foodie: tofu-egg quiche

last night, i came home from the csa with a slew of gorgeous tomatoes.  so, obviously i wanted to include them in our dinner.  i decided to try making a tofu and egg crustless quiche, despite never having made one before.  luckily, it turned out well (hence why i'm sharing it with you all :-)  it was hearty, yet fluffy and had great flavor -- a winner all around!

here's what you'll need...

1/2 block firm tofu
4 eggs
1/2 medium onion
2 shallots
1 large heirloom tomato, sliced
1/4 cup fresh herbs (i used basil and parsley)
3-4 garlic cloves
1/3-1/2 cup cheese (i used bleu and mozzarella)
olive oil
salt & pepper

preheat oven to 400 degrees.

1. chop onions and shallots and saute in a bit of olive oil until translucent and lightely caramelized.  season with salt and pepper.

2. while the veggies saute, put the tofu, eggs, herbs and garlic in a blender.  blend until a smooth liquid is formed.  season with salt and pepper and pulse once more.

3. oil your pie plate well with olive oil and then pour in egg/tofu mixture.  top with onions and shallots, tomato slices and sprinkle with cheese.

4. bake for approximately 40 minutes until the quiche puffs up a bit and the edges are lightly brown.  check the center with a knife to ensure it's cooked through before removing it from the oven.

those gigantic green things are slices of (fully-ripe) heirloom tomato

enjoy with a large side salad and even more delicious, heirloom tomatoes!!!  serves 4 for dinner or 6 for brunch.

bon appetit

foodie: polenta pie with cashew "cheese"

this simple, yummy recipe was inspired by the feel good guru's recipe in her forks over knives cookbook. not only is this polenta pie hearty, filling and delicious, it's also gluten-free and vegan!

here's what you'll need for polenta pie for 2...

12 oz polenta (for simplicity sake, i used 1/2 a store bought log of polenta)
toppings -- like sauteed veggies (i used onions and red peppers with garlic), marinara sauce and herbs
olive oil
water

for the "cheese":
1 cup no-salt cashews
juice of 1/2 a lemon
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp minced garlic
herbs of your choice
1/8 to 1/4 cup of water
1/4 cup nutritional yeast (optional) -- this adds a tangy, cheesy flavor

cashew "cheese" balls

preheat oven to 375 degrees

1. spray baking tray or pizza stone with olive oil.  spread polenta onto tray (1/2 inch thickness).  i had to add a bit of water to the polenta and mash it a bit before spreading it out.  bake for 30 minutes or until edges are crispy.

2. as the polenta crust bakes, saute your veggies and make the cashew "cheese".  in your food processor, combine cashews, lemon juice, salt, garlic, herbs and yeast (if using) -- blend.  add water little by little until you achieve a thick cream cheese-like consistency.  roll cheese into balls.

3. once crust is done, take it out of the oven, and top it with marinara (or pesto!), veggies and about 1/4 of the "cheese".  i sliced up a few of the cheese balls and then pressed them flat on top.

4. put pie back in the oven for another 10 minutes or so.

allow to cool for a few minutes before slicing.  this pie, though delicious, does not hold-its-own -- you'll have to enjoy it with a fork and knife :-)

bon appetit!


on a different note, here are a few pictures of our dog-baby, olive, in the back yard.  she's such a cutie!!!

foodie: spaghetti squash with spring asparagus

i've been having a cooking love-affair with spaghetti squash.  even before going gluten-free, my husband and i would often enjoy this versatile veggie as the base for our meals.  well, this past week i created a new dish that made use of some of the delicious asparagus that has been available lately.

this is what you'll need for 4 servings...

1 spaghetti squash
1/2-1 bushel of asparagus, cleaned with woody ends off
1 onion, chopped
1 ear corn, cut off the cob
1/4 cup fresh dill, chopped
1/2 cup plain greek yogurt
1 oz goat cheese
1-2 oz bleu cheese
olive oil
lemon wedges
salt & pepper

1. pierce the skin of the squash, and roast it in a 400 degree oven for 45min - 1hr, or until it's fork tender.  also, roast your asparagus (after drizzling it with olive oil and sprinkling it with salt) for about 20 min.

2. as squash and asparagus cook, saute the onions in some olive oil until they're lightly browned, and then toss in corn at the last minute.

3. allow the squash to cool, and then cut it in half, scoop out the seeds, and then scrap out the stringy flesh into a large bowl.  cut asparagus into 1-2 inch long pieces and add them in.  also mix in the cooked veggies, dill, yogurt, crumbled cheese, and season with salt & pepper to taste.

4. mix everything together, and then serve with wedges of fresh lemon to further brighten the flavor!

if you still haven't tried spaghetti squash, it's time to hop on the bandwagon.  this yummy veggie makes for the perfect foundation for a spring meal : )

bon appetit!

foodie: gluten-free eggplant "lasagna"

i have been loving baked eggplant dishes lately -- the combo of buttery eggplant with gooey cheese and fresh tomato sauce is something i never tire of.  for this recipe, i used eggplant layers instead of pasta to create a layered "lasagna" that's scrumptious...and gluten-free!  (this is one of my husband's new favorite hearty meals, despite the fact that it's vegetarian :-)

here's what you'll need for lasagna for 4...

1 eggplant, sliced into 1/4-1/3 inch rounds
1 large onion, chopped
1 tsp garlic, minced
1/2 cup ricotta
2 oz mozzarella, thinly sliced
3/4 cup marinara sauce
basil
salt & pepper
olive oil

1. preheat your oven to 400.  on an oiled baking tray, lay out eggplant and season with salt and pepper.  drizzle more olive oil over top and roast for approximately 30 min, flipping the rounds half way through cooking.

2. while the eggplant cooks, saute the onion in a bit of olive oil until caramelized.  season with salt, pepper and garlic.  once onions are done, mix them into the ricotta.

3. when the eggplant is done, allow it to cool slightly and then put a layer in an oiled pie dish or baking dish.  top with 1/3 of the ricotta mixture and 1/3 of the marinara and some basil.  add another layer of eggplant and again top with ricotta mixture, marinara, and some mozzarella and basil.  finally, add on more layer of eggplant and the ricotta mixture, and finish it with mozzarella and basil.

4. put the "lasagna" back in the 400 degree oven for 15-20 min or until the edges are bubbling and the cheese is gooey.

trust me, with this recipe you won't even notice the lasagna noodles are missing!!!

enjoy :-)

foodie: cauliflower crust pizza

the month of gluten-free recipes continues -- this time with a pizza recipe!  pizza was one of the foods that i anticipated missing during my month long gluten-free experiment, since craig and i enjoy homemade pizza frequently.  but, thanks to this recipe for a cauliflower crust, i'm not missing pizza at all that much.

here's what you'll need for pizza for two...

1 cup cooked, mashed, drain cauliflower (approximately 1/2 medium head)
1/4 cup almond meal
1/4 cup shredded parmesan
2 tbsp flaxseed meal
1 egg
salt
olive oil

preheat your oven to 425

1. combine the cauliflower, almond meal, parm, flaxseed, egg and salt.

2. oil your baking sheet or pizza stone well with olive oil.

3. use your hands to press the "dough" into your desired shaped (the crust should be 1/4 inch thick), and drizzle top with more olive oil.

4. bake for 15 min +/- or until edges are browned and center is no longer mushy.

5. remove from oven, and top with desired ingredients -- i used caramelized onions, sauteed red peppers, kale pesto, kalamata olives, red sauce, bleu cheese, ricotta and mozzarella!

6. put back in the oven for another 5 min or so until the cheese is bubbly.  (don't bake for too long otherwise the crust will get mushy again...)

the pizza was truly delicious.  the cheesy, flavorful crust only added to the deliciousness of the toppings.  the only thing is that the crust can be a little "weak" at the center of the pie.  the edges held together well -- sturdy enough to eat with your hands -- but as you reach the center of the pie, you may need a fork and knife.  i read a lot of different recipes, and this seems to be a common occurrence, but if you figure out a way around this issue, let me know!

bon appetit!

foodie: cacio e pepe spaghetti squash (i.e. cheese & pepper)

after watching a chef make cacio e pepe (i.e. cheese and pepper) spaghetti on the martha stewart show, i couldn't get the recipe out of my head.  the simple combo of parmesan and fresh cracked pepper just sounded so appealing -- and simple to make!  i swapped out the traditional pasta for spaghetti squash and added in a few extra veggies for some texture and flavor, and the final result was delish!

here's what you'll need for pasta for 4...

1 spaghetti squash
1/4 head of cauliflower, chopped
1/2 onion, chopped
1/2 cup peas, defrosted in microwave
1/2 cup parmesan, grated or shredded
1 tbsp garlic
2 tbsp heavy cream
salt & pepper
olive oil

1. first off, you have to roast your spaghetti squash - pierce the skin with a fork and roast in the oven on 400 for 40 min or so until it is super tender.  allow to cool, cut in half and scoop out seeds.  shred flesh with a fork and set aside.

2. as the squash bakes, saute the onion and cauliflower in some olive oil until tender and slightly caramelized.  as it cooks, season with garlic, salt and pepper.

3. in a large bowl or pot, mix together cooked veggies, parmesan, heavy cream, salt and LOTS of fresh cracked pepper.  add in squash and peas.  toss to combine.

this dinner was super simple, and totally delicious.  enjoy it on its own, or serve it with a simple side salad or piece of baguette.

bon appetit!

foodie: portabella tacos

last night i made portabella tacos for dinner.  for whatever reason, i rarely prepare mexican-inspired meals, but finding some corn tortillas while grocery shopping inspired me.  i surveyed the fridge and found the makings for what turned into a rather yummy dinner.

here's what you'll need for tacos for two...

1/2 onion, chopped
1/2 red pepper, chopped
1 ear of corn, kernels off cob
2 portabella caps, sliced
1 tbsp garlic
1-2 tsp cumin
1 tsp red pepper flakes, optional
olive oil
salt
6 (6 inch) soft corn tortillas

toppings...

chopped tomato
smashed avocado with garlic, lemon & salt
shredded cheese
chopped lettuce

1. saute onion, red peppers and portabellas in olive oil.  season with salt, garlic and spices.  cook until onions are slightly caramelized.  at the end of cooking, mix in fresh corn.

2. as veggies cook, chop tomatoes & lettuce and prepare smashed avocado.  gather up whatever toppings you would like.

3. once the filling is done and the toppings are prepped, the last step is to lightly "toast" your tortillas in a pan for 10-15 seconds per side to heat them.

prepare your tacos as you see fit, and enjoy your scrumptious meal!  (as you can see, mine was overflowing with fresh deliciousness.)