Tag Archives: vegetarian

Fennel, Celery & Pomegranate Salad

Posted on November 23, 2014 by nina in the kitchen

Thank you to Steve and Mary Kin for hosting our Dinner Club this week and especially for assigning me this recipe! I have made it 3 times this week! I hope to make it for Thanksgiving or Christmas too. The red and green colors are so festive!

Fennel, Celery & Pomegranate Salad

This recipe is adapted from Bon Appetit, October 2014. I only increased the quantities because I could not find small fennel bulbs and I wanted a larger quantity to take to a party. You can easily cut this recipe into thirds, but we ate dinner size portions of this with a small piece of meat on the side. It does not keep well, so use it within 1 day for best appearance. It gets a little wilted.

The key is to use a mandolin slicer to thinly slice the fennel, celery and shallots. Be careful of your fingers. Always use the protective handle.

Fennel, Parsley, Celery, Shallots, Pomegranate, Lime Juice, Olive Oil

A Mandolin Slicer set on the thinnest blade

Slicing the fennel with the protective handle in place on the fennel bulb

Slicing the celery 3 half stalks at a time

Coarsely Chopped Celery Leaves

Coarsely Chopped Parsley

Pomegranate Sliced in Half and Then Broken into Quarters

Sliced and Chopped Vegetables Ready for the Marinade

Completed Fennel, Celery & Pomegranate Salad

3 fennel bulbs, thinly sliced

9 celery stalks, thinly sliced

3 shallots, thinly sliced

1 cup flat leaf parsley, coarsely chopped

1/2 cup celery leaves, coarsely chopped (most of the leaves are on the inner celery stalks or the celery hearts)

Seeds from 1 whole pomegranate (slice in half and then break into quarters to easily pop out the seeds)

1/2 cup FRESH lime juice

1/2 cup olive oil

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

Place the mandolin slicer over a large mixing bowl and thinly slice the fennel, celery and shallots directly into the bowl.
Add the coarsely chopped parsley and celery leaves, and the pomegranate seeds
In a small bowl combine the lime juice, olive oil, salt and pepper. Mix lightly and pour over the vegetables. Toss with large mixing spoons.
Serve as a side dish or as the main course for a light salad lunch.

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Posted in salads, side dishes, vegetables and tagged celery, celery leaves, Christmas Salad, dairy free, fennel, gluten free, Holiday Salad, lime juice, mandolin, mandolin slicer, pomegranate seeds, red and green salad, vegetarian. Bookmark the permalink.

Corn Frittata with Romano Cheese

Posted on May 30, 2014 by nina in the kitchen

Corn Frittata

This is nice for breakfast, brunch or lunch. The size of the skillet determines how high the frittata is when served. If you want larger serving pieces, use a smaller skillet. I used a 10 inch stainless skillet. I would use an 8 inch skillet for a thicker serving wedge, but I would not use a larger skillet than 10 inch.

As long as your skillet is HOT before you add the oil or butter, it will not stick too much. If you want to be sure, use a nonstick skillet.

Corn Frittata in a 10 inch Stainless Sautepan

This recipe is taken from Cooking Light 2014. I have changed very little to this recipe. Although I did not add the parsley.

1 teaspoon olive oil

1 1/2 cups fresh corn kernels (2 ears)

1/3 cup diced shallots or onion

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, divided

1/2 teaspoon black pepper, divided

1/4-1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika (a delish addition)

1/4 cup lowfat milk

6 large eggs, lightly beaten

2 teaspoons butter

1 ounce pecorino Romano cheese grated (1/4 cup)

2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat leaf parsley, optional

Preheat broiler.
Heat an 8 or 10 inch ovenproof skillet over medium high heat.
Add oil and swirl to coat.
Add corn and shallots; stir and sauté 3 minutes.
Stir in 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper and smoked paprika.
Saute 1 minute and remove from heat.
In a medium bowl whisk together eggs, remaining salt and pepper and milk.
Add corn mixture to eggs and stir.
Wipe out skillet with paper towel.
Return pan to medium heat and add butter and swirl to melt.
Add egg mixture to pan. Cook 1 minute without stirring.
Gently slide pan back and forth to keep eggs from sticking.
Cover, reduce heat to low and cook 4 minutes.
Sprinkle cheese over eggs.
Place under the broiler to finish cooking 1-2 minutes until eggs are just set and cheese melts.
Sprinkle with parsley.

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Posted in breakfast and tagged corn, frittata, quick meal, smoked paprika, vegetarian. Bookmark the permalink.

Roasted Asparagus and Lettuce Salad with Poached Egg

Posted on March 27, 2014 by nina in the kitchen

Roasted Asparagus and Romaine Salad with Poached Egg

Tonight I made a light dinner in honor of the first days of Spring. The temperature this morning was 5 degrees F, but I am trying to think WARM weather. The longer days and sunshine helps.

I love poached and soft boiled eggs. The French seem to use them often as a topping on their foods. I’ve eaten them on salads, toasted breads, cooked vegetables and on quickly cooked stews at home and in Paris and Corsica! Pretend you are in France enjoying the warmth and ambiance and give this recipe a try! It’s a very quick lunch or dinner that is special enough for company! It only takes 30 minutes 🙂

The original recipe is from Cooking Light May 2013. You can find the recipe there also. Today I used romaine because I could not find arugula at the grocery store. Choose your favorite lettuce variety. The arugula is more French. I also substituted cilantro for the tarragon because I had cilantro in the house. I did not add the toasted bread. If I had not eaten two pieces of bread at lunch, I would have added the bread to this salad tonight 🙂

Serves 4

1 pound asparagus, trimmed

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

1/2 teaspoon black pepper, divided

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, divided

3 tablespoons minced shallots

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

2 teaspoon chopped fresh tarragon or other fresh herb ( I used cilantro today)

5-ounces baby arugula or other lettuce variety

1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

4 large eggs

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
Place asparagus on a jelly-roll pan. Drizzle with 2 teaspoons olive oil. Sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon pepper and 1/8 teaspoon salt
Toss gently to coat. Arrange in a single layer. Bake at 450 degrees for 5 minutes or until tender-crisp.
Place in a large bowl: remaining 7 teaspoons oil,1/8 teaspoon pepper, 1/8 teaspoon salt, shallots, lemon juice and tarragon. Whisk together.
Add arugula and toss. Divide salad onto 4 dinner plates.
Top salad with roasted asparagus.
Add water to a large skillet, filling 2/3 full. Bring to a boil. Add vinegar.
Break each egg into a custard cup and pour gently into water. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook 3 minutes or to desired degree of doneness. The yolk should be runny, but the egg white should be white, not clear.
With a slotted spoon remove each egg and place one on each salad. Sprinkle with black pepper.
Voila!

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Posted in salads, vegetables and tagged asparagus, French, poached egg, quick dinner, quick lunch, vegetarian. Bookmark the permalink.

Warm White Bean and Spinach Salad

Posted on March 22, 2014 by nina in the kitchen

Spinach Salad Topped With Parmesan Crumble

Spinach Salad Before Adding the Baked Crumble

Spinach Salad Before Adding the Amazing Crumble

Dave and I have been enjoying delicious food and friendship with our Dinner Club for many years. The four couples meet every 2 to 4 months for a dinner which the host plans. They then assign the other 3 couples one recipe to make. This past weekend our assigned recipe was one the host experienced at a cooking class in Bay City, Michigan at Fusion 1 Café.

This spinach salad is reminiscent of the 1970s version which includes red onion, chopped egg, bacon pieces and a red wine vinaigrette. The Fusion 1 Café recipe goes beyond this, adding northern beans to the dressing. Bacon is substituted with a crumbly mix of toasted whole grain bread crumbs and parmesan cheese. I used a very hearty whole grain bread which is my favorite choice Kroger Private Selections Artisian Multi- Grain Boule.

This is a hearty salad which can be a nice lunch or light dinner.

2 slices multi-grain bread (the larger middle slices of a round boule)(dry overnight on a rack on the counter)

1 cup grated parmesan cheese, high quality such as Parmigiano-Reggiano

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon salt

10 cloves garlic, peeled and roughly chopped (use generous size cloves)

Salt and pepper

3/4 cup olive oil

2 tablespoons fresh chopped rosemary

1 pound great northern beans, (I used 1-15 ounce can, slightly drained.)

4 Roma tomatoes, seeded and chopped

6 tablespoons red wine vinegar

3 tablespoons Dijon mustard

1 pound baby spinach (I used 10 ounces for 8 people)

1 medium red onion, thinly sliced and soaked in ice water for 5 minutes

1 yellow bell pepper, thin julienned sliced

Shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese as needed

2 hard boiled eggs

In a food processor place the dried bread, parmesan, 2 tablespoons oil, salt and pepper. Pulse until ground and combined.
Toast the mixture in a 400 degree oven for 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Set aside.
Place a skillet over medium heat.
Add the 3/4 cup olive oil and heat. Add the garlic and rosemary.
Cook only 1 minute or less. Do not brown.
Add beans and cook on low for 7 minutes.
Stir in tomatoes, vinegar and Dijon. Remove from heat.
In a large salad bowl place spinach, onion and sliced pepper.
Pour bean mixture over all. Add the cheese and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Shred the eggs over all and top with bread crumb mixture.
Present at the table and toss slightly to serve.

2 Comments

Posted in salads and tagged Fusion 1 Cafe, parmigiano-reggiano, spinach, vegetarian, white bean. Bookmark the permalink.

Aggkaka (Baked Pancake)

Posted on January 20, 2014 by nina in the kitchen

3 Eggs, 2 Cups Milk, 1 Cup Flour plus.....

Aggkaka is a Scandinavian breakfast food that is the simplest to make. My sister, Lisa Lyles, discovered this delish food while working at Holden Village in Chelan Washington. If you remember 3, 2, 1, you can memorize the recipe: 3 eggs, 2 cups milk, 1 cup flour, plus some butter, salt and sugar

Ingredients

4 tablespoons butter
3 eggs
2 cups milk
1 cup flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees
Melt 4 Tablespoons butter in a 9×13 inch baking pan in the hot oven.
In a medium bowl whisk 3 eggs a minute or two.
Whisk in 2 cups milk and then 1/4 cup sugar, 1/4 teaspoon salt and finally 1 cup flour, just until blended.
Pour batter over the melted butter and place in the oven.
Bake 25-30 minutes or until very puffy and lightly browned
The puffiness falls right away, so if you want your guests to visualize this, make sure they are standing at the oven.
Cut into 8 rectangles to serve. I make a cut down the middle of the pan lengthwise and then 3 cuts crosswise.
You can serve with sifted powdered sugar, maple syrup, fresh or cooked fruit….
It’s great reheated as leftovers too!
Adding sliced apples to the melted butter and cooking them slightly in the oven before pouring the batter over them is yummy too 🙂

4 Comments

Posted in Breads and Baking and tagged brunch, eggs, milk, Scandinavian, vegetarian. Bookmark the permalink.

Presto! Roasted Red Pepper Gazpacho

Posted on August 14, 2013 by nina in the kitchen

Roasted Red Pepper Gazpacho

Quick Gazpacho From Your Pantry!

Ingredients Ready to Pulse and Whirl

Although I love the intricacies of an elaborate recipe and in depth cooking techniques, I ADORE EASY when the taste is outstanding! Such is the case here today. Roasted red peppers found in jars on the shelves of our grocery stores are one of the best bargains and most time consuming ingredient you can find. You often will get three whole red bell peppers in one jar! The peppers can be kept whole or cut into various size pieces. Here we will chop them to a chunky consistency to make Gazpacho.

Gazpacho is a traditional Spanish style soup that is served cold. The soups are chopped or pureed mixtures which are red or white in color. The red gazpachos are made primarily of tomatoes with broth and other vegetables. The white gazpachos are made of bread, almonds, cucumbers,broth and olive oil. I have eaten them pureed silky smooth and chopped to a super chunky hearty style. I find the stick blenders are another easier device to use than the food processor. They are much less expensive, easier to clean and provide closer eye contact with the food you are chopping.

So, combine the following ingredients in your food processor or a large bowl to blend up with your stick blender:

1 12-oz jar roasted red sweet peppers, drained (you may choose to add all or some of this liquid to your soup. I added half)

2 14.5 oz cans No Added Salt diced tomatoes

1 1/2 cups Lower Salt/Sodium Chicken Cooking Stock (My fav is Kitchen Basics)

2 Tablespoons olive oil

1 Tablespoon snipped tarragon

1 teaspoon celery seed (celery salt is a substitute)

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1/2 teaspoon sugar

Pulse to desired consistency. Serve cold or at room temperature. Garnish and add at serving time some or all of the following:

Chopped cucumber

Chopped fresh tomato

Fresh tarragon sprig

Salt

Pepper

Crushed red pepper flakes

Balsamic vinegar

1 Comment

Posted in Soups and Stews and tagged cold soup, gazpacho, jarred roasted peppers, quick lunch, vegetarian. Bookmark the permalink.

Chickpea 2 with Olives & Dried Herbes

Posted on May 4, 2013 by nina in the kitchen

Chickpea, Olives & Dried Herbs

Margee Smith introduced this recipe to me through the cookbook by Patricia Wells, Bistro Cooking.It is very similiar to the Chickpea recipe I posted last month. Here I experimented with kalmata olives and oil-cured olives, fines herbes and herbes de Provence, chianti red wine vinegar and balsamic vinegar. Each combination tastes great. Fines Herbes is a dried combination of four: parsley, chives, chervil & tarragon. Herbes de Provence is more floral and contains a variety of flavors. Both mixtures are French, so they are delicious! If I had to make the choice I would use the fines herbes, balsamic vinegar and kalmata olives 🙂

In a medium bowl combine:

1 -15-oz can chickpeas/garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained

1/2 cup finely minced onion

1/2 cup pitted olives cut into 1/4’s or 1/6’s, kalmata or oil-cured

5 cloves garlic, minced

In a small bowl whisk together:

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, aged or red wine vinegar

1 tablespoon dried fines herbes or herbes de Provence

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly crushed black pepper or more

Pour marinade over chickpea mixture. Mix well, cover and refrigerate 1-2 days before serving. Stir several times.

Serve at room temperature.

2 Comments

Posted in salads and tagged balsamic, chickpea, fines herbes, herbs de Provence, vegetarian. Bookmark the permalink.

Spanish Tortilla/Frittata

Posted on April 17, 2013 by nina in the kitchen

The tortilla initial cooking on the stovetop before baking

Platter from Breda (Girona) in Catalunya.

Authenic serving platter inverted onto tortilla

Spanish Tortilla

1 pound fresh sweet mini peppers, halved & roasted or 2 cups bottled roasted red peppers in brine, drained and cut into 2 inch x 1 inch pieces

1 pound small round potatoes

12 large eggs

1 cup milk (optional soy milk, almond milk, or heavy cream)

2 ½ cups grated manchego and romano cheeses

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon pepper

2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves or 2 Tablespoon fresh thyme leaves

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium size yellow onion, chopped

4 large cloves garlic, minced or pressed

Classico brand Spicy Tomato Sauce with red peppers

Preheat oven to 350 degrees with rack in upper third.
In a large saucepan place potatoes and cover with water. Bring to a boil.
Simmer until potatoes easily give to a fork prick, about 5-10 minutes.
Drain and cool on a towel to room temperature.
Peel potatoes if desired. Set aside.
In a large bowl whisk together eggs, milk, cheese, salt, pepper and thyme.
In an oven safe 10-inch non-stick skillet, heat olive oil.
Saute onion until tender. Add garlic and stir ½ minute. Do not brown garlic.
Add the roasted mini peppers and heat through and stir.
Over medium heat pour the egg mixture over the peppers.
Cook until edges are set, a few minutes.
Slice the potatoes in 1/4 inch slices.
Layer the potatoes over the egg mixture. They will sink just under the surface.
Place in the oven and bake until the center is set. An inserted knife should come out clean. The edge should be puffed and golden in spots. Cool at least 10 minutes.
This can be served in wedges from the sauté pan, or inverted onto a platter.
Serve hot with a roasted red pepper tomato sauce.

Makes 8-10 entrée size servings or 12 tapas servings

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Posted in breakfast, main dishes and tagged cheese, Classico brand Spicy Tomato Sauce, eggs, frittata, omelette, potatoes, red pepper sauce, roasted mini peppers, vegetarian. Bookmark the permalink.

Curried Couscous

Posted on March 11, 2012 by nina in the kitchen

This is a versatile recipe and requires no cooking! You can add other favorite bits to make your own twist! Use more veggies and dried fruits if you like.

The original recipe is from The Barefoot Contessa by Ina Garten. Try using cooked quinoa in place of the couscous to make it higher in fiber and gluten free.

I usually make a single recipe because it makes at least 4-8 cups, depending how much veggies and fruit you add. Today I made 4 recipes which I mostly gave to the Midland Open Door food pantry!

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups couscous

1 tablespoon butter

1 1/2 cups boiling water

1/2 cup nonfat Greek yogurt

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon white balsamic vinegar

2 heaping teaspoons curry powder (Madras) or more

1/2 teaspoon tumeric or more

1 1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper

1 cup diced raw carrot or more

1/2 cup dried currants or more

1/2 cup golden raisins or more

1/2 cup slivered almonds or more or pine nuts

3 scallions, thinly sliced or more

1/2 cup diced red onion or more

1/2 cup dried cherries or more

1/2 cup red bell pepper, diced or more

1/2 cup mini sweet peppers, diced optional

Directions

In a medium bowl place the couscous. Melt the butter in the boiling water and pour over the couscous. Cover and let the couscous soak 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.

In a small bowl whisk together the yogurt, olive oil, vinegar, curry, tumeric, salt and pepper. Season to taste. It should have a lot of flavor. Pour over the fluffed couscous and mix well.