Summer Rolls with Sweet Chili Dipping Sauce

SUPER VERSATILE RECIPE.  YOU CAN MAKE THE FILLING WITH ANY VEGETABLES AND FEEL FREE TO SUB OUT THE DIPPING SAUCE FOR ANYTHING YOU LIKE. 

Ingredients

3 ounces Vietnamese cellophane noodles, cooked according to package directions
2 cups bean sprouts
2 carrots, julienned
1 large beet, julienned
1 fresh red chile, cut in circles
2 handfuls fresh cilantro, hand-torn
3/4 cup chopped unsalted peanuts
2 teaspoons dark sesame oil
1 lime, juiced
Sea salt
20 (8-inch) round rice paper wrappers
40 mint leaves

Sweet Chili Dipping Sauce:
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons fish sauce
1/4 cup hot water
2 tablespoons sugar ( I use beet sugar)
1 lime, juiced
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon red chili paste, such as sambal

Directions
1.Cook the cellophane noodles for a few minutes in boiling water until soft, rinse with cold water, drain and place in a medium size bowl. Mix in all the veggies and peanuts. Toss with sesame oil, lime juice and season with salt and pepper.

2.Pour a few cups of warm water in a wide shallow bowl. Sometimes I use a large baking sheet with a lip. One at a time, immerse the rice paper wrappers in the water until they soften up. The rice paper is very delicate, don't soak them any longer or they will break apart. Just soak until they are pliable

3.To form the rolls, lay the wrapper (the one you just pulled from the water) on a flat surface. Grab a small amount of the noodle mixture and lay it across the bottom third. Don’t use too much filling because it will tear the paper. Gently fold the bottom of the wrapper up to cover the filling. Fold in the left and right sides, then tuck and roll over again. Lay 2 mint leaves on top, then tuck and roll it over to close the whole thing up like a snug burrito. Place the finished rolls on whatever plate you’ll be serving them on. Cover with a damp paper towel to keep them soft.

4.Dip with the sauce below or use any pre-made sauce you like. 

Sweet Chili Dipping Sauce:
Blend all dipping sauce ingredients in a blender. Pour into a small bowl and serve with the summer rolls.

Recipe Adapted from - http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/tyler-florence/summer-rolls-with-sweet-chili-dipping-sauce-recipe.html?oc=linkback

Pizza Crust

I'VE TRIED ALL THE GLUTEN FREE CRUSTS ON THE MARKET. IMO THIS IS THE CLOSEST TO A REAL THIN CRUST PIZZA, AND YES I LIKE THE CAULIFLOWER CRUST TOO BUT THIS IS MUCH CLOSER TO THE REAL THING. THERE IS A TRICK THOUGH. IT HAS TO BE SPREAD SO THIN ITS ALMOST SEE-THROUGH. A LITTLE TIME CONSUMING BUT IT MAKES ME FEEL LIKE I'M EATING A REAL STURDY PIZZA I CAN ACTUALLY HOLD WITH ONE HAND. 

Ingredients

·         1/2 cup potato flour

·         1/2 cup tapioca starch

·         1 cup coconut milk (full fat)

·         1 egg

·         1/4 tsp salt

Directions

1.    Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2.    Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and mix together.

3.    Here’s the tricky part. The “dough” will be super sticky and not the easiest to spread on a baking sheet. I like to dampen my hands to make it easier. YOU MUST MAKE THIS AS THIN AS POSSIBLE!!! If you don’t it will have a gummy texture in the middle. It needs to be cooked all the way through so the thinner the better. I can get one recipe to spread out on a 9x13” baking sheet

4.    Sprinkle with sea salt and any other desired seasonings.

5.    Bake for 30-40 minutes until golden brown.

6.    Enjoy the best thin crust pizza/flat bread

Lasagna Soup

WHAT A GREAT SPIN ON TRADITIONAL LASAGNA. YOU CAN OMIT THE CHEESY PART IF YOU ARE ELIMINATING DAIRY AND IT'S JUST AS GOOD! 

Yield-4 Prep-20 minCook- 1hr

Ingredients:

Soup:

·         2 tsp. olive oil

·         1-1/2 lbs. Italian sausage- without the casing.

·         3 c. chopped onions

·         4 garlic cloves, minced

·         2 tsp. dried oregano

·         1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

·         2 T. tomato paste

·         1 28-oz. can fire roasted diced tomatoes

·         2 bay leaves

·         6 c. chicken stock

·         8 oz. Brown Rice lasagna noodles broken into bits by hand

·         1/2 c. finely chopped fresh basil leaves

·         salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Cheesy yum: (optional- I don’t but for great for people that can eat dairy)

·         8 oz. ricotta

·         1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese

·         1/4 tsp. salt

·         pinch of freshly ground pepper

Additional cheesy yum:

·         2 c. shredded mozzarella cheese

DIRECTIONS:

In a large Dutch oven (I love any heavy bottom pots like La Creuset), heat the olive oil over medium- heat. Now add the sausage, breaking up into bite sized pieces, and cook thoroughly. Add onions and cook until translucent, about 6 minutes. Add garlic, oregano, and red pepper flakes. Cook for 1 minute. Add tomato paste and stir well to incorporate. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the tomato paste turns a rusty brown color.

Add diced tomatoes, bay leaves, and chicken stock. Mix it all together. Bring to a rolling boil and then reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Add uncooked pasta and cook until al dente. Do not over-cook or let soup simmer for a long period of time at this point, as the pasta will get mushy and absorb all the soup broth. Right before serving, stir in the basil and season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Highly recommend- cook the noodles separately, and then add noodles to individual bowls before ladling the soup over them. This is great for left overs because then the noodles don’t get too mushy if you keep them separate.

While the pasta is cooking, combine the ricotta, Parmesan, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. This is the cheesy yum.

To serve, place a dollop of the cheesy yum in each soup bowl, then the noodles if you kept them separate, sprinkle some of the mozzarella on top and ladle the hot soup over the cheese. Or if you omit the cheesy yum just combine noodles and soup mix and enjoy!

adapted from: http://www.afarmgirlsdabbles.com/2011/03/24/lasagna-soup/

Chicken Soup Noodles

READ THE TITLE SLOWLY! ESPECIALLY GREAT FOR KIDS- IT'S LIKE FLAVORED NOODLES!

Yield 3-4 Prep- 15 min Cook- 30 min

INGREDIENTS

·         1 tablespoon Ghee

·         3 large carrots, peeled and sliced thinly

·         3 celery stalks, sliced thinly

·         ¾ cup chopped onion

·         49 ounces chicken broth (about 6 cups). Homemade is best.

·         1 tablespoon tapioca starch

·         ⅓ cup cold water

·         1 lb. package Jovial Brown rice egg noodles

·         2 tablespoons Ghee

·         2 teaspoon thyme

·         2 teaspoon parsley

·         2 cups cooked, shredded chicken

·         3-4 green onions, thinly sliced

INSTRUCTIONS

1.     Heat 1 glob (aka TBSP) of Ghee in a large Dutch oven pot over medium high heat. Add the carrots, celery, onion and sauté until tender, about 3-5 minutes, or a little longer depending on how thick you cut them. Add chicken broth to the pot and simmer for about 20 minutes.

2.     Dissolve the Tapioca in the cold water. Add mixture to the broth. Add the noodles and bring to a rolling boil. Check noodles every few minutes as mine kept sticking to the bottom. As long as you stir often it should be fine. Remove from heat when noodles are mostly cooked. The noodles will continue to soften after you stop the boiling.

3.     Add Ghee and herbs and stir to combine. Mix in chicken and season with salt and pepper to taste. Mixture should continue to thicken slightly as it cools; there should be a thick broth covering everything but not enough to be runny. Stir in green onions, serve and enjoy!

Adapted from: http://pinchofyum.com/chicken-soup-noodles

Creamy Sweet Potato Soup

This is by far the creamiest,filling, most delicious soup I've made. I make it every Christmas eve and its a huge hit with the family. 

Yield- 3-4 Prep- 30 min Cook 50 min

Ingredients

·         2 Tbsp Ghee

·         1 cup chopped onion

·         2 celery ribs, chopped

·         1 medium leek, white and light green parts only.

·         1 clove garlic, chopped (1 teaspoon)

·         1 1/2 pounds red-skinned sweet potatoes (yams), peeled, cut into 1-inch pieces (about 5 cups)

·         4 cups chicken stock (use vegetable broth for vegetarian option and gluten-free stock for gluten-free version)

·         1 cinnamon stick

·         1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

·         3/4 cup coconut cream

·         3/4 cup almond or coconut milk

·         2 Tbsp maple syrup

·         Salt

·         Pepper

·         A couple leafy tops of celery, chopped

Directions         

1. Using a large pot (I like my 7QT La Creuset dutch oven), on medium-high heat, melt the ghee.  Add the chopped onion and sauté for 5 minutes, or until the onions are soft and translucent. Add the chopped celery and leek, cooking until soft, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook a minute more.

2. Now add the sweet potatoes, chicken stock, cinnamon stick, and nutmeg. Increase the heat to high and bring to a boil. Once at a rolling boil, reduce heat to a simmer, and simmer until the sweet potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes. Keep the top off while simmering or the soup will be too watery- let some of the liquid evaporate.

3. Important! Remove cinnamon stick before you puree. Use an immersion blender to purée the soup in the pan, or you can pour the soup in the blender a few batches at a time.

4. Pour all the soup back into the original pot ( if you blended it outside the pot) and mix in the cream, milk, and maple syrup to the soup, and heat on medium-low until the soup is heated through. Season to taste with salt and pepper. In my opinion it doesn’t need much.

5.Ladle into bowls and sprinkle with chopped celery tops to serve. Most of the time garnishes are optional but in my opinion the celery leaves add so much taste and crunch. Must have!

Adapted from http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/creamy_sweet_potato_soup/

Teriyaki Fried Rice

I LIKE THIS FOR A QUICK WEEKDAY DINNER. BECAUSE THE RICE IS ALREADY MADE, AND YOU CAN PRE-COOK THE CHICKEN BREASTS TOO, THE MEAL CAN BE THROWN TOGETHER IN ABOUT HALF AN HOUR. I MISS TRADITIONAL FRIED RICE SO THIS IS A SUPER CLOSE, AND MUCH HEALTHIER, ALTERNATIVE. 

Yield- 2 large servings. Prep time - 30min Cook time -  1 1/2 hrs.

Ingredients

·         3 cups cooked rice- Basmati or Jasmine. I’ve made this with sprouted brown rice too.

·         1 chicken breast

·         1 head of broccoli and 2 medium carrots

Teriyaki Sauce

·         3/4 cup low sodium Tamari (GF soy sauce)

·         1/2 cup water

·         1/3 cup brown sugar or coconut sugar

·         1 tablespoon honey

·         3/4 teaspoon ground ginger

·         1 teaspoon sesame oil

·         1 small garlic clove, minced fine

·         2 tablespoons tapioca starch

·         2 tablespoons cold water

Directions

1.      Make the rice per the directions. Now here is the trick! Don’t use the rice for a day or two. Left over fridge rice is the best kind for a fried rice dish!

2.      Get started by preheating the oven to 350F

3.      Line a baking sheet with parchment paper

4.      Chop the broccoli into little florets and coat with about 2 TBSP of melted coconut oil, salt and pepper.

5.      Bake for 20min.

6.      While the broccoli is baking, grate the carrots and I like to throw them on the broccoli pan about 15 min in just so they have about 5 minutes to heat up.

FOR THE TERIYAKI SAUCE

7.      In a medium saucepan, stir together the tamari, water, sugar, honey and garlic over high heat. Bring this to a boil for just about a minute.

8.      While the sauce is heating up, using a small bowl, whisk together the cold water and tapioca starch. Use about a teaspoon of the boiling mixture and add it to the tapioca water.

9.      Now slowly pour the tapioca water into the boiling mixture.

10.  Turn off the heat and keep whisking the hot mixture until it starts to thicken. Set aside.

11.  In the same 350F oven, and once the broccoli is done, place the chicken breast in a glass pan and pour 1 C of the teriyaki sauce over it. Bake for 30 min then shred.

12.  Add the rice, veggies, shredded chicken and what’s left of the sauce into a 8x9 glass baking dish and pop in the oven for 15 minutes.

13.  Eat immediately and Enjoy

Sweet Potato Patties with Peanut Sauce

This is the only vegan burger recipe that is a hit for even the pickiest eater! I also make them in bite-sized versions and freeze. They can be re-heated in 15 minutes and blend the sauce while they are in the oven. 

Yeild- 6-8 patties. Prep- 40 min. Cook time- 40 min

Ingredients:

FOR THE PATTIES:

·         1 large sweet potato

·         1/2 cup cilantro, finely chopped

·         1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, finely chopped

·         3 large garlic cloves, minced

·         2 teaspoons finely grated ginger

·         1/2 cup roasted and salted peanuts, finely chopped

·         3/4 cup gluten-free rolled oats, processed into a coarse flour

·         1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

·         1 egg

·         1/2 tablespoon sesame seed oil

·         1 tablespoon low-sodium tamari

·         1 teaspoon fresh lime juice

·         1 teaspoon ground coriander

·         1 teaspoon fine grain sea salt, or to taste

·         Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

FOR THE PEANUT SAUCE:

·         1 garlic clove

·         6 tablespoons smooth peanut butter

·         2.5 tablespoons fresh lime juice

·         2 tablespoons low-sodium tamari

·         1-2 tablespoons water, as needed

·         1/2 tablespoon pure maple syrup (or other sweetener)

·         1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger

·         1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Directions:

1.    Preheat your oven to 350F and place off to the side a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

2.    Peel your sweet potato. Now grate 1 1/2C of the sweet potato. I like to use my food processor and the course grater option because it’s a time save, but you can use a regular box grater too. If you have any left over, cut it into thin (1/4”) rounds, brush with coconut oil and add it to the baking sheet. No need to be exact. Just make the rounds thin.

3.    Prepare the next 5 ingredients- cilantro through the peanuts and add everything, including the sweet potato shreds, to a large mixing bowl and mix it up.

4.    Using the food processor, or a blender, pulse the oats into a course flour and add to the mixing bowl.

5.    Drain and rinse the chickpeas, add to the food processor and pulse until they are chopped up. Then add them to the bowl giving everything a good mixing. Don’t worry about being delicate.

6.    Using a smaller mixing bowl (I use a cereal bowl if I don’t have anything else on hand) whisk the egg first then add the sesame oil through the black pepper and mix it up again- a whisk or fork is fine.

7.    Now for the gooey fun. Pour the Liquid into the large mixing bowl and using your hands, mix and squish it all together. Make sure you get all the stuff on the bottom churned up. 

8.    Once it’s a big ball of mushy goodness, mold patties in your hands (about burger size) and place on the lined baking sheet. For kids, mold them much smaller for cute bite- sized burgers.

9.    Bake for about 20 min on one side. Then flip them over (sometimes they are delicate so I use 2 spatulas to encase the patties as I flip). Bake for another 20 minutes. Don’t forget to flip the sweet potato rounds too.

10. Time to make the peanut sauce. Add everything to a blender and turn it on for about a minute. Voila! Make sure it’s a smooth liquid and scrape it into a bowl.  I like to put it in the fridge as it firms up while the patties bake.

11. When the patties are done, cool on a wire rack for about 10 min. If you are freezing, let cool completely before freezing.

12. Put the patties on a toasted bun, or piece of lettuce as a wrap, and add on the sweet potato rounds, tomatoes, sauce and ENJOY!

Adapted from OhSheGlows