It's a Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood

It's too beautiful today to stay inside and cook, so I spent the morning taking photos in my backyard. Here are a few of my favorites:


Leaves of Grass

After the brown lawns of winter, simple green grass is always a pleasure.


Surprise Visitor

I was taking a shot of this ivy leaf and didn't realize that this little fellow was there until I spied him through the viewfinder.


Clover

They're not four-leafed, but I still think they're lucky...


Clover Flower

They must be--they make such pretty flowers!


Weed Flower

My husband can never bring himself to mow down these pretty blue-flowering weeds that spring up around the yard.

I promise to cook (and blog) something soon, but right now I've got some herbs that need planting. Hope the weather is beautiful wherever you are!

Tags: vegan recipes vegetarian cooking food fat-free

Caribbean Beans and Quinoa

File this under "Tastes Better Than It Looks":



It's Caribbean-style beans and rice, only I was running short on time, as usual, so I opted to use quick-cooking quinoa instead of brown rice. As a result, dinner was on the table in about a half hour.

The allspice gives this dish its distinctive Caribbean taste while olives and capers add a Mediterranean pizazz. I served it with a squeeze of lime juice and additional hot sauce at the table.

You can also file this under "Tastes Even Better the Next Day." The leftovers make a great lunch. I should know; I just finished eating them! Well, not all of them because this recipe does make a lot. If you're a small family as we are, prepare to have leftovers for a few days.



Caribbean Beans and Quinoa

1 large green, yellow, or red bell pepper, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 cups quinoa, rinsed several times
2 cups vegetable broth
2 cans (about 3 cups) cooked kidney beans, drained
1 can diced tomatoes
1/4 - 1/2 cup stuffed Spanish olives
1/8 - 1/2 cup capers, drained
1 tablespoon basil
1 tablespoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon chipotle chili pepper
3/4 teaspoon allspice
1/2 - 1 tablespoon hot pepper sauce
salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
lime, optional

Spray a large, non-stick pot lightly with olive oil. Sauté the peppers, onions, and garlic just until softened. Add the quinoa and toast it for about 4 minutes, just to dry it out a little. Add the remaining ingredients, turn the heat to low, cover and cook until the quinoa is tender and the liquid is absorbed, about 20 minutes. Stir well before serving. Add a squeeze of fresh lime juice at the table.

Makes 8 servings. Each serving, using minimum amounts of olives and capers, contains 221 Calories (kcal); 3g Total Fat; (11% calories from fat); 10g Protein; 41g Carbohydrate; 0mg Cholesterol; 441mg Sodium; 7g Fiber.

Tags:vegan recipes vegetarian cooking food fat-free

Gnocchi with Zucchini Ribbons and Portabella Mushrooms

I won't go into details about my weekend. At this point, all I can remember of it are fragments anyway: birthday bowling party... girls' sleepover ... junk food ... late nights ... the insidious beat of some Disney "rock" song pounding in my head. E. may have turned 10 last weekend, but the blowout celebration was this one. ALL weekend. All I can say is TGIMonday!

So last night, with all of my energy drained, I set off to make a dinner that 1) included something from the vegetable kingdom and 2) would be done before I fell asleep at the stove. I pulled out a package of pre-made gnocchi that I'd bought for just such an occasion and improvised with the vegetables I had on-hand. In the end, I made two big mistakes. First, I found that shaving the zucchini into thin ribbons may make the dish look better, but cubes probably would have been more suitable to the texture of the dish (and definitely faster to chop up). Second, I discovered that E. hates gnocchi; she picked them all out and ate the vegetables with a can of chickpeas instead. (Do I have the only child who loves chickpeas straight out of the can?)

This dish was good, but I wouldn't call it a reason to buy (and definitely not prepare from scratch) gnocchi. But if you have some stored away in your pantry for an emergency meal, this is quick to make. Just keep some chickpeas ready for any little gnocchi-haters in your household.



Gnocchi with Zucchini Ribbons and Portabella Mushrooms
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one 17-ounce package prepared gnocchi (I used this brand)
2 cloves garlic, minced
6 ounces portabella mushrooms, cut into cubes
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 cup vegetable broth
2 medium zucchini, sliced lengthwise into ribbons (I used a serrated vegetable peeler) or cubed
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Cook gnocchi according to package directions. Drain immediately and set aside.

Lightly spray a large non-stick skillet with olive oil. Add the garlic and mushrooms, and sauté over medium-high heat until mushrooms soften. Add the tomatoes and basil and cook for about 2 minutes. Add the broth and zucchini and cook until it is just tender (ribbons will be done in just a couple of minutes while cubes take longer). Add the gnocchi and salt and pepper to taste.

Tags: vegan recipes vegetarian cooking food fat-free

Unstuffed Baby Eggplants

I'm a lazy cook. I'm constantly combining steps so that I can get dinner on the table in as little time and with as few pots and pans dirtied as possible (though D, our resident dishwasher, would tell you that I don't always do a good job at that last goal).

Last night I started cooking with the noble intention of making stuffed baby eggplants, but somewhere along the line I just lost my enthusiasm. I think it was when I saw the 12 baby eggplant halves all lined up on the cutting board waiting for me to carefully carve out their insides--it suddenly looked like just too much work. After all, it was just a casual meal for the three of us, no one to impress (except for you, dear readers). I got to thinking that I could simply layer slices of the eggplants with the filling between them, and it would taste the same as stuffed eggplants with much less work. So that's what I did. I took the eggplant halves and sliced each one again, steamed them lightly so that they would cook completely, and baked them with the filling in a casserole. And it was delicious!



Unstuffed Baby Eggplants
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Baby eggplants are layered between an aromatic mixture of lentils, tomatoes, mint, and spices. If you can't find baby eggplants, one large eggplant will do.

6 baby eggplants, stems removed and sliced into quarters lengthwise (about 1/3-inch thick)
1 cup brown lentils, rinsed and picked over
1 teaspoon salt (optional)
1 medium onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 medium ripe tomatoes, chopped
1 teaspoon smoked Spanish paprika
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
cayenne pepper to taste
1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1/4 cup fresh mint leaves, chopped
1 tablespoon lemon juice
salt to taste
1/2 to 1 cup bread crumbs (may use gluten-free or omit)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon ground flax seeds (optional)
olive oil spray

Prepare the baby eggplants by cutting off the stem and then slicing them lengthwise into about 4 slices, approximately 1/3-inch thick. Place the slices in a steamer basket, and steam them for 10 minutes, or until slices are softened but still firm enough to handle. Do not over-cook. Set aside to cool.

While the eggplant is steaming, put the lentils in a saucepan with 3 cups of water. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat and simmer until they are tender yet still hold their shape, about 20-30 minutes. When they're done, remove from heat, add the one teaspoon of salt, if you like, and allow them to sit in their cooking water until needed.

In a large, non-stick skillet, sauté the onion until it is translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Add the tomatoes, paprika, allspice, cumin, and black pepper. Drain the liquid from the lentils and add them to the skillet. Add cayenne pepper to taste (I used about 1/8 teaspoon for my mild version). Cook over medium heat for 10 minutes. Add the parsley, mint, lemon juice, and salt to taste.

Preheat oven to 350. Lightly spray an 8-inch square baking dish with olive oil. Line the bottom of the dish with half of the eggplant slices. Spoon half of the lentil mixture over the eggplant slices. Repeat with remaining eggplant and lentils. Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake covered for 25 minutes.

Remove the aluminum foil and bake uncovered for 20 minutes.

Combine the bread crumbs with the parsley and the optional flax seed, and sprinkle it evenly over the top the the casserole. Spray lightly with olive oil and return to the oven. Cook until the top is medium-brown, about 5 to 10 minutes. Cut into about 6 squares and serve.

Makes about 6 servings. Per serving (including bread crumbs and flax seeds): 200 Calories (kcal); 2g Total Fat; (8% calories from fat); 12g Protein; 36g Carbohydrate; 0mg Cholesterol; 450mg Sodium; 14g Fiber.




Tags: vegan recipes vegetarian cooking food fat-free middle eastern

German Chocolate Birthday Cake

What a non-stop weekend we had! It began on Thursday, with E's friend J. coming to stay with us for the weekend while her parents were out of town, continued Friday night with an emergency trip to the optical shop to replace E's glasses (which the dog chewed up), followed on Saturday with an overnight trip with friends to a camp a couple of hours away, and ended Sunday with E. opening her birthday presents at home. That's right: my "baby" is officially ten years old! Unless you have kids, it's hard to understand how quickly those 10 years can go by. But I have to say that though I miss my baby E. a little, I really enjoy the funny, smart, and interesting person she's becoming.



Here she is in the woods at the camp we were visiting. Though it looks as if she's costumed for a Harry Potter movie, she was actually wearing one of my shirts because she was cold.

Since we were away most of the weekend, I made E.'s birthday cake on Friday and brought it with us to share on Saturday night. I didn't originally intend to make a German chocolate cake, but I had problems with the new cake recipe I used, and German chocolate icing hides a multitude of sins. I can't recommend the cake recipe, but the frosting turned out delicious, and better yet, it uses no oil or margarine. That's not to say it's even close to fat-free—it contains coconut milk, coconut, and pecans—but at least it avoids processed oils and the evaporated milk and eggs that traditional German chocolate recipes include.



Vegan German Chocolate Frosting
(click for printer-friendly version)

Start with a good chocolate cake recipe. I highly recommend my Crazy Cake if you're not concerned about fat. (Hint: you can substitute half of the oil in that recipe with apple sauce.) For a healthier cake, Beet-Chocolate Cake would taste truly decadent with this frosting.

1 cup plain soymilk
1/3 cup coconut milk (may use lite coconut milk)
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup cornstarch mixed with 1/4 cup water until smooth
2 1/2 cups sweetened flaked coconut
1 1/2 cups chopped pecans

In a medium saucepan, mix the soymilk, coconut milk, sugar, and vanilla together. Add the cornstarch mixture and cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until mixture boils and thickens. Cook for one minute after it boils. Remove from heat and stir in coconut and pecans.

Allow to cool for about 10 minutes (mixture should still be warm) before spreading on cake.

Makes enough for one 2-layer 8-inch cake.

Tags: vegan recipes vegetarian cooking food

Seaside-Stuffed Mirlitons

In Louisiana, we call them mirlitons (pronounced meela-tawns in certain parts of the state). In your grocery store, you'll probably find them labeled chayote. There are over a dozen different names for this watery, squash-like vegetable, which is used all over the world. I've grilled it, stewed it, and added it to soups and casseroles, but what I do most often is stuff it, usually with beans that have gotten the Louisiana treatment: spiced up with generous amounts of onion, green pepper, celery, and cayenne. But this time I wanted to make something closer to the mirlitons my mom makes, stuffed with a shrimp dressing and topped with bread crumbs. So I substituted a tofu version of my Okara "Crab" Cakes and topped them with crunchy panko bread crumbs. The result was a stroll down memory lane for my taste buds. (Okay, bad image, but you get the point!)

If you can't find chayotes, feel free to stuff this into something else. Zucchini is probably the vegetable most like chayote in terms of texture (you won't need to cook the zucchini first, though), but I think this would also make a good stuffing for artichokes or patty-pan squash. It's a very light stuffing, so choose a lighter vegetable to stuff it in. Mmmm...now that's good eatin'!



Seaside-Stuffed Mirlitons (Chayote)
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The wakame is what gives the stuffing its seafood taste, so be sure to use it or another type of sea vegetable.

4 mirlitons (aka Chayote or Chouchou)
1 package (about 14 oz.) firm (not silken) tofu
1/2 cup minced celery (use a food processor to chop all vegetables quickly)
1 large onion, chopped
1 carrot, minced
1/2 green pepper, minced
1/4 cup chopped parsley
2 slices whole wheat bread, whirled to crumbs in blender
1-2 tablespoons Old Bay seasoning or use Creole seasoning to taste
1 1/2 - 2 teaspoons wakame or other sea vegetable
2 teaspoons corn starch
salt and pepper to taste
panko or other toasted bread crumbs (about 1/2 cup)

In a large pot of boiling water, cook the mirlitons until they are tender, about 35-45 minutes. Remove from the water and set aside to cool.

Preheat oven to 400F.

Once the mirlitons are cool enough to handle, cut them in half lengthwise (cutting through the widest side) and remove the seed. Use a grapefruit spoon or melon baller to remove the flesh from the center; be sure to keep the shell about 1/4-inch thick on all sides.

In a large bowl, mash the mirliton pulp and set it aside. Mash the tofu and add it to the mirliton pulp.

In a non-stick skillet lightly sprayed with olive oil, sauté the onion until it begins to brown. Add the celery, carrot, and pepper and cook for 3 more minutes. Add the sautéed vegetables to the tofu-mirliton mixture. Stir in the parsley, breadcrumbs, Old Bay seasoning, wakame (sea vegetable), and corn starch. Add salt to taste.

Sprinkle the mirliton shells with salt and pepper, if desired, and stuff them with the tofu mixture, piling the mixture above the top of each mirliton. Sprinkle the tops with panko or dried bread crumbs, pressing it in lightly. Place them in a large baking dish and put them in the oven. Bake for about 30-40 minutes, until tops are lightly browned.

Serve with tartar sauce or spicy cocktail sauce. (Tartar sauce is easily made with vegan mayo and sweet relish; make cocktail sauce using ketchup, prepared horseradish, and hot sauce, to taste.)

Makes 4 servings, two stuffed halves each. Each serving contains 234 Calories (kcal); 6g Total Fat; (21% calories from fat); 14g Protein; 36g Carbohydrate; 0mg Cholesterol; 276mg Sodium; 7g Fiber.

Tags: vegan recipes vegetarian cooking food fat-free

White Bean and Garlic Stew

This week I had a request from my husband to make an old favorite that we haven't had for a while. This stew is different from anything else I make because it uses a whole head of garlic. Now, if you've tasted my baba ganoush, you know I can tolerate some garlic. But even I couldn't stand 15-20 cloves, except for one thing--they're not chopped. Cooking them whole mellows them out much like roasting does, so when you bite into one, you still get the garlic taste but in a milder, creamier version. The recipe is adapted from one I found on an email list years ago; I wish I knew who originated it, so if anyone recognizes it, please let me know.

White Bean and Garlic Stew
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2 15-ounce cans cannellini or great northern beans (about 3 cups), rinsed and drained
1 head garlic (the whole bulb--15-20 cloves)
2 tablespoons water
3-4 carrots, peeled and chopped
2 medium yellow onions, chopped
1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes
2 bay leaves
1 cup water
1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup fresh parsley
1 tablespoon lemon juice

Break the garlic bulb into cloves and peel off the skin. If you'd like, chop one of the cloves, but leave the others whole. If some of the cloves are very large, you may cut them in half lengthwise.

Spray a large, non-stick pan lightly with olive oil. Add the onion and sauté until it turns a rich, medium-brown, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and carrots and sauté for 1 more minute.

Add the beans, tomatoes, bay leaves, and water. Cover the pot and simmer for about an hour, adding water if it gets too thick.

Stir in the salt and pepper. If you're serving the stew right away, add all the parsley and the lemon juice. If you're serving it later or at room temperature, add the parsley and lemon juice right before serving.

Serve over brown rice.

Makes 6 servings. Each contains: 246 Calories (kcal); 1g Total Fat; (3% calories from fat); 15g Protein; 47g Carbohydrate; 0mg Cholesterol; 385mg Sodium; 15g Fiber

Tags: vegan recipes vegetarian cooking food fat-free

Blogger's Choice Awards

The Blogger's Choice Awards are going on, and several vegan blogs--including this one--are nominated. Now, I'm not asking you to vote for me (though I never win anything, hint hint!) but you might want to hop on over there and support your favorite blogs. You can actually vote for more than one, so don't feel pressured to vote for poor little old me. {dramatic sigh}

You have to register in order to vote, but once you do, you can nominate other blogs, including your own. A lot of us bloggers nominate our their own blogs. It's really not a pathetic thing to do! Really!

Speaking of nominating, thanks to Domino the Cat for nominating me. Domino, you're the best! Remind me to pick up some organic cat treats for you on the way home. Or maybe some cantaloupe?

Tags: vegan recipes vegetarian Shameless Self Promotion

Bhindi Masala and Masoor Dal with Ajwain and Tomato

Sorry for the unexplained break from blogging. Things got a little disorganized here with E. home from school for the (religious yet somehow still observed by our public schools) holiday. To make up for my absence, today I offer you two new recipes.

First up is my brand new favorite way to cook okra. But, get this: E. the Okra Hater actually liked it, too! I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw her picking it up and eating it like popcorn. (In fact, she liked both these dishes, amazing for someone who claims not to like Indian food.) Prepared this way, okra is definitely not slimy!



Bhindi Masala (Dry-Fried Spiced Okra)
(click for printer-friendly version)

Okra fried without oil takes a long time to brown and must be stirred fairly frequently. If you're in a hurry, you can add more oil to this to speed it up or spray it a couple of times with cooking spray.

To avoid the dreaded "okra slime," thoroughly dry the okra (and your cutting board) before slicing it. Moisture brings out the slime.

1 pound fresh okra, tops removed and sliced 1/2-inch thick
1/4 teaspoon canola oil
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/4 teaspoon mustard seeds
1/2 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper
pinch mango powder (amchoor), optional
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
salt, to taste

Spray a non-stick skillet with cooking spray and put 1/4 teaspoon of oil right in the center. Heat on medium until pan is warm. Add the cumin and mustard seeds right to the center of the oil and fry for 1 minute, or until they begin to pop. Add the onion and garlic and stir for 2 more minutes.

Add the okra and remaining spices. Stir well and cook, uncovered, until browned on all sides. Prepare to spend at least 20 minutes, stirring every few minutes, for the okra to cook completely. Sprinkle with salt and serve.

Makes 4 servings. Each contains 58 Calories (kcal); 1g Total Fat; (10% calories from fat); 3g Protein; 11g Carbohydrate; 0mg Cholesterol; 11mg Sodium; 4g Fiber.

---

You know how you buy exotic seasonings and then don't exactly know what to do with them? I've had a jar of ajwain seeds in my spice cabinet ever since my last order from Penzey's. I finally decided to just give them a try and added them to this very simple dal made from the quick-cooking masoor dal, a type of split red lentils. The flavor of ajwain is similar to thyme, which you can substitute if you haven't got ajwain. Thyme, however, doesn't need to be fried in the hot oil--just add it directly to the dal.



Masoor Dal with Ajwain and Tomato
(click for printer-friendly version)

Red lentils will also work here, but they may take a little longer to cook.

1 cup masoor dal or red lentils
4 cups water
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
1/8 teaspoon oil
1/2 teaspoon ajwain seeds (or substitute thyme or more cumin seeds)
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/2 onion, chopped
1 teaspoon ginger paste (or 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium-large tomato, chopped

Pick over and rinse the lentils and add them to a pot with the water and turmeric. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to low. Simmer until the dal is tender, about 20 to 35 minutes. When done, add salt and set aside.

Put the 1/8 teaspoon oil in the center of a non-stick pot and heat over medium-high. When hot, add the ajwain and cumin seeds and cook for 1 minute. Add the onion and cook until translucent. Add the ginger paste, garlic, and tomato and cook until the tomato is softened.

Add the dal to the tomato mixture and stir well. Cook for 15 minutes, until flavors have blended. Serve with rice or your choice of Indian bread.

P.S. An added benefit of ajwain is that it's supposed to ease "digestive discomfort." So eat up those ajwain-enhanced legumes!

Makes 4 servings. Each contains 181 Calories (kcal); 1g Total Fat; (4% calories from fat); 14g Protein; 31g Carbohydrate; 0mg Cholesterol; 549mg Sodium; 15g Fiber.

Tags: vegan recipes vegetarian cooking food fat-free

Veggeroni (Seitan Pepperoni)

Okay, you wormed it out of me. I was going to make this again just to tweak the seasonings a little, but with so many of you writing to tell me that you just have to have the recipe now, I've decided to post it here and let you do the experimenting with it. (I've moved on to veggie bologna!)

But first a warning: I haven't had real pepperoni since before some of you were born, so I could be way off on the flavoring. Feel free to do the experimenting that I haven't had time for. If you've got a copy of Vegan Vittles, Joanne Stepaniak has a pepperoni version that I didn't see before creating this one and it might be better (though she probably hasn't had pepperoni any more recently than I have.) I have to say that I really liked how this came out, whether it tastes like the real thing or not.

And an apology to my gluten-free friends: There's not much you can do to convert a recipe that is gluten. I've thought about experimenting with marinated, baked tofu, but I haven't gotten around to that. If anyone tries it, please drop me a comment about how it turns out.



Veggeroni (Seitan Pepperoni)
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(with thanks to Joanne Stepaniak, Lachesis, and all the other inventive cooks who've been wrapping their seitan in foil and baking it)

Dry ingredients:

1 1/4 cup vital wheat gluten
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
3/4 teaspoon salt
2-3 teaspoons Spanish smoked paprika
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (use more for spicier pepperoni)
3/4 teaspoons mustard seeds
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder

Wet ingredients:

2 tablespoons cashew butter (may substitute peanut butter or tahini)
2/3 cup water
4 tablespoons ketchup or tomato sauce
1 teaspoon Liquid Smoke
1/4 teaspoon agave nectar (optional, but definitely use if you use tomato sauce)

Preheat oven to 325 F. Mix dry ingredients in a large bowl. Put the cashew butter in a smaller bowl, and slowly mix in the water. Add the remaining wet ingredients to the small bowl and blend well.

Pour the wet mixture into the dry, stirring well (use your hands if necessary). Remove from the bowl and knead for a few minutes, making sure ingredients are distributed well.

Roll into a log shape, about 7 inches long. Place the log on foil and roll it up in the foil, twisting the ends to seal. Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes, turning over after 45 minutes.

Remove from oven and unwrap to cool. Slice as needed and store leftovers wrapped in plastic wrap in the fridge.

Notes:

This fit perfectly in my toaster oven, so I didn't have to heat up the whole kitchen.

I sliced it and used it as-is on pizza, pita pizza, wraps, and sandwiches, but you may want to slice it and pan-fry it to give it more of a real pepperoni feel.

Makes 6-8 servings. Based on 8 servings: 202 Calories (kcal); 5g Total Fat; (21% calories from fat); 33g Protein; 8g Carbohydrate; 0g Cholesterol; 347mg Sodium; 2g Fiber.

Have fun with your big ole tube of veggeroni!

Tags: vegan recipes vegetarian cooking food fat-free

Sicilian Market Pasta

My daughter E. lives for pasta, which is kind of a shame because I rarely cook it. When I do, all too often it's one of her favorite (but boring) dishes: veggie lo mein, spaghetti with "meat" sauce, or macaroni and "cheese." Every now and then she gets lucky and I go all out with lasagna, but more often than not, I stick to easy stuff that I know she likes. Usually I'm only making it because I'm short on time--or because E.'s pleading has gotten to me.

Last night I was making pasta for a special occasion: my husband D. had been away for the past four days, and E. and I wanted to welcome him home with a special meal. Not that he needed it; he was in D.C. gorging himself at Thai, Middle Eastern, Indian, and Ethiopian restaurants. After I got over the disappointment that he wasn't able to bring me an Ethiopian doggy bag, I resolved to make his homecoming special and make something a little different. And I even followed (mostly) a recipe!



This is an adaptation of Siracusa Market Pasta in Lynne Rossetto Kasper's The Italian Country Table. It's not a vegetarian book, but this recipe, without the optional cheese, was actually vegan as written. I adapted it only slightly, adding chickpeas and using a spray of olive oil rather than a "film." Without any fresh basil on hand, I had to resort to the last of my frozen basil from last summer, but that didn't hurt the taste at all. The results were truly delicious, tangy with orange zest, salty with olives, and spicy with garlic and red pepper flakes. The basil and cherry tomatoes keep it fresh and light. This one's a keeper!



Sicilian Market Pasta
(click for printer-friendly version)

extra-virgin olive oil spray
6 - 8 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
1/2 medium red onion, diced
salt and freshly ground black pepper
zest of one orange
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon red chile pepper flakes
1 pound spaghetti (gluten-free folks try Tinkyada rice pasta)
1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas (or one 15-ounce can, rinsed and drained)
1 cup loosely packed chopped fresh basil or 1/2 cup frozen chopped basil, thawed
16 kalamata or oil-cured black olives, pitted and coarsely chopped
2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved (larger ones quartered)

Put a large pot of water on to boil.

Spray the bottom of a large (12-inch or more) deep skillet with a light coating of olive oil. Sauté the garlic just until it becomes golden. Remove from skillet and set aside. Add the onion to the skillet and saute until soft, seasoning with salt and pepper. Add the orange zest and cook about 30 seconds more. Stir in the oregano and red pepper and cook for about 10 seconds. Remove from heat and set aside.

When the water reaches a boil, add the pasta and salt to taste. When the pasta is almost done (firm to the bite), add the drained chickpeas and cook until the pasta is completely done. Remove one cup of the cooking water and add it to the onions in the skillet. Drain the pasta.

Add the reserved garlic to the skillet and bring to a simmer. Add the basil and olives and stir. Add the pasta and toss to coat completely. Stir in the tomatoes and taste for seasoning, adding more salt and pepper as needed. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Makes about 6 servings: 398 Calories (kcal); 5g Total Fat; (11% calories from fat); 14g Protein; 73g Carbohydrate; 0mg Cholesterol; 173mg Sodium; 4g Fiber

Tags: vegan recipes vegetarian cooking food fat-free