Pumpkin Ice Cream Torte

This was my first attempt at making a fancy dessert for the holidays. I usually make some sort of cheese cake, which are always my favorite, but this year I decided to go a different route and everyone appreciated the deviation. This dessert is not difficult to make but demands patients and time. It can and needs to be made ahead, which is nice for the busy holiday season.

I made some minor adjustments to the original recipe found in Cook.ing Li.ght because the pumpkin ice cream was too pumpkiny for my taste. I am posting the directions as I made it.

Pumpkin Ice Cream Torte

3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup ginger snap cookie crumbs
2 TBS brown sugar
2 TBS finely chopped pecans
4 TBS butter, melted
3/4 cup canned unsweetened pumpkin
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground allspice
1/8 tsp ground ginger
1/8 tsp ground cloves
9 cups vanilla ice cream
1 1/2 cup reduced fat Coolwhip
jarred caramel topping

1. Preheat oven 350
2. Combine first 5 ingredients (mixture will be crumbly). Firmly press crumb mixture into bottom of a 9 - inch springform pan lightly coated with oil or cooking spray. Bake for 10 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.
3. Combine pumpkin and the next 4 ingredients (through cloves) in a bowl. Soften 7 cups ice cream, add to pumpkin mixture, stirring to blend. Spoon half mixture into prepared pan. Cover with plastic wrap, freeze 1 hour until firm (this took alot longer because I softened the ice cream too much). Refreeze remaining pumpkin icecream.
4. Soften remaining 3 cups vanilla ice cream. Spread over pumpkin ice cream layer in pan. Cover then freeze 1 hour until firm.
5. Soften remaining pumpkin ice cream ADDING 1 1/2 cups Coolwhip. Spread over vanilla ice cream, cover and freeze 8 hours until firm.

Let sit out 10 minutes or so before serving. Heat jarred caramel topping and drizzle over the top of each slice before serving. YUMMY!!!!!

Pesto Penne

This is super easy AND super yummy. I had most of the ingredients in my pantry already, so it may also be fairly cheap to make or a dish to throw together in a pinch. The flavors are awesome and if you don't have the exact ingredients, easy to modify. We had this for dinner served warm and as lunch leftovers the next day served cold. Delicious either way.

Pesto Penne
1 medium red bell pepper
1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives, sliced or chopped
1/3 cup jared pesto (Melissa brand is great)
1/3 cup oil-packed sun dried tomatoes, chopped (Melissa brand is great!)
1 (6oz) jar marinated quartered artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
12 oz penne pasta
1/2 cup cubed smoked mozzarella or smoked provolone
1/4 cup chopped walnuts

1. Pre-heat broiler.
2. Cut bell pepper in half lengthwise, discard seeds and membranes. Place pepper haves, skin sides up, on a foil-lined baking sheet. Flatten with hand. Broil 5 - 8 minutes until blackened. Place in brown paper bag or zip-lock, seal. Let stand 5 minutes, then peel the skin off. Chop pepper, place in a medium bowl.
3. Add olives, pesto, sun-dried tomatoes and artichokes to the pepper in bowl. Stir to combine.
4. Cook pasta and drain.
5. Add the pesto mix to drained pasta and add cheese and nuts.

YUMMY!!!!!

Roasted Beet, Avocado and Arugula Salad

Looking for a colorful salad that is delicious and good for you? Here it is! I am not a fan of beets, but I find them to be so beautiful that I do include them in some dishes - plus Jason loves those colorful roots, and I don't want to deprive him of one of his favorite veggies. This salad would be great for a holiday party due to all the vibrant colors, or just to eat at home with friends. The golden beets absorb the pink color of the red beets, creating a sunset appearance that is just lovely.

Roasted Beet, Avocado and Arugula Salad

4 - 6 red and golden beets
1/4 cup water
1/3 cup orange juice
3 TBS extra virgin olive oil
2 1/4 TBS white wine vinegar
1/8 tsp freshly ground pepper
1/8 tsp salt
1 large avocado
5 - 6 cups arugula
2 - 3 navel oranges, peeled and sectioned
1/4 red onion, thinly sliced

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees
2. Remove stems from beets. Scrub beets with brush, then cut in half. Place beets in baking dish, then add water. Cover with foil and back 1 hour until tender. Cool, remove skins. Cut beets into 1/2 inch slices.
3. Combine orange juice, olive oil, vinegar, salt and pepper. Toss half of juice mixture with beets.
4. Peel and cut avocado into slices.
5. Add oranges, avocado and beets to arugula in a large bowl.
6. Drizzle remaining dressing onto salad and serve immediately.

Thai Coconut-Curry CHicken Noodle Soup

I love Thai food but our area seems to lack a good place to eat out, so I was thrilled when I found this recipe! Easy and delicious! I altered a few things from the original and would actually prefer the soup with tofu rather than chicken, but overall this is a warm, flavorful soup. This entire soup from start to finish takes less than an hour, so don't be overwhelmed by the long list of ingredients. The recipe is not as difficult as it may first appear - it is actually pretty simple.

Thai Coconut-Curry Chicken Noodle Soup

5 cups water
7 -8 oz pad thai noodles, broken in half or quarters (makes eating them easier once in the bowl!)
1 TBS olive oil
1/4 cup thinly sliced shallots (use onion if shallots are not available)
1/2 small orange habanero chili, seeded and chopped
1 small hot red chili, seeded and chopped
1 - 2 TBS Green Curry paste
1 1/2 tsp curry powder (I used closer to 1 tsp to lessen the curry flavor for hubby)
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp ground coriander
2 garlic cloves, minced (ooops, left this out and didn't miss it at all)
4 cups "no chicken" broth (found at natural food stores like Whole Foods or Weaver Street Market)
2 cups veggie broth
1 (13. 5oz) can Coconut milk
1 lb skinless, boneless chicken breast, cooked and chopped OR tofu
1/2 cup choped green onions
1 TBS sugar
2 TBS fish sauce
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
16 oz bag of fresh spinach leaves

1. Bring 5 cups water to a boil in a large pot. Add noodles and cook according to package directions, usually about 5 - 7 minutes until tender but not over done. Drain and set aside.

2. Using the same pot (cutting down on dishes!) add oil to pot over med-high heat. Add chili peppers, shallots and next 5 ingredients though garlic. Saute about 1 minute, stirring constantly.

3. Add broth and bring to a boil. Add coconut milk, reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes.

4. Add chicken, onions, sugar, fish sauce, and spinach to pan, cook 2 minutes. Stir in cilantro and noodles to pot and serve!

If you have a favorite veggie like snow peas or carrots they may be a nice addition to this soup. Be creative and try adding something else if you like!

***if using tofu you may want to add it earlier on so it has time to gain flavor from the soup. Experiment and let me know how it works out and when you added it to the soup)

Southwestern Confetti Salad

This is an easy salad that is great alone as a lunch or a wonderful side dish for dinner. It takes minimal amount of time to prepare which is great for a busy work night. Great served at room temp or chilled.

Southwestern Confetti Salad (adapted from Cooking Light)

1 cup cooked rice (cooked in veggie broth from added flavor)
1 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed and drained
1 medium zucchini, chopped
1 cup grated carrot
1 tomato diced
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
1/4 cup green onions, chopped
2 TBS fresh chopped cilantro
1 TBS lime juice
2 TBS olive oil
1 TBS minced seeded jalapeno pepper (optional)
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp ground cumin powder
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1 can black beans, rinsed drained

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl, stirring well to combine.

Apple Banana Walnut Bread

The two brown, soft, getting way to ripe to eat bananas were begging to be turned into bread. But there were only two. So, I added nuts and an apple to the mix to fill in the empty space and created an amazing loaf! I found the basic start to the banana bread recipe on-line, then added the nuts and apple myself. This bread is super easy and super yummy. Perfect for a cool Autumn evening snack.

Apple Banana Walnut Bread

2 ripe bananas, smashed
1 apple, peeled, diced
1/2 cup walnuts
1/3 cup melted butter
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon baking soda
Pinch of salt
1 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). With a wooden spoon, mix butter into the mashed bananas in a large mixing bowl. Mix in the sugar, egg, and vanilla. Add the baking soda and salt to the mixture and stir. Add the flour and walnuts, mix. Finally add diced up apple, give it a good stir. Pour mixture into a buttered 4x8 inch loaf pan. Bake for 1 hour. Cool on a rack. Remove from pan and slice to serve.


DEEEEEELICIOUS!!!!!!

****Oh...My...God...I know why the bread is sinfully good - I added a shit ton of butter. Oops. I must have read 3/4 cup butter rather than 1/3 cup. I seem to recall scooping three 1/4 cups of butter into the bowl. Oh well, it was awesome if not terribly fattening and artery clogging.

Walnut Jasmine Rice

Looking for a simple yet not totally plain side dish? I prepared this recipe last night and liked it. No wild bursts of flavor, but it has a subtle yumminess to it that will be a nice side kick to many different main courses. I served this with the Tofu Steaks, and the rice went nicely with the pepper walnut sauce. The walnut oil can be a little pricey, but can also be used for salad dressings, so keep it stored in the refrigerator for other uses.

Walnut Jasmine Rice

2 3/4 cup water
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups uncooked Jasmine or Basmati rice
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/4 cup walnuts, toasted and chopped
2 TBS toasted walnut oil
1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper

1. Bring first 3 ingredients to a boil in a medium saucepan, add rice. Cover and simmer 20 minutes until liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat, stir in parsley, walnuts, oil and pepper.

Tofu Steaks with Red Pepper-Walnut Sauce

I am not a fan of tofu as a general rule unless it is fried to crispy oblivion. I was skeptical that this dish, based from plain extra firm tofu, could possibly be tasty. But my cousin prepared this for her family and promised even her meat loving, tofu hating papa found this to be scrumptious, so I gave it a try. I was not disappointed either, this dish is fabulous!

There are wonderful aromas in the preparation while chopping the fresh herbs and toasting the walnuts. I would recommend this dinner on a Sunday evening or a night where a little extra time can be spent in the kitchen. The end result is worth all the work and sink full of dishes.

Tofu Steaks with Red Pepper-Walnut Sauce (from Cooking Light)

1 (14 oz) package water-packed extra-firm tofu
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh basil
1/4 cup water
2 TBS chopped fresh parsley
1 TBS chopped fresh thyme (I used about 1 tsp dry)
2 TBS white wine vinegar
1 TBS Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 crushed red pepper
8 garlic cloves, minced (I use about 4 cloves)
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup egg substitute
2 cups panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
2 TBS olive oil
3 TBS chopped walnuts, toasted
1 (12 oz.) bottle roasted red peppers, drained

1. Cut tofu in 1/2 to thin, then again to make 4 slices. Place tofu slices between two clean kitchen towels (or several paper towels if needed) Place a heavy book on top and allow moisture to absorb into towels for 30 minutes.

2. Combine basil and next 8 ingredients through garlic, place in a zip lock bag. Add tofu and seal, marinating in refrigerator 1 hour, turning occasionally.

3. Place flour in a shallow dish. Place egg substitute in another shallow dish. Place panko in yet another shallow dish.

4. Remove tofu from marinade, reserving remaining marinade. Working with one tofu piece at a time, dredge tofu in flour, shaking off excess. Dip tofu in egg substitute, allowing excess to drip off. Coat tofu completely with panko, pressing lightly to adhere. Set aside. Repeat with remaining tofu, flour, egg substitute and panko.

5. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add olive oil to pan, swirling to coat. Add tofu to pan. Reduce heat to medium and cook 4 minutes on each side until browned. Remove tofu from pan, keep warm.

6. Combine reserved marinade, walnuts, and bell peppers in a blender, process until smooth. Pour bell pepper mixture into pan, cook over med-high heat 2 minutes until heated. Serve with tofu.

Seared Scallops with White Beans

Looking for a quick one dish wonder for a busy week night dinner? Here it is! This dish comes together in less than 30 minutes, offers protein and veggies and tastes delicious! Use either fresh or frozen scallops, but allow time for thawing if frozen scallops are chosen. Serve with a crusty dinner bread to soak up some of the yummy broth that is left in the pan.

Seared Scallops with White Beans (from Coo.king Light)

2 TBS olive oil, divided
1 pounds sea scallops
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup chopped onion
1/8 tsp crushed red pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 cup veggie broth
1 (15oz) can cannellini beans
1 (6oz) package fresh baby spinach
2 TBS chopped fresh basil

1. Heat 1 TBS oil in large nonstick skillet over med-high heat. Sprinkle scallops evenly with salt. Add scallops to pan and
cook 2 minutes each side until done. Remove from pan and keep warm.

2. Add remaining 1 TBS oil and onion to pan, saute 2 minutes. Add pepper and garlic, cook 20 seconds, stirring constantly. Stir in wine, cook 1 minute until most of liquid evaporates. Stir in broth and beans, cook 2 minutes. Add spinach, cook 1 minute until wilted. Remove from heat and stir in basil.

Black and White Beans with Orzo

This dish is delicious and fairly easy in preparation. I strayed from the directions ever so slightly and rather than steam the veggies I add them into the bean mixture instead, choosing to only steam the frozen green beans. This recipe calls for Curry powder to be added into the Orzo but lends only a mild Curry flavor. My hubby does not like traditional Curry dishes but enjoys this dish each time. So if you are not a fan of Curry give this one a try anyway as final flavoring is delicious and not overwhelmingly Curried.

Black and White Beans with Orzo (adapted from Low Fat Ways to Cook Vegetarian)

Olive oil
1 medium/large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 (15oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (15oz) can Cannelloni beans (white kidney beans), rinsed and drained
2 1/4 cups veggie broth (divided)
1/2 tsp ground cumin powder
1 cup uncooked orzo
2 tsp curry powder
1/4 tsp ground red pepper
2 medium zucchini, chopped
2 cups cauliflower flowerets
2 cups frozen green beans

Bring 1 3/4 cups veggie broth to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add orzo, curry powder and red pepper. Reduce heat and simmer ~ 10 minutes until most of liquid is absorbed and orzo is tender. Stir often to prevent sticking.

Add olive oil to large skillet over med-high heat. Add onion and garlic, saute 5 minutes. Stir in beans, zucchini, cauliflower and 1/2 cup veggie broth. Cover and simmer 15 minutes, stirring frequently.

Meanwhile steam green beans in separate saucepan.

Add steamed green beans to bean mixture and serve over orzo.

Spicy Peas and Spinach

I have been so bad about updating the food blog - sorry! To my defense I have alot going on right now, but that is really no excuse to not share delicious recipes with friends.

This dish was part of a special dinner I hosted a couple weeks ago. We had Moroccan Ficken and this Spicy Pea dish which went together nicely. The Moroccan Ficken has a sweetness to the flavor due to the dried apricots, so the spicy of this dish is a nice contrast. I love sweet and savory in the same meal!

Spicy Peas and Spinach (from What's Coo.king Veg.etarian by Jenny Stacey)

1 1/4 cups green split peas ****need to soak before cooking!****
2 pounds fresh spinach
olive oil
1 onion, halved and sliced
1 tsp grated ginger root
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp ground coriander
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 1/4 cup veggie broth
salt/ and pepper

1. Rinse and sort through split peas, then transfer to a bowl and soak in water for 2 hours.
2. Heat oil in saucepan and add onion, spices and garlic. Saute for 3 - 5 minutes.
3. Add drained split peas, spinach and broth. Simmer covered 10 - 15 minutes until peas are cooked and liquid has been mostly absorbed. Season with salt and pepper.

Garlicky Spaghetti with Beans and Greens

What a simple and tasty summer time pasta! I made this last night and we both loved it's simplicity and flavor.

Garlicky Spaghetti with Beans and Greens (From Cooking Light August 2009)

12 oz uncooked spaghetti

1/4 tsp salt, divided

3 TBS olive oil

2 TBS minced fresh garlic (I only used 4 cloves)

1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper

1 pint grape tomatoes, halved

1 (16 oz) can cannelloni beans, rinsed and drained

5 oz fresh arugula leaves (I used more, maybe 6 - 7 oz)

2 TBS fresh lemon juice

1/2 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese

1. Cook pasta according to package directions. Scoop out 1/2 cup pasta water before draining. Place drained pasta in a bowl, add 1/4 tsp of salt, and set aside.

2. Return pot to medium heat and add oil and garlic. Cook 1 - 2 minutes until garlic is lightly browned, stirring often. Stir in remaining salt, tomatoes, and beans. Cook about 2 minutes.

3. Add pasta, reserved pasta water and arugula, tossing gently to combine. Remove from heat. Stir in lemon juice and cheese.

Avocado and Veggie Soup

I love this soup in the summer time! It is actually a hot soup, as strange as it may sound with avocado. This is an easy soup to make and does not take much time to cook. Trust me, it is delicious! This is not a main course style soup, so plan to serve it with some other dish so bellies leave the table full and satisfied! A mexican style salad would be a great match with this soup. You can either blend half the soup, all the soup or none of the soup ... your choice!

Avocado and Veggie Soup

2 large avocado

2 TBS lemon or lime juice

1 TBS olive oil

1 can of corn, drained

2 tomatoes, chopped

1 garlic clove, crushed

1 - 2 leeks, chopped (rinsed well before and after chopping)

1 red chili, chopped

1/2 tsp dried cumin

2 cups veggie broth

2/3 cup 2% milk

1. Peel and mash avocado using a fork. Stir in lemon or lime juice, set aside.

2. Heat oil in a pan over med-high heat and saute the corn, tomato, garlic, leek, chili and cumin for about 3 - 5 minutes until veggies are softened.

3. Add avocado, broth and milk and cook over medium heat 5 - 10 minutes until heated, stirring gently.

Pantry Organization

My pantry was out of control and I finally found motivation to clean it up and organize a couple weeks ago. No more stuffing, pushing and holding my breath that things will not just fall out and on my toes when I reach into the pantry!

Before Organization

After Organization

So, it is still crowded ( I need a bigger pantry!!!!) but I think it is a vast improvement thank you very much!

Grilled Veggies with Vinaigrette

This is a great summer time dish using all the colorful produce the season offers. I served this with home made mac-n-cheese, tofu and dinner bread.

Grilled Veggies with Vinaigrette (from cooking light)

Vinaigrette:

2 TBS white wine OR red wine vinegar

2 TBS extravirgin olive oil

1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp honey

1/2 tsp dijon mustard

1/4 tsp ground black pepper

Salad:

1 bundle asparagus, trimmed

2 portobello mushroom caps, washed

1 - 2 zucchini, cut in half lengthwise

1 - 2 yellow squash, cut in half lengthwise

1 small red onion, cut in half

1 red OR orange bell pepper, halved and seeded

2 TBS fresh chopped basil 

1 TBS fresh chopped chives or green onion 

1 TBS fresh chopped parsley

crumbled farmers cheese or queso fresco

1. Prepare grill to medium - high heat

2. To prepare vinaigrette, combine first 6 ingredients in a large bowl, set aside.

3. To prepare salad, coat veggies with cooking spray or olive oil. Place Veggies on grill rack, grill about 4 minutes on each side until slightly blackened. Remove veggies from grill and let cool slightly. Cut veggies into 1 inch pieces.

4. Add veggies, basil, chives, parsley to vinaigrette. Toss to coat and add cheese. 

Mozzarella Chicken Sandwich

It has been a while since I've updated this blog, sorry. We had this sandwich a few weeks ago and it was really yummy and not to difficult to make. The recipe called for store bought pesto, but I decided to make my own and have included a rough sketch of the ingredients if you choose to make your own as well.

1/4 cup sun-dried tomato pesto

1 package veggie delight chicken patties

1/4 tsp pepper

1/8 tsp salt

1 tsp olive oil

1 loaf ciabatta

3/4 cup fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced

1/2 cup sliced bottled roasted red bell peppers

1 large tomato, sliced

Pesto:

fresh basil - maybe 1/4 to 1/2 cup

1/4 cup marinated sun dried tomato

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup walnuts

2 TBS low fat mayonaise

1/8 tsp salt

1/8 tsp pepper

Place ingredients in food processor and process until combined well (play with the ingredients as this is from my memory and I did not actually measure anything)

Sandwich:

1. Saute veggie chicken in olive oil, salt and pepper until browned. Remove from heat, slice.

2. Preheat broiler.

3. Cut ciabatta in half horizontally. Place bread, cut sides up, on a baking sheet. Broil 3 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove bread from pan. 

4. Spread pesto mixture evenly over cut sides of bread. Arrange the chicken slices evenly over bottom half. Top chicken evenly with cheese. Place bottom half on baking sheet, broil 2 minutes until cheese melts. Arrange bell pepper and tomato over cheese, and cover with top half of bread. Cut into 4 sections and eat!

Ravioli with Creamy Curried Spinach Sauce

I worked with a woman several years ago from Europe and she cooked wonderful, interesting foods. This dish is one she shared with me and has been a favorite ever since. It sounds weird, but tastes delicious! My hubby does not like curry at all, but he really likes this dish. He also dislikes cream cheese, I mean really hates the stuff, but seems to like it in this recipe. This dish cooks up quickly, so it is a good one for a busy night.

Ravioli with Creamy Curried Spinach Sauce

1 family size package cheese ravioli

2 X 10 oz frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained

4 oz reduced fat cream cheese

1 can coconut milk (reduced fat works well too)

2 tsp veggie bullion

1 TBS curry powder

1/3 cup chopped green onions

1/4 cup chopped peanuts

Salt to taste

1. Cook ravioli, drain

2. Add coconut milk, curry and bullion to a sauce pan. Heat over medium heat until simmering. Add cream cheese and stir until melted. Add cooked spinach and keep warm.

3. Pour sauce over the pasta, gently stir to combine.

4. Serve and sprinkle with green onions and peanuts.

Tortellini Summer Salad

This recipe captures summer time at it's freshest. The past 90 degree weather got me in the summer time mood a little early, but it was still tasty. My sister in law made this years ago and I had to get the recipe from her. Simple and Delicious. If you can wait until summer is actually here, the flavors will be even fresher. Even better, visit your local farmers market for most of the ingredients!

I love the smell of fresh basil and lemon! This dish not only looks pretty, but fills the kitchen with the aroma of summer time!

I served this tonight with a side of peas, Italian flavored tofu and dinner bread.

Tortellini Summer Salad

Family size cheese tortellini

11 oz can corn

1 TBS grated lemon peel

1/8 cup lemon juice

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/4 cup fresh chopped basil

1 cup chopped tomato

salt/pepper

1. Cook tortellini, rinse with cold water

2. Mix together lemon juice and olive oil

3. Mix together remaining ingredients, add tortellini and lemon juice mixture. Salt/ pepper to taste. Gently stir to combine.

Arugula and Pear Salad with Toasted Walnuts

Have I mentioned before how much I love arugula? Really, it is a fabulous green, full of peppery flavor, good enough to eat alone. Any salad made with arugula is one to try, and this one is particularly tasty. If you can get to a local farmers market for locally grown arugula definitely make the effort as the flavor will be really fresh and intense.

Arugula and Pear Salad with Toasted Walnuts (May 2009 Cooking Light)

1 TBS minced shallots

2 TBS extra-virgin olive oil

2 tsp white wine vinegar

1/8 tsp salt

1/4 tsp Dijon mustard

1/8 tsp black pepper

6 cups baby arugula leaves

2 Bosc pears, thinly sliced

1/2 cup chopped walnuts, toasted

1. Combine first 6 ingredients in a large bowl, stir with a whisk.

2. Add arugula and pears to bowl. Toss to coat. Sprinkle with walnuts.

Tofurky Sausage Stuffed Manicotte

Have you ever tried Tofuky brand Italian sausage? If not, now is your chance to buy it, cook with it and enjoy it's flavor. You can find Tofurky sausage with the other veggie deli style products, usually in the refrigerated section with the tofu and temphe.

This dish was pretty easy, other than the stuffing of the shells, and really tasty! Definitely a keeper. I liked using jarred pasta sauce, which surprised me, because usually this kind of recipe calls to make your own. The jarred sauce worked out just fine. I did modify the recipe a little bit by adding ricotta cheese, oh, and of course using fake sausage. Took a prep picture, but forgot to take one of the final dish!

Tofurky Sausage Stuffed Manicotte (modified from Cooking Light 2009)

10 uncooked manicotti (I cooked more knowing some would split and tear)

1 package Tofurky Italian sausage, chopped

1 cup ricotta cheese

1 medium onion, chopped

1/2 bell pepper, chopped

2 TBS butter

2 TBS all-purpose flour

2 cups low-fat milk

1/8 tsp black pepper

1 1/2 cups shredded Italian cheese

2 cups (1 jar) of tomato-basil sauce (Newman's Own worked great)

1/2 cups Parmesan cheese, grated

1. Cook pasta according to package.

2. Heat a large skillet over med-high heat. Add small amount of olive oil and saute onion for a couple minutes. Add veggie sausage and bell pepper. Cook until sausage begins to brown.

3. Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in flour, cooking a minute, stirring constantly with a whisk. Remove from heat and slowly add milk, stirring with whisk. Return to heat and bring to a boil over med-high heat, always stirring. Cook about 5 more minutes until thickened. Add black pepper. Remove from heat.

4. Preheat oven to 350.

5. Add about 1/2 cup milk mixture and 1 cup ricotta cheese to the sausage mixture. Stir well.

6. Spoon sausage mixture into the manicotti shells. Arrange shells in a single layer in a 13 X 9 inch baking dish coated with oil or cooking spray.

7. Pour pasta sauce over manicotti and sprinkle with cheeses.

8. Cook 35 minutes until browned and bubbly. Yummy!!!

Ficken and Rice with Cilantro-Poblano Sauce

This was offered in Cooking Light June 2008 as a reader recipe. The woman that developed it said it is easy to prepare and can be made any night of the week. Hmmm, I am not so sure about the easy description. While there was nothing complicated, there were many different steps and pans involved, which made it longer to prepare and clean up than an "easy" meal should. But, it was yummy and I consolidated some of the steps to cut down on after dinner dishes.

The grocery store was sold out of Poblano peppers, so I ended up using two different kinds - a red one and light green one- in place of the Poblano. It worked out nicely, so if you can't find that particular pepper, just choose some other moderate/mild temperature pepper instead.

I did not have enough wild rice, so I ended up using wild rice, forbidden rice and brown rice. Worked great, although the deep color of the forbidden rice turned the mushrooms purple!

Chicken and Rice with Cilantro-Poblano Sauce

3/4 cup chopped green onions, divided

1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves

1/2 tsp salt, divided

1/4 tsp black pepper, divided

14 oz veggie broth, divided

1 poblano chili, seeded and chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

olive oil

1 large package white mushrooms, sliced

1 cup uncooked long grain rice

1/2 cup water

1 tsp ground cumin

2 TBS fresh parsley, chopped

1 TBS butter

1 pkg of quorn naked patties, slightly thawed and cut into strips

3/4 cups grape or cherry tomatoes

1 avocado, chopped

1. Combine 1/4 cup green onions, cilantro, 1/4 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp pepper, 1/2 cup broth, chili and 1 garlic clove in a food processor. Process until smooth.

2. Heat 1 TBS oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms to pan and saute until softened. Add garlic clove to pan and cook another couple minutes. Add cilantro mixture, remaining 1 1/4 cup broth, rice, 1/2 cup water and cumin to skillet. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, covered, 25 minutes. Add parsley, remove from heat.

3. Heat small amount of olive oil in different skillet over med-high heat. Sprinkle small amount of salt/pepper and 1/2 tsp cumin in the pan. Add ficken. Cook until browned and heated through. Remove from the skillet.

4. Add small amount of olive oil to the same skillet the ficken was just cooked in. Add 1/4 cup green onions and tomatoes. Saute 2 minutes. Add ficken back to skillet.

5. Finally-arrange rice on a plate, top with ficken and tomatoes, then some avocado. Yummy!!!

Ficken and Feta Tabbouleh

This is a nice dish for a warm spring evening, exactly like the one last week when I served this for dinner. I was lucky to have tomatoes, cucumbers, mint and green onions from the farmers market to use in this recipe which made it even better. I served it with a side of toasted pita bread.

Ficken and Feta Tabbouleh (modified from April 2009 Cooking Light)

3/4 cup uncooked bulgur

1 cup boiling broth

1 pkg (4 patties) naked quorn patties

lemon pepper seasoning

1 clove garlic, minced

2 tomatoes, chopped

1 cucumber, chopped

3/4 cup chopped fresh parsely

1/2 cup feta cheese crumbled

1/3 cup finely chopped green onions

1/4 cup chopped fresh mint

2 TBS lemon juice

1 TBS extra-virgin olive oil

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp ground cumin

1/4 tsp black pepper

1. Place bulgar in a medium bowl. Cover with 1 cup boiling broth and let stand 15 minutes until liquid is absorbed.

2. Heat small amount of oil in a skillet over med-high heat. Add 1/2 tsp of lemon-pepper seasoning and garlic. Add quorn patties and cook until brown on both sides. Cut into cubes.

3. Combine ficken and remaining ingredients in a large bowl. Add bulgur to ficken mixture. Toss gently to combine.

Asparagus, Green Onion and Goat Cheese Quiche

Alright, if you like asparagus this is the quiche for you. Jason and I visited the farmers market last weekend and found delicious local produce and goat cheese perfect for this dish. There was no local asparagus, but we did find green onions and goat cheese which were used for this dish. I can not say enough about how fabulous this quiche is. Really, this is the best quiche yet!!!

I did make a couple minor changes from the printed recipe - I used a pre-made pie crust rather than fixin' up my own and I added a small amount of white cheddar cheese.

I served this with a side of temphe and corn.

Asparagus, Green Onion and Goat Cheese Quiche (modified from April 2009 Cooking Light)

1 pre-made roll out style pie crust

2 TBS butter

1 bunch fresh asparagus, chopped into 1 inch chunks (hard base stem removed)

1/4 tsp salt, divided

1/4 tsp black pepper

1 cup sliced green onions

4 oz. soft goat cheese, crumbled

1/2 cup white cheddar cheese (Cabot brand is tasty)

4 large eggs

3/4 cup 2 % milk

dash of ground nutmeg

1. Preheat oven to 425

2. Press the pie crust into a glass pie dish.

3. Melt the butter in a skillet over med-high heat. Add asparagus, 1/8 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp pepper. Saute about 5 - 8 minutes until crisp-tender. Do not over cook!!

4. Add onions and saute 2 more minutes until asparagus just begins to brown. Remove from heat.

3. Spoon asparagus into the pie dish in an even layer. Arrange goat cheese and cheddar in an even layer over asparagus.

4. Combine eggs and milk and remaining salt/pepper and nutmeg. Stir with whisk. Pour into the pie dish.

5. Bake 30 minutes until set in the center.

Penne Pasta with Tomatoes and Olives

This is an all time favorite of ours, tested and eaten now for about 10 years. It delights our taste buds each time. Great dish to take to a party or picnic too.

I made Greek style ficken using quorn patties as a protein to go along with the pasta.. Just heat olive oil and salt/ pepper in a skillet. Add some minced garlic and sun dried tomatoes. Cook ficken until browned. Yummy!

Penne Pasta with Tomatoes and Olives

12 oz penne pasta

1 pint cherry tomatoes OR 2-3 large tomatoes chopped

1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped

1/4 - 1/2 cup halved black olives

1 clove garlic, minced

3 TBS olive oil

2 TBS balsamic vinegar (or more if you like vinegar like me!)

salt and pepper

1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

1. Cook pasta and drain, run under cool water

2. Combined tomatoes through salt/pepper, cover and let stand for 15 minutes.

3. Combine tomato mixture with pasta, sprinkle with feta.

Ficken Cashew and Red Pepper Stir-fry

The newest Cooking Light arrived in the mail a week or so ago and I eagerly scanned the pages for new dishes to try. It has been awhile since I've made any kind of asian inspired dish, so I gave "Ficken" Cashew and Red Pepper Stir-fry and shot, and it was very tasty. Easy and pretty quick too. This dish would be nice with a side or Edamame, which I did not think of until just now. Bummer.

"Ficken" Cashew and Red Pepper Stir-fry modified from April 2009 Cooking Light

3 3/4 teaspoon cornstarch, divided

2 TBS low-sodium soy sauce, divided

2 tsp cooking sherry

1 tsp rice wine vinegar

3/4 tsp sugar (I think I omitted this)

1/2 tsp hot pepper sauce (like Tabasco)

1 pkg Veggie Delight patties, cut into strips

1/2 cup coarsely chopped cashews

2 TBS olive oil

1 large red bell pepper, cut into strips

1 clove minced garlic

1/2 tsp fresh minced peeled ginger

3 TBS thinly sliced green onion

1. Combine 1 tsp cornstarch, 1 TBS soy sauce and next 4 ingredients through hot sauce, into a small bowl and stir with a whisk.

2. Combine remaining 2 3/4 tsp cornstarch, 1 TBS soysauce and ficken in a medium bowl. Toss to coat.

3. Heat large non-stick skillet over med-high heat and add cashews to pan. Cook 3 minutes or until lightly toasted. Remove from pan.

4. Add oil to the hot skillet and swirl to coat. Add ficken to pan and saute 2 minutes. Add bell pepper and cook another couple minutes, stirring occasionally. Add garlic and ginger, cook 30 seconds. Add green onions and cornstarch mixture. Cook until sauce in slightly thickened. Sprinkle with cashews.

Rice

1 cup white Jasmine or Basmati rice

1 1/2 cups water

2 TBS drained, chopped water chestnuts

1/2 tsp crushed red pepper

salt and pepper

Cook rice and add the water chestnuts and seasoning at the end, allowing about 5 minutes to before serving.

Santa Fe Meatless Meatloaf

Yes, I am a vegetarian that misses meals like meatloaf and shepherds pie. I do not crave or want to eat red meat, but I do miss those home-style dishes. Luckily for people like myself there is a pretty decent product that lends well to making fake meatloaf or burgers. This veggie ground beef is called "Gimmie-Lean" and is wrapped in a "Jimmy-Dean" style case and can be found in the refrigerated section of Whole Foods or stores like that. There are two flavors of Gimmie-Lean: Hamburger and Sausage. Use the burger flavor for making meatloaf.

Santa Fe Meatless Meatloaf

1/2 cup finely chopped onion

1/3 cup red bell pepper, finely chopped

1 tsp chili powder

1/2 tsp ground cumin

3 - 4 cloves garlic, minced

1 TBS (2 peppers) canned minced chipolte chili's in adobe sauce

2 pkg Gimmie-Lean

3/4 cup dried bread crumbs

2/3 cup bottled salsa, divided

1 tsp dried oregano

2 lg eggs

3/4 cups Pepper-Jack cheese, shredded (or more if you like!)

1. Pre-heat oven to 350

2. Saute onion, bell pepper, chili powder, cumin and garlic about 5 minutes.

3. Stir in chipolte chilies and saute another minute or so.

4. Combine with Gimmie-Lean in a large bowl. (TAKE OFF YOUR RINGS!!!) Add breadcrumbs, 1/3 cup salsa, oregano and eggs. Mush and mix with your hands.

5. Place 1/2 the mixture in an 8 X 4 inch loaf pan coated with oil. Arrange the cheese over the top, leaving a slight boarder around the outside edge. Arrange the remaining mixture over the top, pressing edges to pack.

6. Spread remaining 1/3 cup salsa on top and bake 45 minutes.

This was dinner last Tuesday and I served this with homemade mac and cheese which was awesome! That recipe will be a later post, sorry. Frozen peas for a veggie. Delicious!

Linguini with Mushroom Cheese Sauce

I am making up for lost time and posting two dinners from last week. They are totally out of order, I apologize. I really need to start posting on time again!

This is a creamy pasta dish that is really yummy and totally unhealthy! Lots of butter, cheese and pasta, so make this dish one for occasional eating rather than regular dinner time fare. I served an arugula salad with this for some greens and it was pretty tasty too. That recipe may come another time though.

Linguini with Mushroom Cheese Sauce

1/4 cup butter

2 TBS olive oil

1 lg package white mushrooms, sliced

2 TBS flour

3/4 cup light cream

1 cup 2 % milk

1/4 cup white wine or sherry (cooking wine or cooking sherry would be fine to use)

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 cup onion, finely chopped

12 oz linguine

1. Heat butter and oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and saute about 5 minutes or longer until tender.

2. Sprinkle flour into skillet and stir with a whisk until a thick paste forms.

3. Slowly stir in mile and cream, stirring constantly.

4. Reduce heat and simmer about 3 minutes.

5. Stir in wine and cheese. Serve over cooked pasta.

Traditional Lasagna veggie style

I found this recipe in a Junior Welfare League cookbook out of Enid Oklahoma. With that said it should be clear any dish from this cookbook is traditional country fare. Nothin' fancy and certainly not vegetarian. I always loved traditional meat lasagna, and most of the veggie lasagnas fell short of meeting my expectations. Then I found this recipe and modified it only by using soy crumbles in place of the ground beef. It is delicious!!! Meat eaters and vegetarians both delight when tasting this dish. Great with a salad and garlic bread. Enjoy!

Lasagna

1 small onion, chopped

1 pkg morning star burger style crumbles

2 - 3 cloves garlic, mashed

salt and pepper

2 TBS fresh parsley

1 tsp fennel seed

2 tsp dried basil

1 TBS dried oregano

2 cans (28 oz) chopped tomatoes

1 (8 oz) can tomato paste

12 lasagna noodles

1/2 lb shredded mozzarella cheese

1 1/2 cups low fat cottage cheese (original recipe probably uses full fat, but low fat works great)

1 1/2 cups grated Parmesan cheese

1. Cook lasagna noodles according to package description

2. Saute onion in a large pot for about 3 minutes. Add crumbles, garlic and spices. Cook until crumbles are thawed and beginning to brown.

3. Add tomatoes and tomato paste. Add a touch of salt and some pepper to taste. Simmer about 20 minutes.

4. Spoon 1/3 sauce in bottom of 9 X 13 baking dish. Layer with noodles, mozzarella cheese, cottage cheese and Parmesan cheese. Repeat layers 3 times and end with noodles. Top with cheese and bake at 350 for 40 minutes.

Madrid Beans and Rice

Oh boy, I have fallen way behind on documenting and sharing our dinners from the week. Yikes! I really don't even know if this is the next dish following the last one posted, but it is my best guess. I know we ate it last week, maybe Tuesday or Wednesday? It is yummy and easy all the same, no matter which day we consumed it.

I served this with a side of flavored tofu for a bit more protein.

Madrid Beans and Rice

olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, mashed

1 3/4 cup veggie broth

14.5 oz chopped tomatoes, undrained

1 cup white rice (Jasmine or Basmati)

1/4 tsp dried thyme

1/4 tsp ground cumin

1/8 tsp crushed red pepper

15oz can kidney beans

1/2 cup (or more) frozen peas

small jar or pimiento (I've skipped this before, so don't worry if you can't find them)

1. Heat oil in a large pan and saute onions for about 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook a couple more minutes, until onion begins to brown and soften.

2. Add broth and bring to a boil.

3. Add tomatoes, return to a boil.

4. Add rice, thyme, cumin, red pepper. Gently stir to mix ingredients. Return to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, covered 15 minutes.

5. Add remaining ingredients and simmer, covered, another 10 minutes until most liquid is absorbed and beans & peas are heated.

Broccoli and Cheddar Pasta

Looking for a quick simple dinner tonight? This is it. A one dish wonder if you want it to be. If offers a veggie, carb and protein all in one! I love that. As far as fake chicken, I think veggie delight or quorn work best for this dish.

Broccoli and Cheddar Pasta

olive oil

1/4 cup pine nuts OR walnut halves

1 pkg veggie delight chicken OR 1 box quorn naked patties, cubed

1 bunch broccoli, chopped

2 cloves garlic, mashed

1/2 cup veggie broth

1 TBS fresh basil, chopped

1/4 tsp crushed red pepper

2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded (Cabot white cheddar is excellent for this!)

12 oz. small pasta like penne or shells

1. Heat small amount of oil over medium heat in a skillet, add nuts and cook a couple minutes until just turning brown.

2. Remove nuts. Add "ficken" to the skillet and cook a few minutes until just browning.

3. Add broccoli and garlic, cook 3 - 5 minutes. Add broth and red pepper flakes.

4. Bring to a boil, stirring. Reduce heat and simmer 1 minute.

5. Stir in cheddar and nuts. Serve.

Temphe and Leek Bake

For those of you wanting different ways to eat temphe, this is a great dish. If you like swiss cheese, leeks and potatoes, this is definently for you. Home country cooking veggie style! I chose a good swiss cheese from the cheese counter, which really made a difference. I have made this before with Kraft shredded swiss, and it was alright, even tastey, but it lacked a bit of flavor a good swiss can offer.

We had this with a side of peas for something green.

Remember, when using leeks, soak in water after cutting, then swirl around a bit to rinse any packed in dirt. Drain before using.

Temphe and Leek Bake

1 pound baby potatoes, cubed

olive oil

2 leeks, sliced

1 TBS garlic, mashed

1 pkg temphe, cubed and sprinkled with soy sauce

6 - 8 oz swiss cheese, shredded OR cubed

1 TBS Dijon mustard

1/4 cup parsley

Pre-heat oven to 425

1. Cook potatoes in boiling water until just tender - do NOT over cook

2. Saute leeks and garlic in olive oil until leeks begin to brown.

3. Add temphe and cook about 5 more minutes until it starts to brown.

4. Place into a baking dish.

5. Add 2 TBS of olive oil into the pan and cook potatoes until browned.

6. Mix into the temphe mixture, add mustard, cheese and parsley.

7. Cook 10 - 12 minutes.

Veggie tart

This is a wonderful dish that I modified for the first time a couple nights ago. I found the original recipe in a magazine many years ago and it was called "Fabulous Fritata". I made the recipe many times, loved it, but struggled to cook it through without burning the top or bottom. I had an idea this last time around and it worked! I turned it into more of a tart, cooked in a pie dish with a crust. Lovely, just delicious. Easier cleanup, easier prep.

3/4 pkg Morningstar sausage style crumbles

2 cups thinly sliced red potato

1 cup finely chopped onion

1 red bell pepper, chopped

2 tsp dried rosemary

2 cups (or a bit more) fresh spinach, coarsely chopped

3 cloves garlic

4 large eggs, 8 egg whites

4 oz crumbled feta cheese

Pre-made rolled out pie crust

olive oil

1. Saute potato in a large non-stick skillet in olive oil for a couple minutes. Add onion, bell pepper, rosemary, crumbles, salt and pepper. Cook about 5 - 10 minutes until potatoes are just tender.

2. Stir in spinach and garlic, cook one more minute. Remove from heat.

3. Beat eggs in a large bowl. Pour into veggie mixture. Add cheese. Stir gently to combine.

4. Pour mixture into a pie dish covered with the pie crust. Bake at 425 for 30 minutes until cooked through and browned on the top.

*picture to come later!*

Parmesan "Ficken" and Rice Casserole

This is not the red sauce Chicken Parmesan you may be thinking of. Oh no. This is a wonderfully simple and delicious dish using Parmesan cheese and a bit of whipping cream to for a casserole. We had this on Monday night and I modified the dish a little bit from the original recipe found in Cooking Light. The obvious change is using fake chicken. The second modification is replacing boil-in bag brown rice (yuck) with real wild rice (yum!). This of course adds a bit of time to the preparation, but well worth it for the added flavor and nutrition.

Parmesan "Ficken" and Rice Casserole

1 cup chopped onion

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 cup wild rice, uncooked

1 1/2 cups veggie broth

1/3 cup dry white wine OR white cooking wine

1 package veggie delight patties, cut into quarters

1/2 tsp dried thyme OR 1 1/2 tsp fresh thyme, chopped

1/2 tsp salt

3 TBS whipping cream

1/3 cup freshly shredded Parmesan cheese

1. Cook rice in veggie broth for 45 - 50 minutes, or until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender. Set aside.

2. Heat a large nonstick skillet over med-high heat. Saute onion for about 3 minutes, then add garlic. Cook until onion begins to brown. Deglaze pan with the wine, cook about 3o seconds. Stir in rice. Remove from heat.

3. Spoon rice mixture into a 13 X 9 inch baking dish. Arrange veggie chicken on the top, sprinkling with thyme and salt. Pour cream evenly over the chicken and rice mixture.

4. Bake for 25 minutes at 425 degrees. Sprinkle with cheese and bake an additional 5 minutes.

This was great with Green Beans Tarragon as a side dish. Look back in my blog archive to find the recipe.

Wild Rice and Barley Salad

This makes a nice lunch salad and is a tasty way to eat barley. The raisins offer a slight sweet surprise. I made this as part of the food I brought in to work this last Saturday. People seemed to really like the flavor, and the salad was gone by the end of our workday.

I did not use toasted almonds - just got lazy and did not feel like adding the almonds this time around. I am sure they are quite tasty in the salad, but not required if you want to skip this ingredient.

Wild Rice and Barley Salad found in Cooking Light

1 3/4 cups veggie broth

1/2 cup uncooked wild rice

1/2 cup uncooked barley

1 (15 oz) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1/3 cup golden raisins

1/4 cup sliced green onions

2 TBS white wine vinegar (red wine vinegar is fine too)

1 1/2 TBS olive oil

1 tsp Dijon mustard

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

2 TBS chopped fresh basil

2 TBS slivered almonds, toasted

1. Combine the first 3 ingredients in a medium saucepan, bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat, simmer 45 minutes until liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat, let stand covered 5 minutes. Spoon into a medium bowl. Add chickpeas, raisins and green onion.

2. Combine vinegar and next 4 ingredients through pepper in a measuring cup. Stir with a whisk and pour over barley mixture. Toss well. Cover and chill 2 hours. Stir in basil and almonds.

**I am not so good a reading instructions sometimes and ended up putting the basil in before chilling and it came out just fine!**

Breakfast Casserole

Yummy!!! I made this dish the first time for book club a few months ago, and the ladies loved it. I made this casserole the second time for work this past Saturday, and again, my co-workers ate with pleasure and complimented my cooking. It is easy to make and delicious. Any of you who may have taken a taste of this breakfast dish, feel free to leave a comment.

Breakfast Casserole

12 oz Morningstar breakfast style sausage

2 cups 2% milk

2 cups egg substitute

1 tsp dry mustard

3/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

3 large eggs

16 oz slices hearty white bread, crust removed

1 cup shredded cheddar

1/4 tsp paprika

1. Heat oil in  skillet over med-high heat. Cook sausage until browned. Remove from heat.

2. Combine milk and next 6 ingredients through egg in a large bowl. Stir with whisk.

3. Cube the bread and add sausage, cheddar, and paprika to the egg mixture. Let mixture sit for about 15 minutes before pouring into baking dish. 

4. Pour into a 13 X 9 inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes.

** The original recipe says to let the mixture sit overnight in the fridge, but I missed this part the first time I made it, and it turned out fine. I did not refrigerate overnight the last time either and it seemed yummy as ever. **

Indian dinner 2 - Roasted Veggie couscous with chickpeas and onion pine nut topping

So, this is the other dish I served for Indian night. The spice mix the recipe calls for is a conglomeration of many individual spices. This may be a pain if you don't have them on had already... or a good reason to start a spice collection! This is straight from Cooking Light Feb 2009.

This is a long one, so get comfy.

Couscous:  

5 cups diced peeled sweet potato

2 cups diced peeled parsnips

1 1/2 TBS EVOO

1 tsp Ras el Hanout (spice mix found down the page)

3 carrots, peeled chopped

1 tsp salt

1 1/4 cup veggie broth

1 cup Israeli couscous (or normal couscous if you prefer)

1 (15 oz) chickpeas, rinsed and drained

Ras el Hanout

2 1/2 tsp salt

2 tsp ground cumin

2 tsp ground ginger

2 tsp ground black pepper

1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp ground coriander

1 tsp ground red pepper

1 tsp all spice

1 tsp saffron threads, crushed

1/2 tsp ground cloves

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

combine all these spices and store in a container.

(I admit, I skipped out on the saffron and used my pepper medley for both red and black peppers)

Topping:

1 TBS olive oil

1 yellow onion, cut in half, then sliced

1/4 cup pine nuts

1/4 cups raisins

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 TBS honey

1. Pre-heat oven to 450 degrees

2. Cook couscous according to package directions using broth rather than water.

3. Place potato mixture on a baking sheet. Bake at 450 degrees for 30 minutes until tender, stirring occasionally.

3. When couscous is finished cooking, gently stir in chickpeas. Keep warm.

4. To prepare topping, heat 1 TBS olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add onion saute until golden brown, stirring occasionally. Add pine nuts and raisins. Cook 2 minutes. Stir in cinnamon, cook 30 seconds. Then stir in honey, remove from heat.

5. Mound couscous in the middle of a serving dish. Place roasted veggies on couscous, then top with onion mixture.

Indian night - Moroccan "Ficken"

I've made this dish a few times now and each time people love it. The last time was for Indian night with my girlfriends earlier in the week, and again, it was a success. Serve with rice. This dish is the one in the fore front of the picture.

Moroccan Ficken

olive oil
2 cups sliced yellow onion
1 pkg veggie delight chicken patties, cubed
1 TBS minced fresh ginger
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp coriander
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp black pepper
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 cups veggie broth
15 oz can chickpeas
7 oz dried apricots, coarsely chopped

1. Saute onion and ficken in olive oil until just browning
2. Add next 6 ingredients through garlic
3. Add broth and simmer about 10 minutes
4. Add apricots and chickpeas, heat 5 more minutes.

Mediteranian Orzo Salad

I found this recipe in Cooking Light many years ago and loved it at first bite! This was the other dish I made for Mediterranean night with my girlfriends this week. It makes alot, so there are always leftovers for lunch the next day.

Evidently people cooked alot of spinach for St. Patties day, because the store was sold out! I had to get creative and replaced the spinach the recipe calls for with my favorite green.....ARUGULA! Not a bad replacement really.

Marinated artichoke hearts can be a bit pricey, but I found Trader Joes sells them for under 3 dollars. I don't like the flavoring as well as those I bought at the grociery store, but for the price, they are a good buy and work well enough.

I took the leftovers into work yesterday and the salad received great reviews. A friend took a small container of the salad with her to eat on the plane rather than airplane food. Yay!

If you have never heard of Orzo, it is a small pasta. Most grocery stores have it, so hopefully it will not be hard to find. I think I use a 1 : 1 1/2 ratio of orzo to water when cooking. I always add a bit of bullion for flavoring.

Mediterranean Orzo Salad

1 cup uncooked orzo
2 cups fresh spinach, washed and chopped (or more if you really like spinach)
1/2 cup chopped drained oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
3 TBS chopped red onion (I only use 1 TBS at the most)
10 - 15 kalamata olives, pitted and chopped
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 tsp salt
1 (6oz) jar marinated artichoke hearts, undrained
3/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled (I just use however much I want to, which is probably more)

1. Cook orzo in boiling water/ broth until tender, about 8 - 10 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking to the bottom of the pan. Drain and rinse under cold water.

2. Combine orzo, spinach and nest 5 ingredients through salt in a large bowl.

3. Drain artichoke hearts, reserving the marinade. Coarsely chop artichoke hearts, and add to the orzo mixture. Pour reserved marinade over the orzo and gently stir.

4. Add feta cheese to orzo tossing gently to combine.

This dish is good with falaful and pita bread to make it a full meal.

Lentil Soup

Last night was Mediterranean night with some girlfriends and we had all kinds of delicious food. I love ethnic flavors, especially Mediterranean. I tried a new recipe for lentil soup and it was a hit. I found this one on-line. I ended up altering it a bit and have posted the soup as I made it.

Lentil Soup
2 TBS olive oil
1 large baking potato, peeled and cubed
3 carrots, peeled and finely chopped
1 large parsnip, peeled and finely chopped
1 daikon, peeled and finely chopped (white, looks kind of like a parsnip or a white carrot)
1/2 large red onion, chopped
3 TBS white wine vinegar
6 cups veggie broth
3/4 cups brown lentils
2 bay leaves
salt/pepper

1. Heat olive oil in a large pot over med-high heat. Add potato, carrot, parsnip, daikon and onion. Saute until tender, about 5 - 7 minutes.

2. Add white wine vinegar, scraping the pan to loosen browned bits. Add broth, lentils and bay leaves and bring to a boil.

3. Reduce heat and simmer 30 - 40 minute4s until lentils are tender. Discard bay leaves.

4. Blend soup in batches until smooth. Add salt/pepper.

Rosemary - Mushroom Risotto

Risotto is a wonderful creamy dish made from Arborio rice that takes a little time to cook but is worth the effort. I love Risotto and enjoy the focus it demands while preparing, a cooking meditation! This is one found in a cookbook called "1,000 Vegetarian Recipes". After making it a few times over the years, I've learned to have a bit more broth on hand than it calls for.

Rosemary - Mushroom Risotto

2 cups mushroom broth (found at Whole Foods/ Weaver Street) or veggie broth
1 3/4 cups water
1/2 tsp dried rosemary, crumbled
1/4 tsp dried thyme
2 TBS olive oil
1 1/2 cups chopped white mushrooms (I used 2 medium portobello mushrooms this time - yummy!)
2 TBS minced shallots (onion is fine if shallots are not available)
1 cup Arborio rice
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/2 tsp salt, or to taste ( I never use this much!)
1/8 tsp pepper

1. In a 2-qt. saucepan, heat the broth, water, rosemary and thyme until simmering. Keep on low heat so that the broth stays warm throughout the cooking process.

2. While broth is heating, heat oil in a larger saucepan over medium-high heat and saute mushrooms until softened. Add shallots and cook until just browning. Add the rice, stirring until coated with oil.

3. Reduce heat to medium. Add the broth to the rice mixture 1/4 cup at a time, stirring constantly, until the rice has absorbed the liquid. Make the next addition of broth only when you can draw a clear path on the bottom of the pot as you scrape through the rice with a wooden spoon. This happens quickly at first, but slows as the cook.
*I taste the rice for doneness, and usually need more broth than the recipe calls for.

4. Add the parsley, salt and pepper when you add the last of the broth.

Extra yummy with Parmesan cheese stirred in!

Creamy Southwest Pumpkin Soup

A great memory of this soup is sliding it across a frozen parking lot to my friend when we lived in townhomes across from each other. It was obviously very cold outside, and the parking lot was a slippery sheet of ice. I wanted to share this soup, and we decided to try sliding it across like a hockey puck! It worked!

This is a great soup, low fat, weight watchers friendly and yummy!

Creamy Southwest Pumpkin Soup

2 TBS butter
1 large onion, chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
5 cups veggie broth
1 large sweet potato, chopped
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp cumin
15 oz. can pumpkin
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
2 cups low fat milk
2 TBS lime juice

1. Melt butter in a large pot. Add onion, jalapeno and garlic. Saute 5 - 10 minutes.

2. Add broth, potato and seasonings. Cook, stirring occasionally for 30 minutes. Add pumpkin and cilantro. Let cool 10 minutes.

3. Blend in batches until smooth.

4. Return to pot, stir in milk and simmer another 10 minutes. Add lime juice and serve!

Sweet Potato Gratin

I love this dish because it allows sweet potatoes to be used in a savory way rather than sweet. Most people think only of sweet potatoes during the holidays, when they are served covered in sugar, butter and marshmallows. Don't get me wrong, I love the holiday version of sweet potatoes, but they offer more than a sweet side dish.

This use of sweet potatoes makes a hearty side dish to any dinner. Mine came out a bit stickier than usual, so be cautious of the flour mix. I have made this many times, and it was only the last time that it was a bit sticky.

I also used locally grown Garnet colored sweet potatoes in addition to a tradition orange one. I found these gems at Whole Foods and needed to try them. Check out the color!

We had temphe and Lima beans with the sweet potatoes for our complete meal. Yummy!

Sweet Potato Gratin

3 - 5 TBS butter
1 large onion chopped
1 TBS fresh Rosemary, chopped
1 tsp salt
pepper to taste
3 large sweet potatoes, peeled, finely chopped
2 cups milk
1/2 cup flour
2 cups cheddar cheese
1 slice whole wheat bread, crumbled

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly coat a 9 in. square baking dish with oil.

2. In a large skillet, heat butter over med heat and saute onion for a few minutes. Add sweet potatoes and cook about 5 more minutes.

3. While potatoes cook, combine milk and flour, stirring with a whisk. Pour into a small sauce pan, heat over medium heat and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Add salt, pepper and rosemary. Remove from heat after it bubbles and thickens slightly.

4. Add to potato mix, stirring in a bit of the cheese. Transfer to the baking dish, sprinkle with remaining cheese and bread crumbs.

5. Bake 30 minutes until golden brown and bubbly.

Sauteed Chicken with Sherry Cream Mushroom Sauce

This is a yummy creamy sauce that goes well over egg noodles or rice. I prefer egg noodles myself. I used veggie chicken patties - either quorn or veggie delight work well.

Sauteed Chicken with Sherry Cream Mushroom Sauce

1 pkg veggie delight chicken patties

1 pkg. mushrooms, sliced

2 shallots, minced (onion would work fine in it's place)

olive oil

1/3 cup cooking sherry

1/2 cup veggie broth

8 oz cream

1 TBS flour

2 TBS minced fresh parsley

salt/pepper

1. Saute chicken until golden brown, set aside ( you can do this while the sauce is cooking)

2. Saute mushrooms until softened, then add shallots. Cook until mushrooms begin to brown.

3. Add sherry, simmer until liquid is evaporated.

(**add the flour to a little bit of the cold cream or veggie stock, and stir well with a whisk. This will help thicken the sauce. Add the rue after adding the rest of the stock and cream)

4. Add stock and cream, bring back to a simmer and cook about 10 minutes until slightly thickened and reduced a bit. Add salt/ pepper to taste.

5. Add chicken and serve over noodles or rice.

Yummy! We had lima beans and dinner rolls too. 

Braised Kale, potatoes and mushrooms

The theme of last nights dinner was "purple!". This was not an intentional choice, but as the ingredients came together, I noticed the color selection was very coordinated. You don't have to use as much purple as I did to make this dish delicious. 

As I was shopping for the ingredients I saw deep blue potatoes and chose those over the Yukon gold usually used for this recipe. As I shopped for the kale, again, the purple veined kale was available and pretty, so I chose that. That would have been the end of my purple craze, but I ended up using the left over Forbidden rice from Sunday's dinner as a side dish, giving yet another splash of wild purple color. Oh, shallots have a lavender coloring to them too!

For our protein source we had breaded Quorn patties. They were alright, but the kale dish was really the star!

Braised Kale, Potatoes, and Mushrooms

1 TBS olive oil

2 cups chopped potatoes

2 -3 small portobello mushrooms, chopped

2 shallots, minced

2 cloves garlic, mashed

1 lb kale, coarsely chopped

1/4 cup veggie broth

salt/pepper

1. Cook potatoes until tender, drain (do not over cook, they will turn to mush when added to the kale!)

2. Saute mushrooms and shallots in a large skillet until tender and browning. Add garlic, salt and pepper and cook about 1 minute longer.

3. Add kale, potatoes and veggie broth. Stir gently, cover and cook over low heat 5 more minutes. 

Grilled trout dinner

We decided to christen the new kitchen counters and welcome this warm spring weather with a delicious dinner of grilled trout. The dinner consisted of grilled trout, green beans tarragon and forbidden rice. 

Jason is in charge of grilling the fish, but I did help prepare some of the ingredients which are very simple - lemon, parsley, garlic, salt, pepper and butter. Other than the ingredient list, I can't offer alot on the how-to for fish cooking. I think it was grilled for 8 - 10 minutes on foil.

What I can help with are the rest of the dinner ingredients. First, green beans tarragon. I love this dish which allows the beans to stay crisp and full of flavor. 

Green beans Tarragon

2 TBS olive 

1 lb green beans 

2 cloves garlic, mashed

 2 tsp fresh tarragon chopped (or 1 tsp dried tarragon)

3 TBS dry white wine

1. Heat oil over med-high heat in a large skillet.

2. Add beans, saute 5 minutes until crisp tender.

3. Add salt, pepper, garlic, wine and tarragon, cook about 2 more minutes. 

Rice comes in many textures and colors beyond white. Forget minute rice all together. If you have to use white rice, try Jasmine or Basmati. They both cook in 15 minutes and have a wonderful aroma and flavor. 

One of our favorite and most colorful kinds of rice is called Forbidden rice. This rice is not cheap, but it is amazingly tasty. It is black before cooked, but turns into a fabulous deep purple after cooking. It has a hearty texture similar to wild rice, but a unique flavor. I highly recommend it. I find it at Whole Foods in the pre-packaged rice section. It is not sold in bulk. Cook with just water or add veggie broth for more flavor. The cooking instructions are on the package. 

Update

Sorry for the delay in posting, but the kitchen project is in full swing. No good food going on to post about. 

The countertops are in, new lights have been installed and Jason should have the sink connected to running water tonight. We are well on our way to cooking again. In fact, I can not wait to cook up some tasty food in our new kitchen! 

I went to the store this evening and have wonderful produce to use - locally grown purple sweet potatoes, Florida grown green beans, and NC raised trout. Just a sneak peak at what is on the menu this week. I am looking forward to some home cooked food after a few nights of eating out. 

Seitan Stroganoff

Seitan can be found in the refrigerated section with tofu, temphe and veggie cheese at Whole Foods kind of markets. It is a fake meat style product that serves well as an imitation steak. We have used it for grilling on kabobs too. If you don't like seitan, or can not find it, you can make this dish using temphe, which is what we did this time around. Jason was the chef on Thursday, and did a fabulous job of making this dinner. We had frozen green peas as a veggie. 

If you decided to use temphe, cube it, then drizzle with soy sauce before cooking. This adds flavor to the otherwise bland temphe.

Seitan Stroganoff

1 lb seitan, sliced OR 1 pkg temphe cubed

3 cups white mushrooms, sliced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/8 - 1/4 cup white wine

1 onion, chopped

3 TBS butter, divided

2 TBS flour

1 cup veggie broth

1/4 cup sherry

small container sour cream (8oz I think)

4 cups cooked egg noodles (about 8 - 10 oz uncooked)

1 TBS minced parsley

1. Heat small amount of olive oil in skillet. Saute seitan (or temphe) and garlic. Add white wine, salt and pepper, allowing brown bits to loosen. Cook a couple minutes. Remove from heat.

2. Add about 2 TBS butter to skillet, add mushrooms and onions. Cook until onions soften and mushrooms are tender. Add to seitan mixture.

3. Add 1 TBS butter to pan over medium heat. Add flour, stirring with a whisk for one minute. Slowly add broth, stirring constantly until bubbly. 

4. Add seitan mixture and sherry. Reduce heat and simmer about 3 - 4 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in sour cream and parsley.