Red Lentils, Eggplant and Chickpeas

My eggplant plant is still producing quite a few eggplants. A few weeks ago, I harvested 12 or so in one week and the next week I had about 10. That is a lot of eggplant. Even for someone who really likes it! I had to share some of it with friends, but I used most of it.

This recipe is something similar to what we eat on a regular basis. More often than not, I take a a look at what veggies I have on hand and pick a protein/whole grain to compliment it and then I make up something for dinner. I did kinda use a recipe as a base for this, but, like usual, I didn't really follow it. The result was delicious and very comforting.

Here is the recipe which I use mostly used as an idea to go from, I didn't really follow it
* I didn't use barley- I added bulger when I added the lentils
* I added chopped green peppers with the onion
* I added chopped kale
* I added curry powder
* I added more tomato paste
* I didn't puree it or cook it as long

Cooking School- Steamed Eggplant and Mushrooms with Peanut Sauce

Two months ago, I had zucchini and summer squash coming out of my ears and now it is happening with the eggplant! This photo is not very pretty- I apologize, but if you look at the picture with the recipe, it looks quite a bit more appetizing. I had to share this one, even if the photo wasn't the greatest, because I had some helpers putting it together and because this is the first time that my son has actually LIKED eating eggplant. I will repeat that, just in case you didn't have the chance to process it. My son ENJOYED eating eggplant the night we made this. He consumed it with no complaints, no fake fainting, no tears, no endless questions of why must we eat this- he just ate it. And then he even said that he liked it. I couldn't believe it. It must have been the peanut sauce or the mushrooms- I don't know exactly, but I was so happy.

So, if you have an eggplant hater in the house, this recipe might be the ticket to a happy night around the table. Oh, and I got so sidetracked about my son, that I forgot to mention that this dinner is also a good one for kids to help prepare because it is really simple and shows the technique of steaming veggies (I used my steamer basket) the the dressing is quick to measure and mix together.


Here is the recipe for Steamed Eggplant and Mushrooms with Peanut Sauce
* I served this with quinoa instead of brown rice, but I wish I would have used brown rice, so that there would have been something a little bit more chewy to contrast the veggies

Eggplant Chips with Cilantro Pesto

I saw this recipe floating around on the internet somehow and quickly bookmarked it, so that I would be able to use some of my eggplant to make these chips. I always love it when I see unique ideas that use vegetables I love.

I made these for lunch one day last week and they were really tasty. I had a few problems getting the chips to crisp up, so I adjusted the oven temperature to 400 degrees F, and had to cook them for a little longer than called for. I also got a few slices that were really loaded with paprika, so next time I make them I think I will sprinkle the seasoning on after the olive oil is lightly coated onto the eggplant slices.

This recipe does take a little bit of time, so make sure you read the entire recipe before you begin. The eggplant slices need to be salted and then sit for an hour, but that is when I decided to make the pesto sauce.

There was enough pesto leftover to use on some pasta later in the week and it was delish!


Here is the recipe for Eggplant Chips with Cilantro Pesto
* I upped the oven temperature to 400 degrees, so my chips would crisp up

Eggplant Burgers with Homemade Tzatziki Sauce

Aggie shared this recipe on her Facebook page a few weeks ago and as soon as I saw the recipe, I knew I would be making these for dinner asap. I had picked a couple of eggplant from my garden the day before and couldn't wait to serve these up for dinner.

The burgers contain eggplant in 2 ways- steamed cubes and shredded. A few other ingredients are mixed in and then they are ready to cook.
They are topped with a delicious homemade tzatziki sauce and Aggie suggested serving them on toasted english muffins. I was happy to add a slice of homegrown tomato. Nothing beats a tomato from the garden!

These were a huge hit with my daughters. My 4-year old gobbled hers down and was the first one finished. My son was not a huge fan, but he doesn't really care for eggplant in any way. He still finished his though. I was glad that there was one burger leftover for me to have for lunch the next day!

Here is the recipe for Eggplant Burgers

Here is the recipe for Tzatziki Sauce

Italian Farro Salad with Roasted Vegetables

I found it!! I finally found it- Farro that is. I have been looking for it for quite a few months and couldn't find it anywhere. I have seen quite a few recipes that use it and even made one that was supposed to contain it. But, then a couple of weeks ago, I saw it in the bulk bins at EarthFare and bought a bag full.

I would say that the texture is similar to wheat berries or barley, but the flavor is a little bit different. I had tons of veggies from my garden and found this great recipe that combined farro and roasted veggies. It is a recipe from Jamie Oliver and it was wonderful. I was able to use zucchini, summer squash, and bell peppers from my garden and there was also fennel thrown into the mix. Roasted fennel is so delicious.

I made this when my sibling were visiting me and we continued to eat it throughout the week. The leftovers are great.

Here is the recipe for Italian Farro Salad with Roasted Vegetables

Roasted Eggplant, Zucchini, and Chickpea Wraps

This was an exciting dinner because I was able to use the first 2 eggplants that I harvested from my garden. My dad planted a Ichiban eggplant plant for me and I was a little worried about it producing any eggplant because the bugs were really enjoying eating the leaves. I was so excited when I saw a few eggplants growing and I was able to pick them after a few days.

The roasted veggies in this wrap are something that I could eat at every meal. Simply roasted, with fresh herbs- nothing compares to roasted vegetables in my opinion. The fresh mozzarella was really delicious (although you can't really see it on my wraps- it is there, beneath all the yummy veggies).

I made double the amount of the roasted veggies because I really enjoy having them with eggs for breakfast or to top a salad for lunch.

Here is the recipe for Roasted Eggplant, Zucchini, and Chickpea Wraps
* I used zucchini, summer squash, eggplant, and green peppers
* I used less oil than called for

Thai Red Curry Eggplant with Mustard Greens

I'm not exactly sure if I have ever had mustard greens before. I think I probably have, but I didn't realize it. I mean, I do live in the South, after all. Anyway, I think this was a possible first. At least it was the first time I have purchased mustard greens and prepared them. Dark greens are my friends. I love kale, collard greens, spinach, swiss chard- all of it. These guys were a little bit bitter/spicy/peppery- I'm not sure how to describe it. But, if you are familiar with them, then you probably know what I mean. That's probably why the word mustard is used to describe these greens.

Last week was a crazy-busy week. I had a few fun jobs-( cupcakes, cake, catering lunch), lots of responsibilities, kids activities, and I didn't feel well for a few days. This dish came to the rescue one night because it was super fast and easy and I felt like it was a good meal. I served it over brown rice and we had some fresh corn on the cob also. I'm getting so excited about all the fresh veggies and fruits that abound in summertime! I absolutely love this time of year.

I reduced the amount of red curry paste by about 1/2 Tablespoon, because it can carry a lot of heat and I wanted my kids to eat this. I also used vegetable stock, instead of water. I think this would be tasty if you wanted to use a different dark green in place of the mustard greens.

Thai Red Curry Eggplant and Mustard Greens from Vegetarian Times Magazine

2 Tbls Thai red curry paste
1 Tbls sugar
1 clove garlic, minced
1 Tbls canola oil
1 small eggplant, cut into 1-inch chunks
1 small onion, sliced
1 lb mustard greens, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
1/4 cup light coconut milk
lime wedges, for garnish

1. Whisk together curry paste, sugar, garlic, and 2 Tbls water in a small bowl. Set aside.

2. Heat oil in wok or large skillet over medium-high heat. Add eggplant and onion and cook 5 mins, or until eggplant is browned. Stir in curry mixture and cook 30 seconds, or until vegetables are coated.

3. Add mustard greens and cook 1 to 2 minutes, or until leaves are wilted. Stir in coconut milk, and 1 1/2 cups water, and season with salt, if desired.

4. Cover and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 10 to 15 minutes, or until eggplant is tender.

5. Serve with lime wedges.

Marrakesh Stew

I know I am a complete wierdo, but I totally crave things that are chock full of vegetables. This stew practically jumped out at me from the pages of EveryDay Food a few weeks ago. It was a cold day, so the thought of a hearty vegetable stew really made me happy. Carrots, eggplant, butternut squash, potatoes, tomatoes and chickpeas- what a healthy, delicious combination.

I am always a little bit skeptical when cinnamon is called for in a savory recipe, but with the cumin, coriander and cayenne, the cinnamon really played a nice part in the flavor here. It worked well with everything else that was going on in this dish.


Now, this stew is not beautiful to look at, but it is wonderfully spiced and delicious. I warned my family not to make any comments about how this looked, but to give it a chance and try it first, and they were all pleasantly surprised at how tasty it was.

This makes a lot of stew, so I have a large ziploc bag of it in the freezer, along with the leftover Israeli couscous mix, just waiting for a busy night a couple weeks from now, when I can just put the frozen stew on the stove and have an instant dinner. I love it when there is enough of something leftover that it can be dinner again in a couple of weeks!

Marrakesh Stew from Everyday Food Magazine

Serves 8 * Active time: 10 min. * Total time: 1 hour

Ingredients:
1 TBSP extra-virgin olive oil
1 large red onion, diced large
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground coriander
1/2 to 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon allspice
4 large carrots, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 small butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1-inch pieces
coarse salt and ground pepper
1 15 oz can diced tomatoes
3 3/4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
2 small eggplants, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 can (15.5 oz) chickpeas, rinsed and drained


In an 8-quart Dutch oven or heavy pot, heat oil over medium-high. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 5 minutes.
Add spices, and cook until fragrant, 2 minutes.
Add carrots, potatoes, and squash and season with salt and pepper.

Cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to brown, 5 minutes.
Add tomatoes and broth- vegetables should be completely covered by liquid; add water to cover if necessary.
Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook, uncovered, for 20 minutes.

Add eggplant, stir to combine, and simmer until eggplant is tender, 20 minutes.
Stir in chickpeas, season to taste with salt and pepper, and cook until chickpeas are warmed through.


*I served this over the Harvest Grains Blend from Trader Joe's- a combination of Israeli couscous, orzo, and red quinoa.

Spaghetti Frittata

This is one of those great ideas- it really is an idea more than an actual recipe. I looked at a couple of recipes for inspiration, but this take on a Spaghetti Frittata really just worked out beautifully for me. This is a great way to revamp ingredients and turn them into something else, so that you and your family don't get into the rut of eating the same exact meals all the time.
It is basically leftover cooked spaghetti, veggies, and sauce that are combined with eggs and cooked/baked.
You can do it anyway you want to, and that is what makes it so wonderful.

I used this Ratatouille as the sauce- I defrosted (I always end up freezing things when they make a ton and plan to reuse it a month or so later) it in a large skillet, drained some of the liquid and pureed it in the food processor. Then I cooked some whole wheat thin spaghetti noodles. Sauteed an onion, garlic and spinach.
I combined all the sauce, noodles, sauteed stuff, a little feta cheese, and eggs (I used 6 eggs and 2 egg whites) in a large bowl (make sure to mix well) and transferred it to a glass baking dish to bake. I baked it at 400 degrees for about 15 minutes. You can also mix all the ingredients in an oven proof saute pan and cook it on the stove top first and then finishing it off in the oven.

This was so tasty. My family appreciated the spin on a familiar dish. And since the sauce was made completely of pureed veggies, it was pretty healthy too. I can definitely see many variations of this in our future!

Here are some of the recipes that I got my idea from:
Recipe for Spaghetti Frittata from Eating Well

Recipe for Leftover Spaghetti Frittata
from Honest Fare

Ratatouille with Baked Eggs

Sometimes the simpliest dishes are the most delicious and flavorful. That was certainly the case with this Ratatouille. We are still experiencing warm weather, so I had some zucchini, yellow squash, eggplant and bell peppers, that needed to be used.

I didn't really feel like making soup or simply roasting my veggies (which would usually be my first choice), but I found a recipe for Ratatouille and it looked delicious.
I saw the idea to bake it with eggs in a recent issue of Everyday Food magazine and used that part of their idea, but a simplier basic Rataouille recipe than the one they included in the magazine.

To make this, all you have to do is chop your veggies, saute an onion, and then gradually add the veggies and stir. So simple.

I decided to serve this over quinoa, but it would be great with pasta or as a stew. It really is so versatile.

My son was not excited when he saw this on the stove, simmering away. He actually wrote me a little note that said "Really Mom, Eggplant?", and left it by the stove, but he ate it and decided it wasn't that bad. He even said it was good. So, that was enough for me. Victory!


I also wanted to share a cake I made this past weekend for my daughter's birthday. Not a great picture, but you get the idea.
She was very specific in her request- 3 layers of alternating sizes, pink cake (inside), purple frosting and real Littliest Pet Shop toys for decoration. I used this recipe for Vanilla Buttercream and it turned out really well. She loved it.



to make Ratatouille with Baked Eggs (from Everyday Food magazine)
After you are done cooking the Ratatouille on the stove-
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place 3/4 cup Ratatouille in each of four 2-cup ovenproof baking dishes set on a rimmed baking sheet. With the back of a large spoon, make 2 indentations in Ratatouille in each dish. (Alternately, place 3 cups Ratatouille in an 9 by 13 inch baking dish and make 8 indentations.)
Crack 1 large egg into each indentation. Season eggs with salt and pepper.
Bake until egg whites are set, 20 to 25 minutes.

Recipe for Ratatouille
* I used less oil than called for
*I added more dried thyme than called for and some Italian seasoning

Eggplant Parmesan

When I bought a couple of eggplants a few weeks ago, it wasn't because I had anything specific in mind that I wanted to make with them. It was because they were for a great price and I had no doubt at all that I would use them.

I was flipping through Cooking Light and saw that one of the best recipes from that particular issue was for Eggplant Parmesan. I didn't follow the recipe completely, as they had it turned into a casserole of sorts-I just used their coating and baking instructions.
I decided to top our eggplant with provolone cheese, served it over red quinoa and used some bottled marinara sauce to bring it all together.

My oldest son was a little bit wary of this dish, but I told him it would taste just like chicken. He tried it and concluded on his own that it did taste like chicken!

We really enjoyed this lightened version of a classic dish. It was good!
Recipe for Eggplant Parmesan
* I only followed the recipe for steps 1 & 2
* I added some Italian seasoning to my panko coating
* I topped each slice of eggplant parmesan with 1/2 slice of provolone cheese and then put it back in the oven until the cheese was melted

Roasted Eggplant Salad

My sister was here visiting this past week and we were able to share some dinners together.
We both love eggplant, so I saved these recipes that I had spotted a couple of weeks earlier, for her visit.

Preparing dinner for starving children doesn't provide the best opportunity for taking photos, so excuse the bad picture of this one. Don't let it stop you from trying this recipe.

This particular night, we had this delicious eggplant salad over quinoa and steamed broccoli and cauliflower on the side.
We had 6 hungry kids between the 2 of us and everyone enjoyed this yummy salad.

Eggplant is one of my favorite things to roast in the oven. It takes on whatever flavor you want it too and it becomes brown, crunchy on the edges and melt-in-your-mouth smooth, all at the same time.

There were three salad variations that went along with the basic roasted eggplant and this time we went with the chickpea & feta version. I threw in some halved cherry tomatoes because tomatoes go well with the other ingredients and then I snipped some fresh herbs from outside my front door and added them to the mix.

Yum. Yum. Yum.

Recipe for Basic Roasted Eggplant
* I used less oil

Recipe for Eggplant Salad with Chickpeas and Feta
* I used less oil and less feta than the recipe called for
* I added halved cherry tomatoes
* I added equal amounts of Italian parsley, mint and basil

Spicy Sesame Eggplant

I love eggplant.
When I was up visiting my sister a couple weeks ago in DC, she made the most delicious stir-fry where she roasted the eggplant before mixing it with the other vegetables.
The marinade she used on the eggplant was so delicious.
I was hoping I could recreate it somehow.

I found a couple of beautiful baby eggplants recently and wanted to roast them. I found a recipe that was pretty close to the marinade- I just added a couple Tbls of soy sauce.

The eggplant is good enough to eat right off the baking sheet, but I did make sure that some of it ended up on top of quinoa, where is was joined by some blanched broccoli.
I didn't have any sesame seeds, so those were left off, but this was still very tasty.



Recipe for Spicy Sesame Eggplant
*I added a couple Tbls of soy sauce
* I reduced the amount of chili paste by a bit to make this ok for my kids

Greek Salad

Eggplant is such a versatile vegetable. It can take on almost any flavor and I was very intrigued by it's use in this salad.

Once again, I found this recipe in my Mayo Clinic cookbook
and the picture just looked too delicious to pass up. I really love salads, especially in the summer, so this went on the weekly menu plan immediately.

You roast the eggplant in the oven and then mix up a quick vinaigrette. Chop a few veggies and dinner or lunch is ready.

I really loved the flavors of the vinaigrette. The tomatoes and cucumbers added a nice crunch to the roasted eggplant. Truly tasty.

Recipe for Greek Salad

Roasted Veggie Pizza

I saw a recipe for Grilled Veggie Pizza in Cooking Light and really thought it looked delicious. I decided to roast some veggies and make my own version of the pizza.

I roasted 2 huge half-sheets of veggies w/ olive oil, salt & pepper in the oven for 10-15 minutes @ 425 degrees F- which gave me enough leftover veggies for a quinoa/veggie dish and quesadillas later in the week.
The veggies I roasted were:
1 lb asparagus- cut in 2-inch pieces
1 eggplant-chopped
1 red pepper-chopped
1 green pepper-chopped
2 yellow/summer squash-chopped
2 zucchini-chopped

I used a whole wheat pizza dough from my local grocery store to make the crust.
I used my basic pizza sauce


The original recipe- Veggie Grilled Pizza
*I used fontina cheese and the fresh thyme/mint herb combination, like the recipe suggested but chopped my herbs before sprinkling them on top.

I really liked this healthy version of pizza and roasting that many vegetables at a time was great, because I had enough extra to last for a couple other meals during the week.

What is your favorite way to top your pizza?

Spiced Eggplant-Lentil Salad with Mango

This salad is perfect.
Spicy & Sweet.
Healthy & Delicious.
Crunchy & Salty.

Plus, it has many of my favorite things. Eggplant. Lentils. Mango. Romaine. Salad. Nuts.
Salsa.

I saw it in a recent copy of Eating Well and knew I had to make it.

A couple of weeks ago my church collected food for a local food bank.
We walked up and down our street and met all of our neighbors, who willing donated cans of food for the food bank.
After the collecting and transporting of the food to the food bank the next day, we had a picnic for all those who had helped.

I brought this salad to share.
I wasn't sure if anyone else would be as excited about it as I was, but it got rave reviews. Lots of people really liked it. I loved it.
I was sad that there weren't any leftovers for me to take home. I guess I will just have to make it again.

This recipe is gluten and dairy free.
Recipe for Spiced Eggplant-Lentil Salad with Mango
* I reduced the amount of oil in the dressing to 1 1/2 Tbls
* I used Herdez salsa- the only jarred salsa I like

Frittata with Spinach, Sausage, Peppers, and Eggplant

It would be a complete understatement if I said my kids didn't like helping me in the kitchen.
It has gotten to the point where I hardly get to do anything and they start fighting over who gets to stir or add this ingredient or whatever.

I love having them help and love the fact that they are so interested in cooking/baking.

On a Friday night, a couple of weeks ago, my 5 year old daughter told me she wanted to make dinner. I got out some veggies and we started discussing the options.
This frittata is what we ended up with.
I kid you not when I say that my 5 year old made this dinner almost without any help.
She chopped (with me holding the knife with her) sauteed (I watched), whisked the eggs, measured, layered, etc.
She really did all the work and she was so proud and excited to eat what she had made.

The great thing about this meal is that you will end up with roasted veggies and cooked sausage/onion mixture, which will give you a head start on dinner for a couple of extra nights.

Another thing about this frittata is that you can mix and match the veggies and protein to whatever you have on hand at the time.
You could roast mushrooms or zucchini or whatever you have on hand. You could use chicken, ground turkey/beef, tofu, or any other protein in place of the turkey sausage.
You could use thyme or rosemary instead of the chives. You could also add cottage cheese or feta to the egg mixture. Be adventurous and mix it up!

We have started having a frittata once a week using whatever veggies are in the fridge.
I love having the leftover pieces for breakfast later in the week.

The best part about having kids help in the kitchen is that they really want to eat what they create. I did not have to bribe or plead with my kids to eat this. My daughter was so happy that she made it, she gobbled it up and her siblings were so proud they gobbled too.
Not to mention, it was really delicious.

Frittata with Spinach, Sausage, Peppers, and Eggplant by Mary Ann and R (age 5)
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 yellow bell pepper, chopped
1 small eggplant, chopped
2 Tbls olive oil, divided
1 large onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 pkg Lean Sweet Italian Turkey Sausage, (I used Jennie-O)
1 6 oz bag baby spinach
10 eggs
2 Tbls chopped fresh chives
1/4 cup skim milk
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese


Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
Place chopped peppers and eggplant on a baking sheet. Drizzle with 1 Tbls olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Roast for 15 minutes. Set aside. Reduce oven temperature to 400 degrees.

Heat 1 Tbls olive oil in a large skillet. Add chopped onion and saute for a few minutes. Add sausage and break up into small pieces. Add garlic and cook until sausage is cooked through, 6-9 minutes. Place half of sausage/onion mixture in another container and refrigerate for another use.
Add baby spinach to sausage/onion mixture left in skillet, and saute, until wilted. Set aside.

In a large bowl, crack 10 eggs. Whisk to combine. Add chopped chives and milk. Season with salt and pepper, and whisk until combined.

Spray a 9x13-inch pyrex dish with cooking spray. Spread the sausage/spinach mixture on the bottom of the dish. Add half of the roasted peppers and eggplant (put the other 1/2 of veggies in a plastic container and refrigerate for another day).
Pour the egg mixture over the sausage/veggies and make sure all veggies are covered with the eggs. Sprinkle the shredded mozzarella cheese over the top.

Bake in the 400 degree oven for 20-23 minutes.
Serve.

Greek Meatballs and Greek Roasted Vegetables

I first made this meal last summer. I had clipped the recipe for the roasted vegetables out of Family Circle Magazine and decided to make meatballs to round out the meal.
I had some ground turkey and I just added ingredients that I thought would make a tasty meatball and hoped for the best.

They turned out great and everyone was very excited about this dinner. I quickly wrote down the estimates of what I used for the meatballs, so I could make them again because I didn't take a picture of them that first time we ate them.

I don't like repeating recipes over and over again, because I like to try new things all the time, but I knew that I wanted to make this particular meal again sometime.
I recently made the meatballs and roasted vegetables again, this time using ground turkey breast for the meatballs and the results were great.

The key to keeping the meatballs moist is browning them first in a little bit of oil, then adding liquid- I prefer chicken broth- and then covering them, to let them cook completely.

I really love the combination of eggplant, green pepper, and red potatoes, that the recipe uses in the roasted vegetables. Chickpeas are added to these veggies, near the end of the roasting time and really enhance the whole dish. Top it off with fresh lemon juice, fresh herbs and a little feta, and you have got a real winner.

Both times that I have made this meal, I have prepared the veggies first, and started roasting them, then made the meatballs while the veggies are in the oven. That way everything is ready at about the same time.


Greek Meatballs by Mary Ann
20 oz ground turkey, 93% lean or ground turkey breast
1 egg
2-3 oz feta cheese crumbles, flavored with basil and tomato
1 1/2 Tbls chopped fresh oregano
3 Tbls chopped fresh parsley
1/3 cup seasoned breadcrumbs
garlic powder
salt
black pepper
2 Tbls skim milk

Mix all meatball ingredients with a fork.
Form meat mixture into balls about the size of golf balls.
Heat 1 Tbls olive oil in a saute pan over med-high heat. Add 1/2 of the meatballs and brown on all sides. Add 1/3 cup chicken broth or water. cover with a lid and cook until meat is no longer pink in the middle, about 6-8 minutes.
Repeat with remaining meatballs.

Greek-style Roasted Vegetables adapted from Family Circle magazine

• 1 pound small red potatoes, quartered
• 2 small eggplants, cut into 1/2-inch half-moons
• 1 medium-size sweet onion, sliced
• 1 medium-size green bell pepper, sliced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 lemon
• 1 can (15 ounces) chickpeas/garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 tablespoon fresh chopped oregano
• 1 tablespoon chopped mint
• 2 ounces feta cheese, crumbled

Directions

1. Heat oven to 425 degree F. In a large roasting pan, toss together the potatoes, eggplants, onion, green pepper, 1-2 tablespoons of the olive oil, the garlic salt and pepper. Peel off the lemon zest with a peeler and add to mixture. Reserve lemon. Roast vegetables at 425 degree F for 30 minutes, stirring twice.

2. Add chickpeas and roast an additional 15 minutes.

3. Stir in juice from lemon, oregano and mint. Top with feta crumbles.

Ratatouille Tofu

I saw this really cute dinner idea in a recent issue of Parents Magazine.
It was called Dinner and a Movie and this was the tagline-"Rent Ratatouille, then have kids try the veggie side along with crispy tofu triangles".

Ratatouille is the title of a Disney/Pixar movie that was released in June 2007 that has a lot to do with food and cooking. It is pretty cute- I remember going to see it in the theater when it came out.

So, this idea sounded fun to me.
This take on Ratatouille is as easy as they come. The whole thing is ready in a matter of minutes.

I kind of spaced the fact that this magazine is geared towards small children and expected this meal to have more flavor. It was a little bit bland for me. If I made this version of Ratatouille again, I would definitely spice it up a little bit.

Some of my family members really like tofu and will eat it any way I make it. Others, like my husband, do better if it is in small cubes and mixed with other foods, so they can't really tell what it is. It usually takes awhile for him to say something like "This really isn't chicken, is it?"
He already knows the answer. The texture gives it away. The good thing is that the people in my family who don't love tofu will eat it and not complain too much. The crust on this tofu wasn't my favorite either, but I guess it would be good if you are trying to get a child to try tofu for the first time.

So, I guess what I am saying is that I liked the idea of this meal more than the actual flavors, but forgot that it was probably geared towards small kids who might not have too much experience with lots of herbs and spices or tofu, for that matter.

My advice would be to up the spices and herbs and if you have a favorite breadcrumb, cornflake, or panko coating- try that on the tofu instead. Also, if you are trying to get people excited about eating tofu for the first time, smaller pieces would probably be a great idea. The vegetables would also taste great if they were roasted in the oven with olive oil, salt, and pepper, but that would add a bit more time to the preparation of the meal.

Ratatouille Tofu from Parents Magazine
2 Tbls olive oil, divided
1/2 cup chopped red onion
1/2 eggplant, cut into small cubes
1 zucchini, chopped
2 sweet peppers, chopped
1 Tbls fresh basil
1 cup grape tomatoes, sliced
salt and pepper
1/2 18 oz. package firm tofu, drained
1 Tbls polenta ( I used yellow cornmeal)
1 Tbls grated Parmesan cheese

1- Chop basil. Heat 1 Tbls oil in a skillet on medium heat. Add onion and cook for 3 minutes, then add eggplant, zucchini, sweet peppers, and 3 Tbls water. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 5 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, basil, salt and pepper; remove from heat.

2- Meanwhile, cut tofu crosswise into 1/2-inch thick square pieces and slice into triangles. In a bowl, mix polenta and cheese and coat the tofu with it.

3- Heat 1 Tbls oil in another skillet on medium-high. Add tofu; cook for 2 minutes per side or until browned.
Serves 4


One Year Ago-Weekly Lunchbox

Farmland Vegetable Pie with Phyllo Crust

Are you tired of hearing about my twitter recipe ideas? Well, I hope not. Because here is another one.

This recipe was also an idea that was "tweeted" to me when I posed the problem of the bag of fresh okra.
Nancy told me about a vegetable pie that she made last year that contained okra, alongside a bunch of other fresh veggies. She tweeted me a link to her post about the pie and that was really all it took.
I decided it would be our meal before church on Sunday (we go to church at 1 pm). That gave me Sunday morning to put it together.
The original recipe calls for summer squash, yellow tomatoes, okra, and corn. Nancy added green beans. I decided to use zucchini along with the summer squash, eggplant instead of the tomatoes (my hubby hates them) and a red bell pepper instead of the corn.

I also decided that I would top my pies with a light phyllo crust instead of making the pie-like crust originally called for. I did this to reduce the prep and cook time and also to save some calories.
The pie also contains hard boiled eggs and cheese. Here is a shot of my sauteed veggies with the chopped eggs.
For my crust, I thawed out my phyllo dough and layered 4 sheets, spraying heavily with cooking spray between each layer. I then cut the pieces to fit over my individual pies. (I halved the recipe). It only took about 15 minutes for the phyllo crust to be brown and crispy.

I absolutely loved this! My hubby and kids had to be bribed a little bit (they like veggies, but this was asking a little much), so I also made some mini meatballs to round out this meal, which were super delicious, that I will share at another time.

The veggies still had a little bit of crispness, thanks to the short saute and small amount of time that they spent in the oven. The cheese and eggs added nice texture and flavor.
I am so glad I have found a few other ways to eat okra!
I also wanted to share this trick for getting your hard boiled eggs perfect. I am sure you know that if the yolk has a greenish tint around it, that means they are overboiled. If the yolk is mushy and dark yellow, then they are underboiled.
I found this method from Martha Stewart a couple of years ago when I first made Open "Face" Egg Sandwiches.
I actually boiled extra eggs so we could make those sandwiches later on in the week- it is one of my son's absolute favorite dinners- you can check out my post about it HERE
Hard Boiled Eggs from Martha Stewart
In a medium saucepan, cover 7 eggs (in a single layer) with water, 1 inch above eggs. Bring to a boil; cook, uncovered, 2 minutes. Cover and remove from heat; let stand 10 minutes. Place eggs in bowl under cold running water until cool. Peel eggs.
Recipe for Farmland Vegetable Pie

Nancy's post about Farmland Vegetable Pie

One Year Ago-Baked Fish with Roasted Mixed Vegetables