Posts Tagged ‘healthy recipes for dinner’
One of the best ways to offset the bitterness in greens is to add some hot spice-not only does this add pungency, but when combined with the bitterness of the greens, creates an almost peppery flavor. Here I used vegan cream cheese but regular cream cheese would work just as well. Make sure to choose a pasta that is labeled “100% Whole Wheat”.
Ingredients:
- 12 ounce box of 100% whole wheat penne
- 8 ounce pack of regular or vegan cream cheese
- 2 tablespoons red chili flakes or to taste
- 2 tablespoons garlic powder
- 2 tablespoons onion powder
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 pound broccoli rabe, chopped and rinsed
- 1 cup provolone cheese, shredded
Directions:
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta, bring back to a boil, and then cook until just shy of al-dente (7-8 minutes).
- Meanwhile preheat oven to 500 degrees Fahrenheit. Melt cream cheese in a small pot (add a little water if needed). Add chili flakes, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Combine, warm through and then set aside.
- Four minutes before pasta is done, add broccoli rabe to boiling water to partially cook. Drain off water. Combine pasta and broccoli rabe with cream cheese sauce. Pour onto 9 by 12 baking tray, sprinkle cheese on top and then bake for 10 minutes. Let cool and then enjoy!
Salads don’t have to be boring and bland-in fact, by using some varied textures and exotic flavors, a warm salad may just become your favorite lunch or dinner side dish! This particular salad makes use of Southeast Asian flavors-mint, cilantro, fried onions, peanuts, and spicy pickled vegetables all on a bed of hearty real whole grain.
Ingredients:
- 2 cups whole spelt grain, rinsed
- 1/2 cup mint, chopped
- 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
- 2 cups fried crispy onions
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1/2 cup pickled vegetables, diced
- 1/2 cup unsalted roasted peanuts
Directions:
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add spelt and simmer for about 45 to 50 minutes or until cooked. Drain.
- Stir in mint, cilantro, onions, salt, and pepper into warm spelt. Top with pickled vegetables and peanuts before serving. Enjoy!
This recipe uses two of the lesser-known Indian spices-amchur (dried unripe mango slices) and anardana (dried pomegranate seeds). They are both tart spices and commonly used in chaat masalas. Here they are used unconventionally in this sweet and sour seitan dish. This spices can be easily found online.
Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1/2 small red onion, diced
- 1 teaspoon garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
- 3 chile de arbols or to taste
- 4 amchur (dried unripe mango) slices
- 2 tablespoons dried pomegranate seeds
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt or to taste
- black pepper to taste
- 2.5 cups seitan
Directions:
- Heat oil. Cook onions until translucent.
- Meanwhile toast sesame seeds and chiles until fragrant and lightly brown. Set aside.
- Blend together chiles, amchur, pomegranate, honey, salt, pepper, and 3/4 cup of water until smooth. Set aside.
- Add garlic to onion and cook for 30 seconds. Add seitan and blended mixture. Bring to a boil and keep cooking on medium heat until sauce sticks to seitan. Stir continuously. Top with sesame seeds and enjoy!
