Category Archives: Vegetables

Summer Vegetable Minestrone

September 8, 2011

This week started out bleak and dreary and soup seemed like the thing to make. Summer vegetables are still abundant around here, so I decided to revisit my minestrone. A pot-full makes enough to feed us for days… just the thing to have around when the temperatures drop and the rain lingers. Enjoy it with a crusty hunk of bread and some freshly shaved Parmesan.

7/1/10: As promised, here’s a healthy and delicious recipe to offset all those sweets I’ve shared with you lately. It’s a simmering medley of nutritious summer vegetables, whites beans, and a pasta al dente. Low fat, high fiber, and packed with vitamins and minerals. Minestrone is a traditional Italian soup made with whatever fresh vegetables can be found. There’s no set rule for what to include. Sprinkle a little Parmesan on top and enjoy a bowl of guilt-free Italian comfort food.

Summer Vegetable Minestrone

INGREDIENTS

2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 onions, chopped
1 cup celery, chopped
5 carrots, peeled and sliced
4 cups low-sodium or homemade chicken or vegetable broth
~ 4 cups crushed tomatoes (I used fire roasted crushed tomatoes)
1 can canellini (white kidney) beans, drained and rinsed
handful fresh green beans, ends trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 cup whole wheat seashell pasta
1 small zucchini, quartered and sliced
1 small yellow squash, quartered and sliced
1 Tbsp. fresh oregano (or 1 tsp. dried)
2 Tbsp. fresh basil (or 2 tsp. dried)
2 cups baby spinach, chopped
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
freshly grated Parmagiano Regiano, for serving

DIRECTIONS

1. In a large pot preheat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and saute for 5 minutes. Add celery and carrots and saute for several more minutes.

2. Add chicken broth and tomatoes and bring to boil, stirring frequently. Reduce heat to low and add canellini beans, green beans, zucchini, squash, oregano, and basil.  Simmer for 30-40 minutes, adding the pasta halfway through. (You can always add water if the pasta is absorbing too much liquid.) Cook until the pasta is soft and the vegetables are tender (the carrots will take longest to cook).

3. Remove from the heat and stir in the spinach. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Ladle into bowls and serve topped with freshly grated Parmesan.

Serves 6-8.

(Adapted from All Recipes)

Summer Veggie Omelette

August 25, 2011

Can you believe I’ve never made an omelette/omelet (same thing- spell it however you want) until now? I have no idea why not! It just never crossed my mind. It might have something to do with not being much of a breakfast person. But that’s changing. And I admit that my first attempt at an omelette was intimidating. I was completely flustered by the process. A good omelette (as I learned after reading bunches of recipes) is soft and fluffy and neatly folded. That’s a lot to live up to. And then there’s the decision of what to stuff it with. Oh the possibilites…

For the filling I sauteed a few summer vegetables, garlic, and onion, and topped it with a little lot of cheese. Easy. To the omelette itself I incorporated fresh chives, although any fresh herb would work. I followed a basic recipe that produced a near-perfect omelet (based on the above description) on three separate attempts. (With only minimal sweating involved.) This will be my go-to recipe from here on out. And if I can do it, so can you.

Summer Veggie Omelette

INGREDIENTS

Omelette:
2-3 large eggs (I used 2)
1 Tbsp. water
fresh herbs, chopped (chives, basil, etc.)
salt and freshly ground black pepper
butter, to grease the pan

Filling:
drizzle extra virgin olive oil
onion, thinly sliced
garlic, minced
bell pepper, diced
fresh corn, kernels sliced off
zucchini, diced
tomato, seeded and diced
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
cheese (Cheddar, Gruyere, Gouda, etc.)

DIRECTIONS

1. To prepare the filling, heat a drizzle of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, and bell pepper, and saute until tender. Stir in the corn and zucchini and continue to cook until tender-crisp. Remove from the heat and stir in the tomatoes. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

2. To prepare the omelette, crack the eggs into a small bowl. Add 1 Tbsp. water, a generous pinch of salta and pepper, and any fresh herbs. Gently whisk with a fork to combine.

3. Heat a 6-8 inch skillet over medium-high heat. Once the pan is HOT, add the butter, making sure it coats the bottom of the pan. Slowly pour in the egg mixture. Tilt the pan to spread the egg mixture evenly. Once the eggs firm up a little, use a spatula to gently direct the eggs away from the sides and into the middle. Tilt the pan to allow the remaining liquid to flow into the space left at the sides of the pan.

4. Continue to cook for another minute or so until the eggs begin to set. While the middle is still a little runny, add the filling (about 1/3 cup per omelette) near the center and sprinkle with cheese. Use a spatula to fold the sides of the omelette over the middle (or simply fold it in half like I did). Let it continue cooking until the cheese has melted, then slide the omelette off the pan and onto a plate. Garnish with fresh herbs and serve.

Makes 1 omelette.

(Adapted from Epicurious)

Roasted Eggplant Pizza

August 21, 2011

Picky eating is my top pet peeve. I get all shook up when people tell me they hate something. Or refuse to try it. It might be a little hypocritical since I used to be picky myself. It wasn’t all that long ago that I had a list of foods I thought I disliked. (My high school self refused barbecue sauce, beans, and generally all seafood- to name a few.) And then something changed (and I highly doubt it was my taste buds). A mental shift occurred when I started cooking and I suddenly wanted to try new things. I not only discovered that I liked most of the foods I was too stubborn to eat before, but also that a single bad experience with an ingredient didn’t mean it was repulsive. Over the last few years of more open-minded eating I have come to the conclusion that there isn’t a single food I don’t like when it’s prepared well.

So I should clarify that what really frustrates me is when people (adults in particular- kids don’t know much better and often learn their picky habits from others) won’t step outside of their culinary comfort zone. And with regularity. It makes eating- and life altogether- much more exciting. And like me, you might learn something about yourself. About how interesting and varied your tastes actually are. About how liberating it feels to not surround yourself with invented limitations. (Do I need to point out that this doesn’t only apply to food?) When you’re open to new experiences (expecting they won’t go well every time, and not shunning a food forever because of a bad encounter), eating becomes much more enjoyable. An adventure. And for everyone else’s sake, you’ll be a lot more pleasant to dine with.

It’s no coincidence that I broached this topic on my eggplant pizza post. I’ve only recently overcome my faux-aversion to this rich purple fruit. Eggplant has a reputation for being somewhat bitter in its raw state. I like how Wikipedia describes the transformation it takes- how eggplant “becomes tender when cooked and develops a rich, complex flavor.” It really can be delicious. We recently had an incredible eggplant parmesan dish that convinced me of this. (Although, admittedly, probably anything would taste good fried and smothered in tomato sauce and cheese.) But nevertheless I was motivated to prepare eggplant at home. And more simply. Since I’ve had great success with this method in the past, I chose roasting. When I found Pioneer Woman’s version of this pizza (which she deems her favorite!), I didn’t look back.

I wasn’t surprised that I loved it. Perhaps a little amazed that I couldn’t stop sneaking roasted bits of eggplant off the baking sheet before they even made it onto the pizza crust. But what really blew my socks off is that our beach-house full of self-proclaimed “picky eaters” (including a large portion of my own family) liked it just as well. I was proud of them for giving it a go. And I could see the satisfaction they felt for trying, and genuinely liking, something new.

Roasted Eggplant Pizza

INGREDIENTS

1 large eggplant, chopped
1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
1 yellow or red onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
drizzle extra virgin olive oil
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
8 oz. fresh mozzarella, sliced or shredded
1/2 cup Parmigiano Reggiano, freshly grated

DIRECTIONS

1. Prepare pizza dough according to recipe directions.

2. To roast the eggplant, preheat oven to 450 F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. Combine the eggplant, tomatoes, onion, and garlic on the baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper and toss to coat. Spread in an even layer on the baking sheet. (Or onto two baking sheets. The vegetables caramelize better if they have room to breathe.) Roast in the preheated oven 20-25 minutes, turning occasionally, until tender and golden. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.

3. Keep the oven at 450 F and preheat the pizza stone.

4. Prepare the crust according to recipe directions. Top with the roasted vegetables, mozzarella, and parmesan.

5. Bake on preheated pizza stone for about 10 minutes, until the crust is puffed and golden and the cheese is bubbling. Slice and serve.

Makes 1 large pizza.

(Adapted from Pioneer Woman)

 

Tomato and Fresh Corn Quiche

August 9, 2011

This recipe was meant to make a pie. A pie filled with tomatoes (intriguing), Cheddar (getting even better), and gobs of mayo (ick!).  I’m sure that such a creation would taste good, but I can’t bring myself to bake or eat such a mayo-heavy dish. So that’s why my tomato pie became a quiche. A lovely cheesy quiche filled to the brim with grape tomatoes, sweet corn, caramelized onions, and fresh herbs. And a rich and flaky butter pie crust (in which I successfully replaced most of the flour with whole wheat). If you’re trying to save some calories you could ditch the crust altogether. I’ve been known to go crustless on occasion. I served this for dinner, alongside a balsamic-dressed salad of baby greens, shredded carrot, red onion, and dried cranberries. As a main dish it could probably stretch to serve four. Should I admit that ours didn’t go near that far?

Tomato and Fresh Corn Quiche

INGREDIENTS

1 butter pie crust (I replaced 1 cup of the all-purpose flour with whole wheat and had to use slightly more water)
1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
2 yellow onions, thinly sliced
2 cups cherry or grape tomatoes, halved and seeded
2 ears corn, kernels sliced off
3 eggs
1 cup milk
1 packed cup sharp white Cheddar
2 Tbsp. fresh basil, chopped
1 Tbsp. fresh chives, chopped
salt and freshly ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS

1. Prepare crust according to recipe directions. (Make sure to pre-bake the crust for 10-15 minutes in a 450 F oven until lightly browned.)

2. To caramelize the onions, heat 1 Tbsp. olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions and soft and golden brown, about 25-35 minutes, reducing the heat as necessary to prevent burning.

3. Preheat oven to 350 F. Scatter onions in the bottom of the pre-baked crust. Top with the tomatoes, corn, basil, and chives.

4. In a medium bowl, whisk to combine the eggs, milk, and cheddar. Season generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Pour over the filling.

5. Bake in preheated oven for 45-60 minutes, until the center is set and the top is golden brown. Let cool slightly before serving.

Makes a 9-inch round quiche.

(Adapted from Eat Make Read)

Bacon, Tomato, Corn, and Basil Pizza

July 30, 2011

At first I thought that corn seemed a little out of place on a pizza. But let’s be honest, you can put just about anything on a crisp and chewy pizza crust under a blanket of gooey cheese and it’ll taste good. So I reconsidered. And oh-my-goodness I’m glad I gave this one a go. Those crunchy little flecks of sweet corn kernels made this pizza. Not to forget the salty bacon, fresh sliced tomato, and creamy goat cheese. Or the garden basil and chives that make the presentation so beautiful. But it was that unexpected ingredient that made this pizza really something incredible.

Bacon, Tomato, Corn, and Basil Pizza

INGREDIENTS

1 recipe pizza dough
extra virgin olive oil
4 slices bacon, cooked until crisp and crumbled
2 ears fresh corn, kernels sliced off
several tomatoes, thinly sliced
8 oz. fresh mozzarella, sliced or shredded
3 oz. goat cheese, crumbled
salt and freshly ground black pepper
handful fresh basil, chopped
handful fresh chives, chopped

DIRECTIONS

1. Prepare pizza dough according to recipe directions.

2. Brush prepared crust with extra virgin olive oil. Top with mozzarella, bacon, corn, and tomatoes. Sprinkle with goat cheese. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

3. Bake on pizza stone in preheated oven for about 10 minutes, until the crust is puffed and golden brown and the cheese is bubbling. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with fresh basil and chives. Slice and serve.

Makes 1 large pizza.

(Adapted from Eggs on Sunday)