Creative Vegetarian Recipes

Easy & Tasty Asparagus Recipe!

2010-02-15T07:34:00.000-08:00

To me there is nothing better than a recipe which is easy to prepare and tastes yummy! Not only did this recipe satisfy my vegetarian daughter but my carnivore hubby enjoyed it as well! This is one of those versatile healthy recipes where you could substitute other veges for the asparagus!

Asparagus Quesadillas

ASPARAGUS FILLING:

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large red onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
1 pound asparagus spears, trimmed, cut into 2" pieces, and lightly steamed
6 cherry tomatoes, quartered
1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro

QUESADILLA:
6 flour tortillas
1/2 cup shredded monterey jack cheese
1 cup green or red salsa
6 cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered
1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro

Directions

1. To make the asparagus filling: In a large nonstick skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 to 4 minutes, or until softened. Add the garlic, chili powder, cumin, cinnamon, and pepper. Stir for 1 minute.

2. Add the asparagus, tomatoes, and cilantro. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes, or until the flavors are blended. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl.

3. To assemble the quesadillas: Divide the asparagus filling among the tortillas, positioning it on one half of each. Sprinkle with the Monterey Jack. Fold the tortillas in half.

4. Clean the skillet and coat it with cooking spray. Heat over medium-high heat. Add 2 tortillas and cook for 2 minutes per side, or until golden. Press with a spatula to flatten slightly. Repeat with the remaining tortillas.

5. To serve, cut each quesadilla in half and top with the salsa, tomatoes, and cilantro.

Sweet Potato Latkes

2009-12-11T17:58:00.000-08:00

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Sweet Potato Latkes

2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and grated
2 - 3 tbsp onion, grated
1 egg
2 - 3 tbsp matzo meal
salt to taste
vegetable oil for frying

Directions

Mix all of the ingredients, except the oil, in a large bowl. If the mixture is too wet, add more matzo meal.

In a large skillet, heat oil until quite hot. Take a handful of the potato mixture and make a patty in your hands. Slip the patty into the oil and let it cook over a medium-high heat until it is crispy, about 3 minutes. Continue placing patties into the oil until the pan is full, but there is still room to turn them over. With a spatula, gently turn the latke over and cook until it is crispy and cooked through, another 3 or so minutes.

Drain on a paper towel. Continue cooking in batches, if necessary until all the potato mixture is cooked. Serve immediately.

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Latkes or Potato Pancakes

2009-12-11T17:48:00.000-08:00

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Ingredients
2 cups potato, cubed
3 Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and shredded
1 onion, shredded
2 eggs
3 tablespoons matzo meal
1 teaspoon kosher salt
6 tablespoons vegetable oil

Directions
1.Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add potatoes and cook until tender but still firm, about 15 minutes. Drain, cool and mash.

2.In a medium bowl, mix shredded Yukon Gold potatoes, mashed potatoes and onion. Add in eggs, matzo meal and salt; mix well.

3.Feel consistency of the dough; mixture should hold together without being sticky. If it sticks to your hands, add more matzo meal until dough is no longer sticky.

4.In a large skillet over medium heat, warm enough oil or butter or margarine to cover 1/4 inch of the skillet.

5.When hot, drop mixture by heaping tablespoon to oil; flatten with a spatula and cook on both sides until golden brown. Serve.

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A Thanksgiving Side Dish

2009-11-15T07:18:00.000-08:00

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This side dish not only tastes yummy, it helps to add color to the beauty of the bountiful Thanksgiving spread. Food always seems tastier when it's arranged like a beautiful painting on the dining table. I love how the colors and textures all blend to make a delicious eye pleasing treat to eat!

Five- Minute
Cranberry Sauce

8 oz sweetened, dried cranberries (about 2 c)
1/2 C orange juice
1/4 C water
1/4 C chopped ripe mango

Directions
Puree cranberries with orange juice and water in food processor
until cranberries are almost smooth but still retain some texture,
1 to 2 minutes. Then stir in mango.

Recipe Tips
You can serve this immediately, or make it up to
5 days ahead and add the mango the day before.
It's good either chilled or at room temperature.

Recipe Notes
Mellow mango sets off tart cranberries in this fresh, fast relish

Baked Acorn Squash

2009-09-25T03:50:00.000-07:00

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When the summer is at an end and the crisp fall air is sending chills through your bones it is a perfect time to turn on the oven and warm up the house. I especially love recipes which use the harvest vegetables of the Autumn season and give off aromas that tantilize ones sense of smell.

This acorn squash recipe is something you can fix for an everyday meal or use to dress up a fancy dinner!

Ingredients:
Acorn Squash
Maple Syrup
Walnuts
Butter or Margarine

Preparation:
Cut an acorn squash in half. Remove seeds and fiber. Place squash cut sides up in an ungreased baking pan. Spoon one tablespoon maple syrup and 1/2 tablespoon butter or margarine into each half. Sprinkle with walnuts and bake in a 350 degree oven for approximately one hour or until the squash is tender.

Lassi a Tasty Drink to Calm the Spices

2009-09-05T12:35:00.000-07:00

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Lassi is a sweet Indian drink made from yogurt - it's perfect for cooling your mouth while eating spicy food.

Since my cooking has evolved into making more vegetarian dishes there has been an increase in the spices I use. It seems quite a few dishes I prepare have a little kick to them. We've found this drink to be useful for cooling the taste buds off as well as having plenty of nutrients and tasty too!

INGREDIENTS

2 c plain yogurt
1 c milk or water
2 T sugar
20 ice cubes

DIRECTIONS

Bowl: Pour yogurt into bowl and whisk until smooth. Gradually whisk in milk, then sugar. Add ice cubes and stir until somewhat melted. Pour into glasses and serve.
or
Blender: Process all the ingredients together then strain into glasses.

Variations

Mango Lassi
1 c yogurt
1 c mango, peeled and chopped
2 T powdered sugar
10 ice cubes

Banana Lassi
1 c yogurt
1 banana, peeled and sliced
2 T powdered sugar
10 ice cubes

A College Visit Vegetarian Gift

2009-08-30T05:59:00.000-07:00

You know summer is ending when the nights become cool and crisp. Another sign of Autumn being in the air is the use of the oven and the aromatic aromas filling every corner of your humble abode. The last sign is your college bound student leaving to go live in their dorms/campus apartments and ones head filling with worries if their child is eating well.

What I do is take the opportunity of an occassion to go visit them and bring some homemade goodies. One of my favorite treats in the fall is making an Eggplant dish. This year I'm going to bring this Eggplant Rollatini dish and we will see how fast the young adults clean their plates.

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Ingredients
2 large eggplants (3 pounds total)
salt
1 c fresh mozzarella, grated or chopped
1 c goat cheese, crumbled
2 green onions, thinly sliced OR bunch of chives, chopped
2 t thyme or rosemary, minced
pepper
grilled tomato sauce (make this while the rollatini bake)
olive oil

Directions
hinly slice (1/3-inch) the eggplant, arrange on trays, sprinkle with salt, flip, and repeat. Let sit for one hour, the rinse well and pat dry.
Meanwhile, combine cheese, green onions, thyme, and a dash of pepper.

Brush each slice of eggplant with a bit of oil and fry over medium heat a minute or two until tender, flip, and repeat. Stack each finished slice on a plate as you fry the rest.

Lightly oil the baking dish and preheat the oven to 400.

Place one or two tablespoons of filling at the end of each piece, roll into a tube, place in baking dish, and use a toothpick to keep it from unraveling. Repeat with remaining eggplant slices and filling, and arrange the finished rolls in a single layer in the dish. Cover with aluminum foil and bake about 25 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare the tomato sauce.

To serve, spread a bit of sauce on each plate, top with 2 or 3 rollatini, remove the toothpicks, and enjoy!

Meatless Sausage Rolls?

2009-08-23T10:45:00.000-07:00

Have you ever cooked for a crowd with both carnivores and herbivores eating side by side? It can be an interesting site with the carnivore stating how they won't eat anything that's just made from vegetables. Now you can fool the meateater with this recipe for Vegetarian Sausage Rolls. Don't tell them there is no meat inside these delicious rolls until they have eaten one and stated how much they like them!

Vegetarian Sausage Rolls

35 min | 20 min prep

30 party size rolls

1 cup low fat cottage cheese
1/2 cup pecans
3 eggs
1 onion, chopped
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 cup quick-cooking oat
1/2 cup dry breadcrumbs
3 sheets puff pastry
1 tablespoon milk

Place cottage cheese, pecans, eggs, onion and soya sauce in food processor and process until fine. Transfer mixture to large bowl, add oats and breadcrumbs. Mix well.

Cut pastry sheets in half, spoon mixture down edge of each strip or place filling in piping bag without a nozzle and pipe down one side of pastry. Brush other edge with milk. Roll to enclose filling with pastry, repeat with remaining pastry sheets.
Cut each roll into 5 even lengths. Place on lightly greased oven tray, brush with milk and prick with fork.

Bake in hot oven, 200°C, for 10-15 minutes or until crisp and golden.

Barbecued Fruit

2009-07-22T06:14:00.000-07:00

Oh and you thought fruit was only cooked in pies? Well look again you can now barbecue fruit on a skewer and it comes out very tasty. I remember the first time my daughter came home from her friends house and told us she had peaches cooked on the grill. We thought she was crazy but as usually I'm game for anything and grilled some peaches to only find out how delicious they are hot from the barbecue!

Below you will find a recipe for the best way to barbecue fruit. I've found putting fruit on skewers and cooking kebab style leaves the fruit. This style of cooking renders delicious results, especially when slightly marinated in an alcoholic sugar syrup, so that the outside of the fruit pieces caramelise.

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Ingredients

pineapple, cubed
apple, cubed
pear, cubed
melon, cubed
strawberries, whole
mango, cubed
grapes, whole

Marinade

75g / 3oz sugar
60ml / 4tbsp water
liqueur (any)

Method

1. Thread alternative fruit pieces onto skewers.

2. In a medium pan gently heat the sugar and water until all the sugar has dissolved, and the syrup has thickened slightly.

3. Allow to cool before adding the liqueur of your choice.

4. Brush the fruit with the marinade and leave to one side to enable the flavours to develop.

5. Before barbecuing, brush the kebabs once again with the marinade.

6. Barbecue over the grill, turning frequently, until the outside of the fruit begins to caramelise.

Grilled Tofu and Sauteed Asian Greens

2009-07-13T03:42:00.000-07:00

My family likes Asian food and foods that tend to have a little kick. This is a tasty recipe which can be done on the barbecue and adds flavor to that outdoor summer dinner party.

INGREDIENTS

1 (14-ounce) block firm tofu, drained
1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
1 teaspoon Asian sesame oil
1 1/2 teaspoons packed dark brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons finely grated peeled fresh ginger
1 small garlic clove, minced
1/4 teaspoon Tabasco or dried hot red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
2 (5-ounce) bags Asian greens or baby spinach

PREPARATION

Cut tofu crosswise into 6 slices. Arrange in 1 layer on a triple layer of paper towels and top with another triple layer of towels. Weight with a shallow baking pan or baking sheet and let stand 2 minutes. Repeat weighting with dry paper towels 2 more times.

Stir together soy sauce, sesame oil, brown sugar, ginger, garlic, Tabasco, and 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a glass pie plate. Add tofu slices in 1 layer and marinate, turning over every couple of minutes, 8 minutes total.

Heat a lightly oiled well-seasoned ridged grill pan over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking. Lift tofu from marinade with a slotted spatula (reserve marinade) and grill, turning over once carefully with spatula, until grill marks appear and tofu is heated through, 4 to 6 minutes total.

While tofu grills, heat remaining teaspoon vegetable oil in a 12-inch skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sauté greens, tossing with tongs, until beginning to wilt. Add reserved marinade and sauté, tossing, until greens are just wilted, about 1 minute. Lift greens from skillet with tongs, letting excess marinade drip off, and divide between 2 plates.

Serve greens with tofu slices.

I've used a well oiled vegetable basket to cook the tofu on an outdoor grill.

Not Just Another Eggplant Recipe

2009-07-06T04:53:00.000-07:00

This is another easy to prepare eggplant dish for the grill. It always amazes me how tasty such simple grilled dishes can be. When doing summer entertaining I like to prepare recipes which take minimal time. This gives me more time to enjoy my guests & the beautiful day outdoors.

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Thai Style Vegetarian Grilled Eggplant Recipe
Ingredients:

3 cloves garlic
2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
1 onion
2 tsp brown sugar
2 tbsp lime juice
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
2 eggplants

Preparation:
In a food processor or blender, process the garlic, cilantro, onion, sugar, lime juice and basil, adding more liquid as needed.
Slice the eggplant in thick, flat slices and place on grill, basting with the garlic, onions and herbs mixture, reserving half of the mixture.

Allow eggplants to grill for about 15 minutes, or until done.

Top with remining onion and herb mix and serve hot.

Tasty Grilled Eggplant Recipes

2009-07-06T04:32:00.000-07:00

Eggplant is not just limited to Parmigiana style, it can be prepared in so many different ways. One of my favorite and easiest is barbecue Eggplant. This dish made a big hit with my summer guests last year and it was so easy to prepare.

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Barbecue Eggplant with Tomatoe & Basil

1/4 cup olive oil
1 garlic clove, crushed
salt and ground black pepper, to taste
1 medium eggplant, cut into 1/4 inch-thick slices
2 ripe tomatoes, sliced
4 little fresh mozzarella cheese balls , sliced
1/3 cup basil leaves

Preheat a greased barbecue on medium-high. Combine oil,
garlic and salt and pepper in a small bowl. Brush both sides of
eggplant with oil. Barbecue eggplant for 3 minutes on
each side or until tender.
To assemble; place eggplant slices on serving plates. Top evenly with
tomatoes, mozzarella and basil leaves. Season with salt and
pepper.

You can serve this with toasted bread or just eat as a side dish to your meal.

Summer Breeze, Sunshine & Barbecuing

2009-07-03T10:46:00.000-07:00

It's funny how ignorant people can be. They hear the word vegetarian and they think the barbecue season seizes to exist for a non-meat eater. Shame on those naysayers! Over the next few weeks Chef Mom will be sharing vegetarian recipes for the barbecue. This week will hit off the barbecue season celebration with a basic recipe for the grill.

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Summer Marinated Grilled Vegetables

Ingredients

1 pound Eggplant, sliced
4 Summer Squash, cut lengthwise
2 Zucchini, cut lengthwise
2 Patty Pan Squash
1 tablespoon Kosher Salt
3 large Ripe Tomatoes, cut in 1/2 think rounds
1 Yellow Bell Pepper, seeded, deveined,
1 Red Bell Pepper, seeded, deveined,
1 Red Onion, peeled, sliced into 1/2" thick rounds
1 cup coarsely chopped Basil
2 cups Marinade

Marinade:

1/3 cup Red Wine
1/3 cup Olive Oil
2 Cloves Garlic, minced
1 tablespoon grated Orange Rind
1/2 cup minced Sage Leaves
1/4 cup minced Rosemary
1 tablespoon Black Peppercorns, crushed

Preparation:

Marinade:

Combine all marinade ingredients in glass bowl. Refrigerate in an air tight container for up to 3 days.

Vegetables:

Trim and wash all vegetables. Cut eggplant, squash, zucchini, in 2" rounds or lengthwise.

Place eggplant, zucchini and squash in a colander. Add salt. Toss and allow to drain for 30 minutes. Rinse, pat dry, and place into a casserole dish. Add remaining vegetables and basil. Cover with marinade. Refrigerate at least 8 hours. Grill directly over medium coals until tender, about 5 minutes each side

(Serves 6)

Entering the Season of Fresh Basil

2009-06-22T16:36:00.000-07:00

I love this time of year when my garden is blooming. There are nights when the garden's fresh herbs and vegetable determine what's on the dinner plate. I love using fresh basil in my summer cooking. It can be used in many different ways. One of our family favorites is making pesto sauce which we use on pizza, pasta and preparing snacks. One of the favorite snacks is taking toasted french bread and spreading pesto topped with a slice of fresh mozzarella and a clove of roasted garlic.

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Fresh Pesto Sauce

INGREDIENTS (Nutrition)3 cups fresh basil leaves
1 1/2 cups chopped walnuts
4 cloves garlic, peeled
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS
In a food processor, blend together basil leaves, nuts, garlic, and cheese. Pour in oil slowly while still mixing. Stir in salt and pepper.

Do you like spicey things?

2009-06-17T14:56:00.000-07:00

This dish is for the ex-meateater who misses their hot spicey chicken wings. Now don't worry it isn't made with chicken. This recipe uses tofu as the other white meat :) and it's yummy and healthier to eat.

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Buffalo Tofu "Wings"

Ingredients (use vegan versions):

12 ounce block of extra firm tofu
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon "chicken style" boullion granules
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
2 tablespoons canola oil
1/2 cup plain, unsweetened soy milk
1/2 cup cayenne pepper sauce
1/3 cup margarine, melted

Directions:

Slice tofu block into 6 slices. Lay flat onto a clean kitchen towel on counter. Fold towel over so the slices are completely covered. Lay cookie sheet over and place a weight over them. I use several dinner plates. This is the easiest method for pressing the tofu. Meanwhile, combine the dry ingredients into a shallow bowl. After the tofu has pressed for 30 minutes, cut each slice in half. You should have 12 "wings". Dip each slice in soymilk and then the breading mixture and set on a plate. When they are coated, place them in a hot frying pan with the canola oil. Fry until all sides are crispy. Pour in the margarine and hot sauce mixture into the frying pan. Serve with a vegan dressing.

Serves: 2

Preparation time: 30 minutes

Vege's Really Can Be Tasty

2009-06-14T15:37:00.000-07:00

Since my daughter has become a vegetarian I've been playing around with a large variety of ethnic dishes. Here is a recipe I not only like how it tastes but like the fact I can eat it with my hands. Yup you heard me right no forks, knifes and etc...

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Samoosi Yirakot (an afghani food)
(stuffed vegetable turnovers)
Yield: 20 servings

Ingredients

Dough

1 c Fine matzoh meal
1 Egg, beaten
1/4 ts Salt
1/2 c Cold water, approx.
Vegetables
1 tb Corn oil
1 md Onion; chopped
1 Garlic clove; chopped
1 Potato; peeled - cut into small pieces
1/2 c Cauliflower (chopped)
1 Carrot; chopped (1/2 C.)
1/2 c Green peas, fresh or frozen
1/2 c Thin-sliced green beans
1/4 ts Salt
1/4 ts Freshly ground black pepper
1 cup Corn oil, for deep-frying

Directions

Mix the meal, egg and salt together, adding just enough water to make a moist dough that holds together. Set aside. Heat the oil in a skillet, add the onion and garlic, and stir-fry over moderate heat until light brown, about 3 min. Set aside.
Take the potato and 1/2 C. each of any other 3 vegetables and blanch in boiling water for 5 minutes. Drain well. Add these to the pan with the onion and garlic and stir-fry over moderate heat for 3 minutes, to mix well. Add salt and pepper. Cool.

Take 1 heaping T. of the dough and press it out on a flat surface into a 2 1/2 inch square. Put 1 T. of the vegetable mixture on the bottom half of the square and fold it over into a triangle. Prepare all the samoosi this way. Heat the oil in a wok or skillet and brown the turnovers over moderate heat for about 3 minutes. Drain on paper towels. Serve warm. Makes about 20 turnovers.

Fiesta Salsa

2009-06-13T13:58:00.000-07:00

Ingredients
4 cups diced tomatoes (5-6 medium)
3/4 cup finely diced red onion (about 1 small)
1/4 cup red-wine vinegar
1-2 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 teaspoon salt
Pinch of cayenne pepper, or more to taste
Directions
Combine tomatoes, onion, vinegar, jalapeno, cilantro, salt and cayenne in a medium bowl. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Mexican Night at the Old Homestead!

2009-05-23T17:08:00.000-07:00

Today I will be sharing my refried bean recipe. I have found this recipe to be very versatile. You can use the beans in a burrito, taco or on a salad. Use your imagination and discover new ways to enjoy these refried beans.

Please check back soon for my salsa recipe!

REFRIED BEANS RECIPE
Ingredients
• One 15 1/2-ounce can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 medium onion, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 2/3 to 1 cup chicken broth, homemade or low-sodium canned
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh coriander (cilantro) (optional)

Directions
Reserve about a third of the beans. Mash the rest of the beans in a medium bowl with a large fork. Set aside.
Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion, and cook until lightly browned, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and continue to cook, stirring, until lightly browned. Add the spices and cook until fragrant about 1 minute.
Add the mashed beans and half the broth; cook, stirring frequently, until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Add the reserved beans and the enough of the remaining broth to loosen up the beans. Simmer until the beans are thick but not pasty, about 2minutes more. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the fresh coriander, if desired, and serve.

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Kale Recipe

2009-05-17T17:49:00.000-07:00

Here's the Kale Recipe like I promised! If your not crazy about kale, after you sample this you'll want to eat it again!

Mushrooms and Kale

4 servings Ingredients
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces
4 cloves garlic, chopped
12 Large white mushrooms,
1 bunch kale, trimmed, stems removed and chopped
1/4 cup cooking sherry
Salt and pepper
Directions
Heat a medium skillet with extra-virgin olive oil and butter over medium to medium-high heat. When hot, add garlic and mushrooms and place a lid which is too small for the skillet down into the pan, pressing and smothering the mushrooms. Cook 7 to 8 minutes, stirring once, then wilt the kale into the pan, turning it to combine with mushrooms. Put the lid on the greens for 8 to 9 minutes, then deglaze the pan with cooking sherry and season the mixture with sea salt and pepper to taste.

Daughters back & I'm back to vegetarian cooking :)

2009-05-17T06:54:00.000-07:00

It is my intent to post at least once a week about the vegetarian recipes I encounter.

Did you know Kale has been making the news?

Apparently it is the new super vegetable! It may be tough around the edges but, apparently it is packed with nutrients.

Well my daughter arrived home from college yesterday and stated how she misses the home cooking. Imagine we were going to take her out to eat and she prefers to eat the good wholesome food mom's prepares at home! Anyway come back soon because I will be sharing a kale recipe that I've tested out on the family! Until then here is a cute shirt I found on the net!

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Being Green is NOT Just Recycling!!!

2008-12-27T09:53:00.000-08:00

Eating green is another way of being green! Yesterday I made a gravy out of the leftover vegetable stock. It was really tasty. What a tasty way to recycle something healthy. Another way to be green is by cooking with something green. I hope you enjoy this delicious low fat green (color) recipe for Creamed Spinach!

ENJOY!!!!

Creamed Spinach

Ingredients
1 head garlic, top end cut off
1 spray olive oil cooking spray
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 large sweet onion, sliced (recommended: Vidalia)
1 (10-ounce) box frozen spinach, defrosted and drained
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cube vegetable boulion dissolved in one and a half cups water
3 tablespoons light cream cheese
1 teaspoon butter
1/2 lemon , juiced
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Directions
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.

Place garlic on a piece of aluminum foil and lightly spray the garlic with olive oil cooking spray once. Wrap aluminum foil around the garlic to form a tight package. Roast for 45 minutes. Once garlic is cool enough to handle, remove from aluminum foil and set aside.
In a nonstick 10-inch saucepan, heat 1 teaspoon olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onions and saute until translucent, about 1 1/2 minutes. Add spinach and nutmeg and saute for 1 minute. Add chicken broth and bring to simmer; simmer for 1 minute. Pour mixture into a food processor, and then squeeze the garlic cloves from the head of roasted garlic, discarding the skin. Add all remaining ingredients. Pulse until creamy. Serve warm.

A Vegetarian Who Misses Her Beef Jerky!!!!

2008-12-26T13:38:00.000-08:00

Imagine my daughter gave up meat and still finds she craves beef jerky. Well for Christmas I decided to surprise her with a Tofu Jerky recipe found on the Internet. The jerky was baked for eight hours in the oven providing a dual purpose of warming the house and my daughters stomach. She couldn't believe it was tofu and kept blaming me for serving her meat!!!!

INGREDIENTS
1 (14 ounce) package firm tofu, drained
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons maple syrup
1/4 teaspoon liquid smoke flavoring
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
3 tablespoons barbecue sauce
2 teaspoons brown sugar

DIRECTIONS
Place tofu block between paper towels on a plate. Set another plate on top, and put a weight on top of the plate such as a can to press the water from the block of tofu while you prepare the sauce.
In a medium bowl, stir together the soy sauce, maple syrup, liquid smoke, garlic powder, black pepper, barbeque sauce and brown sugar until smooth.
Slice tofu into 1/4 inch thick slices, and dip them in the sauce to coat. Place in a tightly sealed container. Place in the refrigerator, and let marinate for one to two hours.
Preheat the oven to the lowest temperature, around 200 degrees F (95 degrees C). Line the oven rack with heavy duty aluminum foil, and place in the lowest position of the oven. Place the tofu slices on the foil.
Bake for about 8 hours, checking and turning over tofu slices every few hours. Tofu jerky is done when it is hard and uniformly dark in color.

I found this very easy to prepare despite the long baking time!

The Vegetarian Road to Health

2008-12-13T11:38:00.000-08:00

My child's new adventure as a vegetarian has helped the whole family rediscover the benefits of eating healthy. Not only is it tasty but it's rewarding too! You may ask, "What does Chef Mom mean by rewarding?" Well to start my hubby was able to lower his cholesterol. As for me I've dropped a few pounds. I've also noticed my blood pressure is getting lower. These are only a few positive side effects of eating healthy tasty vegetarian meals. My family has discovered that eating decadent and delicious food doesn't always have to mean clogging of the arteries or tons of calories.

An Old Carnivore Craving

2008-12-13T06:13:00.000-08:00

Sometimes you just get a craving for a good old burger! When you see this black bean burger you will be amazed how much it resembles the real deal. It is very tasty and for some a bit spicy. If you are one of those people with weak taste buds cut back or eliminate the cayenne pepper. On special occasions I've altered the dried seasonings to fit the theme of the meal (American with french fries, Mexican with nachos, Oriental with a side of rice and etc...) and found out how diverse this recipe really is. So don't be afraid to experiment and expose your palate to a tasty burger!

Black Bean Burgers

Ingredients

1 can black beans, drained
1 small carrot, minced
1/2 onion, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp sesame seeds
1 tbsp ground cumin
1 tbsp fresh oregano
1 tbsp fresh thyme
1 tbsp fresh basil
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground cayenne
2 eggs
3/4 cup quick oats

Mash drained black beans (food processor or potato masher work well). Combine with all ingredients except eggs and oats. Once mixed well add eggs until thoroughly mixed (it's really easier to do this by hand even though it's a bit messy). Once mixed add oats (you may need slightly more oats depending on consistency, mixture should hold together fairly well and not be too mushy). Shape into 2-3 inch balls and press flat to form a patty. Place on hot fry pan sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Cook until browned on both sides (3-4 minutes per side). Serve on a bun with cheese, on a bed of fresh greens, or let cool and store in fridge for later use.

Notes: You may substitute dried herbs for fresh (1 tbsp fresh = 1 tsp dried).
Number of servings: 6-8 depending on size of burgers

The Fear of Thankgiving!

2008-12-12T07:33:00.000-08:00

Terror set in when my daughter asked if my sister was making her something special for Thanksgiving dinner. I told my daughter as a guest and the only vegetarian you can't expect her to cook just for you. My words kept echoing in my head, "There will be side dishes that you can eat." It was out of guilt that I stumpled upon a Tofurky Recipe which I modified to work with ingredients found in my cabinets. I'm thankful that I was able to make my daughter's day special with this faux turkey!

Tofu Turkey
INGREDIENTS:
1 pound firm tofu
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon dried marjoram
1/4 teaspoon dried poultry seasoning
1/4 teaspoon pepper
12 ounces cubed bread crumbs
2/3 cup water with vegetable boullion
Dried imported mushrooms
1/4 cup margarine
1/2 teaspoon sage
2 tablespoons water
5 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
1 teaspoon barbeque sauce
1/2 teaspoon prepared mustard
1 tablespoon appricot jam
1 teaspoon orange juice
1 tablespoon sesame seeds

DIRECTIONS:
1. Drain and rinse tofu; in a food processor or blender, process tofu until smooth. Stir in salt, marjoram, poultry seasoning and pepper. Line a sieve with 2 sheets of paper towel and place over an empty bowl. Place tofu in lined sieve and press against sides to form a deep well in the middle. Place 2 more sheets of paper towel over tofu and refrigerate for 2 hours.

2. Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat combine bread cubes, 2/3 cup water and margarine. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat; let stand 5 minutes and fluff with a fork. To the stuffing add sauted celery and green onions (both optional), dried mushroom (pre-soaked in water), sage and 2 tablespoons water.

3. After tofu has chilled for 2 hours, preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). With 2 tablespoons of the vegetable oil, grease a baking sheet.

4. Remove the top layer of paper towels from the tofu. If necessary, again press tofu against the sides of the sieve to form a well. Spoon the stuffing mixture into the well and smooth the surface with a spoon. Invert the tofu mold onto prepared baking sheet. Remove the remaining paper towel layer and shape the tofu with your hands if it has cracked or lost its shape.

5. Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes.

6. Meanwhile, prepare the glaze by combining barbecue sauce, mustard, apricot jam, orange juice, sesame seeds and remaining 3 tablespoons oil. After tofu has baked for 30 minutes, brush or spoon the glaze over it. Return to the oven and bake for 20 minutes more.

7. Broil for 3 to 5 minutes, or until tofu is browned and crispy.