Category Archives: vegetables

Tomato Time Pasta

Posted on August 25, 2014 | Leave a comment

photo 2 (3)photo 4 (2)photo 5 (3)Nothing but beautiful tomatoes out there begging to be eaten in a million different ways. Perfect for a “Meatless Monday” dish or any night of the week . There are tons of local tomatoes out there now. At any local farmers market you can pick up pints of these beautiful babies. This is a lovely light pasta.

I had bought 2 pints of those beautiful little cherry tomatoes and right now there are those gorgeous yellow sunburst tomatoes also available.  I wasn’t sure what I would do with them. They varied in size so I knew if I made a sauce some were getting cut and some would stay whole. Nothing ever sounds better than a plate of pasta to me,  nothing.   These beautiful tomatoes are only out for such a limited time you have to get them while the getting is good.  Some of the tomatoes were super small and I left them whole while I halved the larger ones. There are so many variations of this sauce and feel free to improvise. We love it this way. So simple and so delicious.

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Ingredients:

1 lb. spaghetti , I like long spaghetti for this but whatever kind you like is good– I used a whole box but you can use however much you’d like

4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced. If you’d prefer you can slice thinly

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper* we like it spicy so if you don’t want it that spicy cut to 1/4, I actually used 1 whole teaspoon and it packed a lot of kick.

2 pints of cherry tomatoes or you can use about 3 cups of chopped fresh tomatoes of any type. I cut the larger tomatoes in 1/2 and I left the little ones whole.

app. 20 leaves of fresh basil, I just cut them up into small slivers

Kosher Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper to taste –I used app. 1 teaspoon on tomatoes and added towards the end

freshly grated parmesan at your discretion

Directions:

Cook pasta according to directions on box for al dente. Reserve a cup of pasta water in the event you may need a little more liquid in your sauce. Add 2 tablespoons of salt to cooking water for pasta. The Italians like to say that their pasta water should be like sea water good and salty.

Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat add 4 tablespoons of olive oil and garlic, cook until garlic is golden brown, about 2 minutes. Be careful don’t want to burn this garlic. Add the crushed red pepper now and the tomatoes, and cook over medium heat. I also added some kosher salt (about 1/2 teaspoon to start, you can always add more) and a little freshly ground black pepper. Stir for a while to make sure garlic doesn’t burn and tomatoes start to burst and deflate about 5  minutes. I let the tomatoes simmer in the pan for about 15 minutes. Taste for Salt and Pepper. The longer the tomatoes sit in the oil and cook down on a low simmer the better the sauce will be so if you have a little time let it sit.

Once the spaghetti is cooked and you’ve drained it ( remember to reserve a cup of pasta water).  Add it to the pan with tomatoes and over medium-high heat toss the pasta with the tomatoes well. Add the basil and if you’d like add cheese. I let everyone add their own cheese at the table.

Remove the pan from the heat and plate it up.

Yum! and even more delicious the next day.

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Yellow Tomato Gazpacho

Posted on August 3, 2014 | 1 comment

photo 4 (3)photo 4 (2)I had purchased the most beautiful yellow  tomatoes and figured I would make gazpacho. Gazpacho is by far one of my most favorite summer time soups.  This one is fairly smooth.  Before serving I added  avocado and served with tortilla chips for a wonderful most satisfying meal. This is also super easy and you’ll look like a pro if you just follow these easy directions. You’ll need a decent blender and a few easy to obtain ingredients and you have a wonderful additional to any meal or a nice light lunch. This time I used beautiful yellow tomatoes, you can use any color you’d like and you can use any kind of tomato from the small grape or cherry tomatoes to the larger ones.  The yellow tomatoes with the flecks of jalapeno made a strikingly beautiful soup.photo 2 (3) photo 2I have another recipe titled “Farm to Table Gazpacho” it’s more of a traditional gazpacho! I am going to re-post it as well.

Ingredients:

2 lbs. yellow tomatoes, I used regular sized tomatoes. You can use yellow or orange cherry tomatoes and get the same effect. I washed and dried tomatoes and cut into quarters or halves for easier blending. Heirlooms are amazingly delicious when in season which they are right now! My sister makes this recipe by parboiling the tomatoes, removing the skin and cutting core out of tomatoes. This is an other option. I opted for the easier method but both are delicious and work well.

1 garlic clove (average sized)–you can use 2 cloves if you like a bit more bite of garlic

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 jalapeno, seeded and minced ( be careful handling jalapenos always, I use rubber gloves and be very careful not to get seeds on my hands) wash carefully after cutting up jalapenos, seriously. If you like more kick keep a few seeds from jalapenos. You can use Serrano Chiles also but I still think Jalapenos have the most bang for the buck.

app. 1 tsp. kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste , you may need to add salt and pepper at the end

Diced avocado and tortilla chips for serving.

Directions:

In a blender, puree the halved tomatoes and garlic with 1/4 cup of water. While the machine is on I gradually add the olive oil until fully incorporated. Transfer to a bowl then stir in the jalapeno and season with salt and pepper. Refrigerate until chilled, at least an hour or so, better overnight.

When you’re ready to serve ladle the gazpacho into bowls and top with diced avocado. Serve with tortilla chips. If you leftover shrimp it is also delicious to add and makes it more of a meal!

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Posted in Raw, vegan, vegetables, vegetarian

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Summer Salad–Farm Fresh Farro

Posted on July 23, 2014 | 1 comment

photo 5 (4)photo 4 (65)photo 2 (69)photo 3 (4)During the summer months in Colorado I am usually outdoors on a hike or my bike and while out there I can’t help but be inspired by all the beauty surrounding me here in the mountains. One of the things I often think about while out there is what I am going to make for dinner. Our daughter Kerri was out here visiting and while she is out here I am always on the search for some new vegetarian recipes to try out.  The inspiration for this salad came from some beautiful radishes from the farmers market and some fresh sugar snap peas. During the summer months with all the beautiful fresh vegetables available it’s super easy to throw together these salads. The fresh parmesan pieces give it the extra kick and salt it needs, use as much or as little as you like. I prefer pearled farro for this recipe.

*original recipe from Jessica Seinfeld website Do it Delicious

Ingredients:

1 cup pearled farro

1 cup sugar snap peas

4 large radishes

2 scallions

1/4 cup mint leaves loosely packed

1/4 cup parmesan pieces

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

Follow directions on the box of farro or fill a saucepan to about an inch from the top. Bring to a boil, and add the farro and cook until tender but still chewy, about 10 minutes. Drain in a strainer and run under cold water to cool down. Drain out excess water and let sit while you prep the rest of the salad.

Wash the snap peas and radishes. Remove the stems from the snap peas, cut them crosswise into 1/2″ pieces and add to a medium bowl. Trim the stems off the radishes and remove the root ends. Slice the radishes in half , then slice crosswise into thin half moons. Add the radishes to the bowl. Trim the ends of the scallions, wash and then slice the white and light green parts of the scallions into small rounds. Add to the bowl. Tear the mint leaves and add to the bowl. Take the parmesan and crumble into the bowl, you can use your hands or a knife to crumble parmesan. Add the cooled farro to the bowl.

Add the lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper to the bowl. Taste for seasonings. Mix and allow to sit for a bit before serving. I made ahead and stored in fridge. I removed before serving for a while to bring to room temperature.

 

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Fresh Tomato Pasta with Ricotta

Posted on July 16, 2014 | 1 comment

photo 5 (2) photo 5 (3) photo 3 (2) photo 5 (4)photo 2 (2)What could be bad here? Fresh delicious ingredients and pasta with fresh  I always make my fresh tomato sauce with little cherry tomatoes in the summer ( summer pasta favorite in this house). This time out I added in Ricotta Cheese, all you cheese lovers out there will love this. If you don’t love cheese just make without but don’t leave out the fresh basil because the flavor is what it’s all about. This is super easy and you’ll look like a star. By the way this was the night of the super moon and check out that awesome sunset over the mountains. Rocky Mountain High.

Ingredients:

2 cloves garlic, chopped

app. 1 and 1/2 packages of small cherry tomatoes or 1 lb. or so

1 small package of fresh basil will work but a little more is good too.

3 Tbsp. Olive Oil divided into 2 Tbsp. and 1 Tbsp.

2 Tbsp. Water

Fresh Ground Black Pepper app. 1/4 tsp. and then more to taste

1 tsp. kosher salt and then to taste

1 box any kind of spaghetti you like, I used bucatini it’s a personal favorite

1 cup whole milk or part-skim ricotta cheese, I used a little more but it’s fine to only use 1 cup.

Directions:

Prepare pasta according to directions on the box for al dente. You’ll want pasta with a little bite to it, never mushy and over cooked.

Chop 2 cloves of garlic. Clean Basil leaves and take out 3/4 of Basil and wash it , dry it and tear it into small pieces. Wash the tomatoes.

Place a large skillet or any large pot on the stove on a medium heat. Put 2 Tbsp. of Olive Oil in pot and heat for a few minutes till oil starts to shimmer. Add the chopped garlic to pot, the add the basil. Cook down stirring with a wooden spoon for about a minute, don’t burn garlic. Stir in the tomatoes leaving them whole, and add 2 Tbsp. of water ( tap water is good here). Add tsp. of kosher salt and about 1/4 tsp. of freshly ground black pepper. Cover and cook for about 10 minutes. Uncover and continue cooking while cooking pasta. You will want tomatoes to break down and release their juices for the sauce.

Once the pasta is cooked al dente, drain it in a colander, no need to rinse cooked pasta. Then add it to the pot with the tomatoes. I added ricotta cheese right before we were going to eat and mixed well with the rest of the basil leaves and taste for more salt and pepper.

Delicious! and Easy!

 

 

 

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Soy Roasted Cauliflower

Posted on July 9, 2014 | Leave a comment

photo 1 (2) photo 1 photo 3 photo 4I had bought cauliflower and wanted to do something new to it other than just plain roasted .  I love it just roasted but I had soy sauce, had sesame oil, had olive oil, and well you get the picture. I wish I had some sesame seeds to sprinkle over it and I would have sprinkled some scallions as well but since I had neither seeds or scallions I forged ahead. It was so delicious. I mean how could this be bad? Joel wouldn’t touch it and again he doesn’t know what he’s missing. It just means that there’s more for me and I save the leftovers for the next day to put in a salad. This is a very tasty side dish and can be made just as well with broccoli. Easy and Enjoyable! Perfect.

Ingredients:

1 head cauliflower

2 Tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon sesame oil

1 Tablespoon soy sauce

Sprinkle of Kosher Salt or Truffle Salt

*1 Tablespoon Sesame Seeds – didn’t have but will def remember for next time

*1 scallion, sliced up for garnish at the end

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Remove the core from the cauliflower and cut into small florets. In a large bowl, toss the cauliflower with the oils, soy sauce, salt and sesame seeds.

Spread on a large rimmed baking sheet ( I spray with Pam first) and roast until tender and browned, stirring once halfway through about 25 minutes in. Take a taste and adjust salt if need be. I just sprinkled salt lightly over the cauliflower because of the soy sauce it’s plenty salty but taste for yourself. I cooked for a total of 55 minutes. You will have to adjust cooking time for your oven. Safe to say about an hour or so depending also on how large you leave the florets.

Transfer to a serving bowl and if you’d like garnish with sliced scallions.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Pasta with Avocado and Tomatoes–Fresh and Easy

Posted on July 2, 2014 | 3 comments

IMG_4523 (2) IMG_4528photo 5 (54) photo 3 (73) Thinking about what to make for dinner and I find myself with some tomatoes, some avocados and I always have pasta. Don’t want to go out, don’t want to really cook a lot and I had lemons and garlic. I love avocados, its possibly my most favorite fruit yes, it is technically considered to be a fruit.  I sometimes have them for breakfast , lunch and dinner . I don’t care, I love them. So for all of you avocado people this one is for you for sure.  I think this whole thing took me all of 20 minutes from start to finish. I used 1/2 a box of spaghetti so I would double for 1 lb. Hate to admit it but I ate almost the whole thing by myself. It was that good! The avocado made like a creamy sauce using a little pasta water which is key . Enjoy! this is my new summer staple.

*Remember this is for 8 oz. of pasta–double up for 1 lb.

Ingredients:

recipe based on 8 oz. of any kind of spaghetti , I think spaghetti is best because of the way it holds on to the avocado. Having said that use whatever pasta you like or have in the house.

1 large ripe avocado, scooped out

1/2 clove garlic, finely chopped or grated . I finely chopped mine.

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

Salt and Pepper to taste

I used a handful of little plum tomatoes but you can use as much or as little tomato as you like. If using a regular tomato use 1 large tomato and I  would scoop out the seeds and discard them.

Directions:

Prepare pasta according to directions. Once pasta is cooked, reserve about 1/2 cup of pasta water which you’ll definitely need to thin out sauce.

Cut tomatoes in 1/2 or 1/4 if using the little ones. If larger tomato just chop into small pieces.

Scoop out the avocado flesh into a bowl and using a fork mash into a chunky paste. (think guacamole consistency)

Add the garlic, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Mix together and taste then adjust the salt and pepper as needed.

Add the drained cooked pasta to the bowl with about 1/4 of a cup of pasta water and the tomatoes. Using tongs or spoons toss the pasta. The avocado will thin out as it coats the pasta. Add more pasta water as necessary to thin out sauce to desired consistency.

This was amazing!

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Posted in vegan, vegetables

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Roasted Sweet Potato Rounds

Posted on May 14, 2014 | Leave a comment

photo 2photo 3 (59)photo 2 (55) photo 2 (54)I love sweet potatoes and they are certainly not just for Thanksgiving.  I prefer them over white potatoes and they are delicious and very healthy. This recipe is a touch sweet and spicy and we love them. Again thanks to Jessica Seinfeld for this delicious and simple recipe. You’ll want to buy the dark-skinned sweet potatoes if available, the ones labeled garnet or jewel yams. Leave the skins on for extra nutrients. Try to cut the rounds to even thickness for even roasting and for best results. Sweet Potatoes work well for a casual barbecue or an elegant sit down dinner. Enjoy them!

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp. brown sugar 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper–about 12 turns on a pepper mill about 3 medium sweet potatoes 2 Tbsp. olive oil

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, salt, cumin and black pepper. Scrub the potatoes first, then cut the potatoes into 1/2 inch thick rounds . Place on a rimmed baking sheet ( spray first with cooking spray) Drizzle with the olive oil, sprinkle with the brown sugar mixture and using clean hands toss to coat. Arrange in a single layer without any overlapping and roast until the potatoes are tender , about 1/2 hour. I checked after 20 minutes and turned them over for the last 10 minutes or so.

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White Beans and Spinach in a Pan

Posted on March 31, 2014 | Leave a comment

photo 2 (4) photo 1 (2) photo 1 photo 2 (2)I made the Maple Dijon Salmon and I was in the mood for spinach so I made this as my side dish. It was so totally delicious with the salmon served on the side . I didn’t feel like making or eating another salad, so I used baby spinach and cannellini beans right from the can. Total cooking time was under 10 minutes. Of course I ate this alone because Joel would never touch spinach but that’s an old story by now one we are very used to hearing. His loss as I always say. If you like spinach and I very much do this is a delicious spin on just plain sautéed spinach. Beautiful brilliant ingredients go together to make a really delicious side dish to almost any meat or fish. Or serve with some quinoa or tofu as a vegetarian alternative. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons of olive oil divided, 2 and then 1 when you add the beans

Kosher Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper to taste

15 ounce can of white beans, I used Cannelini Beans but you can use chick peas or any other white beans you would like, drained and rinsed.

1 lb. fresh spinach , I used baby spinach because I really like it. Wash and dry the leaves.

Directions:

In a large nonstick skillet heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil on medium-high. Add spinach and toss gently. Once the spinach wilts. Lower the heat to a medium-low heat, then add the beans and another 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve. If not serving immediately you’ll just heat it up right before serving. Yum.

 

 

 

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Kale Quinoa Bake

Posted on March 14, 2014 | 2 comments

photo 1 (56)photo 1 (58) photo 4 (43) photo 2 (45) photo 1 (59)What a great time to play around with vegetarian recipes while our daughter Kerri is out here visiting in Colorado. This is a new recipe that I got from Jessica Seinfeld’s “Do it Delicious” Blog. My friend Cathy told me about it and she was right and once again Jessica Seinfeld hit it out of the ball park. I love this recipe and anyone looking for a new vegetarian side or main dish this one is just perfect. We ate it cold out of the fridge the next day after skiing and it was still delish! Big thumbs up here . Thanks Cathy and Jessica.

Ingredients:

4 cloves garlic, chopped

1 1/2 pints cherry or grape tomatoes, washed and rinsed

2 tablespoons olive oil

4 cups torn kale leaves, I bought the bag of chopped and cleaned at Whole Foods and it is perfect

1 3/4 cups water divided (1/4 cup + 1 1/2 cups)

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 1/2 cups Quinoa

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Chop the garlic , clean and rinse the tomatoes.

Place a large oven proof pot on the stove ( if you want to go from stove top to oven you’ll need an oven-proof pot) I cooked it in oven in a separate Pyrex dish.

Heat the olive oil until it shimmers ( app. 2 mins.) add the garlic and cook without burning, stirring with a wooden spoon, until lightly golden ( about a minute) Add the tomatoes and 1/4 cup of the water and cover the pot. You will now cook the tomatoes till they start to break down , it took me about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, if you haven’t bought cleaned and chopped Kale, tear the kale leaves from the tough stems into bite size pieces. ( app. 4 cups) discard the stems. Clean and dry the kale, a salad spinner works very well here.

Once the tomatoes are ready, add the remaining 1 1/2 cups of water, salt, black pepper and red pepper. Bring to a boil. Stir in the kale and the quinoa. I transferred to an 8 x 8 inch baking dish. Sprinkle with the parmesan and cover tightly with foil. As I said before you can leave it in the pot from stove and cover with a lid. Transfer to the oven and bake until the quinoa is tender , about 25 minutes,  I added a drop more water after 25 minutes and cooked in total about 35 minutes. You’ll have to play with it depending on your oven. Out here in Colorado with altitude it can be a little funky.

If you’d like sprinkle with extra Parmesan before serving.

Makes a wonderful healthy vegetarian dish and should serve 4 – 6 .

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Posted in Uncategorized, vegetables, vegetarian

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Quinoa , Chicken and Veggies

Posted on January 31, 2014 | 2 comments

photo 5 (21)photo 1 (38) photo 1 (40)photo 1 (39)photo 1 (38)photo 3 (30)photo 3 (29)This recipe kind of came together in a very slap-happy sort of way. I had an outline of what I wanted to do and ingredients I wanted to work with and I was very happy with the outcome.  It was actually very very tasty. The secret ingredient here was the Feta cheese without a doubt. I don’t think Joel would have gone for it if not for the feta. The feta just slightly melts into the quinoa and tomatoes with just the perfect consistency and flavor. You can use broccoli but that would have caused a near riot in my house, Joel won’t go near broccoli but he actually ate the zucchini much to my surprise! Don’t leave out the basil leaves or lime juice because they both add a lovely layer of flavor to this dish. I believe this dish qualifies as “healthy” and it is most certainly yummy. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 cup rinsed quinoa ( any kind you like) I used white this time

2 cups chicken broth

4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil divided

2 garlic cloves, chopped

1 small onion , chopped

2 skinless , boneless chicken breasts, cut into strips. I didn’t cut pieces too small. You can use stir fry strips if the meat dept. has them already pre-cut into this size, that’s perfect. Whole Foods cut the chicken breast for me. ( a little time saver)

1 zucchini, diced

1 small can diced tomato ( 16 oz.) whole can juice and all (or now they have great little boxes of diced San Marzano tomatoes)

4 ounces crumbled feta cheese

8 fresh basil leaves, you can chop or not. They will shrink up if you leave them whole , it’s up to you.

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

Directions:

Bring the quinoa and chicken broth to a boil in a skillet, reduce heat to a simmer and cover the pan. Simmer until the broth is absorbed, the quinoa is fluffy, about 12 minutes. Just let it simmer a little longer if it’s not ready in 12 minutes. Till it’s fluffy.

Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a skillet, add the chopped garlic and onion and cook until onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in the chicken breasts and cook until the chicken is still slightly pink in the middle, about 5 more minutes. Remove the chicken meat and set aside. Pour 2 more tablespoons of olive oil in the skillet and cook and stir in the zucchini, and tomatoes until the zucchini is tender, about 6 – 8 minutes. Return chicken to the pan and lower the heat to a simmer, add in the feta and the basil leaves, and lime juice. Cook until the chicken is fully cooked and hot, about 5-10 more minutes. Serve over hot quinoa.

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