Meatless Monday

Time for another Meatless Monday. Enjoy!

PENNE WITH DARK LEAFY PESTO AND ROASTED SQUASH

From the June 2015 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 55. It starts off, “Penne is a good pasta choice with pesto because the sauce gets into the grooves on the medium-size tubes.” Serves 6 in 30 minutes or less.

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3 yellow squash, quartered and sliced 1/2-inch-thick

3 zucchini, quartered and sliced 1/2-inch thick

1 Tbs. olive oil

6 oz. penne or other medium-size pasta (1 1/2 cups)

1/4 cup Dark Leafy Pesto (recipe follows)

Preheat oven to 425°F. Toss yellow squash and zucchini with oil, and spread on one or two large baking sheets. Roast 20 to 25 minutes, or until vegetables are browned, tossing once or twice.

Meanwhile, cook penne according to package directions. Drain, and reserve 1/4 cup cooking water.

Toss penne with pesto and reserved pasta cooking water. Divide among bowls, and top with squash.

nutritional information Per 1-cup serving: Calories: 222; Protein: 7 g; Total Fat: 10 g; Saturated Fat: 2 g; Carbohydrates: 28 g; Cholesterol: less than 1 mg; Sodium: 25 mg; Fiber: 3 g; Sugar: 6 g

DARK LEAFY PESTO

Also from page 55 of the June 2014 issue of Vegetarian Times. This one starts off, “Made with blanched greens, this pesto gets a hint of Southern flavor from pecans and fresh sage. You could even spice it up with a dash of hot sauce.” Makes 1 cup in 30 minutes or less.

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8 oz. collard, kale, or mustard greens, tough stems trimmed

1/4 cup pecans

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese or nutritional yeast

3 cloves garlic, peeled

1/4 cup sage leaves

2/3 cup olive oil

1/2 tsp. salt, optional

1/8 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

Blanch collard greens in large pot of boiling salted water 3 minutes. Refresh under cold water. Drain, pat dry, and tear into pieces.

Pulse pecans, Parmesan, and garlic in food processor until finely chopped. Add collard and sage leaves, and pulse until greens are finely chopped. With motor running, add oil in steady stream, and process until smooth. Season with salt (if using) and pepper.

nutritional information Per 1-tbs. Serving: Calories: 100; Protein: less than 1 g; Total Fat: 11 g; Saturated Fat: 2 g; Carbohydrates: less than 1 g; Cholesterol: 1 mg; Sodium: 21 mg; Fiber: less than 1 g; Sugar: less than 1 g; Gluten-Free

BROCCOLI RAAB WITH GARLIC, WHITE BEANS, TOMATOES, AND PARMESAN

This one is from the September 2008 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 44. It starts off, “The depth of the wok allows you to simultaneously sauté and steam the broccoli raab while preserving its beautiful green color. To make the dish vegan, garnish with toasted breadcrumbs instead of Parmesan cheese.” Serves 5 in 30 minutes or less.

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3 Tbs. olive oil, divided

2 cloves garlic, minced (2 tsp.)

2 12-oz. bunches broccoli raab, trimmed and coarsely chopped

1 tsp. red pepper flakes

1 pint grape tomatoes

1 14-oz. can white beans, rinsed and drained

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, for garnish

Heat 2 Tbs. oil in wok over medium-high heat. Sauté garlic until it sizzles, then add broccoli raab and red pepper flakes. Season with salt, and sauté 5 to 7 minutes, or until broccoli raab is wilted. Transfer broccoli raab from wok to serving plate.

Add remaining 1 Tbs. oil to wok. Add tomatoes, and cook 5 to 7 minutes, or until skins brown and tomatoes begin to split, stirring occasionally. Stir in white beans, and cook 2 to 3 minutes, or until heated through. Spoon tomato-bean mixture on top of broccoli raab, and garnish with Parmesan.

nutritional information Per Serving: Calories: 220; Protein: 11 g; Total Fat: 9.5 g; Saturated Fat: 2 g; Carbohydrates: 24 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 604 mg; Fiber: 7 g; Sugar: 3 g; Gluten-Free

CITRUS COLLARDS WITH RAISINS

This is from the November 2009 issue of Vegetarian Times. It begins, "'This is my signature dish,' says Chef Bryant Terry proudly. 'When it was first published, the recipe was my way of showing you can take traditional cuisine and reinvent it—I grew up on collard greens that weren't considered done unless they'd cooked at least two hours.'"

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1 1/2 lb. collard greens, tough stems trimmed

1 Tbs. olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced (2 tsp.)

2/3 cup raisins

1/2 tsp. salt

1/3 cup freshly squeezed orange juice

Stack several collard leaves atop one another, and roll into tight cylinder. Slice crosswise into strips.

Cook greens in large pot of boiling, salted water 8 to 10 minutes, or until softened. Drain, and plunge into large bowl of cold water to stop cooking.

Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic, and sauté 1 minute. Add drained collards, raisins, and salt, and sauté 3 minutes. Stir in orange juice, and cook 15 seconds more. Season with salt and pepper, if desired.

nutritional information Per 1/2-cup serving: Calories: 105; Protein: 3 g; Total Fat: 3 g; Saturated Fat: less than 1 g; Carbohydrates: 21 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 65 mg; Fiber: 3 g; Sugar: 12 g; Vegan; Gluten-Free

GRITS SOUFFLES WITH TOMATO COULIS

From the April 2007 issue of Vegetarian Times. It begins, “Serve these individual soufflés unmolded, as shown, or in ramekins.” Serves 6.

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1 cup grits, plus extra for dusting

3 cups low-fat milk

2 tsp. baking powder

1/3 lb. steamed asparagus, chopped

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1/2 cup shredded aged Gouda cheese

3 large egg whites plus 1 large egg

2 tsp. garlic oil

1 small onion, chopped (about 1 cup)

1 15-oz. can diced Italian-style tomatoes

1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper

To make Soufflés: Preheat oven to 375°F. Coat 6 8-oz. ramekins with cooking spray, and dust with grits.

Bring grits, milk and baking powder to a boil in pot. Reduce heat to medium and cook 8 minutes, whisking constantly. Cool 5 minutes, then stir in asparagus, cheeses and whole egg.

Beat egg whites with electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Fold into grits mixture. Season with salt and pepper. Divide among prepared ramekins. Bake 25 minutes, or until puffed and golden.

To make Tomato Coulis: Heat oil in pot over medium heat. Add onion, and sauté 6 minutes, or until soft. Add tomatoes and crushed red pepper, and simmer 12 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Purée in blender until smooth. Unmold soufflés and serve with Tomato Coulis and asparagus spears for garnish, if desired.

nutritional information Per SERVING: Calories: 277; Protein: 15 g; Total Fat: 9 g; Saturated Fat: 5 g; Carbohydrates: 33 g; Cholesterol: 30 mg; Sodium: 598 mg; Fiber: 1 g; Sugar: 10 g

STRAWBERRY-LAVENDER SHORTCAKES

From the June 2013 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 61. It begins, “Dried food-grade lavender can be found online and in gourmet specialty shops. Here, it’s used to infuse macerated strawberries and to flavor the dough of tender shortcakes.” Serves 4.

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4 cups quartered strawberries, plus more for garnish

3 Tbs. sugar, divided

1 tsp. lemon juice

2 tsp. dried lavender, divided

1 cup cake flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. baking soda

4 Tbs. trans fat–free margarine or butter, cut into small pieces

1/4 cup plain almond milk

8 Tbs. light whipped cream, plus more if desired

Fold together strawberries, 2 Tbs. sugar, lemon juice, and 1 tsp. dried lavender in bowl. Chill 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 400°F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper, or spray with cooking spray. Whisk together cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, remaining 1 Tbs. sugar, and remaining 1 tsp. lavender in large bowl.

Mix in margarine with fork or pastry blender until mixture is crumbly. Stir in almond milk, adding more if necessary for mixture to hold together and form a ball.

Knead dough on floured work surface 3 to 4 times until dough is smooth. Cut out 4 dough circles with 2-inch cutter. Press together remaining dough, and cut out 1 or 2 more circles.

Transfer circles to prepared baking sheet, and bake 10 to 12 minutes, or until tops are golden. Cool. (Shortcakes will keep overnight wrapped in a towel.)

To serve: Split shortcakes in half crosswise. Place 4 bottom halves on plates; top each with 1/2 cup strawberry mixture and 1 Tbs. whipped cream. Add 4 shortcake tops, and garnish each with 1/4 cup more strawberry mixture and 1 Tbs. whipped cream. Use remaining shortcakes for breakfast or afternoon tea.

nutritional information Per Shortcake: Calories: 256; Protein: 3 g; Total Fat: 9 g; Saturated Fat: 4 g; Carbohydrates: 42 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 233 mg; Fiber: 4 g; Sugar: 17 g; Gluten-Free