Tuesday Recipes

I know I'm running a little late today, but at least I made it! Here are today's six vegetarian recipes to help you through the day. Enjoy!

GRILLED CORN ON THE COB

This comes from Ina Garten from The Food Network’s Barefoot Contessa. Total Time: 45 min; Prep: 25 min; Cook: 20 min; Yield: 1 serving; Level: Easy

Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/grilled-corn-on-the-cob.html?oc=linkback

Ingredients

1 ear fresh corn on the cob, with the husk

1 teaspoon unsalted butter, melted

Kosher salt

Directions

Prepare a charcoal grill with a single layer of hot coals.

Peel back the husk from the corn and remove the silk. Brush the kernels with the melted butter and replace the husk to cover the ear of corn.

Grill the corn for a total of 20 minutes, turning it every 5 minutes. Remove the ear from the grill and carefully peel back the husk. Sprinkle the kernels with salt and serve.

SOUR-CREAM COFFEE CAKE

This comes from Robert Farrar Capon in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Robert wrote, “Here is a classic coffee cake with a tender crumb and a crunchy streusel topping that comes together in about an hour. It's quite rich, so your serving sizes don't need to be large.” Yield: about 12 servings; Time: 1 hour.

This was featured in “Good Health; Have A Nice Breakfast”, and can be viewed online here.

Ingredients

For the Cake:

1/2 cup unsalted butter at room temperature

1 1/4 cups sugar

2 large eggs

1 1/2 cups flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/4 cups sour cream

1 teaspoon vanilla

For the Topping:

1/2 cup sugar

2 teaspoons all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon cinnamon

1/3 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and generously butter a 9-by-13-inch baking pan. Cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.

In a separate bowl, sift flour with baking powder, baking soda and salt. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture to the butter mixture alternately with sour cream and vanilla until just combined. Do not overmix. Pour batter into prepared baking pan.

Make the topping: Combine sugar, cinnamon, flour and nuts in a small bowl and mix well.

Sprinkle the topping evenly over the cake and bake 30 to 35 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool, cut into pieces and serve.

GRILLED HEARTS OF ROMAINE WITH CREAMY AVOCADO RANCH DRESSING

This, as well as the next recipe (Chipotle-Molasses Barbecued Tempeh, came from the July 2015 issue of Better Nutrition, which I picked up at my favorite store, Rollin’ Oats in St. Petersburg, Florida. It begins, “Romaine leaves take on a complex, smoky flavor when grilled. Smother them with fresh-tasting vegan ‘ranch’ for a scrumptious salad that stands up to any steakhouse Caesar.” Serves 8.

To view this online, click here.

4 romaine hearts, halved lengthwise

4 medium tomatoes, quartered

1/3 cup olive oil, plus additional for brushing

3/4 cup cashew butter

1 small avocado, pitted and peeled

1/2 cup water

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

2 tsp. honey

2 medium garlic cloves, minced

1 Tbs. dried dill weed

Lightly oil grill racks and preheat grill to medium high. Brush all surfaces of romaine and tomatoes with olive oil.

Arrange, cut side down, on grill (use a grill grate for tomatoes). Grill tomatoes 4 minutes, romaine 5–6 minutes.

While lettuce and tomatoes are grilling, combine remaining ingredients in blender and process until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.

To serve, arrange lettuce halves and tomatoes on 8 individual plates. Pour dressing over all, and serve immediately.

per serving: 280 cal; 5g pro; 25g total fat (4g sat fat); 13g carb; 0mg chol; 105mg sod; 3g fiber; 4g sugars

CHIPOTLE-MOLASSES BARBECUED TEMPEH

This begins, “This recipe contains honey, which may or may not be part of your vegan diet. You can easily swap out traditional honey with a vegan alternative like Bee Free Honee (beefreehonee.com).” Serves 8.

1 1/2 cups tomato purée

1/2 cup tomato paste

1 small yellow onion, chopped

1 large garlic clove, chopped

1 medium canned chipotle pepper, seeds removed

1 tsp. minced fresh rosemary

1 Tbs. molasses

2 Tbs. honey

1 Tbs. tamari

2 blocks tempeh

2 Tbs. olive oil

Ciabatta bread or whole-grain hamburger buns, optional

In medium saucepan, combine tomato purée, tomato paste, onion, garlic, chipotle chili, and rosemary. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes, uncovered. Transfer to blender, add molasses, honey, and tamari, and purée until smooth.

Cut each tempeh block in half crosswise, then split lengthwise to make thinner slabs. Arrange in baking dish and brush with oil. Pour barbecue sauce over tempeh, and bake 10 minutes, until sauce is bubbly and tempeh is cooked through.

Remove from oven and let cool. Cover baking dish to transport to barbecue; warm tempeh slabs on grill and serve on buns, if desired.

per serving (without buns): 200 cal; 12g pro; 10g total fat (2g sat fat); 20g carb; 0mg chol; 450mg sod; 2g fiber; 11g sugars

FROZEN BLUEBERRY LEMONADE PIE

This comes from Diana Rattray, About.com's Southern Food expert. Diana wrote, “Blueberries give this frozen lemonade pie extra color and flavor, and it is a fabulous pie for a hot summer day. The pie takes just a few minutes to mix - just freeze and eat!” Prep Time: 6 minutes; Cook Time: 0 minutes; Total Time: 6 minutes; Yield: 8 servings

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

1 cup fresh blueberries

1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk

1 can (6 ounces) frozen lemonade

1 tub (8 ounces) whipped topping, regular or "lite," thawed in the refrigerator

1 deep dish graham cracker pie crust, homemade or purchased

Preparation

Put the blueberries, sweetened condensed milk, and frozen lemonade in a blender container. Blend until well mixed.

Pour into a bowl and fold in the whipped topping until well blended.

Spoon into the prepared crust.

Cover and freeze for at least 4 hours.

If frozen solid, take it out of the freezer 5 to 10 minutes before slicing.

Note: I used a "2 extra servings" deep dish ready crust for the pie. A smaller pie shell will leave you with extra filling.

Just freeze any excess in small ramekins or 4-ounce canning jars and serve as a frozen pudding.

TERIYAKI TOFU KABOBS

Yield 4 servings

Serving Size: 2 skewers

Source: The Diabetes Food and Nutrition Bible

Author: Hope Warshaw and Robyn Webb

Find this recipe at: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/330.shtml

Ingredients

8 bamboo skewers

3/4 pound extra firm tofu, drained and cut into 32 cubes

1 red pepper, cut into 16 squares

1 cup canned pineapple chunks, reserve 1/2 cup juice

1 tablespoon lite soy sauce

1 clove garlic

2 teaspoons minced ginger

Directions

Soak skewers in water for 30 minutes to keep them from burning as you cook the skewers.

Meanwhile, put the tofu, red pepper, and pineapple chunks in a plastic bag or container with a lid. Add reserved pineapple juice, soy sauce, garlic, and ginger. Marinate for at least 30 minutes.

Drain, reserving marinade to baste. Thread the tofu, red pepper, and pineapple on the skewers.

Prepare an outdoor grill or oven broiler with the rack set 6 inches from the heat source. Grill or broil the kabobs about 5 minutes per side, basting with the marinade. Serve with brown rice.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 107; Protein: 7 g; Fat: 2 g; Sodium: 147 mg; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Carbohydrates: 17 g; Exchanges: 1 Carbohydrate, 1 Very Lean Meat

Friday Recipes

I'm really not sure where this week went! (We've all had weeks like that.) Here are today's six recipes to help you through the weekend. Enjoy!

DARK CHOCOLATE AND BANANA PANINI

This was in the March 2010 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 68, and begins, "Ooey-gooey and oh so delicious, these treats aren't as sinful as they taste. If you don't have a panini maker, cook the sandwiches in a skillet, using a second heavy pan to flatten them as they cook." Makes 4 Panini.

To view this online, click here.

2 large bananas, sliced 1/8-inch thick

8 slices sprouted wheat or sourdough bread

4 oz. dark bittersweet chocolate, chopped

4 tsp. honey

Arrange banana slices on 4 pieces of bread, then sprinkle each with 3 Tbs. chocolate and 1 tsp. honey. Top with remaining bread slices.

Preheat panini maker, and coat with butter-flavored cooking spray. Cook panini 3 to 4 minutes per side. Cool 5 minutes before serving.

nutritional information Per Panini: Calories: 318; Protein: 7 g; Total Fat: 11 g; Saturated Fat: 6 g; Carbohydrates: 55 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 91 mg; Fiber: 7 g; Sugar: 26 g

GRILLED CORN ON THE COB

This comes from Ina Garten from The Food Network’s Barefoot Contessa. Total Time: 45 min; Prep: 25 min; Cook: 20 min; Yield: 1 serving; Level: Easy

Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/grilled-corn-on-the-cob.html?oc=linkback

Ingredients

1 ear fresh corn on the cob, with the husk

1 teaspoon unsalted butter, melted

Kosher salt

Directions

Prepare a charcoal grill with a single layer of hot coals.

Peel back the husk from the corn and remove the silk. Brush the kernels with the melted butter and replace the husk to cover the ear of corn.

Grill the corn for a total of 20 minutes, turning it every 5 minutes. Remove the ear from the grill and carefully peel back the husk. Sprinkle the kernels with salt and serve.

CREAMY CORN PASTA WITH BASIL

This comes from Melissa Clark in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Melissa wrote, “There’s no cream in this wonderfully summery pasta dish, just a luscious sauce made from puréed fresh corn and sweet sautéed scallions, along with Parmesan for depth and red chile flakes for a contrasting bite. Be sure to add the lemon juice and fresh herbs at the end; the rich pasta really benefits from their bright, fresh flavors. And while this is best made at the height of corn season, it’s still quite good even with out-of-season supermarket ears, or with frozen corn.” Yield: 3 to 4 servings; Time: 30 minutes.

This was featured in “To Get the Most Out of Corn Season, Reach for Your Blender”. You can also view this online here.

Ingredients

Fine sea salt

12 ounces dry orecchiette or farfalle

1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more for drizzling

1 bunch scallions (about 8), trimmed and thinly sliced (keep the whites and greens separate)

2 large ears corn, shucked and kernels removed (2 cups kernels)

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper, more for serving

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, more to taste

1/3 cup torn basil or mint, more for garnish

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, or to taste

Fresh lemon juice, as needed

Preparation

Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Cook pasta until 1 minute shy of al dente, according to the package directions. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of pasta water.

Meanwhile, heat oil in large sauté pan over medium heat; add scallion whites and a pinch of salt and cook until soft, 3 minutes. Add 1/4 cup water and all but 1/4 cup corn; simmer until corn is heated through and almost tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Add 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper, transfer to a blender, and purée mixture until smooth, adding a little extra water if needed to get a thick but pourable texture.

Heat the same skillet over high heat. Add butter and let melt. Add reserved 1/4 cup corn and cook until tender, 1 to 2 minutes. (It’s O.K. if the butter browns; that deepens the flavor.) Add the corn purée and cook for 30 seconds to heat and combine the flavors.

Reduce heat to medium. Add pasta and half the reserved pasta cooking water, tossing to coat. Cook for 1 minute, then add a little more of the pasta cooking water if the mixture seems too thick. Stir in 1/4 cup of the scallion greens, the Parmesan, the herbs, the red pepper flakes, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Sprinkle with fresh lemon juice to taste. Transfer to warm pasta bowls and garnish with more scallions, herbs, a drizzle of olive oil and black pepper.

CHARD-WRAPPED GREEK YOGURT PIES

When I read this recipe, I was totally blown away. This yummy recipe is from David Tanis, also in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. David wrote, “These little Greek-style pies are traditionally wrapped in grape leaves, but chard leaves make a fine alternative. Served warm, the texture is akin to a fresh cheese, perfumed with dill, mint and olive oil.” Yield: 6 servings; Time: 1 hour.

This was featured in “For This Greek Pie, You Don’t Need a Crust”, and can be viewed online here.

Ingredients

6 large chard leaves, washed

2 cups plain full-fat Greek-style yogurt

Salt and black pepper

2 cloves garlic, grated

1/4 cup chopped scallions

1 tablespoon chopped mint

2 teaspoons chopped dill, plus more for garnish

Extra-virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon lemon zest

1/4 cup cornmeal or rice flour

A handful of lightly toasted pine nuts

Greek olives, for garnish (optional)

Preparation

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Cut stems from chard leaves and save for another use. Blanch chard leaves just to wilt, about 1 minute. Drain and rinse with cool water and squeeze dry.

Put yogurt in a mixing bowl and season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Whisk in garlic, scallions, mint, dill, 2 tablespoons olive oil, the lemon zest and the cornmeal. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Brush six 1-cup ramekins with olive oil. Line each ramekin with 1 chard leaf, allowing edges to drape over the mold. Fill each leaf with 1/2 cup of yogurt mixture. Fold the edges of the chard leaf back over the top and brush generously with olive oil. Place ramekins on a baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes.

Let cool slightly, then turn ramekins over onto a plate to unmold. To serve, peel back top layer of chard to expose the filling. Drizzle with a little olive oil, and sprinkle with dill, a few toasted pine nuts and some olives if desired.

Tip:

Pies may also be served room temperature or baked in advance and reheated briefly.

TUSCAN KALE AND CARROT SOUP

This was in the October 2013 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 74. It starts off, “This recipe calls for steaming the kale in a steamer insert placed over the soup's brothy base to keep the greens brightly colored and crisp-tender.” Serves 8 in 30 minutes or less.

The recipe can be viewed online here.

This recipe calls for steaming the kale in a steamer insert placed over the soup’s brothy base to keep the greens brightly colored and crisp-tender.

2 bunches multicolored carrots, cut into 1-inch chunks (4 cups)

4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth

1 15-oz. can diced tomatoes in juice

2 12-oz. bunches Tuscan kale, thinly sliced

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil, plus 6 whole leaves, divided

2 Tbs. chopped chives, plus handful whole chives, divided

1 15-oz. can white beans, rinsed and drained

1 Tbs. balsamic vinegar

Bring carrots, broth, tomatoes with juice, and 2 cups water to a simmer in large stockpot with steamer insert over medium heat.

Place kale, whole basil leaves, and whole chives in steamer insert. Set steamer inside stockpot, cover, and steam 5 to 7 minutes, using tongs to stir halfway through. Remove and discard basil and chives. Add kale, beans, and vinegar to soup, and return to a simmer. Season with salt and pepper, if desired. Stir in chopped basil and chives just before serving.

nutritional information Per 1 1/4-cup serving: Calories: 128; Protein: 7 g; Total Fat: less than 1 g; Saturated Fat: less than 1 g; Carbohydrates: 25 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 358 mg; Fiber: 8 g; Sugar: 6 g; Vegan; Gluten-Free

BLUEBERRY CRUNCH GRANOLA

This is from the November 2014 issue of Runner's World, and begins, "Packed with grains, nuts, and fruit, granola is one of chef Marcus Samuelsson's go-to breakfasts. He keeps it on hand for fuel before or after his nearly daily six-mile loop through New York City's Central Park. 'The beauty of making granola at home is that it's cheaper, it's fresher, and I can customize it the way I want,' says the Top Chef Masters champ, who just published his latest cookbook, Marcus Off Duty. 'This is a very forgiving mix,' he adds. 'Swap in other nuts or fruits or sweeteners that you prefer.'"

This can be viewed online by clicking here.

Ingredients:

2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats

1 cup unsweetened dried blueberries

3/4 cup sliced almonds

1/2 cup unsweetened shredded or flaked coconut

1/2 cup raw cashews

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons ground allspice

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 tablespoons pure maple syrup

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions:

Preheat oven to 300F. In a large bowl, combine oats, blueberries, almonds, coconut, cashews, sugar, and allspice. Mix well. In a small saucepan over low heat, melt the butter with the maple syrup. Pour over the granola and toss to coat. Spread granola on a baking sheet. Bake 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until it is golden brown. Sprinkle cinnamon over the granola and stir it in.

Makes 6 cups. (24 servings, 1/4-cup each)

Nutrition Information: 123 calories; 14 grams carbs (6 grams sugar); 2 grams fiber; 3 grams protein; 6 grams total fat; 3 grams saturated fat; 4 miligrams sodium

Beyond Yogurt

•Stir granola into cooked oatmeal or pancake and muffin batter.

•Add to root vegetables halfway through roasting; use as a topping for a holiday gratin.

•Swap in granola for croutons in green salads or use as a garnish on soup.

•When shopping for store-bought versions, choose brands with a max of 10 grams each of sugar and fat per serving.