10 Ways to Use ZUCCHINI!!!

Yes, the excessive exclamation points are there for a reason. I have an overly enthusiastic, never ending, borderline obsessive love for summer squash, aka zucchini. I don't seem to ever get sick of the stuff! Chock full of fiber, vitamins, and general veggie goodness, zucchini are incredibly versatile and delicious when prepared with care.

So here are some of my favorite ways to use zucchini. Which will come in handy for people like me on days like today when several friends give me all their extra zucchini. Yes, I have 25 zucchinis in my fridge. And I'm not the least bit concerned! Because....

You Can Use Zucchini in So Many Ways! Here are 10 For Starters:

1. Make a simple, yet super delicious pasta sauce: Peel, chop, and steam 2 cups of zucchini. Blend with 2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice and 2 tablespoons of vegan butter (I use Earth Balance). Add salt and pepper to taste. Pour over whole grain pasta and top with cut chives or scallions. Add a dash of paprika for color and viola! The perfect entree.

2. Have a LOT of zucchini and not sure you can use it all up in time? Lengthen their lives by dehydrating them! Zucchini chips are a delicious, nutritious snack and even kids flip for them! The recipe for "Zucchini Chips To Dry For" is from my first book, Radiant Health, Inner Wealth, and is also here on my blog.

3. Have a spiralizer? Make raw zucchini noodles! They're especially delish topped with vegan pesto (fresh basil, roasted pine nuts, xvoo, and plenty of garlic).

4. I've been doing this almost daily: Cut zucchini into slabs, then place on a cookie sheet. Top with seasoned salt, garlic granules, dry polenta, and pepper. Spray with olive oil and bake at 400 F until browned on both sides (you will have to flip them midway). This usually takes about 10 minutes per side.

5. For a super simple wrap, steam zucchini (or make some "Anna's Zucchini" from Radiant Health, Inner Wealth) and place in a sprouted grain tortilla. Sprinkle with nutritional yeast, pepper, and a bit of Daiya vegan cheese. Sounds odd, but I find it ODDLY addictive. ;-)

6. Grate up some zucchini and squeeze the water from it. Combine it with grated or mashed potatoes, cornmeal, and spices. Pan-fry for zucchini potato latkes.

7. These September Surprise Muffins are one of my daughter's favorites. Even the frootloop-eating kids at her school were begging for seconds!

8. Zucchini are a crucial component in veggie fajitas. Chop them up, add some spices, and pan-fry along with mushrooms, onions, and red bell peppers. Roll them up in a sprouted tortilla along with beans, fresh salsa, and guacamole. Satisfaction!

9. Grilled zucchini is my love child. Why, do you ask? Because. Because I love it so much it hurts. To make this painfully delicious treat, brush zucchini slabs with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, fresh garlic, and sea salt. Grill until very tender. Eat plain - you don't want anything else up in your business at this point.

10. Grate raw zucchini into salads and veggie wraps.

Yes, I could go on and on! But I won't. Instead, I will post this and let you get on with the important work of making zucchini happiness part of your own life. Happy zucchiniing! (it's a word)

Ten Ways with Cabbage!

Cabbage! Yes, it deserves an exclamation point. It's not only jam packed with nutrients, fiber, antioxidants, and anti-cancer compounds - it's also delicious and versatile.

However, when I asked what veggie people were most unsure about how to use, cabbage was one of the most common answers. So, I wanted to dedicate a blog post just for the love of cabbage. Are you ready? Let's ride!


10 Ways to Use Cabbage:

1. Saute cabbage along with garlic, mushrooms, salt, pepper, and shredded carrots. Wrap in phyllo and bake for delicious "egg rolls." Dip in sweet chili sauce or plum sauce for an extra kick.

2. Toss shredded purple cabbage with lime juice, agave nectar, minced fresh ginger, and chili flakes. Salt to taste and serve cold.

3. For an easy, impressive Asian side dish: Toss shredded green and/or purple cabbage with toasted sesame oil, toasted sesame seeds, agave nectar, tamari, garlic, and fresh ginger. Serve over spinach and top with crunchy sesame sticks. Garnish with a lime wedge.

4. I once hosted a potluck and one of the guests brought the most delicious cabbage rolls - you know, one of those dishes you just never forget! She simply made a stuffing of blended cashews, barley, lemon juice, shredded carrots, onions, sea salt, and garlic. Then, she placed a little of the filling in each cabbage leaf, wrapped them up, and steamed them until soft. So good! You can also do a more traditional tomato-based stuffing using crumbled tempeh or tofu along with Italian seasonings.

5. Speaking of potlucks, I attended one in Florida last month that included another unforgettable cabbage dish. The woman had just picked the (green) cabbage that morning, chopped it, and added the following: fresh ginger juice, turmeric, lemon juice, and sea salt. It sounds simple, but I had about four helpings. Freaking addictive.

6. For a simple vegan coleslaw, just substitute reduced fat (or regular) Vegenaise for mayo in your favorite coleslaw recipe. And yes, I do prefer the reduced fat Vegenaise, as it's made with better oils (flax and olive) than the other kinds. Most health food stores carry it.

7. For me, cabbage is one of the best ways to garnish Mexican fare. It adds color, nutrition, and crunch! I like to use raw, chopped red cabbage to top tostadas, burritos, tacos, and baked chimichangas.

8. Fresh spring rolls (aka summer rolls) always benefit with the addition of cabbage. In a soaked rice paper wrapper, place some red cabbage, shredded carrots, crushed peanuts, cilantro, lettuce, and basil. Wrap up and serve cold with sweet chili sauce for dipping. For those of you with my books, you'll find a plethora of detailed fresh spring roll recipes in both. Yes, I'm an addict.

9. I just asked my daughter (a cabbage lover from way back) what her favorite way to eat cabbage was. Her response: "Take a piece of lettuce. Put a cabbage leaf in it. Put a raspberry or strawberry inside and roll it all up." (I think anything with berries involved has a chance with her.)

10. For simple Thai curried cabbage: Stir-fry napa cabbage in some coconut milk, red curry paste, and fresh ginger. If desired, add some agave nectar and sea salt. Cook just until the cabbage is wilted and bright green (well under 5 minutes). Serve plain or with brown basmati rice.

Thanks so much for stopping by!

What to do with Cucumbers!

Cucumbers...those juicy little devils! Personally, I equate eating a cucumber with taking a dip in a lake on a hot summer day. They are so replenishing, nourishing, and alkalinizing to the body. And also quite delicious, especially when flavored up.


Here are my top five ways to use this cool vegetable:

1. One of my all-time favorite veggie recipes, from my book Radiant Health, Inner Wealth:

Indian Kuchumber Salad

Here is the boom-boom that I love to pile on my plate at Indian buffets. Except all organic-like.

1¾ cups diced cucumber (one medium cucumber), peel left on if organic
½ cup chopped tomato (or halved grape or cherry tomatoes)
¾ cup diced red onion (or white or yellow)
2 tablespoons each: fresh lime juice and non-virgin olive oil (or sunflower oil)
½ teaspoon each: sea salt and ground black pepper
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
Optional: 1 teaspoon untoasted (raw) black sesame seeds

Gently toss all of the ingredients together until very well combined. Serve cold or at room temperature.

Serves 4; 30 minutes or under! GF/SF/Green (according to the health guidelines in my books)
 
2. Toss thinly sliced cucumbers with fresh dill, lime juice, agave nectar, sea salt, and cracked pepper. Marinate in the fridge and enjoy cold or at room temperature.
 
3. Top sprouted grain toast points with herbed vegan cream cheese, very thinly sliced cucumber, and kalamata olives. Elegant, simple, delicious.
 
4. Toss with fresh tomatoes, fresh basil, roasted garlic, olive oil, and sea salt. Marinate and serve at room temperature. Mmmmm.
 
5. For a simple, healthy lunch-on-the-go: First you get a nice, sprouted grain tortilla. Then you top it like so: hummus, chopped cucumbers, fresh basil, chopped tomatoes, spinach, and thinly sliced red onions. If you like, add some kalamata olives for extra flair.
 
Thanks so much for stopping by.
And I hope you are eating your veggies every day...and loving them! Cheers to a healthy, happy lifestyle!

What to Do With Eggplant!

I used to be one of those people who looked at eggplant in the store and thought: "It's so pretty, shiny, and sexy....but what in the world would I do with it?" Well, since then, I can tell you: "Plenty!" Eggplant is now one of my most used and beloved veggie staples.

It's also one of those foods that has to be prepared correctly in order to be delicious and to have the right texture. Some of the mistakes many people make with eggplant are: Not cooking it long enough (undercooked eggplant = yuck!), using way too much oil, and not adding enough flavoring. Eggplant is like tofu - it's rather neutral and, if you listen closely, is begging quite persistently to be well flavored.

So, as I've also received requests for this lovely vegetable as part of my Fruits and Veggies month here on the RHIW blog, today is all about eggplant. Delectable, gorgeous, nutrient-packed eggplant!

What Do You Do With Eggplant?

1. Looking for a new addiction? These eggplant chips from Radiant Health, Inner Wealth are joneser. You'll want to eat the whole pan.

2. Cube eggplant (no need to peel) and saute in a large skillet with lots of fresh garlic, olive oil, and a little tamari. Stir-fry until very tender. So simple. SO good.

3. Slice eggplant very thinly and cut into strips. Marinate in beet juice, garlic, olive oil, tamari, and a little liquid smoke. From there, you can either "cook" in a food dehydrator or bake until crisp. And voila - eggplant bacon! Great with lettuce, tomato, and vegenaise on sprouted grain toast for an ELT sammy.

4. Cube eggplant and stir-fry with chopped tomatoes, coconut milk, coconut oil, onions, chickpeas, and your favorite Indian spice blend. When the eggplant is very tender, serve the curry over rice.

5. For easy peezy vegan eggplant parmesan: Slice thinly into rounds and dip in nondairy milk. Dredge in whole wheat pastry flour and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Spray with olive oil and bake until golden brown. Top with organic pasta sauce, vegan cheese, and fresh basil. YUM.

Please tune in on Monday when the fruit or veggie of the day will be...