Broccoli/Spinach & Goat Cheese Bisque

OMG - this is sooo good!  Don't let this horrible picture stop you from making this!  Rachael Ray had a recipe for a broccoli soup in her magazine and I just changed it and came up with this! :)

You'll need:

16 oz. frozen broccoli florets, thawed
10 oz. frozen spinach, thawed
2 russet potatoes, peeled and chopped
11 oz. goat cheese
8-10 cups of water (or you can use vegetable broth) (use 10 cups of water if it comes out too thick)
1/2 tbsp. granulated onion powder
1 tbsp. granulated garlic powder
1/8 cup orzo pasta, uncooked (optional)
salt to taste

In a large pot heat the water, broccoli, spinach, potato and spices for about 20 minutes or until the potatoes are soft.  Then add in the goat cheese in chunks and using an immersion blender - blend the soup until it's smooth and velvety.  Taste and add salt if needed.  Then add in orzo pasta and let cook until tender.  This soup is really easy and delicious!  Enjoy!

If you don't have an immersion blender, let soup cool down and use a regular blender or food processor.

Red Quinoa and Pistachios with Dijon Vinaigrette

 Sorry for the terrible cellphone pic!! :(

This is awesome and super simple!!!

You'll need:

1 cup red quinoa (cooked according to package directions)**in the cooking water I added 1 tsp. turmeric
1/2 cup pan-toasted pistachos, chopped coarsely
1 large garlic clove, minced
1 tsp. dijon mustard
3 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp. red wine vinegar
salt to taste

Make the vinaigrette by whisking together the dijon mustard, garlic, salt, oil and vinegar; taste to see if you need more vinegar/oil.  I like a lot of vinegar so I'm heavy-handed with that and usually add a little more.  Put the cooked quinoa in a bowl and fluff with a fork, add in the vinaigrette and mix well.  Season with salt if needed; mix in pistachios.  Enjoy!

Red Quinoa & Spinach Bake

 You'll Need:

2 cups cooked red quinoa (which is 1 cup dry)
1 red onion, chopped fine
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 10 oz. bag of frozen chopped, leaf spinach (drained well)
1 1/4 cups Friendship cottage cheese (I'm particular with my cottage cheese - seriously it's the best one)
2 tbsp. sour cream (if you don't have it - leave it out)
3 tbsp. grated cheese
2 eggs
part skim grated mozzarella (to sprinkle on top - maybe 1/2 cup)

**this definitely needs some salt - quinoa is VERY bland. **I recommend adding some salt after the quinoa is cooked and taste.

Cook quinoa as per package directions... saute' onion and garlic in a little olive oil until soft... in a separate bowl combine cottage cheese, sour cream, grated cheese, spinach and eggs... then add in onion and garlic mixture; mix well. Add in quinoa and mix well again. Spray a pan w/ non-stick spray (I used an 8x8 pan) and put mixture in ... top with a sprinkling of extra grated cheese and mozzarella. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes or until set and golden brown.

This seriously tasted like a potato pancake to me.  :)  I hope you enjoy it!

"Meat"balls

Before going into the oven 

This recipe was posted at vegetarian_group@yahoogroups.com that I believe was from allrecipes.com.  These meatballs have a great texture and I had them dipped in BBQ sauce! :)

You'll Need:

4 eggs
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup cottage cheese
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1 cup finely chopped pecans
1 teaspoon dried basil (I left this out)
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon dried sage (I left this out)
2 cups Italian seasoned bread crumbs (next time I will cut this down to 1 1/4 cups)

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. In a large bowl, mix together the eggs, Cheddar cheese, and cottage cheese until well blended. Mix in 1/2 cup onion, pecans, basil, salt and sage. Stir in bread crumbs and form the mixture into 2 inch balls, & place
them in a 9x13 inch baking dish.
3. Bake uncovered for 35 to 40 minutes in the preheated oven, until meatballs are firm.

Enjoy!

Shroomy Baked Eggs

I make this every week for breakfast!  I lovvvve this!! In a non-stick 8x8 pan you take 2 small cartons of egg whites (you can certainly use whole eggs if you want!) and mix it with as many mushrooms as you like!  I add a little sea salt (you can also add a pinch of garlic powder too) and shredded mozzarella cheese and mix well.  Then I top it with a little more mozzarella cheese and bake it at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until it's firm and lightly browned on top. 

Once it cools, I cut it into wedges and put it into containers so my breakfast is ready to go for my busy work week!  You can add anything you like to this - spinach, red bell peppers and onion (saute' first), feta - you name it! 

Enjoy!

Cauliflower Scampi

This is one of my favorite meals... it makes a ton of food and is super simple!

You'll Need:

1 large of head of cauliflower, broken into florets & steamed until tender (you can use frozen if you had to)
1/4 cup Butter (is the best, of course!!) or Smart Balance/Earth Balance
2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
3-4 garlic cloves, minced
1 lb. pasta, shells work best or elbows, cooked according to box directions
sea salt

Saute' fresh garlic in a pot with butter and olive oil until very lightly browned; Add in steamed cauliflower and break up with a wooden spoon.  Mix together with garlic/butter.  Let cook 5 minutes and add in pasta and sea salt to taste; mix well.  Top with grated romano cheese.

Enjoy!

Lighter Eggplant Parmesan

Roasted Eggplant w/ Bechamel Sauce

 Topped with Ricotta and Sauce

Mozzarella!

Baked and Delicious!

This is from marthastewart.com

1 large eggplant (2 pounds), sliced 1/2 inch thick crosswise
1 tablespoon olive oil
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 cup fat-free (skim) milk
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup homemade or best-quality store-bought marinara sauce
1/2 cup grated part-skim mozzarella
1/3 cup grated Parmesan
***I added the addition of part skim ricotta cheese on top of eggplant pieces (soo good!)

Directions:

1.Preheat oven to 450 degrees, with racks in upper and lower thirds. Arrange eggplant on two rimmed baking sheets. Brush eggplant on both sides with oil, and season with salt and pepper. Bake until golden brown and very tender, 20 to 25 minutes, turning slices and rotating sheets halfway through.

2.Meanwhile, make sauce: Off heat, in a medium saucepan, whisk together 1/4 cup milk, flour, and garlic. Gradually whisk in remaining 3/4 cup milk and 1/2 cup marinara sauce. Bring to a boil; reduce to a simmer, and cook until pink sauce has thickened, 2 to 3 minutes.  (I wasn't crazy about the bechamel sauce... next time I will just use regular marinara here)

3.Spread 1/4 cup marinara sauce in the bottom of a shallow 2-quart baking dish. Alternate layers of baked eggplant with pink sauce. Dollop with remaining 1/4 cup marinara sauce. Sprinkle with mozzarella and Parmesan. Bake on upper rack until browned and bubbling, 10 to 15 minutes.

Quinoa Bean Burgers

 Cooking...

 On top of romaine lettuce with yogurt feta dressing... yum!!

You'll Need:

1/2 cup rinsed red quinoa (you can use regular quinoa, but I find red to be more flavorful)
1 medium carrot, cut in large chunks
6 scallions, thinly sliced
15 ounces cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup plain dried breadcrumbs
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon ground cumin
Coarse salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
Directions:

1.In a small saucepan, bring 3/4 cup water to a boil; add quiona, cover, and reduce heat to low. Cook until liquid is absorbed, 12 to 14 minutes; set aside.

2.In a food processor, pulse carrot until finely chopped. Add cooked quinoa, half the scallions, beans, breadcrumbs, egg, cumin, 1 teaspoon salt; pulse until combined but still slightly chunky.

3.Form mixture into four 3/4-inch-thick paties (dip hands in water to prevent sticking). If too soft, refrigerate 10 minutes to firm. In a large nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium; cook burgers until browned and cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes per side.

Enjoy!

Whole Wheat/Oat/Agave Pancakes

1 1/4 cups whole wheat flour
1/4 cup flaxseed meal
1/4 cup raw oats
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
2 tbsp. canola oil (or any mild oil)
1/3 cup water
1 1/4 cup non-dairy milk *I used vanilla almond milk
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 cup raw agave syrup

Sift dry ingredients together in a bowl - set aside. Mix wet ingredients together and add to dry; don't overmix. (Batter will still be lumpy)

Grease skillet and heat on med-high for 2 minutes. Flip pancakes over when you see little bubbles forming in the batter. This made 6 pancakes... that are very filling!

Enjoy!

Tofu Stir-Fry

Veggies Cooking

You'll Need:

1 pound extra firm tofu (you can use firm, but extra firm is best)
2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce, plus more for serving
1 tablespoon seasoned rice wine vinegar
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon canola oil
2 small onions, cut into wedges
9 ounces button mushrooms, quartered
1 large red bell pepper, ribs and seeds removed, cut into chunks
1 1/4 pounds bok choy, cut into small pieces
1/4 pound snow peas, trimmed
3 medium patty pan squash, cut into chunks
1 teaspoon cornstarch dissolved in 2 teaspoons cold water

Directions:

1.Halve tofu block lengthwise; slice each half into 8 rectangles. Arrange on a paper towel-lined baking sheet; top with more paper towels and another baking sheet. Weight with canned goods or a skillet for at least 20 minutes.

2.Transfer tofu to a shallow dish. In a bowl, whisk together soy sauce, vinegar, and sesame oil with 1 tablespoon water; pour over tofu. Marinate 5 minutes (or longer, if you can) (reserve marinade).

3.Heat canola oil in a non-stick pan over high heat. Cook tofu until golden, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Set tofu aside.

4.Stirring constantly, cook onions in pan over high heat until browned. Add mushrooms; cook approx. 2 minutes. Add red pepper and bok choy stems; cook until done, but still firm, approx. 3 minutes. Add peas, bok choy leaves and squash cook 1 minute. Add marinade, cornstarch mixture, and tofu. Cook until heated through. Season with soy sauce as desired. Serve with brown rice.

Enjoy!

Ricotta, Spinach and Dill Pie

 Before going into the oven...

You'll Need:

10 ounces spinach, well washed, tough stems removed
1 onion, diced (I used Vidalia)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup low-fat ricotta cheese
2 large eggs
2 large egg whites
1/4 cup chopped fresh dill
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese (about 2 ounces)
1 cup part skim shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 whole wheat pie shell (I used a vegan one)
1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

1.Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Roughly chop spinach leaves; set aside. Heat olive oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; cook until tender, about 3 minutes. Add spinach; cook until wilted and bright green, about 2 minutes. Transfer mixture to a colander to cool and drain. When mixture is cool enough to handle, press lightly with paper towels to remove excess moisture; set aside to cool.

2.In a medium bowl, combine ricotta, eggs and egg whites, dill, Parmesan, and salt. Stir in cooled spinach mixture; set aside.

3.Spoon filling into the pie shell and top with shredded mozzarella. Bake until golden brown and filling is set, about 1 hour. Cool for at least 15 minutes before cutting into wedges.

Delicious!!

Pecan Mushroom Burgers

(sorry for the crappola pics!)

Hey guys, I believe this is from delish.com.  These were fantastic!

You'll Need:

2/3 cup(s) bulgur
3/4 teaspoon(s) salt, divided
1 cup(s) boiling water
6 teaspoon(s) extra-virgin olive oil, divided
8 ounce(s) white or brown mushrooms, stems trimmed, wiped clean, and chopped
1 1/2 cup(s) (1 large) chopped onion (I used Vidalia)
1 1/2 tablespoon(s) balsamic vinegar
3/4 cup(s) pecan halves
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/2 cup(s) fine dry breadcrumbs

Directions:

Place bulgur and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a small bowl. Pour the boiling water over, cover, and set aside until the water is absorbed, about 20 minutes. Drain in a sieve, pressing out excess liquid.

Meanwhile, heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms, onion, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt; cook, stirring, until the vegetables are softened, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in vinegar. Immediately transfer the mixture to a plate and let cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes.

Toast pecans in a small dry skillet over medium-low heat, stirring, until fragrant, 4 to 6 minutes. Transfer to a plate to cool.

Combine the vegetable mixture and pecans in a food processor; pulse briefly until coarsely chopped. Add egg and the bulgur; pulse briefly, scraping down the sides if necessary, until the mixture is cohesive but roughly textured. Transfer to a bowl; stir in breadcrumbs and pepper. Mix well.

With dampened hands, form the mixture into eight 1/2-inch-thick patties, using about 1/2 cup for each.

Using 2 teaspoons oil per batch, cook 4 patties at a time in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until evenly browned and heated through, about 4 minutes per side. Meanwhile, split and toast buns, if using, to serve the burgers on. Garnish the burgers with watercress and the cheese sauce, if desired.

I topped my burgers with Marie's yogurt feta dressing.

Portabello Mushrooms Stuffed with Ricotta and Baby Spinach

Before Mozzarella...

Right out of the oven! 

Super simple to make and delicious!

You'll need:

4 large portabello mushroom caps
1 cup part skim ricotta cheese
1 cup baby spinach, finely chopped
1/4 cup grated romano or parmesan cheese
1 cup part skim mozzarella cheese
1/2 tsp. granulated garlic powder
1 cup marinara sauce

Directions

1.Preheat oven to 400°F. Coat a rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray.

2.Place mushroom caps, gill-side up, on the prepared pan. Sprinkle with a little salt and roast until tender, 20 to 25 minutes.

3.Meanwhile, mix together ricotta, spinach, grated parmesan & granulated garlic powder in a medium bowl.

4.When the mushrooms are tender, carefully pour out any liquid accumulated in the caps. Pour a little marinara sauce on the bottom of the pan.  Return the caps to the pan gill-side up. Spread 1 tablespoon marinara into each cap; mound a generous 1/3 cup ricotta filling into each cap and sprinkle mozzarella on top of each mushroom. Bake until hot, about 10 minutes. Serve with the remaining marinara sauce.

Enjoy!!