GAEA Vegan Vegetable Spreads
Tis the season of hors d’oeuvres with holiday parties and family get togethers. Instead of overly rich canapés and other finger food, consider offering healthier choices in bite-sized apps whose foundation includes vegetables. GAEA – a Greek company that specializes in olives, olive oil, and Greek food products – makes vegetable spreads that come in two delicious plant-based flavors: Read more 
What is a TigerNut?
If you’ve ever traveled to Spain, then you’ve more than likely seen “Horchata de Chufa” on a beverage menu, especially in the summer months when this refreshing drink is very popular. A sweet, creamy, milk-like beverage, horchata de chufa is traditionally made with ground tiger nuts blended with ice-cold water and sugar. The word “chufa” is spanish for the tubers of the nut sedge plant, which is another name for the tigernut (which is also spelled “tiger nut”). Read more
Easy Italian Minestrone Soup in 20 Minutes
Making minestrone soup is usually a labor of love because of the enormous amount of time it takes to soak the beans (hours), chop the vegetables, cook the pasta, and then make the soup. But, there’s an easier way to make an authentic Italian minestrone soup in 20 minutes by using the Pedon Italian Minestrone Timesavers Soup Mix.
Each 8.8 ounce packet is filled with non-GMO products: pre-cooked farro, pre-cooked barley, ditalini pasta, red split lentils, pre-cooked yellow split lentils, pre-cooked green and yellow split peas to provide a high fiber, high protein, salt and sugar-free foundation for homemade soup. Read more
Mediterranean Orzo
Garlic, lemon, and capers along with fresh herbs add an abundance of flavor to pasta and vegetables in this recipe for Mediterranean Orzo. Adapted from a recipe of the same name by the Purple Carrot, Mediterranean Orzo is a colorful dish that you would expect to be served at a cafe in the Mediterranean…but, without all the oil. Dairy-free, low in fat, high in protein, and with no added sugar, this plant-based dish is easy to cook and ready in less than 20 minutes. Read more
Asparagus Carrot Masala with Quinoa
The Purple Carrot meal kit service continues to inspire me with the weekly delivery of ingredients and recipe cards to make delicious plant-based meals with three noteworthy changes: I use less oil than the recipes call for, omit the jalapeño or hot peppers, and add more vegetables which generally turns a meal meant for two persons into four servings, or as a side dish for 6-8. The meals rely heavily on spices which add flavor to the dishes (which is why I leave out the jalapeño or hot peppers) and is a great way to introduce plant-based dishes to carnivores and vegetarians as a side dish. Read more
10 Things to Know about Potatoes
What I say is that, if a fellow really likes potatoes, he must be a really decent sort of fellow. ~A. A. Milne
The author of Winnie the Pooh certainly knew how to write a classic story but he also had an appreciation of the potato. A century ago, it was not uncommon for people in England to sit down to a meal of potatoes but in recent times, potatoes have gotten a bad rap for all the wrong reasons. If you think potatoes are one of those starchy foods to avoid, then think again because this stem vegetable – of which there are many varieties – is totally underrated in terms of nutritional benefits. Read more
Miss Marjorie’s Steel Drum Plantains
Most people know that a plantain is a member of the banana family but many Americans don’t know that plantains are starchier (like a potato) and low in sugar which makes them ideal to make into chips. However, there is an art to making great tasting plantain chips and Donna Moodie of Miss Marjorie Restaurant fame (Seattle, Washington) has mastered it. Her plantain chips – Miss Marjorie’s Steel Drum Plantains – are a tribute to her mom, Marjorie who used to make them in Jamaica using only the highest quality ingredients. Read more
Lettuce Wraps
My first experience with lettuce wraps – butter lettuce leaves offered with a wide variety of fillings and sauces – was at the Cheesecake Factory, which was an eye-opening foodie moment for me. Instead of soft tortillas, crispy green butter leaves can be used as a lighter alternative to hold raw vegetables (bean sprouts, minced scallions, carrot sticks, chopped tomatoes, diced avocado, thinly sliced cucumber or radishes) and/or cooked vegetables (sautéed mushrooms and/or onions, corn, tofu) blended with herbs (cilantro, mint, basil), and sauce (soy, teriyaki, peanut). The options are vast and only limited by what’s in the garden, pantry, or fridge. Read more
Quinoa and Vegetable Salad with Tempeh Croutons
Quinoa and Vegetable Salad with Tempeh Croutons is a protein and nutrient packed salad that contains a variety of vegetables (green beans, kale, red cabbage, red pepper, cucumber, and scallion) along with quinoa and nutty roasted tempeh. Drizzled with a homemade orange mustard vinaigrette, the salad is cornucopia of flavors and textures. Serve for dinner on a warm summer evening or as a side salad on a cool evening with a hot bowl of soup. Read more
Red Bean Chili Tacos
Tacos – whether soft or crunchy – are an American favorite. Add another classic dish – red bean chili – but one made with sweet potatoes, kidney beans, corn, onion, red pepper, and an abundance of spices – topped with diced avocado, and fresh cilantro and a nutritious and outrageously delicious meal emerges. Read more
Paddock Post 