Stuffed Poblano Peppers

Our garden is still producing massive amounts of peppers, cherry tomatoes and basil. Not that I’m complaining. I’m Italian- I never get tired of eating pesto on just about everything. I usually chop our peppers up for quick fajitas, soups, or sauces but loved the idea of stuffing them with roasted corn, quinoa, and seitan. It’s the perfect meal to finish up our summer garden, and hearty enough for the colder temperatures outside.

If you can’t find seitan or want to make this gluten-free, add another pound of mushrooms instead. Don’t skip the cilantro cream, the added sauce is totally worth it, especially against the heat from the peppers.

Stuffed Poblano Peppers with Cilantro-Tofu Cream

Stuffed Pepper Ingredients:
1 cup cooked quinoa
2 cups roasted corn kernels
1/2 lb. (80z) seitan, diced
1 lb. cremini mushrooms, chopped
1 yellow onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp. olive oil
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
1 tbsp. cumin
2 tsp. dried oregano
1 serrano chili, minced
1 tbsp. chili powder
salt/pepper to taste
3 large poblano peppers
1 recipe Cilantro Tofu Cream, recipe below

Prep the peppers: slice in half and remove the seeds and white rib. Bring a large pot of salted water to a low boil. Add the peppers and cook until soft. Carefully remove, drain any water from the inside, and set in a baking pan.

While the water is boiling, prep the filling. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, cumin, chili pepper and dried oregano and cook until translucent, about 5-10 minutes. Add the mushrooms in a single layer and let sit for 5 minutes until crispy on the underside. Stir and let cook a few more minutes. If the mushrooms stick to the skillet, add some water or vegetable broth. Add the chopped seitan, corn kernels, and serrano pepper. Season with salt/pepper and cook for another few minutes, stir in the cooked quinoa.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spoon the filling into the cooked peppers. Slowly add 1/2″-1″ layer of water into the baking dish making sure not to let the water touch the filling. Bake for 25 minutes. If the top layer gets too crispy, cover the dish with aluminum foil. Remove from the oven and top with cilantro-cream.

Cilantro Tofu Cream:

1 bunch cilantro
12 oz. silken tofu
1/3 cup lime juice
1/2 cup + 1 tbsp. water
1/4 tsp. salt

Combine all ingredients in a blender/food processor until smooth.

Enjoy!

I LOVE Halloween. Dressing up, fun parties, excuse to eat waayyy too much chocolate without second glaces from co-workers. It all adds up to one of my favorite nights of the year. We are hosting a party at our house and I spent most of the weekend cleaning, prepping and decorating with spiders, skulls, & candles. We also finally decided on our halloween costumes and will be going as my favorite Mad Men couple, Don and Megan Draper. Spending the night in a funky wig, fishnets, and 60′s dress? Don’t mind if I do!

I came up with this pasta as I was decorating the house in orange and black. I wanted my dinner to match the decor and this pasta came out perfect! I will definitely be making this again on October 31st. Doesn’t it just scream Halloween?

Halloween Pasta

Ingredients:
1 large butternut squash, cubed
1 large globe eggplant, cubed
1/4 cup olive oil
3 cloves garlic
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
salt/pepper
1 lb. Penne pasta

Preheat oven to 425°F. In a large bowl, toss the cubed butternut squash and eggplant with olive oil, salt, pepper, and thyme. Pour entire mixture on a roasting pan and bake for 60 minutes. Vegetables should be slightly crispy/caramelized on the outside and cooked through.

While vegetables are in the oven, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook penne pasta until al dente, reserve 2 cups of pasta water and noodles. Set aside.

Remove vegetables from oven. Reserve 2 cups of vegetables. Place the rest of the vegetables into a blender with 1 cup of the reserved pasta water and nutritional yeast. Puree until smooth, adding enough water to make a sauce.

Pour over cooked penne noodles and reserved vegetables.

Enjoy! What are your plans for Halloween?

One of my favorite hobbies is trying to recreate my family dishes, in a healthier way. This apple cake was one of my favorite desserts growing up, the perfect cake to make after a day of apple picking.

Of course, this moist, delicious cake, is was loaded with oil, cholesterol, and sugar. An entire cup of oil was originally called for- a CUP? Crazy! I don’t care how yummy a cake is, a cup of oil is ridiculous. First update, slash oil by a cup and add 1/2 cup of unsweetened apple sauce.

Next up? Two eggs. I wanted this to be low-fat and cholesterol free. Scratch the eggs and add egg replacer instead. Other options: 2 tbsp. ground flax seed with 6 tbsp. water or 1/2 cup silken tofu.

Simple changes that yielded big results. I still get the same moist, fluffy apple cake I remember without all the unnecessary calories, fat and cholesterol. What recipes have you made healthier? What changes do you make?

Fall Apple Cake

Ingredients:

4 cups chopped apples
2 cups flour
1 cup raisins
1 1/3 cups sugar
2 eggs or 3tsp. EnerG egg replacer mixed with 4tbsp. water
1/2 cups oil
1/2 cup unsweetened apple sauce
1 1/4 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. salt

In a miking bowl, whisk together the egg replacer, sugar, and oil. Slowly add the rest of ingredients and stir until combined.  Pour into greased 9×13 pan and bake at 350°F for 55 minutes-1 hour or until toothpick comes out clean.

I am so excited for this month’s Recipe Redux theme, “Orange your glad it’s fall?”

Yes. Yes I am.

I get so excited with the change of the seasons, enjoying new flavors that I haven’t had for almost a year. Pumpkin, butternut squash, sweet potatoes, carrots, and more. What do all of these wonderful vegetables have in common? They are loaded with the orange-pigmented antioxidant, beta carotene. Pumpkin is also loaded with vitamin C, fiber, potassium, and folate.

The problem with most pumpkin-flavored items is that they tend to be loaded with fat and excess sugar. Pumpkin-pie, frapps, cheesecake, all take innocent pumpkin and turn it into junk food.

These pumpkin shakes still deliver on the benefits of pumpkin, without all the added frills. Perfect for breakfast, as a snack, dessert, its the perfect way to celebrate Fall.

Spiced Pumpkin Shake

Ingredients:
1/2 cup pumpkin
1/2 frozen banana
2.5 tbsp. sugar
3/4 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1/4 tsp. cinnamon

Place all ingredients in a blender, puree into smooth. Makes 1 large serving, 2 small shakes.