Vegetarian Main Course

Seasonal Penne

Makes 4 servings as a main course

6 servings as a first course. 

This tasty dish is delicious for all seasons. I like to serve it at room temperature.  

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 pound imported penne

SAUCE:

  • 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

  • 5 scallions thinly sliced, including the green parts

  • 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped

  • 10 sun dried tomatoes quarters in oil, sliced

  • ½ cup pitted Kalamata olives, halved

  • 2 tablespoons capers

  • 1 cup tightly packed flat leaf parsley, coarsely chopped

  • 4 tablespoons lemon juice, approx

  • Kosher salt

  • Freshly ground black pepper

 PREPARATION:

  1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Add the scallions and garlic. Sauté over low heat until soft.  

  2. Add the tomatoes, olives, and capers. Stir, then add the parsley, lemon juice, salt, and pepper.  

  3. In a large, covered saucepan, bring 5 quarts of water to a rolling boil. Add 2 tablespoons salt and all the pasta at once.

  4. Boil briskly, uncovered for about 9 minutes, or until the pasta is al dente.

  5. Drain well in a colander and toss with the sauce.

  6. Season to taste with lemon juice, salt and pepper.  

NOTE:

Leftover pasta may require more seasoning.

 

Oven Chickpeas

Makes 6 main course servings. 

This slow cooking process brings out the rich flavor of the all the ingredients as they are absorbed. I like to serve this dish on a bed of dressed baby greens with cubed feta.

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 pound dried chickpeas

  • 8 medium shallots, peeled, halved

  • 8 garlic cloves, peeled,

  • 4 bay leaves

  • ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt

  • Freshly ground black pepper

  • 1/3 cup lemon juice, approx

  • 8 ounces feta, cubed

PREPARATION:

  1. Place the chickpeas in a large bowl. Cover with cold water and leave overnight to soak.   

  2. Preheat the oven to 350F. 

  3. Place the drained soaked beans in a medium saucepan and add cold water to cover the beans by 1 inch.

  4. Add the shallots, garlic, bay leaf, oil, salt and pepper.

  5. Bake for about 3 hours covered; the chickpeas should be soft.  Discard the bay leaves, add the lemon juice and season to taste with lemon juice, salt and pepper. 

 
 

Barley Risotto

4 servings. 

This is a one pot nutritious dish. To make it more wholesome I add cubed, sautéed firm tofu as well as other vegetables such as sautéed sugar snap peas, among others.

INGREDIENTS:

  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter

  • 1 cup pearled barley

  • 4 scallions

  • ½ pound cremini mushrooms

  • ½ cup white wine

  • 1 3/4 cups vegetable broth

  •  1 teaspoon Kosher salt

  • Freshly ground black pepper

  • 1 cup tightly packed flat leaf parsley, coarsely chopped

  • 3/4 cup imported grated Parmesan cheese, approx

PREPARATION:

  1. Thinly slice the scallions, including the green parts. Wipe mushrooms with a damp paper towel and slice thinly.  

  2. Heat the butter in a medium saucepan. Add the barley and sauté for a few minutes until the barley is lightly browned.

  3. Add the scallions, mushrooms and wine, stir for a few minutes.

  4.  Add the broth, then bring to a boil over high heat. Lower the heat and simmer covered until the liquid is absorbed and the barley is soft. Stir from time to time (about 40 minutes).

  5. Add the parsley and the Parmesan cheese.  Season to taste with more parmesan cheese, salt and pepper.

  

 

Ricotta Lasagna

Ricotta Lasagna.jpg

Makes 6 servings. 

Using preboiled lasagna noodles and preparing the rest in stages make this dish so convenient to make. The tomato sauce can be cooked at any time and the ricotta filling can be prepared in advance. All you have to do is to assemble the dish and bake it when you’re ready.  Leftovers freeze very well.

INGREDIENTS - TOMATO SAUCE:

  • 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

  • 1 large onion, finely chopped

  • 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

  • 1 carton, 26.46 chopped tomatoes, Pomi

  • 1 cup loosely packed basil leaves, torn into small pieces

  • 1 cup loosely packed Italian parsley, coarsely chopped

  • ½ cup water

  • Kosher salt

  • Freshly ground black pepper

INGREDIENTS - RICOTTA FILLING:

  • 15 ounces Ricotta cheese

  • 3 scallions, including green parts, thinly sliced

  • 3 large eggs, whisked

  • 1 cup loosely packed Italian parsley, coarsely chopped

  • ¾ teaspoon kosher salt

  • ½ teaspoon black pepper.

  • 1 pound preboiled imported lasagna noodles

EXTRA CHEESES:

  • 1 cup grated mozzarella

  • ½ cup freshly grated imported parmesan cheese

TO MAKE THE SAUCE:

  1. Heat the oil in a medium saucepan.

  2. Add the onions and garlic and sauté until onions are soft, about 3 minutes.

  3. Add the tomatoes and the remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil over high heat, lower the heat and simmer covered for 20 minutes.

  4. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

TO MAKE THE FILLING:

  1. Combine ricotta, scallions, eggs, parsley, salt and pepper. Season to taste. 

TO ASSEMBLE AND BAKE THE DISH:

  1. Preheat the oven to 375F

  2. Combine the mozzarella and parmesan cheeses and set aside. 

  3. Spoon half of the tomato sauce into the bottom of a 10 by 15 inch baking pan (such as a Pyrex).

  4. Place 6 lasagna sheets on top of the sauce, overlapping them slightly. Spread half of the ricotta filling and top with another 6 lasagna sheets. Finally spread the rest of the ricotta filling, top with the remaining lasagna sheets, spoon the remaining tomato sauce on top and sprinkle with the  mozzarella and parmesan mixture. 

  5. Cover the dish with heavy aluminum foil and bake for 1 hour. At this point the pasta should be cooked and tender. Remove the foil and bake for another 15 minutes to brown the top.  

NOTE:

If you assemble the lasagna before and refrigerate it, be sure to bring it back to room temperature before baking.    

 
 

Spicy Tofu

Spicy+Tofu.jpg

Makes 2 very generous servings.  

This dish paired with brown rice makes for a satisfying, nutritious meal. The tofu is baked rather than sautéed making it less caloric and messy. You can also make it earlier in the day and reheat it.   

INGREDIENTS:

  • 14 ounces firm, organic tofu, drained

  • ¼ cup cornstarch

  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

  • Kosher salt

  • Freshly ground black pepper

SAUCE:

  • 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

  • 2 garlic cloves

  • 2 scallions

  • 1 inch ginger  

  • ½ pound cremini mushrooms

  • 4 tablespoons water

  • 2 tablespoons  low-sodium soy sauce

  • 3 tablespoons Hoisin (See Note)

  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup

  • Kosher salt

  • Freshly ground black pepper

PREPARATION:

  1. Preheat the oven to 450F.

  2. Line a small baking sheet with parchment paper. 

  3. Place the tofu in between layers of paper towels and put a few heavy items on top – such as a cutting board with a few cans on top of it.  Change the paper frequently. This will help drain the water out of the tofu. The tofu should be dry.

  4. Cut the tofu horizontally into half and then into 1 inch squares.

  5. Season lightly with salt and pepper. 

  6. Spread the cornstarch on a piece of wax paper. Dip the tofu into the cornstarch.   Place on the baking sheet and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon oil.   

  7. Bake for 15 minutes, turn over and bake for another 5 minutes. 

MAKE THE SAUCE:

  1. Chop the garlic finely.

  2. Thinly slice the scallions including the green parts.

  3. Grate the ginger.

  4. Wipe the mushrooms with a damp paper towel, discard the stems and quarter.  

  5. In a wok or a medium saucepan heat the oil and sauteed, over low heat, the garlic, scallions and ginger briefly.  Add the mushrooms and sauté over high heat until slightly wilted.  Add the water and the remaining ingredients.  

  6. Bring to a boil. Add the tofu, combine well and season to taste with salt and pepper.     

NOTE:

Kosher Hoisin sauce is available. I use Joyce Chan Brand.

 
 

Sweet Potato Chili

Sweet+Potato+Chili.jpg

2-4 servings. 

This is a family friendly, winter one pot dinner which you can serve with brown rice.

Wonderful for the times when you need a quick and easy bowl of something nutritious. It also freezes well.

INGREDIENTS:

  • 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

  • 3 scallions

  • 2 medium sweet potatoes

  • 1 yellow bell pepper

  • ½ teaspoons chili powder

  • One, 15.5 ounce can kidney beans, drained

  • 1 ½ cups chopped tomatoes (See Note)

  • Kosher salt

  • Freshly ground black pepper

  • Cilantro as a garnish, optional

PREPARATION:

  1. Cut the scallions including most of the green parts into thick pieces.

  2. Peel the potatoes and cut into cubes

  3. Seed the pepper and cube as well.  

  4. Heat the oil in a medium saucepan. Add the scallions, potatoes, pepper and chili powder. Sauté for a few minutes. Add the kidney beans and the tomatoes. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for about 35 minutes or until the sweet potatoes are soft. Stir from time to time.

  5. Season to taste with chili powder, salt and pepper.

NOTE:

I like using Pomi chopped tomatoes, which come in 26.46 ounce cartons. Leftovers can be frozen.

 
 

Brown Rice with Beans

Brown+rice+with+Beans.jpg

Makes 4 servings. 

This dish is nutritious and creamy. It’s almost like a risotto and made with many ingredients you will already have in your pantry.

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 cup long grain brown rice

  • ¾ cup unsweetened coconut milk

  • ¾ cup water

  • One 15.5 ounces can kidney beans, drained

  • 4 scallions

  • 1 cup loosely packed flat leaf parsley

  • ½ cup ricotta or ½ cup grated mozzarella

  • 1-2 tablespoons lime juice

  • Kosher salt

  • Freshly ground black pepper

PREPARATION:

  1. In a medium saucepan combine the rice with the coconut milk and water. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and cook covered for about 40 minutes. The rice should be tender and the liquid absorbed. If the liquid is absorbed but the rice is not tender, add a little hot water.

  2. Add the beans and stir to combine with a fork.    

  3. Slice the scallions thinly including the green parts and add to the rice. Chop the parsley coarsely and do the same.

  4. Finally, combine with ricotta or mozzarella and season to taste with lime juice, salt and pepper.

 

 
 

Baked Eggplant with Dukkah

Baked+Eggplant+with+Dukkah.jpg

Makes 4 servings. 

This tasty luncheon or side dish is very similar to Eggplant Parmesan but much lighter with a distinct flavor of eggplant. You can also make it pareve by omitting the cheese.

INGREDIENTS:

  • 2 medium eggplants, about 1 pound each

  • 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

  • Kosher salt

  • Freshly ground black pepper 

SAUCE:

  • 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

  • 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped

  • 1½ cups chopped tomatoes (See Note)

  • 2 tablespoons dukkah (See Note)

  • Kosher salt

  • Freshly ground black pepper

  • ½ cup grated mozzarella, optional

PREPARATION:

  1. Preheat the oven to 450F.

  2. Line 2 large baking sheets with foil and grease with olive oil.   

  3. Rinse, dry and trim the ends of the eggplants. Peel and cut into ¼ inch rounds.

  4. Place the rounds on the baking sheets and brush with olive oil on one side only.

  5. Season with salt and pepper. Bake for 10 minutes. 

  6. In a small saucepan, heat the oil, add the garlic and sauté for a minute. Add the tomatoes and dukkah and bring to a boil. Season to taste. 

  7. Place the eggplant rounds in overlapping layers in an 8x13 oven proof dish. Sprinkle with the mozzarella.

  8. Spoon the tomato sauce over the eggplant and bake for 30 minutes or until bubbly.

NOTE:

I like Pomi chopped tomatoes, which come in 26.46 cartons. Leftovers can be frozen.   

Dukkah is a blend of chopped nuts, seeds, herbs and spices.  

 
 

Warm Mushroom Salad with Beans

Warm+mushroom+salad+with+beans.jpg

Makes 4 servings.

A satisfying, nutritious, light main course, this dish is a vegetarian delight.

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 pound cremini mushrooms

  • ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

  • 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

  • One can, 15.5 ounces, white beans, drained

  • 2-3 tablespoons Balsamic vinegar

  • Leaves from 5 thyme sprigs

  • Kosher salt

  • Freshly ground black pepper

  • 4-5 ounces baby arugula

  • 1/3 cups pine nuts, toasted

  • Ricotta salata, optional

PREPARATION:

  1. Trim the mushrooms, wipe with a damp paper towel and slice thinly.  

  2. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet or wok and sauté the mushrooms with the garlic over high heat, stirring until the mushrooms are almost wilted, about 2 minutes. Add the beans, 2 tablespoons vinegar, thyme, salt and pepper. The mushrooms will be moist and a bit liquidy.

  3. Remove from heat and season to taste.   

  4. Divide the arugula among the 4 plates, top with the mushrooms and sprinkle with the pine nuts.  

  5. Serve while still warm. Add the ricotta, if you like.