Pasta Salad with Cucumber, Red Pepper & Feta

Source: Prevention (slightly modified by Aimee)
Makes 4-6 servings

1 1/2 cups whole grain elbow macaroni (6 ounces)
1/2 cucumber, chopped
1 small red pepper, chopped
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/4 cup sour cream
1/2 cup mayonnaise
3 TB chopped fresh mint (or 1 tsp dried basil)
3 TB milk
1 TB Dijon mustard
1 tsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper


1. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain & cool.  Place in large bowl along with cucumber, red pepper, & feta.
2. Meanwhile, in small bowl stir together sour cream, mayo, mint or basil, milk, mustard, lemon juice, salt & pepper in large bowl. Add to cooled pasta mixture; stir to combine. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Sweeteners

Many of the desserts in this blog use honey rather than white sugar. Honey contains additional nutrients and is all natural, whereas refined sugar is processed and has little, if none, added nutrients. Molasses, brown sugar, maple syrup, and honey all have intermediate to high levels of disease-fighting antioxidants.
You'd be surprised at products which contain added sugars, common products such as ketchup and salsa.
Evaporated cane juice is healthier than refined sugar for two reasons: it does not undergo the same degree of processing that refined sugar does, and it retains more of the nutrients found in sugar cane.
High fructose corn syrup is often used as a substitute for sugar in soft drinks and other processed foods.
And then of course there are the artificial sweeteners such as aspartame, often used in diet sodas and even yogurt.
So go for the sweetener that is the least-processed. Read your labels!

Storing Spices

Source: Cooking Light
"Keep spices in a dark cabinet or drawer-- not in the open in a spice rack or near the stove-- because heat, light, and moisture degrade flavors."

I actually moved my spices from an open rack by the stove to a drawer before I came across this info, mainly so I didn't have to transfer spices to the containers found in my spice rack. I recently gave my old spice rack to my daughters, and now they use it outside and fill the containers with sand & stones. They love to play restaurant with their pretend spices!

Recipes from Magazines

Whenever I come across a recipe in a magazine that I want to try, I cut out the page, fold it up, and slip it into a photo album. I also make sure I know which magazine it comes from so I can cite the source if I end up posting it on my blog. Each week I browse through my recipe "photo" album and try to make at least one new recipe per week!

Fresh Berry Tart with Toasted Nut Crust

Source: Cooking Light (modified by Aimee)

Crust:
1/2 cup almonds
1/4 cup walnuts
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup sugar
6 TB chilled salted butter, diced
1 large egg yolk

Filling:
1 cup (8 oz) sour cream
1 cup plain Greek yogurt
1/4 cup light brown sugar
2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp grated lemon zest
1 cup blueberries
1 cup raspberries
2 tsp lemon juice

1. Crust: Preheat oven to 350. Spread nuts on baking sheet; toast in oven 12-15 minutes or until browned.
2. Pulse toasted nuts, flour, & sugar in food processor until nuts are ground to powder. Add butter & pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add egg yolk & pulse until moist clumps form. Press dough into bottom & sides of oiled pie plate & pierce with fork. Freeze 30 minutes.
3. Adjust oven temp to 400. Bake crust 12-14 minutes; cool 1 hour.
4. Filling: whisk together sour cream, yogurt, brown sugar, vanilla, & zest in small bowl. Spread sour cream mixture in crust with spatula. Freeze 45 minutes. For best results, refrigerate overnight.
5. Toss berries with lemon juice in separate bowl; spoon over top & gently press into yogurt filling. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Garlicky Potato Wedges

Source: Vegetarian Times
Makes 2 servings

2 Russet potatoes, quartered & cut into 1/4-inch wedges
1 tsp canola oil
2 tsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, chopped
salt & pepper to taste
1/2 TB parsley

1. Preheat oven to 475. Soak potatoes in bowl of hot water for 10 minutes. (Presoaking potatoes helps remove excess starch so they brown & crisp like french fries). Drain, pat dry, & return to bowl.
2. Meanwhile, heat oils & garlic in saucepan over medium heat. Cook garlic 2 minutes & transfer to small bowl with slotted spoon (without the oil).
3. Pour heated oil over potatoes; toss to coat. Season with salt & pepper. Arrange potatoes in single layer on baking sheet. Bake 15 minutes; turn & bake 10 minutes more or until golden & crisp.

4. Meanwhile, stir parsley into reserved garlic; sprinkle over wedges. Season with salt & pepper and serve.

Nutritional Yeast

We have been using nutritional yeast flakes more often lately. It is actually a complete protein, which makes it easy to sneak protein into your diet! I love to make yeast butter to drizzle on veggies: we just melt 1-2 tablespoons of butter in the microwave, then stir in some yeast flakes. Here is a little blurb about it from Wikipedia: "It is a source of protein and vitamins, especially the B-complex vitamins and is a complete protein. It is also naturally low in fat and sodium... Nutritional yeast has a strong flavor that is described as nutty, cheesy, or creamy, which makes it popular as an ingredient in cheese substitutes. It is often used by vegans in place of parmesan cheese. Another popular use is as a topping for popcorn. It can also be used in mashed and fried potatoes, as well as putting it into scrambled eggs."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nutritional_yeast

Honey Whole Wheat Banana Muffins

Source: http://www.recipezaar.com/115432
Makes 12 muffins or 3 mini loaves

1 ¾ cup whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 TB wheat germ
1/3 cup oil
½ cup honey
2 eggs, beaten
3 ripe bananas, mashed
¼ cup hot water

1. Preheat oven to 325
2. Stir together flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, & wheat germ
3. In larger bowl, beat oil & honey together; mix in eggs & bananas
4. Stir dry ingredients into wet, slowly adding water
5. Spoon batter into 12 greased muffin cups; bake 20-25 minutes (mini loaves bake 35 minutes)

Tomato-Basil Penne with White Bean Sauce

Source: Vegetarian Times (slightly modified by Aimee)
Makes 6-8 servings

1 cup olive oil (divided)
1 cup chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 cans (15 oz each) diced tomatoes
1 TB sugar
3 tsp basil, divided
12-16 oz. whole wheat penne
2 cans cannellini beans (15 oz. each), drained
1 cup water
1 1/2 tsp garlic salt
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp pepper

1. Heat 1/2 cup oil in skillet; add onion & garlic & saute until soft; stir in tomatoes, 1tsp basil, & sugar; reduce heat to low & simmer 20 minutes
2. Cook penne according to package directions; drain
3. Meanwhile, puree beans, water, & 1/2 cup oil in blender. Combine bean mixture, garlic salt, 2 tsp basil, oregano, & pepper in saucepan over medium heat; cook until heated through, stirring often
4. Toss cooked ziti with tomato mixture & spoon onto plates; ladle bean sauce over ziti mixture

Aimee's Spinach-Artichoke Dip

1 cup grated parmesan
1 cup mayonnaise
16 oz. cream cheese, softened
black pepper to taste
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 can (14 oz) artichoke hearts, drained & chopped
1 1/2 cups chopped spinach

1. Preheat oven to 350 or plug in small slow cooker.
2. Whisk together parmesan, mayo, cream cheese, & peppers in medium bowl; stir in spinach & artichokes.
3. Spoon into oiled 8 x 8 baking dish; bake 20 minutes or until lightly browned OR spoon into small slow cooker & heat through, stirring often.

Tomato & Goat Cheese Quiche

Source: All About Vegetarian Cooking (slightly modified by Aimee)

1 frozen deep dish (9 inch) pie crust, unthawed
4-5 Roma tomatoes, seeded & diced
4 oz. goat cheese crumbles
3/4 cup cream
1/2 cup milk
3 large eggs, beaten
1 tsp dried parsley
1/2 tsp basil
1/4 tsp thyme
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
optional: 1 cup shredded cheese to top

1. Preheat oven to 400. Spread diced tomatoes in pie crust.
2. In bowl mix together goat cheese, cream, milk, eggs, & spices; pour over tomatoes.
3. Bake 40 minutes uncovered, then 20 minutes covered with foil. Top with optional cheese & bake an additional 15 minutes. Let stand at least 10 minutes & serve.

Easy Homemade Hot Chocolate

Makes 2 servings

2 cups milk
2 TB cocoa powder
2 TB maple syrup
1/2 tsp vanilla

Combine cocoa powder & maple syrup in small saucepan & stir over low heat until cocoa is dissolved. Add milk & vanilla & heat through & enjoy!

Dilly Red Potato Salad

Source: Prevention


5 red potatoes, diced
2 avocadoes
1 TB lemon juice
1/2 chopped dill pickle
2 TB sour cream
2 green onions, chopped
1 tsp dill weed
1/2 tsp salt
pepper to taste

1. Place potatoes in large pot & cover with water. Bring to boil & cook 20 minutes or until just tender. Remove to large bowl & cool.
2. Mash avocadoes & lemon juice in small bowl; add to potatoes along with sour cream, green onion, pickles, dill, & salt. Stir until well-combined & serve immediately. Add more lemon juice to leftovers to help maintain color.

Granola Muffins

Source: Arrowhead Mills
Makes 9 muffins

1 cup whole wheat flour
1 1/4 cups granola (like raspberry & cream)
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 ripe banana
1 egg white, beaten
1/3 cup honey
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup water
3 TB oil

1. Preheat oven to 375. Stir together flour, granola, baking powder, baking soda, & salt.
2. In blender, puree banana, egg, honey, vanilla, water & oil; add to dry ingredients & stir until just moistened. Spoon batter into 9 greased muffin cups; bake for 20 minutes or until lightly
golden.

Evie's Italian Tofu Cutlets

Makes 8 servings

28 oz. tofu, frozen & unthawed (2 blocks)
3 eggs, beaten
1 cup seasoned bread crumbs
16 oz. whole wheat spaghetti
1 jar pasta sauce (28 oz)
1 cup shredded mozzarella
parmesan cheese & oregano to top

1. Preheat broiler to low. Gently squeeze water out of tofu blocks using paper towels. Cut tofu into 10 slices per block. Coat each slice in egg mixture & cover in bread crumbs; place on oiled cookie sheet and broil ~8 minutes per side
2. Remove tofu from oven & preheat oven to 350. Spread a little sauce over each tofu slice, then sprinkle mozzarella, parmesan & oregano on top. Loosely cover with foil & bake 10-15 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions & heat pasta sauce; serve with tofu cutlets.

Szechuan-Style Tempeh (served warm or cold)

Source: All About Vegetarian Cooking
Makes 4 small servings

8 oz package tempeh, cubed
4 TB soy sauce
½ tsp ground ginger

¼ tsp black pepper
¼ tsp cayenne pepper
oil for frying
½ cup chopped red bell pepper
1 tsp minced garlic 
¼ cup chopped green onion
¼ cup peanut butter

2 TB rice vinegar
1 TB cooking sherry
4 tsp sesame oil, divided
1 tsp chili paste
¼ cup chopped peanuts (optional)
if serving cold: 1 sliced cucumber, chilled, cooked rice noodles
if serving warm: cooked brown rice

1. Combine tempeh, 2 TB soy sauce, ginger, & peppers; let stand 30 minutes.
2. Place 1 tsp oil in skillet; add tempeh mixture, red pepper, garlic, & green onion. Saute until browned.
3. Combine the following: peanut butter, rice vinegar, cooking sherry, 3 tsp sesame oil, chili paste, & 2 TB soy sauce.
4. If serving cold: Chill tempeh mixture; spoon over rice noodles & drizzle with peanut sauce. Garnish with cucumbers & chopped peanuts.
5. If serving warm: Add peanut sauce to tempeh mixture in skillet; stir & cook until heated through. Serve over rice & garnish with chopped peanuts.

Baked Goat Cheese Rounds

Source: All About Vegetarian Cooking
Makes 14 rounds

10.5 oz log goat cheese, cut into 14 rounds
¼ cup olive oil
1 cup seasoned bread crumbs

Preheat oven to 350. Dip each goat cheese round in olive oil & coat in bread crumbs. Place on oiled baking sheet & bake 10-12 minutes. Serve as an appetizer with crackers or over salad greens.

Roasted Vegetable Hash

Source: Better Homes & Gardens

2 small sweet potatoes, cut into chunks
3 large carrots, cut into chunks
3 cloves garlic, peeled & cut into quarters
3 TB olive oil
½ tsp chili powder
½ tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
¼ tsp turmeric
1 cup packed spinach leaves

1. Preheat oven to 425. In 13 x 9 baking dish combine potatoes, carrots, & garlic with olive oil.
2. In small bowl combine chili powder, salt, pepper, & turmeric; sprinkle over vegetables & toss to distribute seasonings.
3. Bake uncovered for 35 minutes, stirring a few times. Remove from oven; add spinach & toss just until spinach is wilted.

Featherlight Potato Latkes

Here's a great recipe for Hanukkah!
Source: Sundays at Moosewood Restaurant
Makes about 15 latkes

6 medium potatoes (or 20 oz. bag already shredded)
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
2 eggs

1/2 tsp salt
pinch of baking powder
black pepper to taste
1/4 cup flour (or Matzo meal)
oil for frying
optional: sour cream and/or apple sauce to top

1. Grate the potatoes in a food processor; drain into a colander, pressing out the liquid. Return grated potatoes to the food processor; add onion, eggs, salt, baking powder, & pepper; process until just smooth (mix in batches if necessary).  Transfer to large bowl & stir in flour.
2. Heat 1/8 inch of oil in large skillet, until a drop of batter sizzles on the surface. Drop a large spoonful of batter into the skillet & flatten with the spoon to make a thin pancake. Fry the latkes on both sides (about 5 minutes per side) until brown & crisp adding more oil if necessary. Drain the latkes on paper towels & keep them warm, in a single layer in a 200 degree oven, until all the latkes are made.
3. Serve latkes topped with optional sour cream or apple sauce.

Sesame Roasted Sweet Potatoes & Broccoli over Soba Noodles

Source: Vegetarian Times (slightly modified by Aimee)
Makes about 6 servings

3 small crowns broccoli, chopped into bite-sized florets
2 small sweet potatoes, cubed
1 small bunch green onion, chopped
4 TB sesame oil, divided
1/4 tsp salt
2 TB sesame seeds, divided
2 TB orange juice
2 TB tamari
1 TB rice vinegar
1 TB sherry
1/2 tsp ginger
1 tsp minced garlic
10 oz. soba noodles, uncooked
optional: 8 oz. tofu, cubed & cooked

1. Preheat oven to 450. Place broccoli, sweet potatoes, & green onion in large bowl. Add 3 TB sesame oil, salt, & 1 TB sesame seeds; toss well to coat. Spread veggies on baking sheet, & roat 20 minutes, turning with a spatula 3-4 times.
2. Meanwhile, whisk together OJ, tamari, rice vinegar, sherry, ginger, garlic, & 1 TB sesame oil.
3. Cook noodles according to package directions; drain & combine with roasted veggies, OJ mixture, & 1 TB sesame seeds Toss well to coat & serve with optional tofu.

Holiday Baking

I re-posted recipes for Christmas cookies we make (below). We love to make these whole wheat brown sugar cookies with honey cream cheese frosting! They're much less sugarey than the traditional cookies made with refined sugar and the frosting made with powdered sugar. And they're yummy!

Tofu with Broccoli in Spicy Peanut Sauce

Source: The New Enchanted Broccoli Forest (slightly modified by Aimee)
Makes 6 servings

2 cups uncooked brown rice (optional)
1 lb firm tofu, cubed
3 crowns broccoli , chopped
oil for frying
1 cup slivered onion
1 tsp ginger
3 cloves garlic, minced

Sauce:
1 cup peanut butter
¾ cup hot water
6 TB rice vinegar
3 TB tamari
2 TB molasses
1 tsp crushed red pepper

1. Cook rice in 4 cups water; set aside.
2. In large skillet, fry tofu in oil until lightly browned; set aside. In same skillet, saute onion in oil; add broccoli, ginger, & garlic and fry until broccoli is bright green & just tender.
3. Meanwhile, make sauce: place all ingredients in blender & puree until smooth. Put in large saucepan & heat through. Stir in broccoli mixture and cook a few minutes more. Fold in tofu until everything is well-coated. Serve over optional cooked rice.

Seitan with Peanut Sauce over Rice

Source: Vegetarian Times (modified by Aimee)
Makes 4-6 servings

2 cups uncooked brown rice
3 TB plus 2 TB tamari
4 TB sesame oil, divided (plus extra for frying)
2 tsp ground ginger, divided
16 oz. seitan, cut into bite-sized pieces
2 green onions, white & green parts diced
1 clove garlic, minced
½ cup creamy peanut butter
2 TB tahini
1/2 cup water
1 TB sesame seeds
optional: crushed red pepper to top

1. Cook rice in 4 cups water; set aside.
2. Meanwhile, combine 3 TB tamari, 2 TB sesame oil, & 1 tsp ginger in resealable plastic bag. Add seitan; seal, & shake to coat. Refrigerate1 hour, or overnight.
3. Make peanut sauce: place peanut butter, tahini, water, 1 tsp ginger, 2 TB tamari, and 2 TB sesame oil in blender; process until smooth.
4. Heat large frying pan over medium heat; add marinated seitan, green onion, & garlic; fry until browned. Add peanut sauce & sesame seeds; stir until heated through. Serve over brown rice and top with optional crushed red pepper.

Happy Thanksgiving!

A lot of people wonder what vegetarians eat in place of turkey on Thanksgiving. Tofurkey really is sold in select stores-- we've tried that in the past. But we prefer homemade alternatives, like "Meat"Loaf, Lentil Loaf, or Garbanzo-Cheese Loaf. All of these recipes can be found under the category Meat Alternatives. Today we are having "Meat"Loaf, slow cooker wild rice stuffing, sweet potato balls, mashed potatoes, salad, rolls, and pumpkin pie. Below are links to a few of those recipes. Yum!
http://veggieaimee.blogspot.com/2008/03/meat-loaf.html
http://veggieaimee.blogspot.com/2008/04/sweet-potato-balls.html
http://veggieaimee.blogspot.com/2008/03/slow-cooker-sourdough-and-wild-rice.html

New Labels

I added some new categories for recipe browsing, according to cuisine: Italian, Asian, Mexican, & Middle Eastern. Enjoy!

Spinach & Gnocchi Bake

Source: Vegetarian Times
Makes 6-8 servings

32 oz. gnocchi (2 packages)
15 oz. ricotta
2 cups shredded Italian cheese
½ tsp basil
½ tsp oregano plus extra to top
¼ tsp crushed red pepper
5 oz. baby spinach
2 ½ cups pasta sauce

1. Preheat oven to 400. Cook gnocchi according to package directions.
2. Meanwhile, combine ricotta, ½ cup cheese, basil, oregano, & red pepper flakes in large bowl. Sprinkle spinach on top. Spoon cooked gnocchi over spinach; cover & let stand 5 minutes or until spinach has wilted. Stir to combine spinach, gnocchi, & ricotta mixture.
3. Spread ½ cup sauce on bottom of 13 x 9 baking dish. Spoon half of gnocchi mixture in dish; top with 1 cup sauce and ¾ cup shredded cheese. Layer remaining gnocchi, 1 cup sauce, and ¾ cup cheese. Sprinkle with oregano and bake 20 minutes.

Qunioa: a complete protein!

The grain Quinoa is a complete protein all by itself since it contains all 8 essential amino acids.

Quinoa-Zucchini Tabbouleh with Cucumber-Yogurt Dressing

Source: Cooking Light Low Fat Low Calorie (slightly modified) AND Wild Fermentation

Tabbouleh:
3 cups cooked quinoa, cooled
1 zucchini, finely chopped
½ red pepper, finely chopped
¼ cup finely chopped parsley
¼ cup finely chopped cilantro
1 TB lemon juice
2 TB olive oil
¼ tsp salt

Dressing:
½ large cucumber, peeled
1 tsp salt
1 clove garlic
2 TB fresh cilantro
2 TB fresh parsley
1 cup plain yogurt
¼ tsp cumin
1 TB olive oil
½ TB lemon juice

1. Grate cucumber into colander and sprinkle with salt; let stand 1 hour.
2. Meanwhile, make tabbouleh: Mix together quinoa, zucchini, red pepper, parsley, cilantro, & salt. Wisk together lemon juice & olive oil; stir into quinoa mixture.
3. Make dressing: Mince garlic, cilantro, & parsley in food processor. Add grated cucumber, yogurt, cumin, olive oil, & lemon juice; puree until smooth. Serve drizzled over tabbouleh.

Falafel

Source: Whole Foods Allergy Cookbook
Makes 36 small patties

2/3 cup flour
1 tsp salt
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp turmeric
3 cloves garlic
½ cup onion
¼ cup fresh parsley
1 TB lemon juice
4 TB olive oil
1/2 cup water
2 cans (15 oz) garbanzo beans, drained & rinsed

1. In large bowl, combine flour, salt, cumin, & turmeric; set aside.
2. In food processor, mince garlic, onion, & parsley; add lemon juice, 1 TB olive oil, 1/2 cup water & beans and puree until smooth. Add bean mixture to flour mixture and mix well until a dough forms. Refrigerate 1 hour.
3. Preheat oven to 425. Line baking sheet with foil & grease with 3 TB olive oil. Roll falafel dough into 1-inch balls. Press down onto foil; bake 10-15 minutes per side. Serve with cucumber-yogurt dip or lemon-tahini dip.

Buying Organic

It's sometimes hard (and expensive) to buy everything organic. I usually try to buy organic food & drink for my kids since their little bodies are more affected by what goes into them. I recently came across an article in Vegetarian Times on organic produce. Basically, if you eat the skin or leaves, it's best to buy organic. Here's a suggested list of produce that is worth buying organic: bell peppers, carrots, celery, leafy greens, cucumbers, green beans, potatoes, peaches, apples, nectarines, strawberries, pears, imported grapes. The produce on this list generally have the most residual pesticides. I actually bring this list with me every time I go to the grocery store for easy reference.