Archive for vegetables

Easy Beans and Greens

Prep Time: 10 minute
Cooking Time: 10 minutes
Yield: 2-3 servings

Ingredients

2 cups of pre-cooked beans (black, pinto, red, kidney – your choice)
1 bunch greens (collard, bok choy, kale, spinach – your choice)
Your favorite toppings, such as salsa, avocado or guacamole and sour cream

Directions

1. In a medium saucepan, heat drained beans. Add your favorite seasonings, if desired.

2. Fill a separate medium saucepan with 1-2 inches of water and bring to a boil.

3. Wash and chop greens (you can use the stems, too) and add to boiling water.

4. Cook for 2-3 minutes until greens are bright green and tender. Drain off water.

5. On a plate, arrange a portion of the greens, top with a portion of the beans and finish with toppings of your choice.

Recipe: Zucchini & Mushroom No-Pasta Lasagna

May 29, 2015

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Recipe: Zucchini & Mushroom No-Pasta Lasagna

The other night, my hubby and I decided to experiment with a pasta-less lasagna. It was so good that we decided to make it again last night.

Here’s how we made a zucchini & mushroom lasagna. I have not yet experimented with adding other veggies to the recipe, but I will. It was a yummy, repeatable recipe.

Ingredients

16 oz. zucchini squash
8 oz. container of mushrooms
2 cups (16 oz.) spaghetti sauce
6 oz. shredded cheese (The first time we made this, we used shredded mozzarella cheese. This time we used a shredded cheese blend. They were both good.)
1 tbsp. butter
Sea Salt & seasonings to taste

Rub the butter on the bottom of an 8″ x 8″ square pyrex baking dish.
Add zucchini strips, mushrooms, pasta sauce, and shredded cheese in layers. I criss-crossed the zucchini layers. Since I was on a time crunch and did not have time to prepare homemade pasta sauce, I bought a 16-oz. jar of organic pasta sauce. (Low sodium, no sugar added, so it needed a sprinkle of himalayan sea salt and some 6-pepper blend, for added flavor.)
Repeat the layers as follows: zucchini. mushroom, spaghetti sauce, cheese – the last layer is the cheese layer (I added the remaining sliced mushrooms as garnish).
Bake at 400 F for approximately 30 minutes (the temperature and baking time can vary.
Enjoy

Spring Sprouting Steamer

(This recipe appeared in the May,2011 issue of A Healthy You)

Prep Time: 3 minutes

Cooking Time: 5 minutes

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

1 zucchini

1 summer squash

1- 6 oz. package mixed crunchy sprouts (lentil, adzuki, mung, garbanzo)

3 tablespoons of freshly chopped tarragon

1 tablespoon of ghee (clarified butter) or butter

4 lemon wedges

salt to taste

Directions

1. Slice zucchini and summer squash in discs about 1/4 inch thick. Steam with sprouts for about 5 minutes or until desired tenderness.

2. Toss with tarragon, ghee and salt in bowl.

3. Serve with lemon wedge.

4. Add a splash of water and pinch of salt to pan, cover and let steam for 4 minutes.

Food Focus: Greens

(This article appeared in the April, 2011 edition of A Healthy You)

Leafy greens are some of the easiest and most beneficial vegetables to incorporate into your daily routine. Densely packed with energy and nutrients, they grow upward to the sky, absorbing the sun’s light while producing oxygen. Members of this royal green family include kale, collard greens, Swiss chard, mustard greens, arugula, dandelion greens, broccoli rabe, watercress, beet greens, bok choy, napa cabbage, green cabbage, spinach and broccoli.

How do greens benefit our bodies? They are very high in calcium, magnesium, iron, potassium, phosphorous and zinc, and are a powerhouse for vitamins A, C, E and K. They are crammed full of fiber, folic acid, chlorophyll and many other micronutrients and phytochemicals. Their color is associated with spring, which is a time to renew and refresh vital energy. In traditional Asian medicine, the color green is related to the liver, emotional stability and creativity. Greens aid in purifying the blood, strengthening the immune system, improving liver, gall bladder and kidney function, fighting depression, clearing congestion, improving circulation and keeping your skin clear and blemish free.

Leafy greens are the vegetables most missing from the American diet, and many of us never learned how to prepare them. Start with the very simple recipe below. Then each time you go to the market, pick up a new green to try. Soon you’ll find your favorite greens and wonder how you ever lived without them.

Recipe: Roasted Root Veggies

October 8, 2010

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Recipe: Roasted Root Veggies

(This recipe appeared in the October, 2010 issue of A Healthy You.)

Ingredients

1 sweet potato
2 parsnips
2 carrots
2 turnips or 1 large rutabaga
1 daikon radish (or substitute/add in your favorites, like squash)
olive oil
salt and pepper
herbs: rosemary, thyme or sage (fresh if possible)

Directions

1.    Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2.    Wash and chop all vegetables into large bite-sized pieces.
3.    Place in a large baking dish with sides.
4.    Drizzle with olive oil; mix well to coat each vegetable lightly with oil.
5.    Sprinkle with salt, pepper and herbs.
Bake uncovered for 25-35 minutes until vegetables are tender and golden brown, checking every 10 minutes to stir and make sure veggies are not sticking.

Any combination of vegetables will work. Roasting only one kind of vegetable also makes a nice side dish.

Archive for vegetables

Recipe: Easy Beans and Greens

Easy Beans and Greens

Ingredients

Directions

Recipe: Zucchini & Mushroom No-Pasta Lasagna

Recipe: Zucchini & Mushroom No-Pasta Lasagna