Meatless Monday Recipes

Here are today's six vegetarian recipes. Enjoy!

GARLICKY OVEN FRIES

This comes from the May 2008 issue of Vegetarian TImes, and begins, "Presoaking potato slices in hot water helps remove excess starch so they brown and crisp like oil-cooked fries." Serves 4.

To view this online, click here.

1 1/2 lb. russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch-thick wedges

2 tsp. canola oil

2 tsp. olive oil

4 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped

1 Tbs. chopped fresh parsley

Place oven rack in lowest position, and preheat oven to 475°F. Coat baking sheet with cooking spray. Soak potatoes in bowl of hot water 10 minutes. Drain, pat dry, and return to dry bowl.

Meanwhile, heat canola oil, olive oil, and garlic in saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook garlic 2 minutes, or until it begins to brown. Transfer garlic to small bowl with slotted spoon.

Pour oil over potatoes, and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper. Arrange potatoes in single layer on prepared baking sheet. Bake 20 minutes, or until potatoes are golden on bottom. Turn, and bake 10 minutes more, or until golden and crisp.

Meanwhile, stir parsley into reserved garlic; sprinkle over fries. Season with salt and pepper, and serve immediately.

nutritional information Per SERVING: Calories: 167; Protein: 3 g; Total Fat: 4.5 g; Saturated Fat: 0.5 g; Carbohydrates: 29 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 298 mg; Fiber: 2 g; Sugar: 5 g; Vegan; Gluten-Free

MINTY WINTER TABBOULEH

This recipe is from the February 2010 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 27. It begins, “Chopped fresh herbs are the dominant ingredient in this grain salad. For beautiful bouquets of fresh peppermint at bargain prices, shop for the herb at Asian grocery stores.” Serves 8.

To view this online, go to http://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipe/minty-winter-tabbouleh/.

3/4 cup bulgur

2 cups tightly packed fresh peppermint leaves

2 cups tightly packed fresh parsley leaves

1 small red onion, peeled and quartered

1 clove garlic, minced (1 tsp.)

2 cucumbers, peeled, seeded, and diced (2 cups)

1/3 cup chopped toasted hazelnuts

6 oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, rinsed, patted dry, and minced, plus 3 Tbs. oil from jar

1/4 cup lemon juice

Cook bulgur according to package directions. Cool; transfer to bowl.

Pulse peppermint, parsley, onion, and garlic in food processor until finely chopped.

Stir peppermint mixture, cucumbers, hazelnuts, sun-dried tomatoes and oil, and lemon juice into bulgur. Season with salt and pepper, if desired. Chill 30 minutes, or overnight.

nutritional information Per 1-cup serving: Calories: 165; Protein: 5 g; Total Fat: 9 g; Saturated Fat: 1 g; Carbohydrates: 20 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 35 mg; Fiber: 7 g; Sugar: 2 g; Vegan

BUTTER-BRAISED ASPARAGUS

This is from David Tanis in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. He wrote, “For the first-of-the-season asparagus, keep it simple with butter, lemon and sweet herbs. For the best texture, peeling the stalks really makes a difference.” Time:20 minutes; makes 4 servings.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds large or medium asparagus

6 tablespoons butter

Salt and pepper

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon lemon zest

1 tablespoon snipped chives

1 tablespoon roughly chopped parsley or chervil

1 teaspoon chopped tarragon, plus more for garnish

1 tablespoon chopped dill, plus more for garnish (optional)

Preparation

Snap off and discard the tough bottoms of the asparagus spears. If using large, thick asparagus, peel the lower ends with a vegetable peeler.

Put butter in a wide skillet over medium-high heat. Add asparagus in one layer and season with salt and pepper. Add 1/2 cup water, cover, and bring to a simmer. Cook until the asparagus is firm-tender, about 3 minutes. Take care not to overcook them; they should still be bright green. (They will continue to cook a bit once the heat is off.) Remove the asparagus from the pan and place on a serving platter.

Turn heat to high and simmer briskly until most of the liquid has evaporated, a minute or so. Add lemon juice and zest to the buttery juices. Turn off heat and stir in chives, parsley, tarragon and dill, if using. Check seasoning. Spoon the sauce over the asparagus, garnish with a few herb leaves, and serve.

RHUBARB STRAWBERRY COBBLER

This came in a Taste of Home e-newsletter, and was sent in by Susan Emery of Everett, Washington. Susan wrote, “Mom's yummy cobbler is a truly wonderful finale to any meal. This sweet-tart family favorite is chock-full of berries and rhubarb and has a thick easy-to-make crust.” Total Time: Prep: 20 minutes; Bake: 40 minutes; Yield: 8 servings.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

1-1/3 cups sugar

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

4 cups sliced fresh or frozen rhubarb, thawed (1/2-inch pieces)

2 cups halved fresh strawberries

2 tablespoons butter, cubed

Crust:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

2/3 cup canola oil

1/3 cup warm water

1 tablespoon 2% milk

1 tablespoon sugar

Vanilla ice cream, optional

Directions

Preheat oven to 425°. In a large bowl, mix sugar and flour. Add fruit; toss to coat. Transfer to a greased 11x7-in. baking dish. Dot with butter.

For crust, in a bowl, mix flour and salt. In another bowl, whisk oil and water; add to flour mixture, stirring with a fork until a dough is formed (dough will be sticky).

Roll dough between two pieces of waxed paper into an 11x7-in. rectangle. Remove top piece of waxed paper; invert rectangle over filling. Gently peel off waxed paper. Brush pastry with milk; sprinkle with sugar.

Bake 40-50 minutes or until golden brown. If desired, serve with ice cream.

Editor's Note: If using frozen rhubarb, measure rhubarb while still frozen, then thaw completely. Drain in a colander, but do not press liquid out.

SPAGHETTI SAUCE

This can be found in my e-cookbook, Off the Wall Cooking.

28 oz. can tomatoes (see note)

2 8 oz. cans tomato sauce

2 6 oz. cans tomato paste

3 onions, chopped

3 to 5 cloves garlic, crushed

2 T oil

1 T oregano

1/4 - 1/2 lb. grated cheddar cheese

1 tsp. basil

1 tsp. thyme

1 tsp. dill

1 tsp. anise

2 T honey

Brown onions & garlic in oil. Add tomatoes, sauce & pasted. Stir. Add everything except cheese & stir. Simmer 1 hour. Add cheese & stir until cheese is melted. Serve over hot spaghetti. Better the next day—if any is left! Sauce also freezes well, if you'd like to make extras for a future meal.

NOTE: I usually use crushed tomatoes. If you’d rather use fresh tomatoes, 6-8 large ones may be used (diced, of course) in place of the canned tomatoes, & add an extra can of tomato sauce.

Note:If you want to make it vegan, leave the honey out and use grated vegan cheese.

MINESTRONE SOUP

Yield: 4 servings (about 1 cup each)

Source: "Cooking with The Diabetic Chef"

Info: http://diabeticgourmet.com/book_archive/details/23.shtml

Ingredients

1/2 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 medium onion, finely diced

1/4 medium carrot, finely diced

1/4 stalk celery, finely diced

2/3 teaspoon garlic, minced

2 tablespoons leeks, finely diced

3 ounces (about 1/3 cup) canned tomatoes, chopped

1/2 medium zucchini, diced

1/4 teaspoon fresh thyme

3/4 teaspoon fresh oregano, minced

3 cups chicken stock

3 ounces (about 1/2 cup) frozen spinach, chopped

3/4 cup white beans, cooked

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon white pepper

1 teaspoon Parmesan cheese, grated

Directions

Heat the olive oil in a medium pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, and celery. Cook until the vegetables are slightly tender, about 3-4 minutes.

Add the garlic and leek and cook for 1 minute. Add the tomato, zucchini, thyme, oregano, and chicken stock. Bring the liquid to a simmer for 20 minutes.

Add the spinach and white beans. Return the liquid to a simmer for 20 minutes. Season with the salt and white pepper. Serve immediately and garnish with the Parmesan cheese.

Nutritional Information Per Serving (about 1 cup): Calories: 110, Fat: 3 g, Cholesterol: 3 mg, Sodium: 283 mg, Carbohydrate: 15 g, Dietary Fiber: 5 g, Sugars: 3 g, Protein: 7 g, Diabetic Exchanges: 1 Starch, 1/2 Lean Meat, 1 Vegetable, 1/2 Fat