Zucchini Noodles with Olive Oil, Pine Nuts and Basil
With summer fast approaching, zucchini will be overflowing in the garden and at the grocery store. My family doesn’t normally get too excited about sautéed zucchini because this green vegetable gets soggy very quickly. So, instead of slicing or dicing the zucchini, consider using a Turning Slicer (which is sometimes called a Spiralizer because it spirals the vegetable) to turn zucchini (and almost every other firm vegetable or fruit) into noodles in seconds. Light, refreshing and full of flavor – with the fresh basil and toasted pine nuts – Zucchini Noodles with Olive Oil, Pine Nuts and Basil is a summer salad that should delight even the most reluctant. We devour this salad by the bowl full in our home. Read more 
Bulgur with Spinach and Mushrooms
Bulgur – a whole grain – has a mild nutty flavor that is absolutely delicious, nutritious, and easy to prepare. High in protein (5 grams per quarter cup) and a great source of dietary fiber (7 grams per quarter cup), bulgur is also low in fat (less than 1 gram of fat per quarter cup). Derived from whole wheat that has been parboiled, dried, and ground, bulgur is a versatile grain that goes well with strong flavored vegetables like spinach, mushrooms, and red onions. Cooking the bulgur in low sodium vegetable broth (instead of water) makes the dish heartier while the addition of a few spices – cardamon, cumin, and dill – adds even more flavor. Read more
Sprouted Adzuki Bean and Rice Salad
Sprouted Adzuki Bean and Rice Salad is a hearty dish full of vegetables, beans, and a trio of rice: wild and germinated red and brown rice. The nutty flavor of the rice combined with the slightly sweet red Adzuki beans and the earthy vegetables – mushrooms, carrots, broccoli, and zucchini – and fresh chopped cilantro along with Zatar (a popular middle eastern spice) – makes for a flavorful salad that is both filling and nutritious. Easy and quick to make, the Sprouted Adzuki Bean and Rice Salad is a terrific alternative to traditional rice or bean salad. Read more
Rainbow Quinoa and English Pea Salad
For decades, my husband has been bringing me home recipes (from Outdoor Alpha Male, Men’s Protein World or some similar sounding magazine) that invariably include quinoa which was hard to find years ago. Back then, I could only find quinoa in a health food store or on-line but with its recent surge in popularity – due in part to its high protein and iron content – nearly every supermarket now carries various types of quinoa. My family prefers the Rainbow Quinoa which contains three types of quinoa: white, royal red, and royal black because they enjoy the slight difference in flavors and the various colors certainly make a dish look appetizing. Read more
Cucumber, Tomato and Avocado Salad
Cucumber, Tomato and Avocado Salad is a bright, colorful salad that takes less than 10 minutes to make and tastes fresh and delicious. Filled with a diced seedless cucumber, chopped sweet grape tomatoes, a minced sweet orange pepper, chopped Haas avocado, cilantro, and a dash of Pink Himalayan salt, this salad goes with nearly any main dish. The Cucumber, Tomato, and Avocado Salad is light and refreshing with ingredients that are readily available this time of year. When time is limited, this is a great salad to pull together in minutes. Read more
Quinoa, Black Bean and Avocado Salad
On a sunny Spring afternoon, I came home to find a bowl of Quinoa, Black Bean and Avocado Salad on the countertop. My daughter, a devout vegan decided to create one of her favorite lunch dishes with quinoa – a grain like seed that contains high quantities of the B vitamins, calcium, phosphorus, iron, magnesium, zinc and lysine (an amino acid) – vegetables (California avocado, sweet red peppers), fruit (sweet grape tomatoes, lime juice), legumes (black beans), herbs and spices (cilantro, cumin, salt and pepper), and a small amount of olive oil. The result is a refreshing colorful salad that has the perfect balance of flavors: Read more
Asian Cole Slaw
Cole slaw is always a tasty side dish but every once in a while, you need to shake things up. Consider making Asian Cole Slaw – a variation on the old standby that doesn’t compromise the flavor of the freshly chopped vegetables or the delicious dressing that pulls the salad together. Start with fresh raw vegetables – Chinese cabbage (Napa), zucchini, carrots, cucumber, scallions, and golden beets – add a light peanut dressing, chopped peanuts, and lots of fresh green cilantro – and the result is Asian Cole Slaw – a refreshing tasty salad with lots of crunch and flavor.
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Fregula
Fregula is a type of pasta from Sardinia that resembles toasted pearls. Some people think fregula is like couscous but this unique pasta is bigger, thicker, and more flavorful than couscous. Fregula or the “pearl of pastas” is made with coarse semolina flour blended with water and formed into little balls. The pasta is then dried and toasted to impart a nutty flavor when cooked. Ideal for soups or with cooked vegetables, fregula is a firm chewy pasta with a deep toasted flavor, unlike any other pasta. Read more
Vegetarian Lasagna
My friend Dania came to visit us this summer and offered to make a vegan lasagna from the the book “Forks Over Knives.” Of course, I accepted the offer even after she told me it would take four hours to make (because I wasn’t going to have to do it by myself). We worked together to make the lasagna and cut the time down to about an hour and a half but there were two of us – still too much time to spend on one dish for me. The lasagna was really good but we both thought improvements could be made based on our taste preferences. Read more
Sweet Potato and Black Bean Burritos
If you and your family like sweet potatoes, then Sweet Potato and Black Bean Burritos will become a family favorite….even if there are no vegetarians or vegans in your home. The overwhelming flavor of this dish lies with the sweet potatoes but the addition of the black beans, cilantro, onions and spices give the burritos a heartier flavor. Add the toppings…well, they’re the icing on the cake. Very simple to make, the potato and black bean filling can be prepared ahead of time then refrigerated until thirty minutes before dinnertime. Assemble the burritos and while the main course is baking, chop up the tomatoes and avocado, and grate the cheese. Dinner is served. Read more
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