Spaghetti Squash with Mushroom Sauce

Spaghetti squash is an extraordinarily satisfying substitute for pasta. This is good news for those who wish to avoid pasta to lose weight or reduce consumption of grains for other reasons. The recipe that follows can be made with your favorite tomato sauce (as written) or with other types of sauces, such as pesto or simply olive oil with crushed garlic. I have not provided a recipe for tomato sauce here since there are so many varieties of tomato sauce to choose from. Just pick one of your standards.

Ingredients

1 spaghetti squash

3 c. (24 oz.) tomato sauce of your choice

2 tbsp. olive oil

8 oz. baby Portobello mushrooms (chopped)

1 tsp. oregano

1 garlic clove (crushed)

6 oz. grated parmesan cheese

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350˚.

Cut the squash in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds and the first layer of strings. The spaghetti squash is a tricky squash to “clean” prior to baking because it is stringy by nature. You want to remove the tough strings at the core, but you don’t want to dig out the flesh of the squash, which is what you will bake and eat. Put the squash halves upside down on a cookie sheet with a little water in it (up to about ½ of an inch). Bake at 350˚ for 30-40 minutes (depending on the size of the squash) or until the squash is clearly soft when pierced with a fork. Check frequently after 30 minutes in the oven so as not to overcook. Once the squash has cooled enough to handle, scoop out the squash meat and toss it in a large bowl. Separate the strands so that it resembles spaghetti.

While the squash is baking, cook the mushrooms. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan for one minute on high heat and then turn the heat down to medium. Sauté the chopped mushrooms, crushed garlic clove, and oregano in the olive oil, drizzling in a little water as needed to prevent the mushrooms from drying out. The mushrooms will cook for approximately five minutes, until soft but not rubbery. Stir frequently.

When the spaghetti squash is done, warm the tomato sauce in a pot over low heat until it is hot. Add the mushrooms to the sauce and fold them in. Pour the tomato/mushroom sauce over the spaghetti squash and serve. Sprinkle parmesan cheese on top.

Eat well, be well, live deliciously!

Kale Chips

Lately it seems like kale chips are the next big thing. I confess that I love them but I won’t buy them since they’re so expensive. I tried making them in my oven and they sometimes work and sometimes don’t, depending on how wet they are. The most reliable and efficient way to prepare kale chips is in a food dehydrator. Here’s a simple recipe.

Ingredients

2 bunches of kale

5 tbsp. olive oil

2 tbsp. tamari

1 tbsp. Braggs Amino Acids
1 tbsp. Worcestershire Sauce (I use The Wizard's Organic Vegan Gluten-Free)

1 tsp. onion granules

1 tsp. garlic powder

salt (optional and to taste)

¼ c. nutritional yeast

Directions

Clean the kale and remove the stems. Put the kale through a spinner and/or blot dry with dish towels to be sure it is dry. Tear the kale into pieces. I tear the kale away from the stems in what I judge to be bite-sized pieces. Put the kale into a very large bowl with plenty of room. Set the kale aside.

Combine all the wet ingredients in a measuring cup, beginning with the olive oil. DO NOT include the nutritional yeast, which will be sprinkled on at the end; so set that aside. These ingredients will be the coating. Stir them together until well-blended.

Stir the onion granules, garlic powder, and salt on the kale and stir it around. Pour the coating over the kale and turn the kale with a large spoon repeatedly until it is entirely coated. Be sure to pull up coating from the bottom of the bowl and work it into the leaves.  

Place the kale on lined dehydrator trays and sprinkle nutritional yeast on top of the kale. Set the dehydrator at 125°. The kale does not need to lay flat. Allow to dehydrate for about 12 hours (overnight works well).

Store the kale chips in an airtight container or bag. I put a desiccant packet or two in the container to keep it dry.

Eat well, be well, live deliciously!

Applesauce Cake (and Muffins)

This applesauce cake is a fruit-full variation on the old-fashioned spice cake. It can be made with whole wheat flour or it can be made gluten-free as described below. You can also use this recipe to make applesauce muffins.

Ingredients

1 c. applesauce

½ c. honey

¼ c. oil (for a richer cake substitute melted butter)

2 eggs

2 c. whole wheat flour (for gluten-free use 1 c. brown rice flour and 1 c. teff flour)

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. cinnamon

½ tsp. salt

¼ tsp. allspice or cloves

½ c. raisins (optional)

½ c. chopped walnuts (optional)

For topping (optional)

¼ c. wheat germ

½ c. applesauce

¼ c. chopped walnuts

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350° and grease a 9”x9” baking dish.

Beat the eggs. Combine the wet ingredients (applesauce, honey, oil, eggs) in a mixing bowl and blend well. Combine the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, and allspice/cloves in a separate bowl. Gradually mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and blend well. Once the ingredients are thoroughly blended, fold in the raisins and/or walnuts if you wish to include these.

Pour the batter into the baking dish. Using a tablespoon, gently dollop applesauce across the top of the mixture (do not stir down into the batter) and then sprinkle the wheat germ and chopped walnuts on top.

Bake the cake for 40-45 minutes at 350°. If you use this recipe to make muffins then bake them in a muffin tin for 20-25 minutes at 350°. (This recipe will make about a dozen muffins.) If you use the gluten-free version then baking time will need to be a little longer. Cake or muffins are done when a knife inserted comes out clean.

Eat well, be well, live deliciously!

Middle Eastern Classic Salad

This salad goes well with just about any meal. It’s ridiculously simple and sparklingly fresh.

Ingredients

1 cucumber finely chopped

2 large tomatoes or 1 enormous tomato finely chopped

2 tbsp. olive oil

1 large lemon

Directions

Chop the vegetables and combine. Juice the lemon and add the juice to the vegetables. Add the oil. Let stand for 20 minutes (in the refrigerator so it stays chilled) to allow the vegetable juices to come out.

Eat well, be well, live deliciously! 

Mediterranean Salad and Tahini Wrap

This variation on salad makes for a perfectly satisfying lunch.

Ingredients

Salad greens

Crumbled feta cheese (or not, for a vegan version)

5 pitted Kalamata olives

3 tbsp. chopped tomatoes

2 tbsp. chopped cucumber

1 tbsp. olive oil

1½ tbsp. tahini

1 “wrap” (gluten-free wraps are now available)

Directions

A wrap is a version of a tortilla that is large and (usually) sturdy enough for this recipe. I prefer to use the spinach wrap for this purpose. I have seen spinach wraps, tomato and herb wraps, and plain wraps. As noted, gluten-free wraps are now available (try a specialty health food store if they don’t carry them at your grocery store). Warm and soften one wrap in the microwave for 15 seconds.

Spread tahini on the wrap. Pile on the salad greens, add the other vegetables and the feta. Drizzle the olive oil over the top. Roll the wrap up as tightly as you can. This is a bit of a messy meal! Plan to have some of the salad fall out the bottom onto the plate. You can finish it up with a fork. Simply made and simply delicious.

Eat well, be well, live deliciously!

Garam Masala Yams, Cauliflower, and Chickpeas

This Indian vegetable dish is a complete meal in itself or it can be served over rice. The recipe makes a large quantity – perfect to take to a potluck. Cook it up in a big stew pot. I have divided the steps into three phases.

Ingredients

PHASE ONE

2 tbsp. coconut oil or olive oil

½ onion, chopped (about ¾ cup) or 1½ tbsp. onion powder

2 cloves crushed garlic

2 tbsp. fresh ginger (peeled and chopped fine)

2 tbsp. coriander

1 tbsp. cumin

1 tbsp. turmeric

1 tbsp. cinnamon

½ tsp. black pepper

¼ tsp. clove

¼ tsp. cayenne or 1 tsp. chili pepper flakes (optional – see note about spiciness below under directions)

Salt to taste (or use none – can always be added later by individuals)

2 tbsp. tomato paste

1 14-ounce can stewed diced tomatoes (or 3 medium-sized peeled chopped fresh tomatoes)

1 c. water

PHASE TWO

1 c. coconut milk

1 smallish head of cauliflower broken up into pieces (no larger than 1½ inches)

3 sliced carrots (not thin-sliced, more chunky)

2 large garnet yams peeled and chopped into cubes (no larger than ¾-inch) – equivalent of about 3½ cups

PHASE THREE

1 15-ounce can of chickpeas

2 limes

1 tbsp. orange peel

½ c. raisins

8 ounces baby spinach (washed and chopped coarsely)

Directions

PHASE ONE. Heat the oil in a large stew pot until frying-hot then add the onion and fry it for a few minutes until it becomes transparent. Turn off the heat. Combine the water, tomatoes, tomato paste, and all the herbs and spices listed in Phase One in the stew pot. I usually do not put cayenne or hot pepper in anything I cook since it can always be added later and some people have trouble with spicy food. (Sambal Oelek is an excellent hot spicy addition that can be served separately.) I also do not cook with salt because that too can be added later and some people can’t tolerate salt. Turn the heat on low and simmer the spices and herbs in the tomato “soup” (covered) for about five or ten minutes. If you are not done cutting up the vegetables by then just turn off the heat until you are ready to add the veggies.

PHASE TWO. Slice the carrots. Peel the garnet yams and cut into chunks or cubes. Break up the cauliflower into bite-size pieces. Add these vegetables to the stew pot along with the coconut milk. Cook the vegetables over low heat, covered, for about 20 minutes (until the veggies are soft but still firm, not mushy). Be sure to stir the veggies frequently so that they don’t stick to the bottom of the pot.

PHASE THREE. Juice 2 limes. Rinse the chickpeas with water in a colander. Coarsely chop the spinach. Once the vegetables are cooked, add the chickpeas, lime juice, orange peel, and raisins to the stew and mix them in. Then place the spinach on top and cover the pot. Cook on low heat for about 5 minutes to steam the spinach until it wilts.

I like to serve this dish with chopped cilantro and fresh mango. The cilantro can be sprinkled on top. Mango should be chopped into bite-sized pieces and served on the side. Additionally, yogurt or a raita of yogurt and chopped cucumbers goes very well with this meal.

 Eat well, be well, live deliciously!

Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

This is a classic “skillet cake” recipe. I have often made it in my big cast iron skillet, although it can also be made in a regular baking dish. My husband asks for this cake for his birthday just about every year. It reminds him of a cake his mother used to make when he was growing up. Note that this recipe will work with other fruit that can be substituted for the pineapple, so imagine and play. (A gluten-free variation is provided in the directions below.) 

Ingredients 

For topping:

¼ c. melted butter

½ c. honey

Approximately 6 sliced pineapple rings (a 15-oz. can should do it)

For cake:

1 c. whole wheat flour (see below for gluten-free alternative)

1 tsp. baking powder

¾ c. honey 

4 eggs (separated)

1 tbsp. melted butter

1 tsp. vanilla 

Directions 

First make the topping. Melt the butter and pour it into the baking dish (or skillet). Add the honey and blend it well with the butter. Drain the pineapple and lay the rings in the butter/honey mixture.

Preheat the oven to 350°.

In a separate bowl combine the flour and baking powder. For a gluten-free version of this cake, substitute the following for the whole wheat flour:  ¾ c. brown rice flour, ¼ c. teff flour, 2 tbsp. flax seed meal. Set the flour mixture aside.

Separate the eggs and beat the egg whites until they are stiff. Combine the egg yolks, honey, 1 tbsp. melted butter, and vanilla. Then fold this mixture into the beaten egg whites. Finally, fold in the flour and baking powder mixture so that all the cake ingredients are combined.

Pour the cake mixture over the topping in the baking dish (or skillet), covering it completely, and bake for 30 minutes at 350°. The gluten-free version might take a few minutes longer to bake. Insert a knife into the center to test the cake if necessary (should come out clean). Immediately after removing the cake from the oven, turn it over onto a large serving plate. Beware:  the butter and pineapple juice will run down the sides so could get messy. Leave the baking dish over the cake for a few minutes to make sure that all the topping mixture drains down into the cake.

Eat well, be well, live deliciously!