Apple Cranberry Tart

I got the original recipe that inspired this experiment from my friend PJT, but I didn't have enough of everything it called for, so I winged it.

I used a recipe I found online for the dough, this recipe makes twice as much as you will need, I wrapped half in saran wrap and put it in the freezer.

I cooked the crust on a baking sheet for about 10 minutes on 400F.

While it was cooking, I prepared the apples:

3 Fuji Apples (according to the bag anyway, but I'm convinced they were pink ladies), cored and sliced thin.
1/3 cup dried cranberries (I used Craisins)
4 tbs Smart Balance Butter Blend
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/4 cup brown sugar

Melt the butter in a microwave-safe container, add spices and sugar. Spoon about 1/2 to 3/4 over the crust and then toss the apples in the remainder.

Lay apple slices over crust, sprinkle dried cranberries on top. Bake at 350F for 45 to 50 minutes, until crust is browned and apples are slightly tender.

Let cool before serving.

Vegan Egg-Salad that Doesn't Suck

This is a recipe from my Mom, who I believe got it from my Grandma.

Mom and I both don't like egg-salad, but we both enjoy this in a sandwich - having some in the fridge is an easy way to have a quick snack while you're planning something else for dinner.

This IS a vegan recipe, but I'm not a vegan (at least not yet)... I just prefer some vegan things over the non-vegan versions. This recipe calls for Vegenaise, which is a vegan mayonnaise. It is MUCH better for you in terms of fat and cholesterol, and I actually prefer the taste!

(Ok, ok, this pic is of REAL egg-salad, but you get the idea)


Vegan Egg-Salad

1 package extra-firm tofu (I use Nasoya brand)
2 tbs Bill's Best Chik'Nish seasoning (I didn't have quite enough, so I added about 1/2 tbs of McKay's Chicken Seasoning)
1/2 to 1 cup Vegenaise

Optional Additions:
chopped onion, celery, pickles
(I used about 1/4 cup of dill pickle relish and a few twists of black pepper)

Press the excess water out of the tofu. The easiest way for me to do this is to place the brick of tofu (out of the package) between two salad plates and squeeze over the sink.

In a medium sized bowl, mash the pressed tofu with a fork until crumbled up into small pieces. Add chicken-style seasoning and mix well.

Add Vegenaise and stir, add enough to make the spread the consistency you want. Add any extras (onion, celery, pickle, pepper, etc.). Cover and refrigerate.


For a quick snack you can spread some Vegan Egg-Salad in a 1/2 of a pita. Mom likes to add a few grape tomatoes in the pita, too.

This recipe is also the start of my Grandma's Potato Salad, which I LOVE.

Greek Non-Meatballs

Today I found myself in a lack-of-groceries situation. I had planned to make a trip to the store, but circumstances found us at the vet this morning, and I gladly sacrificed my grocery money for our aging dog. (the dog is fine)

When it came time to make dinner I trolled through the fridge and pantry and decided to make some sort of vegetarian meatball.

I had all of these ingredients on hand and researched a few recipes online.

Greek-ish Non-Meatballs
makes 4 servings: 3 meatballs per serving
Olive oil
1 cup diced Portabella mushroom
½ white onion, diced
2 large cloves (or 2 tbs) minced garlic
1-2 tbs minced fresh basil & oregano (I just grabbed some sprigs)

1 cup whole oats
1/8 cup ground flax seed
½ cup raw cashews

1/8 cup brewers yeast
½ cup crumbled feta
¼-1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan
1 tsp kosher salt
a few twists of freshly ground black pepper

Heat a little olive oil in a medium saucepan and add onion, garlic & mushrooms. Sauté on medium heat until onions are clear and mushrooms are cooked through. Put pan back on heat and add a thin layer of olive oil.

Meanwhile combine oats, flax and cashews in a blender or food processor, pour into large mixing bowl.

At the end of sautéing, add basil & oregano, blend/process mushroom-onion-garlic mixture and add to mixing bowl.

Heat oven to 350 and spray a 9x9 baking dish with whatever you like to use (canola or olive-oil spray).

Add yeast, feta and Parmesan to bowl, mix well and form 2" balls with your hands. (This recipe made 12-13 meatballs).

Place balls into frying pan and fry for 2-3 minutes to a side, turning until most of outside is starting to brown. Place meatballs into baking dish and bake for 15-25 minutes, turn meatballs partway through for even cooking.

Nutrition Stuff: (Per Serving) 460 calories, 386 from fat. Daily Values: 66% fat, 7% cholesterol, 37% sodium, 4% carbohydrates, 10% fiber, 9.6g protein, 2% Vitamin A, 5% Vitamin C, 20% Calcium, 11% Iron.

We served them over Barilla Plus thin spaghetti and Scott's secret marinara sauce, with a fresh spinach salad. I dressed the salad with a drizzle of olive oil, a drizzle of balsamic vinegar, and a shake of Mrs. Dash Garlic & Herb.

Lentil Curry and Carrot Feta Salad

I was at a loss for what to make for dinner tonight... we're trying so hard to eat more fiber in the form of fruits and veggies, and we've been making so much progress that I just couldn't bear to make a package of noodles.

I wanted to make the Garbanzo Curry that mom made for us, but we didn't have any garbanzo beans. We DID have a bag of Bob's Red Mill Veggie Soup mix which is mostly lentils, so I decided to adapt the recipe and use the soup mix in place of the garbanzos.

Here's how it came out:

Lentil Curry

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon cumin
2-3 tablespoons Homeward Bound Hot Sauce: PunJab
3/8 teaspoons ground cloves
3/8 teaspoons cinnamon
3 cloves garlic, minced

3 cups water
2 cups Bob's Red Mill Veggie Soup Mix

Stir spices, hot sauce and garlic into oil, and allow them to heat through. Add water and bring to a simmer, add soup mix, reduce heat and simmer for 45 minutes.

Stir in:
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 large fresh tomatoes, chopped
Kosher salt to taste.

Heat through.

I made equal parts brown and Basmati rice today to serve with the curry.


We're eating a lot of carrots these days, and I decided to try and change it up a bit from the usual. I used this recipe as inspiration and went with what I had. I think it turned out deliciously!

Carrot & Feta Salad
5 large carrots, washed, peeled & shredded
4 tablespoons olive oil
3 finely minced cloves of garlic
3/4 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon paprika
3/4 teaspoon Homeward Bound Hot Sauce: SparkPlug
1/2 teaspoon Splenda

3 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons fresh mint, finely chopped
Crumbled feta cheese for serving

In a small sauté pan, cook the garlic, cumin, paprika, SparkPlug and Splenda in the oil until fragrant, about one to two minutes. Remove from heat and add the lemon juice and a pinch of salt. Pour over the carrots and mix. Add the mint and mix. Leave to infuse for an hour and add the feta before eating.

Garbanzo Curry, Grilled Polenta & Sweet Potatoes with Tahini-Yogurt Dip

Mom has been here visiting us for just over a week, it has been wonderful to visit with her, but also wonderful to have her cook and share recipes with us!

Tonight we had a pepper-cleaning session and while the boys were outside working Mom was whipping up an amazing meal. I suggested that we grill some polenta that was hanging out in the fridge and she suggested we also grill a sweet potato.

Mom also transferred a thumb-drive full of recipes onto our computer, so we can share them with you (and more importantly make them again ourselves!)

Here is the Garbanzo Curry recipe. The original called for curry paste but Mom wanted to use PunJab instead.


African Chick-Pea (Garbanzo) Curry
From Elvera Blake

Makes 8 servings

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon cumin
2-3 tablespoons Homeward Bound Hot Sauce: PunJab
3/8 teaspoons cloves
3/8 teaspoons cinnamon
1/3 teaspoon ground ginger (optional)
3 cloves garlic, minced

Stir spices, hot sauce and garlic into oil, and allow them to heat through.

Stir in:
3 15-oz. cans garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed (unless they are Trader Joe's brand, no need to rinse)

Mash some with a fork or potato masher—enough so that a sauce can form. Add enough water to cover - ½ cup to 2 cups.

Cook to reduce liquid and form sauce: about 10-20 minutes.

Stir in:
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 large fresh tomatoes, chopped
¾ cup golden raisins
Kosher salt to taste.

Heat through.

We served this over rice, half brown and half basmati. (Mom says that Trader Joe's basmati brown rice is "AMAZING".)


Grilled Polenta and Sweet Potatoes

1 17oz log Marjon Polenta, Basil & Garlic flavor
1 large Sweet Potato
Olive oil
Kosher salt
Fresh ground black pepper

Peel the sweet potato and cut into 1/3 inch rounds. Place in a microwave-safe bowl with a small amount of water in the bottom, cover tightly with plastic wrap to create steam. Microwave for two or three minutes at a time ONLY until fork-tender (total time will vary according to your microwave power).

While the sweet potatoes being microwaved, cut polenta into 1/3 to 1/2 inch rounds. Place onto a cookie sheet in a single layer and brush with olive oil. Sprinkle salt and pepper on top.

Once sweet potatoes are fork-tender, place onto cookie sheet in a single layer and brush with olive oil. Sprinkle salt and pepper on top.

Place polenta and sweet potato rounds onto a hot grill that has been brushed with additional olive oil (more high heat than medium). You can check the done-ness of the potatoes, but do not move the polenta until at LEAST three minutes, or they will stick to the grill and fall apart.

Once rounds have a nice char and grill marks, flip them over and brush with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper and continue to cook until slightly charred and crispy on the edges.

We dipped both in the Tahini-Yogurt Dip.



Yogurt Tahini Sauce
Yield: 1 ½ cups


1 garlic clove
¼ teaspoon Kosher salt
2 tablespoons tahini (sesame seed paste)
1 cup plain yogurt
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice and grated zest of 1 lemon


Pound the garlic, ¼ teaspoon salt, and tahini together in a mortar to make a mushy paste. Gradually stir in the yogurt, lemon juice, and lemon zest. (WE DIDN'T HAVE A MORTAR AND PESTLE, so she just minced the garlic very very finely and smashed it with the side of the knife)


Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone
Deborah Madison
Copyright © 1997 Broadway Books, a division of Random House, Inc.

This meal was AMAZING, and all three boys were totally satisfied and happy with it (Mom and I were, too... but we knew we would be).

Mediterranean Veggie Wraps

We've been having dinner with our neighbors at least once a week, and I decided that since Scott usually cooks when they come here, Saturday evening was my turn.

Coming back from New York on Friday I had a grilled vegetable sandwich from a vendor in the LaGuardia airport that was delicious, and gave me grilled vegetable cravings for the next 24 hours.

We had some tomato-basil tortilla wraps already, so I bought a bunch of veggies and we fired up the grill.

I made a fresh pesto from the basil plants in the backyard, steamed some asparagus, and grilled the rest of the veggies.

We put together the wraps by spreading pesto on the tortilla, then layering in asparagus, grilled squash, zucchini, portabello mushrooms and red pepper, sprinkled with feta.

You can find the various prep methods for the components below.

Pesto
fresh basil leaves
several cloves fresh garlic
olive oil
kosher salt
pine nuts
parmesan cheese (shredded)

Start with the basil leaves, I used probably 8 cups and still have a TON of pesto leftover, but I really eye-balled the whole thing. Blend basil leaves with about 1 tbsp of olive oil to start with in a blender or food processor. Add garlic, a clove at a time and taste in between (I like it strong). Add equal parts pine nuts and parmesan cheese (about 1/3 of the amount of the basil) and pulse until pretty well broken down. You may need to use a spatula to scoop the paste from the sides back into the middle. Add olive oil if mixture seems too dry. Add kosher salt (and fresh pepper if you like) to taste.

Pesto will be strong and a little bit goes a long way!

Steamed Asparagus
1 bunch asparagus
about 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
kosher salt

Break the stalk-end off of the asparagus - they should break naturally when bent toward the end. Place in a small baking dish with balsamic vinegar and a sprinkle of salt. Toss to coat, cover with tin foil and let rest until you are ready to start the grill.

Once the grill is starting to heat, place the covered baking dish on the upper level of the grill. Check periodically and remove from heat once asparagus is tender. Stir periodically for even cooking.

Grilled Yellow Squash and Zucchini
2 yellow squash
2 zucchini
olive oil
kosher salt

Slice the very ends off of the squash and zucchini and discard. Slice on a diagonal to create long, ovular shaped slices. Layer into a deep baking dish and top each layer with a little drizzle of olive oil and a little sprinkle of salt. Cover with plastic wrap that will seal and turn upside-down a few times to coat well. Let rest until ready to grill.

We transferred the slices into a grill-basket with tongs to keep the veggies from falling in between the slats of the grill. Grill until tender.

Grilled Portobello Mushrooms
3 Portobello mushroom caps
olive oil
kosher salt

Take stem out of center of mushroom caps, rinse and pat try. Drizzle olive oil on a plate and sprinkle lightly with salt. Set mushroom caps down and slide around a bit to coat. After about 5 minutes, flip caps and repeat. Place on grill and cook until tender and easy to cut with a sharp knife.


We also had corn - I placed each cleaned cob on a sheet of tin foil, spread lightly with Smart Balance, sprinkled with Red Robin seasoning salt and drizzled with lime juice. Roll up the cob in the tin foil and twist the ends. Place on upper grill until cooked, turning periodically.

Dip Dip Dip

I have become the go-to Guacamole maker in our household. It's a pretty easy recipe I've developed, but it comes out awesome pretty much every time.

Reese's Guacamole
4 Haas avocados
1 tbsp Homeward Bound PattyCake Hot Sauce
1 tbsp lime juice (fresh squeezed or "Real Lime" brand)
a sprinkle of Red Robin seasoning salt
1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves, finely chopped (if you like cilantro)
1/2 fresh jalapeno, very finely diced (if you want to add a little heat)
*If you like it a little spicy you can also add about 2 tsp of SparkPlug as well

Spoon avocado into a small mixing bowl. Add PattyCake and lime juice, mash until mixed well. Add cilantro and jalapeno if using, mix again and then add seasoning salt to taste.

We like to serve it with Tostitos Multi-Grain chips.

Reese's Jalapeno Dip (based on a recipe by Katie M.)
2 pkg Cream Cheese or Neufchatel cheese
4 or 5 fresh jalapenos, cleaned of seeds and membranes, finely diced

Place cheese in a microwavable bowl and microwave for about a minute. Stir and microwave for another minute if cheese is not soft enough to stir easily.

Add diced jalapeno and stir until combined. Refrigerate for at least a half hour before serving.

This dip is great with Tostitos Hint of Lime chips.