Vegetarian – Page 6 – Kara Cooks and Eats

Lemon ricotta gnocchi with greens

I saw this recipe on Pinterest and I was interested in it for a few reasons:

I’m fairly obsessed with anything involving lemon and ricotta (pancakes anyone?)
I wanted to do something interesting with pea tendrils
I’ve never tried to make gnocchi before so it sounded like a good chall-enge!

Gnocchi dough ball

It did require two trips to the grocery store, which would have been three if I actually included the peas that were in the original recipe. My first trip to the store involved picking up the lemon and ricotta. I assumed I had flour and frozen peas or edamame (I was already thinking about substituting in edamame for the peas). I got home and realized I didn’t have enough flour so I incorporated a second trip to the grocery store (a different one) with another errand and this time I grabbed the flour but not the frozen peas/edamame. At that point, a third trip seemed excessive so I decided to forgot the peas.

If you are going to embark on this gnocchi adventure yourself, I feel like I must warn you about a few things. First of all, be prepared to make a mess and a lot of dishes. Next, “a lightly floured surface” required quite a bit of flour…otherwise the dough was a sticky mess. They really do float to the surface when they are done cooking (and they cook really fast). And lastly, I had no idea how to get the nice little groove marks in them. I tried using a fork, which didn’t really work too well, and since I wasn’t sure what the point was, I gave up after a few.

Ready to cook!

I made some modifications to the original recipe, which I’ve incorporated in my version below. I used at least 4 cups of greens – all of the pea tendrils and dandelion greens from my CSA, which would be about 1/2 bunch each. I think you could use even more, but I tend to like a lot of veg; perhaps this would have been balanced out if I had included the cup of fresh English peas that I omitted. I did use the full 4 Tablespoons of olive oil, and I don’t think you need that much.

I don’t think I’ll be getting any points for appearance with this one, but they actually tasted pretty good. As I was attempting to roll out the dough I did not have high hopes, so I was pleasantly surprised!

Lemon ricotta gnocchi with greens
Serves: 4
Source: Sweet Paul via Pinterest

Ingredients

More greens needed?

1 (15-ounce) container ricotta cheese
Zest from 1 large lemon
1/4 cup grated Parmesan (and more to sprinkle)
1 cup all purpose flour
2 garlic scapes, finely chopped
1 egg, lightly beaten
Salt and pepper to taste
3 Tablespoons olive oil
4 cups greens (spinach, pea tendrils, dandelion greens, beet greens, etc)

Directions
1. Mix together ricotta, lemon zest, Parmesan cheese, flour, garlic scapes, and egg in a medium bowl. Season with salt and pepper.

Up close and personal

2. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and form into a ball. Divide the dough into 4 pieces. Working 1 piece at a time, roll into a thin sausage shape. Repeat with the other pieces. With a sharp knife, cut the dough into 1″ pieces.

3. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Working in batches, cook the gnocchi. Each piece is done when it floats to the surface. Transfer to a plate. Reserve about 1/4 cup of pasta water.

4. Heat the olive oil in a saute pan over medium heat. Add the greens and cook for 2 minutes. Add the gnocchi and reserved pasta water (as needed) and gently toss with the peas. Transfer the gnocchi to a serving platter and sprinkle with Parmesan. Enjoy!

Baked parsnip fries

“Fry” shaped parsnip

Spring dug parsnips are a treat and a great way to celebrate a USA win in our World Cup game earlier this evening! I had a parsnip that was about one-third of a pound and I decided to bake them into fries. I used cayenne pepper and paprika, but feel free to substitute other herbs or spices to your liking. Do you know what the technical measurements for a pinch and a dash are?

Pinch = 1/16 teaspoon
Dash = 1/8 teaspoon

Baked fries

Back in my days as a server at the East Islip Clam & Oyster Bar, we used to serve a maple mayo with our sweet potato fries. I think this is also where I fell in love with the sweet potato fry…that relationship is still going strong! I always thought it would be easy to recreate the maple mayo, and turns out it was! All I did was whisk 1/2 Tablespoon of maple syrup with 1 Tablespoon of mayonnaise, and I got to use the itty bitty baby whisk that I got at Jerel and Michael’s wedding. Not gonna lie, I wish I had a pair of itty bitty baby whisks. I think this would also be super tasty with plain yogurt instead of mayo, but I didn’t have any yogurt on hand.

Baked parsnip fries

Parsnip fries with maple mayo

Serves: 1

Ingredients
1 large parsnip, peeled and cut into “fry” shapes
1/2 Tablespoon olive oil
A pinch of cayenne pepper
A pinch of paprika
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

2. Toss together all ingredients in a bowl, then spread on a baking sheet in a single layer. Bake for 15 minutes until cooked through and enjoy!

Penne with mushrooms, tomatoes, and canellini beans

On a recent weeknight, I had planned to pick up takeout on my way home. Mexican was the plan…but then I grabbed a quick after work drink at Ithaki, a terrific Greek restaurant in Ipswich, and that made me hungry for everything that the people around me were ordering for dinner. This included anything with tzatziki or a big bowl of pasta with olive oil and Parmesan. I got on the commuter rail and finally decided I wanted pasta with heaps of garlic, olive oil, and Parmesan. I ended up stopping into Harvest to pick up a box of pasta and ended up with this recipe – a quick, weeknight penne.

I’m typically a penne girl, unless homemade pasta is an option. But there is more to picking your pasta than just a favorite shape…and after reading a few articles (Bon Appetit, fine cooking, Food52), I realized I “should” have made this with a “rod” pasta like spaghetti. Maybe next time.

Penne with mushrooms, tomatoes, and cannellini beans

Mushrooms and tomatoes

Serves: 4

Ingredients

1 Tbsp butter

3 cloves garlic, minced

8 ounces mushrooms, sliced (I used Baby Bellas)

1/2 tsp crushed red pepper

1/2 tsp Italian seasoning

1/4 tsp oregano

1 pint grape tomatoes, cut in half

1 cup cannellini beans

8 ounces pasta

1 Tbsp olive oil

Reserved pasta water as needed

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

Salt and pepper to taste

Weeknight penne

Directions

1. Cook pasta until al dente, according to package directions. Before draining, reserve 1/4 to 1/2 cup of pasta water.

2. While pasta is cooking, melt butter in a large saute pan and add garlic, cooking on medium heat until fragrant but not browned. Add sliced mushrooms, crushed red pepper, Italian seasoning, and oregano. Stir, then cover pan just until the mushrooms release their moisture. Uncover and stir in grape tomatoes and cannellini beans. Reduce heat to low.

3. Add pasta, olive oil, and Parmesan cheese to pan with garlic, tomatoes, and mushrooms. Add pasta water if more “sauce” needed. Enjoy!

Eggplant pizza

Getting ready for the broiler

I think I have Pinterest to thank (again) for the inspiration to make these eggplant pizzas. I was excited to break open both of my Julia Child cookbooks to see what she had to say about the aubergine (Mastering te Art of French Cooking, volumes 1 and 2). I also knew it would be easy because I had some breaded, pre-baked eggplant slices in my freezer from CSA season, which allowed me to skip all of the eggplant steps in the recipe. I added some sauteed baby spinach to the pizza, between the sauce and the cheese.

The finished product

Tranches d’aubergine á l’italienne
Makes 3-4 servings
Source: Julia Child (the one and only), via Kalyn’s Kitchen

Ingredients
1 globe eggplant (about 1/2 pound)
Salt
Olive oil
~2 1/2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 can (14.5-ounces) petite diced tomatoes
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/3 cup finely grated mozzarella cheese (or Italian blend)
Red pepper flakes (optional)

Directions
1. Cut off both ends of the eggplant, then cut it into thick slices (about 3/4-inch thick). Place the eggplant slices on a double layer of paper towels and sprinkle both sides generously with salt. Let the eggplant sit for about 30 minutes to draw out the liquid. While the eggplant is sitting, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

2. While the eggplant sits, heat 1 Tablespoon of the olive oil on the stove over medium heat and saute the garlic just until it becomes fragrant, without browning. Add the petite diced tomatoes, 1/2 teaspoon of the Italian seasoning, and the oregano and simmer until it’s thickened. Add water as needed, a few Tablespoons at a time, and keep the sauce at a low simmer until the eggplant slices are ready.

3. Back to the eggplant. After 30 minutes, wipe the eggplant dry with paper towels (this also removes most of the salt). Spray a roasting sheet with olive oil or non-stick spray, and place the eggplant slices on the sheet in a single layer. Brush the tops with olive oil and sprinkle with remaining Italian seasoning (~2 teaspoons, or to taste). Roast the eggplant for about 25 minutes, until they are cooked but not mushy.

4. When the eggplant slices are done, remove from the oven and set the oven to broil. Spread a few tablespoons of sauce on top of each eggplant slice and top with cheese. Put pizzas under the broiler until the cheese is melted and slightly browned. Keep an eye on it – it just took a few minutes. Sprinkle with red pepper flakes (if desired) and enjoy!

Peach blueberry smoothie

I needed something quick and easy (and easy on my GI tract) for a pre-run breakfast last weekend. Since I had yogurt and some frozen blueberries and peaches on hand, I decided to break out the trusty Ninja and make a smoothie. I can’t lie, the peaches were from my 2012 CSA and the blueberries had to be rescued from tons of ice (and a little bit of freezer burn)…but desperate times call for desperate measures, especially at 6 AM on a Saturday morning.

I am happy to report that the smoothie tasted great and it made me want to stock up on some non-freezer-burned fruits. I’m thinking pineapple and mango would be great. What are your favorite smoothie ingredients?

Single serve smoothie

Peach blueberry smoothie

Serves: 1

Ingredients

1/4 cup frozen blueberries

1 cup frozen peach slices (6 slices)

1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt

1 Tbsp peanut or almond butter

1 tsp honey

1/2 cup water (adjust to desired smoothie consistency)

Directions

Add all ingredients to blender and blend until smooth. Enjoy!

Roasted sweet potato chana masala

Last Sunday I was out with a friend watching the Patriots play the Browns, and I “helped” her make a grocery list. She was planning to make this recipe and I decided to borrow that idea! While I got a great meal idea, we did leave the bar with about 2 minutes left in the game…and missed that crazy onside kick that led to the “W”.

I tripled the amount of sweet potatoes and decided to roast them instead of cooking them in the microwave. I also added some oil to facilitate the roasting and used 2% yogurt instead of the full fat stuff. The original recipe calls for “1 pint of crushed tomatoes”, which I didn’t realize and I used petite diced tomatoes instead…which seemed to work with the addition of a little water, which is noted in my version of the recipe below.

I was told that this recipe tastes even better the second day. Since I didn’t start cooking this until after dinner one night, I have no idea how it tasted on the first day. I can attest to its yumminess on day 2, especially with a side of garlic naan from Trader Joe’s.

Medium-sized?

Roasted sweet potato chana masala
Source: adapted from Food52
Serves: 4-5

Ingredients
2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and diced (3 cups)
2 tsp olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 Tbsp butter or grapeseed oil
1 tsp coriander seed
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp cardamom
1 1/2 tsp garam masala

The finished product

1/2 tsp grated fresh ginger
1 serrano chile, seeded and minced (adjust to taste)
1 can (15 ounces) garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
1 can diced tomatoes
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup roughly chopped cilantro
1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. In a large bowl, toss diced sweet potato with olive oil and spread on a baking sheet in a single layer. Bake about 15 minutes, tossing once about halfway through.

Dinner with a side of garlic naan

2. Heat the butter in a large stockpot or saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and saute until soft.

3. Add the coriander, cumin, cardamom, garam masala, and ginger and toast in the butter and onions for 1-2 minutes. Add the serrano chile and cook for 2 minutes.

4. Add the garbanzo beans, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, and water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for about 15 minutes.

5. Stir in the yogurt and cilantro and cook, uncovered, for 5 more minutes, or until hot.

Broccoli cranberry salad

Day after Thanksgiving holiday table

Believe it or not, this was the only “cooking” I did over the holiday weekend. For Thanksgiving I had a yummy turkey dinner at the Bird Key Yacht Club in Sarasota, which required no prep and no clean-up!

The only shopping I really did on Black Friday was at the grocery store – to pick up the ingredients for this salad. I found this recipe on Facebook, one of my amazing and fantastic friends “shared” it, I just can’t remember exactly to whom to give the credit. I took a screen shot of the recipe from my phone so that I wouldn’t forget it.

The finished product

Broccoli cranberry salad
Source: someone shared it on Facebook!
Serves: 6

Ingredients
4 cups broccoli florets, chopped into small pieces
1/2 cup red onion, chopped
3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup cooked bacon, crumbled
3/4 cup dried cranberries
6 ounces plain, nonfat Greek yogurt

Pork chops and applesauce!

2 Tbsp mayonnaise
2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
1 Tbsp sugar
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup sunflower seeds

Directions
1. In a large bowl, combine broccoli, onion, cheese, bacon, and cranberries.
2. To make dressing, mix together yogurt, mayonnaise, red wine vinegar, and sugar in a small bowl. Add to broccoli mixture and stir until thoroughly combined.
3. Just before serving, mix in sunflower seeds and enjoy!

Vegetarian black bean chili

Mise en place

It seems that every recipe for vegetarian chili insists on using zucchini. While I have made peace with the zucchini, it is not likely that I will go out of my way to buy them or cook with them. So here’s my version of the recipe, sans zucchini. The original recipe called for zucchini and carrots, but I like to buy a “Coastal blend” of frozen veggies from Whole Foods that has corn, carrots, broccoli, and edamame.

For toppings, I added cheese, diced avocados, sliced black olives, and grape tomatoes. Two lucky coworkers got a free lunch the day after I made this, and they gave it two thumbs up!

Toppings

Vegetarian black bean chili
Source: adapted from Everyday Food, October 2007
Serves: 6

Ingredients
1 Tbsp olive oil

1 medium onion, diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 Tbsp chili powder

1 tsp ground cumin

2 cans black beans, rinsed and drained

Yummy!

1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes

1 package (16 ounces) frozen corn or corn blend

1 jalapeño, diced (optional)

Toppings, such as tortilla chips, sour cream, shredded cheese, diced avocado

Directions

1. In a 5-quart Dutch oven or heavy pot, heat oil over medium-high. Add onion and garlic; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to soften, about 4 minutes. Add chili powder and cumin.

2. Add beans, tomatoes, corn, and 1 cup water. Simmer until slightly thickened, 8-10 minutes more.

3. Serve in individual bowls and top with your favorite toppings.

Roasted delicata squash

I read somewhere that delicata squash is a good “shoulder season” squash…like when you’ve already put away your white pants, but haven’t pulled out the sweaters and aren’t quite ready to start wearing boots.

Pretty squash

Be sure to wash it well, because you can eat the skin…if your belly can handle the roughage! This is so easy that it feels a bit like “cheating” by posting this as a recipe. Whenever I’m in doubt about what to do with something, I usually sauté or roast.

Ready for the oven

Roasted delicata squash
Serves: 2-3

Ingredients
1 delicata squash
1/2 Tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 Tbsp light brown sugar

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Wash squash and cut in half lengthwise. Scoop out sides, and cut into slices (about 1/2-inch).

Ready for my belly, via Instagram

2. Toss with olive oil and spread in a single layer on a cookie sheet (I like to line it with nonstick foil). Season with salt and pepper. Cook for about 10 minutes, then flip squash slices and cook for another 10 minutes, until soft and starting to brown.
3. Remove from oven, sprinkle with brown sugar and enjoy!

Watermelon carrot apple juice

Free ninja!

Thanks to a mishap by Macy’s, I recently acquired a brand new Ninja “Mega Kitchen System”. I had never heard of this before, but apparently I don’t watch enough tv and haven’t seen the infomercial. I have a Cuisinart blender and food processor combination…who knew I “needed” an upgrade?

Singapore

I have never really gotten into juicing or smoothies. Though I do have very fond memories of a little juice stand in Singapore…we went there every morning after our breakfast of roti prata. I think that is where I discovered how much I love watermelon juice.

I am really diggin the single serve cups that came with the Ninja. I think this might make juicing and smoothie-ing faster and more convenient. For the recipe below, I first blended the watermelon and apple together, then added the carrot, honey, and ice. It was a little gritty for me (I did leave the skin of the apple on), but I might have just needed to blend it longer. I also made some straight watermelon juice by blending up 2 cups of cubed watermelon.

Watermelon carrot apple juice

Juice!

Makes about 12 ounces

Ingredients
1 cup cubed watermelon, seeds removed
1/2 cup cubed apple (1 small apple)
1 carrot, cubed
1 tsp hone (optional)
1/2 cup ice

Directions
1. Combine all ingredients in blender and blend until smooth.

Hopefully there will be more juicing in my future. If you have any recipes that you’d like to share, please send ’em my way!