Category: Vegetarian

Edamame Puree (and Wonton Cups)


I’ve been on a sushi kick recently, and exploring the web for various ideas on tuna tartare,  poke, etc., and came across a recipe from Tyler Florence (love him) for sliced tuna with edamame puree on a wonton crisp. The puree intrigued me since I love edamame and it contained wasabi, another favorite of mine in the sushi world. I decided to try it last night, and am very happy I did! And, it’s so good that I could eat it by the spoonful.

I opted to make spicy tuna again to go with this (in a wonton cup) simply because I love my spicy tuna, but it would also be great with tuna tartare or slices of marinated tuna on top. I should also add that wonton cups or crackers are very simple to make and add a nice flavor (and crunch), so I’ll post those instructions here as well.

Ingredients

  • 1/2 pound package frozen soy beans
  • 1/2 tbsp. wasabi powder or paste (I added an additional 1/4 tsp. of regular wasabi)
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt
  • 1/2 lemon, juiced
  • 3 tbsp. water
  • 1 tbsp. canola oil

Directions

  1. Blanch the soy beans in boiling salted water for 5 minutes. Drain, then pinch the beans out of their pods and put them in a food processor.
  2. Add the wasabi, salt, lemon juice, and water. Puree to break up the soy beans.
  3. Pour in the canola oil and puree until smooth. Refrigerate.

For the wontons cups or crackers, the package contains instructions on how to prepare them, but I prefer to bake mine. I picked up two different types – one from the grocery store which are egg roll wrappers, and the other, smaller wrappers from a Japanese market. Both taste the same, but obviously, the egg roll wrappers are much larger. To make the cups, I used the smaller ones and a mini cupcake pan. For crackers, you can cut either one diagonally, or use a cookie cutter to make different shapes. These instructions are for making the cups, as I think they make a pretty presentation and there are so many options in terms of what you can fill them with.

Ingredients

  • 24 small wonton skins/wrappers
  • 1/4 cup sesame oil

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
  2. Take a mini cupcake pan & brush inside of each cup lightly with sesame oil.
  3. Place wonton wrappers inside the cups. (I like to brush the top of the wrappers with a little sesame oil before placing in pan, but this is optional.)
  4. Bake for approximately 6-8 minutes, until they get slightly brown & crisp.
  5. Fill with the edamame puree and tuna, or your choice of fillings.
Made this wonton using a cookie cutter.

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Blue Cheese Dipping Sauce


Here’s a healthier version of the traditional blue cheese dressing/dip to accompany my healthy chicken wings, or use in your salad.

Ingredients

  • 1/3 cup light or fat-free small curd cottage cheese
  • 1/2 tsp. white wine vinegar
  • 2 tbsp. fat-free/skim milk
  • 1/8 tsp. white pepper
  • 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp. crumbled blue cheese

Directions

  • Place cottage cheese, vinegar, milk, white pepper, garlic and half of the blue cheese in a blender or food processor.
  • Cover and blend on low speed until smooth & creamy.
  • Spoon into serving dish and stir in remaining blue cheese.
  • Cover and refrigerate until serving.

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Brie en Croute


Ahhhh… brie. I wasn’t always a fan, but now, I sing a different tune and can make a meal out of it (and have). This past Thanksgiving, I hosted dinner at my house, and wanted to have some appetizers for my guests to snack on before the big “event” (aka dinner), and decided to make a brie wrapped in a puff pastry as one of the hors d’oeuvres. It’s quite simple to make and there are so many different variations you can try. For this recipe, I just used cherry Craisins and honey because I was low on time. However, the original recipe I found, called for cherries, rosemary, pecans and honey. I think cranberries would be also be great, as would orange marmalade, but feel free to experiment. Also, if you want to cut down on calories and fat, Président makes a light Brie which is 50% less fat and about 30% less calories than regular Brie.

Ingredients

    • 1 egg
    • 1 tbsp. water
    • 1/3 cup Craisins
    • 1/4 cup honey
    • 1/2 of a 17.3-ounce packagePepperidge Farm® Puff Pastry Sheets (1 sheet), thawed
    • 1 (12-ounce) Brie cheese round

Directions

  1. Heat the oven to 400°F.  Beat the egg and water in a small bowl with a fork or whisk.  Stir the craisins and honey in a small bowl.
  2. Unfold the pastry sheet on a lightly floured surface. Roll the pastry sheet into a 14-inch square.  Cut off the corners to make a circle.
  3. Spoon the mixture in the center of the circle.  Top with the brie.
  4. Brush the edge of the circle with the egg mixture.  Fold the pastry up over the cheese to cover.  Trim the excess pastry and press to seal.  Brush the seam with the egg mixture.
  5. Place seam-side down onto a baking sheet.
  6. Decorate the top with the pastry scraps, if desired.
  7. Brush with the egg mixture.
  8. Bake for 25 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown.
  9. Let stand for 45 minutes – 1 hour.  (Very important to let it stand, otherwise all of the cheese will ooze out)

Serve with the crackers.

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Stuffed Shells


I was very fortunate to grow up having a Mom who was (is) an excellent cook. And I know my passion for cooking and baking resulted from her amazing meals and desserts. Thanks Mom! One of my (many) favorites was her amazing stuffed shells. I think this recipe is pretty close to the one she used to make 🙂

Ingredients

  • 1 12 oz. package jumbo pasta shells
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • 1 32 oz. container ricotta cheese (I use light)
  • 8 oz. finely shredded mozzarella cheese, low moisture, part skim (plus extra for sprinkling on top)
  • 4 oz. grated parmesan cheese
  • 1 tbsp. dried parsley
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1 tsp. black pepper
  • 1 tsp. garlic powder (optional)
  • Pasta sauce or my turkey sausage bolognese

Directions

    1. Preheat over to 350 degrees.
    2. Bring a large pot of slightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta shells and cook for 8-10 minutes, drain.
    3. In a large bowl, mix eggs, ricotta, mozzarella, parmesan, parsley, salt, pepper and garlic until well combined.
    4. Put mixture in fridge for 30-45 minutes (which will make stuffing the shells much easier. You can skip this step if you choose).
    5. Stuff the shells with the ricotta mixture and place in a 9×13 baking dish (you’ll probably need 2 baking dishes).
    6. Pour desired sauce over shells and sprinkle with some mozzarella cheese.
    7. Cover with aluminum foil and bake 45-60 minutes or until edges are bubbly.
    8. Remove from oven and sprinkle with parmesan.

Enjoy!

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Spicy Edamame


I’m a HUGE fan of sushi, and always have to order edamame as a starter whenever I go to a Japanese restaurant. One of my favorite sushi restaurants is Sashi in Manhattan Beach, which is where I went for my birthday dinner last year. Naturally, we had to get an order of their edamame, which was not your run-of-the-mill edamame, as it’s served 2 ways; with Indian spices and also, sea salt. The Indian-spiced batch was incredibly tasty, and since that time, I wanted to recreate something similar at home. I came across this spicy edamame recipe using Japanese 7 spice, and can’t begin to tell you how many batches of it I’ve made. Actually, I’m making some more right now! Japanese 7 spice, or Shichimi Togarashi in Japanese, is a blend of spices that contains red chili, seaweed, sansho pepper, orange peel, poppy seeds and white and black sesame seeds. It’s a popular table condiment in Japan, where it’s used to add heat and flavor to lots of different dishes. This is the original recipe I found, but will make a notation as to how I like to prepare it. I also like to dip the edamame in a spicy Japanese mayo, so I’ll include a link to that recipe as well.

Ingredients

  • 1 lb edamame
  • 2 1/2 tbsp sesame oil
  • 2 1/2 tbsp Japanese 7 spice
  • 1 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1 tsp garlic
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • Japanese spicy mayo

Directions

  1. Cook edamame according to package directions & drain. (I like to add a little garlic and ginger powder to the water.)
  2. Place edamame in a large bowl. Add oil and toss to coat, adding more if needed.
  3. Add the remaining ingredients & mix together well.

For my version of this recipe, I eliminate the cayenne pepper and garlic, and add just a little bit of sugar. I love the combo of sweet & spicy.

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Warm Goat Cheese Salad


My love affair with goat cheese began many years ago while on my first trip to Paris with my Mom, and it is still going strong to this day. Parisians LOVE cheese, any time of the day and I found that warm goat cheese seems to be a staple on most restaurant menus. I came across this recipe in an old issue of Bon Appétit magazine and it is very easy to make and so ooh-la-la delicious!

~Yields 6 servings

Shown here with grilled chicken, tomatoes, pecans & dried cranberries

Ingredients

Vinaigrette

  • 2 garlic cloves, peeled, halved
  • 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 tbsp chopped fresh basil
  • 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
  • 2 tbsp Dijon mustard

Salad

  • 1 cup panko (Japanese bread crumbs) *
  • 1 tbsp chopped fresh thyme
  • 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
  • 1 tbsp chopped fresh basil
  • 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 3 4-oz logs soft fresh goat cheese, each halved crosswise, then pressed to 1/2 inch thickness
  • 2 large egg whites, lightly beaten until foamy
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 5-oz packages mixed baby greens

Directions

For vinaigrette

  1. Place garlic and oil in small glass measuring cup or ramekin. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and microwave 30 seconds.
  2. Transfer garlic to small bowl. Reserve oil. Using fork, coarsely mash garlic.
  3. Add basil, vinegar, and mustard to mashed garlic. Whisk until smooth.
  4. Gradually whisk in reserved garlic oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Let stand 1 hour at room temperature and re-whisk before using.)

For Salad

  1. Mix first 6 ingredients in medium bowl to blend.
  2. Dip each cheese round into egg whites, turning to coat. Coat each with breadcrumb mixture.
  3. Transfer coated cheese rounds to plate. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 1 hour and up to 8 hours.
  4. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in heavy large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add cheese rounds and cook until golden and crisp, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer to plate.
  5. Place greens (and any additional vegetables that you may want to add) in large bowl and toss with all but 2 tablespoons vinaigrette; season to taste with salt and pepper.
  6. Divide salad among 6 plates. Top each with 1 cheese round and drizzle cheese rounds with remaining 2 tablespoons vinaigrette and serve.

* I also made this substituting Popchips crumbs for the panko & it was delicious!!

Southern Potato Salad


I lived in the South (Georgia) for many years and loved so many things about it. One was the people/friends that I made, whom I found to be truly down-to-earth and caring folks. Second… some of their delicious “southern” dishes. Southern Potato Salad, to me, is THE best and is the only kind that I’ll have now. I realize that everyone has their favorite kind of potato salad, but from the rave reviews I received at work this week when I brought this dish in, I’d recommend giving it a try.  This recipe serves 4, so if you need more, just double the ingredients.

Ingredients

  • 4 potatoes (I recommend Yukon Gold for their creamy & buttery texture)
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1/2 stalk celery, chopped
  • 1/4 cup sweet relish
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 2 tbsp prepared mustard (yellow or Dijon)
  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise (use regular, low-fat or fat-free)
  • 1 tbsp cider vinegar (white vinegar can be substituted)
  • 2 tbsp sugar
  • 2 tbsp minced onion (optional)
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Paprika

Directions

  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add peeled potatoes & cook until tender but still firm, about 15-20 minutes; drain & chop into cubes.
  2. Place eggs in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring water to a boil; cover, remove from heat, and let eggs stand in hot water for 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from hot water; peel and chop.
  3. In a large bowl, combine eggs, celery, sweet relish, garlic, mustard, mayo, vinegar, sugar and salt and pepper. Mix well, then add potatoes and toss gently. Chill for 2 hours before serving, sprinkle with paprika.

Raspberry Poke Cake


This is an easy and absolutely delicious cake to make for the holidays. The jello/gelatin makes it incredibly moist and flavorful! You can switch out the raspberry mix with strawberry or whatever flavor suits your fancy.

Original recipe courtesy of Betty Crocker

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ingredients

  • 1 box Betty Crocker SuperMoist Vanilla cake mix (or white cake mix)
  • Water, vegetable oil and eggs called for on cake mix box
  • 1 box (4-serving size) raspberry-flavored gelatin
  • 1 cup boiling water
  • 1/2 cup cold water
  • 1 container Betty Crocker cream cheese frosting (or thawed whipped cream topping)
  • Raspberries and/or blueberries (optional)

Directions

  1. Heat oven to 350F (or 325F for dark or nonstick pan).
  2. Spray bottom of pan with cooking spray; make and cool cake as directed on box for 13×9-inch pan
  3. Pierce cooled cake all over, but not all the way to the bottom, with fork (or use a skewer or handle of a wooden spoon).
  4. In a small bowl, stir gelatin and boiling water until smooth & dissolved; add in cold water.
  5. Pour liquid over cake carefully (I highly recommend using a turkey baster or spout measuring cup).
  6. Refrigerate 2-3 hours.
  7. Frost & garnish (if desired).
  8. Store covered in refrigerator.

Note: to make this even more festive for the 4th of July, Labor Day and/or Memorial Day, use berries to design an American flag on top of frosting RIGHT before serving (putting the raspberries or strawberries on way beforehand will result in the juice bleeding with the frosting).

Quinoa


Quinoa (pronounced keen-wa) is a grain that comes from the Andes Mountains of South America. Quinoa’s origins are truly ancient. It was one of  the three staple foods, along with corn and potatoes, of the Inca civilization. Quinoa was known then, and still is known, with respect, as the mother grain. It is often called the “Supergrain of the Future.” Quinoa contains all eight essential amino acids and more protein than any other grain; an average of 16.2  percent, compared with 7.5 percent for rice, 9.9 percent for millet, and 14 percent for wheat. It looks like a grain and is often regarded as a whole grain even though it is actually the seed of a plant that is related to spinach. Quinoa is also low in fat and a good source of other nutrients such as calcium. As quinoa is free from gluten, it makes an ideal alternative for people who eat a gluten-free diet. Quinoa is naturally high in fiber and this is a useful addition to most diets. It is has many uses, like breakfast cereal, as a substitution for rice or in combination dishes such as pilaf, to name a few.

Cooking Instructions:

Quinoa should be rinsed thoroughly before cooking to remove any powdery residue. Place grain in a fine strainer and hold under cold running water until water runs clear; drain well.

To cook, use 2 cups liquid per 1 cup of quinoa. Combine liquid & quinoa in a medium saucepan, bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cover & cook until the grains are translucent and the germ has spiraled out from each grain. About 15 minutes.

I add some salt, pepper and garlic to the water prior to boiling for additional flavor.

The Oaks Peanut Sauce


This sauce, by The Oaks at Ojai chef Christine Denney, will really be the jack-of-all-trades in your refrigerator. Serve this versatile peanut sauce with salad greens, shredded carrots and minced green onion or with chicken or fish.

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp natural unsalted peanut butter
  • 2 tsp raw, organic honey
  • 2 tsp fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp rice vinegar
  • 2 tsp low-sodium soy sauce
  • Pinch red pepper flakes
  • ¼ cup low-fat plain yogurt

Directions

  1. In a bowl, whisk all ingredients together except yogurt. Lightly fold in yogurt.