Cheddar and Poblano Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms

Such an easy recipe - a perfect weeknight meal for two.

Ingredients
2 portobello mushroom caps, cleaned and gills scraped from cap - get the biggest ones you can find
2 poblano peppers
1 tsp olive oil
1/3 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup cooked rice (1/4 cup dry)
1 cup baby spinach, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Start rice cooking while you prep the rest of the ingredients.  Broil the poblano peppers on high about 3 inches away from the heat 5-8 minutes on each side - the skin will start to blacken and bubble which is good.  Once its charred on both sides, move to a bowl and cover with aluminum foil to cool.

Once the poblano pepper is done under the broiler, move the mushroom caps to the broiler and broil cap side up towards the heat so liquids drain easily.  Broil about 5 - 10 minutes until soft.  Remove from broiler and set aside.

While mushrooms and poblano are broiling,  saute the onion in 1 tsp of oil until soft.  Add spinach to pan and stir till wilted.  Turn off heat.

By now the rice should be cooked - mix the rice, spinach and onion in a bowl together.  Take poblanos from bowl and peel skin away (it should pull away easily with your fingers), remove seeds and dice.  Add poblanos and cheddar cheese to rice mixture.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Pre-heat oven to 325.  Place mushrooms capside down in an oven safe pan and spoon rice mixture into mushroom cap - use the entire mixture even if it overflows into the pan (trust me - its so good you'll want to eat it all!).  Bake stuffed mushrooms for 20 minutes and serve.

Huevos Rancheros

A great way to use the left over ingredients from the Chipotle Mushroom Tacos.  Super easy dinner - takes all of 30 minutes to make.

Ingredients
15oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
2 tbsp olive oil
2 garlic cloves, pressed
1/2 chipotle in adobo sauce, finely chopped
1/4 tsp salt
2 tbsp cilantro
4 tortillas
4 eggs
milk
sharp cheddar cheese
guacamole
salsa
sour cream

The hardest thing about this recipe is making the black beans.  Heat the olive oil in a non-stick skillet, add garlic and chipotle and simmer until fragrant - about 1 minute.  Add black beans, salt, and 1/3 cup of water and simmer for 5 minutes.  Add cilantro, turn heat down to low and cover for about 15 minutes until most of the liquid is evaporated.

Layer the tortillas on a plate, with a paper towel between each layer - heat for 1 minute in the microwave and set aside.

Heat salsa in a small bowl for about 30 seconds (that way it won't cool the eggs down) and set aside.

Beat the eggs with a splash of milk and scramble in a non-stick skillet.  While eggs are cooking, arrange two tortillas per plate, top with fresh shredded cheddar cheese, the black beans, then the eggs.  Then garnish with salsa, guacamole, and sour cream. 

Enjoy!

Veggie Sweet & Sour Soup

My attempt to get rid of the cough that has been plaguing Angelo this week. A little sweet, a little sour, a pinch of spice to knock that cold right from your chest.

Ingredients:
1 large carrot, sliced thin
3 celery stalks, julienned
Quarter onion, sliced thin
mushrooms, sliced thin
1/2 red pepper julienned
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp fresh ginger, minced
2-3 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp vinegar (rice or white)
1 tsp fish sauce
1 tbsp spicy sesame oil
1 cube vegetable bullion
2 tbsp brown sugar
Sriracha sauce to taste
4 cups water
Angel hair pasta

In large sauce pan, saute onion, celery, carrots, garlic, and ginger in the sesame oil till the celery and onions start to turn clear. Add 1 cup of water and vegetable bullion. Allow to simmer till bullion has incorporated (of course you can use stalk, but bullion was all I had and it worked well).

Add vinegar, fish sauce, soy sauce, brown sugar and Sriracha and bring the pot back to a simmer. Add the remaining three cups of water, 1 at a time. Test flavor, add more soy/sugar/spice/vinegar as desired. Add mushrooms and peppers (I like them a bit more crispy when the soup is finished so I wait till the end.) Add about a good fist full of angel hair pasta directly to the pot. Cook 8 more minutes. Garnish with cilantro and lime & eat!

I added some tofu for a little extra protein, but this would be good with shrimp or chicken.

Roasted Vegetables with Hollandaise and Smashed Red Potatoes

Roasted Vegetables:

Pre-heat oven to 450 degrees
Combine 3/4 cup olive oil, juice of one lemon, and 1/4-1/2 cup fresh chopped herbs. I used fresh parsley, cilantro, thyme and sage from my new fall herb garden. Add 1- 2 tsp kosher salt, ground pepper, red pepper flakes, and 2 cloves of garlic crushed. Whisk these ingredients together and set aside.
In an oven safe roasting dish, Pyrex dish, or oven safe pot, chop and combine a variety of fresh vegetables. I used 1 lb Brussels sprouts, 1 head of cauliflower, 1 red pepper, 5 carrots, 3 stalks of celery, 1 medium yellow onion, and 3 shallots. Pour olive oil- herb mix over vegetables and toss. Take 1/4 cup butter, cut into to cubes, and distribute over vegetables. Bake for 35 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes.

Hollandaise Sauce:

Separate 4 egg yolks from the whites. Combine the 4 yolks with juice of one lemon in a metal bowl or a heat safe Pyrex bowl. Whisk in 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper, 1 tsp kosher salt, fresh ground pepper, and if desired 1 tsp tarragon. Melt 1/4 cup butter and set aside, re-heat if it starts to cool.
Over low heat bring one cup of water just to a simmer in a small saute pan and then remove from hot burner. Place yolk-lemon mix in its heat safe bowl over saute pan with hot water. Whisk in melted butter, and continue whisking until mixture has just started to turn a light yellow color about 1 minute. If kept over heat for too long the eggs will thicken and scramble.

Smashed Red Potatoes:

Boil 8 red potatoes till soft, about 20-25 minutes. Drain water. Roughly slice through potatoes with butter knife to break them up, leaving skin on. Add in 4 tbsp butter, 1/4 cup half-and-half, and beat together. Add in salt, pepper, and garlic to taste.

Grilled Stuffed Portobello Mushroom Burgers

Serves 2

3 portobello mushrooms
1/2 yellow bell pepper
1 medium shallot
1 garlic clove
2 tbsp fresh dill - chopped
2 oz shredded gouda
Kosher Salt
Cayenne Pepper
1/4 cup mayo


2 Fresh hamburger buns from the bakery (Ryan and I like brioche buns from the local farmer's market)
1 small bunch of arugula or baby spinach
2 thin slices of fresh tomato

Take the mushroom caps and clean with a damp paper towel, brushing dirt off the cap.  Remove the stems from the inside of the cap, cut away any dirt, and set aside.  Scrape the gills out of the two prettiest caps using a small spoon.  Set aside.

Take the third cap (the not so pretty one) an chop it up along with the mushroom stems.  Grind in a food processor until coarsely mixed, then set aside in a bowl.  Next, chop the bell pepper, shallot, and half the garlic clove into large chunks, and grind in food processor until coarsely mixed.  Saute bell pepper mixture in a pan with a little bit of olive or grapeseed oil until soft - about 5 minutes.  Add chopped mushroom to bell pepper mix, and continue to saute until liquid is almost absorbed - about another 5 minutes.

Pour sauteed mixture into bowl, and add shredded gouda and 1 tbsp of dill.  Stir to combine and season to taste with kosher salt and cayenne.

Heat a grill to medium heat (about 400) and grill the whole mushroom caps stem side down.  This is very important - if you start with stem side up, the cap will collect juices and you'll have to drain it before you can continue.  Grill for 7 minutes, then transfer them to a plate and fill with sauteed cheese mixture.  Place back on grill, filling side up, for another 5 minutes.

While a friend takes care of the grilling, mix mayo, remaining garlic (pressed or minced), and last tbsp of dill in a small bowl.  Season with pepper, and keep in fridge until mushrooms are ready.  Toast buns in broiler, and when mushrooms are done, spread sauce on both sides of the bun.  Place mushroom on bottom side of bun, and add tomato, arugula and a bit more shredded gouda if you like.

Slice in half, and serve hot!

Enjoy!

Grilled Tofu Rice Bowl with Sauteed Greens and Egg

For this recipe, prepare the tofu as described in the Tofu Taco recipe (pressing the water out).  This time we'll lightly marinate the tofu in the sauce, rather than brushing the sauce on, but grilling instructions are also the same.

Serves 2

1/2 block of extra firm tofu, drained and pressed

2 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
1/2 tsp toasted sesame oil
1/2 tsp brown sugar (heaping)
1/2 tsp grated fresh ginger
1/8 tsp red pepper flakes
1 small garlic clove, minced

1 1/2 tsp grapeseed or canola oil
6 oz washed spinach, stems removed, torn to bite sized pieces (I do not like to use baby spinach for this type of dish as I find it gets mushy)
1/4 cup thinly sliced shallots
1/2 zucchini, sliced into 1/4 inch rounds
1 bell pepper, diced
2 eggs
Basmati Rice
Sliced green onion, sriracha, soy sauce, kimchi for garnish

Prepare tofu and set aside.  Mix the next 6 ingredients and pour into a shallow dish.  Dip the tofu in the marinade and allow to sit for 1 minute, then turn to coat other side.  Repeat 1x on each side, then grill for 3-4 minutes on each side at medium heat.  Dice tofu when finished and set aside.  Reserve leftover marinade for next step.

Go ahead and get the rice started (prepare as much as you want to your liking) before moving to the next step.

Add 1 tsp grapeseed oil to saute pan, heat on medium.  Once hot, add shallots and saute 2 minutes.

Add bell pepper and saute for another 2 minutes.  Add zucchini and tofu, then pour reserved marinade into pan and simmer for a final 3-4 minutes.  Finally, add spinach to mix, turn off heat, cover and move to final step.

Get out one last fry or saute pan.  Fry up two eggs - we like ours with the yolk really runny so that it cooks on the hot veggies and really adds flavor to the whole dish.

While you are frying your eggs, have a friend prep the dishes.  By now, your rice should be done, so portion it out into two shallow bowls.  Split the veggies and grilled tofu and pile on top of the rice.  Now the egg should be done - top both bowls with one fried egg.

Garnish with condiments to your liking.  I like mine topped with slide green onions, a bit of sriracha, and kimchi.

Enjoy!

Vegetable Noodle Casserole

This my own personal spin on a noodle casserole

1 medium- large zucchini cut into 1/4 inch thick slices
1 medium- large yellow squash cut into 1/4 inch thick slices
1 medium sweet onion coarsely chopped
1 small red pepper sliced
1/2 cup shredded carrots
2 cups broccoli florets
1-2 cups portabella mushrooms sliced
1 crushed/ pressed garlic clove
1 bag whole-wheat egg noodles, prepared for firm texture
2 cups mixed Italian (or your favorite) shredded cheese
1/4 cup Parmesan
1 can Fat Free Cream of mushroom soup
1 cup vegetable broth
1/2 cup milk
1 1/2 cup bread crumbs
Salt & pepper
1 tbsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp rubbed sage
Nature seasoning to taste.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Spray a 9x13" casserole pan with oil (or use your favorite casserole pan/ oven safe pot).

Prepare egg noodles as directed for firm texture, drain, and place back in pot used to boil noodles.

Saute squash, broccoli, onion, and garlic clove over medium-low heat in vegetable oil for 10 minutes. Season as desired with suggested seasoning above. Add red peppers, carrots, and the mushrooms. Gently stir, and cover with lid for additional 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat. Leave covered. Do not over/completely cook vegetables.

In the pot containing noodles, add cream of mushroom soup, veggie broth, and milk. (the heat from the noodles should make the liquids mix together). Add in all of the vegetables and toss with noodle mixture. Stir in 1 cup of Italian cheese mix.

Transfer mixture into casserole pan (or leave in oven safe cooking pot). Will be fairly liquidy. Sprinkle remainder of the cheeses over top of casserole. Distribute bread crumbs over the top. Cover with Aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake for additional 10-15 minutes, or until cheese and crust have browned and the casserole is bubbling.

Enjoy!

Chickpea Salad

The perfect summer side dish!

2 cans of chickpeas (garbanzo beans--they are exactly the same thing)
1 small can of corn
1/2 fresh jalapeno diced small
1/2 orange pepper diced
1/2 yellow pepper diced
1/2 cup roughly chopped cilantro
1/2 small red onion, finely diced
juice of one lime
olive oil
salt & pepper to taste

Rinse chickpeas under cold running water. Toss all ingredients in a large bowl. Drizzle with about 2 tbsp olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Allow to sit in the refrigerator for about 20 minutes, toss and serve!

Veggie Pasta with Goat Cheese

This is one of mine and Ryan's favorite weekday dinners.  Its easy, healthy, and filling.

Serves 2-3

1 Large Shallot - thinly sliced
1 Medium Red Bell Pepper - diced
1 Medium Yellow Squash - thick sliced, quartering the larger slices
1 Medium Zucchini - thick sliced
1/2 Package Baby Bella Mushrooms - quartered
1 Bunch of Spinach (do not use baby spinach) - washed and torn into large pieces
2-3oz Fresh Crumbled Goat Cheese (I like to use herbed Goat Cheese but plain is good too)
Dried Red Pepper
Kosher Salt
Fresh Cracked Pepper
Olive Oil
Whole Wheat Pasta (enough for 2 - 3)
Fresh grated Parmesan (optional)

Prep all the veggies as detailed above.  Start water boiling for pasta.  In a large saute pan with a lid, heat 1 tbsp of olive oil over medium heat.  Add shallots and saute until golden.  Add red bell pepper, and season with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes.  Sautee until red bell pepper starts to soften.  Add squash and zucchini and saute until they start to soften - if they start to brown add a bit more olive oil to the dish.  Add mushrooms and saute until soft, then add spinach.  Cover with lid and lower heat to medium-low.

By now your water should be boiling, so add your wheat pasta to cook.  When finished, drain and divide into large shallow bowls.  By now spinach should be wilted so stir the veggie mix and season to taste with additional salt/pepper if needed.  Top pasta in bowls with crumbled goat cheese, and then top with veggie mix.  Serve with fresh grated Parmesan cheese.

Ryan and I have also used shrimp in this dish on occasion which is a nice additon.

Cannellini Beans and Pasta

Shells with White Beans and Chicken

This dish can be made vegetarian - just leave out the chicken and start with onion and celery. We used herbs from our herb garden to make it an even tastier special dish!




1 lb chicken cut in cubes
1 tbsp olive oil
¾ tsp salt (if vegetarian you will only need ½ tsp salt)
½ small onion (finely chopped)
2 ribs of celery chopped
½ cup sliced mushrooms (I added mushrooms for potassium)
3 cloves of garlic chopped
(1) 28 oz. Crushed tomatoes
(2) 15 oz cans of cannelloni beans
½ tsp dried oregano
½ tsp dried basil
¼ tsp red pepper flakes
1 lb medium sized shells
Grated cheese as needed

Cook chicken cubes in oil about 5 minutes (season with ¼ tsp salt)
Then:
Cook onion and celery in chicken drippings (leftover if using chicken) for about 5 minutes. *If vegetarian start onion and celery in oil. Add garlic and mushroom and cook for 1 minute. Stir in tomatoes, beans, oregano, basil, red pepper flakes and ½ tsp salt. Bring to a boil then simmer for 12 minutes. Cook pasta. Then add beans to mixture along with 1 cup of left-over water from the pasta.

Serve over pasta and add grated cheese to taste
Serves 8
483 calories with chicken (less if vegetarian)

Black Bean Burgers w/Mango Coleslaw

I normally don't cook vegetarian meals just because I enjoy my meats but this looked WAY too good to pass up! I made a few changes...mainly because I thought the salsa was a little boring and I wanted to add some cabbage. The original recipe also called for some avocado to be added but since I make meals a couple of days in advance, I didn't add that in. I'm thinking a small dollop of sour cream on top of this would be killer!

Side Note: These have a bit of a kick to them but not too much. If you like it SPICY, I would add the entire jalapeno

Side Note Part Deux: I didn't include a picture because honestly, it looks like mashed beans in a patty form. Not that appetizing.

Black Bean Burgers w/Mango Coleslaw
Serves 6

Ingredients:
2 (15oz) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
3/4 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1/4 cup panko
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 medium jalapeño pepper, finely chopped
2 large egg whites
Cooking spray
1 1/4 cups chopped peeled mango (about 2 medium)
3 tbsp chopped shallots
1 1/2 tbsp fresh lime juice
1 bag of cabbage coleslaw
1 garlic clove, minced
6 whole-wheat hamburger buns or sandwich thins

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°

Place black beans in a medium bowl; mash with a fork. Stir in 1/2 cup cheese and the next 6 ingredients (through egg whites). Shape bean mixture into 6 (1/2-inch-thick) patties. Arrange patties on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes, carefully turning once. And seriously, be careful! They fall apart pretty easily!

Combine remaining mango, and the next 4 ingredients (through minced garlic) in a medium bowl. Place a patty on bottom half of each hamburger bun; top each with 1/3 cup salsa, and top half of bun.

TOMATO BASIL HUMMUS

Tomato basil hummus is a bold, exciting flavor of hummus that has a Mediterranean influence. Perfect with piping hot pita!

Ingredients:
· 2 cups chickpeas, drained and rinsed, or soaked if using dried
· 1 can (15 ounce) whole, peeled tomatoes
· 2 tablespoons of tahini
· 2 ½ tablespoon fresh lemon juice
· 2 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
· 1/4 teaspoon cumin
· 1 clove of garlic, crushed
· 1/2 teaspoon salt
· 2 ½ tablespoon basil, chopped

Preparation:
In a blender or food processor, blend the chickpeas. Add tomatoes, olive oil, tahini, lemon juice, garlic, cumin, basil, and salt until the ingredients form a creamy, paste-like consistency. Pour the mixture into a large serving bowl. Cover and refrigerate for one hour.

I put this hummus on a wrap with cucumber, spinach and tomato and make a sandwich!

VEGGIE MUSHROOM BURGER

While mushrooms provide plenty of flavor and texture* the addition of pinto beans makes this veggie burger high in fiber & protein too. This recipe is both vegetarian and vegan!.

· 2 tbsp vegetable oil
· 1 onion, diced
· 1 clove garlic, minced
· 3 green onions, diced
· 1/2 tsp cumin
· 3/4 cup diced fresh mushrooms
· 1 15 ounce can pinto beans
· 1 tsp parsley
· salt and pepper to taste
· oil for frying

Preparation:
Sautee the onions and garlic in olive oil for 3 to 5 minutes, until onions are soft. Add the green onions, cumin and mushrooms and cook for another 5 minutes, until mushrooms are cooked. Set aside.
Mash the beans with a fork or a potato masher, or process in a food processor until well mashed.
Add the mushrooms to the beans and add parsley, salt and pepper. Stir until well combined.
Shape the mixture into patties. Heat about two tablespoons of olive oil and cook each patty until the veggie burgers are done, about 3 minutes on each side.

*Mushroom protein is also superior to many other vegetable proteins on account of its essential amino acid content. The white cap mushroom ranks above all other vegetables, except beans and peas in this respect. Between 70-90 per cent of the vegetable protein present can be easily digested. They are an excellent source of minerals, especially potassium and a good source of vitamins, particularly B vitamins

Risotto Primavera

Delicious and veggie packed!  Addition of fried egg is not necessary but adds a nice bit of protein to the meal.

Serves 2

2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter
1 cup chopped button mushrooms
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cups arborio rice
1/4 cup dry white wine
2 cups vegetable broth
1/3 cup diced carrots
1 cups diced asparagus (stalks only - no tips)
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/3 cup shelled fresh peas or thawed frozen peas
1 tbsp chopped fresh Italian parsley
2 eggs

Melt 1/2 tablespoon butter 12-inch pan over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms; sauté until tender, about 5 minutes. Season mushrooms with salt and pepper. Set aside. Wipe pan clean.

Melt 1 1/2 tablespoons butter in the same pan over medium heat. Add onion; sauté until beginning to soften, 3 minutes. Add garlic; stir 1 minute. Add rice and stir until translucent at edges, 5 minutes. Add wine. Stir until liquid is absorbed. Add 1/2 cup broth. Simmer until broth is absorbed, stirring often. Add carrots, asparagus, and another 1/2 cup broth. Simmer until liquid is absorbed, stirring often,. Continue to slowly add remaining broth (about 1/4 cup at a time), until rice is just tender and mixture is creamy, stirring often and letting almost all liquid be absorbed after each addition, about 25 minutes total.

Stir cheese, peas, parsley, and mushrooms into risotto. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover and let sit while you fry the eggs.

Mound 1 cup risotto on each of 2 shallow bowls. Using back of spoon, make hollow in top of each mound. Top each with egg, and sprinkle with addditional cheese if desired.

Mushroom Lasagna

10-12 Servings

Ingredients:

¾ lb uncooked lasagna noodles (I used whole wheat)
1 bag fresh spinach

For the Mushroom Tomato Sauce:
1 tbsp olive oil
¾ lb mushrooms
½ tsp salt
Cracked pepper
2 cups tomato sauce (any kind would work here)
¼ tsp red pepper flakes
¼ to ½ cup roughly chopped basil leaves

For the Herbed Ricotta Cheese:
1lb ricotta (I used the low fat/skim one)
Mixed herbs (you can use whatever, I did parsley and oregano)
Salt and pepper to taste

½ lb part-skim fresh mozzarella, grated

Directions:

Preheat over to 350

Cook noodles until al dente and then drain well

Meanwhile prepare mushroom tomato sauce: place olive oil and mushrooms in large pan over high heat. Season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring often for 5-7 minutes. Add tomato sauce and red pepper and simmer for 10 minutes; add basil and simmer 5 minutes more.

Prepare herbed ricotta cheese:

Place cheese in small mixing bowl and add herbs, salt and pepper to taste.

In a 9x13 baking dish, pour just enough sauce to cover bottom. Add uncooked spinach. Begin layering noodles, then herbed ricotta, then mozzarella and finally, sauce. I did about two layers and that came out really well! Bake for an hour or until lasagna is brown and bubbly.

Pimiento Cheese

Obviously not for every day consumption but great for parties.

1 1/2 cups (packed) finely grated extra-sharp yellow cheddar cheese (about 6 ounces)
1 1/2 cups (packed) finely grated extra-sharp white cheddar cheese (about 6 ounces)
1 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup diced drained pimiento peppers from jar, roasted red peppers, or piquillo peppers (about 2 1/2 ounces)
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Celery sticks
Ritz crackers

Mix first 5 ingredients in medium bowl. Mash with fork to blend well. Season with salt and pepper. Cover; chill until cold, at least 2 hours and up to 3 days. Serve pimiento cheese with celery sticks and Ritz crackers, or, if desired, spread between 2 slices of white bread and cut diagonally to make 4 sandwich triangles.