Showing posts with label dinner. Show all posts
Showing posts with label dinner. Show all posts

Friday, August 6, 2010

Cheesy Creamy Casserole

INGREDIENTS
- 1 head of broccoli, cut into florets
- 1 head of cauliflower, cut into florets
- 1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- large handful baby spinach

Sauce
- 1 pkg firm tofu
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 clove of garlic, minced
- 1/3 cup raw cashews
- 3/4 cup roasted red pepper (I used bottled peppers)
- 1-2 tsp salt
- freshly ground pepper
- 3/4 cup nutritional yeast
- 1/2 tsp tumeric
- 1 tsp mustard
- 1/4 cup arrowroot powder
- 3 cups soy milk

Topping
- 1/2 cup bread crumbs
- 1/3 cup ground almonds

METHOD:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
1. Steam broccoli and cauliflower for 5-6 mins, until softened but still firm.
2. While veggies are steaming, make the sauce. Place sauce ingredients in a blender or food processor and process until smooth. Pour into a saucepan and bring to bubbling, whisking constantly.
3. Mix together steamed veggies, chickpeas, and spinach with sauce and pour into a large casserole dish. Top with bread crumbs and almonds. Bake for 40 mins, until bubbling and top is browned.

From VeganDad (http://vegandad.blogspot.com/)

Wednesday, August 4, 2010

Orange Pan-glazed Tempeh Recipe

HS note: This recipe is equally good made with tofu. You can make a meal out of this by pairing it with some lightly sauteed seasonal vegetables, or in this case I simple served if over some left-over cooked wheat berries that I heated with a bit of chopped kale.

1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice (3-4 large juicy oranges)
1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
2 teaspoons tamari (or soy sauce)
1 1/2 tablespoons mirin
2 teaspoons maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
2 small garlic cloves, crushed
roughly 10 ounces of tempeh (or extra-firm tofu)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 lime
a handful of cilantro (coriander) leaves

Put the orange juice in a small bowl. Squeeze the grated ginger over the bowl to extract the juices, then discard the pulp. Add the tamari, mirin, and maple syrup, ground coriander, and garlic. Mix together and set aside.

Cut the tempeh (or tofu) into thin-ish, bite-sized pieces, and if working with tofu, pat dry with a paper towel.

Put the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot but not smoking, add the tempeh and fry for 5 minutes, or until golden underneath. Turn and cook the other side for another 5 minutes, or until golden. Pour the orange juice mixture into the pan and simmer for 10 minutes, or until the sauce has reduced to a lovely thick glaze. Turn the tempeh once more during this time and spoon the sauce over the tofu from time to time.

Serve the tempeh drizzled with any remaining sauce and a squeeze of lime, with the coriander scattered on top. Heidi note: As I mention in the head notes, I served this over some leftover wheat berries heated with a few handfuls of chopped kale.

From 101 Cookbooks (http://www.101cookbooks.com/)

Friday, July 30, 2010

Cashew Curry

1 cup light coconut milk
1 - 2 tablespoons curry powder
scant 1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
1 leek, chopped
1 medium garlic clove, chopped
1/3 cup water
4 ounces firm tofu, cut into small cubes (optional)
1 cup green beans, cut into 1-inch segments
1 1/2 cups cauliflower, cut into tiny florets
1/3 cup cashews, toasted
a handful of cilantro, loosely chopped

Bring half of the coconut milk to a simmer in a large skillet or pot over medium-high heat. Whisk in the curry powder and salt, working out any clumps. Now stir in the chopped red onion and garlic and cook for a minute. Stir in the remaining coconut milk and the water, and then the tofu. Cook down the liquid for a couple minutes before adding the green beans and cauliflower. Cover and simmer for just about one minute, maybe two - or just until the cauliflower and beans lose their raw edge and cook through a bit. Remove the pot from heat and stir in the cashews. Taste and adjust the seasoning (salt / curry powder) if needed. Serve with a bit of cilantro topping each bowl.

Serves Serves 2-3.

Modified from 101 Cookbooks (http://www.101cookbooks.com/)

Tuesday, July 27, 2010

Broccoli and Cornmeal Upside Down Cake

- one head of broccoli
- 200 g (3/4 C) cottage cheese
- 125 g (1/2 C) plain yogurt
- 2 eggs
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 C yellow cornmeal
- 1/2 C whole wheat or all purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- a handful of brown raisins
- a handful of walnuts, toasted and chopped
- salt, pepper

(Serves 4 as a main dish, 8 as a starter or side.)

Wash the broccoli and cut it into florets. Bring some salted water to a boil in a large saucepan, add in the broccoli and let simmer for 8 minutes, until cooked but not limp. (This is my favored cooking method for broccoli, but you can steam it if you prefer.) Drain and run cold water on it to stop the cooking. Set aside in a colander to drain thoroughly while you take the next steps.

Preheat the oven to 180°F (360°F). Grease a 20 cm (8-inch) cake pan, unless it's nonstick.

In a medium mixing-bowl, whisk together the cottage cheese, yogurt, eggs and oil, and sprinkle on salt and pepper. In another medium mixing-bowl, combine the cornmeal, flour and baking powder. Fold the liquid mixture into the dry mixture until just combined (the batter will be thick). Do not overmix, it's fine if it's still a little lumpy.

Arrange the cooked broccoli at the bottom of the cake pan. Season with salt and pepper, and sprinkle on the walnuts and raisins. Pour the batter evenly over the broccoli, and smooth it out a bit with a spatula.

Put into the oven to bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until the top is golden and crispy. Let rest on the counter for 5 minutes. Run a knife around the pan to loosen the cornmeal crust, cover the pan with a serving plate, and flip quickly (protect your hands with a kitchen towel of course) so the cake lands, broccoli-side up, on the plate.

Cut in wedges, preferably with caution and a sharp knife, so as not to smoosh the broccoli. Serve warm, at room-temperature or cold. Reheat leftovers for ten minutes in the oven if you wish to revive the crispiness of the crust.

From Chocolate and Zucchini (http://chocolateandzucchini.com/)

Thursday, July 15, 2010

Summer Squash and Portobello Mushroom Vegetarian Lasagna

Serves at least 8

•6 medium crookneck or other summer squash or zucchini, sliced lengthwise, 1/8" thick
•6 large portobello mushroom caps, sliced 1/8" thick on a bias
•extra virgin olive oil for sauteeing
•1 lb. ricotta
•2 eggs
•1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
•1 onion, diced
•2 cloves garlic, minced
•2 large (28 oz.) cans plain tomato sauce
•zest from 1 lemon
•1.5 pounds no-boil lasagna noodles (or regular lasagna noodles, par-boiled)
•salt, pepper to taste
•1 lb. grated mozzarella
•4 oz. grated parmesan cheese

1.In a large skillet over high, fry the squash and portobello mushrooms in olive oil. Fry each in a single layer, using as many batches as needed. Flip and cook both sides until well browned. Remove to paper towels and season with salt.

2.Season the ricotta along with nutmeg, salt and pepper to taste, then beat in the eggs.

3.Saute the onion & garlic in a good amount of olive oil, add the tomato sauce and lemon zest, simmer 5 minutes, salt to taste

4.Oil an 11" x 13" pan (at least 2" deep). Build up layers of noodles, sauce, squash and mushrooms, ricotta mixture, and mozzarella. Be sure to get the noodles quite wet if they are the no-boil type and need plenty of moisture. You'll have about 4 layers total. I do sauce on every layer, but ricotta on some and mozzarella on others. Do what you feel.

5.Finish with a heavy layer of mozzarella and the parm, mixed together.

6.Bake at 375 F., covering with tin foil part of the time if needed to avoid overbrowning. It is done when internal temp is say 170 F. (check a few spots) or when you can easily pierce the noodles with a fork, and the sauce is bubbling around the sides. Don't overcook and let the noodles get soggy.

7.If the cheese isn't crispy and brown enough, finish judiciously with the broiler.

8.Allow to rest at least 15 minutes before serving so it has time to set up a bit.

From Herbivoracious (http://herbivoracious.com/)

Garbanzo Burgers

(from Super Natural Cooking by Heidi Swanson, taken from Cate's World Kitchen http://catesworldkitchen.com/)

2 15 oz cans garbanzo beans, drained
4 large eggs
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 onion, chopped
grated zest of one lemon
1 cup alfalfa sprouts, chopped
1 cup bread crumbs
1 tbsp olive oil
lettuce, tomato, avocado, onion etc. (whatever you prefer) for filling

Combine the garbanzos, eggs, and salt in a food processor and puree until the mixture is the consistency of a very thick, slightly chunky hummus. Pour into a mixing bowl and stir in the cilantro, onion, zest, and sprouts.

Add the bread crumbs and stir, then let sit for a couple of minutes so the crumbs can absorb some of the moisture. At this point, you should have a moist mixture that you can easily form into 12 1 1/2 inch thick patties (I made mine slightly thinner).

You can add more bread crumbs a bit at a time to firm up the dough if need be. Conversely, a bit of water or more egg can be used to moisten the batter.

Heat the oil in a heavy skillet over medium-low heat, add 4 patties, cover, and cook for 7-10 minutes until the bottoms begin to brown.

Turn up the heat if there is no browning after 10 minutes. Flip the patties and cook the second side for 7 minutes, or until golden. Remove from the skillet and cool on a wire rack while you cook the remaining patties.

Carefully cut each patty in half, insert your favorite fillings, and enjoy immediately.

Wednesday, July 14, 2010

Sweet Potato Falafel with Yogurt-Tahini Sauce

Cooking the sweet potatoes in the microwave is a real time saver, but feel free to bake or steam them instead. The moistness of sweet potatoes varies, so you may need to add a little more flour to achieve the right texture.

1/2 tablespoon ground flax seeds + 2 tbsp hot water
2 medium sweet potatoes (about 18 ounces, total)
2-3 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons ground coriander
2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1/8 - 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (to taste)
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup minced parsley
juice of 1 lemon
1 cup chickpea flour or besan
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
sesame seeds (optional)

Mix the flax seeds with two tablespoons hot water and set aside to thicken.

Pierce sweet potatoes several times with a fork and place on paper towels in microwave. Microwave on high for 2 minutes, turn over, and then cook for another 2 minutes. Check for tenderness, and if not cooked all the way through, cook in increments of 30 seconds until tender. Set aside to cool until easy to handle; peel and place in a large bowl.

Preheat oven to 400F. Mash sweet potatoes well with a masher or a fork. Add the flax mixture, seasonings (including parsley), and lemon juice and stir well. Mix the chickpea flour with the baking powder and add it a little at a time to the sweet potato mixture. Stir until well-combined. Batter should be stiff; if not, add chickpea flour a tablespoon at a time until batter is thick. (If the batter is too stiff to blend in all the flour, add water a tablespoon at a time.)

Oil a baking sheet or line it with parchment paper or silicone baking mat. Use a cookie scoop or rounded tablespoon to make about 20-22 little mounds of dough on the baking sheet (dipping the scoop in water every now and then will help prevent the dough from sticking to it). Flatten the balls to about 1/2-inch thick and 1 1/2-inches wide. Sprinkle with sesame seeds, if desired.

Bake for 20-25 minutes, until bottoms are medium brown. Serve hot with yogurt-tahini sauce. These keep well and can be reheated briefly in the microwave.

Makes 5 servings (about 4 small falafel each). Per serving: 159 Calories (kcal); 2g Total Fat; (11% calories from fat); 6g Protein; 31g Carbohydrate; 0mg Cholesterol; 500mg Sodium; 5g Fiber. Weight Watchers 3 Points.

Per falafel: 38 Calories (kcal); .5g Total Fat; (11% calories from fat); 1g Protein; 7g Carbohydrate; 0mg Cholesterol; 119mg Sodium; 1g Fiber. Weight Watchers 1 Point.

Yogurt-Tahini Sauce

This non-traditional sauce is my own creation, so blame me for the addition of ketchup...but whatever you do, don't leave it out!

1/2 cup soy yogurt
2 tablespoons tahini
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 clove garlic, pressed
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 pinch red pepper
4 teaspoons ketchup
2 tablespoons water

Mix all ingredients well in a small bowl. Add additional seasonings to taste.

Makes about 14 tablespoons. Per tablespoon: 20 Calories (kcal); 1g Total Fat; (54% calories from fat); 1g Protein; 2g Carbohydrate; 0mg Cholesterol; 59mg Sodium; trace fiber. Weight Watchers 1 Point.

Spinach Dhal

2 cups red lentils, rinsed and drained
5 cups water
1/4 tsp turmeric
2 tsp freshly grated ginger
1 medium bunch spinach, washed well and roughly chopped (leaves only)
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon olive oil
5 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2 tsp cumin seeds
2 tsp mustard seeds
1 tbsp ground cumin
1 1/2 tsp ground coriander
1 fresh jalapeno, thinly sliced (for garnish)

Put the lentils, water, turmeric, and ginger in a dutch oven or large pot. Bring to a boil and skim off any foam that collects on the surface. Turn the heat down so the mixture is simmering, and let cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally and adding more water in 1/4 cup increments if it begins to look dry. If they are particularly soupy, turn the heat up slighly so some of the water evaporates.

Add the spinach, cilantro, and a few pinches of salt, cover, and simmer for about 5 minutes.
Taste and add more salt if necessary.

Heat the oil in a small frying pan over medium high for about 30 seconds. Add the garlic, cumin, mustard seeds, ground cumin, and ground coriander. Stir fry for about 2 minutes, then pour into the lentils and stir well.

Serve immediately, with slices of fresh jalapeno (if desired)

From Cate's World Kitchen (http://catesworldkitchen.com/)

Cocoa-Coconut Chili

Cocoa-Coconut Chili from Eat, Drink & Be Vegan (pg. 94) by Dreena Burton
Makes 7-9 servings, wheat free

1-1 1/2 coconut oil
2 cups diced onion
1 1/2 cups diced celery
1/2 cup diced red or yellow peppers
4-6 medium garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp sea salt
pepper, to taste
2 tbsp mild chili powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp allspice
2 1/2 - 3 tbsp cocoa powder
2 cans diced tomatoes
1 can rinsed & drained black beans
1 can rinsed & drained kidney beans
1 can rinsed & drain pinto beans
1 can light coconut milk
1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
2 tsp chipotle hot sauce (I omitted this because the kids don't like spice)
1 cup frozen corn
1- 1 1/2 tsp agave nectar
1-2 fresh limes (for garnish)

Saute oil, onion, celery, bell pepper, garlic, salt, pepper, chili powder, cinnamon, and allspice in a large soup pot on medium high heat. Cover & cook for 7-9 minutes, stirring occasionally: careful not to burn the onions or garlic. When onions begin to soften, stir in cocoa powder and then add in tomatoes, beans, coconut milk, and shredded coconut. Stir it all up. Bring mixture to a boil and then reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in frozen corn and agave nectar, if desired and heat through for another 5 minutes. You can remove the cover if you want to reduce the liquid. Season to taste with salt, pepper or hot sauce. Squeeze a fresh lime wedge in each bowl before serving.

Sweet Potato Lentil Chili

Published in the January 2009 issue of Alive magazine, this recipe is from Eat, Drink and Be Vegan.

Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, diced
1 cup celery, diced
2 to 2 1/2 cups yams, sweet potatoes or a combo, peeled and cut into bite sizes
3 garlic cloves, minced
salt, pepper to taste
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 1/4 cups dry red lentils
2 1/2 cups water
28 oz (796 ml) can tomatoes (puree before adding)
14 oz (398 ml) can black beans
1 bay leaf
3 tablespoons lime juice

Directions
In a large pot over medium heat, add oil, onions, celery, sweet potatoes, garlic, salt, pepper and spices, and stir thoroughly. Cover and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Rinse lentils. Add to pot with water, pureed tomatoes, beans and bay leaf, and stir to combine. Increase the heat to low, cover and simmer for 25-30 minutes until the potatoes are tender and lentils are softened, stirring occasionally. Stir in lime juice, serve and enjoy.

Throw-In-A-Pot Vegetarian Chili

1 can Kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 can Black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can Navy (or pinto) beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup frozen corn
1 cup frozen okra
1/2 cup frozen lima beans (or canned)
1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
1 cup vegetable broth (or chicken broth)
3 garlic cloves
1 heaping tbsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp coriander
1 tsp Ghirardelli cocoa powder (unsweet)
2 sprinkles garlic powder
1 sprinkle cayenne pepper
3-4 glugs Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp kosher salt
A few grinds of black pepper

Instructions:

Throw all in a pot! Bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 20-30 minutes, or longer.

Top with cheese + sour cream and serve with tortilla chips!

Makes about 12 soup ladle’s worth. Each ladle is appx. 135 kcal, 8 grams protein, 8 grams fiber.

From Kath Eats Real Food (http://www.katheats.com/?page_id=12596)

The Best Vegetable Lasagna

Ingredients

■3 cups pasta sauce (like Classico Spicy Tomato and Pesto)
■16 ounces 2% cottage cheese
■1/2 cup grated parmesan
■9 whole wheat lasagna noodles
■8 ounces mozzarella cheese
■Approximately 4 cups mixed vegetables (I used spinach, carrots, sundried tomatoes, and zucchini)
Preheat oven to 400*. Spray 11 X 8 glass casserole dish.

1.Combine cottage and parmesan cheeses.
2.Place 3 uncooked noodles in pan.
3.Cover with 1 cup pasta sauce, 1/3 cheese mixture, 1/3 vegetables, and 1/3 mozzarella.
4.Repeat 2 more times.
5.Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake one hour.

Makes about 8 servings, ~350 kcal per serving.

From Kath Eats Real Food (http://www.katheats.com/?page_id=1947)

Pan-fried Corona Beans & Kale

A few notes related to the recipe - be sure to wash the kale well, so you don't end up with grit in your beans. I use dried beans (that I've cooked myself) here, and would highly recommend using them over canned beans - they brown up better and are less likely to go to mush. I used giant corona beans, but you could use runner cannellini, or something similar. I like the white beans because they take on a lot of color in the pan. Alternate recipe - I'm confident you could do this preparation with gnocchi (don't boil the gnocchi first) in place of the beans.

1/2 bunch / 6 oz / 170 g dino kale or lacinato kale, remove stems
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 - 3 big handfuls of cooked large white beans (see head notes)
1/4 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
1/3 cup / 1 1/2 oz / 45 g walnuts, lightly toasted
1 clove garlic, minced
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
scant 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
zest of 1 lemon
1/3 cup / 1/2 oz / 15 g freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Finely chop the kale, wash it, and shake off as much water as you can. Set aside.

Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat in the widest skillet you own. Add the beans in a single layer. Stir to coat the beans, then let them sit long enough to brown on one side, about 3 or 4 minutes, before turning to brown the other side, also about 3 or 4 minutes. The beans should be golden and a bit crunchy on the outside.

Add the kale and salt to the pan and cook for less than a minute, just long enough for the kale to lose a bit of its structure. Stir in the walnuts and garlic, wait 10 seconds, then stir in the nutmeg. Wait ten seconds and stir in the lemon juice and zest. Remove from heat and serve dusted with Parmesan cheese.

Serves 2 - 4.

From 101 Cookbooks (http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/print/panfried-corona-beans-kale-recipe.html)

Okonomiyaki (Japanese Pizza)

Leeks are notoriously gritty. To clean them well I typically slice them lengthwise and then submerge them in a big bowl of water - where I rinse and swish them to loosen up any dirt. Drain and repeat if needed. Then chop/slice.

2 cups cabbage, finely shredded
1 cup leeks, well washed and chopped (see head notes)
2/3 cup whole wheat pastry flour (or apf flour)
a couple pinches of fine grain sea salt
2 eggs, beaten
1+ tablespoon olive oil
Garnish: toasted slivered almonds, chives/ herbs

Combine the cabbage, leeks, flour, and salt in a bowl. Toss until everything is coated with a dusting of flour. Stir in the eggs and mix until everything is evenly coated.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add a generous splash of olive oil. Scoop the cabbage mixture into the pan, and using a metal spatula press it into a round pancake shape, flat as you can get it. Cook for 4-5 minutes, or until the bottom is golden. To flip the okonomiyaki, slide it out of the skillet onto a plate. Place another plate on top and flip both (together) over. If you need a bit more oil in your skillet, add it now, before sliding the okonomiyaki back into the skillet. Again press down a bit with a spatula and cook until golden on this side - another 3 -5 minutes.

When you are finished cooking, sprinkle with toasted almonds and chives, and slide it onto a cutting board to cut into wedges. Enjoy immediately.

Serves 1 - 2.

From 101 Cookbooks (http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/print/japanese-pizza-recipe.html)

Kale, Zucchini, and Pinto Bean Enchilada

(makes 2-4 servings)

1 teaspoon olive oil
1 jalapeno, seeded and finely diced
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
2 small zucchinis, grated
salt and pepper
1 bunch kale, roughly chopped
1 can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
1 green onion, thinly sliced
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, minced
1/2 cup enchilada sauce (you can also use canned if you are in a rush)
4 tortillas, I used WW
1/2 cup Monterrey jack cheese, grated

Preheat oven to 350F. Heat a medium skillet over medium high heat. Add olive oil and jalapenos and stir for one minute. Add zucchini, cumin and a big pinch of salt. Cook the zucchini until it loses it’s liquid it will take about 3 minutes, meanwhile continue to stir it regularly. Add kale and stir until wilted. Remove from heat and stir in a good amount of pepper, beans, green onion, cilantro, and a tablespoon of enchilada sauce.

Now put together the enchiladas. To do this prepare the tortillas by warming them in a hot skillet for about 30 seconds per side. (Note: this is a step I frequently skip when I am in a rush.) In an 8×8 square pan spoon one third of the remaining enchilada sauce over the bottom. One at a time form each enchilada. Put one quarter of the filling and a sprinkling of cheese in each tortilla, roll up and place in casserole. When you have all four done spoon the remaining enchilada sauce on top and sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes before serving.

From Daily Unadventures in Cooking (http://www.dailyunadventuresincooking.com/2009/09/kale-zucchini-and-pinto-bean-enchilada.html)