Vegetarian on a Budget

A new rice option

2012-01-11T22:36:00.000-05:00

I love rice, but frankly I have been getting a little bored with it.

I was trying to cut out some of the pasta in my diet and had tried to add rice to some meals. Rice is packed full of vitamins and minerals and provides an excellent source

of vitamin E, B vitamins (thiamin, niacin) and potassium.

It is lower in fat than pasta and goes better with beans that I love to eat (though beans can certainly be eaten with pasta - or just about anything else).

I recently discovered Arborio rice. It is soft and creamy when prepared. It's also a good source of iron.

I had recently used the arborio rice in a soup to give it a creamy texture without using dairy but I decided today for the first time on its own. I just mixed it in with some asparagus and some spices for a delicious snack.

Give it a try. Add in whatever veggies you'd like. I think you'll like this new rice alternative.

Arborio Rice with Asparagus

2 tablespoons of olive oil
6 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 onion, chopped fine
6 cups of vegetable stock
1 pound of arborio rice
2 tablespoons of dry white wine or lemon juice
1 bunch of fresh asparagus, chopped
1 cup of parmesan cheese, grated
2 tablespoons of butter
1/8 teaspoon of salt
1/2 tablespoon of freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons of goat cheese

•Bring the stock to a boil.

•In medium skillet sauté the onions and the garlic in the olive oil then add the asparagus and the rice.

•Toss in the white wine then add enough of the broth to cover the rice and mix it all well.

•Stir frequently and continue to add the broth a little at a time over the next 20 minutes.

•When rice is al dente turn off the stove and add the asparagus and allow it to sit for a minute.

•Stir in the butter, the goat cheese and the parmesan and season the whole lot with pepper and salt.
Vegetarian

Go green with this energizing soup

2012-01-08T15:21:00.002-05:00

I was feeling blah the last few days. You know, even if you are dieting, you don't eat right some days.
The holidays. The kids' birthdays. The post birthday celebrations. The post holiday celebrations.
Any excuse brings another excuse to eat poorly. We're all guilty of it.
So, exercising kept on, but there were a few cookies here, a few nibbles of cake there. And, all of a sudden...there's no weight coming off (at least there's no weight going on either). And the sugar surplus just drops your energy level is at zero.
Blah.
Bulking up on your greens will help re-energize and will help clean out the toxins, but who wants to sit around crunching on kale for a week?
I heard someone talking on the radio about green soup...a creamy soup that can serve as the basis of all kinds of hot, filling, toxin-releasing soups. I was intrigued.
So, off to the Farmers Market to load up on supplies and then to the kitchen to work up a few tries. And, finally. I pulled together a tasty, creamy treat that tasted great and was an energizing treat. Even non-vegetarians love this sort of treat.
It tastes creamy but doesn't have a drop of cream in it. The creaminess comes from the rice. It tastes great. Give it a try.
Green Soup
2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for garnish
2 large yellow onions, chopped
1 teaspoon of salt, divided
2 tablespoons plus 3 cups of water, divided
3 tablespoons of arborio rice
1 bunch of green chard (about 1 pound)
1 big bunch of fresh spinach (or a bag of the stuff in the produce section)
4 cups of vegetable broth
Cayenne pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon of lemon juice, or more to taste
•Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add the onions and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt.
•Cook, stirring frequently, until the onions begin to brown, about 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to low, add 2 tablespoons water and cover. •Cook, stirring frequently until the pan cools down, and then occasionally, always covering the pan again, until the onions are greatly reduced and have a deep caramel color, 25 to 30 minutes.
•Meanwhile, combine the remaining 3 cups water and 3/4 teaspoon salt in a soup pot or Dutch oven; add rice. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to maintain a simmer, cover and cook for 15 minutes. Trim the white ribs out of the chard (save for another use, such as to add to a stir-fry or other soup). Coarsely chop the chard greens and spinach.
•When the rice has cooked for 15 minutes, stir in the chard greens. Return to a simmer; cover and cook for 10 minutes. When the onions are caramelized, stir a little of the simmering liquid into them; add them to the rice along with the spinach, broth and cayenne. Return to a simmer, cover and cook, stirring once, until the spinach is tender but still bright green, about 5 minutes more.
•Puree the soup in the pot with an immersion blender until perfectly smooth or in a regular blender in batches (return it to the pot). Stir in 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Taste and add more lemon juice, if desired. Garnish each bowl of soup with a drizzle of olive oil.

Slow cooked ooey gooey goodness

2012-01-04T18:26:00.000-05:00

I love cooking in a crockpot. Veggies. Stews. You know: crockpot food.

But recently, while wandering around on the Internet, I found a website that featured crockpot desserts.

Really?

It had never really occurred to me to make dessert in a slow cooker. I don't know why not. I had used the pot to heat fruit for jellies in a jam, but I never thought to make dessert there.

I thought the process might work well for a bread pudding, so I did a search and found one for CHOCOLATE bread pudding at Better Homes and Gardens' website. Oh yummy.

Now, I'm not eating such sweet treats at the moment, but certainly some others around me have not taken such a pledge.

So it was experiment time. Ooooey gooooey and sticky, this was not a regular science project - with delicious results.

Give it a try on a cold afternoon and you'll have a delish dish for after dinner.

Crockpot Chocolate Bread Pudding

Nonstickcooking spray

1 1/2 cups of milk

1/2 cup of semisweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup of presweetened cocoa powder

2eggs, lightly beaten

2 1/2 cups of cubed sweet bread, dried in the oven

· Lightly coat the inside of a small slowcooker with cooking spray and set it aside.
· In a medium saucepan, heat the milk over medium heat until it's very warm but not boiling. Remove the pan from the heat. Add the chocolate chips and the cocoa powder, but do not stir the chocolate together - just let it stand for 5 minutes.
After it has sat and begun to melt, whisk it all together until it's smooth.
Let it all cool for about 10 minutes.
· In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs and the chocolatemixture and gently stir in bread cubes. Transfer the whole chocolate bread mixture to the crock pot.
Put the cover on the pot and cook the bread pudding on low heat for about 2 1/2 hours.
· Remove the pot from the cooker and let the pudding stand, uncovered, for 30 minutes to cool slightly beforeserving.

I got the beet! Now, I'll make a salad

2012-01-03T08:16:00.000-05:00

OK. Apparently, I'm still the only one in the household who likes beets. That is one thing that did not change with the new year.

Many of my friends dislike these roots as well. I just don't get it.

My friend GK and I have a deal that when she gets beets at the farmers' market, I get the root and she gets the leaves.

If they aren't - as they are usually served - soaked in vinegar and sugar and shoved in a can, beets are naturally sweet and deliciously tender. Those who don't like beets are missing out. Ha! More for me...

For an easy salad, nothing beats beets with greens and a rustic cheese. Start this one a little ahead of time, because it takes nearly an hour and a half to roast the beets, but the rest of it goes together quickly.

Beet and Goat Cheese Salad

1/2 pound of beets, ends trimmed off
1 tablespoon of olive oil
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1/2 teaspoon of pepper
4 ounces of goat cheese or some other soft cheese like Queso Fresco
4 cups of beet greens
4 cups of spinach leaves
1/2 red onion, sliced very thinly
1 tablespoon of olive oil
1 teaspoon of vinegar
salt and pepper to taste
Preheat the oven to 400º.
Wash and dry the beets and trim off the ends. Take a large sheet of aluminum foil and fold it in half. Put the beets in the middle. Drizzle the beets with the olive oil and season them with the salt and pepper. Bring the sides of the foil up around the beets to make a pouch.
Put the packet in the hot oven and bake until the beets are tender, about 1 hour 20 minutes.
Remove the packet from the oven and let it cool. When the beets are cool enough to handle, gently peel off the skin and slice the beets into julienne pieces. Chill until it's time to eat.
When you're ready to serve your salad, lightly toss the beet greens and the spinach together in a large bowl. Drizzle with a little olive oil, a dribble of vinegar and some salt and pepper.
Toss the greens and then top with the beets and the cheese.

Vegetarian

Mini birthday cakes - light as a feather and bursting with flavor

2012-01-02T06:27:00.000-05:00

22 Happy Birthdays for Genevieve

Our oldest, Genevieve, turns 22 today. Wow! How is that possible?

She and I have been working out and dieting for a month or so. She is my inspiration. I would probably sleep through early morning workouts and avoid meetings with the trainer at all costs.
So, she is serious about eating healthier and exercising regularly.
I had considered making her a birthday salad, but an impromptu survey on Facebook revealed my friends thought a mother who would make a birthday salad is a "monster".
I decided to make the lightest cake I could manage. A meringue base for a cake would make it airier than anything else I could do. She and I like key lime so key lime it was.
She got 22 cakes - one for each year - to share with all her friends. Everyone gets a bite of flavor, only a few calories and a bunch of fun.
Key Lime Meringue Mini Cakes
- Cake
- 1/2 cup of flour
- 1/3 cup of whole-wheat pastry flour
- 1/4 teaspoon of salt
- 4 large eggs, at room temperature
- 2/3 cup of sugar
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon of freshly grated Key lime zest
- 3 tablespoons of canola oil
- Lime Filling
- 1 14-ounce can of nonfat sweetened condensed milk
- 1/3 cup of Key lime juice
- 1 teaspoon of freshly grated Key lime zest
Meringue
2 large egg whites, at room temperature
- 1/4 cup of sugar
•Preheat the oven to 350°. Coat 24 mini muffin pans with cooking spray.
•Whisk the flour, the whole-wheat flour and the salt in a medium-sized bowl.
•Beat four of the eggs and 2/3 cup of sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until the mixture is pale yellow and has doubled in volume...this could take as long as 10 minutes.
•Beat in the vanilla and 1 teaspoon of lime zest.
•Gently fold the oil into the egg mixture, using long, even strokes, until it is just incorporated. Add the flour mixture; gently stirring just until the flour is incorporated.
•Put one tablespoon of batter into each muffin tin.
•Bake, rotating the pan halfway through, until the cakes are lightly browned and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean - about 20 minutes.
•Cool the cakes on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then invert them onto the rack and let cool completely - about 45 minutes.
•While they are cooling, whisk the condensed milk, the lime juice and a teaspoon of lime zest in a medium bowl until they are fully combined. •Refrigerate the mixture until it has thickened, at least 30 minutes (if you have time, keep it in there overnight so it gets nice and thick).
•When you're ready to finish off the cakes, beat the egg whites in a medium bowl with an electric mixer at the highest speed until soft peaks form. Beat in the 1/4 cup sugar in a slow, steady stream. Continue beating the meringues until stiff peaks form.
•Cut each cakelette in half and put a quarter teaspoon of the lime filling inside.
•Set the oven rack about 6 inches from the heat source and preheat the broiler.
•Put the cakes on a cookie sheet and plop a quarter teaspoon of meringue on top.
•Put them under the broiler until the meringues are lightly browned, which should take less than a minute.

Ovo Vegetarian

Garbanzo and Quinoa Salad...you gotta try this

2012-01-01T08:34:00.000-05:00

A family friend, Monica, was visiting Philadelphia recently and stopped in at a restaurant called Wedge + Fig. I have never been to this particular establishment, but she posted a photo of her meal on Facebook and I had to try to recreate it.
The Garbanzo and Quinoa Salad looked absolutely fabulous. A quick scan of the Internet bore no recipe for this particular dish so I set off to make my own based on her photo. This recipe is strictly a Vegetarian On A Budget copy and can not be construed to be the real thing from what appears to be a fabulous dining establishment in the City of Brotherly Love. My apologies, in advance, to the Wedge + Fig, but I had to try this and couldn't wait for the opportunity to visit to ask for the recipe.
Garbanzos are one of my favorite foods and quinoa is rapidly rising in the ranks on that chart. Both are great tasting and both are fabulous sources of all sorts of vitamins as well as fiber - one 1/4 cup serving of quinoa has 3 grams of fiber and a 1/2 cup of garbanzos has 6 grams of fiber...that's half of the amount you need in a day right in one meal.
Health benefits aside, this salad tastes great. This is not your rabbit's diet food (there's about 5 grams of fat in this whole thing).
Fill your plate. This is truly a good-and-good-for-you meal.

Garbanzo and Quinoa Salad a la VOAB

Salad
2 cups of mixed greens, chopped
1/2 cup of cooked garbanzo beans (chick peas)
1/4 cup of dried cranberries
1/4 cup of cooked quinoa
2 tablespoons of feta cheese, crumbled
Citrus Vinaigrette

2/3 cup of rice wine vinegar
1/3 cup of lemon juice
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 teaspoon of Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons of minced garlic
1 teaspoon of honey
•Mix the vinegar, the lemon juice, the olive oil, the mustard, the garlic and the honey in a pan over medium high heat and stir until well mixed and heated through.
•Take the dressing off the stove and let it cool while you make the salad.
•For the Salad, pile the beans, the cranberries and the feta on the greens, sprinkle the quinoa on top.
•When the dressing has cooled to room temperature, pour it over the salad.
Vegetarian

Break free with an exciting breakfast

2011-12-31T20:43:00.000-05:00

Breakfast can be boring.

Cereal, yogurt, eggs...yada yada yada...

You just don't have too many choices it seems.

Lately, I have been trying to shake things up a little. I just wanted to eat things that aren't necessarily "breakfast food".

Of course, I could have some cold pizza, but that doesn't do much for my weight loss attempt. Besides, I'm trying to eat healthier these days.

If you're ready to break free with your breakfast, try something that is healthy but so tasty, you'll get your day off to a good start.

Use a good quality whole grain bread as your base for this. It might work with a lesser bread, but you'll start your day off better if you have some whole grains to get things going.

Better than cold pizza for sure, this meal is full of veggies and grains to get your day off to a great start...much better than the stuff that old tiger used to push.

Better than Pizza for Breakfast

1 slice of whole grain bread

1/2 of a tomato, sliced thin

A hand full of spinach leaves, hard stems removed

1/4 of a red onion, sliced thin

1/4 cup of mozzarella cheese

Pepper, to taste

Pile the tomatoes, the spinach, the onion and the cheese on the bread.
Season with a bit of pepper.
Broil on low for about 3 minutes.

Vegetarian

Wrap up a full lunch

2011-12-30T08:00:00.000-05:00

Greek salads are great, but sometimes they aren't practical to take on the road. Take the salad, wrap it up and head out to run your end-of-the-year errands.

It's a simple, healthy lunch that you can eat on the go. Better tasting than any drive-thru, this is a good-for-you lunch that you will not regret later.

This is either a great way to finish up the last of a salad or you can make the salad from scratch.

Greens, peppers, olives and feta cheese...how can you go wrong with that combination? Add a flavorful wrap and you've got a winning combination!

I like to put the cold salad in a warm wrap, but you could bake the whole thing together, making it all meld together.

Greek Salad Wrap

3 tomatoes, cut into wedges
1/4 red onion, sliced

1/2 cucumber, sliced into thick half-moons

1/2 green pepper, julienned

4 ounces of feta cheese, cut into small cubes

16 kalamata olives
2 spinach and herb tortilla, warmed

Mix everything except the tortilla in a bowl.
Drizzle with a bit of olive oil and sprinkle some balsamic vinegar over the whole thing.
Mix well and then plop onto the tortilla.
Fold up tightly. If you want the whole thing warm, put it under the broiler for about 3 minutes, flip it over and broil it for another 2 minutes.

Vegan

Get ready for a New Year filled with good luck and wealth with Hoppin' John

2011-12-28T08:28:00.000-05:00

New Year's Day will be here before you know it. If you live in the South, you know what that means...Hoppin' John.
It seems that not everyone who grew up down here knows about this New Year's Day tradition...my husband who grew up in the South never even heard of this until he met me. I have made the traditional bacon-laden version for him and the vegetarian version for me. Both are tasty and traditional.
Throughout the coastal South, eating Hoppin' John on New Year's Day is thought to bring a prosperous year filled with luck. You're supposed to eat at least 365 beans, but who the heck is going to count out the beans...just eat a lot.
A coin is sometimes added to the pot and whoever gets the coin in their serving gets extra luck for the year.
Eat your Hoppin' John with collard greens, mustard greens, turnip greens, chard, kale, or some other greens - it's supposed to bring you wealth since they are the color of money.
I had never heard this before, but I recently read that leftover "Hoppin' John" is called "Skippin' Jenny". Frugal Southerners always ate their leftovers and sometimes giving it a special name, I read, made it taste better the second time around.
Hoppin' John Without the Meat
12 ounces of Black Eyed peas, fully cooked (or canned)
1 cup of uncooked rice
1 small onion, chopped
2 pieces of soy chorizo
1 /4 of a bell pepper
2 tablespoons of butter
2 cups of veggie broth
1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon of salt
Hot sauce

•Combine the broth and seasonings.

•Cook the rice in this until it's tender.

•In a frying pan, sauté the onion in the butter until they're tender.

•Put the rice, the black eyed peas, and the onion in a large bowl and stir everything to combine it.

•Add 2 tablespoons of hot sauce, stir again. If it's not hot enough, add more.

Vegetarian

Fancy on the cheap

2011-12-27T14:17:00.002-05:00

I wanted something fancy to put out on the snacking table for Christmas morning while we talked and opened our Christmas presents. The presents were meager this year, just a few and mostly homemade. The kids were all home (two with boyfriends) for the celebration so it was good.

A fancy centerpiece item would make the presentation a little more festive.

Baked Brie always gives the impression of glitz to a party table, I always thought. The puff pastry is a little pricy, though, so I tend to shy away from it unless there are no other options.

The generic crescent rolls are more in my price range so I snapped up a roll and gave it a whirl. Soft bread, cheese and fruit can never be bad, I reasoned.

And I was not disappointed.

The resulting snack was so popular with the girls that they barely noticed the dearth of boxes under the tree.

This is a budget-friendly treat that looks like a million and tastes as good as it looks.

Budget Baked Brie

1 tube of refrigerated crescent dinner rolls

1 wedge of Brie cheese (leave the rind on it)

Cherry jam (or the sweet jam of your choice)

Brown sugar

1/4 cup of maple syrup

Preheat the oven to 350º.
On a cookie sheet, sprayed with oil, lay out the crescent rolls flat; plop the Brie on top.
Spread the jam on the brie, fold the dough over top, cutting off the excess dough.
Drizzle the top with the maple syrup and sprinkle the brown sugar on top of your crust. (Decorate the top with any leftover dough.)
Bake for 25-30 minutes.
Serve with crackers, bread or apple slices.

Vegetarian

Add a little Asian flair to your salad options

2011-12-24T08:15:00.000-05:00

Steve has an aunt from Viet Nam. On the rare occasions that we have had to cook together, she has taught me a bit about the Vietnamese culture through the food of that country.

I have lots of recipes...many of them are for meat dishes, but there are a lot of recipes that are purely vegetarian.

Carolyn (she took on an American name when she came to this country) tells me that Asians don't really eat salad in the way that we know it. They have cooked vegetable side dishes to accompany their meals. Sometimes the veggies are served over rice noodles or they can be eaten solo.

This salad is like a cooked coleslaw with a lot of bite. It can be a side dish or a meal unto itself. I like it best with the noodles, but it can stand alone with no trouble at all. Try it both ways and see which you like better.

Vietnamese Cooked Salad

1 pound of extra firm tofu
1 teaspoon of oil
1/4 cup of fresh lemon juice
1/8 cup of soy sauce
3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1 serrano pepper, seeded and finely chopped
1 head of green cabbage, shredded
2 carrots, peeled and shredded
Large handful of herbs (whatever you have on hand) coarsely chopped
Rice noodles (optional)
1/2 cup of peanuts, crushed

Cut the tofu into bite-sized pieces and press it into a colander between some clean kitchen towels to get rid of the excess water.
Heat the oil in a skillet and fry the tofu until it's golden brown. Drain off the excess oil.
In a large bowl, combine the lemon juice, the soy sauce, the garlic, and the chili pepper. Add the cabbage, the carrots, the herbs, and the tofu to the bowl and toss it all together until it is well mixed.
Let the mixture sit for at least 15 minutes or refrigerate it for up to a day before serving.
Top the salad with the crushed peanuts.
Serve it on the rice noodles for some variety.

Vegan, gluten-free

Time is tight. Make this quick, easy stir fry

2011-12-23T14:10:00.000-05:00

Fresh vegetables in season make anything taste better. Stir frying is one of the best ways to cook them and preserve all the nutrients. Overcooking your vegetables will break down the cells of the veggies and release the vitamins and minerals that you need. Stir frying is very quick and the cell walls remain intact for you to get the max out of your food.

The secret to a good stir fry lies in the preparation. Make sure all your ingredients are chopped up before you start. Separate your ingredients according to cooking time and the things that take longer to cook that need to go into the wok first. In this case, the tofu needs to brown before you throw in the veggies so it gets cooked through by the end of the process.

If you don't like tofu, leave it out, but be sure to get some protein elsewhere in your diet...like having a couple of tablespoons of peanut butter for dessert.

This meal has kind of an asian flair. If you want to mix it up a bit, use a less flavored oil and replace the ginger with cumin for a kind of Tex Mex mix.

Quick and Easy Asian Stir Fry

2 tablespoons of sesame oil (olive oil would be fine too)
1 block of tofu, cubed
Any combination of broccoli, cauliflower, snow peas, water chestnuts, mushrooms, carrots, red cabbage, onions and/or whatever other veggies you have in the house
5 cloves of garlic, minced
¼ teaspoon of red pepper flakes
2 teaspoons of grated fresh ginger
Salt and pepper to taste
¼ cup of water

Heat a medium saucepan or wok over medium heat.
Add the oil and swirl it around the pan to coat the bottom and a bit of the sides. Add the tofu and cook, tossing occasionally, until it starts to get a bit brown.
Add the seasonings and veggies and stir-fry until all the bits are cooked but still tender. (Add the water as needed to keep things from sticking.)
Serve with brown rice or pasta or just eat it by itself.

Vegan, gluten-free

On this one, I am not a traditionalist - this green bean casserole tops the expected dish

2011-12-22T08:00:00.000-05:00

I know I'm a weirdo, but I hate the traditional Green Bean Casserole. It's mushy and salty and you can't even taste the green beans. But, that's just me.

The family loves the casserole so I make it, but for me, I prefer roasted green beans so I look for recipes that make those fiber-licious beans shine.

I found a recipe while surfing the web recently that satisfied my craving for crunchy beans and a crispy topping that beats any mix of canned ingredients by a long shot.

I tweaked it a little bit using walnuts instead of almonds for even more crunch. I added extra garlic for a little more zing. You could probably use orange juice and orange zest, instead of the lemon, but I think my version highlights the natural good taste of the green beans.

See what works for you.

Roasted Green Bean and Walnut Casserole

1 pound of green beans, stems trimmed

6 cloves of garlic, diced

3 tablespoons of olive oil

2 teaspoons of lemon juice

Salt and pepper (lemon pepper, if you have it)

1 teaspoon of grated lemon zest

1 teaspoon of fresh thyme

1/4 cup of walnuts toasted and chopped

Preheat the oven to 425º.
Toss together the green beans, a tablespoon of the oil, the garlic, the salt and the pepper in a roasting pan.
Roast it all up until the beans are tender and light golden brown.
Remove the pan from the oven and stir in the remaining oil, the lemon zest, the lemon juice, the thyme and the toasted walnuts.
Transfer everything to a serving dish and garnish it all with some more nuts and a twist of lemon.
Vegan

Quick and easy treat when you're running late in the morning

2011-12-21T13:59:00.000-05:00

My youngest daughter, just moving back home after a semester in college out of town, has turned into quite the inventive cook while she was away with a small budget and the need for more variety of tastes without a variety of ingredients.
Today, she invented an unusual breakfast treat that I had never considered: a fried egg sandwich on cinnamon toast. It kind of has the taste of French Toast without all the soaking and dredging that entails.
This really is a budget meal, but it is very flavorful and easy to make...the perfect mix for a college student on a budget.
This is not a diet dish, but it might be just the right thing for a breakfast in a hurry on an occasional morning.

Quick and Easy French Toast on a Budget

1 egg
2 slices of bread
1 teaspoon of cinnamon
2 teaspoons of sugar
butter
Cook the egg over medium and toast the bread.
Mix the cinnamon and sugar.
Spread a little butter on the bread and sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar.
Top with the egg and enjoy.

Ovo-lacto Vegetarian

A breakfast casserole with real a-peel

2011-12-20T07:30:00.000-05:00

Mornings always find me running hither and yon. With two of the kids staying here for the holidays and my new exercise regimen that has me heading to the gym early before I get to work, I want to have breakfast ready for those who want it.
While I usually stick to muesli, oatmeal or a hard boiled egg and toast myself, the rest of the family prefers something sweet...cereal, pancakes or waffles.
The other night, I was cleaning up after dinner when I smelled something sickeningly sweet. What the heck? On the counter, there were three bananas that had passed their prime. Perfect for banana bread...or something different, I thought. I remembered a recipe for a breakfast casserole that was like a cross between French Toast and Banana Bread. I think it might have used Banana Bread as its crust.
Unless I used the bananas to make this sweet bread, I had to use the multi-grain bread in the pantry and sweeten the dish with the bananas.
The resulting breakfast treat was tasty with just a little good-for-you fiber that no one really could taste...
Banana French Toast Casserole
5 cups of cubed multi-grain bread
1 cup of milk
1 cup of heavy cream
5 eggs
1/2 cup of sugar
3 ripe bananas, sliced

Preheat the oven to 400º.
Grease an 8x8 glass casserole dish with butter.
Add the 5 cups of cubed bread and sliced bananas. Make sure the the bananas are incorporated into the spaces in between the bread and are throughout the casserole.
Layer at least one sliced banana on top.
In a mixing bowl add the heavy cream, milk, eggs and sugar and whisk together. Pour over the bread and bananas.
Bake for 40 minutes.

Vegetarian

2011-12-19T11:11:00.003-05:00

I wish I had made this, but I found it on line at http://www.cherrybam.com and I had to share it with y'all.
Peace. Now and in every season...

Peace Graphics

Celebrate Chanukah with this savory-sweet treat

2011-12-19T07:30:00.000-05:00

With Chanukah fast approaching, there will be plenty of eating and snacking to celebrate the joyful holiday.
The festival of lights has been celebrated for more than 1000 years to commemorate the miracle that occurred when the lamps for the rededication of the temple burned for eight days when there was really only enough oil for one day.
Chanukah is a time for eating, drinking, exchanging gifts and enjoying the company of family and friends. Sweets are a favorite part of the holiday. While chocolate is especially favored, I have always liked the jam and cheese filled dumplings (Topfenknödel) that friends would share with me.
These are easy to make and the savory cheese tastes delicious contrasted with the sweet jam.
Chanukah Sameach!

Topfenknödel

1 3/4 cups of soft goat cheese
2 ounces of cream cheese, softened
3 to 5 tablespoons of sugar
1 to 2 teaspoons of grated lemon zest
1 teaspoon of salt
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons of unsalted butter, softened
About 3/4 cup of matza meal
1/4 cup of jam

•In a blender, or with an electric mixer, combine the cheeses, sugar, lemon zest and salt.
•Add the eggs and beat until smooth. Beat in the butter, 1 tablespoon at a time.
•Stir in enough of the semolina to produce a firm dough. (Getting the moisture level right so that the batter holds together in your hand is the tricky part.)
•Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight. (The semolina absorbs moisture from the batter and firms it.)
•Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a gentle boil. Using 2 moistened soup spoons or your hands moistened with water, form the batter into 1 1/2-inch balls.
•Drop the dumplings in the water in batches and stir gently to prevent sticking. Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, until they expand and rise to the surface, about 15 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a bowl.Serve warm.

Start a new tradition with gluten-free stuffing

2011-12-18T07:30:00.000-05:00

While I am on a diet by choice, most of my friends who eat gluten free do so for health reasons and have no choice but to keep glutens out of their food choices.

Eating gluten-free does help anyone lose weight by leveling out your sugar levels and by using the protein to help rev up your metabolism.

Most holiday meals are not gluten-free.Plates piled high with cookies, pies and even stuffing are all laden with wheat products. Eating gluten free is a good way to lessen the effects of the upcoming holiday meals.

Still, you don't have to give up tradition or taste to get better health benefits and some small jump on weight loss efforts. Try this tasty stuffing to round out your meal when you celebrate.

Gluten-free Stuffing

6 cups of gluten free bread, cut into 1 inch cubes
1 carrot, diced
2 ribs of celery, diced
2 medium shallots, diced
1/2 of a large onion, diced
2 1/2 cups of roughly cut mushrooms (use a variety of kinds for better flavor
2 cups of vegetable stock
6 tablespoons of butter, divided
1 egg
1 egg yolk
1/2 cup of heavy cream
16 fresh sage leaves
3 sprigs of fresh marjoram
1 sprig of rosemary
Sea salt and black pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 350º.
Toast the bread cubes in the oven for 20 minutes or until dried. Set aside.
Add the diced carrots, the celery, the shallots and the onion together in your blender. Chop them - don't puree them - into manageable bite sized pieces.
In a large skillet, melt two tablespoons of butter. Saute the chopped veggie mixture for about three minutes and add two more tablespoons of the butter. Add the mushrooms. Saute for another three minutes.
Add two more tablespoons of the butter and add the fresh sage, the marjoram, the rosemary, the sea salt and the pepper. Saute for another couple of minutes.
Put the toasted bread cubes into a baking dish.
In a mixing bowl, whisk together the vegetable stock, the egg, the egg yolk, and the heavy cream. Pour this wet mixture over the toasted bread cubes.
Thoroughly fold in the sauteed vegetable mixture.
Bake for 35 minutes - stir it about half way through - until it's golden brown.

Vegetarian and gluten free

Brighten up your taste with this bread

2011-12-17T07:30:00.000-05:00

I love pumpkin pie and I love cranberries. I put dried cranberries in my salads, I have made cranberry pies. I even eat cranberry sauce when it is not holiday time.
So when I stumbled across this recipe for a pumpkin bread with cranberries, I was elated.
But when I first made this bread, the original recipe actually had too many cranberries for my taste - a full cup. I didn't think it was possible, but it was almost too tart...and the savory pumpkin was not sweet enough to offset the berries.
I made it again with raisins once, but I like the cranberries better. I cut the amount of cranberries by two-thirds. It makes a great snack with cream cheese or alone.
Pumpkin Cranberry Bread
1/4 cup of raw pumpkin seeds
2 tablespoons of sunflower seeds
1-1/2 cups of whole-wheat pastry flour
2/3 cup of stevia (or other sugar substitute)
1-1/2 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice
1-1/2 teaspoons of baking powder
1/2 teaspoon of baking soda
1/2 teaspoon of sea salt
3/4 cup of canned pumpkin purée
Juice and zest of 1/2 orange
1/4 cup of water
3 tablespoons of olive oil, plus additional for oiling pan
1/3 cup of dried cranberries
3 tablespoons of crystallized ginger, finely chopped

Preheat the oven to 375º. Put pumpkin and sunflower seeds in a loaf pan and toast for 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer seeds to a small bowl. When the pan is cool, lightly oil it with olive oil.

In a large bowl, mix together the flour, the stevia, the pumpkin pie spice, the baking powder, the baking soda, and the salt. Add the pumpkin purée, the orange juice and the zest, the water, and the oil, and stir gently to combine everything.

Stir in the cranberries, the ginger, and 2/3 of the toasted seeds. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and sprinkle with remaining seeds on top and press them in.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes.

Vegetarian

Quinoa is a delicious gluten free start to this meal

2011-12-16T07:00:00.000-05:00

I was looking for something a little lighter, but still pretty tasty. A friend brought this Quinoa con Queso to a pot luck supper and I was hooked.

I haven't eaten much quinoa because I just wasn't sure what to do with it.

Quinoa is a species of goosefoot - a grain-like crop grown primarily for its edible seeds. It is a pseudo-cereal rather than a true cereal, or grain, as it is not a member of the grass family. It is closely related to species such as beets, spinach, and tumbleweeds.

The protein content of this grain like food is very high (12% to 18%). Unlike wheat or rice (which are low in lysine), and like oats, quinoa contains a balanced set of essential amino acids for humans, making it a complete protein source, unusual among plant foods. It is a good source of dietary fiber and phosphorus and is high in magnesium and iron.

Quinoa is also gluten-free and considered easy to digest. In other words, it's a great basis for a meal.

This friend's recipe is tasty, light and cheesy. Love it.

Quinoa con Queso

1 cup of quinoa, well rinsed
2 cups of water
1 Tablespoons of olive oil
1 tablespoon of butter
1 cup of chopped onions
1 teaspoon of minced garlic
1 large of fresh tomato, cored, chopped (about 1 1/4 cups)
1 roasted, peeled, seeded, and chopped large green chile, either Anaheim or Poblano (optional)
2 teaspoons of tomato paste
Kosher salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/4 teaspoon of dried oregano
1/4 pound of fresh farmer's cheese, or queso fresco, cut into small cubes
1 cup of milk

•Fresh basil, cilantro, or chives for garnish (optional) Put 1 cup quinoa and 2 cups of water into a medium sized pot and bring to a boil. Reduce to a low simmer, cover and cook for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit for 10 minutes.
•While the quinoa is cooking, prepare the sauce. Heat olive oil and butter in a medium skillet on medium heat. Add the onions and cook for a couple minutes. Add the garlic, cook for a minute more. Add the chopped tomato, about 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt, dried oregano, and tomato paste. Add chopped green chiles (cooked) if using. Sprinkle with freshly ground black pepper. Stir until well combined. Let cook until the tomatoes have cooked through and the sauce has cooked down a bit. Then stir in the cheese. Taste and add more salt or pepper if needed.
•Stir 1 cup of milk into the now cooked quinoa. Serve the quinoa in bowls and top with sauce. Garnish with chopped basil, parsley, cilantro, or chives.

Vegetarian, Gluten-free

Start your day off with a tasty shot of nutrition

2011-12-15T07:33:00.000-05:00

In a big hurry this morning - I have to pick up the youngest child following

her first semester in college.

I wanted a decent breakfast before the three hour drive. Eggs for protein, spinach for iron and other important vitamins and other nutrients - and some spices just for good measure.

Spinach has a high nutritional value and is extremely rich in antioxidants, especially when fresh, or cooked just briefly.

It is a rich source of vitamin A (and especially high in lutein), vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin K,magnesium, manganese, folate, betaine, iron, vitamin B₂, calcium, potassium, vitamin B₆, folic acid, copper,protein, phosphorus, zinc, niacin, selenium and omega-3 fatty acids. Polyglutamyl folate (vitamin B₉ or folic acid) is a vital constituent of cells, and spinach is a good source of folic acid.

In other words, it's darned good and darned good for you.

Quick Spinach Omelette

2 eggs
1 cup of torn baby spinach leaves
1 1/2 tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon of onion powder
1/8 teaspoon of ground nutmeg
Salt and pepper, to taste
•In a bowl, beat the eggs, and stir in the baby spinach and Parmesan cheese.
•Season with the onion powder, the nutmeg, the salt, and the pepper.
•In a small skillet, coated with cooking spray, over medium heat, cook the egg mixture for about 3 minutes, until partially set.
•Flip with a spatula, and continue cooking for about 3 minutes.
•Reduce the heat to low, and continue cooking for another 3 minutes.
•Sprinkle a little parm on top.
That's it!

All wrapped up for Christmas: goat cheese and honey

2011-12-14T08:00:00.000-05:00

Anything made with phyllo dough is automatically fancier. And more delicious.

Add honey and goat cheese and you have something really special.

I have ended many a meal with goat cheese drizzled with honey. The sweet honey is a wonderful contrast with the tangy cheese. This is no diet food, but for those of us on diets, it is a great once-in-a-great-while treat.

If you're going to splurge, you might as well eat something that looks as beautiful as it tastes and add a few extra yummy calories in the process. Take that goat cheese and honey and wrap it up for the holidays in a golden phyllo crust. I made pretty little triangles, but you could make little holiday presents with phyllo wrapping paper and bows if you wanted to to take the time.

Try these for the holidays or make up a batch and freeze them. Thaw them out one at a time for a special treat.

Goat Cheese and Honey Phyllo Treats

2 5-ounce logs of goat cheese, softened

1/2 cup of honey, divided
2 large egg whites
1/8 teaspoons of salt
1/2 cup of olive oil
12 sheets of frozen phyllo dough, defrosted in refrigerator

Beat the goat cheese, 1/4 cup of the honey, the egg whites, and the salt with an electric mixer until smooth. Chill for at least 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 375°. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray. Warm the olive oil and the remaining 1/4 cup of honey in a saucepan over medium heat until the honey dissolves.
Put one sheet phyllo dough out, and brush half of it with the oil mixture. Fold the phyllo in half lengthwise, and brush the top with the oil mixture. Fold it in half again to make a 4-inch strip of dough.
Brush the strip with the oil mixture, then spoon 2 tablespoons of the goat cheese mixture on corner of the bottom edge. Fold the corner across to make a small triangle, then fold it all up like a flag with the cheese inside.
Brush both sides of the phyllo triangle with the oil mixture, and put it on the baking sheet.
Do it all again with the rest of the phyllo sheets.
Bake them for 20 minutes, or until the triangles are golden. Cool them on a wire rack for about 10 minutes before serving.

Vegetarian

Ginger Bread: A sweet ending for a holiday meal or a perfect snack on the way

2011-12-13T07:30:00.000-05:00

This morning, while sopping up an interview with Nigella Lawson on the radio, I was trying to work out a menu for our Christmas celebration.

Our family has quite the collection of picky eaters. I won't eat meat. One won't eat mushrooms. Another won't eat asparagus.

The simplest thing would be to get a ham (for the carnivores) and serve it with twice baked potatoes and be done with it. Oh wait, there's one who despises cheese.

Ms. Lawson, my favorite of the domestic goddesses, suggests that we have to provide dining pleasures for all of our guests. Desserts are always a safe bet in that arena. So, I'll make a little of this and a little of that for everyone, but I want to make a simple yet spectacular dish.

She concluded her Christmas dinner suggestions on the radio with a recipe for ginger bread. Who doesn't love gingerbread? Warm and sticky with memories attached to cold snowy mornings and a slight taste of the tropics.

This is actual ginger bread, not the sort of thing from which you can cut cute little men or ladies with a cookie cutter. This is soft, a bit sticky and meant to be eaten at the table with a fork.

So off I went for a practice run...I like to taste things before I offer them to my guests. And, I had to translate the weights and measures into American amounts - often an inaccurate translation. The result was pretty and tasty so I believe I made the exchanges well.

Sticky Gingerbread

6 ounces of butter
8 ounces of honey or golden syrup
8 ounces of molasses
4 ounces of brown sugar
2 teaspoons of ginger, finely grated
1 teaspoon of ground ginger
1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon of ground cloves
1 teaspoon of baking soda, dissolved in 2 tablespoons of warm water.
8 ounces of milk (apparently, full fat milk is best)
2 eggs, beaten
1 1/2 cups of flour

Preheat the oven to 350º and line an ovenproof dish (9-by-12) with foil or baking parchment (if using foil, grease it too).
In a saucepan, melt the butter over low heat along with the sugar, honey, the molasses, the fresh and the ground gingers, the cinnamon and the cloves.
Take the pan off the heat, and add the milk, the eggs and the dissolved baking soda in its water.
Measure the flour into a bowl and pour in the liquid ingredients, beating until well mixed. It will be a very liquid batter, so don’t worry. This is part ofwhat makes it sticky later.
Pour it into the prepared pan and bake for 45–60 minutes until risen and firm on top.
Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let the gingerbread cool before cutting it.
I like to add sliced mango on top of mine, but that's entirely up to you.

Vegetarian

Garlic and Spinach make for a tastier, lighter pizza

2011-12-12T07:17:00.000-05:00

I have a friend who believes that Saturday is Pizza Night just as fervently as she believes that Saturday evening is her time to eat pizza as she does that Sunday morning is her time to go to worship with her church family.
I am not a big fan of the heaviy-salted, red sauced pizzas she orders from the local pizza parlor. It's good stuff, by mass produced pizza standards, don't get me wrong. I grew up in a old-fashioned Sicilian home where "pizza" was a way to use up the veggies that were left over from the week. When my grandmother made what she called pizza, you never knew what vegetables you might find on your slice...asparagus, broccoli, corn.
I loved it when we had spinach left over. And some onions and peppers from a salad. (No, she never put lettuce on the slices, thank goodness!) Though tomatoes are good for you, over the years, I have backed away from the red sauce because it tends to be a bit salty - and without the salt it doesn't taste as good, to be honest. I discovered that a crust brushed with a garlic paste is a great base for a pizza. Garlic is so good for you and it just brings out the taste of everything with which it is combined. Garlic is also claimed to help prevent heart disease (including atherosclerosis, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure) and cancer. Garlic is used to prevent certain types of cancer, including stomach and colon cancers. In fact, countries where garlic is consumed in higher amounts, because of traditional cuisine, have been found to have a lower prevalence of cancer. But, in this case, just concentrate on the way it brings out the other flavors in this lower fat pizza treat.Garlicky Spinach Pizza12 ounces of refrigerated pizza dough1/2 bell pepper (whatever color you have on hand), diced2 big handfulls of fresh spinach1/4 onion, dicedSalt and pepper1/2 cup of ricotta cheese3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheeseGarlicky Spinach Pizza

•Preheat the oven to 325°. Put the garlic on a sheet of foil and drizzle it with 1 teaspoon of olive oil and 1 tablespoon water. Seal the foil into a packet and bake until the garlic soft, about 30 minutes. Open up the packet and let it cool slightly. Squeeze the garlic cloves from their skins into a small bowl and add 2 teaspoons olive oil and mash into a paste.

Meanwhile, grease a baking sheet or a large pizza pan with the remaining 1 teaspoon olive oil; dust with the cornmeal. Stretch the pizza dough into a large rectangle or a circle (depending on the shape of your pan) and transfer it to the prepared baking sheet. Let the dough rest for 10 minutes; stretch again to almost fill the pan.

Position your oven rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 425°. Throw your spinach into a skillet with a bit of olive oil and cook over low heat until it's warmed through and season with salt and pepper.

Brush the pizza dough with the garlic paste. Top with the spinach and dollops of ricotta. Sprinkle with the peppers and onions and the mozzarella. Throw whatever spices strike your fancy over the top and bake for 15 minutes, lower the temperature to 400° and bake until the cheese is bubbling, about 10 minutes.

Vegetarian

Sweet and spicy jam to kick up your holiday snacking

2011-12-11T07:30:00.000-05:00

I was looking for something different to serve with some little breads and cheese I was going to set out for a holiday party.

Sweet jams are OK, but I needed to punch it up a bit. I don't like to do boring when it comes to holiday food. I want food with a little bite. (It's not news when you bite your food, but it is when it bites you back, to paraphrase an old newsroom saying.)

Don't get me wrong, this is a sweet treat with a peppery flavor. You could eat this for breakfast with no regrets, but it's not your usual jam fare.

This pepper jam does the trick when it comes to being it a little more interesting on the platter. It's hot, but not overpowering and it goes well with cheese, with a dollop of cream cheese on a crusty chunk of bread or just as something in which to dip a boring crudité.

Don't be afraid of the color. It will be some sort of brown color, depending on the mixture of colors of the peppers. Close your eyes and enjoy it.

If you have housemates who don't like the smell of vinegar (I do), make this when they're out of the house as the smell is pretty strong in the first step of this recipe. They'll love the end result, but you don't want to turn them off with the offending olfactory odors before they even try it.

Make this for your holiday buffets or pour it into pretty jars as holiday gifts for those with adventurous taste buds.

Pepper Jam for the Holidays

8 ounces of hot chili peppers, halved and seeded
1 1/2 pounds of green and red pepper
2 cups of apple cider vinegar
4 cups of sugar

In a pot, combine the chili peppers, the bell peppers, and the apple cider vinegar. Cover the pot and cook for about 20 minutes or until the peppers have softened.
In a colander, drain the pepper mixture and, with the back of a wooden spoon, press on the peppers to extract any excess liquid.
Transfer the peppers to a blender and puree.Press the puree through a sieve to remove the pepper skin.
Discard the skin. In a saucepot, over medium heat, add the pepper puree and add the sugar a little at a time and mix until the sugar has dissolved.
Continue to cook the mixture for about 40 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat when the mixture resembles a jam texture.
Allow to cool and transfer into jars.

Vegan

Gluten-free doesn't have to mean fudge free

2011-12-10T07:30:00.000-05:00

OK. So I thought that gluten-free meant taste free. Frankly, I've avoided trying anything with that moniker until a kind reader recently asked if I would include some recipes for her gluten-free needs in Vegetarian On A Budget.

The holidays are approaching and that means all kinds of foods that we shun the rest of the year because they are good, but not so good for you. One of my personal favorite ways to fall of the good for you train is fudge.

I love fudge.

Until a few years ago, I didn't know fudge could be made without a marble slab in which the sugary treat is kneaded and turned. So having discovered the basic microwave version that apparently every other family in the world makes, I whipped up lots of fudge for holiday eating.

Now, while looking for something that might satisfy the gluten-free eater, I discover that that microwave treat with powdered sugar is apparently gluten-free.

SWEET! (Literally.)

So with five minutes of work and an hour of waiting time, you can have fudge ready for even those on the special diet. You could pour this over a ground almond crust and have a gluten-free pie, I suppose.

Happy to know that my gluten-free friends would not be suffering a fudge free holiday season, I made up a batch and I have no idea what the difference between this and the original recipe might be.

Gluten-free fudge

4 cups of powdered sugar
1/2 cup of unsweetened cocoa
1/4 teaspoon of salt
1/4 cup - minus a teaspoon - of milk
1 tablespoon of vanilla
1/2 cup of butter

In a 1 1/2 quart casserole dish, stir together the sugar, the cocoa, the salt, the milk and the vanilla until it's all partially blended.
Put the butter over the top of the mixture, in the center of the dish.
Microwave it on high for two minutes.
Stir well until it is smooth.
Pour it all into a greased 8 inch square dish and chill for about an hour.

Vegetarian, gluten-free

Be the hit of the party with this quick, healthy dip

2011-12-09T07:00:00.000-05:00

It's that time of year. You get home from work and you barely have time to throw yourself together for the third pot luck party to which you have been invited this week, much less throw something together to bring to share at the table.
This recipe is not only easy, it's pretty healthy for a holiday snack.
Mushrooms are a rich source of riboflavin, niacin, and selenium. Selenium is an antioxidant that works with vitamin E to protect cells from the damaging effects of free radicals. One study has shown that men who consumed twice the recommended daily intake of selenium cut their risk of prostate cancer by 65 percent. Women, in a different study, were shown to cut their risk of breast cancer in half by eating as little as one mushroom a day.
You can throw this special treat together when you get home and let it bake while you shower and dress for your party. Bring along a loaf of crusty bread and you'll be the hit of the party.
Quick Mushroom Dip
3 tablespoons butter
1 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 small onion, chopped
1 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup sour cream
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
1 pinch salt and pepper to taste
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese
•Preheat oven to 375º.
•Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in the mushrooms and the onion, and cook until tender. Sprinkle with the flour. Reduce heat to low, and continue cooking 5 minutes. Mix in sour cream and lemon juice, and season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a small casserole dish, and top with Parmesan cheese.
•Bake 15 minutes in the preheated oven, until bubbly.

Vegetarian

Say cheese...cake for the holidays

2011-12-07T10:43:00.001-05:00

What's a holiday meal without cheesecake? Champagne Cheesecake for New Years, a Raspberry Cheesecake for valentines, Lime Cheesecake for St. Patty's Day...you get the idea.

Well, in celebration of Christmas, I wanted something red and white to celebrate the season that was not peppermint. I think a lot of people are tired of peppermint at this time of year. (I have one daughter, however, who would eat candy canes year 'round if they were available, so not everyone wants to skip that flavor, for sure.)

As for me, however, I wanted a break. So I sought out another, less pervasive, Christmas flavor - cranberries.

I found a recipe on a blog that promotes lighter fare cooking and adapted it a bit for my own taste.

The Cranberry Cheesecake is just the right blend of sweet and tart.

Cranberry Swirl Cheesecake

4 ounces of graham crackers
3 tablespoons of oil (not olive oil)
Cooking spray
1 1/2 cups of fresh cranberries
1/2 cup of sugar
1/4 cup of Chambord (raspberry liqueur) or rum
3 tablespoons of water
1 cup of sugar
2 (8-ounce) packages of lower fat cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup of fat-free cream cheese, softened
1 cup of plain fat-free Greek yogurt
2 teaspoons of vanilla
1/8 teaspoon of salt
3 large eggs
2 large egg whites

Preheat oven to 375°.
Wrap outside and bottom of a 9-inch springform pan tightly with a double layer of heavy-duty foil.
Put the crackers in a blender and process until they are finely ground. Drizzle with the oil and pulse them until they're combined. Then press the mixture into bottom and 1/2 inch up the sides of your pan, which has been coated with cooking spray. Bake the crust at 375° for 8 minutes and cool on a rack.
Reduce the oven temperature to 325°.
Put the cranberries, the sugar, the liqueur, and the water in a saucepan and bring it all to a boil. Cook for 8 minutes or until the cranberries pop and the mixture is syrupy. Cool for 20 minutes and then put the mixture into your blender and blend it until it's smooth.
Combine 1 cup of the sugar and the cheeses in a large bowl and beat with a mixer at medium speed until it's smooth. Beat in the yogurt, the vanilla, and the salt. Add the whole eggs, 1 at a time, and beat it all well after each egg goes in.
Put the 2 egg whites in a medium bowl and beat them with a mixer at high speed until soft peaks form. (Make sure you use clean, dry beaters for the best results.) Fold the beaten egg whites into the cream cheese mixture.
Pour the cream cheese filling over the crust. Spoon the cranberry mixture over the filling and swirl the red and white together using the tip of a knife.
Put the springform pan into a 13-by-9 metal baking pan. Add 2 inches of hot water to the baking pan.
Bake at 325° for 50 minutes or until the center of cheesecake barely moves when pan is touched.
Turn off the oven and cool your cheesecake in the closed oven (no peeking) for 30 minutes.
Remove the cheesecake from the oven and run a knife around outside edge. Cool on a wire rack. Cover and chill for at least 8 hours.

Give your flavors a chance to get to know each other with this slow cooker stew

2011-12-07T06:54:00.000-05:00

Sometimes, we are on the go all day and into the early evening. I'm sure that describes everyone's life.

On days like that, it's best to be prepared with a good recipe that can be prepared in the crockpot. Back in the 70s and early 80s, when I was first starting out on my own, a crockpot was a part of every kitchen. Then microwaves came into vogue and crockpots got stowed in a cabinet. It seems that people are re-discovering slow cooking these days and the pots are making their way back into the kitchen. I've never been a fan of irradiating my food in the microwave. I rarely use the fast-cooking oven, though I have one.

In the slow cooking crockpot, the flavors have a chance to meld together and enhance one another. In the microwave, they barely have the chance to touch before the dish is heated through and the dish is brought to the table.

This recipe takes six hours to cook. On those days when you don't have time to stir a pot on the stove top, this is a perfect recipe. The flavors bring to mind an ancient Indian recipe, though I think it is a bit milder and probably appeals to a wider audience.

The night before you know you are going to have one of those days, cut up your veggies and get everything ready. In the morning, it will take just a few minutes to set up the pot and leave it. When you're ready for dinner, the crockpot will have done the work for you and you can just sit down at the table, relax and enjoy a delicious meal.

Lentil and Sweet Potato Stew

5-6 cups of unsalted soup stock

1 cup of brown lentils

1 tablespoon of oilve oil

1 tablespoon of garlic, peeled and minced

2 tablespoon of jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced

2 cups of sweet potatoes, cut into bite sized pieces

1 cup of diced celery

1 cup of diced bell pepper (use a variety of colors if you have them)

1/2 teaspoon of dried thyme

! teaspoon of dried basil

1 teaspoon of paprika

1 teaspoon of ground coriander

1/2 teaspoon of cumin

1/2 teaspoon of ground fennel

3 tablespoons of tomato paste

Black pepper, to tate

1/4 teaspoon of molasses

1/4 cup of parsely, minced

Roast the garlic in the oil, then add all ingredients to a cold crockpot, cover and cook on low for 6 hours

Vegan

Better than take out

2011-12-06T07:33:00.000-05:00

When you go to a Chinese restaurant or order take out, you often have the choice between fragrant and HOT. It always smells like a spicy little dish, but doesn't have that extra pop unless you ask for it.
If you want some pop but not something that bites you back in this dish, leave out the hot sesame oil at the end.
This recipe for all those people who say, "Ewww...how can you eat tofu, it has no flavor." True, eaten alone, tofu is bland, but give it a kick and you've got a flavorful ingredient.
The flavor boost in this recipe comes from the five spice powder, a blend of cinnamon, cloves, fennel seed, star anise and Szechuan peppercorns - it has a little kick from the peppercorns - but if you really want to heat things up, add the hot sesame oil.
This recipe doesn't taste like Chinese take out. It's better.
Kung Pao Tofu
1 package of extra firm tofu water packed tofu, rinsed and drained
1/2 teaspoon of five spice powder, divided
1 tablespoon of oil
1/2 cup of water
3 tablespoons oyster-flavored sauce
1/2 teaspoon of cornstarch
12 ounces of broccoli crowns trimmed and cut into bite-size pieces
2 bell peppers, diced (use varied colors if you can afford it)
1 tablespoon of fresh ginger, minced
1 tablespoon of garlic, minced
2 tablespoons of unsalted roasted peanuts
2 teaspoons of hot sesame oil

Pat the tofu dry and cut it into 1/2-inch cubes. Combine with 1/4 teaspoon of the five-spice powder in a medium bowl.
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the tofu and cook, stirring every couple of minutes, until it's golden brown, for about 10 minutes. Transfer the tofu to a plate.
Meanwhile, whisk the water, the oyster-flavored sauce, the cornstarch and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon five-spice powder in a small bowl.
Add the broccoli and the bell peppers to the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until they all begin to soften. Add the ginger and the garlic and cook, stirring, for about 30 seconds (you'll start to smell the goodness when it's right). Reduce the heat to low, add the sauce mixture and cook, stirring, until it's thickened.
Return the tofu to the pan and throw in the peanuts. Stir to coat them with the sauce and then stir in hot sesame oil.

Vegan

A saucy little number to start off your week

2011-12-05T07:30:00.000-05:00

People tend to think of Mexican food as heavy on the meat. Meat is an option, Mexican dishes are as often filled with beans, veggies and/or cheese as they are with beef, pork or seafood.

Enchiladas are no exception. In Tex Mex restaurants you often have to ask for a meatless option as an alternative rather than getting it as a menu item. In a Mexican home, the meat is an optional add in. I have even been given a corn tortilla simply dipped in sauce with no filling inside. Go bold with the fillings and do what you want.

The spicy sauce that is slathered over the top is the key to a good enchilada. Go fresh, go bold and you can't go wrong. Don't use canned tomatoes - especially in the sauce - they're too mushy.

If you want, sprinkle some cheese on top, but this recipe doesn't need that added taste. It's great just the way it is.

Sauce:

1 green pepper (go with a pablano pepper for more fire)

2 teaspoons of olive oil

1 cup of chopped yellow onion

3 cloves of garlic, minced

1 teaspoon of salt

1/2 teaspoon of ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon of chili powder

1/4 teaspoon of paprika

1/8 teaspoon of ground chipotle pepper (optional)

8 ounces tomatoes, roughly chopped, plus diced tomato for garnish

1 cup vegetable broth

1/2 cup packed fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped, plus more leaves for garnish

Filling:

3 bell peppers, diced

8 ounces of mushrooms, diced

3/4 cup of red onion, diced

4 1/2 teaspoons of olive oil

1/4 teaspoon of salt

Freshly ground pepper, to taste

1 can of pinto beans, rinsed

12 6-inch tortillas

Preheat oven to 425°.

Sauce:

Roast the pepper under the broiler, turning once or twice, for 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer to a deep bowl, cover, and set aside to steam for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat 2 teaspoons of oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the yellow onion, the garlic, 1 teaspoon of salt, the cumin, the chili powder, the paprika and the ground chipotle and cook, stirring, until the vegetables have softened. Remove from the heat.
Peel the roasted pepper and discard the stem and the seeds. Chop them up. Add them to the saucepan along with the chopped tomatoes, the broth and the chopped cilantro. Return the heat to medium heat and cook, uncovered, at a steady simmer, until the liquid has reduced slightly and the tomatoes have broken down, 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer the whole bit to a blender and puree.

Filling:

While the sauce simmers, place bell peppers, mushrooms and red onion in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle them with 4 1/2 teaspoons of oil and sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon of salt and pepper.
Roast, stirring halfway through, until the vegetables are tender and browned in spots. Transfer them to a large bowl and stir in the beans. Reduce the oven temperature to 375°.

Enchiladas:

Spread 1/2 cup of the sauce in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.
Place a skillet over medium heat. Coat both sides of a tortilla with cooking spray. Heat in skillet for 5 to 10 seconds per side, adjusting the heat if the pan gets too hot.
Spread 1/3 cup of the filling and 1 tablespoon of the sauce down the middle of the tortilla and roll it up to enclose the filling. Place seam-side down in the baking dish. Repeat with the remaining tortillas, filling and sauce. Spread the remaining sauce and filling over the enchiladas.
Bake, uncovered, until hot, about 15 minutes.

Vegan

Gluten free Pizza Crust. How will you top it?

2011-12-04T06:00:00.000-05:00

I am not a fan of store bought or restaurant pizza.

There are a few places where I have had pizza that is good, but I grew up in a Sicilian household where bread, with white or red sauce and lots of vegetables was a holiday treat not a Friday night regular. So I like fresh when I have it and I don't really want it often. When I get pizza, I want it to taste like something special right out of the garden.

But, as important as it is to get those fresh veggies on the pizza, you have to have a good crust on which to build.

I am trying to provide some gluten free recipes from time to time and I figured that a good basic pizza crust would be something on which to build a variety of meals.

When I made a pizza recently, it was covered with tomatoes, roasted red and green peppers and mushrooms. I put on a very small amount of cheese to keep the pizza more in line with what most people like. One of my favorite ways to make pizza is to brush the crust with olive oil, dollop on some ricotta cheese and scatter spinach and mushrooms.

What are some of your favorite ways to eat pizza?

Basic Gluten-Free Pizza Crust

3/4 cup gluten free flour

3/4 cup of tapioca flour

2 tablespoons of dry powdered milk

1 teaspoon of unflavored gelatin powder

1 teaspoon of salt

2 teaspoons of xanthan gum

2 1/4 teaspoons of yeast

1 teaspoon of honey

2 teaspoons of olive oil

1 1/2 teaspoons of cider vinegar

1/2 cup of lukewarm water

Tapioca flour for dusting the rolling surface

Gluten free corn meal to sprinkle on the baking pans

Preheat the oven to 400º.
Line two baking pans with parchment paper and sprinkle with the cornmeal.
Put all the dry ingredients in a large bowl and mix them together.
Add the honey, the vinegar and the olive oil and then gradually add the water.
Mix on high speed for about 4 minutes.
Scrape the dough onto a surface you have sprinkled with tapioca flour.
Knead it enough so you can make a big ball. Cut the ball in half so you can make two medium pizzas.
Add tapioca flour to the rolling surface as often as you need to. You don't want it to become a sticky mess.
Shape each of the small balls into a circle. Roll it as thick or thin as you want.
Sprinkle corn meal on top of the dough and bake it for about 5 minutes.
Add whatever toppings you please and bake.

Vegetarian, Gluten Free

It's called a December Cake, but you can make it any time

2011-12-03T10:48:00.001-05:00

Yesterday was Jessica, our youngest daughter's, 19th birthday...I'm not sure when that happened, but here we were celebrating it.

I figured that as a full-fledged adult (not a just-turned-adult as she was last year, she might appreciate a cake that was not a sugary sweet kid's cake. When you're a kid, the cake is all about the icing...it doesn't matter what the cake looks or tastes like as long as it's blanketed beneath a layer of fluffy sugar laden icing.

I was searching through some old recipes my grandmother had clipped from newspapers and magazines from the 1920s through the 1970s when I came across a spice cake recipe called a "December Cake". I have no idea when this was popular, but I'm bringing it back.

What could be more appropriate for our December Birthday Girl than a December Cake? So off to the kitchen pantry to dig out the spices and set to work.

The result was a delicious sweet, but not too sweet, cake that was free of the extra fluff of a child's celebration. You could make this for holiday parties or for any other time of year and it will be a hit.

December Cake

1 1/2 cups of sifted flour

1 teaspoon of baking powder
1/2 teaspoon of baking soda
1/2 teaspoon of ground cloves
1 teaspoon of cinnamon
1 teaspoon of freshly grated nutmeg
6 tablespoons of butter
1 cup of firmly packed brown sugar
2 eggs
3 tablespoons of sour cream
1 cup raspberry jam

Preheat oven to 350. Butter a cake pan. Sift together the flour, the baking powder, the baking soda, the cloves, the cinnamon, and the nutmeg.

Cream butter and brown sugar until light. Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Beat in the sour cream. Stir the flour mixture into the butter mixture until barely blended.

Stir in jam. Pour into buttered pan. Bake for 30 minutes.

Ovo-Lacto Vegetarian

These chocolates are a treat - not a raw deal

2011-12-01T15:11:00.001-05:00

I am not a raw foods person, though I know some of you might be.

Vegetarian eating is conscious eating, you make the choice to not eat meat and you have to make a conscious choice each time you have a meal to eat a certain way. You can't just run down to a fast food joint and grab whatever from the dollar menu.

A raw food diet is more complex than that. Every bite of food is a conscious choice. It is carefully planned. It is a complete lifestyle change that cannot be done easily. I have not reached that level...maybe one day.

But, as I stumbled around the internet looking for scrumptious holiday recipes, I found a treat that looked tasty, included chocolate and was, by definition, raw.

You can eat raw and still have chocolate? This healthy way of life might deserve another look.

The resulting cookie is a little dry to those of us used to creamy chocolate delights, but it is surprisingly tasty. If you're looking for something that tastes great, and is a little different for your holiday table, this is it. It's not gooey and it tastes healthy, but with a chocolatey kick.

Chocolate Marzipan Cookies

2 1/2 cups of almond meal

1/2 cup of agave nectar

10 drops of bitter almond essence

1 tablespoon of Cacao powder

1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon

Marzipan:

In a small bowl fold in the almond meal, agave and bitter almond essence with a spatula.

With damp hands and using a 1/2 tablespoon size measuring spoon, measure and roll into small compressed balls.

For Chocolate Dust:

In a shallow bowl shift the cacao powder and cinnamon.

Roll each marzipan ball in the cacao powder until completely covered being sure to shake off excess powder.

Vegan, Raw

You won't miss the meat in this comfort dish

2011-11-30T11:21:00.001-05:00

When I ate meat, I used to love Beef Stroganoff. It was a great comfort food. Warm, a bit salty, buttery and not at all healthy, but it was good.
When I gave up the carnivorous lifestyle, I discovered that in a lot of recipes, mushrooms were good and, dare I say, meaty and a fine substitute in a lot of dishes.
I once even got Steve to eat a "cheesesteak" once that had some Portobello mushrooms instead of steak.
So when the weather started to cool off recently, I thought about Stroganoff made with mushrooms. It is just as warm and "meaty" as the original. It is, by no means, a diet food - the butter, pasta and sour cream see to that, but for those who are trying to ease out of their carnivorous habits or for those who miss a particular comfort food, this is a great meal for a warm day.
Mushrooms Stroganoff
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) of unsalted butter
1 large shallot, thinly sliced
2 pounds mixed fresh mushrooms, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup dry white wine
1 cup vegetable broth
1/2 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons minced fresh flat-leaf parsley, plus more for garnish
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1 pound wide egg noodles
•In a large skillet, over medium-high heat, melt the butter. Add the shallot and sauté until it's golden.
•Add the mushrooms and cook them, stirring, until they have softened and released most of their liquid. Add the flour and stir to incorporate it with the mushrooms.
•Stir in the wine and the broth and cook until most of the liquid has evaporated, about 2 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the sour cream and the 2 tablespoons parsley. Season with salt and pepper.
•Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat and add 2 teaspoons of salt with the pasta to the boiling water. Cook according to the package instructions. Drain, reserving about 1/2 cup of the cooking water.
•Add the pasta to the sauce and toss to combine. Warm briefly over low heat to blend the flavors. Add as much of the cooking water as needed to loosen the sauce; garnish with parsley and serve immediately.

Ovo-Lacto Vegetarian

Gluten free? Try this rice salad to start

2011-11-28T16:05:00.001-05:00

A reader asked if I could include some gluten free recipes in Vegetarian on a Budget. I haven't eaten gluten free by choice, though a lot of things I eat are, by definition, free of glutens. I thought I'd try out a few things.

A gluten-free diet is a diet that excludes the protein gluten, which is found in grains such as wheat, barley and rye.

Forget about what you think about bread, cake, pie, cookies and even some other dishes. There are some people who argue that oatmeal contains gluten so change what you think about breakfast too.

Like I said, I haven't consciously eaten gluten free so I had to start simple...besides I had to make something quickly today because I was heading out the door.

So...to the fridge to see what was there that was gluten free and good. In the future, I'll make some dishes that I've put more thought into.

Today, we'll settle for a dish of tasty leftovers combined into a tasty salad.

Thanks for the suggestion, Charlene, this is going to be a fun path to travel.

Gluten Free Rice Salad

4 cups of cooked brown rice, chilled

1/4 cup of oil

1 teaspoon of salt

1 teaspoon of pepper

1 teaspoon of sugar

1 teaspoon of sesame oil

1 carrot, diced

1/2 cup of snow peas, chopped

1/4 cup of rice vinegar

1 stalk of celery, diced

1/2 green (or whatever color you have on hand) pepper

3 green onions

In a small bowl, combine the oil, the salt, the pepper, the sugar and the sesame oil. Stir this combination until all the sugar dissolves.

Pour it over the rice. Toss it all around just to coat all the rice. Set it aside.

Steam the carrots and snow peas, then stir them into the rice.

Add the rest of the ingredients and pop it all in the fridge to cool it down.

Vegan and gluten free

2011-11-25T19:39:00.001-05:00

Sometimes, at this time of year, you want something fresh...something that is not a reworking of some left over food.
On one such day recently, I checked the fridge and found little to work with, but some low carb, whole wheat tortillas, a half a block of Jack cheese and assorted peppers and a little yellow squash.
Hmmmm...
A veggie wrap? Eh...kinda dull. A burrito? There were bound to be some canned beans somewhere.
No, what I really wanted was somethng fresh and colorful - the best way to ensure good nutrition, some experts say, is to make sure your food has lots of colors. The more colors, the more diverse and nutritious your choice will be.
This recipe meets all those criteria. Plus, it tastes spectacular.
Give this a try on those days when you need the energy after a long day at work and you still have Christmas gifts to create. It's quick and delicious.
Quick and Delicious Pepper and Squash Fajitas
8 whole wheat tortillas
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 red onion, thinly sliced
1 green pepper, seeded and sliced into strips
1 red pepper, seeded and sliced into strips
1 teaspoon of minced garlic
1 yellow squash, halved and sliced into strips
1/2 cup of salsa
1 teaspoon of ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon of salt
1 cup of Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
1/4 cup of fresh cilantro, chopped
• Preheat oven to 350º.
• Wrap tortillas in foil and put them in the oven to bake for 15 minutes.
• In a skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat and add the onions, the peppers and the garlic. Make sure they are all thoroughly coated in the oil.
• Cover and reduce the heat to medium and cook for another 5 minutes.
• Stir in the salsa, cumin and salt.
• Cover and cook for another 5 minutes. Stir squash in to the mix.
• Spoon the mixture down the center of the tortillas and sprinkle the cilantro and the cheese on top.
• Roll them up and serve.
Vegan

Don't be chicken to try this pasta salad

2011-11-22T12:17:00.001-05:00

Often at a potluck, the subject of my vegetarian "lifestyle choice" comes up. People tell me they could never eat a vegetarian dish. They love meat and giving up that tasty, tender flesh is just something they could never choose.
"You don't like any vegetarian foods?" I ask.
"Nope. Not a-one. If it doesn't have meat in it, I won't eat it. Simple as that."
I try to picture them eating a meat covered ice cream sundae (in some cases, it's not much of a stretch, I guess) and then I laugh when I see them heading back for seconds on my "Chicken" Pasta Salad.
There is not one shred of chicken in the salad, but because there is the word chicken (and, yes, I always put it in quotes so they could ask if there was really chicken in it if they doubted it), but they don't seem to care.
The "meat" is textured vegetable protein. (Veat makes a really good "chicken breast", but I'm sure there are lots of other pseudomeat makers out there who do an excellent job of recreating the salty taste and texture of a fowl breast). I usually avoid TVP because I don't miss meat in my diet, but I know there are some who choose not to eat meat who miss the taste and texture they gave up.
Try this with for your meat eating friends as well as fellow vegetarians. Tell then it's not really meat...one taste and they won't care.

Vegetarian Chicken Pasta Salad

16 ounces of garden pasta
1/2 cup of sweet peas
1 green pepper, chopped
1 red pepper, chopped 1 small red onion, chopped
1 small can sliced black olives
1 vegetarian chicken breast, chopped
1/2 cup of olive oil
1 tablespoon of lemon juice
1 teaspoon of sugar
1/4 cup of balsamic vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste
Boil the pasta. While that is going, chop the green and red peppers, the onion and the chicken.
When the pasta is done, drain and rinse with cold water. Place in a large bowl (with a lid) and toss in peas, the peppers, the onions, the chicken and the olives.
Mix the olive oil, the lemon juice, the sugar, the vinegar and the salt and pepper and toss it over the salad.
Chill for at least two hours before serving. The longer you chill it, the more the flavors will blend and the more delicious it is.

Vegan.

A simple dish that tastes delish

2011-11-21T18:56:00.001-05:00

I can't get anyone in my family to eat butternut squash. When Genevieve was a baby, she ate a version of this as baby food. I made all of her food based on what I was eating. I left out the salt, though there is very little in this recipe.

Butternut squash is very low in calories (just 45 cal per 100 grams of squash). It contains no saturated fats or cholesterol. At the same time, it is a rich source of dietary fiber and phyto-nutrients. Squash is often recommended by dieticians in weight reduction

programs.

This is a really low-cal dish, but you can lower it even further, leave out the maple syrup, and put in a teaspoon of freshly grated nutmeg.

This is a simple dish that tastes delish.

Butternut Squash Puree

1 whole butternut squash

4 tablespoons of maple syrup

1/2 stick of butter

1/8 teaspoon of salt

Cut the squash in half and scrape out the seed and membranes with a spoon. Place both halves, face down, on a baking sheet and pour a little water into the pan. Bake in a 350-degree oven for about 30 minutes or until the squash is fork tender. Remove from the oven.
Cut ½ stick of butter into pieces and throw into a mixing bowl. With a spoon, begin scraping out the flesh of the squash from the skin. Plop it into the bowl on top of the butter.
Add 4 tablespoons of maple syrup. With a potato masher, mash the squash until the large chunks are gone. Add a dash of salt. Place this mixture into your blender and give it a whir until it’s pureed.

A holiday way with spinach salad

2011-11-20T22:34:00.001-05:00

With the holiday just around the corner, I have bunches of cranberries around. Even though most of my family is not a big fan of the little red treats, I love them and use the time between Thanksgiving and Christmas to include them in as many recipes as I can.
Some studies have shown that cranberry juice significantly increases the antioxidant capacity of plasma. It has also been shown to be an ideal treatment for urinary tract infections.
In addition to the fresh berries I have for the cranberry sauce and cranberry mango jam I made, I had dried cranberries on hand for the white chocolate cranberry cookies. As I contemplated some other recipes before lunch, I decided to make myself a salad.
I love spinach salad with strawberries, so I decided to try the same with dried cranberries instead of the sweeter berries just to see how it tasted. Even if you are not a really big fan of cranberries, you might really like this so give it a try when you're feeling a bit adventurous.
Spinach Cranberry Salad
1 tablespoon butter
3/4 cup almonds, blanched and slivered
1 pound spinach, rinsed and torn into bite-size pieces
1 cup dried cranberries
2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
1 tablespoon poppy seeds
1/2 cup white sugar
2 teaspoons minced onion
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1/2 cup vegetable oil

•In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Cook and stir almonds in butter until lightly toasted. Remove from heat, and let cool.
•In a large bowl, combine the spinach with the toasted almonds and cranberries.
•In a medium bowl, whisk together the sesame seeds, poppy seeds, sugar, onion, paprika, white wine vinegar, cider vinegar, and vegetable oil.
•Toss with spinach just before serving.

Vegetarian on a Budget

A new rice option

Go green with this energizing soup

Slow cooked ooey gooey goodness

I got the beet! Now, I'll make a salad

Mini birthday cakes - light as a feather and bursting with flavor

Meringue

2 large egg whites, at room temperature

Garbanzo and Quinoa Salad...you gotta try this

Break free with an exciting breakfast

Wrap up a full lunch

Get ready for a New Year filled with good luck and wealth with Hoppin' John

Fancy on the cheap

Add a little Asian flair to your salad options

Time is tight. Make this quick, easy stir fry

On this one, I am not a traditionalist - this green bean casserole tops the expected dish

Quick and easy treat when you're running late in the morning

A breakfast casserole with real a-peel

Celebrate Chanukah with this savory-sweet treat

Start a new tradition with gluten-free stuffing

Brighten up your taste with this bread

Quinoa is a delicious gluten free start to this meal

Start your day off with a tasty shot of nutrition

All wrapped up for Christmas: goat cheese and honey

Ginger Bread: A sweet ending for a holiday meal or a perfect snack on the way

Garlic and Spinach make for a tastier, lighter pizza

Sweet and spicy jam to kick up your holiday snacking

Gluten-free doesn't have to mean fudge free

Be the hit of the party with this quick, healthy dip

Say cheese...cake for the holidays

Give your flavors a chance to get to know each other with this slow cooker stew

Better than take out

A saucy little number to start off your week

Gluten free Pizza Crust. How will you top it?

It's called a December Cake, but you can make it any time

These chocolates are a treat - not a raw deal

You won't miss the meat in this comfort dish

Gluten free? Try this rice salad to start

Don't be chicken to try this pasta salad

A simple dish that tastes delish

A holiday way with spinach salad