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Featured Recipes
Layered Tex-Mex Lasagne
Instead of rolling up each
enchilada individually, this recipe layers the filling
between corn tortillas and covers it all with the enchilada
sauce.
Preparation Time: 20 minutes
(need cooked and mashed pinto beans)
Cooking Time: 45 minutes
Servings: 6-8
Sauce:
2 8 ounce cans tomato sauce
3 cups water
4 tablespoons cornstarch
3 tablespoons chili powder
½ teaspoon onion powder
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
Place all ingredients for the
sauce in a saucepan. Mix well with a whisk until well
combined. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened,
about 5 minutes. Taste and add more chili powder if
desired. Set aside.
10-12 corn tortillas
4 cups mashed pinto beans (fat-free canned beans may be
used)
1 cup chopped green onions
1 ½ cups frozen corn kernels, thawed
1 2.25 ounce can sliced ripe olives, drained
1-2 tablespoons chopped green chilies (optional)
To assemble casserole:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Place the beans in a large
bowl. Add the onions, corn, olives and green chilies (if
you wish). Mix gently until well combined.
Place 1½ cups of the sauce in
the bottom of a non-stick oblong baking dish. Place 3-4 corn
tortillas over the bottom of the baking dish. Spread half
of the bean mixture over the tortillas. Place another 3-4
tortillas over the bean mixture and then spread the
remaining bean mixture on top of those tortillas. Cover
with 3-4 more tortillas and then pour the remaining sauce
over the tortillas. Cover with parchment paper, then cover
with aluminum foil, crimping the edges over the baking
dish. Bake for 45 minutes. Remove from oven and let rest
for about 15 minutes before cutting. Serve with salsa and
tofu sour cream, if desired.
Hints: The amount of corn
tortillas that you need will depend on the size of your
baking dish. Just cover the bottom as well as you can with
the tortillas (on top of the first amount of enchilada
sauce) and then use that same amount for the 2nd
and 3rd layer.
Three-Greens Ribollita Soup
Ribollita
means twice-cooked, or reboiled in Italian. A white
bean stock is livened up with greens, tomatoes, and potatoes
with added slices of toasted bread.
By Colleen
Patrick-Goudreau, for the Celebrity Chef Weekend, June 2009
www.compassionatecooks.com
3 cups (2
cans drained and rinsed) cooked cannellini beans
4 cups vegetable stock
5 cloves garlic, minced
4 sage leaves
2 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons water for sautéing
2 onions, diced
3 carrots, peeled and sliced
2 potatoes, peeled and diced
1 1/2 cups cabbage, coarsely chopped
1 bunch Swiss chard, trimmed and chopped
1 bunch kale, trimmed and chopped
2 cups water or vegetable stock
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
12 (1/2-inch-thick) slices hearty Italian or French bread,
lightly toasted
Place the
beans, vegetable stock, garlic, sage leaves, bay leaves, and
salt in a saucepan. Simmer over low-medium heat. Reduce heat
to low and simmer until the mixture begins to thicken and
the flavor of the garlic and herbs begin to infuse the
beans, about 20 minutes.
Discard
the bay and sage leaves. Transfer to a blender or food
processor and blend until smooth. Set aside.
Meanwhile,
in a large soup pot, heat the water over medium-high heat.
Add the onions; cook and stir until transparent, about 7
minutes.
Add the
carrots, potatoes, cabbage, Swiss chard, kale, the pureed
bean mixture, and an additional 2 cups of water or stock.
Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover, and cook until
the potatoes are fork-tender, about 20 minutes, stirring at
least once.
Adjust
seasonings to taste. At this point you can either serve it
right away, or refrigerate it overnight and reboil the next
day.
When ready
to serve, add one or two toasted bread slices to the bottom
of each serving bowl, and ladle the soup over the bread.
Serve.
Copyright
© 2009 Compassionate Cooks, LLC – All rights reserved
Breakfast Potatoes, Tofu and Vegetables
By Jill Nussinow, The Veggie Queen, for the Celebrity Chef
Weekend, June 2009
This is so
fast and easy in the pressure cooker. Use whatever
vegetables are fresh, and add them according to how long
they take to cook.
Serves 4
1 medium
onion, diced
2-3 small potatoes, cut into chunks
½ pound firm tofu, diced
1-2 cloves garlic, minced (optional)
1 tablespoon tamari
Any spice or spice blend that you like
2-3 tablespoons vegetable broth or water
1 ½ cups vegetables, such as carrots, cabbage, squash,
broccoli
Add the
onion to the pressure cooker and sauté for 1 minute. Add the
potatoes, tofu, tamari and spices. Saute for a minute. Add
the broth and lock the lid on the cooker. Bring to high
pressure over high heat for 1 ½ minutes. Quick release the
pressure. Add the vegetables and more broth, if necessary,
and bring back to high pressure for 1 to 1 ½ minutes,
depending upon which vegetables you add. When time is up,
quick release the pressure and serve immediately.
©2009, The
Veggie Queen™,
http://www.theveggiequeen.com or
http://www.pressurecookingonline.com From
Pressure Cooking: A Fresh Look, Delicious
Dishes in Minutes
Holy Mole Bean Dip
By Chef AJ, for the Celebrity Chef Weekend, June 2009
www.chefajshealthykitchen.com
1 can low
sodium refried beans (black or pinto)
1 can salt free beans (black or pinto)
1 cup salt free salsa (such as Enrico’s)
1/3 cup fresh lime juice (including the zest) approximately
3
2 cloves garlic
1 tablespoon chipotle paste
2 teaspoons raw cacao powder
½ cup raw, shelled hemp seeds
Drain
beans, reserving liquid. In a high powered blender combine
all ingredients except for the hemp seeds and blend until
smooth and creamy, adding reserved bean liquid a little at a
time if you need more liquid for processing. Add hemp seeds
and blend again. Serve with baked, salt-free tortilla
chips. Sprinkle with finely chopped green onions before
serving.
Fresh Herbed Tofu Sour Cream Dip
By Emily Webber, for the Celebrity Chef Weekend, June 2009
This dip
reminds me a little bit of a thick, creamy Ranch-style dip
served at a party with potato chips or vegetables. In this
version, however, the herbs are fresh and bursting with
flavor and rather than sour cream, the base is silken tofu.
It’s rich, smooth and creamy, yet lower in fat and calories
and totally cholesterol-free. Rather than serving it with
the standard array of vegetables, try some new ones that are
not typically seen. You might also wish to serve the
vegetables vertically, standing tall in an array of clear
glasses if you’re having a party. To pack the dip for a
picnic, pack a small cup of dip for each attendee inside his
or her own container of veggies. It will make each guest
feel extra special. This dip is even better the next day
after the flavors have had a chance to mingle.
Variation:
Drain the tofu overnight to make it really thick. In this
way, the dip turns into a sandwich or bagel spread. Try it
for simple cucumber sandwiches. It would be super-yummy for
an afternoon tea or wedding/baby shower. I love it in the
morning, spread on half a whole wheat bagel with a bowl of
berries.
Serves 4-6
people
Special
equipment:
mesh strainer and cheesecloth
1 pound
organic fresh silken tofu
½ teaspoon ground celery seed
1 teaspoon fine sea salt (adjust to taste)
About 10-20 turns freshly ground black pepper
4 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
¼ cup minced fresh chives
2 tablespoons each minced fresh basil, parsley
and dill
2 teaspoons minced fresh tarragon
2 teaspoons minced shallot
Vegetables for Serving (just a few ideas – choose your own)
Asparagus,
blanched
Sugar snap peas or Snow peas, blanched
Grape tomatoes
Cucumbers, sliced into spears
Carrots, cut into sticks
Fennel, cut into sticks
Daikon Radish, cut into sticks
Line a
mesh strainer with a quadruple layer of cheesecloth,
allowing a couple of inches to hang over the edges. Place
the strainer inside a bowl, cut open the package of tofu and
dump it in. Allow the tofu to drain for 15 minutes-2 hours
(place in the refrigerator if it will sit for longer than 20
minutes). The longer it sits, the thicker your dip will
be. Squeeze out any remaining water and dump into the food
processor. Puree until smooth.
Add the
celery seed, salt, pepper, lemon juice, nutritional yeast
and puree. Add the herbs and shallots and pulse just until
combined. Do not over mix or dip will be green. Bits of
herbs should still be visible.
Serve with
vegetables. Keeps in the refrigerator for about 4 days.
Recipe by Emily Barth Webber, 2009.
Cumin-Spiced Sweet & Gold Potato Salad
By Emily Webber, for the Celebrity Chef Weekend, June 2009
This
potato salad is a bit different than the standard type found
at picnic, yet still stays true to its roots. Filled with
substantial chunks of grilled Yukon gold and sweet potatoes,
it’s dotted with sweet, juicy grilled grape tomatoes and
streaked with roasted yellow bell peppers. Don’t forget to
add the parsley at the end! The standard creamy dressing is
lighted up and made more flavorful than ever with a touch of
garlic and a bit of cumin.
Pour most
of the dressing on the potato salad. Serve the potato salad
on a bed of arugula, spinach or lettuce if you’re not
serving another green. Toss the extra dressing over these
greens just before serving, if desired. I especially love
the peppery bite of arugula with the sweet and smoky flavors
of this potato salad.
The
dressing is super-easy to whip up in a blender ahead of
time. It will separate a little as it sits, but just shake
it up or whisk it and it will come together again just
fine.
Serves 4-6
1 ½ pounds
(about 4 medium) Yukon gold potatoes, scrubbed and cut into
wedges
1 ½ pounds (about 2 large) orange flesh sweet potatoes,
scrubbed and cut into wedges
2 teaspoons sea salt
1 yellow bell pepper, roasted and sliced
*See Note, below
1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes
¼ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, cilantro, or green
onion (green part only)
4-6 cups (loosely packed) baby arugula, baby spinach or leaf
lettuce (optional)
Dressing
1 cup
silken tofu (prefer fresh, rather than vacuum-packed)
1 tablespoon agave nectar (or other natural sweetener)
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
1 small clove garlic, minced
½ teaspoon ground cumin
Fine sea salt to taste (about ½ teaspoon – taste first)
Freshly ground black pepper to taste (about 10 grinds)
Cook the
gold potatoes and sweet potatoes:
Place gold potatoes and 1 teaspoon of sea salt in a large
pot of water. Bring the water to a boil, then lower the
heat and simmer for about 6-8 minutes or until the potatoes
are tender when pierced with a fork. In a separate pot,
cook the sweet potatoes by the same method for about 4-6
minutes. Cook both sweet and gold potatoes until fork
tender, yet not falling apart. Drain and set aside.
Make the
dressing.
Place all dressing ingredients in a food processor and puree
until creamy.
Assemble
the salad:
To the potatoes, add grape tomatoes, strips of roasted
yellow pepper and fresh parsley (or cilantro or green
onions). Drizzle with dressing and toss gently. Salad will
continue to absorb more dressing as it sits so you may need
to add more to leftovers, if you have any. Season with fine
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
Note: To
roast a bell pepper, place pepper directly beneath a
preheated broiler or directly on top of a gas stovetop
burner set on medium-high heat, turning every few minutes
until skin is charred and black. Place pepper in brown
paper bag, close the top and allow to steam in the bag for
at least 15 minutes. Slip the skin off the pepper. Remove
the core and seeds, and use the pepper in recipe.
Recipe by
Emily Barth Webber, 2009.
Bean & Grain Taco Burgers
By Emily Webber, for the Celebrity Chef Weekend, June 2009
These bean
and grain burgers are super-easy to make – just right for a
quick, healthy weeknight meal. They are also a fun break
from the ordinary – sort of a cross between a burger and a
taco. The burgers are formed into a half-moon shape, cooked
and placed into a soft whole wheat tortilla. You may top
your burger with sliced tomato and guacamole or sliced
avocado and salsa. If you prefer, serve them fajita-style
by topping with grilled veggies – perhaps some peppers,
onions, portabella mushrooms and summer squash (and of
course a bit of salsa!)
It’s best
to add the rice to the smashed beans while still warm. It
will adhere like glue and the burgers will require no other
binder. If you can’t find quinoa, it’s no big deal. Just
use all rice. The burgers will be great either way.
Makes 4-5
medium-sized (about 1/3 cup) burgers
1 (15
ounce) can garbanzo beans (chick peas), drained and rinsed
(or 1 ½ cups cooked)
½ cup cooked quinoa (see directions below)
½ cup cooked short grain brown rice (see directions below)
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon sweet Hungarian paprika
½ teaspoon ancho chili powder
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
To
Serve
4 soft whole wheat tortillas (small, not the giant burrito
size) or soft corn tortillas
Guacamole or salsa
Sliced tomato (2 tomatoes) or 1 avocado, sliced
Shredded lettuce (optional)
Sliced black olives (optional)
Cook the
grains (separately). Combine ¼ cup rice with ½ cup water in
a small saucepan with a pinch of sea salt. Cover. Bring to
a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 45 minutes or
until all liquid has been absorbed and rice is tender.
Combine ¼ cup well rinsed quinoa in a small saucepan with ½
cup water with a pinch of sea salt. Cover and bring to a
boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes or until
all liquid has been absorbed and quinoa is dry and fluffy.
Dump beans
into a mixer bowl. (If you don’t have a mixer, use a potato
masher or a fork.) Mix until the beans are about halfway
smashed. Sprinkle in all the spices – the garlic powder,
onion powder, cumin, oregano, paprika, chili powder and
salt. Add the hot cooked rice and quinoa and mix until the
beans and grains are all smashed together and the spices are
evenly distributed throughout the mixture.
Wet your
hands. Scoop about a rounded 1/3 cup into your hands and
form into oval-shaped patties. Repeat, making 4-5 burgers
that will fit neatly inside a soft taco.
To cook
the burgers, you may grill them indoors or out or fry them
in a non-stick pan. Grill or fry in a non-stick pan for
about 10 minutes per side over medium-low heat. Cook until
crisp and golden on the outside, and firm, yet still just
slightly tender. If using an outdoor grill, be sure to
lightly oil the grill to prevent sticking. The burgers
may also be baked on parchment paper on a baking sheet in a
400 degree oven for about 10-15 minutes per side. They will
not brown, but will still be yummy.
Warm each
tortilla by placing directly on a gas cook top and cooking
for about 30 seconds, flipping every 5 seconds or so with
metal tongs. Alternately, warm in a dry stainless steel or
non-stick skillet, using the same method.
Place each
burger in a tortilla, top with guacamole and tomato or salsa
and avocado and serve!
Recipe by Emily Barth Webber, 2009.
Wonderful Fat-Free Vegan Chocolate Black Bean Brownies with
Iced Vanilla Cashew Cream and Fresh Strawberry Sauce
By Emily Webber, for the Celebrity Chef Weekend, June 2009
Wonderful
Fat-Free Vegan Chocolate Black Bean Brownies
These
brownies are rich, moist and chewy. They are also vegan and
virtually fat-free! They are quite possibly the world’s
healthiest, yet still scrumptious brownie! The black beans
provide binding and substance, while providing protein and
fiber.
Serve
these brownies alone with a little sprinkle of powdered
sugar or, if you really want to impress, top with Iced
Vanilla Cashew Cream and Fresh Strawberry Sauce for a
show-stopping ending to any meal. Your family or friends
will never guess this decadent dessert is actually good for
them!
P.S. If
serving with powdered sugar, sprinkle each square just
before serving. If sprinkled on ahead of time, the moisture
in the brownies will seep into the powdered sugar and make
the top of the brownies look gummy.
Makes 12
rectangles
1 (15
ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 1/2 cups agave nectar
2 tablespoons ground flax seeds
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
3/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour
Preheat
oven to 350F.
Line an
8x8” pan with parchment paper and allow about 1” of the
paper to hang out on each side. This will allow you to lift
the brownies out of the pan once they cool.
Place
black beans and agave nectar in a food processor and puree
until very smooth. Add the flax seeds, vanilla, cocoa
powder, baking soda and salt and pulse to combine. Add the
flour and pulse until just until barely combined, scraping
the sides as needed. Do not over mix. Pour into prepared
pan. Bake approximately 30 minutes or until center no longer
jiggles when shaken gently and a toothpick inserted in the
center comes out almost clean.
Allow to
cool completely before slicing. Cut into 12 small
rectangles.
Top with a
scoop of Iced Vanilla Cashew Cream and drizzle with Fresh
Strawberry Sauce. (see recipes, below)
Recipe by Emily Barth Webber, 2009.
Iced Vanilla Cashew Cream
This
dairy-free ice cream is very rich, creamy and delicious.
It’s super-easy to make with only a blender and an ice cream
maker.
2 cups raw
cashews, soaked in filtered or spring water for 1-5 hours
1 ½ cups filtered or spring water
¾ cup agave nectar (raw organic preferred)
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 vanilla bean
Drain
cashews and discard soaking water. Place cashews in blender
and add about half of the water. Blend for 3-5 minutes,
stopping every minute to give your blender a rest. (If you
have a high speed blender you will not need to do this, and
it will take much less time to blend.) Add in the rest of
the water, the agave nectar and the vanilla extract. Cut
the vanilla bean in half lengthwise and scrape out the
seeds. Place the seeds in the blender.
Blend for
another minute or two until silky smooth and the consistency
of heavy cream.
Pour into
ice cream maker and freeze according to manufacturer’s
instructions.
Note:
Save the leftover vanilla pod. You can put the pod in a jar
of sugar to make vanilla flavored sugar.
Recipe by Emily Barth Webber, 2009.
Fresh Strawberry Sauce
Make this
fresh, sweet syrup whenever strawberries are in season.
Drizzle it over ice cream, pancakes or French toast.
Substitute any seasonal fresh fruit for the strawberries
including blueberries, peaches, kiwi and more!
2 cups
fresh strawberries
¼ cup agave nectar (more or less as needed depending on
sweetness of fruit)
Puree in blender until smooth. Warm gently just until
heated through, if desired, or serve as is.
Recipe by Emily Barth Webber, 2006.
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