One Pan Crack Bean Burritos

It's time for one pan crack bean burritos!  This is the recipe I hinted at in my last post (the Spanish rice that I served with these burritos) and it is the easiest, best, most amazing recipe ever.  Or at least in the past few months!

First of all, 5 ingredients. That's all you need to make these burritos, and most of them are probably in your refrigerator and pantry already.  You will need two types of beans (although one could work in a pinch), taco seasoning (I mixed up my own), cream cheese, and Rotel tomatoes (you can decide if you want to buy mild or spicy).

Second, the instructions are literally to combine all the ingredients, and heat it up.  Done.  You can see I doubled the recipe in this shot.

I made these burritos the night of my LuLaRoe unboxing party; I knew I would have a crowd and needed something quick and easy.  This could not have been more perfect, and my mom even admitted to not missing meat.  But, carnivores, feel free to add shredded chicken if you really have to.

I served them with tortillas (obviously), the rice I shared earlier, shredded cheese, sliced avocado, diced onion, and red pepper.  I would have liked some cilantro and tomato but didn't have any at the time.  It became a make-your-own burrito bar where people could add whatever toppings they wanted.  It worked great and everyone was well fed before it was time to open all my boxes!  I will definitely make these burritos again.  They are creamy, delicious, filling, and easily can feed a crowd!

Recipe:

one pan crack bean burritos
from Heather Likes Food
serves 4 - 6

Ingredients:
1 15-ounce can black beans, drained
1 15-ounce can pinto beans, drained
1 packet taco seasoning (or 1/4 cup if you make your own like I do)
8 ounces cream cheese
1 10-ounce can Rotel tomatoes

Instructions:

1) Combine all ingredients in a large skillet.  Heat over medium heat, stirring until cream cheese is melted and mixture is bubbling.

2) Remove from heat and spoon into tortillas with desired toppings.

Spanish Rice with Salsa

Do you have rice? Do you have salsa?  Perfect: that's all you need to make the world's easiest Spanish/Mexican side dish!  It goes with tacos, burritos, enchiladas - anything Mexican that you're making for dinner.  I am pretty excited to share the main dish that I paired this rice with, but that will have to wait for the next post.  This post is all about Spanish rice!

My family loves Spanish/Mexican rice, and they usually buy boxes of it with flavor packets.  Not to be a food snob, but... flavor packets?  Not my cup of tea.  So I decided to try to make my own.  I had made a recipe before that was very similar, Spanish rice, but it was a bit more in depth with 8 ingredients.  This literally has 2: rice, and salsa.

What makes that so cool is that, besides being super easy and fast, you can change things up based on the type of salsa you use.  Like things mild? Stick with mild salsa.  If you're down for spicier, go with spicy salsa! Try salsa verde, try peach salsa (my secret love)!  Every time it will be a little bit different.

Literally all you do is cook rice with salsa.  Done. Spanish rice.  You're welcome :)

Recipe:

Spanish rice with salsa
from Fox Valley Foodie
serves 4


Ingredients:
1 cup white rice
1 16-ounce jar salsa
1 3/4 cup water
cilantro for garnish, optional
salt and pepper

Instructions:

1) Rinse rice in water to remove excess starch.  Add to saucepan with water and salsa, then cover with a  lid.

2) Heat the a boil, and then reduce to a simmer.  Simmer until the water is absorbed by rice (15-20 minutes).  Rice is done when the rice is soft and water has soaked fully into the rice.  Salt and pepper as needed and top with cilantro.

Vegan Corn Chowder

Oh I am a bad blogger.  But then again I have lots of excuses, including that this week was chock full of family emergencies, late nights, and no cooking.  No groceries, for that matter.  But yesterday I shopped and cooked myself a big delicious dinner and it was heavenly.  It's the little things, I tell you: knowing your whole family is home safely, making a big pot of soup on a chilly June night, and eating a bowl of it at a freshly-cleaned island counter!

A few weeks ago we spent the weekend at the beach house and went to a food festival in Newburyport.  Everyone had clam chowder, but the vegetarians of the group had corn chowder.  Usually corn chowder is not my favorite soup, but this one was special: it had carrots in it and wasn't super sweet. It had a lot of flavor, the corn was tender and juicy, and I devoured it very quickly!  Then I knew I had to recreate it, and when I saw this recipe on Pinterest, it looked very similar so I bought all the ingredients yesterday.  It was a weirdly cold night so the timing was perfect.

Before you judge this recipe for being vegan, let me explain what it means in this situation.  It means no milk or cream.  That means it's far healthier than your average chowder.  It also means no need to make a roux using flour - there is no flour in this soup, making it gluten free. Surprisingly, there's not even any chicken broth!  The liquid is from coconut milk and water, which get blended with half of your corn and a fourth of the potatoes.  Believe me, this thickens the chowder perfectly without the need of any gluten of dairy.

The flavor, besides from all the veggies (garlic, potatoes, fresh corn, carrots, celery and red pepper) comes from a little cumin, paprika, and Cajun seasoning.  It has a little bite to it, but not too much; it just adds some interest to the broth.

Honestly this was just as good as the chowder I got in Newburyport, if not better.  I ate it with some baguette that I had bought when it was still hot, and it was a delicious meal.  I will quite happily eat the leftovers at work this week.  And yes, I have a full week of work ahead of me, and then another half week.  Summer vacation feels super far away at this point, but this chowder will help me limp my way to the finish line.

Recipe:

vegan corn chowder
from Roasted Root
serves 4-6

Ingredients:
4 ears corn, shucked and steamed (I used 5 and put 3 ears worth of kernels into the soup whole)
2 large red potatoes, peeled and chopped (I left mine unpeeled for some more color and texture)
3 tablespoons coconut or olive oil
1 large white onion, chopped
5 cloves garlic, minced
3 large carrots, peeled and chopped
3 large stalks celery, chopped
1 large red bell pepper, cored and chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon cumin
2/3 cup full-fat coconut milk
2 cups water
chopped green onion for serving

Instructions:

1) Place earns of corn in a arge pot and fill with water. Cover pot with a lid and place on the stove over high heat.  Bring to a full boil and cook until corn is plump and juicy, about 5-8 minutes.

2) Use tongs to remove for from boiling water and place on a cutting board.  Take half of one of the red potatoes and place into the same pot of water you use for the corn.  Allow potato to cook until soft, 10-15 minutes.

3) While potato is cooking, saute the rest of the vegetables.  Add coconut oil to a large pot, along with the rest of the potato, onion, garlic, carrots, celery, bell pepper, sea salt, Cajun seasoning, paprika, and cumin.  Heat to medium-high and saute, stirring occasionally, until vegetables have softened about 10 minutes.

4) Use a knife to cut the corn kernels off all of the ears of corn.  Place half of the kernels in a blender, along with the cooked potato.  Add the coconut milk and water to the blender and blend until completely smooth.

5) Add the remaining corn kernels to the pot with the sautéed vegetables, and pout the blended corn/potato mixture into the pot.  Bring to a gentle boil and cook until potato has softened. about 10 - 20 minutes.

6) Remove from heat and taste; add sea salt and Cajun seasoning as desired.  Serve with chopped green onion.

Perfect Cauliflower Pizza Crust

I have posted before my struggle to find something suitable for dinner when my uncle Tuck comes to visit! He is a diabetic with a strict diet.  Carbs are bad, and carbs are everywhere.  He can basically eat meat and cheese, which obviously doesn't meld so well with my usual meal plans!  This last visit, when he came into the house and asked what was for dinner, I was excited to say, "pizza."  Before he could panic that I was about to hand him a pizza crust and put him into a diabetic coma, I announced my plan to make both regular pizza (for the rest of us) and cauliflower crust pizza for him!  My friend Laura at work gave me the crust recipe and swore it was a good alternative to regular pizza.  So, here it goes!

This crust is gluten-free; it is made only from cauliflower, egg, goat cheese, oregano and salt!  I have heard horror stories of cauliflower crust that is mushy and soft and flavorless; that's not happening here. The goat cheese and oregano keep it tasting great, and it is somehow bizarrely bread-like.  Then there is the fact that you actually can pick this pizza up with your hands!  I could have baked mine a little longer, but the natives were getting restless and we wanted pizza, so I rushed it a bit, but it was still a great crust alternative.

Secrets include making sure you squeeze out as much moisture from the cauliflower as you can!  I used frozen and thawed cauliflower florets but fresh would be fine too; it just saved me the step of cooking it.  Squeeze it, mix it, bake it, flip it (this was a little bit scary but we did it as a group effort), bake it some more, and then top with your favorite toppings and bake one last time.

The end result was a beautiful pizza that was both tasty, gluten-free, low-carb, and enjoyed by diabetics and non-diabetics alike!  Definitely something to make again for my gluten-free and low-carb family and friends!

Recipe:

perfect cauliflower pizza crust
from Detoxinista
serves 2 - 4

Ingredients:
2 pounds cauliflower florets, fresh or frozen and thawed
1 egg, beaten
1/3 cup soft goat cheese
1 teaspoon dried oregano
pinch of salt

Instructions:

1) Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Pulse batches of raw or thawed cauliflower florets in a food processor until a rice-like texture is achieved.

2) If you used fresh cauliflower, fill large pot with an inch of water and bring it to a boil.  Add the cauliflower rice and cover.  Cook for 4- 5 minutes.  Drain into a fine-mesh strainer.

3) Transfer strained cauliflower rice to a clean,t in dish towel.  Wrap up the steamed rice in the dish towel, twist it up, and squeeze all the excess moisture out.

4) In a large bowl, use your hands to mix cauliflower, beaten egg, goat cheese, and spices.  Press the dough onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.  Keep the dough about 1/3 inch thick, and make the edges a little higher for a crust effect.

5) Bake for 30 minutes, until top is dry and golden.  Then carefully flip the crust over and bake for another 10 minutes.  The crust should be firm and golden brown when finished.

6) To complete pizza, add sauce and toppings and bake for another 10 minutes.  Slice and serve hot.  Alternatively, allow to cool and slice to use as a flatbread for sandwiches!

Roasted Chicken with Veggies

Last month, Poppy threw up at my mom's house two days in a row.  I am fairly certain it's due to her trips to the neighbor's dumpster or her affinity for turkey poop, but either way, she had an upset stomach.  I decided to make chicken and rice for the dogs to settle all bellies.  I grilled my mother on how to prepare chicken and what cuts (do you say cuts of chicken or just beef?) I would find at the grocery store.  When I got there, I found that my cheapest option, surprisingly enough, was an entire chicken.  I was terrified, but I bought it anyway and started frantically texting my mom and Laura, and googling "how to cook an entire chicken for dogs," which shockingly didn't get me that much help.

I decided that even my two (no Ginny yet!) were not going to be able to eat an entire chicken, so I let Jesse know that I was roasting an entire animal and that he should come help.  Secretly I was super scared of actually having to cut the meat off the chicken, and I knew I wouldn't be happy to do that myself.  So inviting him was not purely selfless.

I used lots of information from The Kitchn, my mother, and LG, and this is what I came up with.  Apparently, you want to roast the chicken slightly raised off the bottom of the baking dish.  Of course I don't own a roasting pan (what do I roast besides brussels sprouts!?) and my cooling racks didn't fit in my baking dishes.  So I improvised; I had read somewhere that you can always rest the chicken on top of some vegetables, which will allow air to circulate a little bit better.  So I sliced up some potatoes and carrots and an onion, and tossed those on the bottom.  Then I had to touch the chicken - gag - and put it on the veggies.  Then everyone told me to "find the giblets" but I never did!  So thanks everyone for having me shove my hand inside a chicken's butt and neck.  Clearly there was a giblet thief for my chicken.

Then I stuffed it, and really, I don't know why people do that.  Does stuffing herbs inside a chicken really make it taste better on the outside? The jury is still out on that one.  Either way, I put herbs, garlic and lemons inside, which was unenjoyable.

Into the oven it went.  I am always so worried about giving people salmonella, so I was hoping that little white button thing would pop out and tell me it was done, but it didn't.  I ended up double checking with a meat thermometer, and I was good to go in about an hour and a half.  Then I handed Jesse a knife and realized he, too, had no idea what he was doing.  He had never carved a bird before either.  I have to admit that I have never liked him more than I did when I saw him dry heaving as he hacked the meat off the carcass.  I think we were both pretty scarred from the entire experience.

But in the end, I was proud of myself.  I roasted an entire chicken and used the meat to feed a human and two happy dogs.  I felt very grown-up.  Having a mortgage and knowing about 401Ks is grown-up, but nothing is more grown-up than roasting a chicken.  And Jesse said the chicken was juicy and delicious and the veggies were cooked perfectly. What kind of freaked me out is that the vegetables suddenly had a sauce on them... I had not made a sauce... but okay.  Most importantly, the dogs loved the chicken and rice, and there was no more throwing up.

Do you see how much I love my dogs?  I love them enough to roast a chicken for them.  This is why my heart is so heavy this morning.  I miss you, Daisy Mae.

Recipe:

roasted chicken with veggies

a Trust the Vegetarian original (what irony!)

serves 6

Ingredients:

4 - 6 pound while chicken

4 russet potatoes, peeled and quartered

4 carrots, peeled and broken in half

1 onion, quartered

olive oil

salt and pepper

1 lemon, halved

2 garlic cloves, peeled

2 sprigs rosemary

2 sprigs thyme

1 small bunch parsley

Instructions:

1) Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.  Place the potatoes, carrots and onion in the bottom of a large baking dish.  Put the chicken on top.  Pat the chicken dry with paper towels, and then rub olive oil over it to ensure the skin gets crispy.  Generously salt and pepper the chicken.

2) Place lemon, garlic and herbs inside the chicken.  Place it breast-side up in the roasting pan.  Put the chicken in the oven and immediately lower the temperature to 400 degrees.  Roast for 50 - 90 minutes, depending on the size of your chicken.  Other ways to know when it is done: until it registers 165 degrees at the thickest part of the thigh, the juices run clear, and the legs and wings wiggle loosely.  

3) Transfer chicken to a cutting board and lest it rest 15 minutes.  Then carve and serve.

Broccoli Soup with Cheddar Potato Skins

I have proclaimed my love before for recipes that include both a main course and a side dish.  While lately - in the past few months - I have suddenly gotten a lot better about planning a main and a side together, it's definitely not my forte.  The way I grocery shop, I buy only what I need for recipes, so I may plenty of things that could be used for sides, but they have plans to be in the main course!  I've started to pick up other vegetables and think about sides lately, but I still love recipes that do all that for me.  I was exited when last month's Food Network Magazine had this broccoli soup recipe along with a side of cheddar potato skins (um yes please).  I added it to my grocery list ASAP.

I do have to say, though, that this soup was not my favorite.  It's not broccoli cheddar soup, it's just broccoli.  Broccoli is not my number one fave vegetable, and I think it has to be for this soup to be fully appreciated.  It's just very broccoli-y.  It doesn't even have vegetable broth to temper all that broccoli - it just has water and a couple tablespoons of half-and-half.  It's supposed to be have bacon in it, so maybe that's the flavor I was missing out on (I did cook some and crumble it on Jesse's bowl, and he did like the soup, so that could explain things; in fact I sent him home with all the leftovers), but for me, I have plenty of other broccoli soup recipes that I appreciate a bit more.  I will stick with broccoli cheddar and broccoli and cheese with noodles instead.  But if you try this with the bacon, I will be curious to hear what you and your family thought.

But the cheddar potato skins!  Oh these were great.  And they are much easier and faster than you would expect.  The secret is to microwave them for 8-10 minutes instead of baking them (that's how this meal can go from idea to table in under an hour).  Then you scoop out most of the flesh and use it in the soup (symbiotic relationship!), and bake them on both sides to crisp them, adding cheese to the top for the last bake.  They could not be simpler, but they were delicious and by far stole the show from the soup.

Recipe:

broccoli soup with cheddar potato skins
from March 2016 Food Network Magazine
serves 4

Ingredients:
4 medium russet potatoes
4 slices bacon, chopped
1 onion, chopped
cooking spray
kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 head broccoli, florets chopped (about 6 cups)
2 tablespoons half-and-half
1 3/4 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Instructions:

1) Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.  Pierce the potatoes all over with a fork.  Microwave until cooked through, 8 - 10 minutes.  Cook the bacon in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-heat, stirring until crisp, about 8 minutes.  Remove to a paper-towel-lined plate using a slotted spoon.  Add the onion to the pot with the drippings and cook, stirring occasionally until softened, about 5 minutes.

2) Meanwhile, coat a baking sheet with cooking spray.  Quarter the potatoes lengthwise and scoop out most of the flesh; set aside.  Arrange the potatoes skin side up on the baking sheet.  Coat with cooking spray.  Bake until golden, about 15 minutes.

3) While potatoes are cooking, add the potato flesh, 6 cups water, 1 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper to the pot with the onion, and stir to combine.  Bring to a boil.  Add the broccoli and reduce the heat to maintain a simmer.  Cook until the broccoli is tender, about 8 minutes.  Working in small batches, puree in a blender, or use an immersion blender.  Stir in the half-and-half and season with salt and pepper to taste.

4) Remove the potato skins from the oven; flip and top with the cheese.  Continue baking until bubbling and golden.  Top each serving of soup with the bacon and serve with potato skins.

Fennel and Celery Salad

I bought my very first bulb of fennel recently.  I had big plans for it, but I could never find the other ingredients needed for what was admittedly a very strange recipe.  So, there it sat in my refrigerator, this giant bulb of fennel which I had never cooked with and had no plans for.  Then one night I needed a vegetable side for a pasta dish (coming up next!), and I spied the lonely sad bulb.  A quick search on Pinterest led me to this fennel and celery salad, and this the fennel was saved from a sure rotting death in the back of the fridge.

It couldn't be easier to make this salad: thinly slice celery and fennel (I used my mandoline to get them ultra thin) and dress them with parsley, olive oil and lemon juice, with pine nuts and shaved parmesan.  I actually left out the cheese and pine nuts because I didn't have either one on hand, but I look forward to trying it with those next  time!  Even without them, the salad was really good!  The fennel is slightly sweet (almost a faint taste of licorice) but the lemon cuts it nicely.  It's fresh and bright and crunchy and so much more exciting than anything with lettuce, which is the world's most boring vegetable and the reason I hate most salads.  By the way - the lack of lettuce means this salad can actually stay good for a few days!

Don't be scared of fennel!  Don't ignore it at the grocery store and don't let it hide in the back of your vegetable bin.  Let it star in a salad and you won't regret giving it a chance.

Recipe:

fennel and celery salad
from Platings and Pairings
serves 4

Ingredients:
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
1 large fennel bulb, sliced very thin
6 celery stalks, sliced very thin
1/2 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3 tablespoons good quality olive oil
kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
2 ounces shaved parmesan

Instructions:

1) Toss fennel, celery, pine nuts, and parsley with lemon juice and olive oil.

2) Season with salt and pepper to taste, and sprinkle with shaved parmesan.

Veggie Stir Fry

There's something about ordering Chinese takeout that makes me feel like an adult.  I have no idea why; maybe it's watching movies or TV shows where people eat out of takeout containers in their NYC apartments or something?  Obviously I don't live in an apartment or in New York, and I never eat out of the containers, with forks or chopsticks, but still, the feeling remains.  We got Chinese food for Valentine's Day and were super happy with everything, but we felt like the steamed veggies I picked were lacking.  Great sauce, but it was just a few vegetables.  With so many options out there, why stick with bamboo shoots and broccoli?  And why not more mini corns?  The mini corns have been my favorites since I was a kid!

Enter the Pioneer Woman, who is just amazing whether she's making meat dishes like lasagna or something vegetarian like this; she has never steered me wrong.  This was a great recipe; the sauce comes out flavorful, thick and awesome, coating all the veggies and soaking into the rice I served it on.  It's made with soy sauce, sherry, brown sugar, sriracha, and fresh ginger, and thickened with cornstarch.  The recipe calls for onion, red and yellow peppers, zucchini, baby corn (!!!!!), and broccoli.  I threw in some snow peas because, what's a Chinese stir fry without snow peas?  Besides being delicious and healthy, it was really quick.  I think it was ready before the rice was cooked!  Definitely a great stir fry.

It turned into a meal that's far better than takeout.  And even more adult, since I made it.  In a wok.  Adults use woks.

Recipe:

veggie stir fry
from The Pioneer Woman
serves 8

Ingredients:
1/2 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons sherry or vegetable broth
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons Sriracha (more or less to taste; I used more like 1)
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
3 tablespoons peanut oil (I used vegetable)
1 whole yellow onion, cut into large chunks
1 whole red pepper, seeded and cut into large chunks
1 whole yellow pepper, seeded and cut into large chunks
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 whole medium zucchini, cut into large wedges
1 15-ounce can baby corn, drained and halved crosswise
1 head broccoli cut into florets
cooked noodles or rice for serving
sesame seeds for serving

Instructions:

1) In a bowl, mix together the soy sauce, sherry, brown sugar, cornstarch, Sriracha, and ginger.  Set aside.

2) Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the onions and peppers and stir, cooking for 2 -3 minutes.  Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds to 1 minute more, stirring continuously.  Add the zucchini and stir it around, cooking it for 2 minutes more.  Add the baby corn and broccoli and cook for a couple of minutes.  While the veggies are still firm, pour in the sauce.

3) Stir the veggies in the sauce, cooking for 1 - 2 minutes more, or until the sauce is very thick.  If it needs to be a little saucier, pour in 1/4 - 1/2 cup hot water and splash in a little more soy sauce.  Serve over noodles or rice with a sprinkling of sesame seeds.

Danish Split Pea Soup with Dill

I have loved pea soup since forever, when Gram used to make it on Sundays.  Of course, she used to cook a ham bone in it, and that is no longer my cup of tea, so I have been making a vegetarian version.  Then I came across this Danish split pea soup with dill, and I was intrigued.  It's mostly the same soup, but with the addition of celery, celery root, and carrots, and lots of fresh dill added at the end of cooking.  This changes the color of it a little bit, do don't be freaked out at the slightly less than appealing color or orangeish-brown green!

The recipe suggests adding lightly fried onions at the end along with he dill, but let's be honest here: the dill is the star of this recipe.  It takes pea soup to another level.  The fried onions aren't necessary - but the dill is.  I think I will be adding dill to my pea soups from now on!

I had no celery root, by the way, so I added a couple of potatoes.  I think they thickened it up, maybe a bit too much but I sort of like thick mushy soups!

Recipe:

Danish split pea soup with dill
from Rhubarbarians (best blog name ever)
serves 6

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 medium yellow onions, chopped
2 celery stalks, diced
2 medium carrots, diced
1/4 of a celery root, diced
6 cups vegetable stock
2 cups dried green split peas, rinsed
1 sprig of thyme
4 tablespoons chopped dill, divided
salt and pepper
2 medium yellow onions, sliced

Instructions:

1) Heat the olive oil in a soup pot over medium high heat.  Add the chopped onions and saute until golden, about 15 minutes.

2) Add the next 6 ingredients, through thyme, and half of the dill.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat, cover, and simmer over medium low heat for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until peas are soft and soup is fragrant.

3) Meanwhile, saute the sliced onions in a skillet over medium high heat until crispy.  Remove from skillet and set aside for topping.

4) Season soup with salt and pepper.  Serve topped with crispy onions and fresh dill.

Black Bean, Sweet Potato and Quinoa Stuffed Bell Peppers

2016 is still going to be my year.  I keep saying it event hough I have been sick for all of it so far!  I'm on a new antibiotic starting today so hopefully I will be able to swallow without wincing soon.  And more importantly (or is it?), I will have the energy to make myself a good meal after work!

With last weekend being a long weekend, I did manage to force myself off the couch (out from under my heated blanket) and into the kitchen for a few new great recipes coming your way.  I'll start off with these delicious stuffed peppers.  Jesse mentioned that stuffed peppers are among his favorite meal, and I was pretty surprised when I saw no stuffed peppers on my blog yet.  I'm 90% sure I made some before, but I think it was before my blog started, and I don't recall them being earth shatteringly great or terrible, so even though I remember where the recipe came from, I decided to start fresh.  I came across this lovely little idea: stuffing the peppers with a healthy, protein-filled mixture of quinoa, onion, black beans, diced sweet potato, tomato, and lots of fresh cilantro.  Toss a jalapeño in there if you are feeling wild, but there's already lots of flavor going on.  I did add some crushed red chili flakes, which made it super spicy if you ask me, but since Jesse doused his peppers in hot sauce, I guess he didn't think it was hot enough!

Besides the comments I was already bracing myself for, ("what is that stuff?  What's wrong with rice?"), this healthy vegetarian meal went over better than I had expected.  Jesse ate three entire peppers (2 halves each) over the course of the night (we decided he likes to have about 10 small meals in a day).  As always, they were compared to his mother's peppers, but were announced to be "different, but still very good!"  I will take that.  I was happy to have lots of the tasty filling left over (the recipe says it makes 3 stuffed peppers, but I manage to stuff 4 and still have extra filling, which was perfect for lunches!).  I just finished off the last of it, and even if it was spicy according to my tastes, I am kind of sad that it's gone.

Recipe:

black bean, sweet potato, and quinoa stuffed bell peppers
from Ambitious Kitchen
makes 4 stuffed peppers

Ingredients:
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 yellow onion, diced (about 1/2 cup)
1/2 jalapeno, seeded and diced
3/4 cup uncooked quinoa
2 cups vegetable broth, divided
1 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 medium sweet potato, peeled and finely diced
2 Roma tomatoes, seeded and finely diced
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes if desired
salt and pepper
3 - 4 large bell peppers (I used red and green), seeds removed and cut vertically
3/4 cup reduced fat shredded colby jack cheese

Instructions:

1) Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  In a saute pan over medium-high heat, heat olive oil.  Add onions, jalapeño, and garlic, and saute until the onions begin to soften and turn translucent, about 4 - 5 minutes.  Place into large bowl and set aside.

2) To cook quinoa, rinse with cold water in a mesh strainer.  In a medium saucepan, bring 1 1/2 cups of vegetable broth to a boil.  Add in quinoa and bring picture to a boil again.  Cover, reduce heat to low, and let simmer for 15 minutes or until quinoa has absorbed all of the water.  Remove from heat and fluff with fork.  Place into bowl with vegetables.

3) While quinoa is cooking, place a medium pot over high heat and fill with water.  Bring to a boil and add in diced sweet potato.  Reduce heat to medium, cover, and continue to cook for about 6 minutes or until your potatoes are fork tender.  This might take more or less time depending on how small you cut your sweet potatoes.  Once tender, drain water and place potatoes in bowl with quinoa and onion mixture.  Gently stir in black beans, tomatoes, remaining 1/2 cup vegetable broth, chili powder, cumin, oregano, cilantro, red pepper flakes, and salt and pepper to taste.

3) Arrange bell peppers in a large skillet or baking pan and stuff with a heaping 1/2 cup of quinoa mixture.  cover with foil and bake for 20 - 30 minutes until peppers are tender.  Uncover and sprinkle each with 2 tablespoons of cheese.  Place in oven for 5 minutes longer or until cheese melts. Remove and serve immediately with toppings such as sour cream, Greek yogurt, or hot sauce.

Cauliflower and Tomato Coconut Curry

I had such a tremendous backlog of recipes all fall - I can blame my busy schedule with taking classes or something but really I have no excuse.  That's why I am totally shocked that I am now posting a recipe that I currently have the leftovers of in my refrigerator right now!  I'd better get my butt into the kitchen.  I took a bit of a hiatus during Christmas break when I was sick, but I am still sick and I still need to eat!

This curry is pretty delicious.  I love all things cauliflower these days, and they soak up the coconut curry sauce, flavored with garam masala, perfectly.  Then there are chickpeas to keep you full, sweet potatoes, spinach, and tomatoes.  Serve this colorful dish over rice, and you've got a wildly amazing little Indian dinner.  I made it last week and have been taking the leftovers to work; they reheat beautifully.


Recipe:

cauliflower and tomato coconut curry
from A Couple Cooks

Ingredients:
1 yellow onion, diced
1 pound sweet potato (4 cupped peeled and chopped)
1 head cauliflower (5 cups chopped)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
2 tablespoons curry powder
1 tablespoon garam masala
1 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
23-ounce jar of diced plum tomatoes (I just used most of a 28-ounce can of regular diced tomatoes)
15-ounce can full fat coconut milk
15-ounce can chickpeas
4 cups spinach leaves
cilantro
brown rice

Instructions:

1) Prepare the brown rice according to the package instructions.

2) Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.  Add onion and saute 2 minutes, then add the sweet potato and saute 3 minutes. Add cauliflower and 1/2 teaspoon salt, and saute for another 5 minutes.  Stir in curry powder, garam masala, cumin, and cayenne.  Add the tomatoes and coconut milk.  bring to a boil, then cover, reduce heat and simmer for about 10 minutes until the cauliflower and sweet potato are tender.

3) Drain and rinse the chickpeas.  When the vegetables are tender, add the chickpeas and spinach and stir for 2 minutes until the spinach is wilted.  Add the other 1/2 teaspoon salt to taste.

4) Garnish with cilantro and serve with brown rice.

Spaghetti Squash Quiche Casserole

Well it's 2016!  I had such high hopes for this year... and I spent much of the first day of it sitting in Urgent Care, waiting to be seen for a terrible sinus infection.  Ah well!  Let's hope the rest of the year goes a little smoother!

Anyway... with the end of my vacation looming closer, it's time to start thinking about packing lunches and figuring out breakfasts again.  This was a really great breakfast option, courtesy of my friend Laura at work.  She raved about this spaghetti squash quiche for weeks, and would reheat it in my microwave at school, and it did smell pretty good.  Of course, her version had Canadian bacon, and mine would not; I chose to add some garlic, mushrooms, spinach, and tomato.  And hers had swiss cheese, which I forgot to buy, so more mozzarella substituted for it.  I loved my veggie version, but I do think that my next spaghetti squash quiche will have swiss cheese for a little added kick.

I know the thought of a quiche made without a crust and with lots of spaghetti squash may not sound appetizing, but I promise you it's surprisingly quiche-like.  If you want the meat version, you'll want to follow the link to the original recipe.  I recommend my vegetable additions whether you add Canadian bacon or not!  It reheats beautifully; packing a slice for work every day made the week before Christmas break bearable!

Recipe:

spaghetti squash quiche casserole
from Healthy A La Mode
serves 6 - 8

Ingredients:
2 cups cooked spaghetti squash (about 1/2 a large squash; I microwaved mine!)
1 yellow onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup mushrooms, chopped
1/2 cup spinach
1 small tomato, chopped
4 eggs
1/2 cup cottage cheese
1/4 cup swiss cheese
1/4 cup mozzarella cheese
black pepper to taste

Instructions:

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease an 8 x 8 pan (I used a large pie dish).

2) Heat a large skillet over medium heat and saute chopped onion for about 5 minutes.  Add garlic, mushrooms, spinach and tomato and cook for 3 -5 more minutes or until vegetables are tender and spinach is wilted.

3) In a large bowl, combine cooked spaghetti squash, eggs, cottage cheese, swiss cheese, vegetable mixture, and black pepper to taste.  Mix well and transfer to greased pan or dish.  Top with mozzarella cheese.  Bake for 35 - 40 minutes or until golden brown.  Allow to cool a few minutes before serving.

Lentil, Tempeh, and Sweet Potato Chili

I love tempeh.  I know I have said this before, but it's just the best meat substitute a vegetarian can ask for.  In fact, just today I bought tempeh bacon, which I am super excited about.  Fakin' bacon!  I honestly cannot wait for breakfast tomorrow.  I'll keep you posted.

Anyway, this tempeh was not bacon-ified, but was used as the main protein in a super tasty chili.  It's flavored with garlic, chili powder, cumin, turmeric, and coriander, which is not your average chili spice mix.  Not to mention the red pepper, sweet potatoes, and red lentils (which thicken it beautifully). You end up with a colorful, delicious, thick, hearty chili.  I like to eat chili over rice, with a little sour cream.  I often add cheese, but I thought it didn't necessarily match the flavor profile here, although if you were feeling cheesy, I say go for it.

This recipe makes a lot of chili.  I ate it for well over a week, and even brought some to my friends (who happily ate it and did not think tempeh chili was too weird!).  That reminds me - my mom said today that she knows this is one of my secrets to living on a small budget.  She said I cook something and then eat it for a week.  It's true!  Luckily I am the kind of person who can eat the same thing for lunch for a week.  I also hate throwing food away, so it works out well.  Chili for days.

Recipe:

lentil, tempeh and sweet potato chili
from Produce on Parade
serves 8 - 10

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, diced
5 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon liquid smoke (optional; I left it out)
dash of black pepper
7-ounce package tempeh, diced
1 medium red bell pepper, diced
1 medium sweet potato, diced
2 15-ounce cans diced tomatoes
8 cups vegetable broth
2 cups dry red lentils

Instructions:

1) In a very large soup pot, heat the olive oil over medium-low heat.  Add the next 9 ingredients (up to the black pepper)  and saute for about 5 minutes, until fragrant and the onions begin to soften.

2) Add the tempeh, red bell pepper, and sweet potato.  Saute for a few minutes, then deglaze the pan with the canned diced tomatoes.

3) Add the broth and lentils.  Stir well and bring to a boil over high heat, then cover partially and reduce to a simmer.  Simmer for about 30 minutes.  Next, remove the lid and continue to simmer for about 10 minutes while stirring occasionally.

Roasted Red Pepper Soup

I have said this before, but roasting vegetables is life changing.  Okay, maybe I have never said that, but I swear, if there is a vegetable you think you don't like, try roasting it.  I guarantee you will change your mind.  I never liked broccoli, but we always ate it boiled into a green mush.  I roasted some just last night with some salt, pepper, lemon juice and a sprinkling of parmesan, and it's glorious.  Roasting vegetables makes them a little sweeter, and can make any little old veggie the star of a dish.

Take, for example, the red pepper.  Sure, it's okay, but does anyone ever rave about red peppers?  Well, be prepared to.  These peppers get roasted until their skins are blistery and their insides are tender and smoky and sweet.  They then become the star of this soup, helped along by onions and garlic, and flavored with fresh thyme and smoked paprika.  It's super velvety and thick - so thick that it feels like a chowder, except it's totally dairy-free and gluten-free because it is thickened with potatoes!  I can't say enough great things about this soup, except please make it with some quesadillas to dip into it.  That was the suggestion in my Meat Lover's Meatless Cookbook, and it was such a great idea.  I made beet quesadillas... stay tuned for that recipe next post!

Even if that sounds too weird for you, this soup is great for dipping but it's also great by itself.  I happily ate every last drop of it, and didn't even start to get sick of it when I was eating it for lunch and dinner.  So that's saying something!

Recipe:

roasted red pepper soup
from The Meat Lover's Meatless Cookbook by Kim O'Donnel
serves 4

Ingredients:
3 medium-sized bell peppers
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 medium-sized onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, smashed
1 pound potatoes (about 3 medium-sized), peeled and quartered
1 - 2 sprigs fresh thyme
3 cups water
1 teaspoon salt
2 ounces bourbon (optional)
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
lemon wedges (optional)

Instructions:

1) Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Remove and discard the stems and tops of the peppers and place on a baking sheet.  Roast until blistered and charred, 30 - 40 minutes.

2) Remove the peppers from the oven and place in a sealed bag or cover with a towel.  This helps remove the skins.  Wait 15 minutes.  With your hands or with the help of a paring knife, remove the seeds, veins, and skins, but do not rinse the peppers.  Chop coarsely and set aside.

3) In a medium saucepan over medium heat, heat the oil, then add the onion and garlic.  Cook until the onion is slightly softened, about 5 minutes.  Add the potatoes, thyme, water, and salt.  Bring to a lively simmer, then lower the heat, cover, and cook until the potatoes are fork tender, about 15 - 20 minutes.

4) Remove the thyme, add the peppers and bourbon (if using), and stir in the cayenne and smoked paprika.  Puree until smooth and free of lumps.  Taste for salt and adjust as needed.

5) Return soup to saucepan and reheat.  Serve hot, with lemon wedges if desired.

Flourless Mexican Brownies

This was the dessert that I made for my Mexican-themed BYOI night with my friends.  It was a good recipe to make for a group that includes sweet tooths (sweet teeth?) and people with celiac disease!  These brownies are gluten-free, but fit our Mexican theme with their cayenne pepper and cinnamon.  I was a little worried about the spice being too much, but everyone said they were delicious.  And Dani didn't get sick; every time I cook or bake for her, I panic that my kitchen is covered with flour particles and she's going to get cross-contaminated and be sick, but luckily she was okay!

These brownies start off with semisweet chocolate melted on the stovetop with butter and sugar.  Eggs and vanilla get added, and don't panic if it looks absolutely terrible at this point, because mine did.  I thought for sure I didn't let it cool enough and I was going to be serving chocolate scrambled eggs.  It's okay!  Just beat the hell out of them when you add the cocoa powder, corn starch (secret weapon of gluten-free baking) and spices.  Beat until it starts to actually look like brownie batter - because it is.  Never fear.

The recipe calls for frosting, but I think it's highly unnecessary to frost brownies.  This chocolate frosting is also flavored with more cayenne and cinnamon.  I left it off, but I will still share the recipe in case you are feeling indulgent.  I think the brownies are plenty good, though.

The remnants of these brownies were brought to work and given to my coworkers.  Then I gave the rest of those to Laura to bring to her kids (proof that they aren't too spicy!).  Everyone thought they were pretty good, and found it hard to believe that they were flourless.  Impress the gluten-free friend in your life with these brownies (or give it to your flour-eaters; they'll never know).  They'll love you forever.

Recipe:

flourless Mexican brownies
from Spoonful of Flavor

Ingredients:
for brownies:
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
3/4 cup granulated sugar
8 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
2 eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
3 tablespoons cornstarch, sifted
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon cinnamon
for frosting (optional):
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 cups confectioner's sugar
1/4 unsweetened or Dutch processed cocoa powder
1/8 - 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, to taste
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons heavy cream

Instructions:

1) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Line an 8x8 square pan with foil and spray lightly with baking spray.

2) In a small saucepan set over low heat, melt the butter.  Stir in the sugar until incorporated.  Add the chopped chocolate, stirring until smooth.  Remove from heat and add the eggs, one at a time.  Add the vanilla extract and stir until incorporated.

3) While mixing, slowly add the cocoa powder, cornstarch, salt, cayenne pepper, and cinnamon.  Using a mixer on high speed, beat the batter until smooth and shiny, 1 to 2 minutes.

4) Pour the batter into prepared pan and bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until the brownies are set in the center.  Remove form oven and let cool in the pan for at least one hour.

5) To prepare the frosting, in a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the butter and beat on medium speed for one minute.  Slowly add the confectioner's sugar, cocoa powder, cayenne pepper, and cinnamon.  Mix until combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the heavy cream and mix until lightly and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Spread the frosting over the brownies, remove from pan, and slice before serving.

Roasted Veggie and Black Bean Tacos

Here's the main recipe from our October BYOI friends dinner night!  As I have explained before, my friends and I have a Bring Your Own Ingredients night once a month where we all bring groceries and I cook dinner for us.  In September, we made pizzas because Dani, who is gluten-free, was sick and couldn't come. This time, luckily, she was healthy, so we came up with a theme that could be easily made without any flour.  We went with a Mexican themed meal.  Lots of chips, salsa, rice, beans, and these roasted veggie and black bean tacos.  Don't worry, there was also some ground turkey for the carnivores, but everyone agreed that these veggie ones were great!

This is a great, healthy vegetarian recipe for your next Mexican night!  I love roasted vegetables, and this is no exception.  Tomatoes, fresh corn, yellow squash, zucchini, onion, and red pepper all get roasted, spiced with cumin and chili powder.  When they are close to being done, you add in black beans, cilantro, and lime juice.  Glorious.  Then you can use the filling however you wish: do you want them in flour tortillas?  Corn?  Want to make burritos?  Tacos?  Enchiladas?  Want to just eat it as a side?  Go for it.  It's up to you.  You are the chef.  It's your Mexican night.

Recipe:

roasted veggie and black bean tacos
from Cooking Classy
makes about 9-10 tacos

Ingredients:
3 medium tomatoes, cored and seeded, diced (1 1/2 cups)
2 ears corn, kernels cut from cobs (1 1/2 cups)
1 medium zucchini, diced (1 1/2 heaping cups)
1 medium yellow squash, diced (1 1/2 heaping cups)
3/4 small yellow onion, chopped (scant 1 cup)
1 red bell pepper, diced (1 cup)
1 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoon canola oil
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder, divided
salt and freshly ground pepper
1 cup canned black beans, drained, rinsed and warmed
1/3 cup cilantro
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
corn or flour tortillas for serving
optional toppings i.e. cheese, sour cream, hot sauce, etc.

Instructions:

1) Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Place first 6 ingredients in a mound on a large baking sheet.  In a small bowl, stir together olive oil, canola oil, cumin, 1/2 teaspoon chili powder and salt and pepper (I suggest 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper).  Drizzle mixture over veggies on baking dish, then toss to evenly coat and spread veggies into an even layer.  Bake in preheated oven 10 minutes, then remove from oven and toss.  Spread veggies into an even layer again, and return to roast 10 minutes longer, or until they have reached desired doneness.

2) Near the end of the veggies roasting, toss warmed black beans with salt and remaining 1/2 teaspoon chili powder.  Once veggies are done roasting, add black beans along with chopped cilantro; drizzle lime juice over top and toss.  Serve warm over tortillas.

Lentil Dal with Hearty Greens

Happy November!  I am super happy that it's November.  There's no real reason - it's far from my favorite month.  You know my feelings on fall - and winter.  But there is a lot to look forward to.  I am hosting Thanksgiving for 25 people this year - plenty more on that later.  I always love the post-Thanksgiving Christmas feeling.  I get lots of time off from work this month.  And things are just looking up in general.  Plus with every month that passes, I feel better and better, so I am excited to see where I am - and where my life is - by December.  Plus, there is very little chance that this November will be as hard as last November was.  I look forward to that.

One thing that has evolved in my life over the past year or so is a love for Indian food.  Indian food is great!  It's spicy, very often vegetarian, and often healthy.  Perfection.

I was excited to try this red lentil dal.  I love red lentils because they get so mushy, but there is still plenty of texture with onion, tomato, and greens (I used spinach).  it's flavored with fresh ginger, turmeric and whole cumin seeds.  Unfortunately I ran out of ginger and couldn't find cumin seeds, so powdered versions of both worked just fine.  This meal was super tasty and very filling, and it reheats beautifully.  Definitely something to make again!

Recipe:

lentil dal with hearty greens
from the Kitchn
serves 4

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups dry red lentils, rinsed
2 tablespoons oil, divided
1 small onion, diced
1 medium tomato, diced
1/2-inch piece ginger, grated
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
6 cups loosely packed shredded greens (beet greens, spinach or swiss chard)
salt to taste
1/2 teaspoon whole cumin seeds
1 clove garlic, smashed but left whole

Instructions:

1) Place the red lentils in a pot and add enough water to cover them.  Bring the water to a boil, skimming off any scum that rises to the top, then turn down the heat and simmer for 20 minutes or until creamy and tender.

2) While the lentils are cooking, heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a heavy-based pan over medium-high heat.  Add the onion and fry gently for about 5 minutes, until translucent and beginning to brown.  Add the tomatoes and ginger and cook for 3 minutes, until tomatoes soften.  Add the turmeric and stir.  Stir in the greens and let them wilt, about 5 minutes.

3) Stir in the onion-tomato-greens into the dal, and simmer for a few minutes to warm through.  Season to taste with the salt.

4) In a small pan, heat the remaining tablespoon of oil, and add the cumin seeds and garlic clove.  Fry for 30 seconds, until the cumin sizzles, then turn off the heat and pour the seasoned oil, cumin seeds, and garlic into the dal.  Cover and let it infuse.  Stir before serving.

Sesame Kale Glow Bowl

It's ironic, really, that just when I felt my life was going to be at its most empty point, I feel like it's busier than ever.  Two thumbs up to that.  Busy is good.  I'm tired, but I'm having a good time too.

When you're this busy, one thing that can sometimes fall by the wayside is eating well.  I confess to eating at McDonald's the night they started serving breakfast all day (no McGriddles though- what a rip off!), and to forcing Kenzie and Nick into taking me to Boston Market for my usual order of mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese, cornbread and stuffing (that's correct, you don't see a single green vegetable in there unless you count the diced celery in the stuffing).  I'm still smaller than I was in the spring before my life went awry, but I know full well that hash browns and macaroni and cheese is no way to keep myself healthy or happy!  Plus there were a couple weeks there when I had no leftovers, and thus no good lunches for work.  All around bad news.

So, I went grocery shopping again.  I bought things like kale and tempeh and quinoa - and by the way, how awesome is it that I can buy these things and no one is going to complain that I am making weird stuff for dinner?  This is a glow bowl.  It's so named because it is so healthy, you will glow after eating it.  Well, that's what they say, anyway.  I don't think I am glowing, but I certainly felt better after eating it.  Not to mention the fact that it was delicious.  The sauce is a soy-dijon-lime-ginger sauce, and it coats the quinoa, tempeh, kale, broccoli, and red onion perfectly so that everything is super flavorful.

I do think that the next time I make this, I will make the sauce first, and marinate the tempeh in it for 30 minutes.  My favorite tempeh recipes have been the ones where it gets marinated. Tempeh has such a good texture, and it is perfect for sucking up all the flavor from marinades.  It was still good in this bowl, but it wasn't the star of the dish, which I think it had the potential for.

Healthy doesn't have to be complicated or boring.  Healthy can be a bowl full of delicious vegetarian ingredients like this!

Recipe:

sesame kale glow bowl
from the Glowing Fridge
serves 3 - 4

Ingredients:
1 cup quinoa
1 tablespoon coconut oil
1/2 red onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
3 cups kale, de-stemmed and torn
2 cups broccoli florets, about 1 small head
4 ounces tempeh, chopped/crumbled
2 tablespoons soy sauce/ tamarin for gluten-free
2 tablespoons water
juice from 1/2 lime
1/2 tablespoon dijon mustard
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
dash of red pepper flakes (optional)
2 tablespoons sesame seeds

Instructions:

1) Combine quinoa with 2 cups water in a medium-sized pot. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to simmer for about 15 minutes or until all water has been absorbed.

2) Meanwhile in a small saucepan, melt the coconut oil on medium-high heat.  Add the red onion and sauce for 2 -3 minutes. Add the garlic, kale, broccoli and tempeh.  Sauce for about 3 minutes.

3) In a small bowl, combine the soy sauce, water, lime juice, dijon mustard, ginger, pepper, red pepper flakes, and sesame seeds.  Add mixture to saucepan with vegetables and mix until well combined.  Cook for about 2 more minutes.

4) Once quinoa is finished cooking, scoop it into bowls and top with vegetable mixture.

Eggplant Pizzas

The best part about your friend discovering that she has a green thumb is getting her extra garden harvest!  Cathleen has supplied me all summer long with thousands of tomatoes (got some more yesterday... probably the last batch before fall hits for real :( ) and some eggplants too.

When she gave me eggplants last month, she also suggested that I try making eggplant pizzas.  They're basically little slices of eggplant that take the place of pizza dough; then you can top the with your favorite pizza toppings.  It's gluten-free, low carb, low calorie, and basically all-around perfect.  I tried this out one day when no one in my family was around, which was good, because I literally ate an entire eggplant by myself.  They're addictive.  My eggplant was skinny so each little pizza was one adorable, delicious bite.  It felt like you were going to town on those little bagel pizzas that I may or may not be obsessed with, except it's the healthy version!  Try these out, you won't regret it.  Right CF?

Recipe:

eggplant pizzas

from Cathleen!

serves 3 - 4

Ingredients:

2 - 3 medium eggplants

salt

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

pizza toppings - I used a jar of sauce, cheese and basil, but you can use whatever!

1) Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2) Slice the eggplant into 1/4-inch slices, and lay the slices on paper towels.  Sprinkle with salt and let sweat for 30 minutes.  Dab with paper towels to absorb water and excess salt.

3) Brush slices with olive oil and Italian seasoning.  Roast for 20 - 30 minutes; don't let them get mushy.

4) Remove eggplant from oven; top the slices with sauce, cheese, and basil (or toppings of your choice).  Broil on low until cheese is melty and lightly browned.

Eggplant Rollatini

When I offered to make dinner for Alex's family, I was stressed.  What if they're strict carnivores?  What if they wanted ground beef or chicken or something equally as unsavory?  The less I cook with meat, the more it distresses me to think about it.  But luckily, they requested eggplant rollatini.  Excellent.  I could make 2 batches and keep one for our family!  That's exactly what I did.

Eggplant rollatini, for those of you who aren't obsessed with eggplant like I am, is thin slices of eggplant, rolled around a ricotta-based filling and baked in tomato sauce.  What's not the like?!  This filling also has pine nuts, mozzarella, parmesan and basil, so it's basically one cheesy bite of Italy.

Rather than frying the eggplant like in most eggplant parm recipes, it gets grilled.  This was the first time I pulled out the grill attachment for my gas oven, which I was pretty pumped about.  It worked awesome.  So even though there are 3 different cheeses, I tell myself it's fairly healthy.

The recipe comes with its own recipe for sauce.  You could totally toss a jar of sauce in there if you were in a pinch, but let's be honest: when you're taking the time to chiffonade basil and salt-sweat eggplant, you've got the time to make your own sauce too.  Plus this makes plenty of leftover sauce that can be frozen for the next time you make rollatini :)

End result?  Tender rolls of eggplant with creamy, cheesy, ricotta, swimming in a flavorful tomato sauce.  Mmmmmm.

Recipe:

eggplant rollatini
from Food Network 

Ingredients:
for sauce: 
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 32-ounce cans crushed tomatoes
2 dried bay leaves
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, optional
for rollatini:
3 medium-sized eggplants
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
vegetable oil spray
32 ounces ricotta cheese
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella
8 tablespoons grated parmesan
3 tablespoons toasted pine nuts
20 basil leaves, chiffonaded
extra virgin olive oil for drizzling

Instructions:

1) Make the tomato sauce first.  In a large casserole to, heat oil over medium high heat  Add onion and garlic, and sauce until soft and translucent, about 5 to 10 minutes.  Add celery and carrots and season with salt and pepper.  Sauce until all the vegetables are soft, about 5 to 10 minutes.  Add tomatoes and bay leaves and simmer uncovered on low heat for 1 hour or until thick.  Remove bay leaves and check for seasoning.  If sauce tastes acidic, add unsalted butter 1 tablespoon at a time to round out flavors.  Add 1/2 the tomato sauce into the bowl of a food processor.  Process until smooth. Continue with remaining tomato sauce.  You will need 2 cups for this recipe; allow the rest to cool completely and pour into freezer plastic bags.  It will keep for up to 6 months.

2) Preheat the grill pan and preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Place a rack over a large baking sheet.  Cut the 2 ends off the eggplant.  Sprinkle with seas alt to help remove excess moisture and any bitterness from the eggplants.  Set aside for about 10 to 15 minutes.  Rinse off the salt from the eggplants and pat dry with a towel.  Spray hot grill pan liberally with vegetable spray and then place eggplant slices on the grill until lightly browned on each side and tender, about 4 minutes per side.  Remove slices from the grill pan and allow to cool.

3) In a large bowl, beat eggs until lightly scrambled.  Mix the ricotta in with the egg.  Add mozzarella, 3 tablespoons of parmesan cheese, and toasted pine nuts, and gently combine.  Fold in basil just to combine.  Do not overmix.

4) Place a tablespoon of the cheese mixture on 1 end of the eggplant and roll up tightly.  Place the eggplant rollatini into a greased (with olive oil) 13 by 9-inch baking dish, seam-side down.  Continue with remaining eggplant.  Evenly distribute the tomato sauce on top of the eggplant rollatini.  Season with salt and pepper.  Sprinkle the remaining 5 tablespoons of parmesan and bake for 15 minutes.  When cooked, drizzle the top with extra virgin olive oil.