Balsamic Barbecue "Chicken"

This is a very simple way to dress up Quorn naked chicken cutlets.  It added tons of flavor and moisture.  I served mine with grilled asparagus.

1 C balsamic vinegar
3/4 C ketchip
1/3 C brown sugar
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
1 package Quorn Naked Chick's cutlets, thawed for about 30 minutes

Combine the first 8 ingredients in a small sauce pan until smooth.  Simmer over medium-low heat for 15-20, or until reduced by 1/3.  Generously coat both sides of the cutlets.  Grill over medium heat until warmed through.  You can re-baste the cutlets after you flip them.  I served mine with a little extra BBQ sauce on the side for dipping.

*BBQ sauce recipe from FoodNetwork.com

Panini Sandwiches with Gruyere and Olive Tapenade

This is another Cooking Light find.  It was outstanding!  I used a panini press to grill the sandwiches, but you can achieve a similar result a couple of different ways.  You could cook them on a grill over medium heat.  Place a cast iron pan or another heavy skillet on top while cooking.  Cook on each side for about 2 minutes or until golden brown.  Alternately you could grill them as you would a grilled cheese on the stovetop over medium-high heat, using the same method described above.  Enjoy!!

3-4 sun-dried tomatoes, in oil
12 pitted kalamata olives
2 cloves garlic
1-2 tbsp oil from the tomatoes, or olive oil
8-1/4 inch thick slices of focaccia or other hearty bread
1/4 C freshly grated parmesan cheese
2 oz gruyere cheese, grated (you could substitute your favorite cheese - havarti and fontina would melt nicely)
8 slices tomato

To make the tapenade, combine the first 4 ingredients in a food processor and mix until smooth.  Brush one side of each bread slice with the tapenade.  Top half the slices with the cheese and tomato.  Place the remaining slices on top and grill as described above.

Gorgonzola Polenta & Vegetables

I found this recipe in Cooking Light magazine and was intrigued.  I have used pre made polenta before, but have not made it from scratch.  I figured this would be the prefect opportunity!  It was not only easy, but delicious...and fast.

8 oz mushrooms, sliced (I used a mix of white, cremini, and shitake)
2 bell peppers, sliced thin (I used 1 yellow, 1 orange - I find them to be the sweetest)
1 1/2 C sweet onion, sliced thin
1 tsp fresh thyme, chopped
2 tbsp olive oil, divided
3 cloves minced garlic
3 C low-fat milk (can substitute vegetable broth for vegan)
1/2 C water
2/3 C quick-cook polenta
3/4 C gorgonzola cheese, crumbled (you can substitute any cheese that melts well or even Daiya Vegan cheese)
salt & pepper to taste

Warm 1 tbsp oil over medium-high heat.  Add mushrooms and cook for about 4 minutes, or until soft.  Add peppers, onions, and garlic and the remaining tbsp of oil.  Lightly salt and pepper.  Cook until vegetables are soft, about 8-10 minutes.  Meanwhile, bring milk and water to boil in a medium sauce pan.  Add 1/4 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp black pepper.  Stir in polenta and cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring frequently.  The polenta will thicken.  Remove from heat and stir in cheese.  Serve with vegetables on top.

Veggie Fajitas

I have made fajitas a number of times, but have always used prepackaged spices.  Then it occurred to me that making my own combination of spices would be easy and tastier.  So, I gave it a try and this is what I came up with:

For the fajita seasoning:

1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper (more if you like the heat)
1/4 tsp cumin
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp salt
2 tsp chili powder


For the fajitas:

2-3 bell peppers (I like red, orange, and yellow), sliced
1 medium onion, sliced
1 poblano pepper, stem and seeds removed, and sliced
8-10 baby portobello mushrooms, quartered
Fresh corn tortillas, warmed

For topping the fajitas:
1 tomato, diced
Cilantro, chopped
Avocado or guacamole

In a saute pan, add the cooked peppers, mushrooms, and onion.  Add 1/2 cup water and 2-3 tbsp of the fajita seasoning.  Stir and cook over medium-low heat until the sauce just starts to thicken.  Place the vegetable combination in the tortillas and top with tomatoes, sour cream, and/or guacamole.  You can use a variety of other vegetables as well, including yellow squash and zucchini.

Arugula Pesto Pasta

I am so excited about this recipe - for 3 reasons:  1) It was tasty 2) It took 10 minutes to make 3) My kids gobbled it up.  For me, that is a home run!  The pesto doesn't require any oil, so it makes it the perfect light, summer dish. You will need:

3-4oz baby arugula (about 3 cups)
1 C packed fresh basil
2-3 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
2 avocados, peeled with pit removed
Juice of 2 medium sized limes
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper (optional)
1 C shredded parmesan cheese
1/2 C toasted almonds or pine nuts, toasted
1 pound pasta (I used linguine)

Cooked the pasta until al dente.  Place in a serving dish, but reserve about 1 C of the pasta water.  Meanwhile, place the arugula, basil, garlic, avocados, lime juice, salt and pepper (if using) in a food processor and mix until smooth.  Spoon the pesto over the hot pasta and toss to coat.  Add the cheese and nuts and toss again.  You can add some of the reserved pasta water to thin out the sauce to the desired consistency.  Enjoy!

Southwest Grilled Mushrooms

I wasn't sure what this recipe was going to be until it was on the table.  I found some great vegetables at the store today, combined with a few things I already had from home, and...PRESTO!  It turned out to be a good presto this time ;-)  You will need:

6 mini portobello mushrooms, cleaned and stems removed
1 medium yellow squash, diced
1 medium zucchini, diced
1 poblano pepper, grilled until blackened with skin and seeds removed, diced
1 anaheim pepper, grilled until blackened with skin and seeds removed, diced
1 small onion, diced (I used a combo of red and sweet onion)
2-3 tbsp olive oil
1/3 C sour cream or vegan sour supreme
1 roma tomato, seeds removed and diced
1 small avocado, diced
3 tbsp habanero pesto*
2-3 tbsp chopped cilantro
2 limes
salt & pepper to taste

Warm oil in a skillet over medium heat.  Add onion and cook until soft.  Add yellow squash and zucchini and continue to cook for about 6-7 minutes, or until soft.  Add the poblano and anaheim peppers and reduce heat to medium low.  Add the pesto and stir to combine.  Allow to cook for about 5 minutes.  Add sour cream, the juice of 1/2 lime, and stir.  Reduce heat to low and simmer.

Meanwhile, brush the mushrooms with oil and place on the grill, stem side down.  Cook for 6-7 minutes, turn, brush with oil, and continue to cook until softened.  They will likely fill with liquid, which you can discard once removing from the grill.

Place the mushrooms on a place, top with vegetable mixture, and sprinkle with the tomatoes, cilantro and avocado.  I sprinkled some crumbled goat cheese over the top, but it is optional.

*I found the habanero pesto at a farmer's market in California.  You can use regular pesto, especially if you don't want the extra spice from the habanero.  If you like the flavor and spice, mince some habanero and add to store bought pesto or blend into homemade pesto.

**An alternate use for the vegetable mix is to combine with the pasta of your choice.  Reserve some pasta water to thin out the sauce.

Red and Green Huevos Rancheros

I love Mexican food!  So, when I came across this breakfast recipe, I had to try it.  The original recipe wasn't vegetarian, so I made a few substitutions and the result was fantastic.

For the red sauce:

4 plum tomatoes, cored
1 large shallot, peeled
1 serrano chile, stemmed
1/4 cup vegetable broth
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the green sauce:

5 tomatillos, husked and rinsed
1 Anaheim chile, halved
1/2 small white onion
1 clove garlic, unpeeled
Salt and freshly ground black pepper 

For the huevos rancheros:
 
4 eggs, cooked to your preference
corn tortillas

For the red sauce, place all ingredients in a preheated skillet and cook until charred on all sides.  Immediately place in a blender or food processor along with the broth.  Puree until smooth.  Return the sauce to the stove and cook for an additional 5-10 minutes, or until it is bright red.  Salt and pepper to taste.

For the green sauce,  cook the ingredients in a skillet just as you did for the red sauce.  Keep the peel on the garlic while cooking.  Once charred on all sides, peel the garlic and place all ingredients in a blender or food processor and puree until smooth.  Salt and pepper to taste.

For the corn tortillas, warm a skillet over medium heat.  Lightly wet the tortillas and place them one by one on the skillet.  Cook for about 30-60 seconds on each side, just enough to soften and dry the tortillas.  Remove the tortillas, place on a plate, and put 1-2 cooked eggs on top of the tortilla.  Pour the red sauce over half and the green sauce over the other half.  Enjoy!

To make this recipe vegan, simply use vegan tofu "egg" scramble:

Saute in a little olive oil or water in a large pan:
1 small onion diced or 1 tsp onion powder
2-3 cloves crushed garlic or 1 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
2 pounds Tofu, extra firm or hard
(drain, rinse, and crumble into small pieces into the pan)

Stir in well:
2 T Chick-it seasoning
4 T Nutritional yeast flakes
1/4 tsp Turmeric
Salt to taste
Sprinkle with parsley to garnish(optional)

Cover and simmer for 10 minutes.
you can add 1/2 green or red bell pepper with the onion when you saute