Friday Recipes

It's finally Friday. Today's six recipes should help you through the weekend, including Easy Vegan Tempeh Chili and Chocolate Guinness Cake. Enjoy!

CAULIFLOWER CRUST PIZZA WITH PESTO AND TOMATOES

This comes from Ready Set Eat, and begins, “Cauliflower crust pizza recipe is topped with basil pesto, fresh mozzarella cheese and organic diced tomatoes for a 'low carb' pizza.”

Prep Time: 30 minutes; Total Time: 75 minutes; Servings: 4; Number of ingredients: 8

To view this online (and to check out the site), go to https://www.readyseteat.com/recipes-Cauliflower-Crust-Pizza-with-Pesto-and-Tomatoes-8115.

Ingredients

PAM® Organic Olive Oil No-Stick Cooking Spray

6 cups fresh cauliflower florets (6 cups florets = about 1-1/2 pounds)

3 large egg whites, beaten

2/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/3 cup refrigerated basil pesto

4 ounces sliced fresh mozzarella cheese, halved

1 can (14.5 oz each) Hunt's® Diced Tomatoes, drained well (or try Hunt's® Organic)

Directions

Preheat oven to 400°F. Line 12-inch round pizza pan with parchment paper. Spray with cooking spray; set aside.

Place half of cauliflower in food processor bowl; pulse until mixture resembles ‘rice’. Repeat with remaining cauliflower. Place cauliflower 'rice' in large microwave-safe bowl; cover. Microwave on HIGH 3 to 5 minutes or until cauliflower is steamed. Carefully place on kitchen towel in single layer; cool 2 to 3 minutes. Twist towel to squeeze liquid from cauliflower (removing about 1 cup). Place drained cauliflower in medium bowl.

Add egg whites, Parmesan cheese, basil, oregano and pepper to bowl; stir to combine. Spread mixture on pizza pan, pressing lightly to edge of pan with hands to resemble pizza crust. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until crust is golden brown.

Remove from oven. Spread pesto over crust; top with cheese and drained tomatoes. Bake 8 to 10 minutes more or until cheese is melted. Cut into 8 slices.

Tips:

Cauliflower florets (with little stem) work best for this recipe.

For gluten free preparation, confirm all recipe ingredients are gluten free by reading product labels each time you make this recipe.

VEGETARIAN STUFFED PEPPERS

This comes from Ready Set Eat, and begins, “A heart healthy recipe for stuffed peppers filled with brown rice, vegetables and cheese for a Mexican flavor influence.”

Prep Time: 25 minutes; Total Time: 45 minutes; Servings: 4; Number of ingredients: 8.

To view this online (and to check out more recipes), go to https://www.readyseteat.com/recipes-Vegetarian-Stuffed-Peppers-7419.

Ingredients

PAM® Original No-Stick Cooking Spray

2 large green or red bell peppers

1/2 cup instant brown rice, uncooked

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon garlic salt

1 can (10 oz each) Ro*Tel® Original Diced Tomatoes & Green Chilies-No Salt Added, drained

1-1/2 cups frozen Southwest mixed vegetables (corn, black beans, red peppers)

1 can (8 oz each) Hunt's® Tomato Sauce, divided

1/3 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese

Directions

Preheat oven to 400°F. Spray 8x8-inch glass baking dish with cooking spray. Cut bell peppers lengthwise through stem into halves. Remove and discard seeds and membranes. Place peppers, cut-side down, in dish. Bake 15 minutes or until tender.

Meanwhile, prepare rice according to package directions, adding cumin and garlic salt. Add drained tomatoes, mixed vegetables and half of tomato sauce to cooked rice; stir to combine. Divide rice mixture and place inside peppers. Top with remaining tomato sauce; sprinkle with cheese.

Cover dish with aluminum foil. Bake 20 minutes or until peppers are hot and cheese melts.

ALMOND, TOASTED OAT AND CHERRY TRAIL MIX

This was in a Weight Watchers' email several years ago. The program has changed, but I'm using the values from when this was sent.

This recipe began, “Take this energy-packed treat with you when you head to the great outdoors.”

POINTS® Value: 3; Servings: 6; Preparation Time: 8 minutes; Cooking Time: 25 minutes; Level of Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

1 cup uncooked old fashioned oats

2/3 cup dried cherries, chopped

1/4 cup slivered almonds

1/4 tsp table salt

1 Tbsp Land O Lakes Stick Light Butter, or similar product, melted

1/4 cup honey

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a sided sheet pan with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, stir together rolled oats, cherries, almonds and salt. Drizzle with butter and honey and toss thoroughly. Spread mixture evenly on sheet pan. Bake, stirring occasionally to ensure even browning, about 20 to 25 minutes; let cool. Yields about 1/3 cup per serving. (You might want to double the recipe and store the mix for a few days in an airtight container.)

HOME/MADE MUSHROOM LASAGNA

This comes from Sam Sifton at The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Sam wrote, “Monica Byrne, with her partner, Leisah Swenson, runs a tiny restaurant in Red Hook, Brooklyn, called Home/Made. A plurality of words that appear on the Home/Made menu: ‘cheese,’ ‘smoked,’ ‘bacon,’ ‘caramelized.’ Three of those four appear in Byrne’s lasagna, leaving out only bacon, which would be a fine addition. She layers smoked mozzarella over a painting of rich, garlicky béchamel and sheets of pasta, then radicchio roasted into sweetness and tossed in sauce. Sautéed mushrooms add heft and loamy funkiness, and a mixture of Fontina and Gruyère add zing.”

Yield: 6 to 8 servings; Time: 2 hours

This was featured in “Gooey Wild-Mushroom Lasagna” and can be viewed onlinehere.

Ingredients

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil or herb oil

6 large shallots, peeled and minced

1 1/2 pounds mushrooms, wild or best available oyster, shiitake, cremini, trimmed and sliced

1 cup dry white wine

1 softball-size head of radicchio, halved, cored and cut into 1/2-inch slices

Kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, or herb oil

3 large cloves garlic, peeled and minced

4 tablespoons flour, ideally instant or all-purpose

3 cups whole milk

1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg

1 cup Gruyère cheese, grated

1 cup Fontina cheese, grated

2 tablespoons best-quality truffle oil (optional)

2 9-ounce boxes of no-boil lasagna sheets

1 baseball-size ball of smoked mozzarella, sliced

1 cup fresh Parmesan, grated

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350. Place a large sauté pan over medium-high heat and add 1/4 cup of the olive oil or herb oil. When it begins to shimmer, add half of the shallots and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent. Add mushrooms and toss to coat, then cook until they begin to color but are still plump, approximately 12 to 15 minutes. Add white wine to deglaze pan and allow to cook down into a syrup, approximately 5 to 7 minutes. Put the mushrooms into a large bowl and reserve.

Meanwhile, in another bowl, toss the radicchio with 1/4 cup olive oil or herb oil and season with salt and pepper. Spread the strips out onto a baking pan and place in the oven until the strips are lightly browned around the edges, approximately 15 minutes. Combine with mushrooms and reserve.

Make the béchamel. Place a saucepan over medium heat and melt the butter. When it foams, add the rest of the shallots and cook until they begin to turn translucent. Add the garlic and stir to combine, then cook until the garlic has started to soften. Sprinkle flour over the top and stir to combine, then cook gently until the mixture has turned light brown and gives off a nutty scent, approximately 10 minutes. Add milk to the mixture, whisking all the while, until the sauce is thick and creamy. Add the nutmeg and 1/4 cup of grated Gruyère and 1/4 cup of grated Fontina, then stir to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Reserve a cup of béchamel. Pour the rest over the mixture of mushrooms and radicchio, and stir to combine. Add truffle oil, if using.

Assemble lasagna. Spread plain béchamel across the bottom of a 9- by-13-inch baking pan. Place a layer of lasagna sheets across the sauce, being careful not to overlap. Spread a generous layer of mushroom mixture on top of the pasta, and follow with some grated Fontina and Gruyère. Put another layer of pasta above the cheese, and top with smoked mozzarella. Repeat until the pasta is gone and the pan is full. Top with remaining cheeses and a generous amount of grated Parmesan. Cover with a buttered sheet of aluminum foil and place in the oven for 45 minutes. Remove foil and cook until top is golden and bubbling.

CHOCOLATE GUINNESS CAKE

This comes from Nigella Lawson, also in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter Nigella writes, “For me, a chocolate cake is the basic unit of celebration. The chocolate Guinness cake here is simple but deeply pleasurable, and has earned its place as a stand-alone treat.” Time: 1 hour 15 minutes; one 9-inch cake or 12 servings

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

For the Cake:

Butter for pan

1 cup Guinness stout

10 tablespoons (1 stick plus 2 tablespoons) unsalted butter

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa

2 cups superfine sugar

3/4 cup sour cream

2 large eggs

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

For the Topping:

1 1/4 cups confectioners' sugar

8 ounces cream cheese at room temperature

1/2 cup heavy cream

Preparation:

For the cake: heat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-inch springform pan and line with parchment paper. In a large saucepan, combine Guinness and butter. Place over medium-low heat until butter melts, then remove from heat. Add cocoa and superfine sugar, and whisk to blend.

In a small bowl, combine sour cream, eggs and vanilla; mix well. Add to Guinness mixture. Add flour and baking soda, and whisk again until smooth. Pour into buttered pan, and bake until risen and firm, 45 minutes to one hour. Place pan on a wire rack and cool completely in pan.

For the topping: Using a food processor or by hand, mix confectioners' sugar to break up lumps. Add cream cheese and blend until smooth. Add heavy cream, and mix until smooth and spreadable.

Remove cake from pan and place on a platter or cake stand. Ice top of cake only, so that it resembles a frothy pint of Guinness.

EASY VEGAN TEMPEH CHILI

This is from OnTrackDiabetes, a site with some good information for diabetics and their families.

Servings: 6; Prep time: 10 minutes; Cook time: 30 minutes; Total: 40 minutes

You can view this at https://www.ontrackdiabetes.com/recipes/easy-vegan-tempeh-chili.

Ingredients

3 tablespoons olive oil

8 ounces tempeh

1 medium onion, chopped (about 1 cup)

1/2 red bell pepper, chopped (about 1 cup)

1/2 yellow bell pepper, chopped (about 1 cup)

1/2 orange bell pepper, chopped (about 1 cup)

1 stalk of celery, chopped

1 15-ounce can of organic pinto beans (undrained)

1 15-ounce can of organic kidney beans (drained)

2 15-ounce cans of fire-roasted diced tomatoes (undrained)

3/4 cup of water

3 tablespoons chili powder

1 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon oregano

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon cayenne (or to taste)

Directions

Heat olive oil in a large (6-quart) saucepan on medium heat.

Remove tempeh from the package and crumble it into saucepan. Brown for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently.

Add chopped onion, bell peppers and celery to saucepan. Stir frequently for about 5 minutes.

Add beans (1 drained and 1 undrained), tomatoes, water and remaining seasonings. Stir well to combine.

Simmer on low heat for about 20 to 30 minutes, or until peppers are cooked yet still firm.

Nutrition Information Per Serving: 330 calories (33% calories from fat), 18 g protein, 12 g total fat (2 g saturated fat), 38 g carbohydrates, 12 g fiber, 0 mg cholesterol, 767 mg sodium

Friday Recipes

It's Friday, time to get ready for the weekend. Here are six recipes to help you through the weekend, including Simple Vegetarian Spinach Lasagna and Almond, Toasted Oat, and Cherry Trail Mix. Enjoy!

THREE-BEAN SOUP

This is one of my favorite quick meals that I usually only fix on weekends, especially if it happens to be cold and/or rainy. It’s from the November/December 2005 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 37, in that issue’s “30 Minutes; Quick, Fast Food” section. This vegan recipe serves 6, and starts off, “Here’s a straight-from-the-pantry soup that’ll become a weeknight favorite. (Or, in my case, weekend favorite.) Pureeing one of the cans of beans creates a creamy base without adding extra fat or cholesterol. Garnish with crumbled feta cheese and serve with vegetable chips, if desired.”

2 Tbs. vegetable oil

1 large onion, diced (about 2 cups)

1 15.5-oz. can navy beans, drained and rinsed

1 15.5-oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed

6 cloves garlic, minced (about 2 Tbs.)

2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth or water

1 15.5-oz. can great Northern beans, drained and rinsed

Heat oil in large pot over medium heat. Saute onion 2 to 3 minutes, or until soft. Add navy beans, black beans and garlic, and continue cooking and stirring 8 to 10 minutes more. Stir in 1 cup broth.

Meanwhile, put great Northern beans and remaining 1 cup broth into food processor or blender, and puree until smooth. Pour puree into soup. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Thin with more broth or water, if desired.

Spoon into individual soup bowls, and serve hot.

Per serving: 231 calories; 13 g protein; 5 g total fat (0 g saturated fat); 39 g carbs; 0 mg cholesterol; 557 mg sodium; 11 g fiber; 5 g sugars

CORN MUFFINS

Recipe Yield: Servings: 12

View this online at https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipe/corn-muffins

Ingredients

1/2 cup corn meal

1 cup flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

3/4 cup skim milk

1 tablespoon butter or margarine, melted

1 egg

Directions

Mix dry ingredients together.

Add lightly beaten egg, milk and butter.

Mix just until moist.

Bake in muffin tins lined with cupcake papers for 20 minutes at 400F.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 95; Fat: 2.5 g; Protein: 5 g; Carbohydrates: 15 g

CAULIFLOWER CRUST PIZZA WITH PESTO AND TOMATOES

This comes from Ready Set Eat, and begins, “Cauliflower crust pizza recipe is topped with basil pesto, fresh mozzarella cheese and organic diced tomatoes for a 'low carb' pizza.”

Prep Time: 30 minutes; Total Time: 75 minutes; Servings: 4; Number of ingredients: 8

To view this online (and to check out the site), go to https://www.readyseteat.com/recipes-Cauliflower-Crust-Pizza-with-Pesto-and-Tomatoes-8115.

Ingredients

PAM® Organic Olive Oil No-Stick Cooking Spray

6 cups fresh cauliflower florets (6 cups florets = about 1-1/2 pounds)

3 large egg whites, beaten

2/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/3 cup refrigerated basil pesto

4 ounces sliced fresh mozzarella cheese, halved

1 can (14.5 oz each) Hunt's® Diced Tomatoes, drained well (or try Hunt's® Organic)

Directions

Preheat oven to 400°F. Line 12-inch round pizza pan with parchment paper. Spray with cooking spray; set aside.

Place half of cauliflower in food processor bowl; pulse until mixture resembles ‘rice’. Repeat with remaining cauliflower. Place cauliflower 'rice' in large microwave-safe bowl; cover. Microwave on HIGH 3 to 5 minutes or until cauliflower is steamed. Carefully place on kitchen towel in single layer; cool 2 to 3 minutes. Twist towel to squeeze liquid from cauliflower (removing about 1 cup). Place drained cauliflower in medium bowl.

Add egg whites, Parmesan cheese, basil, oregano and pepper to bowl; stir to combine. Spread mixture on pizza pan, pressing lightly to edge of pan with hands to resemble pizza crust. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until crust is golden brown.

Remove from oven. Spread pesto over crust; top with cheese and drained tomatoes. Bake 8 to 10 minutes more or until cheese is melted. Cut into 8 slices.

Tips:

Cauliflower florets (with little stem) work best for this recipe.

For gluten free preparation, confirm all recipe ingredients are gluten free by reading product labels each time you make this recipe.

ALMOND, TOASTED OAT AND CHERRY TRAIL MIX

This was in a Weight Watchers' email several years ago. The program has changed, but I'm using the values from when this was sent.

This recipe began, “Take this energy-packed treat with you when you head to the great outdoors.”

POINTS® Value: 3; Servings: 6; Preparation Time: 8 minutes; Cooking Time: 25 minutes; Level of Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

1 cup uncooked old fashioned oats

2/3 cup dried cherries, chopped

1/4 cup slivered almonds

1/4 tsp table salt

1 Tbsp Land O Lakes Stick Light Butter, or similar product, melted

1/4 cup honey

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a sided sheet pan with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, stir together rolled oats, cherries, almonds and salt. Drizzle with butter and honey and toss thoroughly. Spread mixture evenly on sheet pan. Bake, stirring occasionally to ensure even browning, about 20 to 25 minutes; let cool. Yields about 1/3 cup per serving. (You might want to double the recipe and store the mix for a few days in an airtight container.)

SIMPLE VEGETARIAN SPINACH LASAGNA

This comes from Vicki Shanta Retelny, RDN at VeryWellFit. Vicki wrote, “There's nothing like lasagna to soothe a craving for a creamy, dreamy meal. With a foundation of vitamin C-rich tomato sauce, which is loaded with the carotenoid lycopene, this Italian classic takes on a healthy bend with a good dose veggies nestled in its layers.

“Chock full of leafy green spinach, this dish is good for your brain health, as eating a serving of veggies each day has shown to fend off cognitive decline. Spinach is also loaded with iron and calcium for a total body wellness boost.“

Total Time: 65 min; Prep Time: 20 min; Cook Time: 45 min; Servings 9 (1 cup each)

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

1 package no-boil lasagna noodles

2 28-ounce cans tomato sauce

1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon oregano

2 cloves garlic, finely minced

1 15-ounce container part-skim ricotta cheese

1 cup part-skim mozzarella cheese, grated

3 cups raw baby spinach leaves

Preparation

Preheat the oven the 350F.

On the stovetop over medium heat, pour the tomato sauce into a saucepan. Add salt, oregano, and garlic. Bring to a light boil, lower the heat, and simmer for a few minutes. Stir occasionally.

On the bottom of a 9x13 pan put a layer of tomato sauce. Place a layer of noodles on top, covering the bottom of the pan. Spread ricotta cheese on top of the noodles, top with spinach, and sprinkle with mozzarella cheese and coat with a small ladle full of sauce. Repeat the layers until you get to the top of the pan. Sprinkle the final layer with mozzarella cheese.

Place in the oven and bake for 45 minutes or until bubbly and cheese is golden brown on top.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool for a 10 minutes before serving.

Ingredient Variations and Substitutions

Make this dish higher in fiber with whole wheat noodles, although they may only be available in the boil variety. Add other vegetables such a sliced carrots, zucchini, or eggplant. For an alternative green, use baby kale or arugula. Spread pesto between the layers or incorporate it into the tomato sauce for a rich, nutty flavor.

If you want to add meat, add cooked, diced chicken breast or ground turkey to the sauce. For a non-dairy twist, use vegan cheese in lieu of ricotta and mozzarella cheese.

Cooking and Serving Tips

To save time use no-boil lasagna noodles—they're quick and easy to assemble. Plus, the part-skim ricotta cheese and mozzarella reduce the fat but still offer good-quality protein.

This dish can be assembled and placed, uncooked and covered, in the refrigerator overnight. Simply heat and serve the next day. Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator or freezer in an airtight container.

PASTA WITH BROWN BUTTER AND PARMESAN

This comes from Ali Slagle in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Ali wrote, “Sometimes you just want a big bowl of pasta with butter and Parmesan. Starchy, silky and salty, it’s always good — and practically foolproof. To make it a little more grown up, just take it one step further: Brown the butter. When you slide the butter into the skillet, let it cook until the milk solids turn a toasty brown. It adds a rich, nutty flavor that makes the dish a bit more sophisticated with very little extra work.”

Yield: 4 servings; Time: 25 minutes.

To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1019980-pasta-with-brown-butter-and-parmesan.

Ingredients

Kosher salt

1 pound spaghetti, linguine or other long noodle

8 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 cup freshly grated Parmesan, plus more for serving

Freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

Bring a large pot of heavily salted water (2 heaping tablespoons kosher salt to about 7 quarts water) to a boil. Add pasta to boiling water and cook according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta, but don’t shake it fully dry.

In a skillet or Dutch oven large enough to hold the pasta (and preferably with a light-colored bottom so you can see the butter solids brown), melt the butter over medium heat. Cook, swirling occasionally, until the foam subsides, the milk solids turn golden-brown and it smells nutty and toasty, 3 to 4 minutes. (Watch carefully to see that it does not burn. If it does, start over.) Remove from heat immediately.

Add the cooked pasta to the skillet and toss with the brown butter. Stir in the cheese until melted. Stir in pasta water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the pasta is glossy with sauce (you probably won’t need the full 1/2 cup).

Serve with black pepper and more Parmesan on top.