Chapter 2: Lots of Recipes

I have never cooked so much in my life, but I really feel like I'm becoming a better COOK. Inevitable, I guess, when you COOK 3 meals a day (not just throwing a sandwich together or pointing someone to the cereal box).

These recipes are so easy to make that even someone like me can make them, and they will taste good. Hard to mess them up. Unless you use more cayenne than the recipe calls for.

One of the cool things about these recipes is that some of the dessert recipes can be used for BREAKFAST! How awesome is that. Yawn, I think I'll get out of bed and go fix myself some dessert!

Anyway, here are two shakes that qualify as both, followed by several other recipes I've tried out that were really good:

Banana-Berry Shake
Makes 2 servings

1 banana
1 bag frozen or 1 box fresh strawberries (I think frozen is better for a “smoothie” texture)
1 cup regular soymilk or skim milk (I used vanilla soymilk)
1 T. ground flaxseed

Blend all ingredients together in a food processor, blender, or Vita-Mix. This can also serve as a breakfast.

Jenna’s Peach Freeze
(Don’t know who Jenna is)
Makes 2 servings

1 frozen banana (slice a banana and freeze it a few hours before)
2 large dates, or 4 small (I chopped them to make it easier on the regular blender)
3 peaches or nectarines
¼ cup vanilla soymilk
1 tsp. vanilla
1/8 tsp. cinnamon (I doubled this)

Cut up the bananas and fruit. Mix all ingredients together in a blender or Vita-Mix. This can also serve as a breakfast.

SIDES

Swiss Chard and Vegetables for Dummies
(for lack of an official title)
Makes 3 servings

1 shock/pack/bunch? of Swiss chard (found at Publix in the lettuce section, but not available at Walmart, alas)
1 zucchini, sliced
1/4 c. chopped white onion
1/2 package of sliced mushrooms
1 tomato, sliced
1/2 c. or so of vegetable broth (enough to cook/saute)

Cut off stems of Swiss chard up to the leaves. Cut leaves in half or thirds. Steam until wilted. (It wilts to only about half its size, as opposed to spinach, which loses about 99.9% of its volume.)

After getting the Swiss chard started, slice the zucchini, dice the onion, and slice the tomato. Put them, and the mushrooms and broth, in a skillet and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently or occasionally, whichever makes you less nervous, until vegetables are tender. Serve the veggies on top of the Swiss chard (which tastes similar to spinach but not quite; for a recipe that contains no salt, it was quite salty! thanks to the Swiss chard).

Broccoli Vinaigrette
Makes 2 servings

1 bunch broccoli
¼ cup seasoned rice vinegar (I used regular rice vinegar)
2 tsp. Dijon mustard
2 large garlic cloves, pressed or minced (I doubled this)
1 T. flaxseed for those on the ETL diet (optional)

Break the broccoli into bite-sized florets. Peel stems and slice them into ¼-inch thick strips. Steam florets and stems for 10 minutes, or until just tender. While the broccoli is steaming, whisk the rest of the ingredients in a bowl. Add broccoli and toss to mix. This was GOOD!

ENTREES

Tofu Chow Mein
Makes 5 servings – it’s a lot!

2 cups cabbage, chopped
2 cups onions, sliced (1 white onion)
sesame or almond oil
1 lb. tofu, diced (I used a marinated teriyaki package tofu from Trader Joe’s)
2 cups peas (frozen, which was fine)
2 cups mushrooms, sliced (1 8-oz. package)
1 T. arrowroot powder
1 T. low-salt soy sauce, tamari, or Bragg’s Liquid Aminos (I used the tamari)
1 tsp. Oriental seasonings (I use Emeril’s Asian Essence)
1 (15-oz.) can water chestnuts, sliced
2 cups mung bean sprouts (1 package)

In a covered pan or wok, sauté the cabbage and onions in 1 teaspoon of sesame or almond oil. Cook for 5 minutes and then add the tofu, peas, and mushrooms. In a separate small bowl, mix the arrowroot powder and the soy sauce with 3 T. of the liquid from the cooking mushrooms ro from the canned water chestnuts (I used the latter, and I also DOUBLED this part for flavor). Add this mixture, the seasonings, the water chestnuts, and the bean sprouts to the sauté mixture and mix well. Cook for 3 more minutes.

Tofu (or Bean) Spinach Pot
Do not ask me why they call this “pot”
Makes 4-5 servings

1 lb. firm or extra-firm tofu, cubed - I used half a pound/package, then added
1 can of red kidney beans, drained
1 (10-oz.) box frozen spinach, thawed (I used a 16-oz. bag)
3 tomatoes
2 T. lemon juice
1/8 tsp. cayenne
1/8 tsp. onion powder (I doubled this)
½ cup vegetable broth

Saute all the ingredients in the vegetable broth. Any type of bean may be substituted for the tofu.

SOUPS

Tomato Barley Stew
Makes 6 servings!

1 cup celery juice (I didn’t have any, so I substituted vegetable broth)
1 medium white onion
2 carrots, diced
1 zucchini
1 baked or boiled potato (no skin)
¼ cup unrefined barley (didn’t have, so used pearled instead)
6 tomatoes, chopped
1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes, finely chopped (about 1 small pkg)
8 oz. white mushrooms, chopped

Heat 1 cup of water and the juice/broth on a low flame. Add the onion, carrots, zucchini, and potato. Let simmer about 1 hour (I only did a half hour, and it was soft enough) and then blend in blender or Vita-Mix blender. Return pureed mix back to the pot and add the barley, tomatoes, dried tomatoes, and mushrooms and simmer for another 45 minutes (which was a half hour for me).