Category Archives: vegetarian

Spinach Casserole–perfect for Holidays

cooking with candi 233I came across this recipe in my recipe file. I made it once a while ago and am re-visiting it because I had made notes on this lovely gratin. It’s super-rich and belongs on a holiday table. It goes well with meat and poultry. Made with frozen spinach, I bought the frozen organic spinach at Whole Foods frozen works better than the fresh stuff here. I am all for some plain roasted veggies but who can resist this beautiful gratin? If someone asks you to bring a side dish this could be the one. Go for it! and use a beautiful casserole dish , a 9 x 11 should work perfectly. I am making this one day ahead and will bring it to room temperature on Thanksgiving and re-heat it. Enjoy!

Shopping List:

onions, Gruyere Cheese (grated), 3 16 oz. bags of frozen chopped spinach, Panko Breadcrumbs

Pantry Items:

unsalted butter, onions, grated nutmeg, flour, cayenne powder, kosher salt and pepper, whole milk and flour.

Ingredients:

*should serve 10 people as a side

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 medium-sized yellow onions , chopped

1/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour

3 cups whole milk

1/4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg ( or ground nutmeg)

pinch of cayenne powder ( gives it a little kick)

1 1/2 cups grated Gruyere Cheese

3 16 oz. bags of frozen chopped spinach- thawed ( organic spinach is nice but not necessary)

1 tsp. Kosher Salt

1/2 tsp. Freshly ground black or white pepper

Topping:

2 Tbsp. unsalted butter

1 1/2 cups Panko seasoned breadcrumbs

Sea Salt to taste ( if no sea salt use kosher salt)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Squeeze all of the liquid out of the thawed spinach, by the handfuls, (very important ) get all of the water out. Set spinach aside. You’ll want it as dry as possible.

Heat milk to a simmer in saucepan, not to a boil but a simmer.

Melt the butter in another pot, add onions and cook until translucent but not browned, app. 10 minutes. Add the flour and cook for a few minutes. Stir in the hot milk and whisk until it thickens up, this is the roux. Add the nutmeg and cayenne. Turn off the heat.

Stir in the cheese and season with salt and pepper. Taste for seasoning. Add the spinach and mix well.

Pour into a well sprayed 9×11 glass or ceramic baking dish. Prepare crumb topping.

Melt butter in a medium skillet, add panko, sprinkle with a little sea salt and stir until lightly browned.

Gently smooth the topping on top of the gratin. Cook for about 1/2 hour to 45 minutes until bubbling.

Chipotle Sweet Potato Soup–Spicy and Sweet (no dairy)

photo (26) photo (24) photo (23) photo (22) photo (21)Here it is November already! and we all know what is looming around the corner. I have begun to consider my Thanksgiving menu and hope to tweak it in another week or so. I am playing around with some new soup recipes and I found this one in Gwyneth Paltrow’s new cookbook “It’s All Good” . I followed most of the directions but did it my way. We also like it spicy, and the spice can be regulated to your particular taste . I also try to find vegetarian soups because our daughter Kerri is a vegetarian and I try as much as I can to find things that I know she can eat, since she won’t eat any of the meat on the table . So this is completely vegan. If you don’t like cilantro you can omit it. I love it but I know a lot of people have issues with it. This soup has no cream but comes out very creamy tasting and there is only 2 tbsp. of olive oil in here , super healthy food here. Very Southwestern flavor here with the smoky taste of chipotle.

This will serve 4 people as is , so adjust as you need to.

Shopping List:

fresh cilantro, chipotle in adobo ( sold in a can most everywhere),  Sweet Potatoes

Pantry Items:

Vegetable Stock, Cumin, Kosher Salt or Sea Salt, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Red Onion and Fresh Garlic Cloves.

Ingredients:

2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 large red onion, finely diced ( app. 1 1/2 cups)

2 garlic cloves, minced

5 sprigs of fresh cilantro, ( unless you hate it), you’ll need a piece of kitchen string to tie together.

3/4 tsp. cumin

Kosher Salt or Sea Salt

1 1/2 tsp. chipotle in adobo ( adjust for your own taste) go gently with this stuff, it’s pretty potent.

4 – 6  sweet potatoes, peeled and diced ( app. 6 cups) depending on the size of sweet potatoes you may need 4 or 6, I used 4 fairly large, I could have used more. You want at least 6 cups of diced sweet potatoes.

6 cups Vegetable Stock

Directions:

Heat the olive oil in a large heavy pot ( think Le Creuset) over medium-high heat.

Add the onion, garlic , cilantro sprigs, cumin and a generous pinch of salt and cook. Stir it around until softened not browned, app. 10 minutes.

Add the chipotle and the sweet potatoes and stir to combine. If you are not a big fan of spicy you should go lightly with the chipotle. Taste soup after flavors start to break down and before you put in the blender and you can add a bit more.

Add the vegetable stock to the pot and turn up the heat. Bring soup to a boil, lower the heat and simmer until the sweet potatoes are very soft., app. 1/2 hour. Taste for salt, I added at least another teaspoon of sea salt.

Remove and discard the cilantro sprigs.

I allow soup to cool down, and I pureed it in my blender. I did it in 3 batches and you’ll need a fairly powerful blender, or use the food processor. If soup is too thick add a little vegetable stock to thin it out as you blend. I had 2 boxes to start so 2 cups were left in the second box which I will use when I re-heat the soup the next day.

Garnish each bowl with a few cilantro leaves, if you like cilantro.

If you have any extra sweet potatoes you can pan-fry a few pieces in a bit of olive oil sprinkled with cumin or coriander and slide them into the finished soup.

Enjoy!

Sweet Like Honey Cake for the Jewish New Year

photo (2)photo (3)CookingwithCandi.comI really can’t believe that it’s just going to be Labor Day and we have to say good-bye to summer and hello to Rosh Hashana! Super early this year. I am adding a few additions to my usual menu and I will list my usual recipes so that if you’d like you can look them up on my site. Here is one of the new recipes for a sweet Honey Cake containing no honey!  This cake can be made ahead of time and frozen. This recipe is  for 2 loaves, so if you only want to make 1 just divide in half. I figure I’m making it , why not make 2 and have the second one on hand. This is also a vegan cake. Honey Cake is a traditional cake served on the Jewish New Year.

I just finished baking this sweet like honey cake and I got one regular sized loaf and 1 mini loaf so I don’t think this will yield 2 full size loaves unless you only fill loaf pan 1/2 way.

*original recipe from Epicurious

Ingredients: 2 loaves

2 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry or spelt flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 tablespoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves or allspice

1 cup pure maple syrup or dark agave nectar, or 1/2 maple  and 1/2 dark agave

1 cup applesauce

1/2 cup safflower oil

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/2 cup dark or golden raisins

1/4 cup sliced almonds

Directions:

preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Prep 2 loaf pans by greasing or spraying the pans, if you’d like you can line the bottoms with parchment paper. I find spraying the pans is sufficient. You can also lightly oil the sides of pans if not using spray.

Combine the first 6 dry ingredients in a mixing bowl, flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger and cloves or allspice.

Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the wet ingredients. Stir together until the wet and dry ingredients are thoroughly combined, then add in the raisins.

Divide the batter between the two prepared loaf pans. Sprinkle the almonds over the tops of the loaves.

Bake for 40-50 minutes, or until a knife or cake tester inserted into the center of a loaf comes out clean. Don’t over bake. I baked for about 42 minutes, it was finished at that point. So be sure to check on it after 40 minutes.

Allow the cakes to cool completely. Use a knife to go around the sides of the loaves to loosen, if necessary and carefully remove the loaves from the pans by tipping them into your hand, then set on a platter.

Cut into slices and serve.

Happy New Year!

Kasha Varnishkes–Jewish Comfort Food

This is truly traditional Jewish comfort food made with buckwheat grains and bowtie noodles. I love it and grew up eating it and  try to make it a few times a year. What better time to make it than the Jewish New Year? it’s super easy and super tasty. If you’ve never made it why not start now. It’s a wonderful side dish to any meal and it can be vegetarian for all of those who need some extra vegetarian dishes on their tables.

Kasha comes in a box. There are different types of Kasha and almost all will work. I use medium or coarse granulation.  Wolff’s brand is really wonderful so look for it.

If you’re looking for an easy side dish to put together now is the time to look at this great recipe. This is also our go to the night before Yom Kippur. It’s tradition and delicious and comforting all at the same time.

Ingredients:

1 package bowtie ( farfalle ) noodles (app. 3/4 lb.)

1 white/yellow onion thinly sliced or you can use chopped onions , entirely up to you.

app. 2 tablespoons olive oil, you may need a  little more and may want a bit more to drizzle at the end. You can also use vegetable oil. I do use vegetable oil with this recipe.

Kosher Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper–to taste

1 box button mushrooms sliced 8 ounce box

1 cup kasha, medium or coarse granulation.

1 egg

2 cups vegetable or chicken stock ( obviously if you’re making vegetarian you’ll use vegetable )

Directions:

Cook the pasta according to directions on box for al dente.

Saute’ the onions in olive oil, salt and pepper until they just start to soften, about 5 minutes. I use a medium size frying pan large enough to add in the pasta, and make sure you have a tight fitting lid.

Add the mushrooms and sauté until they start to soften as well, a few more minutes , set aside. Place mushrooms and onions in a bowl and you’ll use same frying pan to cook kasha.

Coat the kasha in a slightly beaten egg. You’ll just place kasha in a bowl and put beaten egg on grains. This will help the grains not to stick to themselves while you are cooking them. Make sure the grains are completely coated with egg.  Put the kasha in the same frying pan, set over a fairly high heat. Flatten, stir, and break up the egg-coated kasha with a fork or wooden spoon for a few minutes till toasted and the egg has dried on the kasha and kernels are brown and mostly separate. Kasha instructions for cooking are usually on the box as well.

Add back in the mushrooms and onions and combine with chicken broth. Cook box of Bow Tie Pasta according to directions on box al dente.

Bring to a boil and cook over low heat covered tightly. Check on it after 10 minutes or so to make sure the kernels are tender and the liquid has absorbed. If not, cover and continue steaming for another few minutes till all liquid is absorbed.

Adjust seasoning with more salt and pepper if you’d like, mix in cooked pasta, and if you’d like drizzle a little more oil on it. I like to do it all in a large enough frying pan to hold pasta . You can always mix in pasta in a large bowl separately. I like it in frying pan on stove top till I serve it. You can always make ahead and heat up in oven at 350 degrees in a pyrex dish,  you’ll most likely need to add a little oil if you do so.

*Wolff’s Kasha has directions for cooking kasha on the box. It’s pretty much the same , I just add in the mushrooms and onions for more flavor.

*should serve 8 people

Radish and Arugula Salad

photo (11) photo (12)Beautiful radishes at the Farmer’s Market and beautiful arugula from local farms.  I made this salad from radishes and arugula with Parmesan cheese, olive oil  and lemons. This is light and our friends loved it, so here it is. Whenever I make something new I need honest opinions and I got them from our friends because you know by now that Joel wouldn’t like it , since there was parmesan cheese he did take a bite but definitely not his thing. It is so my thing though and thanks Bob and Michele for your honest opinions.

This is super easy and not a lot of ingredients or special tools.

Ingredients:

2 tbsp. grated parmesan or pecorino cheese plus up to 3 tablespoons cheese ( 5 all together to have on hand)

2 tbsp. lemon juice , freshly squeezed ( 1 small lemon )

Kosher or Sea Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup olive oil

1 small bunch of radishes, trimmed and scrubbed. I place in a bowl or glass of water to get any additional dirt off , I just let them sit in the water after I’ve trimmed them till I’m ready to slice

4 cups arugula, I love the wild arugula if you can get it. Washed and thoroughly dried

Directions:

In a small bowl whisk together the 2 tablespoons of finely grated Pecorino or Parmesan, lemon juice, a couple of pinches of salt ( go easy and taste later) and a few grinds of black pepper. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil, whisking constantly . Taste for seasoning and set aside.

Slice the radishes into thin rounds. About 1 cup, more or less.

In a salad bowl combine the radishes, arugula and the additional 3 tablespoons of cheese and about 2/3 of the dressing. Toss well, taste and add more dressing if needed. Serve right away, before the radishes and arugula start to wilt.

*salad from FOOD52 website

Happy Birthday Julia Child — French Potato Salad

photo (8)photo (4)photo (2)Every year on August 15 Julia Child comes to mind since it is her birthday and would have been 101st Birthday. She was such a huge influence on all of us who cook and enjoy eating so I try and make one or two of her recipes every year on this day.  This is a most delicious light “very French” potato salad. I am not a huge fan of potatoes swimming in mayonnaise so this was such a welcome treat. It is moderately difficult and that just means there are a few steps involved. It’s worth the effort, her cooking was never effortless but well worth it.

“You don’t have to cook fancy or complicated masterpieces–just good food from fresh ingredients” Julia Child

Ingredients:

1 lb. “boiling” potatoes, all the same size and shape if at all possible

2 tbsp. shallots, finely chopped/minced

Kosher Salt

White Pepper, freshly ground if available, if not use Black Pepper and I promise not to tell

1/4 cup chicken stock or vegetable stock

1 1/2 Tbsp. White wine vinegar

2 – 3 Tbsp. Fresh Parsley, chopped or small little pieces

2-3 Tbsp. light olive  oil

Directions:

Fill a 3 quart saucepan half full with cold water. Wash the potatoes. One at a time peel a potato , and if it’s round and fat rather than long and thin, cut it in half lengthwise. I just cut 1/4 ” slices and left them like that. After you cut potatoes , drop the slices into the pan of water, to prevent them from turning an ugly color while you prepare the rest.

I cooked potatoes and made salad within 1/2 hour to prevent the possiblility of them turning grey.

Then drain out the water the potatoes sat in and add clean water to cover potatoes and add a good bit of salt to the water. Bring to a boil and then simmer for probably 15 / 20 minutes depending on potatoes, just until fork tender–keep testing by eating a small piece of potato to be sure.

Crunchy undercooked potatoes are dreadful, and overcooked potatoes will just fall apart.

Drain out the cooking water. At once cover the pan and set aside for a few minutes ( about 5 minutes) just to allow the slices to firm up. Then uncover the potatoes and start to season them as follows.

Get a nice roomy bowl and toss gently with the shallots, add the stock, vinegar and parsley. Let sit for app. 10 minutes or so, tossing gently a few times. Then correct salt and pepper seasoning, toss with the olive oil. I let the potatoes sit for about 1/2 hour to absorb the flavors at room temperature.

The salad should keep a day or two covered in the fridge.

Corn and Tomato Soup – no cream

DSCN0358DSCN0382DSCN0381The corn is so delicious right now that I had to make this soup. I was going to save this recipe for the Fall but I used the fresh Olathe corn at the market now and couldn’t wait to share. When the corn is not as fresh and sweet you can definitely use frozen . I used fresh tomatoes from the farmers market and fresh Olathe corn ( local in Colorado) but I happen to know Long Island has particularly good sweet local corn. So while the getting is good and you can get fresh vegetables please do so. Farm to Table here we go again.

I made this soup for dinner as an appetizer. I think it would be good cold but I prefer it warm.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 shallots , coarsely chopped or 1 large one

1 teaspoon kosher salt ( more to taste)

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper ( more to taste)

3 1/4 cups corn, or 1 lb. bag of frozen corn thawed it’s approximately 5 – 6 ears of fresh corn

3 cups low-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth to keep it vegetarian

2 beautiful medium size tomatoes, seeded and chopped into 1/2 inch pieces*

1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped or torn

Directions:

In a large dutch oven ( Le Creuset) type of pot, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the shallots, salt and pepper, cook stirring occasionally until shallots are soft, app. 5 minutes. While this is going on cook up the corn as follows.

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and just cook corn till it turns yellow for 1-2 minutes, then I throw into an ice bath to stop the cooking. When corn is cooled down cut kernels off cobs.

Place the cooked shallots, corn and chicken stock into the blender.

Pour the corn mixture back into the pot. Bring the mixture to a low simmer , cook for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, just to heat through.  Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the tomatoes and basil, let it cook for another 10 minutes or so.  Taste for Salt and Pepper.

Ladle into soup bowls and serve!

*to seed the tomatoes, cut them in 1/2 horizontally and using a small dessert spoon, scoop out the seed and discard. The seeds make the soup too watery.

Farmers Market to Table Gazpacho

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Delicious fresh vegetables from the local farmers market went into this gazpacho. This time of year you must take advantage of the awesome selection of fruit and vegetables at your local farmers market. In Colorado there is so much local produce it would be a pity not to . I bought the tomatoes , cucumbers, peppers, garlic and red onion all from our local farmers market. Whole Foods also sells many local products which is so amazing. I don’t want to preach and there are so very many foods that I am particularly fond of that come from very foreign shores ( shrimp for one) . It’s just quite the thing to put food on your table from your own garden or at least from one within 100 miles of where you live. Farm to Table . Simply put it’s the best .

Ingredients:

1 cucumber or 2 – 3 Kirby size cukes, halved and seeded , but don’t peel . If not Kirby cukes you can use a hothouse cucumber. Go organic, because you are eating the peel.

2 yellow bell peppers, cored and seeded. Of course you can use red bell peppers, but not green.

4 tomatoes , use what you can find. I went to local farmers market for mine . If you use plum tomatoes use 4.

1 red onion

3 garlic cloves, minced or throw them into the food processor along with vegetables

3 cups Spicy V8 or use regular tomato juice

1/4 cup champagne vinegar or white wine vinegar

1/4 cup good olive oil

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

*1/2 to 1 whole jalapeno depending on how spicy you like it, remove seeds from jalapeno

* cilantro, chopped is a nice touch for garnish

*avocado cut up is also nice garnish

*shrimp is also a nice garnish

Directions:

I cut up cukes, tomatoes, bell peppers and red onions into app. 1 inch cubes. Put each vegetable separately into a food processor with steel blade and pulse until it is coarsely chopped. Do not make baby food, don’t over process.

After each vegetable is chopped up combine them in a large bowl and add the garlic ( if you haven’t already) , juice, vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper. Mix well and chill before serving. It’s a good idea to chill for a while, the longer it sits the more the taste develops.

The second night I added shrimp and avocado.

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Burnt Broccoli

photo (4)photoWhile I’m on the broccoli rant I just want to say that this is one of my most favorite side dishes ever. I discovered it a long time ago in the Italian Restaurants on Long Island which are very popular for this sort of thing. I am pretty sure this recipe started out quite by accident but it caught on and is super popular back east, we even put it on our pizza! Once we started spending so much time out in Colorado I was missing my native food so just started to make it myself. All you need is some broccoli, salt and pepper, olive and oil, a very hot oven, and yeah a smoke detector that doesn’t keep going off. This is really delicious and sort of fool-proof.

I served it alongside my spatchcocked chicken. Super yummy.

Ingredients:

Broccoli ( at least 1 head for 4 people)

Kosher Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper

Olive Oil – you’ll want to start out with app. 2 tablespoons of olive oil, I like to use my hands and make sure that the broccoli is covered enough. If not enough oil it will just dry out and burn out. On the other hand don’t let it swim in oil.

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

I spray a cookie sheet with Pam cooking spray, cut up broccoli into smallish pieces ( see photo) cut off any very thick ends. Pour some olive oil* over the broccoli and with clean hands get oil over the broccoli, sprinkle well with salt and pepper.  Put tray in oven for at least 40 minutes, then turn oven up to 500 and keep broccoli in for another 10 minutes. Everyone likes varying degrees of burnt broccoli , if you’ve never had it you’ll have to figure it out for yourself. This is very yummy.

*Don’t overdo the olive oil, just make sure that there is oil all over the broccoli, not swimming in it. That being said, you’ll need enough to crisp it up and for flavor, so don’t skimp on it either.photo (10)

Ranch Dressing – BLT Salad

photo (2)DSCN0290photoDSCN0292One of the best things to come out of writing this blog is being in touch with so very many different people and getting inspired by their ideas as well as my own. Bree emailed me to tell me about this dressing that she made from Ina Garten. I was so happy for the email and a new dressing to make. I followed the salad dressing recipe decreasing the salt and changing the salad to a Bacon Lettuce and Tomato salad. So yum, and thanks again Bree for thinking of me and writing to me, I love that you thought of me and that you inspired me to make this new dressing.  This is one helluva great dressing and it would make one helluva great dip. Another perfect summer salad. Thanks!

Ingredients:

3 scallions, white and green parts , chopped

1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves, lightly packed

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 1/2 tablespoons Dijon Mustard

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 garlic cloves, chopped

1/2 – 1 teaspoon kosher salt to taste

1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper

1 cup good mayonnaise ( you can use light but not fat free please)

1/2 cup Greek style yogurt , I used 2%

1/2 cup buttermilk, shaken ( you can use lowfat)

Salad Greens:

for 6 people you will use 3 small Bibb Lettuces, or Boston Lettuce or Romaine. Whichever you prefer. I could only find Romaine so that’s what we had. We like our lettuce chopped so that’s what I did.

2 large ripe tomatoes or small grape ones, whichever you prefer.

6 slices of Bacon ( I used microwave Bacon) it’s awesome–no fuss no muss

*1 red onion thinly sliced ( optional)

*avocado cut into chunks ( also optional)

I made all the salad dressing because it will keep in fridge for a few days , I used less lettuce and less other ingredients just for the two of us. I used the red onion and avocado for my 1/2 of the salad.

Directions:

Place the scallions, basil, lemon juice, mustard, olive oil, garlic , salt and pepper in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Puree for about 20 seconds till smooth. Add the mayo, yogurt, and buttermilk and blend till smooth. Transfer the dressing to a container and refrigerate for at least an hour till flavors blend together . Put together salad ingredients and pour dressing on it. So delish! Great with protein on it, and this salad dressing would make a great dip for raw veggies! I love this dressing, we ate it 3 nights in a row!