Meatless Monday

Chayote

Chayote is member of the squash family that originated in Mexico but can now be found throughout the world. 

Chayote may be called a vegetable pear, chcocho, or christophene. It's flavor is described as a cross between a turnip, cucumber and zucchini.

Chayote Squash is very low in Saturated Fat, Cholesterol and Sodium. It's also a good source of Niacin, Vitamin B6, Pantothenic Acid, Magnesium and Potassium, and an excellent source of Dietary Fiber, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Folate, Zinc, Copper and Manganese.

Selection: Good-quality chayote will be firm, unblemished and light to medium-green in color. The skin may be either smooth or rough.

Usage: Use like a squash - steam, bake, stuff or fry.

 Today's Meatless Recipe

Stuffed Chayote Squash
Serves 4
Ingredients
•    4 medium chayote squash
•    1 cup chopped onion
•    2 Tbsp. Grapeseed oil
•    2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
•    1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley, optional
•    8 ounces Soy Sausage
•    1 tsp. dried rosemary, crushed
•    3 slices whole wheat or French bread, cubed
•    1/4 cup almond milk plain
•    1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
•    1/4 cup Italian salad dressing

Directions
1.    Preheat oven to 350.F
2.    Cut squash in half, lengthwise. Steam until just tender.
3.    Sauté onion in the oil. Add garlic and parsley after onion is soft and transparent. Stir in soy sausage, breaking it up. Add rosemary. Cook for 15 min., pouring off excess grease.
4.    Moisten bread with the milk. Squeeze out liquid. Add bread and cheese to meat mixture.
5.    Scoop out squash, leaving a shell. Chop pulp coarsely. Add to mixture. Stuff squash shells, piling filling high. Place in lightly oiled baking dish.
6.    Bake for 20 min. until heated thoroughly. Drizzle with a little salad dressing and serve hot.

More Recipes:
Crispy Onion Chayote Bites  
Roasted Sweet Potato and Chayote Salad

Resources:
Produce Oasis
Fruit & Vegetables More Matters

Meatless Monday

Summer Rolls are Light and Refreshing

Southeast Asian inspired summer rolls filled with cool,  rice noodles, fresh mint  and crunchy vegetables are an ideal vegan hot-weather treat. Serve with any of the dipping sauces, but think sweet, sour, salty, spicy, and bitter for a refreshing light meal you'll love to make again and again. 

Vegetable Summer Rolls

Yields 8 rolls

Ingredients

• 2 ounces Vietnamese cellophane noodles, cooked according to package directions
• 1 medium carrot, julienne
• 1 cucumber, peeled, seeded and julienne
• 1/2 cup bean sprouts
• 4 to 5 scallions, julienne
• 6 water chestnuts, thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
• 1 handful fresh cilantro, hand-torn
• 1 ½  teaspoons dark sesame oil
• 1 lime, juiced
• 8 (8-inch) rice sheets (plus extra in case some tear)
• Warm water, for soaking rice sheets
• 8 Baby Romaine Lettuce
• 16 mint leaves

Directions

Put the cellophane noodles, vegetables, cilantro in a large bowl; toss with sesame oil, ginger and lime juice to give the filling some flavor; season with salt and pepper.

Pour 2 cups of hot, not boiling water in a large shallow bowl. One at a time, immerse the rice paper wrappers in the hot water for 10 seconds to soften, then Place it on a clean surface and leave it for a few seconds to soften. blot dry with a clean kitchen towel.

On the lower third of the wrapper, leaving about 1 inch of space along the side and bottom edges, layer the fillings in the following order:  2 mint leaves, lengthwise; 1 lettuce leaf half, folded or trimmed to fit if necessary; and cellophane and vegetable mixture.  Use less filling than you think you should, if you overstuff the wrapper it will tear.

Wet your fingers to keep the wrapper from sticking to them. Starting with the edge closest to you, fold the wrapper up and over the fillings. Be sure the fillings are snugly compressed but not so tight that the wrapper is strained, or it may rip. 

Once the first turn is tight, fold the right and left sides of the wrapper in, closing off the ends as though making an envelope. 

Continue rolling the wrapper tightly all the way to the top and press the seam closed. Set the roll seam side down on the platter. Repeat with the remaining wrappers and fillings. Don’t let the finished rolls touch one another or they’ll stick.


Note: The rice paper is very delicate, don't soak them any longer or they will break apart. Keep them covered while you work to prevent them from drying out and curling.


Use this video as a resource on how to put a summer roll together. 

Peanut Dipping Sauce

Spicy Tamarind Dipping Sauce 

Note: For the true vegetarian Fish sauce can be omitted or substituted with tamari or soy sauce.

Meatless Monday

Salads make a great main meal especially in hot weather. They are quick and easy to prepare and incredibly versatile. From a lightly wilted salad, a meaty salad filled with healthy protein, or a vegetarian salad of seasonal vegetables the possibilities are endless.

Choose Baby Greens as a base for your next salad. Red oak, Radicchio, Sorrel, Mizuna, Mache, Spinach, Bok Choy, Endive, Escarole, Chicory, Arugula, Mustard greens, and Swiss Chard are some of the types of greens that are often found in baby salad green mixes.

So, what are they the leaves of young plants that are harvested when the plants grow to approximately 5 or 6 inches tall. Harvesting greens early in their growing stage allows for a fuller flavor and much more tender leaf.

Baby greens organic or traditional are ready available in many combinations at the supermarket. Individual types of baby greens are more likely to be founded at local farm stands or Farmers markets.

To make your vegetarian salad interesting try different types of baby greens and add your favorite toppings or step outside your box and try different Legumes, vegetables that are in season like beets, fennel, corn, hearts of palms, artichokes, olives, Tofu,  rice crackers, sesame stixs, nuts, and fresh fruits.

Recipes
Baby Leaf lettuce, Watermelon and Olive Salad
Savory Tofu Green Salad
Mixed Green Salad with Grapefruit & Cranberries
Baby Greens with Toasted Garlic Chick pea Croutons

Resources
Nutritional information for salad greens
How to Grown Organic Baby Greens


ArticleCity.com Videos

Meatless Monday on Tofu

The past few days of soaring humidity and heat can make it difficult to be motivated to turn on the stove or oven.
So for the remainder of the summer our Meatless Monday recipes will be dedicated to foods that can be cooked on the grill or with no or little heat preparation.
The recipe and links to recipes below feature tofu which is easy to prepare. When served with a mixed green salad you'll have a delicious meal.

Tofu is a plant base food made from soy beans. A four ounce portion for tofu has 10.1 grams of protein and 94 calories. Raw tofu uncooked with no added fat has only 5 g fat. Tofu is a cholesterol free food and abounds in pytochemicals that may protect against heart disease. The isoflavoniods in Tofu can help soften the effects of menopause and protect against breast cancer.

Tofu is made using the same techniques as cheese. The process begins with a liquid that looks like milk but is only ground soybeans. This liquid is called soy milk and is heated and with the addition of salts or acid to make it curdle or solidify. The salts work like rennet to separate the soy milk into curds and whey. The curds are ladled into settling boxes that are perforated and lined with cloth. The whey drips out of the boxes, the remaining curds are pressed and the result is tofu. The more the tofu is pressed the firmer it becomes and the more nutrient dense and caloric-ally dense it becomes. Firm or Extra firm Tofu is then package in water filled containers.

Silken Tofu is made with thick soy milk plus lactone along with the salt or acid which makes it possible for the soy milk to thicken in its container as yogurt does..
There are several textures of silken tofu available soft, firm and extra firm.

Today's recipes call for Regular Extra firm or flavored very firm baked tofu. Please always purchase non genetically modified Tofu. If the container does not state it is Non GMO then make another selection.
If you have a recipe for tofu that you want to share with us please post it in the comment section.

Raw Tofu with Green Onions
Serves 4
Ingredients
1 container of Extra firm Non GMO Tofu
2 large garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons fresh lemon or lime juice
½ cup Soy Sauce
1 tablespoon Molasses
2 teaspoons Dark Sesame Oil
2 Tablespoons Cilantro chopped
3 Scallions trimmed and sliced thinly on bias
Salt and Pepper to taste
Directions:
1.    Drain the tofu and place it on a bed of paper towel to press. Place a 4-5 sheets of paper towel around tofu cube then place a weight on top to drain out excess water, cut it   into 1 inch cubes.
2.    Combine the remaining ingredients in a bowl.
3.    Place tofu in the bowl and season with salt and pepper and toss with marinate.
4.    Cover and refrigerate tofu for one hour or longer before serving.


More Recipes ......
Vegan Caprese Salad with Israeli Couscous & Tofu 

Grilled Tofu with Chimichurri Sauce
Curried Tofu Salad
Greek Tofu Salad

And for Dessert ....
Tofu Chocolate Pudding
Silken Lemon Cream Burlee

Meatless Monday

 Mushrooms has always been one of my favorite dishes. Especially a mushroom blend with shiitake, cremini and  white button sauteed with Garlic Grape seed oil and shallots or onions.
Served on Garlic toast or with sauteed spinach. 


Today at the Summer Fancy Food Show I once again came across a grow your own oyster mushrooms in a box kit For about $20 I could purchase a kit add water to the box and store out of direct sunlight and in 10  days cultivate fresh mushrooms. The Back to Roots kit are available at some healthy food stores and online. 
If you are looking for variety try this science project site Enasco.

Mushroom are very low in calories. One cup of button mushrooms has just 15 calories, while 1 cup of Portobello mushrooms has 22 calories. Mushrooms are also a fat free food, have no cholesterol , less than 1% of your daily value of sodium and small amounts of protein, carbohydrates and fiber.

Mushrooms may be small but nutrition facts prove that they have plenty of vitamins and minerals. One cup of mushrooms includes vitamins C, D, B6 and B12, plus large doses of riboflavin, niacin and pantothenic acid. The vitamins C, B6 and B12 found in mushrooms are responsible for boosting your immune system. This helps flush toxins out of your body that could compromise your immune system. 

 Mushroom Recipes

Vegetable-Stuffed Grilled Portobello Recipe

 

Wild Mushroom& Barley Risotto

Cholesterol Free Mushroom Stroganoff Recipe
by: DailyConnection

ArticleCity.com Videos

Meatless Monday

Add more Kale to your diet
Kale has a good source of calcium, magnesium, vitamin A, vitamin C, fiber, iron, folic acid, amino acids, antioxidant flavonoids, and lutein.

Kale is available year round. The best crop is in the winter because cold weather makes it sweeter.  It is easy to grow and make a perfect crop for a container garden. There are several varieties of kale: the most common is green (curly-leaf) kale, dinosaur kale and red Russian. The smoother leafed varieties are milder in taste. Kale

is easy to prepare, versatile, and delicious.

Kale should be stored in the refrigerator crisper up to a week, and it gets stronger in taste as it is stored.  To store longer, wash, remove tough stems, dry, mince or chop and freeze. It thaws quickly and can be used like raw kale.

Eat kale raw, in a salad, use it as a wrap, or juice it or add it to a smoothie. Kale can be blanched, boiled, braised, sautéed, steamed or stir-fried. People prepare it in a similar manner to Swiss chard or collards: season with onions, garlic, tamari ginger or sesame oil, to name a few.  

 

Stir Kale into bean dishes, eggs, sautéed with pasta, add to lasagna or potato dishes, tuna, vegetable salads or soups, stews and sauces. You can also make roast kale and make flavorful snacks; Sprinkle crumbled kale chips on pizza; the list is endless.

Some comparisons between beef and kale:

Organicauthority.com's Jill Ettinger had these reasons to try kale:

1. Sustainability. Kale grows to maturity in 2 months. Meat cattle mature between 18 - 24 months of age. One pound of beef takes 2400 gallons of water and 16 pounds of grain.

2. Anti-inflammatory. The consumption of animal proteins is a major cause of autoimmune disease, heart disease and arthritis. The nutrients in kale make it anti-inflammatory. It is so nutrient-dense is can actually reverse some of these conditions.

3. Iron. Per calorie, kale has more iron than beef.

4. Fiber. Needed daily, few Americans get enough. Ongoing fiber deficiency is linked to many diseases, including digestive disorders, cancers, and heart disease. Most Americans get their protein from animal sources, which provide no fiber. Kale provides about 5% of the RDI per serving, along with two grams of protein.

For more comparisons for choosing Kale over beef read 7 Reasons Kale is the new Beef                       

Resources:

www.NaturalNews.com

 

Indian-Spiced Kale & Chickpeas

Recipe adapted from Eating Well.com
EatingWell
 Servings: 4 servings, about 3/4 cup each

 Prep Time: 15 mins  Total Time: 25 mins

 Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1-1 1/2 pounds kale, ribs removed, coarsely chopped (see Tip)
• 1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth, or vegetable broth
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon garam masala, (see Ingredient note)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 15-ounce can chickpeas, rinsed

Directions

Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add kale and cook, tossing with two large spoons, until bright green, about 1 minute. Add broth, coriander, cumin, garam masala and salt. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the kale is tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in chickpeas; cover and cook until the chickpeas are heated through, 1 to 2 minutes.

 Tips:

Tip: A 1- to 1 1/2-pound bunch of kale yields 16 to 24 cups of chopped leaves. When preparing kale for these recipes, remove the tough ribs, chop or tear the kale as directed, then wash it--allowing some water to cling to the leaves. The moisture helps steam the kale during the first stages of cooking.

Ingredient Note: Garam masala, a ground spice mixture traditionally including coriander, cumin, cinnamon, peppercorns, cardamom and cloves, is commonly used in Indian cooking. Find it in the specialty-spice section of large supermarkets.

 Nutrition information
Per serving: Calories 202, Total Fat 5 g, Saturated Fat 1 g, Monounsaturated Fat 3 g, Cholesterol 1 mg, Sodium 415 mg, Carbohydrate 32 g, Fiber 6 g, Protein 9 g, Potassium 499 mg. Exchanges: Starch 1,Vegetable 1.5,Lean Meat 1,Fat 1. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet


More Kale Recipes to try:

Massaged Kale Salad
KaleSlaw with Avocados and Almonds
14 Kale Recipes from Cooking Light
Kale Chips

Hoppin into 2012

Hoppin John Patties

This year, I wanted to try something different with one of my family’s traditional southern recipes for black eye peas and rice. So we created Hoppin Johns Patties.

Hoppin Johns- is a traditional dish for good luck served for New Year derived from an African American southern dish consisting of black eye peas and rice cooked with pork or turkey, spices and vegetables.

Black eye peas are high in fiber, protein, potassium and other minerals. When combined with brown rice and vegetables the creation process unfolds. Check out my recipe and let me know what you think.

Hoppin John Patties by Meal Makers, Inc.

Hoppin John Patties                                          
Makes 8 patties      

Ingredients                                      

8 ounces Mushrooms, cleaned and sliced

½ cup Onions, medium diced

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 teaspoon ginger, minced

1 cubano pepper, small diced

1 Tablespoon Olive oil

½ teaspoon smoked paprika

½ teaspoon thyme leaves

½ teaspoon oregano

½ teaspoon allspice

1 teaspoon cumin

½ teaspoon cayenne pepper

Hoppin John Pattie with Mustard Greens

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon black pepper

2 cups brown rice, cooked

1(15 oz) can Black eye peas drained and rinsed

1-2 Tablespoon Canola oil

Instructions

1.       Prep vegetables and gather ingredients.

2.       In a skillet over medium heat, add oil onions, ginger and garlic. Let cook stirring occasionally a few minutes then add mushroom. Continue to cook several minutes then add peppers. Cook vegetables until soft.  Add spice and seasonings to the pan and let cook 1 or 2 minutes longer.

3.       Place the Mushroom mixture in a food processer and then pulse several times until smooth. Add the mushroom mixture to the black eye peas and rice. And mix well to blend. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.

4.       Add Mushroom mixture to a large bowl with black eye peas. Using a potato masher mash peas and mushroom mixture together three or four times. Leaving half of the peas un-mashed. Fold rice into the mixture with a spatula.

5.       Divide mixture and form into 8 equal size balls and roll into patties. Place on a wax paper line tray and refrigerate for 30 – 60 minutes.

6.       Heat a non-stick skillet with a little oil over medium flame. Add patties to the pan and brown on each side.

Serve hot with your favorite vegetables.

Here are some other interesting versions of Hoppin John

Hoppin' John Cassoulet

Hoppin' John

Broccoli with Bow Tie Pasta Alfredo & Pine Nuts



Todays Meatless Monday recipe is can be made in 30 minutes or less. We invite you to try it and let us know what you think.

Broccoli with Bow Tie Pasta Alfredo & Pine Nuts
Serves: 4- 6 servings

Photograph by Meal Makers, Inc.

Ingredients                                 

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 clove garlic, minced

2 teaspoons all-purpose flour

1 cup low-fat (2%) milk

Sea salt to taste

2 tablespoons cream cheese

3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese, plus extra for topping

2 cups Broccoli Florets

12 ounces bow tie (Farfella) Pasta

Freshly ground pepper

Directions

Heat a saucepot to melt  the butter over medium heat. Add the garlic and lemon zest and cook until the garlic is slightly soft, about 1 minute. Add in the flour and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon,1 minute. Whisk in the milk, stirring constantly, until just thickened, about 3 minutes. Add the Neufchatel and parmesan cheese; whisk until melted, about 1 minute.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the bow tie pasta and cook until al dente, 8 to 12 minutes. Add Broccoli florets to pasta about the last 1 1/2 minutes. Drain the pasta and broccoli and return to the pot. Reserve 1 cup of the cooking water.

Toast the pine nuts In a skillet over medium heat.

Add the sauce and 1/2 cup of the reserved cooking water to the pasta and gently toss to combine, adding more cooking water as needed to loosen. Season the pasta with salt and toss with toasted pine nuts. Divide among bowls and top with parmesan and pepper.

Meatless Monday

Portobello Pizzas

SERVES 4       Picture and Recipe adapted from Vegetarian Times

Ingredients

• 4 giant Portobello mushroom caps (about 20 oz. total)
• 2 Tbs. balsamic vinegar, or more as needed
• 1 1/2 Tbs. basil pesto sauce
• 1 1/2 cups shredded combination low-fat mozzarella and provolone cheeses
• 2 oz. sun dried tomatoes chopped
• 6 artichoke bottoms (6 oz.), chopped
• 2 Tbs. (1 oz.) chopped oil-cured olives, optional
• Pinch oregano

Directions

1.       Preheat oven to 425F. Line baking sheet with foil, and spray foil with nonstick cooking spray. Prep vegetables.

2.       Wipe mushroom caps clean, and remove stems. Using small spoon, gently scoop out black gills on underside of mushroom caps, and discard gills. Place mushrooms, cap side down, on foil-lined sheet.

3.       Combine balsamic vinegar and pesto in small mixing bowl, and brush mixture on mushroom caps. Place in oven, and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, or until tender.

4.       Meanwhile, Chop the mushroom stems finely and place in a bowl. Add to the bowl 1 cup cheese, sun dried tomatoes, artichoke bottoms, olives and oregano, tossing to mix well. Remove mushrooms from oven, and, dividing mixture evenly, fill each cap. Sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup cheese over mushrooms.

5.       Bake 7 to 10 minutes more, remove from oven and serve.

 
Large Portobello mushroom caps are the foundation for mini pizzas, packed with the same intense flavors as the standard pizza-parlor pie but minus the calories. Serve with garlic toast and a tossed green salad, and end with an fresh oranges slices with cinnamon for dessert.

Meatless Monday

Vegetable Strudel

I love food that has a crunch. The flaky and crispy Phyllo pastry with various textures of vegetables and spices makes this a fun and exiciting vegetarian entree.

Phyllo is a paper thin sheets of unleavened flour dough. You can find it in the freezer section of most super markets. A few stores carry whole wheat phyllo like Whole Foods.
There are two packs of 8 sheets in each box and for this recipe we used one package. The dough takes about one hour to thaw at room temperature in its plastic package.

The dough can dry out quickly once it is removed from the plactic.  So have all your ingredients ready before removing it from its plackaging. 
 

Vegetable Strudel

Yields 4-6 servings

Ingredients

• 3 Portobello caps, cleaned and cut into strips
•  8 pieces Butternut Squash sliced into 2 inch x ¼ inch long strips
• 1 Red onion sliced
• 2 Japanese eggplant cut lengthwise into 4 slices each
• 1 zucchini, cut into 2-inch long strips
• 1 yellow squash, cut into 2-inch long strips
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper                                                
• 2 garlic minced
• 2 cups baby spinach
• ¼ teaspoon thyme
• Pinch nutmeg
• 8 sheets Phyllo dough
• Nonstick cooking spray ( Can use grape seed, Olive or canola oil)
• Tomato Vodka  Sauce

Directions

Prep vegetables and preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

In a large bowl, toss all the cut vegetables with olive oil, garlic thyme and nutmeg until each piece is coated and then sprinkle with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Transfer the vegetables to a baking sheet and roast until tender about 15 minutes. Allow the vegetables to cool and then place them in a large bowl. Toss in baby spinach. Turn the oven temperature to 425 degrees F.

Lay one sheet of Phyllo lengthwise on cutting board and spray with cooking oil. Top the oil sheet with another and spray the sheet with cooking spray and then stack with another sheets so that there are 4 layers. Repeat with the remaining four sheets so that you have two sets of 4 layers of Phyllo dough.

Turn the Phyllo lengthwise vertically and place about 1/2 of vegetable mixture in the center of each stack. Roll up and tuck in the sides to make a strudel. Make several slits on top of each strudel. Spray the outsides of strudel with cooking spray, place on a parchment paper line baking sheet and bake until golden brown, about 20- 25 minutes.
Let the Vegetable Strudel rest a few minutes before slicing and serving.
Warm Tomato Vodka sauce in a saupe pot over medium flame and spoon sauce on plate then place a slice of Strudel on top and garniah with fresh basil or parsely.

Meatless Monday Recipe

Butternut Squash and Chickpea Stew with Couscous

Serves 6

 Ingredients

• 2 Tbs. olive oil
• 1 medium carrot, small dice (3/4 cup)
• 1 small onion, small dice (1 cup)
• 1/2 red bell pepper, small dice (1/2 cup)
• 2 cups medium diced Butternut Squash
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 ½ teaspoon curry power
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 bay leaf, crumbled
• 1 16-oz. cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 24-oz. vegetable broth
•  2 tablespoons Tomato Paste
• Pinch nutmeg
• Salt & Pepper to taste
• 1 1/2 cups couscous
• 1 ½ cup Water

Directions

1. Heat oil in saucepan over medium heat. Sauté carrot in oil 3 to 5 minutes, or until softened. Add onion and bell pepper, butternut squash and sauté 3 to 5 minutes more, or until soft. Stir in cumin, curry, cayenne pepper and bay leaf.

2. Add the vegetable broth, tomato paste, chickpeas and nutmeg to the saucepan stirring occasionally. Simmer 15 to 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

3. Meanwhile, place couscous in heat-proof bowl, and stir in 1 1/2 cups boiling water. Cover, and let stand 3 to 5 minutes, or until all liquid is absorbed. Fluff couscous with fork. Divide couscous among 6 shallow bowls. Ladle chickpea stew around couscous in each bowl.