Posts filed under 'Meatless Mondays'
This recipe was inspired by a pin I found on pinterest. The original recipe is from Spoon, Fork and Bacon. I've been making these a lot this summer. There's been no complaints and loads of compliments.
It's a very versatile recipe in that any good quality cheese works and you can also add other vegetables like grated summer squash or leftover cooked corn. They make a great accompaniment to just about any dish but can also be featured as the main source of protein for a vegetarian dinner.
The changes I made to the original recipe are as follows: I used rainbow quinoa, cooked corn and Dubliner cheddar cheese. The key is to make these nice and flat so that they crisp up. Adding some Panko bread crumbs would be nice too. The gals at Spoon, Fork and Bacon, serve these with aioli but I don't think they require adornment. If you are serving as an entree you might want to make a nice fresh salsa.
Quinoa Patties
1 1/2 cups cooked rainbow (or tri-colored) quinoa
1/2 cup cooked corn
1/2 tsp, fresh thyme leaves
3 Tbsp. flour
2 scallions, sliced thinly
2/3 cup grated Fontina or Dubliner cheese
2 eggs lightly beaten
salt and pepper
oil for frying
Place the quinoa into a large bowl and add the seasonings, flour and scallions. Pour in the lightly beaten eggs and mix well. Now add the cheese. Heat a large skillet and add the oil, just enough to coat the pan generously.
Make the patties – I suggest using a 1/4 cup measuring cup to scoop out and then form them quickly with your hands – and fry them for about about 5 minutes on each side over medium/low heat. This recipe makes about 12. You can keep them warm in the oven before serving.
Photos courtesy of Sally Cole. Models: Two of my dearest and "oldest" freinds.
August 12th, 2012
Hot weather in the Rockies calls for cool salad ideas. One of my favorite salads is a simple cucumber made with Fage yogurt. I have made this before with Bulgarian style yogurt but this thick Greek yogurt takes the prize. Seriously thick, there is no sense of depravation with the o% fat. For those of you who haven't tried this style of yogurt, the key differentiator with Greek style yogurt is that it is strained of its water. As a result it is creamier and has a higher protein content.
Thanks to Fage, the interest in this traditional style of yogurt has created a multi-million dollar category at the grocery store. Fage is by far the most prominent (and one of the best in my humble opinion) as it was first to market. But there are lots of brands out there now offering this style yogurt. Just make sure that the ingredient statment doesn't include gums or stabilizers, as these are not true Greek yogurts.
Cool, Creamy Cucumbers
1 large English cucumber, sliced 1/4 inch thick on the diagonal
1/2 bunch chives, snipped, or 3 scallions, sliced thinly
1 cup Fage 0% yogurt
1 fresh lime, zest from 1/2 the lime, and then juiced (freshly squeezed orange juice works nicely too)
4 or 5 sprigs of cilantro (or fresh mint), chopped
2 cloves fresh garlic, minced
salt and pepper or Grains of Paradise
rice wine vinegar to taste, or the juice of 1/2 an orange
1/4 cup Olive oil
Water -to thin out as desired.
salt and pepper
Place the cucumbers into a large bowl. In a separate mixing bowl add the yogurt to your seasonings and stir. Now add the citrus juices and/or rice wine vinegar. Mix well and then slowly add the olive oil. Adjust seasonings and add water if you want it thinner – to your liking.
Pour mixture over the cucumbers. Toss to coat the cukes well. You can place in the refrigerator for a few hours but just before serving mix them again and garnish as you wish. These would be swell with quinoa patties which are posting in a few days.
August 7th, 2012
'Tis the season for squash and soup! This is the kind of soup that I love to order at restaurants, smooth and delicious, highlightling the crops of the season.
The good news is that it is easy enough to make at home; save your restaurant bucks for the Christmas shopping budget 
Roasting squash and sweet potatoes take little effort and it can be done ahead of time to save time on soup day. I prefer roasting to steaming or boiling because it concentrates and deepens the flavor of the vegetables.
Oven-Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
Serves 6
This vegetarian soup pairs savory winter squash and sweet apples to create a creamy soup that is sure to please everyone at the table. This fall classic is perfect on its own or served alongside a grilled cheese sandwich.
1 medium butternut squash
1 sweet potato, about 1 lb.
2 Tbsp. butter or olive oil
1 medium onion finely chopped
1 celery stalk, finely chopped
1 carrot, peeled and finely chopped
1 large apple, peeled and chopped
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. ground coriander
1/4 tsp. ground allspice
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. paprika
pinch of cayenne
5 cups vegetable broth, divided
2 Tbsp. honey, agave or brown sugar
2 Tbsp. molasses
2 tsp. cider vinegar or 1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1/4 cup heavy cream (optional)
finely chopped fresh cilantro or fresh parsley
Preheat oven to 350°F. Cut squash in half lengthwise with a strong knife and a strong arm. Scoop out the seeds with a spoon and discard. Prick the sweet potato with a fork. Place the sweet potato and squash, skin side up, onto a baking sheet.
Roast for 1 hour or until very tender, depending on the size of the squash, it make take 15-20 minutes more. When cool enough to touch, scoop cooked squash out of the skin and transfer to a food processor.
Slice the sweet potato lengthwise and scoop the sweet potato away from the skin. Add it to the food processor with 1 cup of broth and puree until very smooth. This step can be done one day ahead and puree can be refrigerated until needed to prepare the soup.
While the squash roasts, you can prepare the soup base. Add the butter to large pot over medium heat. When melted, add the next 11 ingredients to the pot (onion through cayenne).
Cook and stir until onions begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Add 1 cup of broth to the vegetables and stir well. Cover and simmer until carrots and celery are tender, about 10 minutes.
Use a slotted spoon to transfer the vegetables to a food processor. Add 1 cup of broth to the processor and puree until smooth. Add it back to the pot along with the pureed squash and whisk until smooth. Alternatively, process the soup with a hand held blender.
Stir in the remaining 3 cups of broth, honey, molasses and cider vinegar. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Reduce heat to low, stir in the cream, if using, and cook for 10 minutes uncovered. Garnish each bowl with a sprinkling of cilantro or parsley.
November 16th, 2011
One of my favorite snack indulgences is Yummy's Choice Labaneh. As I hate to beholden to buying snack foods so I embarked on trying to make my own.
Labaneh, not to be confused with keffir cheese or Greek sour cream is a wonderful "cheese" made from strained yogurt that has many iterations from the Eastern Mediterranean. In most households the plain strained yogurt is simply served with some dried mint and unfiltered olive oil as a dip for pita bread. Some add Z'hatar spice too. Sammy's takes it a few delectable steps further.
A quick web search found me scratching my head as there seemed to be quite few interpretations of what constitutes labaneh. One of my favorite blogs, The Nourished Kitchen had thorough information as to how to make labaneh and then suggestions as to how to enjoy it in addition to all the health benefits you get from eating it. Wikipedia provided decent background information on strained yogurt.
Recently I found Lebni from Greek Gods which they sell as Kefir Cheese. Then I found a torn out page from Saveur magazine from a few years back featuring Lebni in their 100 issue.
I was driven to my tower of cookbooks. Jeffrey Alford and Naomi Duguid, intrepid Canadian travelers and chroniclers of international traditional foods as well as the amazing Eastern Mediterranean expert, Claudia Roden and historical food writer Anne Mendelson, offered what I needed in terms of background and recipes.
Flatbread and Flavors, a favorite book by Alford and DuGuid, and Anne Mendelson's Milk Through the Ages have the best recipes for making yogurt cheese balls that you store in olive oil. If you don't have either book and don't feel like purchasing yet another cookbook – their technique is the same as the one on the Nourished Kitchen site listed above. Claudia Roden in Arabesque calls it "cheese and yogurt dip" and includes adding feta to the yogurt -like Yummy's, but no walnuts.
Here is my version of Yummy's labaneh. I guarantee that you will enjoy this tangy, salty, herbaceous "yogurt cheese". I served it with some homemade pita crisps (Labaneh is pictured in the center) and even placed some in some nastursum flowers.
The other nibbles are fresh figs with caramelized walnuts and Pt. Reyes blue cheese, dates with parmesean cheese and Marcona Almonds and "fried" chick peas (recipe posting soon). To me the closest thing I can relate this "cheese" recipe to is French Boursin. I could see leftovers being used in Kimberly's Grilled Portabella Mushroom Sandwich on Meatless Mondays.
Barr's Lebaneh
1/4 cup toasted walnuts
1/4 feta cheese
1/4 cup Greek Gods Lebani (Keffir Cheese)
1 clove garlic
EVVO, a nice fruity variety
1 Tbsp. each Chives, mint, parsley -chopped fine
You can make this by hand which makes for a wonderful consistency, but I prefer to use my food processor. The recipe also easily doubles for a crowd.
Place the walnuts into the food processor and pulse until they are fine and crumbly. Remove about 1 Tbsp.
Add the feta and Greek God's keffir cheese and the clove of garlic. Turn machine on and puree with the machine running add about 1/8 cup olive oil.
Remove from the food processor and place into a bowl. Stir in the finely chopped herbs. Drizzle on some more olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Garnish with the remaining walnuts and serve.
October 15th, 2011
We had dinner at our neighbor's house the other night. They are the founders of New Planet Beer, a company that produces amazing gluten-free beer. I love the raspberry brew. The salad dressing they served is a new personal favorite.
The combination of apricots and basil was a surprise for me and one that I never have considered. The dried apricots (and I recommend using the sulphured kind) give this dressing a beautiful color when blended with the basil.
Seneca adapted it from About.com. After reading the original recipe, I think her adaptation is really superior and easier to make year round when fresh apricots are not available. This is the perfect time of year to make this dressing as the basil is plentiful and inexpensive.
Seneca's Basil and Dried Apricot Salad Dressing
Enough for a large salad for 2.
It is best to make and use this dressing on the same day because it will lose its vibrant color if it sits too long.
4 dried apricots, sulphured apricots are preferable as you will have a nicer color
1 to 2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar, to taste (slightly sweet or more acidic)
1 tsp. raw blue agave
1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
2 Tbsp. grapseed oil or mild olive oil
(nut oil like walnut or almond would be good too)
Salt and Pepper, to taste (see pantry note about flake salt below)
Rehydrate the apricots in hot water. Drain away all of the water except for 1 Tbsp.
Put the apricots and the reserved water in a blender along with the cider vinegar, and agave. Process into a thick puree. Add the chopped basil and blend again. Now whisk in the oil.
Arrange your salad: Arugula, mache, spinach and baby greens are all excellent choices. In one version, I added toasted walnuts and the Early Girl tomatoes that are so abundant in Boulder Farmer's Markets. This dressing also works well on raw kale salad.
Flavorista Bonus Material
Some of My Pantry Staples:
Maldon's Smoked Sea Salt Flakes are an excellent choice for salads. Sprinkle it over the salad just before serving, rather than mixing it ito the dressing, for the best flavor and effect.
The entire Wholesome Sweeteners line is noteworthy but I especially like this organic agave.
Spectrum's Organic unfiltered apple cider vinegar is my preferred cider vinegar. I've tasted quite a few brands, and this one is by far the best as it doesn't have a harsh bite.
October 2nd, 2011
If you're entertaining and need something green to snack upon, here are some lovely and simple spreads to put out with carrots or crackers of your choice. Radishes offer a gorgeous color contrast to these verdant springtime dips.
Homemade dips and spread are great make-ahead appetizers. Any leftovers are perfect for vegetarian sandwiches. I love how these dips have variations of green color.
Our friend Becky of The Organic Dish in Boulder shared her green pea hummus with us a while back. Kimberly has made Becky's recipe with 1/2 green peas and 1/2 edamame and happily reports that it was super yummy. I have also made it with fresh mint and no tahini with equally refreshing, delicious results.
This lima bean skordalia was inspired by one I bought at Market Hall in the Rockridge neighborhood of Oakland, CA. Like the green pea hummus, it's easy to make and yummy. Fava bean puree takes a bit more time as you need to shell the fava beans.
Lima Bean "Skordalia" with Feta
1 bag frozen lima beans
Juice from 1 lemon (about 2 Tbsp., more to taste)
4 cloves of garlic
1 tsp freshly chopped oregano
4 to 6 Tlbs. best quality EVVO
Salt and pepper to taste
6 ounces Feta cheese (I recommend a French Sheep's Feta), crumbled
Cover the lima beans,and 4 cloves of garlic with water and bring to a boil for 5 minutes. Turn off heat and let limas cool in the water.
Strain off the water, reserving at least 1/2 a cup for adding to the puree later. Place the beans in the bowl of a food processor.
Add the garlic, oregano, lemon juice and the EVVO. Process until smooth, adding some of the hot water to make the puree smooth. Remove to your serving dish and stir in the crumbled feta. Season with salt and pepper.
Fava Beans Puree
This recipe is adapted from the Chez Panisse Vegetables cookbook. This puree has always been a harbinger of summer for me. Fava beans are very earthy, do not try and make this with the canned variety. You will be disappointed.
2 lbs. fresh fava beans, parboiled, cooled in iced water and shelled
Splash of dry white wine
1 small leek, white part sliced very thinly
1/4 cup EVVO (preferably a different one from the lima bean skordalia, something fruity like Puget from France.
2 cloves garlic
1/4 of a bay leaf
1 sprig of fresh thyme
1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1/4 tsp. finely grated lemon zest
salt and pepper to taste
Heat the olive oil in a large pan under medium to low heat, add the leek and cook until soft. Add the minced garlic and fresh thyme and bay leaf. Now add the shelled fava beans and splash of white wine.
Once you can smash the favas with the back of a spoon easily, remove from heat. You can now either smash the mixture with the implement of your choice or remove the bay leaf and place the beans in the bowl of a food processor and puree until smooth. Adjust seasoning and serve.
June 11th, 2011
This is one of my favorite recipes for steamed or roasted asparagus. It's perfect for a spring brunch. This would also be delicious as a Meatless Monday dinner item alongside a nice salad and roasted potatoes.
Asparagus Salad with Almonds, Eggs and Parsley with a Whole Grain Mustard Vinaigrette
2 Tbsp. whole grain mustard (Dijon will do too but whole grain is much prettier)
2 medium cloves of garlic, minced
2 Tbsp. Capers, chopped roughly
2 Anchovies(not packed in salt, but marinated), chopped (optional)
1/4 cup Sherry Vinegar
(You can use any vinegar you like, infact fruit or herb infused vineger, like tarragon, work exceptionally well)
Juice of 1 Orange (about 1/2 cup)
1 cup EVVO
2 bunches asparagus, cooked to your liking
(I like to blanch them, shock them in ice water than dry them off.)
3 eggs, hard boiled, peeled and coarsley chopped
(Best way to do this is to put eggs in a pan of cold water, bring to a boil. Boil for 3 minutes. Cover, turn off heat and let eggs sit for 1 minute. Cool and peel.)
1 cup almonds (Marconas, as pictured, work well but slivered will suffice)
2 to 4 Tbsp. Italian flat leaf parsley, chopped and a few leaves left whole for garnish
Salt and pepper to sprinkle on top just before serving
Place the mustard, capers, anchovies, and garlic into a bowl or glass jar. Add the orange juice and sherry vinegar. Now add the olive oil (listed as EVVO) while whisking (if using a glass jar then pour oil in place lid on and shake it baby).
Place the cooked and cooled asparagus on to a platter. Sprinkle the chopped eggs, parsley and almonds on top. Pour the dressing over the top, reserving some fo serve alongside. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and serve.
April 25th, 2011
