Busy Mommy Media» Vegetarian Recipes

Quinoa and Cheese Stuffed Peppers

Rachel — Wed, 02 Mar 2011 08:26:47 +0000

This tasty stuffed pepper recipe is one that I adapted from a fitness magazine, but there’s no need to panic – I added plenty of extra cheese to compensate for the healthiness of the recipe. My kids still won’t touch it, you know, because of that huge green thing it’s sitting in, but with all the peppers, onions, and mushrooms in it, there’s a fighting chance my husband will give it a shot.

This is really quick and easy to put together and makes a great vegetarian lunch or light dinner. Despite the fact that this is a meatless meal, it’s very filling and the mushrooms give it a nice texture so you (or the carnivores in your family) won’t even notice the lack of meat. One of the things I love about this recipe is that despite the fact that it is loaded down with cheese, it still leaves me feeling like I’ve eaten something really healthy.

If you’ve never eaten quinoa before, definitely give it a try. It has a very mild flavor and is extremely nourishing. I’ve heard that in some countries it’s actually boiled and used as a substitute for baby formula. You can find it in the bulk aisle of the health food store and it’s really affordable. My kids, as a general rule, love quinoa. If I’m being totally honest though, I’m still working them up to this recipe.

Ingredients

1/2 cup dry quinoa
2 large green bell peppers (or any other color you like. I usually go with what’s on sale)
1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
3-5 cloves of chopped garlic
1/2 cup of shredded carrots (go ahead, buy the bagged stuff. It will save you some time and you won’t be able to tell the difference)
1/2 cup of baby spinach
1/2 cup baby bella mushrooms (you can use any type of mushroom you like. I prefer the flavor and texture of the baby bella ones)
Cajun Season Salt – This can be changed up to provide some flavor variety. Italian seasoning would be great in this. I like the twist and extra kick of the Cajun seasoning. My cajun seasoning has a backstory though. A few years back my husband went on a trip to New Orleans. While he was there he fell in love with the food and came back with a suitcase full of seasonings. Included in that assortment was what would become my all time favorite seasoning — The World Famous Nawlins Cajun Season Y’All with Green Onions. I dump the stuff on everything and conveniently enough, you can buy it online.
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Olive oil

Preparation

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Measure out your dry quinoa and dump it in a pot with the water. You don’t have to boil the water first – just throw it all in there and bring it to a boil. Quinoa cooks really fast so be sure and keep an eye on it. Once the water comes to a boil, reduce the heat to low and cook until all the water is gone – about 5 minutes.

While the quinoa is cooking, slice the top off of your peppers and rinse them out to get rid of any seeds. I pick away as much of the membranes inside the pepper as I can with my fingers. Dry the inside of the pepper out as much as possible.

I like to use a bread loaf pan to cook stuffed peppers in. It does a great job of keeping the peppers upright and cooks them nice and evenly. Set your peppers in the loaf pan to finish drying while you work on the filling.

Set a frying pan over medium-high heat and drizzle with olive oil. Add the onion and saute for about 3 minutes or until it becomes translucent. Throw in the garlic and mushrooms and let those cook for about a minute before adding the carrots, and spinach to the mix. Saute the whole mixture for about 3 minutes or until all the vegetables are cooked.

Stir in the cooked quinoa and the cheese – and there’s never any harm in throwing in a bit of extra cheese. Add whatever seasoning you’d like. I’d really recommend trying the Cajun Season Y’All though. It adds some great flavor and you can really add the stuff to just about anything.

Fill your peppers with the vegetable/quinoa mixture and top with cheese. Bake for about 17 minutes or until the edges of the pepper begin to curl slightly. If you want a pepper that is a bit softer, you can always boil the pepper for 2-3 minutes before filling it. Yum.

Beans on Toast – Simple, Kid-Friendly Meal

Rachel — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 15:42:47 +0000

I love to cook – most of the time – but my kids seem to want to eat every day so I’m constantly trying to put together new kid-friendly meals. I grew up eating beans on toast so I thought it was standard lunch fare. I was shocked when none of my friends had ever heard of it, but my mom is British and it took me a while to figure out that beans on toast is standard lunch fare – in England. My kids love it though and it’s simple to make, see you take beans and you put them . . . on toast. Not overly complicated but pretty tasty. We usually have it for lunch but it will do for a quick dinner (or a snack if one of the kids is going through a particularly strenuous growth spurt). The traditional British version uses Heinz baked beans, which are usually hard to find, but like so many things from my childhood, I got used to the adulterated American version and I prefer pork and beans for this.

Ingredients

Wheat Bread

Can of Pork and Beans

Preparation

Toast the bread slightly more than you would for regular toast. Because you are putting beans on top, it can get soggy if it isn’t toasted enough.

Heat the pork and beans over the stove until they bubble. I usually pull out some beans for my kids and then let mine cook a few minutes longer.

Spoon the pork and beans over toast and serve.

Variations

You could serve this with cheese on top or with a fried egg.

Quick Cucumber Pickles

Courtney — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 03:24:32 +0000

These pickles make a super fast side dish or condiment to all sorts of dishes, but go particularly well with Asian foods. I like to flavor these with a little fresh ginger and a couple of drops of toasted sesame oil, but they are just as good plain. Toss a handful across some noodles or fried rice or have a pile alongside your next sandwich. No matter what you choose to use these for, they’ll add a refreshingly tangy crunch to your meal.

Quick Cucumber Pickles

Ingredients:
2 English cucumbers
1 tsp salt
1 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp minced ginger (optional)
1/8 tsp toasted sesame oil (optional)
pinch of red chili flakes (optional)

Directions:
Slice the cucumbers into 1/8 inch thick rounds (a mandoline is perfect for this if you have one). Combine the sugar and salt in a large bowl and toss the cucumber slices with your hands to coat with the sugar/salt mixture. Add any additional spices or flavoring you wish to use and toss to incorporate. Allow cucumbers to sit for at least 20 minutes and taste for seasoning. If they are too strong you can rinse them a bit, if they aren’t strong enough you can add more salt or sugar.

Notes:
-These should keep for a few days in the fridge, but you will want to check from time to time to make sure they aren’t getting too strong for your taste, assuming they last that long.
-You can scale this up as you so desire, just use a mix of 1 part salt to three parts sugar. If the brine is too concentrated you can dilute it with some water or rinse the pickles to take off some of the excess salt.
-Fresh or dried dill, tarragon and mustard seeds are also good flavorings to try.

Meatless Meals-Lentils

Lorie — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 23:23:17 +0000

My family has had to cut back a lot since I started staying home with my children. One of the first areas we looked to cut was our food budget. We went from buying a lot of convenience foods to making our meals from scratch. Not only did we save money, but the meals were better tasting and we were actually eating healthier. One way I have saved on our food budget is by serving a meatless meal once a week. For most meals, the biggest expense comes from the meat, but you can still have a delicious, tasteful, and healthy meal by going meatless. One thing I like to substitute for meat is lentils. I buy lentils for about $0.89 a bag, so you can see the budget benefits. If you have had them and you didn’t like them then you need to give them another chance. I think the right recipe makes all the difference.

What are Lentils?

Lentils are a member of the legume family and can be found with other dried beans in your grocery store. They have health benefits such as lowering cholesterol and preventing blood sugar levels from rising rapidly after a meal. Lentils also provide six important minerals, two B-vitamins, and protein, all with virtually no fat. The calorie content is 230 calories for a one cup serving. Lentils come in green and brown colors among others.

How Do You Prepare Lentils?

One of the great things about lentils is unlike other types of beans they do not require soaking and therefore are quicker to prepare. Sort through your lentils to make sure they are free of any stones or debris and then put them in a strainer and rinse thoroughly under cool water. Place the lentils in boiling water, this helps the lentils to digest more easily. Use three cups of water for one cup of lentils. Next, turn the heat to simmer. Cover and cook for 20-30 minutes. Some recipes will recommend cooking the lentils differently based on the texture that is desired for the recipe (such as the Lentil Tacos below), so make sure you read your recipe.

Lentil Recipes

I found that these two recipes are the easiest way to get your family to enjoy lentils. So, try these with your family this week and save some money on your meals.

Lentil Tacos

3/4 cup dry lentils(brown ones)

3/4 cup dry brown rice

4 cups water

4 beef bouillon cubes (substitute chicken or vegetable, if desired)

4 teaspoons chili powder

1 teaspoon cumin

2 teaspoons onion powder

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

Dump everything in a medium pot and boil. Turn down the heat to a little lower than medium and cook covered (just like rice) until done. I usually stir every 5-6 minutes, but you probably don’t need to once the spices are well mixed! Use just like regular taco filling.

Note: You can eat this on soft tortillas or hard taco shells and add tomatoes cheese lettuce and sour cream as desired.

Lentil and Brown Rice Casserole

3 cups broth (chicken or vegetable)

3/4 cup lentils

1/2 cup brown rice

3/4 cup chopped onion

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1 cup grated cheese

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Mix all ingredients except the cheese in a baking dish (I use an 11 x 7). Cover with foil and bake for 1 hour 10 minutes. Then remove the foil, add the cheese, and bake for an additional 20 minutes.

Note: You can jazz this up by adding barbeque sauce, spaghetti sauce, or salsa.

Mushroom Almond Pate

Courtney — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 05:32:16 +0000

This amazing Mushroom Almond Pate is a vegetarian answer to the rich flavors and textures of liver-based pate. The depth of flavor and richness of this spread belies it’s vegetarian (or vegan) roots. This is a great alternative to the more common party offerings such as onion dip and cheese balls or a fantastic treat just because. It doesn’t take much work beyond chopping the onion and mushrooms and the willpower to leave it alone in the fridge (though I won’t tell if you eat it straight out of the processor bowl–it’s pretty amazing before it’s ripened too). Have it with crackers or toast points for parties, or with chunks of french baguettes, apples and brie for a simple dinner with a glass of wine. Once you’ve made this pate it will earn a permanent spot in your repetoire and I can guarantee that you’ll be passing out the recipe afterward.

Mushroom Almond Pate

Ingredients:
2 tbsp. unsalted butter or margarine
1 onion, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 lb fresh mushrooms, chopped
1 c. whole almonds
2 tbsp. olive, flax or nut oil of your choice
1/4 c. balsamic vinegar
1 tsp. mushroom flavored soy sauce, regular soy sauce or tamari
1/2 tsp. coarse ground pepper

Directions:
Saute onion, garlic and mushrooms in butter until onions are caramelized golden brown and mushrooms are cooked through and set aside. Process almonds, oil and vinegar together in a blender or food processor until smooth. Add the mushroom/onion mixture, soy sauce and pepper to the bowl of the processor and process together until smooth. Taste for seasoning, adjust if neccessary and scrape out of the processor into a bowl, cover, and refridgerate for a couple of hours to allow flavors to meld.

Notes:
-Now, I do say to process until smooth, but don’t stress if you can’t quite get it there. The texture of the ground almonds when it’s not quite smooth isn’t a bad thing. If you need to, you can add a couple of tablespoons of water to the mix to help it blend to a smoother texture, but don’t let it get too thin–the end texture should still be more of a paste/spread and less runny than a dip.
-To make this gluten free, seek out gluten free brewed soy sauce (tamari) and balsamic vinegar. To make it vegan, try making it with just oil or a vegan margarine.
-This is a richer dish than you want to eat all the time, but if you use all flax oil instead of butter or margarine you can amp up the good fats and pretend that the whole thing is really good for you. Which it is, despite it’s rich nature. If nothing else, it’s cholesterol free, which is more than you can say for any of the liver pates.

Poached Eggs in Tomato Sauce

Courtney — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 05:26:11 +0000

Eggs poached in tomato sauce is one of those really delicious dishes that you can tell came about at some point because someone was both creative and faced with leftovers that needed using up. However it originally came about, it’s a delicious combination that makes for a super easy meal any time of day that tastes like way more work than it was. I am a particularly big fan of having this for breakfast on weekend mornings or dinner when I get home from work and don’t really want to cook. The proportions I use here are rough and would feed either one very hungry person or two average people with an extra couple hunks of bread. If you want to scale it up you can bake the eggs in a casserole dish with the sauce rather than cooking it on the stove–the end result is just about the same and all methods yield scrumptious results.

Eggs Poached in Tomato Sauce

Ingredients:
1 1/2 to 2 cups tomato sauce
2-3 eggs
1-2 tablespoons shredded parmesan (optional)
crusty bread for dipping

Directions:
Heat the tomato sauce over medium heat in a small frying pan (I’d recommend non-stick, if you have it) that allows for a depth of about and inch and a half of sauce. Add more sauce if you need to to get there. When sauce is simmering add the eggs, avoiding crowding so they don’t clump together. Allow eggs to simmer in the sauce until the whites are set and the yolks are cooked to your liking. Lift the eggs out with a spoon and place in bowls. Divide the remaining sauce between the dishes and top with a sprinkle of parmesan. Eat with crusty bread to soak up the sauce and scoop up the egg.

Variations:
-Add about 2 ounces of soy chorizo to the tomato sauce when it’s bubbling and cook the rest as usual for a spicier, heartier version.
-Add crumbled, browned bulk sausage meat or ground beef/turkey and simmer for a few minutes before adding the eggs.
-Leftover grilled or sauteed onions and peppers are also great additions, but add them in the last few minutes of cooking or after the eggs are cooked so that they don’t cook to mush while the eggs firm up.
-Serve the sauce and eggs over polenta, pasta or egg noodles instead of bread, or scoop up with tortillas.

Baked Kale Chips

Courtney — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 06:07:34 +0000

This method of cooking kale is my new favorite. Kale chips made by baking the leaves with a little olive oil and salt results in an almost potato-chip like treat that is genuinely good for you. You can season them with whatever spices you like or keep them simple and plain. There is no easier way to eat green leafy vegetables, or at least no way more genuinely enjoyable (and that’s coming from a true salad lover). Make a batch of these today and you’ll probably make three more before the end of the weekend. Even my dog begs for these chips, and I’m pretty sure I could convince my dad to try one too. These more than make up for the minimal effort involved in making them.
A note on the type of kale–I’ve been having a hard time finding the best variety of kale for these–flat, or lacinato kale. The batch I made for the picture is from a bunch of curly kale. I think the result is a more evenly crunchy one when you can find the flat kale, but the chewiness of the center rib and thicker middle of the leaf in curly kale is actually kind of appealing, though you’ll need to watch it closely to make sure you don’t burn the frilly edges. Whatever kind you’ve got, wash it thoroughly and dry it very well and you’ll do just fine.

Baked Kale Chips

Ingredients:
1 bunch kale
1 Tablespoon olive oil
salt and/or other spices to taste

Directions:
Wash the kale and spin it dry in a salad spinner if you have one, otherwise drain well and finish with paper towels. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. If useing curly kale, break off the bottom third or so of the stem where there isn’t much actual leaf. Rip the leaves into large pieces. Toss gently in a large bowl with the olive oil to coat lightly with the olive oil, using your hands to make sure you get all the leaves. Line a cookie sheet with parchment and scatter the leaves in a single layer. Sprinkle lightly with salt and whatever other spice you choose and bake for 10-15 minutes until the leaves are crisp but not brown, keeping a close eye on the pan so that the leaves don’t burn. Remove from the oven and allow to cool before tearing into the chips.

Palak Paneer

Courtney — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 07:15:25 +0000

I adore Indian food. I don’t cook much of it at home, as even I am intimidated by the ingredients lists sometimes and the time involved so most of the time I’ll just enjoy it in a restaurant. I’ve overcome the fear to learn how to make one of the simplest and in my opinion, tastiest, dishes–Palak Paneer. Palak Paneer is a spinach curry studded with cubes of paneer cheese, a fresh cheese similar to ricotta. Unlike my other favorite dishes Palak Paneer is relatively simple and doesn’t have to contain dozens of ingredients. It can be made restaurant-rich or be adapted to be a bit less of a fat bomb and still come out a winner.
I learned how to make paneer for this recipe after a few years of subbing tofu for the cheese. Tofu works just fine, but every once in a while I want it to be a little closer to the versions I order and for those paneer is required. The traditional versions would also use ghee (clarified butter) and cream, I use a little oil or butter and milk for my version. Some recipes have a list of spices a mile long, and you can definitely adapt the flavors that way to whatever suits you. I use a garam masala blend as the only spice in this version as it’s pretty easy to find these days either in Indian markets or online, as well as in some better-stocked grocery stores. If you can’t find it you can make your own blend or flavor the dish with garlic, coriander, ginger, turmeric, cayenne or chili powder and anything else that you like. This is a very easy dish to adapt to your tastes and preferences in terms of heat and depth of flavor.

Palak Paneer
4-6 servings

Ingredients:
16 oz frozen spinach or 32 oz fresh baby spinach
1 tablespoon oil or butter
1 small onion, small dice
2-3 tablespoons garam masala
1 tablespoon tomato paste or 1 tomato, seeded and diced
1 1/2 to 2 cups milk
8 oz paneer or 8 oz firm regular tofu cut into 1/2 inch cubes

Directions:
First, cook or thaw your spinach. If using frozen spinach, thaw it and squeeze out excess water and set aside. If using fresh, put into a large bowl and microwave for 7-8 minutes until wilted and allow to cool. Drain off excess water and set aside.
Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat and add onion, cooking until soft, about 8 minutes or so. Stir in two tablespoons of the garam masala (or whatever spice blend you’re using) and tomato paste, if using. When the spices and paste are evenly distributed stir in the spinach and a cup and a half of milk and bring to a simmer, stirring from time to time to keep from burning. Add the more milk if you want the texture soupier and taste for seasoning, adding salt as desired and more garam masala if needed and the fresh tomato if using. While the spinach is simmering brown the paneer or tofu cubes in a little more oil if desired. Fold the paneer or tofu cubes gently into the spinach and simmer for 3 to 5 more minutes.
Serve over basmati rice, brown rice or with some toasted naan.

Paneer Cheese

Courtney — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 06:53:56 +0000

Paneer is a fresh cheese used in Indian food. It’s related to ricotta and is super easy to make at home and a lot cheaper than buying it. If you don’t happen to have a well stocked international market or Indian grocery nearby this might also be the only way you can get it for use in your favorite Indian recipes. Fortunately it only takes two ingredients and both are available everywhere. This is also a great way to take advantage if your grocery store marks milk down just before it expires. The cheese is best with super fresh milk, but it’s still pretty amazing made with slightly older milk as well.

Paneer Cheese
Yield: About one pound

Ingredients:
1 gallon whole milk
4 Tablespoons lemon juice, lime juice or vinegar

Directions:
Bring milk to a boil in a large pot. Boil for one minute, then turn off the heat and stir in the lemon juice. Stir for 2-3 minutes until curds form and then let sit for 10 more minutes. Pour into a strainer lined with cheesecloth, muslin or a clean tea towel, collecting the whey that drains off and reserving for another use if desired. Allow curds to drain in the strainer until cool enough to handle, then twist up the ends of the cloth and squeeze out more whey. Form the cheese into a block and wrap tightly in the cloth and press between two plates or cutting boards under a heavy weight, such as a large cookbook or two. Allow to sit weighted for an hour or two. Unwrap and use immediately or store in the fridge for a few days. The texture will be softer and a bit more crumbly if used right away, it will firm up more if it sits in the fridge for a few hours or a day.

Skipping Jack

Courtney — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 04:03:35 +0000

I don’t have a picture of this take on hoppin’ john as it was gone too quickly. I’d say the recipe makes somewhere between two and four servings depending on the appetites of the people you’re feeding, but either way it will be gone quickly. Hoppin’ john is a combination of rice, black eyed peas and ham hock, but I’ve dubbed mine Skipping Jack as it’s similar in idea but different in ingredients enough to qualify for its own name.

This rice and beans dish is flavored with soy chorizo, though you could use real chorizo if you like. I just tend to lean more vegetarian and recently discovered this alternative and I’m quite happy with it–it’s spicy, crumbly and very highly flavored, lending itself well to uses as a flavoring agent or garnish rather than a centerpiece. I used Trader Joe’s brand, but I’ve seen others floating around in other grocery stores so use whatever type you like. It’s also superb cooked into scrambled eggs and tucked into breakfast sandwiches.

This dish is pretty good eaten just as it is, but if you want to dress it up and make it even better I very much recommend topping it with chopped avocado or salsa and shredded almond cheese (or other low-fat cheese). I plated mine on top of a handful of chopped butter lettuce blend because I like the wilted lettuce mixed with the hot rice but that’s entirely up to you.

Skipping Jack

serves 2-4, scales up easily

Ingredients:
1 cup brown rice, uncooked
1 15oz can black eyed peas
1 bouillon cube or 1/2 teaspoon bacon salt
2-4 oz soy chorizo
hot sauce (optional)

Directions:
Cook the rice according to package directions. While the rice is cooking, rinse and drain the black eyed peas and place them in a small saucepan with enough water to cover by half an inch and the bouillon cube or bacon salt. Heat to a simmer over low to medium low heat and stir every couple of minutes to keep the peas from burning, but allow them to start to break up a little and get soupy, about 20-30 minutes. Add more water if they start to get too dry and thick. When the rice is done, toss it in a bowl with the peas and their sauce. Remove the casing from the soy chorizo and brown in a non-stick pan for a couple of minutes over medium heat, then pour into the peas and rice and fold to mix everything together evenly. Taste for seasoning and add some hot sauce if you want it spicier and serve.