Zucchini Corn Mix

Cook’s notes: I modified a salsa recipe to make a great tasting side dish.

Makes about 6 cups (6 servings)

10 oz package steam-in-bag corn (frozen)
4 medium zucchini (1.8 lbs), cut into quarters and sliced
1 pint (2.5 cups) cherry tomatoes, halved
2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons herb mix (such as Penzey’s Pasta Sprinkle)
Salt and pepper to taste

Steam the corn in the microwave according to package directions.

While the corn cooks, coat a large skillet lightly with cooking spray. Saute the zucchini slices and cherry tomato halves over medium heat until they soften. Add the steamed corn, vinegar, and herb mix. Sprinkle with kosher salt and black pepper. Continue to cook the mix until the tomatoes burst and everything is heated through.

Estimated nutritional values per 1 cup serving:
3.5 g fiber; dietary exchanges of 0.9 carbs, 0.8 produce, 0.0 dairy, and 0.6 oz protein.

Vegan Sweet Potato and Spinach Curry

Cook’s notes: Another excellent vegan dinner that is easy to make on a week night. Once you microwave the potatoes, everything cooks in one large skillet. I ate this curry with a warm ciabatta roll and was quite satisfied. Leftovers are great for lunch.

Variations for meat-eaters: If you are not a vegan, a bowl of this mild curry is especially nice with 1 oz of sharp cheddar cheese added. (The flavors also blend well with cooked ground turkey).

Makes about 5 servings (1 cup each)

3 medium sweet potatoes (1.6 lbs), scrubbed
15 oz can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
14.5 can diced tomatoes with juice
9 oz bag spinach, rinsed and drained
2 Tablespoons yellow curry powder (sweet, not hot)

Scrub the potatoes, pierce them with a fork, and cook them in the microwave on the Potato setting. When they are cool enough to handle, cut them in half and scoop out the potato flesh. Discard the skins. Cut the firmer portions into large dice.

In a large skillet over medium heat, warm the drained chickpeas and tomatoes. Bring to a simmer and add the spinach. Cover and cook briefly until the spinach wilts. Stir in the diced sweet potato and curry powder. Stir together and cook over low heat for 5 minutes until well combined. Serve immediately.

Recommended menus:
The curry is pretty filling on its own, but you might like it paired with these items.

• Menu 1: Sweet Potato and Spinach Curry, cucumbers and tomatoes in yogurt, and pita bread.
• Menu 2: Sweet Potato and Spinach Curry, basmati rice with peas, and a side salad.
• Menu 3: Sweet Potato and Spinach Curry, naan bread, apple chutney, and brown rice.

Estimated nutritional values:
Each serving has 11.2 g fiber; dietary exchanges of 1.7 oz carbs, 2 vegetables, and 4.2 oz protein.

Source: Adapted from Nava Atlas, The Vegetarian 5 Ingredient Gourmet: 250 Simple Recipes And Dozens Of Healthy Menus For Eating Well (New York: Broadway Books, c2001)

Best Recipe: Vegan Nicoise Salad Plus Potato Salad

Hold the eggs, please

Cook’s notes: I volunteered to cook for a friend who had surgery recently. She prefers vegan dishes (no animal products), so I went researching and found this salad: Two in one! This versatile recipe yields a large romaine salad for one (lunch) plus a potato salad made without mayonnaise for dinner. I adapted the methods from the Rosemary Potatoes in Microwave recipe to make the potatoes. The salty olives combine so well with the potatoes. If your grocery store doesn’t sell Nicoise olives, use Kalamata olives.

You can also add cucumber slices, avocado, or capers to this salad. If you are not a vegan, you may like to add either canned tuna or grilled chicken to the salad. Hard-boiled eggs are also traditional, but I don’t like the texture, so I omit them (plus, adding them means this is no longer a vegan dish). The mustard dressing is light and delicious.

Potatoes:
2 lb bag of baby red skin potatoes
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Romaine Salad: Serves one
3 cups romaine lettuce, chopped into bite-size squares
15 oz can green beans, rinsed and drained
1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
1/2 cup cherry tomato halves
5 pitted Kalamata olives
1 to 2 Tablespoons mustard vinaigrette (see below)

Dressing:
2 teaspoons Dijon or spicy brown mustard
4 Tablespoons white wine vinegar
6 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried parsley

Make the potatoes in the microwave: wash and scrub the potatoes. Pat them dry, and cut them in half. Cut larger potatoes into quarters. Toss with the olive oil and sprinkle with the salt. Place potato cubes in a glass pie plate. Cover with a microwave-safe plate (instead of plastic wrap) and microwave at HIGH for 15 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Leave the skins on.

While the potatoes cook, wash and prepare the remaining vegetables.

Make the dressing: Combine all ingredients in a jar with a tight-fitting lid. Shake well to combine.

Make the romaine salad: In a large bowl, combine the romaine lettuce with 1 cup of the potatoes, 1/2 cup of the green beans, 1/2 cup of the red pepper, the cherry tomatoes, and the 5 olives. Drizzle 1 to 2 Tablespoons of the dressing on the romaine lettuce, and stir to coat well. (I put the salad in a 4-cup plastic container, seal the lid, and shake it.)

Make the potato salad: In a second container, combine the remaining potato cubes, diced red bell pepper, and green beans. Drizzle with 1 to 2 Tablespoons of the dressing; stir to coat well.

Menu suggestion: Serve the Nicoise romaine salad with a ciabatta roll and 1/2 cup berries for dessert.

Estimated nutritional values: The romaine salad has 9.8 g fiber and dietary exchanges of 6 vegetable servings.

Source: Adapted from a recipe in the book The Urban Vegan: 250 Simple, Sumptuous Recipes from Street Cart Favorites to Haute Cuisine [Paperback] by Dynise Balcavage. One reviewer called this book “a great vegan cookbook for non-vegans”, and I would agree. She does not berate omnivores, and there are lots of clever ideas and recipes I’m eager to try.

Creamy Cole Slaw

Cook’s notes: This is one of the top-rated cole slaw recipes on epicurious. I reduced the sugar in the cole slaw recipe and used a mixture of light mayo and nonfat yogurt to lighten the dressing.

Creamy...but low in fat

1/3 cup light mayonnaise
1/3 cup plain, nonfat Greek yogurt
4 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 teaspoons sugar
2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
10 oz package angel hair cole slaw mix (about 7 cups finely shredded cabbage)
1/2 cup shredded carrot

In a large bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, yogurt, vinegar, sugar, and mustard. Add cole slaw and carrots; salt and pepper to taste. Gently fold the ingredients together. Toss to combine well. Cole slaw may be made 4 hours ahead and chilled, covered. Makes about 6 cups.

Roasted Broccoli, Carrots, and Chickpeas

Cook’s notes: I am a big fan of oven-roasted broccoli and have made this dish several times. This recipe is adapted from the vegan cookbook Appetite for Reduction, and I just love the addition of chickpeas to the dish. As author Isa Chandra Moskowitz notes, this meal is complete “with tender (but not mushy) roasted broccoli and chickpeas that turn deliciously creamy (but not mushy)”.

Springtime vegetables...with chickpeas

You could also turn this into a Moroccan-style dish with 2 lbs of carrots and no broccoli. For spices, use 1 teaspoon ground cumin, 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, a pinch of cayenne, a handful of golden raisins, and toasted almonds.

Serve over hot, cooked rice. The vegetable broth cooks down to make a flavorful sauce. Leftovers can be frozen.

1 head broccoli
1 lb carrots
4 cloves garlic, smashed and peeled
15 oz can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 to 2 teaspoons Penzeys Italian Herb Mix (a blend of oregano, basil, marjoram, thyme and cracked rosemary)
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1.5 cups (12 oz) vegetable broth

Heat the oven to 400F and coat a 9×13-inch glass baking dish with cooking spray.

Cut the broccoli into large spears. Trim and discard the stem ends. Chop the stems into 1/2-inch thick pieces (like coins).

Trim and discard the carrot ends. Chop the carrots into 1/2-inch thick pieces (coins).

Place the vegetables and chickpeas in the baking dish. Spray them with cooking spray, and stir to coat. Sprinkle with the herb mix, salt, and pepper; toss to coat. Give them a final spritz with the cooking spray, and place dish in the oven.

Bake for 30 minutes, stirring after each 15-minute interval. Remove dish from the oven, and stir well. Add the vegetable broth and return the pan to the oven for another 15 minutes until vegetables are tender and broccoli is browned in some places.

Rosemary Potatoes in Microwave

Updated May 2012: This dish continues to be a staple. Instead of using plastic wrap, I just cover the glass dish with a dinner plate turned upside down. I also almost always make these with1 Tbsp olive oil instead of butter. A favorite lunch salad of mine in the summer combines 2 cups of lettuce mix, 1 cup of white beans, 1 cup of these potatoes, and 6 Kalamata olives with balsamic dressing.

Cook’s notes: I’ve made this dish at least twice, and it is just awesome. Originally from Cooking Light, it is so much better than the traditional method, in which the potatoes are made in the oven with a whole stick of butter. These cook in the microwave oven, and you can use olive oil instead of butter if desired. You really can coat all the potatoes with just 1 Tablespoon butter.

Baby creamer potatoes

1 Tablespoon butter
1 teaspoon rosemary powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 pounds baby yellow potatoes, scrubbed and halved

Place butter in a glass 8-inch square baking dish or pie plate. Microwave at MEDIUM-HIGH (70% power) for 45 seconds or until butter melts. Add rosemary powder, salt, and pepper; stir to combine. Add the potatoes; toss well.

Cover with plastic wrap and microwave at HIGH for 15 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

YIELD: 6 servings. Leftovers are great with breakfast eggs.

Faith’s Roasted Vegetables

Cook’s note: These are awesome served on top of Turkey and Black Bean Chili. Mix leftover vegetables with broth and turkey meatballs to make a soup. Faith says, “Vary the veggies depending on what’s in season or what you’re in the mood for. She recommends putting these on a sandwich with chopped tomato and avocado.

Cut the vegetables to be a uniform size.

6 oz package Portobello mushroom caps, stems removed and diced large
1 lb yellow squash, sliced
1.5 lbs green zucchini, sliced
2 red bell peppers, seeded, cored and diced large
1/2 cup olive oil (use the minimum amount needed enough to coat the vegetables)
1 to 2 Tbsp Faith’s Special Spice Mix
Kosher salt

Heat the oven to 425 F. Line two rimmed cookie sheets with foil or parchment paper.

Place all the sliced vegetables in a large bowl. Drizzle the olive oil over and sprinkle with the Faith’s seasoning. Stir well to coat the vegetables evenly.

Spread the vegetables in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle with kosher salt. Roast until golden and tender, about 20 to 25 minutes. Stir them once or twice to ensure even cooking. Serve warm.

Other combinations:

• Carrots, zucchini, yellow squash, and red bell pepper
• Eggplant chunks (roast by themselves; they make take longer)

Adapted from Cooking with Faith by Faith Ford

Marinated Cucumber Salad

Cook’s notes: I combined several recipes to come up with this easy side dish. It goes great with Asian-style take out, or to round out a meal of vegetable lasagna and garlic bread.

Wash and thinly slice 1 English cucumber, leaving the peel on.

Combine scant 1/4 cup rice dressing plus enough cider vinegar to make a total of 1/3 cup vinegar. Stir in 1 tsp white sugar and 1/4 tsp kosher salt, stirring until the salt and sugar dissolve. Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Stir gently to make sure all slices are covered. Chill for 1 to 2 hours. Stir before serving.

Cool as a marinated cucumber

Best Recipe: Lemon Roasted Vegetables with Beans

Cook’s Notes: I love the lemon potatoes at our local Greek restaurant, but you can only get them with an entree. Here’s the version I developed to cook at home. This dish has potatoes, beans, and vegetables in a delightful lemon dressing.

16 oz bag fingerling potatoes (Trader Joe’s “steam in bag” kind)
16 oz bag fresh green beans
4 green zucchini, sliced
2 yellow squash, sliced
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1/3 cup olive oil, divided
1.5 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
1 can cannellini (white) beans, rinsed and drained

Lemon Dressing:
1/3 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice (about 3 lemons)
1/3 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper

Heat oven to 450F degrees. Line two baking sheets with foil; lightly coat with cooking spray.

Microwave the potatoes according to the bag instructions. Slice the steamed potatoes into chunks.

Toss the zucchini and green beans with half the olive oil and half the salt. Spread them out in a single layer on one of the prepared pans. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes until tender. You may need to remove the green beans and let the zucchini continue roasting.

Turn the oven down to 425F. Toss the squash and red pepper with the remaining olive oil and salt. Spread them out in a single layer on the second prepared pan. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until tender.

Combine potatoes, roasted veggies, and cannellini beans.

Combine dressing ingredients in a jar, shake well, and pour over vegetable mixture. Serve at room temperature.

Adapted from an orzo recipe at Show Me Vegan (link)

Best Recipe: Oven Roasted Broccoli for Two

We love this recipe. It’s modified from Melissa Clark; I’m sure it’s great with the shrimp and rice, as she originally wrote it. However, this is the best way I’ve found to have just broccoli without it swimming in cheese and butter.
1 pound broccoli, cut into bite-size florets
1 to 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/4 tsp ground coriander
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Heat oven to 425 degrees. Mix the spices together (coriander to pepper).

In a large bowl, toss broccoli with oil and spice mix. Spread broccoli in a single layer on a baking sheet. Roast for 10 minutes. Toss broccoli. Roast, tossing once halfway through, until broccoli is tender and golden around edges, about 10 minutes more. Serve with lemon wedges.

Source: Adapted from The Wednesday Chef (link)