I saw a similar recipe (albeit unhealthier) that called this Broccoli Pesto, but that didn't make much sense to me. We don't use basil or pinenuts, so it seemed silly to call it pesto. Either way, it's super yummy. I serve it over whole wheat spaghetti noodles and thinly sliced half-moon zucchini. Yum!
2 c. steamed broccoli
1/2 c. vegetable broth
2 t. white or yellow miso
1/2 ripe avocado, peeled and pitted
2 t. olive oil
2 t. sesame seeds
2 T. hemp seeds
1 clove garlic, smashed
Real Salt to taste
Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor. If you want a creamier sauce, use a blender, and if you want a chunkier sauce, use a food processor. Process on medium speed, pausing to scrape sides as needed. When sauce has reached desired consistency, serve immediately. Or, if desired, you may heat the sauce in a small saucepan over medium heat until heated through.
Serve over whole wheat pasta, brown rice or vegetables.
Makes about 4 servings.
Showing posts with label Zucchini. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Zucchini. Show all posts
Thursday, December 30
Tuesday, December 28
Mean Green Bean Soup
I wish I had thought of this while zucchini was in season, but it will certainly be a stand-by recipe next fall. In the meantime, this is a wonderful little treat to warm you up on those cold winter nights.
1 bay leaf
3 c. vegetable broth
2 T. olive oil
1 small white or yellow onion, diced
1 1/2 c. cooked white beans
2 c. sliced zucchini
1/2 of a 10 oz package frozen spinach (or use fresh)
1 c. cooked barley
1 T. dijon mustard
1 T. curry powder
2 T. nutritional yeast
1 T. miso paste
Put vegetable broth and bay leaf in a large pot. Bring to a simmer. Reduce heat and let stand 10 minutes.
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring frequently, 3 to 5 minutes or until onion is soft. If you prefer carmelized onion, which I love, cook a little longer until onion browns. Sometimes I carmelize some garlic along with the onion. :~)
Put onion and all remaining ingredients except nutritional yeast and miso paste into the large pot with vegetable broth. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cook over medium heat about 3 to 5 minutes, or until zucchini is cooked and soup is heated through. Do not over cook! Mushy zucchini is nasty. :(
Remove from heat and discard bay leaf. Add nutritional yeast and miso paste, stirring well to combine. Let stand about 5 minutes before serving.
Random factoid: You may have noticed that when using nutritional yeast I always recommend adding it at the end of the cooking cycle after removing the dish from heat. I have read conflicting reports, but some suggest that nutritional yeast will break down when cooked. Personally, I have noticed that it becomes slightly bitter if boiled, so I add it at the end. The choice is yours.
1 bay leaf
3 c. vegetable broth
2 T. olive oil
1 small white or yellow onion, diced
1 1/2 c. cooked white beans
2 c. sliced zucchini
1/2 of a 10 oz package frozen spinach (or use fresh)
1 c. cooked barley
1 T. dijon mustard
1 T. curry powder
2 T. nutritional yeast
1 T. miso paste
Put vegetable broth and bay leaf in a large pot. Bring to a simmer. Reduce heat and let stand 10 minutes.
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring frequently, 3 to 5 minutes or until onion is soft. If you prefer carmelized onion, which I love, cook a little longer until onion browns. Sometimes I carmelize some garlic along with the onion. :~)
Put onion and all remaining ingredients except nutritional yeast and miso paste into the large pot with vegetable broth. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cook over medium heat about 3 to 5 minutes, or until zucchini is cooked and soup is heated through. Do not over cook! Mushy zucchini is nasty. :(
Remove from heat and discard bay leaf. Add nutritional yeast and miso paste, stirring well to combine. Let stand about 5 minutes before serving.
Random factoid: You may have noticed that when using nutritional yeast I always recommend adding it at the end of the cooking cycle after removing the dish from heat. I have read conflicting reports, but some suggest that nutritional yeast will break down when cooked. Personally, I have noticed that it becomes slightly bitter if boiled, so I add it at the end. The choice is yours.
Monday, November 8
Hearty Veggie Stew
The boys usually don't like soup for dinner, presumably because it's not very filling. The beans and barley make it stick-to-your-ribs-tasty. When I first started cooking, my almost-15-year-old said with a disgusted tone, "What has infiltrated our dinner?!?" Then when he ate it he said, "Dearest Mumsies, this soup is actually quite good!" I guess that's a compliment. :o)
1/2 c. dry barley
4 c. veggie broth
2 bay leaves
1 small onion, diced
1 T. granulated garlic (or use desired amount of fresh garlic)
2 t. dried basil
1 to 2 t. Real Salt
1 1/2 c. cooked garbanzo beans
1 12 oz can petite diced tomatoes, drained
2 small zucchini, quartered and sliced
2 large mushrooms, diced (about 3/4 cup when diced)
1/4 c. nutritional yeast
Fill a medium saucepan halfway with water, 2 cups or more, and bring to a boil. Sort and rinse dry barley. Add to pot, return to boil, and cook for 30 to 45 minutes or until very tender. Drain.
While barley is cooking, combine veggie broth and bay leaves in a very large pot. Bring to a very low boil and cook for about 2 minutes. Add onion, garlic, basil and Real Salt. Stir to combine. Simmer about 10 minutes. Add garbanzo beans and tomatoes. Reduce heat to very low, just enough to keep warm, and simmer until barley finishes cooking.
Add barley, zucchini and mushrooms to soup mix. Stir to combine. At this point it may look like there is too much "stuff" for the broth, but resist the temptation to add liquid. The zucchini and mushrooms will cook down and it will turn out perfect. Cook for about 7 to 10 minutes or until zucchini and mushrooms are very tender. Remove from heat and add nutritional yeast, stirring to combine.
Serve immediately. Makes 4 very generous portions.
1/2 c. dry barley
4 c. veggie broth
2 bay leaves
1 small onion, diced
1 T. granulated garlic (or use desired amount of fresh garlic)
2 t. dried basil
1 to 2 t. Real Salt
1 1/2 c. cooked garbanzo beans
1 12 oz can petite diced tomatoes, drained
2 small zucchini, quartered and sliced
2 large mushrooms, diced (about 3/4 cup when diced)
1/4 c. nutritional yeast
Fill a medium saucepan halfway with water, 2 cups or more, and bring to a boil. Sort and rinse dry barley. Add to pot, return to boil, and cook for 30 to 45 minutes or until very tender. Drain.
While barley is cooking, combine veggie broth and bay leaves in a very large pot. Bring to a very low boil and cook for about 2 minutes. Add onion, garlic, basil and Real Salt. Stir to combine. Simmer about 10 minutes. Add garbanzo beans and tomatoes. Reduce heat to very low, just enough to keep warm, and simmer until barley finishes cooking.
Add barley, zucchini and mushrooms to soup mix. Stir to combine. At this point it may look like there is too much "stuff" for the broth, but resist the temptation to add liquid. The zucchini and mushrooms will cook down and it will turn out perfect. Cook for about 7 to 10 minutes or until zucchini and mushrooms are very tender. Remove from heat and add nutritional yeast, stirring to combine.
Serve immediately. Makes 4 very generous portions.
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)
Thursday, October 7
"Fettucini" Alfredo
This is probably one of my favorite dishes, and I cannot believe I haven't posted it yet. The zucchini "noodles" make this a perfectly healthy, low-carb and low-fat dish.
2 medium zucchini
Olive Oil
1 medium onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 T. white wine or cooking wine
1 12oz package soft silken tofu, drained
1/4 t. nutmeg
2 T. nutritional yeast
Real Salt as desired
Using a spiral slicer, slice zucchini into long, thin "noodles". If you don't have a spiral slicer, you can use a regular cheese grater to slice the zucchini, but it will not have the same effect. Still as tasty, but not as aesthetically pleasing. :o)
Pour a small amount of olive oil into a large skillet. Add onion and garlic. Saute over medium heat, stirring frequently, until onion and garlic have caramelized. Add white wine and cook for another minute or until wine has evaporated.
Place onion mixture, tofu, nutmeg, nutritional yeast and salt (if using) into a blender. Process on med-high speed for about a minute, adding a little non-dairy milk if needed to get the desired consistency.
Pour sauce into a medium saucepan over medium heat for a few minutes, or until just heated through. Do not let sauce boil. Serve immediately over zucchini.
Top with hemp, sesame or sunflower seeds, smoked paprika or parsley if desired.
Note: If you prefer not to use soy in your dishes, substitute 1 1/2 c. cooked white beans for the tofu. You will need to add significantly more liquid when blending (think veggie broth, non-dairy milk and/or water), but it will still be yummy-licious.
2 medium zucchini
Olive Oil
1 medium onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 T. white wine or cooking wine
1 12oz package soft silken tofu, drained
1/4 t. nutmeg
2 T. nutritional yeast
Real Salt as desired
Using a spiral slicer, slice zucchini into long, thin "noodles". If you don't have a spiral slicer, you can use a regular cheese grater to slice the zucchini, but it will not have the same effect. Still as tasty, but not as aesthetically pleasing. :o)
Pour a small amount of olive oil into a large skillet. Add onion and garlic. Saute over medium heat, stirring frequently, until onion and garlic have caramelized. Add white wine and cook for another minute or until wine has evaporated.
Place onion mixture, tofu, nutmeg, nutritional yeast and salt (if using) into a blender. Process on med-high speed for about a minute, adding a little non-dairy milk if needed to get the desired consistency.
Pour sauce into a medium saucepan over medium heat for a few minutes, or until just heated through. Do not let sauce boil. Serve immediately over zucchini.
Top with hemp, sesame or sunflower seeds, smoked paprika or parsley if desired.
Note: If you prefer not to use soy in your dishes, substitute 1 1/2 c. cooked white beans for the tofu. You will need to add significantly more liquid when blending (think veggie broth, non-dairy milk and/or water), but it will still be yummy-licious.
Saturday, May 15
Veggie Lasagna
This is a modified version of a vegan lasagna I used to make using noodles. This version is completely veg-based, making it healthier and lower in calories. It's a little more labor-intensive than recipes I usually make, but it's great for a Saturday or Sunday night dinner when you have more time to cook.1 medium eggplant
3 to 4 small zucchini
1 pkg (12 oz) firm silken tofu
2 T. lemon juice
1 t. basil
1 t. oregano
1 t. salt
1 t. garlic powder
1 t. olive oil
soy milk (if needed)
2 cups spinach, thinly sliced
1 jar (16 oz) spaghetti sauce of your choice (I like the no-sugar mushroom flavor)
Peel eggplant and remove ends. Remove ends from zucchini. Slice very thinly, lengthwise (these will be the lasagna "noodles"). Lightly salt eggplant and set aside.
Fill a medium saucepan halfway with hot water and bring to a boil. Cook spinach for 2 to 3 minutes. Stop cooking while it is still bright green - don't let it turn brown. Drain and press to remove as much of the water as possible.
While water is boiling, begin preparing the "cheese." Place tofu, basil, oregano, lemon juice, olive oil, salt and garlic powder in a blender. Blend on the lowest speed for a few seconds or until completely combined, but leave slightly lumpy. Drizzle in a little soy milk if necessary for processing. Add cooked spinach and pulse a few times to combine.
Line a 13x9 baking pan with foil, then coat with cooking spray. Place a small amount of spaghetti sauce in the bottom of the pan. Line with one layer of zucchini and one layer of eggplant, edges almost touching. Pour 1/2 of the tofu mixture, spreading evenly, followed by a small amount of spaghetti sauce. Continue layering in this way until all ingredients have been used.
Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until heated through. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving. Makes about 8 servings, unless you have teenage boys, then it makes less. :o)
Calories 100; Fat 3; Sat. Fat 0.4; Cholesterol 0; Carbs 13; Fiber 4; Protein 6
You can modify this many different ways by using different vegetables, herbs and seasonings.
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