Yummy in our tummy!

Here are some new recipes that we just LOVE!!  I love to hear feedback so if you give them a whirl, let me know how you like them.  If you try something different or find a trick that works for you, let us all know!!

The recipes featured in this post are:

• Spinach & Artichoke Pasta
• Tomato & Basil Tart (we just had that tonight and it was out of this world!!)
• Almond Poppyseed Bars

The recipes are in this order so scroll down to get the ones you like!

Spinach & Artichoke Pasta

Ingredients

• 1 pound semolina or whole wheat penne
• 2 tablespoons Olive Oil
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 2 cups milk 
• Salt
• Freshly grated nutmeg, about 1/4 teaspoon or to taste
• 1 10-ounce box frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and wrung dry in a kitchen towel
• 1 10-ounce box frozen chopped artichokes, defrosted and wrung dry in a kitchen towel
• Black pepper
• 1 1/2 cups shredded Italian Fontina cheese, plus additional for sprinkling on top
• 1 1/2 cups grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, plus additional for sprinkling on top

Yields: 4 servings

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DIRECTIONS

Bring a large pot of water to a boil for pasta, salt water and cook pasta to al dente.

While the pasta water comes to a boil, place a medium pot over medium-low heat with 2 turns of the pan of olive oil, about 2 tablespoons, and the butter. Add the onion and garlic to the pan and cook the veggies until very soft, about 10 minutes. Then heat the broiler and position rack in the middle of the oven.

Turn the heat up to medium-high and sprinkle the flour into the pan. Cook for about 1 minute then whisk the wine into the pan, cooking for another minute to burn off the alcohol. Whisk the milk into the pan and bring up to a bubble. Add the nutmeg, spinach, artichokes, salt and pepper to the sauce and simmer until thickened and vegetables are warmed through, 2-3 minutes more. Add 1 cup of each of the cheeses to the sauce and stir until melted.

Tomato & Basil Tart
This dish actually doesn't have that many ingredients
but the flavor is amazing!!!

• 
  

  Ingredients

• 2/3 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup cold butter
• 4 to 5 tablespoons cold water
• 6 ripe tomatoes - sliced
• 3 cups (12 ounces) fresh mozzarella cheese
• 2 crushed garlic cloves
• 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, dipped in olive oil
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper

Directions

• In a large bowl, combine the flours; cut in butter until crumbly. Gradually add water, tossing with a fork until dough forms a ball. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes or until easy to handle. If you're short on time, **YOU COULD ALSO USE A REFRIGERATED PIE CRUST**
• On a lightly floured surface, roll out pastry to fit a 9-in. fluted tart pan with a removable bottom. Transfer pastry to pan; trim even with edge. Bake at 350° for 13-15 minutes or until lightly browned. Meanwhile, thinly slice the tomatoes; place on paper towels to drain.
• Slice mozzarella cheese and layer onto the crust; top with tomatoes arranging the slices in a slightly overlapping pattern around edge of tart. Sprinkle garlic over tomatoes & cheese.
• Drizzle with oil; sprinkle with salt and pepper.
• Bake for 30-35 minutes or until crust is crispy and cheese is melted. Let stand for 15 minutes before serving. Yield: 6-8 servings.

LEMON POPPYSEED BARS

Ingredients

• 3 eggs
• 2 1/4 cups sugar
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 teaspoons almond extract
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 teaspoons butter flavoring or additional vanilla extract
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 4 1/2 teaspoons poppy seeds
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• FROSTING:
• 1/3 cup butter or margarine, melted
• 3 cups confectioners' sugar
• 3 tablespoons milk

Directions

1. In a mixing bowl, beat the eggs, sugar, milk, oil, extracts and butter flavoring. Combine the flour, poppy seeds, baking powder and salt; add to the egg mixture and mix just until combined. Spread into a greased 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees F for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack.
2. In a mixing bowl, combine the frosting ingredients; beat until smooth. Frost bars.

Raising Vegetarian Children in a Meaty World.....

Recently, our daughter came to us and asked what meat was.  We told her plainly and simply that it is an animal.  It all started because she was very upset by seeing the fish at the seafood counter.  She said, "Why are they sad?" as all the fish had frowns - it's true! While explaining this to her, we didn't want to freak her out about but at the same time, tried to explain to her why WE don't eat meat.   It's a tricky subject to tackle at this age.  We just want to teach our kids that animals are living, breathing, sentient beings. Teach compassion and respect.  They don't need to know about mistreatment, etc at this age nor do we want them to judge others for eating meat.  Just this afternoon, my almost 4 year old daughter was playing in her kitchen and she began to serve up cows and chickens from her puzzles on her tiny play plates as a joke, handing them to me and then giggling, “we don’t eat ANIMALS mommy!” As if the concept was so foreign it was laughable.

Trying to reiterate that it's a personal decision and steering from saying things like, "eating meat is mean," or "we don't eat animals because it's not nice or because it hurts them"  isn't a message we want to send as many loved ones in our lives DO eat meat.   We just believe that if we teach them to love animals and not to think of them as "things" to be used, being vegetarian should be a natural choice for them...or so we hope.  I've never been one to force my beliefs on anyone, so if our children grow up to have a taste for meat, I will not protest.  On the other hand, some kids grow up with meat-eating parents and choose to be a vegetarian (like me!) Now, I was lucky- my mom was extremely supportive and provided plenty of alternative proteins and salads. Not all parents share that view, unfortunately, and even forced their children to eat meat (sometimes, by adding meat juice to otherwise vegetarian meals to trick their children.)

Another concern we run into is making sure our kids are getting a balanced diet.....which is tricky enough as little kids an be such picky eaters.   One needs to make sure that your child is getting the vitamins and nutrients they need.  If one does their homework, raising a child as a vegetarian can be easy as there are other ways to get protein without spending tons of money (beans, nuts, etc..) Here are some tips to make sure your child's veggie diet is on track......

• Understand what foods need to be substituted in the diet as energy, protein and vitamin sources may need to be ‘topped up’.
• Encourage your child to eat a wide variety of foods.
• Alternate wholegrain and refined cereal products.
• Combine lower energy vegetarian foods, such as vegetables, with higher fat foods: for example, vegetable fritters.
• Increase the energy value of food by the use of nut butters, avocado, full fat dairy products, fat spreads and oils.
• Give your child regular meals and snacks.
• Combine foods containing vitamin C with foods that are high in iron. For example, offer an orange with baked beans on toast. Vitamin C enhances the absorption of iron.

Now we are united on the dietary front as a family, and I am beyond thrilled.  My partner has been doing an amazing job sticking to the veggie lane (going on 4 months!) and really think that watching Food, Inc and reading "Eating Animals" was key.  If you haven't seen or read these items, do!!

Raising healthy vegetarian children is possible and is not difficult once a parent has done some simple research. Each person who chooses to become a vegetarian should do his or her own research. Take your standard food chart and simply substitute vegetarian or vegan alternatives making sure your child gets the recommended number of servings. When looked at in this way, it becomes clear that the task at hand is really no more difficult than feeding your average picky toddler. Resources exist in many forms available to anyone willing to peruse the magazine or nutrition/cookbook section of the local bookstore, spend an evening surfing the Internet, or contact a local national vegetarian organization. A vegetarian diet for children can not only be adequate but also abundantly healthful.

The Search Is Over......

....for a delicious, easy, zucchini bread recipe :-)  I'm happy to say I have found a recipe that lives up to my idea of what these this bread should taste like!

While shopping at the Farmers Market last week, I bought some 'golden' zucchini as well as some green.  Having an overabundance of them (how can you say no to HUGE homegrown zucchini 2 for $1?! Ok. I guess one could.  But not I!) I had to figure out what to do with all of it.  I threw it in every dish I could throughout the week and still had a bunch left over.  Fresh zucchini should be used up within 5 days. You can freeze it by peeling off the skin and shredding the pulp.  Measure out 2 cups of pulp and place in a zipper closure bag. Purge the air out of the bag and seal shut.  However, I didn't feel like freezing it so, I decided to give zucchini bread another shot.  I've tried other recipes in the past only to find them dry, bland and never 'zucchini' tasting.  But this one I tried today is a keeper!! 

Zucchini bread is made with shredded zucchini and a number of other ingredients that provide a sweet flavor and moist texture. I used the Golden Zucchini which has a mild, sweeter taste than the green. There are many variations of zucchini bread and some are savory rather than sweet, due to ingredients such as cheese and chopped onions. Like many other quick breads, zucchini bread is often served as a dessert bread or breakfast item.

I have also found that with many homemade baked breads, they are sooo much better the next day.  Wrap them up (once cooled) in some foil and stick them in a ziplock bag or another airtight container.  The bread will be super moist, soft and delish!!  You can also freeze completely baked loafs by wrapping them in plastic wrap followed by aluminum foil. Label and freeze for up to 3 months.


Golden Zucchini Bread

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour (or if you don't have this on hand, all-purpose is fine)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 3 eggs
• 2 cups white sugar
• 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 3 cups grated green or golden zucchini
• 1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Sift together flour, salt, soda, cinnamon, baking powder.
3. Beat eggs. Add and mix well sugar, vanilla, and oil. Add zucchini to egg mixture. Add dry ingredients, mixing well. Stir in nuts if desired. Pour into 2 ungreased loaf pans.
4. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 1 hour.

Cupcakes are vegetarian too!!!

Last night I was thinking, "Why don't I include some sweet recipes on the blog?? After all, baking IS one of my passions!"  Plus, unless you're baking meat pies, most desserts are vegetarian......SCORE!

I tend to be a baking snob. Most of the time, I'd rather bake it myself than go to another disappointing bakery.  Nothing gets under my skin like spending a good amount of $$ at a bakery only to find I could've made it better. (Yes, I know.....I'm tooting my own horn....)

A friend of mine messaged me asking for some recommendations for cupcake recipes for her daughters upcoming 2 year birthday.   Since I just made RED VELVET cupcakes yesterday, I thought I'd pass the yumminess along to you all!  Also, I've included a favorite recipe of Amanda's, Carrot Cupcakes with White Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting.  TO. DIE. FOR.

Enjoy!!!

RED VELVET CUPCAKES WITH CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

 Ingredients

(Makes 24 servings)

• 2 1/2 cups cake flour
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 2 cups sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 (1 ounce) bottle Red Food Color (like McCormick)
• 2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract
• Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting:
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 2 tablespoons sour cream
• 2 teaspoonsVanilla Extract
• 2 cups Confectioners Sugar

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Mix flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt in medium bowl. Set aside.
2. Beat butter and sugar in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed 5 minutes or until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Mix in sour cream, milk, food color and vanilla. Gradually beat in flour mixture on low speed until just blended. Do not overbeat. Spoon batter into 30 paper-lined muffin cups, filling each cup 2/3 full.
3. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted into cupcake comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire rack 5 minutes. Remove from pans; cool completely. Frost with Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting.

Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting

Beat cream cheese, softened, butter, sour cream and Vanilla Extract in large bowl until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar until smooth.  Yummmm!!!

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CARROT CUPCAKES WITH WHITE 

CHOCOLATE CREAM CHEESE FROSTING 

Ingredients

Makes 12 servings

• 2 ounces white chocolate
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon orange extract
• 4 cups confectioners' sugar
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 1/8 cups white sugar
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups shredded carrots
• 1/2 cup crushed pineapple
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 cup chopped walnuts

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease 12 muffin cups.
2. In small saucepan, melt white chocolate over low heat. Stir until smooth, and allow to cool to room temperature.
3. In a bowl, beat together the cream cheese and butter until smooth. Mix in white chocolate, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and orange extract. Gradually beat in the confectioners' sugar until the mixture is fluffy. Mix in heavy cream.
4. Beat together the eggs, white sugar, and brown sugar in a bowl, and mix in the oil and vanilla. Fold in carrots and pineapple. In a separate bowl, mix the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. Mix flour mixture into the carrot mixture until evenly moist. Fold in 1/2 cup walnuts. Transfer to the prepared muffin cups.
5. Bake 25 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean. Cool completely on wire racks before topping with the icing and sprinkling with remaining walnuts.  
6. Eat.....Soooo amazing!!!

"What a Dal"

Since it's been so hot and sticky out, I wasn't in the mood for turning on the oven or cooking over a hot stove.  Come to think of it, it's surprising that the thought of eating a warm dal dish sounded like a good idea.  However, after coming across a "Slow Cooker" cookbook at the library, I was inspired to give this dal recipe a whirl! 

I never really appreciated a good dal until I started making them at home myself. If you've eaten dal at Indian restaurants, you know that they're usually served as a side dish, and can range from being very watery and soup-like to dry and dense, like mashed potatoes. They make excellent meatless main courses, delicious and nutrient rich. But perhaps the dal you've experienced has been too watery, too bland, or just too uninspired to drive you into the kitchen to create your own.  Or, maybe indian food isn't your thing.  At any rate,  I feel like there are 1000 different variations to try and what a great opportunity to explore!

So, what's a dal you ask?   They usually consist of dried legumes such as lentils, split peas, and some kind of bean.  They are typically served as side dishes because if As side dishes the meal is spicy hot, you may want a mildly seasoned, bland dal to offset the heat and balance the flavors. Or, if you're serving the dal as a main course, accompanied by rice and bread, you may prefer a robust dal, with lots of ginger, chiles, and roasted spices to highlight it as the center of the plate.

I've come to consider dal a comfort food. There is something immensely satisfying about grains and beans together. Whenever I eat a good vegetarian chili, or minestrone soup I feel good & toasty inside.  It's hearty (without making you feel too full), nutritious and super easy to make.  If you're in the mood for a quick, easy, yummy dal - this recipe has your name on it :_)

I serve it with brown basmati rice with a spritz of lemon and a dollop of yogurt at table add extra tang. As with other legume dishes, dal freezes beautifully, so reheating a batch requires almost no labor. It's a great idea to keep a quart or so frozen so it's readily available for easy dinners or to take lunch to work.


LENTIL DAL 

  Ingredients

• 2 cups Dried Red Lentils, rinsed & sorted
• 3-4 Garlic Cloves, minced
• 1-2 tablespoon Fresh Ginger, finely chopped
• 1 (10 ounce) package Frozen Spinach
• 1 tablespoon Curry Powder (to taste)
• 1 teaspoon Ground Cumin (to taste)
• 1 teaspoon Ground Corriander (to taste)
• 1 teaspoon Yellow Mustard Seeds (to taste)
•  Red Pepper Flakes(to taste)
•  Ground Cinnamon(to taste)
• 4 cups low sodium vegetable broth
• Water, as needed

Directions

1. Just toss it all in there and cook on low 6-8 hours. check water level a few times to make sure lentils don't burn, add water if needed.  Serve with warm naan if you'd like!

I learn something new everyday.....

So during my time of being a vegetarian, I've learned a lot about the food we buy that is 'considered' to be humane or vegetarian.  Some of it was shocking to find out.  Here are some key products that flew under my radar until recently.....

• For the longest time, I never knew there was such a things as "Vegetarian Cheese."  Some cheeses are made with an ingredient from the stomachs of slaughtered calves and vegetarian cheese uses vegetable-derived rennet. Every supermarket now stocks at least one kind of vegetarian cheese, and many of the more unusual varieties such as Stilton and Brie are also now available in vegetarian versions. 
• A Fruitarian exists! — A person who follows a vegan diet, but only eats foods that don’t kill the plant.  For example, picking apples does not kill the tree, but you cannot have carrots without killing the plant. Wow - I thought I made this term up years ago when I was just goofing around! I used to say that  "At least animals can run & roam......vegetables roots are shackles to the ground....."  Looks like some people out there really believe that.  Huh.   
• Cage Free vs Free Range - “Free Range,” “Cage Free,” “Organic”…what does it all mean? Marketing labels are perhaps the most confusing part of this whole “eating humanely/healthy” game. So what do the various terms you see on the packages mean?

1. Conventional (i.e., no special label) – Typically less than half a square foot of space per hen, giving not even enough room to spread their wings. 
2. Cage Free – As it says, the hens are able to move about inside a barn without being confined to cages. A better life, but not optimal as parts of beaks are often burned to prevent pecking at themselves and others (a sign of distress, by the way).
3. Free Range – Implies chickens on lush green pastures. Actually is not a regulated term for eggs so this can be used by absolutely anyone. Really all that’s needed is a door to the outside that gives the chickens “access” to an outdoor area, whether they actually use it or not. This is a meaningless term.
4. Organic – This means the hens were fed organic feed, whatever that feed consists of. I think it also means no animal by-products in the feed.
5. Vegetarian – The hen is fed a vegetarian feed. I only mention this to point out that chickens are omnivores, not vegetarians, and will naturally eat bugs, grubs, etc. This term is used to imply “healthier” in our anti-meat culture.

As you can see, few of the terms on the egg carton actually mean a whole lot. Other than “organic” and “vegetarian,” it’s pretty useless. But there’s one more term that actually means what you want it to mean. “Pastured” means the chickens were raised on pasture, with access to the sun, grass, bugs, and possibly supplemented with grains and other feed.  That's what I'm gonna keep my eyes open for from now on!

Ok!  Now for the fun stuff - the recipes!!!

I've made a bunch of new things I'm excited about!!  The first is yogurt, which I've been making for years now.  When I was pregnant, I started getting serious migraines anytime I ate what I narrowed down to, yogurt.  After lots of investigating,  I concluded that it was the amount of live active cultures in it that was triggering my headaches.  So I started making my own which is super easy & sooo much better than what you'd get at the store.  Plus then you can flavor it with whatever you'd like!  I have a yogurt maker (it's relatively inexpensive - check it out - my yogurt maker) and saves $$ in the long run - especially if you buy organic yogurt. However, you can make yogurt without a special "maker."  You just need the right tools.  Here is a great resource for how to make yogurt with things you have around your kitchen (including using a microwave!)  Yogurt Making Tips

Homemade Yogurt Recipe

4 cups of fresh, organic 2% milk (You can use skim or 1% as well)
1/3 cup of powdered milk
1/2 cup organic yogurt (this will be your starter - I use greek yogurt since it has less cultures. Once you have your batch of yogurt made, make sure to save some to use as a starter next time or you can use a yogurt starter like "Yogourmet."

Making yogurt begins with milk. I buy organic milk that is fresh as possible. Slowly heat the milk on the stove over low-medium heat.

this point you can choose to add powdered milk. Powdered milk creates thicker yogurt that takes less time to ferment. It's optional if you are using whole milk or two percent. Some skim and one percent milk include added milk proteins which make the product taste less watery and will behave the same way as if you added powdered milk.

For your first batch use two-percent milk plus 1/3 cup of powdered milk. This combination of milk with the powder will produce a delicious, basic yogurt.

The most tedious thing about making yogurt is watching the milk get hot. You need it to hit 170 degrees, but not have it boil. So you want to pay attention to the pot and have a thermometer at hand. Once you've hit the target temperature, remove from heat and then wait for the milk to cool. Unless you put the pot in the refrigerator it will take some time to cool to 108-112 degrees.

If you are using existing yogurt as a starter, have it handy in a cup. When the milk is cooled to the proper temperature, mix a small amount it in with the yogurt. This will break up the yogurt and makes blending it with the rest of the milk easier. Once you add the starter, the milk can be placed in the pre-heated yogurt maker for four to eight hours. Refrigerate before serving. Makes one quart.  Enjoy!

 VEGETARIAN KORMA

This was by far one of the best dishes I've made in a long time.  Indian can be tricky to get right at home but, this recipe is a keeper.  After a few tweaks, I made it my own and made it DELICIOUS!  My brother (a carnivore ;-) and his daughter were over and he loved it too!! 

I am listing the original recipe but included my changes below......

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 small onion, diced
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger root
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 potatoes, cubed
• 4 carrots, cubed
• 1 fresh jalapeno pepper, seeded and sliced (I omitted)
• 3 tablespoons ground unsalted cashews
• 1 (4 ounce) can tomato sauce (I used 8 oz)
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 1/2 tablespoons curry powder
• 1 cup frozen green peas
• 1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
• 1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 cup heavy cream (I used coconut milk)
• 1 bunch fresh cilantro for garnish

Directions

1. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in the onion, and cook until tender. Mix in ginger and garlic, and continue cooking 1 minute. Mix potatoes, carrots, jalapeno, cashews, and tomato sauce. Season with salt and curry powder. Cook and stir 10 minutes, or until potatoes are tender. (This took about 20-25 minutes for me.....)
2. Stir peas, green bell pepper, red bell pepper, and cream into the skillet. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 10 minutes. Garnish with cilantro and serve over basmati rice.

I had to use a full 8oz can of tomato sauce or it got too dry & also used 8 oz of vegetable broth while the potato mixture cooked.   I also left out the jalapeno and used coconut milk instead of cream and added some garam masala (about a teaspon).  I served it over brown basmati rice.  Will definitely make this one again and next time I'll throw in some sweet potatoes and cauliflower :-)

THE VERDICT:

Vic: "By far the best curry dish I've ever made.  Awesome."

Amanda: "Kormatastic!!" (I don't make these up - she really says stuff like this....lol)

30 Days Later........

annnnd Amanda has chosen to go meat-free for good!!! 

When I told her that today was her 1 month vegetarian anniversary, she couldn't believe it!  She said, "In that case, this is EASY!"  That was so wonderful to hear!!  So from time to time, I'll continue stories about our journey, recipes we love, and info I find useful. 

The most common question I've gotten lately is why Amanda decided go become a vegetarian.  I've never believed that it was my place to force my values as it's a highly personal and individual decision to make. But in a survey I recently read, it said that the majority of people  gave up meat and fish because they did not morally approve of killing animals, or because they objected to the ways in which animals are kept, treated and killed for food. 

With the growing awareness of the importance of healthy food, many people are also becoming vegetarian because it matches the kind of low fat, high fiber diet recommended by dieticians and doctors. Concern about the environment is another factor as people become more aware of the effect raising animals for their meat is having on the environment. Or you may be concerned about wasting world food resources by using land to raise animals for meat instead of growing crops that can feed more people directly.

Someone asked me what it meant that we were vegetarian now.  They thought we didn't eat any dairy either.  That got me thinking of the many differences there are in the meat-free spectrum.  Here's some info on vegetarianism that explains the differences a little more.........

For much of the world, vegetarianism is largely a matter of economics: Meat costs a lot more than, say, beans or rice, so meat becomes a special-occasion dish (if it's eaten at all). Even where meat is more plentiful, it's still used in moderation, often providing a side note to a meal rather than taking center stage.

In countries like the United States where meat is not as expensive, though, people choose to be vegetarians for reasons other than cost. Parental preferences, religious or other beliefs, and health issues are among the most common reasons for choosing to be a vegetarian. Many people choose a vegetarian diet out of concern over animal rights or the environment. And lots of people have more than one reason for choosing vegetarianism.

Vegetarian and Semi-Vegetarian Diets

Different people follow different forms of vegetarianism. A true vegetarian eats no meat at all, including chicken and fish. A lacto-ovo vegetarian eats dairy products and eggs, but excludes meat, fish, and poultry. It follows, then, that a lacto vegetarian eats dairy products but not eggs, whereas an ovo vegetarian eats eggs but not dairy products.

A stricter form of vegetarianism is veganism (pronounced: vee-gun-izm). Not only are eggs and dairy products excluded from a vegan diet, so are animal products like honey and gelatin.  Or avoids lanolin, beeswax & carmine in bath & beauty products....like Lotions & Potions!

So we officially have a vegetarian family!!  Here are two of our favorite recipes from the past month.  I'll post some more of our favorites soon!!  Enjoy!

Vegetarian Paella
Having never tried paella, I think it turned out quite yummy! 

Ingredients

nocoupons

• 8 vine-ripened plum tomatoes
• Kosher salt
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon saffron threads
• 1 large bulb fennel, cut into 8 wedges (I left this out)
• 8 baby artichokes, trimmed and halved (I used canned)
• 1 large Japanese eggplant, cut into 2-inch pieces
• 4 ounces shiitake mushrooms, stemmed
• 2 cups dry white wine
• 2 1/2 cups short-grain paella rice
• 4 ounces string beans, halved if large
• 1/4 cup capers, drained
• 1/4 cup piquillo or roasted red peppers, cut into strips
• Chopped fresh parsley, for garnish (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Core the tomatoes, cut into wedges and place in a medium bowl; season with salt, drizzle with a bit of olive oil and toss. Set aside.
2. Heat 1/4 cup olive oil in a 12-inch ovenproof skillet or a paella pan over medium-high heat. Add the     onion, garlic, paprika, cayenne and saffron and season with salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion softens, about 5 minutes.
3. Add the fennel wedges and cook until lightly browned on one side, about 5 minutes. Flip the fennel and add the baby artichokes and eggplant to the skillet; cook until slightly tender, about 4 more minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. 
4. Pour in the wine and simmer until reduced by about one-third. Stir in the rice and 1 3/4 teaspoons salt; add just enough water to cover the rice completely, 2 1/2 to 3 cups. Increase the heat to high and boil for 2 to 3 minutes.
5. Scatter the green beans and 2 tablespoons capers over the rice. Remove the pan from the heat and arrange the tomatoes on top; drizzle with any tomato juices.
6. Transfer the paella to the oven and bake, undisturbed, for 20 minutes. Scatter the remaining 2 tablespoons capers and the peppers over the paella. Turn off the oven but leave the paella inside to continue cooking until the rice is tender, 15 to 20 more minutes. Garnish with parsley, if you'd like! 

THE VERDICT:

Vic: "The recipe is enough to feed an army. It works great on it's own. It's incredibly flavorful (as long as you remember to season with each added layer of vegetable) and a great way to get even your kids to eat veggies!"

"Amanda: "Pie-YAY-uh!!"

Sweet Potato & Black Bean Burritos
We've been making these for a long time and
they're absolutely delicious!

• 5 cups peeled cubed sweet potatoes
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons canola or other vegetable oil
• 3-1/2 cups diced onions
• 4 large garlic cloves, minced or pressed
• 1 Tablespoon minced fresh green chile (I left this out)
• 4 teaspoons ground cumin
• 4 teaspoons ground coriander
• 4-1/2 cups cooked black beans (three 15-ounce cans, drained)
• 2/3 cup lightly packed cilantro leaves
• 1 cup shredded cheddar jack cheese
• 2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 8 eight-inch flour tortillas
• Fresh tomato salsa or jarred (optional)
• Sour cream (optional)

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place the sweet potatoes in a medium saucepan with the salt and water to cover. Cover and bring to a boil, then simmer until tender, about 10 minutes. Drain and set aside.

While the sweet potatoes are cooking, warm the oil in a medium skillet or saucepan and add the onions, garlic & chiles. Cover and cook on medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the onions are tender, about 7 minutes. Add the cumin and coriander and cook for 2 to 3 minutes longer, stirring frequently. Remove from the heat and set aside.

In a food processor, combine the black beans, cilantro, lemon juice, salt, and cooked sweet potatoes and puree until smooth. (You can also mash the ingredients in a large bowl by hand using a potato masher. The result will be a less smooth but nicely textured filling.) Transfer the sweet potato mixture to a large mixing bowl and mix in the cooked onions and spices.

Lightly oil a large baking dish. Spoon about 2/3 to 3/4 cup of the filling in the center of each tortilla, sprinkle some cheese on top, roll it up, and place it, seam side down, in the baking dish. Cover tightly with foil and bake for about 30 minutes, until piping hot. Serve topped with salsa &/or sour cream.  

THE VERDICT:

Vic: "I'm pretty sure that if you left the coriander leaves out, the sweet potato mixture would be good for freezing if you have leftovers or make up extra on purpose. Amanda loves to take them to work for lunch.  It's also a great meal to make for friends as you can make it way ahead and just heat them up in the oven." 

Amanda: "I love these - oldies but godies!!"