Dressed for Success
Posted: April 18, 2013 Filed under: misc, sauces & gravy | Tags: dijon, dressing, food, maple, recipes, salad, salad dressing, tasty dressing, vegetarian, vinaigrette 8 Comments
someone left that jar ajar
Your favorite grocery store probably has an entire aisle devoted to salad dressings. And while there are plenty of good ones out there, there are just as many as not so good ones. Some taste bad, and others are simply bad for you. (I know–where did this health conscious guy come from??) But you can make your own quick and tasty dressing at home, with ingredients you already have in the pantry. This is one I’ve been making a lot lately, and it’s helping me eat more leafy greens. (There’s that healthy guy again.) I like to pour it over a spring mix and toss in a small handful of walnuts.
Maple Dijon Vinaigrette
3 tablespoons of olive oil
2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon of dijon mustard
1 teaspoon of maple syrup
1 tablespoon of minced shallot
1 teaspoon of minced garlic
Salt and pepper
Combine olive oil, red wine vinegar, mustard, maple syrup, shallot and garlic in a jar and shake well to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Pour over your favorite leafy greens and enjoy.
Stew-pendous Chickpeas
Posted: February 20, 2013 Filed under: eggs!, veggies | Tags: chickpeas, eggs, food, recipes, spinach, stew, vegetarian 6 Comments
which came first: the chickpea or the egg?
You don’t need meat to have a satisfying meal. I know, that sounds like a lie. But it’s the truth, as evidenced by this vegetarian stew that even me – a meat lover – really loved. The mish-mash of whole and smashed chickpeas gave the stew a really great texture. The fried egg (cooked in olive oil) was a nice addition, as eggs tend to be.
Chickpea & Spinach Stew with Fried Egg
– 5 oz of baby spinach leaves
– 4 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
– 1 small onion, diced
– 1 teaspoon of cumin seeds
– ¼ teaspoon of paprika
– 2 15.5oz cans of chickpeas, rinsed & drained
– 1 14.5oz can of diced tomatoes
– 1 ½ to 2 cups of veggie broth
– Hot sauce
– Eggs
– Salt and pepper
– Olive oil
In a large skillet, heat a tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add 1 sliced clove of garlic and let brown, about 1 to 2 minutes. Add the baby spinach leaves, season to taste with salt and pepper and sauté, stirring frequently, until bright green and wilted, about 3 minutes. Place the spinach in a bowl and set aside.
Wipe the skillet clean, add another tablespoon of oil and heat on medium. Add the onion and the remaining 3 sliced cloves of garlic and cook until onions are soft, about 6 minutes. Add the cumin seeds, paprika and season to taste with pepper, and cook until fragrant. Add the chickpeas and tomatoes (including the juice) and cook until the chickpeas start to caramelize, about 10 minutes.
Next add 1 cup of broth and continue cooking over medium heat, occasionally stirring and mashing some of the chickpeas with the back of your spoon (or with a potato masher), until the sauce thickens, about 15 minutes. Add a few dashes of hot sauce, stir in the spinach, add more broth if it’s too thick, and cook for another 8 to 10 minutes.
chick out this stew
For the fried eggs, heat a small skillet with olive oil over medium heat. Add one egg at a time into the hot oil, and then use a large spoon to baste the whites with the oil until the edges are set and are crunchy and golden. Remove the eggs from oil. Plate the chickpea stew, top with a fried egg, season to taste with salt and pepper, and eat.
Baby, it’s En-chill-adas Outside
Posted: January 28, 2013 Filed under: misc, veggies | Tags: black beans, easy, enchiladas, food, meatless monday, Mexican, recipes, vegetarian 6 Comments
‘chil’ out to warm up
Cold weather got you down? Seriously, I don’t know how anyone can be happy when the high is just 3º. Eat these super-quick (and vegetarian-friendly) enchiladas and you’ll remember the warm weather lickety-split. Add some extra chipotle peppers and you’ll even feel the heat.
Black Bean Enchiladas
– ½ cup of sour cream
– 3 to 4 canned chipotle peppers in Adobe sauce, minced
– 1 15oz can of black beans, rinsed & drained
– ½ of a jalapeno, diced
– 1 cup of frozen corn, thawed
– 4 medium-sized flour tortillas
– 1 cup of chipotle salsa
– ½ cup of shredded Pepper Jack cheese
– Cooking spray
In a small bowl, mix together the sour cream and chipotle peppers. Cover and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes so the flavors can meld.
Heat your oven to 350º.
Put half of the black beans in a food processor along with the diced jalapeno and process until combined but still slightly chunky. Mix together with the remaining black beans, corn and chipotle-sour cream mixture.
Spoon about ½ a cup of the mixture down the center of each tortilla and then roll up. Place seam-side down in a baking dish lightly coated with cooking spray. Top with the salsa and then the shredded cheese. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until heated through. Let cool slightly and eat.
Squash Crostini is Coming to Town
Posted: December 24, 2012 Filed under: apps & snacks, veggies | Tags: appetizers, food, Holidays, recipes, snacks, squash, vegetarian 5 Comments
butternut pout, butternot cry … unless you run out
I’m visiting my family in Texas this week, and wouldn’t you know it – my mom put me to work making appetizers for their annual Christmas party. It’s funny how things change as we get older, right? I was very happy to oblige, of course. Now I can finally (start to) repay all those years of her working away in the kitchen for every holiday, birthday and special event throughout my life. My dad requested the sausage stuffed mushrooms I made for him on Father’s Day, and for another one, I decided to make these butternut squash, ricotta and sage crostini. They seem fancy but are actually really simple to make. All of the parts taste great on their own, but when combined on top of a lightly toasted slice of bread – it’s practically a Christmas miracle. So you butter watch out, these go quickly. You don’t want to pout if you don’t get one.
Butternut Squash, Ricotta & Sage Crostini
– 1 2 lb butternut squash, peeled, seeded & cut into small cubes
– 1 ½ teaspoons of brown sugar
– ¾ cup of ricotta
– ½ teaspoon of finely grated lemon zest
– Pinch of garlic salt
– 24 fresh sage leaves
– 1 baguette, sliced thin
– Olive oil
– Sea salt and pepper
Heat your oven to 425º.
In a large bowl, toss the butternut squash with a few tablespoons of olive oil and the brown sugar. Season to taste with sea salt and pepper. Spread the mixture in a thin layer on a rimmed baking sheet and roast for about 30 minutes, or until the squash is golden and tender. Stir once during roasting. Let cool to room temperature.
In a small bowl, mix together the ricotta, lemon zest and garlic salt, and season to taste with pepper. Cover and let chill until ready to use.
Place the baguette slices on a baking sheet, lightly drizzle with olive oil and toast for a few minutes. At the same time, heat a tablespoon of oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Add a few sage leaves and fry until the edges begin to curl and they turn dark green, about 1 to 2 minutes. Place on a paper towel-lined plate and lightly sprinkle with sea salt. Repeat until all the sage leaves are fried.
While bread is still slightly warm, spread 1 tablespoon of ricotta mixture on each slice. Top with a few cubes of roasted squash and a fried sage leaf or two. Then serve.
Bow-tied Butternut
Posted: November 20, 2012 Filed under: pasta, veggies | Tags: Autumn Food, comfort food, food, pasta, recipes, vegetarian 4 Comments
pasta squash’d
Okay, I know everyone’s thinking: Really? Two days before Thanksgiving and this guy gives us a pasta recipe?
Yes really. Because have you ever fried sage leaves? How about pasta? Do you know what happens? The soft and fuzzy sage leaves turn dark green and crisp up. The pasta turns golden. Combined with roasted butternut squash, something magical and autumnal happens. (Yes, also still using that word.) You might think this dish would be complicated, but the hardest part is peeling and chopping the squash. In reality, you just roast and pan fry everything together.
Pan-Fried Pasta with Roasted Butternut Squash & Sage
– 1 medium butternut squash, peeled, seeds removed & cut into 1 inch cubes
– 1 small yellow onion, diced
– 3 cloves of garlic, minced
– 1 bunch of sage leaves
– ¾ lb of farfalle pasta (aka bow-tie)
– ½ cup of pine nuts
– 1 cup of grated Parmesan
– Salt and pepper
– Olive oil
Heat your oven to 375º.
In a large bowl, toss the butternut squash, onion and garlic with a drizzle of olive oil. Mince half of the sage leaves and add to the vegetables. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Spread the mixture in a thin layer on a baking sheet and roast for about 40 minutes, or until the squash is tender and just starting to brown. Stir once during roasting.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the farfalle and cook until al dente. Drain and set aside.
As the squash finishes roasting, add 2 tablespoons of oil to a large, high-sided pan over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add the remaining sage leaves and fry for 1 to 2 minutes, or just until they begin to shrivel. Remove from the oil, lightly salt and then crush with the back of a spoon.
Next add the pasta and roasted squash mixture to the pan. Add the crumbled fried sage leaves and cook, stirring frequently, for about 6 minutes, or until the pasta turns golden and slightly crisps on the edges. Stir in the pine nuts and cook another minute. Off the heat stir in the Parmesan, season to taste with additional pepper, and then eat.
Pumpkin to the Mac
Posted: November 8, 2012 Filed under: pasta | Tags: cheese, comfort food, food, pasta, recipes, vegetarian 4 Comments
pump’d up
Earlier this year when it was cold and dark outside, I made mac & cheese with cauliflower as a secret ingredient. Now that we’ve come full circle – seriously, I hate daylight savings time – I’ve made mac & cheese again, this time with pureed pumpkin hidden amongst the cheesy goodness. Will you taste the pumpkin? That depends on the power of your taste buds. But either way, there’s nothing more comforting than a hot plate of cheesy macaroni on a chilly night.
Pumpkin Mac & Cheese
– 3 cups of elbow macaroni
– 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter
– 2 tablespoons of flour
– 2 cups of milk
– ¾ cup of pumpkin puree
– 4 oz (1 cup) of shredded Colby Jack cheese
– 4 oz (1 cup) of shredded Gruyere cheese
– 2 oz (½ cup) of grated Parmesan
– ¼ teaspoon of salt
– ⅛ teaspoon of pepper
– Pinch of ground nutmeg
– ¼ cup of breadcrumbs
Heat your oven to 375º.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the elbow macaroni and cook 1 to 2 minutes less than the directions. Drain and set aside.
While macaroni cooks, melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour until dissolved. Slowly whisk in the milk and let cook until thick, about 5 minutes. Whisk in the pumpkin. Remove from the heat and mix in the cheeses, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Stir until smooth.
Combine the cheese sauce with pasta and then pour into a lightly greased baking dish. Top with the breadcrumbs. Bake until golden and bubbling, about 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool slightly and then eat.
Flex Your Brussels
Posted: October 26, 2012 Filed under: sides & soups, veggies | Tags: brussels sprouts, fall, food, maple, recipes, side dishes, vegetarian 4 Comments
maple makes it magnificent
A little maple syrup can make a big difference. Not that brussels sprouts aren’t tasty with just a little olive oil and salt & pepper, but if you’re looking for an easy, fall-inspired side dish, this is it. Cut ’em in half, brown ’em up and then toss ’em with a little butter, maple syrup and sage. For anyone out there who doesn’t like brussels sprouts – it makes me sad they have such a bad rep – this is a great way to try them for the first time.
Maple-Glazed Brussels Sprouts
– 1 lb of brussels sprouts, trimmed and cut in half lengthwise
– 1 ½ tablespoons of unsalted butter, at room temperature
– 3 tablespoons of maple syrup
– 1 tablespoon of freshly chopped sage
– Salt and pepper
– Olive oil
Heat a tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the brussels sprouts in batches, cut side down, and cook until golden brown, about 4 to 5 minutes. (Add more oil if necessary.) Then add all the brussels sprouts to the skillet, season with salt and pepper, and cook until tender, about 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer them to a large bowl. Remove the skillet from the heat and add the butter, maple syrup and sage. Once the butter has melted, return the brussels sprouts to the skillet and toss to coat. Lightly drizzle with olive oil and serve.
Sloppy Seconds
Posted: August 7, 2012 Filed under: misc, veggies | Tags: food, leftovers, recipes, sloppy joe, summer food, vegetarian 7 Comments
hey joe, whaddya know?
Cleaning out the fridge is never fun. Have you ever reached into your crisper for a cucumber only to discover that said cucumber is now a mushy green blob? True story. So to prevent more mushy vegetables and uneaten leftovers, I decided to give the fridge a proper cleaning and find out just what was in there. What I found, aside from 4 different kinds of mustard, were a lot of ingredients I could turn into a quick, tasty dinner. Those bell peppers with no purpose? Sure. That unused half of a zucchini? Why not? Some leftover marinara sauce? You bet. Supplement with a nice can of black beans and some hearty condiments and you’ve got yourself a sloppy yet overwhelmingly satisfying supper. Seriously, have plenty of napkins handy.
Veggie Sloppy Joes
– ½ of a large white onion, diced
– 2 garlic cloves, minced
– 1 jalapeno, diced
– 1 green bell pepper, diced
– 1 red bell pepper, diced
– ½ of a medium zucchini, diced
– 1 15.5 oz can of black beans, rinsed & drained
– ½ cup of marinara sauce
– ¼ cup of barbecue sauce
– 1 ½ tablespoons of tomato paste
– 1 tablespoon of coarse mustard
– 1 tablespoon of ketchup
– Cracked red pepper
– 1 ear of grilled or boiled corn, kernels removed
– Jalapeno hot sauce
– Salt and pepper
– Olive oil
– 4 Kaiser rolls or large hamburger buns
In a large skillet, heat a few tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions, garlic, bell peppers and zucchini, season to taste with salt and pepper, and sauté until soft, about 7 minutes. Add the black beans, marinara sauce, barbecue sauce, tomato paste, mustard, a ¼ cup of water and a tablespoon of ketchup for good measure, and stir to combine. Season to taste with cracked red pepper. Simmer about 10 minutes, occasionally stirring, until the mixture thickens slightly. Stir in the corn kernels, a few dashes of jalapeno hot sauce and continue cooking for another 5 minutes. If it’s not as saucy as you’d like, add more barbecue sauce or ketchup. Spoon into your favorite rolls and eat.
What’s cool is that you can literally add any leftover vegetables to this mixture. Mushrooms, carrots, broccoli, ground beef – wait, skip that one. How do you use your leftover ingredients? What have you found hidden in the dark parts of your fridge?
Cool Beans
Posted: May 31, 2012 Filed under: sides & soups, veggies | Tags: food, recipes, side dishes, summer food, vegetarian 3 Comments
beans, beans, the magical fruit
Here’s a cold bean salad that really hits the spot on a warm day, next to hot food off the grill. What’s great is that you can use four of your favorite beans. I’m a huge fan of black beans and chickpeas, so that was a no brainer. White beans, aka cannellini, are always good, and are a bit heartier than the other beans. Pinto, always amazing when mashed and refried, are pretty great here too. Plus, all the different beans, red onions and roasted red peppers give the salad a nice mix of colors.
Four Bean Salad
– 15.5 oz can of pinto beans
– 15.5 oz can of black beans
– 15.5 oz can of cannellini beans
– 19 oz can of chickpeas
– 1/3 cup of red wine vinegar
– 1/3 cup of balsamic vinegar
– 1/3 cup of olive oil
– ¾ teaspoon of sea salt
– ¼ teaspoon of pepper
– ½ cup of diced red onion
– 7 oz jar of roasted red peppers, drained & diced
– 2 scallions, diced
Rinse and drain the beans in a colander and then set them aside. In a large bowl, whisk together the red wine vinegar, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, sea salt and pepper. Add the beans, red onion, roasted red peppers and scallions and gently toss. Let the salad chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours and then mix again right before serving.
Let’s Get the Bal-samic Rolling
Posted: March 27, 2012 Filed under: chicken, meat, sides & soups, veggies | Tags: chicken, food, recipes, side dishes, vegetarian 7 Comments
chicken with balsamic
Here’s something you might not know: balsamic vinegar, that rich, dark liquid, has been used in cooking since before the Middle Ages. And, that it’s not made from wine, but actually pressed grapes. I guess that’s why it has a slightly sweet flavor. I don’t cook with it nearly enough, so for this meal I decided to really get the ball (wink) rolling, and use it in both the meat and the side dish. While these two recipes don’t have to made together, they sure do complement each other. The chicken is light and juicy, and the asparagus is crunchy and sweet. They’re pretty easy too. Just make sure you have some time to marinate the chicken breasts.
Balsamic Glazed Chicken
– 1/3 cup of balsamic vinegar
– ¼ cup of low-sodium soy sauce
– 1 small shallot, minced
– 3 tablespoons of brown sugar
– 1 tablespoon of minced garlic
– 2 tablespoons of olive oil
– 1 ¼ lb of boneless skinless chicken breasts
In a bowl, stir together the balsamic vinegar, soy sauce, shallots, brown sugar, garlic and 1 tablespoon of oil. Place the chicken breasts in a plastic zip-top bag (or plastic storage container with a lid) and then add the balsamic vinegar marinade. Refrigerate for 1 hour.
Heat your oven to 400º.
Remove the chicken from the marinade and set aside. Put the marinade in a saucepan and boil for 2 minutes or until syrupy, stirring frequently. Remove from the heat and divide the marinade in half. At the same time, heat the other tablespoon of oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and sauté for 5 minutes. Flip the chicken over and cover with half of the marinade. Bake for 10 minutes or until cooked through. Remove the chicken from the oven and cover with the remaining marinade.
asparagus with balsamic
Asparagus with Balsamic Tomatoes
– 1 lb of asparagus, ends trimmed
– 2 teaspoons of olive oil
– ½ pint of cherry tomatoes, quartered
– ½ teaspoon of minced garlic
– 2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar
– 2 tablespoons of crumbled goat cheese
– Salt and pepper
Cook the asparagus in a pot of boiling water for 2 minutes, or until crisp-tender. Drain. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the cherry tomatoes and garlic and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in the balsamic vinegar and cook for 2 minutes. Season to taste with salt. Turn off the heat, add the asparagus and toss. Transfer to a serving dish, sprinkle with the goat cheese, season with pepper and serve.
egg me on 