Rosemary Mushroom Strudel

photo by Olga Vasiljeva

Recipe from Radiant Health, Inner Wealth

Mushroom lovers, this dish was made for you (us)! There is nothing like a medley of well flavored mushrooms to delight the palate and nourish the body. If you are gluten intolerant, you can substitute pan-fried polenta for the puff pastry. However you end up, this is a delicious, easy, and impressive way to begin a meal. Oh, and yes, this is a great side dish for Thanksgiving!

Rosemary Mushroom Strudel

½ lb. frozen puff pastry dough (thawed according to the package directions)*

Mushroom Mania:

1 cup thinly sliced shiitake mushroom caps

1½ cups (3 oz.) sliced or chopped portabella mushroom caps

1½ teaspoons fresh rosemary leaf, chopped

½ teaspoon each: dried thyme and fresh lime juice

¼ teaspoon each: organic sugar and ground black pepper

5 large cloves garlic, minced or pressed

½ teaspoon sea salt

1 tablespoon each: balsamic vinegar, tamari (or shoyu or soy sauce), and olive oil (or rosemary-infused olive oil)

Garnish:

1 tablespoon olive oil or rosemary infused olive oil

1 teaspoon each: dried minced onion and fresh rosemary leaf, chopped

1. Preheat the oven to 400° F. Sauté all of the ingredients for the mushroom mania medley (mmm...) over medium heat for 5-10 minutes, or until all of the liquid is absorbed.

2. Cut the puff pastry into 3-inch squares. Alternatively, you can opt for fun shapes, made using cookie cutters. Place the pastry pieces on lightly oiled cookie sheets, leaving just a little room in between so they can puff out. Top them evenly with the mushroom medley.

3. Drizzle the additional olive oil evenly on top of them and sprinkle with the dried onion and rosemary. Bake for about 10 minutes, or until the pastry is golden brown. Serve immediately.

Serves 4; 30 minutes or under! GF (with polenta)/Purple (according to the health guidelines in my books)

*To substitute polenta for the puff pastry, simply follow the directions for making polenta on page 94 of RHIW. When the polenta is firm (after chilling overnight), cut it into squares or shapes and pan-fry it until golden browned on both sides. Top the hot, pan-fried polenta pieces with the cooked mushroom mixture, sprinkle with the garnishes, and serve.

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)

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

The Perfect Party Pleaser: Gourmet Vegan Mini-Pizzas

Happy holidays, my friends!

Today I've decided to post one of my favorite crowd pleasin' recipes from my 2nd edition of Radiant Health, Inner Wealth. They're easy to make and mouth-wateringly delish. Literally. I just started salivating....

Hope you enjoy!



Artichoke, Kalamata, & Sun-Dried Tomato Mini-Pizzas with Garlic and Rosemary

Do I even need to give you the recipe after a title that long? Although these are quick and easy, they’re always a huge hit! Absolutely divine and seemingly gourmet, this recipe takes less than 20 minutes, start to finish. I’ve left the measurements fairly loose, as it’s sometimes nice to just make one of these (and sometimes nice to make twenty). Please don’t be bashful with your toppings—just pile on the good stuff!

High quality crusty sourdough bread, cut into ½-inch thick slices
Fresh garlic, minced or pressed (about 2 cloves per slice of bread)

Toppings:
Kalamata olives, pitted and chopped (about 4-5 olives per slice of bread)
Marinated artichoke hearts, drained* (about 2-3 artichoke hearts per slice of bread)
Marinated sun-dried tomatoes, julienne cut and drained* (1-2 tablespoons per slice of bread)

Finishing Touches:
Dried rosemary leaf, about ½ to 1 teaspoon per slice
Olive oil (regular or extra-virgin), about 2 teaspoons per slice of bread
Sea salt (a light sprinkle per slice of bread)

1. Preheat the oven to 375° F.

2. For each slice of bread, spread the garlic evenly over the top with a knife. Arrange the olives, artichokes, and sun-dried tomatoes on top of the garlic. Sprinkle evenly with the dried rosemary. Drizzle with the olive oil and sprinkle lightly with sea salt.

3. Bake on an ungreased cookie sheet for about 10-20 minutes, or until the bread and toppings are lightly browned. Be careful not to overcook or the rosemary will become bitter.

4. Serve immediately.

Serves: any number of hungry peeps; SF/Purple (according to the guidelines in Radiant Health, Inner Wealth)

*I usually place the artichoke hearts and sun-dried tomatoes in a strainer together to allow the excess marinade to fall away.