Vegetarian

Baby Potatoes with Tomato-Corn Sauté

May 24, 2013
Shannon
0 comments
corn, food, potato, tomatoes, vegetarian

Memorial Day weekend is finally here and even though it’s rainy here in the Northeast, I’ll happily take the extra day off to chill out, relax and widdle away the stresses of working life. While I don’t have any real plans for the weekend, hopefully some of you are getting out there and enjoying yourselves, either at the beach, the park, the lake or wherever it is that you love to go most. We’re entering the season of grilling and cookouts so for the unofficial start of summer I’m giving you Baby Potatoes with Tomato-Corn Sauté.

Baby potatoes are mixed with olive oil, corn, grape tomatoes and garlic to give you a simple sort-of potato salad that travels well and can be eaten hot or cold. No mayonnaise means no worrying about taking this dish to an outdoor event and with summer corn and bright tomatoes, what a better dish to kick off the summer. Topped with fresh cilantro and salty parmesan cheese, these potatoes get the slightest kick from red pepper flake and will be a great addition to any get-together you might be attending this weekend. Get out, enjoy the weather and have yourselves a fantastic weekend!

The ingredients:

Place potatoes in a medium saucepan; cover with water. Bring to a boil. Cook 10 minutes or until tender; drain.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add corn, garlic, salt and red pepper flake to pan; sauté 2 minutes.

Add potatoes and tomatoes to pan; cook 1 minute.

Top with cilantro and cheese.

Additions: None

Omissions: None

Substitutions:

Crushed garlic

Overall Rating: Love It

Source: Cooking Light magazine

Spring Green Fried Rice

May 15, 2013
Shannon
0 comments
Asian, cabbage, edamame, food, ginger, peas, rice, vegetarian

I have to say I’m really enjoying our Spring in Philadelphia lately. Normally, Spring lasts all of 3 days before it either gets cold again or boiling hot. But we’ve had so many crystal clear blue skies and moderate temperatures that I’m just beside myself. Having nicer weather not only puts me in a better mood but it tends to make me eat better also. This Spring Green Fried Rice is a perfect Spring meal. Sure, fried rice doesn’t sound like the healthiest thing but this version is flavorful, packed with veggies and not at all fattening.

Crunchy cabbage, sweet peas, crisp edamame and fresh ginger are mixed with brown rice and soy sauce. Lightly fried, this rice is also mixed with eggs to give it the typical eggy addition commonly found in fried rice. If you don’t like ginger, you can leave it out but I think the flavor of the ginger in this dish is really the best part. Instead of running to get take out fried rice next time, consider making this. You’ll save calories and money and you be happy with the results.

The ingredients:

In a small bowl beat egg and 1 tsp. soy sauce; set aside.

In a wok or large skillet heat toasted sesame oil over medium heat. Add egg mixture; stir gently until set. Remove egg; cool slightly. Using your hands to roll the cooked egg into a log. Use a sharp knife, slice the egg into strips; set aside.

In the same skillet, heat vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Add garlic and ginger, cook 30 seconds. Add cabbage; cook and stir 2 minutes.

Add edamame and peas; cook for 2 minutes.

Add rice and 2 Tbsp. soy sauce. Cook and stir for 2 to 4 minutes or until heated through. Add egg mixture and green onion; cook and stir about 1 minute or until heated through.

Top with crushed red pepper, if desired.

Additions: None

Omissions: None

Substitutions: None

Overall Rating: Love It

Source: Better Homes & Gardens magazine

Spinach, Green Onion and Smoked Gouda Quiche

I like cheese but for the most part, I could take it or leave it. This comment generally surprises anyone I tell this to who usually comes right back and says “I love cheese!” like I have something wrong with me. Aside from Cheese Wiz with my soft pretzels or a slice of creamy American on my turkey burger, I didn’t really have a hankering for cheese. Until smoked Gouda came along. I can’t remember the first time I was introduced to this wonderful cheese but I do remember my friend Lori and I shielding the cheese table at a charity benefit a few years ago so that no one could get to the smoked Gouda without going through us first. So it’s no wonder that this Spinach, Green Onion and Smoked Gouda Quiche recipe had me at hello. I love me some spinach but without the smoked Gouda in this title, I might have otherwise passed it by.

Fresh baby spinach and scallions are sautéed until wilted and added to a mixture of low-fat mix, eggs, and shredded smoked Gouda. Poured into a homemade, simple crust and baked until golden brown, this quiche is not the pretentious quiche you might have grown up hating. This quiche is fresh and smoky, light and filling. The crust itself requires some patience and the final product is pretty boring so next time I might just use a store-bought crust. Either way, the smoky cheese and creamy texture of this quiche is the real winner and I’ve realized boring quiches needn’t be so boring after all.

The ingredients:

To prepare crust, place butter in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until light and fluffy. Combine milk, salt, and egg yolk in a small bowl; stir well with a whisk. Add milk mixture to butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating well after each addition.

Add flour; beat just until combined. Press mixture into a 4-inch circle on plastic wrap; cover. Chill for 1 hour.

Unwrap and place chilled dough on a lightly floured surface. Roll dough into a 10-inch circle. Fit dough into a 9-inch pie plate. Freeze 15 minutes. Bake at 350°F for 25 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool.