Veggies

Almost every veggie tastes delcious roasted. (Tomatoes, peppers, carrots, sweet potatoes, even califlower)
And with spring upon us, the same is true for grilled veggies ! Spray with a little olive oil and shake some Mrs Dash on them for extra flavor -- but plain is good too!

But my current winter favorite lunch is baked sweet potatoe, with a little cooked brown rice and black beans and corn mixed into the flesh and sprinkle a tiny amount of gorgonzola crumbles on top of each half (really, just a small amount is needed). Yummy!

I love edamame - steamed with a dash of sea salt (perfect snack in front of hte TV), I also love fresh veggies...any and all veggies...but if I'm cooking them...i love to steam or sautee in olive oil. Green beans, olive oil, garlic & almonds are delicious and nutritious. Most people hate beets, but they are sooo good boiled, diced with a little bit of sea salt. Cauliflower mash instead of mashed potatoes - is a healthier option (and your kids probably won't even know the difference!!!)

Eggplant is delicious. Grilled or diced up with some crushed tomatoes and garlic and Frank's Red Hot. Yum.

Oh and I love butternut squash. Soup or roasted.

Spinach salad is terrific too!

Look in the frozen veggies section Trader Joes definitely has it, Stop & Shop, Demoulas have them too.

My all-time favourite vegetable is kale. It's so super for your body.

Steamed Kale (side dish)

You will need:
- 2 cups of kale, washed and roughly chopped
- 2 tbsp tahini
- hot tap water
- 1/2 tsp olive oil
- lemon juice
- salt and pepper
- 1 clove of garlic, minced


Prepare the tahini sauce:
In a small bowl, thin the tahini with a bit of very hot tap water. Stir very well. Adjust the consistency- you should add enough water so that the tahini kind of like honey.
Add the olive oil, salt and pepper, garlic and lemon juice to taste. yum yum yum

Steam the kale over boiling water (you can use a colander). This will take only a minute or two if the water's at a rolling boil. You may need to stir the kale around in the colander so that it steams easily.

Pour the sauce over the kale and enjoy!!




Asian-inspired Tofu & Kale (main course)

For the marinade:
- 1 tbsp olive oil or sesame oil
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp garlic and 1 tsp ginger root, minced
- 1 squirt sriracha hot sauce
- 1 tsp agave or maple syrup
- 1/4 cup hot water

Everything else:
- 1/2 package of firm tofu, cut into chunks
- 2 cups of kale, washed and roughly chopped
- 3 or 4 sundried tomatoes, chopped
(other add-ins could include: sesame seeds, bamboo shoots, roasted cashews (to be sprinkled on top at the end))


Mix all ingredients for the marinade together and pour over the tofu. Let the tofu sit in the marinade for at least 5 minutes (you can chop the kale while they get acquainted!).
Put a large frying pan or wok on medium-high heat on the stove. Add a little extra olive oil or sesame oil and let it heat up.
Add the tofu to the pan, reserving some of the marinade liquid. Sautee the tofu until it starts to brown very slightly.
Add the rest of the marinade along with the kale and other ingredients (sundried tomatoes or whatever else you have on hand).
Sautee for another couple of minutes, stirring frequently. Don't let the kale burn!!

I love to saute some red, green, yellow bell peppers along with an onion in a pan with a little EVOO. MMMMM

Also, do the same for squash and zucchini

BUMP!!!