Category Archives: Recipes

Quinoa-Stuffed Peppers

Tonight was a another vegetarian recipe success!

I am a big fan of stuffed peppers and usually fill them ground beef and rice. When I saw this recipe I was more than willing to try it, as it contains many ingredients that I already like and well, everything tastes better when baked in a pepper.

I did change the recipe up a little. I did not add the pepper jack cheese into the filling as directed. As a matter of fact, I never even purchased the pepper jack and ended up topping the peppers with a little shredded sharp cheddar I happened to have in the fridge. I also added a pinch of red pepper flakes to the filling while cooking to give it that little kick you would have received from the cheese.

Quinoa-Stuffed Peppers
(courtesy of Vegetarian Times)

Ingredients:

  • 1 medium onion, finely chopped (1 cup)
  • 2 Tbs. olive oil
  • 2 ribs celery, finely chopped (1/2 cup)
  • 1 Tbs. ground cumin
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced (2 tsp.)
  • 1 10-oz. pkg. frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
  • 2 15-oz. cans diced tomatoes, drained, liquid reserved
  • 1 15-oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained (I soaked dry beans instead of using canned)
  • 3/4 cup quinoa
  • 3 large carrots, grated (11/2 cups)
  • 11/2 cups grated reduced-fat pepper Jack cheese, divided
  • 4 large red bell peppers, halved lengthwise, ribs removed

Directions:

1. Heat oil in saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and celery, and cook 5 minutes, or until soft. Add cumin and garlic, and sauté 1 minute. Stir in spinach and drained tomatoes. Cook 5 minutes, or until most of liquid has evaporated.

2. Stir in black beans, quinoa, carrots, and 2 cups water. Cover, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 20 minutes, or until quinoa is tender. Stir in 1 cup cheese. Season with salt and pepper, if desired.

3. Preheat oven to 350°F. Pour liquid from tomatoes in bottom of baking dish.

4. Fill each bell pepper half with heaping 3/4-cup quinoa mixture, and place in baking dish. Cover with foil, and bake 1 hour. Uncover, and sprinkle each pepper with 1 Tbs. remaining cheese. Bake 15 minutes more, or until tops of stuffed peppers are browned. Let stand 5 minutes. Transfer stuffed peppers to serving plates, and drizzle each with pan juices before serving.

Calories: 279 Protein: 14g Total Fat: 10g  (if prepared according to recipe)

I hope you enjoy these as much as I did. As always, if you make a variation of this dish I would love to hear about it.
blog sig

Leave a comment

Filed under Main Course, Recipes

Roasted Cauliflower and Brussels Sprouts

Tonight, was another first for me. I had managed in my 34 years on this planet to avoid brussels sprout at all costs.

Over the weekend, while shopping I saw a package of the little green orbs and decided….why not!

I stared at them in my cart during the whole shopping trip trying to think of a reason NOT to purchase them. I came up with nothing, so they came home with me. I put them in my fridge and we engaged in a visual stand-off for 4 days.

Finally, I decided today was the day! I would cook the little orbs and taste them. If I didn’t like them, it would be ok….at least I could say I tried them. If I liked them…score! A new food to add to my rotation, like the sweet potato which I had also avoided for 34 years. (No, I don’t live under a rock. I just have the eating habits of a 4yr-old when it comes to trying new things.)

Turns out….the little green orbs are really good roasted! They looked appetizing, unlike the boiled, buttered things most people think of when you say brussels sprouts. If you haven’t tried them roasted, I highly suggest it!

Tonights menu was: Teriyaki Chicken, Mashed Sweet Potato and Roasted Cauliflower and Brussels Sprouts.

Roasted Cauliflower and Brussels Sprouts
(courtesy of Vegetarian Times)

Ingredients:

  • 1 medium cauliflower, quartered, cored and cut into 1-inch florets
  • 2 cups (1 pint) Brussels sprouts, halved lengthwise
  • 3 Tbs. olive oil
  • 3 large cloves garlic, sliced as thin as possible
  • 1 1/2 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary or 1/2 tsp. dried, crumbled
  • 1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper
  • 3/4 tsp. coarse salt

Directions:

  1. In large bowl, combine cauliflower and Brussels sprouts. Drizzle oil on top. Add garlic, rosemary and pepper and toss well. Cover tightly and refrigerate overnight.
  2. Preheat oven to 450°F. Spread vegetables in single layer on large baking sheet with sides. Sprinkle with salt. Roast until vegetables are crisp-tender and beginning to brown at edges, 15 to 20 minutes. Serve hot or at room temperature.

For the mashed sweet potatoes, I just put them in the oven to roast with the chicken (which was marinated in pre-made bottle sauce I had on hand by Lawry’s)  for an hour at 350 degrees. I then removed the skin, mashed them with a fork and added some cinnamon while mashing. They were wonderful and creamy on their own with no added butter or milk.

If you are a fan of brussels sprouts, I’d love to hear how you like them prepared!

blog sig

2 Comments

Filed under Main Course, Recipes

Vegetable Pie

I found this recipe while searching on-line at Vegetarian Times.

It was very simple to make and everyone really enjoyed it.

Technically, I shouldn’t eat this while doing the cleanse because it contains eggs, ricotta cheese and milk, which are all animal products, but it was really yummy and overall I don’t plan on taking those items out of my daily diet forever.

Ingredients:

  • 1 Tbs. olive oil
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 10 oz. button mushrooms, sliced (4 cups)
  • 1 medium clove garlic, minced
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
  • 1/2 cup skim milk
  • 10-oz. pkg. frozen chopped broccoli, thawed
  • 5 sun-dried tomatoes, cut into thin strips
  • 1 tsp. dried basil

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly coat 9-inch quiche dish or pie pan with cooking spray. Set aside.
  2. In large nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and mushrooms and cook, stirring often, until liquid has evaporated, 5 to 7 minutes. Add garlic and stir 1 minute. Transfer mushroom mixture to prepared dish.
  3. In medium bowl, beat eggs to blend, then stir in ricotta and milk. Add to mushroom mixture in dish along with broccoli, tomatoes and basil. Mix well.
  4. Bake until filling is set, 50 to 55 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool slightly. Cut into quarters and serve warm.

Makes 4 servings. Approx. 180 calories, 9g fat, 16g carbs, 5g fiber

blog sig

1 Comment

Filed under Main Course, Recipes

Baked Oatmeal Snack Bars

I’ve been on a quest to find a healthy, oatmeal bar to replace my addition to the sugar laden Quaker Oatmeal To-Go bars. I used this recipe as a jumping point (found at kateats.com) and made  two variations which I have posted below the original recipe.

I also plan on trying them with PB2, which is powdered peanut butter. This variation would call for 1/2 cup of PB and I’m thinking about adding raisins or some semi-sweet mini chocolate chips as a treat.


Ingredients

  • 1.5 cups rolled oats
  • 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
  • 3/4 cup dried fruit (I used 1/4 cup cranberry trail mix, 1/4 cup raisins, 1/4 cup chopped dried “just banana” from TJ’s)
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 1.25 cups skim milk
  • 1 egg or egg substitute
  • 1 tsp vanilla

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350*
  2. Mix dry ingredients.
  3. Mix wet ingredients.
  4. Pour wet into dry. Stir to combine.
  5. Pour into a 9×9 baking dish either coated in cooking spray or lined with parchment.
  6. Bake for 40 minutes.
  7. Cut into 9 squares.

Makes 9 servings . Each bar is appx. 165 calories

**You can double the recipe and use a 9×13 baking dish. While delicious, the only sweetness in these comes from the dried fruit. Add in 1/4 – 1/2 cup brown sugar if you like.

The variations are endless: cranberries, coconut, all kinds of dried fruit, nuts, etc.

Banana-Craisin Oatmeal Bars:

Ingredients

  • 1.5 cups rolled oats
  • 1/2 cup craisins (dried cranberries)
  • 1 cup Almond Milk, Unsweetened, Vanilla
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 3 very ripe bananas, mashed
  • 1 scoop of Vanilla whey protein (optional)
  • 1 tsp vanilla

Following cooking directions above, however I removed the bars from the pan, flipped them, placed the large square onto foil and baked for an additional 10-minutes to dry out the bottom side.

Makes 9 servings . Each bar is appx. 170 calories
Cinnamon Brown Sugar Oatmeal Squares

Ingredients

  • 1.5 cups rolled oats
  • 1/4 cup light brown sugar
  • 3/4 cup Almond Milk, Unsweetened, Vanilla
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 1 tsp vanilla

Following cooking directions above, however I removed the bars from the pan, flipped them, placed the large square onto foil and baked for an additional 10-minutes to dry out the bottom side.

Makes 9 servings . Each bar is appx. 80 calories. These came out a little flatter than the banana ones and would make a great snack.

* If you make a variation of these or if you already make your own homemade oatmeal bars, I would love to hear about your recipe!

blog sig

1 Comment

Filed under Recipes, Snacks & Treats