Category: Vegetarian

Italian Veggies

My Sicilian friend and neighbor Antonio, who for years ran a great Italian restaurant here in Malibu, Tra di Noi, showed me such a simple way to cook vegetables.  He told me that most people overdo it by putting way too many spices in there, or they cook it too much.   His way is so simple and I love it. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, salt is underrated. These sautéd veggies are flavorful and always a big hit.

Ingredients

4 cups Italian Veggies of your choice (Zucchini, Summer Squash, Onions, Green Beans, Broccoli, Cauliflower)You don't want to have many more veggies than your skillet can handle in one layer
Olive Oil
Kosher Salt and Fresh Ground Pepper

Directions

Clean and chop veggies to the size you want to serve them.

Heat up Olive Oil, Saute Veggies, adding salt and pepper along the way (more than you think of both); remove when they are the consistency you want. 10 to 12 minutes is a good amount of time.

With green beans, I will add some hot red pepper flakes. Having large chunks of onion (not diced) is also very good. And if you want more flavor, fresh minced garlic or dried minced garlic area always a nice addition.

Cheese Grits

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Growing up in the South, you didn’t ask for grits at a breakfast restaurant. They just came with the bacon and eggs. They are a cheap and filling food, and have just been part of southern menus for a long time. I do not crave grits. But cheese grits, that’s a different story. My mom always made cheese grits. They’re way better than just grits, far beyond ordinary, and deserving of a special place at the table.

Using non-instant grits is critical. If you are an oatmeal fan, then you should not be a fan of instant oatmeal. Instant oatmeal is a bunch of nothing. Steel cut or the whole grain oatmeal, the stuff that takes at least 10 minutes to cook, is the way to go. Same thing with grits. Get yourself some good stone ground grits (my favorite brand is Bob’s Red Mill), and you are ready to go. We serve this for dinners, pot lucks, and it’s even a staple on our Thanksgiving table.

Ingredients

1.50 cups Stone Ground Grits*We love Bob's Red Mill brand for all of our grains. See amount note in the directions. You want the right amount of grits to mix into six cups of water.
6 cups Boiling Water with 1 tsp saltYou can use a vegetable or chicken stock if you want more flavor.
4 cups Sharp Cheddar Cheese, grated
3 Eggs, beaten
8 tbsp Butter (1 stick)
2 tsp Kosher Salt
2 tsp Pepper, Black
1 tbsp Chili Garlic Sauce (Optional)

Directions

Cook the grits in boiling water until they reach a consistency where they won’t run off your plate and turn off heat.

Note: different grits have different measurements. Choose the right amount of grits to cook in 6 cups of water. Use some Common Core math skills here!

Add butter, and stir in until it is melted and blended.

Beat eggs in a small bowl, then spoon in some of the hot grits into the eggs and mix together (this keeps the eggs from cooking into scrambled eggs). Add back to grits and stir.

Mix in all but one cup of the shredded cheese.

Stir in salt, pepper, and if you want some spice (and you should!), the chili-garlic Sauce or your favorite hot sauce.

Prepare a nice casserole dish. A 13″ x 9″ size (3 quarts) is right. If you are using a deeper dish, you will need to bake a little longer. Use some butter or cooking spray and you’re set.

Pour the grits into the dish. You can refrigerate overnight at this point, or just go right to the next step.

When you are ready to bake, sprinkle cheese on the top. Bake at 350 degrees (325 convection) for 1 hour and 15 minutes, until just barely browned and the grits are set. 75 Minutes

Black Bean Veggie Burgers

I belonged to a 24 hour fitness gym back in 2007. I had a job where I drove all over Southern California, and I wanted to be able to work out wherever I ended up that day or night. So I was on their mailing list, and they sent out a newsletter with a recipe for a vegetarian black bean burger. I’ve adapted it a little, but it’s now my go to veggie burger. Jill loves them, and I do too. I recommend cooking them on a griddle or in a cast iron skillet. If you want to keep it all outside with the burgers you’re grilling, just throw that cast iron skillet on the grill and you’re good.

Ingredients

1 Can, Black Beans, Drained
¼ cup Onion, chopped
1 cup Salsa, thicker is better
2 Carrots, diced into smaller pieces (1/8″ pieces)
1 cup Bread Crumbs
½ cup Wheat Flour
1 Green Pepper, diced
½ tsp Salt
½ tsp Cumin
½ tsp Chili Powder

Directions

Preparing the patties

Steam carrots in the microwave for 90 seconds. Its enough to soften them up.

Mash black beans with a potato masher. Keep a few whole beans out, as they create better color and texture.

Add remaining ingredients (reserve 1/4 cup of salsa). Mix together. If it needs more wetness to hold, add more salsa. If it’s too wet, add bread crumbs or wheat flour.

Form 6 patties – 1/2″ thick is good. Place on wax paper on a baking sheet. Refrigerate until you are ready to grill ’em up.

Cooking!

I think these are best cooked on a griddle. Although you can grill them, it’s safer to cook them 3-4 minutes per side on a griddle. They should get just a little crisp on the outside.

Add cheese at the end of cooking if you want. Cover with a pot lid to help it melt faster.

Put on a bun, add your favorite ingredients, and you are living the vegetarian dream!

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

It’s not often that a dad gets to be a hero. But every time I get two sticks of salted butter out of the refrigerator and ceremoniously lay (or for more effect, slap) them out to soften, there is an audible cheer in the house. They’re that good. And it’s just the old (not the updated!) version of the Quaker Oats recipe, with a few ever so slight changes.

So here’s the thing. If you buy a cardboard cannister of Quaker Oats, you still find the recipe for their “Vanishing Oatmeal Cookies” on the underside of the lid. But don’t be fooled. It’s the updated version, with way less butter. As the drive-in movie review columnist Joe Bob Briggs says, “Communist Alert!” As any chef, more butter is better. So let’s stick with the old recipe, get rid of those pesky raisins, and add some chocolate chips. Here’s my recipe.

Ingredients

3 cups Quaker Oats (Old Fashioned are the best)
1.50 cups White Flour
¾ tsp Kosher Salt
1 tsp Baking Soda
1 tsp Cinnamon
1 cup Butter (Two Sticks), Softened
1 cup Brown Sugar
½ cup White Granulated Sugar
2 Eggs
1 tsp Vanilla
1 cup Chocolate Chips, Semisweet

Directions

Mix Dry Ingredients (First Five) in a bowl.

In a mixer, mix butter and sugar. Beat until smooth. Mix in eggs and vanilla.

Mix wet and dry ingredients in one bowl.

Add chocolate chips and mix in.

Bake for 10 minutes in 325 degree convection oven, or 350 degrees regular oven. Removed when browned.

Cool on rack, then serve while they are still warm.

If you want to save dough, wrap in wax paper, then place in plastic bag. Thaw for at least 30 minutes before cooking.

Jilly’s Mini Pumpkin Pies

Once the Halloween Tree goes up, it’s time for Jilly’s Mini Pumpkin Pies! My wife Jill is an inventor. She has invented so many things over her life, the smartphone for example. She was way ahead of Steve Jobs. In 2003, long before the first iPhone in 2007, when she was holding her Treo 300 Palm Pilot in one hand, and her cell phone in the other, she knew they should be merged as one. We don’t make a lot of money off of her inventions, but we enjoy it when someone else finally figures it out.

These mini-pumpkin pies may be one of her greatest inventions. A friend of ours published the recipe in a cookbook, but did not give Jill credit. She’s OK with that, but come on! I bet we make five or six batches of this every fall. They’re a great dessert, breakfast, snack, or whatever you want them to be.

And here’s how I eat them. I peel away the muffin liner, hold the mini-pie in my hand, put whipped cream on top of that, and eat it in three bites. Let us know what style works best for you!

Oh! And that picture below? That’s Jill getting the honor of putting the witch on top of the old Halloween Tree! Wait. You don’t all do that? Our holiday tree comes out in October and becomes a Halloween Tree, then a Thanksgiving Tree, then a Christmas Tree. And if I had it my way, it would stay up the whole year long, arborally celebrating the different holidays. Alas, like many things in my home, I don’t get it my way, and I live with nine, sad, holiday treeless months. But I can’t wait for October!

Ingredients

1 14.5 oz Can Pumpkin – We Like Libby’s
1 Can, Sweetened Condensed Milk
2 tsp Pumpkin Pie SpiceWe think McCormick's is the best brand for this
2 Eggs
28 Ginger SnapsThe Nabisco Ginger Snaps are perfect.
Whipped CreamI usually like homemade, but the spray can works so well here.

Directions

Mix pumpkin, sweetened condensed milk, pumpkin pie spice, and eggs in a mixer or with a spoon.

(Note: If you want to make a big pie, just pour this into a pie crust and bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes, then 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes, until a knife/toothpick comes out cleanly.)

Put a Gingersnap in the bottom of 28 foil cupcake cups arranged on 8.5 x 13 casserole dishes. Put 1/4 cup mix in each cupcake cup.

Bake at 425 for 15 minutes, then at 350 for 20 minutes.

Let cool. Then serve with whipped cream!

Green Lentils and Vegetables

I put this recipe together when we were attending a pot luck with many vegetarians in attendance. It’s a great protein, with so many beautiful veggies in it. And it’s a stunning dish to bring in to a a party. I believe this can serve 12 people easily, and it’s a perfect veggie dish for a pot luck dinner.

Ingredients

1.50 cups Green Lentils, sorted and rinsed
1 Bay Leaf
2 tsp Olive Oil/Vegetable Oil
1 Onion, diced
6 Carrots, diced in 1/2″ to 3/4″ pieces
4 Celery stalks, diced in 1/2″ to 3/4″ pieces
4 Garlic Cloves, mashed/pressed
1 tbsp Tomato Paste
⅔ cup Red Wine
2 tsp Dijon Mustard
2 lbs Spinach or Baby Spinach, Washed
3 tbsp Butter (Optional)

Directions

Preparing the Lentils and Vegetables

Place Lentils and Bay Leaf into 3 Cups Water. Add 1 tsp salt and bay leaf. Bring to boil then keep simmering for about 20 minutes. DO NOT OVERCOOK! Lentils should hold their shape and have some texture. Set aside when ready. 20 Minutes

Add 2 tbsp vegetable/olive oil mixture. Add onion, carrots and celery. Season with 1 tsp salt and 2 tsp pepper. Sauté for 8 minutes.
Add garlic and sauté for 1 minute.
Add tomato paste and mix in.

Pour wine into vegetables, and simmer for 8 minutes until wine is syrupy.

Stir in the mustard.
Stir in the lentils.
Stir in butter for extra goodness! (Or don’t if you want to keep the vegan goodness!)
Turn off heat and set aside. Do not cover. You don’t want to overcook the lentils.

Preparing the Spinach

I do this in two quick batches. In a large sauce pan, heat 1 tsp olive oil and 1 Tbsp butter. Add one clove of pressed garlic. Add spinach. Add salt and pepper (1/4 tsp each) Wait 1 minute then start stirring until it’s sauted and ready. This should take 3-4 minutes. Remove and drain in colander.

Repeat with 2nd pound of spinach.

Assembling the Dish

In a nice casserole dish, add the spinach and push to the edges.

Add the lentils in the middle. Garnish with parsley if you like and you are ready to serve!

If you are going to a pot luck, cover with foil and heat in the oven there for 10 minutes before serving.

Quick Veggie Soup

A quick veggie soup is a nice recipe to have in reserve. It can be a light lunch or dinner, an appetizer, or you can add some pasta and make it a more filling minestrone like soup. It’s remarkably simple and quick.  Jill made it for me recently when I was sick and it was fantastic!

Ingredients

4 cups Organic Vegetable Broth
5 Carrots, Large, Peeled and Chopped
1 Onion, small, quartered and separated
6 New Potatoes
1 Bay Leaf
1 tsp Salt
¼ tsp Crushed Red Pepper
3 Garlic Cloves, Pressed or Crushed
1 tsp Black Pepper

Directions

Add broth and all ingredients until the potatoes are soft – about 20 minutes.

Scoop out most of the solid ingredients (with a little broth), and place in blender. Puree.

Mix back with the broth and you’re ready. Add some avocado and/or pepitas for great toppings!

Carrot Souffle

Carrot Soufflé is a great alternative (or addition) to sweet potatoes at Thanksgiving.  It’s sweet, almost dessert-ish, and it adds great color to any plate.  And . . . you get to say you’ve eaten your vegetables! My mother-in-law brings this to our home every Thanksgiving, and there are never any leftovers.

Ingredients

1 lb carrots, peeled and ends cut off
3 eggs
⅓ cup granulated sugar
3 tbsp white flour
1 tsp vanilla
⅓ cup butter, melted

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Boil water, cook carrots for 8-10 minutes, until soft. 8 Minutes

Place all ingredients in a food processor. Puree until smooth.

Pour into baking dish – a 1.5 quart soufflé dish or pan is nice – and bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes. Use the “knife in the cake” technique, if it’s clean, it’s ready. 40 Minutes

Optional topping: Mix 2 Tbsp soft butter, 2 Tbsp Brown Sugar, and 1/2 Cup chopped pecans to the top after you take it out, broil for 3 minutes until brown. This is too sweet for my tastes for a meal, but I still think it sounds awesome!

Spicy Cranberry Sauce

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I started working on a spicy cranberry sauce back in 2010, and I really like this recipe that is an amalgamation of many ideas. It’s a hit on Thanksgiving and great with leftovers, and it just takes a little time. It’s not that spicy, and it tames with time. I hope you like it!

Ingredients

12 oz Fresh Cranberries
14.50 oz Can, Whole Berry Cranberry Sauce
12 oz Orange Marmalade
1 Onion, Small, diced
1 Apple, peeled and diced
1 Green Pepper, Cored, and Diced
2 diced jalapeños (2 peppers)
1 lime, juiced and zested

Directions

Mix it all together in a saucepan over medium heat.

Cook for for two to three hours, until the consistency starts to feel a little thick and the cranberries have cracked open. 120 Minutes

Refrigerate overnight and you are set!

Macaroni and Cheese

 

I am asked to bring this dish to parties all the time.  It’s such a hit with my family, friends, and co-workers.  This recipe takes a little time, but it’s a crowd pleaser, and great for leftovers.  Little kids may still like Kraft more, but once they have real taste buds, this takes the cake! It’s an entree, it’s a filling side dish, and it’s always a hit.

Ingredients

16 oz Large Elbow Macaroni
4 cups Sharp Cheddar Cheese
1 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
4 cups Whole Milk, warmed
6 tbsp Butter
6 tbsp Flour (White)
2 tsp Kosher Salt
2 tsp Black Pepper
1 tbsp Chili Garlic SauceMaybe more – People love the zing!

Directions

In a large pot of salted water, boil macaroni. It should be al dente, as it will cook more in the oven. When finished, drain and rinse. Set aside.

Heat up the milk (I microwave it in a big Pyrex measuring cup, but old fashioned stove heating works perfectly too) so that it is nice and warm, almost hot. This will make the cooking go a lot faster. Make a roux by melting butter and whisking in flour. This is quick, so have your milk ready to pour in.

When the roux is thick and bubbly, start gradually add the milk, one cup at a time. Stir with a whisk, until it thickens, then add more milk. When all milk is added, you are done when it reaches it should a pancake batter like consistency. Don’t go too thick – – it will thicken more as it bakes up nicely. Turn off the stove heat.

Stir in salt and pepper, but taste it and see what you like. Add the chili-garlic paste for a little fire. 1 Tbsp is not that much, and people will like it!

Add 3 cups of the sharp cheddar and half of the fresh Parmesan. Mix well until it melts in.

Pour into a baking dish. This should fit into a nice 9 x 13 dish. At this point, you can refrigerate, then take it out about an hour before you are ready to bake it. Or, if you’re ready to go now, go now!

Add the remainder of the cheese on top, and bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes, until the cheese is a little brown and the dish is bubbling. (If you refrigerate prior to baking, cover with foil for the first 15 minutes, then bake for 30-40 minutes.