It's Monday, half-way through October. Is that really possible? My calendar says it is, but it doesn't seem like it should be this late in the year.
No matter. Here are today's six vegetarian recipes to help you through the day, including Chocolate-Crusted Pumpkin Pie and Baked Pumpkin Pasta. Enjoy!
SPINACH-ARTICHOKE DEEP-DISH PIZZA
This recipe comes from Country Living, and begins, “Bake homemade pizza in a cast-iron skillet for irresistibly crispy crust.” Total Time: 40 minutes; Prep Time: 15 minutes; Level: Easy; Yield: 4 servings.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 (5-oz.) container baby spinach, coarsely chopped
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 c. ricotta
1 1/2 oz. Parmesan, grated (about 1/3 c.)
1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1/4 tsp. crush red pepper flakes
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 tbsp. cornmeal
1 lb. store-bought pizza dough, at room temperature
6 oz. Fontina cheese, grated (about 1 1/2 c.)
1 (14-oz.) can artichoke hearts, drained and quartered
Fresh basil leaves, torn, for serving
Directions
Heat oven to 450 degrees F with the rack in the lowest position. Heat oil in a 10" skillet over medium heat. Add spinach and garlic and cook until wilted and liquid has evaporated, 3 to 4 minutes; transfer to a plate. Cool skillet slightly and wipe clean.
Stir together ricotta, Parmesan, lemon juice, and red pepper flakes in a bowl. Season with salt and black pepper. Sprinkle skillet with cornmeal. Stretch dough into a 12" round. Carefully press dough into the bottom and up the sides of the skillet.
Top dough with ricotta mixture, spinach, Fontina, and artichokes. Bake until the crust is golden brown, 20 to 24 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes.
Serve sprinkled with basil and cut into wedges.
PER SERVING: protein: 32 g; fat: 32 g; carbohydrate: 67 g; fiber: 5 g; sodium: 1,186 mg; cholesterol: 74 mg; calories: 676.
CHOCOLATE-CRUSTED PUMPKIN PIE
This comes from the October 2012 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 71. It starts off, "Tweak the holiday pie tradition with a chocolate crust and pumpkin filling that's thickened with cornstarch, not eggs." Makes 1 9-inch pie (serves 8)
This recipe can be viewed online here.
Crust
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
1 stick Earth Balance margarine, cubed
1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
Filling
1 1/2 cups Oven-Roasted Pumpkin Purée or 1 15-oz. can puréed pumpkin
1 cup almond milk
2 Tbs. lemon juice
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp. ground cloves
6 Tbs. Earth Balance margarine, melted
To make Crust: Pulse flour, cocoa, and confectioners’ sugar in food processor until combined. Add margarine, and process until mixture resembles sand. With processor running, add vanilla and 3 to 4 Tbs. cold water, and process until smooth dough forms. Chill 2 hours.
Roll out dough to 11-inch circle on floured work surface. Press into 9-inch pie pan. Chill 30 minutes.
To make Filling: Drain pumpkin in mesh strainer over bowl 30 minutes.
Combine almond milk and lemon juice in bowl. Whisk together brown sugar, cornstarch, ginger, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and cloves in bowl. Whisk in almond milk mixture, then pumpkin and margarine.
Preheat oven to 400˚F. Place Crust on baking sheet, top with parchment paper, and fill with dried beans to weigh down. Reduce oven heat to 350˚F, and bake Crust 10 minutes. Remove parchment and beans, and bake 5 minutes.
Pour Filling into Crust, and bake 25 to 30 minutes, or until Filling is bubbling in center. Cool completely before serving.
nutritional information Per Slice: Calories: 377; Protein: 3 g; Total Fat: 20 g; Saturated Fat: 8 g; Carbohydrates: 47 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 361 mg; Fiber: 3 g; Sugar: 24 g; Vegan
BAKED RISOTTO WITH WINTER SQUASH
This comes from David Tanis in The New York Times Cooking e-newsletter. David wrote, “This is not a classic stirred risotto, in which broth is added little by little, requiring the cook to stir and stir. Instead, the rice is tossed with squash and cheese then baked under a layer of bread crumbs until fragrant and browned on top. Welcome as a hearty meatless main course, it may also be served alongside a roasted chicken. Use any kind of hard winter squash, such as butternut, kabocha or Hubbard.” Time: 1 hour; Makes 6 to 8 servings.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1/2 pound winter squash
1 pound Carnaroli or Arborio rice
4 tablespoons butter, plus 2 tablespoons for greasing dish
1 medium onion, diced, about 1 cup
1 medium leek, white and tender green part, diced, about 1 cup
Pinch of saffron (optional)
Salt and pepper
3 cups squash broth (see note) or chicken broth, hot
8 ounces Gruyère or Fontina, grated, about 2 loosely packed cups
1 cup fresh ricotta
4 ounces Parmesan, grated, about 3/4 cup
2 teaspoons lemon zest
1 cup coarse dry bread crumbs
3 tablespoons chopped parsley
Preparation
Peel squash and cut into very thin slices, 1/16-inch thick. Then cut slices into flat 2-inch squares. (Reserve the scraps, including peels, to make squash stock if desired.)
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add rice and let simmer for 8 minutes so it is parcooked, with the grains still hard in the center. Drain rice in a colander, rinse with cold water, then spread on a baking sheet to cool. Heat oven to 375 degrees.
In a Dutch oven, melt 4 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add leek and saffron, if using, and stir to coat. When leek is softened but still green, after 2 minutes, add squash, stir to coat and turn off heat. Season well with salt and pepper.
Add parcooked rice, hot broth, Gruyère, ricotta, Parmesan and lemon zest, mixing gently with a wooden spoon. Pour rice mixture into a buttered 3-quart baking dish.
Sprinkle top with bread crumbs, pressing down to smooth surface. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Tent with foil if necessary. Garnish with parsley just before serving.
CRANBERRY-NUT RUGALACH
Not sure if someone sent this to me on an emailing list, or if I simply sent it to myself so I wouldn't lose the recipe. Either way, it's originally from Weight Watchers. The points value is from 2007.
POINTS® Value: 2
Servings: 16
Preparation Time: 12 min; Cooking Time: 15 min; Level of Difficulty: Easy
The recipe begins, “There's just one word for these flaky, traditional Jewish cookies filled with cranberries and nuts: Delicious! Try them for the Jewish New Year.”
Ingredients
1 sprays cooking spray
1/4 cup dried cranberries, finely chopped (coat knife with cooking spray before chopping to prevent sticking)
1/4 cup walnut halves, finely chopped
1 Tbsp sugar, granulated
8 oz Pillsbury Reduced-Fat Crescent(s), or similar product
1 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp powdered sugar
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly coat a cookie sheet with cooking spray.
To make filling, combine cranberries, walnuts and granulated sugar in a small bowl; set aside.
Roll out crescent rolls on a lightly floured surface (use 1 tablespoon flour) to an 11-inch square. Separate along perforations into 8 triangles. Cut each in half lengthwise, making 16 long triangles. Spoon a generous teaspoon of filling onto each triangle, leaving bare pastry at top and bottom of triangle. Roll each triangle from wide end to narrow tip.
Spread out rolled wedges on prepared cookie sheet. Bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes. Remove from oven and let sit 5 minutes. Move rugalach close together so they are just touching each other. Place powdered sugar in a sieve and dust over rugalach. Yields 1 cookie per serving. (Note: These cookies taste best served warm. Reheat for 5 minutes in a preheated 325°F oven. Do not microwave – it will toughen the dough.)
CORNBREAD AND PINTO BEAN SHEPHERD'S PIE
This comes from the January/February 2013 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 30. It starts off, “Serve this dish with taco toppings (such as salsa, chile and bell peppers, radishes, and shredded lettuce) that can be sprinkled over each serving.” Serves 4 in 30 minutes or less.
To view this online, click here.
2 14.5-oz. cans pinto beans, drained, 1 1/2 cups bean liquid reserved
3 Tbs. tomato paste
1 Tbs. olive oil
1 large red onion, cut into 1/4-inch dice (2 1/2 cups), divided
2 1/2 Tbs. chili powder
3 medium plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped (1 1/2 cups), divided
6 Tbs. whole-grain cornbread and muffin mix, such as Arrowhead Mills
1 1/3 cups plain nonfat Greek yogurt, divided
1 large egg
1 1/2 Tbs. sugar
Place oven rack in top position, and preheat oven to 425°F. Coat 9-inch pie dish with cooking spray. Whisk reserved bean liquid with tomato paste in bowl.
Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 cups onion. Cover, and cook 4 minutes, or until onion begins to soften, stirring occasionally. Add chili powder, and stir 10 seconds to coat onions. Stir in tomato paste mixture, 1 cup tomatoes, and then beans. Bring to simmer, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to low, and simmer uncovered, 6 minutes, or until flavors blend and chili liquids thicken. Season with salt and pepper, if desired.
Meanwhile, combine cornbread mix, 1/3 cup yogurt, egg, sugar, and 1 Tbs. water in medium bowl.
Spread chili beans in prepared pie dish. Pour cornbread batter over beans, spreading with back of spoon. Bake 10 minutes, or until cornbread is set and golden.
Meanwhile, finely chop remaining 1/2 cup onion. Place in small bowl; mix in remaining 1/2 cup tomatoes, and season with salt and pepper, if desired.
Divide shepherd’s pie among shallow bowls. Serve with tomato salsa and remaining 1 cup yogurt.
BAKED PUMPKIN PASTA
This recipe is from Fiona Haynes, About.com's Low Fat Cooking expert. Fiona wrote, "Break out of the mac and cheese mold with this delicious baked pumpkin pasta dish. Perfect for fall, this pumpkin pasta makes a great weeknight meal on cold evenings.” She also adds, “If you make this with fat-free ricotta, you'll save a further 3 grams of fat and 2 grams of saturated fat, but you'll gain another 110mg of sodium.” Prep Time: 0 minutes; Cook Time: 30 minutes; Total Time: 30 minutes; Serves 6
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
12 ounces uncooked penne pasta
2 tsp olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 small zucchini, halved lengthwise, then sliced
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried sage
1 15 ounce can pure pumpkin
1 cup part skim ricotta cheese
1/2 cup water reserved from pasta pot
1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
Preparation
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling water according to directions on package, less 2 minutes, and reserve 1/2 cup of cooking water when done.
Meanwhile heat oil in large skillet. Sauté onions and garlic for 5-6 minutes, until softened. Stir in zucchini and herbs, and sauté for 3-4 minutes.
Stir in canned pumpkin and ricotta cheese.
Empty drained pasta plus 1/2 cup of reserved cooking water into skillet and mix well.
Spoon pasta into a 11 x 7 baking dish. Sprinkle parmesan cheese on top. Bake for 10-15 minutes.
Per Serving: Calories 349, Calories from Fat 71, Total Fat 7.7g (sat 3.4g), Cholesterol 18mg, Sodium 168mg, Carbohydrate 54.4g, Fiber 5.2g, Protein 15.9g
Monday, October 16, 2017
Saturday, October 14, 2017
It's the Great Pumpkin, Two
Most of us associate certain foods with certain seasons or holidays: fresh blueberries, hot dogs, and ice tea with summer, stews and soups with fall and winter. Pumpkins are also associated with fall and winter, at least in North America. Yet it is one of those foods that can be enjoyed year 'round. While its flavor wows our taste buds, the pumpkin is packed with vitamin A and loaded with fiber. It tastes good, even as it's good for you.
Here are six yummy pumpkin recipes to help you through the day (and season), including two Pumpkin Soup recipes and Vegan Pumpkin Cheesecake Brownies. Enjoy!
MARBLED PUMPKIN BROWNIES
I'm really not sure where I found the first two recipes. The brownie recipe makes 10 servings.
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup canned pumpkin
1/2 cup coarsely chopped pecans
1/4 cup cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons sugar
1 egg yolk
2 teaspoons whipping cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
vanilla ice cream, optional
caramel sauce, warmed, optional
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour 8-inch square glass baking dish.
Beat butter in large bowl until fluffy. Gradually add brown sugar and beat until well blended, about 2 minutes. Add 1 egg and 1 teaspoon vanilla and beat to blend. Add flour, baking powder, spices and salt and beat until well mixed.
Beat in pumpkin. Stir in nuts. Spread batter in prepared pan (batter will be thick).
Mix cream cheese, 2 tablespoons sugar, egg yolk, whipping cream and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla in bowl to blend. Drop cream cheese mixture by heaping tablespoons on top of the pumpkin batter.
Using small knife, gently swirl cream cheese mixture into batter, creating marbled pattern. Bake about 35 minutes or until tester inserted into center comes out clean and top is firm.
Cool. Cover with foil and let stand at room temperature. Reheat covered in 350 degree oven for 15 minutes before serving. Cut warm brownies into squares and serve topped with a scoop of ice cream, drizzled with caramel sauce if desired.
PUMPKIN SOUP
Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cooking Time: 20 minutes; Serves 6
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons chopped onion
2 tablespoons flour
6 cups veggie broth
one 15-ounce can unsweetened pumpkin puree
one 8-ounce jar applesauce
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cup heavy cream
freshly ground pepper, to taste
croutons, optional
Heat the butter in a large saucepan and saute the onions over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes until softened. Sprinkle the flour over the onions and stir until mixed. Add the chicken broth and pumpkin and stir until smooth.
Add the remaining ingredients except the cream, pepper, and croutons. Stir well, cover and simmer gently for about 20 minutes until hot and the flavors have blended.
Stir in the cream and heat until hot. Garnish with freshly ground pepper and serve immediately with crisp croutons, if desired.
PUMPKIN BUBBLE SPICE RING
Years ago, when my family and I broke down and got cable TV. One chilly, dreary January day, I was channel surfing and ran across Breaking Bread With Father Dominic on the Food Network. Unfortunately, his show no longer airs on the network.
This recipe and the next were from Breaking Bread.
YIELD: 1 ring; about 12 servings.
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, divided
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 package FLEISCHMANN’S RapidRise Yeast
3/4 cup canned pumpkin puree
1/4 cup milk
1 egg, beaten
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
1 cup finely chopped pecans or walnuts, divided
2 (3-ounce) packages cream cheese
Combine 1 cup of the flour, granulated sugar, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and yeast in medium bowl; stir until well mixed. Combine pumpkin puree and milk in small saucepan; heat to 120 to 130 degrees. Pour pumpkin mixture into flour mixture; stir until well blended. Add egg; mix well. Add 1 cup of the flour; stir until flour is thoroughly incorporated. Add enough of the remaining flour, about 1/4 cup at a time, to make a rather soft dough.
Turn out dough onto lightly floured surface. Knead 5 minutes. Cover dough with a damp cloth and let rest 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, combine corn syrup, brown sugar and butter in small saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until butter is melted and sugar is completely dissolved. Remove from heat. Lightly grease a 10-inch fluted tube or Bundt pan. Sprinkle half of the nuts in bottom of pan; pour in half of the caramel mixture.
Cut cream cheese into 20 pieces and roll each piece into a ball. Knead dough one minute, then divide dough into 20 pieces. Flatten each piece of dough and wrap it around a piece of cream cheese. Arrange 10 pieces of cream cheese-filled dough in a single layer in the pan. Sprinkle the remaining nuts on top. Arrange remaining 10 pieces of cream cheese-filled dough on top of first layer. Pour remaining caramel mixture over all. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm, draft-free place about 1 hour, or until doubled. The risen dough will not quite reach the top of the pan.
About 15 minutes before end of rising time, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake 25 to 30 minutes, or until lightly browned on top. Let cool in pan 10 minutes, then invert onto a serving platter. Can be served warm or cool.
Note: The dough itself isn’t very sweet, because I think the caramel sauce has enough sugar. You could make a nicely sweet pumpkin bread by increasing the sugar to 1/2 cup and simply forming the dough into a loaf for a lightly greased 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 x 2 1/2-inch loaf pan. The baking time would be about the same.
PUMPKIN RAISIN BATTER CAKE (from Breaking Bread)
YIELD: 1 cake
4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 envelopes FLEISCHMANN'S RapidRise Yeast
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 cup evaporated milk
1/2 cup water
1 cup canned pumpkin
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup raisins
1/2 cup chopped pecans, toasted
Powdered sugar, optional
In large bowl, combine 1 cup flour, sugar, brown sugar, undissolved yeast, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Heat milk, water, pumpkin, and butter until very warm (120 to 130 degrees). Gradually add to dry ingredients. Beat 2 minutes at medium speed of electric mixer, scraping bowl occasionally. Add egg, vanilla extract, and 1 cup flour; beat 2 minutes at high speed, scraping bowl occasionally. Stir in raisins, pecans, and remaining flour to make a stiff batter.
Turn into heavily greased 12-cup fluted tube pan. Cover; let rise in warm, draft-free place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until done. Remove from pan; cool on wire rack. To serve, sprinkle with powdered sugar, if desired.
PUMPKIN SOUP
This recipe is from an article on WebMD titled "Three Tasty Reasons to Move Pumpkins From the Porch to the Pantry," by Jeanie Lerche Davis. It can be found athttp://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/features/pumpkin-recipes-packed-nutrition.
Note: The recipe originally called for chicken broth; I changed it to vegetable broth.
Makes 6 Servings
1 tablespoon butter
1 cup chopped onion
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 cup peeled and cubed (1/2-inch) sweet potato
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 14 1/2-ounce cans fat-free, low-sodium vegetable broth
1 15-ounce can pumpkin
1 cup 1% low-fat milk
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives (optional)
1. Melt butter in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion; sauté 3 minutes. Stir in flour, curry powder, cumin, nutmeg, and garlic; sauté 1 minute. Add sweet potato, salt, broth, and pumpkin; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, partially covered, 20 minutes or until potato is tender, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; cool 10 minutes.
2. Place half of pumpkin mixture in a blender or food processor; process until smooth. Pour pureed soup into a large bowl. Repeat procedure with remaining pumpkin mixture. Return soup to pan; stir in milk. Cook over medium heat 6 minutes or until thoroughly heated, stirring often. (Do not boil.) Remove from heat; stir in juice. Garnish with chives, if desired. Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 1 cup).
NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION:
CALORIES 121 (21% from fat); FAT 2.8g (satfat 1.6g, monofat 0.7g, polyfat 0.2g); PROTEIN 5.1g; CARBOHYDRATES 19.7g; FIBER 3.5g; CHOLESTEROL 7mg; IRON 1.5mg; SODIUM 565mg; CALCIUM 85mg.
VEGAN PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE BROWNIES
This is from Alissa Saenz at Connoisseurus Veg, and starts off, “Fudgy chocolate chip-studded vegan brownies are topped with a layer of luscious cashew cheesecake to make this decadent and totally vegan fall dessert.”
Servings: 16; Calories 254 kcal; Author Alissa Saenz
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
For the Brownie Layer
1/2 cup coconut oil, melted
1/2 cup canned pumpkin puree
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup organic granulated sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
2/3 cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup vegan chocolate chips
For the Pumpkin Cheesecake Layer
1 cup raw cashews, soaked in water 4-8 hours and drained
1/2 cup canned pumpkin puree
1/3 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons powdered ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup vegan chocolate chips
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350° and lightly oil a 9 x 9 inch baking pan.
To make the brownie layer, stir the coconut oil, pumpkin puree, vanilla and sugar together in a large mixing bowl. Add the flour, cocoa powder, cinnamon and salt. Stir just until fully blended. Fold in the chocolate chips.
Spread the mixture into the bottom of the prepared baking pan and bake just until set in the center, 18-20 minutes.
While the brownie layer bakes, place all ingredients for the cheesecake layer except for the chocolate chips into the bowl of a food processor fitted with an S-blade. Blend until smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Remove the blade or transfer the mixture to a bowl and stir in the chocolate chips.
When the brownie layer is set, remove the pan from the oven and spread the cheesecake mixture over top. Return the pan to the oven and bake until the cheesecake layer is set, 22-24 minutes.
Remove the pan from the oven and allow it to cool completely. Cut into 16 squares and serve.
Here are six yummy pumpkin recipes to help you through the day (and season), including two Pumpkin Soup recipes and Vegan Pumpkin Cheesecake Brownies. Enjoy!
MARBLED PUMPKIN BROWNIES
I'm really not sure where I found the first two recipes. The brownie recipe makes 10 servings.
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup canned pumpkin
1/2 cup coarsely chopped pecans
1/4 cup cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons sugar
1 egg yolk
2 teaspoons whipping cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
vanilla ice cream, optional
caramel sauce, warmed, optional
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour 8-inch square glass baking dish.
Beat butter in large bowl until fluffy. Gradually add brown sugar and beat until well blended, about 2 minutes. Add 1 egg and 1 teaspoon vanilla and beat to blend. Add flour, baking powder, spices and salt and beat until well mixed.
Beat in pumpkin. Stir in nuts. Spread batter in prepared pan (batter will be thick).
Mix cream cheese, 2 tablespoons sugar, egg yolk, whipping cream and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla in bowl to blend. Drop cream cheese mixture by heaping tablespoons on top of the pumpkin batter.
Using small knife, gently swirl cream cheese mixture into batter, creating marbled pattern. Bake about 35 minutes or until tester inserted into center comes out clean and top is firm.
Cool. Cover with foil and let stand at room temperature. Reheat covered in 350 degree oven for 15 minutes before serving. Cut warm brownies into squares and serve topped with a scoop of ice cream, drizzled with caramel sauce if desired.
PUMPKIN SOUP
Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cooking Time: 20 minutes; Serves 6
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons chopped onion
2 tablespoons flour
6 cups veggie broth
one 15-ounce can unsweetened pumpkin puree
one 8-ounce jar applesauce
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cup heavy cream
freshly ground pepper, to taste
croutons, optional
Heat the butter in a large saucepan and saute the onions over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes until softened. Sprinkle the flour over the onions and stir until mixed. Add the chicken broth and pumpkin and stir until smooth.
Add the remaining ingredients except the cream, pepper, and croutons. Stir well, cover and simmer gently for about 20 minutes until hot and the flavors have blended.
Stir in the cream and heat until hot. Garnish with freshly ground pepper and serve immediately with crisp croutons, if desired.
PUMPKIN BUBBLE SPICE RING
Years ago, when my family and I broke down and got cable TV. One chilly, dreary January day, I was channel surfing and ran across Breaking Bread With Father Dominic on the Food Network. Unfortunately, his show no longer airs on the network.
This recipe and the next were from Breaking Bread.
YIELD: 1 ring; about 12 servings.
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, divided
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 package FLEISCHMANN’S RapidRise Yeast
3/4 cup canned pumpkin puree
1/4 cup milk
1 egg, beaten
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
1 cup finely chopped pecans or walnuts, divided
2 (3-ounce) packages cream cheese
Combine 1 cup of the flour, granulated sugar, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and yeast in medium bowl; stir until well mixed. Combine pumpkin puree and milk in small saucepan; heat to 120 to 130 degrees. Pour pumpkin mixture into flour mixture; stir until well blended. Add egg; mix well. Add 1 cup of the flour; stir until flour is thoroughly incorporated. Add enough of the remaining flour, about 1/4 cup at a time, to make a rather soft dough.
Turn out dough onto lightly floured surface. Knead 5 minutes. Cover dough with a damp cloth and let rest 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, combine corn syrup, brown sugar and butter in small saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until butter is melted and sugar is completely dissolved. Remove from heat. Lightly grease a 10-inch fluted tube or Bundt pan. Sprinkle half of the nuts in bottom of pan; pour in half of the caramel mixture.
Cut cream cheese into 20 pieces and roll each piece into a ball. Knead dough one minute, then divide dough into 20 pieces. Flatten each piece of dough and wrap it around a piece of cream cheese. Arrange 10 pieces of cream cheese-filled dough in a single layer in the pan. Sprinkle the remaining nuts on top. Arrange remaining 10 pieces of cream cheese-filled dough on top of first layer. Pour remaining caramel mixture over all. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm, draft-free place about 1 hour, or until doubled. The risen dough will not quite reach the top of the pan.
About 15 minutes before end of rising time, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake 25 to 30 minutes, or until lightly browned on top. Let cool in pan 10 minutes, then invert onto a serving platter. Can be served warm or cool.
Note: The dough itself isn’t very sweet, because I think the caramel sauce has enough sugar. You could make a nicely sweet pumpkin bread by increasing the sugar to 1/2 cup and simply forming the dough into a loaf for a lightly greased 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 x 2 1/2-inch loaf pan. The baking time would be about the same.
PUMPKIN RAISIN BATTER CAKE (from Breaking Bread)
YIELD: 1 cake
4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 envelopes FLEISCHMANN'S RapidRise Yeast
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 cup evaporated milk
1/2 cup water
1 cup canned pumpkin
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup raisins
1/2 cup chopped pecans, toasted
Powdered sugar, optional
In large bowl, combine 1 cup flour, sugar, brown sugar, undissolved yeast, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Heat milk, water, pumpkin, and butter until very warm (120 to 130 degrees). Gradually add to dry ingredients. Beat 2 minutes at medium speed of electric mixer, scraping bowl occasionally. Add egg, vanilla extract, and 1 cup flour; beat 2 minutes at high speed, scraping bowl occasionally. Stir in raisins, pecans, and remaining flour to make a stiff batter.
Turn into heavily greased 12-cup fluted tube pan. Cover; let rise in warm, draft-free place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until done. Remove from pan; cool on wire rack. To serve, sprinkle with powdered sugar, if desired.
PUMPKIN SOUP
This recipe is from an article on WebMD titled "Three Tasty Reasons to Move Pumpkins From the Porch to the Pantry," by Jeanie Lerche Davis. It can be found athttp://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/features/pumpkin-recipes-packed-nutrition.
Note: The recipe originally called for chicken broth; I changed it to vegetable broth.
Makes 6 Servings
1 tablespoon butter
1 cup chopped onion
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 cup peeled and cubed (1/2-inch) sweet potato
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 14 1/2-ounce cans fat-free, low-sodium vegetable broth
1 15-ounce can pumpkin
1 cup 1% low-fat milk
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives (optional)
1. Melt butter in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion; sauté 3 minutes. Stir in flour, curry powder, cumin, nutmeg, and garlic; sauté 1 minute. Add sweet potato, salt, broth, and pumpkin; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, partially covered, 20 minutes or until potato is tender, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; cool 10 minutes.
2. Place half of pumpkin mixture in a blender or food processor; process until smooth. Pour pureed soup into a large bowl. Repeat procedure with remaining pumpkin mixture. Return soup to pan; stir in milk. Cook over medium heat 6 minutes or until thoroughly heated, stirring often. (Do not boil.) Remove from heat; stir in juice. Garnish with chives, if desired. Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 1 cup).
NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION:
CALORIES 121 (21% from fat); FAT 2.8g (satfat 1.6g, monofat 0.7g, polyfat 0.2g); PROTEIN 5.1g; CARBOHYDRATES 19.7g; FIBER 3.5g; CHOLESTEROL 7mg; IRON 1.5mg; SODIUM 565mg; CALCIUM 85mg.
VEGAN PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE BROWNIES
This is from Alissa Saenz at Connoisseurus Veg, and starts off, “Fudgy chocolate chip-studded vegan brownies are topped with a layer of luscious cashew cheesecake to make this decadent and totally vegan fall dessert.”
Servings: 16; Calories 254 kcal; Author Alissa Saenz
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
For the Brownie Layer
1/2 cup coconut oil, melted
1/2 cup canned pumpkin puree
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup organic granulated sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
2/3 cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup vegan chocolate chips
For the Pumpkin Cheesecake Layer
1 cup raw cashews, soaked in water 4-8 hours and drained
1/2 cup canned pumpkin puree
1/3 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons powdered ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup vegan chocolate chips
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350° and lightly oil a 9 x 9 inch baking pan.
To make the brownie layer, stir the coconut oil, pumpkin puree, vanilla and sugar together in a large mixing bowl. Add the flour, cocoa powder, cinnamon and salt. Stir just until fully blended. Fold in the chocolate chips.
Spread the mixture into the bottom of the prepared baking pan and bake just until set in the center, 18-20 minutes.
While the brownie layer bakes, place all ingredients for the cheesecake layer except for the chocolate chips into the bowl of a food processor fitted with an S-blade. Blend until smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Remove the blade or transfer the mixture to a bowl and stir in the chocolate chips.
When the brownie layer is set, remove the pan from the oven and spread the cheesecake mixture over top. Return the pan to the oven and bake until the cheesecake layer is set, 22-24 minutes.
Remove the pan from the oven and allow it to cool completely. Cut into 16 squares and serve.
Friday, October 13, 2017
Friday Recipes
It's Friday, time to get ready for the weekend. Here are six recipes to help you through the weekend, including Quick Vegan Crock Pot Apple Crumble and Cranberry Peach Cobbler. Enjoy!
LEMON, ASPARAGUS AND CARROTS
Servings: 6
View online: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/21.shtml
Ingredients
1/2 pound carrots, small
1 dash lemon pepper
8 ounces asparagus spears, frozen or fresh
1/8 cup lemon juice
Directions
Wash, trim, and peel small carrots.
Place carrots in a steamer basket above boiling water.
Cover and steam about 15 minutes or till crisp- tender.
Rinse carrots in cold water; drain.
In the meantime, cook frozen asparagus spears according to package.
Rinse asparagus in cold water, drain.
Cover and chill drained carrots and asparagus.
To serve, arrange carrots and asparagus on a platter.
Sprinkle with a little lemon juice and lemon pepper.
Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 26; Protein: 1 g; Sodium: 19 mg; Carbohydrates: 6 g; Exchanges: 1 Vegetable
QUICK VEGAN CROCK POT APPLE CRUMBLE
This comes from Jolinda Hackett, About.com’s vegetarian Food expert. Jolinda wrote, “A quick and easy recipe for a vegan apple crumble (just like an apple crisp, if you prefer!) that you can make in your crockpot or slow cooker. Make sure to read the ingredients of whatever kind of granola you use, as many are not vegan.
“Refined sugar-free and vegan, this apple crumble or apple crisp recipe takes just minutes to prepare. It's made from fresh sliced apples sweetened with a bit of maple syrup (use real maple syrup, not bottled flavored corn syrup!) and topped off with a crumble granola, cinnamon and nutmeg topping. Using granola for the top of this apple crumble means that there's no bowls to get dirty and nothing to mix. Just sprinkle everything over the top of your crock pot or slow cooker.
“Like waking up to a hot and delicious breakfast or coming home to a sweet dessert already ready to go? You might also want to try this recipe for crockpot peach cobbler or scroll down for a few more vegetarian and vegan crockpot recipes including a few desserts.
“Enjoy!” Prep Time: 20 minutes; Cook Time: 480 minutes (8 hours); Total Time: 500 minutes; Yield: about 4 servings.
To view this online, click here.
Note: Jolinda’s Cranberry Peach Cobbler recipe follows immediately after this recipe.
Ingredients
4 apples, sliced
2 tbsp maple syrup
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
2 tbsp margarine
2 cups granola
Preparation
Place apples in your crock pot or slow cooker. Drizzle with maple syrup, spices and margarine, then cover with granola.
Cover and cook on low for 8 hours.
CRANBERRY PEACH COBBLER
As promised this also comes from Jolinda Hackett, About.com’s vegetarian Food expert. Jolinda wrote, “Crock Pot Cranberry Peach Cobbler makes for a sweet breakfast treat or a light dessert. The cranberries add texture and color, making for a vibrant and tasty recipe. Serve your crockpot peach cobbler recipe plain or with a dollop of whipped cream. This recipe is both vegetarian and vegan.”
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
5-6 peaches, sliced
2 tbsp flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup dried cranberries
1/4 tsp cinnamon
2/3 cup quick cooking oats
1 cup water
3 tbsp melted margarine
3/4 cup brown sugar
Preparation
Toss the peaches in the flour and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Add the cranberries, cinnamon and oats.
Place the water and peach mixture into the crock pot or slow cooker. Pour the the margarine over the peaches and and sprinkle with the brown sugar.
Cover and cook on low for 4 to 6 hours, or until peaches are tender.
GRILLED SWEET POTATO SKEWERS WITH HONEY MUSTARD
This yummy recipe, which would be perfect for a Labor Day cookout, is from Jolinda Hackett, About.com's Vegetarian Food expert. She writes, “Need an easy crowd-pleasing vegetarian dish to throw on the grill? Everyone loves sweet potatoes, especially kids, so try these simple grilled sweet potato skewers with savory-sweet honey mustard. The recipe calls for sweet potatoes, green and red bell peppers, red onions, a little bit of salt and pepper, and of course, some honey mustard.
“This grilled sweet potato skewers with honey mustard recipe is the perfect vegetarian barbecue recipe for sweet potato lovers. Be careful if you're planning on serving this dish to vegans, however, as many vegans avoid eating honey. This recipe is gluten-free.” Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 10 minutes; Total Time: 20 minutes; Yield: 3 – 4 servings.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
2 pounds medium-sized sweet potatoes (5 potatoes, 6 to 7 ounces each)
1 large sweet red and/or green peppers, cut in 1-inch squares
1 medium red onion, cut in 1-inch pieces, layers separated
1-2 tablespoons vegetable oil
salt and pepper, to taste
about 1/4 cup honey mustard
2 tbsp water
Preparation
First, prepare your sweet potatoes by giving them head a head start in the microwave. Prick them a bit with a fork, then place them in the microwave on high for three minutes. Turn them over (carefully!), then microwave for another 1-2 minutes, until almost tender and soft, but not quite.
Allow your sweet potatoes to cool, then peel them if you'd like, and chop coarsely into about 1-inch chunks.
Next, combine the sweet potatoes, chopped red and green bell peppers and red onion in a large bowl.
In a separate small bowl, whisk together the honey mustard and the two tablespoons of water, then add to the sweet potatoes, peppers and onions in the bowl, tossing very gently to lightly coat.
Next, prepare your skewers, by threading a mixture of sweet potatoes, onions and peppers.
Make sure your pre-heated grill (or indoor grill pan) is lightly greased. Grill your sweet potato skewers for about 4 minutes on each side, brushing with any remaining honey mustard.
Note: If you don't have an outdoor grill or an indoor grill pan, you can still make this recipe using your oven's broiler.
FRENCH GREEN BEANS AND SHALLOTS
This is from Jacques Pepin, also in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Jacques wrote, “These are perfect green beans: simple flavors combined into an elegant dish that goes with almost anything. Mr. Pepin suggests a roast chicken, but they would pair equally well with a celebratory roast.” Yield: 4 servings; Time: 21 minutes.
This was featured in “The Chicken Dinner, Both Humble and Noble” and can be viewed online here.
Ingredients
4 cups water
1 pound very small, firm green beans, cleaned
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons peeled and chopped shallots
1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
1 teaspoon lemon juice
Preparation
Bring the water to a boil. Add the beans and cover the pot. Continue cooking the beans, covered, for 3 to 5 minutes until tender but firm. Drain and rinse under cold water.
At serving time, heat the butter in a skillet, add the shallots and saute for about 1 minute, until the shallots start to brown.
Add the beans, salt and pepper, and saute briefly. Sprinkle with lemon juice and serve with the chicken.
HERBED TOFU LASAGNA WITH ZUCCHINI
This also comes from the April 2006 issue of Vegetarian Times. It begins, “Simple, fresh flavors and an innovative way with tofu—it's blended with herbs and seasonings until creamy and ricotta-like—make this lasagna one you'll want to make year-round. The key: Use the best purchased marinara sauce you can find, then drizzle each serving with extra virgin olive oil.” Serves 10.
To view this online, go to http://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipe/herbed-tofu-lasagna-with-zucchini/.
2 14-oz. pkg. firm tofu, well drained
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
1/3 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
1/3 cup pine nuts, toasted
2 cloves garlic, peeled
2 Tbs. lemon juice
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp. sugar
1 Tbs. olive oil
4 medium-size zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch slices (about 3 cups)
5 cups marinara sauce
16 no-cook lasagna noodles (9 oz.)
Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat 13×9-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Combine tofu, basil, parsley, pine nuts, garlic, lemon juice, salt, red pepper flakes and sugar in food processor; blend until smooth and similar to ricotta in texture.
Put oil and zucchini in large nonstick skillet. Sauté 3 to 5 minutes over medium-high heat, or until just tender.
Spread 3 Tbs. marinara sauce over bottom of prepared baking dish. Cover with layer of noodles, overlapping slightly, half of tofu mixture and half of zucchini mixture. Top with another layer of noodles, remaining tofu and zucchini, and 1/2 cup sauce. Finish with another layer of noodles and remaining sauce.
Cover with foil, and bake 1 hour. Let rest 10 minutes before serving.
nutritional information Per SERVING: Calories: 314; Protein: 18 g; Total Fat: 12 g; Saturated Fat: 1 g; Carbohydrates: 36 g; Sodium: 617 mg; Fiber: 6 g; Sugar: 10 g; Vegan
LEMON, ASPARAGUS AND CARROTS
Servings: 6
View online: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/21.shtml
Ingredients
1/2 pound carrots, small
1 dash lemon pepper
8 ounces asparagus spears, frozen or fresh
1/8 cup lemon juice
Directions
Wash, trim, and peel small carrots.
Place carrots in a steamer basket above boiling water.
Cover and steam about 15 minutes or till crisp- tender.
Rinse carrots in cold water; drain.
In the meantime, cook frozen asparagus spears according to package.
Rinse asparagus in cold water, drain.
Cover and chill drained carrots and asparagus.
To serve, arrange carrots and asparagus on a platter.
Sprinkle with a little lemon juice and lemon pepper.
Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 26; Protein: 1 g; Sodium: 19 mg; Carbohydrates: 6 g; Exchanges: 1 Vegetable
QUICK VEGAN CROCK POT APPLE CRUMBLE
This comes from Jolinda Hackett, About.com’s vegetarian Food expert. Jolinda wrote, “A quick and easy recipe for a vegan apple crumble (just like an apple crisp, if you prefer!) that you can make in your crockpot or slow cooker. Make sure to read the ingredients of whatever kind of granola you use, as many are not vegan.
“Refined sugar-free and vegan, this apple crumble or apple crisp recipe takes just minutes to prepare. It's made from fresh sliced apples sweetened with a bit of maple syrup (use real maple syrup, not bottled flavored corn syrup!) and topped off with a crumble granola, cinnamon and nutmeg topping. Using granola for the top of this apple crumble means that there's no bowls to get dirty and nothing to mix. Just sprinkle everything over the top of your crock pot or slow cooker.
“Like waking up to a hot and delicious breakfast or coming home to a sweet dessert already ready to go? You might also want to try this recipe for crockpot peach cobbler or scroll down for a few more vegetarian and vegan crockpot recipes including a few desserts.
“Enjoy!” Prep Time: 20 minutes; Cook Time: 480 minutes (8 hours); Total Time: 500 minutes; Yield: about 4 servings.
To view this online, click here.
Note: Jolinda’s Cranberry Peach Cobbler recipe follows immediately after this recipe.
Ingredients
4 apples, sliced
2 tbsp maple syrup
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
2 tbsp margarine
2 cups granola
Preparation
Place apples in your crock pot or slow cooker. Drizzle with maple syrup, spices and margarine, then cover with granola.
Cover and cook on low for 8 hours.
CRANBERRY PEACH COBBLER
As promised this also comes from Jolinda Hackett, About.com’s vegetarian Food expert. Jolinda wrote, “Crock Pot Cranberry Peach Cobbler makes for a sweet breakfast treat or a light dessert. The cranberries add texture and color, making for a vibrant and tasty recipe. Serve your crockpot peach cobbler recipe plain or with a dollop of whipped cream. This recipe is both vegetarian and vegan.”
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
5-6 peaches, sliced
2 tbsp flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup dried cranberries
1/4 tsp cinnamon
2/3 cup quick cooking oats
1 cup water
3 tbsp melted margarine
3/4 cup brown sugar
Preparation
Toss the peaches in the flour and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Add the cranberries, cinnamon and oats.
Place the water and peach mixture into the crock pot or slow cooker. Pour the the margarine over the peaches and and sprinkle with the brown sugar.
Cover and cook on low for 4 to 6 hours, or until peaches are tender.
GRILLED SWEET POTATO SKEWERS WITH HONEY MUSTARD
This yummy recipe, which would be perfect for a Labor Day cookout, is from Jolinda Hackett, About.com's Vegetarian Food expert. She writes, “Need an easy crowd-pleasing vegetarian dish to throw on the grill? Everyone loves sweet potatoes, especially kids, so try these simple grilled sweet potato skewers with savory-sweet honey mustard. The recipe calls for sweet potatoes, green and red bell peppers, red onions, a little bit of salt and pepper, and of course, some honey mustard.
“This grilled sweet potato skewers with honey mustard recipe is the perfect vegetarian barbecue recipe for sweet potato lovers. Be careful if you're planning on serving this dish to vegans, however, as many vegans avoid eating honey. This recipe is gluten-free.” Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 10 minutes; Total Time: 20 minutes; Yield: 3 – 4 servings.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
2 pounds medium-sized sweet potatoes (5 potatoes, 6 to 7 ounces each)
1 large sweet red and/or green peppers, cut in 1-inch squares
1 medium red onion, cut in 1-inch pieces, layers separated
1-2 tablespoons vegetable oil
salt and pepper, to taste
about 1/4 cup honey mustard
2 tbsp water
Preparation
First, prepare your sweet potatoes by giving them head a head start in the microwave. Prick them a bit with a fork, then place them in the microwave on high for three minutes. Turn them over (carefully!), then microwave for another 1-2 minutes, until almost tender and soft, but not quite.
Allow your sweet potatoes to cool, then peel them if you'd like, and chop coarsely into about 1-inch chunks.
Next, combine the sweet potatoes, chopped red and green bell peppers and red onion in a large bowl.
In a separate small bowl, whisk together the honey mustard and the two tablespoons of water, then add to the sweet potatoes, peppers and onions in the bowl, tossing very gently to lightly coat.
Next, prepare your skewers, by threading a mixture of sweet potatoes, onions and peppers.
Make sure your pre-heated grill (or indoor grill pan) is lightly greased. Grill your sweet potato skewers for about 4 minutes on each side, brushing with any remaining honey mustard.
Note: If you don't have an outdoor grill or an indoor grill pan, you can still make this recipe using your oven's broiler.
FRENCH GREEN BEANS AND SHALLOTS
This is from Jacques Pepin, also in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Jacques wrote, “These are perfect green beans: simple flavors combined into an elegant dish that goes with almost anything. Mr. Pepin suggests a roast chicken, but they would pair equally well with a celebratory roast.” Yield: 4 servings; Time: 21 minutes.
This was featured in “The Chicken Dinner, Both Humble and Noble” and can be viewed online here.
Ingredients
4 cups water
1 pound very small, firm green beans, cleaned
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons peeled and chopped shallots
1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
1 teaspoon lemon juice
Preparation
Bring the water to a boil. Add the beans and cover the pot. Continue cooking the beans, covered, for 3 to 5 minutes until tender but firm. Drain and rinse under cold water.
At serving time, heat the butter in a skillet, add the shallots and saute for about 1 minute, until the shallots start to brown.
Add the beans, salt and pepper, and saute briefly. Sprinkle with lemon juice and serve with the chicken.
HERBED TOFU LASAGNA WITH ZUCCHINI
This also comes from the April 2006 issue of Vegetarian Times. It begins, “Simple, fresh flavors and an innovative way with tofu—it's blended with herbs and seasonings until creamy and ricotta-like—make this lasagna one you'll want to make year-round. The key: Use the best purchased marinara sauce you can find, then drizzle each serving with extra virgin olive oil.” Serves 10.
To view this online, go to http://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipe/herbed-tofu-lasagna-with-zucchini/.
2 14-oz. pkg. firm tofu, well drained
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
1/3 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
1/3 cup pine nuts, toasted
2 cloves garlic, peeled
2 Tbs. lemon juice
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp. sugar
1 Tbs. olive oil
4 medium-size zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch slices (about 3 cups)
5 cups marinara sauce
16 no-cook lasagna noodles (9 oz.)
Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat 13×9-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Combine tofu, basil, parsley, pine nuts, garlic, lemon juice, salt, red pepper flakes and sugar in food processor; blend until smooth and similar to ricotta in texture.
Put oil and zucchini in large nonstick skillet. Sauté 3 to 5 minutes over medium-high heat, or until just tender.
Spread 3 Tbs. marinara sauce over bottom of prepared baking dish. Cover with layer of noodles, overlapping slightly, half of tofu mixture and half of zucchini mixture. Top with another layer of noodles, remaining tofu and zucchini, and 1/2 cup sauce. Finish with another layer of noodles and remaining sauce.
Cover with foil, and bake 1 hour. Let rest 10 minutes before serving.
nutritional information Per SERVING: Calories: 314; Protein: 18 g; Total Fat: 12 g; Saturated Fat: 1 g; Carbohydrates: 36 g; Sodium: 617 mg; Fiber: 6 g; Sugar: 10 g; Vegan
Thursday, October 12, 2017
Cast Iron Skillet Cooking
For years, I'd heard others gush over the joys of cast iron skillet, and wondered what all the fuss was about. Then, about a year or so ago, I broke down and bought one. Wow! If you're cooking anything that you might want a little bit of a crust on – veggie burgers (or hamburgers, if you're so inclined), corn bread, what-have-you – then nothing beats a cast iron skillet.
While wandering through TheKitchn's website, I found two extremely helpful articles dealing with cast iron skillets. The first one, titled “How To Season a Cast Iron Skillet”, shows how to season your cast iron skillet before using it. The second article, which is also extremely helpful, is titled “How to Restore a Rusty Cast Iron Skillet”.
There's also a third article to read through if you're wondering whether to buy a cast iron skillet, especially if you're worried about using one. I'd wondered if I could cook certain foods in a cast iron skillet, or how to use one. Check out “5 Myths of Cast Iron Cookware”. Finally, one last link to check out from The Kitchn: 35 Ways to Love Your Cast Iron Skillet. Tips and recipes for using your cast iron skillet.
And now for today's six vegetarian recipes, including Cheddar-Tarragon Cornbread and Deep-Dish Skillet Pizza. Enjoy!
WHOLE ROASTED CAULIFLOWER WITH ALMOND-HERB SAUCE
This comes from Julia Moskin in The New York Times Cooking e-newsletter. Julia wrote, “This striking dish has become a modern classic, as chefs around the world are working out new ways to push vegetables into the center of the plate. It makes a lovely vegetarian main course after a pasta intro, or a gorgeous side dish for lamb or fish. Omit the anchovies [see Note] in the sauce, and it becomes entirely vegetarian; replace the butter with more olive oil, and it turns vegan. Try using pale orange, green or purple cauliflower, or a head of spiky, psychedelic Romanesco. Carve it at the table, just like a roast, for maximum impact.”
Note: I've omitted the anchovies in the ingredient list...Never liked 'em, before I was a vegetarian. Since they were listed as optional, I've left them out. If you want to check out the recipe with the anchovies included, you can follow the link (posted in just a minute...) and view it there.
Time for this recipe is about 2 hours; makes 2 main course servings, or 4 to 6 side dish servings. To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
FOR THE CAULIFLOWER:
1 large cauliflower
Olive oil
Salt
FOR THE SAUCE:
1/3 cup blanched almonds
2 garlic cloves, peeled
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for basting
2 teaspoons wine vinegar (white or red), more to taste
1/2 cup coarsely chopped parsley, mint, tarragon, cilantro or a combination
1/2 to 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
Salt and ground black pepper
Preparation
Heat the oven while you prepare the cauliflower: Place a heavy oven-proof skillet (a cast-iron skillet looks very nice) or a baking sheet in the oven and turn the heat to 375 degrees. Place a small pan of hot water on the floor of the oven, to create steam.
Break off and discard the outer leaves from the cauliflower. Cut off the bottom of the stem, and then use the tip of a small, sharp knife to cut off the leaves close to the stem. Carefully cut out the hard core of the cauliflower, near the bottom. Leave the main stem intact and make sure not to cut through any of the florets.
Rinse the cauliflower (leave the water clinging to the outside) and place on a work surface, core side up. Drizzle with olive oil and use your hands to rub over the cauliflower until evenly coated. Sprinkle with salt.
Place the cauliflower on the hot pan in the oven, core side down, and cook until very tender all the way through when pierced with a knife, at least 1 hour or up to 2 hours. During the cooking, baste 2 or 3 times with more olive oil. It should brown nicely. If you have a convection feature, use it toward the end of baking to brown the crust.
Make the sauce: In a small frying pan, toast nuts over low heat, shaking often, just until golden and fragrant. Set aside to cool.
In a food processor, combine almonds, garlic and butter and pulse until smooth. Mix in oil, then vinegar. Mix in herbs and red pepper flakes, if using. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside.
When cauliflower is tender, remove from the oven. (If desired, run it briefly under the broiler first to brown the surface; there is no need to do this if you used convection.)
Serve cauliflower in the skillet or from a serving plate. Cut into wedges and spoon sauce around each wedge.
PINEAPPLE UPSIDE-DOWN SPICE CAKE
This comes from the February 2009 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 37. It begins, “This moist spice cake is a great alternative to the butter-laden upside-down cakes of yesteryear.” Serves 8.
To view this online, go to http://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipe/pineapple-upside-down-spice-cake/.
Topping
2 Tbs. butter
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1 20-oz. can juice-packed sliced pineapple rings, drained, 1/4 cup juice reserved
3/4 cup dried cranberries, divided
Batter
2 large eggs
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened apple butter
1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk
3 Tbs. vegetable oil
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
1/2 tsp. ground allspice
Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat 12-inch cast iron skillet with cooking spray.
To make Topping: Melt butter in skillet, add sugar, and cook 2 minutes, or until sugar is bubbly, stirring constantly. Stir in reserved pineapple juice.
Arrange pineapple rings on bottom of skillet, and place 2 dried cranberries in center of each ring.
To make Batter: Whisk together eggs, brown sugar, apple butter, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla in bowl. Whisk together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, cloves, and allspice in separate bowl. Fold dry ingredients into wet ingredients, and stir in remaining dried cranberries.
Spread Batter in skillet, and bake 30 minutes, or until top is set and brown. Cool 10 minutes. Place large plate over skillet, and invert cake onto plate. Serve warm or at room temperature.
nutritional information Per Slice: Calories: 441; Protein: 6 g; Total Fat: 10 g; Saturated Fat: 3 g; Carbohydrates: 85 g; Cholesterol: 61 mg; Sodium: 595 mg; Fiber: 3 g; Sugar: 56 g
DEEP-DISH SKILLET PIZZA
This also comes from page 37 of the February 2009 issue of Vegetarian Times, and begins, “Try this homemade pizza technique with your favorite toppings as well.” Serves 6.
To view this online, go to http://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipe/deep-dish-skillet-pizza/.
Dough
1 tsp. light brown sugar
1/2 pkg. dry yeast (1/4 oz.)
3/4 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 Tbs. flax meal or ground flaxseed
2 tsp. olive oil
3/4 tsp. salt
Topping
2 Tbs. olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced (1 Tbs.)
8 cups loosely packed kale
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 tsp. ground fennel seed
2 Tbs. Neufchâtel cheese (2 oz.)
1 cup crumbled feta cheese (4 oz.)
12 cherry tomatoes, halved
2 Tbs. chopped fresh oregano or basil
To make Dough: Dissolve brown sugar in 1/2 cup warm water in large bowl. Stir in yeast, and let stand 5 minutes, or until liquid is cloudy and bubbly. Stir in whole-wheat flour, 1/4 cup all-purpose flour, flax meal, oil, and salt. Knead 2 minutes while adding 1/4 cup flour. Oil separate bowl, and turn dough in oil to coat. Cover, and let rise in warm spot until dough doubles in size, about 45 minutes.
To make Topping: Heat oil in large pot over medium heat. Add garlic, and sauté 2 minutes. Add kale, cover, and cook 15 minutes, or until kale is softened, stirring occasionally. Add mushrooms and fennel seed, and cook 7 to 10 minutes more, or until all liquid has evaporated. Remove from heat, and stir in Neufchâtel cheese.
Preheat oven to 475°F. Oil bottom and sides of 12-inch cast iron skillet. With floured hands, pat and stretch Dough over bottom and halfway up sides of skillet. Let dough rest 5 minutes. Spread kale mixture on dough; scatter feta cheese, tomatoes, and oregano on top. Place skillet directly on oven floor, and bake 15 minutes. Remove carefully from oven, and let stand 5 minutes before serving.
nutritional information Per Slice: Calories: 274; Protein: 10 g; Total Fat: 14 g; Saturated Fat: 5 g; Carbohydrates: 30 g; Cholesterol: 24 mg; Sodium: 566 mg; Fiber: 5 g; Sugar: 4 g
CHEDDAR-TARRAGON CORNBREAD
This comes from Country Living, and begins, “Use your cast-iron skillet to make this Cheddar cheese- and tarragon-laced cornbread.” Total Time: 30 minutes; Prep Time: 10 minutes; Level: Moderate: Yield: 6 slices.
To view this online, go to http://www.countryliving.com/food-drinks/recipes/a3349/cheddar-tarragon-cornbread-recipe/.
Ingredients
1 c. all-purpose flour
1 c. yellow cornmeal
2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
3 tbsp. sugar
1 stick unsalted butter
1 c. Buttermilk
2 large eggs
4 oz. sharp Cheddar
1 tsp. chopped fresh tarragon
Directions
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. In a medium bowl, combine flour, cornmeal, baking powder, salt, and sugar; set aside.
Place butter in a 9-inch cast-iron skillet; set in oven until butter melts and begins to brown. In a medium bowl, whisk together buttermilk and eggs. Remove skillet from oven and pour melted butter into buttermilk mixture; whisk to combine and add in Cheddar and tarragon.
Stir buttermilk mixture into dry ingredients until just combined. Pour into hot skillet and return to oven. Bake until skewer inserted into center tests clean, about 20 minutes.
JASON'S HOME FRIES
This is one of my oldest son's inventions. He fixed this on one of his many trips back home. This can also be found in my e-cookbook, Off The Wall Cooking.
3-4 potatoes, scrubbed, not peeled
3-4 T butter or oil (or both)
1 pepper (red, green or yellow), diced
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced (optional)
Cut potatoes across (not length-wise). Heat oil or butter. Add potatoes, onions, pepper & garlic. Cover, cook over medium heat, turning occasionally with a spatula, until brown & crusty.
SPINACH FRITTA
I fixed this one evening when I wanted something quick, easy and filling. You can use any veggies and cheese you like, but I'm adding the ones I like. This is enough for two people.
4 eggs
2-4 Tablespoons milk
1 onion, chopped
1 pepper, chopped
1 potato, peeled and diced
1/2 bag of spinach (10-16 ounce bag), rinced
1/2 cup shredded swiss cheese
margarine for pan
salt and pepper to taste
Melt margarine in an oven-proof pan over medium heat on the stove. Add veggies, cook for 5-10 minutes, stirring frequently. Crack eggs in bowl, add milk, and beat. Pour eggs over veggies. Do NOT stir all the way through like you would with scrambled eggs, but do occasionally stir the top layer of liquid-y eggs, letting the bottom layer set. Add the shredded cheese and salt and pepper, then place a lid to help the eggs cook more evenly, lifting the lid only to stir the top layer so that it cooks evenly. When the eggs are almost completely done cooking, turn the oven's broiler on and place the pan--WITHOUT THE LID!--under the broiler, and broil for 1-2 minutes. Take out of oven, using care, as the handle will be very hot. Cut the frittata in half, place on plates, and enjoy!
While wandering through TheKitchn's website, I found two extremely helpful articles dealing with cast iron skillets. The first one, titled “How To Season a Cast Iron Skillet”, shows how to season your cast iron skillet before using it. The second article, which is also extremely helpful, is titled “How to Restore a Rusty Cast Iron Skillet”.
There's also a third article to read through if you're wondering whether to buy a cast iron skillet, especially if you're worried about using one. I'd wondered if I could cook certain foods in a cast iron skillet, or how to use one. Check out “5 Myths of Cast Iron Cookware”. Finally, one last link to check out from The Kitchn: 35 Ways to Love Your Cast Iron Skillet. Tips and recipes for using your cast iron skillet.
And now for today's six vegetarian recipes, including Cheddar-Tarragon Cornbread and Deep-Dish Skillet Pizza. Enjoy!
WHOLE ROASTED CAULIFLOWER WITH ALMOND-HERB SAUCE
This comes from Julia Moskin in The New York Times Cooking e-newsletter. Julia wrote, “This striking dish has become a modern classic, as chefs around the world are working out new ways to push vegetables into the center of the plate. It makes a lovely vegetarian main course after a pasta intro, or a gorgeous side dish for lamb or fish. Omit the anchovies [see Note] in the sauce, and it becomes entirely vegetarian; replace the butter with more olive oil, and it turns vegan. Try using pale orange, green or purple cauliflower, or a head of spiky, psychedelic Romanesco. Carve it at the table, just like a roast, for maximum impact.”
Note: I've omitted the anchovies in the ingredient list...Never liked 'em, before I was a vegetarian. Since they were listed as optional, I've left them out. If you want to check out the recipe with the anchovies included, you can follow the link (posted in just a minute...) and view it there.
Time for this recipe is about 2 hours; makes 2 main course servings, or 4 to 6 side dish servings. To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
FOR THE CAULIFLOWER:
1 large cauliflower
Olive oil
Salt
FOR THE SAUCE:
1/3 cup blanched almonds
2 garlic cloves, peeled
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for basting
2 teaspoons wine vinegar (white or red), more to taste
1/2 cup coarsely chopped parsley, mint, tarragon, cilantro or a combination
1/2 to 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
Salt and ground black pepper
Preparation
Heat the oven while you prepare the cauliflower: Place a heavy oven-proof skillet (a cast-iron skillet looks very nice) or a baking sheet in the oven and turn the heat to 375 degrees. Place a small pan of hot water on the floor of the oven, to create steam.
Break off and discard the outer leaves from the cauliflower. Cut off the bottom of the stem, and then use the tip of a small, sharp knife to cut off the leaves close to the stem. Carefully cut out the hard core of the cauliflower, near the bottom. Leave the main stem intact and make sure not to cut through any of the florets.
Rinse the cauliflower (leave the water clinging to the outside) and place on a work surface, core side up. Drizzle with olive oil and use your hands to rub over the cauliflower until evenly coated. Sprinkle with salt.
Place the cauliflower on the hot pan in the oven, core side down, and cook until very tender all the way through when pierced with a knife, at least 1 hour or up to 2 hours. During the cooking, baste 2 or 3 times with more olive oil. It should brown nicely. If you have a convection feature, use it toward the end of baking to brown the crust.
Make the sauce: In a small frying pan, toast nuts over low heat, shaking often, just until golden and fragrant. Set aside to cool.
In a food processor, combine almonds, garlic and butter and pulse until smooth. Mix in oil, then vinegar. Mix in herbs and red pepper flakes, if using. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside.
When cauliflower is tender, remove from the oven. (If desired, run it briefly under the broiler first to brown the surface; there is no need to do this if you used convection.)
Serve cauliflower in the skillet or from a serving plate. Cut into wedges and spoon sauce around each wedge.
PINEAPPLE UPSIDE-DOWN SPICE CAKE
This comes from the February 2009 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 37. It begins, “This moist spice cake is a great alternative to the butter-laden upside-down cakes of yesteryear.” Serves 8.
To view this online, go to http://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipe/pineapple-upside-down-spice-cake/.
Topping
2 Tbs. butter
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1 20-oz. can juice-packed sliced pineapple rings, drained, 1/4 cup juice reserved
3/4 cup dried cranberries, divided
Batter
2 large eggs
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened apple butter
1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk
3 Tbs. vegetable oil
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
1/2 tsp. ground allspice
Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat 12-inch cast iron skillet with cooking spray.
To make Topping: Melt butter in skillet, add sugar, and cook 2 minutes, or until sugar is bubbly, stirring constantly. Stir in reserved pineapple juice.
Arrange pineapple rings on bottom of skillet, and place 2 dried cranberries in center of each ring.
To make Batter: Whisk together eggs, brown sugar, apple butter, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla in bowl. Whisk together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, cloves, and allspice in separate bowl. Fold dry ingredients into wet ingredients, and stir in remaining dried cranberries.
Spread Batter in skillet, and bake 30 minutes, or until top is set and brown. Cool 10 minutes. Place large plate over skillet, and invert cake onto plate. Serve warm or at room temperature.
nutritional information Per Slice: Calories: 441; Protein: 6 g; Total Fat: 10 g; Saturated Fat: 3 g; Carbohydrates: 85 g; Cholesterol: 61 mg; Sodium: 595 mg; Fiber: 3 g; Sugar: 56 g
DEEP-DISH SKILLET PIZZA
This also comes from page 37 of the February 2009 issue of Vegetarian Times, and begins, “Try this homemade pizza technique with your favorite toppings as well.” Serves 6.
To view this online, go to http://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipe/deep-dish-skillet-pizza/.
Dough
1 tsp. light brown sugar
1/2 pkg. dry yeast (1/4 oz.)
3/4 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 Tbs. flax meal or ground flaxseed
2 tsp. olive oil
3/4 tsp. salt
Topping
2 Tbs. olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced (1 Tbs.)
8 cups loosely packed kale
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 tsp. ground fennel seed
2 Tbs. Neufchâtel cheese (2 oz.)
1 cup crumbled feta cheese (4 oz.)
12 cherry tomatoes, halved
2 Tbs. chopped fresh oregano or basil
To make Dough: Dissolve brown sugar in 1/2 cup warm water in large bowl. Stir in yeast, and let stand 5 minutes, or until liquid is cloudy and bubbly. Stir in whole-wheat flour, 1/4 cup all-purpose flour, flax meal, oil, and salt. Knead 2 minutes while adding 1/4 cup flour. Oil separate bowl, and turn dough in oil to coat. Cover, and let rise in warm spot until dough doubles in size, about 45 minutes.
To make Topping: Heat oil in large pot over medium heat. Add garlic, and sauté 2 minutes. Add kale, cover, and cook 15 minutes, or until kale is softened, stirring occasionally. Add mushrooms and fennel seed, and cook 7 to 10 minutes more, or until all liquid has evaporated. Remove from heat, and stir in Neufchâtel cheese.
Preheat oven to 475°F. Oil bottom and sides of 12-inch cast iron skillet. With floured hands, pat and stretch Dough over bottom and halfway up sides of skillet. Let dough rest 5 minutes. Spread kale mixture on dough; scatter feta cheese, tomatoes, and oregano on top. Place skillet directly on oven floor, and bake 15 minutes. Remove carefully from oven, and let stand 5 minutes before serving.
nutritional information Per Slice: Calories: 274; Protein: 10 g; Total Fat: 14 g; Saturated Fat: 5 g; Carbohydrates: 30 g; Cholesterol: 24 mg; Sodium: 566 mg; Fiber: 5 g; Sugar: 4 g
CHEDDAR-TARRAGON CORNBREAD
This comes from Country Living, and begins, “Use your cast-iron skillet to make this Cheddar cheese- and tarragon-laced cornbread.” Total Time: 30 minutes; Prep Time: 10 minutes; Level: Moderate: Yield: 6 slices.
To view this online, go to http://www.countryliving.com/food-drinks/recipes/a3349/cheddar-tarragon-cornbread-recipe/.
Ingredients
1 c. all-purpose flour
1 c. yellow cornmeal
2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
3 tbsp. sugar
1 stick unsalted butter
1 c. Buttermilk
2 large eggs
4 oz. sharp Cheddar
1 tsp. chopped fresh tarragon
Directions
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. In a medium bowl, combine flour, cornmeal, baking powder, salt, and sugar; set aside.
Place butter in a 9-inch cast-iron skillet; set in oven until butter melts and begins to brown. In a medium bowl, whisk together buttermilk and eggs. Remove skillet from oven and pour melted butter into buttermilk mixture; whisk to combine and add in Cheddar and tarragon.
Stir buttermilk mixture into dry ingredients until just combined. Pour into hot skillet and return to oven. Bake until skewer inserted into center tests clean, about 20 minutes.
JASON'S HOME FRIES
This is one of my oldest son's inventions. He fixed this on one of his many trips back home. This can also be found in my e-cookbook, Off The Wall Cooking.
3-4 potatoes, scrubbed, not peeled
3-4 T butter or oil (or both)
1 pepper (red, green or yellow), diced
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced (optional)
Cut potatoes across (not length-wise). Heat oil or butter. Add potatoes, onions, pepper & garlic. Cover, cook over medium heat, turning occasionally with a spatula, until brown & crusty.
SPINACH FRITTA
I fixed this one evening when I wanted something quick, easy and filling. You can use any veggies and cheese you like, but I'm adding the ones I like. This is enough for two people.
4 eggs
2-4 Tablespoons milk
1 onion, chopped
1 pepper, chopped
1 potato, peeled and diced
1/2 bag of spinach (10-16 ounce bag), rinced
1/2 cup shredded swiss cheese
margarine for pan
salt and pepper to taste
Melt margarine in an oven-proof pan over medium heat on the stove. Add veggies, cook for 5-10 minutes, stirring frequently. Crack eggs in bowl, add milk, and beat. Pour eggs over veggies. Do NOT stir all the way through like you would with scrambled eggs, but do occasionally stir the top layer of liquid-y eggs, letting the bottom layer set. Add the shredded cheese and salt and pepper, then place a lid to help the eggs cook more evenly, lifting the lid only to stir the top layer so that it cooks evenly. When the eggs are almost completely done cooking, turn the oven's broiler on and place the pan--WITHOUT THE LID!--under the broiler, and broil for 1-2 minutes. Take out of oven, using care, as the handle will be very hot. Cut the frittata in half, place on plates, and enjoy!
Wednesday, October 11, 2017
Cookies!
Have you ever noticed how wonderful the smell of fresh-baked cookies is? Yum!
I have so many good memories of my grandmother bringing over freshly-baked cookies whenever she'd visit. (I've posted several of her cookie recipes here several times, along with other recipes she came up with.)
Anyway, here are six yummy cookie recipes to help you through the day, including Flourless Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies and Chocolate Espresso Oatmeal Cookies. Enjoy!
CREAM CHEESE COOKIES
This recipe, from The Food Network, begins, “A triple dose of cream cheese (mixed into the batter, in chunks in the dough and as a glaze on top) makes these pillowy cookies extra tangy. Freezing the cream cheese before stirring it into the dough makes it easier to cut into clean pieces and keeps the chunks from disintegrating when shaping the dough into balls.” Total Time: 3 hr 25 min; Prep: 40 min; Inactive: 1 hr. 30 min; Cook: 1 hr 15 min; Yield: 3 dozen cookies; Level: Easy.
Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/cream-cheese-cookies.html?oc=linkback
Ingredients
2 3/4 sticks (1 cup plus 6 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
One 8-ounce package cream cheese, 6 ounces at room temperature, 2 ounces frozen
1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
4 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
1 large egg yolk
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for flouring (see Cook's Note)
2 tablespoons whole milk, plus more if needed
Very finely grated lime zest or finely minced cranberries, for garnish, optional
Directions
Position an oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 325 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment.
Combine the butter, vanilla, 4 ounces of the room-temperature cream cheese and 1 teaspoon of the salt in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until creamy, about 1 minute. Add 2 cups of the sugar and beat until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg yolk and beat until smooth, then add the flour and beat on low until the dough just comes together. Remove the frozen cream cheese from the freezer and chop into 1/4-inch cubes. Add the cubes to the dough, quickly stirring with a rubber spatula to evenly incorporate them into the dough. Refrigerate the dough for 1 hour.
Using a 1-ounce ice cream scoop or 2 tablespoons, scoop 12 portions of dough, roll into balls and transfer to the prepared baking sheet, spacing them evenly apart. Lightly flour the bottom of a 1/2-cup measuring cup and use it to flatten each cookie into a disk about 1/2 inch thick, re-flouring the cup after each cookie.
Bake, rotating the baking sheet halfway through, until the cookies look set but are still pale and barely brown on the bottom, 20 to 24 minutes. Cool the cookies on the baking sheet for 1 minute, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat with the remaining cookie dough.
Meanwhile, combine the remaining 2 ounces room-temperature cream cheese, 2 cups sugar and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl and beat with an electric mixer on low speed until the mixture forms a thick paste. Add the milk and stir slowly until a thick glaze forms.
When the cookies are cool, dip the entire surface of the top of each cookie in the glaze and lift up, letting the excess glaze drip off, then flip the cookie right-side up and onto the cooling rack. If the glaze is too thick, add another teaspoon of milk to loosen it. If using the cranberries or lime zest, sprinkle on top of the cookies while the glaze is still wet. Allow the glaze to set before serving, at least 10 minutes. Store the cookies in a single layer in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Special equipment: a 1-ounce ice cream scoop, optional
Cook's Note: When measuring flour, we spoon it into a dry measuring cup and level off the excess. (Scooping directly from the bag compacts the flour, resulting in dry baked goods.)
CHOCOLATE ESPRESSO OATMEAL COOKIES
Makes 48 cookies.
From the December 2011 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 75. This begins, “Take chocolate chip cookies to the next level with this espresso-spiked dough that's laced with chewy oats.”
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.
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.
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
APPLE OATMEAL RAISIN COOKIES
Yield: 4 dozen cookies
Serving size: 1 cookie
Print Friendly: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/bin/print.cgi?ID=1254
View recipe with photo: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/1254.shtml
Ingredients
1-1/4 cups Equal Spoonful or Granulated *
1 cup unsweetened applesauce **
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
6 tablespoons stick butter, softened
1 egg
1/3 cup 2% milk
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 cups quick or old-fashioned oats, uncooked
1 cup raisins
*May substitute 30 packets Equal sweetener
** Apple butter may be substituted for the unsweetened applesauce for a slightly spicier version.
Directions
Combine Equal, applesauce, brown sugar, butter, egg, milk and vanilla. Mix with electric mixer until well blended.
Stir in combined flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Gradually mix in oats and raisins until well combined.
Drop by tablespoonfuls onto sprayed baking sheets.
Bake in preheated 350F oven 10 to 12 minutes or until light golden in color. Remove from baking sheet and cool completely on wire rack.
Store in airtight containers at room temperature.
Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 63; Protein: 1 g; Fat: 2 g; Sodium: 43 mg; Cholesterol: 8 mg; Carbohydrates: 11 g; Exchanges: 1 starch, 1 fat
FLOURLESS PEANUT BUTTER CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES
This is from Dana Angelo White, MS, RD, ATC, a registered dietician and certified athletic trainer who writes for Very Well. Dana wrote, “Gluten-free baked goods can be dull and dry, but that’s certainly not the case for this tasty yet effortless gluten-free cookies. They feature nothing but simple ingredients and are high in hearty-healthy fats, plus they will satisfy cravings for both sweet and salty.
“Generally, peanut butter doesn't contain gluten, but not all manufacturers keep gluten out of their production plants. Make sure to choose a gluten-free peanut butter and since peanut butter is the star ingredient, be sure to use a good quality brand with a simple ingredient list.”
Total Time: 35 minutes; Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 25 minutes; Yield: 24 cookies (111 calories each)
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 cup smooth natural peanut butter
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1 large egg, beaten
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
pinch of coarse sea salt
Preparation
Preheat oven to 350F.
Line a sheet pan with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
In a medium bowl, mix peanut butter and sugar until well combined.
Add egg, baking soda, and vanilla extract; continue to stir until all ingredients are well mixed.
Fold in chocolate chips.
Using a small ice cream scoop or tablespoon, measure 8 cookies onto the prepared sheet pan, leaving about two inches between each cookie.
Gently press to flatten each cookie slightly.
Bake for 6 to 8 minutes until puffed and spread out.
Remove from oven, then sprinkle lightly with sea salt.
Using a spatula, transfer to a wire rack to cool.
Once completely cooled, store in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
Ingredient Variations and Substitutions
You can inject different flavors into these cookies by replacing the vanilla extract with 1/4 teaspoon of almond extra or by swapping out the chocolate chips for finely chopped peanuts.
Cooking and Serving Tips
Mix the dough by hand using a sturdy spatula or use an electric stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. The cookies spread out quite a bit so its best to make 3 batches of 8 if using a standard half sheet pan. Using a small ice cream scoop is very helpful to make the cookies evenly sized so they will cook evenly.
CINNAMON CRUNCH COOKIES
FEATURING TEXMATI® WHITE RICE
This is from Rice Select
Preparation Time: 20 minutes
Yield: 36 cookies, 18 person(s)
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 cup cooked Texmati® White Rice
1 cup slivered almonds
1/2 cup sesame seeds
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 cups white sugar, granulated
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/4 teaspoons cinnamon
1/4 cup powdered sugar
Preparation
Place rice in a heavy-bottomed dry skillet over a medium heat and toast, stirring constantly for 4-5 minutes or until the grains turn golden. Remove from heat and place in food processor bowl fitted with a steel blade.
Place almond slivers in the same pan; toast for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Add sesame seeds and continue stirring until both are lightly toasted. Remove from heat and combine with the rice. Process together for 15 to 20 seconds or until a homogeneous meal is formed. Set aside to cool.
Cream butter and sugar with mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla, beating until combined. Gradually add flour, salt, baking soda and cinnamon to creamed mixture, mixing until well incorporated.
Fold cooled rice mixture into the batter. Using a one tablespoon scoop, drop cookie dough onto a parchment-lined baking sheet, leaving 2 inches between each. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes or just until edges begin to turn golden brown. Remove to a cooling rack; dust tops with powdered sugar. Store in a covered container.
I have so many good memories of my grandmother bringing over freshly-baked cookies whenever she'd visit. (I've posted several of her cookie recipes here several times, along with other recipes she came up with.)
Anyway, here are six yummy cookie recipes to help you through the day, including Flourless Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies and Chocolate Espresso Oatmeal Cookies. Enjoy!
CREAM CHEESE COOKIES
This recipe, from The Food Network, begins, “A triple dose of cream cheese (mixed into the batter, in chunks in the dough and as a glaze on top) makes these pillowy cookies extra tangy. Freezing the cream cheese before stirring it into the dough makes it easier to cut into clean pieces and keeps the chunks from disintegrating when shaping the dough into balls.” Total Time: 3 hr 25 min; Prep: 40 min; Inactive: 1 hr. 30 min; Cook: 1 hr 15 min; Yield: 3 dozen cookies; Level: Easy.
Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/cream-cheese-cookies.html?oc=linkback
Ingredients
2 3/4 sticks (1 cup plus 6 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
One 8-ounce package cream cheese, 6 ounces at room temperature, 2 ounces frozen
1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
4 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
1 large egg yolk
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for flouring (see Cook's Note)
2 tablespoons whole milk, plus more if needed
Very finely grated lime zest or finely minced cranberries, for garnish, optional
Directions
Position an oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 325 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment.
Combine the butter, vanilla, 4 ounces of the room-temperature cream cheese and 1 teaspoon of the salt in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until creamy, about 1 minute. Add 2 cups of the sugar and beat until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg yolk and beat until smooth, then add the flour and beat on low until the dough just comes together. Remove the frozen cream cheese from the freezer and chop into 1/4-inch cubes. Add the cubes to the dough, quickly stirring with a rubber spatula to evenly incorporate them into the dough. Refrigerate the dough for 1 hour.
Using a 1-ounce ice cream scoop or 2 tablespoons, scoop 12 portions of dough, roll into balls and transfer to the prepared baking sheet, spacing them evenly apart. Lightly flour the bottom of a 1/2-cup measuring cup and use it to flatten each cookie into a disk about 1/2 inch thick, re-flouring the cup after each cookie.
Bake, rotating the baking sheet halfway through, until the cookies look set but are still pale and barely brown on the bottom, 20 to 24 minutes. Cool the cookies on the baking sheet for 1 minute, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat with the remaining cookie dough.
Meanwhile, combine the remaining 2 ounces room-temperature cream cheese, 2 cups sugar and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl and beat with an electric mixer on low speed until the mixture forms a thick paste. Add the milk and stir slowly until a thick glaze forms.
When the cookies are cool, dip the entire surface of the top of each cookie in the glaze and lift up, letting the excess glaze drip off, then flip the cookie right-side up and onto the cooling rack. If the glaze is too thick, add another teaspoon of milk to loosen it. If using the cranberries or lime zest, sprinkle on top of the cookies while the glaze is still wet. Allow the glaze to set before serving, at least 10 minutes. Store the cookies in a single layer in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Special equipment: a 1-ounce ice cream scoop, optional
Cook's Note: When measuring flour, we spoon it into a dry measuring cup and level off the excess. (Scooping directly from the bag compacts the flour, resulting in dry baked goods.)
CHOCOLATE ESPRESSO OATMEAL COOKIES
Makes 48 cookies.
From the December 2011 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 75. This begins, “Take chocolate chip cookies to the next level with this espresso-spiked dough that's laced with chewy oats.”
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.
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.
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
APPLE OATMEAL RAISIN COOKIES
Yield: 4 dozen cookies
Serving size: 1 cookie
Print Friendly: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/bin/print.cgi?ID=1254
View recipe with photo: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/1254.shtml
Ingredients
1-1/4 cups Equal Spoonful or Granulated *
1 cup unsweetened applesauce **
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
6 tablespoons stick butter, softened
1 egg
1/3 cup 2% milk
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 cups quick or old-fashioned oats, uncooked
1 cup raisins
*May substitute 30 packets Equal sweetener
** Apple butter may be substituted for the unsweetened applesauce for a slightly spicier version.
Directions
Combine Equal, applesauce, brown sugar, butter, egg, milk and vanilla. Mix with electric mixer until well blended.
Stir in combined flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Gradually mix in oats and raisins until well combined.
Drop by tablespoonfuls onto sprayed baking sheets.
Bake in preheated 350F oven 10 to 12 minutes or until light golden in color. Remove from baking sheet and cool completely on wire rack.
Store in airtight containers at room temperature.
Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 63; Protein: 1 g; Fat: 2 g; Sodium: 43 mg; Cholesterol: 8 mg; Carbohydrates: 11 g; Exchanges: 1 starch, 1 fat
FLOURLESS PEANUT BUTTER CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES
This is from Dana Angelo White, MS, RD, ATC, a registered dietician and certified athletic trainer who writes for Very Well. Dana wrote, “Gluten-free baked goods can be dull and dry, but that’s certainly not the case for this tasty yet effortless gluten-free cookies. They feature nothing but simple ingredients and are high in hearty-healthy fats, plus they will satisfy cravings for both sweet and salty.
“Generally, peanut butter doesn't contain gluten, but not all manufacturers keep gluten out of their production plants. Make sure to choose a gluten-free peanut butter and since peanut butter is the star ingredient, be sure to use a good quality brand with a simple ingredient list.”
Total Time: 35 minutes; Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 25 minutes; Yield: 24 cookies (111 calories each)
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 cup smooth natural peanut butter
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1 large egg, beaten
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
pinch of coarse sea salt
Preparation
Preheat oven to 350F.
Line a sheet pan with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
In a medium bowl, mix peanut butter and sugar until well combined.
Add egg, baking soda, and vanilla extract; continue to stir until all ingredients are well mixed.
Fold in chocolate chips.
Using a small ice cream scoop or tablespoon, measure 8 cookies onto the prepared sheet pan, leaving about two inches between each cookie.
Gently press to flatten each cookie slightly.
Bake for 6 to 8 minutes until puffed and spread out.
Remove from oven, then sprinkle lightly with sea salt.
Using a spatula, transfer to a wire rack to cool.
Once completely cooled, store in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
Ingredient Variations and Substitutions
You can inject different flavors into these cookies by replacing the vanilla extract with 1/4 teaspoon of almond extra or by swapping out the chocolate chips for finely chopped peanuts.
Cooking and Serving Tips
Mix the dough by hand using a sturdy spatula or use an electric stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. The cookies spread out quite a bit so its best to make 3 batches of 8 if using a standard half sheet pan. Using a small ice cream scoop is very helpful to make the cookies evenly sized so they will cook evenly.
CINNAMON CRUNCH COOKIES
FEATURING TEXMATI® WHITE RICE
This is from Rice Select
Preparation Time: 20 minutes
Yield: 36 cookies, 18 person(s)
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 cup cooked Texmati® White Rice
1 cup slivered almonds
1/2 cup sesame seeds
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 cups white sugar, granulated
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/4 teaspoons cinnamon
1/4 cup powdered sugar
Preparation
Place rice in a heavy-bottomed dry skillet over a medium heat and toast, stirring constantly for 4-5 minutes or until the grains turn golden. Remove from heat and place in food processor bowl fitted with a steel blade.
Place almond slivers in the same pan; toast for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Add sesame seeds and continue stirring until both are lightly toasted. Remove from heat and combine with the rice. Process together for 15 to 20 seconds or until a homogeneous meal is formed. Set aside to cool.
Cream butter and sugar with mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla, beating until combined. Gradually add flour, salt, baking soda and cinnamon to creamed mixture, mixing until well incorporated.
Fold cooled rice mixture into the batter. Using a one tablespoon scoop, drop cookie dough onto a parchment-lined baking sheet, leaving 2 inches between each. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes or just until edges begin to turn golden brown. Remove to a cooling rack; dust tops with powdered sugar. Store in a covered container.
Tuesday, October 10, 2017
Double-Post Tuesday
Besides being Taco Tuesday, it's also Double-Post Tuesday. Here are six recipes to help you through the day, including Mediterranean Quinoa Stuffed Peppers and Bloomin’ Apples. Enjoy!
FROZEN PEANUT BUTTER CUP PIE
This comes from Diana Rattry, Southern Cooking guide for The Spruce. Diana wrote, “This awesome frozen peanut butter cup pie is the perfect dessert or weekend treat for a hot summer day. The classic graham cracker pie shell and simple cream cheese and peanut butter filling take no more than 10 to 15 minutes to prepare; just mix, freeze, and enjoy!
“To make this even easier, use a store-bought deep-dish graham cracker pie shell. An oreo or chocolate cookie crust would be an excellent choice as well.
“Freeze the peanut butter cups to make chopping them much easier.”
Prep Time: 14 minutes; Cook Time: 0 minutes; Yield: 8 servings.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
Crust
1 3/4 cups crushed graham cracker crumbs
1/3 cup melted butter
1/4 cup brown sugar or granulated sugar
Filling
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 cup sweetened condensed milk using a liquid measuring cup
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
1 tub (8 ounces) frozen whipped topping, thawed
1 cup chopped peanut butter cups, frozen for easier chopping, plus more for garnish if desired
Sweetened whipped cream or whipped topping, for garnish
Warm chocolate syrup or chocolate sauce, for garnish
Directions
In a medium bowl, combine the crushed graham crackers with melted butter and 1/4 cup of brown sugar or granulated sugar. Mix well and press firmly over the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate. Cover and refrigerate the crust to chill for at least 1 hour.
In a large bowl, combine the softened cream cheese, sweetened condensed milk, peanut butter, and confectioners' sugar. Beat on medium speed of an electric mixer until smooth and well blended. Fold in the whipped topping until blended, and then fold in the chopped peanut butter cups.
Fill the chilled graham cracker pie shell with the peanut butter mixture.
Cover the pie tightly and freeze for at least 2 hours, or until the filling is firm.
Set the frozen pie out at room temperature for a few minutes before slicing.
Serve with a dollop of whipped cream or whipped topping and drizzle with warm chocolate sauce. Sprinkle with reserved chopped peanut butter cups, if desired.
Tips:
If possible, freeze the pie for several hours or overnight before serving.
Give the pie about 10 minutes at room temperature to soften slightly before slicing.
If desired, bake the crust in a preheated 400 F oven for 10 minutes. Cool completely and chill slightly before filling.
Make this peanut butter sauce to drizzle over the pie along with the chocolate syrup.
MEDITERRANEAN QUINOA STUFFED PEPPERS
This is from Kaleigh McMordie, MCN, RN, LD on VeryWell.com. Kaleigh wrote, "When your blood pressure is high, it’s important to include plenty of vegetables, whole grains, and fiber in your diet. Stuffed bell peppers incorporate all of these into one convenient meal. This Mediterranean version includes whole grain quinoa, chickpeas, and plenty of vegetables, which all provide filling fiber. The bright red peppers and tomatoes also provide vitamins A and C and the antioxidant lycopene for a nutritious punch.
"Stuffed peppers are easy to prepare and hold up well in the refrigerator for lunches during the week. You can customize what you add to them. Switch up the grains with brown rice or farro if you have it, or add different beans and vegetables that need to be used up. You can also add cooked chicken or steak if you want to add a little more protein if you plan to eat the peppers by themselves."
Total Time: 35 min; Prep 10 min, Cook 25 min; Yield 2 peppers (346 calories)
To view this online, click here. To check out Kaleigh's website, go to Lively Table.
Ingredients
2 large red bell peppers
1 cup cooked quinoa
1 cup low sodium cooked chickpeas
1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
2 tablespoons pine nuts
2 tablespoons sliced black olives
1 clove garlic
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon dried oregano
Chopped parsley, for serving (optional)
PreparationHeat oven to 350F.
Cut bell peppers vertically down the center in half and remove stems and seeds. Place peppers on a baking sheet lined with parchment or a silicone baking mat.
In a mixing bowl, combine remaining ingredients. Scoop mixture into pepper halves.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until peppers are soft but still hold their shape. Remove from oven and sprinkle with parsley before serving (optional).
Ingredient Variations and Substitutions
You may use cooked brown rice or other grain, such as farro, in place of the quinoa.
Include any vegetables that you have in your refrigerator that need to be used.
Cooking and Serving Tips
Serve these stuffed peppers hot as a vegetarian dinner or cold as lunch.
Serve one pepper half as a side dish with grilled chicken or fish for a higher protein meal.
CREAMY VEGAN MAYO-FREE POTATO SALAD
This is from Brittany at I Love Vegan and begins, “Good ol’ potato salad is a quintessential summer salad and a staple at barbeques and potlucks. This creamy vegan potato salad is made without mayo! 30 minutes of active cooking time. Makes 4 cups.”
Prep 30 mins; Cook 25 mins; Inactive 2 hours, 15 mins; Total 3 hours, 10 mins; Yield 4 cups
This can be viewed online here.
Ingredients
1 - 1.5lb bag of The Little Potato Company’s Blushing Belle Creamer potatoes
1/2 cup Coconut milk (full-fat)
1/3 cup Nutritional yeast flakes
1/4 cup Canola oil (or other neutral-tasting vegetable oil)
3 tbsp Dill pickle juice (or 2 tbsp white vinegar)
1 tbsp Granulated sugar (evaporated cane sugar)
1 tsp Hot mustard
1 1/2 tsp Sea salt, plus more to taste
Black pepper, to taste
1/4 cup Chopped fresh dill
1/4 cup Thin-sliced celery (approx. 1 rib celery)
1/4 cup Grated carrot (approx. 1 medium carrot)
1/4 cup Chopped green onion (approx. 4-5 shoots)
2-3 tbsp minced shallot (soaked in salt water) (approx. 1 small shallot)
2 tbsp Chopped dill pickle (approx. 1 large pickle)
Instructions
Begin cooking the potatoes while you prep the vegetables and the dressing. In a large pot of cold water, heat the potatoes over high heat. Bring to a boil and cook for 15-20 minutes or until the largest potato is fork-tender in the center. Once the potatoes are cooked, drain and set aside to cool slightly.
While the potatoes are cooking, combine coconut milk, nutritional yeast, canola oil, pickle juice, sugar, hot mustard, sea salt, and black pepper. Mix vigorously and set aside. Prepare the dill, celery, carrot, green onion, shallot, and pickle.
Once the potatoes are just cool enough to handle, halve them and transfer them to a large bowl. (Refer to recipe notes for tips on changing the texture of the potato salad)
Cover the warm potatoes with dressing and add all of the chopped vegetables. Mix roughly and thoroughly to the help break up the potatoes and thicken the dressing.
Refrigerate for at least 2 hours (until thoroughly chilled – overnight is best so there’s plenty of time for the dressing to thicken.)
Mix well, taste and adjust seasoning to suit your preferences.
Notes
Depending on your personal preferences, it's easy to adjust the texture of this potato salad. I coarsely mashed the halved potatoes for a thick salad with different-sized chunky pieces of potato. For a more evenly textured potato salad, dice 2/3 of the warm potatoes and thoroughly mash the remaining potatoes. If you prefer a mashed potato salad, fully mash the potatoes.
RICOTTA-BASIL STUFFED TOMATOES
This is from Vegetarian Times, and begins, “Summer favorites zucchini, corn, and basil get baked in tomato shells for a light-yet-satisfying entrée.”
Makes 8 servings.
Click here to view online.
Ingredients
8 large beefsteak tomatoes
2 large eggs
1 cup low-fat ricotta cheese
1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
2 Tbs. plus 4 tsp. grated Parmesan cheese, divided
1 clove garlic, minced (1 tsp.)
1 cup corn kernels
1 cup diced zucchini plus 24 very thin zucchini slices
Preparation
Preheat oven to 350°F. Slice tops off tomatoes, and scoop pulp out of centers to make stuffable tomato shells; set aside. Discard half of tomato pulp; remove seeds from and finely chop remaining half of pulp.
Whisk together eggs and ricotta in medium bowl until smooth. Stir in red onion, basil, 2 Tbs. Parmesan, and garlic. Add corn, diced zucchini, and chopped tomato pulp; stir until combined.
Fill tomatoes just to top with 1/2 cup ricotta mixture. Sprinkle each tomato with 1/2 tsp. Parmesan, and top each with 3 zucchini slices and tomato top. Place in large baking dish.
Bake 45 minutes, or until filling is puffed up and tops are browned. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. To freeze and enjoy later: Cool stuffed tomatoes completely, then place in foil-lined baking pan. Wrap tightly in foil, then in plastic wrap, and freeze. When ready to eat, thaw tomatoes completely. Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake, uncovered, 20 to 30 minutes, or until filling is hot.
Nutrition Information: Calories: 130; Carbohydrate Content: 18 g; Cholesterol Content: 65 mg; Fat Content: 5 g; Fiber Content: 3 g; Protein Content: 9 g; Saturated Fat Content: 2 g; Sodium Content: 151 mg; Sugar Content: 10 g
BLOOMIN’ APPLES
This is from Lena Abraham on Delish. The recipe begins, “Forget onions, bloomin' apples are the true snack hero.”
Total Time: 45 minutes; Prep Time: 15 minutes; Level: Easy; Serves: 4.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
4 tbsp. melted butter
1 tbsp. brown sugar
1 tbsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
4 green apples
4 chewy caramel squares
Lemon wedge
Ice cream, for serving
Caramel, for drizzling
Directions
Preheat oven to 375° and grease a medium baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
In a small bowl, whisk together butter, brown sugar, sugar and cinnamon.
Slice off the top of each apple then use a melon baller (or a teaspoon) to scoop out the core. Using a paring knife, make three circular cuts in the apple. Place the apple cut side-down on a cutting board and slice crosswise.
Place cut apples in a small baking dish. Fill each apple with two caramel squares then brush melted butter mixture on top. Bake until the apples are tender, about 30 minutes.
Serve warm with ice cream and drizzle with caramel.
FAVORITE PUMPKIN GRANOLA
This is from Lindsay on her food blog, Pinch of Yum. I absolutely love Pinch of Yum, and highly recommend it. Go ahead and check it out, and sign up for her emails. Go ahead, I’ll wait.
This recipe begins, “Pumpkin Granola that is both salty and sweet! Made with REAL PUMPKIN along with oats, coconut, almonds, pistachios, maple syrup, cinnamon, and olive oil. My favorite fall granola! ♡ Adapted from the Last Granola Recipe by my friend The Faux Martha.”
Ingredients
6 cups rolled oats
1 heaping cup sliced almonds
1 heaping cup pistachios (or other nuts)
1 heaping cup unsweetened flaked coconut
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 cup olive oil
1 cup maple syrup
2-3 teaspoons salt (see notes)
1-2 teaspoons cinnamon
This can be viewed online http://pinchofyum.com/pumpkin-granola/>here.
author: lindsay prep time: 10 mins cook time: 30 mins total time: 40 minutes yield: 9 cups (about 18 half-cup servings)
Instructions
Prep the Pumpkin Granola: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Mix the dry ingredients together (oats, almonds, pistachios, coconut). Whisk the wet ingredients and spices together (pumpkin, olive oil, maple syrup, salt, cinnamon). Pour wet ingredients over the dry ingredients and stir to combine.
Bake the Pumpkin Granola: Spread the granola into a large nonstick jelly roll pan or cake pan – I do this on two separate pans or in two batches. Bake for 15 minutes; stir; bake for another 15 minutes. Remove from oven and let rest – it should start to crisp up.
Eat and love: Store in a plastic zip-top bag for a week or so. Serve with granola, fruit, or just with good ol’ milk.
Notes
Salt: Yup. 2-3 teaspoons salt is not a typo. This recipe, as written, is meant to be salty! I love it that way. I make mine with 2 1/2 or 3 teaspoons salt, and it gives it an awesome salty-sweet bite, but if you’re not into the salty-sweet thing, you can definitely reduce that amount. Either way, be aware that the unbaked granola “batter” will taste very salty, and fear not – that saltiness mellows out beautifully after you bake it.
Bake times: There is a fine line between perfectly toasted / caramelized and straight up burned pumpkin granola. I found that the 30 to 40 minute mark was my cut-off in our smaller studio oven, whereas in my larger oven at home I got away with about 45 minutes. I had several batches that I popped back in the oven for an extra five minutes and they went from browned to burned really quickly, so beware. That being said, even if you get a little extra browning (not burning, just browning) around the edges, I think that actually tastes really nice once mixed with the rest of the granola. Was that overall just super helpful?
Pro Tip: Sprinking raw or brown sugar and a tiny bit of extra salt over the top of the granola as it cools is never a bad idea.
Other add-ins that work well: pecans, walnuts, chia seeds. But be advised that the pecans and walnuts both burn pretty easily so I would suggest adding them towards the end of the baking time. The pistachios seem to be able to handle the heat a bit more, so I found that it worked just fine to add them with all the other ingredients.
FROZEN PEANUT BUTTER CUP PIE
This comes from Diana Rattry, Southern Cooking guide for The Spruce. Diana wrote, “This awesome frozen peanut butter cup pie is the perfect dessert or weekend treat for a hot summer day. The classic graham cracker pie shell and simple cream cheese and peanut butter filling take no more than 10 to 15 minutes to prepare; just mix, freeze, and enjoy!
“To make this even easier, use a store-bought deep-dish graham cracker pie shell. An oreo or chocolate cookie crust would be an excellent choice as well.
“Freeze the peanut butter cups to make chopping them much easier.”
Prep Time: 14 minutes; Cook Time: 0 minutes; Yield: 8 servings.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
Crust
1 3/4 cups crushed graham cracker crumbs
1/3 cup melted butter
1/4 cup brown sugar or granulated sugar
Filling
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 cup sweetened condensed milk using a liquid measuring cup
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
1 tub (8 ounces) frozen whipped topping, thawed
1 cup chopped peanut butter cups, frozen for easier chopping, plus more for garnish if desired
Sweetened whipped cream or whipped topping, for garnish
Warm chocolate syrup or chocolate sauce, for garnish
Directions
In a medium bowl, combine the crushed graham crackers with melted butter and 1/4 cup of brown sugar or granulated sugar. Mix well and press firmly over the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate. Cover and refrigerate the crust to chill for at least 1 hour.
In a large bowl, combine the softened cream cheese, sweetened condensed milk, peanut butter, and confectioners' sugar. Beat on medium speed of an electric mixer until smooth and well blended. Fold in the whipped topping until blended, and then fold in the chopped peanut butter cups.
Fill the chilled graham cracker pie shell with the peanut butter mixture.
Cover the pie tightly and freeze for at least 2 hours, or until the filling is firm.
Set the frozen pie out at room temperature for a few minutes before slicing.
Serve with a dollop of whipped cream or whipped topping and drizzle with warm chocolate sauce. Sprinkle with reserved chopped peanut butter cups, if desired.
Tips:
If possible, freeze the pie for several hours or overnight before serving.
Give the pie about 10 minutes at room temperature to soften slightly before slicing.
If desired, bake the crust in a preheated 400 F oven for 10 minutes. Cool completely and chill slightly before filling.
Make this peanut butter sauce to drizzle over the pie along with the chocolate syrup.
MEDITERRANEAN QUINOA STUFFED PEPPERS
This is from Kaleigh McMordie, MCN, RN, LD on VeryWell.com. Kaleigh wrote, "When your blood pressure is high, it’s important to include plenty of vegetables, whole grains, and fiber in your diet. Stuffed bell peppers incorporate all of these into one convenient meal. This Mediterranean version includes whole grain quinoa, chickpeas, and plenty of vegetables, which all provide filling fiber. The bright red peppers and tomatoes also provide vitamins A and C and the antioxidant lycopene for a nutritious punch.
"Stuffed peppers are easy to prepare and hold up well in the refrigerator for lunches during the week. You can customize what you add to them. Switch up the grains with brown rice or farro if you have it, or add different beans and vegetables that need to be used up. You can also add cooked chicken or steak if you want to add a little more protein if you plan to eat the peppers by themselves."
Total Time: 35 min; Prep 10 min, Cook 25 min; Yield 2 peppers (346 calories)
To view this online, click here. To check out Kaleigh's website, go to Lively Table.
Ingredients
2 large red bell peppers
1 cup cooked quinoa
1 cup low sodium cooked chickpeas
1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
2 tablespoons pine nuts
2 tablespoons sliced black olives
1 clove garlic
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon dried oregano
Chopped parsley, for serving (optional)
PreparationHeat oven to 350F.
Cut bell peppers vertically down the center in half and remove stems and seeds. Place peppers on a baking sheet lined with parchment or a silicone baking mat.
In a mixing bowl, combine remaining ingredients. Scoop mixture into pepper halves.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until peppers are soft but still hold their shape. Remove from oven and sprinkle with parsley before serving (optional).
Ingredient Variations and Substitutions
You may use cooked brown rice or other grain, such as farro, in place of the quinoa.
Include any vegetables that you have in your refrigerator that need to be used.
Cooking and Serving Tips
Serve these stuffed peppers hot as a vegetarian dinner or cold as lunch.
Serve one pepper half as a side dish with grilled chicken or fish for a higher protein meal.
CREAMY VEGAN MAYO-FREE POTATO SALAD
This is from Brittany at I Love Vegan and begins, “Good ol’ potato salad is a quintessential summer salad and a staple at barbeques and potlucks. This creamy vegan potato salad is made without mayo! 30 minutes of active cooking time. Makes 4 cups.”
Prep 30 mins; Cook 25 mins; Inactive 2 hours, 15 mins; Total 3 hours, 10 mins; Yield 4 cups
This can be viewed online here.
Ingredients
1 - 1.5lb bag of The Little Potato Company’s Blushing Belle Creamer potatoes
1/2 cup Coconut milk (full-fat)
1/3 cup Nutritional yeast flakes
1/4 cup Canola oil (or other neutral-tasting vegetable oil)
3 tbsp Dill pickle juice (or 2 tbsp white vinegar)
1 tbsp Granulated sugar (evaporated cane sugar)
1 tsp Hot mustard
1 1/2 tsp Sea salt, plus more to taste
Black pepper, to taste
1/4 cup Chopped fresh dill
1/4 cup Thin-sliced celery (approx. 1 rib celery)
1/4 cup Grated carrot (approx. 1 medium carrot)
1/4 cup Chopped green onion (approx. 4-5 shoots)
2-3 tbsp minced shallot (soaked in salt water) (approx. 1 small shallot)
2 tbsp Chopped dill pickle (approx. 1 large pickle)
Instructions
Begin cooking the potatoes while you prep the vegetables and the dressing. In a large pot of cold water, heat the potatoes over high heat. Bring to a boil and cook for 15-20 minutes or until the largest potato is fork-tender in the center. Once the potatoes are cooked, drain and set aside to cool slightly.
While the potatoes are cooking, combine coconut milk, nutritional yeast, canola oil, pickle juice, sugar, hot mustard, sea salt, and black pepper. Mix vigorously and set aside. Prepare the dill, celery, carrot, green onion, shallot, and pickle.
Once the potatoes are just cool enough to handle, halve them and transfer them to a large bowl. (Refer to recipe notes for tips on changing the texture of the potato salad)
Cover the warm potatoes with dressing and add all of the chopped vegetables. Mix roughly and thoroughly to the help break up the potatoes and thicken the dressing.
Refrigerate for at least 2 hours (until thoroughly chilled – overnight is best so there’s plenty of time for the dressing to thicken.)
Mix well, taste and adjust seasoning to suit your preferences.
Notes
Depending on your personal preferences, it's easy to adjust the texture of this potato salad. I coarsely mashed the halved potatoes for a thick salad with different-sized chunky pieces of potato. For a more evenly textured potato salad, dice 2/3 of the warm potatoes and thoroughly mash the remaining potatoes. If you prefer a mashed potato salad, fully mash the potatoes.
RICOTTA-BASIL STUFFED TOMATOES
This is from Vegetarian Times, and begins, “Summer favorites zucchini, corn, and basil get baked in tomato shells for a light-yet-satisfying entrée.”
Makes 8 servings.
Click here to view online.
Ingredients
8 large beefsteak tomatoes
2 large eggs
1 cup low-fat ricotta cheese
1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
2 Tbs. plus 4 tsp. grated Parmesan cheese, divided
1 clove garlic, minced (1 tsp.)
1 cup corn kernels
1 cup diced zucchini plus 24 very thin zucchini slices
Preparation
Preheat oven to 350°F. Slice tops off tomatoes, and scoop pulp out of centers to make stuffable tomato shells; set aside. Discard half of tomato pulp; remove seeds from and finely chop remaining half of pulp.
Whisk together eggs and ricotta in medium bowl until smooth. Stir in red onion, basil, 2 Tbs. Parmesan, and garlic. Add corn, diced zucchini, and chopped tomato pulp; stir until combined.
Fill tomatoes just to top with 1/2 cup ricotta mixture. Sprinkle each tomato with 1/2 tsp. Parmesan, and top each with 3 zucchini slices and tomato top. Place in large baking dish.
Bake 45 minutes, or until filling is puffed up and tops are browned. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. To freeze and enjoy later: Cool stuffed tomatoes completely, then place in foil-lined baking pan. Wrap tightly in foil, then in plastic wrap, and freeze. When ready to eat, thaw tomatoes completely. Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake, uncovered, 20 to 30 minutes, or until filling is hot.
Nutrition Information: Calories: 130; Carbohydrate Content: 18 g; Cholesterol Content: 65 mg; Fat Content: 5 g; Fiber Content: 3 g; Protein Content: 9 g; Saturated Fat Content: 2 g; Sodium Content: 151 mg; Sugar Content: 10 g
BLOOMIN’ APPLES
This is from Lena Abraham on Delish. The recipe begins, “Forget onions, bloomin' apples are the true snack hero.”
Total Time: 45 minutes; Prep Time: 15 minutes; Level: Easy; Serves: 4.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
4 tbsp. melted butter
1 tbsp. brown sugar
1 tbsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
4 green apples
4 chewy caramel squares
Lemon wedge
Ice cream, for serving
Caramel, for drizzling
Directions
Preheat oven to 375° and grease a medium baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
In a small bowl, whisk together butter, brown sugar, sugar and cinnamon.
Slice off the top of each apple then use a melon baller (or a teaspoon) to scoop out the core. Using a paring knife, make three circular cuts in the apple. Place the apple cut side-down on a cutting board and slice crosswise.
Place cut apples in a small baking dish. Fill each apple with two caramel squares then brush melted butter mixture on top. Bake until the apples are tender, about 30 minutes.
Serve warm with ice cream and drizzle with caramel.
FAVORITE PUMPKIN GRANOLA
This is from Lindsay on her food blog, Pinch of Yum. I absolutely love Pinch of Yum, and highly recommend it. Go ahead and check it out, and sign up for her emails. Go ahead, I’ll wait.
This recipe begins, “Pumpkin Granola that is both salty and sweet! Made with REAL PUMPKIN along with oats, coconut, almonds, pistachios, maple syrup, cinnamon, and olive oil. My favorite fall granola! ♡ Adapted from the Last Granola Recipe by my friend The Faux Martha.”
Ingredients
6 cups rolled oats
1 heaping cup sliced almonds
1 heaping cup pistachios (or other nuts)
1 heaping cup unsweetened flaked coconut
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 cup olive oil
1 cup maple syrup
2-3 teaspoons salt (see notes)
1-2 teaspoons cinnamon
This can be viewed online http://pinchofyum.com/pumpkin-granola/>here.
author: lindsay prep time: 10 mins cook time: 30 mins total time: 40 minutes yield: 9 cups (about 18 half-cup servings)
Instructions
Prep the Pumpkin Granola: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Mix the dry ingredients together (oats, almonds, pistachios, coconut). Whisk the wet ingredients and spices together (pumpkin, olive oil, maple syrup, salt, cinnamon). Pour wet ingredients over the dry ingredients and stir to combine.
Bake the Pumpkin Granola: Spread the granola into a large nonstick jelly roll pan or cake pan – I do this on two separate pans or in two batches. Bake for 15 minutes; stir; bake for another 15 minutes. Remove from oven and let rest – it should start to crisp up.
Eat and love: Store in a plastic zip-top bag for a week or so. Serve with granola, fruit, or just with good ol’ milk.
Notes
Salt: Yup. 2-3 teaspoons salt is not a typo. This recipe, as written, is meant to be salty! I love it that way. I make mine with 2 1/2 or 3 teaspoons salt, and it gives it an awesome salty-sweet bite, but if you’re not into the salty-sweet thing, you can definitely reduce that amount. Either way, be aware that the unbaked granola “batter” will taste very salty, and fear not – that saltiness mellows out beautifully after you bake it.
Bake times: There is a fine line between perfectly toasted / caramelized and straight up burned pumpkin granola. I found that the 30 to 40 minute mark was my cut-off in our smaller studio oven, whereas in my larger oven at home I got away with about 45 minutes. I had several batches that I popped back in the oven for an extra five minutes and they went from browned to burned really quickly, so beware. That being said, even if you get a little extra browning (not burning, just browning) around the edges, I think that actually tastes really nice once mixed with the rest of the granola. Was that overall just super helpful?
Pro Tip: Sprinking raw or brown sugar and a tiny bit of extra salt over the top of the granola as it cools is never a bad idea.
Other add-ins that work well: pecans, walnuts, chia seeds. But be advised that the pecans and walnuts both burn pretty easily so I would suggest adding them towards the end of the baking time. The pistachios seem to be able to handle the heat a bit more, so I found that it worked just fine to add them with all the other ingredients.
Taco Tuesday
It's Taco Tuesday, time for six yummy taco recipes, including Jamaican Curried Tempeh Tacos and Crispy Thai Roasted Cauliflower Tacos. Enjoy!
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
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
GRILLED PORTABELLA AND POBLANO TACOS
This is from Food.com. Makes 4 servings.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
Pico de Gallo
2 roma tomatoes, diced
1⁄2 small red onion, finely diced
1⁄4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 finely minced garlic clove
1 pinch salt
2 teaspoons lime juice
Grilled Portabella Filling
4 medium portabella mushrooms or 1 lb portabella mushroom
1 small red onion, cut into thick slices
1 teaspoon canola oil
salt and pepper
1 whole poblano chile
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon lime juice
1⁄2 teaspoon dried chipotle powder
Assembly and Toppings
8 small corn tortillas, warmed
guacamole
fresh cilantro stem
lime wedge
monterey jack cheese (Shredded) or cheddar cheese (Shredded)
Directions
Preheat a lightly oiled grill on medium-high heat.
While the grill is heating up, prepare the pico de gallo. In a small mixing bowl, combine tomatoes, onion, cilantro, garlic, salt and lime juice. Set aside.
Next, prepare the grilled portabella filling. Remove the stems from the portabellas, and discard. Using a spoon, scrape out the dark gills from the underside of the mushroom caps.
Lightly brush the portabellas and the onions on both sides with canola oil, and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper.
Arrange the mushrooms, onion, and poblano on the hot grill, and cook for 5-6 minutes per side or until the mushrooms are softened and the onion is lightly charred. Remove from heat and transfer to a cutting board.
Remove the stem and seeds from the poblano, and discard. Cut the poblano and the portabellas into thin strips, and roughly chop the onion. Transfer to a mixing bowl and toss with lime juice and chipotle powder until well coated.
To assemble, arrange 2 tortillas per plate, and divide the mushroom filling evenly between them. Serve with pico de gallo and bowls of the different toppings so that everyone can garnish their tacos as they please.
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
CRISPY THAI ROASTED CAULIFLOWER TACOS [VEGAN, GLUTEN-FREE]
This comes from One Green Planet, and starts off, “These cauliflower tacos are an explosion of flavors and textures that will leave you wanting more. The crispy Thai cauliflower is mellowed by a tasty slaw and the whole taco is tied together with a delightful avocado-lime sauce. These tacos are sure to be crowd pleasers.”
This recipe is: Dairy-Free and Vegan; Serves 4.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
For the Tacos:
1 tablespoon red curry paste
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon lime juice
4 cups cauliflower florets
2 teaspoon Thai seasoning (see below)
4 small, gluten-free tortillas
For the Slaw:
3 cups purple cabbage, shredded
1 carrot, shredded
3 tablespoon cilantro, coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon flaked toasted coconut
2 teaspoon each extra virgin olive oil and lime juice
1 teaspoon agave
1 jalapeno pepper, thinly sliced
For the Avocado Lime Drizzle:
1 avocado, pitted
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
1/4 cup water
2 limes, peeled (flesh only – take the skin and white bits off with a knife)
For the Thai Seasoning:
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon dried lemon zest
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon powdered ginger
1 teaspoon ground coriander
A few pinches of dried chili flakes
Preparation
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
In a bowl, whisk together the curry paste, olive oil, and lime juice to make a thinner paste.
Toss the cauliflower in the mixture and stir it to coat.
In a small jar, combine all spices for the Thai seasoning and shake them together to blend.
Sprinkle 2 teaspoons of the Thai seasoning over the cauliflower and stir it to coat.
Line a baking sheet with foil and scatter the cauliflower florets in a single layer.
Roast them for 15-20 minutes or until they are crispy.
Meanwhile, combine all ingredients for the cabbage slaw in a large bowl.
Stir the olive oil, lime juice, and agave together. Then, pour it over the slaw and stir everything in.
In a blender, puree all ingredients for the avocado drizzle. Transfer it to a bottle with a squeeze top, or a sealed jar as you’ll have extra to store in the fridge.
When the cauliflower is ready, remove it from the oven.
Divide the cabbage slaw between 3-4 tortillas, then evenly distribute the roasted cauliflower. Drizzle the tacos with avocado sauce and garnish with additional cilantro and toasted coconut if desired.
ZUCCHINI AND CRIMINI TACOS
I originally found this at Oh My Veggies. The site has a mess of taco recipes from different places, which can be found here.
From A Spicy Perspective at http://www.aspicyperspective.com/taco-recipe/. YIELD: 8-10 tacos; PREP TIME: 20 minutes; COOK TIME: 15 minutes
Ingredients
1 large onion, peeled, quartered and sliced thin
1 1/2 lbs. crimini mushrooms, sliced thin
2 zucchini, sliced thin
2 summer squash sliced thin
4 garlic cloves, minced
4 Tb. butter
1 Tb. cuban seasoning (McCormick makes a good one)
2 tsp. cumin
1/4 chipotle chili powder
1 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups crumbled California panela cheese (or queso fresco)
1 package corn tortillas
Directions:
Chop the veggies and leave in separate piles. Mix the salt and spices in a small bowl and sprinkle evenly over all the veggies.
Place 1 tablespoon of butter in a large skillet and heat to hight heat. Once the butter is melted, add the onions and garlic. Saute' for 1-2 minutes until just barely soft. Remove from the skillet and add 2 tablespoons of butter. Once the butter is melted, add the mushrooms and saute' and stir until brown and cooked through, about 5-8 minutes. Remove and add the last tablespoon of butter to the skillet. Add the zucchini and summer squash to the skillet. Saute' and stir for 2-3 minutes until golden, but just barley cooked through and still firm.
To serve, place a tortilla on a plate (you can double them up for extra stability) and load it with veggies. Top each taco with a generous sprinkling of crumbled panela cheese. Serve warm.
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
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
GRILLED PORTABELLA AND POBLANO TACOS
This is from Food.com. Makes 4 servings.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
Pico de Gallo
2 roma tomatoes, diced
1⁄2 small red onion, finely diced
1⁄4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 finely minced garlic clove
1 pinch salt
2 teaspoons lime juice
Grilled Portabella Filling
4 medium portabella mushrooms or 1 lb portabella mushroom
1 small red onion, cut into thick slices
1 teaspoon canola oil
salt and pepper
1 whole poblano chile
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon lime juice
1⁄2 teaspoon dried chipotle powder
Assembly and Toppings
8 small corn tortillas, warmed
guacamole
fresh cilantro stem
lime wedge
monterey jack cheese (Shredded) or cheddar cheese (Shredded)
Directions
Preheat a lightly oiled grill on medium-high heat.
While the grill is heating up, prepare the pico de gallo. In a small mixing bowl, combine tomatoes, onion, cilantro, garlic, salt and lime juice. Set aside.
Next, prepare the grilled portabella filling. Remove the stems from the portabellas, and discard. Using a spoon, scrape out the dark gills from the underside of the mushroom caps.
Lightly brush the portabellas and the onions on both sides with canola oil, and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper.
Arrange the mushrooms, onion, and poblano on the hot grill, and cook for 5-6 minutes per side or until the mushrooms are softened and the onion is lightly charred. Remove from heat and transfer to a cutting board.
Remove the stem and seeds from the poblano, and discard. Cut the poblano and the portabellas into thin strips, and roughly chop the onion. Transfer to a mixing bowl and toss with lime juice and chipotle powder until well coated.
To assemble, arrange 2 tortillas per plate, and divide the mushroom filling evenly between them. Serve with pico de gallo and bowls of the different toppings so that everyone can garnish their tacos as they please.
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
CRISPY THAI ROASTED CAULIFLOWER TACOS [VEGAN, GLUTEN-FREE]
This comes from One Green Planet, and starts off, “These cauliflower tacos are an explosion of flavors and textures that will leave you wanting more. The crispy Thai cauliflower is mellowed by a tasty slaw and the whole taco is tied together with a delightful avocado-lime sauce. These tacos are sure to be crowd pleasers.”
This recipe is: Dairy-Free and Vegan; Serves 4.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
For the Tacos:
1 tablespoon red curry paste
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon lime juice
4 cups cauliflower florets
2 teaspoon Thai seasoning (see below)
4 small, gluten-free tortillas
For the Slaw:
3 cups purple cabbage, shredded
1 carrot, shredded
3 tablespoon cilantro, coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon flaked toasted coconut
2 teaspoon each extra virgin olive oil and lime juice
1 teaspoon agave
1 jalapeno pepper, thinly sliced
For the Avocado Lime Drizzle:
1 avocado, pitted
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
1/4 cup water
2 limes, peeled (flesh only – take the skin and white bits off with a knife)
For the Thai Seasoning:
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon dried lemon zest
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon powdered ginger
1 teaspoon ground coriander
A few pinches of dried chili flakes
Preparation
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
In a bowl, whisk together the curry paste, olive oil, and lime juice to make a thinner paste.
Toss the cauliflower in the mixture and stir it to coat.
In a small jar, combine all spices for the Thai seasoning and shake them together to blend.
Sprinkle 2 teaspoons of the Thai seasoning over the cauliflower and stir it to coat.
Line a baking sheet with foil and scatter the cauliflower florets in a single layer.
Roast them for 15-20 minutes or until they are crispy.
Meanwhile, combine all ingredients for the cabbage slaw in a large bowl.
Stir the olive oil, lime juice, and agave together. Then, pour it over the slaw and stir everything in.
In a blender, puree all ingredients for the avocado drizzle. Transfer it to a bottle with a squeeze top, or a sealed jar as you’ll have extra to store in the fridge.
When the cauliflower is ready, remove it from the oven.
Divide the cabbage slaw between 3-4 tortillas, then evenly distribute the roasted cauliflower. Drizzle the tacos with avocado sauce and garnish with additional cilantro and toasted coconut if desired.
ZUCCHINI AND CRIMINI TACOS
I originally found this at Oh My Veggies. The site has a mess of taco recipes from different places, which can be found here.
From A Spicy Perspective at http://www.aspicyperspective.com/taco-recipe/. YIELD: 8-10 tacos; PREP TIME: 20 minutes; COOK TIME: 15 minutes
Ingredients
1 large onion, peeled, quartered and sliced thin
1 1/2 lbs. crimini mushrooms, sliced thin
2 zucchini, sliced thin
2 summer squash sliced thin
4 garlic cloves, minced
4 Tb. butter
1 Tb. cuban seasoning (McCormick makes a good one)
2 tsp. cumin
1/4 chipotle chili powder
1 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups crumbled California panela cheese (or queso fresco)
1 package corn tortillas
Directions:
Chop the veggies and leave in separate piles. Mix the salt and spices in a small bowl and sprinkle evenly over all the veggies.
Place 1 tablespoon of butter in a large skillet and heat to hight heat. Once the butter is melted, add the onions and garlic. Saute' for 1-2 minutes until just barely soft. Remove from the skillet and add 2 tablespoons of butter. Once the butter is melted, add the mushrooms and saute' and stir until brown and cooked through, about 5-8 minutes. Remove and add the last tablespoon of butter to the skillet. Add the zucchini and summer squash to the skillet. Saute' and stir for 2-3 minutes until golden, but just barley cooked through and still firm.
To serve, place a tortilla on a plate (you can double them up for extra stability) and load it with veggies. Top each taco with a generous sprinkling of crumbled panela cheese. Serve warm.
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