Meatless Monday

It's Monday, so here are today's vegetarian recipes. Enjoy!

LOVELY, TENDER ANGEL FOOD CAKE

This comes from the June 2013 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 75. It starts off, “One secret to perfect angel food cake is sifting the flour with some of the sugar so it blends into the meringue with minimal folding. The other is hanging the tube pan upside down over a glass bottle so the cake won’t deflate.” Serves 10.

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1 cup cake flour

1 1/2 cups sugar, divided

1 1/4 cups egg whites (9–10 eggs)

1 1/4 tsp. cream of tartar

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1/4 tsp. kosher salt

1/4 tsp. almond extract

Position oven rack just below center, and preheat oven to 350°F. Sift cake flour and 1/2 cup sugar into medium bowl. Set aside.

Beat egg whites, cream of tartar, vanilla, salt, and almond extract in separate bowl with handheld electric mixer at medium-low speed until soft peaks form. Increase speed to medium. Gradually beat in remaining 1 cup sugar. Increase speed to medium-high, and beat 5 minutes, or until meringue is thick and shiny, and firm peaks hold when beaters are lifted.

Sprinkle one-quarter of flour mixture over meringue, and gently fold in with spatula or flat whisk just until blended (do not overmix). Repeat 3 more times. Scrape batter into ungreased 10- x 4-inch angel food cake pan with removable center.

Bake cake 30 to 32 minutes, or until puffed and lightly browned, and wooden skewer inserted near center comes out clean. Insert narrow-neck bottle into center tube, and invert pan to cool cake upside down.

Once cooled, remove pan from atop bottle, and cut around pan sides to loosen cake. Lift out pan’s center tube with cake. Cut under cake and around center tube to release cake. Cut into wedges, and serve.

nutritional information Per Slice: Calories: 185; Protein: 4 g; Total Fat: less than 1 g; Saturated Fat: less than 1 g; Carbohydrates: 41 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 99 mg; Fiber: less than 1 g; Sugar: 31 g

THAI GREEN CURRY

This recipes comes from the March 2006 issue of Vegetarian Times, and starts off, “Some Thai green curry pastes contain shrimp paste, so look for vegetarian versions in the Asian foods section of the supermarket.” Serves 6 in 30 minutes or less.

To view this online, click here.

2 Tbs. vegetable oil

4 shallots, minced

2 tsp. Thai green curry paste

1 14-oz. can low-fat coconut milk

1/2 cup whole basil leaves

2 Tbs. grated lime zest

1 15-oz. can sliced bamboo shoots, packed in water

3/4 lb. frozen precut green beans

1/2 lb. white round or other waxy potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

2 carrots, shredded

1 8-oz. pkg. Thai-flavored baked tofu, cut into strips

2 Tbs. low-sodium soy sauce

Heat oil in large pot over medium heat. Add shallots and curry paste; stir-fry 1 minute.

Blend coconut milk with 1?4 cup basil and lime zest in blender or food processor; add mixture to pot. Add bamboo shoots with their water, green beans, potatoes, carrots and salt to taste. Stir, and cook uncovered 10 minutes.

Add tofu and soy sauce. Cook 5 minutes, until green beans are just tender.

Add remaining basil and serve.

nutritional information Per SERVING: Calories: 257; Protein: 13 g; Total Fat: 14 g; Saturated Fat: 4 g; Carbohydrates: 20 g; Sodium: 494 mg; Fiber: 5 g; Sugar: 5 g; Vegan

VEGAN QUINOA FRIED 'RICE' WITH MUSHROOMS, TOMATOES AND SPROUTS

This is from Jolinda Hackett, About.com's Vegetarian Food expert. She writes, "With tofu as well as a quinoa, this is a protein-packed fried "rice" recipe perfect for vegetarians and vegans. Use tamari instead of soy sauce to keep this recipe suitable for those on a gluten-free diet as well. If you have some leftover baked or fried tofu on hand, toss that in there for extra goodness. Use whatever vegetables you like: green peas, diced carrots, red bell peppers or baby corn would all be excellent choices. This vegan quinoa fried rice is an excellent vegetarian or vegan one-dish dinner idea." Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 10 minutes; Total Time: 20 minutes; Yield: about 3 servings

To view online, click here.

Ingredients

1 tbsp olive oil

1/2 onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 tsp fresh minced ginger

4 scallions, chopped

1/3 cup fresh sliced button or white mushrooms

1/2 block firm or extra-firm tofu, well-pressed

1 large or 2 medium tomatoes, chopped

1 1/2 cups pre-cooked or leftover quinoa, cooled

hot sauce, to taste

1/4 cup (medium handful) bean sprouts

2 tbsp soy sauce (use tamari to keep it gluten-free)

1/2 tsp sesame oil

squeeze of fresh lime (optional)

Preparation

In a large sautee pan, heat the onion and garlic in olive oil for 3-4 minutes, until unions are almost soft, then add the ginger, scallions and diced tofu. Heat for another 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally so the tofu cooks evenly.

Next, add the mushrooms and heat for another minute. Add the quinoa, tomatoes, hot sauce, and soy sauce and heat, stirring, for a another 3-4 minutes, until quinoa is hot and ingredients are well combined.

Stir in bean sprouts and drizzle with sesame oil and remove from heat.

Finally, give your quinoa fried rice a squeeze of fresh lime juice to make all the flavors really pop. Garnish with extra fresh scallions, if you'd like. I like my fried rice with a little dusting of sea salt just before serving as well.

PUTTANESCA SAUCE WITH FRIED CAPERS OVER LINGUINE

This comes from the June 2014 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 27, and starts off, “This versatile sauce also works great spread on crostini, spooned over soft polenta, or served with poached eggs.” Serves 4 in 30 minutes or less.

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1 Tbs. olive oil

2 Tbs. capers, drained and patted dry with paper towels

1 red onion, chopped (1 cup)

3 cloves garlic, minced (1 Tbs.)

1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes

1 lb. cherry tomatoes, halved (3 1/2 cups)

1 cup fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced, divided

1/4 cup pitted Kalamata olives, coarsely chopped

12 oz. linguine

Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add capers, and fry 1 to 2 minutes, or until many capers have split. Remove capers with slotted spoon, and drain on paper towels. Add onion to skillet, and cook 3 to 5 minutes, then stir in garlic and red pepper flakes, and cook 1 minute more. Stir in tomatoes, and cook 5 to 7 minutes, or until tomatoes begin to break down. Stir in 1/2 cup basil and olives, and remove pan from heat.

Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions. Drain pasta, reserving 1/2 cup cooking water. Add drained pasta to skillet, and toss to combine with sauce, adding some pasta water if mixture seems too thick. Serve garnished with remaining 1/2 cup basil and capers.

nutritional information Per 1 1/2-cup serving: Calories: 395; Protein: 14 g; Total Fat: 7 g; Saturated Fat: 1 g; Carbohydrates: 74 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 254 mg; Fiber: 5 g; Sugar: 8 g; Vegan

GREEN PASTA PRIMAVERA

This is from the April/May 2015 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 38. It begins, “Tossing cooked pasted with puréed toasted pine nuts and pasta water creates a delicious cheese-like coating for the noodles.” Serves 6 in 30 minutes or less.

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1/2 cup plus 3 Tbs. pine nuts

1/4 cup olive oil, divided

1 Tbs. lemon juice

8 cloves garlic, minced (3 Tbs.)

2 medium leeks, sliced (2 cups)

1 lb. broccoli raab, chopped

2 cups frozen peas, thawed

6 cups baby spinach

8 oz. farfalle pasta

Toast pine nuts in skillet over low heat 5 minutes, or until golden, stirring frequently. Remove pan from heat. Blend 1/2 cup toasted pine nuts in food processor with 2 Tbs. oil, lemon juice, and 1 Tbs. water until smooth. Set aside remaining 3 Tbs. toasted pine nuts.

Heat remaining 2 Tbs. oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic, and sauté 1 to 2 minutes, or until golden. Stir in leeks, and season with salt, if desired. Sauté 5 minutes. Add broccoli raab, and cook 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add peas, and cook 2 minutes more. Stir in spinach, and remove from heat.

Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions. Drain pasta, reserving 1/3 cup cooking water. Return pasta to pot; stir in sauce and reserved pasta cooking water. Fold in broccoli raab mixture. Serve topped with whole toasted pine nuts.

nutritional information Per 1-cup serving: Calories: 395; Protein: 14 g; Total Fat: 20 g; Saturated Fat: 2 g; Carbohydrates: 48 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 70 mg; Fiber: 6 g; Sugar: 6 g; Vegan

VEGETARIAN LASAGNA

I’d been making lasagna for years, using a favorite cookbook. One time, my oldest son took the same recipe, and replaced the meat with eggplant. His came out tasting better than when I made it.

I tried recreating the eggplant version, but it never quite came out the same. So, I ended up changing the recipe drastically, changing ingredients and amounts. The funny thing is that, while I use one or two packages of tofu crumbles instead of meat, it tastes enough like meat to fool several non-vegetarians. One person, after eating this, even looked at me aghast, asking, “What are you, some kind of vegetarian?” Never heard from him again.

Tomato sauce:

2 – 3 onions, chopped

3 – 5 cloves garlic, minced

28 oz. can tomatoes

2 – 8 oz. cans tomato sauce

2 – 6 oz. cans tomato paste

2 T oil

1 T oregano

1 tsp. basil

1 tsp. thyme

1 tsp. dill

1 tsp. anise

1 or 2 – 10 oz. package tofu crumbles

Brown onions & garlic in oil. Add remaining ingredients, stir well, simmer for 1 hour. While sauce is cooking, in a separate pot, cook 16 oz. lasagna noodles & make cheese layer.

Cheese layer:

2 C sour cream

2 C cottage cheese

2 eggs

4 C mozzarella, grated

2 C cheddar cheese, grated

1 C Parmesan cheese

Mix ingredients together in large bowl.

Assemble:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In 9” X 13” pan, place half the cooked lasagna noodles length-wise. Top with half the cheese mixture, then half the tomato sauce. Repeat. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes. Let cool a few minutes before cutting, as it tends to be a little runny when it first comes out of the oven. Serve with a salad and a loaf of hot Italian bread. Very yummy.

Wednesday Recipes

Hope your week is going well...and that the rest of the week is better. In the meantime, since we still have to eat, here are today's recipes. Enjoy!

THAI GREEN CURRY

This recipes comes from the March 2006 issue of Vegetarian Times, and starts off, “Some Thai green curry pastes contain shrimp paste, so look for vegetarian versions in the Asian foods section of the supermarket.” Serves 6 in 30 minutes or less.

To view this online, click here.

2 Tbs. vegetable oil

4 shallots, minced

2 tsp. Thai green curry paste

1 14-oz. can low-fat coconut milk

1/2 cup whole basil leaves

2 Tbs. grated lime zest

1 15-oz. can sliced bamboo shoots, packed in water

3/4 lb. frozen precut green beans

1/2 lb. white round or other waxy potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

2 carrots, shredded

1 8-oz. pkg. Thai-flavored baked tofu, cut into strips

2 Tbs. low-sodium soy sauce

Heat oil in large pot over medium heat. Add shallots and curry paste; stir-fry 1 minute.

Blend coconut milk with 1?4 cup basil and lime zest in blender or food processor; add mixture to pot. Add bamboo shoots with their water, green beans, potatoes, carrots and salt to taste. Stir, and cook uncovered 10 minutes.

Add tofu and soy sauce. Cook 5 minutes, until green beans are just tender.

Add remaining basil and serve.

nutritional information Per SERVING: Calories: 257; Protein: 13 g; Total Fat: 14 g; Saturated Fat: 4 g; Carbohydrates: 20 g; Sodium: 494 mg; Fiber: 5 g; Sugar: 5 g; Vegan

GRILLED CHICKEN WITH FRUIT SALSA

Yield: 4 servings.

Serving Size: about 4 ounces

Source: The Diabetes Food and Nutrition Bible

Book Info: http://diabeticgourmet.com/book_archive/details/11.shtml

View online: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/537.shtml

Ingredients

Fruit Salsa:

2 cans (8 oz each) crushed pineapple, packed in juice, drained

1 mango, peeled and cubed

1/2 papaya, peeled and cubed

2 Tbsp rice vinegar

1 Tbsp finely minced cilantro

1 Tbsp minced red pepper

Grilled Chicken:

2 whole chicken breasts, boned, skinned, halved (10 oz meat each)

2 tsp olive oil

Garnish:

Kiwi slices

Directions

In a medium bowl, combine salsa ingredients. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Preheat an oven broiler or outdoor grill. Brush the chicken breasts with the olive oil. Grill or broil the chicken about 7 minutes per side or until no pink remains.

To serve: Place fruit salsa on a plate using a few spoonfuls per person. Top with a cooked chicken breast. Garnish with kiwi slice.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 305; Calories from Fat: 54 ; Protein: 32 g; Fat: 6 g; Sodium: 79 mg; Cholesterol: 85 mg; Dietary Fiber: 3 g; Sugars: 25 g; Carbohydrates: 30 g; Exchanges: 4 Very Lean Meat; 2 Fruit; 1 Fat

STRAWBERRY LIMEADE CUPCAKES

This comes from Peggy Trowbridge Filippone, About.com's Homecooking expert. She writes, “These colorful cupcakes are rich with the sweet flavor of fresh strawberries and the tangy zing of limes. They are perfect for a family picnic, potluck dinner dessert, bake sale, or birthday party treat. Although they look quite gourmet, these little gems are so easy to make and a real crowd-pleaser for any occasion. You will need to keep them cool until serving time so the rich, buttery frosting stays firm. Be prepared to share the recipe with your adoring fans.” Prep Time: 20 minutes; Cook Time: 20 minutes; Total Time: 40 minutes; Yield: 24 servings

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

Cupcakes:

2-3/4 cups cake flour

1 Tablespoon baking powder

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup canola oil

1-2/3 cups, plus 3 Tablespoons granulated white sugar, divided use

6 large egg whites

3/4 cup sour cream

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 cups chopped fresh strawberries

1/4 cup fresh line juice

Frosting:

1 cup butter, softened

5 cups confectioners' powdered sugar, divided

2/3 cup chopped strawberries

2 teaspoons lime zest

Preparation

To make the cupcakes, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place cupcake liners in 24 muffin cups.

Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. In a large bowl, using a mixer on low speed, beat together the oil and 1-2/3 cups of sugar. Add the egg whites one at a time, mixing after each addition. Stir in the sour cream and vanilla, and then slowly mix in the flour mixture. Add the strawberries, mixing just until they are incorporated and the batter is pale pink.

Pour the batter into the cupcake liners, filling each three-fourths full. Bake for 20 minutes.

While the cupcakes are baking, heat the lime juice and the remaining 3 tablespoons sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Once the cupcakes have finished baking, remove them to a wire rack, and use a toothpick to prick several holes in the tops of the cakes while they are still warm. Spoon the lime syrup over the top of each cupcake, and allow the cupcakes to cool completely.

For the frosting, place the butter in a large bowl, and add 1 cup of powdered sugar. Use a hand mixer to cream the mixture. Add the remaining powdered sugar 1 cup at a time, mixing after each addition. Once all of the sugar has been added, stir in the strawberries and lime zest. Frost the cupcakes once they have cooled.

Tip: Keep these cupcakes in a cooler (or refrigerate) until you are ready to serve them so that the frosting will stay firm.

VEGAN REUBEN BURGERS

Who doesn't love Reubens - especially if you grew up in the Northeast. This recipe comes from New Times Broward-Palm Beach. Hannah Sentenac, who wrote this for their online site, starts off, "I was putting ketchup on some breakfast potatoes the other day when I noticed an intriguing recipe staring at me from the back of the Heinz bottle: Reuben Burgers. Needless to say, they weren't vegan. Nor were they healthy. Nonetheless, I was inspired to veganize them, and the end result was magically delicious. So delicious, in fact, that I knew I had to share. Don't judge till you've tasted them. Recipe after the jump."

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons sauerkraut

2 slices of rye bread (toasted)

2 slices Creamy Original Field Roast Chao Cheese (or dairy-free cheese of choice)

1/3 package Trader Joe's Beefless Ground Beef (or meatless crumbles of choice)

2 TBS Tofutti Sour Cream

2 TBS Heinz ketchup

Instructions:

Heat up the beefless beef in a skillet over medium heat for two or three minutes. Add the Tofutti Sour Cream and the Heinz Ketchup and stir until mixed.

Remove from heat and spoon mixture over pre-toasted slice of rye bread.

Top with Chao cheese and allow to melt (you can also pop it in the microwave for a few seconds -- Chao cheese is super melty). Then, spoon sauerkraut on top.

Top with remaining slice of rye bread. Cut in half. Eat. NOM NOM NOM.

BAKED POTATO CASSEROLE

I'm really not sure where this recipe came from. But it's yummy.

Ingredients:

8 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks

1 cup Carnation Evaporated Lowfat 2% Milk

1/2 cup light sour cream

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

2 cups (8 oz. Pkg) shredded 2% cheddar cheese, divided

6 slices turkey bacon, cooked and crumbled, divided

Sliced green onions (optional)

Directions:

Place potatoes in large saucepan. Cover with water, bring to a boil. Cook over medium-high heat for 15 to 20 minutes or until tender. Drain.

Preheat oven to 350º F. Grease 2 1/2 – to 3-quart casserole dish.

Return potatoes to saucepan, add evaporated milk, sour cream, salt and pepper. Beat with hand-held mixer until smooth. Stir in 1 1/2 cups cheese and half of bacon. Spoon mixture into prepared casserole dish.

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until heated through. Top with remaining 1/2 cup cheese, remaining bacon and green onions. Bake for an additional 3 minutes or until cheese is melted.

ANGEL HAIR PASTA

I had something similar to this at a restaurant several times, and decided to try making it. A hint for making this: wait until all the veggies have been cut up, then start the water boiling for the angel hair pasta. The veggies should be cooked for 2-4 minutes, and the pasta cooked for 2 minutes before the pasta is drained and then allowed to finish cooking for another 2 minutes with the veggies. Timing is important—unless you like disgustingly soggy pasta.

1/4 C water

3 medium to large tomatoes

2 T balsamic vinegar

1 onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 red pepper, diced

1/2 green pepper, diced

1 T oregano

1 lb. angel hair pasta

Cut up veggies while heating the pasta water. DO NOT PUT PASTA INTO WATER UNTIL THE VEGGIES BEGIN COOKING. (There. I said it.)

In veggie pot, heat 1/4 C water & balsamic vinegar until it begins to bubble; add onion, garlic, pepper & oregano and stir once or twice. NOW ADD PASTA TO POT OF BOILING PASTA WATER. (Boy, what a bossy broad.)

Simmer veggies on low-medium heat for 2-4 minutes, covered. Cook pasta for only 2 minutes, then drain in colander. As soon as pasta is drained, remove cover from veggies, dump pasta into veggie pot, and cook for another 2 minutes, stirring several times. Remove from heat. DIG IN!!! (Now, isn’t that good?)