Category: CULINARY ARTS Thru My Eyes

Riviera Maya, Mexico

Such a cute pineapple that will bless someone’s tummy, someday!

Photo taken with my Canon 50D camera.

Last year while on a trip, we went to a restaurant and they served these green beans.  They were so yummy, so when we returned home I tried them.  They are quick, easy and healthy! ENJOY!

STIR-FRIED GREEN BEANS

1 bag pre-washed green beans

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

6 Cloves Garlic thinly sliced

Sea Salt

Lightly cover the bottom of a large frying pan with Olive Oil. Add green beans, garlic and sea salt to taste. Stir-fry on medium heat, mixing occasionally, until beans are tender.

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This is a very delicious dish.  I recently served it to company and they thought the eggplant were potatoes.  It is also a very easy dish.  I served it with roasted asparagus, you can see the asparagus cooking at the same time, below the roasted eggplant.  A very easy, delicious and healthy meal!  ENJOY!!

ROASTED EGGPLANT

2 Eggplants

Sea salt

1/2 Red Onion

5 Cloves of Garlic

4 Tomatoes

4 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil

4 tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar

2 tablespoons Italian Seasoning

3 tablespoons Fresh Parsley

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Peel the eggplants and cut them lengthwise into four pieces each. Lay them on a cookie tray and sprinkle both sides of the eggplant with sea salt. Set them aside while the salt draws out the moisture.

Meanwhile, roughly chop the onion and garlic. Halve the tomatoes.  When the eggplant is weeping- about 10 to 15 minutes- blot with a paper towel to remove the excess moisture. Cut up the slices a bit and place in a large bowl.  Add the onion pieces, garlic and tomatoes. Add the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, Italian Seasoning and the parsley.  Stir with a wooden spoon to coat.  Place back on the cookie sheet with the tomatoes cut side up.  Roast in the oven for an hour. The eggplant should be very tender. Remove the pan from the oven and let it cool a bit.

You can serve as is or over Quinoa.

This is a very yummy dish!  I used tofu, but you can use chicken if you prefer.  I added a tomato corn salad and broccoli.

Coconut Curried Tofu (Chicken)

1 lb. extra firm tofu diced or 2 lbs. chicken breasts diced

2 – 14 oz. can coconut milk

2 cups broccoli

1 – 5 oz. can water chestnuts

1 white onion

2 Tbsp. curry powder

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp. ginger, minced

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. sea salt

Heat a large skillet over medium heat and brown the tofu or chicken.  Add coconut milk, broccoli and onion.

Cook for 15 minutes

Add water chestnuts, curry powder, garlic, ginger, cinnamon and sea salt.

Reduce heat to medium-low and cook for 15 minutes more.

Option

Serve over brown rice or quinoa.

Serves 6

I’ve mentioned this yummy breakfast before. Today I didn’t add the banana, but instead I added blueberries, it was so good!

CHIA BLUEBERRY (BANANA) CEREAL

4 Tablespoons Chia Seeds

2 cups dairy-free milk

1 cup blueberries

2 Tablespoons raw, unsweetened, coconut

4 Tablespoons dried Goji Berries

2 teaspoon Hemp Seed Hearts

1 teaspoons cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon ginger

OPTIONAL

Top with fresh fruit

1 heaping teaspoon raw cacao

Stevia (to taste)

The night before you want your Chia Cereal, place all ingredients in a Mason Quart Jar, put lid on and mix by shaking. Place in refrigerator, then the next morning eat cold and ENJOY!

WARM OPTION: If you would like to enjoy the cereal warm, warm up some milk in the morning (warm, not boiling) and add it to the bowl of Chia Blueberry Cereal and ENJOY! (The original recipe is from Motiv8 America, I have adjusted it to my liking, now you do the same.)

Serves 4

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This is a GREAT dish, easy and delicious! I added steamed broccoli and some stir fried mushrooms and it was a complete meal. For those who eat meat you can add some roasted chicken or just have a vegetarian night.

 SOUTHWEST SPAGHETTI SQUASH

 1 spaghetti squash

2 tbs extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 red onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 red bell pepper, chopped

1 tbs ground cumin

1 tbs oregano

1 tbs chili powder

1 can black beans (drained and rinsed)

1 cup frozen corn, thawed

coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

1/2 cup freshly torn cilantro

1 lime

 Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Roast squash on a cookie sheet for 50 minutes. Let cool another 30 minutes. Scrape out the seeds and discard then scrape out the spaghetti.

 Heat oil in medium skillet. Add the onion, garlic, red bell pepper.

Saute 2 minutes.

Add cumin, oregano, chili powder and good pinch of salt and pepper.

Saute another minute.

Add the beans, corn and cilantro. Stir to combine.

Squeeze in the lime juice and give one last stir.

Add spaghetti to the bean mixture and stir to combine.

Taste and season accordingly.

Switch oven to broil.

Stuff each squash half with the mixture and place under broiler for 5 minutes, to heat.

Garnish with cilantro.

ENJOY!!

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