For a vegan version use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth – both in the polenta and in the mushroom ragout. Skip the Parmesan
For a meat version, add 8 oz ground beef (or turkey, or bison) and sauté with onion and mushrooms
I make a double recipe of the mushroom ragout and freeze half to use another day.
Can serve it with pasta or over Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes (simply mash the same amount of cooked potatoes and cooked cauliflower, add milk, 1 tablespoon butter, salt and pepper to taste).
Sometimes I make extra polenta for breakfast with eggs.
Press remaining polenta onto a buttered baking sheet, cover and refrigerate over night
In the morning put into preheated broiler for 5 – 8 minutes until edges start to crisp. Meanwhile make a couple of eggs, sunny side up or poached.
Served eggs over polenta
Can also add arugula or baby spinach between the polenta and egg
Polenta with Mushroom Ragout
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Variations
• For vegan version use vegetable instead of chicken broth both in the polenta and in the mushroom ragout. Skip the Parmesan
• For a meat version, add 8 oz ground beef (turkey, bison) and sauté with onion and mushrooms
• Mix in1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped, before removing pot from stove
Variations
• For vegan version use vegetable instead of chicken broth both in the polenta and in the mushroom ragout. Skip the Parmesan
• For a meat version, add 8 oz ground beef (turkey, bison) and sauté with onion and mushrooms
• Mix in1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped, before removing pot from stove
In a medium saucepan bring broth to a boil. Slowly pour in polenta, stirring constantly with a whisk until it is smoothly mixed in. Bring to a boil, reduce heat low, cover and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until polenta is cooked and smooth.
Mix in Parmesan, season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside, covered.
Mushroom Ragout
Heat olive oil in saucepan over medium heat. Add chopped onion and sauté until they start to turn transparent.
Add mushrooms and sauté 8 – 10 minutes until they begin to brown. Add garlic, cook 2 more minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add tomatoes and chicken stock; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and cook 10 more minutes.
Mix in fresh herbs, season with salt and pepper to taste and turn off.
Spoon polenta onto plate, place mushroom ragout on top. Sprinkle with the chives (green onions) and serve.
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https://www.colormyfood.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/IMG_2092.jpg30244032Diana Galindohttps://www.colormyfood.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/color-my-food-logo-325.pngDiana Galindo2018-08-27 20:45:172018-08-27 20:45:18Polenta with Mushroom Ragout
Who knew eggplant could be yummy? It’s probably my least favorite vegetable, but this recipe makes an un-favorite veggie into a delicious meal!
I serve it over CMF Quinoa, or if time allows, I make quinoa “cakes”. The quinoa cakes are a great breakfast option, so I make enough go have for dinner and breakfast: topping them with eggplant ragu in the evening and later in the week with defrosted mixed berries I warm up 1 cup berries with 1 tablespoon maple syrup. Add a dollop of Greek yogurt and it’s like dessert for breakfast.
The smoked mozzarella gives this dish a unique, gourmet flavor, but it’s delicious with fresh mozzarella as well. Another delicious alternative is fresh Bulgarian-style feta cheese (I add the feta just before serving). I’ve also made this without cheese.
The colors are so pretty, it’s a nice meal for dinner guests. Here are a couple of menu ideas:
Appetizer
White Bean Dip with Rosemary (or other CMF hummus/bean dip) with veggie sticks (carrot, bell pepper, celery etc) and pita or tortilla chips.
Any spinach-based CMF salads. It’s especially nice with the Spinach and Orange Salad giving the meal a Mediterranean flair. Or the Greens Edamame Salad for a more international fusion-style.
Make CMF Quinoa. While quinoa is cooking make eggplant ragu.
Heat olive oil in large heavy skillet until it begins to shimmer. Add eggplant, onion, garlic, oregano, and 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and cook over medium heat, covered, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes.
Stir in tomatoes, roasted peppers, and water and simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, until eggplant is very tender and mixture is thick about 10 minutes.
Carefully mix in the diced mozzarella cheese and let melt for 5 minutes before serving.
Serve over CMF Quinoa. If time allows, I like to make quinoa cakes. I serve the eggplant ragu over the quinoa cakes and use the remainder for breakfast with poached eggs and spinach or defrosted from mixed berries I warm up 1 cup berries with 1 tablespoon maple syrup. Add a dollop of Greek yogurt and it’s like dessert for breakfast.
Quinoa Cakes
Toast quinoa in saucepan over medium heat until it starts to make popping sounds. Add water, and bring to a boil.
When it begins to boil, reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes. Turn off heat. Let rest 5 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350.
Generously brush a muffin tin with olive oil.
Transfer to a large bowl and cool, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes, and then stir in eggs.
Pack muffin cups two-thirds full with quinoa using the back of a spoon or a spatula, dipping in water if it gets too sticky.
Place in oven and bake 25 minutes.
Remove from oven and cool 5 minutes.
Carefully remove from muffin tin with a spatula and place on plate.
To Serve
While quinoa cakes are cooling, stir in parsley and half of mozzarella into eggplant ragù and on low heat simmer just until cheese begins to soften, about 1 minutes.
Spoon over ragu quinoa cakes, sprinkle remaining mozzarella on top.
Recipe Notes
*Fresh mozzarella can be used instead of smoked mozzarella. I also use fresh Greek or Bulgarian feta cheese instead of mozzarella. If using feta, I cut into pieces and put on top of ragu just before serving (do not on heat the feta).
I tend to avoid Tex-Mex food because it is so heavy and leaves me feeling like I’ve eaten a tank.
Then I made Sweet Potato Enchiladas from Oh She Glows cookbook and I discovered crazy delicious, digestible enchiladas.
Casting about for something to take to a friend’s house for the Superbowl today, enchiladas seemed to be a Superbowlish kind of food.
I was astonished at how fast they were eaten, from the 3 year-old and up, everyone enjoyed them.
Variations:
Make it vegan: use 1 1/2 cup cooked lentils instead of ground meat
Make it spicy: keep the poblano seeds or add 1/4 – 1/2 red pepper flakes
Make it chicken: use chopped up leftover (or rotisserie) chicken instead of ground meat
Next time I’ll make a double recipe and save half for a second dinner later in the week.
1. Shepard pie with mashed sweet potatoes OR
2. Stuff a spaghetti squash (scoop out seeds first), sprinkle cheese on top and cook in oven for 30 – 40 minutes.
I’ve discovered it’s easy to make taco seasoning. I double the recipe (without onion powder or garlic powder simply because I never have any) from Family Fresh Meals and keep it in a small mason jar.
Heat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9 x 13-inch baking pan with avocado or olive oil. Set aside.
Heat avocado oil in a pot over medium heat until it just starts to shimmer. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally for 5 minutes. Add ground meat and cook, stirring occasionally until no longer pink.
Mix in garlic and taco seasoning. Cook 2 – 3 more minutes.
Mix 1/4 cup of enchilada sauce. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Add poblano and bell peppers, tomato and black bean. Mix again and cook just until poblano and bell peppers soften. Stir in 1/2 cup chopped cilantro.
Set up an assembly line with tortillas, enchilada sauce, ground beef mixture, and cheese. Spread two tablespoons enchilada sauce over the surface of the tortilla, then about 2 large spoonfuls of ground beef mixture. Roll up the tortilla and place,
Spread remaining enchilada sauce on top of the tortillas.
Sprinkle 1 1/2 - 2 cups shredded cheese on top, (depends how cheesy you prefer.
Bake uncovered for 20 minutes.
Remove from oven, sprinkle another 1/4 cup chopped cilantro on top and serve.
Cauliflower was a boring vegetable I pretty much ignored until I discovered its exceptional health boosting powers.
Cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower and kale can potentially prevent DNA damage, activate defenses against pathogens and pollutants, help prevent lymphoma, boost liver detox enzymes and target breast cancer cells. The component responsible for these benefits is thought to be sulforaphane, which is formed almost exclusively in cruciferous vegetables.
How to Not Die Michael Greger MD
Cruciferous vegetables can potentially prevent DNA damage, activate defenses against pathogens and pollutants, and help prevent cancer…x
And Alfredo sauce was something I avoided as heavy, fatty and too white. I like color in my food after all. But my family loves Alfredo sauce.
This recipe happily marries the benefits of cauliflower with my family’s eating pleasure. Simple and quick to make, it can also be a vegan Alfredo sauce.
Recipe Variations
Use almond milk or broth for a lighter meal
Use dairy milk for a creamier sauce
Add 1/2 cup of shredded Parmesan for a special treat
Serving Variations
Toss with whole-wheat fettuccini, cooked shrimp and peas
Toss with bowtie pasta, chopped up leftover chicken and sautéed mushrooms
Saute sliced onion, sliced red bell pepper and coarsely chopped kale and toss with pasta
Cut off bottom of cauliflower stem and leaves, chop into large pieces
Place cauliflower in a steamer basket in a pot with 1 inch of water. Cover and bring to a boil over medium heat. Steam 8 – 10 minutes until very tender when pierced with a fork.
Place steamed cauliflower in food processor or blender with remaining ingredients and puree.
I’m always looking for ways to incorporate more beets into our weekly meals when staying with my father. Parkinson’s is a challenging disease; one of the ways I deal with impotence of the disease is trying to boost nutrition into my dad’s daily life.
Beets help blood flow and are brain-healthy. So beets go into breakfast smoothies and raw grated beets go into salads. These pancakes are a new way to use beets.
The first time I made them, I served them with a potato, turnip and pumpkin puree (spiced with tumeric and cumin). Yum!
And an arugula, tomato salad with green onion and CMF vinaigrette.
I’ve since made them for teatime, which is my dad’s favorite late afternoon interlude and oftentimes he wants tea rather than dinner.
I think they’d also be a lovely brunch option.
Variations:
Add ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes to give spice them up
Serve with a dollop of plain Greek yogurt or puree the yogurt with a clove of garlic and ¼ cup of cilantro, mint, or parsley.
Serve with sweet potato puree, a cauliflower and potato puree
Love this! It’s a fun twist on traditional tabbouleh, which is made with bulgur. This dish comes out of my kitchen with frequency during the summer months. It is very versatile; I make it as as a one-dish dinner served over a bed of spinach or as a side to grilled chicken, or roasted pork tenderloin.
It’s perfect for summer dinner parties, enjoyed by vegans/vegetarians and omnivores alike.
I’ve made it as a simple lunch for girlfriends; served on a bed of baby kale tossed with CMF Lime Vinaigrette, along with Olive Tapenade, fresh feta and pita bread.
Finished off with Peach and Blackberry Crisp served with a small scoop of plain Greek yogurt drizzled with honey and voila! Happy tummies filled with Mother Nature’s food.
As usual with my leftover grains, they get rolled into a wrap with greens and a spread of hummus or pesto. Or tossed into a salad with greens, perhaps shaved cabbage or grated carrots, whatever I have on hand.
Variations:
Skip tomatoes and cucumber to make it simple side dish
Add crumbled feta or goat cheese
Add feta and pitted black olives cut in half
Replace tomatoes with diced red bell pepper for more crunch
Replace tomatoes and cucumbers and add chopped roasted red bell pepper and garbanzo beans
Eat it for pleasure. Eat it for life!
Not just a delight to eat with its bursts of crunch, zing of lemon and aromatic mint, but it is so good for our bodies too.
Toast quinoa in saucepan over medium heat until it starts to make popping sounds. Add water and bring to a boil. Immediately reduce heat to low, cover and simmer until quinoa is tender, about 25 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand, uncovered, until cool. Fluff with a fork.
Meanwhile, whisk lemon juice and garlic in a small bowl. Gradually whisk in olive oil. Season dressing to taste with salt and pepper.
Transfer to a large bowl; mix in 1/4 cup dressing.
Add cucumber, tomatoes, herbs, and scallions to bowl with quinoa; toss to coat. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Drizzle remaining dressing over tabbouleh
Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill. Bring to room temperature before serving.
Did you know sweet potatoes are not the same as yams? Sweet potatoes, native of North America, are a superfood loaded with vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals. Yams are starchy roots native of Africa and also grown in tropical parts of Asia, South America and the Caribbean.
Nutritionally, sweet potatoes greatly outweigh yams. They are sweet and moist. Yams are starchy and dry. I recognize sweet potatoes by their tapered ends and thin, smooth skin. Yams have rough, dark skin.
The original recipe calls for yams. I use sweet potatoes instead, and kale rather than mustard greens. For dinner parties, if vegetarians are among the guests I split the potato salad in half and mix bacon into one half only, leaving the other half for the vegetarians. Or leave the bacon on the side, but I find it more flavorful if the bacon is mixed in.
I’ve made this the day before. But it is thirsty and soaks up the dressing. So if I make it the day before, I make extra dressing add additional dressing before serving.
Finally, for a prettier presentation I like to serve it on a platter over a bed of shredded kale (with dressing mixed in prior to putting the kale on the platter). How to tell the difference between sweet potato and yam?
Sweet Potato and Russet Potato Salad with Greens and Bacon
https://www.colormyfood.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/IMG_4530.jpg24483264Diana Galindohttps://www.colormyfood.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/color-my-food-logo-325.pngDiana Galindo2017-05-31 10:02:232017-05-31 13:42:07Sweet Potato and Russet Potato Salad with Greens and Bacon
Cabbage does not sound exciting, but the flavors of this dish are marvelous!
I’m always looking for delicious ways to maximize the nutrients in our meals and this recipe fits the bill exceptionally well because it includes 5 of 6 GBOMBs (Greens, Beans, Onions, Mushrooms, Berries, Seeds/Nuts), the most nutrient-dense foods.
Mushrooms and cabbage are powerful anti-cancer foods and this dish is loaded with them. It’s a quick dinner recipe, easily adapted to different ingredients.
Leftovers are even more delicious as the flavors meld and… it’s also yummy cold; double the recipe and voila! Lunch to take to work or to enjoy later in the week. So despite the most unattractive name of this recipe, it is a most attractive dish to make for many reasons.
Cruciferous vegetables (such as cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower and turnips) have a unique chemical composition with proven and powerful immune-boosting effects and anticancer activity. A 20% increase in cruciferous vegetables intake corresponds to a 40% decrease in cancer rates…Mushrooms contain many unusual disease-fighting compounds that empower the body to react quickly and powerfully when we are exposed to viruses and bacteria. Frequent consumption of mushrooms can decrease the incidence of breast cancer by up to 60%. The combination of mushrooms and greens is a powerful anticancer cocktail. (Green vegetables include kale, cabbage, collards and cruciferous)
Super Immunity Joel Fuhrman MD
The combination of mushrooms and greens is a powerful anticancer cocktail…x
Variations:
For family friendly-dinner, leave the Sriracha out of sauce and have it on the side
As is for a one-dish vegan dinner
Use any cabbage: purple, Napa, baby bok choy
Add other veggies: finely sliced carrot, broccoli, bell peppers etc
Replace soba noodles with udon or whole-wheat spaghetti
Add frozen shrimp, letting them cook in the steam from the veggies
Add leftover chicken, I’ve even added leftover steak, thinly sliced
Stir together water, soy sauce, brown sugar and Sriracha (if using) until brown sugar is dissolved, then set sauce aside.
Toast sesame seeds in a dry 12-inch heavy skillet over medium heat, stirring, until pale gold. Cool.
Heat sesame oil in skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers, sauté ginger and garlic, stirring, about 1 minute.
Add mushrooms and sauté, stirring frequently, until tender and starting to brown, 6 - 8 minutes. Reduce heat to medium, add cabbage and half of scallions, cook, stirring occasionally, until cabbage is crisp-tender, about 6 minutes. Add sauce and simmer 2 minutes.
While cabbage is cooking, cook soba and edamame together in a pot of boiling water until noodles are just tender, about 6 minutes. Drain in a colander and rinse under cool water to stop cooking and remove excess starch, then drain well again.
Toss soba noodles and edamame with vegetables and most of sesame seeds and reserved scallions.
https://www.colormyfood.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/IMG_1882.jpg30244032Diana Galindohttps://www.colormyfood.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/color-my-food-logo-325.pngDiana Galindo2017-05-18 11:03:062018-08-30 13:12:17Soba Noodles with Mushroom and Cabbage
Here’s a fantastic way to enjoy cauliflower – a rather-tasteless-boring-white vegetable. Ha! Yeah those were my sentiments; I confess I avoided cauliflower until recently. Discovering how powerful it is to our immune system motivated me to find ways to eat it. And as always in my kitchen – nutritious must also be delicious!
So thank you SkinnyTaste for introducing me to Cauliflower “Fried Rice”! I’ve made multiple iterations; consider this a baseline rather than a precise recipe and go creative with what’s seasonal or in your kitchen.
Cauliflower is a cruciferous along with broccoli, Brussels sprouts and cabbage.
“ Cruciferous vegetables are among the most powerful weapons in our dietary arsenal against cancer. That alone would elevate it to the status of a SuperFood. Cruciferous vegetables boost the immune system, lowers the incidence of cataracts, supports cardiovascular health, builds bones and fights birth defects. They are some of the most nutrient-dense foods known offering an incredible high level of nutrition for a very low caloric cost. Steven Pratt MD and Kathy Matthews” SuperFoods: Fourteen Foods that Will Change Your Life”
Variations:
Skip the eggs, add edamame or tofu for protein to make it vegan
Or go the other way and add leftover chicken, pork or shrimp
Replace peas with edamame or snap peas (cut diagonally in halves or thirds)
Add mushrooms; wash, trim stems and slice. Cook with the chopped red onion
Coarsely chop cauliflower into large pieces. Put one-third in food processor and pulse just until cauliflower has the texture of rice. Remove from processor and repeat two more times until all cauliflower is “riced. Be careful not to over-process.
Whisk eggs in a small bowl. Heat a large skillet or wok over medium heat with1 tablespoons sesame seed oil Add the eggs and cook, stirring occasionally until done. Remove egg from skillet.
Add 1 tablespoon sesame oil to pan, saute onions, until they start to become translucent, add red bell pepper and garlic and cook another 3 - 4 minutes, stirring.
Add cauliflower and peas to skillet, mix until combined. Mix in soy sauce. Cover and cook over high heat 5 more minutes, stirring frequently, until cauliflower is slightly crispy on the outside but tender on the inside.
Add the egg. Remove skillet from heat and mix in scallions and parsley
Quick and easy, this recipe is handy for weeknights.
Fresh herbs add exceptional flavor and are rich in nutrients. Since ancient times they’ve been used for their health benefits. Now science is discovering their unique antioxidants, essential oils, phytochemical and other nutrients that help our bodies fight germs, toxins and boost our immune system.
Herbs are easy to grow even without a garden; put a pot of two in a sunny window.
As a general rule, I use three times as much fresh herbs as dried.
Variations:
Replace orzo with other short whole-what pasta (penne, fusilli etc)
Use feta or shredded Parmesan instead of goat chase
Use other herbs ( such as mint, cilantro, parsley) instead of basil
Bring a medium pot of water to boil. Add orzo, cook 5 minutes; add broccoli and cook another 3 – 5 minutes just until orzo is tender. Be careful not to overcook orzo or it becomes mushy
Whisk olive oil, lemon juice, minced garlic and cumin to blend in large serving bowl.
Add garbanzo beans, cooked orzo, broccoli and chopped fresh oregano; toss until mixed.
Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Gently add crumbled goat cheese and olives (if using).
Serve orzo salad warm or at room temperature.
Recipe Notes
Modified from http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Orzo-with-Garbanzo-Beans-Goat-Cheese-and-Oregano-242471#ixzz2priVLJgg
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