Tortilla Soup

Tasty!  Almost always a fan of Mexican food – and definitely this one!  This soup has a nice, spicy kick at the end, but not too bad for those who are not into that.  My only complaint is that the vegetables get mushy when you reheat (there were a lot of extra servings left!).  Oh well, still good!

I tweaked the recipe(http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Vegetarian-Tortilla-Soup/Detail.aspx) based on the reviews and my own preferences.  I used only 2 cans of green chiles, one 32 oz. container of vegetable broth and 14 oz. water, 2.5 T of cumin, olive oil instead of vegetable oil, frozen pepper mix (could not find one with onions), 14.5 oz. can of corn, no avocado, one jalapeno (I had one on in the fridge and I added it with the corn), taco cheese instead of cheddar cheese, and put the tortilla chips on top to add a little crunch.  Next time I plan to use petite diced tomatoes instead of crushed so that the soup is a little thicker.  I might also use fresh vegetables.

I will without a doubt be making this again!

Zucchini Cakes

I wanted to try something new for dinner last night and found this recipe for Zucchini Cakes (or "Crab Cakes", http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Connies-Zucchini-Crab-Cakes/Detail.aspx).  I've never had a crab cake before, so I'm not sure how this compares, but I really liked the taste.  My fiancée thought this was tasty too - in fact, he had about 7 of the cakes (I think that I made 11 total!

So, to make this a little healthier, I pan fried the cakes using Pam, not vegetable oil.  They still came out with a crisp crust and were moist in the middle - great texture.  I also didn't use onion only because I didn't have any on hand.  The zucchini taste was really prominent, and I couldn't really taste the Old Bay - I'll probably add more next time :-)

I served these with a Tomato Basil Morningstar Farms vegetable burger and a side of aioli (http://www.bhg.com/recipe/salads/aioli/).  It was my first time making aioli and I wasn't a huge fan of this recipe.  I will opt for a different option next time!  It tasted a little too much like oil, not enough like garlic.



P.S. - these reheat well and keep the crisp outer crust.  I had them the second night with a burger and a side of butternut squash baked in rosemary, thyme, and some pecorino romano - yum, yum!

Scrambled Tofu

I was a little skeptical while cooking this dish – I have had some “not so good” encounters with tofu.  The worst being tofu thrown into a tuna noodle casserole – not by me – I didn’t even like tuna noodle casserole in the first place! 


Anyways, this turned out surprisingly well, even with the changes I made.  Instead of turmeric, salt, and pepper, I used Cayenne Pepper, Cajun Seasoning, and Chili Powder – I like my food a bit spicy, but I didn’t use enough to make it burning hot (I have to keep my family in mind).  I used diced tomatoes with green chiles and drained them – I wanted to avoid any soupiness, especially after reading the reviews on Allrecipes (http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Scrambled-Tofu/Detail.aspx).  To further combat any liquid issues, I used firm tofu instead of silken.  Since I added the green chiles, I only used 5-6 green onions (both green and white parts).  Finally, I used Mexican Taco Cheese instead of Cheddar – I have to keep it consistent with my spices!

All in all, this is a good, hearty dish that is good for breakfast or for dinner.  I think I will make this again and try different variations – it’s a great starter recipe!

Polynesian Glazed Meatballs

This is not something I would normally make because I am not a fan of pineapples, but I made this the other night because we are having a Progressive Dinner in our neighborhood and the theme is Hawaiian/Polynesian.  I was chosen / offered to make a vegetarian entrée.  I tried this recipe out as a test run and found it to be pretty good (and easy!). I wasn’t too into it when I first made it, but when I reheated it, the flavors had time time to mix and it was very tasty.  



Polynesian Glazed Meatballs (4-6 servings, about 30 minutes)
(adapted from Kraft Foods)


Ingredients
1 tsp. olive oil
1 large red pepper, chopped
1 white onion, chopped
1/4 cup barbecue sauce
1 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 (20 oz.) can pineapple chunks, drained, 1/2 of liquid reserved 
12 oz. frozen Trader Joe's vegetarian meatballs
2 cups instant brown or wild rice, uncooked


Directions

1. Heat oil in large skillet on medium-high heat. Add peppers and onions; cook 5 min. or until crisp-tender, stirring frequently.
2. Stir in barbecue sauce, ginger, garlic powder and reserved pineapple liquid. Add meatballs; mix lightly until evenly coated. Cook 10 min. or until meatballs are heated through, stirring occasionally. Add pineapple and cook for additional 2 minutes. Meanwhile, cook rice as directed on package.
3. Serve over rice.

Before this cooking adventure, I had only used the vegetarian meatballs with pasta and other Italian-type dishes (i.e. toppings for pizza).  They worked very well in this dish and held the Hawaiian sauce flavor. When this dish is reheated, the sauce is not runny and has a good consistency.  If you want more of a pineapple taste, you can add more reserved liquid to the meatballs; however, this may make the sauce too thin.  This dish is low in fat and is pretty good on the protein side of the nutrition scale.  When using brown or wild rice, you are also getting some healthy carbs.

Overall, tasty and would make it again for my own Hawaiian-themed dinner :-)

Santa Fe Wilmington - Latin Fusion and Mexican Grill

I’m sure that this will become apparent over time, but I love Mexican food.  It was the first cuisine that I latched on to when I started my vegetarian quest and I have never let it go.  Sante Fe Wilmington is an upscale Mexican restaurant – I have been there three times in the year that it has been open and am very pleased with it.  The owners also have a location in Newark (downtown, in college central), but I in my opinion, the Wilmington restaurant has a better atmosphere and better food (though it’s understandable because they are catering to a different crowd in Newark).  Each time that I have visited, the waitstaff and bartenders have been very nice and attentive.  The food has been good and the wait is not long.  I have noticed on the times that I have been there that there were not a lot of people, but hopefully it’s just the times that I have gone.

My first visit to the Wilmington location was for their soft opening.  The portions were small, but good.  I had the Chile Relleno because it was the only vegetarian option at that time.  It was good, though, and I think that I’ll get it again the future.  The only complaint that my group had was about the drinks, but they have gotten much better since then!  I’m not a regular margarita fan, but I do like their Mango Margarita.  I also had the Sangrita, but would stick with a flavored Margarita in the future.

The other two times I went to the restaurant provided a better judgment into the quality and quantity of food.  They serve the standard chips and salsa to start, but also have the options to add cheese or guacamole (homemade).  The vegetarian portion of the menu has expanded drastically and everything looks so good.  I have had the Veggie Quesadilla and the Vegetable Fajita Burrito.  The Quesadilla was pretty tasty with lots of cheese.  There were not a ton of vegetables, but I guess that’s a good thing because it held together well.  The Burrito is a huge portion (probably 3-4 times a normal sized burrito) with lots of rice in the filling.  There are not too many black beans, but there is a tastay fajita seasoning on vegetables.  The sauce on top has some spice, but I would in no way consider this a spicy menu option.  I may get it again, but would probably opt for the Quesadilla or Chile Relleno (or try one of the THREE other options that I have).  Last week when I went, my fiancé and I got dessert.  We tried the Empanadas de Manzana – Mexican apple turnovers, vanilla bean ice cream, tequila caramel sauce.  I am not a fan of cinnamon or caramel, but I took one for the team since my fiancé loves that stuff (plus I gave up chocolate for Lent) – the pastry was good, and he liked it a lot, so no complaints.

I definitely recommend trying out Santa Fe!




**Update June 2012**

I think I finally found my food of choice at Santa Fe Wilmington, the vegetarian fajitas.  I have had them twice in the past few months and find them fairly delicious.  I order them without the tortillas – I would rather focus on the good stuff!  The pepper strips, zucchini, and onions are perfectly seasoned.  They are served with lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream, and guacamole.  I definitely recommend trying the guac (also for an appetizer, if you have enough people to help out).  Now, I am not someone who likes avocados (in fact, I pretty much detest them), but this guacamole is amazing!  When ordered as an appetizer, they bring around a little cart and make it right in front of you.  It’s delicious!  I love the creaminess of the dip, and the mix it with tomatoes and some other veggies – I think that helps alleviate some of the avocado flavor for me.  I also tried their queso dip – not as spicy as their salsa, but still a bit of a kick.  One of the best queso dips that I have had a Mexican restaurant – very cheesy.  Yummy!

Zoup! - Glen Eagle Square (Glen Mills, PA)

One of my coworkers first told me about this place the other day, so I checked out the menu.  They have a few vegetarian options – soup, salad, and sandwich – so I thought it would be a good idea to try the food.  I decided to stay simple my first time, so I ordered the Frontier 7 Bean Soup – I was very impressed that they use vegetarian Worcestershire sauce.  I had the 8 oz. size and it is delicious.  Although the description shows that it has Tabasco, it was not at all spicy – very good flavor.  The beans (Pinto, Kidney, Garbanzo, Navy, Black, and Lentils) mix well and one does not overpower the soup.  This is definitely a bargain on the calorie ladder because it provides 6 grams of fiber and 5 grams of protein for only 100 calories!  Very excellent and will get again J

Salisbury SoySteak

When I was a kid, I used to eat a lot of TV dinners.  My absolute favorite was the Salisbury Steak with mashed potatoes and vegetables.  Even though the peas and carrots got into everything, I really enjoyed eating this food.  

About a year ago, I found a recipe for Salisbury Steak and thought that the Morningstar Farms burger crumbles might work.  The first time around the “steaks” did not stay together and I ended up scrapping the idea and mixing the crumble mixture and the sauce together.  Tasty, but I wanted to find the right consistency.  I tried this a second time the other night (I know, a long time to get around to it again!) and am getting closer to the right consistency.


Salisbury SoySteak (expected time 45 minutes, 6 servings)
(adapted from Allrecipes.com)

Ingredients
2 eggs
1/3 cup dry breadcrumbs
1 (10.75 oz) can reduced-fat, reduced-sodium condensed cream of mushroom soup
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1 package Morningstar Farms Burger Crumbles
1/2 cup fat free milk
1/4 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups fresh, chopped mushrooms

Directions

1. In a bowl, combine the eggs, bread crumbs, 1/4 cup soup and onion. Add the Burger Crumbles and mix well. 
2. Shape into six patties. In a large nonstick skillet, brown the patties on both sides.
3. In a bowl, combine the milk, salt, and remaining soup; stir in mushrooms. Pour over patties. 
4. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes.

The patties still crumbled a little bit when I was flipping them in the pan, but much better than the first time around.  I’ll continue to make small changes to the recipe until it’s right.

Overall, a very tasty “steak” that is high in protein and low in fat.  The fresh mushrooms and soup give this a very strong taste, so if you don’t like mushrooms, probably best to skip it.  The onions are hidden in the patty, which is good because my fiancé is not a fan!  I served with mashed potatoes and mixed veg – luckily, it was my choice whether or not I wanted the vegetables to get mixed together with the other parts :-)

Homemade Pasta with Ragu

This was my first time making homemade pasta (except for gnocchi, but that didn't require my pasta roller and cutter).  I used a whole wheat recipe, and, with the help of my Kitchen Aid standmixer and pasta attachments, I think I ended up with a pretty tasty pasta.  It didn't take as long as I thought it would and I enjoyed watching the pasta attachments do their work!


Whole Wheat Pasta - expected time 1.5 hours
(from AllRecipes.com)


Ingredients
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
4 eggs
2 teaspoons olive oil


Directions

1. Stir together the flours and salt in a medium bowl or on a clean board.
2. Make a hollow in the center and pour in the olive oil.
3. Break the eggs into the hollow one at a time while mixing quickly with a fork until the dough is wet enough to come together.
4. Knead on a lightly floured surface until the dough is stiff and elastic.  Cover and let stand for 30 minutes to relax.
5. Roll out dough by hand with a rolling pin (or a pasta machine) to achieve the desired thickness of noodles.
6. Cut into desired width and shapes.
7. Allow pasta to air dry for at least 15 minutes.

The pasta was a bit clumpy, but I think that if I had let it air dry for 20-25 minutes, it would have been perfect.  I served with jarred sauce (Ragu with extra vegetables) because I only wanted to try one homemade item that night.  The taste was very light and fresh and the texture was soft (except for a few clumps).  I added some Parmesan and Mozzarella, but the recipe definitely did not need them (as with some pastas).  I just love cheese!  Overall, a fantastic meal and one I look forward to making time and again.

Buckley's Tavern - Centerville, DE

I’ve eaten at Buckley’s a few times and have always enjoyed it.  They have a nice beer selection (thought I normally stick with Sam Seasonal) and a good atmosphere.  I went with my mom on Saturday for some snacks.  We shared the Sweet Potato Fries and Flatbread.  The fries were nice and crisp, served with a hot mustard – a little too hot for my liking, but the fries were great on their own.  The flatbread has wild mushrooms and goat cheese, and is topped with arugula.  The cheese gave it a nice bite.  My only complaint is that the flatbread doesn’t reheat nicely – so eat it all!

I went there for the Pajama brunch one time and enjoyed the Wild Mushroom & Goat Cheese Omelette.  They even made it with egg whites at my request!  Very accommodating and friendly staff!  (P.S. - if you go in your PJs, your meal is 50% off!)

Vegetarian Baked Beans & Soy Dogs

Not much thought or effort here, but one of my favorite meals!  Baked beans are a good source of fiber and carbs, not to mention they’re delish!  They were always a childhood fav, but my mom used to add ketchup and mustard to the canned ones.  I think they’re good enough on their own, so I just heat directly out of the can.  I use the Smart Dogs and find that they are very tasty.  Bonus: they are 45 calories per dog and have a lot of protein.  (For any meat eaters out there, I’m not sure how the taste compares to real hot dogs – I don’t remember.)  This is a good meal if you’re short on time.  I have a large salad every night with dinner, so that is always my veg with this meal.  Oh, and the customary glass of wine J

Intro

When I was a teenager, I was probably the last person you would expect to be interested in vegetarianism.  My favorite lunch was bologna and cheese sandwiches (not just regular bologna, mind you, but the kind with little cheese pieces in it).  I ate whatever my mom cooked for dinner (meatloaf, chicken with Honey Mustard sauce, Shepherd’s Pie).  My favorite vegetables – and pretty much the only ones that I ate – were corn and potatoes, or anything smothered in cheese.  I loved that after basketball practice we would stop by Hardees to pick up two ham and cheese sandwiches on croissants.  Obviously, not the most healthy diet.  I had thought about trying vegetarianism, but knew that it would be too difficult.  Then, I went to Italy on a school trip.  The first night, they served veal – and that’s when it clicked.  No way, no how was I eating a baby cow.  I was only 14 years old, but I still had that sense of morality that it was wrong (not for everyone, but definitely for me).  I told the trip advisors that I didn’t eat red meat, and it stuck!  I still ate chicken and turkey (and some fish, though I never really liked that anyways) for two years after that, but at the end of the school year – junior year – I decided enough was enough.  I was going to take the plunge and give up meat indefinitely.  I had no interest in becoming a vegan – still don’t – cheese, milk, and ice cream are my favs!  However, I am still a vegetarian 13 year after my initial decision and have no desire to turn back.

I am writing this blog to help new vegetarians get interested in cooking.  For my first years, I cooked vegetarian refried beans and lived off of peanut butter sandwiches.  I didn’t have my first salad until college!  Even after moving to New Hampshire after college I didn’t cook that much – and if I did, it was normally packaged pasta with store-bought sauce.  I was not getting enough protein or other nutrients.  I finally got interested in cooking about four years ago and absolutely love it! I always enjoyed baking, but cooking just seemed like too much work.  Now, I dabble in all types of recipes – and taper them all to meet my vegetarian needs.  I want to show new vegetarians, people interested in vegetarianism, or those who just want a healthier lifestyle (I am not someone who thinks that everyone should be a vegetarian – to each their own) that meatless cooking is fun and easy!  I will also be throwing blurbs in about restaurant foods – you need to be careful when choosing your meals and always ask about whether or not it is vegetarian.  I learned that the hard way and have gotten violently ill on a few occasions. :-/

I look forward to this new step in my life and hope that you will come along on the journey!