Is there anything better, snack-wise, than cookies? They're great for gift-giving, sharing with others, having a couple now and saving the rest for later.
Here are six yummy cookie recipes to check out, including Soft Ginger Cookies and Chocolate Fudge Cookies. Enjoy!
CHOCAPOCALYPSE COOKIES
This is from Alton Brown of the Food Network's show, Good Eats. Total Time: 2 hr 30 min; Prep: 45 min; Inactive: 1 hr 15 min; Cook: 30 min; Yield: 55 cookies; Level: Intermediate
To view this online, go to http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/chocapocalypse-cookie-recipe.print.html?oc=linkback
Ingredients
6 ounces 54-percent bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 3/4 ounces all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
6 ounces light brown sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 ounces 70-percent bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
3 ounces 40-percent milk chocolate, coarsely chopped
2 ounces cocoa nibs
Directions
Place the 54-percent bittersweet chocolate and unsweetened chocolate in a medium glass mixing bowl and microwave on high for two 30-second intervals, stirring after each interval. If still not smooth, heat for 10 additional seconds at a time and stir until smooth. Set aside to cool to 90 degrees F, approximately 15 minutes.
Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt together, transfer to a paper plate and set aside.
Put the butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium speed until combined and looks like wet sand, about 2 minutes.
Whisk the eggs and vanilla together in a small bowl. Turn the mixer on low speed and slowly add the egg mixture until fully incorporated. Pour in the melted chocolate and mix to combine. Stop and scrape down the sides of the bowl.
With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture and mix until integrated. Add the 70-percent bittersweet chocolate, 40-percent milk chocolate and the cocoa nibs and mix until combined. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 45 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Scoop the dough using a 1 1/4-inch-diameter disher or ice cream scoop onto parchment-lined half-sheet pans, placing 2 inches apart, 12 cookies per pan. Bake for 8 to 9 minutes, rotating after 5 minutes. Do not over-bake; the cookies may look wet and doughy.
Cool the cookies on the pan for 2 minutes, then transfer on the parchment paper to a cooling rack to cool completely.
RAISIN OATMEAL COOKIES
This is from the infamous long-since-forgotten emailing list, though it looks like it was from a diabetic list.
Yield: 2-1/2 dozen cookies (1 per serving)
Ingredients
6 tablespoons margarine, softened
1/4 cup fat-free sour cream
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1-1/2 cups quick-cooking oats
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup raisins for baking
Directions
Mix margarine, sour cream, egg, and vanilla in large bowl; mix in brown sugar. Mix in combined oats, flour, baking soda, baking powder, and cinnamon. Mix in raisins.
Drop dough onto greased cookie sheets, using 2 tablespoons for each cookie. Bake at 350 degrees F. until browned, 12 to 15 minutes. Cool on wire racks.
Nutritional Information Per Serving (1 cookie): Calories: 90, Fat: 2.7 g, Cholesterol: 7.1 mg, Sodium: 57 mg, Protein: 1.5 g, Carbohydrate: 15.3 g
Diabetic Exchanges: 1 Bread/Starch, 1/2 Fat
PERFECT BLACK AND WHITE COOKIES
This is from Melissa Clark at The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Melissa wrote, “Tender, moist and scented with vanilla, almond and lemon, these classic confections popular all over the Midwest and the state of New York are more cake than cookie, with a fine crumb and velvet texture from the sour cream in the batter. Even better, they are glazed with both vanilla and chocolate, so you don’t have to pick favorites. These are best eaten within 24 hours of baking, when the cake is at its softest and the glaze at its snappiest. But if you store them in an airtight container at room temperature, they’ll be good for a few days longer.”
Yield: 12 to 14 cookies; Time: 1 hour, plus cooling
To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1020254-perfect-black-and-white-cookies.
Ingredients
For the Cookies:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/3 cup sour cream or whole-milk yogurt
1/3 cup whole milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick), at room temperature
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoonsgranulated sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
For the Glaze:
2 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
Boiling water, as needed
1 1/2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch of fine sea salt
2 1/2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled
2 1/2 tablespoons unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
Preparation
Heat oven to 375 degrees. Arrange racks in top and bottom thirds, and line two rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, sea salt and baking soda. In a medium bowl, whisk together sour cream, milk, vanilla, lemon zest and almond extract.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Beat in eggs, one at a time, until combined, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary.
Reduce speed to low and beat in 1/3 of the flour mixture, then 1/3 of the sour cream mixture. Repeat until both mixtures are incorporated, scraping sides of bowl as necessary. (Mixture will be the consistency of thick poundcake batter.)
Dollop heaping 1/4-cup scoops of batter onto prepared baking sheets, spacing them 2 inches apart. (You should have 12 to 14 cookies.) Bake for 6 minutes. Rotate the baking sheets. Continue to bake until the cookies have firmed up and spring back when lightly pressed in the center, 6 to 9 minutes. (They’ll brown only on the bottoms.) Take care not to overbake, or they will dry out.
Transfer baking sheets to wire racks and let cool for 15 minutes, then transfer cookies directly to racks to cool completely.
While the cookies cool, make the glaze: Place the confectioners’ sugar in a medium bowl and whisk in 3 tablespoons boiling water, the corn syrup, vanilla and salt. Continue to whisk, adding more boiling water as needed, until you have a thick yet spreadable frosting that is the texture of hot fudge sauce. (Too thick is preferable to too thin.) Flip each cookie over and spoon glaze over half of its flat side, spreading to edges with the back of the spoon. Place on wire rack to set. You will have vanilla frosting left over.
Whisk melted chocolate into vanilla frosting, then whisk in cocoa and enough room temperature water to make a thick yet spreadable glaze. Glaze the bare half of each cookie. Let glaze set for at least 1 to 2 hours before serving.
CHOCOLATE FUDGE COOKIES
This is from the infamous long-since-forgotten emailing list. Prep: 15 min.
This begins, “This recipe serves 12 people. Due to the nature of this recipe, it adjusts the number of servings in multiples of 12 only.”
Ingredients
1-1/2 cups unsalted butter
3 cups sugar
1/4 cup plus 2 Tbs. cocoa powder
3/4 cup milk
4 cups quick oatmeal
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 cups walnuts, chopped
1 cup raisins (optional)
Directions
Combine butter, sugar & cocoa in heavy saucepan over medium heat. Stir until butter is melted & mixture is combined. Stir in milk. Increase heat to high & bring to boil. Let boil 1-1/2 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat & stir in remaining ingredients until mixed thoroughly. Drop by tablespoonfuls onto waxed paper. Set aside to dry completely.
OATMEAL CRANBERRY COOKIES
Another yummy cookie recipe from the infamous long-since-forgotten emailing list.
Ingredients
1/2 Pound Unsalted Butter (2 Sticks)
1 1/4 Cups Brown Sugar
1/2 Cup Granulated Sugar
2 Large Eggs
2 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract
2 Tablespoons Milk
2 Cups Rolled Oats
2 Cups All-Purpose Flour
1 Teaspoon Baking Soda
1 Teaspoon Cinnamon
1 Teaspoon Salt
2 Cups Dried Cranberries
Directions
Cream butter and sugars until fluffy, beat in eggs, vanilla and milk. In a separate bowl, combine oats, flour, baking soda, cinnamon, salt. Add dry ingredients to butter mixture and stir until combined. Stir in cranberries. Divide dough in half, roll into a log about 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Refrigerate until firm. Heat oven to 350, slice logs into cookies, bake on parchment lined cookie sheets leaving 1 1/2 inches between cookies. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack.
SOFT GINGER COOKIES
This is from Gesine Bullock-Prado in the January 2013 issue of Runners' World, page 36 (“The Athlete's Palate”). Genise writes, “Dates keep these whole-grain cookies moist without using butter or oil. 'Crystallized ginger adds the perfect bite--spicy and chewy at the same time,' says Bullock-Prado.” Makes 30 cookies.
To view this online, go to http://www.runnersworld.com/recipes/soft-ginger-cookies.
Ingredients
3/4 cup hot coffee
1 cup chopped, pitted dates
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 eggs at room temperature
1/4 cup organic blackstrap molasses
1 1/2 cups organic spelt flour or whole-wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 cup chopped crystallized ginger
1/4 cup turbinado sugar
Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F. Combine coffee and dates and stir in baking soda. Let it sit for 10 minutes. Put mixture in a food processor; process until nearly smooth. In a bowl, whisk eggs and molasses. Continue whisking and add date puree. In a small bowl, whisk flour, salt, and spices. Stir into date mixture. Stir in ginger pieces until just combined. Freeze till very firm but scoopable (30 minutes). Using a teaspoon, drop dough into little mounds, a few inches apart, on a parchment-lined tray. Sprinkle sugar over cookies. Bake 10 minutes or until they feel spongy yet firm and spring back when gently poked.
Calories Per Cookie: 66; Carbs: 14 g; Fiber: 1 g; Protein: 1 g; Fat: .5 g
Wednesday, February 19, 2020
Tuesday, February 18, 2020
Double-Post Tuesday
Besides being Taco Tuesday, it's also Double-Post Tuesday. Today's offerings include Vegetarian ‘Carbonara’ With Spinach and Brazilian Black Bean Stew. Enjoy!
SPICY COLESLAW
This comes from Sam Sifton in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Sam wrote, “This easy, crisp slaw can be made a few hours ahead of time. It goes well with ribs and a cold beer, fried chicken or whatever summer feast sparks your fancy.”
Yield: Serves 6; Time: 10 minutes, plus hours’ refrigeration
This was featured in “Lone Star”, and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1012539-spicy-coleslaw.
Ingredients
1 medium head green cabbage
2 carrots, peeled and grated
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons pickle relish
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
2 teaspoons pepper sauce, like Frank’s, or to taste
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Preparation:
Cut the cabbage in half and remove the core. Cut each half in half and slice each resulting quarter into thin ribbons. Mix with carrots in a large, nonreactive bowl.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the remaining ingredients.
Pour the dressing over the cabbage and toss. Season to taste.
The coleslaw may be covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated for a few hours. Toss again before serving.
CRANBERRY STREUSEL SWEET POTATOES
This is from that infamous long-since-forgotten emailing list, and begins, “Dotted with crimson cranberries, the streusel topping adds a crunchy touch to mashed sweet potatoes. All the sweetness comes from either the potatoes or cranberries, because no sugar is added.”
Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cooking Time: 60 minutes; Serves: 6
Ingredients
6 medium sweet potatoes, peeled
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup soft bread crumbs, (1 slice)
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup coarsely chopped pecans
2 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
Directions
Place sweet potatoes in 3-quart saucepan; add enough water to cover. Cover and heat to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer covered 20 to 25 minutes or until tender; drain. Shake potatoes in saucepan over low heat to dry.
Heat oven to 350ºF. Mash potatoes with 2 tablespoons butter and the salt until no lumps remain. Spoon into ungreased 1-quart casserole. Mix remaining ingredients; sprinkle over potatoes.
Bake uncovered about 30 minutes or until heated through and streusel mixture is golden brown.
VEGETARIAN ‘CARBONARA’ WITH SPINACH
This is from Kay Chun at The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Kay wrote, “This spinach-laden carbonara deviates from the standard by nixing two of its leading ingredients: custardy egg yolks, which create its silky texture, and cured meat, which delivers its salty punch. This egg-free version uses a combination of butter and starchy pasta cooking water to give the sauce body. A sprinkle of grated smoked Provolone or Gouda adds a bit of the earthy flavor that traditionally comes from guanciale or pancetta. The final coup? Adding greens: One entire pound of baby spinach may look like a gargantuan amount, but it wilts right into the pasta. Most importantly, don’t be shy with the black pepper: It adds a necessary dose of spice and heat.”
Time: 20 minutes; Yield: 4 servings
To view this yumminess online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1019816-vegetarian-carbonara-with-spinach.
Ingredients
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup finely chopped onion
5 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 pound spaghetti
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 pound fresh baby spinach
Red-pepper flakes, to taste (optional)
3/4 cup grated Parmesan (2 1/2 ounces)
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup grated smoked Provolone or Gouda (1 1/2 ounces)
Preparation
Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until light golden, about 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a pot of salted boiling water until al dente. Reserve 2 cups cooking water and drain the pasta. Return the pasta and reserved cooking water to the pot and heat over low. Add the butter and onion-garlic mixture and cook, stirring constantly, until most of the liquid is absorbed and sauce is slightly thickened, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the spinach, season with salt, plenty of pepper and red-pepper flakes, if using, and stir until spinach is wilted. Stir in the Parmesan and lemon juice; season with salt and pepper.
Divide the pasta among 4 bowls and top each with 2 tablespoons smoked cheese. Finish with more black pepper, if desired.
QUICK GREEN CHILE SOUP-STEW
This is from the Vegetarian Times website, and was posted posted online on May 1, 2017. It begins, “In an ever more time-pressured world, 'quick' and 'good' become more and more what we all want. On those nights when we must eat now or our blood sugars will crash, try this. It’s as fast as opening a few cans, but it is in fact uncannily good and healthful to boot. If you’re serving it with the muffins above, put them in to bake, begin making the soup-stew, and all will be done by the time the muffins emerge from the oven. It is good, straightforward and unadorned, but you can serve it with any of the following options passed at the table: grated cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese or soy equivalents, low-fat sour cream or soy sour cream and minced cilantro.” Makes 6 servings.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
2 cups black beans, undrained
2 cups kidney beans, undrained
2 cups garbanzo beans, undrained
2 cups black-eyed peas, undrained
1 28-oz. can chopped tomatoes with juice
30 oz. enchilada sauce, preferably New Mexico-style green chile, mild, medium or hot
1 cup canned, unsweetened pumpkin
Preparation
Spray a large soup pot with nonstick cooking spray. Put beans, tomatoes and all liquid into pot, and heat over medium-high heat, stirring often.
When heated through, reduce heat to medium-low, and stir in enchilada sauce and pumpkin. Heat again, stir in salt and pepper and remove from heat. Ladle into large soup bowls, and garnish as desired.
Variation:
Omit pumpkin, using 1 large onion, diced, instead. Heat 1 tablespoon olive or vegetable oil in a large soup pot over medium-high heat, and when onion has softened, add 3 cloves garlic, chopped, and sauté for 2 minutes more. Drain the liquid from the tomatoes and the beans over the onions. When the liquid comes to a boil, add 1/4 pound fresh green beans, stemmed and sliced crosswise in 1/4-inch wide lengths, as well as 1 large yam or sweet potato, peeled and diced into 1/3-inch cubes. You may also use or substitute several small scrubbed but unpeeled, diced Yukon Gold potatoes. Reduce heat to low, and cook, partially covered, for 10 to 12 minutes, or until potatoes and green beans are tender. Add all canned beans, tomatoes, and green enchilada chile sauce. Heat through, and serve.
GRILLED VEGETABLE AND BLACK BEAN FAJITAS
This yummy recipe is from The Scrumptious Pumpkin.
Total Time: 35 minutes; Prep Time: 25 minutes; Cook Time: 10 minutes; Yield: 12 fajitas, 6 servings (2 fajitas per serving; Difficulty: Easy
To view this online, click here
Ingredients
For the Grilled Vegetable and Black Bean Fajitas:
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 organic zucchini, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
16 ounces organic black beans, drained and thoroughly rinsed
1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 1/2 teaspoons onion powder
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
3/4 teaspoons cumin
3/4 teaspoons chili powder
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Fresh Homemade Salsa (recipe below)
1 avocado, pitted, peeled, and sliced
12 organic whole wheat tortillas
Salt
For the Fresh Homemade Salsa:
1 large tomato, diced
1/4 cup green onions (scallions), chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 jalapeño, seeded and finely diced
3 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
1 lime, freshly squeezed
Salt
Instructions
For the Grilled Vegetable and Black Bean Fajitas:
Prepare the grill for 375 degrees F.
Layer first the onion, then the bell pepper, and finally the zucchini on a grill vegetable basket. Season with salt. Cook for about 8 minutes, or until vegetables are softened. Add the black beans to the basket, season with additional salt, and cook about 2 minutes more, or until beans are heated through.
Meanwhile, as vegetables are cooking, prepare the spice mixture. To a large mixing bowl, add garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, cumin, and chili powder. Season with a pinch of salt. Slowly whisk in extra virgin olive oil until well combined.
Immediately after removing the basket from the grill, pour the still-hot vegetables and beans into the mixing bowl. Stir and combine until the seasonings have melted into the vegetables and everything is well coated with oil.
Spoon the vegetable-black bean mixture onto whole wheat tortillas. Top with heaping spoonfuls of Fresh Homemade Salsa (recipe below) and slices of avocado. Roll up tortillas, and serve.
For the Fresh Homemade Salsa:
To a mixing bowl, add the tomato, green onion, garlic, jalapeño, and cilantro. Add the lime juice and season with salt. Stir until all ingredients are well combined.
Storage: refrigerate salsa in a covered, airtight container.
BRAZILIAN BLACK BEAN STEW
This colorful (and yummy) recipe comes from the February 2000 issue of Vegetarian Times, and begins, “Here's a quick vegetarian version of the Brazilian national dish known as feijoada. This stew entices the eye with the colorful contrast of black beans and sweet potatoes and pleases the palate with nourishing ingredients.” Serves 6 in 30 minutes or less.
To view this online, click here.
1 Tbs. vegetable oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 medium cloves garlic, minced
2 medium sweet potatoes (1 to 1 1/4 lbs.), peeled and diced
1 large red bell pepper, diced
14.5-oz. can diced tomatoes
1 small hot green chili pepper, or more to taste, minced
2 16-oz. cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1 ripe mango, pitted, peeled and diced
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 tsp. salt
Meal plan:
Steam some Swiss chard while the stew is simmering and serve with warmed flour tortillas.
In large pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook, stirring, until onion is golden, about 3 minutes.
Stir in sweet potatoes, bell pepper, tomatoes (with liquid), chili and 1 1/2 cups water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer until potatoes are tender but still firm, 10 to 15 minutes.
Stir in beans and simmer gently, uncovered, until heated through, about 5 minutes. Stir in mango and cook until heated through, about 1 minute. Stir in cilantro and salt. Serve hot.
nutritional information Per Serving: Calories: 326; Protein: 16 g; Total Fat: 4 g; Saturated Fat: g; Carbohydrates: 61 g; Cholesterol: mg; Sodium: 211 mg; Fiber: 17 g; Vegan
SPICY COLESLAW
This comes from Sam Sifton in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Sam wrote, “This easy, crisp slaw can be made a few hours ahead of time. It goes well with ribs and a cold beer, fried chicken or whatever summer feast sparks your fancy.”
Yield: Serves 6; Time: 10 minutes, plus hours’ refrigeration
This was featured in “Lone Star”, and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1012539-spicy-coleslaw.
Ingredients
1 medium head green cabbage
2 carrots, peeled and grated
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons pickle relish
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
2 teaspoons pepper sauce, like Frank’s, or to taste
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Preparation:
Cut the cabbage in half and remove the core. Cut each half in half and slice each resulting quarter into thin ribbons. Mix with carrots in a large, nonreactive bowl.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the remaining ingredients.
Pour the dressing over the cabbage and toss. Season to taste.
The coleslaw may be covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated for a few hours. Toss again before serving.
CRANBERRY STREUSEL SWEET POTATOES
This is from that infamous long-since-forgotten emailing list, and begins, “Dotted with crimson cranberries, the streusel topping adds a crunchy touch to mashed sweet potatoes. All the sweetness comes from either the potatoes or cranberries, because no sugar is added.”
Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cooking Time: 60 minutes; Serves: 6
Ingredients
6 medium sweet potatoes, peeled
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup soft bread crumbs, (1 slice)
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup coarsely chopped pecans
2 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
Directions
Place sweet potatoes in 3-quart saucepan; add enough water to cover. Cover and heat to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer covered 20 to 25 minutes or until tender; drain. Shake potatoes in saucepan over low heat to dry.
Heat oven to 350ºF. Mash potatoes with 2 tablespoons butter and the salt until no lumps remain. Spoon into ungreased 1-quart casserole. Mix remaining ingredients; sprinkle over potatoes.
Bake uncovered about 30 minutes or until heated through and streusel mixture is golden brown.
VEGETARIAN ‘CARBONARA’ WITH SPINACH
This is from Kay Chun at The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Kay wrote, “This spinach-laden carbonara deviates from the standard by nixing two of its leading ingredients: custardy egg yolks, which create its silky texture, and cured meat, which delivers its salty punch. This egg-free version uses a combination of butter and starchy pasta cooking water to give the sauce body. A sprinkle of grated smoked Provolone or Gouda adds a bit of the earthy flavor that traditionally comes from guanciale or pancetta. The final coup? Adding greens: One entire pound of baby spinach may look like a gargantuan amount, but it wilts right into the pasta. Most importantly, don’t be shy with the black pepper: It adds a necessary dose of spice and heat.”
Time: 20 minutes; Yield: 4 servings
To view this yumminess online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1019816-vegetarian-carbonara-with-spinach.
Ingredients
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup finely chopped onion
5 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 pound spaghetti
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 pound fresh baby spinach
Red-pepper flakes, to taste (optional)
3/4 cup grated Parmesan (2 1/2 ounces)
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup grated smoked Provolone or Gouda (1 1/2 ounces)
Preparation
Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until light golden, about 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a pot of salted boiling water until al dente. Reserve 2 cups cooking water and drain the pasta. Return the pasta and reserved cooking water to the pot and heat over low. Add the butter and onion-garlic mixture and cook, stirring constantly, until most of the liquid is absorbed and sauce is slightly thickened, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the spinach, season with salt, plenty of pepper and red-pepper flakes, if using, and stir until spinach is wilted. Stir in the Parmesan and lemon juice; season with salt and pepper.
Divide the pasta among 4 bowls and top each with 2 tablespoons smoked cheese. Finish with more black pepper, if desired.
QUICK GREEN CHILE SOUP-STEW
This is from the Vegetarian Times website, and was posted posted online on May 1, 2017. It begins, “In an ever more time-pressured world, 'quick' and 'good' become more and more what we all want. On those nights when we must eat now or our blood sugars will crash, try this. It’s as fast as opening a few cans, but it is in fact uncannily good and healthful to boot. If you’re serving it with the muffins above, put them in to bake, begin making the soup-stew, and all will be done by the time the muffins emerge from the oven. It is good, straightforward and unadorned, but you can serve it with any of the following options passed at the table: grated cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese or soy equivalents, low-fat sour cream or soy sour cream and minced cilantro.” Makes 6 servings.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
2 cups black beans, undrained
2 cups kidney beans, undrained
2 cups garbanzo beans, undrained
2 cups black-eyed peas, undrained
1 28-oz. can chopped tomatoes with juice
30 oz. enchilada sauce, preferably New Mexico-style green chile, mild, medium or hot
1 cup canned, unsweetened pumpkin
Preparation
Spray a large soup pot with nonstick cooking spray. Put beans, tomatoes and all liquid into pot, and heat over medium-high heat, stirring often.
When heated through, reduce heat to medium-low, and stir in enchilada sauce and pumpkin. Heat again, stir in salt and pepper and remove from heat. Ladle into large soup bowls, and garnish as desired.
Variation:
Omit pumpkin, using 1 large onion, diced, instead. Heat 1 tablespoon olive or vegetable oil in a large soup pot over medium-high heat, and when onion has softened, add 3 cloves garlic, chopped, and sauté for 2 minutes more. Drain the liquid from the tomatoes and the beans over the onions. When the liquid comes to a boil, add 1/4 pound fresh green beans, stemmed and sliced crosswise in 1/4-inch wide lengths, as well as 1 large yam or sweet potato, peeled and diced into 1/3-inch cubes. You may also use or substitute several small scrubbed but unpeeled, diced Yukon Gold potatoes. Reduce heat to low, and cook, partially covered, for 10 to 12 minutes, or until potatoes and green beans are tender. Add all canned beans, tomatoes, and green enchilada chile sauce. Heat through, and serve.
GRILLED VEGETABLE AND BLACK BEAN FAJITAS
This yummy recipe is from The Scrumptious Pumpkin.
Total Time: 35 minutes; Prep Time: 25 minutes; Cook Time: 10 minutes; Yield: 12 fajitas, 6 servings (2 fajitas per serving; Difficulty: Easy
To view this online, click here
Ingredients
For the Grilled Vegetable and Black Bean Fajitas:
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 organic zucchini, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
16 ounces organic black beans, drained and thoroughly rinsed
1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 1/2 teaspoons onion powder
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
3/4 teaspoons cumin
3/4 teaspoons chili powder
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Fresh Homemade Salsa (recipe below)
1 avocado, pitted, peeled, and sliced
12 organic whole wheat tortillas
Salt
For the Fresh Homemade Salsa:
1 large tomato, diced
1/4 cup green onions (scallions), chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 jalapeño, seeded and finely diced
3 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
1 lime, freshly squeezed
Salt
Instructions
For the Grilled Vegetable and Black Bean Fajitas:
Prepare the grill for 375 degrees F.
Layer first the onion, then the bell pepper, and finally the zucchini on a grill vegetable basket. Season with salt. Cook for about 8 minutes, or until vegetables are softened. Add the black beans to the basket, season with additional salt, and cook about 2 minutes more, or until beans are heated through.
Meanwhile, as vegetables are cooking, prepare the spice mixture. To a large mixing bowl, add garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, cumin, and chili powder. Season with a pinch of salt. Slowly whisk in extra virgin olive oil until well combined.
Immediately after removing the basket from the grill, pour the still-hot vegetables and beans into the mixing bowl. Stir and combine until the seasonings have melted into the vegetables and everything is well coated with oil.
Spoon the vegetable-black bean mixture onto whole wheat tortillas. Top with heaping spoonfuls of Fresh Homemade Salsa (recipe below) and slices of avocado. Roll up tortillas, and serve.
For the Fresh Homemade Salsa:
To a mixing bowl, add the tomato, green onion, garlic, jalapeño, and cilantro. Add the lime juice and season with salt. Stir until all ingredients are well combined.
Storage: refrigerate salsa in a covered, airtight container.
BRAZILIAN BLACK BEAN STEW
This colorful (and yummy) recipe comes from the February 2000 issue of Vegetarian Times, and begins, “Here's a quick vegetarian version of the Brazilian national dish known as feijoada. This stew entices the eye with the colorful contrast of black beans and sweet potatoes and pleases the palate with nourishing ingredients.” Serves 6 in 30 minutes or less.
To view this online, click here.
1 Tbs. vegetable oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 medium cloves garlic, minced
2 medium sweet potatoes (1 to 1 1/4 lbs.), peeled and diced
1 large red bell pepper, diced
14.5-oz. can diced tomatoes
1 small hot green chili pepper, or more to taste, minced
2 16-oz. cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1 ripe mango, pitted, peeled and diced
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 tsp. salt
Meal plan:
Steam some Swiss chard while the stew is simmering and serve with warmed flour tortillas.
In large pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook, stirring, until onion is golden, about 3 minutes.
Stir in sweet potatoes, bell pepper, tomatoes (with liquid), chili and 1 1/2 cups water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer until potatoes are tender but still firm, 10 to 15 minutes.
Stir in beans and simmer gently, uncovered, until heated through, about 5 minutes. Stir in mango and cook until heated through, about 1 minute. Stir in cilantro and salt. Serve hot.
nutritional information Per Serving: Calories: 326; Protein: 16 g; Total Fat: 4 g; Saturated Fat: g; Carbohydrates: 61 g; Cholesterol: mg; Sodium: 211 mg; Fiber: 17 g; Vegan
Taco Tuesday
It's time for another Taco Tuesday. Today's six taco recipes include Jamaican Curried Tempeh Tacos and Easy and Warm Farmstand Chili Tacos. Enjoy!
SPAGHETTI SQUASH & BLACK BEAN TACOS
This comes from Kelly, whose site, Mountain Mama Cooks is really pretty awesome. I highly recommend checking it out!
This recipe begins, “Crispy blue corn shells filled with black beans, savory spaghetti squash, cotija cheese and plenty of hot sauce. Vegetarian tacos never looked so good.”
To view this online on Kelly’s site, go to https://mountainmamacooks.com/spaghetti-squash-black-bean-tacos/.
Ingredients
1– 2 lb spaghetti squash (if you go bigger, increase spices accordingly)
2 tablespoons melted butter
juice of 1 lime (about 2 tablespoons)
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 14oz can black beans, thoroughly rinsed
8–10 crispy blue corn tortillas
crumbled cojita cheese
cilantro
hot sauce (optional)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400F degrees.
Cut spaghetti squash in half lengthwise, scoop out the seeds, throw about 1 teaspoon olive oil on each half and roast both halves face down on a rimmed baking sheet. Roast the squash halves in the pre-heated oven until tender and easily pierced with a fork, 45-60 minutes. (Alternately, you can microwave the squash if you’re short on time.)
Meanwhile, combine melted butter, lime juice, chili powder, salt, cumin and garlic powder in a small bowl.
When spaghetti squash is done remove from oven and let cool a few minutes until you can handle it easily. Working over a large bowl, gently scrape out the flesh with a fork. Add butter mixture to the squash and toss well to combine.
In the bottom of each corn tortilla, spread out a small handful (about 2 tablespoons) of black beans. Top with some spaghetti squash (about 1/4 cup). Top again with crumbled cojita cheese.
Line the tacos in a 9×13 baking dish or similar and bake in a preheated oven for 20 minutes.
To serve, top with fresh cilantro and hot sauce if desired.
VEGETARIAN MUSHROOM TACOS
This was on the Runner’s World website (posted September 27, 2012), and begins, “Get the flavors of Tacos al Pastor, minus the meat...
“Back when I first became a vegetarian, I thought about meat all the time. I missed it. So I pulled the classic rookie-vegetarian move of trying to recapture the magic of my favorite meals through a steady intake of Chik Nuggets, Tofu Pups, and other dubious miracles of modern culinary science. Imitation meat products (well, and 'newly minted vegetarian smugness') were the staples of my new diet—a lifestyle I later learned goes by the glamorous name of 'junk-food vegetarianism.' Ah, the folly of herbivorous youth.
“Now, after more than 10 years off the meat wagon, I don’t fantasize about meat—or even unhealthy tofu substitutes—at all. I’ve found that some of the 'meatier' vegetarian meals can be made almost entirely from plants, eliminating the need for overly processed soy.
“That’s why I love these mushroom tacos. They have the rich flavor of a slow-cooked pork taco and a satisfying meaty texture. But unlike with pork, mushrooms start out tender and only take about 10 minutes or so on the stove. Plus mushrooms are cholesterol-free, fat-free, full of vitamins, and are rumored to have mystical cancer-fighting properties. It's hard to go wrong when you throw “cancer-fighting” into the mix.
“My partner invented this recipe based on the seasonings that go into Tacos al Pastor. Minus the pineapple and coke, but if you want to experiment with those too, knock yourself out. It's a fast and filling recipe that’s super easy to make for a large crowd.”
Recipe feeds 2-3 runners; Time needed: 30-45 minutes
View this online at https://www.runnersworld.com/nutrition-weight-loss/a20787900/recipe-vegetarian-mushroom-tacos/.
Ingredients
Pound of scrubbed assorted mushrooms (creminis and portabellos work well)
1 yellow onion
2 cloves garlic
6 small corn tortillas
1 orange
1 lime
1 teaspoon cumin
2 teaspoons dark chili powder
1 teaspoon oregano
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Salt to taste
Cilantro
Directions
Dice up one onion, setting aside three tablespoons for onion topping. Cut mushrooms into large chunks.
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high-heat. Add onions and mushrooms and sauté for about 10 minutes until onions are tender and mushrooms begin to brown.
Mince garlic. Juice orange and lime. Reserve two wedges of lime.
Add garlic, cumin, oregano, and chili powder to onions and mushroom.
Saute for 30 seconds until garlic is aromatic, then add orange and lime juice, along with about a teaspoon of salt.
Cook for two to three minutes until the juice reduces.
Heat tortillas individually in a dry pan on the stove or all together wrapped in a towel in the microwave.
Spoon mushroom mix into tortillas and garnish with reserved raw onion and chopped cilantro. Enjoy!
WHITE BEAN AND POTATO TACOS (GLUTEN FREE AND VEGAN)
A while back, I stumbled across Oh My Veggies. They have all sorts of yummy veggie recipes, including a bunch of taco links.
This taco recipe, which was among the taco links on Oh My Veggies, is from Beard & Bonnet. Beard & Bonnet’s Meg van der Kruik is “the writer, mother, photographer, designer, cook and creative spirit behind Beard & Bonnet.”
This can be viewed online at http://beardandbonnet.com/white-bean-and-potato-tacos-gluten-free-and-vegan/.
Serves 4; Prep Time: 20 min
Ingredients
2 cups cooked white beans, I used Navy beans, or 1 can of cannelini beans, washed and drained
4-5 small potatoes, unpeeled, scrubbed, and cut into tiny cubes (or 1 large russet potato)
1/2 cup cilantro, minced
Juice and zest of 1 lime
Olive oil for frying
salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste
To assemble
6-8 white corn tortillas, blistered on both sides in a cast iron skillet
pickled jalapenos & radishes
cherry tomatoes, halved; I used Sungold cherry tomatoes from my CSA
lime wedges for serving
Instructions
Pour about 2 tablespoons of olive oil into a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the potatoes and a large pinch of salt, toss to coat and cover with a tight fitting lid. The potatoes will take about 5-8 minutes to cook through. Be sure to periodically lift the lid, scrape the pan, and toss the potatoes to ensure that all sides are crisp and golden.
While the potatoes are cooking toss the precooked, warmed, white beans with the chopped cilantro, lime zest, and juice. Mix well to combine and set aside.
When the potatoes are finished cooking set up an assembly line at your table with the tortillas, potatoes, white beans, and toppings. Allow your family to each build there own to suit their tastes.
POTATO TACOS
Potato Tacos? Sure, why not? This also comes from Vegetarian Times, and begins, "These tasty tacos are spicy! Feel free to reduce the amount of chipotle if you prefer milder flavor." Serves 2.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients:
1 tsp. vegetable oil
1/2 medium onion, diced
1/2 small red bell pepper, diced
1 small clove garlic, minced
1/2 canned chipotle chili in adobo sauce
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1 medium potato, baked and diced
1 to 2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
1 Tbs. chopped fresh cilantro
2 whole wheat tortillas, warmed
Instructions:
In large nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion, bell pepper and garlic and cook, stirring often, until almost tender, 3 to 4 minutes.
Add chipotle, cumin and oregano and stir 30 seconds. Add potato, toss well to coat and heat through. Stir in lemon juice and cilantro and remove from heat. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.
Divide potato mixture among tortillas and serve hot, garnished with condiments as desired.
Nutrition Information: Calories: 226; Protein: 6 g; Total Fat: 3 g; Saturated Fat: 0 g; Carbohydrates: 51 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 181 mg; Fiber: 6 g; Sugar: 0 g
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
EASY AND WARM FARMSTAND CHILI TACOS
This is from Stephanie Lang, MS, RDN, CDN, who wrote for VeryWellFit. Stephanie wrote, “These chili tacos offer a rainbow of color—red (tomato), orange (sweet potato), yellow (summer squash), green (zucchini, green olives), and purple (pinto beans, red onion)—all from plant-based ingredients, making for an antioxidant-rich Mediterranean-style meal.
“All the ingredients get mixed together and baked in the oven, allowing for a relatively hands-off cooking experience. The finely chopped green olives add umami, a meat-like savoriness to the recipe. Use umami-enhancing ingredients like mushrooms, soy sauce, miso, tomato paste and olives to deepen the flavor of vegetarian dishes.
“Pinto beans provide the main source of protein in these tacos. Make this dish on Meatless Monday, or any day of the week, for a plant-based family favorite.”
Prep Time: 30 minutes; Cook Time: 30 minutes; Total Time: 60 minutes; Servings: 6 (2 tacos each).
To view this online, click here.
Note:This recipe adheres to recipe guidelines and cancer prevention recommendations outlined by the American Institute for Cancer Research.
Ingredients
1 medium zucchini, cubed
1 medium yellow squash, cubed
1 small sweet potato, peeled and cubed
1 medium jalapeno, de-seeded and finely chopped
1/2 medium red onion, chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon chili powder, divided
1/2 cup green olives, rinsed and finely chopped
1, 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes
1, 15-ounce can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
salt and pepper to taste
12 6-inch corn tortillas
6 tablespoons non-fat plain Greek yogurt or sour cream (1/2 tablespoon per taco)
Preparation
Heat oven to 400 F.
Mix together the zucchini, squash, sweet potato, jalapeno, and red onion with the olive oil and half the chili powder and place on a baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes, then toss with a spatula.
Add the green olives, diced tomatoes, and pinto beans to the vegetable mixture with the remaining chili powder and bake for another 10 to 15 minutes, until everything is heated through and the vegetables are tender.
Stir in the cilantro. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Warm the tortillas by wrapping in a clean towel and microwaving for 15 to 30 seconds, or heat individually over a flame on the stove top.
Spoon the vegetable-bean mixture into the tortillas and serve with extra cilantro and a dollop of sour cream or Greek yogurt.
Ingredient Variations and Substitutions
If any of the vegetables or beans in this recipe are not your cup of tea (or chili), you can easily replace them with a food that you prefer. Perhaps you'll want to swap the pinto beans for chickpeas. Chickpeas are nutritionally similar to pinto beans, with the exception of being higher in vitamin A, calories and omega-6 fatty acids, and lower in omega-3 fatty acids.
Try using plain Greek yogurt as a substitute for sour cream; it has a similar consistency and flavor but contains more protein.
Cooking and Serving Tips
Make enough of this recipe and serve it differently for 5 tasty meals! Try the tacos one night, a warm bowl of chili the next, and Tex Mex migas for a flavorsome and colorful breakfast. On the weekend, enjoy leftovers piled onto a whole grain roll (like a sloppy joe) or served cold atop greens for a salsa-like touch to your favorite salad.
Chili can be stored in the freezer for 4 to 6 months. Scoop your leftover chili into an airtight container, write the packaged and use-by dates on the top, and store. Not only will you have a quick meal to defrost and heat up in the future, but you can revisit your delicious farmstand seasonal vegetables in the winter and spring.
SPAGHETTI SQUASH & BLACK BEAN TACOS
This comes from Kelly, whose site, Mountain Mama Cooks is really pretty awesome. I highly recommend checking it out!
This recipe begins, “Crispy blue corn shells filled with black beans, savory spaghetti squash, cotija cheese and plenty of hot sauce. Vegetarian tacos never looked so good.”
To view this online on Kelly’s site, go to https://mountainmamacooks.com/spaghetti-squash-black-bean-tacos/.
Ingredients
1– 2 lb spaghetti squash (if you go bigger, increase spices accordingly)
2 tablespoons melted butter
juice of 1 lime (about 2 tablespoons)
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 14oz can black beans, thoroughly rinsed
8–10 crispy blue corn tortillas
crumbled cojita cheese
cilantro
hot sauce (optional)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400F degrees.
Cut spaghetti squash in half lengthwise, scoop out the seeds, throw about 1 teaspoon olive oil on each half and roast both halves face down on a rimmed baking sheet. Roast the squash halves in the pre-heated oven until tender and easily pierced with a fork, 45-60 minutes. (Alternately, you can microwave the squash if you’re short on time.)
Meanwhile, combine melted butter, lime juice, chili powder, salt, cumin and garlic powder in a small bowl.
When spaghetti squash is done remove from oven and let cool a few minutes until you can handle it easily. Working over a large bowl, gently scrape out the flesh with a fork. Add butter mixture to the squash and toss well to combine.
In the bottom of each corn tortilla, spread out a small handful (about 2 tablespoons) of black beans. Top with some spaghetti squash (about 1/4 cup). Top again with crumbled cojita cheese.
Line the tacos in a 9×13 baking dish or similar and bake in a preheated oven for 20 minutes.
To serve, top with fresh cilantro and hot sauce if desired.
VEGETARIAN MUSHROOM TACOS
This was on the Runner’s World website (posted September 27, 2012), and begins, “Get the flavors of Tacos al Pastor, minus the meat...
“Back when I first became a vegetarian, I thought about meat all the time. I missed it. So I pulled the classic rookie-vegetarian move of trying to recapture the magic of my favorite meals through a steady intake of Chik Nuggets, Tofu Pups, and other dubious miracles of modern culinary science. Imitation meat products (well, and 'newly minted vegetarian smugness') were the staples of my new diet—a lifestyle I later learned goes by the glamorous name of 'junk-food vegetarianism.' Ah, the folly of herbivorous youth.
“Now, after more than 10 years off the meat wagon, I don’t fantasize about meat—or even unhealthy tofu substitutes—at all. I’ve found that some of the 'meatier' vegetarian meals can be made almost entirely from plants, eliminating the need for overly processed soy.
“That’s why I love these mushroom tacos. They have the rich flavor of a slow-cooked pork taco and a satisfying meaty texture. But unlike with pork, mushrooms start out tender and only take about 10 minutes or so on the stove. Plus mushrooms are cholesterol-free, fat-free, full of vitamins, and are rumored to have mystical cancer-fighting properties. It's hard to go wrong when you throw “cancer-fighting” into the mix.
“My partner invented this recipe based on the seasonings that go into Tacos al Pastor. Minus the pineapple and coke, but if you want to experiment with those too, knock yourself out. It's a fast and filling recipe that’s super easy to make for a large crowd.”
Recipe feeds 2-3 runners; Time needed: 30-45 minutes
View this online at https://www.runnersworld.com/nutrition-weight-loss/a20787900/recipe-vegetarian-mushroom-tacos/.
Ingredients
Pound of scrubbed assorted mushrooms (creminis and portabellos work well)
1 yellow onion
2 cloves garlic
6 small corn tortillas
1 orange
1 lime
1 teaspoon cumin
2 teaspoons dark chili powder
1 teaspoon oregano
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Salt to taste
Cilantro
Directions
Dice up one onion, setting aside three tablespoons for onion topping. Cut mushrooms into large chunks.
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high-heat. Add onions and mushrooms and sauté for about 10 minutes until onions are tender and mushrooms begin to brown.
Mince garlic. Juice orange and lime. Reserve two wedges of lime.
Add garlic, cumin, oregano, and chili powder to onions and mushroom.
Saute for 30 seconds until garlic is aromatic, then add orange and lime juice, along with about a teaspoon of salt.
Cook for two to three minutes until the juice reduces.
Heat tortillas individually in a dry pan on the stove or all together wrapped in a towel in the microwave.
Spoon mushroom mix into tortillas and garnish with reserved raw onion and chopped cilantro. Enjoy!
WHITE BEAN AND POTATO TACOS (GLUTEN FREE AND VEGAN)
A while back, I stumbled across Oh My Veggies. They have all sorts of yummy veggie recipes, including a bunch of taco links.
This taco recipe, which was among the taco links on Oh My Veggies, is from Beard & Bonnet. Beard & Bonnet’s Meg van der Kruik is “the writer, mother, photographer, designer, cook and creative spirit behind Beard & Bonnet.”
This can be viewed online at http://beardandbonnet.com/white-bean-and-potato-tacos-gluten-free-and-vegan/.
Serves 4; Prep Time: 20 min
Ingredients
2 cups cooked white beans, I used Navy beans, or 1 can of cannelini beans, washed and drained
4-5 small potatoes, unpeeled, scrubbed, and cut into tiny cubes (or 1 large russet potato)
1/2 cup cilantro, minced
Juice and zest of 1 lime
Olive oil for frying
salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste
To assemble
6-8 white corn tortillas, blistered on both sides in a cast iron skillet
pickled jalapenos & radishes
cherry tomatoes, halved; I used Sungold cherry tomatoes from my CSA
lime wedges for serving
Instructions
Pour about 2 tablespoons of olive oil into a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the potatoes and a large pinch of salt, toss to coat and cover with a tight fitting lid. The potatoes will take about 5-8 minutes to cook through. Be sure to periodically lift the lid, scrape the pan, and toss the potatoes to ensure that all sides are crisp and golden.
While the potatoes are cooking toss the precooked, warmed, white beans with the chopped cilantro, lime zest, and juice. Mix well to combine and set aside.
When the potatoes are finished cooking set up an assembly line at your table with the tortillas, potatoes, white beans, and toppings. Allow your family to each build there own to suit their tastes.
POTATO TACOS
Potato Tacos? Sure, why not? This also comes from Vegetarian Times, and begins, "These tasty tacos are spicy! Feel free to reduce the amount of chipotle if you prefer milder flavor." Serves 2.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients:
1 tsp. vegetable oil
1/2 medium onion, diced
1/2 small red bell pepper, diced
1 small clove garlic, minced
1/2 canned chipotle chili in adobo sauce
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1 medium potato, baked and diced
1 to 2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
1 Tbs. chopped fresh cilantro
2 whole wheat tortillas, warmed
Instructions:
In large nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion, bell pepper and garlic and cook, stirring often, until almost tender, 3 to 4 minutes.
Add chipotle, cumin and oregano and stir 30 seconds. Add potato, toss well to coat and heat through. Stir in lemon juice and cilantro and remove from heat. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.
Divide potato mixture among tortillas and serve hot, garnished with condiments as desired.
Nutrition Information: Calories: 226; Protein: 6 g; Total Fat: 3 g; Saturated Fat: 0 g; Carbohydrates: 51 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 181 mg; Fiber: 6 g; Sugar: 0 g
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
EASY AND WARM FARMSTAND CHILI TACOS
This is from Stephanie Lang, MS, RDN, CDN, who wrote for VeryWellFit. Stephanie wrote, “These chili tacos offer a rainbow of color—red (tomato), orange (sweet potato), yellow (summer squash), green (zucchini, green olives), and purple (pinto beans, red onion)—all from plant-based ingredients, making for an antioxidant-rich Mediterranean-style meal.
“All the ingredients get mixed together and baked in the oven, allowing for a relatively hands-off cooking experience. The finely chopped green olives add umami, a meat-like savoriness to the recipe. Use umami-enhancing ingredients like mushrooms, soy sauce, miso, tomato paste and olives to deepen the flavor of vegetarian dishes.
“Pinto beans provide the main source of protein in these tacos. Make this dish on Meatless Monday, or any day of the week, for a plant-based family favorite.”
Prep Time: 30 minutes; Cook Time: 30 minutes; Total Time: 60 minutes; Servings: 6 (2 tacos each).
To view this online, click here.
Note:This recipe adheres to recipe guidelines and cancer prevention recommendations outlined by the American Institute for Cancer Research.
Ingredients
1 medium zucchini, cubed
1 medium yellow squash, cubed
1 small sweet potato, peeled and cubed
1 medium jalapeno, de-seeded and finely chopped
1/2 medium red onion, chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon chili powder, divided
1/2 cup green olives, rinsed and finely chopped
1, 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes
1, 15-ounce can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
salt and pepper to taste
12 6-inch corn tortillas
6 tablespoons non-fat plain Greek yogurt or sour cream (1/2 tablespoon per taco)
Preparation
Heat oven to 400 F.
Mix together the zucchini, squash, sweet potato, jalapeno, and red onion with the olive oil and half the chili powder and place on a baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes, then toss with a spatula.
Add the green olives, diced tomatoes, and pinto beans to the vegetable mixture with the remaining chili powder and bake for another 10 to 15 minutes, until everything is heated through and the vegetables are tender.
Stir in the cilantro. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Warm the tortillas by wrapping in a clean towel and microwaving for 15 to 30 seconds, or heat individually over a flame on the stove top.
Spoon the vegetable-bean mixture into the tortillas and serve with extra cilantro and a dollop of sour cream or Greek yogurt.
Ingredient Variations and Substitutions
If any of the vegetables or beans in this recipe are not your cup of tea (or chili), you can easily replace them with a food that you prefer. Perhaps you'll want to swap the pinto beans for chickpeas. Chickpeas are nutritionally similar to pinto beans, with the exception of being higher in vitamin A, calories and omega-6 fatty acids, and lower in omega-3 fatty acids.
Try using plain Greek yogurt as a substitute for sour cream; it has a similar consistency and flavor but contains more protein.
Cooking and Serving Tips
Make enough of this recipe and serve it differently for 5 tasty meals! Try the tacos one night, a warm bowl of chili the next, and Tex Mex migas for a flavorsome and colorful breakfast. On the weekend, enjoy leftovers piled onto a whole grain roll (like a sloppy joe) or served cold atop greens for a salsa-like touch to your favorite salad.
Chili can be stored in the freezer for 4 to 6 months. Scoop your leftover chili into an airtight container, write the packaged and use-by dates on the top, and store. Not only will you have a quick meal to defrost and heat up in the future, but you can revisit your delicious farmstand seasonal vegetables in the winter and spring.
Monday, February 17, 2020
Pasta Party
I love pasta in all its many forms. According to my parents, spaghetti was one of my earliest favorite dinners. I even remember having a lemonade stand with a friend so we could get the money together for a large spaghetti dinner for both families. Well, that was the plan...but I think, truth be told, we spent the money on other necessities, like candy. (We were seven or eight at the time.) But it was a good thought...
Anyway, here are today's pasta recipes, and include Pasta Primavera and my Angel Hair Pasta.Enjoy!
CHEESE-STUFFED SHELLS IN MARINARA SAUCE
This recipe is from FamilyTime, and begins, “A traditional Italian-style favorite is made easier for you! Combine Buitoni Marinara Sauce with stuffed shells, add a tossed salad and warm bread and sit down to a satisfying meal!”
Serves: 6; Prep. time: 15 minutes; Cooking time: 30 minutes.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
12 dried jumbo whole-wheat or regular pasta shells, prepared according to package directions
1 cup (4 ounces)shredded reduced-fat mozzarella cheese, divided
1 cup fat free or reduced-fat ricotta cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 large egg
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 container (15 oz.) BUITONI® refrigerated Marinara Sauce
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degree F.
Combine 3/4 cup mozzarella cheese, ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, egg and pepper in a medium bowl. Stuff each shell evenly with cheese mixture; place in ungreased 12 x 71/2-inch (2-quart rectangular) baking dish. Pour sauce over shells.
Bake for 25 minutes or until bubbly. Top with remaining mozzarella cheese. Bake for an additional 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.
For Freeze Ahead:
Prepare as above; do not bake. Do not top with remaining mozarella cheese. Cover; freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in refrigerator.
Preheat oven to 350° F.
Bake for 30 to 40 minutes. Top with remaining mozzarella cheese. Bake for an additional 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.
ANGEL HAIR PASTA
I had something similar to this at a local Italian restaurant several times, and decided to try making it. A hint for making this: wait until all the veggies have been cut up, then start the water boiling for the angel hair pasta. The veggies should be cooked for 2-4 minutes, and the pasta cooked for 2 minutes before the pasta is drained and then allowed to finish cooking for another 2 minutes with the veggies. Timing is important—unless you like disgustingly soggy pasta.
Note: This recipe can be found in my e-cookbook, Off the Wall Cooking. I'm in the process of updating this e-cookbook, including photos of some of the recipes.
Ingredients
1/2 C water
2 T balsamic vinegar
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 red pepper, diced
1/2green pepper, diced
1 T oregano
1 lb. angel hair pasta
Directions
Cut up veggies while heating the pasta water. DO NOT PUT PASTA INTO WATER UNTIL THE VEGGIES BEGIN COOKING. (There. I said it.) In veggie pot, heat 1/2 C water & balsamic vinegar until it begins to bubble; add onion, garlic, pepper & oregano and stir once or twice. NOW ADD PASTA TO POT OF BOILING PASTA WATER. (Boy, what a bossy broad.) Simmer veggies on low-medium heat for 2-4 minutes, covered. Cook pasta for only 2 minutes, then drain in colander. As soon as pasta is drained, remove cover from veggies, dump pasta into veggie pot, and cook for another 2 minutes, stirring several times. Remove from heat. DIG IN!!! (Now, isn’t that good?)
PASTA PRIMAVERA
This absolutely yummy recipe is from Giada De Laurentiis of The Food Network’s Everyday Italian. Total Time: 45 min; Prep: 25 min; Cook: 20 min; Yield: 6 servings; Level: Easy
Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/pasta-primavera-recipe.html?oc=linkback
Ingredients
3 carrots, peeled and cut into thin strips
2 medium zucchini or 1 large zucchini, cut into thin strips
2 yellow squash, cut into thin strips
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 yellow bell pepper, cut into thin strips
1 red bell pepper, cut into thin strips
1/4 cup olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon dried Italian herbs or herbes de Provence
1 pound farfalle (bowtie pasta)
15 cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
Directions
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
On a large heavy baking sheet, toss all of the vegetables with the oil, salt, pepper, and dried herbs to coat. Transfer half of the vegetable mixture to another heavy large baking sheet and arrange evenly over the baking sheets. Bake until the carrots are tender and the vegetables begin to brown, stirring after the first 10 minutes, about 20 minutes total.
Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente, tender but still firm to the bite, about 8 minutes. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid.
Toss the pasta with the vegetable mixtures in a large bowl to combine. Toss with the cherry tomatoes and enough reserved cooking liquid to moisten. Season the pasta with salt and pepper, to taste. Sprinkle with the Parmesan and serve immediately.
This comes from Ali Slagel at The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Ali wrote, “Pasta with chickpeas is a substantial, quickly assembled meal, but what’s alluring about this version is the undercurrent of rosemary. Whole sprigs lightly fried in olive oil provide flavor in two ways: the leaves are crumbled into the pasta for a fragrant punch, and the infused oil slicks the noodles. You could add spinach, arugula or kale when you toss the pasta in the sauce, or simply brighten it with parsley, Parmesan and lemon.”
Time: 20 minutes; Yield: 4 servings
To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1019901-linguine-with-crisp-chickpeas-and-rosemary.
Ingredients
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
8 fresh rosemary sprigs
Kosher salt and black pepper
1 pound linguine or other long noodle
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
1 (14-ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed, drained and patted very dry
1/2 cup coarsely chopped parsley
1 lemon, cut into wedges
Freshly grated Parmesan or pecorino, for serving (optional)
Preparation
Bring a large pot of heavily salted water (2 heaping tablespoons kosher salt to about 7 quarts water) to a boil. Meanwhile, make the rosemary oil: Pat the rosemary dry with a kitchen towel. In a large Dutch oven or skillet big enough to hold all the pasta, warm the oil over medium heat. Once shimmering, add the rosemary sprigs and fry, flipping once, until sizzling subsides and leaves are crisp, 3 or 4 minutes.
Transfer the sprigs to a paper towel-lined plate, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Keep the pot with the oil on the stove.
Add pasta to the boiling water, and cook to al dente according to package directions. Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water, and drain the pasta.
While the pasta cooks, with the rosemary oil over medium-high heat, add the butter. Once melted, add the garlic and chickpeas and fry, stirring occasionally, until the chickpeas are golden brown and crisp, 8 to 10 minutes. If some of the chickpeas explode like popcorn, that’s a good sign.
As the chickpeas cook, remove the rosemary leaves from the sprigs (pinch the top of the sprig and swipe downwards). If any do not come off easily, they aren’t fully fried: Throw them back into the oil with the chickpeas and remove them after a quick fry. Crumble the leaves by rubbing them between your fingers, and set aside.
Once the chickpeas are crisp, season with salt and pepper, reduce heat to low and stir in the pasta, adding pasta water as needed to form a glossy sauce. Stir in the parsley and crumbled rosemary leaves. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve with a lemon wedge for squeezing. Top with grated cheese and a drizzle of olive oil if desired.
VEGETARIAN ‘CARBONARA’ WITH SPINACH
This is from Kay Chun at The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Kay wrote, “This spinach-laden carbonara deviates from the standard by nixing two of its leading ingredients: custardy egg yolks, which create its silky texture, and cured meat, which delivers its salty punch. This egg-free version uses a combination of butter and starchy pasta cooking water to give the sauce body. A sprinkle of grated smoked Provolone or Gouda adds a bit of the earthy flavor that traditionally comes from guanciale or pancetta. The final coup? Adding greens: One entire pound of baby spinach may look like a gargantuan amount, but it wilts right into the pasta. Most importantly, don’t be shy with the black pepper: It adds a necessary dose of spice and heat.”
Time: 20 minutes; Yield: 4 servings
To view this yumminess online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1019816-vegetarian-carbonara-with-spinach.
Ingredients
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup finely chopped onion
5 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 pound spaghetti
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 pound fresh baby spinach
Red-pepper flakes, to taste (optional)
3/4 cup grated Parmesan (2 1/2 ounces)
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup grated smoked Provolone or Gouda (1 1/2 ounces)
Preparation
Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until light golden, about 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a pot of salted boiling water until al dente. Reserve 2 cups cooking water and drain the pasta. Return the pasta and reserved cooking water to the pot and heat over low. Add the butter and onion-garlic mixture and cook, stirring constantly, until most of the liquid is absorbed and sauce is slightly thickened, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the spinach, season with salt, plenty of pepper and red-pepper flakes, if using, and stir until spinach is wilted. Stir in the Parmesan and lemon juice; season with salt and pepper.
Divide the pasta among 4 bowls and top each with 2 tablespoons smoked cheese. Finish with more black pepper, if desired.
PASTA SALAD
This comes from the infamous long-since-forgotten emailing list, though I suspect it's a diabetic recipe, as it has the nutritional info. Yield: 6 servings (6 cups total)
Ingredients
3 cups cooked tricolor spiral pasta (1-1/2 cups dry), or 3 cups other cooked pasta
1 large ripe tomato, cored, seeded, and chopped
1 medium green bell pepper, cored, seeded, and chopped
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded reduced-fat Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup black olives, drained and sliced
1/2 cup prepared fat-free Italian or Parmesan-pepper dressing
Directions
Combine all the ingredients; toss to mix. Chill to blend the flavors. (This salad is even better the second day.)
Nutritional Information Per Serving (1 cup): Calories: 165, Fat: 4 g, Cholesterol: 10 mg, Sodium: 355 mg, Carbohydrate: 22 g, Dietary Fiber: 2 g, Sugars: 5 g, Protein: 9 g
Diabetic Exchanges: 1-1/2 Starch, 1 Vegetable, 1/2 Fat
Anyway, here are today's pasta recipes, and include Pasta Primavera and my Angel Hair Pasta.Enjoy!
CHEESE-STUFFED SHELLS IN MARINARA SAUCE
This recipe is from FamilyTime, and begins, “A traditional Italian-style favorite is made easier for you! Combine Buitoni Marinara Sauce with stuffed shells, add a tossed salad and warm bread and sit down to a satisfying meal!”
Serves: 6; Prep. time: 15 minutes; Cooking time: 30 minutes.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
12 dried jumbo whole-wheat or regular pasta shells, prepared according to package directions
1 cup (4 ounces)shredded reduced-fat mozzarella cheese, divided
1 cup fat free or reduced-fat ricotta cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 large egg
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 container (15 oz.) BUITONI® refrigerated Marinara Sauce
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degree F.
Combine 3/4 cup mozzarella cheese, ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, egg and pepper in a medium bowl. Stuff each shell evenly with cheese mixture; place in ungreased 12 x 71/2-inch (2-quart rectangular) baking dish. Pour sauce over shells.
Bake for 25 minutes or until bubbly. Top with remaining mozzarella cheese. Bake for an additional 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.
For Freeze Ahead:
Prepare as above; do not bake. Do not top with remaining mozarella cheese. Cover; freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in refrigerator.
Preheat oven to 350° F.
Bake for 30 to 40 minutes. Top with remaining mozzarella cheese. Bake for an additional 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.
ANGEL HAIR PASTA
I had something similar to this at a local Italian restaurant several times, and decided to try making it. A hint for making this: wait until all the veggies have been cut up, then start the water boiling for the angel hair pasta. The veggies should be cooked for 2-4 minutes, and the pasta cooked for 2 minutes before the pasta is drained and then allowed to finish cooking for another 2 minutes with the veggies. Timing is important—unless you like disgustingly soggy pasta.
Note: This recipe can be found in my e-cookbook, Off the Wall Cooking. I'm in the process of updating this e-cookbook, including photos of some of the recipes.
Ingredients
1/2 C water
2 T balsamic vinegar
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 red pepper, diced
1/2green pepper, diced
1 T oregano
1 lb. angel hair pasta
Directions
Cut up veggies while heating the pasta water. DO NOT PUT PASTA INTO WATER UNTIL THE VEGGIES BEGIN COOKING. (There. I said it.) In veggie pot, heat 1/2 C water & balsamic vinegar until it begins to bubble; add onion, garlic, pepper & oregano and stir once or twice. NOW ADD PASTA TO POT OF BOILING PASTA WATER. (Boy, what a bossy broad.) Simmer veggies on low-medium heat for 2-4 minutes, covered. Cook pasta for only 2 minutes, then drain in colander. As soon as pasta is drained, remove cover from veggies, dump pasta into veggie pot, and cook for another 2 minutes, stirring several times. Remove from heat. DIG IN!!! (Now, isn’t that good?)
PASTA PRIMAVERA
This absolutely yummy recipe is from Giada De Laurentiis of The Food Network’s Everyday Italian. Total Time: 45 min; Prep: 25 min; Cook: 20 min; Yield: 6 servings; Level: Easy
Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/pasta-primavera-recipe.html?oc=linkback
Ingredients
3 carrots, peeled and cut into thin strips
2 medium zucchini or 1 large zucchini, cut into thin strips
2 yellow squash, cut into thin strips
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 yellow bell pepper, cut into thin strips
1 red bell pepper, cut into thin strips
1/4 cup olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon dried Italian herbs or herbes de Provence
1 pound farfalle (bowtie pasta)
15 cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
Directions
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
On a large heavy baking sheet, toss all of the vegetables with the oil, salt, pepper, and dried herbs to coat. Transfer half of the vegetable mixture to another heavy large baking sheet and arrange evenly over the baking sheets. Bake until the carrots are tender and the vegetables begin to brown, stirring after the first 10 minutes, about 20 minutes total.
Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente, tender but still firm to the bite, about 8 minutes. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid.
Toss the pasta with the vegetable mixtures in a large bowl to combine. Toss with the cherry tomatoes and enough reserved cooking liquid to moisten. Season the pasta with salt and pepper, to taste. Sprinkle with the Parmesan and serve immediately.
This comes from Ali Slagel at The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Ali wrote, “Pasta with chickpeas is a substantial, quickly assembled meal, but what’s alluring about this version is the undercurrent of rosemary. Whole sprigs lightly fried in olive oil provide flavor in two ways: the leaves are crumbled into the pasta for a fragrant punch, and the infused oil slicks the noodles. You could add spinach, arugula or kale when you toss the pasta in the sauce, or simply brighten it with parsley, Parmesan and lemon.”
Time: 20 minutes; Yield: 4 servings
To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1019901-linguine-with-crisp-chickpeas-and-rosemary.
Ingredients
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
8 fresh rosemary sprigs
Kosher salt and black pepper
1 pound linguine or other long noodle
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
1 (14-ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed, drained and patted very dry
1/2 cup coarsely chopped parsley
1 lemon, cut into wedges
Freshly grated Parmesan or pecorino, for serving (optional)
Preparation
Bring a large pot of heavily salted water (2 heaping tablespoons kosher salt to about 7 quarts water) to a boil. Meanwhile, make the rosemary oil: Pat the rosemary dry with a kitchen towel. In a large Dutch oven or skillet big enough to hold all the pasta, warm the oil over medium heat. Once shimmering, add the rosemary sprigs and fry, flipping once, until sizzling subsides and leaves are crisp, 3 or 4 minutes.
Transfer the sprigs to a paper towel-lined plate, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Keep the pot with the oil on the stove.
Add pasta to the boiling water, and cook to al dente according to package directions. Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water, and drain the pasta.
While the pasta cooks, with the rosemary oil over medium-high heat, add the butter. Once melted, add the garlic and chickpeas and fry, stirring occasionally, until the chickpeas are golden brown and crisp, 8 to 10 minutes. If some of the chickpeas explode like popcorn, that’s a good sign.
As the chickpeas cook, remove the rosemary leaves from the sprigs (pinch the top of the sprig and swipe downwards). If any do not come off easily, they aren’t fully fried: Throw them back into the oil with the chickpeas and remove them after a quick fry. Crumble the leaves by rubbing them between your fingers, and set aside.
Once the chickpeas are crisp, season with salt and pepper, reduce heat to low and stir in the pasta, adding pasta water as needed to form a glossy sauce. Stir in the parsley and crumbled rosemary leaves. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve with a lemon wedge for squeezing. Top with grated cheese and a drizzle of olive oil if desired.
VEGETARIAN ‘CARBONARA’ WITH SPINACH
This is from Kay Chun at The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Kay wrote, “This spinach-laden carbonara deviates from the standard by nixing two of its leading ingredients: custardy egg yolks, which create its silky texture, and cured meat, which delivers its salty punch. This egg-free version uses a combination of butter and starchy pasta cooking water to give the sauce body. A sprinkle of grated smoked Provolone or Gouda adds a bit of the earthy flavor that traditionally comes from guanciale or pancetta. The final coup? Adding greens: One entire pound of baby spinach may look like a gargantuan amount, but it wilts right into the pasta. Most importantly, don’t be shy with the black pepper: It adds a necessary dose of spice and heat.”
Time: 20 minutes; Yield: 4 servings
To view this yumminess online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1019816-vegetarian-carbonara-with-spinach.
Ingredients
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup finely chopped onion
5 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 pound spaghetti
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 pound fresh baby spinach
Red-pepper flakes, to taste (optional)
3/4 cup grated Parmesan (2 1/2 ounces)
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup grated smoked Provolone or Gouda (1 1/2 ounces)
Preparation
Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until light golden, about 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a pot of salted boiling water until al dente. Reserve 2 cups cooking water and drain the pasta. Return the pasta and reserved cooking water to the pot and heat over low. Add the butter and onion-garlic mixture and cook, stirring constantly, until most of the liquid is absorbed and sauce is slightly thickened, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the spinach, season with salt, plenty of pepper and red-pepper flakes, if using, and stir until spinach is wilted. Stir in the Parmesan and lemon juice; season with salt and pepper.
Divide the pasta among 4 bowls and top each with 2 tablespoons smoked cheese. Finish with more black pepper, if desired.
PASTA SALAD
This comes from the infamous long-since-forgotten emailing list, though I suspect it's a diabetic recipe, as it has the nutritional info. Yield: 6 servings (6 cups total)
Ingredients
3 cups cooked tricolor spiral pasta (1-1/2 cups dry), or 3 cups other cooked pasta
1 large ripe tomato, cored, seeded, and chopped
1 medium green bell pepper, cored, seeded, and chopped
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded reduced-fat Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup black olives, drained and sliced
1/2 cup prepared fat-free Italian or Parmesan-pepper dressing
Directions
Combine all the ingredients; toss to mix. Chill to blend the flavors. (This salad is even better the second day.)
Nutritional Information Per Serving (1 cup): Calories: 165, Fat: 4 g, Cholesterol: 10 mg, Sodium: 355 mg, Carbohydrate: 22 g, Dietary Fiber: 2 g, Sugars: 5 g, Protein: 9 g
Diabetic Exchanges: 1-1/2 Starch, 1 Vegetable, 1/2 Fat
Friday, February 14, 2020
Friday Recipes
It's Friday (yay!). Here are six recipes to help you through the weekend, including Morgan’s Veggie Patties and Tie-Dye Cheesecake. Enjoy!
CREAMY NO CHURN RASPBERRY CRUMBLE ICE CREAM
This comes from the wonderful people at Feedfeed, and begins, “Sunshine in Vancouver got me like... let’s make homemade ice cream!!”
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
Brown Sugar Crisp
1/3 cup all purpose flour
1/3 cup rolled oats
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
3 tbsp butter, cold
No Churn Ice Cream
1 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 tbsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp salt
4 oz cream cheese, softened
2 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
Raspberry Jam, about 2/3 cup
Directions
For the Brown Sugar Crisp: Preheat oven to 350˚F degrees and line a small baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, oats, brown sugar and cinnamon. Add cold butter and work the butter into the dry ingredients with a pasty cutter until the butter is incorporated and you are left with a crumbly mixture. Spread onto prepared baking sheet and place in the oven to bake for about 10-15 minutes or until golden. Remove from oven and and allow to cool completely. Set aside until ready to use assemble ice cream.
For the No Churn Ice Cream: In a small bowl, whisk together condensed milk, vanilla and salt. Set aside.
In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese with an electric mixer fitted with the whip attachment on high until smooth and creamy and there are no lumps. Turn the mixer to low and slowly add the whipping cream in a steady stream. Once all the cream in incorporated, turn the mixer to high and whip until stiff peaks form; about 3-4 minutes.
Add half of the whipped cream cheese mixture to the condensed milk mixture and whisk to combine. Add the condensed milk mixture to your bowl of whipped cream and use a spatula to fold the whipped cream into the condensed milk until smooth and no streaks of whipped cream remain.
Pour 1/2 of the mixture into a 9 or 10 inch cake pan (alternatively you could use a loaf pan). Set the pan and the remaining ice cream mixture in your freezer for 15 minutes to set slightly. Once set remove and begin assembling your ice cream.
Dollop about 1/3 of a cup of your raspberry jam over the ice cream in the pan. Use a spoon to spread it evenly over the top. Sprinkle with 1/2 of your crumble mixture. Dollop the rest of your ice cream mixture on top and use a spoon to smooth. Dollop the remaining jam across the top of the ice cream and use a knife or the back of your spoon to create the pretty swirls. Sprinkle with remaining crisp mixture.
Cover with plastic wrap and set in the freezer for 5-6 hours before serving.
SLOW-COOKER SLOPPY JOES [VEGAN]
This recipe comes from OneGreenPlanet, and is Dairy Free and Vegan. Serves 7 – 8; Cook Time: 6 hours.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
3 cups textured vegetable protein
3 cups water
5 garlic cloves
1 cup Medjool dates, soaked and pitted
6 ounce can tomato paste
1 tomato, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 medium white onion, diced
1 tablespoon black strap molasses
4 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon vegan Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons mustard
3 tablespoons hot sauce
Preparation
Add water, dates, garlic cloves, tomato, and tomato paste to a high-speed blender. Blend until smooth. Next, add remaining ingredients to the blender except the textured vegetable protein and stir, or blend on low until fully incorporated.
Turn a crock pot on high. Add textured vegetable protein, blender mixture, and diced onion. Stir until protein is thoroughly coated with the blender sauce and onion. Cook on high for 4-5 hours, or on low for 6-8 hours.
MORGAN’S VEGGIE PATTIES
This comes from Guy Fieri of The Food Network show Guy’s Big Bite. It’s a little labor-intensive (you’re not going to have this on the table 20 minutes after getting home from work), but it’s well worth it.
Total: 1 hr 21 min; Prep: 45 min; Inactive: 30 min; Cook: 6 min; Yield: 4 servings; Level: Intermediate
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
2 ounces olive oil
3 tablespoons diced red onion
2 tablespoons diced black olives
2 tablespoons diced red bell peppers
1 teaspoon diced jalapeno
1 1/2 tablespoons diced garlic
1 tablespoon diced artichoke
4 ounces black beans, drained
4 ounces chickpeas, drained
4 ounces white beans, drained
6 ounces rolled oats
1/2 teaspoon Hungarian paprika
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley leaves
1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon celery salt
1/4 teaspoon ground sage
2 tablespoons seasoned bread crumbs
1 egg
Directions
In a medium saute pan over medium heat, add 1-ounce olive oil and all raw vegetables except beans. Saute until translucent. Remove and cool.
Add veggies to beans and mix thoroughly. Add all dry ingredients along with the egg. Thoroughly mix all ingredients and form into 4 patties, cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
In saute pan add 1-ounce olive oil, and cook patties 2 to 3 minutes per side.
TIE-DYE CHEESECAKE
This is from The Food Network, and begins, “This outrageous psychedelic cheesecake is an ode to all the tie-dye of the 1960s. Making the vibrant swirls is much easier to do than it looks; all you need is a wooden skewer – groovy!” Total: 10 hr 45 min; Active: 35 min; Yield: 12 servings; Level: Intermediate
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
Crust:
2 cups graham cracker crumbs (from about 18 whole crackers)
1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted
2 tablespoons sugar
Pinch fine salt
Filling:
Three 11.5-ounce containers whipped cream cheese
1 1/4 cups sugar
One 16-ounce container sour cream, at room temperature
1 cup heavy cream
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Neon blue, pink and purple food coloring
Yellow food coloring
Whipped cream, for serving
Directions
Special equipment: a 10-inch springform pan and a wooden skewer
Position an oven rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 325 degrees F.
For the crust: Mix together the graham cracker crumbs, butter, sugar and salt and press into bottom of a 10-inch springform pan. Bake until golden brown, 15 to 18 minutes. Cool completely. Wrap up the bottom and sides of pan with a large piece of foil and put in a large roasting pan.
For the filling: Beat the cream cheese and sugar, in a large bowl, with an electric mixer on medium speed for 1 minute. Add the sour cream and mix until just combined. Add the heavy cream and mix until just combined. Mix in the eggs, by hand, 1 at time. Then mix in the vanilla, lemon juice, by hand as well, until just combined. (Overmixing can turn your cheesecake into a souffle.)
Using a ladle, divide the cheesecake batter into 4 separate bowls. Dye each a separate color; blue, pink, purple and yellow. Add enough food coloring so that the colors are very vibrant and intense.
Use an ice cream scoop or large spoon to drop spoonfuls of the batter onto the crust, alternating the colors, until all the batter has been scooped. Use a wooden skewer and drag it through the colors to marble them for tie-dye effect, making sure the skewer reaches down to the bottom of the pan. Transfer the pan to the roasting pan. Add enough hot water to come about halfway up the side of the springform pan.
Bake until the outside of the cake is set and the center is still slightly loose, about 1 hour 20 minutes. Turn the oven off and leave the cheesecake in the oven for another hour. Remove the cheesecake from the roasting pan to a cooling rack. Run a knife around the edge and cool to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate at least 8 hours.
Unmold the cheesecake and transfer to a serving plate or cake stand. Serve slices with a dollop of whipped cream.
VEGETABLE SHEPHERD'S PIE
This came from the Food Network's Magazine several years ago.
Prep Time: 25 min; Cook Time: 41 min; Level: Easy; Serves: 4 servings
Ingredients
6 medium Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and diced
Kosher salt
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion, diced
3 large carrots, cut into 1/2-inch chunks
2 stalks celery, cut into 1/2-inch chunks
1 bunch baby turnips, halved or quartered if large
6 cloves garlic, minced
Freshly ground pepper
1/2 bunch fresh parsley, leaves chopped (stems reserved)
1 1/2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
3/4 cup chopped veggie burgers or vegetarian protein crumbles
2/3 cup milk or half-and-half
Grated parmesan cheese, for sprinkling (optional)
Directions
Preheat the broiler. Cover the potatoes with water in a pot; season with salt, cover and boil until the potatoes are fork-tender, 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat the oil in a stovetop casserole dish or shallow enamel pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery, turnips and garlic. Season with salt and pepper and cook until the vegetables brown, 8 minutes. Add 1 1/2 cups cooking liquid from the potatoes to the casserole dish. Lower the heat and scrape up any browned bits with a wooden spoon. Tie the parsley stems with twine and add to the casserole. Cover and simmer until the vegetables are tender, 8 minutes. Stir in the Worcestershire sauce, 2 tablespoons butter and the chopped veggie burgers and warm through, 5 minutes. Remove the parsley stems and stir in the chopped parsley. Keep warm.
Drain the potatoes and mash with the remaining 3 tablespoons butter and the milk; season with salt and pepper and spoon over the casserole. Sprinkle with parmesan, if desired. Broil until golden brown, 5 minutes.
Per serving: Calories 558; Fat 24 g (Saturated 11 g); Cholesterol 42 mg; Sodium 656 mg; Carbohydrate 68 g; Fiber 9 g; Protein 17 g
CHUNKY PIZZA SOUP
This comes from the infamous long-since-forgotten emailing list.
Ingredients
1 tb Oil, vegetable
1 Onion, chopped small
1/2 c Mushrooms, sliced
1/4 c Green peppers, slivered
1 c Tomatoes, undrained
1 c Stock, beef
1 c Pepperoni, thin sliced
1/2 ts Basil, dried
1 c Cheese, mozzarella shredded
Directions
Preheat oven broiler. Heat oil over medium heat, stirfry onion, mushroom and green pepper till soft, not browned. Add tomatoes, stock, pepperoni and basil, cook till heated through. Ladle soup into ovenproof bowls and sprinkle with cheese. Broil till cheese melts and is bubbly.
CREAMY NO CHURN RASPBERRY CRUMBLE ICE CREAM
This comes from the wonderful people at Feedfeed, and begins, “Sunshine in Vancouver got me like... let’s make homemade ice cream!!”
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
Brown Sugar Crisp
1/3 cup all purpose flour
1/3 cup rolled oats
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
3 tbsp butter, cold
No Churn Ice Cream
1 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 tbsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp salt
4 oz cream cheese, softened
2 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
Raspberry Jam, about 2/3 cup
Directions
For the Brown Sugar Crisp: Preheat oven to 350˚F degrees and line a small baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, oats, brown sugar and cinnamon. Add cold butter and work the butter into the dry ingredients with a pasty cutter until the butter is incorporated and you are left with a crumbly mixture. Spread onto prepared baking sheet and place in the oven to bake for about 10-15 minutes or until golden. Remove from oven and and allow to cool completely. Set aside until ready to use assemble ice cream.
For the No Churn Ice Cream: In a small bowl, whisk together condensed milk, vanilla and salt. Set aside.
In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese with an electric mixer fitted with the whip attachment on high until smooth and creamy and there are no lumps. Turn the mixer to low and slowly add the whipping cream in a steady stream. Once all the cream in incorporated, turn the mixer to high and whip until stiff peaks form; about 3-4 minutes.
Add half of the whipped cream cheese mixture to the condensed milk mixture and whisk to combine. Add the condensed milk mixture to your bowl of whipped cream and use a spatula to fold the whipped cream into the condensed milk until smooth and no streaks of whipped cream remain.
Pour 1/2 of the mixture into a 9 or 10 inch cake pan (alternatively you could use a loaf pan). Set the pan and the remaining ice cream mixture in your freezer for 15 minutes to set slightly. Once set remove and begin assembling your ice cream.
Dollop about 1/3 of a cup of your raspberry jam over the ice cream in the pan. Use a spoon to spread it evenly over the top. Sprinkle with 1/2 of your crumble mixture. Dollop the rest of your ice cream mixture on top and use a spoon to smooth. Dollop the remaining jam across the top of the ice cream and use a knife or the back of your spoon to create the pretty swirls. Sprinkle with remaining crisp mixture.
Cover with plastic wrap and set in the freezer for 5-6 hours before serving.
SLOW-COOKER SLOPPY JOES [VEGAN]
This recipe comes from OneGreenPlanet, and is Dairy Free and Vegan. Serves 7 – 8; Cook Time: 6 hours.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
3 cups textured vegetable protein
3 cups water
5 garlic cloves
1 cup Medjool dates, soaked and pitted
6 ounce can tomato paste
1 tomato, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 medium white onion, diced
1 tablespoon black strap molasses
4 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon vegan Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons mustard
3 tablespoons hot sauce
Preparation
Add water, dates, garlic cloves, tomato, and tomato paste to a high-speed blender. Blend until smooth. Next, add remaining ingredients to the blender except the textured vegetable protein and stir, or blend on low until fully incorporated.
Turn a crock pot on high. Add textured vegetable protein, blender mixture, and diced onion. Stir until protein is thoroughly coated with the blender sauce and onion. Cook on high for 4-5 hours, or on low for 6-8 hours.
MORGAN’S VEGGIE PATTIES
This comes from Guy Fieri of The Food Network show Guy’s Big Bite. It’s a little labor-intensive (you’re not going to have this on the table 20 minutes after getting home from work), but it’s well worth it.
Total: 1 hr 21 min; Prep: 45 min; Inactive: 30 min; Cook: 6 min; Yield: 4 servings; Level: Intermediate
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
2 ounces olive oil
3 tablespoons diced red onion
2 tablespoons diced black olives
2 tablespoons diced red bell peppers
1 teaspoon diced jalapeno
1 1/2 tablespoons diced garlic
1 tablespoon diced artichoke
4 ounces black beans, drained
4 ounces chickpeas, drained
4 ounces white beans, drained
6 ounces rolled oats
1/2 teaspoon Hungarian paprika
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley leaves
1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon celery salt
1/4 teaspoon ground sage
2 tablespoons seasoned bread crumbs
1 egg
Directions
In a medium saute pan over medium heat, add 1-ounce olive oil and all raw vegetables except beans. Saute until translucent. Remove and cool.
Add veggies to beans and mix thoroughly. Add all dry ingredients along with the egg. Thoroughly mix all ingredients and form into 4 patties, cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
In saute pan add 1-ounce olive oil, and cook patties 2 to 3 minutes per side.
TIE-DYE CHEESECAKE
This is from The Food Network, and begins, “This outrageous psychedelic cheesecake is an ode to all the tie-dye of the 1960s. Making the vibrant swirls is much easier to do than it looks; all you need is a wooden skewer – groovy!” Total: 10 hr 45 min; Active: 35 min; Yield: 12 servings; Level: Intermediate
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
Crust:
2 cups graham cracker crumbs (from about 18 whole crackers)
1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted
2 tablespoons sugar
Pinch fine salt
Filling:
Three 11.5-ounce containers whipped cream cheese
1 1/4 cups sugar
One 16-ounce container sour cream, at room temperature
1 cup heavy cream
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Neon blue, pink and purple food coloring
Yellow food coloring
Whipped cream, for serving
Directions
Special equipment: a 10-inch springform pan and a wooden skewer
Position an oven rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 325 degrees F.
For the crust: Mix together the graham cracker crumbs, butter, sugar and salt and press into bottom of a 10-inch springform pan. Bake until golden brown, 15 to 18 minutes. Cool completely. Wrap up the bottom and sides of pan with a large piece of foil and put in a large roasting pan.
For the filling: Beat the cream cheese and sugar, in a large bowl, with an electric mixer on medium speed for 1 minute. Add the sour cream and mix until just combined. Add the heavy cream and mix until just combined. Mix in the eggs, by hand, 1 at time. Then mix in the vanilla, lemon juice, by hand as well, until just combined. (Overmixing can turn your cheesecake into a souffle.)
Using a ladle, divide the cheesecake batter into 4 separate bowls. Dye each a separate color; blue, pink, purple and yellow. Add enough food coloring so that the colors are very vibrant and intense.
Use an ice cream scoop or large spoon to drop spoonfuls of the batter onto the crust, alternating the colors, until all the batter has been scooped. Use a wooden skewer and drag it through the colors to marble them for tie-dye effect, making sure the skewer reaches down to the bottom of the pan. Transfer the pan to the roasting pan. Add enough hot water to come about halfway up the side of the springform pan.
Bake until the outside of the cake is set and the center is still slightly loose, about 1 hour 20 minutes. Turn the oven off and leave the cheesecake in the oven for another hour. Remove the cheesecake from the roasting pan to a cooling rack. Run a knife around the edge and cool to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate at least 8 hours.
Unmold the cheesecake and transfer to a serving plate or cake stand. Serve slices with a dollop of whipped cream.
VEGETABLE SHEPHERD'S PIE
This came from the Food Network's Magazine several years ago.
Prep Time: 25 min; Cook Time: 41 min; Level: Easy; Serves: 4 servings
Ingredients
6 medium Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and diced
Kosher salt
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion, diced
3 large carrots, cut into 1/2-inch chunks
2 stalks celery, cut into 1/2-inch chunks
1 bunch baby turnips, halved or quartered if large
6 cloves garlic, minced
Freshly ground pepper
1/2 bunch fresh parsley, leaves chopped (stems reserved)
1 1/2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
3/4 cup chopped veggie burgers or vegetarian protein crumbles
2/3 cup milk or half-and-half
Grated parmesan cheese, for sprinkling (optional)
Directions
Preheat the broiler. Cover the potatoes with water in a pot; season with salt, cover and boil until the potatoes are fork-tender, 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat the oil in a stovetop casserole dish or shallow enamel pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery, turnips and garlic. Season with salt and pepper and cook until the vegetables brown, 8 minutes. Add 1 1/2 cups cooking liquid from the potatoes to the casserole dish. Lower the heat and scrape up any browned bits with a wooden spoon. Tie the parsley stems with twine and add to the casserole. Cover and simmer until the vegetables are tender, 8 minutes. Stir in the Worcestershire sauce, 2 tablespoons butter and the chopped veggie burgers and warm through, 5 minutes. Remove the parsley stems and stir in the chopped parsley. Keep warm.
Drain the potatoes and mash with the remaining 3 tablespoons butter and the milk; season with salt and pepper and spoon over the casserole. Sprinkle with parmesan, if desired. Broil until golden brown, 5 minutes.
Per serving: Calories 558; Fat 24 g (Saturated 11 g); Cholesterol 42 mg; Sodium 656 mg; Carbohydrate 68 g; Fiber 9 g; Protein 17 g
CHUNKY PIZZA SOUP
This comes from the infamous long-since-forgotten emailing list.
Ingredients
1 tb Oil, vegetable
1 Onion, chopped small
1/2 c Mushrooms, sliced
1/4 c Green peppers, slivered
1 c Tomatoes, undrained
1 c Stock, beef
1 c Pepperoni, thin sliced
1/2 ts Basil, dried
1 c Cheese, mozzarella shredded
Directions
Preheat oven broiler. Heat oil over medium heat, stirfry onion, mushroom and green pepper till soft, not browned. Add tomatoes, stock, pepperoni and basil, cook till heated through. Ladle soup into ovenproof bowls and sprinkle with cheese. Broil till cheese melts and is bubbly.
Thursday, February 13, 2020
Thursday Recipes
Here are six yummy vegetarian recipes to help you through the day, including Vegan Lentil Burgers and Peanut Butter Bars with Salted Chocolate Ganache. (Do I have your attention?) Enjoy!
APRICOT COBBLER SUPREME
This comes from the infamous long-since-forgotten emailing list.
Ingredients
1 egg
1 cup sugar
1 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup milk
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 tbs melted shortening
2 cups cooked apricots, sweetened
Directions
Beat egg and sugar until creamy. Sift flour, baking powder and salt. Add dry ingredients alternately with milk and vanilla to creamed mixture; add shortening. Put fruit in greased baking dish; pour in batter. Bake at 350F for 30 minutes or until batter is done. Serve warm with cream or ice cream.
Any type fruit, fresh or canned, may be substituted for apricots. If using fresh fruit, sprinkle with 1cup sugar and heat before pouring in batter. Enjoy!
CORN SALAD
This simple (and simply yummy) recipe is from Lena Abraham on Delish. Lena wrote, “The quintessential summer salad.”
Yields: 4 – 6 servings; Prep Time: 5 minutes; Total Time: 5 minutes.
To view this recipe online, click here.
Ingredients
4 c. fresh or frozen corn, defrosted
1 c. cherry tomatoes, halved
1/3 c. crumbled feta
1/4 red onion, finely chopped
1/4 c. basil, thinly sliced
3 tbsp. olive oil
Juice of 1 lime
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Directions
Toss all ingredients together in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper and serve immediately.
BEET-TOP CRUSTLESS QUICHE
This is from the Vegetarian Times website (May 5, 2008), and begins, “Edible beet tops are the free prize that comes with the colorful root vegetable. This entrée calls for about the amount of greens you’d get from a one-pound bunch of beets, but it can also be made with spinach, Swiss chard, or other leafy greens.”
Makes 6 servings and can be viewed online here.
Ingredients
1 Tbs. olive oil
1 small onion, chopped (1 cup)
2 cloves garlic, minced (2 tsp.)
4 cups beet greens, stems trimmed and coarsely chopped
3 large eggs
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 cups low-fat milk
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Preparation
Heat oil in pot over medium heat. Add onion, and sauté 5 to 7 minutes, or until softened. Stir in garlic, and cook 30 seconds, or until fragrant. Add beet greens and 1/2 cup water. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and cook 7 to 10 minutes, or until beet greens are tender. Season with salt and pepper. Cool 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350°F. Coat 9- x 9-inch baking pan or 8-inch glass pie dish with cooking spray. Whisk eggs in large bowl 1 minute, or until frothy. Whisk in flour and baking powder until no lumps remain. Whisk in milk, and season with salt and pepper. Stir Parmesan cheese and beet green mixture into egg mixture. Spread in prepared pan. Bake 50 to 60 minutes, or until browned and puffy on top.
Nutrition Information: Calories: 152; Carbohydrate Content: 15 g; Cholesterol Content: 112 mg; Fat Content: 6.5 g; Fiber Content: 1 g; Protein Content: 8 g; Saturated Fat Content: 2 g; Sodium Content: 448 mg; Sugar Content: 5 g
VEGAN LENTIL BURGERS
This comes from the Food Network Kitchen, and begins, “These burgers are packed with flavor, fiber and protein while still being low in fat. We love them grilled, but you can also pan-fry them: Heat 1 tablespoon grapeseed oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and fry patties until well browned, about 2 minutes per side. (Remember: The extra oil will alter the calorie and fat totals.)”
Total: 2 hr 10 min; Prep: 20 min; Inactive: 1 hr Cook: 50 min; Yield: 6 servings; Level: Intermediate
To view this online, go to https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchen/vegan-lentil-burgers-3362403.
Ingredients
3/4 cup brown lentils, rinsed, strained and picked through
1 3/4 cups plus 1 tablespoon low-sodium vegetable broth or water
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 large red onion, half finely chopped and half thinly sliced
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Kosher salt
8 ounces fresh baby spinach
2 large cloves garlic, minced
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 cup whole-wheat breadcrumbs
1/2 cup walnuts, toasted and finely chopped
Cooking spray
6 whole-grain vegan hamburger buns
Baby arugula, basil, roasted red bell peppers and spicy mustard, for serving, optional
Directions
Bring the lentils and 1 3/4 cup of the broth to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, partially cover and simmer until the lentils are fully softened and the liquid is absorbed, about 30 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl with the remaining 1 tablespoon broth and mash well with a potato masher. Set aside.
Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped onion, lemon juice and 1/4 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring, until softened, about 6 minutes. Add the spinach, garlic, 1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper and cumin and stir until the spinach is wilted, about 3 minutes.
Add the spinach mixture, breadcrumbs, walnuts and 3/4 teaspoon salt to the lentils and mix thoroughly. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight.
Preheat the grill to medium-high. Form the mixture into six 4-inch patties and spray with cooking spray on each side. Grill until nice grill marks form, about 3 minutes per side. Place the patties in the buns with the sliced onion and other toppings, as desired, and serve.
CHICKPEA TIKKA MASALA
This is from the March 2014 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 24, and begins, “This mild veg version of an Indian restaurant favorite shows that Indian food doesn’t have to be ultra-spicy to be good.” Serves 4 in 30 minutes or less.
This can be viewed online here.
1 Tbs. vegetable oil
1/2 medium onion, diced
1 Tbs. garam masala
1 Tbs. tomato paste
2 tsp. grated fresh ginger
1 serrano chile, minced
2 15-oz. cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 28-oz. can crushed tomatoes
1/2 cup low-fat Greek-style yogurt
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
Heat oil in skillet over medium heat. Add onion, and sauté 5 minutes, or until softened. Add garam masala, tomato paste, ginger, and serrano chile, and season with salt, if desired. Sauté 1 minute more.
Stir in chickpeas and tomatoes. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 15 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in yogurt and cilantro.
nutritional information Per 1 1/2-cup serving: Calories: 328; Protein: 16 g; Total Fat: 9 g; Saturated Fat: 1 g; Carbohydrates: 52 g; Cholesterol: 2 mg; Sodium: 582 mg; Fiber: 5 g; Sugar: 11 g; Gluten-Free
PEANUT BUTTER BARS WITH SALTED CHOCOLATE GANACHE
This is from Nancy Fuller of The Food Network’s Farmhouse Rules.
Total: 1 hr 10 min; Active: 25 min; Yield: 8 servings; Level: Easy
To view this online, go to http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/nancy-fuller/peanut-butter-bars-with-salted-chocolate-ganache.
Ingredients
Nonstick cooking spray, for baking dish
1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1 cup creamy peanut butter
Kosher salt
1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted
8 ounces semisweet baking chocolate, chopped into small pieces
1 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon flaky sea salt, optional
Directions
Coat the bottom and sides of an 8-by-8-inch baking dish with nonstick spray.
In a large bowl, stir to combine the confectioners' sugar, graham cracker crumbs, peanut butter, 1/8 teaspoon salt, and melted butter. Press the mixture into the prepared baking dish and set aside.
Place the chocolate and 1/8 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl. Heat the cream in a small saucepan until bubbles start to form around the edges. Pour the cream over the chocolate, let sit for 1 minute and then whisk until completely melted and smooth.
Pour the ganache over the peanut butter mixture and refrigerate until the chocolate is cooled and set, at least 45 minutes and up to overnight.
Sprinkle evenly with the flaky sea salt. Cut into squares to serve.
APRICOT COBBLER SUPREME
This comes from the infamous long-since-forgotten emailing list.
Ingredients
1 egg
1 cup sugar
1 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup milk
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 tbs melted shortening
2 cups cooked apricots, sweetened
Directions
Beat egg and sugar until creamy. Sift flour, baking powder and salt. Add dry ingredients alternately with milk and vanilla to creamed mixture; add shortening. Put fruit in greased baking dish; pour in batter. Bake at 350F for 30 minutes or until batter is done. Serve warm with cream or ice cream.
Any type fruit, fresh or canned, may be substituted for apricots. If using fresh fruit, sprinkle with 1cup sugar and heat before pouring in batter. Enjoy!
CORN SALAD
This simple (and simply yummy) recipe is from Lena Abraham on Delish. Lena wrote, “The quintessential summer salad.”
Yields: 4 – 6 servings; Prep Time: 5 minutes; Total Time: 5 minutes.
To view this recipe online, click here.
Ingredients
4 c. fresh or frozen corn, defrosted
1 c. cherry tomatoes, halved
1/3 c. crumbled feta
1/4 red onion, finely chopped
1/4 c. basil, thinly sliced
3 tbsp. olive oil
Juice of 1 lime
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Directions
Toss all ingredients together in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper and serve immediately.
BEET-TOP CRUSTLESS QUICHE
This is from the Vegetarian Times website (May 5, 2008), and begins, “Edible beet tops are the free prize that comes with the colorful root vegetable. This entrée calls for about the amount of greens you’d get from a one-pound bunch of beets, but it can also be made with spinach, Swiss chard, or other leafy greens.”
Makes 6 servings and can be viewed online here.
Ingredients
1 Tbs. olive oil
1 small onion, chopped (1 cup)
2 cloves garlic, minced (2 tsp.)
4 cups beet greens, stems trimmed and coarsely chopped
3 large eggs
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 cups low-fat milk
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Preparation
Heat oil in pot over medium heat. Add onion, and sauté 5 to 7 minutes, or until softened. Stir in garlic, and cook 30 seconds, or until fragrant. Add beet greens and 1/2 cup water. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and cook 7 to 10 minutes, or until beet greens are tender. Season with salt and pepper. Cool 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350°F. Coat 9- x 9-inch baking pan or 8-inch glass pie dish with cooking spray. Whisk eggs in large bowl 1 minute, or until frothy. Whisk in flour and baking powder until no lumps remain. Whisk in milk, and season with salt and pepper. Stir Parmesan cheese and beet green mixture into egg mixture. Spread in prepared pan. Bake 50 to 60 minutes, or until browned and puffy on top.
Nutrition Information: Calories: 152; Carbohydrate Content: 15 g; Cholesterol Content: 112 mg; Fat Content: 6.5 g; Fiber Content: 1 g; Protein Content: 8 g; Saturated Fat Content: 2 g; Sodium Content: 448 mg; Sugar Content: 5 g
VEGAN LENTIL BURGERS
This comes from the Food Network Kitchen, and begins, “These burgers are packed with flavor, fiber and protein while still being low in fat. We love them grilled, but you can also pan-fry them: Heat 1 tablespoon grapeseed oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and fry patties until well browned, about 2 minutes per side. (Remember: The extra oil will alter the calorie and fat totals.)”
Total: 2 hr 10 min; Prep: 20 min; Inactive: 1 hr Cook: 50 min; Yield: 6 servings; Level: Intermediate
To view this online, go to https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchen/vegan-lentil-burgers-3362403.
Ingredients
3/4 cup brown lentils, rinsed, strained and picked through
1 3/4 cups plus 1 tablespoon low-sodium vegetable broth or water
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 large red onion, half finely chopped and half thinly sliced
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Kosher salt
8 ounces fresh baby spinach
2 large cloves garlic, minced
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 cup whole-wheat breadcrumbs
1/2 cup walnuts, toasted and finely chopped
Cooking spray
6 whole-grain vegan hamburger buns
Baby arugula, basil, roasted red bell peppers and spicy mustard, for serving, optional
Directions
Bring the lentils and 1 3/4 cup of the broth to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, partially cover and simmer until the lentils are fully softened and the liquid is absorbed, about 30 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl with the remaining 1 tablespoon broth and mash well with a potato masher. Set aside.
Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped onion, lemon juice and 1/4 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring, until softened, about 6 minutes. Add the spinach, garlic, 1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper and cumin and stir until the spinach is wilted, about 3 minutes.
Add the spinach mixture, breadcrumbs, walnuts and 3/4 teaspoon salt to the lentils and mix thoroughly. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight.
Preheat the grill to medium-high. Form the mixture into six 4-inch patties and spray with cooking spray on each side. Grill until nice grill marks form, about 3 minutes per side. Place the patties in the buns with the sliced onion and other toppings, as desired, and serve.
CHICKPEA TIKKA MASALA
This is from the March 2014 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 24, and begins, “This mild veg version of an Indian restaurant favorite shows that Indian food doesn’t have to be ultra-spicy to be good.” Serves 4 in 30 minutes or less.
This can be viewed online here.
1 Tbs. vegetable oil
1/2 medium onion, diced
1 Tbs. garam masala
1 Tbs. tomato paste
2 tsp. grated fresh ginger
1 serrano chile, minced
2 15-oz. cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 28-oz. can crushed tomatoes
1/2 cup low-fat Greek-style yogurt
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
Heat oil in skillet over medium heat. Add onion, and sauté 5 minutes, or until softened. Add garam masala, tomato paste, ginger, and serrano chile, and season with salt, if desired. Sauté 1 minute more.
Stir in chickpeas and tomatoes. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 15 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in yogurt and cilantro.
nutritional information Per 1 1/2-cup serving: Calories: 328; Protein: 16 g; Total Fat: 9 g; Saturated Fat: 1 g; Carbohydrates: 52 g; Cholesterol: 2 mg; Sodium: 582 mg; Fiber: 5 g; Sugar: 11 g; Gluten-Free
PEANUT BUTTER BARS WITH SALTED CHOCOLATE GANACHE
This is from Nancy Fuller of The Food Network’s Farmhouse Rules.
Total: 1 hr 10 min; Active: 25 min; Yield: 8 servings; Level: Easy
To view this online, go to http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/nancy-fuller/peanut-butter-bars-with-salted-chocolate-ganache.
Ingredients
Nonstick cooking spray, for baking dish
1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1 cup creamy peanut butter
Kosher salt
1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted
8 ounces semisweet baking chocolate, chopped into small pieces
1 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon flaky sea salt, optional
Directions
Coat the bottom and sides of an 8-by-8-inch baking dish with nonstick spray.
In a large bowl, stir to combine the confectioners' sugar, graham cracker crumbs, peanut butter, 1/8 teaspoon salt, and melted butter. Press the mixture into the prepared baking dish and set aside.
Place the chocolate and 1/8 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl. Heat the cream in a small saucepan until bubbles start to form around the edges. Pour the cream over the chocolate, let sit for 1 minute and then whisk until completely melted and smooth.
Pour the ganache over the peanut butter mixture and refrigerate until the chocolate is cooled and set, at least 45 minutes and up to overnight.
Sprinkle evenly with the flaky sea salt. Cut into squares to serve.
Wednesday, February 12, 2020
Drinks
While we all know we need to eat, we also need drinks.
Why do we need drink recipes, you might ask. We can drink water, milk (or a plant-based milk), coffee, tea, soda...
But there's so many more drinks to check out, like the Lizard Lounge Tea, Watermelon Punch, and Mexican Hot Chocolate. Enjoy!
CLASSIC HOT CHOCOLATE
This is from Melissa Clark on The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Melissa wrote, “This is a dark, rich and classic hot cocoa that’s perfect for any snowy afternoon. Nondairy milk can be substituted for whole milk here, though you might have to reduce the sugar, since some brands are sweetened. Also bear in mind that the higher the cocoa percentage of the chocolate you use, the less sweet the drink will be. Add the sugar gradually, tasting as you go: Hot cocoa sweetness is a very personal thing.”
Yield: 4 servings: Time: 10 minutes
View this online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1019902-classic-hot-chocolate.
Ingredients
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, preferably Dutch-processed
3 cups whole milk
4 1/2 ounces chopped bittersweet chocolate or 3/4 cup bittersweet chocolate chips
1 to 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
Tiny pinch of fine sea salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Whipped cream or marshmallows, for serving
Preparation
Fill a small pot with 1/3 cup water and bring to a boil. Whisk in cocoa; it may clump, which is O.K.
Reduce heat to medium and whisk in milk, whisking around the sides of the pan to help dissolve all the cocoa.
When milk simmers, whisk in the chocolate, 1 tablespoon sugar and a tiny pinch of salt, and reduce heat to low. Whisk until chocolate is melted and very smooth. Taste and add more sugar if you like. Turn off heat and whisk in vanilla.
Serve topped with whipped cream or marshmallows.
MEXICAN HOT CHOCOLATE
This is from Kiera Wright Ruiz, also in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Kiera wrote, “Mesoamerican women are believed to be the first to ferment and roast cacao beans, a crucial step in chocolate making that is still used thousands of years later. Then, it was prepared as a frothy, unsweetened drink for rituals and medicinal purposes. Later, Spanish colonists brought the ingredient back to Spain, where sugar, cinnamon and vanilla were added, making it more similar to the spicy-sweet beverage we know today. This recipe is adapted from Churrería El Moro, a restaurant in Mexico City known for churros and hot chocolate. To get the signature foamy top, use a molinillo, a Mexican wooden whisk, or a wire whisk to make it light and frothy. And while it’s not traditional, you can also put the hot chocolate in a blender for about 2 minutes.”
Yield: 4 cups; Time: 10 minutes
To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1020750-mexican-hot-chocolate.
Ingredients
4 cups whole milk
2 (4-inch) cinnamon sticks (preferably Ceylon)
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
8 ounces dark chocolate (preferably 70 percent)
Preparation
In a medium saucepan, combine milk, cinnamon, sugar and vanilla. Heat over medium until the mixture begins to steam, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes.
While the mixture heats, cut or break up the chocolate into small pieces so it melts evenly. Once the milk is steaming, add the chocolate and whisk until it’s melted and incorporated.
Turn off the heat and discard cinnamon sticks. Use a molinillo or whisk to mix the hot chocolate vigorously until it's frothy, 3 to 4 minutes, or blend in a blender for about 2 minutes. Serve hot.
SORREL DRINK
This is from the June 2008 Vegetarian Times, page 78. The recipe begins, “Red hibiscus flowers are a common ingredient in ruby-hued herbal tea bags, such as Celestial Seasonings' Red Zinger.”
Ingredients
Sorrel Drink:
3 C dried sorrel or red hibiscus flowers, or 5 Red Zinger tea bags
1 4-inch cinnamon stick
10 whole cloves
1/4 tsp. crushed allspice
2 3-inch pieces peeled fresh ginger
Simple Syrup:
1 C sugar
1 C water
Directions
To make Sorrel Drink: Bring all ingredients & 4 cups water to a boil in saucepan. Reduce heat to medium-low & simmer 10 minutes. Cool, strain & chill.
To make Simple Syrup: Bring sugar & water to a boil in small saucepan. Stir to dissolve sugar & simmer 1 minute. Cool.
Pour Sorrel Drink over ice. Serve with pitcher of Simple Syrup for guess to sweeten drinks to taste.
Per 1-cup serving: 33 cal; 0 g protein; 0 g total fat (0 g sat. fat); 8 g crab; 0 mg chol; 0 mg sod; 0 g fiber; 8 g sugars; vegan
LIZARD LOUNGE TEA
My oldest son spent several summers traveling the country, both singly and with friends. Several times, he wound up at the Rainbow Gathering, where he hooked up with a larger group of friends. Most of them had grown up in hot areas of the country, so they nicknamed themselves lizards; their area of the camp site was the lizard lounge. They would cook up their version of iced tea, which they would barter for other commodities. They were frequently asked what their secret ingredient was.
This is a scaled down version. I found that cranberry or cranberry-apple herb tea works very nicely with this, but any herbal tea can be used.
This, as well as other yummy recipes, can be found in my e-cookbook, Off the Wall Cooking.
Ingredients
1/2 gallon apple cider
4 – 5 herbal tea bags
Directions
Place cider in a large pan or teakettle and bring to a boil. Place herbal tea bags into a large container and pour the boiled cider over the tea bags. Let steep for 15-30 minutes and cool. Very good.
SPICE TEA
I used to make this every year for Christmas presents; it was quite popular. Unfortunately, life got a little hectic...As simple as this is, though, I may be reigniting this as a present!
This, as well as other yummy recipes, can be found in my e-cookbook, Off the Wall Cooking.
Ingredients
8 oz loose tea
3 orange rinds/peels
1 1/2-2 sticks cinnamon
2 T chopped cloves
Directions
Cut orange peels into small pieces. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes, stirring occaionally. Let cool, add to loose tea, along with broken cinnamon sticks & cloves. Store in tight containers.
When making one serving, place one teaspoon of tea into a tea ball (also called a tea infuser) and let the tea steep in a cup of freshly boiled water for 2 - 5 minutes. If you're making a pot of tea, add 1-2 tablespoons of the loose tea into the tea ball and let it steep in the pot of freshly boiled water for a little longer than 5 minutes. Enjoy!
WATERMELON PUNCH
Years ago, I was a bride’s maid at a friend’s wedding. A friend of the couple held the reception dinner; this punch was served with the hors d’oeuvres. I’ve added ginger ale to the recipe; it’s good either way.
This recipe, as well as the next three recipes (Lizard Lounge Tea, Pink Lady Punch, and Spice Tea) are from my e-cookbook, Off the Wall Cooking, soon to be updated.)
1 watermelon
1 T honey
6 oz. can orange juice, undiluted
2 liter bottle ginger ale
Put watermelon (excluding rind and seeds) in a blender—and blend. Pour juice through a strainer into a large bowl. Add orange juice and honey, stir, and add ice. Add ginger ale just before serving.
Why do we need drink recipes, you might ask. We can drink water, milk (or a plant-based milk), coffee, tea, soda...
But there's so many more drinks to check out, like the Lizard Lounge Tea, Watermelon Punch, and Mexican Hot Chocolate. Enjoy!
CLASSIC HOT CHOCOLATE
This is from Melissa Clark on The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Melissa wrote, “This is a dark, rich and classic hot cocoa that’s perfect for any snowy afternoon. Nondairy milk can be substituted for whole milk here, though you might have to reduce the sugar, since some brands are sweetened. Also bear in mind that the higher the cocoa percentage of the chocolate you use, the less sweet the drink will be. Add the sugar gradually, tasting as you go: Hot cocoa sweetness is a very personal thing.”
Yield: 4 servings: Time: 10 minutes
View this online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1019902-classic-hot-chocolate.
Ingredients
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, preferably Dutch-processed
3 cups whole milk
4 1/2 ounces chopped bittersweet chocolate or 3/4 cup bittersweet chocolate chips
1 to 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
Tiny pinch of fine sea salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Whipped cream or marshmallows, for serving
Preparation
Fill a small pot with 1/3 cup water and bring to a boil. Whisk in cocoa; it may clump, which is O.K.
Reduce heat to medium and whisk in milk, whisking around the sides of the pan to help dissolve all the cocoa.
When milk simmers, whisk in the chocolate, 1 tablespoon sugar and a tiny pinch of salt, and reduce heat to low. Whisk until chocolate is melted and very smooth. Taste and add more sugar if you like. Turn off heat and whisk in vanilla.
Serve topped with whipped cream or marshmallows.
MEXICAN HOT CHOCOLATE
This is from Kiera Wright Ruiz, also in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Kiera wrote, “Mesoamerican women are believed to be the first to ferment and roast cacao beans, a crucial step in chocolate making that is still used thousands of years later. Then, it was prepared as a frothy, unsweetened drink for rituals and medicinal purposes. Later, Spanish colonists brought the ingredient back to Spain, where sugar, cinnamon and vanilla were added, making it more similar to the spicy-sweet beverage we know today. This recipe is adapted from Churrería El Moro, a restaurant in Mexico City known for churros and hot chocolate. To get the signature foamy top, use a molinillo, a Mexican wooden whisk, or a wire whisk to make it light and frothy. And while it’s not traditional, you can also put the hot chocolate in a blender for about 2 minutes.”
Yield: 4 cups; Time: 10 minutes
To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1020750-mexican-hot-chocolate.
Ingredients
4 cups whole milk
2 (4-inch) cinnamon sticks (preferably Ceylon)
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
8 ounces dark chocolate (preferably 70 percent)
Preparation
In a medium saucepan, combine milk, cinnamon, sugar and vanilla. Heat over medium until the mixture begins to steam, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes.
While the mixture heats, cut or break up the chocolate into small pieces so it melts evenly. Once the milk is steaming, add the chocolate and whisk until it’s melted and incorporated.
Turn off the heat and discard cinnamon sticks. Use a molinillo or whisk to mix the hot chocolate vigorously until it's frothy, 3 to 4 minutes, or blend in a blender for about 2 minutes. Serve hot.
SORREL DRINK
This is from the June 2008 Vegetarian Times, page 78. The recipe begins, “Red hibiscus flowers are a common ingredient in ruby-hued herbal tea bags, such as Celestial Seasonings' Red Zinger.”
Ingredients
Sorrel Drink:
3 C dried sorrel or red hibiscus flowers, or 5 Red Zinger tea bags
1 4-inch cinnamon stick
10 whole cloves
1/4 tsp. crushed allspice
2 3-inch pieces peeled fresh ginger
Simple Syrup:
1 C sugar
1 C water
Directions
To make Sorrel Drink: Bring all ingredients & 4 cups water to a boil in saucepan. Reduce heat to medium-low & simmer 10 minutes. Cool, strain & chill.
To make Simple Syrup: Bring sugar & water to a boil in small saucepan. Stir to dissolve sugar & simmer 1 minute. Cool.
Pour Sorrel Drink over ice. Serve with pitcher of Simple Syrup for guess to sweeten drinks to taste.
Per 1-cup serving: 33 cal; 0 g protein; 0 g total fat (0 g sat. fat); 8 g crab; 0 mg chol; 0 mg sod; 0 g fiber; 8 g sugars; vegan
LIZARD LOUNGE TEA
My oldest son spent several summers traveling the country, both singly and with friends. Several times, he wound up at the Rainbow Gathering, where he hooked up with a larger group of friends. Most of them had grown up in hot areas of the country, so they nicknamed themselves lizards; their area of the camp site was the lizard lounge. They would cook up their version of iced tea, which they would barter for other commodities. They were frequently asked what their secret ingredient was.
This is a scaled down version. I found that cranberry or cranberry-apple herb tea works very nicely with this, but any herbal tea can be used.
This, as well as other yummy recipes, can be found in my e-cookbook, Off the Wall Cooking.
Ingredients
1/2 gallon apple cider
4 – 5 herbal tea bags
Directions
Place cider in a large pan or teakettle and bring to a boil. Place herbal tea bags into a large container and pour the boiled cider over the tea bags. Let steep for 15-30 minutes and cool. Very good.
SPICE TEA
I used to make this every year for Christmas presents; it was quite popular. Unfortunately, life got a little hectic...As simple as this is, though, I may be reigniting this as a present!
This, as well as other yummy recipes, can be found in my e-cookbook, Off the Wall Cooking.
Ingredients
8 oz loose tea
3 orange rinds/peels
1 1/2-2 sticks cinnamon
2 T chopped cloves
Directions
Cut orange peels into small pieces. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes, stirring occaionally. Let cool, add to loose tea, along with broken cinnamon sticks & cloves. Store in tight containers.
When making one serving, place one teaspoon of tea into a tea ball (also called a tea infuser) and let the tea steep in a cup of freshly boiled water for 2 - 5 minutes. If you're making a pot of tea, add 1-2 tablespoons of the loose tea into the tea ball and let it steep in the pot of freshly boiled water for a little longer than 5 minutes. Enjoy!
WATERMELON PUNCH
Years ago, I was a bride’s maid at a friend’s wedding. A friend of the couple held the reception dinner; this punch was served with the hors d’oeuvres. I’ve added ginger ale to the recipe; it’s good either way.
This recipe, as well as the next three recipes (Lizard Lounge Tea, Pink Lady Punch, and Spice Tea) are from my e-cookbook, Off the Wall Cooking, soon to be updated.)
1 watermelon
1 T honey
6 oz. can orange juice, undiluted
2 liter bottle ginger ale
Put watermelon (excluding rind and seeds) in a blender—and blend. Pour juice through a strainer into a large bowl. Add orange juice and honey, stir, and add ice. Add ginger ale just before serving.
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