Welcome!

Welcome to Romeo's Food Lady! This blog contains recipes for delicious vegetarian food. Most of these are not recipes authored by me. Rather, this is just a compilation of great veggie food I've found from all over the place, usually tweaked just a little. It's intended to be a reference FOR ME so I don't lose great food I've found nor the changes I've made to suit my tastes, but I'm happy for you to use it, too. After more than 25 years of being a vegetarian, I know what tastes good.
Romeo's Food Lady is named after my friend and cat, Romeo. Romeo is not a vegetarian, but his Food Lady is!

Monday, September 30, 2013

Smoky Potatoes

I don't remember what magazine I found this recipe in.  I was sitting in the doctor's office with Scott when I saw this in a magazine and literally just photographed the recipe for later.  It's good!  Scott's not even a potato fan but still enjoyed this smoky vegan side dish.
 
 
 
Ingredients:
1 lb. potatoes, scrubbed and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 bell pepper, any color, seeded and cut into 1-inch pieces
2 T. olive oil
1 T. smoked paprika (This recipe is not the same with regular paprika.  Be sure to get the smoked paprika.  You won't be sorry!)
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. freshly-ground pepper
4 scallions, chopped
 
Method:
Heat the oven to 425 degrees F.
 
On a large rimmed baking sheet, toss the potatoes and bell pepper with the olive oil, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper.  Arrange in an even layer, and roast, turning once or twice, until the potatoes are golden brown and tender (20 - 25 minutes).
 
Toss with the chopped scallions, and serve warm.  Serves 3 - 4 as a side dish.
 


Friday, September 27, 2013

Hearts of Palm Carnival

I'd never had hearts of palm, but my friend Natasha had been particularly exuberant about her love for them just before I saw this vegan recipe featuring them in the paper years ago.  The Commercial Appeal credited the The Sugar Mill Caribbean Cookbook by Jinx and Jefferson Morgan, but when Scott and I finally got around to trying this recipe last night it tasted more Mediterranean than Caribbean.  Either way it was guh-ood.  I think this would be a popular appetizer.  We literally ate it standing at the counter, leaning over the cutting board, glasses of chilled white wine on hand.  Hope you love it as much as we did!


Ingredients:
1/2 c. coarsley chopped Kalamata olives
3 coarsely chopped tomatoes
3 chopped green onions, white and green parts
1 - 2 jalapeno peppers, minced
1/4 c. extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper, to taste
18 canned hearts of palm, cut in half vertically
loose-leaf lettuce

Method:
In a bowl, mix all ingredients except the hearts of plam and lettuce.   Arrange the lettuce on 6 salad plates, place hearts of palm in a fan shape in the center of the lettuce.  Mound the vegetables at the base of each fan and serve.  Serves 6.

NOTE:  We did not do this fancy presentation.  We just broke off pieces of warm pita bread, topped with a leaf of lettuce, then mounded on the vegetables.  This would work on toasted bread or crackers or whatever you like.  It was really delicious!

Saturday, September 7, 2013

Ice Cream Sandwich

A seriously yum snack from Dash magazine...

 
 
Ingredients:
1 pint Ben & Jerry's Cherry Garcia ice cream (or your ice cream of choice)
1 package Pepperidge Farms soft-baked Montauk chocolate chip cookies
1/2 of an 11- or 12-oz. pkg chocolate chips
1 T. canola oil

Method:
Allow the ice cream to soften slightly.  Lay 4 cookies upside down on your work surface.  Spread each cookie with a thick layer of softened ice cream (up to an inch thick).  Top the ice cream with another cookie, right-side up.  This should leave the "right side" of each cookie facing out.  Wrap each sandwich with plastic wrap, and freeze for at least 1 hour.

In a small bowl, mix the chocolate chips and canola oil.  Microwave on 50% power in 30-second increments until the chips are melted.  Use a fork to whisk out the lumps.

Cover a small cookie sheet with waxed paper.  Unwrap each sandwich and dip half of it into the melted  chocolate.  Set on waxed paper, and freeze the sheet for about 15 minutes or until the chocolate is hardened.

Wrap in plastic wrap again, and freeze at least an hour.  Ready to eat!  Serves 4.

NOTE:  If the sandwiches have been freezing for several hours, they may need to soften slightly before eating.  Enjoy!

Thursday, September 5, 2013

Stuffed Zucchini

Here is a timely, seasonal recipe from Food Network magazine: stuffed zucchini!  We had this last night with lemony couscous, chickpeas, and steamed carrots.  A lovely Mediterranean meal!
 
 
Ingredients:
2 medium zucchini
salt, to taste
1/3 c. panko bread crumbs
1 tomato, chopped
1/4 c. mixed chopped fresh herbs (I used 3 T. fresh oregano and 1 T. fresh lemon balm.)
2 T. chopped walnuts
1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
2 T. olive oil
freshly-ground pepper, to taste.
 
Method:
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
 
Split the zucchini lengthwise.  Use a spoon to scoop out the seeds and make a cavity for the filling.  Season the zucchini shells with salt.
 
In a small bowl, combine the bread crumbs, tomato, herbs, walnuts, garlic, olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste.  Spoon this filling into the zucchini shells and place in a baking dish sized to hold all 4 shells.
 
Bake 25 - 30 minutes, then serve warm.  Serves 4 as a side dish.