Meatless Monday

It's Monday, which, of course, means meatless! Enjoy!

CHICKPEA TACOS

This is from the March 2008 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 36. It starts off, “Turns out, tacos don’t have to be hot to be delicious. The chickpea-avocado mash used as a filling here is prepared and served at room temperature. (It makes a great sandwich spread as well.) Because the fat content of taco shells can vary, look for brands that contain approximately 6 grams or fewer per shell.” Serves 4 in 30 minutes or less.

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1 avocado, peeled, pitted, and diced

1 15-oz. can chickpeas, rinsed and drained

3 Tbs. chopped cilantro

4 tsp. fresh lime juice

1 clove garlic, minced (1 tsp.)

8 corn taco shells

2 cups baby salad greens

1 cup prepared salsa (medium or hot)

1/2 cup nondairy sour cream

Place avocado in small bowl, and mash with fork. Stir in chickpeas, cilantro, lime juice, and garlic; season with salt and pepper.

Set taco shells in napkin-lined basket. Place salad greens, salsa, and sour cream in separate bowls, and set out alongside chickpea-avocado mash.

To serve, let each person build their own taco by filling each shell with 1/4 cup chickpea-avocado mash, some greens, salsa, and sour cream.

nutritional information Per Serving (2 tacos): Calories: 402; Protein: 11 g; Total Fat: 19 g; Saturated Fat: 4 g; Carbohydrates: 51 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 800 mg; Fiber: 10 g; Sugar: 2 g; Vegan; Gluten-Free

GRILLED EGGPLANT INVOLTINI

This is from the March 2012 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 52. It begins, “Grilled eggplant slices have a cutlet texture that’s sturdy enough to stand up to sauces, toppings, and fillings. Here, they are rolled around a tomato-and-olive filling for a veg version of a classic Italian beef recipe.” Serves 4 in 30 minutes or less.

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2 large eggplant, 1 peeled and diced (3 cups), 1 cut into 8 slices, divided

3 tomatoes, halved and seeded

1 medium onion, diced (1 1/2 cups)

6 Tbs. olive oil, divided

4 cloves garlic, minced (4 tsp.)

1/4 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained

1/4 cup chopped basil leaves, plus more for garnish

1/4 cup kalamata olives

3 Tbs. capers, drained

2 Tbs. chopped parsley

2 Tbs. nutritional yeast

2 cups prepared tomato sauce

Preheat oven to 375°F. Toss together diced eggplant, tomatoes, onion, 3 Tbs. olive oil, and garlic in bowl. Season with salt and pepper, if desired. Spread on baking sheet, and roast 25 minutes, or until vegetables are browned and tender. Transfer to food processor, and add sun-dried tomatoes, basil, olives, capers, parsley, and nutritional yeast; process until chunky-smooth. Season with salt and pepper, if desired.

Heat remaining 3 Tbs. oil in grill pan over medium-high heat. Cook eggplant slices on grill pan 3 minutes per side, or until tender. Cool.

Coat 13- x 9-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Spoon 1/4 cup roasted vegetables onto edge of each grilled eggplant slice. Roll eggplant slices into logs, and place seam-side-down in prepared baking dish. Spoon tomato sauce over eggplant rolls in dish. Bake 10 minutes, or until tomato sauce is hot and bubbly. Garnish with basil leaves.

nutritional information Per 2 rolls: Calories: 380; Protein: 9 g; Total Fat: 25 g; Saturated Fat: 3 g; Carbohydrates: 39 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 990 mg; Fiber: 16 g; Sugar: 17 g; Vegan; Gluten-Free

THE ULTIMATE VT CARROT CAKE

This is from the May/June 2006 issue of Vegetartian Times, page 76. It starts off, “A surprise ingredient—puréed baby food—gives this supermoist cake amazing flavor. Recipe by Fiona Kennedy.” Serves 16.

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Carrot Cake

2 cups plus 2 Tbs. all-purpose flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1 1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg

1/2 tsp. ground cardamom

1 cup vegetable oil

1 cup packed light brown sugar

1 cup sugar

4 oz. carrot baby food

1 Tbs. finely grated fresh ginger

1 tsp. vanilla extract

4 large eggs

3 cups coarsely grated carrots (can be shredded in food processor), from about 6 carrots

1 20-oz. can crushed pineapple, well drained

1 1/2 cups crushed walnuts

Frosting

1 1/4 cup whipping cream

8 oz. reduced-fat cream cheese, softened

2 1/2 tsp. lemon juice

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1/4 tsp. salt

1 cup crushed walnuts, optional

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 2 8-inch round cake pans and line bottoms with parchment or wax paper. Butter paper, and dust with flour.

To make Carrot Cake: Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cardamom. Beat oil, both sugars, baby food, ginger, and vanilla extract until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating after each. Add flour mixture in two additions. Add carrots, pineapple, and nuts; beat just until blended. Divide batter between cake pans and bake 50 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into centers comes out clean. Cool cakes in pans on rack 10 minutes. Cut around edges to loosen using small knife. Invert cakes onto rack, remove paper, and cool completely.

To make Frosting: Beat cream until soft peaks form; set aside. Combine cream cheese, sugar, lemon juice, vanilla, and salt; beat until smooth and creamy, 3 to 5 minutes. Fold in whipped cream in 3 additions. Refrigerate.

To assemble: Up to 4 hours before serving, place one layer on cake platter. Spread 1 cup Frosting over top and cover with second layer. Spread Frosting over top and sides of cake. Sprinkle sides with crushed walnuts, if using.

nutritional information Per Slice: Calories: 560; Protein: 7 g; Total Fat: 34 g; Saturated Fat: 10 g; Carbohydrates: 60 g; Cholesterol: 94 mg; Sodium: 462 mg; Fiber: 2 g; Sugar: 44 g

MIDDLE EASTERN STUFFED CABBAGE ROLLS

From page 60 of the March 2013 issue of Vegetartian Times, this recipe starts, “Crinkly savoy cabbage leaves (which pull apart more easily than white cabbage) are stuffed with a combination of lentils, currants, and olives, then blanketed in a spicy tomato sauce. Serve over rice.” Serves 4.

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1 Tbs. olive oil

1 small onion, finely chopped (1 cup)

2 cloves garlic, minced (2 tsp.)

3/4 cup dried French or du Puy green lentils

8 large savoy cabbage leaves, ribs removed

1/3 cup dried currants

1/2 cup pitted Kalamata olives, quartered

3 Tbs. lemon juice, divided

1 15-oz. can low-sodium tomato sauce

2 tsp. ground cumin

1 1/2 tsp. dried marjoram

1/4 tsp. ground allspice

Heat oil in saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, and cook 3 minutes. Add garlic, and cook 30 seconds. Add lentils and 4 cups water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 15 minutes, or until tender. Drain.

Bring pot of water to a boil. Blanch cabbage leaves 6 minutes, or until tender. Rinse under cold water, and drain.

Mash half of lentil mixture in bowl. Stir in remaining lentils, currants, olives, and 1 Tbs. lemon juice.

Combine tomato sauce, 1/2 cup water, remaining 2 Tbs. lemon juice, cumin, marjoram, and allspice in bowl. Spray 8-inch square baking dish with cooking spray, then coat bottom with 1/2 cup sauce.

Lay 1 cabbage leaf on work surface. Spoon 1/3 cup lentil mixture in center of leaf, fold sides inward, and roll tightly. Place seam side down in dish. Repeat with remaining leaves and filling. Pour remaining sauce over rolls; cover with foil.

Store/Serve Refrigerate 3 days, or freeze 1 month. If frozen, thaw overnight in refrigerator. To bake: Preheat oven to 375°F. Bake cabbage rolls, covered, 1 hour. Uncover, baste with sauce, bake 10 minutes more, and serve.

nutritional information Per Serving (2 rolls): Calories: 303; Protein: 12 g; Total Fat: 9 g; Saturated Fat: 1 g; Carbohydrates: 49 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 632 mg; Fiber: 11 g; Sugar: 18 g; Vegan; Gluten-Free

GRILLED POTATO SALAD WITH BEANS

This comes from Jolinda Hackett, About.com's Vegetarian Food expert. She writes, "This vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free grilled potato salad is made with thickly sliced and grilled potatoes and onions and white beans in a mustard vinaigrette. You can prepare it either stove-top, on an indoor stove-top grill pan, or outdoors on the barbecue. Recipe and photo courtesy of Bush's Beans." Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 20 minutes; Total Time: 35 minutes; Yield: 4 servings.

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Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 large russet potato, thickly sliced

1 medium onion (red or white), peeled and thickly sliced

1 (15.5 ounce) can cannellini or Great Northern Beans, drained well

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 lemon, juiced

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

salt and pepper, to taste

12-inch x 12-inch piece of heavy duty aluminum foil (for grill version)

Preparation

Directions for the grill:

Turn up the edges of the aluminum foil to form a tray, then set aside.Heat grill to medium.

Brush potato and onion slices with 1 tablespoon of the oil then place them directly on the hot grill. Heat, turning frequently until cooked thoroughly but not charred.

Remove the grilled potatoes and onions. Separate the onion rings; toss with beans, mustard, remaining oil and lemon juice. Sprinkle with red pepper flakes and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Keep warm in foil tray until serving.

Directions for the stove top grill pan:

Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Toss the potato and onion slices with 1 tablespoon of the oil in a medium bowl, then place the potato and onion slices on the grill pan. Cook for 3-4 minutes on each side and return to bowl when finished.

Stir in the beans, mustard, remaining olive oil and lemon juice. Sprinkle with red pepper flakes and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Serve warm.Directions for the stove top:

Heat half the oil in a 10-inch heavy skillet over medium-high heat.

Add the potato and onion slices in a single layer. Cook about three to four minutes on each side, then reduce the heat to low.Stir in the beans, mustard, remaining olive oil and lemon juice. Sprinkle with red pepper flakes and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve your potato salad warm.

Makes four servings as a side dish.

Nutritional information, per serving: Calories: 202; Total Fat 7g; Sodium 386mg; Dietary Fiber 7g; Protein 7g; Sugars 2g; Cholesterol 0mg

MOROCCAN SEVEN-VEGETABLE COUSCOUS

This recipe is from the March 2005 issue of Vegetarian Times The recipe states, “To many Americans, couscous refers to the tiny pearls of semolina we've come to know and love. But in Morocco, it is also the proper name for a time-honored stew, rich with vegetables and the flavors—saffron, cinnamon, turmeric—of North Africa. This is a terrific, relaxed party dish—easy to make, fun to eat and meant for a gathering.” Serves 6.

2 Tbs. unsalted butter

2 Tbs. olive oil

2 large onions, quartered and cut in 1/2-inch slices

2 pinches saffron threads

1 pinch crushed red pepper

1/2 tsp. ground turmeric

1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 tsp. ground ginger

1 tsp. coarsely ground black pepper

3 sprigs parsley and 3 sprigs cilantro, tied in a bundle with kitchen string

4 fresh or canned tomatoes, peeled, seeded and quartered

1 qt. vegetable stock

3 cups water

1 turnip, peeled and cut in 1-inch cubes

1/2 lb. carrots, peeled, halved length-wise and cut in 2-inch sticks

3/4 lb. butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut in 1 1/2-inch chunks

1 medium-sized zucchini, quartered lengthwise and cut in 2-inch sticks

1 cup raisins

1 14-oz. can chickpeas, rinsed and drained

2 Tbs. granulated sugar

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

2 cups quick-cooking couscous, uncooked

1/2 cup blanched slivered almonds, toasted

Heat butter and olive oil in stockpot over medium heat. Add onions, and cook 15 minutes. Stir in saffron, crushed red pepper, turmeric, cinnamon, ginger and black pepper. Sauté 5 minutes. Add herbs, tomatoes, stock and water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and cook 10 minutes.

Add turnip, carrots and squash. Bring to a boil, and cook 10 minutes. Add zucchini, raisins, chickpeas and sugar. Cook 10 minutes more, or until vegetables are tender. Add salt and pepper.

Cook couscous according to package directions. Mound couscous on large serving platter, and make a well in center. Use slotted spoon to transfer vegetables to well. Ladle stock over entire dish. Sprinkle with toasted almonds. Serve immediately.

nutritional information per serving: Calories: 590; Protein: 17 g; Total Fat: 15 g; Saturated Fat: 3 g; Carbohydrates: 103 g; Cholesterol: 10 mg; Sodium: 460 mg; Fiber: 12 g; Sugar: 30 g