It's Monday, time to get started for the work week. Today's six yummy recipes include Vegan Lasagna and Flourless Black Bean Brownies. Enjoy!
BANANA RUM VEGAN CHEESECAKE WITH MAPLE RUM SAUCE
This comes from Jolinda Hackett, who wrote for The Spruce Eats. Jolinda wrote, “This gourmet banana rum vegan cheesecake with maple rum sauce has several steps, but the bananas, pecan crust and rum sauce can all be prepared in advance. Then, the only thing left is to blend the vegan cream cheese and the other ingredients and bake. Easy! If you're looking for a gourmet vegan cheesecake recipe, this is the one to try.”
Ingredients
4 very ripe bananas
16 ounces nondairy cream cheese
3/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup dark rum
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
Prepared pecan pie crust (recipe follows)
Prepared maple rum sauce (recipe follows)
Toasted pecan halves for garnish
Preparation
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.Place 4 large, very ripe, unpeeled bananas on a roasting pan and roast for 15-20 minutes, until bananas are soft and skin turns dark brown. Let bananas cool to room temperature in the pan in their skins.
Turn oven up to 400 degrees.
Peel the roasted bananas and remove any obvious strings. Puree bananas in a food processor until very smooth. Add nondairy cream cheese, brown sugar, cinnamon, rum, cornstarch and salt then pulse until smooth, scraping sides of bowl periodically. Do not overprocess or cream cheese will separate and curdle.
Pour the filling into the prepared pecan pie crust and bake at 400 for 10 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350 and bake another 35-45 minutes, until the top is the color of light brown sugar and center is set. A toothpick inserted in center should come out clean.
Let cheesecake cool to room temperature on a rack for at least 1 hour, then cover with plastic wrap and chill in refrigerator at least 3 hours, preferably overnight.
Drizzle with prepared maple rum sauce just before serving and garnish with extra toasted pecan halves.
PECAN PIE CRUST
Jolinda Hackett's pecan pie crust can be used for either cheesecake or as a regular pie crust.
Ingredients
1 cup pecan nut flour (see instructions below)
1/2 cup spelt flour (white or whole wheat )
1 tablespoon firmly packed light brown sugar
4 Tbsp vegan margarine, partially melted
1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
Pinch of sea salt
Preparation
Note: To make pecan nut flour, freeze the nuts overnight, then place in a food processor and pulse until finely ground. Freezing the nuts prevents them from turning into nut butter when you process them.pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.
Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix until well combined and incorporated.
Press the mixture into a 9-inch springform pan and put in freezer for 5 minutes.
Bake for 8-10 minutes, until crust is a little dry and edges are light golden. Let cool completely before using in a recipe.
VEGAN MAPLE RUM SAUCE RECIPE
Jolinda wrote, “Use this vegan maple rum sauce recipe to drizzle on top of a banana rum cheesecake or on top of ice cream or chocolate brownies.Yum!”
Ingredients
1 cup real maple syrup (grade B organic is best in this recipe)
4 tablespoons Earth Balance vegan butter
Sea salt
1 tablespoon dark rum
Preparation
In a small saucepan, combine maple syrup, vegan butter, and sea salt to taste and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring frequently, until sauce has thickened slightly, about 10 minutes.
Remove from heat and stir in rum, stirring carefully, as sauce will bubble up a bit. Let cool for a few minutes then taste and add more salt if necessary.
Cool to room temperature, then transfer to a squeeze bottle.If not using immediately, the sauce can be rewarmed by putting the bottle in a pan of hot water off the heat.
VEGAN LASAGNA
This comes from Lena Abraham on Delish, and begins, “A lasagna you can feel good about.”
Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes; Prep Time: 15 minutes; Level: Easy; Serves: 10-12
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
For the Lasagna
1 box lasagna noodles
1 (14-oz) package firm tofu, drained
kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp. dried oregano, divided
1 (8-oz) package baby bella mushrooms, sliced
2 (10-oz) packages frozen spinach, thawed and drained of excess liquid
For the White Sauce
1/4 c. olive oil
1/4 c. all-purpose flour
2 1/2 c. almond milk (or other non-dairy milk)
2 tbsp. nutritional yeast
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 c. marinara
3 tomatoes, thinly sliced
1/4 c. thinly sliced basil, for garnish
Directions
Preheat oven to 350º. Bring a large pot of salted boiling water to a boil and cook lasagna noodles until al dente. Drain.
Wrap tofu in a clean kitchen cloth or paper towels and place on a large plate. Place a pan or heavy plate on top of tofu in order to press out as much liquid as possible. Let sit for at least 30 minutes. When drained, crumble with two forks and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
In a large skillet over medium heat, heat oil. Add onion and garlic and season with salt, pepper, and 1 tsp oregano. Add mushrooms and cook until softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in thawed and drained spinach until completely combined. Remove from heat and set aside vegetables.
Wipe out skillet and return to medium heat to make white sauce: Add olive oil and heat until shimmering but not smoking. Add flour and whisk to combine. Cook until lightly golden and nutty, 1 to 2 minutes. Whisk in nut milk until smooth. Stir in nutritional yeast and garlic powder and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer and let cook until thickened, 8 to 10 minutes.
Build lasagna: In a large baking dish, spoon 1/4 c marinara into an even layer, then add a layer of noodles. Top with an even layer of vegetable mixture, tofu, marinara, and white sauce. Repeat until all ingredients are used, ending in marinara. Add a single layer of tomato rounds and season with salt, pepper and remaining oregano.
Bake 35 to 40 minutes, until tomatoes are cooked and lasagna is heated through. Remove from oven and let cool slightly. Garnish with basil and serve.
STUFFED SHELLS I
This is from SallyJun at AllRecipes. SallyJun wrote, "Jumbo macaroni shells stuffed with cheese mixture, covered with sauce, and baked."
Prep: 25 m; Cook: 25 m; Ready In: 50 m
View this online here.
Ingredients
1 (16 ounce) package jumbo pasta shells
4 cups large curd cottage cheese
12 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 pinch garlic powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1 (26 ounce) jar spaghetti sauce
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Directions
Cook shells according to package directions. Place in cold water to stop cooking. Drain.
Mix together cottage cheese, mozzarella cheese, 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, eggs, and garlic powder. Rub the dried herbs in the palms of your hands to pulverize them, and stir into the cheese mixture. Stuff mixture into the shells.
Spread 1/3 of spaghetti sauce in the bottom of a 15 x 10 inch pan. Place shells open side up, and close together in pan. Spread remaining sauce over top, and sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese.
Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 25 to 35 minutes, or until bubbly. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.
FLOURLESS BLACK BEAN BROWNIES
This recipe comes from Kaleigh McMordie, MCN, RDN, LD, who, besides running her own site (Lively Table), writes on VeryWellFit.
For this recipe, Kaleigh wrote, “If you have a sweet tooth, you may be used to eating dessert most days. Sometimes fruit or a fruit salad will do for a light. Other days, you just need a brownie.
“Baked goods like brownies are often high in sodium, even though they don’t taste salty. Between leaveners like baking soda and baking powder, salted butter, and added salt, brownies and other baked goods can be sneaky sources of sodium! If you bake your own brownies at home, you can control the amount of sodium-containing ingredients for a better alternative.
“The secret to these flourless brownies is a can of low sodium black beans.Before you write them off, give them a try! Blending up black beans in a high-powered blender or food processor makes them nice and smooth, and when baked into brownies, gives them a nice chewy texture without any flour. They also add in extra fiber, iron, and folate.”
Total Time: 35 minutes; Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 25 minutes; Servings: 16 (2-inch square each).
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 (15 ounce) can low sodium black beans, drained and rinsed
2 large eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon instant coffee granules
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup chopped dark chocolate, melted and slightly cooled
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips or chunks
Preparation
Heat oven to 350F. Line an 8x8" baking dish with parchment or spray with oil.
Blend all ingredients except for unmelted chocolate in a high powered blender until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes.
Stir in chocolate and pour into prepared pan. Bake 20 to 25 minutes.
Ingredient Variations and Substitutions
Use all chocolate chips if you don’t have a dark chocolate bar.
Cocoa powder, melted dark chocolate, and chocolate chips gives these brownies lots of rich chocolate flavor with a little boost from coffee granules.
If you don’t have the coffee granules don’t worry—you can leave them out and you’ll still have delicious chocolatey brownies!
Cooking and Serving Tips
Avoid over-cooking—the designated time should be just about enough, but you can check before removing from the oven. Brownies shouldn't be overly dry.
Store leftovers in the refrigerator and heat for 20 to 30 seconds in the microwave before serving.
CLASSIC BAKED MACARONI AND CHEESE
This comes from Alison Roman in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Alison wrote, “Think Stouffer's without the freezer. While it can be enjoyed straight from the pot, this macaroni and cheese has a slightly looser sauce than the stovetop variety to allow for thickening in the oven. Bread crumbs, while optional, make it truly spectacular.”
Yield: 4 to 6 servings; Time: about 1 hour
To view this online at the Times’ website, click here.
Ingredients
For the Macaroni and Cheese:
1 pound elbows, shells, cavatappi, farfalle, fusilli or other short, tube-shaped pasta
Kosher salt
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
4 cups whole milk
1 clove garlic, finely grated
1 teaspoon smoked or hot paprika
Freshly ground pepper
12 ounces sharp or white Cheddar cheese, grated
12 ounces fontina or Gruyère, grated
For the Topping (Optional):
1 cup coarse bread crumbs or panko
4 tablespoons melted butter or olive oil
1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
Preparation
Cook pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water until it’s barely al dente. (It should be more al dente than your average pasta: It’s going to continue to cook in the oven.) Drain and set aside.
Meanwhile, heat butter in a medium pot over medium heat. (The pot should be large enough to hold all the pasta when cooked.) Whisk in flour and cook, whisking constantly, until the flour is foamy and just starting to turn a light golden brown, about 4 minutes. Slowly whisk in milk to avoid clumping. Add garlic, paprika and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer, whisking constantly and paying special attention to the edges of the pot to make sure the flour mixture is totally incorporated.
Add grated cheese and whisk to blend until the cheese is completely melted. (The sauce will seem thick at first and thin out as the cheese melts; it will thicken while it bakes.) Season with salt and pepper and add cooked pasta, stirring to coat well.
Heat oven to 425 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil (to catch any cheesy drips).
Make the optional topping: Combine bread crumbs, melted butter and Parmesan, if using, in a medium bowl. Season with salt and pepper and, using your hands, mix well to ensure the bread crumbs are evenly coated.
Transfer the macaroni and cheese mixture to a 2-quart baking dish and scatter bread crumbs, if using, evenly over the top. Place on prepared baking sheet and bake until macaroni and cheese is bubbling, thickened and creamy, and bread crumbs are evenly golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool slightly before serving.
Showing posts with label Flourless Black Bean Brownies. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Flourless Black Bean Brownies. Show all posts
Monday, July 6, 2020
Tuesday, June 9, 2020
Brownies - Double-Post Tuesday
Besides being Taco Tuesday, it's also Double-Post Tuesday. Today's double post deals with that iconic dessert, brownies. They're chocolatey, cake-like, but easier to make than cake, just enough to share, without having tons of left-overs. Check out the Double Chocolate Brownies, the Espresso Brownies, or any of the other yummy brownie recipes in today's post. Enjoy!
FUDGY ZUCCHINI BROWNIES
This comes from Audra, otherwise known as The Baker Chick. If you haven’t check out her site, you really, really should. (Hint, hint.)
Anyway, Audra write, “I put green vegetables in your brownies - please don’t hate me.” She then goes on to talk about putting zucchini in her brownies. What can I saw, but I love her comments, as well as these brownies.
To view this online (and to check out Audra’s comments), go to http://www.thebakerchick.com/2014/08/fudgy-zucchini-brownies/.
Recipe adapted from: All Recipes
Ingredients
1/2 cup coconut oil (another vegetable oil will work as well)
1 1/2 cups white sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (I used dark)
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups finely shredded zucchini*
For the Frosting:
5 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 cup melted butter
2 cups confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly spray or grease a 9x13 baking pan and line the bottom with parchment paper. Set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together the oil, sugar and vanilla until smooth and well-combined. Sprinkle the flour, cocoa powder, soda and salt over the wet ingredients and stir until just incorporated. (The batter will be dry at this point- worry.)
Fold in the zucchini and mix for just a few seconds or until batter is well combined.
Spread into the prepared pan and bake for 25-30 minutes or until a cake tester inserted into the middle of the pan comes out with a few moist crumbs.
Allow brownies to cool completely before frosting.
For the frosting:
In a medium-large bowl, stir together the butter and cocoa powder until smooth. Add the powdered sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, alternating with the milk. Stir in the vanilla.
Spread frosting over cooled brownies and enjoy!
Notes
*Finely shredding the zucchini helps it release more liquid leading to the right texture of brownies. If your batter seems extremely dry after combining all the ingredients, your zucchini may be on the dry side. You can add a tablespoon of water at a time until the batter comes together. The zucchini will release a lot of water during baking and help bind the brownies and give them their rich and fudgy texture!
FLOURLESS BLACK BEAN BROWNIES
This recipe comes from Kaleigh McMordie, MCN, RDN, LD, who, besides running her own site (Lively Table), writes on VeryWellFit.
For this recipe, Kaleigh wrote, “If you have a sweet tooth, you may be used to eating dessert most days. Sometimes fruit or a fruit salad will do for a light dessert. Other days, you just need a brownie.
“Baked goods like brownies are often high in sodium, even though they don’t taste salty. Between leaveners like baking soda and baking powder, salted butter, and added salt, brownies and other baked goods can be sneaky sources of sodium! If you bake your own brownies at home, you can control the amount of sodium-containing ingredients for a better alternative.
“The secret to these flourless brownies is a can of low sodium black beans.Before you write them off, give them a try! Blending up black beans in a high-powered blender or food processor makes them nice and smooth, and when baked into brownies, gives them a nice chewy texture without any flour. They also add in extra fiber, iron, and folate.”
Total Time: 35 minutes; Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 25 minutes; Servings: 16 (2-inch square each).
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 (15 ounce) can low sodium black beans, drained and rinsed
2 large eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon instant coffee granules
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup chopped dark chocolate, melted and slightly cooled
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips or chunks
Preparation
Heat oven to 350F. Line an 8x8" baking dish with parchment or spray with oil.
Blend all ingredients except for unmelted chocolate in a high powered blender until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes.
Stir in chocolate and pour into prepared pan. Bake 20 to 25 minutes.
Ingredient Variations and Substitutions
Use all chocolate chips if you don’t have a dark chocolate bar.
Cocoa powder, melted dark chocolate, and chocolate chips gives these brownies lots of rich chocolate flavor with a little boost from coffee granules.
If you don’t have the coffee granules don’t worry—you can leave them out and you’ll still have delicious chocolatey brownies!
Cooking and Serving Tips
Avoid over-cooking—the designated time should be just about enough, but you can check before removing from the oven. Brownies shouldn't be overly dry.
Store leftovers in the refrigerator and heat for 20 to 30 seconds in the microwave before serving.
DOUBLE CHOCOLATE BROWNIES
This recipe begins, “Applesauce replaces part of the fat, Equal all of the sugar, plus you get double the chocolate flavor with both cocoa and chocolate chips – so who can resist these delicious brownies?”
Recipe Yield: Yield: 16 brownies
Source: Equal
Recipe and image appear courtesy of Equal.
View this online at https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipe/double-chocolate-brownies.
Ingredients
6 tablespoons stick butter, softened
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup Equal Spoonful*
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips or mini chocolate chips
6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
Optional: Chopped Walnuts
* May substitute 24 packets Equal sweetener
Directions
Beat butter, applesauce, eggs, and vanilla until blended. Stir in combined flour, Equal, chocolate chips, cocoa, baking powder, nuts (optional) and salt until blended.
Spread batter in sprayed 8-inch square baking pan. Bake in a preheated 350F oven 18 to 20 minutes or until top springs back when gently touched. Cool completely on wire rack. Cut into squares.
Store in airtight containers at room temperature.
Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 105; Fat: 7 g; Sodium: 77 mg; Cholesterol: 38 mg; Protein: 2 g; Carbohydrates: 10 g
Diabetic Exchanges: 1 starch, 1 fat
EASY CHOCOLATE SAUCEPAN BROWNIES
This is from Diana Rattray on The Spruce Eats. Diana wrote, “Chocolate saucepan brownies are a quick, super-easy and delicious preparation. Just melt the butter and chocolate, beat in the sugar, eggs, and dry ingredients, then bake. That's all there is to it!”
Total: 35 mins; Prep: 10 mins; Cook: 25 mins; Yield: 16 Brownies (16 servings)
To view this yummy brownie online, click here.
Ingredients
6 tablespoons butter
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
Optional: 1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
Directions
Heat oven to 325 F. Grease and flour an 8-inch square baking pan.
In a saucepan over low heat, melt the butter and chocolate, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and let cool. With a whisk, beat in the vanilla and sugar. Whisk in eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Stir flour, measure into a small bowl, and stir in the baking powder and salt, blending well. With a wooden spoon, stir the flour mixture into the first mixture.
Stir in the chopped nuts, if using, blending well. Spoon into the prepared pan and spread evenly.
Bake the brownies for about 25 minutes.
Recipe Variations
Add chocolate chips or white chocolate chips
MARBLED PUMPKIN BROWNIES
This comes from the infamous long-since-forgotten email list. Makes 10 servings.
Ingredients
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup canned pumpkin
1/2 cup coarsely chopped pecans
1/4 cup cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons sugar
1 egg yolk
2 teaspoons whipping cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
vanilla ice cream, optional
caramel sauce, warmed, optional
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour 8-inch square glass baking dish.
Beat butter in large bowl until fluffy. Gradually add brown sugar and beat until well blended, about 2 minutes. Add 1 egg and 1 teaspoon vanilla and beat to blend. Add flour, baking powder, spices and salt and beat until well mixed.
Beat in pumpkin. Stir in nuts. Spread batter in prepared pan (batter will be thick).
Mix cream cheese, 2 tablespoons sugar, egg yolk, whipping cream and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla in bowl to blend. Drop cream cheese mixture by heaping tablespoons on top of the pumpkin batter.
Using small knife, gently swirl cream cheese mixture into batter, creating marbled pattern. Bake about 35 minutes or until tester inserted into center comes out clean and top is firm.
Cool. Cover with foil and let stand at room temperature. Reheat covered in 350 degree oven for 15 minutes before serving. Cut warm brownies into squares and serve topped with a scoop of ice cream, drizzled with caramel sauce if desired.
ESPRESSO BROWNIES
This comes from Giada De Laurentiis of The Food Network’s Everyday Italian.
Total: 1 hr 17 min; Active: 12 min; Yield: 36 bite-size brownies; Level: Easy
To view this online, go to http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/espresso-brownies-recipe.
Ingredients
Nonstick vegetable oil cooking spray
1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons water
1/3 cup vegetable oil
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons espresso powder
1 (19.8-ounce) box brownie mix (recommended: Duncan Hines)
3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, room temperature
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Spray a 9 by 13-inch baking pan with nonstick spray. Whisk 1/3 cup of water, oil, eggs, and 2 tablespoons espresso powder in a large bowl to blend. Add the brownie mix. Stir until well blended. Stir in the chocolate chips. Transfer the batter to the prepared baking pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the brownies comes out with a few moist crumbs attached, about 35 minutes. Cool completely.
Meanwhile, dissolve the remaining 2 teaspoons of espresso powder in the remaining 2 tablespoons of water in a medium bowl. Whisk in the vanilla. Add the powdered sugar and butter and whisk until smooth. Pour the glaze over the brownies. Refrigerate until the glaze is set. Cut into bite-size pieces. Arrange the brownies on a platter and serve.
FUDGY ZUCCHINI BROWNIES
This comes from Audra, otherwise known as The Baker Chick. If you haven’t check out her site, you really, really should. (Hint, hint.)
Anyway, Audra write, “I put green vegetables in your brownies - please don’t hate me.” She then goes on to talk about putting zucchini in her brownies. What can I saw, but I love her comments, as well as these brownies.
To view this online (and to check out Audra’s comments), go to http://www.thebakerchick.com/2014/08/fudgy-zucchini-brownies/.
Recipe adapted from: All Recipes
Ingredients
1/2 cup coconut oil (another vegetable oil will work as well)
1 1/2 cups white sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (I used dark)
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups finely shredded zucchini*
For the Frosting:
5 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 cup melted butter
2 cups confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly spray or grease a 9x13 baking pan and line the bottom with parchment paper. Set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together the oil, sugar and vanilla until smooth and well-combined. Sprinkle the flour, cocoa powder, soda and salt over the wet ingredients and stir until just incorporated. (The batter will be dry at this point- worry.)
Fold in the zucchini and mix for just a few seconds or until batter is well combined.
Spread into the prepared pan and bake for 25-30 minutes or until a cake tester inserted into the middle of the pan comes out with a few moist crumbs.
Allow brownies to cool completely before frosting.
For the frosting:
In a medium-large bowl, stir together the butter and cocoa powder until smooth. Add the powdered sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, alternating with the milk. Stir in the vanilla.
Spread frosting over cooled brownies and enjoy!
Notes
*Finely shredding the zucchini helps it release more liquid leading to the right texture of brownies. If your batter seems extremely dry after combining all the ingredients, your zucchini may be on the dry side. You can add a tablespoon of water at a time until the batter comes together. The zucchini will release a lot of water during baking and help bind the brownies and give them their rich and fudgy texture!
FLOURLESS BLACK BEAN BROWNIES
This recipe comes from Kaleigh McMordie, MCN, RDN, LD, who, besides running her own site (Lively Table), writes on VeryWellFit.
For this recipe, Kaleigh wrote, “If you have a sweet tooth, you may be used to eating dessert most days. Sometimes fruit or a fruit salad will do for a light dessert. Other days, you just need a brownie.
“Baked goods like brownies are often high in sodium, even though they don’t taste salty. Between leaveners like baking soda and baking powder, salted butter, and added salt, brownies and other baked goods can be sneaky sources of sodium! If you bake your own brownies at home, you can control the amount of sodium-containing ingredients for a better alternative.
“The secret to these flourless brownies is a can of low sodium black beans.Before you write them off, give them a try! Blending up black beans in a high-powered blender or food processor makes them nice and smooth, and when baked into brownies, gives them a nice chewy texture without any flour. They also add in extra fiber, iron, and folate.”
Total Time: 35 minutes; Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 25 minutes; Servings: 16 (2-inch square each).
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 (15 ounce) can low sodium black beans, drained and rinsed
2 large eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon instant coffee granules
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup chopped dark chocolate, melted and slightly cooled
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips or chunks
Preparation
Heat oven to 350F. Line an 8x8" baking dish with parchment or spray with oil.
Blend all ingredients except for unmelted chocolate in a high powered blender until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes.
Stir in chocolate and pour into prepared pan. Bake 20 to 25 minutes.
Ingredient Variations and Substitutions
Use all chocolate chips if you don’t have a dark chocolate bar.
Cocoa powder, melted dark chocolate, and chocolate chips gives these brownies lots of rich chocolate flavor with a little boost from coffee granules.
If you don’t have the coffee granules don’t worry—you can leave them out and you’ll still have delicious chocolatey brownies!
Cooking and Serving Tips
Avoid over-cooking—the designated time should be just about enough, but you can check before removing from the oven. Brownies shouldn't be overly dry.
Store leftovers in the refrigerator and heat for 20 to 30 seconds in the microwave before serving.
DOUBLE CHOCOLATE BROWNIES
This recipe begins, “Applesauce replaces part of the fat, Equal all of the sugar, plus you get double the chocolate flavor with both cocoa and chocolate chips – so who can resist these delicious brownies?”
Recipe Yield: Yield: 16 brownies
Source: Equal
Recipe and image appear courtesy of Equal.
View this online at https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipe/double-chocolate-brownies.
Ingredients
6 tablespoons stick butter, softened
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup Equal Spoonful*
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips or mini chocolate chips
6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
Optional: Chopped Walnuts
* May substitute 24 packets Equal sweetener
Directions
Beat butter, applesauce, eggs, and vanilla until blended. Stir in combined flour, Equal, chocolate chips, cocoa, baking powder, nuts (optional) and salt until blended.
Spread batter in sprayed 8-inch square baking pan. Bake in a preheated 350F oven 18 to 20 minutes or until top springs back when gently touched. Cool completely on wire rack. Cut into squares.
Store in airtight containers at room temperature.
Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 105; Fat: 7 g; Sodium: 77 mg; Cholesterol: 38 mg; Protein: 2 g; Carbohydrates: 10 g
Diabetic Exchanges: 1 starch, 1 fat
EASY CHOCOLATE SAUCEPAN BROWNIES
This is from Diana Rattray on The Spruce Eats. Diana wrote, “Chocolate saucepan brownies are a quick, super-easy and delicious preparation. Just melt the butter and chocolate, beat in the sugar, eggs, and dry ingredients, then bake. That's all there is to it!”
Total: 35 mins; Prep: 10 mins; Cook: 25 mins; Yield: 16 Brownies (16 servings)
To view this yummy brownie online, click here.
Ingredients
6 tablespoons butter
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
Optional: 1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
Directions
Heat oven to 325 F. Grease and flour an 8-inch square baking pan.
In a saucepan over low heat, melt the butter and chocolate, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and let cool. With a whisk, beat in the vanilla and sugar. Whisk in eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Stir flour, measure into a small bowl, and stir in the baking powder and salt, blending well. With a wooden spoon, stir the flour mixture into the first mixture.
Stir in the chopped nuts, if using, blending well. Spoon into the prepared pan and spread evenly.
Bake the brownies for about 25 minutes.
Recipe Variations
Add chocolate chips or white chocolate chips
MARBLED PUMPKIN BROWNIES
This comes from the infamous long-since-forgotten email list. Makes 10 servings.
Ingredients
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup canned pumpkin
1/2 cup coarsely chopped pecans
1/4 cup cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons sugar
1 egg yolk
2 teaspoons whipping cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
vanilla ice cream, optional
caramel sauce, warmed, optional
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour 8-inch square glass baking dish.
Beat butter in large bowl until fluffy. Gradually add brown sugar and beat until well blended, about 2 minutes. Add 1 egg and 1 teaspoon vanilla and beat to blend. Add flour, baking powder, spices and salt and beat until well mixed.
Beat in pumpkin. Stir in nuts. Spread batter in prepared pan (batter will be thick).
Mix cream cheese, 2 tablespoons sugar, egg yolk, whipping cream and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla in bowl to blend. Drop cream cheese mixture by heaping tablespoons on top of the pumpkin batter.
Using small knife, gently swirl cream cheese mixture into batter, creating marbled pattern. Bake about 35 minutes or until tester inserted into center comes out clean and top is firm.
Cool. Cover with foil and let stand at room temperature. Reheat covered in 350 degree oven for 15 minutes before serving. Cut warm brownies into squares and serve topped with a scoop of ice cream, drizzled with caramel sauce if desired.
ESPRESSO BROWNIES
This comes from Giada De Laurentiis of The Food Network’s Everyday Italian.
Total: 1 hr 17 min; Active: 12 min; Yield: 36 bite-size brownies; Level: Easy
To view this online, go to http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/espresso-brownies-recipe.
Ingredients
Nonstick vegetable oil cooking spray
1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons water
1/3 cup vegetable oil
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons espresso powder
1 (19.8-ounce) box brownie mix (recommended: Duncan Hines)
3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, room temperature
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Spray a 9 by 13-inch baking pan with nonstick spray. Whisk 1/3 cup of water, oil, eggs, and 2 tablespoons espresso powder in a large bowl to blend. Add the brownie mix. Stir until well blended. Stir in the chocolate chips. Transfer the batter to the prepared baking pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the brownies comes out with a few moist crumbs attached, about 35 minutes. Cool completely.
Meanwhile, dissolve the remaining 2 teaspoons of espresso powder in the remaining 2 tablespoons of water in a medium bowl. Whisk in the vanilla. Add the powdered sugar and butter and whisk until smooth. Pour the glaze over the brownies. Refrigerate until the glaze is set. Cut into bite-size pieces. Arrange the brownies on a platter and serve.
Monday, March 16, 2020
Monday Recipes
It's Monday, time to get started for the work week. Today's six yummy recipes include Vegan Lasagna and Flourless Black Bean Brownies. Enjoy!
BANANA RUM VEGAN CHEESECAKE WITH MAPLE RUM SAUCE
This comes from Jolinda Hackett, who wrote for The Spruce Eats. She wrote, “This gourmet banana rum vegan cheesecake with maple rum sauce has several steps, but the bananas, pecan crust and rum sauce can all be prepared in advance. Then, the only thing left is to blend the vegan cream cheese and the other ingredients and bake. Easy! If you're looking for a gourmet vegan cheesecake recipe, this is the one to try.”
Note: Unfortunately, I'm no longer able to find a link for this, as well as the next two recipes from Jolinda. But it's yummy enough that I wanted to post it, and give a nod to Jolinda for coming up with this.
Ingredients
4 very ripe bananas
16 ounces nondairy cream cheese
3/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup dark rum
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
Prepared pecan pie crust (recipe follows)
Prepared maple rum sauce (recipe follows)
Toasted pecan halves for garnish
Preparation
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.Place 4 large, very ripe, unpeeled bananas on a roasting pan and roast for 15-20 minutes, until bananas are soft and skin turns dark brown. Let bananas cool to room temperature in the pan in their skins.
Turn oven up to 400 degrees.
Peel the roasted bananas and remove any obvious strings. Puree bananas in a food processor until very smooth. Add nondairy cream cheese, brown sugar, cinnamon, rum, cornstarch and salt then pulse until smooth, scraping sides of bowl periodically. Do not overprocess or cream cheese will separate and curdle.
Pour the filling into the prepared pecan pie crust and bake at 400 for 10 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350 and bake another 35-45 minutes, until the top is the color of light brown sugar and center is set. A toothpick inserted in center should come out clean.
Let cheesecake cool to room temperature on a rack for at least 1 hour, then cover with plastic wrap and chill in refrigerator at least 3 hours, preferably overnight.
Drizzle with prepared maple rum sauce just before serving and garnish with extra toasted pecan halves.
PECAN PIE CRUST
Jolinda Hackett's pecan pie crust can be used for either cheesecake or as a regular pie crust.
Ingredients
1 cup pecan nut flour (see instructions below)
1/2 cup spelt flour (white or whole wheat )
1 tablespoon firmly packed light brown sugar
4 Tbsp vegan margarine, partially melted
1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
Pinch of sea salt
Preparation
Note: To make pecan nut flour, freeze the nuts overnight, then place in a food processor and pulse until finely ground. Freezing the nuts prevents them from turning into nut butter when you process them.pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.
Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix until well combined and incorporated.
Press the mixture into a 9-inch springform pan and put in freezer for 5 minutes.
Bake for 8-10 minutes, until crust is a little dry and edges are light golden. Let cool completely before using in a recipe.
VEGAN MAPLE RUM SAUCE RECIPE
Jolinda wrote, “Use this vegan maple rum sauce recipe to drizzle on top of a banana rum cheesecake or on top of ice cream or chocolate brownies.Yum!”
Ingredients
1 cup real maple syrup (grade B organic is best in this recipe)
4 tablespoons Earth Balance vegan butter
Sea salt
1 tablespoon dark rum
Preparation
In a small saucepan, combine maple syrup, vegan butter, and sea salt to taste and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring frequently, until sauce has thickened slightly, about 10 minutes.
Remove from heat and stir in rum, stirring carefully, as sauce will bubble up a bit. Let cool for a few minutes then taste and add more salt if necessary.
Cool to room temperature, then transfer to a squeeze bottle.If not using immediately, the sauce can be rewarmed by putting the bottle in a pan of hot water off the heat.
VEGAN LASAGNA
This comes from Lena Abraham on Delish, and begins, “A lasagna you can feel good about.”
Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes; Prep Time: 15 minutes; Level: Easy; Serves: 10-12
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
For the Lasagna
1 box lasagna noodles
1 (14-oz) package firm tofu, drained
kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp. dried oregano, divided
1 (8-oz) package baby bella mushrooms, sliced
2 (10-oz) packages frozen spinach, thawed and drained of excess liquid
For the White Sauce
1/4 c. olive oil
1/4 c. all-purpose flour
2 1/2 c. almond milk (or other non-dairy milk)
2 tbsp. nutritional yeast
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 c. marinara
3 tomatoes, thinly sliced
1/4 c. thinly sliced basil, for garnish
Directions
Preheat oven to 350º. Bring a large pot of salted boiling water to a boil and cook lasagna noodles until al dente. Drain.
Wrap tofu in a clean kitchen cloth or paper towels and place on a large plate. Place a pan or heavy plate on top of tofu in order to press out as much liquid as possible. Let sit for at least 30 minutes. When drained, crumble with two forks and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
In a large skillet over medium heat, heat oil. Add onion and garlic and season with salt, pepper, and 1 tsp oregano. Add mushrooms and cook until softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in thawed and drained spinach until completely combined. Remove from heat and set aside vegetables.
Wipe out skillet and return to medium heat to make white sauce: Add olive oil and heat until shimmering but not smoking. Add flour and whisk to combine. Cook until lightly golden and nutty, 1 to 2 minutes. Whisk in nut milk until smooth. Stir in nutritional yeast and garlic powder and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer and let cook until thickened, 8 to 10 minutes.
Build lasagna: In a large baking dish, spoon 1/4 c marinara into an even layer, then add a layer of noodles. Top with an even layer of vegetable mixture, tofu, marinara, and white sauce. Repeat until all ingredients are used, ending in marinara. Add a single layer of tomato rounds and season with salt, pepper and remaining oregano.
Bake 35 to 40 minutes, until tomatoes are cooked and lasagna is heated through. Remove from oven and let cool slightly. Garnish with basil and serve.
STUFFED SHELLS I
This is from SallyJun at AllRecipes. SallyJun wrote, "Jumbo macaroni shells stuffed with cheese mixture, covered with sauce, and baked."
Prep: 25 m; Cook: 25 m; Ready In: 50 m
View this online here.
Ingredients
1 (16 ounce) package jumbo pasta shells
4 cups large curd cottage cheese
12 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 pinch garlic powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1 (26 ounce) jar spaghetti sauce
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Directions
Cook shells according to package directions. Place in cold water to stop cooking. Drain.
Mix together cottage cheese, mozzarella cheese, 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, eggs, and garlic powder. Rub the dried herbs in the palms of your hands to pulverize them, and stir into the cheese mixture. Stuff mixture into the shells.
Spread 1/3 of spaghetti sauce in the bottom of a 15 x 10 inch pan. Place shells open side up, and close together in pan. Spread remaining sauce over top, and sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese.
Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 25 to 35 minutes, or until bubbly. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.
FLOURLESS BLACK BEAN BROWNIES
This recipe comes from Kaleigh McMordie, MCN, RDN, LD, who, besides running her own site (Lively Table), writes on VeryWellFit.
For this recipe, Kaleigh wrote, “If you have a sweet tooth, you may be used to eating dessert most days. Sometimes fruit or a fruit salad will do for a light dessert. Other days, you just need a brownie.
“Baked goods like brownies are often high in sodium, even though they don’t taste salty. Between leaveners like baking soda and baking powder, salted butter, and added salt, brownies and other baked goods can be sneaky sources of sodium! If you bake your own brownies at home, you can control the amount of sodium-containing ingredients for a better alternative.
“The secret to these flourless brownies is a can of low sodium black beans.Before you write them off, give them a try! Blending up black beans in a high-powered blender or food processor makes them nice and smooth, and when baked into brownies, gives them a nice chewy texture without any flour. They also add in extra fiber, iron, and folate.”
Total Time: 35 minutes; Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 25 minutes; Servings: 16 (2-inch square each).
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 (15 ounce) can low sodium black beans, drained and rinsed
2 large eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon instant coffee granules
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup chopped dark chocolate, melted and slightly cooled
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips or chunks
Preparation
Heat oven to 350F. Line an 8x8" baking dish with parchment or spray with oil.
Blend all ingredients except for unmelted chocolate in a high powered blender until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes.
Stir in chocolate and pour into prepared pan. Bake 20 to 25 minutes.
Ingredient Variations and Substitutions
Use all chocolate chips if you don’t have a dark chocolate bar.
Cocoa powder, melted dark chocolate, and chocolate chips gives these brownies lots of rich chocolate flavor with a little boost from coffee granules.
If you don’t have the coffee granules don’t worry—you can leave them out and you’ll still have delicious chocolatey brownies!
Cooking and Serving Tips
Avoid over-cooking—the designated time should be just about enough, but you can check before removing from the oven. Brownies shouldn't be overly dry.
Store leftovers in the refrigerator and heat for 20 to 30 seconds in the microwave before serving.
CLASSIC BAKED MACARONI AND CHEESE
This comes from Alison Roman in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Alison wrote, “Think Stouffer's without the freezer. While it can be enjoyed straight from the pot, this macaroni and cheese has a slightly looser sauce than the stovetop variety to allow for thickening in the oven. Bread crumbs, while optional, make it truly spectacular.”
Yield: 4 to 6 servings; Time: about 1 hour
To view this online at the Times’ website, click here.
Ingredients
For the Macaroni and Cheese:
1 pound elbows, shells, cavatappi, farfalle, fusilli or other short, tube-shaped pasta
Kosher salt
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
4 cups whole milk
1 clove garlic, finely grated
1 teaspoon smoked or hot paprika
Freshly ground pepper
12 ounces sharp or white Cheddar cheese, grated
12 ounces fontina or Gruyère, grated
For the Topping (Optional):
1 cup coarse bread crumbs or panko
4 tablespoons melted butter or olive oil
1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
Preparation
Cook pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water until it’s barely al dente. (It should be more al dente than your average pasta: It’s going to continue to cook in the oven.) Drain and set aside.
Meanwhile, heat butter in a medium pot over medium heat. (The pot should be large enough to hold all the pasta when cooked.) Whisk in flour and cook, whisking constantly, until the flour is foamy and just starting to turn a light golden brown, about 4 minutes. Slowly whisk in milk to avoid clumping. Add garlic, paprika and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer, whisking constantly and paying special attention to the edges of the pot to make sure the flour mixture is totally incorporated.
Add grated cheese and whisk to blend until the cheese is completely melted. (The sauce will seem thick at first and thin out as the cheese melts; it will thicken while it bakes.) Season with salt and pepper and add cooked pasta, stirring to coat well.
Heat oven to 425 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil (to catch any cheesy drips).
Make the optional topping: Combine bread crumbs, melted butter and Parmesan, if using, in a medium bowl. Season with salt and pepper and, using your hands, mix well to ensure the bread crumbs are evenly coated.
Transfer the macaroni and cheese mixture to a 2-quart baking dish and scatter bread crumbs, if using, evenly over the top. Place on prepared baking sheet and bake until macaroni and cheese is bubbling, thickened and creamy, and bread crumbs are evenly golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool slightly before serving.
BANANA RUM VEGAN CHEESECAKE WITH MAPLE RUM SAUCE
This comes from Jolinda Hackett, who wrote for The Spruce Eats. She wrote, “This gourmet banana rum vegan cheesecake with maple rum sauce has several steps, but the bananas, pecan crust and rum sauce can all be prepared in advance. Then, the only thing left is to blend the vegan cream cheese and the other ingredients and bake. Easy! If you're looking for a gourmet vegan cheesecake recipe, this is the one to try.”
Note: Unfortunately, I'm no longer able to find a link for this, as well as the next two recipes from Jolinda. But it's yummy enough that I wanted to post it, and give a nod to Jolinda for coming up with this.
Ingredients
4 very ripe bananas
16 ounces nondairy cream cheese
3/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup dark rum
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
Prepared pecan pie crust (recipe follows)
Prepared maple rum sauce (recipe follows)
Toasted pecan halves for garnish
Preparation
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.Place 4 large, very ripe, unpeeled bananas on a roasting pan and roast for 15-20 minutes, until bananas are soft and skin turns dark brown. Let bananas cool to room temperature in the pan in their skins.
Turn oven up to 400 degrees.
Peel the roasted bananas and remove any obvious strings. Puree bananas in a food processor until very smooth. Add nondairy cream cheese, brown sugar, cinnamon, rum, cornstarch and salt then pulse until smooth, scraping sides of bowl periodically. Do not overprocess or cream cheese will separate and curdle.
Pour the filling into the prepared pecan pie crust and bake at 400 for 10 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350 and bake another 35-45 minutes, until the top is the color of light brown sugar and center is set. A toothpick inserted in center should come out clean.
Let cheesecake cool to room temperature on a rack for at least 1 hour, then cover with plastic wrap and chill in refrigerator at least 3 hours, preferably overnight.
Drizzle with prepared maple rum sauce just before serving and garnish with extra toasted pecan halves.
PECAN PIE CRUST
Jolinda Hackett's pecan pie crust can be used for either cheesecake or as a regular pie crust.
Ingredients
1 cup pecan nut flour (see instructions below)
1/2 cup spelt flour (white or whole wheat )
1 tablespoon firmly packed light brown sugar
4 Tbsp vegan margarine, partially melted
1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
Pinch of sea salt
Preparation
Note: To make pecan nut flour, freeze the nuts overnight, then place in a food processor and pulse until finely ground. Freezing the nuts prevents them from turning into nut butter when you process them.pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.
Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix until well combined and incorporated.
Press the mixture into a 9-inch springform pan and put in freezer for 5 minutes.
Bake for 8-10 minutes, until crust is a little dry and edges are light golden. Let cool completely before using in a recipe.
VEGAN MAPLE RUM SAUCE RECIPE
Jolinda wrote, “Use this vegan maple rum sauce recipe to drizzle on top of a banana rum cheesecake or on top of ice cream or chocolate brownies.Yum!”
Ingredients
1 cup real maple syrup (grade B organic is best in this recipe)
4 tablespoons Earth Balance vegan butter
Sea salt
1 tablespoon dark rum
Preparation
In a small saucepan, combine maple syrup, vegan butter, and sea salt to taste and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring frequently, until sauce has thickened slightly, about 10 minutes.
Remove from heat and stir in rum, stirring carefully, as sauce will bubble up a bit. Let cool for a few minutes then taste and add more salt if necessary.
Cool to room temperature, then transfer to a squeeze bottle.If not using immediately, the sauce can be rewarmed by putting the bottle in a pan of hot water off the heat.
VEGAN LASAGNA
This comes from Lena Abraham on Delish, and begins, “A lasagna you can feel good about.”
Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes; Prep Time: 15 minutes; Level: Easy; Serves: 10-12
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
For the Lasagna
1 box lasagna noodles
1 (14-oz) package firm tofu, drained
kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp. dried oregano, divided
1 (8-oz) package baby bella mushrooms, sliced
2 (10-oz) packages frozen spinach, thawed and drained of excess liquid
For the White Sauce
1/4 c. olive oil
1/4 c. all-purpose flour
2 1/2 c. almond milk (or other non-dairy milk)
2 tbsp. nutritional yeast
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 c. marinara
3 tomatoes, thinly sliced
1/4 c. thinly sliced basil, for garnish
Directions
Preheat oven to 350º. Bring a large pot of salted boiling water to a boil and cook lasagna noodles until al dente. Drain.
Wrap tofu in a clean kitchen cloth or paper towels and place on a large plate. Place a pan or heavy plate on top of tofu in order to press out as much liquid as possible. Let sit for at least 30 minutes. When drained, crumble with two forks and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
In a large skillet over medium heat, heat oil. Add onion and garlic and season with salt, pepper, and 1 tsp oregano. Add mushrooms and cook until softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in thawed and drained spinach until completely combined. Remove from heat and set aside vegetables.
Wipe out skillet and return to medium heat to make white sauce: Add olive oil and heat until shimmering but not smoking. Add flour and whisk to combine. Cook until lightly golden and nutty, 1 to 2 minutes. Whisk in nut milk until smooth. Stir in nutritional yeast and garlic powder and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer and let cook until thickened, 8 to 10 minutes.
Build lasagna: In a large baking dish, spoon 1/4 c marinara into an even layer, then add a layer of noodles. Top with an even layer of vegetable mixture, tofu, marinara, and white sauce. Repeat until all ingredients are used, ending in marinara. Add a single layer of tomato rounds and season with salt, pepper and remaining oregano.
Bake 35 to 40 minutes, until tomatoes are cooked and lasagna is heated through. Remove from oven and let cool slightly. Garnish with basil and serve.
STUFFED SHELLS I
This is from SallyJun at AllRecipes. SallyJun wrote, "Jumbo macaroni shells stuffed with cheese mixture, covered with sauce, and baked."
Prep: 25 m; Cook: 25 m; Ready In: 50 m
View this online here.
Ingredients
1 (16 ounce) package jumbo pasta shells
4 cups large curd cottage cheese
12 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 pinch garlic powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1 (26 ounce) jar spaghetti sauce
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Directions
Cook shells according to package directions. Place in cold water to stop cooking. Drain.
Mix together cottage cheese, mozzarella cheese, 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, eggs, and garlic powder. Rub the dried herbs in the palms of your hands to pulverize them, and stir into the cheese mixture. Stuff mixture into the shells.
Spread 1/3 of spaghetti sauce in the bottom of a 15 x 10 inch pan. Place shells open side up, and close together in pan. Spread remaining sauce over top, and sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese.
Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 25 to 35 minutes, or until bubbly. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.
FLOURLESS BLACK BEAN BROWNIES
This recipe comes from Kaleigh McMordie, MCN, RDN, LD, who, besides running her own site (Lively Table), writes on VeryWellFit.
For this recipe, Kaleigh wrote, “If you have a sweet tooth, you may be used to eating dessert most days. Sometimes fruit or a fruit salad will do for a light dessert. Other days, you just need a brownie.
“Baked goods like brownies are often high in sodium, even though they don’t taste salty. Between leaveners like baking soda and baking powder, salted butter, and added salt, brownies and other baked goods can be sneaky sources of sodium! If you bake your own brownies at home, you can control the amount of sodium-containing ingredients for a better alternative.
“The secret to these flourless brownies is a can of low sodium black beans.Before you write them off, give them a try! Blending up black beans in a high-powered blender or food processor makes them nice and smooth, and when baked into brownies, gives them a nice chewy texture without any flour. They also add in extra fiber, iron, and folate.”
Total Time: 35 minutes; Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 25 minutes; Servings: 16 (2-inch square each).
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 (15 ounce) can low sodium black beans, drained and rinsed
2 large eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon instant coffee granules
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup chopped dark chocolate, melted and slightly cooled
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips or chunks
Preparation
Heat oven to 350F. Line an 8x8" baking dish with parchment or spray with oil.
Blend all ingredients except for unmelted chocolate in a high powered blender until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes.
Stir in chocolate and pour into prepared pan. Bake 20 to 25 minutes.
Ingredient Variations and Substitutions
Use all chocolate chips if you don’t have a dark chocolate bar.
Cocoa powder, melted dark chocolate, and chocolate chips gives these brownies lots of rich chocolate flavor with a little boost from coffee granules.
If you don’t have the coffee granules don’t worry—you can leave them out and you’ll still have delicious chocolatey brownies!
Cooking and Serving Tips
Avoid over-cooking—the designated time should be just about enough, but you can check before removing from the oven. Brownies shouldn't be overly dry.
Store leftovers in the refrigerator and heat for 20 to 30 seconds in the microwave before serving.
CLASSIC BAKED MACARONI AND CHEESE
This comes from Alison Roman in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Alison wrote, “Think Stouffer's without the freezer. While it can be enjoyed straight from the pot, this macaroni and cheese has a slightly looser sauce than the stovetop variety to allow for thickening in the oven. Bread crumbs, while optional, make it truly spectacular.”
Yield: 4 to 6 servings; Time: about 1 hour
To view this online at the Times’ website, click here.
Ingredients
For the Macaroni and Cheese:
1 pound elbows, shells, cavatappi, farfalle, fusilli or other short, tube-shaped pasta
Kosher salt
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
4 cups whole milk
1 clove garlic, finely grated
1 teaspoon smoked or hot paprika
Freshly ground pepper
12 ounces sharp or white Cheddar cheese, grated
12 ounces fontina or Gruyère, grated
For the Topping (Optional):
1 cup coarse bread crumbs or panko
4 tablespoons melted butter or olive oil
1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
Preparation
Cook pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water until it’s barely al dente. (It should be more al dente than your average pasta: It’s going to continue to cook in the oven.) Drain and set aside.
Meanwhile, heat butter in a medium pot over medium heat. (The pot should be large enough to hold all the pasta when cooked.) Whisk in flour and cook, whisking constantly, until the flour is foamy and just starting to turn a light golden brown, about 4 minutes. Slowly whisk in milk to avoid clumping. Add garlic, paprika and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer, whisking constantly and paying special attention to the edges of the pot to make sure the flour mixture is totally incorporated.
Add grated cheese and whisk to blend until the cheese is completely melted. (The sauce will seem thick at first and thin out as the cheese melts; it will thicken while it bakes.) Season with salt and pepper and add cooked pasta, stirring to coat well.
Heat oven to 425 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil (to catch any cheesy drips).
Make the optional topping: Combine bread crumbs, melted butter and Parmesan, if using, in a medium bowl. Season with salt and pepper and, using your hands, mix well to ensure the bread crumbs are evenly coated.
Transfer the macaroni and cheese mixture to a 2-quart baking dish and scatter bread crumbs, if using, evenly over the top. Place on prepared baking sheet and bake until macaroni and cheese is bubbling, thickened and creamy, and bread crumbs are evenly golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool slightly before serving.
Thursday, May 31, 2018
Brownies!
One of my family's favorite desserts is a panful of brownies. What's not to love? They're chocolatey, kind-of cake-like without the mess (and need for a plate) of cake (and without having to frost it, unless, of course, you want to).
That said, here are six yummy brownie recipes to try out, including Grasshopper Brownies and Marbled Peanut Butter Brownies. Enjoy!
FLOURLESS BLACK BEAN BROWNIES
This recipe comes from Kaleigh McMordie, MCN, RDN, LD, who, besides running her own site (Lively Table), writes on VeryWellFit.
For this recipe, Kaleigh wrote, “If you have a sweet tooth, you may be used to eating dessert most days. Sometimes fruit or a fruit salad will do for a light dessert. Other days, you just need a brownie.
“Baked goods like brownies are often high in sodium, even though they don’t taste salty. Between leaveners like baking soda and baking powder, salted butter, and added salt, brownies and other baked goods can be sneaky sources of sodium! If you bake your own brownies at home, you can control the amount of sodium-containing ingredients for a better alternative.
“The secret to these flourless brownies is a can of low sodium black beans.Before you write them off, give them a try! Blending up black beans in a high-powered blender or food processor makes them nice and smooth, and when baked into brownies, gives them a nice chewy texture without any flour. They also add in extra fiber, iron, and folate.”
Total Time: 35 minutes; Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 25 minutes; Servings: 16 (2-inch square each).
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 (15 ounce) can low sodium black beans, drained and rinsed
2 large eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon instant coffee granules
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup chopped dark chocolate, melted and slightly cooled
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips or chunks
Preparation
Heat oven to 350F. Line an 8x8" baking dish with parchment or spray with oil.
Blend all ingredients except for unmelted chocolate in a high powered blender until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes.
Stir in chocolate and pour into prepared pan. Bake 20 to 25 minutes.
Ingredient Variations and Substitutions
Use all chocolate chips if you don’t have a dark chocolate bar.
Cocoa powder, melted dark chocolate, and chocolate chips gives these brownies lots of rich chocolate flavor with a little boost from coffee granules.
If you don’t have the coffee granules don’t worry—you can leave them out and you’ll still have delicious chocolatey brownies!
Cooking and Serving Tips
Avoid over-cooking—the designated time should be just about enough, but you can check before removing from the oven. Brownies shouldn't be overly dry.
Store leftovers in the refrigerator and heat for 20 to 30 seconds in the microwave before serving.
SUPERFAST FUDGE BROWNIES
This recipe comes from The Working Stiff Cookbook, by Bob Sloan and illustrated by Michael Klein. I absolutely love this cookbook. Even vegetarians can find plenty to love in it. The great thing about this recipe is that it really doesn't take much longer than a boxed mix, and is so much better!
The recipe starts with, "The perfect comfort food to go with your burgers. (Burger Bliss was on the preceding page.) Brownies always lift the spirits. Especially these brownies. They're fast, easy, and foolproof." I agree!
8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter (or margarine), cut into 4 pieces
1/2 cup Dutch-process unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 extra-large eggs
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Butter an 8-by-8-inch baking pan.
In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, melt the butter with the cocoa powder, stirring continuously until the butter is just melted. Use a rubber spatula to transfer the butter mixture to a large mixing bowl and let it cool for 2 minutes. Add the sugar and vanilla and stir with a wooden spoon until combined. Add the eggs one at a time, stirring until each is well combined. Add the flour and stir just until combined. Do not overmix.
Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and bake on the center rack of the oven for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with tiny crumbs on it. Serve warm or at room temperature.
CHOCOLATE-HONEY BROWNIE BARS
This is from Kraft Recipes, and begins, “These brownies not only have honey in the batter, but are also drizzled with a luscious chocolate-honey topping for an extra-special touch.”
Prep Time: 15 minutes; Total Time: 40 minutes; Servings: 24 servings
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
3/4 cup butter
2 pkg. (4 oz. each) BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate, divided
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp. honey, divided
2 eggs
1 cup flour
Directions
Heat oven to 350°F.
Line 13x9-inch pan with foil, with ends of foil extending over sides; spray with cooking spray. Microwave butter and 6 oz. chocolate in large microwaveable bowl on HIGH 2 min. or until butter is melted. Stir until chocolate is completely melted and mixture is well blended. Add sugar and 1/2 cup honey; mix well. Blend in eggs. Add flour; stir until blended. Pour into prepared pan.
Bake 25 min. or until toothpick inserted in center comes out with fudgy crumbs. (Do not overbake.) Cool completely.
Microwave remaining chocolate and honey in microwaveable bowl on HIGH 1 min. Stir until chocolate is completely melted and mixture is well blended. Drizzle over brownie.
Refrigerate 5 min. or until chocolate is firm. Use foil handles to remove brownie from pan before cutting into bars.
GRASSHOPPER BROWNIES
This is from Yossy Arefi in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Yossy wrote, “The classic grasshopper cocktail is made from equal parts crème de menthe, crème de cacao, and heavy cream. Its mint-chocolatey flavors translate perfectly to all sorts of desserts. These decadent layered bars start with a super fudgy brownie base, which is covered with crème de menthe infused buttercream, and a shell of rich chocolate ganache tops it all off. You could certainly substitute a bit more peppermint extract (about 2 teaspoons) and skip the alcohol in the crème de menthe if you’d like to keep these more family friendly. Peppermint extract varies quite a bit in intensity by brand, which is why a range is given, so taste as you go.”
Yield: One 8-by-8-inch pan, 16 servings; Time: About 1 hour plus chilling
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
For the Brownie:
8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1/2 cup unsalted butter
2 large eggs
3/4 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup Dutch process cocoa powder
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/3 cup all purpose flour
For the Crème De Menthe Buttercream:
1/2 cup unsalted butter softened
2 tablespoons cream cheese, at room temperature
2 tablespoons crème de menthe
1/2 to 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
Pinch kosher salt
2 cups confectioner’s sugar
For the Ganache:
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate
1/4 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Pinch kosher salt
Preparation
Heat oven to 350 degrees and line the bottom and sides of an 8-by-8-inch baking dish with parchment paper or aluminum foil.
Make the brownies: In a heat-safe bowl set over a pan of simmering water, melt the 8 ounces/227 grams bittersweet chocolate and 1/2 cup/113 grams butter, stirring occasionally until smooth.
In a separate large bowl, whisk the eggs and brown sugar together, until the mixture lightens a bit in color and texture, about 1 minute. Whisk in the cocoa powder, vanilla extract and salt, followed by the chocolate and butter mixture. Fold in the flour until just combined.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake until the brownies are set and a toothpick inserted into the center has a few moist crumbs, 20 to 25 minutes. Set the pan on a rack to cool completely.
Make the buttercream: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and cream cheese together until smooth. Add the crème de menthe, 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract, and a pinch of salt and mix until smooth. Lower the mixer speed and slowly add the confectioners’ sugar. Increase the speed and beat until smooth. Taste and add more peppermint extract if desired.
Spread the buttercream over the cooled brownies, then refrigerate the brownies until the buttercream is cold and firm, about 30 minutes.
Make the ganache: Combine all of the ingredients for the ganache in a heat-safe bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Warm the mixture, stirring occasionally until it is melted and smooth. Pour the chocolate over the cooled buttercream and smooth the top with an offset spatula. Chill until the topping is set, about 30 minutes. Store the brownies in the refrigerator. For the cleanest slices make sure to remove the brownies from the pan and wipe off your knife in between cuts.
MARBLED PEANUT BUTTER BROWNIES
I'm not sure where this recipe is from; I have a sneaking suspicion it's from the infamous long-since-forgotten-emailing-list.
Makes 24 squares; Prep time: 15 minutes; Bake time: 30 minutes
No-Stick Cooking Spray
2/3 cup All-Purpose Flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup Creamy Natural Peanut Butter
1/4 cup butter, softened
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted and cooled
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Spray an 8x8-inch baking pan with no stick cooling spray; set aside.
In a mixing bowl combine the flour, baking powder and salt; set aside.
In the bowl of an electric mixer combine brown sugar, peanut butter and butter; beat until light and creamy. Add eggs and vanilla extract; beat until fluffy. Stir in flour mixture just until blended. Spread in prepared pan.
Drizzle melted chocolate over batter. Use a small sharp knife to swirl the mixtures together and marbleize. (Note: do not over-mix or swirls will blend)
Bake 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on cooling rack; cut into 24 bars.
SALTED CARAMEL BROWNIES
This comes from Julia Moskin in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Julia wrote, “The salted caramel brownie is an ingenious combination of blond, bittersweet caramel and dark, bittersweet chocolate. Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito of New York's Baked bakeries are not the first to note the affinity of caramel and chocolate, but by emphasizing the bitter, sweet and salty notes in both, they’ve made that rare thing — a perfectly balanced bite. The bittersweetness of the caramel can be easily adjusted by cooking it less (for a milder, Kraft-like taste) or more (edgier, stronger).” Yield: About 2 dozen brownies; Time: 1 1/4 hours.
To view this online, go to http://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1018161-salted-caramel-brownies.
Ingredients
For the Caramel:
1 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1/2 cup heavy cream
3/4 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
1/4 cup sour cream
For the Brownies:
2 sticks unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch cubes, more for greasing pan
1 1/4 cups/150 grams all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
11 ounces dark chocolate (60 to 72 percent cacao), coarsely chopped
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
5 eggs, at room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Coarse sugar (such as raw or turbinado) and flaky salt, for sprinkling
Preparation
Make the caramel: In a medium saucepan, combine sugar and corn syrup with 1/4 cup water. Bring to a boil and cook over high heat, stirring gently, until an instant-read thermometer reads 350 degrees or until the mixture is dark amber in color, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove from heat, slowly pour in heavy cream and salt (it will foam up) and whisk. Whisk in sour cream (it may look lumpy at first) and set aside to cool. Taste and add salt if needed to give the caramel a good balance of salty and sweet.
Make the brownies: Heat oven to 350 degrees. Use butter (or baking spray) to lightly grease a 9-x-13-inch baking pan. Line the bottom with a sheet of parchment paper, and butter or spray the parchment.
In a large bowl, whisk together flour, salt and cocoa powder.
Melt chocolate and butter together, either in the top of a double boiler set over simmering water, or in a microwave at low heat, working in 30-second bursts. Stir until chocolate and butter are melted and combined. Whisk in sugars. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
Using a sturdy whisk, add eggs one by one, whisking just until combined. Stir in vanilla.
Gently pour chocolate mixture over flour mixture. Using a spatula, fold together just until few streaks of flour are visible; do not overmix.
Pour batter into the pan and let settle. Drizzle caramel sauce over batter until batter is almost covered. (You may not use all the caramel.) On the surface, use the tip of a butter knife or icing spatula to swirl the batter and caramel together. Don’t worry if it looks messy.
Bake 30 to 40 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through the baking time. At the 30-minute mark, shake the pan gently to test for doneness. When done, the brownies will be barely set in the center and puffed, but not dry, around the edges. Remove from oven and immediately sprinkle with coarse sugar and salt.
Let cool to room temperature before cutting. After cutting, if desired, drizzle any remaining caramel over the top. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.
That said, here are six yummy brownie recipes to try out, including Grasshopper Brownies and Marbled Peanut Butter Brownies. Enjoy!
FLOURLESS BLACK BEAN BROWNIES
This recipe comes from Kaleigh McMordie, MCN, RDN, LD, who, besides running her own site (Lively Table), writes on VeryWellFit.
For this recipe, Kaleigh wrote, “If you have a sweet tooth, you may be used to eating dessert most days. Sometimes fruit or a fruit salad will do for a light dessert. Other days, you just need a brownie.
“Baked goods like brownies are often high in sodium, even though they don’t taste salty. Between leaveners like baking soda and baking powder, salted butter, and added salt, brownies and other baked goods can be sneaky sources of sodium! If you bake your own brownies at home, you can control the amount of sodium-containing ingredients for a better alternative.
“The secret to these flourless brownies is a can of low sodium black beans.Before you write them off, give them a try! Blending up black beans in a high-powered blender or food processor makes them nice and smooth, and when baked into brownies, gives them a nice chewy texture without any flour. They also add in extra fiber, iron, and folate.”
Total Time: 35 minutes; Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 25 minutes; Servings: 16 (2-inch square each).
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 (15 ounce) can low sodium black beans, drained and rinsed
2 large eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon instant coffee granules
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup chopped dark chocolate, melted and slightly cooled
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips or chunks
Preparation
Heat oven to 350F. Line an 8x8" baking dish with parchment or spray with oil.
Blend all ingredients except for unmelted chocolate in a high powered blender until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes.
Stir in chocolate and pour into prepared pan. Bake 20 to 25 minutes.
Ingredient Variations and Substitutions
Use all chocolate chips if you don’t have a dark chocolate bar.
Cocoa powder, melted dark chocolate, and chocolate chips gives these brownies lots of rich chocolate flavor with a little boost from coffee granules.
If you don’t have the coffee granules don’t worry—you can leave them out and you’ll still have delicious chocolatey brownies!
Cooking and Serving Tips
Avoid over-cooking—the designated time should be just about enough, but you can check before removing from the oven. Brownies shouldn't be overly dry.
Store leftovers in the refrigerator and heat for 20 to 30 seconds in the microwave before serving.
SUPERFAST FUDGE BROWNIES
This recipe comes from The Working Stiff Cookbook, by Bob Sloan and illustrated by Michael Klein. I absolutely love this cookbook. Even vegetarians can find plenty to love in it. The great thing about this recipe is that it really doesn't take much longer than a boxed mix, and is so much better!
The recipe starts with, "The perfect comfort food to go with your burgers. (Burger Bliss was on the preceding page.) Brownies always lift the spirits. Especially these brownies. They're fast, easy, and foolproof." I agree!
8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter (or margarine), cut into 4 pieces
1/2 cup Dutch-process unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 extra-large eggs
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Butter an 8-by-8-inch baking pan.
In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, melt the butter with the cocoa powder, stirring continuously until the butter is just melted. Use a rubber spatula to transfer the butter mixture to a large mixing bowl and let it cool for 2 minutes. Add the sugar and vanilla and stir with a wooden spoon until combined. Add the eggs one at a time, stirring until each is well combined. Add the flour and stir just until combined. Do not overmix.
Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and bake on the center rack of the oven for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with tiny crumbs on it. Serve warm or at room temperature.
CHOCOLATE-HONEY BROWNIE BARS
This is from Kraft Recipes, and begins, “These brownies not only have honey in the batter, but are also drizzled with a luscious chocolate-honey topping for an extra-special touch.”
Prep Time: 15 minutes; Total Time: 40 minutes; Servings: 24 servings
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
3/4 cup butter
2 pkg. (4 oz. each) BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate, divided
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp. honey, divided
2 eggs
1 cup flour
Directions
Heat oven to 350°F.
Line 13x9-inch pan with foil, with ends of foil extending over sides; spray with cooking spray. Microwave butter and 6 oz. chocolate in large microwaveable bowl on HIGH 2 min. or until butter is melted. Stir until chocolate is completely melted and mixture is well blended. Add sugar and 1/2 cup honey; mix well. Blend in eggs. Add flour; stir until blended. Pour into prepared pan.
Bake 25 min. or until toothpick inserted in center comes out with fudgy crumbs. (Do not overbake.) Cool completely.
Microwave remaining chocolate and honey in microwaveable bowl on HIGH 1 min. Stir until chocolate is completely melted and mixture is well blended. Drizzle over brownie.
Refrigerate 5 min. or until chocolate is firm. Use foil handles to remove brownie from pan before cutting into bars.
GRASSHOPPER BROWNIES
This is from Yossy Arefi in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Yossy wrote, “The classic grasshopper cocktail is made from equal parts crème de menthe, crème de cacao, and heavy cream. Its mint-chocolatey flavors translate perfectly to all sorts of desserts. These decadent layered bars start with a super fudgy brownie base, which is covered with crème de menthe infused buttercream, and a shell of rich chocolate ganache tops it all off. You could certainly substitute a bit more peppermint extract (about 2 teaspoons) and skip the alcohol in the crème de menthe if you’d like to keep these more family friendly. Peppermint extract varies quite a bit in intensity by brand, which is why a range is given, so taste as you go.”
Yield: One 8-by-8-inch pan, 16 servings; Time: About 1 hour plus chilling
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
For the Brownie:
8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1/2 cup unsalted butter
2 large eggs
3/4 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup Dutch process cocoa powder
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/3 cup all purpose flour
For the Crème De Menthe Buttercream:
1/2 cup unsalted butter softened
2 tablespoons cream cheese, at room temperature
2 tablespoons crème de menthe
1/2 to 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
Pinch kosher salt
2 cups confectioner’s sugar
For the Ganache:
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate
1/4 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Pinch kosher salt
Preparation
Heat oven to 350 degrees and line the bottom and sides of an 8-by-8-inch baking dish with parchment paper or aluminum foil.
Make the brownies: In a heat-safe bowl set over a pan of simmering water, melt the 8 ounces/227 grams bittersweet chocolate and 1/2 cup/113 grams butter, stirring occasionally until smooth.
In a separate large bowl, whisk the eggs and brown sugar together, until the mixture lightens a bit in color and texture, about 1 minute. Whisk in the cocoa powder, vanilla extract and salt, followed by the chocolate and butter mixture. Fold in the flour until just combined.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake until the brownies are set and a toothpick inserted into the center has a few moist crumbs, 20 to 25 minutes. Set the pan on a rack to cool completely.
Make the buttercream: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and cream cheese together until smooth. Add the crème de menthe, 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract, and a pinch of salt and mix until smooth. Lower the mixer speed and slowly add the confectioners’ sugar. Increase the speed and beat until smooth. Taste and add more peppermint extract if desired.
Spread the buttercream over the cooled brownies, then refrigerate the brownies until the buttercream is cold and firm, about 30 minutes.
Make the ganache: Combine all of the ingredients for the ganache in a heat-safe bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Warm the mixture, stirring occasionally until it is melted and smooth. Pour the chocolate over the cooled buttercream and smooth the top with an offset spatula. Chill until the topping is set, about 30 minutes. Store the brownies in the refrigerator. For the cleanest slices make sure to remove the brownies from the pan and wipe off your knife in between cuts.
MARBLED PEANUT BUTTER BROWNIES
I'm not sure where this recipe is from; I have a sneaking suspicion it's from the infamous long-since-forgotten-emailing-list.
Makes 24 squares; Prep time: 15 minutes; Bake time: 30 minutes
No-Stick Cooking Spray
2/3 cup All-Purpose Flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup Creamy Natural Peanut Butter
1/4 cup butter, softened
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted and cooled
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Spray an 8x8-inch baking pan with no stick cooling spray; set aside.
In a mixing bowl combine the flour, baking powder and salt; set aside.
In the bowl of an electric mixer combine brown sugar, peanut butter and butter; beat until light and creamy. Add eggs and vanilla extract; beat until fluffy. Stir in flour mixture just until blended. Spread in prepared pan.
Drizzle melted chocolate over batter. Use a small sharp knife to swirl the mixtures together and marbleize. (Note: do not over-mix or swirls will blend)
Bake 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on cooling rack; cut into 24 bars.
SALTED CARAMEL BROWNIES
This comes from Julia Moskin in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Julia wrote, “The salted caramel brownie is an ingenious combination of blond, bittersweet caramel and dark, bittersweet chocolate. Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito of New York's Baked bakeries are not the first to note the affinity of caramel and chocolate, but by emphasizing the bitter, sweet and salty notes in both, they’ve made that rare thing — a perfectly balanced bite. The bittersweetness of the caramel can be easily adjusted by cooking it less (for a milder, Kraft-like taste) or more (edgier, stronger).” Yield: About 2 dozen brownies; Time: 1 1/4 hours.
To view this online, go to http://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1018161-salted-caramel-brownies.
Ingredients
For the Caramel:
1 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1/2 cup heavy cream
3/4 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
1/4 cup sour cream
For the Brownies:
2 sticks unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch cubes, more for greasing pan
1 1/4 cups/150 grams all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
11 ounces dark chocolate (60 to 72 percent cacao), coarsely chopped
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
5 eggs, at room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Coarse sugar (such as raw or turbinado) and flaky salt, for sprinkling
Preparation
Make the caramel: In a medium saucepan, combine sugar and corn syrup with 1/4 cup water. Bring to a boil and cook over high heat, stirring gently, until an instant-read thermometer reads 350 degrees or until the mixture is dark amber in color, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove from heat, slowly pour in heavy cream and salt (it will foam up) and whisk. Whisk in sour cream (it may look lumpy at first) and set aside to cool. Taste and add salt if needed to give the caramel a good balance of salty and sweet.
Make the brownies: Heat oven to 350 degrees. Use butter (or baking spray) to lightly grease a 9-x-13-inch baking pan. Line the bottom with a sheet of parchment paper, and butter or spray the parchment.
In a large bowl, whisk together flour, salt and cocoa powder.
Melt chocolate and butter together, either in the top of a double boiler set over simmering water, or in a microwave at low heat, working in 30-second bursts. Stir until chocolate and butter are melted and combined. Whisk in sugars. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
Using a sturdy whisk, add eggs one by one, whisking just until combined. Stir in vanilla.
Gently pour chocolate mixture over flour mixture. Using a spatula, fold together just until few streaks of flour are visible; do not overmix.
Pour batter into the pan and let settle. Drizzle caramel sauce over batter until batter is almost covered. (You may not use all the caramel.) On the surface, use the tip of a butter knife or icing spatula to swirl the batter and caramel together. Don’t worry if it looks messy.
Bake 30 to 40 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through the baking time. At the 30-minute mark, shake the pan gently to test for doneness. When done, the brownies will be barely set in the center and puffed, but not dry, around the edges. Remove from oven and immediately sprinkle with coarse sugar and salt.
Let cool to room temperature before cutting. After cutting, if desired, drizzle any remaining caramel over the top. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.
Friday, May 25, 2018
Friday Recipes
Finally, Friday, the end of the work week. Here are six yummy recipes to help you through the weekend, including Fettuccine with Asparagus and Flourless Black Bean Brownies. (Have I got your attention now?) Enjoy!
CREAMY WEEKNIGHT MACARONI AND CHEESE
This comes from Alison Roman in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Alison wrote, “Just as quick as the boxed variety, this creamy macaroni and cheese skirts the traditional butter and flour roux with assistance from cream cheese. While the cream cheese adds an important lusciousness, it doesn’t do the macaroni and cheese any favors when it comes to its flavor, so it’s important to use the sharpest, tangiest Cheddar you can get your hands on. For perfectly coated noodles, make sure to cook the pasta in the sauce for a minute or two.”
Yield: 4 servings; Time: 25 minutes
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 pound elbows, shells, cavatappi, farfalle, fusilli or other short, tube-shaped pasta
Kosher salt
2 cups whole milk
8 ounces cream cheese, cut into 1-inch pieces
12 ounces sharp or white Cheddar, grated
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
Freshly ground pepper
Preparation
Cook pasta in a large pot of salted water until just barely al dente; drain.
Meanwhile, bring milk up to a simmer in a large pot. (The pot should be large enough to hold all the pasta when cooked.) Reduce heat to low, add cream cheese, and whisk until it’s completely blended and no lumps remain. Add Cheddar cheese and butter, whisking until everything is completely melted. Season with salt and a generous amount of pepper.
Add cooked pasta and stir to coat. Continue to cook over medium-low heat until the sauce has thickened and is coating each piece of pasta nicely, 2 to 3 minutes; sauce will continue to thicken as it cools. Season again with more salt and pepper before serving.
FETTUCCINE WITH ASPARAGUS
This comes from Pierre Franey in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Pierre wrote, “Finding a 30-minute dish that's elegant enough for a dinner party is no simple task, but this warm-weather pasta is one to fit the bill. It is gleefully easy to put together. Just toss slices of blanched asparagus with a tangle of cooked fettuccine slicked with butter. Shower with grated Parmesan and serve.” Yield: 4 servings; Time: 25 minutes.
Not sure how to cook asparagus? Read ”How to Cook Asparagus”, David Tanis’s guide to cooking this wonderful vegetable. (David Tanis writes The New York Times’s City Kitchen column. Many of his recipes are posted in the Times’s cooking e-newsletter.)
To view Pierre Franey’s Fettuccine with Asparagus recipe online, click here.
Ingredients
6 fresh asparagus spears, about 1/2 pound
10 ounces fresh fettuccine or 3/4 pound dried fettuccine
2 tablespoons butter
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil or parsley
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Freshly ground pepper and salt to taste
Preparation
Bring a large pot of salted water to boil.
Cut off tough ends of asparagus spears. Cut each on the bias into 1-inch lengths. There should be about 1 1/2 cups. Rinse well and drain.
Add the asparagus to the boiling water and cook about 2 minutes. Remove asparagus with a slotted spoon and set aside.
Drop the fettuccine into salted boiling water. Let cook to desired degree of doneness (cooking time will range from about 2 to 2 1/2 minutes for fresh pasta to 9 minutes or more for dried). Reserve 2 tablespoons cooking water. Drain the pasta.
Heat the butter in the pot in which the pasta was cooked. Add the asparagus pieces and the fettuccine. Add salt, pepper and nutmeg. Add the reserved 2 tablespoons of cooking water and basil. Toss to blend. Serve hot with Parmesan cheese on the side.
COCONUT RICE
This is from Tejal Rao in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. The recipe begins, “Coconut milk lends rice both fat and sweetness, making it a richer, more mellow side than plain rice. To make it, simply replace half of the cooking water with coconut milk. It becomes a meal if you serve it with a fried egg, finely sliced pickled chiles with a little of their pickling liquid and some crushed peanuts. And if you wanted to turn it into dessert, serving it with ripe fruit like cut mango on top, you could stick to the recipe below, but bump the sugar up to 2 tablespoons.”
Yield: 3 to 4 servings; Time: 35 minutes
To view this recipe online, click here.
LEARN: How to Make Rice
Ingredients
1 cup long-grain white rice, such as jasmine
3/4 cup coconut milk
1 scant tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
3/4 cup water
Preparation
Rinse the rice a few times, until the water that drains away runs almost completely clear.
Put in a medium, heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat with coconut milk, water, sugar and salt. When the liquid comes up to a boil, give it a good stir, scraping the bottom of the pot. Cover the pot and turn the heat down to low.
Cook for 15 minutes, then turn off the heat and let the rice rest for 10 minutes. Mix gently with a flexible rubber spatula. Taste, season with salt and serve.
SWEET POTATO & BLACK BEAN ENCHILADAS
This comes from the December 2011 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 59. The recipes starts off, “Right from the start, the originality and flavor profile of this recipe made it a standout for VT taste testers. 'My wife and I eat this dish a lot in the fall and winter months. We make it when we're having guests (vegetarian and not) because we know everyone will enjoy it,' explains James McNulty. 'It can be made the night before and it travels well, so it's great for a potluck or a holiday party.'” Serves 8 (makes 16 enchiladas)
To view this online, click here.
Sauce
1 15-oz. can tomato sauce
1 3/4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
1 tsp. ancho chile powder
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. chipotle chile powder
Filling
1 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil
1 small onion, diced (1 cup)
1 1/2 lb. sweet potatoes, peeled and diced (3 cups)
1 15-oz. can diced tomatoes, drained
1 16-oz. jar prepared medium salsa
2 cloves garlic, minced (2 tsp.)
1 chipotle chile in adobo sauce, drained and minced
1 15-oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 12-oz. round queso fresco, divided
Enchiladas
extra virgin olive oil, for brushing baking dish
16 6-inch corn tortillas, warmed
2 limes, cut into wedges
1 avocado, sliced
<br />1/2 cup sour cream, for garnish
Cilantro sprigs, for garnish, optional
To make Sauce: Bring all ingredients to a simmer in saucepan over medium heat. Whisk to combine, then remove from heat. Season with salt and pepper, if desired.
To make Filling: Heat oil in separate saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, and sauté 3 to 5 minutes, or until soft. Add sweet potatoes, tomatoes, salsa, garlic, chipotle chile, and 1/2 cup water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 30 to 40 minutes, or until sweet potatoes are soft. Mash mixture with potato masher until combined. Add black beans, and cook 5 minutes. Stir in half of queso fresco, and remove from heat.
To assemble Enchiladas: Preheat oven to 350ºF. Brush 13- x 9-inch baking dish with oil. Spread 1/2 cup Sauce in bottom of dish. Fill tortillas with Filling. Roll, and pack close together seam-side down in baking dish. Top with remaining Sauce and queso fresco. Bake 15 minutes.
Adjust oven to broil. Broil Enchiladas 5 minutes, or until cheese is browned and bubbly. Let rest 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with lime wedges, avocado slices, sour cream, and cilantro sprigs, if using.
nutritional information Per Serving (2 enchiladas): Calories: 435; Protein: 13 g; Total Fat: 15 g; Saturated Fat: 5 g; Carbohydrates: 65 g; Cholesterol: 20 mg; Sodium: 963 mg; Fiber: 11 g; Sugar: 11 g; Gluten-Free
FLOURLESS BLACK BEAN BROWNIES
This recipe comes from Kaleigh McMordie, MCN, RDN, LD, who, besides running her own site (Lively Table), writes on VeryWellFit.
For this recipe, Kaleigh wrote, “If you have a sweet tooth, you may be used to eating dessert most days. Sometimes fruit or a fruit salad will do for a light dessert. Other days, you just need a brownie.
“Baked goods like brownies are often high in sodium, even though they don’t taste salty. Between leaveners like baking soda and baking powder, salted butter, and added salt, brownies and other baked goods can be sneaky sources of sodium! If you bake your own brownies at home, you can control the amount of sodium-containing ingredients for a better alternative.
“The secret to these flourless brownies is a can of low sodium black beans.Before you write them off, give them a try! Blending up black beans in a high-powered blender or food processor makes them nice and smooth, and when baked into brownies, gives them a nice chewy texture without any flour. They also add in extra fiber, iron, and folate.”
Total Time: 35 minutes; Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 25 minutes; Servings: 16 (2-inch square each).
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 (15 ounce) can low sodium black beans, drained and rinsed
2 large eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon instant coffee granules
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup chopped dark chocolate, melted and slightly cooled
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips or chunks
Preparation
Heat oven to 350F. Line an 8x8" baking dish with parchment or spray with oil.
Blend all ingredients except for unmelted chocolate in a high powered blender until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes.
Stir in chocolate and pour into prepared pan. Bake 20 to 25 minutes.
Ingredient Variations and Substitutions
Use all chocolate chips if you don’t have a dark chocolate bar.
Cocoa powder, melted dark chocolate, and chocolate chips gives these brownies lots of rich chocolate flavor with a little boost from coffee granules.
If you don’t have the coffee granules don’t worry—you can leave them out and you’ll still have delicious chocolatey brownies!
Cooking and Serving Tips
Avoid over-cooking—the designated time should be just about enough, but you can check before removing from the oven. Brownies shouldn't be overly dry.
Store leftovers in the refrigerator and heat for 20 to 30 seconds in the microwave before serving.
LEMON SPIKED GARLIC GREENS
Recipe Yield: Yield: 4 Servings
Source: 1,001 Delicious Recipes for People with Diabetes
Book Title: 1,001 Delicious Recipes for People with Diabetes
View online at https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipe/lemon-spiked-garlic-greens.
Ingredients
Garlic-flavored vegetable cooking spray
1/3 cup finely chopped onion
4 cloves garlic, minced
1-1/2 pounds greens, washed, stems removed, coarsely chopped
1/3 cup water
1-2 tablespoons lemon juice
Salt and pepper, to taste
Directions
Spray large saucepan with cooking spray; heat over medium heat until hot. Saute onion and garlic until tender, 3 to 4 minutes.
Add greens and water to saucepan; heat to boiling. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, until greens are wilted and tender, about 5 to 8 minutes, adding more water if necessary. Season to taste with lemon juice, salt and pepper.
Notes:
Kale, collard, turnip, or beet greens are excellent choices for this quick-and-easy healthy vegetable.
Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 58; Fat: 1.7 g; Sodium: 43 mg; Cholesterol: 53.3 mg; Protein: 5.9 g; Carbohydrates: 7 g
Diabetic Exchanges: 2 Vegetable
CREAMY WEEKNIGHT MACARONI AND CHEESE
This comes from Alison Roman in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Alison wrote, “Just as quick as the boxed variety, this creamy macaroni and cheese skirts the traditional butter and flour roux with assistance from cream cheese. While the cream cheese adds an important lusciousness, it doesn’t do the macaroni and cheese any favors when it comes to its flavor, so it’s important to use the sharpest, tangiest Cheddar you can get your hands on. For perfectly coated noodles, make sure to cook the pasta in the sauce for a minute or two.”
Yield: 4 servings; Time: 25 minutes
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 pound elbows, shells, cavatappi, farfalle, fusilli or other short, tube-shaped pasta
Kosher salt
2 cups whole milk
8 ounces cream cheese, cut into 1-inch pieces
12 ounces sharp or white Cheddar, grated
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
Freshly ground pepper
Preparation
Cook pasta in a large pot of salted water until just barely al dente; drain.
Meanwhile, bring milk up to a simmer in a large pot. (The pot should be large enough to hold all the pasta when cooked.) Reduce heat to low, add cream cheese, and whisk until it’s completely blended and no lumps remain. Add Cheddar cheese and butter, whisking until everything is completely melted. Season with salt and a generous amount of pepper.
Add cooked pasta and stir to coat. Continue to cook over medium-low heat until the sauce has thickened and is coating each piece of pasta nicely, 2 to 3 minutes; sauce will continue to thicken as it cools. Season again with more salt and pepper before serving.
FETTUCCINE WITH ASPARAGUS
This comes from Pierre Franey in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Pierre wrote, “Finding a 30-minute dish that's elegant enough for a dinner party is no simple task, but this warm-weather pasta is one to fit the bill. It is gleefully easy to put together. Just toss slices of blanched asparagus with a tangle of cooked fettuccine slicked with butter. Shower with grated Parmesan and serve.” Yield: 4 servings; Time: 25 minutes.
Not sure how to cook asparagus? Read ”How to Cook Asparagus”, David Tanis’s guide to cooking this wonderful vegetable. (David Tanis writes The New York Times’s City Kitchen column. Many of his recipes are posted in the Times’s cooking e-newsletter.)
To view Pierre Franey’s Fettuccine with Asparagus recipe online, click here.
Ingredients
6 fresh asparagus spears, about 1/2 pound
10 ounces fresh fettuccine or 3/4 pound dried fettuccine
2 tablespoons butter
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil or parsley
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Freshly ground pepper and salt to taste
Preparation
Bring a large pot of salted water to boil.
Cut off tough ends of asparagus spears. Cut each on the bias into 1-inch lengths. There should be about 1 1/2 cups. Rinse well and drain.
Add the asparagus to the boiling water and cook about 2 minutes. Remove asparagus with a slotted spoon and set aside.
Drop the fettuccine into salted boiling water. Let cook to desired degree of doneness (cooking time will range from about 2 to 2 1/2 minutes for fresh pasta to 9 minutes or more for dried). Reserve 2 tablespoons cooking water. Drain the pasta.
Heat the butter in the pot in which the pasta was cooked. Add the asparagus pieces and the fettuccine. Add salt, pepper and nutmeg. Add the reserved 2 tablespoons of cooking water and basil. Toss to blend. Serve hot with Parmesan cheese on the side.
COCONUT RICE
This is from Tejal Rao in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. The recipe begins, “Coconut milk lends rice both fat and sweetness, making it a richer, more mellow side than plain rice. To make it, simply replace half of the cooking water with coconut milk. It becomes a meal if you serve it with a fried egg, finely sliced pickled chiles with a little of their pickling liquid and some crushed peanuts. And if you wanted to turn it into dessert, serving it with ripe fruit like cut mango on top, you could stick to the recipe below, but bump the sugar up to 2 tablespoons.”
Yield: 3 to 4 servings; Time: 35 minutes
To view this recipe online, click here.
LEARN: How to Make Rice
Ingredients
1 cup long-grain white rice, such as jasmine
3/4 cup coconut milk
1 scant tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
3/4 cup water
Preparation
Rinse the rice a few times, until the water that drains away runs almost completely clear.
Put in a medium, heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat with coconut milk, water, sugar and salt. When the liquid comes up to a boil, give it a good stir, scraping the bottom of the pot. Cover the pot and turn the heat down to low.
Cook for 15 minutes, then turn off the heat and let the rice rest for 10 minutes. Mix gently with a flexible rubber spatula. Taste, season with salt and serve.
SWEET POTATO & BLACK BEAN ENCHILADAS
This comes from the December 2011 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 59. The recipes starts off, “Right from the start, the originality and flavor profile of this recipe made it a standout for VT taste testers. 'My wife and I eat this dish a lot in the fall and winter months. We make it when we're having guests (vegetarian and not) because we know everyone will enjoy it,' explains James McNulty. 'It can be made the night before and it travels well, so it's great for a potluck or a holiday party.'” Serves 8 (makes 16 enchiladas)
To view this online, click here.
Sauce
1 15-oz. can tomato sauce
1 3/4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
1 tsp. ancho chile powder
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. chipotle chile powder
Filling
1 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil
1 small onion, diced (1 cup)
1 1/2 lb. sweet potatoes, peeled and diced (3 cups)
1 15-oz. can diced tomatoes, drained
1 16-oz. jar prepared medium salsa
2 cloves garlic, minced (2 tsp.)
1 chipotle chile in adobo sauce, drained and minced
1 15-oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 12-oz. round queso fresco, divided
Enchiladas
extra virgin olive oil, for brushing baking dish
16 6-inch corn tortillas, warmed
2 limes, cut into wedges
1 avocado, sliced
<br />1/2 cup sour cream, for garnish
Cilantro sprigs, for garnish, optional
To make Sauce: Bring all ingredients to a simmer in saucepan over medium heat. Whisk to combine, then remove from heat. Season with salt and pepper, if desired.
To make Filling: Heat oil in separate saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, and sauté 3 to 5 minutes, or until soft. Add sweet potatoes, tomatoes, salsa, garlic, chipotle chile, and 1/2 cup water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 30 to 40 minutes, or until sweet potatoes are soft. Mash mixture with potato masher until combined. Add black beans, and cook 5 minutes. Stir in half of queso fresco, and remove from heat.
To assemble Enchiladas: Preheat oven to 350ºF. Brush 13- x 9-inch baking dish with oil. Spread 1/2 cup Sauce in bottom of dish. Fill tortillas with Filling. Roll, and pack close together seam-side down in baking dish. Top with remaining Sauce and queso fresco. Bake 15 minutes.
Adjust oven to broil. Broil Enchiladas 5 minutes, or until cheese is browned and bubbly. Let rest 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with lime wedges, avocado slices, sour cream, and cilantro sprigs, if using.
nutritional information Per Serving (2 enchiladas): Calories: 435; Protein: 13 g; Total Fat: 15 g; Saturated Fat: 5 g; Carbohydrates: 65 g; Cholesterol: 20 mg; Sodium: 963 mg; Fiber: 11 g; Sugar: 11 g; Gluten-Free
FLOURLESS BLACK BEAN BROWNIES
This recipe comes from Kaleigh McMordie, MCN, RDN, LD, who, besides running her own site (Lively Table), writes on VeryWellFit.
For this recipe, Kaleigh wrote, “If you have a sweet tooth, you may be used to eating dessert most days. Sometimes fruit or a fruit salad will do for a light dessert. Other days, you just need a brownie.
“Baked goods like brownies are often high in sodium, even though they don’t taste salty. Between leaveners like baking soda and baking powder, salted butter, and added salt, brownies and other baked goods can be sneaky sources of sodium! If you bake your own brownies at home, you can control the amount of sodium-containing ingredients for a better alternative.
“The secret to these flourless brownies is a can of low sodium black beans.Before you write them off, give them a try! Blending up black beans in a high-powered blender or food processor makes them nice and smooth, and when baked into brownies, gives them a nice chewy texture without any flour. They also add in extra fiber, iron, and folate.”
Total Time: 35 minutes; Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 25 minutes; Servings: 16 (2-inch square each).
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 (15 ounce) can low sodium black beans, drained and rinsed
2 large eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon instant coffee granules
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup chopped dark chocolate, melted and slightly cooled
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips or chunks
Preparation
Heat oven to 350F. Line an 8x8" baking dish with parchment or spray with oil.
Blend all ingredients except for unmelted chocolate in a high powered blender until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes.
Stir in chocolate and pour into prepared pan. Bake 20 to 25 minutes.
Ingredient Variations and Substitutions
Use all chocolate chips if you don’t have a dark chocolate bar.
Cocoa powder, melted dark chocolate, and chocolate chips gives these brownies lots of rich chocolate flavor with a little boost from coffee granules.
If you don’t have the coffee granules don’t worry—you can leave them out and you’ll still have delicious chocolatey brownies!
Cooking and Serving Tips
Avoid over-cooking—the designated time should be just about enough, but you can check before removing from the oven. Brownies shouldn't be overly dry.
Store leftovers in the refrigerator and heat for 20 to 30 seconds in the microwave before serving.
LEMON SPIKED GARLIC GREENS
Recipe Yield: Yield: 4 Servings
Source: 1,001 Delicious Recipes for People with Diabetes
Book Title: 1,001 Delicious Recipes for People with Diabetes
View online at https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipe/lemon-spiked-garlic-greens.
Ingredients
Garlic-flavored vegetable cooking spray
1/3 cup finely chopped onion
4 cloves garlic, minced
1-1/2 pounds greens, washed, stems removed, coarsely chopped
1/3 cup water
1-2 tablespoons lemon juice
Salt and pepper, to taste
Directions
Spray large saucepan with cooking spray; heat over medium heat until hot. Saute onion and garlic until tender, 3 to 4 minutes.
Add greens and water to saucepan; heat to boiling. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, until greens are wilted and tender, about 5 to 8 minutes, adding more water if necessary. Season to taste with lemon juice, salt and pepper.
Notes:
Kale, collard, turnip, or beet greens are excellent choices for this quick-and-easy healthy vegetable.
Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 58; Fat: 1.7 g; Sodium: 43 mg; Cholesterol: 53.3 mg; Protein: 5.9 g; Carbohydrates: 7 g
Diabetic Exchanges: 2 Vegetable
Monday, May 14, 2018
Monday Recipes
It's Monday, time to get started for the work week. Today's six yummy recipes include Vegan Lasagna and Flourless Black Bean Brownies. Enjoy!
BANANA RUM VEGAN CHEESECAKE WITH MAPLE RUM SAUCE
This is also from Jolinda Hackett, who writes, “This gourmet banana rum vegan cheesecake with maple rum sauce has several steps, but the bananas, pecan crust and rum sauce can all be prepared in advance. Then, the only thing left is to blend the vegan cream cheese and the other ingredients and bake. Easy! If you're looking for a gourmet vegan cheesecake recipe, this is the one to try.”
Ingredients
4 very ripe bananas
16 ounces nondairy cream cheese
3/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup dark rum
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
Prepared pecan pie crust (recipe follows)
Prepared maple rum sauce (recipe follows)
Toasted pecan halves for garnish
Preparation
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.Place 4 large, very ripe, unpeeled bananas on a roasting pan and roast for 15-20 minutes, until bananas are soft and skin turns dark brown. Let bananas cool to room temperature in the pan in their skins.
Turn oven up to 400 degrees.
Peel the roasted bananas and remove any obvious strings. Puree bananas in a food processor until very smooth. Add nondairy cream cheese, brown sugar, cinnamon, rum, cornstarch and salt then pulse until smooth, scraping sides of bowl periodically. Do not overprocess or cream cheese will separate and curdle.
Pour the filling into the prepared pecan pie crust and bake at 400 for 10 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350 and bake another 35-45 minutes, until the top is the color of light brown sugar and center is set. A toothpick inserted in center should come out clean.
Let cheesecake cool to room temperature on a rack for at least 1 hour, then cover with plastic wrap and chill in refrigerator at least 3 hours, preferably overnight.
Drizzle with prepared maple rum sauce just before serving and garnish with extra toasted pecan halves.
PECAN PIE CRUST
Jolinda Hackett's pecan pie crust can be used for either cheesecake or as a regular pie crust, and can be viewed online here.
Ingredients
1 cup pecan nut flour (see instructions below)
1/2 cup spelt flour (white or whole wheat )
1 tablespoon firmly packed light brown sugar
4 Tbsp vegan margarine, partially melted
1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
Pinch of sea salt
Preparation
Note: To make pecan nut flour, freeze the nuts overnight, then place in a food processor and pulse until finely ground. Freezing the nuts prevents them from turning into nut butter when you process them.pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.
Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix until well combined and incorporated.
Press the mixture into a 9-inch springform pan and put in freezer for 5 minutes.
Bake for 8-10 minutes, until crust is a little dry and edges are light golden. Let cool completely before using in a recipe.
VEGAN MAPLE RUM SAUCE RECIPE
Jolinda wrote, “Use this vegan maple rum sauce recipe to drizzle on top of a banana rum cheesecake or on top of ice cream or chocolate brownies.Yum!” To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 cup real maple syrup (grade B organic is best in this recipe)
4 tablespoons Earth Balance vegan butter
Sea salt
1 tablespoon dark rum
Preparation
In a small saucepan, combine maple syrup, vegan butter, and sea salt to taste and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring frequently, until sauce has thickened slightly, about 10 minutes.
Remove from heat and stir in rum, stirring carefully, as sauce will bubble up a bit. Let cool for a few minutes then taste and add more salt if necessary.
Cool to room temperature, then transfer to a squeeze bottle.If not using immediately, the sauce can be rewarmed by putting the bottle in a pan of hot water off the heat.
VEGAN LASAGNA
This comes from Lena Abraham on Delish, and begins, “A lasagna you can feel good about.”
Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes; Prep Time: 15 minutes; Level: Easy; Serves: 10-12
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
For the Lasagna
1 box lasagna noodles
1 (14-oz) package firm tofu, drained
kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp. dried oregano, divided
1 (8-oz) package baby bella mushrooms, sliced
2 (10-oz) packages frozen spinach, thawed and drained of excess liquid
For the White Sauce
1/4 c. olive oil
1/4 c. all-purpose flour
2 1/2 c. almond milk (or other non-dairy milk)
2 tbsp. nutritional yeast
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 c. marinara
3 tomatoes, thinly sliced
1/4 c. thinly sliced basil, for garnish
Directions
Preheat oven to 350º. Bring a large pot of salted boiling water to a boil and cook lasagna noodles until al dente. Drain.
Wrap tofu in a clean kitchen cloth or paper towels and place on a large plate. Place a pan or heavy plate on top of tofu in order to press out as much liquid as possible. Let sit for at least 30 minutes. When drained, crumble with two forks and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
In a large skillet over medium heat, heat oil. Add onion and garlic and season with salt, pepper, and 1 tsp oregano. Add mushrooms and cook until softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in thawed and drained spinach until completely combined. Remove from heat and set aside vegetables.
Wipe out skillet and return to medium heat to make white sauce: Add olive oil and heat until shimmering but not smoking. Add flour and whisk to combine. Cook until lightly golden and nutty, 1 to 2 minutes. Whisk in nut milk until smooth. Stir in nutritional yeast and garlic powder and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer and let cook until thickened, 8 to 10 minutes.
Build lasagna: In a large baking dish, spoon 1/4 c marinara into an even layer, then add a layer of noodles. Top with an even layer of vegetable mixture, tofu, marinara, and white sauce. Repeat until all ingredients are used, ending in marinara. Add a single layer of tomato rounds and season with salt, pepper and remaining oregano.
Bake 35 to 40 minutes, until tomatoes are cooked and lasagna is heated through. Remove from oven and let cool slightly. Garnish with basil and serve.
STUFFED SHELLS I
This is from SallyJun at AllRecipes. SallyJun wrote, "Jumbo macaroni shells stuffed with cheese mixture, covered with sauce, and baked."
Prep: 25 m; Cook: 25 m; Ready In: 50 m
View this online here.
Ingredients
1 (16 ounce) package jumbo pasta shells
4 cups large curd cottage cheese
12 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 pinch garlic powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1 (26 ounce) jar spaghetti sauce
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Directions
Cook shells according to package directions. Place in cold water to stop cooking. Drain.
Mix together cottage cheese, mozzarella cheese, 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, eggs, and garlic powder. Rub the dried herbs in the palms of your hands to pulverize them, and stir into the cheese mixture. Stuff mixture into the shells.
Spread 1/3 of spaghetti sauce in the bottom of a 15 x 10 inch pan. Place shells open side up, and close together in pan. Spread remaining sauce over top, and sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese.
Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 25 to 35 minutes, or until bubbly. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.
FLOURLESS BLACK BEAN BROWNIES
This recipe comes from Kaleigh McMordie, MCN, RDN, LD, who, besides running her own site (Lively Table), writes on VeryWellFit.
For this recipe, Kaleigh wrote, “If you have a sweet tooth, you may be used to eating dessert most days. Sometimes fruit or a fruit salad will do for a light dessert. Other days, you just need a brownie.
“Baked goods like brownies are often high in sodium, even though they don’t taste salty. Between leaveners like baking soda and baking powder, salted butter, and added salt, brownies and other baked goods can be sneaky sources of sodium! If you bake your own brownies at home, you can control the amount of sodium-containing ingredients for a better alternative.
“The secret to these flourless brownies is a can of low sodium black beans.Before you write them off, give them a try! Blending up black beans in a high-powered blender or food processor makes them nice and smooth, and when baked into brownies, gives them a nice chewy texture without any flour. They also add in extra fiber, iron, and folate.”
Total Time: 35 minutes; Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 25 minutes; Servings: 16 (2-inch square each).
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 (15 ounce) can low sodium black beans, drained and rinsed
2 large eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon instant coffee granules
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup chopped dark chocolate, melted and slightly cooled
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips or chunks
Preparation
Heat oven to 350F. Line an 8x8" baking dish with parchment or spray with oil.
Blend all ingredients except for unmelted chocolate in a high powered blender until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes.
Stir in chocolate and pour into prepared pan. Bake 20 to 25 minutes.
Ingredient Variations and Substitutions
Use all chocolate chips if you don’t have a dark chocolate bar.
Cocoa powder, melted dark chocolate, and chocolate chips gives these brownies lots of rich chocolate flavor with a little boost from coffee granules.
If you don’t have the coffee granules don’t worry—you can leave them out and you’ll still have delicious chocolatey brownies!
Cooking and Serving Tips
Avoid over-cooking—the designated time should be just about enough, but you can check before removing from the oven. Brownies shouldn't be overly dry.
Store leftovers in the refrigerator and heat for 20 to 30 seconds in the microwave before serving.
CLASSIC BAKED MACARONI AND CHEESE
This comes from Alison Roman in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Alison wrote, “Think Stouffer's without the freezer. While it can be enjoyed straight from the pot, this macaroni and cheese has a slightly looser sauce than the stovetop variety to allow for thickening in the oven. Bread crumbs, while optional, make it truly spectacular.”
Yield: 4 to 6 servings; Time: about 1 hour
To view this online at the Times’ website, click here.
Ingredients
For the Macaroni and Cheese:
1 pound elbows, shells, cavatappi, farfalle, fusilli or other short, tube-shaped pasta
Kosher salt
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
4 cups whole milk
1 clove garlic, finely grated
1 teaspoon smoked or hot paprika
Freshly ground pepper
12 ounces sharp or white Cheddar cheese, grated
12 ounces fontina or Gruyère, grated
For the Topping (Optional):
1 cup coarse bread crumbs or panko
4 tablespoons melted butter or olive oil
1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
Preparation
Cook pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water until it’s barely al dente. (It should be more al dente than your average pasta: It’s going to continue to cook in the oven.) Drain and set aside.
Meanwhile, heat butter in a medium pot over medium heat. (The pot should be large enough to hold all the pasta when cooked.) Whisk in flour and cook, whisking constantly, until the flour is foamy and just starting to turn a light golden brown, about 4 minutes. Slowly whisk in milk to avoid clumping. Add garlic, paprika and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer, whisking constantly and paying special attention to the edges of the pot to make sure the flour mixture is totally incorporated.
Add grated cheese and whisk to blend until the cheese is completely melted. (The sauce will seem thick at first and thin out as the cheese melts; it will thicken while it bakes.) Season with salt and pepper and add cooked pasta, stirring to coat well.
Heat oven to 425 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil (to catch any cheesy drips).
Make the optional topping: Combine bread crumbs, melted butter and Parmesan, if using, in a medium bowl. Season with salt and pepper and, using your hands, mix well to ensure the bread crumbs are evenly coated.
Transfer the macaroni and cheese mixture to a 2-quart baking dish and scatter bread crumbs, if using, evenly over the top. Place on prepared baking sheet and bake until macaroni and cheese is bubbling, thickened and creamy, and bread crumbs are evenly golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool slightly before serving.
BANANA RUM VEGAN CHEESECAKE WITH MAPLE RUM SAUCE
This is also from Jolinda Hackett, who writes, “This gourmet banana rum vegan cheesecake with maple rum sauce has several steps, but the bananas, pecan crust and rum sauce can all be prepared in advance. Then, the only thing left is to blend the vegan cream cheese and the other ingredients and bake. Easy! If you're looking for a gourmet vegan cheesecake recipe, this is the one to try.”
Ingredients
4 very ripe bananas
16 ounces nondairy cream cheese
3/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup dark rum
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
Prepared pecan pie crust (recipe follows)
Prepared maple rum sauce (recipe follows)
Toasted pecan halves for garnish
Preparation
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.Place 4 large, very ripe, unpeeled bananas on a roasting pan and roast for 15-20 minutes, until bananas are soft and skin turns dark brown. Let bananas cool to room temperature in the pan in their skins.
Turn oven up to 400 degrees.
Peel the roasted bananas and remove any obvious strings. Puree bananas in a food processor until very smooth. Add nondairy cream cheese, brown sugar, cinnamon, rum, cornstarch and salt then pulse until smooth, scraping sides of bowl periodically. Do not overprocess or cream cheese will separate and curdle.
Pour the filling into the prepared pecan pie crust and bake at 400 for 10 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350 and bake another 35-45 minutes, until the top is the color of light brown sugar and center is set. A toothpick inserted in center should come out clean.
Let cheesecake cool to room temperature on a rack for at least 1 hour, then cover with plastic wrap and chill in refrigerator at least 3 hours, preferably overnight.
Drizzle with prepared maple rum sauce just before serving and garnish with extra toasted pecan halves.
PECAN PIE CRUST
Jolinda Hackett's pecan pie crust can be used for either cheesecake or as a regular pie crust, and can be viewed online here.
Ingredients
1 cup pecan nut flour (see instructions below)
1/2 cup spelt flour (white or whole wheat )
1 tablespoon firmly packed light brown sugar
4 Tbsp vegan margarine, partially melted
1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
Pinch of sea salt
Preparation
Note: To make pecan nut flour, freeze the nuts overnight, then place in a food processor and pulse until finely ground. Freezing the nuts prevents them from turning into nut butter when you process them.pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.
Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix until well combined and incorporated.
Press the mixture into a 9-inch springform pan and put in freezer for 5 minutes.
Bake for 8-10 minutes, until crust is a little dry and edges are light golden. Let cool completely before using in a recipe.
VEGAN MAPLE RUM SAUCE RECIPE
Jolinda wrote, “Use this vegan maple rum sauce recipe to drizzle on top of a banana rum cheesecake or on top of ice cream or chocolate brownies.Yum!” To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 cup real maple syrup (grade B organic is best in this recipe)
4 tablespoons Earth Balance vegan butter
Sea salt
1 tablespoon dark rum
Preparation
In a small saucepan, combine maple syrup, vegan butter, and sea salt to taste and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring frequently, until sauce has thickened slightly, about 10 minutes.
Remove from heat and stir in rum, stirring carefully, as sauce will bubble up a bit. Let cool for a few minutes then taste and add more salt if necessary.
Cool to room temperature, then transfer to a squeeze bottle.If not using immediately, the sauce can be rewarmed by putting the bottle in a pan of hot water off the heat.
VEGAN LASAGNA
This comes from Lena Abraham on Delish, and begins, “A lasagna you can feel good about.”
Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes; Prep Time: 15 minutes; Level: Easy; Serves: 10-12
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
For the Lasagna
1 box lasagna noodles
1 (14-oz) package firm tofu, drained
kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp. dried oregano, divided
1 (8-oz) package baby bella mushrooms, sliced
2 (10-oz) packages frozen spinach, thawed and drained of excess liquid
For the White Sauce
1/4 c. olive oil
1/4 c. all-purpose flour
2 1/2 c. almond milk (or other non-dairy milk)
2 tbsp. nutritional yeast
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 c. marinara
3 tomatoes, thinly sliced
1/4 c. thinly sliced basil, for garnish
Directions
Preheat oven to 350º. Bring a large pot of salted boiling water to a boil and cook lasagna noodles until al dente. Drain.
Wrap tofu in a clean kitchen cloth or paper towels and place on a large plate. Place a pan or heavy plate on top of tofu in order to press out as much liquid as possible. Let sit for at least 30 minutes. When drained, crumble with two forks and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
In a large skillet over medium heat, heat oil. Add onion and garlic and season with salt, pepper, and 1 tsp oregano. Add mushrooms and cook until softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in thawed and drained spinach until completely combined. Remove from heat and set aside vegetables.
Wipe out skillet and return to medium heat to make white sauce: Add olive oil and heat until shimmering but not smoking. Add flour and whisk to combine. Cook until lightly golden and nutty, 1 to 2 minutes. Whisk in nut milk until smooth. Stir in nutritional yeast and garlic powder and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer and let cook until thickened, 8 to 10 minutes.
Build lasagna: In a large baking dish, spoon 1/4 c marinara into an even layer, then add a layer of noodles. Top with an even layer of vegetable mixture, tofu, marinara, and white sauce. Repeat until all ingredients are used, ending in marinara. Add a single layer of tomato rounds and season with salt, pepper and remaining oregano.
Bake 35 to 40 minutes, until tomatoes are cooked and lasagna is heated through. Remove from oven and let cool slightly. Garnish with basil and serve.
STUFFED SHELLS I
This is from SallyJun at AllRecipes. SallyJun wrote, "Jumbo macaroni shells stuffed with cheese mixture, covered with sauce, and baked."
Prep: 25 m; Cook: 25 m; Ready In: 50 m
View this online here.
Ingredients
1 (16 ounce) package jumbo pasta shells
4 cups large curd cottage cheese
12 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 pinch garlic powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1 (26 ounce) jar spaghetti sauce
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Directions
Cook shells according to package directions. Place in cold water to stop cooking. Drain.
Mix together cottage cheese, mozzarella cheese, 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, eggs, and garlic powder. Rub the dried herbs in the palms of your hands to pulverize them, and stir into the cheese mixture. Stuff mixture into the shells.
Spread 1/3 of spaghetti sauce in the bottom of a 15 x 10 inch pan. Place shells open side up, and close together in pan. Spread remaining sauce over top, and sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese.
Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 25 to 35 minutes, or until bubbly. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.
FLOURLESS BLACK BEAN BROWNIES
This recipe comes from Kaleigh McMordie, MCN, RDN, LD, who, besides running her own site (Lively Table), writes on VeryWellFit.
For this recipe, Kaleigh wrote, “If you have a sweet tooth, you may be used to eating dessert most days. Sometimes fruit or a fruit salad will do for a light dessert. Other days, you just need a brownie.
“Baked goods like brownies are often high in sodium, even though they don’t taste salty. Between leaveners like baking soda and baking powder, salted butter, and added salt, brownies and other baked goods can be sneaky sources of sodium! If you bake your own brownies at home, you can control the amount of sodium-containing ingredients for a better alternative.
“The secret to these flourless brownies is a can of low sodium black beans.Before you write them off, give them a try! Blending up black beans in a high-powered blender or food processor makes them nice and smooth, and when baked into brownies, gives them a nice chewy texture without any flour. They also add in extra fiber, iron, and folate.”
Total Time: 35 minutes; Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 25 minutes; Servings: 16 (2-inch square each).
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 (15 ounce) can low sodium black beans, drained and rinsed
2 large eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon instant coffee granules
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup chopped dark chocolate, melted and slightly cooled
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips or chunks
Preparation
Heat oven to 350F. Line an 8x8" baking dish with parchment or spray with oil.
Blend all ingredients except for unmelted chocolate in a high powered blender until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes.
Stir in chocolate and pour into prepared pan. Bake 20 to 25 minutes.
Ingredient Variations and Substitutions
Use all chocolate chips if you don’t have a dark chocolate bar.
Cocoa powder, melted dark chocolate, and chocolate chips gives these brownies lots of rich chocolate flavor with a little boost from coffee granules.
If you don’t have the coffee granules don’t worry—you can leave them out and you’ll still have delicious chocolatey brownies!
Cooking and Serving Tips
Avoid over-cooking—the designated time should be just about enough, but you can check before removing from the oven. Brownies shouldn't be overly dry.
Store leftovers in the refrigerator and heat for 20 to 30 seconds in the microwave before serving.
CLASSIC BAKED MACARONI AND CHEESE
This comes from Alison Roman in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Alison wrote, “Think Stouffer's without the freezer. While it can be enjoyed straight from the pot, this macaroni and cheese has a slightly looser sauce than the stovetop variety to allow for thickening in the oven. Bread crumbs, while optional, make it truly spectacular.”
Yield: 4 to 6 servings; Time: about 1 hour
To view this online at the Times’ website, click here.
Ingredients
For the Macaroni and Cheese:
1 pound elbows, shells, cavatappi, farfalle, fusilli or other short, tube-shaped pasta
Kosher salt
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
4 cups whole milk
1 clove garlic, finely grated
1 teaspoon smoked or hot paprika
Freshly ground pepper
12 ounces sharp or white Cheddar cheese, grated
12 ounces fontina or Gruyère, grated
For the Topping (Optional):
1 cup coarse bread crumbs or panko
4 tablespoons melted butter or olive oil
1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
Preparation
Cook pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water until it’s barely al dente. (It should be more al dente than your average pasta: It’s going to continue to cook in the oven.) Drain and set aside.
Meanwhile, heat butter in a medium pot over medium heat. (The pot should be large enough to hold all the pasta when cooked.) Whisk in flour and cook, whisking constantly, until the flour is foamy and just starting to turn a light golden brown, about 4 minutes. Slowly whisk in milk to avoid clumping. Add garlic, paprika and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer, whisking constantly and paying special attention to the edges of the pot to make sure the flour mixture is totally incorporated.
Add grated cheese and whisk to blend until the cheese is completely melted. (The sauce will seem thick at first and thin out as the cheese melts; it will thicken while it bakes.) Season with salt and pepper and add cooked pasta, stirring to coat well.
Heat oven to 425 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil (to catch any cheesy drips).
Make the optional topping: Combine bread crumbs, melted butter and Parmesan, if using, in a medium bowl. Season with salt and pepper and, using your hands, mix well to ensure the bread crumbs are evenly coated.
Transfer the macaroni and cheese mixture to a 2-quart baking dish and scatter bread crumbs, if using, evenly over the top. Place on prepared baking sheet and bake until macaroni and cheese is bubbling, thickened and creamy, and bread crumbs are evenly golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool slightly before serving.
Friday, April 27, 2018
Friday Recipes
It's finally Friday. Here are six recipes to help you through the weekend, including Vegan Chili and Flourless Black Bean Brownies. Enjoy!
SWEET POTATO & BLACK BEAN ENCHILADAS
This comes from the December 2011 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 59. The recipes starts off, “Right from the start, the originality and flavor profile of this recipe made it a standout for VT taste testers. 'My wife and I eat this dish a lot in the fall and winter months. We make it when we're having guests (vegetarian and not) because we know everyone will enjoy it,' explains James McNulty. 'It can be made the night before and it travels well, so it's great for a potluck or a holiday party.'” Serves 8 (makes 16 enchiladas)
To view this online, click here.
Sauce
1 15-oz. can tomato sauce
1 3/4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
1 tsp. ancho chile powder
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. chipotle chile powder
Filling
1 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil
1 small onion, diced (1 cup)
1 1/2 lb. sweet potatoes, peeled and diced (3 cups)
1 15-oz. can diced tomatoes, drained
1 16-oz. jar prepared medium salsa
2 cloves garlic, minced (2 tsp.)
1 chipotle chile in adobo sauce, drained and minced
1 15-oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 12-oz. round queso fresco, divided
Enchiladas
extra virgin olive oil, for brushing baking dish
16 6-inch corn tortillas, warmed
2 limes, cut into wedges
1 avocado, sliced
1/2 cup sour cream, for garnish
Cilantro sprigs, for garnish, optional
To make Sauce: Bring all ingredients to a simmer in saucepan over medium heat. Whisk to combine, then remove from heat. Season with salt and pepper, if desired.
To make Filling: Heat oil in separate saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, and sauté 3 to 5 minutes, or until soft. Add sweet potatoes, tomatoes, salsa, garlic, chipotle chile, and 1/2 cup water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 30 to 40 minutes, or until sweet potatoes are soft. Mash mixture with potato masher until combined. Add black beans, and cook 5 minutes. Stir in half of queso fresco, and remove from heat.
To assemble Enchiladas: Preheat oven to 350ºF. Brush 13- x 9-inch baking dish with oil. Spread 1/2 cup Sauce in bottom of dish. Fill tortillas with Filling. Roll, and pack close together seam-side down in baking dish. Top with remaining Sauce and queso fresco. Bake 15 minutes.
Adjust oven to broil. Broil Enchiladas 5 minutes, or until cheese is browned and bubbly. Let rest 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with lime wedges, avocado slices, sour cream, and cilantro sprigs, if using.
nutritional information Per Serving (2 enchiladas): Calories: 435; Protein: 13 g; Total Fat: 15 g; Saturated Fat: 5 g; Carbohydrates: 65 g; Cholesterol: 20 mg; Sodium: 963 mg; Fiber: 11 g; Sugar: 11 g; Gluten-Free
STUFFED SHELLS I
This is from SallyJun at AllRecipes. SallyJun wrote, "Jumbo macaroni shells stuffed with cheese mixture, covered with sauce, and baked."
Prep: 25 m; Cook: 25 m; Ready In: 50 m
View this online here.
Ingredients
1 (16 ounce) package jumbo pasta shells
4 cups large curd cottage cheese
12 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 pinch garlic powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1 (26 ounce) jar spaghetti sauce
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Directions
Cook shells according to package directions. Place in cold water to stop cooking. Drain.
Mix together cottage cheese, mozzarella cheese, 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, eggs, and garlic powder. Rub the dried herbs in the palms of your hands to pulverize them, and stir into the cheese mixture. Stuff mixture into the shells.
Spread 1/3 of spaghetti sauce in the bottom of a 15 x 10 inch pan. Place shells open side up, and close together in pan. Spread remaining sauce over top, and sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese.
Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 25 to 35 minutes, or until bubbly. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.
VEGAN CHILI
This yummy recipe is from Lena Abraham on Delish. The recipe begins with the words, “Hearty and healthy.” Works for me!
Yields: 6; Prep Times: 15 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 tbsp. olive oil
2 bell peppers, diced
1 yellow onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. smoked paprika
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. dried oregano
kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 (12-oz) bottle Mexican beer such as Modelo
1 large sweet potato, cut into 1/2" cubes
1 (15-oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15-oz) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 (28-oz) can diced fire-roasted tomatoes
2 c. vegetable broth
For Topping
1 avocado, sliced
Lime wedges
thinly sliced scallions
Directions
In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add peppers, onions and celery and cook until softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Add garlic, chili powder, paprika, cumin, and oregano and sauté until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes more. Season with salt and pepper.
Add beer and cook until it has reduced by half, about 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add sweet potato, black and pinto beans, tomatoes and vegetable broth. Stir and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook until slightly reduced and sweet potatoes are cooked through, 30 to 35 minutes.
Serve with the toppings of your choice.
BAKED ARANCINI WITH PEPPERY TOMATO SAUCE
This is from Michelle Stark of the Tampa Bay Times. Serves 4.
To view this online, click here.
For the sauce:
1 red bell pepper
Olive oil
Salt
Pepper
2 garlic cloves
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
2 tablespoons tomato paste
Red pepper flakes, to taste
Handful of fresh basil, chopped
For the arancini:
1 to 2 cups panko bread crumbs
Salt, to taste
Garlic powder, to taste
2 to 3 cups cooked and chilled risotto
1 egg
1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
Pepper
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
Parmesan cheese, for serving
Fresh parsley, chopped, for serving
Make the sauce: Cut the top off the red bell pepper, then halve it lengthwise. Scoop out seeds and ribs and cut into quarters. Place on a baking sheet lined with foil. Drizzle with olive oil, making sure the pepper pieces are coated. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Place in oven on the top rack and broil until pepper is very brown and charred. Keep an eye on it. When pepper pieces are mostly charred, remove from oven. Carefully remove any very charred skin and chop the rest of the pepper very finely. Set aside.
In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, add garlic and a swirl of olive oil. Cook for 5 minutes until garlic is lightly browned, then add crushed tomatoes and tomato paste. Bring to a boil, season with salt and pepper and stir. Lower to a simmer and add red pepper flakes and basil. Taste it and adjust seasonings if desired. Simmer for 15 minutes while you prepare arancini.
Make the arancini: Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Spread bread crumbs out on the parchment paper, spray with cooking spray and sprinkle with salt and garlic powder. Cook for 5 minutes, until crumbs are lightly browned and fragrant. Remove from oven and set aside to cool.
Meanwhile, place cooked risotto in a large bowl, then add egg, yogurt, Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. Start adding flour 1 tablespoon at a time, mixing in between each addition. About 4 tablespoons in, try to form a ball about the size of a golf ball with the risotto. If mixture is too sticky or not holding together, add the rest of the flour. If ball holds together, you’re good to go.
Prepare another baking sheet by lining it with parchment paper and coating with cooking spray. Gently roll risotto mixture into balls; you’ll likely get between 20 to 25. Place on balls on prepared baking sheet.
Carefully roll balls, one at a time, in bread crumbs on other baking sheet until each ball is coated entirely with crumbs.
Place arancini back on risotto baking sheet and spray generously with cooking spray. Season with salt and pepper and bake for about 25 minutes until brown. If you want them even browner, broil for about 5 minutes, watching them to make sure they don’t burn.
Serve hot with sauce on the side and more Parmesan cheese and parsley to garnish.
LATE SUMMER MINESTRONE WITH BUTTERNUT SQUASH AND FRESH CORN
This comes from the September 2013 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 61. It starts off, “Bright, beautiful, and bursting with veggies, this colorful minestrone is a great way to stretch the harvest.” Serves 6.
To view this online, click here.
2 Tbs. olive oil
1 cup sliced leeks
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped red bell pepper
1 tsp. salt, optional
4 cloves garlic, minced (4 tsp.)
1 Tbs. chopped fresh sage, or 2 tsp. dried sage
1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning
1 bay leaf
2 large tomatoes, peeled and coarsely chopped (1 cup)
2 cups cubed peeled butternut squash (3/4- to 1-inch cubes)
2 cups green beans or flat beans, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 15-oz. can or 1 1/2 cups cooked white beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels
1/2 tsp. balsamic vinegar
2–3 Tbs. chopped fresh mint, plus more for garnish, optional
Heat oil in 5-qt. Dutch oven or other large soup pot over medium heat. Add leeks, celery, bell pepper, and salt, if using. Cover, and cook 6 to 8 minutes, or until veggies are softened, stirring occasionally. Uncover, and continue cooking 5 to 6 minutes more, or until celery is somewhat shrunken and leeks are browned.
Add garlic, sage, Italian seasoning, and bay leaf. Stir 30 seconds, or until fragrant. Add tomatoes and 8 cups water, and bring to a boil. Season with salt and pepper, if desired. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 20 minutes. Add squash, cover, and simmer 10 minutes. Add green beans, white beans, and corn; simmer 10 minutes more, stirring occasionally. Just before serving, stir in vinegar and mint.
nutritional information Per 2-cup serving: Calories: 185; Protein: 7 g; Total Fat: 5 g; Saturated Fat: less than 1 g; Carbohydrates: 30 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 130 mg; Fiber: 9 g; Sugar: 7 g; Vegan; Gluten-Free
FLOURLESS BLACK BEAN BROWNIES
This recipe comes from Kaleigh McMordie, MCN, RDN, LD, who, besides running her own site (Lively Table), writes on VeryWellFit.
For this recipe, Kaleigh wrote, “If you have a sweet tooth, you may be used to eating dessert most days. Sometimes fruit or a fruit salad will do for a light dessert. Other days, you just need a brownie.
“Baked goods like brownies are often high in sodium, even though they don’t taste salty. Between leaveners like baking soda and baking powder, salted butter, and added salt, brownies and other baked goods can be sneaky sources of sodium! If you bake your own brownies at home, you can control the amount of sodium-containing ingredients for a better alternative.
“The secret to these flourless brownies is a can of low sodium black beans.Before you write them off, give them a try! Blending up black beans in a high-powered blender or food processor makes them nice and smooth, and when baked into brownies, gives them a nice chewy texture without any flour. They also add in extra fiber, iron, and folate.”
Total Time: 35 minutes; Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 25 minutes; Servings: 16 (2-inch square each).
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 (15 ounce) can low sodium black beans, drained and rinsed
2 large eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon instant coffee granules
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup chopped dark chocolate, melted and slightly cooled
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips or chunks
Preparation
Heat oven to 350F. Line an 8x8" baking dish with parchment or spray with oil.
Blend all ingredients except for unmelted chocolate in a high powered blender until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes.
Stir in chocolate and pour into prepared pan. Bake 20 to 25 minutes.
Ingredient Variations and Substitutions
Use all chocolate chips if you don’t have a dark chocolate bar.
Cocoa powder, melted dark chocolate, and chocolate chips gives these brownies lots of rich chocolate flavor with a little boost from coffee granules.
If you don’t have the coffee granules don’t worry—you can leave them out and you’ll still have delicious chocolatey brownies!
Cooking and Serving Tips
Avoid over-cooking—the designated time should be just about enough, but you can check before removing from the oven. Brownies shouldn't be overly dry.
Store leftovers in the refrigerator and heat for 20 to 30 seconds in the microwave before serving.
SWEET POTATO & BLACK BEAN ENCHILADAS
This comes from the December 2011 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 59. The recipes starts off, “Right from the start, the originality and flavor profile of this recipe made it a standout for VT taste testers. 'My wife and I eat this dish a lot in the fall and winter months. We make it when we're having guests (vegetarian and not) because we know everyone will enjoy it,' explains James McNulty. 'It can be made the night before and it travels well, so it's great for a potluck or a holiday party.'” Serves 8 (makes 16 enchiladas)
To view this online, click here.
Sauce
1 15-oz. can tomato sauce
1 3/4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
1 tsp. ancho chile powder
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. chipotle chile powder
Filling
1 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil
1 small onion, diced (1 cup)
1 1/2 lb. sweet potatoes, peeled and diced (3 cups)
1 15-oz. can diced tomatoes, drained
1 16-oz. jar prepared medium salsa
2 cloves garlic, minced (2 tsp.)
1 chipotle chile in adobo sauce, drained and minced
1 15-oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 12-oz. round queso fresco, divided
Enchiladas
extra virgin olive oil, for brushing baking dish
16 6-inch corn tortillas, warmed
2 limes, cut into wedges
1 avocado, sliced
1/2 cup sour cream, for garnish
Cilantro sprigs, for garnish, optional
To make Sauce: Bring all ingredients to a simmer in saucepan over medium heat. Whisk to combine, then remove from heat. Season with salt and pepper, if desired.
To make Filling: Heat oil in separate saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, and sauté 3 to 5 minutes, or until soft. Add sweet potatoes, tomatoes, salsa, garlic, chipotle chile, and 1/2 cup water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 30 to 40 minutes, or until sweet potatoes are soft. Mash mixture with potato masher until combined. Add black beans, and cook 5 minutes. Stir in half of queso fresco, and remove from heat.
To assemble Enchiladas: Preheat oven to 350ºF. Brush 13- x 9-inch baking dish with oil. Spread 1/2 cup Sauce in bottom of dish. Fill tortillas with Filling. Roll, and pack close together seam-side down in baking dish. Top with remaining Sauce and queso fresco. Bake 15 minutes.
Adjust oven to broil. Broil Enchiladas 5 minutes, or until cheese is browned and bubbly. Let rest 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with lime wedges, avocado slices, sour cream, and cilantro sprigs, if using.
nutritional information Per Serving (2 enchiladas): Calories: 435; Protein: 13 g; Total Fat: 15 g; Saturated Fat: 5 g; Carbohydrates: 65 g; Cholesterol: 20 mg; Sodium: 963 mg; Fiber: 11 g; Sugar: 11 g; Gluten-Free
STUFFED SHELLS I
This is from SallyJun at AllRecipes. SallyJun wrote, "Jumbo macaroni shells stuffed with cheese mixture, covered with sauce, and baked."
Prep: 25 m; Cook: 25 m; Ready In: 50 m
View this online here.
Ingredients
1 (16 ounce) package jumbo pasta shells
4 cups large curd cottage cheese
12 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 pinch garlic powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1 (26 ounce) jar spaghetti sauce
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Directions
Cook shells according to package directions. Place in cold water to stop cooking. Drain.
Mix together cottage cheese, mozzarella cheese, 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, eggs, and garlic powder. Rub the dried herbs in the palms of your hands to pulverize them, and stir into the cheese mixture. Stuff mixture into the shells.
Spread 1/3 of spaghetti sauce in the bottom of a 15 x 10 inch pan. Place shells open side up, and close together in pan. Spread remaining sauce over top, and sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese.
Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 25 to 35 minutes, or until bubbly. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.
VEGAN CHILI
This yummy recipe is from Lena Abraham on Delish. The recipe begins with the words, “Hearty and healthy.” Works for me!
Yields: 6; Prep Times: 15 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 tbsp. olive oil
2 bell peppers, diced
1 yellow onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. smoked paprika
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. dried oregano
kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 (12-oz) bottle Mexican beer such as Modelo
1 large sweet potato, cut into 1/2" cubes
1 (15-oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15-oz) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 (28-oz) can diced fire-roasted tomatoes
2 c. vegetable broth
For Topping
1 avocado, sliced
Lime wedges
thinly sliced scallions
Directions
In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add peppers, onions and celery and cook until softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Add garlic, chili powder, paprika, cumin, and oregano and sauté until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes more. Season with salt and pepper.
Add beer and cook until it has reduced by half, about 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add sweet potato, black and pinto beans, tomatoes and vegetable broth. Stir and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook until slightly reduced and sweet potatoes are cooked through, 30 to 35 minutes.
Serve with the toppings of your choice.
BAKED ARANCINI WITH PEPPERY TOMATO SAUCE
This is from Michelle Stark of the Tampa Bay Times. Serves 4.
To view this online, click here.
For the sauce:
1 red bell pepper
Olive oil
Salt
Pepper
2 garlic cloves
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
2 tablespoons tomato paste
Red pepper flakes, to taste
Handful of fresh basil, chopped
For the arancini:
1 to 2 cups panko bread crumbs
Salt, to taste
Garlic powder, to taste
2 to 3 cups cooked and chilled risotto
1 egg
1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
Pepper
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
Parmesan cheese, for serving
Fresh parsley, chopped, for serving
Make the sauce: Cut the top off the red bell pepper, then halve it lengthwise. Scoop out seeds and ribs and cut into quarters. Place on a baking sheet lined with foil. Drizzle with olive oil, making sure the pepper pieces are coated. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Place in oven on the top rack and broil until pepper is very brown and charred. Keep an eye on it. When pepper pieces are mostly charred, remove from oven. Carefully remove any very charred skin and chop the rest of the pepper very finely. Set aside.
In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, add garlic and a swirl of olive oil. Cook for 5 minutes until garlic is lightly browned, then add crushed tomatoes and tomato paste. Bring to a boil, season with salt and pepper and stir. Lower to a simmer and add red pepper flakes and basil. Taste it and adjust seasonings if desired. Simmer for 15 minutes while you prepare arancini.
Make the arancini: Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Spread bread crumbs out on the parchment paper, spray with cooking spray and sprinkle with salt and garlic powder. Cook for 5 minutes, until crumbs are lightly browned and fragrant. Remove from oven and set aside to cool.
Meanwhile, place cooked risotto in a large bowl, then add egg, yogurt, Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. Start adding flour 1 tablespoon at a time, mixing in between each addition. About 4 tablespoons in, try to form a ball about the size of a golf ball with the risotto. If mixture is too sticky or not holding together, add the rest of the flour. If ball holds together, you’re good to go.
Prepare another baking sheet by lining it with parchment paper and coating with cooking spray. Gently roll risotto mixture into balls; you’ll likely get between 20 to 25. Place on balls on prepared baking sheet.
Carefully roll balls, one at a time, in bread crumbs on other baking sheet until each ball is coated entirely with crumbs.
Place arancini back on risotto baking sheet and spray generously with cooking spray. Season with salt and pepper and bake for about 25 minutes until brown. If you want them even browner, broil for about 5 minutes, watching them to make sure they don’t burn.
Serve hot with sauce on the side and more Parmesan cheese and parsley to garnish.
LATE SUMMER MINESTRONE WITH BUTTERNUT SQUASH AND FRESH CORN
This comes from the September 2013 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 61. It starts off, “Bright, beautiful, and bursting with veggies, this colorful minestrone is a great way to stretch the harvest.” Serves 6.
To view this online, click here.
2 Tbs. olive oil
1 cup sliced leeks
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped red bell pepper
1 tsp. salt, optional
4 cloves garlic, minced (4 tsp.)
1 Tbs. chopped fresh sage, or 2 tsp. dried sage
1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning
1 bay leaf
2 large tomatoes, peeled and coarsely chopped (1 cup)
2 cups cubed peeled butternut squash (3/4- to 1-inch cubes)
2 cups green beans or flat beans, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 15-oz. can or 1 1/2 cups cooked white beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels
1/2 tsp. balsamic vinegar
2–3 Tbs. chopped fresh mint, plus more for garnish, optional
Heat oil in 5-qt. Dutch oven or other large soup pot over medium heat. Add leeks, celery, bell pepper, and salt, if using. Cover, and cook 6 to 8 minutes, or until veggies are softened, stirring occasionally. Uncover, and continue cooking 5 to 6 minutes more, or until celery is somewhat shrunken and leeks are browned.
Add garlic, sage, Italian seasoning, and bay leaf. Stir 30 seconds, or until fragrant. Add tomatoes and 8 cups water, and bring to a boil. Season with salt and pepper, if desired. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 20 minutes. Add squash, cover, and simmer 10 minutes. Add green beans, white beans, and corn; simmer 10 minutes more, stirring occasionally. Just before serving, stir in vinegar and mint.
nutritional information Per 2-cup serving: Calories: 185; Protein: 7 g; Total Fat: 5 g; Saturated Fat: less than 1 g; Carbohydrates: 30 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 130 mg; Fiber: 9 g; Sugar: 7 g; Vegan; Gluten-Free
FLOURLESS BLACK BEAN BROWNIES
This recipe comes from Kaleigh McMordie, MCN, RDN, LD, who, besides running her own site (Lively Table), writes on VeryWellFit.
For this recipe, Kaleigh wrote, “If you have a sweet tooth, you may be used to eating dessert most days. Sometimes fruit or a fruit salad will do for a light dessert. Other days, you just need a brownie.
“Baked goods like brownies are often high in sodium, even though they don’t taste salty. Between leaveners like baking soda and baking powder, salted butter, and added salt, brownies and other baked goods can be sneaky sources of sodium! If you bake your own brownies at home, you can control the amount of sodium-containing ingredients for a better alternative.
“The secret to these flourless brownies is a can of low sodium black beans.Before you write them off, give them a try! Blending up black beans in a high-powered blender or food processor makes them nice and smooth, and when baked into brownies, gives them a nice chewy texture without any flour. They also add in extra fiber, iron, and folate.”
Total Time: 35 minutes; Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 25 minutes; Servings: 16 (2-inch square each).
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 (15 ounce) can low sodium black beans, drained and rinsed
2 large eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon instant coffee granules
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup chopped dark chocolate, melted and slightly cooled
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips or chunks
Preparation
Heat oven to 350F. Line an 8x8" baking dish with parchment or spray with oil.
Blend all ingredients except for unmelted chocolate in a high powered blender until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes.
Stir in chocolate and pour into prepared pan. Bake 20 to 25 minutes.
Ingredient Variations and Substitutions
Use all chocolate chips if you don’t have a dark chocolate bar.
Cocoa powder, melted dark chocolate, and chocolate chips gives these brownies lots of rich chocolate flavor with a little boost from coffee granules.
If you don’t have the coffee granules don’t worry—you can leave them out and you’ll still have delicious chocolatey brownies!
Cooking and Serving Tips
Avoid over-cooking—the designated time should be just about enough, but you can check before removing from the oven. Brownies shouldn't be overly dry.
Store leftovers in the refrigerator and heat for 20 to 30 seconds in the microwave before serving.
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