Eggplant & Spinach Pizza

We’re currently experiencing a severe addiction to pizza of any kind.  This eggplant and spinach version is especially delicious and had my friends begging me to make more!

1 bag refrigerated pizza dough

1 eggplant, sliced

3 tomatoes, sliced (I also take the seeds out so the pizza doesn’t get watery)

1/2 of 1 large onion, sliced

4 cups fresh, loose spinach

1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella OR provolone cheese

3 gloves garlic, minced

1 cayenne pepper, minced

salt & pepper to taste

5 tbsps olive oil for frying, coating crust and roasting veggies

               

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  On a lightly greased baking pan, add eggplant and tomato slices and drizzle with 1 tbsp of oil.  Bake for 20 minutes, turning the vegetables half way through
• Meanwhile, in a large saucepan over medium heat, cook 3 tbsps oil, cayenne pepper and onions for about 5 to 7 minutes, until onions are beginning to brown
• Add spinach, garlic, salt and pepper to saucepan and toss with the onions. Cover and continue to cook on medium heat for approximately 2 minutes, or until spinach is wilted
• Set aside spinach mix, and stretch out the dough onto a lightly greased cookie sheet or pizza stone. Coat crusts with 1 tbsp oil
• Once the eggplant and tomatoes are done, toss them with the spinach mixture and distribute evenly over pizza dough.  Pour cheese over the vegetables and bake at 400 degrees for 15- 2o minutes

Where to Dine Locally

When it comes to dining out, being a vegan or vegetarian can be tough.  Beyond a bland veggie burger or a completely barren salad, most main stream restaurants have hardly any appetizing alternatives for their meat-free patrons.  So we’ve put together a list of some of the best and most popular locations that cater to the foodie needs of vegans and vegetarians alike!

Organic Garden Cafe: Vegetarian and vegan friendly eatery, offering organic, locally grown and raw options!

The Red Lentil: Watertown-based restaurant that offers inexpensive eats and a unique brunch menu

Veggie Planet:  Home to some of the weirdest (and most delicious) vegan pizzas you may ever encounter in Harvard Square

Grasshopper Restaurant: Ridiculously low prices for tons of vegan options like tofu, seitan and soups

Revitalive Cafe: Creative and trendy raw, vegan meals located in Newburyport

Peace O’ Pie: Popular Allston hotspot offering completely vegan pizzas

Life Alive:  Modern organic, vegetarian cafe in both Lowell and Cambridge, offering hearty meals, vitalizing juices and smoothies

ALTERNATIVES (Vegetarian and vegan friendly options on the menu)

uFOODgrill: Numerous Boston locals with veggie burgers, tofu meals and all-natural smoothies

the otherside cafe: Lots of great beer, and a slew of bean, tempeh and salad options available

Butterfly:  A variety of Chinese, Japanese or vegetarian dishes

The Purple Cactus:  Southwestern style restaurant with lots of veggie based wraps, burgers and salads

                       

Reasons to Go Organic!

One important issue we have yet to cover, is the importance of not only eating your fruits and veggies but the QUALITY of the produce you select.  Some are skeptical, but I choose to eat fruit and vegetables that are certified organic.  Yes, they DO taste better, they’re better for your body and they improve the environment.

People scoff at the snobbiness of only eating organic food or think its ridiculous and don’t find conventionally grown items offensive or lacking nutrients.  I choose to believe that farming using chemical-ridden pesticides and fertilizing is just plain disgusting and isn’t a healthy way to eat.  I would prefer to eat food that has been grown naturally without the use of harmful ingredients like Dichloro-Diphenyl- Trichloroethane (DDT) which cause cancer, infertility and development problems.  I prefer to refrain from genetically-modified foods (GMOs) that are also known to causes diseases and a slew of other issues you can check out on Raw Wisdom.

Consuming conventionally grown produce, slightly defeats the purpose of eating healthy at all.  It’s like taking a delicious apple or crown of broccoli and sprinkling chemicals all over it before you try devour it.  Sure, washing them will help a little, but it doesn’t reverse the internal damage done by such strong pesticides.

The prices may be a little steeper, but in the long run, it is absolutely worth paying the extra penny to go organic.

THE DIRTY DOZEN: THE TWELVE DIRSTIEST PRODUCE ITEMS YOU SHOULD ALWAYS BUY ORGANIC

• Celery: Has no protective outer skin to shield it from pesticide residue 
• Peaches: Their delicate skin makes it susceptible to chemicals
• Strawberries: Unless they’re in season, they generally come from countries that have no qualms about using harmful materials to grow them
• Apples:  Are prone to attracting insects and fungi, so a heavy amount of pesticides remain on their skin
• Blueberries: Conventional blueberries are treated with 52 known pesticides
• Nectarines: Another delicate tree fruit, similar to apples and peaches
• Bell Peppers:  Also have thicker skins and are heavily doused with chemicals
• Spinach: Tops the list of the most contaminated leafy-green vegetable with 42 pesticides
• Kale:  Even as a tougher breed of produce, it is still a highly sprayed veg
• Potatoes:  Are generally the hardest to get completely clean and can be laced with 37 different pesticides
• Grapes: Vineyards are continuously sprayed, and no amount of cleaning can rid pesticides from their thin skins
• Cherries:  Even locally grown cherries are known to have 3 times more pesticide spraying than imported ones

 For even more information, check out this amazing article on being organic!

Broccoli & Red Pepper Frittata

We haven’t touched on very many breakfast ideas, which is surprising because your first meal of the day is generally the most important.  And considering I have a weekly tradition of enjoying a frittata every Saturday or Sunday, I think it’s about time to share the recipe!  You can always use any veggies you like (I also like to add sweet potatoes sometimes), but this is just the basic version I use.

Broccoli & Red Pepper Frittata

6 free-range organic eggs

1 ½ cups pecorino Romano cheese

1 large onion, sliced

1 red bell pepper, sliced

1 broccoli crown, cut into pieces

1 handful fresh parsley, chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 cayenne pepper, minced

Salt & pepper to taste

¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil

• In a large frying pan, cook olive oil and cayenne on medium heat for 2 minutes.  Reduce to low-medium heat, add onions and sauté until onions have caramelized, approximately 10-15 minutes
• In a bowl, combine eggs, cheese, parsley, salt and pepper, and mix thoroughly
• Pour egg mixture into pan over onions, making sure to evenly distribute.  Layer broccoli and pepper ontop
• Return heat to medium, and cook mixture for about 5-7 minutes, until the eggs have cooked through on the bottom.  Spooning some of the mixture from the edges toward the middle of the frittata is a good way to make sure the eggs distribute and cook well
• Once the bottom has cooked, place pan under an oven broiler for around 5 minutes so that the top of the egg mixture can cook as well.  Once the top begins to bubble and brown, it’s done!

Loaded Veggie Pizza

Vegetarian OR vegan, you can still get away with serving up a delicious pizza and not have to feel guilty about it.  Nixing the pepperoni or sausage, skimping on the cheese, using a super-thin crust and adding lots of vegetables is an easy way to turn such an easy and popular meal into a good-for-you dish.

Sticking to a recipe isn’t necessary for pizza, but this is one version my boyfriend and I tested out, makes 2 good size pizzas and is absolutely addictive!

1 bag whole wheat or regular refrigerated dough (we use Whole Foods All-Natural)

1 cup whole wheat flour for kneading and rolling out dough

1 broccoli crown, cut into small pieces

1 red bell pepper, sliced

1 medium onion, sliced

3 ripe-vine tomatoes, sliced

3 cups shredded, mozzarella AND/OR provolone cheese

5 cloves garlic, minced

2 cayenne pepper, minced

Salt & pepper to taste

3 tbsps extra-virgin olive oil for cooking (plus some for coating the crust)

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees
• After the dough is rolled out onto cookie sheets (Note: This can take a LONG time to get super-thin crust), heat olive oil, cayenne and onion in frying pan on medium heat, and sauté until onions have caramelized, about 7 to 8 minutes
• When the onions have browned, add broccoli and red bell pepper and continue cooking on medium heat for approximately 5 more minutes, or until broccoli is tender
• Add garlic, salt and pepper and continue to cooking for another minute
• Lightly coat the crust of the pizzas with olive oil, then add a layer of half the tomatoes onto the pizza, then half of the broccoli/pepper mix and finish with 1 ½ cups of cheese on each pizza
• Bake for 15 minutes or until cheese is bubbly and crust turns golden brown

Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Sage & Butter Sauce

The only thing we love more than your run-of-the-mill classic gnocchi is a savory sweet potato rendition!

Narrowly beating out broccoli, sweet potatoes are Lisa’s favorite vegetable, and according to statistics most of America may agree with her.  Not only have they been linked to cancer prevention, and heart disease, but they help manage diabetes AND keep you full longer, inadvertently making them a great choice for dieters.  Vitamins C and E, B vitamins, folate, fiber and beta-carotene are all possible reasons why this satisfying veggie is making a comeback.

                

Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Sage & Butter Sauce

3 large sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced

2 ½ cups whole wheat flour (you may need more to reduce stickiness and for rolling out)

2/3 cup ricotta cheese

1 tsp sea salt

For Maple Cinnamon Sage Butter Sauce

6 tbsps butter

15 fresh sage leaves

2 tablespoons pure maple syrup

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp sea salt

• Place sliced sweet potatoes in a large saucepan of boiling water, and boil under fork-ready for about 20 minutes
• Using a mixer, blend sweet potatoes until creamy, then add ricotta and salt until combined
• By hand, add flour ½ a cup at a time, until dough is not too sticky and manageable to roll by hand
• On a floured surface, roll dough pieces into 1 inch thick ropes, and cut into 1 inch pieces
• In a large saucepan, bring water to a boil and place about 15 gnocchi in at a time (if you put to many in at once, they tend to stick together).  Gnocchis are ready, once they come rise to the top, after approximately 5 minutes

FOR THE SAUCE

• In a small saucepan, melt butter on medium heat
• Once the butter is melted, add sage leaves and continue to cook on medium heat for around 5 minutes or until the butter begins to brown
• Remove from heat after butter is cooked, add maple syrup, cinnamon and salt and mix

Corn & Potato Chowder

Ever peek into your fridge and discover dozens of fruits and veggies that are pushing their freshness peak or you just have NO clue what dish to use them up in?

Happens to us a lot.  And the simple answer for getting the very most out of your produce is SOUP!

It’s hard to go wrong with a hearty, filling soup packed with yummy leftover vegetables.  It’s hard to mess up experimenting with different veggies and spices, so throw all your fave ingredients together, and chances are, you’ll end up with something unique and delicious.  Here’s one of our latest soup attempts that turned out amazing!

Corn & Potato Chowder

3 cups frozen corn

4 cups red potatoes (about 5 small ones), chopped

1 cup red bell pepper, chopped

½ cup green bell pepper, chopped

½ cup onion, chopped

2 cups vegetable broth

2 ½ cup milk (I still used almond milk, but the consistency of raw milk tends to be better for the soup)

2 cayenne pepper, minced

2 cloves garlic, minced

3 tbsp olive oil

Salt & pepper to taste

• In a large saucepan, heat 3 tbsp olive oil and cayenne pepper on medium high heat, until oil begins bubbling.  Add in garlic and onions and continue cooking on medium high heat until onions become translucent
• Add potatoes, salt and pepper and cook until potatoes begin to brown, about 6 or 7 minutes
• Next, add the vegetable broth and bring to a boil, then simmer for about 10 minutes
• Then, mix in the corn, peppers and milk, bring back to a boil, then simmer the entire saucepan for 30-40 minutes, or until all vegetables are well cooked and the chowder had began to thicken

Food books we love!

Vegan, vegetarian, pescatarian, carnivore-whatever you are, the more you learn about your eating habits, where your food comes and how your diet affects your body, environment and the economy, the better off you are!

We are both avid readers, and some of our favorite books revolve around what we eat and how we eat and some worthwhile literature has converted us from meat-eaters to meat-free.  Here are some of our favorite food-orientated books in our library!

The Kind Diet by Alicia Silverstone (Rachael’s absolute must-read)

Food, Inc. by Participant Media and Karl Weber (Lisa swears it changed her life-and the movie is just as amazing!)

Skinny Bitch by Rory Freedman and Kim Barnouin (an honest, witty documentation on how to eat good and look good)

Eating Animals by Jonathan Safran Foer (a poignant and humorous tale of one journalist’s journey to vegetarianism)

Real Food: What to Eat and Why by Nina Planck (one woman’s transformation from farmer’s daughter to vegan, and everything in between)

Food Rules: An Eater’s Manual by Michael Pollan (simple, straightforward rules on how to eat well)

The Omnivore’s Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals by Michael Pollan (groundbreaking account of the age old question- “what’s for dinner?”

In Defense of Food: An Eater’s Manifesto by Michael Pollan (breaks down not just WHAT Americans eat, but HOW we eat)

Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the American Meal by Eric Schlosser (expose on the history and horrors of the fast food industry)

Zucchini Tortellini

Although we like to pride ourselves on whipping up innovative, difficult dishes that require alot of effort, hectic schedules don’t always allow for that.  We still like to keep our meals as healthy as possible though, so this simple dish only takes minutes to prepare and is surprisingly delicious!

                                  

3 zucchini, sliced thin

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 cayenne pepper, minced

1 12 oz bag, tri-color cheese tortellini

salt & pepper to taste

olive oil for frying

• Cook tortellini according to package (generally boil for 18-20 minutes)
• Cook zucchini, garlic and cayenne (adding salt & pepper), in a frying pan with a few tablespoons of olive oil on medium heat, until zucchini is beginning to brown (approximately 7 or 8 minutes)
• Combine zucchini mix and tortellini and that’s it!

Eggplant Parmigiana

We’ve always loved eggplant parmigiana.  Who doesn’t?  Hearty eggplant with cheese and our Italian meatless sauce is a great comfort meal, whether you’re veg or not.

3 cups of our Italian meatless sauce

2 eggplants, sliced

2 ¼ cups shredded mozzarella cheese

1 cup Parmesan cheese

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup breadcrumbs

3 eggs

Salt & pepper to taste

Olive oil for frying

(Note: This makes a lot of eggplant, so you may need to add more olive oil, flour, breadcrumbs or eggs if you feel like you’re running out)

• After sliced eggplant into ¼ inch rounds, season with salt and pepper.
• Beat eggs in a bowl, and mix together the breadcrumbs and flour in a separate bowl.
• Coat bottom of frying pan with about ½ inch of olive oil and turn to medium heat.
• Dip eggplant slices through eggs, then dredge through flour mixture and cook in olive oil on both sides until golden brown.
• Once eggplant slices are all cooked, layer the bottom of a 13 X 9 inch baking pan with 1 cup of sauce.  Then, add a layer of eggplant slices, and then a layer of ¾ cup of mozzarella and ¼ cup Parmesan.
• Then make a second layer of eggplant, topped with another cup of sauce and another ¾ mozzarella and ¼ Parmesan.  Repeat layers once more, but for the final, top layer of cheese, add ½ cup Parmesan.
• Bake, uncovered at 350 degrees for approximately 30 minutes.