Vegetarian Delights: A Confessions of a Foodie Offspring

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Monday, March 21, 2016

Monday Recipes

Enjoy!

ULTIMATE STUFFED ACORN SQUASH

This comes from the November 2013 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 53. It begins, “The Native American 'three sisters' – corn, beans, and squash – come together in these individual holiday entrées stuffed with corn pudding and black beans.” Serves 8.

To view this online, click here.

3 Tbs. olive oil

4 cloves garlic, minced (4 tsp.), divided

4 acorn squash, halved and seeded

1/2 tsp. ancho chile powder, plus more for sprinkling squash

1/2 tsp. ground coriander, plus more for sprinkling squash

3 cups fresh or frozen organic corn kernels, divided

2/3 cup yellow cornmeal

1 tsp. sugar

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper, optional

1 cup low-fat buttermilk

2 large eggs

4 Tbs. melted butter or olive oil

3 oz. soft goat cheese or low-fat cream cheese (1/3 cup)

3 oz. grated extra-sharp Cheddar cheese (3/4 cup), plus more for sprinkling tops, optional

1 1/2 cups cooked black beans or 1 15-oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 large poblano chile or 1 small red bell pepper, diced (1 cup)

8 green onions, white and green parts thinly sliced (1 cup), plus more for sprinkling tops

Preheat oven to 350°F. Combine oil and 2 tsp. minced garlic in small bowl. Brush squash halves with garlic oil, and sprinkle lightly with ancho chile powder and coriander. Season with salt and pepper, if desired, and place on large baking sheet.

Pulse 2 cups corn kernels in food processor until finely chopped and milky. Set aside.

Whisk 1/2 tsp. each coriander and ancho chile powder into cornmeal, along with sugar, baking soda, salt, and cayenne (if using) in medium bowl. Set aside.

Whisk together buttermilk and eggs in separate bowl. Whisk in butter, then puréed corn, remaining 1 cup corn kernels, goat cheese, Cheddar, and remaining 2 tsp. garlic. Fold in cornmeal mixture with spatula, then fold in black beans, poblano chile, and green onions.

Divide filling among squash halves. Sprinkle each squash with extra Cheddar (if using).

Bake squash halves 30 to 45 minutes, or until squash are tender and filling is set. Sprinkle with green onions. Squash can be prepared 24 hours ahead, then reheated 20 minutes at 325°F.

nutritional information Per Stuffed squash half: Calories: 425; Protein: 15 g; Total Fat: 20 g; Saturated Fat: 10 g; Carbohydrates: 53 g; Cholesterol: 80 mg; Sodium: 533 mg; Fiber: 8 g; Sugar: 6 g; Gluten-Free

CHOCOLATE PUDDING

This is from the February 2001 issue of Vegetables Times. It begins, “Feeding a crowd? This recipe can easily be doubled.” Serves 4.

To view this online, click here.

Shaved chocolate (optional)

2 1/4 cups 1% fat milk or soy milk

1/2 cup sugar

Pinch of salt

2 Tbs. cornstarch

2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 large egg, beaten

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Raspberries (optional)

In heavy medium saucepan, combine 2 cups milk, 1/4 cup sugar and salt; bring to a boil. In medium bowl, mix cornstarch, cocoa and remaining 1/4 cup sugar. Whisk in remaining 1/4 cup milk until smooth. Whisk hot milk mixture into bowl and return to saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring. Boil 2 minutes, stirring constantly.

In small bowl, beat egg with fork. Whisk 1 cup hot mixture into egg, then whisk back into hot mixture. Cook, stirring over medium-low heat, without boiling, 2 minutes. Stir in vanilla.

Pour pudding into serving glasses. To prevent skin from forming, place sheets of wax paper directly on surface of pudding. Refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, about 2 hours. If desired, top with raspberries and shaved chocolate just before serving.

nutritional information Per Serving: Calories: 223; Protein: 9 g; Total Fat: 5 g; Saturated Fat: 2 g; Carbohydrates: 43 g; Cholesterol: 59 mg; Sodium: 89 mg; Fiber: 4 g

CHUNKY VEGETABLE STEW

This comes from the February 2004 issue of Vegetarian Times. It begins, “Greens cook down considerably and will reduce at least one-quarter in volume. One pound of raw kale will yield about 2 1/2 cups cooked. A dash of hot pepper sauce adds dimension to this colorful dish.” Serves 8.

To view this online, click here.

1 medium-sized bunch kale

2 tsp. olive oil

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 medium-sized red onion, chopped

1 medium-sized red bell pepper, chopped

3 medium-sized unpeeled russet potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

1 1/2 cups dry vermouth

1 6-oz. pkg. sliced white mushrooms

1 medium-sized head cauliflower, cut into about 2-inch florets

1 14.5-oz. can Mexican-style stewed tomatoes

3 Tbs. chopped fresh thyme

3 Tbs. nutritional yeast

1 1/2 Tbs. cornstarch

2 Tbs. cold water

1 Tbs. tamari soy sauce

1/4 tsp. lemon pepper

Strip kale leaves from stalks, and rinse thoroughly in colander; set aside.

Heat oil in a 5-quart Dutch oven or saucepan for 1 minute over medium-high heat. Add garlic, onions and peppers, sauté for 2 minutes and add potatoes. Cook for 4 minutes, and add vermouth, mushrooms and cauliflower. Cook for 2 minutes, add kale and mix thoroughly. Cook mixture for 5 minutes, and reduce heat to low.

Chop stewed tomatoes coarsely in food processor, and add tomatoes, thyme and yeast to kale mixture. Combine cornstarch and water in a small bowl, and stir in with tamari and lemon pepper. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat, and serve.

nutritional information Per SERVING: Calories: 195; Protein: 5 g; Total Fat: 2 g; Carbohydrates: 32 g; Sodium: 288 mg; Fiber: 5 g; Sugar: 11 g; Vegan

GARLICKY COLLARD GREENS

I know many people don't like greens. Personally, I love 'em. Add garlic, and that kicks up the yum! factor, as far as I'm concerned. This recipe comes from from the May/June 2007 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 40. It serves 4, and starts off by stating, "This technique of blanching the collard greens in boiling water, then sautéing them takes away any bitterness."

1 lb. chopped collard greens

2 Tbs. olive oil

4 cloves garlic, minced (about 4 tsp.)

Bring large pot of water to a boil. Add collard greens, and simmer 5 minutes. Drain.

Heat olive oil in same pot over medium heat. Add garlic, and sauté 1 to 2 minutes, or until golden brown and fragrant. Add greens, and sauté 5 minutes, or until tender. Season with salt and pepper, and serve warm.

nutritional information Per Serving: Calories: 98; Protein: 3 g; Total Fat: 7 g; Saturated Fat: 1 g; Carbohydrates: 7 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 23 mg; Fiber: 4 g; Sugar: 1 g; VeganGluten-Free

STOVETOP VEGETARIAN ORZO AND SPINACH SKILLET DINNER

Jolinda Hackett, About.com's vegetarian blog guide, writes, "This is a super easy one-pot complete vegetarian meal using pre-cooked orzo, canned chickpeas, fresh or frozen spinach and topped off with optional crumbled feta cheese, if you're not eating vegan. If you need a quick meal but don't have orzo on hand, you could try using this recipe with instant rice or even another whole grain that you have handy. Couscous would also be super quick, but orzo would be better. This recipe is vegetarian and gluten-free, and, if you omit the feta cheese, it's vegan as well."

Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 5 minutes; Total Time: 20 minutes; Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 small red onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, chopped

1 (16 ounce) can garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained

1/2 cup cooked orzo

1 lemon, juiced

2 cups fresh spinach, chopped or 12 ounces frozen, thawed and squeezed to drain

salt and pepper

1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese (optional)

Preparation:

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until almost clear, about 5-6 minutes. Add the beans, cooked orzo, lemon juice and spinach, stirring to combine well.

Season with salt and pepper to taste. Allow to heat for 4-5 minutes until spinach has cooked through and everything is heated and well combined.

Serve topped with feta cheese.

Makes four servings.

Nutritional information, per serving: Calories: 329; Total Fat 13g; Sodium 746mg;Dietary Fiber 10g; Protein 12g; Sugars 3g; Cholesterol 17mg

VEGETARIAN "SAUSAGE" AND CHEDDAR QUICHE WITH GIMMELEAN

Another from About.com. I'm guessing that this is from the vegetarian blog, but the email (from 2008) only states that it's from about.com. The recipe starts off, "If you're a vegetarian who likes a more 'meaty' quiche try this vegetarian 'sausage' and cheddar quiche recipe with Gimme Lean Sausage. You can make this recipe vegan by using egg substitute and vegan cheese. Recipe courtesy of Lightlife Foods." Serves 6

Ingredients:

1 9 inch pre-made pie crust

1/4 package Gimme Lean Sausage

2 cups milk, soy milk or rice milk

3 whole eggs or egg substitute

1/4 cup onion, finely chopped

1/4 cup cheddar cheese or soy cheese

nutmeg to taste

salt and pepper to taste

salsa

Preparation:

Bake pie crust according to the package directions and set aside. Saute Gimme Lean Sausage and onions in cooking oil or spray, then transfer to cooled pie shell. Sprinkle cheese or soy cheese over sausage and onions. Beat milk and eggs, add salt, pepper and nutmeg. Mix together and pour over sausage, onions and cheese.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes.

Per serving: Fat-25g, Fiber-1g, Sodium-610mg, Carbohydrates-14g, Protein-20g (soy protein 2g), Calories-370.

Friday, March 18, 2016

Friday Recipes

Finally, Friday! Here are six vegetarian recipes to help you through the weekene. Enjoy!

CRISPY QUINIOA CAKES

This recipe, as well as the Roasted Red Pepper Sauce, are from the September 2011 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 65. This one begins, “Serve these with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce. After trying the recipe as is, mix things up: Replace 1 cup quinoa with lentils, and season with curry powder to make Indian koftas. Or mix in more chopped parsley, and serve in pitas for quinoa falafel. Recipe by Kirstin Uhrenholdt.” Serves 6 in 30 minutes or less.

To view this online, click here.

1 large egg

2 Tbs. all-purpose flour

1 1/2 Tbs. tahini or nut butter

1 1/2 tsp. red or white wine vinegar

1 1/2 cups cooked quinoa

1/2 cup finely grated sweet potato

1/2 10-oz. pkg. frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry

1/4 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes

1/4 cup chopped nuts, optional

2 oz. crumbled feta cheese, optional

2 Tbs. finely diced onion

1 Tbs. chopped fresh parsley or cilantro

1 clove garlic, minced (1 tsp.)

1/2 tsp. salt

Preheat oven to 400°F. Coat baking sheet with cooking spray. Combine egg, flour, tahini, and vinegar in bowl. Stir in remaining ingredients, then mash together until mixture is firm enough to shape into cakes. Shape mixture into 1/4-cup patties with wet hands. Bake on prepared baking sheet 25 minutes, turning once, or until cakes are browned.

nutritional information Per Serving (2 cakes): Calories: 125; Protein: 6 g; Total Fat: 4 g; Saturated Fat: less than 1 g; Carbohydrates: 17 g; Cholesterol: 31 mg; Sodium: 282 mg; Fiber: 3 g; Sugar: 2 g

ROASTED RED PEPPER SAUCE

This is also from the September 2011 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 65, and begins, “Serve this quick, healthful dipping sauce with Crispy Quinoa Cakes.” Makes 2 1/2 cups in 30 minutes or less.

To view this online, click here.

1 1/2 cups roasted red peppers, drained

1/2 cup toasted almonds

1 clove garlic

2 tsp. red wine vinegar

Purée all ingredients in food processor.

nutritional information Per 1/4-cup serving: Calories: 40; Protein: 1 g; Total Fat: 3 g; Saturated Fat: less than 1 g; Carbohydrates: 3 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 111 mg; Fiber: 1 g; Sugar: 1 g; Vegan; Gluten-Free

ROASTED VEGETABLES

This comes from Melissa Clark in The New York Times Cooking e-newsletter. Melissa wrote, “The key to roasting all kinds of vegetables is to know the right temperature for cooking them. Dense, low-moisture vegetables (like the roots and squashes in this recipe) need lower heat and more time in the oven than vegetables with more moisture, like eggplant or zucchini. Then simply toss your vegetables with oil and season with salt and pepper before roasting. Top your roasted vegetable with a couple of fried eggs or a dollop of yogurt, or both, and you have a meal.” Time: 30 minutes to 1 hour; makes 4 to 6 servings.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

2 to 3 pounds root or dense vegetable, peeled if you like and cut into 1-inch chunks or wedges (carrots, beets, potatoes, sweet potatoes, turnips, radishes, rutabaga, winter squashes)

Oil (olive, coconut or grapeseed)

Salt and pepper

Fried eggs and/or plain yogurt

Fresh herbs, torn or chopped

Preparation

Heat oven to 425 degrees. Toss vegetables with oil, salt, and pepper. Roast, stirring at least once or twice during roasting for even cooking and browning.

Serve with fried eggs and/or yogurt, ground black pepper and plenty of torn herbs on top.

Tips

You can use 2 pounds high-moisture vegetables instead (eggplant, peppers, zucchini, fennel, onions, brussels sprouts). Slice them and cut into chunks or wedges. Roast at 450 degrees until golden brown all over, 10 to 40 minutes depending on variety and the size of the pieces.

Or use 1 to 2 pounds hardy green vegetables (broccoli rabe, snow peas, green beans, kale, collard greens, chard) or cherry tomatoes, trimmed. Roast at 450 degrees for 7 to 15 minutes.

AFRICAN BEAN SOUP

I'm occasionally amazed at where I find recipes. This one comes from GE Appliances. It begins, “It's the season for soup and what better way to warm up than this hearty, protein packed stew! This dish works well on it's own, or for a more substantial meal, serve over brown rice and spinach.” Serves 6 to 8.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 onion, chopped

2 small yams, peeled and diced (about 2 cups)

2 medium carrots, chopped

2 celery stalks, chopped

1 red bell pepper, diced

1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes

1 (15-ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained

3 cups vegetable broth

1/2 cup cilantro or parsley

3 tablespoons creamy peanut butter

2 teaspoons curry powder

Directions

Heat olive oil in stock pot over medium-high heat. Saute onion and sweet potato for about 5 minutes.

Add celery, carrots, bell pepper, soy sauce and curry powder and saute for another 5 minutes.

Add tomatoes, beans, cilantro or parsley and vegetable stock.

Blend peanut butter with 1/2 cup warm water and add to soup.

Cover and simmer for 20-25 minutes, until sweet potatoes are tender.

CABBAGE WITH TOMATOES, BULGUR AND CHICKPEAS

This comes from Martha Rose Shulman in The New York Times Cooking e-newsletter. Martha wrote, “This recipe is based on a Greek dish made with red cabbage. I’ve used both green and red cabbage, and I like it both ways. It’s a comforting vegan dish that works as an entree or a side.” Time: 40 minutes; Serves 6.

To view this online, go to http://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1013499-cabbage-with-tomatoes-bulgur-and-chickpeas.

Ingredients

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 onion, finely chopped

Salt to taste

1 tablespoon sweet paprika

1 medium head green or red cabbage, finely shredded

1 14-ounce can chopped tomatoes with juice

2 teaspoons sugar

2 teaspoons red wine vinegar, cider vinegar or sherry vinegar

1/4 cup chopped fresh dill

2 cups water

1 cup coarse bulgur

1 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

Preparation

Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large, heavy lidded skillet or Dutch oven. Add the onion, and cook, stirring often, until tender, about five minutes. Stir in a pinch of salt and the paprika. Cook, stirring, until the onion is thoroughly tender and infused with paprika, three to four minutes.

Add the cabbage, and cook, stirring, for three minutes or until it begins to wilt. Stir in the tomatoes, sugar and vinegar, and add salt to taste. Bring to a simmer, lower the heat, cover and simmer 15 minutes until the cabbage is thoroughly tender.

Stir in the dill and the water, and bring a to a boil. Add the bulgur and chickpeas. Stir to combine. When the water comes back to a boil, reduce the heat to low and cover. Simmer 10 minutes or until all of the water has been absorbed. Remove from the heat, taste and adjust seasonings, and serve hot or at room temperature.

Tip: Advance preparation: Since this is good served at room temperature, you can make it several hours ahead. Reheat if desired. It will keep for three or four days in the refrigerator.

QUICK PUMPKIN-SAGE PASTA

Pumpkin is one of those foods I absolutely adore. Pasta ranks right up there, too. This yummy recipe comes from Tara Parker-Pope, also from The New York Times Cooking e-newsletter. Tara wrote, “The vegan chef Lindsay S. Nixon is giving Well readers a sneak peek at her new cookbook, “Everyday Happy Herbivore: Over 175 Quick-and-Easy Fat-Free and Low-Fat Vegan Recipes." This is a great way to use up leftover pumpkin. It whips up as quickly as you can boil pasta and really captures the taste of autumn.” Time: about 30 minutes; makes 2 servings.

To view this online, go to http://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1015470-quick-pumpkin-sage-pasta.

Ingredients

4 ounces whole-wheat pasta

3/4 cup vegetable broth

3/4 cup canned pumpkin

1 to 2 tablespoons minced fresh sage

1/8 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

Pinch of dried oregano

Pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)

Salt and pepper, to taste

Vegan Parmesan for garnish (optional)

Preparation

Cook pasta according to package instructions.

Meanwhile, combine remaining ingredients in a small saucepan and heat over low heat until thoroughly warm, about 5 minutes.

Taste, adding more sage if desired, plus salt and pepper to taste.

Cover and let sauce rest for 5 to 10 minutes, allowing the flavors to merge and sauce to thicken slightly.

Toss cooked pasta with pumpkin sauce and taste, adding more salt and pepper as needed. Garnish with vegan Parmesan if desired.

Tip:For a one-pot meal, prepare sauce in the same pot used to cook pasta, setting the pasta aside as you make the sauce.

Thursday, March 17, 2016

St. Patrick's Day Recipes

It's finally St. Patrick's Day. Here are six vegetarian St. Patrick's Day recipes to help you celebrate. Enjoy!

ST. PATRICK'S DAY SOUP

This is from GE Appliances, and begins, “What a tasty home-made potato soup, made with both Idaho and sweet potatoes.” Makes 4 to 6 servings in 20 minutes. The recipe originally calls for chicken broth or bouillon; I changed it to vegetable broth or bouillon.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

6 large Idaho potatoes, peeled and cut into pieces

2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into pieces

1 large onion, chopped

4 cups vegetable broth or bouillon

2 teaspoons thyme

1- 16 oz. container sour cream

1 stick butter or margarine

1/2 cup flour

2 cups milk

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Place potatoes, onion, broth and thyme into a 5-quart pot. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer for 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

Melt butter in a medium size saucepan. Stir in flour with a whisk or wooden spoon to make a smooth paste.

Add milk, a little at a time, stirring to make the mixture smooth. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly until thickened. Season generously with salt and pepper. Add to the potato mixture.

Stir in sour cream.

Heat thoroughly and serve.

CREAMY IRISH POTATO SOUP

This recipe comes from Campbell's Kitchen; to view this recipe online, click here. The recipe starts off, "This rich and creamy potato soup is subtly flavored with celery and green onions. It's the kind of soup you'll want to savor slowly...even though it's ready in just 35 minutes." The recipe originally called for chicken broth, but I changed it to vegetable broth to make it vegetarian.

Prep. time: 15 minutes; Cooking time: 25 minutes; Serves: 5 servings (1 1/4 cups each)

Ingredients

2 tablespoons butter

4 medium green onion, sliced (about 1/2 cup)

1 stalk celery, sliced (about 1/2 cup)

1 3/4 cups Swanson® Vegetable Broth (Regular, Natural Goodness® or Certified Organic)

1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

3 medium potato, sliced 1/4-inch thick (about 3 cups)

1 1/2 cups milk

Directions

Heat the butter in a 3-quart saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions and celery and cook until they're tender.

Stir the broth, black pepper and potatoes in the saucepan and heat to a boil. Reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook for 15 minutes or until the potatoes are tender.

Place half of the broth mixture and half of the milk in a blender or food processor. Cover and blend until smooth. Repeat with the remaining broth mixture and remaining milk. Return to the saucepan and heat through.

MASHED POTATOES WITH CHIVES

I absolutely love potatoes, especially mashed. This comes from the March 2008 issue of Vegetarian Times, and begins, “It really isn’t an Irish dinner unless there are potatoes. These can be served as a side dish, or combined with a stew to make a cottage pie: Simply place the stew in a pie dish, spread the potatoes on top, and place under the broiler until the potatoes are browned.” Serves 2 in 30 minutes or less.

To view this online, click here.

1 lb. Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch slices

3/4 cup low-fat milk

1 1/2 Tbs. butter

3 Tbs. finely chopped chives

1/4 tsp. grated nutmeg

Place potatoes in medium pot and cover with 1 inch water. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium, and simmer 8 to 10 minutes, or until potatoes are tender. Drain, and put potatoes through ricer or mash in medium bowl.

Heat milk and butter in small saucepan until butter is melted. Stir into potatoes along with chives and nutmeg. Season with salt and pepper.

nutritional information Per SERVING: Calories: 331; Protein: 8 g; Total Fat: 10 g; Saturated Fat: 6 g; Carbohydrates: 55 g; Cholesterol: 27 mg; Sodium: 404 mg; Fiber: 5 g; Sugar: 7 g; Gluten-Free

CABBAGE CASSEROLE

This comes from Healing Heart Foundation. The site has quite a few heart-healthy recipes; just go to their site (click here), then click “recipes” on the left-hand side.

This was the closest to an Irish dish that I could find on the site. Enjoy!

1/2 head cabbage

2 C cooked brown rice

1/2 C whole wheat couscous

1 12oz. can tomato sauce

1/4 C raisins (optional)

1 can chopped tomatoes

1/2 C fresh or frozen corn

1 tsp fresh lemon juice

1 T brown sugar or brown rice syrup

1/4 tsp each: cardamon, coriander, curry powder, pepper, garlic powder and a pinch of allspice

1/8 t ground cloves (optional)

Slice cabbage diagonally. Pour hot water over it to make it limp. Drain. Mix rice, couscous, raisins and corn and set aside. Mix tomato with all other ingredients and spread 1 C in the bottom of a large ceramic casserole lightly coated with non-stick spray. Cover with layers of the cabbage and the rice mixture. Top with the rest of the tomato mixture and cover with foil. Bake at 325° F. for 30 to 45 minutes, until bubbly. Serve hot with whole wheat bread and a salad.

This dish is similar to a savory stuffed cabbage, but the difficulties and disasters of stuffing have been avoided. For a fancier dish, the rice mixture can be rolled into cabbage leaves and skewered with a toothpick. Green peppers can be stuffed instead of using cabbage.

4 servings, each: Calories 567, Fat 3.79 g (5% cff), Carbohydrate 10.02 g, Protein 15.98 g (11%)

IRISH SODA BREAD

I think I probably have run across a dozen or more recipes for Irish Soda Bread, most of which seem to be a slight variation of the bread. This one comes from a long-since-forgotten-emailing-list.

4 cups flour

1/4 cup sugar

1 tsp baking powder

2 tbsp caraway seeds

1/4 cup butter

2 cups raisins

1 1/3 cup buttermilk

1 egg

1 tsp baking soda

1 egg yolk, beaten

Mix the flour, sugar, and the baking powder into a mixing bowl. Stir in the caraway seeds. Cut in the butter until the mixture looks like coarse meal. Stir in the raisins. Set aside. Combine the buttermilk, egg, and baking soda. Stir into the flour mixture just enough to moisten the dry ingredients. Turn onto a floured board and knead lightly until the dough is smooth. Shape into a ball and place in a greased 2 quart casserole dish. Brush with egg yolk. Bake at 375 F for one hour. Cool the bread for 10 minutes before removing from the casserole dish.

BAILEYS MOUSSE CHEESECAKE

This comes from The Baker Chick's e-newsletter. If you haven't signed up for Audra's newsletter yet, you really should! (Yes, that's a subtle recommendation.)

This recipe, which yields 1 7-inch cheesecake, can be found online at http://www.thebakerchick.com/2015/03/baileys-mousse-cheesecake/.

Ingredients

For the Crust:

1/2 cup white sugar

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

3/8 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (Note: 1/2 cup minus 2 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder)

1 pinch salt

1/4 cup butter, melted

For the Topping:

2 8-ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature

1/2 - 3/4 cup Bailey's

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/3 cup chocolate chips, or melted chocolate or shaved chocolate for topping.

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375F.

In a medium-sized bowl, stir together the sugar, flour, cocoa powder, and salt. Add the melted butter and stir until moistened. Press the crust mixture into a 7-inch springform pan* and bake for 10 minutes.

While the crust cools, whip the cream cheese on high until smooth. Add 1/2 cup of the Bailey's and the vanilla extract. Taste the mixture, and add the remaining 1/4 cup of creamer if desired, 1 tablespoon at a time until desired sweetness is reached.**

Transfer filling into cooled crust and smooth with an offset spatula. Sprinkle with chocolate chips, or drizzle with melted chocolate or chocolate shavings. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for several hours, until the filling has set. (You can speed this up in the freezer.)

Notes:

You can use a 9 inch springform pan, but I would make 1 1/2 times the recipe.

*The more liquid you add to the filling the looser it will be. I added the full 3/4 cup and it was perfectly creamy and dreamy, but if you prefer a bit more solid texture add a little less.

Wednesday, March 16, 2016

Almost St. Patrick's Day

Okay, tomorrow is St. Patrick's Day, so we're almost done with the St. Patty's Day recipes. Enjoy!

COLCANNON

I've posted two colcannon recipes today. The first one comes from the March 2007 issue of Vegetarian Times. It starts of, "This ultra-Irish dish varies from one county to the next, with some cooks using cabbage in place of kale, others using leeks or onions for extra flavor. Here, it gets a modern-day makeover with purple potatoes, garlic and shiitake mushrooms to reflect all the delicious new options found in Irish markets today. If you can’t find purple potatoes, Yukon gold, fingerling or russet varieties also work well." Serves 6

1 lb. purple potatoes

1 lb. kale, tough stems removed

2 to 3 Tbs. olive oil

10 oz. shiitake mushrooms, sliced (about 3 cups)

3 cloves garlic, chopped (about 1 Tbs.)

1 cup unsweetened rice milk, warmed

Place potatoes in large pot, and cover with water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium, and simmer 15 to 20 minutes, or until very tender. Drain, and return to pot. Heat potatoes over medium heat 1 to 2 minutes to steam off excess water, and set aside.

Meanwhile, bring large pot of salted water to a boil. Add kale, and cook 5 minutes. Drain, and set aside.

Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms and garlic, and sauté 5 to 7 minutes, or until mushrooms are soft and all liquid has evaporated. Stir in kale, and cook 1 minute more, or until hot. Season with salt and pepper.

Mash rice milk into potatoes until soft, but still chunky. Fold in kale mixture, and serve.

nutritional information Per SERVING: Calories: 184; Protein: 4 g; Total Fat: 7 g; Saturated Fat: 1 g; Carbohydrates: 30 g; Sodium: 406 mg; Fiber: 4 g; Sugar: 5 g; Vegan

COLCANNON

This one comes from About.com's Fiona Haynes, who does the Low Fat Cooking blog. She writes, "Colcannon is a perfect side dish for St. Patrick's Day. It's basically a mashed potato and cabbage dish, although many variations exist. I like to blend in milk-simmered leeks in this version. Other people swear by kale rather than cabbage, which may be more in keeping with tradition. Add a little nutmeg or mace if you have it." Prep Time: 0 minutes; Cook Time: 30 minutes; Total Time: 30 minutes; Serves 6 - 8.

To view online, click here.

Ingredients

2 pounds potatoes, peeled and cut into pieces

1 small cabbage, cored and chopped

2 small leeks, white parts only, sliced

1 cup fat-free milk

4 ounces fat-free cream cheese, softened

1/2 teaspoon white pepper

Directions

Boil potatoes in a large pot of water until tender, about 20-25 minutes. Meanwhile, in a second pot, boil or steam cabbage for 10 minutes or until tender. Drain, cover and set aside.

In a medium saucepan, simmer leeks in milk for 5 minutes. When leeks are soft, remove with a slotted spoon and put to one side, reserving the milk.

When potatoes are tender, drain well. Add half the milk used to simmer the leeks. Mash the potatoes until all the lumps have gone. Add cream cheese and white pepper then mash again until blended. Use remaining milk if needed. Stir in cabbage and leeks.

Serve immediately.

Per Serving: Calories 132, Calories from Fat 6, Total Fat 0.7g (sat 0.2g), Cholesterol 2mg, Sodium 113mg, Carbohydrate 25.3g, Fiber 4.2g, Protein 6.2g

VEGAN IRISH COLCANNON POTATOES AND CABBAGE

Can we really have too many recipes for colcannon? Maybe...or not. Here's another version of this yummy recipe. Even after St. Patrick's Day is over, this can be eaten any time.

This one came from Jolinda Hackett, About.com's vegetarian food expert. She writes, “Colcannon is a traditional Irish side dish made with potatoes and cabbage, and this version is both vegetarian and vegan and it's gluten-free as well (double check that your soy milk is gluten-free). Make this recipe for St. Patrick's Day, or any day that you are longing for a wee taste of Ireland.” Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 45 minutes; Total Time: 55 minutes; Yield: 6 servings.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

water for boiling

5 large potatoes

1 head green cabbage, chopped

3 leeks, sliced

1 cup soy milk

1/4 tsp nutmeg (optional)

salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

Place potatoes in a large pot and add enough water to cover the potatoes. Bring to a boil and cook for at least 20 minutes, or until potatoes are tender.

In a separate pot, boil the cabbage in water for 15 minutes. Drain and set aside.

In another pot or skillet, cook leeks in soy milk until tender, about 15 minutes.

When potatoes are done cooking, mash them together with leeks, soy milk, nutmeg, salt and pepper.

Add cabbage and stir to combine. Add more salt and pepper to taste and enjoy!

IRISH SODA BREAD

This is from Fiona Haynes, About.com's Low Fat Cooking expert. She writes, "Irish Soda Bread requires only a few simple ingredients: flour, baking soda, salt and buttermilk. Throw in a cup of raisins if you like, and some orange zest, too. Traditional Irish Soda Bread is made without these, however, as it was made as a daily bread to accompany meals. Enjoy the original version warm with a little low fat spread with some tea, or as an accompaniment to a lean beef stew." Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 45 minutes; Total Time: 60 minutes; Yields 1 round loaf (8 - 10 wedges or slices)

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

1 1/2 tsp. salt

1 1/2 cups low fat buttermilk

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a large bowl, stir dry ingredients together with a whisk. Make a well in the center and add 1 cup of the buttermilk, reserving 1/2 cup. Combine dry ingredients and buttermilk with a fork, gradually adding more of the remaining liquid until a soft dough is formed.

Knead the dough lightly on a floured surface for 1 minute. Form into a slightly flattened circle. Place on a parchment lined (or silicone baking mat) cookie sheet. Mark a large 1/2-inch deep X with a sharp knife and bake soda bread for 40-45 minutes. The bread is ready when it is golden and sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom.

Per Serving: Calories 148, Calories from Fat 6, Total Fat 0.7g (sat 0.4g), Cholesterol 1 mg, Sodium 582mg, Carbohydrate 30.5g, Fiber 1g, Protein 5g

SWEET IRISH POTATO ROLLS

From about.com's bread baking guru, Elizabeth Yetter, who wrote, "Sweet Irish potato rolls are made with mashed potatoes and the water you use to boil the potatoes. These rolls are soft, moist, and slightly sweet. They taste great with salty dinners, such as ham, and with most stews. The rolls can be made ahead of time, cooled, and frozen. This recipe for sweet Irish potato rolls makes 18 medium sized rolls."

Prep Time: 2 hours; Cook Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted

1 cup mashed potatoes

1 cup potato water

1 tbsp (2 pkg) active dry yeast

1/4 cup sugar

1 tsp salt

2 eggs

5 cups bread flour, about

Preparation:

Melt stick of butter in small saucepan.

In large bowl, add mashed potatoes, potato water, and melted butter. Mix and let set until lukewarm.

Add yeast, sugar, salt and eggs to mixture. Stir well.

Stir in 2 cups bread flour. Let mixture sit for 15 minutes in warm place.

Stir down sponge and add enough flour to make a soft dough. Turn dough out onto floured board and knead until soft and smooth. Put dough in greased bowl. Turn dough over in bowl so that the top is also lightly greased. Cover and let rise for 1 hour or until double in bulk.

Punch dough down. Turn out onto lightly floured board and knead out air bubbles. Divide and shape dough into 18 rolls. Put rolls on 2 greased baking sheets. Cover and let rise for 30 minutes or until doubled.

Bake rolls at 350 degrees F for 15 to 20 minutes, or until golden. Serve warm or cold.

VEGETARIAN "BEEF" AND GUINNESS STEW

Jolinda Hackett is about.com's vegetarian cuisine guide. She wrote, "Beef and Guinness stew, an Irish pub favorite, gets a vegetarian makeover in this recipe, using seitan instead of beef to absorb all that rich stout flavor. Yum! The flavor of the beer is very strong in this recipe, so I've suggest using half the amount of Guinness and adding an equal amount of vegetable broth if you aren't a Guinness fan."

Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 60 minutes

Ingredients:

Approx 14 oz seitan, cut into thin strips

2 tbsp soy sauce

2 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp steak sauce

3 tbsp butter or margarine

1 onion, diced

3 ribs celery, chopped

2 carrots, chopped

2 medium potatoes chopped into 1 inch pieces

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 12 oz bottles Guinness Stout OR 1 bottle plus 1 1/2 cups vegetable broth

2 tbsp flour

1 tbsp chopped fresh thyme

1 tsp brown sugar (optional)

Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:

Sautee seitan in olive oil and soy sauce until slightly browned, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat, add steak sauce and stir until seitan is lightly coated. Remove from heat and aside. In a large pot, sautee onions, celery, carrots, potatoes and garlic in butter or margarine for 3-5 minutes, or until onions are slightly soft. Reduce heat and slowly add Guinness, gently stirring to combine. Add flour, thyme, sugar, salt and pepper and stir well. Add seitan and allow stew to simmer until Guinness reduces and stew thickens, about 40-50 minutes.

Add more salt and pepper if desired and enjoy!

Tuesday, March 15, 2016

Count Down to St. Patrick's Day - Tuesday Recipes

Enjoy!

IRISH SODA BREAD

This comes from Ina Garten of The Food Network's Barefoot Contessa. Total Time: 1 hr 15 min; Prep Time: 20 min; Cook: 55 min; Yield: 1 loaf; Level: Easy

Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/irish-soda-bread-recipe.print.html?oc=linkback

Ingredients

4 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for currants

4 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch dice

1 3/4 cups cold buttermilk, shaken

1 extra-large egg, lightly beaten

1 teaspoon grated orange zest

1 cup dried currants

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.

Combine the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add the butter and mix on low speed until the butter is mixed into the flour.

With a fork, lightly beat the buttermilk, egg, and orange zest together in a measuring cup. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the buttermilk mixture to the flour mixture. Combine the currants with 1 tablespoon of flour and mix into the dough. It will be very wet.

Dump the dough onto a well-floured board and knead it a few times into a round loaf. Place the loaf on the prepared sheet pan and lightly cut an X into the top of the bread with a serrated knife. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean. When you tap the loaf, it will have a hollow sound.

Cool on a baking rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.

TRADITIONAL IRISH SODA BREAD

This traditional bread comes from The Baker Chick. She writes, “I love how simple this recipe is. It’s made up of just 4 ingredients that I usually have on hand, which means I can have a loaf of delicious bread ready and waiting any time I want. Flour- Baking Soda- Salt-Buttermilk. Who would know that simply that could result in such a perfect loaf of bread? With an almost biscuit-like taste and a crisp crust, we slathered this with some delicious salted butter, but a slather of jam or a dunk in a bowl of soup would be a perfect match as well. The bread is simple as can be to throw together and has that rustic, country look I really love. I’m a total fan of making yeasted bread, but this is by far the best I’ve had for something so quick! I’m glad I discovered this recipe right in time for St. Patty’s, but I know it will be a kitchen standard all year round!”

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

1 lb. (3-1/2 cups) unbleached all-purpose flour; more as needed

3/4 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

1-1/2 to 1-3/4 cups buttermilk

Instructions

Preheat oven to 450F.

Stir together the flour, salt and baking in a large mixing bowl. Make a well in the middle of the mixture and pour in 1 1/2 cups of the buttermilk.

Use a wooden spoon or your hand to combine the ingredients. You want the dough to be soft- don't over mix it. Add more buttermilk if needed to get the dough to come together.

Turn the dough onto a floured surface and give it a few kneads and shape it into a 6-inch diameter disk (about 2 inches tall.)

Use a sharp knife to score an X on the top of the loaf (I did mine a bit too deep as you can tell, you only need to cut in a little bit.) Transfer to a cookie sheet or pizza stone and bake for 15 mins.

Reduce the heat to 400F and bake for another 20-25 minutes or until the crust is golden, and the bread sounds hollow when you tap it.

Let bread cool slightly before slicing and slathering with salted butter!

CREAMY IRISH POTATO SOUP

This recipe comes from Campbell's Kitchen. It originally calls for chicken broth, but I always use good, ol' veggie broth. To view this recipe online, click here. The recipe starts off, "This rich and creamy potato soup is subtly flavored with celery and green onions. It's the kind of soup you'll want to savor slowly...even though it's ready in just 35 minutes."

Prep. time: 15 minutes; Cooking time: 25 minutes; Serves: 5 servings (1 1/4 cups each)

Ingredients

2 tablespoons butter

4 medium green onion, sliced (about 1/2 cup)

1 stalk celery, sliced (about 1/2 cup)

1 3/4 cups Swanson® Vegetable Broth (Regular, Natural Goodness® or Certified Organic)

1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

3 medium potato, sliced 1/4-inch thick (about 3 cups)

1 1/2 cups milk

Directions

Heat the butter in a 3-quart saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions and celery and cook until they're tender.

Stir the broth, black pepper and potatoes in the saucepan and heat to a boil. Reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook for 15 minutes or until the potatoes are tender.

Place half of the broth mixture and half of the milk in a blender or food processor. Cover and blend until smooth. Repeat with the remaining broth mixture and remaining milk. Return to the saucepan and heat through.

CORNISH PASTIES

This comes from the March 2011 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 41. It begins, “ Like Ireland, Cornwall is a Celtic region, so it’s no surprise that these turnovers are a favorite in pubs all over Ireland.” Makes 16 pasties.

To view this online, go to http://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipe/cornish-pasties/.

Dough

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling

1/2 tsp. salt

5 Tbs. cold margarine, cut into cubes

Filling

1 tsp. vegetable oil

1 small onion, finely diced (1/2 cup)

1 stalk celery, finely diced (1/4 cup)

2 cloves garlic, minced (2 tsp.)

1 small rutabaga, peeled and diced (1 cup)

1 small potato, finely diced (1/2 cup)

1 carrot, peeled and finely diced (1/2 cup)

1/2 tsp. dried thyme

2 large eggs

1 Tbs. spicy brown mustard

1/4 cup grated reduced-fat Gruyère cheese

To make Dough: Sift flour and salt into bowl. Cut in margarine using pastry cutter, 2 knives, or your hands. Mixture should resemble coarse meal. Stir in 6 to 8 Tbs. ice water, or just enough to hold mixture together. Pinch dough between your fingers; if it sticks, dough is wet enough. Shape into disc, and wrap in plastic wrap. Chill 1 hour.

To make Filling: Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, celery, and garlic; cook 5 to 7 minutes, or until onion is lightly browned. Add rutabaga, potato, carrot, and thyme; cook 3 minutes, then add 1/2 cup water. Reduce heat, cover, and steam vegetables 10 to 12 minutes, or until tender.

Whisk 1 egg with mustard in large bowl. Stir in vegetables and Gruyère, and season with salt and pepper, if desired. Whisk remaining egg with 2 Tbs. water in separate bowl to make egg wash, and set aside.

Preheat oven to 400°F. Coat baking sheet with cooking spray.

Divide Dough in half, and roll 1 half out on floured work surface to 1/8-inch thickness. Cut out 8 discs with 5-inch round cutter. Add leftover Dough to remaining Dough, and repeat to make 8 more Dough discs. Roll each disc out to long oval; brush edges of each oval with egg wash. Place 3 Tbs. Filling on 1 side of oval, and fold Dough over to make semicircle. Press Dough around Filling to remove any air, making sure no Filling leaks out of edges. Crimp edges with fork tines to seal. Repeat with remaining Dough and Filling until you have 16 pasties. Brush tops with egg wash, and sprinkle with salt and pepper, if desired. Bake on prepared baking sheet 25 to 30 minutes, or until golden brown.

nutritional information Per Pasty: Calories: 220; Protein: 6 g; Total Fat: 10 g; Saturated Fat: 3 g; Carbohydrates: 27 g; Cholesterol: 55 mg; Sodium: 284 mg; Fiber: 2 g; Sugar: 2 g

PLOUGHMAN'S PLATTER

If you're feeding several people for lunch – or want leftovers – this would be a good bet for during the afternoon on St. Patrick's Day. Like this last recipe, this also comes from the March 2011 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 46. It begins, “ Originating in the United Kingdom, a “ploughman’s lunch” is a plate of bread, butter, cheese, and pickles served in pubs at midday. This assortment, with homemade pickles and sliced apples, makes a nice hors d’oeuvre platter for any party. You also can include a green salad and sliced hard-boiled eggs.” Serves 16.

To view this online, go to http://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipe/ploughman-s-platter/.

Pickles

2 lb. cucumbers, sliced

1 small onion, thinly sliced (1 cup)

1 cup apple cider vinegar

1/3 cup sugar

2 Tbs. salt

1 tsp. whole yellow mustard seeds

1 star anise

1/4 tsp. ground cloves

1/4 tsp. ground turmeric

1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes

Platter

1 loaf sliced Irish brown bread, soda bread, or country bread

2 tart apples, sliced

1/2 lb. Irish Cheddar cheese

1/2 lb. Stilton or Cashel blue cheese

1/4 lb. Irish butter

Colman’s English Mustard

To make Pickles: Pack cucumbers and onions in 1-qt. jar. Bring vinegar, sugar, salt, mustard seeds, star anise, cloves, turmeric, and red pepper flakes to a simmer in saucepan over medium heat. Cook 5 minutes. Pour liquid over cucumbers and onions; cover, and refrigerate at least 24 hours.

Arrange bread, apples, cheeses, butter, mustard, and Pickles on large platter.

nutritional information Per Serving: Calories: 273; Protein: 10 g; Total Fat: 17 g; Saturated Fat: 10 g; Carbohydrates: 22 g; Cholesterol: 50 mg; Sodium: 571 mg; Fiber: 2 g; Sugar: 4 g

COLCANNON

This comes from the Healing Heart Foundation at http://heart.kumu.org. It starts off, “A traditional old-world dish of creamed kale, leeks and potatoes.”

4 medium or 3 large potatoes

3 1/2 C chopped kale (one bunch)*

3 leeks

1 onion

1/3 C non-fat Soy Moo or any low-fat soy or rice milk

1/4 C fresh parsley, chopped

salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Cut up the potatoes and steam until soft (potatoes can be microwaved in a bowl with a little water for about 15 minutes). Meanwhile, chop the onion and saute in a non-stick pan with a little water (no oil). Chop and wash the kale, and when the onion is soft, add the kale to the skillet; cover and let the kale steam in the water that stays on the leaves after washing. When the potatoes are done, drain if necessary and mash (with or without the skin, as you prefer). Mix in the soy or rice milk, parsley, and salt and pepper to taste, combine with the kale and onions, and serve. 3 large or 4 medium servings

* If kale is hard to find, most greens (mustard, turnip, collard), boy choy or choy sum can be used. Green or red cabbage is also a traditional colcannon ingredient.

3 servings, each: Calories 262, Fat 1.2 g. (4% cff), Carbohydrate 57.6 g., Protein 8.3 g.

Monday, March 14, 2016

Monday Recipes - St. Patrick's Day

St. Patrick's Day is this week, and it seems that everyone is Irish, even if one isn't. (For the record, I am definitely part Irish.) And however you feel about St. Patrick, it still seems like a day to celebrate. So, in honor of St. Patrick's Day, here are six recipe you can use to celebrate on Thursday. Heck, they're so good, fix these at any time of the year! Enjoy!

COLCANNON

This comes from the March 2007 issue of Vegetarian Times, and begins, “This ultra-Irish dish varies from one county to the next, with some cooks using cabbage in place of kale, others using leeks or onions for extra flavor. Here, it gets a modern-day makeover with purple potatoes, garlic and shiitake mushrooms to reflect all the delicious new options found in Irish markets today. If you can’t find purple potatoes, Yukon gold, fingerling or russet varieties also work well.” Serves 6.

To view this online, click here.

1 lb. purple potatoes

1 lb. kale, tough stems removed

2 to 3 Tbs. olive oil

10 oz. shiitake mushrooms, sliced (about 3 cups)

3 cloves garlic, chopped (about 1 Tbs.)

1 cup unsweetened rice milk, warmed

Place potatoes in large pot, and cover with water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium, and simmer 15 to 20 minutes, or until very tender. Drain, and return to pot. Heat potatoes over medium heat 1 to 2 minutes to steam off excess water, and set aside.

Meanwhile, bring large pot of salted water to a boil. Add kale, and cook 5 minutes. Drain, and set aside.

Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms and garlic, and sauté 5 to 7 minutes, or until mushrooms are soft and all liquid has evaporated. Stir in kale, and cook 1 minute more, or until hot. Season with salt and pepper. Mash rice milk into potatoes until soft, but still chunky. Fold in kale mixture, and serve.

nutritional information Per SERVING: Calories: 184; Protein: 4 g; Total Fat: 7 g; Saturated Fat: 1 g; Carbohydrates: 30 g; Sodium: 406 mg; Fiber: 4 g; Sugar: 5 g; Vegan

MASHED POTATOES WITH CHIVES

I absolutely love potatoes, especially mashed. This comes from the March 2008 issue of Vegetarian Times, and begins, “It really isn’t an Irish dinner unless there are potatoes. These can be served as a side dish, or combined with a stew to make a cottage pie: Simply place the stew in a pie dish, spread the potatoes on top, and place under the broiler until the potatoes are browned.” Serves 2 in 30 minutes or less.

To view this online, click here.

1 lb. Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch slices

3/4 cup low-fat milk

1 1/2 Tbs. butter

3 Tbs. finely chopped chives

1/4 tsp. grated nutmeg

Place potatoes in medium pot and cover with 1 inch water. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium, and simmer 8 to 10 minutes, or until potatoes are tender. Drain, and put potatoes through ricer or mash in medium bowl.

Heat milk and butter in small saucepan until butter is melted. Stir into potatoes along with chives and nutmeg. Season with salt and pepper.

nutritional information Per SERVING: Calories: 331; Protein: 8 g; Total Fat: 10 g; Saturated Fat: 6 g; Carbohydrates: 55 g; Cholesterol: 27 mg; Sodium: 404 mg; Fiber: 5 g; Sugar: 7 g; Gluten-Free

SODA BREAD SCONES

This is from the April 2009 issue of Vegetarian Times. It begins, “Irish soda bread is just barely sweet and biscuit-like—perfect with a savory meal. It’s usually baked in a large round, but here we’ve cut it into scone-like wedges that take only 20 minutes to bake.” Serves 6 in 30 minutes or less.

To view this online, click here.

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

2 1/2 cups white whole-wheat flour

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. coarse salt

3/4 cup low-fat buttermilk or plain soymilk

3 Tbs. pure maple syrup

3/4 cup dried currants

8 tsp. raw sugar, such as turbinado, optional

Preheat oven to 450°F. Coat baking sheet with cooking spray.

Whisk together flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt in bowl. Whisk together buttermilk, maple syrup, and currants in separate bowl. Stir buttermilk mixture into flour mixture until soft dough forms. Transfer to floured work surface, and shape into 8-inch round. Cut round into 8 wedges. Transfer to prepared baking sheet, and sprinkle each wedge with 1 tsp. sugar, if using. Bake 20 minutes, or until browned.

nutritional information Per Scone: Calories: 193; Protein: 6 g; Total Fat: less than 1 g; Saturated Fat: less than 1 g; Carbohydrates: 44 g; Cholesterol: less than 1 mg; Sodium: 226 mg; Fiber: 4 g; Sugar: 15 g

CHOCOLATE GUINNESS CAKE

This comes from Nigella Lawson in The New York Times' cooking newsletter. Nigella writes, “For me, a chocolate cake is the basic unit of celebration. The chocolate Guinness cake here is simple but deeply pleasurable, and has earned its place as a stand-alone treat.” Time: 1 hour 15 minutes; one 9-inch cake or 12 servings

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

For the Cake:

Butter for pan

1 cup Guinness stout

10 tablespoons (1 stick plus 2 tablespoons) unsalted butter

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa

2 cups superfine sugar

3/4 cup sour cream

2 large eggs

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

For the Topping:

1 1/4 cups confectioners' sugar

8 ounces cream cheese at room temperature

1/2 cup heavy cream

Preparation:

For the cake: heat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-inch springform pan and line with parchment paper. In a large saucepan, combine Guinness and butter. Place over medium-low heat until butter melts, then remove from heat. Add cocoa and superfine sugar, and whisk to blend.

In a small bowl, combine sour cream, eggs and vanilla; mix well. Add to Guinness mixture. Add flour and baking soda, and whisk again until smooth. Pour into buttered pan, and bake until risen and firm, 45 minutes to one hour. Place pan on a wire rack and cool completely in pan.

For the topping: Using a food processor or by hand, mix confectioners' sugar to break up lumps. Add cream cheese and blend until smooth. Add heavy cream, and mix until smooth and spreadable.

Remove cake from pan and place on a platter or cake stand. Ice top of cake only, so that it resembles a frothy pint of Guinness.

HEARTY IRISH LAGER STEW

From the March 2011 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 44. It starts off, "Pale lager beer adds the mellow flavors of barley, hops, and malt to a rich vegetable stew. The secret ingredient is quick-cooking tapioca, which thickens the stew and gives it a glistening sheen." Serves 8.

To view this online, click here.

1 Tbs. vegetable oil

8 oz. button or shiitake mushrooms, halved

2 cloves garlic, minced (2 tsp.)

1 medium leek, white part only, diced (1 cup)

3 small red potatoes, cut into 1-inch cubes (1 1/2 cups)

2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced (2 cups)

2 small parsnips, peeled and sliced (1 1/2 cups)

1 1/2 tsp. tomato paste

1 15-oz. can crushed tomatoes

1 1/2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth

2 sprigs fresh thyme, tied in bundle, plus 1 tsp. chopped fresh thyme, divided,br />
1/2 cup lager beer

1 1/2 Tbs. quick-cooking tapioca

1 cup shredded cabbage

1 Tbs. white miso

2 Tbs. chopped parsley

Heat 1/2 Tbs. oil in large pot over medium heat. Add mushrooms and garlic; sauté 8 minutes, or until mushrooms are browned. Remove from pan. Add remaining 1/2 Tbs. oil to pot. Add leek, and cook 5 minutes. Add potatoes, carrots, parsnips, and tomato paste. Cook 2 minutes. Add tomatoes, broth, and thyme sprigs; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer 40 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add lager, tapioca, and mushrooms. Simmer 10 to 15 minutes, or until thickened, stirring often. Remove thyme sprigs, stir in cabbage and miso, and simmer 4 to 5 minutes, or until cabbage softens. Stir in chopped thyme and parsley, and season with salt and pepper, if desired.

nutritional information Per 1-cup serving: Calories: 118; Protein: 4 g; Total Fat: 2 g; Saturated Fat: less than 1 g; Carbohydrates: 23 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 204 mg; Fiber: 5 g; Sugar: 5 g; Vegan

VEGETARIAN "BEEF" AND GUINNESS STEW

Jolinda Hackett is about.com's vegetarian cuisine guide. She wrote, "Beef and Guinness stew, an Irish pub favorite, gets a vegetarian makeover in this recipe, using seitan instead of beef to absorb all that rich stout flavor. Yum! The flavor of the beer is very strong in this recipe, so I've suggest using half the amount of Guinness and adding an equal amount of vegetable broth if you aren't a Guinness fan."

To view this online, click here.

Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 60 minutes

Ingredients:

Approx 14 oz seitan, cut into thin strips

2 tbsp soy sauce

2 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp steak sauce

3 tbsp butter or margarine

1 onion, diced

3 ribs celery, chopped

2 carrots, chopped

2 medium potatoes chopped into 1 inch pieces

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 12 oz bottles Guinness Stout OR 1 bottle plus 1 1/2 cups vegetable broth

2 tbsp flour

1 tbsp chopped fresh thyme

1 tsp brown sugar (optional)

Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:

Sautee seitan in olive oil and soy sauce until slightly browned, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat, add steak sauce and stir until seitan is lightly coated. Remove from heat and aside. In a large pot, sautee onions, celery, carrots, potatoes and garlic in butter or margarine for 3-5 minutes, or until onions are slightly soft. Reduce heat and slowly add Guinness, gently stirring to combine. Add flour, thyme, sugar, salt and pepper and stir well. Add seitan and allow stew to simmer until Guinness reduces and stew thickens, about 40-50 minutes.

Add more salt and pepper if desired and enjoy!

Friday, March 11, 2016

Friday Recipes

I've been under the weather all week and, while I am on the mend, I'm recycling November 9, 2015's post. Monday, I'll be back to new posts. In the meantime, Enjoy!

Here are today's six recipes to get you going. Enjoy!

THREE-BEAN SOUP

This is one of my favorite quick meals that I usually only fix on weekends, especially if it happens to be cold and/or rainy. It’s from the November/December 2005 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 37, in that issue’s “30 Minutes; Quick, Fast Food” section. This vegan recipe serves 6, and starts off, “Here’s a straight-from-the-pantry soup that’ll become a weeknight favorite. (Or, in my case, weekend favorite.) Pureeing one of the cans of beans creates a creamy base without adding extra fat or cholesterol. Garnish with crumbled feta cheese and serve with vegetable chips, if desired.”

2 Tbs. vegetable oil

1 large onion, diced (about 2 cups)

1 15.5-oz. can navy beans, drained and rinsed

1 15.5-oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed

6 cloves garlic, minced (about 2 Tbs.)

2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth or water

1 15.5-oz. can great Northern beans, drained and rinsed

Heat oil in large pot over medium heat. Saute onion 2 to 3 minutes, or until soft. Add navy beans, black beans and garlic, and continue cooking and stirring 8 to 10 minutes more. Stir in 1 cup broth.

Meanwhile, put great Northern beans and remaining 1 cup broth into food processor or blender, and puree until smooth. Pour puree into soup. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Thin with more broth or water, if desired.

Spoon into individual soup bowls, and serve hot.

Per serving: 231 calories; 13 g protein; 5 g total fat (0 g saturated fat); 39 g carbs; 0 mg cholesterol; 557 mg sodium; 11 g fiber; 5 g sugars

APPLE-CRANBERRY CRISP

I'm not sure where I originally found this; probably on an old emailing list.

2 pounds Granny Smith apples - peeled, cored and thinly sliced

3/4 cup cranberries

1/4 cup white sugar

3 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/3 cup quick-cooking oats

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

1/4 cup butter, cut into pieces

1/2 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C.) Butter an 8 inch square baking dish.

In a large bowl, mix together apples, cranberries, white sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg. Place evenly into baking dish.

In the same bowl, combine oats, flour and brown sugar. With a fork, mix in butter until crumbly. Stir in pecans. Sprinkle over apples.

Bake in preheated oven for 40 to 50 minutes, or until topping is golden brown, and apples are tender.

BAKED ZITI

This was originally posted on April 2, 2010. Great for a yummy, easy meal.

What to fix when you've just gotten home from work and you want something good, hot and with a minimum amount of effort? Baked Ziti fits the bill on all three counts. And if you're like me, chances are you have all the makings in your cupboard and fridge.

Here's what it takes:

16 ounce box of ziti
26 ounce jar of spaghetti sauce
1 jar-full of water
2 C shredded cheese

Okay, I can hear you asking, "What brand of spaghetti sauce? What type of sauce? And the cheese...Cheddar? Mozzarella? Can it be the stuff already shredded and in a bag or does it have to be a block of cheese that I grate and measure?" Here's the good part: Use what you have.

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F.

Take a 9 X 13 inch baking pan. Dump the dried ziti into the pan. (No, no, do NOT cook the ziti first. Dump the ziti uncooked straight from the box.) Pour the spaghetti sauce into the pan and add one jar-full of water into the pan. Stir to mix. Add most of the shredded cheese, reserving 1/4-1/2 cup of cheese. Stir to mix. Bake in pre-heated oven for 35 minutes. Top with remaining cheese and bake for another 5 minutes for a total time of 40 minutes.

Serve with a salad and possibly garlic bread.

See? Simple, hot, good and with at minimum amount of energy. What could be better for an after-work or weekend dinner?

VEGETABLE AND BEAN SOUP

This recipe is from Diabetic Gourmet

Yield: 6 servings

Source: "The Everyday Low-Carb Slow Cooker Cookbook"

Info: http://diabeticgourmet.com/book_archive/details/17.shtml

Notes: This recipe originally calls for chicken broth and butter. To make it vegetarian, I've substituted vegetarian broth and olive oil.

Ingredients

1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes

2 (14.5) cans vegetarian broth

1 cube vegetable bouillon

1 medium onion, finely chopped

1 (15.5 ounce) can kidney beans, drained

1 red bell pepper, finely chopped

2 carrots, finely chopped

2 celery stalks, finely chopped

2 summer squashes (zucchini or yellow squash, about 1 pound total), quartered lengthwise and chopped

1 (7 ounce) can sliced mushrooms, drained

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 tablespoons olive oil (Note: this is in place of butter – for a total of 3 tablespoons of olive oil)

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon Tabasco sauce (about 4 shakes) (optional)

Directions

Combine all ingredients in the slow cooker crock and mix well. Cover and cook on LOW for 8 hours. Stir well before serving. If desired, stir in Tabasco sauce before serving.

Nutritional Information Per Serving (1/6 of recipe): Calories: 210, Protein: 8 g, Carbohydrate: 18 g, Fat: 9 g, Cholesterol: 14 mg, Sodium: 1020 mg; Diabetic Exchanges: 1 Lean Meat, 2 Fat, 2 Vegetable

POTATO GNOCCHI

This comes from the January/February 2013 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 38. It starts off, “The secret to fluffy, tender gnocchi is to make the dough while the mashed potatoes are hot, add just enough liquid to hold it together, and work it as little as possible. To freeze: place cooked gnocchi on a parchment-lined baking sheet in the freezer, freeze until gnocchi are hard, and transfer to resealable plastic bags. To reheat: add frozen gnocchi to boiling water, and cook 2 to 3 minutes, or until heated through. Serve with your favorite pasta sauce and cheese.” Serves 6 (makes about 100 gnocchi)

2 1/2 lb. russet or Idaho potatoes

1/2 tsp. salt

1 large egg, lightly beaten

3/4 cup potato starch

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

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

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

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

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

CRANBERRY STUFFED ACORN SQUASH

Peggy Trowbridge Filippone, About.com's Homecooking guide, writes, “Oragne marmalade, cranberries, brown sugar, sweet onion, and spices sweeten up stuffed acorn squash cooked in the microwave. Kids may even consider this dessert!”

Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 20 minutes; Total Time: 30 minutes; Yields 4 servings

Ingredients:

2 (1-pound) acorn squash

1-1/2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries

1/4 cup finely-minced sweet onion

3 Tablespoons orange marmalade or orange juice

2 Tablespoons brown sugar

2 Tablespoons butter, melted but cool

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon fresh-grated nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Preparation:

Pierce the acorn squash all over with a fork or sharp knife so it will not burst in the microwave. Cook on High for 6 to 10 minutes (microwave power levels vary, so check). Turn the squash over, if necessary, and cook an additional 3 to 5 minutes until fork-tender. Remove from microwave and let rest for 10 minutes.

While the acorn squash is resting, stir together cranberrries, sweet onion, marmalade or orange juice, brown sugar, butter, lemon juice, nutmeg, cinnamon, and salt until well-combined. Place mixture in a micro-safe bowl, cover with plastic wrap (venting to let air pressure escape), and cook on High for 3 minutes. Remove and stir. Cook an additional 2 to 3 minutes or until cranberries have popped and softened. Remove and let cool slightly while you proceed with the acorn squash.

Cut the acorn squash in half from stem to point and remove seeds. Place cut-side up on a platter. Fill with the cranberry mixture. If necessary, cover and reheat on a micro-safe platter on High for 1 to 3 minutes, until heated through. Let rest 5 minutes before serving.