Indian Desserts Recipes Halwa Kheer with Condensed Mild Pistachio Recipes Easy for Diwali Menu : Vegetarian Recipes Desserts Recipes Halwa Kheer With Condensed Mild Pistachio Recipes Easy For Diwali Menu Pictures

Vegetarian Recipes Biography

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We all have friends with dietary preferences, food allergies and those who we lovingly, but with a shudder, call "picky." Someday, one of these kinds of friends is going to come to your house to eat dinner. As always, our mantra when planning a dinner party is this: don't panic.

We've seen the idea of cooking for a vegetarian stop capable home-cooks in their tracks. With the constant flow of information linking increased meat consumption to health problems and environmental distress, more and more Americans are giving Meatless Mondays a shot. The truth is that you probably end up eating vegetarian meals sometimes without even realizing it. Here's what we want to avoid: there is nothing sadder than feeding a vegetarian guest a plate of sauteed vegetables while everyone else eats a steak.

Here are some ways to get creative with your vegetarian menu that include plenty of protein, different textures and lots of flavor. Imagine if, at your upcoming Labor Day barbecue, you were to serve a vegetarian guest a homemade veggie burger. Now, imagine that said veggie burger is so good, even the omnivores at the party will want to indulge.

So, again, don't panic and never, ever forget that cheese is usually vegetarian (some vegetarians avoid some cheeses because they use animal rennet in production -- before you go cheese crazy, make sure to check with your guests).

This healthy alternative chili will make you wonder why we ever put meat in chili to begin with. Take the time to start with dry beans and soak them overnight; the difference is definitely noticeable. Serve with tortilla chips and garnished with cilantro and sour cream.

1/2 lb dry black beans, soaked overnight in cool water
2 Poblano peppers, roasted in oven
1 oz olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, seeded, chopped
1 red or yellow bell pepper, seeded, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 chipotle chili in adobo sauce, chopped
1/2 Tbsp ground cumin
1 Tbsp chili powder
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1 pinch ground cinnamon
1 Tbsp tomato paste
3 oz white wine
2 cups vegetable stock
1 large or 2 medium tomatoes, seeded, chopped
Salt and freshly ground pepper, as needed
Optional thickener: 1 Tbsp masa harina, (or pulse corn meal in a dry blender until very fine like corn flour), diluted with vegetable stock to make a slurry;

Preheat the oven to 375º F.
Put beans in large pot and just cover with cold water. Add a little salt and bring to a simmer. Let cook, covered for 1 to 1-1/2 hours until tender. Drain well.
Place roasted Poblanos in a plastic bag for about 5 minutes to loosen skin. Slip skin off peppers, then seed and chop.
Heat olive oil in large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onions, peppers, garlic, chipotle, and Poblanos and sauté until aromatic and just starting to turn brown. Add chili powder, cumin, coriander, and cinnamon and cook until fragrant. Add in tomato paste and cook for two minutes.
Add white wine and reduce by about 2/3. Add vegetable stock and tomatoes and bring to a simmer; cook gently for 8 to 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Add drained black beans and cook for a 5 more minutes.
Add masa harina or corn flour slurry, (if using to thicken). Bring back to a simmer and season with salt and pepper.
Serve hot with a garnish of sour cream, cilantro, and shredded jack cheese, or freshly made guacamole.

Don’t you love the smell of sizzling spices? I used to be intimidated by spicing food the Indian way but after successfully making a number of tasty meals, I’ll try anything now.

This meal was inspired by a bag of organic lentils that I purchased at Costco. It was a mixture of three different lentils -brown, red and black.All of the lentils were very small lentils but the black ones were about the size of a peppercorn.

I decided to try the recipe on the back of the bag because it had mangoes in it. My first inclination was to leave them out but I’m glad that I didn’t. They really added a delicious taste to the dish. The company who makes the lentils is Earthly Choice.

I also made an aloo gobi (potatoes with cauliflower) that I flavored with panch phoran. This is a spice mix that literally means five spices. It is used to flavor dishes in India, Bangladesh and Nepal. It’s a great whole spice mix made with fenugreek seed, nigella seed, cumin seed, black mustard seed and fennel seed in equal parts. Each bite can taste different because of the different flavors. You can buy the mix at Indian grocery stores and Amazon.

I completed the meal with some steamed basmati rice that I cooked in a rice cooker with 2 teaspoons of cumin seed and 6 cloves. This touch added a nice flavor to the rice without overpowering it.
1 cup organic lentils trio (if you can’t find any, I suggest using half red and half brown lentils)
4 cups vegetable broth (or water – I used the broth that I make myself)
1 teaspoon salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon ground tumeric
1 teaspoon coconut oil
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 large onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic minced
1 tablespoon fresh ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (add more if this is not spicy enough for you)
2 cups chopped frozen mangoes (or 2 fresh peeled and chopped mangoes) (I used Costco’s organic frozen)
8 ounces kale mix, chopped very fine in the food processor
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro (I didn’t have any so I skipped this ingredient, although I wish I had used it!)

Rinse lentils thoroughly. Put them in a pan with the water and the tumeric and 1/2 teaspoon of salt.

In the meantime, heat a skilled and add the coconut oil. When it is melted, add the cumin seed and fry it for about 30 seconds. Add the onions and cook until they start to turn brown, about 4 -6 minutes. Add the rest of the ingredients except for the mangoes, the kale and the cilantro. Cook stirring for one minute more.

Add the onion mixture, the kale and the mangoes to the lentil mixture and cook until the lentils are very soft and starting to fall apart. Total cooking time should be about 20-30 minutes.

Garnish with chopped cilantro.

Aloo Gobi Ingredients

1 large onion, chopped
1 teaspoon coconut oil
1 tablespoon panch phoran
4 medium organic potatoes, scrubbed and chopped (skins left on)
1/2 – 1 cup of vegetable broth
1 small head cauliflower, cut into small flowerettes
3 cups chopped tomatoes (I used fresh but I have used canned and drained in a pinch)
1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste
Cilantro, chopped for garnish (optional)
Preparation

Heat a skillet and add the coconut oil. When melted, add the panch phoran. Sizzle for about 30 seconds. Add the chopped onion and fry for about 5 minutes until the onion starts to brown.

Add the chopped potatoes and 1/4 cup of broth and cook for about 5 minutes with the lid on to steam.

Add the cauliflower, the chopped tomatoes, and the salt. If the mix seems dry, add more broth. Cook on medium heat until the cauliflower is tender. Check often and mix gently for even cooking. If it seems dry, add more broth. You want a nice saucy appearance but don’t want the dish drowning in liquid. As it cooks down, it making it’s own sauce.

When the cauliflower is cooked, it is ready to eat. Serve it with a garnish of chopped cilantro if desired.
It’s cold here in Chicago where I live and I love to make fresh, healthy dishes that are fun to eat and warm me up from the inside out. But because of my busy lifestyle, owning and managing my own business, I don’t have time to spend hours in the kitchen every day. As a single person I like to either make enough food at one time for several meals or make simple dishes like this one using purchased ingredients.

This is one of my favorite dishes to prepare because it’s easy, fast and nutritious with the addition of fresh greens. You could use any combination of greens that you enjoy. I typically use “Power Greens” that I purchase from Costco or fresh spinach. For the sauce I often use a pesto sauce that I buy at Trader Joe’s. Trader Joe’s also has a lovely selection of different curry sauces that are not typically served with gnocchi but work surprisingly well. Occasionally, instead of the pesto or curry sauces, I use a few spoonfuls of olive bruschetta, which adds a nice tangy flavor.

You will enjoy this fast, healthy fun dish on those cold afternoons when you are searching your cupboard or refrigerator for something to eat to warm you up!

Ingredients
2-4 tablespoon of your favorite sauce
4 ounces of gnocchi’s (1/3 of the package)
a pinch of salt (for the boiling water)
3 generous handfuls of greens

Boil 2 cups water in a pot. Add a pinch of salt
Drop the gnocchi in the the pot once the water has boiled

Drop 3 generous handfuls of greens on top of the boiling gnocchi.
Boil for an additional 2 minutes

Strain the gnocchi and greens through a colander
Place your favorite sauce in the same pot that you used for boiling the gnocchi and and gently warm for 1 or 2 minutes.
Place the gnocchi’s and greens in the sauce pot and toss gently.
Plate the food and add some freshly shaved Parmesan cheese and enjoy!
Prep time: 1 minutes, Cooking time: 5 minutes

Notes
This recipe is for one person. If serving more people, just increase the ingredients accordingly.
After opening the package I place the package in a gallon size Ziploc bag and place it in the refrigerator to keep it fresh.
Use 2 to 4 tablespoons of your favorite sauce for example Marinara sauce, curry sauce (trader Joe’s has a lovely selection of vegan and vegetarian curry sauces) or pesto.
Don’t worry about adding so many greens. They cook down to less than a third of their raw volume.
Here’s another recipe featuring the versatile vegetable cauliflower. Cauliflower is from the species Brassica oleracea, in the family Brassicaceae. It’s a good source of protein, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, magnesium and phosphorus, and a very good source of dietary fiber, vitamin C, vitamin K, vitamin B6, potassium and manganese. And it’s very tasty. It is mild enough to blend with other foods and not overwhelm them. I saw a recipe on the internet that inspired this recipe. The blogger only included cauliflower and spices in what she called a mash. I wanted to add a bit more substance and some protein to the dish. I used quinoa and chick peas to accomplish this. The hash is placed on a bed of brown gravy and topped with a grilled portobello mushroom. Serve it with a side of steamed broccoli and you have a very festive meal.

Hash Ingredients

1 head cauliflower, trimmed and cut into medium florets
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 large onion, minced
1 teaspoon oil (I used coconut)
1 can no sodium or low sodium chick peas
1 cup cooked quinoa
1 teaspoon oregano
2 teaspoons tahini (sesame paste)
1/3 – 1/2 cup water or vegetable broth
juice of 1 1/2 lemons, about 1/3 cup of juice
salt and pepper to taste
Hash Preparation

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Toss the cauliflower with the oil. Place it on a lined cookie sheet or in a large flat casserole dish. Roast for 15 minutes.

While the cauliflower is cooking, saute the onions. I sauteed enough minced onions to add some to the gravy. Also, either grill or pan fry the mushrooms and cook the broccoli.

Drain and rinse the chick peas. Place them in a food processor with the tahini, lemon juice and water. The consistency after processing should be about that of hummus. I started out with 1/3 of a cup but added more water as it wasn’t enough. Transfer the mixture to a mixing bowl and add the quinoa, oregano and onions.

When the cauliflower is finished roasting, put it in the food processor and pulse it until mealy. Add it to the chick pea mixture and mix thoroughly. Place the mash in a casserole dish and put it back in the oven while you make the gravy and the broccoli.

Gravy Base Ingredients

1-1/2 cups nutritional yeast
2 Tablespoons dried parsley
1 Tablespoon dried dill weed
2 Tablespoons onion powder
1 Tablespoon rosemary
1 Tablespoon Italian seasoning
1 Tablespoon basil
Preparation

In a small bowl, mix all the ingredients well and store in a container in the refrigerator. This mix can be used as a base for soups and sauces.

Brown Gravy Ingredients

1/2 cup gravy base (recipe above)
1/2 cup unbleached flour or 1/3 cup gluten-free flour
4 cups water or vegetable stock (vegetable stock adds more flavor)
2 tablespoons oil (I used coconut)
1 teaspoon Kitchen Bouquet, or to desired color
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, or to taste

Gravy Preparation

Put flour, water or vegetable stock, oil, and Kitchen Bouquet in a blender and pulse until mixed. Add liquid to pan with salt and pepper. Whisk at medium heat continually until gravy thickens. If you don’t whisk while the gravy thickens, you could end up with lumpy gravy! Adjust salt and pepper to taste. If color is not brown enough to your liking, add more Kitchen Bouquet.

Note: Kitchen Bouquet is a commercial flavoring, coloring product found in grocery stores. If you wish to omit it, a suitable substitute is Marmite, a brown yeasty product found in some grocery stores and natural food stores. It is quite salty and you may need to adjust the salt if you use it. Alternatively, you could leave both of these products out and you will have a nice golden colored gravy.

To Assemble

Place a couple of tablespoons of gravy on a plate. Add about 3/4 cup of the hash. Top with a portobello mushroom. Serve with broccoli or vegetable of choice and more gravy if you wish.

When my husband saw the bag of split peas sitting on the counter, his eyes got moist. He told me he wasn’t sure he should get his hopes up and ask if I planned to make it. It is his favorite soup, mine not so much. But because I know he likes it so much, I make it once in awhile. Split peas are one of those legumes that you can cook on top of the stove and it doesn’t take all day. If the peas are this year’s crop, it might only take an hour for the peas to break down. These have been in my cupboard for at least six months but we still had dinner ready in ninety minutes and had time to make a gluten-free cornbread to do with it. He was in heaven! All that was needed was a side of Cole slaw made with his favorite prepared poppy seed dressing.

Soup Ingredients

1 lb bag of split peas, picked over for debris, soaked and rinsed
8 cups low or no-sodium vegetable broth
1 large onion, chopped
2 large organic carrots, cleaned and sliced
2 medium or 4 small organic potatoes, washed and cut in chunks
6 cups of any greens, minced in a food processor
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoon no-salt seasoning, like Mrs. Dash (mine came from Costco)
1 tablespoon basil
1 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke (for a smokier flavor add up to 1 teaspoon)
Directions

Put the clean peas in a large soup pot with the veggie broth. Place the pot over a medium-high heat. Allow it to come to a boil and then turn the heat down to low.

In a cast iron or non-stick skillet, dry saute the onion until browned and slightly caramelized. Add the onions to the soup pot. Put a little water in the pan to loosen any onions left in the pan and pour into the soup pot. Cook for about a half hour or until the peas start to break down.

Add the remaining ingredients and cook until the potatoes are soft and the peas have almost but not quite disintegrated. Taste and adjust the seasonings.

Note: It is really easy to make your own vegetable broth. In a bag in your freezer, keep the ends of vegetables from food preparation, onion peelings, frozen vegetables that are starting to get frosty, or vegetables in your refrigerator that are past their peak. When you are ready to make the broth, put in about half a soup pot of these vegetables, cover with water and simmer for an hour. Strain and use! I always make a fresh batch for every soup that I make. If I have any left over, I either freeze it or make another soup!

Because of a health condition, my husband had to give up eating gluten. He is so sensitive that he can feel the effects within minutes of eating it. It is not painful but it is uncomfortable and since adjusting his diet about 3 years ago, his health has stabilized instead of declined. It has been difficult for me to make the changes because I have always liked to bake and wasn’t sure how to adjust recipes to this new diet. This year at Veggie Fest, we had a lovely young lady who did two demos on gluten-free baking. Laurie Sadowski was so knowledgeable that I bought all three of her cookbooks! This recipe was adapted from her “Maple-kissed Cornbread” recipe in her book, “The Allergy-free Cook Bakes Bread.” It had a nice grainy texture and tasted great. It was pretty dense, which I didn’t mind but might not appeal to those who like the fluffy texture that boxed mixes or breads made with eggs will give you. Thanks, Laurie! My husband loved it!

Cornbread Ingredients

1 1/4 cups whole grain cornmeal (I used Bob’s Redmill)
1 cup gluten-free flour (I used Premium Gold Gluten-free Flour)
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 1/2 cups non-dairy milk (I used soy)
1/3 cup pure maple syrup
2 1/2 tablespoons oil (I used olive, but the recipe called for Canola, which I don’t use)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly oil a 9 inch square pan.

Mix the dry ingredients together in a large bowl. Mix the wet ingredients in a smaller bowl. Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ones and mix just until moistened.

Spread the mixture into the pan and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the bread comes out clean. Let cool for 5 minutes before cutting. Serve warm.