Guiltless Tofu Noodles

Stress, if you have ever felt it before you would now it is not the best feeling in the world. I tend to stress a lot you know. I stress over my future, over the pursuit of my goals, over the desire to always be on top of my game, over things I hear, over what I should wear to work, and the list goes on and on. As a matter of fact my favorite line tends to usually be: "OMG how stressful."Which is now a joke among my friend who tell me I act like a mom. (I find it funny) However I have learned to accepts things and understand that I can breath, I can walk, I can speak with confidence, I can love, and I AM HAPPY. So, what is there to stress about? Yes, there is work, and the occasional occurrence that tries to ruin things, but don't let this things get to you, as The Beattles said: "Let it Be." 

After a day that was about to cause a nervous breakdown, I picked up my apron, turned on my music laud, prepared my knife, looked for my extra stock of tofu noddles in the fridge, and decided to use all my energy towards cooking. I decided to receive peace of mind from the one that always gives me happiness; food. Namaste, don't stress life is nothing but beautiful :)  

This is the perfect light lunch that will make you feel full, energized, and really to tackle the obstacles of your day.

-1 yellow summer squash
-1 Mexican zucchini
-1 medium carrot
-1 package of Tofu noodles
-1 cup of tomato sauce
- 1tbsp of chili flakes
- 2 tbsp of vegetable broth

Spices
- Oregano
- Onion Flakes
- Pepper
- Garlic
- Garlic Salt

First:

• Prepare the sauce by adding the spices mentioned above and flavoring to desired taste and spiciness 
• Cook the noodles as indicated on the package
• In a pan add the vegetable broth and all the carrot, squash and zucchini previously cut into slices 
• Add the noodles and sauce 

Voila!! Fast, Stress free, guiltless and delicious. 

Easy Soy Chorizo Quesadilla

Let's face it, sometimes you want to eat something quick and delicious. Like I have mentioned before I have always had a profound love for quesadillas, however, before, I did not know the meaning of added vegetables, or vegan soy mozzarella cheese. This recipe is one of those that make me feel like I'm cheating but I'm really not. So prepare your self my fellow food lover; you will endulge yourself with a rich and delicious heart healthy gift from the Gods. 

Makes 2  

~250kcals each 

Ingredients: 

- 4oz of soy chorizo 

- 2 oz of Teese Mozzarella Cheese 

- 1/2 cup of sliced mushrooms 

- 2 whole wheat flour tortillas 

To make your salsa: 

- 3 medium tomatoes 

- 2 jalapeno peppers 

- 1/2 med onion 

- Cilantro to taste 

*For salsa you can either roast the vegetables or cook them in boiling water. I prefer to just boil them and save my self some major third degree burns (ok, ok, I exaggerate I just prefer to boil). Anyways once all the vegetables with the exception of the cilantro have been cooked, place them in the blender and add a bit of the water you cooked them in. Follow by adding salt and pepper to taste and some cumin if you are a fan. Blend everything together. Remember cilantro goes in raw. You can add some garlic for taste as well. I prefer my salsa to be extra spicy, in that case I will trow a habanero pepper in the mix; making finger licking salsa. 

Back to the real deal : 

Start by placing the raw chorizo in a pan with no fats added. Once it has been cooked set a side.

In another pan place a whole wheat flour tortilla and add 1oz of soy mozzarella cheese to only one half of the tortilla, put some of the soy chorizo on top of the cheese, followed by some mushrooms and top it with the other half of the tortilla. Let the cheese melt and serve. Piece of cake! (not literally, its a metaphor people) 

Veggie Delight

Today I had my bestie, co-worker, calorie counting confidant, fellow veggie lover, and partner in crime when it comes to eating whatever we find in the fridge come over for dinner. I wanted to be creative and yet impress her  in a matter of  30minutes (to be honest I really wanted to impress her), so I decided to pull some of our favorites out of the pantry. The following creation was born, Gio (the previously described veggie freak) happened to love it, therefore, it had to earn its own altar in this blog. This is a really good one my fellow addicts. Composed of mainly vegetables I'm sure this is now one of my favorites. Please enjoy with caution your addiction might be born soon. Keep loving food!!

Makes 2 Servings
About  300 kcals/serving

Ingredients

1/2 of a medium Egg Plant
1/2 Mexican zucchini
1 medium red pepper
3oz of extra firm tofu
1 cup of black beans
2 cups baby spinach
1/2 med avocado
1 oz teese vegan mozzarella cheese
2 cups of cooked spaghetti squash
1 tbsp of chilli paste
1/2 lime
1tsp of diced garlic
1 tbsp of Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Recommended spices 

Garlic Powder
Onion Flakes
Pepper
Salt

Get your hands dirty:

To cook the spaghetti squash: 
Note: I usually cook my spaghetti squash on Sunday night, that way it is ready for me to use as I wish during the week. For this dish in particular I decided to serve the squash cold as a base . If you prefer food extra hot you can use it freshly out of the over or preheat it in the microwave.

- Cut the squash in half (length wise)
- Place in a cooking pan with 1 inch of water. Meat facing down
- Cover with foil paper and stick in the oven at 350F for about 1 hour or until fork tender

The rest of the dish: 
Start by mixing the chilli paste, lime juice, diced garlic, and soy sauce on a small container. Mix and set aside.

In a pan add the olive oil and let it get hot. After cutting the tofu in small thin squares add the tofu to the oil. Let cook for a minute and follow by adding the egg plant (cut the egg plant in bigger squares 1'x1'), if the pan gets dry don't be scared of adding some water to maintain some moisture. Add the onion flakes, some garlic salt, salt, and pepper. Once the egg plant is cooked add the rest of the veggies (pepper and zucchini) previously cut in small squares. When all your ingredients are hot add the previously made chili paste/lime combination to the mix and the black beans. When everything is hot and cooked add the spinach, remove from heat and allow to sit.

Serve over a bed of spaghetti squash and  top it with the avocado and cheese. Voila, you have created white magic.

P.S. I will really like to take the time to congratulate this Gio person who happens to be leaving soon to pursue the dream of any food lover: Holistic Cooking. I look forward to sharing the kitchen with you in March Gio! Pursue your dream, always smile and don't hesitate to make art in the pan. Food will be our way of life. I love you.

Summer Squash and Yam Tacos

This one in my eyes would be called "The Raw Food Extravaganza." Filled with fresh fruits and vegetables, this dish makes its way up to the third post. Perfect as a starter for a meal, a side, or a light lunch, this organic vegetable beauty will make you dream about it for days. I came up with the idea after a day spent at the local farmer's market (if you had never had the chance to visit one, I would highly recommend it.)  The farmer's market  consists of a few to several local vendors who set up booths and sell their product directly to you. This method helps your community's economy, and allows your produce to last longer. HINT: Win win situation!

Keep in mind: Love doesn't always happen at first sight, you might have to need some time to fall in love with vegetables. Once you fall in Love with them you won't let them go.

Ingredients:

- 1 small butternut squash
- 1 yam
- 1/2 a can of cooked garbanzo beans
- 1 tomato
- 2 small radishes
- 1 jalapeno pepper
- 1/8 cup diced onion
- Lettuce leafs

Recommended spices 
Don't be scared to use your spices they bring out the flavors of the vegetables. You can always keep adding until you feel content with the outcome

-Cinnamon
-Nutmeg
-Salt
-Pepper

Let's get our hands dirty: 

First things first

• Preheat oven to 350F
• Cut butternut squash length wise and remove seeds
• In a cooking pan put about an inch of water and place squash with meat facing up. 
• Add a touch of salt, cinnamon and nutmeg to the meat 
• Cook for about 1hr or until fork tender
• Once squash has been cooked cut into 1" x 1" cubes and set a side 

Make your salsa:

Cut the jalapeno pepper and the radishes into very small pieces so the flavor is not overwhelming when you are taking a bite of these delightful tacos. Place them in a small bowl along with the tomato (cut in squares) the diced onion and mix. Add salt and pepper and mix everything well. Place your freshly made salsa in the refrigerator.

Last but not least:

Cut the yam into 1/2' x 1/2 squares and season with cinnamon. Spray your pan with cooking spray for a second or two and throw cut yams into pan. (Don't let yams get overcooked, this will make the mix mushy).
Throw in already rinsed garbanzo beans and butternut squash with the yams and let it get hot.

In a lettuce leaf add squash and yam extravaganza followed by topping it with the previously made salsa. Enjoy this sweet and spicy mix; and get ready for some loving compliments! Enjoy!

Quinoa with Tofu; Fried style

Quinoa, a complete protein and part of the grain family has been increasing in popularity over the years; especially in the vegetarian world. Containing both soluble and non-soluble fiber, quinoa has reached its popularity thanks to the high nutritional value of the grain. Originally a food found in high altitudes typically in Peruvian lands, quinoa provides our body with all the essential amino acids making this food a super food in my opinion.  

                                               

This dish was inspired with the idea of fried rice in mind. Every time I go to an Asian restaurant fried rice is at the top of the menu. Containing things like egg, lots of butter, oil, and some kind of meat; fried rice falls under the not so healthy choices of a menu. However this recipe I'm about to share with you happens to be 100% vegan, contains a lot of great vegetables and has a great tasting outcome.

Feel free to add any other of your favorite vegetables to the mix; don’t be afraid to experiment with food. Remember true love is free!

2 servings

430 kcals/serving 

Ingredients: 

- 6oz of Extra Firm Tofu

- 1 cup of cooked Quinoa (quinoa is cooked just like rice; 1:2 ratio)

- 1/4 cup unsalted sliced almonds

- 1 medium carrot cut into small squares

- ½ cup of diced mushrooms

- 2 cups of spinach

- ½ cups of diced onion

- 2 small peppers (use a green and red for added color)

-1 lime

- 3 tbsp of soy sauce low sodium

- 2 tbsp of Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Recommended Spices

-         Garlic powder

-         Pepper flakes

-         Salt

-         Pepper

Make the Magic:

Note:  For added flavor you can cook the Quinoa in two cups of vegetable broth instead of water. This will add the flavor of the vegetables to the actual grain. I would recommend an organic low sodium broth.

Once the Quinoa has been cooked remove from heat and add salt, pepper, carrots, mushrooms, onions, almonds, and peppers then cover. By adding the vegetables at the end you allow them to keep more of the vital enzymes and vitamins that vegetables contain. This way your body can take advantage of the vegetable to the max.

In another pan place 2 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil and let it get hot. Put the tofu (previously cut into rectangles or squares) in the oil and stir fry for a couple of minutes. If you notice that the tofu starts absorbing most of the oil and it starts to dry add a splash of water or vegetable broth. (Remember a little goes a long way.)

After you have cooked the tofu add the quinoa and stir, follow by adding the soy sauce to the mix. Once everything has been mixed together add the lime juice and season with pepper flakes to taste. Remember to keep your stove at low temperatures; that way your vegetables can stay crunchy. After everything is well incorporated remove from heat, add the spinach and mix again.

Voila your guilt less fried rice style quinoa is ready to serve!

I found love in the Kitchen.

Growing up I would always see my mother in the kitchen playing with food, mixing new ingredients, trying her food, and sharing with every guest that arrived at our home. My mother always had that special touch to food; people would always complement her cuisine and even though I was always a picky eater I would often fall for her lentil stew, beans, chicken casseroles, soups, and many other dishes that made my mother a genius in the kitchen. However I was not that lucky, I often wondered when the inspiration was going to come to me, and when would I be able to impress fellow food lovers as well.

As I left to college I found a new appreciation for the art of nutrition and the chemistry involved with it. I decided to major in the field but I never paid close attention to the way I was cooking at home. I kept loyalty to the good old Mac and cheese, canned beans, sandwiches and how can I forget the quesadillas and a side of chips; Yes I know not so common for a person that states to love nutrition. However a year ago after graduating college I started to experiment with food. I had the secret ingredient! I had discovered what I had been missing for so long; the love for food. Yes! It was love, it was something I had never felt before, my taste buds would dance with excitement at the thought of just cooking a simple dish. I was dreaming, breathing, and making food. I would think of flavors, and spices and my mind would just picture the taste of it. I was always anxious to get home and put my thoughts on my pan. I felt like an artist who has been inspired by a beautiful sunset. I was happy.

After a year of trials I came to the conclusion that I want to share my food with people. I want everyone to fall in love with vegetables, fruits, grains, and spices. I want people to feel what my palate feels every night as I arrive home from work. I want to share this love, this peace, this inner happiness that allows me to create different dishes.

Now, most of the things I cook are made mainly with vegetables, especially spinach; my favorite. I will share some of my recipes here and you guys can be the judge. Enjoy, be peaceful, and pay attention to the little things that make our world so exquisite. Bon appetite!