Black Eyed Pea Salsa

I made this for dinner last night, serving it up next to cheese and chicken quesadillas.  I won't pretend the kids liked the salsa as much as the quesadillas, but they ate their portion and my youngest had seconds.  The salsa has great flavor and plenty of fresh texture.  It was even better the second day for lunch after everything had mingled in the fridge overnight.    

About 3 1/2 to 4 cups cooked black-eyed peas (equivalent of 2 15.5-ounce cans, rinsed, drained; OR start with 2 cups dried, cover with salted water, bring to a boil then simmer about an hour or until the peas are fully cooked, adding water as necessary)

1/4 to 1/2 cup of chopped, cooked, mild green chilies OR 1/4 cup chopped pickled jalapeños (it's all to taste - I used half of a fresh jalapeño (no cooking) and 1/4 cup pickled jalapeños)

1/2 - 1 cup roasted red bell pepper, chopped

one bunch of green onions, thinly sliced, about 1/2 cup total

1 bunch of cilantro, chopped, about one cup

2 Tbsp olive oil

2 Tbsp red wine vinegar

1 tsp dried oregano

1/4 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp salt

black pepper

This is as easy as throwing everything together and gently stirring until combined.  

Taste and adjust seasonings for your crowd.    

Serve with chips, nachos, quesadillas, or warm tortillas.

Barley, Black Bean and Corn Burritos

I could eat this sort of thing on a weekly basis.  Easy to put together, hearty, hints of Mexican flavors . . .  My family isn't as enthusiastic as I am about barley (I love the stuff!), but they liked these burritos enough that I'll be making them again soon.

• 2 cups vegetable broth or chicken broth
• 1 cup uncooked pearl barley
• 3/4 cup frozen whole-kernel corn
• 1/4 cup chopped green onions
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper
• 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 (10-ounce) can diced tomatoes and green chiles, undrained (Rotel)
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 8 (8-inch) flour tortillas
• 
  
• For Topping:
• grated cheddar cheese
• chopped lettuce
• salsa
• sour cream
• avacado
• fresh cilantro

• Place first 11 ingredients in a 3- to 4-quart slow cooker; stir well. Cover and cook on LOW for 4 hours or until barley is tender and liquid is absorbed. Stir in 1/4 cup cilantro.
• Heat tortillas according to package directions. Spoon 2/3 cup barley mixture down center of each tortilla. Sprinkle each with desired toppings, roll up, and enjoy!

One Pot Wonder - Tomato Basil Pasta

This is my recent favorite throw-everything-in-and-cook-it meal.  That's literally what I did.  The pasta absorbs most of the liquid, leaving you with thick and flavorful noodles.  Plus, a little sauce lines the bottom of the pan, made with help from the starch the noodles leaked out.  I will definitely make this again and would be happy to it serve to friends.

12 ounces linguine pasta
1 can (15 ounces) diced tomatoes with liquid
1 large sweet onion, cut in julienne strips
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 teaspoons dried oregano leaves
2 large sprigs basil, chopped
4 1/2 cups vegetable broth (I used homemade chicken stock)
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Parmesan cheese for garnish

Place pasta, tomatoes, onion, garlic, basil, in a large stock pot. Pour in broth. Sprinkle on top the pepper flakes and oregano. Drizzle top with oil.

Cover pot and bring to a boil. Reduce to a low simmer and keep covered and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring every 2 minutes or so. Cook until almost all liquid has evaporated – I left about an inch of liquid in the bottom of the pot – but you can reduce as desired .

Season to taste with salt and pepper , stirring pasta several times to distribute the liquid in the bottom of the pot. Serve garnished with parmesan cheese.

Sweet Potato and Lentil Stew

This was a win with the whole family.  Some thick slices of crusty bread on the side and we were good to go.  The stew is hearty and healthy, low in calories but big in taste.  My son, who is studying "healthy choices" in school, was excited when I told him his dinner contained something from every food group.  "Where is the dairy?" asked my intelligent husband.  "Coconut milk," replied the wife who typically runs out of brain cells around 6:00 just as everyone sits down to eat.  My husband just looked at me.  Wait for it . . . wait for it . . .  Right.  So we're missing dairy.  Anyone want ice cream for dessert?


1 cup lentils, rinsed
4 cups chicken (or vegetable) broth
2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
1 teaspoon turmeric
14.5 ounce can fire roasted tomatoes
2 teaspoons fresh minced ginger
1 tablespoon oil
1 tablespoon butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium onion, diced
one or two pinches of red pepper flakes (use more for more heat)
⅔ cup regular coconut milk
salt, to taste


Pour lentils, broth, and sweet potatoes into a large pot. Bring to a boil and then simmer on low, covered, for 20-25 minutes, or until lentils and sweet potatoes aren't quite done cooking.  (Don't overcook or everything gets mushy.  No one wants mushy lentils.)  Add the turmeric, tomatoes and ginger to the pot and cook for another 10 minutes.

While lentil mixture is cooking, heat the oil and butter in a large skillet. Add garlic, onion, and a dash of red pepper flakes (more if you want a stronger kick). Saute for 5-8 minutes, or until onions start to lightly brown. 

Add onion mixture to lentil pot and stir in coconut milk.  Season with salt to taste and serve with warm bread.  Over brown rice would be good as well.

adapted from here

Meatless Monday - Orzo Pasta Salad

This is one of my favorite things to bring to a shower.  It's simple, is easy to present well, and has subtle flavors that are pleasing to most.  There are lots of different options with what you can throw in.  Fresh basil looks prettier in the bowl and rounds out the color scheme a bit.  You could also add diced cucumbers or substitute slivered almonds for the pine nuts.


olive oil
1 box orzo pasta, cooked as directed
2-3 bell peppers, chopped
6oz. crumbled feta
15-20 pitted kalamata olives, cut in half
1/4 cup fresh basil, sliced, or 1 tsp. dried basil
1/2 - 1 tsp. salt
1/4 - 1/2 tsp. pepper

1/3 cup toasted pine nuts

Cook orzo as directed on box.  Rinse in cold water, strain, then dump pasta in large mixing bowl.  Throw on a few splashes of olive oil and stir.  You don't want the pasta to be glumpy or sticky.  Add more oil if necessary.  Throw everything else in the bowl except the pine nuts.  You'll probably need to play around with the amount of salt, pepper, and basil.  Just mix things in until it tastes good to you!  Top with a few shakes of basil, slivers of bell pepper, and the pine nuts.  

Meatless Monday - Italian Chickpea Soup

I like eating soup out of big mugs.  Especially big mugs I got on my honeymoon!  This soup from Vegetarian Times wasn't my favorite.  I think it was a texture thing for.  But was plenty of flavor and my 10-month-old daughter loved it!


4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
1 medium onion, chopped (1 1/2 cups)
3 cloves garlic, minced (1 Tbs.)
1 small bay leaf
1 tsp. dried thyme
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/8-1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
2 16-oz. cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained
2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes (6 cups)
1 stalk celery, finely diced (1/2 cup)
1 Tbs. Dijon mustard
1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley, plus a few sprigs for garnish


Bring broth, onion, garlic, bay leaf, thyme, oregano, cayenne pepper, and 2 cups water to a boil in large saucepan over medium heat. Simmer 5 minutes. Add chickpeas, sweet potatoes, celery, and mustard, and simmer 10 to 12 minutes more, or until vegetables are very soft.

Mash vegetables and chickpeas to chunky purée with potato masher or large spoon. (Chickpeas will remain mostly whole.) Stir in parsley, and season with salt and pepper, if desired. Garnish each serving with parsley sprig (or use feta like I did!).

Thai- Spiced Pumpkin Soup

I've already made this twice since finding the recipe two weeks ago.  My husband is in love with this stuff!  The picture comes from the post found here.  I just used water to thin the soup the first time but liked the broth/water combo on the second batch better.  


2 acorn squash, pumpkins, or other smallish winter squash
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1 14-ounce can coconut milk
1 teaspoon (or more) red Thai curry paste
water or broth
2 teaspoons fine grain sea salt (or to taste)

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and place the oven racks in the middle.

Carefully cut each squash/pumpkin into halves (or quarters). Slather each piece of squash with butter, sprinkle generously with salt, place on a baking sheet skin sides down, and place in the oven. Roast for about an hour or until the squash is tender throughout.

When the pumpkin/squash are cool enough to handle scoop it into a large pot over medium high heat. Add the coconut milk and curry paste and bring to a simmer. Remove from the heat and puree with a hand blender, you should have a very thick base at this point. Now add water a cup at a time pureeing between additions until the soup is the consistency you prefer - a light vegetable stock would work here as well. Bring up to a simmer again and add the salt (and more curry paste if you like).

Serves six.

Meatless Monday - Vegetarian Tortilla Soup

This picture is from the same place I got the recipe.  It was pretty good, but not great.  The cheese, sour cream, and chips at the end really helped. 

 

 

1 cup dried pinto beans, soaked overnight

1 (15-ounce) can fire-roasted tomatoes

1 medium yellow onion, diced

3 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1/4 teaspoon chipotle chile powder
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

4 cups vegetable broth

4 cups water

4 whole serrano chiles
baby spinach (to add later, optional)

Use a 6-quart slow cooker. Put the presoaked beans into your slow cooker. If you don't have time to soak the beans overnight, you can quick soak them by boiling rapidly on the stove for 10 minutes, and then letting the beans sit in the closed pot of hot water for 1 hour. Drain and then put into the cooker.

Add the entire can of tomatoes, the onion, and the garlic. Follow with all the spices and then pour in the broth and water. Wash and float the uncut peppers on top.

Cover and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours, or on high for 4 to 5. Remove the chiles before serving. If desired, drop in a few handfuls of baby spinach into the pot and stir. The spinach will wilt quickly! If you'd like, garnish with shredded cheese or sour cream (or both!)

Pumpkin and Feta Muffins

Let the fun begin!  This is officially my first pumpkin treat of the season.  How did I wait so long, you ask?  I have no idea.  If you weren't around last year, get ready for a LOT of pumpkin to show up over the next month or so.   I just can't get enough of it!  These muffins are like nothing I've ever had before, but my kids and I really liked them!  Maybe a pinch more salt next time.  

1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups cubed pumpkin or butternut squash, 1/2-inch cubes
salt and pepper to taste
1 large handful of baby spinach, chopped
2 tablespoons chopped parsley or cilantro
3 tablespoons sunflower seeds kernels
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan
 1/2 cup cubed feta
2 teaspoons whole-grain mustard
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
3/4 cup milk
2 cups flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt

Preheat oven to 405F / 200C, with rack in the top third. Use the butter to grease a 12-hole muffin pan and set aside.

Sprinkle the olive oil and some salt and pepper over the squash. Toss well and turn onto a baking sheet or roasting pan. Arrange in a single layer and bake for 15 - 25 minutes or until cooked through entirely. Set aside to cool.

Transfer two-thirds of the squash to a large mixing bowl along with the spinach, parsley, sunflower seeds, Parmesan, two-thirds of the feta, and all of the mustard. Gently fold together. In a separate bowl beat the eggs and milk together and add to the squash mix. Sift the flour and baking powder onto the squash mix, top with the salt and a generous dose of freshly ground black pepper and fold together just until the batter comes together, be careful not to over mix.

Spoon the mixture into the prepared pan, filling each hole 3/4 full, top each muffin with a bit of the remaining squash and feta (see photo up above). Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the tops and sides of the muffins are golden, and the muffins have set up completely. Let cool for a couple minutes then turn out onto a cooling rack. I like these muffins cooled a bit, served just warmer than room temperature.

Makes 12 muffins.

Meatless Monday - Peanut Butter Banana Bread

Technically it's still Monday, so I can still post my Meatless Monday recipe even though no one will read it until Tuesday!  If you missed the combo in muffin form, here's an even tastier way (in my opinion) to marry bananas and peanut butter - a match made in Heaven!  From Cooking Light.


1 1/2  cups  mashed ripe banana
1/3  cup  plain fat-free yogurt
1/3  cup  creamy peanut butter
3  tablespoons  butter, melted
2  large eggs
1/2  cup  granulated sugar
1/2  cup  packed brown sugar
6.75  ounces  all-purpose flour (about 1 1/2 cups)
1/4  cup  ground flaxseed (I used wheat germ)
3/4  teaspoon  baking soda
1/2  teaspoon  salt
1/2  teaspoon  ground cinnamon
1/8  teaspoon  ground allspice
2  tablespoons  chopped dry-roasted peanuts
Cooking spray

GLAZE:
1/3 cup powdered sugar
1 Tablespoon 1% lowfat milk
1 Tablespoon creamy peanut butter

Preheat oven to 350°.

To prepare bread, combine first 5 ingredients in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed. Add granulated and brown sugars; beat until blended.

Weigh or lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour and next 5 ingredients (through allspice) in a small bowl. Add flour mixture to banana mixture; beat just until blended. Stir in nuts. Pour batter into a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 1 hour and 5 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from oven; cool 10 minutes in pan on a wire rack. Remove bread from pan; cool.

To prepare glaze, combine powdered sugar, milk, and 1 tablespoon peanut butter in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Drizzle glaze over bread.

Meatless Monday - Orange-Ginger Baked Tofu

I used to make something similar to this in China, the land of inexpensive tofu.  We like it!

1 pound firm tofu
1 cup fresh orange juice
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup canola oil
4 teaspoons dark sesame oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger root
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 green onions, cut into 1-inch strips
1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
2 dried chipotle chile pepper (optional)  

Turn the tofu on its side, and cut it into 4 thin slices. Lay the tofu flat again, and cut the block diagonally to make 8 triangles. Without separating the pieces, place tofu on a cutting board. Cover, with a paper towel, and place a heavy skillet on top. Set aside for 30 minutes, allowing time for excess water to drain from the tofu.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the orange juice, vinegar, soy sauce, oils, garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes. Separate the pressed tofu pieces, and arrange in a baking dish in a single layer. Cover with the marinade, and sprinkle with the green onion and cilantro. Cut the stems off the chiles, remove the seeds, and place the chiles in the baking dish. Cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, and up to overnight.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). 

Pour off some of the marinade, so the tofu is covered halfway. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, without turning, until the tofu is golden and most of the marinade has been absorbed.

Meatless Monday - a repeat already?!

Call me boring, but we did a repeat this Meatless Monday.  We liked them so much, I put Roasted Veggie Sandwiches back on the menu after just a couple weeks!  Happy Monday!

Meatless Monday - Spicy Stir-Fried Bok Choy and Mushrooms with Tofu

It'd been a while since I'd made stir-fry. I think stir-fries are all about the sauce. This sauce was spicy and delicious and would work with any number of other veggie combination.


1tsp cornstarch
2 Tbs soy sauce
2 tsp minced fresh ginger
2 tsp Thai chile sauce, such as sriracha
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp sesame oil
3 Tbs canola oil, divided
1 14-oz pkg. extra firm tofu, drained and cut into bite-sized cubes
1 lb box choy, cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces
2 cups sliced fresh shiitake mushrooms

Whisk together cornstarch and 1 tsp water in a bowl. Whisk in soy sauce, ginger, chile sauce, garlic, and sesame oil.

Heat 1 Tbs, canola oil in large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Stir-fry tofu until golden brown; transfer to plate. Add 1 Tbs. canola oil to wok. Stir fry bok choy 4 minutes; transfer to plate.

Add remaining 1 Tbs. oil to wok. Stir-fry mushrooms for 2 minutes, or until tender. Return tofu and bok choy to wok. Stir in soy sauce mixture, and stir-fry 1 minute or until hot.

Meatless Monday - Roasted Veggie Sandwiches with Basil Pesto Spread

We had a slew of fresh veg and a flourishing basil plant, so I made a last minute decision to invite friends over for roasted veggie sandwiches. They were delicious! Grilling them in a little butter didn't hurt. =)

To roast the veggies:

Preheat oven to 450.
Thinly slice whatever veg you have on hand. I used a zucchini, remnants of a red and green pepper, and some eggplant.
Either spray your roasting pan with cooking spray or lightly toss your veggies with a little olive oil.
Lay out veggies on pan, not overlapping. Sprinkle with a little salt and pepper. Pop in the oven.
Check after 20 minutes. They're probably ready to flip. You want a little color on the bottom side of the veg before you flip it. After flipping the veggies, put them back in the oven for another 15 to 20 minutes.

Serve on bread with fresh tomatoes, spinach, cheese, other regular sandwich fixings and some basil pesto spread:


2 c fresh basil
1/3-1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup pine nuts, coarsely chopped
1/4 tsp salt, add more to taste
1/3 cup parmesan cheese

Place basil, olive oil, garlic, pine nuts, and salt to taste in a blender or food processor.
Process until finely textured but not completely smooth.
Scrape pesto into a bowl and sir in the cheese.
If not using immediately, pour a thin layer of olive oil over the top. Wrap tightly and refrigerate until needed. Makes about 1 cup.

Meatless Monday - Big Daddy's Cheese Pizza

There was a period while growing up when my awesome dad (known to my children as Big Daddy) was responsible for dinner one night of the week. We (my siblings and I) looked forward to that night because we knew we would have one of three things: Little Cesar's $5 pizza, homemade cheese enchiladas, or Dad's cheese pizza. I am my father's daughter in many ways, some that aren't as detrimental to my health as our shared love for anything doughy, only to be made better by adding cheese. And that's where we land with today's Meatless Monday meal: my dad's amazing cheese pizza. I never said Meatless Mondays had to be healthy! I guess you could add some chopped veggies, but I would always choose plain cheese pizza over anything else. Call me crazy. I'd never personally made Dad's pizza, so I emailed him asking for the recipe. My dad is one of my heroes, and not just because he makes incredible cheese pizza! To let you in on the full cheese pizza experience, I'm posting his instructions as he wrote them to me.

Dough:

In a large mixing bowl add 1 ½ cups luke warm water, 1 teaspoon sugar, 1 tablespoon salt, 2 packets (2 tablespoons) dry active yeast.

Let stand for 5 minutes.

Mix in 3 tablespoons oil, 4 cups flour (whatever kind Mom usually buys?). I mix everything with a fork until it is all a good doughy consistency but not sticky (add more flour if it is), then kneed it with my hands for a minute or two.

Cover the bowl with oil, put the dough in a ball, cover with a dish towel, put in a warm place to rise for one hour.

Cut the dough in half or thirds (depending on how thick you want your crust) to make two or three good size pizza doughs.

Fold the dough over on itself 10-12 times, then sprinkle with flour and roll out on one of those tupperware things that you roll stuff out on.

Sprinkle corn meal on the pizza board (if you have one). If you don’t you really need one or it’s hard to get the dough onto the pizza stone in the oven. I don't have a pizza board, but I used the back side of my largest cookie sheet and it worked well. After you put the rolled out dough on the sprinkled corn meal, give it a little shake before adding sauce and cheese. It helps keep the dough from sticking to the "board".

Oh, by the way, you need to preheat the pizza stone at 400 degrees for at least 30 minutes.

Sauce:

Mix together – one 8 oz. can tomato sauce, one 6 oz. can tomato paste, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1/8 teaspoon pepper, ½ teaspoon garlic salt, ½ teaspoon onion salt, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon oregano until you like the consistency.

Add whatever other toppings you want and bake the pizza at 375 degrees for 10-12 minutes, or until the crust is cooked to your liking.

For a variation try doing everything with only your left hand.

Stick leftovers in the fridge and eat cold for breakfast the next morning. (and he would)

I love you.

Dad

I love you too, Dad.

Meatless Monday - Black Bean Lasagna

photo taken from morgandotcom.com

There are plenty of black bean lasagna recipes out there, but this is what I used to try it out for the first time in our home. I was thrilled with the slightly spicy results! I will say this is my favorite Meatless Monday meal thus far. To be fair, I have a soft spot in my tummy for cheese and noodles! It would be very easy to double this and freeze one or take it to a family.


9 whole wheat lasagna noodles
1 large onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp canola oil
2 (16 ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
2 cans (6 oz) tomato paste
1 cup water
minced fresh cilantro, to taste
1/4 to 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flaked
4 egg whites, beaten
1 carton (15 oz) reduced-fat ricotta cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
2 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend (or whatever you have on hand)


In a large pot of lightly salted boiling water, cook the lasagna noodles 10 minutes, until al dente, and drain.

Cook noodles according to package instructions. Meanwhile, in large skillet over medium heat, cook onion and garlic in oil until tender. A dd beans, tomatoes, tomato paste, water cilantro, and pepper flaked. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, 15 minutes or until slightly thickened.

In a bowl, combine egg whites, ricotta, Parmesan, and parsley. Set aside.

Drain noodles. Spread 1/2 cup bean mixture into 13-by-9-in baking dish coated with cooking spray. Layer with three noodles, a third of ricotta mixture, a thrid of remaining bean mixutre, and 2/3 cup of cheese blend Repeat layers twice.

Cover and bake at 350 30 to 35 minutes. Uncover; bake 10 to 15 minutes longer o until bubbly. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting.

Meatless Monday - Linguine in Lemon Cream Sauce

I'm posting this because it was our Meatless Monday meal, but we didn't really like it. Something about the cream cheese and lemon combination just didn't sit well. I added some roasted asparagus hoping it might help. Eh. Maybe too much lemon? Your family might enjoy it more than we did, though, so here it is.


8 oz dry linguine
1/2 cup light cream cheese
2 Tbs olive oil
1 lemon, juiced and 1 Tbs. zest grated
1/2 cup chopped parsley


Cook linguine according to package directions in pot of boiling salted water.

Warm cream cheese, oil, and 2 Tbs lemon juice in saucepan over low heat.

Drain pasta, reserving 1/2 cup cooking water. Stir reserved cooking water into cream cheese mixture. Add pasta, lemon zest, and parsley, toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper, if desired.

Missing Meatless Monday - Whole Wheat-Walnut Muffins

Ok, so I know this isn't quite the Meatless Monday recipe you were looking for (ie, one that could be served for dinner), but things have been a bit crazy at our house and I honestly don't remember what we had for dinner last Monday. But I do remember that these muffins are amazing - and they don't have any meat in them - so I figured they could work for today's post. I wouldn't consider myself a baker, and I have no idea how very basic ingredients in a simple recipe can create such wonderful results, but I felt like the queen of baking when we bit into these moist and satisfying muffins. Maryana Vollstedt has won prizes for this recipe and after baking two batches in one week, I totally understand why.


1/4 cup butter or margarine, cut up
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 large egg
1 1/4 cups milk
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cups whole-wheat flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
3/4 cup chopped walnuts or other nuts
1 Tbsp. sugar
Optional variation: Add 3/4 cup peeled, chopped apple


Preheat oven to 425. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until well mixed. Add egg, milk, and vanilla and blend. Add flour, baking powder, salt and nuts and mix until moistened.

Spoon batter into paper-lined muffin tins, filling them about three-fourths full. Sprinkle with sugar. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 15 minutes. Remove from pan and cool on a rack for 5 minutes. Serve warm.

Meatless Monday - Roasted Vegetable Enchiladas with Tomatillo Sauce

These turned out really good - especially the sauce. I used carrots, onions, spinach and mushrooms inside with a bit of tofu. The corn tortillas really soaked up the sauce, making it a little more like a casserole when we served it, but that didn't matter - it still tasted great! The tomatillo sauce is excellent and if you aren't in the mood for just veggies, a shredded chicken and cream cheese filling would be a great substitute.


1 lb. (6 to 8) tomatillos, husked and rinsed
1 medium white onion, sliced about ¼ in. thick
3 garlic cloves, peeled
Hot green chiles to taste (2 to 3 serranos, or 1 to 2 jalapeños), stemmed
1 1/2 tbs. vegetable oil, plus extra for vegetables and maybe tortillas
2 cups vegetable or chicken broth, plus a little extra if needed
1/2 cup Mexican crema, crème fraîche, or heavy whipping cream
8 cups cubed vegetables (about 1/2-in. each) such as carrots, onions, turnips, mushrooms, and broccoli
Salt
12 corn tortillas
1 cup shredded Mexican cheese like asadero, or Monterey Jack or cheddar

Roast tomatillos, sliced onion, garlic, and chiles on rimmed baking sheet 4 in. below preheated broiler until tomatillos are soft and blackened in spots on one side, 4 to 5 minutes. Turn vegetables over; broil about 4 minutes longer. Remove and reduce oven temperature to 400°F.

Scrape tomatillo mixture into food processor or blender. Process until smooth purée. Heat 1 1/2 Tbsp. oil in medium-large pot over medium-high heat. When drop of purée sizzles in oil, add remainder of purée. Stir constantly for several minutes until darker and thicker. Add broth and crema, reduce heat to medium-low, partially cover, and simmer for about 30 minutes.

Spread cubed vegetables on rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with oil, sprinkle with salt, and mix to coat evenly. Place in oven and roast, turning vegetables regularly, until crunchy-tender, about 25 minutes (reduce roasting time for broccoli and other green vegetables by 5 to 10 minutes).

If sauce has thickened and is no longer consistency of light cream soup, stir in a little more broth (or water). Taste and season with salt, about 1 tsp. Lightly brush both sides of each tortilla with oil. Stack, wrap in damp paper towels, and microwave on high (100%) for 1 minute to warm and soften. Or you can do what I did: cover two tortillas at a time with a damp paper towel. Microwave for 45 seconds. Roll some of the filling inside and place them side by side in the baking dish. Repeat with two more tortillas until your filling is gone.

Spread about 1 cup sauce over bottom of 13-by-9-in. baking dish. Working quickly, roll equal portion of roasted vegetables into each tortilla while tortillas are still hot and pliable. Place them side by side in baking dish. Douse evenly with remaining sauce. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake until enchiladas are heated through and cheese begins to brown, about 10 minutes. Garnish with onion rings and cilantro sprigs.

Meatless Monday - Spicy Tofu Bento Bowl

I thought this was delicious (especially the flavor of the tofu), but my husband said I crossed the line. "What line?" The one where Meatless Mondays become too exotic. It wasn't the tofu. He likes tofu. I think it was the unusual (yes, exotic) flavor combination and too many raw vegetables. If you decide to give this one a try, let me know what you think!

1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup chile-garlic sauce
2 Tbs. dark sesame oil
14 oz. extra-firm tofu, drained and cubed
5 green onions, finely chopped (1/2 cup)
1/4 cup nonfat yogurt
2 Tbs. lemon juice

1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
2 Tbs. lemon juice
1 Tbs. minced fresh ginger
1 tsp. chile-garlic sauce
2 cups cooked short-grain brown rice
4 1/2 cups mixed baby greens (I just used spinach)
2 carrots, peeled
1 cucumber, sliced (1 1/2 cups)
1 avocado, peeled and sliced
1 Tbs. toasted sesame seeds

To make Spicy Tofu:

Whisk together soy sauce, chile-garlic sauce, and sesame oil in bowl. Heat skillet over medium heat. Dip tofu in soy sauce mixture; cook 10 minutes, or until browned. Cool 10 minutes. Add green onions, yogurt, and lemon juice to remaining chile mixture. Toss with tofu.

To make Salad:

Whisk together soy sauce, lemon juice, ginger, and chile-garlic sauce in bowl. Mound rice in serving bowls. Top with greens. Shave carrot strips over top with vegetable peeler. Top with tofu, cucumber, and avocado. Sprinkle with sesame seeds; serve with soy sauce mixture.