Meatless in the Mountains

Happy Friday!  This week was a blur.  We’re still trying to recover after our amazing trip to southern Utah last weekend.  We explored Escalante, Boulder and Capital Reef National Park which are about 5 hours south from Park City, but feels like you’re in a whole different world! It’s so beautiful down there….

Hike to Upper Calf Creek Falls through the lava balls, in Escalante

So much love, with my fur baby at Lower Calf Creek Falls in Escalante

Slot Canyon off Burr Trail in Boulder

Our home for the weekend! The Tipi at Boulder Mountain Guest Ranch.

Capital Reef National Park

So hard to leave southern Utah and get back to reality!!!  Anyways – so it’s Friday night, we’re tired, so we’re staying in and making dinner… and, I finally broke out the spiralizer I got for Christmas!!!! (thanks Mom!)  Kyle is going low-carb-workout-crazy so I spiralized some zucchini which amazingly transformed into the most perfect al dente noodles.  I am hooked.  The spiralizer was so easy and these noodles were so good!  Paired with sauce, some vegan meatballs I pulled out of the freezer, and a simple side salad, dinner was quick, healthy and delicious. This is a must try!

This served 2 of us, but we ate really big portions… also zucchinis aren’t quite in season yet so we used 3 1/2 small ones, could probably just use 1 in the summer when they are huge!

3-4 very small zucchini, or 1-2 very large

2-3 cups of your favorite red sauce, jarred or homemade

Vegan Meatballs (my favorites are the lentil meatballs from One Green Planet or these Mushroom Bites)

1 TBS EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)

1 tsp garlic powder

Salt & pepper

Red Pepper Flakes (optional)

Vegan Parmesan

Side Salad (optional)

Heat sauce on low in small sauce pan, and add meatballs.  Cook on low while you prep the zucchini noodles, and throw together a small side salad.

Wash & dry the zucchini, chop the ends off and put through the spiralizer.  Gather the noodles in a colander/strainer and sprinkle with salt.  Allow the noodles to drain for a bit while the sauce & vegan meatballs continue to warm through.

When you’re ready, heat the EVOO in a saute pan, and then add the zucchini noodles.  Sprinkle in some salt, pepper, red pepper flakes & garlic powder.  Toss around the pan for 1-2 minutes then they’re ready!

Place the noodles in a serving bowl and pour on the sauce & vegan meatballs.  Top with red pepper flakes and vegan parmesan, and enjoy!

It’s finally sunny in the mountains again!  I think it had been raining for a month straight over here.  At least things are green and the reservoirs are full, now bring on that sunny weather!  Hope everyone had a nice week.  We’ve been busy working, cooking & catching some amazing music at Red Butte Gardens, in the rain, of course.  Anyways, I’m  super excited to share this recipe today.  It’s got everything going for it.  It would be perfect to take to a picnic at, for example, Red Butte Gardens, but it also makes a perfect warm dinner and has been a great lunch order for MIM Catering as well!  I actually stumbled on this recipe on the Eating Well website and loved it because it was so easy to make and used ingredients I always have.  I didn’t have to make any changes to create what I wanted (besides adding brown rice).  I think next time I will add tofu, marinate it in the same sauce, and stir fry that with the veggies for an extra protein boost.

1 cup brown rice

1/3 cup peanut butter

1/2 cup water

2 TBS brown sugar

2 TBS soy sauce

1 TBS rice vinegar

2 TBS canola oil

1 large head of broccoli; washed & chopped in florets

1 large red pepper; washed & sliced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

Toppings:  Chopped peanuts, cashews or I think chopped green onions/scallions would be great too!

First cook your rice according to directions.  Next, start by whisking the peanut butter, 1/4 cup of the water, brown sugar, 1 TBS of soy sauce and vinegar together in a medium bowl until the mixture comes together and is smooth.

Next, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add in the chopped broccoli and stir frequently until the broccoli starts to soften slightly (about 5-7 minutes).

Next add in the remaining 1/4 cup water and 1 TBS soy sauce, the bell peppers and the garlic.  Mix together with the broccoli and continue to stir frequently for another few minutes until the pepper is softened and the liquid has evaporated.

Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the peanut sauce and crushed red pepper.  Combine well.  Spoon over rice and before serving, garnish with the nuts and/or green onions.  Enjoy!!

With the hubby at the Passion Pit show at Red Butte, a moment in between rain showers!

Memorial Day has come which means summer is just about here… (although it’s STILL raining in Park City!!) This pasta dish reminds me of summer.  It was one of my favorite summer dishes growing up – my Mom would make it with fresh tomatoes & fresh basil from her garden, and add brie or mozzarella which would melt deliciously into all the pasta.  Here’s my vegan version with a few substitutions including daiya mozzarella and some white beans for extra protein.

2 large garlic cloves, minced

1 TBS EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)

2 tomatoes, chopped

salt & pepper

2 TBS pesto of your choice (for vegan make sure it contains no dairy)

1/3 cup white beans (cooked)

Handful fresh basil

1/2 box of pasta (of your choice)

1/2 cup daiya vegan mozzarella cheese

Vegan parmesan cheese

Start by boiling a pot of water and cook your pasta according to directions.  While the pasta cooks, heat up the EVOO over medium low and add the minced garlic and tomatoes. Cook for several minutes, careful to lower the heat if necessary so as not to burn. Add in the pesto and white beans and wait for the pasta to finish cooking.

When the pasta is ready, add directly to the tomato/pesto/garlic mixture and save some pasta water on the side.  Mix well to coat and add more pesto and/or olive oil if everything seems a little dry.  Add in about 1/4 cup pasta water to help mix and coat everything well.  Sprinkle in the vegan parmesan and mix well.

Finally top with the vegan mozzarella and sprinkle with fresh basil.  Enjoy!

Although the sun is refusing to shine, our adventures will go on…

Hello! Hope everyone is having a great week.  Happy and hectic over here!  Last weekend was my husband Kyle’s birthday and Mother Nature gave us a gift of a big powdery snowstorm to enjoy on Snowbird’s closing weekend!  Although visibility was tough, it was super fun to get some last powder turns in May! Otherwise, I’ve been having so much fun making & delivering lunches to my friends & clients! I wanted to share one of my lunch recipes.  This is perfect for spring/summer, super easy and delicious! The measurements really depend on the size of your bread/how many people you’re serving, but leftover grilled veggies are the best & can be thrown over quinoa, rice, pasta or enjoyed with hummus, or over salad… very versatile!

Snowbird in May!

Hard to see, but worth it.

Bread of your choice (wheat, white, rolls, vegan, gluten free, foccacia would be amazing)

EVOO

Salt & Pepper

1-2 TBS balsamic vinegar

1/2 red onion, sliced

1/2 zucchini, sliced in rounds if a large zucchini, sliced lengthwise if small zucchini

1/2 yellow squash, sliced in rounds

1/2 eggplant, sliced in rounds

1 red pepper, sliced in strips

1/2 cup veganaise (vegan mayo)

1 tsp lemon juice

sprinkle salt

sprinkle garlic powder

1 TBS fresh chopped basil

Start by mixing together your vegan basil mayo so it can sit, marinate and get delicious.  In a small bowl stir together the last 5 ingredients (mayo, lemon juice, salt, garlic powder, basil).  I decided to add a little olive oil as well.  Set aside.

Set your outdoor grill (or inside grill pan) on medium.  Chop all your veggies and drop in a large bowl.  Sprinkle on some salt, fresh cracked pepper, then drizzle in about 1 TBS EVOO and 1-2 TBS balsamic vinegar.  Toss the veggies around in the bowl until all are coated well.

Get the veggies on the grill, keeping the onions in a little layer of tin foil so they don’t fall through the grill cracks!  Flip after a few minutes until slightly charred and veggies start to soften.

When ready to serve, slather on about 1 tsp of basil mayo on each side of the bread, and layer on the veggies.  It helps to put the onions on the bottom so they stick to the mayo and don’t slide out of the sandwich as much.  Enjoy!

To honor Cinco de Mayo this week, I’m sharing my enchilada recipe.  I served this with a small salad of power greens, lime juice, EVOO, chia seeds, toasted pumpkin seeds & fresh cracked black pepper.  This recipe serves 2-3 people (my husband ate 3 of these, I had 1.5, then took the other 1.5 for lunch the next day).  Of course you can add all sorts of variations to this: different veggies, no tofu, vegan cheese, regular cheese, etc…  For a dreamy/indulgent vegetarian version, cover the top with cheese before putting in the oven. Lots of options, but let’s be honest: As long as there are avocados and margaritas, the rest are just minor details!

1/3 block extra firm tofu; drained & pressed

1/3 large zucchini

1/2 yellow squash

1/4 red pepper

1/4 green pepper

1/4 red onion

1 garlic clove

1/2 sweet potato

1 tsp and 1 TBS canola oil

MIM Ocho Spice Mix

1/2 can black beans

3/4 cups vegan cheddar cheese

6 tortillas of your choice

Hot sauce

4 TBS salsa

1/2 cup vegetable broth

Avocado Sauce:

1 avocado

1/2 cup water

1/2 lime; juiced

1 TBS chopped yellow onion

1 small garlic clove

salt, pepper, cumin

Heat oven to 375 degrees.  Dice the sweet potato & drizzle with 1 tsp canola oil & sprinkle the MIM Ocho Spice Mix on.  Cook for 20 minutes, checking often to avoid burning.  When done, set aside & lower the oven to 350 degrees.

In a large saute pan, add the 1 TBS canola oil and all the remaining veggies & tofu.  Add some MIM Ocho Spice Mix and cook for 10 minutes or so, adding the veg broth as needed if starting to dry or stick.  Add in the beans & more Spice Mix.  Cook another few minutes.  Carefully mix in the sweet potatoes when they are done.

Now start assembling the enchiladas.  Fill 6 tortillas with the mixture, top with some vegan (or regular) cheddar cheese & roll up, seam side down in a large baking dish.  Drizzle the tops with hot sauce & salsa.  Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes.

For the avocado sauce, put all ingredients in a blender and blend on low then slowly move to medium/medium high.  Taste & add more salt & pepper as needed.

When the enchiladas are ready, plate them and drizzle (or drown) with the avocado sauce.  For me, more avocado sauce the better.  Enjoy!

Greetings!  It’s Thursday, and we’re almost through the week.  Although last weekend brought some snow-filled fun, we’ve officially crossed over to Spring now in the mountains.  It’s been sunny & warm every day and the mountains have closed except for Snowbird, which will try to hold onto winter until May 17th.

Last weekend’s trip to the Cottonwoods for Alta’s closing day.

I’ve been a busy lady!  A few friends of mine have asked to be clients, in which I’ve been making their lunches each week!  It’s been so fun.  Here is today’s lunch option:  Jamaican Jerk veggies and chickpeas, full of flavor, vitamins, protein and some serious heat.  Yes, I used the amazing authentic jerk sauce from Jamaica that was posted in my other recipe for Jerk Veggies & Tofu over Rice.  Although similar, this light & healthy lunch recipe is soooo quick & easy to make.  Perfect for lunch.  Served over a bed of fresh organic spinach sprinkled with chia seeds.  Would be great with fresh pineapple slices as well.  Once again, I can’t seem to remember the pineapple when I’m at the grocery store…. some day I’ll get it together!!

1 TBS EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)

1 Green Pepper, sliced

1 cup Portabella Mushrooms, sliced/chopped

1/3 Yellow Onion, sliced

1/2 Zucchini, sliced

1/2 Yellow Squash, sliced

1 Carrot, peeled & sliced

1 large Garlic clove, minced

1-2 TBS Jamaican Jerk Sauce

1 can organic Chickpeas

Fresh Spinach

Chia Seeds

This could not be easier…  Heat the olive oil in a skillet, then add in all your veggies, cook for a minute or two then add in the jerk sauce.  Give one of the veggies a taste to see if you should add more jerk sauce or not.  Watch out, it can be spicy!!  Next drain & rinse the chickpeas then add to the pan and stir well until everything is covered with the jerk sauce.

Serve over a bed of fresh spinach (or any greens you’d like).  I sprinkled my greens with chia seeds for some extra nutrients as well.  Enjoy!

Packed and ready – the perfect lunch to go!

It’s another snowy weekend in April in the mountains!  We haven’t retired the skis or snowboards yet.  Although it’s raining in town, the mountains at Alta and Snowbird are getting snow, so that’s where we’ll be this weekend!  We’re starting Saturday morning with a filling breakfast of scrambled tofu and veggies in crescent rolls.  You can find all sorts of crescent rolls now in grocery stores: vegan, low-fat, whole wheat, etc.  Of course you can put regular scrambled eggs in these, but if you haven’t tried scrambled tofu, you should give it a try!  You can also swap out the veggies to whatever kinds you like.  Enjoy your weekend!

1 package refrigerated crescent rolls

2 cloves garlic

1/4 yellow onion

1 cup chopped mushrooms

1/2 block extra firm tofu; drained & pressed

1/4 cup vegan cheddar cheese

2 TBS nutritional yeast

1/4 tsp dijon mustard

1/2 tsp turmeric

salt & pepper

Heat the oven to 375 degrees.  Next, heat a small/medium saute pan and spray with olive or canola oil cooking spray.  Add the garlic, onion, mushrooms and a sprinkle of salt and pepper.  Cook for a few minutes until veggies start to soften.  Then take off the heat & set aside.

In a large bowl, add the nutritional yeast, dijon, turmeric and another sprinkle of salt & pepper.  Mix with a fork, and then crumble in the tofu and add the cheese.  Mix everything together well with a fork.  Finally, add in the veggies and keep mixing until well combined.

Pop open the crescent rolls and lay them out on a baking sheet.  Flatten and spread the triangles a bit with your fingers.

Add a scoop of the mixture to each crescent roll, and start folding up the sides.  There does not have to be any order to this – just fold up to cover most of the filling in whichever creative way you’d like!  Each will be unique… and rustic!

Bake the crescent rolls for 20-25 minutes, keeping an eye on them so as not to burn!  They will look golden brown, and will be delicious!