Best Dal EVER

Thanks to Sherrie Cheema, my dear friend's mom for blowing my mind with this one! I've never been a huge dal fan, but this is thick and rich, flavorful but not spicy and really filling!

Protein: lentils

Carmelize 1 chopped onion
Add to a pot of cooking lentils (3 cups lentils with 6 cups water)
1 boullion cube
6 cloves chopped garlic
2 inches chopped fresh ginger
1/4 tsp. salt (preferably Hawaiian sea salt, though I just used regular old salt)
2 tsp. cinnamon

Awesome served with rice, barley, or quinoa (best with red quinoa)
AND a salad of cucumbers in rice vinegar, sugar, and salt
The flavors all combine deliciously!

Watermelon Gazpacho

Okay, no protein here, so it's not an entree, but it's really good:

In a blender, combine:
Watermelon (4 cups or so)
1/2 a large

cucumber (skin on)
1/4 red onion
1 handful fresh mint leaves
1/4 tsp. salt
a few shakes of black pepper

Serve chilled.

Broccoli-Lentil Salad with Honey-Mustard Dressing

Another winner from the Vegetarian Times:

Protein: Lentils, walnuts

1/2 cup beluga lentils al dente
1 head broccoli cut into florets, lightly steamed but still crunchy (2-3 minutes)
1 small red onion diced
1/2 cup chopped nuts (almonds or walnuts)


Honey-mustard dressing:
4 Tbsp. olive oil
2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
2 tsp. honey
2 tsp. Dijon mustard

Tasty Breaded Seitan

This is my new favorite recipe. Incredible with the Bob's Red Mill recipe shown below. This recipe is directly lifted from:

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/tasty-breaded-seitan/detail.aspx

Ingredients

• 1 (8 ounce) package seitan
• 1/3 cup nutritional yeast
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons tamari
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Directions

1. In a small bowl, combine nutritional yeast, garlic powder, coriander, cumin, and black pepper. Dip seitan in tamari, then in the yeast and spice mixture. Set aside.
2. Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Fry seitan in batches until browned on all sides.

Healthful (sort of) but Delicious Pasta Alfredo

I don't eat this stuff because I don't eat pasta, generally, but my daughter adores it.

Protein: cheese, milk, more cheese

Make a white sauce:
in a pan, add 3 Tbsp. olive oil
5  Tbsp. white flour
1 cup milk
adjust amounts to right consistency--a creamy sauce
Add 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Add cooked noodles to pan. Enjoy!

Vietnamese Spring Rolls

Protein: Tofu, peanut sauce

In rice paper, roll up:
bean sprouts
tofu
mint leaves
shredded carrots (optional)

Serve with peanut sauce

Peanut Sauce

This is great on Tofu with broccoli/spinach/kale/bok choy/whatever. Also great on seitan

10 Tbsp. water
8 Tbsp. crunchy peanut butter
2 Tbsp. rice vinegar
5 Tbsp. soy sauce
4 tsp. honey
4 tsp. grated ginger
4 cloves garlic

Easy Chickpea throw-together

Thanks Aneeta R. for this great quick and easy recipe!

Protein: Chickpeas

Put 3 Tbsp. olive oil and 2 cloves garlic in a pan
Throw in 1 can drained chickpeas
Sautee for a while--until soft (or wait and let them brown)

Salt and pepper to taste
Mix in with avocado and other stuff--cucumbers, red onions, etc.

Hemp & Cashew-Stuffed Potatoes

Just subscribed to Vegetarian Times and hallelujah on this recipe! Wowsers!

Protein: Cashew nuts, hemp seeds

1 cup raw cashews
4 large baking potatoes, scrubbed
6 Tbsp nutritional yease
4 Tbsp. coconut oil, melted
4 Tbsp. lemon juice
3 Tbsp. yellow miso paste
1 cup chopped scallions or chives
1 cup chopped parsley leaves
1 cup hemp seeds

1. Soak cashews in a large bowl of cold water for 1 hour to soften
2. Preheat oven to 400, Bake potatoes for 45-60 minutes
3. Cut potatoes in half and scoop out flesh, trying to retain their shape.
4. Combine flesh in a food processor with drained cashews, combine with nutritional yeast, coconut oil, lemon juice, miso in food processor until smooth.
5. Refill potato skins with the mixture.
6. Put potatoes back in over and bake 15-20 min until tops are golden
7. Serve sprinkled heavily with hemp seeds, scallions, and parsley

My New Favorite Breakfast: Nutty Pancakes

This is AWESOME! I have literally had this every morning for breakfast for the past month! I double this recipe, freeze it all and then microwave each morning (about 2 pancakes per person). With this, we get breakfast every morning for the whole family for two solid weeks.

Protein: Nuts, nuts, nuts

• 2 c. ground oatmeal (grind to powder in food processor)--alternatively, oat bran works
• 1 c. whole wheat flour
• 3 c. ground nuts (grind almonds or walnuts to a powder in food processor)
• 3 eggs
• 1 Tbsp. maple syrup
• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 2 c. applesauce
• 2 c. milk 
• 1.5 c. ground flax seed (optional)

I separate this into three separate bowls and add:

- Blueberries to one bowl

- Dark chocolate chips to another (for some reason, dark chocolate has a much richer flavor than either milk or semi-sweet chocolate in this recipe)

- Dark chocolate chips and frozen bananas (If you eat them right away, fresh bananas work fine, but if you are going to freeze and unthaw the pancakes one breakfast at a time, for some reason, frozen bananas come out with a much better texture). 

Then ladle them out on a flat grill and flip when they are golden brown on the bottom. 

Freeze (I label the batches and pack them separately in the freezer for easy unthawing--1 min. in micro). 

Vegetarian Entrees

http://www.jewishveg.com/recipes.html

Bean Taco Filling

Protein: Beans

Adapted from: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/vegan-bean-taco-filling/

brown:

1 onion

1 bell pepper

2-3 cloves garlic

add:

1 tsp Paprika

1/4 tsp Cayenne pepper

1/4 tsp chili powder

1.5 tsp cumin

Combine with:

2 cans beans (black, kidney, or pinto), mashed

2 Tbsp yellow corn meal

1 cup salsa

simmer for 5 minutes

Serve on a heated taco shell with cheddar cheese and sour cream

I didn't have lettuce for crunch, so I put on shaved fennel and it was very, very tasty!

Salmon with Honey, Yogurt, Lemon, & Dill

Protein: Salmon, Yogurt

Ingredients:
- 2lbs. salmon
- 1 tub plain nonfat yogurt (or full fat, whatever you like, but nonfat works fine--just make sure it's plain and not vanilla. Tried that. it's gross. )
- juice of 1 lemon
- 5 Tbs. dill.

1. Place 2 lbs salmon, boned and skinned in a baking dish
2. Pour on honey and slather those puppies up on both sides
3. In a separate bowl, mix yogurt, lemon, and dill
4. Spread the yogurt mixture over the salmon and get it good and yogurty on both sides (my rule is to cover the salmon with the yogurt such that I can't see pink anymore. If you need to, use more yogurt).
5. Put in the oven at 350 for 20 minutes or until cooked through.

An awesome Veg*n blog

Not really sure what Veg*n is, but this blog looks amazing. Going to be trying these recipes soon!

http://vegncookingandotherrandommusings.blogspot.com/

Hippie Quesadilla

Protein: Eggs, cheese, tofu, beans, grains
The "Hippie Quesadilla" was introduced to me by my hippie cousin Elisheva and includes a very hippie tortilla called Ezekiel Bread (sold in the refrigerated section of Whole Foods). It has a picture of a dove on it, lots of sayings from the bible, and looks like it is the soul source of income of a commune in New Mexico (I totally made that up).

In any case...

Ingredients:
-Ezekiel Bread tortilla (sold in Whole Foods. Any tortilla will work, but this is the best by far).
- Shredded Parmesan Cheese

Some combination of...
- Veggies: Could be leftover veggies or a salad wilting in your fridge, fresh veggies that cook quickly (e.g. spinach, bok choy, bell pepper, zucchini--again, slightly wilted works fine)
- Avocado (for a little extra fat)
- Slices of tofu
- Cooked beans
- 2 eggs or some egg whites

1. Put a little olive oil in a frying pan.
2. Lay on the tortilla so it can get slightly crispy on the bottom.
3. I then crack 2 eggs on top or pour on some egg whites (you may have to flip over the tortilla momentarily--then flip it back-- so the egg cooks before the tortilla burns).
4. Add the shredded cheese and veggies.
5. Fold the deal over and let everything melt together for a few delicious moments.
6. Serve. Yummy with salsa.

Warm Lentil Salad

This is a yummy little recipe that I am lifting directly from Vegetarian Times.

http://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/11481

• 3 Tbs. olive oil
• 2 leeks, white and light green parts thinly sliced (1 3/4 cups)
• 2 Tbs. sherry vinegar (I used balsamic)
  
• 2 tsp. whole-grain mustard
• 1 17.6-oz. pkg. cooked lentils, gently broken apart, or 2 cups cooked lentil
• 1 1/2 cups red grapes, halved
• 3/4 cup chopped roasted pistachios
• 3 Tbs. finely chopped mint
• 3 Tbs. finely chopped parsley
• 1/4 cup crumbled feta

1. Heat oil in skillet over medium heat. Add leeks, and cook 7 to 9 minutes, or until tender and translucent, stirring often. Remove from heat, and stir in sherry vinegar and mustard.

2. Combine lentils, leek mixture, grapes, pistachios, mint, and parsley in large bowl. Season with salt and pepper, if desired, and top with crumbled feta.

Eggs Florentine

Protein: Eggs, cheese Thanks to: My mother-in-law, Judy.
Serves 3:
Ingredients:
8 oz. thawed frozen spinach
1/4 cup cheddar cheese
3 cups milk
3 Tbsp. flour
3 Tbsp. olive oil
3 Toasted English muffins
3 eggs

Directions:
1.Toast the English muffin
2. Make cheese sauce: heat 2 Tbsp olive oil in a pan, stir in 2 Tbsp. flour, 2 cups milk, 1/4 cup cheddar cheese. Stir it around and let liquid boil off and flour absorb the milk until it is thick and sauce-like.
3. Put half the sauce to the side.
4. Stir half a bag of thawed frozen spinach into the sauce in the pan.
5. Fry 3 eggs (can use part egg whites and it tastes no different)
6. Layer on top of the toast: spinach mixture, fried egg, cheese sauce.

Beets, Nuts, Feta "Odds & Ends Salad"

Protein: Garbazno beans, walnuts, feta cheese
From: www.sustainablepantry.com

I went to high school (and middle school) with Alexa, the author of this recipe and creator of the awesome blog: www.sustainablepantry.com. Unlike me (who collects recipes) Alexa is a true gourmand who makes them up herself. This salad is delicious, deeply satisfying--and so pretty!

Get the recipe here:
http://sustainablepantry.com/2010/01/23/odds-and-ends-salad/

Seitan--A Versatile Veg. staple

Protein: Seitan
From: Bob's Red Mill Vital Wheat Gluten package

This is a staple of our diet. 80% protein. It's delicious and great in tacos, stir frys, with peanut sauce, and I'm still exploring other possibilities.

The recipe is straight from the package of Bob's Red Mill Vital Wheat Gluten (which has a higher protein content than some other brands and is sold conveniently in Whole Foods). The only modification is is the browning in oil at the end (thank you again, Connie!!)

2 cups Bob's Red Mill Vital Wheat Gluten
1/2 tsp. Marjoram
1 tsp. Onion Powder
1 tsp. Garlic Powder
2 cups Water

Broth:
6 cups water
2 Tbsp. Molassas
2 Tbsp. Soy Sauce

Bring broth to a boil in a large stock pot. Separately, mix together the gluten flour and spices. Add water to the mixture and stir into a sponge-like dough (if dough is dripping wet, add more gluten flour). Knead dough a minute to make dough tougher and more elastic. Cut or tear into 2"x2" pieces and place into boiling broth. Cook in broth for ~1 hour, lowering heat as needed. Drain and then brown the pieces in olive oil in a pan or skillet.

Futo Maki (Vegetable Sushi)

Protein: Tofu, eggs

You can make sushi at home?! Yes! Even without the special bamboo equipment, I found!

1. Combine 1.5 cups sushi rice (I use Nishiki brand because it has this rice recipe on the bag) + 2.5 cups water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to low.

2. When water is gone, check to see if rice is soft. If not, add more water and boil again.

3. When rice is cooked, mix in 1.3 cup seasoned rice vinegar

4. With a broad knife, spread a thin layer of the rice mixture over nori (a sheet of sushi seasweed). LEAVE one edge of the sheet uncovered (this is important for sealing the roll).

5. Fill the roll by laying on long strips of whatever you want (lay them parallel to the uncovered edge of the sheet). I use:
Tofu, fried egg, apples (you won't see this in a Japanese restaurants but it's really, really tasty), carrots, avocado, cucumber, sauteed mushrooms.

6. Roll the rolls and slice with a sharp knife.

Serve with soy sauce, wasabi, pickled ginger, and a smile. :)

Gazpacho with White Beans & Homemade Croutons

Protein: White beans

I've always loved gazapacho soup. My exercise instructor, Kim, recommended making this a meal by adding canellini beans. Brilliant!

Throw in a blender:
1 can chopped tomatoes
with
1 Tbsp. mayo and any combo of:
1/2 cucumber
1/2 onion
3-4 stalks celery
1 green bell pepper

After blended, add 1 cup cooked white beans (canellini or great northern work great)

Delicious with homemade croutons--(these also add fat that really makes this soup satisfying):
1. Toast bread
2. Cut toast into pieces
3. Sautee in a pan with olive oil and a mix of parmesan cheese and Italian seasonings (oregano, basil, a pinch of salt, pepper) until they look crispy and delcious

Cod Fish Cakes

Protein: Cod fish
From: http://www.food.com/recipe/cod-fish-cakes-133308

This is just one I got off of Recipezaar, but it has become a major family favorite. It freezes really well too. Is great with tartar sauce. My friend, Yasmeen, though got me Harry & David's Onion & Pepper Relish, though as a Birthday gift and this with the cod cakes is a very elegant and delicious meal for guests.

http://www.food.com/recipe/cod-fish-cakes-133308

Lentil One Dish Meal

Protein: Lentils
From: Cooks.com

Delish! Another easy favorite for a blistery, blustery winter day!

1sm package dried lentils, rinsed
2 c. water
3 whole Bay leaves
11/4 tsp. pepper
1/8 tsp. each marjoram, sage, thyme
2 large onions, chopped
2 cloves minced garlic
2 c. chopped tomatoes
2 large carrots, sliced and peeled
1/2 cup celery, thinly sliced
1 chopped green pepper
2 Tbsp. parsley, finely chopped

Mix all in a crock pot and clook on high for 6 hours. Serve with shredded cheddar cheese and sour cream.

Easy Cheesy Quiche

Protein: Eggs, Milk
I've always been scared of making the quiche crust. Why???

Mix:
2 cups flour
1/2 cup oil (vegetable or olive oil)
2 Tbsp milk

Roll out dough on wax paper or an oiled surface

COAT PAN WITH OIL (don't forget this)
Put in crust

Add a mixture of eggs, milk and whatever else you want (broccoli, cheese, spinach, feta, whatever...)

Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until quiche is cooked and not runny.

The Best Veggie Lasagna EVER

Protein: Cottage Cheese, Cheddar Cheese, Parmesan Cheese

We used to have potluck recipe parties, where each guest was asked to bring an easy-to-make dish and 10 copies of the recipe. This was brought by my business school friend Whit and his girlfriend Debbie. It is the vegetarian lasagna I have been searching for all my life:

Serves 8

Lasagna noodles (do not cook)
2 10 oz. packages of frozen spinach (cook and drain well)
1 onion, chopped
1 cup grated carrots
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 can black olives
1/2 jar pitted green olives (incl. pimentos is fine)
2 cups cottage cheese (lowfat works fine)
1 lb. grated mix of jack and chedder cheese
1 package parmesan, grated
1 large jar Ragu

Sautee onion--add carrots and mushrooms. Cook until tender crisp. Stir in Ragu and olives, simmer until heated. Use a 9x13 pan or larger--put a thin layer of sauce on the bottom so noodles don't stick, then layer (2X):
noodles
cottage cheese
spinach
sauce
cheeses
REPEAT

Bake in 375 degree oven for 1 hour, covered tightly with foil

Hearty Salmon Stew

I love this recipe. It's perfect for a chilly Fall or Winter day. Delicious with hearty whole grain bread.

Ingredients:
1 onion
1/2 bunch celery
3 cloves garlic, minced
4 parsnips, peeled and chopped
1 can veggie/chicken stock
1 can chopped tomatos
1 packagage sweet corn
A dash of salt,
Dash of pepper
Dash of cumin
Dash of chili powder
Fennel root

Sautee until transluscent:
1. Sautee until transluscent: onion, celery, garlic
2. Add chicken/veggie stock
3. Add parsnips, simmer until beginning to get soft
5. Add spices
6. Add salmon, corn, and tomatos, cook until salmon is almost done (it will continue to cook after you turn off the heat, so lean towards slightly undercooking when you turn of the flame if you are going to leave it for a few minutes before serving)
7. Serve with shaved fennel.

Salmon with Leeks and White Wine

Protein: Salmon
Thank you Yasmeen, for this delicious and easy recipe!

Combine:
Juice of 1/2 lemon
3 Tbsp melted butter
1/4 cup white wine

Lay salmon filets on aluminum foil turned up at the edges to create a sort of bowl
Pour liquid over the salmon
Wrap salmon tightly in the foil
Bake at 350 for 20 minutes or until fish is cooked through.

Moroccan-Style Dolmas (Stuffed Grape Leaves)

Protein: Pine nuts, Feta Cheese
Heavily adapted from Alexa Weitzman's awesome Blog: www.sustainablepantry.com. It is far and away my favorite website for vegetarian recipes along with the big recipe sites: www.recipezaar.com and www.food.yahoo.com. This is a modified version of her Quinoa-Stuffed Grape Leaves


Delicious with a dipping sauce of Yogurt (lowfat works), finely chopped cucumbers and mint.

Ingredients:
A Jar of grape leaves in water (some have very high sodium content, check the labels to go low)
1 cup quinoa (uncooked)
1/2 bag of toasted pine nuts
French feta cheese (this is creamier than most other feta cheeses)
1 apple, chopped
1 onion
1 Tbsp cinnamon

1. Boil quinoa, cinnamon and apple until soft and all water is absorbed
2. Sautee onion
2. Stir in pine nuts and onion, simmer for a minute or two
3. Blanche grape leaves (dip each leaf into a pot of boiling water for 30 seconds).
4. Fill the grape leaf with the quinoa mixture and a cumbling of the feta cheese and roll like a small burrito.

Gorgonzola and Almond Stuffed Bell Peppers

Protein: Gorgonzola Cheese, Milk, Almonds
Thank you to Mia, the chick I met at Luke and Nicole's party on Saturday night. I tried this right away and am in love with it!

Mix:
2 cups cooked wild rice
some olive oil
sauteed mushrooms and spinach
1/2 a tub of gorgonzola cheese
1 cup toasted almonds
fresh rosemary

Stuff: bell peppers with the mixture (gorgeous presentation if you use red and yellow peppers)

Bake:
at 450 until the peppers are soft

Top with easy Gorgonzola cheese sauce:
While the peppers are cooking, make the sauce.
Start with a rue (this basic white sauce is the base more many, many great sauces: you can use it to make mushroom sauce by adding sauteed mushrooms, use it for a cherry sauce, cranberry sauce, any cheese sauce, or substitute broth for most of the milk to make gravy)

How to make a rue (healthy verison, the French use butter and cream, but this is almost as good to my taste):

Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil in a pan
Add 1 Tbsp flour
Stir in 1 cup milk (I use skim)
Heat until the mixture is smooth and creamy (the milk has been evaporated and absorbed by the flour--if you get impatient, add a little more flour to absorb the milk)

Melt the remainder of the gorgonzola cheese in the rue and pour over the peppers before serving.

Garnish with fresh rosemary.

Butternut Squash Risotto w/ White Beans

This recipe is from a cooking class I was in with Amy Fothergill, "The Family Chef."
It is my husband's single favorite food in the world--competing with the Moroccan dolmas (which will come later).

This is a hearty dish perfect for fall or winter.

Makes 4-6 servings

Ingredients:
Olive oil
2-3 shallots, minced (can substitute 1 onion, chopped)
Pepper
1-2 garlic cloves
1 tsp salt
2 cups cooked white beans (or 1.5-2 cans)--canellini or great northern beans work well
Butternut Squash (about 1/2 of a large) peeled, seeded, chopped
1 cup rice (jasmine, arborio, or for more nutrition, can substitute some of this barley)
1/4 cup dry white wine or sherry
4 cups chicken or vegetable broth, heated
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
Chopped fresh sage

1. Pre-soak beans the night before if using fresh
2. Boil beans in a separate pot (takes about 45 minutes to an hour)
1. Heat oil and butter in a large pot. Sautee the shallots with pepper until soft and golden. Add garlic and salt and sitr for 1 minute.
2. Add squash and cook until squash begins to soften, stirring. Add the rice and stir, then add the wine or sherry. Cook until the wine is absorbed.
3. Add beans
4. Sitr in 1/2 cup broth and stir, keeping at a simmer throughout, until absorbed. Continue simmering and adding broth, about 1/2 cup at a time, stirring frequently. Allow each addition to be absorbed before adding the next and until rice is tender and creamy-looking, but still firm, about 20 minutes.
5. Add butter at the end to add extra creaminess, and a medium bunch of chopped sage for flavor. If you don't have fresh herbs, add 1/2 teaspoon of one or the other in step 1 when you add the shallots.