Category: 30 min or less total
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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.
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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.
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Kathy’s Cranberry Salsa
January 12, 2016
I just arrived home after an entire month visiting family and friends on the east coast. A luxury, I admit, but I'm just getting my new career going after graduating culinary school in September. I had the time and it was actually cheaper (and soooo much less crowded) to travel so outside the normal holiday rush. Had a blast, but happy to be home in good ole Napa Valley, CA!
I spent a good amount of time cooking (and imbibing) with my step-mom, Kathy. She's been in my life since I was 14, and a very special connection for me since my dad passed away in 2008. She makes this cranberry salsa every holiday and it gets gobbled up every time! I altered it just a bit by using a sweeter apple (gala vs. red delicious) so that I could trim the sugar and boosted the flavor with cilantro and a chipotle pepper.
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Kohlrabi Slaw
December 8, 2015
Lighten up a holiday meal or lunch sandwich with this super easy slaw that allows you to use seasonal vegetables. Kohlrabi could be switched out for turnips, broccoli or cauliflower - just be sure to use all the stems on the latter two. These winter veggies are pretty bitter so the addition of carrots and apple brightens and sweetens it up.
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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.
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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.
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Braised Celery with Garlic Chips
February 9, 2015
With recipes like this, I think the lowly-thought-of celery can move on up to join the popular crowd with kale and brussel sprouts. A super easy side dish ready in 20 minutes that's "Low In" carbs, saturated fat and cholesterol, AND is gluten-free and vegan. GO CELERY!
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BBQ Kale Chips
November 3, 2014
At work we make similar kale chips as an appetizer, but I wanted to try a true potato chip flavor. I made the BBQ seasoning based on dry rubs for meat. I think I'm beginning to believe all the hype about kale being a super food. Because of the kale, this recipe is "Low In" fat, saturated fat, carbs and cholesterol while also being "High In" Vitamins A and C as well as a "Good Source" of potassium, iron, calcium, and fiber. Rock it, kale!
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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.
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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).
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Grilled Apricot Salad with Basil Oil
June 25, 2014
Stone fruits are in season (that's anything with a pit 'AKA stone' - apricots, plums, peaches, nectarines), and this appetizer salad is just the trick for a hot summer day when you already have the grill going. The basil oil is a light, fresh dressing that compliments the sweetness of the fruit as well as the cheese. It's an extra step to blanch, shock and dry the herbs before whizzing them up with EVOO, but it cuts the bite and keeps them beautifully green. This dish is also super flexible - substitute any stone fruit, any salad green, any nut, any herbs and just about any cheese. Not surprisingly, this salad is low in carbs and cholesterol, and high in Vitamins A and C as well as calcium.
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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!
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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.
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BLT Salad
September 8, 2013
I've been making this salad all summer and now that summer's coming to an end I wanted to share it so you could sneak in one or two before all the tomatoes are gone for the year. It's a perfect weeknight meal - ready in less than 30 minutes - and loaded with protein and fiber, and low in calories, carbs and fat.
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Mock Crab Cakes
August 25, 2013
We were in Virginia Beach for vacation recently, and the mid-Atlantic is crab central. I got a brainstorm to swap out the crab for summer zucchini, but that's really the only change in this recipe. It's heavy on the Old Bay, held together with saltines, and has a tangy bite of mustard and hot sauce.
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Blistered Sweet Peppers
July 7, 2013
Summer peppers are here in every color and heat! I've been enjoying a similar version of this dish at Bistro 33 in Davis. If you can't find shishito peppers, other mild peppers you might try are anaheim, banana, gypsy, cherry or cubanelle. They all are significantly lower on the Scoville scale than a jalapeño. An easy go-to appetizer all summer long...
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Greek Dogs
June 30, 2013
This week PETA announced its 2013 top 10 veg-friendly baseball parks. The SF Giants were listed respectably in position four citing menus of veggie dogs, garlic fries, rice bowls and veg tacos across the park. I usually find the veggie dogs a boiled bore, and thought to myself - 'what hot dog would I want to eat at a park?' Well, this it! A grilled dog topped with creamy hummus and crunchy, salty herbed-cucumber salad. It's a summertime hit for a picnic, barbecue or for taking to your next outdoor sporting event.
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Dill Pickles
June 23, 2013
Kirby cucumbers, the pickling ones, are in full season so I thought I'd try my hand at homemade pickles. They are twice 'dill-ed' with both dill seed and fresh dill, and packed with a mild vinegar-garlic-pepper brine. Perfect for snacking out of the jar or sliced on your favorite sandwich. These take a week in the fridge, but if you want faster pickles, slice them before they go in the jar. I found that the fridge was far superior to processing the jars in a hot bath. The pickles were brighter and crisper.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Hot Pepper Jelly
March 17, 2013
I was inspired to turn my Pickled Hot Peppers into jelly after a 15 mile bike ride to Winters, CA ended at a bar where I drank a cocktail with tequila, lime and jalapeño jelly. All the hot pepper jelly recipes I found added cider vinegar - exactly what pickled my peppers. I strained and pureed the hot peppers with some mild peppers, added a bit of sugar and pectin - and tequila cocktail here I come! My recipe is 2 oz tequila, 1 Tbsp jelly and 1/2 lime.
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Greek Kale Pasta
January 19, 2013
Kale is the hot new in-season vegetable to cook, and who am I to go against the grain (pun intended). Kale has actually been grown for more than two millennia with the first written references dating back to Greek and Roman times. That inspired me to create this tasty pasta dish using a number of Mediterranean ingredients like garlic, feta, oregano and chickpeas. Serve warm or at room temperature for a healthy main meal. For a gluten-free recipe, use corn or rice pasta.
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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.
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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.
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Cranberry BBQ Sauce
November 25, 2012
Sunday...you've eaten those yummy Thanksgiving leftovers for several days now. I always find the item that lingers is cranberry sauce. The can or recipe quantity is huge and a dollop here on your stuffing or sweet potatoes just doesn't make a big enough dent. If this describes your fridge today, here is an in-season condiment that's a great topping for veggie burgers and hot dogs.
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Pumpkin Curry Dip
October 28, 2012
Looking to whip up something quick and Halloween-ish, but with an interesting twist, I created this dip based on Indian Pumpkin Curry. It brings together the great spices from that dish like curry, turmeric, ginger, and cumin along with light coconut milk and a can of pumpkin puree. I served mine with fresh veggies, but you could also make my homemade pita chips.
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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!
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Momotaro (Japanese Tomato Salad)
September 2, 2012
At the top of Mount Faber in Singapore, there are several fancy restaurants together called the Jewel Box. This was our only Japanese meal in Asia - a beautiful evening at the Moonstone open-air restaurant looking down at Sentosa Island. Grilled yakitori (small, skewered nibbles) dominated the menu, but we discovered this fresh tomato salad. The tomatoes were lack-luster, but I was dreaming of my garden tomatoes complimenting this tangy sesame-wasabi dressing. Interestingly, momotaro is actually the name of the tomato, not the salad, and also the name of a legendary hero in Japan. Jazz up your weeknights meals with this quick side or appetizer dish.
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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.
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Tomato Peach Panzanella Salad
August 5, 2012
Just the best of summer in a bowl! Peaches, tomatoes and basil are wed with shallots, fresh mozzarella and a light vinaigrette for a summer treat that comes together in a snap. Get creative or use up what you have in the fridge. Substitute or add avocado, corn, mint, feta, cheddar or sweet or hot peppers. Make vegan or trim calories by omitting the cheese.
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Pickled Hot Peppers
July 29, 2012
You may have guessed by now that I'm crazy about pickling things. I have pickled peppers here, but this is a classic recipe that you could use to pickle any vegetable that you want to make crunchy, sour, salty and sweet. Use with a cheese plate, or on burgers and hot dogs. To can them for long-term storage, use my Honey-Ginger Grapefruit Marmalade recipe and start at step #6. Otherwise, keep in the fridge and use within 2-3 weeks.
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Muhammara
July 15, 2012
This Middle Eastern dip is light, healthy and easy to whip up. A great summer party appetizer. You could save even more time with jarred roasted red peppers and pomegranate molasses, but I like to make my own. Serve with my homemade pita chips.
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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.
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Cool Herbed Cucumber Soup with Chive Oil
June 10, 2012
Anticipating the 100 degree days ahead, I thought I'd try a cold soup. With crisp cucumbers in season this was an easy go-to. Parsley, cilantro, mint, chives and parsley continue the fresh theme while cayenne and smoked chipotle add a bite. For a vegan soup, use a soy-based yogurt.
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Zucchini Corn Quesadillas
June 3, 2012
Sometimes it's nice to make something that doesn't involve fancy ingredients or techniques, but is just easy, simple and yummy. This quesadilla is that, and fresh and healthy too. In-season corn and zucchini are sautéed with chili powder and fresh oregano, then stuffed with local jack cheese into a wheat tortilla and cooked in a skillet until golden and melty. A great snack or easy weeknight meal.
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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.
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Roasted Brussel Sprouts
April 8, 2012
Think you don't like brussel sprouts? Have you only ever had them boiled with chestnuts at the holidays? This is a vegetable you need to rethink. Roasting brussel sprouts is fast, easy and healthy (note 9.7g fiber per serving). To me they taste like candy - really.
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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.
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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.
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Roasted Poblano Aioli
October 23, 2011
My beau's younger brother, Patrick - the newlywed, and I ad libbed this lovely condiment for a casual family dinner at the beach after the wedding. It's great on veggie dogs, with roasted veggies and probably even fish and chicken. To tone down the heat, sub a roasted red pepper for the poblano. For vegan, use only canola oil-based mayo.
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Cob Toppers
September 18, 2011
Here are some flavorful toppings for that end of the summer sweet corn. I wouldn't say they were particularly healthy, but you can splurge - bathing suit season is over! From left to right, Spanish style with smoky, salty flavor; American style aka buffalo wings; and Mexican style of traditional elote - grilled corn with mayo, cotija, cilantro and chili powder.
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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.
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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.
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Hawaiian Mai Tai
May 8, 2011
We had many different versions of Mai Tais over the past week so that peaked my curiosity about the origin of the drink. There is much mystery about how this famous tropical drink came about, but many stories start actually at a bar in Oakland, CA called Trader Vic's in 1944. Much lore surrounds how the drink actually got to the Royal Hawaiian Hotel in Honolulu nine years later, but today this is the most famous tropical drink on Maui by far. This is my version of the Royal Hawaiian Hotel recipe, which has more fresh juice than the Trader Vic's drink - fruity, not too sweet and with a bit of a punch.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Cauliflower with Gruyere Sauce
February 20, 2011
It's a pretty well-known fact that cheese sauce improves any vegetable side dish. Here I've done a quick steamed cauliflower, drizzled over a pungent Gruyere cheese sauce, sprinkled with a bread crumb, cayenne, Parmesan topping and broiled it for a crispy crust. In about 25 minutes you'll have a nice wintery side dish to accompany any hearty main. To boost the cauliflower flavor, roast or broil it in the oven instead of steaming - but here I wanted a quick, weeknight side.
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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!
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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.
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Grilled Zucchini Torta
August 29, 2010
A torta is a Mexican grilled sandwich that you can fill with just about anything. It starts with a baguette spread with mashed, seasoned black beans then layered with fillings like grilled steak, chicken or vegetables. The toppings are only limited by your imagination. You can use Mexican cheeses, grilled or raw onions, steak sauce, fresh avocados, cilantro, fresh or pickled jalapenos, fresh lettuce and tomatoes and on and on. This recipe for a grilled zucchini torta is with hopes of catching up on the upwards of 10-12 pounds of zucchini in my fridge and taken from Rick Bayless' version. His grilled skirt steak torta is complimented with homemade chipolte steak sauce, which I sometimes use on this sandwich. The sauce has quickly become a new staple in my house (added to the homemade ketchup, mustard and hot sauce I'm already making!). One of my favorite toppings is also pickled jalapenos - it is ridiculously easy to make so give it a shot.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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!
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Grilled Endive
February 21, 2010
One of my favorite faculty members from work, Nicole, gets a bouquet of endive every year for Valentine's Day. I was lucky enough to be around when she was generously giving some away (I was lucky last year too!). She gave me a beautiful packet of three, local endives (pronounced either 'en-dive' or 'on-deev'). My mind immediately jumped to a grilled romaine salad I made once. With a light, lemony vinaigrette, the earthy, grilled flavor and crunchy texture from the lettuce was a great match. It's easily translated to endive. This recipe is a snap, it's cheap, it's good for you AND, most importantly, it tastes amazing! If the dressing is too lemony for your taste, simply add more dijon mustard or olive oil starting with a teaspoon at a time.
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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.
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Seared Tomatoes with Melted Cheese
September 13, 2009
Gooey cheese on falling apart grilled tomatoes - just heaven! Yesterday I taught a cooking class at the Davis Food Coop titled: Quick, Local, Vegetarian. All the dishes could be made in 30 minutes or less with ingredients produced within 100 miles of Davis - and of course they were vegetarian. This recipe was one of the five I did in the class yesterday. It's an easy, yummy side dish for those end of the season tomatoes. I used parsley here, but you could use just about any herb you have on hand or are growing, including, basil, rosemary or thyme. I took the pictures during the class. Sorry there are only a few - I didn't want to take up too much class time snapping shots of the food!
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Green Goddess “Chicken” Salad
September 6, 2009
An ode to the end of summer with this vegetarianized "chicken" salad that is light, colorful and makes good use of your garden herbs. A perfect picnic companion or addition to barbecue fair. The popular green goddess dressing calls for anchovies - I substituted capers to maintain that vinegary bite.
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Squash with Lemony Crumbs
August 30, 2009
Another great use of the summer garden in this light side dish. You could switch out the squash for zucchini quite easily so depending on which you are overflowing with, you can use up those vegetables. The lemon zest in the toasted breadcrumbs give it a lovely fresh flavor. Feel free to substitute the thyme with any other herb growing in your garden: basil, parsley, or tarragon would also be lovely. For a richer dish, put some grated parmesan cheese on top and bake in the oven at 300 degrees for 3-5 minutes.
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Baba Ghannooj
August 23, 2009
What's a lovely thing to do with summer eggplant? Roast it and make it into this Mediterranean/Middle Eastern dip that takes no time to put together. Serve with some of my homemade pita chips and some fruity white wine, and you have a great little snack on a hot day. You may also know this dip spelled Baba Ghanoush.
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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!
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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“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.
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Winter Tomato Sauce
May 7, 2008
Your prayers, and email suggestions, are answered! This sauce is fast, vegan, cheap, versatile (suggestions for applications below),and fresh and it uses canned tomatoes . My boss gave me some bay leaves from her yard. I'm going to jar this up and give it to her to say thanks - especially since she also brought me saffron from Sardinia...I'm in foodie heaven.