Meatless Monday

It's Meatless Monday, time to check out vegetarian recipes. Here are today's six recipes to help you through the day, including Samosa Stuffed Peppers and Carrot Cake. Enjoy!

PERSIAN JEWELED RICE

This is from David Tanis in The New York Times cooking email. David wrote, “This dish is called jeweled rice because it is golden and glistening, laced with butter and spices and piled with nuts and gem-colored fruits. In Iran, it is typically served at weddings or other celebrations. Great platters of it appear at banquets. It also goes beautifully with a weeknight roast chicken.

“You will probably need to do a little shopping to make this traditional dish. But it is well worth it, and most good supermarkets can supply what you require.”

Yield: 6 servings; Time: About 1 hour 15 minutes.

This was featured in “Buried Beneath Jewels, an Aromatic Treasure” and can be viewed online here..

Ingredients

2 cups best-quality Basmati rice

Kosher salt

Unsalted butter, 6 tablespoons in total

1 large onion, diced small

1/4 teaspoon saffron threads, crumbled and soaked in 1/4 cup hot water

Large pinch ground cinnamon

Large pinch ground cardamom

Large pinch ground allspice

Large pinch ground black pepper

Large pinch ground cumin

1/3 cup chopped dried apricots

1/3 cup golden raisins or currants

1/3 cup dried imported barberries or goji berries, soaked in warm water for 5 minutes and drained (or use 1/3 cup dried cherries or dried cranberries)

1/3 cup blanched slivered almonds

1/3 cup roughly chopped pistachios

Preparation

Rinse the rice several times in cold water until the water runs clear. Drain. Bring 3 quarts water to a boil in a large pot with 2 tablespoons kosher salt. Add the rinsed rice and boil, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes, then drain well in a colander.

Heat 1 tablespoon butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, season lightly with salt and cook until softened and lightly colored, 4 to 5 minutes. Moisten with 1 tablespoon saffron water and stir in the cinnamon, cardamom, allspice, black pepper and cumin. Cook for 1 minute more. Stir in the apricots, raisins (or currants) and barberries (or cherries or cranberries).

Melt 4 tablespoons butter in a heavy-bottomed enamel or nonstick Dutch oven over medium heat. Spread half the par-cooked rice over the bottom of the pot. Spoon over the onion-fruit mixture, then the remaining rice. Leave the pot on the flame, uncovered, for 5 to 8 minutes to gently brown the rice. (Do not stir or move the rice — you will need to rely on your nose to tell if the rice has browned.)

Drizzle the remaining saffron water over the rice and put on the lid. Adjust the heat to very low and leave undisturbed for 30 minutes. Turn off the heat and let rest at least 10 minutes.

Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon butter in a small skillet over medium-low heat and gently toast the almonds and pistachios for a minute or so, taking care not to get them too brown. Set aside for garnish.

To serve, spoon the rice into a wide bowl or platter. With a spatula, carefully lift the bottom crust, placing the crisp side up. Sprinkle with the toasted nuts.

SAMOSA STUFFED PEPPERS

This comes from the March 2014 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 71. It starts off, “The filling for these stuffed peppers tastes a lot like samosas, small Indian turnovers. STORE/SERVE: If making ahead, skip final baking step. Cool stuffed peppers, cover tightly with foil, and refrigerate up to three days or freeze up to three months. Thaw, if necessary, then cover with foil, and finish baking as in step 3.” Serves 8.

To view this online, click here.

4 large red bell peppers, halved

2 Tbs. vegetable oil

1 large onion, chopped (2 cups)

4 tsp. curry powder

1 Tbs. garam masala

2 tsp. grated fresh ginger

1 cup basmati rice

1/4 cup red lentils, rinsed and drained

1/2 tsp. salt

1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas or 1 15-oz. can chickpeas, rinsed and drained

2 large carrots, finely diced (1 cup)

1 cup green beans, coarsely chopped

1/2 cup raisins or dried currants, optional

1/2 cup unsalted peanuts or cashews, coarsely chopped

Preheat oven to 350°F. Place halved bell peppers cut side down in two large baking dishes. Cover with foil, and bake 25 minutes, or until peppers begin to soften.

Heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, and sauté 3 to 5 minutes. Add curry powder, garam masala, and ginger, and cook 1 minute. Stir in rice, lentils, salt, and 4 cups water. Add chickpeas, carrots, green beans, and raisins (if using). Cover, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 15 minutes, or until most of liquid is absorbed, stirring once or twice. Remove rice mixture from heat, stir in peanuts, and season with salt, if desired.

Flip bell pepper halves. Fill each with 3/4 cup rice mixture. Re-cover baking dishes, and bake 15 minutes. Uncover, and bake 5 to 10 minutes more.

nutritional information Per Stuffed pepper: Calories: 288; Protein: 10 g; Total Fat: 10 g; Saturated Fat: 1 g; Carbohydrates: 42 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 241 mg; Fiber: 8 g; Sugar: 8 g; Vegan; Gluten-Free

LEMON SPIKED GARLIC GREENS

Recipe Yield: Yield: 4 Servings

Source: 1,001 Delicious Recipes for People with Diabetes

Book Title: 1,001 Delicious Recipes for People with Diabetes

View online at https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipe/lemon-spiked-garlic-greens.

Ingredients

Garlic-flavored vegetable cooking spray

1/3 cup finely chopped onion

4 cloves garlic, minced

1-1/2 pounds greens, washed, stems removed, coarsely chopped

1/3 cup water

1-2 tablespoons lemon juice

Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

Spray large saucepan with cooking spray; heat over medium heat until hot. Saute onion and garlic until tender, 3 to 4 minutes.

Add greens and water to saucepan; heat to boiling. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, until greens are wilted and tender, about 5 to 8 minutes, adding more water if necessary. Season to taste with lemon juice, salt and pepper.

Notes:

Kale, collard, turnip, or beet greens are excellent choices for this quick-and-easy healthy vegetable.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 58; Fat: 1.7 g; Sodium: 43 mg; Cholesterol: 53.3 mg; Protein: 5.9 g; Carbohydrates: 7 g

Diabetic Exchanges: 2 Vegetable

BLACKBERRY ICE CREAM

This comes from the One Green Planet emailing list. They have quite a few really good vegetarian recipes. Give it a try!

This recipe starts off, “I served my ice cream as a soft serve, but I also froze it in an airtight container and it turned to the same consistency as the ice cream you knew/know and love/d as a non-vegan. I won't lie; this ice cream is not as creamy as the dairy kind, or the soya or nut-based ice cream you can buy from health food stores, but the banana makes this more than just a sorbet. Not to mention, it cuts the calories by half. At least. So enjoy your 'ice cream' guiltlessly! You have my permission.”

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

2 cups frozen blackberries

2 frozen bananas, in chuncks

a few splashes of almond milk

Preparation

In a blender or food processor, blend the frozen fruit with a little bit of almond milk, adding the milk little by littled. Don't add too much or you'll just end up with a frozen smoothie, you want to add just a few splashes when necessary. Depending on the speed of your blender or food processors, this will take about five minutes. You may need to stir the ice cream mixture with a spoon between pulsing to make sure everything gets blended (unless you want chunks).

Serve immediately as soft serve, or place in a container in the freezer for at least one hour before scooping it out.

CARROT CAKE

This comes from Alton Brown of the Food Network show Good Eats.

Total:2 hr 50 min; Prep: 40 min; Inactive: 1 hr; Cook: 1 hr 10 min; Yield: 1 (9-inch) cake; Level: Easy

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

Unsalted butter, for the pan

12 ounces, approximately 2 1/2 cups, all-purpose flour, plus extra for pan

12 ounces grated carrots, medium grate, approximately 6 medium

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon salt

10 ounces sugar, approximately 1 1/3 cups

2 ounces dark brown sugar, approximately 1/4 cup firmly packed

3 large eggs

6 ounces plain yogurt

6 ounces vegetable oil

Cream Cheese Frosting, recipe follows

Directions

Watch how to make this recipe.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Butter and flour a 9-inch round and 3-inch deep cake pan. Line the bottom with parchment paper. Set aside.

Put the carrots into a large mixing bowl and set aside.

Put the flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices, and salt in the bowl of a food processor and process for 5 seconds. Add this mixture to the carrots and toss until they are well-coated with the flour.

In the bowl of the food processor combine the sugar, brown sugar, eggs, and yogurt.

With the processor still running drizzle in the vegetable oil. Pour this mixture into the carrot mixture and stir until just combined. Pour into the prepared cake pan and bake on the middle rack of the oven for 45 minutes. Reduce the heat to 325 degrees F and bake for another 20 minutes or until the cake reaches 205 to 210 degrees F in the center.

Remove the pan from the oven and allow cake to cool 15 minutes in the pan. After 15 minutes, turn the cake out onto a rack and allow cake to cool completely. Frost with cream cheese frosting after cake has cooled completely.

Cream Cheese Frosting:

8 ounces cream cheese

2 ounces unsalted butter, room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

9 ounces powdered sugar, sifted, approximately 2 cups

In the bowl of a stand mixer with paddle attachment, combine the cream cheese and butter on medium just until blended. Add the vanilla and beat until combined. With the speed on low, add the powdered sugar in 4 batches and beat until smooth between each addition.

Place the frosting in the refrigerator for 5 to 10 minutes before using.

Yield: approximately 2 cups

ROASTED SQUASH CHILI MAC

This is from Rachael Ray of The Food Network show Rachael Ray’s Week in a Day.

Total: 1 hr 40 min; Active: 20 min; Yield: 6 servings; Level: Easy

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

4 tablespoons butter, plus more for the casserole dish

1 pound butternut squash, peeled and diced (or look for diced raw butternut squash in the produce department)

EVOO, for drizzling

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Freshly grated nutmeg

1 pound rigatoni, penne or macaroni with ridges

2 tablespoons chili powder, such as Gebhardt's, or a blend of ancho or chipotle

1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 cloves garlic, made into a paste

1 fresh chile pepper, such as Fresno or jalapeno, finely chopped

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 1/2 cups milk

2 cups shredded sharp yellow Cheddar

1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

One 14-ounce can kidney beans, rinsed and drained

1 cup shredded pepper jack or other hot-pepper melting cheese

Ingredients

Watch how to make this recipe.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Lightly butter a casserole dish.

Put the squash on a rimmed baking sheet, drizzle with EVOO and season with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Toss to combine. Roast until the edges are browned, 17 to 20 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 400 degrees F.

Cook the pasta in boiling salted water to just shy of al dente, 7 minutes. Drain.

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the chili powder, oregano, coriander, cumin, cinnamon, garlic and chile pepper and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add the flour and cook, stirring, then whisk in the milk. Bring to a simmer and cook until the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of the spoon. Add the Cheddar and Parmigiano-Reggiano and stir until melted.

Combine the squash, chili-cheese sauce and beans, then transfer to the prepared casserole dish. Top with the pepper jack cheese. Cover and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake until the top is browned, 15 to 20 minutes more.