Recipe Review from 9/10/2015

Back from vacation.  Back into the usual routine.  After being on the road for a week, we wanted to eat a bit lighter so I planned for several vegetarian meals.   These were all designed to serve four, so I could make one night and have leftovers later.  I HEART leftovers!  All were recipes that could be done after work, though I will maintain, Cooking Light's prep time is about 20-30 minutes off. 


The Meal Plan:
Sun - Southwest style sweet potatoes
Mon (yoga) - leftovers
Tues - Skillet Eggplant
Wed - Creamy Corn Risotto
Thurs - leftovers
Fri - leftovers

Lunches:  Husband - veggies     Me:  Greek Salads


Southwest Stuffed Sweet Potatoes (Ckng Lght, Sept 2018) vegetarian
Tasty, zingy and if you have a microwave, this will probably come together in about half an hour.  I do NOT have a microwave, so I grilled them.  I also grilled the tomatillos and jalepenos while I was at it. 

The tomatillo "sauce" had more zing! than I was anticipating - if you are heat sensitive or there are little taste buds involved, make sure you seed the pepper. 

Both of us enjoyed this dish, and it is something I would consider making again.  If offering to company, add a side of cornbread to round out the meal.

Serves 4
3 small tomatillos, husks removed

photo from cookinglight.com

3 garlic cloves, unpeeled
1 small jalapeo (about 1 1/2 oz.)
1 (15-oz.) can unsalted black beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup cooked quinoa
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
4 (8-oz.) sweet potatoes
1/4 cup chopped white onion
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 cup plain 2% reduced-fat Greek yogurt
1 ounce Cotija cheese, crumbled (about 1/4 cup)  I used feta because I had it on hand
1 teaspoon hot sauce
Fresh cilantro leaves (optional)
Thinly sliced white onion (optional)

Preheat broiler to low with oven rack 6 inches from heat. Place tomatillos, garlic, and jalapeño on a rimmed baking sheet. Broil until well browned, 15 to 18 minutes, flipping vegetables halfway through broiling. Let cool 5 minutes. Remove and discard jalapeño stem and garlic skins.

Stir together beans, quinoa, lime juice, oregano, cumin, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl; set aside.

Prick potatoes all over with a fork. Place on a microwave-safe plate and microwave at high until just tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Pulse broiled tomatillo, garlic, and jalapeño in a food processor 4 times. Transfer to a bowl; stir in chopped onion, chopped cilantro, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt.

Stir together yogurt and cheese in a bowl. Split potatoes lengthwise; fluff flesh with a fork. Top evenly with bean mixture, tomatillo salsa, and yogurt mixture. Drizzle evenly with hot sauce. Top with cilantro leaves and onion slices, if desired.

Creamy Corn and Mushroom Risotto (Ckng Lght, Sept 2018)  vegetarian
I do enjoy a good risotto and this one was quite good.  I did sub a bag of frozen corn for the fresh - just as tasty and not so messy to prep.  That was the only significant alteration to the recipe.  I was able to let the rice do its thing on the stove while I cleaned up the kitchen and set the table.  I would make this again.  Recommended. 

Serves 4
4 1/2 cups water

photo from cookinglight.com

2 cups fresh corn kernels (from 5 ears), divided 
I used 1 16oz bag of frozen corn - much less messy
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 cups chopped fresh mushrooms
1 cup chopped yellow onion
1 cup uncooked Arborio rice
3 garlic cloves, minced
4 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, divided
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 ounces Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, grated (about 1/2 cup) and divided
1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
5/8 teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts

Process 4 1/2 cups water and 1 cup corn in a blender until smooth, about 1 minute. Pour through a fine wire-mesh strainer into a large measuring cup; discard solids. Add water, if necessary, to equal 4 1/2 cups. Transfer to a saucepan; bring to a simmer over medium-high. Reduce heat to low.

Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high. Add mushrooms, onion, and remaining 1 cup corn. Cook, stirring often, until onions are translucent, 4 to 5 minutes. Add rice, garlic, and 2 teaspoons thyme. Cook, stirring constantly, until rice is toasted, 1 to 2 minutes. Add wine; bring to a boil, and cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid is almost evaporated.

Stir in 2 cups corn broth; reduce heat to medium-low, and cook, stirring often, until broth is almost absorbed, about 10 minutes. Add 1 cup corn broth, and cook, stirring often, 5 minutes. Repeat with 1 cup corn broth. Remove from heat. Stir in 1/4 cup cheese, butter, salt, and remaining 1/2 cup corn broth. Divide among 4 bowls; top evenly with pine nuts, remaining 2 teaspoons thyme, and remaining 1/4 cup cheese.


Greek Eggplant Skillet (Ckng Lght, Sept 2018)  vegetarian
Another tasty dish!  I did grill the eggplant, because really - a 16 oz eggplant is not going to fit in a regular skillet.  Plus it's one less dish to clean up when it's on the grill.  While the eggplant was grilling, I cooked the tofu.  Now, I have never had any luck with cooking drained/dried tofu in oil.  And I didn't again.  First batch stuck to the pan.  I washed the pan out and cooked the second batch in a dry skillet, which works so much better for me.  Rest of the dish I assembled as directed.  I would make this again if I can grill the eggplant - so probably not a winter dish.  Recommended.

Serves 4
7 tablespoons olive oil, divided

photo from cookinglight.com

1 (14-oz.) pkg. extra-firm tofu, cubed
1 large (about 16 oz.) eggplant, cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices
1 (28-oz.) can whole peeled tomatoes (such as San Marzano), drained and chopped
2 garlic cloves, grated
1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano, plus more for garnish
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
3 tablespoons crumbled feta cheese
Chopped fresh mint

 Preheat broiler with an oven rack 6 inches from heat.

Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high. Add 2 tablespoons oil; swirl to coat. Add tofu; cook until browned, about 5 minutes. Remove tofu from skillet. Add 1/4 cup oil and eggplant slices in a single layer; cook, without stirring, until browned, about 4 minutes. Flip eggplant slices; cook until tender, about 4 minutes. Remove skillet from heat.

Combine tomatoes, garlic, oregano, cinnamon, cumin, salt, and crushed red pepper in a medium bowl.

Top eggplant evenly with tofu. Spoon tomato mixture over eggplant and tofu. Drizzle with remaining 1 tablespoon oil; sprinkle with feta. Broil until cheese begins to brown, about 4 minutes. Garnish with chopped mint and oregano.

Greek Chickpea Salad (Ckng Lght Sept 2018)  vegetarian
This was my lunch for the week. The premise of the article is assemble once, eat four times.  I admit, I love dishes/recipes/ideas like this.  It's a pretty straight forward recipe, you just need four equal sized lunch containers to put it in.  I did need to pack some string cheese for a few extra calories to get me through the afternoon to dinner at 6p.  Recommended!

6 cups torn romaine lettuce
1/2 cup vertically sliced red onion  let's not offend any coworkers...
1 (15-oz.) can unsalted chickpeas, drained and rinsed
2 cups halved grape or cherry tomatoes
2 cups half-moon English cucumber slices (from 1 cucumber)
I used a zucchini
16 pitted kalamata olives (about 2 oz.)
4 ounces feta cheese, cut into 8 slices
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
1 garlic clove, grated  skipped, don't like the taste of raw garlic in my dressing

Arrange 1 1/2 cups lettuce and 2 tablespoons onion in each of 4 (4-cup) bowls or containers. Top each serving with 1/3 cup chickpeas, 1/2 cup tomatoes, 1/2 cup cucumber, 4 olives, and 2 cheese slices.

Whisk together oil, vinegar, oregano, pepper, salt, and garlic in a small bowl. Serve about 2 tablespoons dressing with each salad.