Portobello, Broccoli, and Red-Pepper Melts

This are scrumptious little bites. Loved the Gouda.
Recipe and photo from Martha Stewart
Portobello, Broccoli, and Red-Pepper Melts

Ingredients:

• 1 small head broccoli, cut into small florets (stalk discarded)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 4 portobello mushrooms (stems removed), sliced 1/2 inch thick
• 2 red bell peppers (ribs and seeds removed), sliced 1/2 inch thick
• 1/4 cup light mayonnaise
• 1 small garlic clove, crushed through a press
• 4 thick slices country bread
• 4 ounces Gouda cheese, thinly sliced

Directions

1. Heat broiler, with rack set 4 inches from heat. On a rimmed baking sheet lined with aluminum foil, toss broccoli with oil; season with salt and pepper. Broil, tossing once or twice, until broccoli begins to char, 4 to 6 minutes.
2. Add mushrooms and bell peppers to sheet; season with salt and pepper, and toss to combine. Broil, tossing once or twice, until vegetables are tender, 8 to 10 minutes more; set aside.
3. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine mayonnaise and garlic; season with salt and pepper. Place bread on a work surface. Dividing evenly, spread with mayonnaise mixture, and top with vegetables, then cheese. Place on baking sheet, and broil until cheese is melted and lightly browned, 2 to 4 minutes.

Roasted broccolini sandwich w/ meyer lemon fennel relish

Can be made Vegan by omitting the egg. Recipe and Photo from Blissfulbblog.com

Roasted broccolini sandwich with meyer lemon relish

Ingredients:

Makes 4 servings

2 bunches of broccolini

1 tablespoon olive oil

salt and pepper

4 hard boiled eggs sliced

4 6-inch baguettes, split in half horizontally

For the white bean spread:

1 can white cannellini beans

¼ teaspoon red chili pepper

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tablespoon olive oil

For the meyer lemon relish:

1 meyer lemon

1 tbsp olive oil

½ fennel bulb, trimmed and diced into ¼ inch pieces

½ onion, trimmed and cut into ¼ inch pieces

½ tsp fennel seeds

2 tsp honey

½ tsp kosher salt

Choco-Hoto-Pots

This recipe is strictly for when you want to break ALL the eating right rules and just have something naughty and delectable. It's one of my favorite rich chocolate desserts. And lets be honest, some days you need one of those.

Recipe and photo from Nigella Lawson from Oprah.com. Photo is terrible, I know.
Choco-Hoto-Pots

Servings: Makes 4 servings

Ingredients

• Butter for ramekins
• 3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter
• 2 large eggs
• 3/4 cup superfine sugar
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup white chocolate chips

Directions

Place baking sheet in an oven preheated to 400°. Butter four 2/3-cup ramekins and set aside.

Using a microwave oven or double boiler, melt together the semisweet chocolate and the butter. Set aside to cool.

In a separate bowl, combine eggs, sugar and flour. Add cooled chocolate mixture, and mix until blended. Fold in white chocolate chips.

Divide mixture evenly among ramekins and place on baking sheet. Bake until tops are shiny and cracked and chocolate beneath is hot and gooey, about 20 minutes. Place each ramekin on a small plate with a teaspoon and serve, reminding children that ramekins and chocolate are hot.

Read more: http://www.oprah.com/food/Choco-Hoto-Pots#ixzz24fdHVq3X

Mint & Mango Marinated Zucchini Spaghetti

Recipe and photo from Green Kitchen Stories again. This is a great SIDE dish.

Mint & Mango Marinated Zucchini Spaghetti

Serves 4 as a side dish, or 2 as a dinner

When we were in Thailand we bought a julienne like slicer. They use it for green mango salad but it works just as perfect for slicing a zucchini. You can find similar slicers on Amazon or try julienne’s big brother, the vegetable spiral slicer.

Raw Spaghetti
2 Zucchinis

Wash the zucchinis and slice them with whatever tool you have (read above).

Mint & Mango Sauce
1 mango medium size
4 tbsp olive oil (add more if you like)
15 leaves fresh mint
1 inch fresh red chili
2 inches fresh ginger
a pinch of salt & peppera handful of green pea sprouts and pistachio nuts, for garnish

Peel and remove the stone from the mango, add all ingredients in a mixer and mix until smooth.
Pour the mango mint marinade over the zucchini spaghetti and work it in by hand. Arrange the spaghetti on the plates and garnish with sprouts and chopped pistachio nuts.

Grilled Portobello & Peach Burgers

Recipe and Photo from Green Kitchen Stories- which is my new favorite foodie site. In love. This burger is delicious- hard to bite- but delicious. Next time I will slice the peaches before adding them to burger. Also- this guacamole is surprising AMAZING. The Parsley is a nice change from the typical cilantro, and we ate it on some baked falafel with veggies for leftovers.

Grilled Portobello & Peach Burgers

Makes 6 burgers

Ingredients

6 portobello mushrooms6 peaches6 sweet potatoes6 burger buns of your choice (If you don’t eat gluten, we have a quick gluten-free bun recipe on the blog.)100 g fresh pea sprouts5 small roman tomatoes, sliced5 small spring onions, slicedfresh thymeolive oilsalt & pepper

Marinade Ingredients

4 tbsp olive oil
2 fresh rosemary sprigs
1 tbsp fresh thyme
2 garlic cloves
1/2 lemon
salt & pepper

Guacamole Ingredients

4 avocados
5 small Roma tomatoes
1 garlic clove
1/4 cup parsley
1/2 lemon
1 tbsp olive oil

Preparation: Clean the portobello mushrooms by carefully removing dirt from the caps with a kitchen towel or cloth; you can use a little water if needed. Pat dry. Cut the peaches in halves and remove the pits.

Making the sweet potato fries: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Cut the sweet potatoes in 1-inch thick, 5-inch long sticks. Put them on a parchment-covered baking sheet. Drizzle olive oil, salt and thyme over them and put in the oven. The fries need around 30 minutes before they are ready, but you need to stir after 15 minutes.

Making the marinade: Pour olive oil in a small bowl. Add one chopped rosemary sprig, chopped thyme, mashed garlic, freshly squeezed lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste. Stir around. Use the other rosemary sprig to brush the mushrooms and peaches with the marinade. When the grill is ready, grill the portobello and peaches for about 3 to 4 minutes on each side, while you use the rosemary stick to brush the marinade over them one more time.

Making the guacamole: Chop avocados, tomatoes and parsley roughly. Add them to a small bowl with mashed garlic. Squeeze lemon juice over it, and mash everything with a fork. It’s okay if it stays a little chunky.

Assembling the burger: Slice the buns in halves. Let them get some color on the grill. When done, place a big dollop of guacamole on the bottom bun, and add pea sprouts, tomatoes, spring onion, one portobello mushroom and two peach halves. Add the top of the bun, and insert a stick to hold it all together. Enjoy!

Orecchiette with Spinach and Gorgonzola Sauce

Recipe and photo from Cookie and Kate. Yummy quick dinner, great to throw together for lunch too.

Orecchiette with Spinach and Gorgonzola Sauce

I whipped together the gorgonzola sauce using ingredients I had on hand: crumbled gorgonzola cheese, 2% milk, and lemon. I recently encountered a gorgonzola cream sauce that used gorgonzola (duh), cream (duh), and nutmeg (delicious), so you might like to try nutmeg instead of lemon. I think goat cheese would be pretty amazing along with some chopped roasted red pepper, which is not unlike my favorite pasta salad recipe. You could also go with a simple butter and garlic sauce, pasta, and steamed greens!

Ingredients

• 6 to 8 ounces of spinach (or other fresh greens)
• 12 ounce package of whole wheat orecchiette (or any other small pasta shape)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 cup crumbled gorgonzola cheese (or more)
• 1/4 cup milk
• one lemon, juiced
• salt and pepper

Instructions

1. Bring a big pot of salted water to a boil. Add your pasta and cook until al dente, according to the directions on the box.
2. Rinse off the spinach. If desired, roughly chop your spinach into slightly smaller pieces.
3. In a small bowl, mix together the milk, gorgonzola and the juice of one lemon.
4. Once the pasta is done cooking, toss in the spinach, stir, and cook for about 10 to 15 seconds . Drain. Drizzle in the olive oil and pour in your gorgonzola sauce. Stir, and enjoy!

Peach and Roasted Vegetable Salad

This is yummy.  Photo and Recipe from:  love and olive oil

Peach and Roasted Vegetable Salad

YIELD: 2-3 servings

TOTAL TIME: 40 minutes

ingredients:

3 medium beets
2 large carrots
1 tablespoon olive oil
salt and pepper, to taste

2 servings grain of your choice, such as israeli cous cous, quinoa, or farro, prepared according to package directions
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
2 sprigs fresh thyme, finely chopped

3 peaches, diced
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Peel and cut beets into 1-inch pieces. Chop carrots into similarly sized pieces and place in a large bowl. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil and salt and pepper to taste; toss to coat. Dump veggies onto a large piece of aluminum foil and fold up edges to form a packet. Place packet on cookie sheet and bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until veggies are tender.

Toss cooked grain with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, thyme, and salt and pepper to taste. Divide among serving bowls. Top with roasted vegetables, peaches, and feta cheese. Serve warm or at room temperature.

NY Chopped Salad

Great Salad- Will definitely be making for when I have company- you can make a huge salad real fast. 
Recipe and photo- Pioneer Woman

New York Style Chopped Salad

Ingredients

• Greens
• 3 cups Mixed Salad Greens
• 3 cups Bibb Lettuce
• 8 whole Romaine Leaves
• FIXINS
• Grape Tomatoes, Halved
• Kidney Beans, Drained And Rinsed
• Garbanzo Beans, Drained And Rinsed
• Pitted Mixed Olives
• Sliced Or Diced Bell Pepper
• Hard Boiled Eggs, Peeled And Sliced
• Avocado, Sliced
• Mushrooms, Sliced
• Cheese, Grated
• Fresh Mozzarella, Cubed
• Cucumbers, Halved Then Sliced
• Asparagus, Blanched And Sliced Into Pieces
• Sunflower Seeds
• Sliced Almonds
• FOR THE DRESSING:
• Dressings Of Your Choice

Preparation Instructions

Lay out different greens and all the fixins in small dishes.

Have a big stainless bowl with tongs. Have everyone build their own salad by throwing what they want into the bowl. Toss with dressing, then pour tossed salad onto a cutting board.

With two knives, quickly chop the salad so that it's chopped into smaller pieces.

Transfer to a plate and sprinkle with a little salt and pepper.

Whole-Wheat Shells with Asparagus, Peas, Feta, and Mint

Super simple, but good and easy.

Whole-Wheat Shells with Asparagus, Peas, Feta, and Mint

Serves 6

30 minutes or fewer

One large pot of boiling water is all it takes to make a pasta medley full of fresh spring vegetables. Blanching the vegetables in the boiling water also adds flavor to the pasta.

• 12 oz. whole-wheat pasta shells
• 1 lb. asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 ½ cups fresh or frozen baby peas
• 2 Tbs. garlic oil, such as Garlic Gold
• 3 green onions, thinly sliced (⅓ cup)
• 1 cup sliced fresh basil
• ½ cup coarsely chopped fresh mint
• 1 Tbs. grated lemon zest
• 3 oz. feta cheese, crumbled (¾ cup)

1. Bring large pot of water to a boil. Add asparagus, and cook 4 minutes, or until crisp-tender. Remove asparagus with slotted spoon; transfer to serving bowl.

2. Add pasta to boiling water; cook 5 minutes. Add peas, return water to a boil, and cook 2 minutes. Drain pasta and peas, reserving 1/4 cup cooking water, and return pasta and peas to pot. Stir in reserved cooking water, asparagus, garlic oil, green onions, basil, mint, and lemon zest. Season with salt and pepper, if desired; transfer back to serving bowl; and sprinkle with feta cheese, if using.

Fettuccine Alfredo with Seared Portabellos

good one from Vegetarian times

Fettuccine Alfredo with Seared Portobellos

Serves 4

30 minutes or fewer

Elegant enough for a casual dinner party but easy enough for a weeknight meal, this pasta dish gets its creamy flavor from soymilk, white wine, and miso—and is sure to become a regular in your recipe repertoire.

• 8 oz. whole-wheat fettuccine
• 1 ½ cups plain soymilk
• ¼ cup white wine
• 1 Tbs. nutritional yeast
• 1 tsp. yellow miso
• ⅛ tsp. ground nutmeg
• ⅛ tsp. cayenne pepper
• ½ tsp. turmeric
• 1 Tbs. corn oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced (2 tsp.)
• 2 Tbs. all-purpose flour
• 8 oz. portobello mushroom caps, sliced ½-inch thick
• ½ cup fresh basil leaves, chopped

1. Cook fettuccine according to package directions. Whisk together soymilk, wine, yeast, miso, nutmeg, cayenne, and turmeric in measuring cup. Set aside.
2. Heat corn oil in 4-qt. saucepan over medium heat, and add garlic. When garlic starts to sizzle, whisk in flour. Cook 2 minutes, whisking constantly. Remove from heat, and whisk in 1/2 cup soymilk mixture. Gradually whisk in remaining soymilk mixture. Season with salt and pepper; keep sauce warm.
3. Coat skillet with olive oil cooking spray, and heat over high heat. Sear mushroom slices 2 to 3 minutes on each side, or until they shrink and brown.
4. Drain fettuccine, and toss with warm sauce and basil. Top with mushrooms.

Asparagus Ricotta Phyllo Tart

This is super lemony and delicious. I love it with a blueberry, blue cheese salad on the side.

Recipe and photo Vegetarian Times

Asparagus-Ricotta Phyllo Tart

Serves 6

The phyllo crust on this quiche is a lot lower in fat and calories than a regular piecrust. Choose thick asparagus spears, since thin ones tend to soften too much during baking.

• 2 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
• 1 lb. fat asparagus, cut into 1-inch lengths
• 1 large egg
• 1 15-oz. container low-fat ricotta cheese (1 ¾ cups)
• ⅔ cup chopped green onions
• ⅓ cup chopped fresh basil
• ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 Tbs. grated lemon zest
• 2 cloves garlic, minced (2 tsp.)
• ¾ tsp. salt
• ¼ tsp. ground black pepper
• Olive oil cooking spray
• ⅓ cup fine breadcrumbs, divided
• 14 (13- x 9-inch) sheets phyllo dough, thawed
• 1 Tbs. sesame seeds

1. 1Preheat oven to 400°F. Cook asparagus in boiling salted water 30 seconds. Drain, and refresh under cold running water until cooled.
2. Whisk together egg and ricotta in medium bowl. Stir in green onions, basil, Parmesan, lemon zest, garlic, salt, pepper, and asparagus.
3. To make Crust: Coat 11- or 12-inch tart pan with cooking spray. Sprinkle with breadcrumbs. Lay 1 sheet phyllo on work surface. Spray with cooking spray and sprinkle lightly with breadcrumbs. Repeat with 6 more phyllo sheets, placing each sheet at a 45° angle to the previous one to form a rough circle. Lift phyllo stack into prepared tart pan, letting excess hang over sides. Gently press into pan. Spread ricotta filling in crust. Cover with plastic wrap while preparing top crust.
4. Spray and stack remaining 7 phyllo sheets in same manner as bottom crust. Spray top sheet with cooking spray, but do not sprinkle with breadcrumbs. Set stack on top of filling and press edges to seal. With scissors, trim edges, leaving 1-inch overhang. Roll edges over to form rim. Spray with cooking spray. Cut several slits in crust for steam vents. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.
5. Set tart pan on baking sheet, and bake 25 to 35 minutes, or until golden and crisp. Cool 10 minutes before serving.

Mac & Cheese for Grown-ups

Recipe and photo fro Vegetarian Times

Mac and Cheese for Grown-ups

Serves 6

This baked pasta dish is a healthful interpretation of the kids' favorite.

• 2 cups (8 oz.) whole-wheat penne
• 1 lb. spinach leaves, trimmed
• ¼ cup olive oil or butter
• ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• 2 cups fat-free milk
• ½ cup plus 2 Tbs. grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 cloves garlic, minced (2 tsp.)
• ¼ tsp. ground nutmeg, optional

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat 11- x 9-inch baking dish with cooking spray.

2. Cook penne according to package directions. Drain, and set aside.

3. Heat large pot over medium-high heat. Add spinach, and cook 2 to 3 minutes, or until wilted, stirring with tongs to cook all leaves. Drain, and press out any excess liquid. Coarsely chop wilted spinach, and set aside.

4. Heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour, and cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Gradually whisk in milk, and cook 5 minutes, or until sauce has thickened, whisking constantly. Remove from heat, then add penne, spinach, 1/2 cup Parmesan, garlic, and nutmeg, if using, to sauce, and stir until well coated. Season with salt and pepper, if desired. Transfer to prepared baking dish, sprinkle remaining 2 Tbs. Parmesan over mixture, and bake 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until top is browned.

Wild Mushroom Ravioli in Sage Brown Butter Sauce

Another Ravioli Recipe I like...

Recipe and photo from Vegetarian Times

Wild Mushroom Ravioli in Sage and Brown Butter Sauce

• 1 Tbs. olive oil
• 1 small shallot, minced (2 Tbs.)
• 1 4-oz pkg. “gourmet blend” mushrooms (shiitakes, oyster mushrooms, and baby bellas), diced
• 2 Tbs. white wine
• 1 tsp. fresh thyme leaves
• 20 square won ton wrappers
• ¼ lb. (1 stick) unsalted butter
• 4 fresh sage leaves, plus more for garnish
• 2 Tbs. grated Parmesan cheese

1. Heat oil in skillet over medium heat. Add shallot, and sauté 2 minutes. Add mushrooms, and cook 7 to 10 minutes, or until softened. Add wine and thyme, and cook 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, if desired. Cool.
2. Cut 1 won ton wrapper in half, to form 2 rectangles. Brush edges of won ton half with water, and place 1 tsp. mushroom mixture on one side. Fold won ton wrapper in half to make square ravioli, pressing on edges to seal. Place on baking sheet. Repeat with remaining won ton wrappers and filling.
3. Melt butter in large skillet over low heat. Add sage leaves, and cook 8 to 10 minutes, or until fatty solids in butter sink to bottom of saucepan and turn nutty brown.
4. Meanwhile, cook ravioli in large pot of boiling salted water 2 minutes, or until they float to top. Transfer to skillet with slotted spoon, and toss to coat with brown butter sauce. Season with salt and pepper, if desired, and sprinkle with cheese.

Green and Creamy Fettuccine

Okay the real recipe is called: Asparagus, Leeks and Peas in a Creamy Lemon Sauce on Whole Wheat Fettuccine. But I've been making it a long time and have given it my own name. Some people really have no creativity in naming recipes.

I made this in college for my husband before we were married. I remember it was what I served on our valentines dinner while we were engaged. Which we counted as the best day of our life to that point. So this pasta has good memories for me.

 I think this is also when I finally broke down and bought a sieve- another good memory. I have a deep love for kitchen appliances and tools. As well as my husband..

recipe from food Journal.

Green and Creamy Fettucine


Prep Time: 30 min. Total time: 50 min.

2 T olive oil
2 medium leeks (3/4 lb)
1 lb. asparagus
2 tsp. finely chopped garlic
8 oz. Whole Wheat Fettucine
1/2 c. part-skim ricotta
1/2 c. finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano
1 T finely grated lemon zest
1 c. frozen peas, thawed
2 T fresh lemon juice

Halve leeks lengthwise and cut into 1/4 in thick slices- white and pale green parts only. Trim ends of asparagis, halve lengthwise, and cut diagonally into 1 in pieces.

Heat oil in large skillet over med-high. Cook leeks and asparagus until almost tender, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 more minute. Reserve off heat.

Cook Pasta in a 4-quart pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally; until al dente, about 8 minutes.

Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water and puree with ricotta and 1/4 cup parmesan in blender. Strain through a sieve set over a bowl and discard solids. Stir in zest.

Drain pasta in a colander. Add pasta, peas and ricotta mixture to skillet and simmer until hot, 1 minute. Stir in juice.

Sprinkle with remaining parmesan and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Ratatouille over Herbed Polenta

I think I love this dish best in fall. This herbed polenta recipe is seriously one of my favorite things to eat, and I think I have finally found the perfect thing to pair with it. I serve the ratatouille on a little bed of polenta with herbed goat cheese crumbled on top. Divine. Perfect. Blissful.

Ratatouille recipe and photo from Smitten Kitchen.
Herbed Polenta recipe from Giada De Laurentiis via Food Network

Ratatouille’s Ratatouille
As envisioned by Smitten Kitchen

1/2 onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, very thinly sliced
1 cup tomato puree (such as Pomi)
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 small eggplant (my store sells these “Italian Eggplant” that are less than half the size of regular ones; it worked perfectly)
1 smallish zucchini
1 smallish yellow squash
1 longish red bell pepper
Few sprigs fresh thyme
Salt and pepper
Few tablespoons soft goat cheese, for serving

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Pour tomato puree into bottom of an oval baking dish, approximately 10 inches across the long way. Drop the sliced garlic cloves and chopped onion into the sauce, stir in one tablespoon of the olive oil and season the sauce generously with salt and pepper.

Trim the ends off the eggplant, zucchini and yellow squash. As carefully as you can, trim the ends off the red pepper and remove the core, leaving the edges intact, like a tube.

On a mandoline, adjustable-blade slicer or with a very sharp knife, cut the eggplant, zucchini, yellow squash and red pepper into very thin slices, approximately 1/16-inch thick.

Atop the tomato sauce, arrange slices of prepared vegetables concentrically from the outer edge to the inside of the baking dish, overlapping so just a smidgen of each flat surface is visible, alternating vegetables. You may have a handful leftover that do not fit.

Drizzle the remaining tablespoon olive oil over the vegetables and season them generously with salt and pepper. Remove the leaves from the thyme sprigs with your fingertips, running them down the stem. Sprinkle the fresh thyme over the dish.

Cover dish with a piece of parchment paper cut to fit inside. (Tricky, I know, but the hardest thing about this.)

Bake for approximately 45 to 55 minutes, until vegetables have released their liquid and are clearly cooked, but with some structure left so they are not totally limp. They should not be brown at the edges, and you should see that the tomato sauce is bubbling up around them.

Serve with a dab of soft goat cheese on top, alone, or with some crusty French bread, atop polenta, couscous, or your choice of grain.

Herbed Polenta

Ingredients

• 6 cups water
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 3/4 cups yellow cornmeal
• 3/4 cup grated Parmesan
• 3/4 cup whole milk
• 6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
• 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Bring the water to a boil in a heavy large saucepan. Add 2 teaspoons of salt. Gradually whisk in the cornmeal. Reduce the heat to low and cook until the mixture thickens and the cornmeal is tender, stirring often, about 15 minutes. Remove from the heat. Add the cheese, milk, butter, parsley,rosemary, thyme, and pepper, and stir until the butter and cheese melt. Transfer the polenta to a bowl and serve.