And So We Begin...

Today's the first official day of Vegetarian Delights: A Confessions of a Foodie Offspring. Most of the first week or two will be simply vegetarian recipes, but in the near future, I'll be posting an occasional photo of the recipes, along with tips, product information, and other little tidbits to go along with the recipes. In the meantime, feel free to stop back by and check out what's happening. Enjoy!

STRAWBERRY RHUBARB SMOOTHIE

This recipe is from One Green Planet. The recipe can be found online here.

Dairy Free; Kid-Friendly; Soy Free; Vegan

Ingredients

1 cup fresh rhubarb, chopped

1/2 cup orange juice

1 tbsp date syrup Organics Are For Everyone (you can substitute pure maple syrup here)

1/2 tbsp pure vanilla extract

1 cup fresh strawberries, sliced

1/2 cup frozen strawberries

1 fresh banana

12 oz unsweetened vanilla non-dairy milk of choice

1 pinch ground cinnamon

1 tbsp ground flaxseed

Preparation

Combine chopped rhubarb, orange juice, date syrup, vanilla and cinnamon in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered for five minutes.

Set aside to cool slightly and place in refrigerator to chill for 30 minutes (this can be done ahead of time and you can make more so you can enjoy this all week long).

Combine all ingredients in a blender. Puree until smooth and serve.

CHOCOLATE CHERRY PIE - Vegan tofu cherry "cream" pie

Jolinda Hackett, About.com's Vegetarian blog guide, writes, "Chocolate cherry pie - Vegan tofu cherry "cream" pie recipe - delicious! I'd love to try this same method with strawberries or perhaps even Elvis-style, with bananas."

Ingredients:

1 (12 oz.) box firm silken tofu

1/4 cup cocoa powder

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup chocolate chips, melted

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

1 prepared vegan graham cracker pie crust

1 (12 oz.) package frozen dark sweet cherries, thawed and drained

1 cup non-dairy whipped topping

Preparation:

First, prepare the cherries. Slice them in half and remove the pics, if needed. Set a handful of cherries aside to use as a garnish on top of the pie.

Next, prepare the chocolate "cream" filling. Process the tofu in a blender or food processor until smooth and creamy. Add the cocoa powder, sugar, melted chocolate chips, and almond extract. Process again until mixture is smooth.

To prepare the pie, place about 1/3 of the chocolate tofu mix in a single layer in the prepared pie crust. Next, place the cherries in a single layer on top of the chocolate tofu mixture and spread the remaining chocolate tofu on top.

Refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving. Garnish each slice with whipped topping and reserved cherries.

This recipe makes one pie of 8 servings.

Nutritional information, per serving: Calories: 270, Total Fat: 13g, Saturated Fat: 5g, Cholesterol: 0mg, Sodium: 100mg, Carbohydrates: 36g, Dietary Fiber: 2g. Sugar: 24g, Protein: 6g

PASTA FAGIOLI WITH ORZO

Another one of Jolinda Hackett's offerings. She writes, "A full vegetarian meal of orzo pasta, beans and tomatoes, pasta fagiole with orzo is nutritious, healthy, filling, and yet familiar enough that kids will love it. Omit the cheese to make it vegan."

Ingredients:

3 tbsp olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

4 cloves garlic, chopped

1 jalapeno, minced

1 14.5 ounce can stewed tomatoes

2 15.5 ounce cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

6 cups vegetable broth

1 8 ounce box orzo

1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley

salt and freshly ground black pepper

grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

Preparation:

Heat large sautee pan over medium heat. Add olive oil, onion, garlic and jalapeno to pan. Cook until onion is soft but not browned, 4-5 minutes.

Coarsely puree tomatoes in food processor or with potato masher. Stir tomatoes, cannellini beans and broth into onion mixture.

Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring periodically. Add pasta and return to a boil over high heat. Reduce to simmer, stirring periodically, 8-10 minutes or until pasta is tender but still firm. Add parsley and salt and pepper, to taste.

ANGEL HAIR PASTA

I had something similar to this at a restaurant several times, and decided to try making it. A hint for making this: wait until all the veggies have been cut up, then start the water boiling for the angel hair pasta. The veggies should be cooked for 2-4 minutes, and the pasta cooked for 2 minutes before the pasta is drained and then allowed to finish cooking for another 2 minutes with the veggies. Timing is important—unless you like disgustingly soggy pasta.

1/4 C water

3 medium to large tomatoes

2 T balsamic vinegar

1 onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 red pepper, diced

1/2 green pepper, diced

1 T oregano

1 lb. angel hair pasta

Cut up veggies while heating the pasta water. DO NOT PUT PASTA INTO WATER UNTIL THE VEGGIES BEGIN COOKING. (There. I said it.)

In veggie pot, heat 1/4 C water & balsamic vinegar until it begins to bubble; add onion, garlic, pepper & oregano and stir once or twice. NOW ADD PASTA TO POT OF BOILING PASTA WATER. (Boy, what a bossy broad.)

Simmer veggies on low-medium heat for 2-4 minutes, covered. Cook pasta for only 2 minutes, then drain in colander. As soon as pasta is drained, remove cover from veggies, dump pasta into veggie pot, and cook for another 2 minutes, stirring several times. Remove from heat. DIG IN!!! (Now, isn’t that good?)

J’s B-B-Q GLUTEN

This is from my oldest son. For the most part, the recipe is included exactly as he wrote it out for me, though I have changed a word or two. (This stuff is definitely good.)

Ingredients:

5 lb. whole wheat flour

2 onions

1/2 C creamy peanut butter

2 bottles of B-B-Q sauce

1 stick butter

2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons paprika

Huge bowl

Take whole wheat flour, empty into Big Bowl. Add enough water to knead into dough ball. Knead really well. I repeat, knead really well. For at least 10 minutes.

Fill huge bowl with water, put dough ball under water for 2 hours. Pour off water. Knead doughball under cold running water for 10 minutes or more. Water should be clear. You are washing out the starch and bran. You know it’s ready when stringy and it sticks together and is bouncy.

Melt 1 stick butter and fry 2 chopped onions until clear. Dump onto Gluten. Add salt, paprika, and peanut butter. Mix with hands completely.

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray cooking pan with non-stick spray. Pinch off pieces bigger than a golf ball. Take piece and fold it and twist it and lay it down in pan. Bake for 10 minutes, then flip over and bake for 10 more. Pour B-B-Q sauce and bake 10 more minutes, then flip and pour more B-B-Q sauce and bake 10 more minutes. It’s done—enjoy.

(Xtra note—be careful when you first mix wheat and water. Don’t add too much water. Make a hard dough ball. It might take 20 minutes to knead it.)

RIGATONI WITH BRAISED VEGETABLES

This vegan recipe is from page 60 of the October 2005 issue of Vegetarian Times. It starts off, “Start heating the pasta water when you add the tomatoes to this stew, and the rigatoni noodles will be perfectly al dente just when the vegetables are ready to serve.” Serves 6.

2 Tbs. olive oil

3 medium-sized yellow squash, halved and cut into 1-inch pieces (about 1 lb.)

1/2 lb. green beans, trimmed and halved (about 2 cups)

2 medium-sized bell peppers (1 red, 1 yellow), cored, seeded and cut into 1-inch dice

1 large onion, sliced (about 1 ½ cups)

1 14.5-oz. can diced tomatoes

3 cloves garlic, minced (about 1 Tbs.)

2 Tbs. capers

1 15-oz. can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained

8 oz. whole wheat rigatoni pasta

1/2 cup torn fresh basil

Heat oil in skillet over high heat. Add squash, green beans, bell peppers and onion. Reduce heat to medium, and cook 20 minutes, stirring frequently, until vegetables are brown.

Stir in tomatoes, garlic and capers. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and cook 15 minutes.

Stir in beans and salt to taste. Cover, and simmer 10 minutes over medium-low heat.

Cook rigatoni according to package directions. Drain, and reserve 1/2 cup cooking liquid.

Stir pasta and basil into sauce. Thin sauce with a little pasta water if necessary. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and serve.

Per serving: 443 cal; 15 g protein; 9 g total fat (1 g sat. fat); 80 g carb; 0 mg chol; 969 mg sodium; 15 g fiber; 4 g sugars