Ramses Bravo Archives - Forks Over Knives

Boulangere Potatoes

Ramses Bravo — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 14:00:18 +0000

This recipe is a great alternative to scalloped potatoes, which are traditionally very high in fat.

From Bravo! Health Promoting Meals from The TrueNorth Kitchen

Find this brunch recipe and more kid-friendly ideas in the Forks Over Knives Recipe App.

Yield: Serves 6

1 leek, thinly sliced
1 yellow onion, thinly sliced
1 stalk celery, thinly sliced
2 shallots, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons chopped garlic
1 tablespoon granulated garlic
1 tablespoon granulated onion
6 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
9 medium Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and very thinly sliced
1 tablespoon chopped, fresh flat-leaf parsley, or 1 teaspoon dried
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme, or 1 teaspoon dried

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350º F. Put the leek, onion, celery, shallots, and garlic in a large dry saucepan over medium heat and cook, stirring constantly, until the onion starts to brown, about 5 minutes.
Stir in the granulated garlic and granulated onion and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the broth, increase the heat to medium-high, and simmer until the liquid is reduced by half.
Add the potatoes and stir until well combined. Decrease the heat to low and cook, stirring constantly so the potatoes don’t stick together, until the potatoes are translucent, about 15 minutes.
Remove from the heat and stir in the parsley and thyme. Transfer to 13×9-inch baking dish and bake uncovered for about 25 minutes, until the potatoes are golden brown and fork-tender. Serve hot.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DvTO6Th_i4s

The post Boulangere Potatoes appeared first on Forks Over Knives.

Herbed Hummus

Ramses Bravo — Fri, 15 Feb 2013 21:39:36 +0000

This delicious dip is much lower in fat than traditional hummus. Enjoy it inside Veggie Wraps, for snacking as a complement to raw vegetable sticks, or as a topping for baked potatoes.

From Bravo! Health Promoting Meals From The TrueNorth Kitchen

Find this dip recipe and more in the Forks Over Knives Recipe App.

Yield: Serves 8 (1 quart)

1 cup fresh basil leaves, lightly packed and blanched
½ cup fresh tarragon leaves, lightly packed and blanched
4 cups cooked garbanzo beans
1 cup vegetable broth
½ cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, lightly packed
Juice of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted
2 cloves garlic
¼ cup chopped chives

Instructions

Pat the basil and tarragon dry and coarsely chop them. Transfer to a food processor. Add the beans, broth, parsley, lemon juice, sesame seeds, and garlic and process until the desired consistency is achieved. Stir in the chives. Stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator, Herbed Hummus will keep for 4 days. Note: Most food processors don’t do a good job of chopping chives, as the chives tend to get wound around the base of the blade. That’s why I suggest you chop them by hand.

The post Herbed Hummus appeared first on Forks Over Knives.

Veggie Wraps with Herbed Hummus

Ramses Bravo — Fri, 15 Feb 2013 20:30:26 +0000

These rolls make a convenient meal for kids or adults on the run. The combination of avocados, hummus, nuts, and vegetables is very satisfying.

From Bravo! Health Promoting Meals From The TrueNorth Kitchen

Find this recipe and more snacking ideas in the Forks Over Knives Recipe App.

Yield: Serves 6

12 to 16 collard green leaves, stemmed
1 cucumber, peeled and cut into thin strips
1 red bell pepper, cut into thin strips
½ medium jicama, peeled and cut into thin strips
½ cup hearts of palm, cut into strips, rinsed, and patted dry
1 small carrot, peeled and cut into thin strips
1 stalk celery, cut into thin strips
2 cups Herbed Hummus
1 ripe avocado, sliced
½ cup cashews, toasted and slightly crushed
20 fresh basil leaves
1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives

Instructions

Steam the collard green leaves for 1 minute. Remove immediately and let cool. Lay flat and arrange into four 8 x 10-inch rectangles. Lay a paper towel on top of each rectangle and roll a rolling pin over the leaves to crush the veins.
Put the cucumber, bell pepper, jicama, hearts of palm, carrot, and celery in a medium bowl and stir until well combined.
To assemble a wrap, put a rectangle of collard green leaves on a cutting board and spread one-quarter of the hummus along one of the longer edges, then arrange one-quarter of the avocado on top of the hummus and one quarter of the cucumber mixture, cashews, basil, and chives alongside the hummus. Roll up halfway, tucking in the ends so the filling won’t squeeze out. Finish by rolling the wrap as tightly as possible. Assemble the remaining wraps in the same fashion (to make 4 wraps in all).
Serve the wraps whole and eat them like burritos, or cut them into slices and serve them on a plate like sushi. Veggie Wraps with Herbed Hummus can be assembled in advance. Individually wrapped in plastic and stored in the refrigerator, they will keep for 2 days.

The post Veggie Wraps with Herbed Hummus appeared first on Forks Over Knives.

Bravo Tomato Sauce

Ramses Bravo — Thu, 03 Jan 2013 18:46:21 +0000

The combination of fresh and packaged tomatoes gives this sauce the right flavor and consistency. If only fresh tomatoes are used, the sauce does not become thick enough.

From Bravo! Health-Promoting Meals from The TruthNorth Kitchen

Chef’s Notes:

The yield for Bravo Tomato Sauce is double that of all the other sauces in this book because it is used in so many recipes. I recommend always having some on hand.

Depending on your preference, the sauce can be left chunky or processed in batches in a blender until smooth.

Yield: Makes 1 batch

1 ½ pounds Roma tomatoes
1 large yellow onion, diced
1 stalk celery, diced
1 shallot, diced
4 cloves garlic, diced
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon granulated garlic
1 teaspoon dried onion flakes
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
¼ cup vegetable broth
3 cups chopped tomatoes, canned or packaged
½ cup fresh basil leaves, firmly packaged and chopped

Instructions

Put the Roma tomatoes in a blender and process on high speed until smooth. Pour through a strainer to remove the seeds and skins. Set aside.
Put the onion, celery, shallot, and garlic in a large dry saucepan over medium-high heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables and the bottom of the saucepan are browned, about 5 minutes.
Add the oregano, granulated garlic, dried onion flakes, and optional red pepper flakes and cook, stirring almost constantly, for 1 minute. Stir in the broth and cook until the bottom of the saucepan is dry and browned, 5 to 10 minutes.
Stir in the chopped tomatoes and strained Roma tomatoes and bring to a simmer. Decrease the heat to medium and cook for 15 minutes. Stir in the basil. Serve hot. Stored in a sealed container, Bravo Tomato Sauce will keep for 1 week in the refrigerator.

The post Bravo Tomato Sauce appeared first on Forks Over Knives.

Eggplant Cannelloni with Bravo Tomato Sauce

Ramses Bravo — Thu, 03 Jan 2013 12:00:28 +0000

Cannelloni are round pasta tubes. In this recipe, I substitute rolled eggplant for the pasta. Select eggplants that are heavy for their size. They should have shiny, firm skins without any soft or brown spots.

From Bravo! Health-Promoting Meals from The TruthNorth Kitchen

Yield: Serves 6

Time: 75 minutes

Ingredients

Filling

6 medium russet potatoes, peeled and cut in half widthwise
Kernels sliced from 6 ears fresh corn, or 6 cups thawed frozen or drained canned corn
½ cup vegetable broth
½ cup unsweetened soymilk
½ teaspoon granulated garlic
1 tablespoon blanched fresh tarragon, chopped, or 1 teaspoon dried

Cannelloni

2 large eggplants, peeled and cut lengthwise into 1/8-inch-thick slices
½ cup vegetable broth
½ teaspoon granulated onion
4 cups Bravo Tomato Sauce

Topping

½ cup sliced red onion
1 teaspoon chopped garlic
1 pound fresh spinach

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350º F.
To make the filling, steam the potatoes until fork-tender, about 35 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl. Put half of the corn and the broth, soy milk, granulated garlic, and granulated onion in a blender and process on high speed until smooth. Spoon into the bowl with the potatoes. Add the remaining corn and the tarragon and whisk gently. (Whisking gently, rather than whipping, prevents the potatoes from getting gummy.)
To make the cannelloni, line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and arrange the eggplant on it in a single layer. Brush with the broth and sprinkle with the granulated onion. Bake for 5 minutes, then turn over and bake for 3 minutes longer. Let cool. When cool enough to handle, lay on a flat surface. Spoon one-sixth of the filling on the end of one slice and roll-up. Assemble 5 more rolls in the same fashion (to make 6 rolls in all). Put the rolls in a 13 x 9-inch baking dish, pour the tomato sauce over them, and bake uncovered for 15 minutes.
To make the topping, put the onion and garlic in a medium dry saucepan over medium heat and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Add the spinach and cook, stirring occasionally, until wilted and tender, 3 to 5 minutes.
Arrange the spinach on top of the cannelloni. Serve hot or warm.

The post Eggplant Cannelloni with Bravo Tomato Sauce appeared first on Forks Over Knives.

Breakfast Potatoes from Newly-Released Cookbook, “Bravo!”

Ramses Bravo — Mon, 18 Jun 2012 16:00:40 +0000

This is a wholesome alternative to the greasy fried and overly salted potato dishes often served at breakfast time. This dish can be prepared ahead of time, so all you need to do is bake it before serving.

From Bravo! Health Promoting Meals from The TrueNorth Kitchen

Yield: Serves 6

8 medium russet potatoes, scrubbed
2 cups small cauliflower florets
2 cups quartered white mushrooms
6 Roma tomatoes, cubed
1 small yellow onion, diced
¼ teaspoon granulated garlic
¼ teaspoon granulated onion
3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil, or 1 tablespoon dried
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, or 1 tablespoon dried

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350º F.
Pierce each potato a few times with a fork or paring knife. Put the potatoes directly on a rack in the center of the oven and bake for 45 minutes, or until tender. The potatoes are done when a paring knife can be easily inserted in the center. Turn off the oven. Transfer the potatoes to a cooling rack.
When the potatoes are cool to the touch, peel and dice them. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Arrange the potatoes on the lined baking sheet. Scatter the cauliflower, mushrooms, tomatoes, and onion over the potatoes. Sprinkle with the granulated garlic and granulated onion. (At this point the baking sheet can be covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated for 8 to 12 hours. When you are ready to bake the dish, bring the vegetables to room temperature while you preheat the oven. Remove the plastic wrap before baking.)
Preheat the oven to 350º F.
Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until all the vegetables start to brown. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with the basil and parsley. Serve hot. Note: It takes about 1 hour for the baked potatoes to cool down enough to be peeled. For speed and convenience, the potatoes can be baked 1 day in advance and stored in the refrigerator.

The post Breakfast Potatoes from Newly-Released Cookbook, “Bravo!” appeared first on Forks Over Knives.