Portobello Pizza

Portobello pizzas are so easy to make, and you can add whatever toppings you like. The one pictured below is a basic version with tomato sauce, Italian seasoning, and mozzarella cheese. These do need to be enjoyed with a knife and fork though, especially since I always use extra sauce.

First, bake the mushrooms on a cookie sheet coated with cooking spray for 10 minutes at 400F. Then, add the toppings and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes at 400F.

Bulgur, Spinach and Toasted Walnut Pancakes

These pancakes reminded me of latkes; in fact, some sour cream on top would have been very good. I followed the recipe as written, except that I replaced the orange juice with water.

The combination of flavors and textures was interesting, and I liked the crunch of the bulgur and walnuts. While I enjoyed these for a meal, they didn’t ‘wow’ me. And since the recipe is labor intensive, I probably won’t make them again.

Ham Avocado Wrap

After posting the LOVE Wrap last week, I wanted to try some new wrap variations. This was one of my favorites, although it doesn’t have a cute acronym. The wrap includes romaine lettuce, shredded carrot, sliced cucumber, avocado, and a slice of deli ham. It was delicious and very filling.

Balsamic Mushrooms and Onions

This mixture makes an excellent topping for steak or chicken. Keep the recipe handy for your summer BBQ.

1 (10 oz.) package sliced mushrooms

1 onion, coarsely chopped

1 T minced garlic

1/2 c. balsamic vinegar

Place all ingredients in a frying pan, and simmer on low heat, covered, until onions and mushrooms are soft. Remove cover, and continue cooking until vinegar is reduced.

Cauliflower Bake

My sister made this amazing cauliflower dish as part of a wonderful meal for Mother’s Day. She learned the technique from her friend Louie. It’s an easy recipe to prepare earlier in the day, and then bake when your guests arrive.

1) Steam one head cauliflower, cut into large pieces, until cooked but firm.
2) Drain, and toss warm cauliflower with olive oil, minced garlic, salt and pepper.
3) Place cauliflower pieces, flower side up, stem down in 8″x8″ glass dish.
4) Sprinkle with breadcrumbs and freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
5) Bake at 350F for 30 minutes until browned.

Strawberry Whole Wheat Pancakes

With a carton of strawberries in the refrigerator, I needed to get creative. And you can’t eat oatmeal every day. So I came up with this quick pancake recipe, and was happy with the result. I did not add any extra sugar or sugar substitute – the strawberries were sweet enough!

6-7 ripe strawberries, hulled and diced
1/4 c. whole wheat flour
1/2 t. baking powder
1 egg white
2 T milk

Mix all ingredients in a medium bowl, and pour into hot frying pan coated with cooking spray. Cook on one side until bubbles appear, and then flip and cook on the other side. Top with more sliced strawberries if you have them!

Parmesan Crusted Asparagus

Now, this is how to enjoy asparagus! I took the original recipe, and added more cheese. This was an amazing side dish, and makes me sad that asparagus season is almost over.

1 lb. asparagus, trimmed
1 T olive oil
1/3 c. freshly grated Parmesan
Freshly ground black pepper

Toss asparagus and olive oil, and place on baking sheet in a single layer. Sprinkle with Parmesan and black pepper. Roast at 450F for 10 minutes.

-Adapted from allrecipes.com

LOVE Wrap

You had me at hello. When I saw this wrap recipe, I knew I had to make my own version of Lettuce, Onion, Vegetable, and Egg Salad. Here’s the wrap, before and after rolling:

2 eggs, boiled

2 t reduced calorie mayonnaise

1 t mustard

Salt & Pepper

1 whole wheat wrap

2 leaves romaine lettuce

1 small carrot, peeled and shredded

2 slices red onion, separated

Dice hardboiled eggs in a small bowl and mix with mayonnaise, mustard, salt, and pepper. Lay wrap on a dish, and add lettuce leaves and shredded carrot. Spoon egg salad onto the vegetables, and place red onion rings on top.

-Adapted from Ellie Krieger

Strawberry Overnight Oats

I got the idea for overnight oats from another food blog, and it was a fantastic breakfast! Normally I like to make stove top oats, but this is a great alternative, and does save time in the morning. I might use just a bit less milk next time, and I look forward to trying other variations over the summer.

1/2 c. oats
1/2 c. milk
1/2 c. plain fat free yogurt
5 strawberries, sliced

Mix all ingredients, and put in the refrigerator overnight. Add sugar or Splenda to taste.

Smothered Tempeh Sandwich

The first time I tried tempeh was several years ago, when I used it in a recipe intended to turn tempeh into vegetarian sausage. That recipe went into the recycling bin! I wanted to give it another try, so I made this Smothered Tempeh Sandwich, using Laughing Cow Light cheese and whole wheat English muffins.

I liked the combination of onions, mushrooms, and red wine, but the tempeh itself wasn’t that impressive. If you are looking to give tempeh a try, I’d recommend the recipe. Otherwise, I would say just cook the other ingredients to use a topping for your favorite burger – either vegetarian or not.