Zucchini and White Bean Sautée with Polenta

Eating Well has a nice-looking polenta and ratatouille recipe, but I just don't like eggplant.  (Judge me if you so choose!)  Here's an eggplant-free version of theirs.

Ingredients

4 T. extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 large onion, peeled and chopped
1 large bell pepper, seeds and veins removed, coarsely chopped
1/2 t. salt, divided
4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
3 medium zucchini, sliced in half lengthwise, then sliced into half-moons
2 cans cannellini or Great Northern beans, drained and rinsed
1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, any color
1/4 c. sliced sun-dried tomatoes
1 t. dried thyme
freshly-ground black pepper, to taste
1 16-oz tube of prepared polenta, sliced into 1/2-inch slices
1 T. capers
1/4 c. pine nuts (toasted if you have time, raw if you don't)

Method
In a large, deep skillet, heat 1 T. olive oil over medium heat.  Sauté the onion, bell pepper, and 1/8 t. salt until the onion and pepper soften (5 - 7 minutes).  Add the garlic, and sauté another 1 - 2 minutes.  Transfer vegetables to a bowl.

In the same skillet, heat 2 T. olive oil.  Add the zucchini and 1/4 t. salt.  Sauté until the zucchini begins to brown (about 5 minutes).

Add the beans, cherry/grape tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, thyme, freshly-ground pepper, and the onion mixture to the skillet with the zucchini.  Stir to combine, reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and cook until the vegetables are tender (about 10 minutes).

While the vegetables are cooking, heat the last 1 T. olive oil in a large nonstick or cast-iron skillet over medium heat.  Spread the polenta in a single layer in the oil, and cook until it becomes deep yellow on one side.  Flip the polenta slices and cook until it becomes deep yellow on the second side.

Stir the capers and pine nuts into the vegetables.  Serve vegetables immediately with polenta on the side.

Serves 4.

Mediterranean Roasted Broccoli

 

Another one based on a great Eating Well magazine recipe...serve over the "bed" of your choice.  We use brown rice and serve cannellini or pinto beans on the side.

 

 

Ingredients:

2 T. extra-virgin olive oil

4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

1/2 t. salt

freshly ground black pepper, to taste

20-oz. bag of frozen broccoli florets

1 pint cherry tomatoes

zest of one lemon

juice of 1/2 lemon

15 - 20 Kalamata olives, pitted and halved

3 springs fresh oregano, leaves only (or 2 t. dried oregano)

2 t. capers

 

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

 

Mix the olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper in a large bowl.  Toss the broccoli in the olive oil mixture.  Remove the broccoli to an edged baking sheet, reserving the remaining oil mixture, and spread the broccoli into a single layer.  Bake for 5 minutes, then remove pan from oven.

 

Toss the tomatoes in the remaining oil mixture.  Pour the tomatoes and remaining oil onto the baking sheet with the broccoli and toss to combine.  Spread the vegetables back into a single layer, and continue cooking until the broccoli begins to brown on the edges, about 10 minutes.

 

While the broccoli is browning, toss the lemon zest, lemon juice, olives, oregano, and capers together in the bowl.  Add the roasted vegetables, and toss together.  Serve immediately.

 

Serves 3 - 4.

 

 

Farmer's Salad

This simple and delicious salad comes from Ursula Ferrigno's Truly Italian cookbook.  We served it over brown rice.

  

Ingredients:
2 10-oz. bags of frozen broccoli florets
4 T. extra-virgin olive oil
3 T. lemon juice
1/2 t. red pepper flakes
salt and freshly-ground pepper, to taste
2 cans pinto beans, drained and rinsed
handful fresh Italian parsley, chopped

Method:
In a medium stockpot fitted with a steamer basket, steam broccoli until tender-crisp.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, mix the olive oil, lemon juice, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper.  Add the steamed broccoli, pinto beans, and parsley, and toss to combine.

Serve warm, over a bed of grain such as brown rice if desired.

Serves 4.

Braised Cabbage with Red Beans

This lovely recipe is another barely modified dish from Donna Klein's book The Mediterranean Vegan Kitchen.  It's got a creamy, soft taste, and it's easy enough for a weeknight.  Serve with crusty bread for a complete meal.

Ingredients:
2 T. extra-virgin olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 medium carrot, peeled and chopped
1/2 - 3/4 head shredded green cabbage (enough for about 8 c.)
4 c. vegetable broth
1 c. arborio rice (It's important to use this specific variety of rice for this dish.)
salt and freshly-ground pepper, to taste
2 15-oz. cans red kidney beans, drained and rinsed

Method:
In a medium stockpot with a lid, heat the oil over medium-low heat.  Add the onion and carrot and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened (about 10 minutes).

*

Add the cabbage and 1 c. broth, tossing to combine.  Cover and cook over medium-low heat for 20 minutes, stirring a few times.  Add the remaining broth, and bring to a boil over high heat.  Add the rice, salt (I used 3/4 t.), and pepper.  Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and cook until the rice is tender and most of the broth has been absorbed (15 - 20 minutes).

*

Add the beans and cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until heated through (about 5 minutes).  Serve warm.
*

Serves 4.

Pasta with Cauliflower

This wonderfully different recipe is barely modified from Donna Klein's book The Mediterranean Vegan Kitchen.  Great the first day, better the next.

 

 

Ingredients:

3 T. extra-virgin olive oil

1 large head cauliflower, cut into florets then finely chopped

4 large cloves garlic, finely chopped

1/8 t. crushed red pepper flakes

1 14-oz. can petite-diced tomatoes with liquid

1/4 c. drained capers

1/2 c. vegetable broth or water, separated

2 T. tomato paste

salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

1/8 t. turmeric

1/2 t. sweet paprika

1 lb. small tubular pasta (I used a small penne.)

1/4 c. chopped fresh basil

1 c. panko bread crumbs

 

Method:

Add the oil to a deep-sided skillet with a lid, and heat over medium heat.  Add the cauliflower and cook, stirring, until the cauliflower is just softened, about 5 minutes.  Add the garlic and red pepper flakes, and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes.

 

Add the tomatoes and their juices, capers, 1/4 c. broth (or water), tomato paste, salt (I used 1 teaspoon.), and freshly ground pepper.  Bring to a brisk simmer over medium-high heat, reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes.  Add the turmeric, paprika, and remaining 1/4 c. broth (or water).  Increase the heat to medium, and cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally until the liquids are greatly reduced.

 

Meanwhile, cook the pasta in boiling salted water according to package directions.  Drain well, add to the cauliflower mixture, add the basil, and stir to combine.

Serve immediately, topped with bread crumbs.  Serves 6.

 

Lemony Orzo with Vegetables

Here's yet another Food Network magazine recipe for a quick, light weeknight dinner.  As you can tell, I've found lots of vegetarian inspiration from that magazine lately!

This recipe originally called for the addition of a can of tuna at the end, which Scott added to his portions only (and enjoyed), but it is perfectly tasty without it.

Ingredients:

2 T. extra-virgin olive oil

1 clove garlic, thinly sliced

4 scallions, thinly sliced

1 14-oz. can petite-diced tomatoes

1/4 t. dried oregano (or 1 t. fresh)

1.5 c. orzo (This is a rice-shaped pasta.)

salt and freshly-ground pepper

1 14-oz. can cannellini beans (or other white beans...I used Great Northern.)

1 small bell pepper, chopped (The recipe calls for sliced, which you'll see in the photo, but you end up cutting these to eat them anyway.)

juice of 1 lemon

2 T. chopped fresh parsley

Method: 

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.  Add the garlic and half of the scallions.  Cook, stirring, 1 minute.  Add the tomatoes and oregano.  Cook, stirring, 3 minutes.  Stir in 2.5 c. water, the orzo, 1/2 t. salt, and pepper to taste.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and stir in the beans.  Cover and simmer until  most of the liquid is absorbed and the orzo is tender, about 10 minutes.

Add the bell pepper and continue cooking, covered, until tender, about 3 minutes.  Stir in the lemon juice and parsley.  Season with salt and pepper.  Top with the remaining scallions.

Serves 4.

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.

 

White Bean Purée with Sauteed Greens

From one of my favorite cookbooks to look at: Truly Italian by Ursula Ferrigno. The photography in this vegetarian cookbook is absolutely gorgeous. I always serve this white bean purée with sautéed greens, as the author suggests, and some type of starch. It's a delicious and satisfying light supper, and leftover purée can be spread on toasted crusty bread for a gourmet snack!

Ingredients:

1 15-oz. can white beans, rinsed and drained

2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed

4 T. extra-virgin olive oil plus extra for serving

2 t. fresh oregano, leaves only

2 T. freshly squeezed lemon juice

grated zest of 1 lemon

salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 oz. pitted kalamata olives, halved

Method:

Heat the beans gently in a medium saucepan. Add the garlic, olive oil, oregano, lemon juice, lemon zest, salt to taste, and pepper to taste. Mash the beans in the pan with a potato masher. If the mixture is too dry, add a little more olive oil.

When everything is mashed and mixed and the right texture, and it's warmed through, serve with sautéed greens and the starch of your choice. On your fork, take some greens, add a little bean purée with a piece of olive, and bite into Italian loveliness!  Serves 2, but doubles easily.

Tortellini Soup Verdura

This soup is from Food Network magazine and can be made lacto-vegetarian or vegan. I highly recommend the vegan version, because the soup has a very clean look and feel that I think dairy kind of corrupts. BUT, you're the one eating it, so you decide!

 

 

Ingredients:

1 T. extra-virgin olive oil

1 small onion, diced

3 medium carrots, peeled, halved lengthwise, and sliced

3 stalks celery, sliced

1 t. chopped fresh thyme (or 1/2 t. dried thyme)

2 c. vegetable broth

1 9-oz pkg of vegetarian or vegan (like tofu or mushroom) tortellini or ravioli (You could also just use some sort of small, chunky pasta, but it won't be as "special.")

5 c. fresh baby spinach, washed and roughly chopped

salt and freshly-ground pepper, to taste

Method:

Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery, and thyme. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the broth and 3 cups water, and increase heat to high. Cover, and bring to a boil, then add tortellini or ravioli. Reduce heat to medium, and simmer until pasta is tender. (See pkg label for approximate cooking time.)

Add the spinach to the soup and cook, stirring, until wilted. Season with salt and pepper to taste.  I use plenty of both!

Serves 4.

NOTE: To made the soup a little heartier, you can add 1 15-oz. can of white beans, Great Northern beans, or navy beans, rinsed and drained.

Heirloom Tomato Salad

First, let me apologize for my long absence.  I started a new job this summer, and it's been exciting!  Beyond that, as everyone knows, life is busy and sometimes it's hard to balance everything.  I hope in the meantime you've been taking full advantage of the farmer's market near you while the summer produce is at its peak.  Even though I haven't been posting, I've been eating well!  For example, check out this incredible heirloom tomato salad.  Serve it with crusty bread and lettuce for a light meal for one or as a side for two to something more substantial.

Ingredients:

3 medium to large heirloom tomatoes, preferably 3 different colors (I used red, orange, and yellow, but tomatoes also come in pink, purple, striped, and even white!)

2 sprigs tarragon

1 thin slice of white onion, halved and separated into strips

1 small clove garlic, chopped

2 T. extra virgin olive oil (or to taste)

1 T. red wine vinegar (or to taste)

salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Method:

Cut the tomatoes into bite-sized wedges.  Remove leaves from tarragon sprigs and discard stems.  Toss everything together until all coated, and enjoy!

Dilly Spinach Dip

A big thank-you to my neighbor Kim who gave me this recipe from Real Simple magazine.  I've made some minor tweaks, but it's pretty much as originally given to me.  This vegan dip is delicious, healthy, and filling.  Spread it on crackers or crostini, dip it with tortilla chips or pita chips, or do like I did today and spread it onto crusty European bread with sliced tomatoes and roasted red peppers for a delicious vegan lunch.

Ingredients:

1/4 c. extra-virgin olive oil

1 clove garlic, coarsley chopped

1 15.5-oz. can white beans (cannellini, Great Northern, etc.), rinsed and drained

1 12-oz. bag frozen chopped spinach, thawed

1/4 c. fresh dill sprigs (or to taste)

juice from 1/2 juicy lemon

3/4 t. salt

1/4 t. freshly ground black pepper

Method:

1.  In a small saucepan, heat the oil with the chopped garlic over medium heat until fragrant, 2 - 3 minutes.  Let cool.

2.  Squeeze the excess water from the thawed spinach.

3.  In a food processor, combine the garlic, oil, beans, spinach, dill, and lemon juice.  Season with salt and pepper, and purée until smooth.

Spinach and TVP Calzones

Here's a new, DELICIOUS vegan calzone recipe!  It takes some time, but it is so worth it.  The recipe for the dough is a slightly modified version of the vegan pizza dough in the cookbook Fields of Greens by Annie Somerville, but the filling is mine.  This recipe makes 8 calzones.

dough ingredients:
1 T. yeast
1 1/4 c. lukewarm water
2 T. cornmeal
1/2 c. olive oil
1 t. salt
3.5 cups AP flour, plus more for kneading and rolling out dough


filling ingredients:
1 c. TVP
1 t. salt
1/2 t. garlic powder
7/8 c. boiling water
1 T. olive oil
1/2 onion, chopped
12-oz. bag frozen chopped spinach
8 Kalamata olives, pitted and coarsely chopped


topping:
1 jar of your favorite jarred tomato spaghetti sauce (like Newman's Own or Muir Glen!)


Method:
Mix the yeast and lukewarm water, and allow the yeast to soak until foamy, about 5 minutes.  At the same time, mix the cornmeal, salt, and olive oil in a 2-quart bowl so that the cornmeal can be softening.  When the yeast is ready, mix the water/yeast mixture into the 2-quart bowl with the cornmeal/olive oil/salt mix.  Stir until mixed.


Begin adding AP flour 1/2 cup at a time, mixing thoroughly with a wooden spoon between each addition.  Once the dough is too stiff to stir, turn out onto a floured countertop.  Knead in the remaining flour and add any necessary flour sprinkling to keep the dough from sticking while you are kneading it.  Once the dough has reached a smooth, firm consistency (It should feel the same way your earlobe feels when you pinch it.) and is not sticky, form it into a ball and return it to the bowl.  Pour in a little olive oil, then turn the dough over so it is coated in the oil.  Cover the bowl with a towel and let the dough rise in a warm place until doubled in size, 35 - 40 minutes.


In the meantime, preheat the oven to 500 degrees Farenheit.  Mix the TVP, 1 t. salt, garlic powder, and boiling water.  Allow this to sit 10 minutes to hydrate.  Warm the spaghetti sauce in a medium saucepan over low heat (enough to top 8 calzones).


Heat the remaining olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Sauté the chopped onion in the warm oil until the onion is transluscent (6 - 8 minutes).  Stir in the chopped spinach and continue to sauté until the spinach is no longer frozen.  Stir in the chopped olives and TVP until thoroughly mixed.

When the dough is doubled in size, punch it down with your fist.  Divide the dough into halves, then divide each half into 4 equal parts.  Roll one of the dough parts into a 6-inch circle.  Put 1/8 of the spinach filling over half of the dough circle.

Fold the other half of the circle over the filling, and seal the edges with the tines of a fork.  Prick the calzone with a fork several times to allow heat to escape while it is cooking.  Move the calzone to a baking sheet.  Repeat with the remaining 7 dough parts.

Bake the calzones for about 12 minutes or until golden brown.  Remove the calzones from the oven.  Plate each calzone topped with tomato spaghetti sauce.  Be careful, because they are hot!

Bruschetta

It's so hot recently that there are days I can barely stand to turn on the oven or stove to prepare a meal.  This bruschetta is the perfect answer on those days.  I do have to turn on the stove, but only briefly.  Plus, it uses the produce that is so perfectly in season right now.  It's easy to think of this is a light dinner (and I often do), but it's definitely not low-cal due to all the olive oil.  It does, however, have a lot of health benefits.  Check out the benefits of eating garlic, olive oil, and tomatoes when you get a chance.  You'll be impressed.  And now, on to the recipe, which was inspired by a scene in Julie and Julia where "Julie" is making some delicious-looking bruschetta for dinner.

Ingredients:
2 T. extra-virgin olive oil, plus approx. 1/4 c. more for frying the bread
1/4 c. onion or shallot, chopped
3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
3 - 5 fresh tomatoes, cored and chopped (I'd say 3 if you're using slicer tomatoes or 5 if you're using Roma-style tomatoes.)
1 T. fresh basil, minced
salt and freshly-ground pepper, to taste
1/2 baguette, sliced on a long diagonal into 1/2-inch-thick slices

Method:
In a large nonstick skillet, heat 2 T. olive oil over medium heat.  Add the onion or shallot, and sauté until the onion is translucent (5 - 8 minutes, approximately).  Add the garlic, and sauté a minute more.  Add the tomatoes and sauté until heated through but still in chunks.  Stir in the basil, and add salt and pepper, to taste.  (I season generously.)  Remove the tomato mixture to a serving bowl.

In the same skillet, add 2 T. olive oil and maintain a medium flame.  Add a generous amount of freshly-ground black pepper, then arrange the slices of bread in the oil.  Allow the bread to brown on the lower side, then turn each slice over to brown the other side.  When you turn the bread over, it may be necessary to add more olive oil and pepper.

Remove the toasted bread to dinner plates.  (This usually serves 2 in our house, but that may be more or less in yours.  Hey, to each their own!)  Spoon the warm tomato mixture over the toasted bread, and enjoy.

NOTE:  If I have leftover tomato mixture after dinner, I might save it for a snack.  Spoon it over buttered (vegan-margarined, really) slices of baguette bread with extra black pepper.  Just stand over the sink to catch the juices, and delight in your messy, delicious snack!

TVP Pizza

TVP stands for Texturized Vegetable Protein.  It's fairly bland when you first rehydrate it, but it's got a wonderful texture once you spice it up and put it in something.  This pizza is DELICIOUS.  I wish I still had some right now, but even the leftovers from this pizza go fast.

The crust recipe is basically from Annie Somerville's fantastic cookbook Fields of Greens, with only a minor adjustment.  It's simple to make, but it takes about an hour.  If you don't have time for this, use a store-bought crust, but I guarantee it won't be as delicious.  This makes two 14- or 15-inch pizzas.

For the crust:
2 T. cornmeal
1/2 c. extra-virgin olive oil
1 T. bread yeast
1 1/4 c. lukewarm water (The best test for the temperature is to let it run on the inside of your wrist.  If you don't really notice it, it's the right temp.  If it feels warm or cool, adjust the temperature.)
1 t. salt
3.5 cups of all-purpose white flour, plus more for kneading and rolling the dough

For the topping:
1 c. TVP
7/8 c. boiling water
1 t. salt
oregano, to taste (optional)
1 T. extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 onion, chopped
1 - 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
2 handfuls frozen broccoli pieces
your favorite jarred tomato spaghetti sauce or a can of tomato pizza sauce

Toppings, as desired (e.g. kale, spinach, banana peppers, vegan cheese, whatever)

In a 2-quart bowl, mix the cornmeal and the crust's olive oil.  In a separate small bowl, combine the lukewarm water and yeast and allow the yeast to grow and become fluffy for about 5 minutes.  Pour the yeast mixture (You may have to manually scrape out all the yeast.) and the crust's salt in with the olive oil/cornmeal mixture and combine.

Begin adding the flour to the olive oil mixture, 1/2 c. at a time.  Stir to mix after each addition.  Once it gets difficult to stir, pour out onto a clean, lightly floured countertop.  Knead with your hands, adding more flour to prevent stickiness if necessary.  (If you don't know how to "knead" dough, you'll press in with the heel of your hand, then sort of pull the edge over on the rest of the dough and combine it using the same heel-of-the-hand motion.)  After vigorously kneading for about 5 minutes, your dough should have the consistency of an ear lobe.  If you pat it with your hand, it feels like someone's stomach, maybe.  At this point, pour a small amount of olive oil in the 2-quart bowl you used, and return the dough to the bowl.  Turn the dough over to coat it with the oil.  Cover with a tea towel or cloth napkin or something similiar, and put it in a warm place to rise until doubled in size, 35-40 minutes.  (NOTE:  I often turn the oven on 200 degrees F for 1 minute to make it a "warm place."  Be sure to turn the oven OFF reasonably quickly before putting your dough in there!  You'll need to take it out about 10 minutes before cooking time so you can preheat the oven.)

While the dough is rising, mix the dry TVP with the boiling water, the optional oregano, and 1 t. salt in a medium bowl.  Allow this to stand for 10 minutes to rehydrate.

Heat the topping's olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat.  Add the chopped onion, garlic, and broccoli pieces to the warmed oil.  Sauté until the onion is translucent, about 8 minutes.  Scrape everything from the skillet into the TVP, and mix.

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F.  (Be sure you've taken your dough out if you were warming it in there!)  Mix tomato sauce into the TVP mixture until it has reached the consistency you like for your pizza topping.

Once the dough has doubled in size, punch it down with your fist.  It will deflate slightly.  Divide the dough into 2 equal pieces.  Roll the first piece out to about a 14- or 15-inch circle or square, depending on the size and shape of the pizza pan or baking sheet you're using and also depending on how thick you like your crust.  Move the rolled crust to your pan, and spread 1/2 of the mixture over the crust.  Apply desired toppings.  Repeat with the other piece of dough and the other half of the topping.

Bake each pizza for 12 minutes at 500 degrees F, until crust is risen and browned.  Top with crushed red pepper or serve with pepperoncini, if desired, and enjoy!  However, remember that you cooked this pizza at 500 degrees F.  It is hot, so please let it cool down before you put it in your mouth!  ;o)

Tofu Manicotti Florentine

Monday night I was in the mood for...something. I just didn't know what. Scott and I bounced some dinner ideas around, and when someone brought up stuffed manicotti, I knew that was it. I didn't feel like making anything complicated, but once my stomach thought about manicotti, I decided simple wasn't absolutely necessary. Honestly, though, this dish is not difficult. The most challenging part is getting the tofu-spinach mixture into the manicotti tubes!

8 oz. manicotti noodles (These are huge pasta tubes, if you're not familiar with them. I'm sure the giant shells would work just fine, too.)

1 lb. tofu (not the silken kind)

1 stick vegan butter, melted

1/2 c. plant-based milk

1.5 t. salt

2 T. fresh basil, minced (I used basil from a previous gardening season that I had food-processed and frozen.)

1 T. dried parsley

1 t. dried oregano

1/4 t. freshly ground black pepper

1/4 onion, coarsely chopped

1 clove garlic

12 oz. frozen chopped spinach, thawed

1 jar of your favorite pasta sauce

Prepare the manicotti noodles according to package directions. Once cooked, drain and rinse with cool water so that the noodles are not too hot to handle.

In the meantime, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Squeeze as much water as possible from the tofu. Put the tofu, margarine, plant milk, salt, basil, parsley, oregano, black pepper, onion, and garlic in a food processor and process until smooth. The mix should resemble the texture of ricotta cheese. Turn the mixture out into a medium-sized bowl.

Squeeze as much water as possible from the thawed chopped spinach. Use a spoon to thoroughly combine with the ricotta mixture.

Pour 1/2 of the jar of pasta sauce into a shallow baking dish that can hold the manicotti noodles in a single layer. Now stuff the manicotti with the tofu-spinach mixture. I held the noodle open and used a small spoon to stuff it in. Place the stuffed manicotti in a single layer on top of the pasta sauce in the baking dish. If a noodle splits open, fill it like a taco, fold it back over into a tube, and place it in the dish with the seam side down. Once all the manicotti are stuffed and arranged, pour the rest of the sauce over the top of the noodles.

Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake 35 minutes at 350 degrees F. Uncover and bake 5 minutes more. Remove from oven and allow to set for 15 minutes before diving in.

Swiss Chard with Pasta and a Lemon Shot

Don't judge me, but tonight was the very first time I've cooked with Swiss chard which, I believe, is a member of the beet family. I tried to grow it in my autumn garden this year, but I think I sowed the seeds too late for them to be productive. They sprouted, but then they didn't go anywhere. Maybe I didn't water them enough. I'm a VERY lazy gardener, especially when it comes to watering.

So while Scott's catching up with his very first best friend, Kareem, with whom he reconnected on Facebook (I guess Facebook is not 100% evil.), and while Romeo plays with a bug he found, and while Grace and Elvis sleep despite the fact that they've been sleeping since they "got up" this morning, I thought I'd post my Swiss chard project for the evening. It turned out fabulously!! I can't wait to eat it again! Here goes:

2 T. extra-virgin olive oil
2 T. vegan margarine
1 shallot, minced
1 bunch Swiss chard (I got the kind with brilliantly red stems.), washed
1 t. salt
freshly ground black pepper, to taste (I like a generous amount. You may not.)
2 cloves garlic, minced
juice of 1/2 lemon
1 lb. penne pasta (or, you know, you choose the shape)

First, rip the washed chard leaves from their stems and cut them into bite-sized pieces. Thinly slice the stems, sort of like celery.

Start a large pot of salted water on the stove to reach boiling. Cook the pasta according to package directions.

In the meantime, melt the vegan margarine with the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté the minced shallot in the oil/margarine combination until it is transparent. (Don't all recipes start sort of like this?) Add the chard stem slices, the salt, and the black pepper. Sauté for 4 minutes, then add the garlic. Sauté a couple of minutes more, until it feels right. Once it feels right, add the chard leaves to the oil/butter/shallot/stem mixture and sauté until the leaves are wilted and coated with the oily sauce that is developing. Chard is a very wet green, and this will make a lot of moisture in the chard mixture. This is fine, so don't panic. Once the leaves are wilted down to a satisfying consistency when you bite one, squeeze the 1/2 lemon over the leaves and mix thoroughly.

Toss this with the finished pasta and serve immediately (with more freshly ground pepper, if you like...I do.). How cool are you for cooking with Swiss chard?!

Kale Calzones

Serve these with your favorite tomato-y pasta sauce (from a jar or homemade), and no side dishes are necessary with this entrée! I wouldn't describe this dish as "easy," but only because it's time-consuming. It is well worth the effort!

about 2 T. extra virgin olive oil
1/2 onion, coarsely chopped
1 carrot, peeled and diced
1 small zucchini, diced (optional - I had one freak zucchini left over from gardening season.)
1 large clove of garlic, peeled and minced (NOTE: A clove of garlic is one section of the head of garlic. Some people don't know.)
1 bunch kale, washed and destemmed then torn into bite-sized pieces
1 can Great Northern beans, drained and rinsed
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
pizza dough for 2 pizzas (This can be your favorite homemade dough or store-bought refrigerated dough. Be sure to check ingredients if you need a vegan dough.)
your favorite tomato-y pasta sauce

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add the onion, carrot, and zucchini (if using) to the oil, and sauté until the onion is soft and translucent. Add the garlic and some salt, and sauté 2 minutes more. Add the kale and stir to coat. Keep stirring until the kale has wilted down but not dried out. (You may have add the kale in batches, depending on how large your skillet is. If your skillet gets full of kale, let it wilt down some, and add more. Keep repeating until it's all in there.)

Once the kale is wilted down, add the beans and stir so that everything is mixed. Add salt and black pepper to taste. (Remember that too little salt makes a dish bland, so unless you're watching your salt, taste it and add more if it's bland.) Remove from heat.

Preheat the oven to the proper temperature for your pizza dough, just as if you were cooking pizza.

Divide your pizza dough into halves, then divide each piece into halves, then divide each piece into halves again. You should have 8 equal-sized pieces. Use a rolling pin to roll the first piece into a large circle. Put 1/8th of the kale and bean mix in the middle of the first circle, then fold the circle in half so that it looks like a half moon with the kale mix as the filling. Using the tines of a fork, press the edges of the top and half of your calzone together. Prick the top of the dough several times with the fork, and move it to a baking sheet or pizza pan. Repeat this process with the remaining 7 circles of dough.

Bake your calzones until they are golden brown. In the meantime, heat up your pasta sauce.

Serve the calzones warm, covered with the warm sauce.

Tuscan Beans with Tomatoes and Sage

 This is a recipe I adapted from Ursula Ferrigno's Truly Italian cookbook - an excellent Italian vegetarian cookbook. It is highly recommended not only for the recipes, but for the beautiful photographs of Italy.

This particular recipe is deceptively simple. Eat as a side dish, over gnocchi or polenta, or atop crusty European bread as a snack. YUM! 

2 T. extra virgin olive oil
1 T. vegan margarine (I use Earth Balance.)
3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1/2 t. dried/rubbed sage
1 can chopped tomatoes
1 can cannellini or Great Northern beans, rinsed and drained
salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

1. Heat the oil and butter together in a medium saucepan. Add the sage and garlic and fry in the oil/butter mixture for 1 minute.
2. Add the tomatoes and tomato juice, the beans, the salt, and the pepper, and simmer together for 5 minutes until heated through.

Pasta e Fagioli (Italian pasta stew with beans)

This is a recipe I modified a little from Sundays at Moosewood Restaurant by The Moosewood Collective. It's a really cool cookbook with recipes from various ethnic regions (including the Southeast US!) and countries.  The original recipe that I modified is in the Italy section.

Ingredients:
1 lb. pasta (short, chunky variety, like penne)
3 T. extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and sliced into half-moons
2 stalks celery, sliced
2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
1 bunch kale, washed, de-stemmed, and torn into bite-sized pieces
1 28-oz. can CRUSHED tomatoes (and with basil, if available), with liquid
1 can cannellini or Great Northern beans, with liquids
2 T. chopped fresh basil or 1 T. dried basil
oregano, to taste
freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Method:
Start cooking the pasta according to package directions.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large soup pot, and sauté the onion, carrot, celery, and garlic for a few minutes until the celery is tender. Add kale. Stir until the kale is wilted down but not drying out. Add tomatoes with liquids, beans with liquids, and herbs. You can add water to make it thinner if you like.  Simmer until the pasta is ready.

When the pasta is done cooking, drain and mix with the bean and tomato sauce. Add salt and pepper to taste. Turn out into a serving bowl, and serve hot.

Vegan Lasagna

I tried a LOT of vegan lasagnas to find a good one. Believe me - there are a lot out there, but they really don't take the place of a good lasagna. This is good. This one works. I got the original recipe online, and it was called, "Destiny's Vegan-licious Lasagna." This is my version of Destiny's lasagna.

Lasagna is nice, because you can make it ahead of time, put it in the fridge, then entertain effortlessly when the time is right.

Ingredients:
1 lb. tofu, roughly chopped (not the silken kind - Non-silken tofu has a better texture if it's frozen for 24 hours, then thawed.  Plan ahead.)
1/2 c. vegan margarine
1/2 c. plant-based milk
1 T. dried parsley
1 T. dried basil
1 1/2 t. salt
1 t. dried oregano
1/2 t. freshly ground black pepper
2 c. chopped fresh vegetables, your choice (Be creative here. Think of thinly sliced carrots, chopped onion, chopped garlic, chopped jalapenos, corn kernels, green or black olives, capers, green or colored bell peppers, artichoke hearts, hearts of palm, asparagus, pimentos, and on and on and on.)
2 T. olive oil
1 box lasagna noodles (Some boxes have more than others. You need more than a skimpy box.)
2 jars of your favorite prepared marinara sauce
1 10-oz. package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
1 or 2 large ripe tomatoes, sliced (optional for the top of the lasagna)

Method:
1. Combine tofu, margarine (I usually melt it in the microwave first.), plant milk, parsley, basil, salt, oregano, and black pepper in a food processor until smooth. (You can do this in a blender, but you may need to do it in 2 batches.) Set aside.
2. Sauté the chopped fresh vegetables in the olive oil until they are soft with only a slight crunch to them. Set aside.
3. Cook the lasagna noodles according to package directions. (Slightly - SLIGHTLY! - undercooked is okay.)
4. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. While it is heating, get a huge baking dish (I use a 9.5 x 13.5, and it is a tight fit with sauce bubbling over during cooking!), and layer like this: tomato sauce, 1/3 of the noodles, 1/2 of the tofu mixture, all the sautéed veggies, tomato sauce, 1/3 of the noodles, 1/2 of the tofu mixture, all of the spinach, tomato sauce, 1/3 of the noodles, tomato sauce. If you are using the sliced tomatoes, cover the top with them now.
5. Bake lasagna 1 hour. Let stand 20 minutes after removing from the oven to set up, then cut and serve hot. Don't worry - it won't get too cool to eat during that 20 minutes! Enjoy!