VEGETARIAN NATION

Sweet Potato Enchilada Casserole

2011-11-15T18:40:00.000-08:00

We have had this meal two times now. The first time I didn't add the cabbage, and, although we loved it, it was a bit too carby. So tonight I added the cabbage and it was an even bigger hit than the first time! It's not very often I make something that gets the Two Thumbs Up from everyone at the table!

· 2-3 large sweet potatoes, diced (I leave my peels on, but you could peel them)

· 1/2 head of cabbage--shredded and cooked

· 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened (I used the 1/3 fat kind)

· 4 green onions, chopped OR 1/4 cup chopped onion

· 2-3 teaspoons chili powder

· 1-2 teaspoon ground cumin (optional)

· 1 teaspoon dried oregano

· 1/2 teaspoon salt

· 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

· 12 (7 inch) corn tortillas

· 1 (19 ounce) can green enchilada sauce

· 1-2 cups shredded Monterey Jack or Cheddar cheese

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil over medium heat, and boil the sweet potatoes until tender, about 15-20 minutes. Drain.

2. Place the sweet potatoes in a bowl, and mash them with the cream cheese, green onions, chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt, and pepper until well mixed. Add the cooked cabbage (well-drained) and stir. Taste it to make sure it's got enough seasoning

3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C)

4. Spread about 1/3 of the enchilada sauce on the bottom of the pan.

5. Create a layer of corn tortillas (you'll probably have to rip some in half to adequately cover the bottom of your pan)

6. Spread 1/3 of the sweet potato mixture over the tortillas

7. Sprinkle 1/3 of the cheese

8. Repeat steps 4-7 two more times, ending with sprinkled cheese on the top

9. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 30 minutes, until the enchiladas are bubbling and the cheese is beginning to brown.

Pumpkin Waffles

2011-11-02T21:20:00.000-07:00

We had these waffles this morning and couldn't get enough of them! This recipe is adapted from the original one I found here on allrecipes.com. I doubled this recipe and was glad I did! I had a few to put in the freezer, but not as many as I'd anticipated.

2 eggs

1 3/4 cups skim milk

2 Tbsp canola oil

6 Tbsp pumpkin puree

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup whole wheat pastry flour (i buy this from Vitamin Cottage here in Colorado)

1/2 cup flax seed meal

1/2 cup rolled oats

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

4 teaspoons baking powder

1 tablespoon sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 tbsp pumpkin pie spice (can use cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and cloves if you don't have pumpkin pie spice)

In a large bowl beat the eggs until they are light and fluffy. Add milk, oil, pumpkin, and vanilla. Beat in remaining ingredients until batter is smooth.

Preheat your waffle iron, and coat with cooking spray. Pour batter into waffle iron in batches, and cook until crisp and golden brown.

Enjoy!

Corn Chowder with Coconut Milk

2011-10-11T23:36:00.001-07:00

4 ears of corn (or 4 cups frozen corn)
1 cup of coconut milk, divided
Olive oil
1 large leek, washed well, trimmed, cut into quarters, and thinly sliced
1 medium carrot, finely diced
1 stalk celery, finely diced
1 tsp. dried thyme
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 pound potatoes, scrubbed well, cut into 1-inch chunks
4 cups vegetable stock (could use chicken stock)
2 tbsp. fresh tarragon leaves, coarsely chopped (not necessary, but delicious if you’ve got it!)
Cut the kernels off two ears of corn and place the kernels in a blender along with ¾ of a cup of the coconut milk. (If using frozen corn, microwave 2 cups of corn until cooked before adding it to blender.) Add a pinch of salt and purée until smooth. Set aside.
Set a soup pot over medium heat. Add just enough olive oil to coat the bottom of the pot and then add the leeks, carrots, celery, and a large pinch of salt. Stir well, then add the dried thyme. Cook, stirring often, until the vegetables are fragrant and starting to soften, about 10-12 minutes. Stir in the potatoes and cook for another 3 minutes. Pour in the corn/coconut milk mixture and stir to coat the vegetables well. Pour in the stock and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cover the pot. Cook until the potatoes are tender, about another 15 minutes.
Cut the kernels off the other two ears of corn (or use the other 2 cups of frozen corn) and add to the pot. Cook for about 3 minutes, until the corn is just cooked through. Stir in the remaining ¼ cup of coconut milk. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve in soup bowls garnished with tarragon.
Serves 4-6
*This is another fabulous recipe from one of my favorite vegetarian food bloggers, Dana Treat. The recipe above includes some minor tweaks after making it myself and finding what worked well for me. My family ALL agreed that this soup is amazing! It was so creamy – don’t let the coconut milk scare you away if you’re not a fan. You’d think it was made with regular milk! If you like leftovers, make sure to double it.

Summer Farfalle Gorgonzola Pasta

2011-08-24T16:24:00.000-07:00

This time of year i'm always searching for new ways to enjoy all the zucchini we get from our garden. As fate would have it, I had most of the ingredients on hand for this recipe--and now it is a new favorite!! I made a few changes to this original recipe--based on what i had in my fridge/garden--and we all loved it! We ate it up before there was time to take a photo! I'll make it again soon and be sure to get a picture.

4 medium zucchini (about 1 pound)
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 of an onion, diced
8 oz fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 cup of small cherry tomatoes (or just cut up a fresh tomato or two)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound farfalle, or another pasta shape (Barilla plus works well)
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
6-8 ounces Gorgonzola (key ingredient--don't skimp)
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1 bunch of fresh basil, finely julienne
freshly grated Parmesan (optional)

Place 4 quarts of water in a large pot, season with salt and bring to a boil.

Wash the zucchini and trim the ends, then grate them on the largest side of a box grater and set aside.

In a large saucepan, heat the oil and butter and sauté the onion and mushrooms over medium heat, stirring, until the vegetables soften and begin to turn translucent. Add the minced garlic and continue cooking for another minute. Add the zucchini and tomatoes to the pan and sauté until the zucchini begins to soften and wilt.

In the meantime, add the pasta to the boiling water and stir occasionally as the pasta cooks.

Season the vegetables with salt and pepper. When the pasta is almost done (the timing here is important if you want a hot meal) add the lemon juice, 1/4 of a cup of the pasta cooking water and the Gorgonzola to the zucchini mixture, stirring to melt the cheese. Stir in the parsley and basil and let the mixture simmer gently for a moment or two.

Drain the pasta, reserving some of the cooking water in case it is needed; add the pasta to the saucy zucchini mixture and toss to coat it completely. Let the pasta cook in the pan for a minute, adding a splash of the reserved cooking water if the sauce seems too tight. Transfer to a warm bowl and serve immediately. Top with Paremsan if desired. Enjoy!

Spinach & Black Bean Enchiladas

2011-04-20T13:34:00.001-07:00

I made up this recipe and didn’t use any exact amounts, so please adjust amounts based on your own taste and how much you want to make! My husband was RAVING about these and said he could eat them for dinner every night.

pound of mushrooms, sliced

garlic

cumin

chili powder

salt & pepper

tons of fresh spinach

a few cups of cooked rice

black beans (1 or 2 cans, drained)

one bunch of cilantro, chopped

bunch of green onions, finely diced

cheese (we used a non-dairy cheese substitute)

whole wheat tortillas

green enchilada sauce

sour cream

optional toppings: olives, avocado, tomatoes, extra cilantro

In a large pan, sauté the garlic and mushrooms in a little olive oil. Add cumin, chili powder, and salt and pepper to taste. Drop in as much fresh spinach as will fit in your pan since it cooks way down. Cook until just wilted. Transfer this mixture to a large bowl and add a few cups of cooked rice, chopped cilantro (reserve a little for garnish on top), green onions, black beans, and a cup of shredded cheese. Add more spices (same ones you added in the sautéing stage) as needed.

Spray a pan with some Pam and put a small amount of the enchilada sauce on the bottom (just enough to barely cover the bottom of the pan. Pile mixture into the middle of the tortillas and then roll up and put in the pan.

Add a few big scoops of sour cream to the remaining enchilada sauce and then pour over the top of all the rolled up tortillas. Sprinkle the top with some more cheese and olives if you like them! Cover with foil and put it in a 350 degree oven for about 40-45 minutes. Here’s what it looks like when you pull it out of the oven:

To make it pretty and even tastier, garnish it up with chopped avocadoes, tomatoes, and cilantro!

I was so happy with how these turned out! (The amount of filling I made ended up making 12 enchiladas—filled one 9x13 pan and almost filled another!)

Granola

2011-02-23T10:30:00.000-08:00

This has been a favorite for years. I have to have a hearty breakfast or I feel terrible before I am anywhere near lunchtime.

Makes about 8 cups

* 1 c butter

* 1 c honey

* 1 c walnuts (chopped)

* 1 c almonds (chopped or slivered)

* 1/4 c. sesame seeds

* 1/2 c sunflower seeds

* 1 1/2 c bran

* 4-5 c rolled oats

* 1 tsp cinnamon (optional)

* 1/2 c wheat germ (optional)

* 1 c raisins (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350 F.

Melt the butter in a large saucepan, add the honey, and mix well. Stir in the seeds, nuts, and optional cinnamon. Add the bran and optional wheat germ, then add 4 c rolled oats. If the mixture is very wet and sticky, add some more oats.

Spray a cookie sheet with non-stick spray, and spread the granola in an even layer. Place on the center rack.

Stir every 10 minutes or so, add the optional raisins after 20 minutes. Bake for a total of 45 minutes, or until golden brown.

(if you would like your granola to be more dense, pack it down at the end of cooking, right when it comes out of the oven)

After the granola cools, store in a tightly sealed container or plastic bag.

This works well served with yogurt, milk, fruit, etc. It is a great basic recipe to try different nuts and fruits.

Spinach Lasagna

2011-02-01T13:43:00.000-08:00

My sister-in-law Paige gave me her lasagna recipe years ago. I made a few modifications to it and this is the only lasagna recipe I’ve used ever since. It has NEVER not turned out!

1 16-oz. pkg lasagna noodles, rinsed in hot water (I always use the whole grain noodles)

4 cups spaghetti sauce (whatever your favorite kind is)

1 cup water

8 oz. fresh mushrooms, sliced

1 16 oz. bag frozen spinach

1 16 oz. container nonfat ricotta cheese

1 egg beaten

8 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese

1/3 cup water

¼ cup parmesan cheese

1 Tbsp. parsley flakes

dash nutmeg

½ cup parmesan cheese

Put sauce, 1 cup water, and mushrooms in saucepan and bring to a boil, then remove from heat. Thaw and squeeze all the water out of the spinach (I wrap it in a towel and then wring the towel out). In large bowl, mix together: spinach, ricotta cheese, egg, mozzarella cheese, 1/3 cup water, ¼ cup parmesan cheese, parsley flakes, nutmeg. Assemble lasagna in 9x13 pan as follows:

1 2/3 cups sauce
lasagna noodles (3 lengthwise, 1 crosswise—break to fit)
½ cheese mixture
1 2/3 cups sauce
lasagna noodles
rest of cheese mixture
1 2/3 cups sauce
lasagna noodles
rest of sauce
sprinkle with ½ cup parmesan cheese

Bake at 375°F, covered with foil for 40 minutes. Remove foil and bake for another 15 minutes. Let stand 5-10 minutes before cutting and serving.

*Dairy free variation: Substitute one container of firm tofu for the ricotta cheese. Mash tofu and then mix with the other ingredients in the cheese mixture, using a vegan mozzarella cheese and vegan parmesan cheese substitute. I once had a dinner party where I made the regular version and the dairy-free one. I told everyone that they were made differently, but didn’t tell them how. People said they could taste a slight difference but no one could figure out what I had changed! They loved them both.

Pumpkin Pancakes

2011-01-08T18:20:00.000-08:00

Recently we have become addicted to my sister in law's pumpkin pancake recipe. Even though it has chocolate chips in it, the recipe is made up of whole wheat flour & pumpkin, so it doesn't send my blood sugar for a loop. The kids love it, and when Samuel sees me making the pancakes he can hardly stand the wait! He yells and shakes his fists at me until I fork over the first pancake off the griddle. Then there is only contented silence. My little guy has polished off as many as 3 pancakes in a single morning. Not bad for a 10 month old!

We eat them like cookies with a glass of milk. They are also tasty with a bit of whipped cream. I don't do syrup with these, but suit yourself! Thanks Ang for an awesome recipe!

Pumpkin Pancakes

2 cups Flour (I use hard white wheat flour)

3 Tbs. Brown Sugar
2 tsp. Baking Powder
1 tsp. Baking Soda
1/2 tsp. Ground Allspice
1 tsp. Cinnamon
½ tsp. Ground Ginger

¼ to ½ tsp. Ground Nutmeg
½ tsp. Salt
1 ½ cups Milk
1 cup Pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)
1 Egg
2 Tbs. Oil
2 Tbs. Apple Cider Vinegar
1 cup Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips

Stir together dry ingredients. Add wet ingredients and mix just until moistened. Stir in chocolate chips. Drop about a 1/4 cup of batter (an ice cream scoop works great) onto a warm griddle (350 degrees). When edges begin to set and bubbles pop in middle, flip pancakes and cook other side until done. Serve warm or at room temperature. Makes about 16 pancakes.

Hint: If you double the recipe it works to use a small can of pumpkin puree from the store. It is a little less than the recipe calls for but it works out just fine.

Tex-Mex Pumpkin Patties

2010-11-23T18:12:00.000-08:00

We had these tonight and really like them. We got this recipe a few years ago from the Family Fun magazine. I doubled it for our family of 5 we had two patties left over. We topped them with salsa, and served them with a big green salad. It made for a perfect pre-Thanksgiving dinner!

Ingredients

2 slices firm sandwich bread, crumbled
Several leaves of fresh Italian parsley, chopped (I omitted this and didn't notice)
1/2 cup fine, dry bread crumbs, plus extra for coating
1/2 - 3/4 cup grated sharp Cheddar or Monterey Jack
1 1/2 tablespoons canola oil
3/4 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 cup finely chopped green or red bell pepper
1/2 cup frozen corn kernels
1 clove garlic, minced

1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/3 cup solidly packed pumpkin mash or canned pumpkin
1/3 cup ricotta (I used yogurt and it worked just fine)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons butter

Instructions

In a medium-size bowl, mix together the crumbled bread, parsley, bread crumbs, and grated cheese. Set this aside. Heat the oil in a medium-size skillet over medium heat, then add the onion, pepper, and corn. Sauté the vegetables until soft, about 7 minutes, stirring often. Mix in the garlic, chili powder, and cumin and cook it all for another minute. Remove the skillet from the heat and spoon the contents into the bread crumb mixture.
In a large bowl, mix together the egg, pumpkin, and ricotta. Add the bread crumb mixture, stirring thoroughly, then season with the salt and pepper. Flour your hands, then shape the mixture into six 3/4-inch-thick patties, using about 1/3 cup for each one. Dredge the patties in bread crumbs and refrigerate them for about 1 1/2 hours.
Melt the butter in a large skillet. Transfer the patties to the skillet and fry them over medium heat until they turn golden, about 4 minutes on each side. Remove them from the skillet and serve right away. Makes 6 patties.
Test kitchen tip: The crumbled bread is essential to the texture, and prepared bread crumbs shouldn't be substituted. Set out the bread slices for about 30 minutes to air-dry, then crumble them by hand, with a serrated knife, or in a food processor.

Saucy Thai Stir Fry

2010-09-10T16:12:00.000-07:00

I tossed this together one day and we liked it so well that I tried to write down how much I put in of what, so these are definitely approximations! It's one of those meals that Aaron loves so much that I don't see that look in his eyes that means "it's good, but it would be even better if you threw in some meat." The flavor and the nutty crunch are enough to satisfy even my Montana man.

a little canola oil
1 T. minced garlic
1 med. onion, diced
3 T. ketchup or tomato sauce
3 T. soy sauce
1 c. chicken broth (or your favorite veggie broth)
1/4 c. peanut butter
1 large handful chopped cilantro
1 t. ginger
a little cayenne pepper
1/4 c. lime juice

1 zucchini, diced
1 yellow squash, diced
4-5 carrots, diced
1 large head broccoli, chopped into small florets
any other vegetable that sounds good

1 c. roasted cashews or peanuts

Saute the onions and garlic in a sauce pan until the onions are translucent. Add the rest of the sauce ingredients (through the lime juice) and simmer while you stir-fry the veggies to desired doneness in a wok or other pan. If the sauce is too thin, add a little cornstarch-and-water mixture. When the veggies are cooked, pour the sauce over them and sprinkle on the nuts. Garnish with more cilantro if you're feeling fancy enough for a garnish. Serve over rice.

Low-Fat Lemon Zucchini Cake

2010-08-16T10:15:00.000-07:00

We just had this for dessert last night to help us use our plethora of zucchini. I served it with sliced fresh strawberries and it was a light, fairly nutritious treat! I often bake with all whole wheat flour, but I thought that this turned out a bit yummier using just a little white flour.

1 1/2 c grated zucchini (tightly packed)
1/4 c plain non-fat yogurt
1/4 c canola oil
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 egg white
1 t vanilla
1/2 c sugar
2 T lemon juice
1 T lemon zest

1 1/3 c whole wheat flour
2/3 c all-purpose flour
1 1/2 t baking powder
1/2 t baking soda
1/2 t salt

Mix the first group of ingredients. Add the dry ingredients and stir until moist. Pour into a greased round cake pan or a loaf pan. Bake at 350 for 35 min for a round cake pan or 45-55 min for a loaf pan. Let cool in the pan for 5-10 min. Then remove from the pan and cool on a rack.

Sesame Skillet Stir-Fry

2010-06-15T13:43:00.000-07:00

This is my version of fried rice. It's quick to stir together when I have leftover rice. I use whatever vegetables I have on hand. The recipe lists the veggies I used in the picture below, but I've also used mushrooms, broccoli, red peppers, bok choy, and green beans. (Sorry--I don't take good food pictures. It tastes much better than it looks, I promise. Maybe Meredith can make it and take a better picture for me!) This recipe makes a lot--enough for my family of 8 with a little leftover for lunch the next day. You might want to reduce the quantities if you're not serving such a big group.

2 cups dry brown rice

2 T. sesame oil

6 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 c. sliced green onions

6 c. shredded cabbage or broccoli slaw

1 c. shredded carrots

1 c. sliced celery

3 c. fresh spinach, chopped

2 c. frozen peas

2-3 T. soy sauce

crushed red pepper, to taste

peanuts or cashews for garnish

Cook rice according to directions. In a large skillet or dutch oven, heat sesame oil over medium high heat. Saute garlic and onions in oil for 2 minutes. Add cabbage, carrots, celery, and spinach and stir 2-3 minutes until wilted. Add cooked rice, soy sauce, and red pepper to taste (about 1/2 teaspoon for mild, more if you like spicy). Stir and cook 3 minutes more. Add peas and cook 2 more minutes. Top with nuts, if desired.

The original recipe called for ground beef, but I never make it that way, of course. One time I used Morningstar Farms veggie sausage crumbles and my kids especially loved it.

Skillet Polenta and Eggplant Bake

2010-06-14T08:02:00.000-07:00

2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 medium eggplant, cut into 3/4 inch chunks
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 (14.5 oz.) can diced tomatoes
salt and pepper
4 cups water
1 cup instant polenta
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup shredded fontina cheese (I used mozzarella)
1/3 cup chopped fresh basil (used dried)

1. Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat broiler. Heat oil in large oven safe nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add eggplant and cook until eggplant begins to brown, about 4 minutes. Reduce heat and cook until eggplant is tender and lightly browned, about 4 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook about 30 seconds. Add tomatoes and simmer until slightly thickened, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to bowl.

2. Add water to now-empty skillet and bring to boil. Gradually whisk in polenta and 1/2 teaspoon salt. cook over medium heat, whisking until very thick, about 5 minutes. Off heat, stir in Parmesan.

3. Spread polenta evenly in skillet and partially up sides. Spread eggplant mixture evenly over polenta, leaving 1-inch border. Top with fontina. Place in oven and broil until cheese is melted and beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle basil on top and serve.

*this was easy to make, keeps the mess to a minimum and was liked by all.

Tikka Masala

2010-05-21T20:33:00.001-07:00

1 Tbsp olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tbsp. minced fresh ginger

3 carrots, sliced

2 stalks celery, sliced

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp black pepper

1 ½ Tbsp ground cumin

4 tsp paprika

2 tsp salt, or to taste

16 oz. tomato sauce

2 cups soy creamer

2 cans garbanzo beans

¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro

Sauté garlic and ginger in olive oil over medium heat for a couple minutes. Add carrots and celery and cook for a few more minutes. Season with cinnamon, pepper, cumin, paprika, and salt, then stir in tomato sauce, creamer, and garbanzo beans. Simmer on low heat until sauce thickens, about 20 minutes. Serve over brown rice and sprinkle chopped cilantro on top.

*I’m a wimp, but if you like it spicy, add ½ a chopped jalapeno when you are cooking the ginger and garlic.

Creamy Santa Fe Potato Salad

2010-04-24T12:55:00.000-07:00

Aaron likes this even better than regular potato salad, and it's loaded with real vegetables! (Unlike some people, I don't count potatoes as "real" vegetables.)

½ c. Light or fat-free mayonnaise
½ c. Sour cream
½ c. Salsa
1 T. Taco seasoning

6 Medium potatoes
7 oz Frozen corn, thawed
2/3 c. Finely chopped celery
2/3 c. Shredded carrot
2/3 c. Chopped green pepper
¼ c. Sliced black olives (optional)
½ c. Chopped red onion

Boil potatoes till barely tender, then cool slightly and cut in cubes. Mix mayo, sour cream, salsa, and taco seasoning together to make the dressing. While potato cubes are still warm, gently stir in dressing. Cover and chill at least 1 hour.

Gently fold in corn, celery, carrots, green pepper; black olives, and red onion. Refrigerate until thoroughly chilled.

Broccoli Salad

2010-04-24T12:43:00.000-07:00

This is a great summer side dish! It's a zippy way to serve fresh broccoli.

1 tablespoon white vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 1/2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon salt
Pinch freshly ground black pepper
2-3 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound broccoli, rinsed, trimmed and sliced thinly
1-2 dices Roma tomatoes (depending on size)
1/3 cup coarsely chopped, toasted pecans or hazelnuts
2 tablespoons chiffonade fresh basil leaves (or 2 t. dried)

Whisk together the vinegar, zest, lemon juice, mustard, salt, and pepper in a medium mixing bowl. While whisking constantly, gradually add the olive oil. Add the broccoli and toss to coat. Cover and place in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.

Stir in the tomatoes, hazelnuts and basil. Cover and allow to sit, at room temperature or in the refrigerator, for another 15 minutes before serving.

Pea Pesto

2010-03-19T20:52:00.001-07:00

I clipped a recipe out of Good Housekeeping AGES ago and finally got around to trying it. Of course, I didn’t decide I was going to make it until about 30 minutes before dinnertime, so I didn’t have all the ingredients, but wanted to give it a shot anyway. I will post the original recipe and then post the modifications I made in parentheses.

16 oz. package of frozen peas

2 cloves garlic, chopped

2 Tbsp. water

2 cups loosely packed fresh basil leaves (16 oz. package frozen spinach)

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (1/4 cup soy “Parmesan” cheese)

2 Tbsp. olive oil

3/4 tsp. salt

In microwave-safe bowl, combine peas, water, and garlic. Cover with waxed paper and cook in microwave on high for 4 minutes or until peas are tender. Let cool 5 minutes, then transfer pea mixture to food processor with knife blade attached. Add basil leaves (or if using frozen spinach like me, microwave it all and then put it in a towel and squeeze out all the excess water before adding to processor), cheese, olive oil, and salt. Process until smooth. Makes about 1 1/2 cups pesto, enough to toss with 1 pound of cooked pasta (I used whole wheat penne). I also added artichoke hearts when I tossed it with the pasta. We all thought it was delicious!

See another way to use this pesto here!

Pizza Potatoes

2010-03-07T18:19:00.000-08:00

I got this recipe from my Whole Foods iphone app, a totally cool free app BTW. We had it for dinner tonight, it was super easy to make, I had all the ingredients on hand and my kids loved it, they didn't even know they were eating mushrooms which sometimes my 5 yr. old picks out and my husband said he'd eat it as often as I'd make it. Four thumbs up I guess. The recipe makes enough for 4 adults so we had some left overs.

4 medium russet, red or yellow potatoes

1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 zucchini, sliced

1 yellow summer squash, sliced

1/2 pound sliced mushrooms

1 small yellow onion, sliced

Salt and pepper to taste

1 cup marinara sauce

1/2 cup shredded mozzarella

Preheat oven to 400°F. Prick potatoes all over with a fork, brush with 1/2 tablespoon of the oil and arrange on a small baking sheet. Bake until tender, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. When the potatoes are almost tender, heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add zucchini, squash, mushrooms, onions, salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until just tender and golden brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Preheat broiler. Split open potatoes, transfer to a baking dish, pour marinara over potatoes then top with zucchini mixture and mozzarella. Broil until cheese is melted and bubbly, 2 to 3 minutes, then transfer to plates and serve.

Apple, Feta and Pecan Salad

2010-03-04T13:46:00.000-08:00

We have this delicious salad almost once a week. It's so easy, my girls devour it, and I tend to have all the ingredients on hand. We've had this as a side dish and as the main course. You can make any adjustments to the dressing you'd like--I did! (The original recipe called for 1 cup of olive oil and 3/4 cups of sugar)

Salad Dressing:
Combine the following in a blender/food processer and puree:

1/4 c. sugar
1-2 tsp dry mustard
1/2 tsp. salt
1/3 c. apple cider vinegar (i prefer Bragg's brand)
1/8 small onion
2-3 Tbs. olive oil

Then add, pulsing once to blend:
1 1/2 Tbs. poppy seed (optional)

Sweet Toasted Pecans:

Soak 1 cup of pecans in water for 5-10 minutes. Drain. Toss with sugar (about 3-4 tbs), 1/8 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp chili powder. Spread onto baking sheet and toast at 400 for about 10 minutes (keep an eye on them, since the sugar can burn). Allow to cool.

Combine the following ingredients in a large salad bowl:

2 heads red leaf, green leaf, romaine lettuce, shredded
2 apples (granny smith are nice) sliced thinly
Craisins to taste
1/2 cup Feta cheese--or to taste
Toasted pecans

Top with the dressing, and mix well.

Enjoy!

Crockpot Hash Brown Breakfast Casserole

2010-03-01T18:45:00.000-08:00

30 oz package of plain frozen hash brown (shredded) potatoes
1/2 onion, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced

1 red bell pepper diced

1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 cup shredded cheese (I used provolone)
12 eggs
1 cup skim milk (I used plain soymilk)
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp black pepper

Spray the inside of your crockpot with cooking spray. Pour in the whole package of hash browns.

In a bowl, mix the eggs with the milk, salt and pepper, cheese, diced peppers and mushrooms. Pour everything on top of the hash browns.

Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours, This is done when the eggs are fully cooked and the edges start to brown a bit. If you want the cheese to brown and get a bit crispy on the sides, cook it longer. My crockpot cooks a little hot so I set it to simmer (just lower than low) for 8 hours. I set it just before going to bed and it was ready and delicious when we woke up and a huge hit with my kids. They weren't sure when they looked at it but after one bite they gobbled the rest up. The leftovers make yummy breakfast burritos with tortillas and salsa. This makes a lot, enough for 6 good size servings.

Sorry no picture - but as with most crockpot recipes it tastes better than it looks!

Giardino Burgers

2010-03-01T00:14:00.001-08:00

These were a hit with the whole family—do you know how rare that is in a family of 8? Yes, you probably do. I can’t be the only one who has given up trying to please everyone at every meal. Well, these burgers got compliments from all, especially my two toughest critics: Corinne (5) said, “Mom, I like this even better than pizza!” and Evan (14), my meat-loving son who wishes his mom would buy red meat, said, “These are actually really good—definitely make them again!” Need I say more?

I was happy about how quick these were to make, and how well the patties held together after baking. I "once and a halved" this recipe to make 9 burgers and they disappeared. Next time I'll double it. I served the burgers with these homemade potato/sweet potato chips and they were great!

1-15 oz. can garbanzo beans, drained (I used 1-3/4 cup cooked dry beans)
3 eggs
1 cup bread crumbs (I put a couple of slices of homemade wheat bread in the blender)
1 cup shredded carrots (the recipe says to add your favorite vegetable)
salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste
ketchup, mustard, pickles, lettuce, tomatoes, red onion, cheese, avocado, etc.
Rolls or buns

Preheat oven to 350. Put the garbanzos and eggs into a bowl and mash them together with a potato masher. (Corinne loved doing this for me). You want the mixture to be well combined, but a little chunky. Add the bread crumbs, carrots (or any other vegetables you’d like), and seasonings.

Form the mixture into 6 patties. I divided the mixture into mounds on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper and then formed them into round patties, about 3/4 inch thick.

Bake for about 25 minutes until lightly browned. Serve on buns with your favorite toppings.

Red Lentil Vegetable Soup

2010-02-27T20:35:00.001-08:00

1 cup red lentils
2 cups chopped onion (about 3 small onions)
2 stalks celery, chopped
6 carrots, chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
4 cups shredded cabbage (about 1 small head of cabbage)
1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
4 ½ cups liquid (strained liquid from lentils plus water)
4 ½ tsp bouillon
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
½ teaspoon white sugar
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried thyme
½ teaspoon curry powder

Place the lentils into a stockpot or a Dutch oven and add water to twice the depth of the lentils. Bring to a boil, then lower heat and let simmer for 10 minutes. Place a strainer over a bowl and pour lentils through, so you can save the strained water.
Put about 1-2 teaspoons of olive oil in the bottom of a big soup pot and heat over med-high heat. Add the chopped onion, garlic, carrots and celery. Cook a couple minutes, until onions soften a bit. Next add the cabbage and let it cook for about 2-3 minutes to let the cabbage reduce down. Now add in tomatoes, strained liquid & water, and seasonings. Stir in the cooked lentils. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover the pot, and let it cook for 45 minutes. YUM!

Taco Salad

2010-02-16T15:25:00.000-08:00

2 cups dry lentils

4 cups water

1 onion, finely diced

1 pepper, finely diced (any color)

1 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes

1 t. basil

1 t. oregano

1 t. cumin

½ t. thyme

1 t. salt

Pepper to taste

1 T. chili powder

Put lentils and water in a pot and bring to a boil. Let it boil for 5 minutes, then cover and reduce to a simmer for another 15 minutes. When the lentils have about five minutes left, sauté onions and peppers until soft. Add cooked lentils and all the rest of the ingredients. Simmer covered for 20 minutes to let the flavors come together. Serve over tortilla chips with your choice of toppings. We like to use chopped tomatoes, lettuce, and avocado.

This reheats well and I almost think it’s even better the next day! You can also replace the lentils with black beans for a delicious variation.

Four Bean Chili

2010-01-29T15:34:00.000-08:00

1 can black beans, NOT drained

1 can kidney beans, rinsed and drained

1 can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained

1 can vegetarian baked beans, NOT drained

1 (14.5 ounce) can chopped (or crushed) tomatoes

1 (15 ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained

1 cup water

1 onion, chopped

1 green bell pepper, chopped

2 stalks celery, chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 tablespoon chili powder, or to taste

1 tablespoon dried parsley

1 tablespoon dried oregano

1 tablespoon dried basil

In a crockpot, combine all ingredients. Cook for 4 hours on high or 8 hours on low. Top with avocado, cilantro, and/or whatever else you like on your chili!

Mushroom Stuffing

2009-11-27T21:11:00.000-08:00

1 loaf whole wheat bread
About a tablespoon of olive oil
2 large onions, minced
6 stalks celery, chopped
1 ½ tsp. coarse salt
¼ tsp. ground black pepper
1 Tbsp. dried sage
1 tsp. dried crushed rosemary
1 tsp. dried thyme
1 ½ pounds mushrooms, chopped
3 cups low-sodium vegetable broth (you could use chicken broth too)
1 cup coarsely chopped fresh parsley

A couple days before you want to make the stuffing, take all the bread out of the bag and lay them out in a single layer on baking sheets to dry out and get stale. (If you forget to do this two days ahead, just put them in the oven at 300 degrees for about 30 minutes.) Chop dried bread up into cubes.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat; add onions, celery, salt, pepper, sage, rosemary, and thyme. Cook, tossing often, until beginning to brown, 12-15 minutes. Add mushrooms. Put a lid on the skillet; cook until they release liquid, 5-7 minutes. Uncover; cook, tossing occasionally, until tender and liquid has evaporated, 10-12 minutes more. Transfer to a large bowl; let cool completely. Add bread, 2 cups of the broth, parsley, and 3/4 cup water to bowl; toss well. Season with salt and pepper. Add more broth, depending on how saturated you like your bread to be. Spray 9x13 pan with Pam, dump in the stuffing, and then cover with foil and refrigerate until ready to bake. Bake for 25 minutes covered at 400 F. Then, remove foil; bake until golden, 20-25 minutes.

Lentil Pasta Sauce

2009-11-01T10:18:00.000-08:00

2 teaspoons olive oil

1 onion, minced very finely

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 large carrots, grated

1 cup dry lentils

3 cups water

2 cups fresh sliced mushrooms

1 15 oz. can crushed tomatoes

1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste

2 1/2 tsp. crushed basil
2 tsp. dry oregano
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper

1 tsp. sugar

1/2 cup water

In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add onions and garlic. Cook and stir until tender, about 5 minutes. Add lentils, carrots, and 3 cups water to vegetables. Bring to a rolling boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook 25-30 minutes, until lentils are soft. Stir in mushrooms, and add the rest of the ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes. If necessary, add more water to keep the sauce from sticking. Be careful not to dilute; the sauce should be quite thick.

Note: I made a double-batch of this and froze a lot for later use. I thought this was a great hearty pasta sauce. This was adapted from a recipe that I found on Allrecipes. The original recipe used zucchini instead of carrots, but you could do red or green peppers too. I couldn't even see or taste the carrots in there once it was all done, but it adds some extra nutrients!

Pumpkin Pasta Sauce

2009-10-17T23:28:00.000-07:00

I posted a recipe that some of you have been requesting.
Take a look here for one of our fall favorites!

Black Bean & Corn Fajitas

2009-09-25T20:07:00.000-07:00

1 red pepper

1 green pepper

1 yellow pepper

16 oz. pkg mushrooms

1 packet fajita seasoning

2 cans black beans, rinsed and drained

1 can corn, drained

cilantro, chopped

tomatoes, chopped

avocado, sliced

corn or whole wheat flour tortillas

Slice mushrooms and peppers into thin slices. Sauté mushrooms in a large pan with a small amount of olive oil for a couple minutes. Add peppers and cook for another couple minutes. When peppers are still a little crisp, add fajita seasoning, beans, and corn and combine, stirring until it is heated through. When ready to serve, sprinkle fresh cilantro on the top. Spoon into warmed tortillas and top with tomatoes and avocado and roll up!

Baked Spiced Butternut Squash with Apples & Maple Syrup

2009-09-21T12:41:00.000-07:00

I know I have never posted on this site before...but that doesn't mean I haven't drooled over and tried some of your fabulous recipes. Some of you I know...some I don't...but we all love good food, right?

we made this last night...

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
3/4 cup pure maple syrup
1/4 cup apple juice
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 small butternut squashes, peeled, halved lengthwise, seeded, cut crosswise into 1/3-inch-thick slices
4 6-ounce Granny Smith apples, peeled, halved, cored, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices

Preheat oven to 400°F. Butter 13 x 9 x 2-inch glass baking dish. Stir butter, maple syrup and apple juice in small saucepan over medium-low heat until butter melts. Increase heat and boil until mixture is slightly reduced, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat; whisk in cinnamon, allspice and salt.

Arrange 1/3 of squash slices in prepared dish. Top with half of apple slices, then 1/3 of squash slices. Arrange remaining slices of squash and apple atop, alternating squash and apple slices and overlapping slightly. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Pour maple syrup mixture over. Cover baking dish tightly with foil.

Bake casserole until squash is almost tender, about 50 minutes. Uncover and bake until squash is tender, basting occasionally with syrup, about 20 minutes longer. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover with foil and refrigerate. Rewarm, covered, in 350°F oven about 25 minutes, or microwave on high about 8 minutes.) Spoon syrup from dish over vegetables and serve.

(from Epicurious.com)

Mindy's adaptation: After reading some of the online reviews, I halved the butter, used water instead of apple juice (out of necessity) and only kept it covered for 35 minutes of baking. It was so tasty. Not too mushy, not too buttery, just good autumnal yumminess. And our goats loved the squash and apple peelings!

Pumpkinier Muffins

2009-09-17T09:13:00.000-07:00

Our pumpkin patch is thriving again, and this is one of our favorite ways to enjoy it! I adapted the recipe to use lots more pumpkin because we have more than we know what to do with, plus it makes the muffins more healthful. I reduced the sugar and fat and use whole wheat to seal the deal. Even if you don't grow your own pumpkins, they're pretty cheap this time of year so making your own puree is definitely a money saver! You can use the extra puree in soups or in Mirien's delicious pumpkin pasta sauce!

1 small pumpkin (about 3 ½ c. pumpkin puree, thinner than canned)

1 1/3 c. sugar
1/3 c. oil
3 eggs (or substitute)
3 ½ c. whole wheat flour
2 t. cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice
½ t. salt
1 T. baking soda
2 c. chocolate chips

Cut the pumpkin in half, scrape out the seeds, chop in chunks, and bake on a cookie sheet at 375 for 30-45 min, until tender. Throw the chunks, skins and all, in the blender with enough water to make it puree nicely. That makes it a bit runnier than the canned pumpkin puree, but I've adapted the muffin recipe to work well like this.

In a large bowl, mix pumpkin puree, sugar, oil, and eggs with a spoon. Add dry ingredients and mix until moist. Gently stir in chocolate chips. Fill greased or lined muffin cups about 2/3 full. Bake at 350 for 20-23 min. Makes 2 dozen muffins.

Spicy Black Bean Burgers

2009-09-04T22:00:00.001-07:00

Adapted from "Recipe of the Week: Burgers" by Sally Sampson

4 cups cooked, rinsed and drained black beans
1/2 cup Japanese-style panko breadcrumbs
2 large eggs
4 scallions, both white and green parts, minced
3 Tbsp. (a small handful) chopped basil or cilantro, or a combination
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2-2 tsp. ground cumin
1 1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1-2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1 tsp. coarse salt
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper

Place 2 cups of the black beans in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until chunky.

Transfer to a large mixing bowl. Add remaining whole black beans, plus breadcrumbs, eggs, scallions, fresh herbs, garlic, cumin, oregano and red pepper flakes and mix until well combined.

Portion mixture into patties about 1 inch thick. Suggested diameter: 3 inches; otherwise, the patty will be difficult to flip when cooking. Place patties on a plate or tray and chill for 15 minutes so they can set up.

When ready to cook, remove patties from fridge and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place a cast-iron skillet over high heat, without any fat; when it is hot but not smoking, add burgers to dry pan.

Cook for about four minutes on first side or until well seared and with a flipping spatula, turn onto second side and allow to cook for an additional five minutes, over medium heat.

Serve immediately with fixins': Monterey jack, cheddar or queso fresco, lettuce, fresh tomato slice, pico de gallo or jarred salsa, sour cream, avocado. Good on a soft bun or by itself.

Makes four to six burgers.

Note: I had about a cup of a mixture of leftover pinto and white beans in the fridge, so I used 3 cups black beans and 1 cup of these two other beans. I also left out the red pepper flakes cuz I’m a wimp and I also wanted to make sure it wasn’t too spicy for my girls. We all loved ‘em!

Vegetarian Meat Loaf

2009-08-14T07:27:00.000-07:00

Yet another lovely lentil recipe. This one is great, it tastes just like meatloaf, the right flavors and textures. There was plenty left over with just the two of us, but it was eaten quickly.

1 1/8 cups dried lentils
3 1/2 cups water
1 teaspoon of bouillon of your choice (i chose tomato)
3 eggs
1 cup water
2 tablespoons ketchup
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 packet dry onion soup mix
6 slices wheat bread, torn into small pieces
ketchup to squeeze on top

Combine lentils and water and bouillon in a pot. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat a little, and simmer until tender, about 30 minutes. (If you cooked your lentils earlier it would save 30 minutes in preparation)
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan.
In a large bowl, mix together 2 cups cooked drained lentils, eggs, broth (water with bouillon), ketchup, soy sauce, basil, garlic powder, black pepper, parsley, olive oil, and dry soup mix. Then mix in the bread. Mash into prepared pan.
Bake for 50 minutes. Squeeze on some ketchup, and continue baking another 10 minutes. Let sit for 10 minutes before serving or trying to get out of the pan.

Simple Lentil Curry

2009-08-13T09:57:00.000-07:00

This was VERY easy to make, especially since I had some lentils that I had already cooked (since the lentils I had were cooked i skipped to step 2). The thing that took the longest was cooking the rice. It tasted great, I highly recommend it and I'll be making it again very soon.

1/2 cup dried lentils
2 cups water
3/4 cup canned lite unsweetened coconut milk
green onion
1 tablespoon curry powder
salt to taste

1. Put the lentils and water in a pot on high heat. Bring to a boil, then cover, and simmer over low heat for 20 minutes.
2. Stir in the curry paste, coconut milk, onion and season with salt to taste. Return to a simmer, and cook for an additional 10 to 15 minutes, until tender and as saucy as you like.
3. Serve over rice, or whatever else you like.

Vegetarian Sloppy Joes

2009-08-12T12:14:00.000-07:00

I got a couple bags of lentils from Walmart for really cheap and I've been using them for making lentil tacos, which I love. But I decided to branch out and try some other recipes with lentils and all so far have been a big success, and all fairly easy to make. Since all of these require you to get the lentils soft and to a kind of meat like texture, you could cook a bunch a head of time and have a few different lentil meals throughout the week. This would cut your prep time huge! This recipe was great the first day and great 2 days later for lunch.

1 1/2 cups dried lentils
6 cups water
1 Tbsp olive oil (I just sprayed the pan with olive oil spray)
1 onion, diced
3/4 cup tomato sauce (or ketchup if you don't have it)
3 Tbsp yellow mustard (NOT mustard seed, the actual liquid kind)
1 1/2 Tbsp vinegar
1/2 tsp garlic powder
3 Tbsp packed brown sugar, or maple syrup, or agave nectar
salt and pepper
whole wheat hamburger buns

Combine lentils and water in a big pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 20-30 minutes, until they're soft (this is the step you can do in a larger quantity and then use the lentils in any of the lentil recipes). Meanwhile, sauté the onion in the olive oil until it begins to soften, and gets a little transparent. Drain lentils and add to skillet, along with everything else. Add salt and pepper to taste. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 10 to 15 minutes. If the mixture is too soupy, let it simmer, or if you see it getting too thick, add more water. Serve on whole wheat hamburger buns.

Cashew Alfredo

2009-07-22T13:56:00.000-07:00

I know it sounds odd but this Alfredo sauce is made with pureed cashews instead of any butter or cream, so it still does have fat, but it is much less and it is the GOOD kind of fat instead of the artery-clogging kind. And you can make it completely vegan as i did. I first heard about doing this from my sister Mirien who also posts on this blog but she hasn't posted it yet so i figured I would. It's a really easy recipe also-- it takes just as long as the pasta takes to cook.

1/2 cup raw cashews (I get them here in cashew pieces for $3.65 a pound)
1 1/2 cups boiling water (I add extra water to the pasta and take it out once the pasta has cooked about 3 minutes)
1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice (i left this out because i didn't have it)
1-2 garlic cloves (or more, depends on your taste)
1 tablespoon olive oil
salt & pepper (it definitely needs some salt, i didn't put enough in and added it at the table)
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

Blend the nuts alone and just get them to smaller pieces, then add the pasta water and blend it for about 2 minutes, or until it looks like there aren't any pieces. Then add everything else and blend it again for a minute or two. If its not as thick as you'd like then put it in a little saucepan and heat it again and it will thicken.

That's all there is to it. I've seen variations that call for a 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese or mozzarella or 2 Tbsp. nutritional yeast. I wanted to keep it vegan, and didn't have any nutritional yeast so i just stuck with what's above and my wife and I both really like it. It could be easily doubled but i wouldn't recommend doing more than that unless you have a huge blender or are doing multiple batches. The recipe listed makes enough for about 4 people. I have even mixed it with a canned spaghetti sauce and it makes a very quick and tasty pink sauce.

The picture isn't the best, but it tasted great. I made it with spaghetti noodles and sprinkled parsley on top. I have also mixed steamed broccoli into the sauce at the end and served it over pasta. Every way I've tried it, it's been great.

Oatmeal Pizza Crust

2009-07-17T13:10:00.001-07:00

¾ cup warm water

1 pkg. (2 ¼ tsp) active dry yeast

½ tsp. sugar

1 Tbsp. olive oil

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 cup quick or old fashioned oats

1 Tbsp. Parmesan cheese

½ tsp. salt

In a mixing bowl, combine water, yeast, and sugar. Let stand until foamy. Stir in the rest of the ingredients and mix for 1 minute (a mixer with a dough hook works well). Cover and let rest for 15-20 minutes. With floured hands, shape dough into ball and press into pan. (You want to make it pretty thin, because it will rise a little more.) Cover and let rest 15 minutes. Bake at 450 for about 8 minutes. Remove from oven and top with your choice of pizza toppings. Bake for 10 more minutes until cheese is melted. Makes one pizza.

Note: To make ahead and freeze, just bake crust for 8 minutes, then cool and freeze. Frozen crusts may be topped with sauce/toppings and baked for 10-15 minutes.

Ginger-Cumin Infused Carrot, Zucchini & Chickpea "Pasta"

2009-06-29T08:17:00.001-07:00

Serves 4

1 small green zucchini
1 small yellow zucchini
1 large carrot
1/2 onion
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup vegetable broth
1/2 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/2 inch knob fresh ginger, peeled and grated (I used half this amount)
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
pepper and salt to taste

1. Using a vegetable peeler, slice zucchini and carrots into long, fettuccini-like strips. Set aside.

2. Meanwhile, slice the onion into very thin pieces and separate them into strips. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat and add onion, allowing the strips to gently 'sweat' until soft, about 5 minutes.

3. Add the broth, zucchini and carrots. Allow the vegetables to cook for about 3 or 4 minutes. Add the chickpeas, ginger, cumin, salt and pepper.

4. Simmer for about 5 minutes, taste, adjust seasoning, and serve hot.

I found this recipe in Natural Health Magazine. We really enjoyed this dish and the kids LOVED using the peeler to slice all the zucchini and carrots. I went easy on the ginger so that they would eat it but next time I think I'll just follow the recipe and add all of it.

Pesto

2009-06-27T00:09:00.000-07:00

My sister gave me this idea, and it's so great!! Mer--you are going to love this!!!

Do you ever buy one of these big Spring Mixes from Costco and find that one or two days later it's already starting to wilt?

My sister, Melanie, told me that she uses this instead of using fresh basil (which i LOVE, but is a bit pricey) in her favorite pesto recipe!! And i tried it--and it was AMAZING!!!! It's sooo good!! My kids all devoured it, and we had company over and i served it on Mahi-Mahi and no one could believe what it was they were eating.

I just threw about 3 cups of the salad greens into the blender with
a clove of fresh garlic
1/3 cup pine nuts
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese
sea salt
enough olive oil to get my blender to blend it all together

I made 3 batches, and froze a bunch. It freezes really well.

I'm still trying to decide what to call it. Spring Pesto? Pesto with a Zesto? Pesto for the heart? Deceptive Pesto? Your Mom Would Be So Proud Pesto? I dunno-- I still haven't decided :)
Enjoy!

Hummus/Homus/Humous....

2009-06-26T23:49:00.000-07:00

I've recently learned how to make hummus--real hummus. I've been making a sorry chickpea blend for the last few years that is an insult to the entire bean family. So, since we're all probably looking for low-heat meals during these summer months, let me just share with you what i've learned, and see if it works as well for you :)

The trick is to have really, really soft garbanzo beans, with the skins removed. So, if you use canned beans (which i do) you have to boil them, in their juice (and some water) for about 20 minutes, until they are really soft--they mush quite easily between your fingers. Then, once they're that soft, you want to get the skins off. I've found that vigorously stirring them in the pot, while they're still hot/warm, makes the skins fall right off. And the skins float to the surface, so they're easy to just scoop out. (if a few skins remain, that's fine)

Then, after adding all the ingredients, I blend and blend and blend the hummus until it is creamy. And i do mean creamy--smooth and creamy. Usually about 5-7 minutes in my blender.

So, that's it. Nothing too fancy, just a couple steps that make all the difference.

I don't really have an exact recipe, but here's an approximation:

1 can garbanzo beans

1 clove garlic (you really have to have fresh garlic for this)

2-3 tbsp Tahini Sauce

3-6 tbsp fresh lemon juice (you can always add more, so start with just a bit)

1/2 tsp Sea Salt (or to taste)

2-4 tbsp water (the water they cooked in is ideal)

Be sure to taste it as you go. You don't want the lemon to over power, or be over-powered. And you gotta use a good salt.

When it's done, i put it on a dish and drizzle it with Olive Oil and then sprinkle it with Paprika.

Tomatoes Stuffed With Pasta Salad

2009-05-06T11:47:00.000-07:00

This is a recipe we have made a lot recently. It was from "The Minimalist" on NY Times. We have really enjoyed it. There is always more pasta salad than will fit in the tomatoes, but we just throw it in the pan for the cooking, and serve it along side the tomatoes.

Time: About 45 minutes

•4 large tomatoes

•Salt and freshly ground black pepper

•1 yellow pepper, minced

•2 tablespoons olive oil, more for baking dish

•2 cloves garlic, minced

•Scant 1/4 pound spaghetti

•3 tablespoons small black olives (niçoise), pitted and chopped

•1 tablespoon capers, preferably salt-packed (rinsed with warm water)

•12 basil leaves, chopped

•2 or 3 marjoram or oregano leaves, or a pinch of dried

•1/2 pound fresh mozzarella cheese, chopped

•1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Remove top third of each tomato. Scoop out some flesh and chop it, along with the top third. Salt inside of tomatoes and turn them upside down while you proceed.

•2. Cook yellow pepper in a tablespoon of oil with half the garlic, until soft. Break spaghetti into little bits and cook in salted boiling water just until tender. Drain and rinse in cold water.

•3. Mix together the chopped tomato, cooked pepper, spaghetti and all other ingredients except mozzarella. Stuff tomatoes, first with cheese, then with tomato mixture. Put in an oiled baking dish and bake for about 15 minutes, or until hot. Serve hot or warm.

•Yield: 4 servings.

•

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Bars

2009-04-24T20:00:00.000-07:00

1 egg

1 egg white

¾ cup sugar

½ cup packed brown sugar

3 tbsp canola oil

1 tsp vanilla

1 ½ cups whole wheat flour

1 tsp baking soda

½ tsp salt

1 ½ cups rolled oats

½ cup mini chocolate chips

Coat a 9x13 pan with cooking spray and set aside. Mix the egg, egg white, and sugars until smooth. Add the oil and vanilla, mix for 10-15 seconds. Add the flour, baking soda, and salt. Mix until just blended. Add the oats and incorporate with on/off turns. Sprinkle with chocolate chips and lightly mix them in. Transfer the dough to the pan-- it will be thick. Wet your fingers with water and press the dough evenly into the pan. Bake at 350F for 15-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Do not let them brown-- they are better when they are soft and chewy! Cool in the pan and then cut into squares.

Coconut Cream Cake

2009-04-10T16:52:00.000-07:00

This is decadent and rich, but a great cake to make for special occasions, like Easter dinner! You can dye the frosting green and add jellybeans on top to make it more festive! I included some modifications that I use to make it a little lighter than normal.

1 white cake mix

1 can Coco Lopez cream of coconut

Make cake per package directions, but substitute nonfat plain yogurt for the oil. Bake in two round cake pans. When the cake is done, poke holes in both cakes and pour the cream of coconut over the top. Let chill for at least 2 hours or overnight. Frost using the following recipe.

Cream Frosting

2 Tbsp. butter (I use Smart Balance spread)

12 oz. cream cheese (I use 8 oz. lowfat and 4 oz. nonfat)

1 ½ tsp. vanilla

5 ½ cups powdered sugar (or more as needed)

3 cups toasted coconut

2 cups chopped raw almonds

Soften cream cheese and butter and beat until smooth. Add vanilla and powdered sugar and keep adding sugar until desired thickness. Add coconut and pecans. Frost first layer of cake, then put second layer on top and finish frosting.

Note: This was adapted from my friend Marcy Fetzer's recipe.

Kale and White Bean Soup

2009-03-01T17:52:00.000-08:00

1 cup dried cannellini beans (or 2 cans cooked beans)

1 large onion, diced finely

1 ½ T. extra virgin olive oil

1 clove garlic, minced

5 cups vegetable or chicken stock

1 t. kosher salt

1/8 t. freshly ground black pepper

1 bay leaf

½ t. roughly chopped fresh rosemary (or 1 t. dried)

4 large carrots, chopped

7 cups chopped kale (2-3 bunches)

grated Parmesan cheese

If using dried beans, cook in a large pot of boiling water until tender, about 1 to 1 ½ hours. Drain and set aside. In a large stockpot, sauté the onions in the oil for about 5 minutes or until soft. Add the garlic and cook for an additional minute. Add the cooked beans, stock, salt, pepper, bay leaf, and rosemary and simmer for about 10 minutes. Add the carrots and cook another 5 minutes. Add the kale and cook about 12 minutes or until kale is tender. Add more stock if your soup needs more liquid, and warm through. Check seasoning, adjust as needed, and remove the bay leaf. Serve sprinkled with grated Parmesan.

Note: We loved this-- the rosemary flavor in it is amazing! I always like having some leftovers to eat for lunch the next couple days, but this soup was almost gone the first night, so next time I will definitely double it!

Carrot Ginger Soup

2009-02-05T19:20:00.001-08:00

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

2 large onions, diced

6 cloves garlic, minced

8 large carrots, sliced

10 new potatoes, chopped (leave peels on)

4 cups vegetable or chicken broth

4 teaspoons grated fresh ginger

2 teaspoon curry powder

salt and pepper to taste

Heat oil in a soup pot over medium heat. Add onion and garlic, and cook stirring often until onion is translucent. Add carrots and potatoes, and cook for just a few minutes to allow the carrots to sweat out some of their juices. Pour the vegetable broth into the pot, and season with ginger, curry powder, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, until carrots are tender. Puree soup in small batches using a food processor or blender, or if you have an immersion blender, it can be done in the soup pot. Reheat soup if necessary, and serve.

Note: I didn’t have any regular onions, so I used green onions and it worked just fine. This was SO good, but it did have a bit of a kick to it, and I’m not quite sure why! I didn’t put much pepper in it, but maybe the curry I used was a little spicier than usual???

Curried Red-Lentil Stew with Vegetables

2009-01-13T19:01:00.001-08:00

Vegetable oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
Salt
1 (2 x 1 inch) piece of fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped or grated
5 cloves of garlic, minced
5 cups water
1 1/2 tsp. curry powder
3/4 tsp. turmeric
1/2 tsp. cumin
1 cup red lentils, picked over and rinsed
3 medium carrots, quartered lengthwise, then thinly sliced crosswise
5 oz. baby spinach leaves
1 cup frozen peas, not thawed
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Heat a heavy 4-5 quart pot over moderate heat and then add just enough oil to coat the bottom. Cook the onion with a sprinkling of salt, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 8-10 minutes. Add ginger and garlic and cook for 2-3 minutes more. Add spices and cook over low heat for 1 minute. Stir in lentils and 5 cups of water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes. Add carrots and another sprinkling of salt and simmer covered, stirring occasionally, until carrots are tender and lentils have broken down into a coarse puree, 15-20 minutes. Stir in spinach and peas and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until peas are tender, about 3 minutes. Stir in cilantro and season stew with salt and pepper. If necessary, add enough water to thin stew so that it can be ladled over rice. (Stew without spinach or peas can be made and chilled, uncovered, until completely cooled, then covered for up to 5 days. Reheat over moderately low heat, thinning with water to a pourable consistency and stirring frequently, before adding remaining ingredients.) This is great served over rice or just eaten plain with some homemade whole wheat bread on the side!

*This recipe is courtesy of Dana Treat, and she adapted it from Bon Appetit. We thought this was delicious, and if you like a little sweetness to it, add a sprinkle of shredded coconut on the top after you dish it up!

Split Pea Soup

2008-12-05T11:51:00.000-08:00

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 onion, chopped

1 bay leaf

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 cups dried split peas

1/2 cup barley

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

5 cups broth (veggie or chicken)

5 cups water

3 carrots, chopped

3 stalks celery, chopped

3 potatoes, diced

1/2 cup chopped parsley

1 teaspoon dried basil

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

In a large pot over medium high heat, saute the oil, onion, bay leaf and garlic for 5 minutes, or until onions are translucent. Add the rest of the ingredients. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to low. Simmer for about 90 minutes, stirring occasionally.

*This is adapted from a recipe that I got off of allrecipes.com. I modified it because I have made it a few times and this way seems to work much better. I know that "split pea soup" does not sound that appetizing, but this soup is really delicious and hearty! Great for cold winter nights!

Lentil Tacos

2008-12-04T17:09:00.000-08:00

We just had these tonight--and we LOVED them!! we didn't have sour cream, but the guacamole we used made up for it :) Also, i used medium sharp cheese, garden fresh tomatoes (thanks, Grandma!!) and fresh cilantro, which (in my opinion) makes everything better! I didn't have taco shells, so i just broiled some corn tortillas that i had spritzed with EVOO--they turned out perfect!

Enjoy!

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Tasty-Lentil-Tacos/Detail.aspx

Black Bean Soup

2008-11-03T18:32:00.001-08:00

1 onion, chopped finely
1 T. olive oil
1 red bell pepper, chopped finely
2 carrots, diced small
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 14.5 oz. can crushed tomatoes, undrained
1 4 oz. can diced green chilies
2 tsp. ground cumin
3 C. chicken or vegetable broth
6 C. cooked black beans, drained (or 4 15 oz. cans)
¼ C. red wine vinegar
1 can creamed corn

Heat oil in large, deep saucepan. Sauté onion, bell pepper, carrot, and garlic until tender. Add remaining ingredients and simmer for 20-30 minutes (until it thickens a bit and the vegetables are all very tender). Serve garnished with a scoop of creamed corn in the middle and tortilla chips or corn chips.

Modification: I didn’t have any onion, so I used 3 stalks of celery, very finely diced, instead. We all loved this soup!

Fettuccine with Artichokes and Beans

2008-10-22T09:10:00.000-07:00

I've made this 3 times already since finding it in the Real Simple Magazine October 2008. It's perfect for kids and those times you're craving 'creamy' pasta without the dairy.

3/4 pound fettuccine
1/4 cup plus 1 teaspoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 15.5-ounce can cannellini beans, rinsed
1 13.75-ounce can artichoke hearts, drained and quartered (I've also used a bag of frozen artichokes from Trader Joe's)
Kosher salt and black pepper
1 slice whole wheat bread, toasted
1 teaspoon dried oregano

Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking water. Drain the pasta and return it to the pot. Meanwhile, heat 1/4 cup of the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the beans, artichokes, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Cook until heated through, 3 to 4 minutes. Pulse the bread in a food processor until coarse crumbs form. Add the oregano and the remaining teaspoon of oil and pulse until just combined. Toss the pasta with the artichoke mixture and reserved pasta water. Sprinkle with the bread crumbs.

Makes 4 servings

Fruit & Barley Salad

2008-10-14T11:40:00.000-07:00

2 1/2 cups pearl barley
2¾ teaspoons salt
2-3 medium limes
3 T. olive oil
1 tablespoon sugar
¾ teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
4 medium nectarines, cut into ½ -inch pieces
2 large tomatoes, cut into ½-inch pieces
4 green onions, thinly sliced
½ cup chopped fresh mint or cilantro

Heat 6 cups water to boiling over high heat. Add barley and 1½ teaspoons salt; heat to boiling. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 35-45 minutes or until barley is tender and liquid is absorbed (barley will have a creamy consistency).

Grate 1 tablespoon lime peel and squeeze ½ cup juice. In large bowl, mix lime peel, lime juice, olive oil, sugar, pepper, and 1¼ teaspoons salt.

Rinse barley with running cold water; drain well. Add barley, nectarines, tomatoes, green onions, and chopped mint to lime dressing; stir gently to coat. Makes 16 servings.

Editor’s note: I couldn't find any good nectarines when I made this so I used canned mandarin oranges instead and it was YUMMY! I bet mangoes would be delicious in this too. I got tons of recipe requests for this one when I served it! You can also add garbanzo beans to make it a heartier salad.

Roastless Roast

2008-10-14T11:19:00.001-07:00

I made up this recipe because I always loved when my mom would make a Sunday roast with carrots and potatoes, but even before I became vegetarian, my favorite part was always the vegetables!

Potatoes, cut into large chunks
Carrots, cut into large chunks
1 onion, diced
1 packet dry onion soup mix
1 can beef broth

Add enough chopped up carrots and potatoes to almost fill a large crockpot. Add the onion, the soup mix, the can of beef broth, and then fill the can with water and add that as well. Cook on low for 8 hours. My husband goes CRAZY for this dish! I usually serve it with the Meatless Meatballs from Trader Joe’s.

Fiesta Salad

2008-06-03T12:20:00.000-07:00

This makes a ton, so plan on leftovers. It's been a HUGE hit every time I've made it.

16 oz rotini noodles -- whole grain or Barilla Plus work well
1 can each garbanzo beans, black beans, kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 can corn ( i use about 2 cups of frozen)
1 each - green and red bell pepper -chopped (i used one red and one yellow pepper...yum!)
1/4 red onion (careful not to add too much, it can take over the whole salad)
grated cheese (as much as you like--i've omitted it before, and it's just fine without it, too)
2-3 tomatoes, chopped
1 cup chopped broccoli (optional)
1 cucumber, chopped (optional)
1 pkg Hidden Valley Fiesta Ranch dressing mix (see note)
1 1/2 C buttermilk
1 C mayo (light works well)

Cook pasta and rinse with cold water put in large bowl. Open, drain and rinse beans and corn, shake off water and put in bowl with pasta. Chop veggies and add to bowl, add cheese. Mix up buttermilk, mayo and ranch, and pour onto salad. Mix it up really well, and enjoy! You can serve alone, or with chips.

NOTE: I have never been able to find HV Fiesta Ranch, so i just buy the normal ranch packet--always Hidden Valley, though - don't cheap out on this ingredient-- and add about 1-2 tsps of taco seasoning.

Pumpkin & Black Bean Soup

2007-11-12T19:56:00.000-08:00

a little canola or olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1T. minced garlic
4 cups of your favorite broth
1 can petite diced tomatoes (undrained)
1 can black beans (undrained)
5 cups pureed pumpkin
1 1/2 t. curry powder
1 1/2 t. cumin
cayenne pepper to desired spicyness
sour cream or plain yogurt

Saute the onion and garlic in the oil. Add the rest of the ingredients. Simmer at least 15 minutes. Serve with a nice blob of sour cream to cool it down.

I make my own pumpkin puree by cleaning out a pumpkin, chopping it in large chunks, and baking it on a cookie sheet with a little water at 350 for 45 min to an hour, until very tender. I let it cool a bit, and then puree it in the blender. One pumpkin makes a LOT of puree!

Quinoa Stuffed Red Peppers

2007-10-17T21:00:00.000-07:00

This recipe is from my favorite cookbook--Moosewood, a MUST have for vegetarians! There are over 10 different books. Start with any one of them...they're all awesome!

1 cup raw quinoa
6 medium bell peppers (it doesn't call for red, but that's what i always use, and LOVE)
3 tbsp olive oil ( i used about 1 tsp tonight with my EVOO spritzer, it was more than enough)
1 cup chopped onions
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp salt, or to taste
1 cup diced carrots
3/4 cup celery
1 cup diced zucchini
1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen corn
1 1/2 –2 cups grated cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 400. Lightly oil a baking pan. Place the quinoa in a fine mesh sieve and rinse well under running water. In a covered pot, bring the quinoa and 2 cups of water to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for about 15 minutes, until the quinoa is soft and the water is absorbed.

While the quinoa cooks, cut the bell peppers in half lengthwise and, leaving the stems on, seed them. Brush the bell pepper shells with about 2 tbsp of oil, inside and out. Place them cut side down on the prepared baking pan and roast for 15-20 minutes, until softened and slightly browned, but not collapsed. When the peppers are roasted, reduce the oven temperature to 350.
Meanwhile, in a skillet, warm the remaining tbsp of oil and saute the onions and garlic on medium heat for about 5 minutes, until the onions have softened. Stir in the cumin, coriander, red pepper flakes, salt, carrots, celery, zucchini and corn. Cover the pan and cook for about 10 minutes, until the vegetables are very tender.

Combine the sauteed vegetables and the cooked quinoa and add salt to taste. Turn over the roasted pepper shells and spoon filling into each half. Sprinkle each bell pepper half with some of the grated cheese and bake for 10-15 minutes, until cheese is melted.

Serves: 6

Chocolate Chip Cookies (less fat, less sugar, and more nutritional value!)

2007-09-21T20:22:00.000-07:00

Aaron was telling a health-conscious co-worker about how I make such great low-fat chocolate chip cookies by replacing the shortening with Morning Moos powdered milk. However, I had actually never done that when he made the claim yesterday. I had perfected that trick with Snickerdoodles, but had never gotten it to work out quite right with chocolate chip cookies. Of course I didn't want my sweet husband to be a liar, so I set out this morning to make his claim true. And I think I succeeded. Taste for yourself.

1/3 c. oil
1/2 c. dry Morning Moos (powdered milk)
1/4 c. water
1 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. white sugar
2 eggs
1 T. vanilla
3 1/2 c. whole wheat flour
1 t. baking soda
1 t. salt
1 1/2 - 2 c. chocolate chips

Mix oil, powdered milk, water, and sugars together. Add eggs and vanilla and beat for a minute or two with a mixer. Add dry ingredients and mix well. Add chocolate chips. Grease the cookie sheets. Put blobs of dough on the sheet and flatten them with the greased palm of your hand. Flattening them before baking makes them turn out MUCH better. Bake at 340 for 7 minutes. (I know 340 is a weird temp, but for some reaosn, it seems like the powdered milk makes them need a slightly lower temp.)

Yes, I am aware that I am the only one who posts desserts on this vegetarian blog. But baked goods are the only way I keep my husband truly satisfied with a vegetarian diet. So it might work for others of you out there.

Spinach and Zucchini Soup

2007-09-11T07:53:00.001-07:00

Here is a recipe that we tried last night, using our abundant zucchini. We loved it! It's very fresh tasting, full of vitamins, and perfect for the cooler days of fall. If you don't have anymore zucchini, use broccoli or cauliflower. And if you think you don't like zucchini, give it a try anyway (Meredith!) because it's all blended up at the end. However, I blended about two thirds of the veggies and left the rest chunky. Everyone liked it--even Corinne (2 1/2) ate a few bites which is a lot for her.

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 medium onions, roughly chopped
big pinch of salt
2 1/2 cups potatoes (2 medium) cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 1/2 cups zucchini (2 medium), loosely chopped
4 cups vegetable stock
4 cups fresh spinach leaves, loosely packed
1 cup cilantro, loosely chopped
one lemon

In a large, thick-bottomed pot over medium-high heat, add the olive oil. When the oil is hot (but not smoking) add the garlic and onions and saute for a few minutes along with pinch of salt - just until they soften up a bit. Stir in the potatoes and zucchini. Add the stock. Bring to a simmer and cook until potatoes are soft throughout, roughly 10-15 minutes.

Stir in the spinach, and wait for it to wilt, just ten seconds or so. Now stir in the cilantro. Puree with a hand blender until smooth. Whisk in a big squeeze of lemon juice. Now taste, and add more salt if needed. Finish with a spoonful of sour cream or plain yogurt.

Serves about 6.

Far East Spring Rolls

2007-09-08T13:49:00.000-07:00

2 large carrots
1/2 red bell pepper, julienned
2 T. chopped green onion, green and white parts
1 T. olive oil
1 T. minced cilantro
1/4 t. freshly ground black pepper
16 rice paper rounds, 6 inches in diameter
2 cups cooked bean-thread noodles or rice noodles (about 6 oz. dried)

Using a vegetable peeler, shave off thin slices of carrot. Place the carrot shavings, red pepper, green onion, olive oil, cilantro, and black pepper in a large bowl. Mix well and let sit for 1 hour.

Fill a wide bowl with warm water, then dip each rice-paper round in the water until softened and translucent, about 10-20 seconds. Let the round drain briefly on a dishcloth.

Place 2 T. cooked noodles plus a few tablespoons of the carrot-pepper mixture about 1 inch from the lower edge of the rice paper. Fold the bottom of the paper over the filling, fold both sides over the filling, then roll into a cylinder shape. Repeat with the remaining noodles, vegetables, and rounds. Place the spring rolls on a plate or tray and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Chill for 30 minutes. Serve cold with your favorite dipping sauce. We like Thai sweet and spicy pepper sauce.

Nutty Coconut Brownies

2007-09-08T13:47:00.000-07:00

1/3 c. canola oil
1/3 c. milk
1 1/3 c. sugar
2 eggs
2/3 c. cocoa
1 1/2 c. whole wheat flour
1 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
1 c. chocolate chips
1 c. chopped walnuts
3/4 c. flaked coconut

Mix the first ingredients together with a spoon; you don't need beaters. Add the next group, the dry ingredients, and mix well. I let the batter sit for 20 minutes or so to help soften the whole wheat because my grinder grinds pretty coarsely. Add the choc. chips and walnuts and mix well. Spread in a greased 9x13 pan. Sprinkle the coconut on top and press down a bit to make sure it all sticks. Bake at 350 for 20-25 min. The coconut will be all brown and toasty when they're done.

These are delicious served with vanilla ice cream and drizzled with chocolate sauce.

Oven Chimichangas

2007-09-05T21:29:00.000-07:00

2 cups uncooked brown rice
3 (15 ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
2 (15.5 ounce) cans pinto beans, rinsed and drained
1 (10 ounce) can whole kernel corn
1 cup salsa
1 red pepper, finely diced
1 bunch green onions, finely diced
2 Tbsp. cumin
1 Tbsp. oregano
1 bunch cilantro, chopped
flour tortillas (whole wheat works well)

Cook rice as directed. In a large bowl, combine the rest of the ingredients (through cilantro). Mix well. Add rice and mix again. Depending on the size of tortilla, put 1/2-1 cup of the filling in each tortilla and fold up. Place seam side down on baking sheet sprayed with Pam. Spritz some spray butter or Pam on top of each to help them get crispier. Bake for 20-25 minutes at 400F, until golden. This recipe makes a LOT (16-32 depending on how big your tortillas are). You can freeze them after they are baked and then use them later for quick lunches or dinners! I've heard this also works well with quinoa instead of rice, but I haven't tried that yet. I usually serve it with fat free sour cream, fresh tomatoes, cilantro, and avocado on top.

Here's what the filling looks like:

Here's another variation on this recipe. Prepare the same way, except make them enchilada style by mixing one can of green enchilada sauce with either some nonfat sour cream or lowfat cream of mushroom soup and pour over the top and bake. I also added some chopped peppers on top.

Roasted Vegetable Panzanella

2007-08-24T23:05:00.000-07:00

I’ve made this now 3 times and it’s a show-stopper every time. But it does take over an hour and every time I’ve made it someone’s been around to help out with the kids, because you kind of need to keep an eye on all that’s going on. But it’s DELICIOUS, and worth it!

1 tbsp minced garlic
½ c olive oil, plus 3 Tbsp
1 whole wheat baguettes – cut into 1 inch cubes
1 white baguette – cut into 1 inch cubes
¾ lb cherry tomatoes
1 tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
1 lb green beans – trimmed and halved
3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
½ tsp sugar
8 oz fresh mozzarella, cut into 1/3 inch cubes
¾ C chopped fresh basil

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Mix the garlic with ½ C + 3 Tbsp olive oil with a pinch or two of salt. Place the bread cubes in a large bowl and drizzle 3 tbsp of your olive oil/garlic mixture over the bread cubes. Spread the bread cubes on two cookie sheet pans and toast in the oven, stirring once or twice until golden– 10-12 minutes.

Toss tomatoes with 1 Tbsp of olive oil mixture, some more salt, and some pepper. Place tomatoes on cookie sheet. Toss green beans in 2 Tbsp oil, some salt and some pepper then arrange in single layer on another cookie sheet. Roast tomatoes and green beans for 12-16 minutes.

Add vinegar to remaining olive oil along with sugar, ½ tsp salt, and ¼ tsp pepper. Whisk well.

Put green beans, tomatoes (along with any pan juices) toasted bread, mozzarella and basil in a large salad bowl. Drizzle with oil/vinegar combination and stir to combine well. Let stand at least 15 minutes, and stir just before serving.

Black Bean and Mango Salad

2007-08-24T23:03:00.000-07:00

Dressing:
¼ cup lime juice
¼ cup rice vinegar or red wine vinegar
1 Tbsp honey (I always end up adding closer to 4-5 tbsp to make the whole salad sweet enough
¼ tsp ground cumin
2 tsp olive oil
salt
pepper
1 cup chopped cilantro

Salad:
1 head of romaine, cut into bite sized pieces
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved (i've used normal tomatoes, which works too)
4 carrots peeled and julienned
1/4 of a red onion, thinly sliced
2-3 mangoes
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained

Prepare the salad and the dressing separately. Add the dressing just 15-20 minutes before serving.

The BEST Pasta Salad EVER!!

2007-08-24T23:01:00.000-07:00

I got this recipe from my sister--it takes some time for all the chopping, but it’s SOOO good and sooo fresh!!

1 pound fucilli/rotini pasta ( usually mix whole grain and rainbow)
1-2 mangos, diced
3 tomatoes, diced
1-2 red/yellow roasted/broiled bell pepper
½ pound fresh mozzarella
½ c chopped basil

Sauce

salt
½ cup balsamic vinegar
1-2 tbsp olive oil
pepper

Cut the bell pepper in half, length wise, and brush each half with olive oil.Place on a cookie sheet, and put it under your broiler until the skin starts to darken, almost burn.You’ll start to smell it—it’s the best smell in the world!!Take the pepper out and put it in a plastic sack (I just use the one it was in from the grocery store) and let it sit for a few minutes. This softens all the skin and makes it easier to remove the skin.When the pepper(s) is cool enough to handle, peel off all, or as much of the skin as you can, and cut into bite sized pieces.

Cook the pasta according to package directions, drain, rinse with cold water and add the fresh ingredients. Combine the sauce ingredients, then pour over the salad. Enjoy!!

Southwest Orzo Salad

2007-08-24T23:00:00.000-07:00

This is one of my favorite recipes!

2/3 cup dried orzo, follow cooking directions on package
1 can black beans (rinsed and drained)
1 ½ cup frozen corn, thawed
1-2 ripe tomatoes, diced
1/3 cup cilantro, chopped
¼ c chopped green onion
1 tsp grated lime peel
1/3 cup lime juice*
salt
pepper

This salad just gets better as it sits, so I always prepare it during nap time, and then by dinner time it’s SOOOOO good! Can be the main course, or an appetizer. Good served with fruit.

*best from real limes, but if you don’t have real limes, Minute Maid makes a good lime concentrate that you can find in the freezer section at most grocery stores by the orange juice, they have lemon and lime, and I always have at least one bottle of each)

Lasagna Rolls

2007-08-24T22:58:00.000-07:00

This recipe is very easy to double and makes great leftovers.

8-9 lasagna noodles (whole wheat are great, when you can find them!)
1 cup low-fat cottage cheese
2 cups part-skim mozzarella, shredded
¼ cup parmesan cheese
1 egg
1 tbsp dried parsley
1 bottle of spaghetti sauce

Cook the noodles al dente. Mix 1 cup mozzarella with cottage cheese, parmesan, egg, and parsley. Lay noodles on cutting board. Spread 1/3 cup cheese filling down the length of each noodle and roll up like a pinwheel. Spread 1 cup of the spaghetti sauce in bottom of 7 x 11 baking pan (9x13 if you’re doubling it) and place lasagna rolls on top. Cover with more sauce and sprinkle with cheese. Microwave 10-20 minutes.

Roasted Vegetable Quesadillas (Moosewood)

2007-08-24T22:55:00.000-07:00

2-3 red potatoes-cut into big cubes/triangles
1 small onion- cut into bite sized pieces
1 red or green bell pepper, cut into bite sized chunks
1 zucchini/summer sqush, cut into bite sized chunks
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp minced garlic
½ tsp dried oregano
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
4-5 flour tortillas (best with whole wheat)
1 cup grated cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 425. Toss all of the cut veggies with olive oil, garlic, oregano, salt and pepper until evenly coated. Spread them on a large baking sheet in a single layer. Roast in the oven until the potatoes are tender and beginning to brown, about 25-30 minutes. Heat a lightly oiled (I use Pam) skillet on medium heat. Place tortilla in skillet. Pile about ¼ of the veggies on the tortilla as it heats up, add ¼ c cheese, close and cook for 1-2 minutes, then flip it (this is the tricky part) cook another 2 minutes and serve!

This is a crowd pleaser--every time! I've never had any recipe requested as often as this one.

Black Bean Burgers with Spicy Cucumber and Red Pepper Relish

2007-08-22T10:21:00.000-07:00

Relish:
2/3 cup finely chopped peeled cucumber
1/2 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon finely chopped dill
1/8 teaspoon salt
Dash of ground red pepper (optional)

Burgers:
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup dry breadcrumbs
1/4 cup minced red onion
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1 large egg
Cooking spray
1/4 cup light mayonnaise (if you like it)
4 whole wheat hamburger buns

To prepare relish, combine first 8 ingredients in a medium bowl. Cover and chill 2 hours.

To prepare burgers, place beans in a large bowl; partially mash with a fork. Stir in breadcrumbs and next 5 ingredients (breadcrumbs through egg). Divide bean mixture into 4 equal portions, shaping each into a 1/2-inch-thick patty.

Place patties on grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 5 minutes on each side or until thoroughly heated. Spread 1 tablespoon mayonnaise on the bottom half of each bun; top each with a patty, 1/4 cup relish, and top half of bun.

Lettuce Wraps

2007-08-21T19:15:00.001-07:00

½ head crisp iceberg lettuce
8 oz. sliced bamboo shoots
8 oz. water chestnuts
3 tbsp. soy sauce
¼ cup Hoisin sauce
4 tsp. hot sauce (optional)
2 tbsp. peanut butter
4 tsp. sugar
2 tbsp. minced garlic
1 large onion, minced
4 tsp. fresh ginger, minced
1 block of tofu, frozen and then completely thawed
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. sesame oil
1 green scallion, chopped

Remove about 8 of the largest lettuce leaves by cutting with scissors to form a cup and set aside. Mince bamboo shoots and water chestnuts. Mix bamboo shoots and water chestnuts with Hoisin sauce, soy sauce, hot sauce, peanut butter and sugar. Spray a skillet with cooking spray and sauté garlic for 2 minutes, add onion and sauté until onion is translucent and starts to brown. Squeeze all the water out of the tofu until it looks like a dry sponge. Then mash with a fork (or your hands) until it resembles ground meat. Add tofu, ginger, and salt to the onions. Add sauce mixture and stir-fry to combine for 2-3 minutes. Add sesame oil just before removing from heat and stir to combine. Divide mixture into 4 lettuce cups and top with green onions. Top with toppings and sauces as desired.

Vegetable Bean Soup

2007-08-21T19:02:00.000-07:00

3 cans (14 ounces each) vegetable broth
2 cups cubed unpeeled potatoes
2 cups sliced leeks, white part only (about 3 medium)
1 can (14-1/2 ounces) crushed tomatoes, undrained
1 medium onion, chopped
1 cup chopped or shredded cabbage
1 cup sliced celery
1 cup sliced carrots
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1/8 teaspoon dried rosemary
1 can (16 ounces) white beans, drained
Salt and black pepper

Combine broth, potatoes, leeks, tomatoes with juice, onion, cabbage, celery, carrots, garlic and rosemary in 5-quart slow cooker. Cover; cook on LOW 8 hours. Stir in beans and season with salt and pepper. Cover; cook about 30 minutes or until beans are heated through. Makes 10 servings.