Wednesday Recipes

Here are today's six vegetarian recipes. Enjoy!

STRAWBERRY-ORANGE MUFFINS

This comes from WebMD, and begins, “We love the combination of strawberry and orange in this sweet breakfast muffin with a streusel topping. For a less conventional (but equally delicious) twist, try the basil variation. The hint of basil complements the fruity berries wonderfully.” Makes: 1 dozen eggs.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

3 tablespoons almonds

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, plus 3/4 cup, divided

2 tablespoons brown sugar, plus 1/2 cup, divided

3 teaspoons orange zest, freshly grated, divided

1/2 teaspoon salt, divided

2 tablespoons canola oil, plus 1/4 cup, divided

1 cup white whole-wheat flour, or whole-wheat pastry flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 cup nonfat, or low-fat buttermilk

1/4 cup orange juice

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups strawberries, chopped fresh or frozen; not thawed; about 8 ounces

Instructions

Step 1: Preheat oven to 400°F. Coat a 12-cup muffin pan with cooking spray.

Step 2: Process almonds, 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, 1 teaspoon orange zest and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a food processor until finely ground. Transfer to a small bowl, drizzle with 2 tablespoons oil and stir to combine.

Step 3: Whisk the remaining 3/4 cup all-purpose flour, whole-wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt in a large bowl. Whisk the remaining 1/2 cup brown sugar, 2 teaspoons orange zest and 1/4 cup oil in a medium bowl with buttermilk, orange juice, egg and vanilla extract until well combined. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the wet ingredients; stir until just combined. Add strawberries; stir just to combine. Divide the batter among the prepared muffin cups. Sprinkle with the almond topping, gently pressing into the batter.

Step 4: Bake the muffins until golden brown and a wooden skewer inserted in the center comes out clean, 18 to 20 minutes. Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool for at least 5 minutes more before serving. Variation: For Strawberry-Basil Muffins, omit orange zest and use 1/4 cup additional buttermilk in place of orange juice. Stir in 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil with the berries in Step 3.

DUCHESS POTATOES

This comes from the November 2006 issue of Vegetarian Times, and begins, “Mashed potatoes usually have to be made just before serving, but this ingenious dish lets you mash them a day ahead, then shape into swirls. If you don't have a pastry bag, shape with an ice cream scoop.” Serves 8.

To view this online, click here.

3 lb. russet potatoes (about 3 large), peeled and cubed

4 Tbs. unsalted butter

3/4 cup low-fat sour cream

2 egg yolks

1/2 cup chopped chives

Preheat oven to 400F. Coat baking sheet with cooking spray. Bring potatoes and enough water to cover to a boil in pot. Reduce heat to medium, and cook 10 minutes, or until soft. Drain, and mash until smooth. Stir in butter and sour cream, then egg yolks and chives. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Transfer potatoes to pastry bag fitted with a star tip. Pipe 8 swirled ovals onto prepared baking sheet. Bake 25 to 30 minutes, or until edges begin to brown, or refrigerate until ready to use.

nutritional information Per SERVING: Calories: 217; Protein: 4 g; Total Fat: 8 g; Saturated Fat: 5 g; Carbohydrates: 33 g; Cholesterol: 74 mg; Sodium: 78 mg; Fiber: 3 g; Sugar: 3 g

QUINOA-STUFFED AVOCADOS

This comes from Delish, and starts off, “Taste the rainbow.” Total Time: 10 minutes; Prep: 10 minutes; Level: Easy; Yield: Makes 4.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

2 avocados, pitted

1 c. cooked quinoa

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

2 scallions, sliced

1 red bell pepper, chopped

1 c. corn (fresh, frozen, or canned)

2 tbsp. Extra virgin olive oil

Juice of 2 limes

kosher salt

Directions

Scoop out avocados, leaving a small border. Dice avocado and set aside.

Make quinoa salad: In a large bowl, combine quinoa, beans, scallion, peppers, and corn. Add olive oil and lime juice and toss to combine. Season with salt.

Divide salad among 4 avocado halves.

INDIAN-SPICED LENTILS WITH SPINACH AND RHUBARB

This comes from the July 2011 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 66. It begins, “Rhubarb’s fruity flavor complements the Indian spices, sweet raisins, and velvety spinach in this dish. For a more complete dinner, serve over a cooked whole grain, such as quinoa or brown rice.” Serves 6.

To view this online, click here.

2 Tbs. olive oil, divided

2 Tbs. yellow mustard seeds

2 1/2 tsp. whole cumin seeds

3 Tbs. minced fresh ginger

3 cloves garlic, minced (1 Tbs.)

1 medium red onion, chopped (1 1/2 cups)

1/2 cup golden raisins

1 cup brown lentils, rinsed and drained

3 1/2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth

1/2 lb. fresh rhubarb, cut into 1/4-inch slices, or 1/2 lb. frozen sliced rhubarb, thawed

6 cups baby spinach leaves

1/2 cup chopped cilantro

Heat 1 Tbs. oil in nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Add mustard and cumin seeds. Cover skillet, and cook 2 minutes, or until seeds begin to pop. Cook 1 to 2 minutes more, or until popping stops, shaking skillet often. Remove from heat, stir in ginger and garlic, and season with salt and pepper, if desired. Cover, and set aside.

Heat remaining 1 Tbs. oil in saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and raisins; sauté 10 minutes, or until onions begin to brown. Stir in lentils and 3 cups broth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer 25 minutes. Stir in rhubarb and remaining 1/2 cup broth; cook 6 minutes. Add spinach, cover, and cook mixture 6 minutes more. Stir mixture to incorporate rhubarb and spinach leaves, then stir in spice mixture. Serve garnished with cilantro.

nutritional information Per 1-cup serving: Calories: 250; Protein: 11 g; Total Fat: 6 g; Saturated Fat: less than 1 g; Carbohydrates: 41 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 130 mg; Fiber: 11 g; Sugar: 13 g; Vegan; Gluten-Free

JOLLOF RICE

This is from The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. It begins, “The chef Tunde Wey is based in New Orleans, but he was born in Nigeria, where jollof rice is a well-loved dish. The rice is cooked in a flavorful tomato and pepper purée; his version is vegan, and laced with chile heat.” Time: 1 hour; makes 7 1/2 cups rice.

to view this online, click here.

Ingredients

2 medium tomatoes, roughly chopped (about 5 ounces each)

1/2 medium Scotch bonnet pepper (or use a habanero pepper), stem removed

1/2 medium onion, roughly chopped

3 small red bell peppers, roughly chopped (about 5 ounces each)

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon curry powder

1 1/2 teaspoons hot ground chile pepper, such as African dried chile or cayenne

1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder

1 tablespoon plus 1 heaping teaspoon onion powder

2 bay leaves

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1 tablespoon dried thyme

2 1/2 cups medium-grain rice

Preparation

In a blender, combine tomatoes, scotch bonnet pepper and onions; purée. Pour out half the purée into a bowl; set aside. Add the bell peppers to the purée remaining in the blender and pulse until smooth. Add to the mixture that was set aside and stir to combine.

Heat vegetable oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add blended vegetables along with the salt, curry powder, ground chile pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, bay leaves, ginger and thyme. Bring mixture to a boil.

Stir in the rice until well mixed, then reduce the heat to low.

Cover pot and let cook until rice is al dente, about 45 minutes. Check after 30 minutes; if rice is sauce-logged, remove the lid to cook off the excess sauce. If rice seems dry, stir in 1 to 2 cups water. Allow the rice at the bottom of the pot to char a bit to infuse it with a smoky flavor.

GULLA SUPPER SOUP

One rainy day, my better half and I went to a different Publix than our usual one. Of course, this meant looking for what I’d planned to buy - which meant seeing things we normally would have overlooked at our usual Publix. In the canned veggie section (I was looking for crushed tomatoes), I saw a shelf with Margaret Holmes brand veggies, something I’d missed in our usual store. (I’ve since found this; no idea how long Publix had been carrying the product.)

Any-who (!), glancing at the back of a can of Margaret Holmes Tomatoes, Okra and Corn, I read this recipe and figured I’d try making it that week. It was an instant hit. I usually double the recipe, since almost everyone in the house loved this.

I was unable to locate this recipe on the Margaret Holmes recipe page of their site, but then, I might have missed it. But do check out the other yummy recipes there!

2 cans Margaret Holmes Tomatoes, Okra and Corn

1/2 stick butter

1 medium onion, peeled & chopped

2 stalks celery, chopped

1 C green cabbage, chopped

1/2 C green pepper, seeded & chopped

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

Big pinch fresh thyme

Big pinch chopped parsley

1/2 C cooked rice

Melt butter in medium saucepan, add onions, celery, cabbage & green pep-per. Cook for about 10 minutes over medium high heat until vegetables are softened. Add tomatoes & juice; cook for about 10 more minutes.

Stir in seasonings & cooked rice. Bring back to simmer & cook for 5 more minutes. Serve hot.