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Thursday, July 29, 2010

Grilled Vegetable Stack with Arugula Spread

I told you all that my poor Max is sick of salads and that I had started the wheels turning to try to figure out some suitable, alternative lunch options.  (Check out sick-of-salads-for-lunch Part 1). With my exploration of Pesto Possibilities fresh on the mind, I thought: "what about lettuce as sauce?" and began dreaming up this creation of grilled vegetables spread with an arugula sauce.  The down-side of this lunch option versus a salad of raw veg is that grilling (or any cooking for that matter) generally (there are some exceptions) reduces nutrient-availability and we Gundry'ers are on a journey back through our food evolution toward eating more and more nutrient-rich, raw, leafy greens.  BUT, of utmost importance is sticking with the diet and Max needs some variety. He said it was delicious!

ARUGULA SPREAD
5 oz. box or bag of arugula*
juice of 1/2 lemon
1/4 Cup extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
*Arugula has a very distinct taste.  I think next time I might try a combination of spinach and arugula, so the flavor of the spread is more of a compliment to the taste of the grilled vegetables.  
GRILLED VEGETABLES
Brush or drizzle vegetables with extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Grill over medium heat until tender and browned.  Grilled vegetables are actually still quite tasty when cold (or reheated).  So, grill a bunch of veggies and refrigerate left overs for lunch the follow day or later in the week.

PUTTING IT TOGETHER
I used a spoon to spread some of the arugula sauce on the bottom of the plate, and then laid two layers of zucchini, bell pepper and more spread.  Next, I added half a sausage (itself halved so it stayed in place on the stack) and more spread.  I topped the stack with grilled onions and basil leaves.

PHASES: If you're in the initial stage of Phase 1 you can use a whole sausage (instead of just half) or another animal protein such as a grilled chicken breast.  For Phase 2 substitute the animal protein with a couple slices of mozzarella (water-packed), add a dollop or two of ricotta or sprinkle with 1/4 - 1/2 cup of feta.  In Phase 3, slice the vegetables a bit thinner and eat the stack raw.

4 comments:

  1. i love this!!! i hope we get a grill soon!!

    i have a great recipe for you that i have been meaning to send-here it is (i got this recipe from the magazine "real simple")

    pork chops with escarole and balsamic onions
    (hands on time: 15 minutes/total time: 25 minutes

    2 tablespoons olive oil
    4 6-ounce boneless pork chops (1 inch thick)
    kosher salt and black pepper
    1 small red onion, cut into 1/4 inch thick rings
    1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
    1 head escarole, torn into large pieces

    -heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. season the pork with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper. cook until browned and cooked through 5-6 minutes per side. transfer to a plate.

    -heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil in the skillet over medium heat. add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally for 3 minutes. add the vinegar and cook until the onion is soft, 2 to 3 minutes.

    -add the escarole and 1/4 tsp each salt and pepper. cook, tossing, until wilted 2-4 minutes. serve with pork.

    to note: i use 2 heads of escarole cause we like our bitter greens and never have enough with just one.
    you can also serve this with a meatier fish like salmon, or with roasted turkey or beef or even lamb.

    serve with a glass of Coppola's ROSSO and you've got yourself a perfect Gundry meal!!!

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  2. i have 1 question:

    have you tried dr. g's recipes for his FOOL-DLES yet?

    i'm scared cause that tofu shirataki fettucine smells really bad.

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  3. I have tried the noodles. The first time I had them, I think I was so enthralled with having "pasta" that I thought they were okay. Plus they were covered in a delicious sauce with cheese and basil and I served it with grilled shrimp. The subsequent two times, I became increasing weirded out by the texture - rubbery and strange (which is definitely amplified with the fettucine noodles versus the spaghetti since they're fatter). Max likes them and so does our friend who originally introduced us to Gundry. I would give them a try. Definitely follow Gundry's suggestion of rinsing and drying.

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  4. Go Max! ;)

    xx

    http://novembergrey.blogspot.com/

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