Day 5 - Last Night's Feast

I felt a little giddy last night after dinner. I had way too much much fun coming up with some new recipes. Give these delicious Daniel Fast-friendly dishes a whirl, and let me know what you think.

• Spinach Artichoke Dip
• Flatbread
• Black Bean Chili Bake

Spinach Artichoke Dip

8 ounces firm tofu, drained
1 cup chopped canned artichokes, drained, reserve 2 tablespoons canned juices
½ (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed, squeezed dry
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
¼ cup diced onion
2 cloves garlic, minced

Instructions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place tofu, artichokes, artichoke juice, and spinach in a food processor or blender. Process until smooth. Transfer mixture to a medium-sized bowl. Stir in basil, salt, and pepper. Set aside.

Heat oil in a small skillet, and cook onions and garlic until onions are translucent. Remove from heat, and stir into spinach artichoke mixture. Place in a 3-cup glass or ceramic baking dish that has been rubbed with olive oil. Bake 20 minutes, or until edges start to brown. Serve warm.

Yield: 8 servings (serving size: about ¼ cup)

Flatbread

2 ½ cups whole grain flour (brown rice, spelt, whole wheat, etc.)
2 tablespoons flaxseed meal (optional)
1 teaspoon dried crushed rosemary
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup warm water
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
½ teaspoon dried basil
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon dried parsley

Instructions
Mix flour, flaxseed meal, rosemary, salt, and water in a food processor until dough forms a ball. Turn dough onto a floured work surface, and knead for 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl, and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Let dough rest at room temperature 30-60 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Roll dough out to ¼-inch thickness to cover an oiled 11 x 17-inch baking sheet. With a fork, poke holes all across dough. Mix olive oil, basil, and garlic powder in a small bowl, and stir well. Use a basting brush to spread oil mixture across dough. Score (make shallow cuts without separating into pieces) with a knife into 12 (3 x 3 1/2-inch) squares with a knife. Bake 15-20 minutes or until slightly crispy, and remove from oven. Let cool on baking sheet 10 minutes before cutting and serving.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 2 pieces)

Recipe Notes

• Flaxseed meal is a powder made from ground flaxseeds. It can be found in health food stores and some grocery stores. Instead of buying flaxseed meal, you can also grind whole flaxseeds at home by using a coffee or seed grinder.

Black Bean Chili Bake

2 (15-ounce) cans black beans, rinsed & drained

2 cups cooked brown rice

2 (8-ounce) cans tomato sauce

1 (14.5-ounce) can corn kernels, drained

1 cup chopped jarred roasted red bell peppers

1/2 cup diced onion

1 tablespoon chili powder

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Put beans in a large bowl, and mash. Add tomato sauce, rice, peppers, corn, onions, and chili powder. Stir to combine. Rub a 9 by 13-inch casserole dish with olive oil, and place mixture in it. Bake 20 minutes, or until heated through.

Yield: 6 servings (serving size: about 1 cup)

Recipe Notes

• Spread on top of Broiled Polenta Squares.
• Additional topping ideas include avocado slices, cherry tomatoes, green onions, or black olives.
  

How To Roast Bell Peppers

Cut peppers in halves or quarters; remove seeds and membranes. Place peppers on a baking sheet, skin side up. Place the baking sheet on a rack in the oven about 4 inches from the broiling unit. Broil 20 minutes, or until skins are blackened.

Immediately transfer the peppers to a paper or plastic bag; seal and let stand 20 minutes. The steam within the bag will help to loosen the skins. Remove from the bag. When cool enough to handle, remove peel with hands or a knife.