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

Homemade Veggie Burgers on Whole Wheat Hamburger Buns

I have been wanting to make these Veggie Burgers for a very long time. I saw the recipe and saved it for later. Somehow it just didn't feel right to make these bright Veggie Burgers during the colder months, so now that the weather is beautiful and sunny and people are starting to cook out and use the grill more, I decided to try them. I think one of the other reasons I kept putting them off is because it seemed like there was a really long list of ingredients, but once I got down to it, I realized it wasn't really that lengthy or complicated. I decided to throw them together on a day when I was busy chopping and dicing things for a couple other recipes and then I formed the patties and let them sit in the fridge for a couple of hours.

I also decided to make my own buns, just for fun. A whole wheat bun seemed to be the perfect partner for a veggie burger.

These burgers were really good. I loved the texture and they had great flavor. These are a great way to enjoy a meatless option whenever you want a burger.
I also have to add that I really love being able to go to my garden and cut fresh lettuce whenever I want. The red leaf lettuce I used on this burger is really yummy.

Here is the recipe for Homemade Veggie Burgers
from Ezra Pound Cake

Here is the recipe for Whole Wheat Hamburger Buns from Baking Bites

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.

Curried Butternut Squash and Potato Latkes with Apple Salsa

I've never had Latkes before, so I am certainly not an expert. I have no idea how they should taste, what they should look like, etc. I just saw a section of Cooking Light recently that was dedicated to different types of latkes and these ones, with the combination of butternut squash and potatoes, caught my eye. I liked the idea of the apple salsa too.

I tackled this recipe the day after Christmas.
There was all this talk of it snowing here in Georgia for Christmas and I really didn't think it was going to happen. Maybe it is because I can't stand the white stuff or just because I like to think that it is impossible for snow to come here (even though it has on occasion), but sure enough, Christmas night, it started to snow. And it didn't stop until the next morning. Church was canceled, we were snowed in and it felt like the perfect day to try these guys.

The peeling and shredding of the squash and potatoes is what takes up the most time, but when you are snowed in, what else are you going to do?
Draining the liquid in a colander didn't work for me, I had to literally squeeze out all the liquid. I had read or heard somewhere that this is a very necessary step to have good latkes.
There was a nice bit of heat in these from the jalapeno (I used this instead of a serrano pepper) and I have to say that I think the apple salsa was a really nice compliment to these latkes.

My daughter & I really loved these, some of the others thought they were just okay. I served them with a little bit of unsweetened, natural applesauce and a dab of greek yogurt, alongside the apple salsa.

Recipe for Curried Butternut Squash and Potato Latkes with Apple Salsa
* I used a jalapeno pepper instead of a serrano pepper

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

Chickpea, Spinach, and Squash Gnocchi

I was looking at a recipe on Eating Well and I saw a picture of this recipe- Chickpea, Spinach and Squash Gnocchi. It looked really good, so I decided to give it a shot.

I've only made gnocchi once before and that was with sweet potatoes. I didn't feel like making the gnocchi from scratch this time, even though last time I felt it was fairly simple. Slightly time consuming, but not too difficult.

I kinda just did my own thing as far as making it goes. I feel so comfortable in the kitchen that sometimes I see the ingredients and read the recipe and don't feel like doing what the recipe says exactly.

I prefer to roast my butternut squash in the oven and so I decided to get that part of the recipe ready first. I cubed my squash into small pieces, drizzled it with olive oil and a little salt and pepper and put it in the 425 F degree oven. It was ready in 25 minutes.

While the squash was in the oven, I prepared the others parts of this dish. I used an onion instead of shallots because I didn't have shallots. I sauteed my onion, added garlic, then the gnocchi and vegetable broth. I also added asparagus spears. I wilted my spinach and then stirred in the balsamic vinegar. Right before serving, I added the butternut squash.
It turned out fantastic.
My kids enjoyed it and all those veggies in there added great color.
I sprinkled some chopped Italian parsley on top, just for fun.
Yum!

Recipe for Chickpea, Spinach and Squash Gnocchi
* I omitted the currants
* I didn't follow the recipe exactly, but used the same ingredients and basic idea

Greek Panzanella

A couple of weeks ago we were having company over for dinner. I always analyze and then over analyze what I should make when people come to dinner. I never know if our way of eating will satisfy someone else's taste, so I get a little crazy about it.
I think about food all the time anyway, so I really just spend too much time thinking, planning, undoing my plans, and re-planning.

It's a process.

I finally narrowed it down to a menu that would savor the last of summer fall-ish type dinner. Since we were still enjoying 90+ degree days and all my favorite summer foods were still readily found at the farmers market, we went with the summer menu.

I wanted to try this Greek twist on The Barefoot Contessa's Panzanella, because the original version is a crowd pleaser that we love.
It turned out to be the perfect choice. Everyone was really happy with this dinner. Phew!

* note--I always toast my bread cubes in the oven, drizzling them with a little bit of olive oil, to get them nice and crisp and also to reduce some of the fat in this meal. I also reduce the amount of oil in the dressing.

Recipe for Greek Panzanella
* I used black olives instead of kalamata olives
* I toasted my bread cubes in the oven instead of sauteing them in oil- it uses less oil and gets them evenly crisped
*I reduced the amount of oil in the dressing by about half
* I left out the red onion

Lentil Minestrone

I actually made this a couple of months ago, at the beginning of summer because I love minestrone and lentils anytime of year. I knew some people might have a bad reaction about a fall soup being posted in the summer, so I saved it until Sept. came along. My husband once told me- when I served him soup for dinner during summer a couple years ago- that no one wants to eat hot soup after being in the hot sun. (Well, it doesn't really bother me!)

This was just one of the recipes I tried from the newer version of Deborah Madison's wonderful cookbook- Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone.

We absolutely loved it. I actually doubled it and froze some, so we could have a quick dinner. I end up doing that a lot when I make soups.
I will definitely make it again!

Recipe for Lentil Minestrone
* I used canned vegetable stock
* I used bowtie pasta
* I used spinach for my greens

Mexicali Chop Salad with Crunchy Tortilla Strips

I don't usually get posts up this quick, but somehow I did with this one.
We had this salad for dinner a couple of days ago and it was really good.

The salad caught my eye in a recent issue of Vegetarian Times. It looked too delicious to pass up and seemed like the perfect summer meal.

First you crisp up some lightly seasoned corn tortilla strips in the oven. While that is happening you mix up a quick, light dressing. The dressing starts with warming some olive oil, garlic and spices, which is then combined in the food processor with lime juice, scallions, and cilantro.
The dressing was really good!

Then all sorts of veggies are chopped and added to a bunch of romaine. You've got celery, tomatoes, avocado, cucumber, fresh corn kernels, roasted red peppers and really, whatever else you want to add. I decided to add sliced mushrooms since my family likes them. Oh, and don't forget the pinto beans, for some protein.

My son doesn't like dressing on his salad, but this time I decided to go ahead and dress the entire salad before serving it to my family. I gave everyone a large bowl of salad and we all dug in.
The kids really liked this salad, even my son- with the dressing.
I loved it too. It was really fresh and delicious.
The tortilla strips gave just the right amount of crunch and the dressing was the perfect compliment for all the veggies. I had the leftovers for lunch today. Wish there was more for tomorrow!


Recipe for Mexicali Chop Salad with Crunchy Tortilla Strips
* I seasoned half of my tortilla strips with chili powder and half with paprika (for the kids)
* I used grape tomatoes, halved, in the salad
* I added sliced mushrooms to our salad
* I omitted the red onion

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?

Curried Vegetable Couscous

This is another great recipe from the Mayo Clinic Cookbook that caught my eye, even though there was not a picture provided alongside the recipe. Kind of disproves something I said the other day about pictures being the inspiration for the dishes I choose to cook and bake, but oh well!

I love anything that has curry in it. Curry powder, curry paste- whatever it is, I love it.
My mom used curry powder in quite a few dishes when I was growing up and I think that is probably part of the reason why I love it so much.

I made this to take to a family dinner as a side dish and it was well liked by everyone which meant I didn't get as much of it leftover throughout the week for my lunch, but at least it was a hit.
It uses whole wheat couscous, which is almost exactly the same tastewise as normal couscous.
You use a food processor to mince celery, carrot, red bell pepper, onion, garlic and gingerroot and then saute the veggie mixture with the curry powder. (That is why the whole dish looks yellow, not bad lighting, just curry powder!)
Meanwhile the couscous cooks up and then you throw the whole thing together. It was so easy and really delicious.

I am going to try it again with quinoa or millet and can't wait to eat it again!


Recipe for Curried Vegetable Couscous

Caribbean Red Beans and Brown Rice

A couple of weeks ago I really wanted to make beans and rice. I don't know why exactly, it just sounded like a good option for a weeknight dinner.
I wanted to try Red Beans and Rice, so I searched for recipes online and in my cookbooks.
I kept looking and looking, but most of the recipes I saw had some sort of meat in them, either just for seasoning or to go along with the dish.
I wanted to try a recipe that was mainly just the beans and rice without any meat.

Since I have been using my Mayo Clinic Cookbook a lot lately, I decided to look there for a recipe and found one, with a Caribbean twist.
It also used brown rice, which made me really happy.

There is a unique combination of spices and herbs in this version- allspice and cloves- which add part of the caribbean flavors, as well as the cilantro.

I left out the hot sauce, mostly because I wanted my kids to be able to eat this without saying it was too spicy, but left in the cayenne pepper.

I also just used one kind of brown rice, instead of a combination.
You could probably substitute canned beans instead of cooking your own dried ones, just make sure to drain and rinse them and I would say use 2 cans.
Soaking dried beans doesn't really take that much effort, you just have to remember to do it the night before you are planning to make the dish.

We really liked this version of red beans and rice. It was full of flavor and very filling. A great weeknight meal.


Recipe for Caribbean Red Beans and Brown Rice

Vegetarian Lasagna

Because we went to DisneyWorld for Christmas, we had a family dinner with my husband's family the week before we left, to celebrate the holiday.
We decided on an Italian theme and I brought this lasagna.

This recipe is the lasagna that we ate growing up at my house and it is requested by one of my brothers every year for his birthday dinner.
It is really simple and loaded with vegetables. Even my meat loving husband really loves this lasagna.
The recipe calls for mushrooms, but this last time I made it, I forgot to buy mushrooms, so I just shredded a zucchini that I had in my fridge and sauteed that along with the veggies.
You could probably substitute whatever vegetables you wanted to, just saute them along with the onion.
It is healthier than normal lasagna because it has lots of veggies, but also because the filling is made with cottage cheese instead of ricotta cheese and there are less layers of noodles.

It was a big hit at our family dinner and is definitely a family favorite of ours.

This recipe can also be prepped in the pan and frozen for a later date. Just add a few minutes on the cooking time to make sure that it cooks and warms through.

Vegetarian Lasagna adapted from Managing your Meals by Winnifred Jardine
6 oz lasagne noodles, (6 noodles)
1 pd fresh spinach
1 Tbls olive oil
1 cup grated carrot (about 1 carrot)
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/4 pd sliced fresh mushrooms or 1 1/2 cups shredded zucchini
1- 15 oz can tomato sauce
1-6 oz can tomato paste
1-2 1/4 oz can sliced black olives, drained
1 tsp crushed dried oregano
1 tsp crushed dried basil
2 cups cottage cheese
1 egg, beaten
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Cook lasagne noodles according to pkg directions. Meanwhile, rinse spinach and place in saucepan. Cover and cook over medium heat until steam forms, then reduce heat and cook for a few minutes. Drain and set aside. In a large heavy saucepan, heat oil and saute carrots, onion, and mushrooms, until tender but not brown. Stir in tomato sauce, tomato paste, olives, oregano and basil. set aside. Combine cottage cheese and egg.

In a 9 by 13 inch pan sprayed with cooking spray, layer half each of noodles, spinach, sauce, cottage cheese mixture, and shredded mozzerella. Repeat layers ending with shredded cheese. Bake at 375 degrees F for 30 minutes. Let stand 15 minutes before serving.

Spaghetti Squash Gratins with Chunky Tomato Sauce

It is so funny to me how our tastebuds change as we grow older. Sometimes.
When I was a child I did not like winter squash. My mom would always cook it in big chunks and I could barely swallow it. I hated the flavor and the texture. It literally made me gag.
I just thought it wasn't for me and didn't try it again for a long time.

Last year I decided to give all these sorts of squashy things another chance. I was older, perhaps wiser and so, who knows- it was worth a shot.
I tried this Butternut Squash Risotto and ever since all types of winter squashes and I are now really good buddies. Butternut, Acorn, Spaghetti, Pumpkin, etc. I love them all. That was also the first time I tried making risotto, which is also one of my favorite foods.

I saw this really cute recipe for Spaghetti Squash Gratins and I had a container of ricotta cheese in the fridge, so I decided to try it out.
Ever since I have tried this Spaghetti Squash and Quinoa Bake (which is one of my all-time favorite dishes- it is fabulous), I prefer to roast my spaghetti squash in the oven when I am planning to use it that day.

In this dish the spaghetti squash takes place of noodles. The sauce is easy and delicious, but if you are short on time you could also sub in your favorite jarred pasta sauce. The ricotta-herb topping is very flavorful and yummy. It was also fun for everyone to have their own little individual gratin.

My pictures didn't turn out very well because it was a rainy, dark day and there wasn't really anything I could do about it. This was a delicious dinner. I am so glad it is cooling off because that to me means that it is winter squash season!

Recipe for Spaghetti Squash Gratins with Chunky Tomato Sauce

One Year Ago- Butternut Squash Risotto

Eggplant, Green Beans, Pumpkin, and Basil in Coconut-Tomato Curry and Spaghetti Squash Pancakes with Tomato-Basil Jam

Here are 2 more great recipes from The Vegetable Dishes I Can't Live Without by Mollie Katzen. It is always interesting to look through a cookbook and see which recipes just jump out at you. I love this cookbook and the unique way that all types of vegetables are represented. Combinations I never would have thought of are on almost every page.
I had to try both of these because I have really been trying to cook squash more, all types included. I have noticed that butternut and spaghetti squash are still available at the store and wanted to try these 2 recipes out.
This curry featured red curry paste and coconut milk and a unique mixture of vegetables. I served it over rice noodles and really like the sauce as well as all the veggies. I never would have paired eggplant, green beans, and butternut squash on my own, but it really works well in this curry. Deliciously well.
The spaghetti squash pancakes were really easy to make (well, besides the time it took to cook the squash). I also made one of the recommend toppings from the book the Tomato-Basil Jam. I actually preferred these pancakes the next day, cold out of the fridge with no topping and if I made them again, I would add a little more flavoring to the pancakes themselves. Overall, a very good recipe and a nice change from the normal, everyday vegetables we eat all the time. I like variety!

Eggplant, Green Beans, Pumpkin, and Basil in Coconut-Tomato Curry
2 tsp red curry paste
2 Tbls minced fresh ginger
1 14-oz can lite coconut milk
1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
2 Tbls fish sauce or 1-2 Tbls soy sauce
1 Tbls brown sugar (optional)
1 15-oz can diced tomatoes
1 small (5 or 6 oz) Japanese or Chinese eggplant, cut into cubes
2 cups diced kabocha or butternut squash, steamed or blanched until almost tender
2 cups green beans, trimmed and cut into 2-inch lengths
20 to 25 fresh basil leaves


Measure the curry paste and ginger into a large saucepan, then add the coconut milk and broth, and whisk until smooth. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce the heat, and simmer, covered, for 15 minutes.
Stir in the fish sauce, and brown sugar.
Add the tomatoes, eggplant, squash, and green beans. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, for about 10 minutes, or until vegetables are tender. Stir in the basil leaves and serve hot, over rice.


Spaghetti Squash Pancakes
2 cups cooked spaghetti squash
1 cup minced onion
1/4 cup all-purpose or rice flour
1/2 tsp salt
4 large eggs

Place the cooked squash in a medium-sized bowl and separate the strands by combing through them with a fork. Continue to use fork and mix in onion, flour, and salt and then to beat in the eggs.
Place a skillet over medium heat. Spray it lightly with cooking spray, or for richer flavor, melt a little butter. When surface is hot, use a 1/4-cup measure with a handle to scoop batter into the hot pan.
Cook the pancakes for a good 8-10 minutes on each side- until truly golden.
Top with:
sour cream or yogurt
minced parsley


*Tomato-Basil Jam
2 pds tomatoes, peeled and seeded if ripe
1/4 tsp salt
3-4 Tbls light-colored honey
2 Tbls balsamic vinegar
2 tsp cider vinegar
about 5 sprigs fresh basil


Cut the tomatoes into small cubes and place them in a medium-sized saucepan. Cover the pot and place it over medium heat.
When the tomatoes begin to boil, reduce heat and uncover the pot. Let cook for 10 minutes, adding a little water if it seems dry.
Stir in the remaining ingredients and continue to let it cook uncovered over medium heat for another 35 minutes, or until reduced to approximately 1/3 its original volume.
Remove from the heat and dig out basil. Let cool to room temperature and store in fridge.

Up Next- Tuesday's with Dorie- Blueberry Crumb Cake Muffins

Artichoke Heart and Spinach Gratin

One of my favorite cookbooks is The Vegetable Dishes I can't Live Without by Mollie Katzen. I love vegetables, but sometimes need inspiration on delicious, new ways to serve them. This cookbook is chock full of inventive, delicious ways to serve up all sorts of veggies.
This particular dish reminds me of Spinach-Artichoke Dip, because of its ingredients, but is is fresher tasting and much healthier. The spinach is wilted with onions and garlic and then the artichokes are stirred in. Top it off with bread crumbs and some fresh Parmesan and you have a great main or side dish. Plus, I love how rustic it looked, served in a cast-iron skillet.
It was easy to prepare and very delicious. If you love vegetables or need some new ways to fix them, I recommend checking out this cookbook.



Artichoke Heart & Spinach Gratin adapted from The Vegetables Dishes I can't Live Without by Mollie Katzen
12 oz. artichoke hearts, canned, bottled or frozen (I used bottled)
1 pd. fresh baby spinach leaves
1 Tbls olive oil
1 cup finely minced onion
2 tsps minced garlic
1/4 tsp salt
pepper
1/2 cup coarse bread crumbs
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
2. If using frozen artichokes, run under tap water to defrost. If using canned or bottled, drain on a paper towel.
3. Rinse spinach and shake off most of the water.
4. Place a large, deep skillet with an ovenproof handle over medium heat. Heat oil and add onion. Saute for 5 minutes.
5. Increase the heat to med-high, add the spinach and cover. Cook, tossing occasionally, for 3-4 minutes, or until wilted. Remove cover and continue to cook for about 10 minutes or until the liquid released by the spinach mostly evaporates.
6. Turn the heat back to medium and add the garlic. Saute until garlic is fragrant. Stir in salt, pepper and artichoke hearts. Remove from the heat.
7. Smooth the top surface with the back of a spoon and sprinkle the bread crumbs evenly over the top, followed by an even layer of cheese.
8. Bake, uncovered, for 10-15 minutes, or until the Parmesan is golden and the bread crumbs have turned golden and crispy. Serve hot or warm.

Coming Tomorrow- Walnut-Crusted Tilapia with Kale and Barley Pilaf

Butternut Squash & Pumpkin Seed Rice Paper Rolls with Cranberry-Chile Dipping Sauce

I know it is getting old. You come to my blog. I profess my love for butternut squash in any form. Well, sorry- the story is not changing. Today, I added another of my favorites- cranberries.

I saw this very interesting recipe on The Recipe Girl and thought it would be the perfect way to use up some of the rice paper wrappers I had in my pantry. Plus, the combination of ingredients just sounded so interesting and well, delicious.

I mean, who doesn't love pumpkin seeds? I was afraid that there wouldn't be any of them left to put in the wrappers because they taste so good roasted.

Don't worry, I made sure some of them made it in.

These rolls required a little bit of extra work, but the final product was oh-so-tasty and worth it. Everyone was pleased.

Cranberries were going for $1 a bag, so I stocked up on them and put a bunch in the freezer. The dipping sauce is reminiscent of cranberry salsa or another fruit salsa, just a little bit tarter. Delish!


Butternut Squash & Pumpkin Seed Rice Paper Rolls w/ Cranberry- Chile Dipping Sauce from The Recipe Girl

who adapted it from Veganomicon
A delicious twist on this Asian favorite...
ROLLS:
1 lb butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into ¼-inch cubes
2 to 3 tsp olive oil
Twelve 8-inch round rice paper wrappers
4 ounces vermicelli rice noodles or rice sticks (the kind you boil in water)

1 cup fresh cilantro, torn into bite-sized pieces (or use Thai basil)
1/3 cup roasted, salted pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
DIPPING SAUCE: (about 2 cups)
1 cup whole, fresh cranberries
1½ cups cold water
½ cup granulated sugar
1 to 2 large serrano chiles, seeded and finely minced (use 1 or 2 based on spice preference)
2 Tbs fresh lime juice


1. Prepare Sauce: Combine cranberries, water and sugar in a medium-sized saucepan. Cover and bring to a boil. When the cranberries start to pop, reduce the heat to medium and simmer, partially covered, for about 5 minutes. Add the minced chiles and lime juice, bring to a boil again, and then lower the heat to medium-low. Stir the sauce occasionally, using the back of a wooden spoon to mash some of the cranberries against the sides of the pot. Simmer the sauce, uncovered, for an additional 10 to 12 minutes, until the sauce has reduced by about less than one-fourth and looks syrupy. Remove from heat. The sauce will thicken up more as it cools. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

2. Prepare the squash: Preheat oven to 400°F. Place the butternut squash cubes in a bowl and toss with 2 tsp. olive oil. Add another tsp. if you need to- the squash should all have a light coat of olive oil. Arrange cubes in a single layer and roast for 15 minutes. Remove form the oven, toss, and cook for 10 more minutes or until tender and slightly caramelized. (See Tip below for roasting the pumpkin seeds at the same time). Transfer the squash to a plate to cool.

3. While the squash is cooking, prepare the noodles (use the directions on the package). Drain in a colander and run cold water over them to prevent further cooking. Set aside until ready to use.

4. To assemble: Fill a large pie plate or bowl with very warm water; tap water works just fine. Place two rice paper wrappers in the water at a time, completely submerged and let sit for about a minute, just until they have softened.

5. Handle each wrapper gently as you place it on your work surface (remove both when softened- don't leave in the water). Place about ¼ cup of rice noodles in the lower third of the wrapper, leaving about 1½ inches of margin from the far edges on either side (you'll be folding those in). Place a layer of butternut squash on top of the noodles. Sprinkle with the cilantro and pumpkin seeds. To roll, snugly fold the left and right sides of the wrapper over the filling and tuck it underneath the filling, then roll firmly but gently. Place the rolls seam-side-down on a plate and cut in half when ready to serve. Mix the dipping sauce ingredients together and stir rigorously to dissolve the sugar. Serve with the rolls.

Yield: 12 rolls

Cooking Tips
*To roast pumpkin seeds, spread raw pepitas on a baking sheet and place in the oven at the same time that you're roasting your butternut squash. I gave pumpkin seeds a quick spray of Pam and sprinkled them with salt. Watch closely and stir often. They should begin to brown in about 7 to 10 minutes.
**When you get ready to assemble, it's helpful to set up a little assembly line of the fillings- placed into little bowls makes assembling more efficient

Coming Tomorrow- Cranberry Scones and Cranberry-Orange Muffins

Indian Cauliflower Curry Stew

Sometimes you just need a quick and easy dinner. Chop a few ingredients, throw them in the pot and forget about it for a few minutes.
That is exactly what this dinner is. It was quick and super easy, but the best thing about it was the taste. Delicious.
You can't really see the brown rice hidden under all the yummy veggies and beans, but it is there. My kids loved this one and that makes it good enough for me.

Indian Cauliflower Curry Stew From Good Housekeeping
INGREDIENTS
1 tablespoon(s) olive oil
3 medium carrots, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1 1/2 cup(s) brown rice
1 tablespoon(s) finely chopped peeled fresh ginger
1 tablespoon(s) curry powder
Salt
2 1/2 cup(s) vegetable broth
1 medium (2-pound) head cauliflower, cut into small florets
2 can(s) (15 to 19 ounces each) garbanzo beans (chickpeas), rinsed and drained
1/2 cup(s) loosely packed fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
1/4 cup(s) plain low-fat yogurt plus additional for serving
DIRECTIONS
In 6-quart Dutch oven, heat oil on medium-high until hot. Add carrots and onion, and cook 10 to 12 minutes or until vegetables are lightly browned and tender, stirring frequently.
Meanwhile, prepare rice as label directs; keep warm.
Stir ginger, curry, and 3/4 teaspoon salt into carrot mixture; cook 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Add broth; cover and heat to boiling on high. Stir in cauliflower and garbanzo beans; cover and cook on medium 15 to 20 minutes longer, gently stirring every 5 minutes until cauliflower is tender.
To serve, stir chopped cilantro and 1/4 cup yogurt into cauliflower stew. Spoon rice into serving bowls; top with stew. Serve cauliflower stew with additional yogurt to dollop on top if you like. Makes about 8 cups.


Coming Tomorrow- TWD-Corn and Pepper Muffins

Quinoa Pie with Butternut Squash

I know there are probably too many pictures going on in this post, but they turned out so beautifully and this pie was so delicious that I couldn't stop myself. I have a thing for butternut squash and I had a little bit of quinoa I wanted to use, so I was searching for a recipe that could use both. I went to Martha Stewart's website and saw a picture of this beautiful dish. I had to make it.

It surpassed whatever expectations I had. The squash was delicious with the sage and quinoa. The combination of flavors was amazing. This is my new favorite dish. It would be perfect to serve at a holiday dinner. A perfect vegetarian entree. A perfect entree, period. The leftovers were divine. Delicious!

Quinoa Pie with Butternut Squash from marthastewart.com
Ingredients
Serves 8
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 butternut squash (about 1 1/2 pounds), peeled, havled crosswise, and seeded
18 fresh sage leaves, plus 1 teaspoon finely chopped sage
1/2 onion, cut into 1/4-inch dice (about 3/4 cup)
1 garlic clove, minced
1 cup quinoa
2 cups homemade or low-sodium store-bought vegetable stock
1 1/2 ounces Parmesan cheese, finely grated
1 teaspoon coarse salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
Vegetable oil cooking spray

Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Brush 2 rimmed baking sheets with 1 teaspoon oil. Cut five 1/4-inch-thick rings of squash; cut remainder into 1/4-inch dice. Place squash on sheets. Toss with 1 teaspoon oil; sprinkle with 12 sage leaves. Bake until tender and just golden, 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool completely. Keep oven on.
Heat remaining teaspoon oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic. Cook, stirring, until translucent, 3 to 5 minutes. quinoa and stock; bring to a boil. Cover; reduce heat. Simmer until liquid has been absorbed, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat. Let stand, covered, 2 minutes.
Stir together quinoa, diced squash, chopped sage, Parmesan, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl.
Coat a 9-inch glass pie plate with cooking spray. Arrange 6 sage leaves face down in plate; top with squash rings. Press quinoa mixture on top.
Bake 20 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes, then invert onto a serving platter. Serve wedges warm or at room temperature.

Up Next- Tuesday's with Dorie- Buttery Jam Cookies