Moroccan-Spiced Vegetarian Chili

This recipe caught my eye as I perused the Williams-Sonoma recipe bank last week. It had all of the things I was looking for, spicy, warm, comforting, squash-filled and healthy! I love when a dish that is fulfilling is also healthy. The leftovers made for a delicious lunch the next day.

I made a few small changes from the original recipes, beginning with the initial steps. I don't have a blender here in Boise, so I used chili powder instead of making the chili-garlic puree. I also used golden raisins rather than prunes, personal preference, dried beans instead of canned, and quinoa as a base to soak up the spicy, tomato broth. I also topped the  chili with a dollop of green yogurt.

While I would consider this more of a stew than a chili, it was so perfectly balanced flavor-wise. Though it calls for 10 garlic cloves, it doesn't seem overpowered in the last bit, the spices are complimentary, and the sweet squash and fruit keep it from being too savory. This will definitely be a new go-to for our Sunday stews.

Moroccan-Spiced Vegetarian Chili

adapted from Williams-Sonoma

1 tbsp. EVOO

1 small yellow onion, chopped

6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1 tbsp. ancho chili powder

1 1/2 tsp. ground turmeric

1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 1/2 tsp. ground cumin

1 1/2 tsp. ground coriander

1 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes

1 butternut squash, 1 1/2 lbs., peeled and cubed

2 c. cooked chickpeas

2 medium zucchini, cut in 1/2" dice

1/3 c. sliced apricots

1/3 c. golden raisins

2-3 c. vegetable stock

Heat a large Dutch oven over medium heat, add onions and sliced garlic.

Cook for 3-5 minutes, until they begin to caramelize on the edges.

Add chili powder, turmeric, cinnamon, cumin, coriader, stir well to toast seasonings. 

Add tomatoes and squash, turn heat to low, cover and cook squash for 15 minutes.

Add chickpeas, zucchini, apricots, raisins, stir well to combine, cover and cook for another 15 minutes. 

Taste, adjust seasonings, and add stock if stew is too thick. 

Serve over rice, quinoa, cous cous, or any other starch, top with a dollop of Greek yogurt. 

Baked Quinoa with Zucchini, Corn and Basil

As I was perusing Williams-Sonoma's recipes last week for some dinner ideas, I came across this Baked Penne with Corn, Zucchini and Basil. It was the perfect way to marry the fleeting summer produce with a warm, wintery recipe. Because there was no real vegetarian protein, and already starch from corn, I substituted quinoa for the pasta. I also used canned, diced tomatoes rather than fresh, just because I had them on hand.

This is another great casserole meal to keep in mind for freezer stocking, baby/sick meals, or just something warm, hearty and healthy to cook for your own family! Now please excuse me while I go huddle in the corner with my space heater, we had our first frost last night.

Baked Quinoa with Zucchini, Corn and Basil

adapted from Williams Sonoma

1 c. quinoa, rinsed well

3 c. vegetable stock

1 tbsp. olive oil

2 ears of corn, kernels cut off

1 small yellow onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 medium zucchini, sliced into half moons
1/4 c. dry white wine
1 15 oz. can diced tomatoes
12 large basil leave, torn
2 tbsp. grated parmesan cheese
1 c. shredded mozzarella cheese

Bring vegetable stock to a boil in a stock pot, add quinoa, turn heat to low and cover, cook for 15 minutes.
While quinoa cooks, heat a large skillet over medium heat, add olive oil and corn kernels, saute for 5 minutes, then add onion, garlic and zucchini.
Season with salt and pepper, and continue to saute for another 10 minutes, until vegetables are softened and beginning to brown a bit.
Add white wine, scrape bits off the bottom of the pan, when wine has evaporated for the most part, add diced tomatoes, and turn heat off.
Preheat oven to 400*
Fluff quinoa with a fork, then add to the skillet with vegetables, gently mix, then add torn basil leaves and gently mix once more.
Transfer to a casserole dish, sprayed with nonstick cooking spray.
Top with parmesan and mozzarella in a layer on top.
Place in the oven, and bake for 15-25 minutes, until cheese are beginning to brown and crisp.
Serve immediately. 

Roasted Zucchini, Black Bean and Goat Cheese Enchilada Stacks

Back when I first learned how to make tamales, I bought a bag of masa. After using a few cups to make the tamales, I had a giant bag left over, and no idea what to do with it. That was when I discovered that corn tortillas are made with masa. It was one of those "wow, ash...." moments I'd rather not admit happened. My bag of masa was about $3, and could make hundreds of fresh tortillas, so I did a little cost analysis and figured that it was no longer worth it to spend $1 on a bag of corn tortillas, I just HAD to buy a tortilla press and make them from now on. I also had another ulterior motive, my husband doesn't love corn tortillas, but tolerates them. I think they're so much better than flour, they have more substance to them, and hold up much better when baked. So now there is no reason to buy flour tortillas when we have pounds of masa on hand. 

When I saw this recipe on Bridget's blog, I immediately starred it for future dinner use. But as I do with any enchilada recipe these days, I knew I'd be converting it to a stack. Our tortillas press makes tiny little tortillas, and after we are close to perfecting them, but not just yet so sometimes they're not malleable enough for rolling. Rather than end up crying over split enchilada rolls, I make stacks. Some things just aren't worth fighting!

These stacks were absolutely delicious. Roasting the zucchini ahead of time ensures a non-watery end product, the goat cheese is creamy and cuts some of the heat and spice from the sauce. And no dinner is complete these days without a CSA veggie, so I used a bunch of chopped cilantro in place of the avocado Bridget served her enchiladas with. I also used a mole sauce rather than an enchilada sauce, you can find the enchilada sauce at Briget's blog, or the mole sauce here, from my blog (it's a bit more labor intensive, but I had been wanting to make a big batch anyway).

Roasted Zucchini, Black Bean and Goat Cheese Enchilada Stacks

from The Way the Cookie Crumbles

Enchiladas:

3 zucchini, cut into 1/4" dice

1 small onion, chopped

1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

zest from 1 lemon

1 tsp. kosher salt

2 c. cooked black beans (I cook dried black beans, you can use canned)

5 oz. goat cheese, divided

12 corn tortillas 

Sauce recipes:

Enchilada Sauce

Dark Chocolate Mole Sauce

Heat oven to 450*
On a rimmed baking sheet, toss zucchini, onion, olive oil, zest and salt.
Roast for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Remove from the oven and reduce heat to 350*
Combine zucchini, black beans and 4 oz. goat cheese in a mixing bowl, carefully mix.
Spread a thin layer of sauce on the bottom of a baking dish.
Layer in tortillas, filling and sauce.
Crumble remaining goat cheese on the top, bake for 20 minutes, until browned and bubbly.
Serve with chopped cilantro.

Crunchy Baked Zucchini Planks with Garlic-Lemon Aioli

About a year and a half ago, JJ and I were given a gift card to Maggiano's for our 2nd anniversary. We had never been there before, so we had the server sort of choose our menu for the night. We started with the appetizer combination platter, and the shining star of that dish was the fried zucchini with aioli. I can't say I remember much else about that meal, the zucchini was the star of the show! It was crispy and flavorful, and the aoili was the perfect pairing. I'm usually not a fan of creamy based sauces or ranch dressings, but this was phenomenal. We haven't been back to Maggiano's, but this zucchini has been on my mind since then, and I had been meaning to recreate it at home. 

On our weekly Farmer's Market excursion this week, like every week, I haphazardly pointed at produce and baskets and filled up my cart. I find that it's easier to go there first, see what looks best, then take it home and plan a weekly menu around it. I bought 2 baskets of zucchini, so I began to brainstorm some meal ideas. This simple dish was easily put together with only pantry staples, it's flavorful, cheap and easy to make. While I'm sure it would taste great fried, I actually preferred the baked version. For the aioli, I used Greek Yogurt rather than mayo, and I think it tasted better than the mayo version. The tang of the yogurt replaced the need for mayo + vinegar in the aioli, and it gave a punch of additional protein to the dish.

Crunchy Baked Zucchini Planks with Garlic-Lemon Aioli

inspired by Maggiano's 

3 medium zucchini

1/2 c. unbleached AP Flour

1 egg + 2 tbsp. water

1 c. panko breadcrumbs

1/2 c. Italian style breadcrumbs

Salt and pepper

2 garlic cloves, grated

Juice and zest of 1 lemon

1/2 c. plain 2% or fat-free Greek yogurt

Salt and white pepper

Minced parsley

Wash zucchini, slice off ends. Slice into 1/4" thin strips.

Line a colander with tea towels, lay zucchini slices in colander, salt, and add another towel on top, repeating the process until all zucchini are salted and covered. 

Place a bowl inside to press zucchini and set aside for 30 minutes.

(This step isn't necessary, but will keep zucchini extra crisp and less mushy when cooked)

In a small bowl, whisk together garlic, lemon juice and zest, yogurt, salt and pepper. 

Taste, add more salt and pepper if necessary. 

Add minced parsley, about 1 tsp. 

Cover and place in the refrigerator. 

Lay 3 shallow bowls out on the counter and a baking sheet fitted with a wire rack. 

In the bowl closest to the baking sheet, toss together breadcrumbs.

In the center bowl, crack the egg and whisk in water and 2 tbsp. flour, salt and pepper.

In the farthest bowl, pour in the remaining flour. 

Preheat the oven to 425*

Wipe down the excess moisture from zucchini slices, dredge in flour, then dip in egg, and press into the breadcrumbs. 

Place on the baking sheet and repeat until all zucchini is coated.

Place in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, until golden brown. 

Place planks on a platter and serve with aioli in a dish on the side. 

Egyptian Edamame Stew

In the last post, I wrote about my love for tofu, but that's not the only form of whole soy. In addition to tofu, edamame and tempeh are equally as healthy. I found this recipe in Eating Well magazine, and it sounded like a perfect quick, healthy, well rounded meal. The spice combination is perfect, of course I do have a deep love for cumin. Also, the dish includes a healthy dose of cayenne pepper, which added a nice punch of heat.
Though there were no leftovers, I'm sure this dish would be great heated back up for lunch the next day!

Egyptian Edamame Stew

adapted from Eating Well Magazine

10 oz. edamame, fresh or frozen (about 2 c.)

1 tbsp. EVOO

1 small yellow onion, minced

2 small zucchini, diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 tsp. ground cumin

1 tsp. ground coriander

1/4 tsp. ground cayenne pepper

1 15 oz. can fire roasted tomatoes

Fresh cilantro and mint, chopped

1 tbsp. lemon juice

Kosher salt and black pepper

In a large saucepan, bring 4 c. water to a boil, salt and add edamame, cook until tender, about 4-5 minutes.

Drain and set aside. 

Place pot back on the stove over medium heat.

Add EVOO, onion, zucchini and garlic. 

Season with salt and pepper and cook until vegetables begin to caramelize, about 5 minutes.

Add tomatoes, cumin, coriander and cayenne.

Stir and bring to a simmer, reduce liquid by half, about 5 minutes.

Stir in edamame until heated through, remove from heat.

Add lemon juice and half the fresh herbs, stir.

Serve over cous cous or any other grain, garnish with herbs.

**The winner of a Nasoya coupon for a free product is Joanne! I'll send your email address to the Nasoya rep and she'll be contacting you for your address. Thanks to all who entered**

Grilled Zucchini and Onion Pizza with Goat Cheese and Balsamic Reduction

This pizza may look familiar to you, if you're a long time reader. It's one that I brain stormed to create, and was my first attempt at grilled pizza... which was a giant fail. But I turned it into quesadillas, and it was a big hit! I decided to try the pizza version again, just grilling the vegetables and baking the crust, which worked well. But when we purchased a gas grill rather than charcoal, I was able to grill the crust as well, and it was delicious. 

One of the main components to the pizza is prosciutto, but since that's not in my diet anymore, I had to change it up a bit. For this recreation, I decided to make a sauce layer by creating a puree of cannelini beans and ricotta. It definitely added body and protein to the pizza, but also took it in a much different direction. While I loved this variation, I think I want to tweak it a bit more, and find that saltiness that the prosciutto added in a vegetarian form. Any ideas?? 

Grilled Zucchini and Onion Pizza with Goat Cheese and Balsamic Reduction

1 ball of pizza dough (my favorite whole wheat recipe is here)

1 15 oz. can cannelini beans

1/2 c. ricotta cheese

1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

Salt and pepper, to taste

2 medium zucchini, sliced into 1" rounds on a bias

1 red onion, sliced into 1/2" rounds

1/2 c. crumbled goat cheese

1 c. aged balsamic vinegar

Preheat a grill to 400*

In a small saucepot, add vinegar, turn to low heat and simmer to reduce to a thick syrup.

Roll pizza dough out into a circle, place on a pizza pan. 

Drain beans well, add to a food processor with ricotta, crushed red pepper, salt and pepper, puree.

Place pizza dough on the grill, smear with bean mixture.

Place zucchini and onions on the grill, sprinkle with salt and pepper, close the lid on the grill.

After 4-5 minutes, flip zucchini and onions.

After 4-5 more minutes place zucchini and onions on the pizza, sprinkle with goat cheese and close lid again.

Cook for 2-5 more minutes, until pizza is crisp and cooked through.

Remove from the grill, drizzle with balsamic, slice and serve.

Zucchini and Quinoa Lasagna

Toward the end of the summer months, I feel like I've maxed out on all things zucchini. I've made both sweet and savory dishes, eaten it both raw and cooked, paired with many different ingredients and cuisines, and I just don't think I can take anymore. But then I'm at the market and I can get a bucket of 6-8 for a dollar... and I can't pass it up. And I'm back to scanning the indexes of my cookbooks (yes, there's a permanent dent on the "Z" page), flipping through my summer magazines, and scanning google reader because surely, I'm not the only person in this (zucchini) boat. 

Lucky for me, Mama Pea came through for me in my time of need! I had just purchased a new bag of Organic, Fair-Trade Quinoa and had some leftover marinara in the fridge that needed to be used. I stuck with her recipe with two exceptions - she is vegan and used vegan cheeses. Instead, I used cottage cheese and mozzarella... but you could substitute mascarpone, ricotta or cream cheese. My personal favorite cottage cheese is Organic Valley 2%, it's so thick and creamy. I also added 1/2 c. thawed, chopped spinach because it needed to be used before freezerburn set in. 

This lasagna would be the perfect way to say goodbye to zucchini and summer... but when you live in Florida, it's always summer and it's always zucchini season. In fact, I found three new zucchini buds growing in my garden over the weekend. 

The search continues... 

VBS Tips and Trades:

- Choose smaller, thinner zucchini at the market. They're generally sweeter, more tender, and less pulpy. Though a huge, prize-winning sized zucchini looks impressive, it will lack flavor.

- Quinoa is what I call a hybrid starch-protein. Though it is a grain, it's similar in nutrition contents to a bean, packing in whole grain carbohydrates and lean protein.

-I used a mixture of red and regular/white quinoa in this dish for variety's sake. This is the brand I use, I find it at Whole Foods, but it can be ordered online.

Zucchini Quinoa Lasagna

un-veganized from Peas and Thank You

4 medium sized zucchini, sliced into 15 strips (make them the size/shape to fit your baking dish)

1 c. quinoa (any color)

2 c. vegetable stock

1/2 c. tomato sauce/puree

1 small yellow onion, minced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tsp. dried oregano

1/2 c. thawed, drained, chopped spinach

10 basil leaves, chopped

1/4 c. cottage cheese (or ricotta, mascarpone, cream cheese, etc.)

Salt and pepper

2 c. marinara sauce (jarred or try this recipe)

1/2 c. shredded mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 400*

Slice zucchini into strips, layer into a colander, sprinkle with salt and layer with paper towels (see Peas and Thank You for pictured steps, if needed).

Combine stock, quinoa, tomato sauce, onion, garlic, and oregano in a sauce pot. 

Bring to a boil, turn heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes, until moisture is absorbed.

Turn heat off, stir in cottage cheese, spinach and basil, season with salt and pepper.

Pour sauce in a baking dish to coat, layer with zucchini, half of quinoa, zucchini, the rest of the quinoa, and the last of the zucchini. 

Top with more sauce and cheese.

Bake for 30 minutes, or until bubbly and zucchini are tender.

Rest for 5 minutes and serve.

Symon Sundays: Zucchini Fritters with Feta and Dill

This week's Symon Sunday's recipe was chosen by Natashya of Living in the Kitchen with Puppies. The fritters were outstanding, full of flavor! I had these at Lolita last May, and still think about them sometimes! Thanks to Natashya for the perfect summery selection.

The fritters are meant to be fried, but I elected to make them pancake style on a griddle. Though they're in the appetizer section, I decided to construct them into a meal. I had the last of my soyrizo from Trader Joe's in the freezer, and decided to include that in the meal. I also have had many green tomatoes in my garden this year that end up being eaten by the caterpillars before they ever have a chance to ripen. And of course, my summer love, fresh, sweet corn paired with red peppers for an easy relish.

In the end, I came up with a layered stack of miscellaneous things that were amazing when married! I don't think this is why Chef Symon had in mind with his fritters, but they make an excellent pancake base for this dish.

My Fritters are the base of this stack! I promise, they're in there...

Natashya's Fritters (visit her blog for the recipe!)

Joanne's stacked Fritters and Cous Cous

Mediterranean Veggie Flatbread Pizza

Thursday night tends to be pizza night in our home. It used to be Friday, but now I find myself so tired from the week that Friday is generally eat out night. Every week when I'm working on the menu, I ask JJ what kind of pizza he wants. Sometimes he'll answer, but he's constantly challenging me to create something new. I've had a few great successes with this, including these pizzas: Chicken Mole Pizza, Caribbean Jerk Chicken Pizza, and Grilled Zucchini, Goat Cheese and Prosciutto Pizza. 

I tend to struggle with creating vegetarian pizzas because they're always lacking protein. I've made Greek or Mediterranean pizzas before, but they had prosciutto. So for this pizza, I had an idea to use hummus as the sauce, and then top it with vegetables. However, I didn't want to cook the hummus, so I decided to cook the crust, top it with hummus, vegetables and cheese, and then broil it. This method worked exactly as I had hoped! It would also make for a delicious grilled pizza, if you desire! 

Note: I pre-cook my zucchini, but not all other vegetables. If you don't mind your zucchini on the raw side, you can just add them at the end. 

Mediterranean Veggie Flatbread Pizza

1 pizza crust (recipe below)

1 batch of hummus (recipe below)

1 medium zucchini, sliced thin

1 15 oz. can quartered artichoke hearts

2 roasted red peppers, sliced

2 slices red onion

1/4 cup halved olives

1/2 c. crumbled feta

1 tbsp. pizza or Mediterranean seasonings

(my pizza seasoning has fennel seed, crushed fennel, red pepper flakes, rubbed sage, salt, pepper and oregano)

Whole Wheat Mix pizza crust (makes 2, 10" crusts):

1 packet fast acting yeast

1 tbsp. honey

1 1/4 cup warm water

1 1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour

1 cup unbleached all purpose flour

1 tsp. salt

1 tbsp. EVOO

In a standing mixer with the dough hook on, add water, honey and yeast, stir to combine, set aside for 5 minutes, until yeast froths.

Add 1 c. whole wheat flour, salt, EVOO and AP flour to mixer. 

Turn on low and begin to mix. 

Add more whole wheat flour as necessary if dough is too sticky, alternately add water if it's too dry. 

Knead on medium-low speed for 5 minutes, set aside to proof.

Punch down, divide in half. 

If only using 1 crust, the other can be wrapped loosely in plastic (it will continue to rise), put in a freezer bag, and frozen.

Roll or stretch out pizza crust over parchment, set aside. 

Original Hummus

15 oz. can of chickpeas, drained (or 2 c. cooked)

2 tbsp. well-stirred tahini

1 lemon, juiced

1/2 tsp. cumin

1/2 tsp. salt

2 tsp. EVOO

Add chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice, cumin, salt and EVOO to a food processor.

Process until very smooth, adding water, tahini or EVOO to thin, about 5 minutes.

Refrigerate until using.

Preheat oven to 425*

Slice zucchini, spray a baking sheet with nonstick spray, add zucchini, season with salt and pepper. 

Place in the oven.

Place pizza pan/baking sheet in oven.

Roll crust out on parchment, pierce the center a few times with a fork.

Drizzle with 1 tsp. EVOO.

Place crust, on parchment, on pizza pan.

Bake for 12-15 minutes, until golden brown and crusty on bottom.

Remove pizza pan with crust as well as zucchini from the oven.

Turn oven off, and broiler on high.

Slather with hummus, top with vegetables, cheese and sprinkle with seasoning.

Place under the boiler for 2-4 minutes, until cheese is melty and vegetables are hot.

Shells with Zucchini Pistou

About a week ago, JJ told me I needed to make some pesto because my basil pot is growing out of control. I then flipped through my newest Cooking Light issue, and found this recipe for Penne with Zucchini Pistou. I also had a fridge full of zucchini as they were dirt cheap at the Farmer's Market last weekend. Again, another reason I love cooking magazines - they are seasonal and feature recipes that showcase the season's best produce. 

This dish is very simple, few ingredients, and quick to make. I served JJ's with chicken sausage, and mine with Italian Herb tofu for a complete meal. I subbed in shells because I think they're best at trapping pesto sauce, but you can use any short cut of pasta.

Penne with Zucchini Pistou

slightly adapted from Cooking Light July 2010

4 tsp. EVOO, divided

1 lb. small zucchini, sliced

2 c. packed basil leaves

1/2 c. Parmesan cheese

2 tbsp. pine nuts or walnuts

2 garlic cloves

1 onion, sliced

Salt and pepper

1/2 lb. whole wheat pasta

2 tbsp. half and half

Crushed red pepper flakes

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt and drop in pasta, cook to al dente, about 8-10 minutes. Reserve 1/2 c. of the cooking liquid.

Drain and place back in pot.

Heat 1 tsp. EVOO over medium heat, add zucchini and onions, sauté for 5 minutes, until tender and slightly golden.

Add basil, garlic, pine nuts, half of the Parmesan cheese and 3 tsp. EVOO to a food processor, run until smooth, adding pasta water to thin if necessary. 

Add zucchini, onions, cream and pesto to pasta pot, toss to distribute pesto.

Taste and season with salt and pepper.

Plate and serve with extra Parmesan and crushed red pepper flakes.

Farmer's Casserole, Mexican Style

From time to time, I have readers email me with questions, recommendations, and recipe suggestions. Recently, Leela emailed me the recipe for Farmer's Casserole, Mexican Style. She thought it sounded like something I would enjoy, and she was correct! This is an easy meal to assemble, and is like breakfast for dinner. I made a few changes from Leela's recipe because I wanted to add in more veggies to make this a one pan dinner. Also, I used Trader Joe's Soyrizo in place of chorizo, one of the only faux meat products I just can't quit! The dish has so much flavor, few ingredients, easy prep and clean up. Aside from the length of cooking time, it's a perfect weeknight meal (though while I waited for it to cook, I was able to do some chores around the house!)

Farmer's Casserole Mexican Style
from Leela

4 corn tortillas

1/2 c. shredded Monterey jack cheese (or any Mexican style cheese)

1 c. crumbled chorizo/soyrizo

2 scallions, sliced then (white and green parts)

1/2 c. chopped cilantro

1 4 oz. can diced green chiles

1/4 c. picked jalapenos

1 zucchini, halved and sliced

1 green bell pepper, finely diced

4 eggs (or 2 eggs and 4 whites)

1 cup milk (I used skim)

Salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 350*

Spray a baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.

Line the bottom with tortilla strips, criss-crossing them to leave no gaps.

Sprinkle the chorizo, green onions, chilies, cilantro, zucchini and peppers over the tortillas.

In a small dish, combine the eggs, milk, salt and pepper.

Pour over the casserole, sprinkle with cheese.

Bake for 40-45 minutes, until eggs are set.

*Because I added raw zucchini and peppers, the dish was a little wet, next time I might sauté the vegetables first to release a bit of the liquid. 

Quinoa Cakes with Farmer's Market Riot

Everyone knows there are countless kitchen appliances and gadgets that have just a few uses, and clutter the cabinets. I tend to suffer from this problem, and have converted my guest bedroom closet to my baking/catering supplies closet. While I was in there a few weeks ago, I found two of my favorite kitchen appliances that I tend to forget about: my ice cream maker and my electric skillet. I've used griddles on the stove top before, but they don't heat evenly like the skillet does. And it's so easy to transport to any part of the kitchen. Growing up, I remember my mom used hers for mainly brunches, pancakes, omelette's, bacon, it was perfect!  

When I stumbled across this recipe, it looked like it was going to take quite a few pots and pans. A light bulb went off in my head, why not use the electric skillet to make the whole meal in one-ish pot? Whenever I make pancakes or bean cakes I love using the skillet because it's nonstick, and I've pretty much gotten rid of every nonstick pan I own (the whole Teflon/cancer debate kind of freaks me out, so I'd rather not even have it in my house). Since I only use this skillet every month or so, and with a silicon spatula, I'm fairly confident that I'm not contaminating myself!

So the recipe! I first starred it in my google reader because it featured quinoa cakes, something I've not made before. I've said it before, but I'll say it again - I love quinoa because it's like a protein and starch in one, similar to a bean. I'm constantly looking for new ways to cook up beans. I've made just about every bean-cake you could imagine, so it seemed like quinoa was the next step. 

I also absolutely loved how the dish was served with an abundance of fresh vegetables, some hot, some cold, prepared with different flavors, yet married together by fresh flavors and contrasting textures. This meal is a rainbow of colors, flavors, temperatures and health benefits. 

Quinoa Cakes with Farmer's Market Riot

adapted from Herbivoracious

Quinoa Cakes:

1 cup quinoa

2 cups vegetable stock

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. cumin

1 tsp. smoked paprika

1 tsp. fresh minced oregano (or 1/2 tsp. dried)

2 egg whites

Place quinoa in a fine mesh sieve, rinse under cold running water for one minute, until water runs clear.

Add stock to a small pot, bring to a boil, add quinoa.

Turn heat to medium, partially cover and simmer for 15 minutes. 

Turn heat off, let quinoa sit for 5 minutes (water should be evaporated)

Add remaining ingredients to a mixing bowl, whisk to combine.

Add cooled quinoa, mix to distribute spices and egg well. 

Heat electric skillet over medium-high heat, or around 375*

Scoop quinoa mixture out with an ice cream scoop into mounds on the skillet (I got 6 cakes)

Press down with a spatula, cover and cook for 5 minutes, flip and cook for another 3-4 minutes, until golden brown.

Cucumber and Tomato Salad:

1/2 English cucumber, seeded and diced

1 beefsteak tomato, seeded and diced

Salt and cracked black pepper

Juice of 1 lemon

Combine all ingredients in a small dish, refrigerate until using.

Spicy Corn Relish:

1 tsp. EVOO

1/2 red onion, diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tsp. red chili flakes

1 cup fresh corn kernels (or frozen)

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. coriander

1/2 lime, juiced

Heat skillet over high, add oil, garlic, onion and chili flakes and cook for a minute.

Add the corn, salt and coriander, sauté' for 3-4 minutes, taste and adjust seasonings.

Spoon into a bowl, sprinkle with lime juice and set aside.

Pan-Fried Zucchini

1 tbsp. EVOO

1 lb. small zucchini, cut into rounds

Salt and black pepper

Add oil to skillet over high heat, add zucchini, salt and pepper.

Sauté' for 5 minutes, until browned and softened.

To serve:

1/4 cup minced cilantro

1/4 cup crumbled cheese (I used goat cheese)

Place quinoa cakes on plate, spoon each of 3 salad components on the side, top with cilantro and goat cheese.

Roasted Vegetables with Orzo

Before my family visited me a week ago, I spent a lot of time working on menus for the week. I figured we would alternate eating dinner out and eating dinner at home each night. It's pretty interesting cooking for my family, my dad eats fish and limits meat to once a week, my mom eats shellfish and beef, my sister and I eat a little poultry, and our husbands eat it all. When you construct a venn diagram of all our protein preferences, the only overlap seems to be.... vegetarian!

Now before you feel bad for my mom having to cook for this dysfunctional eating family, rest assured that our current preferences are somewhat new, and growing up we ate whatever she prepared. Sorry, mom, no sympathy here :)

And while vegetarian seems to be the easy way out, it's actually the way my family now prefers to eat, which makes me really happy. So I spent the better part of April searching for and creating some great vegetarian menus, and when I stumbled across this dish, it sounded perfect. My dad loves pasta, my sister and mom love eggplant, I eat whole bell peppers like apples, and we're all big goat cheese fans!  This was a great dish, very simple, clean and healthy. I made a few changes, including subbing goat cheese for feta, reducing the amount of oil and omitting the scallions, Kristine's (raw-onion-pregnancy-aversion) preference. I also added zucchini, and would maybe even add more vegetables in the future, or make it a more wintry dish by using only root vegetables.

Orzo with Roasted Vegetables

adapted from Ina Garden

1 eggplant, peeled and 3/4-inch diced

1 red bell pepper, 1-inch diced
1 yellow bell pepper, 1-inch diced
2 small zucchini, 1-inch diced
1 red onion, peeled and 1-inch diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tbsp. EVOO
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 pound orzo or rice-shaped pasta

For the dressing:
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 lemons)
1/3 cup good olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

To assemble:
1/4 cup pignolis, toasted
1/2 cup crumbled goat cheese
15 fresh basil leaves, cut into julienne


Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
Toss the eggplant, bell peppers, onion, and garlic with the olive oil, salt, and pepper on a large sheet pan. Roast for 40 minutes, until browned, turning once with a spatula.
Meanwhile, cook the orzo in boiling salted water for 7 to 9 minutes, until tender.
Drain and transfer to a large serving bowl.
Add the roasted vegetables to the pasta, scraping all the liquid and seasonings from the roasting pan into the pasta bowl.
For the dressing, combine the lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper and pour on the pasta and vegetables. Let cool to room temperature, then add the scallions, pignolis, feta, and basil.
Check the seasonings, and serve at room temperature.

Minted Orzo and Zucchini Salad

I often have readers, friends and family ask me how I keep coming up with recipes to blog about, or where I find many of the recipes I make. I honestly am constantly on the look-out for delicious recipes that fit my style. Some of my favorite resources are magazines like Eating Well, Clean Eating, Real Simple, Cooking Light, and Vegetarian Times. I also like to search other blogs, many of which I have linked to on here. I also take cookbooks out of the library every now and then, especially when I am cooking ethnically. Lastly, there are a few websites I like to browse, like Whole Foods, Williams-Sonoma, and Foodtv.

This salad comes from the Whole Foods website. I was looking for a one-pot-dinner-salad type meal, which is my current meal of choice (if you haven't noticed...) This was the first one that popped up, and lucky me, my herb garden has taken off, and mint is abundant!

I ate this salad warm/room temperature, but Whole Foods suggests serving it chilled. I think it would be delicious either way! I also didn't have Kalamata Olives, so I substituted generic green Spanish olives.

Minted Orzo and Zucchini Salad

from WholeFoods.com

1 cup dried orzo
2 large zucchini, thickly sliced
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons chopped mint
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
6 ounces feta cheese, cut into cubes
1/2 cup pitted Kalamata olives
2 ripe tomatoes, chopped
Ground black pepper to taste

Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
Add orzo and cook until al dente, 8 to 10 minutes.
Drain well, rinse in cold water and drain again.
Meanwhile, arrange a rack about 6 inches from the heating element and preheat broiler.
Brush zucchini with 1 tablespoon oil and arrange on a baking sheet.
Broil, flipping halfway through, until tender and deep golden brown, 6 to 8 minutes.
Set aside to let cool and then roughly chop and transfer to a large bowl.
Add remaining 2 tablespoons oil, orzo, lemon juice, mint, garlic, feta, olives, tomatoes and black pepper and gently toss to combine.
Cover and chill for several hours until flavors blend.

Vegan Italian Lentil and Vegetable Stew

While this may not be the most attractive dish, it was absolutely delicious! I've been fighting an awful cold for about a week. On Sunday night, I decided to fight it naturally with a warm stew, full of vegetables, and broth. I can't say that it cured me, but I am feeling much better today! This stew was basically all of the vegetables I had in the pantry and fridge, but you can also swap lentils for other dried or canned beans, and add other vegetables, such as green beans, brussels sprouts, okra, celery, and other squash varities.

I un-veganed my bowl by adding a sprinkle of parmesan and crushed red pepper after the photo, but it had great flavor, and could do without it. I also whipped up a loaf of whole wheat beer bread for this, which was great for sopping up the last of the broth!

Italian Lentil and Vegetable Stew

1 cup dried brown lentils, soaked overnight and drained

2 tbsp. EVOO

1 yellow onion, finely diced

4 garlic cloves, minced

3 large carrots, peeled and chopped

1 medium zucchini, quartered and sliced

2 small yellow summer squash, quartered and sliced

8 oz. white button mushrooms, sliced

Salt and fresh cracked black pepper

1 cup dry white wine

4 cups vegetable stock

1 28 oz. can Italian style diced tomatoes, divided

1 tbsp. dried Italian herb mix

Heat a dutch oven over medium-low heat.

Add EVOO, then chop vegetables and drop them in as you go (onions, garlic, carrots, zucchini, summer squash, mushrooms).

Season with salt and pepper, stir with a large wooden spoon and cook for about 10 minutes, until tender.

Add half of tomatoes and juice to a blender, puree half, leave the other half diced.

Add white wine, reduce, add stock, tomato puree, diced tomatoes, and herbs.

Bring to a simmer, stir, reduce heat to low, and cook for 30 minutes to 2 hours.

Add more stock, if necessary.

Serve with crushed red pepper flakes and beer bread.

Tex-Mex Lasagna

I have seen countless Mexican Lasagnas recently, and found myself drooling over each photograph. I had tried making a Mexican Lasagna a year or so ago, but it didn't work out right. I simply chopped up the vegetables, layered it in a disposable tin dish with flour tortillas, and froze it. When I cooked it, the lasagna was soupy and wet and the tortillas were mush. It was not good. I decided that I had the wrong approach, I needed to cook the vegetables first to get the moisture out, and I cooked it right away rather than freezing it. I think it could be frozen and it wouldn't turn to mush as long as the vegetables were pre-cooked, but I didn't want to take any chances this time around.
Well, it was a huge sucess this time around! I made two varities, one with vegetables and black beans, and one with zucchini and ground turkey. They both cut very well, and looked and tasted great!

Black Bean and Vegetable Mexican Lasagna

1 cup Enchilada Sauce
6 flour tortillas (to fit your baking dish)
1 small zucchini, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
1/2 small red onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup frozen corn kernels, diced
Salt and pepper
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. smoked paprika
1/4 tsp. cayenne powder
1 15 oz. can drained and rinsed black beans
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Lettuce, tomato and sour cream, for garnish


Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Heat a skillet over medium heat.
Add 1 tbsp. EVOO, zucchini, bell pepper, onion and garlic.
Season with salt and pepper, stir and sweat out vegetables for about 6-8 minutes.
Drain excess water, if necessary.
Add corn, spices and black beans, turn heat off, toss to mix spices evenly.
Pour half the enchilada sauce in a casserole.
Add a tortilla, top with 1/5 of the vegetable mixture, top with another tortilla and repeat.
After topping the lasagna with the last tortilla, pour enchilada sauce on top.
Sprinkle with cheese.
Bake for 30 minutes, until melted and bubbly.
Remove from heat, rest for 5 minutes so lasagna holds its shape when slicing.
Serve with lettuce, tomatoes and sour cream.

Kicked Up Summer Vegetables

The last Foodbuzz Tastemaker's package I recieved contained 4 Emeril's brand products. As you may remember, I used the Horseradish mustard a few days ago. For dinner tonight, I made Chili Macaroni and Cheese, and thought some sauteed vegetables would pair well. I thought that rather than raid my spice cabinet, I'd try out the Original Essence! Emeril has written on the package that it's a great basic seasoning for meats and vegetables.
It doesn't say exactly what the spice blend is (obviously) but it had some of the Tex-Mex notes I was looking for to pair with the mac and cheese. This spice blend was great, complex but it didn't overshadow the vegetables.

Kicked Up Summer Vegetables

1 tbsp. EVOO

1/2 red onion, sliced

2 small zucchini, sliced

2 small summer squash, sliced

1 green bell pepper, sliced

1 tbsp. Original Essence

Sour cream and cilantro, for garnish

Heat a skillet over medium heat, add EVOO, vegetables and essence. Toss well, cover and cook for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Serve with sour cream and cilantro.

Again, Thanks Emeril!

Zucchini and Carrots a Scapece

A few months ago I was at a cookout and my friend Sara brought this dish. I told her I loved and it she said it was a Giada recipe. When I decided to make an Italian dinner I thought this would be the perfect summery side dish to lighten up the Chicken Parmesan.

I changed it a bit from Giada's recipe. I elected to grill the zucchini rather than fry them because the dish does get a bit oily for my taste. I also added a bit of crushed red pepper and oregano. This dish gets even better as it sits, so I made a huge batch and have some for lunch every day now!

(also, scapece means fried, so the name doesn't really pertain anymore)

Zucchini and Carrots a Scapece

Adapted from Giada De Laurentiis

5 medium zucchini, sliced in 1/2" on the bias

6 large carrots, peeled and sliced into 1/4" on the bias

Salt and pepper

1/3 c. red wine vinegar

1/4 c. EVOO

1 tsp. raw sugar

3 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 c. chopped basil

1/4 c. chopped mint

2 tbsp. minced oregano

1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

Preheat grill pan over medium heat.

Heat a saute' pan over medium heat, add 1 tbsp. EVOO.

Season zucchini slices with salt and pepper, grill each side for 3-4 minutes, until tender and grill marks appear.

Add carrot slices to the saute' pan and season with salt and pepper. Toss and cook for 10 minutes, or until tender.

In a mixing bowl, whisk together remaining ingredients.

Add warm vegetables to the dressing, toss and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, tossing every hour to coat all vegetables.

Serve at room temperature.