Toasted Quinoa and Fresh Herbs
Serves 4-6If quinoa has that “nutty” taste you typically hear attributed to it, imagine what wonderful flavor toasting it will create.
1 Tbsp butter
1 cup uncooked quinoa
2 cups vegetable broth
2 tsp chopped garlic
2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1/2 Tbsp chopped fresh thyme
1/4 tsp salt
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 dash fresh lemon juice (optional)
Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the quinoa, and toast, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Stir in broth, and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook for 15 minutes, or until quinoa is tender.
In a bowl, toss quinoa together with garlic, parsley, thyme, salt, and onion. Sprinkle with lemon juice, and serve.
Sauted Tomatoes & Mozzarella
Serves 4-6
What a delicious and easy way to get the health benefits of cooked tomatoes! You do know, don’t you, that raw ones don’t offer as many as cooked? A really pretty dish, too.
2 & ½ cups grape, cherry and/or small yellow tomatoes
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp. snipped fresh thyme
1/4 tsp each salt & black pepper
2 oz fresh mozzarella, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
Halve the grape and cherry tomatoes and cut small
tomatoes into wedges; set aside.
Heat oil a large skillet over medium heat for 2 minutes.
Add onion, garlic, and thyme; cook and stir for 2 to 3 minutes
or until onion is tender.
Add tomatoes, salt, and pepper. Cook and stir for
a minute or two to just warm them. Remove from
heat, stir in mozzarella while they’re still warm and
serve up.
Carrot, Fennel and Spinach Toss
Serves 4-6
This, of course, is quick, but if you want do it quicker zap the veggies in the microwave for 5 minutes before you sauté them.
1 & 1/2 cups packaged peeled baby carrots
1 medium fennel bulb, trimmed and cut into thin wedges
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp each salt & cracked black pepper
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 10-oz package prewashed spinach
1/4cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese
In a large bowl, combine carrots and fennel. Add the oil, the salt, and pepper; toss to coat.
Place a large skillet or wok on grill side burner. In the skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add vegetable mixture and cook for 15 to 20 minutes or until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally. Remove pan from heat.
Gradually add spinach to skillet, tossing just until spinach wilts. Transfer vegetable mixture to a plate. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and serve.
Fennel and Zucchini Frittata
Serves 4
This one could certainly be a meal for light-eating vegans or folks who wisely eat moderate portions - it could be a nice side dish for eaters like me.
2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 small onion, thinly sliced
Kosher salt
1 fennel bulb, halved, cored and coarsely chopped
1 tsp minced marjoram
Freshly ground pepper
8 large eggs
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese(about 2 ounces
)
1 Ybsp coarsely chopped basil
Preheat oven to 350°.
Heat the oil in a 9-inch nonstick ovenproof skillet. Add the onion, season with salt and cook until softened, about 3 minutes.
Add the fennel and marjoram and season with salt. Cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the fennel is softened, about 5 minutes. Season with pepper and transfer the sauteed vegetables to a plate.
In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs and season with salt and pepper. Melt the butter in the skillet, add the eggs and spoon the vegetables evenly over the eggs
Dot with the feta and bake for about 12 minutes, or until the eggs are just set. Slide the frittata onto a large serving plate and sprinkle with the chopped basil. Let it cool slightly, then cut into wedges and serve warm.
Ya know, that soumds so good maybe I will make it a meal.
Sauteed Yellow Squash & Zuchini
Serves 4
Very basic and very tasty.
2 medium-size yellow squash
2 medium-size zucchini
1 small onion
1 Tbsp oil
1 minced garlic clove
Salt and Pepper
Cut yellow squash and zucchini into 1/4. inch-thick slices, and chop 1 small onion.
Saute vegetables in hot oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat 5 minutes.
Add minced garlic clove, and saute 1 minute. Sprinkle mixture with salt and pepper to taste. You’re ready to serve up.
Broccoli with Lemon & Butter
Serves 4
A very simple way to make cooked broccoli taste a whole lot better than it smells. But that's not difficult.
1 lb. fresh broccoli crowns, cut into flowerets
2 Tbsp butter
2 tsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
Cook flowerets in boiling water to cover, 3 to 4 minutes or until crisp-tender, then plunge it into cold water to stop the cooking process, and drain.
Melt butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat; stir in broccoli, and saute 2 minutes, then stir in fresh lemon juice, salt & pepper; saute another minute and serve immediately.
Herbed Artichoke and Tomato Pasta
Serves 6 (1 cup each)
A veggie-lover's one-dish dinner delight - easy, pretty and delicious. We don't say "nutritious" because that's what everything here in veggie-land is.
1 tbsp olive oil
1 cup sliced green onions
1/2 tsp each dried oregano & basil
1/4 tsp each salt and black pepper
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1 garlic clove, minced
1 28-oz can low-salt chopped tomatoes with liquid
1 15 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
4 cups cooked pasta (your favorite)
1 14 oz can artichoke hearts, drained and quartered
As always, first thing, start your pasta water to boil and, when boiling, add pasta. When al dente Remove from heat, drain and set aside.
Meanwhile, heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add green onions and sauté 5 minutes.
Add oregano, basil, salt, peppers, garlic, and tomatoes; cover and simmer 10 minutes.
Add beans, cover and simmer an additional 5 minutes.
Combine bean mixture, hot pasta, and artichoke hearts in a large bowl. Toss well and serve warm.
