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I was at a fun holiday party yesterday (a wine and food pairing party, I’ll be posting about this separately!), and one of our friends, Ryan, made the most delicious dessert: Oatmeal Cranberry White Chocolate Chunk cookies. Now, I only post recipes that I’ve personally made myself or ones that I’ve tried and think are excellent. These are, without a doubt, some of the best cookies I’ve ever had (I literally could not stop eating them).They’re perfect to take along to any holiday party and are also easy to make (beware, you will be spending some extra time on the treadmill unless you have great willpower, which I do not). Enjoy!

Recipe makes approx. 2-1/2 dozen cookies

Ingredients

2/3 cup margarine, softened
2/3 cup brown sugar
2 large eggs
1-1/2 cups old-fashioned oats
1-1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 6-ounce package sweetened dried cranberries
2/3 cup white chocolate chunks or chips (~ 4-ounce bar, chopped)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. Beat margarine and sugar together in a medium mixing bowl until light and fluffy.
3. Add eggs, mixing well.
4. Combine oats, flour, baking soda and salt in a separate mixing bowl.
5. Add to butter mixture in several additions, mixing well after each addition.
6. Stir in sweetened dried cranberries and white chocolate chunks.
7. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets.
8. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on wire rack.

I absolutely stuffed myself this past weekend with delicious Thanksgiving food…the cheeses,  onion green beans, stuffing, cranberry, pies…and the list could go on and on.  So last night, I wanted to make something healthy that had different set of flavors than Thanksgiving food. Here’s a recipe for homemade vegetarian Pad Thai that’s actually much easier than you might think. I served it with a wilted spinach salad and it was delicious…enjoy!

Serves 3-4

Ingredients:

The Sauce:

¼ cup tomato paste

1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar

¼ cup tamari soy sauce

3 tablespoons lime juice

½ teaspoon Asian sesame oil

1 garlic clove, minced

¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

The rest:

8 ounces dried rice stick noodles (1/8 inch wide)

3 tablespoons canola oil

1 pound extra-firm tofu, sliced ½ inch thick, patted very dry and cu t into ½ inch cubes

2 large eggs, well beaten

1/3 cup chopped roasted peanuts

1 cup bean sprouts

2 scallions, cut into 2-inch lengths and shredded lengthwise

Directions:

1. Mix all the sauce ingredients  together in a small bowl and set aside
2. Bring a large stockpot of water to a boil. Drop in the rice stick noodles and toss very well with tongs to make sure they don’t stick together. Cook 2-3 minutes, or until al dente. Make sure the noodles are still slightly firm because they will soften further when stir-fried. Drain thoroughly in a colander and rinse under cold running water. Drain again.
3. Heat 1 ½ tablespoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil is very hot, add the tofu. Stir-fry until golden all over. Place the tofu on a platter.
4. Add a half-tablespoon oil to the pan. Pour in the eggs and quickly cook like a pancake. Remove to a plate and cut into bite-size pieces.
5. Pour the remaining tablespoon of oil in the skillet. Add the noodles, tofu, eggs, peanuts and bean sprouts, and mix with tongs. Pour on the sauce and toss to coat well. Cook until hot throughout, about 3 minutes. Sprinkle on the scallions, toss, and serve.

Ever run out of ideas for what to make for dinner? I do, which is why I like to archive my recipes here on natlifestyle. I can’t tell you how many times I’ll be at Whole Foods, logging on to get the ingredients for a recipe on my iphone. As you can see, I’m a big fan of vegetarian cooking and love trying out meatless dishes. Here is a really easy, delicious and vegan recipe for homemade lentil soup.

By the way, check out Whole Foods 365 brand for organic (and inexpensive) versions of the ingredients, including the lentils.

Ingredients

• 1 onion, chopped
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 2 carrots, chopped (or 3 handfuls of baby carrots)
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 (24.5 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
• 2 cups dry lentils
• 3 cups water
• 3-4 cups low-sodium vegetable stock (as you cook lentil soup, the lentils absorb the liquid, so I always have a little more stock on hand if needed)
• Salt and ground black pepper to taste
• Cumin to taste (I love this spice)

In a large soup pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add onions, carrots and celery; cook and stir until onion is tender and other vegetables are slightly soft (about 7 minutes). Stir in garlic.

Add water, vegetable stock, tomatoes, and lentils. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer for 1 hour (or until lentils are soft). Feel free to add in additional vegetable stock. Season to taste with salt, pepper and cumin (I used about 5 pinches). Perfect for a chilly fall day…enjoy!

My friend Rebecca is an amazing cook. She made this soup last week with ingredients from the farmers market and it was delicious…like some of the best soup I’ve ever had. A wonderfully simple vegetarian soup recipe for the fall. 

Ingredients (yields about 4 appetizer servings or 2 main dish servings):

• 1 med size butternut squash
• 4 cups of organic vegetable or chicken stock
• 1 small red onion
• 5-10 Sage leaves

Directions:

Cut the squash in half length wise, scoop the seeds out, place face down on a lightly oiled cookie sheet, bake on 350 until soft all the way through.
Sautee the finely chopped onions until brown, about 5 minutes. In a large pan, add the onion, vegetable or chicken stock along with  5-10 whole sage leaves. Bring to a simmer.
After the squash is cooled, peel the skin off and puree in the food processor.
 
Remove the sage leaves from the stock. Add the squash puree, stir together, bring to a simmer. Serve warm.

Okay, I’m not a big drinker, but I am a fan of do-it-yourself (DIY) stuff, things that are organic, and hostessing. As a follow-up to my “Green-up your bar” post, I found this recipe for creating your own organic “Tea cocktail,” which involves infusing vodka with tea.  This are a new spin on classic cocktails…I can’t wait to serve these to my friends next time I have people over.  And while I believe in eating as clean as possible, I also believe in moderation and having fun…you’ve gotta have a drink every now and again.

So, here’s what you’ll need to create organic tea cocktails:

• Organic vodka (Square One makes organic vodka. If you can’t find it or don’t feel like looking, just use a high-quality convential kind like Kettle One or Grey Goose).
• Organic limes
• 6 tea bags (the kind called for in the recipe below calls for “Moroccan Mint.” Stash makes an excellent Moroccan Mint tea, although it’s not organic. You might want to try Trader Joe’s as well – they have a ton of reasonably priced organic teas)

Infusing instructions:

1. Infuse an entire 750ml bottle of vodka with 6 teabags, by steeping the tea bags for 4 to 6 hours or overnight. You might want to pour the vodka into a jar or container that will allow you to easily remove the teabags after steeping. (If you want to use a lesser amount of vodka, pour 1/3 of the bottle of vodka into in a jar or with two teabags. )

2. Swirl the jar occasionally: You will see the infusion happening (If you want to use loose tea, the equivalent is one teaspoon of tea for each teabag).

Moroccan Mint-tea Cocktail

For a very light and refreshing cocktail, try this Cuban mojito style drink, using vodka instead of rum and Moroccan mint flavors instead of traditional mint.

Ingredients

• 2 ounces vodka infused with Moroccan Mint Tea
• 2 oz. Trader Joe’s Organic Limeade
• Juice of 1 lime
• ½ ounce organic agave nectar (just bought a 12 oz bottle at Trader Joe’s for only $2.99, it’s in the honey section)
• 3 mint leaves, minced
• Club soda

Directions

1. Infuse vodka with 6 teabags per instructions above.

2. Put all ingredients except club soda in a shaker with crushed ice.  Shake vigorously for 15 seconds. 

3. Strain into a rocks glass filled with ice. Fill to top with club soda, stir and garnish with a mint sprig.

Enjoy your homemade tea cocktail!

I’ve got a recipe that’s been passed down in my family for years. It’s so passed down, that the recipe (which is extremely simple, by the way), is embedded in my memory, as well as the memories of my family members. It’s sort of like an heirloom, but in the form of food (obviously not the type of heirloom I could sell on eBay!) Every time I see an Italian restaurant that serves escarole, I know it’s a legit one.

I’ve blogged about clean, ‘whole-food’ eating, and this recipe is the epitome of that style. Serve alone or over whole wheat pasta – both will be delicious. 

Ingredients:

• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 head of escarole, chopped*
• 1 can organic cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 tbsp. Extra-virgin olive oil
• Parmesan cheese (sprinkled or grated)
• 2 cups water

* note that escarole looks a lot like lettuce – so make sure to ask the produce person to point you in the right direction. If you’re at a Farmer’s Market, you can probably find organic or pesticide-free escarole. Also, make sure to wash escarole really well, otherwise you run the risk of it being sandy…yuck!

Recipe yields 2 dinner servings or 4 appetizer servings.

In large saucepan, sauté garlic in oil until it is slightly browned (not burned!) on medium-high heat. Add cannellini beans, continuing to sauté until their soft, about 5-7 minutes (feel free to add another teaspoon of oil if the saucepan is dry). Add chopped escarole and 2 cups of water, lower heat to medium-low and cover (you might want to add a little more water, this is dependent upon the size of your saucepan). Let escarole steam down until it is fully cooked, stirring occasionally. This will take about 15 – 20 minutes. You’ll know when it’s fully cooked because it will be completely saturated and steamed down.

Serve alone or over pasta with parmesan cheese. Enjoy knowing you’re doing something healthy for your body.

I was at the Farmer’s Market over the weekend, my favorite place to be on a Sunday. I usually go there without anything specific in mind – I’ll see something, and I’ll be inspired to cook with it.  Eggplants are in-season now, so I thought I’d create something healthier than the dish I grew up with, eggplant parmesan. Here’s a recipe for a healthy, but delicious eggplant dish, a perfect dinner if you’re having friends over. The ingredients are unexpected but go surprisingly well together. I made this the other night and my friends loved it.

Feta Stuffed Eggplant Rolls with salsa verde

Serves 6 as a first course, 3 as a main course

Ingredients:

• a 1-pound firm eggplant
• olive oil for brushing eggplant
• 3 ounces feta, crumbled (about 1/2 cup)
• 1/3 cup whole-milk ricotta
• 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves, washed well, spun dry, and chopped fine
• 3 red bell peppers, roasted, or two 7-ounce jars, drained, and patted dry
• 1 bunch arugula or small bunch spinach, coarse stems discarded and leaves washed well and spun dry
• Salsa verde, jarred

Preheat broiler.

Cut eggplant lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick slices and arrange 6 center slices on an oiled baking sheet in one layer, reserving remaining eggplant for another use. Brush eggplant with oil and season with salt.

Broil eggplant about 3 inches from heat until golden, about 5 minutes. Carefully turn eggplant with a metal spatula and broil until golden, about 4 minutes more. Transfer eggplant to a platter large enough to hold slices in one layer and cool. (Eggplant may be prepared up to this point 3 hours ahead and kept, covered loosely, at room temperature.)

In a small bowl with a fork mash together feta, ricotta, mint, and salt and pepper to taste. Cut peppers lengthwise into pieces about same width as eggplant slices.

Assemble rolls:
Top eggplant slices with pepper pieces, arranging them in one layer. Put 1 tablespoon cheese mixture near narrow end of each slice and into it gently press 4 or 5 arugula or spinach leaves so that they stick out on both sides. Beginning with cheese end, roll up each slice to enclose cheese mixture and leaves. (Rolls may be made 2 hours ahead and kept, covered loosely, at room temperature.)

Serve rolls drizzled with salsa verde.

My grandma always used to make frittatas. I remember those days so clearly. . .walking into her kitchen that smelled amazing, like pasta sauce and basil, and eating frittata before a gigantic, delicious meal (this was obviously when I didn’t care about calories).

I always thought frittatas were hard to make, but I’m happy to say (this time) that I’m wrong. They’re really easy. An added bonus? They’re vegetarian, budget-friendly and super healthy.

This recipe makes 6 to 8 appetizers or 4 main-course servings.

Ingredients:

• 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 2 cups frozen artichokes (canned works too!)
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 7 large eggs (4 whole eggs and 3 egg whites)
• 4 tablespoons reduced fat shredded cheddar cheese
• 2 cups fresh Shitake and/or Crimini mushrooms, thinly sliced

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add artichokes to skillet; sprinkle with salt and pepper and saute until cooked, about 4 minutes. Add garlic, reduce heat to medium low, and continue to saute about 3 more minutes. Remove from heat.

Whisk eggs and 2 tablespoons cheese in large bowl. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in medium nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms, saute until browned, about 5 minutes. Add artichokes to skillet and stir 2 minutes. Add eggs; stir to blend. Reduce heat to medium, cover, and cook until eggs are set, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons cheese. Serve warm or at room temperature.

It’s Wednesday, so why not have a mid-week, after-work cocktail? I’m all about splurging every now and then as part of a healthy diet. What I love almost as much as splurging are creative ideas for recipes that are not crazy in calories.

After a fun dinner at Pink Taco last night, here’s a recipe for a low-cal rendition of the margarita, courtesy of Bethenny Frankel (who has great ’skinny’ recipes):

Skinny Margarita:

• 2 oz of clear Premium tequila (count 1,2 while you pour, no need for measuring)
• Tiny splash of orange liquor
• Juice of 4 fresh lime wedges

Combine all ingredients over a glass of ice and garnish.

Everything at Rustic Canyon was incredible Friday night, and we tried, um, a lot. The standout dish was the “Tenerelli farms nectarines and burrata with basil and saba.”

Burrata is a fresh italian cheese, made from mozzarella and cream. The outer shell is solid mozzarella while the inside contains both mozzarella and heavy cream, giving it a unique, soft texture. It’s rich, creamy, buttery,  incredible…you’ll just have to try it. Words don’t do it justice. Btw,  ”Burrata” means “buttered” in Italian. So no, it’s not low-fat. But it’s so worth trying…it’s that good. And as I mentioned in my “diet” post, splurging is okay every now and then!

Here’s a  similiar recipe to Rustic Canyon’s that I found on www.shadowcook.com:

• 1/4 cup shelled hazelnuts
• 2 ripe nectarines
• 3 to 4 ounches mâche (type of lettuce)
• 8 oz burrata cheese (1 small or 2 large balls), at room temperature
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper (I prefer sea-salt)
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Preheat oven to 400 F.

Spread the hazelnuts on a baking sheet and toast in the oven until they are fragrant and their skins loosen, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer the hazelnuts to a plate and let cool slightly. Rub the hazelnuts in a folded kitchen towel to release their skins. Coarsely chop the nuts and set aside.

Cut the nectarines in half and remove the pits. Slice the fruits into thin wedges. Wash the mâche in a sink filled with cold water. Carefully remove any dirt or sand stuck between the leaves and discard any root ends. Dry the mâche in a salad spinner.

Cut the burrata into 1/4-inch slices; because it is very soft, it might be easier to slice with a serrated knife. Arrange the cheese on 6 chilled salad plates. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper and drizzle with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil.

In a medium bowl, toss together the mâche and the nectarines with the remaining olive oil. Season with salt. Arrange on top of the burrata. Sprinkle with the hazelnuts and serve.