Showing posts with label daiya shreds. Show all posts
Showing posts with label daiya shreds. Show all posts

Friday, March 28, 2014

Loaded "Quesadilla" ~ gluten-free, dairy-free, corn-free, vegan

Breakfast has been a challenge for me since I found out about my body's negative reactions to gluten, dairy and eggs. I am so excited about this quesadilla which is a fantastic option for any meal of the day! I make the filling in a big batch ahead of time and then make the quesadilla when I'm ready to eat it.

Filling:
1/4 of a medium sweet onion, finely chopped
1 small/medium sweet potato, cut into small cubes
1/2 package of tofu, cut into small cubes (I like superfirm)***
4 Tbs diced green chiles
1/4 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp coriander
salt 
pepper
1 brown rice tortilla (I use Food For Life)
1/4 cup cheddar Daiya shreds

***If you are avoiding soy or if you don't like tofu, I tried it with lentils instead and it is also delicious!


Instructions:
Drain the green chiles. In a bowl, sprinkle the cumin and coriander over the tofu. Mix thoroughly so that the tofu is evenly coated and then let it sit while you cook the onions and sweet potatoes. Over medium heat, cook the onions and sweet potatoes for about 10 minutes. I have a fantastic non-stick Scanpan so I didn't have to use any oil. If I did, I'd probably use a small amount of coconut oil. Add the tofu and the green chiles to the pan and cook for another 10 minutes. Add a few shakes of salt and pepper to taste (I also added a few more shakes of cumin and coriander at the end).
Set the filling aside. Wipe out your pan or grab a new one and place the brown rice tortilla in it on medium heat (again, I didn't use any oil but you could spray a little olive oil on the tortilla before you put it in). Sprinkle the Daiya shreds on the tortilla and cook until the cheese starts to melt. Add the filling and cook until the tortilla gets a little brown on the bottom. If I'm taking the filling out of the fridge I heat it in the microwave for about 30 seconds. Fold the tortilla over, put it on a plate, and enjoy! You have a meal that is satisfying, delicious, and packed with complex carbohydrates, healthy protein, fiber and loaded with nutrients from the chiles, onions and sweet potatoes. My son likes to have a side of raw avocado with it which is a great way to add some healthy fats and more nutrients.

If you're interested in buying a Scanpan for yourself, here's an Amazon link. You will pay the same price through this link but I will get a small affiliate fee to help maintain this blog. Thanks for your support!

I'm sure there are a ton of ways to play around with the filling. If you try anything and love it, please share!

Tuesday, January 28, 2014

Happy Accident "Cheesy" Sauce

I was trying to make a squash lasagna and it did not work out . . . at all . . . BUT, what I ended up with was a thick, creamy, "cheesy" tomato sauce with squash and mushrooms. I've eaten it plain (like a super-indulgent soup). I've eaten it over rice, and I've eaten it over spaghetti squash. I think my favorite was actually over the spaghetti squash because I liked the al dente "bite" of it in contrast to the creamy sauce and the other softer vegetables. Plus, spaghetti squash is super-healthy and weight-management friendly!

Ingredients:
2 small/medium zucchini
2 small/medium yellow squash
1 1/2 jars of spaghetti sauce (I like the Mezzetta brand because they use quality ingredients with no added sugar)
2 bags of Daiya Mozzarella shreds (vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free and soy-free)
1-2 small cartons of sliced mushrooms
16 oz ground turkey (optional)

Directions:
I browned the turkey with salt, pepper, oregano, thyme and some basil (I didn't measure the herbs, probably a teaspoonish of each and a couple turn of the salt grinder). If you want to keep it vegan you can omit the turkey. 

I sliced the zucchini and squash with a mandolin. They didn't stay in layers but the more uniform size probably helped things cook evenly.

I rubbed a little olive oil on the large glass casserole dish and then started layering:
a little sauce
zucchini
Daiya shreds
sauce
yellow squash
meat
Daiya shreds
sauce
mushrooms
meat
Daiya shreds
sauce

I covered the pan with aluminum foil and baked it in the oven for about 45 minutes at 375 degrees. Cook time may vary depending on your oven. I let it sit for about 30 minutes to cool before I scooped it out into mason jars. It freezes really well. My son LOVES it ~ and big shocker ~ my very-particular-foodie-daughter likes it too!

Please let me know how you like it and share any "tweaks" you come up with!

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