Friday Recipes

I'm back...I know, I didn't post any Thursday recipes. My computer was down since Wednesday afternoon; it's now back up and running. So here are today's six vegetarian recipes to try out. Enjoy!

PEACHES & CREAM-SICLES

One of my favorite places to shop (if not my absolute favorite store) is Rollin’ Oats in St. Petersburg, Florida. (They do have another store in Tampa, but since I live near St. Pete, that’s the one I go to.) Great store, friendly (and knowledgeable) employees…dang, now I’ve got to make another run there!

Anyway, the store has a rack with free magazines, including Better Nutrition. This, as well as the next recipe (Black Bean and Sweet Potato Burgers with Garlicky Chipotle Mayo) are from the July, 2015 issue of Better Nutrition. This recipe begins, “This sweet treat raises the bar when it comes to fruity popsicles. Best of all, it’s easy to put together.” Makes 6 froze pops.

To view this online, click here.

8 very ripe peaches

1/2 cup unrefined cane sugar

1 cup coconut milk

1 cup almond milk

Peel and pit peaches (to quickly peel, drop in boiling water 30 seconds, remove with slotted spoon, and slip skins off). Combine peaches, sugar, and milks in blender, and purée until smooth.

Transfer mixture to popsicle molds and freeze 3–4 hours, or overnight.

per serving: 240 cal; 3g pro; 9g total fat (7g sat fat); 40g carb; 0mg chol; 30mg sod; 3g fiber; 36g sugars

BLACK BEAN AND SWEET POTATO BURGERS WITH GARLICKY CHIPOTLE MAYO

This one begins, “These protein-rich burgers definitely have a ‘wow’ factor thanks to the hearty bean-sweet potato-and-quinoa base.” Makes 6 burgers.

To view this online, click here.

1 can black beans, rinsed and drained well

1 medium baked or roasted sweet potato, peeled and mashed

1/2 cup cooked quinoa or brown rice

1/4 cup ground flax

1/4 cup finely chopped red onion

1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro

1/4 tsp. cumin

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. black pepper

Olive oil

1/2 cup vegan mayonnaise

1/2 tsp. chipotle powder

1 large garlic clove, pressed in a garlic press or very finely minced

Burger buns, avocado slices, and arugula, optional

Preheat grill to medium. Combine beans, sweet potato, quinoa, flax, onion, cilantro, cumin, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl. Mash beans with a potato masher into an even consistency. Let stand 5 minutes.

Using your hands, form mixture into 6 burgers; generously brush both sides of burgers with olive oil and arrange on grill basket. Grill 8–10 minutes on each side.

While burgers are cooking, combine mayonnaise, chipotle, and garlic in small bowl. Mix well. To serve, spread chipotle mayonnaise on both sides of burger buns. Arrange avocado slices and arugula on bottom halves, if using. Top with burgers and top halves of buns, and serve immediately.

per serving (without buns): 180 cal; 8g pro; 7g total fat (1g sat fat); 23g carb; 0mg chol; 400mg sod; 7g fiber; 2g sugars

LIGHT-AND-FAST RASPBERRY FOOL

This is from the September 2009 issue of Vegetarian Times, and begins, “’This year, we're starting to make our own raspberry ice cream at Dirt Candy and will use Cascadian Farm Frozen Organic Red Raspberries,’” says Amanda Cohen of Dirt Candy restaurant in New York. “’They're never bland—they have a pure raspberry flavor that rivals fresh berries. In fact, they're so sweet, they need little or no added sugar, even if you eat them plain.’” Try them in this dessert, and everyone will think you used fresh.” Serves 4 in 30 minutes or less.

To view this online, click here.

1 10-oz. bag Cascadian Farm Frozen Organic Red Raspberries

1/4 cup sugar

2 cups plain Greek-style nonfat yogurt

3 Tbs. honey

1/2 tsp. almond extract

2 Tbs. grated orange zest

2 Tbs. sliced almonds

Bring raspberries and sugar to a boil in saucepan. Simmer 10 minutes. Transfer to bowl, and chill 10 minutes.

Whisk together yogurt, honey, almond extract, and zest in bowl. Fold 1 1/2 cups berry sauce into yogurt mixture, creating a marbled effect. Divide among bowls; garnish with almonds and leftover sauce.

nutritional information Per 1-cup serving: Calories: 207; Protein: 11 g; Total Fat: 1 g; Saturated Fat: less than 1 g; Carbohydrates: 40 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 43 mg; Fiber: 4 g; Sugar: 33 g; Gluten-Free

CREAMY TOMATO-BASIL BISQUE

This also comes from the September 2009 issue of Vegetarian Times, and begins, “‘Muir Glen Organic Fire Roasted Tomatoes aren’t tinny-tasting like some canned varieties,’” says Beverly Lynn Bennett, author of Vegan Bites and The Complete Idiot's Guide to Vegan Cooking. Fire roasted over natural hardwood, they have a sweet, smoky flavor that's great in soup.” Serves 8 in 30 minutes or less.

To view this online, click here.

1 Tbs. olive oil

1 small onion, chopped (1/2 cup)

3 cloves garlic, minced (1 Tbs.)

2 28-oz. cans Muir Glen Organic Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes

2 tsp. sugar

1 tsp. balsamic or sherry vinegar

1 tsp. dried basil

1 bay leaf

2 1/2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth

1/3 cup half-and-half or soy creamer

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil, for garnish

Heat oil in saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; cook 5 minutes. Add tomatoes, sugar, vinegar, basil, bay leaf, and broth. Cover, and simmer 10 minutes. Remove bay leaf.

Purée soup in blender or food processor until smooth. Strain through fine mesh strainer into saucepan; return to simmer. Remove from heat, and stir in half-and-half. Season with salt and pepper, if desired. Garnish with basil.

nutritional information Per 1-cup serving: Calories: 89; Protein: 2 g; Total Fat: 3 g; Saturated Fat: less than 1 g; Carbohydrates: 13 g; Cholesterol: 4 mg; Sodium: 491 mg; Fiber: 2 g; Sugar: 8 g; Gluten-Free

ALMOND CAKE

This comes from Mark Bittman and Sam Sifton in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. It begins, “This moist and fragrant cake from Molly Wizenberg, the author of the popular food blog Orangette, calls for a whole orange and lemon, almonds and olive oil. It does require a little effort and the use of some equipment – a food processor and a mixer – but the ingredient list is short, and once you've boiled and puréed the citrus and ground the almonds, the whole thing comes together in a snap. It's excellent on its own, but we also like it with poached pears or grilled figs.” Yield: 8 servings; Time: 2 hours 15 minutes.

This was featured in “Feast In A Day” and can be viewed online here.

Ingredients

1 small to medium orange

1 lemon

6 ounces raw almonds

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

4 eggs

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups sugar

2/3 cup olive oil

Confectioners’ sugar

Preparation

Place the orange and the lemon in a saucepan, and cover with water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Drain and cool.

Heat the oven to 325 degrees, and set a rack in the middle position. Bake the almonds 10 to 15 minutes. Set aside to cool completely. When the almonds are cool, pulse them in a food processor until ground.

Set oven to 350 degrees, and grease a 9-inch springform pan.

When the citrus is cool, cut the lemon in half, and discard the pulp and seeds. Cut the orange in half, and discard seeds. Put the fruits in the food processor and process almost to a paste.

In a small bowl, whisk the flour and baking powder. Combine eggs and salt. Beat until foamy. Beat in the sugar. Fold in the flour mixture. Add the citrus, almonds and olive oil, and beat on low speed until incorporated. Pour the batter into the pan, and bake for about 1 hour. Let cool for 10 minutes, unmold and dust with confectioners’ sugar.

BASIC CORN CHOWDER

This comes from Mark Bittman, also in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Mark wrote, “This is chowder at its simplest: corn, onion, potatoes and milk, with a couple of chopped tomatoes and a handful of parsley to add flavor and color. Starting with bacon and finishing with cream makes a richer version of the dish. But you could easily expand its borders by adding curry powder and ginger, sour cream and cilantro. Or when the potato is replaced by rice and the cream with coconut milk, Southeast Asian seasonings can be added to make a chowder that has little in common with the original, save for its intense corn flavor.” Yield: 4 servings; Time: 30 minutes.

This was featured in “Don't Toss Out the Cobs” and can be viewed online here.

Ingredients

4 to 6 ears of corn

1 tablespoon butter or neutral oil, like canola or grapeseed

1 medium onion, chopped

2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 tomatoes, cored, seeded and chopped (optional)

1 cup whole or low-fat milk

1/2 cup chopped parsley (optional)

Preparation

Shuck corn, and use a paring knife to strip kernels into a bowl. Put cobs in a pot with 4 cups water; bring to a boil, cover and simmer while you continue.

Put butter or oil in a saucepan, and turn heat to medium-high. When butter melts or oil is hot, add onion and potatoes, along with a sprinkling of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion softens, about 5 minutes; add tomatoes and cook, stirring, for another minute or two.

After corncobs have cooked at least 10 minutes, strain liquid into onion-potato mixture; bring to a boil, then lower heat to a simmer. When potatoes are tender, add corn kernels and milk, and heat through. Taste, and adjust seasonings. Garnish with the parsley, and serve.

Tip

Curried corn chowder: In Step 2, use oil, and add 1 tablespoon each curry powder and peeled and minced ginger to the onions. In Step 3, use sour cream in place of milk; garnish with cilantro in place of parsley.