Vegatarian
Mashed Cauliflower
Servings: 4
This recipe is designed to replace mash potatoes for good. It is virtually carbohydrate free and come with all the benefits of cauliflower such as fiber plus the benefits of all the other ingredients. This will help you cut out calories but not flavor.
Ingredients:
- One head cauliflower
- One-half lemon
-Garlic clove minced
-Raw, grass-fed butter – two or three tablespoons
-Cream Cheese or creamy goat cheese
- Sea Salt
- Pepper
-Optional: Diced and Sauté onions and/or shitake mushrooms in butter
Directions:
- Fully steam the head of cauliflower until fairly soft, but not over cooked.
-Transfer cauliflower to a large mixing bowl and mash thoroughly.
- Squeeze in the ½ lemon (juice)
- Add garlic, butter, cream cheese (to taste), and/or optional sautéed onions/mushrooms and blend
- For an extra creamy texture add blended contents to a blender and whip up until creamy smooth
QUICK BLACK BEAN CHILI WITH GOAT CHEESE
Serves 4-6
1 ½ tablespoons vegetable oil
1 small red onion, chopped
1 medium green bell pepper, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons chili powder
1/8 teaspoon hot red pepper
28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
2 15-ounce cans black beans, rinsed and drained
4-ounce can mild chopped green chiles, drained
½ teaspoon salt
¼ cup chopped cilantro (optional)
2-6 ounces goat cheese, crumbled or cut into small pieces
In a medium pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add the red onion and green pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onion is soft and translucent, 3-5 minutes. Add the garlic, cumin, chili powder and hot pepper. Cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute to toast the spices.
Stir in the tomatoes, black beans, chiles, and salt. Simmer for 15 minutes. Season with additional hot pepper and salt to taste, bearing in mind goat cheese is salty.
To serve, later into warm bowls. Sprinkle cilantro and goat cheese on top.
-From “One-Pot Vegetarian Dishes” by Amy Cotler
PAN-FRIED TOFU WITH SPINACH, PEAR, AND STAR ANISE
1 block extra-firm tofu, 15 ounces, halved horizontally
2 tablespoons peanut oil
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 ½ teaspoons minced fresh ginger, peeled
1 garlic clove, minced
1 fresh red chile, cut in paper-thin circles
3 whole star anise
1/3 cup roasted peanuts
2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
Juice of ½ lime
2 pounds of baby spinach
1 pear or Asian pear, sliced into thin wedges
Lay several layers of paper towels on a cutting board, then place the tofu squares on top, side by side. Cover the tofu with more paper towels and place a plate on top. Add a can or two to press down and drain out some of the water in the curd. This makes the tofu denser and meatier.
In a large skillet, heat the peanut and sesame oils just to the smoking point. Fry the tofu on both sides, flipping occasionally with the spatula, until golden, about 8 minutes total. Remove the tofu from the pan and drain it on a plate lined with paper towels.
Using the same pan, sauté the ginger, garlic, chile, star anise, and peanuts – your kitchen will smell amazing! In a small bowl, mix the hoisin sauce, soy sauce, and lime juice together. Briefly toss the spinach in the pan, stirring just to wilt, no more than 30 seconds. Remove the spinach to a bowl, scraping the peanut mixture in there also. Put the pan back on the heat and heat the hoisin mixture. Combine the sauce with the spinach and divide between 2 bowls. Lay the pear slices and tofu on top.
From Tyler Florence’s Real Kitchen