Knead to Cook

Food & fitness obsessed girl.

Grilled Lemon Shishito Peppers. Vegan. Gluten Free.

by Filed Under: Appetizers, Brunch, Evolution Power Yoga 40 Days, Gluten Free, Grilling, Party Foods, Running/Races, Side dish, Snacks, Vegan, Vegan proteins, Wheat Free 1 Comment

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Grilled Lemon Shishito Peppers. Vegan. Gluten Free.

Haven’t seen or heard of these beauties?  No worries, once trying you’ll never forget them.  Shishito peppers are small, finger length, slender and thin walled peppers.  One in about 10 are spicy but most are mellow. Very low in calories, I use these as an appetizer or on my taco bar.  These take mere minutes to prepare and devour so make sure you buy a hearty supply.  I find these at my local farmer’s market or Asian market.  I hope you venture out and give these a whirl.  My whole family loves them.
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— Knead to Cook

Roasted Tomatillo Salsa Verde. Vegan. GF.

by Filed Under: 4th of July/Patriotic, Appetizers, Breakfast, Brunch, Chili, Condiments, Gluten Free, Grilling/Rubs/Sauces, Mexican, Party Foods, Snacks, Vegan, Vegan proteins, Vegetarian, Vitamix 3 Comments

 

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Roasted tomatillo salsa verde.  If you’re anything like me, different foods at the grocery store are intriguing but  not enough to get me to purchase.  Tomatillos are that to me.  I always marvel at how adorable they are but I never manage to actually purchase them.  This week I was feeling a bit more courageous, I suppose, and grabbed about 2 lbs of them thinking I would make some salsa verde.  I love salsa and pride myself on my Italian/Mexican salsa that my friends and family clamor for… so why not take a stab at this version.

This recipe is pretty easy but a bit more time consuming than traditional salsa.  The flavor is also vastly different – more on the sweet/slightly bitter side.  Totally different but absolutely lovely.  Looking forward to having this beautiful salsa on my taco bar Tuesday for my family to try.  What kind of salsa is your favorite?  I would love to know.
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— Knead to Cook

Easy baked tortilla chips. Vegan. GF.

by Filed Under: 4th of July/Patriotic, Appetizers, Dips, Gluten Free, Mexican, Party Foods, Vegan, Wheat Free 6 Comments

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Easy baked tortilla chips. V. GF.

I don’t know about your house, but the summer brings copious amounts of snacking on salsa & tortilla chips in ours.  I prefer not to buy fried foods for my family and wanted to share with you all this super easy homemade baked tortilla chips that take 10 minutes flat to make.  They taste so much better, aren’t fried and you can control the salt.  I prefer corn tortillas because they’re gluten free and seem to bake up to a perfectly crispy chip.

I served these with lentil bowls, Mexican rice dishes like this  or as a accompaniment to your Taco Tuesday topping bar.  My girls eat these straight up for a snack with fresh salsa, guac or plain.  Okay let’s get started!
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— Knead to Cook

Raw Asian Chopped Napa Salad. Vegan. Gluten Free.

by Filed Under: Appetizers, Asian inspired, Brunch, Evolution Power Yoga 40 Days, Gluten Free, No bake/cooking required!, Nuts, Raw, Salads, Vegan, Vegan proteins, Vinaigrette, Wheat Free 2 Comments

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I remember the very first time I had a similar salad and started my obsessive love for it.  My oldest was in grade school and I was chairing a teacher appreciation luncheon.  My friend Kelly brought a similar salad in and after lunch, we all sat down and ate some leftovers before cleaning up.  This salad was crunchy, packed with Asian flavors and filled with peanuts.  Everything that I love.  I’ve obviously adapted this salad over the years removing the chicken as my protein and just focusing on the veggies.  I make this salad on the weekends and we have it all week for lunches or sides with dinner. It’s great atop tacos for a crunchy element. It has such depth of flavor and I have yet to meet someone who doesn’t love it. Think of all the summer parties you’ll host or attend… this recipe is perfect!

You can easily chop all veggies prior to making this dish.  I make a big batch of the dressing and keep it in a lidded glass jar in my fridge.  The dressing works well to marinade tofu or tempeh.  It’s obviously great for other salads as well.  Super easy to make and the prep is in the chopping.  I hope you find this recipe as captivating as I do.  Ha.
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— Knead to Cook

Turmeric Roasted Nuts. V. GF.

by Filed Under: Appetizers, Breakfast, Gift ideas, Gluten Free, Indian-inspired., Nuts, Snacks, Vegan, Vegan proteins, Wheat Free, Your Life Edit Foundations Leave a Comment

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I’ve been cooking up a storm lately trying to finish up food jobs and some recipes for my family.  My knee surgery is tomorrow and I’ll be on bed rest for 2 weeks so the more food I can prep the better.  Plus I promise to be sharing recipes I created during my healing.

So let’s get into the recipe.  I love turmeric.  I add it to my breakfast smoothies and decided to roast some of my favorite nuts with it.  Turmeric is know for its anti-inflammatory properties as well as being known for fighting cancer.  I’m doing anything to aid in my healing.  Plus when your body is recovering from workouts and surgery – your body needs protein-rich foods.  These have a lovely flavor that is very addictive.  You can use any nut that you love in this recipe – suggestions for baking in the recipe.  I used pistachios, cashews and almonds. Okay so time is ticking away and I need to get into my herb box to plant before the rain comes back.

Perfect snacking option for your summer travels or to keep in your car or purse for snacking ideas.  These nuts also ship well and package up nicely for a homemade teacher/special gift idea.  Enjoy!
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— Knead to Cook

Avocado Cilantro Taco Sauce. V. GF.

by Filed Under: Appetizers, Brunch, Condiments, Dips, Dressings, Evolution Power Yoga 40 Days, Fruit, Gluten Free, No bake/cooking required!, Nuts, Running/Races, Salads, Salsas & Guacamole, Sauces, Side dish, Vegan, Vinaigrette, Vitamix, Wheat Free Leave a Comment

 

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Yep.  It’s not Taco Tuesday yet hump day. I know but don’t really care because I’m in a mood for tacos.  Truthfully, I’ve been craving avocados a lot lately.  So tonight we will have walnut meat (recipe coming) tacos with this sauce that will have you drooling at first bite.  Avocados: provide nearly 20 essential nutrients, including fiber, potassium, Vitamin E, B-vitamins, and folic acid. They also act as a “nutrient booster” by enabling the body to absorb more fat-soluble nutrients, such as alpha and beta-carotene and lutein, in foods that are eaten with the fruit. They are a powerhouse and really should be consumed every single day in my humbled opinion.

This chunkier sauce can be made spicy, medium or mild.  Can be thinned out for a dressing for salads.  It serves as the perfect dip in lieu of your typical guac.  Heavenly… period.  And the best part – whips up in seconds.
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— Knead to Cook

Tikka Masala Cauliflower and Chickpeas. Vegan. GF.

by Filed Under: Appetizers, Evolution Power Yoga 40 Days, Gluten Free, Indian-inspired., Running/Races, Snacks, Vegan, Vegan proteins, Wheat Free 3 Comments

Tikka Masala Cauliflower and Chickpeas. Vegan. GF.

I had found this wonderful spice store at the Borough Market in London. I love picking up local goodies that are food-related as souvenirs v. the classic tee shirt.  They always serve as a nice memory-evolking moment when I use them. [Read more…]

— Knead to Cook

Easy Pickled Carrots and Jalapeños. Vegan. GF.

by Filed Under: Appetizers, Breakfast, Brunch, Condiments, Evolution Power Yoga 40 Days, Fitness., Gift ideas, Gluten Free, No bake/cooking required!, Party Foods, Raw, Running/Races, Side dish, Vegan, Wheat Free 1 Comment

Easy Pickled Carrots and Jalapeños. Vegan. GF.

Easy Pickled Carrots and Jalapeños. Vegan. GF.

I don’t know about you but I’m a huge pickle fan!  Actually anything (or almost) I could devour.  These are great for an appetizer board with other veggies/dips for summer parties.  Great with sandwiches or veggie burgers.  You can use whatever vegetables you prefer in this recipe too.  Cauliflower works great!  Fix it and forget it.  The longer they sit the better the flavors develop.  I created this recipe with my running guru as my inspiration…. I hope you love these x444.
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— Knead to Cook

Tofu cheese. Vegan. Gluten free.

by Filed Under: Appetizers, Breakfast, Brunch, Cheese, Evolution Power Yoga 40 Days, Gluten Free, No bake/cooking required!, Raw, Running/Races, Snacks, Vegan, Vegan proteins, Wheat Free 4 Comments

Tofu cheese. Vegan. Gluten free.

Tofu cheese. Vegan. Gluten free.

There is just one thing I miss going vegan (now almost 2 years ago)… no not bacon, not pulled pork-  It’s my seasoned bocconcini mozzarella that I always had marinating in the fridge.  I would serve it over pasta or in a salad with freshly picked tomatoes from the garden.  So with two packages of tofu about to expire in my fridge I thought I would try my recipe with it.  After all, what do I have to lose, right?

I’ll put it out there – I very much dislike tofu unless it’s blended in something else like pudding.  I also love a tofu scramble at vegan restaurants (which I still need to attempt at home) but baked or fried – it’s a no-go for me!  That is until now.
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— Knead to Cook