Tag: vegetarian

Corn and Zucchini Chowder

Now this is the perfect recipe for August, and it happened all by accident.  My sister had a ton of corn on the cob left over from my nephew’s party.  My parents had purchased zucchini from the Farmer’s Market the day before, and had thyme and tomatoes in their garden.  We put this all together with some household staples to create a delicious soup.  After a busy few days of parties and birthday cake, we all welcomed a fresh and healthy meal.

I was inspired by this recipe, which uses pureed corn and milk to create a creamy base without using cream.  I know that corn chowder typically includes potatoes, but we didn’t have any on hand and I don’t think you’ll miss them.  This soup is colorful and delicious just the way it is.

 

 

 

Corn and Zucchini Chowder

1 T olive oil
1 large Vidalia onion, peeled and chopped
2 large zucchini, chopped
7 c. corn kernels, divided
2 c. milk
4 c. vegetable broth, divided
1 T fresh thyme
1/2 t black pepper
Fresh tomatoes, chopped
Cheddar cheese, shredded

Heat the olive oil in the bottom of a large pot.  Add onion and zucchini, and saute for 10 minutes until softened and lightly brown.  In the meantime, add 4 cups of corn, milk, 2 cups broth, thyme, and black pepper to food processor and blend until smooth.  Add pureed mixture to pot, along with remaining 3 cups corn and 2 cups broth.  Simmer for 15-20 minutes until heated through.  Serve garnished with shredded cheddar and chopped tomatoes.

 

Summer Orzo Salad with Spicy Buttermilk Dressing

I was inspired by this recipe from Cooking Light, but think of this as a “Choose Your Own Adventure” style salad.  Choose a pasta.  Choose a variety of fresh vegetables, and don’t forget the avocado.  Choose a fresh herb or two.  And then toss it all together with a spicy buttermilk dressing.

This combination in particular was good, but not spectacular.  The salad needed something else – maybe some queso fresco, or perhaps something crunchy like pumpkin seeds.  The buttermilk dressing has a nice kick, but be sure to make some extra so the salad isn’t dry.  This was a fun adventure, but I’ll just choose a slightly different path next time!

 

 

Summer Orzo Salad with Spicy Buttermilk Dressing

1 c. orzo, cooked and drained
1 pint grape tomatoes, rinsed and halved
1 green pepper, chopped
1 bunch scallions, white and green parts only, chopped
2 c. mixed greens
1 avocado, diced
1/4 c. chopped fresh basil
1/4 c. buttermilk
3 T lemon juice
2 T plain Greek yogurt
2 T light mayonnaise
1 t chili powder
1/4 t black pepper
1/4 t red pepper
1 t minced garlic

Mix orzo, tomatoes, pepper, scallions, mixed greens, and basil in a large bowl.  In a small bowl whisk together buttermilk, lemon juice, yogurt, mayonnaise, spices, and garlic.  Toss dressing and salad.  Chill before serving.

-Adapted from Cooking Light

 

Bento Carrots and Edamame

You can only live on Vegetable Pasta Salad for so long; eventually you have to make something else for dinner.  I took a quick survey of ingredients on hand: shredded carrots in the refrigerator,  shelled edamame in the freezer, and Japanese Roasted Sesame Oil in the cabinet.  Using a recipe for Carrot Kinpara as inspiration, I threw together this dish.

‘Bento’ is a Japanese term which refers to a lunch box with sections for different foods.  I don’t know whether you would really find a recipe like this in a section of a bento box, but let’s pretend.  It’s spicy and flavorful, and could easily accompany a rice based dish.  Although this satisfied my craving for dinner, I still think I need to head to a Japanese restaurant soon.

 

 

 

Bento Carrots and Edamame

1 T sesame oil
2 c. shredded carrots
Dash cayenne pepper
1 T soy sauce
1 c. shelled edamame, cooked and drained
1 T sesame seeds

Heat sesame oil in a small frying pan.  Add carrots, and saute for 5-10 minutes.  Add cayenne and stir.  Add soy sauce and edamame and cook for 1-2 minutes more.  Garnish with sesame seeds and serve.

-Inspired by Makiki Itoh’s recipe on Just Bento

Vegetable Pasta Salad

In traditional pasta salad, vegetables are usually an afterthought.  You might add a little red pepper for color, or throw in some diced tomatoes or olives to add some bulk.  But in this recipe adapted from Budget Bytes, the vegetables are really the star of the show.  I used broccoli, yellow squash, zucchini, and carrots but the possibilities are endless.  I wanted the broccoli, squash, and zucchini to be just slightly cooked, but you can leave them raw if you prefer a little more crunch.

The pasta, vegetables, and beans are tossed in a creamy Ranch-style dressing.  The original recipe suggests buying buttermilk, rather than making it using a splash of vinegar.  I agree that store bought buttermilk has a much thicker consistency which would make the dressing richer, but I didn’t have any on hand so I made my own with non-fat milk.  The original recipe also included fresh parsley, and I think any freshly chopped herbs would brighten up this salad, so next time I’ll try that as well.  Still, this recipe made a large bowl which I enjoyed for several meals.

 

 

Vegetable Pasta Salad

3 c. dry whole wheat rotini
3-4 c. broccoli florets
1 yellow squash, quartered lengthwise and sliced thinly
1 zucchini, quartered lengthwise and sliced thinly
2 c. shredded carrots
1 (15 oz.) can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 c. buttermilk
3/4 c. light mayonnaise
2 T Dijon mustard
1/2 t garlic powder
1/2 t celery salt
1/2 t. black pepper

Add whole wheat pasta to boiling water, and cook for 5 minutes.  Add broccoli, and cook for 2 more minutes.  Add yellow squash and zucchini to the pot, and cook for 1 minute more.  Drain the pasta and vegetables and rinse in cool water.  Allow to drain for a few minutes.

In a large bowl, mix pasta, vegetables, shredded carrots, and beans.  In a small bowl, mix buttermilk, mayonnaise, mustard and spices.  Toss dressing with salad.  Allow to chill before serving.

-Adapted from Budget Bytes

Asparagus with Almonds and Yogurt Dressing

I need more vegetables in my life, plain and simple.  I miss the days last spring when I could leisurely stroll through a farmer’s market.  Right now, I feel like I am racing to the local produce market between other errands, and it’s left me a bit uninspired.  But I was determined not to miss asparagus season entirely, so I made sure to pick up a bunch this week.  Smitten Kitchen has never steered me wrong when it comes to asparagus (if you need proof, look here and don’t blame me when you eat a whole pizza.)

I decided to try her latest recipe, Asparagus with Almonds and Yogurt Dressing.  Ignore the fact that I used sliced almonds instead of whole, and my yogurt dressing ended up pinkish from the paprika.  Also ignore the fact that I used a patterned plate for this busy dish, making it hard on the eyes.  But don’t ignore the fact that there’s a glass of wine on the table, because it went very well with this delicious salad.  I liked the combination of flavors here, and I only wish that there was more asparagus.  Better buy two bunches next week!

 

Feta Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

If you like feta cheese and sweet potatoes anywhere near as much as I do, you’ll love these!  I got the idea from this Twice Baked Sweet Potato recipe from Kalyn’s Kitchen, but decided the original recipe didn’t have nearly enough cheese.  It was just a little tricky to squeeze the potato out of the skins while a) keeping the skin in one piece and b) not burning my hands, but I was successful with 2 out of 3 skins which isn’t too bad.  And the potatoes were just as good the second day, reheated in the microwave.  I may have to try some other cheese/spice combinations soon!

 

 

 

Feta Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

3 sweet potatoes
1 c. fat free feta
1/4 t coriander
Dash cayenne pepper
2 t Garlic Gold in oil
Smoked paprika

Scrub sweet potatoes, and bake at 350F for 60 minutes, or until very soft. Meanwhile, mix feta, coriander, cayenne pepper, and Garlic Gold in a bowl, and refrigerate.

When potatoes are ready, remove from oven.  Slice potatoes open lengthwise, and using an oven mitt, squeeze potato flesh into a bowl, reserving the skin in one piece.  Add feta mixture to potato and mix well.  Stuff mixture into potato skins.  Bake at 350F for 10 minutes, and garnish with smoked paprika before serving.

-Lightly adapted from Kalyn’s Kitchen

Vegetable Egg Rolls

The last time I posted about egg rolls was over 2 years ago, when I made Hungry Girl’s Sassy Veggie Egg Rolls.  I’ve surely indulged in plenty of egg rolls since then, including some from the Chinese takeout place down the street.  But, I have been meaning to make these Vegetable Egg Rolls from Budget Bytes for ages.  The recipe promises that you can bake the egg rolls right away, or freeze them to bake later.

If you don’t have garlic ginger paste, feel free to substitute freshly minced garlic and ginger.  I found a jar of garlic ginger paste at an ethnic grocery store a while back, and it’s come in handy quite a few times.  I took one other shortcut and bought pre shredded carrots but as someone pointed out, a food processor could do all the dicing and shredding very easily.  After that, you just spend some time at the stove cooking the mixture.  If you’re intimidated by working with the egg roll wrappers, check out Budget Byte’s post with step by step instructions.  She also has some suggestions for turning the egg rolls in the oven to make sure they brown evenly but I threw caution to the wind and mine turned out fine.

I baked about half the egg rolls right away, and froze the other half in small batches to bake later.  Of course, I tried the filling before I made the rolls, so I knew I was going to like them a lot!  The rolls are crispy but not hard to chew, and the filling is quite tasty.  I can’t wait to bake some of the frozen ones to see how they turn out.

 

 

 

Vegetable Egg Rolls

1 T oil
1 T garlic ginger paste
1 bunch scallions, white and light green parts only, sliced
1 (8 oz.) package mushrooms, diced
1 (8 oz.) package shredded carrot
1 small head cabbage, shredded
2 t cornstarch
1/4 c. soy sauce
20 egg roll wrappers

Heat oil in a large frying pan.  Add garlic ginger paste and scallions.  Cook for 1-2 minutes.  Add mushrooms, and cook for 5 minutes.  Add carrots and cabbage.  Cook until mixture is fairly soft, about 20-30 minutes.

In a small bowl, whisk cornstarch into soy sauce.  Pour into frying pan and stir well.  Remove pan from heat and allow filling to cool.

Place about 2-3 T of mixture in each wrapper, and roll.  Seal the edges with water.  Place on a cookie sheet coated with cooking spray.  Bake at 400F for 10-12 minutes, until lightly brown.

-Lightly adapted from Budget Bytes

 

Artichoke Tart with Polenta Crust

I was talking to a friend the other day about artichokes.  She has a love of artichokes that she passed on to her daughter, so now they enjoy them together.  I’ve never felt that strongly about artichokes.  Sure, I’ve eaten (more than) my fair share of Spinach Artichoke Dip, but I’ll eat just about anything that involves spinach and cheese.  When I saw this recipe for an Artichoke Tart, I was really drawn in by the polenta crust and the pretty fluted tart pan.  I also figured it would give me a chance to try artichokes on their own.

The recipe looks more complicated than it really is, and polenta is very forgiving.  You really don’t need to fuss.  I liked the creamy texture of the tart, although it could have used just a bit more flavor.  I think some garlic or caramelized onions would help.  And the verdict on the artichokes?  They were my least favorite part.  I admit, I was wishing I had used spinach, or mushrooms, or asparagus.  But that is the beauty of a recipe like this one, you can pick whatever vegetable you like.

 

 

 

Artichoke Tart with Polenta Crust

Crust
3 c. water
1 Knorr Vegetable Bouillon cube
1 c. cornmeal
1/2 c. Parmesan cheese
1 egg
1/4 t black pepper

Filling
1 c. nonfat Greek yogurt
2 eggs
1/2 c. Parmesan cheese
1 T Italian seasoning
1/4 t black pepper
1 (14 oz.) can artichokes, drained well
1/2 c. low fat ricotta cheese

Heat water in a pan on medium heat.  When the water is simmering, dissolve bouillon cube.  Pour cornmeal into the pot slowly, stirring constantly.  Reduce heat to low, and continue stirring for 5-10 minutes, until polenta is thickened.  Remove from heat, stir in Parmesan cheese, and allow to rest for 10 minutes.  Stir in egg and black pepper.  Spread polenta mixture into a large pie dish or tart pan coated with cooking spray.  Spread the crust up the sides, and use a spatula or your fingers to make it smooth.

Mix yogurt, eggs, Pamesan cheese, and spices in a bowl and set aside.

Place artichoke pieces on the crust.  Place spoonfuls of ricotta cheese around the articokes.  Pour the yogurt filling into the crust.

Place pie dish or tart pan on a cookie sheet, and bake at 375F for 45-50 minutes.

-Lightly adapted from Stacey Snacks

 

Spinach and Tomato Strata

My two nephews came to visit for Easter, and I wanted to make sure I spent time with them, instead of the kitchen!  So I put together this Spinach and Tomato Strata early in the morning, and popped it in the refrigerator.  We went to the park and played, and then came home.  I put the dish in the oven, and we played some more.

A short while later, brunch was served.  The strata was accompanied by chicken sausage, fruit salad, and Hot Cross Biscuits.  The consensus was that the strata was good, but could be even better.  My sister suggested adding Parmesan cheese to the spinach/tomato mixture, and adding more salt and pepper.  I also think it would be better if the bread was torn into smaller pieces.  But it was certainly nice to have almost the whole meal prepared in advance.  We’ll have plenty of opportunities this summer to try out those changes and I’ll keep you posted.

 

 

 

 

Spinach and Tomato Strata

1 (28 oz.) can petite diced tomatoes, drained well
1 loaf sturdy whole wheat bread
1 (10 oz.) package frozen spinach, thawed and drained
1 T Garlic Gold toasted garlic bits
5 eggs
2 1/2 c. skim milk
Salt & Pepper
1 c. reduced fat shredded cheddar cheese

Spread half of tomatoes in a 13″x9″ dish coated with cooking spray.  Place one layer of bread slices in the dish, tearing the pieces to fit around the edges.  Mix remaining tomatoes with spinach and garlic.  Scoop evenly onto bread.  Add another layer of bread slices.

Mix eggs, milk, salt and pepper  in a large bowl and pour over everything.  Top with shredded cheddar.  Cover and refrigerate for at least 2-3 hours.  Remove from refrigerator and bake uncovered at 375F for 45-50 minutes, until set.

-Adapted from Cooking Light