Tag: vegan

Ginger Lentil Soup

I started reading Joy the Baker last year, and found myself drooling over her recipes.  She is well known for her sweet treats, but I was looking for something a little lighter.  So instead of baking, she inspired me to make this Ginger and Lentil Soup.  There is nothing like the smell of freshly cut ginger.

I cut the recipe in half, and then made a few changes.  First, while I do love the French green lentils in the original recipe, I can only find them at Whole Foods, so I went with the standard brown ones which happened to be right in my cupboard. I also added some green to the pot in the form of Chinese broccoli, but either bok choy or Swiss chard would probably work as well.  After a month filled with heavy foods, this soup was light and refreshing, but still a satisfying meal.

 

 

Ginger and Lentil Soup

1 T canola oil
1 onion, peeled and diced
1 T minced garlic
3 carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
2 T minced fresh ginger
1 t cumin
Dash cayenne pepper
2 c. vegetable broth
2-3 c. water
1 1/2 c. lentils
1 large bunch Chinese broccoli, large stems removed and coarsely chopped (appx 3 cups)

Heat oil in a large pot.  Add onion, and saute for 5-10 minutes until onion is soft and starting to brown.  Add garlic, carrots, and ginger, and saute for 2-3 minutes.  Add cumin and cayenne pepper and stir well.  Add vegetable broth, 2 c. water, lentils, and Chinese broccoli or other greens, and simmer covered for 1 hour.  Add more water if soup is too thick.

-Adapted from Joy the Baker

Roasted Cauliflower and Tahini Dip

I’ve been meaning to make this Roasted Cauliflower and Tahini Dip for weeks, but every time I bought cauliflower I ended up making something else.  Finally over New Year’s weekend, I had a fresh head of cauliflower and some time on my hands.  You begin by roasting the cauliflower with oil, loads of fresh ginger, and coriander.  Then you put it in the food processor with lemon juice and tahini, and season it with salt and pepper.  The end result is a fantastic dip that you’ll want to keep scooping up!

Molly from Cheap Beets noted that she kicked up the ginger, and I used over 2 tablespoons.  That’s what really makes this dip great.  The only thing I would change is to use less oil in roasting the cauliflower, simply because I don’t think it’s needed and the tahini adds plenty of fat later in the recipe.  The next time you have a head of cauliflower on your hands, consider this as a fun start to your meal.

 

Roasted Root Vegetable Megamix

In addition to the Brussels sprouts, Jamie Oliver inspired the roasted root vegetable megamix that we enjoyed on Christmas Day.  I figured it would be easy to get local (Connecticut) root vegetables to use in the recipe.  Our first stop was the Billings Forge Farmer’s Market in Hartford, where we were able to purchase a nice bunch of carrots.  One of the vendors also offered beet greens, but unfortunately did not have beets or turnip available.  Our next stop was the Wethersfield Winter Farmer’s Market, which did not really have any produce for sale.  We did buy some fresh lemon thyme though, and incorporated the herb into the recipe.  After stopping at two different grocery stores, we had turnips, beets, and parsnips and were ready to roll.

 

 

First, we parboiled the parsnips, carrots, and turnips for about 7-8 minutes in a large pot.  We parboiled the beets for close to 30 minutes in a separate pan.  Then, each vegetable was mixed with the ingredients listed below, and placed in a homemade foil compartment.

Carrots: olive oil, salt, pepper, juice of 1/2 orange, dried rosemary
Parnsnips: olive oil, salt, pepper, splash of white vinegar, fresh lemon thyme
Beets: olive oil, salt, pepper, splash balsamic vinegar, dried oregano
Turnips: olive oil, salt, pepper, splash red vinegar, dried crushed bay leaves

 

Finally, we roasted the vegetables at 375F for about 45 minutes and mixed them together to serve.

 

The real benefit to this method is that each vegetable tastes unique, but complements the other vegetables.  The beets were my favorite, with a nice flavor from the balsamic vinegar and oregano.  My second favorite though were the parsnips which were roasted with the lemon thyme.  While this recipe was a little labor intensive, it was fun to experiment .  Root vegetables are going to be in season for a while, so there’s plenty of time to try some combinations and see what you like best!

Crockpot White Bean Pumpkin Chili

My cooking club theme this month was “Soup’s On!” and we all made soup, stew, or chili.  I brought this White Bean Pumpkin Chili, and we also enjoyed Broccoli Cheddar Soup, Butternut Squash Apple Soup, Beef Stew, and Blueberry Soup served over vanilla ice cream for dessert.  Many spoons were used and a good time was had by all.

I saw this Crockpot Turkey White Bean Pumpkin Chili on Skinny Taste, and wanted to make a vegetarian version.  I also swapped a jalapeno pepper for the canned chilis.  The chili came out great, and the beans were nice and soft and made the chili thick.  The recipe is easy, and remember that the crockpot can cook while you sleep!

 

 

Crockpot White Bean Pumpkin Chili

1 T canola oil
1 large onion, diced
2 t minced garlic
1 jalapeno, deseeded and diced
1 T cumin
2 (15 oz.) cans white beans, rinsed and drained
1 (15 oz.) can pumpkin
3 c. vegetable broth
1 T chili powder

Heat oil in a large frying pan, and saute onion, garlic, and pepper for 10-15 minutes, until lightly browned.  Stir in cumin.  Place mixture in a crockpot, and add beans, pumpkin, broth, and chili powder.  Cook on low for 8 hours.

-Adapted from Skinny Taste

Butternut Squash and Cranberry Brown Rice

I’m baaaack!  I had an incredible time in San Francisco and ate many wonderful meals, including an 11 course Chinese banquet and at least 3 different flavors of wedding cake.  But then I came home to an empty refrigerator, and things went downhill quickly.  Trust me, it was nothing to blog about.

This was my first truly home cooked meal in almost 2 weeks, and it was so good.  I picked up some fresh cranberries, but I wanted to make something different than cranberry sauce.  A short while later, I found this recipe  (scroll down the page) and decided to go for it.  I liked the different textures, and the balance of sweet squash, tart cranberries, and spicy pepper.  It’s hearty enough for a vegetarian main dish, but could be a side dish for chicken or pork as well.

While I did use fresh cranberries, you might be surprised to find that I used frozen butternut squash.  Yes, this is squash season in New England, but I still needed to take a shortcut to make this meal happen.  With about 7 weeks left in the semester, I’ll take whatever shortcuts I need to put a warm meal on the table.

 

 

Butternut Squash and Cranberry Brown Rice

1 T canola oil
2 Vidalia onions, diced
1 jalapeno pepper, deseeded and diced
20 oz. butternut squash cubes
1 c. fresh cranberries
1/2 c. vegetable broth
1 1/2 c. diced celery
2 c. cooked brown rice
1/2 t salt
1/2 t pepper

Heat oil in a large frying pan.  Add onions and pepper, and saute for 10-15 minutes until lightly brown.  Add squash, cranberries, and broth.  Cover and simmer for 20 minutes.  Remove cover and stir in celery, rice, salt, and pepper.  Mix thoroughly and serve.

-Adapted from the Vegetarians of Washington

Sweet Dumpling Squash

I feel like it’s been forever since I picked up a totally new piece of produce.  But last weekend, I found this sweet dumpling squash at my local produce market.  It was so cute I had to have it, and at just $0.62 it wasn’t a big splurge. 

 

After a quick recipe search, it seemed the two most popular options were to either stuff the squash with vegetables and grains, or roast the squash with cinnamon and sugar.  Let’s just say it’s been a ‘cinnamon and sugar’ kind of week.

I think that was the right choice, because the squash turned out great.  I ate the whole thing, right down to the skin.  The taste was similar to butternut squash, but it was so much easier to cut because it was smaller.  This would also be a great dish to serve at a fall dinner party.  Maybe next time I will try to stuff one! 

 

Sweet Dumpling Squash

1 dumpling squash
2 t canola oil
2 t brown sugar
1 t cinnamon

Cut squash in half and remove seeds.  Mix oil, sugar, and cinnamon in a small dish.  Rub mixture on the inside of each squash half, leaving the remainder in the cavity.  Place in a glass dish, and bake at 350F for 45-60 minutes, until soft when pierced with a fork.

 

Roasted Sweet Potatoes, Broccoli, and Pears

There is so much I like about Real Simple.  I want everything I see in that magazine: rooms which are nicely decorated and perfectly clean, a wardrobe full of clothes that are stylish and functional, and efficient solutions to everyday problems.  Of course, the recipes and food ideas are also an inspiration.  When I saw this one for Broccoli, Sweet Potatoes, and Pears, I was intrigued by the combination of fruits and vegetables.  With a quick trip to the market, I had everything I needed.

I set out to make the recipe myself, changing just a few things but keeping it simple.  It took a while in the oven, but it was worth it when it was done.  Seasoned with just a little salt and pepper, all the flavors worked together really well.  This would be a great side dish for a pork chop if you’re a meat eater, but could stand on it’s own as a lighter meal.  I enjoyed a scrambled egg on the side, which works if you think of this dish as gourmet hashbrowns.

 

 

Roasted Sweet Potatoes, Broccoli, and Pears

2 sweet potatoes, scrubbed and cut into 1″ cubes
3 c. broccoli florets
1 T olive oil
2 pears, cut into 2″ cubes

Toss sweet potatoes and broccoli with olive oil, and roast in a glass dish for 30 minutes at 450F.  Add the pears, and roast for an additional 20-30 minutes until all the vegetables are soft.  Season with salt and pepper and serve.

 

Chickpeas and Carrots over Couscous

Just a couple of weeks ago, I made a chickpea and carrot salad which was pretty good.  Then I saw this Cumin-Spiced Chickpeas and Carrots recipe in Cooking Light, and decided that sounded even better.  Most of the comments indicated that the dish needed more sauce, so I increased the amount of liquid and made a few other changes to suit my tastes.

All of the changes worked well, and I really liked this dish.  That was a good thing since it made 5 lunches worth of food!  I also really like using whole wheat couscous as a base for the chickpeas and carrots.  It’s not always available in the regular grocery store, but I do find it at Trader Joe’s.  If you can’t find whole wheat couscous, brown rice would work well too. 

 

 

 

Chickpeas and Carrots over Couscous

1/2 c. vegetable broth
Juice of 1 lemon
8 oz. tomato sauce
2 (15 oz.) cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained
2 T canola oil, divided
2 c. sliced carrots
1 t cumin
1/2 t garam masala
1/4 t salt
1/4 t black pepper
Dash cayenne pepper
4 c. cooked whole wheat couscous

Combine broth, lemon juice, and tomato sauce in a small bowl and set aside.

 Heat 1 T oil in a large skillet over high heat, and fry chickpeas for 5 minutes, or until browned.  Remove chickpeas from pan and set aside. 

Add remaining tablespoon of oil to pan, and add sliced carrots.  Stir fry for 5-10 minutes.  Add cumin, garam masala, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper and stir well.  Add in broth mixture and chikpeas.  Bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes.  Serve over couscous.

 

 

Indian Spiced Zucchini Fritters in Tomato Sauce

If I ever write a book, it just might be titled “101 Ways to Prepare Zucchini”.  If you do a search for zucchini —–> there are a startling number of entries.  But I haven’t yet combined my fondness for Indian food with my zucchini obsession.  I am pretty sure this is not an authentic Indian dish, but it worked for me.  I started with this recipe for Indian meatballs, and then made it my own.

Normally, you’d expect an item named “fritter” to be deep fried.  But you probably already guessed that I baked these.  If you really want that crispy coating, go ahead and fry them, I am sure they’d be great.  The batter is very delicate though, so just be careful and handle them gently no matter which method you use.

 There’s no doubt about it, the fritters are spicy!  They would be fantastic tucked into a fresh piece of naan, and the bread could be used to scoop up the tomato based sauce as well.  Since I didn’t have any naan, I packed these fritters into lunches on a bed of brown rice, with some plain yogurt on the side to help tame the heat.  It’s a great dish, packed with vegetables and spice, and just one more way to use up that zucchini.

 

 

Indian Spiced Zucchini Fritters in Tomato Sauce

3 medium or 2 large zucchini, shredded
1 jalapeno pepper, minced
2 large onions, minced and divided
1/2 t ground ginger
1/3 c. whole wheat flour
2 T olive oil, divided
1/4 t turmeric
Dash cayenne pepper
1 t ground cumin
2 t ground coriander
1 (14 oz.) can petite diced tomatoes
1/2 t garam masala
Salt to taste

1.  Place shredded zucchini in a strainer over a bowl and press with a fork.  Allow to sit for 30 minutes, occasionally tossing with a fork.  Be sure to reserve liquid for a later step.

2. Mix drained zucchini with jalapeno pepper, 1/4 c.  minced onion, ground ginger, and whole wheat flour.  Form into 12-15 balls.  Pour 1 T olive oil on a baking sheet.  Gently roll zucchini balls in oil, and bake at 350F for 30 minutes, turning once.

3. Heat remaining 1 T olive oil in a large frying pan, and add remaining minced onion to pan.  Cook on medium high heat for 15-20 minutes until onions are well browned.  Add turmeric, cayenne, cumin, and coriander and mix well.  Add tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes.  Add 1 c. reserved liquid from zucchini, adding water if you do not have a full cup.  Cover pan, and simmer for 15 minutes.  Remove cover and add garam masala and salt to taste.

4. Add zucchini fritters to the pan gently, and cover the pan.  Heat on low for 5-10 minutes.

-Adapted from Madhur Jaffrey “World of the East Vegetarian Cookbook”