A Simple Side: Roasted Vegetables

Roasted vegetables are full of nutrients and so simple to throw together as a side to add to any meal.  A flavorful combination below:

- 1 yellow squash
- 1 zucchini square
- 1 onion
- 1 green pepper
- 1 garlic clove
- 2 sweet potatoes

Slice all of the vegetables and toss in a bowl with 3 tablespoons olive oil.  Lay in a pan and sprinkle with salt, pepper, and parsley.   Bake in the over for 40 minutes at 350 degrees and serve warm!

xx

Laura

Buffalo Tofu and Garlic Shrimp Tacos

I rarely cook with Tofu but make a lot of Mexican! Here is a quick and easy dinner using a locally made buffalo sauce instead of salsa for something different.

I buy the organic 365 tofu extra firm which is easier to sautee and pair with spicy black beans. 

Slice one avocado and use a blended cheese as needed and add in peppers, onions or zucchini. 

Another alternative is to add extra garlic shrimp!

 

 

I like pairing this with a fruit forward salsa like mango or pineapple. This time I chose a mango chutney found in Pittsburgh's Strip District.

You'll need:
- Tortillas (use the whole foods 365 brand-red chili)
- 1 can of spicy black beans
- 1/2 container of extra firm tofu cut into cubes or (1/2 pound of wild caught shrimp)
- Olive oil for sauteing
- 2 bell peppers, Onions (I used vidalia)
- Shredded monterey jack and cheddar
- 1 avocado

Optional:
- Fruity salsa
- Buffalo Sauce
- Garlic

Heat black beans at a low temperature. Slice peppers and onions and sautee in olive oil with pepper or other seasoning. Chop garlic or pour buffalo sauce into sautee pan then stir in Tofu or shrimp. If using garlic, allow time for garlic to simmer in olive oil for 5 minutes prior to adding shrimp. While this all is cooking, slice avocado and heat tortillas on low (I can't live without my toaster oven!). Drain beans and then combine ingredients"buffet'' style to your liking!

Delicious!

Sweet Potato Fries

I'm Katie, and that leaves me to be the middle of the three sisters! I live in Fredericksburg, VA and teach 2nd grade.  Cooking has always been an enjoyable hobby of mine and helps me unwind at the end of a long day. During the busy schools weeks, I find myself always rushing around, but never do I miss a wholesome, balanced dinner. I'll provide healthy, easy and quick dinner options. On the weekends, I look forward to creating more embellished meals that satisfy my "comfort food" cravings and feature only the best of the season ingredients!

I absolutely love food- and all of it! I The only restriction you will find with my recipes is anything processed; it's simply not welcome in my kitchen. I use all natural ingredients and only organic grass fed meats, organic free range chicken, and wild caught fresh seafood. Three words to describe my cooking are: Delicious, WHOLE and Nutritious.

Below is a recipe for sweet potato fries. They make a great snack or side item to any meal. I enjoy them at least once a week and hope you will too!

- Preheat oven to 400 degrees
- Lightly grease a baking sheet with natural, expeller pressed grapeseed oil
- Cut one large sweet potato into long, thin "fries"
- Spread sweet potatoes "fries" onto baking sheet and drizzle more grapeseed oil on top.
-  Toss with cleans hands, coating all sides.
- Sprinkle with sea salt
- Bake for about 25-30 minutes until desired "crispiness" (Toss and turn fries halfway through cook time).

Simply Enjoy! : )

Kale Chips

I'm Laura, the youngest of the three sisters. I moved to New York City in August, 2011 and have since found myself cooking much more than before.  Maybe it's that whole "adulthood" thing.  For the most part, I am open to all different types of food.  However, I have found myself eating primarily vegetarian since I moved to the city.  I credit that to the fact that I'm normally cooking for one and it can be difficult to make embellished meat and poultry dishes for myself.  Occasionally, when I have the time, I'll venture out of my normal routine and try a new recipe with meat, poultry, or fish. 

I also have a serious sweet tooth and love to bake.  Cupcakes, cookies, cakes, you name it. It's a weakness. Most of my posts will be of quick and easy snack foods, desserts, and dinners.  I'll start with a snack: Kale Chips.

My roommate and I were talking about Kale Chips last week and I quickly shut them down at the thought.  "What a tease" I thought to myself, tricking my mind into eating kale and thinking I was satisfying my salty-chip craving.  Skepticism aside,  I decided to give them a try. To my surprise, the chips turned out great.  They really are tasty and are a great, healthy alternative to a regular potato chip.  Below is a quick, 15 minute recipe for Kale Chips:

- Preheat the oven to  350 degrees F
- Clean one bunch of kale and break off the kale from the stems in "chip-size" pieces
- Add two tables spoons of olive oil and 1/2 teaspoon salt into a large bowl
- Add the kale to the bowl and mix, coating each piece with a little bit of olive oil
- Spread the kale on a cookie sheet and put in the oven for 8 minutes. After 8 minutes, take the kale out and flip over, add a few sprinkles of salt
- Place in the oven for 4 more minutes, take out and sprinkle with parmesan cheese, put them back in the oven for 2 minutes for the parmesan cheese to coat the kale

Serve alone and enjoy!

Green Curry with French Lentils

Hi Everyone! My name is Christine and I'm the oldest of the three sisters. I have been a pescatarian for about 5 years so you will find all of my dishes meat-free. I love buying local and head to the farmers market weekly for almost all of my produce during the season. I do eat eggs and cheese but try to use only egg whites whenever possible. I only purchase cheese that is animal rennet-free so will list the cheese as microbial-rennet (MR) or vegetarian-rennet (VR) as much as possible. Another note about me...I LOVE GARLIC...and use it whenever possible!! From roasting it and adding to dipping oil, chopping it up and adding to omelets or quiche, sauteing it into pasta sauces, crushing it with spices and using as a rub when grilling fish, the list goes on.

I also love spicy, foods and like to eat Thai and Indian often. A goal for 2012 is to buy these spices and cook more in-house, rather than using the pre-made curries and dishes you would find at the grocery store or eating out.

Below is an easy, healthy dinner that can be taken and altered many different ways (adding meat, shellfish, different vegetables). This serves two!

-Add 1/2 cup of French lentils in 1 cup of water. Bring water to boil, add lentils cover and let simmer for 10-15 minutes.

- Cook Jasmine rice like lentils and set aside.

- In a large pot or saute pan (I need a wok!) pour two cans of coconut milk and green curry paste (use as much as you would like) and mix together, tasting to determine about of curry paste you would like. I used 1/2 of the jar tonight and it still wasn't spicy enough for me (why I would like to buy from another source).

- Add vegetables of your choice. Tonight I used brocolli, portabello mushroom and yellow bell pepper.

- Drain lentils and add to the curry for 5-10 minutes

Serve vegetable/lentil curry over Jasmine rice and enjoy :)

Welcome to the Tomana sister cooking blog!

We're glad you're here and hope you find our blog useful and fun! We will do our best to post easy recipes for quick, flavorful nights during the week with seasonally focused meals whenever possible. We will use local, organically produced fruits, vegetables and meats often while providing all the spice, warmth and fresh combinations you desire.