a day in the life of a gluten-free vegetarian - installment 2

last week i shared what a day of meals looks like for me.  continuing in that vein, i thought i'd share another day of delicious gluten-free, vegetarian food.

breakfast - sauteed zucchini and garlic with a scrambled egg cooked in olive oil, topped with parmigiano-reggiano cheese

lunch - chickpea salad with tomatoes

snack - bowl of fresh sweet cherries -- they're in season now, and sooooo delicious!

dinner - homemade cauliflower crust pizza

after dinner - decaf coffee with soy milk

bon appetit!

.

foodie wednesday: mexican stir fry

last night for dinner, i was feeling like mexican, so i whipped up a quick mexican stir fry.  though i love cooking (from scratch), i took some short cuts - like using a boxed rice mix - in order to save time and energy.  overall, the reviews were good, and craig and i both filled our plates more than once!

here's what went down:

1 box goya spanish rice mix - arroz con tomate
1 medium vidalia onion, chopped
2 red lombak peppers (i.e. mild cayenne)
1/2 cup baby portabellas, chopped
1/4 pound lean ground turkey
1 cup chopped romaine (optional)
1 tbsp chopped garlic
1 tsp red curry
salt to taste
olive oil

toppings:
avocado
salsa
cilantro or basil

1. get the rice going according to box's instructions, so it can cook while you prepare the stir fry.

2. saute the onions, peppers and mushrooms in a bit of olive oil.  season with garlic, curry and salt.  continue to saute until onions are translucent and veggies are beginning to brown.

3. create space in the center of the pan and add a bit more olive oil and the turkey.  season turkey with a bit more salt and cook until turkey is cooked completely.

4. allow stir fry to cool slightly and add in some chopped cilantro (i was completely out of cilantro, so i used some basil from our garden, which did the trick nicely!)

5. when rice is done, fluff it lightly before serving.

6. assemble plate: romaine covered with rice & stir fry mixture and topped with chopped avocado and salsa.  yum!

this recipe makes approx. 4 servings.  meaning craig and i both had a hearty dinner and there was still enough for our lunches the next day : )

want some more simply delicious dinner ideas?  check out vegetables & vodka {here}.  a FREE e-cookbook filled with healthy dinners and low-cal cocktails!

.

foodie wednesday: chicken & peppers

i found some locally grown green peppers when i was food shopping the other day.  i'm usually more of a red pepper girl, but since they were local, i figured i'd go with the green.  when i came home, i found 3 small cajun bell peppers (1 oz each) had ripened to perfection in our garden.  with so many lovely peppers on hand, i decided to go "mexican" and created a chicken & pepper saute to go over rice.

here's what went down:

1 green pepper, sliced
1 medium onion, chopped
3 small peppers, chopped (optional)
1 tomato, chopped
1 tbsp chopped garlic
1 medium-large chicken breast
1 tsp cumin
olive oil
salt & pepper
optional: avocado, salsa, rice
(makes 2 hearty portions)

1. saute peppers & onions in a bit of olive oil over medium heat.  season with salt & pepper.

2. while that's cooking, prep the chicken.  cut it into cubes and season with salt, pepper & cumin.

3. once peppers & onions begin to soften, add garlic.  continue to saute until caramelized.

4. make room in the center of the veggie pan, add a bit more olive oil and add chicken.  continue to cook for a few minutes until chicken is cooked through. 

5. remove from heat and add tomato.  voila! 

we enjoyed ours over rice and topped it with avocado & chipotle corn salsa.  the fresh peppers really made this dish! 

other ideas: you could also enjoy this over salad greens or use the mixture to fill tortillas or tacos!.

portabella caps & potato packets

first off, i apologize for my absence these past few days.  a tree came down on our property and took out cable and internet.  comcast was just restored this morning : )


ok, post time.



gorgeous day = time to fire up the grill.  in my opinion, fresh grilled veggies are the perfect way to celebrate a summer evening, so the other night i decided to grill up some portabella caps, potato packets & peaches.  (just realized now the lovely alliteration that was our dinner : ) 

our simple grilled meal was summertime on a plate, and we thoroughly enjoyed every last bite.

here’s what went down:

portabellas


marinate 2 portabella caps (washed & dried) in ¼ cup italian dressing
grill on high, 4-5 minutes on each side, until caps are tender and delectable grill marks appear

potato packets


cut 1 potato, 1 zucchini and 2 large carrots into ½ inch cubes
toss veggies with 2 tbsp mustard (any kind), 1 tbsp mayo, 1 tsp chopped garlic, 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar, salt & pepper
divide veggies into 2-3 foil packets coated with olive oil and seal packets well so veggies don’t fall out while grilling
grill for 30-40 min until veggies are tender and lightly browned

peaches


2 peaches, halved
brush the cut surface with a bit of olive oil
grill for 3-4 min face down until grill marks caramelize


in addition to our veggie feast, i sautéed up some chicken sausage seasoned with feta and spinach.  the sweet peaches with the savory sausage were fabulous!




simple summertime goodness!  yum!.