Bake Asparagus

I love asparagus and Amanda made the most amazing asparagus last Thursday. It was perfectly done so of course I had to steal the recipe!

Ingredients:
1 lb asparagus
1/4 cup virgin olive oil
1/2 cup Kalmata olives roughly chopped
1 Tbs lemon pepper (or more or less to taste)
Pinch of Kosher salt

Directions:
Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Lay the asparagus flat on baking sheet (I put foil over the sheet) and drizzle the olive oil over the asparagus.
Drizzle the olive oil over the spears and sprinkle the lemon pepper and salt. Next place the olives over and around the asparagus and bake for about 10-12 minutes (until tender).
That's it! How easy is that? The taste is really amazing so enjoy.

Latke

I made latkes last night for dinner and damn were they good. All latkes are potato pancakes but of course I had to add stuff to them.

Ingredients:
2 1/2 lbs potatoes peeled and grated
2 small yellow onions diced
2 cloves garlic finely chopped
1/4 cup bread crumbs
2 eggs
1 cup grated cheddar cheese

Directions:
Combine everything in a bowl and mix well. I used four small frying pans with about 3 Tbs of oil in each pan on medium heat to cook up all four latkes at the same time. You can also use a nonstick griddle. They need to be cooked on each side for about 15 minutes until the outsides are almost black (I like them nice and crispy on the outside). To flip them slide the latke onto a large plate, cover with another plate then slide it back onto the pan carefully and cook another 15 minutes. A little time consuming but oh so yummy and oh so worth the wait.

Basil Vinaigrette

I have been into making my salad dressings lately. D. was right, home made stuff really does taste a lot better even when it comes to salad dressings. A friend of mine gave me this great recipe for a Basil Vinaigrette that is just out of this world!

Ingredients:
3/4 cup olive oil
2 cups fresh basil, chopped
1 peeled shallot
1 garlic clove, peeled
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup water
dash of salt and pepper to taste
2 tsp Dijon mustard

Gently heat 1/4 cup oil and 1 cup basil for 2-3 minutes (the basil should turn bright green and the oil should have small bubbles). Remove from heat and steep for five minutes.

Put the garlic, shallot, vinegar, remaining water, salt, pepper and mustard into the blender and pulse til garlic and shallots are chopped fine. Run the blender and slowly add basil/ oil combo and blend until dressing is smooth. Add remaining basil and blend til smooth.

You can keep this in the fridge in an airtight jar for about three days.

Variety

C-Fresh asked me the other day why I am so into trying new recipes and cooking different things for dinner every night. The answer is pretty basic. First of all, pepper was considered an exotic spice in our house growing up let alone trying to get my parents to use basil or curry powder. Second my parents had a repertoire of about 10 dinner items. Those 10 items would be rotated so that any given week we would be eating 7 of the 10 items (think High School Cafeteria menu rotation). The sides for the dinners did not even vary. . .ever. Even going out to eat they would always go to the same restaurants and order the same dishes from each restaurant.
On that note, though, I am not afraid to use canned vegetables or bottled sauces now because I know you can take those ingredients and give them some oomph. Not every meal needs to be created entirely from scratch. Hell, the frozen green beans I can get at the grocery store are a lot better than the "fresh" ones they are hawking at exorbitant prices. So while there was not much adventure from my dining habits as a child it has at least given me the sense to know that I can use pre made ingredients or canned vegetables or processed something or other and still take that and turn it into something good. After all, there is no law saying you can't add more garlic and basil to a can of Ragu.

Easy Curried Rice

This is a simple recipe for curried rice that is not involved and has good flavor.

Ingredients

3/4 cup V8 or tomato juice
3/4 cup water of vegetable stock
1 cup long grain brown rice
1/2 yellow onion chopped

optional:
2 bay leaves

Directions:
Either throw it all in a rice cooker and turn it on or add everything but the rice to an uncovered pot and bring to a boil. Add the rice and turn the heat down to a bubbling simmer. Cook covered for about 25 minutes (or until all the liquid gets absorbed) fluff with a fork and serve.

Baby Potatoes With Garlic and Dill Vinaigrette

C-Fresh and I both love potatoes. We'll eat them anyway you can think of to cook them. Lately I have been experimenting with warm potato salads that have a vinaigrette dressing. The combo has, so far, been a very delicious experience.

Ingredients:

2 1/2 pounds new, or baby potatoes (I used baby Yukon golds this time)
1/2 cup olive oil
2 cloves garlic minced
2 sun dried tomatoes chopped
2 Tbs Balsamic Vinaigrette
1 Tbs dried dill (or 2 Tbs fresh)
1/4 cup capers
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Pre heat the oven to 425 and oil and salt the potatoes. Cook for about 20-25 minutes (or until you can easily pop a fork through the potato).

Mix the rest of the ingredients in a large bowl and let stand at room temperature while potatoes cook

When potatoes are done cooking lightly press each potato with a fork until they pop open. Toss the potatoes with dressing and serve warm.

The Amateur Gourmet

I just finished reading an Advanced reader's copy of The Amateur Gourmet: How to Shop, Chop, and Table Hop Like a Pro (Almost) and I enjoyed it. It was by no means the best written book about food ever but I have read much worse. The author visits such topics as knives and knife skills, eating out, shopping, and cooking for family. Every chapter includes recipes that relate to one of the recipes he talked about in that chapter.
The author runs the Amateur Gourmet blog and the writing does reflect that blog style of writing. . .quick, witty, and occasionally without substance but that is okay because the flaws in the book are outweighed with the positives. I would recommend this book to anyone who is just getting into the whole cooking and creating better food life (like me). There is a lot in there that is relatable but it would have been better without some of the overblown food descriptions.

Why Vegetarian?

One of the girls I work with asked me why I eat a lot of vegetarian food. It was a very good question so I thought I would share my reasons.
1)I am dating a vegetarian so if I am cooking I might as well cook things we both can eat. Besides, he was a junk food vegetarian. Before I moved in there were no fresh fruits or veggies in the house.
2)Economics. Eating vegetarian is actually cheaper than eating an animal based diet. As long as you avoid the gimmicky pre-made faux burgers or fake chicken eating a plant based diet can definitely stretch the dollars.
3)Environmental. I gave up eating beef awhile ago because cows are a leading factor of global warming. Granted I still drink milk but at least I am doing a small part.
4)Health. Vegetarian men have lower rates of prostate cancer. Nuff said!

Warm Balsamic Potato Salad

On Thanksgiving I made this dish instead of the traditional mashed potatoes and I'm glad I did. This was amazing!

Ingredients:
2 lbs redskin potatoes (not peeled)
1/2 cup olive oil
1 small red onion chopped fine
2 Tbs chopped black olives
6 capers chopped
8 sun dried tomatoes drained and chopped
5 Tbs chopped parsley
1 Tbs balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
1. Roast potatoes in oven for 30 minutes at 400 degrees. Be sure to oil them and lightly salt before putting in the oven. Turn the potatoes occasionally during cooking.
2. Mix the rest of the ingredients in a bowl and let sit at room temperature while potatoes cook
3. Remove potatoes from oven and lightly smash with a fork then cut in quarters. Toss the warm potatoes with the dressing and serve.

Simple, easy, and really freaking delicious

Sexy Vegetarian

Today's sexy vegetarian is Eddie Vedder of Pearl Jam fame

Veggie Blog

I found another great vegetarian blog. Vegetarian Foodie has some great recipes. I particularly like the Edamame and Beet Zing Salad. Stop by and check out some of her other great recipes.

YUCK!

Not all of my experiments turn out well. As a matter of fact today's was horrid! I tried to make a fried butternut squash patty that had parsley, feta cheese, and pine nuts in it and it was utterly horrid. In fact, my dinner companion was quite convinced I was trying to poison him. That's the price he pays for living with an avid food experimenter. I haven't heard him complain when it all turns out well though.

Easy Cabbage Soup

I love this recipe for easy cabbage soup. It doesn't take long to make and it tastes fantastic!

Ingredients:
1 small savoy cabbage (or kale)shredded
3 Tbs olive oil
3 carrots
2 15oz cans veggie stock
1/2 cup short grain rice
2 cloves garlic (finely chopped)
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
3 cups water
salt and pepper to taste
croûtons (for garnish)


Heat oil and garlic in large pot then add cabbage and carrots stirring to coat. Next stir in the broth 3 cups of water, cayenne pepper, and then salt and pepper to taste. Boil then bring down to a simmer for about 15 minutes.

Stir in the rice and simmer covered for another 15 minutes.

That's it! Simple, cheap, and tasty. Garnish with croûtons and serve it up.

Vegetarian Sandwich

One of my favorite, easy meals to make is a veggie sandwich. I toast up some whole wheat bread and spread whatever savory cream cheese I have at the time on it then I pile on the veggies. I usually put sliced cucumber, tomato, and mushrooms on with some bean sprouts added. To add a bit of a bite to it I'll sometimes pop some mustard or radish greens on. Quick, cheap, and easy.

Vegan Replacements: Milk

I was eavesdropping on a conversation at work when I heard a one of the girls complaining that it was so difficult to find good vegan recipes and that all she could find were vegetarian recipes. That shouldn't be a problem because there are all sorts of different things you can use to replace non-vegan ingredients. There are other variations besides the old standby of soy milk that can be substituted in recipes calling for milk. Soy milk is a very strong tasting liquid so in desserts you can substitute any sort of nut milk (such as almond milk). Nut milks also do well in soups. Rice and oat milk are both very neutral tasting but rice milk is so watery that oat milk should be the choice for most recipes unless you actually want a thinner consistency. It is fun to play around with the various other options out there to see what flavors they add to recipes. I am not a vegan but it is fun to try the almond, rice, and sometimes even coconut milks to get a different taste and texture.

How to Cook Everything Vegetarian

I bought the best cook book EVER today. Mark Bittman's How to Cook Everything Vegetarian: Simple Meatless Recipes for Great Food (How to Cook Everything). Wow, I should be writing but I can't put this book down. It covers almost everything from how to buy your produce to how to clean and cook it along with fantastic recipes. He gives you tips on what are the essentials of a vegetarian kitchen and what are the basic, and not so basic, essentials for a kitchen. It sounds stupid but I just can't put this darn book down. It is a rare cook book that truly lives up to its full retail value and this is definitely one of them.

Meatless Meals For Working People

A great resource that I found for quick and easy vegetarian meals is the book Meatless Meals For Working People: Quick And Easy Vegetarian Recipes (Meatless Meals for Working People). I actually picked up a copy on sale at the Book Loft and I love it. All the recipes are centered around the fact that people lead busy lives and don't always have the time (or the money) to create fancy feasts like you see in a lot of cookbooks. There are even sections on creating a quick, easy, vegan diet using convenience foods (prepackaged foods). The author even broke it up to age ranges and genders to make sure each part of the population got a balanced diet and the nutrition they need. There is also a little section in the book detailing what fast food places are veg friendly.

Toasted Pumpkin Seeds

I just came across a great recipe for toasted pumpkin seeds. We still have a huge bag of seeds in the fridge from when we carved pumpkins on Sunday so tonight I'm going to try something a bit different. Instead of just toasting them for 20 minutes with salt on a pan I'm going to lightly coat the pan with olive oil then toss the seeds with equal parts of salt and cinnamon. You are supposed to turn the seeds every 5 minutes for 20 minutes. The total amount of seasoning to be used is about 1 tsp salt mixed with 1/2 tsp cinnamon. Every time you turn the seeds sprinkle in more of the cinnamon and salt mixture to get some on all the seeds.

The Replacements

One of the things I have been learning in my readings is about replacements (and not the group from the early 90's either). Just about everybody knows about replacing regular milk with soy (if you are going vegan) but I was stumped with what to do for eggs. I'm not vegan but I do need to watch my cholesterol and fat I did find a few good replacements for eggs.

1 small banana: This is a good sub for eggs especially in cakes or even in pancakes
2 Tbs of cornstarch can sub for one egg to help bind ingredients
1/4 cup of smooth blended tofu (also blend with liquid ingredients) can be used as well

There are also faux egg concoctions available if you are opposed to eating eggs but the whole point of this is to eat well and cheaply without investing in all those substitutes. Anytime you see eggs listed in any of my recipes you can try one of the subs listed above.

Carmelized Oranges

I just realized that I haven't posted any dessert recipes yet. What is dinner without dessert? This is one of my favorite desserts because it looks so much fancier and time involved than it actually is. It is a great dessert to finish off an elegant meal.

Ingredients:
6 large oranges
5 Tbsp water
1/2 cup superfine sugar

Directions:
Pare wide strips of peel off of two of the oranges. Cut these into thin sticks and save a few for garnish. Peel the rest of the oranges and get rid of all the white stuff. Cut the fruit horizontally into 1/2 inch pieces then put aside on a plate (draining off any excess juice).

Fill a sink 1/2 way with cold water then start making the caramel. Add the sugar and 3 Tbsp water to a heavy pan and boil stirring consistently until the sugar is completely dissolved then boil, without stirring, until it is a dark caramel color. Pop the pan halfway into the cold water to stop it from cooking more.

Next add orange rind and 2 Tbsp water to the pan and simmer stirring occasionally for about 9-10 minutes (you want the orange rind to be almost see through). Coat the orange slices completely then put in the fridge for an hour or two to chill.

You can serve this with whipped cream or, even better, custard.

Mediterranean Frittata

I love this frittata! It is so much easier to make than an omelette and so much tastier too! To make it even cheaper use canned mushrooms and regular tomato instead of sun dried (skip the the soaking part).

Ingredients:
6 sun dried tomatoes either dry or oil packed
1/4 cup olive oil
1 small onion finely chopped
1 clove garlic finely chopped
1/4 cup rough chopped mushrooms
6 eggs
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
1.Soak the sun dried tomatoes in a bowl of water for about 15 minutes. Keep the water and cut the tomatoes into thin strips

2.Heat the oil in a large nonstick frying pan and stir in the onion and garlic. Cook for about 5-6 minutes (until onions are a golden brown).

3.Add the mushrooms and tomatoes then season with salt and pepper and cook another 2-3 minutes

4.Break eggs into a bowl and stir in 3-4 Tbs of tomato water and mix light with a fork. Add cheese and stir until cheese is mixed in completely.

5.Raise the heat and pour the eggs into the sizzling oil. Mix the eggs quickly with the other ingredients then stop stirring and lower the heat. Cook for 4-5 minutes or until the bottom is fluffy and golden brown on the bottom.

6.Place a large plate over the top of the pan and with oven mitts firmly flip the frittata onto the plate then slide it back into the pan and cook another 3-4 minutes or until golden brown. Remove and enjoy!

Updated Potato Pancakes

Growing up potato pancakes were just left over mashed potatoes that my dad then fried up in a pan and served with gravy (usually after holidays to get rid of the left overs). I never thought to actually make them as a meal on their own until I got this recipe. This goes great with the homemade applesauce I posted yesterday.

Ingredients:
4 medium potatoes
1 white or yellow onion
1 carrot
1 clove garlic
1/3 cup flour
1 egg
oil for frying
salt
pepper

Directions:
1 - Peel and shred potatoes, carrot and onion. Crush and add garlic.
2 - Stir in egg and flour, add salt and pepper til it looks right.
3 - Fry 1/4 cup scoops (flatten when you put the pile in the pan) in hot oil (a few tablespoons) on both sides til golden brown. Drain on paper towels or newspaper.
4 - Serve with applesauce and sour cream

Easy Applesauce

This is the best time of year to get fresh picked apples from the farmer's market. A good friend of mine gave me this great applesauce recipe that is easily customizable. It goes great with potato pancakes or as a side dish for your favorite fall recipes. When picking apples you want to pick the ones that soften well when cooking such as McIntosh, Cortland, or Empire. Stay away from the Red Delicious and the Fuji varieties (Granny Smith doesn't do too well either). This recipe shouldn't cost you much at all especially when apples are in season and it tastes great and is better for you than the store bought varieties (and cheaper too!)

Ingredients:
4 medium apples
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
water

Directions:
1 - peel and seed apples. Chop roughly.
2 - put apples in small saucepan and add just enough water to cover. Stir in sugar and cinnamon.
3 - cook uncovered and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until apples break down and soften, stirring occasionally.
4 - Mash up some of the apples as they soften, depending on how lumpy you want your applesauce.

Lentil Salad

Here is one of my all time favorite side dish/ snack/ all around good food recipes. It is deceptively easy and tastes so freaking good.
Ingredients:
1 1/4 cups brown lentils, rinsed
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 large cucumber, peeled and diced
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
salt and pepper
Directions:
1 - In a small saucepan, cover lentils with water by one inch. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, partially uncovered, until lentils are tender but still holding their shape. (20 to 25 minutes) Drain well.
3 - In a large bowl, whisk together vinegar and oil. Add lentils, cucumber, parsley and onion. Season with salt and pepper. Toss well to coat with dressing.
4 - Cool to room temperature or serve chilled

Sexy Veggie

This week's hot vegetarian is actor Josh Hartnett.

Absurdly Easy Tomato Sauce

I made the easiest (and tastiest) tomato sauce last night. I always thought that it was a difficult thing to do but I guess not. It also uses cherry tomatoes so I finally found a use for those besides plopping them on salads.
Ingredients:
3 Tbs olive oil
3 cloves garlic lightly smashed
1 clove garlic finely chopped
1 cup coarsely chopped Kalmata olives
1 Tbs each finely chopped basil, thyme, and rosemary
1 1/2 pounds cherry tomatoes halved

Directions:
Heat the oil on low in a large frying pan/ skillet and add the garlic. Let the garlic infuse the oil with flavor before digging out the three smashed chunks (leave all the finely chopped garlic in there). Turn the heat up to medium/ medium high and add the olives and the herbs and cook for about a minute or two then add the tomatoes. Stir occasionally and let it turn to a pulpy sauce (about 15-20 minutes) and serve over pasta.

Oven Roasted Tomatoes

Right now I am making some slow roasted tomatoes in the oven. I took a few meaty beefsteak tomatoes and cut them in half and put them in a deep, lined casserole dish. I drizzled the tomatoes with olive oil, sprinkled a dash of salt and sugar on each piece, placed a few thin slices of garlic and some fresh basil and rosemary on them too. I then drizzled each tomato with balsamic vinegar and more olive oil and let them roast in a 350 degree oven for about 2 1/2 to 3 hours. . .the smell is driving me crazy and I can't wait for them to come out of the oven!

Protein From Rice

One of my mother's biggest concerns when I told her that I was dating a vegetarian and was eating a mostly vegetarian diet was that I wasn't getting enough protein. She thinks unless you eat a big hunk of beef a day then you will become anemic in no time. I was happy to find out that brown rice (one of my favorite all around foods that works for just about any time of day) contains 4.9 grams of protein. That is a good source for the 56 grams of protein men are supposed to get a day (and women are supposed to get 46). The next time you are whipping up that stir fry or making burritos skip the bleached white rice and use a good, hearty brown rice.

Bean and Corn Salad

I just found this recipe and it sounds really yummy! I can't wait to make it!

Mix together in a large bowl:

* 2 cups cooked black beans
* 1 1/2 cups cooked corn kernels (either fresh, frozen or canned)
* 2 plum tomatoes, chopped
* 1/2 medium red onion chopped
* 2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley

Dressing:

* 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
* 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
* 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
* Salt to taste

Mix dressing, add it to salad, stir to combine well, and enjoy! NOTE: A nice alternative is to use fresh lime juice instead of lemon, and substitute fresh coriander for the parsley.

Original Recipe found here

Vegetarian Leftover Soup

This is a really cheap meal because it is all about the leftovers. All I do is take a can of vegetable stock (for soups) and start heating it on the stove. Today I added in the leftover rice from last night's stir fry, chopped up a carrot, diced half a zucchini, half an onion chopped, some beans from two days ago and the leftover basil from my pasta primavera. For extra flavor I tossed in some fresh cracked pepper, garlic powder, and salt. Fifteen minutes later I had a great, quick, and cheap soup for lunch.

Einstein's View

"It is my view that the vegetarian manner of living, by its purely physical effect on the human temperament, would most beneficially influence the lot of mankind."

-Albert Einstein

Edamame

One of my favorite snacks is edamame. Now you can go out and buy the immature soy beans and go through the whole cooking and cooling process or you can just go to the grocery store and buy it frozen. I usually pick up a bag at my local Trader Joe's for $1.99. I like a little extra flavor to my edamame so I'll pour the pods in a bowl and douse them liberally with lemon juice and salt and put the bowl in the fridge to thaw out. After they have soaked overnight the tang of the lemon juice and salt really seeps in. You can also dump the edamame on a plate and nuke them in the microwave with the salt/ lemon concoction on it for a quick snack.

Tofu Stir Fry

I don't know why I thought a stir fry would be expensive or difficult but once I tried it I realized it was neither. Nothing except for the stir fry sauce cost more than two dollars and the sauce was only two and some change.

Ingredients:
3 Cups rice (I love long grain brown)
1 bag frozen stir fry veggies
10 oz firm tofu cut into cubes
2 Tsp olive oil
a bottle of stir fry sauce

Directions:
Cook the rice according to the package directions (if you have to use instant knock yourself out but the regular rice is so much cheaper and it is easy to make with a rice cooker). Heat the oil in a large frying pan or wok and add the tofu. Cook until the outsides become golden brown then add the bag of stir fry veggies. Stir constantly for about three to four minutes (until veggies become hot). Carefully drain the oil from the pan then add however much stir fry sauce you want and heat the whole mixture up for a minute or two then just plop however much you want on top of rice. I got a good four meals out of this for under 8 bucks.

Mexican Rice

I love this Mexican rice. It is simple to make and delicious. To save time I'll use my rice cooker and run errands while the rice is cooking up.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups uncooked brown rice
3 cups water
1 (1 ounce) package taco seasoning mix
1 (15.25 ounce) can kidney beans, drained
1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup shredded lettuce

Directions:
1. In a saucepan bring 3 cups water to a boil. Add rice and stir. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 45 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand for 15 minutes.
2. Stir in taco seasoning, kidney beans, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, salt, pepper and lettuce.
3. Cook over medium heat until heated through.


You can make this rice for under six bucks if you shop right. Pick up some tortillas and you have the fixings for a good leftover burrito. I also like to sprinkle a lot of Mexican Cheese blend on top of my rice so I have a sort of Mexican Salad.

Welcome

Welcome to Veggie Eats. I am not a vegetarian but I am dating/ living with one. One of the biggest problems I have is coming up with dinners that are affordable and easy to make. I'll be listing the meals I have found/ created/ borrowed here to make quick, easy, affordable vegetarian meals.