Zesty Vegan Spring Lasagna with cashew ricotta

I love spring. I always feel such a sense of renewal and with every burst of a new bud on a tree, a little something like hope or joy bursts in me. I am feeling optimistic and ready for a wonderful season. I always try to do a vegan cleanse in the spring, just to clear my system and lighten up for summer eating. I usually do a two-day juice cleanse and then avoid meats for a long while. When avoiding meat and dairy, I always look for new ways to replace the creamy, crunchy, sticky, gooey stuff I like with a really great vegan option. I found this amazing recipe from Delicious Living magazine and took it to the next level by adding Spicy GourGanics and replacing a regular noodle with a beautifully grilled bite of eggplant. The cashew ricotta is really wonderful but you need to think ahead because you have to soak the nuts overnight.

Here’s what you need to make ricotta:

2 cloves organic garlic, peeled

1/1/2 cups raw organic cashews, soaked in water overnight and drained

salt to taste

2 tablespoons fresh organic lemon juice

14 oz package firm organic tofu (not silken)

1/4 cup organic nutritional yeast flakes

1 pound grated vegan organic mozzarella

Here’s what you need for the rest of the recipe:

1 pound organic asparagus, cut into 1 inch lengths

4 cups small organic broccoli florets

3 tablespoons organic extra-virgin olive oil, divided

3 large cloves organic garlic, minced

10 organic cremini or button mushrooms

2 large organic roasted and peeled red peppers thinly sliced

1 small organic eggplant, sliced thin and grilled lightly

2 large handfulls of organic baby spinach

1 bunch organic scallions, thin sliced

1 jar Gourganics salsa (spicy)

Here’s what to do:

Slice the eggplant thin and grill for 3-5 minutes, set aside. Process all ricotta ingredients in a food processor until smooth and creamy, set aside. Bring a pot of water to boil, add asparagus and broccoli, cook 3-5 minutes, drain and shock with a splash of cold water to keep it all crisp and bright. Spread these veggies on a paper towel to dry. Sautee mushroom and bell peppers in olive oil, add 1/2 jar of GourGanics SPICY salsa, set aside. Mix together spinach, mushrooms, peppers, salsa, asparagus, broccoli and scallions.

Preheat oven to 375, spread olive oil in a deep, 9×13 inch baking dish. Cover the pan bottom with eggplant strips, overlapping slightly. Spread with 1/3 veggie mixture, cover with 1/3 ricotta, and a tablespoon GourGanics, then cover with another slice of grilled eggplant. Repeat layers, pressing down slightly. Cover final eggplant with remaining ricotta, salsa and spinach mixture. Sprinkle with a handful of Vegan Mozzarella, cover tightly with tin foil and bake at 375 for 45 minutes or so. Then, uncover, increase heat to 400 degrees and cook for 5-8 minutes to brown the top.

Allow your sumptuous vegan creation to cool at least 5 minutes before sharing with the ones you love.

GourGanics Spicy Braised Chicken with escarole, tomatoes and olives

This is a spicy, satisfying dish that is succulent and delicious.

Here’s what you need:

1 tablespoon organic olive oil

1 3 1/2 pound chicken, cut into 8 pieces

Organic Kosher Salt and organic black pepper

2 medium organic sweet onions

12 cups torn organic escarole (about one head)

small 8 ounce can of organic diced tomatoes

1/2 jar spicy GourGanics Salsa

1/3 cup pitted organic kalmata olives, pitted and halved

Here’s what to do:

Heat your oven to 400 degrees. Heat the oil over medium high heat in a Dutch oven. Season the chicken with the salt and pepper and. Work in two batches and cook the chicken until brown, 5 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate lined with a paper towel to absorb some grease. ADd the onions to the pot and cook until they begin to soften. Then  add the escarole, tomatoes, GourGanics salsa and 1/3 cup of water. Mix to combine. Place the chicken on top of the escarole, cover the Dutch oven and transfer to the oven. Bake, covered until the escarole is wilted and tender. Uncover the pot, cook time more minutes through and fold in the olives.

Enjoy as is or serve with a nice jasmine rice.

GourGanics Vegan Ginger Scented Curry Soup

This week has been a doozy for us here at GourGanics. We lost a good family friend and Sarah for one, is feeling run down (headache and runny nose) and generally sad and bummed out. We all get that way. But what to do? One of the best ways to chase the sniffles away and push more fluids is by preparing a spiced dish. I like to take about 1/2 a package firm tofu and use it as the base protein for this dish. I always try to have ginger on hand. Get this. Fresh ginger goes bad so quickly that I always freeze it. Anytime I need the taste of fresh ginger, I can pull it out of the freezer and grate it right into my dish. I learned that on Food Network, I’m pretty sure this whole dish can be attributed to me watching Rachel Ray and Aarti’s Party. Although this actual recipe is a GourGanics original. This is a thick and satisfying dish though it’s short on fat and big on flavor. I like to add about three tablespoons of Spicy GourGanics, the curry I use has organic coriander in it, so the organic Cumin and roasted garlic flavor in GourGanics adds both heat and balance. I also use just a little bit of organic coconut oil right before I grate my ginger on top. It gives the taste of coconut without tons of extra fat.

So here’s what you need:

4-7 good shakes Organic Hot Curry Powder (we like Frontier brand)

3 tablespoons spicy GourGanics

1/2 cup chopped organic onion

1/2 cup chopped organic celery

1/3 cup diced organic carrots

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 sweet organic potato (par cooked in microwave and cut into chunks)

1/2 package extra firm tofu, in larger diced pieces

1/2 teaspoon coconut oil

drizzle olive oil

Fresh ginger to taste ( I use a a small root in its entirety)

1 cup organic veggie broth

Here’s what to do:

Put your sweet potato in the microwave on the potato setting but make sure it doesn’t overcook. If you are opposed to the microwave, bake it in your oven at 350 degrees for about 1/2 an hour.

Drizzle put a small amount of olive oil in pan and allow it to get warm, but not so hot it shimmers. Add tofu, lots of curry powder and cook for about 3 minutes per side, so it  has texture and a little nutty color to it. Add onions, celery, carrots, garlic and sautee for 5 minutes, adding veggie stock in small amounts as you go. Add remainder of broth, coconut oil, sweet potato and grate ginger to taste. Cook for 2 more minutes and you are done. I like to grate on one more bit of ginger before serving.

I often add Organic jasmine white rice to the bowl but it’s also delicious as is. After eating a small amount of this soup, my need for a drink increases (pushing fluids) and I actually feel an energetic boost. Sometimes I’ll venture out for a walk or just snuggle into the covers for a mid day nap if my schedule allows. Are you a meat lover? Replace the tofu with Organic Chicken thighs.

GourGanics Gluten- Free Spicy Chicken Burgers

We’re always on a health kick here at GourGanics. We try to scour all the fun magazines for new exercises and ideas on how to stay fit and feel great. The most recent Self magazine had this amazing recipe in it. Where they used a little cayenne to spice things up–we used a little spicy GourGanics. We also swapped in organic ingredients. It was easy to make, oh-so-creative and tasted amazing. If you like a good burger but want to slim down or avoid red meat, you’ll be surprised how much this lower fat version saves you in calories, yet it still tastes delicious. Our next goal is to replace the chicken with 1/2 firm and 1/2 silken tofu and see how that tastes. We will publish those results right here. YAHOOEY !That’s for the inspiration, SELF magazine. Thanks !

Go there to find all sorts of cool exercises and ways to stay inspired and get fit for Spring!

Here’s whatcha need:

1. 1/4 cup lowfat plain Organic Greek yogurt
2. 1 teaspoon Organic Braggs Apple Cider vinegar
3. 1/2 small organic red onion, divided
4. 1 ripe organic avocado, cut into 1-inch chunks
5. 1 cup thinly sliced organic cucumber
6. 1/4 organic portobello cap
7. 1 cup frozen organic shelled edamame, thawed
8. 2 cloves organic garlic
9. 2 boneless, skinless organic chicken breasts (6 oz each), quartered
10. 6 tablespoons GourGanics salsa
11. 1 tablespoon olive oil
12. 4 organic gluten-free buns,  split

Here’s what to do!

Heat oven to 400°. In a bowl, whisk together yogurt, vinegar and 4 tablespoons salsa. Dice half the onion; add diced onion, avocado and cucumber to yogurt mixture; toss to coat. In a food processor, process portobello, edamame, garlic and remaining half of onion until finely chopped. Add chicken, and 2 more tablespoons of salsa. Pulse until chicken is chopped and ingredients are combined, about 12 times. Form mixture into 4 patties. Heat oil in a large oven-safe skillet over high heat. Add patties and cook, turning once, until both sides are browned, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Place skillet in oven; bake until patties are cooked through, 12 to 14 minutes. Place patties on bottom halves of muffins; top each with 1/2 cup avocado mixture and remaining muffin half. Add more salsa and enjoy !

GourGanics Slow-Cooker Sweet Potato Vegetarian Chili has been improved

I recently set out to “GourGanify” a sweet potato chili recipe and boost the flavor and health benefits. I also wanted a recipe I could do in my Crock Pot (or slow cooker to be politically correct).  That way, I could prepare it all the night before, just plug in the crock and go skiing with my family. When we arrive home the chili will be all ready for us.

As usual, I like to keep my recipes simple, healthy, lower-cost and fun. I learned a sprinkle of good, organic cocoa powder brings out the sweetness of the fresh organic sweet potatoes and accents the spices almost like a mole. The beans are delicious and 1/3 cup of chopped kale just melts into this dish and adds a healthy, yummy complexity.

So it’s simple to make. Relatively inexpensive, and ridiculously good for you.  My friends and fans wrote in with improvements. We found one can of vegetarian refried beans added a silkiness and structure that can’t be beat. Plus a 1/2 cup organic lentils gave it even more heft and structure. Try it. Write about it. We will keep on improving our recipes based on your feedback.

 

Here’s what you need:

1/3 cup organic kale chopped fine

1 organic onion

1  organic bell pepper (red or green) chopped

1 jar GourGanics Mild or Spicy (up to you)

2  teaspoons  organic unsweetened cocoa powder

dash to taste kosher salt and organic black pepper

1  15.5 -ounce  can organic diced tomatoes

1  15.5-ounce can organic black beans ( drained and rinsed)

1  15.5-ounce can organic red kidney beans (drained and rinsed)

2  medium organic sweet potatoes  peeled and cut into 1 inch chunks

1 can vegan organic refried beans

1/2 cup organic lentils

(don’t use canned Sweet Potatoes)

Here’s what to do:

In a 4- to 6-quart slow cooker, combine all ingredients plus ½ cup of water

Cover and cook until the sweet potatoes are tender and the chili has thickened, on low for 7 to 8 hours  or on high for 4 to 5 hours.

Serve the chili in large crocks with a hand full of vegan  or dairy cheese, a dollop of organic sour cream, Greek yogurt or a non dairy replacement , crumble a handful of tortilla chips on top for an extra crunch.

YUM! WRITE IN AND TELL US WHAT YOU THINK.

GourGanics Kale & Roasted Cauliflower Salad with Spiced Tahini dressing

Cauliflower was never my favorite. Mom used to slather it in a heavy cheese sauce when I was a tot and I could choke it down. Then in my 20s, I discovered in a pickled salad in Paris and that was pretty good. But then! One day my wonderful neighbor Nancy covered it in salt and roasted it in the oven. WOW. Crispy, nutty, satisfying. This was absolutely delicious. So I’ve taken that master recipe and created tis yummy complex salad with kale and tahini–specially spiced with GourGanics of course. The results are a nutrient-packed power salad that could easily be your main course.

Yum! Enjoy.

Here’s what you need:

1/4 cup pine nuts 9organic)1 small head organic cauliflower (about 1 1/2pounds), cut into florets

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

4 tablespoons olive oil

Organic Kosher salt and organic black pepper

1/4 cup tahini, 1/4 cup Spicy GourGanics

10 cups stemmed and chopped organic Kale (I like purple for a color variation)

1/2 small red organic onions

1/2 small dried organic currants or yellow raisins

Here’s what to do:

Heat oven to 350 degrees, Spread the pine nuts in a pan and toast till golden. Transfer to plate.

Increase heat to 450 degrees tos cauliflower with cayenne, 2 tablespoons oil salt and black pepper to taste. Roast, tossing once or twice for about 20 to 25 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together the tahini, salsa, remaining oil salt and pepper. Add the Kale, Cauliflower, onions, currants or rasins and pine nuts and toss to combine. Serve warm.

 

Gluten-Free Organic Butternut Squash Fries

Here’s whatcha need:
1/2 Organic butternut squash
lots of kosher salt

If you like sweet potato fries try these delicious baked organic squash fries. They are not quite as sweet as sweet potato fries so they go really well with GourGanics salsa as a dipping sauce. They’re so warm and crisp and wholesome. Zero fat, lower calories, as Rachel Ray would say, “figure friendly.” Good for you, good for the environment (keeping America beautiful counts.) Enjoy these crispy crunchy fried treats without guilt. Dip them in salsa for a sweet and spicy extravaganza that will BLOW YOUR MIND! ‘

Here’s what to do:

Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees.  Peel and de-seed your organic butternut squash slice it in half.  Then cut it up into French fry shapes.  Place on a cookie sheet sprayed with non-stick spray.  Cover lightly with kosher salt. Place tray in your pre-heated oven and bake for 40 minutes or so, flipping halfway through baking.

Serve ‘em up hot with Spicy GourGanics.