Traditionally stuffed bell peppers are made with ground beef and cheese - poor cows! This version is just as tasty, probably more filling, and doesn't leave you feeling like you have a rock in your gut. It's light, healthy and tasty. They key is lots and lots of seasonings. :o)
3 bell peppers (I use green, but use any color you like)
1 1/2 c. cooked rice
1 1/2 c. cooked lentils
1 small white or yellow onion, diced
2 T. olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 T. tomato paste*
Water
Taco seasoning to taste**
Real Salt to taste
4 to 5 dashes Chipotle Tobasco sauce
4 to 5 dashes worcestershire sauce
1/8 c. nutritional yeast
Cook rice and lentils if you don't already have them cooked. Don't be afraid of making too much - you can just measure out what you need for this recipe and save the rest for a future meal.
Fill a very large pot with hot water, within a couple of inches of the top. Bring to a boil. Remove cores and seeds from peppers, rinsing well to remove any remaining seeds. Submerge in boiling water and blanch for 2 to 3 minutes - DO NOT OVERCOOK! Mushy peppers won't work for this at all. :) To test, they should be fork-tender, but still be able to stand up on their own. It's better to remove them early and test, because you can always put them back in the hot water if they need to be cooked a little longer. When finished, remove peppers from water and let drain, upside down, while preparing the rest of the dish.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Pour olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When olive oil is warm, add onion and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until onion and garlic are soft and aromatic. Add lentils, rice, and tomato paste, stirring to combine. Add water as needed to keep the mixture moist (I ultimately ended up adding about 2 cups hot water by the end, but do so gradually). Add taco seasoning, Real Salt, Chipotle Tobasco and worcestershire (most worcestershire sauces have anchovies and are therefore not vegan - but if you look hard you can find a vegan version). Continue stirring, adding water as needed, and adjusting for taste. Remove from heat.
Line an 8x8 baking dish with foil. Do NOT coat with cooking spray as this will make your peppers burn. Your peppers should be firm enough to stand on their own. Stuff each pepper with 1/3 of the stuffing. If desired, top with vegan cheese. Most vegan cheeses don't melt. For my kids I add dairy cheese, but I leave mine naked, so to speak. Prop them up together so they don't fall over (hence the reason for using a small baking dish as well).
Bake for 15 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Remove from oven and let stand for about 5 minutes. Using tongs, grab the peppers and cut in half. Top with vegan sour cream if desired.
Makes 6 servings.
Variation: Cut peppers in half prior to stuffing. Divide the filling six ways. Pro: you don't have to try to cut a hot pepper in half. Con: the stuffing doesn't stay in quite as well. Another option is simply to serve the peppers whole, though this is a LOT of food. Fine for my teenage children, but a little too much for me. If you have any leftovers, store them in an airtight container and eat within a couple of days.
*Most cans of tomato paste come in 6 ounces, and I rarely use 6 ounces at once. To avoid waste, I measure it out into 1-tablespoon portions and freeze. When I need the tomato paste, I simply pull it out of the freezer and add it directly to the recipe.
**Using a premade taco-seasoning may not seem very "vegan." I totally agree. However, I bought a container of it at Costco quite some time ago and I'm still trying to use it. I'm a huge fan of not wasting, so until the warehouse-sized container of taco seasoning is gone, this will show up in my recipes. After that, I will come up with some! :~)
Showing posts with label Bell Pepper. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Bell Pepper. Show all posts
Monday, January 17
Thursday, November 4
Faux Lox Bagel
This isn't really a recipe, just an idea I had for making a bagel a little more interesting. I used to really enjoy lox on a bagel, and the capers to boot were just to die for. I still eat fish on occasion(I could never give up sushi completely), but if red peppers do the trick, why use salmon? You're welcome, little fishy.
1 bagel (vegan, of course - check the ingredients)
2 to 4 T. vegan cream cheese (you can make your own from the UnCheese Cookbook or use store-bought)
1 T. capers
6 thin strips roasted red pepper - make your own from the instructions on this blog! :o)
1/2 small avocado, sliced
Toast bagel. Smear with cream cheese. Top with capers, peppers and avocado. Serve open faced or sandwich-style. Yum!
Variations: Add thinly sliced onion. Add spinach if going sandwich style (I didn't have any, sad).
Tip: Have trouble with avocados and getting them out of that annoying little peel? Here's what you do: Slice in half, then whack the pit with a large butcher knife. Twist gently to remove the pit. Keep the pit if you're not using the whole avocado - if you stick it in the container with the leftover avocado it helps keep the avocado from turning brown. While the avocado is still in the peel, cut gently with a knife, either in strips or cubes, all the way down to the peel - but don't go all the way through! Use a small spoon (like what you would use for cereal) to gently scoop the fruit away from the peel. Easy!
1 bagel (vegan, of course - check the ingredients)
2 to 4 T. vegan cream cheese (you can make your own from the UnCheese Cookbook or use store-bought)
1 T. capers
6 thin strips roasted red pepper - make your own from the instructions on this blog! :o)
1/2 small avocado, sliced
Toast bagel. Smear with cream cheese. Top with capers, peppers and avocado. Serve open faced or sandwich-style. Yum!
Variations: Add thinly sliced onion. Add spinach if going sandwich style (I didn't have any, sad).
Tip: Have trouble with avocados and getting them out of that annoying little peel? Here's what you do: Slice in half, then whack the pit with a large butcher knife. Twist gently to remove the pit. Keep the pit if you're not using the whole avocado - if you stick it in the container with the leftover avocado it helps keep the avocado from turning brown. While the avocado is still in the peel, cut gently with a knife, either in strips or cubes, all the way down to the peel - but don't go all the way through! Use a small spoon (like what you would use for cereal) to gently scoop the fruit away from the peel. Easy!
Wednesday, October 27
Veggie Pizza
We're still LOVING the garden veggies. The fresh zucchini, peppers and tomatoes are real winners. The boys really dislike vegan cheeses, so I must confess I use dairy cheese for things like pizza where it's going to make a big difference. We've been really busy so I have also been using commercially prepared pizza crust mix which is NOT vegan (sadness), but it does get the kids to eat their veggies. In a perfect world I would make the pizza crust from scratch and omit the cheese entirely. :o)
1 c. homemade pizza sauce (recipe will follow)
1 pizza crust, homemade or commercially prepared
1/2 small zucchini, quartered and thinly sliced
1/4 small onion, thinly sliced
1/2 bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 small tomato, cored with seeds removed and diced
1 c. cheese (if using - can substitute vegan cheese if preferred)
Homemade Pizza Sauce
12 small tomatoes
4 cloves garlic*
1 T. basil
1 T. oregano
1 to 2 t. Real Salt
1/8 c. Nutritional Yeast
Halve tomatoes and put in blender with garlic cloves*. If you have a BlendTec, process on the Whole Juice cycle. If you don't have a BlendTec, process on medium-high speed until completely smooth. This takes about a minute.
Pour tomato mixture into a medium saucepan. Add basil, oregano and salt, adjusting for desired taste if necessary. Keep in mind that flavors will intensify as they cook. Simmer over medium heat for 30 to 45 minutes or until sauce is a deep red and has reduced in volume. Add nutritional yeast, stir to combine, and cook another minute or two. Let cool slightly while preparing the rest of the pizza. Makes more than you will need for one pizza - store the rest in the refrigerator for a few days. :o)
Meanwhile, continue with your pizza....
Prepare pizza crust if making. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Bake crust for 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from oven and top with sauce, vegetables and cheese, if using. Bake for 10 minutes or until cheese is melted and crust edges are golden brown.
One pizza does NOT satiate my two teenage boys. I either have to offer a substantial side dish (large salad, steamed broccoli, etc) or I have to make two pizzas.
*Note: If you are using a BlendTec or other high powered blender, it is not necessary to remove the little papers from the garlic cloves - they will blend right up and you won't even know they're there! That's enough incentive for me to get the blender. :o) If you're using a regular blender, remove the ends and papers.
1 c. homemade pizza sauce (recipe will follow)
1 pizza crust, homemade or commercially prepared
1/2 small zucchini, quartered and thinly sliced
1/4 small onion, thinly sliced
1/2 bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 small tomato, cored with seeds removed and diced
1 c. cheese (if using - can substitute vegan cheese if preferred)
Homemade Pizza Sauce
12 small tomatoes
4 cloves garlic*
1 T. basil
1 T. oregano
1 to 2 t. Real Salt
1/8 c. Nutritional Yeast
Halve tomatoes and put in blender with garlic cloves*. If you have a BlendTec, process on the Whole Juice cycle. If you don't have a BlendTec, process on medium-high speed until completely smooth. This takes about a minute.
Pour tomato mixture into a medium saucepan. Add basil, oregano and salt, adjusting for desired taste if necessary. Keep in mind that flavors will intensify as they cook. Simmer over medium heat for 30 to 45 minutes or until sauce is a deep red and has reduced in volume. Add nutritional yeast, stir to combine, and cook another minute or two. Let cool slightly while preparing the rest of the pizza. Makes more than you will need for one pizza - store the rest in the refrigerator for a few days. :o)
Meanwhile, continue with your pizza....
Prepare pizza crust if making. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Bake crust for 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from oven and top with sauce, vegetables and cheese, if using. Bake for 10 minutes or until cheese is melted and crust edges are golden brown.
One pizza does NOT satiate my two teenage boys. I either have to offer a substantial side dish (large salad, steamed broccoli, etc) or I have to make two pizzas.
*Note: If you are using a BlendTec or other high powered blender, it is not necessary to remove the little papers from the garlic cloves - they will blend right up and you won't even know they're there! That's enough incentive for me to get the blender. :o) If you're using a regular blender, remove the ends and papers.
Thursday, October 21
Garden-Fresh Breakfast Burrito
We helped my mom "put the garden to sleep" last weekend, which means we came home with bags and bags of veggies from her garden. I get tired of eating oatmeal every morning (which is usually breakfast because I'm in a rush) and I needed to use up the veggies before they went bad. The bell pepper and zucchini I used in this reciep were VERY tiny, so it worked well for a single burrito. If you have bigger veggies simply use half and save the other half for later.
Olive oil
1 very small green bell pepper (or other pepper), thinly sliced
1/4 yellow onion, thinly sliced into half-moon pieces
1 very tiny zucchini (or half a regular small zucchini), thinly sliced
1/2 t. Southwestern seasoning
2 small roma tomatoes
1 burrito-sized tortilla
Heat a small amount of olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add pepper and onions, sauteeing until almost soft, about 2-3 minutes. Add zucchini and southwestern seasoning. Stir to evenly distribute seasoning and cook another 2 minutes.
Cut tomatoes lengthwise into quarters. Remove seeds and liquid-y centers, if desired*. (I did this because I was going to be eating it in my new car on the way to work and I didn't want burrito juice going everywhere.) Slice thinly.
Heat tortilla in a dry skillet, over a gas flame or in microwave for 10 seconds, just long enough to soften. Spread tomatoes evenly across center of tortilla. Top with cooked veggies. Add vegan sour cream, if desired. Fold bottom up, then fold sides over to form a burrito.
Makes 1 serving. If you want more than one burrito, just cook and slice more veggies.
*Note: The easiest way I have found to do this is to quarter the tomato and then slide your thumb under the seeds under cold running water.
Tip: Most veggies can be frozen for later use with very little impact on quality. For example, if I dice or slice a whole onion and only use half, I toss it in an airtight container or baggie and save it for next time. My mom likes to carmelize large batches of garlic and freeze it. You can do the same thing with peppers and other veggies. Some veggies require blanching before freezing, like spinach and broccoli. Having veggies ready to go ahead of time really cuts down on porep time, making it easier to create a vegan masterpiece.
Variations: Use any veggies you have on hand. Consider mushrooms, potatoes, avocado, spinach, broccoli, etc. I can't think of a veggie that would NOT go well sauteed up and put in a tortilla. Also consider adding grains like Quinoa or brown rice.
Olive oil
1 very small green bell pepper (or other pepper), thinly sliced
1/4 yellow onion, thinly sliced into half-moon pieces
1 very tiny zucchini (or half a regular small zucchini), thinly sliced
1/2 t. Southwestern seasoning
2 small roma tomatoes
1 burrito-sized tortilla
Heat a small amount of olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add pepper and onions, sauteeing until almost soft, about 2-3 minutes. Add zucchini and southwestern seasoning. Stir to evenly distribute seasoning and cook another 2 minutes.
Cut tomatoes lengthwise into quarters. Remove seeds and liquid-y centers, if desired*. (I did this because I was going to be eating it in my new car on the way to work and I didn't want burrito juice going everywhere.) Slice thinly.
Heat tortilla in a dry skillet, over a gas flame or in microwave for 10 seconds, just long enough to soften. Spread tomatoes evenly across center of tortilla. Top with cooked veggies. Add vegan sour cream, if desired. Fold bottom up, then fold sides over to form a burrito.
Makes 1 serving. If you want more than one burrito, just cook and slice more veggies.
*Note: The easiest way I have found to do this is to quarter the tomato and then slide your thumb under the seeds under cold running water.
Tip: Most veggies can be frozen for later use with very little impact on quality. For example, if I dice or slice a whole onion and only use half, I toss it in an airtight container or baggie and save it for next time. My mom likes to carmelize large batches of garlic and freeze it. You can do the same thing with peppers and other veggies. Some veggies require blanching before freezing, like spinach and broccoli. Having veggies ready to go ahead of time really cuts down on porep time, making it easier to create a vegan masterpiece.
Variations: Use any veggies you have on hand. Consider mushrooms, potatoes, avocado, spinach, broccoli, etc. I can't think of a veggie that would NOT go well sauteed up and put in a tortilla. Also consider adding grains like Quinoa or brown rice.
Wednesday, October 20
Homemade Spaghetti Sauce
It's Utah, it's autumn, and everyone has an abundance of tomatoes. It's nearly impossible to give tomatoes away, so when Mom sent me home with five grocery sacks full of these little babies, it was time to get cooking. This recipe is super easy, but allow some time to simmer - the longer it simmers the yummier it will be. My oldest raved about it being the best spaghetti sauce he's ever tasted. I suspect it would work marvelously in a slow cooker, but I haven't tested that yet. :o)
Olive oil
1/2 yellow onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
18 small roma tomatoes*
1 T. basil (more or less to taste)
1 T. oregano (more or less to taste)
1 t. Real Salt (more or less to taste)
1/2 t. cumin (more or less to taste)
2 bay leaves
Heat a small amount of olive oil in a very large skillet. Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until starting to brown. Meanwhile, prepare tomatoes.
Cut each tomato in half or quarters, depending on the size. Place tomatoes, all at once, in blender (I hope you have a Blend Tec or similar high powered blender, but if you don't, any blender will work). Use "Whole Juice" cycle if using a Blend Tec, or high speed in a regular blender. Tomatoes should be completely pureed. Once pureed, add all at once to hot pan with onions and garlic.
Add basil, oregano, salt and cumin, stirring to combine. Add bay leaves. It will not be very tasty at this point, and it has kind of a pink hue, but be patient. Cook, stirring frequently, over medium-low heat. Sauce will darken and thicken as it cooks. Cook at least 30 minutes, but longer if you have time, stirring and adding more seasonings as necessary.
Serve over cooked whole wheat pasta or thinly sliced vegetables - I like zucchini from the Spiralizer. Sauce can be made ahead in larger quantities, if desired. I don't usually have fresh herbs on hand (I tend to kill stuff like that), but fresh herbs would be exponentially delicious.
*Note: Feel free to substitute any kind of tomato. My romas were quite small so I had to use more than would be used for supermarket-sized tomatoes. The tomatoes filled a 1 quart blender almost to the top.
Variations: Spaghetti sauce is a great opportunity to sneak in extra veggies that picky eaters don't seem to mind. Thinly dice or slice carrots, zucchini, eggplant, mushrooms, bell pepper, spinach or pretty much anything else and cook in the sauce until tender. Yum! :o)
Olive oil
1/2 yellow onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
18 small roma tomatoes*
1 T. basil (more or less to taste)
1 T. oregano (more or less to taste)
1 t. Real Salt (more or less to taste)
1/2 t. cumin (more or less to taste)
2 bay leaves
Heat a small amount of olive oil in a very large skillet. Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until starting to brown. Meanwhile, prepare tomatoes.
Cut each tomato in half or quarters, depending on the size. Place tomatoes, all at once, in blender (I hope you have a Blend Tec or similar high powered blender, but if you don't, any blender will work). Use "Whole Juice" cycle if using a Blend Tec, or high speed in a regular blender. Tomatoes should be completely pureed. Once pureed, add all at once to hot pan with onions and garlic.
Add basil, oregano, salt and cumin, stirring to combine. Add bay leaves. It will not be very tasty at this point, and it has kind of a pink hue, but be patient. Cook, stirring frequently, over medium-low heat. Sauce will darken and thicken as it cooks. Cook at least 30 minutes, but longer if you have time, stirring and adding more seasonings as necessary.
Serve over cooked whole wheat pasta or thinly sliced vegetables - I like zucchini from the Spiralizer. Sauce can be made ahead in larger quantities, if desired. I don't usually have fresh herbs on hand (I tend to kill stuff like that), but fresh herbs would be exponentially delicious.
*Note: Feel free to substitute any kind of tomato. My romas were quite small so I had to use more than would be used for supermarket-sized tomatoes. The tomatoes filled a 1 quart blender almost to the top.
Variations: Spaghetti sauce is a great opportunity to sneak in extra veggies that picky eaters don't seem to mind. Thinly dice or slice carrots, zucchini, eggplant, mushrooms, bell pepper, spinach or pretty much anything else and cook in the sauce until tender. Yum! :o)
Wednesday, June 2
Spinach and Roasted Red Pepper Salad
The only thing that would have made this salad better was roasted almonds, but I didn't have any on hand. As a bonus, we had fresh spinach from the garden, but packaged spinach will also work. I took this as a dish to a Memorial Day barbecue and it was a huge hit.
1 red bell pepper, roasted (see post on roasting peppers)
12 cups raw spinach (about 2 regular sized packages)
1 cup cooked adzuki beans
1/2 recipe Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing (recipe to follow)
In a very large skillet, heat a small amount of water (about 1/8 cup) and olive oil (about 1 teaspoon). When water is almost boiling, place a small amount of the spinach directly into the hot pan. Turn quickly over and over with tongs until spinach just starts to cook. Do not allow it to cook thoroughly. Set aside on a plate while finishing the remaining spinach in batches.
Remove as much water as possible from the spinach. Place wilted spinach in a large serving bowl. Top with beans. Dice roasted pepper and sprinkle over salad. Prepare dressing:
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 T. minced garlic
1 t. Real Salt
1 t. crushed black pepper
Place all ingredients in a jar with a screw-top lid. Shake vigorously for about one minute or until ingredients are combined.
Pour about half of the dressing over the salad and toss to combine. Add more dressing if necessary.
Optional: prepare dressing ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator. Shake well before using. This will help blend the flavors.
1 red bell pepper, roasted (see post on roasting peppers)
12 cups raw spinach (about 2 regular sized packages)
1 cup cooked adzuki beans
1/2 recipe Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing (recipe to follow)
In a very large skillet, heat a small amount of water (about 1/8 cup) and olive oil (about 1 teaspoon). When water is almost boiling, place a small amount of the spinach directly into the hot pan. Turn quickly over and over with tongs until spinach just starts to cook. Do not allow it to cook thoroughly. Set aside on a plate while finishing the remaining spinach in batches.
Remove as much water as possible from the spinach. Place wilted spinach in a large serving bowl. Top with beans. Dice roasted pepper and sprinkle over salad. Prepare dressing:
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 T. minced garlic
1 t. Real Salt
1 t. crushed black pepper
Place all ingredients in a jar with a screw-top lid. Shake vigorously for about one minute or until ingredients are combined.
Pour about half of the dressing over the salad and toss to combine. Add more dressing if necessary.
Optional: prepare dressing ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator. Shake well before using. This will help blend the flavors.
Monday, May 24
Roasted Bell Peppers
Nothing beats the flavor of roasted bell peppers. Part of the problem is that they are expensive to buy commercially prepared, and the other part of the problem is that they're usually packed in oil and/or high in sodium. That being said, they're soooo easy to make - and they don't require oil or salt. This also works with other types of peppers - just be sure to wear gloves if working with a spicy pepper.
3 to 4 bell peppers (I usually use one of each color - red, yellow, orange and green)
If desired, wash peppers and dry thoroughly. This step is not necessary since we will be removing all of the skin, but it makes some people feel better that it's been washed. :o) Make sure peppers are thoroughly dry before proceeding with the next step.
The roasting can be done using either an oven or an outdoor grill. If using an oven, preheat to 400 degrees and line a baking sheet with foil. Do not grease. With either method, cook peppers until the outside is completely dark and charred. This will take much longer in the oven (about thirty minutes, give or take a few minutes), so be patient. Turn frequently for even browning. The outside of the pepper should be charred, but don't over-do it or it will taste burned. If in doubt, it's better to under-cook than over-cook.
Allow peppers to sit until cool enough to handle. Under cold running water, gently peel off the charred skin with your hands (not a vegetable peeler) - it should come off easily. Grab the stem firmly and pull, removing both the stem and most of the seeds. Cut ends off peppers and slice open, rinsing once more to remove any residual seeds or seed membranes. Slice or dice for appropriate size, if desired, or keep whole to serve on a sandwich. Serve immediately or store in an airtight container for about 3 days. Roasted flavor will intensify as it is stored.
3 to 4 bell peppers (I usually use one of each color - red, yellow, orange and green)
If desired, wash peppers and dry thoroughly. This step is not necessary since we will be removing all of the skin, but it makes some people feel better that it's been washed. :o) Make sure peppers are thoroughly dry before proceeding with the next step.
The roasting can be done using either an oven or an outdoor grill. If using an oven, preheat to 400 degrees and line a baking sheet with foil. Do not grease. With either method, cook peppers until the outside is completely dark and charred. This will take much longer in the oven (about thirty minutes, give or take a few minutes), so be patient. Turn frequently for even browning. The outside of the pepper should be charred, but don't over-do it or it will taste burned. If in doubt, it's better to under-cook than over-cook.
Allow peppers to sit until cool enough to handle. Under cold running water, gently peel off the charred skin with your hands (not a vegetable peeler) - it should come off easily. Grab the stem firmly and pull, removing both the stem and most of the seeds. Cut ends off peppers and slice open, rinsing once more to remove any residual seeds or seed membranes. Slice or dice for appropriate size, if desired, or keep whole to serve on a sandwich. Serve immediately or store in an airtight container for about 3 days. Roasted flavor will intensify as it is stored.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)