Quinoa Stuffed Tomatoes

For the past few years I have cultivated greens and herbs in my outside. This 12 months, with cautious attention to watering because we've had a dry summer time here in Ontario, I ended up with a treasure trove of clean produce.

Fresh herbs are optimal in most dishes, and it's far one of these pleasure to exit some steps and choose simply what you need rather of purchasing a large bunch of herbs from the market, most of that you understand will possibly go to waste. Why is it often so tough to discover portions that are doable? I detest losing meals. Really, for maximum dishes do we in reality require a bushel of dill, cilantro or parsley? As it does not maintain for all that long in the fridge, into the bin it lamentably goes once in a while. I certainly do not have the distance to dry it out, nor do I actually have room to develop herbs indoors at some stage in the iciness as my houseplants have taken over the place, and I stay with a cat except.

Another pride is an abundance of clean hot peppers. Spicy meals are so frequently on the menu in my home, and chilies are a must. The ones from the lawn are so clean, juicy and superior in flavor, and I do not have to pass hunting round for the sorts that % simply the right amount of warmth or force to the closest Indian marketplace to get those lovely little inexperienced chilies.

This brings me to my subsequent favourite part of this summer's harvest: clean tomatoes, and masses of them! In the beyond, I have not had tons success with developing tomatoes, but after taking some advice from my Dad's girlfriend I planted a range called Early Girl tomatoes. These brilliant crimson meaty tomatoes start early and grow properly in the course of the season. It is now the start of September and there are nevertheless lovable tomatoes growing at the vine. I've given a few to buddies, made them into a whole lot of dishes, eaten them sliced up with a chunk of fresh cracked black pepper, and roasted them within the oven. This time, I desired to lead them to shine and crammed them with a mixture of quinoa, cornmeal for a bit of crunch, warm lawn peppers and spice for a chunk of a kick, black olives, and a generous supporting of clean herbs.

These make for a tremendous appetizer, or flip them right into a mild meal served with a heat goat cheese salad on toasted bread with pesto. A colorful and delicious tribute to the waning days of out of doors summer dining.

Tip: If you keep your tomatoes in the refrigerator, take them out an hour or two before making ready your dish as this may make it less complicated to dispose of the seeds and pulp.

More filled goodness from Lisa's Vegetarian Kitchen:

Portobello Mushrooms Stuffed with Quinoa

Stuffed Mushrooms with Sun-Dried Tomatoes, Goat Cheese and Olives

Samosa-Style Stuffed Baked Potatoes

Stuffed Jalapeno Peppers with Goat's Cheese and Sun-dried Tomatoes

On the top of the reading stack: Mediterranean Harvest: Vegetarian Recipes from the World's Healthiest Cuisine by Martha Rose Shulman

Audio Accompaniment: Marko Furstenberg - Espenhain

Eggplant Quinoa Bites with Pesto

Only lately have I found out the limitless possibilities of cooking with eggplant. I have simplest cooked with it on a few activities until currently, however now it is often on my grocery list as I explore this underrated and sadly unnoticed vegetable. Many people in my circle of friends suppose that eggplant is flavorless, bland and soggy, yet so many of the recipe books I personal contain severa recipes for eggplant and the local marketplace continually has an amazing supply handy all 12 months spherical. I wager that eggplant isn't always as unpopular as I at the beginning notion.

It all depends on how you put together this vegetable, though technically it's miles a fruit. True, it does not really have tons taste, however from a culinary factor of view it is a instead perfect vegetable to cook with as it absorbs seasonings and flavors properly. Eggplant would not preserve for long, so it's far satisfactory to buy it a day or so earlier than the use of it. Lightly salting the eggplant and letting it sit down for an hour or so before patting the slices dry allows dispose of a number of the moisture and bitterness. If you're including it to soups or stews, add close to the end of the cooking time. You don't want to peel the eggplant due to the fact the pores and skin is edible, but maximum chefs do until they need to bake it whole within the oven, or filled. In either case, the skin will no longer in all likelihood be consumed.

Bake it, steam it, fry it, roast or broil it, and you will come up with numerous serving thoughts. Eggplant is typically covered in stews, soups and casseroles, curries, salads, sandwiches and pasta dishes amongst different favorites appearing on the dinner desk. Often overlooked is that eggplant in reality does shine on its very own because the center piece of a tapas platter or as a standalone appetizer to stimulate the palate earlier than the primary path. To illustrate this declare, I came up with those little eggplant bites. I defy eggplant skeptics to forestall at best one.

The quinoa right here is mixed with a as a substitute unconventional pesto as part of the topping, but I discovered it labored perfectly, including a further layer of taste to the tapas.

In addition to serving as an appetizer, you can need to include them as part of a mild lunch or dinner, served with a gently dressed lentil or leafy green salad. A phrase of warning in case you are serving them as an appetizer previous to a complete path essential: these little nibblers are addictive, so resist the temptation to devour too many, or serve them well earlier earlier than the rest of your culinary efforts grace the dinner desk.

Other small bites from Lisa's Vegetarian Kitchen you are positive to enjoy:

Stuffed Mushrooms with Sun-Dried Tomatoes, Goat Cheese and Olives

Olive Cheese Balls

Goat Cheese Olive Balls

Stuffed Jalapeno Peppers with Goat's Cheese and Sun-dried Tomatoes

On the top of the reading stack: Simply More Indian: More Sweet and Spicy Recipes from India, Pakistan and East Africa

Audio Accompaniment: Robert Rich

Tempeh Stuffed Mushroom Tapas

Food is a important function of quite a good deal any excursion amassing that I can think about, and this is specially genuine of wintry weather celebrations. Not best can we need to consume, but we adore to devour, and us chefs generally tend to get more creative and formidable with our culinary services on special occasions.

Unfortunately, vegans, vegetarians and carnivores alike are all too acquainted with the frustrations of vacation gatherings precisely because of the valuable position meals performs at such times. Winter holiday gatherings and meals are traditionally dominated via meat, fowl and fish, and consequently our extra carnivorous family and buddies serve up food without a know-how of what makes for balanced, filling and scrumptious vegan and vegetarian fare, apprehensive due to the fact they want us to experience the culinary factor of the festive occasion as a good deal as they do. Similarly, even skilled vegan and vegetarian chefs preparing the majority of the vacation spread wish they could provide sufficient dishes to fulfill the urge for food and stimulate the palates of all their diners, mainly if neither meat nor seafood is served.

You can imagine my delight then when I was contacted by Zel Allen who offered me a complimentary copy of her new book, Vegan for the Holidays: Celebration Feasts for Thanksgiving through New Year's Day . I've been a vegetarian for over 20 years and have learned to adapt and often make much of the food for family dinners enjoyed by carnivores as much as by the vegetarians present. But you never can have enough recipe ideas, and the unique charm of this book is that it is specifically designed for special occasions with recipes free of all animal products.

Ms. Allen remains actual to the flavors and pairings historically associated with Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and New Year celebrations. Between the covers you'll discover particular, stylish and regularly formidable recipes of varying complexity for appetizers, starters, graceful consolation foods, sensuous mains and facets, irresistible cakes and treats, or even liquids to fit the event. The modern services are made with ingredients which can be reachable to most chefs and you may be pleasantly surprised how clean and easy the recipes are to prepare. The grace and difference that characterizes each dish will depart each person glad. Equally critical is that the food is supplied so that it will wholesome consuming, so that you need not sense too responsible in case you discover your self over-indulging. This is a e-book in an effort to have you counting your blessings as opposed to your calories.

After flipping via the pages, my appetite stimulated, I simply had to begin cooking right away.

Mushroom gourmet that I am, the first dish I tried was tempeh bacon crammed mushrooms. Of course, this is a vegan recipe, so there's no actual bacon protected. I tailored the recipe due to the fact I experience gambling with special taste combos and textures. Ms. Allen without a doubt appears to enjoy doing the identical.

I fried tempeh strips in oil sprinkled with smoky chipotle powder till crispy in preference to using tempeh bacon, substituted quinoa for the bread cubes, and spiced it up further to attain a smoky taste with the rather liberal use of the chipotle powder in the stuffing too. In addition, I came up with a light salad dressing for the leaves that line the plates.

The recipe for those luscious little tapas appears in the New Year birthday celebration chapter of the book but I assume they would be a welcome treat for any event. Serve as appetizer or as a characteristic on a tapas platter. Myself, I ought to easily devour a good few of those for dinner, all by myself, and are available away from the table pretty glad.

Then I was intrigued and tempted via Santa's favored panforte. This nut and dried fruit chunky, sweet and chewy treat is distinctly addictive ? I could barely manipulate the urge to devour a range of small squares at one sitting.

Now I am eager to try a number of the impressive vegetable dishes and full-size mains further to extra starters, little bites and tempting desserts. Topping the entr?E listing are pistachio and sweet pea torte with roasted-tomato a?Oli, savory lentil terrine with mushroom-wine sauce, savory chickpea Yule log and shiitake tornadoes in cashew cream sauce. Glazed beets in maple-balsamic sauce and chestnut-smothered brussels sprouts are appealing sounding facet greens dishes and also you could not go incorrect with wild rice and chestnut pilaf or curried pumpkin-peanut soup. My listing of appetizers and starters to make is already quite substantial, and I'm intrigued by means of a recipe for selfmade Parmesan cheese made with almonds and tense to strive some of the vegan pastries.

Though all of the recipes are vegan, vegetarians ought to adapt a number of them to include dairy. But vegetarian that I am, after take a look at tasting some of the recipes, I don't suppose you will sense the want to do so.

Vegan for the Holidays is a festive guide to help you create your own special meals that will be sure to impress everyone present. Vegans surely won't be disappointed, carnivores won't miss the meat, and vegetarians won't miss their dairy. Ms. Allen certainly demonstrates that vegan food is far from boring. I will be cooking from this book all year long, no matter the occasion. Don't be surprised if your non-vegan friends start asking you for recipes after trying some of the fare.

You can purchase a copy from the author's website or through Amazon .

The critiques expressed here are my very own. I am no longer affiliated with the author nor her writer.

Brown Rice and Quinoa Cakes with Parmesan

From time to time, I want to percentage my spontaneous late night time cooking experiments here, specially while they are in particular successful and desirable to the palate. This is a instead unorthodox recipe I think because I fused collectively leftover grains, mixed in a mix of spices and herbs, incorporated some chickpea flour into the mix and then added a few Parmesan cheese. Certainly a unique combination of flavors and textures that comes collectively in a shocking manner that turned out to be a palate pleaser. The layering of spice is well tempered by means of the grain and cheese, and the herbs are understated but make their presence acknowledged in a low mendacity kind of manner to finish the experience.

Crispy, slightly dense because of the addition of besan flour, but nevertheless moist inside, I'll be making these over and over due to the fact the possibilities are countless and I usually locate leftover grains a welcome assignment to dress up and make into a second meal, appetizer, facet or snack. I think goat cheese is coming in the close to future. Other options to be taken into consideration are various combos of grains, spices and herbs, fresh chilies, onion, solar-dried tomatoes, quinoa flour, spelt flour and anything else that moves your fancy whilst the yearning hits. Don't be afraid to test and do not wait till you've got leftovers ? Prepare dinner up some grains and provide you with your preferred savory grain desserts.

More delightful fried and baked savories from Lisa's Vegetarian Kitchen:

Baked Italian Brown Rice Balls (Arancini)

Corn Cakes with Blue Cheese and Honey

Spicy Baked Chickpea Koftas

Northeast African Millet Patties

On the top of the reading stack: How to Tell If Your Cat Is Plotting to Kill You (the answer is yes)

Audio Accompaniment: Robert Rich

Spicy Pesto Guacamole

My tried and examined guacamole has continually received rave evaluations from my guests, but I desired to step things up a notch this time round and, after seeing a few recipes for pesto guacamole, I changed into offered at the concept, particularly as there has been basil from my backyard that I desired to use and I have in no way been acknowledged to turn my nostril up at pesto ? And actually no longer at guacamole. As has a tendency to occur in my kitchen, this one is spiced up.

Spicy Pesto

As the climate gets cooler, and we spend extra time interior and indulge in a chunk greater snacking, what higher way to accomplish that than with this wholesome dip that is going properly with any chopped vegetables, toasted pita triangles and definitely tortilla chips. It's best anytime of yr and a patio favourite. My first-class friend Basil pipes up here and describes the whole experience after attempting it with a few healthy baked tortilla chips:

First chew starts offevolved with flavors of avocado, basil, tomato, onion and lime, followed up with a wonderful transmission of salt to introduce a pepper rush, warmly tingling the palette. A lingering aftertaste of lime is later detected.

Well, make it yourself and let me know what you think.

More dips and spreads from Lisa's Vegetarian Kitchen you are sure to enjoy:

Kalamata Olive Tapenade

Spicy Red Pepper Hummus

Red Lentil and Toasted Walnut Tapenade with Olives and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Corn and Pinto Bean Dip

On the top of the analyzing stack: the stacks are scattered about in the meanwhile

Audio Accompaniment: A Person Disguised as People

Coleslaw Bites with Jalapeño Dip

Sides are often underrated, and that's a shame because there are so many interesting ways to dress up grains and vegetables and legumes. For examples, these little fried coleslaw bites served up with one of the tastiest and easiest dips I have had for a while. I made these as part of a meal, rather than as a starter, so I made my bites about 2 inches in diameter, but feel free to make them smaller to serve as hors d'oeuvre tidbits. Better yet, double the batch because they won't last long. They really are that good, and frying up cabbage really brings out its natural sweetness.

These coleslaw bites are vegan friendly too, so if you don't want the dairy here, consider making a variation on the creamy jalapeño dip I present here or serve with a tomato chutney or salsa.

More little bites you are sure to enjoy from Lisa's Kitchen:

Eggplant Quinoa Bites with Pesto

Goat Cheese Olive Balls

Savory Quinoa Corn Cups

Smoked Gouda Gougères

On the top of the reading stack: Cooking Inspired by Estee Kafra

Audio Accompaniment: Stellardrone

Pappadums with Avocado Pomegranate Salsa

When I heard a while back about Raghavan Iyer's new cookbook Indian Cooking Unfolded: A Master Class in Indian Cooking with 100 Easy Recipes Using 10 Ingredients or Less , I was bursting with anticipation. For those unfamiliar with Mr. Iyer's offerings, he is also the author of one of my absolute favorite cookbooks, 660 Curries . I have cooked from and written about his books on many occasions and they all come highly recommended from my kitchen. One of the first dishes I have tried and shared from his most recent book was a wonderful chana chaat (tangy and tart chickpea salad).

Now I am providing up but any other beautiful creation from Mr. Iyer. Look no similarly if you want a completely unique and barely highly spiced appetizer to wow your dining partners. Or if you please, hold all of it to your self. Have a nibble and notice if you have 2nd thoughts approximately sharing this creamy Indian-style "salsa" adorned with candy pomegranate pearls. Crispy lentil pappadums entire the experience. Thoughts of decadence are speedy whisked away whilst you recognize that the entirety on the platter is wholesome and nutritious. Of direction, most significantly, it's a palette pleaser, with a layering of textures and zesty and tangy flavors that you may possibly have no longer considered earlier than.

More Indian dips and salsas which you are positive to experience from my kitchen:

Avocado Chickpea Hummus

Tomato and Eggplant Caponata

Fresh Tomato Chutney

Spicy Indian-Style Hummus

On the top of the reading stack: Couture Chocolate: A Masterclass in Chocolate

Audio Accompaniment: Hallucinator - Landlocked

Lemony Basil Hummus

Hummus is a classic Middle Eastern spread or dip, historically made from mashed chickpeas, olive oil, tahini and garlic. Such a aggregate gives unlimited opportunities to be explored with the aid of keen and ingenious cooks. Keep it easy and conventional or provide you with your very own fusion fashion model to serve up as an appetizer, for lunch, or dinner with veggies and flat breads, or truely as a nourishing snack whenever the want to energize moves.

This is pretty an awful lot a conventional version of hummus with the addition of clean basil and lemon juice to add extra fresh flavor. Think of it as a pesto hummus, with basil lurking in each chunk in a subdued manner. I like my hummus fairly thick in texture however this is a forgiving recipe, so of course experience free to modify the measurements right here according to your alternatives for a thinner version.

More delightful dips and spreads from my kitchen:

Avocado Chickpea Hummus

Hummus with Sun-dried Tomatoes, Goat Cheese and Olives

Kalamata Olive Tapenade

Red Lentil and Toasted Walnut Tapenade with Olives and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

On the top of the reading stack: The Great Vegan Bean Book: More than 100 Delicious Plant-Based Dishes Packed with the Kindest Protein in Town! - Includes Soy-Free and Gluten-Free Recipes! by Kathy Hester

Audio Accompaniment: Off the Sky

Savory Goat Cheese Cakes

Perhaps due to the fact I am on the small side of the load spectrum, or maybe because I adore small things and small meals, little bites of goodness frequently make their way to my dining desk and I never seem to tire of such delights. Whether it be grain patties, legume cakes or koftas, or ? On this instance ? A savory fried goat cheese round, it is my concept of comfort meals. Serve those smooth creamy and tangy goat cheese cakes with a golden brown crispy out of doors as an appetizer or whilst a aspect alongside dinner. For a light dinner, I served them up with marinated mushrooms. You may also remember making up a salsa sauce to go with them or this spicy sun-dried tomato paste.

More goat cheese delights from my kitchen:

Quinoa Goat Cheese and Parmesan Cakes

Tomato and Goat Cheese Crustless Quiche

Pasta and Goat Cheese Casserole with Black Olives

Spicy Goat Cheese Olive Balls

On the top of the studying stack: Selected testimonies of Willa Cather

Audio accompaniment: Nicolas Bacher

Baked Quinoa Falafel Bites

After successfully baking falafel rather than frying them, it changed into time to take matters further with a twist. This time I used quinoa in vicinity of the chickpeas. The instead unorthodox aggregate of nutty quinoa and tahini changed into nearly proper in flavor in texture, sans chickpeas. Go discern, but it labored flawlessly. The lemon tahini sauce I served them with turned into the bomb. If favored, you may serve them in pita pockets with the sauce.

Thankfully, I hardly ever dine by myself, but in this event, I almost wanted I did because I wanted to hold them all to myself. Well, that could be a little bit of an exaggeration, as I always revel in serving food to my husband and satisfactory buddy Basil. However, they're definitely smooth to make so certainly these are actually a common addition to the table. I am one of these grazers that likes to snack on diverse things at some point of the day, rather than to devour massive food and those are simply perfect. Certainly, this is a brand new wholesome favourite.

Note: To make the meal vegan pleasant, serve with a tomato-based sauce or chutney, or hummus as opposed to the lemon tahini sauce which contains yogurt.

Other little bites you're positive to revel in from Lisa's Kitchen:

Coleslaw Bites with Jalape?O Dip

Olive Cheese Balls

Smoked Gouda Goug?Res

Stuffed Mushrooms with Sun-Dried Tomatoes, Goat Cheese and Olives

On the top of the reading stack: Naturally Sweet & Gluten-Free by Ricki Heller

Audio Accompaniment: Paul Kalkbrenner - Guten

Baked Mushroom Arancini

On the rare occasion that I eat out at an Italian restaurant, I never can resist ordering arancini, a delightfully cheesy fried rice ball. Recently, I was menu planning, and a craving hit. After the craving, the idea of making baked mushroom arancini. I do confess to having a bit of a weakness for fried savories, for arancini are commonly fried. However, I don't enjoy the mess of frying and baking the balls are a healthier alternative. Inspired by the success of my baked brown rice balls, I made up a pot of mushroom risotto and turned that into arancini.

The mushrooms add an addictive earthiness to the creamy balls oozing with cheese. There was a fair amount of prep involved, but the result was more than worth it and you can be sure these won't last long, despite the substantial nature of these savory balls of bliss. Because I wanted to serve them as a side instead of an appetizer for the occasion, I served them up with rich tomato braised gigantes bean dish to serve as a portion of the sauce, instead of simply the traditional marinara sauce. I'll be sharing that recipe soon, but in the meantime, you might want to consider serving them with Gigantes simmered in a garlicky tomato sauce. The meal was a smashing success.

Other baked savory dishes you may enjoy:

Baked Chickpea and Brown Rice Patties

Spicy Chickpea Kofta

Chickpea Paneer Kofta in a Creamy Cashew Tomato Sauce

Baked Paneer and Chickpea Cutlets

On the top of the reading stack: browsing the stacks

Audio Accompaniment: Marsen Jules

Homemade Guacamole

To rejoice Cinco De Mayo, a Mexican holiday that is well known global, specially in North America, I became currently handled to a lovable bundle that blanketed a few outstanding avocados, a stunning silver serving bowl, and all varieties of different kitchen candies. I'm now not Mexican myself, but to have fun this package I made ? What else? ? Home made guacamole. Every one loves it when I make this luscious dip, and it disappears in hardly greater time than it takes to set out the bowl. It's fantastic served with home made quesadillas and tortilla chips or another little bites requesting some creamy avocado goodness. Best to double the quantity right here if a number of visitors are expected and it keeps well for some days besides.

Because you could by no means have enough guacamole in my opinion, I'm sharing this recipe once more with updated pictures.

More dips from Lisa's Vegetarian Kitchen you're certain to revel in:

Marinated Sun-Dried Tomato Hummus with Olives

Black-Eyed Pea Salsa

Corn and Pinto Bean Dip

Feta and Olive Salsa

Mushroom and Goat Cheese Quesadillas with Sun-Dried Tomatoes

It is certainly now not sudden that I adore Mexican-fashion dishes due to the fact I like to boost the dining enjoy. As the weather gets warmer, eventually, it isn't so appropriate to spend hours hovering over a warm range. Accordingly, for my weekly weekend dinner feature, I served up a number of my favored meals mixtures that required little fuss with a Mexican theme.

Earthy browned mushrooms, creamy goat cheese, melted Fontina cheese and rich sun-dried tomatoes make up the filling for these golden brown tortilla appetizers.

This recipe can without difficulty be doubled or tripled if a huge yield is needed. Probably that is important, as they're that good. I should have easily simply stuffed up on those appetizers and skipped dinner altogether, but also at the menu was homemade guacamole to go with the quesadillas, tortilla chips, bitter cream and an smooth but delightfully balanced pinto and inexperienced bean fry with millet, a variation of this chipotle pinto and inexperienced bean corn succotash). Certainly, a exceptional celebration of little bites and a whole meal at that.

Other little savory bites not to be overlooked:

Olive Cheese Balls

Quinoa Dolmadakia (Stuffed Grape Leaves)

Savory Goat Cheese Cakes

Baked Mushroom Arancini

Roasted Asparagus and Mushroom Quesadillas with Goat Cheese

Little bites I adore, and this is especially authentic once I can transform nearby asparagus into some thing unique. Although I can experience this treasured vegetable with little adornment, which include with butter and a few salt and pepper, because it shines simply as is, asparagus can get dressed up any dish with a few imagination. Pair it with mushrooms and a few first-class goat cheese and Fontina and you've got a plate that is heavenly. An ideal appetizer or a light meal served up with a easy yogurt lemon sauce and some leafy veggies, this must be considered one of my favorite early summer season food. Oh, and there has been a few jalape?O soup served up for dinner too and a fine olive loaf. This turned into one menu that took sometime to plan and cook, and became of direction gobbled in less than 20 minutes, however really worth each bite.

Other recipes with asparagus to have a look at:

Asparagus With Shredded Paneer and Tomato

Wild Rice and Asparagus Salad

Fried Halloumi Saganaki and Asparagus

Asparagus Pesto Lasagna with Mushrooms

On the top of the studying stack: browsing

Audio Accompaniment: rain