Semi-Sweet » Vegetarian

Super Quick, Dead Easy Fresh Tomato Pasta Sauce

Sarah — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 13:00:42 +0000

Summer tomatoes . . . anything better? But bumper-crops can get you down. You don’t want to waste those goodies, do you? Sure, you can roast them, or bake up a tarte, but what about a ultra-quick weeknight dish that’ll highlight their deliciousness without breaking your back? Check out this recipe – 20 minutes from start to finish. Dinner. Is. Done.

Pasta with Fresh Tomatoes and Pine Nuts (adapted from Everyday Food)

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
4 medium tomatoes, diced
2 garlic clove, minced (or 1 t. crushed garlic from a jar – even easier! I like Trader Joe’s)
3 T.extra virgin olive oil
8 oz. angel-hair pasta
4 T. pine nuts (beware Chinese pine nuts – they may give you “pine mouth,” a terrible metallic/bitter taste that lasts for days)

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Meanwhile, combine tomatoes, garlic, and oil in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Let stand at least 10 minutes. Cook pasta in boiling water according to taste; drain, and return to pot. Add tomato mixture; toss to combine. Serve sprinkled with pine nuts.

Serves 4.

Image: digitalart / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

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Use the Food

Sarah — Fri, 12 Aug 2011 13:00:25 +0000

I’ve had so much on my mind here, been running around doing errands to prep for my surgery, working out like a fiend . . . and still, the CSA share just keeps.on.coming. It’s been loaded these last couple of weeks: cukes and zukes and tomatoes and the sweetest sweet corn EVAH. Squash – summer and pattypan. Fresh basil and dill and oh, just lovely, tasty stuff. But the abundance!? It can overwhelm even the most veg-lovin’ mama. So I’ve been throwing stuff together and seeing what works.

There hasn’t, interestingly, been a ton of lettuce. And maybe I’m a philistine, but when I think “salad,” I most often think “lettuce.” But somehow, I’ve gotta use up this stuff, so I’ve been chopping cucumber and zucchini and tomatoes and red onion and adding black or kidney beans and dressing it up and eating THAT as a lunchtime salad.

Tonight I combined chopped tomatoes, snipped dill, fava beans (conveniently pre-steamed from the fridge section at Whole Foods), feta cheese, a little EVOO and the juice of one lemon . . . a little black pepper and SHAZAM! a Greek-inspired salad that could benefit from cucumber, if your people like cucumber (my kid won’t touch them and my husband hates them). We had this on hot-cooked orzo, but you could throw it on top of baby spinach leaves.

Last Saturday night, D. fired up the grill and I cubed up some of the squash, tossed it with a little EVOO, Kosher salt and pepper and some Italian seasoning blend. Put it on the charcoal grill (we have this mesh basket thingy so that it makes this easy) and in about 10-15 minutes (toss is once in a while) it was delicious. I haven’t used my eggplant from last week yet, but I have a mind to have D. grill that this weekend – tossed with some fresh tomatoes and basil and some EVOO, it could be a great pasta topping.

Let’s not forget basic basil pesto with pine nuts and Parmesan, or the old standby salad with fresh mozzarella, tomatoes and basil. And for the zucchini, I’ve been getting lots of good feedback on those zucchini fries I posted the other day – and if you haven’t tried the muffins, yet, why not make something special for breakfast this weekend?

I have beet greens this week – anyone have ideas for those?

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P.S. Another recipe from The Indian Slow Cooker

Sarah — Fri, 05 Aug 2011 15:23:21 +0000

You might recall the Butter Chicken I made a while back. It still reigns as THE BEST thing I’ve ever made in the Crock-Pot, according to my gentle and discerning mate. The other thing I did this morning was chop chilies and garlic like a woman possessed for this tasty recipe called “Dad’s Rajmah”. (FYI, in that Google books preview, you can see a lot of the recipes from the book – I got my copy from the library, another inexpensive way to get new ideas without forking over a lot of cash).

I’ll let you know how it turns out, but by the way it smells and its ingredient list, I am thinking VERY positive thoughts . . . .

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Indian Lentil & Spinach Slow Cooker Soup

Sarah — Mon, 16 May 2011 13:00:50 +0000

It’s been cold here in the Boston area – a couple of days last week barely squeeked out of the 40′s, and it was drizzly and gray to boot. So, still soup weather, my friends! After an evening at the soccer field, we were frozen though. This light spicy soup filled our bellies and warmed us up quickly. Try it over rice, or with store-bought naan that’s been heated for a bit in the oven or toasted on the grill.

Indian Lentil & Spinach Slow Cooker Soup (adapted from the Soup Chick)

2 c. red lentils (yellow work too – just no French lentils – they’re too firm), washed and picked through

1 T (heaping) minced ginger

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 t. tomato paste (have you tried tomato paste in a tube? VERY convenient!)

1 t. (scant) cumin

1 t. ground coriander

1 t. garam masala

1 t. turmeric

2 t. kosher salt

1 t. freshly ground black pepper

6 oz baby spinach leaves, washed

8 c. low-sodium chicken broth, or vegetable broth

1 c. light coconut milk

In a slow cooker, combine the lentils, ginger, garlic, tomato paste, cumin, coriander, garam masala, turmeric, salt, pepper, and broth. Set the cooker to LOW and cook for 4 hours, stirring once or twice.

After 4 hours, stir in the spinach leaves and coconut milk. Turn off the slow cooker and let the soup sit, covered, for 15 minutes. Taste, and adjust seasoning with salt and black pepper as needed. Serve hot.

Serves 6.

This’ll keep leftover in the fridge for a few days, or else freeze a portion to pull out when you TRULY have no time to cook!

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Wow Wow Wow White Bean Dip

Sarah — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 13:00:46 +0000

I HAVE to share this food love. It’s so damn good, even day 3. Day 2 and day 3 better than day 1, so plan ahead for this. It’s worth it.
I’ll surely be making this one early & often for spring & summer gatherings . . . try it with sliced ficelle, pita chips, veggie crackers, on a corn thin (that’s how I just ate it), heck, it’d be a wicked tasty spread for a sammie on an everything bagel with lots of veggies. My next plan is to get D. to grill baguette slices that have been brushed with a little olive oil, and use it on that. You are gonna want to bathe in this. Trust me.

Truffled White Bean Spread (adapted from The Kitchn)

4 cups chicken broth (or use veggie to make this a vegan treat)

2/3 cup dried great Northern beans (canellini are a great sub), soaked overnight

3 cloves garlic

1 bay leaf

Kosher salt and freshly ground white pepper

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon white truffle oil, plus more as needed

3 tablespoons thinly sliced scallions

1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley

In a medium pot, combine the broth, beans, garlic, and bay leaf and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer until the beans are tender, about 45 minutes. Season the beans, to taste, with salt and pepper. Cool in the liquid. Drain the beans & garlic, remove the bay leaves.

Place the beans & garlic in a bowl and coarsely mash with a potato masher. Mash in the oils, keeping the mixture fairly coarse. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in the scallions and parsley. Spoon into a serving bowl and drizzle with more truffle oil if desired.

I think this is best prepared a day ahead – so prep it through stirring in the scallions & parsley, cover and refrigerate. Before serving, let it come to room temp (you want to taste that spendy truffle oil, don’t you??). This makes 1 cup, but you’re CRAZY not to double this recipe. You’ll hate yourself if you don’t.

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Moroccan-Inspired Quinoa Salad

Sarah — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 14:00:59 +0000

This tangy, protein-packed salad is so good, so easy, so healthy. There is nothing to hate about this dish – your taste-buds, body and family will thank you for putting this on the table!

Moroccan-Inspired Quinoa Salad (inspired by this recipe at Fun Intelligent Training)

1 c. quinoa (use red for more visual impact)
2 t. extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced

2 shallots, minced
1/2 c. dried apricots, coarsely chopped
2 c. low sodium chicken or vegetable broth
1/4 t. salt, plus more to taste
2/3 c. Moroccan Lemon Dressing, (recipe follows), divided
2 tomatoes, chopped
2 (5 oz.) boxes baby spinach
1/4 cup slivered almonds, toasted

Place quinoa in a fine sieve and rinse thoroughly. Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add shallots and sprinkle with salt. Cook, stirring constantly, until translucent. Add garlic and saute for 1 minute, until fragrant. Add apricots, quinoa, broth and 1/4 t. salt; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, until the quinoa is tender and the liquid is absorbed, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, make Moroccan-Spiced Lemon Dressing. Transfer the quinoa to a medium bowl and toss with half of the dressing. Let cool for 10 minutes, or, if preparing ahead of time, place in a covered container in the refrigerator.

Just before serving, toss the spinach and chopped tomato with the remaining dressing in a large bowl. Divide the spinach among 4 plates. Mound the quinoa salad on the spinach and sprinkle with almonds.

Make Ahead Tip: This is a great make-ahead dish, and the quinoa salad is delicious cold from the fridge, room-temp. or heated slightly. If you’re making ahead, cover and refrigerate the quinoa and dressing separately for up to 2 days.

Moroccan Lemon Dressing

1/4 c. freshly-squeezed lemon juice

2 T. nonfat plain yogurt or nonfat kefir

1 1/2 t/ honey

1/4 t. ground cumin

1/4 t. ground cinnamon

1/4 t. ground ginger

1/4 c. extra-virgin olive oil

1/4 t. Kosher salt, or to taste

Freshly ground pepper, to taste

Whisk lemon juice, yogurt, honey, cumin, cinnamon and ginger in a small bowl until blended. Slowly whisk in oil so that the dressing becomes smooth and emulsified. Season with salt and pepper.

Serves 4.

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Citrusy Chicken Quinoa Salad

Sarah — Fri, 18 Feb 2011 14:00:08 +0000

Today’s recipe is a simple, hearty and healthy dinner salad that boasts high protein and high fiber. If you skip the added chicken, you could serve this as a pretty and creative side dish. Or sub tofu for chicken, and create a vegan one-dish meal. In any case, this’ll cost you only 30 minutes of your time, counter to table.

Orange Chicken Quinoa

1 c. quinoa, rinsed and drained

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Kosher salt

1 bunch scallions (approximately 12 scallions)

1 large navel orange

Juice of 1 lemon

3 T. plus 1 t. extra-virgin olive oil, divided

4 c. baby lettuce

1/4 c. unsalted pistachios, toasted and roughly chopped

Boil 1 1/4 c. water in a small saucepan. Add rinsed quinoa, cover, reduce heat, and simmer for approximately 12 minutes, or until the water is absorbed by the quinoa. Remove from heat, let stand for 5 minutes and then fluff.

While the quinoa is cooking, cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces and season with salt and pepper. Trim the scallions and cut into 1-inch pieces. Saute the chicken and scallions in a skillet with 1 t. of olive oil, until the chicken is no longer pink inside.

Meanwhile, make the dressing. Cut 1 inch off each end of the orange. Squeeze the orange ends into a small bowl, to get about 2 T. of juice. Whisk together the orange juice, the lemon juice, 3 T. olive oil, salt and pepper. Peel the remainder of the orange and slice it very thinly.

Add the chicken mixture, the dressing, sliced orange and the pistachios to the quinoa and toss. Taste for seasoning – add more lemon juice, salt and/or pepper if desired. Arrange 1 c. of salad greens on each of four plates, garnish each with 1/4 of the chicken mixture.

Serves 4.

Adapted from the Nutrition Action Healthletter, April 2009

Tip: Are you using non-stick cookware? It’s more than suspect from a health-standpoint, it could be downright dangerous. Did you know that a properly seasoned cast iron frying pan is virtually non-stick? The secret is to heat it up before you begin cooking your food. The 1 teaspoon of oil in this recipe more than coated my cast iron frying pan and created a non-stick surface for my chicken – all for only 10 extra calories per serving. And bonus! If you use cast iron cookware, you’ll get a little extra iron in your diet.

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Expandable Side Dish: Kale & Chard with Tomato and Garlic

Sarah — Thu, 10 Feb 2011 14:00:27 +0000

Like I said a week or so ago, I’m trying harder with the cooked veg. This recipe showed up in the January Everyday Food magazine and I knew at once I’d have to try it. I’ve been trying for a while to get D. to eat kale. He’ll eat Swiss chard and other greens, and enjoys kale in soups (um, with sausage, and really who can blame him?), but he’s not a fan of kale for kale’s sake. I, on the other hand, can’t get enough of the stuff. An aside: If you’re like me, you might wanna check out this clever site – I proudly sport one of his t-shirts.

I digress. I’ve altered this recipe to include chard – mostly because I had a bunch of it that needed eating and also because this was going to be our only veg with a roast chicken. The greens here are soft and tender and the tomatoes create this syrupy, garlicky sauce that is so delicious – it tastes like it has a lot more oil in it than it does. It received one thumb up from D., which, if you know D., is a very big deal.

Kale & Chard with Tomato and Garlic (adapted from Everyday Food Magazine)

1 bunch lacinato kale (AKA dinosaur kale or Tuscan kale – and you can use regular old kale if that’s what you want to do), tough stems removed and roughly chopped

1 bunch Swiss chard, tough stems removed and roughly chopped

2-4 cloves of garlic, roughly chopped (I used 4, but we love garlic)

2 c. cherry tomatoes, quartered

1 T. extra virgin olive oil

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the kale and chard until tender, about 4 minutes. Drain well and set aside.

In a large skillet (or that same pot you boiled the greens in, wiped out), heat the oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook until they start to break down, 2-3 minutes. Add the greens and cook until heated through, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Serves 4 (or two people who love veg and aren’t eating starch).

Why is this expandable? If you toss this with 12-16 oz. of your favorite pasta, you’ll have a nice meal. If you choose whole wheat pasta, you’ll get an extra dose of fiber and protein to go along with it . . . or you could, of course, serve this with Italian sausages alongside (or oooh – cut up and mixed in with the greens!). The saucy tomatoes will coat your pasta and the colors will be gorgeous.

Image: Carlos Porto / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

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Moroccan Lentil Soup

Sarah — Mon, 07 Feb 2011 14:00:29 +0000

I’ve decided we need to eat more lentils. They’re a terrific source of protein, they cook up quickly and they’re versatile. Think of them as the boneless, skinless chicken breast of the vegetarian world . . . . So to that end, this week I tried out this new recipe and it’s going to be a regular (to the extent we have those) at our house. It’s zingy (more or less, depending on your taste for cayenne) and flavorful and warming. And quick and easy too.

As with most soups, it’s even better day 2+, so think of this for lunch leftovers (I microwaved mine atop a big bed of baby spinach and stirred it all together – fantastic and a good way to sneak extra greens into your life) and quickie meals for nights when you have no time. Freezing is an option, too – single-serve containers if you’re so inclined, or perhaps double the recipe and slowly reheat a big batch in a pot some cold winter night when you’re family’s starving for something hearty and homemade.

Moroccan Lentil Soup (adapted from the Fields of Greens cookbook)

1 c. French lentils

6 c. low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth

1 T. extra virgin olive oil

1 medium onion, diced

Kosher salt

Cayenne pepper

1 small carrot, diced

1 celery rib, diced

1 small red or yellow bell pepper, diced

1 t. ground cumin

1/2 t. ground coriander

1/8 t. turmeric

4 cloves of garlic, minced

1 T. grated fresh ginger

8 oz. diced tomatoes with juice

2 T. cilantro, chopped – for serving

Sort and rinse the lentils. In a large, heavy-bottomed pot, heat the oil and add the onion, 1/2 t. salt and a pinch of cayenne. Cook over medium heat until the onion is translucent. Add the vegetables, another 1/2 t. of salt, and the spices. Cook for 5 minutes, then stir in the garlic and giner and cook for another minute or two. Add the lentils and the broth. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season to taste with salt and cayenne. Garnish each serving with the fresh cilantro.

Makes 8-9 cups of soup.

Already lovin’ the lentil and lookin’ for more? This easy Garlicky Lentil Soup is another fav . . . .

Image: Dino De Luca / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

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Quickie Side: Broccoli With Toasted Cashews

Sarah — Fri, 28 Jan 2011 14:00:22 +0000

I’m back on the healthy – finally got rid of the myriad viruses I was fighting, finally rid the house of buttery, sugary treats and now I’m back to clean, sensible eating. And you know what? Despite the pang of longing I still get for my old friend, Sugary Dessert, after dinner, I feel so much better. I always tell people, and I’ll say it to you here – if you can get yourself off the hooch for a week or two, you’ll stop craving the hooch, and the uptick in energy and sheer pleasure of feeling your body run more smoothly will start to reinforce your healthy eating habits. Really. Trust me. Don’t even get me started on how you can be addicted (in a healthy way) to exercise as well. I was smiling as I ran on the Arc trainer the other day at the gym. It’s great to be back.

Anyway. “Back on the healthy” means LOTS of veg. 2 veg for dinner most nights – a tossed salad with a low-calorie dressing (homemade please) and a cooked vegetable as well. I have to admit that after dreaming up a meal and preparing it, plus a salad, my cooked veg side often gets short-shrift. So a goal for 2011 is to jazz up the steamed vegetables around here, and this recipe’s moving that ball forward. It’s fast, fresh, and would be a great compliment to any sort of Asian-inspired meal, or with a plain piece of protein when you just don’t have the energy for razzle-dazzle.

Broccoli with Toasted Cashews (originally from Everyday Food Magazine)

2 heads broccoli, trimmed and cut into florets

4 t. fresh lime juice

1 t. sugar

2 t. low-sodium soy sauce

1/4 cashews, toasted and coarsely chopped

Kosher salt

Steam the broccoli until tender – either by using a steamer basket in a saucepan or in a covered glass container in the microwave. Meanwhile, whisk together the lime juice, sugar and soy sauce until the sugar dissolves. Add the broccoli and toss lightly. Season with salt to taste and top with the cashews.

Serves 4.

*Photo courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net

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