So an update from my Friday Favorites from last week... The NASCAR race was a ton of fun! It ended up being an exciting race, and it is always nice to catch up with friends you haven't seen in a while.
The hubbs and I have been on a soup kick lately. It's in full drive now that the weather is really starting to cool down, but truthfully the soup kick started long before that. In fact, I think the vast majority of recipes I have ready to post are either soup or some form of dessert.
What really caught my eye about this soup was the inclusion of peanuts. I have seen peanuts and peanut butter in stir-fry type dishes, but never in a soup. I was intrigued to say the least. So how was the result? Delicious. Other than those for the garnish, the peanuts are pureed, and together with the sweet potato, they add some thickness and creaminess to the soup. In addition, with veggie prep, the soup can be ready in just over 30 minutes. Pair it with some crusty bread for a warming, quick, awesome meal. Enjoy!
(Printable Recipe)
Sweet Potato and Peanut Soup
From Healthy Seasonal Recipes
Ingredients:
1 Tbsp. olive oil
3 cups diced onions
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 stalks celery, diced
6 cups vegetable/low-sodium chicken broth
2 lbs. sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 to 2-inch pieces
1 tsp. salt
1 can (13 oz) light coconut milk
3/4 cup unsalted roasted peanuts
3 Tbsp. lime juice
chopped cilantro, chopped peanuts, Sriracha for garnish
Heat oil over medium heat in a Dutch oven or large soup pot. Add the onion and garlic and cook until the onion starts to brown, about 5 to 6 minutes. Add celery, broth, sweet potato, and salt. Cover, turn up the heat, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to maintain a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are cooked through and very soft, about 15 minutes.
If using a stand blender, let the soup cool slightly. Blend about half the soup in two batches and return to the pot. If using an immersion blender, partially blend the soup in the pot, leaving some pieces of vegetables. Puree the coconut milk and peanuts until smooth in a blender or in a bowl with the immersion blender. Add the coconut mixture and lime juice to the soup. Cook for a few minutes on low-medium heat to warm through. Do not boil. Serve garnished with cilantro, chopped peanuts, and Sriracha.
September already? Certainly doesn't feel like it here. Nonetheless, there are several good things that September brings with it mainly football and my birthday. With the change of the month, that means another thing. It is time for the Secret Recipe Club!
My blog assignment this month was Kim's blog Everyday Mom. She describes herself as partial to sweets, but that she's also trying to build her skills in other culinary areas. (Sounds a little familiar to how I would describe myself).
Kim has a fun selection of recipes, and as indicated by her about me, I was immediately sucked in by her baking. This Hungarian Coffee Cake anyone? Sign me up. Nonetheless, as you can tell from my picture, I ended up choosing a savory recipe for the SRC reveal. In fact, these zucchini fries worked perfectly to use up a zucchini that had been living in the crisper drawer for awhile...
So how were they? Really good. The Panko makes them surprisingly crunchy (a word I thought I'd never use with zucchini?). As Kim indicates, they are great on their own, but my favorite was in a white bean and basil hummus. Yum! Definitely a recipe to keep in mind for zucchini season. Enjoy!
(Printable Recipe)
Zucchini Fries
Adapted from Everyday Mom
Ingredients:
1 lb. zucchini cut into medium-large strips
1/2 cup whole wheat Panko bread crumbs
1/2 Tbsp. (1-1/2 tsp) Italian seasoning
lemon zest to taste
1 Tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 cup white whole wheat flour
1 egg, beaten with 1 tsp. water
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. If needed, grease a baking sheet.
In a shallow bowl, combine bread crumbs, Italian seasoning, lemon zest, and Parmesan cheese. Mix well. Add flour and egg mixture to separate bowls (you will have 3 total).
Dredge each zucchini strip through the mixtures in this order - flour, egg, bread crumb mixture. Place on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the bread crumbs start to look golden brown.
The thing about longer, warmer summer day is that they make me crave lighter, fresher foods. When I am hot, the last thing I want is a heavy, greasy meal that is going to weight me down. In line with this, one of our favorite types of meals in the summer is what I call a "grain salad." The formula is pretty simple: cooked whole grain + chopped veggies +/- beans/chicken + /- herbs + vinaigrette dressing. The combinations are endless, and they also make for great "clean out the refrigerator meals."
This grain salad is one that I ran across last summer on A Couple Cooks. We've made it several times in the past year, enough that I feel justified in sharing it. You may notice in the
pictures that our beans were much lighter than a traditional kidney
bean. Like I mentioned before, one of the great thing about this type of
meal is the adaptability! This recipe is a little different from some of the others in that it does call for a special spice - Cajun spice blend. Buy it. Even if you don't have another recipe using it. I promise it will go to good use. Enjoy!
(Printable Recipe)
Cajun Bulgur Salad
From A Couple Cooks
Ingredients:
1-1/2 cups uncooked bulgur wheat
1 can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
3 ears of corn (or 1/2 cup thawed frozen corn)
1 green bell pepper, chopped
3/4 cup cherry tomatoes, cut in half if larger
1/2 cup red onion, chopped (about 1/2 medium-sized onion)
2 Tbsp. fresh oregano, minced
4 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
2 Tbsp. olive oil
~1 Tbsp. Cajun spice blend (depends on brand of spice and heat level desired)
fresh ground black pepper
Kosher salt (if needed, may be salt in the spice blend)
Heat 1-1/2 cups water in a medium saucepan to a boil. Add bulgur to the saucepan, cover, and remove from heat. Let the pan sit undisturbed for about 15 minutes. The bulgur will absorb the water as it sits. After 15 minutes, remove the lid and fluff the bulgur with a fork.
Meanwhile, prepare the vinaigrette by whisking together the vinegar, olive oil, oregano, 1/2 Tbsp. Cajun spice blend, salt and pepper. Set aside. Prepare vegetables and rinse and drain the beans if using canned beans. When the grain has finished cooking, add the bulgur and vegetables to a large bowl. Toss to combine. Drizzle with the vinaigrette and mix well. Add remaining Cajun seasoning, salt, and/or pepper to taste. Enjoy!
One of the things I love about having a garden is how exciting it is when your plants do well. Our cucumber plants are kicking out cukes like it is their job (guess it kind of is?). This is great because not only do I know EXACTLY where my food came from, but homegrown food always tastes so much better than produce from the store. These cucumbers actually have flavor!
I tell you that to tell you this - the recipe I chose from my Secret Recipe Club blogger this month, Cooking Rookie from Cook Book Trial and Error, could not have come at a better time! Her watermelon cucumber salad is a unique combination of flavors, one that I am certain I never would have come up with on my own. In addition, the recipe is very customizable. Want more watermelon and less cucumber? Go for it. Want to add some mint. Try it. One thing to note is that this salad can get a little watery if you let it set for awhile. We just drained off the liquid after storing it for awhile. Nonetheless, you may want to wait to mix it up until just before serving.
Any way you do it, I would recommend this as a great, refreshing way to enjoy that summertime produce!
(Printable Recipe)
Watermelon Cucumber Salad
From Cook Book Trial and Error
Ingredients:
2 cups cubed watermelon (1/2-inch cubes)
1 large cucumber, peeled and cubed
1/4 cup chopped pistachios
1/4 cup feta cheese
1/2 tsp salt (more or less depending on salt level of your feta)
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
1-1/2 tsp. olive oil
Combine the above ingredients just before serving. Enjoy!
I have a confession to make. The hubs and I have developed quite the hummus addiction. All kinds really, but our hummus of choice is currently the white bean and basil hummus from Trader Joe's. Seriously. Between the 2 of us, the container will not last 2 days in this house. I want to try to make a copy-cat version at home as we are going there several times a week to get it. Will share if we are successful with the recipe!
These wraps fulfill 2 requirements for us right now - 1) they contain hummus, 2) they are super quick. This is really more of a method than a recipe as you could use any veggies or any hummus that you desire. The recipe is written for onions, red bell peppers, and eggplant, but you could certainly swap in any veggies you would like to grill (like zucchini rather than eggplant). One tip I have for grilling onions - slice them thick (1/2-inch) and thread them onto a skewer. When the onion cooks, it shrinks, and this prevents the rings from falling all over the grill. Enjoy!
(Printable Recipe)
Grilled Veggie and Hummus Wraps
Adapted from Cooking Light April 2012
Ingredients:
4 (1/2-inch) slices red onion
1 red bell pepper, seeded and quartered
1 eggplant, sliced into 1/2-inch slices (other veggies if desired)
Non-stick spray
1-1/2 tsp. olive oil
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 (8oz) container of your favorite hummus
4 flatbreads or large whole wheat tortillas
1/2 cup crumbled Feta cheese
Heat a large grill pan or an outdoor grill over medium heat. Thread the onion slices the long way (through all the rings) onto 2-3 skewers to make it easier to grill. Spray vegetable pieces with nonstick spray. Add to preheated grill, turning at 2-3 minutes until softened and slightly charred. Allow the vegetables to cool slightly and roughly chop. Combine vegetables, olive oil, parsley, and salt. Toss to combine.
Spread hummus over each wrap leaving a 1/2-inch boarder around the edges. Divide vegetables and Feta cheese amongst the wraps. Tuck in the ends and roll up the wraps. Enjoy whole or cut in half.
Just in case you don't remember, there might be a special holiday coming up this Sunday. One that you might not want to forget. Sunday is Mother's Day. I am not a mother myself (unless you count 4-leggged children), so I'd like to say a big thanks to both of our mothers!
My blog assignment this month for the Secret Recipe Club was Carolyn from All Day I Dream About Food. Carolyn's site is a great reference for some delicious but healthy eats and many of her recipes are low-carbohydrate, gluten-free, or both. I have visited Carolyn's site prior to this assignment, and it actually did not take me too long to pick out a recipe because I have had this egg bake saved to make for almost a year. Guess this group was the push I needed to (finally) make it! Does anyone else have the experience where they wait forever to make a recipe and then after they finally do, wonder why they waited so long! That was exactly what happened here. We loved this meal!
While it is not labor intensive, this torta does take awhile to make as it needs to bake for approximately 90 minutes. I adapted it a little bit to our tastes, and by swapping in some lower-fat dairy products. It turned out well, so they seem to have worked okay. My advice would be to pop this torta in the oven when you've got something else to do around the house. Your house will smell amazing and it will be done before you know it! Better yet, get up a little early on Sunday and surprise Mom with this for breakfast/brunch. It would certainly be a great way to say, "I love you!"
(Printable Recipe)
Summer Vegetable Torta
Adapted from All Day I Dream About Food
Ingredients:
Non-stick spray
1/2 medium onion, chopped
3 medium zucchini, sliced about 1/4-inch thick (could swap some summer squash in too)
1 (12oz) jar roasted red peppers (or 2 fresh peppers), cut into 1/4-inch strips
1 pkg (8oz) 1/3-less fat cream cheese, cubed
6 large eggs
1/4 cup skim milk
2-3 garlic cloves, minced
3 Tbsp. fresh basil
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
8oz. Swiss cheese, shredded
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9-inch springform pan with non-stick spray. Set aside.
Heat a skillet over medium heat. Spray with non-stick spray and saute zucchini and onions (and fresh peppers if using) until softened, about 10 minutes (my peppers are in this picture - that was an oops).
In a medium bowl, beat the eggs and milk together with a whisk. Add the basil, garlic salt, pepper, and cubed cream cheese. Mix. The cream cheese will not completely incorporate. It will soften after you add the hot vegetables. Use a slotted spoon to drain off any extra fluid from the vegetable mixture and add to the eggs. Add roasted red peppers if necessary. Mix. Add shredded cheese. Mix well.
Pour into the prepared springform pan and bake for about 80-90 minutes or until the top is golden brown and the mixture no longer jiggles when you gently shake the pan. It make take more or less time in your oven (mine was in for 90 minutes and may have been just a little too long). Remove from the oven and let cool 10 minutes in the pan. Run a knife around the edges of the pan to loosen the egg bake, and gently remove the outer rim of the pan. Slice and serve.
We got quite the surprise in our garden this year. The plan was to buy 4 bell pepper plants, as we eat quite a few bell peppers every week. Apparently someone at the nursery had a little fun because when the plants finally started producing peppers a couple of weeks ago, we found ourselves with a crop of banana peppers. Good thing we like Mexican food!
This is my "more complicated" Mexican recipe that I promised. In reality, the dish is not that hard to make, but it does have several steps. Some of which would be easy enough to make ahead of time if you did not want to make it all at once.
The recipe comes from Amber at Chocolate Broccoli, and she indicates this is a recipe she has been making for quite some time. It is basically a Mexican-themed lasanga filled with vegetables. She makes her own roasted salsa for the sauce which is amazing. I made very few modifications to the recipe - mostly using my banana peppers rather than the poblanos.
Despite the steps, I promise it is delicious. It made a wonderful dinner and lunch for several days afterwards. Enjoy!
(Printable Recipe)
Mexican Chicken Casserole
Slightly Adapted from Chocolate Broccoli
Ingredients:
For the salsa:
8 plum tomatoes, halved and seeded
3 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
1 small onion, peeled and chopped
2 jalapenos, seeded and quartered
Cooking spray
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
3 Tbsp. lime juice (1 lime)
1/8 tsp. black pepper
1/8 tsp. kosher salt
For the casserole:
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup frozen corn kernels
1 cup diced zucchini
1 cup chopped red bell pepper
3 large banana peppers, seeded and chopped
2 cups shredded cooked chicken
1 Tbsp. minced garlic
2 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 (10oz) can green chile enchilada sauce
12 (6-inch) corn tortillas, cut into quarters
1 cup (4oz) shredded Monterey jack cheese
1 cup (4oz) crumbled Cojita cheese
Preheat broiler. To prepare salsa, combine the first 4 ingredients on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Broil 20 minutes or until charred, stirring once. Remove from oven; cool slightly. Place tomato mixture in a food processor; add cilantro, lime juice, salt and pepper. Process until smooth. Set aside.
Decrease oven to 350 degrees. Heat a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Lightly coat the pan with cooking spray. Add 1 cup onion, corn, zucchini, banana peppers, and bell peppers. Saute until tender, about 6 minutes. Add chicken and other ingredients through the enchilada sauce. Cook until heated through. Remove from heat and set aside.
Just cover the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish with the salsa. Arrange half the tortillas over the salsa, tearing if needed to cover the entire dish. Spoon 2 cups of the chicken mixture evenly over the tortillas. Top with half the remaining salsa. Sprinkle with half of each of the cheeses. Repeat layers, starting with the remaining tortillas and ending with the remaining cheeses. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 25 minutes until bubbly.
I always seem to miss the foodie holidays... Pi day, national pancake day, etc. I really need to get up with it a little more because it always looks like a lot of fun to participate in these days. One thing that I do know is that today is the first day of spring, so here is a "springy recipe"
to celebrate :)
Side dishes are something I don't plan for very well... I usually will do okay with having a side of bread with soup but for most meat and casserole-type dishes, I really don't do sides. There are a couple of reasons behind this: 1) I'm already making the main dish and don't want to have to work too hard on another aspect of the meal and 2) I don't want sides that are loaded with calories. It has been a little while since I have made this, but this asparagus recipe meets both of those qualifications. Quick, pretty simple, and it clocks in at 69 calories a serving (4 servings).
I've talked before about how much we like asparagus, and this recipe is no different. My only swap was feta for goat cheese, as I am not the biggest goat cheese fan. Be sure to use a vinegar you really like here as the balsamic flavor is quite prominent (a bonus in my book). Enjoy!
(Printable Recipe)
Asparagus with Balsamic Tomatoes
Adapted from Cooking Light April 2011
Ingredients:
1 lb. asparagus, trimmed
2 tsp. olive oil
1-1/2 cups halved grape or cherry tomatoes
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1/4 tsp. salt
3 Tbsp. crumbled feta cheese
1/2 tsp. black pepper
Bring a large pot of water to boil. Add trimmed asparagus and cook for 2 minutes. Drain immediately and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process.
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add tomatoes and garlic; cook for 5 minutes. Stir in the balsamic vinegar, and cook 3 minutes. Mix in salt. Arrange asparagus on a serving platter on on individual plates. Sprinkle with feta and black pepper.
As a child, I hated squash. Admittedly, I was a rather picky child (sorry mom!), but squash was pretty far down on the list of things I'd rather go hungry without than eat. There was one year where our neighbors gave us several of them from their garden. Mom roasted them with brown sugar and cinnamon (sounds good now, right?). Despite the sugar, there was no way either my brother or I were going anywhere near them...
As an adult, I was a little skeptical to give squash a second try. In reality, I have probably only embraced it in the last year or so, and I have found that I really enjoy it. Especially roasted with brown sugar and cinnamon. This recipe from Lindsay at Pinch of Yum takes uses that sweet side and mixes it up with some curry, pecans, and spices.
My biggest advice about the recipe would be not to skip the hummus. It absolutely makes the dish. I used purchased hummus rather than the white bean hummus indicated in the recipe for a shortcut, however I am sure either would be great. Different. A little spicy. Healthy. I know squash is starting to go out of season, but this one will not disappoint. Enjoy!
(Printable Recipe)
Spicy Sweet Squash Bowl
Adapted from Pinch of Yum
Ingredients:
1 cup quinoa
1-1/2 cups vegetable or chicken broth
1 Tbsp. curry powder
1/2 Tbsp. packed brown sugar
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 medium to large butternut squash, peeled and cubed
2 tsp. olive oil
1 tsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
salt
1 bunch fresh cilantro, minced
1 cup fresh spinach, roughly torn
1/4 cup toasted chopped pecans
hummus
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Coat the squash with olive oil, white sugar, cinnamon, 1 teaspoon curry, and salt to taste. Roast until fork tender, about 25-35 minutes depending on how large you cut the squash cubes.
Meanwhile, place quinoa in a medium saucepan with the broth (or water if you want), 2 teaspoons curry, cayenne pepper, and brown sugar. Mix well. Bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook for about 15 minutes until the liquid is completely absorbed. Let sit for a few minutes. Remove the lid and fluff with a fork. Mix with spinach and pecan pieces.
Divide the quinoa mixture between bowls. Top with the roasted squash and finally with a dollop of hummus. Mix together and enjoy!
In talking to our families, we got wind that they are suppose to have a high in the 80's today in Nebraska. In March! Enjoy your day guys. You'll be in our ballpark today :)
Warm temperatures make me think of summer, and what is the quintessential summer meal? Burgers! To keep with my meatless, seafoodless theme, you may have guessed that these are veggie burgers. Neither of us are vegetarians, however I do occasionally like a veggie burger over a traditional beef burger. Nothing wrong with either one, just really depends on what kind of mood I am in.
One of my pet-peeves about homemade veggie burgers is that mushy middle. If you have tried to make bean veggie patties at home, you probably know what I mean. I've tried a couple recipes in the past that weren't even close to making the blog, and there was an incident once involving soggy veggie burgers and the grill. Don't want to talk about that one. While it has been awhile since she posted it, I only recently ran across this recipe from Angie of Oh She Glows. The recipe is actually vegan, using ground flaxseed + water as a replacement for eggs. Angie claims that this is "their perfect veggie burger." As I said in my lasagna post, I hesitate to call anything "the best," but these burgers are dang good. We both took them for lunch every day until they were gone, and I can tell you that I missed them the first day I didn't have one. Definitely a do again, and that is saying something in the world of a food blogger :)
(Printable Recipe)
Loaded Black Bean Veggie Burgers
From Oh She Glows (Originally inspired by Whitewater Cooks)
Ingredients:
1/2 cup onion, finely diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2-1/2 Tbsp. ground flaxseed + 1/2 cup warm water
1 cup oats, processed into flour
1-1/2 cups whole wheat Panko bread crumbs
1 cup grated carrots
1 cup black beans (I used canned beans and measured 1 cup)
1/4 cup parsley, finely chopped
1/3 cup sliced toasted almonds
1/2 cup toasted sunflower seeds
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. low-sodium soy sauce
1-1/2 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. Kosher salt
black pepper to taste
Add almonds and sunflower seeds to a small skillet. Toast over medium heat until slightly browned and fragrant. Set aside.
In a large skillet, saute onions and garlic in 1-1/2 teaspoons olive oil for a few minutes until the onions begin to soften. Mix the flaxseed and water together in a small bowl. Let set for 10 minutes.
Mash the beans with a for until no large pieces remain. Place the beans and the remaining ingredients up through the spices and salt (including your nuts) in a large bowl and mix well. Add the seasonings, including salt, and taste. Adjust if necessary. I had to add a little bit more water to my dough at this point to get it to come together (maybe 1-2 Tbsp). Add just a little at a time until the dough will hold its shape when pressed together.
Wet hands and firmly press dough together into patties. Burgers can be pan-fried in a small amount of olive oil on the stove for 4-5 minutes per side, baked at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes (flip at about 15 minutes), or grilled. If grilling, Angie recommends pre-baking the burgers for about 15 minutes. Serve on buns with desired toppings.
I have been slacking on the meatless, seafoodless recipes for you all this last week. To make up for it, I'll have one every day up through Thursday to give you several options for this week. Promise :)
We'll start off the week with a short and sweet pasta meal. More pasta, I know, but hear me out. This one is much simpler than the previous lasagna recipe I posted! This recipe comes from my mother-in-law back from my bridal shower. Not sure what took me so long to make it knowing that pasta + balsamic vinegar + ricotta cheese + veggies = a winner in this house?!?
On a side note, can I just say that I am so glad that asparagus is coming back in season! I never had asparagus until I was an adult, and it ranks up there with my favorite vegetables (since it actually qualifies as a vegetable --- no seeds!)
(Printable Recipe)
Ziti with Ricotta and Vegetables
From Londa
Ingredients:
8 oz. dried whole wheat penne (or any shape) pasta
2-1/2 cups broccoli florets
1-1/2 cups asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 large ripe tomatoes, juiced and chopped
1 cup low-fat ricotta cheese
1 Tbsp. dried, crushed basil
1 tsp. dried crushed thyme
4 tsp. balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
2 Tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese
Cook pasta according to package directions. Add the broccoli and asparagus in the last 3 minutes of cooking. Drain.
Place a fine-meshed strainer over a large bowl. Cut the tomatoes in half and squeeze over the strainer to release the juice and seeds. Press down on the seeds in the strainer to get all the liquid you can. Chop and reserve the tomato flesh. Discard the seeds.
Add ricotta cheese, spices, vinegar, and oil to the tomato juice in the bowl and mix until well combined. Stir in the tomatoes. Add pasta and toss to combine. Sprinkle each serving with Parmesan cheese.
As I am sure is the case in the homes of many food bloggers, we have something new and different at some meal almost every day. This ends up being both good and bad. I definitely don't get the "we're having this for supper again?" comment, but in the process, I have realized that I do not really have any "go to" recipes. Want a recipe for chicken noodle soup? I probably have 10. Chocolate chip cookies? Even worse. Chicken recipes. Don't even go there.
While it seems that it would make supper really easy, what happens is I get information overload. It has been shown that when presented with too many options, humans take longer to make one and are more dissatisfied with their choice, and I absolutely fall into that group. One thing I do to make meal choices easier is to pick out a certain category. If I can decided that I want to make chicken lasagna or vegetarian tacos, I may narrow my choices of recipes down to only a couple. Much more manageable!
One of the themes that shows up again and again on our menus week after week is some type of Mexican. Whether it be tacos, enchiladas, burritos, or even just Mexican-flavored dips, we love it all. These tacos, from Eat, Live, Run happen to be a vegetarian version that fall right into my current theme of meatless, seafood-less meals. The recipe for these tacos happens to be from Jenna's mom who adapted it from an Oprah recipe, and from my attempts at her meals, all that I can say is that I would love to be invited to dinner!
These are different from other vegetarian tacos that I've seen in that the pre-cooked beans are roasted in the oven to give them just a bit of a crunch in the tacos. Genius. Combine that with a roasted-pepper corn mixture and crunch from some green cabbage, and you have one heck of a taco. We ended up leaving out the radishes as I did not have any in the house when we made these, but I am sure they would up the crunch factor as well. Seeing these pictures is making me want these again. Soon. Guess I've solved the supper predicament for one night next week :) Enjoy!
(Printable Recipe)
Vegetable Soft Tacos with Chipotle Sour Cream
Adapted from Eat, Live, Run (originally from Oprah)
Ingredients:
2 cups corn (fresh or frozen)
2 limes, juiced
2 tsp. cumin
1-1/2 tsp. paprika
2 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 red bell peppers, sliced thin
1 red onion, sliced thin
1 can (15oz) black beans, rinsed and drained or cook your own
1/2 medium green cabbage, sliced thin
1 bunch cilantro, minced
1 Tbsp. white vinegar
1-1/2 tsp. sugar
1 avocado, diced
3 radishes, sliced thin (I left out)
1 cup low-fat sour cream
2 canned chiles in adobo sauce, seeded and diced
2 tsp. adobo sauce
1/2 cup Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
whole wheat tortillas
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with foil if desired.
Toss together corn, 1 tablespoon olive oil, lime juice, 1 teaspoon salt, cumin, bell peppers, and onion and spread on half of the baking sheet. In a separate bowl, toss together the remaining tablespoon of olive oil, paprika, 1 teaspoon salt, and black beans. Spread on the other half the baking sheet. Bake for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until beans are getting crispy and the vegetables are cooked through.
Meanwhile, combine the cabbage, cilantro, vinegar, sugar, diced avocado, a pinch of salt, and radishes if using. Set aside to let marinate in the vinegar. In a separate small bowl, mix together the sour cream, chipotle peppers and adobo sauce.
Fill tortillas with the vegetable-bean mixture. Top with the cabbage mixture and a dollop of sour cream. Sprinkle with cheese.
Meatless recipe #3. This is going to be a quick one because I am deep in the throes of the reviewing the new CHEST guidelines tonight. I'm on the docket to give a presentation over them next Tuesday, and it is quite the document to digest :)
Don't let my brief nature tonight detract from this recipe. In Cook's Illustrated style, this recipe has quite the list of instructions (kind of like my guidelines!). This is the recipe I had in mind when I mentioned that not all my meatless recipes would be quick. Nonetheless, each and every step is worth it. CI's steps are always worth it.
I can state that this is one of the best behaving vegetable lasagnas that I have tried. Vegetables cooked perfectly. No extra liquid. With the cream and the cheese, it's not the healthiest vegetable lasagna I've seen, but how many people really look to lasagna when they're trying to cook healthier. At least this one has some veggies :)
'Best.' It is quite the title. This is not my word, but theirs. Give it a shot and see if you agree. Enjoy!
(Printable Recipe)
Best Vegetable Lasagna
Cook's Illustrated Sept.-Oct. 2011
Ingredients:
No-Cook Tomato Sauce:
1 (28oz) can crushed tomatoes
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp. Kosher salt
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
No-Cook Cream Sauce:
4 oz. Parmesan cheese, grated (2 cups)
1 cup whole milk cottage cheese
1 cup heavy cream
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp. cornstarch
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
Vegetable Filling:
1-1/2 lbs. eggplant, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 7 cups)
Kosher salt and pepper
1 lb. zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (4 cups)
1 lb. yellow squash, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (4 cups)
5 Tbsp. plus 1 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbsp. minced fresh thyme
12 oz. baby spinach (12 cups)
12 no-boil whole wheat lasagna noodles
1/2 cup minced pitted kalamata olives
12 oz. low-moisture whole-milk mozzarella cheese, shredded (about 3 cups)
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh basil
For the tomato sauce, whisk all ingredients together in a bowl. Set aside.
For the cream sauce, whisk all ingredients together in a bowl. Set aside.
For the filling, adjust the oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Toss eggplant with 1 teaspoon salt in large bowl. Place a double-layer of coffee filters or paper towels on a plate and lightly spray with vegetable oil spray. Spread eggplant in an even layer over the plate. Microwave, uncovered, until dry to the touch and slightly shriveled, about 10 minutes, tossing once halfway through to ensure that the eggplant cooks evenly. Let cool slightly. Return eggplant to bowl and toss with zucchini and squash.
Combine 1 tablespoon oil, garlic, and thyme in a small bowl. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in 12-inch non-stick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add half eggplant mixture, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are lightly browned, about 7 minutes. Push vegetables to sides of the skillet; add half of garlic mixture to clearing, and cook, mashing with spatula, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir to combine garlic mixture with vegetables and transfer to medium bowl. Repeat with remaining eggplant mixture, 2 tablespoons oil, and remaining garlic mixture.
Return skillet to medium-high heat, add remaining teaspoon of oil and heat until shimmering. Add spinach and cook, stirring frequently, until wilted, about 3 minutes. Transfer spinach to paper towel-lined plate and drain 2 minutes. Stir into eggplant mixture.
To assemble, spray a 9x13-inch baking dish with vegetable oil spray. Spread 1 cup tomato sauce in the bottom of the dish. Layer 4 noodles on top of the sauce. Spread half the vegetable mixture over noodles, followed by half of the olives, half of cream sauce, and 1 cup of mozzarella. Repeat layering with 4 noodles, 1 cup tomato sauce, remaining vegetables, remaining olives, remaining cream sauce, and 1 cup mozzarella. Place remaining 4 noodles on top layer of cheese. Spread remaining 1 cup tomato sauce over noodles and sprinkle with remaining 1 cup mozzarella. Lightly spray large sheet of aluminum foil with vegetable oil spray and cover lasagna. Bake until bubbling, about 35 minutes. Cool on wire rack 25 minutes. Cut into pieces, sprinkle with basil, and serve.
In continuing the theme of meatless recipes, I thought I'd start with one of the Mexican-themed recipes I'd promised. This may not be true for everyone, but I've always found Mexican dishes one of the easiest types of Cuisines to make vegetarian. With all the beans, veggies, and cheese, it is easy not to miss the meat!
This dish mixes all those above things with none other than quinoa. No meat certainly does not have to mean no protein! I have definitely caught the quinoa "bug." What is not to love about those little curly cues it sprouts after it's cooked?
The idea from this recipe comes from Not Rachel Ray. She used the filling both for southwestern stuffed pepper and in casserole form. We just made the casserole variety, but I am sure stuffed-peppers would be delicious (I also seem to have a "thing" for different types of stuffed peppers). I made a few changes to Rachel's original recipe mainly leaving out the chicken, upping the amount of beans (hate having random half cans of stuff in the refrigerator), and adding a chopped bell pepper to the mix. We just planted several of these ingredients in our garden last weekend. Can't wait until we could make this with the goodies from our garden!
You'll find a lot of different ways to cook quinoa. I've tried quite a few different ways, but the method that has worked well for me is a ratio of 2:1 liquid to grain. Any more liquid, and I find the quinoa ends up too wet even after cooking. You can use all water, a mixture of water and broth, or even all broth if you'd like. If I have it, I like using half broth, half water. I haven't tried this, but I
think you could prepare most of this dish the night before (minus adding the bread
crumbs). Add the bread crumbs and bake the next day. Enjoy!
(Printable Recipe)
Southwestern Quinoa Casserole
Adapted from Not Rachel Ray
Ingredients:
1 cup uncooked quinoa
1 cup water
1 cup low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1/2 red onion, chopped
1 can (14.5 oz) black beans, rinsed
1 cup frozen corn or corn cut from 2 cobs
1/2 pint grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
2 Tbsp. cilantro, minced
1-2 Tbsp. taco seasoning (make your own)
1-1/2 cups reduced-fat shredded Mexican cheese
1/2 whole wheat Panko bread crumbs
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Rinse the quinoa and shake strainer to drain off any extra liquid. Place in a medium saucepan. Add broth and/or water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 13-15 minutes or until all the liquid is absorbed. Remove from the heat. Let sit and remain covered for about 5 minutes. Remove lid and fluff with a fork.
Combine the cooked quinoa, bell pepper, onion, beans, corn, tomatoes, cilantro, taco seasoning, and 1 cup of cheese. Pour into a 2-quart baking dish. Combine remaining 1/2 cup of cheese and Panko bread crumbs. Sprinkle over the top of the dish. Bake 45-50 minutes or until the bread crumbs are golden brown.
With tomorrow being Fat Tuesday, the calendar is telling me that it's Mardi Gras! I cannot believe that we are already approaching Lent. Where has the year gone? I have been to New Orleans a couple times - one while in high school and then again this past December for a pharmacy conference. It's quite the city, and for me at least, I think visiting during Mardi Gras is definitely on my Bucket List.
My trouble with much of the Cajun food is that I don't do seafood. It is just not my cup of tea. I can do spice, so I've always thought it was unfortunate that they couldn't just leave the shrimp, catfish, etc. out! Several weeks ago, one of my co-resdients ran across this recipe from the Food Network and brought it in for me. As a vegetarian gumbo mixed with greens and black-eyed peas, it certainly fits the bill of being seafood-free.
After reading the reviews, I subbed a can of black-eyed peas for the frozen peas as many indicated that it took too long for the frozen peas to cook through. I also added a bit of a Cajun seasoning mix to kick up the spice factor. Our verdict - my husband beat me out in taking the leftovers for lunch. Guess it was a hit?!? Enjoy and Happy Mardi Gras!
(Printable Recipes)
Vegetable Gumbo
Adapted from The Food Network Magazine
Ingredients:
3 Tbsp. canola oil
3 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
1 small onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. smoked paprika (preferably hot)
Cajun seasoning, to taste
2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
1 lb. kale (or Swiss chard), stemmed and chopped
1 (14oz) can black-eyed peas
prepared brown rice for serving
Prepare rice according to package directions. Set aside.
Heat the oil in a large skillet or stockpot over medium-high heat. Add the flour and cook, stirring until golden, about 3 minutes. Add the onion, bell pepper, celery, garlic, 3 tablespoons water, and 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Reduce the heat to medium, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables soften, about 8 minutes.
Add the Worcestershire sauce and paprika and cook, stirring, 30 seconds. Stir in the vegetable broth, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot, then cover and bring to a boil. Add the greens and black-eyed peas to the pot. Add Cajun seasoning to taste. Reduce heat, cover and simmer, stirring occasionally until tender, about 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Serve with the rice.
Amongst the ways this little blog has changed our lives, one of the biggest is our willingness to try both new dishes and new ingredients, especially new vegetables. Prior to blogging, I can honestly tell you that my vegetable repertoire consisted of whichever common varieties were available in the frozen bags at the grocery store. I had certainly had the standard corn, peas, carrots, green beans and broccoli, but had never ventured out into the world of other veggies. Even asparagus was relatively new to me when I started blogging.
All of that brings me to this soup. While the vegetables in here do not get too exotic, I can certainly say there was a time when cooking with kale, fresh cabbage, and broccoli rabe would have been way outside my comfort zone! As you would expect, the bread in here soaks up much of the extra liquid leaving you with a soups that packs a hearty punch while managing to stay pretty light.
I have to admit that the health factor was one of my primary reasons for choosing to make this recipe. Lots of vegetables in a hearty dish. What I didn't expect was how much we would really enjoy this. I knew it would be good, but not this good. My husband has been talking about it all week and basically ate all the leftovers himself. If you're looking for a way to warm up or maybe lighten up after a heavy Valentine's Day meal, I would highly recommend this soup. Enjoy!
(Printable Recipes)
Ribollita (Italian Bread Soup)
Found on MyRecipes.com, Recipe from Cooking Light
Ingredients:
3 cups, crusty whole wheat bread, cut into 1-inch cubes
cooking spray
3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 onion, chopped
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup celery, chopped
6 cups water, divided
1 pkg. (6 cups) kale, stemmed, leaves chopped
6 cups chopped cabbage
4 cups broccoli rabe (can substitute regular broccoli)
2 cups Yukon gold or red potato, peeled, cubed into 1-inch cubes
1 cup thinly sliced carrots
1 (14.5oz) can chopped tomatoes with fluid
2 (15oz) cans cannellini beans, rinsed, drained, and divided
3/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper
1/2 cup shaved or grated fresh Parmesan cheese
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Place 3 cups bread on a baking sheet and lightly coat with cooking spray. Bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes or until toasted, stirring occasionally. Remove from oven; cool.
Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion and celery to pan; saute 5 minutes. Add garlic, and saute 1 minute. Add 5 cups of water and next 6 ingredients (through tomatoes). Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes or until greens are wilted, stirring occasionally. It will seem like the greens will never wilt. Stir it occasionally. They will cook, just slowly. Mash 1 can of beans. Add mashed beans and remaining 1 cup of water to pan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 35 minutes or until potato and carrot are tender.
Stir in bread, remaining can of beans, salt, thyme, oregano, and red pepper; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes. Remove from heat; cover and let stand 10 minutes. Ladle about 1-1/2 cups of soup into bowls. Sprinkle each with 1 tablespoon cheese.
Growing up we had quite a few Christmas traditions. Starting the day after Thanksgiving, we'd get up early to grab donuts before heading to the Christmas tree farm to pick out/cut down our tree. We also had a paper nativity scene that doubled as an Advent calendar. My brother and I would alternate days of putting up each character, often squabbling over who would get to put the star up over the manger on Christmas Eve.
One of the other traditions that I still continue - soup on Christmas Eve. The kind has changed over the years (there was a time when I would have a can of Campbell's chicken and stars because the rest of the family was having oyster stew...), but the idea of soup has stayed constant. We've done stews, chili, homemade chicken noodle, and even played with the idea of bread bowls, but it's always homemade and always great! Plus, it is low stress as you can put it in a crockpot and forget about it. Bonus that it leaves room for Christmas cookies :)
As I don't have too many Christmas cookie recipes to share with you this year, I thought I would let you in on our little tradition and offer up a few soup recipes leading up to Christmas Eve.
The first soup is a classic - minestrone. I have made this recipe a couple of times, and I really enjoy it as it is everything a minestrone soup should be: great flavor and loaded with vegetables. The recipe calls for red wine. If you are worried about including alcohol, it could certainly be replaced with some additional broth, however if you can, I would strongly suggest you include it. I love the flavor red wine adds to soups. One thing to note is that the pasta will continue to soak up the liquid (even when fully cooked), so cook it al dente and only add it a few minutes before serving. This is especially important if you are making the soup in a crockpot! For the leftovers in this case, I have just been adding a little bit more broth as needed when I heat it up.
Feel free to join in if you want. It's a fun tradition to start! Enjoy!
(Printable Recipe)
Jamie's Minestrone
Adapted from allrecipes.com
Ingredients:
1-1/2 Tbsp. olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 onions, chopped
2 cups chopped celery
5 carrots, peeled and sliced
2 cups chicken broth (can use vegetable broth to make vegetarian)
2 cups water
4 cups tomato sauce
1/2 cup red wine (optional)
1 can (14.5oz) low-sodium kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup fresh green beans, trimmed into 1-inch pieces
2 cups baby spinach
3 small zucchinis, quartered and sliced
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh oregano
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh basil
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup small whole wheat pasta, cooked al dente
shredded Parmesan cheese for serving
In a large stockpot over medium heat, heat the olive oil and saute garlic for 2-3 minutes. Add onion and saute for 4-5 minutes. Add celery and carrots, saute for 1-2 minutes.
Add chicken broth, water, and tomato sauce. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently. If using, add red wine. Reduce heat to low and add kidney beans, green beans, spinach, zucchini, oregano, basil, and salt and pepper. Simmer for 30 to 40 minutes, the longer the better.
Cook pasta separately until al dente according to package directions. Drain and add to soup. Serve with Parmesan cheese.
Crockpot directions: Follow the first step through cooking the onions. Add the sauteed onions and garlic to the crockpot with the rest of the ingredients except the pasta, spinach, and Parmesan cheese. Cook on low for 8-10 hours. Cook the pasta until al dente as directed above and add to the crockpot with the spinach just before serving. The heat will wilt the spinach. Taste and adjust seasonings if needed. Serve with Parmesan cheese.
