So Easy, Why Not? Broccoli with Garlic Crumbs

1 - 1 lb. bag of "steam in the bag" broccoli florets
1 tbsp. earth balance or butter
1 1/2 tsp. minced garlic
1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
1/4 tsp. sea salt

Prepare broccoli according to directions.

Meanwhile, melt butter in a small sauce pan over medium low heat. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Remove from heat and add bread crumbs and salt. Mix well.

Transfer cooked broccoli to a bowl, add bread crumbs and mix well.

EASY and GOOD!

Fish Cakes

1 pound white fish filets
1 small onion, minced
1 tbsp. low sodium soy sauce
2 tsp. old bay seasoning
1 cup Simply Potatoes hashbrowns
1 tbsp. olive oil

Cut fish into chunks and place in a food processor; pulse into a thick puree - make sure not to process it too much. Transfer the fish to a bowl and add potatoes, onion, soy sauce and old bay and mix well.

Using wet hands, shape into 8 fish cakes.

Heat oil in a large non-stick pan over medium heat. Cook until they feel firm when pressed, 7 minutes per side.

Israeli Couscous with Broiled Vegetables

1 1/2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1 tsp. minced garlic
3 tbsp. olive oil, divided
1 medium zucchini, cut into 1/2" thick slices
1 medium yellow summer squash, cut into 1/2" thick slices
1 red bell pepper, cut into 1/2" thick slices
1 green bell pepper, cut into 1/2" thick slices
1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
3/4 cup uncooked Israeli couscous
1 - 14.5 oz. can vegetable broth

Whisk together 1 1/2 tbsp. balsamic, 1 tsp. garlic, 2 tbsp. oil and salt & pepper to taste.

Preheat broiler. Toss veggies (minus onion) in the dressing. Let stand 5 minutes.

Broil the marinaded veggies 5 - 7 inches from the heat, turning over once, until golden brown, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and cut into 1" pieces once cooled.

Saute onion in 1 tbsp oil in a saute pan, 2 minutes. Add couscous and saute, stirring frequently, 2 minutes. Add broth and bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer covered until couscous is tender, 10 minutes. Uncover and cook another minute. Set aside to cool.

Combine couscous and vegetables. Serve at room temperature or cool and serve as a cold salad.

Quinoa, Black Beans & Corn

• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 tbsp. minced garlic
• 3/4 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed and drained
• 1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 cup corn kernels
• 1- 15 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained

Heat the oil in a medium saute pan over medium heat. Stir in the onion, bell pepper and garlic, and sauté until lightly browned, 6 minutes.

Mix quinoa into the pan and cover with vegetable broth. Season with cumin, cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes.

Stir corn & black beans into the saucepan, and continue to simmer, uncovered, about 5 minutes until heated through.

Yields 8 servings.

Baked Lemon Garlic Shrimp

1 1/4 pound(s) shrimp, peeled and deveined
Cooking spray
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 Tbsp Earth Balance (or butter), melted
1 tbsp. minced garlic
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
Fresh ground pepper
2 Tbsp parsley, chopped

Preheat oven to 425°F.

Arrange shrimp in a single layer in a baking dish coated with cooking spray. Combine lemon juice, melted butter, garlic and Worcestershire and pour over shrimp. Season with fresh ground pepper.

Bake at 425°F for 8 minutes.

Sprinkle parsley over shrimp; serve immediately.

Yield: 4 servings

NOTE: The photo shows this recipe cut in half - for two people.

Pumpkin Cookies

1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup unbleached flour
1/4 cup rolled oats
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup agave nectar
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
8 ounces firm tofu, blended in a food processor until smooth
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Sugar in the raw

Preheat oven to 375F.

Mix the flours, oats, baking soda, spices, and salt in a mixing bowl. Mix the agave nectar, pumpkin, tofu, and vanilla in another bowl. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir just until well-blended. Do not over-stir.

Use a cookie scoop or tablespoon to drop rounded tablespoons of dough at least two inches apart on a baking sheet lined with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper. Flatten each cookie slightly with a fork. Sprinkle with sugar. Bake for 10-16 minutes or until edges are golden and middles seem done. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes before transferring each cookie to a wire rack. Allow to cool completely before serving.

Makes 2 dozen cookies

Salsa Grits with Pan Fried Fish

Salsa Grits
4 cups vegetable broth
16 oz. salsa
1 cup Albers Quick Grits
1 cup shredded soy, rice or regular cheddar cheese

Bring broth to a boil over medium-high head. Stir in salsa and grits. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally for 20 minutes. Stir in cheese. Remove from heat, cover and let stand for 5 minutes. Stir until blended.

Pan Fried Fish
2 fish filets - such as snapper, tilapia or cod
1/4 cup flour
2 1/2 tsp. cajun seasoning (see recipe below)
1/2 tsp. dried parsley
1 tbsp. earth balance or butter
1 tbsp. olive oil

Mix together flour, cajun seasoning and parsley. Dredge fish in flour mixture to cover both sides. Heat earth balance and olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add filets and cook 3 minutes per side. Serve on or with the grits.

Cajun Seasoning
1 tbsp. paprika
2 tsp. sea salt
1 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
Pinch of cayenne
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. ground mustard

Mix all ingredients and enjoy it on fish, chicken, steaks and veggies. This will make way more than what you need for this recipe.

Anniversary Dinner: Lobster, Asparagus, Fingerling Potatoes & Garlic Bread

Boiled Lobster
It is important to select a pot big enough to hold enough water to cover the lobsters completely. Bring the water to a rolling boil and add 1 tablespoon salt per quart of water. Put the lobsters in claws first and begin timing from the moment the water comes back to a boil.

For 1 pound: 5 minutes
1 1/8 pounds: 6 minutes
1 1/4 pounds: 8 minutes
1 1/2 to 2 pounds: 8 to 10 minutes
more than 2 pounds : 12 minutes

Asparagus
• 4 paper towels
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 bunch fresh asparagus, 1 to 1 ½ inches cut off the bottom
• 1 tbsp butter (or Earth Balance if you don’t eat dairy)
• Salt & Pepper

Pour the water onto 4 paper towels. Spread out the paper towels and lay the asparagus on top of the dampened towels. Sprinkle with the salt. Roll up the asparagus in the dampened towels. Lay the bundle, seam side down, in the microwave. Microwave on high until the asparagus is just crisp tender, about 3 to 4 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat the butter in a sauté pan. Remove the asparagus from the microwave using tongs and carefully unwrap. Add the asparagus to the heated butter, generously season with salt & pepper, and sauté for another 3-5 minutes.

Roasted Fingerling Potatoes
• 1 1/2 pounds small fingerling potatoes, cleaned
• 2 tsp. minced garlic
• Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling, 1 to 2 tablespoons
• Salt and pepper

Heat oven to 500 degrees F.

Spread potatoes out on a cookie sheet. Rub garlic onto each potato. Coat lightly with extra-virgin olive oil and season potatoes with salt and pepper. Roast until tender, about 20 minutes. Turn the potatoes and roast another 5 minutes.

Garlic Bread
• 2 tsp. minced garlic
• 1 tbsp. butter (or Earth Balance if you don't eat dairy)
• 1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 large sour dough sandwich roll, split
• Dried parsley
• Paprika

Combine garlic, butter, and oil in a small saucepan, heat over moderate-low heat for 3 minutes.

Brush bread liberally with garlic oil. Sprinkle with dried parsley & paprika. Put under the broiler and brown until golden, about 3 minutes.

Lentil Chili

8 cups vegetable broth
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 large red bell pepper, chopped
2 tbsp. minced garlic
4 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. ground dry mustard
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1 - 16 oz. package lentils
2 - 15 oz. cans diced tomatoes with onion, celery & green pepper

Spray a soup pot with cooking spray. Add onion, bell pepper and garlic and cook about 8 minutes, until onion and pepper are tender. Stir in chili powder, cumin, ground mustard and salt and cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add lentils, tomatoes and broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, partially covered, stirring once in a while, 45 minutes or until lentils are tender. Uncover and cook 10 minutes.

Makes 8 - 1 & 1/3 cup servings.

Black Eyed Pea Stuffed Bell Peppers

2 large green bell peppers
1 tsp. olive oil
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1 jalapeno, minced
1/2 cup chopped carrots
2 tsp. minced garlic
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. thyme
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1 can Rotel tomatoes
1 - 15 oz. can Southern Style black eyed peas, drained

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Cut the tops from the bell peppers, remove seeds and membrane. Submerge them into boiling water, cover and boil for 5 minutes. Drain and set aside.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a saute pan over medium-high heat. Saute the onions, jalapeno, carrots and garlic for about 6 minutes. Add the bay leaf and other spices and cook for another minute. Add the Rotel and black eyed peas. Stir and cook for 10 minutes - 5 minutes covered and 5 minutes uncovered.

Remove the bay leaf. Spoon the mixture into each pepper. Place the peppers into a sprayed pan and bake for 25 minutes.

Yum!

Vegan Quiche

For the Custard:

1 pound extra firm tofu, drained
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. turmeric
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 1/2 tbsp. Dijon mustard
1 tbsp. lemon juice
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes

For the Veggies:

1 tsp. olive oil
1/3 of a yellow onion, chopped
1 small head of broccoli, chopped
1 medium zucchini, chopped
1/2 cup frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed of any water
1 - 4 oz. can hot green chilies

Add the olive oil to a saute pan and cook the onion, broccoli and zucchini until starting to soften, 4 minutes. Season with salt & pepper and add in the chilies and spinach and cook another minute. Remove from heat and set aside.

Combine all of the custard ingredients into a food processor and blend until smooth and creamy, stopping to scrape sides as necessary. Mix the veggies and custard and transfer to a sprayed pie dish. Bake 30-35 minutes until golden and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool at least 10 minutes before slicing.

Yields 8 slices.

Friday Night Filet of Sole

2 Filets of Sole
1/2 cup Panko bread crumbs
1 tbsp. dried parsley
1 tsp. minced garlic
Old Bay seasoning
Juice from 1/4 lemon

Preheat oven to 450F.

In a small bowl, combine the bread crumbs, parsley and garlic, and mix well with a fork. Set aside.

Place Sole on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet, sprinkle with Old Bay seasoning and drizzle with lemon juice. Press a light layer of the bread crumb mixture on top of each filet. Bake 8 1/2 minutes.

Enjoy!

Yellow Split Pea Soup

• 1 lb. Yellow Split Peas, picked over
• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 2 yellow onions, chopped
• 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
• 2 celery stalks, chopped
• 2 medium leeks (white & pale green parts), rinsed and chopped
• 1 medium green bell pepper, chopped
• 2 tsp. minced garlic
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tsp. dried thyme
• 1 tsp. sea salt
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 6 cups water
• Salt & pepper, to taste

In a large soup pot, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Sauté onions, carrots, celery, leeks, bell pepper and garlic, until vegetables soften and begin to brown, stirring frequently, about 10 minutes. Add water, broth, bay leaf, thyme, salt and peas and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, until peas dissolve and soup thickens, about 1 1/2 - 2 hours, until peas are soft. Add salt & pepper, to taste.

Yields 6 - 1 1/2 cup servings.

Cajun Blackened Tuna over Israeli Couscous

Cajun Blackened Tuna

2 albacore tuna steaks
2 tbsp earth balance (or butter)
Cajun Seasoning (recipe below)

Preheat oven to 500F.

Season both sides of the tuna liberally with Cajun Seasoning (recipe below). Put tuna in a hot skillet over high heat and sear each side for one minute. Transfer tuna to a broiler pan, top each steak with 1 tbsp earth balance (or butter) and place in oven. Cook 7 minutes for medium. Cook longer for well done steaks.

Cajun Seasoning:

1 tbsp. paprika
2 tsp. sea salt
1 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
Pinch of cayenne
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. ground mustard

Mix all ingredients and enjoy it on fish, chicken, steaks and veggies. This will make way more than what you need for this recipe.

Israeli Couscous

1 cup Israeli couscous
1 1/4 cup vegetable broth, warmed
1/2 yellow onion, finely chopped
1 tsp. minced garlic
1 tsp. earth balance (or butter)
salt & pepper

Saute the onion and garlic in olive oil over a medium heat until the onions turns tender and translucent, about 8 minutes. Add a few more dashes of olive oil and the couscous, stir well. Pour in the warm vegetable broth, bring to a boil and reduce heat to a simmer. Cover, and simmer 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Once ready, stir in the earth balance (or butter). Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

DELISH!

Potato Casserole

2 large Russet potatoes, washed & peeled
1/2 yellow onion
5 tablespoons Earth Balance, melted
1/2 cup Vegetable Broth
Salt & Pepper

Pre heat oven to 425 F.

Thinly slice potatoes, about 1/16" thick, thinly slice the onion, then toss with butter, 1/2 tsp. salt & 1/2 tsp. pepper. Spread evenly in a sprayed 2 quart baking dish and add broth. Cover tightly with foil and bake 30 minutes. Uncover, stir the potatoes and bake, stirring a few more times, until the stock is absorbed, about another 30 minutes.

Serves 4.