Eggplant Rollatini

 

A classic Italian favorite with a twist

Eggplant Rollatini

2 medium eggplants, sliced long ways (from stem to base) into 1/4” thick slices

Preheat oven to 400 and place eggplant strips on lightly oiled baking sheets. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until slightly browned. Remove from oven and set aside.

Filling:
1/2 cup white beans, cannellini or navy
1/2 cup cashews
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves
Juice from a whole lemon
1/2 – 1 tsp garlic powder (depending on your tastes)
1 Tbsp nutritional yeast (optional, just adds a slight cheesy flavor along with some vitamin B12 and protein)

Puree in a food processor until creamy, you may need to add water to thin.

In a square baking dish, spread tomato sauce or canned diced tomatoes on the bottom. Place a large spoonful of filling on each eggplant strip closest to where the base of the eggplant used to be. Roll each eggplant upwards and arrange in square baking dish. Top with more tomato sauce or diced tomatoes. Put back into oven and bake for about 15-20 minutes or until slightly bubbly. Serve with your favorite pasta and sauce. Enjoy!

The Birthday Boy’s Feast

 

Welcome to our birthday feast

To start - Tomato Corn Lime Gazpacho Shooters inspired by one of my favorite restaurants, Cava
cool tomato and cucumber puree balances a tangy corn and lime puree

Sushi – sticky rice with carrots, cucumbers, mango, and baked tofu strips

Dippers – pumpernickel bread, scooped out baked potato skins, baked seasoned tofu strips, and daiya pepper jack cheese corn quesadillas

Dips - Spinach Artichoke, Black Bean and Roasted Tomato

Pico de Gallo and Chopped Guacamole

Whole Wheat Spinach Veggie Flatbreads with Cilantro Lime Hummus

And the recipes, some from others (linked) and some created by me.

Tomato Corn Lime Gazpacho Shooters

3-4 large tomatoes, cut into large chunks
1/2 cucumber, cut into large chunks
1 tsp fresh garlic, coarsely chopped
1 T vinegar
2T olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Puree in a food processor until smooth

2 ears of corn - heated in microwave for 5 minutes, cooled and then kernels cut off with a knife (or use frozen)
1 tsp fresh garlic, coarsely chopped
Juice of 1 lime
Soymilk to thin, about 1/4 cup

Puree in a food processor until smooth

Spinach Artichoke Dip

1/2 cup white beans (navy or cannellini)
1/2 can artichoke hearts packed in water, about 3-4 large hearts
1 cup frozen spinach thawed in microwave for about 30 seconds
1 tsp mustard
2 tsp vinegar
a few fresh basil leaves (or 1 tsp dry)

Puree in a food processor until smooth, serve chilled or heated with pumpernickel bread

Black Bean and Roasted Tomato Dip

Pico de Gallo

3-4 large tomatoes, chopped
1/2 white onion, chopped
1/4 cup cilantro, coarsely chopped
Juice of two limes
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped (optional)

Chopped Guacamole

2 avacados cubed
1/2 white onion, chopped
1/4 cup cilantro, coarsely chopped
Juice of one lime
splash of hot sauce to garnish

Cilantro Lime Hummus

1 can cooked chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
Juice of two limes
1 tsp fresh garlic, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup cilantro
2 T olive oil
1/4 cup of water to thin

Puree in a food processor until smooth

Whole Wheat Spinach Veggie Flatbreads

4 whole wheat tortillas
a few handfuls of fresh spinach (about half a small container)
2 sweet peppers
1/2 red onion
1 veggie sausage (optional)
1/2 batch of cilantro lime hummus

Pre-heat oven to 400. Thinly slice sweet peppers, red onions, and veggie sausage into strips. Place on baking sheet that has been sprayed with cooking spray, season with salt and pepper to taste. Bake for 10 minutes, stir around veggies, and bake another 10 minutes. Meanwhile, on another lightly oiled baking sheet place two whole wheat tortillas on the sheet. Spread about 1/4 of the batch of cilantro lime hummus onto each tortilla. When peppers, onions, and veggie sausage are done cooking, divide among two tortillas. Top each tortilla with a huge handful of spinach and then place another whole wheat tortilla on top so that it looks like a quesadilla. Put back into the oven and bake for 10 minutes. Slice each flat bread with a pizza cutter into quarters and arrange on a plate. Dip into more hummus or top with pico de gallo or chopped guacamole.

 

And for dessert?

Just a little chocolate soufflé