by jltitus on January 21, 2010
The quest to go vegetarian is in full swing. Honestly, I’m pretty proud of myself and surprised. I’m not one to just cut out something I eat. I LOVE food. When I started the year I wanted to eat more vegetables and less meat because I ate too much meat before. Vegetables have always been something hard for me to remember to get enough. My mom’s version of veggies was the can of sweet corn heated in the microwave next to anything that potatoes didn’t go well with. (Sorry mom.) Maybe I exaggerate but, honestly that’s what I remember most about veggies growing up. Now I’m getting better at eating them, enjoying them, and being more adventurous. This year has been great so far. I feel better. I’m loosing weight, and I feel better. I’m not suggesting that vegetarianism (OK, I’m lacto-ovo) but for me, at this time, it’s working.
Last week I picked up the January Vegetarian Times magazine. They had this great recipe for sweet potatoes. I LOVE sweet potatoes. I thought I’d give it a try and cook it for Eric. Although I don’t have a picture I have to say this was SUPER tasty and fast to make. One thing I really like is that you can freeze the dish and cook it later. I’m thinking I’m going to make some and stick it in the freezer this weekend. It’s always nice to have some “emergency” meal ready to go. I hope you enjoy this dish as much as Eric and I did.
Sweet Potato Shepherd’s Pie
Vegetarian Times magazine – January 2010 issue
1 medium sweet potato, peeled and diced
¼ cup fat-free milk
1 tablespoon butter
¼ teaspoon cinnamon, ground
¼ teaspoon nutmeg, ground
Filling
1½ teaspoons vegetable oil
1 cup onion, chopped
1 cup leek, white part thinly sliced (1 cup)
1 cup turnips, diced
½ cup carrot, diced
3 sprigs thyme, fresh chopped
1 sprig rosemary, fresh chopped
¼ cup white wine or water
15 ounces cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup vegetable broth
3 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, shredded
Preheat oven to 375′F.
To make Sweet Potato Topping:
1. Bring large poi of water to a boil.
2. Add sweet potato, cover, and boil 10 minutes, or until tender.
3. Drain, and return to pot.
4. Mash with milk, margarine, cinnamon, and nutmeg; season with salt and pepper, if desired.
5. Set aside.
To make Filling:
1. Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat.
2. Add onion and leek, and saute 5 to 6 minutes, or until leek is soft.
3. Add turnips, carrot, thyme, and rosemary; cook 2 to 3 minutes more, or until carrot begins to soften.
4. Add wine, and cook 30 seconds to deglaze pan.
5. Stir in beans and broth. Cover, and simmer 10 minutes, or until carrots and turnips are soft. Season with salt and pepper, if desired.
6. Remove thyme sprigs from Filling, and discard. Pour Filling into 2- or 3-qt. casserole dish. Spread Sweet Potato Topping over Filling. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, if using.
7. Place casserole on baking pan. Bake 30 minutes, or until filling bubbles and cheese is melted. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.
Notes:
Frozen cooking instructions: Preheat oven to 375′F. Cover casserole, and place on baking sheet. Bake 60 to 75 minutes, or until filling bubbles and top is golden. Remove foil during last 10 minutes of baking. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.
Nutritional notes:
According to the magazine article the PER 1-CUP SERVING 129 CAL, 4 G PROT; 3 GTOTAL FAT ; 5GFIBER; 5G SUGAR.
Tagged as:
main dish,
sweet potatoes,
vegetarian
by jltitus on January 9, 2010
One of the things I’m trying to do this year is eat better. OK, eat more vegetables. I’m trying to be more of a vegetarian. I like most vegetables, except brussel sprouts. No more chicken or meat for me. I’ll still eat fish once in a while, but mostly just vegetables. I have to say I’ve loved the challenge. It’s great to find new recipes to try. This one is one of them.
I bought bunch of butternut squash several weeks ago that needed to be peeled, cut, and put in bags for the freezer. Well, we only got to the peel and cut… then put it in the frig. I knew I wanted to do something with butternut squash and while checking my MANY…like hundreds, of recipe blogs I found this recipe. It’s courtesy of PinchMy Salt.
I have to say this stew was awesome! Like not just a little good but great! It’s a super fast recipe to make too and very hardy. We got out Israeli couscous at Trader Joe’s but I’m guessing you could use rice of something if you don’t have couscous.
I hope you enjoy this recipe. I’d love to hear your comments if you do make it.
Recipe from http://pinchmysalt.com/
Butternut Squash and Chickpea Stew with Israeli Couscous
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
2-inch piece of cinnamon stick
4 canned whole tomatoes
1/2 preserved lemon, pulp removed, rinsed, and minced*
1 ounce dried tart cherries (raisins or other dried fruit may be substituted)
1/2 pound butternut squash, peeled and cut into 3/4 inch cubes (about 2 cups)
1 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup Israeli couscous
4 cups chicken or vegetable stock**
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/4-1/2 teaspoon salt (to taste)
chopped cilantro for garnish
Heat olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add onions and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes, or until softened and starting to turn golden. Add garlic, cumin, coriander, and the piece of cinnamon stick and cook, stirring, for one minute. Add the tomatoes, crushing by hand as you add them, or crush with a wooden spoon in the pan. Add all remaining ingredients except for the salt. Turn up heat and bring soup to a simmer. Turn heat to low and let simmer, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes. Add salt to taste. Remove cinnamon stick before serving. Garnish with chopped cilantro if desired.
Yield: 4 – 6 servings
Recipe Notes: *Zest and juice of one lemon may be substituted for the preserved lemon. **I used chicken broth for my stew, but vegetable stock may be substituted to make it vegetarian. For even more flavor, substitute whole spices for pre-ground: toast whole cumin and coriander seeds in a dry pan until fragrant, let cool, then grind in a spice grinder, coffee grinder, or mortar and pestle. All spices may be adjusted to suit your own taste.
Tagged as:
butternut,
couscous,
squash
by jltitus on September 13, 2008
Ingredients:
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 ½ cup fat-free evaporated milk
- 2 medium garlic clove(s), minced
- ⅓ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- ⅛ teaspoon table salt, or to taste
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
- 10 ounces dry lasagna noodles, cooked al dente (abo
- 10 ounces cooked winter squash, thawed if frozen
- 1 cup part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded
- ¾ cup golden seedless raisins
- 2 tablespoons pine nuts, chopped
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350∞F.
Place flour in a small saucepan and very gradually whisk in milk and garlic. Warm over low heat, stirring constantly, until sauce simmers and is thickened, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper.
Spread 1/4 cup of cheese sauce over bottom of a 9 X 13-inch glass or metal pan and cover with 3 lasagna noodles; top with 1/3 of squash and 1/2 cup of cheese sauce. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup of mozzarella cheese and 1/4 cup of raisins. Cover with 3 more lasagna noodles and spread with 1/3 of remaining squash and 1/2 cup of cheese sauce; sprinkle with 1/4 cup of raisins. Cover with 3 more lasagna noodles and top with remaining squash and raisins; cover with last 3 lasagna noodles, pressing sheets firmly down. Top with remaining cheese sauce; sprinkle with pine nuts and remaining mozzarella cheese
Bake until lasagna bubbles around edges and is browned on top, about 30 minutes. Slice into 8 pieces and serve.
(Serves 
Tagged as:
lasagna,
main dish,
pasta,
raisins,
squash,
vegetables
by jltitus on September 13, 2008
Ingredients:
- Risotto
- 1 Garlic Clove, minced
- ½ Red Onion, finely chopped (or 3-4 shallots)
- 2 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 cup Arborio Rice
- ⅓ cup Oil Packed Sundried Tomatoes, chopped
- 1 teaspoon Dried Italian Herbs, your choice
- ½ cup Cooking Sherry
- 2 cups Hot Vegetable Stock, or water and veg bullion cube
- ½ teaspoon Salt (if needed)
- Veggies
- 1 Small Eggplant*
- 4 Water Packed Artichoke Hearts
- 1 Bell Pepper (or jared, roasted red pepper)
- Reduction
- Balsamic Vinegar (at least 1/2 cup)
Directions:
*I only used 2 slices of eggplant per person, so you won’t need an entire eggplant to make this dish.
Preheat your oven to 450º F.
Roasted Red PepperBegin by sauteing the garlic and onion in olive oil in an oven safe sauté pan that has high sides and a tight fitting lid. While the onion is cooking over medium heat, begin roasting the pepper if you are using a fresh one. Instructions can be found here.
Once the onion has softened and browned, add the rice and stir to coat with the oil. Sauté for 2-3 minutes. Add tomatoes and herbs. Add the cooking sherry and stir until absorbed by the rice. Add the stock/water, stir, cover and bake for 25-30 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat a cast-iron grill pan with some olive oil. When the pan is very hot, add slices of eggplant and drizzle with olive oil. Grill until tender, remove from the pan. Slice the artichoke hearts in quarters and grill for a few minutes, set aside when completed. Sprinkle both lightly with salt.
To make the reduction, heat balsamic vinegar in a sauce pan, reducing by half until the vinegar is syrupy. The more vinegar you use, the easier it is to make, but the longer it takes. If you only use a small amount of vinegar, you can overcook it easily; keep a close eye on it. While the vinegar is reducing, check for consistency by drizzling some on a plate. If it is thick and syrupy, and tastes sweet and tangy, you’re ready to go. Try not to burn or completely caramelize the vinegar.
One the risotto comes out of the oven, remove the cover and fluff it with a fork. BE CAREFUL. While I was plating the dish, I had forgotten that the pan had just come out of a 450º oven and tried to move it out of the way. I plated, photographed, and wrote about this dish one hand because of that. Ouch.
Plate the dish. I used a cooking ring to form the risotto, put the artichokes on top, and the eggplant and pepper next to the risotto. Drizzle with the reduction and serve.
(Serves 3)
Tagged as:
balsamic,
rice,
risotot,
side dish,
vegetables
by jltitus on September 13, 2008
Ingredients:
- One 12-ounce package firm or extra-firm silken tofu*
- ¼ cup plain soy milk
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon tahini
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric
- ¾ teaspoons salt
- 2 cups cooked brown rice
- 1 tablespoon vegan parmesan (optional)
- freshly ground pepper, to taste
- 1 bunch asparagus (about 12 ounces)
- ¼ cup shallots, minced
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 heaping cup (about 4 ounces) sliced mushrooms
- ½ red bell pepper, chopped
- olive oil spray
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350. Put first 8 ingredients (tofu through salt) into blender. Puree until completely smooth, stirring a couple of times between blending.
Mix rice with 3 tablespoons of the tofu mixture and the vegan parmesan (optional). Add freshly ground black pepper to taste. Spray a pie pan with cooking spray or canola oil, and press the rice into the bottom and up the sides of the pan.
Brown Rice Crust
Bake for 8 minutes. Remove from oven.
Snap the tough ends off the asparagus and discard. Cut off the top 3 inches and set aside. Chop the remaining stalks into 1/2-inch pieces.
Cutting Asparagus
Spray a medium non-stick saucepan with olive oil and heat. Add the shallots and cook for about 1 minute. Add the garlic, asparagus, and two tablespoons water. Cover and cook for 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms, bell pepper, and 2 more tablespoons water. Cover and cook 2 more minutes. Remove cover, sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste, and cook, stirring, for a minute or two until most liquid has evaporated. Separate out the asparagus tips from the rest of the vegetables. (NOTE: Next time I will not pre-cook the asparagus tips; they should cook well enough in the oven.)
Spread the vegetables (excluding the asparagus tips) on top of the rice crust. Pour the remaining tofu mixture over the vegetables, stirring lightly to distribute it through the vegetables. Arrange the asparagus tips over the top and spray lightly with olive oil.
Assembling Quiche
Bake for 60 minutes. Let cool for about 10 minutes before cutting (this helps make the quiche slice more cleanly, but if you don’t care about that, go ahead and dig in; we did!)
(Serves –)
Tagged as:
asparagus,
eggs,
mushroom,
quiche
by jltitus on September 12, 2008
Ingredients:
- 1 cup Milk
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon flour
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon salt
- pinch ground cloves
- 4 cups apples, peeled, cored and sliced
- 1 cup onion, chopped
- 2 cups Cheddar cheese, grated, or Gruyere
- 1 cup walnuts, chopped
- 1 cup bread crumbs
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly oil an 11 x 7-inch baking dish.
In a small pot, scald the milk, brining it almost but not quite to a boil. In another small pot, melt the butter and whisk in the flour. Slowly add the scalded milk, whisking continuously until the sauce starts to thicken. Add the nutmeg, salt, and cloves and stir for about a minute, until thick. Remove from the heat and set aside.
Spread the apples and onions evenly in the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle on the grated cheese and pour the sauce over the top. Scatter on the walnuts and bread crumbs.
Bake uncovered for 45 minutes, until the top is golden and crisp.
(Serves 4)
I liked this dish but if I make it again I would use something with more milk fat than non-fat milk. I also would skip the bread crumbs. I only put 1/2 a cup on the dish and that was still too much. i might try mixing in some potatoes in with the apples and onions.
Tagged as:
apples,
onions,
side dish
