Chana Saag

Recipe based off of this one from Vegan Dad.

Ingredients:
2 tbsp oil
1 large sweet onion, halved and sliced
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp minced ginger
14 oz can of chopped or crushed tomatoes
1 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tbsp chili powder
1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
10 oz spinach
juice of 1 lemon
1/4 cup plain fat free yogurt
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Heat oil on a large pot over medium heat. Saute onions for 12-15 mins, until nicely browned. Add garlic and ginger and saute for 2 mins. Add tomatoes and spices and bring to bubbling. Cook for 5-7 mins, stirring regularly, until tomatoes have reduced to a paste.

Add chickpeas and cook for about 5 mins. Add spinach and cook 2-3 mins, until tender. Stir in lemon juice and yogurt. 4. Season to taste with salt and pepper, adjust spices to your liking, and serve.

Honey Mustard-Whipped Sweet Potatoes

Recipe courtesy of Cooking Light.

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon margarine
1/2 cup sliced onion
3 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces (about 1 1/2 pounds)
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon honey
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 cup low-salt chicken broth

Directions:
Melt margarine in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and sweet potatoes; sauté 5 minutes. Add mustard and remaining ingredients; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes or until sweet potatoes are very tender. Place sweet potato mixture in a food processor; process until smooth.

Sweet Potato Wedges

Recipe courtesy of Cooking Light.

Ingredients:
2 medium sweet potatoes (about 1 1/2 pounds)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper

Directions:
Preheat oven to 450°. Peel sweet potatoes; cut in half lengthwise. Cut each half lengthwise into thirds. Place potatoes in a bowl; add olive oil, kosher salt, and ground red pepper, tossing to coat. Arrange potato wedges on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray; bake at 450° for 10 minutes. Turn potatoes; bake 10 to 12 minutes or until tender.

Balsamic-Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Recipe adapted from Ina Garten's (minus the pancetta).

Ingredients:
1 1/2 pounds Brussels sprouts, trimmed and cut in half through the core
1/4 cup good olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon syrupy balsamic vinegar

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place the Brussels sprouts in a bowl and add olive oil, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Toss until the sprouts are coated then spread them out in a single layer on a sheet pan. 

Roast the Brussels sprouts for 20 to 30 minutes, until they're tender and nicely browned. Toss once during roasting. Remove from the oven, drizzle immediately with the balsamic vinegar, and toss again. Taste for seasonings, and serve hot.

Marinade for Grilled Vegetables

Great marinade for grilled vegetables, courtesy of AllRecipes.

 Ingredients:
1/2 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
Vegetables: I've used this on zucchinis, red peppers, red onions and potatoes

Directions:
Whisk olive oil, soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Toss vegetables in soy sauce marinade. Marinate for about 45 minutes.

Eggplant Rollatini

Delicious recipe from Real Simple.

Ingredients:
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 large eggplants (about 3 pounds total ), sliced lengthwise (about 16 slices total)
kosher salt and black pepper
1 1/2 cups marinara sauce
2 large eggs
1 15-ounce container ricotta
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 cups grated mozzarella (8 ounces)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan (1 1/2 ounces)

Directions:
Heat oven to 450° F. Divide the oil between 2 rimmed baking sheets. Dividing evenly, arrange the eggplant slices in a single layer on the baking sheets and turn to coat in the oil; season with ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper.

Bake the eggplant, rotating the baking sheets halfway through, until soft and beginning to brown, 12 to 15 minutes; let cool. Reduce heat to 400° F.

Meanwhile, in the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch or some other 3-quart baking dish, spread ½ cup of the marinara sauce. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, ricotta, oregano, 1 cup of the mozzarella, and ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper.

Place about 3 tablespoons of the ricotta mixture on one end of a slice of eggplant, roll it up, and transfer it to the prepared baking dish. Repeat with the remaining eggplant slices and ricotta mixture.

Top the eggplant rolls with the remaining cup of marinara sauce and the remaining cup of mozzarella. Sprinkle with the Parmesan.

Bake until the cheese has melted and the sauce is bubbling, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes before serving.

Grilled Salt and Vinegar Potatoes

Recipe courtesy of Serious Eats.

Ingredients:
1 pound waxy potatoes, such as white or fingerling, cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick slices
2 cups white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons Kosher salt, plus more to taste
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Directions:
Place potatoes and vinegar in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until potatoes are just tender, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let potatoes cool in vinegar for 30 minutes. Drain potatoes and gently toss with oil, salt, and pepper.

Light one chimney full of charcoal. When all the charcoal is lit and covered with gray ash, pour out and spread the coals evenly over entire surface of coal grate. Set cooking grate in place, cover grill and allow to preheat for 5 minutes. Clean and oil the grilling grate. Grill potatoes until browned on both sides, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Remove from grill, sprinkle with more salt to taste, and serve.

Neely's Lemon Pasta Salad

 Flavorful pasta salad, courtesy of the Food Network.

Ingredients:
Salt
1 pound corkscrew pasta
1 pound asparagus
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup freshly chopped dill leaves
1 cup frozen peas, defrosted
7 ounces crumbled feta cheese

Directions:
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until al dente. Drain and rinse. Set aside.

In another large pot of boiling salted water, add the asparagus and blanch until bright green and slightly tender, about 3 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon or a spider and shock in icy cold water. Remove from the water and dry well.

Trim the ends of the asparagus and cut into bite-size pieces on the bias.

Whisk together the mustard, garlic, lemon juice, and olive oil in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Combine the reserved asparagus and pasta in a large serving bowl. Add the tomatoes, dill, peas, feta, and the mustard dressing. Toss with tongs to coat the salad well. Taste and add additional salt and pepper, if needed.

Grilled Eggplant and Goat Cheese Salad

 Recipe courtesy of Giada De Laurentiis.

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons olive oil
7 Japanese eggplant, ends trimmed, cut into 1-inch wide slices
1/2 cup toasted pine nuts
3 ounces goat cheese, crumbled
1/3 cup basil, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons chopped mint
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions:
Place a grill pan over medium-high heat or preheat a gas or charcoal grill. Drizzle the olive oil over the slices of eggplant and toss to coat. Grill the eggplants until tender and grill marks appear, about 3 to 4 minutes per side.

Place the eggplants side-by-side on a serving platter. Sprinkle with the pine nuts, goat cheese, basil, and mint. Drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper.

Cook's note: Plating the eggplant salad this way allowed the cheese to stay bright white. The salt and pepper showed up on it. The herbs remained green and fluffy. The grill marks on the eggplant were distinct.

Macaroni and Cheese

Most amazing Mac & Cheese recipe ever, from the DuMont Restaurant in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, as featured in The New Brooklyn Cookbook.

Ingredients:
1 pound radiatore, elbow macaroni, or fusilli
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 cups whole milk
2 1/2 cups heavy cream
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 pound Gruyère, grated, divided
1/2 pound sharp white cheddar, grated, divided
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup unseasoned bread crumbs

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 400° F.

2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta al dente, according to the package directions. Drain, toss with the olive oil in a large bowl, and set aside to cool.

3. Meanwhile, combine the milk and cream in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat; bring to a gentle simmer.

4. Melt the butter in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk until the flour is fully incorporated and the mixture is smooth. Continue mixing with a wooden spoon until the mixture is a pale golden color, about 4 minutes. Slowly add the hot milk and cream mixture to the flour mixture, whisking constantly to incorporate. Bring to a simmer, whisking occasionally to keep the mixture from burning. Add half the Gruyère and half the cheddar and whisk until the cheese has melted and the sauce is smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

5. Add the cooked pasta and toss well to combine. Pour the pasta into a buttered 9 x 13-inch baking dish or a 3-quart gratin dish. Top with the remaining Gruyère and cheddar and sprinkle with the bread crumbs. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until golden and bubbly. Allow the mac and cheese to rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Tomato Sauce

Simple and amazingly delicious tomato sauce courtesy of Smitten Kitchen.

Ingredients:
28 ounces whole peeled tomatoes from a can (San Marzano, if you can find them)
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 medium-sized yellow onion, peeled and halved
Salt to taste

Directions:
Put the tomatoes, onion and butter in a heavy saucepan (it fit just right in a 3-quart) over medium heat. Bring the sauce to a simmer then lower the heat to keep the sauce at a slow, steady simmer for about 45 minutes, or until droplets of fat float free of the tomatoes. Stir occasionally, crushing the tomatoes against the side of the pot with a wooden spoon. Remove from heat, discard the onion, add salt to taste (you might find, as I did, that your tomatoes came salted and that you didn’t need to add more) and keep warm while you prepare your pasta.

Tex-Mex Rice and Bean Casserole

A Weight Watchers recipe (only 5 points per serving!)

Ingredients:
1 spray(s) cooking spray
1 cup(s) frozen corn kernels, thawed
1 Tbsp canned green chili peppers, chopped, mild or hot
15 oz canned pinto beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup(s) cooked brown rice
3/4 cup(s) shredded reduced-fat Mexican-style cheese
3/4 cup(s) fat-free sour cream
1/4 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp table salt
1/8 tsp black pepper
2 Tbsp uncooked scallion(s), chopped (dark green part only)
2 Tbsp shredded reduced-fat Mexican-style cheese

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350ºF. Coat a 2-quart glass baking dish with cooking spray.

In a large bowl, combine corn, chilies, beans, rice, 3/4 cup of cheese, sour cream, chili powder, salt and pepper; stir in scallions.

Spoon mixture into prepared baking dish and bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons of cheese. Return to oven and bake until cheese melts and casserole is slightly bubbly, about 10 minutes more. Let stand for 5 minutes to firm up before slicing into 6 pieces. Yields 1 piece per serving.

Slow Cooker Vegetarian Curry

Recipe courtesy of Family Circle.

Ingredients:
1 head cauliflower, broken into florets
1 onion, sliced
1 14.5-oz. can diced tomatoes
1/4 cup water
4 tablespoons curry powder
Salt and pepper to taste
2 15.5-oz. cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained
5 oz. baby spinach

Directions:
1. Spray the slow cooker bowl with cooking spray and add in cauliflower and onion.
2. In a separate bowl, stir together tomatoes (with juice), water and curry powder. Pour mixture over cauliflower and onion in slow cooker bowl and stir. Add salt and pepper to taste. Cover and cook on LOW for 2 hours.
3. Stir in chickpeas and baby spinach and add additional curry powder or salt and pepper, if necessary.

Marinaded Grilled Vegetables

 Great grilled veggie recipe from Cooking Light.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 garlic cloves, minced

Vegetables to grill - I like peppers, zucchini, squash, eggplant and red onions

Directions:
Combine first 6 ingredients in a bowl. Slice up vegetables and pour marinade over them in a shallow dish or in a ziploc bag. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Remove vegetables from bags; reserve marinade. Prepare grill. Place vegetables on grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 7 minutes on each side or until onion is tender, basting with reserved marinade.

Senegalese Peanut Stew with Spinach and Sweet Potatoes

Recipe courtesy of Weight Watchers. 

Ingredients:
1 spray(s) cooking spray
2 medium onion(s), roughly chopped
1 medium green pepper(s), cored and roughly chopped
1/2 pound(s) sweet potato(es), peeled and chopped into 1/2-inch cubes
2 clove(s) (medium) garlic clove(s), minced
2 Tbsp ginger root, fresh, minced
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp table salt
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
4 cup(s) vegetable broth, reduced-sodium
6 Tbsp peanut butter, natural, creamy-variety
8 cup(s) spinach, leaves, stemmed, packed, chopped

Directions:
Coat a large saucepan with cooking spray and set over medium heat. Add onion and bell pepper; cook, stirring often, until softened, about 3 minutes.

Stir in the sweet potato and garlic; cook for 1 minute, stirring often. Add the ginger, cloves, salt and cayenne; cook for 30 seconds.

Pour in the vegetable broth and bring to a simmer, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Stir in the peanut butter until smooth.

Cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer slowly, stirring once in a while, until the sweet potatoes are tender, about 30 minutes.

Add the spinach; cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes.

Yields about 1 2/3 cups per serving.


One Year Ago: Olive Garden Style Salad Dressing and Garlic Bread
Two Years Ago: Moroccan Lamb Chops & Couscous
Three Years Ago: Roasted Red Pepper Soup

Latkes

It's Chanukah time again - and that means Latkes! This year I made a recipe from Real Simple,which baked the latkes instead of frying them.

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons canola oil
2 pounds (5 medium) peeled medium-starch potatoes, such as Yukon gold
1 medium red onion, finely chopped (3/4 cup)
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 eggs, lightly beaten
applesauce and sour cream, for serving

Directions:
Heat oven to 450° F. Brush 2 baking sheets with 1 tablespoon of the oil and set aside.

Using a box grater or a food processor fitted with a shredding blade, coarsely grate the potatoes. Place the grated potatoes in a large bowl with the onion, flour, salt, pepper, eggs, and the remaining tablespoon of oil. Toss to mix well.

Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls onto baking sheets and press lightly to make patties. Bake 10 minutes or until golden brown on the bottom. Turn the latkes with a metal spatula and rotate the baking sheets. Bake another 5 minutes or until golden.

Transfer to a platter and serve with the applesauce and sour cream. This recipe makes 2 dozen latkes.

Pasta with Veggies in Peanut Sauce

A really easy weeknight dinner. Originally I was going to use Shirataki Noodles, but the section of my grocery store that has them was under construction tonight, so I went with whole wheat spaghetti. I also used frozen veggies to save some time.

Ingredients: 
Whole wheat spaghetti
Frozen veggie mix (I used a peppers blend that also included onions)
1 tsp minced garlic
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup natural peanut butter
1 1/2 tsp. dark sesame oil

Directions:
Cook spaghetti according to package directions.

Meanwhile, in a wok, heat a teaspoon of oil (I used sesame oil) til hot. Add frozen vegetables and garlic and heat through, about 5 minutes. Once the bottom of the pan got watery, I drained the veggies and returned them to the wok.

While pasta and veggies are cooking, put peanut butter in glass measuring cup and heat in microwave about 2 minutes, or until very soft. Add soy sauce and sesame oil, and whisk together until well combined.

Add drained pasta and sauce to the wok and mix together til combined. Serve!

Penne ala Norma

Recipe from my Everyday Food: Fresh Flavor Fast cookbook.



Ingredients:
1 lb penne rigate
1/4 cup olive oil
1 onion, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 large eggplant, cut into 1/4 in chunks
Tomato sauce
1/2 cup torn fresh basil leaves
3/4 cup ricotta cheese

Directions:
Bring a pot of water to a boil, add a generous amount of salt. Cook pasta until al dente according to package directions. Drain pasta, return to pot.

Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions, garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring occasionally until onion is softened, about 5 minutes.

Add eggplant; season generously with salt and pepper. Cover and cook until eggplant begins to release juices, about 5 minutes. Uncover, cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 3-4 minutes. Stir in tomato sauce.

Add tomato sauce mixture and basil to pasta and toss. To serve, divide among bowls and top with a dollop of ricotta.

Mediterranean Salad With Chickpea Patties

Patties and Pita Chips from Real Simple and Dressing from Recipezaar.

Ingredients:
Patties:
1 15.5-ounce can chickpeas, rinsed
1/2 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 clove garlic, chopped
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
Kosher salt and black pepper
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons olive oil

Pita Chips:
4 pitas
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Dressing:
1/2 cup olive oil
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon basil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon fresh minced garlic clove
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Salad:
Mixed greens
Sliced cucumber
Sliced red onion

Directions:
In a food processor, pulse the chickpeas, parsley, garlic, cumin, and 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper just until coarsely chopped and the mixture comes together when gently squeezed. Form into eight 1/2-inch-thick patties and coat with the flour, tapping off excess.

Heat the oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the patties, turning carefully, until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes per side.

For dressing, pour all ingredients in a large bowl and whisk until well combined. Let sit in fridge for a minimum of 2 hours. Shake very well before using.

For pita chips, heat oven to 400 degrees. Split the pitas to make 8 rounds and brush them with oil. Sprinkle with the paprika, oregano, and salt. Slice the pitas into triangles. Arrange on 2 baking sheets and broil until crisp, about 7 minutes.

BBQ Potatoes

Recipe from Recipezaar.



Ingredients:
1 tablespoon butter or margarine, melted
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon honey
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon ground pepper
2/3 lb medium red potatoes, quartered

Directions:
In large bowl, combine, chili powder, honey, garlic powder, pepper and butter. Add potatoes; toss to coat. Spoon potatoes in foil and seal. Place on grill for about 30 minutes until tender.