Besides being Taco Tuesday, it's also Double-Post Tuesday (because not everyone loves tacos). Today's offerings include Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers and Cranberry-Pecan Baked Peaches. Enjoy!
BAKED MACARONI AND CHEESE
This came from a Weight Watchers email list maybe a decade or more ago. The points value is from then.
Serves: 8; 5 points
Ingredients
12 oz uncooked macaroni, elbow-type
1/2 cup fat-free sour cream
12 oz fat-free evaporated milk
8 oz low-fat cheddar or Colby cheese, shredded
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1/4 tsp table salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
2 Tbsp dried bread crumbs
2 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
Directions
Preheat oven to 350ºF.
Cook pasta according to package directions without added fat or salt; drain & transfer to a large bowl. While pasta is still hot, stir in sour cream; set aside.
Heat milk in small saucepan over medium heat until tiny bubbles appear just around the edges. Reduce heat to low, add cheese & simmer until cheese melts, stirring constantly with wire whisk, about 2 minutes; remove from heat & stir in mustard, salt, pepper & nutmeg.
Add cheese mixture to pasta; mix well. Transfer to a 4-quart casserole dish. Combine bread crumbs & Parmesan cheese; sprinkle over pasta. Bake until top is golden, about 30 minutes. Yields about 1 cup per serving.
CHIPOTLE ASPARAGUS QUESADILLAS
This comes from the April/May 2014 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 34. It begins, “Canned chipotles in adobo sauce lend mellow, smoky heat to quesadillas. Leftover chipotles (there are usually four or five in a can) can be wrapped in plastic wrap and frozen for future use.” Serves 4 in 30 minutes or less.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
Quesadillas
1 lb. asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces (2 cups)
1 red bell pepper, sliced (1 cup)
1 medium onion, sliced (1 cup)
1-1/2 tsp. olive oil or vegetable oil
1 tsp. dried oregano
4 8-inch sprouted-grain tortillas
Chipotle Spread
3 Tbs. vegan mayonnaise
2 tsp. minced, drained chipotles in adobo sauce
1 Tbs. lime or lemon juice
Directions
Preheat oven to 425°F.
To make Quesadillas: Toss together asparagus, bell pepper, onion, oil, and oregano in large bowl. Season with salt and pepper, if desired. Spread on large baking sheet, and roast 10 to 12 minutes, or until vegetables are tender and beginning to brown, stirring once or twice.
Meanwhile, to make Chipotle Spread: blend all ingredients in blender or food processor until smooth.
Spread 1 1/2 tsp. Chipotle Spread on one side of each tortilla, spreading all the way out to edges. Top with 2/3 cup filling on one half of each tortilla, then fold over tortillas, pressing edges together to enclose filling and form half-moons.
Coat large skillet with cooking spray, and heat over medium heat. Cook each quesadilla in skillet 2 to 3 minutes, turning once.
nutritional information Per Quesadilla: Calories: 273; Protein: 8 g; Total Fat: 13 g; Saturated Fat: 2 g; Carbohydrates: 32 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 235 mg; Fiber: 8 g; Sugar: 3 g; Vegan
RED VELVET CHEESECAKE
Recipe courtesy of Food Network Kitchen
Total: 2 hr; Prep: 20 min; Cook: 1 hr 40 min; Yield: 10 servings; Level: Easy
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
For the crust:
1-1/2 cups finely crushed chocolate wafer cookies (about 28 cookies)
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/3 cup sugar
Pinch of salt
For the filling:
4 8-ounce packages cream cheese, softened
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon red food coloring
Directions
Watch how to make this recipe.
Make the crust: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Mix the cookie crumbs, melted butter, sugar and salt in a bowl. Press into the bottom and 1 inch up the sides of a 9-inch springform pan. Put the pan on a baking sheet and bake until set, about 10 minutes. Let cool completely.
Make the filling: Reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees F. Beat the cream cheese, sugar, lemon juice and vanilla in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until smooth, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the flour, then beat in the eggs one at a time. Transfer 2 cups batter to a bowl; stir in the cocoa powder and food coloring. Pour the red batter into the crust, then pour the white batter on top. Using a spoon, pull some of the red batter up from the bottom of the cake and swirl. Bake until the edges are set but the center is still wobbly, about 1 hour, 20 minutes.
Turn off the oven but keep the cake inside to cool, 20 minutes. Run a knife around the edge of the pan (don't remove the springform side), then transfer to a rack to cool. Refrigerate at least 4 hours before slicing.
VEGETARIAN STUFFED PEPPERS
This recipe was posted by DWYATT on AllRecipes, and begins, "This was the first vegetarian recipe I ever made--green peppers stuffed with a mixture of brown rice, nuts, dried cranberries, tofu and cheese. Substitute soy cheese for the Parmesan to create a vegan delight."
Prep: 10 minutes; Cook: 1 hour 10 minutes; Ready In: 1 hour 20 minutes
View this online here.
Note: If you're like me and don't have cooking sherry around, feel free to replace it with with alcohol-free cooking sherry (if there is such a thing) or 3 tablespoons of water. Personally, it's been decades since I've had cooking wine/sherry/etc in my house, as well as non-cooking (drinking) alcohol. When I want to celebrate, say at New Year's, etc., I've found that there are plenty of non-alcoholic sparkling juices on the market.
Ingredients
1-1/2 cups brown rice
6 large green bell peppers
3 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons cooking sherry
1 teaspoon vegetarian Worcestershire sauce
1-1/2 cups extra firm tofu
1/2 cup sweetened dried cranberries
1/4 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste
2 cups tomato sauce
2 tablespoons brown sugar
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). In a saucepan bring 3 cups water to a boil. Stir in rice. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 40 minutes.
Meanwhile, core and seed green peppers, leaving bottoms intact. Place peppers in a microwavable dish with about 1/2 inch of water in the bottom. Microwave on high for 6 minutes.
In a small frying pan bring soy sauce, wine and Worcestershire sauce to a simmer. Add tofu and simmer until the liquid is absorbed. Combine rice (after it has cooled), tofu, cranberries, nuts, cheese, salt and pepper; mix and pack firmly into peppers. Return peppers to the dish you first microwaved them in, and bake in preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until lightly browned on top.
Meanwhile, in a small saucepan over low heat, combine tomato sauce and brown sugar; heat until hot throughout. Spoon sauce over each serving.
FANTASTIC FRUIT SALAD
This comes from MyDailyMoment, and begins, “This refreshing fruit salad is delicious to the core, and if an apple a day keeps the doctor away, this will surely do the trick! No matter how you slice it, you're sure to be satisfied with healthy treat.”
Makes 4 servings.
View this online at https://www.mydailymoment.com/recipes/fantastic_fruit_salad.php.
Ingredients
1 red apple, cored and chopped
1 Granny Smith apple, cored and chopped
1 nectarine, pitted and sliced
2 celery stalks, chopped
1/2 cup(s) dried cranberries
1/2 cup(s) chopped walnuts
1 (8 oz.) container, nonfat lemon yogurt
Directions
In a large bowl, combine red apple, Granny Smith apple, nectarine, celery, dried cranberries, and walnuts. Mix in yogurt. Chill until ready to serve.
CRANBERRY-PECAN BAKED PEACHES
This also comes from the November 2014 issue of Heart Insight Magazine. It begins, “Fresh peaches are halved and baked with a tantalizing blend of dried cranberries and finely chopped pecans.” Serves 4; 2 peach halves and 2 tablespoons cranberry mixture per serving.
To view this online, go to http://heartinsight.heart.org/November-2014/Cranberry-Pecan-Baked-Peaches/.
Ingredients
Cooking spray
1-1/2 tablespoons honey
1/3 cup sweetened dried cranberries
3 tablespoons finely chopped pecans
4 medium unpeeled peaches, nectarines, or pears, halved, pitted, and skin pierced in several places with a fork
2 teaspoons light tub margarine
1/2 teaspoon grated peeled gingerroot
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Lightly spray a 9-inch pie pan with cooking spray. Pour the honey into the pan. Heat the pan in the oven for 2 minutes, or until the honey is slightly runny. Remove from the oven, tilting the pan and swirling so the honey lightly coats the bottom.
Sprinkle the cranberries and pecans in the pan. Place the peaches with the cut side down over the cranberry mixture. (Some of the mixture may not be covered.) Cover the pan with aluminum foil. Bake for 30 minutes, or until the peaches are tender.
Arrange the peaches with the cut side up on a serving plate. Stir the margarine and gingerroot into the pan juices. Spoon the cranberry mixture into the cavities in the peaches. Spoon the pan juices over all. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Tuesday, April 25, 2023
Taco Tuesday
It's time for another Taco Tuesday. Here are six vegetarian tacos to help you througoh the day, including Mapo Tofu Tacos and Smoky Sweet Potato & Black Bean Tacos. Enjoy!
TACOS WITH ROASTED POTATOES, SQUASH AND PEPPERS (RAJAS)
This comes from Martha Rose Shulman in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Martha wrote, "You can turn the heat up or down on this taco, depending on your taste for spiciness. Season the potatoes, onions and squash before roasting. A comforting filling that you can heat up or tone down, depending on your taste for spicy. If you like heat, use a preponderance of poblanos and Anaheims for your peppers; if not, use more bell peppers. I season the potatoes, onions and squash with cumin and chili powder before I roast them, and serve the tacos with a cooked salsa ranchera." Yield: Serves 4; Time: 40 minutes.
This was featured in "Vegetarian Taco Night" and can be viewed online here.
Ingredients
1 pound potatoes, such as Yukon golds, cut into 1-inch chunks
Salt to taste
1 teaspoon lightly toasted cumin seeds, ground
1 teaspoon mild chili powder
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 pound summer squash, preferably a dense squash like Ronde de Nice, cut into 1-inch chunks
1 medium red onion, cut in half lengthwise and sliced in half-moons
1 pound mixed sweet and hot peppers (such as a mix of poblanos and bell peppers), roasted, peeled, seeded and cut in thin 2-inch strips
8 warm corn tortillas
1 recipe salsa ranchera (without chipotles)
3 ounces goat cheese (about 3/4 cup crumbled)
Preparation
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment. Place potatoes on one baking sheet and toss with salt to taste, 3/4 teaspoon each of the ground cumin and chili powder, and 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Spread in an even layer.
Place squash and onion slices on other parchment-covered baking sheet and toss with the remaining olive oil, salt to taste, cumin and chili powder.
Depending on the size of your oven, roast vegetables together or separately on the middle rack. Roast potatoes for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring after 10 minutes, or until lightly browned and tender all the way through. Remove from oven and transfer to a large bowl. Roast squash and onions for about 15 minutes, stirring after 10 minutes, until tender and lightly colored. Remove from oven and add to bowl with potatoes. Add pepper strips (rajas) and toss together. Season to taste with salt, and add more chili powder if desired. Keep warm.
Spoon filling onto warm tortillas and add a generous spoonful of salsa. Top with goat cheese and serve.
CHICKPEA TACOS
This comes from the March 2008 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 36. It begins, “Turns out, tacos don’t have to be hot to be delicious. The chickpea-avocado mash used as a filling here is prepared and served at room temperature. (It makes a great sandwich spread as well.) Because the fat content of taco shells can vary, look for brands that contain approximately 6 grams or fewer per shell.” Serves 4 in 30 minutes or less.
To view this online, click here.
1 avocado, peeled, pitted, and diced
1 15-oz. can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
3 Tbs. chopped cilantro
4 tsp. fresh lime juice
1 clove garlic, minced (1 tsp.)
8 corn taco shells
2 cups baby salad greens
1 cup prepared salsa (medium or hot)
1/2 cup nondairy sour cream
Place avocado in small bowl, and mash with fork. Stir in chickpeas, cilantro, lime juice, and garlic; season with salt and pepper.
Set taco shells in napkin-lined basket. Place salad greens, salsa, and sour cream in separate bowls, and set out alongside chickpea-avocado mash.
To serve, let each person build their own taco by filling each shell with 1/4 cup chickpea-avocado mash, some greens, salsa, and sour cream.
nutritional information Per Serving (2 tacos): Calories: 402; Protein: 11 g; Total Fat: 19 g; Saturated Fat: 4 g; Carbohydrates: 51 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 800 mg; Fiber: 10 g; Sugar: 2 g; Vegan; Gluten-Free
SMOKY SWEET POTATO AND BLACK BEAN TACOS
This is from a really cool site, How Sweet Eats. I really encourage you to check it out. Go ahead, I’ll wait. (Tap, tap, tap…)
This recipe makes 8 tacos; Total Time: 35 minutes.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 red onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 medium sweet potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1 (15 ounce) can of black beans, drained and rinsed
8 flour tortillas, warmed
1 cup freshly grated manchego cheese
fresh cilantro for topping
lime wedges
Chipotle Lime Crema
3 tablespoons greek yogurt
3/4 cup half and half
1 tablespoon adobo sauce (from a can of chipotles in adobo)
juice of half a lime
zest of half a lime
1/8 teaspoon salt
Directions:
Season chopped sweet potatoes with salt, pepper, cumin and smoked paprika. Heat a large skillet oven medium heat and add olive oil. Add onions and garlic, tossing to coat, then add sweet potatoes and stir. Cover and cook for 15-20 minutes, until sweet potatoes are just softened and cooked through.
While potatoes are cooking, combine yogurt, half and half, adobo, lime juice and zest and salt, whisking well to combine. Set aside.
Once sweet potatoes are cooked, add in black beans and toss well. Cover and cook again for 5-6 minutes until everything is warmed through. Heat tortillas and serve sweet potato mixture topped with cheese, crema and lots of cilantro!
MUSHROOM, CORN AND POBLANO SOFT TACOS WITH AVOCADO CREAM
I originally found this at Oh My Veggies. The site has a mess of taco recipes from different places, which can be found here.
From Garnish with Lemon. View this online at http://www.garnishwithlemon.com/mushroom-corn-and-poblano-soft-tacos-with-avocado-cream/ Yields 5.
Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 (8-ounce) package mushrooms, sliced
1 cup chopped onion
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 large poblano pepper, seeded and chopped (about 1/2 cup)
1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen corn
1 (14.5-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup salsa
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, divided
1 teaspoon hot sauce (or more, depending on your preference)
Kosher salt
10 taco-sized corn or flour tortillas
1 ripe avocado, peeled, pitted and diced
1/2 cup sour cream
Chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish
Directions:
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms to the pan and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add remaining tablespoon of oil to the pan. Stir in onions, oregano, garlic, chili powder, cumin and poblano pepper and cook for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add corn and beans to the skillet and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove pan from heat and stir in salsa, 1 tablespoon lime juice and hot sauce. Season to taste with salt.
Place avocado, sour cream and remaining lime juice in a blender and blend until smooth. If avocado cream is too thick, add additional lime juice to reach desired consistency. Season to taste with salt.
Warm tortillas according to package directions. Spoon mushroom mixture into tortillas, garnish with avocado cream and chopped cilantro. Serve.
Enjoy!
LIME CILANTRO PORTOBELLO TACOS
I first found this at Nosh On.It, along with several other vegetarian taco recipes (you can check out all nine here). This one is from Sarah Yates Mora, who has a cool blog called A House in the Hills, where she posted this recipe.
Sarah started off this recipe by writing, “I don’t want to come across all braggy braggerson, but i made those tortillas. with my BARE HANDS! ok, my bare hands and a tortilla press.” She continued on by writing that “making tortillas is mind blowingly simple. like, really really really simple. i had NO IDEA.” (I love her enthusiasm!)
Anywho, the link to this recipe on her blog is https://ahouseinthehills.com/2013/7/10/lime-cilantro-portobello-tacos/. I seriously suggest checking it out!
Ingredients
2 large portobello mushrooms
3/4 cup shredded purple cabbage
1 avocado
1 bunch cilantro
1 jalapeno pepper, thinly sliced and de-seeded (unless you want some extra kick in which case leave the seeds be!)
1/3 cup fresh squeezed lime juice
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
3/4 cup masa
grapeseed oil
Directions
Rinse and thoroughly clean two large portobello mushrooms.
Prepare mushroom marinade by combining olive oil, fresh squeezed lime juice, 1 tablespoon finely chopped cilantro and 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt.
You’ll want to marinate the mushrooms for as long as possible, preferably 8 or more hours. I started mine in the early evening and made them for an early lunch the next day. To marinate, place mushrooms and marinade in a large plastic ziplock, give them a few shakes and refrigerate.
When mushrooms are marinated you’ll grill them (I used a grill pan) over medium heat until cooked through (a couple of minutes on each side)
To make tortillas:
Combine 3/4 cup masa with 1/2 cup of hot water and knead with hands. Add more water if needed, or add more masa if mixture seems too wet. You’re looking to achieve the consistency of brand new play-doh. You’ll know you’re spot on when you’re able to pull a full tortilla out of the press. I played around for a bit to get it just right, but it only took fussing with the mixture a little bit at a time to get there!
Lightly coat a cast iron pan in grapeseed oil and heat on medium low.
Cover the top and bottom of the tortilla press* with large ziplock bags or saran wrap. Roll a ball of masa dough about 1 1/2″ big in the palm of your hands in place in the center of the press.
Gently use the top press to flatten the tortilla, then peel away and add to the pan.
Cook for 30 seconds or so on each side.
Continue with the rest of the dough (this amount of masa makes roughly 7 tortillas) until all are dough is used. Keep cooked tortillas warm by wrapping in a damp tea towel and placing in a dutch oven over LOW heat.
* if you do not have a tortilla press, use your hand or a rolling pin to flatten tortillas!
To make tacos:
Assemble tacos by laying tortillas with slices of the grilled portobellos, slices of avocado, cilantro, cabbage and jalapeno. Squeeze with lime juice. Serve hot and enjoy!
MAPO TOFU TACOS
I first found this at Nosh On.It, along with several other vegetarian taco recipes (you can check out all nine here). This one is from Alice Choi and her wonderul blog, Hip Foodie Mom.
Alice wrote, “While in college, mapo tofu was one of the first dishes I learned to make. . . well, kind of. You have to remember, I was in college and needed to eat quickly so I could go back to playing or studying or whatever I was doing so I was hardly ever in the kitchen cooking. Ever.”
Prep Time: 20 minutes; Cook Time: 25 minutes; Total Time: 45 minutes; servings: 5 - 6.
To view this recipes online, as well as the rest of Alice’s description of this recipe, go to https://hipfoodiemom.com/2013/02/07/mapo-tofu-tacos/. And while you’re there, check out the rest of the site. I think you’ll be glad you did!
Note: You can double the ingredients for the mapo sauce in order to have a bowl of the sauce on the table if dipping is desired while eating.
Ingredients
For the baked tofu:
1-2 cups all purpose flour
2 eggs; slightly beaten
about 2 cups panko breadcrumbs
1 - 19 oz container of firm tofu; cubed not small cubes but slightly larger ones; should make about 30 tofu cubes
For the mapo sauce:
1 tablespoon soy bean paste
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1-2 tablespoons szechuan sauce start with 1 tablespoon
1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce
2 gloves garlic minced
1/2 cup water
Salt to taste; if needed
For the tacos:
corn or flour tortillas I actually preferred the flour tortillas for this even though they are photographed with the corn tortillas
shredded carrots
shredded cabbage
scallions; diced for garnish
sriracha sauce
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and prepare a lined baking sheet with foil, a non-stick baking sheet or parchment paper.
Set-up the dredging area: Place the flour in a medium bowl and place the eggs in another bowl and whisk with a fork for about 20 seconds. Place the panko in a third bowl.
After you have cut your tofu, pat dry each one in paper towels to drain the excess water/liquid. Dip each tofu cube into the flour, then in the eggs and then lastly into the panko. You want each cube lightly breaded with panko. Place on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes, then flip each tofu cube and bake for another 10 minutes.
While your tofu is in the oven, prepare the sauce. Heat a medium sized sauce pan over high heat. Add all of the sauce ingredients (start with 1 tablespoon of the szechuan sauce) and mix well for a couple minutes. Taste and add more szechuan sauce or water or salt if needed and bring to a slight boil. Turn the heat to medium-low and let simmer for an additional 4 - 5 minutes. Gently stir and blend well.
When the sauce and tofu is ready, prepare your tacos. Heat the tortillas slightly in a toaster oven and assemble: place your warm tortilla on a plate, place 3-4 tofu cubes on top, pour the mapo sauce over the crispy tofu cubes, add the shredded carrots, then the cabbage (you can drizzle some more mapo sauce over the cabbage if desired) and garnish with the diced scallions and drizzle on some sriracha sauce if needed. Serve immediately.
TACOS WITH ROASTED POTATOES, SQUASH AND PEPPERS (RAJAS)
This comes from Martha Rose Shulman in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Martha wrote, "You can turn the heat up or down on this taco, depending on your taste for spiciness. Season the potatoes, onions and squash before roasting. A comforting filling that you can heat up or tone down, depending on your taste for spicy. If you like heat, use a preponderance of poblanos and Anaheims for your peppers; if not, use more bell peppers. I season the potatoes, onions and squash with cumin and chili powder before I roast them, and serve the tacos with a cooked salsa ranchera." Yield: Serves 4; Time: 40 minutes.
This was featured in "Vegetarian Taco Night" and can be viewed online here.
Ingredients
1 pound potatoes, such as Yukon golds, cut into 1-inch chunks
Salt to taste
1 teaspoon lightly toasted cumin seeds, ground
1 teaspoon mild chili powder
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 pound summer squash, preferably a dense squash like Ronde de Nice, cut into 1-inch chunks
1 medium red onion, cut in half lengthwise and sliced in half-moons
1 pound mixed sweet and hot peppers (such as a mix of poblanos and bell peppers), roasted, peeled, seeded and cut in thin 2-inch strips
8 warm corn tortillas
1 recipe salsa ranchera (without chipotles)
3 ounces goat cheese (about 3/4 cup crumbled)
Preparation
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment. Place potatoes on one baking sheet and toss with salt to taste, 3/4 teaspoon each of the ground cumin and chili powder, and 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Spread in an even layer.
Place squash and onion slices on other parchment-covered baking sheet and toss with the remaining olive oil, salt to taste, cumin and chili powder.
Depending on the size of your oven, roast vegetables together or separately on the middle rack. Roast potatoes for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring after 10 minutes, or until lightly browned and tender all the way through. Remove from oven and transfer to a large bowl. Roast squash and onions for about 15 minutes, stirring after 10 minutes, until tender and lightly colored. Remove from oven and add to bowl with potatoes. Add pepper strips (rajas) and toss together. Season to taste with salt, and add more chili powder if desired. Keep warm.
Spoon filling onto warm tortillas and add a generous spoonful of salsa. Top with goat cheese and serve.
CHICKPEA TACOS
This comes from the March 2008 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 36. It begins, “Turns out, tacos don’t have to be hot to be delicious. The chickpea-avocado mash used as a filling here is prepared and served at room temperature. (It makes a great sandwich spread as well.) Because the fat content of taco shells can vary, look for brands that contain approximately 6 grams or fewer per shell.” Serves 4 in 30 minutes or less.
To view this online, click here.
1 avocado, peeled, pitted, and diced
1 15-oz. can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
3 Tbs. chopped cilantro
4 tsp. fresh lime juice
1 clove garlic, minced (1 tsp.)
8 corn taco shells
2 cups baby salad greens
1 cup prepared salsa (medium or hot)
1/2 cup nondairy sour cream
Place avocado in small bowl, and mash with fork. Stir in chickpeas, cilantro, lime juice, and garlic; season with salt and pepper.
Set taco shells in napkin-lined basket. Place salad greens, salsa, and sour cream in separate bowls, and set out alongside chickpea-avocado mash.
To serve, let each person build their own taco by filling each shell with 1/4 cup chickpea-avocado mash, some greens, salsa, and sour cream.
nutritional information Per Serving (2 tacos): Calories: 402; Protein: 11 g; Total Fat: 19 g; Saturated Fat: 4 g; Carbohydrates: 51 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 800 mg; Fiber: 10 g; Sugar: 2 g; Vegan; Gluten-Free
SMOKY SWEET POTATO AND BLACK BEAN TACOS
This is from a really cool site, How Sweet Eats. I really encourage you to check it out. Go ahead, I’ll wait. (Tap, tap, tap…)
This recipe makes 8 tacos; Total Time: 35 minutes.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 red onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 medium sweet potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1 (15 ounce) can of black beans, drained and rinsed
8 flour tortillas, warmed
1 cup freshly grated manchego cheese
fresh cilantro for topping
lime wedges
Chipotle Lime Crema
3 tablespoons greek yogurt
3/4 cup half and half
1 tablespoon adobo sauce (from a can of chipotles in adobo)
juice of half a lime
zest of half a lime
1/8 teaspoon salt
Directions:
Season chopped sweet potatoes with salt, pepper, cumin and smoked paprika. Heat a large skillet oven medium heat and add olive oil. Add onions and garlic, tossing to coat, then add sweet potatoes and stir. Cover and cook for 15-20 minutes, until sweet potatoes are just softened and cooked through.
While potatoes are cooking, combine yogurt, half and half, adobo, lime juice and zest and salt, whisking well to combine. Set aside.
Once sweet potatoes are cooked, add in black beans and toss well. Cover and cook again for 5-6 minutes until everything is warmed through. Heat tortillas and serve sweet potato mixture topped with cheese, crema and lots of cilantro!
MUSHROOM, CORN AND POBLANO SOFT TACOS WITH AVOCADO CREAM
I originally found this at Oh My Veggies. The site has a mess of taco recipes from different places, which can be found here.
From Garnish with Lemon. View this online at http://www.garnishwithlemon.com/mushroom-corn-and-poblano-soft-tacos-with-avocado-cream/ Yields 5.
Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 (8-ounce) package mushrooms, sliced
1 cup chopped onion
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 large poblano pepper, seeded and chopped (about 1/2 cup)
1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen corn
1 (14.5-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup salsa
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, divided
1 teaspoon hot sauce (or more, depending on your preference)
Kosher salt
10 taco-sized corn or flour tortillas
1 ripe avocado, peeled, pitted and diced
1/2 cup sour cream
Chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish
Directions:
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms to the pan and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add remaining tablespoon of oil to the pan. Stir in onions, oregano, garlic, chili powder, cumin and poblano pepper and cook for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add corn and beans to the skillet and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove pan from heat and stir in salsa, 1 tablespoon lime juice and hot sauce. Season to taste with salt.
Place avocado, sour cream and remaining lime juice in a blender and blend until smooth. If avocado cream is too thick, add additional lime juice to reach desired consistency. Season to taste with salt.
Warm tortillas according to package directions. Spoon mushroom mixture into tortillas, garnish with avocado cream and chopped cilantro. Serve.
Enjoy!
LIME CILANTRO PORTOBELLO TACOS
I first found this at Nosh On.It, along with several other vegetarian taco recipes (you can check out all nine here). This one is from Sarah Yates Mora, who has a cool blog called A House in the Hills, where she posted this recipe.
Sarah started off this recipe by writing, “I don’t want to come across all braggy braggerson, but i made those tortillas. with my BARE HANDS! ok, my bare hands and a tortilla press.” She continued on by writing that “making tortillas is mind blowingly simple. like, really really really simple. i had NO IDEA.” (I love her enthusiasm!)
Anywho, the link to this recipe on her blog is https://ahouseinthehills.com/2013/7/10/lime-cilantro-portobello-tacos/. I seriously suggest checking it out!
Ingredients
2 large portobello mushrooms
3/4 cup shredded purple cabbage
1 avocado
1 bunch cilantro
1 jalapeno pepper, thinly sliced and de-seeded (unless you want some extra kick in which case leave the seeds be!)
1/3 cup fresh squeezed lime juice
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
3/4 cup masa
grapeseed oil
Directions
Rinse and thoroughly clean two large portobello mushrooms.
Prepare mushroom marinade by combining olive oil, fresh squeezed lime juice, 1 tablespoon finely chopped cilantro and 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt.
You’ll want to marinate the mushrooms for as long as possible, preferably 8 or more hours. I started mine in the early evening and made them for an early lunch the next day. To marinate, place mushrooms and marinade in a large plastic ziplock, give them a few shakes and refrigerate.
When mushrooms are marinated you’ll grill them (I used a grill pan) over medium heat until cooked through (a couple of minutes on each side)
To make tortillas:
Combine 3/4 cup masa with 1/2 cup of hot water and knead with hands. Add more water if needed, or add more masa if mixture seems too wet. You’re looking to achieve the consistency of brand new play-doh. You’ll know you’re spot on when you’re able to pull a full tortilla out of the press. I played around for a bit to get it just right, but it only took fussing with the mixture a little bit at a time to get there!
Lightly coat a cast iron pan in grapeseed oil and heat on medium low.
Cover the top and bottom of the tortilla press* with large ziplock bags or saran wrap. Roll a ball of masa dough about 1 1/2″ big in the palm of your hands in place in the center of the press.
Gently use the top press to flatten the tortilla, then peel away and add to the pan.
Cook for 30 seconds or so on each side.
Continue with the rest of the dough (this amount of masa makes roughly 7 tortillas) until all are dough is used. Keep cooked tortillas warm by wrapping in a damp tea towel and placing in a dutch oven over LOW heat.
* if you do not have a tortilla press, use your hand or a rolling pin to flatten tortillas!
To make tacos:
Assemble tacos by laying tortillas with slices of the grilled portobellos, slices of avocado, cilantro, cabbage and jalapeno. Squeeze with lime juice. Serve hot and enjoy!
MAPO TOFU TACOS
I first found this at Nosh On.It, along with several other vegetarian taco recipes (you can check out all nine here). This one is from Alice Choi and her wonderul blog, Hip Foodie Mom.
Alice wrote, “While in college, mapo tofu was one of the first dishes I learned to make. . . well, kind of. You have to remember, I was in college and needed to eat quickly so I could go back to playing or studying or whatever I was doing so I was hardly ever in the kitchen cooking. Ever.”
Prep Time: 20 minutes; Cook Time: 25 minutes; Total Time: 45 minutes; servings: 5 - 6.
To view this recipes online, as well as the rest of Alice’s description of this recipe, go to https://hipfoodiemom.com/2013/02/07/mapo-tofu-tacos/. And while you’re there, check out the rest of the site. I think you’ll be glad you did!
Note: You can double the ingredients for the mapo sauce in order to have a bowl of the sauce on the table if dipping is desired while eating.
Ingredients
For the baked tofu:
1-2 cups all purpose flour
2 eggs; slightly beaten
about 2 cups panko breadcrumbs
1 - 19 oz container of firm tofu; cubed not small cubes but slightly larger ones; should make about 30 tofu cubes
For the mapo sauce:
1 tablespoon soy bean paste
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1-2 tablespoons szechuan sauce start with 1 tablespoon
1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce
2 gloves garlic minced
1/2 cup water
Salt to taste; if needed
For the tacos:
corn or flour tortillas I actually preferred the flour tortillas for this even though they are photographed with the corn tortillas
shredded carrots
shredded cabbage
scallions; diced for garnish
sriracha sauce
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and prepare a lined baking sheet with foil, a non-stick baking sheet or parchment paper.
Set-up the dredging area: Place the flour in a medium bowl and place the eggs in another bowl and whisk with a fork for about 20 seconds. Place the panko in a third bowl.
After you have cut your tofu, pat dry each one in paper towels to drain the excess water/liquid. Dip each tofu cube into the flour, then in the eggs and then lastly into the panko. You want each cube lightly breaded with panko. Place on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes, then flip each tofu cube and bake for another 10 minutes.
While your tofu is in the oven, prepare the sauce. Heat a medium sized sauce pan over high heat. Add all of the sauce ingredients (start with 1 tablespoon of the szechuan sauce) and mix well for a couple minutes. Taste and add more szechuan sauce or water or salt if needed and bring to a slight boil. Turn the heat to medium-low and let simmer for an additional 4 - 5 minutes. Gently stir and blend well.
When the sauce and tofu is ready, prepare your tacos. Heat the tortillas slightly in a toaster oven and assemble: place your warm tortilla on a plate, place 3-4 tofu cubes on top, pour the mapo sauce over the crispy tofu cubes, add the shredded carrots, then the cabbage (you can drizzle some more mapo sauce over the cabbage if desired) and garnish with the diced scallions and drizzle on some sriracha sauce if needed. Serve immediately.
Monday, April 24, 2023
Tofu
For years, Tofu got a bad rap, or at least, not a positive one. It's too bland! The texture is yucky! What am I supposed to do with it?
All of these are fairly legitimate issues. But these can also be its strong points. It's bland? That's great: it can soak up the flavors around it. A yucky texture? When it's cut up or crumbled and added to other foods (veggies and sauces come to mind), the texture becomes a non-issue. What to do with it? Tons of stuff, recipe-wise.
To that end, here are six yummy (yes, yummy) recipes to get you started with that pale tofu block. Check out the Smoked Tofu Farfalle Casserole, the Silken Tofu With Crunchy Lettuce and Fried Shallots, or, if you're a chocoholic like me, the Chocolate Mousse. Yum! Enjoy!
MATTAR PANEER
This is from Zainab Shah in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Zainab wrote, "Traditionally, roasted and crushed cashews are puréed with cooked onions and tomatoes to make the base for this comforting vegetarian dish. This version skips the hassle of puréeing and instead uses a hefty amount of cashew butter for the same nutty flavor and creamy texture. Red chile powder, ginger and garlic provide the perfect backbone for the sauce. Substitute tofu for paneer if you like; the mildness of either lends itself well to this unexpectedly luxurious dish that is so much more than the sum of its parts."
Yield: 2 to 4 servings; Time: 25 minutes
To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1023017-mattar-paneer.
Ingredients
1/4 cup ghee or neutral oil
1/2 pound paneer or extra firm tofu cut into 1-inch cubes and patted very dry
1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon ginger paste or freshly grated ginger
1/2 teaspoon garlic paste or freshly grated garlic
3/4 teaspoon kashmiri or other red chile powder
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
3 medium plum tomatoes, finely chopped
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
2 tablespoons cashew butter
8 ounces frozen (no need to thaw) or fresh green peas (about 1-3/4 cups)
3 tablespoons heavy cream or cashew cream (optional)
1/2 teaspoon garam masala
Rice or roti, for serving
Preparation
Heat ghee in a large frying pan or medium wok on high for 30 seconds, or until it is melted. Lower heat to medium and lightly fry paneer or tofu cubes, turning frequently, until they are golden on all sides, about 5 minutes. Remove and set aside on a plate lined with a paper towel.
In the same frying pan or wok add onion, ginger and garlic, and cook on medium, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 7 minutes or until onions are translucent.
Add chile powder, cumin seeds and turmeric, and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds to a minute. Stir in tomatoes and salt. Add 3/4 cup water. Simmer on medium until the mixture thickens slightly, about 3 to 5 minutes.
Lower the heat to medium-low, and stir in cashew butter. Add peas and paneer. Stir to combine. Simmer for 5 minutes or until it reaches your desired thickness. Top with heavy cream in a swirl, if you like. Sprinkle with garam masala. Serve with rice or roti.
CRISPY TOFU AND CABBAGE STIR-FRY
This is from Ali in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. The recipe begins, "This tumble of crisp tofu, charred cabbage and citrusy coriander includes a couple tricks you’ll want to employ in other dishes. The flavor of the stir-fry is propelled by using the coriander plant multiple ways: Combining coriander seeds with fresh stems and leaves — also known as cilantro — creates a range of complex but related flavors. Then there’s what might be the quickest — and your new favorite — way to cook cabbage: When large pieces of cabbage are cooked undisturbed in a hot pan, they don’t have a chance to turn to mush. Instead, the cabbage becomes sweet and crisp-tender, with a smoky edge. Eat the stir-fry with grains or noodles, like rice noodles or soba.
"To get vegetarian recipes like this one delivered to your inbox, sign up for The Veggie newsletter."
Yield: 4 servings; Time: 25 minutes
To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1022830-crispy-tofu-and-cabbage-stir-fry..
Ingredients
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
Kosher salt
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 (14-ounce) package extra-firm tofu, patted dry and torn into 1-inch pieces (see Tip)
1/4 cup neutral oil (such as canola or grapeseed), plus more as needed
About 1 1/2 pounds green or red cabbage, cored and cut into 1-inch pieces, leaves separated
1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce or liquid aminos, plus more to taste
1 tablespoon coriander seeds, crushed
1/2 cup coarsely chopped cilantro leaves and stems
2 tablespoons lime juice (from 1 large lime)
Directions
In a large bowl, sprinkle the red onion with salt and stir to combine. In a medium bowl, stir together the cornstarch and 1 teaspoon salt. Add the tofu and toss to coat.
Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large (12-inch) cast-iron skillet over medium-high. Add the cabbage and cook, undisturbed, until charred underneath, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir, spread into an even layer, and cook, undisturbed, until charred in spots and crisp-tender, another 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the soy sauce, and season with salt. Transfer to the bowl of red onions.
In the same skillet, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil over medium-high. Add the tofu and cook until golden on all sides, 2 to 3 minutes per side, adding more oil and scraping the bottom of the pan as necessary. Remove from heat, add the coriander seeds and stir gently until fragrant and toasted, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the cabbage-onion mixture and stir to combine, then stir in the cilantro and lime juice. Season to taste with soy sauce.
Tip
It can be tricky to tear pieces of the same size, so start by slicing the tofu crosswise so that you have 1-inch-thick slabs, then tear off cubes from there.
CHOCOLATE MOUSSE
I saw something similar to this a few years back and tweaked it a little. For anyone who is sure that he or she won't like tofu, this may be the game-changer.
Ingredients
1 10-12 ounce tub of silken tofu
12 ounce bag of chocolate chips
2 - 3 tablespoons milk (you can use soy milk, if you prefer)
1 tsp vanilla
1 tablespoon maple syrup
Directions
Melt chocolate chips along with the milk over low to medium heat, stirring constantly.
Place silken tofu, melted chocolate chips, vanilla, and syrup into blender. Blend on a medium setting, pulsing if needed to combine.
Pour into 4 bowls or small cups, and let cool for 10 minutes or so.
Dig in! Yum!
SMOKED TOFU FARFALLE CASSEROLE
This was on the Vegetarian Times web site, and begins, "Here's a new twist on old-fashioned tuna noodle casserole." Serves 6
To view this online, go to https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/smoked-tofu-farfalle-casserole/.
Ingredients
4 tsp. olive oil
1 small yellow bell pepper, chopped (about 1 cup)
1 1/2 cups frozen baby peas
3 cloves garlic, minced (about 1 Tbs.)
2 1/2 tsp. minced fresh thyme
8 oz. farfalle pasta (bows)
1 3/4 cups low-fat milk
3 Tbs. all-purpose flour
3 oz. sharp Cheddar cheese, grated (about 3/4 cup)
6 oz. smoked tofu, diced
3 Tbs. Italian-seasoned breadcrumbs
Preparation
Preheat oven to 425F. Heat 1 tsp. oil in 6-qt. Dutch oven over medium heat. Add bell pepper, and cook, stirring often, 3 minutes. Stir in frozen peas, garlic and thyme, and cook, stirring often, 2 minutes more. Transfer to bowl and set aside.
Wipe out Dutch oven; fill with water, and bring to a boil. Add pasta, and cook about 4 minutes, or until just al dente. Drain and transfer to clean bowl. Drizzle with 2 tsp. olive oil, and toss to coat. Return Dutch oven to stove.
Heat 1 1/2 cups milk in Dutch oven over medium heat until almost simmering. Whisk together remaining 1/4 cup milk with flour in small bowl, then whisk into hot milk. Cook over medium-low heat, whisking constantly, 2 minutes, or until sauce thickens and bubbles. Remove from heat, and stir in cheese. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add pasta, bell pepper mixture and tofu, and stir to combine.
Mix breadcrumbs with remaining 1 tsp. oil in small bowl; sprinkle over casserole. Bake uncovered, 20 minutes, or until golden. Serve hot.
SILKEN TOFU WITH CRUNCHY LETTUCE AND FRIED SHALLOTS
This is from Ali Slagle in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. (If you haven't signed up for their newsletter, I highly recommend it!)
For this recipe, Ali wrote, "Built like Japanese hiyayakko, in which cold, pudding-like tofu is heaped with toppings, this 20-minute dish is lively with contrasting textures and temperatures. Here, crunchy lettuces dressed with soy sauce, vinegar and seasoned oil are piled atop cold silken tofu, then scattered with crispy fried shallots and jalapeño. Eat the dish on its own, with rice or fish, and maybe a cold beer."
Yield: 4 servings; Time: 20 minutes
To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1023348-silken-tofu-with-crunchy-lettuce-and-fried-shallots.
Ingredients
1 large shallot, halved and thinly sliced
1 jalapeño or other fresh hot chile, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons neutral oil (such as grapeseed or canola)
Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)
8 cups torn romaine or Little Gem lettuce (about 3/4 pound or 2 heads)
1 tablespoon unseasoned rice vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 (14- to 16-ounce) blocks silken tofu, drained and refrigerated
Preparation
In a large (12-inch) skillet, add the shallot, half the jalapeño slices and the oil. Sprinkle with salt, then set over high heat. Once sizzling, reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally with a fork, until golden, 4 to 6 minutes. Remove from heat, then use a slotted spoon or fish spatula to transfer shallot and jalapeño slices to a paper towel-lined plate. Leave the oil in the skillet.
To the skillet, add the lettuce, remaining jalapeño, vinegar and soy sauce. Toss until the lettuce is slicked with dressing and just barely wilted. (You want to maintain most of its crunch.) Season to taste with salt.
Invert the tofu onto a large platter (or divide among four plates). Using a knife or spoon, break the tofu into large chunks. Top with the wilted lettuce and any dressing from the skillet, then sprinkle with the fried shallots and jalapeño. Eat right away.
TOFU-CARROT CACCIATORE
This is from the May/June 2006 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 75. It begins, "Tomatoes and carrots grow better when planted side-by-side in the garden—and they taste great together too." Makes 6 servings
To view this online, go to https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/tofu-carrot-cacciatore/.
Ingredients
2 Tbs. olive oil
2 medium-size onions, coarsely chopped (about 2 cups)
1 large green pepper, cut into 1 1/2-inch strips
3 large cloves garlic, minced (1 Tbs.)
1 28-oz. can diced tomatoes
2 8-oz. bags baby carrots, halved diagonally
1 8-oz. pkg. Italian-flavored baked tofu, cut into cubes
1 Tbs. rubbed dried sage
1 bay leaf
12 oz. linguine or other pasta
Preparation
Heat olive oil in large pot over medium heat. Add onions and pepper, and cook 5 to 7 minutes, or until softened, stirring often. Add garlic, and cook 1 minute more, or until fragrant.
Stir in tomatoes, carrots, tofu, sage, and bay leaf. Season with salt and pepper. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer about 1 hour, or until carrots are tender. Remove bay leaf.
After cacciatore has simmered about 45 minutes, cook pasta according to package directions. Serve cacciatore over pasta.
All of these are fairly legitimate issues. But these can also be its strong points. It's bland? That's great: it can soak up the flavors around it. A yucky texture? When it's cut up or crumbled and added to other foods (veggies and sauces come to mind), the texture becomes a non-issue. What to do with it? Tons of stuff, recipe-wise.
To that end, here are six yummy (yes, yummy) recipes to get you started with that pale tofu block. Check out the Smoked Tofu Farfalle Casserole, the Silken Tofu With Crunchy Lettuce and Fried Shallots, or, if you're a chocoholic like me, the Chocolate Mousse. Yum! Enjoy!
MATTAR PANEER
This is from Zainab Shah in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Zainab wrote, "Traditionally, roasted and crushed cashews are puréed with cooked onions and tomatoes to make the base for this comforting vegetarian dish. This version skips the hassle of puréeing and instead uses a hefty amount of cashew butter for the same nutty flavor and creamy texture. Red chile powder, ginger and garlic provide the perfect backbone for the sauce. Substitute tofu for paneer if you like; the mildness of either lends itself well to this unexpectedly luxurious dish that is so much more than the sum of its parts."
Yield: 2 to 4 servings; Time: 25 minutes
To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1023017-mattar-paneer.
Ingredients
1/4 cup ghee or neutral oil
1/2 pound paneer or extra firm tofu cut into 1-inch cubes and patted very dry
1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon ginger paste or freshly grated ginger
1/2 teaspoon garlic paste or freshly grated garlic
3/4 teaspoon kashmiri or other red chile powder
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
3 medium plum tomatoes, finely chopped
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
2 tablespoons cashew butter
8 ounces frozen (no need to thaw) or fresh green peas (about 1-3/4 cups)
3 tablespoons heavy cream or cashew cream (optional)
1/2 teaspoon garam masala
Rice or roti, for serving
Preparation
Heat ghee in a large frying pan or medium wok on high for 30 seconds, or until it is melted. Lower heat to medium and lightly fry paneer or tofu cubes, turning frequently, until they are golden on all sides, about 5 minutes. Remove and set aside on a plate lined with a paper towel.
In the same frying pan or wok add onion, ginger and garlic, and cook on medium, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 7 minutes or until onions are translucent.
Add chile powder, cumin seeds and turmeric, and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds to a minute. Stir in tomatoes and salt. Add 3/4 cup water. Simmer on medium until the mixture thickens slightly, about 3 to 5 minutes.
Lower the heat to medium-low, and stir in cashew butter. Add peas and paneer. Stir to combine. Simmer for 5 minutes or until it reaches your desired thickness. Top with heavy cream in a swirl, if you like. Sprinkle with garam masala. Serve with rice or roti.
CRISPY TOFU AND CABBAGE STIR-FRY
This is from Ali in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. The recipe begins, "This tumble of crisp tofu, charred cabbage and citrusy coriander includes a couple tricks you’ll want to employ in other dishes. The flavor of the stir-fry is propelled by using the coriander plant multiple ways: Combining coriander seeds with fresh stems and leaves — also known as cilantro — creates a range of complex but related flavors. Then there’s what might be the quickest — and your new favorite — way to cook cabbage: When large pieces of cabbage are cooked undisturbed in a hot pan, they don’t have a chance to turn to mush. Instead, the cabbage becomes sweet and crisp-tender, with a smoky edge. Eat the stir-fry with grains or noodles, like rice noodles or soba.
"To get vegetarian recipes like this one delivered to your inbox, sign up for The Veggie newsletter."
Yield: 4 servings; Time: 25 minutes
To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1022830-crispy-tofu-and-cabbage-stir-fry..
Ingredients
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
Kosher salt
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 (14-ounce) package extra-firm tofu, patted dry and torn into 1-inch pieces (see Tip)
1/4 cup neutral oil (such as canola or grapeseed), plus more as needed
About 1 1/2 pounds green or red cabbage, cored and cut into 1-inch pieces, leaves separated
1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce or liquid aminos, plus more to taste
1 tablespoon coriander seeds, crushed
1/2 cup coarsely chopped cilantro leaves and stems
2 tablespoons lime juice (from 1 large lime)
Directions
In a large bowl, sprinkle the red onion with salt and stir to combine. In a medium bowl, stir together the cornstarch and 1 teaspoon salt. Add the tofu and toss to coat.
Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large (12-inch) cast-iron skillet over medium-high. Add the cabbage and cook, undisturbed, until charred underneath, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir, spread into an even layer, and cook, undisturbed, until charred in spots and crisp-tender, another 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the soy sauce, and season with salt. Transfer to the bowl of red onions.
In the same skillet, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil over medium-high. Add the tofu and cook until golden on all sides, 2 to 3 minutes per side, adding more oil and scraping the bottom of the pan as necessary. Remove from heat, add the coriander seeds and stir gently until fragrant and toasted, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the cabbage-onion mixture and stir to combine, then stir in the cilantro and lime juice. Season to taste with soy sauce.
Tip
It can be tricky to tear pieces of the same size, so start by slicing the tofu crosswise so that you have 1-inch-thick slabs, then tear off cubes from there.
CHOCOLATE MOUSSE
I saw something similar to this a few years back and tweaked it a little. For anyone who is sure that he or she won't like tofu, this may be the game-changer.
Ingredients
1 10-12 ounce tub of silken tofu
12 ounce bag of chocolate chips
2 - 3 tablespoons milk (you can use soy milk, if you prefer)
1 tsp vanilla
1 tablespoon maple syrup
Directions
Melt chocolate chips along with the milk over low to medium heat, stirring constantly.
Place silken tofu, melted chocolate chips, vanilla, and syrup into blender. Blend on a medium setting, pulsing if needed to combine.
Pour into 4 bowls or small cups, and let cool for 10 minutes or so.
Dig in! Yum!
SMOKED TOFU FARFALLE CASSEROLE
This was on the Vegetarian Times web site, and begins, "Here's a new twist on old-fashioned tuna noodle casserole." Serves 6
To view this online, go to https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/smoked-tofu-farfalle-casserole/.
Ingredients
4 tsp. olive oil
1 small yellow bell pepper, chopped (about 1 cup)
1 1/2 cups frozen baby peas
3 cloves garlic, minced (about 1 Tbs.)
2 1/2 tsp. minced fresh thyme
8 oz. farfalle pasta (bows)
1 3/4 cups low-fat milk
3 Tbs. all-purpose flour
3 oz. sharp Cheddar cheese, grated (about 3/4 cup)
6 oz. smoked tofu, diced
3 Tbs. Italian-seasoned breadcrumbs
Preparation
Preheat oven to 425F. Heat 1 tsp. oil in 6-qt. Dutch oven over medium heat. Add bell pepper, and cook, stirring often, 3 minutes. Stir in frozen peas, garlic and thyme, and cook, stirring often, 2 minutes more. Transfer to bowl and set aside.
Wipe out Dutch oven; fill with water, and bring to a boil. Add pasta, and cook about 4 minutes, or until just al dente. Drain and transfer to clean bowl. Drizzle with 2 tsp. olive oil, and toss to coat. Return Dutch oven to stove.
Heat 1 1/2 cups milk in Dutch oven over medium heat until almost simmering. Whisk together remaining 1/4 cup milk with flour in small bowl, then whisk into hot milk. Cook over medium-low heat, whisking constantly, 2 minutes, or until sauce thickens and bubbles. Remove from heat, and stir in cheese. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add pasta, bell pepper mixture and tofu, and stir to combine.
Mix breadcrumbs with remaining 1 tsp. oil in small bowl; sprinkle over casserole. Bake uncovered, 20 minutes, or until golden. Serve hot.
SILKEN TOFU WITH CRUNCHY LETTUCE AND FRIED SHALLOTS
This is from Ali Slagle in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. (If you haven't signed up for their newsletter, I highly recommend it!)
For this recipe, Ali wrote, "Built like Japanese hiyayakko, in which cold, pudding-like tofu is heaped with toppings, this 20-minute dish is lively with contrasting textures and temperatures. Here, crunchy lettuces dressed with soy sauce, vinegar and seasoned oil are piled atop cold silken tofu, then scattered with crispy fried shallots and jalapeño. Eat the dish on its own, with rice or fish, and maybe a cold beer."
Yield: 4 servings; Time: 20 minutes
To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1023348-silken-tofu-with-crunchy-lettuce-and-fried-shallots.
Ingredients
1 large shallot, halved and thinly sliced
1 jalapeño or other fresh hot chile, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons neutral oil (such as grapeseed or canola)
Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)
8 cups torn romaine or Little Gem lettuce (about 3/4 pound or 2 heads)
1 tablespoon unseasoned rice vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 (14- to 16-ounce) blocks silken tofu, drained and refrigerated
Preparation
In a large (12-inch) skillet, add the shallot, half the jalapeño slices and the oil. Sprinkle with salt, then set over high heat. Once sizzling, reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally with a fork, until golden, 4 to 6 minutes. Remove from heat, then use a slotted spoon or fish spatula to transfer shallot and jalapeño slices to a paper towel-lined plate. Leave the oil in the skillet.
To the skillet, add the lettuce, remaining jalapeño, vinegar and soy sauce. Toss until the lettuce is slicked with dressing and just barely wilted. (You want to maintain most of its crunch.) Season to taste with salt.
Invert the tofu onto a large platter (or divide among four plates). Using a knife or spoon, break the tofu into large chunks. Top with the wilted lettuce and any dressing from the skillet, then sprinkle with the fried shallots and jalapeño. Eat right away.
TOFU-CARROT CACCIATORE
This is from the May/June 2006 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 75. It begins, "Tomatoes and carrots grow better when planted side-by-side in the garden—and they taste great together too." Makes 6 servings
To view this online, go to https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/tofu-carrot-cacciatore/.
Ingredients
2 Tbs. olive oil
2 medium-size onions, coarsely chopped (about 2 cups)
1 large green pepper, cut into 1 1/2-inch strips
3 large cloves garlic, minced (1 Tbs.)
1 28-oz. can diced tomatoes
2 8-oz. bags baby carrots, halved diagonally
1 8-oz. pkg. Italian-flavored baked tofu, cut into cubes
1 Tbs. rubbed dried sage
1 bay leaf
12 oz. linguine or other pasta
Preparation
Heat olive oil in large pot over medium heat. Add onions and pepper, and cook 5 to 7 minutes, or until softened, stirring often. Add garlic, and cook 1 minute more, or until fragrant.
Stir in tomatoes, carrots, tofu, sage, and bay leaf. Season with salt and pepper. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer about 1 hour, or until carrots are tender. Remove bay leaf.
After cacciatore has simmered about 45 minutes, cook pasta according to package directions. Serve cacciatore over pasta.
Friday, April 21, 2023
Friday Recipes
It's finally Friday. Here are six yummy vegetarian recipes to help you through the weekend, including Vegan Reuben Burgers and Lentil Loaf With Smoked Paprika Glaze. Enjoy!
LOUISIANA GREENS AND "SAUSAGE"
This is from the June 2004 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 33. It begins, "A spicy dish with great flavor and texture, this greens mixture contains a delicious potlikker, which is the vitamin- and mineral-rich broth that comes from cooking down the greens." Makes 6 servings
To view this online, go to https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/louisiana-greens-and-sausage/.
Ingredients
2 tsp. olive oil
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium-sized onion, coarsely chopped
1 14-oz. bulk-style soy "sausage"
16 oz. mixed greens, such as mustard, collard, turnip and spinach
2 1/2 Tbs. red wine vinegar
1/3 cup white wine or vegetable stock
2 cups vegetarian "chicken" stock, boiling
3/4 cup tomato sauce
1/2 Tbs. dried thyme
Preparation
Heat oil and crushed pepper over medium-high heat in a very large saucepan or stockpot for 1 minute. Add garlic and onions. Cook for 2 minutes, and add soy “sausage,” stirring and breaking apart with a large spoon. Cook mixture for 7 minutes, stirring frequently until browned. Add greens, reduce heat to medium-low and cook mixture, covered, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes, or until greens cook down. Add vinegar, wine, stock and tomato sauce. Reduce heat to low.
Cover, and cook for 15 minutes. Add thyme, and cook 5 minutes longer, or until greens are tender, stirring occasionally.
SLOW-ROASTED WINTER VEGETABLES
This is from Janis at AllRecipes. Janis wrote, "This is a mixture my husband came up with using what we had on hand in the fall, and it became a favorite. The first effort for these slow-roasted vegetables was on the BBQ, but it works just as well in the oven. Tastes even better re-heated, and makes great addition to soups and pot pies."
Prep Time: 40 minutes; Cook: 1 hour 30 minutes; Total Time: 2 hours 10 minutes; Makes 12 servings
To view this online, go to https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/280359/slow-roasted-winter-vegetables/.
Ingredients
1 medium butternut squash, chopped into 1/2-inch cubes
2 medium yams, chopped into 1/2-inch cubes
2 medium sweet potatoes, chopped into 1/2-inch cubes
2 medium parsnips, chopped into 1/2-inch cubes, or more to taste
4 medium carrots, chopped into 1/2-inch cubes, or more to taste
1 large turnip, chopped into 1/2-inch cubes
8 medium (blank)s fresh mushrooms, quartered, or more to taste
3 each shallots, roughly chopped
1 bulb garlic, cloves sliced lengthwise in half
2 sprigs fresh rosemary, coarsely chopped
1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 cup olive oil
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Place butternut squash, yams, sweet potatoes, parsnips, carrots, turnip, mushrooms, shallots, and garlic in a large bowl. Add rosemary, salt, and pepper. Toss until evenly mixed, then add oil and toss until coated. Pour into large baking pans so that the vegetables are no more than 1 1/2 inches deep.
Bake in the preheated oven, tossing and scraping the bottom every 30 minutes, until vegetables are very tender, at least 90 minutes; longer is better.
Cook's Notes:
Use any winter squash you prefer. You can use 1 medium onion instead of 3 shallots. You can use 1 tablespoon dried rosemary instead of fresh.
Adjust proportions to suit tastes, but try to keep balance of veggies roughly equal.
Can also be cooked on the top rack of a BBQ for 60 to 90 minutes, taking care not to burn on the bottom.
NO-CREAM CREAMED CORN
This is from the July/August 2010 issue of Vegetarian Times. It begins, "Cream-style or creamed corn doesn’t usually contain dairy, even in canned versions. Instead, the milky juice from fresh kernels is scraped from the cobs to thicken into a creamy sauce. This version enhances the “creamed” cooking process by using puréed corn as a base." Makes 8 servings
To view this online, go to https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/no-cream-creamed-corn/.
Ingredients
8 cups fresh (from 8 large ears) or frozen, thawed corn kernels, divided
3 Tbs. olive oil
2 medium leeks, white parts thinly sliced (2 cups)
1 tsp. salt
1/4 cup fresh dill fronds, chopped
Preparation
Purée 3 cups corn kernels with 2 cups water until smooth. Strain mixture through sieve. Discard solids.
Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat, add leeks and salt, and sauté 1 minute. Add remaining 5 cups corn, and sauté 2 minutes more.
Add corn purée to corn-leek mixture, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, and simmer 15 minutes, stirring often. Mixture should be thick and creamy. Remove from heat, and stir in dill. Season with salt and pepper, if desired.
VEGAN REUBEN BURGERS
Recently, I was looking through old folders on my computer, seeing what I could delete, what to save, that sort of thing. We all need to do that periodically, right?
I stumbled across one folder that read "recipes from different sources" that had another folder inside called "more recipes from online." (Okay, you with me so far?) One of those recipes was labeled "How to Make Vegan Reuben Burgers (Recipe)" that had been posted in the Broward Palm Beach New Times waaaay back on November 7, 2014. Yikes!
The article (with recipe) was posted by Hannah Sentenac. (Sorry for the delay in posting this, Hannah!) The article starts off, "I was putting ketchup on some breakfast potatoes the other day when I noticed an intriguing recipe staring at me from the back of the Heinz bottle: Reuben Burgers.
"Needless to say, they weren't vegan. Nor were they healthy. Nonetheless, I was inspired to veganize them, and the end result was magically delicious. So delicious, in fact, that I knew I had to share."
And the recipe? Yum
You can view this online at https://www.browardpalmbeach.com/restaurants/how-to-make-vegan-reuben-burgers-recipe-6905451.
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons sauerkraut
2 slices of rye bread (toasted)
2 slices Creamy Original Field Roast Chao Cheese (or dairy-free cheese of choice)
1/3 package Trader Joe's Beefless Ground Beef (or meatless crumbles of choice)
2 TBS Tofutti Sour Cream
2 TBS Heinz ketchup
Instructions:
Heat up the beefless beef in a skillet over medium heat for two or three minutes. Add the Tofutti Sour Cream and the Heinz Ketchup and stir until mixed.
Remove from heat and spoon mixture over pre-toasted slice of rye bread.
Top with Chao cheese and allow to melt (you can also pop it in the microwave for a few seconds -- Chao cheese is super melty). Then, spoon sauerkraut on top.
Top with remaining slice of rye bread. Cut in half. Eat. NOM NOM NOM.
ROASTED CARROTS AND PARSNIPS
This was in the November/December 2010 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 50. It begins, "Whole sage leaves and thyme sprigs are tossed with carrots and parsnips to add aromatic flavor as they roast." Makes 8 servings
To view this online, go to https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/roasted-carrots-and-parsnips/.
Ingredients
3-4 carrots, cut diagonally into 1/2-inch-thick slices (2-1/2 cups)
3-4 parsnips, peeled and cut diagonally into 1/2-inch-thick slices (2-1/2 cups)
1-1/2 Tbs. olive oil
8 fresh sage leaves
6 thyme sprigs
Preparation
Preheat oven to 400°F. Toss together all ingredients in large baking dish, and season with salt and pepper, if desired. Roast 15 minutes, then shake dish to loosen vegetables. Roast 15 minutes more, then shake again, and roast 10 minutes more, or until tender.
LENTIL LOAF WITH SMOKED PAPRIKA GLAZE [Vegan, Gluten-Free]
This is from Lee Khatchadourian-Reese on One Green Planet. Lee wrote, "Flavorful, tender, and moist without being sticky, this vegan lentil meatloaf is super tasty. The smoked paprika glaze adds a really nice touch. This might be your favorite vegan meatloaf yet. It's mostly made of lentils, oats, potatoes, celery, and tomato sauce. All you have to do is combine the ingredients and bake it in the oven––so easy! This vegan lentil meatloaf is great to serve at family dinner with a side of veggies and potatoes! Or meal prep it for your week!"
To view this online, go to https://www.onegreenplanet.org/vegan-recipe/lentil-meat-loaf-with-smoked-paprika-glaze/. Serves 5-6.
Ingredients
For the Loaf:
2 cups cooked lentils
1 cup shredded potato (about 1 medium potato)
1 cup finely chopped celery
1 small finely chopped onion
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup gluten-free quick oats
1/2 cup parsley
1 cup tomato sauce
1 tablespoon flax meal
2 tablespoons warm water
1 tablespoon thyme, chopped
1 tablespoon rosemary, chopped
Salt and pepper, to taste
For the Glaze:
2 tablespoons ketchup
1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
Preparation
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Mix the flax meal in the warm water and set aside.
Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-low heat and add the onion and celery. Season with salt and pepper. Cook until starting to get very soft. Add the garlic and cook a minute or two longer. Remove from the heat.
In a large bowl, combine all of the loaf ingredients including the flax meal and water mixture into a large bowl. Re-season with salt and pepper and stir until well mixed.
Turn the meatloaf mixture into a lightly greased loaf pan.
In a small bowl mix the ketchup with the smoked paprika and brush the top of the loaf.
Bake at 350°F for 50 minutes.
Allow to cool for at least 10 minutes to cool before removing from the pan.
LOUISIANA GREENS AND "SAUSAGE"
This is from the June 2004 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 33. It begins, "A spicy dish with great flavor and texture, this greens mixture contains a delicious potlikker, which is the vitamin- and mineral-rich broth that comes from cooking down the greens." Makes 6 servings
To view this online, go to https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/louisiana-greens-and-sausage/.
Ingredients
2 tsp. olive oil
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium-sized onion, coarsely chopped
1 14-oz. bulk-style soy "sausage"
16 oz. mixed greens, such as mustard, collard, turnip and spinach
2 1/2 Tbs. red wine vinegar
1/3 cup white wine or vegetable stock
2 cups vegetarian "chicken" stock, boiling
3/4 cup tomato sauce
1/2 Tbs. dried thyme
Preparation
Heat oil and crushed pepper over medium-high heat in a very large saucepan or stockpot for 1 minute. Add garlic and onions. Cook for 2 minutes, and add soy “sausage,” stirring and breaking apart with a large spoon. Cook mixture for 7 minutes, stirring frequently until browned. Add greens, reduce heat to medium-low and cook mixture, covered, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes, or until greens cook down. Add vinegar, wine, stock and tomato sauce. Reduce heat to low.
Cover, and cook for 15 minutes. Add thyme, and cook 5 minutes longer, or until greens are tender, stirring occasionally.
SLOW-ROASTED WINTER VEGETABLES
This is from Janis at AllRecipes. Janis wrote, "This is a mixture my husband came up with using what we had on hand in the fall, and it became a favorite. The first effort for these slow-roasted vegetables was on the BBQ, but it works just as well in the oven. Tastes even better re-heated, and makes great addition to soups and pot pies."
Prep Time: 40 minutes; Cook: 1 hour 30 minutes; Total Time: 2 hours 10 minutes; Makes 12 servings
To view this online, go to https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/280359/slow-roasted-winter-vegetables/.
Ingredients
1 medium butternut squash, chopped into 1/2-inch cubes
2 medium yams, chopped into 1/2-inch cubes
2 medium sweet potatoes, chopped into 1/2-inch cubes
2 medium parsnips, chopped into 1/2-inch cubes, or more to taste
4 medium carrots, chopped into 1/2-inch cubes, or more to taste
1 large turnip, chopped into 1/2-inch cubes
8 medium (blank)s fresh mushrooms, quartered, or more to taste
3 each shallots, roughly chopped
1 bulb garlic, cloves sliced lengthwise in half
2 sprigs fresh rosemary, coarsely chopped
1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 cup olive oil
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Place butternut squash, yams, sweet potatoes, parsnips, carrots, turnip, mushrooms, shallots, and garlic in a large bowl. Add rosemary, salt, and pepper. Toss until evenly mixed, then add oil and toss until coated. Pour into large baking pans so that the vegetables are no more than 1 1/2 inches deep.
Bake in the preheated oven, tossing and scraping the bottom every 30 minutes, until vegetables are very tender, at least 90 minutes; longer is better.
Cook's Notes:
Use any winter squash you prefer. You can use 1 medium onion instead of 3 shallots. You can use 1 tablespoon dried rosemary instead of fresh.
Adjust proportions to suit tastes, but try to keep balance of veggies roughly equal.
Can also be cooked on the top rack of a BBQ for 60 to 90 minutes, taking care not to burn on the bottom.
NO-CREAM CREAMED CORN
This is from the July/August 2010 issue of Vegetarian Times. It begins, "Cream-style or creamed corn doesn’t usually contain dairy, even in canned versions. Instead, the milky juice from fresh kernels is scraped from the cobs to thicken into a creamy sauce. This version enhances the “creamed” cooking process by using puréed corn as a base." Makes 8 servings
To view this online, go to https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/no-cream-creamed-corn/.
Ingredients
8 cups fresh (from 8 large ears) or frozen, thawed corn kernels, divided
3 Tbs. olive oil
2 medium leeks, white parts thinly sliced (2 cups)
1 tsp. salt
1/4 cup fresh dill fronds, chopped
Preparation
Purée 3 cups corn kernels with 2 cups water until smooth. Strain mixture through sieve. Discard solids.
Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat, add leeks and salt, and sauté 1 minute. Add remaining 5 cups corn, and sauté 2 minutes more.
Add corn purée to corn-leek mixture, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, and simmer 15 minutes, stirring often. Mixture should be thick and creamy. Remove from heat, and stir in dill. Season with salt and pepper, if desired.
VEGAN REUBEN BURGERS
Recently, I was looking through old folders on my computer, seeing what I could delete, what to save, that sort of thing. We all need to do that periodically, right?
I stumbled across one folder that read "recipes from different sources" that had another folder inside called "more recipes from online." (Okay, you with me so far?) One of those recipes was labeled "How to Make Vegan Reuben Burgers (Recipe)" that had been posted in the Broward Palm Beach New Times waaaay back on November 7, 2014. Yikes!
The article (with recipe) was posted by Hannah Sentenac. (Sorry for the delay in posting this, Hannah!) The article starts off, "I was putting ketchup on some breakfast potatoes the other day when I noticed an intriguing recipe staring at me from the back of the Heinz bottle: Reuben Burgers.
"Needless to say, they weren't vegan. Nor were they healthy. Nonetheless, I was inspired to veganize them, and the end result was magically delicious. So delicious, in fact, that I knew I had to share."
And the recipe? Yum
You can view this online at https://www.browardpalmbeach.com/restaurants/how-to-make-vegan-reuben-burgers-recipe-6905451.
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons sauerkraut
2 slices of rye bread (toasted)
2 slices Creamy Original Field Roast Chao Cheese (or dairy-free cheese of choice)
1/3 package Trader Joe's Beefless Ground Beef (or meatless crumbles of choice)
2 TBS Tofutti Sour Cream
2 TBS Heinz ketchup
Instructions:
Heat up the beefless beef in a skillet over medium heat for two or three minutes. Add the Tofutti Sour Cream and the Heinz Ketchup and stir until mixed.
Remove from heat and spoon mixture over pre-toasted slice of rye bread.
Top with Chao cheese and allow to melt (you can also pop it in the microwave for a few seconds -- Chao cheese is super melty). Then, spoon sauerkraut on top.
Top with remaining slice of rye bread. Cut in half. Eat. NOM NOM NOM.
ROASTED CARROTS AND PARSNIPS
This was in the November/December 2010 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 50. It begins, "Whole sage leaves and thyme sprigs are tossed with carrots and parsnips to add aromatic flavor as they roast." Makes 8 servings
To view this online, go to https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/roasted-carrots-and-parsnips/.
Ingredients
3-4 carrots, cut diagonally into 1/2-inch-thick slices (2-1/2 cups)
3-4 parsnips, peeled and cut diagonally into 1/2-inch-thick slices (2-1/2 cups)
1-1/2 Tbs. olive oil
8 fresh sage leaves
6 thyme sprigs
Preparation
Preheat oven to 400°F. Toss together all ingredients in large baking dish, and season with salt and pepper, if desired. Roast 15 minutes, then shake dish to loosen vegetables. Roast 15 minutes more, then shake again, and roast 10 minutes more, or until tender.
LENTIL LOAF WITH SMOKED PAPRIKA GLAZE [Vegan, Gluten-Free]
This is from Lee Khatchadourian-Reese on One Green Planet. Lee wrote, "Flavorful, tender, and moist without being sticky, this vegan lentil meatloaf is super tasty. The smoked paprika glaze adds a really nice touch. This might be your favorite vegan meatloaf yet. It's mostly made of lentils, oats, potatoes, celery, and tomato sauce. All you have to do is combine the ingredients and bake it in the oven––so easy! This vegan lentil meatloaf is great to serve at family dinner with a side of veggies and potatoes! Or meal prep it for your week!"
To view this online, go to https://www.onegreenplanet.org/vegan-recipe/lentil-meat-loaf-with-smoked-paprika-glaze/. Serves 5-6.
Ingredients
For the Loaf:
2 cups cooked lentils
1 cup shredded potato (about 1 medium potato)
1 cup finely chopped celery
1 small finely chopped onion
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup gluten-free quick oats
1/2 cup parsley
1 cup tomato sauce
1 tablespoon flax meal
2 tablespoons warm water
1 tablespoon thyme, chopped
1 tablespoon rosemary, chopped
Salt and pepper, to taste
For the Glaze:
2 tablespoons ketchup
1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
Preparation
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Mix the flax meal in the warm water and set aside.
Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-low heat and add the onion and celery. Season with salt and pepper. Cook until starting to get very soft. Add the garlic and cook a minute or two longer. Remove from the heat.
In a large bowl, combine all of the loaf ingredients including the flax meal and water mixture into a large bowl. Re-season with salt and pepper and stir until well mixed.
Turn the meatloaf mixture into a lightly greased loaf pan.
In a small bowl mix the ketchup with the smoked paprika and brush the top of the loaf.
Bake at 350°F for 50 minutes.
Allow to cool for at least 10 minutes to cool before removing from the pan.
Thursday, April 20, 2023
Ice Cream
It's starting to warm up nicely (at least where I am). It's about time to check out a few yummy Ice Cream recipes for dessert. Check out the Homemade Rocky Road Ice Cream, the Peanut Butter Coconut Ice Cream, and the rest of today's yumminess. Enjoy!
STRAWBERRY SWIRL ICE CREAM
This is from the June 2008 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 63. It begins, "Thanks to the chilling effect of frozen strawberries, this recipe freezes faster than other homemade ice creams. The strawberry jam makes a beautiful swirl of sweetness, but you can leave it out if you prefer." Makes 6 servings
To view this online, go to https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/strawberry-swirl-ice-cream/.
Ingredients
1 10-oz. bag frozen strawberries
6 oz. silken tofu, drained
1/2 cup plain soy creamer
1/2 cup agave nectar or maple syrup
1 Tbs. vanilla extract
1 Tbs. lemon zest
1/4 cup all-fruit strawberry jam
Preparation
Purée strawberries and tofu in blender or food processor until smooth. Add soy creamer, agave nectar, vanilla, and lemon zest; purée until smooth.
Freeze in ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s directions. When ice cream is ready, swirl in strawberry jam while machine paddles are still going, then serve, or transfer to tub to freeze.
FRESH MANGO ICE CREAM
Several years ago, I signed up for newsletters from Authentic Florida. If you haven't signed up for their newsletters, I highly recommend it (especially if you live in and/or love Florida).
This recipe was posted in the Authentic Florida newsletter on July 21, 2020, and reposted on July 15, 2021. It's definitely yummy, and is an Authentic Florida recipe. It begins, "Florida mangos are in season and Authentic Florida’s fresh mango ice cream recipe is the perfect dessert to help you cool down. Try this fresh, delicious, tropical, and refreshing dessert that does not require an ice cream machine!"
Yield: 1-1/2 gallons
To view this online, go to https://authenticflorida.com/authentic-floridas-fresh-mango-ice-cream/. (And while you're there, don't forget to sign up for Authentic Florida's newsletter.)
Ingredients
2-1/2 cups of cubed mangos (about 3 ripe medium-sized mangos)
1/3 + 3/4 cup of granulated sugar, plus extra if needed
2-1/2 Tablespoons of lime juice (1-2 limes)
1-3/4 cups of Half & Half cream
1-1/4 cups of coconut milk (1 can found in the Asian section of a grocery store)
6-8 fresh mint leaves for garnish (optional)
1 ice cream maker (optional)
Instructions
Peel the mangos and cut them into small cubes. (You’ll be cutting around a large seed.) In a medium bowl combine the cubed mango with 1/3 cup of sugar, cover, and marinate in the refrigerator for one hour (or longer if you have the time).
Next, pour the contents from the refrigerated mangoes (including the juice) in a saucepan over medium-low heat for five minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove and cool. Note: if you have leftover mango (more than 2-1/2 cups), keep the mixture refrigerated to place over the finished ice cream.
In a blender or food processor, puree the mango mixture.
Next, add the lime juice and process it again. Cover and chill for an hour.
Gently stir in the pureed mango. Taste test the mixture to decide whether it’s sweet enough and if not add 1-2 tablespoons of sugar. From this point, pour into a plastic container, cover with a tight lid, and chill in the freezer, stirring occasionally until hardened. If you have an ice cream maker, following the recommended directions. In a large bowl, combine the Half & Half and the coconut milk with the remaining 3/4 cup sugar, stirring to dissolve the sugar.
Remove from the freezer 15 minutes before serving. Top with some mint and fresh-cut mangos. Enjoy!
PEACH ICE CREAM
This comes from Julia Reed in The New York Times cooking newsletter. Julia wrote, "This easy ice cream is meant to evoke hazy memories of a summer spent luxuriating on a front porch, cold glass in hand, waiting as your ice cream maker does the churning work for a late-afternoon treat. Use the best peaches you can find — the flavor of this depends directly on the fruit. You can also use mangoes or strawberries, or other stone fruits. Use your imagination, but let the ice cream maker do most of the work."
Yield: About 1-1/2 quarts, 6 to 8 servings; Time: About 1 hour, plus freezing
This was featured in "FOOD; Frozen Assets", and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/6658-peach-ice-cream.
Ingredients
4 pounds ripe peaches
1 1/4 cups sugar (or more, as needed)
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 quart (4 cups) heavy cream
1 2-inch piece of vanilla bean (or 2 teaspoons vanilla extract)
Preparation
Peel peaches over a large bowl to catch the juice. Halve and pit them and chop roughly. Place in the bowl and sprinkle with 1/2 cup of sugar, the salt and lemon juice and let them sit for 30 minutes.
While peaches macerate, put cream and remaining sugar in saucepan with vanilla bean or vanilla. Heat over medium-low heat, stirring frequently to keep from scorching, until the sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and cool. Discard vanilla bean.
Pour cream over peaches and mix thoroughly. Taste to see if it needs more sugar. (This will depend on the peaches.) Refrigerate until chilled.
Pour the mixture into an ice-cream machine and freeze according to the manufacturer's directions until set but not quite hard. (If serving immediately, freeze harder.) Pack the ice cream into a bowl or mold to completely solidify. When it has hardened, dip mold into hot water or wrap in a hot towel and invert onto a serving platter. Or, simply scoop and serve.
Tip
This recipe is also delicious made with fresh mangoes.
PEANUT BUTTER COCONUT ICE CREAM
This is from the June 2008 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 63. It begins, "A heavy-duty blender (such as a Vita-Mix) makes quick work of this frozen treat, but a regular blender will get the job done if you just keep turning it off and pushing down the ice cubes. Or you can simply blend all the ingredients, chill, and process in an ice cream maker." Makes 6 servings
To view this online, go to https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/peanut-butter-coconut-ice-cream/.
Ingredients
1 13.5-oz. can light coconut milk (1-1/2 cups)
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup crunchy peanut butter
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup French vanilla soy creamer, divided
Preparation
Purée coconut milk, maple syrup, peanut butter, and vanilla in blender until smooth. Pour mixture into 2 ice cube trays, and freeze solid. Transfer to resealable plastic bags if storing for more than 2 days.
Place half of ice cream cubes and 1/2 cup soy creamer in blender, and process until smooth and creamy. Repeat with second tray of cubes and remaining 1/2 cup soy creamer.
RHUBARB ICE CREAM WITH A CARAMEL SWIRL
This is from Melissa Clark in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Melissa wrote, “This ice cream is chock-full of sweet bits, but with enough satiny frozen custard to savor between the chunks. To keep the rhubarb from freezing into tooth-breaking fruity ice cubes, stew it with plenty of sugar, which keeps the fruit soft. The technique works with any summer fruit, though it’s especially nice with rhubarb, or gooseberries for that matter, both of which need a lot of sugar to tame their squint-inducing acid content. But you can substitute strawberries, apricots, cherries, peaches or plums as the summer fruit season progresses, adjusting the sugar depending upon the sweetness of the fruit.”
Yield: One scant quart
This was featured in “Rhubarb, It Turns Out, Can Be a Sweetie”, and can be viewed online here.
Ingredients
1 and 1/2 cups whole milk
1 and 3/4 cup plus 6 tablespoons granulated sugar
Pinch fine sea salt
1 vanilla bean, split and scraped
4 large egg yolks, lightly beaten
1 and 1/2 cups sour cream
3/4 pound rhubarb, cut into 1/2-inch dice
1/2 cup heavy cream
Preparation
In a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat, whisk together the milk, 3/4 cup sugar, the salt, the vanilla bean seeds and its pod. Simmer gently until sugar dissolves, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat, cover, and steep 30 minutes. Discard the vanilla pod and return mixture to a bare simmer.
Place the yolks in a large bowl. Slowly whisk in hot milk mixture. Scrape the custard back into the pot and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 5 minutes. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl. Whisk in sour cream. Chill at least 3 hours or overnight.
In a saucepan, combine the rhubarb with 1 cup sugar. Simmer until rhubarb is just tender and has begun releasing its juices, but has not started to fall apart, 4 to 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer rhubarb to a bowl. Continue to simmer the juices until syrupy, 5 to 10 minutes more. Pour the syrup over the rhubarb. Cool completely.
In a clean, dry and preferably nonstick skillet, sprinkle 2 tablespoons sugar over medium heat. When it begins to melt and lightly color, sprinkle in 2 more tablespoons and start swirling pan to help evenly distribute sugar. Add the final 2 tablespoons and cook, swirling pan until all the sugar has melted. Let cook, swirling occasionally, until the sugar syrup caramelizes and turns dark brown. Pour in the heavy cream and 2 tablespoons water (stand back; it may splatter). Simmer, stirring with a heatproof rubber spatula until smooth. Cool completely.
Pour the custard base into an ice cream machine and churn. Add rhubarb compote for the last minute of churning.
Scrape a quarter of the caramel into the bottom of a freezer-proof quart container. Top with a quarter of the ice cream. Repeat layering until all of the caramel and ice cream has been used, ending with the ice cream. Freeze until firm for at least 2 hours and up to 1 week.
HOMEMADE ROCKY ROAD ICE CREAM
Every year on the 4th of July, I make two flavors of homemade ice cream. It's a tradition that stems from my childhood, when my dad would bring out the ice cream freezer for the annual summer treat. This year, I'll be making this, along with with vanilla ice cream.
Back when Dad started the tradition for our family, the ice cream freezer was a hand-crank deal. By the time the ice cream was ready, several people had had their turn at working the crank, tiring their arms in the process. Fortunately, we have an electric ice cream maker, which helps immensely.
This comes from the almost-infamous long-since-forgotten-email-list. While I don’t remember who sent this to the list, whoever sent it to the list wrote, “I love this ice cream, very creamy and I'd say it tastes better than store bought. Hope you like it as much as we do!!” Time: 45 min; 5 min prep; serves 10 – 12
Ingredients
2 cups 2% low-fat milk
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups miniature marshmallows (or if you REALLY like them you can use half a bag like I do!)
2/3 cup sliced almonds
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
Directions
Mix all ingredients together in cylinder of ice cream maker; freeze according to manufacturers directions.
Allow to set in freezer for 2-4 hours.
STRAWBERRY SWIRL ICE CREAM
This is from the June 2008 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 63. It begins, "Thanks to the chilling effect of frozen strawberries, this recipe freezes faster than other homemade ice creams. The strawberry jam makes a beautiful swirl of sweetness, but you can leave it out if you prefer." Makes 6 servings
To view this online, go to https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/strawberry-swirl-ice-cream/.
Ingredients
1 10-oz. bag frozen strawberries
6 oz. silken tofu, drained
1/2 cup plain soy creamer
1/2 cup agave nectar or maple syrup
1 Tbs. vanilla extract
1 Tbs. lemon zest
1/4 cup all-fruit strawberry jam
Preparation
Purée strawberries and tofu in blender or food processor until smooth. Add soy creamer, agave nectar, vanilla, and lemon zest; purée until smooth.
Freeze in ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s directions. When ice cream is ready, swirl in strawberry jam while machine paddles are still going, then serve, or transfer to tub to freeze.
FRESH MANGO ICE CREAM
Several years ago, I signed up for newsletters from Authentic Florida. If you haven't signed up for their newsletters, I highly recommend it (especially if you live in and/or love Florida).
This recipe was posted in the Authentic Florida newsletter on July 21, 2020, and reposted on July 15, 2021. It's definitely yummy, and is an Authentic Florida recipe. It begins, "Florida mangos are in season and Authentic Florida’s fresh mango ice cream recipe is the perfect dessert to help you cool down. Try this fresh, delicious, tropical, and refreshing dessert that does not require an ice cream machine!"
Yield: 1-1/2 gallons
To view this online, go to https://authenticflorida.com/authentic-floridas-fresh-mango-ice-cream/. (And while you're there, don't forget to sign up for Authentic Florida's newsletter.)
Ingredients
2-1/2 cups of cubed mangos (about 3 ripe medium-sized mangos)
1/3 + 3/4 cup of granulated sugar, plus extra if needed
2-1/2 Tablespoons of lime juice (1-2 limes)
1-3/4 cups of Half & Half cream
1-1/4 cups of coconut milk (1 can found in the Asian section of a grocery store)
6-8 fresh mint leaves for garnish (optional)
1 ice cream maker (optional)
Instructions
Peel the mangos and cut them into small cubes. (You’ll be cutting around a large seed.) In a medium bowl combine the cubed mango with 1/3 cup of sugar, cover, and marinate in the refrigerator for one hour (or longer if you have the time).
Next, pour the contents from the refrigerated mangoes (including the juice) in a saucepan over medium-low heat for five minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove and cool. Note: if you have leftover mango (more than 2-1/2 cups), keep the mixture refrigerated to place over the finished ice cream.
In a blender or food processor, puree the mango mixture.
Next, add the lime juice and process it again. Cover and chill for an hour.
Gently stir in the pureed mango. Taste test the mixture to decide whether it’s sweet enough and if not add 1-2 tablespoons of sugar. From this point, pour into a plastic container, cover with a tight lid, and chill in the freezer, stirring occasionally until hardened. If you have an ice cream maker, following the recommended directions. In a large bowl, combine the Half & Half and the coconut milk with the remaining 3/4 cup sugar, stirring to dissolve the sugar.
Remove from the freezer 15 minutes before serving. Top with some mint and fresh-cut mangos. Enjoy!
PEACH ICE CREAM
This comes from Julia Reed in The New York Times cooking newsletter. Julia wrote, "This easy ice cream is meant to evoke hazy memories of a summer spent luxuriating on a front porch, cold glass in hand, waiting as your ice cream maker does the churning work for a late-afternoon treat. Use the best peaches you can find — the flavor of this depends directly on the fruit. You can also use mangoes or strawberries, or other stone fruits. Use your imagination, but let the ice cream maker do most of the work."
Yield: About 1-1/2 quarts, 6 to 8 servings; Time: About 1 hour, plus freezing
This was featured in "FOOD; Frozen Assets", and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/6658-peach-ice-cream.
Ingredients
4 pounds ripe peaches
1 1/4 cups sugar (or more, as needed)
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 quart (4 cups) heavy cream
1 2-inch piece of vanilla bean (or 2 teaspoons vanilla extract)
Preparation
Peel peaches over a large bowl to catch the juice. Halve and pit them and chop roughly. Place in the bowl and sprinkle with 1/2 cup of sugar, the salt and lemon juice and let them sit for 30 minutes.
While peaches macerate, put cream and remaining sugar in saucepan with vanilla bean or vanilla. Heat over medium-low heat, stirring frequently to keep from scorching, until the sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and cool. Discard vanilla bean.
Pour cream over peaches and mix thoroughly. Taste to see if it needs more sugar. (This will depend on the peaches.) Refrigerate until chilled.
Pour the mixture into an ice-cream machine and freeze according to the manufacturer's directions until set but not quite hard. (If serving immediately, freeze harder.) Pack the ice cream into a bowl or mold to completely solidify. When it has hardened, dip mold into hot water or wrap in a hot towel and invert onto a serving platter. Or, simply scoop and serve.
Tip
This recipe is also delicious made with fresh mangoes.
PEANUT BUTTER COCONUT ICE CREAM
This is from the June 2008 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 63. It begins, "A heavy-duty blender (such as a Vita-Mix) makes quick work of this frozen treat, but a regular blender will get the job done if you just keep turning it off and pushing down the ice cubes. Or you can simply blend all the ingredients, chill, and process in an ice cream maker." Makes 6 servings
To view this online, go to https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/peanut-butter-coconut-ice-cream/.
Ingredients
1 13.5-oz. can light coconut milk (1-1/2 cups)
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup crunchy peanut butter
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup French vanilla soy creamer, divided
Preparation
Purée coconut milk, maple syrup, peanut butter, and vanilla in blender until smooth. Pour mixture into 2 ice cube trays, and freeze solid. Transfer to resealable plastic bags if storing for more than 2 days.
Place half of ice cream cubes and 1/2 cup soy creamer in blender, and process until smooth and creamy. Repeat with second tray of cubes and remaining 1/2 cup soy creamer.
RHUBARB ICE CREAM WITH A CARAMEL SWIRL
This is from Melissa Clark in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Melissa wrote, “This ice cream is chock-full of sweet bits, but with enough satiny frozen custard to savor between the chunks. To keep the rhubarb from freezing into tooth-breaking fruity ice cubes, stew it with plenty of sugar, which keeps the fruit soft. The technique works with any summer fruit, though it’s especially nice with rhubarb, or gooseberries for that matter, both of which need a lot of sugar to tame their squint-inducing acid content. But you can substitute strawberries, apricots, cherries, peaches or plums as the summer fruit season progresses, adjusting the sugar depending upon the sweetness of the fruit.”
Yield: One scant quart
This was featured in “Rhubarb, It Turns Out, Can Be a Sweetie”, and can be viewed online here.
Ingredients
1 and 1/2 cups whole milk
1 and 3/4 cup plus 6 tablespoons granulated sugar
Pinch fine sea salt
1 vanilla bean, split and scraped
4 large egg yolks, lightly beaten
1 and 1/2 cups sour cream
3/4 pound rhubarb, cut into 1/2-inch dice
1/2 cup heavy cream
Preparation
In a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat, whisk together the milk, 3/4 cup sugar, the salt, the vanilla bean seeds and its pod. Simmer gently until sugar dissolves, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat, cover, and steep 30 minutes. Discard the vanilla pod and return mixture to a bare simmer.
Place the yolks in a large bowl. Slowly whisk in hot milk mixture. Scrape the custard back into the pot and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 5 minutes. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl. Whisk in sour cream. Chill at least 3 hours or overnight.
In a saucepan, combine the rhubarb with 1 cup sugar. Simmer until rhubarb is just tender and has begun releasing its juices, but has not started to fall apart, 4 to 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer rhubarb to a bowl. Continue to simmer the juices until syrupy, 5 to 10 minutes more. Pour the syrup over the rhubarb. Cool completely.
In a clean, dry and preferably nonstick skillet, sprinkle 2 tablespoons sugar over medium heat. When it begins to melt and lightly color, sprinkle in 2 more tablespoons and start swirling pan to help evenly distribute sugar. Add the final 2 tablespoons and cook, swirling pan until all the sugar has melted. Let cook, swirling occasionally, until the sugar syrup caramelizes and turns dark brown. Pour in the heavy cream and 2 tablespoons water (stand back; it may splatter). Simmer, stirring with a heatproof rubber spatula until smooth. Cool completely.
Pour the custard base into an ice cream machine and churn. Add rhubarb compote for the last minute of churning.
Scrape a quarter of the caramel into the bottom of a freezer-proof quart container. Top with a quarter of the ice cream. Repeat layering until all of the caramel and ice cream has been used, ending with the ice cream. Freeze until firm for at least 2 hours and up to 1 week.
HOMEMADE ROCKY ROAD ICE CREAM
Every year on the 4th of July, I make two flavors of homemade ice cream. It's a tradition that stems from my childhood, when my dad would bring out the ice cream freezer for the annual summer treat. This year, I'll be making this, along with with vanilla ice cream.
Back when Dad started the tradition for our family, the ice cream freezer was a hand-crank deal. By the time the ice cream was ready, several people had had their turn at working the crank, tiring their arms in the process. Fortunately, we have an electric ice cream maker, which helps immensely.
This comes from the almost-infamous long-since-forgotten-email-list. While I don’t remember who sent this to the list, whoever sent it to the list wrote, “I love this ice cream, very creamy and I'd say it tastes better than store bought. Hope you like it as much as we do!!” Time: 45 min; 5 min prep; serves 10 – 12
Ingredients
2 cups 2% low-fat milk
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups miniature marshmallows (or if you REALLY like them you can use half a bag like I do!)
2/3 cup sliced almonds
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
Directions
Mix all ingredients together in cylinder of ice cream maker; freeze according to manufacturers directions.
Allow to set in freezer for 2-4 hours.
Wednesday, April 19, 2023
Wednesday Recipes
It's the middle of the week. If we made it this far, we can make it to the weekend.
That said, here are six yummy vegetarian recipes to help you through the day, including Hungarian Cabbage with Noodles and Fudgy Zucchini Brownies. (Yes, you read that right!) Enjoy!
CONFETTI BEAN SALAD
Servings: 6
Source: The Diabetic Newsletter
Find this recipe at: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/43.shtml
Ingredients
16 ounces can mixed cut green & wax beans
1/4 cup onion, chopped
2 tablespoons pimiento, chopped
1/2 cup cider vinegar
Sugar substitute equivalent to 5 teaspoons sugar
1 tablespoon mixed pickling spices
1/4 cup celery, finely chopped
Crisp lettuce leaves
1/4 cup green pepper, chopped
Directions
Drain beans, saving liquid.
Combine this liquid with vinegar in a saucepan.
Add mixed pickling spice, either loose or in a small cheesecloth bag.
Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer gently for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, mix all the vegetables in a bowl.
Remove liquid from heat; add sweetener and stir until dissolved.
Pour over vegetables and remove spice bag or loose spices.
Chill several hours, stirring occasionally.
Drain before serving on crisp lettuce.
Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 28; Protein: 1 g; Carbohydrates: 7 g; Exchanges: 1 Vegetable
CHIPOTLE ASPARAGUS QUESADILLAS
This comes from the April/May 2014 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 34. It begins, “Canned chipotles in adobo sauce lend mellow, smoky heat to quesadillas. Leftover chipotles (there are usually four or five in a can) can be wrapped in plastic wrap and frozen for future use.” Serves 4 in 30 minutes or less.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
Quesadillas
1 lb. asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces (2 cups)
1 red bell pepper, sliced (1 cup)
1 medium onion, sliced (1 cup)
1-1/2 tsp. olive oil or vegetable oil
1 tsp. dried oregano
4 8-inch sprouted-grain tortillas
Chipotle Spread
3 Tbs. vegan mayonnaise
2 tsp. minced, drained chipotles in adobo sauce
1 Tbs. lime or lemon juice
Directions
Preheat oven to 425°F.
To make Quesadillas: Toss together asparagus, bell pepper, onion, oil, and oregano in large bowl. Season with salt and pepper, if desired. Spread on large baking sheet, and roast 10 to 12 minutes, or until vegetables are tender and beginning to brown, stirring once or twice.
Meanwhile, to make Chipotle Spread: blend all ingredients in blender or food processor until smooth.
Spread 1-1/2 tsp. Chipotle Spread on one side of each tortilla, spreading all the way out to edges. Top with 2/3 cup filling on one half of each tortilla, then fold over tortillas, pressing edges together to enclose filling and form half-moons.
Coat large skillet with cooking spray, and heat over medium heat. Cook each quesadilla in skillet 2 to 3 minutes, turning once.
nutritional information Per Quesadilla: Calories: 273; Protein: 8 g; Total Fat: 13 g; Saturated Fat: 2 g; Carbohydrates: 32 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 235 mg; Fiber: 8 g; Sugar: 3 g; Vegan
HUNGARIAN CABBAGE WITH NOODLES
This recipe is from Barbara Rolek on The Spruce Eats. Barbara wrote, “This Hungarian comfort-food dish known as kaposztás tészta is a simple recipe to make, consisting of cabbage, onion, butter, egg noodles, salt, and pepper.
“Cabbage with noodles is a popular and easy dish common throughout Eastern Europe. In Poland, it's called kapusta z kluski orhałuski, in the Czech Republic, it's known as nudle s zelí, and Slovaks call it haluski (without the accent on the "L" as in Polish).
“This can be a strictly vegetarian dish, sometimes with added sautéed mushrooms, or can be enhanced with bacon or other smoked meat, and it makes a terrific side dish or main-course offering that holds up well on a buffet table. If this recipe doesn't tickle your fancy, there are many more Eastern European cabbage recipes to choose from.
Total: 50 mins; Prep: 20 mins; Cook: 30 mins; Yield: 6 servings
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 large head cabbage (cored and shredded)
1 large onion (chopped)
8 ounces butter (2 sticks)
Salt (to taste)
Freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
1 pound medium Hungarian egg noodles (homemade or store-bought, cooked)
Directions
Gather the ingredients.
In a large skillet or Dutch oven, sauté cabbage and onion in butter until golden brown and tender.
Season with salt and pepper.
Mix with cooked egg noodles. Adjust seasonings and rewarm if necessary to serve piping hot.
Serve and enjoy!
Recipe Variations
Add 1 cup sliced button, cremini or other mushrooms to the skillet with the cabbage and onion, and cook until they are all golden brown and tender.
Before serving, add 1 cup cooked, crumbled or diced bacon to the cabbage, onion, and noodles mixture.
After mixing the cabbage and onion with the noodles, add 1 cup chopped ham combining well and rewarm to serve hot.
More Hungarian Noodle Recipes
Basic Hungarian Noodle Dough Recipe: This egg dough can be transformed into thin noodles, wide noodles and everything in between.
Tarhonya or Grated Egg Noodles Recipe: These noodles are made by grating chunks of noodle dough instead of rolling and cutting. They are dried and used in soups or browned in butter as a side dish.
More About Hungarian Noodles
Hungarian egg noodles, known as Magyar tojasos teszta (MAHG-yahr toy-YAH-shohss TESS-tah) or metelt (MEH-telt), come in a staggering number of varieties, rivaled possibly only by Italian pasta.
Hungarians roll them, cut them, pinch them, grate them, and drop them. There's a noodle for every dish and a dish for every noodle.
Teszta is actually the Hungarian word for "dough" and metelt means "noodles," but they are used interchangeably.
When the word tojasos is added, we're talking about egg noodles, the pride of Hungarian cuisine. They are made with three simple ingredients—flour, eggs, and salt—and, in some kitchens, not even any salt.
No water or oil is added to authentic Hungarian noodle recipes because many cooks feel the addition of water creates longer drying times and increases the potential for the noodles to mold when stored.
CARROT TART WITH RICOTTA AND FETA
This comes from Sue Li on The New York Times cooking email. Sue wrote, “Carrots work beautifully in this simple tart, but onions, parsnips, beets, zucchini or pumpkin work just as well. The key is to cook the vegetables before putting them on the tart, since the moisture released by baking raw vegetables would make the puff pastry soggy and prevent it from rising. Once you remove the tart from the oven, let it cool for 10 minutes before cutting to allow the cheese to firm up slightly. The tart can be served warm, or cooled to room temperature, and would make a great addition to a picnic.”
Yield: 8 servings; Time: 1 hour.
To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1020174-carrot-tart-with-ricotta-and-feta.
Ingredients
Flour, for rolling out dough
1 (14-ounce) package frozen puff pastry, thawed
1 pound multicolored carrots, scrubbed and sliced lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick pieces
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
Kosher salt and black pepper
8 ounces ricotta
4 ounces feta, crumbled
1 garlic clove, grated
Chopped fresh parsley, chervil or chives, for garnish
Preparation
Heat oven to 425 degrees. On a lightly floured surface, roll puff pastry into a 10-by-14-inch rectangle. Using a paring knife, lightly score a border around the perimeter of the puff pastry about a 1/4-inch away from the edges. Place puff pastry on a parchment-lined baking sheet and prick the pastry inside the border using a fork to prevent puffing in the center. Bake on top rack until puff pastry is lightly golden, about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly.
Meanwhile, toss carrots with 1 tablespoon oil, season generously with salt and pepper and spread into a single layer on a baking sheet. Roast carrots on the bottom rack (underneath the puff pastry) until the edges are golden brown and carrots are still crisp-tender, 15 to 20 minutes.
While puff pastry and carrots are in the oven, blend ricotta, feta and garlic in a food processor until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
Spread the cheese mixture onto the puff pastry up to the border and arrange the carrots in a single layer on top. Bake until the carrots are tender and the edges of the cheese mixture are golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes.
Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with herbs before serving.
FUDGY ZUCCHINI BROWNIES
This comes from Audra, otherwise known as The Baker Chick. If you haven’t check out her site, you really, really should. (Hint, hint.)
Anyway, Audra write, “I put green vegetables in your brownies - please don’t hate me.” She then goes on to talk about putting zucchini in her brownies. What can I saw, but I love her comments, as well as these brownies.
To view this online (and to check out Audra’s comments), go to http://www.thebakerchick.com/2014/08/fudgy-zucchini-brownies/.
Recipe adapted from: All Recipes
Ingredients
1/2 cup coconut oil (another vegetable oil will work as well)
1 1/2 cups white sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (I used dark)
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups finely shredded zucchini*
For the Frosting:
5 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 cup melted butter
2 cups confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly spray or grease a 9x13 baking pan and line the bottom with parchment paper. Set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together the oil, sugar and vanilla until smooth and well-combined. Sprinkle the flour, cocoa powder, soda and salt over the wet ingredients and stir until just incorporated. (The batter will be dry at this point- worry.)
Fold in the zucchini and mix for just a few seconds or until batter is well combined.
Spread into the prepared pan and bake for 25-30 minutes or until a cake tester inserted into the middle of the pan comes out with a few moist crumbs.
Allow brownies to cool completely before frosting.
For the frosting:
In a medium-large bowl, stir together the butter and cocoa powder until smooth. Add the powdered sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, alternating with the milk. Stir in the vanilla.
Spread frosting over cooled brownies and enjoy!
Notes
*Finely shredding the zucchini helps it release more liquid leading to the right texture of brownies. If your batter seems extremely dry after combining all the ingredients, your zucchini may be on the dry side. You can add a tablespoon of water at a time until the batter comes together. The zucchini will release a lot of water during baking and help bind the brownies and give them their rich and fudgy texture!
BROWN RICE AND BEAN SOUP
This yumminess is from Eden Foods. Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 25 minutes; Serves: 5
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 Tbsp Eden Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/2 cup onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced or 1 teaspoon roasted garlic granules
1/4 cup organic sweet corn, fresh or frozen
1/4 cup celery, diced
15 ounces Eden Rice & Pinto Beans, or Spanish Rice & Pinto Beans
16 ounces Eden Refried Pinto Beans, or Spicy Refried Black Beans
1/2 tsp Eden Sea Salt, or to taste
1 pinch Eden Black Pepper, or to taste
1 1/2 cups diced organic tomatoes, do not drain
4 cups water
1/2 tsp Eden Dried Basil
1 tsp Eden Cumin Powder
2 Tbsp fresh parsley, minced, for garnish
Directions
Heat oil in a medium soup pot, and sauté the onion for 2 minutes. Add all remaining ingredients except the parsley. Mix thoroughly, cover and bring to a boil. Reduce the flame to medium-low and simmer for 20 minutes or until creamy. Serve garnished with parsley.
Nutritional Information Per serving – 194 calories, 4 g fat (19% calories from fat), 8 g protein, 34 g carbohydrate, 8 g fiber, 0 mg cholesterol, 409 mg sodium
That said, here are six yummy vegetarian recipes to help you through the day, including Hungarian Cabbage with Noodles and Fudgy Zucchini Brownies. (Yes, you read that right!) Enjoy!
CONFETTI BEAN SALAD
Servings: 6
Source: The Diabetic Newsletter
Find this recipe at: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/43.shtml
Ingredients
16 ounces can mixed cut green & wax beans
1/4 cup onion, chopped
2 tablespoons pimiento, chopped
1/2 cup cider vinegar
Sugar substitute equivalent to 5 teaspoons sugar
1 tablespoon mixed pickling spices
1/4 cup celery, finely chopped
Crisp lettuce leaves
1/4 cup green pepper, chopped
Directions
Drain beans, saving liquid.
Combine this liquid with vinegar in a saucepan.
Add mixed pickling spice, either loose or in a small cheesecloth bag.
Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer gently for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, mix all the vegetables in a bowl.
Remove liquid from heat; add sweetener and stir until dissolved.
Pour over vegetables and remove spice bag or loose spices.
Chill several hours, stirring occasionally.
Drain before serving on crisp lettuce.
Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 28; Protein: 1 g; Carbohydrates: 7 g; Exchanges: 1 Vegetable
CHIPOTLE ASPARAGUS QUESADILLAS
This comes from the April/May 2014 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 34. It begins, “Canned chipotles in adobo sauce lend mellow, smoky heat to quesadillas. Leftover chipotles (there are usually four or five in a can) can be wrapped in plastic wrap and frozen for future use.” Serves 4 in 30 minutes or less.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
Quesadillas
1 lb. asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces (2 cups)
1 red bell pepper, sliced (1 cup)
1 medium onion, sliced (1 cup)
1-1/2 tsp. olive oil or vegetable oil
1 tsp. dried oregano
4 8-inch sprouted-grain tortillas
Chipotle Spread
3 Tbs. vegan mayonnaise
2 tsp. minced, drained chipotles in adobo sauce
1 Tbs. lime or lemon juice
Directions
Preheat oven to 425°F.
To make Quesadillas: Toss together asparagus, bell pepper, onion, oil, and oregano in large bowl. Season with salt and pepper, if desired. Spread on large baking sheet, and roast 10 to 12 minutes, or until vegetables are tender and beginning to brown, stirring once or twice.
Meanwhile, to make Chipotle Spread: blend all ingredients in blender or food processor until smooth.
Spread 1-1/2 tsp. Chipotle Spread on one side of each tortilla, spreading all the way out to edges. Top with 2/3 cup filling on one half of each tortilla, then fold over tortillas, pressing edges together to enclose filling and form half-moons.
Coat large skillet with cooking spray, and heat over medium heat. Cook each quesadilla in skillet 2 to 3 minutes, turning once.
nutritional information Per Quesadilla: Calories: 273; Protein: 8 g; Total Fat: 13 g; Saturated Fat: 2 g; Carbohydrates: 32 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 235 mg; Fiber: 8 g; Sugar: 3 g; Vegan
HUNGARIAN CABBAGE WITH NOODLES
This recipe is from Barbara Rolek on The Spruce Eats. Barbara wrote, “This Hungarian comfort-food dish known as kaposztás tészta is a simple recipe to make, consisting of cabbage, onion, butter, egg noodles, salt, and pepper.
“Cabbage with noodles is a popular and easy dish common throughout Eastern Europe. In Poland, it's called kapusta z kluski or
“This can be a strictly vegetarian dish, sometimes with added sautéed mushrooms, or can be enhanced with bacon or other smoked meat, and it makes a terrific side dish or main-course offering that holds up well on a buffet table. If this recipe doesn't tickle your fancy, there are many more Eastern European cabbage recipes to choose from.
Total: 50 mins; Prep: 20 mins; Cook: 30 mins; Yield: 6 servings
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 large head cabbage (cored and shredded)
1 large onion (chopped)
8 ounces butter (2 sticks)
Salt (to taste)
Freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
1 pound medium Hungarian egg noodles (homemade or store-bought, cooked)
Directions
Gather the ingredients.
In a large skillet or Dutch oven, sauté cabbage and onion in butter until golden brown and tender.
Season with salt and pepper.
Mix with cooked egg noodles. Adjust seasonings and rewarm if necessary to serve piping hot.
Serve and enjoy!
Recipe Variations
Add 1 cup sliced button, cremini or other mushrooms to the skillet with the cabbage and onion, and cook until they are all golden brown and tender.
Before serving, add 1 cup cooked, crumbled or diced bacon to the cabbage, onion, and noodles mixture.
After mixing the cabbage and onion with the noodles, add 1 cup chopped ham combining well and rewarm to serve hot.
More Hungarian Noodle Recipes
Basic Hungarian Noodle Dough Recipe: This egg dough can be transformed into thin noodles, wide noodles and everything in between.
Tarhonya or Grated Egg Noodles Recipe: These noodles are made by grating chunks of noodle dough instead of rolling and cutting. They are dried and used in soups or browned in butter as a side dish.
More About Hungarian Noodles
Hungarian egg noodles, known as Magyar tojasos teszta (MAHG-yahr toy-YAH-shohss TESS-tah) or metelt (MEH-telt), come in a staggering number of varieties, rivaled possibly only by Italian pasta.
Hungarians roll them, cut them, pinch them, grate them, and drop them. There's a noodle for every dish and a dish for every noodle.
Teszta is actually the Hungarian word for "dough" and metelt means "noodles," but they are used interchangeably.
When the word tojasos is added, we're talking about egg noodles, the pride of Hungarian cuisine. They are made with three simple ingredients—flour, eggs, and salt—and, in some kitchens, not even any salt.
No water or oil is added to authentic Hungarian noodle recipes because many cooks feel the addition of water creates longer drying times and increases the potential for the noodles to mold when stored.
CARROT TART WITH RICOTTA AND FETA
This comes from Sue Li on The New York Times cooking email. Sue wrote, “Carrots work beautifully in this simple tart, but onions, parsnips, beets, zucchini or pumpkin work just as well. The key is to cook the vegetables before putting them on the tart, since the moisture released by baking raw vegetables would make the puff pastry soggy and prevent it from rising. Once you remove the tart from the oven, let it cool for 10 minutes before cutting to allow the cheese to firm up slightly. The tart can be served warm, or cooled to room temperature, and would make a great addition to a picnic.”
Yield: 8 servings; Time: 1 hour.
To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1020174-carrot-tart-with-ricotta-and-feta.
Ingredients
Flour, for rolling out dough
1 (14-ounce) package frozen puff pastry, thawed
1 pound multicolored carrots, scrubbed and sliced lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick pieces
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
Kosher salt and black pepper
8 ounces ricotta
4 ounces feta, crumbled
1 garlic clove, grated
Chopped fresh parsley, chervil or chives, for garnish
Preparation
Heat oven to 425 degrees. On a lightly floured surface, roll puff pastry into a 10-by-14-inch rectangle. Using a paring knife, lightly score a border around the perimeter of the puff pastry about a 1/4-inch away from the edges. Place puff pastry on a parchment-lined baking sheet and prick the pastry inside the border using a fork to prevent puffing in the center. Bake on top rack until puff pastry is lightly golden, about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly.
Meanwhile, toss carrots with 1 tablespoon oil, season generously with salt and pepper and spread into a single layer on a baking sheet. Roast carrots on the bottom rack (underneath the puff pastry) until the edges are golden brown and carrots are still crisp-tender, 15 to 20 minutes.
While puff pastry and carrots are in the oven, blend ricotta, feta and garlic in a food processor until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
Spread the cheese mixture onto the puff pastry up to the border and arrange the carrots in a single layer on top. Bake until the carrots are tender and the edges of the cheese mixture are golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes.
Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with herbs before serving.
FUDGY ZUCCHINI BROWNIES
This comes from Audra, otherwise known as The Baker Chick. If you haven’t check out her site, you really, really should. (Hint, hint.)
Anyway, Audra write, “I put green vegetables in your brownies - please don’t hate me.” She then goes on to talk about putting zucchini in her brownies. What can I saw, but I love her comments, as well as these brownies.
To view this online (and to check out Audra’s comments), go to http://www.thebakerchick.com/2014/08/fudgy-zucchini-brownies/.
Recipe adapted from: All Recipes
Ingredients
1/2 cup coconut oil (another vegetable oil will work as well)
1 1/2 cups white sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (I used dark)
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups finely shredded zucchini*
For the Frosting:
5 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 cup melted butter
2 cups confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly spray or grease a 9x13 baking pan and line the bottom with parchment paper. Set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together the oil, sugar and vanilla until smooth and well-combined. Sprinkle the flour, cocoa powder, soda and salt over the wet ingredients and stir until just incorporated. (The batter will be dry at this point- worry.)
Fold in the zucchini and mix for just a few seconds or until batter is well combined.
Spread into the prepared pan and bake for 25-30 minutes or until a cake tester inserted into the middle of the pan comes out with a few moist crumbs.
Allow brownies to cool completely before frosting.
For the frosting:
In a medium-large bowl, stir together the butter and cocoa powder until smooth. Add the powdered sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, alternating with the milk. Stir in the vanilla.
Spread frosting over cooled brownies and enjoy!
Notes
*Finely shredding the zucchini helps it release more liquid leading to the right texture of brownies. If your batter seems extremely dry after combining all the ingredients, your zucchini may be on the dry side. You can add a tablespoon of water at a time until the batter comes together. The zucchini will release a lot of water during baking and help bind the brownies and give them their rich and fudgy texture!
BROWN RICE AND BEAN SOUP
This yumminess is from Eden Foods. Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 25 minutes; Serves: 5
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 Tbsp Eden Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/2 cup onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced or 1 teaspoon roasted garlic granules
1/4 cup organic sweet corn, fresh or frozen
1/4 cup celery, diced
15 ounces Eden Rice & Pinto Beans, or Spanish Rice & Pinto Beans
16 ounces Eden Refried Pinto Beans, or Spicy Refried Black Beans
1/2 tsp Eden Sea Salt, or to taste
1 pinch Eden Black Pepper, or to taste
1 1/2 cups diced organic tomatoes, do not drain
4 cups water
1/2 tsp Eden Dried Basil
1 tsp Eden Cumin Powder
2 Tbsp fresh parsley, minced, for garnish
Directions
Heat oil in a medium soup pot, and sauté the onion for 2 minutes. Add all remaining ingredients except the parsley. Mix thoroughly, cover and bring to a boil. Reduce the flame to medium-low and simmer for 20 minutes or until creamy. Serve garnished with parsley.
Nutritional Information Per serving – 194 calories, 4 g fat (19% calories from fat), 8 g protein, 34 g carbohydrate, 8 g fiber, 0 mg cholesterol, 409 mg sodium
Tuesday, April 18, 2023
Drinks - Double-Post Tuesday
Besides being Taco Tuesday, it's also Double-Post Tuesday. Today's double post deals with drinks, to give you a little variety in that field. Check out the Classic Strawberry Smoothie, the Watermelon Punch, and the rest of today's yummy drinks. Enjoy!
RUMPLEMAYER’S HOT CHOCOLATE
This is from Molly O’Neill in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Molly wrote, “Hot chocolate is traceable to the Aztecs, who regarded the dark and bitter drink as a sacred brew. The hot cocoa that Columbus offered his patrons tasted “bitter, scummy and peppery,” according to Chantal Coady's account in “The Chocolate Companion,” which explains, no doubt, why they disliked it intensely. Sometime later, Cortez offered the same beverage to Charles V and his courtiers and succeeded in capturing their imagination with the addition, Ms. Coady writes, of some sugar and vanilla. This version, adapted from Rumplemayer's, a now-closed New York restaurant once known for its hot chocolate and pastries, falls into the latter camp; it is rich, sweet and smooth. It calls for real semisweet chocolate (we bet a mix of semisweet and bittersweet would be delightful, too) so there's none of the chalky aftertaste hot cocoa often leaves behind. A dollop of whipped cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon, if you wish, take it over the top.”
Yield: 4 servings; Time: 2 minutes.
This was featured in “Food; Loco for Cocoa,” and can be viewed here.
Ingredients
4 cups milk
6 tablespoons sugar
7 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
1 cup heavy cream (optional)
Ground cinnamon, for garnish (optional)
Preparation
Combine the milk, sugar and chocolate in a large saucepan. Heat, stirring frequently, until the chocolate is melted and the mixture comes to a simmer.
Meanwhile, whip the heavy cream to soft peaks. Ladle the hot chocolate into 4 mugs, top with whipped cream and sprinkle lightly with ground cinnamon. 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!
CLASSIC STRAWBERRY SMOOTHIE
This is from MyDailyMoment, and begins, “Whether you've got a busy morning and need a meal on the go, or you're looking for a way to give the kids their morning boost of protein and vitamins, this classic strawberry smoothie is a healthy dish in a cup.”
Yield: For 2 people; Time: 8 minutes.
To view this online, go to https://www.mydailymoment.com/recipes/classic_strawberry_smoothie.php.
Ingredients
8 strawberries, hulled
1/2 cup skim milk
1/2 cup plain yogurt
3 tablespoons white sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
6 ice cubes, crushed
Directions
In a blender combine strawberries, milk, yogurt, sugar and vanilla. Toss in the ice. Blend until smooth and creamy. Pour into glasses and serve.
WATERMELON PUNCH
Years ago, I was a bride’s maid at a friend’s wedding. A friend of the couple held the reception dinner; this punch was served with the hors d’oeuvres. I’ve added ginger ale to the recipe; it’s good either way.
Ingredients
1 watermelon
1 T honey
6 oz. can orange juice, undiluted
2 liter bottle ginger ale
Directions
Put watermelon (excluding rind and seeds) in a blender—and blend. Pour juice through a strainer into a large bowl. Add orange juice and honey, stir, and add ice. Add ginger ale just before serving.
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.
1/2 gallon apple cider
4 – 5 herbal tea bags
Place cider in a large pan or teakettle and bring to a boil. Place herbal tea bags into a large container and pour the boiled cider over the tea bags. Let steep for 15-30 minutes and cool. Very good.
SPICE TEA
I used to make this every year for Christmas presents; it was quite popular. Unfortunately, life got a little hectic...As simple as this is, though, I may be reigniting this as a present!
8 oz loose tea
3 orange rinds/peels
1-1/2 to 2 sticks cinnamon
2 T chopped cloves
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.
I'll post some single-serving drinks in a later post. In the meantime, enjoy!
RUMPLEMAYER’S HOT CHOCOLATE
This is from Molly O’Neill in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Molly wrote, “Hot chocolate is traceable to the Aztecs, who regarded the dark and bitter drink as a sacred brew. The hot cocoa that Columbus offered his patrons tasted “bitter, scummy and peppery,” according to Chantal Coady's account in “The Chocolate Companion,” which explains, no doubt, why they disliked it intensely. Sometime later, Cortez offered the same beverage to Charles V and his courtiers and succeeded in capturing their imagination with the addition, Ms. Coady writes, of some sugar and vanilla. This version, adapted from Rumplemayer's, a now-closed New York restaurant once known for its hot chocolate and pastries, falls into the latter camp; it is rich, sweet and smooth. It calls for real semisweet chocolate (we bet a mix of semisweet and bittersweet would be delightful, too) so there's none of the chalky aftertaste hot cocoa often leaves behind. A dollop of whipped cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon, if you wish, take it over the top.”
Yield: 4 servings; Time: 2 minutes.
This was featured in “Food; Loco for Cocoa,” and can be viewed here.
Ingredients
4 cups milk
6 tablespoons sugar
7 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
1 cup heavy cream (optional)
Ground cinnamon, for garnish (optional)
Preparation
Combine the milk, sugar and chocolate in a large saucepan. Heat, stirring frequently, until the chocolate is melted and the mixture comes to a simmer.
Meanwhile, whip the heavy cream to soft peaks. Ladle the hot chocolate into 4 mugs, top with whipped cream and sprinkle lightly with ground cinnamon. 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!
CLASSIC STRAWBERRY SMOOTHIE
This is from MyDailyMoment, and begins, “Whether you've got a busy morning and need a meal on the go, or you're looking for a way to give the kids their morning boost of protein and vitamins, this classic strawberry smoothie is a healthy dish in a cup.”
Yield: For 2 people; Time: 8 minutes.
To view this online, go to https://www.mydailymoment.com/recipes/classic_strawberry_smoothie.php.
Ingredients
8 strawberries, hulled
1/2 cup skim milk
1/2 cup plain yogurt
3 tablespoons white sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
6 ice cubes, crushed
Directions
In a blender combine strawberries, milk, yogurt, sugar and vanilla. Toss in the ice. Blend until smooth and creamy. Pour into glasses and serve.
WATERMELON PUNCH
Years ago, I was a bride’s maid at a friend’s wedding. A friend of the couple held the reception dinner; this punch was served with the hors d’oeuvres. I’ve added ginger ale to the recipe; it’s good either way.
Ingredients
1 watermelon
1 T honey
6 oz. can orange juice, undiluted
2 liter bottle ginger ale
Directions
Put watermelon (excluding rind and seeds) in a blender—and blend. Pour juice through a strainer into a large bowl. Add orange juice and honey, stir, and add ice. Add ginger ale just before serving.
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.
1/2 gallon apple cider
4 – 5 herbal tea bags
Place cider in a large pan or teakettle and bring to a boil. Place herbal tea bags into a large container and pour the boiled cider over the tea bags. Let steep for 15-30 minutes and cool. Very good.
SPICE TEA
I used to make this every year for Christmas presents; it was quite popular. Unfortunately, life got a little hectic...As simple as this is, though, I may be reigniting this as a present!
8 oz loose tea
3 orange rinds/peels
1-1/2 to 2 sticks cinnamon
2 T chopped cloves
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.
I'll post some single-serving drinks in a later post. In the meantime, enjoy!
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