Basil Oil Bruschetta

 

I came up with this recipe two summers ago, but I've improved it with the use of a flavored olive oil. My family likes this version much better. I buy my oil and balsamic from Fustini's, a Michigan based company that has a crazy variety of fantastic tasting oils and vinegars.

(Just follow this link for a look... http://www.fustinis.com )

I'm sure you know that bruschetta is an antipasto from Italy. But did you know that it's origin dates to the 15th century? There are many variations on this starter, much more than we're used to seeing, including toppings of beans and cured meats. Mine is the tomato version. The flavored olive oil deepens and intensifies the flavor. It's a great recipe for entertaining when you don't have a lot of time because so much of it can be done in advance, and it tastes better if you do!

Basil Oil Bruschetta

1 baguette
10 oz. of cherry tomatoes
1/2 C. Fustini's Basil Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1-2 garlic cloves, finely minced (I like garlic, so I use 2 cloves)
3 fresh basil leaves, chiffonade
1/4 t. fresh rosemary, finely minced
1/8 t. crushed red pepper
1/2 t. sea salt

1/2 C. Fustini's 18-Year Traditional Balsamic Vinegar
extra basil leaves for garnish

The night before (or 3-4 hours before serving) mix together the Fustini's Basil Extra Virgin Olive Oil, garlic, basil leaves, rosemary, crushed red pepper and sea salt in a bowl large enough to hold the oil mixture and all of the tomatoes. Slice each cherry tomato in half, then quarter and add them to the olive oil marinade. Cover and set aside until ready to serve.

Pour the Fustini's 18-Year Traditional Balsamic Vinegar in small sauce pan and heat over a low setting until reduced to a thick syrup. This can also be done in advance.

When ready to serve, slice the baguette in to thin rounds. Grill the rounds if you can. The flavor is so much better. If you can't grill, preheat the oven to 350 degrees and lay the rounds out on a cookie sheet. Toast the bread in the oven checking every few minutes so it doesn't get too dark.

Lay the grilled or toasted bread out onto a serving plate. Spoon the tomatoes and some of the olive oil over the top. Drizzle the reduced balsamic over or near the bruschetta. Add the whole basil leaves. Serve!

Raw Food at Oryana

My sister is working at Oryana in Traverse City. She has long been interested in the relationship between food and health, so working at Oryana is a great fit. Oryana is a food co-op that consistently provides quality food to the community. It's an amazing store that reminds me of a smaller, better version of Whole Foods.

There's a lot going on in this store and all of it is good. They pride themselves on featuring local products some of which include produce, chocolate, wine, and bread.  There's a restaurant that serves up anything from smoothies to sandwiches and when you visit you may find yourself happily listening to live music as you sip your chai.

But back to my sister. She loves her job and its easy to see why. She demonstrates healthy, delicious meals featuring seasonal food while focusing on dishes that are easy to prepare. I visited recently with our mother and she was serving up a raw dish that could be made for lunch or dinner. It's a twist on pasta. You simply sub out the pasta for zucchini and end up with a raw, fresh, healthy, fun, good for you meal (her words). She found the recipe in the magazine,  "Whole Living,"  and it is so delicious I had to share.

Zucchini "Pasta"
Serves 2

8 ounces cherry tomatoes, sliced
1 clove garlic, thinly sliced
1/4 cup chopped raw walnuts
2 T torn fresh basil, plus leaves to garnish
2 T extra-virgin olive oil, plus more to drizzle
sea salt
1 zucchini, thinly sliced lengthwise, slices cut into 1/4 inch long strips

In a bowl, combine tomatoes, garlic, walnuts, basil and oil. Season with salt. Let stand 20 minutes. Toss with zucchini, garnish with basil and an extra drizzle of olive oil if desired.

This photo is from the Whole Living website.

Oryana - Natural Foods Market

Rustic Vegetable Soup with Almond Pesto Topping

I really like making soup. To me it's comfort and goodness in a bowl and all I need is a spoon. I made this soup and my husband had one word for it, "Delicious." It's easy to put together and with the pesto on top it has a fresh taste that's very satisfying.

Rustic Vegetable Soup with Almond Pesto Topping

2 T. olive oil
2 small onions, rough chop, 1 - 1 1/2 C.
2 carrots, rough chop, 1/2 C.
5 cloves garlic, rough chop
1 quart vegetable broth, low sodium
1 28 oz. can of fire roasted diced tomatoes, do not drain
1 cube of vegetable bouillon
1 16 oz. can of red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 19 oz. can of cannellini  beans, drained and rinsed
1 15 oz. can of butter beans, drained and rinsed
1 T. fresh Italian parsley, rough chop
1/4 t. garlic powder
1/4 t. dried basil
salt and pepper to taste

Saute the carrots and onion in the olive oil until the onion is translucent. Add the garlic and saute another minute or two. Add the rest of the ingredients, excluding the salt and pepper, and cook slowly for 1 hour. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with the Almond Pesto on top. 

Almond Pesto Topping

In a food processor, pulse the almonds until chopped small. Add the basil leaves and pulse until the basil is shredded. Add the olive oil and pulse quickly just until fully incorporated. Salt and pepper to taste.

1/4 C. almonds
1/2 C. packed basil leaves
1 T. olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Tomato Confit

This is a dish I made for Christmas dinner. It's easy, beautiful and a wonderful side... plus, it's red! But one of the best features of this recipe is that it can be made in advance and served at room temperature if you don't have enough space in the oven. It's perfect for entertaining. Enjoy!

Tomato Confit

12 - 15 small tomatoes - about 2 inches round
6 basil leaves
2 sprigs of thyme
2 cloves of garlic, sliced
enough extra virgin olive oil to come about half way up baking dish
sea salt
freshly cracked pepper

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Boil water in a large pot and get an ice water bath ready in a bowl. Prepare the tomatoes by cutting a small X on the bottom of each one. Put the tomatoes into the boiling water and time for about 15 seconds or wait until you see the skin begin to crack. Immediately remove the tomatoes and place them into the ice water bath to cool. Peel and core the tomatoes once cooled. Place the basil, thyme and garlic in the bottom of a baking dish just large enough to hold the tomatoes. Place the tomatoes, core side down, on top of the herbs and sprinkle with sea salt and cracked pepper. Pour the olive oil into the dish until the oil comes nearly half way up the side of the tomatoes. Bake for about 50 minutes. Cool the tomatoes and place them in an airtight container. Remove the garlic and herbs from the olive oil and pour the oil into the container with the tomatoes. Refrigerate. This can be served at room temperature or you can reheat them before serving. They will last for 3 days refrigerated.

Tomato Quinoa Soup

My daughter was living in Grand Rapids and found a restaurant that became a staple for her, Marie Catribs. We would eat there often and I fell in love with it too. It's a great restaurant that serves amazing vegetarian and vegan dishes. Not too long ago I ordered the soup of the day and by the third spoonful I made up my mind to try to duplicate it! Here it is. I hope you like it! And if you ever get to Grand Rapids, Michigan, it's worth your time to visit Marie Catribs. It won't disappoint! Check out her website.

Tomato Quinoa Soup

2 T olive oil
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 small onion, diced
3 leeks, white parts only, sliced 
2 stalks of celery, diced
2 carrots, diced
6 oz. portobello mushrooms, chopped
28 oz. crushed tomatoes
32 oz. veggie broth
leaves from two sprigs of thyme
3 basil leaves, chiffonade
1 T parsley
1 15 oz. can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 15 oz. can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 C quinoa
1/2 C cashew cream (optional)
salt and pepper to taste
basil leaves for garnish, chiffonade

In a large stock pot saute the garlic, onion, leeks, celery, carrots and mushrooms until tender and fragrant. Add the tomatoes, broth, thyme, basil, parsley, kidney beans, garbanzo beans and bring the soup to a simmer. Add the quinoa and bring the soup to a boil. As soon as it begins to boil, reduce heat to medium low. Cover. Simmer until the quinoa has cooked and the soup has thickened, about 10 – 15 min. Add the cashew cream and season to taste. Serve garnished with basil leaves.

Read about Thrive Foods!

I was given a copy of "Thrive Foods" to review and I have nothing but good things to say about it. The book was written by Brendan Brazier, a former professional triathlete and creator of Vega Foods, a line of whole food nutritional products. This is his third book and it's full of  referenced nutritional information and recipes. 

Because I am interested in cooking, at first glance my focus was on the recipes (there are 200!). In it you'll find recipes for smoothies, salads, soups, dips, spreads, dressings, snacks, breakfasts, main courses and desserts. I've made several, one of which I've included in this post. All were fresh tasting and delicious. 

A lot of the recipes are raw or low-temperature cooked foods and all are carefully created for optimum nutrition and taste. Brendan also includes recipes created by well-known chefs whose focus is either vegetarian or vegan, such as Tal Ronnen, of Oprah fame, and recipes from well known restaurants like Candle 79 in Manhattan, New York. 

This is a picture of the Black Bean Soup from Candle 79. It's like eating a bowl of fresh.

As a cookbook Thrive Foods is well worth buying, but it's much more than that. Brendan begins his book by highlighting the benefits of a plant-based diet. He provides information on the components of good nutrition and the nutrient-dense foods that provide them. He explains why nutrient dense foods are essential for feeling and looking our best, as well as having the sustainable energy we need to make it through the day. He also demonstrates how eating a plant-based diet is good for our planet, something we should all be paying attention to.

Now for the fun part!! Go to Brendan's Facebook page  where you can download a Thrive Foods introduction and three recipes! Or... you can pre-order Thrive Foods on Amazon.com. Believe me, you'll be glad you did!

I want to thank Cierra at Vega for the opportunity to review the book and make some delicious dishes!

NOW... Here's a recipe for you to try. It's Garlic Thyme Sweet Potato Oven Fries... it's quick, easy and yummy. Enjoy!

Garlic Thyme Sweet Potato Fries

Serves 2

2 medium sweet potatoes
2 cloves garlic
2 T. coarsely chopped pumpkin seeds
1 T. thyme
1 1/2 T. coconut oil
1/2 T. basil
sea salt to taste

• Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
• Cut the sweet potatoes into wedges or chunks. In bowl, combine the garlic, pumpkin seeds, thyme, coconut oil, basil, and sea salt.
• Add the sweet potatoes, stirring with your hands to make sure all the pieces are covered with the mixture.
• Spread the sweet potatoes on a baking tray lightly oiled with coconut oil; bake for about 35 minutes.
• If you prefer the potatoes crispier, leave in the oven for an extra 5-10 minutes.

Tomato Asparagus Pasta

I made the bruschetta recipe below, but it was just my husband and myself eating, so I ended up with about half of the tomatoes. That's how this recipe came about.

Making both the bruschetta and this pasta recipe for the same night would be perfect for two! And there's no need to double any part of it.

Tomatoes-

10 oz. of cherry tomatoes
1/2 C. extra virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
3 fresh basil leaves, chiffonade
1/4 t. fresh rosemary, finely minced
1/8 t. crushed red pepper
1/2 t. sea salt
The night before (although it doesn't need to be) mix together the olive oil, garlic, basil leaves, rosemary, crushed red pepper and sea salt in a bowl large enough to hold the oil mixture and all of the tomatoes. Slice each cherry tomato in half the length of the fruit and add them to the olive oil marinade. Cover and set aside.

Pesto -

1/8 C pine nuts

1/8 C chopped walnuts

2 garlic cloves, chopped

1 C packed basil leaves

1/4 C extra virgin olive oil

In a food processor or blender, add nuts, chopped garlic, basil leaves (ripping them into smaller pieces) and sea salt. Pulse. Add the olive oil while the processor is running to make a smooth paste. 

Asparagus -
1 bunch fresh asparagus
olive oil
sea salt and freshly ground pepper

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Wash and trim the asparagus. Lay the spears out onto a sheet pan and drizzle with olive oil. Toss coating the asparagus completely. Sprinkle with sea salt and pepper. Roast for 20-25 minutes.

Angel Hair Pasta -

1/2 pound whole wheat angel hair pasta

Salt and pepper
Pine nuts for garnish

Cook the pasta according to package directions. Near the end of the cook time, add two tablespoons of pasta water to the pesto sauce and stir to combine. Drain the pasta and add it to the pesto sauce. Stir in the asparagus and tomatoes. Salt and pepper the dish to taste. Serve using pine nuts as a garnish.

Bruschetta

Bruschetta is an antipasto from central Italy whose origin dates to at least the 15th century. It consists of roasted bread usually rubbed with garlic and topped with extra-virgin olive oil, salt and pepper. But there are many variations on this starter, much more than we're used to seeing, including toppings of beans and cured meats. Mine is the more traditional bruschetta. It's a great recipe for entertaining when you don't have a lot of time because so much of it can be done in advance, and it tastes better if you do!

Bruschetta

1 baguette
10 oz. of cherry tomatoes
1/2 C. extra virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
3 fresh basil leaves, chiffonade
1/4 t. fresh rosemary, finely minced
1/8 t. crushed red pepper
1/2 t. sea salt

1/4 C. balsamic vinegar
extra basil leaves for garnish

The night before (although it doesn't need to be) mix together the olive oil, garlic, basil leaves, rosemary, crushed red pepper and sea salt in a bowl large enough to hold the oil mixture and all of the tomatoes. Slice each cherry tomato in half the length of the fruit and add them to the olive oil marinade. Cover and set aside until ready to serve.

Put the balsamic in small sauce pan and heat over a low setting until reduced to a thick syrup. This can also be done in advance.

When ready to serve, slice the baguette in to thin rounds. Grill the rounds if you can. The flavor is so much better. If you can't grill, preheat the oven to 350 degrees and lay the rounds out on a cookie sheet. Toast the bread in the oven checking every few minutes so it doesn't get too dark.

Lay the grilled or toasted bread out onto a serving plate. Spoon the tomatoes and some of the olive oil over the top. Drizzle the reduced balsamic over or near the bruschetta. Add the whole basil leaves. Serve!

Lemon Pesto Linguine with Asparagus

This is my latest creation. Serve this with a glass of red wine and a salad of undressed assorted greens, and all I can say is, mmmm, mmmm good.

Lemon Pesto Linguine with Asparagus

Lemon Olive Oil -

1/4 C extra virgin olive oil

Zest of one lemon

1/8 C fresh lemon juice

Combine the ingredients and set aside.

Pesto -

1/3 C pine nuts

1/3 C pistachio nuts

1 large garlic clove, chopped

1/4 C packed basil leaves

Pinch of crushed red pepper

4 T olive oil

In a food processor or blender, add nuts, chopped garlic, pinch of crushed red pepper, basil leaves (ripping them into smaller pieces) and olive oil. Pulse to make a smooth paste. Combine the lemon oil and pesto in a saucepan and warm slightly on very low heat.

 

Asparagus -

1 C cut up asparagus

Cut asparagus spears into 1 inch sections and place in a steamer basket over boiling water. Steam the asparagus for no longer than 3 minutes. Remove and add to the lemon pesto sauce.

Linguine -

1/2 pound whole wheat linguine

Salt and pepper

Cook the pasta according to package directions. Near the end of the cook time, add two tablespoons of pasta water to the lemon pesto sauce and stir to combine. Drain the linguine and add it to the lemon pesto sauce. Salt and pepper the dish to taste. Serve.

Pasta, Pesto, and Peas

This recipe is from Ina Garten and I "veganized" it. The changes are few, but I warn you, taste as you go! I played a little with the amount of oil on both the pasta and in the pesto. 

And if you have a vegan pesto that you're crazy about, please post it. I would love to try it! It's so nice to taste something this fresh in the dead of winter, and what's better than a good pesto!

Prep: 20 min

Cook: 12 min

Total: 32 min

Ingredients

nocoupons

• 3/4 pound whole wheat fusilli pasta
• 3/4 pound whole wheat bow tie pasta
• 1/4 cup good olive oil
• 1 1/2 cups pesto
• 1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and squeezed dry
• 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 cup Vegenaise
• 1 1/2 cups frozen peas, defrosted
• 1/3 cup pine nuts
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Cook the fusilli and bow ties separately in a large pot of boiling salted water for 10 to 12 minutes until each pasta is al dente. Drain and toss into a bowl with the olive oil. Cool to room temperature.
In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade, puree the pesto, spinach, and lemon juice. Add the vegannaise and puree. Add the pesto mixture to the cooled pasta and then add the peas, pignoli, salt, and pepper. Mix well, season to taste, and serve at room temperature.

Pesto:

nocoupons

• 1/4 cup walnuts
• 1/4 cup pine nuts
• 3 tablespoons chopped garlic (9 cloves)
• 5 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 - 1 1/2 cups good olive oil

Place the walnuts, pine nuts, and garlic in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Process for 15 seconds. Add the basil leaves, salt, and pepper. With the processor running, slowly pour the olive oil into the bowl through the feed tube and process until the pesto is thoroughly pureed. Use right away or store the pesto in the refrigerator or freezer with a thin film of olive oil on top.

Notes: Air is the enemy of pesto. For freezing, pack it in containers with a film of oil or plastic wrap directly on top with the air pressed out.

Once again, the pic isn't mine. My camera just couldn't get a good picture.

Quick & Creamy Not Cream of Tomato Soup

I’d like to introduce you to Susan, one of my three incredible sisters. She is a great cook and has long been a health enthusiast. Recently she read the book, “The Engine 2 Diet,” and became fascinated with the idea of being able to reverse heart disease. She is now eating vegan and loving it. Her husband (a wonderful man), like many people, prefers his potatoes with meat; so we have a similar challenge and she has promised to send me only the vegan dishes that her husband enjoys eating. The recipe that follows is her creation. I made it the other night and couldn’t believe how quickly it came together (boy, she took that “quick, easy and delicious” part seriously)! It’s a tummy pleaser! Thank you Susan!

It was a cold fall day and I wanted a healthy and creamy soup fast! This recipe was all three! Even Mr. Meat & Potatoes thought it was excellent. (Please don’t tell him it was made with soymilk!)

Quick & Creamy Not Cream of Tomato Soup

Easy
20 minutes
Serves 4

Non-stick cooking spray
1 medium onion, chopped (3/4 cup)
1 - 28 oz. can Muir Glen Organic Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes
16 oz. non-fat plain soymilk (I used Westsoy)
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 T. Fresh basil leaves, chopped


Spray the bottom of a stockpot with non-stick cooking spray. Add the onion and sauté over medium heat until tender, about 5 minutes. Spoon the onion into a blender or food processor with the tomatoes. Blend until smooth. Return to the stockpot, add the soymilk and heat on medium-high heat until simmering. Season to taste with sea salt & freshly ground black pepper. Ladle into soup bowls and garnish with basil.

Heirloom Tomato Salad

A co-worker brought in some heirloom tomatoes for friends to try, and I took one home. I had never tasted an heirloom, until now, but I started noticing them in grocery stores about a year ago. They are always very expensive, so this was a great opportunity to see just why it’s such a pricey vegetable. I decided to make it into a simple salad to be able to taste it in all its glory, and guess what, the flavor was amazing. My conclusion? Yum…these should be a stable in every backyard garden.

Heirloom Tomato Salad

1 large heirloom tomato – cut into bite size pieces
1/3 C red onion – sliced and cut into bite size pieces
2 leaves of fresh basil – torn
sea salt

Gently toss the tomato and onion together in a bowl. At this point you can tear the fresh basil and sprinkle balsamic vinegar and sea salt over the salad and serve. If you have more time, the dressing is very nice.

Tomato Dressing
1 large tomato
1 T vegetable broth
½ t. apple cider vinegar (I use Bragg's)
¼ t. sea salt
Pepper

With a knife, make an X on the bottom of the tomato. Drop the tomato into a pot of boiling water for 15-30 seconds and remove to a bowl of ice water to cool. Peel, core and seed the tomato. Put the tomato, vegetable broth, vinegar, salt and pepper into a blender. Blend on low until smooth. Dress the salad just before serving.

White Bean Pasta

I have to thank my dear friend Maryann for her help with this recipe. This dish is easy, fast, delicious and there's enough for the next day. Now try it Maryann!

White Bean Pasta

Serves 4

1 onion chopped (1C.)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 C. organic vegetable broth, divided
1 jar of pasta sauce
1 carrot, shredded
2 - 15.5 oz. cans of cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
¼ t. salt
¼ t. crushed red pepper
1/8 t. pepper
Whole wheat spaghetti
8 basil leaves
4 sun-dried tomatoes, diced

Using a large non-stick skillet, cook the onion and garlic in ½ cup of vegetable broth until the onion is translucent (about 5 minutes). Add the sauce and rinse out the remaining sauce in the jar with the other ½ cup of vegetable broth. Add the shredded carrot, beans, salt, crushed red pepper and pepper. Cook on low for 20-30 minutes. Cook pasta according to package directions, drain and pour the pasta into the sauce. Gently mix and serve garnished with basil and sun-dried tomatoes.

Orzo Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms

This dish smells so good while its cooking you’ll want to pull it out early and eat it. I serve this with a steamed vegetable, like broccolini, and undressed greens. The greens taste great mixed with the sauce and stuffed mushroom. It cooks for a long time, so this dish isn’t fast, but it is easy!

Orzo Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms

Serves 4
30 minutes of prep
55 minutes in the oven

1 small onion chopped (1 C.)
2 garlic cloves finely minced
5 sun dried tomatoes chopped
2 T. coarsely chopped Italian flat leaf parsley
¼ C. basil, chiffonade before measuring
2T. bread crumbs
1/8 t. dried oregano
Pinch of crushed red pepper
1 C. organic vegetable broth
½ C. uncooked whole wheat orzo
4 large Portobello mushrooms, remove the gills
Pasta sauce – about 2 cups

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Boil a pot of water for the orzo and cook orzo according to directions. Simmer the onion and garlic, over low heat, in ½ C. of vegetable broth until onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Stop the cooking and mix in the sun dried tomatoes, parsley, basil, bread crumbs, oregano and red pepper. Add the cooked orzo to the onion mixture and spoon equal portions of the mixture on top of each mushroom. Place the mushrooms into a casserole. Pour the remaining vegetable broth into the bottom of the casserole. Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake another 10 minutes. Warm the pasta sauce and ladle up to 1/2 C. onto each plate. Place a mushroom on top of the sauce and serve.

Notes: Sometimes you have to reconstitute sun-dried tomatoes by soaking them in warm water for 30 minutes. If you have to do this, pat them dry before cutting them up. Also, I use Pacific organic vegetable broth. It comes in packages of four one cup servings. This makes it very convenient and not nearly as wasteful.