Category Archives: Vegetables

Eggplant, Tomatoes and Onions with Pea Shoots on Flatbread

Main Course, Uncategorized, Vegetables, , , , , ,

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Working with flatbreads is one of my new adventures. I came up with a few recipes that I am trying out on my lovely taste testers. The first one I pulled together was eggplant, tomatoes and onions with pea shoots. I know. Who ever heard of pea shoots. I had never heard of them until I was perusing the fresh vegetables at Trader Joe’s. I am always interested in trying out new veggies and figuring out how I can use them in a recipe. I originally thought I would use spinach or even watercress but the pea shoots caught my eye and I had a second thought. Why not use them on the flatbread!

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Because roasting veggies makes them soft I wanted to have another level of texture on the flatbreads. The pea shoots added just the right amount of crunch to go with the roasted eggplant, tomatoes and onions. Plus, the pea shoots have a nice flavor too. They have the subtle “sweet taste of spring peas” just like it says on the package. I will definitely be adding pea shoots to some other recipe in the future.

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Getting back to flatbreads, I find it is really just a fancy way of saying pizza. Although when I was researching information about flatbreads, there really is a difference between the two. Flatbreads are thin and made from unleavened dough and pizzas can be be thin or thick and are made with yeast so it rises. What is confusing is that I have seen on restaurant menus the description of flatbread pizzas which means they are just thin flat pizzas with yeast somewhere in the mix.

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I am keeping it simple and calling this a flatbread dish based on what it said on the package I purchased. No matter what you call it the taste will be delicious. If your creation works out the way mine did you may have to make two because the family will keep coming back for more.

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Eggplant, Tomatoes and Onions with Pea Shoots on Flatbread

Ingredients:
1 14oz flatbread (Trader Joe’s Rustic Ciabatta Flatbread)
1 medium eggplant sliced (skin on)
1 medium onion sliced thin
2 Kumata tomatoes sliced
2 Roma tomatoes sliced
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup organic pea shoots
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
4 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
½ tsp red pepper flakes
½ tsp basil
½ tsp oregano
cooking spray

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Toss together pea shoots, a pinch of salt, balsamic vinegar and lemon juice in a bowl and set aside.

Spray a rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray. Layer eggplant, tomatoes and onions on a the baking sheet. Drizzle olive oil over veggies then sprinkle with salt and black pepper. Roast until veggies are soft and browned for approximately 25 – 30 minutes. Toss the veggies mid-way through cooking to make sure all of the veggies brown.

Place flatbread on a cookie sheet and brush with olive oil then sprinkle with ½ cup of mozzarella. Spread eggplant, tomato and onions over the flatbread then sprinkle with red pepper flakes. Top with remaining cheese then sprinkle oregano and basil over cheese. Bake for 12 – 15 minutes until cheese melts and turns slightly brown. Let cool for a few minutes then cut with a pizza slicer. Top with pea shoots and enjoy.

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Beets with Arugula and Feta Cheese

Soups/ Salads / Stews, Vegetables, , , , ,

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Beets are one of those vegetables people usually forget about because they are not considered “popular” at least not right now. Foods like fashion are featured as the “in” thing at different cycles in time. Remember when it was said that pork was not good for you then a while later it became the “other white meat” and was the popular thing to eat.

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I really do like beets but I also  forget about beets until summer comes and I am in salad mode. I love to have salads with dinner in the summer because there are so many beautiful fresh veggies available. I have thought about growing beets but I have not had the courage to do it yet. I have tried growing cabbage, squash and eggplant without much success so I stick to the veggies I can easily grow. Tomatoes and all kinds of peppers grow in abundance on our porch. I also grow a lot different herbs. Maybe next summer I will plant a few beets and see what happens.

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Anyway, beets have their own unique flavor and sweetness. Depending on what we are having for dinner I will pair the beets with some other veggie or lightly season the beets and eat them all by themselves. I have two favorite beet recipes. My old trusty beet salad which is similar to a basic potato salad recipe but substitutes beets for potatoes. Then there is my more recent recipe of Beets with Arugula and Feta Cheese. I have been working on more salad recipes to help shake off the winter blues and get ready for summer. In the winter I focus on hearty meals and soup but spring and summer call for lighter meals with lots of fresh veggies.

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Arugula is one of my favorite dark salad greens so I often combine it with several other ingredients to create unique dishes like my Chicken and Pasta with Lemon Cream Sauce. In my Beets with Arugula and Feta Cheese recipe I mix beets, green apples and arugula which all seem to compliment each other. The sweet beets, sour granny smith apples, salty feta cheese and nutty flavored arugula satisfy all of my taste buds.

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I am getting ready for summer. How about you?

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Beets with Arugula and Feta Cheese

Ingredients:
1 bag arugula
2 cups cooked beets cut into wedges
½ cup thinly sliced green apples
½ cup feta cheese
½ cup mandarin oranges (optional)
¼ cup pecan or walnuts
¼ cup vinaigrette

Vinaigrette:
½ cup olive oil
3 tbsp white wine vinegar
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp minced garlic (optional)
pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)

In a medium bowl mix together white wine vinegar, seasonings Dijon mustard and garlic. Slowly whisk in olive oil.

In a large bowl place arugula, beets, pecans, apples and feta cheese. Drizzle vinaigrette over salad then gently toss to coat with dressing. Taste and add more seasonings or dressing if needed.

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Mixed Wild Mushrooms with Goat Cheese

Appetizers, Vegetables, , ,

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Not everyone is a fan of mushrooms in any way, shape or form whether they are button, shiitake, portabella or something else. Fortunately, that is not true in my household so I have room to experiment when it comes to preparing mushrooms. The day I came up with my Mixed Wild Mushrooms with Goat Cheese recipe I wanted to make a quick appetizer that would be healthy and tasty.

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Goat cheese is not one of my go to cheeses when I am cooking. I like goat cheese in salads but I did not know if I could actually cook with it so I had to do a little research to see if what I wanted to do would work. I was surprised to learn goat cheese has a lot less sodium and has about 40 fewer calories than than cheddar cheese. I thought goat cheese would have more calories since it is so creamy. Besides the nice health benefits of goat cheese it softens easily when heated and blends well into other foods.

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Hubby was my taste tester for this recipe only because he wandered into the kitchen while I was setting up the dish for pictures. Fortunately, I was able to snap a couple of pictures before he gobbled up most of mushrooms. Always a good sign for a recipe when the taste testers clean their plates and leave with a smile on their face.

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Mixed Wild Mushrooms with Goat Cheese

Ingredients:
2 pkgs mixed wild mushrooms
3 oz crumbled goat cheese
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp water
½ tsp salt
½ tsp cracked black pepper
½ tsp cilantro
½ tsp oregano
½ tsp parsley
5 dashes hot sauce
1 dozen crostini slices

Place butter and olive oil in a medium non-stick frying pan. Allow butter to melt then add mushrooms. Saute mushrooms until they brown slightly. Add seasonings, water and goat cheese. Stir constantly until goat cheese blends into the mushrooms. Serve on toasted crostini slices.

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Gemelli Pasta and Tomatoes

Pasta and Grains, Soups/ Salads / Stews, Vegetables, , , ,

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Since my hubby and kids love pasta so much I am always looking for new ways to fix it. I also like to use different types of pasta shells to give the pasta dishes a a new twist. The type of pasta you pick for a dish depends on what you want the pasta to do. If I am making a creamy pasta dish I usually pick pasta that will cuddle the sauce in the nooks and crannies of the pasta like shells or ziti. If I am fixing a dish that is lighter and the sauce just needs to coat the pasta, I will use angel hair, linguine or bow tie pasta.

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Gemelli pasta falls into both categories. Because of its shape gemelli pasta is a nice twist (yes, pun intended) for creamy or oil based sauces. When I first started formulating this recipe in my mind I was not sure what kind of pasta I would use. I did not want to use penne pasta because I have seen so many recipes with penne including my own. I was cruising the pasta aisle when I spotted the gemelli pasta. It had been a long time since I prepared any dish with gemelli so I got excited when the light bulb went off in my head to use gemelli as my pasta.

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I will admit that I cook a lot of dishes with tomatoes. Another thing besides pasta that my family really loves. For me, tomatoes just naturally go with pasta. Tomatoes add a savory sweetness to pasta dishes. Baking or roasting tomatoes really helps to bring out the sweetness which is how I prepared the tomatoes for this recipe.

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In the end, the combination of flavors from the tomatoes, cheese, spinach and gemelli made for a very nice pasta dish. On occasion, to elevate the flavors even more I brown andouille sausage and add it to the recipe to give the dish a kick of spiciness. Yummy!

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Gemelli Pasta and Tomatoes

Ingredients:
2 pints cherry tomatoes sliced in half
1 16 oz box gemelli pasta
1 10 oz bag baby leaf spinach
½ tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
1 tsp parsley
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp oregano
1 tbsp salt
1 tbsp black pepper
4 tbsp olive oil
1 cup grated parmesan cheese
½ cup fontina
½ cup panko bread crumbs
olive oil cooking spray

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix panko bread crumbs, ½ cup of the grated parmesan cheese, parsley and oregano in a small bowl.

Spray a casserole dish with olive oil cooking spray. Add tomatoes to the casserole dish. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, garlic powder, red pepper flakes, basil and olive oil. Stir to blend olive oil and seasonings then top with bread crumb mixture. Drizzle a little olive oil over the bread crumb mixture. Bake for 30 – 40 minutes until bread crumbs are browned.

Prepare pasta according to package. Drain (do not rinse) and place in a large bowl. Drizzle pasta with a little olive oil. Add remaining grated parmesan cheese, fontina cheese, spinach and tomato mixture. Gently toss together until well blended.

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Eggplant Stew

Soups/ Salads / Stews, Uncategorized, Vegetables, , , , ,

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Sometimes when I am at the store buying groceries I pick up different meats and vegetables thinking I can come up with a fabulous recipe for this or that. Most of the time I have an actual recipe in mind but other times I am winging it. That is what happened when I came up with the idea of making an eggplant stew.

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I wasn’t sure what to make when I bought a couple of eggplants but I love eggplant so I threw them in the cart with the other veggies. By the end of the week I still had not come up with an idea for the eggplant but since I did not want them to start turning brown I decided to make an Eggplant Stew.

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Stews are usually hearty and include meat somewhere in the mix. In this case, I wanted to substitute the eggplant for meat and create a vegetarian meal. All it took to make a nice hearty stew were a few chunky vegetables to compliment the eggplant and a few subtle seasonings to allow the flavor of each veggie to shine through. If you are a fan of eggplant, I think you will like this recipe.

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Remember, there is more to eggplant than making a casserole or frying.

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Eggplant Stew

Ingredients:
2 eggplant peeled and sliced
1 large onion cut in half then sliced
1 large green pepper cut in half then sliced
1 large tomato cut into wedges
2 medium red potatoes cubed
1 14 oz can fire roasted tomatoes
1 cup chicken broth
1 tbsp salt
½ tbsp black pepper
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp Adobo
½ tsp basil
¼ cup olive oil
cooking spray

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Spray rimmed cookie sheet with cooking spray. Layer the eggplant and other veggies on the cookie sheet then sprinkle with seasonings. Drizzle olive oil over veggies. Roast veggies for 35 – 40 minutes until soft then remove from oven. Place veggies in a large pot along with chicken broth and fire roasted tomatoes. Add a little more salt if needed. Simmer over low heat for 20 minutes.

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Parmesan Crusted Potato Wedges

Side Dish, Uncategorized, Vegetables, ,

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Potatoes. Baking potatoes, sweet potatoes or red potatoes. I love then all no matter how you fix them. I also love cheese so of course the combination of potatoes and cheese is always a winner in my book.

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Gooey cheese is good on potatoes but I liked the idea of potatoes with a cheese crusted skin. Parmesan cheese is usually the cheese of choice when creating a crusty cheese coating. At least that is what I have seen when watching cooking shows. I use grated parmesan cheese  whenever I make parmesan chicken so why not use it on potatoes.

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Besides the nice crusty texture on the potatoes the blend of seasonings gives the potatoes a nice flavor. My family likes the taste of spice so I added red pepper flakes to the cheese topping to give the potatoes extra heat. The next time you want to turn up the flavor on your potatoes add a little parmesan cheese. This is a wonderful side dish I think you will enjoy.

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Parmesan Crusted Potato Wedges

Ingredients:
4 baking potatoes (can mix with sweet potatoes)
1 medium onion sliced
½ cup grated parmesan cheese
2 tbsp olive oil
½ tbsp parsley chopped
½ tbsp salt
½ tbsp black pepper
½ tsp seasoned salt
½ tsp thyme
½ tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
paprika
cooking spray

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Wash potatoes then cut into wedges. Spray the bottom of a baking dish with cooking spray then line with sliced onions and sprinkle with seasoned salt. Toss potatoes with olive oil in a large bowl. Add potatoes to baking dish then season with salt, black pepper and top with paprika. Mix grated parmesan cheese, thyme, parsley and red pepper flakes in a small bowl. Sprinkle cheese mixture evenly over potatoes. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes until potatoes are tender and golden.

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Red Split Lentil Soup

Soups/ Salads / Stews, Vegetables, , ,

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Simple says it best when making homemade soup. Red Split Lentil soup is a nice comfort food on cold days or any day you want something quick and easy to make. It takes only 6 simple ingredients to make this soup and it tastes great with a piece of crusty buttered bread. Of course the wonderful thing about this soup is that it is full of vitamin C and is heart healthy.

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When it comes to soups I like to experience the different textures and layers of taste. This Red Split Lentil soup is smooth yet has layers of subtle textures from the carrots, onions, peppers and diced bacon. If you are not a fan of pork you can substitute it with smoked turkey or go meatless.

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I was surprised when my youngest son was eager to try lentil soup. Most kids hear the word lentil and immediately make a face followed by “blah”. I guess the day I made the lentil soup was one of his more adventurous days. Surprisingly, he loved it even with the cooked carrots which he claims to dislike immensely. My son reminds me of a character in a book I recently read called “The Housekeeper and the Professor” by Yoko Ogawa. In the book, the housekeeper is constantly trying to find new ways to hide carrots in the professor’s meals but he always seemed to find them.

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Adding lots of vegetables to soups are a great way to get kids (and some adults) to eat veggies and develop their taste buds for new foods. Start with a simple soup and then pair it with something they like. Try a sandwich, crackers or warm crusty bread. They will not be able to resist.

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Red Split Lentil Soup

Ingredients:
1 16 oz bag of red split lentils
2 strips of bacon diced
1 10 oz bag of shredded carrots
2 green scallions sliced
½ medium onion diced
½ red pepper diced
2 cups low sodium chicken broth
2 cups water
1 bay leaf
1 tbsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp onion powder
½ tsp parsley
½ tsp dill
¼ tsp red pepper flakes

Over medium high heat, slightly brown bacon in a large pot until fat is rendered. Add onions and scallions sauteing until soft. Add red peppers, carrots and seasonings. Stir to mix veggies then add bay leaf, chicken broth and water. Let simmer about 5 minutes then add red split lentils and stir. Reduce heat to medium low and cook until the lentils are soft. Approximately 30 minutes. Remember to stir the soup to make sure the lentils do not stick to the bottom of the pot. If necessary, add additional broth to thin out the soup and ensure the lentils are cooked.

Serve with a piece of crusty bread and enjoy!

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Roasted Garlic

Appetizers, Vegetables, ,

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Roasted garlic may not be something you want to order on a first date but it is something you can serve to a group of friends. When everyone is eating garlic there is no need to worry about sweet breath.

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It may seem funny but I was intimidated by the idea of roasting garlic. I didn’t realize how simple it would be until I watched a cooking show that featured roasting vegetables. The best thing about roasting garlic is that it can be used in any dish requiring garlic and adds a nice smoky flavor. Try using roasted garlic instead of fresh chopped garlic the next time you make chili, soup or stew.

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Once I stopped being a scary cat about roasting I really liked serving roasted garlic as an appetizer. Served with olive oil and slices of crusty bread it is a wonderful treat. Besides being good to eat garlic is good for your health. I researched the benefits of garlic and found that it helps boost the immune system so it is great in the winter months when colds and flu are rampant. Garlic also is a great source of vitamin B6 which researchers say has cancer fighting abilities.

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Garlic may not improve your love life or be the most romantic food on the planet but it is healthy!

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 D. Marie Poetry

We are……
Friends
physically distant
communicating
in spirit
in being

Friends
colorful as each rainbow
changing with each season
still, we blend
creating new beauty

Friends
eternal as the moon
intense as the sun
you give love
and I love you

D. Marie

Roasted Garlic

Ingredients:
1 large whole garlic bulb
½ tbsp salt
½ tbsp black pepper
¼ cup olive oil
cooking spray
small strip of foil

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Spray foil with cooking spray. Remove outer skin from individual garlic cloves and place in center of foil wrap. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and olive oil. Fold foil over and create a little pouch. Place on a cookie sheet and bake until garlic is soft. Approximately 30 to 35 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool.

To use as an appetizer, place a bulb of garlic into an a small dish and pour olive oil over garlic. Gently smash garlic into olive oil. Add red pepper flakes to spice things up or a little chopped basil.  Serve with sliced french bread or any crusty bread you like.

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Chicken Quinoa Soup with Napa Cabbage

Meat/ Poultry, Soups/ Salads / Stews, Uncategorized, Vegetables, , , , ,

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Light, bright soups are fun to make and wonderful to eat. I recently wanted to make a light chicken soup to take away the chill on a cold winter day. I didn’t want to use pasta and thought Quinoa would be a great substitute for noodles.

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Quinoa has a unique texture and is easy to use in recipes. I have made salads using Quinoa and even created a Spinach Quinoa Cake that was delicious (check it out at dmariedining.com). Adding Quinoa to the chicken soup definitely kept it light and adding Napa Cabbage helped kick up the flavor and nutritional value.

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Next time you have a desire for a quick tasty soup or just want to use the leftover chicken in the frig think about making a nice Chicken and Quinoa Soup with Napa Cabbage.

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Chicken and Quinoa Soup with Napa Cabbage

Ingredients:
2 cups chicken pre-cooked
2 cups Napa cabbage shredded
4 cups chicken broth
1 ½ cups Quinoa rinsed
1 bay leaf
½ cup baby carrots thinly sliced
½ cup slice celery
¼ cup red peppers thinly sliced into strips
¼ cup red onion chopped
½ tbsp salt
½ tbsp seasoned salt
½ tsp black pepper
½ tsp Adobo seasoning
½ tsp thyme
½ tsp parsley
½ tsp cilantro
½ tsp onion powder
½ tsp red pepper flakes (optional)

Cook Quinoa according to package. Set aside.

Place chicken in a small bowl and season with seasoned salt and onion powder. Set aside.

Add chicken broth, onions, peppers, celery, carrots, bay leaf and seasonings to a large pot on medium high heat. Let simmer for 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium then stir in chicken, Quinoa and cabbage. Let simmer for 20 minutes. Turn off heat and let stand for 10 minutes. Serve with crackers.

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Mushroom and Spinach Quiche

Uncategorized, Vegetables, , ,

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Since I have a busy schedule between family stuff, work and dmariedining.com I am always looking for easy recipes that are packed with flavor. I think quiches are one of the simplest dishes to make when you don’t have a lot of time or you don’t feel like fussing over dinner. A quiche can be a full meal paired with a nice salad or it can be an appetizer (smaller portion) at the start of a meal.

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Mushroom and spinach quiche is one of my favorite meals to make. It has lots of protein and is very filling even though there is no meat in the dish. Mushrooms and spinach seem to go together well whether in a salad or a quiche.

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For all the moms out there that want to teach their kids how to cook, you may want to introduce them to the world of quiches. Because they are so versatile, you can turn quiches into a vegetarian dish, a seafood dish or a meat dish. Think about how it easy it would be to teach your kid how to cook a little spinach, beat a couple of eggs and add some cheese to a pie shell. I know I make it sound a little too easy but it is easy enough for a teenager to make.

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If you have young adults at home who have limited cooking skills (like my son), a mushroom and spinach quiche would be a good dish to teach them how to make for those independent days of cooking. This one will might even be an impressive meal for a date.

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Mushroom and Spinach Quiche

Ingredients:
1 9 inch deep dish pie shell thawed
1 10 oz bag baby leaf spinach
1 10 oz pkg sliced button mushrooms
2 tbsp butter
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp salt
½ tsp black pepper
¼ tsp parsley
¼ tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
¼ tsp cumin
¼ cup half and half
¼ cup fontina cheese shredded
½ cup Gruyere cheese shredded
4 eggs
2 shallots sliced thin
paprika

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Melt 1 tbsp of butter with olive oil in a non-stick frying pan. Add spinach, ½ tsp salt, and black pepper. Saute until spinach is wilted but bright green. Remove spinach from the pan and set aside. Add 1 tbsp of butter to the pan along with mushrooms, shallots and ½ tsp of salt. Saute until mushrooms are slightly browned.

Poke the bottom of pie shell with a fork. Bake for 10 minutes until lightly brown. Remove from oven. Layer spinach on the bottom of the pie shell. Sprinkle half of the cheeses over the spinach. Layer the mushrooms over the cheese then top with the remaining cheese.

Beat together eggs, red pepper flakes, cumin, parsley, a pinch of salt and half and half. Pour into pie shell, sprinkle with paprika.  Bake for 25 – 35 minutes until the middle of the pie is set. Test with a knife. It should come out clean. Let the pie rest for 10 minutes.

 

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