AwesomeBites

Category: Eat your vegetables

  • Roasted Beets with Walnuts Gorganzola Dressing

    • 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 pounds beets, trimmed and halved
    • 2 tablespoons olive oil
    • 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
    • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
    • 1 bunch arugula, well washed and torn apart

    For the Walnut Gorgonzola Dressing:

    • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
    • 1/4 cup chopped walnuts
    • 1/4 red onion, thinly sliced
    • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves
    • 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
    • 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
    • 3 ounces Gorgonzola cheese
    • 1/4 cup light or heavy cream

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    Preparation

    Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

    To roast the beets: Place the beets, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper in a roasting pan and cook until the beets are tender, about 40 minutes. When they are cool enough to handle, remove the skins and slice the beets.

    Place the beets in a medium-sized mixing bowl and toss with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper.

    To make the Walnut Gorgonzola Dressing: Place a large skillet over medium-high heat and, when it is hot, add the extra-virgin olive oil. Add the walnuts and cook until they are browned, about 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a small mixing bowl and when the walnuts have cooled to room temperature, add the onion, basil, vinegar and salt.

    Place the Gorgonzola cheese and cream in a blender or food processor fitted with a steel blade and process until smooth. Transfer to the bowl with the walnuts and mix to combine.

    Divide the arugula between 4 to 6 plates and top with equal amounts of beets. Serve immediately with a large dollop of Walnut Gorgonzola Dressing.

  • Califlower and Potato Curry – allo gobi

    Califlower and potato curry

    I have also had this with carrots added.  Also excellent. Califlower is not my thing but while traveling, a friend ordered this dish and the memory is still with me. 

    1 ½ cups chopped fresh coconut (or substitute 1/2 cup toasted coconut and 1 1/2 cups of coconut milk)

    7-8 T oil

    1 ½ onions, chopped

    Curry Powder:

        5 dried red chilis

        2 tsp coriander seeds

        1/8 tsp mustard seeds

        1/8 tsp fenugreek seeds

        ¼ tsp cumin seeds

        1 inch cinnamon stick

        4 peppercorns

        2 cloves

        ½ tsp turmeric

        ½ tsp paprika

        1 heaped tsp tamarind

        ¾ inch piece of fresh ginger, grated

        4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

    1 cup potatoes, peeled, chopped large pieces

    14 ounces cauliflower cut into large flowerettes

    Topping:   Toasted Coconut, Almonds, or Cashews 

    Soak 1 cup coconut in 2 cups of warm water, blend, then strain reserving milk. 

    In non-stick pan heat oil and remaining chopped coconut for 2-3 minutes.Set aside.

    Heat oil and sauté half the onions for 2-3 minutes and set aside.

    Heat oil and sauté red chilis, coriander, mustard, fenugreek, cumin seeds, cinnamon, pepper, cloves for 30 seconds and remove from heat.

    Now put coconut, onions, spices, into a blender.  Add turmeric and paprika and tamarind and ½ cup water and grind to smooth paste. 

    In saucepan, 4 T oil sauté ginger and garlic for 15 seconds, followed by balance of chopped onions for 7-8 minutes until translucent, add spice paste and sauté for 2 minutes, then add a little water and sauté potatoes for 5 minutes.  Salt, add water to cover and cook 5-7 minutes. 

    Then add cauliflower, coconut milk and cook until done.

    Serve with rice.

    If that recipe is too tough or you don’t have all the ingredients, you can substitute a can of coconut milk and you can always use a curry powder that has most of the ingredients above.  Feel free to leave out the potatoes or to add some carrots to the mix or just use califlower alone.    Best vegetarian dish!

  • Creamed Spinach

    Bag of washed spinach

    1/4 Cup of Cream

    Salt and Pepper

    Hubby Dennis loves spinach.  The man is not a vegetable lover.  It was less than a month or so ago, I actually caught him hiding green peas under his mashed potatoes on his plate.  He was swirling his potatoes and I asked him, “What are you doing?”  I took my fork and lifted and there they were. His peas, hidden under the potatoes.  I chuckled and whispered in his ear, “You’re over 40, you don’t have to eat peas if you don’t like them.”  He said he didn’t want to hurt my feelings by not eating them.

    My feelings are not hurt.  For goodness sake, do not eat what you do not like! 

    I happen to love both peas and spinach, but Dennis loves creamed spinach.

    If you have ever made spinach, you know that the big bunch of spinach will reduce down to a small amount, so use the whole bag of spinach.  Saute in olive oil for 3-5 minutes, add 1/4 cup cream, salt and pepper and serve immediately.

  • Grilled Tricolor Peppers

    yield: Makes 4 servings

    One serving packs more than two times your requirement of vitamin C.

    Ingredients

    • Vegetable oil cooking spray
    • 1 green bell pepper, cored, seeded and sliced into strips
    • 1 yellow bell pepper, cored, seeded and sliced into strips
    • 1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded and sliced into strips
    • 1 large Vidalia onion, sliced into strips
    • 1 tbsp olive oil
    • 1/2 teaspoon salt
    • 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

    Preparation

    Coat grill with cooking spray and heat on high. Toss bell peppers, onion, oil, salt and pepper in a bowl. Grill, turning occasionally, until vegetables soften, about 15 minutes. Serve immediately.

  • Molasses Baked Onions

    Rich and sweet, these onions are adapted from Angela Shelf Medearis’s recipe for Honey-Baked Onions in The African-American Kitchen. They’re… more ›

    Ingredients

    • 4 large sweet onions such as Vidalia, Walla Walla, or Oso Sweet (3 to 4 lb total)
    • 1 1/2 cups tomato juice (12 fluid ounces)
    • 1 1/2 cups water
    • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
    • 2 tablespoons molasses (regular or robust; not blackstrap)
    • 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
    • 8 bacon slices (1/2 pound), halved crosswise

    Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 400°F.

    Peel and trim onions, keeping root ends intact, then halve each lengthwise. Arrange, cut sides up, in 1 layer in a 13- by 9- by 2-inch glass baking dish or other 2 1/2-quart shallow baking dish.

    Bring tomato juice, water, butter, molasses, and salt to a boil in a 2-quart heavy saucepan, stirring occasionally, then pour over onions. Bake onions, uncovered, basting with juices every 30 minutes, until tender, about 2 hours.

    Lay 2 pieces of bacon side by side over each onion half and continue to bake onions, basting once with juices halfway through baking, until onions are very tender, bacon is browned, and juices are thickened, about 1 hour more.

    Cooks’ note: Onions can be baked 1 day ahead and chilled, covered. Reheat, covered with foil, in a preheated 350°F oven 20 to 30 minutes.

  • Crispy Roasted Potato Cubes or Fries

    Sweet Potato Fries

    Heat oven 450 degrees.

    Potatoes (any kind, red, sweet, idaho) chop into 1 inch cubes or into 1/2 inch fries

    Arrange on sheet pan, single layer only or they will not brown.:

    These potatoes are very versatile. You can use any of the following or combination of the following spices

    Salt, Pepper, Oregano, Rosemary, Thyme, Tumeric, Chili Powder, Garlic, Tarragon, Basil, Sage – all work well.

    Pour olive oil over cubed potatoes and sprinkle with seasonings.

    Let bake, using a spatula, turn over after about 20 minutes. Usually takes about 45 minutes.

    Broil for 5 minutes to get nice a crispy.

    Make with sweet potatoes and serve with skewers for appetizers.

    Crispy Potato CubesSweet Potato Fries