Thai Peanut Noodle and Veggie Bowl

Have you been enjoying spring? After lots of snowy months is always exciting to feel the warmth of the sun again. With some warmer days last week I started craving salads again. This Thai noodle bowl with lots of vegetables and a delicious peanut sauce was a great way to satisfying that craving.

My love of peanut butter and Thai flavors is not new to this blog, and I've made similar recipes before (vegetables + some other ingredient + peanut sauce). What makes this different is the addition of cold noodles and lots of edamame, which really help to make this a full dinner that is quite satisfying. Bonus? This meal is very quick to make. Start boiling water for your noodles and prep everything else while the water comes to a boil and the noodles cook. Then it's time to eat!

I found this recipe on a blog I just recently discovered, Oh My Veggies. It is run by a few different people but features all vegetarian recipes. It also has meal plans like I used to do! I've been enjoying looking at everything on that site so expect to see more recipes from that source in the future. This particular Thai noodle bowl recipe was originally from the Oh She Glows Cookbook. Oh She Glows is another blog that's been one of my favorites for a few years.

I will definitely be making this again during the warmer months. It would make a great lunch as well! Enjoy!

Thai Peanut Noodle and Veggie Bowl

serves: 4

Recipe: Thai Peanut Noodle and Veggie Bowl

Kaitlyn's Notes:

• I couldn't find soba noodles, so I used whole wheat linguine instead.
• I doubled the amount of pasta (I used 8 ounces) to make larger dinner servings.
• I made 1.5 times the sauce, since I doubled the pasta. I recommend doing that if you also double the pasta and tend to like a lot of dressing on salads, otherwise it's probably not necessary.
• Baked tofu or chicken would make a great addition or substitute for some of the edamame.

Yogurt with Nut Butter

I have a new lunch obsession.  The title really says it all.  Yogurt with nut butter.  Sound weird?  I thought it did at first too.  But then I remembered how much I like peanut butter on everything else.  I've put peanut on ice cream/frozen yogurt and in smoothies, so why not just directly on to plain yogurt?  Silly me for never having thought of this before.  This post on the kitchn was my inspiration.  Though I haven't tried the graham crackers like they did, I do think the crunch would be nice. 

I've been having this along with some cut up veggies for lunch for the past couple of weeks.  The peanut butter makes it taste rich and amazing.  The great thing is that it is VERY filling, but also very nutritious.  It has lots of protein and healthy fats, but not too many carbs. It is quick to prepare and easy to take on the go in a little container.  

Try it!  Especially if you are in need of new lunch ideas.

I should mention that when I first told Mark about yogurt with peanut butter on it I think he was skeptical, but he did try it and has since had it multiple times as a lunch addition/snack.  He's not one to have yogurt plain, but throw some peanut butter on it and he's a big fan. :)

Yogurt with Nut Butter

Here is my "formula"- play around with it!  

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup plain nonfat greek yogurt 
• 1-2 tablespoons nut butter (peanut butter or almond butter-- peanut butter will have a stronger flavor)
• drizzle of honey or small spoonful of jam

DIRECTIONS:

1) Put all the ingredients in a bowl and stir to combine.

2) Eat!

Or... if you want to make it look fancy, you can microwave the peanut butter in a small dish first for about 1 minute to make it easier to pour.  That's what I did for the first photo.  But usually, I just stir everything together in the bowl or container I eat it out of.

Roasted Veggie Quinoa Bowls with Peanut Sauce

I saw this recipe on Annie's Eats a few weeks ago and immediately bookmarked it (peanut sauce? I'm sold!).  The original recipe calls for eggplant, but I haven't quite grown to like eggplant yet... so I used broccoli instead.  Both Mark and I were very impressed with the result.  The peanut sauce has a lot of flavor, and helped to make the dish quite filling.  For dinner we had it warm (since the quinoa had just cooked), but for lunch I had it cold and it was delicious that way.  If you are a peanut butter fan and looking for a new dinner or lunch option, I highly recommend this recipe!

Roasted Veggie Quinoa Bowls with Peanut Sauce

serves: 4-6 (depending on if you eat this for lunch or dinner)

The recipe can be found here.

Kaitlyn's Notes:

• The original recipe calls for eggplant, onion, snow peas, and bell peppers for the vegetables.  I used broccoli, bell peppers, onion, and snow peas and I increased the overall quantity of vegetables by about 50%.  Feel free to experiment with different vegetables!
• The vegetables get drizzled in olive oil and roasted.  The peanut sauce also calls for olive oil.  I found the dish a bit too oily overall, so I would use only 1 1/2 tablespoons of olive oil in the sauce next time (and possibly add a bit of water to thin the sauce).  
• I increased the peanut butter and garlic in the sauce a bit.... because I love peanut butter and garlic. :)

Salad Topped Pizza

I recently got a chance to try salad topped pizza as inspired by the King Arthur Flour blog.  It turned out well and tasted great, but Mark and I agree that this would be best as an appetizer or perhaps as part of a bigger pizza party where there were lots of different types of pizzas.  As a main course, we'd prefer one of our other favorite pizzas.

I still wanted to share it here though because I think it is a fun idea!  It's essentially like having a salad and bread all in one.  And with way less cheese on this than a traditional pizza, it's much healthier.

If you do make this, the best way to reheat is in a skillet or on a griddle.  This heats and re-crisps the crust without cooking the toppings.

Salad Topped Pizza

I'm not going to post a recipe here because this is really more of an idea than a recipe.  You can top the pizza with whatever salad ingredients you like!  My general method was:

1. Make pizza dough and form crust
2. Bake pizza crust for 10 minutes at 450F
3. Top pizza with 1 cup of ranch style dressing, return to oven for 2 minutes
4. Top pizza with salad ingredients, return to oven for 1 minute
5. Sprinkle with asiago cheese
6. Slice and serve!

Here is the original full recipe:  Greens and Grains Pizza

If you need a faster pizza crust option, you could always buy pre-made dough or a pre-made crust, or try this recipe: Pizza Crust

I made a ranch type dressing out of greek yogurt and spices [dill, salt, pepper, basil, garlic powder, red pepper flakes, beau monde seasoning] that was vaguely inspired by this recipe and the homemade ranch spice mix recipe link: Greek Yogurt Ranch Dressing

Spelt Berry Salad with Balsamic Maple Dijon Vinaigrette

While in Sacramento recently, my family picked up a delicious spelt berry salad from a natural foods store.  I had never had spelt berries before, and everyone loved the salad.  I took a picture of the ingredient list so that I could attempt to make it at home.  This copy-cat recipe turned out great!

If you've never had spelt berries before, they are a whole grain like rice, but bigger and slightly chewy.  I got a bag made by Bob's Red Mill, but you could also probably find them in the bulk bins at a natural foods store.  Spelt berreis have a great texture for salad.  After cooked, these spelt berries are tossed with peppers, tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, cranberries, and a homemade balsamic maple dijon vinaigrette.

This salad would make a great lunch or side dish.  It'd also be great to bring to a potluck!

Spelt Berry Salad with Balsamic Maple Dijon Vinaigrette

serves: 8 as a side dish

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 1/2 cups dry spelt berries, soaked and cooked according to package instructions until slightly chewy
• 3/4 cup dried cranberries
• 1/3 cup orange juice or water
• 3 bell peppers, chopped into small pieces (a variety of colors is nice)
• 1/2 large red onion, chopped into small pieces
• 1/2 large cucumber, seeded and chopped into small pieces
• 1 1/4 cups grape tomatoes, quartered
• 1/2 cup roasted sunflower seeds
• 4 large garlic cloves, minced
• 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1 1/2 tablespoons dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper

DIRECTIONS:
1) Combine dried cranberries and orange juice/water in a microwave safe bowl.  Microwave for 3 minutes on high.  Let sit for 5 minutes while prepping other ingredients.

2) In a large bowl, combine cooked spelt berries, cranberries, bell peppers, red onion, cucumber, grape tomatoes and sunflower seeds.

3) In a small bowl, whisk together garlic, balsamic vinegar, dijon mustard, olive oil, maple syrup, oregano, salt and pepper.  Pour over spelt berries and vegetables and stir everything to combine.

4) Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Summer Vegetable Pasta Salad

This is a yummy pasta salad that I've made two times recently.  It's hearty enough for a main dish, and is a great way to eat lots of vegetables.  The dressing for this pasta salad is made with apple cider vinegar, olive oil, and lots of garlic and herbs.  It adds lots of delicious flavor to this simple dish.

I used a zucchini from our garden in this salad! I highly recommend using any produce from your garden for this salad.  And if you have fresh herbs in your garden, you should definitely use those for the dressing.  Last year my mother-in-law had some delicious lemon thyme in her garden that would go great with this (Lanie, if you have that again this year, definitely use it to make this!).

This is a great make-ahead salad, as the flavors develop even more over time.  I've found it's good cold, at room temperature, or even slightly warm.  I hope you get a chance to enjoy it before all the summer vegetables are gone!

Summer Vegetable Pasta Salad

serves: 4-6 as a main dish

INGREDIENTS:

For the dressing:

• 6 tablespoons olive oil
• 6 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 4 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 2 teaspoons honey
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh herbs (I've used parsley, basil, thyme, oregano)

For the salad: *feel free to substitute different vegetables that you have!*

• 10 ounces whole wheat penne pasta (or pasta of choice-- I threw in some orzo I had as well)
• 3-4 medium squash (yellow and/or green),  halved and sliced (to yield about 5 cups cut up squash)
• 1 small bunch asparagus, ends trimmed and sliced into 1 inch segments
• 1 cup frozen green peas
• 1-2 cups cherry/grape tomatoes, halved
• 1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained 
• optional: goat cheese or Parmesan cheese for topping

DIRECTIONS:

1) Combine all the dressing ingredients in a jar and shake well (or whisk together in a bowl).  Refrigerate until ready to use (the longer it sits, the more the flavors will combine and the better it will be).

2)  Bring water to a boil and cook pasta according to package directions.   *Save the cooking water!*

3)  While pasta is cooking, prep all the vegetables.  

4) Drain the pasta into a colander set inside a large pot (to save the cooking water).  Run cold water over the pasta to cool it down.  Bring the pot filled with cooking water to the stove and turn the heat on high.  Add the squash, asparagus, and frozen peas and cook for 2-4 minutes. You want the vegetables cooked, but still a bit crunchy- try not to overcook them!  Drain the vegetables and run cold water over them to stop the cooking and cool them down.

5) Combine pasta, cooked vegetables, tomatoes, and chickpeas in a large bowl.  Pour dressing over top and gently mix to combine.

6)  Serve topped with crumbled goat cheese or Parmesean cheese if desired (it's excellent either way).  Season with additional salt and pepper if desired.

(recipe barely adapted from edible perspective)

Strawberry Balsamic Bacon Pizza

A pizza with strawberries?  I have to admit that I much as I love strawberries, I never would have thought to put them on a pizza until I saw this recipe last year.   I was immediately intrigued by the spicy sweet balsamic sauce and the bacon and strawberries that topped this pizza.  Of course, it turned out delicious!  The flavors really do work well together.  I also like that there is chicken on this pizza for an extra boost of protein.

Though I am happy to eat a couple of large slices of this pizza for a meal, whenever I eat it I think that it would also be great as an appetizer cut into mini pieces.  Or perhaps make a light lunch of a slice of this pizza and a salad?  So many options!

After first trying this pizza last year, I waited ALL year until strawberry season arrived again.   Luckily, this pizza was every bit as good as we remembered.  It is a perfect summertime pizza to highlight the super flavorful strawberries that are everywhere right now.  Try it this summer!

Strawberry Balsamic Bacon Pizza

Yield: 1 14 inch pizza (serves 2-4)

INGREDIENTS:

• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 cup strawberry or raspberry preserves (I used Trader Joe's reduced sugar)
• 1-2 teaspoons sriracha 
• 1 ball pizza dough (I used a half batch of sourdough starter pizza dough)
• olive oil cooking spray (optional)
• 4 slices applewood smoked bacon, diced and cooked until crisp
• 6-8 ounces boneless, skinless, chicken breast, cooked and shredded (I cut into chunks, boiled, and shredded in my stand mixer)
• 1/2 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
• 3/4 cup hulled strawberries, sliced
• 3-4 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese
• small handful of Parmesan cheese
• 1-2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves or 1-2 tablespoons minced fresh cilanto [optional]

DIRECTIONS:
1)  Take the ball of pizza dough out of the fridge and let it rest on the counter for a couple of hours to come to room temperature (if you forget to do this, microwave covered on the lowest power for a couple minutes, checking every 30 seconds, to warm up).   About an hour before you want to eat, start prepping all of the ingredients (cooking chicken, cooking bacon, etc).

2) Preheat oven to 450˚ F.  Once the ball of pizza dough is room temperature, shape it into the correct shape for your pan of choice.  I prefer a 14 inch round pizza pan.   I use a rolling pin and my hands (lifting up the dough) to help it into the right shape.  Transfer to your pan of choice coated with cooking spray and let sit while the oven is preheating.  Once the oven has preheated, spray the crust with olive oil cooking spray and put it in the oven for 5 minutes to pre-bake the crust.  (Note:  if you are using a pizza stone, make sure the oven has been preheated for at least 30 minutes before putting in the pizza.  You do NOT need to pre-bake the crust if using a pizza stone.)

3)  In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, add balsamic vinegar.  Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to simmer for about 4 minutes until vinegar is thicker and syrupy.  It should have reduced to about 2 tablespoons.  In a small bowl, combine balsamic vinegar, preserves, and sriracha.  Taste and add more sriracha if desired. 

4)  To make the pizza, spread a thin layer of sauce over the pizza crust [you might not use all the sauce depending on how big your pizza is-- you don't want too thick of a layer].  Top with the cooked chicken, bacon, onion, and strawberries.  Sprinkle with the mozzarella cheese (a light layer is fine) and Parmesan cheese.

5)  Bake in the preheated oven for about 10 minutes, until the cheese and crust has some light brown spots.

6) Transfer to a wire cooling rack for a few minutes (to help make sure the crust doesn't get soggy).  Sprinkle with fresh thyme or cilantro.   Cut into pieces and serve!   

(recipe barely adapted from Annie's Eats)

Pearled Barley Salad with Cherries and Arugula

Pearled barley is so fun!  The original recipe called for pearled couscous, but I wanted to give this barley a try.  This is perfect for a summertime lunch or light dinner.  The pearled barley is cooked in a mixture of orange juice and water, giving it a hint of citrus.  After it cools, the barley is mixed with arugula, walnuts, shallots, celery, dried cherries, and thin slices of sharp cheddar cheese.

After I put this together I couldn't stop eating it!  All the different flavors work really well together and make this salad completely addicting.   It does take a bit of time to cook the pearled barley, but after that this salad is quick to put together.  This would be great to bring to a picnic or potluck because it's delicious slightly warm and you don't have to worry about any of the ingredients going bad.  Give this salad a try sometime this summer-  you won't be disappointed! 

Pearled Barley Salad with Cherries and Arugula

serves: 4 as a main dish, more as a side dish

INGREDIENTS:

Pearled Barley:

• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1 1/2 cups orange juice
• 1 1/3 cups pearled barley

Salad:

• 1/4 cup orange juice
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 2/3 cup dried cherries (dried cranberries would also be great)
• 2 stalks celery, thinly sliced
• 4-5 ounces arugula, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup walnuts, roughly chopped (toast if desired)
• 3 shallots, thinly sliced
• salt + pepper
• 3 ounces sharp white cheddar cheese, cut into thin slices

DIRECTIONS:

1) Start by cooking the pearled barley.  Bring the water and orange juice to a boil in a medium sized pot.  Add the pearled barley.  Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 40-50 minutes until all liquid has been absorbed.  Once done, spread on a baking sheet to cool (it will cool much more quickly this way).

2)  Meanwhile, combine orange juice, olive oil, red wine vinegar, and cherries in a medium sized microwave safe dish (make sure there is extra room in the dish for the liquid to bubble up).  Microwave on high for 3 minutes.  Remove from the microwave and let stand for 5 minutes.  

3)  In a large bowl, combine the cherries and liquid with the celery, arugula, walnuts, and shallots.  Once the cooked barley is at room temperature, stir it in as well.  Taste and add salt and pepper as desired. Add the slices of cheese and toss the salad to combine.  Serve at room temperature or slightly warm.

(recipe adapted from the kitchn)

Chopped Thai Chicken Salad

Given how much Mark and I love peanut sauce, this salad was a real hit!  Lots of fresh vegetables are chopped up and tossed with some shredded chicken.  Topped with a peanut dressing, this salad was filling and delicious.  It is so packed with vegetables that eating it really made me feel good. It filled me up, but didn't leave me feeling heavy and tired-- know what I mean?  

This salad is great for the warmer months when you might be craving a cold meal.  If you get bored with traditional salads, this is a great way to mix things up!  This would also make a great lunch, as it does not need to be warmed up before serving.  If you like Thai/peanut flavors, I'm sure you will like this.  Hope you get a chance to enjoy this meal!

Chopped Thai Chicken Salad

serves: 4-6 (as a full meal)
*Note:  If you don't eat meat or want the chicken, this would be great with cubed tofu or just with the vegetables.*

INGREDIENTS:

Salad:

• 1 pound boneless, skinless, chicken breast (if one large breast, cut into 2-3 pieces)
• 1 small head green cabbage (to yield about 4 packed cups cabbage when thinly sliced)
• 2 cups bean sprouts
• 2 medium carrots
• 1 medium zucchini
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1 bunch green onions, thinly sliced
• handful of chopped peanuts, for sprinkling on top

Dressing:

• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce/tamari
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• 2 teaspoons sesame oil
• 1/2 teaspoon fish sauce
• 6 tablespoons peanut butter
• 2 tablespoons water + more as needed 

DIRECTIONS:

1)  Bring a medium sized pot of water to boil.  Add the chicken and reduce heat to a simmer.  Cover and cook for about 15-25 minutes until the internal temperature of the chicken is 165F.  When the chicken is done, remove from heat and drain.  Shred with two forks or use your stand mixer (it works really well!).

2)  While the chicken is cooking, prepare the rest of the salad.  Thinly slice the cabbage and put it in a large bowl.  Add bean sprouts to the cabbage.  Shred the carrots and zucchini (a food processor does this quickly) and add them to the bowl.  Add chopped cilantro and sliced green onions as well.  When the chicken is done and shredded, add it to the bowl with the vegetables and toss to combine.

3)  In a small bowl, whisk together all dressing ingredients.  If your peanut butter is chunky or if desired, blend dressing ingredients in a blender until smooth.  Add additional water as necessary until the dressing is the desired consistency.

4)  Serve salad topped with dressing and sprinkled with peanuts.  If you have leftovers, store leftover salad separately from leftover dressing for a few days.

(recipe adapted from Pinch of Yum)

Roasted Mushroom and Quinoa Spinach Salad

We really like the meaty texture of roasted mushrooms, and this salad is a great way to enjoy them.   Here, mushrooms are roasted in a pear-balsamic dressing, and then served over spinach with quinoa, almonds, and green onions with additional dressing.  You could easily add other vegetables that you have on hand as well.

The dressing is made from a pear, balsamic vinegar, spicy mustard, and garlic.  It is quick to make in a blender and very tasty.  It would be a great dressing to have with any salad.

If you like roasted mushrooms, definitely give this salad a try.  We served the mushrooms and quinoa while they were still warm over the spinach, but you could definitely serve this salad cold if you prefer.  The originally recipe called for less spinach that was chopped so it was more of a quinoa salad.  I think that would be delicious as well.

Roasted Mushroom and Quinoa Spinach Salad

serves: 4 as a main dish

INGREDIENTS:

For the dressing:

• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 2 teaspoons spicy brown mustard
• 1 pear, cored and cut into chunks (I didn't peel it)
• 5 cloves garlic
• 1/3 cup water

For the salad:

• 30 ounces cremini mushrooms (or mushrooms of choice), stemmed and chopped into chunks
• 1 cup uncooked quinoa
• 4 green onions, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup slivered/chopped/whole almonds (spiced if you have them)
• 12 ounces baby spinach
• salt, pepper, crushed red pepper flakes to taste

DIRECTIONS:

1)  Preheat the oven to 425F.  Line a baking sheet with parchment or a baking mat.

2)  Combine all dressing ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth.  In a large bowl, combine chopped mushrooms and 1/4 cup of dressing.  Stir to coat mushrooms with dressing.  Spread mushrooms onto the baking sheet and roast in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes until tender.

3)  Meanwhile, combine 2 cups water and quinoa in a small saucepan.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and cover.  Cook for 15 minutes (don't stir while cooking).  After 15 minutes, remove from heat and check that all water has been absorbed (if it hasn't, cook a few more minutes).  Turn onto a plate or baking sheet and let cool for a few minutes.

4)  Stir green onions into quinoa and season with salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes to taste.

5)  Divide spinach evenly among 4 plates.  Top with roasted mushrooms, quinoa mixture, and almonds.  Drizzle with dressing and/or serve additional dressing on the side.

(recipe adapted from Whole Foods)

Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms

These portobello mushrrooms are stuffed with kale, walnuts, feta cheese, and more mushrooms.  They are packed with flavor and good-for-you ingredients!  Stuffed portobellos are always fun.  In the past I've made this recipe, which we really liked, but I also really enjoy this combination of flavors.  

If you've never cooked with portobello mushrooms before, you should know that they can shrink quite a bit. So, if the mushrooms you get look huge, they might not end up looking that huge in the end!  This recipe makes about 4 stuffed mushrooms.  Depending on how big they are, the mushrooms may or may not hold all of the filling.  Just cook the remaining filling topped with breadcrumbs in a small  oven-safe dish as I did and serve along side.  Each individual mushroom is relatively small, so this serves 2-4 depending on what you have along with the mushrooms.   I cooked up a batch of sweet potato fries and kale chips along with the mushrooms, and we each had one mushroom for dinner.

These stuffed mushrooms would also make a great first course or light lunch with a salad.  Enjoy!

Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms

Yield: 4 stuffed mushrooms, serving 2-4

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 4 large portobello mushrooms
• ground black pepper
• 6 ounces kale, roughly chopped
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 5 ounces mushrooms (button mushrooms or another portobello mushroom), chopped into 1/4 inch pieces
• 8 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/3 cup red wine
• 1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese
• 1/2 cup walnuts, chopped (toasted first if desired)
• 1/4 cup panko bread crumbs

DIRECTIONS:

1) Preheat oven to 450F.

2)  Brush inside gills of portobello mushrooms with one tablespoon of olive oil.  Put portobellos in a large microwave safe bowl and microwave on high for 8 minutes to allow them to cook and release some of their liquid.  Carefully remove bowl from the microwave.  Remove mushrooms from liquid (keep liquid)  and place on a baking sheet.  Season portobellos with black pepper.

3)  Add kale to bowl with reserved liquid and microwave for 3 minutes.  Roughly chop and set aside.

4) Meanwhile, heat second tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Once hot, add onions and cook until softened, about 3 minutes.  Add additional mushrooms and cook until liquid starts to release, about 4 minutes.  

5)  Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.  Add red wine and cook until absorbed, about 2 minutes.  While cooking, scrape any cooked bits off the bottom of the pan.

6)  Add feta cheese, walnuts, and chopped kale.  Stir to combine and cook until heated through.

7)  Fill each mushroom cap with filling.  Get as much as possible on the mushrooms.  Any additional filling you can serve on the side.  Sprinkle the filled mushrooms with panko bread crumbs.

8)  Bake in the preheated oven until browned, about 4 minutes.  Serve immediately.

(recipe adapted from America's Test Kitchen Feed)

Creamy Vegetable Chowder

This soup is very similar to the Santa Fe Chowder that I posted in the past.  Both soups are from the same Moosewood cookbook, are loaded with vegetables, use Neufchatel cheese to add creaminess, and use pureed vegetables to add thickness.  The difference is this chowder is less spicy, and has a different variety of vegetables.  While I usually prefer the Santa Fe Chowder because I like spiciness, I also really like this one!

This vegetable chowder is definitely a great way to eat a lot of vegetables.  You can't tell from the pictures how many there are because the vegetables kept sinking to the bottom of the bowl!   This soup tastes thick and creamy, but isn't loaded with cheese or cream like a lot of chowders are.  It uses lowfat milk and a small amount  of cheese that really goes a long way!  I like having this as a main dish with crusty bread.  You could also have a smaller serving as a side dish.  Either way, it's a great way to warm up on a cold day.

Creamy Vegetable Chowder

Serves: 4 as a main dish

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 small/medium onions, chopped
• 3 celery stalks, diced
• 1 cup peeled and diced carrots
• 1 1/2 cups diced russet potatoes (peel, or scrub clean)
• 3 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
• 1 tablespoon Italian herb seasoning (or mix or oregano, thyme, marjoram, etc.)
• 1 teaspoon dried parsley
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 teaspoon salt + more as desired (this will depend on how much sodium is in the vegetable broth and your personal preference!)
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 small/medium red bell pepper, diced
• 1 small zucchini, sliced and quartered
• 1/2 cup frozen green peas
• 1/2 cup frozen green beans, cut into 1 inch pieces
• 2 cups milk (lowfat is fine)
• 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 2 ounces Neufchatel cheese (or cream cheese)
• crushed red pepper flakes, optional

DIRECTIONS:

1) Heat olive oil in a large pot or dutch oven over medium heat.  Once hot, add onions and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes.  Add celery and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft.

2)  Add carrots, potatoes, broth, and all seasonings.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer until the carrots and potatoes are just tender, about 5 minutes.  Remove bay leaf.

3)  Remove 2 cups of vegetables with a slotted spoon and put in a blender.  Set aside for now.

4)  Add bell pepper and zucchini to pot and simmer, until tender, about 4 minutes.  Add in green beans and peas and return the mixture to a simmer.

5)  Puree the vegetables that were set aside in the blender with the milk, cheddar cheese, and Neufchatel cheese until smooth.  Stir into the sauce.  Taste and adjust seasonings and/or add some red pepper flakes if desired.

(recipe adapted from Moosewood Restaurant Daily Special Recipes)

Mediterranean Style Stuffed Peppers

Stuffed peppers are fun, especially in the summer if you are able to find giant peppers.  These peppers are filled Mediterranean style: with bulgar, chickpeas, zucchini, yellow squash, tomatoes, and feta cheese.  The filling is spiced with fennel, which adds a great flavor.  This dish is vegetarian as written, but crumbled italian sausage would be a delicious addition to the filling if you have any.  This would make a great summertime meal with fresh vegetables from the garden!  Or, if you are wishing for summertime, it's a great meal to give you a taste of summer!

The tricky part of making stuffed peppers is finding the perfect giant peppers.  You won't necessarily be able to find them (especially on the day you really want them!).  In that case, just get the biggest peppers you can find.  A variety of colors makes it fun.  If you have extra filling, you can always bake it separately (as shown above), and serve along side the peppers.  No big deal!

As written, this recipe serves 4 as a main dish (although it might be hard to find 4 peppers big enough to hold all the filling!) with a salad on the side.  This would also make a great side dish or light lunch for 6 (with smaller peppers).  One great thing about stuffed peppers is that they are individually packaged servings.  That means you can freeze these peppers to have for meals later on.  Once the peppers are cool, wrap in plastic wrap and store in a freezer bag.   I tested this out to have a stuffed pepper for lunch and it worked well!

Mediterranean Style Stuffed Peppers

serves: 4 as a main course or 6 as a side or small meal

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 cups vegetable broth
• 1 cup course ground bulgar wheat
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 4 extra large or 6 regular bell peppers (a variety of colors is nice!)
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1/2 cup chopped yellow onion
• 6-8 ounces zucchini, quartered then sliced thinly
• 6-8 ounces yellow squash, quartered then sliced thinly
• 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup grape tomatoes, quartered
• 1 3/4 cups cooked chickpeas (or 1 15 ounce can chickpeas, rinsed and drained)
• 4-6 ounces feta cheese

DIRECTIONS:

1)  Preheat oven to 350F.  

2)  In a small pot, combine vegetable broth and bulgar.   Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and cover.  Cook for about 15 minutes until water is absorbed.  Once cooked, stir in tomato paste and set aside.

3)  Coat a small baking dish with cooking spray.  Cut the tops off of the peppers and pull out all seeds and insides.  Place peppers in the baking dish and cook them in the preheated oven for 15 minutes.  Remove from the oven.

4) Heat olive oil in a large skillet.  Add onion, zucchini, yellow squash, fennel seeds, oregano, and salt.  Cook, stirring often, until the vegetables are softened and slightly brown (about 5 minutes).  Remove from heat and stir in the  tomatoes, chickpeas, and bulgar (with tomato paste mixed in).  Crumble most of the feta cheese and stir in.  Reserve some of the cheese to put on top.

5)  Fill the peppers with the bulgar mixture.  If you have any extra filling, put it in another baking dish.  Bake for 15 minutes. 

6)  Serve immediately with additional feta cheese.  Or... to save for later: Cool completely, wrap each pepper in plastic wrap, put in a freezer bag, and freeze.  To serve, defrost in the refrigerator and reheat in the microwave or oven.  

(recipe adapted from Smitten Kitchen)

Quick Mixed Bean Chili

I have been making this chili for years as my go-to quick and easy chili recipe.  It is really very simple and fast to make, but has a few key ingredients that give it some interesting flavor.   It is almost vegetarian except that there is Worcestershire sauce in it, which traditionally contains anchovies (you could omit that if you want and adjust the other seasonings to taste).  It can be made start to finish in 30 minutes and it really always surprises me how good it is!  I've served it a few different times at large gatherings with cornbread and it is always very well received.  We almost always have it with shredded cheese on top, though sometimes we will add other toppings such as green onions and sour cream.  This recipe makes a lot, and could serve 8 depending on what else you have with it.  When I'm not serving a crowd, I like to freeze half of the batch to pull out again another week.

Quick Mixed Bean Chili

serves: 6-8

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 medium or 1 large onion, chopped (to yield about 2 cups chopped onion)
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 cups vegetable broth, low-sodium if possible, divided
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 tablespoon chipotle chili powder (optional, but really good)
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce (omit to make vegetarian)
• 1 28 ounce can diced tomatoes, low-sodium if possible, undrained
• 1 15 ounce can chickpeas, low-sodium if possible, rinsed and drained (or 1 3/4 cups cooked chickpeas)
• 1 15 ounce can black beans, low-sodium if possible, rinsed and drained (or 1 3/4 cups cooked black beans)
• 1 15 ounce can kidney beans, low-sodium if possible, rinsed and drained (or 1 3/4 cups cooked kidney beans)
• 1 15 ounce can cannellini/white beans, low-sodium if possible, rinsed and drained (or 1 3/4 cups cooked white beans)
• 1 6 ounce can tomato paste
• shredded cheddar cheese for serving (optional, but not optional if you are Mark!)

DIRECTIONS:

1)  Heat oil in a large pot over medium high heat.  Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 3 minutes until tender.  Add 3 cups of vegetable broth, sugar, chili powders, Worcestershire sauce, tomatoes, and all beans.  Stir to combine.

2)  In a small bowl, whisk remaining cup of veggie broth with tomato paste.  Stir mixture into pot with beans.  

3)  Bring to a boil.  Then, reduce heat and simmer at least 5 minutes.  Keep warm until ready to serve.

4) Serve topped with shredded cheddar cheese (and/or other toppings such as green onions) if desired.

(recipe adapted from Cooking Light)

Roasted Two Potato Salad with Honey Mustard Vinaigrette

I never would have thought to put roasted potatoes on a salad until I saw this recipe about a year ago.  If you are skeptical, trust me.  It's really good!  This is a basic spinach salad topped with hard boiled eggs, roasted red potatoes, roasted sweet potatoes, and chickpeas.  The honey mustard vinaigrette dressing is super easy to make and delicious.  I think the dressing tastes especially good with the potatoes and helps to give the whole salad a lot of flavor.

When we're in the midst of a blizzard, a regular salad doesn't sound all that appealing to me, but add warm potatoes to the top and I'm all for it!  Each time I make this Mark says how much he likes it (and I agree!).  Though it does take time to hard boil the eggs and roast the potatoes, this meal is easy to make and very satisfying.

I didn't change the recipe at all from how they made it over at A Couple Cooks besides adding sliced peppers and chickpeas, so head over there for the recipe.  I strongly recommend making the honey mustard vinaigrette (also linked in their salad recipe) to go with it, though you could use any salad dressing you like.   You could also add other vegetables or salad worthy ingredients that you happen to have.  Enjoy!

Cauliflower Cheese Soup

This soup, adapted from one of the Moosewood Cookbooks, was one of my favorites growing up.  It's probably one of the few recipes that I make regularly today that I've had almost my whole life!  The first time I made it for Mark he LOVED it, and it helped to make him a cauliflower convert.  This is a creamy and comforting soup (that's pretty healthy), with chunks of cauliflower and a few crucial spices that help to make it taste anything but boring.  By the way, if you like the Moosewood Cookbooks (or this recipe), check out Mollie Katzen's website!  She is the author of the cookbooks and her website has lots of great recipes.

I make this soup similarly to how it is written in the New Moosewood Cookbook, though I've changed the proportions of ingredients a bit and added buttermilk powder.  The original recipe suggested adding a bit of buttermilk at the end (it adds a great flavor!), but I somehow think the buttermilk powder makes the soup even creamier.  This soup is perfect on a cold winter night with a hearty bread on the side.   I hope you enjoy it as much as we do!

Cauliflower Cheese Soup

Serves: 8 (can easily be halved to serve fewer)

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 cups russet potato chunks (scrub potatoes before cutting)
• 1 large head cauliflower, stems removed
• 1 large onion, roughly chopped
• 6 cloves garlic
• 1 cup roughly chopped carrot
•  1-2 teaspoons salt (to taste)
• 6 cups water (or stock)
• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• 1.5 cups skim milk, plus more to thin soup if desired
• 1 teaspoon dill weed
• 1/2 teaspoon ground mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup buttermilk powder

DIRECTIONS:

1)  Start by prepping the cauliflower.  Cut the head of cauliflower in half.  With half of the cauliflower, chop if roughly and add it to a large pot or dutch oven.  With the other half of the cauliflower, carefully chop/tear it into small florets.  Put these cauliflower pieces in a small pot with about 1 cup of water.

2)  Add the potatoes, onion, garlic, carrot, salt, and water to the large pot/dutch oven with the roughly chopped cauliflower.  Turn the heat on high and bring to a boil.  Turn heat down and simmer for 15 minutes.

3)  Meanwhile, place the small pot with the cauliflower florets and water over medium heat.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until the cauliflower is tender (about 10 minutes).  Set aside.

4)  After 15 minutes, check to make sure the vegetables in the large pot are mostly tender.  If not, continue cooking a few more minutes until they are.  Then, turn the heat off and let the vegetables sit for about 5 minutes.  

5)  Using an immersion blender, carefully blend the vegetables in the large pot.  Add the cheese, milk, spices, and buttermilk powder and blend again until smooth.  Alternatively, you could puree the mixture in a blender in batches.   

6)  Add the cooked cauliflower florets to the soup and stir.  Add more milk to thin soup if desired.  Turn the heat back on the soup to low and keep the soup warm until ready to serve.  

7) Serve with a hearty bread on the side.  Store leftovers in the refrigerator for a few days.  I have not tried freezing this soup.  It would probably be fine, but I can't make any promises!

(recipe adapted from The New Moosewood Cookbook)

Santa Fe Chowder

I love having soup at least once a week during the winter.  It's warm, comforting and delicious.  It also makes great leftovers for lunch.  I discovered this soup about a year ago in the cookbook Moosewood Restaurant Daily Special.   As you can see from the recipe, it has a LOT of ingredients.  It is mostly vegetables, put there are a fair amount of potatoes and some cheese for richness.  This soup uses a great technique for creating a thick, rich-tasting soup--  after cooking all of the vegetables, you puree about half of the mixture.  The result is very, very good.  This has been my favorite soup for the past year.  It is perfect with some sourdough bread.

Santa Fe Chowder

Serves: 4 as a main dish

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2-3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 small jalapenos, seeded and chopped
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup peeled and diced carrots
• 4 cups diced potatoes (a mixture of sweet potato and regular; washed, but not peeled)
• 4 cups water
• 1 medium green pepper, diced
• 1 can diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1 cup frozen corn kernels
• 1 small zucchini, diced
• 2 ounces Neufchatel or cream cheese
• 1/2 cup grated sharp Cheddar cheese
• 1 cup milk (fat-free okay)
• crushed red pepper flakes (optional, to taste)

DIRECTIONS:

1)  Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat.  Add onion, garlic, jalapenos, cumin, coriander, oregano and salt.   Cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are softened, about 5 minutes.

2)   Add the carrots, potatoes, and water.  Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer, covered, for about 10 minutes.

3) Add green pepper, can of tomatoes, corn, and zucchini.  Cover and cook for about 15 minutes over medium heat until vegetables are tender.

4)  Once vegetables in pot are tender, scoop about 4 cups into a blender.  Add cheeses and milk to blender.  Blend until smooth.  Then, stir back into the pot to combine with the unblended vegetables.

5) Taste and add crushed red pepper flakes if desired.

(recipe adapted from the Moosewood Restaurant Daily Special cookbook)

Honey-Wheat English Muffins

Recently I have been having these English muffins almost daily as part of my lunch.  I got the recipe from King Arthur Flour (their website is a gold mine for great baking recipes!) and I adapted it just slightly.  I am probably strange in that I don't prefer these English muffins toasted.  I like them nice and warm and soft slathered with maple cinnamon almond butter.  SO GOOD!!  

There are some weird ingredients and tools required for this recipe.  For ingredients, you can get vital wheat gluten from most grocery stores wherever they have the Bob's Red Mill items.  Probably this will be in the baking aisle and/or organic section.  The Hi-Maize Fiber and non-diastatic malt powder are King Arthur Flour products that I actually buy from them.  I haven't tried it, but you could probably just substitute a bit more flour for the fiber and a bit of sugar for the malt powder if you don't want to buy those items.  The non-diastatic malt powder is a good ingredient to have for making bagels as well.

The English muffin rings I also got from King Arthur Flour, but you can probably get them from other kitchen supply stores as well.  If you don't have the rings, you could still make these.  The shape of the muffins would just be more free-form.  Don't let a lack of rings stop you from trying these!

Honey-Wheat English Muffins

Yield:  12 muffins

INGREDIENTS:

Note:  I have provided the weights for most of the ingredients because when I bake I prefer to measure my ingredients by weight in order to get a more accurate result.  If you don't have a good digital scale, use the volume measurements.

• 1 1/2 cups warm water
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 3 tablespoons (2 1/4 ounces) honey  
• 2 tablespoons (1 ounce)  butter 
• 2 tablespoons (1/2 ounce) non-diastatic malt powder 
• 2 cups  (8 ounces) white whole wheat flour
• 1 cup (4 1/4 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour 
• 3/4 cup (3 ounces) rolled oats 
• 3/4 cup  (3 3/8 ounces) Hi-maize Fiber
• 1/4 cup (1 ounce) nonfat dry milk powder 
• 1 tablespoon vital wheat gluten flour
• 2 teaspoons instant yeast
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1  teaspoon salt
• 1 to 2 tablespoons cornmeal to dust the griddle

DIRECTIONS:

1) Add all of the ingredients except the cornmeal to the bowl of your mixer. Beat with the paddle attachment until the dough is glossy, about 6 minutes.

2) Cover the bowl, and let dough rise at warm room temperature until doubled in size, about 80-90 minutes.

3) Preheat both the oven and a griddle or heavy skillet to 350°F (medium high heat). Place 6 rings on the griddle evenly over the heat sources and grease the rings and griddle with cooking spray. Sprinkle a little cornmeal into the center of each ring.

4) Wet your fingers to help prevent sticking and scoop 3 ounces of dough (about 1/3 cup of dough) into each ring to make the first 6 muffins. Spread the dough to the edge of the ring.  Sprinkle the tops with more cornmeal.  Note:  If you don't have rings, form the dough into a rough circle before placing it on the griddle.

5) Cook the muffins for 5 minutes, until the edges look set and the bottom is golden brown. Flip the muffins, and cook the second side for 4 minutes.  

6) At this point, check the internal temperature of the muffins.  If it is at least 200°F, then the muffins are done.  If they aren't quite that hot, remove the rings, place the muffins on a baking sheet and place into the preheated oven for 5 minutes.  Check their internal temperature again.

7)  Repeat steps 4-6 with the second half of the dough.

8) Once muffins have reached an internal temperature of 200°F, transfer the muffins to a rack to cool.

9) If you will not be eating within a day or two, store in the freezer in an airtight bag.  When ready to eat, defrost in the microwave and toast if desired.

(recipe slightly adapted from King Arthur Flour)