Zucchini-Tomato Gratin (South-of-the-Border Style)

This is actually based on a recipe with an Italian flair.
I had planned to make this last night but didn't squeeze it in so tonight I had part of a zucchini that needed to be used up as well as an avocado that needed to be used. I decided the Italian flavours of the original recipe wouldn't work very well with my tomato-cilantro-avocado soup but I could manage switching this up a bit to make it work. Hey, I may be English but I've lived in San Diego for the best part of 20 years. I know Mexican food flavours. :)

Here's the result of my recipe tweaking. It worked out really well and made a nice accompaniment to the soup. The only disappointment was that the big flavours of the cilantro and jalapeno overpowered the mild tomato and zucchini. But, I suppose if you have someone who turns their nose up at tomato and/or zucchini, this may just work out OK for you. ;)

**If you leave off the panko, this is gluten-free.**

Serves 2

Ingredients:
2 tomatoes, sliced
1 zucchini, sliced into rounds
1/2 tsp. olive oil
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tbsp. black olives
1/8 cup chopped cilantro
Small amount of jalapeno pepper, chopped (about 1/2 tsp.)
1/8 cup panko
1/4 tsp. dried oregano
1/8 cup sharp cheddar, shredded
1/8 cup mozzarella, shredded

Method:
1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Saute the zucchini until golden.
Mix the panko and oregano in a small bowl then mix in the cheeses.

2. Layer half of the tomato and zucchini slices in a baking pan. Top with half of the garlic, olives, cilantro, jalapeno, and panko mixture. Season with black pepper. Repeat with the remaining tomato and zucchini slices and then the remaining garlic, olives, cilantro, jalapeno, and panko-cheese mix. Add more black pepper if desired. Cover with foil and bake 10 minutes. Remove the foil and bake another 15-20 minutes or until the cheese is melted.

Reference:
Based on Zucchini-Tomato Gratin from the July /August 2009 issue of Vegetarian Times.

My Changes:
*Used cilantro in place of basil.
*Added jalapeno, panko, oregano.
*Used cheddar and mozzarella mixture in place of Parmesan.
*Used black olives in place of kalamata olives.
*Skipped the step involving salting the tomatoes and zucchini (worked out fine without doing this).

Vegetable Skewers

I have about 6 zillion things to blog from the last month so bear with me... :) Maybe I can figure out how to only publish a couple each day.

I love food cooked on skewers! When I taught pre-kindergarten I used to make fruit kabobs with my class all the time. Yum! Amazing how sticking fruit on a stick can get kids to eat it! lol :)
Note to self: Remember to get some great rosemary stems so I can use those to make skewers.

**Plan ahead. The vegetables will need to sit in the vinaigrette for at least one hour (or overnight) prior to grilling.**

Serves 2-3

Ingredients: Rosemary-Dijon Vinaigrette
2 tbsp. white wine vinegar
2 tbsp. Dijon mustard
1 green onion, finely chopped
1 tbsp. lemon juice
1/2 tbsp. grated lemon zest
1/3 cup olive oil
1 tbsp. chopped fresh rosemary

Veggie Skewers
12 button or cremini mushrooms (stems removed)
1/2 red or green bell pepper (or a mix of both), seeded and cut into 1-inch pieces
1/2 red onion, cut into 1-inch pieces
1/2 yellow squash, cut into 6 rounds
1/2 zucchini, cut into 6 rounds

Method:
1. Prepare the rosemary-vinaigrette. Whisk the vinegar, mustard, green onion, lemon juice, and zest in a small bowl. Slowly whisk in the olive oil and mix until the mixture emulsifies. Stir in the rosemary and then add black pepper and salt if desired.

2. Toss the veggies in the vinaigrette. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour or overnight.

3. Rub grill or veggie basket with vegetable oil. Preheat grill to medium-high heat. Thread the veggies onto 6 pre-soaked skewers. Grill the skewers 3-4 minutes per side until veggies are softened.

Reference:
Based on Farm Stand Vegetable Skewers with Rosemary-Dijon Vinaigrette from the July/August issue of Vegetarian Times.

My changes:
I omitted the red potatoes and sugar snap peas that were called for in the original recipe (last-minute decision to make this!) I'll have to try those next time.
I used white wine vinegar in place of the sherry vinegar.
I used a green onion in place of a small shallot in the vinaigrette.

Veggie Stacks

A great way to use up veggies that are taking over your garden (I'm jealous!) or your farmer's market finds.

The tart gremolata provides a nice contrast to the sweetness of the produce that is brought out in the grilling process.

Switch up the veggies as desired to use up what you have on hand!

Serves 2 (2 stacks each)

Ingredients:
Gremolata
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/8 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 tbsp. grated lemon zest

Vegetables
Grill rub (see below)
1/2 of a medium-sized eggplant, cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch thick slices
2 portobello caps, stems removed
1 yellow squash, cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch thick slices
1 zucchini, cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch thick slices
1 tomato, cut into thick slices
Shaved Parmesan (optional). Obviously, it won't be vegan if you add this.

Grill Rub (this will make about 3/4 cup of rub. It will keep in the fridge if stored in an airtight container).
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1/8 cup paprika
3 tbsp. freshly ground black pepper
3 tbsp. sea salt or kosher salt
2 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. ground coriander
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper

Method:
1. Prepare the gremolata. Pulse the parsley, lemon juice, garlic, olive oil, and zest in a food processor. Chill while preparing the veggies.

2. Heat grill to high heat (see tip below). Coat grate with vegetable oil.

3. Sprinkle the veggies with the grill rub (I only used the rub on one side of each piece). Place the eggplant and the portobello cap on the grill first and cook 2 minutes. Add the zucchini and squash and cook 2 minutes more. Turn veggies 45 degrees and cook 2 minutes more. Flip and cook another 2 minutes and then turn them 45 degrees and cook an additional 2 minutes. (If you're not bothered about fancy grill marks, cook 'em for 4 minutes on one side and 4 on the other).
Add the tomato during the last few minutes so it doesn't just complete disintegrate. :)

4. Layer them however you like. Here's how I stacked mine:
1 piece of eggplant on the bottom
Half of the portobello cap
Zucchini slices
Squash slices
Tomato
Eggplant on top
Drizzle the gremolata over the top of each stack and then add a couple pieces of shaved Parmesan if desired.

Tip:
Here's a handy guide for figuring out how hot the grill is!
Hold your hand 4 inches above the grill grate and count until your palm feels hot.
*2-3 seconds = high heat
*4-5 seconds = medium-high
*6-8 seconds = medium
*9-10 seconds = medium-low

Reference:
This is based on Summer Vegetable Stacks with Gremolata and Classic BBQ Rub from the July/August 2009 issue of Vegetarian Times magazine. I also found that grill temperature guide in this issue.

My changes:
Grill rub - I didn't have celery seed so I subbed coriander (same amount).
Veggie stacks - I used a portobello mushroom in place of tofu (original called for 1 16-oz. package of extra-firm tofu per 4 servings). I also added zucchini and tomato. The original recipe didn't use the grill rub, I just thought that would be good on the veggies.

Vegetarian Gumbo

I've actually never had a *real* gumbo so I don't have anything to compare this to but I think it was really rather fantastic! I'm not even sure I can really call it a gumbo since it doesn't have okra in it... isn't that a key ingredient (or is that just a stereotype?) :)

This is a great "clean out the fridge" or "use up your CSA basket" recipe. It's full of wonderful veggies and is an easy one for you to substitute whatever you have.

I served mine over a bed of quinoa (told you I qualify for that Level 7 Vegan even though I'm not even vegan... lol) but I'm having the leftovers over rice tomorrow for lunch! Yum! :)

I highly recommend letting this sit and simmer for an hour (original recipe said 40 minutes). This will allow the carrots to become tender and will really let the great cumin-paprika-cayenne flavours to really meld together even more! It takes a while, but once you have everything chopped up and in the pan it's not a lot of work.

Serves 4


Ingredients:
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/6 cup flour
1/2 cup yellow onion, chopped
1/2 cup bell pepper, chopped
1/2 cup celery, chopped
1 (14-ounce) can tomatoes, juice included, diced
1 cup green beans (fresh or frozen)
1 cup carrots, sliced
1/2 cup parsnip, diced
1/2 cup broccoli florets
1 zucchini, sliced
1/2 tbsp. ground cumin
1/2 tbsp. paprika
1/2 tbsp. dried oregano
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
2 cups vegetable broth (or water)

Method:
1. Stir together the oil and flour in a Dutch oven until smooth. Cook over high heat until the roux becomes a dark caramel colour (think a nice chocolate brown), stirring constantly.

2. Add the onion, bell pepper, and celery, and cook 5 minutes or until the vegetables are softened. Stir in all the remaining ingredients and the veggie broth (or water). Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and cook for 45 minutes-1 hour, or until the carrots are tender.

Reference:
Based on the Vegetarian Gumbo recipe from the May 2008 issue of Vegetarian Times magazine. The only changes I made were to use broccoli and zucchini in place of the okra. I also used vegetable broth in place of the water.

Tuscan Vegetable Saute

I haven't posted an update in so long and now I'm having to catch up! lol It's been so long since I made some of the things I'm about to post that I can't really remember what they were all like! I do remember drizzling balsamic vinegar on this which was lovely.
I also just noticed a note I left in the cookbook that says "*capers*" If I remember correctly, I thought about adding capers to this next time I make it.

This has a lot of ingredients! Don't worry if you don't have them all - this dish is very open to improvisation :) Also, it goes together easily and cooks quite quickly once you have everything prepped.

Serves 2

Ingredients:
Good splash of olive oil (couple tablespoons)
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 red onion, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1/2 cup bell peppers, chopped (any colours - I love the frozen tri-colour peppers from Trader Joe's)
1/2 zucchini squash, sliced
1/2 yellow squash, sliced
1 large vine-ripened tomato, seeded and chopped
3 white button mushrooms, chopped
1/8 cup pitted, chopped Kalamata olives
1 cup cooked chickpeas
2 tbsp. fresh rosemary leaves
1/8 cup chopped fresh basil
1/8 tsp. fennel, crushed
1/4 tsp. lavender, crushed
1 tbsp. fresh oregano
Drizzle balsamic vinegar
Sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper to taste

Method:
1. Pour the olive oil into a large saute pan and heat over medium-high heat. Add the garlic, onion, and celery and saute for 1 minute; stirring often.

2. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the peppers, squash, and zucchini. Cook, stirring often, for 4-5 minutes until the veggies become tender. Stir in the tomatoes and mushrooms and cook for 1 minute, stirring often.

3. Reduce the heat to low. Add the olives, chickpeas, rosemary, basil, salt, pepper, fennel, oregano, and lavender. Cook for 1 minute or until heated through. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar just before serving.

Reference:
From the Whole Foods Market Cookbook. I marked my additions in purple.

Samfaina

Mmmm, it's like Catalonian ratatouille :) I *doctored this up* and added a bunch of other ingredients to it so it's really more like fusion ratatouille! I decided while eating that the fennel really overpowdered the lavender (among other things!) so I have cut this down to half the original fennel but kept the other amounts the same.
Whatever you choose to call it, it was really tasty! I'll mark my changes in purple.

Note on the original recipe: it mentioned in the directions to simmer until the liquid was absorbed. Um, there was no liquid listed in the ingredients and the veggies weren't really giving off much liquid! I decided to throw some broth in the mix to help the squash cook (and flavour everything a bit more). Worked fine!

This was really good with some couscous.

Here's my version:

2 servings

Ingredients:
Extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup chopped red onion (original just said "onion")
1 cup cubed, peeled eggplant (I salted my eggplant to help it hold its shape during cooking. Click here to find out what that means - scroll to the bottom of the recipe)
1/4 cup cubed squash (original called for zucchini; I was out but had half a yellow squash to use)
1/6 cup chopped bell pepper
1/2 cup chopped seeded tomato
1/2 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
1/4 tsp. chopped fresh thyme (or 1/8 tsp. dried thyme)
1/16 tsp. fennel seed (crushed in a mortar and pestle)
1/8 tsp. dried lavender (crushed in a mortar and pestle)
About 1/4-1/2 cup vegetable broth
1/4 tsp. paprika
1/8 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
Pinch of sea salt
1/2 tbsp. fresh basil, chopped

Method:
1. Heat olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the onion to the pan and cook 10 minutes or until tender. Stir in the eggplant, squash, bell pepper, and garlic. Cook 5 minutes, stirring frequently.

2. Stir in tomato, parsley, thyme, lavender, and fennel. Add vegetable broth (I started with 1/4 cup then added about another 1/4 cup later on - after the first 1/4 cup had evaporated). Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 5 minutes.

3. Uncover and simmer an additional 10 minutes or until all liquid is absorbed (I added the second 1/4 cup of broth at this point). Stir in salt, paprika, and black pepper; cook 1 more minute. Sprinkle with fresh basil just before serving.

Reference:
Based on the Samfaina recipe from the May 2008 issue of Cooking Light.

**Note on photos. I have been taking photos of my stuff, I've just been really slacking on blog updates/uploading my photos lately. Plus, my digital camera is on its last legs and I really need to order a new one! :(
It's the last week of school (work school) so I'm super busy doing last minute stuff and taking care of my teacher check-out for the year. When I have a couple minutes I'll be back to add my photos! :)

A Spring in its Step

I'll start this post with a mini-lesson for you :) I took years of Spanish and live in San Diego so, even though it's been a while since I took a class, I seem to find a reason to utter some Spanish on an almost daily basis.
Primavera is the Spanish word for Spring. Spring to me does not mean "smothered in icky, fattening cream sauce." heh... I prefer to think of Spring in terms of fresh veggies. So, this dinner is in honour of my impression of Spring. I present:
Pasta Primavera sans Cream Sauce ;)

Serves 2 (yeay for leftovers!)

Ingredients:
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp. olive oil
1 1/2 cups tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped
1/4 small red onion, finely chopped
1/4 cup or so carrots, chopped
1/3 pound asparagus, cut into 2-inch pieces
1/4 cup bell pepper, cut into 2-inch pieces
1/3 cup fresh or frozen green peas
1/3 pound butterfly/bowtie pasta
Small amount of freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Method:
1. Bring a covered pot of water (large enough to accommodate a steamer basket) to a boil.

2. While the water boils, saute the garlic, onion, and oil in a saucepan for 2-3 minutes. Add the tomatoes and wine and cook on medium heat for 5 minutes. Add the red onions, cover, and remove from the heat.

3. When the water is boiling, place the carrots in the steamer basket and add them to the water. Cook for 3 minutes and then add the asparagus and bell peppers. Cook another 3 minutes then add the zucchini and peas. After the zucchini and peas have had 3 minutes, lift out the steamer basket. Reserve the water for cooking the pasta. Stir the veggies into the tomato-wine sauce. Add salt and pepper. Cover and set aside.

4. Cook the pasta until al dente. Drain. Toss the pasta with a tablespoon of Parmesan cheese. Top with the tomato-vegetable sauce and sprinkle with additional Parmesan and the fresh basil.

Reference:
Based on the Pasta Primavera recipe from the Moosewood Restaurant Low-Fat Favourites cookbook.

Lemon and Veggie Pasta

There has been a lemon pasta recipe floating around on The Nest for the last couple weeks. It sounded really yummy so I knew I would have to check it out! The original was used as a side dish but I wanted mine as a main course with lots of vegetables. Here is the result! I'll mark my changes in purple.

The lemon flavour was really intense - it was great! This will definitely be repeated often around here :)

This makes a quick and easy dinner. The only "time-consuming" part is giving the eggplant an hour to "rest" while you salt it. Use that time to prep the rest of your veggies and herbs. After that hour, it will take 10-15 minutes max. :)

If you leave off the cheese, this recipe is vegan. I'm not convinced you need the cheese - the lemon and veggies work really well together!

Serves 1

Ingredients:
1 serving whole wheat spaghetti (or any other pasta you like)
Olive oil
A couple slices of eggplant, diced (probably about 1/2-1 cup)
1 tomato, seeded and diced (superfood!)
4 button mushrooms, sliced (I'd love to try this with a portobello cap!) - superfood!
1/4 cup broccoli florets (superfood!)
1/2 zucchini squash, sliced and then quartered
1/8 cup onion, finely chopped (superfood!)
1 clove garlic, minced (original called for garlic powder) - superfood!
3 tbsp. fresh basil or 2 tsp. dried basil
A little crushed red pepper
1/3 cup freshly-squeezed lemon juice (superfood!)
1/2 tbsp. grated lemon zest
1 tsp. capers
1/8 cup Parmesan cheese (original called for Pecorino Romano)
1 tbsp. fresh parsley

Method:
1. Slice eggplant. Rinse off slices and pat dry. Sprinkle each with a little salt and let them "drain" on a paper towel for 1 hour. Re-rinse and pat dry. Dice.

2. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add eggplant, tomato, mushrooms, broccoli, zucchini, onion, garlic, and red pepper. Also add dried basil if you are using it. Saute the veggies for about 10 minutes or until tender.

3. While the vegetables saute, cook the pasta according to the package directions.

4. Drain the pasta and then mix the lemon juice and lemon zest in. Add capers, fresh parsley, and fresh basil to the veggies. Toss the veggies with the pasta. Serve and sprinkle with freshly-grated Parmesan and a little extra fresh parsley.
Enjoy immediately.


Reference:
I used the Lemon Pasta recipe from Erin's blog as the base for this. Thanks, Erin! :)

Ratatouille!

I decided to try the Ratatouille with Tofu recipe from Cooking Light for dinner last night. I made quite a few changes/additions - it ended up being really tasty! Tons of great veggies! I'll label my changes in purple.

I also didn't serve this with those white noodle things that they had in the magazine (sorry but those look like they have the nutritional value of a donut!) - I used quinoa instead which is another great source of protein on top of that tofu.

Serves 2

Ingredients:
1/2 cup chopped carrot
1/4 cup chopped onion (superfood!)
1/4 cup fresh basil, separated
1/2 tsp. dried thyme or 2 tsp. fresh thyme
2 cloves minced garlic (superfood!)
1 cup diced extra-firm tofu (well-drained) - superfood!
1 cup diced eggplant *see tip on salting eggplant below*
1/2 cup diced zucchini
4 button mushrooms, sliced (superfood! Yes, the little cheap button ones are just as much anti-oxidant powerhouses as their fancier cousins!)
1/2 cup chopped tomato (I just used a regular tomato, not plum tomatoes) - superfood!
2 tsp. pesto (I used regular basil pesto since I had some in the freezer... this did make my version of the recipe non-vegan but I'll type out the vegan pesto below)
1 cup tomato sauce (I made it using 1/4 cup tomato paste + 1/2 cup water)
1/8 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. herbes de Provence (rosemary, thyme, summer savory, fennel seed, basil, tarragon, and lavender)
1 tbsp. lemon juice (superfood!)
1/4 tsp. dried marjoram
1 tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped

Method:
1. Heat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Coat the pan with cooking spray. Add carrot to the pan and saute 4-6 minutes. Add the onion, 1/8 cup fresh basil, herbes de Provence, thyme, marjoram, and garlic; saute 3-4 more minutes. Add the tofu, eggplant and zucchini and saute 4 minutes more or until tender.

2. Add the chopped tomato, mushrooms, lemon juice, pesto, and tomato sauce and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat and stir in black pepper, fresh parsley, and additional 1/8 cup fresh basil.

*Salting eggplant:
Slice eggplant and rinse the slices/pat dry. Sprinkle a little salt on both sides of each slice and let the eggplant "drain" for about 1 hour (I usually just sit mine of a paper towel). Re-rinse the eggplant and chop/use as desired. This will remove any bitterness from the vegetable and will help it retain its shape as it cooks.

*Pesto Coulis (vegan):
1/2 cup parsley leaves
1/2 cup basil leaves
1/4 cup chopped green onion
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Combine all ingredients in a food processor. Pulse until smooth.

Reference:
Based on the Ratatouille with Tofu recipe from the May 2008 issue of Cooking Light Magazine.

Absolutely Amazing Veggie Fajitas!

OK, I will probably never eat veggie fajitas at a restaurant ever again! lol :) I've actually only ever had them a couple times and they were just mediocre... these knocked the socks off them (but home cooking is always better!)

I had been planning veggie fajitas for this weekend and was pulling veggies out of the fridge and realized I hadn't picked up any small mushrooms yesterday. I did have two portobello caps, though and will only need one for the portobello Parm later this week so I chopped the other one up for these. Yum! Who needs meat?! :) I'm really excited about the packaging for these 'shrooms! They are organic mushroom caps that come in totally compostable packaging! yeay :) The tray will definitely be composted!

These would be vegan but I like some sour cream on mine!

Perfect with rice and black beans and a big margarita on the side ;)

I apologize for the lack of a photo - they tasted far better than they looked! The uncooked veggies looked great - I should have taken a quick picture of those.. next time. :)

Serves 2 (or 1 hungry person) ;)

Ingredients:
1 portobello mushroom cap
1/4 medium onion, thinly sliced
1/4 each red, yellow, and green bell peppers
1/2 medium tomato, seeded and chopped (superfood!)
1/2 zucchini, sliced
1/2 yellow squash, sliced (I cut my slices in half)
1/8 cup + 1/2 tbsp. vegetable oil (olive oil is a superfood!)
1/8 cup lime juice
1/8 cup tequila
1 tbsp. cilantro, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced (superfood!)
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/8 tsp. salt (I used sea salt)
Pepper
4-6 tortillas
Optional: fresh salsa or pico de gallo, guacamole or avocado slices, sour cream

Method:
1. Clean the mushroom cap by wiping it with a damp paper towel and then scooping out the "fins" (I really don't know what else to call those) with a spoon. Slice off the stem. Slice the mushroom into smaller pieces. Wash and slice/chop the other veggies.

2. Place the veggies in a large zipper bag or re-usable container with a lid. In a bowl, mix together the tequila, 1/8 cup veg. oil, cumin, lime juice, salt, pepper, and 1/2 tbsp. cilantro (I never measure - use as much or as little as you like!)

3. Pour the tequila marinade in the bag or container with the vegetable mix. Seal the container and marinate for 1 1/2-3 hours.

4. After marinating, preheat a large skillet over medium-high heat; add 1/2 tbsp. oil. Add vegetables to hot oil and cook and stir until tender. They don't take long at all - I think mine had somewhere between 5 and 7 minutes. Sprinkle with additional fresh cilantro just before serving.

Serve with warm tortillas, rice, black beans, and any condiments you like.

Not sure I have a reference for these! I just made them up as I went but based the tequila-lime marinade on the chicken fajitas I've made in the past (and made for DH tonight).

Five-a-Day For Better Health

Oh my gosh, it's vegan comfort food! This was so tasty - I ate a HUGE plate of it and then had seconds of the veggies ;) Hey, there are worse things to over-indulge in!
Not sure of the gluten-free status of this dish due to the soy sauce - I'm sure you can find GF soy sauce, though if that's a concern! :)
This would also be great served over quinoa or couscous.

The original recipe only called for a couple veggies - tomatoes, onions, and zucchini - but I added a bit more! I'll mark my additions in purple. If you'd like, you can also add your choice of protein to this dish - tofu, chicken, pork, shrimp.. Don't worry about marinating the tofu if you use that - just roast it with the veggies and it will take on the veggie and soy sauce flavours as it cooks. I'd like to try it with some eggplant and yellow squash as well next time! Maybe some mushrooms... This is really just a "toss in whatever you have in the fridge" sort of meal!

2 servings

Ingredients:
1/2 cup brown rice
1 1/4 cup water or veggie broth
Reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 tomato, quartered (I left the seeds in) - superfood!
1 zucchini, sliced into 1-inch rounds
1/4 onion, quartered (superfood!)
Olive oil (superfood!)
Freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup broccoli florets (superfood!)
1/4 cup sliced carrots
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped (superfood!)
1/8 cup petite peas (petit pois) :)

Method:
1. Cook rice in water or broth with 1 tsp. soy sauce adding in according to package directions. *Preheat oven to 350 degrees*

2. In a roasting pan (I actually used my Dutch oven!), combine the chopped veggies and toss with olive oil and about 1/8 cup soy sauce. Roast for 35 minutes.

3. Combine the rice and veggies and season with more soy sauce and pepper if desired (I skipped this/didn't miss it).

Reference:
The original recipe is from Fresh Mama's.

Pesto and Veggie Pasta

The original recipe for this called for purchased pesto - like it's hard to make! lol :) I've included the pesto recipe I used. I also just found out you can freeze pesto for up to 3 months - little added incentive to just make it!

This dish is far from low-fat but the good thing is the majority of the fat is unsaturated... hey, have to make myself feel better for it somehow! Plus, it's a good source of protein since I used whole-wheat pasta and it has all that cheese! Eh, once in a while it's OK - not like I eat like this every day! :)

The zucchini was so yummy with the pesto and the grape tomatoes I used complemented the sweetness of the basil nicely (they also provided a nice contrast to the cheese). My only gripe about this dish was that the photo from the magazine was so pretty and mine just looked really messy! Needless to say, I did not take a photo of it. Maybe I should have taken a photo before adding the goat cheese or just sprinkled the goat cheese on top. Next time... ;) I can tell you, it tasted far better than it looked!

2 Servings

Pesto Recipe (this made enough for 3 [1/8 cup] servings of pesto)
Ingredients:
1/2 cup firmly packed fresh basil leaves
1 tbsp. dried parsley or 1/4 cup firm packed fresh parsley
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1/8 cup pine nuts
1 garlic clove, quartered (superfood!)
1/8 tsp. sea salt
1/8 cup olive oil (superfood!)

Pesto
Method:
1. Place all ingredients in a blender or food processor. Cover and process with several on-off pulses until a paste forms, stopping the machine several times and scraping down the sides.

Pesto and Veggie Pasta
Ingredients:
4 ounces penne, ziti, or fusili pasta
1/2 tbsp. olive oil (superfood!)
1/2-1 medium zucchini, sliced (you could also add some yellow squash to this if you have it on-hand)
1-2 garlic cloves, minced (superfood!)
1/4 cup reduced-sodium vegetable broth
1/2 large tomato diced or 7-8 grape or cherry tomatoes, sliced (superfood!)
1/4 cup pesto (recipe above)
1/4 cup soft goat cheese, cut into small cubes

Pesto and Veggie Pasta
Method:
1. Cook the pasta according to package directions; drain and then return it to the pot.

2. While the past cooks, heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the squash and garlic to the hot oil. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the broth and simmer until the broth is almost completely evaporated and the squash is tender. Remove from the heat and stir in the tomatoes.

3. Add the squash mixture, pesto, and goat cheese to the pasta. Toss to combine.

Reference:
I used the Summer Pesto Pasta recipe from the August/September 2005 issue of Cooking Pleasures magazine for this. I found the pesto recipe in the Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook (1996 edition).

Mixed Vegetables al Forno

Like the minestrone I made, this is another great one for cleaning out the fridge! It was really good but I think it could use a little more "oomph!" Maybe some basil? White wine? I'll have to experiment with the seasonings on this one a bit! I served it with rice tonight but have leftovers that I'll have with couscous for lunch tomorrow.

This would also make a good side dish for a chicken or fish meal.

Serves 2

Ingredients:
1/2 medium onion, sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 medium yellow crookneck squash, diced
1 medium zucchini, diced
3-4 medium-sized white mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup green beans
2 tomatoes, seeded and cut into 8 pieces each
2 carrots, peeled and sliced
1 parsnip, peeled and sliced
1 stalk celery, chopped
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1/4 tsp. sea salt
2 tsp. olive oil

Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. Put all vegetables in a Dutch oven or other lidded oven-proof pot. Drizzle with the olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Stir. Cover and bake for 1 1/2 hours. Serve hot over rice or couscous.

Reference:
This is based on the Mixed Vegetables al Forno recipe from The Occasional Vegetarian.
The changes I made included adding the parsnip (forgot how much I LOVE parsnip!), carrots, and celery. I used regular white mushrooms in place of a portobello and used regular tomatoes in place of plum tomatoes.

Minestrone

This was such great soup - it had a little of everything in it since I was using two recipes and sort of just making it up as I went! :) Great for cleaning out the fridge! I used white wine in this recipe which was great, but I think next time I'd use red instead. I think it would go a little better with the kidney beans and tomatoes in this soup.
Like hubby's beef stew, I was really wishing I had some great Italian bread to go with this... sigh

Oh my gosh, I made a TON of soup! I think this would be enough for 6! Good thing I can freeze it...

Ingredients:
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tbsp. olive oil
1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
1/3 cup pasta (I used rotini)
1/2 (14.5 ounce) can tomatoes
1 cup diced zucchini
1 stalk celery, chopped
1/4 cup onion, chopped
2 carrots, sliced
1/2 (15 ounce) can kidney beans
1 1/3 cup white wine (thinking back, that was probably way too much! Hello drunken veggies! lol)
1/8 tsp. dried basil
1/8 tsp. dried oregano

Method:
1. Cook the garlic in the oil in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat for 30 seconds or until fragrant. Add the onion, celery and carrots. Cook over medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring often.

2. Add the wine and pasta. Cook 2 minutes more. Add the vegetable broth and stir well. Mix in the tomatoes, beans, zucchini, bay leaf, oregano, and dried basil. Bring to a boil and cook for 10 minutes. Reduce the heat and simmer for an additional 5 minutes or until all the veggies are tender.

Serve with Parmesan cheese if desired (of course, it won't be vegan if you add the cheese!)


References:
I used the Quick Minestrone recipe from Cooking Pleasures Magazine (oops.. forgot to write down the month/year when I ripped this out of the magazine and the website no longer tells that..)
I also used the Minestrone Soup with Basil Pesto recipe from Ingrid Croce's The San Diego Restaurant Cookbook.

Vegetable-Bean Soup

**Excuse the really yellow photos! I had to take them with my phone and I think the flash is a bit funny...**
This is one of the yummy vegetarian recipes I've had tagged for a while! I guess one good thing about Lent is that I'm finally getting to try them all :) I found the original recipe for this in a magazine - the original actually called for chicken broth but I switched that out for veggie broth. It also mentioned you can the soup with a little grated Parmesan - it's a vegan recipe if you leave the cheese off.
You can use whatever veggies you have on hand. I thought about adding some mushrooms and sweet corn but completely forgot - next time! Add those at the last minute with the spinach, salt, and pepper if you do any "softer" veggies like that. Carrot or celery could be added with the squash so it will have time to soften.

Enjoy!

Enough for 6 (I made the whole recipe - I'll freeze the leftovers)

Ingredients:
1 tbsp. vegetable oil (I used olive)
1 large onion, chopped (can I just say thank God for food processors! lol)
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 cups cubed squash - I used half zucchini, half something else - I think it was an acorn squash (long, thin, light yellow - I'm a bit squash-illiterate!)
1 32-oz can/box vegetarian vegetable broth
1 28-oz can diced tomatoes
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1 10-oz package frozen spinach
1 15-oz can cannellini or navy beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

Method:
1. Heat the oil in a heavy large pot over medium heat until hot. Add the onion and cook 4-6 minutes until soft. Stir frequently.

2. Add garlic and cook 1 minute. Stir in the squash, broth, tomatoes, thyme, and oregano. Increase the heat to medium-high; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium or medium-low and simmer 15-20 minutes or until the squash is tender.

3. Stir in all remaining ingredients and simmer five minutes until heated through.

Here's the non-vegan version with cheese ;)

Reference:
The original recipe is from the October/November 2005 issue of Cooking Pleasures magazine.

Taste the Rainbow!

This is the second of my entries for the Platinum Chef Challenge on The Nest. It's a great marinara spaghetti sauce which incorporates tons of different veggies including the zucchini, basil, and tomatoes which were three of the five challenge ingredients. Not the most creative use of the ingredients, but still very tasty! Plus, as the recipe is written, it is suitable for vegetarian and vegan diets.
This sauce is so colorful - a great way to get lots of different vegetables into your diet! Here's the recipe - I just used a basic marinara sauce recipe which I've been using for years and added a few "extras" to it. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup total of chopped bell peppers - I used a combination of red, yellow, and green peppers (about a 1/4 cup of red and the second 1/4 cup was a mix of green and yellow)
1 cup zucchini, coarsely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 14 1/2-ounce can of diced tomatoes (undrained)
2 cups peeled, seeded, and chopped fresh tomatoes (you can just use 2 14 1/2 ounce cans of tomatoes or 4 cups of peeled chopped tomatoes; I just wanted to mix it up a bit)
1 6-ounce can of tomato paste
1/4 cup dry red wine (you can substitute 1/4 cup of water if you don't drink/don't have red wine)
2 tbsp. snipped fresh parsley or 2 tsp. dried parsley
1 tbsp. snipped fresh basil or 1 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. dried marjoram
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1/8 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1 bay leaf
1 tsp. sugar (to make this recipe vegan, please do not use white sugar as this is a non-vegan ingredient - stevia or agave nectar would work)
1/2 cup sliced green olives

Method:
1. In a large skillet, cook the onion, bell peppers, zucchini, and garlic in hot olive oil until veggies are tender.


2. Stir in the tomatoes, tomato paste, basil, oregano, parsley, marjoram, thyme, and red pepper flakes. Add the wine, sugar, 1/2 tsp. salt, 1/8 tsp. pepper, and a bay leaf. Bring to a boil then reduce heat. Add in the green olives. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Uncover and simmer 10-15 minutes more or until the sauce is your desired consistency, stir occasionally.




3. Remove bay leaf and serve with hot spaghetti or other pasta.
If desired, you can add meatballs and some freshly grated Parmesan cheese to the finished dinner.

Reference:
The inspiration for my marinara base came from the Spaghetti with Marinara Sauce recipe from the Better Homes and Gardens Cook Book. I added a lot to it but here's the publishing information for the cook book.
Better Homes and Gardens Test Kitchen (1996). Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book. Meredith Publishing Group: Des Moines, IA.