Category: Dinner
Spicy Black Bean Avocado Dip
| July 16, 2010 | Posted by Lauren under Dinner, HOTR Eats |
Someday, when I am old(er) and more successful, I will have central air conditioning. And all summer long I will bask in the comfort of my perfectly temperature-controlled home, wearing sweaters if I want to, and cooking whatever my heart desires. But until that day, I will have to make do with my one little window unit, hiding out in my bedroom and relying on meals that don’t require the use of an oven.
Which means that in the summer, dinner mostly consists of some sort of salad. And a lot of meals that rely on just my food processor and/or the stove top.
The inspiration for this particular meal actually came out of desperation. EC was coming over for dinner, and since I was leaving for vacation in a couple of days, the cabinets were pretty bare. Combine that with an unbearably hot kitchen, and I was about ready to pour us both a bowl of cereal and call it dinner.
Luckily for EC, I scrounged around in my cabinet and found a lone can of black beans. Where there are beans, there are possibilities. And where there are beans + half an avocado that’s on the verge of going bad, there’s heaven.
Spicy Black Bean & Avocado Dip
This dip is amazingly simple to make and unbelievably delicious. Unfortunately, I’m awful about measuring (I just hate doing it and avoid it whenever possible). So I can only tell you my dump-and-pour method, instead of a fail-proof recipe. But it was too delicious a combination not to share, and spices are better when added to taste, anyway.
In a food processor, combine:
- 1 can of black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1/2 a ripe avocado
- 1 clove of garlic
- A generous sprinkling of lemon juice
- Spices to taste (salt, crushed red pepper, paprika, chili powder, & cumin)
All you’ve got to do is dump the ingredients in and process until smooth. Hardly worthy of a recipe, really. You might have to put in a teeny bit of effort to scrape the sides down, but it really doesn’t get any easier than this.
I can imagine that this would be good with some of the traditional guacamole ingredients added in – fresh cilantro, tomatoes, etc. If one were to actually have those ingredients in one’s house, that is. But as is, it’s a simple, delicious mix that’s perfect for dipping…or for spreading on Spicy Seitan Wraps.
Spicy Seitan Wraps
(or as I like to call it “Heavenly Seitan”)
Seitan (pronounced “SAY-tan”) is a vegetarian protein that’s made from wheat gluten (instead of soy, which is used for tempeh and tofu). It’s texture is completely different than tempeh or tofu, and it’s probably the most “meat like” of the alternatives. If you’ve never had it, I can tell you that bacon-loving EC says it’s his favorite non-meat protein that I cook with – especially when it’s lathered with BBQ sauce. It’s equally good sautéed in a little EVOO mixed with the same spices as above (salt, crushed red pepper, paprika, and cumin). You just put the pieces in a frying pan and cook until brown, flipping occasionally.
The wraps I ended up making for dinner started out with a thick layer of Spicy Black Bean Dip on a tortilla, a layer of seitan, some freshly grated cheddar cheese, and the only green I had in the house: kale, which I massaged with a tsp of EVOO (to make it wilt and add flavor).
Quickly snapped in the fading sunlight
A little random, but super simple, delicious, and more satisfying than a bowl of cereal. 
Tofu Tricks…and a Summer Salad
| June 30, 2010 | Posted by Lauren under Dinner, HOTR Eats |
Many people who hate tofu usually say that it’s the texture they can’t stand the most. I’ll be the first to admit that it takes a little getting used to. And at first glance, the stuff doesn’t really look very appetizing. You open up a package only to find a slimy white block floating in a bunch of yellowish water. That doesn’t exactly scream, “eat me!” now does it?
(Source)
But tofu doesn’t have to remain raw and tasteless. One of the best things about it is that you can do a lot to change both the texture and the flavor, to make it taste however you’d like.
Get the Water Out and the Flavor In
If you’ve ever done any cooking with tofu, you know that it’s filled with a lot of water. In order to give the tofu a firmer texture and fill it with a lot more flavor, you’ve got to get that water out. The most common way to do this is to press the tofu. You don’t need to have any sort of fancy equipment to do this – just wrap the tofu in a towel (or paper towels) and put a couple of books on top. Let it sit that way for about 15 – 30 minutes.
(Source)
My favorite way to prepare tofu takes this a step further. To get the texture of tofu to really change, you’ve gotta freeze it!
Freeze That Tofu
Whenever I buy tofu, I usually open the container, drain out all the water, and then press it for a few minutes. Once it has been drained, I wrap it in cling wrap, put it it a Tupperware, stick it in the freezer and forget about it until I’m ready to use it. Not only is this method a super easy way to remove the extra moisture, but it also helps keep the tofu from going bad if you don’t use it right away.
I’m not sure why, but when you freeze tofu, its color changes. You stick a white mushy blob into the freezer…and out comes a solid block of yellow ice. (mmm…looking appetizing yet?)
Now comes the part that requires a little advance preparation. Before you can start cooking with the tofu, you’ve got to let this baby thaw. If you’ve planned ahead, you can let it sit out on the counter for awhile until the ice melts naturally. Or…if you’re inpatient like I am, you can just use the “stick it in a bag and let it sit in hot water” trick.
Using this method, your tofu should be thawed and ready to cook within 30 minutes. As it returns to room temperature, the color will turn back to white. At first glance, the tofu will look completely normal. But upon closer examination, you’ll notice that it has become a lot more porous.
A closer shot. I apologize…this does look a bit unappetizing (which is why I kept the picture small). But you can see there are a lot more holes in the block now. Not only does this allow the tofu to absorb a lot more of whatever marinade or spice you choose to cook it in, but it also gives the tofu a completely different texture. Tofu that has been frozen is a lot chewier, and almost spongey. while this might not make it sounds delicious, I promise that the texture is actually really good — especially because it has soaked up so much extra flavor.
There are a variety of ways to cook tofu – you can marinade and bake it, or simply sauté it in olive oil and spices. A few nights ago, the temperature was so hot and sticky that I couldn’t imagine eating anything warm for dinner. So I used this method to make an easy summer pasta salad.
Super Simple Summer {Pasta} Salad
To make this salad, you will need: tofu that had been frozen and thawed, a bunch of veggies, balsamic vinaigrette, olive oil, and other seasonings of choice.
First, get your water boiling and your pasta cooking (I used whole wheat penne).
Meanwhile, cut the thawed tofu into small cubes and sauté in a little EVOO until they turn golden brown.
Once brown, coat with balsamic vinaigrette and add salt and pepper to taste. Let cook until all the balsamic has been absorbed. Set aside.
Now comes the hardest part of the meal: chop all your veggies and mix them together in a large bowl. This is the only part that requires any actual work. In this bowl are tomatoes, cucumbers, carrots, and peppers. Set aside.
When your pasta is cooked, drain and then rinse it with cold water until it’s, well…cold. It will take a few moments of rinsing and mixing around to cool it all down.
Layer the pasta and some spinach in the bowl. Drizzle the entire mixture with more balsamic, a little extra EVOO, and some garlic salt. Mix together with your hands (if possible) to ensure that everything is evenly coated.
Top with tofu, avocado, and some freshly grated parmesan cheese.
Enjoy on the front porch with the windows open to the summer breeze. A perfect meal on a hot night.
Look really close – you’ll see a faint little rainbow over the house!
Quinoa Pasta and Other Adventures in Eating
| April 26, 2010 | Posted by Lauren under Dinner, HOTR Eats, Nutrition |
It can be so easy to get stuck in a “food rut” and eat the same dishes over and over, week after week. But part of consuming a wholesome, balanced diet is allowing yourself to try a variety of foods. Yes, this means that sometimes your “food adventure” will be a complete failure and you’ll end up hating whatever you made. But other times, you might stumble across something amazing!
Over this past week, I’ve tried to be a bit more adventurous with my eating, and have experimented with some new things that I thought I’d share with all of you.
Quinoa Pasta
Quinoa (pronounced: keen-wah) is a wonderful food. Not only is it gluten-free (read: easily digestible), but it is also contains a balanced set of all 9 essential amino acids, making it a complete protein. And if that weren’t enough, it’s also high in dietary fiber, phosphorous, magnesium, and iron. All the nutrition packed into quinoa makes it a great addition to any diet, regardless of whether or not you eat meat (you can read more about the health benefits here).
By itself, quinoa is a little bland tasting. To add flavor, I usually cook it in vegetable broth and then load it up with tons of sautéed veggies and herbs/spices. I actually think it makes a great base for flavorful dishes.
So…when I came across quinoa pasta in the grocery store a few days ago, I knew I had to give it a try!
The Quinoa “Supergrain” Rotelle is actually a blend of corn flour and quinoa flour (in fact, it is made from only those two ingredients). While I’m not gluten intolerant, I thought this might be a good break from my usual starch-filled pasta dishes.
To test it, I whipped up my “fall back” pasta dish: sautéed veggies with my Dad’s “secret-recipe homemade marinara sauce.” (Okay, so the recipe isn’t really secret, it just sounds more mysterious that way. 
) In my opinion, my Dad makes THE BEST marinara sauce I’ve ever had. He follows a recipe given to him by my dear Italian great-grandmother. Every time I go home for a visit, he is kind enough to make up a huge batch and then can it so that I can take it back to RI with me. As a result of being so spoiled, I haven’t bought pasta sauce in years (nor do I want to!).
Anyway, I digress. Back to the Quinoa Rotelle.
When cooked, the Rotelle was a little more yellow than regular noodles – similar in color to egg noodles.
As far as taste goes: I thought it was pretty good! The noodles were a bit chewier than normal pasta, and while the taste was slightly different, it was hard to tell after I smothered it with sauce and other veggies.
In the mix:
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Dad’s Marinara Sauce
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Spinach
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Cherry tomatoes
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Mushrooms
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Tempeh
-
And topped with parmesan cheese
While the overall taste was pretty good, I’ll admit that I did find myself missing the starchiness of normal pasta. There was nothing unpleasant about it at all, I just found myself wanting it to be different. So the final verdict: Despite the motto on the box that claims “you’ll never go back to plain noodles again,” I think I’ll stick to eating quinoa as a grain and my pasta with flour. However, I would definitely recommend this as a good alternative for anyone who is trying to cut back on or avoid gluten.
Other Noteworthy New Foods
Parsnips
Before last week, I had never even tried a parsnip…nor had I wanted to. But after seeing the recipe Angela posted for nut-butter coated parsnip fries, I was intrigued. A few days later, I impulsively bought a bunch of parsnips (who does that!?) and cooked myself up a batch.
I’ll admit I burned a couple in the process.
But these were absolutely amazing!! So simple to make and so addictive.
I may have put the cold {slightly burnt”) leftovers on a salad the next day for lunch. Delicious!
Maple-Coconut Tempeh
I’ve talked about tempeh several times before on the blog, so it won’t be surprising when I tell you that I love it. However, I’ve only ever had it savory. So once I saw Caitlin’s “Tempting Tempeh” recipe, I knew I had to try it! As promised, not only was this recipe super easy, but it was also incredibly delicious. It was like eating a snack for dinner!
And finally, my new favorite snack:
These Back to Nature Organic Stoneground Wheat Crackers are nothing short of amazing! They are super flavorful and contain no trans fat, hydrogenated oils, preservatives, artificial flavors, or any of other questionable crap. I found them in the organic section of my local grocery store and they were actually cheaper than the more popular Kashi version.
This week I challenge you to try at least ONE new food that you haven’t before – whether it’s something you’ve always been afraid you wouldn’t like, or just a food you’ve been interested in but have yet to try. My next food “adventure”: Kale. I have heard great things about it’s nutritional benefits, but the super potent taste has always scared me a bit. So I plan on cooking up some kale chips and trying it in salad this week. I’ll report back later with the results!
‘Best Ever’ Black Bean Burgers
| April 10, 2010 | Posted by Lauren under Dinner, HOTR Eats |
The first thing I did when I decided to cut down on the amount of highly processed foods I was eating was to experiment with making my own veggie burgers. Veggie ‘meats’ have been a staple of my diet for years and years, and while I absolutely love Morningstar Farms Grillers (…and black bean burgers…and mushroom burgers…ok, pretty much everything they make), their products contain an awful lot of ingredients, many of which I cannot pronounce. Not only that, but they are expensive!
On the other hand, making your own veggie burgers can be done easily with some staple foods you probably already have in the cupboard. And as an added bonus, since you actually have control over what’s going in them, you don’t have to worry about the effects of eating mystery ingredients “X,Y, and Z” on your health somewhere down the line.
I’ve experimented with several different types of burgers – nut/tofu burgers, spinach & mixed veggie burgers, white bean burgers, chick pea burgers, etc. You can use many different things to bind the ingredients together, such as whole wheat flour, cooked quinoa, cooked lentils, or oats. {Although I will say that as much as I love whole wheat flour, I tend to use it sparingly (if at all) in my veggie burgers because the first time I tried making them, I relied primarily on this and they came out very bland and pasty.}
But, no matter how many different types I try, the one recipe I keep coming back to is based off a 2006 recipe in the NY Times by Mark Bittman (the Minimalist). These bean burgers are made with oats and have a lot of flavor! It even got the seal of approval from my carnivorous steak-loving boyfriend – which is when I knew the recipe was a keeper!
‘Best Ever’ Bean Burgers
- 1 14-ounce can of black beans, drained and rinsed
- {Generous} ½ cup rolled old fashioned oats (instant is okay, but old fashioned is better!)
- 1 TBS chili powder, or mixture of spices of choice (I usually use a mixture of chili powder, paprika, and a dash—or two—of cumin)
- 1 egg
- 7 or 8 chopped sundried tomatoes (or more if you love them!)
- Garlic salt & pepper to taste
- Drain and rinse the black beans (this is important, otherwise the mixture may be too watery)
- Combine all ingredients into a food processor. Pulse until well combined, but still chunky. The mixture should be pretty moist but if it’s looking a little dry, add a drizzle of olive oil and stir (water or bean stock can be used in replace of the EVOO, but use sparingly!). Do NOT puree.
- KEY STEP – let the mixture rest. This is a super quick, easy recipe, but it’s important to build in some time (3 – 5 minutes) to let the ingredients sit. This will help them stick together while cooking.
- Shape mixture into 4 patties and let them sit again for 5 – 10 minutes. Bittman suggests using wet hands but I’ve never found this to be necessary. I think the easiest thing to do here is to shape them on a piece of wax paper or even cling wrap and let sit out on the counter. If you want to speed the process along, stick them in the fridge for a few minutes.
- Put a thin layer of olive oil into a pan (the recipe says non-stick, but I’ve found that stainless steal really browns the patties well) and heat up on medium heat. Add the patties and cook for at least 5 minutes on one side, or until browned. This is another important step: don’t flip the patties until the bottom has browned, otherwise you risk them falling apart on you!
- Flip carefully and cook the other side for another 5 minutes or so. You’ll know they are done when they’re nice and browned on both sides.
It’s as simple as that! These are great on a toasted bun with salsa, guac, and tomatoes. Traditional burger toppings work great too – I love them with just ketchup, spinach, and some swiss cheese. Also, if you don’t want to make all 4 patties at once, you can refrigerate the uncooked patties for a day or two. For longer storage, I’ve shortened the cooking time on a couple of the patties, wrapped them in cling wrap and aluminum foil, and then frozen. Then when you’re ready to eat, just heat them up on the skillet!
Alright, I’m off to go consume said meal and then on to “Release the Kraken!!” –ahem, go watch Clash of the Titans. Three guesses to whose pick this movie was. Enjoy the rest of your weekend!
Everybody’s Irish!
| March 18, 2010 | Posted by Lauren under Dinner, HOTR Eats |
Happy day after St. Patrick’s Day — the one day a year when everyone is Irish!
Although I do actually have Irish in my blood, I can’t say that I’ve ever been particularly fond of the traditional Irish food. Even back in my meat-eating days, I never really found St. Patty’s Day meals of corned beef and cabbage appealing.
BUT, as I mentioned the other day, this is a time for change…and change means that you try new things. So in honor of the holiday (and to make up for the fact that I forgot to wear green for most of the day!), I decided to make a vegetarian St. Patrick’s Day “feast.” In the past, my first instinct would have been to grab the veggie meat crumbles and make a Shepard’s pie, but since I am trying to limit these fake products as much as possible these days, I figured a little more creativity was warranted. Additionally, the meal had to fit my second criteria of week night dinners — it needed to be relatively quick and simple to prepare. The result:
Vegetarian Reuben and Colcannon…with a twist.
I have to admit that I wasn’t really expecting great things from this meal. I know that’s not a very good endorsement, but believe it or not, until last night I had never tried sauerkraut, and the only Reuben that had ever been in my life was this guy:
- Reuben the Siamese kitty — playing fetch
That being said, I’m happy to report that I was pleasantly surprised by how it turned out! Although I wouldn’t recommend this very starchy meal everyday of the week, I thought it was a good alternative to the extremely fatty (yet traditional) corned beef.
(Side note: since I didn’t have time to make everything from scratch, this meal was “sponsored” in part by Whole Foods. )
Here’s the basic rundown of what I did. First, the Colcannon. This dish is naturally vegetarian and is extremely easy to make. Basically, it’s just a big mash of potatoes and cabbage (mmmmm). Although the cabbage is traditionally boiled or steamed before being added, I wanted to give it a bit more flavor. So while the potatoes were boiling, I sauteed it in a little bit of Olive Oil and garlic until it was tender.
For the mashed potatoes, I diced and boiled two plain old russet potatoes. Then I added a little bit of butter (maybe only 1 TBS), some salt & pepper, and fat free Half & Half to make them creamy, and beat the whole mixture with an electric mixer. Mixing in the garlicky cabbage actually added a lot more flavor to the dish.
I think the best part of the Vegetarian Reuben was the freshly baked rye bread. There’s really nothing better than bread that’s so fresh that it’s still warm. For protein, I decided to use tempeh in place of the corned beef. I browned this in a tiny bit of EVOO (and a lot a bit of TJ’s Olive Oil cooking spray — love this stuff!). After that, it was just a matter of layering — tempeh, then a little Swiss cheese, Thousand Island dressing, and the “icing” on the sandwich — “probiotic” sauerkraut (or at least so says the sales clerk at the store who convinced me to buy it). I put the whole thing in the broiler on high for a few minutes to toast each side. And that was it. Easy as pie!
- Yes, that IS corned beef you’re seeing. There’s one not-so-veg-friendly reuben on that tray
Here is the final product. I must say that this was way too much food. We both got a little excited preparing these sandwiches, but I actually only ate half (the other half — today’s lunch!).
I promise there are actually toppings on this sandwich besides tempeh. I just went a little easy on the cheese/condiments. Even so, I thought all the flavors mixed together really well.
Contrasted with EC’s sandwich (who said — “Maybe you shouldn’t put this on your blog”). His was definitely more colorful, but I’m still convinced that mine was better.
To be fair, he is usually a very good sport and tries all my veggie creations without complaining. Tonight was the exception.
Altogether, I’d have to say that my first “vegetarianized” St. Patty’s Day dinner was a success! …though I did miss the green mashed potatoes and milk I used to have as a kid.
For my next post, I am going to be switching gears a little bit and talking about seaweed and sushi. Why? Because it may not be as vegetarian-friendly as you would think….
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