Category Archives: Vegetarian main dishes

30-minute meals, Fruit, Miscellaneous, Vegetarian main dishes

Whole Wheat Belgian Waffles with Raspberry Puree

Ask my husband, ask my mom, ask my coworkers: I am not a morning person. Despite my middle age, I still have to set an alarm clock every day, even weekends, or risk sleeping until lunchtime. Most days the only reason I want to drag myself out of bed is the promise of strong coffee and kid cuddles.  Not surprisingly, I usually skip breakfast. With that being said, I adore this recipe and wanted to share it. It is one of my tried and true, never fails me dishes. If you spend the night at my house, this is one of three things I will serve you when you wake up. And if you are questioning why a dinner blog might post a waffle recipe, consider it your next “breakfast for dinner” meal idea.

I was skeptical of 100% whole wheat waffles but these are incredibly light and almost crisp. I promise! Serve with fresh raspberries, maple syrup, whipped cream, and raspberry puree or your favorite waffle toppings.

Whole Wheat Belgian Waffles

from King Arthur Flour

This recipe makes about 4 large waffles. I always double it, cook up the extra waffles then freeze them wrapped in wax paper inside freezer bags. Homemade freezer waffles! Much healthier and cheaper than Eggos.

  • 1 1/2 cups (170g) King Arthur White Whole Wheat Flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons (25g) granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 1/2 cups (340g) lukewarm milk
  • 5 tablespoons (71g) melted butter or 1/3 cup (67g) vegetable oil

Preheat your iron while you make the waffle batter. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg, milk, and butter or oil.

Mix together the wet and dry ingredients, stirring just until combined. The batter will be a bit lumpy. Cook the waffles as directed in the instructions that came with your waffle iron.

Raspberry Puree

Makes about 1 1/2 cups

  • 1 pint fresh raspberries or 10 ounces frozen raspberries defrosted
  • 1/4 — 1/2 cup sugar, honey, or maple syrup (to taste)

Blend ingredients in blender or food processor until smooth.

Beans, Grains and pulses, Middle Eastern food, Rice, Soups and stews, Vegetarian main dishes

Harira (Moroccan Chick-Pea and Lentil Soup)

I love eating new foods and try to cook or bake a couple new things each week. People ask a lot about where I get all the new recipes. Usually I take a look in my pantry to see which ingredients are taking up the most shelf space, then check my fridge to see what produce is losing freshness the fastest. I can then search for recipes based on those ingredients. I use the Epicurious website and iPad app quite a bit. It allows me to pull up recipes by ingredients and gives me access to back issues of Gourmet as well as other cooking magazines like Bon Appétit. I first discovered this soup recipe when looking for a way to use up huge bags of bulk chickpeas, lentils and rice.  The saffron and fresh herbs brighten up these humble ingredients, making it one of my favorite “go to” recipes for winter.

I’m always on the lookout for new recipes. Feel free to send your favorites my way. I’d also love to know how you pick out new recipes.

harira

Harira

adapted from Gourmet, March 1994

The original Gourmet recipe is made with a whole chicken breast, which is simmered than shredded into the soup. I’ve adapted that recipe to make a vegetarian version.  Find the chicken-based recipe here.

4 cups (950 ml) broth (vegetable or chicken)
4 cups (950 ml) water
a 28-to 32-ounce (800-to 950 ml) can whole tomatoes, drained and puréed coarse
1/4 teaspoon crumbled saffron threads
2 medium onions, chopped fine
1 1/2 cups cooked dried chick-peas (recipe follows), or a 15-ounce (425 g) can, rinsed
1/2 cup (100 g) raw long-grain rice
3/4 cup (160 g) lentils
a large handful of fresh coriander (cilantro), finely chopped
a large handful of fresh parsley leaves, finely chopped

In a large heavy kettle with a lid bring the broth and water to a boil. Add to the kettle the tomatoes, saffron, onions, chickpeas, rice, and lentils and simmer, covered, 30 minutes, or until the lentils are tender. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Soup may be prepared up to 4 days ahead (cool uncovered before chilling covered). Just before serving, stir in the coriander and parsley.

 

To Cook Dried Chickpeas:

To make about 2 cups cooked chick-peas begin with a scant cup (180 g) dried.

In a bowl soak the chickpeas in water to cover by 2 inches overnight and then drain. In a saucepan combine the drained chickpeas and water to cover by 2 inches and simmer, covered partially, 1 to 1 1/2 hours, or until tender. Drain the chickpeas before using.

Beans, Holidays, Miscellaneous, Vegetarian main dishes

All Purpose Spice Rub & Rainbow Bean Soup Mix

This year, I decided to forgo the store-bought, China-manufactured, last-minute purchased gifts that I usually give out at holidays. I had the bright idea (insert sarcasm here) to make homemade food gifts this year. I figured, why not? I like to hang out in the kitchen. I like buying ingredients. I like one-of-a-kind treats. Well, readers, here is why not. I have about 30 people who need gifts this year (my kids attend schools with lots of teachers in each room). Christmas is less than a week away and I’m still searching for packaging materials, running out of ingredients, and trying out new recipes with limited success.  On the upside, this weekend the kids and I made up a few batches of spice rub and a half dozen quart jars of soup mix and they turned out amazingly cute. I tried out a couple other gift ideas (salted caramel sauce and hand-chopped garlic herb salt) but the end products, though tasty, didn’t justify the the work involved in making them. So, if you are looking for a unique gift that you can make with minimal fuss, I highly recommend one of these instead.

All-purpose Spice Rub
from Everyday Food, July/August 2006

I found lovely little jars at a reasonable price at specialtybottle.com. This recipe easily double or triples so you can mix up a big batch and fill a dozen small jars at one go.

Makes about 1 1/4 cups

1/3 cup (75 g) coarse salt
1/4 cup (40 g) packed light-brown sugar
1/4 cup (30 g) paprika
2 tablespoons ground black pepper
2 tablespoons dried oregano
2 tablespoons dried thyme leaves
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper (optional, I used 1/2 teaspoon per batch)

In a small bowl, combine all the ingredients, using your hands to break up the sugar. Store in an airtight container, away from heat and light, up to 6 months.

***

Rainbow Bean Soup Mix
adapted from food.com

Makes 1 quart jar

3/4 cup (150 g) dried red beans
3/4 cup (150 g) dried great northern beans
2/3 cup (125 g) dried split peas (yellow or green)
2/3 cup (115 g) lentils (brown, green, or red)
2/3 cup (130 g) dried black beans

Seasoning bag:
2 tablespoons dried onion flakes
2 tablespoons beef or chicken bouillon granules (sold in soup section)
2 tablespoons dried parsley flakes
2 teaspoons dried basil
2 teaspoons sweetened lemonade drink mix
1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon dried oregano

Use a quart jar that has a wide mouth, but if you can’t find one any quart jar will work. Place each type of bean in jar in the order listed above.

Mix the seasoning ingredients and seal in a small baggie. Place the seasoning bag on top of the beans, gently flattened so it can be seen from all sides.

Seal the jar, decorate, and attach the soup directions (below).

DIRECTIONS TO MAKE RAINBOW BEAN SOUP:.

Remove seasoning packet from the jar and set to the side. Rinse beans and place beans in large microwave-safe dish. Cover with water 1″ to 2″ over top of beans. Cover dish loosely with plastic wrap. Microwave on high for 15 minutes, rotating after 7 minutes. Drain and rinse beans very well; place in a large pot. Add 8 cups water, one 15 ounce can crushed tomatoes and seasonings from packet. Cover, bring to boil. Lower heat, cover pan and simmer 1 1/2 hours or until beans are tender. Stir occasionally.

30-minute meals, Vegetarian main dishes

Toast with Avocado and Mustard

As we gear up for the holiday season, here’s my gift to you: a healthy recipe with three ingredients and five minutes of prep time. New York Mouth sent me some freebies last month and in preparation for their package, I spent some time scouring (more like falling in love with) their website. They distribute handcrafted, small batch, “indie” food fare. The site’s Tin Mustard description contained this open faced sandwich idea. I originally tried the “recipe” because I couldn’t imagine it would be edible much less delicious. But it is. I swear! Make sure to use ripe avocado, hearty bread, and good quality mustard. Tin Mustard’s whole grain mustard was amazing. Actually, all the products sent were delicious. For those looking for gift ideas for your favorite foodie (or food blogger, hint, hint),  it’s worth a look.

Toast with Avocado and Mustard
from New York Mouth

In my book, open faced sandwiches alone constitute more of a snack than a dinner so I rounded out the meal with hard boiled eggs and steamed green beans, making a kind of deconstructed salad nicoise. I think it would also taste great with some simply dressed greens or sharp cheddar on the side.

whole grain bread
avocado
whole grain mustard

Toast the bread to your taste. While the bread toasts, slice the avocado.Spread a tablespoon or so of mustard on the toasted bread. Place the sliced avocado on top of the mustard. Eat.

Indian food, Rice, Vegetarian main dishes

Vegetable Biryani

When I dine out, I almost always order the dish that I can’t make (think soufflé) or one that is too labor intensive to make at home. Invariably, that means a mole sauce at a Mexican restaurant, sushi at our favorite Japanese place, or biryani when we’re eating Indian. For those not familiar with biryani, it’s a fragrant rice-based dish popular in Pakistan, India, and beyond. I’ve tried several biryani recipes at home over the years, with mixed results. Traditional recipes involve several steps and multiple pans. This version is easier and less fattening than other recipes. The taste is just as good, if not better, than many restaurant versions that I’ve had. Great for vegetarians and meat-eaters alike, don’t be afraid of the long ingredient list and feel free to swap in whatever vegetables you have handy. The original recipe calls for a small head of cauliflower and small red potatoes instead of zucchini. My fridge was pretty bare, but it didn’t stop me from getting a decent meal on the table.

Although substitute vegetables will work in this dish, the basmati rice is essential. If you don’t normally buy basmati, consider adding it to your shopping list. It can elevate the most humble of rice dishes and I find it more forgiving to cook than other rices and grains. I recently bought a 20 pound bag from Costco. My husband thought I was crazy but my fellow Costco afficiandos can appreciate a good deal when they see it. Speaking of Costco, check out my friend Outlaw Mama’s funny posts on the subject.

Vegetable Biryani
adapted from foodnetwork.com

I think biryani tastes best served with raita. Here is an easy raita recipe or, if you are out of cucumbers, just serve some plain yogurt alongside.

serves 4–6 as main course

For the rice:
1 cup (180 g) basmati rice
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 tablespoons raisins
2 tablespoons sliced almonds (blanched or toasted)
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/4 teaspoon whole cumin seeds
1/4 teaspoon whole coriander seeds
3 whole cardamom pods
1 cinnamon stick, broken in half
1 3/4 cups (400 ml) water
1 teaspoon kosher salt

For the vegetables:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 small yellow onion, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon peeled, minced fresh ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons  raisins
2 tablespoons sliced almonds (blanched or toasted)
1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander seeds
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
5 whole cardamom pods
1 large or 2 small zucchini, diced
6 ounces green beans, cut into 1‑inch pieces
1 medium carrot, diced
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2/3 cup (160 ml) water
2 tablespoons toasted sliced almonds

Make the rice: Place the rice in a sieve and rinse under cold running water until the water runs clear. Set aside.

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan with a tight-fitting lid, over medium-high heat. Add the golden raisins, almonds, turmeric, cumin seed, coriander seed, cardamom pods, and cinnamon stick and cook, stirring, until toasted and fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the rice and cook, stirring, until toasted, about 1 minute more. Add the water and salt and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer, (wrap the lid tightly with a kitchen towel), cover, and steam until the rice is tender, 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and let rest, covered, for 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork and set aside.

Meanwhile, make the vegetables. Melt the butter in a medium straight-sided skillet with a tight-fitting lid, over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until lightly browned, about 1 minute. Add the garlic and ginger and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the golden raisins, almonds, coriander seed, cumin seed, and cardamom and cook, stirring, until toasted and fragrant, about 2 minutes. Stir in the zucchini, green beans, carrots, and salt. Raise the heat to high, pour in the water, and cook, covered, for 4 minutes. Uncover and cook, stirring, until the vegetables are tender and most of the water has evaporated, about 1 1/2 minutes more.

Add the rice to the vegetable mixture and, using a rubber spatula, gently stir to combine. Season with salt to taste. Divide the vegetable-rice mixture among plates and top with some of the almonds. Serve immediately.

30-minute meals, Italian food, Pasta and noodles, Vegetarian main dishes

Spaghetti with Roast Cherry Tomatoes, Chili and Basil

Remember physically cutting recipes out of newspapers and magazines or writing them by hand onto recipe cards, to be filed away into boxes or binders? I was cleaning out my kitchen recently and found two big binders full of recipe clippings, shoved out of reach at the back of a cabinet, that I had completely forgotten about. I dusted them off and flipped through them to save any of the recipes that had caught my eye a decade ago that still sounded good, and it occurred to me that this would probably be the last time I ever paged through torn-out recipes. Now, if I see a recipe in print that I want to save for later, I look it up online and bookmark it or add it to my spreadsheet. This was a recipe I had cut out of a newspaper years and years ago, the original source long since forgotten, the paper already turning yellow and brittle, an old summer favorite happily rediscovered.

If you’re looking for ways to use up an abundance of garden tomatoes, try these too: Chicken Cacciatore, Tomato and Goat’s Cheese Tart, Ravioli and Tomato Salad, Oven-roasted Ratatouille, or Spaghetti with Fresh Tomato Sauce.

Spaghetti with Roast Cherry Tomatoes, Chili and Basil

Serves 4

This would look especially nice if you used a mix of yellow and red cherry tomatoes. You could also add some finely chopped sun-dried tomatoes to the sauce if you have them.

olive oil
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 red chilies, deseeded and finely chopped
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 lb 2 oz (500 g) cherry tomatoes, 16–20 left whole and the rest cut into quarters
1 teaspoon sugar
splash of white wine or vermouth (optional)
salt and freshly ground black pepper
small bunch of basil, leaves removed from stems and cut into thin ribbons (chiffonade)
1 lb (450 g) spaghetti
freshly grated Parmesan, to serve

Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C).

Heat some olive oil in a large saucepan over a low heat. Add the garlic and chopped chili and cook for 1 minute, taking care not to let the garlic will burn or it will taste bitter and ruin the dish. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1 or 2 minutes, then add the chopped tomatoes and sugar. Turn up the heat and cook for a minute or two, then add just a splash of white wine or vermouth (or water) and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a rapid splutter, then lower the heat and let it gently bubble away until reduced to a thick-ish sauce.

Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti in a large pot of boiling salted water, reserving a cupful of the cooking water when it’s done. Scatter the remaining tomatoes onto a baking sheet, season well with salt and pepper and drizzle with olive oil. Roast in the hot oven for about 10 minutes, until the tomatoes start to split.

To serve, add the cooked, drained pasta to the chili tomato sauce, stirring well until all the pasta is coated with sauce. Add a splash of the reserved pasta water to loosen the sauce. Stir in the basil and divide the pasta between 4 plates or shallow bowls. Add the roasted tomatoes individually to the top of each dish. Finish with a few basil leaves to garnish and a grating of Parmesan.

Vegetarian main dishes

Baked Sweet Potatoes with West African-Style Peanut Sauce

You haven’t seen it yet, but I make a pretty fabulous African influenced braised chicken dish. I adore the succulent melt-in-your pieces of chicken that are baked slow and low with a spicy, sweet peanut butter sauce and vegetables. Unfortunately, it’s so gosh darn good that I am always too hungry to take the time to photograph it properly. It is rather “rustic” with lots of shades of brown, which certainly doesn’t help its lens appeal. So tonight, instead of snapping a couple dozen more pictures of the poor peanut butter sauced chicken, I thought I’d experiment with a vegetarian spin on the dish. The bright orange sweet potatoes do look–if not exactly stunning–far better than the chicken, especially when served alongside a little cooked quinoa. It made for a lovely weeknight meal, though I couldn’t convince my almost-three year old to try the sauce, even with the promise of peanut butter inside.

 

Baked Sweet Potatoes with West African-Style Peanut Sauce
adapted from Cooking Light, October 2006

This recipe would make a nice light lunch. For a more robust dinner, serve alongside a piece of grilled fish or chicken with steamed vegetables or a green salad.

Serves 6 as a side dish, 3 as a main course

6 medium sweet potatoes (about 3 lbs/1.5 kg)
1 teaspoon canola oil
1/2 small onion, finely chopped
1 tablespoon grated peeled fresh ginger
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
3/4 cup (180 ml) water
8 oz (225 g) tomato sauce
1/3 cup (80 g) peanut butter
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
chopped fresh cilantro
cooked quinoa or rice (optional)

Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Pierce the potatoes with a fork, and bake at 375° for 1 hour or until tender. Cool the potatoes slightly.

Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium-low heat. Add the onion, ginger, and garlic; cook 3 minutes. Add the cumin, coriander, and pepper; cook 1 minute. Add 3/4 cup water and the next 4 ingredients (through salt), stirring until smooth; bring to a simmer. Cook 2 minutes or until thick. If the sauce becomes too thick, add a tablespoon or two of water.

If serving with quinoa or rice as a main course, gently cut the potatoes cross-wise into thick slices. Place the potatoes on the quinoa then top with the sauce and cilantro to taste. If serving the potatoes as a side dish, split the potatoes lengthwise, cutting to, but not through, the other side. Spoon about 1/4 cup sauce into each potato. Top each serving with a bit of cilantro.

30-minute meals, Beans, Cookbook reviews, Salads, Vegetarian main dishes

Chickpea Wraps with Celery, Dill and Mustard

Lucky for me, my co-blogger Kristin keeps up on the cookbook scene. I rarely buy cookbooks (I think I’ve purchased maybe three in my lifetime) but Kristin always send me a good one for my birthday. This year, I was thrilled to receive Super Natural Every Day: Well-loved Recipes from My Natural Foods Kitchen by Heidi Swanson of 101 Cookbooks blogging fame. I pull regularly from her site for easy vegetarian recipes. I wasn’t aware she had a new cookbook until I opened Kristin’s package. What treat to try out some healthy dishes after weeks of December holiday food overload. I mean, I love Christmas cookies and Chanukah latkes, and a birthday cake or two goes down easy, but what really hit the spot after our New Year’s festivities were these savory chickpea wraps. The crisp celery, tangy mustard, and cool yogurt played off the tender chickpeas perfectly. The other recipes I’ve tried from the book have also been lovely, with the exception of one very terrible, nearly inedible chickpea stew. Note to Heidi (and fellow cookbook readers), I love saffron, yogurt, egg yolk and chickpeas–but not in soup form.

 

Chickpea Wraps with Celery, Dill and Mustard
adapted from Super Natural Every Day: Well-loved Recipes from My Natural Foods Kitchen by Heidi Swanson

For the bean-phobic, try substituting two cups of cooked, diced chicken breast for the chickpeas. I haven’t tried it yet but I’d bet good money this recipe makes a damn good chicken salad wrap.

Serves 4

3 cups (425 g) cooked chickpeas (garbanzo beans) or 2 x 15 oz/425 g cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1/3 cup (45 g) minced shallots
1/2 cup (60 g) chopped celery
1/2 teaspoon (or more to taste) dried dill or 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
1 1/2 tablespoons Dijon-style or stone-ground mustard
2/3 cup (155 g) plain yogurt
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, plus more if needed, and a bit of grated zest
4 pieces lavash flatbread or whole wheat tortillas (12 inch)
2 cups (30 g) mixed salad greens

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the mustard, yogurt and salt. Spread about 2 tablespoons of the yogurt sauce across each piece of lavash.

Pulse 2/3 of the chickpeas in a food processor a few times, just enough to break them up. Transfer them to the mixing bowl with the remaining yogurt sauce, along with the remaining chickpeas, shallots, celery and dill. Gently toss to combine then add the lemon juice and zest and toss again. Taste and add more salt or lemon juice, if needed.

Sprinkle each piece of lavash with 1/4 of the mixed greens (the yogurt will help hold the greens in place), top each of the four wraps with 1/4 of the chickpea mixture. Fold or roll into a wrap and serve.