Close Second, Cafe Rio House Dressing

For all you western Cafe Rio lovers, this one's for you! This is a wonderful healthy option for their house dressing they use on their salads. We love to make cilantro lime rice, black beans, pico de gallo, and gaucomole with romaine lettuce and fresh cilantro for our salads. You could also roast or grill up some veggies to top it off. Enjoy this for Cinco de Mayo!

1 cup Vegenaise (I like the kind made with grape seed oil)
1/2 bunch Cilantro, washed
1/3 cup Goats Milk, or favorite milk option
1 half fresh Jalapeno or Tomatillo, sliced
2 cloves Garlic, minced
1/2 tsp Cayenne

1/4 tsp dried Dill Weed

1/2 tsp Onion powder

1/2 tsp Parsley Flakes

1/2 tsp Garlic Salt

1/2 tsp Real Salt or Himalayan Salt

Combine all ingredients into a Vita Mix blender or food processor. Start blending on low until cilantro is fully chopped and then gradually turn up the speed until you have a fine creamy consistency. Store dressing in a container and chill for at least 30 minutes or over night. Enjoy on a salad, in burritos, or any other Mexican dish you like.

Lemon "Curd" or Syrup

Depending on how much coconut cream concentrate you add to this recipe you could make either syrup or a curd like dessert. Add more concentrate to make thicker. If used as a syrup it could serve 2-4 people. If used as "curd" it would serve more like 1 person. You can always double or triple this recipe.

¼ cup fresh Lemon Juice
1-4 Tb Coconut Cream Concentrate
2-4 Tb Agave Nectar
1-2 tsp Vanilla Flavoring
1 tsp fresh Lemon Zest (optional)

Combine all ingredients into a Vitamix Blender or a good high speed blender. Start blending the lemon mixture on medium speed and gradually work up to a high speed for about a minute. Scrape sides of blender if needed and check consistency. It should be a nice smooth mixture. Chill in refrigerator for at least one hour.

Tofu Marinade

1 pkg extra or super firm Tofu (non-GMO)
Chinese five spice:
ground star anise
cinnamon
Szechuan peppercorns
ginger
cloves
Or you can have any five fragrant spices you like I used cinnamon, turmeric, cloves, garlic and ginger for this recipe.
3 Tb Bragg's Liquid Aminos
Olive Oil

Drain water from tofu. Then take tofu and place between paper towels with a heavy object (heavy pan or weights), on top to press tofu. Let the tofu be pressed for at least 1 hour.

When tofu has been sufficiently pressed and feels mostly dry cut into desired shape (I like cubes or 'patties'). Pat tofu dry again with paper towels.

Mix spices (I measure about 1/4 tsp to 1/2 tsp of each spice depending on which spices I like best), and Bragg's Liquid Aminos together. In a 8 inch square pan, place tofu in pan to layer the bottom pour spice mixture over it and rub marinade into tofu. Let sit at room temperature for 3o minutes or marinade in refrigerate for a few hours. The spice mixture should absorb into tofu leaving excess spices behind.

Oil a skillet and warm on medium heat. Cook tofu for 2 minutes on each side; enough to warm through. Serve immediately. This would be great in a pita, wrap, or salad.

Tofu Kabobs

I like to serve this over brown rice with a side of Edamame.

You will need:
1 pkg. Extra Firm Tofu, cubed
1 zucchini, sliced into round chunks
1 summer squash, sliced into round chunks
cherry tomatoes
pineapple chunks
Any other veggies you would like!

Marinade:

1-2 cups Teriyaki sauce
2 tbsp Braggs
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp fresh ginger, minced
2 tbsp sesame seeds
2 tbsp honey, if you like it sweeter

Combine the tofu and marinade in a shallow dish and cover for 1 hour. If your using wooden skewers remember to soak them in water so that do not burn when cooking. After the marinade is done soaking into the tofu start threading the tofu chunks and the veggies onto the skewers. Cook them on a grill or under a broiler, rotating and basting occasionally, until veggies and tofu is nicely browned. Serve over brown rice.


These are fun for the kids to help with and you don't have to worry about little hands on raw meat!

Noodle Lettuce Wraps

1 pkg Buckwheat Soba Noodles
2 medium Zucchinis, julienne sliced
4 Tb Extra Virgin Olive Oil (cold pressed), divided
1 large Shallot, minced
1 Garlic Clove, minced
2 Tb Ginger, minced
1 Red Bell Pepper, sliced thin
1 Orange Bell Pepper, sliced thin
1 Avocado, sliced thin
1 medium Tomato, diced (optional)
Water chestnuts, chopped
1 head of Iceberg Lettuce, Boston Bibb or Butter Lettuce

Sauce:
1/4 cup Braggs Liquid Aminos
Honey
Roasted Chili Paste (optional)


Cook soba noodles according to the package directions in a large sauce pan. When noodles are done coat with 2 tablespoons olive oil and add zucchini. Slice noddles and zucchini with knife, criss-crossing to create very tiny strips. Set noodles aside. Add remaining oil to a skillet with shallot, garlic, and ginger; cook on medium for 3-4 minutes until the aroma becomes strong. Add shallot mixture to noodles and stir.

Arrange toppers (peppers through chestnuts), in serving bowls or plates. Wash and dry whole lettuce leaves, being careful not to tear. Serve, allowing people to spoon noodles into lettuce and topping with favorite sides and sauce.


Sauce directions:
We like to prepare a mild sauce and hot sauce for people to choose from. Add to Liquid Aminos honey and paste to taste. Start with small amounts and work toward likeness.

I have a julienne slicer to slice my zucchini, makes it super easy!

Seafood Marinade and Bok Choy Stir-fry

These are great party pleasers especially in celebration of the Chinese New Year.

Seafood Marinade

2 Tb Extra Virgin Olive Oil (cold pressed)
2 Tb lime juice
4 Tb Bragg’s Liquid Aminos
1 Tb Honey
½ tsp minced Ginger
2 Garlic Cloves, minced

Mix all ingredients well in a small bowl. Place seafood into a zip top bag and pour marinade over. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Cook seafood according to the food’s cook time.

Bok Choy Stir-fry

2 tsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil, (cold pressed)
2 small heads Bok Choy or 3-4 baby Bok Choy, sliced into long strips
1 Red, Orange, and Yellow Bell Pepper, sliced into strips
¼ cup vegetable broth
1 medium Garlic Clove, minced
1-2 Tb Ginger, minced
2 Tb Braggs Liquid Aminos
1 Tb Honey
¼ tsp Red Pepper flakes

Heat the oil in a wok or skillet. Add the bok choy and peppers to the skillet and cook for about 3 minutes, not overcooking the veggies. Remove veggies from skillet and cover. Add all remaining ingredients to the skillet and cook for a minute, mashing mixture until fragrant. Stir mixture into the veggies and serve over rice.

Cranberry Sauce

Not only yummy on your Holiday table; put a dollop on crackers or nut cereal with yogurt.

4 cups fresh Cranberries (you could also use frozen)
1 cup Pure Maple Syrup

Put cranberries in a pan and simmer on low until they "pop". Mash cranberries a little while simmering, the sauce will thicken. Cool and serve.

Pesto Sauce

3 heaping cups Spinach
2.5 oz fresh Basil (they usually sell this amount in the store)
1/2 Lemon, juiced
2-4 cloves of Garlic
1 cup Pine nuts
1/2 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil (cold-pressed)

Place all ingredients in a blender, preferably a Vita-Mix, and blend. Blend until smooth. Serve as a dip or over pasta. We even use it on our homemade pizza.

By: Julene Ballard

Pesto Sauce pictured with Buckwheat Soba Noodles, pine nuts, and sun-dried tomatoes

Christmas Lasagna

This is one of my husbands favorites. Very flavorful as well as colorful.

White Filling:
2 pkg. extra firm Tofu
2-3 Garlic cloves
2 tsp. Italian Seasoning
2 tsp. Onion powder
2 Tbs. fresh Basil
1 tsp. Real Salt or Himalayan Salt

Red Sauce:
3-5 Tbs. Sun Dried Tomatoes, julienne cut
5-8 firm Tomatoes, I like Roma
1 cup fresh Basil, chopped
1 tsp. Onion powder
1 Garlic clove, minced
1 tsp. Real Salt or Himalayan Salt

1 pkg. Lasagna, I use Rice or you can also use Whole Wheat
2 medium sized Zucchini, julienne sliced
1-2 cups Roasted Red Pepper, sliced
1/2-1 cup Green or Yellow Onion, chopped
Add any other favorite veggies you like
1 pkg. Rice or Soy Cheese, about 2 cups
Rice or Soy Parmesan Cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Prepare White Filling by first draining water from tofu. In Vita Mix blender or food processor blend tofu with the rest of the filling ingredients, thoroughly. Set aside.

Prepare lasagna according to package directions.Make Red Sauce by blending all sauce ingredients together. Set aside.

In a shallow baking dish start layering with lasagna first. Cover bottom of baking dish with one layer of lasagna, then spread a layer of White Filling. Layer veggies next and cover with a layer of Red Sauce; sprinkle with cheese. Repeat. Cover the last layer of lasagna with Red Sauce. Top with the rest of the cheese and sprinkle with parmesan, generously.

Bake for 15 minutes. This is only to warm the Christmas Lasagna. Serve immediately.