Being on an alkaline diet requires well balanced meals. I like to eat the foods I have always eaten. I just change a few ingredients and my meal turns more alkaline. This is not a diet where you have to eat foods that you have never heard of. I have often written about the importance of adding foods that are higher in alkaline to your meals. This was a dinner that I made for some friends. Filet of Sole, Japonica Rice and Zucchini Squash. Serve with a tossed green salad and a fruit cup for dessert and this becomes an alkaline meal.  Here is what I did. 

Filet of Sole                                                           Serves 4

 4 4oz. sole filets

2 Tbsp.  clarified butter

sea salt

Juice of 1 lemon

¼ cup vegetable stock

1 tsp. capers

Heat the butter in a frying pan. Pat the fish dry, sprinkle with salt, place in the pan  and cook 3 minutes. Flip the fish over, add the lemon and capers. Add a little of the stock. This will create a little sauce. You might not need all the stock. It’s easy to put liquid in a dish, very hard to take it out. Cook for 3 more minutes. The fish should be done in about 6 minutes. 

Japonica Rice 

Found in Health Food Stores, this is delicious alternative to white rice and I promise you, it’s delicious and very alkaline. I like cooking rice in a rice cooker. 

1 cup rice 

1 small onion, sliced

2 tsp. clarified butter

½ tsp sea salt

opt. 1 cup sliced mushrooms

Heat a skillet, add the butter and onion (mushrooms). Cook about 10 minutes until the onions are translucent but not browned. 

Place the rice in the rice cooker add 2 cups water then the  onions and salt. Cook according to directions. 

The Zucchini

My favorite way to cook zucchini is to place a steamer basket in a pot with a little water and gently steam the vegetable. They should be done in 6-8 minutes. Sprinkle with a little sea salt and serve.

A quick pasta with leftovers!                          Serves 2

This is a very easy lunch or dinner that you can put together in the time that it takes to cook the pasta. Serve with a tossed green salad with a few beans tossed in for some protein and you have a complete alkaline meal.

½ Box Spelt or Quinoa pasta

2 cups cooked broccolli  (can substitute any vegetable)

4 cherry tomatoes sliced

½ onion sliced

1 Tbsp Olive oil

¼ cup vegetable stock

 Sea salt and pepper

Bring a pot of water to boil, add some salt. Cook the pasta according to the package directions. While the pasta is cooking, make the sauce. In another pan, heat the olive oil and saute the onions for about 5 minutes. Add the brocolli and tomatoes and vegetable stock and cook until the pasta is done. Drain the pasta and add to the vegetables. Toss and Serve.

These are the side dishes that I serve with the enchiladas.

½ cabbage sliced thin

1 cup queso fresca (fresh Mexican style cheese)

1 avocado, sliced

4 large radishes, sliced

1 cucumber, sliced

½ cup cilantro, chopped

Vegetable Enchiladas                                        Serves 4-6 people

The sauce in the picture does not do it justice but I promise you that the flavor is very good and there were none left over!!

Some might say that these are taco’s but to make an alkaline dish out of classic rolled enchiladas smothered in cheese is not the goal I was after. So these enchiladas are just folded in half. I recommend making this dish in advance of serving. Easy to make in the morning and serve at dinner. If you are serving more people this recipe is very easy to double. I used an assortment of vegetables that I found at the farmer’s market. Feel free to use your favorites.

Here is my recipe

For the enchiladas:

I small cauliflower, cut up into small pieces

1 bunch broccoli, cut up into small pieces

2 small zucchini squash, sliced

4 carrots, sliced (1 carrot= 4-6 slices)

6 stalks of asparagus cut into pieces

6 corn tortillas

1 tsp dried oregano

½ tsp salt

2 Tbsp. Olive oil

Line a cookie sheet with tin foil, place the vegetables on the pan and toss with the olive oil, oregano and salt. Roast at 400 degrees for about 30 minutes. (Test for doneness) They  might have to cook for a few more minutes.

To assemble: Stuff a tortilla with the vegetables, fold in half and place upright in a baking pan. Repeat this until you have used all of the tortillas. They should fit tightly in your pan.

Note: If you are going to serve immediately, bring them to the table. If you are going to serve later, pour a little of the tomatillo sauce on the bottom of the pan and cover with tin foil. To reheat, just put in a preheated  350 degree oven for 20 minutes. (This is what you see in my picture)

The Tomatillo  Sauce

8 tomatillos, husks removed

1 small jalapeno pepper

1 small onion, sliced

1 Tbsp. olive oil

½ cup chopped cilantro

½ -¾  cup vegetable broth(preferably home made, there is a recipe on this blog)

¼ tsp cumin

½ tsp oregano

a pinch of salt

Preheat the broiler and line a sheet pan with tin foil. Broil the tomatillos and the jalapeno until they have a nice char on them. 6-8 minutes turning once during the charring process. Let cool. Slice the jalapeno in half and remove the inner core and seeds.

Meanwhile in a separate pan, heat the olive oil and add the onions cook about 6 minutes and add the garlic, oregano, cumin and salt. Cook for 10 more minutes until the onions are very soft and translucent. 

Transfer the tomatillos and the jalapeno to a food processor or blender add the onion mixture. Process, to a puree, pour back into the pot. Add the stock slowly until you have reached your desired thickness. I prefer a thicker sauce.

I like to serve this with a variety of toppings, cabbage, avocado, cilantro, radish, cucumber, queso fresca. I have a picture on the next page.

Ever dream of eating Beef Stroganoff  but being on an alkaline diet you would rather leave out the meat? I have created the taste and texture of this dish using vegetables. I made it the other night for some friends and they just loved it. Of course you can make this with a little beef or chicken if you prefer. Just use a little with the vegetables to stay alkaline. This is my vegetarian option. 

Vegetable  Stroganoff    

2 Tbsp. Olive Oil                                                  Serves 4

2 large artichoke hearts ,trim down to the heart. Choke removed and sliced.

( You can substitute frozen or jar hearts). 

8 Brussels Sprouts, sliced into quartes 

1 Leek, chopped

1 onion, chopped

6 oz. box of sliced mushrooms

1 tsp sea salt

Pepper

1 tsp dried mustard 

1 ½ cups vegetable stock (reserve ½ cup for later)

2 large Tbsp sour cream

½ cup chopped parsley 

I box of spelt pasta

In a large skillet, heat the Olive oil. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes. Add the leek and the mushrooms and cook for 2 minutes. Add the sliced artichokes, brussels sprouts, salt and pepper. Stir in the dried mustard. Pour 1 cup of the vegetable stock. Cover and cook until the vegetable are tender about 10-15 minutes. (Check after 5 minutes,  add the reserved stock ). When the vegetables are done, stir in the sour cream. Top with parsley and serve with spelt pasta. 

Root Vegetable Stew                                                  Serves 4- 6

This is a great comfort meal that is easy to prepare. 

2 Tbsp. Olive Oil

1 Onion, sliced

2 large Turnips

2 large Rutabagas

2 Parsnips 

3 Carrots 

2 Potatoes

2 stalks of Celery

1 cup of Garbanzo Beans either canned or freshly cooked

1 14 oz. can of diced Tomatoes 

1 cup fresh Spinach ( chiffonade, pile it, roll it and slice it)

1 Tbsp dried Oregano 

2 tsp. sea salt 

1/8 tsp. white pepper 

2 cups vegetable stock (reserve ¼ cup for later use)

2 tsp. corn starch

Start this stew by dicing all of your root vegetables about the same size. Set aside. 

Heat the olive oil in a large pot. Add the onion and cook about 6 minutes until the onion is soft but not browned. Add the turnips, celery, rutabagas, parsnips, carrots and potatoes. Season with the salt, pepper and oregano. Add the tomatoes and stock. Remember to reserve ¼ cup of the stock for later. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, cover and simmer for 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes. Stir occasionally. 

Mix 2 tsp. corn starch with ¼ cup of the vegetable broth. Add to the stew, and stir. This will thicken the stew.  For a creamier finish, substitute the vegetable stock for heavy cream. Sprinkle the spinach over the top. 

Note: Be aware that some vegetable stock comes with salt added. If you are using salted stock, reduce the amount of salt in the stew. 

Serving Suggestions: I served this stew over a plate of Spelt pasta. It can be used with Quinoa, Wild Rice, or Japonica Rice. All very alkaline. 

Broccoli Rabe

Serves 2 

1 bunch broccoli rabe

½ onion, sliced

1 clove minced garlic

2 Tbsp clarified butter

¼ cup sulfur free dried cherries or white raisins

¼ cup vegetable broth

1 tangerine, peeled and sectioned

juice of 1 tangerine

optional ¼ -½  cup cooked white beans or garbanzo beans 

In a skillet, melt the butter  add the onion, cook for 6 minutes or until the onion is soft. Add the garlic and stir. Add the broccoli rabe, cherries and beans, pour in the stock and cook until the broccoli is cooked and tender. Stir in the tangerine, season with salt and pepper, squeeze the juice of a tangerine over the broccoli and transfer to a serving plate. 

Happy New Year to You 

Last night I made Petrale Sole with boiled potatoes and broccoli. I served it with a green salad. Three alkaline dishes with one acidic(the fish) is a perfectly balanced dinner that you can enjoy. This is a quick and easy meal to prepare. 

For 2 servings 

1/2 lb. of Fresh Petrale Sole 

1 Tbsp. Spelt flour 

1 Tbsp. olive oil 

1 Tsp. clarified butter

juice from ½ of a lemon

1 Tbsp. parsley

1 Tbsp. capers

salt and pepper to taste 

Heat the olive oil and butter in a non stick pan. Dust the fish with the Spelt flour and season with a little salt and pepper. Place the fish in the pan and cook for 4 minutes. Turn the fish over and cook another 2 minutes. Add the capers and lemon juice. To serve, place the fish on a plate and sprinkle the parsley over it. Serve with boiled potatoes and broccoli. Recipe to follow

You don’t have to worry about being on an alkaline diet and going out to dinner. I always have a snack before I go out, just in case the menu does not have enough options for me. A few slices of avocado or a handful of almonds is a good snack which will leave you feeling satisfied and not starving when you sit down to eat. This will also prevent making the wrong choices. So the other night I was out to dinner and I had great luck. Don’t ever be afraid to ask your server to bring you a plate of vegetables. They are happy to oblige. I ordered roasted butternut squash and brussel sprouts, followed by a Cesar salad. You can go out!

Stuffed Zucchini 

We ate this over two nights and it was so yummy. The squash is so good right now at the farmers markets and I found two large zucchinis to stuff. You can use any size, the larger ones work better. 

2 Medium to  Large Zucchini 

1 cup Japonica rice

2 ½ cups water

¼ tsp sea salt 

1 onion, sliced thinly

1 clove garlic finely minced

2 Tbsp. Olive oil

3 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, diced (optional)

1 cup marinara sauce 

salt and pepper

Bring salted water to a boil. Add the rice and cook for 45 minutes. (You can  also cook the rice in a rice cooker) In a large skillet, heat the olive oil and add the onion, cook for 10 minutes. Add the garlic. Using a melon ball spoon, scoop out the flesh of the zucchini. You will be left with a pile of zucchini balls and 4 clean zucchini “boats” ready for filling. Cut the zucchini balls in ¼’s and add to the onions. Season with a little more salt and pepper to taste. When the rice is done, add 1 cup to the onions and zucchini mixture. Mix together and correct your seasoning. stir in ½ of the cheese and reserve the other half.  To assemble. Pour the tomato marinara on to the bottom of a baking dish. Place the zucchini boats into the casserole. Fill each piece with the rice onion mixture. Top with the remaining cheese. Cover with tin foil and  bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 45 minutes -1 hour. 

Below you will see the before and after pictures of this dish. I hope you like it.

This is the Zucchini when I took it out of the oven 

This is the picture of the Zucchini before I baked it. You can omit the cheese if you prefer. 

Being on an Alkaline diet does not mean you have to give up the proteins that you love. If you combine them with alkaline side dishes you should have a pretty good ratio of 80% 20%. This is the dinner I made for my mom and her friends. 
You can prepare this ahead of time so it is a very easy dish to entertain with.  There is just enough left over for a second meal for two. The dinner menu, chicken piccata, roasted potatoes, summer squash and brussell sprouts,and a zucchini  salad with almonds. The recipes follow this one. 

Serves 8 

Eight chicken breasts 

½ cup spelt flour

2 Tbsp. Olive Oil

¼ cup capers

½ cup lemon juice 

½ cup vegetable broth 

¼ cup clarified butter (optional)

¼ cup parsley, chopped

Salt and Pepper 

Run a sharp knife down the center of the breast to create 2 thin pieces. Season with a little salt and pepper and dust with the spelt flour. Heat the oil in a large fry pan and in small batches just saute the chicken so it gets a little color. Then remove to an oven proof platter. Cover with tin foil and it can sit for an hour while you are doing other things. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and 15 minutes before you want to eat, put it in the oven for just 15 minutes. The sauce is easy. Put the lemon juice, vegetable stock, parsley and capers in the same saute pan and bring to a boil. Reduce to half. Pour in the butter and remove from the heat. Pour the sauce over the chicken. It’s that easy. Enjoy

Stuffed Artichoke 

I made this as an appetizer and it was a real hit. Fun to eat and a little different or it makes a great lunch or dinner.

Note: Chop all the vegetables into very small pieces

1 artichoke, cooked and the inner choke removed. 

½ cup cooked quinoa 

1 small cucumber, peeled, seeded and chopped 

½ small red onion, chopped

½ red bell pepper, chopped 

1 Tbsp Feta Cheese

2 Tbsp olive oil 

1 Tbsp. fresh Lemon juice

Mix everything together and toss with the olive oil and lemon juice. Season with sea salt and a little pepper. Spread open the leaves of the artichoke and begin spooning the mixture onto the leaves. Be generous. 

When serving, your friends will start removing the leaves with mouthfuls of quinoa and vegetables. Its fun and my friends enjoyed it. All that was left was the plate!

Breakfast 

Fried Egg with Zucchini

1 cup diced zucchini

1 egg

1 tsp. clairified butter

salt and pepper

In a small frying pan, heat the butter and saute the zucchini about 3 minutes. Using a spoon, move the zucchini to the outer edges of the pan to form a circle.

Drop the egg in the middle and season with the salt and pepper.

Cover pan  and cook about 3 minutes until the egg is done.  

Breakfast

Fried Egg with Cauliflower 

1 cup cooked cauliflower

1 tsp. clarified butter 

1 egg 

Heat butter in small frying pan and add the cauliflower

Cook for a few minutes until you get a little color on the cauliflower. 

Using a spoon, move the cauliflower to the edge of the pan in a circle. Drop the egg in the middle of the pan and cover. Cook about 3 minutes. Salt and Pepper to taste.

Stuffed Mushrooms 

I made these as an appetizer and I have to tell you they did not last very long! 

10-12 mushrooms, stem removed but saved. 

1 cup cooked quinoa

1 yellow onion, chopped 

Mushroom stems, cleaned and chopped 

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 Tbsp clarified butter

Salt and Pepper

In a medium sized skillet, heat the olive oil and butter. Add the onion and on a very  low fire, cook about 20 minutes until the onion turns a light shade of brown. Add the mushrooms and cook about 3 minutes more. 

Remove from heat and stir into the quinoa. Season with salt and pepper.  

Using a teaspoon, stuff the mushrooms. 

Line a baking sheet with parchment or tin foil. Place the mushrooms on the paper and bake in a preheated 350 degree over about 15 minutes. 

To serve: Just put on a plate and watch them disappear 

Stuffed Peppers

4 Red Bell Peppers (you can use any color)

2 Tbsp Olive oil

1 cup wild rice

2 cups vegetable stock (or water)

1 onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

1 stalk of celery, sliced thinly

1 small zucchini squash, diced very small

¼ cup parsley

½ cup chickpeas

½ cup fresh mozzarella cheese(optional)

½ cup taco sauce (see recipe on my blog)

1 tsp salt

pepper 

Topping: Sliced radishes, avocado, roasted pumpkin seeds 

Heat the oil in a medium sized pot and add the onion and saute for about 6 minutes, add the zucchini, celery and the garlic, cook for a few more minutes. Add the wild rice, and stock,  salt and pepper and cook for about 45 minutes, or until the rice is done. Stir in the parsley and chick peas and a little of the fresh mozzarella cheese. Spoon some of the taco sauce over each pepper. Put in a baking dish and bake in a 350 degree over for 20 30 minutes. 

Before serving, top with sliced radishes, avocado and roasted pumpkin seeds. 

Cevechi, you can make this with fish or leave the fish out and it will be  mock cevechi  and you will be surprised how good it tastes. This recipe serves 8-10 for an appetizer that will please all. 

½ lb. good quality ahi tuna or other very fresh firm fish. 

2 Tbs. olive oil. 

1 tsp. grated ginger

1 tsp. minced jalapeno pepper (leave seeds in for more heat, or take seeds out)

½ tsp. wasabi powder

2 Tbsp. pine nuts

1 Tbsp.scallion(green onion) finely chopped

1 small cucumber, finely chopped, seeds removed

1 avocado, finely chopped 

2 Tbsp. cilantro, finely chopped

Juice of ½ lemon

Juice of 2 limes

Juice of ½ orange 

In a small bowl, add the oil, ginger, jalapeno and the wasabi powder. Set aside. 

The Fish, if you are using fish, cut it into a very small dice.

Put the cut up fish in a medium size mixing bowl. Add the oil mixture. 

Add the pine nuts, scallions, cucumber, avocado and cilantro. Stir. Then add the juice from the lemon, limes and orange. Mix all together. 

Serve with sliced cucumber, spelt or gluten free crackers, or home made tortilla chips. 

Note: It is very important to dice everything about the same size. As small as you can. 

Last night I made a classic dish of linguine and clams a little bit more alkaline so it is a dinner that you can make and enjoy. Instead of white wine I used vegetable broth, I also added a few cups of broccoli. Serve this with a tossed green salad and you have a perfect 80% 20% alkaline meal.  Here is the recipe. 

Serves 2 for dinner or 4 for a first course. 

½ lb. quinoa or splet pasta

2 lbs. small clams (clams are very low acid)

2 cups chopped broccoli 

¼ cup clarified butter (ghee)

¾ cup vegetable broth

1/3 cup chopped parsley

1 clove of garlic, minced

½ tsp. sea salt

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. 

Meanwhile, put the clams into a medium sized pot. Add the broth, butter, parsley and garlic. Set aside. 

When the water comes to a boil, add the broccoli and cook for 2 minutes. Using a slotted spoon remove the broccoli from the pan and transfer to a plate.  Cook the pasta according to the package instructions. About 7-8 minutes. Put the clams on the heat with a medium high flame. They will take about the same time as the pasta. When the pasta is done, reserve ½ cup of the water. Drain the pasta and put it back in the pan. Add the broccoli the clams, and ½ cup of the reserved pasta water.  Stir and serve. 

Note: If you like a little heat, you can sprinkle on some red bell pepper flakes.