White Trash Truffles aka Junk Balls

Our friend Jessica introduced us to white trash truffles this week. My sister and I don't like to call them that though. We prefer junk balls, or trashy balls. or junk truffles.... anyhow.. they are a party for your tongue, and you have to try them just once. We have put people in awe this week of their amazingness, a great addition to a cookie plate or just to satisfy your sweet tooth.

• oreo cookies (mint and peanut butter work best)
• dipping chocolate (white or dark)
• cream cheese (we opted for 1/3 less fat)
• sprinkles or coconut for decor

1. place a bag of cookies into a ziploc bag and use a rolling pin to crush them
2. once they are pulverized mix them with a mixer and a package of cream cheese
3. make little balls you roll out of the mixture
4. place balls into freezer for 30 minutes or until hard (the harder the easier the next steps are)
5. once balls are hard put dipping chocolate into microwave to melt
6. when chocolate is liquified remove balls from freezer
7. dip each ball into the chocolate, one side at a time helps your fingers from burning
8. before chocolate hardens top with sprinkles or coconut
9. place back into freezer for an hour or so
10. eat and be merry

Candied Ginger Recipe

Seeking an ideal finishing touch for my cookie plates this year, I turned to crystallized (candied) ginger. The recipe was actually so easy. Give it a try yourself and save some money on sweet and spicier candied ginger.

• granulated sugar
• ginger root

1. peel and slice 2 ginger roots into coins
2. pour 3 cups of water and 3 cups of sugar into a pot to under medium heat, stir
3. once the syrup is warmed add your ginger coins to the mixture, mix and keep an eye on it
4. after 30 minutes and ginger is tender remove ginger with a strainer (you can save the sweet ginger syrup for homemade ginger ale)
5. place your ginger in a single layer to dry on a cookie rack
6. after 5 hours at least your ginger should be dry, fill a bowl with sugar
7. place ginger in bowl and shake it up
8. remove ginger and let dry another hour before serving or adding to cookie plate

Spaghetti with Red Lentil Sauce

• 1 package whole wheat spaghetti
• 2t brown mustard seeds
• 1C veggie broth
• 1/2 red onion
• 3/4 cup red lentil beans
• 4 Garlic cloves
• 6T lemon juice
• 1/2 bag fresh spinach
• 2 cans of artichoke hearts quartered

1. cook pasta and set aside to drain
2. heat mustard seeds over medium heat until they pop
3. add water, broth, onion, lentils, garlic carefully to pot
4. bring to boil
5. lower heat to simmer at low-med heat until lentils separate and turn mushy (15mins)
6. remove from heat
7. add lemon juice and stir until it is well blended
8. add artichokes to sauce and stir
9. add pasta to sauce and stir well
10. add spinach
11. serve and enjoy :)

Spicy Pepper Tofu Pasta

This was a dish that we were not ready for. Though I am told I have a mouth of steel, this was too much for me. Though I will share with you, if you can handle it, though I advise less black pepper. Note to self, next time use less black pepper.

• tofu
• spray butter
• shallots
• onions
• fresh red chiles
• garlic cloves
• fresh ginger
• soy sauce
• sweet soy sauce
• splenda
• crushed black pepper
• green onions
• Feta
• whole wheat pasta

1. cut tofu into cubes
2. saute the tofu in 1T evoo, turning until all sides are cooked
3. take them out and sit them in a bowl with papertowel at the bottom
4. coat pan with spray cholesterol free butter, or pam
5. cook the shallots, onions, chiles, garlic and ginger for about 15 minutes until the shallots are shiny
6. add the soy sauces and splenda and stir
7. add the crushed black pepper and stir
8. add tofu back to warm it for a bit
9. stir in green peppers
10. Serve over pasta, crumble feta over the top

Corn & Zuc Fresh Tacos

I was looking for some new recipes and put a couple I found together and came up with this Corn and Zucchini Taco recipe. Enjoy and share it with those you love...

• tofu
• corn
• black beans
• onions
• tomatoes
• whole wheat taco shells
• mango salsa
• light shredded cheese

1. Saute the onions and tofu in 1T evoo in nonstick pan
2. add in the corn, beans, tomatoes, and spices like cilantro, oregano and basil and mix well
3. Throw the mixture on a heated taco shell, add salsa and cheese
4. Serve and Enjoy :)

Pesto Portabello Burger

When I got sick of making tofu and vegetables for dinner every single night last week, I found this recipe and gave it a whirl. Let me now share my version of it with you and you can give it a whirl. We have had this twice in the past week now and drooled over it.

• balsamic vinegar
• soy sauce
• pesto (in a jar)
• evoo mayo
• low carb breading of some form
• portabello mushrooms
• a little bit of low fat shredded cheese

1. mix 2:1 pesto and mayo. So for 1 T of mayo, mix 2T of pesto. Blend well and leave it in a little bowl ready for prepping
2. marinate shroom first with soy sauce and balsamic
3. Grill portabello in nonstick pan with 1T evoo, and garlic
4. Grill or heat breading (I used ezekial pita)
5. coat inners of heated bread with pesto dressing
6. place portabello on bread
7. drizzle with splashes of cheese
8. serve and enjoy

Vegetarian Broccoli and Tofu Tagine

I decided to give a take two on the ole tagine. The last one I made was good, but definitely too spicy. I have since worked on perfecting my tagine skill. Lets work through it together:

• tofu
• broccoli
• onions
• red peppers
• veggie crumbles
• couscous
• 1 can veggie broth

1. preheat oven to 350
2. saute tofu, onions, red peppers, broccoli in nonstick pan with 1T evoo
3. Fill bottom tray of tagine with thin layer of couscous
4. pour a splash of veggie broth into the couscous to wet it
5. pour saute contents over couscous
6. pour remainder of veggie brother over vegetables and couscous until you can see liquid rising through it though not too much to spill over
7. place cap over tagine and carefully place in over
8. keep an eye on the steaming and peek under the cap here and there to make sure it doesnt dry out, adding water/broth as needed to keep it from burning or drying out the couscous before its cooked
9. once the vegetables are softened and the couscous is cooked, and no longer soupy remove from oven and let sit for about 5 minutes covered
10. serve and enjoy :)

Eggplasta

This recipe was inspired by eggplant that was soon to spoil on a night I had no clue what to cook. I just started throwing things in until it became something. So I figure I share it with you.

• sweet vidalia onion
• eggplant
• fresh tomatoes
• diced tomatoes
• tofu
• whole grain pasta

1. chop onions and peel and chop eggplant into small square chunks.
2. add in oregano, red pepper, and spices you enjoy
3. saute in 1T evoo
4. chop fresh tomato
5. add in fresh and diced tomatoes
6. saute tofu in slices in spices and evoo
7. cook and drain pasta
8. cover pasta with tofu, and then coat with eggplant sauce
9. Serve and Enjoy!

QuinoKim :: Quinoa, Tofu, Black Olives, & Tomato Delight

Last night when Bry asked what we were having for dinner, I honestly had no clue. I told him, "Ill throw something together, babe". And I wasn't kidding. I decided to do something with Quinoa and Tofu and ended up throwing some random things in. When we tasted the creation at the dinner table last night, Bryan said "What is so creamy in this?" and we were both amazed at the flavor produced. So here we share with you and hope you enjoy as well.

• quinoa
• extra firm tofu
• diced tomatoes
• black olives

1. boil 1 cup of quinoa in 1.5 cups of water in a pot
   
2. while the quinoa is boiling saute tofu in strips in a pan with evoo
   
3. add spices to tofu (i used cilantro, chives, and thyme)
   
4. once the quinoa bloats you can remove it from heat (approx 20 mins)
5. once tofu is gets grill marks on both sides you can add the quinoa to your pan
   
6. throw in the diced tomatoes
   
7. throw in sliced black olives
   
8. spice it to taste
   
9. enjoy

QuickTip :: Peeling Plantains

Recently I have been looking for unique snacks for my husband and alternatives to potato chips (something he loves). On my first plantain chip attempt I found the hardest part to peel them in their unripened state. My hands were a mess and sore from trying to rip the skin, and often I cut more of the plantain off than the peel.

Last night I took revenge on the plantain and found a pretty neat way to successfully and quickly peel them. Here is how:

1. chop the plantain into smaller chunks.
   
2. cut down one side of the peel as close to the edge of fruit and peel as possible
   
3. easily pull the rest of the peel wrap off.
   
   
   
   (compared to....)

Good Luck!

Vegetarian Moussaka

I have been drooling over the idea of making a moussaka for the past few weeks. I have been making all kinds of things with eggplants lately and figured this would be a fun new twist. I found a recipe and modified it for my purposes. It was amaaazing. We can't wait to have leftovers for lunch tomorrow. This makes enough for a full tray.






Ingredients:

• 2 eggplants, peeled, sliced in 1/2 inch slices
• 2 baking potatoes, cooked, peeled, sliced in 1/2 inch slices
• boca crumbles
• 1 onion
• 4 garlic cloves
• veggie broth
• parsley
• cinnamon
• cajun spice
• salt
• pepper
• evoo
• splenda
• tomato puree
• tomato paste
• breadcrumbs
• egg whites
• parmesan cheese
• 1 stick of butter
• 1/2 C flour
• 2 cups milk
• pinch of nutmeg

1. Dip eggplant slices in egg, coat in breadcrumbs, and place on baking pan
2. Bake slices at 400 for 20-30mins
3. Lower the oven to 350
4. Saute crumbles, onions, garlic in evoo in pan
5. After cooking properly, add tomato paste, puree, broth, spices, sugar
6. Melt butter over stove, slowly wisk flour in, add milk slowly
7. Simmer and stir until it thickens
8. Stir in 4 eggwhites and a pinch of nutmeg
9. Return to heat and stir until it thickens
10. Lightly grease the baking pan
11. Sprinkle the pan with breadcrumbs
12. Coat first layer with potatoes
13. Layer eggplant over the potato layer
14. Add meat sauce over the eggplant layer & Sprinkle with 1/3 of the cheese
15. Layer another eggplant coat & Sprinkle with 1/3 of the cheese 
16. Pour the thickened béchamel sauce over the top layer, allowing it to drip down the edges, smooth it out
17. Cover with the rest of the parmesan
18. Bake at 350 for 35-45 minutes or until the sauce is browned on top
19. Let it sit and cool for 10-15 minutes
20. Enjoy!

Vegetarian Tagine Cooking

My mom got us this beautiful piece for our anniversary this year, and imagine my excitement when I found out I could cook in it!

A tajine, or tagine (Berber: tajin), is a dish from North Africa, that is named after the special earthenware pot in which it is cooked. A similar dish, known as tavvas, is found in the cuisine of Cyprus. The traditional tajine pot is formed entirely of a heavy clay, which is sometimes painted or glazed. It consists of two parts: a base unit that is flat and circular with low sides, and a large cone or dome-shaped cover that rests inside the base during cooking. The cover is so designed to promote the return of all condensation to the bottom. With the cover removed, the base can be taken to the table for serving.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tajine

I attacked my first vegetarian tagine meal tonight and thought I would share it with you. The only change I would make is less spice. My hubby's sensitive tongue couldn't handle it and my sinuses were instantly cleared and my eyes teared. But, with a spicy tongue I enjoyed every bit of it.

Ingredients

• tofu
• veggie-sausage
• couscous
• sweet vidalia onion
• frozen carrots
• garlic
• veggie broth
• cinnamon
• turmeric
• berbere
• creole spice
• black pepper
• paprika

1. sautee tofu, sausage, and onions in evoo
2. place couscous and spices and broth in tajine
3. place garlic, carrots and sautee into tajin
4. place tajin into oven at 300 degrees
5. keep an eye and make sure there is fluid in the dish to cook through
6. At around 45 minutes make sure your couscous is cooked and soft
7. Remove from oven (make sure to remember the tajin is hot - my bubbling swollen thumb is still soaking in icy water)
8. Enjoy!