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!

Saturday, May 26, 2018

Chickpea Curry over Riced Cauliflower

Here's an easy, spicy main dish from Eating Well.  We serve it over cauliflower rice, but you can use regular rice if you prefer.

Ingredients:
2 10-oz bags frozen riced cauliflower
1 serrano pepper, cap removed
4 cloves garlic, peeled
1- to 2-inch piece of ginger, peeled
1 onion, peeled and chopped
6 T. canola oil, divided
2 t. ground coriander
2 t. ground cumin seeds
1/2 t. turmeric powder
2 15-oz cans diced tomatoes (do not drain)
1/2 t. salt
2 t. garam masala (This is an Indian seasoning.)
2 15-oz cans chickpeas (aka garbanzo beans), drained and rinsed

Method:
Take the riced cauliflower out of the freezer so it can start thawing.

Pulse the serrano, garlic cloves, and ginger in a food processor until minced.  Add onion and pulse until finely chopped but not watery.

In a small stockpot (not saucepan - This will still be a big pot.), heat 5 tablespoons of the oil over medium heat.  Add the onion mixture, coriander, cumin, and turmeric, and sauté until the vegetables are soft, about 5 minutes.

Pulse the tomatoes and their juices in the food processor until they are also finely chopped.  Add the tomatoes, salt, and garam masala to the onion mixture in the pan.  Cover and cook at a gentle simmer for about 10 minutes.  Stir in chickpeas until warmed through.

While the tomato mixture is simmering, heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add the riced cauliflower and sauté until tender, 5 - 10 minutes.  Salt to taste.

Serve the chickpea mixture over the riced cauliflower.  Serves 4.

Burrito Bowl

This recipe kind of seems like I should have thought of some riff on this idea myself, but since I didn't, I'm thankful Southern Living magazine did.  I tweaked it to make it vegan and a little more "from scratch", but it's otherwise as they published it:  YUM!
Ingredients:
1 c. brown rice
2 1/2 c. water, divided
1 t. salt, divided
2 T. canola oil, divided
juice of a lime, divided 
3 large Roma tomatoes, chopped
1/2 jalapeno pepper, seeded and de-veined, minced
3 T. finely chopped onion
2 15-oz. cans black or pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 t. chili powder
1/2 t. ground cumin
2 ears corn, shucked, de-silked, and kernels cut away from the cob
4 c. finely chopped romaine lettuce
2 ripe avocados, diced
4 T. vegan sour cream

Method:
Combine rice, 2 c. water, 1/4 t. salt, and 1 T. oil in a large saucepan with a lid.  Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer 40 minutes.  Remove from heat.  Let rice stand 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork

Meanwhile, combine the tomatoes, jalapeno, onion, juice of 1/2 lime, and 1/4 t. salt.  Set aside.

Combine beans, remaining 1/2 c. water, chili powder, cumin and 1/4 t. salt in a small saucepan.  Cook over medium until beans are hot, about 5 minutes.  Remove heat and cover to keep warm.

Heat remaining 1 T. oil in a medium-size cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the corn and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly charred (about 5 minutes).  Sprinkle with juice of remaining 1/2 lime and remaining 1/4 t. salt.

Divide rice, beans, corn, tomato mixture, lettuce, avocado, and sour cream between 4 wide, shallow bowls.  Serves 4.