Tag: EVOO

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Polenta & Veggie Pot Pie

I love rainy days!  All I want to do is curl up with a blanket in front of the fireplace, read a book with a cup of chai in my hand.  That probably won’t happen till my kids are off to school.

In the meantime, I decided to put together a hearty stew that warms you from your fingers to your toes.  I took the stew a little further and decided to put a spin on it.  I made cute pot pies but instead of the traditional pastry shell, I used polenta and cheese for the crust.  It tasted so delicious, the creamy polenta and the melted cheese just got all of us, especially my daughter hooked!

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I have these cute little Le Creuset cocottes that I got as a gift from our close friends a few years ago and thought my 2.5 year old will get a kick out of eating from it.  And boy was I right!  She insisted on eating her leftovers the next day from these adorable pots!  I was just happy she loved the stew as much as the cocottes!

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I hope these warm you up on a cold rainy (or snowy) day like it did us!

Ingredients:
½ onion, chopped finely
1c cubed butternut squash
1 jalapeño, seeded and chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 14.5oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
¼c AP flour
2Tbsp tomato paste
2Tbsp cayenne pepper
1tsp smoked paprika
1tsp cumin powder
¼tsp oregano
½tsp salt (or to taste)
¼tsp ground black pepper
2c veggie broth
1Tbsp Sriracha sauce
¼c milk
2Tbsp EVOO

For the Polenta:
2c Veggie Broth
2c milk
1c Polenta
¼tsp salt
¼tsp pepper
3Tbsp Butter
3oz sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400ºF.

In a nonstick pan, over medium heat, add EVOO.  Once the oil is heated, add onions and sauté for a couple of minutes.  Add garlic and cook for another 30 seconds.  Now add the butternut squash and for about 10 minutes or until it becomes tender.  Make sure you don’t over cook it as the squash can get a mushy texture.  Add in all the dry spices and mix well.  Cook with the spices for a 1-2 minutes so they bloom and flavor the squash.  Now, sprinkle in the flour.  Stir for about 3 minutes so the flour cooks.  If the flour doesn’t cook through, you’ll be able to taste a raw, gritty flavor which is so unappetizing.  Add the veggie broth, tomato paste, and Sriracha, raise to a simmer and cook until it has thickened.  Once it has thickened, add in the milk and black beans.  Cook for another 5 minutes.  Taste and adjust for salt.

Spoon the mixture into 4 individual baking dishes or one pie pan and place on a baking sheet with a 2 inch lip.

For the polenta, add the veggie broth and milk in a saucepan and bring to a boil.  Lower the heat and whisk in the polenta slowly.  If you add it all at once, the polenta will be lumpy and not cook through.  Keep stirring until the polenta thickens, approximately 10-12 minutes.  Add in the butter and season with salt and pepper.  Spoon the polenta over the pot pie filling and top with cheese.

Bake in the oven for about 18-20 minutes or until the polenta is golden brown and the cheese is melted.
Remove from oven, garnish with fresh parsley and let it warm you to your toes as you dig in to this deliciousness!

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Spicy Garlic Hummus

I love snacking.  Who doesn’t?!  Hummus is one of my favorite foods.  Since the first time I tried it in college, I was in love.  Recently, S (my 2 year old) has also been snacking on hummus.  And my hubs too.  This is just one of those foods where I like to add it to everything.  A great snack for S with some carrots and broccoli, or on a sandwich for my hubby, or in a wrap for me.  The versatility of hummus is amazing.
Most hummus recipes have a key ingredient – tahini, which is a paste made of sesame seeds.  Well, I didn’t have any around but I was craving hummus so here is my versions of tahini free hummus.  Hope you enjoy it!

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That’s my little helper.  She loves helping me cook in the kitchen and makes me so proud!
Drain the garbanzo beans and reserve the liquid – you’ll be using it later.  I used canned beans but you can use dried beans and soak them and cook them.  If you do, reserve the water that you cooked it in.  It’ll be used later.
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In a blender, combine the garbanzo beans, garlic, salt, pepper, Sriracha, lemon juice, half of the reserved liquid and olive oil.
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I just love Sriracha!  The kick it adds at the end of each bite when you eat this hummus is the perfect touch!
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Blend it so it becomes a good chunky paste.  This picture is deceiving – it really is chunky!
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Serve it with your favorite veggies!  S’s current fave is carrots as she gets a kick out of dipping them in her hummus.  Hope you enjoyed this as much as our family did!

Ingredients:
1 ½ cans garbanzo beans, drained
½c liquid reserved from the garbanzo beans
juice squeezed from 1/2 lemon
1 Tbsp Sriracha sauce
4 cloves garlic
3 Tbsp EVOO
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste

Directions:
Combine all the ingredients in a blender and grind into a chunky paste.  Serve with your favorite veggies and crackers.  Enjoy!

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Palak Paneer

Palak paneer is one of my husband’s favorite dishes, and recently becoming one of my daughter’s favorite dishes too.  This is a win-win recipe for me because it’s full of iron. calcium, protein, and fiber.  The fact that my toddler will gobble it up…. score for Mom!
Here’s my quick and easy version.  Hope you enjoy it!

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Blanching spinach is pretty easy (though I have to admit, I was intimidated the first time I heard of the process).  Simply dunk the spinach leaves in boiling water for about 3 minutes and using a slotted spoon (so there’s not much excess hot water tagging along with the spinach), pull out the spinach and again dunk them in a bowl of ice water.  This blanching process cooks the spinach without wilting it and keeping intact it’s beautiful, vibrant green color.  Pretty cool, huh!

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Tomatoes and onions are part of most Indian dishes. I love using this duo to test out various spice combinations for new or upgraded recipes!

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Ingredients:
For the Spinach Puree:
9 oz fresh spinach
1-2 green chilies (depending on your spice level)
3 garlic cloves
½” ginger knob
3c boiling water

For the Gravy:
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 small tomato, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
½tsp cumin seeds
¼tsp turmeric powder
½tsp cayenne pepper
½tsp garam masala
pinch of hing
1 bay leaf
7oz paneer, cubed
1Tbsp EVOO
Salt to taste

Directions:
For the Spinach Pureé:
Blanch the spinach and make sure to drain it of any excess water.  Add it to the blender with garlic cloves, ginger, and green chilies.  Blend to a smooth puree and set aside.

For the gravy:
In a nonstick pot, heat oil and add cumin seeds.  Once they start to splutter, add the hing (asafoetida) and bay leaf, and sauté for 30 seconds.  Add the onions and sauté until they are lightly golden.  Add in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.  Make sure you don’t brown the garlic as the aroma and the taste will cook off.  Add the chopped tomatoes and cook until the water starts to separate.  At this point, add in cayenne pepper, garam masala and turmeric and mix well.  Add in the spinach puree and mix well.  Add in the salt and mix well.  Cook for about 8-10 minutes to make sure the spinach is cooked, and the gravy thickens.  Add in the paneer and mix well.  Cook for 2 minutes so the paneer cubes can become softer.

Serve hot with Naan or Rice.  Enjoy!

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Teriyaki Salmon

Recently, we’ve been eating a rotation of mostly the same foods as at least 50% of our household has been taking shifts getting sick.  Well, I’m happy to say, we’re (hopefully) finally getting to the tail end of it so that means no more soup or tea!  My hubby recently picked up some Udon noodles for me (he knows I like them a lot!) and I’ve been trying to figure out what I want to do with them.  Sure they taste great on their own but let’s get real, they taste even better paired with a delicious filet of salmon.
I’ve also been playing around with my version of a teriyaki sauce.  Most of the recipes I found online included a sake but since I was going to experiment on my toddlers as well as my hubby, I decided to leave that one out.  I have to say, this sauce turned out pretty delicious – I even dipped my brussels sprouts in the leftover as if it were a dipping sauce.  Try it out and tell me what you think!

20180212_172550.jpg20180212_172922.jpgThe best part about this sauce is that it is very simple and most people have these ingredients at home!   In a little mixing bowl, add the soy sauce, brown sugar, ground ginger, and minced garlic.  I also added a little flour, some chili pepper flakes and EVOO to the bowl.
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This is my favorite part of the recipe – sesame seeds.  The nutty flavor and crunch adds just the right note of balance.
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Whisk everything really well.  You want all the ingredients to blend well and make sure there are no lumps from the flour added.  They won’t cook and trust me – it can ruin the taste.
In a large bowl, line 2 6oz salmon filets and cover with the teriyaki sauce.  Let it marinate for at least 30 minutes.
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Coat the bottom of a cast iron skillet with EVOO and heat on high until it starts to smoke.  Reduce the heat and place the salmon skin side up and let it cook for 4 minutes.  Do Not Touch the salmon for the next 4 minutes.  I know people get anxious and want to check if it is cooking properly, is it burned, there’s a char type smell coming, etc, etc.  I assure you nothing is wrong with it.  In fact, the more you try to check it, the more it will not cook properly.
Once your 4 minute timer goes off, flip the salmon the other side and cook for another 3 minutes.
Serve with noodles or rice and enjoy!

Teriyaki Salmon:
Ingredients:
2Tbsp Soy Sauce
1Tbsp Brown Sugar
3 cloves minced garlic
1/4tsp ground ginger
1/2tsp chili flakes
1Tbsp sesame seeds
1/2Tbsp flour
2tsp EVOO

2 6oz Salmon filets (can be replaced with tofu or any of your favorite veggies)

Directions:
In a small mixing bowl, add all of the ingredients and whisk to combine everything.
Coat a cast iron skillet with EVOO and heat on high over the stove.  When it starts smoking, add salmon skin side up and cook for 4 minutes.
Flip and cook another 3 minutes.

Serve hot with noodles or rice.
Enjoy!

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A “Date” with Granola

This recipe has a couple of stories behind it.  The most simplest, my toddler was having issues and I need to find a way for fiber to be in her diet and her to like it! The second story is a bit cuter.
We had been invited for breakfast and a playdate with one of her dearest friends, E.  Her parents had laid out a delicious breakfast for us and part of it was Granola.  I know you’re thinking, this is nice, but cute?  Mmmmmm…… well let me tell you.  E calls granola Crunch Crunch.  My toddler, (like most toddlers), is a monkey see monkey do.  She ate quite a bit that day and a couple weeks later, when I ran into a dilemma of how to incorporate more fiber, I had just the perfect solution.  Yep, her new favorite word – crunch crunch!
Dates is my new fave thing.  I like to snack on that and nuts throughout the day so I don’t eat enough chocolate to get a tummy ache.  Plus, it is loaded with fiber so I knew I needed to include this in my recipe.  The rest, well, was trial and error.  This is a very simple recipe.  Try it!
No seriously, try it! Our house eats it alone, with milk, yogurt, in any form basically because it is that good!
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Chop up some dates

Add in the oats, walnuts, and coconut.  (if you eat a bit of your ingredients along the way – don’t worry! I won’t tell because I’m doing the same!)

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Add the salt, vanilla extract, and olive oil and mix well.  Finally, add in the honey and mix really well.  You want the honey to mix evenly so all the ingredients combine.
Be careful! I got greedy the first time and added too much honey.  I definitely regretted that decision!

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Line a 2inch baking sheet with a silicone mat and spread the granola evenly.  Bake for 15 minutes at 350F.

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Look at how beautifully golden that looks!
Let it cool for about 5 minutes then gently scoop it into an airtight container.  Or, if you are impatient like me, just eat it as soon as it cools and make excuses about tasting it!

I’m hoping my “Crunch Crunch” recipe will join you for breakfast soon!

Here’s the full recipe:

Date Granola

Ingredients:
2c chopped dates
3c Old Fashioned Oats
1c shredded coconut
1c chopped walnuts
2Tbsp honey
3tsp vanilla extract
3/4tsp salt
3/4c EVOO

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350ºF.  Line a 2inch baking sheet with a silicone mat.

In a bowl, combine dates, oats, coconut, and walnuts.  Add in vanilla extract, salt and EVOO.  Mix well.  Add in honey and mix until honey combines with granola.

Spread evenly into baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes.

When it’s golden brown, pull out of the oven and cool for 5 minutes before serving.  Store in an airtight container for future use.

Enjoy!

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Grilled Avocado and Peach Salad

Summer is here which means so many things in my household.  Getting the grill out for bbq’s, eating all the fun fresh summery foods, and trying to eat healthy to get in shape for a beach body (this is always a struggle!).  Typically in the past, the hubby and I have done standard bbq’s – burgers, corn, potato salads, chips and dip, etc. etc. etc.  This year, we have been inspired to grill almost everything we eat.
One of my husband’s favorites is Peaches.  So I of course go out to Costco and buy a whole case (or 2) then realize, how are we going to eat so many?!  Well, I promised him we would grill some since he fell in love with the idea of it last year.  I also love avocado and have recently seen them grilled in my dishes in restaurants.  Hey, why not add it in?  If anything, it’s a good source of protein and adds a little meatiness to the plate.
Summer also means that I can harvest some of the vegetables, herbs and fruit in my garden.  I am so excited about my garden that I literally watch it like a hawk every single day and get so happy over the tiniest fruit growing.  Well, we have an abundance of arugula growing as well as Basil.  Oh how I love the peppery smell and taste of both of these leaves!  So delicious especially when they are fresh!  I put Basil leaves in my salad?  Yep.  Don’t get ahead of yourself.  I used the leaves but …. I made a basil vinaigrette to go on my salad.
When I told my husband about all the different components of this salad – he was a little skeptical.  How can so many different flavors work together?  Won’t I overshadow the grilled peaches for which this salad was created in the first place?  I decided to find out.  Am I so glad that I did!   The sweetness of the peaches with the peppery arugula and basil was the most divine combination.

Quarter the peaches and avocados and brush with some EVOO.

Heat up the grill (or griddle) and place all the fruit down on one side.  After a couple of minutes, flip to the other side.  Oh I love those grill marks.  And the peaches smell so delicious, I can’t wait to try them!

To assemble the salad, lay down the arugula first, then add some raw cashews.  For the goat cheese, use a fork to crumble it into the salad and finally, add the grilled fruit.  Then, a drizzle of the basil vinaigrette and you’re ready to enjoy a fun, healthy, summery salad!

Ingredients:
For the Salad:
2 c fresh Arugula
1/3c raw cashews
2oz goat cheese
1 ripe avocado, peeled, pitted and quartered
2 ripe peaches, pitted and quartered
EVOO to brush on the fruit

For the Basil Vinaigrette:
3/4 c fresh basil
1/4c red wine vinegar
1/2c EVOO
2 garlic cloves
salt
freshly ground pepper

For the salad:
Brush fruit with olive oil and set aside.  Heat the grill on high heat.  When it is heated through,  place the fruit side down on one side and keep for 2 minutes.  Flip to the other exposed side of the fruit and grill for an additional 2 minutes.  Remove from heat.  Assemble the salad with the arugula at the bottom, followed by the cashews, the fruit and the goat cheese crumbled in.  Drizzle with Basil Vinaigrette.

In a blender, add all the ingredients for the Vinaigrette and blend to a smooth texture.  Store in an airtight bottle in the fridge.

Enjoy!

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Lamb Tagine

One of my favorite wedding gifts was from one of my closest friends Christine.  A Moroccan tagine.  When I first opened the box and saw it, I was fascinated by this shallow pot and cone shaped cover.  I thought, how do I cook anything in here?  3 years later, it’s become one of my prized kitchen accessories. (This particular time, I ended up using the casserole dish because of the amount I was making, otherwise, the tagine is perfect for 2-3 servings)

wp-1473223031998.jpgThis Lamb Tagine is a favorite in my household.  Juicy, tender meat falling off the bone with each bite.  Fresh figs and Asian Pears to add just the right hint of sweetness to the dish.  A chermoula spicy enough to wake up your palate.  How can you go wrong?  It takes a while to make, but worth every second of the wait.

First, you want to make the chermoula to marinate the lamb in.  Chermoula is a marinade usually made from herbs, oil, and spices.  This one is made from Parsley, EVOO, garlic, lemon juice, spices and jalapeño to add a little kick.  Try to give your lamb at least 6 hours to marinate, overnight if you can.  The lemon juice in the chermoula is important as it will help break down the proteins in the lamb and make it more tender.

wp-1473223031673.jpgDoesn’t that vibrant and green chermoula look gorgeous?!

About 10 minutes before you are ready to cook the lamb, chop the figs and onions.  These are going to help make the basis of your “stew”.

The lamb will go on top and the whole dish will go in the oven for 1.5 hours.  At the end of the two hours, browned pears will top the lamb and in it goes into the oven for another 30 minutes.
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The result…. delicious, tender, juicy lamb with figs and prunes melting in your mouth.  It’s a pretty easy recipe that looks like you deserve a Michelin star for!

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Hope you enjoy it!

Ingredients:
3 shoulder of lamb on the bone
2 Tbsp ghee
1 red onion, chopped into wedges
1 c pitted prunes
1.2 c fresh figs, halved (can replace with dried figs if fresh not available)
3 Tbsp butter
1 large Asian pear, chopped into wedges

For the Chermoula:
3 garlic cloves, chopped
2 jalapeños
1 small bunch of parsley
fresh squeezed juice of 1 lemon
1 1/2 tsp cumin
4 Tbsp EVOO
1 tsp salt

Directions:
Put all the ingredients in a food processor and blend to make a coarse paste.  Make small incisions in the lamb and rub the chermoula into the meat.  Cover and leave in fridge overnight, or at least a minimum of 6 hours for the proteins in the meat to break down.

Preheat oven to 350ºF.

Over medium flame, heat ghee in the tagine or stoneware casserole dish.  Add the lamb and brown for about 3 minutes on each side.  Set lamb aside on a separate plate and in the same ghee, add the leftover chermoula, onions, prunes, and figs.  Sauté for about 3 minutes, then add 1 cup of water.  Add the browned lamb back into the tagine/casserole dish and cover.  Bake for 1.5 hours.

About 5 minutes pulling the lamb out of the oven, melt butter in a pan and add the Asian pears.  Sauté till golden brown.  Return lamb to oven for another 30 minutes.

Serve lamb immediately with Buttery Couscous.

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Zucchini Tacos

I’m addicted to cooking shows.  There.  I said it. I admit it.  I guess it’s not bad considering other things people are addicted to these days.  Every Saturday mornings, you can find me glued in front of the television watching my favorite show, The Kitchen.  I can’t bear to miss a single episode.  A few weeks ago, they had guest chef Nikki Dinki on the show who shared her zucchini tacos recipe and instantly I knew I had to try those.

They are amazing!  Forget eating them as tacos, my DH ate them on its own.  SO DELICIOUS!  I did make a few slight changes to her recipe to adjust for ingredients I had in the kitchen/pantry.  Hope you enjoy them as much as we did!



Ingredients:
4 medium zucchini, shredded
2/3 c shredded Mozarella cheese
2/3 c Italian bread crumbs
2 eggs
1 tsp cayenne powder
1 tsp cumin powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp garlic powder
Olive Oil Cooking SprayDirections:
Preheat oven to 450ºF.Place shredded zucchini in microwave safe bowl and heat on high for for about 3 1/2 minutes.  Mix the zucchini around and replace in microwave for another 3 1/2 minutes.  Let it cool then place in a cheesecloth and drain as much of the water out as you can.  The drier it is, the better your batter and taco shells will turn out.

Add the eggs, cheese, bread crumbs, cayenne, cumin, salt and garlic powder.  Mix well into a dough-ish batter.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spray lightly with Olive Oil Cooking Spray.

Make 8 portions in the shape of balls from the batter, the size just a tad smaller than a tennis ball.  Flatten them directly onto the baking sheet into 5″ diameter rounds with your hands.  They shouldn’t be too thick as the inside will not cook properly.  Bake for 15 minutes.  The taco shells should be slightly golden brown.  Once you remove them from the oven, let them cool slightly before adding filling to shells.

Enjoy!

Original recipe by Nikki Dinki

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Pomegranate Eggplant

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This is one of my favorite recipes.  It’s such a simple go to; you can wow friends and family, or just make it for dinner when you’re short on time or feel lazy enough to not make something elaborate.  I originally found this recipe in a cookbook by Yotam Ottolenghi.  I’ve since adapted it to suit my palate but regardless of which version you try, I’m sure you’ll love the impact of so many flavors and textures packed in such few ingredients.

Here’s what I did:
Preheat your oven to 400°F.

Chop the eggplant into 2 inch cubes.  Add in dried thyme, rosemary, salt, crushed chili flakes, and olive oil.  Toss it all to mix well.
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Line a baking sheet with some aluminum foil and place the eggplant on there, skin side down.
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Bake for 20-25 minutes, until the eggplant is cooked through.  Make sure it’s not overcooked, otherwise, it gets mushy and definitely does not taste good!

The eggplant should look something like this:
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When you’re ready to serve, plate up some eggplant and drizzle a little tzatziki sauce over it.  Finally, sprinkle some pomegranate seeds and enjoy.

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Ingredients:
1 large eggplant, skin on, chopped in 2″ cubes
1 Tbsp dried thyme
1 Tbsp dried rosemary
1 Tbsp crushed red chili flakes
generous pinch of salt
1 Tbsp EVOO
1/2 c pomegranate seeds

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400°F
In a bowl, mix in the eggplant with the thyme, rosemary, dried chili flakes, salt and olive oil.  Toss well so every piece of the eggplant is covered with all the herbs.
Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and place the eggplant on there skin side down.
Bake 20-25 minutes until the eggplant is cooked through.
When you’re ready to serve, drizzle with tzatziki sauce  and top off with pomegranate seeds.

If you’re interested in the original recipe by Yotam Ottolenghi, click here.

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Lal Murgh (Red Chicken)

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I haven’t cooked Indian food in a while because it needs some good time and attention to come out perfect and those are two things I don’t have in abundance these days.  So I decided that needed to change and I needed to create something easy but vibrant and delicious, with lots of flavor.  The spices in this red chicken pack a great punch with an array of flavors and the meat is nice and tender from being marinated even for just a short time.  The best part, the spice mix I used is the Butter Chicken spice mix you get at any Indian grocery store – so easy and time saving!
One of my favorite ways to prep meat is to marinate them.  Did you know that marinating meats helps slow down the growth of bacteria?  Also, based on the ingredient you’re marinating you’re meat with, it affects in a different way.  For example, I’ve used citrus which is known to tenderize the meat and lock in the moisture when you’re cooking it.  Hope your chicken turns out juicy like mine did!

Chop up a boneless, skinless, chicken breast into cubes.  Set them in a container and add in a little spice mix, a splash of lemon juice, and some water.  Mix the chicken well, cover it, and let it marinate for at least 1 hour.  Doesn’t that just look gorgeous?!
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When you’re ready to cook the chicken, heat a little oil in a non-stick skillet over medium heat.  Add some red onions and sauté for a couple of minutes.
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Add in some grated ginger and minced garlic.  Oh, the smell of that garlic!
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Sauté all of the above for a couple of minutes, then add in the tomatoes.
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Mix well, and cook everything for 5-10 minutes. You’ll notice the tomatoes softening and the oil separating.  They should look something like this:
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Finally, add in the marinated chicken and mix well.  Cook it for about 7 minutes or until done.
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For the chicken marinade:
1 skinless, boneless chicken breast, chopped into 1 inch cubes
2Tbsp lemon juice
1Tbsp spice mix
1/3c water

To cook the chicken:
1Tbsp EVOO
1/3c finely chopped onions
1 garlic clove, minced
2tsp grated ginger
2 tomatoes, chopped finely

In a bowl, mix together the chicken, lemon juice, butter chicken spice mix, and water.  Toss well to coat all the chicken pieces evenly.  Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

To cook the chicken, heat the oil in a non-stick skillet over medium heat.  Add the onions and sauté for 2-3 minutes.  Add in the garlic and ginger and cook for another couple of minutes.  Finally, add in the tomatoes and mix well.  Cook for 5-10 minutes until the oil separates from the tomatoes.  Add in the marinated chicken with all the juices and cook for another 6-7 minutes or until the chicken is completely cooked through.

Garnish with cilantro and serve hot with Roti, Naan or Rice.  Enjoy!

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Veggie Stuffed Peppers

There are many days recently where we end up eating leftovers because well, with a 4 month old who wants all the attention, it’s hard to spend time in the kitchen when her drooly smile beckons you to play.  Today however, the husband became the center of her attention allowing me a few moments to whip up veggie stuffed peppers.  Layered with rice, veggies and definitely cheese – this is one yummy pepper!

There are a couple different parts to it so bear with me.  Here’s how I made it:

For the rice:

In a nonstick pot, heat up some oil.  Add the cumin and wait till it starts to splutter.  Add the onions and saute till they turn translucent.  Oh boy! The kitchen smelled so good with just the cumin and onions cooking together, I couldn’t wait till it was done so I can just dig in!

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Once the onions are translucent, add in the tomatoes.  Be careful!  Don’t add the tomatoes when the onions are not done cooking.  The acid from the tomatoes prevents the onions from cooking all the way through and this will change the flavor profile.

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Saute the tomatoes for a couple more minutes until they are tender.  Add in the rice and saute for a couple of minutes so it can soak in some of the flavor.  Then add in the veggie broth, salt, and taco seasoning.  Mix well and let it cook for about 20 minutes until the rice is tender.  Turn off the heat and cover the pot.  This is key whenever I make any type of rice – letting the rice sit in its own steam for 5 minutes.  This ensures the rice is nice and fluffy and makes it taste so much better!

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For the Veggie Stuffing:

Heat some oil in a nonstick pan.  Add the onions and garlic and saute for a couple of minutes. Add in the yellow squash and zucchini and continue to saute for another 5 minutes.  Add in the black beans, salt, fajita seasoning, cayenne pepper and cumin powder.  Mix well and cook for another 2-3 minutes.

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To assemble the peppers:

Preheat oven to 375°.  Spray some cooking spray on a cookie sheet and line the peppers.  Spoon some rice into the peppers, followed by the veggies and repeat till you reach the top.  Sprinkle some cheese on the top and bake in the oven for about 15 minutes or until the peppers are tender.  Serve hot and enjoy!
I’ve included the full recipe below.  I hope you like it just as much as we did.

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For the rice:
1/2c rice
1c low sodium veggie broth
1tsp onions
1/2c finely diced onions
1/2c chopped tomatoes
1Tbsp taco seasoning
1Tbsp Olive Oil
salt to taste

In a nonstick pot, heat up some oil.  Add the cumin and wait till it starts to splutter.  Add the onions and saute till they turn translucent.  Once the onions are translucent, add in the tomatoes.  Saute the tomatoes for a couple more minutes until they are tender.  Add in the rice and saute for a couple of minutes so it can soak in some of the flavor.  Then add in the veggie broth, salt, and taco seasoning.  Mix well and let it cook for about 20 minutes until the rice is tender.  Turn off the heat and cover the pot.

For the Veggie Stuffing:
1/2c diced zucchini
1/2c diced yellow squash
1/2c finely diced onions
1 14oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
2 cloves garlic, minced
1Tbsp Olive Oil
1Tbsp Fajita Seasoning
1tsp cayenne pepper
1tsp cumin powder
salt to taste

Heat some oil in a nonstick pan.  Add the onions and garlic and saute for a couple of minutes. Add in the yellow squash and zucchini and continue to saute for another 5 minutes.  Add in the black beans, salt, fajita seasoning, cayenne pepper and cumin powder.  Mix well and cook for another 2-3 minutes.

To assemble the peppers:
2 bell peppers, halved, deseeded
1cup shredded cheese

Preheat oven to 375°.  Spray some cooking spray on a cookie sheet and line the peppers.  Spoon some rice into the peppers, followed by the veggies and repeat till you reach the top.  Sprinkle some cheese on the top and bake in the oven for about 15 minutes or until the peppers are tender.  Serve hot and enjoy!

Sapna1 Comment

Hearty Veggie Soup

With the weather so cold out, and rain falling non-stop, I love turning to a comforting bowl of hot soup. My hearty veggie soup is a classic that I enjoy so much each time I make it. I usually make a large batch that lasts me a few days. With plenty of carrots, celery, potatoes and kidney beans, I hope you enjoy it as much as I do…….

Hearty Veggie Soup

Heat 1 tbsp EVOO in a pot over medium heat. Add in the garlic and roast for 30 seconds.

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Then add in the red onions and saute for about 30 seconds.

finely chopped onions

Add in the potatoes, celery and carrots. I usually leave my potatoes in a bowl of water once they’re chopped until I’m ready to use them; this washes out a lot of the starch in potatoes.

Veggies

Add tomato paste and mix well. Add kidney beans.

Kidney Beans

Add veggie broth, 1 cup of water, and mix well. Season with basil, oregano and salt. Allow soup to boil then reduce to low heat and simmer for 30 minutes or until the veggies are tender. Stir occasionally so the veggies don’t settle to the bottom. Garnish with basil leaves and serve hot.

Soup

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp EVOO
4 med red potatoes
5 carrots, peeled and sliced
1 stalk celery, sliced
2 (16oz) cans veggie broth
2 Tbsp dried basil
1 Tbsp dried Oregano
1.5 tsp salt (or to taste)
1/2 red onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 (6oz) can tomato paste
1 (15oz) can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 c water

Directions:

Heat 1 tbsp EVOO in a pot over medium heat. Add in the garlic and roast for 30 seconds. Add in onions and saute for 30 seconds. Add in the potatoes, celery and carrots. Add tomato paste and mix well. Add kidney beans. Add veggie broth, 1 cup of water, and mix well. Season with basil, oregano and salt. Allow soup to boil then reduce to low heat and simmer for 30 minutes or until the veggies are tender. Stir occasionally so the veggies don’t settle to the bottom. Garnish with basil leaves and serve hot.