Getting Freekeh on Meatless Monday

January 4, 2016 By

As I did in 2015, I’ll be continuing with my mission to go meatless on Mondays. It’s been rather easy to make the change as I love roasting a whole bunch of veggies on Sundays that I then use on Mondays in salads with couscous, quinoa or freekeh.

For those not familiar with freekeh, it’s an ancient grain that has long been recognized as a main ingredient in Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cooking.

Freekehlicious is the leading importer of Greenwheat Freekeh, a product of Australia. A couple months ago, the company sent me samples of its cracked and wholegrain freekeh for me to try and I’ve been addicted ever since.

The cooking process for freekeh is very simple:

  • In small saucepan, place ½ cup of Freekehlicious and 1½ cups of water or broth and bring to a boil.
  • Stir, reduce heat to simmer.
  • Cover and cook – cracked freekeh: 20 minutes and wholegrain freekeh: 40 minutes. .
  • Remove from heat and let stand for 5 minutes.
  • Yields 1½ cups.

The cooked grain can be used hot or cold and lasts in the fridge for up to 8 days. I love serving the cooked Freekeh like I would Irish steel-cut oatmeal with a bit of maple syrup or in salads, as I did today.

My favorite salad to make goes like this:

Freekeh is 100% natural, with no additives, chemicals, coloring, pesticides/herbicides, GMOs or chemicals.

Cheers,

Veronique

Filed Under: American, Entrees, Sides, Vegetables, Vegetarian Tagged With: , , , ,

Harvest Tomato Sauce by Bracco Farms

September 18, 2015 By

Last week, when I received my Bracco Farms CSA box, I was a bit overwhelmed with the huge share of gorgeous tomatoes I received. Considering I have a healthy harvest of my own tomatoes, I was a bit weary of what I’d do with all those beauties – I love tomatoes, but one can only consume so many in a week’s time!

The lovely Christa at Bracco Farms, without prompting, must have a read my mind and asked if I needed a quick and easy tomato sauce that freezes well for any extra tomatoes I might have…YES!!!!!!!!!!

Here’s a simple sauce recipe Christa shared with me. It was exactly what I was looking for.

Chop the large tomatoes into chunks, the cherry tomatoes into halves and put them all together in a big pot. 

Drizzle a fair amount of olive oil (or any oil) over them with some salt.  DO NOT COVER OR ADD WATER.  Bring to a simmer.  Simmer for about ½ hour to release some of the natural water.

Cool and then freeze for the winter!

Please post a comment if you use this simple recipe for your extra harvest tomatoes.

Thanks,

Veronique

Filed Under: American, Sauce, Vegetables Tagged With: , , , ,
7 September 2015 Vegetarian Stuffed Eggplant

Vegetarian Stuffed Eggplant

September 7, 2015 By

 

I try to abide by my #MeatlessMonday promise when I can and am always looking for ways to use more vegetables in my diet so this weekend, I found beautiful mauve round eggplants that I prepared two ways – meat-stuffed and vegetarian.

These single-serve eggplants are great to fix on the weekend to bring for work lunches during the week. They’re also beautiful served as a starter at a dinner party and a breeze as they can be made in advance and reheated in time for dinner.

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups cooked Spanish rice, homemade or commercial (I used Goya brand Arroz con Tomate)
  • 4 ounces crumbled Feta cheese
  • ½ tsp. dried mint
  • 2 Tbsp. golden raisins
  • 4 Tbsp. Easy Greek Vinaigrette
  • Two small mauve round eggplants (or any small round eggplants)
  • ½ tsp. sea salt
  • 1 Tbsp. olive oil

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. In a medium bowl, combine the rice, Feta, mint, raisins and 2 tablespoons of Greek Vinaigrette. Set aside.
  3. Using a paring knife and a teaspoon, remove the very top of the eggplants and then remove most of the pulp from the interior being careful not to pierce through the outer skin. See photo as reference.
  4. Rub the sea salt on the inside of each eggplant.
  5. Fill the cored eggplants with the rice stuffing then drizzle with the olive oil.
  6. Place the stuffed eggplants in a Pyrex baking dish with tall sides. If the eggplant won’t stand up straight, use a crumpled piece of foil to create a small “stand” for them.
  7. Bake for 30 minutes and either serve hot or at room temperature with a drizzle of the remaining vinaigrette.

Serves 2.

Filed Under: American, Cheese, Entrees, Sides, Starters, Vegetables, Vegetarian Tagged With: , , , ,
10 August 2015 Easy Vegetable Tian

Easy Vegetable Tian

August 10, 2015 By

Cooked TianI participate in a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program (see details on my Bracco Farms CSA experience) where the basic idea is that a farmer grows for a group of members who have purchased “shares” in the harvest. Every two weeks, I get a box full of incredibly-fresh, organic, non-GMO produce that I’ve been having a lot of fun cooking with.

Last week, I received three beautiful summer squashes that were gigantic in size. I decided to make a completely meat-free dish with them to help celebrate #MeatlessMonday.

A vegetable tian can really incorporate a wide variety of fresh produce….tomatoes, peppers, potatoes, squashes, eggplants…the list goes on. This version is very simple – onions, squashes and yellow tomatoes from my garden. With just a grating of Parmesan at the end of the cooking process, this tian can be served on its own as a light dish or with a salad, piece of fish/chicken/meat.

Ingredients:

  1. 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
  2. 1 medium onion, thinly-sliced
  3. 1 garlic clove, minced
  4. 1 large yellow squash, thinly-sliced
  5. 1 green squash, thinly-sliced
  6. 2 large tomatoes, thinly-sliced
  7. ½ tsp. each salt, pepper and oregano
  8. 2 Tbsp. olive oil
  9. 3 Tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

  1. Heat oven to 375 degrees.
  2. Coat a 9-inch pie plate with cooking spray. You could use any shaped oven-proof dish here.
  3. In a large skillet over medium heat, warm the vegetable oil then add the onion. Cook until golden brown, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic to the cooked onion and continue sautéing for an additional minute. Place the onion-garlic mixture on the bottom of the pie plate.
  4. Arrange the squashes and tomato slices in a spiral pattern over the onions and garlic, alternating between each vegetable.
  5. Sprinkle the salt, pepper and oregano over the vegetables then drizzle with the olive oil. Place the dish in the oven and cook for 30 minutes.
  6. Remove the dish from the oven, turn the broiler on high and sprinkle the Parmesan over the vegetables. Place the dish under the broiler for 4-5 minutes or until the vegetables have browned. Remove from the oven and allow to rest for two minutes, then serve.

Makes 4 generous servings.  

Filed Under: American, Entrees, Sides, Vegetables, Vegetarian Tagged With: , , ,
1 June 2015 Almost Guilt-Free Individual Eggplant Parmesan

Almost Guilt-Free Individual Eggplant Parmesan

June 1, 2015 By

Eggplant ParmesanSometimes, when I’m in the grocery store, produce just speaks to me. On this last trip, eggplants screamed for me to take them home (well, seemed like they were screaming).

While I love breading and flying eggplant for eggplant Parmesan, I wanted this version to be less indulgent and lighter so I grilled sliced eggplant and made individual servings.

This technique of making single servings guarantees we won’t overeat, well, unless we decide to have a couple of servings.

The use of my Basil-Packed Marinara Sauce keeps this dish fresh and is a good use of basil and tomatoes as crops are plentiful.

Ingredients:

  • 1 large, medium girth eggplant, sliced in 8 thin disks
  • 2 Tbsp. olive oil
  • ½ tsp. each salt, pepper
  • 3 cups Basil-Packed Marinara Sauce (could use store-bought)
  • ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 cup grated Mozzarella cheese   

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
  2. Lightly oil each side of the eggplant disks then salt and pepper them. Heat a grill to medium-high heat and grill the eggplant disks for 3 minutes on each side. Alternatively, use a grill pan to cook the eggplant.
  3. Place 4 ramekins on a baking sheet. Add a tablespoon of marinara sauce to each ramekin and top with a grilled eggplant disk. Top each eggplant disk with ½ teaspoon Parmesan and 1 teaspoon Mozzarella. Add a tablespoon of marinara, another eggplant disk and top with the remaining cheeses.
  4. Cook the eggplant Parmesans for 10 minutes, turn the broiler to high and cook an additional 4 minutes or until the cheesy tops have browned.
  5. Serve as a starter or as a side dish alongside grilled Italian sausages with the remaining marinara sauce.

Makes 4 side dishes.

Filed Under: American, Cheese, Italian, Sides, Starters, Vegetables, Vegetarian Tagged With: , , , , , ,
31 May 2015 Basil-Packed Marinara Sauce

Basil-Packed Marinara Sauce

May 31, 2015 By

Marinara SauceMy local grocery store had beautiful, organic Roma tomatoes this morning so I was inspired to make a light marinara sauce to complement my Almost Guilt-Free Individual Eggplant Parmesan.

The quick recipe calls for a food processor, but if you don’t have this handy kitchen appliance, use a blender or hand-chop the tomatoes.

Ingredients:

  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • 1 small onion, chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • ½ tsp. each salt, pepper, dried basil and sugar
  • 8 Roma tomatoes, pureed in the food processor
  • ¼ cup chopped fresh basil

Directions

  • Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat, add the onion and sauté for about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and continue cooking for another 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the salt, pepper, dried basil and sugar and cook for 1 more minute.
  • While the onion/garlic mixture is cooking, place the tomatoes in a food processor and pulse for about 30 seconds or until mostly liquid with a few small tomato pieces.
  • Add the pureed tomatoes to the onion mixture in the saucepan and simmer over medium-low heat for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  • Add the fresh basil right before serving.

Make about 3 cups.

Notes: Finished sauce can be cooled, placed in airtight containers and frozen for a month. It can also be refrigerated for 3 days.

Filed Under: American, Italian, Sauce, Vegetables Tagged With: , , , , ,
16 April 2015 Tomato Basil Soup

Tomato Basil Soup

April 16, 2015 By

Tomato SoupThis great soup is adapted from my popular Tomato Basil Bisque which uses lots of cream and butter. This lightened version is satisfying and totally comforting (and easier on the figure just ahead of bathing suit season).

Ingredients:

  • 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
  • 6 celery ribs, diced
  • 1 large onion, diced
  • 1 medium red bell pepper, diced
  • 3 cans (14-1/2 ounces each) diced tomatoes, with their juices
  • 1 Tbsp. tomato paste
  • 1 cup coarsely chopped, loosely packed basil leaves
  • 2 tsp. granulated sugar
  • 2 tsp. salt
  • ½ tsp. pepper
  • 2/3 cup reduced-fat milk

Vegetable SauteeingDirections:

  1. Add the oil to a large saucepan over medium-high heat and sauté the celery, onion and red pepper for 5-6 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Add the tomatoes and the tomato paste and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  2. Remove from the heat. Stir in the basil, sugar, salt, pepper and milk. Cool for about 5 minutes.
  3. Transfer half of the soup to a blender. Process for about 2 minutes, until smooth. Return to the pan and process the rest of the soup. Serve right away by reheating for 2 minutes over medium-high heat or store in the refrigerator in air-tight containers until ready to use. Can be made up to 3 days ahead of serving.

Yield: 6 servings.

Filed Under: American, Soups, Vegetables, Vegetarian Tagged With: , , ,
23 March 2015 Spiced Roasted Cauliflower

Spiced Roasted Cauliflower

March 23, 2015 By

Cauliflower HeadI’ve been roasting vegetables every Sunday this winter to use for various meals during the week. While I have favorites, Brussels sprouts, butternut squash and beets, cauliflower is also delicious roasted, as I’ve come to find out recently.

The wet ‘rub’ below can be altered to suit your own personal tastes.

Ingredients:

  • 1 medium head of cauliflower, about 2 pounds
  • ½ cup olive oil
  • 1 tsp. smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp. ground cumin
  • ½ tsp. each salt and pepper
Cauliflower Florets & Rub

Cauliflower Florets & Rub

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
  2. Cut cauliflower into florets, removing thicker stems. Place the florets in the lined baking sheet.
  3. In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, smoked paprika, ground cumin, salt and pepper.
  4. Pour the wet rub over the cauliflower and toss to coat using your hands.
  5. Roast the cauliflower, turning occasionally, until it is browned and tender, about 20 minutes.

Yields 2 side dishes.

Filed Under: American, Sides, Vegetables Tagged With: ,

Top 5 Vegetarian Recipes of 2014

January 5, 2015 By

Eggplants with Yogurt DipWhile I’m not known for my vegetarian dishes, I sorted through my blog to determine which vegetarian recipes were the most accessed in 2014.

Here are the top five vegetarian recipes of 2014:

I hope you’re able to work these into your #MeatlessMonday schedule in 2015!

Cheers,

Veronique

Filed Under: American, Vegetables, Vegetarian Tagged With: , , ,
4 January 2015 Chicken in Tarragon and Riesling Sauce

Chicken in Tarragon and Riesling Sauce

January 4, 2015 By

Chicken in Tarragon and Riesling SauceLast night, I made this dish using a combination of chicken and rabbit and received rave reviews on my pictures on social media…except for a couple people upset at the use of rabbit in the dish. I get it, it’s easy to associate rabbit with Bugs Bunny and get sensitive about it.

Me, I don’t see much of a difference between a cute rabbit and a cute chicken, so I used both in the recipe. It’s easy to use one or the other or both, it’s up to you and also how easy it is to source rabbit where you are.

Veggies and Bacon

Veggies and Bacon

This is such a delicious, easy-to-make recipe that you can make in the morning and reheat when your guests arrive. It’s also great for leftovers.

Ingredients:

  • 6 bacon strips, diced
  • 1 medium Spanish onion, sliced
  • 1 8-ounce package fresh sliced Cremini mushrooms
  • 8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
  • 1/3 cup Dijon mustard
  • 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
  • 2 tsp. tarragon
  • 2 bay leaves
  • ½ tsp. each salt and pepper
  • 1-750 ml bottle dry Riesling (or other dry white wine)
  • 1 tsp. flour
  • 1 tsp. softened butter
  • ½ cup heavy cream
Chicken Simmering

Chicken Simmering

Directions:

  1. In a large Dutch oven, cook bacon over medium heat until browned and crispy, about 5 minutes. Add the onions, coat in the bacon fat and cook until tender, another 4 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook for 3 minutes. Transfer the cooked vegetables and bacon to a plate keeping some of the bacon fat in the pot.
  2. Place chicken in a bowl and coat with mustard. Add the oil to the Dutch oven and raise the heat to high. Brown chicken on all sides for about 5 minutes. Add tarragon, bay leaves, salt and pepper and cook for an additional minute. Add the wine and scrape any browns bits from the bottom of the pot, this is where all the awesome flavors come from.
  3. Return the vegetable and bacon to the pot and stir gently to combine. Reduce the heat to low, cover and cook for 45 minutes, stirring gently, occasionally.
  4. Raise the heat to high and bring to a simmer. In a small dish, combine the flour and butter to create a paste and add to the bubbling cooking liquid. Stir gently to ensure the butter paste is fully incorporated and sauce is slightly thickened. Lower the heat to low and cook for 5 minutes. Add the cream to the sauce and simmer for 2 minutes.
  5. At this point, the dish can be served over fluffy white rice or cooled and kept in the fridge for up to a day. To reheat, place the chicken and sauce in a Dutch oven, add ½ cup chicken stock and reheat for 30 minutes in the oven at 300 degrees.

4 Servings.

Filed Under: American, Chicken, Entrees, French, Mushrooms, Vegetables Tagged With: , , , , ,
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