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Lions Mane "Crab" Cakes

Lions Mane "Crab" Cakes

Mushrooms have moved up in the culinary space with their many uses! Mushrooms like shiitake, oyster, and lions mane are showing up at farmer’s markets, restaurants, and even perhaps your kitchen table!

At a recent stroll through a farmer’s market, I was captivated by the wonderful display of medicine that lay before my eyes! Since COVID, I’ve battled off and on with brain fog. I have found lions mane mushrooms to really be a supportive ally in this regard.

Pasta with Sausage & Tomato Skillet

Pasta with Sausage & Tomato Skillet

As a recovering vegetarian, I'm super picky about what meats I will consume. Not all meat is the same. While I try to eat local, I have found a wonderful company who has sustainable practices and is free of the “Big 8” allergens. Let me just say…yum! If you want to know more about this company, you can find out more here.

With tomato season here, I’m looking for ways to use these wonderful fruits. This recipe is super fast and easy especially on a work night. Don’t forget the parmesan cheese!

Chickpea Tikka Masala

Chickpea Tikka Masala

Can I just say, “Oh my gosh?” It was probably over 10 years ago that I first tried Indian food. Let’s just say I wasn’t well versed in ethic cultures or their food. Since that moment in time, I’ve been hooked. As a matter of fact, I would say that Indian is one of my favorite go to foods. Lately, i’ve had a desire to prepare Indian cuisine, and I’ve search and tried quite a few recipes.

Recently, I had guests and decided to serve a few Indian dishes. Of the three I served, this one stole the show. Frankly, I think it’s the heavy cream combined with the spices that give this dish an A+ . Everyone agreed this is a keeper. I found there to be a lot of sauce, which I like. But if you prefer less sauce, just add more chickpeas.

Lentil, Quinoa & Black Bean Tostada

Lentil, Quinoa & Black Bean Tostada

It was one of those days. I got home late from work, hungry and unprepared for dinner. On the way home, I was trying to think of all the food options. Remembering I had about a cup of the left overs from the previous recipe….Quinoa and Black Bean Bowl, I decided to add a few items and make a new dish. Before I new it, I was sitting down to a nice meal in less than 30 minutes. Another reason to love leftovers. Add just a pinch of creativity, and something new emerges. No leftovers, no worries. You can still enjoy the dish.

Quinoa and Black Bean Bowl

Quinoa and Black Bean Bowl

I needed something quick to make on a busy day. Knowing I had limited food in the refrigerator, I had this looming thought….I should have stopped at the grocery store before now. Then I remembered my pressure cooker/InstaPot. I began to formulate a plan in the back of my mind. I knew I had lentils, quinoa, chick peas, and black beans. Surely there was something I could create with those staples. A search on the internet, bombarded me with many recipes to choose from. In my normal style, I looked at two or three to compare and contrast, and came up with some version of my own. Within 30 minutes, dinner was done and my belly was satisfied. The best part of this recipe, is it didn’t require many fresh ingredients. So if it’s been a bit since the groceries have been replenished, this may be one of those recipes you can pull out in that emergency….just like I had to.

Black Bean & Polenta Skillet

Black Bean & Polenta Skillet

Warm and flavorful, this dish is an easy recipe for a busy work night. I found this recipe while visiting one of my daughters. This is a one pot meal if the polenta is already prepared, so clean up is a snap. This day I made my polenta from scratch while the spinach was sautéing. Just follow the recipe on the package. Personally, I use non GMO corn meal/polenta. This can also be made a day or two ahead of time.

A Better Beet Burger

A Better Beet Burger

When beets showed up on the dinner table when I was a child, I turned up my nose to them because of the color. Plus, I thought they tasted like dirt. It wasn’t until I was in my twenties that I gave this root vegetable a second try. Now I purchase beets a couple times a month, steam them and use them in my salads or as a side for a meal.

Egg Roll Bowl

Egg Roll Bowl

Last week, I had a craving for egg rolls, but I didn’t want to go through the process of rolling and frying them. I thought, why not just make the inside portion and serve them over noodles or rice? With less prep work and lower calories, this was a win for me, plus it was better the next day as left overs. This recipe is not expensive to prepare and only uses one pot. The labor takes some time with chopping, but I used a

Chickpea Patties

Chickpea Patties

There’s something about chickpeas that keeps me coming back for more. Hummus, patties, or toppings for salads, chickpeas are quite versatile and taste good. Chickpeas, or garbanzo beans, are in the legume family. Like any real food, it has nutritive benefits to help a body stay healthy and strong. As a vegetarian

Protein Packed Patty w/ Garlic Aioli

Protein Packed Patty w/ Garlic Aioli

Hemp has taken our nation by storm. Each day there seems to be a new way to use this weed in one way or another. Hemp is the fibrous portion of the cannabis plant used to make things such as rope, paper, and fiber. Hemp seeds (or hearts) are, of course, the seeds of the hemp plant and is in the same family as cannabis. Hemp seeds can be used in a variety of ways and have scientific health benefits including:

Jackfruit Tacos with Chimichurri Sauce

Jackfruit Tacos with Chimichurri Sauce

Jackfruit is one of the newest trends among vegetarians and vegans. Even some meat eaters are excited about jackfruit. What is jackfruit? it’s a relative to the fig family and grows in Asia, Africa, and Brazil. It contains no cholesterol, very low in sodium and calories in general. Even though the fruit itself is not loaded with protein, but eat the seeds as they have more protein than the actual fruit. In this recipe, the stems and seeds are removed, but enjoy them separately…with BBQ sauce! Here is the nutritional count:

Curried Mung Beans

Curried Mung Beans

My southern upbringing did not expose me to mung beans. Although they are called a “bean,” they are actually an edible seed in the legume family. Today, I was craving some flavorful Indian food, and I saw this recipe. I’ve had these mung beans for sometime, so today is the day to use them. I used sprouted mung beans, and found that I did not need to use as much water as the original recipe called for.

Garlicky and Lemon Mahi Mahi

Garlicky and Lemon Mahi Mahi

Fish isn’t a food I particularly enjoy, at least fish that is “fishy.” Mahi Mahi is one that is dense like a tuna, but meets my criteria of not “fishy.” The great thing about preparing fish is it cooks really fast and is totally doable on a work night. Just basic ingredients here but oh, what a delicious meal. The best part is there’s only one skillet that is used, so even clean up is a snap.

Ratatouille

Ratatouille

The bounty of late summer yields a rainbow of color in this French classic.  The farmer’s market today had an abundance of yellow squash and bell peppers. I wanted to use zucchini as well, so I purchased them from the organic section of my local co-op.  Zucchini and bell peppers are on the dirty dozen list, to be sure to choose organic when not purchasing from the local stands.