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Dairy Free “Cheese”

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Yields 2 cups “cheese”
Preparation time: 5 minutes
Contains soy

2 to 3 cloves garlic
1 pound soft tofu (press out water)
3 tablespoons unrefined olive oil
3 tablespoons ume plum vinegar
4 tablespoons nutritional yeast
¼ teaspoon sea salt
Optional 3 tablespoons fresh basil or rosemary

In a food processor, mince the garlic. Add tofu, olive oil, vinegar, yeast, and salt. Process until smooth and creamy. Taste and add more salt or garlic if desired. Add optional fresh herbs and pulse until they are well combined. This tofu “cheese” works great in the gluten-free lasagna recipe or in the calzones. To create dairy-free pizza, I suggest trying some of the dairy free “cheese” blocks that are available in PCC. Some are made of soy and others with almond or rice. You can grate them just like regular cheese. Many of my patients that are dairy-sensitive are able to tolerate goat cheese. It actually digests much more easily than cow dairy. Consider this as an alternative when making recipes that call for cheese.

Recipe adapted from Jean Duane, Alternative Cook LLC

Gluten Free Lasagna

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Yields one 9- by 13-inch dish
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 45 minutes

1 10-ounce box of Tinkyada Pasta Joy lasagna noodles
1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil
4 to 6 cloves minced garlic
1 cup chopped onion
¾ to 1 pound GF Italian turkey sausage
2 cups packed, de-stemmed, and chopped kale
1½ cups chopped shiitake mushrooms
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon crushed red chili flakes, optional
¾ cup chopped fresh basil
24½ -ounce jar of organic pasta sauce
12 ounces ricotta cheese
12 ounces shredded Italian blend cheese (make sure its GF)
1 tablespoon dried Italian seasoning

Put the noodles into the boiling water for 14 minutes (2 minutes less than recommended cooking time on the box). Strain, rinse with cool water, and lay the noodles out on a towel to dry. Preheat the oven to 375º F. Warm the olive oil in a large skillet; add the garlic and onion and stir. After cooking for a couple of minutes, add the sausage (emptied out of its casing). Use a spoon to break the sausage into small pieces and continue to cook for 5 minutes. Add kale, mushrooms, salt, and chili flakes, and continue to cook for 5 more minutes. Add the basil and turn off the heat. Put a couple of tablespoons of pasta sauce on the bottom of a 9- by 13-inch baking dish and spread it out (prevents noodles from sticking).

1. Lay down one layer of noodles on top of the sauce, and then spoon out half of the meat and veggie mixture over the noodles and spread it evenly.
2. Use your hands or a spoon to put dollops of ricotta over the top. Use half the container. It will not cover everything…that is fine.
3. Spoon half the jar of tomato sauce and spread it out over the surface.
4. Sprinkle 3 to 4 ounces of shredded Italian cheese blend over the top of this (about ¾ cup).

Repeat steps 1 through 4 again. Then put one more layer of noodles on the top and cover with remaining shredded cheese. Sprinkle with dried Italian seasoning, cover with foil, put on a baking sheet and place in preheated 375º F oven for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional 15 minutes until the cheese gets crispy on the edges. Remove from the oven and let it cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Sprouted Quinoa Flat Bread

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Ok, hands down this is one of my most favorite recipes! It is oh-so-delicious and very popular with folks. Not being much of a baker myself, I wanted to create a recipe that was easy to make, abundantly healthful, and as satisfying as a bite of bread. In this lesson you learn how easy it is to sprout quinoa and make the perfect flatbread for wraps, rolls and pizza!

This flat bread is best made thin. It is oh so easy, delicious, incredibly healthful, AND it even freezes well! I have a friend who doesn’t like quinoa, but he loves this flat bread! The sea veggie is not a must in the recipe, but it is a great way to get life supporting minerals in your body and it does add a subtlety to the flavor that I enjoy. This flat bread can also double as a pizza crust!

Preparation time: 10 minutes (in addition to overnight soaking of grain)
Cook time: 10 to 15 minutes
Yields about a 9X11 piece, or 2 smaller pieces

1 cup of quinoa
2 inch strip of kombu or wakame (sea veggie)
1/8 cup unrefined olive oil
2 cloves raw garlic
1/2 to 1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
A little less than 1/8 teaspoon Xanthan gum (purchase at healthy grocery store)
Optional: 1 to 2 teaspoons or any herb that you may be fond of.

1.Soak the quinoa and sea veggie over night in 4 cups of filtered water in a large jar or bowl (cover with a sprout lid or paper towel). The next day, rinse the grain at least one time, but two times is recommended. Use the soaking water to water your plants… they will love it!
2. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees
3. Put the rinsed grain and sea veggie into a blender. Add olive oil, salt, pepper, the optional herbs, garlic, and Xanthan gum. Blend until rather creamy. You will most likely need a tamper of some sort to help the blender because the batter will be pretty thick.
4. Place a piece of parchment paper on a baking sheet. Use your hands or a spatula to spread the batter over the parchment paper. I find it easier to make a rectangular type shape, but you could do two rounds (or whatever shape you like for that matter). Make it nice and thin, but without holes.
5. Place it in the oven on a baking sheet for 5 minutes. Then slide it off the baking sheet and right onto the over rack for an additional 8 minutes or so, or until crispy.
6. You can then dress it up with pesto or tomato sauce and toppings of your choice. Then put it back into a 375-degree oven for 5 to 8 minutes. Another option is to cool and freeze the flatbread for later. I also use it for sandwiches or to dip in soup. Fantastic!

Garden Fresh Spring Rolls

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These rolls are nothing short of Spring in your mouth! In this Garden Fresh Spring Roll video you will learn the tricks to making a successful and tasteful spring roll. These Vietnamese style rolls are gluten free and fun to make! They pair fabulously with any of the Asian sauces found on this site or for purchase.

Preparation time: 10 to 15 minutes
Cook time: 0 to 10 minutes depending on the noodles you choose
Serves 4 to 6

• Dry weight: 3-4 ounce thin, rice or mung bean noodles, cook as directed
• 1 tablespoon wheat free Tamari
• ½ teaspoon toasted sesame oil
• ½ to ¾ cup of 3 to 4 different veggies sliced julienne style. I like bell pepper, carrots, diakon radish, mung bean sprouts, and mushrooms
• 1 small bunch of fresh basil and or 1 small bunch of cilantro
• Optional thin slices of Sesame Ginger Tofu, or cooked shrimp
• Rice paper wraps (usually made with tapioca)
• Large bowl or pot with hot water

1. Warm a large pot of water to just under a boil.
2. Mix cooked rice or mung bean noodles with tamari and sesame oil in a medium
bowl. Set aside.
3. Set up an area with a clean surface and place the sliced veggies and noodles nearby.
4. Dip the rice paper in hot water, and rotate it through so that the entire wrap becomes soft.
5. Lay the soft rice paper down onto the surface and put the veggies and noodles in the upper 1/3rd of the wrapper (the part closest to you). I like to start with laying down a few sprigs of cilantro or fresh basil leaves, then layer the rest on top. Leave about one inch of open space on either side.
6. Roll the wrap away from yourself, tucking it in at the top and on the sides as you go. Just like rolling a burrito! The rice paper should stick together just fine.
7. Now they are ready to eat. Choose your favorite dipping sauce and enjoy!

SMOOTHIES: Sunny Summer Recipes

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Summer Smoothie Recipes

2 cups apricots

1/2  teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1-1/2 cups almond milk

greens

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 1 cup blueberries

1 large banana

1-1/2 cups of nut milk or water

greens

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1-1/2 cups berries

flesh and water of 1 young coconut

small handful of basil leaves

spinach

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 3-1/2 cups watermelon

1 inch fresh ginger

2 tablespoons chia seeds (optional, for a thicker smoothie)

greens

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 1 mango

1 banana

1-1/2 cups water

greens

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1 cup unhulled strawberries

1 cup frozen unhulled strawberries

1 cup cashew milk

basil

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 1-1/2 cups red papaya

1 cup inner rib celery leaves

romaine lettuce leaves from the middle of the head

1-1/2 cups water

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2 plums

1 peach

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1-1/2 cups of water or almond milk

greens

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 1-1/2 cups red or green grapes

2 cups melon (any variety)

greens

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 1 cup of guava or feijoa (pineapple guava)

flesh and water of 1 young coconut

zest and juice of 1 lemon or lime

greens

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 1 cup unhulled strawberries

2 bananas

1 cup water

handful of mint or other green

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 1 cup pitted cherries

1 banana

1 to 2 tablespoons raw cacao

1-1/2 cups water or nut milk

greens

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 2 bananas

1 cup raspberries

zest of 1 lemon

1-1/2 cups water

greens

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 2-1/2 cups cantaloupe

1 cup unhulled strawberries

mint

greens

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 3 bananas

2 tablespoons raw cacao

1-1/2 cups water or nut milk

mint

greens

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 1 mango

2 oranges, peeled

1 cup water

greens

passion fruit pulp, to top the finished smoothie