It's a little more than a week until Christmas, and two weeks until New Year's Eve. Wow! Is anyone else totally ready to see 2020 out the door? (Yeah, I see you nodding!)
Okay, here's today's offerings include Broccoli Chowder and Vegan Swedish Meatballs. Enjoy!
LEMON-GINGERBREAD ICE CREAM SANDWICHES
This was posted on the Vegetarian Times web site on MAY 1, 2017, and begins, “These ice cream sandwiches will become a year-round favorite.” Makes 12 servings.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1/3 cup molasses
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 cup boiling water
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
2 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. each ground cloves, ground nutmeg, ground black pepper and salt
8 Tbs. (1 stick) soy margarine, softened
1/2 cup light brown sugar
2 pints lemon sorbet
4 cups vanilla soy "ice cream"
Preparation
Put molasses in heatproof bowl. Sprinkle baking soda over top. Add boiling water; whisk with fork.
Blend flour, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, pepper and salt in large bowl. Cream margarine and brown sugar in another bowl. Add molasses mixture; beat until soft dough forms. Divide in half, wrap each in plastic wrap and chill 1 hour.
Put 1 dough ball between 2 sheets wax paper. Roll into 8 1/2 x 12 1/2-inch shape; remove top wax paper. Using sharp knife, trim dough edges; cut dough into 12 2x4-inch rectangles. Prick with fork. Transfer on wax paper to cookie sheet; chill 30 minutes.
Repeat with remaining dough.
Preheat oven to 325F. Grease 2 cookie sheets. Transfer rectangles from wax paper to cookie sheets.
Bake 8 to 10 minutes, or until set but still soft to the touch. Transfer to wire rack, and cool completely.
Meanwhile, scoop sorbet and ice cream into large bowl; blend with wooden spoon. Freeze 20 minutes or longer, or until mixture is firm.
When completely cool, spread 1/2 cup frozen lemon filling onto bottom of one cookie. Pat filling down with spatula. Place second cookie on top (pricked side up), and gently press down. Scrape away any filling that spreads past edges, and use it to fill in corners. Smooth edges. Repeat with remaining cookies. Wrap sandwiches in plastic wrap, and freeze until firm, about 30 minutes.
BROCCOLI CHOWDER
From Diabetic Gourmet. Yield: 6 servings, 1 cup each
Source: "The Eating Well Diabetes Cookbook"
Ingredients
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion, chopped (1-1/2 cups)
1 large carrot, diced (1/2 cup)
2 stalks celery, diced (1/2 cup)
1 large potato, peeled and diced (1-1/2 cups)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3-1/2 cups vegetable broth (two 14-ounce cans)
8 ounces broccoli crowns, cut into 1-inch pieces, stems and florets separated (3 cups)
1 cup grated reduced-fat Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream
1/8 teaspoon salt, or to taste
Directions
Heat oil in a Dutch oven or large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion, carrot and celery; cook, stirring often, until the onion and celery soften, 5 to 6 minutes. Add potato and garlic; cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Stir in flour, dry mustard and cayenne; cook, stirring often, for 2 minutes. Add broth and broccoli stems; bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to medium. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes. Stir in florets; simmer, covered, until the broccoli is tender, about 10 minutes more.
Transfer 2 cups of the chowder to a bowl and mash; return to the pan. Stir in Cheddar and sour cream; cook over medium heat, stirring, until the cheese is melted and the chowder is heated through. Season with salt.
Nutritional Information Per Serving (1 cup each): Calories: 180, Fat: 8 g, Cholesterol: 15 mg, Carbohydrate: 23 g, Protein: 6 g, Fiber: 4 g, Sodium: 354 mg Diabetic Exchanges: 1 Starch, 1 Vegetable, 1 High-Fat Meat
TWICE BAKED POTATOES
This is from The Food Network and can be viewed online here.
Total Time: 1 hr 35 minutes; Active Time: 15 minutes; Yield: 4 servings; Level: Easy
Ingredients
4 large russet potatoes, each about 3/4 pound each, scrubbed and dried
2 to 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/3 cup sour cream
1 scallion, finely chopped
Freshly grated nutmeg, optional
1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Place the potatoes directly on the rack in the center of the oven and bake for 30 minutes. Pierce each potato in a couple spots with a fork and continue to bake until tender, about 30 minutes more. Remove potatoes from the oven, and turn the heat down to 375 degrees F.
Hold the potato with an oven-mit or towel, trim off the top of the potatoes to make a canoe-like shape. Reserve the tops. Carefully scoop out most of the potato into a bowl. Take care to leave enough potato in the skin so the shells stay together. Mash the potato lightly with fork along with 2 to 3 tablespoons of the butter and sour cream. Stir in the scallion, nutmeg, and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Season the skins with salt and pepper. Refill the shells with the potato mixture mounding it slightly. Sprinkle the cheese on top of the potato filling. Brush the reserved top with the remaining butter and season with salt and pepper.
Set the potatoes and lids on a baking sheet, and bake until heated through, about 20 minutes. Serve immediately.
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.
VEGAN SWEDISH MEATBALLS
This is from Karissa, who posts on her wonderful blog, Karissa’s Vegan Kitchen. For this recipe, she wrote, “Super flavorful Vegan Swedish Meatballs that are also gluten-free, oil-free and nut-free.”
“Ultimate comfort food, at your service. But this comfort food is also healthy, so it’s a total guilt-free win.
“I HAD to make a vegan recipe for Swedish meatballs – the gravy alone is just so good. The meatballs are made from lentils, mushrooms, oat flour, soy sauce, and more seasoning. For the accompanying gravy, we’ll achieve that luscious gravy using a combination of coconut milk and soy (or almond) milk.”
I originally found this on Vegan Heaven, a blog from another blogger, Sina. I seriously advise checking out both Vegan Heaven and Karissa’s Vegan Kitchen. You won’t regret it
You can view this online on Karissa’s blog at https://www.karissasvegankitchen.com/vegan-swedish-meatballs/.
Ingredients
Meatballs
3 tbsp water
1/2 yellow onion chopped
4 cloves garlic minced
1/2 cup dry lentils green or brown
1.5 cup water
1.5 cup mushrooms roughly chopped
3 tbsp water
1 cup rolled oats
2 tsp dried parsley
1/4 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp black pepper
2-3 tbsp soy sauce
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce make sure its vegan
Gravy
1 cup unsweetened, plain soy or almond milk
1 can (13.5oz) low-fat/light coconut milk
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp dijon mustard
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
pepper to taste
1 tbsp cornstarch or arrowroot powder
2 tbsp cold water
Instructions
Meatballs
In a medium-sized pot, sauté the onion in 3 tbsp water until translucent on medium heat (add more water if necessary). Add in garlic and sauté for additional 2-3 minutes.
Add in lentils and 1.5 cup water. Bring to a boil then let simmer for 15-20 minutes (until liquid is absorbed and lentils are tender.)
In a separate skillet, sauté mushrooms in 3 tbsp water on medium heat for about 5 minutes.
Blend oats in a food processor (or a blender) to create oat flour.
To the food processor, add in the mushrooms, lentils, parsley, allspice, nutmeg, pepper, soy sauce, and Worcestershire sauce.
Process until everything is combined. Don't process until it's total mush - some texture from the lentils and mushrooms should still be there.
Add more soy sauce (or salt) and pepper if needed.
Let the mixture sit for about 15 minutes. It will become thicker and easy to roll.
Pre-heat oven to 425F degrees.
Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
Roll into meatballs and place onto baking sheet. Spray with some cooking oil if desired. Bake for 20-25 minutes, flipping halfway.
Gravy
In a medium-sized pot, add in all gravy ingredients EXCEPT for the cornstarch and water.
Bring to a simmer on medium heat, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat.
In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and water to create a cornstarch slurry. Whisk the cornstarch mixture into the gravy.
Return the pot to the burner and bring to a simmer again. The sauce should be nice and thick. If it's too thin, add a little more cornstarch slurry.
Pour the gravy over the meatballs. Eat as is, or serve with pasta or mashed potatoes.
Notes
This recipe makes about 20 meatballs if measured at 1.5 tbsp each.
If you can't find vegan Worcestershire sauce, you can substitute more soy sauce and a dash of apple cider vinegar.
SOUTHERN MACARONI AND CHEESE
This is from Kiera Wright-Ruiz in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Kiera wrote, “There is macaroni and cheese, and then there is special occasion macaroni and cheese like this one. Unlike most recipes, which start with a roux, this one begins with a milk-and-egg base, which gives the dish an incredibly rich, silky taste. It’s adapted from Millie Peartree, the owner of Millie Peartree Fish Fry & Soul Food restaurant in the Bronx, who has been making this dish since she was a little girl growing up in Georgia. The recipe was passed down in her family for generations, but because of the generous amount of cheese used, the dish was only made for events like Christmas and Thanksgiving. Extra-sharp Cheddar adds tartness and a layer of Colby Jack creates a gooey, molten center. If you can’t find a Colby Jack blend, shredded mozzarella or a Mexican-style blend will work in its place.”
Time: 35 minutes, plus cooling; Yield: 8 to 10 servings.
You can view this online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1020515-southern-macaroni-and-cheese.
Ingredients
Kosher salt and black pepper
1 pound elbow macaroni
2 cups whole milk
2 large eggs
4 cups shredded extra-sharp Cheddar (about 16 ounces)
1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick), melted
2 cups shredded Colby Jack (about 8 ounces)
Preparation
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Add macaroni and cook according to package directions until a little under al dente, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a colander and rinse under cold water to stop cooking. Set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk milk and eggs. Add cooked macaroni, 2 cups extra-sharp Cheddar, melted butter, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and stir until well combined.
Add half the macaroni mixture to a 9-by-13-inch baking dish in an even layer. Sprinkle 1 1/2 cups Colby Jack evenly on top. Spread the remaining macaroni mixture on top in an even layer. Cover with aluminum foil, transfer to the middle rack of the oven and bake for 20 minutes.
Remove from oven. Carefully remove and discard the aluminum foil. Top the macaroni mixture with the remaining 2 cups Cheddar and 1/2 cup Colby Jack. Broil on top rack until cheese is browned in spots, 3 to 5 minutes. (The broiled cheese can go from golden to burnt fairly quickly, so keep a close eye on it.)
Remove from oven and let cool until the macaroni and cheese is fully set, 10 to 15 minutes. (The mixture may first appear jiggly, but it will firm up as it cools.) Serve warm.
Thursday, December 17, 2020
Wednesday, December 16, 2020
Desserts
Since we're coming up on the final holidays of a rough year, we all could use something decadent. And how better to do that than with six yummy desserts?! Try your hand at the Peanut Butter Chocolate Cake or Chocolate Peppermint Bars and go from there. Enjoy!
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.
FOUR-FAVOR SHEET PAN PIE
This yumminess comes from the Food Network, and begins, “A clever sheet pan hack gives you quadruple the Thanksgiving pie fun (and saves the time and effort of making four individual pies). Apple, cherry, pumpkin and pecan coexist peacefully in one giant slab that feeds a crowd.”
Level: Intermediate; Total: 2 hr; Active: 1 hr; Yield: 16 to 18 servings
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
Crusts:
Two 14.1-ounce boxes refrigerated rolled pie crust (4 crusts total)
All-purpose flour, for dusting
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/4 cup turbinado sugar
Apple Pie:
2 pounds mixed apples (such as Granny Smith, Gala and McIntosh), peeled, cored and sliced 1/4-inch thick
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Kosher salt
Sour Cherry Pie:
2 cups drained jarred sour cherries, plus 3/4 cup juice from the jar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 cup granulated sugar
Pumpkin Pie:
1 1/3 cups canned pure pumpkin puree
2/3 cup evaporated milk
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 large egg
Pecan Pie:
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs
Kosher salt
3/4 cup roasted pecan halves
Directions
For the crusts: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Unroll 3 of the pie crusts on a lightly floured work surface. Stack them on top of each other. Roll out the thick, layered dough to a 15-by-21-inch rectangle. Press into a rimmed baking sheet so that the crust comes up the sides and hangs over slightly. This will be the bottom crust. Chill until ready to use, at least 30 minutes.
Use the remaining crust for the top of the pie. Unroll it on a lightly floured work surface and roll it to a 14-by-18-inch rectangle. Cut the dough in half so you have two 7-by-9-inch pieces. One half will be the top crust for the apple portion of the pie. Cut the other half into 1-inch diagonal strips to use for the lattice on the cherry pie. Place the rectangle and strips on a parchment-lined baking sheet and chill until ready to use.
For the apple pie: Toss the apples in a medium bowl with the sugar and lemon juice. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the apples and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in the flour, cinnamon and a pinch of salt and cook until thickened, about 1 minute more. Cool completely.
For the sour cherry pie: Place the cherries in a medium bowl. Whisk 1/4 cup cherry juice with the cornstarch in a small saucepan until completely smooth. Add the remaining cherry juice and sugar and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook, whisking constantly, until thick and glossy, about 30 seconds. Pour the sauce over the cherries and gently fold to combine. Cool completely.
For the pumpkin pie: Whisk together the pumpkin, evaporated milk, sugar, pumpkin pie spice and the egg and in a medium bowl until smooth. Set aside.
For the pecan pie: Whisk together the brown sugar, corn syrup, butter, vanilla, eggs and a pinch of salt in a medium bowl until smooth. Fold in the pecans and set aside.
Once all fillings are made, begin assembling the pie. Remove both baking sheets with dough from the refrigerator.
Visualize the sheet pan is divided in half lengthwise and then crosswise so you have 4 equal quadrants. Each quadrant will hold a different pie filling. Prick the bottom crust all over with a fork.
Add the pie fillings in this order: Add the apple pie filling to the upper left quadrant of the crust; spread it to cover a 7-by-9-inch rectangle. Moving counter clockwise, pour the pumpkin filling right under the apple pie filling and spread it the same size as the apple filling. Spread out the cherry filling next to the pumpkin filling. Fill the top right empty space with the pecan filling.
Cover the apple pie quadrant with the reserved rectangle of dough. Lay the pie strips out diagonally over the cherry pie quadrant. Press any remaining strips of dough around the edge of the pie to thicken the rim. Crimp the edge of the pie, making sure to incorporate and crimp together the dough from the apple quadrant. Brush the edges and the dough on top of the pie with egg and sprinkle with turbinado sugar. Cut decorative slits in the apple pie crust.
Bake until all pies are set and the crust on the apple pie and cherry pie is golden brown and crisp, 55 minutes to 1 hour 5 minutes.
PUMPKIN FLAN WITH MAPLE CARAMEL
This yumminess comes from The Barefoot Contessa (otherwise known as Ina Garten). Serves 8 - 10; level: beginner
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
for the caramel:
3/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup pure Grade A maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon fleur de sel
for the pumpkin flan:
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1 (12-ounce) can evaporated milk
1 cup canned pumpkin puree (not pie filling)
1/2 cup (4 ounces) Italian mascarpone
4 extra-large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon pure maple extract, such as Boyajian
2 teaspoons grated orange zest (2 oranges)
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
For the caramel, combine the sugar, maple syrup, and 1/3 cup water in a small, deep, heavy-bottomed saucepan. Bring to a boil, swirling the pan (don’t stir!) to dissolve the sugar. Cook at a low boil without stirring for 5 to 10 minutes, until the mixture turns a golden brown and registers 230 degrees on a candy thermometer. Watch it carefully so it doesn’t burn! Off the heat, swirl in the fleur de sel, and immediately pour into an 8 × 2-inch round cake pan (not a springform!). Set aside to cool for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, place the sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, canned pumpkin, and mascarpone in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and beat on medium-low speed until smooth. Whisk in the eggs, vanilla, maple extract, orange zest, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Gently pour the pumpkin mixture into the pan with the caramel so they don’t combine.
Place the pan in a roasting pan large enough to hold the cake pan flat and fill the roasting pan with enough of the hottest tap water to come halfway up the sides of the cake pan. Bake in the center of the oven for 70 to 75 minutes, until the custard is just set. It will be firm but still jiggle slightly in the middle; a knife inserted into the center of the flan will come out clean. Remove the flan from the water bath, place on a cooling rack, and cool completely. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours. Don’t tilt the pan or the caramel will run out!
Run a small knife around the edge of the flan. Turn a flat serving plate with a slight lip over the cake pan and flip them, turning the flan out onto the plate. The caramel should run out over the flan. Cut into wedges and serve with the caramel spooned over each slice.
PEANUT BUTTER CHOCOLATE CAKE
This recipe comes from Publix.
Servings: 8; Total Time: about 3 hours; Active Time: 10 minutes
To view this recipe online, click here.
Ingredients
Butter-flavor cooking spray
1 (15.25-oz) box devil's food cake mix
2 cups water, divided
2 large eggs
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1 (4-oz) semisweet chocolate bar (or morsels)
1/4 cup peanuts, chopped
8 tablespoons whipped topping
Directions
Coat 4-quart slow cooker with spray. Place cake mix, 1 cup water, and eggs in large bowl; beat with hand mixer until blended. Add peanut butter; mix well and pour mixture into slow cooker.
Microwave remaining 1 cup water on HIGH for 2 minutes or until steaming. Break chocolate into pieces, if needed, then place in water and stir until melted; let stand 1 minute to cool. Pour chocolate over batter in slow cooker.
Cover and cook on LOW for 2–2 1/2 hours (or HIGH for 1 1/2–1 3/4 hours) or until toothpick inserted near center comes out with fudgy crumbs. Chop peanuts. Serve cake straight from slow cooker topped with whipped topping and peanuts.
IMPOSSIBLY EASY FRENCH APPLE PIE
This comes from the infamous long-since-forgotten emailing list, and begins, “Create tasty apple pie with a crisp, nutty topping the impossibly easy Bisquick® mix way! There's no crust to roll.”
Ingredients
3 cups sliced peeled all-purpose apples (3 large)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 cup Original Bisquick® mix
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup milk
1 tablespoon butter or margarine, softened
2 eggs
Streusel (See Below)
Directions
Heat oven to 325ºF. Grease 9-inch pie plate.
Stir together apples, cinnamon and nutmeg; turn into pie plate. Stir remaining ingredients except Streusel until blended. Pour into pie plate. Sprinkle with Streusel.
Bake 40 to 45 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes. Cover and refrigerate any remaining pie.
Streusel
Ingredients
1/2 cup Original Bisquick® mix
1/4 cup chopped nuts
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons butter or margarine (firm)
Directions
Stir together all ingredients until crumbly.
High Altitude (3500-6500 ft):
Heat oven to 375ºF.
CHOCOLATE CHIP PUMPKIN BARS
This is from Kariely Tillman on OneGreenPlanet. Kariely wrote, “These chocolate chip pumpkin bars are perfect if you love the pumpkin and chocolate combination. It would be safe to say it runs a close second only to the peanut butter and chocolate combination. Not only do these bars have a chocolate crust, but a creamy pumpkin filling loaded with chocolate chips. And best of all … they’re healthy and super easy to make! You can have them mixed up and in the refrigerator to firm up in less than 10 minutes using only a food processor.”
These are gluten-free, with no refined sugar, an are also listed as paleo vegan and vegan. Serves 14 - 16.
To view this online, go to https://www.onegreenplanet.org/vegan-recipe/clean-eating-chocolate-chip-pumpkin-bars/.
Ingredients
For the Crust:
2 cups pecans
1/4 cup raw cacao powder
4 Medjool dates, pitted
1 tablespoon coconut oil
For the Bars:
1 cup pumpkin purée
1/2 cup cashew butter
1/2 cup coconut flour
4 Medjool dates, pitted
1 tablespoon coconut oil
1 teaspoon vanilla bean powder
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 pinches ground cloves
1 cup vegan mini chocolate chips
Preparation
To Make the Crust:
Add all ingredients for the crust to a food processor and process until it is well blended and has a crumbly texture.
Remove and spread evenly in an 8x8-inch baking dish and press down firmly.
Set aside.
To Make the Filling:
Add the cashew butter and dates to a food processor and process until creamy and well blended.
Add the remaining ingredients (except the mini chocolate chips) to the food processor and process until well blended.
Transfer the mixture to a medium sized bowl and gently stir in the mini chocolate chips by hand.
Add the mixture on top of the crust and spread evenly.
Put it in the refrigerator for 30-60 minutes, or until it becomes firm.
Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve because it will get soft and lose it's shape if left out at room temperature.
Notes:
Feel free to adjust the pumpkin spices (nutmeg, clove, vanilla) to your preference.
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.
FOUR-FAVOR SHEET PAN PIE
This yumminess comes from the Food Network, and begins, “A clever sheet pan hack gives you quadruple the Thanksgiving pie fun (and saves the time and effort of making four individual pies). Apple, cherry, pumpkin and pecan coexist peacefully in one giant slab that feeds a crowd.”
Level: Intermediate; Total: 2 hr; Active: 1 hr; Yield: 16 to 18 servings
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
Crusts:
Two 14.1-ounce boxes refrigerated rolled pie crust (4 crusts total)
All-purpose flour, for dusting
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/4 cup turbinado sugar
Apple Pie:
2 pounds mixed apples (such as Granny Smith, Gala and McIntosh), peeled, cored and sliced 1/4-inch thick
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Kosher salt
Sour Cherry Pie:
2 cups drained jarred sour cherries, plus 3/4 cup juice from the jar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 cup granulated sugar
Pumpkin Pie:
1 1/3 cups canned pure pumpkin puree
2/3 cup evaporated milk
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 large egg
Pecan Pie:
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs
Kosher salt
3/4 cup roasted pecan halves
Directions
For the crusts: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Unroll 3 of the pie crusts on a lightly floured work surface. Stack them on top of each other. Roll out the thick, layered dough to a 15-by-21-inch rectangle. Press into a rimmed baking sheet so that the crust comes up the sides and hangs over slightly. This will be the bottom crust. Chill until ready to use, at least 30 minutes.
Use the remaining crust for the top of the pie. Unroll it on a lightly floured work surface and roll it to a 14-by-18-inch rectangle. Cut the dough in half so you have two 7-by-9-inch pieces. One half will be the top crust for the apple portion of the pie. Cut the other half into 1-inch diagonal strips to use for the lattice on the cherry pie. Place the rectangle and strips on a parchment-lined baking sheet and chill until ready to use.
For the apple pie: Toss the apples in a medium bowl with the sugar and lemon juice. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the apples and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in the flour, cinnamon and a pinch of salt and cook until thickened, about 1 minute more. Cool completely.
For the sour cherry pie: Place the cherries in a medium bowl. Whisk 1/4 cup cherry juice with the cornstarch in a small saucepan until completely smooth. Add the remaining cherry juice and sugar and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook, whisking constantly, until thick and glossy, about 30 seconds. Pour the sauce over the cherries and gently fold to combine. Cool completely.
For the pumpkin pie: Whisk together the pumpkin, evaporated milk, sugar, pumpkin pie spice and the egg and in a medium bowl until smooth. Set aside.
For the pecan pie: Whisk together the brown sugar, corn syrup, butter, vanilla, eggs and a pinch of salt in a medium bowl until smooth. Fold in the pecans and set aside.
Once all fillings are made, begin assembling the pie. Remove both baking sheets with dough from the refrigerator.
Visualize the sheet pan is divided in half lengthwise and then crosswise so you have 4 equal quadrants. Each quadrant will hold a different pie filling. Prick the bottom crust all over with a fork.
Add the pie fillings in this order: Add the apple pie filling to the upper left quadrant of the crust; spread it to cover a 7-by-9-inch rectangle. Moving counter clockwise, pour the pumpkin filling right under the apple pie filling and spread it the same size as the apple filling. Spread out the cherry filling next to the pumpkin filling. Fill the top right empty space with the pecan filling.
Cover the apple pie quadrant with the reserved rectangle of dough. Lay the pie strips out diagonally over the cherry pie quadrant. Press any remaining strips of dough around the edge of the pie to thicken the rim. Crimp the edge of the pie, making sure to incorporate and crimp together the dough from the apple quadrant. Brush the edges and the dough on top of the pie with egg and sprinkle with turbinado sugar. Cut decorative slits in the apple pie crust.
Bake until all pies are set and the crust on the apple pie and cherry pie is golden brown and crisp, 55 minutes to 1 hour 5 minutes.
PUMPKIN FLAN WITH MAPLE CARAMEL
This yumminess comes from The Barefoot Contessa (otherwise known as Ina Garten). Serves 8 - 10; level: beginner
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
for the caramel:
3/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup pure Grade A maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon fleur de sel
for the pumpkin flan:
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1 (12-ounce) can evaporated milk
1 cup canned pumpkin puree (not pie filling)
1/2 cup (4 ounces) Italian mascarpone
4 extra-large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon pure maple extract, such as Boyajian
2 teaspoons grated orange zest (2 oranges)
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
For the caramel, combine the sugar, maple syrup, and 1/3 cup water in a small, deep, heavy-bottomed saucepan. Bring to a boil, swirling the pan (don’t stir!) to dissolve the sugar. Cook at a low boil without stirring for 5 to 10 minutes, until the mixture turns a golden brown and registers 230 degrees on a candy thermometer. Watch it carefully so it doesn’t burn! Off the heat, swirl in the fleur de sel, and immediately pour into an 8 × 2-inch round cake pan (not a springform!). Set aside to cool for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, place the sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, canned pumpkin, and mascarpone in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and beat on medium-low speed until smooth. Whisk in the eggs, vanilla, maple extract, orange zest, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Gently pour the pumpkin mixture into the pan with the caramel so they don’t combine.
Place the pan in a roasting pan large enough to hold the cake pan flat and fill the roasting pan with enough of the hottest tap water to come halfway up the sides of the cake pan. Bake in the center of the oven for 70 to 75 minutes, until the custard is just set. It will be firm but still jiggle slightly in the middle; a knife inserted into the center of the flan will come out clean. Remove the flan from the water bath, place on a cooling rack, and cool completely. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours. Don’t tilt the pan or the caramel will run out!
Run a small knife around the edge of the flan. Turn a flat serving plate with a slight lip over the cake pan and flip them, turning the flan out onto the plate. The caramel should run out over the flan. Cut into wedges and serve with the caramel spooned over each slice.
PEANUT BUTTER CHOCOLATE CAKE
This recipe comes from Publix.
Servings: 8; Total Time: about 3 hours; Active Time: 10 minutes
To view this recipe online, click here.
Ingredients
Butter-flavor cooking spray
1 (15.25-oz) box devil's food cake mix
2 cups water, divided
2 large eggs
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1 (4-oz) semisweet chocolate bar (or morsels)
1/4 cup peanuts, chopped
8 tablespoons whipped topping
Directions
Coat 4-quart slow cooker with spray. Place cake mix, 1 cup water, and eggs in large bowl; beat with hand mixer until blended. Add peanut butter; mix well and pour mixture into slow cooker.
Microwave remaining 1 cup water on HIGH for 2 minutes or until steaming. Break chocolate into pieces, if needed, then place in water and stir until melted; let stand 1 minute to cool. Pour chocolate over batter in slow cooker.
Cover and cook on LOW for 2–2 1/2 hours (or HIGH for 1 1/2–1 3/4 hours) or until toothpick inserted near center comes out with fudgy crumbs. Chop peanuts. Serve cake straight from slow cooker topped with whipped topping and peanuts.
IMPOSSIBLY EASY FRENCH APPLE PIE
This comes from the infamous long-since-forgotten emailing list, and begins, “Create tasty apple pie with a crisp, nutty topping the impossibly easy Bisquick® mix way! There's no crust to roll.”
Ingredients
3 cups sliced peeled all-purpose apples (3 large)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 cup Original Bisquick® mix
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup milk
1 tablespoon butter or margarine, softened
2 eggs
Streusel (See Below)
Directions
Heat oven to 325ºF. Grease 9-inch pie plate.
Stir together apples, cinnamon and nutmeg; turn into pie plate. Stir remaining ingredients except Streusel until blended. Pour into pie plate. Sprinkle with Streusel.
Bake 40 to 45 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes. Cover and refrigerate any remaining pie.
Streusel
Ingredients
1/2 cup Original Bisquick® mix
1/4 cup chopped nuts
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons butter or margarine (firm)
Directions
Stir together all ingredients until crumbly.
High Altitude (3500-6500 ft):
Heat oven to 375ºF.
CHOCOLATE CHIP PUMPKIN BARS
This is from Kariely Tillman on OneGreenPlanet. Kariely wrote, “These chocolate chip pumpkin bars are perfect if you love the pumpkin and chocolate combination. It would be safe to say it runs a close second only to the peanut butter and chocolate combination. Not only do these bars have a chocolate crust, but a creamy pumpkin filling loaded with chocolate chips. And best of all … they’re healthy and super easy to make! You can have them mixed up and in the refrigerator to firm up in less than 10 minutes using only a food processor.”
These are gluten-free, with no refined sugar, an are also listed as paleo vegan and vegan. Serves 14 - 16.
To view this online, go to https://www.onegreenplanet.org/vegan-recipe/clean-eating-chocolate-chip-pumpkin-bars/.
Ingredients
For the Crust:
2 cups pecans
1/4 cup raw cacao powder
4 Medjool dates, pitted
1 tablespoon coconut oil
For the Bars:
1 cup pumpkin purée
1/2 cup cashew butter
1/2 cup coconut flour
4 Medjool dates, pitted
1 tablespoon coconut oil
1 teaspoon vanilla bean powder
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 pinches ground cloves
1 cup vegan mini chocolate chips
Preparation
To Make the Crust:
Add all ingredients for the crust to a food processor and process until it is well blended and has a crumbly texture.
Remove and spread evenly in an 8x8-inch baking dish and press down firmly.
Set aside.
To Make the Filling:
Add the cashew butter and dates to a food processor and process until creamy and well blended.
Add the remaining ingredients (except the mini chocolate chips) to the food processor and process until well blended.
Transfer the mixture to a medium sized bowl and gently stir in the mini chocolate chips by hand.
Add the mixture on top of the crust and spread evenly.
Put it in the refrigerator for 30-60 minutes, or until it becomes firm.
Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve because it will get soft and lose it's shape if left out at room temperature.
Notes:
Feel free to adjust the pumpkin spices (nutmeg, clove, vanilla) to your preference.
Tuesday, December 15, 2020
Drinks - Double-Post Tuesday
Besides being Taco Tuesday, it's also Double-Post Tuesday. Today's double post deals with yummy drinks, and includes Cafe De Olla and Spice Tea (which, incidently, makes a nice holiday gift!). 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.
CARROT CAKE SMOOTHIE
This was in an article titled "Vision Quest, Recipes for Eye Health" in the July 2020 issue of Taste for Life (page 14).
I had picked up a copy of Taste for Life at Rollin' Oats, a Florida health food store with two locations (Tampa and St. Petersburg). Since I live close to the St. Pete store, I try to go there as often as possible (though not often enough, as far as I'm concerned). If you're ever in the area, I highly suggest giving them a try.
This recipe has a prep time of 10 minutes and serves 1
Ingredients
1 Tbsp shelled walnuts
2/3 cup canned unsweetened full-fat coconut milk
3/4 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp sea salt
8 drops liquid stevia
1 Tbsp shredded carrot
1 cup ice cubes
Directions
Add walnuts to a blender and pulse until powdery.
Add coconut milk, vanilla extract, cinnamon, salt, and stevia to blender and process until smooth. Add shredded carrot and pulse a couple times until finely chopped.
Add ice cubes and pulse until thick and creamy, tamping down as necessary.
Pour into a glass and serve immediately.
Kitchen note: Coconut, walnuts, cinnamon, and a hint of carrot make this kept smoothie taste like cake. If you want to have your cake for breakfast and eat it too, this smoothie is the way to go.
SORREL DRINK
This is from the June 20008 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 78. The recipe reads, “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
Ingredients
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
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!
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.
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.
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.
CAFE DE OLLA
The recipe for this yummy coffee is from the December 2012 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 47. It starts off, “Literally 'coffee from the pot,' this recipe offers a simple way to make coffee for a crowd, with a spiced twist that no one can resist.” Serves 8 in 30 minutes or less.
To view this online, click here.
4 cinnamon sticks
4 star anise
4 allspice berries
4 whole cloves
1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar or 4 oz. piloncillo (Mexican raw sugar cones)
2 cups medium grind, dark roast coffee beans
2 cups low-fat milk
1 cup coffee liqueur, such as Kahlúa, optional
Lightly crush cinnamon sticks, star anise, allspice, and cloves with mortar and pestle. Place in resealable plastic bag, and pound with rolling pin. Transfer to large saucepan, and add sugar and 8 cups water. Bring mixture to a boil, and simmer until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat, add coffee, and let steep 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, warm milk in small saucepan, and whisk until frothy.
Strain coffee through fine sieve or coffee filter into pitcher. Stir in coffee liqueur (if using). Serve with frothed milk.
nutritional information Per 1-cup serving: Calories: 80; Protein: 2 g; Total Fat: less than 1 g; Saturated Fat: less than 1 g; Carbohydrates: 17 g; Cholesterol: 3 mg; Sodium: 35 mg; Fiber: 0 g; Sugar: 16 g; Gluten-Free
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.
CARROT CAKE SMOOTHIE
This was in an article titled "Vision Quest, Recipes for Eye Health" in the July 2020 issue of Taste for Life (page 14).
I had picked up a copy of Taste for Life at Rollin' Oats, a Florida health food store with two locations (Tampa and St. Petersburg). Since I live close to the St. Pete store, I try to go there as often as possible (though not often enough, as far as I'm concerned). If you're ever in the area, I highly suggest giving them a try.
This recipe has a prep time of 10 minutes and serves 1
Ingredients
1 Tbsp shelled walnuts
2/3 cup canned unsweetened full-fat coconut milk
3/4 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp sea salt
8 drops liquid stevia
1 Tbsp shredded carrot
1 cup ice cubes
Directions
Add walnuts to a blender and pulse until powdery.
Add coconut milk, vanilla extract, cinnamon, salt, and stevia to blender and process until smooth. Add shredded carrot and pulse a couple times until finely chopped.
Add ice cubes and pulse until thick and creamy, tamping down as necessary.
Pour into a glass and serve immediately.
Kitchen note: Coconut, walnuts, cinnamon, and a hint of carrot make this kept smoothie taste like cake. If you want to have your cake for breakfast and eat it too, this smoothie is the way to go.
SORREL DRINK
This is from the June 20008 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 78. The recipe reads, “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
Ingredients
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
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!
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.
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.
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.
CAFE DE OLLA
The recipe for this yummy coffee is from the December 2012 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 47. It starts off, “Literally 'coffee from the pot,' this recipe offers a simple way to make coffee for a crowd, with a spiced twist that no one can resist.” Serves 8 in 30 minutes or less.
To view this online, click here.
4 cinnamon sticks
4 star anise
4 allspice berries
4 whole cloves
1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar or 4 oz. piloncillo (Mexican raw sugar cones)
2 cups medium grind, dark roast coffee beans
2 cups low-fat milk
1 cup coffee liqueur, such as Kahlúa, optional
Lightly crush cinnamon sticks, star anise, allspice, and cloves with mortar and pestle. Place in resealable plastic bag, and pound with rolling pin. Transfer to large saucepan, and add sugar and 8 cups water. Bring mixture to a boil, and simmer until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat, add coffee, and let steep 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, warm milk in small saucepan, and whisk until frothy.
Strain coffee through fine sieve or coffee filter into pitcher. Stir in coffee liqueur (if using). Serve with frothed milk.
nutritional information Per 1-cup serving: Calories: 80; Protein: 2 g; Total Fat: less than 1 g; Saturated Fat: less than 1 g; Carbohydrates: 17 g; Cholesterol: 3 mg; Sodium: 35 mg; Fiber: 0 g; Sugar: 16 g; Gluten-Free
Taco Tuesday
It's time for another Taco Tuesday. For anyone who thinks tacos can't be done up just right without meat, these six taco recipes might just change one's mind. Check out the Roasted Tomatillo and Black Bean Tacos, the Stir-Fry Vegetable Tacos, or any of the other yummy vegetarian tacos in today's post. Enjoy!
BUFFALO CAULIFLOWER TACOS WITH GREEK YOGURT RANCH
This is from Hidden Valley. Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 30 minutes; Total Time: 45 minutes; Servings: 2 - 4
To view this online, go to https://www.hiddenvalley.com/recipe/buffalo-cauliflower-tacos-with-greek-yogurt-ranch/.
Ingredients
1 cup Bob's Red Mill 1:1 Gluten-free Baking Flour (or sub white whole wheat flour)
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup water
1/2 tablespoon lemon pepper
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 head cauliflower
1/2 cup buffalo sauce
15 oz. can organic sweet kernel corn, rinsed and drained
8 gluten-free corn tortillas (or sub flour ones if you prefer)
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1 cup mixed greens (or sub chopped red cabbage)
1/4 cup Hidden Valley® Greek Yogurt Ranch
Directions
Preheat oven to 450°F.
Combine the batter ingredients in a medium mixing bowl: flour, milk, water, lemon pepper and sea salt.
Break or cut the cauliflower into small 1 1/2 inch pieces.
Prepare a baking sheet by lining it with aluminum foil and spraying with nonstick spray.
Dip each cauliflower piece into the batter, completely covering it and then shake off any excess batter before laying it on the foil. Repeat for all cauliflower pieces being sure to lay them in a single layer without having them touch each other.
Bake for 15 minutes, then flip them over and bake for another 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, over medium-high heat, cook your sweet kernel corn for approximately 10 minutes. Let it sit and stick to the bottom of the pan periodically so that it caramelizes and gets some of that charred look/flavor. Set aside.
Once the cauliflower is done baking (they should be lightly browned, crispy on the outside, and soft on the inside), put the pieces in a bowl with the buffalo sauce and stir until completely covered.
Assemble your tacos immediately: corn tortillas, buffalo cauliflower, a spoonful of roasted corn, a pinch of diced cilantro and a drizzle of Hidden Valley® Greek Yogurt Ranch.
Note: For safe meat preparation, reference the USDA website.
CHILI-LIME MUSHROOM TACOS
This comes from Taste of Home, and begins with this note from Greg Fontenot (The Woodlands, Texas), "I used to make this dish with beef, but substituting with portobella mushrooms turned it into my family's vegetarian favorite. It's quick, nutritious, low fat and tasty."
Prep/Total Time: 25 minutes; Makes: 4 servings
View this online at https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/chili-lime-mushroom-tacos/.
Ingredients
4 large portobello mushrooms (about 3/4 pound)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium sweet red pepper, cut into strips
1 medium onion, halved and thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1-1/2 teaspoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon grated lime zest
2 tablespoons lime juice
8 corn tortillas (6 inches), warmed
1 cup shredded pepper jack cheese
Directions
Remove stems from mushrooms; if desired, remove gills using a spoon. Cut mushrooms into 1/2-in. slices.
In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat; saute mushrooms, red pepper and onion until mushrooms are tender, 5-7 minutes. Stir in garlic, seasonings, lime zest and juice; cook and stir 1 minute. Serve in tortillas; top with cheese.
Health Tip: Making these tacos with lean ground beef adds almost 4 grams of saturated fat per serving. That’s a good reason for a meatless taco Tuesday!
ROASTED TOMATILLO AND BLACK BEAN TACOS
This yummy recipe was updated on the Vegetarian Times website on April 30, 2020. It begins, “To prepare fresh tomatillos, strip off the husks and rinse under warm water to remove any sticky sap clinging to the skin.”
Makes 4 servings
To view this online, go to https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/roasted-tomatillo-and-black-bean-tacos-recipe.
Ingredients
Ingredients
3/4 lb. fresh whole tomatillos, husks removed
1 small onion, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (1 cup)
1 small red bell pepper, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (1 cup)
3 large cloves garlic, peeled
3 Tbs. coarsely chopped cilantro, divided
1 1/2 tsp. minced jalapeno pepper
1 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained
4 6-inch corn tortillas, warmed
1 small avocado, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
2 Tbs. queso fresco or feta cheese
1/4 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed, optional
1/4 cup low-fat sour cream, optional
Preparation
Preheat oven to broil. Place oven rack 3 inches from heat source. Coat baking sheet with cooking spray, and spread tomatillos, onion, red bell pepper, and garlic on prepared baking sheet. Broil 12 minutes, or until tomatillos are blistered and charred, and onion and bell pepper are softened and charred, tossing once halfway through cooking time.
Pulse garlic, 1 Tbs. cilantro, jalapeño, and tomatillos 10 times in food processor, or until chunky. Season with salt and pepper.
Toss 1/4 cup tomatillo sauce with black beans, red bell pepper, and onion.
Fill tortillas with black bean mixture, avocado, and queso fresco. Garnish with remaining cilantro and corn kernels, if desired. Serve remaining tomatillo sauce and sour cream, if desired, on side.
STIR-FRY VEGETABLE TACOS
This one also comes from Vegetarian Times, and begins, "Spice up these tacos with sliced pickled ginger, crushed wasabi peas, and sriracha chile sauce, for garnish." Yield: Serves 4.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients:
3 Tbs. peanut oil
2 cups shiitake mushrooms, stems removed and caps sliced (6 oz.)
1 cup sugar snap peas, trimmed
1 cup frozen shelled edamame
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
3 Tbs. white miso
2 Tbs. orange juice
2 tsp. rice vinegar
2 cups broccoli slaw
4 6-inch corn or flour tortillas, warmed
2 Tbs. sliced green onions
Instructions:
Heat oil in nonstick skillet over high heat. Add mushrooms, sugar snap peas, edamame, and cayenne pepper; cook 7 to 9 minutes, or until vegetables start to turn golden, stirring occasionally. Transfer to bowl, and cool 10 minutes in refrigerator.
Meanwhile, whisk together miso, orange juice, and rice vinegar in small bowl. Drizzle over mushroom mixture. Stir in broccoli slaw. Fill tortillas with vegetable mixture, and garnish with green onions.
Nutrition Information: Calories: 272; Protein: 8 g; Total Fat: 13 g; Saturated Fat: 2 g; Carbohydrates: 35 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 386 mg; Fiber: 7 g; Sugar: 10 g
SPICY MOROCCAN CHICKPEA TACOS
This one, also from Vegetarian Times, begins, "For a switch from corn or flour tortillas, try these tacos wrapped in small, warmed whole pita rounds." Yield: Serves 4.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients:
2 Tbs. olive oil
1 small onion, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (1 cup)
1 6-oz. pkg. chicken-style vegetarian strips, such as Lightlife Smart Strips
1 tsp. fennel seeds
1/2 cup canned chickpeas, rinsed, drained, and lightly mashed with fork
2 small carrots, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch rounds (1/2 cup)
1/4 cup golden raisins
1 Tbs. harissa
1/3 cup grape tomatoes, quartered
Instructions:
Heat olive oil in nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, and cook 3 minutes, or until softened. Add chicken-style strips and fennel seeds, and cook 2 minutes. Stir in chickpeas, carrots, raisins, harissa, and 1/3 cup water. Cook 1 minute, or until sauce thickens slightly but carrots remain crisp. Stir in tomatoes, and immediately remove from heat. Fill tortillas with chickpea mixture, and serve warm.
Nutrition Information: Calories: 269; Protein: 12 g; Total Fat: 9 g; Saturated Fat: 1 g; Carbohydrates: 37 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 388 mg; Fiber: 7 g; Sugar: 10 g
TACO SALAD WITH CUMIN DRESSING
Recipe Yield: Servings: 8
Source: The Diabetic Newsletter
View this online at https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipes/taco-salad-with-cumin-dressing.
Ingredients
8 tortillas
1 teaspoon powdered mustard
2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, grated
1 teaspoon ground cumin
8 cups romaine lettuce
1/2 cup water
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
4 tablespoons red wine vinegar
4 cups turkey, chopped and cooked
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
6 large ripe tomatoes, chopped
4 teaspoons lemon juice
2 cups cheddar cheese, grated
Directions
Toast the tortillas on a baking sheet in a 400F oven for about 10 minutes.
While hot, sprinkle on the Parmesan cheese.
Cool and break into bite-size pieces.
Chop the lettuce and arrange it in the bottom of a salad bowl.
Make the cumin dressing by combining the salt, vinegar, pepper, garlic powder, lemon juice, mustard, cumin, water and oil in a bowl or jar.
Heat the turkey in a skillet with the cumin seeds.
Sprinkle chunks of turkey over the lettuce.
Add the tomato pieces and cheese.
Pour on the cumin dressing and top with tortilla chips.
Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 205; Fat: 11 g; Protein: 17 g; Carbohydrates: 10 g
Diabetic Exchanges: 1 Fat; 1/2 Bread/Starch; 1/2 Vegetable; 2 Lean Meat
BUFFALO CAULIFLOWER TACOS WITH GREEK YOGURT RANCH
This is from Hidden Valley. Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 30 minutes; Total Time: 45 minutes; Servings: 2 - 4
To view this online, go to https://www.hiddenvalley.com/recipe/buffalo-cauliflower-tacos-with-greek-yogurt-ranch/.
Ingredients
1 cup Bob's Red Mill 1:1 Gluten-free Baking Flour (or sub white whole wheat flour)
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup water
1/2 tablespoon lemon pepper
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 head cauliflower
1/2 cup buffalo sauce
15 oz. can organic sweet kernel corn, rinsed and drained
8 gluten-free corn tortillas (or sub flour ones if you prefer)
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1 cup mixed greens (or sub chopped red cabbage)
1/4 cup Hidden Valley® Greek Yogurt Ranch
Directions
Preheat oven to 450°F.
Combine the batter ingredients in a medium mixing bowl: flour, milk, water, lemon pepper and sea salt.
Break or cut the cauliflower into small 1 1/2 inch pieces.
Prepare a baking sheet by lining it with aluminum foil and spraying with nonstick spray.
Dip each cauliflower piece into the batter, completely covering it and then shake off any excess batter before laying it on the foil. Repeat for all cauliflower pieces being sure to lay them in a single layer without having them touch each other.
Bake for 15 minutes, then flip them over and bake for another 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, over medium-high heat, cook your sweet kernel corn for approximately 10 minutes. Let it sit and stick to the bottom of the pan periodically so that it caramelizes and gets some of that charred look/flavor. Set aside.
Once the cauliflower is done baking (they should be lightly browned, crispy on the outside, and soft on the inside), put the pieces in a bowl with the buffalo sauce and stir until completely covered.
Assemble your tacos immediately: corn tortillas, buffalo cauliflower, a spoonful of roasted corn, a pinch of diced cilantro and a drizzle of Hidden Valley® Greek Yogurt Ranch.
Note: For safe meat preparation, reference the USDA website.
CHILI-LIME MUSHROOM TACOS
This comes from Taste of Home, and begins with this note from Greg Fontenot (The Woodlands, Texas), "I used to make this dish with beef, but substituting with portobella mushrooms turned it into my family's vegetarian favorite. It's quick, nutritious, low fat and tasty."
Prep/Total Time: 25 minutes; Makes: 4 servings
View this online at https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/chili-lime-mushroom-tacos/.
Ingredients
4 large portobello mushrooms (about 3/4 pound)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium sweet red pepper, cut into strips
1 medium onion, halved and thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1-1/2 teaspoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon grated lime zest
2 tablespoons lime juice
8 corn tortillas (6 inches), warmed
1 cup shredded pepper jack cheese
Directions
Remove stems from mushrooms; if desired, remove gills using a spoon. Cut mushrooms into 1/2-in. slices.
In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat; saute mushrooms, red pepper and onion until mushrooms are tender, 5-7 minutes. Stir in garlic, seasonings, lime zest and juice; cook and stir 1 minute. Serve in tortillas; top with cheese.
Health Tip: Making these tacos with lean ground beef adds almost 4 grams of saturated fat per serving. That’s a good reason for a meatless taco Tuesday!
ROASTED TOMATILLO AND BLACK BEAN TACOS
This yummy recipe was updated on the Vegetarian Times website on April 30, 2020. It begins, “To prepare fresh tomatillos, strip off the husks and rinse under warm water to remove any sticky sap clinging to the skin.”
Makes 4 servings
To view this online, go to https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/roasted-tomatillo-and-black-bean-tacos-recipe.
Ingredients
Ingredients
3/4 lb. fresh whole tomatillos, husks removed
1 small onion, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (1 cup)
1 small red bell pepper, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (1 cup)
3 large cloves garlic, peeled
3 Tbs. coarsely chopped cilantro, divided
1 1/2 tsp. minced jalapeno pepper
1 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained
4 6-inch corn tortillas, warmed
1 small avocado, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
2 Tbs. queso fresco or feta cheese
1/4 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed, optional
1/4 cup low-fat sour cream, optional
Preparation
Preheat oven to broil. Place oven rack 3 inches from heat source. Coat baking sheet with cooking spray, and spread tomatillos, onion, red bell pepper, and garlic on prepared baking sheet. Broil 12 minutes, or until tomatillos are blistered and charred, and onion and bell pepper are softened and charred, tossing once halfway through cooking time.
Pulse garlic, 1 Tbs. cilantro, jalapeño, and tomatillos 10 times in food processor, or until chunky. Season with salt and pepper.
Toss 1/4 cup tomatillo sauce with black beans, red bell pepper, and onion.
Fill tortillas with black bean mixture, avocado, and queso fresco. Garnish with remaining cilantro and corn kernels, if desired. Serve remaining tomatillo sauce and sour cream, if desired, on side.
STIR-FRY VEGETABLE TACOS
This one also comes from Vegetarian Times, and begins, "Spice up these tacos with sliced pickled ginger, crushed wasabi peas, and sriracha chile sauce, for garnish." Yield: Serves 4.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients:
3 Tbs. peanut oil
2 cups shiitake mushrooms, stems removed and caps sliced (6 oz.)
1 cup sugar snap peas, trimmed
1 cup frozen shelled edamame
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
3 Tbs. white miso
2 Tbs. orange juice
2 tsp. rice vinegar
2 cups broccoli slaw
4 6-inch corn or flour tortillas, warmed
2 Tbs. sliced green onions
Instructions:
Heat oil in nonstick skillet over high heat. Add mushrooms, sugar snap peas, edamame, and cayenne pepper; cook 7 to 9 minutes, or until vegetables start to turn golden, stirring occasionally. Transfer to bowl, and cool 10 minutes in refrigerator.
Meanwhile, whisk together miso, orange juice, and rice vinegar in small bowl. Drizzle over mushroom mixture. Stir in broccoli slaw. Fill tortillas with vegetable mixture, and garnish with green onions.
Nutrition Information: Calories: 272; Protein: 8 g; Total Fat: 13 g; Saturated Fat: 2 g; Carbohydrates: 35 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 386 mg; Fiber: 7 g; Sugar: 10 g
SPICY MOROCCAN CHICKPEA TACOS
This one, also from Vegetarian Times, begins, "For a switch from corn or flour tortillas, try these tacos wrapped in small, warmed whole pita rounds." Yield: Serves 4.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients:
2 Tbs. olive oil
1 small onion, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (1 cup)
1 6-oz. pkg. chicken-style vegetarian strips, such as Lightlife Smart Strips
1 tsp. fennel seeds
1/2 cup canned chickpeas, rinsed, drained, and lightly mashed with fork
2 small carrots, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch rounds (1/2 cup)
1/4 cup golden raisins
1 Tbs. harissa
1/3 cup grape tomatoes, quartered
Instructions:
Heat olive oil in nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, and cook 3 minutes, or until softened. Add chicken-style strips and fennel seeds, and cook 2 minutes. Stir in chickpeas, carrots, raisins, harissa, and 1/3 cup water. Cook 1 minute, or until sauce thickens slightly but carrots remain crisp. Stir in tomatoes, and immediately remove from heat. Fill tortillas with chickpea mixture, and serve warm.
Nutrition Information: Calories: 269; Protein: 12 g; Total Fat: 9 g; Saturated Fat: 1 g; Carbohydrates: 37 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 388 mg; Fiber: 7 g; Sugar: 10 g
TACO SALAD WITH CUMIN DRESSING
Recipe Yield: Servings: 8
Source: The Diabetic Newsletter
View this online at https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipes/taco-salad-with-cumin-dressing.
Ingredients
8 tortillas
1 teaspoon powdered mustard
2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, grated
1 teaspoon ground cumin
8 cups romaine lettuce
1/2 cup water
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
4 tablespoons red wine vinegar
4 cups turkey, chopped and cooked
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
6 large ripe tomatoes, chopped
4 teaspoons lemon juice
2 cups cheddar cheese, grated
Directions
Toast the tortillas on a baking sheet in a 400F oven for about 10 minutes.
While hot, sprinkle on the Parmesan cheese.
Cool and break into bite-size pieces.
Chop the lettuce and arrange it in the bottom of a salad bowl.
Make the cumin dressing by combining the salt, vinegar, pepper, garlic powder, lemon juice, mustard, cumin, water and oil in a bowl or jar.
Heat the turkey in a skillet with the cumin seeds.
Sprinkle chunks of turkey over the lettuce.
Add the tomato pieces and cheese.
Pour on the cumin dressing and top with tortilla chips.
Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 205; Fat: 11 g; Protein: 17 g; Carbohydrates: 10 g
Diabetic Exchanges: 1 Fat; 1/2 Bread/Starch; 1/2 Vegetable; 2 Lean Meat
Monday, December 14, 2020
Monday Recipes
It's Monday, less than two weeks until Christmas, and less than three weeks until New Year's. Here are six yummy recipes to help you start the week off just right, including Italian Grilled Stuffed Peppers, Vegetable Bean Soup with Pesto, and a couple of cookie recipes. Enjoy!
CACIO E PEPE
This comes from Mark Bittman of The New York Times Cooking email. Mark wrote, “It is among the most basic, simplest pastas there is, and suddenly trendy to boot. Why? Because when made right, it is incredible.” Time: 20 minutes; makes 4 servings.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
Salt
1 1/2 cups finely grated pecorino Romano, plus more for dusting completed dish
1 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
1 tablespoon ground black pepper, plus more for finishing the dish
3/4 pound tonnarelli or other long pasta like linguine or spaghetti
Good olive oil
Preparation
Put a pot of salted water on to boil. In a large bowl, combine the cheeses and black pepper; mash with just enough cold water to make a thick paste. Spread the paste evenly in the bowl.
Once the water is boiling, add the pasta. The second before it is perfectly cooked (taste it frequently once it begins to soften), use tongs to quickly transfer it to the bowl, reserving a cup or so of the cooking water. Stir vigorously to coat the pasta, adding a teaspoon or two of olive oil and a bit of the pasta cooking water to thin the sauce if necessary. The sauce should cling to the pasta and be creamy but not watery.
Plate and dust each dish with additional pecorino and pepper. Serve immediately.
QUICK FRESH TOMATO SAUCE
This comes from David Tanis of The New York Times' Cooking email. David wrote, “In August and September, when tomatoes are at their ripest, make a batch of fresh tomato sauce. At the market, look for the cracked, slightly bruised tomatoes sold at a discount. The flesh of the tomato should be dense, sweet and blood red. This makes a very fresh- and bright-tasting sauce in a manageable small batch. Take advantage of good tasty tomatoes and fill a few zip-top bags for the freezer.” Time: 30 minutes; Makes about 2 1/ 2 cups
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
5 pounds tomatoes
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 garlic clove, halved
1 basil sprig
1 bay leaf
Preparation
Cut tomatoes in half horizontally. Squeeze out the seeds and discard, if you wish. Press the cut side of tomato against the large holes of a box grater and grate tomato flesh into a bowl. Discard skins. You should have about 4 cups.
Put tomato pulp in a low wide saucepan over high heat. Add salt, olive oil, tomato paste, garlic, basil and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, then lower heat to a brisk simmer.
Reduce the sauce by almost half, stirring occasionally, to produce about 2 1/2 cups medium-thick sauce, 10 to 15 minutes. Taste and adjust salt. It will keep up to 5 days in the refrigerator or may be frozen.
ITALIAN GRILLED STUFFED PEPPERS
This comes from Kraft and begins, “Discover these Italian Grilled Stuffed Peppers and bring a little bit of Italy into your kitchen! These grilled stuffed peppers are delicious!”
Prep Time: 20 minutes; Total Time: 45 minutes; Servings: 6 servings
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1-3/4 cups water, divided
1-1/2 cups instant brown rice, uncooked
2 cups frozen BOCA Veggie Ground Crumbles
1 small zucchini, chopped
1 tsp. dried Italian seasoning
1-1/2 cups OLIVO by CLASSICO Traditional Pasta Sauce, divided
1-1/2 cups KRAFT 2% Milk Shredded Mozzarella Cheese, divided
1 large each red, yellow and green pepper, cut lengthwise in half, seeded
Directions
Heat grill to medium-high heat.
Bring 1-1/2 cups water to boil in medium saucepan. Add rice; cover. Simmer 5 min. Remove from heat; let stand 5 min. Stir in crumbles, zucchini, seasoning and 1 cup each pasta sauce and cheese; spoon into peppers.
Place each filled pepper half on center of 12-inch-square sheet heavy-duty foil. Top with remaining sauce and cheese. Bring up foil sides. Spoon 1 Tbsp. of the remaining water onto bottom of each foil packet. Double fold top and ends to seal packets, leaving room for heat circulation inside.
Grill 20 to 25 min. or until peppers are crisp-tender and filling is heated through (160ºF).
WINTER VEGETABLE BEAN SOUP WITH PESTO
This recipe, from FamilyTime, begins, “The easy-to-make basil pesto adds great flavor to this hearty soup, featuring carrots, potatoes, turnips and leeks. Best of all, it's ready in less than an hour.”
Serves: 10 servings (1 1/2 cups each); Prep Time: 25 minutes; Cook Time: 30 minutes
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
2 medium carrots, diced (about 2/3 cup)
3 medium potato, peeled and diced (about 3 cups)
1 medium turnip, peeled and diced (about 1 cup)
2 large leeks, white part only, sliced (about 2 cups)
2 stalks celery, sliced (about 1 cup)
5 1/4 cups Swanson® Vegetable Broth (Regular or Certified Organic)
1 can (about 19 ounces) white kidney beans (cannellini), rinsed and drained
1 bay leaf
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
Easy Basil Pesto
Directions
Heat the carrots, potatoes, turnip, leeks, celery and 1 3/4 cups broth in a 6-quart saucepot over medium-high heat to a boil.
Reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook for 15 minutes or until the vegetables are tender-crisp.
Reserve 1/2 cup of broth for the Easy Basil Pesto. Stir the remaining broth, beans, bay leaf and red pepper in the saucepot and heat to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and cook for 15 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. Remove the bay leaf. Serve topped with the Easy Basil Pesto.
Easy Basil Pesto: Place 2 cups packed fresh basil leaves, 3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese, 3 cloves garlic and 1/2 cup reserved broth in a food processor or blender. Cover and process until smooth.
Serving Suggestion: Serve with Italian bread sticks. For dessert serve lemon bars.
SANTA’S TRASH COOKIES
This recipe is from Lindsay Conchar at Delish, and begins, “Even Santa has a naughty side.”
To view this online, click here.
Note: Linday’s blog, Life, Love and Sugar is definitely worth checking out. I’ll wait while you do that!
Total Time: 25 minutes; Cook Time: 8 minutes; Level: Easy; Makes: 28 cookies
Ingredients
3/4 c. cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. brown sugar
1 large egg
2 tsp. vanilla
2 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
1/3 c. crushed potato chips
1/3 c. Crushed Pretzels
1/3 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips
3 tbsp. red and green sprinkles
Flaky sea salt, for garnish
Directions
Preheat oven to 350º and line two cookie sheets with parchment.
Cream together butter and sugars until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes.
Mix in egg and vanilla.
In another large bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, and salt. Add dry ingredients to wet and mix until smooth. Dough will be thick.
Gently stir in chips, pretzels, chocolate chips, and sprinkles.
Make tablespoon size balls of dough. Slightly press them down onto the cookie sheet and sprinkle with sea salt.
Bake until edges are just starting to get golden, 7 to 8 minutes.
Remove from oven and let cool 2 to 3 minutes, then transfer to cooling rack to cool completely.
HOLIDAY SWIRLED SUGAR COOKIES
This comes from the Food Network Kitchen. Total Time: 4 hours; Active Time: 1 hour; Yield: 24 cookies; Level: Easy
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
Cookies:
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour (see Cook's Note)
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon fine salt
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg
Confectioners' sugar, for dusting
Royal Icing:
One 1-pound box confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons meringue powder
Red and green gel food coloring
Edible glitter or sprinkles, for decorating, optional
Directions
Watch how to make this recipe.
Special equipment: a 2-inch round cookie cutter
For the cookies: Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Beat the butter and granulated sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed in a large bowl until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Increase the mixer speed to medium high, add the vanilla and egg and beat until incorporated. Reduce the speed to low, add the flour mixture in 2 batches and beat until just combined. Shape the dough into a disk. Wrap and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.
Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Generously dust a work surface with confectioners' sugar. Roll out the dough to a thickness of 1/2 inch, dusting with more confectioners' sugar as needed. (Return the dough to the refrigerator if it gets too soft.) Cut out shapes with a 2-inch round cookie cutter and arrange 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Reroll the scraps and cut out more cookies. Refrigerate the cookies until firm, about 1 hour.
Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Bake the cookies, rotating the pans halfway through, until lightly browned around the edges, 9 to 11 minutes. Let cool completely on the baking sheets.
For the royal icing: Combine the confectioners' sugar and meringue powder in a large bowl. Add 7 tablespoons water and beat with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until soft glossy peaks form, adding up to 8 tablespoons water if necessary to make a smooth icing that thickly coats the back of a spoon.
Line a baking sheet with parchment and set a cooling rack on top.
Put 1/4 cup icing into each of 2 small bowls. Add 9 drops red food coloring to one bowl and stir until evenly combined. Add 2 drops green food coloring to the second bowl and stir until evenly combined. Pour the remaining white icing into a clean rimmed baking sheet and spread or shake to evenly coat it. Drizzle the red icing all over the white, then drizzle the green icing over both. One at a time, put the cookies face-side down in the baking sheet icing. Take the cookies out one at a time, shaking gently to let excess icing drip off, and place right-side up on the prepared cooling rack. Decorate with edible glitter or sprinkles if desired. Let the icing harden completely before serving, about 1 hour.
Cook's Note
When measuring flour, we spoon it into a dry measuring cup and level off excess. (Scooping directly from the bag compacts the flour, resulting in dry baked goods.)
CACIO E PEPE
This comes from Mark Bittman of The New York Times Cooking email. Mark wrote, “It is among the most basic, simplest pastas there is, and suddenly trendy to boot. Why? Because when made right, it is incredible.” Time: 20 minutes; makes 4 servings.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
Salt
1 1/2 cups finely grated pecorino Romano, plus more for dusting completed dish
1 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
1 tablespoon ground black pepper, plus more for finishing the dish
3/4 pound tonnarelli or other long pasta like linguine or spaghetti
Good olive oil
Preparation
Put a pot of salted water on to boil. In a large bowl, combine the cheeses and black pepper; mash with just enough cold water to make a thick paste. Spread the paste evenly in the bowl.
Once the water is boiling, add the pasta. The second before it is perfectly cooked (taste it frequently once it begins to soften), use tongs to quickly transfer it to the bowl, reserving a cup or so of the cooking water. Stir vigorously to coat the pasta, adding a teaspoon or two of olive oil and a bit of the pasta cooking water to thin the sauce if necessary. The sauce should cling to the pasta and be creamy but not watery.
Plate and dust each dish with additional pecorino and pepper. Serve immediately.
QUICK FRESH TOMATO SAUCE
This comes from David Tanis of The New York Times' Cooking email. David wrote, “In August and September, when tomatoes are at their ripest, make a batch of fresh tomato sauce. At the market, look for the cracked, slightly bruised tomatoes sold at a discount. The flesh of the tomato should be dense, sweet and blood red. This makes a very fresh- and bright-tasting sauce in a manageable small batch. Take advantage of good tasty tomatoes and fill a few zip-top bags for the freezer.” Time: 30 minutes; Makes about 2 1/ 2 cups
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
5 pounds tomatoes
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 garlic clove, halved
1 basil sprig
1 bay leaf
Preparation
Cut tomatoes in half horizontally. Squeeze out the seeds and discard, if you wish. Press the cut side of tomato against the large holes of a box grater and grate tomato flesh into a bowl. Discard skins. You should have about 4 cups.
Put tomato pulp in a low wide saucepan over high heat. Add salt, olive oil, tomato paste, garlic, basil and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, then lower heat to a brisk simmer.
Reduce the sauce by almost half, stirring occasionally, to produce about 2 1/2 cups medium-thick sauce, 10 to 15 minutes. Taste and adjust salt. It will keep up to 5 days in the refrigerator or may be frozen.
ITALIAN GRILLED STUFFED PEPPERS
This comes from Kraft and begins, “Discover these Italian Grilled Stuffed Peppers and bring a little bit of Italy into your kitchen! These grilled stuffed peppers are delicious!”
Prep Time: 20 minutes; Total Time: 45 minutes; Servings: 6 servings
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1-3/4 cups water, divided
1-1/2 cups instant brown rice, uncooked
2 cups frozen BOCA Veggie Ground Crumbles
1 small zucchini, chopped
1 tsp. dried Italian seasoning
1-1/2 cups OLIVO by CLASSICO Traditional Pasta Sauce, divided
1-1/2 cups KRAFT 2% Milk Shredded Mozzarella Cheese, divided
1 large each red, yellow and green pepper, cut lengthwise in half, seeded
Directions
Heat grill to medium-high heat.
Bring 1-1/2 cups water to boil in medium saucepan. Add rice; cover. Simmer 5 min. Remove from heat; let stand 5 min. Stir in crumbles, zucchini, seasoning and 1 cup each pasta sauce and cheese; spoon into peppers.
Place each filled pepper half on center of 12-inch-square sheet heavy-duty foil. Top with remaining sauce and cheese. Bring up foil sides. Spoon 1 Tbsp. of the remaining water onto bottom of each foil packet. Double fold top and ends to seal packets, leaving room for heat circulation inside.
Grill 20 to 25 min. or until peppers are crisp-tender and filling is heated through (160ºF).
WINTER VEGETABLE BEAN SOUP WITH PESTO
This recipe, from FamilyTime, begins, “The easy-to-make basil pesto adds great flavor to this hearty soup, featuring carrots, potatoes, turnips and leeks. Best of all, it's ready in less than an hour.”
Serves: 10 servings (1 1/2 cups each); Prep Time: 25 minutes; Cook Time: 30 minutes
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
2 medium carrots, diced (about 2/3 cup)
3 medium potato, peeled and diced (about 3 cups)
1 medium turnip, peeled and diced (about 1 cup)
2 large leeks, white part only, sliced (about 2 cups)
2 stalks celery, sliced (about 1 cup)
5 1/4 cups Swanson® Vegetable Broth (Regular or Certified Organic)
1 can (about 19 ounces) white kidney beans (cannellini), rinsed and drained
1 bay leaf
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
Easy Basil Pesto
Directions
Heat the carrots, potatoes, turnip, leeks, celery and 1 3/4 cups broth in a 6-quart saucepot over medium-high heat to a boil.
Reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook for 15 minutes or until the vegetables are tender-crisp.
Reserve 1/2 cup of broth for the Easy Basil Pesto. Stir the remaining broth, beans, bay leaf and red pepper in the saucepot and heat to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and cook for 15 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. Remove the bay leaf. Serve topped with the Easy Basil Pesto.
Easy Basil Pesto: Place 2 cups packed fresh basil leaves, 3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese, 3 cloves garlic and 1/2 cup reserved broth in a food processor or blender. Cover and process until smooth.
Serving Suggestion: Serve with Italian bread sticks. For dessert serve lemon bars.
SANTA’S TRASH COOKIES
This recipe is from Lindsay Conchar at Delish, and begins, “Even Santa has a naughty side.”
To view this online, click here.
Note: Linday’s blog, Life, Love and Sugar is definitely worth checking out. I’ll wait while you do that!
Total Time: 25 minutes; Cook Time: 8 minutes; Level: Easy; Makes: 28 cookies
Ingredients
3/4 c. cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. brown sugar
1 large egg
2 tsp. vanilla
2 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
1/3 c. crushed potato chips
1/3 c. Crushed Pretzels
1/3 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips
3 tbsp. red and green sprinkles
Flaky sea salt, for garnish
Directions
Preheat oven to 350º and line two cookie sheets with parchment.
Cream together butter and sugars until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes.
Mix in egg and vanilla.
In another large bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, and salt. Add dry ingredients to wet and mix until smooth. Dough will be thick.
Gently stir in chips, pretzels, chocolate chips, and sprinkles.
Make tablespoon size balls of dough. Slightly press them down onto the cookie sheet and sprinkle with sea salt.
Bake until edges are just starting to get golden, 7 to 8 minutes.
Remove from oven and let cool 2 to 3 minutes, then transfer to cooling rack to cool completely.
HOLIDAY SWIRLED SUGAR COOKIES
This comes from the Food Network Kitchen. Total Time: 4 hours; Active Time: 1 hour; Yield: 24 cookies; Level: Easy
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
Cookies:
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour (see Cook's Note)
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon fine salt
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg
Confectioners' sugar, for dusting
Royal Icing:
One 1-pound box confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons meringue powder
Red and green gel food coloring
Edible glitter or sprinkles, for decorating, optional
Directions
Watch how to make this recipe.
Special equipment: a 2-inch round cookie cutter
For the cookies: Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Beat the butter and granulated sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed in a large bowl until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Increase the mixer speed to medium high, add the vanilla and egg and beat until incorporated. Reduce the speed to low, add the flour mixture in 2 batches and beat until just combined. Shape the dough into a disk. Wrap and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.
Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Generously dust a work surface with confectioners' sugar. Roll out the dough to a thickness of 1/2 inch, dusting with more confectioners' sugar as needed. (Return the dough to the refrigerator if it gets too soft.) Cut out shapes with a 2-inch round cookie cutter and arrange 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Reroll the scraps and cut out more cookies. Refrigerate the cookies until firm, about 1 hour.
Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Bake the cookies, rotating the pans halfway through, until lightly browned around the edges, 9 to 11 minutes. Let cool completely on the baking sheets.
For the royal icing: Combine the confectioners' sugar and meringue powder in a large bowl. Add 7 tablespoons water and beat with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until soft glossy peaks form, adding up to 8 tablespoons water if necessary to make a smooth icing that thickly coats the back of a spoon.
Line a baking sheet with parchment and set a cooling rack on top.
Put 1/4 cup icing into each of 2 small bowls. Add 9 drops red food coloring to one bowl and stir until evenly combined. Add 2 drops green food coloring to the second bowl and stir until evenly combined. Pour the remaining white icing into a clean rimmed baking sheet and spread or shake to evenly coat it. Drizzle the red icing all over the white, then drizzle the green icing over both. One at a time, put the cookies face-side down in the baking sheet icing. Take the cookies out one at a time, shaking gently to let excess icing drip off, and place right-side up on the prepared cooling rack. Decorate with edible glitter or sprinkles if desired. Let the icing harden completely before serving, about 1 hour.
Cook's Note
When measuring flour, we spoon it into a dry measuring cup and level off excess. (Scooping directly from the bag compacts the flour, resulting in dry baked goods.)
Friday, December 11, 2020
Friday Recipes
Are you ready for the weekend?
If you're like me, you probably are. This time of year tends to be a little busy, to put it mildly.
But since we still need to eat, here are six recipes to help you through the weekend, including Black Bean Breakfast Burrito with Plantains and Mango Salsa and Vegetable Manicotti. Yum! Enjoy!
VEGAN LASAGNA
This was in the October 1997 issue of Vegetarian Times, and posted online on May 10, 2017. It begins, “The tomato sauce recipe makes enough to serve on the side or to freeze and enjoy later with pasta.” Makes 12 servings.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
Tomato Sauce
2 Tbs. olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 6-oz. can tomato paste
3 28-oz. cans peeled plum tomatoes, chopped with juices reserved
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
Lasagna
1 Tbs. salt
1 lb. dry uncooked eggless lasagna noodles
2 16-oz. pkg. firm tofu, drained
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
Preparation
To make Sauce: In large, heavy saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until onion is soft, about 5 minutes. Add tomato paste and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add tomatoes with juice, basil, parsley, oregano and red pepper flakes. Cover and simmer over low heat about 1 hour. Season with salt and pepper.
Meanwhile, bring large pot of water to boil. When water boils, add salt and noodles. Cook until al dente, about 12 minutes. Drain, rinse with water and drain again.
Preheat oven to 400°F. Crumble tofu into medium bowl. Add garlic, basil, parsley, salt and pepper. Stir until well blended.
Spoon about 1 cup sauce over bottom of 13x9-inch baking dish. Add layer of noodles and top with one-third tofu mixture. Spoon over about 1 1/2 cups sauce and top with another layer of noodles. Cover with one-third tofu mixture and top with 1 1/2 cups of sauce and another layer of noodles. Top with remaining tofu mixture and 1 cup sauce.
Cover with foil and bake 30 minutes. Remove from oven and let stand about 15 minutes before cutting and serving. Serve with remaining sauce.
BLACK BEAN BREAKFAST BURRITO WITH PLANTAINS AND MANGO SALSA
This comes from the March 2015 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 36. It begins, “Ripe plantains have a starchy consistency like potatoes, but with more fiber.” Serves 4 in 30 minutes or less.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
2 cups sliced ripe plantains (2 medium)
1 lime, juiced and zest grated (2 Tbs. juice and 1 tsp. zest)
1 15-oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup prepared mango salsa, plus more for serving, optional
4 8-inch flour tortillas, warmed
Directions
Combine plantains, lime juice, and 1/2 cup water in small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, cover pan, and simmer 20 minutes, or until plantains are very soft. Mash with fork or potato masher, and stir in lime zest. Season with salt and pepper, if desired.
Combine beans and salsa in small saucepan; warm over medium heat 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper, if desired.
Spread heaping 1/4 cup plantains on bottom half of each tortilla, leaving 2-inch border. Top with 1/2 cup bean mixture. Fold sides of tortilla over filling, then roll from bottom up. Serve with additional salsa, if using.
nutritional information Per Burrito: Calories: 349; Protein: 11 g; Total Fat: 4 g; Saturated Fat: 2 g; Carbohydrates: 72 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 779 mg; Fiber: 9 g; Sugar: 18 g; Vegan
CREAMY LEMONADE PIE
This is from the infamous long-since-forgotten emailing list.
Ingredients
1 (5 oz) can evaporated milk
1 (3.4 oz) pkg. instant lemon pudding mix
2 (8 oz) pkg. cream cheese softened
3/4 C. lemonade concentrate
1 graham cracker crust
Directions
In mixing bowl combine milk & pudding mix; beat on low speed for 2 minutes. In another mixing bowl, beat cream cheese until light & fluffy, about 3 minutes. Gradually beat in lemonade concentrate. Gradually beat in pudding mixture. Pour into crust. Cover & refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
PEANUT BUTTER CHOCOLATE CAKE
This recipe comes from Publix.
Servings: 8; Total Time: about 3 hours; Active Time: 10 minutes
To view this recipe online, click here.
Ingredients
Butter-flavor cooking spray
1 (15.25-oz) box devil's food cake mix
2 cups water, divided
2 large eggs
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1 (4-oz) semisweet chocolate bar (or morsels)
1/4 cup peanuts, chopped
8 tablespoons whipped topping
Directions
Coat 4-quart slow cooker with spray. Place cake mix, 1 cup water, and eggs in large bowl; beat with hand mixer until blended. Add peanut butter; mix well and pour mixture into slow cooker.
Microwave remaining 1 cup water on HIGH for 2 minutes or until steaming. Break chocolate into pieces, if needed, then place in water and stir until melted; let stand 1 minute to cool. Pour chocolate over batter in slow cooker.
Cover and cook on LOW for 2–2 1/2 hours (or HIGH for 1 1/2–1 3/4 hours) or until toothpick inserted near center comes out with fudgy crumbs. Chop peanuts. Serve cake straight from slow cooker topped with whipped topping and peanuts.
VEGETARIAN CHILI WITH TORTILLA CRISPS
This is from Anna Watson Carl on Delish. Anna wrote, “Those homemade tortilla chips, though…”
Total Time: 45 minutes; Prep Time: 15 minutes; Level: Easy; Serves: 4
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
4 corn tortillas
1/4 c. Country Crock Original
1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
1 red pepper, diced
1 yellow pepper, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp. chili powder
1 tbsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 28-oz. can whole tomatoes
1 15-oz. can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 15-oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 15-oz. can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 c. freshly chopped cilantro, plus more for serving
1/4 c. sour cream
1/4 c. shredded Cheddar
Directions
Preheat oven to 400°. Place tortillas on a baking sheet and brush all over with Country Crock Original. Bake until golden and crispy, flipping halfway through, about 6 minutes, then season with salt. Once cool, break each into pieces.
Heat remaining 3 tablespoons Country Crock Original in pot over medium-high heat, and cook onion and peppers until soft, 5 minutes. Add garlic, chili powder, cumin, and cayenne and cook 2 minutes more, stirring well to combine. Season with salt and pepper, then add tomatoes and juices, crushing tomatoes gently with a wooden spoon.
Add beans to pot along with 2 1/2 cups water. Season with salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until thickened, 15 to 20 minutes, then stir in cilantro.
Ladle chili into 4 bowls and garnish with sour cream, cheese, and cilantro. Serve with crispy tortillas.
VEGETABLE MANICOTTI
This is from the infamous long-since-forgotten emailing list. It begins, “A great back-to-school recipe, this manicotti can be prepared in advance and kept frozen until you are ready to bake them.” Yields: 6 servings
Ingredients
1/2 cup carrots, shredded
1/2 cup zucchini, shredded
1 cup spinach, chopped
2 cups plain yogurt cheese
1 tablespoon Italian parsley, chopped
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon basil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
3 eggs
1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
12 manicotti shells, cooked
1 32oz jar tomato sauce
Directions
Using layered cheesecloth, strain the whey from 1 quart of yogurt overnight to make yogurt cheese. One quart of yogurt will yield approximately 2 cups of yogurt cheese.
Bring 6 cups of water to a boil, and cook manicotti noodles until still slightly firm, being careful not to overcook. Drain noodles, rinse with cold water.
Preheat oven to 350°F. In a 9x13 baking dish, coat the bottom of the dish with 4 tablespoons of tomato sauce. Set aside.
In large mixing bowl, fold vegetables, 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, herbs, salt, pepper & eggs into yogurt cheese. Using a spoon, gently fill the manicotti shells with the cheese & vegetable mixture & place in the baking dish. Once shells have been filled, top manicotti with remaining tomato sauce. Bake for 25 minutes. Top with remaining shredded cheese & bake for an additional 15 minutes or until cheese is golden brown. Serve warm.
If you're like me, you probably are. This time of year tends to be a little busy, to put it mildly.
But since we still need to eat, here are six recipes to help you through the weekend, including Black Bean Breakfast Burrito with Plantains and Mango Salsa and Vegetable Manicotti. Yum! Enjoy!
VEGAN LASAGNA
This was in the October 1997 issue of Vegetarian Times, and posted online on May 10, 2017. It begins, “The tomato sauce recipe makes enough to serve on the side or to freeze and enjoy later with pasta.” Makes 12 servings.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
Tomato Sauce
2 Tbs. olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 6-oz. can tomato paste
3 28-oz. cans peeled plum tomatoes, chopped with juices reserved
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
Lasagna
1 Tbs. salt
1 lb. dry uncooked eggless lasagna noodles
2 16-oz. pkg. firm tofu, drained
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
Preparation
To make Sauce: In large, heavy saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until onion is soft, about 5 minutes. Add tomato paste and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add tomatoes with juice, basil, parsley, oregano and red pepper flakes. Cover and simmer over low heat about 1 hour. Season with salt and pepper.
Meanwhile, bring large pot of water to boil. When water boils, add salt and noodles. Cook until al dente, about 12 minutes. Drain, rinse with water and drain again.
Preheat oven to 400°F. Crumble tofu into medium bowl. Add garlic, basil, parsley, salt and pepper. Stir until well blended.
Spoon about 1 cup sauce over bottom of 13x9-inch baking dish. Add layer of noodles and top with one-third tofu mixture. Spoon over about 1 1/2 cups sauce and top with another layer of noodles. Cover with one-third tofu mixture and top with 1 1/2 cups of sauce and another layer of noodles. Top with remaining tofu mixture and 1 cup sauce.
Cover with foil and bake 30 minutes. Remove from oven and let stand about 15 minutes before cutting and serving. Serve with remaining sauce.
BLACK BEAN BREAKFAST BURRITO WITH PLANTAINS AND MANGO SALSA
This comes from the March 2015 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 36. It begins, “Ripe plantains have a starchy consistency like potatoes, but with more fiber.” Serves 4 in 30 minutes or less.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
2 cups sliced ripe plantains (2 medium)
1 lime, juiced and zest grated (2 Tbs. juice and 1 tsp. zest)
1 15-oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup prepared mango salsa, plus more for serving, optional
4 8-inch flour tortillas, warmed
Directions
Combine plantains, lime juice, and 1/2 cup water in small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, cover pan, and simmer 20 minutes, or until plantains are very soft. Mash with fork or potato masher, and stir in lime zest. Season with salt and pepper, if desired.
Combine beans and salsa in small saucepan; warm over medium heat 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper, if desired.
Spread heaping 1/4 cup plantains on bottom half of each tortilla, leaving 2-inch border. Top with 1/2 cup bean mixture. Fold sides of tortilla over filling, then roll from bottom up. Serve with additional salsa, if using.
nutritional information Per Burrito: Calories: 349; Protein: 11 g; Total Fat: 4 g; Saturated Fat: 2 g; Carbohydrates: 72 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 779 mg; Fiber: 9 g; Sugar: 18 g; Vegan
CREAMY LEMONADE PIE
This is from the infamous long-since-forgotten emailing list.
Ingredients
1 (5 oz) can evaporated milk
1 (3.4 oz) pkg. instant lemon pudding mix
2 (8 oz) pkg. cream cheese softened
3/4 C. lemonade concentrate
1 graham cracker crust
Directions
In mixing bowl combine milk & pudding mix; beat on low speed for 2 minutes. In another mixing bowl, beat cream cheese until light & fluffy, about 3 minutes. Gradually beat in lemonade concentrate. Gradually beat in pudding mixture. Pour into crust. Cover & refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
PEANUT BUTTER CHOCOLATE CAKE
This recipe comes from Publix.
Servings: 8; Total Time: about 3 hours; Active Time: 10 minutes
To view this recipe online, click here.
Ingredients
Butter-flavor cooking spray
1 (15.25-oz) box devil's food cake mix
2 cups water, divided
2 large eggs
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1 (4-oz) semisweet chocolate bar (or morsels)
1/4 cup peanuts, chopped
8 tablespoons whipped topping
Directions
Coat 4-quart slow cooker with spray. Place cake mix, 1 cup water, and eggs in large bowl; beat with hand mixer until blended. Add peanut butter; mix well and pour mixture into slow cooker.
Microwave remaining 1 cup water on HIGH for 2 minutes or until steaming. Break chocolate into pieces, if needed, then place in water and stir until melted; let stand 1 minute to cool. Pour chocolate over batter in slow cooker.
Cover and cook on LOW for 2–2 1/2 hours (or HIGH for 1 1/2–1 3/4 hours) or until toothpick inserted near center comes out with fudgy crumbs. Chop peanuts. Serve cake straight from slow cooker topped with whipped topping and peanuts.
VEGETARIAN CHILI WITH TORTILLA CRISPS
This is from Anna Watson Carl on Delish. Anna wrote, “Those homemade tortilla chips, though…”
Total Time: 45 minutes; Prep Time: 15 minutes; Level: Easy; Serves: 4
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
4 corn tortillas
1/4 c. Country Crock Original
1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
1 red pepper, diced
1 yellow pepper, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp. chili powder
1 tbsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 28-oz. can whole tomatoes
1 15-oz. can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 15-oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 15-oz. can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 c. freshly chopped cilantro, plus more for serving
1/4 c. sour cream
1/4 c. shredded Cheddar
Directions
Preheat oven to 400°. Place tortillas on a baking sheet and brush all over with Country Crock Original. Bake until golden and crispy, flipping halfway through, about 6 minutes, then season with salt. Once cool, break each into pieces.
Heat remaining 3 tablespoons Country Crock Original in pot over medium-high heat, and cook onion and peppers until soft, 5 minutes. Add garlic, chili powder, cumin, and cayenne and cook 2 minutes more, stirring well to combine. Season with salt and pepper, then add tomatoes and juices, crushing tomatoes gently with a wooden spoon.
Add beans to pot along with 2 1/2 cups water. Season with salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until thickened, 15 to 20 minutes, then stir in cilantro.
Ladle chili into 4 bowls and garnish with sour cream, cheese, and cilantro. Serve with crispy tortillas.
VEGETABLE MANICOTTI
This is from the infamous long-since-forgotten emailing list. It begins, “A great back-to-school recipe, this manicotti can be prepared in advance and kept frozen until you are ready to bake them.” Yields: 6 servings
Ingredients
1/2 cup carrots, shredded
1/2 cup zucchini, shredded
1 cup spinach, chopped
2 cups plain yogurt cheese
1 tablespoon Italian parsley, chopped
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon basil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
3 eggs
1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
12 manicotti shells, cooked
1 32oz jar tomato sauce
Directions
Using layered cheesecloth, strain the whey from 1 quart of yogurt overnight to make yogurt cheese. One quart of yogurt will yield approximately 2 cups of yogurt cheese.
Bring 6 cups of water to a boil, and cook manicotti noodles until still slightly firm, being careful not to overcook. Drain noodles, rinse with cold water.
Preheat oven to 350°F. In a 9x13 baking dish, coat the bottom of the dish with 4 tablespoons of tomato sauce. Set aside.
In large mixing bowl, fold vegetables, 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, herbs, salt, pepper & eggs into yogurt cheese. Using a spoon, gently fill the manicotti shells with the cheese & vegetable mixture & place in the baking dish. Once shells have been filled, top manicotti with remaining tomato sauce. Bake for 25 minutes. Top with remaining shredded cheese & bake for an additional 15 minutes or until cheese is golden brown. Serve warm.
Thursday, December 10, 2020
Drinks
As much as we need food to get through the day, we also need drinks.
I can almost hear someone thinking, Drinks? Why do I need recipes for drinks? There's coffee, tea, water, and more...
Okay, true. But just as one might want a new way to fix lasagna, say, or stuffed peppers, there are other ways to find something yummy to drink.
So check out today's post, which includes Cafe De Olla, Pumpkin Spice Latte, and other yummy drinks. Enjoy!
APPLE CIDER FLOATS
This is from Lauren Miyashiro on Delish. The recipe begins, “You'll want to float away with these apple cider floats!”
Total Time: 10 minutes; Prep Time: 10 minutes; Level: Easy; Servings: 2
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1/2 c. caramel sauce
1/2 c. cinnamon-sugar
2 c. apple cider, warmed
Vanilla ice cream, for serving
cinnamon sticks
Whipped cream, for serving
Apple slices
Directions
Pour caramel in a small dish. Dip the top of each mug in the caramel to rim the cup. Then dip the caramel rim in cinnamon-sugar.
Ladle apple cider into each mug then add a scoop of ice cream to each. Top with whipped cream and garnish with apple slices and cinnamon stick.
Drizzle more caramel over the whipped cream and serve immediately.
CHERRY SMOOTHIE
This comes from Yishane Lee in the July 2012 issue of Runner’s World, page 48. I couldn’t find a link for it…
Ingredients
1 cup pitted cherries
3/4 cup plain yogurt
2 tablespoons honey
3/4 cup ice
Preparation
Place ingredients in blender and blend. Yum!
CREAMY PINEAPPLE ORANGE REFRESHER PUNCH
This is from the infamous long-since-forgotten emailing list.
Ingredients
1 - 46 oz. can of pineapple juice
1 1/2 pints vanilla ice cream
1 quart orange sherbet
2 liters ginger ale
Directions
In a punch bowl, place the vanilla ice cream and orange sherbet. Slowly add & stir in pineapple juice & then ginger ale.
CHOCOLATE AVOCADO SMOOTHIE
This is from Christel Oerum on DiabeteStrong. Christel wrote, “Avocado and chocolate are a killer combination in this easy chocolate avocado smoothie with coconut milk recipe! This recipe is low-carb, gluten-free, and vegan!”
Prep Time: 5 minutes; Cook Time: 0 minutes; Total Time: 5 minutes; Servings: 2
To view this online, go to https://diabetesstrong.com/chocolate-avocado-smoothie/.
Ingredients
1/2 ripe avocado
3 tbsp. cocoa powder
1 cup full fat coconut milk
1/2 cup water
1 tsp. lime juice
pinch mineral salt
6-7 drops liquid Stevia
Fresh mint (for decoration)
Instructions
Add all of the ingredients to a blender. Chopping the ingredients beforehand will help the blender process everything better.
Blend on high speed until smooth and creamy. You can adjust the taste to your liking by adding more avocado for creaminess or liquid Stevia for more sweetness.
Serve immediately with fresh mint and a straw.
Recipe Notes
You can store this smoothie in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
PUMPKIN SPICE LATTE
This is from OneGreenPlanet, under the title “How to Make Your Own Pumpkin Spice Latte Without Nasty Ingredients”, by Heather McClees. Heather wrote about the benefits of making this, rather than buying it at your local coffee shop, and ends with, “Now, see how easy that was? This natural, vegan version won’t only taste better but it’s also cheaper, friendlier to your body, and it’s cruelty-free. Enjoy at breakfast with some pumpkin waffles or muffins and even brew some to enjoy with these Clean Eating Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bars for dessert!”.
Ingredients
1/2 cup of unsweetened non-dairy milk (check labels to ensure they include no carrageenan)
2 tablespoons of pure pumpkin puree (organic is best)
dash of pumpkin pie spice
natural sweetener like pure stevia, which is sugar-free and chemical-free (or your choice sweetener)
dash of alcohol-free vanilla extract
4-6 ounces of hot, brewed coffee (preferably organic and espresso strength)
Directions
Brew your coffee if you haven’t already.
Grab a small pot and add the milk, pumpkin, vanilla, and pumpkin pie spice. Bring to a low heat and stir together.
Let the mixture warm on the stove for a minute or two just until the milk is warm.
Pour into a large coffee mug, add the coffee and stevia, and stir together.
Enjoy as it is, or add a dollop of soy or coconut whipped cream if you wish.
Add a touch of pumpkin spice as a garnish or a fresh cinnamon stick.
CAFE DE OLLA
The recipe for this yummy coffee is from the December 2012 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 47. It starts off, “Literally 'coffee from the pot,' this recipe offers a simple way to make coffee for a crowd, with a spiced twist that no one can resist.” Serves 8 in 30 minutes or less.
To view this online, click here.
4 cinnamon sticks
4 star anise
4 allspice berries
4 whole cloves
1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar or 4 oz. piloncillo (Mexican raw sugar cones)
2 cups medium grind, dark roast coffee beans
2 cups low-fat milk
1 cup coffee liqueur, such as Kahlúa, optional
Lightly crush cinnamon sticks, star anise, allspice, and cloves with mortar and pestle. Place in resealable plastic bag, and pound with rolling pin. Transfer to large saucepan, and add sugar and 8 cups water. Bring mixture to a boil, and simmer until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat, add coffee, and let steep 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, warm milk in small saucepan, and whisk until frothy.
Strain coffee through fine sieve or coffee filter into pitcher. Stir in coffee liqueur (if using). Serve with frothed milk.
nutritional information Per 1-cup serving: Calories: 80; Protein: 2 g; Total Fat: less than 1 g; Saturated Fat: less than 1 g; Carbohydrates: 17 g; Cholesterol: 3 mg; Sodium: 35 mg; Fiber: 0 g; Sugar: 16 g; Gluten-Free
I can almost hear someone thinking, Drinks? Why do I need recipes for drinks? There's coffee, tea, water, and more...
Okay, true. But just as one might want a new way to fix lasagna, say, or stuffed peppers, there are other ways to find something yummy to drink.
So check out today's post, which includes Cafe De Olla, Pumpkin Spice Latte, and other yummy drinks. Enjoy!
APPLE CIDER FLOATS
This is from Lauren Miyashiro on Delish. The recipe begins, “You'll want to float away with these apple cider floats!”
Total Time: 10 minutes; Prep Time: 10 minutes; Level: Easy; Servings: 2
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1/2 c. caramel sauce
1/2 c. cinnamon-sugar
2 c. apple cider, warmed
Vanilla ice cream, for serving
cinnamon sticks
Whipped cream, for serving
Apple slices
Directions
Pour caramel in a small dish. Dip the top of each mug in the caramel to rim the cup. Then dip the caramel rim in cinnamon-sugar.
Ladle apple cider into each mug then add a scoop of ice cream to each. Top with whipped cream and garnish with apple slices and cinnamon stick.
Drizzle more caramel over the whipped cream and serve immediately.
CHERRY SMOOTHIE
This comes from Yishane Lee in the July 2012 issue of Runner’s World, page 48. I couldn’t find a link for it…
Ingredients
1 cup pitted cherries
3/4 cup plain yogurt
2 tablespoons honey
3/4 cup ice
Preparation
Place ingredients in blender and blend. Yum!
CREAMY PINEAPPLE ORANGE REFRESHER PUNCH
This is from the infamous long-since-forgotten emailing list.
Ingredients
1 - 46 oz. can of pineapple juice
1 1/2 pints vanilla ice cream
1 quart orange sherbet
2 liters ginger ale
Directions
In a punch bowl, place the vanilla ice cream and orange sherbet. Slowly add & stir in pineapple juice & then ginger ale.
CHOCOLATE AVOCADO SMOOTHIE
This is from Christel Oerum on DiabeteStrong. Christel wrote, “Avocado and chocolate are a killer combination in this easy chocolate avocado smoothie with coconut milk recipe! This recipe is low-carb, gluten-free, and vegan!”
Prep Time: 5 minutes; Cook Time: 0 minutes; Total Time: 5 minutes; Servings: 2
To view this online, go to https://diabetesstrong.com/chocolate-avocado-smoothie/.
Ingredients
1/2 ripe avocado
3 tbsp. cocoa powder
1 cup full fat coconut milk
1/2 cup water
1 tsp. lime juice
pinch mineral salt
6-7 drops liquid Stevia
Fresh mint (for decoration)
Instructions
Add all of the ingredients to a blender. Chopping the ingredients beforehand will help the blender process everything better.
Blend on high speed until smooth and creamy. You can adjust the taste to your liking by adding more avocado for creaminess or liquid Stevia for more sweetness.
Serve immediately with fresh mint and a straw.
Recipe Notes
You can store this smoothie in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
PUMPKIN SPICE LATTE
This is from OneGreenPlanet, under the title “How to Make Your Own Pumpkin Spice Latte Without Nasty Ingredients”, by Heather McClees. Heather wrote about the benefits of making this, rather than buying it at your local coffee shop, and ends with, “Now, see how easy that was? This natural, vegan version won’t only taste better but it’s also cheaper, friendlier to your body, and it’s cruelty-free. Enjoy at breakfast with some pumpkin waffles or muffins and even brew some to enjoy with these Clean Eating Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bars for dessert!”.
Ingredients
1/2 cup of unsweetened non-dairy milk (check labels to ensure they include no carrageenan)
2 tablespoons of pure pumpkin puree (organic is best)
dash of pumpkin pie spice
natural sweetener like pure stevia, which is sugar-free and chemical-free (or your choice sweetener)
dash of alcohol-free vanilla extract
4-6 ounces of hot, brewed coffee (preferably organic and espresso strength)
Directions
Brew your coffee if you haven’t already.
Grab a small pot and add the milk, pumpkin, vanilla, and pumpkin pie spice. Bring to a low heat and stir together.
Let the mixture warm on the stove for a minute or two just until the milk is warm.
Pour into a large coffee mug, add the coffee and stevia, and stir together.
Enjoy as it is, or add a dollop of soy or coconut whipped cream if you wish.
Add a touch of pumpkin spice as a garnish or a fresh cinnamon stick.
CAFE DE OLLA
The recipe for this yummy coffee is from the December 2012 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 47. It starts off, “Literally 'coffee from the pot,' this recipe offers a simple way to make coffee for a crowd, with a spiced twist that no one can resist.” Serves 8 in 30 minutes or less.
To view this online, click here.
4 cinnamon sticks
4 star anise
4 allspice berries
4 whole cloves
1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar or 4 oz. piloncillo (Mexican raw sugar cones)
2 cups medium grind, dark roast coffee beans
2 cups low-fat milk
1 cup coffee liqueur, such as Kahlúa, optional
Lightly crush cinnamon sticks, star anise, allspice, and cloves with mortar and pestle. Place in resealable plastic bag, and pound with rolling pin. Transfer to large saucepan, and add sugar and 8 cups water. Bring mixture to a boil, and simmer until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat, add coffee, and let steep 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, warm milk in small saucepan, and whisk until frothy.
Strain coffee through fine sieve or coffee filter into pitcher. Stir in coffee liqueur (if using). Serve with frothed milk.
nutritional information Per 1-cup serving: Calories: 80; Protein: 2 g; Total Fat: less than 1 g; Saturated Fat: less than 1 g; Carbohydrates: 17 g; Cholesterol: 3 mg; Sodium: 35 mg; Fiber: 0 g; Sugar: 16 g; Gluten-Free
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