Tuesday Recipes

Can you believe summer is almost over? I know, technically there's still almost a month left. But with Labor Day less than two weeks away, it does feel like it's about over.

In the meantime, here are today's six vegetarian recipes. Enjoy!

SWEET SUMMER CORN WITH BASIL AND SUNDRIED TOMATOES

It's amazing the places one can find recipes – and good ones, at that. This one comes from a GE Appliances email. But I guess it's not that much of a stretch.

The recipe begins, “Try something new with sweet summer corn. This easy side dish combines sweet corn with flavorful sundried tomatoes and basil. It's a great change of pace from traditional corn on the cob.” Makes 4 – 6 servings in 10 minutes.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

3 ears fresh corn, kernels cut off the cob

1 cup red onion, diced (about half of a large onion)

1/2 cup sun dried tomatoes, sliced

1/4 cup basil, cut into strips

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

2 tablespoons olive oil

Method

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet on medium. Add the onion and cook until soft and translucent, about 5-6 minutes. Add the corn and cook for 5 minutes. Add the cream, sundried tomatoes, salt and pepper. Cook for 2-3 minutes. Remove the corn from the heat and stir in the basil. Serve immediately.

Note: To easily cut your basil into strips, stack the leaves into a pile and roll into a cigar shape. Then cut thin slices across the basil "cigar". This technique is called chiffonade.

COLORFUL BLACK BEAN AND CORN SALSA

This also comes from GE Appliances. Makes 6 to 7 cups.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

2 15-ounce cans whole kernel corn, drained

3 medium tomatoes, seeded and chopped

2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and chopped finely

2 15-ounce cans black beans, rinsed and drained

1 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1/3 cup fresh lime juice

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

2 medium avocados, peeled and chopped

Method:

Mix all ingredients together, cover and chill.

Before serving add chopped avocado.

VEGAN RISOTTO WITH SUN DRIED TOMATOES

From a long since forgotten emailing list.

Ingredients:

6 cups vegetable broth or water

1 onion, minced

3 cloves garlic, minced

3 tbsp olive oil

1 cup arborio rice (risotto rice)

salt and pepper to taste

1/2 cup sun-dried tomaotes in oil, drained and sliced

1/4 cup fresh chopped basil

2 tsp fresh chopped parsley

1/3 cup vegan Parmesan cheese substitute (optional)

Preparation:

Sautee the onion and garlic in olive oil for 3 to 5 minutes or until soft. Add the risotto rice and cook, stirring constantly to avoid burning. Allow to cook for about 2 to 3 minutes, or until rice just starts to brown. Add 1 cup of water or vegetable broth and stir well to combine. Add a dash of salt and pepper. When most of the liquid has been absorbed, add one more cup of water, along with the tomatoes, basil and parsley.

As the moisture gets absorbed, continue to add broth or water one cup at a time, stirring frequently, until the rice is cooked.

Sprinkle with vegan Parmesan cheese before serving, if desired.

ANISE-ALMOND BISCOTTI

This comes from the October 2005 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 61. It starts off, “Ground almonds, often sold as almond flour, give these twice-baked cookies a light, crumbly crunch. If you grind your own almonds with a mini-chopper, the flavor will be more intense.” This vegan recipe makes about 32 cookies.

To view this online, click here.

1 Tbs. whole anise seeds

1 3/4 cups whole wheat flour

1 cup almond flour or 1 cup whole almonds, ground to a powder

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/2 cup pure maple syrup

1 Tbs. vanilla extract

1 Tbs. vanilla extract

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 cup sesame seeds

Toast anise seeds in skillet over medium heat 3 minutes, or until fragrant. Transfer to coffee grinder or mini-blender, and crush to powder.

Combine pastry flour with almond flour or ground almonds in bowl. Whisk together oil, syrup, vanilla and salt in separated bowl. Stir oil mixture into flour mixture. Cover, and let rest 20 minutes.

Preheat over to 350 degrees F. Spread sesame seeds on work surface. Shape dough into 2 8-inch logs, packing dough tightly together so it doesn’t crumble. Roll logs in sesame seeds, and place on foil-lined baking sheet. Bake 45 minutes, or until browned and firm. Set baking sheet on wire rack, and cool 5 minutes.

Cut each log into 1/3-inch-thick diagonal slices with serrated knife. Place flat side down on foil-lined baking sheets. Bake 15 to 20 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool on wire racks. Store up to 2 weeks in airtight container.

Per cookie: 110 cal; 2 g protein; 7 g total fat (1 g sat. fat); 10 g carb; 0 mg chol; 37 mg sodium; 2 g fiber; 4 g sugars

REDUCED-FAT VEGAN SWEET POTATO PIE

Also from the vegetarian blog. Jolinda Hackett writes, "It's classic. It's old-fashioned. It's vegan (if you use vegan margarine instead of butter and use a vegan pastry crust), and it's a reduced-fat and dairy-free dessert. What's not to love about this sweet potato pie recipe?"

Ingredients:

Pastry crust for a 9-inch double crust pie (make sure it's vegan, if necessary)

1 cup water

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 medium sweet potatoes (about 2-1/4 pounds), peeled and sliced into 1/4-inch rounds

1/2 cup white sugar

1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar

2 tablespoons lemon juice

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice

1 tablespoon butter or cold vegan soy butter or margarine, cut into pieces

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Prepare a pie plate. Line a 9-inch pie plate with one layer of the pastry, then set aside.

Combine one cup of water and the salt in a large saucepan. Add sweet potatoes; cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat and simmer until sweet potatoes are just barely tender when pierced with a fork, about 5 minutes.

Drain sweet potato slices and rinse with cold water until cool to touch. Drain the sweet potatoes well then transfer them to a large mixing bowl.

Add white sugar, brown sugar, lemon juice, flour and pumpkin pie spice to the sweet potatoes and toss gently with a spatula until slices are evenly coated. Spoon sweet potatoes into prepared pastry-lined pie plate. Dot the top of the sweet potatoes with butter or vegan margarine.

Place the top pastry over the filling and crimp top and bottom pastries together to make a sealed decorative edge, then cut three or four small slits in the top to allow steam to escape.

Bake the pie in oven until crust is browned and sweet potatoes are tender when pierced, about 50 minutes. If edges of crust start to brown too quickly, drape lightly with strips of foil.

Cool pie on wire rack at least 1 hour. Sweet potato pie can be served warm or cool.

Try it with a whole wheat pastry crust.

STRAWBERRY ITALIAN ICE

Cool off with this icy cool dessert. From Vegetarian Times' September 2004 issue.

Serves 6

Here’s a cool, fat-free and refreshing treat.

1 16-oz. pkg. frozen strawberries, well-drained, or 1 qt. fresh strawberries, hulled

1 Tbs. lime juice

1/2 cup evaporated cane juice

4 cups ice cubes

Fresh mint leaves for garnish

Place a metal 10-inch cake pan in freezer. Combine strawberries, lime juice and evaporated cane juice in a food processor, and blend until cane juice has dissolved. Add ice, and blend until smooth.

Transfer strawberry mixture to cake pan, cover and freeze until frozen around edges but still soft in center, about 1 hour. Stir mixture, spoon into dessert cups and garnish with mint leaves. Serve immediately.

nutritional information Per SERVING: Calories: 99; Protein: 1 g; Carbohydrates: 24 g; Sodium: 6 mg; Fiber: 1 g; Sugar: 22 g; Vegan