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