Category: spring

• 

  Strawberry Fruit Leather

  May 9, 2016

  I couldn't resist buying three pints of strawberries at the opening day for the St. Helena Farmers' Market last Friday. The sweet smell wafted my way and drew me in. For some reason I was reminded of the fruit roll ups I used to eat as a kid (well, only at my friends' houses...my mom would never buy foods with artificially anything! thanks mom!). Starring at a dehydrator I never use, I knew I could do better than those high fructose, artificially colored "fruit" snacks of my youth. And I was right! Plus they are super easy to make...

• 

  Artichoke and Edamame Caponata

  April 11, 2016

  When did artichokes and edamame fall out of food fashion? Probably about the time kale made it's rise...well, I'd like to bring them back and together in this cooked vegetable salad inspired by Sicily. Caponata typically is a summer-time delight made with eggplant and tomatoes. I'm still planning on doing that in a few months, but in April springy green veggies reign so I used those. This isn't as saucy as the the traditional eggplant version, but it's got all the briny, salty and sweet components. Serve warm or at room temp on sliced baguette - bring out some good cheese and wine and dinner is served! Artichokes, olives and green peppers are typically nightmare veggies to pair with wine. Anytime that happens I just go for bubbles (blanc de noir pictured)!

• 

  Chilled Avocado Soup

  April 4, 2016

  Avocados abound in California these days, but how much guacamole can you really eat?? Well, for me, tons, but after that tons I want something different. This super quick recipe delivers on those Latin flavors in a new and interesting way, provides great nutrition, including being "High In" fiber and "Low In" carbs, and if you insist, you can still dip some tortilla chips in it.

• 

  Banana Bread with Spiced Walnut Topping

  March 22, 2016

  For when you just didn't get to those bunch of bananas...if they are brown and soft and you don't have time for this recipe, throw them in the freezer. Just be sure to defrost them before you make the bread. The additional of sour cream makes it EXTRA moist, and the spiced nut topping was inspired by one of my fav @CIAGreystone Instructors, Chef Paul. You may remember him by the now infamous Chef Paul's Mushroom Salad. You can trim the calories and fat in this recipe by using low-fat sour cream and/or a plant-based butter, such as Earth Balance.

• 

  Grilled Asparagus with Gremolata Breadcrumbs

  March 1, 2016

  Is it spring yet?!? It's getting there out here in sunny Cali so I was inspired to pick up some in-season asparagus and prepare it simply and quickly. Gremolata is a mixture of parsley, garlic and lemon zest typically used in Italian cuisine. The addition of toasted breadcrumbs gives it a crunchy bite! Feel free to sub any citrus zest and any herb you wish.

• 

  Margarita Polenta Frittata

  February 23, 2016

  Italians out there may cringe at this recipe mash up, and even though I'm a Jersey girl, I actually don't have Italian blood in my veins. So I shall feel free to Americanize and misinterpret Italian food culture today! This dish brings together Northern and Southern Italian traditions. Polenta is a cooked cornmeal native to Northern Italy, France, Austria and Switzerland. The Margarita pizza was created in South Italy, Naples to be exact, when in 1889, rumor has it, the city's pizzaiolo was commissioned to invent new pizzas for Queen Margarita's visit. She preferred the one with the colors of the Italian flag: green (basil), red (tomato sauce), and white (mozzarella). I was just trying to create a protein and fiber-packed, heartier recipe for dinner or brunch...ti prego, perdonami!

• 

  Chinese Five Spice Mushroom Lettuce Cups

  February 15, 2016

  Earlier this month, I volunteered for our @ClifFamilyWinery Social Club. The host, me in this case, picks a country or region, then shops for wine and cooks food from that place. All the employees in the winery get together for an hour or so to taste, nibble and chat. I picked Oregon and seven bottles of Pinot Noir plus made these lettuce cups with chunks of browned pork (my co-worker, Claire, helped me out and smoked a beautiful side of salmon!). Mushrooms are an easy umami substitute to make this dish vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and super duper healthy! Pair with brown rice for a heartier dinner.

• 

  Blue Cheese Cheesecake Bars

  February 9, 2016

  Is it a dessert? An appetizer? You decide! Slide the scale on the amount of blue cheese and sugar in this recipe and you can make either. To go savory, use my recipe below and serve with a jam like the one pictured, my Tomato Strawberry Jam, or even an Onion Jam. To go sweet, decrease the blue cheese and increase the sugar and serve with sweetened berries and powdered sugar. BTW, this is the best graham cracker base I've ever made hands down. The secret, per @CIAGreystone classmate @jbarrette25, is brown butter...read on to learn how to do it!

• 

  Gluten Free Pie Crust

  January 19, 2016

  Recently I've been getting requests for gluten free (GF) pizza and pie crusts recipes. Since I didn't have one, I thought I'd take the challenge. In culinary school, I became very comfortable using @CupForCup because a very good friend and classmate, Liz (@LizelleTomorrow), is gluten intolerant. Cup4Cup's motto, "gluten free but you'd never know it," is pretty spot on. Classmates scoffed when I told them I made GF lemon bars with it, but the next time when I made brownies and only told Liz on the side they were GF, no one knew the difference and scarfed them up!

  That's why I was elated when I attended the Fancy Food Show (@craftcarejoy) in San Fran yesterday and first saw their booth, then found out it was created at The French Laundry (@_TFL_) just down the road in Yountville! Unfortunately, though, when I bought GF flour for this recipe Cup4Cup wasn't availability in my local grocery store so I used @KingArthurFlour's version. The results were pretty solid - not as flaky as I had hoped, but buttery for sure.

• 

  Spiced Blackberry Jam

  December 21, 2015

  I am back in South Jersey - the land of my birth - to hang with the family for Christmas and New Years. My mom and sister really wanted to learn to can, which I've been doing ever since I had a garden in Davis, CA. It's kind of funny that I'm teaching them to can given I'm the youngest, but there it is.

  My sister eats rye toast with jam every morning and her fav is peach, but fresh peaches are right out for winter - frozen was the only way to go. My mom suggested blackberry because it's high in fiber. Straight blackberry sounded boring so I literally spiced it up with the only spice mixture I could find in my sister's house - pumpkin pie spice. It worked REALLY well! I went for honey instead of granulated sugar for both health and flavor. 

• 

  Any Veggie Fried Rice

  October 13, 2015

  For this easy fried rice, I just opened the fridge and pantry to grab whatever vegetables I had on hand. You could substitute any of the veggies below for cabbage, kale, snow peas, green peas, leeks, squash - the sky's the limit! I used leftover Chinese take-out rice, and added some eggs to boost the protein. It's important that you dry out the rice overnight in the fridge beforehand. The result will be wonderfully crispy, browned rice!

• 

  Snickerdoodles

  June 29, 2015

  I know, I know...why would I ever turn the oven on in July? But these cookies will be your go-to for summer baking, I promise. Three ingredients and 10 minutes in the mixer, then throw in the fridge until ready to bake. Here I've sprinkled on cinnamon-sugar for snickerdoodles, but you can also add cocoa powder to make them chocolate or just dip them in chocolate post-baking - the possibilities are endless. You can also easily make them gluten-free - I sub'd rice flour for wheat with great success.

• 

  Onion Pie

  June 2, 2015

  I saw these gorgeous large Walla Walla onions at the farmers' market last Friday and had to have them. Mixed with fresh herbs and cheese and then sandwiched between flaky phyllo dough, they make a quick, easy and delicious weeknight dinner. One serving is a "Good Source" of riboflavin, thiamin, calcium, phosphorus and iron.

• 

  Mushroom Asparagus Pot Stickers with Quick Korean BBQ Sauce

  May 19, 2015

  Change up the usual barbecue this Memorial Day weekend with a seasonal, Asian-inspired appetizer and Korean BBQ dipping sauce. This recipe is easily doubled if you are expecting a crowd. I've also included a short video below on how to fold the pot stickers three different ways. One pot sticker is "Low In" fat, saturated fat, carbs and cholesterol.

• 

  Ginger Grapefruit Julep

  May 12, 2015

  I don't make a lot of cocktails on Vegetarianized.com (this is also a great drink without alcohol too!), but a version of this refreshing drink recently caught my attention at one of my favorite, local restaurants. I brought it in-season by replacing the usually lime juice of a mint julep with ruby red grapefruit juice, and added a spicy ginger component using both ginger beer and a candied ginger garnish. You can make your own ginger beer (it's super easy!) using my recipe for one of my other favorite drinks, Dark 'N Stormy. One drink isn't without any nutritional merit: it's "Low In" fat, saturated fat, sodium and cholesterol and "High In" vitamin C.

• 

  Crispy Okra Salad

  May 5, 2015

  This first "Submit Your Recipe" comes from Becky M. of NY who wanted to learn a new recipe using okra and Indian spices. Fresh okra is typically not in season until late summer/early fall so I used frozen for this dish. My class cooked a version of this in our Cuisines of Asia course - spicy, sweet, crunchy and satisfying! The okra-dried mango combo makes this dish "High In" vitamins A and C as well as fiber and calcium. It's also "Low In" saturated fat and cholesterol.

• 

  Chef Bill’s Pimento Cheese

  April 7, 2015

  I scaled down this amazing recipe from one of my chef instructors at school who once ran a hotel kitchen in North Carolina. It's the real deal all right! It took me 30 minutes to make start to finish, and that included all the photos I took along the way. One serving is "Low In" carbs, sodium and cholesterol.

• 

  Moroccan Orange and Date Salad

  March 31, 2015

  If you are looking for a new salad routine, this is it! A no-oil salad dressing plus fun ingredients like dates, almonds, cinnamon, oranges and mint. I found orange flower water, oddly enough, in the wine aisle, but you could also use rose water. The lettuce, oranges and dates put this salad over the top, nutritionally-speaking. It's "High In" fiber, potassium and vitamins A and C while being "Low In" saturated fat and cholesterol.

• 

  Jicama Stack

  March 24, 2015

  This recipe is proof that good things come in quick packages. Jicama matchsticks tossed in lime juice and any seasoning or rub mix in your pantry and then stacked jenga-style. I used togarashi - a Japanese seasoning made from red pepper, orange peel, sesame seed, seaweed and ginger - but you could use Mexican, Chinese, or BBQ rubs. The fact that the knife cuts are uneven makes it that much more fun to play!

• 

  Beet Tartare

  March 17, 2015

  It was recently brought to my attention that the Wynn Resort in Las Vegas has created several chef-inspired vegetarian and vegan menus at their restaurants. I wanted to add to their repertoire, but rather than using those menus as my muse, I wanted to take on the steakhouse! So this dish is inspired by their steak tartare appetizer. It uses the same components of traditional tartare (mustard, capers, shallot and egg), but subs roasted Bull's Blood Beets for steak, and brightens up the flavors with chives and lemon zest. Don't be afraid of the fancy-looking presentation - I just cut the bottom off a plastic cup to create that ring! This is a hearty appetizer, which is a "Good Source" of fiber, vitamins A and C, phosphorus, potassium, iron, thiamin, riboflavin, and niacin. Omit the egg for a vegan appetizer.

• 

  Pintxos (Spanish skewered-tapas)

  March 10, 2015

  I guess cooking Spanish food has really inspired me. This recipe is for three skewered tapas called pintxos (pronounced peen-chos), which means 'thorn' or 'spike'. Also spelled pinchos, but I think the 'x' makes it sexy! The first is cubed sweet potato and scallion tortilla with saffron aioli. Dos is pickled peppers, olives and sherry-marinated baby portabellas. Tres is figs stuffed with valdeon (Spanish blue cheese) and drizzled with rosemary-honey. If you sample each one of these little tapas, you'll have a snack or appetizer that's "Low In" carbs and "High In" Vitamin A.

• 

  French Caramelized Onion Tart

  March 3, 2015

  This savory tart is modeled after a version native to Nice in Southern France called Pissaladiere. That one uses anchovies - I sub'd with fresh, in-season asparagus! I also made a whole wheat crust and used vegan butter to boost the fiber and reduce fat. You can actually make this on just about any kind of flatbread, puff pastry or pizza dough. But I think knowing how to make a savory tart dough is a good trick to have up your sleeve because it's easy, inexpensive and the look is quite impressive. By the way, this is what really caramelized onions are - no butter, just time and heat. The sugar and sherry promote that sexy caramel color and add to the sweet-savory flavor (trust me, it's worth the time!) One slice of this tart is a "Good Source" of fiber, vitamin K, thiamin, phosphorus, and magnesium.

• 

  Rochers

  January 27, 2015

  You may not think that a fancy French chocolate could be a game day winning dessert, but trust me. Four ingredients, 25 minutes active, low carb, kid-friendly to make...have I got your attention now?! You might recognize the name Rocher because of "Ferrero Rocher" that is made similar to this recipe, but with hazelnuts instead of almonds. Feel free to sub any nut or type of chocolate, and even add new ingredients, such as dried fruit, to the mix. Game on!

• 

  Split Pea-Barley Burger with Quick Pickled Onions

  January 13, 2015

  I came home from the holiday break and after schlepping suitcases and presents across three states, I am in serious purge mode. To that end, I'm going to do a series of 'clean out your pantry' recipes starting with this one. How many mostly filled packages of grains, lentils and dried beans do I have?! Too many! If you don't have split peas in your cupboard, sub lentils. Bonus nutrition...one burger is "High In" Vitamin A and Fiber, and it's also "Low In" fat and saturated fat.

• 

  Puffy Pancake

  October 14, 2014

  I was watching an old "Good Eats" and Alton was cooking popovers. It made me think about the Puffy Pancake my beau's mom makes, which uses a popover-like dough (basically a very wet one). You may also know this as a Dutch Baby. This traditional one is a sweet and sour version with powdered sugar and lemon butter, but with a neutral batter like this, the possibilities are only limited by your own creativity. The first few ideas that come to mind are topping with Sloppy Joes, Pumpkin Chili, Tofu Cacciatore, or Tandoori Vegetables. Bonus nutrition - one serving is "High In" Riboflavin and Thiamin and "Low In" Sodium.

• 

  Ensalada de Pan con Olivas y Alcachofas

  October 13, 2014

  The fascinating trip artichokes made from Spain to California in the 1800s was the inspiration for this dish. Even though today California’s Castroville claims to be the “Artichoke Center of the World,” Spain still outproduces all but Italy in global artichoke production. In this dish, marinated artichokes are married with Spanish Queen olives, grilled onion, cubed bread and an herbed vinaigrette. It is then finished with a crumble of semi-soft goat cheese to make a spectacular tapa or entree salad.

• 

  Corned Bean Mash

  September 18, 2014

  For some reason corned beef hash has been popping up in my life lately. I cubed corned beef at work last week. A woman sitting next to me at brunch was eating it. And when I looked it up online to read about its ingredients and cooking methods, I discovered September 27th is National Corned Beef Day...well, I'll be! But the challenge was: could I vegetarianized it? I thought brining beans in the same vain as brisket would offer the flavor profile and lend to the 'mash' part of the dish since the beans would break up well right along side the potatoes. Thus was born Corned Bean Mash...pair with a Bloody Mary and brunch is on! And you don't need to feel guilty for eating this brunch dish - it's High In Vitamins A and C, Riboflavin, Phosphorus, Potassium, Iron and Fiber (go beans!). You could easily turn these into cakes by adding a few tablespoons of milk to help bind it together - then brown up individually.

• 

  Smoked Mozzarella Arancini

  August 5, 2014

  I practiced just about every possible dish I could have gotten on my cooking practical a few weeks ago so I have a bunch of leftovers. I threw the cooked risotto into the freezer thinking I'd try later to make one of my favorite Italian appetizers - arancini. Well, today is the day!
  
  Arancini are just what leftover risotto was made for because risotto is overcooked about three seconds after you serve it. Here, the risotto is mixed with breadcrumbs and eggs, and then wrapped around cheese and deep fried. Typically it's served with tomato sauce, but I plated mine with sautéed broccoli rabe. These little guys have remarkable nutritional value, including being low in carbs and high in calcium, iron, phosphorus and thiamin.

• 

  Chef Paul’s Mushroom Salad

  July 1, 2014

  With permission from one of my instructors at school, Chef Paul, I bring you THE dish that will wow your 4th of July guests. You want evidence of this fact? It's ready in less than 20 minutes, the salt and lemon do the cooking so no sweating over the oven, stove or grill when it's already a million and one out, and did I mention it was created by a chef? BONUS: it's also low in calories, carbs and cholesterol, and high in Vitamin A (thanks to the shallots) and riboflavin (which is good for energy metabolism - thank you, mushrooms). 

• 

  Tortilla Soup

  June 4, 2014

  The origins of this soup are definitely Mexican, but like many national dishes regional variations abound. Some recipes include beans, cilantro, chicken and/or even mint. I took that lead and made some of my own changes - mostly to reduce the cooking time. I used fire-roasted canned tomatoes instead of roasting my own (it's a bit early for fresh tomatoes besides), and I dropped frying my own tortilla strips in favor of crushed tostadas (I know, genius, right?!).

  The tomato and avocado pump up the nutrition making it "high in" Vitamins A and C, Potassium and Monounsaturated Fat. Also, I used dried poblano peppers (labeled pasilla or ancho) because they won't set you on fire. For a vegan soup, simply omit the cream. Hurry up and try this before it's too hot for soup!

• 

  Fresh Pea and Parmesan Risotto

  May 28, 2014

  Don't let risotto make you run for the hills! I always thought it was so hard to make, but now I can't believe I missed all those years of having this creamy, satisfying dish. I finished it with fresh spring peas and sharp Parmesan cheese to boost the protein and fiber (the peas) as well as the bite (the Parm!). As a side dish, this risotto is "High In" calcium, iron (go meatless!), phosphorus (good for bones/teeth), and thiamin (helps turn carbs to energy). Hold off on any additional salt until you get to the table - the stock and Parmesan already contribute a lot.

• 

  Roasted Garlic Bulgur Burger

  May 20, 2014

  This weekend is the official start to burger season! Kick it off right with this tasty burger that's low in saturated fat and high in fiber and Vitamin A thanks to quick-cooking bulgur and a splash of baby spinach. You might also be surprised to find out that spinach is also a "good source" (giving you 10-19% of the Daily Value) of Vitamin C. And while bulgur is a wheat, so not gluten-free, it has more fiber than quinoa, oats, millet or buckwheat. I gave these burgers a sweet-savory bite by adding dried cherries and walnuts.

• 

  Sweet and Sour Veggies with Rhubarb

  May 13, 2014

  I was trying to brainstorm a way to use, now in season, rhubarb in a savory dish. Why should you care about eating rhubarb? It's super low in calories and a particularly good source of Vitamins C and K (K is good for blood clotting and bone health) as well as Calcium (no kidding!)

  Thinking about rhubarb's sour profile led me to..."nuclear-red" sweet and sour Chinese take-out! That sounded terrible, so could I remake a veggie version with a more natural sauce? Yes! Instead of sugary ketchup as a base, this one uses plum sauce, adds the bright flavors of garlic and ginger, and sweetens it naturally using the juice from the pineapple can. Add cubed tofu to boost the protein. Brilliant...and ready in less than 30 minutes!

• 

  Glazed Carrots

  April 6, 2014

  Want a quick way to impress in the kitchen? The answer is fancy knife cuts. I've been learning a lot of them these days, and one that I found to be both super cool and super easy is called the oblique cut. This cut is best for long cylindrical veggies, such as carrots and parsnips. See the step by step instructions with photos below. Wow your Easter/Passover guests with this simple dish that takes 15 minutes and costs about a quarter per serving.

• 

  Vegetable Stock

  February 2, 2014

  I successfully completed my first week at culinary school (with only one very minor knife incident). All week long we made stock - the flavor base for everything from soups and sauces to rice and grains. After about 30 minutes of the stock simmering, you'll be thankful you spent all that time chopping - an amazing, comfort aroma filled my kitchen! This recipe makes one gallon - can it or divide up and freeze. Cup for cup it's 150% cheaper and has almost 600% less sodium. Go forth and flavor the world!

• 

  Cookie Bread Pudding

  December 29, 2013

  Right about now you're probably up to your eyeballs in sweets. Here's one way to off-load some cookies by transforming them into a magical sweet bread pudding. I used Becky's Persimmon Cookies here, but any cake-type cookie will work (crispy cookies are too dry to use). Since these already had raisins, almonds and spices, I just added a little more cinnamon and...Grand Marnier!

• 

  Green Bean Casserole

  December 22, 2013

  I'm not sure why I was surprised when I read that this casserole was actually created by Campbell's in 1955. They researched what cans were most likely to be in a household pantry - the answer was green beans and cream of mushroom soup. Add some of their 'fried onions' and poof - casserole. I redid the dish completely from scratch with real food, including doing the mushrooms stroganoff-style with sour cream, thyme, parsley and nutmeg.

• 

  Roasted Broccoli Soup

  December 1, 2013

  After a heavy Thanksgivvukah weekend, this is great way to start off light and flavorful this week. It is based on my Garlic Parmesan Broccoli recipe - roasted veg, broth and a whizz up with a hand blender and 'tis the season for warm, cozy soup.

• 

  Mushroom Onion Rillettes

  November 3, 2013

  I've been seeing rillettes on a lot of menus lately - perhaps I'm noticing because I'm taking an intro French class! Rillettes is traditionally made by cooking pork over a low temperature for a long time. The fat renders out of the meat and it's packed in jars for winter storage. Here I use the same technique with beautiful portobello and shiitake mushrooms and onions. In place of the natural pork fat, I packed some in butter and some in olive oil. This would be a fantastic Thanksgiving appetizer.

• 

  Roasted Green Bean Tortellini Salad

  October 13, 2013

  I saw these beautiful purple beans in the farmer's market yesterday, and was inspired to adapt my summer Roasted Eggplant Tortellini Salad into a fall version. Roasted beans are tossed with other fall goodies - toasted pumpkin seeds and dried cranberries - and dressed with a maple syrup-mustard vinaigrette. It's a super easy take-along to a party or for a weeknight main or side.

• 

  Rosemary Grissini

  October 6, 2013

  Grissini are Italian breadsticks whose origin dates back to the 17th century. I thought they'd be a fun Sunday project. They take some time, but as with most breads, not much of it is active time (especially if you use a bread machine, like I did!). In this version I mixed the dough with fresh rosemary and then rolled them in kosher salt. I made some as twists and others I rolled into cylinders. For a Halloween or The Walking Dead adaptation, you could make these smaller, maybe a bit fatter, and paint the ends ("finger nails") to make severed fingers!

• 

  Apple Sage Upside Down Polenta Cake

  September 15, 2013

  Inspiration found me this week at the farmer's market. Apples coming in to season...corn on its way out...and free fresh sage - yes, free! I infused a brown sugar-butter glaze with sage and apple cider, set crisp apples slices in it, and poured on a polenta and cornmeal batter studded with sage on top. Baked, cooled, and inverted...all in less than 30 minutes active time.

• 

  Baklava

  September 1, 2013

  Baklava has absolutely nothing to do with Labor Day or the start of football season - other than one tray feeds a crowd of sweet tooths. So perhaps you should consider whipping up a batch for a unique end to the barbecue this weekend. You may recall walnuts are most often used, but I read that in some towns in Turkey pistachios and almonds are common. That was exciting to me because then I could make it local (almond and pistachio trees abound in NorCal) - along with honey from Oakland. Plan ahead though - after it's cooked you need to soak it in the honey syrup for at least three hours.

• 

  Spinach White Bean Salad with Meyer Lemon Vinaigrette

  June 16, 2013

  I've been eating this salad at lot lately, and I'm thoroughly enjoying the season's first grape tomatoes. Tomatoes paired with spinach, white beans and feta makes this salad an easy weeknight winner. I used one of the last Meyer lemons I could find on a friend's tree - regular lemons are an easy substitute. For a vegan dish, simply substitute a vegan cheese or omit it altogether. If you are concerned about the fat, leave off the avocado - that will save you 7.5g fat per serving. However, I don't recommend it because the avocado compliments the creamy texture of the beans so nicely.

• 

  Greek Yogurt ‘Nanna Pudding

  June 2, 2013

  Did you know that Greek yogurt is just strained regular yogurt? Save more than 55% per ounce when you buy the regular stuff, and spend literally seconds straining it yourself (I show you how below). In this Southern dessert, I use the strained low fat vanilla yogurt as a healthier (and easier!) pudding alternative. Salted almonds are a savory, crunchy addition, but of course, optional.

• 

  Gigantes

  May 19, 2013

  I've always loved this Greek meze, and recently had a wonderful version similar to this in San Francisco. The gigantes bean (pronounced yee-gahn-tes) has been grown in the Kastoria region of Greece since the 17th century. Like California has the American Viticultural Area (AVA) wine-growing regions, the gigantes has a Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) - that's one important bean! Serve with bread and a salad for a main dish. For a vegan version, simply omit the feta.

• 

  Artichoke Feta Panzanella Salad

  April 28, 2013

  Artichokes were born in Greek mythology, then traveled across the Mediterranean to France and from France to Louisiana and finally carried by the Spaniards to California. Today, Castroville, California (near Monterey on the coast) proclaims itself "The Artichoke Center of the World." And rightfully so, Castroville, with a population of less than 7,000, boast 75% of the world production of artichokes. I paired some home-grown artichokes with bright, spring flavors reminiscent of ancient Greece rather than the traditional Italian summer panzanella (but summer is right around the corner...here's my Italian version with tomatoes, peaches and basil).

• 

  Mushroom and Mustard Green Polenta Lasagna

  April 21, 2013

  Vegetarianized.com turned five on April 16th, but instead of a cake I made a lasagna. Ounce for ounce, polenta has less sodium and more fiber than lasagna noodles - plus it's a fun change of pace! I also like it because you can split up the work - make the polenta and refrigerate it overnight, then make the filling and bake it the following day. This is a springy version with mushrooms, mustard greens, leeks and sage combined with three cheeses - parmesan, ricotta and fontina.

• 

  Welsh Rarebit

  April 14, 2013

  I may have said this before, but I'm always amazed when I realize a recipe I've been doing for years hasn't yet been posted. This is one of them. Welsh Rarebit is an 18th/19th century take on, essentially, grilled cheese. Any history you read about this dish acknowledges that it's both a slur against Welshman and that rarebit is a corruption of rabbit. The insults include chiding a Welshman for his rabbit hunting skills remarking that this would be his dinner. Another one states that in England rabbit was the poor man's meat, and in Wales, cheese. My favorite story, however, is that St. Peter went outside the pearly gates and yelled "toasted cheese!" to which the Welshman replied by running out of heaven, and then Peter went back in and locked the gates. For breakfast, add an egg and then you can call it a Buck Rarebit.

• 

  Mexican Matzo Brei

  March 24, 2013

  This dish was a personal favorite at Essex Restaurant on the LES when we lived in NYC. I'm sure they were inspired by the famed matzo producer, Streit's, which was just a few blocks down Rivington Street. This savory breakfast is a mash-up of traditional Jewish matzo brei and Mexican chilaquiles - and I think, actually, still kosher for Passover. Whether you are Jewish or not, I hope you'll join the tradition this week. You can make this gluten-free with matzo made of potato flour or simply use tortilla chips.

• 

  Mini Italian Egg White Frittatas

  March 3, 2013

  Looking to make a low calorie sweet protein bar, I quickly realized that one of the best vegetarian ingredients with high protein and low calories is actually savory egg whites. One quarter cup of egg white has 30 calories, 6.4g of protein, and no fat, carbs or cholesterol. To add some flavor, I packed it with veggies, herbs and a bit of cheese. Make a couple of batches and snack on these all week for breakfast or post-workout.

• 

  Flaxseed Baguettes

  February 24, 2013

  A great lazy Sunday afternoon project - making bread! These golden loaves are studded with flaxseeds to add extra texture as well as those Omega-3s everyone talks about. Flaxseeds are one of the best sources of vegetarian Omega-3 fatty acids (many are derived from fish). Flax plants have been cultivated for more than 5,000 years with recent studies showing that its seeds may reduce risk of heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and stroke.

• 

  Tofu Tostadas with Grilled Orange Chipotle Sauce

  February 17, 2013

  What happened to crispy tacos and tostadas? The taco food craze is all about the soft tortilla, which I'm loving, don't get my wrong, but I do miss the crunch of the hard shell. Inspired by seasonal produce and the warming day, I got busy on an indoor grilling session. Grilled, brown sugar-coated oranges add sweetness, and complement spicy chipotle peppers in a marinade/sauce for grilled tofu and veggies. Mashed avocado and queso fresco brighten as well as tame this snack, app or main dish. Simply omit the cheese for a vegan delight!

• 

  Lavender Goat Cheesecake with Almond Brittle

  February 10, 2013

  The perfect romantic dessert for two this Valentine's Day. Tangy goat cheese and marscapone blend beautifully together with dried lavender and lemon zest for a velvety sweet ending note. A crunch of salty almond brittle makes sure this dessert is not too smooth and sappy. Best to make this Wednesday night to ensure a cooled and perfectly set cheesecake. Did I mention that it's really fattening? Best to skip the nutrition facts and go right to the recipe. If you want to lighten it up, skip the brittle and use low fat goat cheese.

• 

  Oyster (Mushroom) Po’ Boy Sliders

  January 27, 2013

  The 49ers are headed to New Orleans next week, so in their honor I developed this snack-sized, vegetarian version of one of the Big Easy's staple foods. Po' Boys are usually served on a long French hoagie roll stuffed with fried seafood, usually oysters or shrimp, and topped with a mayonnaise sauce called remoulade. Instead of oysters I used oyster mushrooms, gave them a typical coating treatment of cornmeal and spices, and then sautéed them in a small amount of peanut oil. My smoky remoulade uses a mix of low fat mayo and Greek yogurt to trim the fat so you don't feel so piggy when you are watching the pigskin next week. Go Niners!

• 

  Sloppy Joes

  January 13, 2013

  Nothing wrong with a good ole' fashioned Sloppy Joe made vegetarian. Takes as long to put together as you chopping the veggies. I read that this classically messy sandwich originated in Iowa and didn't have sauce. Somewhere along the line that got added, and I made some healthy additions of my own, including packing these joes with carrots, celery, peppers and beans. If you don't have ground chipotle powder, use half smoked paprika and half chile powder.

• 

  Obatzda (Bavarian Cheese Spread)

  January 6, 2013

  In our usual circuit of beloved NYC restaurants, we made a stop at Zum Schneider (7th Street and Avenue C, Manhattan). This neighborhood institution is an indoor Barvarian biergarten with communal wood tables, an amazing vom Fass (on tap) list, and a very respectable menu of vegetarian dishes. On this particular trip we were even treated to a Jane Lynch sighting!Obatzda cheese is rumored to have originated as a use for leftover cheese - primarily a soft, mild cheese (camembert or brie), a smaller amount of ripened cheese (limburger or blue), and butter or cream cheese. It is accented with sweet paprika, any number of traditional German herbs or spices (e.g. horseradish, chives, caraway seed) and/or beer. Serve with rye bread, pretzels, radishes, and/or pickles.

• 

  Latkes

  December 9, 2012

  Last night was the first night of Hanukkah, and I learned how to make latkes from a Jewish friend. Crispy and creamy, these potato cakes are a homey, warming part of the holiday season.

• 

  Sándwich Cubano Vegetariano

  December 2, 2012

  We flew back from Florida via Miami and before heading to the airport stopped in Little Havana at the self-proclaimed "world's most famous Cuban restaurant" - Versailles. This extremely old school eatery made me nostalgic for one of our favorite (although not as 'world famous') NYC establishments, Cafe Habana. There, just about every Saturday at brunch, I ate a version of this refreshing, yet spicy, sandwich along side a margarita and a cafe con leche.

• 

  Charlotte’s Southern Cornbread Stuffing

  November 18, 2012

  We are in Naples, FL this week visiting Michael's parents for Thanksgiving and his mom, Patsy, shared  her mother's cornbread stuffing recipe. Charlotte was from Mississippi, and Patsy said she made this simple, but delicious stuffing each and every holiday. I vegetarianized it and added fresh herbs for a more modern take. This recipe calls for real unsalted butter, but you can save 2g fat and 3.8g saturated fat per serving by using a plant oil-based butter like Earth Balance Whipped Spread.

• 

  Maple Apple Granola Crumb Pie with Peanut Butter Shortbread Crust

  November 11, 2012

  A few new twists to liven up your Thanksgiving apple pie this year. Brandy and maple syrup marinate crunchy apples. Peanut butter infuses a buttery (olive oil butter buttery) shortbread crust. Granola inspires a crumb topping with oats, raisins, peanuts and cranberries. Despite the complexity, this pie comes together pretty easily and the three main components can sit in the fridge until there is room in the oven. WARNING: This is vegan, but not a diet food - time to indulge just a bit this Thanksgiving.

• 

  Mushroom Leek Strata

  November 4, 2012

  I first learned about strata from my step-mom. Kind of like bread pudding, but with more eggs, and you put it all together, refrigerate overnight and bake in the morning for an easy brunch dish - kind of like a savory french toast. For me the name evoked an old world Italian dish, but turns out it's an American creation - first mentioned in a 1902 cookbook. This recipe brings together the homey fall flavors of mushrooms, leeks, rosemary, sage and smoked mozzarella, but you could use it as a base for an infinite number of veg, herb and/or cheese combinations. An easy dish to feed the family crowd coming for Thanksgiving.

• 

  Sachs Italian Wedding Soup

  October 21, 2012

  Michael's brother is visiting us in Cali and he just celebrated his first wedding anniversary with his beautiful Italian/Irish wife, Meaghan. He says they make this soup a lot, and I thought it was a perfect way to cheers their first year together. He is the guest chef hand in step #2. The veggie meatballs are a snap to put together and get tremendous flavor from the Parmesan cheese, herbs and spices. Serve with bread and/or salad for a satisfying weeknight meal.

• 

  California Olive Oil Cake

  October 14, 2012

  It's the most magical time of the year in Northern California - harvest. That mainly means wine grapes and olives. I was inspired to use some local olive oil to bake this gorgeous cake studded with flecks of lemon zest and finely chopped rosemary. If you are short on time, you can add all the eggs in step #2, but separating and whisking the egg whites makes the cake light as a cloud.

• 

  Dark N’ Stormy

  October 7, 2012

  In Hong Kong, we met some Aussies at a bar that introduced us to this Bermudian drink that is a mix of dark rum and ginger beer (not ale). I was actually surprised that we never ran into it before. Popular in New England where Bermudian sailors traveled to, it also became popular in Australia about 30 years ago apparently starting when Bermuda and Australia got together to play rugby. Not a cloud in the sky here in California, but no better time for this drink. P.S. Making your own ginger beer is super easy!

• 

  Ultimate Mac N’ Cheese

  September 23, 2012

  Throw out healthy eating for one night and splurge on this over-the-top version of the classic pasta and cheese sauce dish. I have spent years perfecting the right kinds of cheeses and right the amounts to make this sophisticated, comforting and above all ooey-gooey.

• 

  Singapore Sling

  August 26, 2012

  Wow - just back from our trip to Singapore and Hong Kong, and I have easily more than a dozen new recipes to recreate and share on Vegetarianized over the next few months, but this is an obvious first choice. There is quite a bit of mystery that surrounds the recipe for this drink created in the early 20th century at the very fancy Raffles Hotel in Singapore. We went to test for ourselves and their version is now extremely touristy - over the top sweet and unnaturally pink. After some trial and error, my version limits extraneous fruit juices and garnish in favor of what is seen as more classic and reserved. Just as at the Raffles Hotel, serve on or near rattan and with peanuts - shell on the floor.

• 

  Quinoa Spinach Salad

  June 24, 2012

  A work colleague, Fadia D., shared her recipe for this flavor-packed salad that would be a great addition at any 4th of July barbecue or picnic. Quinoa brings protein and fiber to this salad party of spinach, almonds, dried apricots, feta, and shallots topped with a tangy-tart dressing made with apricot preserves, lemon and honey. Highly versatile - you can substitute dried cranberries for the apricots, walnuts for the almonds, and add other veggies like tomatoes, broccoli, asparagus or beets.

• 

  Rhubarb Pickle Chips

  May 27, 2012

  While I'm anxiously waiting for ripening tomatoes and peppers, I jumped on the chance to use an in-season vegetable. I wasn't inspired by the usual rhubarb treatments drowned in sugar for pies, jams and crumbles. Why not embrace the sour? Doing a bit of research I developed this recipe for pickle chips to have a tart yet slightly spicy profile that I think would be an interesting companion for burgers to a cheese platter. Note that these are what is called 'refrigerator pickles' meaning you sterilize your jars and lids, but don't process the jars after they are full. The additional heat will turn the rhubarb to mush.

• 

  White Bean Salad

  May 13, 2012

  It's been so hot this week I couldn't bear to make something with heat. This salad is light, fresh, cool and quite versatile. Stuff into a pita with lettuce and tomatoes for a sandwich.  Add to arugula for a peppery main salad. It's packed full of protein and fiber, and a snap to put together.

• 

  Roasted Carrot Mac N Cheese

  April 29, 2012

  This is another lovely spring time pasta, this time using in-season carrots. They do double duty: cutting down on the fat and calories of traditional mac n cheese as well as adding healthy vitamins and nutrients. I roasted them as I did in my Roasted Carrot Soup (click for recipe) and used smoked cheddar and fontina, which allows you to use less and still get a rich, deep flavor. This is great as a main course or side dish. I think both little and big kids will eat their veggies tonight!

• 

  Roasted Garlic Artichoke Pesto with Penne, Asparagus, Peas and Leeks

  April 22, 2012

  The ultimate spring-time dish using all the season has to offer - artichokes, garlic, lemons, asparagus, leeks and peas. This light dish can be served as a main or first course. Swap out sage for mint or thyme. For a gluten-free recipe, use corn or rice pasta.

• 

  Mushroom Rosemary Parmesan Breakfast Muffins

  April 15, 2012

  Think you can't get in veggies before 8am? Try making a savory breakfast muffin over the weekend and have a grab-n-go treat every morning for weeks. This combo is sherry mushrooms, fresh rosemary and grated parmesan, but the sky's the limit here. Try spinach and feta, faux sausage and mozz, sage and mushrooms, scallions and red pepper - get creative and then get to work with a healthy breakfast in your belly!

• 

  Orange Cake with Grand Marnier Sauce

  March 11, 2012

  A colleague, Roy E., baked a lovely cake drizzled with a rich cinnamon sauce for a recent meeting - totally sinful, but I had to have the recipe. I made a few slight alternations in my attempt to be better (not exactly good) by reducing some of the fat and sugar and, looking at all the oranges in my fridge, I added an orange flavor all around with zest, juice and Grand Marnier.

• 

  Herbed Mustard

  March 4, 2012

  Even though it's a bit more expensive, I make mustard at home. I can add all sorts of herbs and spices, make it smooth or seeded, or turn up the heat with ingredients like horseradish. This recipe is a basic, lovely version to use as a foundation - take it in any of those directions or enjoy as is. This will be spicy at first, but will mellow over a day or so.

• 

  Spring Nicoise Salad

  February 26, 2012

  It's been so warm and sunny that I feel springy. Inspired by the great lettuces, potatoes and asparagus in season now I decided to move this traditionally French summer salad up a few months by replacing the fresh tomatoes with my homemade dried, oil-packed tomatoes (or you could use radishes) and the green beans with asparagus. I also vegetarianized it by exchanging Mediterranean white beans for the tuna. FYI, ounce for ounce white beans have LESS calories, fat, sodium and cholesterol, and MORE fiber, calcium and iron than tuna - a healthy alternative indeed!

• 

  Savory Chocolate Cheese Sandwiches

  February 12, 2012

  Take chocolate to the savory side and impress your Valentine this year. Port and rosemary-infused chocolate sauce is spread thin on garlic-rubbed toast and complemented by peppery arugula, dried figs and the soft, gooey cheese of your choice. I preferred a fennel, lavender goat cheese while Michael loved the sharp, salty bite of gorgonzola. An easy weeknight pleaser that comes together in less than 30 minutes.

• 

  Mini Nacho Cupcakes

  February 5, 2012

  What could be more Superbowl ready and food faddish at the same time than a self-contained mini-cupcake with all the nacho fixin's? Plus it combines some of the best recipes of Vegetarianized.com, including baleadas, refried beans and grilled guacamole.

• 

  French Onion Soup

  January 29, 2012

  I've been seeing this warming, winter soup in lots of food magazines and blogs lately and realized I've never made it at home. Knowing that the broth is the chief ingredient that would make the vegetarianizing of this soup, I bought a few and did a very unscientific taste test with Pacific, Trader Joe's and Imagine vegetable broths. Maybe I shouldn't have been surprised that they all tasted pretty weak, with the Trader Joe's fairing the worst (it tasted literally like water). I ended up using Pacific - had the most deep flavors. If you are concerned about sodium, opt for the low sodium broths (I used full test). The cheese also makes this - spend a bit and go for an aged gruyere - it's worth every extra penny.

• 

  New Orleans Red Beans and Rice

  January 22, 2012

  Even though it was a sad time in New Orleans last week, I did enjoy some wonderful foods. We wandered into a bar on Monday night that offered free Red Beans and Rice to locals. At less than $2.00 per serving, it truly is a poor man's complete meal - packed with fiber and protein - but also has some modern health benefits - low saturated fat and no cholesterol. I decided to recreate it at home with faux sausage and boosted the flavor with lots of herbs and spices. To help the mock meat, I used smoked paprika instead of mild.

• 

  Chocolate-Salt Dipped Lemon Pistachio Biscotti

  December 18, 2011

  I had some store-bought biscotti this week and knew I could rock it better with local, in-season lemons and pistachios. A salty chocolate dip was 'just because' and I thought it would make a pretty finish. This would be great for any holiday table (Santa comes to mind...) or as homemade gifts (biscotti is very easy to make - promise!).

• 

  Fennel, Persimmon and Goat Cheese Salad

  December 11, 2011

  If you've been following me on Twitter (@Vegetarianized) this week, you know I've been obsessed with this salad that's quick and showcases some of the best of in-season produce. The licorice of the raw fennel is a perfect foil for the sweet persimmons and creamy goat cheese. It's a wonderful starter or side dish that's great for a weeknight meal and dressy enough for a holiday dish.

• 

  Spanikopita (Vegan Creamed Spinach) Pizza

  December 4, 2011

  My vegan creamed spinach recipe always seems to be the most popular post from Vegetarianized.com. It pains me slightly because in June, 2008 when I did it I was taking photos with an iPhone 3. A request from Suzanna in New York has allowed me to retake those photos with my Nikon D90 because that recipe is the base for my Spanikopita Pizza. Transforming the creamed spinach into a pizza makes it not vegan with the addition of mozzarella and feta, but you could keep it vegan by omitting the cheese. My crust recipe comes directly from Cooks Illustrated - it's the best crust I've ever made at home.

• 

  Roasted Carrot Hummus

  November 27, 2011

  I had a beautiful idea for this 'mash up' of previously posted Vegetarianized.com recipes (Roasted Carrot Soup and Hummus) after tasting a bland version at a restaurant this weekend. Feeling pretty done with Thanksgiving fare, this is a nice, light snack that’s big on flavor - not calories. 

• 

  Italian Smothered Greens

  November 6, 2011

  These greens, that I adapted from a recipe in an old Food & Wine magazine, are my second all-time favorite way to have greens. The first is my recipe for a Two-Cheese Collard Green Gratin. In this recipe I used red chard, but you could also use broccoli rabe, collards or kale. The balance of salty olives with sweet raisins and dried tomatoes is gorgeous. Serve as an interesting Thanksgiving side or first course pasta dish over penne.

• 

  Virginia Peanut Brittle

  October 2, 2011

  I'm back in the South - Richmond, Virginia - where I went to school, met my beau and started a career. There is hardly anything more Virginia than the peanut. This isn't healthy, but a treat. Substituting coarse salt gives it a great salty bite.

• 

  Timballo

  September 25, 2011

  I saw a picture of this Italian masterpiece in an old Gourmet magazine and had to conquer it. It's a great weekend project actually - when it's raining out or you just want to stay in. You will be rewarded! Every recipe I found used meat sauce so I vegetarianized it by skipping the meat in favor of a robust veggie-cheese mixture of eggplant, mushrooms, beet greens and smoked mozzarella.

• 

  Baleadas

  August 21, 2011

  This is another recipe I've developed specifically for Java City, a great, little Sacramento coffee company. Baleadas (pronounced bal-e-a-das) are the quintessential cheap, street food in Honduras and a perfect match for Java City’s Mundo Verde. This recipe is very traditional, simple and crazy delicious. You can dress it up with scrambled eggs, avocado and/or chiles. The salty, warm bites of the baleadas marry beautifully with the light, sharp coffee. Cut out the crema for a healthier, lower fat version.

• 

  Old Fashioned

  August 14, 2011

  August 15-21 is Midtown Cocktail Week in Sacramento with boozy parties and cocktail-making classes all week long. In its honor, I requested this amazing homemade maraschino cherry Old Fashioned recipe from a new friend, the newly minted Jersey Girl, Zoe H. (check out her new blog, Lamb's Quarterly). The cherries are spicy, fresh and retain their snap - a million miles away from those nuclear red, squishy sweet ones from the bar.

• 

  Fresh Mozzarella

  August 7, 2011

  This recipe is heavily based on Gourmet magazine's take, and well worth the hours it takes. Dedicate a lazy summer afternoon and you will be rewarded. You must use the best milk you can find - here a local dairy that sits right on the Pacific Coast less than 100 miles away called Straus Creamery. Paired with tomatoes and basil from the garden - just perfection.

• 

  Smoky Polenta Fries

  July 17, 2011

  The polenta fries I've tried in restaurants are soggy and uninspiring. I thought I'd boost the flavor with fresh rosemary and smoked mozzarella and work on the crisp-factor. The key to crispness is cutting the delicate polenta into 1/2" matchsticks followed by a flour dredge and then always into hot oil (you'll need to reheat the oil between batches). Make sure you have a wide-mouthed pot, thermometer, good tongs, and your paper toweled-lined plate all ready. Frying isn't dangerous business if you have the right tools ready to use. Above I served my fries with warm tomato sauce, but ketchup works well too. These are vegan if you omit the cheese.

• 

  Curry Deviled Eggs

  June 26, 2011

  It's been pretty hot here in inland NorCal and you may have noticed I haven't been spending a lot of time in the kitchen lately. I made a great curry egg salad sandwich this week from Gourmet magazine, and got inspired to freshen up a summer favorite - deviled eggs. Here the devil is in the curry powder, cayenne and homemade mustard. Drained plain yogurt, or Greek yogurt, granny smith apples and onions brighten the flavor and reduce the fat. I don't know about you, but about the last thing I want to do when it's hot out (beside cook!) is eat heavy mayo - ehh! Yogurt will bring the creaminess and the tang. Go ahead and scale up for a party, but be careful with the liquids to ensure a thick mixture.

• 

  Grilled Guacamole

  June 19, 2011

  Get grilling! Everywhere I turn - magazine covers, the hardware store, commercials - everything is about grilling. I saw a beautiful shot of a grilled avocado in an old Gourmet magazine and I got inspiration to grill guacamole. And not just the avocado - but the whole enchilada! If you have the grill on, why not? Just throw all your guacamole ingredients on there and try a new twist this summer.

• 

  Tofu Cacciatore

  June 12, 2011

  I love reading about food history and this is a cool story. Cacciatore is Italian for 'hunter' but typically made with chicken - so what's the connection there? Well, if the hunting party was unsuccessful they would kill a chicken and make a stew with tomatoes, mushrooms, onions, peppers and red wine. This dish was inspired by an old Vegetarian Times recipe, but I tried to make it more authentic by researching variations on more traditional recipes. I'm not a huge fan of tofu, but it really works well here absorbing all the tomatoes, red wine and sage. Serve over any pasta you like - I used vermicelli. Use rice or corn pasta for a gluten-free recipe.

• 

  Garlic Parmesan Broccoli

  June 5, 2011

  Earlier this year, I discovered the best roasted broccoli recipe I have ever had from an old Cooks Illustrated magazine. I tweaked it slightly to boost the garlicy and spicy flavors. It's very easy to prepare and takes no time at all. It'll become your go-to side dish for any weeknight meal - and will maybe also make a few broccoli converts in the process. Omit the Parmesan for a vegan side.

• 

  Arroz con Leche

  May 22, 2011

  This is my next recipe pairing creation for Java City Coffee. This month they are featuring El Salvador Portezuelo, a lightly roasted bean with notes of citrus and spice. I thought a great accompaniment would be arroz con leche, literally ‘rice with milk.’ It is a staple treat in many Latin and Spanish cultures, but I found Salvadorians prefer a milkier texture with the light spice of orange zest, cinnamon and cloves. Sweeteners can include condensed milk or, as in the recipe below, white sugar and a couple of pats of butter.

• 

  Hot Artichoke and Beet Green Dip

  May 15, 2011

  With artichoke season in full swing in my garden, I went looking around for a few new creative recipes. The typical heavy, over cheesed spinach and artichoke dip came up a lot so I challenged myself to make a flavorful and healthier version (without using fat free everything). With all the beet greens in my freezer, I sub'ed them for the spinach and used sour cream, Parmesan and Neufchatel cheese instead of gobs of mayo and mild mozz. I boosted it with lemon zest, red pepper flakes, thyme and lots of garlic. Serve with the artichoke leaves (a bonus of using fresh over frozen or canned artichokes) and homemade pita chips (click for that recipe).

• 

  Grilled Cheese Elvis

  April 24, 2011

  No, I didn't see Elvis' face in my grilled cheese - April is National Grilled Cheese Month! You probably know Elvis' favorite sandwich - peanut butter, banana, honey and bacon. I turned this outrageous sandwich into ridiculous (and vegetarian) by replacing the bacon with extra sharp cheddar cheese and then grilling the mother lover. I was inspired by the peanut butter and cheese sandwiches I loved as a kid. It is just truly silly, but one bite and you'll think it's like steroids on crack. Just skip the nutritional information because you don't want to know - and go grab a skillet.

• 

  Springy Salad with Lemon Rosemary Vinaigrette

  April 17, 2011

  I realized this week I've never done a salad on Vegetarianized.com, and I'm even growing lettuce this spring. I thought this would be a great salad for Easter dinner next Sunday. Citrusy lemons contrast the sweet cranberries and peas, then there is crunchy almond slivers and creamy goat cheese - to me a perfect salad. And this will be so easy to make for a crowd - no cooking involved. Just whisking, tossing and serving.

• 

  Asparagus “Muffin” Pudding

  April 10, 2011

  I'm somewhat obsessed with savory bread puddings. Those anything-is-possible eggy-bready-cheesey casseroles. I went a bit mad for them in 2008 - hence Tomato Bread Pudding, Summer Squash Bread Pudding and Pumpkin Apple Bread Pudding. I had a fun idea to make them bite-sized for snacks, breakfast on-the-go or as a side dish to a weekend brunch. The asparagus was looking divine at the farmers market so I couldn't pass it up. Paired with Italian fontina and rosemary, these little guys are in the oven in less than 20 and in your mouth in less than 60!

• 

  Pretzel Cheese Soup

  March 27, 2011

  I've been in Chicago for the last week and Michael and I splurged on an amazingly fun restaurant called Moto in the West Loop (the bill for two was close to $400!). The head chef is this crazy guy who basically scientifically deconstructs (there was a tour at the end that involved a demo of centrifuges, for example) food flavors and reassembles them in fun and quirky ways. One of our ten courses was a clear pretzel broth studded with freeze-dried scallions and cubed 4-year old Wisconsin cheddar. Holding on to the flavors tight in my memory I sought to recreate the soup to have at home. Check my Twitter feed @Vegetarianized for pictures and descriptions of all the courses, including a cigar and ash tray dish made of mushroom puree stuffed into a braised collard green, and Cracker Jacks of apple gnocchi, popcorn powder and caramel puree - plus a weeks' worth of meals in Chicago with my Top 4 deep dish pie spots.

• 

  Dark Chocolate Beet Brownies

  March 20, 2011

  I've started a new partnership with Java City Coffee, a Sacramento-based roaster with cafes sprinkled around the city. They've asked me to create new recipes to match their monthly featured coffee every other month starting in March. This recipe is the result of weekend of work perfecting the balance between rich, dark chocolate flavor, sweetness and a slight dark red hue from the addition of the beets. It's a prefect pairing to their March Featured Coffee - a Red Velvet Latte. Take a peek at the entry for the recipe on the Java City Blog to get the scoop on my inspiration for beets in brownies. It's an amazing flavor combination!

• 

  Smoky Black Bean Quesadilla

  March 13, 2011

  Chipotle chiles and dark brown sugar add a smoky-sweet note to black beans that are spread over a tortilla and topped with sauteed mushrooms and onions. Top with sharp cheddar cheese and grill for a quick main dish on any weeknight. Simply omit the cheese to make a vegan quesadilla.

• 

  Beet Green and Lemon Chevre Bruschetta

  March 6, 2011

  It struck me recently that I didn't know the difference between those lovely Italian appetizers crostini and bruschetta. Crostini are smaller bits of toast, literally "little toasts" in Italian, with any topping you can imagine. Bruschetta (pronounced bru-sketta, for the record) means "to roast over coals" so these are toasted/grilled slices from larger bread that are drizzled with olive oil and rubbed with raw garlic. The raw garlic literally grates as you rub and you are left with a toasty, garlicy base for, again, any topping you can imagine. Here, I mixed chevre with lemon juice and thyme, and topped it with dressed beet greens for a light bruschetta snack.

• 

  Meyer Lemon & Rosemary Granita

  February 27, 2011

  I've had a few citrus donors in the past few weeks, and the latest was a student from my cooking class who brought me bunches of beautiful Meyer lemons. These lemons are a bit sweeter than regular lemons so I had a brainstorm to turn the very popular Rosemary Lemonade into a dessert. A granita is sort of like a sorbet, but instead of using an ice cream maker you place the liquid in a shallow pan and as it freezes, you scrape it. The result is light and fluffy, and resembles a snow cone with a bit more creamy texture.

• 

  Smoky BBQ Sliders

  February 5, 2011

  A Vegetarianized.com Super Bowl Exclusive - hold the menu! For tomorrow, add these spicy, smoky, little veggie burgers to your Super Bowl party. Just throw everything in the food processor, chill, grill and put on your favorite slider bun or roll. Top with grilled onions, cheese and condiments and you'll have a hit for all your football fans - veg or not. In the photo above I embellished mine with homemade zucchini relish.

• 

  Homemade Pita Chips with Smoked Salt

  January 30, 2011

  Save yourself a couple of bucks and make perfectly spiced chips to accompany any dip you're making or cheese you're serving with homemade pita chips. They take no time, and are a lot less fattening as well. These chips have a sprinkle of smoked salt, but you can use any dried herb or spice that will match your dip or cheese - chili powder for guacamole, cumin for hummus, oregano for onion dip, or rosemary for blue cheese. Let the flavor combinations go wild!

• 

  Spiced Dark Chocolate Pots de Creme

  January 23, 2011

  This is actually a light dessert - no kidding! Dark chocolate and spicy nutmeg give it a flavor boost that make you forget you're using fat free milks and less eggs then the typical recipe. Instead of nutmeg, use your creativity for other versions, including adding instant coffee or espresso, Bailey's Irish Cream, dried chili and cinnamon (for a Mexican flare) or even smoked salt.

• 

  Patsy’s Two-Step Chili

  January 16, 2011

  Michael's mom, Patsy, makes some kick-ass vegetarian chili. Two-step here refers to the ease of putting this protein-fiber-packed main together or just it's Southwestern Country style. The best part is you can really take it in any direction you want. In this version, I opted for Texas-style veggie burgers and added two fiery chipotle peppers with adobo sauce, dried oregano and ground cumin. Patsy called for three cans of beans so I went for the trifecta - black, pinto and red kidney. Add grated cheese, more hot peppers, chopped cilantro, diced green onions, crumbled tortilla chips, a dollop of sour cream - garnish possibilities are endless.

• 

  Samosa Pie

  January 9, 2011

  Happy New Year! I thought I'd go in a different direction than starting out the year with a diet meal. I'm still working on my Indian cooking and came across this recipe in a Vegetarian Times magazine for a samosa-type casserole. Instead of fried pockets of dough filled with potatoes, veggies and spices, you baked it in a whole wheat crust. You can make this vegan by replacing the honey with sugar. Flavorful, a bit spicy and low in calories and fat - well I guess I did a diet food after all!

• 

  Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls

  December 19, 2010

  This is one of my favorite cookies from my childhood. I remember my mom making these and sneaking into the freezer all Christmas long to snag these crunchy, chocolatey treats. Mind you these are not healthy by any stretch, but they are surely comforting during a cold and, in Davis' case, ridiculously wet winter...and it doesn't involve any baking what-so-ever!

• 

  Honey Thyme Crusted Tofu With Couscous

  December 5, 2010

  I thought I'd take a break from the usual holiday fare and lighten up with this sweet and herby tofu coated with a thyme-pepper mixture and then pan-fried in EVOO and honey. The accompaniment is a protein-packed couscous studded with carrots, shelled edamame and crunchy pepitas (roasted pumpkin/squash seeds). If you can't find roasted pumpkin seeds in the grocery store, buy a pumpkin, remove the seeds and roast them (you can find lots of instructions online). Then you can roast the pumpkin as well to make puree for a pumpkin pie or chopped for a smoked mozzarella, sage and pumpkin pizza (one of my favorite flavors this time of year). For a gluten-free recipe, use brown rice or quinoa.

• 

  Roasted Garlic Rosemary Rolls

  November 21, 2010

  I have been making these dreamy rolls for the past three or four Thanksgivings now. They are most easily done with a bread machine, but a stand mixer with both paddle and dough hook attachments will get the job done. Serve these hot with lots of butter. They will perfectly compliment all your holiday dishes.

• 

  German Purple Cabbage

  November 14, 2010

  I'm half German and Michael is first generation so at Thanksgiving we like to pull out some old school German favorites, including this one for purple cabbage. This is a slightly modified recipe from the version Michael's mother makes. Her shortcut is to start with jarred red cabbage and then she adds the wine, apples and spices. The pickling spice I found in my grocery store was a mix of cloves, mustard seed, bay leaf, coriander seed, cinnamon pieces and red pepper flake among other spices. If you can't find pickling spice, I found this good recipe you can use to recreate it at home. The longer it simmers, the more tender and lovely it gets - so you can start this early on Thanksgiving day and just let it bubble away on a back burner until dinner time.

• 

  Caramel Popcorn

  October 17, 2010

  I seem to be making caramel popcorn weekly, and it struck me when Michael commented that he didn't know why people don't make popcorn from scratch because it's so darn easy - and cheap. This recipe will give you sweet corn for a crowd, so make some before the Giants game today or later this week. Following the steps just to make the popcorn gives you a base to be as creative as you want. Make savory popcorn by adding melted butter, SnP and grated Parmesan. Make a quick sweet corn by shaking on cinnamon sugar while it's hot. The possibilities are limitless!

• 

  Refried Beans

  October 10, 2010

  I was contacted by Johnny W. from San Antonio after he saw my Hot Sauce video on Chow.com. After emailing a few times, he asked me for a refried bean recipe made without lard, which I am happy to share today. You can easily make it spicier by adding more jalapenos. Top with cheese, cilantro, black olives, sour cream and/or any other favorite topping and serve with warm chips.

• 

  Bruschetta with Honey, Herb-Roasted Tomatoes and Chevre

  August 8, 2010

  So, I've achieved food porn! Check out the northeast corner of the focused bruschetta above and you'll notice one gooey, golden drip of honey running down the bread. Not that I was going for it, but there it is. I made this appetizer for a working dinner last week and modified it slightly from its original Food & Wine version - adding the more flavorful spreadable (and local) chevre, and some fresh rosemary. I know you won't be able to eat just one so make sure to put at least two or three on your plate before others have a chance to gobble them up. Oh and in case you were wondering, final verdict, it's bru-sket-a, not bru-shet-a.

• 

  Chocolate Covered “Bacon”

  July 18, 2010

  Well I know I said I'd be off today, but I was doing my weekly post for Davis Life Magazine (called the Early Girl Foodie Weekend) and I covered the California State Fair that opened last Wednesday. Every year they announce a new food item, usually a greasy, fried abomination. This year was no different (for example, fried scorpions are a new menu item), but I was quite intrigued by the chocolate covered bacon. I had heard of people making bacon ice cream so this seemed interesting. I made my own, veggie style, and I have to say the results were not that bad. I added some creative enhancements - freshly cracked salt, red pepper flakes, brown sugar and banana. I would have to say, remembering what bacon used to taste like, that unless you are a veggie, go with the real stuff. The fakin' bacon just doesn't have the fat and salt punch. Nevertheless, it's a fun little dessert.

• 

  Hush Puppies

  July 5, 2010

  Even though we're back in Davis, the South is still with me. In the week I was there I probably ate three or four dozen hush puppies - golden fried nuggets of delectable cornmeal. Not very authentic, but I added a little spice (cayenne), a bit more flavor (minced onion) and some extra moisture (creamed corn). Enjoy hush puppies plain, with ketchup and hot sauce, tartar sauce or slathered in butter.

• 

  Spicy Cheese Grits

  June 27, 2010

  We're in North Carolina at my family's beach house and I'm already inspired by the friendly, yet steamy south. Yesterday I bought home-grown yellow tomatoes for $1.00 per pound and a watermelon so heavy the farmer had to carry it to our car for just $5.00. Sweet corn and candy-like peaches for pennies each. Brunch was a cheese and egg biscuit for me; fried eggs, grits and white toast for Michael - all washed down with eye-popping sweet, sweet tea. That all inspired me to try a personal spin on homemade grits. Of course lots of cheese and butter (so these aren't healthy!), but I added two grilled jalapenos, chilled the whole mix in a pie pan (vacation rentals don't exactly have a plethora of pans), sliced, fried and served warm. It is probably too loose to grill, but I did have that thought.

• 

  Chocolate Chip Cookies

  June 13, 2010

  These are my fa...vor...ite homemade chocolate chip cookies. They're light, crispy, buttery and super chocolatey. The oats add a chewy texture, and price, at about 17 cents each, just can't be beat by any gourmet bakery. Let them cool to room temperature to enjoy the crispiest cookie. Bet you can't eat just four or five!

• 

  Smoked Cheddar Stuffed Lentil Burgers

  June 6, 2010

  I just couldn't pass making this recipe my own when I spied it in an old Cooking Light magazine I had. I pumped up the spices and picked an applewood-smoked cheddar for maximum flavor. I plan on using the fresh, crisp lettuce one of my cooking class students brought me from her garden yesterday. Can't wait for dinner!

• 

  Grilled Artichokes

  May 31, 2010

  Surprise - I got settled enough from flying home yesterday to do a "Monday" Serving this week! I came back to a nicely progressing summer garden - only one dead seedling, an eggplant. Right now, though, I have more artichokes than I know what to do with so it'll be grilled artichokes on the menu for the foreseeable future - poor us! This is a really easy recipe to make, including the lemony dipping sauce.

• 

  Rosemary Lemonade

  May 16, 2010

  In celebration of all the May birthdays in my family (that's me, Rodney, Kathy, Meaghan and Patrick) I have a super fun, get-you-tipsy-without-realizing-it, sparkly cocktail. If you've ever made a mojito at home, you've made simple syrup by dissolving sugar in water. For this drink, we dissolve sugar in fresh-squeezed lemon juice and infuse it with fresh rosemary - ooo, yum! After a few hours of cooling (but if you can't wait you can put it in the fridge), you mix up your simple syrup with vodka and a splash of club soda or seltzer to give it a kick and some fizz. You can make this without vodka, but I wouldn't recommend it. Happy Birthday (or un-Birthday as the case may be)!

• 

  Mushroom Tacos with Salsa Verde

  April 18, 2010

  I had a request recently for vegetarian tacos. I make a lovely version with faux ground beef, but I thought my recipe for grilled portobello mushroom tacos would go over much better. This recipe is insanely easy to make - 20 minutes and dinner's on the table. The salsa verde is nice and spicy. If you prefer a more mild taste, exchange the poblano for a regular green pepper. This dish is high in good, heart-healthy fats and fiber, and low in sodium.

• 

  Polish Easter Babka

  April 4, 2010

  Half of my heritage is Polish - coming from my dad. There weren't many Polish food traditions growing up so I tried to create this one for Easter. I learned about babka (pronounced 'bob-ka') when I went to Greenpoint, the Polish neighborhood in Brooklyn, to explore the grocery and candy stores and delis. I came back excited to hear from my dad if he had babka at Easter growing up and how it was made. Similar to the Italian panettone or the German stollen served at Christmas, this Polish version is a yeast bread with citrus and raisins that has many different variations - some with nuts, some sweeter, different icings, etc. He said his mother made it very plainly with a simple lemon icing. And that's the way I've been doing my Polish Easter Babka ever since. I've modified this recipe slightly cutting down on the 10 egg yolks (yes, 10!), butter and sugar to lighten it and make it at least a bit more healthy (but don't fool yourself, this is no health food). The double rise is time-consuming, but absolutely critical for a fluffy, buttery texture. Enjoy this bread as you would a coffee cake after Easter dinner or toast it for breakfast.

• 

  Grilled Vegetables with Romesco Sauce

  March 21, 2010

  My April 10th cooking class at the Davis Food Co-op is Tapas Vegetarianas Espanolas (Vegetarian Spanish Tapas). Tapas are a great change-up for a weeknight dinner or a fabulous focus for a dinner or cocktail party. Grilled vegetables with romesco sauce is one of my favorites because it is such a flexible tapa that you can use whatever is in season for the grilled vegetables. Here I used carrots, onions, peppers and potatoes. Other perfect in-season choices might be asparagus, leeks, beets, broccoli or cauliflower.

• 

  Omelets (with video!)

  March 14, 2010

  The mysterious omelet. Apparently Julia Child devoted ten pages to the description of making omelets. I've read accounts of omelet making that drove people mad trying to attain illusive omelet perfection - soft, creamy, buttery; cooked through, but without any brown spots. I've read still others where the first step is to get your "20 year old, perfectly seasoned omelet pan." I've seen ingredients for omelets that include water. Ones that say you must have room temperature eggs, cold unsalted butter, an aluminum skillet, perfect heat, stir with a fork, shake the pan back and forth, practice with beans in the skillet - I can see why people have gone crazy. Michael expressed interest in learning to make omelets after seeing the old episode of Julia Child's The French Chef on the subject - I guess 30 minutes is equal to about 10 pages. So I did some research, bought a decent omelet pan and let him loose in the kitchen over the past month. I'm sure this recipe has not attained perfection on the French scale, but I think he's developed his own quite tasty recipe. Because omelet making does take longer to describe than make, we've add a few videos - a first on Vegetarianized.com!

• 

  Vegetarian Cassoulet

  March 7, 2010

  It's a beautiful springy day in Davis today - 65, sunny, fresh breeze. It makes me feel like I'm in the French countryside so I pulled out my heavy French pot and adapted this classic French meat and bean stew for vegetarians and vegans. Traditionally cassoulet has bacon and sausage so you could use faux meats, if you like. I opted to simply omit them. This recipe is high in fiber and protein and low in fat - with zero cholesterol. A garlicy breadcrumb topping adds spice and crunch to this hearty meal.

• 

  Potato Poppers

  February 28, 2010

  I took a tour through the Davis Farmers Market on Saturday to see what was looking good and it was the potatoes, mushrooms and cheese that inspired me to create this rich, earthy, cheesy appetizer. The mushroom guy had beautiful creminis, oysters and shiitakes, but it was the exotic black trumpets that drew me. Some lovely little red and yukon baby potatoes, local goat's milk cheddar and I was dreaming of putting them together in a stuffed potato popper. If you can't find goat's milk cheddar (you should try hard though, the difference between cow's milk cheddar is amazing), find the sharpest white cheddar you can.

• 

  Gougeres

  February 14, 2010

  I promise you these little, French appetizers will make anyone, I mean anyone, fall in love with you today. Filled with melting, nutty Gruyere cheese hot from the oven, Gougeres (pronounced Goo-jaire) will heat up your love life! These are by no means healthy or diet-friendly. They are an indulgence to share with your special someone along with a glass of dry, crisp champagne or sparkling wine.

• 

  Iced Oatmeal (Drunken) Raisin Cookies

  February 7, 2010

  I thought about this recipe for days. Iced Oatmeal Raisin Cookies sounded pretty good, but also kind of boring. Then a spark of pure genius hit me in the middle of the night! To keep raisins juicy, recipes often call for soaking them in warm water. Why not do one better and soak them in rum?!? The result became a juicy, spicy, chewy little delight with a slight oatmeal crunch - pure heaven. If you like your cookies even spicier, go ahead and add 1/2 tsp ground ginger, and 1/4 tsp each allspice and nutmeg. I kept to a mildly spicy with just cinnamon and cloves.

• 

  Roasted Carrot Soup

  January 31, 2010

  I guess I'm on this soup kick and have fallen hard core for this particular version. I made it in both my cooking classes this past month and I just can't seem to get enough. Roasting the carrots enhances their natural sweetness, but also concentrates their earthy flavor. The touches of the spices and honey are the perfect compliments to this warm, wintery soup. It's extremely easy to make because all the ingredients are likely to already be in your kitchen and the preparation is a cinch. And it's pretty low in calories and high in fiber to boot.

• 

  Vegan Palmiers

  December 13, 2009

  Rainy or snowy day out? Got 5 hours stuck in the house? Time to make palmiers! I fully expect no one to write to me telling me they made this recipe. I was determined, however. I love palmiers - the flaky, delicate, sugary French heart-shapped cookie. But these things are expensive! Probably $1.00 per cookie. And after spending my entire Saturday rolling and refrigerating them, I will gladly pay the Frenchman anything he wants for them. Wow, it really did take me 5 hours to make these. They are gorgeous and delicious, but I guess the French, in their food-perfection culture, make time for these treats - not so much for the Americans.

• 

  Baked Artichokes

  November 8, 2009

  I seemed to have come back to life around 2pm today after a few good multi-hours rounds of sleep over the past two days. Not that I'm confident my stomach can handle the cheese in this dish quite yet, but the quick preparation involving a house-warming oven sucked me in. When my body is ready, I look forward to the cheesy, lemony bite of these baked artichokes.

• 

  Parmesan Spinach Muffins

  October 18, 2009

  This is a fun side dish. They are kind of like little spinach-cheese pies. And very quick to bring together. They'll be in the muffin cups and ready to be baked before the oven can heat to 400 degrees. Use any good quality grating/melting cheese in this recipe. I think pecorino, cheddar or gouda would also work well.

• 

  Hummus

  September 20, 2009

  After a much needed lazy day, I've whipped up this classic dip. I was prompted by a young woman from my cooking class last week that said she had just moved to Davis and wanted to know where she could get some great hummus. I replied that I had this fabulous recipe from a tattered old book I borrowed from Michael's mom; the 1969 Time-Life series called 'Foods of the World.' This one was on Middle Eastern Cooking and the 'Hummus bi Tahina' recipe that was on page one has been my go-to hummus recipe ever since. I have never tasted hummus this good except for in a Middle Eastern restaurant. Serve with my homemade pita chips.

• 

  Espresso Cream Pie

  July 19, 2009

  Not the best picture of the final product. I wanted to get a shot up as soon as possible and it wasn't quite set enough to cut. I'll try and get a replacement tomorrow...My Pancake Bars were such a hit that I thought I'd try another dessert. Although I didn't plan it that way, this one is almost a vegan dessert, except for the half and half and probably the chocolate wafers have butter in them - oh right and the eggs. In any case I used soy milk and plant oil-based butter instead of the real stuff and adjusted down on the bad ingredients by using half and half instead of cream. But don't worry, this Espresso Cream Pie comes out chill, silky and heavenly. Unfortunately this is a recipe that uses both the oven and stove, so plan to make this earlier in the morning or late at night. Oh and don't let the number of ingredients scare you off. This comes together pretty quick...the hard part will be waiting for the pie to chill completely because you’ll want to eat it as soon as the custard hits the crust!

• 

  Cold Honey Carrot Soup

  July 12, 2009

  Sorry for slacking over the long 4th weekend, but I'm back with another edition of Sunday Serving. This week Michael and I are celebrating our 11th anniversary and yesterday we splurged and went to Napa for the day. We popped in to the Oxbow Market and had a cheese plate, some great, cheap wine and watched the LA Angels kick the Yankees butt! After grabbing six cupcakes from Kara's (just couldn't decide on less!), we explored downtown Napa. It's really desolate down there, but the restaurants were great. We had a severely hoppy beer at Joe's, then stopped in Angele's for some wine and pomme frites, and last but not least, had pizza at the new Azzurro's. Nice thin crust style, but a little over cooked.Yes, back to this week's recipe: a Chilled Honey Carrot Soup. This soup does require some cooking, but if you get up early while it's still cool and make it, when it's a zillion degrees later on in the afternoon or early evening this will be a delicious, light and refreshing alternative to firing up the grill or turning on the stove or oven. Enjoy!

• 

  Pancake Bars

  June 7, 2009

  I thought I should try a dessert for once - and actually this is the first dessert for Vegetarianized! If you cook, you probably don't bake and vice versa. Well, I cook with a side of 'I can make cookies, bars and ice cream because I have an ice cream maker.' These little lovelies are my latest obsession because they mix up quicker than your oven can preheat and they taste just like warm pancakes with butter, maple syrup and nuts - I promise! Here I use a mix of pecans and almonds, but I bet you could use whatever is your favorite nut.

• 

  Tempeh Piccata

  May 31, 2009

  I don't cook with tempeh a lot so I resolved to try it out this week on Sunday Serving. Tempeh tends to have more calories than over faux meats, but it's packed with protein punch. This recipe is a vegetarianized version of chicken or veal piccata. A beautifully delicate lemon-caper sauce lightly dressing a triangle of sage-cornmeal encrusted tempeh. Serve over buttered egg noodles or salad or even use as a sandwich filler!

• 

  Vegetable Stock

  May 24, 2009

  Oh, is it not Sunday today?! Sorry folks, I had a bit of slacking on the long weekend. Baseball and beer was calling me. Today it's back to work. A few folks have been asking me about my homemade vegetable stock recipe so I thought I'd give it up. It's quite easy, freezable and just makes the dish when it involves rice, quinoa or any other suck-up-the-liquid-type grain. And vegetable stock is an absolute requirement for soup - that I learned quite early on in my kitchen adventures - water just doesn't cut it. You need to add stock no matter what the recipe says. And did I mention that this homemade stock has about half the sodium of the store-bought stuff? So enjoy the recipe for this great kitchen staple.

• 

  Spinach Cheddar Burgers

  May 17, 2009

  Spinach and goat cheddar sneak into a veggie burger based on faux ground beef and ground sausage. This burger is a protein powerhouse with both low fat and low carbs.

• 

  Whole Wheat Scottish Bap

  May 17, 2009

  I was first introduced to the bap during my summer college internship in London. A slightly flatter, denser version of a burger bun, it actually originated in Scotland. Good with my "Chicken" Salad, Southwest Pinto Burgers, Smoked Cheddar Stuffed Lentil Burgers, or Egg Salad.

• 

  Baked Fennel and Scallion

  April 26, 2009

  My winter garden this year included fennel. I paired them with scallions and cheese to make a simply, Italian-inspired side dish. In place of the scallions you could easily use onions or leeks. I made a nice smelling arrangement in a large vase with the fennel fronds - nothing goes to waste around here!

• 

  Scallion Soup

  April 19, 2009

  It's the one year anniversary of Vegetarianized! In celebration I made Scallion Soup - not exactly the dish you think about when you want to party, but still a nice, light spring soup. And the scallions are from my garden. I finally harvested all my scallions after nearly six months of growing over the winter. Some were as large as leeks! 

• 

  “Chicken” Salad Sandwich

  April 12, 2009

  This is the first time I ever tried to make chicken salad with faux chicken. I found Quorn to be the best looking and tasting. To cut the fat I used half mayo, half nonfat yogurt - a sub I use often. With sweet grapes from the neighboring town, crunchy celery and almonds, fresh cut rosemary and mustard, this is an easy, fresh weeknight meal. Serve on homemade wheat Scottish baps.

• 

  Red Beans and Rice

  April 5, 2009

  A meal to make when you don't feel like cooking, but have some time. It's terribly easy to put together - just throw everything in a pot, heat on low for a few hours and wa-la, dinner is served. Red Beans and Rice is flavorful, healthy and helps you clean out the fridge of leftover vegetables. I added carrots, but you can also add greens, green beans, peas and even some root vegetables - go ahead and get creative. 

• 

  French Lentil Dip

  March 15, 2009

  Lee S. of Richmond, VA suggested a lentil recipe. I couldn't think of anything I had made with lentils other than soup. There had to be something else to do with lentils so I put on my thinking cap and got down to some research. I read about a split pea spread and found several lentil dips. After much comparison and figuring, I adapted this lentil dip to have a French flare. It's low in calories and fat as well as high in protein and fiber - a yummy snack that's good for you! It gets better with age so if you can let it chill over a night or two, it'll be even better. Bon appetit!

• 

  Ketchup

  March 8, 2009

  Why, do you ask, am I making ketchup at home? Well, Michael goes through the stuff like water. A typical-sized ketchup bottle is considered two servings in our house. It's not that that is a problem except for the sugar content - geez! I hated to see him consume such great amounts of sugar and I thought I could probably make a cheaper, more flavorful version. So after years of researching online, testing and adjusting, I give you my personal ketchup recipe. Michael calls it "tomato chutney," but really it's just plain 'ole ketchup with some spiced-up kick.This recipe was also my first "break" into the food biz. Check me out on Chow.com.

• 

  Asparagus Fontina Panini with Pea Shoot Walnut Pesto

  March 1, 2009

  A spring sandwich if there ever was one. Crunchy roasted asparagus and gooey fontina nuzzle up with a different kind of pesto partner based on pea shoots and walnuts.

• 

  Patatas Bravas

  February 22, 2009

  Patatas Bravas is a very traditional and simple little tapa with crunchy fried potatoes smothered in a creamy tomato sauce. It's a bit high on the calories, fat and carbohydrates contents, but worth the splurge. Michael and I were introduced to this dish in NYC at a tapas restaurant in our neighborhood called 1492. They actually served it with three sauces and many restaurants in Spain do serve these patatas with multiple dips, but I just did the traditional tomato. Other sauces may include a garlic aioli or sweet barbecue. Salud!

• 

  Tortilla de Patatas y Espinacas

  February 15, 2009

  A Spanish tortilla is very similar to an Italian frittata and traditionally done with just potatoes. I added spinach to make it a Tortilla de Patatas y Espinacas. Note that this is a ONE skillet meal - everything is sautéed and cooked in the one skillet and then finished in the oven. I use the same technique with the eggs that I did with the frittata I made a few weeks ago; that is, adding one tablespoon of chilled butter to the whisked eggs before I cook them. I guarantee a lighter, fluffier, richer egg with this method - it's miraculous science! 

• 

  “Meatballs” in Spicy Tomato Sauce

  February 8, 2009

  This is one of the recipes I made yesterday at my first cooking class, Vegetarian Spanish Tapas. I adopted it from a meat recipe in a book my step-mom gave me that I would assume she bought in Spain because all the measurements were metric. Skillfully overcoming that challenge with the internet, I managed to create a simple, yet tasty dish with vegetarian meatballs that actually held together well. I have seen vegetarian meatballs in the freezer section and I wouldn't hold it against you if you cheated with these, but I have to say these are pretty easy to make as long as you don't mind a bit of a mess in handling the meatball mixture and rolling them into balls. Salud!

• 

  Spanish Sweet Pea Soup

  January 25, 2009

  To continue my shameless promotion of my upcoming cooking class at the Davis Food Co-op on Saturday, February 7th, today's Sunday Serving is a Spanish Sweet Pea Soup. This is not one of the dishes I'm making at the cooking class, but a beautiful, creamy, sweet soup that is easy to make and shows off some of the wonderfully tangy Spanish cheeses. It's also quite high in protein and fiber. If you want to reduce the fat content, simple omit the cheese crisp.

• 

  Mushroom Fontina Frittata

  January 18, 2009

  This frittata is beautiful as an easy brunch main or light weeknight meal. Fluffy eggs are studded with vinegar-marinated creminis, fresh chives and gooey French fontina.

• 

  Southwest Pinto Burgers

  January 11, 2009

  Vegetarianized.com is back with the first Sunday Serving of 2009. This week it's some nice comfort food that will make summer feel not so far away. Serve with my homemade mustard, ketchup, hot sauce and zucchini relish.

• 

  Potato Mushroom Gratin

  November 9, 2008

  Well the holidays are about upon us so I thought I'd help out by providing some fabulous dishes for the upcoming festivities - for vegetarians, vegans and meat-eaters alike. The first is one I've been dying to try. Earthy mushrooms baked with hearty potatoes and topped with aged gruyere and parmesan cheeses. This gratin takes some the best of the fall harvest and turns it into a yummy delight for the holiday table.

• 

  Korean-Inspired Noodles

  November 2, 2008

  I recently interviewed the owner of Kim's Asian Market, Jun, in Davis as my November article for Davis Life Magazine. It was fun to write, get a Korean cooking demo and, of course, sample all the lovely vegetarian offerings. I became an instant fan of the sweet potato noodles Jun made. I had never heard of or seen these glassy, semi-transparent Asian noodles made with just sweet potato flour and water. Jun prepared them with a host of vegetables, sesame oil, salt and sesame seeds - simple, with a great nutty taste. If you can't find sweet potato noodles, substitute pad thai or rice noodles. For an added protein boost, add cubed baked tofu in step #3.

• 

  “Meatloaf”

  October 26, 2008

  Michael's brother, Patrick, of Richmond, VA, challenged me to make an ultimate meat dish - meatloaf. But he had not stumped me - I've had a killer "meatloaf" recipe for years. Veggies sauteed in beer combine with milk-soaked breadcrumbs, soy crumbles, eggs, fresh parsley and herbs/spices to bring this comfort food home to the vegetarian and veg-friendly.

• 

  Tempeh Reubens

  September 14, 2008

  Ok, Jamie in NYC, this is for you! This is tempeh you can get into (although I still do highly recommend going to Essex in NYC for brunch and order their tempeh bacon and copious screwdrivers). It doesn't take long to make, but god I hope you have a dishwasher in your apartment because I used quite a high percentage of the pots and pans in my kitchen. I think it's the perfect sandwich. It's got hearty, fall flavors, crusty bread, creamy dressing and caramelized onions - so dreamy!

• 

  Croque Madame

  September 1, 2008

  It's the last day of summer. Start your diet tomorrow. You deserve to have the summer go out with a bang. It's not traditional summer BBQ food, but I was inspired by a Gourmet magazine cover of Paris, France. I've always wanted to try and vegetarianize a Croque Madame sandwich. "Ham," gruyere cheese, bechamel sauce, crusty bread - all melty together and all with a fried egg on top! In case you don't know that topper, the fried egg, is the difference between a Croque Monsieur and a Croque Madame. So much more lady-like with an egg, and once you put an egg on anything and serve it with sparkling wine - it's brunch!

• 

  Bean Dips

  August 17, 2008

  Clockwise from top left: Chunky Hummus, Italian Beans, Mexican Beans. My friend, Laura, asked me for a new brown bag lunch sandwich partner that wasn't boring, old chips. I've been meaning to do my three bean dips before so this is the perfect opportunity. These are ridiculously easy to make and will accompany Italian, Mexican and Middle Eastern foods. The Mexican dip I made up, but the other two were ones from restaurants in NYC and Miami that I loved and recreated at home. I often eat them with homemade pita chips. 

• 

  Egg Salad Sandwich

  August 12, 2008

  My NYC, now Portland, friend inspired me with a challenge to spruce up the boring lunch sandwich she takes to work every day. I really don't eat sandwiches, except grilled cheese with avocado and tomato at a diner - divine! - so it was a particularly good challenge. Egg Salad is terribly fast and the mix of crunchy veggies, tangy mayo, sour lemon juice, spicy dijon mustard and vinegary pickles is simply amazing...enjoy!

• 

  Vegan Creamed Spinach

  June 15, 2008

  Sound like an oxymoron? This creamed spinach packs great flavor and a creamy texture all without any animal products. I use it on my Spanikopita Pizza.

• 

  BBQ Sauce

  June 8, 2008

  One pot, 15 minutes active time, and you are barely heating up the kitchen - a great summer condiment. Boycott the plastic bottle BBQ sauce! This is rich, thick, and smoky. Fabulous with veggie dogs or roasted/grilled portobello caps. 

• 

  Yellow Split Pea Soup

  June 1, 2008

  A friend from college, Lauren, sent me a recipe for a lentil soup that she says she always gets compliments on. But since this is blog to improve recipes gone terribly wrong (or vegetarianize meat ones), I thought I'd test my skills at using her recipe as a base to create my own. I've had some yellow split peas in the pantry for months now; after they caught my eye in the market for their extraordinary summery sun color and bargain price of only 69 cents per pound. I think this will make a great summer soup because of the aforementioned color, ease to make (don't want to heat up the kitchen when it's 90 out!), and kitchen sink approach - just throw in those few carrots, onions, garlic, celery and fresh herbs you got hangin' around in the fridge and wa-la!

• 

  “Beef” Stroganov

  May 11, 2008

  Here's another quick one for you. I did this in 20 minutes. Stick a pot on the back burner and cook your rice or egg noodles (I prefer the latter) while making this dish, and dinner for four (or 1, 2, or 3 with leftovers) is on the table in less than 30.

• 

  “Chicken” Enchiladas

  April 20, 2008

  Margy, a Greek friend from Richmond, suggested I vegetarianize Moussaka. In fact I think I have a great recipe already and plan to do that next week, but today I wanted to test my "Chicken" Enchiladas. I was reading the May 2008 issue of Vegetarian Times and wouldn't you know they are having a reader recipe contest with the theme 'meatless makeovers.' Oh my goodness, oh my goodness! What timing with the start of this blog! First prize is only $500 and you have to use their sponsor's products in the recipe, but wow - what a great way to plug the blog - and you just never know...

• 

  Rob’s Quinoa

  April 16, 2008

  We're off to slow, but good start. Got lots of feedback, but not many recipes in the first week. No worries, Rob G. of Manhattan sent in a quinoa recipe and a $15 Pay Pal donation to boot - and wow I haven't even cooked anything yet! Thanks, Rob! It's funny because I think I've cooked quinoa like once (much to my dismay pronounced keen-wah not quin-o-a). But as I said, I'm up for a challenge so I thought I'd give it a go.

The contents of this site are the property of Vegetarianized.com and Adrienne D. Capps. All rights reserved. Please feel free to reprint verbatim any recipe or other content on Vegetarianized.com provided you do not alter the content in any way, and you cite Vegetarianized.com and provide a URL link back to the original content. Please email me with any questions: adrienne@vegetarianized.com.