Greening Austin Daily

Recipe Tuesday – Japanese Tofu Skewers on Soba

31st August, 2010 - Posted by katherine - No Comments

I tried out this vegetarian recipe yesterday for something different.  I had 2 setbacks in making this recipe: 1) I couldn’t find soba noodles at the HEB on Spicewood Springs so I had to use pad thai noodles and 2) I foolishly assumes that of course there would be soy sauce in the pantry, so I didn’t pick any up at the store and it turned out we didn’t have any. That said, it turned out pretty well even without all of the right ingredients, and I would like to try it again with soy sauce and soba noodles. Here are the directions:

Ingredients

• 1/2  cup  reduced-sodium soy sauce
• 1/2  cup  mirin (sweet rice wine)
• 2  tablespoons  toasted sesame oil ( I just used regular sesame oil)
• 10  to 12 ounces nigari tofu, cut into 1-in. cubes (I couldn’t find this either, I just bought “firm” tofu)
• 16  small fresh shiitake mushroom caps (again, not at HEB, so I used regular mushrooms)
• 2  tablespoons  vegetable oil
• 4  green onions, cut into 1 1/2-in. lengths
• 12  ounces  dried soba noodles
• 8  radishes, thinly sliced
• 2/3  cup  reduced-sodium vegetable broth
• 2  teaspoons  wasabi paste
• 1  teaspoon  lemon zest
• 1/4  cup  lemon juice

Preparation

1. Heat grill to medium. ( I grilled mine inside on a cast-iron grill pan)

2. Mix soy sauce, mirin, and sesame oil in a bowl. Add tofu and marinate 10 minutes.

3. Heat a large pot of water to boiling. In a bowl, toss mushrooms in oil to coat.

4. Drain tofu, reserving marinade. Slip cubes onto 4 metal or soaked wooden skewers, alternating with green onions and mushrooms. Thinly slice any leftover onion.

5. Boil noodles in water until al dente, 4 minutes. Drain; rinse well with cold water. Divide noodles among dinner bowls and garnish with radishes and sliced onion.

6. Oil cooking grate, using tongs and a wad of oiled paper towels. Grill tofu skewers, covered, turning once, until lightly browned, 6 to 8 minutes. Set skewers on noodles.

7. Mix marinade with broth, wasabi, lemon zest, and juice and serve on the side.

Recipe Tuesday – Farro and Roasted Acorn Squash

17th August, 2010 - Posted by katherine - No Comments

Last week my husband tried out this new recipe and it turned out really well! We actually saw the recipe on the back of the farro package (farro is a type of grain), but I also have seen the same recipe several places online.  He used acorn squash rather than butternut squash because we had some leftover, and he didn’t use walnut oil, just olive oil.  Here are the ingredients he used:

2 cups farro, rinsed and drained
2 teaspoons fine-grain sea salt
5 cups water (or stock)
3 cups acorn squash, cut into 1/2-inch dice
1 large red onion cut into 1/8ths
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 cup walnuts, deeply toasted
3 tablespoons toasted walnut oil (or more olive oil)
1/4 cup goat cheese, crumbled

And the directions:

Preheat oven to 375.

Combine the farro, salt, and water in a large, heavy saucepan over medium heat. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the farro is tender, 45 minutes to an hour, or about half the time if you are using semi-pearled farro. Taste often as it is cooking, you want it to be toothsome and retain structure. Remove from heat, drain any excess water, and set aside.

While the farro is cooking toss the squash, onion, and thyme with the olive oil, balsamic vinegar and a couple big pinches of salt on a rimmed baking sheet. Arrange in a single layer and place in the oven for about 20 minutes. Toss the squash and onions every 5-7 minutes to get browning on multiple sides. Remove from the oven, let cool a bit, and mince just 1/2 of the red onions.

In a large bowl gently toss the everything (except the goat cheese) with the toasted walnut oil (or olive oil). Taste and add a bit of salt if necessary. Garnish with the goat cheese.

Recipe Tuesday — Mushroom Barley Soup (the Feel Better Soup)

10th August, 2010 - Posted by carsi - No Comments

I made this soup the other day as an alternative to chicken noodle soup when my stomach was a little upset . It was a little bland at first (which was desirable given my tummy ache), but I thought it could use a little something extra so I added some soy sauce, sesame oil, and garlic powder. Although some of the mushrooms had sort of a chewy texture, the soup had an overall hearty, comforting taste and was just the right thing to make me feel better. The recipe is from How to Make Everything: Vegetarian Cooking.

Ingredients:

• 8 cups water
• 1/2 cup pearled barley
• 1/2 cup peeled and roughly chopped carrots
• 1/2 cup peeled and roughly chopped onion
• 1/2 cup peeled and roughly chopped celery
• 1/2 ounce dried porcini mushrooms
• 1/2 pound fresh mushrooms, any kind
• salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup snipped fresh dill, minced chives, or minced parsley leaves

Directions

1. Put the water in a stockpot and bring to a boil. Add the barley, carrots, onion, and celery.
2. Turn the heat to low and partially cover; the mixture should be bubbling, but only a little. Soak the dried mushrooms in warm water to cover until tender (about 10 minutes), and clean, trim, and slice the fresh mushrooms.
3. Strain the soaked mushrooms; reserve their liquid. Add all the mushrooms to the simmering soup. Add the mushroom-soaking liquid to the soup. Simmer the soup for 30-45 minutes more, until the barley and vegetables are tender.
4. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Stir in half the dill, chives, or parsley, then top individual servings with the remaining herb.

Recipe Review – Okra and Green-Pea Curry

3rd August, 2010 - Posted by katherine - No Comments

On Sunday I tried out this new recipe from Food and Wine - “Okra and Green-Pea Curry”.    I had some okra I wanted to use up, and I’ve only ever had okra fried or plain, and wanted to learn to make something different with it.  I thought this turned out pretty well and was very easy to make. I’m not crazy about okra, but I thought the okra went well in this dish because (and this sounds gross) the mucus-ey insides of the okra gave the dish extra thickness.  I served it with buttery vegetable curry from this entry, which is by far one of my favorite vegetarian recipes, and this okra dish didn’t really compare, but it’s probably a lot healthier.

Here are the ingredients and directions from Food and Wine:

• 3 tablespoons cooking oil
• 2 onions, sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
• 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
• 1 cup canned diced tomatoes with their juice (from one 15-ounce can)
• 2 10-ounce packages frozen cut okra, defrosted
• 1 10-ounce package frozen peas
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 3/4 teaspoons salt
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/2 cup chopped cilantro

Directions

1. In a Dutch oven, heat the oil over moderately low heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and ginger and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the fennel seeds, coriander, cumin, turmeric, and cayenne and cook, stirring, for 1 minute longer. Increase the heat to moderate. Add the tomatoes and cook, stirring frequently, until no liquid remains in the pan, about 5 minutes.
2. Add the okra, peas, water, and salt and simmer just until the vegetables are tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in the lemon juice and cilantro. 

Recipe Tuesday — Spicy Quinoa, Cucumber, and Tomato Salad

27th July, 2010 - Posted by carsi - No Comments

My friend Melissa sent me the link to this healthy recipe from the New York Times. I like quinoa recipes (see here and here), and I love pretty much anything with avocado, so I knew this would be a winner. This was a very easy recipe with simple, seasonal ingredients–I found the tomatoes, cucumbers, and jalapeno at the farmer’s market! I didn’t use the onion or cilantro, but the vinegar, jalapeno, and lime juice provided enough flavor to go around. This is a nice summery dish, served hot or cold.

1 cup quinoa

3 cups water

Salt to taste

2 cups diced cucumber

1 small red onion, finely minced (optional)

2 cups finely diced tomatoes

1 to 2 jalapeño or serrano peppers (to taste), seeded if desired and finely chopped

1/2 cup chopped cilantro, plus several sprigs for garnish

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar or sherry vinegar

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 avocado, sliced, for garnish

1. Place the quinoa in a bowl, and cover with cold water. Let sit for five minutes. Drain through a strainer, and rinse until the water runs clear. Bring the 3 cups water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add salt (1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon) and the quinoa. Bring back to a boil, and reduce the heat to low. Cover and simmer 15 minutes or until the quinoa is tender and translucent; each grain should have a little thread. Drain off the water in the pan through a strainer, and return the quinoa to the pan. Cover the pan with a clean dishtowel, replace the lid and allow to sit for 10 minutes. If making for the freezer, uncover and allow to cool, then place in plastic bags. Flatten the bags and seal.

2. Meanwhile, place the finely diced cucumber in a colander, and sprinkle with salt. Toss and allow to sit for 15 minutes. Rinse the cucumber with cold water, and drain on paper towels. If using the onion, place in a bowl and cover with cold water. Let sit for five minutes, then drain, rinse with cold water and drain on paper towels.

3. Combine the tomatoes, chiles, cilantro, vinegar, lime juice and olive oil in a bowl. Add the cucumber and onion, season to taste with salt, and add the quinoa and cilantro. Toss together, and taste and adjust seasonings. Serve garnished with sliced avocado and cilantro sprigs.

yum

Recipe Tuesday – Broccoli Enchiladas

20th July, 2010 - Posted by katherine - No Comments

Last week I tried another recipe from my vegetarian cookbook and it turned out pretty well – how can anything with a lot of cheddar cheese not turn out well though?  I modified the recipe slightly.

Ingredients:

• 4 1/2 cups broccoli heads
• 8oz ricotta
• 1 garlic clove, diced
• 6-8 tbsp Parmesan cheese
• 1 1/2 c cheddar cheese
• 6 flour tortillas
• 1 cup veggie bouillon
• 1 jalapeño  pepper, diced

Directions:

• Bring a pan of salted  to a boil and blanch broccoli for 1 minute, then rinse in cold water and drain
• Cut off stems and peel broccoli and dice the remaining heads
• mix broccoli with garlic, pepper, ricotta, cumin, and half of remaining cheeses
• fill tortillas with mixture, rolling them up and arrange in oven-proof dish. Top with remaining cheese and bake in preheated oven at 375 for 30 minutes

Recipe Tuesday–Lentil Patties with Creamy Lime Dressing

13th July, 2010 - Posted by carsi - No Comments

I had some leftover lentils from when I made lentil hummus a few weeks ago, so I was happy to find this lentil patty recipe on one of the green blogs I read. I didn’t know it when I started the recipe, but the end product is a lot like a veggie burger. My patties didn’t stay together very well, so I think adding some more egg to the mixture might keep them together and make it easier to fry ‘em up. Other than that, the dish turned out great and had a meaty texture and a little bit of spice from the jalapeno. The sauce was really strong on the lime flavor, but in small amounts it added the right amount of tang. Served with a salad and some potatoes on the side, it was a really hearty meal.

1 Tbs olive oil
1 jalapeno, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 small onion, chopped (about 1/4 cup)
1 carrot, peeled and cut into a small dice
1 cup cooked lentils
1 egg + egg white, beaten
2 Tbs cilantro, chopped
1/4 cup breadcrumbs
1 Tbs + 1 tsp cumin, divided
2 limes, juiced
4 Tbs reduced fat sour cream
salt to taste

1. Heat the oil in a large skillet or frying pan. Sauté the jalapeno, garlic, onion, and carrot until they are soft, about 3 minutes. Add the cooked vegetable mixture to a large bowl and mix in the lentils, egg, cilantro, breadcrumbs, and 1 Tbs cumin. The mixture should be pretty wet and a little sticky.

2. Drop tablespoon sized portions of the lentil mixture into your frying pan over medium-high heat and press down gently with a spatula. Cook for about 2 minutes or until the bottom has browned and formed a thin crust. Flip and cook for another 2 minutes.

3. Whisk together the lime juice, sour cream, 1 tsp cumin, and salt to taste. Drizzle dressing over top of the patties, or serve separately.

photo via healthy.delicious.

Recipe Tuesday – Black Bean Burgers

6th July, 2010 - Posted by katherine - No Comments

Yesterday my husband tried a new recipe from Food and Wine by Laurence Jossel that turned out really well.  Check out the link for all the details as well as a sauce recipe for the burgers!

My husband followed the recipe exactly and served the burgers with lettuce (from our garden!) and tomato.  They were really delicious and worth all the prep that went into them.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 1/4 cups dried black beans, rinsed and picked over, then soaked for 4 hours and drained
• Kosher salt
• 3 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/3 cup farro
• 1 small onion, finely diced
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 cup coarse fresh bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup chopped basil
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• Vegetable oil, for sautéing
• 8 toasted buns

DIRECTIONS

1. In a saucepan, cover the beans with 2 inches of water. Simmer over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 1 hour; add water as needed to keep the beans covered by 2 inches. When the beans are tender, season them with salt and let stand for 5 minutes; drain.
2. Meanwhile, in a saucepan, heat 1/2 tablespoon of the olive oil. Add the farro and cook over moderately high heat, stirring, 2 minutes. Add 1 1/2 cups of water and a pinch of salt and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer until the grains are al dente, 30 minutes.
3. In a small skillet, heat the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the diced onion and cook over moderate heat until softened. Add the crushed red pepper and garlic and cook until fragrant, 2 minutes.
4. In a food processor, pulse all but 1/2 cup of the beans to a chunky puree; transfer to a bowl. Fold in the remaining 1/2 cup of beans, the farro, the onion mixture, eggs, bread crumbs, basil, cilantro, pepper and 1 teaspoon of salt. Form the mixture into 8 patties. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
5. In a large, nonstick skillet, heat 1/8 inch of vegetable oil. Add the burgers and cook over moderate heat, turning once, until browned and heated through, about 6 minutes.

They didn’t stay together very easily while they were being cooked, so you have to be gentle, but he had about a 50% success rate at keeping them intact, and the ones that fell apart a little were still good.  I forgot to take a picture at dinner last night, but the pic from Food and Wine is a little more appetizing anyway:

Recipe Tuesday – Peach Trifle

29th June, 2010 - Posted by katherine - No Comments

Usually we like to show off a vegetarian recipe on Tuesdays, but for something different we thought we would share a dessert and some tips for “greening” this recipe.  This year is supposed to be the best in several years for Texas peaches (see this Statesman article) and local and/or organic peaches are plentiful in the stores now.  You can do small things to further “green” this recipe, aside from buying local and/or organic peaches – just switching out one ingredient for organic (like trying out organic butter or organic cream cheese  (not a big price difference from non-organic) or buying organic eggs (more of a cost difference than conventional eggs)) makes a difference. You could also probably try out whole wheat flower or some sugar substitute, but I’ve not tried that myself.

This is from Martha Stewart and when I made it for a potluck, people really loved it.  Here is the original recipe, but I would change a few things if I made it again (more peaches, lemon mousse was too much work), so my ingredients are slightly different, plus I used this recipe for the pound cake, which was the highlight of the trifle:

Ingredients for peaches and whipped cream:

• 10-16 local Texas peaches, halved, pitted, and cut into 1/2-inch wedges. (I used 8 small peaches and it wasn’t enough, but if you have large ones, 8 may be plenty)
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 3 cups organic heavy cream
• powdered sugar (optional)

Ingredients for cake:

• 1 (8 ounce) package organic cream cheese
• 1 1/2 cups organic butter
• 3 cups white sugar
• 6 eggs, organic, cage free
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions for cake:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (160 degrees C) grease and flour a 10 inch tube pan.
2. In a large bowl, cream butter and cream cheese until smooth. Add sugar gradually and beat until fluffy.
3. Add eggs two at a time, beating well with each addition. Add the flour all at once and mix in. Add vanilla.
4. Pour into a 10 inch tube pan. Bake at 325 degrees F (160 degrees C) for 1 hour and 20 minutes. Check for doneness at 1 hour. A toothpick inserted into center of cake will come out clean.

Directions for peaches and layering:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Toss fruit with sugar. Roast fruit on 2 rimmed baking sheets, rotating their positions halfway through, until caramelized and juicy, 15 to 17 minutes. Transfer to a bowl, with juices. Let cool slightly.
• Whisk cream until soft peaks form. Add powedered sugar to taste.
• Layer a third of the cake in the bottom of a 12-cup bowl. Cover with a third of the whipped cream. Spoon a third of the roasted fruit over whipped cream. Repeat twice with remaining cake, whipped cream, and fruit. Refrigerate trifle at least 2 hours or up to 1 day. Enjoy!

Recipe Tuesday – Turkish Kabobs

22nd June, 2010 - Posted by katherine - No Comments

This is another recipe adapted from my vegetarian cookbook.  It was very easy to make and it a nice light lunch – probably not enough for dinner by itself though.

Ingredients for kabobs:

• 1 eggplant
• 1 green bell pepper
• 6 roma tomatoes or plum tomatoes
• 1 onion
• 1 zucchini
• 1 lemon

Directions:

• cut veggies into chunks and put on skewers. Brush lightly with olive oil and grill on medium heat, turning frequently.

Sauce

Ingredients:

• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 and 1/2 cup of chick peas, smashed with a potato masher
• 1 cup of plain yogurt
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp chili powder
• lemon juice
• salt and pepper

Directions:

• stir in yogurt, spices, onion, and garlic. Season to taste with lemon juice, salt, and pepper.  Cover with plastic wrap and chill until ready to serve.  When kabobs are ready, gently heat the sauce and serve.

Recipe Tuesdays–Homemade Vegetable Broth

15th June, 2010 - Posted by carsi - 3 Comments

I have wanted to try making my own vegetable broth for a long time now, for several reasons. First, it’s so cheap! It saves you from buying the packaged kind over and over again. And I use veggie broth in tons of recipes so this saves me a lot of money. Second, it’s really green! It reuses vegetable scraps and it avoids all that packaging from buying from the store. And finally, it’s really easy and tastes great.

So, the process. It’s really up to you what all you want to put in there. I used this recipe as a guide, but I saved up vegetable scraps in my freezer for several weeks, so I had all kinds of veggies–brussels sprouts, kale, collard greens, onions, carrots, tomato, garlic, broccoli, etc. I don’t even remember what all I put in there. And it doesn’t have to be the parts of the vegetable you would normally eat–onion and garlic skins, tomato tops, carrot peels, and broccoli and kale stems are all perfectly acceptable. Make sure it’s clean and not the bad/rotten parts of the veggie, and it’s good to go! Once you’ve saved up enough vegetables, all you have to do is add some olive oil to the bottom of a large pot, chop everything up (if it’s not already), and throw it all in there. Cover with water and simmer for about an hour. Add some soy sauce and/or sesame oil and/or salt to taste (I used all three) and let it simmer for another 20-30 mins. Strain, pour the broth into containers, and place them in your freezer. The broth should be good for about a week in your fridge and a couple months in the freezer. So simple!

Photo via veganyumyum

Recipe Tuesday – Margherita Pizza

8th June, 2010 - Posted by katherine - No Comments

Margherita pizza refers to a pizza that has fresh basil, sliced tomatoes, and mozzarella cheese on it. It was first made in honour of a visit to Naples by the Queen of Italy, Queen Margherita, and has the colors of the Italian flag.  I like to make it as a fun, filling, vegetarian meal that I know my husband will enjoy even though it is meatless. It’s pretty straightforward but what I’ve found to be really good is to buy some naan (Indian bread) at HEB and use those to make little personal pizzas. They are about $3 for 2 breads, and they made a nice and easy pizza crust. Look for them near the deli with a pita bread.

To make these tasty little guys, all you need is some fresh basil leaves, some fresh mozzarella (I like to buy the kind that comes in liquid, but you can also use shredded), olive oil, salt and paper, garlic, and of course the naan.  I like to drizzle the naan with olive oil and then add some minced garlic, then add the tomatoes, then the cheese, and finally the basil with salt and pepper. Just follow the directions on the naan packaging for baking, and in less than 10 minutes you have a very delicious and meatless dinner.

Making Popsicles

4th June, 2010 - Posted by katherine - No Comments

One of my favorite sites I like to check, Design Sponge, had a post today about DIY popsicles that sounds fun and tasty.  The poster, Ashley writes, “Homemade, using fresh ingredients and no additives, DIY popsicles offer a quick, cheap, easy, and delicious solution to the dog days of summer. There’s also no packaging or waste to dispose of afterward, making made-from-scratch popsicles an environmentally conscientious delight, as well.”

It’s definitely greener than buying popsicles from the store that have so much wasteful packaging, plus you don’t have to worry about any weird additives or corn syrup being snuck in.  (You could probably even reuse the wooden craft sticks so long as you wash them well and let them air dry!) Check out the post for the recipe for three flavors: Coco Loco, Raspberry Creamsicle and Lemon-Lime Ginger Pop.

Recipe Tuesday–Swiss Chard, Beet, and Goat Cheese Empanadas

1st June, 2010 - Posted by carsi - No Comments

I got a Greenling box last week, and there were a bunch of fun veggies in it, like beets and swiss chard. I like using up more than one vegetable in a recipe, so I just googled a few of the veggies I had and found this tasty recipe. Click over there to see beautiful pictures (that I could never hope to duplicate) of this recipe–they definitely made me want to make it! I’ve never attempted empanadas before, but it wasn’t too difficult, even though it does take a bit more effort than your standard dump and stir recipe. I couldn’t find any pre-made empanada discs, so I just used some pastry dough from Whole Foods, and it turned out really flaky and buttery and delicious. For the goat cheese, I used the local Cheesy Girl brand, also found at WF, in the Italian herbs flavor. The woman who invented this recipe recommends making a sauce for the empanadas, but I think the goat cheese I used was enough added flavor. I had extra filling at the end, and it was good enough to eat on its own. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

12 medium size or 20 small empanada discs (use homemade empanada dough for baking or store bought)

4 small beets, peeled, boiled until tender and diced

1 bunch of swiss chard, chopped

1 cup crumbled goat cheese

½ white onion, sliced

2 tbs olive oil

2 garlic cloves, crushed

1 tbs finely chopped fresh oregano

1 egg, yolk and white separated and lightly whisked

Salt to taste

Serve with: Spicy mint crème fraiche sauce

Preparation:

1. Heat the oil and sauté the onions and garlic for 3 minutes.
2. Add the chopped swiss chard and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Remove from the heat, cool down and mix with the diced beets, crumbled goat cheese and chopped oregano.
4. To assemble the empanadas spoon the stuffing on to the center of each empanada disc.
5. Brush the inside edges of the empanada discs with the egg whites, this is will help them seal better and keep the filling from leaking while baking .
6. Fold the empanada discs and seal the edges, use a fork to help seal the empanadas.
7. Lightly brush the top of the empanadas with the egg yolk; this will give a nice golden glow when they bake.
8. Chill the empanadas for at least 30 minutes, this will help them seal better and prevent leaks.
9. Pre-heat the oven to 400 F and bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden.
10. Serve warm.

Recipe Tuesday – Leek and Tomato Timbales

25th May, 2010 - Posted by katherine - No Comments

I also got this recipe from my vegetarian cookbook that I wrote about in my last recipe.  After the last recipe I made, I had a lot of leek leftover and wanted to find an easy recipe that would use some of it up, and found this one:

Ingredients:

• 3 oz angle hair pasta
• 2 tbs butter
• 1 tbs olive oil
• 1 large leek, sliced finely
• 2 oz sun-dried tomatoes (I didn’t have these, and substituted 1 diced roma tomato and it came out fine)
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1/3 cup light cream
• 1 tbs finely grated Parmesan

Directions:

1. Cook pasta about 3 minutes, to al dente; drain and rinse in cold water
2. Heat butter and oil in skillet, add leek and gently cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the tomato and oregano and cook for 2 minutes, then remove from heat
3. Add the leek to to pasta, and stir in eggs, cream, and cheese. Season. Divide between 4 greased ramekin dishes.
4. Place dishes in roasting pan with enough warm water to come halfway up their sides. Bake in preheated oven at 350 for 30 minutes.
5. Remove by loosening with small knife around edges of ramekin and then turn out.  I served them with one 14 oz can of diced tomatoes I had warmed in a small skillet with some sautéed onions and garlic, and I topped them with some more cheese.

Recipe Tuesday — Roasted Squash with Quinoa Salad

18th May, 2010 - Posted by carsi - 1 Comment

I know I’ve already posted a quinoa recipe, but it’s such a wonderful, healthy vegetarian food that I’m going ahead and posting another one. Quinoa is considered to be a miracle food because it is a complete protein, provides eight essential amino acids, and is a good source of fiber and iron. It’s also really versatile, easy to cook, delicious, and filling. My stepmom made the following recipe as a vegetarian option on Easter, and I had a lot of leftovers to take home with me. The filling was good on its own, hot or cold, which made for easy leftover lunches.

Not the best picture, but here’s the final product

Ingredients

1. 2 Delicata squash (about 1 pound each), halved lengthwise and seeded
2. 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3. Salt and freshly ground pepper
4. 1 cup quinoa
5. 2 tablespoons golden raisins
6. 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
7. 1 teaspoon honey
8. 1 Granny Smith apple, finely diced
9. 1 large shallot, minced
10. 1 garlic clove, minced
11. 2 tablespoons chopped mint
12. 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
13. 2 ounces arugula (2 cups)

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°. Brush the cut sides of the squash with 1 teaspoon of the olive oil and season the cavities with salt and pepper. Place the squash cut side down on a baking sheet and roast for about 45 minutes, until tender.
2. Meanwhile, in a saucepan, bring 2 cups of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the quinoa, cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in the raisins and simmer, covered, until the water is absorbed, about 5 minutes. Transfer the quinoa to a large bowl and let cool.
3. In a small bowl, whisk the vinegar and honey with the remaining 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Add the dressing to the quinoa along with the apple, shallot, garlic, mint and parsley and toss well. Add the arugula and toss gently.
4. Set the squash halves on plates. Fill with the salad and serve.

Recipe Tuesday – Lentil Roast

11th May, 2010 - Posted by katherine - 1 Comment

This was a filling and tasty vegetarian meal I found in “1000 Vegetarian Recipes from Around the World,” a book I got several years ago in the clearance section of Barnes and Nobles.  It didn’t come out of the pan very easily for me, but I think that’s due in part because I forgot to try and loosen the loaf with a spatula before turning in onto a plate.  It was very healthy tasting and I would definitely make it again.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups red lentils
• 2 cups vegetable bouillon
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tbsp butter
• 2 tbsp bread crumbs
• 2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese
• 1 leek, finely chopped
• 2 cups white mushrooms, finely chopped
• 1 1/2 cups bread crumbs
• 2 tbsp chopped parsley
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten

Directions:

• Put the lentils, bay leaf, and bouillon in a pan. Bring to a boil, cover, and let simmer for 15-20 minutes, until liquid is absorbed and lentils have softened.  Discard bay leaf.
• Base-line a loaf pan with baking parchment.   Grease with butter and sprinkle with 2 tbsp of bread crumbs.
• Stir cheese, leek, mushrooms, bread crumbs, and parsley with lentils.
• Add lemon juice and eggs. Season with salt and pepper. Spoon into loaf pan and press down top.
• Bake in preheated oven for 375 and bake for about 1 hour, until golden.
• Loosen the loaf with a spatula and turn onto a plate.

It tasted better than it looks – promise!

Recipe Tuesday–Green Lentil Hummus

4th May, 2010 - Posted by carsi - 4 Comments

Hummus is a tasty and versatile way to add a bit of protein to a meal or snack–I usually spread it on a sandwich, dip pita or crackers into it, or use it as a veggie dip. I have never made my own, though, which was a mistake because this was really simple to make, and I have been eating off of it for days. This recipe uses green lentils instead of the traditional chickpeas, and it resulted in a nice little spin on your standard hummus. I got the recipe from Food and Wine, and I traded out the chicken stock for vegetable broth.

Ingredients

1. 3 cups vegetable broth
2. 1 cup green lentils (about 6 ounces)
3. 1 bay leaf
4. 3 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
5. 1/4 cup tahini
6. 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
7. 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
8. 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
9. 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
10. Salt
11. Cayenne pepper
12. Sweet paprika, for sprinkling
13. Pita chips, sliced fennel and red bell pepper strips, for serving

Lots of hummus

Recipe Tuesday – Baked Penne with Roasted Vegetables

27th April, 2010 - Posted by katherine - No Comments

This is a good recipe if you are having a lot of people over – it’s very easy to make and very filling for a vegetarian dish.

Here are the directions from the food network:

Ingredients

• 2 red peppers, cored and cut into 1-inch wide strips
• 2 zucchini, quartered lengthwise and cut into 1-inch cubes
• 2 summer squash, quartered lengthwise and cut into 1-inch cubes
• 4 cremini mushrooms, halved
• 1 yellow onion, peeled and sliced into 1-inch strips
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon salt, divided
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
• 1 tablespoon dried Italian herb mix or herbs de Provence
• 1 pound penne pasta
• 3 cups marinara sauce (store bought or homemade)
• 1 cup grated fontina cheese
• 1/2 cup grated smoked mozzarella
• 1 1/2 cups frozen peas, thawed
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan, plus 1/3 cup for topping
• 2 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces