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Homemade Veggie Burgers

January 25, 2012 by Leave a Comment

 

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Trying to make a veggie burger from scratch has been on my to-cook list for months. I pulled a recipe at least six months ago and have been telling myself I need to make it probably since then. The problem is that it’s a food processor recipe, and sometimes, cleaning that thing takes the fun out of using it!

I finally wrote down what I needed to buy, made hummus so the food processor was already dirty, and got to work on the burgers last Sunday.

The recipe made 9 small-ish burgers, and I plan to eat some this week and freeze them to take for lunches.

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I really liked the texture and spices, and am very glad I finally tried them! No need to buy the frozen version when homemade is so much better, and you can freeze them to use one at a time. Really, these made my lunches so much better!

While this may look like a long ingredient list, it’s actually a lot of pantry items and spices that you might already have as a kitchen staple.

I also had one for dinner with sauteed veggies and some rice.

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Homemade Veggie Burgers

Ingredients:

  • 1 clove garlic
  • 1/2 white onion
  • 1 egg
  • 1 C old-fashioned oats, processed into flour
  • 1.5 C bread crumbs
  • 1 C carrots
  • 1 C black beans, rinsed and mashed
  • 1/4 C parsley
  • 1/3 C cashews (or any nut like almonds, pecans, etc)
  • 1/3 C sunflower seeds
  • 1 T EVOO
  • 1 T soy sauce
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp oregano
  • 1/2 tsp pepper
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

Instructions:

  • In a food processor, pulse together carrots, garlic, onion. Add about 3/4 C of the black beans and pulse again. You want the consistency to be mashed but not mushed.
  • In a mixing bowl, add the remaining 1/4 C unblended black beans.
  • Remove food from processor and add to a mixing bowl.
  • Add almonds and sunflower seeds and pulse to a fine chop. Add to mixing bowl.
  • Add oats to the processor and grind to a flour. Add to mixing bowl with bread crumbs.
  • In mixing bowl, stir to combine, then add egg, EVOO, soy sauce, and all spices.
  • Stir to combine.
  • The mixture should hold together in your hand when you try to squeeze it. Before you try to add water, form a burger and see if it holds. I thought mine might need more liquid, but it held together as a burger, so I didn’t add anything.
  • Form mixture into patties and lay on a baking sheet lined with a Silpat or cooking spray.
  • Bake at 350* for about 22 minutes, flipping halfway through.
  • Remove when burgers are starting to brown.

 

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Homemade Veggie Burgers
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 

 

Ingredients
  • Homemade Veggie Burgers
  • 1 clove garlic
  • ½ white onion
  • 1 egg
  • 1 C old-fashioned oats, processed into flour
  • 1.5 C bread crumbs
  • 1 C carrots
  • 1 C black beans, rinsed and mashed
  • ¼ C parsley
  • ⅓ C cashews (or any nut like almonds, pecans, etc)
  • ⅓ C sunflower seeds
  • 1 T EVOO
  • 1 T soy sauce
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp oregano
  • ½ tsp pepper
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • ¼ tsp cayenne pepper

Instructions
  1. In a food processor, pulse together carrots, garlic, onion. Add about ¾ C of the black beans and pulse again. You want the consistency to be mashed but not mushed.
  2. In a mixing bowl, add the remaining ¼ C unblended black beans.
  3. Remove food from processor and add to a mixing bowl.
  4. Add almonds and sunflower seeds and pulse to a fine chop. Add to mixing bowl.
  5. Add oats to the processor and grind to a flour. Add to mixing bowl with bread crumbs.
  6. In mixing bowl, stir to combine, then add egg, EVOO, soy sauce, and all spices.
  7. Stir to combine.
  8. The mixture should hold together in your hand when you try to squeeze it. Before you try to add water, form a burger and see if it holds. I thought mine might need more liquid, but it held together as a burger, so I didn’t add anything.
  9. Form mixture into patties and lay on a baking sheet lined with a Silpat or cooking spray.
  10. Bake at 350* for about 22 minutes, flipping halfway through.
  11. Remove when burgers are starting to brown.

Filed Under: Dinner, Lunch, Recipes, Vegetarian · Tagged With: , , , ,

Hearty Minestrone Soup

January 4, 2012 by 1 Comment

Here’s another easy weeknight meal. We made this on Monday night after our weekend away. A hearty soup is a great way to get back to eating your veggies and not eat something so rich and gluttonous after the holidays. We love our soups.

I found this recipe on the Whole Foods iPhone app in the car on the way home. I changed out some veggies to suit what we like, and served it with mini cornbread muffins that I made real quick. If it were just for me, I would have added mushrooms and some squash, but that’s a no-go for the other one eating.

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The recipe called for chickpeas and cannellini beans, but Jeffrey doesn’t like beans so I left that out and just used the chickpeas. It gave the soup a nice crunch to go with the other softer veggies. I also left out cabbage and replaced with more carrots and celery. And I love fusilli in soups.

We thought the soup was very thick and tomato-ey. I didn’t mind and like thick soups, but Jeffrey would have used less tomato or more broth. However, 6 cups of broth and 28 ounces of tomatoes makes a lot of soup! There was lots leftover. A great soup for freezing too! On the second night, I added some water to thin it out and it helped a lot. Do that.

Hearty Minestrone Soup

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
  • 6 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
  • 1/4 cup tomato paste
  • 1/4 cup chopped parsley
  • 1 tablespoon chopped basil (subbed rosemary)
  • 2 large stalks of celery, sliced
  • 2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
  • 1 dried bay leaf
  • 1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes, with their liquid
  • 1 cup canned chickpeas, drained
  • 1 cup dried fusilli pasta
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 3/4 to 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

  • In a large stockpot, heat oil over medium high heat.
  • Add garlic and onions and cook until translucent.
  • Add broth, tomato paste, parsley, basil, celery, carrots, bay leaf, and tomatoes with their juice and cook for 30 to 40 minutes, until vegetables are tender.
  • Add chickpeas, pasta, and simmer for another 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
  • Ladle soup into bowls and serve with Parmesan cheese sprinkled over the top.

To go with the soup, I made a half batch of cornbread mini muffins. If you have cornmeal in your pantry, you probably have everything else you need–flour, egg, milk, oil. I amped it up by adding some frozen corn kernels, rosemary that we used for the soup, and some cayenne to give it a slight kick. A half batch made about 16 mini muffins–good to last a few days or take for lunch too!

As you can see, I love it when meals last a little while.

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Hearty Minestrone Soup
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 

 

Ingredients
  • Hearty Minestrone Soup
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
  • 6 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
  • ¼ cup tomato paste
  • ¼ cup chopped parsley
  • 1 tablespoon chopped basil (subbed rosemary)
  • 2 large stalks of celery, sliced
  • 2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
  • 1 dried bay leaf
  • 1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes, with their liquid
  • 1 cup canned chickpeas, drained
  • 1 cup dried fusilli pasta
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • ¾ to 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions
  1. In a large stockpot, heat oil over medium high heat.
  2. Add garlic and onions and cook until translucent.
  3. Add broth, tomato paste, parsley, basil, celery, carrots, bay leaf, and tomatoes with their juice and cook for 30 to 40 minutes, until vegetables are tender.
  4. Add chickpeas, pasta, and simmer for another 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
  5. Ladle soup into bowls and serve with Parmesan cheese sprinkled over the top.

Filed Under: Dinner, Recipes · Tagged With: , ,

How to make brussels sprouts taste good

November 2, 2011 by 2 Comments

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I understand that many people think of brussels sprouts as one of the worst vegetables ever. It had a bad rap when I was growing up, and my mom never made them. So I assumed they were a boring vegetable until I became more adventurous. I actually like these sprouts that look like mini cabbages. They are easy to cook, versatile, and really healthy. You just have to dress ‘em up right. They just need a little PR makeover or someone to stand up for them.

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Recently, I read a recipe on Eat Live Run that added some sugar to the sprouts. Well that must be good. She cut them into ribbons, but I like the bite and crunch of just splitting them in half. I generally followed her recipe, but added a little more salt and pepper.

Sweet and Crunchy Brussels Sprouts

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb brussels sprouts (can use less and adjust other measurements)
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 clove garlic, minced
  • 1/2 tsp salt and pepper
  • Approx. 3 tbsp brown sugar (start with 2 and add if you need more)
  • 1/3 cup roughly chopped pecans or walnuts

Directions:

  • Cut the bottom off the sprout, and then slice in half. Don’t worry about leaves that fall off.
  • Heat the olive oil over medium high in a large skillet and saute the garlic for 30 seconds.
  • Add the brussels sprouts and continue sauteing for another 4-5 minutes, until bright green and tender.
  • Add the sea salt and brown sugar and toss together.
  • Finish by adding the toasted nuts.

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Don’t be scared of the sprout, just learn how to make them right!

Filed Under: Recipes, Vegetarian · Tagged With: ,

Hukuna Frittata

October 24, 2011 by 3 Comments

For a recent Sunday night dinner, eggs were on the menu. Instead of scrambling like we usually do, we made our first frittata. Last December, we bought a Le Creuset cast iron skillet at an outlet store in Florida. The thing probably weighs ten pounds, but we wanted to try the cast iron method of cooking meat, and on sale was a good way to try it.

Only special pans can go from the stovetop to oven, and Le Creuset makes their products special for that. Eggs are also a great food to start on the stove and finish in the oven.

The frittata turned out to be a fun way to eat vegetables and eggs in a pie shape. We loved it! So many ideas of how to alter the ingredients to make this again. I had mine with a little salad of lettuce and tomato and a bagel on the side. And we shared some bacon.

The best part was the leftovers for lunch! I ate it cold twice for lunch during the week with a salad.

We loved the potatoes and egg together, and bacon would have been great in the frittata too. Can’t wait to make more frittatas!

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Vegetable Frittata

Makes 8 wedges

Ingredients:

  • 3 baby yellow potatoes, diced
  • 1 red bell pepper, chopped
  • 2 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt {divided}
  • freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 8 eggs, beaten
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1/4 C grated Pepperjack cheese, plus more for sprinkling
  • 2 scallions, chopped

Instructions:

  • Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
  • In a cast-iron skillet (important), drizzle with 2 T EVOO and let heat up. Cook diced potatoes and garlic for about 8 minutes until tender.
  • Add chopped bell pepper for last 3 minutes.
  • In a mixing bowl, whisk together eggs with salt, pepper, milk and cheese.
  • In the skillet, spread vegetables evenly so they don’t overlap. Pour eggs on and don’t stir.
  • Let sit for about 3 minutes, until sides are getting geled and inside is still wet.
  • Transfer skillet to oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, until top is firm and starting to brown.
  • Remove from oven and add scallions and more cheese for melting.
  • Cut into wedges, and it should remove easily.

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Filed Under: Dinner, Recipes, Vegetarian · Tagged With: , , , ,

Squash and Farro Salad

October 19, 2011 by Leave a Comment

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Besides pumpkin, the other flavor that makes me think of Fall is squash. I had a giant butternut squash and used half in a Yom Kippur dinner dish, and used half for this dish. I based if off of a Daily Garnish dish and then made it my own with what I had on hand.

My grain of choice was farro. I used 1.5 cups of uncooked farro and it made a huge bowl. Since I was the only one eating this, most was wasted unfortunately after a few days. I would cut this back a whole lot, even to have leftovers if it’s just for you! Farro is a chewy grain that I like when I want something different. You can use rice, quinoa, cous cous, millet, etc. Any grain will work.

I love the squash and cranberry combo, and it would also be great with an herb like parsley or a nut like slivered almonds. A really hearty salad. Serve atop mixed greens for a balanced lunch!

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Squash and Farro Salad

  • 1.5 cups dry farro (could sub any grain–rice, quinoa, etc.)
  • 3 cups water (do the proportion for your grain)
  • 1/2 large butternut squash, peeled and cubed
  • 1/4 cup dried cranberries
  • 1/4 cup dried apricots
  • salt and pepper to taste

For the dressing

  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1/4 cup maple syrup
  • 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons orange juice
  • dash of salt and pepper
  • (Emily’s recipe used a little Dijon, but I didn’t have any. I would probably add that in because the dressing was strong in orange juice taste, which was fine, just strong.)

Instructions

  • Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Peel and cube a large butternut squash. Then toss with olive oil and salt and spread in a single layer on a sheet pan. Pop it into the oven and roast for 45 to 50 minutes, stirring once halfway through cooking.
  • While the squash is roasting, cook your farro according to package.
  • In a small dish, combine all the dressing ingredients and whisk to combine.
  • With everything ready, add farro, squash, and dried fruit in a mixing bowl. Add dressing and stir well to combine all ingredients.

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Squash and Farro Salad
 

Ingredients
  • Squash and Farro Salad
  • 1.5 cups dry farro (could sub any grain–rice, quinoa, etc.)
  • 3 cups water (do the proportion for your grain)
  • ½ large butternut squash, peeled and cubed
  • ¼ cup dried cranberries
  • ¼ cup dried apricots
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • For the dressing
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • ¼ cup maple syrup
  • 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons orange juice
  • dash of salt and pepper
  • Emily’s recipe used a little Dijon, but I didn’t have any. I would probably add that in because the dressing was strong in orange juice taste, which was fine, just strong.)

Instructions
  1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Peel and cube a large butternut squash. Then toss with olive oil and salt and spread in a single layer on a sheet pan. Pop it into the oven and roast for 45 to 50 minutes, stirring once halfway through cooking.
  2. While the squash is roasting, cook your farro according to package.
  3. In a small dish, combine all the dressing ingredients and whisk to combine.
  4. With everything ready, add farro, squash, and dried fruit in a mixing bowl. Add dressing and stir well to combine all ingredients.

Filed Under: Lunch, Recipes, Vegetarian · Tagged With: , , ,

Carrot Raisin Muffins

September 19, 2011 by Leave a Comment

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In need of a new something to add to yogurt for breakfast and not in the mood for cereal, I started thinking about muffins. I happened to have just bought a bag of carrots and didn’t get to use them, so I wanted it to include carrots. When I think of a carrot muffin, I want it to include some plump gold raisins. And why not add some nuts for more texture?

Then I started looking online for a good recipe to use. I found the Vegan Carrot Spice Muffins from Oh She Glows, one of my favorite sites for clean, healthy recipes. Although her recipe is vegan, I subbed yogurt for coconut milk.

These muffins turned out to be a lovely Fall color that reminds me it’s almost time to buy pumpkin puree, and it was full of goodies like the raisins that really do pop, shreds of carrot, and really flavorful spices. Like all my baked things, I leave a few out and freeze the rest, grabbing one at a time to defrost when I want to take it for breakfast.

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Carrot Raisin Muffins

 

Adapted from Oh She Glows

Dry:

  • 1 & 3/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1 tbsp ground flax seed
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 3/4 tsp ground ginger
  • 1/8 tsp ground cloves
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt

Wet:

  • 1/3 cup + 2 tbsp pure maple syrup
  • 1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
  • 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
  • 1/4 cup + 3 tbsp water
  • 1.5 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 1.5 cups grated carrots (about 3 small-medium carrots)
  • 2/3 cup raisins, soaked in water and drained
  • 1/3 cup chopped pecans

Instructions:

  • Preheat oven to 400F and spray tin with cooking spray.
  • Whisk all dry ingredients together in a large bowl. In a smaller bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients (maple syrup, applesauce, yogurt, water, vanilla). Add the wet to the dry and mix until just incorporated. Batter will be THICK!
  • Fold in the carrots, raisins, and walnuts. Scoop batter into the muffin liners, filling batter 3/4 of cup. Bake for about 18 minutes at 400F until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool for about 10 minutes. Makes 12 muffins.


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 Baking with vegetables makes me feel a little less guilty for eating a baked good. I actually think these are pretty healthful. There are no oil, eggs, or much sugar, and the other ingredients are simple. I have found myself eating less processed cereals in place of a homemade breakfast square or muffin and feeling better about the decision.

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Carrot Raisin Muffins
 

Ingredients
  • Dry:
  • 1 & ¾ cup whole wheat pastry flour
  • ¼ cup sugar
  • 1 tbsp ground flax seed
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • ¾ tsp ground ginger
  • ⅛ tsp ground cloves
  • ½ tsp kosher salt
  • Wet:
  • ⅓ cup + 2 tbsp pure maple syrup
  • ⅓ cup unsweetened applesauce
  • ½ cup plain Greek yogurt
  • ¼ cup + 3 tbsp water
  • 1.5 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 1.5 cups grated carrots (about 3 small-medium carrots)
  • ⅔ cup raisins, soaked in water and drained
  • ⅓ cup chopped pecans

Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 400F and spray tin with cooking spray.
  2. Whisk all dry ingredients together in a large bowl. In a smaller bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients (maple syrup, applesauce, yogurt, water, vanilla). Add the wet to the dry and mix until just incorporated. Batter will be THICK!
  3. Fold in the carrots, raisins, and walnuts. Scoop batter into the muffin liners, filling batter ¾ of cup. Bake for about 18 minutes at 400F until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool for about 10 minutes. Makes 12 muffins.

Filed Under: Breakfast, Recipes · Tagged With: , , ,

Really good Vegetable Soup

August 17, 2011 by Leave a Comment

Do you cook at home when you’re lazy, not feeling great, but still want to make sure you get your vegetables and a square meal? We try to, sometimes. I browsed cookbooks on Saturday and decided soup sounded good. I made the grocery list and Jeffrey did the shopping (so nice), and then we cooked together on Sunday afternoon and ate together a few hours later. Soups are great to cook ahead and let simmer or sit with the heat off. It only gets better tasting with time. Even better the next day too.

This soup was plenty big for a few meals or multiple bowls of soup. I plan to freeze some leftovers and pull out on another occasion when I just want a quick and simple meal but don’t want to resort to frozen food, canned food, or takeout.

Great with toast with cheese on top, or Saltine’s, we both loved the herb flavors in the soup, and I loved the big chunky vegetables like potatoes, beans, and big carrots.

Vegetable Soup

(recipe adapted from Ellie Krieger’s cookbook)

Ingredients

  • 1 (15-ounce) can canellini beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1/2 large onion, diced (about 1 cup)
  • 2 carrots, diced (about 1/2 cup)
  • 2 stalks celery, diced, (about 1/2 cup)
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 Russet potato, peeled and chopped
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
  • 2 teaspoons chopped fresh sage leaves
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 32 ounces low-sodium vegetable broth
  • 1 (14.5-ounce) can  no salt added diced tomatoes (we subbed tomato sauce)
  • 2 cups chopped baby spinach leaves
  • 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan, optional

Directions

  • In a small bowl mash half of the beans with a masher or the back of a spoon, and set aside.
  • Heat the oil in a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and let saute for a few minutes.
  • Add carrots, garlic and celery and let saute a few minutes more.
  •  Add potato and herbs, salt and pepper and cook stirring occasionally until the vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes.
  • Add the broth and tomatoes with the juice and bring to a boil. Add the mashed and whole beans and the spinach leaves and cook until the spinach is wilted, about 3 minutes more.
  • Let simmer for a few minutes, making sure carrots, celery and potato are fork tender, and then turn heat off and cover until ready to serve.
  • Serve topped with Parmesan, if desired.

Notes–you can add any vegetable you want–zucchini, squash, mushrooms, etc. I was just lucky to get the spinach and beans in this dish! Could also add pulled chicken and sub chicken stock instead of vegetable stock/broth.

Sorry for the blurred iPhone photo, I was too lazy to get the big camera out.

What do you cook for a simple but delicious one-pot Sunday night or weeknight dinner?

Filed Under: Dinner, Recipes · Tagged With: , ,

Protein-Packed Square Meal

July 12, 2011 by 1 Comment

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I have been on a recent kick of making a one-pot dish on Sundays to take for lunch during the week. Packing lunch is one of my least favorite chores and eating out of Tupperware is never appetizing either. I started making a dish ahead of time that can stand alone as a dinner side dish, or be added to a salad for lunch.

This dish is simple and healthy with protein from three different sources. The base is a grain (lentils and farr0) that are both high in protein. Quinoa would be another idea. The second part are vegetables. I used an orange bell pepper, a yellow squash and kale. The third layer is kidney beans for even more protein.

And because everything is better with cheese, and since cheese has protein, I added feta.

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Protein-Packed Square Meal

Ingredients:

  • 1 C green lentils
  • 1/2 C farro, rinsed
  • 3 C water
  • 1 medium yellow squash, chopped
  • 1 can kidney beans
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 C kale, chopped
  • 1/2 C feta crumbles

For the dressing:

  • 3 T EVOO
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp pepper
  • 1/4 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 T apple cider vinegar
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1 lemon, juiced

Instructions:

  • In a sauce pan, add lentils and farro to 3 C water and bring to a boil. Reduce to simmer and let cook about 25 minutes, until most of the water dissolves and grains are fork tender.
  • In a separate skillet, heat garlic for a few minutes, then add kale, squash and bell pepper. Let cook until soft. Remove from heat.
  • Drain grans once cooked and place back in the sauce pan.
  • Add vegetables to the farro/lentil bowl and stir to combine. Add kidney beans and stir.
  • In a separate bowl, combine all ingredients for the dressing. Pour on top of dish and stir to combine.
  • Add feta once cooled.

The whole dish made plenty for the whole week of lunches. When I prep my lunch the night before, I just add lettuce, a tomato and some carrot sticks and spoon about 1/3-1/2 C of the dish on top. Serve with fruit and crackers and there’s lunch!

Over the last few months, I have been eating vegetarian sources of protein for most lunches because I find it easier to plan than prepping meat. It’s more affordable, and there are plenty of options. This dish could be subbed out many different ways with varying grains, vegetables or beans.

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Protein-Packed Square Meal
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 

Serves: 6-8
 

Ingredients
  • 1 C green lentils
  • ½ C farro, rinsed
  • 3 C water
  • 1 medium yellow squash, chopped
  • 1 can kidney beans
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 C kale, chopped
  • ½ C feta crumbles
  • For the dressing:
  • 3 T EVOO
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ½ tsp pepper
  • ¼ tsp ground cumin
  • 1 T apple cider vinegar
  • ½ tsp garlic powder
  • ¼ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1 lemon, juiced

Instructions
  1. In a sauce pan, add lentils and farro to 3 C water and bring to a boil. Reduce to simmer and let cook about 25 minutes, until most of the water dissolves and grains are fork tender.
  2. In a separate skillet, heat garlic for a few minutes, then add kale, squash and bell pepper. Let cook until soft. Remove from heat.
  3. Drain grans once cooked and place back in the sauce pan.
  4. Add vegetables to the farro/lentil bowl and stir to combine. Add kidney beans and stir.
  5. In a separate bowl, combine all ingredients for the dressing. Pour on top of dish and stir to combine.
  6. Add feta once cooled.

Filed Under: Lunch, Recipes, Vegetarian · Tagged With: , , ,

Weekly Prep

June 26, 2011 by 1 Comment

I write often about prepping ahead for breakfasts like overnight oats and muffins, but I haven’t written about lunches and dinners.

Last Sunday, we came home from vacation, and after unpacking, going to the grocery and starting laundry (my husband did that one), I was in the kitchen getting ready for the week. I decided to roast a lot of vegetables, make hummus, make a salad dressing, and bake tofu. Eating those in different combinations took care of Sunday’s dinner, and a few packed lunches during the week.

Here are the steps:

First, I made the hummus. I added basil from our garden and this will keep about 5-6 days.

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I rinsed out the food processor and decided to make a salad dressing. When I am working with my food processor, I try to make two recipes because cleaning it is a pain. I don’t use store salad dressings, but sometimes lettuce is just too dry, even with hummus. I wanted to make a red wine vinaigrette and just played around with it.

Simple Salad Dressing

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Ingredients:

  • 3 T EVOO
  • 2 T red wine vinegar
  • 1.5 T fresh lemon juice
  • 1/8 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp pepper
  • 1 garlic clove, chopped

Instructions:

  • Whirl all ingredients away in food processor. Store in airtight container. Shake before use.

 

Roasted Vegetables

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On two baking sheets, I roasted sweet potatoes, broccoli, tofu, carrots and asparagus. I ate part for dinner on Sunday, and refrigerate the rest to add to lunch salads with lettuce, tomatores, and whatever else you want.

Instructions:

Prep all vegetables (I peeled 5 big carrots and 2 sweet potatoes, trimmed a bunch of asparagus, chopped 2 heads of broccoli).

Lay on Pam’d baking sheet. Drizzle with 4 T EVOO, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper, 1/4 tsp garlic powder.

Roast on 400* for 30 minutes, flipping once halfway through.

Roasted Tofu:

I actually have not made tofu in months. Sometimes it sounds good, sometimes not. When I make tofu, I cook the whole block to have last about three meals.

I baked this one in the oven, here are the steps:

  • Slice extra firm tofu block in 6-7 pieces.
  • Lay slices on a clean towel and cover with the top half of the towel. Place something heavy on top of the tofu for about 15 minutes to press out the moisture.

Prep marinade while tofu is pressing. I did the following:

  • 2 T EVOO
  • 1 T water
  • 1 T sesame oil
  • 1 T honey
  • 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp pepper
  • 16 squirts Bragg’s Liquid Aminos (this is like soy sauce but less sodium. I am not a fan of the smell of it, but it accomplishes the same thing. I probably wouldn’t buy it again and use teriyaki or soy sauce instead.)

Remove block and towel.

Dip blocks in marinade and place on baking sheet.

Bake at 400* for 25 minutes, flipping halfway through.

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The hummus lasts many days, and the vegetables and tofu last about three lunches, which is great for me!

What do you prep ahead?

Filed Under: Dinner, Recipes, Vegetarian · Tagged With: , , ,

Summer Salads Part 1

June 21, 2011 by 2 Comments

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This dish is all about summer. Summer dishes are best served cold. This cold salad uses summer corn and other seasonal vegetables like tomatoes and green beans, and it’s a great make-ahead salad. Cold salads travel well. It’s all about easy picnic-like food in the summertime.

I made this dish and another salad (that would be Part 2 tomorrow) for a baby shower last weekend. I am becoming an expert baby shower hostess, and I’ve learned that easy food is best. Colorful helps too. The ingredients for this dish are scaled to feed an army or a football team. I prepared it for about 30 people. You’ll need to scale it down for less, it doesn’t need to be exact.

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In my opinion, they key to this dish is the dressing. Without dressing, it’s just corn + green beans + tomatoes in a bowl. The dressing brings out the sweet of the corn and blends it all together.

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Summer Corn Salad

Ingredients

(makes enough for 30 as a side dish)

  • 5 pounds (!) corn (I used a frozen bag of organic corn from Costco. Corn on the husk would be great but I didn’t want to shuck and boil so many ears.)
  • 2 pounds green beans, stems cut off
  • 3 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1 C feta cheese crumbles
  • 2 T sugar
  • 1/4 tsp each salt and pepper
  • 4 T evoo

Instructions

  • In a large stock pot, bring water to a boil, filled 2/3 with water.
  • Add corn to water and boil about 5 minutes until soft. No thaw time necessary.
  • Remove corn from water with slotted spoon but do not discard water. Place corn in collander and let water drain for about 10 minutes in the sink. I pressed the water out with my hands. They retain a lot of water.
  • In a large mixing bowl, combine tomatoes and corn.
  • Add green beans to water and boil about 8-10 minutes, until the color is bright green and they are soft.
  • Remove pot from stove and drain water from green beans in collander.
  • Once green beans have cooled, cut them in thirds.
  • Add green beans to the corn/tomato bowl.
  • If you aren’t serving immediately, refrigerate after this step.
  • One hour before you are ready to serve, add feta to the bowl and stir.
  • In a separate small bowl, combine EVOO, salt, pepper and sugar and whisk until sugar dissolves.
  • Pour over the corn mix and stir well.
  • Refrigerate until ready to serve.

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I really love the feta in this dish. It gets all creamy with the dressing and is like an added creaminess in the crevices of the tomatoes and through the corn. The sugar really brings out the sweet of the corn, and the pop of the green beans compliments the crispness of the corn too.

It’s just a nice and light summer salad!

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Summer Corn Salad
Author: 
Recipe type: salad
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 

Serves: 40
 

Ingredients
  • Ingredients
  • makes enough for 30 as a side dish)
  • 5 pounds (!) corn (I used a frozen bag of organic corn from Costco. Corn on the husk would be great but I didn’t want to shuck and boil so many ears.)
  • 2 pounds green beans, stems cut off
  • 3 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1 C feta cheese crumbles
  • 2 T sugar
  • ¼ tsp each salt and pepper
  • 4 T evoo

Instructions
  1. Instructions
  2. In a large stock pot, bring water to a boil, filled ⅔ with water.
  3. Add corn to water and boil about 5 minutes until soft. No thaw time necessary.
  4. Remove corn from water with slotted spoon but do not discard water. Place corn in collander and let water drain for about 10 minutes in the sink. I pressed the water out with my hands. They retain a lot of water.
  5. In a large mixing bowl, combine tomatoes and corn.
  6. Add green beans to water and boil about 8-10 minutes, until the color is bright green and they are soft.
  7. Remove pot from stove and drain water from green beans in collander.
  8. Once green beans have cooled, cut them in thirds.
  9. Add green beans to the corn/tomato bowl.
  10. If you aren’t serving immediately, refrigerate after this step.
  11. One hour before you are ready to serve, add feta to the bowl and stir.
  12. In a separate small bowl, combine EVOO, salt, pepper and sugar and whisk until sugar dissolves.
  13. Pour over the corn mix and stir well.
  14. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

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