Vegetarian Archives | Page 3 of 9

Roasted Pepper and Arugula Scrambled Eggs

October 31, 2014

This single serving breakfast recipe combines roasted peppers and arugula for scrambled eggs that are simple, but special.

I often get asked – how do you find ideas for recipes?

Like most people, I find inspiration just about everywhere. Sometimes I get an idea, make a list and ponder it for a while. Other times, I stand in front of the fridge, trying to figure out what to have for breakfast. I grab a few ingredients, mix them together and it tastes so good that I think maybe someone else who is trying to eat protein-rich breakfasts might enjoy it.

This is one of those recipes.

Fall Salad with Molasses Balsamic Vinaigrette

October 16, 2014

This fall salad is loaded with seasonal fruits and topped with candied pecans and blue cheese. The rich molasses balsamic vinaigrette has a mild spice from cayenne pepper.

I have the strangest pattern for salad cravings. For some reason throughout the end of the summer, despite all the light and refreshing produce, salads did not sound good at all. But all of a sudden fall hits and I’m ready for some leafy greens.

Maybe it’s the seasonal fruits like grapes or the heavier toppings like blue cheese that make fall salads surprisingly comforting. That must be why my cravings have finally come around, especially since the temperatures dropped a bit today and the leaves are starting to fall.

Vegetable Party Appetizers

October 14, 2014

Get ready for the holiday season with these vegetable party appetizers! From walnut-stuffed tomatoes, to hot pepper jam and eggplant pâté, you’ll love these easy-to-make recipes using Mucci Farms produce.

There are few things more perfect to me than aisle after aisle, bin after bin, and row after row of fresh produce. It’s why you’ll find me at the farmers market almost every week, hear me asking for just 5 minutes to run in this international market, and catch me hanging out the window with my camera as we speed past the farms when driving through the Central Valley. They can be as common as the green bell peppers my dad grows in his garden or as rare as the tropical fruits we encounter while traveling. Plain and simple, I love fruits and vegetables.

Pumpkin White Bean Dip with Cheddar and Jalapeños Recipe

October 6, 2014

This savory pumpkin recipe combines the puréed winter squash with white beans to create a warm dip with the rich flavors of sharp cheddar cheese and a mild heat from pickled jalapeños. It’s the perfect starter for fall dinner parties and makes a great snack for game day.

I’ve already started on my 2014 Winter Squash Collection. The first one, usually a pie pumpkin, enters the house in late September or early October. After that it’s a spaghetti squash here, a kabocha there and I can’t turn down a new variety. They begin to pile up in the corners of the kitchen or on the cool tile in the entry way. I keep them until: 1) I’m hungry for squash, or 2) we get frustrated from tripping over them. At that point, into the oven they go to be roasted and turned into puree.

The small pie pumpkin I bought last week bit the dust pretty early. Half a week into October and I was way overdue for something pumpkin.

Olive Stuffed Mushrooms Marinara Recipe

September 18, 2014

This recipe uses a gluten-free filling made with olives and almond meal. White button mushroom caps are stuffed with the filling, covered in an easy marinara and baked until tender.

Almond meal is my new bread crumb. I sprinkle it on as a topping, coat fish and chicken with it, and use it to make fillings and stuffings. It doesn’t get quite as crunchy as bread crumbs, but it does add a pleasant sweetness. It also makes a grain-free alternative, so if you want to reduce grains or add some protein, it will do the trick.

I picked up some white button mushrooms last week. Yes, I know. At first glance they seem boring, but they are one of my favorite varieties. They are easy to work with, cook quickly and stay tender. This batch was on the big side, as in about 2 1/2 to 3 inches in diameter for each mushroom. Perfect for stuffing.

I’ve been combining green olives with tomato sauces a lot lately. I love the saltiness of the olives with the sweetness of the tomatoes, so I kept that theme with these mushrooms by adding olives to the stuffing.

The almond meal works so well with these. There is enough moisture in the vegetables to create a stuffing you can mold easily, but if you find yours is a little dry, feel free to add a tablespoon or two of stock to get it to the right consistency.

If you use this as a side dish, it can easily serve 3 and maybe even 4. But if you serve it as a main course like I did, plan on 2, possibly 3. After your first helping you are going to want a few more, so plan accordingly!

Sorghum Pomegranate Salad with Goat Cheese and Walnuts Recipe

September 8, 2014

Switch up your cold grain salads and add some sorghum! In this recipe, the chewy grain is combined with pomegranate and walnuts, and then topped off with tangy goat cheese.

I was cooling down from my run last week, taking a nice leisurely walk back to the house, when I saw it. Tucked between two houses was a tree with long branches that were bending under the weight of beautiful red pomegranates.

I see fruit trees around here all the time – figs, citrus, persimmons – and while I’ve seen a pomegranate tree before, I had never seen one in our neighborhood. It was gorgeous.

And I want some!

When I see trees loaded with fruit that seem to be untouched I am so tempted to knock on the door and ask if the owners are going to use the fruit. But I have never gotten up the courage. Then again, the stakes have never been quite this high. A pomegranate might be just enough to get me out of my comfort zone.

So here is the plan. I’m going to watch the tree for the next few weeks and if none of the fruit disappears, I’m doing it. I’m going to walk up and ring the doorbell.

I think. Maybe.

Pomegranate and Pear Salad Recipe from Mason Jar Salads

September 5, 2014

Have you ever been the victim of being labeled the healthy eater at your workplace? If not the healthy eater, than the fancy eater?

I thought being teased by peers was something that I’d leave in grade school, but some of my jobs as an adult proved me wrong. I worked in public health so a lot of people were healthy eaters, but I quickly became labeled as a fancy eater in the lunch room.

I was the one who would bring in leftovers of Asian noodle dishes, black bean burgers or grilled pastured, local chicken. It was usually balanced out with some greens, fruit, some healthy fat — all the major food groups. I’d get comments about how healthy I ate and that I must cook, etc.

You never really know what to say to these things. Sorry? I promise I’m not trying to get attention, I honest-to-goodness just eat like this.

Chipotle Tomato Soup Recipe

August 23, 2014

This chipotle tomato soup comes together in minutes. It is rich and smooth with a hint of spice from chipotle peppers.

I love the little cans of chipotles in adobo. I do. But every time I buy one I’m reminded that they may be the reason that phrases like – a little goes a long way – were created. I can never seem to find use for more than one pepper out of the can at a time.

My point being, I have another chipotle recipe to share. So here’s to hoping you like things spicy!

Chili Garlic Bean Salad Recipe

August 16, 2014

This was supposed to be a three bean salad.

I went to the pantry and grabbed three cans of beans, drained and rinsed them and added them to the mixing bowl. It wasn’t until I was halfway done making the recipe that I looked down and thought – wow, all those dark beans look the same. It turns out I grabbed two cans of black beans instead of one black and one can of kidney beans. It seems I have a problem with attention to detail.

Oh well, you are getting a little less variety, but not at the cost of good flavor or a darn easy recipe.

Javanese Carrot and Cucumber Pickle Recipe (Acar Timun)

August 5, 2014

This recipe for carrot and cucumber pickles remains one of my very favorites. If you like pickled veggies as much as I do, this cookbook needs some space on your shelf!

Javanese Carrot and Cucumber Pickle | fakefoodfree.com

The first time we traveled to Southeast Asia, I completely missed a very important thing about the cuisine.

It’s all about the condiments.

I saw the little bowls of peppers, relishes, chutneys and sauces on our table and I tried one here and there, but it wasn’t until we returned and I researched recipes further that I realized I should have been much more adventurous! Now, I can make a complete meal out of the condiments alone. Sweet, spicy, tangy, pickled, fermented – you name it and I want it.

I’ve become that annoying person at the dinner table who asks a million question of the server. What is that? How is it made? What’s in it? I’ll take any little piece of information I can grab to help me find a recipe so I can make it at home later, or at least attempt to. I always feel a little intimidated because it never seems to turn out just right. But that’s probably because I haven’t really had a reliable resource for recipes. Until now.