The last few months have been a whirlwind – Lots of work, lots of traveling and those who follow me on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram have been privy to that, as I have found some time to post updates here and there, but unfortunately not a lot of time to develop new recipes and content the way you’re used and accustomed to from me.
As part of one of these trips I got to meet representatives of Qué Rica Vida, a great Spanish-language website and community that provides recipes, articles and great cooking inspiration to the Hispanic and Latin American public. Now, I am proud to announce KarmaFree Cooking is an official contributor for Qué Rica Vida, particularly helping them add variety and spice to their selection of vegetarian/meat-free recipes.
In the next few weeks, you’ll start seeing some KarmaFree Cooking recipes which will be featured in Spanish in the Qué Rica Vida site… but don’t fret, we’ll make those recipes also available to you in English as well. You’ll see the whole collection of KarmaFree Cooking recipes for Qué Rica Vida in a new category in our right-side bar.
If you’re bilingual… or just plain curious, I invite you to check out Qué Rica Vida’s site and their expansive collection of recipes. It’s a great space to gather some inspiration for the kitchen and to check out a few friends of KarmaFree Cooking – Sazón Boricua, ChecaLaMovie and Hungry Food Love.
Thanks to my Facebook friends, I was reminded that today, October 1st, is International Vegetarian Day!!!
Everyday to me is a vegetarian day, therefore, I tend to forget these things. I’m going to have to program a reminder in my calendar, just like I do for birthdays.
I invite you to invite a friend to celebrate this beautiful “holiday” by enjoying a dish that highlights fruits, vegetables or cereals… showing by example that the vegetarian lifestyle is varied, healthy and delicious at the same time… Let’s Celebrate!!!!
I know this recipe might sound quirky… but it’s probably because it was “invented” by one of my quirkiest friends, Yanelis. While we were in Paraguay, we were assigned a different day to lead the kitchen and design a menu for all of us who were traveling together. This was one of Yanelis’ creations on his menu…
This dish was so popular that Yanelis actually made it 3 times… well the third time I actually was the one who made them, using macadamia nuts instead of the peanuts. And to be honest, I like them both (but maybe a little bit more the macadamia version)…
This is easy and delicious and will impress anyone when served at a table. I usually plan for 2-3 tomato halves per person. Or maybe 2 whole tomatoes per person so you make sure there’s enough for all. I know I served myself seconds each and every time we made these. Check them out.
ROASTED TOMATOES WITH ROSEMARY AND PEANUTS
8-10 Roma tomatoes – make sure they’re organic, without wax on the outside ¼ cup honey ¼ cup water 2 tbs olive oil 2 tbs dried rosemary ½ cup raw peanuts Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper
Serve was a simple but tasty side dish… I just liked them on top of whole grain rice and a salad.
Roasted Tomatoes with Rosemary Honey and Macadamia Nuts
This is my attempt to update one of my classic go-to recipes, Pasta with Marinated Tomatoes.
Lately I’ve been splurging on all the different varieties of tomatoes available in the market so I mix the best, most colorful tomatoes I can find and marinate them with arugula and even sometimes baby fresh spinach to make for a great un cooked, wilted salad pasta that’s a whole meal in one bowl.
Hope you enjoy it as much as I do…
PASTA WITH MARINATED TOMATO ARUGULA SALAD
2-3 cups of tomatoes – cherry, grape, zebra, any kind of tomato you prefer… 3 tbs olive oil 2 cloves garlic, smashed 6-8 fresh basil leaves or 1 tbs freeze-fried basil leaves 3-4 handfuls of baby arugula or baby spinach – or a combination of the two – somewhat chopped 2 ounces of goat cheese ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese Salt and Freshly Ground Pepper to taste 3 cups of dried pasta – I use quinoa penne pasta, and the amount should be enough for 4 people
2. While the tomatoes and arugula marinate and wilt, cook the pasta according to the packages direction. Remember to salt the water well before adding the pasta to the water.
3. Toss the tomatoes and arugula once in while the pasta cooks… it should take about 10-12 minutes. I usually turn the stove off after 12 minutes, cover the pot and leave it covered for about 5 minutes more. The pasta will turn out perfect every time and you save 5 minutes of electricity each time you make pasta…
4. When pasta is done to your liking, drain the water saving a bit of pasta water. I usually just don’t drain it completely… and leave some water in the bottom of the pot. Return the pasta to the pot you cooked it in.
5. Remove the garlic cloves from the marinated tomatoes/arugula mixture and add it to the pasta. Toss well to combine. Add the goat cheese in small pieces to help it melt with the heat of the pasta and pot. Season with grated parmesan cheese and a small drizzle of olive oil, if you prefer…
To me this is one of the most satisfying lunches… and it’s great to eat on the days when I train. It has complex carbs and delicious veggies with some protein from the quinoa pasta and cheeses. Mmmmmmm… I might make myself this today again.
KarmaFree Cooking 
