Category: Vegetarian

My Favorite Pancakes

 

An easy to make breakfast dish from scratch that lets you enhance flavors with any number of fillings or toppings.

Ingredients 

1 C all purpose flour *

1 1/4 t baking powder

1/4 t baking soda

1 T sugar

1/2 C sour cream

1/2 C milk

1- 2 eggs **

2 T butter melted

Canola oil

Directions

Makes 6 pan cakes.

In medium bowl, mix dry ingredients and set aside.

In small bowl add sour cream, milk, and eggs whisk until combined.

Melt butter. (I use the microwave and 20 – 30 seconds.  Better to use less time and couple rounds of microwaving to melt.)

Add wet ingredients and butter to flour mixture and gently stir. Do not over stir or you will have flat pan cakes. Dough should be lumpy. ***

Heat skillet on medium high. Lightly oil skillet with pastry brush with canola oil.

Add 2-3 tablespoons of batter for each pancake and cook until bubbles form. Turn and finish cooking.  (If your pancakes are browning too fast, lower the heat.)

Wipe the pan between batches and coat pan with a little butter or light layer of vegetable oil.  This keeps pancakes from blackening.

Repeat process until completed.

Homemade Pancakes on Griddle
Homemade Pancakes on Griddle

Serve immediately with warm maple syrup* with fresh berries on the side.

Notes:

* Can add couple tablespoons of what germ or flax seed, 1/2 – 1 C blueberries, apples and cinnamon, peanut butter or Nutella, choclate chips

** 2 egg batter will taste more eggy.

*** Dough is very thick.

Managing the pan during cooking helps to avoid overly dark or blackened pancakes.  Strategies to try include remove pan from heat and let pan cool. Clean the pan between batches and redcoat pan with butter or vegetable oil.  Lowe the heat and let pancakes cook a little longer.

My preference is real maple syrup or whipped cream and strawberries.  The family also loves blueberry and chocolate chips.

 

Roquefort Grape Spiced Walnut Salad

IMG_2591

Roquefort with sweet grapes, salty bacon, and spicy nuts in a green salad provide the pallet with a balance of flavors and textures

Ingredients

1 head baby romaine

1 head of butter lettuce

30 – 36  red seedless globe grapes halved

4 slices of bacon crumbled(optional)*

2/3 – 1 C Roquefort crumbled(Point Reyes Bay Blue)

2/3 C spiced walnuts*

Lemon garlic vinegarette

Directions

Serve 6

In large salad bowl rip romaine and butter lettuce into large pices. Add grapes, Roquefort, bacon, and walnuts.

Dress with lemon garlic vinegarette and serve.

Served with potato leek soup and olive bread.

Notes

*We used turkey bacon for less fat content

*Spiced walnuts or spiced pecans

Grapes went well with this Roquefort as it is creamy with a very mild blue cheese taste.

 

 

 

Little Gem Blood Orange Salad

Little Gem Avocado Citrus Salad

A crisp flavor filled salad with oranges, avocados, and seeds. Made with Little Gems that have been described as a miniature romaine with a butter lettuce sweetness.

Ingredients

2 Little Gem lettuce heads

3-4 Blood oranges

2 avacados  sliced

1/2 C Feta crumbles or Cotija

1/3 C cilantro leaves

1/2 C pepitas or sunflower seeds*

Lime dressing

1/2 C olive oil

1 lime juiced

1/2 C fromage Blanca*

4 t maple syrup or honey

1/2 t cumin

1/4 t red pepper flakes(optional)

Salt and pepper

Directions

Mix dressing ingredients together and set aside.

Remove little gem leaves and using small pastry brush dress leaves lightly with dressing.

Cut peel and membrane from oranges. Slice into thin circles.

On a serving plate. layer whole little gem lettuce leaves. Leaf stems should face center of the plate. When arranged, the leaves should have a circular pattern.

Next, distribute slices of orange on top of the little gem leaves.

Cut avocados into slices and layer onto leaves.

Sprinkle cilantro, Feta, and seeds generously over the salad. Drizzel additional dressing and serve.

IMG_2750 (1)

Notes:

Serves 4

Little Gems[sucrine] are a cross between romaine and butter lettuce. They are versatile as a stuffed appetizer, in salads, or grilled.

When  I’m in a hurry I chop the little gems and make a tossed salad.

*We use sprouted seeds. They are available in the bulk food section of our groceries or available prepackaged.

*Fromage Blanca substitutes are plain Greek yougurt or quark

We had this for dinner last night with Mexican roasted corn and green chili soup.

 

Pico de Gallo (Salsa Fresca)

IMG_2745

Chunky pico de gallo or salsa fresca.  Quick to make and better than out of jar.  Fresh and tangy with the brightness of fresh lime and bold pepperiness from jalapeño.  I learned this recipe from a 10 year-old friend–it’s that easy to make.  

Ingredients

2 Roma tomatoes

1 jalapeño (or serrano)

1 garlic clove minced

1//2  lime juiced

1/4 C chopped cilantro

1/4 t cumin

1/4 t cayenne pepper

Salt and pepper

Directions

Remove seeds from tomatoes and dice and place in medium bowl.

Remove seeds from jalapeño and dice. Add to tomatoes.

Add in garlic, cilantro, cumin and stir to combine.  If the cumin is aged, add another dash.

Add lime juice and season to taste.

IMG_2739IMG_2741

Serve with tortilla chips.

Note:

We eat pico de gallo  on our grilled fish, add to salads, tacos and burritos.

For a low calorie salad, use pico de gallo with juice.  There is no fat.

 

Grilled Radicchio with Bocconcini Mozzarella

This recipe makes great bruschetta of tomato, mozzarella, and radicchio.  I would highly recommend giving this recipe a try.

Ingredients

1 radicchio head

6 Bocconcini  Mozzarella

2 T olive oil

2 large heirloom tomatoes

Optional 24 Kalamata olives pitted

6  slices of olive bread or sour dough

4 large garlic cloves finely minced

1/2 C olive oil

Directions

Grill temperature 320º F Oven temperature 375º F

Remove core of radicchio and separate the leaves and wash gently then dry. Prepare 12 leaves. Drain the cheese and cut 6 into half. Season with sea salt and pepper. Place a  cheese half inside a leaf and brush with olive oil.

IMG_2587

 

Fold the radicchio around the cheese and skewer it.

IMG_2588

 

Heat grill to 320º F Brush packets with olive oil and season with salt and pepper then grill about 3-4 minutes per side until the cheese melts. 

IMG_2590 (1)

Garlic Toast

Heat olive oil in small sauce pan and add garlic. Cook for 3-4 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside. Slice 6  one inch slices of bread and remove crusts and cut them into half. Place slices on foil covered baking sheet.Brush both sides with garlic olive oil. Bake  about 7 minutes per side. Remove to rack and cool. Maybe made ahead of time and stored in sealed bag.

Place a slice of tomato on the toast and season with salt and pepper.

 

IMG_2592

 

Remove the skewers and place radicchio packets on  the tomato slices and serve. Optional: Place olives on top of the open packets

IMG_2593

 

 

Raspberry Feta Green Salad with Walnut Vinegarette Dressing

Ingredients

Salad

6 C of salad greens

8 ounces raspberries

1/2 C walnuts crumbled

1/2 C Feta crumbled

Dressing

Walnut Vinegarette

Directions

Serves 6

Rinse and dry salad greens. Place in large salad bowl.

Toss with Walnut vinaigrette.

Top with raspberries, walnuts, and feta.

Drizzle a light amount of dressing on top to finish–the lettuce is all reeady coated.  Toss lightly and serve.

Another option is to place dressed lettuce in bowls and place raspberries, walnuts, and feta on top.

 

Pear Melon Gorgonzola Salad*

 

Ingredients

3 pears ripe

1 lemon juiced

1 C rose wine

1 t brown sugar

1/2 t cumin

1/3 C Gorgonzola cheese

1/4 C pistachios

1 cantaloupe seeded

2 limes  zested and  juiced

2 T honey

1 t Dijon mustard

1/4 C olive oil

Salt  and pepper

Directions

Serves 3-6

Cut pears in half and remove cores. Place in skillet add lemon juice, wine, brown sugar, and cumin. Simmer until tender but firm. Chill in wine sauce.

Lime Vinegarette

Whisk lime juice, zest, honey, Dijon, olive oil and salt and pepper in small bowl. Adjust seasoning  if needed.

Cut  cantaloupe in half and remove seeds then using melon baller cut 12 balls. Place a smear of wine sauce on serving dish. Place pears on wine sauce and add melon balls to cored out center of pears. Sprinkle with Gorgonzola and pistachios. Dress with lightly with  lime vinagarette. Season with salt and pepper and serve.

Note:

*Can  also be served on a bed of arugula

 

 

 

 

Sugar Spiced Pecans

IMG_2795

A delicious, easy to make spicy, sugared pecan recipe. Tasty with cheese and fruit plates or on salads.

Ingredients

8 ounces pecan halves

4 T sugar

1/4 – 1/2 t cayenne pepper

2 T butter, melted

Directions

Oven 350º

Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Spread pecans out on baking sheet and bake for 15 – 20 minutes. Remove from oven, toss, cool, and place in air tight container.

Note:

Serve with a cheese platter or on a green salad.

Tzatziki Sauce

IMG_2639

Chunky tzatziki sauce with dill and lemon. With 2% low fat greek yogurt, this dip is low calorie and big-flavored.

Ingredients 

1 C Greek yogurt plain

1/2 cucumber de seeded, grated or diced*

1 garlic clove grated

2 t lemon zest

1 T lemon juice

1 T white wine vinegar

1 T dill chopped

1/2 t salt

Pepper to taste

Directions

Place double layer of paper towels in small bowl. Place yogurt on paper towels to de water for 30 minutes. At same time de water cucumbers by placing in double layer of paper towels.

Combine all ingredients in small bowl and adjust seasoning. Cover and rest for 4 hours to over night. Ready to serve with pita, vegetable sticks, topping for vegetables, fish, or chicken.

Note

* Cucumbers can be peeled

Spicy Green Beans Roasted

Ingredients 

1 pound green beans 

4 garlic cloves minced

1/4 C seasoned mirin

1/4 C sweet mirin

1/4 C peanut oil

1 T sesame oil

1/4 C soy sauce

1/4 C black bean garlic sauce

2 t red pepper flakes

2 t Sichuan crushed pepper corns

2 t rooster sauce or Sriricha sauce

1/2 C dry roasted salted peanuts.*

Directions

Oven temperature 410º F

Destem, wash, and dry green beans.

Combine remaining ingredients except peanuts and pour into flat sided dish or gallon plastic bag. Marinate for 4 hours. Remove and place beans on foil lined 13″ by 18″ baking sheet. Drizzle with remaining marinade and roast for 8-10 minutes.  Toss them half way through and add additional marinade if needed. Remove and plate. Sprinkle peanuts on top and serve.

Note: 

Peanuts can be deleted for people with nut allergies.