Monday Recipes

It's Monday, time to start off another week of vegetarian recipes. Here are six vegetarian recipes to help you through the day, including Red Velvet Mini Cupcakes and Meatless-Ball Subs. Enjoy!

BLACK-EYED PEA CHILI

This comes from Vegetarian Times, and begins, “Like any good chili, this black-eyed pea version is even tastier the second day.” Serves 4.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients:

1/2 lb. dried black-eyed peas (1 1/4 cups)

2 Tbs. coconut oil

1 small onion, diced (1 cup)

1 small green bell pepper, diced (1 cup)

2 cloves garlic, minced (2 tsp.)

1 15-oz. can fire-roasted tomatoes

2 Tbs. tomato paste

1 Tbs. chili powder

1 cup low-sodium vegetable broth

4 green onions, thinly sliced (1/2 cup)

Instructions:

Place black-eyed peas in large bowl, add 2 qt. water, and soak 8 hours, or overnight at room temperature. Drain, and rinse well.

Set rice cooker setting to “sauté” (or similar), and preheat 2 to 3 minutes. Add coconut oil, and heat 1 minute more. Add onion, and sauté 3 to 4 minutes; then add bell pepper and garlic, and sauté 3 to 4 minutes more, or until bell pepper and onion have softened. Stir in tomatoes, tomato paste, and chili powder, and simmer 2 to 3 minutes.

Adjust rice cooker setting to “slow cook” (or similar). Pour in black-eyed peas and broth. Cover, and cook 5 to 6 hours, or until beans are tender. Season with salt and pepper, if desired, and serve topped with green onions.

Nutrition Information: Calories: 308;Protein: 15 g; Total Fat: 8 g; Saturated Fat: 6 g; Carbohydrates: 47 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 335 mg; Fiber: 14 g; Sugar: 13 g

MEATLESS-BALL SUBS

1 package Meatless Balls (see note)

1 26 oz. Jar spaghetti sauce

4 hoagie rolls

cheese slices

Place spaghetti sauce and meatless balls into a good-sized saucepan. Stir, and cook over medium-low to medium heat, stirring occasionally.





Open hoagie rolls, add cheese, cover with meatless balls and sauce.



Makes 4 meatless ball subs.

Note: I use Veggie Patch Meatless Meatballs, though really, you can use any brand you like. I had used another brand for a number of years, but unfortunately, I can no longer find that particular brand anywhere now. Whatever brand you buy is fine, as well as the jarred spaghetti sauce.

ASPARAGUS-PESTO LASAGNA

This is from the April 2006 issue of Vegetarian Times, and begins, “This recipe uses two popular Italian lasagna fillings: asparagus and pesto.” Serves 10.

To view this online, go to http://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipe/asparagus-pesto-lasagna/

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

3 1/2 cups low-fat milk, divided

6 Tbs. pesto*, or more to taste

2 Tbs. grated Parmesan cheese, plus additional for garnish, optional

1 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. ground black pepper

2 tsp. olive oil

1 1/4 lb. asparagus spears, tips cut off and reserved, spears trimmed and chopped into 1/4-inch pieces

1 clove garlic, minced (about 1 tsp.)

16 no-cook lasagna noodles (9 oz.)

2 cups shredded Fontina or part-skim mozzarella cheese (8 oz.), divided

Preheat oven to 350F. Whisk flour and 1/2 cup milk in saucepan until smooth. Gradually whisk in remaining milk. Bring to a boil over medium heat, whisking constantly, and boil 1 minute, or until thickened. Remove from heat; stir in pesto, Parmesan, salt and pepper. Reserve 1 cup white sauce.

Warm oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chopped asparagus (not tips) and cook, stirring often, 5 minutes, or until tender. Add garlic; cook, stirring, 1 minute, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove from heat.

Coat 13×9-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Place layer of noodles in dish, overlapping slightly. Layer with half of cooked asparagus, 3/4 cup Fontina and half of sauce. Add another layer of pasta, remaining sauce, remaining cooked asparagus and 3/4 cup Fontina. Top with layer of noodles, then with reserved 1 cup white sauce. Arrange reserved asparagus tips over top and sprinkle with remaining Fontina.

Bake, uncovered, 35 to 40 minutes, or until golden. Let stand 10 minutes; serve with additional grated Parmesan cheese, if desired.

* Look for the freshest, most flavorful pesto in the refrigerator section of the supermarket, packaged in vacuum-sealed bags or in plastic tubs.

nutritional information Per SERVING: Calories: 413; Protein: 21 g; Total Fat: 17 g; Saturated Fat: 8 g; Carbohydrates: 44 g; Cholesterol: 44 mg; Sodium: 686 mg; Fiber: 2 g; Sugar: 8 g

RED VELVET MINI CUPCAKES

This comes from The Food Network and begins, “Oil takes the place of butter in these cupcakes, making them lower in fat, but also making the crumb moist. Also, all of the flour is whole wheat! The frosting is simply sweetened reduced-fat cream cheese, but it's plenty tasty.”

Total: 1 hr; Active: 20 min; Yield: 48 mini cupcakes (2 cupcakes per serving); Level: Easy

To view this online, go to http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchen/red-velvet-mini-cupcakes-recipe

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour

2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon fine salt

3/4 cup canola oil

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1 large egg

1 tablespoon red food coloring

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup lowfat (1-percent) buttermilk

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar

Nonstick cooking spray, for coating ice cream scoop

8 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese, at room temperature

1 cup confectioners' sugar

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 48 mini muffin cups (2 large tins or 4 small) with paper liners.

Whisk together the flour, cocoa and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt in a medium bowl. Beat together the oil and granulated sugar on medium-high speed with a hand mixer in a large bowl until well combined. Add the egg and beat until well blended. Beat in the food coloring and 1/2 teaspoon of the vanilla.

On low speed, alternately add the flour mixture and buttermilk in thirds, beginning and ending with the flour, beating well after each addition. Whisk together the baking soda and vinegar in a small bowl, and then beat into the batter until fully incorporated.

Using a small ice cream scoop sprayed with nonstick cooking spray, evenly divide the batter among the cupcake liners. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean, 18 to 20 minutes. Remove the cupcakes from the tins and cool completely on a wire rack.

Meanwhile, beat the cream cheese in a large bowl until smooth and fluffy. Sift the confectioners' sugar over the mixture and beat until smooth. Beat in the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla. Spread or pipe the frosting over the cooled cupcakes.

MARINATED CUCUMBER SALAD

Servings: 5

Source: The Diabetic Newsletter

Find this recipe at: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/4.shtml

Ingredients

1/2 cup Italian dressing (low-calorie)

1/8 teaspoon pepper

1 medium cucumber, peeled and thinly sliced

1/4 cup radishes, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

Directions

Combine Italian dressing and pepper in a medium bowl; stir well.

Add cucumber, onion, radishes, and parsley.

Toss gently to coat.

Cover and marinate in refrigerator for at least 4 hours.

Serve salad and enjoy.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 21; Protein: Trace g; Fat: Trace g; Sodium: 5 mg; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Carbohydrates: 4 g; Exchanges: Free

WILD BLUEBERRY CHEESECAKE SMOOTHIE

This is from Kaleigh McMordie, MCN, RDN, LD, at VeryWell. Kaleigh wrote, “Smoothies are a great way to pack a lot of nutrition into a single meal, especially if you're on the go. They can also be loaded with sugary syrups and fat if you aren't careful when grabbing a smoothie away from home. For a nutritious smoothie you can feel good about, skip the shop and make this tasty version at home.

“Frozen wild blueberries are extra sweet and pack a lot of flavor and antioxidants into this wild blueberry cheesecake smoothie. They also make this smoothie extra cold and frosty without having to use ice. Research suggests that daily blueberry consumption could lower blood pressure due to the production of nitric oxide.

“The Greek yogurt and avocado duo lends a luxurious creamy texture and also contributes healthy fats, fiber, and plenty of protein to keep you fueled and full. Make this smoothie for a sweet breakfast treat, or split it in half for a healthy snack or dessert.”

Total Time: 5 minutes; Prep: 5 minutes; Cook: 0; Yield: 1 serving.

This can be viewed online here. It can also be found at Kaliegh’s website, Lively Table.

Ingredients

1 cup wild blueberries, frozen

1/2 small avocado

3/4 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt

1/2 cup skim milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon honey

1/2 lemon, juiced

Preparation

Add all ingredients to a high powered blender and blend until smooth. You may need to add more milk to your desired consistency.

Pour into a glass and enjoy.

Ingredient Variations and Substitutions

You can typically find wild blueberries in the freezer section of your grocery store. If you can’t find them, you can substitute regular frozen blueberries, but they will not be as sweet.

This is a great smoothie recipe to disguise veggies, so add a handful of spinach if you want to get a little more vegetable power.

To make this smoothie dairy-free, use dairy-free yogurt, such as Silk, and unsweetened dairy-free milk of your choice.

Cooking and Serving Tips

This recipe makes a meal-sized smoothie. For a post-workout snack or a healthy dessert, divide into two servings.

Saturday Recipes

I know, I know...I almost never post on weekends. But since I wasn't able to post for more than a week, I figured I'd offer up a rare Saturday post.

Here are today's six recipes for you to try, including Superfast Fudge Brownies and Roasted-Vegetable Lasagna. Enjoy!

SUPERFAST FUDGE BROWNIES



This recipe comes from The Working Stiff Cookbook, by Bob Sloan and illustrated by Michael Klein. I absolutely love this cookbook. Even vegetarians can find plenty to love in it. The great thing about this recipe is that it really doesn't take much longer than a boxed mix, and is so much better!

The recipe starts with, "The perfect comfort food to go with your burgers. Brownies always lift the spirits. Especially these brownies. They're fast, easy, and foolproof." While I eat veggie burgers, rather than the meat version, I agree! These brownies are quick, easy, and yummy!

8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter (or margarine), cut into 4 pieces

1/2 cup Dutch-process unsweetened cocoa powder

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 extra-large eggs

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Butter an 8-by-8-inch baking pan.

In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, melt the butter with the cocoa powder, stirring continuously until the butter is just melted. Use a rubber spatula to transfer the butter mixture to a large mixing bowl and let it cool for 2 minutes. Add the sugar and vanilla and stir with a wooden spoon until combined. Add the eggs one at a time, stirring until each is well combined. Add the flour and stir just until combined. Do not overmix.

Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and bake on the center rack of the oven for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with tiny crumbs on it. Serve warm or at room temperature.

PEACH “DOUGHNUTS”

This comes from Martha Rose Shulman in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Martha wrote, “These doughnuts are pure fruit. They are inspired by a baked pistachio-encrusted Saturn peach doughnut I learned to make from the pastry chef Sherry Yard. I coat mine with a mix of ground almonds and raw brown sugar, sear them in butter and set them on a lime-inflected raspberry sauce. It’s a match made in heaven.” Time: 45 minutes; makes 6 servings.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

For the raspberry sauce:

1/4 cup sugar

1 6-ounce box raspberries

1 tablespoon crème de cassis liqueur

Finely grated or chopped zest of 1 lime

For the peaches:

6 ripe Saturn peaches

1/2 cup almonds

2 tablespoons raw brown sugar

2 to 3 tablespoons butter, as needed

For serving:

Vanilla ice cream or ice milk (optional)

Additional raspberries (optional)

Preparation

To make raspberry sauce, combine 1/3 cup water and the sugar in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Turn heat to medium low and simmer until sugar has dissolved. Stir in raspberries and cassis liqueur. Return to a simmer, cover and cook over low heat for 10 minutes.

Place lime zest in a bowl and strain hot raspberry sauce into bowl. Press raspberry pulp through strainer; discard seeds. Whisk to blend pulp and syrup, and return to saucepan.

To skin peaches, bring a medium pot of water to a boil and add peaches. Blanch for 30 seconds and transfer to a bowl of ice water; drain. Cut peaches laterally around pit and gently twist apart. If peaches do not twist apart easily, insert knife tip and cut around the pit, then gently ease it out and separate the peach halves. Remove skin.

Place almonds and sugar in a food processor fitted with the steel blade and process until mixture is finely ground. Transfer to a wide bowl. Gently dip each peach half into the mixture to coat both sides, and place on a plate.

Shortly before serving, heat sauce and spoon a few tablespoons onto dessert plates.

Heat a large, heavy, nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons butter and when it has stopped foaming, add a batch of peach halves; do not crowd the pan. Sear for about 1 minute, until almond coating has browned, and flip over. Sear for another 30 seconds to a minute and remove to dessert plates, placing two halves on each plate, cut side up. Add more butter to pan if necessary and finish searing peaches. If desired, serve peaches with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and, for garnish, additional raspberries.

CREAMY SPINACH SOUP WITH PANEER CROUTONS

This is from the October 2012 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 32. It starts out, “Paneer, a mild Indian cheese, tops this tasty soup. If you can’t find paneer, substitute cubed fresh mozzarella or tofu.” Serves 4 in 30 minutes or less.

To view this online, click here.

2 Tbs. butter, divided

1 small onion, chopped (1 cup)

1 Tbs. thinly sliced fresh ginger

2 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced

2 tsp. curry powder

1/2 tsp. black mustard seeds

1/2 tsp. ground turmeric

1 cup frozen shredded hash browns, thawed

3 2/3 cups low-sodium vegetable broth

1 1-lb. pkg. frozen spinach

4 oz. paneer cheese, cubed (1 cup)

Heat 1 Tbs. butter in pot over medium heat. Add onion, and cook 3 minutes. Stir in ginger, garlic, curry powder, mustard seeds, and turmeric. Cook 1 minute. Add hash browns and broth, and bring to a simmer. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 7 minutes. Stir in spinach, and cook 2 minutes more, or until wilted. Purée with immersion blender until smooth.

Heat remaining 1 Tbs. butter in nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add paneer cubes, and cook 5 to 7 minutes, or until golden brown, turning occasionally. Spoon paneer over soup, and serve hot.

nutritional information Per 1 1/2-cup serving: Calories: 264; Protein: 11 g; Total Fat: 13 g; Saturated Fat: 9 g; Carbohydrates: 22 g; Cholesterol: 44 mg; Sodium: 453 mg; Fiber: 4 g; Sugar: 6 g; Gluten-Free

CUBAN-STYLE ARROZ CONGRI

This is from Kim Severson in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Kim wrote, “The combination of white rice and black beans is a Cuban staple. Black beans served on top of or next to white rice is most commonly called Moros y Cristianos, a reference to the medieval battle between Islamic Moors and Christian Spaniards on the Iberian Peninsula. When rice and beans are mixed with sautéed aromatic vegetables and sometimes bits of pork, the result is called congrí. (In some Cuban households, it is also called Moros y Cristianos.) As a rule, congrí is a fluffier and drier dish than Moros y Cristianos. Yolanda Horruitiner, who has lived in Cuba for all of her 70 years, makes this simple version of congrí without pork or cumin, which is a staple in some versions. Feel free to add either to the sofrito base. This recipe uses a stovetop to cook both the rice and beans, although the dish can be assembled more quickly using a pressure cooker and rice cooker and making the sofrito in a separate sauté pan, then mixing it into the rice before it’s all cooked.”

Yield: 6 to 8 servings; Time: 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hours.

This was featured in “For Cuban Home Cooks, Ingenuity and Luck Are Key Ingredients” and can be viewed online here.

Note: This recipe calls for 1 tablespoon dry red wine, or vino seco. Since I don’t keep alcohol around, I would substitute 1 tablespoon water.

Ingredients

1 cup dried black beans

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 small onion, chopped into 1/2-inch pieces

1 small green pepper, chopped into 1/2-inch pieces

5 or 6 cloves garlic, roughly chopped

1 teaspoon kosher salt

Freshly ground pepper

1 tablespoon fresh oregano, roughly chopped

1/4 teaspoon dried dill

2 small bay leaves

1 tablespoon cider vinegar

1 tablespoon dry red wine, or vino seco

1 1/2 cups long-grain rice, rinsed

Preparation

Rinse the beans and pick them over for any small stones. Put the beans and 8 cups water in a medium-size pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a low simmer, partly cover and cook until tender, about 1 to 2 hours. (Time will vary depending on the bean.)

Meanwhile, make the sofrito: Put the oil in a medium-size pot (large enough to hold the rice as well) over medium heat. When it’s hot, add the onion, green pepper and garlic. Add a pinch of salt and several grinds of pepper. Sauté until the vegetables are limp. Stir in the oregano, dill and bay leaves and remove from heat.

Drain the beans, reserving the broth and being careful to not break the beans. In a large measuring cup, add the vinegar and wine, 1 cup of the reserved bean broth and enough water for all the liquid to measure 2 1/4 cups.

Put the sofrito back on medium heat, add the rice and stir to combine. Cook the rice for 1 to 2 minutes, then add the seasoned bean broth/water mixture and the salt. Bring to a boil, stir, then reduce to a simmer, cover and cook for 17 minutes. Remove from heat, fluff with a fork and return cover to pot for 10 minutes.

Remove bay leaves and put rice mixture into a mixing bowl. Gently mix in the beans, being careful not to break them. Season well with salt and pepper and transfer to a serving bowl. Serve hot.

ROASTED-VEGETABLE LASAGNA

This recipe begins, “Who needs meat? This gourmet veggie lasagna from one of our favorite chefs will be the centerpiece of your dinner table.”

This is from Diabetic Connect.

To view this online, go to http://www.diabeticconnect.com/diabetic-recipes/general/4198-roasted-vegetable-lasagna.

Ingredients

Vegetables:

4 red bell peppers

1 teaspoon olive oil

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

6 yellow squash, halved lengthwise and cut into 1-inch pieces (about 1 1/2 pounds)

1 large onion, cut into 16 wedges

4 garlic cloves, minced

Cheese mixture:

2 cups 2% low-fat cottage cheese

1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) grated sharp provolone cheese

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

1 teaspoon dried oregano

White sauce:

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups 2% reduced-fat milk

2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Cooking spray

9 cooked lasagna noodles

2 cups spinach leaves, divided

1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

Fresh basil sprigs (optional)

Directions

Preheat broiler.

To prepare vegetables, cut bell peppers in half lengthwise; discard seeds and membranes. Place pepper halves, skin sides up, on a foil-lined baking sheet; flatten with hand. Broil 15 minutes or until blackened. Place in a zip-top plastic bag; seal. Let stand 15 minutes. Peel; set aside.

Preheat oven to 450°.

Combine oil, salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, squash, and onion on a baking sheet; toss well. Bake at 450° for 20 minutes. Remove from oven; combine squash mixture and garlic in a bowl.

Decrease oven temperature to 375°.

To prepare cheese mixture, combine cottage cheese and next 3 ingredients (cottage cheese through oregano) in a bowl.

To prepare white sauce, place flour in a medium saucepan. Gradually add milk; stir with a whisk. Place over medium heat. Cook until thick; stir constantly. Remove from heat; stir in 2 tablespoons chopped basil and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper.

Spread 1/4 cup white sauce in bottom of a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Arrange 3 noodles over sauce; top with 1 1/4 cups cheese mixture, 1 cup spinach, 4 bell pepper halves, 2 cups vegetable mixture, and 1/4 cup white sauce. Repeat layers, ending with noodles. Spread remaining white sauce over noodles. Cover and bake at 375° for 15 minutes. Uncover; sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Bake an additional 20 minutes. Garnish with basil sprigs, if desired.

Note: Use a sharp, potent cheese in this dish for the most flavor. Parmesan, Romano, Asiago, or sharp cheddar will all work as well in the filling. Stick to mozzarella for the top, however, as it melts and browns the best. For extra browning, place the lasagna under the broiler for a minute or two at the end of cooking.

Nutritional Facts: Servings: 9; Amount per serving Calories: 275; Calories from fat 30%; Fat 9.1 g; Saturated fat: 5.2 g; Monounsaturated fat: 2.6 g; Polyunsaturated fat 0.6 g; Protein: 19.3 g; Carbohydrate: 29.3 g; Fiber: 2.9 g;Cholesterol: 24 mg; Iron: 2.3 mg; Sodium: 564 mg; Calcium: 308 mg

SWEET POTATO SOUFFLE

This is my mom’s recipe. Mom used to make this for holiday meals or if she was fixing ham for Sunday dinner. There was seldom any leftover soufflé.

Not to worry: since this is a vegetarian blog, I'm not going to suddenly post meat here. I'm just sharing a memory for decades past. Feel free to fix it whenever you want something a little festive.

This recipe can be found in my e-cookbook Off the Wall Cooking.

4 – 5 sweet potatoes

1 egg

1 small can pineapple

1 C nuts

2 T orange juice concentrate

1/2 tsp. salt

Cinnamon

dash pepper

1/2 C brown sugar

9 large marshmallows

Peel & dice sweet potatoes, place in pan of water, and cook until tender. Mash & add other ingredients except marshmallows. Put in square pan, cut in 9 squares & place 1 marshmallow in each square. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.

Friday Recipes,

Well, I'm finally back online just in time for the weekend...Yay!

Here are six recipes to help you through the weekend, including Rhubarb-Strawberry Refrigerator Cake and Slow-Cooker Vegetarian Minestrone. Enjoy!

POTATO GNOCCHI

This comes from the January/February 2013 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 38. It starts off, “The secret to fluffy, tender gnocchi is to make the dough while the mashed potatoes are hot, add just enough liquid to hold it together, and work it as little as possible.

To freeze: place cooked gnocchi on a parchment-lined baking sheet in the freezer, freeze until gnocchi are hard, and transfer to resealable plastic bags.

To reheat: add frozen gnocchi to boiling water, and cook 2 to 3 minutes, or until heated through. Serve with your favorite pasta sauce and cheese.” Serves 6 (makes about 100 gnocchi)

To view this online, click here.

2 1/2 lb. russet or Idaho potatoes

1/2 tsp. salt

1 large egg, lightly beaten

3/4 cup potato starch

Preheat oven to 350°F. Prick potatoes all over with fork, and bake 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until soft to touch. Slice open, and let cool 10 minutes.

Scoop out potato flesh (it will still be hot); reserve skins for another use. Mash potato flesh in bowl or put through potato ricer. Stir in salt, then egg with fork. Stir in potato starch until dough comes together and no longer sticks to fork or your hands.

Scoop out 1/2 cup dough, and roll into 3/4-inch-thick rope on work surface dusted with potato starch. Cut rope into 3/4-inch pieces. Set back of fork atop 1 gnocchi, and use fork to roll gnocchi toward you, making light indentations with fork tines. Transfer to parchment-lined baking sheet.

Bring pot of salted water to a boil. Add gnocchi, and cook 2 minutes, or until gnocchi float to top. Drain, and serve.

nutritional information Per Serving (about 16 gnocchi): Calories: 207; Protein: 4 g; Total Fat: less than 1 g; Saturated Fat: less than 1 g; Carbohydrates: 47 g; Cholesterol: 31 mg; Sodium: 213 mg; Fiber: 2 g; Sugar: 3 g; Gluten-Free

CURRIED CHICK PEAS AND TOMATOES

This is from Fiona Haynes, About.com's Low Fat Cooking expert. She writes, “Going meatless once in a while is good for our bodies, and a great way to eat cheaply. This curried chick peas and tomatoes recipe is super-fast and super-flavorful, thanks to the curry spices and especially the fresh ginger. Enjoy this healthy curried chick peas and tomatoes dish over microwaveable whole-grain rice.” Prep Time: 5 minutes; Cook Time: 15 minutes; Total Time: 20 minutes; Serves 6.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

2 tsp canola oil

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 medium onion, chopped

1 inch fresh ginger, finely chopped

1 tbsp curry powder

1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes

2 15-ounce cans reduced-sodium chick peas, drained and rinsed

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Preparation

Heat oil on medium heat in large skillet.

Add garlic, onion and ginger. Cook for 2-3 minutes, until onion softens.

Stir in curry powder and cook for 1 minute.

Add tomatoes and chick peas, and simmer for 10 minutes.

Stir in parsley, then serve.

Per Serving: Calories 252, Calories from Fat 53, Total Fat 3.6g (sat 0.4g), Cholesterol 0mg, Sodium 601mg, Carbohydrate 49.1g, Fiber 9.6g, Protein 9.7g

HOMEMADE APRICOT SALSA WITH BEANS

This comes from from Jolinda Hackett, About.com's Vegetarian Food expert. She writes, "Try this homemade apricot salsa for a unique twist on the usual homemade salsa recipes. This easy apricot salsa recipe uses dried apricots and baked beans instead of tomatoes, but also combines the traditional Mexican salsa flavors of fresh chopped cilantro, lime, and jalapeno peppers. Perfect for summer.

"This vegetarian and vegan homemade apricot salsa recipe is courtesy of Bush's® Beans."

To view this recipe online, click here.

Ingredients

2 28 ounce cans vegetarian baked beans

1 cup dried apricots, chopped

2 2.25 cans sliced black olives, drained

2 10 ounce packages frozen corn, thawed

1 cup chopped red bell pepper

1 cup chopped fresh cilantro or parsley

1/2 cup green onions, chopped

1/2 cup lime juice

1 tbsp jalapeno peppers, chopped

1 tsp cumin

tortilla chips

Preparation

Combine all ingredients, except tortilla chips; mix well. Refrigerate, covered, two to three hours to allow flavors to blend. Stir before serving with tortilla chips.

MEATLESS RICE CASSEROLE WITH BEANS

This is also from Jolinda Hackett, who writes, "A vegetarian rice casserole with beans. This easy rice casserole recipe is a great way to use up any leftover rice you might have on hand. Vegetarian rice and beans casserole can also be prepared super quick if you have all the ingredients on hand. Just open up a can of baked beans, add a few spices and bake! Recipe courtesy of Bush's® Beans."

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

1 28 ounce can vegetarian baked beans

1 1/2 cups cooked rice

1/2 cup chopped red onion

1/2 cup shredded carrot

1/2 cup thinly sliced celery

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/8 teaspoon ground ginger

Preparation

Combine all ingredients including vegetarian baked beans in a lightly greased 2-quart casserole. Bake at 350 for 35 to 40 minutes or until bubbly.

SLOW-COOKER VEGETARIAN MINESTRONE

This recipe begins, “With a few simple steps and time in the slow cooker, you'll have this delicious and nutritious minestrone soup ready to serve.”

This is from Diabetic Connect

To view this online, go to http://www.diabeticconnect.com/diabetic-recipes/general/6654-vegetarian-minestrone-slow-cooker

Ingredients

6 cups vegetable broth

1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes

1 15-ounce can kidney beans, drained

1 large onion, chopped

2 ribs celery, diced

2 large carrots, diced

1 cup green beans

1 small zucchini

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley

1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano

1 teaspoon salt

3/4 teaspoon dried thyme

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup elbow macaroni

4 cups chopped fresh spinach

1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese, or more to taste

Directions

Combine vegetable broth, tomatoes, kidney beans, onion, celery, carrots, green beans, zucchini, garlic, parsley, oregano, salt, thyme, and black pepper in a 6-quart slow cooker.

Cook on Low for 6 to 8 hours.

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook elbow macaroni in the boiling water, stirring occasionally until cooked through but firm to the bite, 8 minutes; drain.

Stir spinach and macaroni into minestrone; cook another 15 minutes. Top with Parmesan cheese.

Nutritional Facts: Servings: 8; Calories: 138; Carbohydrates: 25.2 g; Saturated Fat: 0.5 g; Protein: 6.9 g; Sodium: 941 mg; Dietary Fiber: 6.5 g

RHUBARB-STRAWBERRY REFRIGERATOR CAKE

My family spent several years in northeast Connecticut. When I was 15, my parents bought a new house in South Woodstock (we'd lived in Thompson).

One of the new house's charms was a good-sized garden; a large patch of rhubarb threatened to overrun the entire garden. While Dad claimed most of the garden (as “John’s Pea Patch”), Mom decided that the rhubarb was hers. This is one of the many rhubarb desserts we had that year.

This recipe can be found in my e-cookbook Off the Wall Cooking.

6 C rhubarb, cut in 1/2” pieces

1 tsp. vanilla

3 dozen lady fingers, split

1/2 C sugar

whole fresh strawberries

2 pks. (3 oz. each) strawberry gelatin

2 C heavy cream, whipped

Combine rhubarb, sugar and 1 C water in saucepan. Bring to boil. Boil 6 – 8 minutes until soft. Drain 1 C syrup and save. Put rhubarb and remaining syrup in blender. Make pulp (3 1/2 C). Bring pulp to boil. Pour over gelatin and stir until dissolved. Chill until slightly thickened but not firm. Fold in whipped cream. Add vanilla. Line 9” springform pan (3” deep) with ladyfingers. Alternate layers of rhubarb mix and ladyfingers, ending with rhubarb. Chill overnight, or until firm. Top with glaze and strawberries.

Glaze: Mix reserve syrup and 1/4 C sugar. Bring to boil & stir in 1 1/2 T cornstarch. Blend with small amount of water. Boil and cook, stirring until thickened and clean. Add a few drops of red food coloring. Cool.

Computer problems

Hi, readers! In case you've been wondering what's up, I'm having computer issues (again). I should be up and running by Friday. Here's hoping! See you then...

Just Desserts

Have you ever heard someone say, "I want something snacky!"? Heck, maybe you've even said it - or, at least, thought it. I know I've thought (and said) it a few times over the years.

Well, here are six dessert recipes for those times you want something snacky, including Red Velvet Mini Cupcakes and a Meyer Lemon Tart. Enjoy!

RED VELVET MINI CUPCAKES

This comes from The Food Network and begins, “Oil takes the place of butter in these cupcakes, making them lower in fat, but also making the crumb moist. Also, all of the flour is whole wheat! The frosting is simply sweetened reduced-fat cream cheese, but it's plenty tasty.”

Total: 1 hr; Active: 20 min; Yield: 48 mini cupcakes (2 cupcakes per serving); Level: Easy

To view this online, go to http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchen/red-velvet-mini-cupcakes-recipe.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour

2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon fine salt

3/4 cup canola oil

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1 large egg

1 tablespoon red food coloring

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup lowfat (1-percent) buttermilk

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar

Nonstick cooking spray, for coating ice cream scoop

8 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese, at room temperature

1 cup confectioners' sugar

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 48 mini muffin cups (2 large tins or 4 small) with paper liners.

Whisk together the flour, cocoa and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt in a medium bowl. Beat together the oil and granulated sugar on medium-high speed with a hand mixer in a large bowl until well combined. Add the egg and beat until well blended. Beat in the food coloring and 1/2 teaspoon of the vanilla.

On low speed, alternately add the flour mixture and buttermilk in thirds, beginning and ending with the flour, beating well after each addition. Whisk together the baking soda and vinegar in a small bowl, and then beat into the batter until fully incorporated.

Using a small ice cream scoop sprayed with nonstick cooking spray, evenly divide the batter among the cupcake liners. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean, 18 to 20 minutes. Remove the cupcakes from the tins and cool completely on a wire rack.

Meanwhile, beat the cream cheese in a large bowl until smooth and fluffy. Sift the confectioners' sugar over the mixture and beat until smooth. Beat in the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla. Spread or pipe the frosting over the cooled cupcakes.

CHOCOLATE FILLED CAKE ROLL

Servings: 12 one-inch slices

Find this recipe at: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/23.shtml.

Ingredients

Cake:

5 eggs

1/2 cup sugar

3 packets of Sweet'n Low

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1 teaspoon baking powder

Filling:

2 cups skim milk

1 package sugar-free chocolate instant pudding mix

Topping:

2 teaspoons sugar-free cocoa mix

Directions

Preheat oven to 400F.

Grease and line the bottom of a 10x15" jelly roll pan with waxed paper.

Beat eggs in a large bowl with electric mixer until fluffy.

Sprinkle sugar, Sweet'n Low and vanilla over eggs; continue beating for 2 minutes.

Sift flour, cornstarch, and baking powder together.

Sprinkle half the mixture over batter; fold in with spatula.

Repeat with remaining flour mixture.

Spread batter evenly in pan.

Bake on center rack in oven for 10 to 12 minutes or until cake is golden and springs back when lightly touched.

Arrange a towel on work surface and cover with wax or parchment paper.

Loosen edges of cake; unmold on paper.

Roll cake jelly roll style, using towel as a guide.

Leave cake rolled until it cools into jelly roll shape.

To make filling, blend milk with pudding mix according to package directions. Refrigerate pudding until it thickens.

Unroll cake, spread evenly with pudding, and reroll.

Lightly sprinkle sugar-free cocoa over the top to decorate.

Cut into 1" slices and serve.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 122; Fat: 2 g; Sodium: 197 mg; Cholesterol: 92 mg; Carbohydrates: 21 g; Exchanges: 1 Fruit; 1/2 Skim Milk; 1/2 Fat; 1 Starch

MEYER LEMON TART

This is from Amanda Hesser at The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Amanda wrote, “The Meyer lemon has always been something of a California secret, and every year when its brief growing season begins there, eager cooks sigh with relief. The Meyer is not as assertive as the common supermarket varieties, but it offers so much more in nuanced flavor that it is unforgettable. And these days, the Meyer's secret is finally out. A Meyer lemon contains about four times the sugar of a regular lemon, but it can be used almost interchangeably with the traditional varieties, adding a rounder edge to both sweet and savory dishes. And you can use the whole thing – from pulp to peel. This gorgeous tart is the ideal way to showcase its seductive fragrance and flavor. (Regular lemons will work well in this recipe too, but you'll likely want to add a bit more sugar.)”

Yield: One 10-inch tart; Time: 1 hour.

This was featured in “All Perfume, No Pucker” and can be viewed online here.

Ingredients

For the Crust

8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened, plus extra for greasing pan

1/2 cup sugar

1 egg yolk

1/2 tablespoon milk

12 ounces (about 2 1/3 cups) all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

For the Lemon Curd

1 1/4 pound (5 or 6) Meyer lemons

1 cup sugar

5 1/2 ounces (1 stick plus 3 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened, plus extra for greasing pan

7 large egg yolks

5 large eggs

1/8 teaspoon salt

Preparation

Make the crust: in the bowl of a mixer, cream together butter and sugar. Add egg yolk and the milk, and beat to combine. In a medium bowl, combine the flour with salt. Slowly add the flour to the butter mixture, stirring until completely blended. Gather dough into two balls. Freeze one for future use, chill the other for at least 1 hour.

Heavily butter a 10-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Press the dough into the pan and trim the edges. Prick the bottom with a fork, and place the shell in the freezer for 30 minutes.

While shell is in freezer, prepare lemon curd. Grate zest of lemons. Squeeze lemons to extract 1 cup of juice. In a medium nonreactive saucepan, combine juice and zest. Add remaining sugar, butter and salt. Place over medium heat, stirring once or twice, until sugar is dissolved and the butter is melted.

In bowl of a mixer, combine eggs and egg yolks until blended. Slowly add hot lemon mixture to eggs until blended. Return mixture to saucepan, and place over low heat. Whisk constantly until mixture thickens to a pudding-like consistency; do not allow it to boil. Remove from heat, and continue to stir to stop the cooking. Strain lemon curd into a bowl. Adjust sugar to taste; the curd should be tart, but may need additional sugar if the lemons were unripe. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing it right against the surface of the curd. Allow to cool.

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Remove tart shell from freezer, and bake until lightly golden, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly. Spoon lemon curd into tart shell, and smooth the top. Bake until filling has puffed around the edges, about 30 minutes. Cover edges with foil, if necessary, to prevent over-browning. Cool to room temperature before serving.

OATMEAL COOKIES

This is from Vegetarian Times and begins, “Straightforward and tasty, these oatmeal cookies hit the sweet spot.” Makes 24 cookies.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup pastry flour

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp. grated nutmeg

1/4 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. ground ginger

1 stick (1/2 cup) margarine, softened

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

2 large eggs or equivalent Egg Replacer

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

2 Tbs. cold water

3/4 cup old-fashioned rolled oats

1/2 cup raisins

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease one or more baking sheets.

In medium bowl, mix both flours, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, and ginger. Set aside.

In large bowl with an electric mixer, beat margarine and granulated and brown sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs or Egg Replacer, vanilla and water until blended. Add dry ingredients and beat just until blended. Stir in oats and raisins.

Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls onto prepared baking sheet(s), spacing them about 2 inches apart. Bake until golden, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool. Store cookies in an airtight container up to 5 days.

Nutrition Information: Calories: 77; Protein: 2 g; Total Fat: 3 g; Saturated Fat: 1 g; Carbohydrates: 14 g; Cholesterol: 18 mg; Sodium: 65 mg; Fiber: 1 g; Sugar: g

CREAMY RICE PUDDING

Maybe ten years ago, this recipe was in several issues of Vegetarian Times in ads for Mahatma Rice. I'd lost track of the recipe, which I'd made several times for a certain someone who loved homemade rice pudding. I had to admit, it was definitely worth the time it took to fix it.

1 1/2 quarts 2% milk

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup Mahatma rice (see note)

1/2 cup raisins

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Note: The recipe called for Mahatma, Water Maid, Carolina, or River rice.

Combine milk, sugar and rice in a heavy saucepan. Bring to a gentle boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to simmer and cook uncovered for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. (The milk should just barely simmer, with bubble breaking only at the outside edge of the surface. After an hour, the rice should be soft.)

Add raisins, increase heat to medium heat, and cook, stirring frequently, until rice has absorbed most of the rest of the milkl, but not all, and the pudding is creamy (about 30 minutes longer).

Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract. When cool, pudding will thicken, but will still be very creamy. Serve warm or well chilled. Serves 8.

ROSEMARY, OLIVE OIL AND ORANGE CAKE

This comes from Yotam Ottolenghi in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Yotam wrote, “This is a very light cake, similar to a lemon drizzle but with a ton more flavor. The rosemary and orange add delicious floral notes. A fluted Bundt pan looks especially nice. Prepare the crystallized rosemary sprigs at least 6 to 8 hours (or the day before) before serving the cake, which will keep in a sealed container at room temperature for up to three days.”

Yield: 10 servings.

This was featured in “The Bright Magic of Citrus in the Baking Pan” and can be viewed online at here.

Ingredients

For the Crystallized Rosemary:

10 small rosemary sprigs, no more than 1 inch each in size (see note)

1 egg white, lightly whisked

2 teaspoons granulated or superfine sugar (caster sugar)

For the Cake:

About 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened, for greasing the pan

2 cups all-purpose flour (plain flour), more to flour the pan

3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 cup plus 1 teaspoon superfine sugar (caster sugar)

1 tablespoon finely grated orange zest (from about 1 1/2 oranges)

1 1/2 tablespoons packed finely chopped rosemary leaves

2 large eggs

1/2 cup sour cream

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

For the Orange Icing:

1 1/2 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice

2 1/2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 3/4 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar, or 1 1/2 cups sifted icing sugar

Preparation

At least 6 hours before you plan to ice the cake, prepare the crystallized rosemary: Brush rosemary on all sides with a little of the egg white and then dip it in the sugar, so the needles are lightly coated on all sides. Set aside on a wire rack to dry. Repeat with remaining rosemary.

Make the cake: Heat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Generously grease a 9-inch/23-centimeter Bundt pan with half the butter and refrigerate for 10 minutes. Butter again, generously, and then flour it, tapping away the excess.

Put olive oil, superfine sugar, orange zest and chopped rosemary leaves in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Whisk on medium speed until combined, then add eggs, one at a time. Whisk for another minute, until thick, then add sour cream and mix until combined on low speed. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and the whisk.

Sift flour, baking powder and salt together into a small bowl. Add the dry ingredients to the olive oil mixture and mix until combined. Increase speed to high and whisk for 1 minute.

Scrape batter into the Bundt pan and smooth the top with a small spatula. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until cake is cooked and a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean. Remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes before inverting onto a serving plate. (You may want to trim the cake at this stage, if it rises unevenly, to allow it to sit flat on the plate.)

Prepare the icing: In a small bowl, whisk together orange juice, lemon juice and confectioners’ sugar until smooth. When the cake has cooled, drizzle icing on top, allowing it to drip down the sides of the cake, then top with the crystallized rosemary and serve.

Taco Tuesday

Yay, Taco Tuesday! Today's offerings include Spicy Thai Tacos and Seitan Tacos. Enjoy!

SOFT BLACK BEAN TACOS WITH SALSA AND CABBAGE

This comes from Martha Rose Shulman, also in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Martha wrote, “Canned black beans and lots of cabbage combine in a quick, utterly satisfying one-dish taco dinner. They can be served open-faced or folded over.” Yield: 4 servings; Time: about 20 minutes.

This was featured in “Quick One-Dish Meals, Some Cooking Required” and can be viewed online here.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon canola or grape seed oil

1 teaspoon medium-hot chili powder (more to taste)

1 teaspoon ground lightly toasted cumin seeds (more to taste)

2 cans black beans, with liquid

Salt to taste

8 corn tortillas

1 cup fresh or bottled salsa

3 ounces either queso fresco, feta, or sharp cheddar, grated or crumbled

2 cups shredded cabbage

Preparation

Heat the oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat and add the chili powder and ground cumin. Allow the spices to sizzle for about half a minute, until very fragrant, and stir in the black beans and 1/2 cup water. Cook, stirring and mashing the beans with the back of your spoon, for 5 to 10 minutes, until thick and fragrant. Be careful that you don’t let the beans dry out too much. If they do, add a little more water. Remove from the heat.

Heat the tortillas, two or three at a time, in a dry skillet over medium-high heat, or in a microwave. Top with the black beans, salsa, cheese and cabbage. Fold the filled tortillas over if desired and serve. Alternatively, one at a time, place a tortilla on a plate, top with the beans and cheese and heat through for 30 seconds to a minute in a microwave. Then top with salsa and a generous handful of cabbage, and serve.

Tip

Make fresh salsa with 2 or 3 chopped roma tomatoes, 1 or 2 jalapeños or serrano chiles, a little chopped onion or shallot if desired, salt, a squeeze of lime juice, and chopped fresh cilantro.

SPICY THAI TACOS

I originally found this at Oh My Veggies. The site has a mess of taco recipes from different places, which can be found http://ohmyveggies.com/vegetarian-taco-recipes/>here.

This from Spabettie and can be viewed online at https://www.spabettie.com/2012/09/18/spicy-thai-tacos-taco-tuesday/. This recipe is dairy and gluten free, and vegan.

Ingredients

1/2 cup peanut butter

1 tablespoon sriracha

1 tablespoon sesame oil

juice of 1 lime

1 tablespoon tamari

1 clove garlic, minced fine

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 block extra firm tofu, cut into strips

fresh corn, cut from cob

broccoli slaw

corn tortillas

Directions:

In a small bowl, whisk together peanut butter, sriracha, sesame oil, lime juice, tamari, garlic, and chili powder. Arrange tofu strips on (prepared – silpat, parchment or spray) baking sheet, brush with marinade to coat completely (you will have extra marinade for sauce). Bake at 325 for 25 minutes – can also be grilled on an outdoor grill.

Serve in corn tortillas with fresh corn and broccoli slaw as garnish, drizzled with remaining marinade.

GRILLED TOFU TACOS WITH WALLA WALLA SWEET ONION SLAW

I originally found this at Oh My Veggies. The site has a mess of taco recipes from different places, which can be found http://ohmyveggies.com/vegetarian-taco-recipes/>here.

The recipe is actually called Grilled Tofu Tacos with Walla Walla Sweet Onion Slaw (And Optional Chicken), but I've left the chicken out, for obvious reasons. This recipe begins, “Smoky seasoned tofu, creamy avocado, and crunchy slaw make these super easy summer tacos shine.”

PREP: 2 HOURS 20 MINUTES COOK: 15 MINUTES TOTAL: 2 HOURS 35 MINUTES; YIELD: 10-12 TACOS.

This is from Kitchen Treaty and can be viewed online at http://www.kitchentreaty.com/grilled-tofu-tacos-with-walla-walla-sweet-onion-slaw-and-optional-chicken/

Ingredients

2 (14-ounce) blocks extra-firm tofu

For the marinade:

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup lime juice

2 tablespoons cider vinegar

1 teaspoon cumin

1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 cloves garlic, minced

For the slaw:

1/2 medium cabbage, quartered and thinly sliced

1/2 medium Walla Walla Sweet onion, thinly sliced

1/4 cup lime juice

3 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Plus:

1 large avocado, sliced

10-12 tortillas (depending on how full you like to stuff your tacos)*

Directions:

Press tofu to drain. I place each block on a dinner plate on top of a layer of paper towels, then place more paper towels on top. Then I put 3-4 dinner plates on top and let it press down on the tofu for 20-30 minutes. Slice tofu into 6-7 1/2-inch pieces. Place in a zipper bag or container with airtight cover.

Make the marinade. Add all marinade ingredients to a small bowl and whisk until combined. Pour marinade over tofu. Place in refrigerator and marinate for 2 hours.

Heat grill to medium-high, about 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Cook tofu until browned and cooked through, 10-14 minutes. We only have one grill, so we always use the left side for my vegetarian stuff, and the right side for the meaty stuff. Remove tofu from grill and let cool enough to cut into taco-size pieces (I just cut the tofu pieces in half).

Place the tortillas on the grill and heat until slightly browned and heated through, about 1-2 minutes on each side. Keep on a plate covered by a damp dishtowel until ready to serve.

While the tofu and tortillas are cooking, make the slaw. In a large bowl, toss together all ingredients with salad tongs or your clean hands. Taste and add additional salt and pepper if desired.

To assemble tacos, grab a tortilla and lay one or two avocado slices on the bottom. Top with a coulple pieces of tofu, and top with slaw. Serve.

*GLUTEN-FREE OPTION

Use corn tortillas (or other gluten-free tortillas)

MUSHROOM, CORN AND POBLANO SOFT TACOS WITH AVOCADO CREAM

I originally found this at Oh My Veggies. The site has a mess of taco recipes from different places, which can be found http://ohmyveggies.com/vegetarian-taco-recipes/>here.

From Garnish with Lemon. View this online at http://www.garnishwithlemon.com/mushroom-corn-and-poblano-soft-tacos-with-avocado-cream/ Yields 5.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 (8-ounce) package mushrooms, sliced

1 cup chopped onion

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 garlic clove, minced

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 large poblano pepper, seeded and chopped (about 1/2 cup)

1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen corn

1 (14.5-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained

1/2 cup salsa

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, divided

1 teaspoon hot sauce (or more, depending on your preference)

Kosher salt

10 taco-sized corn or flour tortillas

1 ripe avocado, peeled, pitted and diced

1/2 cup sour cream

Chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish

Directions:

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms to the pan and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add remaining tablespoon of oil to the pan. Stir in onions, oregano, garlic, chili powder, cumin and poblano pepper and cook for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add corn and beans to the skillet and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove pan from heat and stir in salsa, 1 tablespoon lime juice and hot sauce. Season to taste with salt.

Place avocado, sour cream and remaining lime juice in a blender and blend until smooth. If avocado cream is too thick, add additional lime juice to reach desired consistency. Season to taste with salt.

Warm tortillas according to package directions. Spoon mushroom mixture into tortillas, garnish with avocado cream and chopped cilantro. Serve.

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

SEITAN TACOS

This is from FoodFanatic, and begins, “Seitan tacos made with citrus and herb are a fantastic vegetarian idea. These tacos are a fantastic addition to Taco Week!” Makes 4 servings; Serving Size: 2 tacos; Prep Time: 30 minutes; Cook Time: 10 minutes; Total Time: 40 minutes.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

8 ounces seitan strips, 1 package

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 jalapeños, deseeded and minced

1 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon ancho chili powder

1/2 cup onion, chopped

1/2 cup orange juice

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1/4 cup olive oil

3 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

4 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped

2 tablespoons honey

3 tablespoons sour cream

3 tablespoons canola oil

1 large tomato, diced

2 cups baby spinach, chopped

1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

8 flour tortillas, corn tortillas, or corn taco shells

Directions

Drain the seitan strips and toss them with the garlic, jalapenos, cumin, chili powder, and onions in a small bowl. Set aside.

Combine the orange juice, lime juice, olive oil, parsley, cilantro and honey in a blender and mix until combined. Whisk in the sour cream. Set aside.

In a medium skillet, heat the canola oil over medium heat. Add the seitan mixture and cook until the seitan has browned and the onions are soft.

Assemble the tacos with the seitan mixture, tomatoes, spinach and cheese.

Spoon the citrus dressing over the tacos. Alternatively, because it is very liquid, you can also coat the cooked seitan mixture with the desired amount of dressing before taco assembly.

Notes

I used a thyme flavored honey which added to the herby flavor of the dressing.

Make sure the jalapeno is actually spicy. This dish is better with a little kick!

Monday Recipes

It's a dreary-looking Monday as I write this. There's a sixty-percent chance of rain. This, as the northeast prepares for a March snow storm. Thank goodness, spring - and summer - isn't that far off.

In the meantime, here are six recipes to help start your week off. Enjoy!

PEANUT BUTTER BALLS

This is from Gale Gand on The Food Network show Sweet Dreams. If I wasn’t getting hungry just thinking of the show’s name, reading this recipe will do it.

Total Time: 1 hr 3 min; Prep: 1 hr; Cook: 3 min; Yield: 32 balls

Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/peanut-butter-balls-recipe.html?oc=linkback

Ingredients

18 ounces peanut butter, recipe follows

1 (16-ounce) box confectioners' sugar

1 1/3 cups graham cracker crumbs

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

12 ounces milk chocolate, melted

Peanut Butter:

3 cups peanuts, shelled, unsalted and dry roasted

Peanut oil, if necessary

Directions

In a large bowl, combine peanut butter, confectioners' sugar, graham cracker crumbs, and butter. Mash together until combined. Form the mixture into balls. Transfer to the refrigerator until hardened, about 30 minutes. Dip the peanut butter balls into the melted chocolate and set inside mini paper cupcake forms. Let the chocolate set before serving.

Peanut Butter:

In the bowl of a food processor, grind the peanuts until smooth. With the motor of the food processor running, add peanut oil if necessary, and puree until the peanuts are the consistency of peanut butter.

SWEET POTATOES ANNA WITH PRUNES

This comes from Tara Parker-Pope in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. The recipe begins, “This layered sweet potato gratin comes out of the oven caramelized on the edges and glistening with butter. The potatoes in the center are soft, their layers embedded with prunes; the ones around the edges are so crisp and sweet from the port, they taste candied. Slice the potatoes thinly — use a mandoline if you have one — and check the potatoes after 35 minutes in the oven. By 40 minutes, ours were perfect.”

Yield: 6 to 10 servings; Time: About 1 hour 30 minutes.

This was featured in “Home Cooks Rethink Sweet Potatoes” and can be viewed online here.

Also helpful is “How to Cook Potatoes”, a guide from The New York Times food writer, Julia Moskin.

Note: I don’t keep alcohol around the house, so I plan to use either water or maybe fruit juice - possibly plum or prune juice?

Ingredients

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter

1 cup port

10 pitted prunes

5 to 6 small sweet potatoes, peeled and very thinly sliced

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

Clarify the butter: In a small saucepan set over low heat, melt the butter. Skim off any foam, then pour the clear liquid into a bowl, leaving behind the solids.

Heat the port to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the prunes, turn off the heat and let them soak until plumped, about 20 minutes. Drain and chop the prunes coarsely.

Heat oven to 450 degrees.

Brush a layer of clarified butter onto your favorite 8- or 9-inch round baking dish or ovenproof frying pan.

Arrange a layer of potatoes, overlapping in circles, in the dish. Brush with the clarified butter and season with salt and pepper. Arrange another layer of potatoes and sprinkle with about half the prune pieces. Season with salt and pepper. Brush with clarified butter. Repeat with one more layer of potatoes and prunes, then end with a layer of potatoes. Remember to brush each layer with clarified butter and salt and pepper. You can do four layers of potatoes or six; it’s up to you. Pack the potatoes tightly by pressing down on them with your palms. If there’s a little butter left at the end, it’s no big deal.

Bake until crisp and tender, 35 to 45 minutes.

Remove from the oven and let cool in the pan for a few minutes. Then flip the cake onto a serving plate and cut into wedges. If desired, finish with a dusting of sugar and a couple of minutes of broiling, for a brûlée top. It can also be made using apples and prunes, or just apples.

ROASTED CARROT AND RED LENTIL RAGOUT

This is from Molly O’Neill in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Molly wrote, “Somehow, over the centuries, the word ragout (which in 17th-century France meant anything that stimulated appetite) has come to signify a dish of sturdy consolation. Nearly any simmered food, be it meat, vegetable, fish or fowl, can be called a ragout, although in France, it is generally assumed that the main ingredients will be of a uniform chunk cut into slightly smaller than bite-size pieces. This spicy carrot and lentil ragout can be served first as a main course and later extended with coconut milk or chicken broth to make a soup. Serve it over rice to temper the heat.”

Yield: 6 servings; Time: 1 hour 15 minutes.

This was featured in “Food; Simmer Down” and can be viewed online here. Also, check out Melissa Clark’s guide, titled “How to Cook Beans” to help with the cooking process.

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds carrots, peeled

5 tablespoons olive oil

2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

1 medium onion, sliced thin

3/4 teaspoon ancho chili powder

3/4 teaspoon chipotle chili powder

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 cup red lentils

5 cups chicken stock

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Lay the carrots in a roasting pan and toss with 3 tablespoons oil. Season with 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and a few grinds of pepper. Roast for 20 minutes. Turn the carrots, add the onion and roast 15 minutes, until the carrots are brown and tender. When carrots are cool enough, cut them in 1/4-inch dice.

Warm 2 tablespoons oil in a saucepan. Add the carrot-and-onion mixture, the chili powders and the cayenne pepper. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Stir in the lentils. Add the stock and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 20 to 25 minutes, until the lentils are falling apart. Season with remaining salt and pepper to taste. Serve with rice, or as a thick soup.

SAVORY BREAKFAST SANDWICHES

This recipe, as well as the next one (Tofu Scramble) comes from Compassion Over Killing, and can be found in the breakfast section of their Easy Vegan Recipes.

You can request (or download) Compassion Over Killing's free Easy Vegan Recipes booklet here.

Makes 4 sandwiches

Ingredients

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

3 tablespoons Bragg Liquid Aminos or soy sauce

1/4 cup olive oil

1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper, divided

1 14-ounce package firm tofu, drained and cut crosswise into 8 slices

1 large onion, chopped

4 cloves garlic, chopped

8 ounces button mushrooms, sliced

1 medium tomato, chopped

2 cups baby spinach leaves

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon salt

Vegan butter, such as Earth Balance (optional)

4 English muffins, toasted

Instructions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

In a shallow baking dish, mix together the vinegar, Bragg Liquid Aminos or soy sauce, olive oil, and 1/2 teaspoon of the black pepper with a whisk. Place tofu slices in a single layer in the dish, then turn over to coat on all sides. Allow tofu to marinate for 20 minutes, turning slices occasionally.

Place baking dish in oven for 20 minutes. Flip tofu slices over and continue to bake for an additional 10-20 minutes until crispy and most of the liquid has been absorbed.

Meanwhile, spray a large skillet with oil or cooking spray. Sauté onion and garlic over medium-high heat until onion begins to soften. Add mushrooms and continue cooking until they begin to brown. Add tomato, spinach, thyme, salt, and remaining black pepper. Cook and stir until spinach is wilted and any liquid has evaporated, turning heat to medium low if the vegetables are browning too quickly. Adjust seasoning.

To assemble sandwiches, spread vegan butter on English muffins, if using. Then add 2 tablespoons of the cooked vegetables to the bottom half of each muffin. Top with 2 slices of tofu and evenly distribute the remaining vegetables on top of the tofu slices on all 4 sandwiches. Cover with the other muffin halves and press down to help keep vegetables from spilling out.

TOFU SCRAMBLE

Serves 2-3

Ingredients

1 14-ounce package extra firm tofu, drained

2 tablespoons vegetable oil or vegan butter (try Earth Balance)

1/2 pound white button mushrooms, sliced

1 bell pepper, chopped

1 packed cup fresh spinach

2 green onions, diced

1/2 cup nutritional yeast

1 tablespoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric (for color)

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

Heat the oil or butter in a medium-sized frying pan over medium-high heat. Crumble the tofu into the pan and sauté, stirring occasionally for 8-10 minutes.

Add the remaining ingredients. Lightly toss in the pan until well-cooked, about 5 more minutes.

Adjust spices to taste and serve hot.

WILD BLUEBERRY CHEESECAKE SMOOTHIE

This is from Kaleigh McMordie, MCN, RDN, LD, at VeryWell. Kaleigh wrote, “Smoothies are a great way to pack a lot of nutrition into a single meal, especially if you're on the go. They can also be loaded with sugary syrups and fat if you aren't careful when grabbing a smoothie away from home. For a nutritious smoothie you can feel good about, skip the shop and make this tasty version at home.

“Frozen wild blueberries are extra sweet and pack a lot of flavor and antioxidants into this wild blueberry cheesecake smoothie. They also make this smoothie extra cold and frosty without having to use ice. Research suggests that daily blueberry consumption could lower blood pressure due to the production of nitric oxide.

“The Greek yogurt and avocado duo lends a luxurious creamy texture and also contributes healthy fats, fiber, and plenty of protein to keep you fueled and full. Make this smoothie for a sweet breakfast treat, or split it in half for a healthy snack or dessert.”

Total Time: 5 minutes; Prep: 5 minutes; Cook: 0; Yield: 1 serving.

This can be viewed online here. It can also be found at Kaliegh’s website, Lively Table.

Ingredients

1 cup wild blueberries, frozen

1/2 small avocado

3/4 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt

1/2 cup skim milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon honey

1/2 lemon, juiced

Preparation

Add all ingredients to a high powered blender and blend until smooth. You may need to add more milk to your desired consistency.

Pour into a glass and enjoy.

Ingredient Variations and Substitutions

You can typically find wild blueberries in the freezer section of your grocery store. If you can’t find them, you can substitute regular frozen blueberries, but they will not be as sweet.

This is a great smoothie recipe to disguise veggies, so add a handful of spinach if you want to get a little more vegetable power.

To make this smoothie dairy-free, use dairy-free yogurt, such as Silk, and unsweetened dairy-free milk of your choice.

Cooking and Serving Tips

This recipe makes a meal-sized smoothie. For a post-workout snack or a healthy dessert, divide into two servings.