Southwestern Taquitos.

My sister-in-law, Jenn, told me about this recipe she found and made off pinterest. She LOVES it... and it totally delivered. Instead of in egg roll form, I used wheat tortillas and did taquitos instead. Yum.

2 cups frozen corn, thawed
1-15 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
1-9 oz package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry with paper towel
1-7oz can diced green chiles, drained
4 green onions, finely chopped
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
10-12 wheat tortillas

Preheat oven to 425*F. Line 2 baking sheets with aluminum foil and spray lightly with cooking spray.In a large bowl mix together corn, beans, spinach, chiles, onions, cumin, chili powder, salt and cayenne pepper. Scoop and roll in tortillas. Bake 15-20 minutes or until lightly brown. They'll crunch up some more as they cool. 

Adapted from Cake & Allie who adapted from Annies Eats then adapted from Confections of a Foodie Bride

Israeli Couscous.

I got this one day at the Central Market deli counter. Fell in love. Tried to recreate it myself the next day. Fell in love again. A little pat on my back, and here ya go. Cheaper and a healthier version...

The portions are pretty forgiving. The measurements here are a starting off point that I just adjust. I combine it all then let it sit in the fridge for a couple hours to give everything time to get along. The key ingredients to me? The olives, sundried tomatoes and toasted sunflower seeds. Don't skimp on those.

1 cup israeli couscous
14 oz. spinach, frozen or fresh
1 cup peas
1/2 red bell pepper, small dice
1/2 green bell pepper, small dice
handful tomatoes, oven roasted
4 or 8 halves sundried tomatoes, small dice
1-12 kalamata olives, quartered lenth-wise
2 scallions, chopped
1 cup sunflower seeds, toasted

1/2 tablespoon rosemary, chopped
1/2 tablespoon thyme, chopped
1-2 tablespoons italian parsley, chopped

1/2-1 teaspoon harissa
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
a swirl around the bowl evoo
black pepper

pretty similiar to the one from Central Market, huh?

5/15/2012

Asian Noodle Salad. {Pioneer Woman.}

My sister-in-law, jami, turned me onto this one... and man, I am SO glad she did. I first wanted to try it because it's one of their new favorites. Sold. Then I found out it was Pioneer Woman. Sold. Then I saw that it was basically healthy. Sold. Then I read her write-up on it. Sold and salivating. I got the ingredients that day and made it for dinner.

Sold.

Even my pickiest eater, Ava, can get this all down. And even told me, "Mom, this is actually good!" As if it was a freakin surprise her mom actually makes her something good for dinner. Sheesh.

I changed it up a little, but the real deal is here. But try it. Seriously try it. And if I haven't convinced you enough... and the colread what she wrote herself. Then come back and tell me how sold you are!

It makes a huge amount. For my family I half it. It says for 6 portions. Well, that is a LOT of salad. Even for us plant eaters. It's good for leftovers too. The cashews MAKE it.

SALAD INGREDIENTS:
1 package Linguine Noodles, Cooked, Rinsed, And Cooled
1/2 head Sliced Napa Cabbage, Or More To Taste
1/2 head Sliced Purple Cabbage, Or More To Taste
1/2 bag Baby Spinach, Or More To Taste
1 whole Red Bell Pepper, Sliced Thin
1 whole Yellow Bell Pepper, Sliced Thin
1 whole Orange Bell Pepper, Thinly Sliced
1 bag Bean Sprouts (also Called Mung Bean Sprouts) 
Chopped Cilantro, Up To 1 Bunch, To Taste
3 whole Scallions, Sliced
3 whole Cucumbers, Peeled And Sliced
1 can (about 10 Oz.) Whole Cashews, Lightly Toasted In Skillet

FOR THE DRESSING:
1 whole Lime, Juiced
8 Tablespoons Olive Oil
8 Tablespoons Bragg's Liquid Aminos (soy sauce)
2 Tablespoons (up To 3 Tablespoons) Sesame Oil
1/3 cup agave nectar, coconut sugar or brown sugar
3 Tablespoons Fresh Ginger, Chopped
2 cloves Garlic, Chopped
2 whole Hot Peppers Or Jalapenos, Chopped
Chopped Cilantro

Mix salad ingredients together. Whisk dressing ingredients together and pour over salad. Mix with tongs or hands and serve on a platter.

Note: dressing keeps for up to three days before serving, without cilantro.

Disappearing Lasagna. {Chef AJ}

I don't care who you are... meat-eater or a plant-eater... this stuff is gooood! While we eat our plant-based dinners, my husband and I are always asking ourselves if this meal would satisfy a "normal" meat-eater. This is a for sure, a yes. It's from Chef AJ's book Unprocessed... and is the best nonmeat lasagna I've had. And I've made a lot. And it quite possibly could beat out my meat one. You for sure don't have the cheese and meat hangover with this one.

 

It is somewhat of a pain to make because of the long ingredient list and the different steps. BUT, I make double and freeze the other. It does awesome being baked right out of the freezer too.

2 boxes of no boil rice lasagna noodles (or whole wheat)

6 cups of your favorite marinara sauce

 

"ricotta"

2 cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed OR 1 box extra firm water packed tofu (19 oz. each)

2 ounces of fresh basil

1 cup pine nuts, raw cashews or hemp seeds

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1/4 cup low-sodium miso

1/4 cup nutritional yeast

1/4 cup lemon juice

1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes

2 pounds frozen, chopped spinach  OR 1 pound frozen kale (defrosted, drained with all liquid squeezed out)

 

Mushroom Mixture "Meat"

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 pounds mushrooms, sliced (love crimini here)

1/4 cup low-sodium tamari

1 large red onion, finely diced

 

1 4oz. can sliced olives, rinsed and drained

faux parmesan (optional)

 

To make the "ricotta" filling in a food processor fitted with the "S" blade add the beans, basil, garlic, lemon juics, miso and nutritional yeast, pine nuts and red pepper flakes. Process until smooth. Add drained spinach/kale and process again.

 

In a large non-stick saute pan, saute the onion in 2 tablespoons water until translucent; about 8 minutes. Add more water if necessary. Add 2 cloves of garlic, the mushrooms and tamari and saute until browned. Taste mixture and add more garlic or tamari according to your taste. Cook until mushrooms appear to be glazed and there is no or very little liquid in the pan.

 

Pour 3 cups of the marinara in a 9x13 pan. Place one layer of the noodles on top. Cover the noodles with half of the ricotta mixture, then with half of the mushroom mixture. Place another layer of noodles on the mushroom mixture and add the remaining half of the ricotta and the remaining half of the musthroom mixture. Place one more layer of noodles on top of the mushroom mixture and smother evenly with the remaining marinara sauce. Sprinkle the sliced olives on top of the sauce alond with a liberal sprinkling of faux parmesan.

 

I like my dumbed down version...

3 cups marinara

noodles

1/2 ricotta

1/2 mushroom

noodles

1/2ricotta

1/2mushroom

noodles

remaining marinara

olives/faux parm

 

Bake uncovered in a preheated 375*F oven for an hour. Let sit 10 minutes before slicing. 

And... you're welcome! And Thank YOU Chef AJ!!

Veggie Pizza.

My most favorite eating out pizza these days is the vegetable pizza on honey whole wheat crust at Double Daves. Sure, the classy pizza joints have some really yummy ones too. But I go where the family goes. And the family loves some all-you-can-eat pizza on the buffet at Double Daves.

Here's my recreation of it... and I LOVE it. When I make it, I make 2. One for Shayne and I and another, less vegetabley one, for the kids. it's sooooo good cold the next day!

I use the crust from Get Healthy, Go Vegan cookbook here and then add the veggies and sometimes use the vegan mozzarella cheese sauce...

portobella mushrooms, sliced
green pepper, sliced
banana peppers, sliced
onion, sliced
olives, sliced
spinach, frozen - thawed and drained
favorite marinara

Preheat the oven to 500*F. Lay dough out, spread on cheese sauce (if using), lay out veggies, cover with sauce. Bake 10-12 minutes.

Pizza Dough

2 teaspoons agave nectar
1 (1/4-ounce) package active dry yeast
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour (preferable organic)
1 teaspoon salt
Vegetable oil cooking spray
2 tablespoons yellow cornmeal

In a large bowl, dissolve the agave nectar and yeast in ¾ cup warm water (100*-110*). Let stand for 5 minutes. Add the flours and salt to the yeast mixture and stir until a soft dough forms. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic, adding more flour if necessary to prevent sticking. Dough will feel slightly sticky.

Place dough in a large bowl coated with cooking spray, turning to coat the top. Cover with a towel and let rise in a draft-free place until double in size, about 30-40 minutes.

Punch down the dough and roll into a 10- or 11-inch circle on a lightly floured surface. Place dough on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper and sprinkled with cornmeal. Crimp edges to form a rim. Lightly spray the surface of the dough with cooking spray.

Mozzarella Cheese Sauce-Vegan

1 cup water
2 small cloves of roasted garlic
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1-2 tablespoons tahini (the larger amount makes it "cheesier")
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
3 tablespoons rolled oats
1 tablespoon cornstarch or arrowroot powder
1/8 teaspoon dry mustard
1 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon of liquid hickory smoke (if you want the smoky taste)

Place all ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend until completely smooth. Pour into a small saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until smooth and thick.

OR

Shrek Shake: Nutrient Rich Chocolate Smoothie.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again... my #1 who once asked for Shrek Shakes now refuses to eat them. And now that she's 6, I really don't feel right about forcing her to eat them. And she doesn't take bribes anymore with her food. She's a stubborn one, enter the red hair.

I thought this would be a winner with the chocolate and the juice and the fact that it's not green... but no bueno. At least not for her... the rest of us loved it.

Ughhhh. And double sigh.

6 ounces unsweetened chocolate almond milk

4 ounces pomegranate juice

6 ounces baby spinach

1 banana, frozen

dates, to taste (i use 1)

3 tablespoons raw cacao powder or carob powder

2 cups frozen blueberries

1 tablespoon flaxseed

Blend all until fully processed and smooth.

Unprocessed by Chef AJ

Holiday Soup.

This stuff was goood...

especially with a little faux parmesan cheese sprinkled on top.

1 large carrot, peeled and chopped

1/2 cup red quinoa, uncooked

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 medium sweet onion, finely chopped
1 medium zucchini, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 vegetable bouillon cube (not low sodium)  I used it, and yum!
6 cups water, boiled
One 15-ounce can diced tomatoes
1.5-2 cups cooked black beans (about one 15oz can)
1 teaspoon good-quality curry powder
Pinch or two of cinnamon
Pinch of ground nutmeg
2 cups baby spinach leaves, well rinsed and roughly chopped
1/2 tsp kosher salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Pinch of saffron threads (optional, but tasted amazing)

Heat the oil in a large soup pot. Add the chopped sweet onion and sauté over medium-low heat until translucent. Add the chopped carrots, chopped zucchini, and minced garlic, and continue to sauté for about 5-7 minutes.

Place your bouillon cube into a medium sized bowl. Boil 6 cups of water and pour over the bouillon cube. Stir well to dissolve. Add bouillon mixture, tomatoes, red quinoa, black beans, and spices + seasonings. Bring to a boil and then simmer gently for 15 to 20 minutes.

Add the roughly chopped spinach, stir well, and cover. Simmer on low for about 15-35 minutes. The longer you cook it the more the flavours will develop. Taste test and adjust seasonings if necessary. I also have a feeling this soup will be even better the next day! Garnish with nuts of choice if preferred.

ohsheglows.com
Inspired by Fat Free Vegan Kitchen
Makes about 8-10 cups

Black Bean and Sweet Potato Enchiladas.

My friend Natalie gave me this recipe with a few of her other staples. This one will for sure be in the rotation in my house too. When I texted her to tell her "thanks, it was awesome!..." she was having it at her house that very night too. Shayne's stomach had been feeling sick all day, and when he took a bite - the cumin was much too much for him. He's decided that after 6 years into marriage with a cumin-lovin-girl, that he doesn't like cumin. I even halved it for him - but it was still a no go with the sick stomach. So the kids and I totally enjoyed all of it.

1 small onion, diced
2 sweet potatoes, diced (about 2 ½ cups)
2 cups cooked black beans (if you are using canned beans, use 2 cans)
2 cups chopped greens (kales, spinach, etc.)
sea salt and black pepper to taste
2 cups enchilada sauce (see below)
8 to 12 whole grain tortillas
optional toppers: avocado, mashed
lettuce/cabbage
salsa

In skillet, steam fry onion and sauté for 5 to 10 minutes, until soft. Add sweet potatoes. Cover and cook about 10 minutes or until tender. Stir in beans and greens. Cover and heat about 5 minutes until greens are wilted. Add a little water if necessary to prevent scorching. Season with salt and pepper.

[With my texture sensitive, trying to disguise the 'yucky' food family... this is when I pureed it. It was green... and with the kids on their shrek shake strike - they were leery of them. I had to make the kids eat their first bites - but they all loved it after... green and all.]

Cover bottom of 9 x 13 with 1/3 cup of enchilada sauce. Scoop a line of filling across the width of the tortilla about 2 inches from the bottom. Roll up and place in pan, seam side down. Repeat until all filling has been used. Cover with enchilada sauce. Cover and bake @ 375 for 20 minutes.

We like to eat these with shredded lettuce and/or cabbage, salsa, and guacamole.

Enchilada Sauce
1 small onion, minced
2 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
2 teaspoon dried oregano
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 cups tomato puree (i just used 14 oz. can)
½ cup water
½ teaspoon sea salt

In a medium pan over medium-low heat, steam fry onion. Sauté 5 to 7 minutes or until golden. Stir in chili powder, cumin, oregano, and garlic. Sauté 1 minute. Add remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil and simmer 15 minutes.

belly biters: we all tore.it.up [except Shayne] and Nolan had 2 full ones himself

 

recipe from my friend Natalie

who got it from The Vegetarian Mother's Cookbook

Pepper, Mushroom, Tomato, Spinach & Garlic Pizza.

This is another one of those 'if you don't think about the real deal stuff, and think of it as something different - and not just a healthy version of pizza' - it's good, reallllll goooooood. Don't ever think of it as a pizza replacer because I don't think there's such a thing. Part of the joy of eating a pizza - at least for me - is that I'm eating something so yummy but so bad for you!

There's no guilt with this stuff. I made this one for Shayne and made a separate pizza for the kids with basically just the sauce and spinach. Puree sauce, here I come! And maybe next time I'll add the vegan 'mozzarella cheese' sauce so I fake the kids out even more and roast the garlic. Yum.

Pizza Dough
2 teaspoons agave nectar

1 (1/4-ounce) package active dry yeast
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour (preferable organic)
1 teaspoon salt
Vegetable oil cooking spray
2 tablespoons yellow cornmeal

In a large bowl, dissolve the agave nectar and yeast in ¾ cup warm water (100*-110*). Let stand for 5 minutes. Add the flours and salt to the yeast mixture and stir until a soft dough forms. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic, adding more flour if necessary to prevent sticking. Dough will feel slightly sticky.

Place dough in a large bowl coated with cooking spray, turning to coat the top. Cover with a towel and let rise in a draft-free place until double in size, about 30-40 minutes.

Punch down the dough and roll into a 10- or 11-inch circle on a lightly floured surface. Place dough on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper and sprinkled with cornmeal. Crimp edges to form a rim. Lightly spray the surface of the dough with cooking spray.

Pepper, Mushroom, Tomato, Spinach & Garlic Pizza
1 recipe Pizza Dough (above)
1 cup canned tomato sauce
½ yellow pepper, thinly sliced
½ red pepper, thinly sliced
½ small onion, thinly sliced

1 cup mushrooms, thinly sliced
½ cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1 cup spinach, roughly chopped
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon fennel seed
10 fresh basil leaves, torn



Preheat the oven to 500*F.

In a small bowl combine the tomato sauce, garlic, oregano and fennel.Cover the pizza dough with tomato sauce, then top with bell peppers, onions, mushrooms, tomatoes, spinach, and garlic. Bake for 8 minutes. Take pizza out of the oven, top with basil, and bake for another 1 to 2 minutes.

Adapted from...

Portobello Stuffed with Smoked Tomato Basil Spread & Spinach

I'm still in the conversion process of converting some of my old faves into something more fit for our new lifestyle... it's a Bobby Flay and the original is YUMMY! Like, seriously awesome. I love sausage - still do - and it makes this dish so, sooo good. But, my modification is pretty darn good too.

I thought of the original dish after I made the Sun-dried Tomato Basil Dip for the first time with the smoked sun-dried tomatoes. It totally has that yummy smoky flavor that the smoked mozzarella gives from the original. And with a lot of the same ingredients, I just merged them. I love the sweetness the grape juice gives the spinach with the smoked tomato and onto of a grilled shroom, it's heavenly.

1 medium Spanish onion, sliced

1/2 cup dry red wine (red grape juice)

8 ounces fresh spinach leaves, stems removed and coarsely chopped

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

4 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves

4 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

4 large portobello mushrooms, stems removed

Recipe Sun-Dried Tomato Basil Dip

Put the onion into a sauté pan, add the grape juice and cook until the wine is completely reduced. Add the spinach and season with salt and pepper. Cook until the spinach has wilted, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the 2 tablespoons of the basil, 2 tablespoons of the parsley and let cool slightly.

Heat the grill to high.

Brush the mushroom caps on both sides with the remaining oil and season with salt and pepper. Place the mushrooms on the grill, top side down and cook until golden brown, about 4 minutes. Remove the mushrooms from the grill and place on a flat surface, cap side down. Fill the mushrooms with the spread and top with spinach mixture. Place on the grill, cap side down, close the cover and cook until the mushroom and filling have heated through. Remove to a platter and sprinkle tops with the remaining parsley and basil.

Yum!

Beanball Subs.

Yum, yum... eat'em up, I think I'm in love. This stuff makes you not miss the meat or cheese one bit! After typing it all up - it looks like it takes forever to cook... but it doesn't! The hardest part is just making sure you have all of the ingredients. Time savers: make the pine nut cream earlier in the day. Use a jar of marinara. Make, bake and freeze a double batch of beanballs for later.

1 recipe Beanballs {below}
1 recipe (4 cups) Marinara Sauce {below}
1 recipe Pine Nut Cream {below}
4 hoagie rolls, split open
2 cups fresh spinach leaves, well washed

Prepare the recipes of the first three components. Preheat oven to 350*F. Place Beanballs in a casserole dish and top with about 1 cup of marinara and all of the pine nut cream. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until pine nut cream is lightly browned.

Spread more marinara sauce on one side of each roll and distribute the Beanballs evenly among the sammiches, layering the spinach leaves over them - it'll wilt some. Top liberally with more marinara sauce. Close your sammiches, slice in half on the diagonal, and serve.

YUM! And they're almost even better the next day.

Beanballs
1 (20-ounce) can kidney beans, rinsed and drained (about 3 cups)
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons steak sauce or tomato paste
2 tablespoons olive oil, plus additional for frying or baking
2 garlic cloves, grated or minced finely
1/4 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1/2 cup plain bread crumbs
1/4 cup vital wheat gluten
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

Preheat oven to 375*F.

Mash the kidney beans in a mixing bowl until no whole beans are left. You don't want them to be completely smooth, you should still be able to recognize that they are kidney beans. Add the soy sauce, steak sauce/tomato paste, 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, the garlic, lemon zest, bread crumbs, wheat gluten, and herbs, and use a fork to mix everything together. Use your hands to kneed the mixture for about a minute, until everything is really well combined and firm.

Roll the bean mixture into walnut-size balls (I use a cookie scoop so they're all uniform). But don't make them too big; smaller makes for the best texture.

Grease a rimmed baking sheet with olive oil {i spray}. Place the balls on the sheet and then drizzle them with a little more oil, to coat {i spray a liberal coat}. Bake for about 15 minutes, until lightly browned on the bottom, then flip them and bake for another 10 minutes. Remove them from the oven.

Time Saver: Double this up, freeze what you don't use. And have them quick and ready for another time.

Marinara Sauce
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
several pinches of freshly ground black pepper
a whole bulb of peeled roasted garlic, smooshed
roasted red pepper, chopped

Preheat saucepan over medium-low heat. Add water and garlic to steam-fry for about a minute until fragrant, being careful not to let it burn. Add the remaining ingredients, cover, and raise the heat a bit to bring to a simmer. Add the roasted garlic. Simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the roasted red pepper and warm through.

Pine Nut Cream
1 pound soft silken tofu
1/2 cup pine nuts
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon arrowroot powder
1 garlic clove
pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
1 1/4 teaspoons salt, or to taste
white pepper

In a food processor, blend the pine nuts and lemon juice, scraping the sides with a rubber spatula, until a cream paste forms. Add the tofu, garlic, arrowroot, nutmeg, salt, and white pepper. Blend until creamy and smooth.

Veganomicon

Isa Chandra Moskowitz & Terry Hope Romero

page 99

Calzones.

My Mom and I have been meaning to test out a vegan "cheese" sauce. We even bought a case of the nutritional yeast and were ready to go. We just had to find the right one. 

Enter a conversation with Mandy telling me about this recipe on our friends blog that had a vegan cheese sauce. I was super excited to check it out and give it a try. It did not disappoint! I hijacked her recipe and made a few of my adjustments below. Thank you Brooke!! What's awesome about it is it's endless possibilities!!

Calzones

pizza dough recipe (below)

tomato sauce
basil
mozzarella "cheese" sauce (below)
toppings: chopped onions, diced cremini mushrooms, chopped baby spinach, roasted red peppers, tomatoes, etc.

Make pizza dough. While it is rising prepare the filling. For the filling saute the veggies for a couple minutes. Make sure they're still tender-crisp. You definitely don't want soggy veggies! After the dough has risen, roll it out onto an oiled jelly roll pan. Spread your sauce lengthwise on half of the dough, sprinkle with basil. Layer with veggies. Top with mozzarella "cheese" sauce. Flip over the empty half of the crust and press down around the edges to seal in filling. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Slice and serve!

Whole Wheat Breadstick Dough

1 1/2 cups warm water
1 tablespoon yeast
2 tablespoons shy agave nectar
2 teaspoons salt
3 cups whole wheat flour

Mix water, yeast and agave. Let sit for about 3-4 minutes. Add 1 1/2 cups flour and salt to mixture. Mix until smooth and elastic. Add remaining 1 1/2 cups flour. Knead for 3-5 minutes. Place on lightly oiled jelly roll pan to rise for 10 minutes (can skip this step if in a hurry).

Mozzarella Cheese Sauce-Vegan

I cannot wait to use this for other things. Brooke says to make it smoky add 1/8 teaspoon of liquid hickory smoke. Yum!!

1 cup water
2 small cloves of roasted garlic
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1-2 tablespoons tahini (the larger amount makes it "cheesier")
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
3 tablespoons rolled oats
1 tablespoon cornstarch or arrowroot powder
1/8 teaspoon dry mustard
1 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

Place all ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend until completely smooth. Pour into a small saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until smooth and thick.

Belly Biters: TOTAL hit!! And better yet, it didn't have that I want to be like cheese, but I'm not, taste. Yum!

Florentine Frying Pan Pizzas

Another Rachael Ray from me, imagine that. This pizza's really good and smells amazing!! She made them in a frying pan for the deep dish approach. I just put the pizza dough on a flat baking sheet and called it good. I got a little confused because it was an "individual" but in on the show she put it in a small frying pan - but yet it's 4 to 6 servings. Not my idea of a slice of pizza. But then again, who ever just has one slice/one serving of pizza?! I spread out the whole Pillsbury pizza dough and it was enough for my whole family: 2 hefty eating adults and 2 hefty eating kids.

She also said that you can also feel good about eating it because of all the vitamins in it... well, I think all the fat in her cheese trumps the vitamins - so I cut way down on the cheese... and it still tasted real good.

4 tablespoons EVOO - Extra Virgin Olive Oil, divided
Salt and ground black pepper
1/2 pound cremini mushrooms, sliced
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon flour
2 cloves garlic, grated
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup Parmigiano Reggiano, grated (I used 1/4 c.)
A pinch of nutmeg
1 box frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
1 store-bought pizza dough from your favorite pizzeria
1 1/2 cups fontina cheese, shredded (I used 1/2 c.)

Preheat oven to 400ºF.

Preheat a large, nonstick skillet over medium-high heat with 2 tablespoons EVOO. Add the mushrooms and sauté until golden brown. Season them with salt and pepper then remove them to a plate.

In the same skillet the mushrooms where cooked in, melt the butter. Add the flour and garlic, and cook 1-2 minutes then whisk in the milk and cook until slightly thickened.

Add the mushrooms back to the skillet along with the cheese, nutmeg and spinach. Remove the Florentine mixture and let cool.

Cut the dough into quarters, reserving one for this recipe. Wrap up the rest in plastic wrap and freeze it for another time. Roll out the dough so it fits into a 6-inch skillet (use one that's oven-safe).

Before placing the dough into the skillet, drizzle about 1 to 2 tablespoons EVOO on the bottom of the skillet. Lay the dough into the skillet, pressing gently as you work the dough up the sides so it reaches the edge of the skillet. Fill the with the filling and sprinkle with fontina cheese. Pop in the oven and bake for 35-45 minutes, until the edges and bottom of the crust are golden brown.

Fish Taco w/ Quick Slaw, Avocado Sauce and Green Rice

1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon EVOO - Extra Virgin Olive Oil, plus additional for drizzling
2 jalapeño peppers, seeds removed and finely chopped
1 1/2 cups rice
3 cups vegetable stock, divided
4 firm white fish filets, such as Mahi Mahi (about 8 ounces each) {i use tilapia}
Zest and juice of 3 limes, divided
1 tablespoon grill seasoning
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 cup honey
2 tablespoons hot sauce
1/2 small head red cabbage, shredded
1 small red onion, very thinly sliced
3/4 pound baby spinach
1/2 cup cilantro leaves
2 ripe avocados
1/2 cup sour cream
1 clove garlic, grated
12 6 to 8-inch flour tortillas

Preheat broiler, grill or large, nonstick skillet – whichever you prefer.

Place a medium-size pot over medium-high heat with 1 turn of the pan of EVOO, about 1 tablespoon. Toss the jalapeños into the pan and cook until tender, 3-4 minutes. Add in the rice and cook about a minute (you’re toasting it, so it's ready when it starts to smell nutty). Add in 2 1/2 cups stock and bring up to a bubble. Turn the heat down to medium-low and simmer the rice until tender, about 20 minutes.

While the rice is working, season the fish filets on both sides with the lime zest, grill seasoning, cumin and coriander. Lightly drizzle some EVOO over the filets and cook: If you're broiling, the fish should take about 6 minutes to cook (3 minutes per side); if you're grilling, the filets should take about 8 minutes to cook (4 minutes per side); if you're cooking them on the stovetop, they should take about 8 minutes to cook (4 minutes per side). Once the fish is cooked, transfer the filets to a plate and cover them with aluminum foil until you're ready – just don't let them sit too long here!

Once you've got the fish cooking, prepare the quick slaw by mixing together the juice of 2 limes, honey, hot sauce, some salt and freshly ground black pepper in a large bowl. Whisk in the remaining 1/4 cup of EVOO. Add the cabbage and red onion, toss to combine and set aside.

Make the "green" part of the rice by pureeing together the baby spinach, cilantro and remaining vegetable stock (about 1/2 cup) in a food processor. Dump the mixture into a dish and reserve it until the rice is finished cooking. Rinse out the food processor bowl and make the avocado sauce by pureeing together the avocado, sour cream, garlic and the juice of the remaining lime. Season the sauce with salt and pepper and set aside.

When the rice has finished cooking, stir in the green sauce and transfer the rice to a serving bowl or platter.

Assemble the fish tacos by shredding the fish filets (each one should give you enough meat for 3 tacos) and place some meat into each tortilla. Top them off with a little of the quick slaw and some avocado sauce. Serve each person 3 tacos and some green rice, and enjoy!

Rachael Ray