Mushroom Heaven,

DandelionHeart

Chanterelles, Turtles, Snakes, OH MY!

Unfortunately it was raining when we took off on our favorite running trails today. Since, I didn't want to harm the camera, I left it behind and missed some truly fantastic pictures. The rain was only coming down slightly and a few minutes into the run it quit. It was a muggy, humid evening run... just the kind that the creatures come out for!

Our first sighting was a beautiful box turtle laying eggs in a hole on the side of the trail, which at that point ran along side a creek, so the soil was a perfect sandy mix for her eggs. We stopped to admire it and let our dog sniff it before we took off further down the trail.

The next spotting was beautiful mushrooms of all kinds. It looked like the mushroom scene from Alice in Wonderland! We spotted red, purple and green bolete mushrooms.

But the best find was a huge patch of chanterelles - a beautiful and tasty culinary delight! At Whole Foods yesterday, we noticed the Chanterelles were $29.99 a pound! Imagine our excitement when Doug took his shirt off and filled it to the top! In all, we picked about 3/4 gallon, which probably weighed a pound or so.

On the way back, we were treated with a tiny black rat snake on the path. I picked its whopping "5 inches" up and a let it slither and hunt for the dirt again! Such a cute little black snake the size of a large worm. We also surprised an unsuspecting deer as it stood by the creek bed.

Just another exciting run on a terribly ordinary day. It's the little things that make me appreciate life. Seeing a blue jay, or watching my dog sniff a turtle and jump scared when the turtle moves into her shell. Finding chanterelles and making a mushroom cream sauce that would make your momma cry! Taking deep breaths as a deer runs past the trail and smiling as we run past the most intelligent architectural wasp nest that I have ever seen. The little things will keep you happy. The little things will keep you connected. The little things will make you breath deeper. May we all open our eyes to the little things and count our blessings every day.

Live the Little Things,

DandelionHeart

Swiss Chard and Garbanzo Bean Soup

My garden has beautiful stalks of Swiss chard growing. Luckily, the Vegetarian Times placed a delicious sun-dried tomatoes and Swiss chard recipe this week. With a little tweaking to match what I had in my garden and kitchen, I made a delicious soup with swiss chard, tomatoes, LOTS of fresh herbs and garbanzo beans. Here's the happy outcome!


Swiss Chard and Garbanzo Bean Soup


2 TB olive oil
3 cloves of garlic (or 1 TB)
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1 large onion, chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped
3 med carrots, coined
1/2 tsp fresh rosemary, chopped
2 cups vegetable broth
2 15 oz. cans tomatoes
1 15 oz. can garbanzo beans (chick peas)
1/2 bunch of Swiss chard (about 2 cups)
1/2 tsp thyme, chopped
1 cup of basil, torn


Heat the olive oil in a large stock pot on medium heat. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes. Let it cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Add the onions, celery, carrots, and rosemary. Let it cook for 15 minutes until onion is transparent. If it needs more liquid, add one cup of the vegetable stock and let simmer for the 15 minutes.
Add the rest of the vegetable stock, one can of tomatoes, and the garbanzo beans.
Place one cup of the soup in a blender and blend till smooth.
Add the blender contents, Swiss chard, and thyme into the stock pot. Stir for 5 minutes until the Swiss chard cooks down.
Take off heat and stir in the basil.


All finished! I like to put a dollop of Greek yogurt on top and serve with a crusty whole grain bread. Yummy!!




Nutritional Information:


Swiss Chard is a good source of Vitamins A and C, both powerful defenders against cancers. It is also a good source of minerals like iron, needed to boost immunity and help fight fatigue. Many people feel exhausted all the time. They do not realize it is due to low iron in the body and that an increase in this mineral could alleviate their fatigue .
Swiss Chard also has calcium, magnesium and potassium, all needed in controlling a good blood pressure.


It is that time of year when Swiss chard abounds. Why not pick some up today and make a quick, easy dinner for you and your loved ones. Let me know if you do!




Cheers to Chard!
DandelionHeart

We Are All Going To Die Sometime....

"It doesn't matter." "We are all going to die sometime." These two sentences make me cringe when I hear them spoken, and unfortunately, I have heard them often.

What bothers me the most, is that it's always the 'healthy' that speak these words. The ones whose health has not quit on them and who take it for granted that smoking, drinking, and eating whatever they like will never affect them. They can not imagine themselves bent over in stomach pain, cancer-ridden, arthritic, with fibromyalgia, or diabetic. Yet according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 7 out of 10 Americans will die from a chronic PREVENTABLE illness. These diseases, such as diabetes, heart disease, cancer, and strokes account for 50% of all deaths every year. In 2005, 1 out of every 2 Americans has a chronic illness that keeps them from performing one or more daily activities. Diabetes is the number one reason for kidney failure, amputations, and blindness for ages 20 to 74. Clearly, we are doing something incredibly damaging to our bodies. What is it? Does nature just pick someone and pull the trigger? I know with these kinds of statistics it is easy to give up, say it doesn't matter, and allow our culture to carry us away into chronic disease land. One of my favorite quotes is from Dr. Andrew Saul of the Journal of Orthomolecular Medicine, he said, "The only way to win, is not to play."

Lifestyle changes are difficult at first. Many people around you will tell you what you are missing out on - burgers, fries, sugar, cakes, chips, donuts, etc. - without ever considering your life at hand. You will feel exhausted by our culture of endless chemical food options. Walking into a grocery store will feel like walking into the Charlie and the Chocolate Factory with tempting neon-blue cakes, orange colored sugar drinks, purple cookies, and every other brightly unnatural colored food to tempt your eye and stomach.

However, if you keep going....keep slowly building resistance and saying, "NO", one whisper at a time, within a few short weeks that "no" whispered with little strength will become a "NO" spoken with strong resolution and determination. You will feel the difference in your heart and body. In choosing whole foods, foods that your grandmother or grandfather would recognize, your body will know how to quickly respond. It knows what to do with an apple. It breaks it down and feeds the cells. What does it do with chemical-laden, sugary, fat globules called apple cinnamon stripe cookies? The body is well trained on what to do with a consistent diet of processed, overly salted, high fat foods- Store them! But what happens if you UP the nutrition you send down your throat? All of the sudden, the body wakes up! Little cells that have been starved for the micro nutrients in fresh foods get shocked! The vitamins and minerals that the body has been craving from fresh vegetables, fruits, beans, and whole grains begins to change the inner environment for your cells. Just once, do not think of your tastebuds when you eat, think of the tiny cells that you are caring for. There are MILLIONS throughout your body and each one needs fresh water and fuel to work efficiently.

Today, give your cells what they need. Drink plenty of fresh water and choose healthy greens, fruit for desserts and whole grains. You are worth the work and your body will reward you with less pain and more happy days.

Are we all going to die sometime? Yes, we will. But not all of us will die in our 40's, 50's or 60's from debilitating and cruel degenerative diseases. Let's up our chance of being in the 50% percent that lives vibrantly into old age with more painless days than painful, more smiles than tears, and more family around us than gone. Take charge of your health and choose to live each day to the fullest!

Wishing you Love and Life!

DandelionHeart