Green Chile Rice

 

This is a quick Mexican-style rice that we like to wrap up in a whole wheat tortilla with some seasoned pinto beans and avocado slices.  It beats the pants off that quick yellow rice that comes in a foil package on so many levels.  It’s also a great way to take leftover plain rice and morph it into an entirely different meal. 

 

Green Chile Rice

Ingredients:

1 medium onion, medium dice

1 green bell pepper, medium dice

2 cups cooked brown rice [This is a great use for leftover rice]

3T diced green chiles [I used roasted canned chiles, like Ortega for this]

4 cloves garlic, minced

½ tsp annatto seeds [These give the rice a beautiful yellow color and distinctive flavor]

¼ cup Bill’s Best Chik’Nish Vegetarian Seasoning

1 lime

1 T neutral oil [I use rice bran oil]

Optional garnishes:  cilantro, lime wedges, radishes, green onion, jalapeno pepper

Directions:

Add the annatto seeds to the oil in a skillet over medium heat.  Stir the seeds around for a couple of minutes, keeping them in the oil.  Remove the seeds from the pan and discard.  Add the onions and bell pepper.  Sauté until softened.  Add the garlic and chiles.  Cook for another minute or so.  Add the rice and Chik’Nish seasoning.  Mix well to combine.  [If your rice is leftover it may have dried out a bit in the refrigerator.  If this is the case, just add a little bit of water to moisten it back up.  I’d start with a tablespoon at a time until it’s soft again.] Squeeze the lime juice over the rice and serve hot.

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Vegan RO*TEL Dip

 

 

Vegan RO*TEL Dip

Ingredients:

2 cups hemp or oat milk [I prefer one of these more full-bodied milks for this recipe]

10 oz can RO*TEL

¾ cup nutritional yeast

2 T flour

2 T oil

1 T Bill’s Best Chik’Nish

1½ tsp chili powder

1 tsp onion powder

1 tsp garlic powder

½ tsp chili flakes

½ tsp paprika

½ tsp cumin

Optional garnishes:

cilantro

freshly diced tomato

jalapeño

Directions:

Place the oil in a pot over medium heat.  Stir in the flour to create a light roux.  Cook for a few minutes until the color darkens a little bit and there is a nutty scent.  Stir in the seasonings and cook for another minute or so.  Slowly add in the milk while whisking to prevent clumps.  Add the nutritional yeast and RO*TEL.  Bring to a low simmer then remove from heat.  Serve warm.

 

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Sesame Bay Tofu Points

 

This makes a really nice quick and easy lunch or dinner entrée.  When cut into smaller triangular pieces and paired with some spicy cocktail sauce, they make a great appetizer. 

 

Sesame Bay Tofu Points

Ingredients:

1 block firm tofu

½ cup sesame seeds [I prefer to use un-hulled seeds because they have a greater nutritional content]

¼ cup rice flour

2 T Old Bay Seasoning, divided

1 T ground flax seed

½ cup water

neutral oil for pan searing [I used rice bran oil]

Directions:

Blend water, flax seed meal and 1 T of Old Bay together.  Transfer to a bowl and set aside to thicken.

Mix the rice flour and remaining 1 T of Old Bay together and pour onto a plate.

Pour the sesame seeds onto another plate or wide-mouthed bowl.

Cut the tofu into ½ -inch thick slices and then cut diagonally to create two triangular pieces from each slice.  Dredge in the seasoned rice flour and then dip into the flax seed slurry.  Dredge through sesame seeds to coat fully.

Pan sear over medium heat until the tofu is heated through.  Take care not to burn the seeds by adjusting the temperature accordingly.

 

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Coconut-Kaffir Lentil Soup

 

So…I’ve been on a lentil kick lately.  I love them and just can’t seem to get enough of these wee legumes.  Not a bad predilection to have, I suppose,  since lentils are nutritional superstars.  You’ll dig this soup.  It’s rich, thick and amazingly flavorful. 

Coconut-Kaffir Lentil Soup

Ingredients:

1-15oz can lite coconut milk

1 quart faux chicken or vegetable broth

1 cup lentils

1 medium onion, sliced

1 lime, zest reserved for garnish

4 kaffir lime leaves, plus some sliced thinly for garnish

4 cloves garlic, sliced

1 T fresh ginger, finely diced

1 ½ tsp curry powder

½ tsp red pepper flakes, plus some for garnish

toasted coconut flakes, for garnish

coconut oil

Directions:

Sauté the onion and garlic in a drizzle of coconut oil until softened.  Add the curry powder, ginger, red pepper flakes and lime leaves and cook for a couple of minutes.  Add the coconut milk and broth.  Bring to a low simmer and add the lentils.  Cook over medium low heat for 30 minutes.  Transfer the soup to a blender and purée until smooth.  Add the juice of one lime and blend to mix thoroughly.  Return to the stove and taste for seasoning.   Adjust as necessary with salt and pepper.

Garnish with lime zest, red pepper flakes, toasted coconut and thinly-sliced kaffir lime leaves.

 

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Roasted Tomato, Green Olive and Almond Pasta Sauce

 

 

This dish would make a beautifully elegant dinner for two served with a nice green salad and crusty bread.  There should be enough left over for a wonderfully quick and  delicious lunch the next day.

 

Roasted Tomato and Almond Pasta Sauce with Green Olives

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

2lb Roma tomatoes, cut into quarters

2 small onions, peeled and cut into quarters

12 cloves garlic, divided [8 roasted, 4 raw]

⅓ cup almond meal [This is simply ground raw almonds]

½ cup green olives, sliced [I used some almond and garlic stuffed green almonds, but plain would be just fine]

¼ cup chopped parsley, for garnish

¼ cup sliced almonds,  for garnish

2 tsp  No Chicken Bouillon

2 T olive oil

sea salt

freshly-cracked black pepper

1 lb pasta [I used Rigatoni]

Directions:

Roast tomatoes, onions and 8 cloves of garlic at 425°F until the edges have browned [~30 mins].   Add the raw garlic, bouillon, olive oil and almond meal.  Liquefy in a blender.  Transfer to a pot on the stove top over medium heat and stir in the sliced olives.  Bring to a low simmer and then reduce the heat.  Let it perk away while you are cooking the pasta. 

Once the pasta is done, taste the sauce for seasonings and add salt and pepper to taste.  Drain the pasta and toss in the sauce.   Garnish with sliced almonds, olives and parsley.

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