My Vegetarian Recipe of the Day

This blog is pretty self-explanatory. Visit often for a new vegetarian recipe every day. Recipes will be vegetarian (no meat, fish, etc.) but not necessarily vegan. Some recipes will include cheese and eggs. If possible (and if I remember) I’ll try to remember to include vegan substitutions. If you know of a substitution that I don’t mention, feel free to leave it in the comment section. Also, feel free to leave feedback about what you like or didn’t like about a given recipe and any changes that you’ve attempted. I hope you enjoy the recipes. May you all live healthy, delicious lives.

The first Sunday in February is “the Big Game”. Traditionally, snacks are meat-laden and unhealthy, but there’s no reason it needs to be that way. Vegetarians can enjoy great snacks (even meat-eaters will like these snacks). So, over the next couple of weeks, I’m going to post my recommendations for the top ten vegetarian Super Bowl snacks.

7 Layer Dip

1 cup sour cream (you can substitute dairy free sour cream)
2 tbsp vegetarian taco seasoning (vegetarian options are available or you can skip this ingredient)
1 can spicy vegetarian refried beans
6 oz Guacamole, about 3/4 cup
1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese (you can use vegan alternatives)
4 Medium scallion(s), chopped
1 Small tomato(es), chopped
6 Medium olive(s), black, sliced

Combine sour cream and taco seasoning; mix well.
Spread refried beans on bottom of a 12-inch round glass serving bowl or edged-platter. Top with guacamole, sour cream, cheese, scallions, tomatoes and olives. Yields about 1/4 cup dip per serving. Serve with tortilla chips or your favorite dipper.

Cream Cheese with topping

This is one of my favorite, super easy snacks. Anyone can make this, and everyone loves it. Also, it can be tailored to the occassion or your personal taste.

Place a block of cream cheese on a plate (I suppose a vegan alternative would work, but it really does work best if it’s in a block, instead of a tub)

Pour topping over it. Serve with crackers.

What should you use for a topping? There are many alternatives. Salsa, pepper sauce, vegetarian barbecue sauce, chutney… you name it, if it pours, you can probably use it. My favorite? Raspberry Chipotle sauce. It’s unbelievable! Hmmm. Wonder if I have any crackers right now?

Super Delicious Potato Skins

4 medium russet potatoes
1/3 cup sour cream (or vegan alternative)
1 tablespoon snipped fresh chives
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, melted
1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese (vegan options would probably work—try to choose a brand that melts well)
5 slices veggie bacon, cooked (alternatively, you could use veggie bacon bits or just leave this out)

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Bake the potatoes for 1 hour. Let the potatoes cool down enough so that you can touch them.
2. Make sour cream dip by mixing the sour cream with the chives. Place the mixture in a covered container in your refrigerator.

3. When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, make 2 length-wise cuts through each potato, resulting in four slices.

4. With a spoon, scoop some of the potato out of each skin, being sure to leave about 1/4 inch of potato inside of the skin. Save the scooped out part for a later meal.

5. Brush the entire surface of each potato skin, inside and outside, with the melted butter.

6. Place the skins on a cookie sheet, cut side up, and broil them for 6 to 8 minutes or until the edges begin to turn dark brown.

7. Sprinkle 2 to 3 tablespoons of Cheddar cheese into each skin.

8 Sprinkle 1 to 2 teaspoons of the veggie bacon pieces onto the cheese.

9. Broil the skins for 2 more minutes or until the cheese is thoroughly melted. Serve hot, arranged on a plate surrounding a small bowl of the sour cream dip.

Artichoke and Spinach Hot Dip

1 box frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry (or 1 cup chopped spinach)
1 14 oz can quartered artichoke hearts, chopped
1 cup mayonnaise (can use canola mayonnaise alternative, or any other vegan alternative)
1/4 cup (2 oz.) cream cheese, softened (substitute dairy-free alternative, if desired)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/8 cup dry bread crumbs
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated (vegan alternatives may be used)
1/8 tsp pepper

Now comes the tricky part: Combine all of the above ingredients and place in baking dish. Bake for approximately 15-20 minutes in a 400 degree oven and serve with crackers.

(That wasn’t so difficult, was it?)

I really love vegetarian fajitas. And they’re great for the Super Bowl because everyone can personalize theirs. Just leave all the fixings out and let everyone make their own.

Super Sizzling Veggie Fajitas

1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon chili powder
garlic salt to taste
salt and pepper to taste
1 teaspoon turbinado sugar

2 small zucchini, cut into chunks
2 medium small yellow squash, cut into chunks
1 large onion, sliced
1 green bell pepper, cut into thin strips
1 red bell pepper, cut into thin strips
2 tablespoons olive oil
Morningstar Farms Meal Starter Chicken or Steak strips (optional)

Flour tortillas

Toppings
cheese, sour cream, guacamole, salsa, or whatever you like

In a large bowl combine olive oil, vinegar, oregano, chili powder, garlic salt, salt, pepper and sugar. To the marinade add the zucchini, yellow squash, onion, green pepper and red pepper. Marinate vegetables in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, but not more than 24 hours.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Drain the vegetables and saute until tender, about 10 to 15 minutes. Add veggie steak or chicken strips, if using. Increase the heat to high for 5 minutes to brown vegetables. Serve with flour tortillas and top according to your whim.

Chili is a fantastic option for a superbowl party. First, it’s familiar. Most people are accustomed to every chili recipe being a little different, so they may not even notice that it’s missing meat. Plus, it’s versatile. You can put it in a crockpot to keep it warm. You can serve it by itself, over rice, with veggie dogs, or even make chili cheese fries or corn chip pie. All perfectly acceptable sports foods.

Vegetarian chili

1/4 cup olive oil
2 medium yellow onion, diced (about 1 1/2 cups)
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons oregano
1/4 – 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes, to taste
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
2 tablespoons tomato paste
4 large carrots, diced
2 zucchini, diced
3 stalks celery, diced
1 large (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 15-ounce can tomato sauce
1 20-ounce can kidney beans, drained
3/4 cup bulgar wheat (optional for gluten-free, or can add tvp— if using tvp, add extra cup of water)
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar or vegetarian Worcestershire sauce
Salt to taste
SERVING SUGGESTIONS:
Chopped fresh cilantro leaves
Diced avocado
Grated Monterey Jack cheese (or soy-cheese)
Sour cream (or soy substitute)
Chopped fresh jalapeño peppers
Tabasco or other hot sauce

Heat oil in a large heavy bottom stew pot or dutch oven over high heat. Add onions, garlic and all dried seasonings, except for chili powder and salt. Sauté until onions are translucent.

Add chili powder and tomato paste and stir to disperse evenly through the onion mixture. Sauté for 30 more seconds and then add the carrots, zucchini and celery. Cook all the vegetables, stirring, for about 2 minutes.

Add the tomatoes, tomato sauce, beans and bulgar or tvp and bring mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat and let simmer for 20 minutes. Stirring occasionally. Stir in the vinegar or Worcestershire sauce and season to taste.

I remember when I was younger and ate meat, I really enjoyed going to Chili’s for their chili con queso. Now that I don’t eat meat, I’ve missed that chili with cheese combination. But I don’t have to miss out. And neither do you.

Veggie Chili Con Queso

16 ounces Velveeta (can substitute Better Than Cream Cheese cream cheese substitute )
2 12 ounce cans vegetarian chili (or use 3 cups of your own homemade vegetarian chili)
1 (4 ounce) can chopped green chilies (you may omit this if you’re using a spicy brand of chili)
1 (16 ounce) jar salsa or Rotel
1 minced red onion
tortilla chips

Combine all ingredients, except chips, in a crockpot and let go for about an hour on high, stirring every so often.
Reduce temp to low until ready to serve with chips for dipping.

Quesadillas

Quesadillas can be pretty much anything you want them to be. You can saute some vegetables, or just melt some cheese (or vegan options) between a couple of tortillas. Add some guacamole, picante, or your personal favorite toppings, and you’re good to go. Here are two recipes from Food Network.

Grilled Green Chili Quesadillas

3 fresh chile peppers, such as poblanos—any variety may be used, according to your tolerance for heat
4 (12-inch) large flour tortillas
3 cups (3/4 pound brick) smoked cheddar (recommended: Cabot brand, shredded)
1 cup store bought salsa verde, available on chip and snack aisle or in Mexican food section
1 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves

Heat a grill pan over high heat. Place whole chiles on grill and char all over. about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and split chiles. Scrape away seeds with a spoon and slice.
Heat a large nonstick skillet or griddle over medium high heat. Char the tortilla and blister it on 1 side, 20 seconds, then flip tortilla. Cover half of the tortilla with cheese and chilies, then fold over. Press down gently with spatula. Cook quesadilla 15 seconds more on each side, transfer to a cutting board. Repeat. Pile up 2 completed quesadillas at a time and cut into 3 generous wedges. The yield will be 12 pieces from 4 quesadillas. Serve slices on a large platter with small dishes of salsa verde and sour cream for topping. Garnish the platter and toppings with chopped cilantro.

Wild Mushroom Quesadillas with Warm Black Bean Salsa

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 2 turns of the pan, plus some for drizzling
16 crimini mushroom caps, baby portobellos, with stems, trimmed and thinly sliced
12 shiitake mushrooms, thinly sliced, stems discarded
Coarse black pepper and salt
1 tablespoon (a few sprigs) fresh thyme leaves, chopped, or 1 teaspoon dried
4 large flour tortillas, 12 inches in diameter
2 cups shredded sharp white cheddar
Salsa:
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, 1 turn of the pan
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
1 can black beans, drained
1 cup frozen corn kernels
1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil, chopped
1/2 cup smoky barbecue sauce
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Heat a medium nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the oil and the sliced mushrooms to the hot skillet. Season mushrooms with black pepper, salt and thyme. Saute the mushrooms 10 minutes or, until dark and tender, then remove from heat. Transfer the mushrooms to a dish and return the skillet to the stove over medium heat.
Add another turn of extra-virgin olive oil to the skillet and add the onions, garlic and jalapeno pepper; saute for 2 or 3 minutes, then add beans and corn to the pan. Stir in chopped tomatoes and barbecue sauce, then season salsa with salt and pepper. Transfer warm salsa to a serving dish.

Heat a griddle pan or large nonstick skillet over medium to medium high heat. Add a drizzle of oil to the pan and 1 flour tortilla. Cook tortilla 1 minute, then turn it over. Sprinkle 1/2 cup sharp cheddar over 1/2 of the flour tortilla. Cover the cheese with 1/4 of the cooked sliced mushrooms. Fold the plain 1/2 of the tortilla over top of the filling and gently press down with a spatula. Cook the filled quesadilla 30 seconds to a minute longer on each side to lightly brown and crisp the quesadilla and melt the cheese. Remove the quesadilla to a large cutting board or transfer to a warm oven to hold, then repeat with remaining quesadilla ingredients.

Cut each quesadilla into wedges and serve with warm salsa for topping.

Most people who don’t like hummus haven’t tried hummus. Hummus is the Middle Eastern/Mediterranean answer to bean dip. It’s delicious with chips, with pita, or rolled up in a flat bread with some lettuce, tomatoes, olives, and maybe a bit of feta cheese. Here are three recipes for hummus from Eden Organics.

Chickpea Basil Hummus

15 ounces Eden Organic Garbanzo Beans, 1 can, do not drain
3 Tablespoons organic roasted tahini (sesame butter)

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon Eden Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1/4 cup red onion, diced

1 teaspoon Eden Umeboshi Paste, or salt to taste

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, packed, chopped

Place all ingredients in a food processor or blender. Blend until smooth and creamy. Great with any Eden Brown Rice Chips or Brown Rice Crackers.

Eden Hummus

30 ounces Eden Organic Garbanzo Beans, 2 cans, do not drain
1/4 cup organic roasted tahini (sesame butter)

1 Tablespoons Eden Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 1/2 Tablespoons Eden Umeboshi Paste, or to taste (or you can use salt, to taste)

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 lemon, juiced

2 Tablespoons fresh parsley, minced

Blend all ingredients in a food processor or blender until smooth and creamy, adjusting the consistency with a little cold water if needed. A quick, homemade version of this Middle Eastern favorite. We use umeboshi paste for added flavor in place of raw salt. Serve as a dip with Eden Brown Rice Chips, Sea Vegetable Chips, Vegetable Chips, Wasabi Chips or with warm pita bread.

Hummus with Roasted Red Peppers

30 ounces Eden Organic Garbanzo Beans, 2 cans, do not drain
1/4 cup organic roasted tahini (sesame butter)

1 Tablespoon Eden Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 1/2 Tablespoons Eden Umeboshi Paste, or to taste

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 lemon, juiced

2 Tablespoons fresh parsley, minced

1 small jar roasted red peppers, water or oil packed

Blend all ingredients in a food processor or hand food mill until smooth and creamy, adjusting the consistency with a little cold water if desired. A quick, homemade version of this Middle Eastern favorite. We use umeboshi paste for added flavor in place of raw salt. Serve as a dip with Eden Brown Rice Chips, Sea Vegetable Chips, Vegetable Chips, Wasabi Chips, Eden Brown Rice Crackers, Arare 5 Flavor Crackers, Nori Maki Crackers or with warm pita bread.

My husband loves eggplant. So, this is a great idea for viewing the Super Bowl, or anytime that we’d like a lighter, portable meal. Eggplant parmesan might be a little messy for sitting on the couch, but maybe with a bib…

This recipe was inspired by a recipe on Epicurious.com. I simplified the recipe, but if you would like to attempt the original recipe, you can view it here.

Eggplant Parmesan Heros

2 jars marinara sauce
1 (1 1/4-lb) eggplant, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick rounds
1 1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. pepper
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 3/4 cups fine fresh bread crumbs (from firm white sandwich bread), lightly toasted
1/2 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (3 oz)
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 cups vegetable oil
4 (12-inch-long) loaves Italian bread, halved lengthwise
1 lb mozzarella, thinly sliced

Prepare eggplant:
Toss eggplant slices with 1 teaspoon salt in a colander set over a bowl, then let stand 30 minutes.

Stir together flour, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a shallow bowl, then stir together bread crumbs and Parmigiano-Reggiano in another shallow bowl.

Dredge eggplant slices in flour, shaking off excess, then dip in egg, letting excess drip off, and dredge in bread crumbs until evenly coated. Transfer eggplant to sheets of wax paper, arranging slices in 1 layer.

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Heat vegetable oil in a deep 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then fry eggplant 4 slices at a time, turning over once, until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes per batch. Transfer with tongs to paper towels to drain.

Arrange bottom halves of bread loaves on a large baking sheet and tops on another large baking sheet, all with cut sides up. Spread 1/4 cup tomato sauce on each top and bottom. Divide eggplant between bottom halves, overlapping slices slightly. Top each (open-faced) sandwich with 1/4 cup tomato sauce and one fourth of mozzarella.

Bake open-faced sandwiches in lower third of oven until cheese melts, about 3 minutes. When cheese begins to melt, put tops of loaves in upper third of oven and bake until edges are golden, 3 to 4 minutes (watch tops closely; they burn easily). Put tops on bottoms to make sandwiches, then slice into serving pieces.

What’s a Super Bowl without some nachos? This super easy recipe comes from Boca Burger’s site.

Boca Burger Nachos

1 pouch (1 cup) frozen BOCA Meatless Ground Burger
1/2 cup chunky salsa
16 tortilla chips
2 Tbsp. shredded Monterey Jack cheese (or vegan alternative)
1/4 cup chopped tomato
1 Tbsp. chopped jalapeño peppers
sliced green onions
sliced black olives

MIX ground burger and salsa in nonstick skillet; cook on medium heat 5 min. or until heated through, stirring occasionally.
ARRANGE tortilla chips on plate; top with ground burger mixture. Sprinkle with remaining ingredients.

For something a little different than chili, try this Louisiana alternative— gumbo. This recipe is adapted from a recipe by Emeril Lagasse, although I’m sure he wouldn’t want to claim it, though, without its animal ingredients.

8 cups vegetable broth or stock
1 1/2 cups olive oil
1 1/2 cups bleached all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
2 bay leaves
2 cups chopped yellow onions
1 cup chopped green bell peppers
1 cup chopped celery
one package, Boca Burger smoked sausage, half finely chopped, half cut crosswise into 1/4-inch thick slices (optional)
2 cans white beans
2 tablespoons chopped green onions or scallions
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
Cooked rice, for serving

In a large, heavy pot or a Dutch oven over medium heat, combine the oil and flour. Cook, stirring constantly, until the roux is a dark, chocolate brown color, about 20 to 25 minutes. Add the salt, cayenne pepper, bay leaves, chopped onions, bell peppers, celery, chopped sausage and beans. Cook, stirring, until the vegetables are very soft, about 8 to 10 minutes. Add the broth and stir until the roux mixture and broth are well combined. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 1 hour. Add the sliced sausage and cook another 15 minutes. Remove the bay leaves.

Stir in the green onions and parsley and serve the gumbo in individual soup or gumbo bowls over hot, steamed rice.

Well, the Super Bowl is upon us, so my series on Super Bowl snacks must come to an end. But don’t worry. Starting Monday I’ll be running a new series of recipes. Romantic vegetarian recipes, suitable for a special dinner with your sweetie.