My Vegetarian Recipe of the Day

Low carb and vegetarian? That’s impossible, right? Well, if you’re talking strictly Atkins, or something along those lines, it would be pretty difficult, but my husband and I have had some degree of success with the South Beach Diet. Actually, the only reason we haven’t been more successful is because at some point we’ve returned to eating sugar and other junk.

Generally, the idea of unrefined carbs, including whole grains, beans, vegetables and, even, some fruits is entirely compatible with a vegetarian diet. In fact, isn’t that really how we should all be eating?

So, since my husband and I are returning to “The Beach”, I thought that I’d spend some time posting what we eat when we’re eating a healthy carb lifestyle. Feel free to adapt these meals, as you see fit.

I’ve posted a recipe for chili in the past, and it is an excellent recipe. But it really doesn’t qualify as quick and easy. This one is quite easy, ready in a jiffy on those cold nights when you need something warm but dont have any time.

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 cup chopped onions
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 1/2 cups chopped sliced mushrooms (buy the presliced kind)
1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 (19 ounce) can kidney beans with liquid
1 (11 ounce) can whole kernel corn, undrained
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil
salt and pepper, to taste

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Saute onions and garlic until tender. Stir in mushrooms and chili powder. Cook about 6 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, kidney beans, and corn. Season with cumin, oregano, and basil. Add salt and pepper. Cover and cook on medium low for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

If you have some extra time, you can always chop up some vegetables to bulk up this meal. Zucchini, carrots, and peppers would make good additions. If the chili seems too thick, add water a half cup at a time, until it is the thickness you like.

I’ll make a confession. I’m a sucker for hash. I grew up with meat-based hash, but there are plenty of vegetarian options. Here’s one that uses lentils. You can make up the lentils at the beginning of the week and keep them on hand.

Lentil Hash

2 carrots grated
4 cups cooked lentils
2 egg whites
1/2 cup parsley
1/2 cup corriander (cilantro)
1/2 cup bread crumbs
2 chopped tomatos (optional)
3 cloves of crushed garlic
1 tbsp grated fresh ginger
1 small onion chopped

Mix these all together and then brown in 1 T. oil, stirring
often. May serve with a tossed salad or in a pita.

This recipe comes from the cookbook Moosewood Restaurant Low-Fat Favorites. I love the Moosewood cookbooks, and this one is really great. The actual recipe calls for 3 whole eggs and 5 egg whites to lower the fat, but I just put in whole eggs to save on time.

Black Bean and Hominy Frittata

2 c. chopped onions
2 t. vegetable oil
1 green or red pepper, seeded in cut into thin strips
1 jalapeno, seeded and minced
15 oz. can hominy, drained and rinsed
16 oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
2 T. fresh cilantro
5 eggs
1/2 t. salt

Saute onions in 1 t. oil for about 5 minutes, until golden. Add bell peppers and chile and saute on medium heat for another 5 minutes. Stir in the hominy, black beans, and cilantro. Cover, lower the heat, and cook for 5 minutes.

While cooking, beat the eggs with salt. *Stir the bean and hominy mixture into the eggs.

Coat the bottom of the same skillet with the remaining t. of oil and return it to medium heat. When the skillet is hot, pour in the egg mixture and distribute the hominy and beans evenly. Cover and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, until the edges are firm and the bottom has browned. **Place a large flat plate or pizza pan over the skillet and flip the skillet over so that the frittata falls onto the plate. Slide the frittata back into the skillet and cook for about 5 minutes more, until the eggs are fully cooked.

Cut the frittata into wedges and serve hot or at room termperature, topped with salsa and a dollop of sour cream or yogurt.

• When I’m in a hurry, I don’t worry about reoiling the pan. I just use the 2 t. of oil from the very beginning and pour the eggs directly into the warmed bean mixture.

** I never do this step. I use an oven proof pan and just put it under the broiler for a couple of minutes, until the top is browned a little.

This is a pretty simple soup for cold days.

Simple Vegetarian Vegetable Soup

1 onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, sliced
1 T. oil
32 oz. vegetable broth or stock
8 cups water
1 bag frozen mixed vegetables
2 cans of beans (your choice) rinsed
1 can diced tomatoes
1 T. Italian seasoning (or your choice)
salt and pepper, to taste

Saute onions and celery in oil in large pot. Add remainder of ingredients. Bring to a boil, then allow to simmer for about 30 minutes.

This recipe has a double advantage. It is quick and a real comfort food. It’s also versatile, as you can also turn it into a vegetable pot pie (I guess that gives it a triple advantage).

Vegetable a la King

4 T. butter
4 T. flour (I usually use whole wheat)
4 c. milk
1 package frozen mixed vegetables

Melt butter in saucepan over low heat. Whisk in flour until smooth. Add milk gradually, stirring contntly. Cook over medium heat until thickened, stirring often. If it doesn’t thicken up as much as you like, mix a little cornstarch in a cup with cold water, then add it to the sauce. Add vegetables when thickened. Cook another 10 minutes on medium low, stirring often. Serve over toast.

Or for pot pie, put in a prepared pie crust and top with another crust. Vent top crust and cook according to pie crust instructions. Or put in an oblong casserole dish and top with prepared biscuits and cook according to biscuit instructions, until browned.

This is super fast. It says cook 30 minutes, but I don’t think it really takes that long. As a bonus, it’s also low carb— so, if you’re on the South Beach Diet, it’s perfect for that. You can double it pretty easily, and it ought to freeze well, although I haven’t tried that.

Mediterranean Chickpeas

2 medium onions, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 T olive oil
2 cans chickpeas, rinsed
1 10-oz package frozen chopped spinach, defrosted (you could throw in some fresh, if that’s what you have)
1 28-oz can crushed tomatoes
1 t crushed red pepper flakes
1 t dried oregano
1 T. lemon juice
salt & black pepper, to taste

Sauté the onions and garlic in the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat until the onions are tender. Add chickpeas, spinach, tomatoes, pepper flakes, and oregano. Cover and simmer for 30 min. Add lemon juice, salt, and pepper.

This recipe comes from The McDougall Quick and Easy Cookbook. If you don’t have this cookbook, I highly recommend it. All the recipes are vegan and pretty near fat free. They’re also pretty tasty and very easy.

Black-eyed Pea Scramble

1 15- ounce can black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed
1 1/2 c. frozen chopped hash brown potatoes
1 onion, chopped
3 T. ketchup or vegetarian barbecue sauce
1 t. vegetarian Worcestershire sauce (or you can leave this out or substitute Bragg’s amino acids)
1/2 t. oregano
1/2 t. thyme
freshly ground black pepper to taste

Place the peas, potatoes, and onion in a saucepan with water to cover. Cover and cook over medium heat until the potatoes are heated through. Serve stuffed into pita bread, rolled up in a tortilla, or spooned over toasted whole wheat bread or rolls.

We eat this on toast or just by itself. Serve it with a side of your favorite green vegetable or salad, and you have a complete meal.

I’d like to post a series of recipes that are a snap to make for dinner. These will include recipes that take less than 30 minutes to prepare, as well as recipes that can be made ahead of time in a crockpot or slow cooker. I’m at home most of every day, but there are still times when five o’clock sneaks up on me, and I haven’t even thought about dinner until the kids are hanging on my leg saying “we’re hungry.” Whether your working or at home, those times happen. And when they do, you don’t have to make a Taco Bell run. Just make sure that you have a well-stocked pantry, and you can whip up a meal in less time that it will take you to find your keys (or does that only happen at my house?)

If you want something light for a romantic meal, try this delicious vinaigrette over a spinach salad with mushrooms. Garnish with extra strawberries.

Strawberry Vinaigrette Dressing

1 pint fresh or frozen strawberries,
washed and tops cut off
1/2 cup white wine vinegar
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
1-1/2 tsp. walnut oil
2 Tbsp. honey
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. white pepper

Combine first 5 ingredients in a blender and blend thoroughly. Dressing will have a creamy appearance. Season with salt and white pepper.

Here is the promised asparagus side dish to accompany your chanterelles risotto.

Steamed asparagus with lemon butter

1/2 pound fresh asparagus
Salt
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 tablespoon lemon juice

Wash asparagus and trim off bottom of stems by about 2 inches. In a large skillet, bring about 1/2 inch of water to a rapid boil. Season the water with salt and add the asparagus. Cook the asparagus for 2-3 minutes or until bright green and just tender. Drain the asparagus and add butter to the skillet. Stir in the zest and juice. Return the drained asparagus to the skillet and toss to coat. Serve immediately

Variation: After the asparagus is drained, refresh immediately in a bowl of ice water. This will help the asparagus to retain the bright green color. Serve the asparagus cold with vinaigrette.

Risotto strikes me as a particularly elegant, romantic dish. I don’t know what it is about it. Is it the foreign name? The fact that when I was growing up I’d never even heard of a risotto? I’m not sure, but for whatever reason, risotto conjures pictures of candlelit tables and violin players. And it’s not a difficult dish to make. Really. This one has the added advantage of containing the romantic sounding chanterelle mushroom. Serve it with a mixed green salad or one of the delicious asparagus dishes I’ll be posting early next week.

Chanterelle risotto

2 tablespoons butter
2 cloves chopped fresh garlic
2 cups sliced chanterelle mushrooms
2 tablespoons butter
2 cups Arborio rice
5 cups vegetable broth
2 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese
salt
freshly ground black pepper

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, melt 2 tablespoons butter. Cook and stir the garlic and mushrooms in the melted butter for three minutes, being sure to brown the mushrooms little. Set aside.
Meanwhile, melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir in rice, and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Slowly add vegetable broth 1/2 cup at a time, stirring frequently and allowing all the liquid to be absorbed before adding more broth. Continue cooking until the rice is tender to the tooth. Stir in cheese, and season with salt and pepper to taste.

This recipe comes from a great blog called 101 Cookbooks. All of the recipes are not vegan (or even vegetarian), but it’s a fun look at cooking and cookbooks.

This romantic recipe is my promised answer for vegans looking for a sweet treat. I know that there may be an issue with sugar in some of these ingredients, but you should be able to find a vegan product that you feel good about to use in this recipe.

Vegan Amaretto-spiked chocolate mousse

1/2 cup organic chocolate soy milk (for this recipe I like to use Vitasoy Rich Chocolate Soy Milk)
9 or 10 ounce bag of semisweet vegan chocolate chips (I’ve had good success with Tropical Source or Sunspire Brand all-natural brands, NOT carob chips)
12 ounces silken tofu
1/4 cup Amaretto or almond-flavored liquor
1/4 teaspoon natural pure almond extract (I use the Flavorganics Almond Extract for this recipe)
Pour the chocolate milk into a small pot and bring to a simmer. Remove the milk from heat and let cool a bit while you melt down the chocolate chips. You can melt the chocolate chips in a double boiler or if you are like me, and don?t own a double-boiler, you can cobble one together using a tiny saucepan set under a larger mixing bowl. Fill the tiny saucepan with an inch or two of water and bring barely to a simmer ? place the big mixing bowl with the chocolate chips on top of the tiny saucepan and let the heat come up and gently warm the chips while you stir occasionally until completely melted. Remove from heat.
Add the soy milk and silken tofu to the melted chocolate chips. Process with a hand or regular blender until completely smooth. Stir in the Amaretto and almond extract. Taste and adjust for flavor, adding a bit more extract if needed.
Chill in the big bowl (or in individual bowls) for at least 1 1/2 hours, the longer the better. The pudding will set up nicely as it cools.
Makes 6 decadent servings.

This recipe is courtsey of 24 Hour Fitness. I’ve mentioned a couple of changes at the bottom. I think stuffed portobellas make for a very sophisticated meal. Serve it with a little polenta or perhaps a rice pilaf and a mixed green salad, and you have the perfect romantic meal. Cilantro is on the list of aphrodisiacs, so its addition should really light up your evening.

Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms with Cilantro Pesto

Nonstick cooking spray
8 medium-sized portobello mushrooms (5-6 inches in diameter)
1 cup zucchini, finely chopped
1 cup carrots, shredded
3 green onions, thinly sliced
4 tablespoons unseasoned breadcrumbs
1/2 cup shredded, reduced-fat mozzarella cheese
Salt and pepper to taste

Spinach-Cilantro Pesto:
1 cup loosely packed spinach leaves
1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro
3 cloves garlic
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon fat-free parmesan cheese
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1-2 tablespoons water
Salt and pepper to taste

Combine all pesto ingredients except olive oil, lemon juice and water in a blender and pulse blend until coarsely chopped. Gradually add olive oil and lemon juice until mixture is finely chopped. Add enough water to make a paste. Salt and pepper to taste and use at room temperature. Spinach-Cilantro Pesto is also great with pasta and other vegetables.

Rinse mushrooms well. Gently remove mushroom stems without damaging mushroom cap. Chop mushroom stems and set aside. Spray a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray and heat over medium heat until hot. Add chopped mushrooms stems, zucchini, carrots and green onions and saute until crisp-tender (8-10 minutes). Stir in breadcrumbs and Pesto and mix well.

Divide mixture and gently pack in a mound on the mushroom caps. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray with nonstick cooking spray. Arrange mushrooms on pan and roast at 425 degrees until mushrooms are tender, about 15 minutes. Uncover, sprinkle mushrooms with cheese and continue cooking for 5 minutes.

** My notes on this recipe: I prefer to marinate portobella mushrooms for about 30 minutes before I use them. You can mix olive oil and balsamic vinegar (about 1/2 c. of olive oil and 1/4 c. of vinegar) in a large ziplock bag. Add the cleaned mushrooms, shake them around a bit and let them sit for 30 minutes before proceeding with the rest of the recipe.

What’s a romantic meal without something sweet? Fortunately, for ovo-lacto vegetarians, most sweets are acceptable. If you’re vegan things are a bit more tricky, but not impossible. Today’s sweet is appropriate for vegetarians but not vegans. I’ll include something for vegans soon.

One word on chocolate, a large percentage of the chocolate available in grocery stores comes at the cost of young lives. Many cocoa plantations use child labor. Some use child slavery. If at all possible, please consider purchasing fair trade chocolate.

Chocolate Zabaglione

1/4 cup whipping cream, or heavy cream
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips or bars
8 large egg yolks
2/3 cup sugar
1 t. almond extract (or hazelnut, if you can find it)
Pinch salt
1 pound fresh strawberries or raspberries, hulled and quartered
1/4 cup crushed amaretti cookies (if using the hazelnut, use hazelnut biscotti)
Bittersweet chocolate shavings, garnish

Add cream and chocolate to a heavy small saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring often, until the chocolate chips are melted and smooth. Set aside and keep warm.
Whisk the egg yolks, sugar, almond or hazelnut extract, and salt in a large glass bowl until blended. Set the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water, but do not allow the bottom of the bowl to touch the water. Whisk the egg mixture over the simmering water until it is thick and creamy, about 4 minutes. Remove from the heat.

Using a large rubber spatula, fold the melted chocolate mixture into the egg mixture.

Divide the strawberries among 6 footed dishes. Pour the warm zabaglione over the berries. Garnish with cookies and chocolate shavings and serve.