Southwestern Bruschetta

I had a loaf of spicy black bean bread from Costco that I needed to use up.  It was already a bit too dry to eat on its own, so I decided to toast it.  Well, toasted bread is just calling out for a topping.  So, I came up with this alternative to Italian bruschetta.  The bread itself had quite a kick, but if using ordinary bread I would recommend tossing in some minced jalapeno or habanero for heat.

2 tomatoes, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 small avocado, diced
juice from 1/2 lime
2 tbsp chopped cilantro
salt to taste


Mix the above ingredients together and allow to chill for at least 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, lightly brush olive oil on 7-8 slices of bread and sprinkle with salt.  Toast under a broiler until golden brown.  Remove and allow to cool for a few minutes.  Place the tomato mixture on top and enjoy!

"Chicken" Picatta

I recently discovered one of (if not THE) best chicken substitutes - Quorn Meatless & Soy-free Naked Chick'n Cutlets.  (The cutlets do contain some egg whites, so they are not vegan.)

It has opened a whole new realm of recipes to experiment with.   This recipe is one of the first I have tried with the cutlets.  I was skeptical at first, but I am sold now.  It is delicious!!!  I have found this product at a number of places (now that I know to look for it) including Whole Foods and Fry's Food (aka Kroger).

Chicken Picatta is a classic Italian recipe, traditionally cooked in loads of oil and butter.  I have lightened it up a bit, but the flavor is still fantastic.  You will need:

4 Chick'n cutlets, thawed
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese*
1/4 tsp salt
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp olive oil


Combine the flour, cheese, and salt in a bowl.  Dredge the cutlets in the flour, completely coating, but patting off any excess.  In a saute pan, combine the oil and butter over medium heat.  You could use 2 tbsp oil only, but a little butter does add loads of flavor.  Place the cutlets in the pan and cook until browned on each side, about 5 minutes per side.  Remove and keep warm.

For the sauce:

1/2 cup dry white wine (you can substitute broth here)
1/2 cup vegetable broth
1 tbsp butter or olive oil
juice from one small lemon
2 tbsp capers, drained
1 clove garlic, minced

To the same pan the cutlets were cooked in add the butter and melt.  Add the white wine and cook about 5 minutes.  Add the remaining ingredients and continue to cook for about 5-10 minutes, stirring frequently.  The sauce with thicken slightly.  You can always add a little more flour (tsp at a time) to thicken it further if you want.  Pour the sauce over the chicken and serve immediately.

I chose to serve my cutlets with a side of angel hair pasta and sauteed mushrooms.  There will be plenty of sauce to pour over everything.  To make the mushrooms, you will need a variety of mushrooms.  I used 5 shitake, 10 cremini, and 10 white button mushrooms.  Slice all the mushrooms.

I also added about 2 tbsp diced red onion.  Place about 1 tbsp olive oil in a saute pan.  Add the onion, a sprinkle of salt and pepper, and cook until soft.  Stir in the mushrooms.  Add more salt and pepper.  Cook, stirring frequently, until the mushrooms are softened and browned.  Enjoy!!

Mandarin Orange Salad

My mom recently dug this recipe out of her collection to make for Easter dinner.  It was delicious!  So, I have to share.  The dressing is sweet and tart and very easy to make.  Hope you like it!

For the Salad:

4-5 cups mixed lettuce, chopped (I used a mix of fresh spinach, romaine, and red leaf lettuce)
1/2 cup toasted and chopped pecans
1 small can mandarin oranges, drained
1 can pineapple chunks, drained

For the Dressing:

1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp dry mustard
1 tsp celery seed
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 cup honey
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp minced sweet onion
1 cup extra virgin olive oil

Place all the dressing ingredients in a blender, except for the oil.  Blend.  Slow stream in the oil and continue to blend until well incorporated.  Place the lettuce, oranges, pineapple, and pecans in a salad bowl.  Pour the dressing over and toss.

Strawberry Spring Salad

Nothing says spring like strawberries...at least in Arizona.  So, why not combine this delicious fruit with a light and fresh salad!

Ingredients:

4-5 cups spring mix salad greens or fresh spinach
8-10 large strawberries, quartered
1/4 cup candied nuts (I like pecans for this)
2 teaspoons strawberry jam
1 tbsp red wine vinegar (balsamic works well for this too)
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Place the jam and vinegar in a bowl.  Gradually whisk in the oil.  Stir in salt and pepper to taste.  In a large salad bowl, place the mixed greens, strawberries, and nuts.  Give it a quick toss.  Pour the dressing over and toss again.  It is ready to serve!

Mediterranean Couscous

Whenever I used to hear the word "couscous", it reminded me of a funny story about my brother.  Many years ago, he stayed over at a friend's house.  For dinner, he was served an egg roll and some couscous.  He talked so poorly of that meal that I never gave couscous a chance.  That recently changed when I decided to make some for dinner.  It was delicious!  I am not sure how he had it, but this recipe is to die for!  For it, you will need:

1 1/4 cups couscous
2 cups vegetable broth
1/2 tsp salt
1 clove garlic, minced
1 large cucumber, peeled and cut into chunks
1/4 cup sun dried tomatoes, chopped
1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/4 cup kalamata olives, chopped
1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped

for the dressing:
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
zest and juice from one small lemon
1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper
1/2 tsp salt

Place the broth, 1/2 tsp salt, and garlic in a medium sauce pan (with a lid) and bring to a boil.  Stir in the couscous, cover, and remove from the heat.  Allow to sit for 5-6 minutes.  The couscous will absorb the broth.  Fluff with a fork.  Meanwhile, place the cucumbers, tomatoes, cheese, olives and basil in a large bowl.  Add the couscous on top and toss.  To make the dressing, whisk the olive oil slowly into the lemon.  Add the salt and pepper and stir.  Pour over the couscous, stir, and serve!

Hummus

I first discovered hummus years ago and have loved it ever since.  It wasn't until recently that I learned how to make it.  I was surprised at how simple it was.  Here are a couple easy and delicious hummus recipes sure to impress.

Basic Hummus

1-15oz can garbanzo beans
3 tbsp tahini*
1 clove garlic
juice from one small lemon
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
salt to taste

Drain the garbanzo beans, but save the juice.  Place the beans, tahini, garlic, salt and lemon in the food processor.  Puree, adding the garbanzo bean juice to thin and make smooth.  Slowly stream in the oil while still pureeing.  Add additional salt if needed.  Serve with pita bread, fresh veggies (carrots, celery, cucumbers), crackers, etc.
 *Tahini is basically sesame seed butter.  You can usually find it at Whole Foods, Sunflower Market, Sprouts, etc. or ethnic grocery stores.

Cilantro Jalapeno Hummus

 If you want to take the flavor up a notch (or two), try this variation:

Follow the hummus recipe above, but add one bunch of washed cilantro (I usually rip off the top of the bunch and toss it in - no chopping needed) and 1/2-1 jalapeno, seeded.  Puree as described above. 

Banana Nut Muffins

Ever get a big bunch of bananas only to have them over ripen before you get a chance to eat them?  Happens to me all the time!  So, rather than tossing them in the trash, turn them into delicious mini muffins!  For this recipe, you will need:

4 very ripe bananas
1 cup brown sugar, packed
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
2 eggs
1/2 cup chopped nuts (walnuts or pecans work well)

Preheat oven to 375 F.  Line a mini muffin pan with paper liners.  (You can use a regular size muffin pan as well.  Just increase the cooking time by about 1-2 minutes.)  Combine the salt, baking soda, and flour and set aside for later. 

Using either a stand mixer with the whisk or an electric hand mixer, whisk 2 bananas and the sugar for about 3-4 minutes, until well combined.  Meanwhile, smash the other two bananas with a fork, leaving some larger chunks.  Add the butter, egg, and vanilla to the banana/brown sugar mixture.  Mix until well incorporated.  Scrape down the sides of the bowl.  Gradually add the flour mixture until just incorporated.  Gently fold in the remaining bananas and nuts with a plastic spatula.  Spoon the mixture into the muffin pan and fill about 3/4 of the way up.  Place in over for about 15-17 minute, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

 If you want to make the muffins a little more special, you can frost with a cream cheese icing and sprinkle with a few more chopped nuts.  To make your own icing, you will need:

6 oz cream cheese, at room temperature (I usually use reduce fat)
4 tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature
3 tbsp honey or agave nectar

In a stand mixer or using a hand mixer, beat the cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy.  Gradually add in the honey (or agave nectar) until well incorporated.  You may use more or less of the honey, depending on personal preference.  Ice the muffins and immediately sprinkle with additional chopped nuts.

Pasta Marinara

Everybody (well, almost everbody) loves a big bowl of pasta with marinara sauce.  Here is an easy recipe to make the sauce from scratch along with a few ways to change it up.  For the basic marinara, you will need:

6-7 large roma tomatoes, quartered
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp fresh basil, chopped
1 tbsp olive oil
salt & pepper to taste

Warm the oil over medium heat.  Add the garlic and saute for about a minute.  Don't burn the garlic or it will become bitter.  Add the tomatoes, salt and pepper.  Cook for about 5 minutes covered.  Add the basil, recover, and cook just a minute longer.  The tomatoes should be soft.  With an immersion blender (or in a food processor) mix until all large pieces are gone.  Pour over some freshly cooked pasta of your choice.  That's it!  It only takes about 10 minutes, start to finish, to make.  Once you try it, you will never go back to jarred or canned sauce!

Variations:

I often get a combination of vegetables to saute and add to the top of pasta.  You can use any vegetables you want.  I typically use a combination of mushrooms, zucchini, yellow squash, mexican squash, asparagus, or broccoli.  Chop the vegetables into bite size pieces and saute in 1 tbsp olive oil until soft.  Add salt and pepper to taste while cooking.  Sprinkle the pasta with freshly grated parmesan cheese

You can also add toasted nuts, such as pine nuts, to the above vegetables for some additional crunch.

If you like cream sauce, make the marinara and place back into the pan.  Add about 2-3 tbsp heavy cream.  Another great way to add creaminess to your sauce is with goat cheese.  Crumble a little bit over the warm sauce.  It will easily melt in and be delicious!

Serve with a fresh loaf of french bread to soak up all that delicious sauce!

Meatless Meatloaf

Whenever I tell someone that I am making a meatless meatloaf, I am not usually met with "mmmm, that sounds good."  But, you have to take my word for it - it really is!  I have tried a dozen "meat"loaf recipes over the years, and was nearly convinced that a tasty one was impossible.  Then, I stumbled across a recipe that really works.  The original recipe does call for meat.  But, with a few substitutions, I have come up with something that everyone in my family gobbles up!  For this meal, I paired the meatless loaf with roasted vegetables - also a crowd pleaser.  Even the kids devour it!

For the "meat" loaf, you will need:

16 oz  of veggie burger (I use Worthington/Loma Linda brand in the can)
1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs
2 eggs
3 tbsp skim milk
1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil, chopped
6 oz low fat feta cheese, crumbled
2 cloves garlic, minced (or 1 heaping tbsp jarred garlic)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper (optional)

Preheat oven to 375 F.  Spray a loaf pan with cooking spray.  Mix all ingredients together and transfer to loaf pan. 

Put in oven for 45 minutes.  Remove and allow to cool for 5 minutes before serving.

To go with this meal, I made roasted vegetables.  I chose carrots, parsnips, sweet potatoes, and red creamer potatoes.  Peel the carrots, parsnips, and sweet potatoes and chop so that they are all about the same size.  Scrub the red potatoes.  Leave the skins on and keep them whole.  Rinse all the vegetables.

 
I chose to roast the sweet potatoes, parsnips, and carrots together, and the red potatoes separate so that I could season them differently.  But you can put them all in one large dish if you want.  Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  I placed a couple sprigs of fresh rosemary on the red potatoes to add more flavor.

You will want to roast them at 375 F for about 1 1/2 to 2 hours.  After the vegetables have been cooking for 1 hour, add the meatloaf and cook for 45 minutes.  You may need to cook an additional 15 minutes if the vegetables are soft and/or the loaf isn't browned.  After removing the potatoes, you can squeeze half a lemon over them for additional flavor.  Enjoy!

Tortilla Soup

I will apologize in advanced for not having pictures.  But, I really wanted to share this recipe.  It is one of my favorites.  I just made it over the weekend to warm up during our mini blast of cold weather.  For this recipe you will need:

5-6 cups vegetable broth
1 14oz can diced tomatoes with jalapenos (canned tomatoes with green chiles will work too)
1 medium yellow onion, diced
2-3 cloves garlic or 1 tbsp jarred garlic
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp chili powder (more if you want it spicier)
1 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
1 bay leaf
salt to taste

In a large stock pot, heat the oil over medium high heat.  Add onion and sautee until soft.  Add garlic and cook an additional 2 minutes.  Sprinkle with salt.  Add the can of tomatoes, including the juice.  Continue to cook and stir for about 3 minutes.  Gradually add in all the broth and seasonings.  You can add more or less of the chili powder and cayenne pepper depending on how spicy you like it.  Bring to just boiling, add the bay leave, cover, and reduce heat to low.  It is best to allow the soup to simmer for at least an hour, ideally 3-4 hours.  I usually make mine about 4-5 hours before I want to eat.  Remove the bay leaf before serving.

I serve mine with a variety of "toppings" to add to the bowl, such as diced fresh tomatoes, diced avocado diced onions, rice, chopped cilantro, corn, cooked or canned pinto or black beans, veggie burger, tortilla strips, and black olives.  I place all the toppings in the bowl first, then pour the broth over it.  Top with shredded cheese and/or sour cream.  It is warm, spicy, and delicious...perfect for a cold evening!

Grilled Polenta with Mushroom Sauce

Its back to the grill again tonight for something I have never cooked with before - Polenta.  I've eaten it in restaurants before and loved it.  So, I thought it was time to give it a try.  I took a short cut and used store-bought polenta rather than making my own.  It came out pretty good!  For this recipe, you will need:

1 tube prepared polenta (I used plain, but might tried flavored next time)
8 oz mushrooms (I used baby portobellos) - sliced
1/2 medium onion, diced
1-2 cloves garlic, minced or 1 heaping tsp jarred garlic
2/3 C white cooking wine (can substitute vegetable broth)
1/3 C heavy cream
1/2 C shredded fontina
1-2 tsp olive oil
Salt & Pepper to taste

Preheat the grill on high.  Remove the polenta from the plactic tube and cut into 1/2" slices.

Lightly coat the grill with cooking spray and place the polenta on it.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Cook for about 7-10 minutes, then flip and cook the other side.  You want to see dark grill marks when you flip it.

Meanwhile, preheat the olive oil in a pan on medium heat.  Add the diced onions and cook for 1-2 minutes.  Add the garlic and cook for an additional minute.  Add the mushroom, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and allow to cook for about 5-6 minutes or until the mushrooms are soft and most of the liquid is absorbed.  Add the wine (or broth) and continue to cook until reduced by half. (*the alcohol in the wine will cook off well before its time to eat). 

Stir in the cream and simmer.  Add the cheese, stirring constantly until incorporated.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

Arrange the polenta onto a serving dish or individual dishes and spoon the sauce over the top.  Its ready to serve!  I served mine with grilled asparagus and roasted red potatoes.

Grilled Vegetable Paninis

Since we (at least in Phoenix) are well into the outdoor grilling season, I decided to make one of my favorite sandwiches - grilled vegetable paninis.  It is very simple and very healthy.  To make them, you will need:

Ciabatta Bread
1 medium zucchini squash
1 medium yellow summer squash
1 red onion
2 medium sized portobello mushrooms
1 yellow or orange bell pepper
dressing of choice (I usually use basil or garlic flavored mayo)
Havarti or gouda cheese slices (optional)
1 medium tomoto, sliced
1 medium avocado, sliced or mashed
Olive oil

Preheat the grill on high.  Split the ciabatta bread down the middle to form a top and bottom.  Then, slice it to make sandwich sized pieces.

Wash the vegetables.  Cut the ends of the zucchini and squash off and slice them long ways into 1/2" pieces.  Quarter the bell pepper and remove the seeds.  Slice the onion to form a 1/2 - 1" slab.  Rub the mushrooms lightly with olive oil.  Lightly salt all the vegetables.

Lightly spray the grill surface with cooking spray.  Arrange the vegetables on the grill and allow to cook for about 4-5 minutes or until you see definite grill marks.  Flip and cook the other side.  You want the vegetables to be soft, but not mushy.

The skins on the bell pepper should be blackened.  You can peel this off if you don't like the flavor.  Place your dressing on both sides of the bread.  Arrange the vegetables and cheese, if desired.  Place in a preheated panini press for 3-4 minutes, or until the bread is crisp and golden brown.  Remove and add tomato slices and/or avocado, if desired, and enjoy!

Woodlands Vegetarian South Indian Kitchen

We discovered a great new restaurant last night - Woodlands Vegetarian South Indian Kitchen.  It is located in Chandler at 4980 W. Ray Road (SE corner of Ray and Rural).  No complaints about anything we ordered.  It was all delicious!  We ordered with friends and decided to get a  number of dishes to share.  We started with the Samosas.  They came with a delicious, tangy, and sweet plum sauce.  We also enjoyed the Masala Dosai, which is a large rice crepe filled with potatoes and oinons.  They have a number of curries to pick from.  We opted for the Paneer Butter Masala (my favorite) and the Vegetable Manchurian.  Both were loaded with flavor and spice...and just enough kick!  Finally, we selected the lemon rice, which was very bright and fresh in flavor, and the Samosa Chaat.  I had never had this before and was pleasantly surprised.  It was a close second to my favorite for the night.  We ordered Malabar Parotta bread to accompany the meal.  The restaurant included several sauces to go along with the dishes, including a spicy green cilantro sauce and a yogurt sauce, which was great to tame the spice on some of the dishes.  Overall it was a fantastic, filling, and fun meal!  Check out their website at www.woodlandsaz.com for more menu options and pricing.