Category Archives: Vegetables

Roasted Portobello Mushroom Salad with Dijon Vinaigrette

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Oh.My.Goodness. This was perfect – the combination of these few, simple ingredients was so yummy. I love Portobello mushrooms because they are so meaty and savory, the parmesan cheese shavings were salty and nutty, the tomatoes added sweetness and the simple vinaigrette blended well with all. It tastes so fancy – sorry, I couldn’t help but admit that 😉 This is a total keeper and will be a regular in this household – well, for me anyway. Thanks for reading, enjoy!

Mixed Greens with Dijon Vinaigrette and Roasted Portobello – adapted from Annie’s Eats

For the dressing:

  • 1 clove garlic, finely minced
  • 1 tbsp. Dijon mustard
  • ¼ tsp. kosher salt
  • Pinch ground black pepper
  • honey (optional)
  • ¼-½ cup red wine vinegar*
  • ½ cup extra virgin olive oil

For the roasted mushrooms:

  • 2 or 4 full-size Portobello mushroom caps, gills scraped out and wiped clean
  • Olive oil
  • Kosher salt
  • Ground black pepper

For the salad:

  • Mixed greens, rinsed and dried
  • Shaved Parmesan cheese
  • Cherry or grape tomatoes

*Start with ¼ cup of vinegar and add more as desired to taste.  The more tart you like your vinaigrette, the more vinegar you will want to use.

Directions:

To make the dressing, combine all of the ingredients in a jar or bottle with a secure lid.  Shake well so the ingredients are well combined and emulsified. Place in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes – longer is better.

To make the mushrooms, preheat the oven to 425˚ F.  Slice the Portobello caps about ½-inch thick.  Add to a bowl and toss with a bit of olive oil, just enough to coat lightly (about 2 tablespoons).  Season with salt and pepper.  Spread in a single layer on a baking sheet.  Roast, flipping halfway through baking, about 15 minutes total.

While the mushrooms are roasting, portion the mixed greens between serving plates.  Top with shaved Parmesan and tomatoes.  Top with the warm mushrooms and drizzle with the vinaigrette.

Quick Red Lentil Soup

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This was so good that I just had to have seconds. I didn’t feel guilty because this soup is super healthy and low in fat. I tweaked this recipe a bit by adding more seasoning and cooking the lentils in vegetable broth. I loved the bite of the lentils and veggies in this, the creaminess of the Greek yogurt and the herby flavor of the cilantro. As simple as this is it’s so flavorful and a definite keeper! It’s also so cheap to make – you can’t beat that 🙂 Thanks for reading, enjoy!

Red Lentil Soup Recipe – adapted from Veggie Belly

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
  • 2 celery ribs, chopped
  • 1 small onion, chopped finely (about 1/2 cup)
  • 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
  • 1 cup dry split red lentils
  • 1/2 teaspoon paprika or to taste, optional
  • 1/4 tsp cumin
  • 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 3 cups vegetable broth (or water)
  • kosher salt and pepper to taste
  • 2 tablespoons Greek yogurt
  •  cilantro leaves
Directions:

Heat olive oil in a pan. Add the carrot, celery, onion and garlic. Stir on low heat for about 7 minutes, or till the vegetables are soft. Dont let them brown.

Add the red lentils to the vegetables, and stir for about 1 minute. Add paprika, salt, cumin, cayenne and vegetable broth. Bring to a boil. Then reduce heat to low, place a lid on the pan, and simmer for 10 minutes or till the lentils are cooked but still holding their shape. Dont let the lentils get mushy. Add more water during cooking, if needed.

When the soup is done, serve with a dollop Greek yogurt.

Roasted Tomato Sauce

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I have wanted to try this recipe for sometime. Just yesterday, I picked up my first box of produce from a local organic co-op and in this weeks box there are Roma tomatoes! I can’t let these go to waste and I know I wont use this many in a week. What better way to use these than to make a homemade pasta sauce? I do need to buy about another pound at the store, but that’s ok – I still wanted to try this.

This was really tasty and I’m glad I went with my “doctoring-up” instincts or this wouldn’t have had enough flavor for us. I didn’t add the red pepper flakes while I cooked the sauce so my spice-a-phobic daughter wouldn’t have something extra to complain about. It’s like pulling teeth to get her to eat anything! We all enjoyed this with roasted garlic bread, which is obviously not pictured…it was that good! I will have to make it again sometime and make sure I keep my hands off until I get a picture. I used my go to garlic bread recipe on half of this loaf and used an entire bulb of roasted garlic in place of the chopped. It was unbelievably good – a little too good because I couldn’t help myself from eating three pieces! I joked that I was “carbo-loading” for the gym tomorrow. I haven’t indulged like that in a whole month 🙂 These are destined to be “repeat offenders” – thanks for reading, enjoy!

Roasted Tomato Pasta Sauce – heavily adapted from Dishing the Divine

  • 2 pounds tomatoes, cut into large dice
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 3 tablespoons chopped garlic
  • 1.5 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
  • kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste
  • 1 small onion, diced
  • sprinkle of teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 1/4 cup minced fresh basil leaves
  • 1/4 cup vodka
  • 8 ounces shell pasta
  • 1/2 cup grated Pecorino Romano
Directions:

Preheat oven to 425.

Chop your tomatoes into bite-sized chunks. Layer the tomatoes on a sheet pan that has sides. Add olive oil, garlic, and balsamic vinegar. Mix well. Roast for 25 minutes or until tomatoes are bubbly and browning in spots, stirring once or twice. Set aside.

In a large skillet set to medium heat pour in about a tablespoon of olive oil and add the diced onion. Cook until slightly caramelized then add your roasted tomatoes to the skillet. Stir to combine and add vodka, cook for 5 more minutes. If you prefer a smoother sauce, blitz the mixture with your stick blender. Add in Pecorino Romano cheese over top and toss in chopped basil – taste for seasoning. Set aside.

Put a large pot of water to boil, and add a generous amount of kosher salt to the pot. Add your pasta and cook according to package directions. Before you drain the pasta, reserve about two cups of the pasta water. Add the drained pasta to the sauce, stir to combine, add the pasta water as needed to thin out the sauce. Serve with roasted garlic bread and a green salad.

Roasted Carrot and Red Lentil Soup

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I’ve been kind of obsessed with finding a carrot soup recipe because I’m on the lookout for healthy, vegetarian lunches and dinners. I’ll admit it doesn’t look appetizing at all – but it’s the taste that counts! 😉 This is a mix of a few different recipes I found – but it’s mostly a huge experiment of flavors. I added a little of this, and a little of that which resulted in a peppery, thick soup. I know it’s not my most favorite thing I’ve ever made, but it’s pretty good. I’m not the best at whipping up meals off the top of my head, but I’m getting more adventurous. Thanks for reading 🙂
Roasted Carrot and Red Lentil Soup – adapted from The Wednesday Chef
  • 1 1/2 pounds carrots, peeled
  • olive oil
  • 1 medium onion, sliced thin
  • Freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • 1 cup red lentils
  • 1/4 teaspoon cumin
  • 1/8 tsp cayenne
  • 1/8 tsp paprika
  • fresh orange juice ( I used about 1/4 of one orange), to taste, optional
  • cilantro leaves
  • kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper, to taste
  • 4 cups vegetable stock

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Lay the carrots in a roasting pan and toss with 3 tablespoons oil. Season with the salt and a few grinds of pepper. Roast for 20 minutes. Turn the carrots, add the onion and roast 15 minutes, until the carrots are brown and tender. When carrots are cool enough, cut them in bite-sized chunks.

2. Heat up a large soup pot over medium, add the carrot-and-onion mixture, cilantro leaves and the dry seasonings. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute, then stir in the lentils. Add the stock and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 20 to 25 minutes, until the lentils are falling apart. Squeeze in your orange juice, add more cilantro and check for seasoning and serve.

Roasted Broccoli

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Quick Post: I’ve never had roasted broccoli and have wanted to try it for some time. Broccoli was on sale today and I needed a “diet-friendly” side dish to go along with this tilapia and these mashed potatoes. These were so good – a little salty bite, savory, nutty a little sweet…so good. It’s my new favorite way to enjoy broccoli 🙂 Thanks for reading, enjoy!

Roasted Broccoli –

  • 4 cups broccoli, rinsed and trimmed
  • olive oil for drizzling
  • kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper
Directions:
Preheat oven to 425.
Cut the broccoli florets into bite size pieces. Cut the stalk into 1/8-inch thick, round slices. Place the broccoli into a mixing bowl and toss with the olive oil, kosher salt and pepper and spread out evenly on a baking sheet. Roast for 8 to 10 minutes.

Honey Mustard Dressing

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This was absolutely perfect compliment to my salad. I’m also loving the addition of apples, walnuts and feta to my basic salad toppings. The dressing couldn’t be easier to whip up – it actually took me longer to search for a recipe than it took to make. Three ingredients are all you need for this tangy and sweet dressing. This is my new favorite salad! Thanks for reading, enjoy 🙂

Honey Mustard Dressing – adapted from Food Network

  • 5 tablespoons honey
  • 3 tablespoons smooth Dijon mustard
  • 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
Directions:

Combine all ingredients and whisk until smooth.

 

Turkey Chili Mac

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Tonight was my chance to make a meal that I know my husband would not appreciate, and I haven’t made a dish like this since March. It makes a lot of food and it’s so cheap and a great meal for using up my pantry staples. This time I used organic ground turkey instead of the usual lean ground beef. The turkey wasn’t much more expensive than the beef, but I knew I wanted to make this as lean and healthy; so I chose it. The texture of the turkey is less dense than beef when cooked and I didn’t need to drain any fat off. I forgot to add the brown sugar to offset some of the acidity of the tomato, but we remedied that by adding ketchup to our bowl of chili mac. Personally, I love to add ketchup to any macaroni and cheese recipe because it gives a subtle sweetness and tang to the meal. M doesn’t get it, but the kids appreciate a healthy squeeze of ketchup too 🙂 Thanks for reading, enjoy!
Turkey Chili Mac –
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 pounds lean ground turkey
  • Salt and pepper to season the turkey
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 4 or 5 mini bell peppers (*or one large bell pepper)
  • 1 Tablespoons chili powder
  • 1 Tablespoon cumin
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon coriander
  • 1/2 teaspoon Mexican oregano
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 TBSP brown sugar (*I forgot to add this)
  • 1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
  • 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes
  • 8 ounces (2 cups) elbow macaroni
  • 2 cups water
  • ½ cup cheddar cheese

Directions –

1. Heat oil in a 12-inch non-stick skillet over medium heat and add ground turkey. Season with a dash of salt, pepper, onion powder. Once the meat is no longer pink, pour into a bowl and set aside.

2. Saute the peppers, onions and garlic until tender, about 5 minutes. Add chili powder, cumin, onion powder, coriander, oregano, 1 teaspoon salt, and brown sugar and cook over medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant.

3. Stir in tomato sauce, diced tomatoes with garlic, elbow macaroni, and 2 cups water. Stir to combine, cover and keep at a high simmer for about 10 – 14 minutes or until juices are absorbed and macaroni is tender.

4. Stir in cheddar and season with freshly ground pepper. Taste for salt and add if needed.

Teriyaki Chicken and Vegetable Kebabs

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I have posted this teriyaki chicken marinade recipe two other times here but each time we’ve eaten it in a different way. The first time using thighs and serving with rice and veggies, the second time as a grilled chicken sandwich and now as kebabs! I marinated the chicken for over 20 hours and it makes such a difference. The flavors penetrate all the way into the meat and keep the chicken moist and tender. This is a double batch of what I normally use because I had about 3 pounds of chicken and about the same weight of bell peppers and mushrooms. We had friends over so there weren’t too many chicken leftovers and everyone enjoyed this – it’s always a hit with company! Thanks for reading, enjoy.
Teriyaki Chicken and Vegetable Kebabs  –
  • 1/4 cup white sugar
  • 1/3 cup brown sugar
  • 2  TBSP honey
  • 1 cup low sodium soy sauce
  • 1/2  cup apple cider vinegar
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 – 3 inch piece of ginger, sliced thin
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 2.5 pounds of boneless, skinless chicken breast – pounded thin and cut in 1″ chunks
  • 1 pound of crimini mushrooms
  • 3 bell peppers, cut into a large chunks
  • fresh pineapple, peeled, cored and sliced into rings (*I didn’t marinade these)
  • 15 to 20 skewers – *soaked for at least 3 hours
Directions:
1. Place your diced up chicken in a sealable container and pour half of the marinade over all and refrigerate overnight.
2. Marinade your diced peppers and cleaned mushrooms for at least 6 hours, and while those are marinating, soak your bamboo skewers.
3. Pull your chicken and veggies out of the fridge and start skewering them – I always keep the meat separate from the vegetables. I skewer about four or five pieces on each stick with a good amount of space in between to ensure even cooking and caramelization. Make sure you choose chicken pieces that are roughly the same size for the same skewer – again for even cooking.
4. Place the chicken on the grill over medium heat and cook for 10 to 12 minutes, rotating them once. Place the veggies on the grill for 5 to 7 minutes or until done and charred nicely.

Pizza Sauce

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Quick Post: I found this on Tasty Kitchen awhile back and it sounded, well – tasty. I like the use of maple syrup as a sweetener and red wine as a flavor booster. Red wine and tomatoes go together really well, and white wine or vodka for that matter. This was a rich sauce and so easy to prepare. I didn’t heat it up on the stove, but chose to use the microwave instead ( fewer dishes to clean later). I used about half the batch on this pizza and I’ll freeze the rest for the next pizza night. Thanks for reading, enjoy!
Pizza Sauce – adapted from Cooking for Seven
  • 1 – 6 ounce can tomato paste
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 teaspoons dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon pure maple syrup
  • 1-2 tablespoons dry red wine (optional but very good)
  • 1/4 cup water

Directions:

Place all ingredients in a small microwave safe bowl . Whisk together until well combined. Microwave for 45 seconds to heat through. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary.


Brown Rice and Black Beans with Pico de Gallo

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Yum! I love black beans, but sadly my family doesn’t. If you have the time and you’re not starving, but you want a substantial meal plus leftovers, this is perfect 🙂  I got the idea for this here, but I modified the black bean recipe quite a bit to make it even more healthy. I read that draining and rinsing the beans decreases the sodium by about 40% ; and besides, the liquid inside the can kinda grosses me out. I love baking the brown rice and it’s a foolproof method of preparing it – not quick by any means, but entirely worth the wait. Once the rice is in the oven, you can make your pico de gallo and stash it in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. The beans are the quickest part of this meal and only take about 10 minutes. This is by far my favorite lunch and I ate the leftovers for four days, ( I had to make up another batch of black beans) and thankfully I’m not sick of it yet! Thanks for reading, enjoy!

Baked Brown Rice – adapted from Food Network

  • 1 1/2 cups brown rice
  • 2 1/2 cups HOT water
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Place the rice into an 8-inch square glass baking dish.

Pour rice into the dish, add water, salt and butter; and cover the dish tightly with heavy-duty aluminum foil. Bake on the middle rack of the oven for 1 hour.

Once it’s finished baking, carefully remove cover and fluff the rice with a fork. Serve immediately.

Black Beans –

  • 1 can of black beans, rinsed and drained really well
  • 1 small onion, diced
  • 1 TBSP olive oil
  • 1 tsp. cumin
  • 1 tsp. Mexican oregano
  • kosher salt to taste
  • 1 TBSP chopped cilantro, optional
Directions:
1. Rinse and thoroughly drain your black beans. In a heavy bottomed sauce pan or skillet over medium heat, drizzle the olive and saute the onions for about 5 minutes. Add the beans, cumin, oregano, salt and about 1/3 cup of water to the pan. Cook for about 5 more minutes or until desired thickness, (you can smash some of the beans for a thicker sauce). Add your cilantro, a squeeze of lime juice, serve over brown rice and top with your fresh pico. Enjoy!