1 |   Main Dish

Broccoli Rabe and White Bean Sauté

Broccoli rabe is a new experience for me, and I realize it might be for you as well.  Let’s try something new together! I combined it with white beans, which are a favorite, then spooned it over my Sweet Potato Polenta recipe. It’s scrumptious, and together, beans and grains make a complete protein with all nine essential amino acids, which the body cannot produce on its own.

3 |   Side

Sweet Potato Polenta

This recipe came together one night when my refrigerator and pantry were running low. I decided to make polenta, which even on its own is simple but delicious. That night I happened to have some freshly baked sweet potatoes and thought, “why not add one to the polenta?” It turned out so creamy and sweet, I had to share the resulting recipe with you.

2 |   Salad

Roasted Zucchini Rollups with Vegan Pesto

This dish looks fancy, but it’s surprisingly easy to make. Cashews give the pesto stuffing its texture, while arugula adds a peppery flavor, but that’s not all. In the recipe I’ll reveal the secret to making an awesome vegan pesto. As a bonus, the roasted tomato sauce is great on burgers, pasta, or anything that needs an extra kick of tomato flavor.

4 |   Dessert

Raspberry Friand

That isn’t a typo, this really is a “friand.” Often mistaken for a muffin, it is a small French cake popular in Australia and New Zealand. Made with almonds and bursting with fruit, these are easy to make gluten free and packed with nutrients. When a gluten-intolerant friend introduced us to these fantastic treats, we were surprised how decadent a healthy dessert could be.

1 |   Main Dish

Brocoli Rabe with White Bean Sauté

1 bunch broccoli rabe

1 can cannelli beans

1 medium leek

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon lemon zest

2 tablespoons lemon juice

Want to make this dairy or gluten-free? This main dish is already gluten and dairy-free.

Make ahead option– The Simple Steps 1 and 2 can be prepared up to two days ahead. Once you are ready to make this, just continue with steps 3-5. Enjoy this on top of the Sweet Potato Polenta or pasta.

The Simple Steps...

1. Wash and drain the broccoli rabe. Then cut off and discard the tough stem ends. Cut the rest of the bunch into 3-inch pieces. Drain and rinse the white beans. Clean the leek by first cutting it in half length-wise. Then separating the leaves and washing them throughly. Dirt often gets caught between the leaves. Then thinly slice the leek.

2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add two teaspoons of salt to the water. Drop the broccoli rabe in and cook it for 1 minute.

3. While the water is coming to a boil, heat a large pan over medium heat. Add the olive oil to the hot pan. Sauté the leeks for 5 minutes. Then add the red chili flakes for 1 minute.

4. With a slotted spoon, scoop the cooked broccoli rabe out of the water, add it to the leeks, and sauté for another minute. Add the white beans and cook everything for one minute.

5. Sprinkle the 1 teaspoon salt in and stir everything together. Add the lemon zest and lemon juice. Taste it. Does it need a little more salt? Add 1/4 teaspoon of salt if you feel it needs it.

2 |  Salad

Roasted Zucchini Rollups with Vegan Pesto

1-2 medium zucchini

Roasted Tomato Sauce:
5 medium tomatoes

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons sugar (I use raw sugar)

2 garlic cloves

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Vegan Pesto:
1 cup raw cashews

1 cup fresh basil leaves

1 cup arugula

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 teaspoon lemon zest

1/3 cup olive oil

1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons nutritional yeast

Want to make this dairy or gluten-free? This is already a gluten-free and dairy-free dish.

Make ahead option– The roasted tomato sauce, roasted zucchini, and pesto can each be made and stored in separate containers in the refrigerator for 4 to 5 days before assembling the roll ups. Any extra tomato sauce or pesto can be used with pasta for another simple dinner.

The Simple Steps...

1. Preheat the oven to 425˚. Wash the tomatoes and cut them into chunks. Place the tomatoes in a 9x13 baking dish. Sprinkle the tomatoes with the salt, sugar and red pepper flakes. Drizzle them with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Bake this for 10 minutes. Then mash the tomatoes up a bit and bake another 5 minutes. If the everything isn’t finished at the same time, you can always leave this tomatoes in the oven for 5-10 minutes longer.

2. While the tomatoes are cooking, wash and slice the zucchini length-wise. Make each slice is about 1/8” thick. You should have 2-3 slices per person.

3. Place the slices on a large oiled tray and brush a little olive oil on each slice. Sprinkle each slice with a small amount of salt. Roast the zucchini for 4 minutes. Gently flip the zucchini and roast for another 3 minutes. Once they are cooked, set them aside while you make the pesto sauce.

4. Make the pesto.
    • My Method: Soak the raw cashews for 30 minutes. Then drain and rinse them. You can skip this step, but soaking the cashews helps to soften them so they become creamy.
    • Place the cashews in your food processor bowl along with the basil, arugula, garlic, lemon juice and zest, olive oil, and salt. Pulse until the consistency is mostly smooth. Taste the pesto then add the nutritional yeast. Pulse this again and taste it again. The nutritional yeast isn’t necessary, but it adds a salty cheesiness that pesto needs. This makes about 2 cups of pesto.

5. Now its time to roll up this dish. place a roasted zucchini slice on a plate. Spread a tablespoon of pesto onto the zucchini and roll it up. Continue this step with all the zucchini slices. Any extra pesto can be refrigerated.

6. To serve, place 2-3 zucchini rolls on a plate and spoon roasted tomato sauce on top. Enjoy!

3 |  Side

Sweet Potato Polenta

2 medium sweet potatoes

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 teaspoons salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 sprig fresh rosemary

3 cups water

1 cup instant polenta

1 cup milk

Want to make this dairy or gluten-free? This dish is another gluten-free recipe. To make it dairy-free too, simply use your favorite unsweetened soy milk or almond milk in place of the milk.

Make ahead option– The roasted potatoes can be made up to four days before making the rest of this dish. You can also make this entire dish and store it in the fridge for up to 5 days. Once you are ready to enjoy some, simply spoon some on a plate, sprinkle one tablespoon water onto it, cover it with a bowl, and microwave it for a minute.

The Simple Steps..

1. Preheat the oven to 425˚.

2. Cook the sweet potatoes. These can be roasted at the same time as the tomatoes and zucchini.
    • My Method: Peel the potatoes. Then, cut them into half-inch to one-inch cubes.
    • Toss the cubed sweet potatoes with the olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and pepper until it is evenly coated. Then place the pieces onto a baking tray. Cover the sprig of rosemary with the pieces of potato.
    • Bake the sweet potatoes for 15 minutes or until they are tender. Test doneness with a fork. Once cooked, remove the rosemary and set this aside.

3. Bring three cups of water to boil in a medium pan. Once it’s boiling, turn the heat down to medium and stir in the polenta. Continue stirring for 2 minutes. Add the milk and continue stirring for another minute. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon salt.

4. Add the roasted sweet potatoes to the polenta and mash them in with a potato masher. Taste this again. Does it need a little more salt? Add 1/4 teaspoon and taste it again. To serve, spoon some polenta onto a plate and top it with the Broccoli Rabe and White Bean Sauté.

4 |   Dessert

Raspberry Friand

1 cup sifted powdered sugar

1/2 cup sifted all-purpose flour

2/3 cup almond meal

5 tablespoons butter, melted

4 egg whites

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

8 tablespoons raspberries

powdered sugar to dust

Want to make this dairy or gluten-free? For a simple dairy-free option, use coconut oil instead of the butter. To replace the egg whites, use 3 tablespoons of ground flax seed mixed with 9 tablespoons of warm water; let this sit for one minute before using it. Also, replace the flour with your favorite blend of gluten-free all-purpose flour.

Make ahead option– You can also use blueberries or blackberries in place of the raspberries. These are great the next day or you can freeze them for up to 2 months to enjoy later. Simply allow them to come to room temperature before serving them.

The Simple Steps...

1. Preheat the oven to 350˚. Oil and flour a 12-cup muffin pan.

2. Using a fine sieve, sift the flour and powdered sugar together into a large mixing bowl.

3. Add the almond meal, melted butter, egg whites, and almond extract to the dry ingredients. Mix this together until well combined. I used store bought almond meal, but you can also make your own. Simply pulse slivered almonds in a food processor until the almond pieces resemble bread crumbs.

4. Fill 8 of the muffin pan cups with batter only 3/4 full.

5. Mash the raspberries and dollop one tablespoon on top of each cake.

6. Bake these for 19 minutes. They are done when they are golden brown and spring back when gently pressed in the middle.

7. Gently tip the muffin pan upside down on to a wire tray. Cool them for 5 minutes. Then dust the tops with a little powdered sugar and serve.

For the Apple Caramel Drizzle:
1. Wash, peel, and core the apple. Chop the apple into 1/4-inch pieces.

2. In a small pot, stir together the maple syrup, butter, cinnamon, pineapple juice, and apple pieces. Cook at medium heat for 5 minutes and stir occasionally.

3. Spoon one tablespoon of this sauce into the bottom of each greased and floured muffin cup. Set the rest aside to top the mini cakes when you are ready to serve.