Lavosh Vegetable Roll-Ups

I am so excited to share this recipe with you all! Most importantly because it is from the Engineer, my husband. (I am trying to keep names off of my blog :)) He has had a variation of this amazing lunch for the past three days and I guess his culinary inspiration motivated him to take beautiful photos to boot.  So it is with great pleasure that I introduce you to the Lavosh Vegetable Roll-up.

Lavosh is a thin, pliable flatbread that lends itself to many different ingredients. It comes in a regular and whole wheat variety, either of which taste delicious.  It is fat free, cholesterol free, sugar free and low in carbohydrates. It does contain a small amount of protein too but it is important to include either hummus, beans or a grain to up the protein content and keep you healthy and strong.

I am grateful to have a family so fully supportive of eating healthy! While the Engineer is not a vegan, he does eat vegan/vegetarian on most days and for most meals. I am so happy to have a partner that takes health seriously and supports trying new things. With that said, I would never force a vegan diet on anyone. It is by example that I prefer to work some magic. And let me tell you it is rubbing off all over the place! Yay healthy bodies and minds!!!

Lavosh Vegetable Roll-ups

1 piece of lavosh flatbread
3 T hummus
1/2 cup chopped romaine lettuce
10 sliced cherry tomatoes
10 sliced kalamata olives
1 T of salad dressing of choice such as italian or balsamic

Additions based on availability:

whole garbanzo beans
diced red onion
sliced cucumber
sliced radish
sun-dried tomatoes
avocado
jicama sticks
(and shredded cheese for those non-vegans!)

Spread lavosh with hummus. Line ingredients up and roll. Slice in half. If you are super hungry, eat the whole thing. If not, eat half for lunch and half for your late afternoon snack.

Look at this fresh and vibrant wrap. It is loaded with healthy ingredients to keep your body moving and your brain on task.

Let's eat! Wrap these yuumies up and pack in the lunch box.

I am thinking of a Mexican version as well. Black beans pureed, cilantro, lettuce, olives, tomatoes, red onion, garlic and corn. Served with a side of tortilla chips and salsa. Photos to come soon!

Question of the day:

How is your healthy eating affecting family members and friends?

Pasta Pesto

Who doesn't love a warm bowl of pesto pasta? It is kid friendly, nutritious and oh so yummy!  This quick and easy version is a snap to throw together. The whole sauce can be made and the dishes cleaned before your pasta has finished cooking.   In addition, the pesto can be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator covered in a thin layer of oil. The left overs are delicious cold or at room temperature making it a great lunchbox meal.  I have adapted my version of Pesto Pasta from a recipe called Yummy Vegan Pesto Classico from the Allrecipes website. 

Pasta Pesto

1/2 cup toasted pine nuts

2/3 cup olive oil

1-2 bunches fresh basil, washed and leaves removed from stems

5-10 cloves of fresh garlic depending on your preference

1/3 cup nutritional yeast

1 tsp salt, more to taste if needed

freshly ground pepper

pasta, either thin spagetti, tubular, bowtie etc. I used barilla high protein pasta for this version although whole wheat is nice too.

Toast pine nuts in a dry, small pan over low heat. Stir freqently and do not walk away from stove. As soon as they start to turn golden and release flavor, take off of heat. Add to a food processor.  Add rest of ingredient except oil and pulse a few times. As processor is running, drizzle oil into the mixture and process until smooth. Taste and adjust, salt, pepper and garlic.

I usually make a full batch of pasta and use almost the entire batch of pesto to coat warm pasta. Serve with mixed green salad and Green Beans with Shitake Mushrooms. Recipe to follow.

Another great thing about this recipe is that even non-vegans will love it! They won't be able to tell that it does not have any parmesan cheese. It is that delicious! As a reminder, nutritional yeast can be purchased in the bulk aisle of any health food type market. It is good, good stuff loaded in b vitamins and oh so very tasty!

Warm pasta pesto made with thin, extra protein Barilla spagetti.

The final meal for the family.  Pasta pesto, green beans with shitake mushrooms and mixed green salad.  Healthy, delicious, and makes great left overs. The kids and hubby gobbled it up plus had it for lunch  the next day.

Version two of pasta pesto made with penne pasta. It was really, really delicious!

I know we have heard it before, but it bears repeating. Get the kids in the kitchen asap! Are they picky eaters? Have them pick off the leaves of the basil. The fragrance as they pick is overwhelming. Casually comment about how wonderful it smells. My eight year old cut the ends off of all those green beans. He sat at the kitchen counter and worked on his knife skills. We talked and snacked on raw green beans. Guess how many he ate at dinner? Tons! So what if he picked out the mushrooms. Next time he may try one. Don't make a big deal about food. And it may take twenty times for it to be on the table before they try it. Don't despair! My five year old just asked me to buy cherry tomatoes for his lunchbox. It took five years but he finally tried one and love it!   I never choose to not make an item because my kids won't eat it. Never, never ever! How else will they learn to like it if it isn't offered regularly? They won't wake up one day and beg for roasted broccoli UNTIL they try it and fall in love. So keep offering those healthy foods.

Enjoy and be healthy!

Baby Bok Choy Simmered in Broth

Baby bok choy, a younger version of Bok Choy, is a mild tasting delicious vegetable. Baby bok choy is a wonderful source of calcium and loaded with vitamins A and C and is a rich source of potassium.

What I love most about cooking with Baby bok choy is that it isn't your everyday veggie like broccoli or green beans. Many associate bok choy with Aisian cuisine, however this tasty veggie can be prepared in many ways.

I love the idea of simmering the bok choy in a rich, garlicky broth. I am drawn to sauce of any kind so this recipe really appeals to my tastebuds.  It pairs nicely with brown rice and I have been known to eat leftovers for a mid-morning snack.

Baby Bok Choy Simmered in Broth

baby bok choy- as many as you like
freshly minced garlic, between 3-5 cloves
enough veggie broth to simmer bok choy. I like Better Than Bouillon reduced sodium vegetable base
cooking spray and olive oil
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Pull off any outer browned leaves. Slice baby bok choy in half lengthwise. Put in a big bowl of clean water to wash out the dirt and grime. Coat a large pan with cooking spray and drizzle with a few teaspoons of olive oil. As pan is warmed, add bok choy cut side down and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook for a few minutes on low to medium heat just until starting to brown. Add broth and garlic. Simmer until stalks are tender. Serve baby bok choy and broth over brown rice. Enjoy!

Slice baby bok choy in half lengthwise.

Put baby bok choy in a large bowl of clean water and swish!

Add baby bok choy to heated pan, cut side down.

Add garlic and broth to cover about 1/2 way of bok choy, you don't want them submerged. As they cook, the broth will reduce. Taste broth before adding final salt. You may not need it.

Genocide in the Darfur Region of the Sudan

Gabe Ferrick, a 15 year old Santa Rosa, CA, youth, has raised close to $40,000.00 for the efforts to end genocide in Darfur. On April 18, 2010, our family joined Gabe and people from all faiths and ethnicities to raise awareness for this noble cause. Co-sponsored by Gabe and Congregation Shomrei Torah, the walk took place on a crsip, beautiful Sunday morning. The energy from the crowd was palpable. People were singing, talking, hoping and praying that one day there will be peace in Darfur.

(Gabe)

Supervisor Shirlee Zane spoke along with Holocaust survivor, Lillian Judd, age 86. Lillian shared her story with the group and I am sure there wasn't a dry eye in the area. Lillain witnessed her father's murder by the gestapo. Her mother and two sisters were sent to the gas chambers. Lillian and her other sister were sent to hard labor. She felt that if more people would have spoken up, such crimes would not have been allowed to happen. She praised the groups efforts for taking a stand and raising awareness. How else will we stop genocide?

(Lillian sharing her message.)

(Our three kids with Lillian plus a good friend)

Our daughter, age 11, wrote a poem about the genocide in Darfur. The poetry contest, sponsored by the walk, was judged by a group of teachers associated with the event. Our daughter won first place and was asked, along with the runner-up, to recite her poem before the race began. Her dad and I were overcome with emotion watching her speak, at such a young age, with so much passion and clarity. Below is her poem...

A World of Peace
by our daughter, age 11

I envision a world of peace,
It's more difficult than you think,
Since the world never is at ease,
help us now, make a link,
Say goodbye to the Janjaweed,
Help us now, won't you please?

We dance and frolic about our life,
never wonder, what it's like,
To live in a world with no education or life,
Pushed around, day and night,
Hoping for a new light,
Say goodbye to the Janjaweed,
Help us now, won't you please?

(Our daugher reciting her poem!)

The Janjaweed is the term used for the armed gunmen responsible for the massacre, rape, murder and forced displacement of those in the Darfur region of the Sudan. The Sudanese government has been charged with ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity.

The Darfur genocide is in its 7th year. Over 400,000 people have be ruthlessly murdered. That is like losing the entire town of Santa Rosa, CA!  Please consider what each of you can do to raise awareness and end the suffering of these people. We can make a difference!

Our daughter with Gabe.

Our daugher and Gabe getting their photo taken for the school.

Our family right before the walk!

Our group walking! It was amazing!

Our youngest being carried by Dad.

Our kids with Gabe after a 3 mile walk.

Our daughter with two close friends. The middle friend won second place and wrote an equally moving piece of poetry for the contest.

Donations will be accepted at www.walktoendgenocide.org through the end of April.

Open Faced Vegetable Sandwich and Romesco Sauce

Bursting with flavor, this open faced vegetable sandwich is a perfect Saturday afternoon lunch. It leaves you satisfied, but not overly full, so you will have plenty of energy to tackle the garden, gym or whatever suits your fancy!

Open Faced Vegetable Sandwich

2 pieces whole grain bread per person
1 large portobello mushroom per two people
container of fresh oil packed sundried tomatoes (we have them located in the olive bar at our Whole Foods)
container of fresh kalamata olives
baby spinach
hummus
romesco sauce
lemon pepper to taste
salt to taste

Toast the bread. With a spoon, scrape out underbelly of mushroom. Slice mushroom and spray with olive oil cooking spray. Sprinkle with lemon pepper and salt. Cook on grill pan until tender and just at the point of giving up its juices. When toast is ready, take one piece and spread a thin layer of romesco sauce. Add layer of spinach, and generously heap with cooked mushroom. Take the other piece of toast and spread with hummus.  Add layer of spinach and two or three tomatoes. Serve olives on the side.

I prefer to savor each piece alone, but feel free to combine the two into one decadent sandwich. This sandwich can be adapted so easily! Add grilled zuchini, eggplant, or roasted red peppers for variety. Artichoke, lemon zest and green beans would also be lovely. The possibilities are endless!

Romesco Sauce is a Spanish spread that is amazing with roasted root vegetables and/or spread on sandwiches or toast.  It keeps in the refrigerator for about a month if covered in a layer of extra virgin olive oil. I have never purchased it pre-made but I would bet you could find it at a specialty market. I have to urge you to give ths recipe a whirl. It isn't nearly as time consuming as it initially seems. It is most impressive to serve as an appetizer with an array of roasted or grilled vegetables and offers variety from the same old dips and spreads.

This recipe is adapted from the book Simple Soirees by Peggy Knickerbocker. There are many varieties of Romesco on the internet, but I have adapted this one to be quick and easy. I had the pleasure of meeting Peggy at a cooking class that my dear friend Sherri took me to for her birthday last year. It was a wonderful evening of cooking together and something I highly recommend you do with your buddies. If you are new to cooking or looking to liven the repertoire in your own kitchen, cooking classes provide ample lessons and loads of fun!

Ingredients for Romesco Sauce. Always get your ingredients out before you begin cooking. Put them away as you use them to help keep a clean and organized kitchen.

Romesco Sauce
adapted from the book Simple Soirees by Peggy Knickerbocker

3 teaspoons chili powder
1 1/2 cups hazelnuts, roasted
6 cloves minced garlic
jar of roasted red peppers, I use between 3 and whole jar, depending on taste and size
3 T of tomato paste, add more if needed
1 1/2 tablespoons sweet paprika
1/2 teaspoon hot paprika
2 1/2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
1 1/2 cups olive oil
salt to taste, start with 1/4 teaspoon and adjust as needed

Take foil lined pan and add nuts. Roast in the oven at 400 degrees until just starting to turn lightly brown and fragrant. Watch closely as they go from done to burned quickly.  Add nuts to food processor along with rest of ingredients except olive oil. Start pulsing. Slowly drizzle the olive oil through the spout. You want a consistency slighty softer than peanut butter. Have a piece of bread on hand for tasting. Adjust salt and oil if needed. This sauce tastes better after a day or so. The flavors blend and soften. However that doesn't mean that we don't dig in right away. This makes a large batch. Save in a pyrex covered with oil. It will harden in the refrigerator but mix the olive oil back in or spread on warm toast to soften again. This is such a versatile recipe to have on hand. Yum! Yum! Yum!

Tisea

Oh how I LOVE this dish. Tisea is a Middle Eastern breakfast dish that gives you a warm and satisfied feeling after eating. Breakfast can be tricky for Vegans. Without all those egg and bacon dishes, what is a person to do for weekend comfort food? Well, here is your answer folks. Tisea. It may seem odd to eat garbanzo beans in the morning, but I can assure you, after you eating this dish, you will be tanked up until early afternoon feeling oh so good!

I have to thank my in-laws for introducing my palate to these new foods. I had never had such things growing up. The most exotic thing we had was Mexican food, typically from home.  I'll never forget when my in-laws first came to stay with us. I was not one to try new things, but there was no way that I could hurt their feelings and decline. Before you know it, I was gobbling up this and that and going back for more.

My father-in-law is the Tisea maker of the house. He used to make a lovely version with yogurt and hot butter that we enjoyed for many years. I lamented to my sweet father-in-law on his recent visit how much I would miss enjoying his Tisea when he said,"Oh there is another version!"  I was so excited! The next morning we all enjoyed a beautiful spread of food together and indeed we were truly comforted.

Tisea

1 bag garbanzo beans
2 tsp baking soda
1 bag of pita bread
1 bunch parsley
1-2 cloves of fresh garlic
1/3 olive oil
1-2 T ground cumin

Place beans in a bowl. Add baking soda and water to beans. Stir. Let sit overnight. Next morning, pour beans AND the baking soda water into a pot. Boil until tender (this doesn't take too long). Maybe 20-30 minutes.  Remove from heat but don't drain. You need the cooking water. Toast the pita bread until a bit toasted. Tear into large pieces and put in a large casserole dish. With a slotted spoon, scoop out about half of the beans ( or more if you have a big dish) and place over the pita bread in the casserole dish.  Add one cup to one and a half cups of  beans to blender, add 1/3 cup oil, garlic, salt and 1-2 cups cooking water to blend into a watery mixture. Add the water slowly because you can always add more. If you get too much water, just add some more beans, garlic, salt etc. It shouldn't be thick like hummus but watery. Pour this over the beans and pita. It should have a milky look to it. Then add about 1 cup of parsley leaves (or more) and generously sprinkle with ground cumin. The pita gets nice and soft and the bean are tender and warm. Scoop a generous serving into a bowl. YUM!

Serve with kalamata olives, toasted pita triangles and hummus.

*Note: In the photos, we served it with a homemade olive oil hummus and a homemade romesco sauce. I will be including recipes for both at a future date. And although romesco sauce isn't Middle Eastern, it went beautifully with what we ate.

Do you see how it looks milky? But the beans are still showing through. You don't want to drown the entire thing. I like a little more parsley than shown.

In this picture we have the olive oil hummus, the olives and romesco sauce. My husband is adding the final drizzle of olive oil to the romesco.

The feast assembled. We are only missing the toasted pita to scoop up all that good stuff.

Grilled Asparagus and Take-out Pizza

Spring is here and that means an abundance of fresh vegetables for your table!

One of our favorites is asparagus. The beautiful, crisp, green stems are just begging to be used in everything from salads to stir fries.

Grilling is a wonderful way to keep those gems crisp while imparting a delicious smoky flavor. Prepping asparagus doesn't take more than a few minutes making it an ideal accompaniment to most any main dish.

Chop off the woody stems and then use a veggie peeler to thin out the remaining base. This ensures an incredibly tender stalk.

After a quick rinse in cold water, gently pat dry and place on a large platter. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle with Himalyan Pink Sea Salt (any sea salt will do) and a few twists of the pepper mill.

Make sure the grill is hot. Add the asparagus and close the grill for a few minutes. Don't wander off as these can burn quickly. After the asparagus begins to show grill marks, remove from grill to a clean platter. Drizzle with an aged balsamic vinegar and serve.

The nutritional benefits of eating asparagus are numerous. Touted to reduce cholesterol and blood pressure to name a few, it is also full of vitamins. Make sure to grill a few extras for lunch the next day. They are delicious cold and can be enjoyed as is or chopped into a salad.

We all have to take a break from the kitchen from time to time. One of our favorite take-outs is pizza. I think this has been the hardest habit to tweak since becoming vegan.  Eating out can easily fit into a healthy lifestyle if you are willing to make a few changes. I try to keep a list of  local favorite places and the items I know I can eat without worry. This preparation can prevent the defeatest attitude of eating like I used to because I didn't plan. So, back to pizza. Any pizza place is usually willing to customize a mini pizza to your liking and make it without cheese. I have found the mushroom with tons of chopped garlic is my particular favorite. Served with my grilled asparagus, I am completely satisfied and I don't feel like I have thrown my healthly lifestyle out the window.  Our kids aren't vegan but they do tend to order veggie pizza more than pepperoni. By adding the grilled asparagus they are getting those extra nutrients and antioxidents which their little bodies need. Maybe one day they will ask to try my pizza, and I will know that the example I am trying to set has made an impact. 

Don't these look amazing?

They taste just as good as they look. I usually grill two batches of these goodies because even the kids are attacking the plate.

This would make great lunchbox food for the next day. Pack a slice or two and some asparagus for the next day. Include a cloth napkin and a thermos of hot tea and maybe a tangerine or apple. Watch your co-workers or fellow students drool over such a comforting lunch and noticed how energized you feel after taking such good care of yourself. Bon apetit!