Friday Recipes

Finally, Friday! Here are six vegetarian recipes to help you through the weekend, including Roasted Vegetables and African Bean Soup. Enjoy!

CRISPY QUINIOA CAKES

This recipe, as well as the Roasted Red Pepper Sauce, are from the September 2011 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 65. This one begins, “Serve these with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce. After trying the recipe as is, mix things up: Replace 1 cup quinoa with lentils, and season with curry powder to make Indian koftas. Or mix in more chopped parsley, and serve in pitas for quinoa falafel. Recipe by Kirstin Uhrenholdt.” Serves 6 in 30 minutes or less.

To view this online, click here.

1 large egg

2 Tbs. all-purpose flour

1 1/2 Tbs. tahini or nut butter

1 1/2 tsp. red or white wine vinegar

1 1/2 cups cooked quinoa

1/2 cup finely grated sweet potato

1/2 10-oz. pkg. frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry

1/4 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes

1/4 cup chopped nuts, optional

2 oz. crumbled feta cheese, optional

2 Tbs. finely diced onion

1 Tbs. chopped fresh parsley or cilantro

1 clove garlic, minced (1 tsp.)

1/2 tsp. salt

Preheat oven to 400°F. Coat baking sheet with cooking spray. Combine egg, flour, tahini, and vinegar in bowl. Stir in remaining ingredients, then mash together until mixture is firm enough to shape into cakes. Shape mixture into 1/4-cup patties with wet hands. Bake on prepared baking sheet 25 minutes, turning once, or until cakes are browned.

nutritional information Per Serving (2 cakes): Calories: 125; Protein: 6 g; Total Fat: 4 g; Saturated Fat: less than 1 g; Carbohydrates: 17 g; Cholesterol: 31 mg; Sodium: 282 mg; Fiber: 3 g; Sugar: 2 g

ROASTED RED PEPPER SAUCE

This is also from the September 2011 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 65, and begins, “Serve this quick, healthful dipping sauce with Crispy Quinoa Cakes.” Makes 2 1/2 cups in 30 minutes or less.

To view this online, click here.

1 1/2 cups roasted red peppers, drained

1/2 cup toasted almonds

1 clove garlic

2 tsp. red wine vinegar

Purée all ingredients in food processor.

nutritional information Per 1/4-cup serving: Calories: 40; Protein: 1 g; Total Fat: 3 g; Saturated Fat: less than 1 g; Carbohydrates: 3 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 111 mg; Fiber: 1 g; Sugar: 1 g; Vegan; Gluten-Free

ROASTED VEGETABLES

This comes from Melissa Clark in The New York Times Cooking e-newsletter. Melissa wrote, “The key to roasting all kinds of vegetables is to know the right temperature for cooking them. Dense, low-moisture vegetables (like the roots and squashes in this recipe) need lower heat and more time in the oven than vegetables with more moisture, like eggplant or zucchini. Then simply toss your vegetables with oil and season with salt and pepper before roasting. Top your roasted vegetable with a couple of fried eggs or a dollop of yogurt, or both, and you have a meal.” Time: 30 minutes to 1 hour; makes 4 to 6 servings.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

2 to 3 pounds root or dense vegetable, peeled if you like and cut into 1-inch chunks or wedges (carrots, beets, potatoes, sweet potatoes, turnips, radishes, rutabaga, winter squashes)

Oil (olive, coconut or grapeseed)

Salt and pepper

Fried eggs and/or plain yogurt

Fresh herbs, torn or chopped

Preparation

Heat oven to 425 degrees. Toss vegetables with oil, salt, and pepper. Roast, stirring at least once or twice during roasting for even cooking and browning.

Serve with fried eggs and/or yogurt, ground black pepper and plenty of torn herbs on top.

Tips

You can use 2 pounds high-moisture vegetables instead (eggplant, peppers, zucchini, fennel, onions, brussels sprouts). Slice them and cut into chunks or wedges. Roast at 450 degrees until golden brown all over, 10 to 40 minutes depending on variety and the size of the pieces.

Or use 1 to 2 pounds hardy green vegetables (broccoli rabe, snow peas, green beans, kale, collard greens, chard) or cherry tomatoes, trimmed. Roast at 450 degrees for 7 to 15 minutes.

AFRICAN BEAN SOUP

I'm occasionally amazed at where I find recipes. This one comes from GE Appliances. It begins, “It's the season for soup and what better way to warm up than this hearty, protein packed stew! This dish works well on it's own, or for a more substantial meal, serve over brown rice and spinach.” Serves 6 to 8.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 onion, chopped

2 small yams, peeled and diced (about 2 cups)

2 medium carrots, chopped

2 celery stalks, chopped

1 red bell pepper, diced

1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes

1 (15-ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained

3 cups vegetable broth

1/2 cup cilantro or parsley

3 tablespoons creamy peanut butter

2 teaspoons curry powder

Directions

Heat olive oil in stock pot over medium-high heat. Saute onion and sweet potato for about 5 minutes.

Add celery, carrots, bell pepper, soy sauce and curry powder and saute for another 5 minutes.

Add tomatoes, beans, cilantro or parsley and vegetable stock.

Blend peanut butter with 1/2 cup warm water and add to soup.

Cover and simmer for 20-25 minutes, until sweet potatoes are tender.

CABBAGE WITH TOMATOES, BULGUR AND CHICKPEAS

This comes from Martha Rose Shulman in The New York Times Cooking e-newsletter. Martha wrote, “This recipe is based on a Greek dish made with red cabbage. I’ve used both green and red cabbage, and I like it both ways. It’s a comforting vegan dish that works as an entree or a side.” Time: 40 minutes; Serves 6.

To view this online, go to http://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1013499-cabbage-with-tomatoes-bulgur-and-chickpeas.

Ingredients

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 onion, finely chopped

Salt to taste

1 tablespoon sweet paprika

1 medium head green or red cabbage, finely shredded

1 14-ounce can chopped tomatoes with juice

2 teaspoons sugar

2 teaspoons red wine vinegar, cider vinegar or sherry vinegar

1/4 cup chopped fresh dill

2 cups water

1 cup coarse bulgur

1 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

Preparation

Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large, heavy lidded skillet or Dutch oven. Add the onion, and cook, stirring often, until tender, about five minutes. Stir in a pinch of salt and the paprika. Cook, stirring, until the onion is thoroughly tender and infused with paprika, three to four minutes.

Add the cabbage, and cook, stirring, for three minutes or until it begins to wilt. Stir in the tomatoes, sugar and vinegar, and add salt to taste. Bring to a simmer, lower the heat, cover and simmer 15 minutes until the cabbage is thoroughly tender.

Stir in the dill and the water, and bring a to a boil. Add the bulgur and chickpeas. Stir to combine. When the water comes back to a boil, reduce the heat to low and cover. Simmer 10 minutes or until all of the water has been absorbed. Remove from the heat, taste and adjust seasonings, and serve hot or at room temperature.

Tip: Advance preparation: Since this is good served at room temperature, you can make it several hours ahead. Reheat if desired. It will keep for three or four days in the refrigerator.

QUICK PUMPKIN-SAGE PASTA

Pumpkin is one of those foods I absolutely adore. Pasta ranks right up there, too. This yummy recipe comes from Tara Parker-Pope, also from The New York Times Cooking e-newsletter. Tara wrote, “The vegan chef Lindsay S. Nixon is giving Well readers a sneak peek at her new cookbook, “Everyday Happy Herbivore: Over 175 Quick-and-Easy Fat-Free and Low-Fat Vegan Recipes." This is a great way to use up leftover pumpkin. It whips up as quickly as you can boil pasta and really captures the taste of autumn.” Time: about 30 minutes; makes 2 servings.

To view this online, go to http://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1015470-quick-pumpkin-sage-pasta.

Ingredients

4 ounces whole-wheat pasta

3/4 cup vegetable broth

3/4 cup canned pumpkin

1 to 2 tablespoons minced fresh sage

1/8 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

Pinch of dried oregano

Pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)

Salt and pepper, to taste

Vegan Parmesan for garnish (optional)

Preparation

Cook pasta according to package instructions.

Meanwhile, combine remaining ingredients in a small saucepan and heat over low heat until thoroughly warm, about 5 minutes.

Taste, adding more sage if desired, plus salt and pepper to taste.

Cover and let sauce rest for 5 to 10 minutes, allowing the flavors to merge and sauce to thicken slightly.

Toss cooked pasta with pumpkin sauce and taste, adding more salt and pepper as needed. Garnish with vegan Parmesan if desired.

Tip:For a one-pot meal, prepare sauce in the same pot used to cook pasta, setting the pasta aside as you make the sauce.