Recipe: Ultimate Veggie Burgers

Ultimate Veggie Burgers

Food & Wine Magazine, Aug 2021, p.32

5 stars

Best veggie burger ever! This took a LOT of steps and a while to make, but to me, it was worth it for its fresh flavor. I wish the burger patty stayed together a little better -- it needs a binder (like an egg) and perhaps if it was fried before baking, it would be even more amazing and stay together more but then not healthy.

Patty Ingredients: pearl barley, carrots, beets, chickpeas, button mushrooms, panko, walnuts, whole-grain or Dijon mustard, bay leaf, ground cumin, smoked paprika, soy sauce or tamari, olive oil, garlic, Kosher salt, black pepper

The rest of the burger: hamburger bun, mayonnaise, lettuce, pickles, red onion, sliced tomato, cheese

Recipe: Farro Salad-Stuffed Avocados

Farro Salad-Stuffed Avocados

Better Homes and Gardens, Sept 2021, p. 78

4.8 stars

We didn't stuff the avocados but instead diced them as part of the "salad." Great flavor for a Greek-like salad and really easy for a nice weeknight meal.

Ingredients: avocados, farro, tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, vegetable broth, harissa paste, dill, lemon, shallot, garlic, smoked paprika, feta, Greek yogurt

Tips:

• Had jarred harissa sauce instead of paste; thinking the paste would be more concentrated, we used more sauce than needed and it ended up being too spicy!
• Left out the dill
• Used cherry tomatoes
• Had plant-based Beyond Sausage on the side but actually falafel would be a perfect accompaniment next time!

Ask Martha: Difference Between 3 Hard Italian Cheeses

I'm saving this as a reminder of the difference between Parmigiano-Reggiano, Grana Padano and Pecorino Romano! (Source: Martha Stewart Living Magazine, September 2021, p.48)

Recipe: Stir-Fried Noodles with Chicken (Tofu)

Stir-Fried Noodles with Chicken (Tofu)

Bon Appetit Magazine, May 2021, 

4.9 stars

What caught my eye on this recipe was this blurb beneath the recipe, "These simple noodles are designed to empty out your entire crisper drawer in one fell swoop, from slightly droopy carrots and celery to scallions on their last legs and that random onion half."

It sure did as we had all of the above in our vegetable drawer including green cabbage from another dish that we needed to use up. This was so delicious -- I can't wait to eat the leftovers.

Ingredients: wavy ramen noodles, chicken, green cabbage, carrots, celery, onion, scallions, serrano or Fresno chile, ginger, garlic, soy sauce, unseasoned rice vinegar, Shaoxing wine or medium-dry sherry, sesame oil, sesame seeds, grapeseed or vegetable oil, Kosher salt

Tips:

• Made this vegetarian by using tofu instead of chicken
• Used jalapenos (we have plenty in our herb garden!) instead of serranos
• Used up the shallot we had
• At the table, added a little more soy sauce and added chile crisp for additional heat
• Served with vegetable spring rolls

Recipe: Cheese-Stuffed Portobello Burger

Cheese-Stuffed Portobello Burger

Martha Stewart Living Magazine, Jan/Feb 2021, p. 98

5 stars

There's no missing of meat here! The flavor overall and crunch of the panko was perfect -- I definitely prefer this over a regular burger!  The ingredient list and recipe are pretty simple for this flavorful, plant-based burger.

Ingredients: buns, portobello mushrooms, provolone, arugula, all-purpose flour, egg, panko, mayonnaise, vegetable oil, extra-virgin olive oil, Kosher salt, pepper

Tips:

• Used regular sesame buns that we had instead of brioche buns which the recipe called for
• Make sure to use/find the LARGEST portobellos as the portobellos shrink
• Didn't butterfly the portobello and put the slices of provolone in the middle -- the portobellos were too thin (instead, we put the provolone directly on the bun in the burger)
• Used regular mayonnaise vs. making the garlic-vinegar mayonnaise the recipe called for
• Served with a side salad and sweet potato fries

(Find paper recipe under: Salad - Winter Cobb Salad)

Recipe: Pesto-ish Risotto

Pesto-ish Risotto

Bon Appetit Magazine, June 2021

4.8 stars

This was a super interesting risotto recipe that involved a turmeric/pine nut/oil topping. Flavorful and good enough to serve at a dinner party!

Ingredients: basil, arborio or carnaroli rice, vegetable broth, pine nuts, turmeric, grated Parmesan, lemon, unsalted butter, garlic, extra-virgin olive oil, Kosher salt, ground pepper

Tips:

• Served this with Beyond Sausage which we had for the first time that was pretty good!

Recipe: Salt-and-Pepper Cauliflower

Salt-and-Pepper Cauliflower 

Bon Appetit Magazine, May 2021, p. 66

5 stars

In reading the title of the recipe as well as the ingredients themselves, this doesn't sound like it would be good, but it was delicious. The tofu, miso and shallots (yes, use all 3 shallots) created a gravy-like sauce for the dish with the shallots adding an unexpected depth of flavor.

Ingredients: rice, cauliflower, shallots, silken tofu, white miso, garlic, jalapenos, lemon juice, cilantro, vegetable oil, Kosher salt, black pepper

Tips:

• There was a lot of what I'm calling "gravy" so double the amount of cauliflower as well as the jalapeno topping
• Served this with spring rolls

Recipe: Peach-and-Blueberry Tart with Cream Cheese Filling

Peach-and-Blueberry Tart with Cream Cheese Filling

Martha Stewart Living Magazine, Jul/Aug 2020, p. 101

4.8 stars

I've always been one that hates waste all around, and now even more so after reading an article about food waste in Bon Appetit Magazine last month. 

We had made a dish recently that resulted in 6 oz of cream cheese left over, and for some reason, every time we have leftover cream cheese, it spoils in the fridge. I was determine to find a recipe to use it up and found this pretty easy tart dessert. Really nice and refreshing on a summer day.

Ingredients: peaches, blueberries, cream cheese, unsalted butter, heavy cream, confectioners' sugar, granulated sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, all-purpose flour, Kosher salt

Tips:

• Need to make sure the tart bottom isn't super thick and don't overbake as it was super thick and hard to cut through with a fork when eating
• Because the fruit was so sweet, used less granulated sugar
• Make sure to read the recipe carefully as the lemon juice and Kosher salt are divided between multiple steps

Recipe: Winter Cobb Salad with Crispy Shiitakes and All-Purpose Baked Tofu

Winter Cobb Salad

Crispy Shiitakes

All-Purpose Baked Tofu

Martha Stewart Living Magazine

5 stars

Another new "bowl" favorite to add to the rotation! It includes all of my favorite things, though I didn't have a soft boiled egg with this (forgot!).

Winter Cobb Salad Ingredients: kale, avocado, cherry tomatoes, Crispy Shiitakes, All-Purpose Baked Tofu, blue cheese, eggs, red wine vinegar, extra-virgin olive oil, garlic, Kosher salt, pepper

Crispy Shiitakes: shiitake mushrooms, extra-virgin olive oil, Kosher salt, pepper

All-Purpose Baked Tofu: extra-firm tofu, extra-virgin olive oil, reduced-sodium soy sauce, smoked paprika, cornstarch

Tips:

• Add farro to make it a heartier dish next time
• Depending on how much you make overall, potentially make 1/2 of the vinaigrette
• For the shiitakes, cook them for about 10 less minutes than what it calls for
• For the tofu, make double or triple!

Recipe: Mushroom Cuban Quesadillas

Mushroom Cuban Quesadillas

Food & Wine Magazine, Mar 2021, p. 45

5 stars

We loved this easy dish especially as we're eating more plant-based foods. Granted, there's Swiss cheese in this, but it was good and filling! The portobello mushrooms have great flavor.

Ingredients: flour tortillas, portobello mushrooms, Swiss cheese slices, hamburger dill pickles, Dijon mustard, ground cumin, garlic powder, orange zest, canola oil, Kosher salt, black pepper, scallions for garnish

Tips:

• The only drawback of this dish is that you have think about it ahead of time -- marinating the mushrooms for 8-14 hours
• Didn't necessarily fry these
• Didn't top with scallions though that would've been a nice added layer of flavor

Recipe: One-Pan Spring Tuscan Quinoa Bake

One-Pan Spring Tuscan Quinoa Bake

HalfBakedHarvest.com

4.7 stars

For a vegetarian quinoa dish, this was pretty good. We had this along with Sausage-Spiced Cauliflower Steaks (also vegetarian). Lots of flavor but we amped up the flavor a little bit even while leaving out some ingredients.

Ingredients: quinoa, red bell pepper, ricotta, mozzarella cheese, roasted marinated artichokes, sundried tomato pesto, pickled pepperoncinis, kalamata olives, garlic, dried basil, dried oregano, dried parsley, dried dill, red pepper, pecorino cheese, olive oil, salt, pepper; cherry tomatoes, fresh basil

Tips:

• Use much less oil than the 1/3 cup to cover the bottom of the baking dish
• We bought a small jar of pesto that was a little more than the 1/4 cup it called for. Use all the pesto!
• Use only 1 cup of uncooked quinoa
• Use more ricotta than it calls for
• Didn't add olives or dill to the dish
• Didn't add tomatoes and basil on top

Drink Recipe: Frozen Hula Hoop

Frozen Hula Hoop
Food & Wine Magazine, Jul 2021, p. 51
5 stars

I love this drink so much -- great drink for pool time! It's kind of like a frozen daiquiri but better.

The recipe in Food & Wine Magazine was for 4-6 people (more like 4 people).

Their recipe is at the link above, but I adapted it for 1) 1 person and 2) with what we have in the house -- plus my proportions are a tad different.

Blend up:

• 2/3 cup of ice cubes
• 1/3 cup of frozen pineapple
• 2 Tbsp of dark rum
• 1 Tbsp Aperol
• 1 Tbsp red wine
• 1.5 Tbsp of maraschino cherry liquid from the jar (I prefer Tillen Farms Merry Maraschinos that seem less artificial as they are free from artificial colors, flavors, dyes, corn syrup and preservatives -- This is not an ad!) 
• 1 Tbsp lemon juice

Enjoy! 

Sheet Pan Cheesy Poblano Corn Enchiladas

Sheet Pan Cheesy Poblano Corn Enchiladas

HalfBakedHarvest.com

5 stars

This dish was so good that even hubby called this a 5 star recipe because it was so flavorful. This is a vegetarian dish, but you won't miss the meat. The leftovers went fast on this one. The recipe makes about 16 enchiladas (1 full large rectangular Pyrex dish and another square Pyrex dish).

Ingredients: tortillas, cheddar cheese, pepper jack cheese, corn, poblano peppers, zucchini, yellow onion, cilantro, basil, garlic, salsa verde, chipotle chilies in adobo, smoked paprika, honey, extra virgin olive oil, Kosher salt, black pepper

Top with: avocado, sour cream, cotija or feta, squeeze of lime

Tips

• Used frozen corn
• Used 2 zucchini instead of 1
• Added cumin
• Added 1 can of black beans
• Added jalapenos

Recipe: Sheet-Pan Gnocchi

Sheet-Pan Gnocchi

Bon Appetit Magazine, June 2021

Gnocchi Prep: 5 stars. Overall Dish: 4.3 stars

As noted in my star rating above, the gnocchi prep was so good -- roasted instead of boiled. As the recipe indicated, the gnocchi was crisp on the outside while remaining tender within, but overall, the dish was almost too simple tasting. I would add Calabrian chiles or another layer of flavor to this next time. The recipe, however, was great because I had arugula that we needed to finish up.

Ingredients: shelf-stable or refrigerated potato gnocchi, arugula, cherry tomatoes, red onion, basil, Parmesan, garlic, extra-virgin olive oil, lemon juice, Kosher salt, ground pepper

Recipe: Spring Herbs Soup with Fregola and Pancetta

Spring Herbs Soup with Fregola and Pancetta

Food & Wine Magazine, May 2021, p. 46

4.7 stars

You must like fennel and herbs to enjoy this soup. We do, and it was delicious -- definitely a "spring" soup! Incredibly easy to make with ingredients we normally have in the house except for pancetta.

The pancetta gives a nice deep umami flavor and the white wine is key. Loved the heat in this soup from the red pepper.

Ingredients: pancetta, fregola or orzo or couscous, cannellini beans, yellow onion, dry white wine, chicken broth, parsley, chives, tarragon, garlic, fennel seeds, red pepper, pecorino Romano cheese, extra-virgin olive oil, Kosher salt, black pepper, lemon wedges for serving

Tips

• Used orzo
• Used dry tarragon

Recipe: Pastrami Pad Kee Mao (Drunken Noodles)

Pastrami Pad Kee Mao (Drunken Noodles)

Food and Wine Magazine, Apr 2021, p. 94

4.8 stars

I'm a huge Pad Kee Mao fan so when I saw this using pastrami (strange and interesting!), we had to try it. Because we don't have any Asian grocery stores near us, we used fresh udon noodles instead of the fresh wide rice noodles that it calls for. I could have done without the pastrami, but blog contributor the grandcruman really enjoyed it. I think a Vietnamese Shaking Beef would go well in this dish. 

FYI - This was a spicy dish with the jalapenos and Thai chiles -- loved it!

Ingredients: fresh wide rice noodles, pastrami, red bell pepper, jalapenos, fresh Thai chiles, garlic, sugar, oyster sauce, black soy sauce, fish sauce, Thai basil leaves, vegetable oil, ground white pepper, brined green peppercorns

Tips:

• Doubled the amount of red bell pepper to make it hearty
• Used regular basil leaves
• Left out the optional brined green peppercorns

Recipe: Dark Chocolate Panna Cotta

Dark Chocolate Panna Cotta
Laylita.com

4.6 stars

Nice dessert that we served to guests with whipped cream and berries. The panna cotta was a bit more pudding-like so I may try a different recipe next time. This was delicious, though, and not very sweet which I liked.

Ingredients: milk, heavy cream, gelatin, sugar, dark chocolate, unsweetened cocoa powder, vanilla extract

Tips:

• The milk boiled so fast on our induction stove that it boiled over a little bit (I need to watch it more closely next time!)
• Half the recipe made 4 martini glasses plus a little leftover

Recipe: Crispy Cheese Burritos with Chorizo and Eggs

Crispy Cheese Burritos with Chorizo and Eggs

Food and Wine Magazine, Feb 2021, p. 35

4.8 stars

Super quick and easy weekday meal! I thought this was as good as Torchy's Tacos...

Ingredients: flour tortillas, Mexican chorizo, eggs, sharp cheddar cheese, black beans, white onion, cilantro, jalapenos, canola oil, Kosher salt, black pepper, avocado, tomatillo salsa

Tips:

• Didn't sizzle the cheese on the tortilla -- instead, we melted the cheese on the tortilla in the microwave
• Added red pepper
• Used full can of black beans
• Bought regular salsa vs. tomatillo salsa
• Made eggs only for this meal (vs. making extra with the need to reheat the eggs later)

Recipe: Udon in Buttery Tomato and Soy Broth

Udon in Buttery Tomato and Soy Broth

Bon Appetit Magazine, Mar 2021, p. 80
5 stars

Incredibly flavorful vegetarian soup -- and restaurant worthy.

As the recipe blurb states "you may be surprised at how quickly this broth builds flavor, with massive depth from golden onions, tomatoes, soy sauce and just a tiny bit of butter for a silky finish." They were absolutely right! Plus, this was a very easy weeknight dish.

Ingredients: beefsteak tomatoes, instant udon noodles, onions, scallions, cilantro, garlic, ginger, cinnamon stick, star anise, soy sauce, unsalted butter, sesame oil, vegetable oil, black pepper, Kosher salt

Tips:

• Used regular large beefsteak-looking tomatoes
• Grated the tomatoes using the food processor
• Next time, try substituting 2 cups of the water for 2 cups of beef broth to add another layer of flavor, not that it really needs more flavor -- but it might give it an even more pho-like flavor
• Could add basil next time as a garnish too

Recipe: Lunch Nachos with Spiced Cauliflower

Lunch Nachos with Spiced Cauliflower

Bon Appetit Magazine, Mar 2021, p. 37

4.8 stars

Discovered another great weeknight meal -- that's economical too! I was just thinking about the last time we ordered nachos from a restaurant for pick up. It was so expensive and a pathetically small portion. 

I wasn't sure about the spiced cauliflower, but it worked! Added some cholula on top and a margarita on the side, and this was a great dinner.

Ingredients: tortilla chips, refried beans, cauliflower, radishes, carrots, sharp cheddar, avocado, cilantro, plain yogurt, seasoned rice vinegar, ground coriander, ground cumin, paprika, extra-virgin olive oil, garlic, Kosher salt

Tips:

• Heat up the beans fully on the stove
• Either grease the sheet pan or use a silpat mat (we used foil and the nachos and cheese stuck to it)
• Use sour cream or creme fraiche instead of yogurt