You are here: Home / Archives for Recipes / Vegetarian

Eggplant Parmesan With Fresh Mozzarella And Marinara Sauce…..

Posted by on September 1, 2011

I’m crazy about eggplant.  This is my version of eggplant parmesan, only a little prettier.  I’ve coated white and purple eggplant with Italian bread crumbs and fresh grated parmesan, fried it in olive oil, and layered it with fresh mozzarella and topped it with fresh marinara sauce. 

Let’s begin…

I came across white eggplant and was very intrigued, I had to buy it!  I did not notice a difference in taste between the white and the purple.  When buying eggplant, you’ll want to pick out eggplant that is firm and is free of bruises. 

A must in the preparation of eggplant is to remove the bitterness and excess moisture by lightly salting it and allowing it to sit on paper towels for 20-30 minutes.  Blot off the liquid that accumulates with paper towel.  This will keep the eggplant from absorbing too much oil when cooking.

I LOVE parmigiano reggiano cheese.  It has a rich nutty flavor.  I buy it in a chunk and cut it into 1/2″ pieces, then into the blender for perfectly grated cheese.

Beat a couple of eggs in a bowl with a little water into one bowl, and Italian bread crumbs and parmigiano reggiano into the other.

 Add 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper and mix well.

Dip the eggplant into the egg first, then into the bread crumb mixture, coat well.

Heat skillet over medium heat until very hot and add a couple of tablespoons of olive oil, swirel around the pan and add the eggplant, cook until nicely browned.

The eggplant is equally delicious plain!  Enjoy!

Eggplant Parmesan With Fresh Mozzarella and Marinara Sauce

2 medium size eggplant, sliced into 1/4″ rounds
salt
1 1/4 cup Italian bread crumbs
1/4 cup parmesano reggiano
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 eggs, beaten well
2 tablespoons water
Olive oil
8 ounces fresh mozzarella
2 cups Marinara sauce or your favorite bottled sauce

1)  Slice the eggplant in 1/4″ slices, lightly coat both sides of the eggplant with table salt and place on a layer of paper towel.  Allow to stand for about 30 minutes.  Blot the eggplant with paper towel to remove excess moisture.
2)  Combine the bread crumbs, parmigiano cheese, and black pepper in another dipping bowl.
3)  Beat the eggs and water in a dipping bowl.
4)  Dip the eggplant into the egg, then into the bread crumb mixture, coat well. 
5)  Heat a heavy skillet over medium heat until very hot.  Add enough olive oil to coat the pan.  Fry each piece of eggplant in olive oil until nicely browned.  You will have to add more olive oil to the pan with each batch.
6)  Layer thin slices of mozzarella cheese between the cooked eggplant.  Top with warm marinara sauce.  Garnish with a fresh sprig of basil. (optional)  Serve immediately.  Makes 8 servings.

Enjoy!

Angie

Filed Under: How To, Side Dishes, Vegetarian | Tagged:

Baked Falafel Sliders with Yogurt Tahini Sauce…..

Posted by on July 17, 2011

I now completely understand why these luscious cakes are fried.  Most often, I’ve had them fried until very dark brown.  I can only asssume that after working with my falafel mixture, it is needed to keep its shape.  That being said, I had to take an extra step in my preparation.  I found that when I only baked them, as I would most of my “oven fried” recipes, they were very soft and would not keep their shape very well.  I baked, allowed them to cool, then I pan fried them in a little olive oil.  This had a more favorable result.    Lightly crispy on the outside and tender and flavorful on the inside.  I loved them!

Here we go…

I used my food processor to blend the canned chick peas.  I’ve read recipes where you’re instructed to mash them with a spoon, seems difficult to me.   After you’ve processed the chick peas, add the rest of the falafel ingredients.  Process until well blended.  Refrigerate for at least an hour.

Non stick foil line a cookie sheet.  Pour about a tablespoon of olive oil over the sheet and spread with your hand to coat the whole sheet.  Preheat the oven to 375′.

For uniform cakes, I use a large ice cream or a cookie scoop. 

Scoop into your hand and shape into a small patty. 

Carefully dredge in bread crumbs.

Place on prepared cookie sheet.

Drizzle the tops with a small amount of olive oil.  (you can see that I made a huge recipe here, this recipe only makes 8)  Bake for 30 minutes.  Allow the cakes to cool for easier handeling.  Heat a skillet over medium heat and add a couple of tablespoons of olive oil.  Once the oil is very hot, add the cakes, be careful not to crowd, and brown on both sides. (3-4 minutes per side)  Serve inside a quartered pita bread with fresh cucumber, thinly sliced sweet onion, and tahini sauce.  Serve with a yummy tabbouleh salad.  Healthy and soooooo delicious!

Yogurt Tahini Sauce

½ cup tahini
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons yogurt
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup water

Falafel

1 can chick peas, drained
1/2 large onion, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons flat leaf parsley
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
3 large cloves fresh garlic, coarsely chopped
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon coriander
1 teaspoon baking power
2 tablespoons flour
1 tablespoon water
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 cup unseasoned bread crumbs.
Olive oil for frying and to coat the cookie sheet

Pita bread, cut into quarters
1 medium cucumber, thinly sliced
1 small sweet onion, thinly sliced

1)  Whisk all yogurt tahini sauce ingredients together until well blended.  Refrigerate until you’re ready to serve.
2)  Place the chick peas into the food processor and process until smooth.  Add the rest of the ingredients and process until well blended.  Refrigerate for at least an hour.
3)  Preheat oven to 375′.  Non stick foil line a cookie sheet and add a couple of tablespoons of olive oil, spread over sheet to coat.
4)  Scoop out the dough using a 2 tablespoon cookie scoop.  Carefully shape into a small patty and coat with bread crumbs.  Place on the cookie sheet.  Drizzle with a small amount of olive oil.
5)  Bake for 30 minutes.  Remove from oven and allow to cool for about 20 minutes.
6)  Heat skillet over medium heat, add olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan, about 2 tablespoons.  When very hot, fry each falafel until nicely browned.  Allow to drain on a paper towel lined plate.  Serve with pita bread, tahini sauce, fresh sliced sweet onion, and fresh cucumber.  Makes 8 falafel.  Serves 4.

*for an interesting appetizer, use a small cookie scoop and make them bite size.  Serve with the yogurt tahini sauce for dipping.

Filed Under: Beans-Main Dish, Vegetarian | Tagged: Tagged With: , ,

Tabbouleh Salad…..(Only 3 points plus per serving!)

Posted by on July 13, 2011

This is my favorite salad to date.  For a quick and satisfying lunch serve over a bed of nutrient rich red cabbage and garnish with fresh diced plum tomatoes.   Great with grilled fish or chicken.  Simple to prepare and it will keep for 5-7 days in the refrigerator.  I especially like to make a big tub of it and eat it for lunches or side dishes throughout the week.

The base of this salad is bulgur wheat.   I love the texture of this healthy grain.  One half cup serving contains 5 grams of protein and 7 grams of fiber.    One half cup cooked equals 3 Weight Watcher’s points plus.  As you may already know, whole grains such as bulgur digest slowly, keeping you full longer.

You can soak it in water for an hour and drain off excess water, but I think the best way to prepare it is to cook it.  It only takes 12-15 minutes to cook and I like the texture much better when it’s cooked as opposed to soaking.

Tabbouleh Salad

1 cup bulgur wheat, cooked and cooled
2 large bunches (or more) fresh flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
1/4 cup fresh mint, finely chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons fresh or bottled lemon juice
2-3 large cloves fresh garlic, crushed
1 cup sweet onion, finely chopped
2 medium plum tomatoes, seeded and finely chopped
1 large cucumber, seeded and finely chopped
2 pinches of kosher salt (or to taste)
2 pinches of black pepper (or to taste)

1)  Prepare bulgur according to package directions, allow to cool completely.  I use Bob’s Red Mill bulgur.  Add 1 cup bulgur to 2 cups of water, bring to a boil, reduce heat and cover.   Allow to simmer for 12-15 minutes.  Dump the cooked bulgur into a large bowl to promote quick cooling.  Stir often to release the heat.
2)  You can use a food processor to blend the parsley, mint, garlic, lemon juice, and olive oil.  It is not necessary, but it’s a lot easier than chopping the parsley and mint by hand.  Either way, it’s all good.
3)  Add all salad ingredients to the bulgur.  Mix well to blend.  Refrigerate the leftovers immediately.  Enjoy!

*makes about 8- 1/2 cup servings
**1/2 cup serving=3 Weight Watcher’s Points!

Filed Under: Salads and Salad Dressings, Side Dishes, Vegetarian | Tagged: Tagged With: , ,

Grilled Vegetable Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette…..

Posted by on June 4, 2011

This is an absolutely beautiful salad made with readily available  fresh summer produce.  Simply season with olive oil, salt, and pepper.  Grill and add a drizzle of balsamic vinaigrette.  Serve with anything from grilled Italian sausage to a simple cheese and garlic pasta.  You could top with some fresh shaved pecorino romano cheese or bleu cheese crumbles.  Try chopping the vegetables into 1/2″ pieces and serve on top of crusty grilled italian bread, delish!

Balsamic vinaigrette

1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons honey
2 cloves fresh garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1)  Whisk all of the vinaigrette ingredients together in a small bowl.  Refrigerate immediatley unless you’ll be using right away.

For the salad:

8 ounces white mushrooms
2 small zuchinni squash, cut lenthwise into quarters
2 small yellow squash, cut lenthwise into quarters
1 large red onion, sliced into three large slices
1 small red, yellow, and orange pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
3-4 pinches salt
2 pinches black pepper

1)  In a small bowl, add the mushrooms and a tablespoon of the vinaigrette.  Toss to coat and allow to marinate for 10-15 minutes, continue to toss to coat.  Skewer and place on a platter.
2)  For the onion, drizzle a little olive oil on each slice and season with salt and pepper.  Drizzle the rest of the vegetables with olive oil, season with salt and pepper.  Toss to coat. 
3)  Grill over medium-high heat.  The vegetables will vary in cooking time.  The onions will take the longest, followed by the peppers and the mushrooms.  The squash will cook relatively quick.    The vegetables should all have nice grill marks.  Remove from the grill and slice the squash into bit size pieces on the diagonal.  Do the same for the peppers.  Slice the onion slices and the mushrooms into quarters.  Toss into a medium size mixing bowl.  Drizzle the vinaigrette over the vegetables and gently toss to coat.  Serve or refrigerate immediately.

Filed Under: Grilling, Salads and Salad Dressings, Side Dishes, Vegetarian | Tagged:

Artichoke and Fresh Mozzarella Salad…..

Posted by on May 15, 2011

This is a very simple and fresh spring/summer salad.  I use canned artichoke hearts drained well and cut into halves or you can buy them quartered.  What’s not to love about fresh mozzarella?  You can buy it in many different sizes.  This one is about the size of a cherry tomato.  Simply put all of the salad ingredients into a large bowl and mix…SO EASY, SO ELEGANT!

We’ve got canned artichokes, fresh mozzarella balls (Ciliegine) , a diced and seeded red pepper, fresh finely chopped chives, fresh parsley, olive oil, crushed garlic, salt and pepper, and a splash of balsamic vinegar.  That’s it! (I use chives for a gentle onion flavor.  Raw onions can easily overpower this salad.  I like to taste the mild flavor of the cheese with the fresh herbs…so good!)

These whole milk mozzarella balls come in many sizes for various uses.   When you purchase them from a deli, they’ll weigh just the mozzarella balls first and ask you if you want water.  Go ahead and have them cover them with the mozzarella liquid, they’ll stay moist in the refrigerator before you use them.  Use within a week.

1)  Ovolini-about 1.50 ounce.  About the size of an egg.  Great for slicing and putting into salads or on pizza with fresh basil.
2)  Ciliegine-about 1/3 to 1/2 ounce size.  They’re about the size of a cherry tomato.  Great marinated and make for beautiful appetizers skewered with tomatoes and basil.
3)  Pearle-about .14 ounce.  They’re the size of a large pearl.  Fabulous in salads.

Artichoke and Fresh Mozzarella Salad

4 cans of drained and halved or quartered artichokes
1 pound of mozzarella balls
1 medium red bell pepper, seeded and diced
1/2 cup thinly sliced fresh chives
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 large clove fresh garlic, crushed
2 tablespoons of olive oil-love first cold pressed, more robust olive flavor, great in salads.  Very green in color:-)
2 pinches of kosher salt, or to your taste
1 pinch of black pepper, or to your taste
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

Place artichokes through garlic in a large bowl.  Add the olive oil, salt, and pepper.  Gently toss to coat.   (You do this so that the olive oil, salt and pepper coats and seasons the salad ingredients)  Add the vinegar and gently toss.  Serve immediately or refrigerate until you’re ready to serve.  Makes about eight 3/4 cup servings.  Enjoy!

Filed Under: Salads and Salad Dressings, Vegetarian | Tagged:

Orzo Pasta Salad with Roasted Garlic Vinaigrette…..

Posted by on May 13, 2011

The roasted garlic dressing makes this salad over the top delicious!  I used orzo pasta that was pretty tiny, just be sure that you have a colander that the pasta won’t go through when draining.  Always reserve a good amount of pasta water for moisture if needed.  This is especially important if making pasta salads ahead of time.  Pasta tends to soak up excess moisture sometimes leaving the pasta a bit dry.  Simply pour small amounts of the pasta water into the salad and mix well until you get a moist consistency.  Pasta water is much more “waistline” friendly than extra oil.

We’ll start with the dressing…..

Into a small sauce pan, add 3/4 cup of olive oil and 6 large cloves of garlic cut in half or smaller so that the olive oil covers them.  Place over very low heat and watch carefully.  Cook only until the garlic is slightly browned and soft, about 35-45 minutes.  Pour the cooked garlic/oil right into the blender.  Allow to cool for 15 minutes.  Add 1/4 cup of red wine vinegar and blend.  Place in refrigerator until you’re ready to assemble the salad.

Cook the pasta according to package directions. 

Reserve a couple of cups of pasta water.  Be sure to refrigerate the pasta water.  Drain, rinse, and drain well.   Place the pasta into a large mixing bowl.

Add the halved kalamata olives, halved grape tomatoes, feta, fresh basil, and the dressing to the orzo.  Mix well.

Season with a couple of pinches of kosher salt, a pinch of black pepper, and a tablespoon of dried oregano.  Mix well.  Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve.

Orzo Pasta Salad with Roasted Garlic Vinaigrette
 
 For the dressing: 
¾ cup olive oil
¼ cup red wine vinegar
6 large cloves fresh garlic halved
 
Salad Ingredients:
 
1 pound cooked orzo pasta, 2 cups pasta water reserved
8 ounces crumbled feta cheese
1 cup kalamata olives, halved
2 pints grape tomatoes, halved
1 large bunch fresh basil, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon dried oregano
2 pinches kosher salt or to taste
1 pinch black pepper or to taste
1) Place the oil in a small sauce pan and add the fresh sliced garlic. Place over low heat. You want to see small bubbles and to know it’s cooking. Do not over brown. Pour into blender, cool for 15 minutes. Add the red wine vinegar and give it a whirl until well blended. Refrigerate if you’re not mixing the salad right away.
2) Cook the pasta according to package directions. Before draining, reserve a couple of cups of water. Drain pasta and rinse. Drain well. Add to large mixing bowl.
3) Add the rest of the salad ingredients to the bowl. Pour the dressing over the salad and mix well. Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve.

*If you’re serving the pasta after refrigeration, add pasta water a small amount at a time to moisten.

Filed Under: Salads and Salad Dressings, Side Dishes, Vegetarian | Tagged:

Oven Roasted Cauliflower…..

Posted by on April 4, 2011

I think this is the most delicious way to enjoy cauliflower.  As you can see, roasting gives the otherwise bland looking vegetable nice color or caramelization.  Use only 5 ingredients…cauliflower, olive oil, salt, pepper and a little water.  Foil line your cookie sheet for easy clean up.  Enjoy hot or cold.

Oven Roasted Cauliflower

1 head of cauliflower, cut into bite size pieces
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 pinches salt
2 pinches pepper
1 tablespoon water

1)  Preheat oven to 375′.  Foil line a cookie sheet.

2)  Cut cauliflower and place in a large bowl.  Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.  Toss to evenly coat.  Spread over cookie sheet and drizzle with the water.

3)  Roast for 25 minutes, give a turn and roast another 15-20 minutes.

Enjoy!

Angie

Filed Under: Side Dishes, Vegetarian | Tagged: Tagged With: ,

Kalamata Olive Vinaigrette…..

Posted by on March 23, 2011

I

I love the flavors in this vinaigrette.  Of course, the most prominent would be the kalamata olives.  I decided to mince them into the vinaigrette to more evenly distribute the olive flavor throughout the salad rather than a strong bite here and there.  The recipe below makes about 1 1/2 cups of dressing.  It will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.  Homemade and delicious!

Kalamata Olive Vinaigrette

 2 tablespoons each water, lemon juice, and red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 large clove garlic, chopped
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
1 cup olive oil
10 pitted kalamata olives, minced

 Romaine lettuce leaves
Red onion, thinly sliced

 1)  Place all ingredients up to black pepper into a blender.  Blend on low, while the blender is on, add the olive oil in a drizzle until all is incorporated.  Pour into a bowl and add the minced olives.

2)  Place lettuce leaves on a plate with some sliced red onion.  Drizzle with salad dressing.  Makes about 1 ½ cups of dressing.  Keep refrigerated for up to 3 weeks.

Enjoy!

Angie

Filed Under: Salads and Salad Dressings, Vegetarian | Tagged: Tagged With: , ,

Caramelized Onion Pasta with Toasted Panko and Cheese

Posted by on March 22, 2011

This pasta is incredibly flavorful and made with simple ingredients.  Serve as a delicious side dish or vegetarian main.  Add whatever you like.  I think it would be outstanding with chopped leftover chicken and petite frozen peas…YUM!

I take an additional step in the process because my guys wouldn’t appreciate identifiable onions and garlic chunks.  I give the mixture a whirl in the blender before adding it to the cooked pasta.  Skip this step if you wish.

Here we go….

We’ll start by toasting the panko.  Preheat the oven to 375′ and give the crumbs a drizzle of olive oil, mix well to coat and spread over a cookie sheet.  Bake for 5-6 minutes. 

They should be golden brown.  Allow to cool completely.

In a small bowl, combine the toasted panko, grated parmesan cheese, and dried parsley, mix well.  Set aside.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add 2 tablespoons of olive oil.  Caramelize onions until they are golden brown as seen above.  This should take about 25-30 minutes.   Add garlic and 1/2 cup each chicken broth and wine.  Cook for 4 minutes.

Omit this step if you wish.  I blend the onion/wine/broth mixture to a smooth sauce so my guys will eat it.  They love the taste of onions and garlic but don’t much appreciate visible onions or garlic chunks.

It will look like this.  Cook the pasta according to package directions.  Drain well and toss the pasta with the sauce.  Top with the panko/cheese/parsley mixture.  The sweetness of the onions and garlic combined with the sharpness of the parmesan and the crunch of the panko will cause a party in your mouth!  Enjoy!

Rotelle Pasta with Caramelized Onions and Toasted Panko

 For the Crumbs:
½ cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/3 cup coarsely grated parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon dried parsley

 For the Pasta:

2 ½ cups thinly sliced onions
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic
½ cup dry white wine
½ cup chicken broth (or use ½ teaspoon Better Than Bouillon with ½ cup water)
½ pound cooked whole wheat curly pasta (or your favorite kind)

 1)  Preheat oven to 375’.  Drizzle 1 tablespoon of olive oil over bread crumbs and stir to evenly coat.  Spread over cookie sheet and bake 5-6 minutes.  Remove from oven and cool completely.  Once cool put into a small mixing bowl with the parmesan and the parsley, mix well.  Set aside

2)  Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add 2 tablespoons of olive oil.  Add the sliced onions and cook, stirring often until they turn golden brown, about 30 minutes.  Add the garlic, wine and the chicken broth, cook for about 4 minutes.

3)  You may omit this step if you wish.  I put the onion/wine/garlic mixture into the blender so that my people will eat it.  They love the taste of onions and garlic but not necessarily the stringy pieces of onion and chunks of garlic.  It’s a texture thing.

4)  Cook the pasta according to package directions in salted water.  Drain well and gently toss with the onion mixture and top with the panko/cheese/parsley mixture.  Serves 4.

*if you’d like to make this vegetarian, simply substitute vegetable broth for chicken broth.

Filed Under: Pasta, Quick Weeknight Dinners, Side Dishes, Vegetarian | Tagged: Tagged With: , ,

Greek Bruschetta…..

Posted by on February 24, 2011
You must try this very easy appetizer.  Albeit a messy one, serve it to friends and family who could care less if you bank an olive off your third button right into your drink!  I love the color and the fresh taste.  Simple and delicious!

Greek Bruschetta

1 12 ounce can pitted kalamata olives, drained and sliced
1 14 ounce can artichokes, drained and chopped
8 ounces of grape tomatoes sliced in quarters
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/2 cup chopped parsley
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 large clove garlic, crushed
2 tablespoons lemon juice
season to taste

Combine all ingredients together in a medium size mixing bowl.  Refrigerate until ready to serve.  Refrigerate any leftovers.

To toast the baguette:

1 whole Baguette, day old or more is best, cut into 1/2″ slices
2 tablespoons or more olive oil
Kosher salt

1) Preheat oven to 300’.
2) Slice stale bread into ½ ” slices. Using a pastry brush, coat both sides of the bread with olive oil. Season with a couple of pinches of kosher salt. Spread out over a large cookie sheet and bake for 15 minutes, give them a turn after about 8 minutes.  Remove from oven and allow to cool.
3)  When ready to serve, simply spoon the vegetables mixture over toasted baguette.  Serves 8-10.  Enjoy!

Filed Under: Appetizers, Vegetarian | Tagged: Tagged With: ,
« Previous Page
Next Page »