by Linda Larsen
Curried Vegetable Quiche
Oven Omelet
This recipe can be served as the main dish for a Sunday brunch, or as the centerpiece for a vegetarian luncheon.
INEXPENSIVE
INGREDIENTS | SERVES 6–8
3 tablespoons butter, melted
18 eggs
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 cup sour cream
1 cup whole milk
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1½ cups shredded Colby cheese
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
1. Preheat oven to 325°F. Pour melted butter into a 9″ × 13″ glass baking dish and spread on the bottom.
2. In large bowl, combine eggs with salt, pepper, and sour cream; beat with egg beater until mixed. Add milk and mustard and beat until blended.
3. Stir in Colby cheese and pour into prepared pan. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and bake for 35–45 minutes until eggs are puffed, set, and lightly browned.
Pierogies Casserole
Pierogies are like large ravioli, usually stuffed with a seasoned potato mixture. They’re hearty and healthy, and easy to cook.
EASY
INGREDIENTS | SERVES 8
2 (20-ounce) packages frozen vegetarian pierogies
1 (16-ounce) jar pasta sauce
1 (16-ounce) jar four-cheese Alfredo sauce
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1. Preheat oven to 375°F. In 3-quart casserole, place pierogies. Pour over pasta sauce, then Alfredo sauce. Sprinkle with cheeses.
2. Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake for 15–25 minutes longer until pierogies are hot and tender and cheese is melted and begins to brown.
Bean Bake
Baked beans can be baked again with no loss in flavor or texture. The edamame, or soybeans, add an extra texture dimension to this dish.
HEALTHY
INGREDIENTS | SERVES 6
2 (28-ounce) cans baked beans, undrained
¼ cup molasses
1 onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 (16-ounce) package frozen edamame, thawed
1 (15-ounce) can kidney beans, drained
½ cup ketchup
¼ cup chili sauce
¼ cup brown sugar
¼ cup Dijon mustard
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. In 2½-quart baking dish, combine all ingredients and mix well.
2. Bake, covered, for 1 hour. Uncover, stir mixture, and bake for 50–60 minutes longer until mixture is thickened, hot, and bubbly.
Keep It Healthy
Make sure that the baked beans you use are labeled “vegetarian,” especially if you’re serving this as a vegetarian main dish. Read the label carefully to ensure that no animal products are used in the cans. Vegetarian baked beans are usually spicier than those made with pork or bacon to make up for that flavor loss.
Veggie Tacos
You can use your favorite frozen vegetable combo in this super-easy recipe. Keep these ingredients on hand in case a recipe doesn’t work and you need a quick substitute.
EASY
INGREDIENTS | SERVES 4–6
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 (16-ounce) package stir-fry vegetables
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained
1 cup salsa
¼ cup tomato paste
8 crisp taco shells
½ cup sour cream
1 (4-ounce) can green chilies
1½ cups shredded pepper jack cheese
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. In large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion; cook and stir for 5 minutes. Add vegetables; cook and stir for another 4–5 minutes until vegetables are hot.
2. Add black beans, salsa, and tomato paste; bring to a simmer. Simmer for 4–5 minutes.
3. Place taco shells on cookie sheet and bake for 7–9 minutes until crisp. In small bowl, combine sour cream, chilies, and cheese.
4. Let guests assemble their own tacos using vegetable mixture, taco shells, and sour cream mixture.
Moussaka
Classic Moussaka is made vegetarian by using meatless protein crumbles instead of ground beef.
HEALTHY
INGREDIENTS | SERVES 10
2 eggplants, peeled
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 onions, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 (12-ounce) package meatless crumbles
1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
½ teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon dried basil leaves ½ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
½ teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon white pepper
1½ cups milk
½ cup sour cream
2 eggs
1 cup grated Romano cheese
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
¼ cup dried bread crumbs
1. Slice eggplant ½ inch thick and sprinkle with salt. Let stand while preparing rest of recipe.
2. In large saucepan heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add onions and garlic; cook and stir until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in tomato paste and let brown for a few minutes. Stir in tomato sauce, oregano, cinnamon, basil, and ½ teaspoon salt; simmer over low heat for 30 minutes.
3. For cream sauce, in medium saucepan heat 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Add flour, ½ teaspoon salt, and white pepper; cook and stir until bubbly. Add milk and sour cream; cook and stir until thick. Remove from heat and beat in eggs and Romano cheese.
4. Rinse eggplant, pat dry, and broil for 7–8 minutes, turning once, until browned. Spray a 9″ × 13″ glass baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Place a layer of eggplant in bottom, top with tomato sauce, and remaining eggplant.
5. Preheat oven to 350°F. Pour cream sauce over eggplants and top with a mixture of Parmesan cheese and bread crumbs. Bake for 40–50 minutes until top is golden brown. Cool for 10 minutes, then cut into squares to serve.
Eggs Emily in Puff Pastry
This elegant dish is totally made ahead of time. All you have to do is assemble it and bake. It’s perfect for a fancy brunch.
MAKE AHEAD
INGREDIENTS | SERVES 6
1 package puff pastry shells
8 eggs, beaten
1 (10-ounce) package refrigerated Alfredo sauce
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup shredded Havarti cheese
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 shallots, minced
3 tomatoes, chopped
½ teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
¼ cup chopped parsley
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Make-Ahead Tips
You can partially bake puff pastry ahead of time, cool it, then store it at room temperature to be filled and baked later. Since this preliminary baking is just to set the dough, the pastry will still be nice and flaky. Be sure to cook the eggs just until they’re set. And then serve these little puffs right out of the oven.
1. Thaw and bake the pastry shells according to the package directions, except bake for 4 minutes less. Remove and cool on wire rack.
2. In large bowl, beat eggs with ½ cup Alfredo sauce. Melt butter in large saucepan; add eggs and cook until just set but still moist.
3. Remove from heat and stir in remaining Alfredo sauce. Place in greased casserole dish and sprinkle with Havarti cheese. Cover and chill until ready to eat.
4. In small saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add shallots and tomatoes; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, over medium heat until tender. Remove from heat and stir in parsley; chill until ready to eat.
5. Preheat oven to 400°F. Stir egg mixtu
re gently until combined. Put a spoonful of the tomato mixture into each puff pastry shell and fill with egg mixture. Top with more tomato mixture and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake for 12–18 minutes until eggs are hot.
Cheese and Rice Soufflé
The rice helps give the soufflé structure so it won’t fall as quickly as one made without. This delicious recipe is easy to make too.
INEXPENSIVE
INGREDIENTS | SERVES 6
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
¼ cup butter
1 chopped onion
3 cloves garlic, minced
¼ cup flour
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dried basil leaves
1/8 teaspoon white pepper
1½ cups whole milk
5 eggs, separated
2 cups grated Colby cheese
1½ cups cooked cold rice
1 cup frozen baby peas, thawed
½ teaspoon cream of tartar
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease the bottom only of a 2½-quart soufflé dish with unsalted butter; sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and set aside.
2. In large saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; cook and stir until tender, about 6 minutes.
3. Add flour, salt, basil, and pepper; cook and stir until bubbly. Add milk and cook until thickened. Beat in egg yolks, one at a time, then add Colby cheese; stir until melted.
4. Remove from heat and add rice and peas; stir gently and set aside.
5. In medium bowl, combine egg whites with cream of tartar; beat until stiff peaks form. Stir a dollop into the rice mixture to lighten, then carefully fold in remaining egg whites.
6. Pour into prepared soufflé dish. Bake for 50–60 minutes or until soufflé is puffed and golden brown. Serve immediately.
Black-Eyed Pea Salad
This elegant salad can be served as the main dish for a vegetarian lunch along with some hot corn bread straight from the oven.
EASY
INGREDIENTS | SERVES 8
3 (15-ounce) cans black-eyed peas, drained
1 red onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 yellow bell pepper, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ cup honey mustard
½ cup honey mustard salad dressing
½ cup plain yogurt
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
¼ teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
½ teaspoon dried tarragon leaves
Keep It Healthy
Black-eyed peas are legumes, just like kidney beans, chickpeas, and black beans. They provide incomplete protein, that is, they don’t have all of the amino acids our bodies need. So serve it with another grain, like rice or corn bread, to make complete proteins. The hot corn bread is the perfect foil to the cool and creamy salad.
1. Rinse the peas and drain well. Combine in large bowl with onion, bell peppers, and garlic; toss gently and set aside.
2. In small bowl, combine remaining ingredients and mix well with wire whisk until blended. Pour over pea mixture and stir gently to coat. Cover and chill for 4–5 hours before serving.
Black Bean Pizza
Think of this pizza as a big open taco, and top it with sliced avocados, sour cream, salsa, and chopped tomatoes. Yum.
INEXPENSIVE
INGREDIENTS | SERVES 12
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 jalapeño peppers, minced
1 tablespoon chili powder
½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 (15-ounce) can refried beans
½ cup sour cream
1 cup salsa
2 Classic Pizza Crusts (page 70), prebaked
2 (15-ounce) cans black beans, drained
1½ cups shredded pepper jack cheese
2 plum tomatoes, diced
2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
Make It Easy
Instead of using a homemade pizza crust, you can buy commercial dough from a pizza parlor, use frozen bread dough, thawed and rolled out to 12-inch circles, or the canned pizza dough in the refrigerated section of the supermarket. You could also use those thick pizza crusts topped with cheese and seasonings.
1. Preheat oven to 400°F. In large saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, and jalapeño s; cook and stir for 5–6 minutes until tender.
2. Add chili powder, cumin, salt, cayenne pepper, refried beans, and sour cream and salsa; bring to a simmer. Remove from heat.
3. Spread the refried bean mixture over the prebaked Crusts. Top each Crust with a can of rinsed and drained black beans, then sprinkle with pepper jack cheese, tomatoes, and Cheddar cheese.
4. Bake for 20–30 minutes or until cheese is melted and browned. Cut into wedges to serve.
Rice and Spinach Quiche
A quiche is welcome at any type of party. It’s even good at room temperature! But be sure to follow the 2-hour rule; eat it or refrigerate within 2 hours.
LAST MINUTE
INGREDIENTS | SERVES 8
. 1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 cup cooked brown rice
1 (10-ounce) package frozen spinach, thawed and drained
4 eggs
1 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
½ teaspoon dried dill weed
1 cup shredded Swiss cheese
1 Make-Ahead Pie Crust (page 251)
1 cup shredded Gouda cheese
3 tablespoons grated Asiago cheese
1. Preheat oven to 375°F. In medium saucepan, heat olive oil and butter over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, and bell pepper; cook and stir until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes.
2. Add rice and spinach; cook and stir until moisture from spinach evaporates. Remove from heat and let cool for 15 minutes.
3. In large bowl, beat eggs with sour cream, mustard, and dill. Place Swiss cheese in bottom of Pie Crust. Top with rice mixture, then Gouda cheese.
4. Pour egg mixture into Crust, then top with Asiago cheese. Bake for 30–35 minutes or until quiche is puffed and top is golden brown.
Potluck Chickpea Curry
Cauliflower and curry powder is one of the best anticancer combinations in the food world. And it’s delicious!
HEALTHY
INGREDIENTS | SERVES 6
1 onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons minced ginger root
1 tablespoon curry powder
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 head cauliflower, cut into florets
½ teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
½ cup water
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained
1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, drained
½ cup coconut milk
Keep It Healthy
Coconut milk sounds rich and decadent, but it’s actually quite good for you. The oil in coconut milk is made up of medium-chain fatty acids, which the body burns easily for energy, so it doesn’t accumulate in fat cells. This healthy recipe would be just as good without the coconut milk if you want to leave it out.
1. In large skillet over medium heat, cook onion, garlic, ginger root, and curry powder in olive oil for 4–5 minutes.
2. Add cauliflower, salt, pepper, and water. Bring to a simmer, cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 5–8 minutes until cauliflower is crisp-tender.
3. Add tomatoes, chickpeas, and coconut milk and bring back to a simmer. Simmer, uncovered, stirring frequently, for 5–8 minutes until mixture is blended.
Pesto Pasta Skillet
This super-easy skillet meal cooks the pasta right
in the pan, so you don’t have to boil extra water to cook it.
LAST MINUTE
INGREDIENTS | SERVES 6
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 red bell pepper, chopped
2¼ cups vegetable broth
1½ cups uncooked orzo pasta
1 cup sliced baby spinach leaves
4 plum tomatoes, chopped
½ cup basil pesto
½ cup grated Asiago cheese
Party Fun
This excellent and quick skillet recipe depends on small pasta, which cooks more quickly than larger thicker pasta like farfalle or gemelli. You could also use small shell pasta or alphabet pasta. Make several pans of this recipe for a vegetarian potluck; add different vegetables and cheeses to each.