Sesame Shrimp Stir Fry

I enjoy making a stir-fry when I have small portions of several vegetables. I dice the vegetables into even sized pieces so they cook evenly. My personal preference is to cook my stir-fry vegetables till they are el dente. Please cook to the texture that pleases you.

Base Ingredients:

12 previously frozen shrimp (medium sized or larger)

Assortment of vegetables: I used 1 medium sweet potato, 3 small baby bock choy, 4 cloves of garlic, 1/2 yellow onion, and one yellow bell pepper.

2-4 TSP crushed red pepper flakes (depending on your desire for spice)

1/4 package of rice noodles

toasted sesame oil

water or vegetable broth

2 tbsp sesame seeds

Optional Ingredients:

Sub chicken or tofu for the shrimp

Substitute rice or pasta for the rice noodles

Vegetables that work well with shrimp: bell peppers, onions, leeks, shallots, garlic, sweet potato, zucchini or squash, and broccoli or broccoli rabe

Instructions:

·      Place the 12 shrimp, toasted sesame oil (about 1 TBSP), and 1 cup of water in a pan. Sautee shrimp, flipping once, until all water evaporates. Remove the tails from the shrimp. Set aside.

·      Dice the vegetables into even pieces. Add to a pan with 2-4 tbsp toasted sesame oil and sauté while continuing to stir. Add 1 cup of water or vegetable broth and cover pan. Reduce heat to low and cook until liquid is almost absorbed. Add the shrimp into the vegetable mixture and add crushed red pepper flakes to taste.

·      When vegetables are almost done, start to boil water for the pasta. When water boils add the rice pasta and cook 3-5 minutes. Drain and add to the vegetable mixture.

·      Stir to combine ingredients and coat pasta.

·      Serve with a garnish or sesame seeds.

Shrimp and Sun Dried Tomato Pasta

I keep a bag or frozen shrimp on hand when I need a quick (and lean) burst of protein to make a meal. Shrimp can be added to pasta or a stir-fry to bring a meal together quickly.  This meal serves two.

Base Ingredients:

One onion diced

2 cloves of garlic diced

12 previously frozen shrimp (medium or larger size)

6 sun dried tomatoes in olive oil – diced.

Olive Oil

A handful of gluten free pasta (about a 50 cent-piece size) – or pasta of your choice

Optional Ingredients:

Substitute chicken or tofu for the shrimp

Substitute shallots for the onions

1-2 TBSP crushed red pepper flakes

Instructions:

·      Place the 12 shrimp, olive oil (about 1 TBSP), and 1 cup of water in a pan. Sautee shrimp, flipping once, until all water evaporates. Remove the tails from the shrimp. Set aside.

·      Dice the onion, garlic, and sun dried tomato. Add the onion and garlic to the pan where the shrimp was cooked. Add 2 tbsp olive oil and sauté until onions are translucent. Add the sundried tomatoes and shrimp and a cup of water. Sautee until the liquid evaporates.

·      Bring water to a boil and add gluten free pasta. Cook 1-2 minutes less than package directions. Drain while still el dente. Add to the pan with the shrimp and stir to combine.

·      Serve – garnished with parsley or basil.

Simple Pea Soup

The nights are a bit colder which makes soup taste just a little better. I usually make pea soup using dried SPLIT peas but happened upon dried WHOLE peas and made a batch of soup with them.

Base Ingredients:

1.5 cups of dried peas

3 cups of liquid (I did 1.5 cups each of low sodium vegetable broth and water)

1 bay leaf

3 additional cups of liquid (again I did 1.5 cups each of low sodium vegetable broth and water)

4 large carrots

12 mini fingerling potatoes (I used organic)

1/2 a small onion

2 tablespoons olive oil

Instructions:

1.    Add the peas, bay leaf, and liquid to a covered container and let it sit overnight or during the course of the day.

2.    After rehydrating the peas, begin to prepare the rest of the ingredients.

3.    Dice half an onion and add to a soup pot with 2 tbsp olive oil. Sautee until translucent.

4.    Dice the carrots and potatoes into even sized pieces.

5.    Add all the ingredients to the soup pot and bring to a boil.

6.    Reduce heat and simmer until vegetables are soft.

OPTIONAL: Add crumbled bacon to the soup as it is cooking or as a topping when it is served.

Serving Suggestions:

Top with black pepper and sesame seeds

Serve with cheese and crackers or a gluten free roll

Spinach Salad with Caramelized Onions, Garlic, Bell Peppers, and Walnuts

Placing caramelized vegetables atop a bed of greens is a great way to include extra nutrients in your meal without adding extra sauces. Next time you are looking for a satisfying meal (or smaller portion side dish) that has a variety of textures, caramelize vegetables and place them atop spinach, kale, or arugula. The heat from the vegetables will partially with the greens leaving some crispiness. If you cook the vegetables to el dente, the dish will be even more satisfying as you will need to chew each bite. Studies show that it takes 20 minutes or so for our stomachs to register we are full. If we have to slow down and eat, there is a greater chance we will NOT overeat.

Base Ingredients (to serve two):

·      1 Shallot or 1/2 a medium yellow onion diced (a sweet Vidalia Onion works well here too)

·      4-6 pieced of garlic diced (organic is best, grown in the USA is good)

·      6-8 small sweet bell peppers cut into thin strips with seeds and membranes removed

·      1 cup of low sodium vegetable broth

·      2-4 TBSP brown sugar or balsamic vinegar

·      1 handful of walnuts per person eating

·      1 cup of baby spinach or other green rinsed and patted dry

·      2 TBSP Walnut or Olive Oil

 

Instructions:

Diced vegetables and add to a pan with oil and brown sugar or balsamic

Sautee until vegetables are desired tenderness (add more broth or water ¼ cup at a time if necessary) and a sauce begins to form as the liquid cooks down.

Add walnuts the last few minutes to coat

Prepare a bed of spinach or other green on a plate or in a bowl

Add the vegetables to the bed of greens

Serve:

You may wish to garnish with grape tomatoes, pepitas, sesame seeds, or sunflower seeds

Options:

Add 1 cup of cooked quinoa, millet, or sorghum to the pan just before serving to warn the pre-cooked grain and add extra protein to the dish.

Simple Lentil Soup

I enjoy making soups. When I make lentil soup I like to start with dry lentils and rehydrate them. This allows me to hydrate them to the texture of my choice. The lentils in this soup have a some substance to them; they are a bit softer than "el dente". The longer the soup is cooked, the softer the lentils. If you prefer very soft lentils, start with cooked lentils rather than rehydrating them

This lentil soup does not take much time to make after the lentils are rehydrated. I usually rehydrate and lentils, beans, or peas that I use in recipes over night or while I am sleeping. The active cooking time for this recipe is about 30 minutes.

Ingredients:

·      1 1/2 cups dry lentils (rinsed and drained) + 3 cups low sodium vegetable broth + 1 bay leaf

·      Place in an airtight container over night or through the course of the day to rehydrate. This yields 3 cups of hydrated lentils.

·      4 TBSP olive oil

·      1 onion

·      4 large carrots

·      1 tsp ground cumin

·      4 cups low sodium vegetable broth

·      Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

·      Dice the carrots and onion and place in a soup pot with the olive oil

·      Sautee until onions are translucent

·      Add the rehydrated lentils, bay leaf, and 4 cups of low sodium vegetable broth and bring to a boil

·      Reduce heart and cover. Stir from time to time.

·      Cook until carrots are tender – about 20-30 minutes depending on size they were cut.

·      Remove bay leaf prior to serving or storing in an airtight container.

Sweet Potato Soup

Soups are a great addition to a meal or can be a meal themselves. When I traveled to Poland, I was presented with a soup at each meal. Eating a soup as a first course was satisfying and resulted in eating a smaller main dish. Sweet potatoes have been plentiful at the farmer’s market so I decided to make soup!

Ingredients:

3 LBS sweet potatoes

2 onions

2-4  cloves garlic…depending on size

4 cups vegetable broth

1 cup water

2 inches of ginger root

salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

Saute onions and garlic in olive oil until translucent

Chop the sweet potatoes into even cubes (1/2 inch or so) then add to the onion/garlic mixture and saute for another 15-20 minutes

Add broth and water and bring to a boil

Reduce heat to a simmer and cover

Cook about 30 minutes until sweet potato is soft

Puree

Juice the ginger and add to the pureed mixture

Add salt and pepper to taste

Serve:

Top with sesame seeds or gluten free breadcrumbs

Top with tarragon sprigs

Serve with cheese and crackers or a sandwich

Chili: Customizable Cold Weather Comfort Food

As the nights become cooler, I get inspired to create soups to have for dinner. Chili is an easy to make meal that tastes better the second and third day as the flavors marry.

This Gluten Free YogaLean chili recipe is a vegetarian chili. There are a variety of methods for preparing chili and serving suggestions. Find the method that works for you based on your preferred flavor profile and desired protein source. It is advisable that you make the base protein beans or meat and not combine both. The combination of proteins is a challenge for most digestive systems.

Chili takes no time if you are using canned beans. Chili takes patience and planning if you are rehydrating. I rehydrate as I sleep, you could rehydrate during the day. Once the “inactive” time is over, the cooking time is about 2 hours till the beans soften (1 hour if using canned beans).

Vegetarian Chili Base Ingredients:
3 cups of dry kidney beans or 6 cans of beans drained
1 bay leaf
4 cans of diced tomatoes (I used garlic and olive oil flavored tomatoes)
1-2 cups of vegetable broth
1 onion diced small or 2 shallots
4-8 cloves of garlic – diced – depending on size
Peppers – Jalapeños or Anaheim chilies – 2-4 depending on your interest in HEAT and the size of the pepper
Chili powder
Cumin
Optional Vegetable Additions: Corn, bell pepper, or zucchini

If you wish to use meat:
Modify STEP 1 of the recipe to “Sauté the meat with the diced garlic/shallot and garlic. (Use 2-4 TBSP Olive oil if using a LEAN protein - suggested option if you wish to add meat- like ground turkey)

Vegetarian Chili Base Recipe:
STEP 1: If you are not rehydrating the beans, open the cans and drain them and move on to STEP 2.
Ingredients:
• I used 3 cups of DRY kidney beans – you could use 6 cans of beans (drained) if you do not want to rehydrate the beans
• 6 cups of liquid (I used 3 cups of water and 3 cups of low sodium vegetable broth)
• 1 bay leaf (discard after rehydration)
If you are rehydrating the beans:
• Rinse the beans and add the beans, liquid, and bay leaf to a covered container. Let sit over night so the beans absorb the liquid.
STEP 2:
1. Sautee onion/shallot and garlic in 2-4 tbsp of olive oil in a soup pot until translucent. Add the beans, hot peppers, cans of tomatoes, 2 cups of low sodium vegetable broth and spices. Start by adding 4 TBSP of chili powder and cumin. Bring the pot to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cover.
2. Stir from time to time. Add additional chili powder and/or cumin 1 TBSP at a time if you wish more heat.
3. After the chili has been cooking for an hour, add additional vegetables you wish – evenly diced.
4. Cook until beans are tender. Add an additional can of tomatoes or cup of broth if needed.
5. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Gluten Free YogaLean Serving Suggestions:
I have experienced numerous serving preparations for chili in people’s homes or restaurants. I have seen a dollop of sour cream on top of the bowl of chili, a mound of shredded cheese, crackers, bread sticks, corn chips (Fritos most often), and tortilla chips.

To make your chili a healthy, yet satisfying meal, I suggest pairing it with Gluten Free crackers if you desire a crunch, gluten free corn bread (I like Bob’s Red Mill, or a gluten free roll (Scharr makes great ones).

To cut the heat after the meal, you can enjoy a few dates. (I get mine at the Farmer’s Market from Futterman Farms – they do ship product) or have a cup of sweet tea like Good Earth’s Sweet & Spicy.