Meatless Monday: Homemade Vegetable Broth

I few months ago, I decided to try to make my own vegetable broth. I looked up a few how-tos online. It seemed simple enough, and it was! I can honestly say homemade broth is a lot tastier than the boxed stuff. While broth isn't very expensive, it still saves money to make your own, and you can feel good about using your scraps. I've made my own broth about half a dozen times this winter. Here's what you do:

First, keep a large piece of tupperware in your freezer. I have a one-gallon size. Whenever you chop or peel vegetables, throw your scraps into it. You can add onion peels, celery leaves, whatever! I've even added some freezer-burned peas and canned corn leftover from corn bread. If any of my vegetables start to get a little old in the fidge, I'll just roughly chop them and add them to my collection in the freezer. I've even added some canned tomato paste (I always have some leftover when recipes call for 1 Tbsp of tomato paste or whatever). Here is a picture of one of mine before making it into broth:

Once my tupperware is full (this might take a month), I put everything into a large pot and fill it with water, like so:

I bring it to a full boil, and then I reduce the heat and let it simmer for about 3-4 hours. At that time, I add some salt and garlic powder for extra flavor.

When that's done, I pour the liquid into a bowl through a strainer. All those vegetable pieces get discarded, but at least they got one more use before hitting the landfill (they'd also be great for composting, if you either do your own composting or live in a city where they collect compost for you).

Here's my broth! If I'm going to use it within the next couple days, I just pop it in the fridge. If I'm not sure when I'm going to use it, I put it in the freezer until I need it.

All of the dishes I make with broth (like penne primavera) taste so much better with the homemade stuff. Plus (maybe it's just me), I get satisfaction out of making things myself. This takes very little effort, but it does take some time.

Meatless Monday: Vegetable Sushi Rolls

Sushi is so cheap to make at home. It's surprisingly easy as well.

I know some people think of sushi and associate it with raw fish. It's true that a lot of sushi is made with raw fish--but not all. My best friend has worked at a lot of sushi restaurants, and when I go visit her, I order cucumber rolls. They're just sushi rolls stuffed with rice and cucumber, and they're sometimes sprinkled with sesame seeds. At a restaurant, they cost about $4 for a roll (6 pieces), but at home, they cost about 50 cents for the same amount.

Andrew and I started to make our own at home because it's a fun meal that's crazy inexpensive. We have date nights at home once or twice a week. On those nights, we make dinner just for the kids, and once they're in bed, we make a special dinner for ourselves.

Before Andrew even gets home from work, we make rice. We are so lucky to have a great rice maker that we got as a wedding gift from my in-laws. I don't normally advocate for spending extra money for having the best of anything (like, who really cares if your ice cream scoop or duster is top of the line or not?), but this rice maker has made a world of difference for us. We have rice with a lot of our meals because all we have to do is mix rice with water and push a button. That's it. It's so easy that we just have Oliver make the rice. Seriously. It has settings for brown rice, white rice, sushi rice, etc. You just tell it whether or not you've washed the rice first, and it changes the cooking accordingly. Love it.

                                              

Here's Oliver setting the rice cooker. It plays "Twinkle, Twinkle," when it starts and finishes, which Oliver sings along to. Oh, and it has a "keep warm" setting and an "extended keep warm setting," which lets us make our rice hours in advance.    

                                      

Alright, rice is cooking!  Now let me go through a list of everything you need. Our regular grocery store sells both seaweed and wasabi (optional) in the Asian section. While it's still fairly inexpensive there, you can certainly get it for much cheaper at an Asian grocery store.


Ingredients:
One package of roasted seaweed
Here's what we use. It costs less than $2 and lasts for 2-3 dinners, depending how hungry we are:

2 cups sushi rice (regular white rice will be fine; it just won't be as sticky)
Vegetables sliced long and thin
We used my favorite, sliced cucumber, as well as sliced avocado, slices of fried tofu, and some cooked eggs:

Soy sauce for dipping
Optional: sesame seeds, wasabi, and fresh ginger

Making Sushi

Here comes the fun part!

Meatless Monday: Italian Stuffed Mushrooms

The first cookbook I ever purchased was Moosewood Restaurant, based on the recommendation from a family member. The book is mostly vegetarian with a few fish and turkey recipes scattered throughout. My favorite recipe in the collection is one for Italian Stuffed Portabellos. It's delicious and easy to make, so I've made it for friends and company in the past. The recipe I'm posting here is almost directly from the book, although I've made a few slight changes to keep things simple.

My Safeway grocery store often runs out of common ingredients, especially produce. They never seem to carry basic, yellow onions and often don't have eggplant, kale, pine nuts and portabello mushroom caps. It drives me crazy! I was craving some portabellos, and, thankfully, they had some in stock, but they didn't have the large ones. I bought the medium ones instead and just made more. The recipe still worked fine. End grocery store rant.

Italian Stuffed Portabellos (serves 4)

4 large portabello mushroom caps, cleaned and stems removed
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 small onion, minced

3 garlic cloves, minced
1 red bell pepper, minced
3 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
2/3 cup part-skim ricotta cheese

1 cup grated mozzarella cheese

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
2 tablespoons bread crumbs

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking dish with foil. Lightly oil the foil-lined baking dish.

2. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a medium-sized skillet over medium heat. Saute the onions for about 5 minutes, until they begin to soften. Add the garlic and peppers and saute for 5 minutes. Remove from heat.

3. In a bowl, mix together the basil, ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese, 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, and bread crumbs. Stir the sauteed vegetables into the cheese mixture. Brush the portabellos with the remaining tablespoon of oil and place them gill side up in the prepared baking dish. Mound cheese mixture on each. Sprinkle each filled mushroom with remaining Parmesan cheese.

4. Bake uncovered for 20-25 minutes, until the mushrooms release their juices and the cheese is melted. Serve hot.

Per Serving:
Calories: Approximately 280
Protein: Approximately 17 grams
Cost: Approximately $3.40

Meatless Monday: Baked Pasta with Roasted Grape Tomatoes, Zucchini and Red Peppers

Today's recipe is easy and flavorful. I got the basic recipe from a forum I frequent, and I had to try it out because of its simplicity. The roasted vegetables add so much flavor. Try to get the tomatoes just perfect by roasting them until they collapse. At this stage, they seem to have the most flavor and ideal texture.

Baked Pasta with Roasted Grape Tomatoes, Zucchini and Red Peppers (serves 5)

1/2 pound dried pasta (rigatoni, mostaccioli or even penne)
1 pint of grape or cherry tomatoes
1 zucchini, chopped
1 red bell pepper, sliced
4 cloves of garlic, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper, to taste
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Put a large pot of water on high heat to boil. Spray a 13 x 9" baking pan with nonstick cooking spray or lightly wipe with oil.

2. Mix tomatoes, zucchini, bell pepper and garlic in a medium bowl. Spread vegetables onto baking pan. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake in the preheated oven for 15-30 minutes, until tomatoes collapse.

3. Meanwhile, once the water is boiling, cook pasta according to package directions. Drain pasta well.

4. Mix cooked pasta, roasted veggies, and cheeses together in the roasting pan. Return to oven and bake for approximately 15 more minutes, until the cheese is bubbling.


Per Serving:
Calories: Approximately 385
Protein: Approximately 20 grams
Cost: Approximately $2.10

Meatless Monday: Zucchini "Crab" Cakes

I have a confession. Even before I was a vegetarian, I'd never had crab or lobster or any shellfish. I have a memory from my childhood of my aunt sending my mom a box of live lobsters in the mail. It really freaked me out! A decade later, I treated my friend to lunch at Red Lobster, and seeing all the lobsters crawling around in the tank made me queasy.

That said, I can't tell you if these "crab" cakes taste like the real thing. I can tell you that they're delicious. There are lots of recipes available online for zucchini "crab" cakes. Some are more simple than others. If you want more protein, you can try adding pressed tofu (I haven't done this, but I image you'd have to add more bread crumbs if you added in tofu). If you want a variety of vegetables, you can use shredded carrot or thinly sliced mushrooms. Some recipes call for panko instead of breadcrumbs. The variations are endless. The simplest vegetarian crab cake recipe I've found is from allrecipes.com (link here).

My husband and I have made these cakes a few times. It's rare for me to be in the mood for fried food, but, when the feeling hits, these really hit the spot. The first time we made them (a year or two ago), Andrew was so excited about them that he told me he wanted to make them for his fish-loving brother.

We eat these cakes with our own variation of tartar sauce. It changes each time. I've mixed a little diced dill into Miracle Whip and used that. I've minced onion and added it to the Miracle Whip as the sauce. Usually, I just mix a little grainy mustard into Miracle Whip and serve up the "crab" cakes with that.

Finally, the nutrition information on this recipe will vary widely, depending on your frying technique and how much oil is absorbed. My nutrition information will only be a rough estimate. This dinner is low on protein, but it's very cost effective. Consider serving it with a bean salad to add some protein to the meal.

Vegetarian Zucchini "Crab" Cakes, serves 4

2 zucchinis, grated
1/4 cup onion, minced

1/4 cup celery, minced
1 egg, beaten
2 tablespoons butter, melted
2 teaspoons Old Bay or Chesapeake Bay seasoning
3/4 to 1-1/4 cup Italian bread crumbs
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1 cup vegetable oil, for frying

1. Using a clean dish towel, squeeze the grated zucchini to remove any excess moisture.

2. In a large bowl, combine the zucchini, onion, celery, egg, butter and seasoning. Stir in 3/4 cup bread crumbs. Slowly add more bread crumbs until mixture is dry enough to form into patties.

3. Shape zucchini mixture into eight patties. Dredge in flour.

4. In a medium skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat until hot. Fry patties until golden brown on both sides.


Per Serving:
Calories: Approximately 320
Protein: Approximately 6 grams
Cost: Approximately $1.25

Meatless Monday: Grilled Pesto Pizzas

My favorite sister-in-law (OK, my only sister-in-law) posted a photo last month of some individual pizzas she'd made for Meatless Monday. They had assorted roasted vegetables on top, and they looked mouth-watering. She made a lot of changes, but she gave me the recipe she based hers off of. I decided to use her pizzas and the recipe as a guide, and I created my own grilled pizza recipe. With me as the brains of the operation and my husband stationed as grill master, we created some fabulous pizzas. Although Oliver was skeptical about trying them, even he agreed that they were quite tasty. We've made them a couple times since.

A preview of the finished product:

The only cooking that we do for this recipe indoors is for the pesto. You can make this ahead of time and keep it in the fridge. I love when I don't have to be in a rush to get dinner made exactly on time. As for the veggies, feel free to change them up. Some people love eggplant; some hate it. You can probably use summer squash instead, or add extra zucchini. I bet mushrooms would be good, too.

We get two individual pizzas out of this recipe. It easily feeds three people, but if you're entertaining then it's probably nice for each person to have his or her own. I'll provide the calorie count and cost break down for both at the end of this post. As a note, the calorie count will vary depending on how much oil you use on your veggies.

Here's the recipe for individual Grilled Pesto Pizzas:

Sauce:
1 (0.5 ounce) envelope of pesto sauce mix
3/4 cup water
1/4 cup olive oil

Pizzas:
1/4 eggplant
1 zucchini
1 bell pepper
Olive oil, for brushing
Salt, to taste
2 pocketless, whole wheat pitas
1 tomato, diced
1 cup shredded, part-skim mozzarella cheese

1. Whisk sauce mix, water, and 1/4 cup olive oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until thickened.
2. Cut zucchini and bell pepper in half, lengthwise. Slice the eggplant into strips, ensuring they're large enough to not fall into the grill. Brush olive oil over the zucchini, bell pepper, and eggplant and sprinkle with salt to taste.

3. Heat grill to medium. Place the zucchini, bell pepper and eggplant on the grill, directly over the heat. Cover and grill for 6-8 minutes, turning once, until the vegetables are crip tender. Remove from grill.

4. Place pitas on the grill and cook for approximately 2 minutes, until toasted.

5. Meanwhile, chop the grilled vegetables. Mix the grilled vegetables, tomato, and pesto.

6. Flip the pitas on the grill. Spread the pesto-vegetable mixture onto the pitas. Sprinkle with cheese. Cover and cook for an additional 4-6 minutes, until cheese is melted. Enjoy!

Per serving (2 servings), approximately:
Calories: 630 calories
Protein: 22 grams
Cost: $4.50

Per serving (3 servings), approximately:
Calories: 420 calories
Protein: 14 grams
Cost: $3.00

Meatless Monday: Cabin Dinner

About a month ago, one of my cousins posted something on Facebook about making, "Cabin Dinner." I've never heard of such a thing before, and it piqued my interest. I went to allrecipes.com and found an entry for something called Cabin Dinner. I don't know if it's the same recipe my cousin used, but I was pleasantly surprised to discover that it's vegetarian. It sounded like a cross between a stew, a chili, and curry. I went out and bought ingredients for it that same week. Let me tell you, this recipe is super cheap! It cost me about $6 to make the entire thing. It served us dinner for one night and lunch the next day. Cheap, cheap.

When I first made it, my husband came home from work and raved about how nice the house smelled. Turmeric will do that! In addition to smelling fantastic, I'd read an article in last month's issue of O Magazine by Dr. Oz. He was discussing some miracle foods and spices from around the world, and turmeric was one of them. He said new evidence is coming out that is linking the spice to better brain health and decreased risk of Alzheimer's. He recommends people eat it at least once a week.

Anyway, the dinner was fantastic. Maybe it's because I'm pregnant, but we only got four servings out of the recipe and not the six as written. I made it almost exactly as written (minus using dried parsley for fresh) and served it with buttered slices of French bread. Oliver wouldn't even try the new food, but he ate a little bread. Andrew kept raving about the dinner, and I made a mental note to make it again. And I did. The next time I made it, I added some chopped tomatoes that I had on hand, and I soaked about 1/4 cup of lentils and added them to the "cabin dinner" with the beans. It was still bloody fantastic. Other members of allrecipes.com added corn and loved it. Like many of the other reviewers, I mashed about half of the beans and kept about half whole. It was a personal preference. I had someone mash the beans for me. If you have someone available to do so, I highly recommend it:

It appears you can really play with this recipe and toss in whatever you have on hand. Tomorrow, I'm making the dish again for my fourth wedding anniversary with Andrew. He also requested biscuits with it, so I plan on trying this with cheddar bay biscuits.

Here's the recipe for Cabin Dinner, taken almost directly from allrecipes.com:

1/4 cup vegetable oil
4 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 yellow onion, diced
1 bell pepper, chopped
2 teaspoons chopped parsley
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons paprika
2 teaspoons ground turmeric
1 1/2 (15 oz) cans kidney beans, drained with liquid reserved
2 tablespoons tomato sauce

hot sauce to taste

1. Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Saute garlic, onion, bell pepper, parsley, chili powder, ground cumin, paprika and turmeric until onions are tender.
2. Meanwhile, mash approximately half of the beans. Once onions are tender, stir in all of the beans and some of the liquid until you reach your desired consistency. Stir in tomato sauce.

3. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for about an hour. Add more reserved liquid as needed to ensure the beans don't dry out. Serve with hot sauce.

Per serving (based on four servings):

Calories: ~285
Protein: ~10.5 grams
Cost: ~$1.50

Meatless Monday: Black Bean Burritos

Another Meatless Monday is upon us! This week's recipe is adapted from a recipe on my favorite recipe site, allrecipes.com. Here's the direct link to the original recipe.

This recipe is perfect for the summer. Once you have your veggies chopped, it's super easy and quick. Instead of heating up my oven to warm the tortillas, I just pop them in the microwave. Perhaps that sacrifices some texture, but it's worth it to not pump heat into the house.

I make a few more alterations, too. I use Neufchatel cheese instead of cream cheese. It saves on fat and calories. I usually substitute green bell peppers for the red bell peppers to save money, but this week, red bell peppers have been on sale. Instead of using half a bell pepper, I just throw the whole thing in. I also tuck in some minced spinach for extra veggies. Finally, I halve the jalapenos, and I serve hot sauce on the side.

This recipe is supposed to make two burritos. I always get four, sometimes even five. Andrew and I each eat one, and I make Oliver's into a quesadilla. I have enough leftover filling for 1-2 more burritos the next day.


Here's my version of Black Bean Burritos (serves 4):

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 small onion, diced
1 bell pepper, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon jalapeno peppers, minced
1 (15 oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained
3 ounces Neufchatel cheese (sometimes labeled as 1/3 reduced fat cream cheese)
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, finely chopped
1/4 cup fresh spinach, finely chopped
4 (8 inch) flour tortillas

1. Heat oil in a 10-inch skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, bell pepper, garlic and jalapeno pepper. Cook for 2-5 minutes, until the onion starts to soften. Add the black beans and cook for 3 minutes more.

2. Cut Neufchatel cheese into cubes and stir into the pan until melted and incorporated. Cook for two minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir cilantro and spinach into the mixture.

3. Microwave tortillas for about 20 seconds each to warm them up. Spoon mixture onto the center of each tortilla and roll them up. Serve immediately.


Per Serving:
Calories: Approximately 350
Protein: Approximately 12 grams
Cost: Approximately $2.00

Meatless Monday: Pico de Gallo Tacos

One of my best friend's mother is from the Dominican Republic. She taught my friend how to make pico de gallo, and she, in turn, taught me. It's simple and tastes so fresh. I've been making it for years now (usually as a mild salsa to eat with chips), but I also make a batch of it for when I'm in the mood for a veggie taco (as opposed to a tofu taco). To be honest, I can't remember if the original recipe she taught me called for garlic or not. I don't think it did; I think I added it later (I'm kind of a garlic fiend). So, feel free to omit the garlic to be a bit more authentic, if you prefer.

These tacos don't have any kick to them whatsoever. There's no chili powder or anything in the recipe. I recommend eating them with hot sauce. My favorite is the green Tabasco!

Here's my recipe:

Pico de Gallo Tacos (serves 4):

4 roma tomatoes, diced

1 small onion, diced
1 avocado, peeled and diced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped finely
juice from 1 lime
salt to taste
8 corn tortillas
1/4-1/2 cup vegetable oil (for frying)
2 cups cooked brown rice
1 can of black beans, rinsed and drained

1. In a medium bowl, mix together the roma tomatoes, onion, avocado, garlic and cilantro. Toss with the lime juice.

2. Heat oil in a deep saute pan over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, place the tortillas, two at a time, in the pan. Don't overlap the tortillas. Allow the tortillas to cook for a minute, and then use tongs to flip them. Cook tortillas for another minute for them to crisp up. Once cooked, remove the tortillas using the tongs, and place them on a plate lined with paper towels to drain. Repeat with remaining tortillas.

3. Spoon 1/4 cup of rice onto each tortilla. Top the rice with the black beans, and then smother the rice & beans with the pico de gallo. Serve with hot sauce, if desired.


Per serving:
Calories: Approximately 500
Protein: Approximately 12 grams
Cost: Approximately $2.30

Meatless Monday: Watermelon Gazpacho

I found an unusual recipe on allrecipes.com a few weeks ago. It's a recipe for watermelon gazpacho. It has no tomatoes in it; the main ingredient is watermelon. I love that it looked so different than anything I've had before. Plus, with the lemon, ginger and mint, it looked to be very refreshing. the thing that really sold me, though, was the fact that there is no cooking involved. I hate heating up the house with cooking in the summer.

I made this recipe exactly as written (although I halved it), with the single exception of reducing the jalapeno by half. I worried Oliver wouldn't like the spice.

It was perfect! The vegetables just gave it a kick. Other than the watermelon itself, the flavor that really stood out was the ginger. As predicted, it was extremely refreshing. It actually reminded me of something that would be served at a nice, outdoorsy wedding shower. I served it by itself, but even on a hot summer day, it needed something else. Traditional gazpacho is Spanish, but the first thing that came to mind as a possible pairing for this watermelon gazpacho was tea sandwiches (English). Specifically, I thought about a simple cucumber tea sandwich (butter bread--no crusts--on the insides, put cucumbers it in, and slice it into small sandwiches). Serve it with whatever you choose (maybe as a side during a barbeque), but I don't think it makes a good meal by itself.

One last thing: my husband and I ate some leftover watermelon gazpacho the following day, and it tasted just as good as it did when we ate it for dinner. In my opinion, this is something you can make a day ahead of time.

Taken directly from the website, here's the recipe for Julia's Watermelon Gazpacho (serves 10):

6 cups cubed, seeded watermelon, divided
2 English cucumbers, chopped
2 red bell peppers, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1/2 jalapeno, minced (more or less to taste)
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons chopped mint (fresh)
2 tablespoons fresh ginger, minced
3 tablespoons honey
1/2 cup pineapple juice
20 small mint leaeves

1. Reserve 20 cubes of watermelon for garnish.

2. Working in batches, place the remaining watermelon and the cucumbers, red bell peppers, onion, jalapeno pepper, lemon juice, olive oil, 3 tablespoons of mint, ginger, honey and pineapple juice into a blender or food processor. Blend for about 20-30 seconds per batch. The mixture should be well-blended but retain some texture. Pour into a large bowl and refrigerate at least one hour.

3. Serve in bowls, and garnish each bowl with a couple cubes of watermelon and two mint leaves.


Per serving:
Calories: 100
Cost per serving: Approximately $2, but this will differ when fruit is out of season
Protein: <1 gram

Meatless Monday: Pasta with Vegetarian Sausage, Basil and Mustard

It's Meatless Monday!

When Andrew and I first had Oliver, his boss, Erika, brought us homemade dinner with a recipe she created herself. The dish was slightly spicy and creamy and mustardy. In short, it was delicious. Andrew asked her for the recipe, and I've been making it ever since.

This recipe uses a meat substitute. To make it, you need to get some vegetarian Italian sausages. There are a few brands to choose from. Our favorites are Tofurky brand and Morning Star Farms brand. They both run about $1 per sausage ($4 for a pack of four), so they're not cheap. They are, however, worth every penny. They're so good that even our meat-eating friends and family will eat them. Tofurky Italian sausages are pretty spicy. They're also refrigerated and not frozen. Also, we can only find them at specialty stores like Whole Foods and Natural Grocers. Morning Star Farms brand has an authentic taste and feel, and they're available at most grocery stores (I bought ours at our local King Sooper's, or Kroger). The sausages come in a pack of four, or 9 ounces. Erika's original recipe calls for 1.5 pounds, or 24 ounces. I don't like paying for $12 worth of sausages, so I have altered the recipe to call for 2 packages (18 ounces) of the vegetarian Italian sausages. Other than that, the only change I made to her recipe was adding in a bit of shredded spinach to get some veggies.

Here is the recipe. Erika wrote that the recipe serves four. I think it's more appropriate to say that it serves six.

Erika's Pasta with Vegetarian Sausage, Basil and Mustard

1 (14.25 oz) package multi-grain penne pasta
1 Tablespoon olive oil
2 (9 oz) packages frozen, vegetarian Italian sausages
1 1/2 cups dry white wine
1 1/2 cups cream
1/4 cup grainy mustard
pinch of crushed red pepper
1 cup thinly sliced fresh basil

1/4 cup thinly sliced fresh spinach leaves (optional)

1. Cook pasta according to package directions.

2. Heat oil in pan. Add vegetarian sausages and brown over moderately high heat. Once browned, slice the sausages.

3. Add the wine and simmer until reduced by half. Add the cream, mustard and red pepper flakes and simmer for two minutes.

4. Stir in the pasta, basil and spinach and serve.

Per serving:
Cost: Approximately $4.
Calories: Approximately 560
Protein: Approximately 27 grams

Meatless Monday: Portobello Burgers

Welcome to another sporadic addition of Meatless Monday on my blog! In honor of the Fourth of July, I decided to finally post my husband's portobello burger recipe.

We try to grill out once a week. We don't have AC, so it keeps the house cool. The downside is that my husband is our household grill master, and I don't want to make him cook after he works all day. So, once a week, he takes over and grills.

One of my favorites that he makes is his portobello burger. He doesn't marinate them, but you definitely can. You can drizzle a little vinegar on them or soak them in some Italian dressing... or just eat them as is. Yum! The best part about grilling portobellos is, unlike meat, you don't have to worry about it coming to temp. Easy, easy.

You can make your own roasted red bell pepper strips. Wash your red bell pepper and stick it on the grill, rotating it occasionally, until the skin starts to blacken. Once it's cool, peel the flesh off and slice the pepper into strips. I do this sometimes, but here in Colorado, a red bell pepper is usually around $3, and a whole jar (which lasts longer) is about $4.

Here's the recipe for two:

2 portobello mushrooms, washed with stems removed
2 slices buffalo mozzarella cheese
2 whole what hamburger buns
garlic mayonnaise
8 fresh basil leaves
4 ounces jarred roasted red bell pepper strips


1. Spray your grill with a nonstick grill spray or lightly brush the grill with oil. Preheat the grill to medium-high heat.

2. Place mushrooms on the grill, and grill for about 5 minutes on each side, or until tender. If desired, open hamburger buns and lightly toast them on the grill for a minute.

3. Spread garlic mayonnaise on both sides of both buns. Arrange 4 basil leaves on each bun. Place the hot mushrooms on each, and top with buffalo mozzarella and roasted red bell pepper strips.

Enjoy!

Meatless Monday: Pizza

Happy Meatless Monday! Wow, I wish I was better at getting recipes posted every week.

Recently, I haven't been cooking as much. I'm on limited house work and activity due to pregnancy complications, so we've been eating a lot of easy meals (pasta and sauce, anyone?). My husband has also been grilling out a lot for us recently. Next week, I think I'll feature his portabollo burgers.
This week, I thought I'd cover pizza. I wanted to do this because, previously, I always bought premade crusts when I wanted to make my own pizza. It's amazing how expensive they are! Why pay $5 for a pizza crust when the grocery store sells frozen pizzas for $3?

A couple months ago, I decided to make my own crust. It is so much cheaper, and it's not that difficult! Then, I decided to start making my own sauce. The flavor is much (much) better than grocery store pizza sauce.

Toppings are your choice, of course. Some good vegetarian options are mushrooms, onions, green peppers, and garlic. I frequently use spinach to make sure my toddler gets his leafy greens. I learned that spinach should go over the sauce but under the cheese. My son started picking out the larger pieces, so now I puree some spinach into the sauce, and it works perfectly.

Here's how to make your own pizza pie. Start with the sauce, since it needs the most time to bake.

Pizza sauce:
4-5 large tomatoes

5 cloves of garlic, chopped

1/3 cup olive oil

1 tablespoon honey

salt

1/4 cup spinach (optional)

1. Preheat your oven to 250 F.

2. Chop your tomatoes, or pulse them in your food processor. They shouldn't be fully pureed yet--keep them as chunks of tomatoes. Mix them with the olive oil and garlic. Spread the mixture on two cookie sheets (it should be pretty thin) and bake for about an hour or until the edges just start to brown.

3. Puree the baked tomato mixture with the honey, salt, and spinach (if you're using). Taste the sauce, and feel free to adjust it by adding more olive oil or dried basil or dried oregano.


While tomatoes are baking, start your crust. Please read the directions on your yeast. I've noticed that the quick-rising yeast often needs hotter water. Some yeast calls for temps of 105 while others call for temps of 130.

Pizza crust:

1 cup warm water

1 package of yeast

1 tablespoon sugar

3 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon part-skim mozzarella cheese
1 cup part-skim mozzarella cheese

Chopped veggies (optional)

Sliced basil (optional)

1. Stir the water, sugar, and yeast together until dissolved. Allow mixture to sit for approximately five minutes until it foams a bit. Stir the olive oil and salt into the mixture.

2. Mix flours into the yeast mixture. Once it's too difficult to stir, turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead the dough for about 5-10 minutes, until it's smooth. If it's sticky as you knead, you'll need to add more flour (all-purpose). You might end up having to add up to a cup more.  Form it into a ball.

3. Take a clean bowl and drizzle the bottom with a touch of olive oil. Put your ball of dough in the bowl and turn it once to coat it. Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel and set it up somewhere high to rise.

4. After about 20 minutes or so (once your tomatoes are done baking), take your dough and punch it down to release the air. Have fun trying to toss the dough, or set it on a pizza pan and use your fingers to push the dough flat and to the edges (you might need some oil on your fingers to do this).

5. Once your pizza dough is spread out on your pizza pan, prick it multiple times with a fork to let it vent. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of cheese on the dough. Bake the crust without any other toppings at 400 degrees for about 7-8 minutes.

6. Pull the crust out of the oven and spread the sauce on the crust. Top the crust with remaining 1/2 cup of cheese, veggies, and basil (if using). Bake for another 10-15 minutes at 400 degrees, until the cheese begins to brown.

Per slice (8 slices): Approximately 330 calories and 9 grams of protein

Meatless Monday: Stuffed Peppers

Most people have their own version of a stuffed pepper recipe. Meat eaters often add ground beef or sausage, but, for Meatless Monday, you can have a flavorful dish without those additions. This dish is very affordable and high in protein. If you're on a budget, it's an excellent dish to add to your regular menu to save money without skimping on flavor or nutrition.

Feel free to add in whatever leftover veggies you have in your fridge. I've added diced bell pepper, zucchini, and onion to mine at different times, and they always come out tasting great.

These make four servings, but they definitely need a side with them. I've always struggled with what goes well with a stuffed pepper. They have enough veggies on their own! A quick internet search landed me the following suggestions: high-quality dinner rolls, garlic bread, nicely tossed salad with ranch dressing, or scalloped potatoes.

Stuffed Peppers, Serves 4

2 green bell peppers, halved and seeded

1 teaspoon vegetable oil

2 green onions, sliced

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

1 teaspoon dried basil

2 diced tomatoes

1 (16 oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained
2/3 cup cooked brown rice

salt & pepper to taste

1/2 cup shredded mozzarella or Parmesan cheese, divided

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with a silicone mat, if you have one, or else grease a baking sheet.

2. Place peppers cut-side down on baking sheet. Roast for about 30 minutes in the oven until tender.

3. Heat oil over medium heat. Add the green onions, garlic, Italian seasoning and basil. Cook for 2-3 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and black beans and cook for about five minutes. Turn off the heat and stir in the rice, salt and pepper.

4. Stir 1/4 cup of cheese into the mixture. Stuff the mixture into the peppers (it will be heaping). Sprinkle remaining cheese over the tops of peppers. Bake stuffed peppers for an additional 5 minutes, or until the cheese is melted.

Per Serving:
Cost: Approximately $1.35

Protein: Approximately 17 grams

Calories: Approximately 240

Meatless Monday: Cheese Soup

Spring has sprung, and the weather has taken a chilly, wet turn in Denver. I swear, this is the coldest it's been since that cold snap in December!

To stay warm, I made a delicious cheese soup in the slow cooker. It fills the house with a spicy, earthy aroma, it's gooey and cheesy, and it's hearty and wonderful. I recommend this recipe on a chilly evening.
I've always used the carton of organic vegetable broth and have never used canned. I've heard canned broth is very salty, so choose your preference. I think you can always add salt to the finished product, but you can never take it away.

This soup is supposed to serve six, and it's better for you if you divide it into six servings. We enjoy it so much, though, that we usually eat a little extra and only get four servings out of it. I divided out the calories, cost and protein for both (you can find that information after the recipe information). Enjoy!

Here's what you do:

Cheese Soup (Serves 4-6)

4 small carrots, peeled and chopped

1 celery stalk, chopped

1/2 onion, chopped

1 cup peeled, chopped potatoes

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

3-4 cups vegetable broth

1 (15 oz) can corn, drained

1 head of broccoli

8 oz shredded cheddar cheese

8 oz cubed Colby Jack cheese

1. Combine carrots, celery, onion, potatoes, garlic and pepper in a slow cooker. Stir in three cups of vegetable broth and cover. Cook on low for 8 hours.

2. Stir in the can of drained corn. If the soup base is too thick for your preference, add up to 1 more cup of broth. Cut off the broccoli florets from the head of broccoli. Drop into the slow cooker but do not stir. Replace the lid and allow the broccoli to steam for 10-12 minutes or until it's bright green.

3. Stir the broccoli into the soup. Add cheese by the handful, stirring after each addition. Replace the lid and cook for 30-60 more minutes, until cheese is melted into the soup.

Per serving (4 servings):
Cost: Approximately $3.25
Calories: Approximately 620
Protein: Approximately 29g

Per serving (6 servings)

Cost: Approximately $2.15
Calories: Approximately 415
Protein: Approximately 19g

Meatless Monday: Coconut Curry Tofu

Ah, another tofu dish! I just can't help myself. This dish is flavorful and packed full of veggies. It's easy to cook, tastes incredible, but requires a lot of chopping. The best part? It also makes good leftovers. With our family of three, we always have leftovers. I hate when we go to eat leftovers the next day for lunch only to find it's gooey, mushy, and gross. This recipe is not one of those. Eat some for dinner and pack up some for the following day. Yum!

My husband and I don't eat out much. About once a month, though, we have a date night, and then we do dine out. Sometimes, we do something fun like pizza or veggie dogs. Sometimes, we go somewhere a little nicer, like PF Chang's. They have the most incredible coconut curry tofu dish there. It is so good, and they give you so much. I always have to force myself to only eat half and save the rest for later.

This recipe I'm about to share with you is not quite as good as PF Chang's version. I wish it was. It's still one of our favorite meals to eat at home, and it's a lot cheaper to make at home, but it doesn't quite compare in taste. Looking up the nutrition from PF Chang's, their coconut curry tofu is about 600 calories per serving (one order is two servings), including the rice. That's actually not too bad for a restaurant meal, but the home version is superior at 450 calories.

I use a recipe from allrecipes.com (where else?): http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Coconut-Curry-Tofu/Detail.aspx?prop31=1. However, to try to make it a little more like my favorite restaurant version, I add a tablespoon of peanut butter and often add some chopped peanuts on top. To save money and time, I also substitute some dry, powdered ingredients for fresh ones in the recipe (like chili powder for chili paste, ground ginger for fresh, and sometimes even dried basil for fresh, depending on whether or not I have any on hand). Sometimes, the grocery store is out of light coconut milk. When that happens, I purchase the fatty stuff. It works well, and actually tastes a little better. The recipe holds up to my substitutions.

Finally, this recipe claims to serve six. Perhaps it's because my husband and I like it so much, but we only get four servings from it. The nutrition information I include at the end will be based on four servings.
Without further delay:

Coconut Curry Tofu, serves 4

1 bunch of green onions

1 (14 oz) can light coconut milk
1/4 cup soy sauce, divided

1/2 teaspoon brown sugar

1 tablespoon peanut butter

1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder (more or less to taste)

1 pound firm tofu, cubed

4 roma tomatoes, chopped

1 bell pepper, thinly sliced

4 ounces fresh mushrooms, chopped

1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped

1 head of bok choy, chopped

handful of chopped peanuts (optional)

1. Remove the white parts of the green onions and finely chop. Chop the greens into 1-inch pieces and set aside.

2. In a large skillet over medium heat, mix the coconut milk, 3 tablespoons of soy sauce, brown sugar, peanut butter, curry powder, ginger and chili paste. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.

3. Stir the tofu, tomatoes, pepper, mushrooms, finely chopped green onions, and the thick thems of the bok choy into the skillet. Cover and cook for five minutes, stirring occasionally. Mix in the basil and the leafy greens from the bok choy. Season with the remaining tablespoon of soy sauce. Continue to cook for five minutes. Serve over brown rice and garnish with the green onions and peanuts, if using.

Per Serving:

Cost: Approximately $4

Calories, including 1/2 cup serving brown rice: Approximately 450

Meatless Monday: Mushroom Risotto

I love mushroom risotto. Yesterday was the first time I tried making it on my own. I must say, it's such an elegant dish, especially for being fairly easy and inexpensive.

As it was my first time making this dish, I followed the recipe almost exactly: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Mushroom-Risotto/Detail.aspx

I used brown rice instead of the arborio rice for nutrition reasons. It took a long time to cook with the brown rice, although I'm sure our high altitude had something to do with it, too. It took three hours! By the time it was done, the baked potatoes I served it with went cold. I must say, the deliciousness of the risotto made up for it. It's so good, and I plan on making it again and again. I just also plan on starting it much earlier! I'm also going to add the salt later in the recipe because it might have prolonged the cooking time.

By the time it was finished, we were so hungry (and it tasted so good) that two of us ate half of it. Under normal circumstances, though, I don't think this dish only serves four people as it states. It really makes 6-8 servings, in my opinion. This photo was half the amount of risotto we ended up eating, so you can see it makes a lot.

Here's what you need for the mushroom risotto:

1 tablespoon olive oil

2.5 small onions, minced

1 garlic clove, crushed

1 teaspoon minced celery

1 teaspoon minced parsley

6 oz package sliced mushrooms

1 cup milk

1/4 cup cream

1 cup rice

5 cups vegetable broth

1 teaspoon butter

1 cup shredded parmesan cheese

salt & pepper to taste

1. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Saute the onion and garlic until onion is tender. Stir in parsley and celery. Once celery is tender, add the mushrooms. Reduce heat to low and cook until the mushrooms are soft.

2. Stir the milk, cream and rice into the skillet. Increase the heat, and heat to a simmer. Add one cup of vegetable broth and cook until it's absorbed. Continue adding vegetable broth, one cup at a time, until it's absorbed.

3. Once rice is finished cooking, stir in butter, parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. Remove from heat and serve hot.


If you get four servings out of this recipe, each serving contains approximately 440 calories and costs about $3.50/serving.

Meatless Monday: Penne Primavera

It's Meatless Monday again! I must be getting older because it just seems like time flies.

Today, I'm going to share one of my family's favorite recipes, Penne Primavera. I actually got the recipe from allrecipes.com (direct link to the recipe: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Penne-Primavera/Detail.aspx). It's so flavorful, light, and healthy, and it's perfect for a warm day.

We make this dish a few times a month, and even my toddler son loves it. His favorite parts are the pasta and peas, but he eats a few pieces of broccoli and carrots (if he's acting picky, I shove little bits of broccoli in the pasta, and he eats them right up).

My husband and I both cook this dish, so it's definitely an easy one. We make a few changes from the original recipe. First, we use more garlic--a lot more garlic. I mince up about four cloves. I toss one minced clove in with the broth and pasta, and the rest cook with (and stay with) the veggies. Second, we use more broth--usually about three cups. When the original recipe is done, we add one more step and remove the lid and allow the broth to reduce down to a sauce, adding lots of extra flavor and even a creaminess to it. We increase the cheese and carrots, and, finally, we use a whole grain pasta for nutrition purposes.

Here's our version of Penne Primavera:

3 cups vegetable broth

8 oz package whole-grain penne pasta

4 minced cloves of garlic, divided

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 cups broccoli florets

2 small carrots, julienned

1/2 cup frozen peas

1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

1. Pour the broth into a medium sauce pan. Add one clove of minced garlic and bring to a boil. Stir in penne and allow to cook for about 5 minutes, until almost al dente.

2. While the pasta is cooking, heat the olive oil and remaining garlic in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the broccoli and carrots and cook for approximately two minutes, until it's heated through and broccoli is green.

3. Transfer the partially cooked pasta and broth into the skillet. Mix in peas. Cover the skillet and continue cooking over medium heat or until pasta is al dente and vegetables are tender. Remove the cover and cook for an additional 3-5 minutes, until the broth thickens into a sauce. Sprinkle each serving with a 1/4 cup of shredded Parmesan cheese and serve warm.

Here's a quick look at the nutrition and cost of our altered version of Penne Primavera:

Approximately 400 calories/serving

Approximately 18.5 grams of protein/serving

Costs approximately $2/serving

Meatless Monday: Mostaccioli

My Meatless Monday recipe this week is one of my favorites. It reminds me of my childhood in Chicago, when all my relatives would make "mostaccioli." When someone told me they were making mostaccioli, they meant they were making a mostaccioli bake. It always involved pasta sauce, cheese, and mostaccioli. Then, it would either have pieces of Italian sausage baked into it, or else it would have Italian sausage halves baked on top. I have memories of my grandfather (actually, my step-grandpa, a very proud South Side Irish man) making mostaccioli with Italian sausage on top for me (even after I became vegetarian), instructing me to just "pick off the meat."

A few months ago, I scoured the internet looking for a vegetarian version of this childhood favorite. I found a recipe from Kraft, altered it a bit, and found a new favorite. The best part about this recipe is that it's so simple, but it tastes incredible.

Like most pasta recipes, you can play with this one. I've made this bake with spinach and without. I've made it with fresh basil in it and on top when I've had extra in the fridge. If you're feeling saucy, you can sautee up some onions, garlic, and green pepper and mix it in. And, of course, you don't have to use the ground-meat substitute, but I encourage you to try it and see what you think! If you do try it, I recommend either BOCA brand ground crumbles or Morningstar Farms brand crumbles. What's nice about using the vegetarian substitute for ground beef is you don't have to worry if it's cooked through or not. In this easy bake, you pop it in the oven while it's still frozen! And, if you're a stay-at-home parent like me, you can make this ahead of time, when your little one is napping, and just keep it in the fridge until the evening when you're ready to pop it in the oven. Just give it an extra five minutes baking time.

Ladies and gentlemen, the recipe:

Mostaccioli, serves 8

1/2 of a one-pound box mostaccioli pasta
1 (12 oz) package BOCA or Morningstar Farms ground crumbles
1 (26 oz) jar of your favorite spaghetti sauce
1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese, divided
1 (7 oz) package part-skim mozzarella cheese
1 cup shredded spinach (optional)
1/2 cup shredded fresh basil, divided (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2. Cook pasta according to package instructions

3. Combine cooked pasta with the crumbles, sauce and half (1/4 cup) the parmesan cheese. Stir in the spinach and basil (reserve a small handful of the basil of the top) if using. Pour into a lightly greased 9 x 14 x 4 inch baking dish. Top with the remaining cheese and the reserved basil.

4. Bake for 25-30 minutes until heated through and cheese is bubbly. Cost per seving: Approximately $1.60
Calories per serving: Approximately 325
Protein per serving: Approximately 21 grams

Meatless Monday: Bean and Cheese Enchiladas

Another Meatless Monday is upon us, and it's time for me to give you another delicious recipe. I hope you're enjoying learning to cook without meat and learning it can be delicious (and is often cheaper and healthier).

This week's recipe is a comfort food. It is not the healthiest recipe in my collection, but it is cheap (about $2.25/serving) and easy. Everyone makes enchiladas differently; my sister, for example, adds black olives to hers. My friend uses kidney beans instead of pinto. This is a basic version. I've tried to substitute whole grain and even spinach tortillas for the flour tortillas, and it's ended up a disaster each time (they turn to goo). So, I recommend sticking with the plain, old flour tortillas.

Bean and Cheese Enchiladas

1 (15 oz) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp salt
2 cups shredded pepper jack (or a Mexican mix) cheese
2 (10 oz) cans enchilada sauce
8 flour tortillas

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Mix beans, chili powder, cumin and salt in a medium bowl. Slightly mash most of the beans. Stir to combine. Add in 1.5 cups of the cheese and mix. Stir in one can of enchilada sauce.

3. Open the second can of enchilada sauce and pour 1/4 cup evenly in the bottom of a 13 x 9 x 4" baking dish. Pour the rest of the can in a bowl.

4. Brush one side of a tortilla with enchilada sauce. Spoon one cup of the bean mixture in the center on the sauced side. Roll up (like a burrito) and place seam side down in baking dish. Repeat with remaining tortillas and bean mixture.

5. Pour remaining enchilada sauce on top of the enchiladas and sprinkle with remaining cheese.

6. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until heated throughout.