All posts filed under: Vegetable Dishes

Makloubeh: divinity upside down!

Makloubeh, a classic middle eastern entree for a special occasion, made easy with Kalla’s recipe. Don’t wait to make this, it is phenomenal!

“Red, White & Blue-Black” Eggplant Casserole

This eggplant casserole will become a family favorite. Make ahead of time and pop in the oven for dinner!

Ottolenghi’s “Surprise Tatin”

When you have an abundance of cherry tomatoes, this is a sure fire way to make them the star of dinner.

T2T Indian Potato Cakes

A delicous take on latkes with an Indian twist inspired by Yottam Ottolenghi’s original recipe.

Beets 101

A lot of people don’t know how to cook beets correctly, so they end up being tasteless blobs that turn your fingers red. This is a short, simple post on how to cook them correctly, which I learned from the PBS Victory Garden cookbook — which is one of the most comprehensive cookbooks on vegetables. Unfortunately I think it’s out of print. 😞 Here’s how to make beets so that they are not only completely tender, but extremely sweet. Cooking them slowly at low heat caramelizes the sugar in them and makes them taste almost like dessert. Roasted Beets This works for any amount of beets.  Our favorite are the golden beets. (yellow) Preheat your oven to 275º (yes, not a typo, only 275) I take a shallow pan, I use a ceramic one, and I cut the stems off the ends and trim any extra stuff. Do not peel them. Place them in the pan, and drizzle about 3 tablespoons of olive oil on top of them, I shake the pan around a bit …

Kale and Fennel Gratin Casserole

My husband hates kale.  Almost all kinds.  But he thought this was good. That should tell you this isn’t your average kale recipe!  I adapted this from my local organic farm CSA, and it was a hit at our house.  You can make it dairy free without the cheese, it just won’t be as thick.  Enjoy, it’s like a great spinach quiche sans crust. Fennel, Kale and Rice Gratin Gluten free, Low Carb, (can be dairy free, see below) Serves 4-6 click here for a PRINTABLE RECIPE large bunch kale, stemmed and washed (you can use curly kale, like above OR lacinto kale, which looks more like a flat big leaf  spinach, either one works.  I like the flat one best) 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped 2 medium bulbs fennel, trimmed, quartered, cored and chopped (about 2 cups chopped) Freshly ground pepper to taste 2 large garlic cloves, minced ¼ cup chopped fresh dill  (or 1½ T dried dill) 4 eggs ½ cup coconut milk (the kind in …

Healthy EASY Coleslaw

Steve’s Healthy Coleslaw Just in time for 4th of July! My husband has become vigilant in helping find healthy recipes and he loves coleslaw, so here is our version of the summer favorite!  If you like less dressing, use less, or make more dressing if you like your coleslaw “wetter”.  This is WAY better than the pre-made ones full of preservatives and chemicals!   Ingredients: 1 cup Vegenaise:  healthy alternative to mass produced mayonnaise, in frig section at most large stores, or you can use Olive Oil Mayo or best yet, your own homemade mayo! 2 tbl Dijon mustard 4 tbl apple cider vinegar 1 tbl pickle juice ¾ tsp kosher salt 1 tsp onion powder 2 tsp celery seed 16 oz organic coleslaw mix OR 1 medium cabbage shredded and 2 organic carrots shredded (or purple cabbage or any combo thereof) optional:  garnish with cilantro or even add some in Mix all ingredients and combine well, refrigerate for an hour.  Best made ahead, always a good thing!  Happy 4th of July!

Roasted Root Vegetables

Now that it is autumn, nothing is in season more than root vegetables.  They are a GREAT accompaniment to any meat/fish or poultry. Roasted Root Vegetables are easy to make, healthy to eat, and flexible, in that you can use almost any root vegetable.  Here’s how I make them, and people can’t believe they’re eating something so healthy! Take any favorite root vegetables: Potatoes Sweet Potatoes Turnips Parsnips Carrots Beets (if you do beets, keep them in a separate bag or you’ll have pink veggies!  LOL) add other favorites:  small halved Brussels sprouts, diced onion, rutabaga I use a chopper that makes small squares.  They are available online and most kitchen stores.  Here’s an example of one. I use the larger setting to make even sized squares.  I put them all in a ziploc bag with olive oil, salt, pepper and rosemary.  Shake it up.  Thyme is another spice that works really well with these combos.  Use paprika or pepper if you want.  Add garlic.  There is no wrong way to season, use what you …

Low Carb Stuffing

Cauliflower is becoming a miracle vegetable in our house.  We’ve made pizza dough, mashed potatoes, cheese bread and now stuffing out of it!  This recipe is from Delish, a website devoted to recipes.  I have the link at the end, but their site doesn’t include the nutrition info I’ve posted below.  We LOVE this recipe! Ingredients 4 tbsp. butter (preferably pasture butter — butter from grass fed cows) 1 onion, chopped 2 large carrots, peeled and chopped 2 celery stalks, chopped or thinly sliced 1 small head cauliflower, chopped 1 c. chopped mushrooms kosher salt Freshly ground black pepper ¼ c. Freshly Chopped Parsley 2 tbsp. chopped fresh rosemary 1 tbsp. chopped fresh sage or 1 tsp. ground sage ½ c. vegetable or chicken broth (we use chicken) Directions In a large skillet over medium heat, melt butter. Add onion, carrot, and celery and sauté until soft, 7 to 8 minutes. Add cauliflower and mushrooms and season with salt and pepper. Cook until tender, 5 to 10 minutes more. Add parsley, rosemary, and sage and …

Kohlrabi Slaw with cherries

One of the cool things about using a CSA provider is getting “surprise” veggies you have not cooked previously.  A few weeks ago, Kohlrabi showed up in our box.  Kohlrabi are part of the cabbage family, and have an odd sputnik look to them.  (OK, that dated me…)  Here’s a recipe that not only uses them, but is DELICIOUS!  Want a twist on coleslaw?  Here it is, but first, a rundown of the benefits of eating Kohlrabi.  Low in fat, high in fiber, potassium, and a ton of Vitamin C, and they are in season now! This recipe is low in net carbs (watch out for the dried cherries, if you eat a lot, it will increase the carbs, and they are yummy!) Kohlrabi, Fennel & Cabbage Slaw with Cherries Ingredients: ¼ cup roasted salted sunflower seeds 2 medium bulbs Kohlrabi 1 small head fennel, outer leaves removed, shredded 2 cups shredded green cabbage 1/8 cup dried, tart, unsweetened cherries (no sugar) small fistful of coarsely chopped fresh dill (or dried, 2 tsp) Dressing: ¼ …

Black Bean and Corn Salad

I love this salad for a few reasons:  it uses all that is summer, it provides protein, and it can be made ahead.  In fact, it is BETTER if you let it sit for a few hours in the frig.  We can make a batch of this and it keeps a few days in frig. Not to mention it is really pretty! If you are staying away from all carbs, omit or halve the corn and add some diced jicama. Printable recipe here. Ingredients 1 cup fresh cooked corn (I used two cobs), cooled and cut (can use frozen organic corn also) 4 green onions or scallions (white parts only) chopped fine OR ¼ cup finely diced red onion 1 can (16 ounces) organic black beans 1 small handful (½ small bunch) of chopped fresh cilantro (or basil if you don’t like cilantro) 1 pint grape tomatoes, sliced in half or quarters (cut large cherry tomatoes into quarters) ~ 20-30 green olives, sliced in half Optional:  add diced avocado for a burst of fiber and …

Eileen’s “Tastes Like Summer” Salad

I threw together this salad today that was inspired by a salad we created in the cooking class at Food As Medicine recently.  Using what’s fresh, I gave it a new spin.  Similar to tabbouleh, it makes a great side dish, we had it with lamburgers one night and local wild rice brats on July 4th.  Yes, this does have a few carbs, but good ones. As you make this, keep in mind that any ingredient can be modified.  If you hate cilantro, leave it out, if you adore basil, add more.  If you are addicted to spicy, add some.  You cannot screw this up!  Just go slow and keep tasting it until you like it. Summer Quinoa Salad ½ cup quinoa, rinsed and cooked (I used white quinoa variety) 1 cup red seedless grapes, halved 1 handful parsley, stemmed and chopped 1 handful cilantro, chopped (stems are ok, they have same flavor as the leaf!) 1 small bunch of basil 1 handful mint, stemmed and chopped ¼ Cup Olive Oil (up to ¹/3 cup …