Dinner with the Doctor Hixson Recipes: February 2018

Pesto Pizza

4 whole wheat sub buns, cut in half

4-8 Tbsp Italian Pesto

Tomato, sliced thin

Green onions, chopped

Directions:

Top sub bun with Italian Pesto, tomato, and green onions and warm in oven at 350 degrees F for 5-7 minutes.

Italian Pesto

2 cups of fresh basil packed down (may also substitute parsley or cilantro for part)

2-4 cloves garlic

1 Tbsp pine nuts

Pinch of salt

⅓ cup cold pressed olive oil

Directions:

Process all ingredients together in a food processor. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Vegetable Lasagna

1-2 32 oz jars of tomato sauce

1 package whole grain noodles

2 cups shredded zucchini

2 cups shredded carrots

½ an eggplant, sliced and baked

1 recipe for tofu ricotta

To assemble lasagna:

Put ½ cup of tomato sauce in the bottom of a 9 X 13 pan. Next, layer 3-4 lasagna noodles, tofu ricotta, 1 cup each of carrots and zucchini, ½ of sliced eggplant, and top with more sauce. Repeat. After adding the second layer of sauce, finish off with 3-4 more noodles and top with sauce. Cover with foil and place in oven at 375 degrees F for 1 hour.

Tofu Ricotta

1 pound tofu

1 10 oz package frozen spinach

2 Tbsp lemon juice

1 tsp basil

2 tsp parsley

½ tsp onion powder

¼ tsp garlic powder

¼ tsp turmeric

¼ tsp cumin

⅛ tsp oregano

½ tsp salt

Directions:

Cook spinach and drain. Crumble tofu in a large bowl, add drained spinach, and all seasonings. Mix together until well combined.

Blueberry Cream Pie

Cream Filling

⅔ cup water

1 teaspoon agar powder (1 tablespoon flakes)

½ cup cashew nuts

¼ cup honey

½ cup pineapple juice

½ teaspoon salt

Water to equal 2 cups total mixture

Make and bake a Crumble Nut Crust.
Place water and agar in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 1-2 minutes.
Place agar mixture in blender along with remaining ingredients, except extra water. Blend for about 2 minutes until smooth. Turn off blender and add water to equal 2 cups total mixture. Blend briefly to mix.
Pour into baked 9 inch Crumble Nut Crust and place in refrigerator for 1 hour.

After it sets up, make the surface rough by scoring with a fork (or topping will slide when served).

Blueberry Topping and Glaze

¾ cup Old Orchard Berry Blend juice concentrate

2 Tablespoons each honey, and water

½ teaspoon agar powder (½ tablespoon flakes)

1 ½ cups fresh or frozen blueberries

Boil juice, honey and agar together 1-2 minutes. Cool 10 minutes in refrigerator. Arrange blueberries on the pie. The glaze should start to thicken a bit, but don’t let it set up. Pour the glaze over the blueberries on the pie. Chill until glaze sets up.

Crumble Nut Crust

½ cup unsweetened coconut

¼ cup raw almonds

¼ cup raw walnuts

⅔ cup flour (whole wheat pastry or barley or ¾ cup quick oats)

½ teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons honey (warm and runny) (may use 2 tablespoons sugar and 2 or 3 tablespoons water)

Place coconut, almonds, walnuts, flour and salt in food processor. Blend together for about 30 seconds. Then add honey and blend about 15 seconds. Turn off processor and test mixture with your fingers. If it seems too dry and crumbly, add a bit more honey-- just enough to feel soft and moist. It should stick together slightly when pressed. But be careful not to get it too wet, or it will not be as tender and light when baked.
Press into a lightly oiled pie plate, shaping with fingers to make a nicely formed pie crust. It helps to put a piece of plastic wrap over the crust or put your hand in a small plastic bag while pressing the crust. This keeps the mixture from sticking to your fingers as you work.
Bake at 375 degrees for about 10 minutes.

Chopped Kale Salad with Spiced Almonds and Red Peppers

1 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 teaspoon curry powder

½ teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon honey

½ cup raw almonds

½ cup pitted kalamata olives

1 small red pepper, seeded and cut into thin strips

½ bunch kale, washed, stemmed and chopped

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a medium bowl, combine ½ tablespoon olive oil, curry powder, cumin and honey. Mix well. Add almonds and toss to coat. Spread almonds in a single layer on one-third of a baking sheet. Place olives on the middle one-third and red peppers on the remaining one-third. Roast for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool.
Place kale in a medium salad bowl and drizzle with remaining olive oil; sprinkle with salt and massage with hands to coat leaves, Add roasted peppers, roasted almonds, and roasted olives; toss and serve.