I wasn't able to post last week's Taco Tuesday, due to computer/internet problems. But I'm able to post six yummy vegetarian tacos here today. Enjoy!
Note: Please check out Another Day in Paradise at GoFundMe. This is to help fund a documentary on homelessness, following 2 - 3 people as they struggle to get off the street. Backing starts at $10, with goodies for donations.
SNAPPY TACOS
This is another good taco recipe from Vegetarian Times. This one begins, "Just two of these tacos provide nearly all the soy protein of the daily FDA recommendation of 25 grams." Yield: Serves 4.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients:
4 tsp. vegetable oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
12-oz. pkg. soy crumbles, plain or taco-flavored
1/4 cup dark beer (see Note
1/2 cup low-sodium vegetable broth
2 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. dried oregano
2 large jalapeno peppers, seeded and finely chopped
1/2 cup salsa, drained
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
8 taco shells
Garnishes: See my note under Toppings for the Tasty Black Beans & Corn Tacos, above.
Note: If you - like me - don't have dark beer (or any beer, for that matter), I suggest simply increasing the low-sodium vegetable broth to 3/4 cup
Instructions:
In large nonstick skillet, heat 2 teaspoons oil over medium-high heat. Add 1⁄4 cup onion and 1⁄4 teaspoon garlic and cook, stirring often, until onion is softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce heat and mix in soy crumbles, beer and broth. Reduce heat and simmer until liquid has almost evaporated, about 8 minutes. Transfer mixture to plate and set aside. Wipe out skillet.
Heat remaining 2 teaspoons oil in skillet over medium-low heat. Add remaining onion and garlic and cook, stirring often, until onion is softened, about 4 minutes. Add chili powder, oregano and jalapeños, stirring until mixture is fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add reserved crumbles, salsa and cilantro and stir well. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 3 to 4 minutes.
Spoon 1⁄4 cup filling into each taco shell. Top with some or all garnishes and serve hot.
Nutrition Information: Calories: 302; Protein: 22 g; Total Fat: 11 g; Saturated Fat: 1 g; Carbohydrates: 28 g; Cholesterol: mg; Sodium: 633 mg; Fiber: 8 g; Sugar: g
SPICY MOROCCAN CHICKPEA TACOS
This one, also from Vegetarian Times, begins, "For a switch from corn or flour tortillas, try these tacos wrapped in small, warmed whole pita rounds." Yield: Serves 4.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients:
2 Tbs. olive oil
1 small onion, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (1 cup)
1 6-oz. pkg. chicken-style vegetarian strips, such as Lightlife Smart Strips
1 tsp. fennel seeds
1/2 cup canned chickpeas, rinsed, drained, and lightly mashed with fork
2 small carrots, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch rounds (1/2 cup)
1/4 cup golden raisins
1 Tbs. harissa
1/3 cup grape tomatoes, quartered
Instructions:
Heat olive oil in nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, and cook 3 minutes, or until softened. Add chicken-style strips and fennel seeds, and cook 2 minutes. Stir in chickpeas, carrots, raisins, harissa, and 1/3 cup water. Cook 1 minute, or until sauce thickens slightly but carrots remain crisp. Stir in tomatoes, and immediately remove from heat. Fill tortillas with chickpea mixture, and serve warm.
Nutrition Information: Calories: 269; Protein: 12 g; Total Fat: 9 g; Saturated Fat: 1 g; Carbohydrates: 37 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 388 mg; Fiber: 7 g; Sugar: 10 g
ROASTED TOMATILLO AND BLACK BEAN TACOS
This is from Vegetarian Times, and begins, “To prepare fresh tomatillos, strip off the husks and rinse under warm water to remove any sticky sap clinging to the skin.” Serves 4.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients:
3/4 lb. fresh whole tomatillos, husks removed
1 small onion, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (1 cup)
1 small red bell pepper, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (1 cup)
3 large cloves garlic, peeled
3 Tbs. coarsely chopped cilantro, divided
1 1/2 tsp. minced jalapeno pepper
1 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained
4 6-inch corn tortillas, warmed
1 small avocado, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
2 Tbs. queso fresco or feta cheese
1/4 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed, optional
1/4 cup low-fat sour cream, optional
Instructions:
Preheat oven to broil. Place oven rack 3 inches from heat source. Coat baking sheet with cooking spray, and spread tomatillos, onion, red bell pepper, and garlic on prepared baking sheet. Broil 12 minutes, or until tomatillos are blistered and charred, and onion and bell pepper are softened and charred, tossing once halfway through cooking time.
Pulse garlic, 1 Tbs. cilantro, jalapeño, and tomatillos 10 times in food processor, or until chunky. Season with salt and pepper.
Toss 1/4 cup tomatillo sauce with black beans, red bell pepper, and onion.
Fill tortillas with black bean mixture, avocado, and queso fresco. Garnish with remaining cilantro and corn kernels, if desired. Serve remaining tomatillo sauce and sour cream, if desired, on side.
Nutrition Information: Calories: 226; Protein: 8 g; Total Fat: 7 g; Saturated Fat: 1 g; Carbohydrates: 36 g; Cholesterol: 2 mg; Sodium: 457 mg; Fiber: 11 g; Sugar: 7 g; Yield: Serves 4
SOFT BEAN TACOS
This also comes from Vegetarian Times. Serves 4.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients:
8 (6-inch) flour tortillas
1/4 cup water
1 small red bell pepper, chopped
1 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed
2 green onions, thinly sliced
1 small jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced (optional)
16-oz. can spicy fat-free refried beans
1 cup shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese, reduced-fat if desired, or soy cheese
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 400°F. Wrap tortillas in aluminum foil and warm in oven.
In large saucepan, combine water and bell pepper. Cover and cook over medium heat, 2 minutes. Add corn, green onions, jalapeño pepper and refried beans. Stir gently until mixture is heated through, about 5 minutes.
Remove tortillas from oven. Spread some of the filling on one half of each tortilla, then sprinkle with a small amount of cheese. Fold over and arrange on individual plates. Top with salsa and yogurt if desired.
Nutrition Information: Calories: 260; Protein: 12 g; Total Fat: 10 g; Saturated Fat: 5 g; Carbohydrates: 33 g; Cholesterol: 17 mg; Sodium: 455 mg; Fiber: 6 g; Sugar: g; Yield: 4 to 6 Servings
JAMAICAN CURRIED TEMPEH TACOS
This comes from Vegetarian Times, and begins, “The yellow curry filling, mustard greens, and red pepper strips lend these spicy tacos the colors of the tropics.” Yield: Serves 4.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients:
1 Tbs. peanut oil
1 small sweet onion, such as Vidalia or Walla Walla, diced (1 cup)
1 8-oz. pkg. tempeh, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/2 cup unsweetened pineapple juice
2 Tbs. chopped cilantro
2 1/2 tsp. curry powder
1 1/2 tsp. grated fresh ginger
1 Tbs. lime juice
1 tsp. grated lime zest
4 6-inch corn or flour tortillas, warmed
1/4 cup chopped red bell pepper
1/2 cup curly mustard greens, finely chopped
2 Tbs. chopped peanuts, optional
Instructions:
Heat oil in nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, and cook 3 to 5 minutes, or until onion is softened. Stir in tempeh, pineapple juice, cilantro, curry powder, and ginger. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook 5 minutes, or until pineapple juice evaporates and tempeh starts to brown, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat, stir in lime juice and zest, and season with salt and pepper.
Fill tortillas with tempeh mixture. Add red bell pepper and mustard greens. Top with peanuts, if desired.
Nutrition Information: Calories: 220; Protein: 14 g; Total Fat: 7.5 g; Saturated Fat: 1.5 g; Carbohydrates: 26 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 313 mg; Fiber: 7 g; Sugar: 6 g
STIR-FRY VEGETABLE TACOS
This one also comes from Vegetarian Times, and begins, "Spice up these tacos with sliced pickled ginger, crushed wasabi peas, and sriracha chile sauce, for garnish." Yield: Serves 4.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients:
3 Tbs. peanut oil
2 cups shiitake mushrooms, stems removed and caps sliced (6 oz.)
1 cup sugar snap peas, trimmed
1 cup frozen shelled edamame
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
3 Tbs. white miso
2 Tbs. orange juice
2 tsp. rice vinegar
2 cups broccoli slaw
4 6-inch corn or flour tortillas, warmed
2 Tbs. sliced green onions
Instructions:
Heat oil in nonstick skillet over high heat. Add mushrooms, sugar snap peas, edamame, and cayenne pepper; cook 7 to 9 minutes, or until vegetables start to turn golden, stirring occasionally. Transfer to bowl, and cool 10 minutes in refrigerator.
Meanwhile, whisk together miso, orange juice, and rice vinegar in small bowl. Drizzle over mushroom mixture. Stir in broccoli slaw. Fill tortillas with vegetable mixture, and garnish with green onions.
Nutrition Information: Calories: 272; Protein: 8 g; Total Fat: 13 g; Saturated Fat: 2 g; Carbohydrates: 35 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 386 mg; Fiber: 7 g; Sugar: 10 g
Tuesday, December 20, 2016
Monday, December 19, 2016
Monday Recipes
It's less than a week until Christmas and Hanukkah, so I'll be posting food this week to help with celebrations. Enjoy!
Note: In case you missed yesterday's cookie post, check it out!
VICTORIA SPONGE CAKE
This is from Melissa Clark in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Melissa wrote, “This traditional British layer cake is made up of two buttery, tender spongecake rounds that sandwich a thick layer of jam and, often, a dollop of sweetened whipped cream. It’s a simple, homey confection that works as well with a cup of afternoon tea as it does for dessert. Feel free to substitute other flavors of tart jam for the raspberry. Apricot and blackberry work particularly well.” Yield: 8 to 10 servings.
This was featured in “‘The Great British Bake Off’ Changes the Way the British Bake” and can be viewed online at here.
Ingredients
12 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks), softened, more for greasing pan
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
3 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
3 large eggs, at room temperature
2 tablespoons whole milk
1/2 cup raspberry jam, more to taste
1 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon confectioners’ sugar, more for dusting
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Preparation
Heat oven to 350 degrees and place a rack in the center. Grease and line the bottoms of two 8-inch round cake pans with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in eggs, one at a time, until incorporated, then beat in milk, scraping down sides of the bowl as necessary. Mix in flour mixture until combined, then scrape into prepared cake pans, smoothing the top.
Bake cakes until golden brown and springy, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes, then unmold them onto a wire rack to cool completely, flat side down.
Transfer one cake (the less attractive one) to a serving platter, and spread jam evenly on top. In the bowl of an electric mixer, whip cream, confectioners’ sugar and vanilla just until it holds stiff peaks. Dollop about half the cream on top of jam, then top with remaining cake. Dust with confectioners’ sugar and serve immediately, with the extra whipped cream on the side.
BLACKBERRY CRISP WITH MAPLE-PECAN TOPPING
This recipe is from page 60 of the September 2012 issue of Vegetarian Times. It starts off, “Tangy blackberries have a great affinity for pecans and maple, but you could certainly make this crisp with blueberries or a combination of berries. Leftovers are delicious for breakfast!” Serves 8.
This recipe can be viewed online here.
5 Tbs. maple syrup, divided
1 tsp. balsamic vinegar
6 cups fresh blackberries (1 3/4 lb.)
3 Tbs. sugar
16 Tbs. all-purpose flour, divided
1/4 tsp. plus 1/8 tsp. salt, divided
2/3 cup rolled oats
2/3 cup chopped toasted pecans
1/3 cup brown sugar
3 Tbs. canola oil
Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat deep baking dish with cooking spray.
Whisk together 2 Tbs. maple syrup and vinegar in bowl. Place blackberries in large bowl, and drizzle maple mixture over them. Add sugar, 3 Tbs. flour, and 1/8 tsp. salt to berries; toss to combine. Transfer to prepared baking dish.
Combine remaining 13 Tbs. flour, oats, pecans, brown sugar, and remaining 1/4 tsp. salt in separate bowl. Drizzle oil and remaining 3 Tbs. maple syrup over dry ingredients. Use fingers to combine thoroughly until small clumps form. Arrange topping clumps over berries.
Bake 30 to 45 minutes, or until topping is lightly browned and berry juices are bubbling just around edges of crisp.
nutritional information Per 1-cup serving: Calories: 319; Protein: 5 g; Total Fat: 12 g; Saturated Fat: less than 1 g; Carbohydrates: 50 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 115 mg; Fiber: 7 g; Sugar: 27 g; Vegan
STRAWBERRY VINAIGRETTE
This comes from Smuckers. Makes 2 1/2 C or 20 servings (2 Tbs).
1 C Smucker’s sugar free strawberry preserves
1/4 C balsamic vinegar
1/4 C Dijon mustard
1/2 - 1 tsp ground pepper
1/2 C Olive Oil
1/2 C water
In a medium bowl, using a wire whisk, whip together the preserves, vinegar, mustard & pepper, until thoroughly emulsified. Gradually whisk in 1/2 C oil, then 1/2 C of water (more, if desired).
STIR-FRIED VEGETABLES
This came from an old Weight Watchers email several years ago. 1 point/serving (old value). Serves 4. Adding 1 C each of baby corn & water chestnuts changes recipe to 2 points/serving. (*) foods are filling foods.
1 spray cooking spray
2 tsp sesame oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 C sugar snap peas or pea pods, trimmed (*)
2 C carrots, thinly diagonally sliced (*)
2 scallions, chopped (*)
1 1/2 Tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
2 Tbsp chopped cilantro (optional)
Coat wok or large nonstick skillet with cooking spray & set over medium-high heat. Add oil & heat. Add garlic & stir-fry 1 minute. Add sugar snap peas, carrots & scallions; stir-fry 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Add soy sauce & cook until vegetables are crisp-tender, about 1 minute. Remove from heat & stir in cilantro. Yields about 1/2 C per serving.
BAKED MACARONI AND CHEESE
This is from an old Weight Watchers' email. Serves: 8; 5 Points (old points value).
12 oz uncooked macaroni, elbow-type
1/2 cup fat-free sour cream
12 oz fat-free evaporated milk
8 oz low-fat cheddar or Colby cheese, shredded
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1/4 tsp table salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
2 Tbsp dried bread crumbs
2 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
Preheat oven to 350ºF.
Cook pasta according to package directions without added fat or salt; drain & transfer to a large bowl. While pasta is still hot, stir in sour cream; set aside.
Heat milk in small saucepan over medium heat until tiny bubbles appear just around the edges. Reduce heat to low, add cheese & simmer until cheese melts, stirring constantly with wire whisk, about 2 minutes; remove from heat & stir in mustard, salt, pepper & nutmeg.
Add cheese mixture to pasta; mix well. Transfer to a 4-quart casserole dish. Combine bread crumbs & Parmesan cheese; sprinkle over pasta. Bake until top is golden, about 30 minutes. Yields about 1 cup per serving.
APPLE CRISP
This comes from a long-since-forgotten-emailing-list.
4 large apples
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup flour
3/4 cup white sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. salt
2 Tbs. melted butter
1 egg
1/2 cup water
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Peel, core & slice the apples. Put apples in a bowl & mix in 1/2 cup brown sugar. In a separate bowl, using a fork, mix together 1 cup flour, 3/4 cup sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, & 1/4 teaspoon salt. In another bowl, beat together 1 egg, 2 tablespoons melted butter & 1/2 cup water. Add them to the dry ingredients. This is the topping. Put apples in baking dish & pour topping over them. Bake for 30 - 40 minutes. When done, apples should be soft & topping golden and crisp. Remove from oven & let cool.
Note: In case you missed yesterday's cookie post, check it out!
VICTORIA SPONGE CAKE
This is from Melissa Clark in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Melissa wrote, “This traditional British layer cake is made up of two buttery, tender spongecake rounds that sandwich a thick layer of jam and, often, a dollop of sweetened whipped cream. It’s a simple, homey confection that works as well with a cup of afternoon tea as it does for dessert. Feel free to substitute other flavors of tart jam for the raspberry. Apricot and blackberry work particularly well.” Yield: 8 to 10 servings.
This was featured in “‘The Great British Bake Off’ Changes the Way the British Bake” and can be viewed online at here.
Ingredients
12 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks), softened, more for greasing pan
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
3 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
3 large eggs, at room temperature
2 tablespoons whole milk
1/2 cup raspberry jam, more to taste
1 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon confectioners’ sugar, more for dusting
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Preparation
Heat oven to 350 degrees and place a rack in the center. Grease and line the bottoms of two 8-inch round cake pans with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in eggs, one at a time, until incorporated, then beat in milk, scraping down sides of the bowl as necessary. Mix in flour mixture until combined, then scrape into prepared cake pans, smoothing the top.
Bake cakes until golden brown and springy, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes, then unmold them onto a wire rack to cool completely, flat side down.
Transfer one cake (the less attractive one) to a serving platter, and spread jam evenly on top. In the bowl of an electric mixer, whip cream, confectioners’ sugar and vanilla just until it holds stiff peaks. Dollop about half the cream on top of jam, then top with remaining cake. Dust with confectioners’ sugar and serve immediately, with the extra whipped cream on the side.
BLACKBERRY CRISP WITH MAPLE-PECAN TOPPING
This recipe is from page 60 of the September 2012 issue of Vegetarian Times. It starts off, “Tangy blackberries have a great affinity for pecans and maple, but you could certainly make this crisp with blueberries or a combination of berries. Leftovers are delicious for breakfast!” Serves 8.
This recipe can be viewed online here.
5 Tbs. maple syrup, divided
1 tsp. balsamic vinegar
6 cups fresh blackberries (1 3/4 lb.)
3 Tbs. sugar
16 Tbs. all-purpose flour, divided
1/4 tsp. plus 1/8 tsp. salt, divided
2/3 cup rolled oats
2/3 cup chopped toasted pecans
1/3 cup brown sugar
3 Tbs. canola oil
Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat deep baking dish with cooking spray.
Whisk together 2 Tbs. maple syrup and vinegar in bowl. Place blackberries in large bowl, and drizzle maple mixture over them. Add sugar, 3 Tbs. flour, and 1/8 tsp. salt to berries; toss to combine. Transfer to prepared baking dish.
Combine remaining 13 Tbs. flour, oats, pecans, brown sugar, and remaining 1/4 tsp. salt in separate bowl. Drizzle oil and remaining 3 Tbs. maple syrup over dry ingredients. Use fingers to combine thoroughly until small clumps form. Arrange topping clumps over berries.
Bake 30 to 45 minutes, or until topping is lightly browned and berry juices are bubbling just around edges of crisp.
nutritional information Per 1-cup serving: Calories: 319; Protein: 5 g; Total Fat: 12 g; Saturated Fat: less than 1 g; Carbohydrates: 50 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 115 mg; Fiber: 7 g; Sugar: 27 g; Vegan
STRAWBERRY VINAIGRETTE
This comes from Smuckers. Makes 2 1/2 C or 20 servings (2 Tbs).
1 C Smucker’s sugar free strawberry preserves
1/4 C balsamic vinegar
1/4 C Dijon mustard
1/2 - 1 tsp ground pepper
1/2 C Olive Oil
1/2 C water
In a medium bowl, using a wire whisk, whip together the preserves, vinegar, mustard & pepper, until thoroughly emulsified. Gradually whisk in 1/2 C oil, then 1/2 C of water (more, if desired).
STIR-FRIED VEGETABLES
This came from an old Weight Watchers email several years ago. 1 point/serving (old value). Serves 4. Adding 1 C each of baby corn & water chestnuts changes recipe to 2 points/serving. (*) foods are filling foods.
1 spray cooking spray
2 tsp sesame oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 C sugar snap peas or pea pods, trimmed (*)
2 C carrots, thinly diagonally sliced (*)
2 scallions, chopped (*)
1 1/2 Tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
2 Tbsp chopped cilantro (optional)
Coat wok or large nonstick skillet with cooking spray & set over medium-high heat. Add oil & heat. Add garlic & stir-fry 1 minute. Add sugar snap peas, carrots & scallions; stir-fry 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Add soy sauce & cook until vegetables are crisp-tender, about 1 minute. Remove from heat & stir in cilantro. Yields about 1/2 C per serving.
BAKED MACARONI AND CHEESE
This is from an old Weight Watchers' email. Serves: 8; 5 Points (old points value).
12 oz uncooked macaroni, elbow-type
1/2 cup fat-free sour cream
12 oz fat-free evaporated milk
8 oz low-fat cheddar or Colby cheese, shredded
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1/4 tsp table salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
2 Tbsp dried bread crumbs
2 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
Preheat oven to 350ºF.
Cook pasta according to package directions without added fat or salt; drain & transfer to a large bowl. While pasta is still hot, stir in sour cream; set aside.
Heat milk in small saucepan over medium heat until tiny bubbles appear just around the edges. Reduce heat to low, add cheese & simmer until cheese melts, stirring constantly with wire whisk, about 2 minutes; remove from heat & stir in mustard, salt, pepper & nutmeg.
Add cheese mixture to pasta; mix well. Transfer to a 4-quart casserole dish. Combine bread crumbs & Parmesan cheese; sprinkle over pasta. Bake until top is golden, about 30 minutes. Yields about 1 cup per serving.
APPLE CRISP
This comes from a long-since-forgotten-emailing-list.
4 large apples
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup flour
3/4 cup white sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. salt
2 Tbs. melted butter
1 egg
1/2 cup water
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Peel, core & slice the apples. Put apples in a bowl & mix in 1/2 cup brown sugar. In a separate bowl, using a fork, mix together 1 cup flour, 3/4 cup sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, & 1/4 teaspoon salt. In another bowl, beat together 1 egg, 2 tablespoons melted butter & 1/2 cup water. Add them to the dry ingredients. This is the topping. Put apples in baking dish & pour topping over them. Bake for 30 - 40 minutes. When done, apples should be soft & topping golden and crisp. Remove from oven & let cool.
Sunday, December 18, 2016
Cookies!
If you've checked in here with any regularity, you know I usually don't post here over the weekend. That said, since my internet was down for just over a week, and Christmas is exactly a week away - yes, next Sunday! - I figured I'd get some cookie recipes in here for those who'd like to do some baking before the big day. Enjoy!
PEANUT BUTTER SANDWICH COOKIES
This comes from the December 2012 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 55. It starts off, “These sandwich cookies are held together by a rich (and ridiculously easy) chocolate filling.” Makes 24 sandwiches.
To view this online, click here.
Cookies
2 cups smooth natural-style peanut butter
4 oz. Earth Balance margarine (1 stick)
1 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup evaporated cane sugar
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup plain soymilk or almond milk
3 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/3 cup roasted unsalted peanuts, chopped
Filling
1/2 cup coconut creamer or soy creamer
8 oz. vegan chocolate chips (1 1/4 cups)
To make Cookies: Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper, or coat with cooking spray.
Cream peanut butter, margarine, brown sugar, cane sugar, and vanilla 2 to 3 minutes with electric mixer, or until smooth. Beat in soymilk and 1/4 cup water.
Whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and peanuts in separate bowl. Add flour mixture to peanut butter mixture, and beat just until dough forms.
Scoop 1 Tbs. dough onto prepared baking sheets 2 to 3 inches apart. Make crisscross pattern on top of each Cookie by pressing down with fork. Bake 9 to 11 minutes or until edges of Cookies begin to brown. Cool on baking sheet.
To make Filling: Heat creamer in top half of double boiler over medium heat until steaming. Pour hot creamer over chocolate chips in bowl, and let stand 30 seconds. Mix creamer and chocolate with wooden spoon until chocolate is melted, then whisk until smooth.
Spread 2 tsp. Filling on flat sides of 24 Cookies. Top with remaining Cookies.
nutritional information Per Cookie sandwich: Calories: 344; Protein: 7 g; Total Fat: 18 g; Saturated Fat: 5 g; Carbohydrates: 38 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 304 mg; Fiber: 3 g; Sugar: 18 g; Vegan
SPICED VEGAN OATMEAL CRANBERRY COOKIES
This comes from Jolinda Hackett, About.com’s Vegetarian Food expert. Jolinda wrote, “This vegan recipe for spiced oatmeal cranberry cookies is thick and chewy, just the way oatmeal cookies should be, and, it has consistently been one of the most popular vegan cookie recipes here on About.com year after year. Vegans apparently love their oatmeal cranberry cookies, and you'll love this recipe, whether you're vegan or not! Unlike many vegan cookie recipes, this one doesn't require any egg replacer or egg substitute, so it's a good one to try if you're new to baking vegan (or just don't have any egg replacer on hand).
“Use a vegan margarine or a vegan butter substitute to make these oatmeal cookies vegan, egg-free and dairy-free. Betsy DiJulio of The Blooming Platter made these cookies and suggests adding chopped walnuts or pecans. Her verdict? These cookies are ‘the best’!”
To view this online, click here. Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 15 minutes; Total Time: 30 minutes; Yield: about 18 cookies.
Ingredients
3/4 cup vegan margarine or butter substitute
1/3 cup regular white sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup soy milk (or other non-dairy milk substitute)
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ginger powder
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp nutmeg
3 cups quick cooking or rolled oatmeal
1 cup dried cranberries
Preparation
First, pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees. You don't need to grease a cookie sheet for this recipe.
In a large bowl, cream together the vegan margarine with the regular white sugar and the brown sugar until smooth and creamy. Add the vanilla and soy milk (or other non-dairy milk substitute) and mix well until well combined.
Add the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger powder, ground cloves, and nutmeg and stir again until well mixed, then stir in the quick cooking oats and the cranberries.
Spoon the dough by about one and a half-inch balls onto an ungreased cookie sheet and bake 10-15 minutes, or until done.
Enjoy your vegan oatmeal cranberry cookies!
Recipe note: If you're missing one of the spices (ginger powder, ground cloves, cinnamon and nutmeg), it's ok to omit it without too much trouble, and just add a bit more of one of the other spices. If you're missing two of the spices, your oatmeal cranberry cookies will still be reliably delicious, but they'll be even better with the full combination of spices. If you happen to have pumpkin pie spice on hand, you can also use that as a reasonable substitute.
THE SPICIEST GINGERBREAD COOKIES EVER
This recipe from The Food Network Kitchen begins, “This gingerbread cookie is super-spicy from the very first bite. Molasses makes it chewy and white sugar rounds out the spices. Cayenne, allspice and a hefty dose of black pepper result in a complex, lingering heat that is surprising and pleasant.” Total Time: 5 hr 20 min; Prep: 1 hr 10 min; Inactive: 3 hr 40 min; Cook: 30 min; Yield: Eighteen 4-inch gingerbread people; Level: Intermediate
Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/the-spiciest-gingerbread-cookies-ever.html?oc=linkback
Ingredients
3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting and rolling (see Cook's Note)
3 tablespoons ground ginger
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon fine salt
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter cut into 1-inch pieces, at room temperature
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup molasses
1 large egg
2 cups confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup meringue powder (egg white powder)
Cinnamon candies, such as Red Hots, chocolate chips, raisins or other candies for decorating
Directions
Make the cookies: Whisk together the flour, ginger, cinnamon, black pepper, salt, baking soda, allspice, nutmeg, cayenne, and baking powder in a medium bowl.
Beat the butter and granulated sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes (scrape down the sides of the bowl, as needed). Beat in the molasses until combined, then the egg (the mixture will look curdled). Add the flour mixture and beat on low speed until the dough comes together. Divide the dough in 2 pieces, flatten each half into a disk and wrap each disk in plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least 2 hours or up to overnight.
Position 2 racks in the top and bottom thirds of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
Keeping one disk refrigerated, roll the other disk on a well-floured work surface to 1/4 inch thick, sprinkling flour on and under the dough as needed and sliding a spatula underneath every so often to prevent sticking (If the dough looks crackly or breaks apart, press it back together from the outside edge in). Using cookie cutters, cut out gingerbread shapes as close together as possible. Pull away the extra dough around each shape then use a small offset spatula to transfer the shapes to the prepared cookie sheets, spacing them 1 inch apart. Reroll the scraps and cut out more cookies. Freeze the cookies until firm, about 15 minutes.
Bake the cookies, rotating the baking sheets from top to bottom and from front to back halfway through cooking, until they are slightly firm to the touch but not browned at the edges, about 12 minutes. Repeat the rolling, cutting and baking with the remaining dough disk.
Cool the cookies for 5 minutes on the baking sheet then transfer them to a cooling rack to cool completely, about 20 minutes (The cookies will continue to firm as they cool).
Make the icing: Combine the confectioners' sugar, meringue powder and 3 tablespoons water in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer on low speed until the frosting thickens, trying not to incorporate too much air. (The icing should be pure white and thick, but not fluffy and bubbly.)
Scrape the icing into a resealable plastic bag and snip the corner to the desired size. Pipe the icing onto the cookies to decorate, as desired, sticking the candy onto the icing while it is still wet. Let the cookies stand at room temperature until the icing hardens, at least 1 hour.
Special equipment: a small offset spatula
CHOCOLATE ESPRESSO OATMEAL COOKIES
This recipe comes from page 75 of the December 2011 issue of Vegetarian Times, and begins, "Take chocolate chip cookies to the next level with this espresso-spiked dough that's laced with chewy oats." Makes 48 cookies.
To view this online, click here.
3/4 cup all-purpose flour or oat flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
4 oz. (1 stick) margarine, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup cooled espresso or strong coffee
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups oats
1/2 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips
Whisk together flour, cocoa powder, salt, and baking soda in bowl.
Cream margarine and sugar together with electric mixer in bowl. Beat in espresso and vanilla. Beat in flour mixture 1/2 cup at a time, adding up to 1/2 cup more if necessary to make thick dough. Stir in oats and chocolate chips.
Divide dough in half. Transfer each dough half to large sheet of plastic wrap or wax paper. Use plastic wrap to shape dough into 2 2-inch-diameter logs with plastic wrap or wax paper. Wrap tightly, and chill 2 hours, or overnight.
4. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Slice dough logs into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Transfer slices to greased or parchment paper–lined baking sheet. Bake 8 to 11 minutes, or until cookies look dry on top. Cool cookies 3 minutes on baking sheet before transferring to wire rack.
from the December 2011 issue, p.75
nutritional information Per Cookie: Calories: 56; Protein: less than 1 g; Total Fat: 3 g; Saturated Fat: less than 1 g; Carbohydrates: 8 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 43 mg; Fiber: less than 1 g; Sugar: 4 g; Vegan
SOFT GINGER COOKIES
This is from Gesine Bullock-Prado in the January 2013 issue of Runners' World, page 36 (“The Athlete's Palate”). Genise writes, “Dates keep these whole-grain cookies moist without using butter or oil. 'Crystallized ginger adds the perfect bite--spicy and chewy at the same time,' says Bullock-Prado.” Makes 30 cookies.
To view this online, go to http://www.runnersworld.com/recipes/soft-ginger-cookies.
3/4 cup hot coffee
1 cup chopped, pitted dates
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 eggs at room temperature
1/4 cup organic blackstrap molasses
1 1/2 cups organic spelt flour or whole-wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 cup chopped crystallized ginger
1/4 cup turbinado sugar
Preheat oven to 350°F. Combine coffee and dates and stir in baking soda. Let it sit for 10 minutes. Put mixture in a food processor; process until nearly smooth. In a bowl, whisk eggs and molasses. Continue whisking and add date puree. In a small bowl, whisk flour, salt, and spices. Stir into date mixture. Stir in ginger pieces until just combined. Freeze till very firm but scoopable (30 minutes). Using a teaspoon, drop dough into little mounds, a few inches apart, on a parchment-lined tray. Sprinkle sugar over cookies. Bake 10 minutes or until they feel spongy yet firm and spring back when gently poked.
Calories Per Cookie: 66; Carbs: 14 g; Fiber: 1 g; Protein: 1 g; Fat: .5 g
THE $250 COOKIE RECIPE
This comes from Barbara Whitaker, also in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Barbara wrote, “Almost everybody has heard the one about the woman lunching at the Neiman Marcus Cafe in Dallas, who enjoyed the chocolate chip cookies so much that she asked for the recipe. For "only two-fifty," the waitress said, it was hers. But when the credit card bill arrived, the woman found the total near $300. Turns out the recipe cost $250, the story goes. In 1997, after years of enduring the myth, Neiman Marcus came up with a recipe – and gave it out for free. It's a delicious variation on chocolate chip cookies, using ground oatmeal, nuts and adding extra chocolate with a grated Hershey bar (you can use any brand you love).” Guess that the woman from Dallas probably gave the recipe out to everyone and anyone and that after it got around, there was little choice on N.M.’s side but to let it out for free. Moral? Don’t p.o. your customers!
Yield: About 55 cookies; Time: 45 minutes.
The recipe was featured in “The $250 Cookie Recipe Exposed”, and can be viewed online here.
Ingredients
1 cup butter
1 cup dark brown sugar, packed
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/2 cups oatmeal
2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
12 ounces chocolate chips
1 4-ounce milk chocolate bar
1 1/2 cups chopped nuts
Preparation
Heat oven to 375 degrees.
Cream together butter and both sugars. Stir in eggs and vanilla.
Finely grind oatmeal in a blender or food processor. Combine the oatmeal, flour, salt, baking powder and soda in a medium bowl, and slowly add it to the wet ingredients. Beat just until combined. Grate chocolate bar using a microplane grater and add it, along with chocolate chips and nuts to the batter. Mix just to combine.
Drop by heaping tablespoonfuls, 2 inches apart, on a greased cookie sheet. Bake for 10 minutes.
PEANUT BUTTER SANDWICH COOKIES
This comes from the December 2012 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 55. It starts off, “These sandwich cookies are held together by a rich (and ridiculously easy) chocolate filling.” Makes 24 sandwiches.
To view this online, click here.
Cookies
2 cups smooth natural-style peanut butter
4 oz. Earth Balance margarine (1 stick)
1 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup evaporated cane sugar
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup plain soymilk or almond milk
3 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/3 cup roasted unsalted peanuts, chopped
Filling
1/2 cup coconut creamer or soy creamer
8 oz. vegan chocolate chips (1 1/4 cups)
To make Cookies: Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper, or coat with cooking spray.
Cream peanut butter, margarine, brown sugar, cane sugar, and vanilla 2 to 3 minutes with electric mixer, or until smooth. Beat in soymilk and 1/4 cup water.
Whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and peanuts in separate bowl. Add flour mixture to peanut butter mixture, and beat just until dough forms.
Scoop 1 Tbs. dough onto prepared baking sheets 2 to 3 inches apart. Make crisscross pattern on top of each Cookie by pressing down with fork. Bake 9 to 11 minutes or until edges of Cookies begin to brown. Cool on baking sheet.
To make Filling: Heat creamer in top half of double boiler over medium heat until steaming. Pour hot creamer over chocolate chips in bowl, and let stand 30 seconds. Mix creamer and chocolate with wooden spoon until chocolate is melted, then whisk until smooth.
Spread 2 tsp. Filling on flat sides of 24 Cookies. Top with remaining Cookies.
nutritional information Per Cookie sandwich: Calories: 344; Protein: 7 g; Total Fat: 18 g; Saturated Fat: 5 g; Carbohydrates: 38 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 304 mg; Fiber: 3 g; Sugar: 18 g; Vegan
SPICED VEGAN OATMEAL CRANBERRY COOKIES
This comes from Jolinda Hackett, About.com’s Vegetarian Food expert. Jolinda wrote, “This vegan recipe for spiced oatmeal cranberry cookies is thick and chewy, just the way oatmeal cookies should be, and, it has consistently been one of the most popular vegan cookie recipes here on About.com year after year. Vegans apparently love their oatmeal cranberry cookies, and you'll love this recipe, whether you're vegan or not! Unlike many vegan cookie recipes, this one doesn't require any egg replacer or egg substitute, so it's a good one to try if you're new to baking vegan (or just don't have any egg replacer on hand).
“Use a vegan margarine or a vegan butter substitute to make these oatmeal cookies vegan, egg-free and dairy-free. Betsy DiJulio of The Blooming Platter made these cookies and suggests adding chopped walnuts or pecans. Her verdict? These cookies are ‘the best’!”
To view this online, click here. Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 15 minutes; Total Time: 30 minutes; Yield: about 18 cookies.
Ingredients
3/4 cup vegan margarine or butter substitute
1/3 cup regular white sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup soy milk (or other non-dairy milk substitute)
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ginger powder
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp nutmeg
3 cups quick cooking or rolled oatmeal
1 cup dried cranberries
Preparation
First, pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees. You don't need to grease a cookie sheet for this recipe.
In a large bowl, cream together the vegan margarine with the regular white sugar and the brown sugar until smooth and creamy. Add the vanilla and soy milk (or other non-dairy milk substitute) and mix well until well combined.
Add the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger powder, ground cloves, and nutmeg and stir again until well mixed, then stir in the quick cooking oats and the cranberries.
Spoon the dough by about one and a half-inch balls onto an ungreased cookie sheet and bake 10-15 minutes, or until done.
Enjoy your vegan oatmeal cranberry cookies!
Recipe note: If you're missing one of the spices (ginger powder, ground cloves, cinnamon and nutmeg), it's ok to omit it without too much trouble, and just add a bit more of one of the other spices. If you're missing two of the spices, your oatmeal cranberry cookies will still be reliably delicious, but they'll be even better with the full combination of spices. If you happen to have pumpkin pie spice on hand, you can also use that as a reasonable substitute.
THE SPICIEST GINGERBREAD COOKIES EVER
This recipe from The Food Network Kitchen begins, “This gingerbread cookie is super-spicy from the very first bite. Molasses makes it chewy and white sugar rounds out the spices. Cayenne, allspice and a hefty dose of black pepper result in a complex, lingering heat that is surprising and pleasant.” Total Time: 5 hr 20 min; Prep: 1 hr 10 min; Inactive: 3 hr 40 min; Cook: 30 min; Yield: Eighteen 4-inch gingerbread people; Level: Intermediate
Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/the-spiciest-gingerbread-cookies-ever.html?oc=linkback
Ingredients
3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting and rolling (see Cook's Note)
3 tablespoons ground ginger
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon fine salt
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter cut into 1-inch pieces, at room temperature
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup molasses
1 large egg
2 cups confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup meringue powder (egg white powder)
Cinnamon candies, such as Red Hots, chocolate chips, raisins or other candies for decorating
Directions
Make the cookies: Whisk together the flour, ginger, cinnamon, black pepper, salt, baking soda, allspice, nutmeg, cayenne, and baking powder in a medium bowl.
Beat the butter and granulated sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes (scrape down the sides of the bowl, as needed). Beat in the molasses until combined, then the egg (the mixture will look curdled). Add the flour mixture and beat on low speed until the dough comes together. Divide the dough in 2 pieces, flatten each half into a disk and wrap each disk in plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least 2 hours or up to overnight.
Position 2 racks in the top and bottom thirds of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
Keeping one disk refrigerated, roll the other disk on a well-floured work surface to 1/4 inch thick, sprinkling flour on and under the dough as needed and sliding a spatula underneath every so often to prevent sticking (If the dough looks crackly or breaks apart, press it back together from the outside edge in). Using cookie cutters, cut out gingerbread shapes as close together as possible. Pull away the extra dough around each shape then use a small offset spatula to transfer the shapes to the prepared cookie sheets, spacing them 1 inch apart. Reroll the scraps and cut out more cookies. Freeze the cookies until firm, about 15 minutes.
Bake the cookies, rotating the baking sheets from top to bottom and from front to back halfway through cooking, until they are slightly firm to the touch but not browned at the edges, about 12 minutes. Repeat the rolling, cutting and baking with the remaining dough disk.
Cool the cookies for 5 minutes on the baking sheet then transfer them to a cooling rack to cool completely, about 20 minutes (The cookies will continue to firm as they cool).
Make the icing: Combine the confectioners' sugar, meringue powder and 3 tablespoons water in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer on low speed until the frosting thickens, trying not to incorporate too much air. (The icing should be pure white and thick, but not fluffy and bubbly.)
Scrape the icing into a resealable plastic bag and snip the corner to the desired size. Pipe the icing onto the cookies to decorate, as desired, sticking the candy onto the icing while it is still wet. Let the cookies stand at room temperature until the icing hardens, at least 1 hour.
Special equipment: a small offset spatula
CHOCOLATE ESPRESSO OATMEAL COOKIES
This recipe comes from page 75 of the December 2011 issue of Vegetarian Times, and begins, "Take chocolate chip cookies to the next level with this espresso-spiked dough that's laced with chewy oats." Makes 48 cookies.
To view this online, click here.
3/4 cup all-purpose flour or oat flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
4 oz. (1 stick) margarine, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup cooled espresso or strong coffee
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups oats
1/2 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips
Whisk together flour, cocoa powder, salt, and baking soda in bowl.
Cream margarine and sugar together with electric mixer in bowl. Beat in espresso and vanilla. Beat in flour mixture 1/2 cup at a time, adding up to 1/2 cup more if necessary to make thick dough. Stir in oats and chocolate chips.
Divide dough in half. Transfer each dough half to large sheet of plastic wrap or wax paper. Use plastic wrap to shape dough into 2 2-inch-diameter logs with plastic wrap or wax paper. Wrap tightly, and chill 2 hours, or overnight.
4. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Slice dough logs into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Transfer slices to greased or parchment paper–lined baking sheet. Bake 8 to 11 minutes, or until cookies look dry on top. Cool cookies 3 minutes on baking sheet before transferring to wire rack.
from the December 2011 issue, p.75
nutritional information Per Cookie: Calories: 56; Protein: less than 1 g; Total Fat: 3 g; Saturated Fat: less than 1 g; Carbohydrates: 8 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 43 mg; Fiber: less than 1 g; Sugar: 4 g; Vegan
SOFT GINGER COOKIES
This is from Gesine Bullock-Prado in the January 2013 issue of Runners' World, page 36 (“The Athlete's Palate”). Genise writes, “Dates keep these whole-grain cookies moist without using butter or oil. 'Crystallized ginger adds the perfect bite--spicy and chewy at the same time,' says Bullock-Prado.” Makes 30 cookies.
To view this online, go to http://www.runnersworld.com/recipes/soft-ginger-cookies.
3/4 cup hot coffee
1 cup chopped, pitted dates
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 eggs at room temperature
1/4 cup organic blackstrap molasses
1 1/2 cups organic spelt flour or whole-wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 cup chopped crystallized ginger
1/4 cup turbinado sugar
Preheat oven to 350°F. Combine coffee and dates and stir in baking soda. Let it sit for 10 minutes. Put mixture in a food processor; process until nearly smooth. In a bowl, whisk eggs and molasses. Continue whisking and add date puree. In a small bowl, whisk flour, salt, and spices. Stir into date mixture. Stir in ginger pieces until just combined. Freeze till very firm but scoopable (30 minutes). Using a teaspoon, drop dough into little mounds, a few inches apart, on a parchment-lined tray. Sprinkle sugar over cookies. Bake 10 minutes or until they feel spongy yet firm and spring back when gently poked.
Calories Per Cookie: 66; Carbs: 14 g; Fiber: 1 g; Protein: 1 g; Fat: .5 g
THE $250 COOKIE RECIPE
This comes from Barbara Whitaker, also in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Barbara wrote, “Almost everybody has heard the one about the woman lunching at the Neiman Marcus Cafe in Dallas, who enjoyed the chocolate chip cookies so much that she asked for the recipe. For "only two-fifty," the waitress said, it was hers. But when the credit card bill arrived, the woman found the total near $300. Turns out the recipe cost $250, the story goes. In 1997, after years of enduring the myth, Neiman Marcus came up with a recipe – and gave it out for free. It's a delicious variation on chocolate chip cookies, using ground oatmeal, nuts and adding extra chocolate with a grated Hershey bar (you can use any brand you love).” Guess that the woman from Dallas probably gave the recipe out to everyone and anyone and that after it got around, there was little choice on N.M.’s side but to let it out for free. Moral? Don’t p.o. your customers!
Yield: About 55 cookies; Time: 45 minutes.
The recipe was featured in “The $250 Cookie Recipe Exposed”, and can be viewed online here.
Ingredients
1 cup butter
1 cup dark brown sugar, packed
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/2 cups oatmeal
2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
12 ounces chocolate chips
1 4-ounce milk chocolate bar
1 1/2 cups chopped nuts
Preparation
Heat oven to 375 degrees.
Cream together butter and both sugars. Stir in eggs and vanilla.
Finely grind oatmeal in a blender or food processor. Combine the oatmeal, flour, salt, baking powder and soda in a medium bowl, and slowly add it to the wet ingredients. Beat just until combined. Grate chocolate bar using a microplane grater and add it, along with chocolate chips and nuts to the batter. Mix just to combine.
Drop by heaping tablespoonfuls, 2 inches apart, on a greased cookie sheet. Bake for 10 minutes.
Friday, December 16, 2016
Chili!
Chilly weather screams for certain foods to warm us up - including chili! Here are six vegetarian chili recipes to try over the weekend. Enjoy!
BLACK BEAN CHILI
This recipe is from the Silk emailed newsletter. Total time: 1 hr 15 min; Servings: 6
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
1 medium green, yellow, orange or red bell pepper, finely chopped with stem and seeds removed
3 Tbsp chili powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 (28-oz) can diced tomatoes, with juice
1/4 cup Silk Original Cashewmilk
2 (15-oz) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15-oz) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup uncooked quinoa
2 3/4 cups vegetable stock
Whole cilantro leaves or parsley, if desired
6 scallions, chopped, if desired
Preparation
Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add onions and pepper, reducing the heat to medium. Cook, stirring occasionally, until very soft (about 10 minutes).
Stir in chili powder, cumin, bay leaf and salt. CooStir in chili powder, cumin, bay leaf and salt. Cook, stirring often, until spices are fragrant (about 1 minute), stirring often, until spices are fragrant (about 1 minute).
Add tomatoes with juice, stir, and reduce the heat to low. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 25-30 minutes.
Add Silk, beans, quinoa and stock, cooking for an additional 20 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
Serve topped with cilantro and scallions, if desired.
LOW-CALORIE, ALMOST FAT-FREE VEGETABLE CHILI
Jolinda Hackett, About.com's vegetarian blog's guide, wrote, "Using extra vegetables, tomato juice and tomatoes with fewer beans keeps this vegetarian chili lower in calories. Though meatless chili is already a healthy and low-fat choice, this version is extra low-cal. It's really more like a chili-spiced tomato soup than a hearty chili. This was one of those recipes that came about purely because of what I had on hand in my kitchen, which happened to be lots of veggies, and not so many beans. But I really wanted chili."
Ingredients:
1/2 medium onion, chopped
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp water
1 large carrot, sliced thin
1 green bell pepper, chopped small
1 red bell pepper, chopped small
2 tbsp soy sauce
1/2 cup corn kernels
1 15-ounce can kidney beans
1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes (do not drain)
1 12-ounce can tomato juice or V8
water
1 jalapeno or other small spicy pepper, minced
1 tbsp chili powder
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp seasoned salt
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
green onions for garnish, optional
Preparation:
In a large non-stick pot, heat the garlic and onions for 3-4 minutes. Add the water and carrots and heat, stirring, for another 3-4 minutes. Add green bell pepper, red bell pepper and soy sauce, stirring to combine well. Heat for just another minute or two. Reduce heat to medium low and add all the remaining ingredients, except for the green onions. Cover and allow to slowly simmer for at least 25 minutes and up to 40 minutes.
Adjust the seasonings to taste, garnish with some green onions or even a bit of cheese or sour cream if you're not eating vegan.
Nutritional information, via CalorieCount: Calories: 195; Calories from Fat: 10; Total Fat: 1.1g, 2% daily value; Trans Fat: 0.0g; Cholesterol: 0mg, 0%; Sodium: 614mg, 26%; Total Carbohydrates: 38.0g, 13%; Dietary Fiber: 9.6g, 38%; Sugars: 9.5g; Protein: 11.2g; Vitamin A 80%, Vitamin C 159% Calcium 5%, Iron 32
VEGETARIAN CHILI AND CORNBREAD CASSEROLE
This comes from Jolinda Hackett, Vegetarian Food expert for About.com. Jolinda wrote, “Vegetarian Chili and Cornbread Casserole. With beans and mock meat for plenty of protein, this easy vegetarian and vegan chili casserole can be prepared in just a few minutes, and can be a great way to use up leftover chili, if you have some. If you like corn bread, you'll like this recipe.” Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 30 minutes; Total Time: 40 minutes; Yield: 4 - 6 servings.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
4 15 ounce cans kidney beans, well drained
2 cups vegetarian ground beef substitute
1 cup corn
2 15 ounce cans tomato sauce
2 tbsp chili powder
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/3 tsp salt
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp cumin
2 cups cornmeal
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 tbsp baking powder
2 cups soy milk (or another non-dairy milk substitute)
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 tbsp maple syrup
Preparation
Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, mix together the beans, beef substitute, corn, tomato sauce and spices and spread in the bottom of a large baking pan.
In a separate bowl, combine the cornmeal, flour and baking powder. Slowly whisk in the soy milk, oil and maple syrup, stirring just until combined. Pour this cornbread batter over the chili mixture and spread in the dish.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
You could also make this recipe using any kind of leftover chili or canned vegetarian chili.
ULTIMATE VEGAN CHILI
This comes from the February 2010 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 51. It begins, “This chili is made with a base of seitan and mushrooms for a rich, thick dish that is, for lack of a better word, meaty! In lieu of chili beans such as Bush's Best Chili Beans, you can substitute or 1 can each black beans, kidney beans, and pinto beans, partially drained. If you like your chili three-alarm hot, add an extra chipotle chile or two.” Serves 8.
To view this online, click here.
2 Tbs. olive oil
1 large onion, chopped (2 cups)
3 cloves garlic, minced (1 Tbs.)
1 chipotle chile in adobo sauce, drained and minced
8 oz. baby bella mushrooms, finely chopped (1 1/2 cups)
2 8-oz. pkgs. seitan, chopped (3 cups)
3 Tbs. tomato paste
2 tsp. smoked paprika
2 tsp. dried oregano
1 1/2 tsp. chili powder
3/4 tsp. celery salt
3 15-oz. cans chili beans, partially drained
1 cup chopped carrots (2 to 3 large carrots)
2 Tbs. low-sodium tamari or soy sauce
1 Tbs. vegan Worcestershire sauce
Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion, and sauté 7 to 10 minutes, or until beginning to brown, stirring often. Add garlic and chipotle chile, and sauté 1 minute more. Stir in mushrooms; cook 3 to 4 minutes, or until softened. Add seitan, tomato paste, paprika, oregano, chili powder, celery salt, and 1 cup water; cook 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add beans, carrots, tamari, and Worcestershire sauce. Cover, and reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer 1 hour, or until carrots are tender.
nutritional information Per 1-cup Serving: Calories: 276; Protein: 24 g; Total Fat: 5 g; Saturated Fat: 1 g; Carbohydrates: 33 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 844 mg; Fiber: 9 g; Sugar: 4 g; Vegan
VEGETARIAN CHILI
This also comes from PureWow. Makes 6 to 8 servings; Time: 1 hour
Ingredients
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 large white onion, diced
2 large (or 4 small) poblano peppers, seeded and diced
1 large sweet potato, peeled and diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon chile powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
3/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
One 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
4 cups vegetable broth
One 15-ounce can chickpeas
One 15-ounce can black beans
2 cups frozen corn, thawed
Sour cream, for garnish
1 avocado, diced, for garnish
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish
Directions
In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, poblano pepper and sweet potato, and sauté until the onion is translucent, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the garlic and continue to cook until fragrant, 1 minute more.
Add the chile powder, cumin, coriander, cayenne, salt and pepper, and cook until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and broth. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until good flavor develops and the vegetables are very tender, 30 to 35 minutes.
Stir in the beans, chickpeas and corn, and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes.
To serve, ladle the soup into bowls. Garnish with a dollop of sour cream, 1 to 2 tablespoons avocado and 2 teaspoons cilantro. Leftover chili will keep in the refrigerator for up to a week.
BLACK BEAN VEGETARIAN CHILI WITH SWEET POTATO
This is from Jolinda Hackett, About.com’s Vegetarian Food expert. For this one, Jolinda wrote, “I have to confess, chili is not my favorite of vegetarian meals, but even I couldn't stop eating this vegetarian and vegan black bean chili, it was just so flavorful! The sweet potatoes and carrots match perfectly with the spiciness of the fresh chili flavor. This is my new favorite homemade chili recipe!” Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 25 minutes; Total Time: 35 minutes; Yield: 3-4 servings (though it ends “Makes 5 servings of homemade black bean chili.”)
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 small onion, diced
2 small sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped
2 medium carrots, sliced
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped (optional)
2 tbsp olive oil
1 15 ounce can black beans (or a little less than two cups, if you're cooking them fresh)
1 15 ounce can diced tomatoes or tomato sauce
1/2 cup vegetable broth
1 tbsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp cayenne (or to taste)
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
Preparation
Sautee onions and garlic in olive oil for a minute or two, then add sweet potatoes, carrots and bell pepper until onions are soft, about 5-6 minutes.
Reduce heat to medium low, and add remaining ingredients, stirring to combine well.
Simmer, partially covered and stirring occasionally, for 20-25 minutes, until flavors have mingled and vegetables are cooked.
BLACK BEAN CHILI
This recipe is from the Silk emailed newsletter. Total time: 1 hr 15 min; Servings: 6
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
1 medium green, yellow, orange or red bell pepper, finely chopped with stem and seeds removed
3 Tbsp chili powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 (28-oz) can diced tomatoes, with juice
1/4 cup Silk Original Cashewmilk
2 (15-oz) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15-oz) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup uncooked quinoa
2 3/4 cups vegetable stock
Whole cilantro leaves or parsley, if desired
6 scallions, chopped, if desired
Preparation
Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add onions and pepper, reducing the heat to medium. Cook, stirring occasionally, until very soft (about 10 minutes).
Stir in chili powder, cumin, bay leaf and salt. CooStir in chili powder, cumin, bay leaf and salt. Cook, stirring often, until spices are fragrant (about 1 minute), stirring often, until spices are fragrant (about 1 minute).
Add tomatoes with juice, stir, and reduce the heat to low. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 25-30 minutes.
Add Silk, beans, quinoa and stock, cooking for an additional 20 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
Serve topped with cilantro and scallions, if desired.
LOW-CALORIE, ALMOST FAT-FREE VEGETABLE CHILI
Jolinda Hackett, About.com's vegetarian blog's guide, wrote, "Using extra vegetables, tomato juice and tomatoes with fewer beans keeps this vegetarian chili lower in calories. Though meatless chili is already a healthy and low-fat choice, this version is extra low-cal. It's really more like a chili-spiced tomato soup than a hearty chili. This was one of those recipes that came about purely because of what I had on hand in my kitchen, which happened to be lots of veggies, and not so many beans. But I really wanted chili."
Ingredients:
1/2 medium onion, chopped
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp water
1 large carrot, sliced thin
1 green bell pepper, chopped small
1 red bell pepper, chopped small
2 tbsp soy sauce
1/2 cup corn kernels
1 15-ounce can kidney beans
1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes (do not drain)
1 12-ounce can tomato juice or V8
water
1 jalapeno or other small spicy pepper, minced
1 tbsp chili powder
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp seasoned salt
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
green onions for garnish, optional
Preparation:
In a large non-stick pot, heat the garlic and onions for 3-4 minutes. Add the water and carrots and heat, stirring, for another 3-4 minutes. Add green bell pepper, red bell pepper and soy sauce, stirring to combine well. Heat for just another minute or two. Reduce heat to medium low and add all the remaining ingredients, except for the green onions. Cover and allow to slowly simmer for at least 25 minutes and up to 40 minutes.
Adjust the seasonings to taste, garnish with some green onions or even a bit of cheese or sour cream if you're not eating vegan.
Nutritional information, via CalorieCount: Calories: 195; Calories from Fat: 10; Total Fat: 1.1g, 2% daily value; Trans Fat: 0.0g; Cholesterol: 0mg, 0%; Sodium: 614mg, 26%; Total Carbohydrates: 38.0g, 13%; Dietary Fiber: 9.6g, 38%; Sugars: 9.5g; Protein: 11.2g; Vitamin A 80%, Vitamin C 159% Calcium 5%, Iron 32
VEGETARIAN CHILI AND CORNBREAD CASSEROLE
This comes from Jolinda Hackett, Vegetarian Food expert for About.com. Jolinda wrote, “Vegetarian Chili and Cornbread Casserole. With beans and mock meat for plenty of protein, this easy vegetarian and vegan chili casserole can be prepared in just a few minutes, and can be a great way to use up leftover chili, if you have some. If you like corn bread, you'll like this recipe.” Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 30 minutes; Total Time: 40 minutes; Yield: 4 - 6 servings.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
4 15 ounce cans kidney beans, well drained
2 cups vegetarian ground beef substitute
1 cup corn
2 15 ounce cans tomato sauce
2 tbsp chili powder
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/3 tsp salt
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp cumin
2 cups cornmeal
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 tbsp baking powder
2 cups soy milk (or another non-dairy milk substitute)
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 tbsp maple syrup
Preparation
Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, mix together the beans, beef substitute, corn, tomato sauce and spices and spread in the bottom of a large baking pan.
In a separate bowl, combine the cornmeal, flour and baking powder. Slowly whisk in the soy milk, oil and maple syrup, stirring just until combined. Pour this cornbread batter over the chili mixture and spread in the dish.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
You could also make this recipe using any kind of leftover chili or canned vegetarian chili.
ULTIMATE VEGAN CHILI
This comes from the February 2010 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 51. It begins, “This chili is made with a base of seitan and mushrooms for a rich, thick dish that is, for lack of a better word, meaty! In lieu of chili beans such as Bush's Best Chili Beans, you can substitute or 1 can each black beans, kidney beans, and pinto beans, partially drained. If you like your chili three-alarm hot, add an extra chipotle chile or two.” Serves 8.
To view this online, click here.
2 Tbs. olive oil
1 large onion, chopped (2 cups)
3 cloves garlic, minced (1 Tbs.)
1 chipotle chile in adobo sauce, drained and minced
8 oz. baby bella mushrooms, finely chopped (1 1/2 cups)
2 8-oz. pkgs. seitan, chopped (3 cups)
3 Tbs. tomato paste
2 tsp. smoked paprika
2 tsp. dried oregano
1 1/2 tsp. chili powder
3/4 tsp. celery salt
3 15-oz. cans chili beans, partially drained
1 cup chopped carrots (2 to 3 large carrots)
2 Tbs. low-sodium tamari or soy sauce
1 Tbs. vegan Worcestershire sauce
Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion, and sauté 7 to 10 minutes, or until beginning to brown, stirring often. Add garlic and chipotle chile, and sauté 1 minute more. Stir in mushrooms; cook 3 to 4 minutes, or until softened. Add seitan, tomato paste, paprika, oregano, chili powder, celery salt, and 1 cup water; cook 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add beans, carrots, tamari, and Worcestershire sauce. Cover, and reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer 1 hour, or until carrots are tender.
nutritional information Per 1-cup Serving: Calories: 276; Protein: 24 g; Total Fat: 5 g; Saturated Fat: 1 g; Carbohydrates: 33 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 844 mg; Fiber: 9 g; Sugar: 4 g; Vegan
VEGETARIAN CHILI
This also comes from PureWow. Makes 6 to 8 servings; Time: 1 hour
Ingredients
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 large white onion, diced
2 large (or 4 small) poblano peppers, seeded and diced
1 large sweet potato, peeled and diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon chile powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
3/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
One 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
4 cups vegetable broth
One 15-ounce can chickpeas
One 15-ounce can black beans
2 cups frozen corn, thawed
Sour cream, for garnish
1 avocado, diced, for garnish
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish
Directions
In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, poblano pepper and sweet potato, and sauté until the onion is translucent, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the garlic and continue to cook until fragrant, 1 minute more.
Add the chile powder, cumin, coriander, cayenne, salt and pepper, and cook until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and broth. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until good flavor develops and the vegetables are very tender, 30 to 35 minutes.
Stir in the beans, chickpeas and corn, and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes.
To serve, ladle the soup into bowls. Garnish with a dollop of sour cream, 1 to 2 tablespoons avocado and 2 teaspoons cilantro. Leftover chili will keep in the refrigerator for up to a week.
BLACK BEAN VEGETARIAN CHILI WITH SWEET POTATO
This is from Jolinda Hackett, About.com’s Vegetarian Food expert. For this one, Jolinda wrote, “I have to confess, chili is not my favorite of vegetarian meals, but even I couldn't stop eating this vegetarian and vegan black bean chili, it was just so flavorful! The sweet potatoes and carrots match perfectly with the spiciness of the fresh chili flavor. This is my new favorite homemade chili recipe!” Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 25 minutes; Total Time: 35 minutes; Yield: 3-4 servings (though it ends “Makes 5 servings of homemade black bean chili.”)
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 small onion, diced
2 small sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped
2 medium carrots, sliced
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped (optional)
2 tbsp olive oil
1 15 ounce can black beans (or a little less than two cups, if you're cooking them fresh)
1 15 ounce can diced tomatoes or tomato sauce
1/2 cup vegetable broth
1 tbsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp cayenne (or to taste)
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
Preparation
Sautee onions and garlic in olive oil for a minute or two, then add sweet potatoes, carrots and bell pepper until onions are soft, about 5-6 minutes.
Reduce heat to medium low, and add remaining ingredients, stirring to combine well.
Simmer, partially covered and stirring occasionally, for 20-25 minutes, until flavors have mingled and vegetables are cooked.
Thursday, December 15, 2016
Soup's On - and the Computer's back up!
Finally, I'm back online! It only took several calls, including one that lasted almost 35 minutes (shortly after noon) and one that lasted 55 minutes! Ouch! But now that we're back in business...
It's actually fairly cool outside at the moment, at least by Florida's standards. Soup always seems like a good idea for cooler weather, so here are six soup recipes to help you through the day. Enjoy!
COUNTRY PUMPKIN CHOWDER
This comes from the October 2004 issue of Vegetarian Times, and begins, "Pumpkins are loaded with beta-carotene, the antioxidant that imparts a bright orange color. Current research suggests that a diet rich in beta-carotene offers protection against heart disease and certain types of cancer." Serves 12
To view this online, click here.
2 tsp. olive oil
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 6-oz. pkg. soy “chicken” strips, cut into 1-inch lengths
2 cups cubed baby Dutch yellow potatoes
1/3 cup dry sherry
3 cups vegetarian “chicken”-flavored stock, hot
1 14.5-oz. can Mexican stewed tomatoes, chopped or pulsed in blender
1 15-oz. can pumpkin purée
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 Tbs. nutritional yeast
1 Tbs. tamari
Hot pepper sauce to taste
Heat the oil and crushed red pepper in a Dutch oven or large saucepan over medium-high heat for 1 minute. Add garlic, onion and bell pepper, sauté for 2 minutes and add the soy “chicken” strips. Cook for 2 minutes, and add the potatoes. Cook mixture for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the sherry, stir for 30 seconds, and add the stock and tomatoes.
Reduce the heat to medium, and spoon in the pumpkin, stirring to mix thoroughly. Add the cilantro, yeast, tamari and hot pepper sauce to taste. Reduce the heat to low, and cook for 10 minutes, or until ready to serve.
nutritional information Per SERVING: Calories: 177; Protein: 6 g; Total Fat: 1 g; Saturated Fat: 0 g; Carbohydrates: 36 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 732 mg; Fiber: 6 g; Sugar: 13 g; Vegan
CUBAN BLACK BEAN AND POTATO SOUP
This is from page 52 of the March 2011 issue of Vegetarian Times, and begins, “The distinctive flavor of this soup comes from a sofrito, a puréed mix of onions, garlic, and bell peppers.” Serves 6 in 30 minutes or less.
To view this online, click here.
1 medium onion, diced (1 1/2 cups)
1 small red bell pepper, diced (1 cup)
1 small green bell pepper, diced (1 cup)
6 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced
6 cups cooked black beans, divided
3 medium potatoes, peeled and diced (2 1/2 cups)
2 Tbs. white wine vinegar
1 Tbs. ground cumin
1 Tbs. fresh oregano leaves
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp. salt
Diced red onion and green bell pepper for garnish
Sauté onion, bell peppers, and garlic in saucepan with a little water or vegetable broth over medium heat 2 to 3 minutes, or until vegetables soften. Transfer to blender, and purée until smooth. Add 3 cups beans and 6 to 7 cups water; purée until mixture is consistency of thick soup.
Return mixture to saucepan, and add remaining beans, potatoes, vinegar, cumin, oregano, bay leaf, and salt. Bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer, covered, 20 minutes, or until potatoes are soft. Remove bay leaf. Garnish each serving with diced red onion and green bell pepper.
nutritional information Per 1-cup serving: Calories: 321; Protein: 18 g; Total Fat: 1 g; Saturated Fat: less than 1 g; Carbohydrates: 62 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 610 mg; Fiber: 18 g; Sugar: 4 g; Vegan; Gluten-Free
ROOT VEGETABLE CHILI SOUP
This is from Vegetarian Times, and begins, “Root vegetables like rutabagas and carrots are great for spicy kitchen experiments because they lend subtle sweetness to dishes. Believe it or not, you can use curry powder in place of the chili powder here—the soup will have an Indian flair. Dishes that call for chili and curry powders get better over time, so make this dish a day ahead.” Serves 4.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients:
1/2 cup fresh or frozen corn, thawed
2 Tbs. canola oil
1 small onion, chopped (1 cup)
2 cloves garlic, minced (2 tsp.)
4 tsp. mild chili powder
2 tsp. ground cumin
2 small rutabagas, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes (1 1/2 lb.)
2 medium carrots, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (1/2 lb.)
1 28-oz. can diced tomatoes
1 small russet potato, finely diced (1 cup)
2 Anaheim, banana, or mild peppers, seeded and chopped (3/4 cup)
1 small red bell pepper, chopped (2/3 cup)
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely diced, optional
1 15-oz. can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
Instructions:
Heat large pot over medium heat. Add corn, and sauté 2 minutes, or until beginning to brown. Add oil, onion, and garlic, and sauté 3 to 5 minutes, or until onion is soft. Stir in chili powder and cumin, and cook 2 minutes, scraping bottom of pan with spatula.
Add rutabagas, carrots, tomatoes, potato, Anaheim pepper, bell pepper, jalapeño, if using, and 3 cups water.
Bring pot to a simmer, and season with salt. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
Add beans and cook, uncovered, 45 minutes, or until soup thickens. Serve garnished with green onions or cilantro.
Nutrition Information: Calories: 236; Protein: 8 g; Total Fat: 6 g; Saturated Fat: 0.5 g; Carbohydrates: 40 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 417 mg; Fiber: 13 g; Sugar: 15 g; Yield: Serves 4
BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP
This comes from Florence Fabricant in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Florence wrote, “This simple, creamy (but not cream-laden) butternut squash soup gets greater depth of flavor from sherry that is stirred in with the stock. If you’d rather not use sherry or don’t have it on hand, omit it and use an additional 1/2 cup of stock; your soup will be less complex, but it will still have that rich, sweet squash flavor.” Yield: 8 servings; Time: 1 hour 15 minutes.
This was featured in “Adding to the Holiday Menu Without Risks” and can be viewed online here.
Note: The recipe originally called for “1 cup well-flavored chicken or vegetable stock”. I've omitted the chicken stock and left it at vegetable stock.
Ingredients
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 cups finely chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 1/2 cups peeled butternut squash in 2-inch cubes (about 2 squashes)
4 1/2 cups water
1 cup well-flavored vegetable stock
1/2 cup medium-dry sherry
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Preparation
Heat the oil in a heavy four-quart saucepan. Add the onions, reduce heat to low, and saute slowly until they are tender but not brown. Stir in the garlic.
Add the squash and water, cover and simmer until the squash is tender, about 40 minutes. Allow the mixture to cool for about 15 minutes, then puree in two batches in a food processor. Up to this point the soup can be prepared in advance, even refrigerated or frozen.
Return the puree to the saucepan and add the stock and the sherry. Reheat and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve with a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese on each portion.
HERBED CARROT SOUP
From the December 2005 issue of Runner's World; reprinted from HerbWise: Growing, Cooking, WellBeing, by Bruce Burnett
2 pounds of carrots, chopped
1 large onion, diced
6 sprigs of fresh parsley, 3 sprigs of fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon of dried thyme, and 6 six black peppercorns, bundled together so that they can be easily removed after cooking
2 cloves garlic, crushed
4 Tbs of butter
6 C of vegetable stock
Freshly grated mace or nutmeg
Salt & pepper to taste
Lightly sauté the onion & garlic in the butter. Add the stock & carrots & simmer for about 15 minutes. Add the bundle of herbs & continue to simmer for another 20 minutes. Remove the herbs, allow the soup to cool, & put it through the blender in batches. Reheat the soup over low heat while adding the mace or nutmeg & salt & pepper to taste. Serve with some fresh, homemade bread & garnish with some fresh parsley & a little chopped fresh thyme.
Note: The original recipe called for vegetable or chicken stock.
ROASTED PUMPKIN AND LEEK SOUP
This comes from Jen Hoy, About.com’s Whole Foods Cooking expert. Jen wrote, “This roasted pumpkin and leek soup brings the quintessential flavors of fall to the table. It's an easy recipe and can be made with Cinderella pumpkin (pictured), the small, richly flavored sugar pumpkin, or from Hokkaido squash, Red Kuri, Kabocha, or any other deep orange, dense squash. Orange squash and pumpkin are marvelously rich in nutrients, especially beta-carotene, and very nourishing to the spleen and stomach. Roasting the vegetables creates a rich and more complex flavor, and actually makes for an easy soup: all you do is add water to the roasted veggies. You can add a dab of Romesco Sauce when serving to give a bit of extra richness to the soup, but we like it as is!” Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 60 minutes; Total Time: 70 minutes; Yield: Serves 4 - 6.
The recipe originally called for 6 cups water, vegetable broth, or chicken broth. For this blog, I'm leaving out the “or chicken broth.”
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
2 pounds pumpkin or deep orange squash, peeled and cut into 1” chunks* (See note below)
1 large onion, cut into 1” chunks
2 carrots, scrubbed and chopped
2 leeks, washed well and cut into chunks
2 tablespoons olive oil
6 cups water or Vegetable Broth
1 branch of fresh thyme
2 teaspoons ground cumin, curry or other spice as desired
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
Preparation
Preheat oven to 375 degrees Farenheit.
*Note: If you don’t want to peel the squash ahead of time, cut it into larger (3-inch or so) pieces and remove the skin before adding it to the soup pot. Unlike raw, cooked squash is very easy to peel.
Toss the vegetables with the olive oil in a roasting pan and spread them out corner to corner. Roast the vegetables in the middle of the oven for 35 minutes, or until they are beginning to soften and take a bit of golden color.
Remove the tray from the oven. (If you need to peel the squash, let the vegetables sit until the pumpkin is cool enough to handle).
Place the veggies in a soup pot with water or broth to cover and add the thyme and desired spices. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 20-30 minutes, until the vegetables are very soft. Puree the soup with an immersion or standard blender, season to taste and serve.
It's actually fairly cool outside at the moment, at least by Florida's standards. Soup always seems like a good idea for cooler weather, so here are six soup recipes to help you through the day. Enjoy!
COUNTRY PUMPKIN CHOWDER
This comes from the October 2004 issue of Vegetarian Times, and begins, "Pumpkins are loaded with beta-carotene, the antioxidant that imparts a bright orange color. Current research suggests that a diet rich in beta-carotene offers protection against heart disease and certain types of cancer." Serves 12
To view this online, click here.
2 tsp. olive oil
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 6-oz. pkg. soy “chicken” strips, cut into 1-inch lengths
2 cups cubed baby Dutch yellow potatoes
1/3 cup dry sherry
3 cups vegetarian “chicken”-flavored stock, hot
1 14.5-oz. can Mexican stewed tomatoes, chopped or pulsed in blender
1 15-oz. can pumpkin purée
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 Tbs. nutritional yeast
1 Tbs. tamari
Hot pepper sauce to taste
Heat the oil and crushed red pepper in a Dutch oven or large saucepan over medium-high heat for 1 minute. Add garlic, onion and bell pepper, sauté for 2 minutes and add the soy “chicken” strips. Cook for 2 minutes, and add the potatoes. Cook mixture for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the sherry, stir for 30 seconds, and add the stock and tomatoes.
Reduce the heat to medium, and spoon in the pumpkin, stirring to mix thoroughly. Add the cilantro, yeast, tamari and hot pepper sauce to taste. Reduce the heat to low, and cook for 10 minutes, or until ready to serve.
nutritional information Per SERVING: Calories: 177; Protein: 6 g; Total Fat: 1 g; Saturated Fat: 0 g; Carbohydrates: 36 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 732 mg; Fiber: 6 g; Sugar: 13 g; Vegan
CUBAN BLACK BEAN AND POTATO SOUP
This is from page 52 of the March 2011 issue of Vegetarian Times, and begins, “The distinctive flavor of this soup comes from a sofrito, a puréed mix of onions, garlic, and bell peppers.” Serves 6 in 30 minutes or less.
To view this online, click here.
1 medium onion, diced (1 1/2 cups)
1 small red bell pepper, diced (1 cup)
1 small green bell pepper, diced (1 cup)
6 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced
6 cups cooked black beans, divided
3 medium potatoes, peeled and diced (2 1/2 cups)
2 Tbs. white wine vinegar
1 Tbs. ground cumin
1 Tbs. fresh oregano leaves
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp. salt
Diced red onion and green bell pepper for garnish
Sauté onion, bell peppers, and garlic in saucepan with a little water or vegetable broth over medium heat 2 to 3 minutes, or until vegetables soften. Transfer to blender, and purée until smooth. Add 3 cups beans and 6 to 7 cups water; purée until mixture is consistency of thick soup.
Return mixture to saucepan, and add remaining beans, potatoes, vinegar, cumin, oregano, bay leaf, and salt. Bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer, covered, 20 minutes, or until potatoes are soft. Remove bay leaf. Garnish each serving with diced red onion and green bell pepper.
nutritional information Per 1-cup serving: Calories: 321; Protein: 18 g; Total Fat: 1 g; Saturated Fat: less than 1 g; Carbohydrates: 62 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 610 mg; Fiber: 18 g; Sugar: 4 g; Vegan; Gluten-Free
ROOT VEGETABLE CHILI SOUP
This is from Vegetarian Times, and begins, “Root vegetables like rutabagas and carrots are great for spicy kitchen experiments because they lend subtle sweetness to dishes. Believe it or not, you can use curry powder in place of the chili powder here—the soup will have an Indian flair. Dishes that call for chili and curry powders get better over time, so make this dish a day ahead.” Serves 4.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients:
1/2 cup fresh or frozen corn, thawed
2 Tbs. canola oil
1 small onion, chopped (1 cup)
2 cloves garlic, minced (2 tsp.)
4 tsp. mild chili powder
2 tsp. ground cumin
2 small rutabagas, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes (1 1/2 lb.)
2 medium carrots, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (1/2 lb.)
1 28-oz. can diced tomatoes
1 small russet potato, finely diced (1 cup)
2 Anaheim, banana, or mild peppers, seeded and chopped (3/4 cup)
1 small red bell pepper, chopped (2/3 cup)
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely diced, optional
1 15-oz. can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
Instructions:
Heat large pot over medium heat. Add corn, and sauté 2 minutes, or until beginning to brown. Add oil, onion, and garlic, and sauté 3 to 5 minutes, or until onion is soft. Stir in chili powder and cumin, and cook 2 minutes, scraping bottom of pan with spatula.
Add rutabagas, carrots, tomatoes, potato, Anaheim pepper, bell pepper, jalapeño, if using, and 3 cups water.
Bring pot to a simmer, and season with salt. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
Add beans and cook, uncovered, 45 minutes, or until soup thickens. Serve garnished with green onions or cilantro.
Nutrition Information: Calories: 236; Protein: 8 g; Total Fat: 6 g; Saturated Fat: 0.5 g; Carbohydrates: 40 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 417 mg; Fiber: 13 g; Sugar: 15 g; Yield: Serves 4
BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP
This comes from Florence Fabricant in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Florence wrote, “This simple, creamy (but not cream-laden) butternut squash soup gets greater depth of flavor from sherry that is stirred in with the stock. If you’d rather not use sherry or don’t have it on hand, omit it and use an additional 1/2 cup of stock; your soup will be less complex, but it will still have that rich, sweet squash flavor.” Yield: 8 servings; Time: 1 hour 15 minutes.
This was featured in “Adding to the Holiday Menu Without Risks” and can be viewed online here.
Note: The recipe originally called for “1 cup well-flavored chicken or vegetable stock”. I've omitted the chicken stock and left it at vegetable stock.
Ingredients
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 cups finely chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 1/2 cups peeled butternut squash in 2-inch cubes (about 2 squashes)
4 1/2 cups water
1 cup well-flavored vegetable stock
1/2 cup medium-dry sherry
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Preparation
Heat the oil in a heavy four-quart saucepan. Add the onions, reduce heat to low, and saute slowly until they are tender but not brown. Stir in the garlic.
Add the squash and water, cover and simmer until the squash is tender, about 40 minutes. Allow the mixture to cool for about 15 minutes, then puree in two batches in a food processor. Up to this point the soup can be prepared in advance, even refrigerated or frozen.
Return the puree to the saucepan and add the stock and the sherry. Reheat and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve with a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese on each portion.
HERBED CARROT SOUP
From the December 2005 issue of Runner's World; reprinted from HerbWise: Growing, Cooking, WellBeing, by Bruce Burnett
2 pounds of carrots, chopped
1 large onion, diced
6 sprigs of fresh parsley, 3 sprigs of fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon of dried thyme, and 6 six black peppercorns, bundled together so that they can be easily removed after cooking
2 cloves garlic, crushed
4 Tbs of butter
6 C of vegetable stock
Freshly grated mace or nutmeg
Salt & pepper to taste
Lightly sauté the onion & garlic in the butter. Add the stock & carrots & simmer for about 15 minutes. Add the bundle of herbs & continue to simmer for another 20 minutes. Remove the herbs, allow the soup to cool, & put it through the blender in batches. Reheat the soup over low heat while adding the mace or nutmeg & salt & pepper to taste. Serve with some fresh, homemade bread & garnish with some fresh parsley & a little chopped fresh thyme.
Note: The original recipe called for vegetable or chicken stock.
ROASTED PUMPKIN AND LEEK SOUP
This comes from Jen Hoy, About.com’s Whole Foods Cooking expert. Jen wrote, “This roasted pumpkin and leek soup brings the quintessential flavors of fall to the table. It's an easy recipe and can be made with Cinderella pumpkin (pictured), the small, richly flavored sugar pumpkin, or from Hokkaido squash, Red Kuri, Kabocha, or any other deep orange, dense squash. Orange squash and pumpkin are marvelously rich in nutrients, especially beta-carotene, and very nourishing to the spleen and stomach. Roasting the vegetables creates a rich and more complex flavor, and actually makes for an easy soup: all you do is add water to the roasted veggies. You can add a dab of Romesco Sauce when serving to give a bit of extra richness to the soup, but we like it as is!” Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 60 minutes; Total Time: 70 minutes; Yield: Serves 4 - 6.
The recipe originally called for 6 cups water, vegetable broth, or chicken broth. For this blog, I'm leaving out the “or chicken broth.”
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
2 pounds pumpkin or deep orange squash, peeled and cut into 1” chunks* (See note below)
1 large onion, cut into 1” chunks
2 carrots, scrubbed and chopped
2 leeks, washed well and cut into chunks
2 tablespoons olive oil
6 cups water or Vegetable Broth
1 branch of fresh thyme
2 teaspoons ground cumin, curry or other spice as desired
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
Preparation
Preheat oven to 375 degrees Farenheit.
*Note: If you don’t want to peel the squash ahead of time, cut it into larger (3-inch or so) pieces and remove the skin before adding it to the soup pot. Unlike raw, cooked squash is very easy to peel.
Toss the vegetables with the olive oil in a roasting pan and spread them out corner to corner. Roast the vegetables in the middle of the oven for 35 minutes, or until they are beginning to soften and take a bit of golden color.
Remove the tray from the oven. (If you need to peel the squash, let the vegetables sit until the pumpkin is cool enough to handle).
Place the veggies in a soup pot with water or broth to cover and add the thyme and desired spices. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 20-30 minutes, until the vegetables are very soft. Puree the soup with an immersion or standard blender, season to taste and serve.
Friday, December 9, 2016
Internet problems, please stand by
I'm having temporary internet problems, but should be back online around Dec. 15. Thanks for understanding! See you soon...
Tuesday, December 6, 2016
Taco Tuesday
It's Taco Tuesday, time for six yummy vegetarian taco recipes. Enjoy!
AMERICAN BBQ TACOS
This is from Vegetarian Times, and begins, “For authentic Southern flavor, top these tacos with prepared coleslaw instead of shredded lettuce.” Yield: Serves 4.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients:
BBQ Sauce
1 1/2 Tbs. ketchup
1 Tbs. vegetarian Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp. honey
1/8 tsp. hot sauce, or more to taste
Tacos
1 1/2 Tbs. vegetable oil
1 cup sliced button mushrooms
1/2 cup diced green bell pepper
1/2 cup shredded carrots
1 cup soy crumbles, such as Lightlife Gimme Lean
4 6-inch corn or flour tortillas, warmed
2 Tbs. chopped red onion
1/3 cup grape tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup shredded Romaine lettuce
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 Tbs. pickle relish, optional
Instructions:
To make BBQ Sauce: Combine all ingredients in bowl.
To make Tacos: Heat oil in nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms, bell pepper, and carrots, and cook 3 minutes, or until vegetables are softened, stirring halfway through. Add soy crumbles and 2 Tbs. BBQ Sauce. Cook 8 minutes, or until soy crumbles are browned.
Fill tortillas with soy crumble mixture. Top with red onion, tomatoes, lettuce, cheese, and relish, if desired. Serve with BBQ Sauce.
Nutrition Information: Calories: 178; Protein: 12 g; Total Fat: 10 g; Saturated Fat: 3.5 g; Carbohydrates: 10 g; Cholesterol: 15 mg; Sodium: 409 mg; Fiber: 3 g; Sugar: 4 g
POTATO TACOS
Potato Tacos? Sure, why not? This also comes from Vegetarian Times, and begins, "These tasty tacos are spicy! Feel free to reduce the amount of chipotle if you prefer milder flavor." Serves 2.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients:
1 tsp. vegetable oil
1/2 medium onion, diced
1/2 small red bell pepper, diced
1 small clove garlic, minced
1/2 canned chipotle chili in adobo sauce
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1 medium potato, baked and diced
1 to 2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
1 Tbs. chopped fresh cilantro
2 whole wheat tortillas, warmed
Instructions:
In large nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion, bell pepper and garlic and cook, stirring often, until almost tender, 3 to 4 minutes.
Add chipotle, cumin and oregano and stir 30 seconds. Add potato, toss well to coat and heat through. Stir in lemon juice and cilantro and remove from heat. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.
Divide potato mixture among tortillas and serve hot, garnished with condiments as desired.
Nutrition Information: Calories: 226; Protein: 6 g; Total Fat: 3 g; Saturated Fat: 0 g; Carbohydrates: 51 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 181 mg; Fiber: 6 g; Sugar: 0 g
TACOS WITH ROASTED POTATOES, SQUASH AND PEPPERS (RAJAS)
This comes from Martha Rose Shulman in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Martha wrote, "You can turn the heat up or down on this taco, depending on your taste for spiciness. Season the potatoes, onions and squash before roasting. A comforting filling that you can heat up or tone down, depending on your taste for spicy. If you like heat, use a preponderance of poblanos and Anaheims for your peppers; if not, use more bell peppers. I season the potatoes, onions and squash with cumin and chili powder before I roast them, and serve the tacos with a cooked salsa ranchera." Yield: Serves 4; Time: 40 minutes.
This was featured in "Vegetarian Taco Night" and can be viewed online here.
Ingredients
1 pound potatoes, such as Yukon golds, cut into 1-inch chunks
Salt to taste
1 teaspoon lightly toasted cumin seeds, ground
1 teaspoon mild chili powder
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 pound summer squash, preferably a dense squash like Ronde de Nice, cut into 1-inch chunks
1 medium red onion, cut in half lengthwise and sliced in half-moons
1 pound mixed sweet and hot peppers (such as a mix of poblanos and bell peppers), roasted, peeled, seeded and cut in thin 2-inch strips
8 warm corn tortillas
1 recipe salsa ranchera (without chipotles)
3 ounces goat cheese (about 3/4 cup crumbled)
Preparation
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment. Place potatoes on one baking sheet and toss with salt to taste, 3/4 teaspoon each of the ground cumin and chili powder, and 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Spread in an even layer.
Place squash and onion slices on other parchment-covered baking sheet and toss with the remaining olive oil, salt to taste, cumin and chili powder.
Depending on the size of your oven, roast vegetables together or separately on the middle rack. Roast potatoes for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring after 10 minutes, or until lightly browned and tender all the way through. Remove from oven and transfer to a large bowl. Roast squash and onions for about 15 minutes, stirring after 10 minutes, until tender and lightly colored. Remove from oven and add to bowl with potatoes. Add pepper strips (rajas) and toss together. Season to taste with salt, and add more chili powder if desired. Keep warm.
Spoon filling onto warm tortillas and add a generous spoonful of salsa. Top with goat cheese and serve.
VEGETARIAN TACO SOUP IN THE CROCKPOT
This recipe left me in a quandary: do I post it on Taco Tuesday with tacos, or should I post it with soups? I guess this would fit in both places, which is why I'm adding it today.
This comes from Jolinda Hackett, About.com’s Vegetarian Food. Jolinda wrote, “I love Mexican food. Or, perhaps it's more accurate to say I love Mexican-American food. Or rather, I love both!
“This vegetarian taco soup recipe with kidney beans, pinto beans and black beans isn't going to win any awards of authenticity, but it's quick to prepare (you really just dump everything in the crockpot), easy, high-protein, nearly fat-free, and deliciously satisfying. Plus, it's a great vegetarian and vegan option for families on a budget. Keep it vegan by omitting the optional cheese and sour cream toppings, or use dairy-free and vegan substitutes.”
Prep Time: 5 minutes; Cook Time: 480 minutes; Total Time: 485 minutes; Yield: 6 servings as a main dish
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 can corn kernels, drained
1 can kidney beans or navy beans, drained
1 can pinto beans, drained
1 can black beans, drained
1 7-ounce can green chiles (optional - you may want to omit this if you're cooking for kids)
1 14-ounce can stewed tomatoes (Mexican-style is best, if you can find it) - do not drain
1 package taco seasoning mix
1/4 tsp cumin
3/4 tsp onion powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 tsp garlic powder
Optional garnishes:
tortilla chips or corn chips
grated cheese
chopped green onions
fresh chopped cilantro
Preparation
Add ingredients in crockpot. Cook on low crockpot setting for 8-10 hours.
If you're in a hurry, you can also set this on high in the crockpot for 3 hours.
Top each bowl of soup with optional garnishes to serve: cheese, a dollop of sour cream, some tortilla chips or corn chips and fresh chopped cilantro or green onions.
This is a thicker soup, similar to a stew. To thin it out, you can add a little vegetable broth or soy milk, if you like.
CRUNCHY BLACK BEAN TACOS
This comes from The Kitchn’s e-newsletter. If you haven’t signed up for The Kitchn’s e-newsletter yet, I highly recommend that, as well as its sibling site, Apartment Therapy.
This recipe serves 3 to 4, or makes 8 tacos; Prep Time: 10 minutes; Total Time: 30 minutes and can be found online by clicking here.
2 cups cooked black beans
1/2 cup minced red onion
2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon paprika
Pinch of salt
4 to 6 ounces (1 heaping cup) grated Pepper Jack cheese
2 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil
8 corn tortillas
Toppings
Avocado
Hot sauce
Salsa
Sour cream
In a medium bowl, add beans along with red onion, cilantro, cumin, and paprika. Add a pinch of salt and lightly mash all the ingredients together. Grate the cheese and have it ready as well.
In a large, nonstick or cast-iron skillet, add the 2 tablespoons oil and heat over medium-high heat. Add one corn tortilla at a time and let each get hot in the oil for a few seconds. Then add about 1/4 cup of the bean filling to one half of the tortilla. Top with a sprinkle of grated cheese. Try not to overfill the tacos, or you might have issues flipping them without losing filling.
Using a spatula, carefully fold the other half of the tortilla over to form a shell. Press down lightly on the tortilla so it holds its shape. If some cheese spills out, don’t worry — it will get crispy and delicious.
As the first taco cooks, move it to the side and begin a second one. Depending on the size of your pan, you can cook two or three tacos at once. A griddle will hold even more.
Cook each taco until they are nicely browned and crispy, about 3 minutes per side. When flipping the taco to cook on the other side, use a spatula and flip the taco toward the fold so the filling doesn’t fall out. If your pan is very dry between batches, add another drizzle of oil.
Place the cooked tacos in a warm oven while you finish the rest. If the tacos are very greasy, blot them with a paper towel before moving them to the oven.
Serve tacos with toppings like hot sauce, salsa, avocados, and sour cream.
Recipe Notes:
Corn tortillas are resilient to heat. Don’t worry about burning them; they are very sturdy. Just be sure to cook tortillas on each side long enough to get them really crispy.
JAMAICAN CURRIED TEMPEH TACOS
This comes from Vegetarian Times, and begins, “The yellow curry filling, mustard greens, and red pepper strips lend these spicy tacos the colors of the tropics.” Yield: Serves 4.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients:
1 Tbs. peanut oil
1 small sweet onion, such as Vidalia or Walla Walla, diced (1 cup)
1 8-oz. pkg. tempeh, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/2 cup unsweetened pineapple juice
2 Tbs. chopped cilantro
2 1/2 tsp. curry powder
1 1/2 tsp. grated fresh ginger
1 Tbs. lime juice
1 tsp. grated lime zest
4 6-inch corn or flour tortillas, warmed
1/4 cup chopped red bell pepper
1/2 cup curly mustard greens, finely chopped
2 Tbs. chopped peanuts, optional
Instructions:
Heat oil in nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, and cook 3 to 5 minutes, or until onion is softened. Stir in tempeh, pineapple juice, cilantro, curry powder, and ginger. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook 5 minutes, or until pineapple juice evaporates and tempeh starts to brown, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat, stir in lime juice and zest, and season with salt and pepper.
Fill tortillas with tempeh mixture. Add red bell pepper and mustard greens. Top with peanuts, if desired.
Nutrition Information: Calories: 220; Protein: 14 g; Total Fat: 7.5 g; Saturated Fat: 1.5 g; Carbohydrates: 26 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 313 mg; Fiber: 7 g; Sugar: 6 g
AMERICAN BBQ TACOS
This is from Vegetarian Times, and begins, “For authentic Southern flavor, top these tacos with prepared coleslaw instead of shredded lettuce.” Yield: Serves 4.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients:
BBQ Sauce
1 1/2 Tbs. ketchup
1 Tbs. vegetarian Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp. honey
1/8 tsp. hot sauce, or more to taste
Tacos
1 1/2 Tbs. vegetable oil
1 cup sliced button mushrooms
1/2 cup diced green bell pepper
1/2 cup shredded carrots
1 cup soy crumbles, such as Lightlife Gimme Lean
4 6-inch corn or flour tortillas, warmed
2 Tbs. chopped red onion
1/3 cup grape tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup shredded Romaine lettuce
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 Tbs. pickle relish, optional
Instructions:
To make BBQ Sauce: Combine all ingredients in bowl.
To make Tacos: Heat oil in nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms, bell pepper, and carrots, and cook 3 minutes, or until vegetables are softened, stirring halfway through. Add soy crumbles and 2 Tbs. BBQ Sauce. Cook 8 minutes, or until soy crumbles are browned.
Fill tortillas with soy crumble mixture. Top with red onion, tomatoes, lettuce, cheese, and relish, if desired. Serve with BBQ Sauce.
Nutrition Information: Calories: 178; Protein: 12 g; Total Fat: 10 g; Saturated Fat: 3.5 g; Carbohydrates: 10 g; Cholesterol: 15 mg; Sodium: 409 mg; Fiber: 3 g; Sugar: 4 g
POTATO TACOS
Potato Tacos? Sure, why not? This also comes from Vegetarian Times, and begins, "These tasty tacos are spicy! Feel free to reduce the amount of chipotle if you prefer milder flavor." Serves 2.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients:
1 tsp. vegetable oil
1/2 medium onion, diced
1/2 small red bell pepper, diced
1 small clove garlic, minced
1/2 canned chipotle chili in adobo sauce
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1 medium potato, baked and diced
1 to 2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
1 Tbs. chopped fresh cilantro
2 whole wheat tortillas, warmed
Instructions:
In large nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion, bell pepper and garlic and cook, stirring often, until almost tender, 3 to 4 minutes.
Add chipotle, cumin and oregano and stir 30 seconds. Add potato, toss well to coat and heat through. Stir in lemon juice and cilantro and remove from heat. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.
Divide potato mixture among tortillas and serve hot, garnished with condiments as desired.
Nutrition Information: Calories: 226; Protein: 6 g; Total Fat: 3 g; Saturated Fat: 0 g; Carbohydrates: 51 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 181 mg; Fiber: 6 g; Sugar: 0 g
TACOS WITH ROASTED POTATOES, SQUASH AND PEPPERS (RAJAS)
This comes from Martha Rose Shulman in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Martha wrote, "You can turn the heat up or down on this taco, depending on your taste for spiciness. Season the potatoes, onions and squash before roasting. A comforting filling that you can heat up or tone down, depending on your taste for spicy. If you like heat, use a preponderance of poblanos and Anaheims for your peppers; if not, use more bell peppers. I season the potatoes, onions and squash with cumin and chili powder before I roast them, and serve the tacos with a cooked salsa ranchera." Yield: Serves 4; Time: 40 minutes.
This was featured in "Vegetarian Taco Night" and can be viewed online here.
Ingredients
1 pound potatoes, such as Yukon golds, cut into 1-inch chunks
Salt to taste
1 teaspoon lightly toasted cumin seeds, ground
1 teaspoon mild chili powder
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 pound summer squash, preferably a dense squash like Ronde de Nice, cut into 1-inch chunks
1 medium red onion, cut in half lengthwise and sliced in half-moons
1 pound mixed sweet and hot peppers (such as a mix of poblanos and bell peppers), roasted, peeled, seeded and cut in thin 2-inch strips
8 warm corn tortillas
1 recipe salsa ranchera (without chipotles)
3 ounces goat cheese (about 3/4 cup crumbled)
Preparation
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment. Place potatoes on one baking sheet and toss with salt to taste, 3/4 teaspoon each of the ground cumin and chili powder, and 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Spread in an even layer.
Place squash and onion slices on other parchment-covered baking sheet and toss with the remaining olive oil, salt to taste, cumin and chili powder.
Depending on the size of your oven, roast vegetables together or separately on the middle rack. Roast potatoes for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring after 10 minutes, or until lightly browned and tender all the way through. Remove from oven and transfer to a large bowl. Roast squash and onions for about 15 minutes, stirring after 10 minutes, until tender and lightly colored. Remove from oven and add to bowl with potatoes. Add pepper strips (rajas) and toss together. Season to taste with salt, and add more chili powder if desired. Keep warm.
Spoon filling onto warm tortillas and add a generous spoonful of salsa. Top with goat cheese and serve.
VEGETARIAN TACO SOUP IN THE CROCKPOT
This recipe left me in a quandary: do I post it on Taco Tuesday with tacos, or should I post it with soups? I guess this would fit in both places, which is why I'm adding it today.
This comes from Jolinda Hackett, About.com’s Vegetarian Food. Jolinda wrote, “I love Mexican food. Or, perhaps it's more accurate to say I love Mexican-American food. Or rather, I love both!
“This vegetarian taco soup recipe with kidney beans, pinto beans and black beans isn't going to win any awards of authenticity, but it's quick to prepare (you really just dump everything in the crockpot), easy, high-protein, nearly fat-free, and deliciously satisfying. Plus, it's a great vegetarian and vegan option for families on a budget. Keep it vegan by omitting the optional cheese and sour cream toppings, or use dairy-free and vegan substitutes.”
Prep Time: 5 minutes; Cook Time: 480 minutes; Total Time: 485 minutes; Yield: 6 servings as a main dish
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 can corn kernels, drained
1 can kidney beans or navy beans, drained
1 can pinto beans, drained
1 can black beans, drained
1 7-ounce can green chiles (optional - you may want to omit this if you're cooking for kids)
1 14-ounce can stewed tomatoes (Mexican-style is best, if you can find it) - do not drain
1 package taco seasoning mix
1/4 tsp cumin
3/4 tsp onion powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 tsp garlic powder
Optional garnishes:
tortilla chips or corn chips
grated cheese
chopped green onions
fresh chopped cilantro
Preparation
Add ingredients in crockpot. Cook on low crockpot setting for 8-10 hours.
If you're in a hurry, you can also set this on high in the crockpot for 3 hours.
Top each bowl of soup with optional garnishes to serve: cheese, a dollop of sour cream, some tortilla chips or corn chips and fresh chopped cilantro or green onions.
This is a thicker soup, similar to a stew. To thin it out, you can add a little vegetable broth or soy milk, if you like.
CRUNCHY BLACK BEAN TACOS
This comes from The Kitchn’s e-newsletter. If you haven’t signed up for The Kitchn’s e-newsletter yet, I highly recommend that, as well as its sibling site, Apartment Therapy.
This recipe serves 3 to 4, or makes 8 tacos; Prep Time: 10 minutes; Total Time: 30 minutes and can be found online by clicking here.
2 cups cooked black beans
1/2 cup minced red onion
2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon paprika
Pinch of salt
4 to 6 ounces (1 heaping cup) grated Pepper Jack cheese
2 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil
8 corn tortillas
Toppings
Avocado
Hot sauce
Salsa
Sour cream
In a medium bowl, add beans along with red onion, cilantro, cumin, and paprika. Add a pinch of salt and lightly mash all the ingredients together. Grate the cheese and have it ready as well.
In a large, nonstick or cast-iron skillet, add the 2 tablespoons oil and heat over medium-high heat. Add one corn tortilla at a time and let each get hot in the oil for a few seconds. Then add about 1/4 cup of the bean filling to one half of the tortilla. Top with a sprinkle of grated cheese. Try not to overfill the tacos, or you might have issues flipping them without losing filling.
Using a spatula, carefully fold the other half of the tortilla over to form a shell. Press down lightly on the tortilla so it holds its shape. If some cheese spills out, don’t worry — it will get crispy and delicious.
As the first taco cooks, move it to the side and begin a second one. Depending on the size of your pan, you can cook two or three tacos at once. A griddle will hold even more.
Cook each taco until they are nicely browned and crispy, about 3 minutes per side. When flipping the taco to cook on the other side, use a spatula and flip the taco toward the fold so the filling doesn’t fall out. If your pan is very dry between batches, add another drizzle of oil.
Place the cooked tacos in a warm oven while you finish the rest. If the tacos are very greasy, blot them with a paper towel before moving them to the oven.
Serve tacos with toppings like hot sauce, salsa, avocados, and sour cream.
Recipe Notes:
Corn tortillas are resilient to heat. Don’t worry about burning them; they are very sturdy. Just be sure to cook tortillas on each side long enough to get them really crispy.
JAMAICAN CURRIED TEMPEH TACOS
This comes from Vegetarian Times, and begins, “The yellow curry filling, mustard greens, and red pepper strips lend these spicy tacos the colors of the tropics.” Yield: Serves 4.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients:
1 Tbs. peanut oil
1 small sweet onion, such as Vidalia or Walla Walla, diced (1 cup)
1 8-oz. pkg. tempeh, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/2 cup unsweetened pineapple juice
2 Tbs. chopped cilantro
2 1/2 tsp. curry powder
1 1/2 tsp. grated fresh ginger
1 Tbs. lime juice
1 tsp. grated lime zest
4 6-inch corn or flour tortillas, warmed
1/4 cup chopped red bell pepper
1/2 cup curly mustard greens, finely chopped
2 Tbs. chopped peanuts, optional
Instructions:
Heat oil in nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, and cook 3 to 5 minutes, or until onion is softened. Stir in tempeh, pineapple juice, cilantro, curry powder, and ginger. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook 5 minutes, or until pineapple juice evaporates and tempeh starts to brown, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat, stir in lime juice and zest, and season with salt and pepper.
Fill tortillas with tempeh mixture. Add red bell pepper and mustard greens. Top with peanuts, if desired.
Nutrition Information: Calories: 220; Protein: 14 g; Total Fat: 7.5 g; Saturated Fat: 1.5 g; Carbohydrates: 26 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 313 mg; Fiber: 7 g; Sugar: 6 g
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