It's finally Friday, time to wind down the week. Here are six yummy vegetarian recipes to help you through the weekend, including Simple Vegetarian Spinach Lasagna and Honey Pistachio Ice Cream. Enjoy!
VEGETARIAN CHILI WITH TORTILLA CRISPS
This is from Anna Watson Carl on Delish. Anna wrote, “Those homemade tortilla chips, though…”
Total Time: 45 minutes; Prep Time: 15 minutes; Level: Easy; Serves: 4
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
4 corn tortillas
1/4 c. Country Crock Original
1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
1 red pepper, diced
1 yellow pepper, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp. chili powder
1 tbsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 28-oz. can whole tomatoes
1 15-oz. can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 15-oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 15-oz. can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 c. freshly chopped cilantro, plus more for serving
1/4 c. sour cream
1/4 c. shredded Cheddar
Directions
Preheat oven to 400°. Place tortillas on a baking sheet and brush all over with Country Crock Original. Bake until golden and crispy, flipping halfway through, about 6 minutes, then season with salt. Once cool, break each into pieces.
Heat remaining 3 tablespoons Country Crock Original in pot over medium-high heat, and cook onion and peppers until soft, 5 minutes. Add garlic, chili powder, cumin, and cayenne and cook 2 minutes more, stirring well to combine. Season with salt and pepper, then add tomatoes and juices, crushing tomatoes gently with a wooden spoon.
Add beans to pot along with 2 1/2 cups water. Season with salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until thickened, 15 to 20 minutes, then stir in cilantro.
Ladle chili into 4 bowls and garnish with sour cream, cheese, and cilantro. Serve with crispy tortillas.
VEGETARIAN STUFFED PEPPERS
This recipe was posted by DWYATT on AllRecipes, and begins, "This was the first vegetarian recipe I ever made--green peppers stuffed with a mixture of brown rice, nuts, dried cranberries, tofu and cheese. Substitute soy cheese for the Parmesan to create a vegan delight."
Prep: 10 minutes; Cook: 1 hour 10 minutes; Ready In: 1 hour 20 minutes
View this online here.
Note: If you're like me and don't have cooking sherry around, feel free to replace it with with alcohol-free cooking sherry (if there is such a thing) or 3 tablespoons of water. Personally, it's been decades since I've had cooking wine/sherry/etc in my house, as well as non-cooking (drinking) alcohol. When I want to celebrate, say at New Year's, etc., I've found that there are plenty of non-alcoholic sparkling juices on the market.
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups brown rice
6 large green bell peppers
3 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons cooking sherry
1 teaspoon vegetarian Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 cups extra firm tofu
1/2 cup sweetened dried cranberries
1/4 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste
2 cups tomato sauce
2 tablespoons brown sugar
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). In a saucepan bring 3 cups water to a boil. Stir in rice. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 40 minutes.
Meanwhile, core and seed green peppers, leaving bottoms intact. Place peppers in a microwavable dish with about 1/2 inch of water in the bottom. Microwave on high for 6 minutes.
In a small frying pan bring soy sauce, wine and Worcestershire sauce to a simmer. Add tofu and simmer until the liquid is absorbed. Combine rice (after it has cooled), tofu, cranberries, nuts, cheese, salt and pepper; mix and pack firmly into peppers. Return peppers to the dish you first microwaved them in, and bake in preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until lightly browned on top.
Meanwhile, in a small saucepan over low heat, combine tomato sauce and brown sugar; heat until hot throughout. Spoon sauce over each serving.
CARROT TART WITH RICOTTA AND FETA
This comes from Sue Li on The New York Times cooking email. Sue wrote, “Carrots work beautifully in this simple tart, but onions, parsnips, beets, zucchini or pumpkin work just as well. The key is to cook the vegetables before putting them on the tart, since the moisture released by baking raw vegetables would make the puff pastry soggy and prevent it from rising. Once you remove the tart from the oven, let it cool for 10 minutes before cutting to allow the cheese to firm up slightly. The tart can be served warm, or cooled to room temperature, and would make a great addition to a picnic.”
Yield: 8 servings; Time: 1 hour.
To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1020174-carrot-tart-with-ricotta-and-feta.
Ingredients
Flour, for rolling out dough
1 (14-ounce) package frozen puff pastry, thawed
1 pound multicolored carrots, scrubbed and sliced lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick pieces
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
Kosher salt and black pepper
8 ounces ricotta
4 ounces feta, crumbled
1 garlic clove, grated
Chopped fresh parsley, chervil or chives, for garnish
Preparation
Heat oven to 425 degrees. On a lightly floured surface, roll puff pastry into a 10-by-14-inch rectangle. Using a paring knife, lightly score a border around the perimeter of the puff pastry about a 1/4-inch away from the edges. Place puff pastry on a parchment-lined baking sheet and prick the pastry inside the border using a fork to prevent puffing in the center. Bake on top rack until puff pastry is lightly golden, about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly.
Meanwhile, toss carrots with 1 tablespoon oil, season generously with salt and pepper and spread into a single layer on a baking sheet. Roast carrots on the bottom rack (underneath the puff pastry) until the edges are golden brown and carrots are still crisp-tender, 15 to 20 minutes.
While puff pastry and carrots are in the oven, blend ricotta, feta and garlic in a food processor until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
Spread the cheese mixture onto the puff pastry up to the border and arrange the carrots in a single layer on top. Bake until the carrots are tender and the edges of the cheese mixture are golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes.
Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with herbs before serving.
SIMPLE VEGETARIAN SPINACH LASAGNA
This is from Vicki Shata Retelny, RDN, at VeryWellFit. She 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.”
Prep Time: 20 minutes; Cook Time: 45 minutes; Total Time: 65 minutes; Servings: 9 (1 cup each)
To view this online, go to https://www.verywellfit.com/vegetarian-spinach-lasagna-4144632.
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.
HONEY PISTACHIO ICE CREAM
This comes from Anita Schecter, who writes for The Spruce Eats.
For this recipe, Anita wrote, “As much as I love all desserts, nothing quite makes me swoon as much as the combination of sweet and salty. It's why chocolate covered salty pretzels and I are old friends and caramel sauce only interests me if it's got a good hit of sea salt. Candied or chocolate covered nuts are good but way more awesome if the nuts are salted.
“And so, as fond as I am of pistachios, pistachio ice cream and, basically all things pistachio, store bought pistachio ice cream is usually too sweet and one note for me. I'm missing the balance of the salt.
“Fortunately, I can easily remedy this situation by making my own and by using roasted and salted pistachios. You can make this with sugar only and omit the honey, if you like, but honey vanilla is another favorite flavor of mine so I decided to combine the two.
“When it comes to homemade ice cream, you can use a cooked custard base, which contains eggs. Or you can go for a straight dairy only option which doesn't require cooking. Because I wanted little bits and pieces of pistachios in my finished ice cream, I went with a no-cook method. If I wanted to strain them out, I would have cooked them with the base mix.
“I should also note that the color of pistachios, while definitely green, is nowhere near the deep green shade you find in store bought pistachio or even mint ice cream. You can certainly add some green food color to your ice cream if you really want that bright green shade. But I prefer to keep it all natural so my ice cream is still mostly beige but with green flecks from the bits of pistachios.
“This recipe is easy and simple and results in the perfect hit of sweet, salty and creamy. A perfect treat for a hot summer day. Enjoy!”
Prep Time: 12 minutes; Cook Time: 40 minutes; Freeze: 240 minutes; Total Time: 292 minutes; Yield: 8 (1/2 Cup) Servings
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 Cup whole milk
2 Cups heavy cream
1/2 Cup honey
1/4 Cup sugar
1 Tablespoon vanilla (vanilla paste is best, if you have it)
1/4 Teaspoon Salt
1 Cup shelled roasted and salted pistachios
Preparation
In a large bowl, whisk together the milk, heavy cream, honey, sugar, vanilla and salt. Add the pistachios to a food processor and pulse a few times until the nuts are very broken down but not powder or paste. Add to the bowl.
Pour the mixture into your ice cream maker and follow manufacturer's instructions for use. Churn for 40 minutes and freeze for at least 4 hours before serving.
VEGGIE-LOADED PASTA
This is from The Mayo Clinic Diet. Serving size: 1 1/2 cups. Serves 6.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 tablespoon canola oil
1/2 cup onions, chopped
1 cup mushrooms, sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
12 ounces soy crumbles, ground
2 cans tomatoes, diced, no salt added (14.5 ounces each)
2 cups small zucchini, cut into 1/4-inch slices
1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon black pepper, ground
6 ounces whole wheat bow-tie pasta
3 tablespoon basil, fresh (or 3 teaspoons dried basil)
Instructions
Place a large saucepan over medium to high heat.
Add the oil, onion, mushrooms and garlic. Cook until the onion is tender.
Add soy crumbles, tomatoes, zucchini, Italian seasoning and pepper. Bring mixture to a boil; reduce heat and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes or until the sauce thickens.
While the mixture is simmering, cook the pasta according to the package directions.
When the pasta is finished cooking, drain well and gently mix into the vegetable sauce. Garnish with basil.
Nutritional Information: Amount per serving: Calories: 260; Total fat: 6 g; Saturated fat: 1 g; Sodium: 300 mg; Total carbohydrate: 33 g; Dietary fiber: 8 g; Protein: 17 g
Friday, August 16, 2019
Thursday, August 15, 2019
Desserts
Who doesn't love dessert? I'm sure there are a few people who aren't big into desserts, or anything snacky. But for the rest of us, there's sure to be something in today's post to grab your attention, including Mango and Pineapple Crumble and Strawberry “Ice Cream” Cake. Enjoy!
NO-BAKE CHOCOLATE MOUSSE BARS
This is from Samantha Seneviratne in The New York Times cooking newsletter. Samantha wrote, “Ethereal and ready to melt in your mouth, chocolate mousse bars are easy to make and even easier to eat. With so few ingredients, it’s important to use a chocolate you would be perfectly happy to snack out of hand. The instant espresso powder is optional but adds depth to this simple dessert. To cut beautiful, neat slices, use a long sharp knife warmed in hot water and wiped clean before each cut.”
Yield: 24 servings; Time: 30 minutes, plus chilling.
To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1019316-no-bake-chocolate-mousse-bars.
Ingredients
For the Crust:
18 whole graham crackers (about 9 1/2 ounces)
8 tablespoons (1 stick), melted
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
For the Filling:
1 pound semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
3 cups cold heavy cream, plus more for serving
2 teaspoons instant espresso powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
Whipped cream (optional)
Preparation
Make the crust: Line a 9-inch-by-13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on 2 sides. In a food processor, or in a resealable plastic bag, crush the graham crackers until you have fine crumbs (but stop before you have dust). You should have about 2 1/4 cups. Transfer the crumbs to a medium bowl. Add the butter, sugar and salt and stir until evenly moistened. Tip the crumbs into the prepared pan and press them down into an even layer on the bottom. Transfer to the freezer while you prepare the filling.
Make the filling: Set the chocolate in a medium bowl. In a small saucepan, heat 1 cup cream, espresso powder and salt until hot but not boiling. Pour the hot cream mixture over the chocolate and let it stand for 2 minutes. Add the vanilla and whisk until smooth. Set aside to cool completely.
In a large bowl or in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the remaining 2 cups heavy cream until you have stiff peaks. Add the chocolate mixture and gently fold to combine. Pour the mixture over the prepared crust, and spread it out into an even layer. Cover with plastic wrap and chill until firm, at least 2 hours. To serve, cut the two edges without parchment free with a sharp knife then use the parchment overhang to transfer the bar to a cutting board. Cut into squares and serve with a dollop of whipped cream, if desired.
CRANBERRY-PECAN BAKED PEACHES
This also comes from the November 2014 issue of Heart Insight Magazine. It begins, “Fresh peaches are halved and baked with a tantalizing blend of dried cranberries and finely chopped pecans.” Serves 4; 2 peach halves and 2 tablespoons cranberry mixture per serving.
To view this online, go to http://heartinsight.heart.org/November-2014/Cranberry-Pecan-Baked-Peaches/.
Ingredients
Cooking spray
1 1/2 tablespoons honey
1/3 cup sweetened dried cranberries
3 tablespoons finely chopped pecans
4 medium unpeeled peaches, nectarines, or pears, halved, pitted, and skin pierced in several places with a fork
2 teaspoons light tub margarine
1/2 teaspoon grated peeled gingerroot
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Lightly spray a 9-inch pie pan with cooking spray. Pour the honey into the pan. Heat the pan in the oven for 2 minutes, or until the honey is slightly runny. Remove from the oven, tilting the pan and swirling so the honey lightly coats the bottom.
Sprinkle the cranberries and pecans in the pan. Place the peaches with the cut side down over the cranberry mixture. (Some of the mixture may not be covered.) Cover the pan with aluminum foil. Bake for 30 minutes, or until the peaches are tender.
Arrange the peaches with the cut side up on a serving plate. Stir the margarine and gingerroot into the pan juices. Spoon the cranberry mixture into the cavities in the peaches. Spoon the pan juices over all. Serve warm or at room temperature.
STRAWBERRY CHEESECAKE BARS
This is from Erin Jeanne McDowell in The New York Times cooking newsletter. Erin wrote, “Great for picnics or potlucks, these portable cheesecake bars incorporate cooked berries directly into the custard, which means they take on a rosy hue. You can even add a few drops of red food coloring if you want to make up for out-of-season berries, which are less vibrantly colored, or if you just want a livelier result. Feel free to use frozen berries in place of fresh, though you’ll need to thaw them fully before beginning the process.”
Yield: One 9-by-13-inch pan (about 15 bars); Time: 1 hour 45 minutes, plus chilling
To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1020178-strawberry-cheesecake-bars.
Ingredients
For the Crust:
Nonstick cooking spray
10 1/2 ounces shortbread cookies
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
4 tablespoons unsalted butter (1/2 stick), melted
For the Filling:
1 1/2 pounds strawberries, hulled and halved (about 4 cups)
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
3 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, at room temperature
5 large eggs, at room temperature
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Red food coloring, as needed
For the Topping:
1 1/4 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
3/4 pound strawberries, hulled and thinly sliced (about 2 cups)
Preparation
Heat the oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9-by-13-inch pan with nonstick cooking spray.
Make the crust: In a food processor, pulse the cookies until they form fine crumbs (you should have about 2 1/2 cups). Add the salt and pulse briefly to combine, then add the melted butter and pulse until uniformly incorporated. Press the crust into an even layer on the bottom of the prepared pan and wipe out the bowl of the food processor. Transfer the pan to the oven and bake until the crust has browned slightly and appears set, 10 to 12 minutes. Cool completely. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees.
Make the filling: In a medium pot, toss the strawberries with 1/4 cup granulated sugar. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the strawberries begin to soften and the mixture becomes juicy, 4 to 8 minutes, depending on the firmness of the berries. Cool for 15 minutes.
Transfer the strawberries and their juices to the food processor and purée until smooth, about 1 minute. Transfer the berry purée to a large bowl and set aside. Add the remaining 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar and the cream cheese to the food processor bowl and blend until smooth. Add the eggs one at a time and pulse until incorporated, scraping down the sides of the food processor bowl as needed.
Add the vanilla and pulse to combine. Scrape the custard into the berry purée and stir to combine. The batter should be a pale pink. If it’s not, add 3 to 5 drops red food coloring and mix to combine. Pour the cheesecake custard into the cooled crust.
Bake the cheesecake until the edges appear set and the center still appears slightly jiggly, 45 to 50 minutes. Cool at room temperature for 45 minutes, then refrigerate until firm (at least 4 hours, and up to overnight).
Make the topping: In an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the cream and confectioners’ sugar to medium peaks, 3 to 4 minutes. Spread the whipped cream on the chilled cheesecake in an even layer. Arrange the sliced strawberries on top. (Arranging them in stripes makes it a bit easier to cut rows out of the bars later.) Use a sharp knife to release the edges of the cheesecake from the pan. Slice into 15 even pieces, wiping the knife clean between cuts for the clean, sharp edges.
STRAWBERRY 'ICE CREAM' CAKE
Of course, it does help to have the occasional dessert, right? This one, from page 80 of the March 2016 issue of Vegetarian Times, starts off, “Sssshhh … don’t tell kids this delicious dessert is actually just good-for-them yogurt and fruit with a few graham crackers and waffle cones thrown in for crunch.” I'm not telling, if you're not! Serves 12.
To view this yummy recipe online, go to http://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipe/strawberry-ice-cream-cake/.
15 full graham crackers
5 waffle cones
1 20-oz. bag whole frozen strawberries
1 32-oz. container honey-flavored Greek yogurt
2 Tbs. honey
Line 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper, and set aside.
Pulse graham crackers in food processor with 1 to 2 tsp. water until crumbly and moist. Transfer to bowl.
Pulse waffle cones in food processor until crumbly. Transfer to separate bowl.
Bring strawberries to a simmer in small saucepan over medium heat. Simmer 5 to 10 minutes, or until soft and liquid starts to fill bottom of pan. Cool completely.
Stir together yogurt and honey. Set aside.
Press graham cracker crumbs on bottom of prepared springform pan. Spread half of yogurt, then half of strawberries, then half of crumbled waffle cones in pan. Repeat layering, ending with a sprinkling of waffle cones. Freeze at least 3 hours, or until frozen. Let sit at room temperature 1 hour before serving.
nutritional information Per Per slice: Calories: 250; Protein: 6 g; Total Fat: 8 g; Saturated Fat: 5 g; Carbohydrates: 39 g; Cholesterol: 10 mg; Sodium: 107 mg; Fiber: 2 g; Sugar: 25 g
STRAWBERRY COBBLER
This was posted at Vegetarian Times on July 11, 2019, and begins, “Serve this delicately sweet dessert warm or at room temperature, or cover, and refrigerate up to two days.”
Makes 6 servings.
View this online here.
Ingredients
6 cups fresh strawberries, halved
3/4 cup sugar, divided
1/2 cup plus 2 Tbs. flour, divided
1 Tbs. lemon juice
1/8 tsp. baking powder
1/8 tsp. baking soda
1/8 tsp. salt
3 1/2 Tbs. nonhydrogenated vegetable shortening
Preparation
Preheat oven to 375°F. Coat 11- x 7-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
Toss together strawberries, 1/2 cup plus 2 Tbs. sugar, 2 Tbs. flour, and lemon juice in bowl. Transfer to prepared baking dish.
Whisk together remaining 1/2 cup flour, remaining 2 Tbs. sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in separate bowl. Add shortening, and mix well with fork until mixture is crumbly. Stir in 1/2 cup water. Spread over strawberry mixture. Bake 20 to 30 minutes, or until browned and bubbly. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.
MANGO AND PINEAPPLE CRUMBLE
This was posted at Vegetarian Times on July 11, 2019, and begins, “A home-style dessert gets a tropical twist by baking spiced mangoes and pineapple beneath a crunchy crumble topping. Serve with non-dairy, vanilla ice cream.”
Makes 6 servings.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
1/4 cup plus 3 Tbs. packed light brown sugar, divided
1 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon, divided
3/4 tsp. grated nutmeg, divided
1/4 tsp. ground allspice, divided
1/4 tsp. salt
5 Tbs. chilled vegan margarine, cut into pieces, divided
1/2 cup raw pecans, coarsely chopped
2 Tbs. unsweetened shredded coconut
3 mangoes, peeled, pitted, and cut into 1-inch cubes (2 1/2 cups)
1/2 pineapple, peeled, cored, and cut into 1-inch cubes (2 1/2 cups)
Preparation
Preheat oven to 375°F. Coat 8-inch-square glass baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Combine flour, oats, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1/2 tsp. cinnamon, 1/4 tsp. nutmeg, 1/8 tsp. allspice, and salt in medium bowl. Add 4 Tbs. margarine, and rub with fingertips until mixture forms coarse meal. Press together until mixture begins to form moist clumps. Stir in pecans and coconut.
Combine remaining 3 Tbs. brown sugar, 3/4 tsp. cinnamon, 1/2 tsp. nutmeg, and 1/8 tsp. allspice in large bowl. Add mangoes and pineapple, and toss to coat. Transfer to prepared baking dish; dot top with remaining 1 Tbs. margarine. Sprinkle oat topping over mango mixture.
Bake 40 minutes, or until topping is golden brown and juices bubble. Cool 10 to 20 minutes. Serve warm.
NO-BAKE CHOCOLATE MOUSSE BARS
This is from Samantha Seneviratne in The New York Times cooking newsletter. Samantha wrote, “Ethereal and ready to melt in your mouth, chocolate mousse bars are easy to make and even easier to eat. With so few ingredients, it’s important to use a chocolate you would be perfectly happy to snack out of hand. The instant espresso powder is optional but adds depth to this simple dessert. To cut beautiful, neat slices, use a long sharp knife warmed in hot water and wiped clean before each cut.”
Yield: 24 servings; Time: 30 minutes, plus chilling.
To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1019316-no-bake-chocolate-mousse-bars.
Ingredients
For the Crust:
18 whole graham crackers (about 9 1/2 ounces)
8 tablespoons (1 stick), melted
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
For the Filling:
1 pound semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
3 cups cold heavy cream, plus more for serving
2 teaspoons instant espresso powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
Whipped cream (optional)
Preparation
Make the crust: Line a 9-inch-by-13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on 2 sides. In a food processor, or in a resealable plastic bag, crush the graham crackers until you have fine crumbs (but stop before you have dust). You should have about 2 1/4 cups. Transfer the crumbs to a medium bowl. Add the butter, sugar and salt and stir until evenly moistened. Tip the crumbs into the prepared pan and press them down into an even layer on the bottom. Transfer to the freezer while you prepare the filling.
Make the filling: Set the chocolate in a medium bowl. In a small saucepan, heat 1 cup cream, espresso powder and salt until hot but not boiling. Pour the hot cream mixture over the chocolate and let it stand for 2 minutes. Add the vanilla and whisk until smooth. Set aside to cool completely.
In a large bowl or in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the remaining 2 cups heavy cream until you have stiff peaks. Add the chocolate mixture and gently fold to combine. Pour the mixture over the prepared crust, and spread it out into an even layer. Cover with plastic wrap and chill until firm, at least 2 hours. To serve, cut the two edges without parchment free with a sharp knife then use the parchment overhang to transfer the bar to a cutting board. Cut into squares and serve with a dollop of whipped cream, if desired.
CRANBERRY-PECAN BAKED PEACHES
This also comes from the November 2014 issue of Heart Insight Magazine. It begins, “Fresh peaches are halved and baked with a tantalizing blend of dried cranberries and finely chopped pecans.” Serves 4; 2 peach halves and 2 tablespoons cranberry mixture per serving.
To view this online, go to http://heartinsight.heart.org/November-2014/Cranberry-Pecan-Baked-Peaches/.
Ingredients
Cooking spray
1 1/2 tablespoons honey
1/3 cup sweetened dried cranberries
3 tablespoons finely chopped pecans
4 medium unpeeled peaches, nectarines, or pears, halved, pitted, and skin pierced in several places with a fork
2 teaspoons light tub margarine
1/2 teaspoon grated peeled gingerroot
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Lightly spray a 9-inch pie pan with cooking spray. Pour the honey into the pan. Heat the pan in the oven for 2 minutes, or until the honey is slightly runny. Remove from the oven, tilting the pan and swirling so the honey lightly coats the bottom.
Sprinkle the cranberries and pecans in the pan. Place the peaches with the cut side down over the cranberry mixture. (Some of the mixture may not be covered.) Cover the pan with aluminum foil. Bake for 30 minutes, or until the peaches are tender.
Arrange the peaches with the cut side up on a serving plate. Stir the margarine and gingerroot into the pan juices. Spoon the cranberry mixture into the cavities in the peaches. Spoon the pan juices over all. Serve warm or at room temperature.
STRAWBERRY CHEESECAKE BARS
This is from Erin Jeanne McDowell in The New York Times cooking newsletter. Erin wrote, “Great for picnics or potlucks, these portable cheesecake bars incorporate cooked berries directly into the custard, which means they take on a rosy hue. You can even add a few drops of red food coloring if you want to make up for out-of-season berries, which are less vibrantly colored, or if you just want a livelier result. Feel free to use frozen berries in place of fresh, though you’ll need to thaw them fully before beginning the process.”
Yield: One 9-by-13-inch pan (about 15 bars); Time: 1 hour 45 minutes, plus chilling
To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1020178-strawberry-cheesecake-bars.
Ingredients
For the Crust:
Nonstick cooking spray
10 1/2 ounces shortbread cookies
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
4 tablespoons unsalted butter (1/2 stick), melted
For the Filling:
1 1/2 pounds strawberries, hulled and halved (about 4 cups)
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
3 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, at room temperature
5 large eggs, at room temperature
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Red food coloring, as needed
For the Topping:
1 1/4 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
3/4 pound strawberries, hulled and thinly sliced (about 2 cups)
Preparation
Heat the oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9-by-13-inch pan with nonstick cooking spray.
Make the crust: In a food processor, pulse the cookies until they form fine crumbs (you should have about 2 1/2 cups). Add the salt and pulse briefly to combine, then add the melted butter and pulse until uniformly incorporated. Press the crust into an even layer on the bottom of the prepared pan and wipe out the bowl of the food processor. Transfer the pan to the oven and bake until the crust has browned slightly and appears set, 10 to 12 minutes. Cool completely. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees.
Make the filling: In a medium pot, toss the strawberries with 1/4 cup granulated sugar. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the strawberries begin to soften and the mixture becomes juicy, 4 to 8 minutes, depending on the firmness of the berries. Cool for 15 minutes.
Transfer the strawberries and their juices to the food processor and purée until smooth, about 1 minute. Transfer the berry purée to a large bowl and set aside. Add the remaining 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar and the cream cheese to the food processor bowl and blend until smooth. Add the eggs one at a time and pulse until incorporated, scraping down the sides of the food processor bowl as needed.
Add the vanilla and pulse to combine. Scrape the custard into the berry purée and stir to combine. The batter should be a pale pink. If it’s not, add 3 to 5 drops red food coloring and mix to combine. Pour the cheesecake custard into the cooled crust.
Bake the cheesecake until the edges appear set and the center still appears slightly jiggly, 45 to 50 minutes. Cool at room temperature for 45 minutes, then refrigerate until firm (at least 4 hours, and up to overnight).
Make the topping: In an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the cream and confectioners’ sugar to medium peaks, 3 to 4 minutes. Spread the whipped cream on the chilled cheesecake in an even layer. Arrange the sliced strawberries on top. (Arranging them in stripes makes it a bit easier to cut rows out of the bars later.) Use a sharp knife to release the edges of the cheesecake from the pan. Slice into 15 even pieces, wiping the knife clean between cuts for the clean, sharp edges.
STRAWBERRY 'ICE CREAM' CAKE
Of course, it does help to have the occasional dessert, right? This one, from page 80 of the March 2016 issue of Vegetarian Times, starts off, “Sssshhh … don’t tell kids this delicious dessert is actually just good-for-them yogurt and fruit with a few graham crackers and waffle cones thrown in for crunch.” I'm not telling, if you're not! Serves 12.
To view this yummy recipe online, go to http://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipe/strawberry-ice-cream-cake/.
15 full graham crackers
5 waffle cones
1 20-oz. bag whole frozen strawberries
1 32-oz. container honey-flavored Greek yogurt
2 Tbs. honey
Line 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper, and set aside.
Pulse graham crackers in food processor with 1 to 2 tsp. water until crumbly and moist. Transfer to bowl.
Pulse waffle cones in food processor until crumbly. Transfer to separate bowl.
Bring strawberries to a simmer in small saucepan over medium heat. Simmer 5 to 10 minutes, or until soft and liquid starts to fill bottom of pan. Cool completely.
Stir together yogurt and honey. Set aside.
Press graham cracker crumbs on bottom of prepared springform pan. Spread half of yogurt, then half of strawberries, then half of crumbled waffle cones in pan. Repeat layering, ending with a sprinkling of waffle cones. Freeze at least 3 hours, or until frozen. Let sit at room temperature 1 hour before serving.
nutritional information Per Per slice: Calories: 250; Protein: 6 g; Total Fat: 8 g; Saturated Fat: 5 g; Carbohydrates: 39 g; Cholesterol: 10 mg; Sodium: 107 mg; Fiber: 2 g; Sugar: 25 g
STRAWBERRY COBBLER
This was posted at Vegetarian Times on July 11, 2019, and begins, “Serve this delicately sweet dessert warm or at room temperature, or cover, and refrigerate up to two days.”
Makes 6 servings.
View this online here.
Ingredients
6 cups fresh strawberries, halved
3/4 cup sugar, divided
1/2 cup plus 2 Tbs. flour, divided
1 Tbs. lemon juice
1/8 tsp. baking powder
1/8 tsp. baking soda
1/8 tsp. salt
3 1/2 Tbs. nonhydrogenated vegetable shortening
Preparation
Preheat oven to 375°F. Coat 11- x 7-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
Toss together strawberries, 1/2 cup plus 2 Tbs. sugar, 2 Tbs. flour, and lemon juice in bowl. Transfer to prepared baking dish.
Whisk together remaining 1/2 cup flour, remaining 2 Tbs. sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in separate bowl. Add shortening, and mix well with fork until mixture is crumbly. Stir in 1/2 cup water. Spread over strawberry mixture. Bake 20 to 30 minutes, or until browned and bubbly. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.
MANGO AND PINEAPPLE CRUMBLE
This was posted at Vegetarian Times on July 11, 2019, and begins, “A home-style dessert gets a tropical twist by baking spiced mangoes and pineapple beneath a crunchy crumble topping. Serve with non-dairy, vanilla ice cream.”
Makes 6 servings.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
1/4 cup plus 3 Tbs. packed light brown sugar, divided
1 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon, divided
3/4 tsp. grated nutmeg, divided
1/4 tsp. ground allspice, divided
1/4 tsp. salt
5 Tbs. chilled vegan margarine, cut into pieces, divided
1/2 cup raw pecans, coarsely chopped
2 Tbs. unsweetened shredded coconut
3 mangoes, peeled, pitted, and cut into 1-inch cubes (2 1/2 cups)
1/2 pineapple, peeled, cored, and cut into 1-inch cubes (2 1/2 cups)
Preparation
Preheat oven to 375°F. Coat 8-inch-square glass baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Combine flour, oats, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1/2 tsp. cinnamon, 1/4 tsp. nutmeg, 1/8 tsp. allspice, and salt in medium bowl. Add 4 Tbs. margarine, and rub with fingertips until mixture forms coarse meal. Press together until mixture begins to form moist clumps. Stir in pecans and coconut.
Combine remaining 3 Tbs. brown sugar, 3/4 tsp. cinnamon, 1/2 tsp. nutmeg, and 1/8 tsp. allspice in large bowl. Add mangoes and pineapple, and toss to coat. Transfer to prepared baking dish; dot top with remaining 1 Tbs. margarine. Sprinkle oat topping over mango mixture.
Bake 40 minutes, or until topping is golden brown and juices bubble. Cool 10 to 20 minutes. Serve warm.
Wednesday, August 14, 2019
Wednesday Recipes
We're half-way through the work week; if we made it this far, can the weekend be too far off?
Here are six yummy recipes to help you through today (and the rest of the work week), including Chipotle Asparagus Quesadillas and Mini Churro Doughnut Holes. Enjoy!
BAKED BANANA SPLITS
This was in an old Weight Watchers email (we're talking more than 10 years ago). The plan has changed several times since then.
This recipe begins, “Try substituting any flavored extract you like in the sauce for this creative take on banana splits. Almond, maple, rum, orange -- let your imagination run wild. They're perfect for Mother's Day!”
POINTS® Value: 4 (value from when this recipe was emailed); Servings | 4; Preparation Time: 15 min; Cooking Time: 30 min; Level of Difficulty: Easy
Ingredients
1 sprays cooking spray
4 large banana(s), ripe, peeled
8 oz canned crushed pineapple in juice, drained
2 Tbsp McNeil Nutritionals SPLENDA No Calorie Sweetener, divided
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 cup fat-free ricotta cheese
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cups raspberries
Directions
Preheat oven to 400°F. Coat a 9-inch baking pan with cooking spray. Place bananas in pan.
Combine pineapple, 1 tablespoon of Splenda and cinnamon in a small bowl; pour over bananas. Cover pan with foil and bake for 30 minutes. (Note: The canned pineapple is already sweet so omit the Splenda if you prefer.)
Meanwhile, combine ricotta, remaining tablespoon of Splenda and vanilla in another small bowl; set aside.
Place one baked banana in each of four individual serving bowls and top each with about 2 tablespoons of pineapple sauce and 1/4 cup of ricotta mixture. Top each with 1/4 cup of raspberries. Serve immediately.
Note: Okay, this is me talking. I personally would refrain from the Splenda, simply because I'm not a big fan of non-sugar (read not-quite-sure-it's-not-synthetic) sweeteners. But that's my preference. I would use sugar or no sweetener at all. It's your call here.
VEGAN FRIED “CHICKEN” WITH SEITAN
This is from Jolinda Hackett, who wrote for The Spruce Eats. Jolinda wrote, “Vegan fried ‘chicken’ made with seitan. This fried seitan "chicken" dish is deep-fried, so it isn't particularly healthy, though it is cholesterol-free and it sure is mighty tasty! Deep fried seitan and a blend of spices create a dish that's really quite similar in appearance and taste to fried chicken. If you like southern fried chicken, try vegan southern fried seitan made with all the same ingredients including a spicy batter and a coat of flour to make it just the perfect amount of crispiness. Make sure you have some ketchup or mustard or something to serve alongside to dip your vegan fried chicken in.”
Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 15 minutes; Total Time: 25 minutes; Yield: 4 servings.
You can view this online here.
Ingredients
1 teaspoon salt (or seasoned salt)
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon black pepper
Optional: dash cayenne pepper
1 1/2 cups flour
Optional: 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1/4 cup mustard
2 tablespoons baking powder
1/2 cup water
1 lb. seitan (or another chicken substitute, cut into 1 to 2" square pieces)
Directions
In a medium to large bowl, mix together the salt, onion powder, garlic powder, flour, black pepper, cayenne, and nutritional yeast.
In a separate small bowl, whisk together the mustard and water. Add 1/3 cup of the flour mixture to the mustard mixture and combine well.
Add baking powder to the flour mixture and combine well.
Coat pieces of seitan or mock chicken with the mustard batter, then coat each piece with the dry flour mixture.
Fry chunks of "chicken" in the oil on medium-high heat in a large skillet for 3 to 5 minutes, turning once until golden brown. Drain on a paper towel, serve with ketchup, ranch dressing, honey mustard, hot sauce or barbecue sauce.
CHIPOTLE ASPARAGUS QUESADILLAS
This comes from the April/May 2014 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 34. It begins, “Canned chipotles in adobo sauce lend mellow, smoky heat to quesadillas. Leftover chipotles (there are usually four or five in a can) can be wrapped in plastic wrap and frozen for future use.” Serves 4 in 30 minutes or less.
To view this online, click here.
Quesadillas
1 lb. asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces (2 cups)
1 red bell pepper, sliced (1 cup)
1 medium onion, sliced (1 cup)
1 1/2 tsp. olive oil or vegetable oil
1 tsp. dried oregano
4 8-inch sprouted-grain tortillas
Chipotle Spread
3 Tbs. vegan mayonnaise
2 tsp. minced, drained chipotles in adobo sauce
1 Tbs. lime or lemon juice
Preheat oven to 425°F.
To make Quesadillas: Toss together asparagus, bell pepper, onion, oil, and oregano in large bowl. Season with salt and pepper, if desired. Spread on large baking sheet, and roast 10 to 12 minutes, or until vegetables are tender and beginning to brown, stirring once or twice.
Meanwhile, to make Chipotle Spread: blend all ingredients in blender or food processor until smooth.
Spread 1 1/2 tsp. Chipotle Spread on one side of each tortilla, spreading all the way out to edges. Top with 2/3 cup filling on one half of each tortilla, then fold over tortillas, pressing edges together to enclose filling and form half-moons.
Coat large skillet with cooking spray, and heat over medium heat. Cook each quesadilla in skillet 2 to 3 minutes, turning once.
nutritional information Per Quesadilla: Calories: 273; Protein: 8 g; Total Fat: 13 g; Saturated Fat: 2 g; Carbohydrates: 32 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 235 mg; Fiber: 8 g; Sugar: 3 g; Vegan
HUNGARIAN CABBAGE WITH NOODLES
This recipe is from Barbara Rolek on The Spruce Eats. Barbara wrote, “This Hungarian comfort-food dish known as kaposztás tészta is a simple recipe to make, consisting of cabbage, onion, butter, egg noodles, salt, and pepper.
“Cabbage with noodles is a popular and easy dish common throughout Eastern Europe. In Poland, it's called kapusta z kluski orhałuski, in the Czech Republic, it's known as nudle s zelí, and Slovaks call it haluski (without the accent on the "L" as in Polish).
“This can be a strictly vegetarian dish, sometimes with added sautéed mushrooms, or can be enhanced with bacon or other smoked meat, and it makes a terrific side dish or main-course offering that holds up well on a buffet table. If this recipe doesn't tickle your fancy, there are many more Eastern European cabbage recipes to choose from."
Total: 50 mins; Prep: 20 mins; Cook: 30 mins; Yield: 6 servings
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 large head cabbage (cored and shredded)
1 large onion (chopped)
8 ounces butter (2 sticks)
Salt (to taste)
Freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
1 pound medium Hungarian egg noodles (homemade or store-bought, cooked)
Directions
Gather the ingredients.
In a large skillet or Dutch oven, sauté cabbage and onion in butter until golden brown and tender.
Season with salt and pepper.
Mix with cooked egg noodles. Adjust seasonings and rewarm if necessary to serve piping hot.
Serve and enjoy!
Recipe Variations
Add 1 cup sliced button, cremini or other mushrooms to the skillet with the cabbage and onion, and cook until they are all golden brown and tender.
Before serving, add 1 cup cooked, crumbled or diced bacon to the cabbage, onion, and noodles mixture.
After mixing the cabbage and onion with the noodles, add 1 cup chopped ham combining well and rewarm to serve hot.
More Hungarian Noodle Recipes
Basic Hungarian Noodle Dough Recipe: This egg dough can be transformed into thin noodles, wide noodles and everything in between.
Tarhonya or Grated Egg Noodles Recipe: These noodles are made by grating chunks of noodle dough instead of rolling and cutting. They are dried and used in soups or browned in butter as a side dish.
More About Hungarian Noodles
Hungarian egg noodles, known as Magyar tojasos teszta (MAHG-yahr toy-YAH-shohss TESS-tah) or metelt (MEH-telt), come in a staggering number of varieties, rivaled possibly only by Italian pasta.
Hungarians roll them, cut them, pinch them, grate them, and drop them. There's a noodle for every dish and a dish for every noodle.
Teszta is actually the Hungarian word for "dough" and metelt means "noodles," but they are used interchangeably.
When the word tojasos is added, we're talking about egg noodles, the pride of Hungarian cuisine. They are made with three simple ingredients—flour, eggs, and salt—and, in some kitchens, not even any salt.
No water or oil is added to authentic Hungarian noodle recipes because many cooks feel the addition of water creates longer drying times and increases the potential for the noodles to mold when stored.
SUGAR SNAP PEAS AND CARROTS
Recipe Yield: Makes 4 servings.
Source: AICR
Recipe and image appear courtesy of American Institute for Cancer Research.
View this online at https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipes/sugar-snap-peas-and-carrots.
Ingredients
1 tsp. canola oil
1 small garlic clove, minced
1 tsp. grated or minced ginger
8 oz. sugar snap peas
3 baby carrots, cut lengthwise in 8 strips
3 Tbsp. vegetable broth, or water
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 large basil leaves, cut crosswise in thin strips
Directions
Heat oil in a medium non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Saute garlic and ginger until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add peas and carrots to the pan, stirring to coat them with oil. Add broth or water. Cook, stirring occasionally, until peas are tender-crisp, about 4 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Mix in basil and serve.
Notes:
Additional Info: 2 g. dietary fiber
Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 47; Fat: 1 g; Sodium: 109 mg; Protein: 2 g; Carbohydrates: 7 g
Diabetic Exchanges: 1-1/2 Vegetable
MINI CHURRO DOUGHNUT HOLES
This yummy recipe is from Old El Paso, and begins, “This DIY version of fair food goes bite-size and gets an added flavor boost from caramel.”
By Pillsbury Kitchens
Total Time: 15 minutes; Prep Time: 15 minutes; Servings: 8
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
Canola oil for deep-frying
1/2 cup cinnamon-sugar
1/3 cup powdered sugar
1 can (16.3 oz) Pillsbury™ Grands!™ Flaky Layers refrigerated Original biscuits
Caramel sauce, if desired
Instructions
Fill 3-quart saucepan one-third full with oil. Heat over medium heat to about 350°F. Line plate with paper towels; set aside.
In small bowl, stir together cinnamon-sugar and powdered sugar; set aside.
Separate dough into 8 biscuits. Split each biscuit into 2 rounds; place on cutting board. Using very small doughnut-hole cutter or mouth of an empty bottle, cut out mini-sized doughnut holes.
When oil is hot, carefully drop a few of the doughnut holes into oil at a time. (See Tip.) Using slotted metal spoon or kitchen spider, continuously turn holes over and over until golden brown. Remove from oil; place on paper towel-lined plate to drain. Immediately place holes in sugar mixture; coat completely. Serve doughnut holes immediately drizzled with caramel sauce.
Expert Tips
The safest way to fry is to bring your hand close to the oil and gently drop in the dough versus quickly dropping and splashing the oil.
To prep ahead by a few hours, you can cut the dough and store it in a zipper-topped plastic bag in the fridge.
Here are six yummy recipes to help you through today (and the rest of the work week), including Chipotle Asparagus Quesadillas and Mini Churro Doughnut Holes. Enjoy!
BAKED BANANA SPLITS
This was in an old Weight Watchers email (we're talking more than 10 years ago). The plan has changed several times since then.
This recipe begins, “Try substituting any flavored extract you like in the sauce for this creative take on banana splits. Almond, maple, rum, orange -- let your imagination run wild. They're perfect for Mother's Day!”
POINTS® Value: 4 (value from when this recipe was emailed); Servings | 4; Preparation Time: 15 min; Cooking Time: 30 min; Level of Difficulty: Easy
Ingredients
1 sprays cooking spray
4 large banana(s), ripe, peeled
8 oz canned crushed pineapple in juice, drained
2 Tbsp McNeil Nutritionals SPLENDA No Calorie Sweetener, divided
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 cup fat-free ricotta cheese
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cups raspberries
Directions
Preheat oven to 400°F. Coat a 9-inch baking pan with cooking spray. Place bananas in pan.
Combine pineapple, 1 tablespoon of Splenda and cinnamon in a small bowl; pour over bananas. Cover pan with foil and bake for 30 minutes. (Note: The canned pineapple is already sweet so omit the Splenda if you prefer.)
Meanwhile, combine ricotta, remaining tablespoon of Splenda and vanilla in another small bowl; set aside.
Place one baked banana in each of four individual serving bowls and top each with about 2 tablespoons of pineapple sauce and 1/4 cup of ricotta mixture. Top each with 1/4 cup of raspberries. Serve immediately.
Note: Okay, this is me talking. I personally would refrain from the Splenda, simply because I'm not a big fan of non-sugar (read not-quite-sure-it's-not-synthetic) sweeteners. But that's my preference. I would use sugar or no sweetener at all. It's your call here.
VEGAN FRIED “CHICKEN” WITH SEITAN
This is from Jolinda Hackett, who wrote for The Spruce Eats. Jolinda wrote, “Vegan fried ‘chicken’ made with seitan. This fried seitan "chicken" dish is deep-fried, so it isn't particularly healthy, though it is cholesterol-free and it sure is mighty tasty! Deep fried seitan and a blend of spices create a dish that's really quite similar in appearance and taste to fried chicken. If you like southern fried chicken, try vegan southern fried seitan made with all the same ingredients including a spicy batter and a coat of flour to make it just the perfect amount of crispiness. Make sure you have some ketchup or mustard or something to serve alongside to dip your vegan fried chicken in.”
Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 15 minutes; Total Time: 25 minutes; Yield: 4 servings.
You can view this online here.
Ingredients
1 teaspoon salt (or seasoned salt)
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon black pepper
Optional: dash cayenne pepper
1 1/2 cups flour
Optional: 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1/4 cup mustard
2 tablespoons baking powder
1/2 cup water
1 lb. seitan (or another chicken substitute, cut into 1 to 2" square pieces)
Directions
In a medium to large bowl, mix together the salt, onion powder, garlic powder, flour, black pepper, cayenne, and nutritional yeast.
In a separate small bowl, whisk together the mustard and water. Add 1/3 cup of the flour mixture to the mustard mixture and combine well.
Add baking powder to the flour mixture and combine well.
Coat pieces of seitan or mock chicken with the mustard batter, then coat each piece with the dry flour mixture.
Fry chunks of "chicken" in the oil on medium-high heat in a large skillet for 3 to 5 minutes, turning once until golden brown. Drain on a paper towel, serve with ketchup, ranch dressing, honey mustard, hot sauce or barbecue sauce.
CHIPOTLE ASPARAGUS QUESADILLAS
This comes from the April/May 2014 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 34. It begins, “Canned chipotles in adobo sauce lend mellow, smoky heat to quesadillas. Leftover chipotles (there are usually four or five in a can) can be wrapped in plastic wrap and frozen for future use.” Serves 4 in 30 minutes or less.
To view this online, click here.
Quesadillas
1 lb. asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces (2 cups)
1 red bell pepper, sliced (1 cup)
1 medium onion, sliced (1 cup)
1 1/2 tsp. olive oil or vegetable oil
1 tsp. dried oregano
4 8-inch sprouted-grain tortillas
Chipotle Spread
3 Tbs. vegan mayonnaise
2 tsp. minced, drained chipotles in adobo sauce
1 Tbs. lime or lemon juice
Preheat oven to 425°F.
To make Quesadillas: Toss together asparagus, bell pepper, onion, oil, and oregano in large bowl. Season with salt and pepper, if desired. Spread on large baking sheet, and roast 10 to 12 minutes, or until vegetables are tender and beginning to brown, stirring once or twice.
Meanwhile, to make Chipotle Spread: blend all ingredients in blender or food processor until smooth.
Spread 1 1/2 tsp. Chipotle Spread on one side of each tortilla, spreading all the way out to edges. Top with 2/3 cup filling on one half of each tortilla, then fold over tortillas, pressing edges together to enclose filling and form half-moons.
Coat large skillet with cooking spray, and heat over medium heat. Cook each quesadilla in skillet 2 to 3 minutes, turning once.
nutritional information Per Quesadilla: Calories: 273; Protein: 8 g; Total Fat: 13 g; Saturated Fat: 2 g; Carbohydrates: 32 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 235 mg; Fiber: 8 g; Sugar: 3 g; Vegan
HUNGARIAN CABBAGE WITH NOODLES
This recipe is from Barbara Rolek on The Spruce Eats. Barbara wrote, “This Hungarian comfort-food dish known as kaposztás tészta is a simple recipe to make, consisting of cabbage, onion, butter, egg noodles, salt, and pepper.
“Cabbage with noodles is a popular and easy dish common throughout Eastern Europe. In Poland, it's called kapusta z kluski or
“This can be a strictly vegetarian dish, sometimes with added sautéed mushrooms, or can be enhanced with bacon or other smoked meat, and it makes a terrific side dish or main-course offering that holds up well on a buffet table. If this recipe doesn't tickle your fancy, there are many more Eastern European cabbage recipes to choose from."
Total: 50 mins; Prep: 20 mins; Cook: 30 mins; Yield: 6 servings
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 large head cabbage (cored and shredded)
1 large onion (chopped)
8 ounces butter (2 sticks)
Salt (to taste)
Freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
1 pound medium Hungarian egg noodles (homemade or store-bought, cooked)
Directions
Gather the ingredients.
In a large skillet or Dutch oven, sauté cabbage and onion in butter until golden brown and tender.
Season with salt and pepper.
Mix with cooked egg noodles. Adjust seasonings and rewarm if necessary to serve piping hot.
Serve and enjoy!
Recipe Variations
Add 1 cup sliced button, cremini or other mushrooms to the skillet with the cabbage and onion, and cook until they are all golden brown and tender.
Before serving, add 1 cup cooked, crumbled or diced bacon to the cabbage, onion, and noodles mixture.
After mixing the cabbage and onion with the noodles, add 1 cup chopped ham combining well and rewarm to serve hot.
More Hungarian Noodle Recipes
Basic Hungarian Noodle Dough Recipe: This egg dough can be transformed into thin noodles, wide noodles and everything in between.
Tarhonya or Grated Egg Noodles Recipe: These noodles are made by grating chunks of noodle dough instead of rolling and cutting. They are dried and used in soups or browned in butter as a side dish.
More About Hungarian Noodles
Hungarian egg noodles, known as Magyar tojasos teszta (MAHG-yahr toy-YAH-shohss TESS-tah) or metelt (MEH-telt), come in a staggering number of varieties, rivaled possibly only by Italian pasta.
Hungarians roll them, cut them, pinch them, grate them, and drop them. There's a noodle for every dish and a dish for every noodle.
Teszta is actually the Hungarian word for "dough" and metelt means "noodles," but they are used interchangeably.
When the word tojasos is added, we're talking about egg noodles, the pride of Hungarian cuisine. They are made with three simple ingredients—flour, eggs, and salt—and, in some kitchens, not even any salt.
No water or oil is added to authentic Hungarian noodle recipes because many cooks feel the addition of water creates longer drying times and increases the potential for the noodles to mold when stored.
SUGAR SNAP PEAS AND CARROTS
Recipe Yield: Makes 4 servings.
Source: AICR
Recipe and image appear courtesy of American Institute for Cancer Research.
View this online at https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipes/sugar-snap-peas-and-carrots.
Ingredients
1 tsp. canola oil
1 small garlic clove, minced
1 tsp. grated or minced ginger
8 oz. sugar snap peas
3 baby carrots, cut lengthwise in 8 strips
3 Tbsp. vegetable broth, or water
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 large basil leaves, cut crosswise in thin strips
Directions
Heat oil in a medium non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Saute garlic and ginger until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add peas and carrots to the pan, stirring to coat them with oil. Add broth or water. Cook, stirring occasionally, until peas are tender-crisp, about 4 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Mix in basil and serve.
Notes:
Additional Info: 2 g. dietary fiber
Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 47; Fat: 1 g; Sodium: 109 mg; Protein: 2 g; Carbohydrates: 7 g
Diabetic Exchanges: 1-1/2 Vegetable
MINI CHURRO DOUGHNUT HOLES
This yummy recipe is from Old El Paso, and begins, “This DIY version of fair food goes bite-size and gets an added flavor boost from caramel.”
By Pillsbury Kitchens
Total Time: 15 minutes; Prep Time: 15 minutes; Servings: 8
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
Canola oil for deep-frying
1/2 cup cinnamon-sugar
1/3 cup powdered sugar
1 can (16.3 oz) Pillsbury™ Grands!™ Flaky Layers refrigerated Original biscuits
Caramel sauce, if desired
Instructions
Fill 3-quart saucepan one-third full with oil. Heat over medium heat to about 350°F. Line plate with paper towels; set aside.
In small bowl, stir together cinnamon-sugar and powdered sugar; set aside.
Separate dough into 8 biscuits. Split each biscuit into 2 rounds; place on cutting board. Using very small doughnut-hole cutter or mouth of an empty bottle, cut out mini-sized doughnut holes.
When oil is hot, carefully drop a few of the doughnut holes into oil at a time. (See Tip.) Using slotted metal spoon or kitchen spider, continuously turn holes over and over until golden brown. Remove from oil; place on paper towel-lined plate to drain. Immediately place holes in sugar mixture; coat completely. Serve doughnut holes immediately drizzled with caramel sauce.
Expert Tips
The safest way to fry is to bring your hand close to the oil and gently drop in the dough versus quickly dropping and splashing the oil.
To prep ahead by a few hours, you can cut the dough and store it in a zipper-topped plastic bag in the fridge.
Tuesday, August 13, 2019
Cool Desserts - Double-Post Tuesday
Besides being Taco Tuesday, it's Double-Post Tuesday. Today's double-post deals with six Cool Desserts, including Best Pineapple Orange Sorbet and Coffee Popsicles with Chocolate, Peanut Butter, and Banana. Enjoy!
STRAWBERRY MANGO POPSICLES
This is from Frances Bargeman-Roth, RD, on the Today website. Frances wrote, “Cold and flu season extends into late spring, so it's smart to keep making sure your immune system is ticking. I loaded up this pop with antioxidant and vitamin C-rich ingredients like strawberries, beets and mango. If you don't want to go the extra step of freezing the strawberry puree first, simply combine the strawberry mixture with the beet mixture and freeze for a total of 6 hours, or until completely frozen.”
Prep Time: 7 minutes; Yield: 6
To view this online, click here.
Notes: You will need six (3-ounce) ice pop molds with sticks. You can typically find fresh beet juice in the refrigerated section with the fresh juices.
Frances Largeman-Roth, RDN, is a nutrition expert, writer and best-selling author. Her books include Feed the Belly, The CarbLovers Diet and Eating in Color. Follow her @FrancesLRothRD.
Ingredients
10 ounces frozen unsweetened strawberries, thawed
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
1/2 cup diced mango
10 ounces fresh beet juice, store-bought
1 tablespoon sugar
Preparation
In a blender, add the berries and maple syrup. Combine until pureed. Transfer the mixture to a measuring cup with a spout and stir in the mango. Pour 2 tablespoons of the mixture into each pop mold and transfer to the freezer; freeze for 1 hour.
In a bowl, add the beet juice and stir in the sugar. Remove the pop molds from the freezer and pour about 1.5 ounces of the beet mixture into each mold. Return to the freezer for another 5 to 6 hours, or until completely frozen.
To unmold, run the pop briefly under warm water, remove and enjoy.
BLUEBERRY, CHAMOMILE AND MINT YOGURT POPSICLES
This is also from Frances Bargeman-Roth, RD, on the Today website. Frances wrote, “Being plugged in and scheduled 24/7 can leave us feeling frazzled. When you're in need of some chill time, reach for this calm and cool pop instead. Chamomile has long been known to help settle nerves, and may also provide a boost to your immune system. Mint helps relieve gas and indigestion, a common symptom of stress. Blueberries are loaded with anthocyanins, a type of polyphenol antioxidant that may help women cut their risk of having a heart attack by a third. Anthocyanins also are quite promising for helping to reverse age-related declines in brain function. Did I also mention that this interesting combination tastes amazing?”
Note: You will need six (3-ounce) ice pop molds with sticks.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
2 chamomile tea bags
8 ounces boiling water
1/2 cup blueberries, divided
2 tablespoons fresh mint leaves
2 tablespoons honey
4 ounces cold water
1/4 cup whole milk vanilla yogurt
Preparation
Place about 1 tablespoon of blueberries into each pop molds and set aside.
In a blender, add the cooled tea, mint leaves, honey, water and yogurt. Blend until frothy. Pour the chamomile mixture into the pop molds and place in the freezer for 6 hours or overnight. The tea and yogurt will separate during the freezing process, but this won't affect the flavor.
To unmold, run the pop briefly under warm water, remove and enjoy.
KIWI MELON POPSICLES
This is from Frances Bargeman-Roth, RD, on the Today website. Frances wrote, “I often return home from a sweaty run wanting nothing more than a cold glass of water and a REALLY cold snack, but ice cream probably isn't the right thing to grab post workout. These pretty pops hit the mark with their blend of hydrating honeydew and potassium from the coconut water to help prevent muscle cramps. The kiwi kicks in plenty of vitamin C to help bust up those free radicals that form during intense exercise. There's even a little salt to help replace the electrolytes you lose during those sweat sessions.”
Prep Time: 7 minutes; Yield: 6
Note: You will need six (3-ounce) ice pop molds with sticks.
To view this online, click here.
Frances Largeman-Roth, RDN, is a nutrition expert, writer and best-selling author. Her books include Feed the Belly, The CarbLovers Diet and Eating in Color. Follow her @FrancesLRothRD.
Ingredients
2 kiwis, peeled
8 ounces coconut water
1 cup cubed honeydew melon
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1/8 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon sugar
Preparation
Add one of the kiwis to the blender; slice the other into 6 thin wheels and set aside.
Add all remaining ingredients to the blender and combine until smooth. Transfer the mixture to a large measuring cup with a spout or other spouted container.
Place 1 kiwi slice into each pop mold so that you can see the kiwi on the side of the mold.
Pour the melon mixture evenly into six pop molds and transfer to the freezer. Freeze for 5-6 hours, or overnight.To unmold, run the pop briefly under warm water, remove and enjoy.
COFFEE POPSICLES WITH CHOCOLATE, PEANUT BUTTER AND BANANA
This also comes from Frances Bargeman-Roth, RD, on the Today website. Frances wrote, “Turn to these ice pops when you need to feel more energized. I love warm weather, but sometimes a day out in the burning sun can leave me feeling less than peppy. That's when I want a cool treat that also gives me a kick of caffeine. These provide just the right amount for an early afternoon boost.”
Prep Time: 5 minutes; Yield: 6
To view this online, click here.
Note: You will need six (3-ounce) ice pop molds with sticks.
Ingredients
6 ounces unsweetened cold brew coffee concentrate (such as Chameleon)
1 banana
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
8 ounces coconut milk
2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
1 tablespoon cacao nibs, optional
1 teaspoon honey, optional
Preparation
Place all ingredients in a blender and combine until smooth.
Pour the coffee mixture evenly into 6 pop molds and transfer to the freezer. Freeze for 6-8 hours, or overnight.
To unmold, run the pop briefly under warm water, remove and enjoy.
FROZEN BERRY-BANANA CREAM POPS
This is from the Mayo Clinic. To view this recipe online, go to http://diet.mayoclinic.org/diet/recipe/frozen-berry-banana-cream-pops.
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups plain, fat-free yogurt
1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen berries (blueberries, raspberries and sliced strawberries)
1 large banana, sliced
6 paper cups, 5-oz. to 9-oz. size
Aluminum foil
Wooden Popsicle® sticks
Instructions
Place yogurt, fruit (slightly thaw frozen fruit first) and banana in a blender. Blend until smooth.
Divide mixture evenly into paper cups.
Cover each paper cup with foil. Make a slit in the center of the foil covers and insert one Popsicle stick in each cup.
Place in freezer for 3 to 4 hours or until frozen solid.
Peel off paper cup and serve.
Serves 6.
BEST PINEAPPLE ORANGE SORBET
I don’t know about you, but I’ve been on several bulletin boards over the years (mainly feminist bulletin boards), and find others’ nicknames on the boards interesting. This was posted on a long-since-forgotten-emailing-list by hungry kitten and was from mydailymoment.com. Hungrykitten wrote, “I like this recipe because you don't need an ice cream maker. Cooking time is freezing time.” Time: 2 1/4 hours; 15 min prep; serves 10.
To view this online, click here.
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 cups orange juice
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 (20 ounce) can pineapple, crushed
2 teaspoons orange zest, freshly grated
In a medium saucepan, bring water and sugar to a simmer over medium high heat until sugar is dissolved.
In a blender, puree pineapple with its juice until smooth. Transfer to a metal bowl, and stir in lemon juice, orange juice, and orange zest. Freeze until slightly firm, but not frozen and process mixture again in the blender until smooth. Transfer to a freezer container and freeze until firm, about 2 hours.
STRAWBERRY MANGO POPSICLES
This is from Frances Bargeman-Roth, RD, on the Today website. Frances wrote, “Cold and flu season extends into late spring, so it's smart to keep making sure your immune system is ticking. I loaded up this pop with antioxidant and vitamin C-rich ingredients like strawberries, beets and mango. If you don't want to go the extra step of freezing the strawberry puree first, simply combine the strawberry mixture with the beet mixture and freeze for a total of 6 hours, or until completely frozen.”
Prep Time: 7 minutes; Yield: 6
To view this online, click here.
Notes: You will need six (3-ounce) ice pop molds with sticks. You can typically find fresh beet juice in the refrigerated section with the fresh juices.
Frances Largeman-Roth, RDN, is a nutrition expert, writer and best-selling author. Her books include Feed the Belly, The CarbLovers Diet and Eating in Color. Follow her @FrancesLRothRD.
Ingredients
10 ounces frozen unsweetened strawberries, thawed
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
1/2 cup diced mango
10 ounces fresh beet juice, store-bought
1 tablespoon sugar
Preparation
In a blender, add the berries and maple syrup. Combine until pureed. Transfer the mixture to a measuring cup with a spout and stir in the mango. Pour 2 tablespoons of the mixture into each pop mold and transfer to the freezer; freeze for 1 hour.
In a bowl, add the beet juice and stir in the sugar. Remove the pop molds from the freezer and pour about 1.5 ounces of the beet mixture into each mold. Return to the freezer for another 5 to 6 hours, or until completely frozen.
To unmold, run the pop briefly under warm water, remove and enjoy.
BLUEBERRY, CHAMOMILE AND MINT YOGURT POPSICLES
This is also from Frances Bargeman-Roth, RD, on the Today website. Frances wrote, “Being plugged in and scheduled 24/7 can leave us feeling frazzled. When you're in need of some chill time, reach for this calm and cool pop instead. Chamomile has long been known to help settle nerves, and may also provide a boost to your immune system. Mint helps relieve gas and indigestion, a common symptom of stress. Blueberries are loaded with anthocyanins, a type of polyphenol antioxidant that may help women cut their risk of having a heart attack by a third. Anthocyanins also are quite promising for helping to reverse age-related declines in brain function. Did I also mention that this interesting combination tastes amazing?”
Note: You will need six (3-ounce) ice pop molds with sticks.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
2 chamomile tea bags
8 ounces boiling water
1/2 cup blueberries, divided
2 tablespoons fresh mint leaves
2 tablespoons honey
4 ounces cold water
1/4 cup whole milk vanilla yogurt
Preparation
Place about 1 tablespoon of blueberries into each pop molds and set aside.
In a blender, add the cooled tea, mint leaves, honey, water and yogurt. Blend until frothy. Pour the chamomile mixture into the pop molds and place in the freezer for 6 hours or overnight. The tea and yogurt will separate during the freezing process, but this won't affect the flavor.
To unmold, run the pop briefly under warm water, remove and enjoy.
KIWI MELON POPSICLES
This is from Frances Bargeman-Roth, RD, on the Today website. Frances wrote, “I often return home from a sweaty run wanting nothing more than a cold glass of water and a REALLY cold snack, but ice cream probably isn't the right thing to grab post workout. These pretty pops hit the mark with their blend of hydrating honeydew and potassium from the coconut water to help prevent muscle cramps. The kiwi kicks in plenty of vitamin C to help bust up those free radicals that form during intense exercise. There's even a little salt to help replace the electrolytes you lose during those sweat sessions.”
Prep Time: 7 minutes; Yield: 6
Note: You will need six (3-ounce) ice pop molds with sticks.
To view this online, click here.
Frances Largeman-Roth, RDN, is a nutrition expert, writer and best-selling author. Her books include Feed the Belly, The CarbLovers Diet and Eating in Color. Follow her @FrancesLRothRD.
Ingredients
2 kiwis, peeled
8 ounces coconut water
1 cup cubed honeydew melon
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1/8 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon sugar
Preparation
Add one of the kiwis to the blender; slice the other into 6 thin wheels and set aside.
Add all remaining ingredients to the blender and combine until smooth. Transfer the mixture to a large measuring cup with a spout or other spouted container.
Place 1 kiwi slice into each pop mold so that you can see the kiwi on the side of the mold.
Pour the melon mixture evenly into six pop molds and transfer to the freezer. Freeze for 5-6 hours, or overnight.To unmold, run the pop briefly under warm water, remove and enjoy.
COFFEE POPSICLES WITH CHOCOLATE, PEANUT BUTTER AND BANANA
This also comes from Frances Bargeman-Roth, RD, on the Today website. Frances wrote, “Turn to these ice pops when you need to feel more energized. I love warm weather, but sometimes a day out in the burning sun can leave me feeling less than peppy. That's when I want a cool treat that also gives me a kick of caffeine. These provide just the right amount for an early afternoon boost.”
Prep Time: 5 minutes; Yield: 6
To view this online, click here.
Note: You will need six (3-ounce) ice pop molds with sticks.
Ingredients
6 ounces unsweetened cold brew coffee concentrate (such as Chameleon)
1 banana
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
8 ounces coconut milk
2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
1 tablespoon cacao nibs, optional
1 teaspoon honey, optional
Preparation
Place all ingredients in a blender and combine until smooth.
Pour the coffee mixture evenly into 6 pop molds and transfer to the freezer. Freeze for 6-8 hours, or overnight.
To unmold, run the pop briefly under warm water, remove and enjoy.
FROZEN BERRY-BANANA CREAM POPS
This is from the Mayo Clinic. To view this recipe online, go to http://diet.mayoclinic.org/diet/recipe/frozen-berry-banana-cream-pops.
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups plain, fat-free yogurt
1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen berries (blueberries, raspberries and sliced strawberries)
1 large banana, sliced
6 paper cups, 5-oz. to 9-oz. size
Aluminum foil
Wooden Popsicle® sticks
Instructions
Place yogurt, fruit (slightly thaw frozen fruit first) and banana in a blender. Blend until smooth.
Divide mixture evenly into paper cups.
Cover each paper cup with foil. Make a slit in the center of the foil covers and insert one Popsicle stick in each cup.
Place in freezer for 3 to 4 hours or until frozen solid.
Peel off paper cup and serve.
Serves 6.
BEST PINEAPPLE ORANGE SORBET
I don’t know about you, but I’ve been on several bulletin boards over the years (mainly feminist bulletin boards), and find others’ nicknames on the boards interesting. This was posted on a long-since-forgotten-emailing-list by hungry kitten and was from mydailymoment.com. Hungrykitten wrote, “I like this recipe because you don't need an ice cream maker. Cooking time is freezing time.” Time: 2 1/4 hours; 15 min prep; serves 10.
To view this online, click here.
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 cups orange juice
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 (20 ounce) can pineapple, crushed
2 teaspoons orange zest, freshly grated
In a medium saucepan, bring water and sugar to a simmer over medium high heat until sugar is dissolved.
In a blender, puree pineapple with its juice until smooth. Transfer to a metal bowl, and stir in lemon juice, orange juice, and orange zest. Freeze until slightly firm, but not frozen and process mixture again in the blender until smooth. Transfer to a freezer container and freeze until firm, about 2 hours.
Taco Tuesday
It's time for another Taco Tuesday. Today's offerings include Black Bean Tacos with Roasted Peppers and Onions and Chickpea Tacos. Enjoy!
QUINOA TACO MEAT
This comes from Wendy Polisi’s website, which is full of wonderful recipes. You really should check it out. Go ahead, I’ll wait…
Anyway, Wendy wrote, “Think vegetarian tacos mean sacrificing on taste? Think again! This Quinoa Taco Meat is so delicious that even meat eaters will love it! It is the best vegetarian taco meat substitute I have found.”
Prep Time: 15 mins; Cook Time: 15 mins; Total Time: 30 mins
To view this yummy taco recipe on Wendy’s site, click here.
Ingredients
1 teaspoon coconut oil
1 onion chopped fine
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon chipotle chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1 package Beyond Meat crumbles
1 1/2 cups cooked quinoa
3/4 cup vegetable broth
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
8 organic taco shells
i>For serving: lettuce tomatoes, avocado or guacamole, sour cream or Greek yogurt (dairy or non-dairy)
Instructions
Heat coconut oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, and cook until tender, about 8 to 10 minutes. Add garlic, chili powder, coriander, cumin, chipotle chili powder and salt and cook for one minute longer. Add tomato paste and stir for 1 minute. Add beyond meat crumbles and quinoa and cook for two minutes. Add in broth and apple cider vinegar. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes, until the liquid has partially cooked off.
Heat taco shells according to package directions and serve with lettuce, tomatoes, avocado or guacamole and sour cream or Greek yogurt.
CARROT-AND-BLACK BEAN CRISPY TACOS
This recipe comes from Country Living, and begins, “Dig into vegetarian tacos with tons of fresh flavor.” Total Time: 30 minutes; Prep Time: 30 minutes; Level: Easy; Yield: 4 servings.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
3 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 small onion, chopped
1 poblano pepper, diced
1 tsp. chili powder
1 (15.5-oz.) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 tbsp. fresh lime juice, plus wedges for serving
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 lb. medium carrots, cut into 3" to 4" sticks
1 tsp. ground cumin
8 whole-grain taco shells, warmed
Sliced avocado, crumbled queso fresco, and chopped fresh cilantro and radishes, for serving
Directions
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Heat 1 1/2 tablespoons oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 4to 6 minutes. Add chili powder and cook, stirring, until fragrant, 30 seconds. Add black beans and 1/3 cup water. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 4 to 6 minutes. Mash beans with the back of the spoon until thick. Stir in lime juice. Season with salt and pepper.
Meanwhile, toss carrots with cumin and 1 1/2 tablespoons oil on a rimmed baking sheet. Season with salt and pepper. Roast, turning once, until just tender, 10 to 12 minutes.
Divide beans and carrots between taco shells. Top with avocado, queso fresco, cilantro, and radishes. Serve with lime wedges alongside.
PER SERVING: protein: 8 g; fat: 17 g; carbohydrate: 42 g; fiber: 10 g; sodium: 261 mg; cholesterol: 0 mg; calories: 334.
BLACK BEAN TACOS WITH ROASTED PEPPERS AND ONIONS
This comes from Vegetarian Times. This one begins, “For a fast meal that’s a surefire crowd-pleaser, these tacos fit the bill.” Yield: Serves 8.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients:
Roasted Peppers and Onions
3 red bell peppers, thinly sliced (3 cups)
1 large onion, thinly sliced (1 1/2 cups)
1 Tbs. olive oil
Tacos
2 Tbs. olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped (1 cup)
6 cloves garlic, minced (2 Tbs.)
2 15-oz. cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1 15-oz. can diced organic fire-roasted tomatoes
1 Tbs. chili powder
1 Tbs. ground cumin
1/8 tsp. hot sauce, or more to taste
16 organic corn taco shells, warmed
Toppings
3 cups shredded lettuce
1 16-oz. container prepared salsa
2 large tomatoes, diced (2 cups)
2 avocados, diced (2 cups)
1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese
1 cup low-fat sour cream
Instructions:
To make Roasted Peppers and Onions: Preheat oven to 450°F. Toss peppers and onion with oil on large baking sheet. Season with salt and pepper. Roast 15 minutes, stir, and roast 15 minutes more, or until vegetables are tender and peppers are beginning to blacken. Transfer to small bowl.
Meanwhile, to make Tacos: Heat oil in large pot over medium heat. Add onion, and sauté 5 to 7 minutes, or until soft. Add garlic, and cook 1 minute more, or until fragrant. Stir in beans, tomatoes, chili powder, cumin, hot sauce, and 1 cup water. Season with salt and pepper. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 15 minutes, or until most of liquid has evaporated, stirring occasionally. Mash beans until filling is thickened, but chunky, and most beans remain intact. Adjust seasonings, if necessary. Transfer to serving bowl. Pass taco shells, filling, Roasted Peppers and Onions, and Toppings around the table.
Nutrition Information: Calories: 482; Protein: 16 g; Total Fat: 22 g; Saturated Fat: 5 g; Carbohydrates: 57 g; Cholesterol: 17 mg; Sodium: 665 mg; Fiber: 12 g; Sugar: 14 g
LIME CILANTRO PORTOBELLO TACOS
I first found this at Nosh On.It, along with several other vegetarian taco recipes (you can check out all nine here). This one is from Sarah Yates Mora, who has a cool blog called A House in the Hills, where she posted this recipe.
Sarah started off this recipe by writing, “I don’t want to come across all braggy braggerson, but i made those tortillas. with my BARE HANDS! ok, my bare hands and a tortilla press.” She continued on by writing that “making tortillas is mind blowingly simple. like, really really really simple. i had NO IDEA.” (I love her enthusiasm!)
Anywho, the link to this recipe on her blog is https://ahouseinthehills.com/2013/7/10/lime-cilantro-portobello-tacos/. I seriously suggest checking it out!
Ingredients
2 large portobello mushrooms
3/4 cup shredded purple cabbage
1 avocado
1 bunch cilantro
1 jalapeno pepper, thinly sliced and de-seeded (unless you want some extra kick in which case leave the seeds be!)
1/3 cup fresh squeezed lime juice
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
3/4 cup masa
grapeseed oil
Directions
Rinse and thoroughly clean two large portobello mushrooms.
Prepare mushroom marinade by combining olive oil, fresh squeezed lime juice, 1 tablespoon finely chopped cilantro and 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt.
You’ll want to marinate the mushrooms for as long as possible, preferably 8 or more hours. I started mine in the early evening and made them for an early lunch the next day. To marinate, place mushrooms and marinade in a large plastic ziplock, give them a few shakes and refrigerate.
When mushrooms are marinated you’ll grill them (I used a grill pan) over medium heat until cooked through (a couple of minutes on each side)
To make tortillas:
Combine 3/4 cup masa with 1/2 cup of hot water and knead with hands. Add more water if needed, or add more masa if mixture seems too wet. You’re looking to achieve the consistency of brand new play-doh. You’ll know you’re spot on when you’re able to pull a full tortilla out of the press. I played around for a bit to get it just right, but it only took fussing with the mixture a little bit at a time to get there!
Lightly coat a cast iron pan in grapeseed oil and heat on medium low.
Cover the top and bottom of the tortilla press* with large ziplock bags or saran wrap. Roll a ball of masa dough about 1 1/2″ big in the palm of your hands in place in the center of the press.
Gently use the top press to flatten the tortilla, then peel away and add to the pan.
Cook for 30 seconds or so on each side.
Continue with the rest of the dough (this amount of masa makes roughly 7 tortillas) until all are dough is used. Keep cooked tortillas warm by wrapping in a damp tea towel and placing in a dutch oven over LOW heat.
* if you do not have a tortilla press, use your hand or a rolling pin to flatten tortillas!
To make tacos:
Assemble tacos by laying tortillas with slices of the grilled portobellos, slices of avocado, cilantro, cabbage and jalapeno. Squeeze with lime juice. Serve hot and enjoy!
CHICKPEA TACOS
This comes from the March 2008 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 36. It begins, “Turns out, tacos don’t have to be hot to be delicious. The chickpea-avocado mash used as a filling here is prepared and served at room temperature. (It makes a great sandwich spread as well.) Because the fat content of taco shells can vary, look for brands that contain approximately 6 grams or fewer per shell.” Serves 4 in 30 minutes or less.
To view this online, click here.
1 avocado, peeled, pitted, and diced
1 15-oz. can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
3 Tbs. chopped cilantro
4 tsp. fresh lime juice
1 clove garlic, minced (1 tsp.)
8 corn taco shells
2 cups baby salad greens
1 cup prepared salsa (medium or hot)
1/2 cup nondairy sour cream
Place avocado in small bowl, and mash with fork. Stir in chickpeas, cilantro, lime juice, and garlic; season with salt and pepper.
Set taco shells in napkin-lined basket. Place salad greens, salsa, and sour cream in separate bowls, and set out alongside chickpea-avocado mash.
To serve, let each person build their own taco by filling each shell with 1/4 cup chickpea-avocado mash, some greens, salsa, and sour cream.
nutritional information Per Serving (2 tacos): Calories: 402; Protein: 11 g; Total Fat: 19 g; Saturated Fat: 4 g; Carbohydrates: 51 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 800 mg; Fiber: 10 g; Sugar: 2 g; Vegan; Gluten-Free
BUTTERNUT SQUASH TACOS WITH CRANBERRY-JALAPENO RELISH
Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 30 minutes; Total Time: 45 minutes; Yield: 4-6 servings; Serving Size: 2-3 tacos
Relish adapted from The New York Times
Read more at http://ohmyveggies.com/butternut-squash-tacos-with-cranberry-jalapeno-relish/
Ingredients
1 medium butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
12 small corn tortillas
2 cups cooked black beans
For the Cranberry-Jalapeño Relish:
1 (12-ounce) package fresh cranberries
1 1/2 pounds tart apples, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
Instructions
Preheat oven to 450°F.
In a large bowl, toss together the butternut squash, olive oil and salt. Spread on a parchment-lined baking sheet in an even layer and roast until tender, 20-30 minutes, tossing once halfway through.
Meanwhile, prepare the Cranberry-Jalapeño Relish. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the cranberries, apples, sugar and apple cider vinegar. Cook, stirring frequently, until sugar has dissolved. Raise the heat to medium-high and cook, stirring constantly, until cranberries start to pop and mixture has thickened, 5-7 minutes. Stir in the jalapeño and ginger and remove from heat.
Warm the corn tortillas according to package directions. Serve the tortillas stuffed with the butternut squash and black beans, and topped with the Cranberry-Jalapeño Relish.
Notes
Both the butternut squash and relish can be made ahead of time! Just reheat the butternut squash before stuffing it into the tortillas.
QUINOA TACO MEAT
This comes from Wendy Polisi’s website, which is full of wonderful recipes. You really should check it out. Go ahead, I’ll wait…
Anyway, Wendy wrote, “Think vegetarian tacos mean sacrificing on taste? Think again! This Quinoa Taco Meat is so delicious that even meat eaters will love it! It is the best vegetarian taco meat substitute I have found.”
Prep Time: 15 mins; Cook Time: 15 mins; Total Time: 30 mins
To view this yummy taco recipe on Wendy’s site, click here.
Ingredients
1 teaspoon coconut oil
1 onion chopped fine
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon chipotle chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1 package Beyond Meat crumbles
1 1/2 cups cooked quinoa
3/4 cup vegetable broth
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
8 organic taco shells
i>For serving: lettuce tomatoes, avocado or guacamole, sour cream or Greek yogurt (dairy or non-dairy)
Instructions
Heat coconut oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, and cook until tender, about 8 to 10 minutes. Add garlic, chili powder, coriander, cumin, chipotle chili powder and salt and cook for one minute longer. Add tomato paste and stir for 1 minute. Add beyond meat crumbles and quinoa and cook for two minutes. Add in broth and apple cider vinegar. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes, until the liquid has partially cooked off.
Heat taco shells according to package directions and serve with lettuce, tomatoes, avocado or guacamole and sour cream or Greek yogurt.
CARROT-AND-BLACK BEAN CRISPY TACOS
This recipe comes from Country Living, and begins, “Dig into vegetarian tacos with tons of fresh flavor.” Total Time: 30 minutes; Prep Time: 30 minutes; Level: Easy; Yield: 4 servings.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
3 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 small onion, chopped
1 poblano pepper, diced
1 tsp. chili powder
1 (15.5-oz.) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 tbsp. fresh lime juice, plus wedges for serving
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 lb. medium carrots, cut into 3" to 4" sticks
1 tsp. ground cumin
8 whole-grain taco shells, warmed
Sliced avocado, crumbled queso fresco, and chopped fresh cilantro and radishes, for serving
Directions
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Heat 1 1/2 tablespoons oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 4to 6 minutes. Add chili powder and cook, stirring, until fragrant, 30 seconds. Add black beans and 1/3 cup water. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 4 to 6 minutes. Mash beans with the back of the spoon until thick. Stir in lime juice. Season with salt and pepper.
Meanwhile, toss carrots with cumin and 1 1/2 tablespoons oil on a rimmed baking sheet. Season with salt and pepper. Roast, turning once, until just tender, 10 to 12 minutes.
Divide beans and carrots between taco shells. Top with avocado, queso fresco, cilantro, and radishes. Serve with lime wedges alongside.
PER SERVING: protein: 8 g; fat: 17 g; carbohydrate: 42 g; fiber: 10 g; sodium: 261 mg; cholesterol: 0 mg; calories: 334.
BLACK BEAN TACOS WITH ROASTED PEPPERS AND ONIONS
This comes from Vegetarian Times. This one begins, “For a fast meal that’s a surefire crowd-pleaser, these tacos fit the bill.” Yield: Serves 8.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients:
Roasted Peppers and Onions
3 red bell peppers, thinly sliced (3 cups)
1 large onion, thinly sliced (1 1/2 cups)
1 Tbs. olive oil
Tacos
2 Tbs. olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped (1 cup)
6 cloves garlic, minced (2 Tbs.)
2 15-oz. cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1 15-oz. can diced organic fire-roasted tomatoes
1 Tbs. chili powder
1 Tbs. ground cumin
1/8 tsp. hot sauce, or more to taste
16 organic corn taco shells, warmed
Toppings
3 cups shredded lettuce
1 16-oz. container prepared salsa
2 large tomatoes, diced (2 cups)
2 avocados, diced (2 cups)
1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese
1 cup low-fat sour cream
Instructions:
To make Roasted Peppers and Onions: Preheat oven to 450°F. Toss peppers and onion with oil on large baking sheet. Season with salt and pepper. Roast 15 minutes, stir, and roast 15 minutes more, or until vegetables are tender and peppers are beginning to blacken. Transfer to small bowl.
Meanwhile, to make Tacos: Heat oil in large pot over medium heat. Add onion, and sauté 5 to 7 minutes, or until soft. Add garlic, and cook 1 minute more, or until fragrant. Stir in beans, tomatoes, chili powder, cumin, hot sauce, and 1 cup water. Season with salt and pepper. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 15 minutes, or until most of liquid has evaporated, stirring occasionally. Mash beans until filling is thickened, but chunky, and most beans remain intact. Adjust seasonings, if necessary. Transfer to serving bowl. Pass taco shells, filling, Roasted Peppers and Onions, and Toppings around the table.
Nutrition Information: Calories: 482; Protein: 16 g; Total Fat: 22 g; Saturated Fat: 5 g; Carbohydrates: 57 g; Cholesterol: 17 mg; Sodium: 665 mg; Fiber: 12 g; Sugar: 14 g
LIME CILANTRO PORTOBELLO TACOS
I first found this at Nosh On.It, along with several other vegetarian taco recipes (you can check out all nine here). This one is from Sarah Yates Mora, who has a cool blog called A House in the Hills, where she posted this recipe.
Sarah started off this recipe by writing, “I don’t want to come across all braggy braggerson, but i made those tortillas. with my BARE HANDS! ok, my bare hands and a tortilla press.” She continued on by writing that “making tortillas is mind blowingly simple. like, really really really simple. i had NO IDEA.” (I love her enthusiasm!)
Anywho, the link to this recipe on her blog is https://ahouseinthehills.com/2013/7/10/lime-cilantro-portobello-tacos/. I seriously suggest checking it out!
Ingredients
2 large portobello mushrooms
3/4 cup shredded purple cabbage
1 avocado
1 bunch cilantro
1 jalapeno pepper, thinly sliced and de-seeded (unless you want some extra kick in which case leave the seeds be!)
1/3 cup fresh squeezed lime juice
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
3/4 cup masa
grapeseed oil
Directions
Rinse and thoroughly clean two large portobello mushrooms.
Prepare mushroom marinade by combining olive oil, fresh squeezed lime juice, 1 tablespoon finely chopped cilantro and 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt.
You’ll want to marinate the mushrooms for as long as possible, preferably 8 or more hours. I started mine in the early evening and made them for an early lunch the next day. To marinate, place mushrooms and marinade in a large plastic ziplock, give them a few shakes and refrigerate.
When mushrooms are marinated you’ll grill them (I used a grill pan) over medium heat until cooked through (a couple of minutes on each side)
To make tortillas:
Combine 3/4 cup masa with 1/2 cup of hot water and knead with hands. Add more water if needed, or add more masa if mixture seems too wet. You’re looking to achieve the consistency of brand new play-doh. You’ll know you’re spot on when you’re able to pull a full tortilla out of the press. I played around for a bit to get it just right, but it only took fussing with the mixture a little bit at a time to get there!
Lightly coat a cast iron pan in grapeseed oil and heat on medium low.
Cover the top and bottom of the tortilla press* with large ziplock bags or saran wrap. Roll a ball of masa dough about 1 1/2″ big in the palm of your hands in place in the center of the press.
Gently use the top press to flatten the tortilla, then peel away and add to the pan.
Cook for 30 seconds or so on each side.
Continue with the rest of the dough (this amount of masa makes roughly 7 tortillas) until all are dough is used. Keep cooked tortillas warm by wrapping in a damp tea towel and placing in a dutch oven over LOW heat.
* if you do not have a tortilla press, use your hand or a rolling pin to flatten tortillas!
To make tacos:
Assemble tacos by laying tortillas with slices of the grilled portobellos, slices of avocado, cilantro, cabbage and jalapeno. Squeeze with lime juice. Serve hot and enjoy!
CHICKPEA TACOS
This comes from the March 2008 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 36. It begins, “Turns out, tacos don’t have to be hot to be delicious. The chickpea-avocado mash used as a filling here is prepared and served at room temperature. (It makes a great sandwich spread as well.) Because the fat content of taco shells can vary, look for brands that contain approximately 6 grams or fewer per shell.” Serves 4 in 30 minutes or less.
To view this online, click here.
1 avocado, peeled, pitted, and diced
1 15-oz. can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
3 Tbs. chopped cilantro
4 tsp. fresh lime juice
1 clove garlic, minced (1 tsp.)
8 corn taco shells
2 cups baby salad greens
1 cup prepared salsa (medium or hot)
1/2 cup nondairy sour cream
Place avocado in small bowl, and mash with fork. Stir in chickpeas, cilantro, lime juice, and garlic; season with salt and pepper.
Set taco shells in napkin-lined basket. Place salad greens, salsa, and sour cream in separate bowls, and set out alongside chickpea-avocado mash.
To serve, let each person build their own taco by filling each shell with 1/4 cup chickpea-avocado mash, some greens, salsa, and sour cream.
nutritional information Per Serving (2 tacos): Calories: 402; Protein: 11 g; Total Fat: 19 g; Saturated Fat: 4 g; Carbohydrates: 51 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 800 mg; Fiber: 10 g; Sugar: 2 g; Vegan; Gluten-Free
BUTTERNUT SQUASH TACOS WITH CRANBERRY-JALAPENO RELISH
Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 30 minutes; Total Time: 45 minutes; Yield: 4-6 servings; Serving Size: 2-3 tacos
Relish adapted from The New York Times
Read more at http://ohmyveggies.com/butternut-squash-tacos-with-cranberry-jalapeno-relish/
Ingredients
1 medium butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
12 small corn tortillas
2 cups cooked black beans
For the Cranberry-Jalapeño Relish:
1 (12-ounce) package fresh cranberries
1 1/2 pounds tart apples, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
Instructions
Preheat oven to 450°F.
In a large bowl, toss together the butternut squash, olive oil and salt. Spread on a parchment-lined baking sheet in an even layer and roast until tender, 20-30 minutes, tossing once halfway through.
Meanwhile, prepare the Cranberry-Jalapeño Relish. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the cranberries, apples, sugar and apple cider vinegar. Cook, stirring frequently, until sugar has dissolved. Raise the heat to medium-high and cook, stirring constantly, until cranberries start to pop and mixture has thickened, 5-7 minutes. Stir in the jalapeño and ginger and remove from heat.
Warm the corn tortillas according to package directions. Serve the tortillas stuffed with the butternut squash and black beans, and topped with the Cranberry-Jalapeño Relish.
Notes
Both the butternut squash and relish can be made ahead of time! Just reheat the butternut squash before stuffing it into the tortillas.
Monday, August 12, 2019
Monday Recipes
Here's hoping you had a good weekend. (Weekends never seem long enough, do they?) Here are six yummy recipes to get your week started, including Hawaiian Macaroni Salad and Simple Vegetarian Spinach Lasagna. Enjoy!
VEGETARIAN STUFFED PEPPERS
This recipe was posted by DWYATT on AllRecipes, and begins, "This was the first vegetarian recipe I ever made--green peppers stuffed with a mixture of brown rice, nuts, dried cranberries, tofu and cheese. Substitute soy cheese for the Parmesan to create a vegan delight."
Prep: 10 minutes; Cook: 1 hour 10 minutes; Ready In: 1 hour 20 minutes
View this online here.
Note: If you're like me and don't have cooking sherry around, feel free to replace it with with alcohol-free cooking sherry (if there is such a thing) or 3 tablespoons of water. Personally, it's been decades since I've had cooking wine/sherry/etc in my house, as well as non-cooking (drinking) alcohol. When I want to celebrate, say at New Year's, etc., I've found that there are plenty of non-alcoholic sparkling juices on the market.
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups brown rice
6 large green bell peppers
3 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons cooking sherry
1 teaspoon vegetarian Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 cups extra firm tofu
1/2 cup sweetened dried cranberries
1/4 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste
2 cups tomato sauce
2 tablespoons brown sugar
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). In a saucepan bring 3 cups water to a boil. Stir in rice. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 40 minutes.
Meanwhile, core and seed green peppers, leaving bottoms intact. Place peppers in a microwavable dish with about 1/2 inch of water in the bottom. Microwave on high for 6 minutes.
In a small frying pan bring soy sauce, wine and Worcestershire sauce to a simmer. Add tofu and simmer until the liquid is absorbed. Combine rice (after it has cooled), tofu, cranberries, nuts, cheese, salt and pepper; mix and pack firmly into peppers. Return peppers to the dish you first microwaved them in, and bake in preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until lightly browned on top.
Meanwhile, in a small saucepan over low heat, combine tomato sauce and brown sugar; heat until hot throughout. Spoon sauce over each serving.
BANANA MUFFINS WITH TART LEMON ICING
This came from a Weight Watchers email list maybe a decade or more ago. The points value is from then.
The recipe begins, “If the mouth-puckering lemon icing isn’t enough flavor for you, try adding 1/2 teaspoon each of cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger to the flour mixture.”
Servings: 18, 1 muffin per serving, Points: 3
Ingredients
1/2 cup sugar
6 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened, divided
1 large egg(s)
2 tsp vanilla extract, divided
2 cup all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 cup fat-free skim milk
4 large banana(s), ripe, mashed
1 cup powdered sugar
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp lemon zest, strips, or more to taste
Directions
Preheat oven to 350ºF. Line 18 muffin holes with paper liners.
Place sugar & 5 tablespoons of butter in a large bowl; cream with electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add egg and 1 teaspoon of vanilla; beat until thoroughly mixed.
In another large bowl, mix together flour, baking powder & baking soda. Add half of flour mixture to butter mixture; beat well with mixer. Add milk and remaining flour mixture; beat until batter is combined & then fold in mashed bananas.
Spoon batter into muffin liners about 3/4 full. Bake until muffins start to brown and tester inserted in center of a muffin comes out clean, about 25 to 30 minutes. Allow muffins to cool in pan about 2 minutes; remove to wire rack and cool completely before icing.
Meanwhile, to make icing, combine powdered sugar, remaining tablespoon butter, lemon juice, zest, and remaining teaspoon of vanilla in medium bowl; beat with electric mixer until creamy, about 1 to 2 minutes. Ice cooled muffins; cover and refrigerate any uneaten muffins.
HAWAIIAN MACARONI SALAD
This yummy macaroni salad is from Christin Mahrlig on her very cool site, Spicy Southern Kitchen. If you’ve never heard of her site (or you have, but never checked it out), I suggest you check it out ASAP. Go ahead, I’ll wait…(Tap, tap, tap…).
Anyway, the recipe begins, “Hawaiian Macaroni Salad is so fabulously creamy and simple. This mayonnaise-based pasta salad makes a wonderful side for summer bbqs and picnics.”
Prep Time: 10 mins; Cook Time: 10 mins; Total Time: 20 mins; Servings: 10
To view this online, go to https://spicysouthernkitchen.com/hawaiian-macaroni-salad/.
Ingredients
16 ounces elbow pasta
1/4 cup grated onion
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 cups mayonnaise
1/2 cup whole milk
1 tablespoon sugar
2 shredded carrots
salt and pepper
Instructions
Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add 1 tablespoons kosher salt. Cook pasta according to package directions.
Place onion in a large bowl. When pasta is done, drain it well and add it to the bowl. Add garlic powder and apple cider vinegar and stir. Let sit 10 minutes.
In a medium bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, milk, and sugar.
Set aside about 1/2 a cup and add the rest to the macaroni along with carrots. Stir to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Cover and refrigerate both the bowl of macaroni salad and the reserved 1/2 a cup of mayonnaise mixture. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving. Stir in the reserved mayonnaise mixture just before serving.
Recipe Notes
Be sure not to overcook your pasta or it will have a mushy texture.
If you to dress it up some, add diced ham or chopped pineapple.
SIMPLE VEGETARIAN SPINACH LASAGNA
This is from Vicki Shata Retelny, RDN, at VeryWellFit. She 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.“
Prep Time: 20 minutes; Cook Time: 45 minutes; Total Time: 65 minutes; Servings: 9 (1 cup each)
To view this online, go to https://www.verywellfit.com/vegetarian-spinach-lasagna-4144632.
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.
FRESH STRAWBERRY PIE
This is from Samantha Seneviratne in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Samantha wrote, “This pie is a celebration of perfectly ripe, summertime strawberries. Only two cups of the berries are cooked down into a quick jam, which holds the rest of the fruit together for a delightfully fresh pie. With a crunchy shortbread crust and a cloud of freshly whipped cream, it’s reminiscent of strawberry shortcake — but maybe even better.”
Yield: 8 to 10 servings; Time: 45 minutes, plus chilling
https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1019379-fresh-strawberry-pie
Ingredients
For the Crust
10 2/3 ounces shortbread cookies (2 5.3-ounce packages)
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
For the Filling
2 1/2 pounds strawberries (about 8 to 10 cups), hulled
1/3 cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons strawberry preserves
1/4 cup cornstarch
Pinch of kosher salt
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
For the Topping
1 cup cold heavy cream
1 tablespoon confectioners’ sugar
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (optional)
Preparation
Prepare crust: Heat oven to 350 degrees. In a food processor, combine shortbread cookies, sugar, flour and salt and blend until you have fine crumbs. Transfer crumbs to a medium mixing bowl. Add butter and mix with a fork until crumbs are evenly moistened. Tip crumbs into a standard 9-inch pie plate and press them in an even layer on the bottom and up the sides of the plate. Bake until golden brown and set, 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool completely.
Prepare filling: Cut each of the strawberries in quarters or eighths, if they are large. Transfer 2 cups berries to a small saucepan and crush completely with a potato masher. Set aside the remaining berries in a large bowl. Add the sugar, preserves, cornstarch, 1 tablespoon water and salt to the saucepan.
Bring strawberry mixture to a boil over medium heat and then cook it an additional 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add strawberry mixture and lemon juice to the strawberries in the bowl and stir to combine. Transfer to the prepared crust and gently tap it down into an even layer. Transfer to the fridge to set for at least 4 hours.
Just before serving, whip cream, confectioners’ sugar and vanilla, if using, to soft peaks. Top pie with whipped cream.
ORANGE CHESS PIE
This comes from Diana Rattray, who writes for The Spruce Eats. For this recipe, Diana wrote, “This refreshing orange chess pie is an amazing dessert, and it can be enjoyed any time of the year! With fresh orange juice and grated zest and fresh lemon juice, it is bright and bursting with citrus flavor.
“I've included a simple pie crust recipe, but you can use a frozen crust or refrigerated pie dough. Follow the instructions for partially baking a pie crust.” Prep Time: 30 minutes; Cook Time: 65 minutes; Total Time: 95 minutes; Yield: 8 Servings
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
Pie Crust (or use a purchased 9-inch pie shell)
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
4 ounces chilled butter, cut in small pieces
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 scant teaspoon granulated sugar
3 to 4 tablespoons of ice water
Filling
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons cornmeal
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons butter, melted
2 tablespoons milk
finely grated zest of 1 orange
1/3 cup fresh squeezed orange juice
1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice (about half of a lemon)
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
Preparation
Pie Crust
Put the 1 1/4 cups of flour, 1 teaspoon of salt, and 1 teaspoon of sugar in a food processor and pulse to blend. Add half of the chilled butter pieces and pulse 5 or 6 times. Add the remaining chilled butter pieces and pulse another 5 or 6 times. You should have visible pieces of butter in the mixture with some the size of peas.
Sprinkle about 2 tablespoons of the ice water over the flour and pulse a few times.
Add more water, about 2 to 3 teaspoons at a time, pulsing a couple of times after each addition. When the mixture begins to clump together, turn it out onto a floured surface.
With your hands, knead just enough to shape the dough into a disk. Overworking the dough can cause shrinkage when the pie is pre-baked, so handle it as little as possible.
Wrap the disk in plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 45 minutes.
Heat the oven to 375° F.
Roll the disk out into a 12-inch circle about 1/8-inch thick. Keep checking and adding flour to the work surface if you notice any sticking.
Fit the pastry into the pie plate and crimp the edge as desired.
Line the pastry with parchment paper or foil and fill about 2/3 full with pie weights or dried beans.
Bake for 15 minutes. Remove the parchment or foil with the pie weights. Prick the dough all over, and then bake for about 5 minutes longer, or just until you begin to see a little color. Remove the crust to a rack and reduce the oven temperature to 350° F.
Orange Filling
In a mixing bowl combine the 1 1/2 cups of sugar, 1 tablespoon of flour, cornmeal, 1/4 teaspoon of salt, 6 tablespoons of melted butter, the milk, orange zest and juice, the lemon juice, and the lightly beaten eggs. Beat with an electric mixer until well blended.
Pour the orange filling mixture into the partially baked pie crust. Bake at 350° F for about 40 to 45 minutes, or until set. Check the pie for browning after about 20 to 25 minutes. If necessary, put a pie shield or homemade foil ring over the edges of the crust to prevent over-browning.
Remove the pie from the oven and let it cool on a rack. Chill before serving.
Serve this pie with freshly whipped cream or thawed whipped topping.
VEGETARIAN STUFFED PEPPERS
This recipe was posted by DWYATT on AllRecipes, and begins, "This was the first vegetarian recipe I ever made--green peppers stuffed with a mixture of brown rice, nuts, dried cranberries, tofu and cheese. Substitute soy cheese for the Parmesan to create a vegan delight."
Prep: 10 minutes; Cook: 1 hour 10 minutes; Ready In: 1 hour 20 minutes
View this online here.
Note: If you're like me and don't have cooking sherry around, feel free to replace it with with alcohol-free cooking sherry (if there is such a thing) or 3 tablespoons of water. Personally, it's been decades since I've had cooking wine/sherry/etc in my house, as well as non-cooking (drinking) alcohol. When I want to celebrate, say at New Year's, etc., I've found that there are plenty of non-alcoholic sparkling juices on the market.
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups brown rice
6 large green bell peppers
3 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons cooking sherry
1 teaspoon vegetarian Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 cups extra firm tofu
1/2 cup sweetened dried cranberries
1/4 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste
2 cups tomato sauce
2 tablespoons brown sugar
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). In a saucepan bring 3 cups water to a boil. Stir in rice. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 40 minutes.
Meanwhile, core and seed green peppers, leaving bottoms intact. Place peppers in a microwavable dish with about 1/2 inch of water in the bottom. Microwave on high for 6 minutes.
In a small frying pan bring soy sauce, wine and Worcestershire sauce to a simmer. Add tofu and simmer until the liquid is absorbed. Combine rice (after it has cooled), tofu, cranberries, nuts, cheese, salt and pepper; mix and pack firmly into peppers. Return peppers to the dish you first microwaved them in, and bake in preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until lightly browned on top.
Meanwhile, in a small saucepan over low heat, combine tomato sauce and brown sugar; heat until hot throughout. Spoon sauce over each serving.
BANANA MUFFINS WITH TART LEMON ICING
This came from a Weight Watchers email list maybe a decade or more ago. The points value is from then.
The recipe begins, “If the mouth-puckering lemon icing isn’t enough flavor for you, try adding 1/2 teaspoon each of cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger to the flour mixture.”
Servings: 18, 1 muffin per serving, Points: 3
Ingredients
1/2 cup sugar
6 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened, divided
1 large egg(s)
2 tsp vanilla extract, divided
2 cup all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 cup fat-free skim milk
4 large banana(s), ripe, mashed
1 cup powdered sugar
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp lemon zest, strips, or more to taste
Directions
Preheat oven to 350ºF. Line 18 muffin holes with paper liners.
Place sugar & 5 tablespoons of butter in a large bowl; cream with electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add egg and 1 teaspoon of vanilla; beat until thoroughly mixed.
In another large bowl, mix together flour, baking powder & baking soda. Add half of flour mixture to butter mixture; beat well with mixer. Add milk and remaining flour mixture; beat until batter is combined & then fold in mashed bananas.
Spoon batter into muffin liners about 3/4 full. Bake until muffins start to brown and tester inserted in center of a muffin comes out clean, about 25 to 30 minutes. Allow muffins to cool in pan about 2 minutes; remove to wire rack and cool completely before icing.
Meanwhile, to make icing, combine powdered sugar, remaining tablespoon butter, lemon juice, zest, and remaining teaspoon of vanilla in medium bowl; beat with electric mixer until creamy, about 1 to 2 minutes. Ice cooled muffins; cover and refrigerate any uneaten muffins.
HAWAIIAN MACARONI SALAD
This yummy macaroni salad is from Christin Mahrlig on her very cool site, Spicy Southern Kitchen. If you’ve never heard of her site (or you have, but never checked it out), I suggest you check it out ASAP. Go ahead, I’ll wait…(Tap, tap, tap…).
Anyway, the recipe begins, “Hawaiian Macaroni Salad is so fabulously creamy and simple. This mayonnaise-based pasta salad makes a wonderful side for summer bbqs and picnics.”
Prep Time: 10 mins; Cook Time: 10 mins; Total Time: 20 mins; Servings: 10
To view this online, go to https://spicysouthernkitchen.com/hawaiian-macaroni-salad/.
Ingredients
16 ounces elbow pasta
1/4 cup grated onion
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 cups mayonnaise
1/2 cup whole milk
1 tablespoon sugar
2 shredded carrots
salt and pepper
Instructions
Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add 1 tablespoons kosher salt. Cook pasta according to package directions.
Place onion in a large bowl. When pasta is done, drain it well and add it to the bowl. Add garlic powder and apple cider vinegar and stir. Let sit 10 minutes.
In a medium bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, milk, and sugar.
Set aside about 1/2 a cup and add the rest to the macaroni along with carrots. Stir to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Cover and refrigerate both the bowl of macaroni salad and the reserved 1/2 a cup of mayonnaise mixture. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving. Stir in the reserved mayonnaise mixture just before serving.
Recipe Notes
Be sure not to overcook your pasta or it will have a mushy texture.
If you to dress it up some, add diced ham or chopped pineapple.
SIMPLE VEGETARIAN SPINACH LASAGNA
This is from Vicki Shata Retelny, RDN, at VeryWellFit. She 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.“
Prep Time: 20 minutes; Cook Time: 45 minutes; Total Time: 65 minutes; Servings: 9 (1 cup each)
To view this online, go to https://www.verywellfit.com/vegetarian-spinach-lasagna-4144632.
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.
FRESH STRAWBERRY PIE
This is from Samantha Seneviratne in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Samantha wrote, “This pie is a celebration of perfectly ripe, summertime strawberries. Only two cups of the berries are cooked down into a quick jam, which holds the rest of the fruit together for a delightfully fresh pie. With a crunchy shortbread crust and a cloud of freshly whipped cream, it’s reminiscent of strawberry shortcake — but maybe even better.”
Yield: 8 to 10 servings; Time: 45 minutes, plus chilling
https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1019379-fresh-strawberry-pie
Ingredients
For the Crust
10 2/3 ounces shortbread cookies (2 5.3-ounce packages)
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
For the Filling
2 1/2 pounds strawberries (about 8 to 10 cups), hulled
1/3 cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons strawberry preserves
1/4 cup cornstarch
Pinch of kosher salt
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
For the Topping
1 cup cold heavy cream
1 tablespoon confectioners’ sugar
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (optional)
Preparation
Prepare crust: Heat oven to 350 degrees. In a food processor, combine shortbread cookies, sugar, flour and salt and blend until you have fine crumbs. Transfer crumbs to a medium mixing bowl. Add butter and mix with a fork until crumbs are evenly moistened. Tip crumbs into a standard 9-inch pie plate and press them in an even layer on the bottom and up the sides of the plate. Bake until golden brown and set, 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool completely.
Prepare filling: Cut each of the strawberries in quarters or eighths, if they are large. Transfer 2 cups berries to a small saucepan and crush completely with a potato masher. Set aside the remaining berries in a large bowl. Add the sugar, preserves, cornstarch, 1 tablespoon water and salt to the saucepan.
Bring strawberry mixture to a boil over medium heat and then cook it an additional 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add strawberry mixture and lemon juice to the strawberries in the bowl and stir to combine. Transfer to the prepared crust and gently tap it down into an even layer. Transfer to the fridge to set for at least 4 hours.
Just before serving, whip cream, confectioners’ sugar and vanilla, if using, to soft peaks. Top pie with whipped cream.
ORANGE CHESS PIE
This comes from Diana Rattray, who writes for The Spruce Eats. For this recipe, Diana wrote, “This refreshing orange chess pie is an amazing dessert, and it can be enjoyed any time of the year! With fresh orange juice and grated zest and fresh lemon juice, it is bright and bursting with citrus flavor.
“I've included a simple pie crust recipe, but you can use a frozen crust or refrigerated pie dough. Follow the instructions for partially baking a pie crust.” Prep Time: 30 minutes; Cook Time: 65 minutes; Total Time: 95 minutes; Yield: 8 Servings
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
Pie Crust (or use a purchased 9-inch pie shell)
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
4 ounces chilled butter, cut in small pieces
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 scant teaspoon granulated sugar
3 to 4 tablespoons of ice water
Filling
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons cornmeal
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons butter, melted
2 tablespoons milk
finely grated zest of 1 orange
1/3 cup fresh squeezed orange juice
1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice (about half of a lemon)
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
Preparation
Pie Crust
Put the 1 1/4 cups of flour, 1 teaspoon of salt, and 1 teaspoon of sugar in a food processor and pulse to blend. Add half of the chilled butter pieces and pulse 5 or 6 times. Add the remaining chilled butter pieces and pulse another 5 or 6 times. You should have visible pieces of butter in the mixture with some the size of peas.
Sprinkle about 2 tablespoons of the ice water over the flour and pulse a few times.
Add more water, about 2 to 3 teaspoons at a time, pulsing a couple of times after each addition. When the mixture begins to clump together, turn it out onto a floured surface.
With your hands, knead just enough to shape the dough into a disk. Overworking the dough can cause shrinkage when the pie is pre-baked, so handle it as little as possible.
Wrap the disk in plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 45 minutes.
Heat the oven to 375° F.
Roll the disk out into a 12-inch circle about 1/8-inch thick. Keep checking and adding flour to the work surface if you notice any sticking.
Fit the pastry into the pie plate and crimp the edge as desired.
Line the pastry with parchment paper or foil and fill about 2/3 full with pie weights or dried beans.
Bake for 15 minutes. Remove the parchment or foil with the pie weights. Prick the dough all over, and then bake for about 5 minutes longer, or just until you begin to see a little color. Remove the crust to a rack and reduce the oven temperature to 350° F.
Orange Filling
In a mixing bowl combine the 1 1/2 cups of sugar, 1 tablespoon of flour, cornmeal, 1/4 teaspoon of salt, 6 tablespoons of melted butter, the milk, orange zest and juice, the lemon juice, and the lightly beaten eggs. Beat with an electric mixer until well blended.
Pour the orange filling mixture into the partially baked pie crust. Bake at 350° F for about 40 to 45 minutes, or until set. Check the pie for browning after about 20 to 25 minutes. If necessary, put a pie shield or homemade foil ring over the edges of the crust to prevent over-browning.
Remove the pie from the oven and let it cool on a rack. Chill before serving.
Serve this pie with freshly whipped cream or thawed whipped topping.
Friday, August 9, 2019
Friday Recipes
It's finally Friday. (Yay!) Here are six yummy recipes to help you through the day, including Extra-Easy Spinach Lasagna and Cast-Iron Apple and Blackberry Crumble. Enjoy!
VEGAN CHINESE KUNG PAO TOFU
This is from Jolinda Hackett, who wrote for The Spruce Eats. Jolinda wrote, “Never had kung pao tofu before? Looking for something new to try for a vegetarian dinner tonight? Try this vegetarian Chinese dish!
“Although this traditional Chinese food dish is usually made with chicken, you can use tofu to create a very similar vegetarian and vegan version of traditional kung pao chicken using all the same Chinese ingredients and seasonings, including sesame oil, red pepper flakes, onion, lime and hot sauce. This vegetarian kung pao tofu recipe also calls for lots of healthy Chinese veggies including snow peas, bok choy, cabbage, and mushrooms.
“Serve this Szechuan-style Chinese kung pao tofu recipe over rice.
“Need this recipe to be gluten-free as well as vegan? Double-check that your is gluten-free, and use tamari in place of the soy sauce.”
Prep Time: 45 minutes; Cook Time: 15 minutes; Total Time: 60 minutes; Yield: about 3 servings.
View this online here.
Ingredients
3 tbsp vegetable broth
1 tbsp lime juice
2 tbsp soy sauce (or tamari to keep it gluten-free)
1 pound firm or extra firm tofu, cut into bite-sized cubes
1 tbsp sesame oil + 2 tbsp
1 onion, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
1 tbsp fresh ginger, minced
1 small bok choy, chopped
1/4 cup vegetable broth
1/2 cup snow peas
1/2 small purple cabbage, sliced thin
1 tbsp fresh chopped parsley
1 tsp hot sauce
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
Prepare your tofu. Like most vegetarian tofu recipes, this tofu recipe will taste best if you press the tofu first. This allows the tofu to absorb more of the flavorings and seasonings which you add to it.
Once your tofu is ready, combine the 3 tbsp vegetable broth, lime juice, soy sauce, 1 tbsp sesame oil and the tofu in a small bowl. Allow to marinate for at least 30 minutes, mixing occasionally to coat the tofu well.
Pre-heat oven to 375 F. Grease a baking sheet or cover with foil and bake tofu for 15 minutes, turning once.
In a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat, saute the onion, bell pepper, red pepper flakes, mushrooms and ginger in 2 tbsp sesame oil for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add bok choy and vegetable broth and cook for 3 to 5 more minutes. Add cabbage and snow peas.
Reduce heat to low and add tofu and remaining ingredients, cooking just until combined and heated through. Serve over rice.
SNOWBALL MERINGUE COOKIES
These are from Weight Watchers. They're worth 2 PointsPlus per serving (1 cookie per serving).
cooking spray
1 tsp all purpose flour
4 large egg whites
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
Preheat oven to 200 degrees F.
Coat a large baking sheet with cooking spray; coat with a light dusting of flour and shake off excess.
In a large mixing bowl, beat egg whites with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Gradually add sugar and beat until stiff, glossy peaks form; gently fold in mini chocolate chips and vanilla extract.
Drop mixture by heaping tablespoons onto prepared baking sheet about 1 inch apart, making 24 cookies.
Bake until lightly golden and no longer sticky on the surface, about 1 hour. Turn oven off and let cookies sit in over for 1 hour. Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
EXTRA-EASY SPINACH LASAGNA
This is from FamilyTime, and begins, “No need to cook the lasagna noodles...just layer them right in the pan with the cheeses, spinach and tomato-mushroom sauce.”
Serves: 8 servings (1 cup each); Prep Time: 20 minutes; Cook Time: 50 minutes
View this online here.
Ingredients
1 container (15 ounces) ricotta cheese
1 package (10 ounces) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well drained
8 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese (about 2 cups)
1 jar (24 ounces) Prego® Fresh Mushroom Italian Sauce
6 uncooked lasagna noodle
1/4 cup water
Directions
Stir the ricotta cheese, spinach and 1 cup mozzarella cheese in a medium bowl.
Spread 1 cup sauce in a 2-quart shallow baking dish. Top with 3 lasagna noodles and half the spinach mixture. Repeat the layers. Top with the remaining sauce. Slowly pour water around the inside edges of the baking dish. Cover.
Bake at 400°F. for 40 minutes. Uncover the dish. Sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella cheese. Bake for 10 minutes or until it's hot and bubbling. Let stand for 10 minutes.
Tip: To thaw the spinach, microwave on HIGH for 3 minutes, breaking apart with a fork halfway through heating.
CAST-IRON APPLE AND BLACKBERRY CRUMBLE
This is from Matt Abdoo and was posted on the TODAY Show’s site. Matt wrote, “My dad used to make this for me growing up! Apples from upstate New York are some of the best in the country. They always added the perfect amount of tartness and sweetness to this crispy crumble.
“Technique tip: Use your favorite apples for a signature taste and to make it your own.
“Swap option: Pears work great and so do peaches! You can also use a 10- by 15-inch baking dish if not using the grill.”
Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 40 minutes; Servings: 12
To view this online, go to https://www.today.com/recipes/cast-iron-apple-blackberry-crumble-recipe-t154818.
Ingredients
Crumble Topping
1 cup all-purpose flour
3 packs (1 cup) apple-cinnamon instant oatmeal
1 cup light brown sugar
3/4 cup chopped pecans
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
8 ounces (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, grated
Apple Filling
2 pounds honey crisp apples, peeled, cored, and sliced 1/4-inch thick
1 pound granny smith apples, peeled, cored, and sliced 1/4-inch thick
1 pint blackberries
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Preparation
Pre-heat oven or grill to 350°F.
For the crumble topping:
In a medium sized mixing bowl combine flour, apple-cinnamon instant oatmeal, chopped pecans, light brown sugar, baking powder, salt and cold grated butter until it forms a coarse crumble.
For the apple filling:
In another large mixing bowl combine the apples with melted butter, flour, corn starch, lemon juice, light brown sugar, salt and spices and toss to fully coat the apples. Next fold in the blackberries and pour the apple mixture into a 12-inch cast iron pan.
To assemble:
Fully coat the top of the apple mixture with the crumble topping and bake for 30-40 minutes or until the crumble topping is golden brown and the apples are tender.
Allow the crumble to cool slightly, and then serve warm with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream. Or chill overnight and serve cold.
BROCCOLI RABE LASAGNA
This comes from David Tanis, also in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. David wrote, “Broccoli rabe (sometimes spelled raab, or known as rapini greens) is one of the most delicious members of the mustard green family. The leaves, tender stems and broccoli-like buds have a distinctive pleasant bitterness when cooked. For this vegetarian lasagna, some of the cooked greens are puréed to make a garlicky pesto and the rest is coarsely chopped and added to the layers.” Time: 1 hour 30 minutes; makes 6 servings.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
For the Béchamel Sauce:
4 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups half-and-half, heated, plus a little more if necessary
Salt and pepper
Pinch of cayenne
Grated nutmeg, to taste
For the Lasagna:
1 pound dry lasagna noodles
Salt and pepper
2 bunches broccoli rabe, about 2 pounds
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound ricotta cheese
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest
4 tablespoons butter
4 ounces grated Parmesan, about 2 cups, or a combination of Parmesan and pecorino
Preparation
Make the béchamel: Melt butter in a small saucepan. Whisk in flour and cook for a minute over medium heat without browning. Gradually whisk in half-and-half, 1/2 cup at a time, to obtain a smooth, lightly thickened sauce. Turn heat to low. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt, some ground black pepper, the cayenne and nutmeg. Cook, whisking, for 4 to 5 minutes, then place saucepan in a hot-water bath to keep sauce warm. Thin if necessary with a little more half-and-half.
Bring a large pot of well-salted water to the boil. Add lasagna noodles and cook for 5 minutes. Lift noodles from water with a spider and rinse well in a bowl of cold water. Drain and lay noodles flat on a kitchen towel.
Using the same cooking water, blanch the greens for 1 minute, until just wilted. Rinse greens with cool water, squeeze dry and chop them roughly. Put 1 cup of chopped greens, the minced garlic and ?1/2 cup olive oil in a food processor or blender and purée to make a pesto. Season with salt and pepper to taste and transfer to a small bowl.
Mix the ricotta and lemon zest in a small bowl and season with salt and pepper to taste. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Organize to have all ingredients within easy reach for assembling lasagna. Use 2 tablespoons butter to grease an 8-by-10-inch baking dish.
Assemble the lasagna: Put a layer of cooked noodles on the bottom of the baking dish. Spoon a quarter of the béchamel over noodles, then dot with a third of the ricotta. Complete layer with chopped greens, a drizzle of pesto and some grated cheese. Continue layering, finishing with a layer of pasta. Spread the last of the béchamel on top and sprinkle with Parmesan. (There should be 4 layers of pasta and 3 layers of filling.)
Dot with remaining butter and bake, covered with foil, for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake for 20 minutes more, until nicely browned and bubbling. Let lasagna rest 10 minutes before serving.
COCONUT RED CURRY WITH TOFU
This is from Melissa Clark in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. Melissa wrote, “This simple weeknight red curry relies on jarred or canned red curry paste for flavor, which you can find at larger supermarkets and specialty markets. Transfer leftover canned curry paste to a jar, top it with a little oil and store in the refrigerator for up to a month. Or freeze for longer storage. Feel free to substitute other vegetables for the mushrooms and snow peas, though you might have to increase the cooking time slightly if using something dense like carrot or cubed winter squash.”
Yield: Serves 4; Time: 30 minutes
This was featured in “Curry and Coconut Milk Fire Up a Weeknight Basic”, and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1016196-coconut-red-curry-with-tofu.
Ingredients
14 ounces extra-firm tofu
1 tablespoon peanut or safflower oil
1-inch ginger root, peeled and minced
2 shallots or 1 small onion, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 Thai chile or 2 serrano peppers, seeded and thinly sliced
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro stems
8 ounces cremini mushrooms, quartered
1/2 teaspoon sea salt, more to taste
3 tablespoons prepared red curry paste
1 cup unsweetened coconut milk
2 teaspoons Asian fish sauce
Zest and juice of 1 lime
1 cup snow peas
Basil and/or cilantro leaves, for garnish
Brown or white rice, for serving
Preparation
Cut tofu into 1-inch slabs and place on paper towel-lined baking sheet. Cover with another layer of paper towels and place another baking sheet on top. Let sit for 20 minutes. Cut into 1-inch cubes.
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add ginger, shallots, garlic, chile and cilantro stems, and sauté until tender, about 5 minutes. Add mushrooms and sauté until golden brown and tender, about 5 minutes. Season with salt. Stir in curry paste and cook 2 minutes. Pour in coconut milk, scraping up any curry paste with a wooden spoon. Add fish sauce, lime zest and juice. Add tofu cubes and snow peas. Simmer until the sauce thickens slightly and the snow peas are tender, 7 to 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Taste and add more salt and/or fish sauce if needed.
Serve warm with brown rice and a scattering of torn basil and/or cilantro leaves on top.
VEGAN CHINESE KUNG PAO TOFU
This is from Jolinda Hackett, who wrote for The Spruce Eats. Jolinda wrote, “Never had kung pao tofu before? Looking for something new to try for a vegetarian dinner tonight? Try this vegetarian Chinese dish!
“Although this traditional Chinese food dish is usually made with chicken, you can use tofu to create a very similar vegetarian and vegan version of traditional kung pao chicken using all the same Chinese ingredients and seasonings, including sesame oil, red pepper flakes, onion, lime and hot sauce. This vegetarian kung pao tofu recipe also calls for lots of healthy Chinese veggies including snow peas, bok choy, cabbage, and mushrooms.
“Serve this Szechuan-style Chinese kung pao tofu recipe over rice.
“Need this recipe to be gluten-free as well as vegan? Double-check that your is gluten-free, and use tamari in place of the soy sauce.”
Prep Time: 45 minutes; Cook Time: 15 minutes; Total Time: 60 minutes; Yield: about 3 servings.
View this online here.
Ingredients
3 tbsp vegetable broth
1 tbsp lime juice
2 tbsp soy sauce (or tamari to keep it gluten-free)
1 pound firm or extra firm tofu, cut into bite-sized cubes
1 tbsp sesame oil + 2 tbsp
1 onion, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
1 tbsp fresh ginger, minced
1 small bok choy, chopped
1/4 cup vegetable broth
1/2 cup snow peas
1/2 small purple cabbage, sliced thin
1 tbsp fresh chopped parsley
1 tsp hot sauce
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
Prepare your tofu. Like most vegetarian tofu recipes, this tofu recipe will taste best if you press the tofu first. This allows the tofu to absorb more of the flavorings and seasonings which you add to it.
Once your tofu is ready, combine the 3 tbsp vegetable broth, lime juice, soy sauce, 1 tbsp sesame oil and the tofu in a small bowl. Allow to marinate for at least 30 minutes, mixing occasionally to coat the tofu well.
Pre-heat oven to 375 F. Grease a baking sheet or cover with foil and bake tofu for 15 minutes, turning once.
In a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat, saute the onion, bell pepper, red pepper flakes, mushrooms and ginger in 2 tbsp sesame oil for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add bok choy and vegetable broth and cook for 3 to 5 more minutes. Add cabbage and snow peas.
Reduce heat to low and add tofu and remaining ingredients, cooking just until combined and heated through. Serve over rice.
SNOWBALL MERINGUE COOKIES
These are from Weight Watchers. They're worth 2 PointsPlus per serving (1 cookie per serving).
cooking spray
1 tsp all purpose flour
4 large egg whites
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
Preheat oven to 200 degrees F.
Coat a large baking sheet with cooking spray; coat with a light dusting of flour and shake off excess.
In a large mixing bowl, beat egg whites with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Gradually add sugar and beat until stiff, glossy peaks form; gently fold in mini chocolate chips and vanilla extract.
Drop mixture by heaping tablespoons onto prepared baking sheet about 1 inch apart, making 24 cookies.
Bake until lightly golden and no longer sticky on the surface, about 1 hour. Turn oven off and let cookies sit in over for 1 hour. Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
EXTRA-EASY SPINACH LASAGNA
This is from FamilyTime, and begins, “No need to cook the lasagna noodles...just layer them right in the pan with the cheeses, spinach and tomato-mushroom sauce.”
Serves: 8 servings (1 cup each); Prep Time: 20 minutes; Cook Time: 50 minutes
View this online here.
Ingredients
1 container (15 ounces) ricotta cheese
1 package (10 ounces) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well drained
8 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese (about 2 cups)
1 jar (24 ounces) Prego® Fresh Mushroom Italian Sauce
6 uncooked lasagna noodle
1/4 cup water
Directions
Stir the ricotta cheese, spinach and 1 cup mozzarella cheese in a medium bowl.
Spread 1 cup sauce in a 2-quart shallow baking dish. Top with 3 lasagna noodles and half the spinach mixture. Repeat the layers. Top with the remaining sauce. Slowly pour water around the inside edges of the baking dish. Cover.
Bake at 400°F. for 40 minutes. Uncover the dish. Sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella cheese. Bake for 10 minutes or until it's hot and bubbling. Let stand for 10 minutes.
Tip: To thaw the spinach, microwave on HIGH for 3 minutes, breaking apart with a fork halfway through heating.
CAST-IRON APPLE AND BLACKBERRY CRUMBLE
This is from Matt Abdoo and was posted on the TODAY Show’s site. Matt wrote, “My dad used to make this for me growing up! Apples from upstate New York are some of the best in the country. They always added the perfect amount of tartness and sweetness to this crispy crumble.
“Technique tip: Use your favorite apples for a signature taste and to make it your own.
“Swap option: Pears work great and so do peaches! You can also use a 10- by 15-inch baking dish if not using the grill.”
Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 40 minutes; Servings: 12
To view this online, go to https://www.today.com/recipes/cast-iron-apple-blackberry-crumble-recipe-t154818.
Ingredients
Crumble Topping
1 cup all-purpose flour
3 packs (1 cup) apple-cinnamon instant oatmeal
1 cup light brown sugar
3/4 cup chopped pecans
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
8 ounces (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, grated
Apple Filling
2 pounds honey crisp apples, peeled, cored, and sliced 1/4-inch thick
1 pound granny smith apples, peeled, cored, and sliced 1/4-inch thick
1 pint blackberries
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Preparation
Pre-heat oven or grill to 350°F.
For the crumble topping:
In a medium sized mixing bowl combine flour, apple-cinnamon instant oatmeal, chopped pecans, light brown sugar, baking powder, salt and cold grated butter until it forms a coarse crumble.
For the apple filling:
In another large mixing bowl combine the apples with melted butter, flour, corn starch, lemon juice, light brown sugar, salt and spices and toss to fully coat the apples. Next fold in the blackberries and pour the apple mixture into a 12-inch cast iron pan.
To assemble:
Fully coat the top of the apple mixture with the crumble topping and bake for 30-40 minutes or until the crumble topping is golden brown and the apples are tender.
Allow the crumble to cool slightly, and then serve warm with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream. Or chill overnight and serve cold.
BROCCOLI RABE LASAGNA
This comes from David Tanis, also in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. David wrote, “Broccoli rabe (sometimes spelled raab, or known as rapini greens) is one of the most delicious members of the mustard green family. The leaves, tender stems and broccoli-like buds have a distinctive pleasant bitterness when cooked. For this vegetarian lasagna, some of the cooked greens are puréed to make a garlicky pesto and the rest is coarsely chopped and added to the layers.” Time: 1 hour 30 minutes; makes 6 servings.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
For the Béchamel Sauce:
4 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups half-and-half, heated, plus a little more if necessary
Salt and pepper
Pinch of cayenne
Grated nutmeg, to taste
For the Lasagna:
1 pound dry lasagna noodles
Salt and pepper
2 bunches broccoli rabe, about 2 pounds
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound ricotta cheese
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest
4 tablespoons butter
4 ounces grated Parmesan, about 2 cups, or a combination of Parmesan and pecorino
Preparation
Make the béchamel: Melt butter in a small saucepan. Whisk in flour and cook for a minute over medium heat without browning. Gradually whisk in half-and-half, 1/2 cup at a time, to obtain a smooth, lightly thickened sauce. Turn heat to low. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt, some ground black pepper, the cayenne and nutmeg. Cook, whisking, for 4 to 5 minutes, then place saucepan in a hot-water bath to keep sauce warm. Thin if necessary with a little more half-and-half.
Bring a large pot of well-salted water to the boil. Add lasagna noodles and cook for 5 minutes. Lift noodles from water with a spider and rinse well in a bowl of cold water. Drain and lay noodles flat on a kitchen towel.
Using the same cooking water, blanch the greens for 1 minute, until just wilted. Rinse greens with cool water, squeeze dry and chop them roughly. Put 1 cup of chopped greens, the minced garlic and ?1/2 cup olive oil in a food processor or blender and purée to make a pesto. Season with salt and pepper to taste and transfer to a small bowl.
Mix the ricotta and lemon zest in a small bowl and season with salt and pepper to taste. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Organize to have all ingredients within easy reach for assembling lasagna. Use 2 tablespoons butter to grease an 8-by-10-inch baking dish.
Assemble the lasagna: Put a layer of cooked noodles on the bottom of the baking dish. Spoon a quarter of the béchamel over noodles, then dot with a third of the ricotta. Complete layer with chopped greens, a drizzle of pesto and some grated cheese. Continue layering, finishing with a layer of pasta. Spread the last of the béchamel on top and sprinkle with Parmesan. (There should be 4 layers of pasta and 3 layers of filling.)
Dot with remaining butter and bake, covered with foil, for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake for 20 minutes more, until nicely browned and bubbling. Let lasagna rest 10 minutes before serving.
COCONUT RED CURRY WITH TOFU
This is from Melissa Clark in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. Melissa wrote, “This simple weeknight red curry relies on jarred or canned red curry paste for flavor, which you can find at larger supermarkets and specialty markets. Transfer leftover canned curry paste to a jar, top it with a little oil and store in the refrigerator for up to a month. Or freeze for longer storage. Feel free to substitute other vegetables for the mushrooms and snow peas, though you might have to increase the cooking time slightly if using something dense like carrot or cubed winter squash.”
Yield: Serves 4; Time: 30 minutes
This was featured in “Curry and Coconut Milk Fire Up a Weeknight Basic”, and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1016196-coconut-red-curry-with-tofu.
Ingredients
14 ounces extra-firm tofu
1 tablespoon peanut or safflower oil
1-inch ginger root, peeled and minced
2 shallots or 1 small onion, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 Thai chile or 2 serrano peppers, seeded and thinly sliced
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro stems
8 ounces cremini mushrooms, quartered
1/2 teaspoon sea salt, more to taste
3 tablespoons prepared red curry paste
1 cup unsweetened coconut milk
2 teaspoons Asian fish sauce
Zest and juice of 1 lime
1 cup snow peas
Basil and/or cilantro leaves, for garnish
Brown or white rice, for serving
Preparation
Cut tofu into 1-inch slabs and place on paper towel-lined baking sheet. Cover with another layer of paper towels and place another baking sheet on top. Let sit for 20 minutes. Cut into 1-inch cubes.
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add ginger, shallots, garlic, chile and cilantro stems, and sauté until tender, about 5 minutes. Add mushrooms and sauté until golden brown and tender, about 5 minutes. Season with salt. Stir in curry paste and cook 2 minutes. Pour in coconut milk, scraping up any curry paste with a wooden spoon. Add fish sauce, lime zest and juice. Add tofu cubes and snow peas. Simmer until the sauce thickens slightly and the snow peas are tender, 7 to 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Taste and add more salt and/or fish sauce if needed.
Serve warm with brown rice and a scattering of torn basil and/or cilantro leaves on top.
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