Meatless Monday

I hope that the weather where you are is nice. It's been raining for weeks where I am. If only someone could figure out how to ship some of this to California to help out their drought. In the meantime, since we do have to eat, here are six vegetarian recipes to try. Enjoy!

FAVA BEAN AND PASTA TOSS

This recipe comes from the April 2005 issue of Vegetarian Times. It begins, “A versatile main dish, this works well as a warm entrée or a hearty salad. If you choose the salad option, try garnishing the dish with diced avocados. Pass with toasted focaccia sprinkled with garlic and olive oil.” Serves 6 in 30 minues or less.

To view this online, click here.

1 cup uncooked whole wheat spiral pasta

1 19-oz. can fava beans, drained and well rinsed

1 15.5-oz. can artichoke hearts, drained, well rinsed and chopped

1 6-oz. jar water-packed roasted red peppers, drained, well rinsed and diced

2 pieces oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained and diced

1 Tbs. pesto

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

Bring large pot of lightly salted water to a boil, and cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and rinse.

Meanwhile, put beans, artichoke hearts and red peppers in large mixing bowl. Stir together tomatoes and pesto, and stir into bean mixture. Season with salt and pepper. Add pasta, toss mixture and top with mozzarella cheese.

nutritional information Per SERVING: Calories: 250; Protein: 15 g; Total Fat: 5 g; Saturated Fat: 1 g; Carbohydrates: 37 g; Cholesterol: 5 mg; Sodium: 620 mg; Fiber: 8 g; Sugar: 2 g

SOUTHWESTERN CHOPPED SALAD

This also comes from the April 2005 issue of Vegetarian Times, and begins, “Lunches get a big flavor kick with this colorful combination, guaranteed to dazzle family and friends. Pass the salad, and serve it with warmed flour or corn tortillas and lemonade.” Serves 6 in 30 minutes or less.

To view this online, click here.

1 cup frozen corn kernels, cooked and cooled

1 avocado, diced

1 pint grape tomatoes

1 red bell pepper, diced

1 jalapeño chile, minced, optional

1 15.5-oz. can pinto beans, drained and well rinsed

4 hard-boiled eggs, chopped

1 cup crumbled tortilla chips, preferably lime-flavored

2 Tbs. olive oil

2 Tbs. fresh lime juice

1 tsp. chili powder, or to taste

1 Tbs. sugar, or more to taste

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Combine corn, avocado, tomatoes, bell pepper, jalapeño, if using, beans, eggs and tortilla chips in large salad bowl.

Stir together oil, lime juice, chili powder, sugar, salt and pepper until combined. Pour over salad mixture, and toss to combine. Serve.

nutritional information Per SERVING: Calories: 290; Protein: 10 g; Total Fat: 14 g; Saturated Fat: 2 g; Carbohydrates: 33 g; Cholesterol: 140 mg; Sodium: 330 mg; Fiber: 7 g; Sugar: 6 g

ROSEMARY RATATOUILLE FRITTATA

This one, from the November 2012 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 32, starts off, "Most ratatouille recipes call for seasoning the vegetable combination with a blend of herbs. Here, the mixture is flavored simply with fresh rosemary so that the vegetables take center stage." It can be viewed online here.

2 Tbs. olive oil

3 cloves garlic, minced (1 Tbs.)

2 tsp. finely chopped fresh rosemary, plus 4 small sprigs for garnish

1 small Japanese eggplant (4 oz.), cubed

1 small zucchini (4 oz.), cubed

1 small onion, diced (1 cup)

1/2 large red bell pepper, cubed

1/2 cup canned crushed tomatoes

2 1/2 tsp. red wine vinegar, divided

8 large eggs

Preheat oven to 400°F. Coat ovenproof nonstick skillet with cooking spray. Add oil; heat over medium-high heat. Add garlic and chopped rosemary. Cook 30 seconds. Add eggplant, zucchini, onion, and bell pepper. Sauté 2 minutes. Add tomatoes, 1 tsp. vinegar, and 1/2 cup water. Cover; cook 8 minutes.

Whisk together eggs and remaining 1 1/2 tsp. vinegar in bowl.

Scrape ratatouille into bowl. Recoat skillet with cooking spray, and return to medium-high heat. Pour in eggs, and cook 1 minute. Spoon 2 cups ratatouille over eggs. (Reserve any remaining ratatouille for another use.) Place skillet in oven, and bake 8 minutes, or until set.

Loosen frittata from skillet using heat-proof spatula. Slide out onto platter. Cut into 4 wedges, garnish each with rosemary sprig, and serve.

nutritional information Per Wedge: Calories: 219; Protein: 14 g; Total Fat: 15 g; Saturated Fat: 4 g; Carbohydrates: 8 g; Cholesterol: 372 mg; Sodium: 172 mg; Fiber: 2 g; Sugar: 3 g; Gluten-Free

SUMMER CORN AND PEACH PITA

This is from the July/August 2015 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 34. It begins, “If you can find fresh chervil for these simple sandwiches, by all means, use it—the delicate flavor of the aromatic her complements summer corn and peaches.” Serves 6 in 30 minutes or less.

To view this online, click here.

3 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels

3 peaches, cut into 8 slices each

3 cups arugula

1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh chervil or basil

1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

1 large shallot, thinly sliced

3 Tbs. lime juice

2 Tbs. olive oil

3 pita breads, halved

Bring 6 cups salted water to a boil. Add corn, and cook 2 minutes. Drain, rinse under cold water, and drain again. Toss corn with peaches, arugula, chervil, feta, shallot, lime juice, and oil in large bowl. Fill each pita half with 1 1/3 cups corn-peaches mixture.

nutritional information Per Pita half: Calories: 259; Protein: 9 g; Total Fat: 9 g; Saturated Fat: 3 g; Carbohydrates: 41 g; Cholesterol: 11 mg; Sodium: 320 mg; Fiber: 5 g; Sugar: 12 g

TOMATO-MOZZARELLA SALAD

I'm frequently amazed at where I find good recipes. This one is from Florence Fabricant in The New York Times's emailed newsletter. Serves 6 in 20 minutes (not including marinating time).

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

2 pounds ripe plum tomatoes

1 pound fresh mozzarella cheese

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/4 cup finely minced fresh basil

1 tablespoon drained capers

Generous pinch hot red pepper flakes

Freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

Dice the tomatoes into one-inch pieces. Place in a bowl.

Dice the mozzarella into one-half-inch pieces. Add to the tomatoes along with the rest of the ingredients and gently fold everything together.

Allow salad to marinate an hour at room temperature, then serve.

PUMPKIN PIE SMOOTHIE

Finally, this is from the Share: Reader Recipe column in November 2013 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 12. And while most of us think of pumpkin as a fall/winter flavor, I love pumpkin enough to eat it throughout the year.

This recipe begins, “Jen Galfano, of West Chester, Pa., created this festive drink as a post-exercise treat. 'I’m a big fan of pumpkin pie,” she says, “but I only like the inside of the pie and not the crust, so this smoothie was the perfect solution—I feel like I’m drinking pie for breakfast.'” And what do I say about this recipe? Yum!

To view this online, click here.

1 cup unsweetened soymilk or almond milk

1/2 cup pumpkin purée

1/4 cup graham cracker crumbs

1 banana, sliced and frozen

1 Tbs. agave nectar

1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 pinch salt

Freshly grated nutmeg, for sprinkling

Blend soymilk, pumpkin purée, graham cracker crumbs, banana, agave nectar, cinnamon, salt, and 1/2 cup crushed ice in blender until smooth. Sprinkle with nutmeg.

nutritional information Per 1-cup serving: Calories: 199; Protein: 6 g; Total Fat: 4 g; Saturated Fat: less than 1 g; Carbohydrates: 38 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 175 mg; Fiber: 5 g; Sugar: 22 g

Wednesday Recipes

A little late again today, but at least the recipes are here. Enjoy!

PEACH DUMP CAKE

This comes from Tablespoon.com, and begins, “Quick and simple, this delicious peach cake is the perfect way to enjoy fresh spring peaches. Just dump in the ingredients, bake and serve!” Prep Time: 10 min; Total Time: 60 min; Servings: 16.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

6 to 8 ripe peaches, pitted, peeled and sliced

1 (12 oz) can evaporated milk

3 whole eggs

1 cup white sugar

3 teaspoons cinnamon

1 (18.25 oz) Betty Crocker SuperMoist™ white cake mix

1 cup sliced almonds (optional)

3/4 cup butter, melted

8 cups vanilla ice cream, for serving if desired

1 cup salted caramel sauce, for serving if desired

Direction

Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.

In a large bowl, mix peaches, evaporated milk, eggs, sugar and cinnamon until well blended. Spread peach mixture in prepared baking dish. Mixture will be very wet. Sprinkle dry cake mix evenly on top of the batter. (Do not prepare cake batter.)

If adding pecans, sprinkle them over the top of the dry cake mix. Pour melted butter evenly over the top of the cake mix. Bake 50 minutes. Let cool. Top with ice cream and caramel sauce as desired.

VANILLA SCONES

This come from the infamous long-since-forgotten-emailing-list. Makes 8 servings.

2 cups flour

1/3 cup sugar

2 t. baking powder

1/8 t. salt

1/2 cup butter, cut up

2/3 cup whipping cream

1 large egg

1 T. vanilla extract

1 egg white

1 t. water

2 T. sparkling sugar

Combine first 4 ingredients.

Cut butter into flour mixture with pastry blender or fork until crumbly.

Whisk together whipping cream, egg, and vanilla; add to flour mixture, stirring just until dry ingredients are moistened. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface; pat into an 8 1/2 inch circle. Cut into 8 wedges, and place 1 inch apart on a lightly greased baking sheet.

Whisk together egg white and 1 t. water. Brush over tops of scones. Sprinkle with sparkling sugar. Bake at 425 for 15 minutes or until golden brown.

Note: Sparkling sugar has larger crystals that give the scones a festive look. Sparkling sugar is available in stores that carry cake decorating supplies, gourmet grocery stores and on line. Granulated sugar can be substituted for sparkling sugar is desired.

For chocolate sprinkle scones, make the vanilla scones as directed, stirring 1 finely chopped (4 oz) semisweet chocolate bar into the flour mixture before adding the wet ingredients.

TOMATO-MOZZARELLA SALAD

I'm frequently amazed at where I find good recipes. This one is from Florence Fabricant in The New York Times's emailed newsletter. Serves 6 in 20 minutes (not including marinating time).

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

2 pounds ripe plum tomatoes

1 pound fresh mozzarella cheese

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/4 cup finely minced fresh basil

1 tablespoon drained capers

Generous pinch hot red pepper flakes

Freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

Dice the tomatoes into one-inch pieces. Place in a bowl.

Dice the mozzarella into one-half-inch pieces. Add to the tomatoes along with the rest of the ingredients and gently fold everything together.

Allow salad to marinate an hour at room temperature, then serve.

VEGETARIAN BAKED ZITI WITH ZUCCHINI AND SUNDRIED TOMATOES

Sometime I find recipes in places other than cooking sites, such as this one from the GE Appliances site; but then, they do make stoves and refrigerators, so it's not too far a stretch. Anyway, this one begins, “Comfort food you can indulge in without all the guilt. Creamy ricotta cheese teams up with tangy sour cream, shredded mozzarella, and sauteed veggies. When this dish is bubbling away in the oven, you know it's going to be a good night.” Makes 10 servings in 40 minutes.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients:

16 ounce box ziti or other tubular pasta

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 small onion, chopped

1 medium zucchini, cut into 1/2 inch chunks

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup sundried tomatoes, chopped

1/4 cup fresh basil, cut into strips

4 cups tomato-based pasta sauce (jarred or homemade)

1 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

8 ounces sour cream

8 ounces ricotta cheese

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

Method:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add a generous pinch of salt, then add pasta. Cook for about 8 minutes, or approximately 2/3 of the time recommended on the pasta package directions. Drain.

While pasta is cooking, heat olive oil in a large skillet. Add onions and cook until translucent but not brown, 6-8 minutes. Add zucchini and garlic. Cook until zucchini begins to soften but still has a crunch to it, 5-7 minutes. Remove vegetables from heat and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the sour cream and ricotta. Add the vegetables, sundried tomatoes, basil and cooked pasta. Mix well.

In a 9"x 11" dish, layer half the pasta mixture and top with half the shredded mozzarella. Carefully spread half the tomato sauce over the pasta in a thin layer. Add the remaining pasta and then remaining mozzarella. Spread the rest of the pasta sauce over the top, and finally top with the Parmesan cheese.

Cook for 40 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly.

END OF SUMMER VEGETABLE CASSEROLE

Here's another recipe from GE Appliances site. This one makes 8 servings.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients:

3 cups seasoned stuffing crumbs

1/3 cup melted butter

2 medium zucchini, chopped

2 medium carrots, shredded

1 small onion, finely chopped

1/2 medium red bell pepper, chopped

1 10-3/4 ounce can cream of chicken soup (can use fat free)

1/2 cup sour cream (can use fat free or reduced fat versions)

Method:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Mix seasoned stuffing crumbs with melted butter. Combine zucchini, carrots, onion, red bell pepper, cream of chicken soup, sour cream and 1/2 stuffing mixture.

Place in a 9-inch x 13-inch or equivalent size casserole dish. Top with remaining stuffing mixture. Bake for 25 minutes until bubbly.

CROCKPOT ZUCCHINI CHICKEN PARMESAN

Zucchini is one of those vegetables that tends to grow really well. If you have a garden and have planted zucchini, chances are you have an overabundance of the stuff.

This recipe comes from SmileSandwich, and was featured in The Today Show's food email newsletter. (Hint: If you haven't signed up for The Today Show's newsletters, I recommend them, especially – as far as this blog goes – their food newsletter.) Their July 24 newsletter, which concentrates on zucchini, can be viewed by clicking here.

To view this on the SmileSandwich site, click here.

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds (about 4) chicken breasts, cut into cubes

1 small onion, diced

1 large zucchini, diced

1 green pepper, diced

1 teaspoon garlic, minced (or 1/2 tsp garlic powder)

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/4 teaspoon salt (or to taste)

1 tablespoon Italian seasoning

1 1/2 cups pasta or pizza sauce (or tomato sauce)

1 cup low fat shredded cheese

Instructions

Spray your slow cooker with non-stick spray. Combine all ingredients but shredded cheese and stir to combine.

Cover and cook on high for about 3-4 hours or low for about 6-8, or until chicken is cooked through. In the last 30 minutes of cooking, add cheese and cook until it's melted.

Serve over pasta or quinoa sprinkled with Parmesan cheese, if desired.