Category Archives: Vegetarian

Hasselback apples

This recipe is hot off the press, aka hot out of the oven post Sunday dinner chez Kara. My friend Ruthie suggested this dessert, and it was perfect since I recently read about the Hasselback technique and I have *plenty* of apples…it was just meant to be (in my belly).

You might be wondering what the heck Hasselback means. From what I can ascertain from my friend Google, this is traditionally a potato dish that originated from Restaurant Hasselbacken in Stockholm, Sweden. The potatoes are sliced thinly, but not all the way through, so they look like an accordian. They are then brushed with butter and roasted. 

This was definitely a dessert success, and now that I’ve read more about it, I think I would like to try this with potatoes too (also something I have *plenty* of).

Hasselback apples

Hasselback apples after step 3

Serves: 3-6 (depends how hungry you are!)
Source: adapted from Cooking Light

Ingredients
3 medium-sized, firm apples
Cooking spray
3 Tablespoons brown sugar, divided
2 1/2 Tablespoons butter, melted and divided
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon, divided
2 Tablespoons old-fashioned rolled oats
1 teaspoon all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Vanilla ice cream

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Just add ice cream!

2. Peel and core apples, then slice in half vertically. Place each apple half flat side down and slice crosswise most (but not all) the way through each half at 1/8-inch intervals. Place apple halves, flat side down, in an 8-inch broiler-safe baking dish coated with cooking spray. In a small bowl, mix together 1 Tablespoon brown sugar, 1 Tablespoon melted butter, and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon. Brush mixture evenly over apples.

3. Cover pan with foil; bake at 400 degrees F for 10 minutes. Remove foil, then bake for an additional 10 minutes or until apples are tender. Remove pan from oven and cool for 10 minutes.

4. In another small bowl, mix together 2 Tablespoons brown sugar, 1 1/2 Tablespoons melted butter, 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, oats, flour, and salt. Carefully fan open apple halves and spoon oat mixture evenly over the apples. Bake for 10 minutes, then turn oven to broil and broil for 2 minutes. Serve with vanilla ice cream.

Butternut squash and kale pasta bake

I am in full-on fall food mode, and I think butternut squash and kale go together kind of like peanut butter and jelly. I was inspired by Jamie Oliver’s recipe for a squash and ricotta bake, and decided to make a version that included more veggies (Tuscan kale!) and less pasta. The result? Pretty tasty, and makes for great leftovers too.
Butternut squash and kale pasta bake
Serves: 4
Butternut squash, kale, tomato mixture

Adapted from Jamie Oliver


Ingredients
1 butternut squash, peeled, deseeded, and cut into small cubes
2 Tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 bunch Tuscan kale, chopped
1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
8 ounces penne pasta
1/4 cup ricotta cheese
Dinner is served!

1 cup vegetable stock

4 ounces fresh mozzarella

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. In a large bowl, mix the squash with 1 Tablespoon of olive oil and spread in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes, or until tender. Keep oven on.

2. Heat 1 Tablespoon of olive oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and saute for a few minutes, then add kale and saute for a few more minutes. Add tomatoes and roasted squash to the pan, bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in the ricotta and the vegetable stock and bring back to a boil.

3. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil, and cook the penne for a couple minutes less than the directions on the package. Drain, then toss with the sauce.

4. Spray a square baking pan with cooking spray, then spoon in the pasta and sauce. Tear or shred the mozzarella and spread on top. Place in the preheated oven and bake for 15 minutes or until golden and bubbly.

Spaghetti squash with spinach and cheese

Getting ready to bake

I don’t yet have a “go to” spaghetti squash recipe, but this one might be in the running! I mean, who doesn’t love a warm and cheesy casserole? And for me, that cheese was an extra sharp cheddar…yum!

Spaghetti squash with spinach and cheese
Serves: 4-6
Source: adapted from Skinnytaste

Ingredients
1 spaghetti squash
1 clove garlic, minced

Spaghetti squash and spinach

1/2 medium onion, chopped
1 Tablespoon olive oil
2 Tablespoons flour (or 1 Tablespoon cornstarch if gluten-free)
1 cup lowfat milk
1/2 cup chicken or vegetable broth
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Salt and pepper, to taste
4 cups baby spinach
1 Tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese

Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Cut the squash in half lengthwise; remove seeds and discard. Place squash on a baking sheet lined with foil and bake until tender, about 1 hour. Remove from oven and when cool enough, separate the strands of squash with a fork and set aside. Keep the temperature on.

Warm and bubbly casserole


2. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and onions and cook about 2 minutes. Stir in flour. Reduce heat to low and cook, stirring continually 3-4 minutes. While whisking continuously, add milk and chicken broth and increase heat until the mixture comes to a boil and becomes smooth and thick, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

3. Once it becomes thick, remove from heat, add cheddar cheese and mix until cheese is melted. Add cooked spaghetti squash and baby spinach and stir until combined. Pour into a baking dish and sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until bubbly and golden.


Edamame hummus

Fresh edamame

Here’s a fun thing to do with edamame, whether it’s fresh from the farm or fresh from the freezer of your local grocery store. It’s a great snack that you can use however you would normally use hummus…I like it with Food Should Taste Good multigrain chips!

It is definitely easier to buy frozen edamame! If you buy it pre-cooked, all you need to is shell them. If it’s not cooked, then cook according to package directions.

Edamame, cooked and shelled

Since I got not one, but two bunches of fresh edamame, I went the fresh route this time. First, pick the pods off the branches, discarding any that are brown. I thought it might be a #loveuglyfood sitch so I cooked some of them anyway. But nope the beans inside were not the nice green color you want, so don’t bother with them. Some of the greenish-yellowish pods were still ok though.


Salt the pods generously and let sit for 15 minutes. I don’t know what the purpose of this is, and I don’t remember doing this in the past, but that was part of the instructions I used from who knows where. Then boil in salted water for about 6 minutes, drain, and pop out of their shells.

Be patient with your food processor – it definitely took longer than I expected to get it to the right consistency.


Edamame hummus
Makes: a lot!

Hummus and chips


Ingredients

1 1/2 cups shelled edamame, cooked

Juice from 1 lemon (about 2 Tablespoons)
3 Tablespoons tahini
2 garlic cloves, peeled
6 Tablespoons water (more if needed for consistency)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Directions

1. Add the ingredients to a blender or food processor and puree until smooth. Enjoy!

Zucchini muffins

One zucchini per week feels pretty manageable, especially when it’s a ‘normal’-sized one and not a super-sized one. I decided to prep breakfast for the week with these tasty zucchini muffins. And this recipe made a perfect little six pack of muffins. 

The batter will feel really dry and lumpy after adding the egg and oil in step three. Don’t panic! The liquid from the zucchini will make it more batter-like…I promise. And bonus, you don’t have to do creative things to squeeze the liquid out of the shredded zucchini, a step that is often included. I am all about the short cuts!

Also, I accidentally doubled the baking powder, which did not have an adverse effect..probably because it was such a small amount to begin with. But according to this article, too much baking powder can cause baked goods to rise too high (then collapse) and taste metallic. GTK (good to know).

Muffins!


Zucchini pecan muffins
Makes: 6-7 muffins
Source: adapted from Taste of Home

Ingredients
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 egg
1/4 cup canola oil
1 cup shredded zucchini
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/4 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a muffin tin with paper liners or spray with cooking spray.

2. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and ground cinnamon.

3. In a separate bowl, combine the egg and oil; stir into dry ingredients just until moistened (it will feel dry and lumpy). Stir in the zucchini just until combined. Fold in the pecans and chocolate chips. 

4. Spoon the batter into the muffin cups until about three-quarters full. Bake for 22-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan, then cool completely on a wire rack. Enjoy! 

Zucchini pie

So. Much. Zucchini.

Kara 1, zucchini 0! I am conquering the zucchini and summer squash this season. Well, it helps that the season is winding down…I can handle one per week. I made this recipe awhile ago and it was a great way to use both zucchini and corn. I liked this recipe a lot and it froze well. 

I decreased the butter, salt, and cheese that was in the original recipe. They are all things I like, but thought it would be just as tasty with a little less.

Zucchini pie
Serves: 4-6
Mixin’ in the corn, mushrooms, and basil
Voila!

Adapted from Pinch of Yum


Ingredients
2 Tablespoons butter
1 yellow onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
2 large zucchini, sliced thin
6 ounces sliced mushrooms
1 cup frozen corn (or 2 ears sweet corn)
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 1/2 cups shredded cheese, plus more to sprinkle on top
3 eggs, beaten

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Heat butter in a large, deep skillet over medium high heat. Add the onions, garlic, zucchini, and mushrooms. and saute until the veggies are soft, 5-10 minutes. Remove from heat. 

2. Stir in the corn, basil, oregano, salt, and pepper. Add the cheese and the beaten eggs. Line a 9-inch pie pan with parchment paper (or grease pan with nonstick spray). Transfer the mixture to the pan. Sprinkle with a little more cheese, cover with nonstick foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake for an additional 5 minutes to brown the top. Let stand for 10-15 minutes before slicing and enjoy!

Bulgur and veggie casserole

Getting ready to roast veggies

Newsflash…I made something with zucchini and *actually* thought it was pretty good! Remember that bulgur salad I made awhile ago? No? Well not to worry, I will refresh your memory (or just click the link above!)…in that post I made a “note to self” to remember that recipe for CSA season because it was a great “throw everything in” dish. Take that recipe, and add a dash of inspiration from a Good Housekeeping recipe for Baked Pepper Jack Quinoa Skillet, and this is what I came up with…hope you enjoy it!

Prepping bulgur

Also, please ignore the fact that you see a glass Pyrex dish in the “finished” photo below. Yes I used Pyrex and my mom shared a tip that you should not put Pyrex in the broiler as it might explode. So use a broiler-safe pan. Noted. 

Bulgur and veggie casserole
Serves: 4-6

Ingredients
1 cup bulgur wheat
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 cups boiling water
1 broccoli crown, cut into pieces
1 small zucchini, sliced
1 small summer squash, sliced
1 medium onion, quartered
1 Tablespoon olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
2 garlic scapes (or 2 cloves), minced
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Directions

Warm cheesy veggie goodness

1. In a heatproof bowl (or glass measuring cup), mix bulgur with salt and 3 cups of boiling water. Cover and let stand until tender but slightly chewy, about 30 minutes.


2. Heat oven to 375 degrees F. In a square, broiler-proof baking dish, toss broccoli, zucchini, summer squash, and onion with olive oil. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper. Roast until veggies are tender, about 20-30 minutes, stirring once about halfway through cooking time. Remove from oven and set aside.

3. Drain bulgur in a fine-mesh sieve or cheesecloth, pressing to remove liquid; return to bowl. Add garlic scapes and sour cream and stir until thoroughly combined. Add bulgur mixture to baking dish with veggies and stir to combine. Top with shredded cheese.

4. Turn on broiler, and broil casserole until cheese is melted and slightly browned. Enjoy!

Pesto pasta salad

A quick and easy way to use some greens (I used the beta mix from last week’s CSA share) and other vegetables you might have lying around. I used my zucchini and also added grape tomatoes. By tossing the greens with the hot pasta, the greens wilted nicely. The pesto came from the freezer, leftover from last year.

Pesto pasta salad

Pasta salad, pre-mozzarella

Serves: 4

Ingredients
8 ounces pasta
1 small zucchini, sliced
4 ounces greens
1/3 cup pesto
1 pint grape tomatoes, cut in half
4 ounces fresh pearline mozzarella
Salt and pepper, to taste.

Directions
1. In a large pot of water, cook pasta according to package directions. Add sliced zucchini to pasta water for the last 2-3 minutes of cooking.

2. Drain pasta and toss with greens, pesto, and grape tomatoes. Allow to cool slightly, then add the fresh mozzarella. Season with salt and pepper and enjoy!

Asparagus soup

Spring has sprung (supposedly)! And with spring comes a craving for asparagus, and this lovely and delicious, though not very photogenic, soup.


Asparagus soup
Serves: 4-6
Source: adapted from Once Upon a Chef

Asparagus!
Ingredients
2 bunches asparagus (about 2 pounds)
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 Tablespoon butter
2 medium yellow onions, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
5 cups low sodium chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Juice from 1 lemon
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Directions
1. In a large pot, heat olive oil and butter over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic and cook until soft and translucent, about 8-10 minutes.

Soup!
2. Cut the tips off of the asparagus spears and set aside. Cut the remaining spears into 1/2-inch pieces.

3. To the onions and garlic, add the chopped asparagus (except the tips), chicken broth, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, then cover and turn heat down to low. Simmer for about 30 minutes until asparagus is very tender.

4. Meanwhile, cook the reserved asparagus tips for a few minutes, either by boiling, steaming, or two minutes in the microwave. Set aside.

5. In batches, purée the soup in a blender until completely smooth. Return the soup to the pot and bring back to a simmer. Stir in the lemon juice, grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, and asparagus tips. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste, and enjoy!

Carrot apple oat muffins

Sometimes I just feel like baking! And I love it when that urge arises and I actually have ingredients on hand to make something, aka no trip to the grocery store required. This happened recently when I decided I wanted to make muffins that would incorporate a few leftover carrots and a Granny smith apple. A quick search on Pinterest led me to this recipe, which also included oats.

Dry ingredients + carrot and apple


I also inadvertently tested out the new battery in my smoke alarm (and learned that my smoke alarm has a “snooze” function). Since I typically make muffins on the smaller side, I decided to test out a silicone muffin pan with the extra batter. Both pans went into the oven at the same time, and the muffins baked in silicone burned…thus triggering the smoke alarm. I think I’ll be sticking to my regular ol’ metal muffin pans from now on.

Adding the wet ingredients

Except for the four burned-on-the-bottom ones, these were pretty tasty and were great for breakfast during the week.

Carrot apple oat muffins
Makes: 12-16 muffins
Source: Annie’s Noms via Pinterest

Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup rolled oats
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
3/4 cup light brown sugar

Ready for the oven

1 cup grated Granny Smith apple, grated (about 1 apple)
1 cup grated carrot (about 2-3 medium carrots)
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup low-fat milk
1/2 cup canola oil

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 12-hold muffin pan, or use paper liners; may need more than one pan, depending on how big you like your muffins.

Ready to eat!

2. In a large bowl, mix together the flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, and brown sugar. Add the grated carrots and apple and stir until they are coated in flour.

3. In a medium bowl, lightly beat together eggs, vanilla extract, milk, and canola oil. Pour over the dry ingredients and mix just until combined (do not beat or overmix).

4. Spoon batter into muffin pan(s). Bake for 15-20 minutes, until lightly golden and a toothpick in the center comes out clean.

5. Cool in pan for about 10 minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.