Curry Basil Tofu

Dear little box of Mori-Nu tofu, when you say “firm” what you actually mean was “not firm at all and sliding all over the place.” Just trying to help with the communication gap…

That said, this is what I made with my unexpectedly soft tofu.

What You Need

• 1 box Mori-Nu tofu, “firm” (12.3 oz) OR medium to soft tofu of another brand
• 2 TSB curry powder
• 1 medium onion (chopped)
• 20 leaves of fresh basil (coarsely chopped)
• 1 large fresh tomato (cubed 3/4″)
• 1 cup of dry brown rice

What You Do

1. Start your rice (boil 2 cups of water, dump in rice, reduce to simmer, keep an eye on it)
2. Drain the tofu and “chop” it into smaller pieces. This tofu is not firm, so basically, you’re just making smaller globs of it.
3. Break up the tofu while sautéing it in a pan with a little oil. THe goal is to get some of the liquid out, while browning it just a little bit.
4. Mix the curry powder in a small cup with about 1/4 cup water, then dump the mixture into the cooking tofu. Mix thoroughly.
5. Cook the tofu down so the curry is mixed in well.
6. Add the onion and sauté until translucent.
7. When you’re just about ready to serve, add the tomato. Cook until barely soft.
8. Mix in the basil, and serve over rice.

Gallo Pinto

What You Need

• 1 onion, chopped
• 5 medium cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 cup of uncooked rice
• 1 can of red or black beans (if you want to use dried beans, see instructions below)
• 1.5 Tbs Alfaro Salsa or Salsa Lizano (or purreed onion, carrot, cauliflower, cucumber, cayenne pepper. do not use standard red snacking salsa. this is completely different. some people recommend substituting Worcestershire sauce.)
• oil
• water or broth

What You Do

1. add a little oil to the bottom of a soup pot and brown the dry rice
2. add onion and garlic to the rice and keep stirring the rice
3. add your canned beans (do not rinse) and a cup of water
4. bring to a boil
5. add salsa and reduce heat to a simmer for about 30 min
6. if you are using the simmering dried beans, dump the whole pot (with water) into the rice, boil, add salsa, then simmer for 30 min

If you are using dried beans: (start this 3 days in advance)

1. Soak 1 cup of dry black or red beans in water for two days (day one on the counter, day 2 in the fridge).
2. Drain & rinse the beans, add them to the onions and garlic.
3. Add 4 inches of water, boil for 20 minutes then simmer covered for 5-10 hours (depending on how soft you want them to be).
4. Toss in a small/medium white onion and 1 TBS minced garlic.
5. This is best done in a crock pot ot a big pot on the stove. You will need to check in every 30 minutes or so to make sure there is enough water.

Lentil Soup de Provence

What You  Need

• 1 cup dried red lentils, rinsed
• 1 onion, finely chopped OR 1 leek, finely chopped
• 5 cloves of garlic, minced
• 8 fennel seeds
• 1 tbs coconut oil
• 5 cups water
• spices:
  • ½ tsp basil
  • ¼ tsp thyme
  • ¼ tsp rosemary
  • 2 bay leaves
  • ¼ tsp marjoram
  • ½ tsp sea salt

What You do

1. in the bottom of a large soup pot, cook the onions/leeks, garlic, and fennel seed in coconut oil until the onion is clear
2. add lentils and only 3 cups water
3. add all spices
4. raise heat to high, cover, and boil for 15 minutes
5. add remaining 2 cups of water, reduce heat to low and  simmer for 30 minutes

Notes on Candida-Friendliness

This recipe has a very low glycemia index, so it is generally safe for candida sufferers. However if you are in a very strict stage of the diet, you may want to avoid some of the spices in this soup. Some spices are allowed fresh, but not dried. I would suggest looking into what spices are safe for you before making this soup.

Kale Salad – Candida Friendly

What You Need

• 1 head kale (chopped into bite-size bits)
• 3 bell peppers of different color (chopped into bite-size bits)
• 15 raw almonds
• 1/4 cup raw hulled sunflower seeds
• 1 large lemon (or 2 smaller ones)
• chopped dried figs (not candida friendly)
• sea salt (to taste)

What You Do

1. after chopping the kale, put it in a large bowl and squeeze the lemon juice into it.
2. squeeze the kale and lemon juice mixture, working the juice into the kale.
3. after about 5 minutes, you’ll notice the kale is softer, as if it had been steamed.
4. then add in the other ingredients and mix them
5. serve cold

Stir Fry – Candida Friendly

What You Need

• 1 red bell pepper
• 1 green bell pepper
• 1/2 head bok choy or 1 baby bok choy
• 1 1/2 cups broccoli florets
• 12 almonds (raw, whole, unsalted)
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 1/2 tsp fresh minced ginger
• coconut oil

What You Do

1. heat coconut oil in pan
2. cut all vegetables into chopstick-friendly chunks
3. leave almonds whole
4. put all ingredients into the pan and cover for a few minutes
5. stir occasionally. it won’t take long for the broccoli and peppers to soften slightly.
6. serve as-is or over brown rice (if you are at a stage in your candida diet where brown rice is allowed)

Roasted Garlic

What You Need

• fresh garlic bulbs (as many as you’d like)
• foil
• olive oil
• toaster oven or oven

What You Do

1. preheat toaster/oven to 400F
2. peel all of the loose paper off the garlic, but leave the bulb in-tact
3. cut the tips off to expose some of the garlic. (when it’s done roasting, you’ll want to be able to pull the soft clove out of the paper with the tip of a knife)
4. if you have an oil sprayer, spray the bulb, if not, just rub a little oil onto each bulb. no need to saturate.
5. wrap each bulb in foil and place into the toaster. if you’re doing several bulbs, you can put the foil balls into a muffin tin and put it in the oven. (got that idea here)
6. bake for 30 or so minutes, or until the garlic is soft.

13 Bean & Green Bonanza – Candida Friendly

What You Need

• 1/2 head cabbage, chopped into thin strings
• 1/2 head bok choy, chopped into inch chunks
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 1 head garlic, finely minced
• 1.5 cups water
• 1 cup mixed dried beans (any legumes are okay: lentils, navy, pinto, garbanzo, kidney, black, etc.)
  OR 3 cans of beans of your choice (drained & rinsed) but only if you’re not concerned about candida 
• 3/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 3/4 tsp ginger
• sea salt to your liking
• crock pot!

What You Do

1. soak the dry beans in sufficient water for a couple of days. yeah that’s right, it takes a while.
2. after your beans are prepped, put them in a crock pot with water
3. turn crock pot to low
4. toss the cabbage, onion, and garlic into a large soup pot on the stove and cook it down in some oil (coconut for candida)
5. mix garlic & cabbage into the beans in the crock pot
6. add ginger, cayenne, and salt to the mix
7. cover and cook for 6 hours, if you can, keep an eye on the water level to make sure there is till some in there. if you have to leave for the day, add more water. the goal in the end is to have a beany mix, not soup.
8.  after 6 hours, mix in the bok choy
9. cover and continue to cook for another 2 hours

Mean Green Asian Veg Soup – Candida Friendly

What You Need

• 1 red bell pepper
• 1 green bell pepper
• 1/2 head cabbage
• 1 large zucchini
• 1/2 head bok choy (greens & stems)
• 1.5 cups broccoli florets
• 1 leek
• 1 lime
• 1 tsp fresh ginger (finely minced)
• 1 Tbs sesame seeds
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (or to your liking)
• salt (to your liking)
• water or broth (the broth is not candida approved)
• rice noodles <– not candida approved. you can make them in a separate pot for the other members of your household who may want a more pho-like experience.

What You Do

First of all, i just bought a food processor, so all of this chopping was super fast and easy. awesome.

1. chop all vegetables into sizes that would be good to eat with chop sticks (you know your own chop stick skill level…)
2. add a little coconut oil to the bottom of a big soup pot and toss all of the vegetables and minced ginger in
3. zest the lime into the pot. save the rest of the lime for use later.
4. add salt, sesame seeds, and cayenne to the pot
5. cook vegetables down on medium until they soften
6. if you are having rice noodles, start cooking them now in a separate pot of water
7. add water to the pot of vegetables – enough to cover the vegetables. as the soup cooks, you decide how much water you want to have to give you the consistency you want. i wanted a more miso/pho type ratio, so i added a few cups more water than what covered the vegetables.
8. bring to a boil, then turn down to simmer for about 20 min.
9. if you are adding rice noodles, serve them in the bottom of a bowl and top them with the soup
10. squeeze the lime to serve the juice in a small bowl for people to add

Tomato Spinach Pasta

What You Need

• 1 can diced tomatoes (no salt added)
• 1 1/4 cup frozen spinach
• 1 can tomato paste
• 1 tsp powdered milk
• 1/4 cup red wine
• 1/2 cup vegetable stock
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1/2 tsp marjoram
• 1/4 tsp garlic salt
• 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
• italian sausage
• spaghetti

What You Do

1. cut sausage into quarter moons and brown in a skillet
2. start your pasta
3. in a separate pot, make the sauce by mixing together all other ingredients until it boils lightly. use the amounts as a guide, but they’re just estimates
4. keep an eye on the texture and add stock, wine, or powdered milk depending on how much you’d like to thicken or thin the mix
5. stir regularly
6. serve with pasta on the bottom, then sausage, topped with the sauce and some parmesan cheese

spicy grilled corn on the cob with lime

what you need

• ears of corn (as many as you’d like)
• cayenne pepper
• garlic salt
• chili powder
• fresh lime
• butter/olive oil
• shredded pepperjack cheese (optional)

what you do

1. shuck the corn, removing all of the silk
2. coat the uncooked corn with olive oil (spray kind works very well)
3. sprinkle on cayenne, chili powder, garlic salt
4. roll the corn in foil and place on the grill for about 10 min
5. cut the lime into wedges to serve
6. squeeze fresh lime onto the corn (and sprinkle with cheese) before eating

Roasted Veggies and Sausage over Pasta

What You Need

• 1 red bell pepper
• 1 zucchini
• 1 yellow squash
• 1 anaheim pepper
• 1/4 red onion & 4 green onions
• 3 large cloves of garlic
• 2 tomatoes
• spaghetti (whole wheat or basil)
• olive oil
• 1 tube of soft, not cased, breakfast sausage (i recommend Light Life Gimme Lean Sausage Style soy)
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1 tsp basil
• 1 tsp thyme
• fresh parmesan
• fresh basil

What You Do

1. preheat the oven to 350F
2. start water for the pasta
3. use 1/2 of the tube of sausage and roll into balls that are about a nickel in diameter
4. brown the sausage lightly in a pan with olive oil
5. chop all vegetables into big chunks suitable for roasting (quarter the tomatoes, etc.)
6. crush or finely chop the garlic
7. when the sausage is done, place it along with the vegetables, in a big bowl with the spices and toss with olive oil
8. place all vegetables on a baking tray and roast for 20-30 min (shorter if low altitude). you want them to be al dente–nicely roasted, but a with a little crunch left in them
9. cook your pasta
10. when pasta is finished, toss it with a little olive oil and basil
11. serve vegetables over pasta, top with fresh parmesan & basil
12. recommended side: fresh italian bread and side salad

Stuffed Anaheim Peppers

What You Need

• 4 sm/med anaheim peppers (5 inches long) – try to pick peppers that are good for stuffing, i.e. not squished or collapsed on themselves
• 1/3 lb brick of tofu, pressed
• 3 breakfast sausage links (i use SmartLinks)
• 1 chopped green onion (green and bulb)
• 1/4 cup grated parmasean cheese
• 1/3 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 tsp basil
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1/4 tsp marjoram
• 1/4 tsp thyme
• 2 crushed cloves of garlic
• 3/4 tsp cayenne pepper

What You Do

1. preheat oven to 350F
2. cut the sausage into rounds and brown in a frying pan
3. cut around the top of the peppers to pull the stem out along with any seeds. if there are big ribs inside, pull some of that out as well
4. setting the peppers aside, crumble the tofu into a big bowl and mix all of the other ingredients together by hand
5. when the sausage is browned, pat it dry on paper towels, then chop a little more and add to rest of mixture
6. stuff peppers with mixture and place them in a glass baking dish sprayed with oil
7. spray the peppers with oil and make several small holes in the skins
8. bake uncovered for 35 min or until the pepper skin starts to get brown in some spots

Spring Rolls for Spring

this is my first foray into the world of rice wrapping papers–and let me tell you they take practice. at this point i don’t have a heck of a lot of advice on working with them. so just jump in and have fun…

What You Need

• a carrot
• a cucumber
• 1 cup cooked rice
• 1 brick (1 lb) extra firm tofu
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 tbs soy sauce
• 1 tsp sesame seeds
• rice wrapping papers (about 16)
• a dish with water (enough to comfortably cover the rice papers)
• olive oil

What You Do

1. press tofu (about 20 minutes)
2. while tofu is pressing, cook your rice
3. peel long skinny strips of your carrot and cucumber–they should be about the width of thick spaghetti. cut down to 2 inch long strips.
4. cut tofu into 1/2 inch cubes and fry in olive oil in a pan over medium high heat
5. once tofu is browned, add soy sauce and sesame seeds, mix and fry until liquid is gone
6. when rice is done, mix in cayenne pepper
7. let tofu and rice cool for about 20 minutes
8. line up all ingredients for easy assembly
9. soak rice paper (do this one at a time) for about 5 seconds
10. place it on a cutting board and fill it with all ingredients
11. roll it up, tucking in the sides. you’ll notice the rice paper is starting to get very soft and sticky.
12. carefully transfer the roll to a plate and move on to the next roll
13. the rolls will be a little slippery until they start to dry and stick together
14. plan to wait at least 20 minutes between assembly and serving

Arrowhead Mills Yummy Chocolate Frosting

This is not my recipe. This is the Arrowhead Mills recipe for frosting that comes on the side of their cake mix. I’m just posting it here so I can reference it later. Contact Arrowhead Mills at arrowheadmills.com. I LIKE this recipe though because it make rich frosting with all natural ingredients. No preservatives or other nonsense. Keep in mind, the frosting sets up when it cools. You may need to take your bowl back over to the stove to heat over warm water if it gets too still while you’re putting it on.

What You Need

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
• 2/3 cup baking cocoa
• 3 cups Hain Organic Powdered Sugar
• 1/3 cup milk
• 2 tbsp brewed coffee (optional)
• 1 tbsp vanilla

What You Do

1. Melt butter in a 4 qt pan on low heat.
2. Add in the cocoa and mix on medium speed.
3. Slowly add in sugar and milk (alternating between the sugar and the milk) while mixing on medium speed.
4. Add in the coffee, then the vanilla.
5. Mix on fast speed until smooth.
6. Spread on cake while frosting is still warm.

Makes enough icing to ice two 9×13″ cakes or one two-layer cake.

Stuffed Shells

This recipe is fab because it’s a classic with a new twist – tofu. Subtract the fat and add in the protein and you’ve got comfort food that won’t even make you sleepy afterward. Enjoy!

What You Need

• 1 pkg tofu (usually just under 16 oz)
• 16 jumbo shells
• 1 jar of marinara sauce
• 1 10-oz pkg of frozen spinach, thawed/drained/chopped OR 2 cups of finely chopped fresh baby spinach
• 3 tbs parsley
• 1/4 cup fresh, shredded parmesan cheese
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 tbs basil
• 1/2 tbs oregano
• 3/4 tsp garlic salt
• large mixing bowl
• 9×13″ baking dish, greased
• your big bad bare hands

What You Do

1. press the tofu. if you don’t have a press, just drain it and place something heavy on top for about 20 min. then, squeeze it by the handful (letting it crumble) to get the rest of the drippy moisture out. the texture should looks something like ricotta cheese (yet, the very cheese we’re omitting from this recipe).
2. preheat the oven to 350F
3. boil the pasta, until it’s al dente, then carefully scoop out the shells, draining them and arranging them for easy grabbing when you’re ready to stuff.
4. in a large mixing bowl, mix: spinach, crumbled tofu, cheese, herbs, garlic salt, pepper. mix thoroughly with your hands, crumbing the tofu completely so that it has the texture of ricotta cheese.
5. put a thin coating of marinara sauce on the bottom of the baking dish
6. spoon the tofu mixture into the shells, packing in lightly, and filling completely. place stuffed shells into the dish.
7. once all shells are in the dish, spoon marinara sauce over each shell, using the entire jar
8. top with more parmesan cheese
9. cover with foil and bake for about 35 min at 350F. uncover and bake for 15 more min. enjoy with a leafy salad and crusty bread.

Squasausages

What You Need

• 1 spaghetti squash
• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
• 2 tsp cayenne pepper
• 2 tsp oregano
• 2 tsp basil
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 package (6 links) Smart Links breakfast sausage substitute or 3 Italian sausage links
• baking dish and water

What You Do

• Preheat oven to 350F
• Cut raw squash in half, lengthwise. Scoop out seeds and strings and place facing down in baking dish. Fill baking dish with water and bake for about an hour
• Slice sausages into little rounds, brown thoroughly in a pan while the squash cooks.
• When the squash is done, empty the water from the baking dish and use a fork to scrape the squash back into the baking dish.
• Mix all of the spices, sausage, and cheese in with the squash.
• Back for another 20 minutes.

Vindaloo Stu

I got this recipe from a man named Stu that I met on the street corner.

Naw, not really. Mike pouted until I named it “Stu.” Seriously, this recipe is based on a Vindaloo recipe I picked up at the Savory Spice Shop on 15th & Platte in Denver.  If you get the chance to stop by that place, it’swonderful! Excellent smells and excellent people–though I’m not sure the two are related…

What you need

• 3 tbsp of vindaloo paste (equal parts oil, water, vindaloo powder)
• olive oil
• 1/4 cup chicken or vegetable broth
• dash garlic salt
• 1 cup chopped yellow onion
• 1 cup cooked potatoes (or canned potatoes)
• 1/2 cup chopped celery
• 1/2 cup chopped carrots
• 6 oz stewed (plain) tomatoes
• 3 tbsp white wine vinegar
• 1/2 package of Denver Tofu extra firm
• a pinch or two of sea salt
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup plain yogurt
• fresh cilantro
• crusty bread for sopping and moping (unless you have pita, tortilla, or naan)

What you do

1. Make vindaloo paste and set aside
2. Cut tofu into 1/2″ cubes, cook in pan with oil and a dash of vindaloo powder and a dash of garlic powder
3. Once the tofu seems firm and a little bit browned, set it aside
4. Chop onion and brown in pan with oil
5. Add celery, carrots, and broth, and cook it down
6. Add tomatoes, potatoes, sea salt, vinegar, and vindaloo paste. Mix well.
7. Mix in tofu
8. Cover and cook with water for 15 min
9. Before serving, add yogurt and mix well
10. Serve in a bowl on top of rice (optional) , top with finely chopped cilantro

cranberry turkey panini

what you need

• 1/2 can cranberries (preferably actually berries, not just the jelly)
• 1 fuji apple (peeled, chopped)
• 1 tsp ginger
• 1 sm red onion
• fresh basil leaves (4 per sandwich)
• sliced turkey breast
• sliced cheddar cheese
• french bread sliced for sandwiches

what you do

1. warm your panini press. if you don’t have a press, warm the skillet you plan to use the grill the sandwich.
2. in a pan with EVOO, sautee onions & apples with ginger
3. once the mixture is soft, add cranberries, turn down heat and let it come together for a few minutes
4. assemble your sandwich: turkey, cheese, basil, onion mix
5. brush bread top and bottom with EVOO or use spray olive oil
6. grill sandwich in pan or panini press until golden brown
7. cut in 1/2 and enjoy
8. this makes about 4 sandwiches

greens & beans

what you need

• 1 onion
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 tomato
• 1 can great northern beans, rinsed
• 1 tbs basil
• 1 tsp sesame seeds
• red chard (about 8 leaves, washed well)

what you do

1. add EVOO, crushed garlic, and diced onions to pan
2. (1.a. thanks katie) chop red chard and dice tomato
3. add the beans and cook until they are warm
4. add the chard, basil, beans (rinsed), tomato, and sesame seeds
5. cover and cook until the greens get a little darker and wilted (but not too soft)  just about 7 min…

buttercup squash & sausage gumbo

what you need

• 1 buttercup squash
• 1 yellow onion
• 3 small fuji or gala apples
• 1 hearty clove of garlic
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 2 tsp dried chives
• 2 precooked sausages2 small kilbasa or sausage or your choice (hot dog size),  i like chicken sausage with apples and feta, but even brats are just dandy
• a skillet and a big ol soup pot
• about 1/3 cup of water

what you do

1. cut the squash in 1/2, removed seeds, and bake face down in a dish with 2 inches of water (1 hr, 350F)
2. crush garlic and add to skillet with olive oil (medium heat)
3. chop onion and add it to the skillet
4. peel and chop apples into dice-sized cubes, add to the skillet
5. cut the sausage in 1/2 lengthwise, then slice it into 1/2 moons, add to the skillet
6. add ginger and chives
7. cover and cook for about 20 min then turn off the heat– you don’t want to overcook it the onions
8. when the squash is soft, peel it with a potato peeler
9. scrape the stringy stuff out and dice the rest of the squash
10. add a little olive oil to the bottom of the soup pot and toss in the squash
11. with the heat on low, use a masher to mash the squash completely. you may need to add a little water
12. add the skillet contents and stir
13. eyeball it, you may want to add a little water. we’re shooting for gumbo, not stew
14. cover and continue to heat on low for 20 min
15. serve with a nice green (like fresh green beans) and a crusty bread

best breakfast sandwich ever

Okay so here’s the deal. I wanted a hot breakfast this morning that was a little more exciting than oatmeal. what? oatmeal’s not exciting? um, no. so i pillaged the fridge and found some leftovers and staples that came together quite nicely.

what you need:

• one egg
• some sandwich meat (turkey, ham, chicken) or bacon
• paprika
• sesame seed hamburger bun
• sliced cheese

what you do:

• toast your hamburger bun
• brown the meat in a pan on the stove. depending on the greasiness of the meat, you may need to add a little oil to the pan to avoid burning.
• scramble the egg in a liquid (glass) measuring cup. add a dash of paprika and pop it in the microwave, covered, for about 1.5 minutes.
• the egg will be a round disc when it’s done. drop it in the pan to lightly brown the top & bottom.
• melt the slice of cheese on top of the egg patty.
• assemble your sandwich. mmmm.

pumpkin pie

a variation of the Libby’s recipe

what you need:

• 16 oz fresh pumpkin
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 eggs
• 10 oz can evaporated milk
• unbaked pie crust (bottom only)

what you do:

1. cut pumpkin in half and bake in a baking dish, face down, with 1.5 inches of water for 1.5 hours on 350F
2. once the pumpkin is cool enough to handle, scoop out seeds and strings
3. use a vegetable peeler to peel the skin off of the pumpkin
4. cut into 1″ cubes and mash and whip until smooth
5. you’ll need about 1/4 of the pumpkin to make 16 oz, depending on the size of the pumpkin
6. set the oven to 450F
7. press the pie crust into a 9″ pie dish
8. in a separate bowl, mix all pie filler ingredients EXCEPT the milk
9. add milk slowly, a couple oz at a time
10. your mixture will start to look a little watery, so stop adding at about 10 oz
11. if you’re concerned that you added too much milk, add a little dry milk and flour to balance it
12. remember, the eggs will make it set up to be more firm that it appears right now
13. mix well and pour into pie crust
14. bake for 15 min on 450F
15. bake for 60 min on 350F
16. let it cool before serving

meatloaf

what you need:

• 1/2 lb ground turkey
• 1/4 cup onion, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup celery, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup cabbage (2 leaves), finely chopped
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
• 1/2 tsp basil
• 1/2 tsp oregano
• 1/8 cup grated parmesean cheese
• 1 carrot, finely chopped
• 1 large clove garlic, crushed

what you do:

1. preheat the oven to 350F
2. cook down all of the vegetables and herbs in a little olive oil
3. add cheese to the meat
4. once the vegetable mix is translucent, turn off heat and let it cool
5. once the vegetables are cool enough to touch, mix into the meat
6. form the new mixture into a loaf
7. bake for about an hour

pierogies

what you need

• 2 medium potatoes
• 4 leaves of cabbage
• 1 large sweet onion
• 1 tbs olive oil
• 2 large cloves of garlic
• chicken or vegetable stock
• pasta dough (see recipe. omit nutmeg for peirogies)

what you do

1. add olive oil to the bottom of a big soup pot
2. crush garlic, add to pot
3. finely chop potatoes, add to pot
4. turn on medium heat and keep the lid on the pot
5. add 1/4 cup broth
6. finely chop cabbage and add to pot
7. add more broth if needed
8. finely chop onions and add to pot
9. close lid and let it cook down until it is all soft
10. in the meantime, start the dough
11. once it is cooked down, mash and whip it into a good filler consistancy
12. add more broth during the mashing process if needed
13. fill little pockets of pasta dough and drop into boiling water for about 3-5 min (depending on altitude). be careful not to overboil or they will break open, and frankly, that’s no good. 
14. serve with butter and parsley

chombat

chombat is an italian a vegetable stew. usually pretty spicy, it is a collection of whatever is growing in the garden, so there are plenty of variations.

what you need:

main dish:

• zucchini
• yellow squash
• onion
• tomatoes
• green pepper
• bell pepper
• crushed red pepper
• garlic
• olive oil
• .25 cups broth or water

accessories:

• crusty bread
• parmasean cheese

what you do:

1. cut all of your vegetables into bite-size bits
2. lightly coat the bottom of a soup pot with olive oil
3. on medium heat, crush and sautee the garlic with the onions
4. add peppers
5. add zucchini, squash, and tomatoes
6. add broth
7. cover and simmer on low heat for 30 minutes
8. keep an eye on the moisture level so it doesn’t burn and stick to the pot

spinach quiche

what you need:

• 5 eggs
• 1.5 cups ricotta cheese
• .5 cup dried parmasean cheese
• 1.5 cups fresh spinach, chopped
• .5 cup dry milk
• .5 onion
• .25 lb bacon, cooked & chopped
• pie dough and 8-9 in pie dish

what you do:

1. preheat oven to 350F
2. cook the bacon and set aside
3. cook the onions (in the bacon grease or olive oil) and set aside
4. crack 5 eggs into a bowl and whip with a fork until they’re a little bit bubbly
5. mix in ricotta, parmasean, and dry milk
6. mix in onion, spinach, and bacon
7. place pie dough in dish, form to edges
8. pour mixture into dish and flatten into place
9. place in oven at 350F for 65 min
10. it should no longer look wet when it is done, but don’t overdry it. oooh finesse.

mickki’s harvest bisque

got this one from Mickki Langston. Thanks Mickki!

what you need:

• pumpkin
• 2 onions, diced
• 2-3 apples, diced
• 1 cup walnuts
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• 1 cup heavy cream
• .25 tsp sage
• .25 tsp clove
• .25 tsp cinnamon
• .25 tsp ginger
• .25 tsp nutmeg
• dash of salt & pepper

what you do:

1. cut pumpkin in half, scoop out seeds & strings
2. place in baking dish with 1/2 cup water
3. bake for 30-45 minutes at 375F, or until flesh is soft
4. let pumpkin cool, remove skin, and cut into large chunks
5. sautee onions in olive oil in a big soup pot until translucent
6. add apples, squash, and walnuts
7. sautee for 5 minutes
8. add broth & spices and simmer until everything is soft & tasty
9. run soup through food processor or blender with whipping cream until it is smooth & creamy
10. serve while still hot

for more information on Mickki’s other inspirations, visit MileHighBiz.org

katie’s rosemary taters

Got this from Katie Aurigemma. Thanks Katie!

what you need:

• red potatoes (4 per person)
• sea salt
• olive oil
• fresh rosemary

what you do:

1. Get the little potatoes, I prefer red potatoes over the little brown ones, but that’s up to you.
2. preheat oven to 475
3. ready a casserole dish with tin foil (easier clean up) and olive oil on top of foil.
4. wash em potatoes
5. par boil them for about 20 min until they are mostly done ( I par boil them in a little bit of salt water, because I like salty things)
6. drain potatoes
7. put potatoes back in the pot, add olive oil, freshly chopped rosemary (to taste) sea salt (to taste) pepper
8. dump em potatoes into the foil lined casserole dish and add the rest of the contents of the pot to the top of the potatoes
9. bake for, I think, 20-30 minutes, depending on how crunchy you want the skin. You can also grill these potatoes in foil for 45 min (good for camping??)

stuffed chicken

what you need:

• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO)
• 5 sprigs thyme
• 1 lemon
• 1/4 cup (about a handful) parsley
• 4 chicken breasts (about 6 ounces each)
• 4 slices proscuitto cotto or any good quality ham, such as rosemary ham
• 4 slices (about 4 ounces) fontina cheese
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1 large bunch of asparagus

what you do:

1. butterfly and pound the chicken breasts flat
2. mix all of that other stuff together
3. stuff chicken with stuffing…
4. place in baking dish
5. bake in over at 350F for 45 min to 60 min

stuffed chicken & fruit

what you need:

• 2-3 chicken breasts (1 per person–don’t forget leftovers)
• 1 peach
• 20 cherries (cut in 1/2 and pitted)
• 1/2 cup cashews
• grated peel of 1 lemon
• a rubber mallet or hammer (the fun part)
• a baking dish (lined with foil and slightly covered with olive oil)

what you do:

1. preheat your oven to 400F (if you are high altitude. otherwise heat to your normal chicken breast temp)
2. chop or crush you nuts (ouch!). i used a food processor to lightly chop. be careful not to turn them into cashewbutter (but worse things have happened). put them in a bowl.
3. zest your lemon. grate the skin off of the lemon into the bowl with the cashews. yeah, this step makes you seem like a high-class cook. revel in it and zest away.
4. prep your fruit. cut your cherries in 1/2 and pit them. eat a lot of them while you do this. :) put them in the bowl.
5. mix up the bowl contents.
6. cut your peach in 1/2 then into 1/8″ slices. set them aside on a plate.
7. get out a BIG cutting board for the chicken. there are 2 ways i suggest doing this. a) butterfly each breast, spread it out and cover with plastic wrap. but this takes skill and patience. b) or place the breast on the cutting board, uncut, and cover with plastic wrap.
8. make sure all of your chicken breasts are amply covered with plastic wrap because you are about to wallop them with your hammer and you don’t want chicken on your hammer and vicey versy.
9. wallop your chicken with the hammer. your goal is to flatten it out. make it an even 1/4″ to 1/8″ thick all around.
10. once flattened (i told you it was fun) place 1 chicken breast into the baking dish and cover 1/2 of the breast with the contents of the bowl and some peaches
11. fold the chicken over to cover the contents
12. do this will all of the chicken. use all of your stuffing, but don’t overstuff. or do, see what happens.
13. use any left over contents to garnish the tops of the chicken.
14. bake at 400F for about 45m-1h (for high altitude. otherwise do what you normally do for a plain chicken breast. 325F 30 min??)