Hungarian Chickpeas!

Photo by Janet Malowany

Holy bean love, people...these are insanely delicious! This recipe is one of my favorites from my third cookbook, Radiance 4 Life. It's very quick and easy to put together, but does require smoked paprika. You can usually find this divine elixir of spice in health food stores, many supermarkets, and most international food markets. It's worth the (relatively inexpensive) purchase though - smoked paprika will lend a rich, earthy, complex flavor like nothing else. It's also great sprinkled on babaganoush or hummus, or as a seasoning for a wide variety of dishes.

So, without further delay...

Hungarian Chickpeas!

▪ 15 oz. can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed and drained

▪ 2 tablespoons pitted and quartered kalamata olives (or other Greek olives)

▪ 2 tablespoons each: raisins, chopped cilantro, and minced yellow or white onion

▪ 1 tablespoon each: extra-virgin olive oil and raw agave nectar

▪ 2 teaspoons each: dijon mustard, fresh lime juice, and smoked paprika

▪ 1 teaspoon dried oregano

▪ 2 large cloves garlic, minced or pressed

▪ ½ teaspoon sea salt

Combine all of the ingredients and stir very well. Serve cold or at room temperature. This will keep, refrigerated in an airtight container, for up to a week.

 Serves 2/GF/SF/Green (according to the health guidelines in my books)

30 Minutes or Under!

10 Minute Gluten-Free Pasta with Artichokes!

I have an undying love of artichokes and felt like indulging said love yesterday with a big bowl of goodness. And although I'm not gluten-free, I don't like to overdo any one nutrient - so I take lots of breaks from wheat. One of the best ways to do this is with corn-quinoa pasta. Even if you're like me and don't have to avoid gluten, you'll love the flavor, texture, and visual appeal of this healthy pasta!

8 oz. dry corn-quinoa pasta (I use "Ancient Harvest" brand)
Two 15 oz. cans or jars of water-packed artichoke hearts, drained
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
8 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
1/4 cup fresh parsley, minced
lots of black pepper, to taste
sea salt to taste (I use white truffle sea salt for extra deliciousness)

Cook the pasta according to the directions on the package. While the pasta is cooking, place all of the other ingredients in a large bowl and toss well. Once the pasta is al dente, drain and toss with the "sauce." Serve immediately. Enjoy!

Makes 4 servings
GF/SF/Blue (according to the guidelines in my books)

Fresh and Fast Thai Tofu Bowl

Here's a recipe from my third cookbook, Radiance 4 Life. All of the recipes in the book are chock-full of superfoods and, as always, vegan. This recipe is one of my favorites, as it's so satisfying and light, but so delish! Hope you enjoy.

(Photo by Olga Eglite)

Fresh and Fast Thai Tofu Bowl

This colorful dish combines cooked and raw items for a fresh, fast, delicious entrée. It may look like a lot of ingredients, but this really does come together very easily, and the entire dish can be prepared while the rice is cooking.

Rice:

▪ 2 cups water

▪ 1 cup forbidden rice (or long grain brown rice)

▪ 2 teaspoons tamari

Simple Sesame Tofu:

▪ 16 oz. tofu, firm or extra firm (use sprouted tofu if possible)

▪ ¼ cup tamari

▪ 2 teaspoons garlic granules

▪ 2 tablespoons sesame seeds

▪ 2 teaspoons coconut oil

Fresh Veggies:

▪ 2 medium carrots, grated (1 cup grated carrots)

▪ 1 cup finely chopped or shredded cabbage, green or purple

▪ 4 scallions, trimmed and chopped

Final Flavors:

▪ ½ cup Thai sweet red chili sauce

▪ ¼ cup dry-roasted peanuts

▪ ¼ cup (packed) fresh basil, cut into thin ribbons

1. Place the water, rice, and the 2 teaspoons tamari in a pressure cooker, rice cooker, or pot with a tight fitting lid. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer until the rice is tender (about 20 minutes in a pressure cooker or 45 minutes otherwise).

2. While the rice is cooking, get the tofu ready for action. Slice into 8 slabs and place on paper towels in a single layer. Cover with more paper towels and place a cutting board or cookie sheet over the top. Weight it down with something heavy such as a gallon of water or a case of strawberry kombucha.

3. While the tofu is pressing, prepare the rest of your ingredients and set them aside. To crush the peanuts (and trust me, you want them crushed), place them in a sealed plastic bag. Roll over the bag with a rolling pin or smash the bag with another heavy object. My daughter finds a large spoon quite fun and effective for this task. Set aside.

4. To finish the tofu: Remove the tofu from the pressing situation it’s in and cut into ½-inch cubes or little triangles—and yes, technically speaking, triangles are cuter. Next, place in a single layer on a plate and sprinkle with the ¼ cup tamari. Turn the pieces so that they’re evenly coated with the tamari. Sprinkle evenly with the garlic granules and sesame seeds. Heat a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat and add the coconut oil. When melted, add the tofu and stir-fry for about 5 minutes, or until the tofu is golden-browned on all sides.

5. To bowl up your entrée: Place some rice in each bowl and top with carrots, cabbage, and scallions. Place some tofu on top of that and drizzle with some Sweet Red Chili Sauce. Sprinkle with peanuts and basil and serve immediately.

Serves 4/GF/Green (according to the health guidelines in my books)

5 Minute Vegan Buffalo Bites!

I was feeling mighty snacky yesterday and wanted something along the lines of the Vegan Buffalo Wings from my favorite vegetarian restaurant, Watercourse in Denver. Speaking of which, please do yourself a favor if you're ever in the Denver area and stop on by that place. Mmm mmm goodness!

However, I wanted a relatively healthy and uber-quick version of their yummy treat (they make theirs with breaded, deep fried seitan). This is what I came up with - it's a keeper in my book and I hope you enjoy it as well!

14 oz. container extra-firm tofu (use sprouted tofu if possible)
3 tablespoons non-virgin coconut oil

3 tablespoons tamari
1/4 cup hot sauce (a basic, inexpensive cayenne hot sauce works well)
1/2 cup cornmeal or dry polenta

1. Cut the tofu into 8 slabs and press with paper towels to remove excess moisture. Cut the tofu into strips, then into small rectangles (about 1/2-inch x 1-inch in size).
2. Heat a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat and add the oil.
3. Sprinkle the tamari and hot sauce evenly over the tofu.
4. Add the tofu to the skillet and sprinkle the cornmeal on top. Stir-fry immediately to coat the tofu evenly with the cornmeal.
5. Continue to stir-fry until the tofu is golden-browned on all sides, about 3-5 minutes. Serve plain, with additional hot sauce, or vegan ranch dressing for dipping. Yeah baybay!!

Serves 4
GF/Blue (according to the guidelines in my books)
30 Minutes or Under!

Tip: For the vegan ranch, I'd suggest using Vegenaise lowfat vegan mayo as the base - I love it because it's made with flax and olive oils (And it tastes great, despite being lower in fat!). If you need a recipe, check out this one from VegWeb - OR buy my new book next month! There's a recipe in it for "Guilt-Free Ranch Dressing" that's yum!

Raw Moroccan Quinoa Spinach Toss

This recipe has been adapted from my book, Radiant Health, Inner Wealth. The recipe in RHIW calls for barley, but I'm loving it with this quinoa variation! I recently demonstrated this at a local health food store, and everyone was really impressed with how delicious it was, given how healthy and easy to make it is!

Raw Moroccan Quinoa Spinach Toss

I could live on this stuff! It’s fat-free, raw, nourishing, easy to make, and tasty! If you haven’t guessed yet by now, I’m a big fan of Moroccan seasonings—sweet, tart, and savory all at once. Yum!


1 cup dry quinoa, soaked overnight, then rinsed and drained well

Sweet-Savory Sauce:
1 teaspoon each: ground cumin and minced organic orange zest
¾ cup fresh squeezed orange juice
4 teaspoons each: fresh lemon juice and very finely minced onion
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons raw agave nectar

Simple Salad:
½ cup raisins
1 cup (packed) baby spinach, cut into very thin ribbons or minced

Optional:
Fresh mint, minced (about 1½ tablespoons)
Sea salt to taste (even I don’t salt this one, though!)

1. If you haven’t yet soaked the quinoa, you will need to do that first.

2. Stir the sauce ingredients together in a medium sized bowl until well combined.

3. Add the quinoa, raisins, and spinach to the sauce and toss to thoroughly combine.

4. Allow the mixture to marinate for at least 20 minutes, stirring occasionally to saturate the sauce into everything. If you do have the time to marinate this for an hour, that’s even better.

5. After the dish has finished marinating, you can add the mint and/or some salt if you like. If you have leftovers, this will keep for a few days in an airtight container, refrigerated.

Serves about 4-6
GF/SF/Green (according to the health guidelines in my books)

Coconut-Lime Rice

Ooh baby, this is good. Are you ready for a flavor blast? Yes? Then put on your seatbelt and make up a batch of this. It's great served with spicy stir-fried tofu or tempeh and a green salad. Recipe from Radiant Health, Inner Wealth.

Coconut-Lime Rice

Yum. That’s all I have to say on the matter.

½ cup finely minced onion (white, yellow, or red)
4 teaspoons toasted (dark) sesame oil
1 cup each: jasmine (or basmati) rice, water, and coconut milk
2 teaspoons organic lime zest, finely chopped (zest of one lime)
¼ teaspoon dried turmeric

Final Freshlings:
2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
½ teaspoon sea salt
One scallion (green onion), trimmed and chopped
2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
2 large cloves garlic, minced or pressed

Combine the onion, oil, rice, water, coconut milk, zest, and turmeric in a covered pot or rice cooker. Stir well and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer (covered) for about 15 minutes, or until all of the liquid has been absorbed. Stir in the remaining ingredients and serve. Hello, flavor party!

Serves 3; 30 minutes or under! GF/SF/purple (according to the guidelines in my books)

Fresh Greek Delight

This recipe from Radiant Health, Inner Wealth is guaranteed to please!

I first tried this dish in an innovative, family owned Greek restaurant. They, of course, used their own freshly made pita bread as the base. I have recreated this delicious, fresh, and very addictive entrée using pre-made pita bread (or a tortilla) as it’s much quicker and, thus, perfect for everyday eats!

Fresh Greek Delight

½ cup of your favorite hummus

Flat Bread:
One fresh pita bread round (or one 8-inch sprouted or whole grain flour tortilla)*

Toppings Per Flat Bread Round:
½ cup (lightly packed) baby spinach leaves
⅓ cup chopped tomatoes (roma, cherry, or grape tomatoes work well)
6 kalamata olives, pitted and sliced in half
2 tablespoons very thinly sliced red onion (several thin rings of onion)
1 tablespoon (packed) fresh basil, sliced into ribbons

Grand Finale: 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

1. Preheat the oven to 350° F. Place your pita bread (or tortilla) directly on a rack in the oven and allow it to become lightly browned. This should only take about 5-10 minutes.

2. Remove the flat bread from the oven and place it on your plate. Spread the ½ cup of hummus evenly over the top of it. Next, evenly distribute the spinach, tomatoes, olives, onion, and basil on top of the hummus. Drizzle with the additional olive oil and serve immediately.

Serves 1; 30 minutes or under! GF (with substitution)/SF/Blue (according to the guidelines in my books)

*If you are gluten intolerant, you may try a 100% sprouted grain tortilla or use a gluten-free tortilla.

Sesame Tofu with Fresh Basil and Thai Sweet Chili Sauce

Ever wonder what to do with tofu? You're not alone. This is currently a crisis in our modern world, and I'm here to help. I will not rest until every food eating citizen learns to love at least one tofu dish. Why do I care so much? Because this poor innocent food has been wrongly accused of being tasteless for far too long.

And the reason it's often tasteless is poor preparation. No you can NOT just throw some plain tofu on top of some veggies and serve it on a plate. No, no, NO. Tofu must be prepared with flavor-rich counterparts to bring out its awesomeness. Think of tofu as a neutral, passive food, just waiting for someone to tell it what to do. However, once it has direction, it goes along willingly, ready for any task.

This recipe is from Radiant Health, Inner Wealth and is a favorite amongst both kids and adults. Enjoy!

Sesame Tofu with Fresh Basil and Thai Sweet Chili Sauce

Here is a dish that is very easy to make, yet completely delicious and impressive! If you use both black and brown sesame seeds, it will look beautiful as well. You can serve this plain or alongside some rice or Asian noodles. This is also a hit with kids. The last time I served this to a group of children, I was asked: “How do you spell good dinner?”

1 lb. tofu, extra-firm (not silken)
½ cup “Thai Sweet Chili Sauce” (found in the Asian section of most supermarkets)

Flavor that Tofu:
1 teaspoon dried garlic granules
2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons tamari, shoyu, or soy sauce
2 tablespoons liquid vegetarian broth

Crispy Coating:
¾ cup sesame seeds (preferably a mixture of black and brown sesame seeds)
1 tablespoon dry cornmeal
2 tablespoons rice flour (or whole wheat pastry flour)

Pan-Frying: 3-4 tablespoons oil (sunflower, non-virgin olive, or coconut)

Garnish: 4 teaspoons fresh basil, minced or cut into thin ribbons

1. Cut the tofu into eight slabs. Press the tofu between paper towels to remove excess moisture for at least 30 minutes.
2. Flavor that tofu! Remove the tofu from the paper towels and cut it into triangles that are about two inches in size. Place the pieces in a single layer on a plate. Combine the garlic, ginger, and tamari. Pour this mixture over the tofu, turning the pieces to coat all sides with the marinade. When most of the liquid has been absorbed, pour the broth over the tofu to moisten it. This will help bind the coating to the tofu.
3. Place the seeds, cornmeal, and flour in a large plastic bag and shake well to combine.
4. In a large skillet or wok, heat the oil over medium-high heat.
5. Place several of the tofu triangles in the bag and gently shake to thoroughly coat the tofu with the breading. When the oil in the pan becomes hot, add the tofu in a single layer.
6. When the tofu pieces are golden brown and crisp on the bottom, turn them over. When both sides are golden and crisped, remove and allow them to drain on paper towels.
7. Repeat steps 5 and 6 until all of the tofu has been used up.
8. Distribute the tofu onto four plates. Shake or stir the chili sauce and drizzle it evenly over the tofu. Top each portion with one teaspoon of the fresh basil and serve immediately. One final note: Once you begin eating this dish, you may inadvertently begin cursing loudly to yourself due to the excessive yumminess present on your plate. Don’t be alarmed—this is a standard reaction and will subside when you’re done.

Serves 4; GF/Purple (according to the guidelines in Radiant Health, Inner Wealth)

Tomato, Basil, and Roasted Pine Nut Penne

Know any people with bad attitudes about vegan food? This dish will totally mess with their heads. Put some “Green Bread," “Spinach Strawberry Salad," and “Chocolate Bliss Pie" on the table as well and you may even score yourself some stalkers. Also, because this sauce isn’t cooked, you can throw this entrée together in about twenty minutes!


This recipe is from Radiant Health, Inner Wealth.


Photo by Michelle McCluggage









16 oz. penne pasta (or gluten-free pasta if you are gluten intolerant)

2½ cups grape or cherry tomatoes
½ cup kalamata olives, pitted and chopped (or other high quality Greek olives)
5 large cloves garlic, pressed or minced
¼ cup olive oil (regular or extra-virgin)
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons sea salt (or less if you prefer)
Lots of freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
¼ cup pine nuts
½ cup (packed) fresh basil, cut into thin ribbons or chopped

1. Cook the pasta according to the directions on its former home.
2. While the penne is cooking, you can toss the sauce together. First, wash the tomatoes and cut them in half. Place them in the largest bowl you have. No bowl is too big.
3. Add the chopped kalamatas, garlic, oil, lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper to the giant bowl. Gently toss well to combine.
4. Toast the pine nuts in a dry pan over medium-low heat until they are aromatic and lightly browned, shaking the pan often so that they cook evenly. Watch them closely, as this process will take well under 5 minutes. As soon as they are done, remove them from heat and set aside.
5. When the pasta is al dente, drain it well in a colander or strainer. Add it to the big bowl and toss it with the sauce. Mix well to combine. Add the pine nuts and basil. Toss lightly and serve immediately. Gloat.

Serves 6-8
30 minutes or under! GF (with substitution)/SF/Purple