Black Bean & Beer Chili

Source: Vegetarian Times
Makes 6-8 servings

2 TB oil
1 cup chopped onion
1 red pepper, diced
5 tsp minced garlic
2 chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, minced
2 TB cumin
2 cans (15 oz each) black beans, drained & rinsed
24 oz. dark beer
1 can (15 oz) diced tomatoes
1 cup corn
salt to taste

Heat oil in large pot; saute onion, red pepper, & garlic. Add chipotles & cumin; saute mixture about 5 minutes. Stir in beans, beer, tomatoes, & corn. Bring chili to a boil. Reduce heat & simmer 45 minutes or until thick.

Aimee's Mini Stuffed Potatoes

Makes about 40 appetizers.

24 oz. baby red potatoes
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup shredded cheddar
1/2 tsp dill weed
1/2 tsp chives
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
garnish (optional): extra chives or dill weed to top, or use fresh dill sprigs

1. Preheat oven to 350. Cut potatoes in half, then cut a small sliver off the bottom so potato halves stand upright. Boil about 30 minutes or until tender; let cool a little.
2. Gently scoop out the middles & place in food processor with sour cream; puree until creamy. Transfer to bowl & stir in cheddar, dill, chives, salt & pepper.
3. Place potato skins on oiled baking sheet; fill each with a little of the sour cream mixture. Bake 20 minutes or until heated through. Garnish if desired.

Blueberry-Yogurt Bread with Lemon Glaze

Source: Vegetarian Times (slightly modified by Aimee)
BREAD:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup cornmeal
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup oil
1 tsp vanilla
2 large eggs
7 oz. Greek yogurt
2/3 cup blueberries

GLAZE:
6 TB lemon juice
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 TB water
1 TB corn starch

1. Preheat oven to 350. Stir together all-purpose flour, 3 TB whole wheat flour, cornmeal, baking powder, & salt in bowl. In larger separate bowl, beat together 3/4 cup brown sugar, oil, & vanilla with electric mixer until smooth. Beat in eggs. Alternately add flour mixture & yogurt to egg mixture until combined.
2. Toss blueberries with remaining 1 TB flour, and fold into batter. Pour into oiled loaf pan & bake 60 minutes or until knife inserted into middle comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes & unmold onto serving plate.
3. Make glaze: whisk together lemon juice, brown sugar, & water in measuring cup. Place corn starch in small saucepan; slowly whisk in lemon mixture. Bring to boil & stir until thickened. Pour evenly over cake, letting the glaze drip over the edges. Let cool before serving.

Aimee's Grilled Brie & Berries

I was inspired by this recipe after having a French-style grilled cheese sandwich at a local restaurant. What a delicious combination!

Makes 3 sandwiches
5 oz. packaged wedge of creme de brie (no rind)
6 TB strawberry or raspberry jam (100% fruit)
6 slices whole grain bread
3 TB softened butter

Melt 1 1/2 TB butter in frying pan.  Spread brie on 3 bread slices, then spread 2 TB jam over each slice.  Place butter-side down in heated pan.  Spread remaining butter over 3 slices of bread & place butter side up on to of jam.  Fry until golden brown on both sides.

Basil Parmesan Dip

Source: Cooking Light1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup lightly packed basil leaves
3/4 cup grated Parmesan
3/4 cup sour cream
2 tsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp minced garlic

In blender, combine all ingredients and process until smooth. Transfer to serving bowl & serve with pita chips and/or veggies.

Dinner Club: 2/27

Current invitees for this date include families from Shilah & Serena's "down the hill" playgroup. We will update this post with the menu, and later with comments from those who attended!

Although only one family from the playgroup could make it, we had a lot of fun! The menu was dairy-free, soy-free, corn-free, and gluten-free. I served Pad Thai Noodles, and for dessert I made Chocolate Crispies.

Slow Cooker Three Bean Dip

Source: Prevention (modified by Aimee)
1 can pinto beans (15 oz)
1 can black beans (15 oz)
1 can kidney beans (15 oz)
16 oz. picante sauce
1 tomato, chopped
1 glove garlic, minced
2 tsp dried cilantro
1 tsp chili powder
1 avocado, chopped

Drain & rinse beans; add to slow cooker along with picante sauce, tomato, garlic, cilantro, & chili powder. Cover & cook on low 4 hours. Stir in avocado & serve with hearty chips (Frito Scoops work well).

Pasta Nicoise

Source: New Vegetarian Cuisine
Makes 6 servings

This recipe contains many of the ingredients popular in the cooking of Nice: olive oil, tomatoes, olives, garlic, pesto, & potatoes. Serve with cubed, fried tofu to top.
4 medium red potatoes, cubed
12 oz. whole wheat pasta (such as rotini)

2 TB olive oil
1/2 cup chopped green onion
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1/4 cup pesto
1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley
20 kalamata olives, pitted & cut into quarters
3 ounce package julienne sun-dried tomatoes
3/4 cup vegetable broth
crumbled feta to top (optional)

1. Boil potatoes in water about 10 minutes or until just tender. Drain & set aside.
2. Cook pasta according to package directions; drain & toss with 1 TB olive oil.
3. Meanwhile, heat remaining 1 TB olive oil in large skillet. Add garlic & green onion and fry a little; add potatoes & stir. Stir in pesto, parsley, olives, tomatoes, garlic, & broth. Stir together & simmer 10 to 15 minutes until potatoes are tender, stirring often.
4. Toss pasta with potato mixture & mix well. Serve topped with feta.

Aimee's White Bean Casserole

Makes 8 servings

1 cup uncooked brown rice
6 oz. package Wild Rice mix with seasoning
2 TB butter
½ cup chopped red onion
1 TB ketchup
1/6 cup lemon juice
1 TB brown sugar
1 tsp sage
2 cans (15 ounces each) navy beans, drained & rinsed
1/2 cup vegetable broth
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar

1. Place brown rice & 2 cups water in saucepan; bring to boil, reduce heat, cover & cook 45 minutes; set aside.
2. At the same time, cook wild rice according to package directions.
3. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350. In large skillet, cook onion in butter over medium heat. Stir in lemon juice, brown sugar, sage, & ketchup. Add beans & stir to coat. Simmer over medium heat 10 minutes or until heated through.
4. In large bowl mix together rices, bean mixture, & 1/2 cup cheese. Spread in oiled 13 x 9 baking dish. Pour vegetable broth evenly over the top, and sprinkle remaining 1 cup cheese. Cover with foil & bake 30 minutes.

Apple Pie with Oatmeal Cookie Crust

Source: crust from The New Enchanted Broccoli Forest, filling from allrecipes.com

Crust:
2 1/4 cups rolled oats
3/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/4 tsp cinnamon
4 1/2 TB brown sugar
1/4 cup finely minced nuts (optional)
3/4 tsp vanilla
1 stick butter, melted
1/4 cup water

Filling:
2 TB cornstarch
1 TB ground cinnamon
8 ounces apple juice
4 large green apples (peeled, cored, & diced)

Crumb Topping:
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup whole wheat flour
1/3 stick butter, melted

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Make crust: combine all ingredients & press into pie plate.

2. In a small bowl whisk together cornstarch, cinnamon, and a little of the apple juice.

3. In a saucepan simmer apples with remaining apple juice until apples are tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in cornstarch mixture and continue to simmer until thickened. Remove from heat. Spoon apple mixture into pie shell.

4. Make topping: combine brown sugar & flour in bowl; stir in melted butter until crumbly. Sprinkle crumbs over apple mixture.

5. Bake 45 minutes; let cool 10 minutes.

Tempeh Bolognese

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


 28 oz. can fire-roasted diced tomatoes 
1 TB plus 2 tsp olive oil, divided
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup finely chopped carrot
1 cup finely chopped celery
1 TB dried oregano
1 TB minced garlic
8 oz. package tempeh, cubed
1 TB soy sauce
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 TB tomato paste
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup evaporated milk
24 oz. whole wheat spaghetti

1. Pulse tomatoes coarsely in food processor and place in medium saucepan.
2.  Heat 1 TB oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, carrot, celery, oregano, & garlic; cook 5-6 minutes, stirring often. Stir mixture into saucepan.
3. Heat 2 tsp oil in same skillet over medium heat. Cook tempeh until browned, about 5 minutes. Add soy sauce & 1/2 cup water; cook 5 minutes more, or until liquid has absorbed. Break tempeh into crumbles with spatula.  Stir tempeh into saucepan along with wine, tomato paste, & Worcestershire sauce. Simmer, partially covered, for 10 minutes. Stir in evaporated milk & simmer 5 minutes more.
4. Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions. Serve tempeh sauce over cooked pasta.

Flaxseed Bread

Source: Vegetarian Times
Time: overnight, plus 4 hours.
This is probably one of the best-tasting (and healthiest) breads I've ever made, even including breads I've made in my breadmaker! Flaxseeds are an excellent source of omega-3.
1/2 cup whole flaxseeds, plus extra to sprinkle on top
1/2 cup plus 1 TB flaxseed meal (ground flaxseeds)
2 TB honey
2 1/4 tsp active yeast
3 cups bread flour
2 cups whole wheat flour, plus at least 1/2 cup more for kneading
1 1/2 tsp salt

1. Place 1/2 cup whole flaxseeds in a bowl; cover with 3 inches of water. Let soak overnight. (will resemble egg replacer when done)
2. Combine honey, yeast, & 2 cups warm water in measuring cup. Let stand 5 minutes.
3. Stir together flaxseed meal, flours, and salt in large bowl. Drain soaked flaxseeds & stir into flour mixture. Add yeast/water mixture and stir until smooth dough forms, adding a little water or flour if necessary.
4. Transfer dough to well-floured work surface. Knead 7 minutes or until dough no longer sticks to your fingers, adding flour as needed. Shape into a ball, and place in large bowl coated with oil. Cover & let rise in warm place 1 hour or until doubled in size. Punch down, reshape into ball, & let rise 1 hour more.
4. Preheat oven to 400. Shape dough into tight ball & place on an oiled baking sheet. Brush dough with water & sprinkle with extra flaxseeds. Cut a tic-tac-toe crosscross in top of loaf. Bake 45 minutes or until loaf is dark brown and sounds hollow when tapped. Cool at least 15 minutes before slicing.

Thanksgiving!

"What do vegetarians eat for Thanksgiving?" That's a question I hear quite often. I made a garbanzo-cheese loaf, sweet potato balls, and a low sugar apple pie. Gabe made mashed potatoes and rolls. Yum! Here are links to some of the recipes:

http://veggieaimee.blogspot.com/2008/02/evies-garbanzo-cheese-loaf.html

http://veggieaimee.blogspot.com/2008/04/sweet-potato-balls.html

Aimee's Cream Cheese Calzones

Makes 4 calzones. You can personalize this recipe and do 4 different fillings for different taste buds!

Whole wheat pizza dough (Breadmaker recipe):
1 cup warm water
1 TB sugar
2 TB oil
1 tsp salt
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 ½ cups bread flour
1 tsp active dry yeast

Filling:
15 oz. ricotta
8 oz. whipped cream cheese
2 cups shredded mozzarella
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 tsp oregano
1 TB parsley
2 TB olive oil
1 tsp basil
1 TB parmesan
1/2 cup veggie filling for each calzone, optional (broccoli, green peppers, jalapenos, etc)
marinara sauce for dipping

1. Add ingredients to bread maker pan in the order above; select course 12 (50 minutes). Divide dough into 4 balls & roll out into circles.
2. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 4oo. In large bowl, mix together ricotta, cream cheese, mozzarella, egg, oregano, parsley, & optional veggies. If making different calzones, divide filling into bowls and stir in veggies.
3. Place 1/4 filling on half of one of the dough circles; repeat with the other circles. Fold dough over on each circle and seal in the filling by pressing the dough together. Cut slits on the top of each calzone & transfer to oiled baking sheet. Brush tops with oil & sprinkle with basil & parmesan.
2. Bake 12-15 minutes or until lightly browned. Let cool 5 minutes & serve with marinara sauce.

Dinner Club: 11/21/09

Current invitees for this date include the class managers and instructors from my Jazzercise business. We will update this post with the menu, and later with comments from those who attended!

And… the cuisine winner is Asian (again)! Our guests currently include 7 adults and 3 kids. Here is the menu for dinner this Saturday: Cream Cheese Wontons, Pad Thai with Tofu, and Pumpkin Chocolate Cheesecake for dessert. I couldn't help making the same appetizer & main dish I did last time... some of my favorites! This time I'll make a sweet & sour sauce instead of a peanut sauce to go with the wontons. We will also have a kid-friendly option. You can find these recipes under the category to the right labled “Asian." Stay tuned for details of how the dinner went!

It was so great to see my colleagues outside of Jazzercise. Below are direct links to the recipes I made from my blog:

http://veggieaimee.blogspot.com/2008/09/tofu-cheese-wontons.html

http://veggieaimee.blogspot.com/2008/03/pad-thai.html

http://veggieaimee.blogspot.com/2008/03/pumpkin-chocolate-swirl-cheesecake.html

Maple Pumpkin Spice Bread

Source: Vegetarian Times
Makes 1 large loaf or 4 mini loaves

Serving idea: Make this a dessert & spread honey-cream cheese frosting onto slices!

2 cups all purpose flour
1 TB cinnamon
2 tsp ginger
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp allspice
1 1/4 cups pure maple syrup
1/2 cup oil*
2 large eggs
1 1/4 cups pumpkin puree
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 325. Stir together flours, cinnamon, ginger, baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg, & allspice in large bowl.
2. In separate bowl, whisk together syrup, oil, & eggs; stir in pumpkin & vanilla. Pour flour mixture in & stir until well-mixed; stir in optional nuts.
3. Pour into oiled loaf pan(s). Large loaf: bake 60 minutes or until knife inserted in center of loaf comes out clean. Mini loaves: bake 45 minutes. Cool 5 minutes, unmold onto serving platter, & cool a little more. Serve warm.

*use 1/4 oil plus 1/4 cup applesauce if desired

Evie's Seitan Rice Casserole

Makes 10-12 servings

3 cups uncooked brown rice
6 cups water
oil for frying
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 red pepper, diced
16 oz. seitan
2 cups shredded cheddar
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup flour
3 cups milk
1 tsp hot sauce (optional)
salt & pepper to taste
1/2 cup grated parmesan
paprika to top

1. Cook rice in water (~ 45 minutes); set aside.
2. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350. Place seitan in food processor & pulse until finely chopped. Heat a little oil in large pot; saute onion & red pepper. Add seitan & saute a little more until browned. Remove from heat & stir in cooked rice, cheddar, & salt.
3. Heat olive oil in small saucepan; stir in flour until blended. Add milk & cook until thickened & bubbly, stirring frequently. Pour into rice mixture & mix well, along with hot sauce and salt & pepper to taste.
4. Spread mixture into oiled 13 x 9 baking dish. Sprinkle parmesan and paprika on top. Bake 40 minutes.

Broccoli Lasagna Bianca

Source: Favorite Brand Name Vegetarian Cooking
(modified by Aimee)

9 lasagna noodles
4 crowns broccoli
3 TB butter
½ cup chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, chopped
6 TB flour
1 tsp salt
3 cups milk
15 oz. ricotta
4 eggs, beaten
8 0z. tofu, mashed
2 TB parmesan
1 tsp dried basil
2 cups shredded mozzarella
1 tsp oregano
1 tomato, chopped (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350. Cook noodles according to package directions; drain.
2. Meanwhile, put broccoli (one crown at a time) in food processor & pulse until finely chopped; set aside in bowl.
3. In large saucepan, melt butter & saute onion & garlic. Stir in flour & salt; gradually stir in milk. Cook until mixture thickens & begins to boil. Remove from heat; stir in broccoli.
4. Combine ricotta, tofu, eggs, parmesan & basil.
5. Place 3 noodles in greased 13 x 9 dish; top with 1/2 each ricotta & broccoli mixtures. Repeat layer one more time. Top with 3 noodles, mozzarella, oregano & optional tomato. Bake (covered) for 1 hour; remove from oven & let stand 10 minutes & serve.

Easy Chocolate-Tofu Mousse

Source: Prevention

12 oz. silken tofu
2 tsp vanilla
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup Greek style plain yogurt

1. Melt chocolate chips.
2. Place tofu & vanilla food processor & puree until smooth. Add melted chocolate & blend until well-mixed. Pour into large bowl.
3. Fold in yogurt until just blended. Cover & refrigerate until ready to serve.

Brown Sugar Brownies

Source: Prevention
Makes 9 brownies

1/2 c flour
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp salt
2/3 cup dark brown sugar
1/4 cup canola oil
1 large egg
1 large egg white
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup mini chocolate chips
1/2 to 1 cup chopped walnuts

1. Preheat oven to 350. Combine flour, cocoa, baking powder, & salt in bowl.
2. In larger bowl, whisk together brown sugar, oil, egg, egg white, & vanilla. Add flour mixture & stir until blended. Stir in chocolate chips & walnuts (batter will be stiff).
3. Spread batter in oiled 8 x 8 pan. Bake 20 minutes. Cool completely & cut into 9 squares.

To make a larger batch: double the recipe, spread into oiled 13 x 9 pan, and bake 30 minutes.

Savory Veggie Burgers

Source: Family Circle (modified by Aimee)
Makes 10 pattiesYummy but time-consuming! You can make the mixture ahead & refrigerate 1-2 days until you're ready to make & bake patties. Freeze leftovers if necessary.

1 cup uncooked brown rice
1 TB oil
1 cup chopped onion
2 portobello mushroom caps, sliced
2 TB soy sauce
1 can (15 oz) garbanzo beans, drained & rinsed
1 medium zucchini, grated (about 1 cup packed)
1 cup shredded cheddar
1/3 cup seasoned bread crumbs
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
10 cheese slices, optional

1. Cook rice in 2 cups water (~45 minutes); set aside.
2. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350. Heat oil in skillet; saute onion 2 minutes. Add mushrooms & cook ~4 minutes. Add soy sauce & cook 2 minutes more; remove from heat.
3. Transfer contents of skillet (drain liquid) to food processor. Add garbanzo beans and pulse until until mixture is crumbly. Transfer to large bowl.
4. Add the following to the bean mixture: cooked rice, zucchini, cheese, & bread crumbs. Stir to combine. Add egg, salt & pepper; stir well. Let mixture stand 5 minutes.
5. Spray baking sheet with cooking spray. With wet hands, shape mixture into 10 patties and place on sheet. Bake 20 minutes, remove from oven, & carefully flip patties over. Bake another 10 minutes.
6. Turn oven to low broil setting. Broil patties for 5 minutes; carefully flip over & broil another 5 minutes. Optional: remove from oven, place cheese slices on top, & broil 1 more minute.

Serve with condiments alone or on whole wheat hamburger buns.

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