Vegetarian | Good Dinner Mrs Mellen

Category: Vegetarian
- Air Fryer Sweet Potato Fries
  
  Posted at 10:37 am by Good Dinner Mrs Mellen
  
  Apr 7th
  Last year I purchased a Philips Air Fryer and since then I’ve enjoyed creating recipes specifically for the air fryer. I love sweet potato fries and adapted a recipe for the air fryer. These sweet potato fries are healthy, spicy and tasty. Easy to make without messy clean up. I can make these quickly on a weeknight for a delicious vegetable to complement any meal.
  
  INGREDIENTS:
  
  3 medium peeled sweet potatoes
  
  2 tablespoon olive oil
  1 tsp sea salt
  2 cloves crushed garlic
  1/2 teaspoon hot paprika
  1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
  1 teaspoon thyme
  
  1/2 teaspoon pink Himalayan sea salt
  
  DIRECTIONS:
  
  Preheat air fryer to 400°F 8 minutes.
  Lightly spray the fryer basket with oil.
  Slice each potato into even 1/4 inch thick fries.
  Toss with oil, salt, garlic, paprika and red pepper.
  Cook in 3 or 4 batches, without overcrowding the pan 8 minutes, turning half way. Place on serving plate and top with pink Himalayan sea salt.
  
  Enjoy!
  
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  Posted in cooking, Easy recipes, Food, Good Dinner Mrs Mellen, Healthy, vegan, Vegetables, Vegetarian | Tagged Easy recipe, Philips Air Fryer, spicy, sweet potato fries
- SPICY ROASTED EDAMAME
  
  Posted at 9:44 am by Good Dinner Mrs Mellen
  
  Mar 23rd
  SPICY ROASTED EDAMAME
  
  At a local restaurant I ordered my first spicy edamame as an appetizer and I was hooked on spicy edamame. I use frozen edamame, season and roast. Easy, delicious, I think even better than the restaurant version!
  
  1 (1-pound) bag frozen edamame, in the pod (green soy beans)
  
  1 tablespoon olive oil
  
  2 thinly sliced garlic cloves
  
  2 teaspoons sea salt
  
  1 teaspoon chili powder
  
  1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  
  1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
  
  Preheat oven to 375 F. Place edamame in large bowel. In a small bowel combine oil, sliced garlic, salt, chili powder, pepper flakes and dried oregano. Pour oil mixture over edamame.
  
  Bake edamame in oven for 12 to 15 minutes until pods begin to brown. Stir once halfway through cooking. Serve warm.
  
  Enjoy!
  
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  Posted in Healthy, vegan, Vegetables, Vegetarian | Tagged easy quick, Edamame, spicy
- BAKED RIGATONI WITH WHITE SAUCE AND MUSHROOMS
  
  Posted at 10:28 am by Good Dinner Mrs Mellen
  
  Mar 17th
  In the winter I like to make hearty, flavorful meals that are quick and easy; especially living in New England where we have harsh winters. When the snow starts to fall, drifting against my front door I go to my pantry looking for pasta. Instead of Lasagna noodles I used Rigatoni to make an easy Baked Rigatoni filled with mushrooms, cheeses and topped with a Bechamel sauce. This is a basic sauce white sauce that anyone can make. Don’t let the french name fool you. Make a large salad arranging tomatoes, cucumbers, on endive lettuce. Top with feta cheese. Pour a light light balsamic vinaigrette over the salad. Serve with crisp fresh bread. And don’t forget a glass of wine!
  
  Ingredients
  
  1 pound box DeCecco Rigatoni no.24
  
  2 1/2 cups whole milk
  
  5 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
  
  1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  
  2 teaspoon sea salt
  
  1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  
  2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  
  8 ounces portobello mushrooms, sliced
  
  three leeks, thinly sliced
  
  1 tablespoon fresh thyme
  
  1 carton (8 ounce) whole milk ricotta
  
  8 ounces fresh mozzarella, divided in half.
  
  1/2 cup freshly ground Parmesan, plus 1 tablespoon
  
  Directions
  - Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
  - Heat 1 tablespoon of oil and 1 tablespoon of the butter in a large (12-inch) saute pan. When the butter melts, add the mushrooms, sprinkle with salt, and cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes, until the mushrooms are tender and they release some of their juices. Add sliced leeks and thyme. If the mushrooms are dry add another tablespoon oil. Saute for an additional 5 minutes to make sure leeks and mushrooms cook evenly Set aside.
  - In a small bowel combine ricotta, 1/2 mozzarella chopped and 1/2 cup parmesan cheese. Set aside until assembly.
  - Bring a large pot of water to a boil with 1 tablespoon salt. Add the rigatoni and cook for 14 minutes, stirring occasionally. Drain and set aside.
  - For the white sauce, bring the milk to a simmer in a saucepan. Set aside. Melt 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) of the butter in a large saucepan. Add the flour and cook for 1 minute over low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. Pour the hot milk into the butter-flour mixture all at once. Add salt, pepper, and nutmeg, and cook over medium-low heat, stirring first with the wooden spoon and then with a whisk, for 3 to 5 minutes, until thick. Set aside off the heat.
  - To assemble the baked rigatoni, spread some of the sauce in the bottom of a 8 x 10 baking dish. I used a Le Crueset dutch oven. Arrange a layer of noodles on top, then 1/2 cheese mixture topped with1/2 of the mushrooms, then sauce. Repeat 1 more times, layering noodles, cheese, mushrooms and sauce. Top with a final layer of noodles and sauce, remaining mozzarella, sliced and sprinkle with the remaining tablespoon Parmesan. Add a touch of nutmeg on top.
  - Bake the lasagna for 45 minutes, or until the top is browned the sauce is bubbly and hot. Allow to sit at room temperature for 15 minutes and serve hot.
  Enjoy!
  
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  Posted in Casserole, Good Dinner Mrs Mellen, Hearty Meal, Main Dish, Main Meal, pasta, Vegetarian | Tagged BAKED RIGATONI, DECECCO RIGATONI, Easy recipe, Hearty Meal, WHITE SAUCE
- SPRINGTIME FETTUCCINI IN LEMON CREAM SAUCE WITH ASPARAGUS
  
  Posted at 3:46 pm by Good Dinner Mrs Mellen
  
  Feb 21st
  I use Bruitoni pasta when I want the taste of fresh pasta but don’t have time to go to a speciality store or make the pasta at home. And I love this easy cream cheese pasta sauce for a quick weekend, taste delicious dinner. Don’t you just love the bright green asparagus? Lemon and asparagus the perfect springtime combination to add to pasta, so flavorful!
  
  Ingredients
  
  9 oz. Bruitoni Fettuccini
  
  1/2 cup cream cheese
  
  2 Tbs. olive oil
  
  1 lemon, juiced and 1 Tbs. zest grated
  
  1/2 cup fresh parmesan cheese
  
  1/2 – 3/4 cup steamed asparagus, lightly steamed, slice into 2 inch pieces
  
  Preparation
  
  1. Cook linguine according to package directions in pot of boiling salted water.
  
  2. Warm cream cheese, oil, and 2 Tbs. lemon juice in saucepan over low heat.
  
  3. Drain pasta, reserving 1/2 cup cooking water. Stir reserved cooking water into cream cheese mixture. Add pasta, lemon zest, and parmesan cheese; toss to coat. Add asparagus and lightly toss again. Season with salt and pepper, if desired.
  
  Enjoy!
  
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  Posted in Easy recipes, Food, Good Dinner Mrs Mellen, Main Dish, Main Meal, pasta, Vegetarian | Tagged Bruitoni Fettuccini, cram cheese, dinner, Easy recipes, pasta
- Cauliflower & Roasted Garlic Soup
  
  Posted at 9:10 am by Good Dinner Mrs Mellen
  
  Feb 3rd
  Living in New England hot soup on a cold snowy day is the perfect accompaniment to a salad for a heathy filling lunch. I like to make soups that are flavorful and healthy. I altered the ingredients in this soup, using almond milk instead of cow’s milk. The almond milk adds just enough smoothness to the soup. I will warn you I love garlic. If you don’t want as much garlic you can add only four roasted garlic cloves: Roasted garlic has a more mellow flavor, not as pungent as boiled or sautéed.
  
  3 tablespoons olive oil
  
  1 head of cauliflower, cut into florets
  
  3 leeks, thinly sliced, just the white part
  
  1 bulb garlic, roasted and peeled*
  
  3 cups vegetable stock
  
  1/2 cup almond milk, unsweetened
  
  1 teaspoon Himalayan pink salt
  
  1 teaspoon black pepper
  
  1 teaspoon fresh thyme
  
  Directions
  
  Heat olive oil in a large stockpot over medium heat.
  
  Add cauliflower, leeks, and garlic; sauté until the vegetables have caramelized (roughly 15 minutes).
  
  Add stock and reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for about 20 minutes or until the cauliflower florets are soft and tender.
  
  Puree the mixture in a blender until smooth. Then, pour the soup back into the pot. Add salt, pepper, and thyme.
  
  Stir in almond milk and simmer for 1-2 minutes.
  
  Serve immediately. Makes 4-6 servings
  
  * Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Slice off the top each head of garlic to expose some of the cloves inside. Place the heads on a piece of foil. Drizzle with olive oil and wrap in the foil. Roast until cloves are lightly browned and tender, about 30 minutes.
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  Posted in cooking, Food, Good Dinner Mrs Mellen, Healthy, lunch, Soup, Soups, vegan, Vegetarian | Tagged Cauliflower Soup, easy vegan, Healthy
- Hearty Lentil Soup
  
  Posted at 12:31 pm by Good Dinner Mrs Mellen
  
  Jan 13th
  New Year’s resolutions always include losing weight and eating healthy. Lentil soup is low calorie and high in fiber; both important for keeping your resolutions. I like to add garbanzo beans for extra protein and roughage. If you’f like a more spicy version add a tablespoon of hot sauce.
  
  2 teaspoons olive oil
  
  1 medium-size yellow onion, chopped (1 1⁄2 cups)
  
  2 celery stalks, finely chopped (1⁄2 cup)
  
  3 large garlic cloves, minced (1 1⁄2 Tbsp.)
  
  2 teaspoon ground cumin
  
  1 cup baby carrots, sliced
  
  1 package (15.5 oz) dried brown lentils
  
  1 can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
  
  8 cups lower-sodium vegetable broth
  
  1 (14.5-oz.) can diced tomatoes, undrained
  
  2 teaspoons kosher salt
  
  1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  
  Directions
  
  Put oil in a large Dutch oven heat medium-high. Add onion, celery, and garlic to Dutch oven. Cook over medium-high, stirring often, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add cumin, and cook, stirring constantly, until toasted, about 1 minute. Stir in carrots, lentils, garbanzo beans, broth, tomatoes, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil over medium-high. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer until lentils are tender, 45 to 50 minutes.
  
  Enjoy!
  
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  Posted in Healthy, Soup, Soups, vegan, Vegetarian | Tagged Healthy, high fiber, Lentil soup, low calorie
- Moroccan Cauliflower
  
  Posted at 8:03 pm by Good Dinner Mrs Mellen
  
  Dec 23rd
  Moroccan Cauliflower
  
  Roasting vegetables enhances the flavor without losing the nutritional benefits. Cauliflower, basically bland, is the chameleon of the vegetable world assuming the flavor and taste of spices pared with during cooking. A perfect companion for creating an array of interesting vegetable dishes. Adding a Moroccan melody of spices to cauliflower with a touch of honey and pistachios the cauliflower is transformed into an exotic side dish bursting with flavor.
  
  1 head cauliflower (about 2 pounds), cut into bite-size florets (about 8 cups)
  
  1/4 cup olive oil
  
  1 teaspoon ginger
  
  1 teaspoon coriander
  
  1 teaspoon cinnamon
  
  1 teaspoon kosher salt
  
  1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
  
  1/2 cup golden raisins, Sun-Maid
  
  1/2 cup chopped pistachios
  
  1/4 cup green onions, diced
  
  1 tablespoon honey
  
  Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Toss cauliflower with ingredients and place in a baking dish. Roast for 20 minutes until tender and golden.
  
  Enjoy!
  
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  Posted in Easy recipes, family meals, Farm Fresh Produce, Food, Good Dinner Mrs Mellen, Healthy, vegetable bake, Vegetables, Vegetarian | Tagged Cauliflower, Easy recipe, Moroccan spices
- BUTTERNUT SQUASH AND APPLE SOUP
  
  Posted at 9:50 am by Good Dinner Mrs Mellen
  
  Dec 22nd
  A good bowel of hot soup on a cold winter day, what better way celebrate the Winter Solstice. Add a crisp salad, fresh bread and a glass of wine perfect for celebrating the changing rotation of the earth. I always felt there was something mystical about a solstice reminding me four times a year that the earth and life are transient, ever changing and by embracing this fact life is perfectly imperfect.
  
  My recipe for Butternut Squash soup with a touch of apple captures the essence of the winter season with just a touch of aromatic spices that don’t overpower the squash and apple. I use store purchased cut and cleaned butternut squash when I make a small batch of soup; making the work and clean up easier.
  
  INGREDIENTS
  - 1 medium yellow onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
  - 1 celery rib, chopped (about 3/4 cup)
  - 1 carrot, chopped (about 3/4 cup)
  - 2 Tbsp butter
  - 1 package(20 oz.) butternut squash
  - 1 tart granny smith apple, peeled, cored, chopped
  - 3 cups vegetable broth
  - 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
  - 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
  - 1/8 cayenne
  - salt and pepper to taste
  1. Heat a large thick-bottomed pot on medium-high heat. Melt the butter in the pot and let it foam up and recede. Add the onion, carrot, and celery and sauté for 5 minutes. Lower the heat if the vegetables begin to brown.
  
  2. Add the butternut squash, apple, and broth Bring to boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes or so, until the squash and carrots have softened.
  
  3. Use an immersion blender to purée the soup, or work in batches and purée the soup in a standing blender.
  
  4. Add cinnamon, nutmeg and cayenne. Add salt and pepper to taste.
  
  Enjoy!
  
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  Posted in Apples, cooking, Food, Good Dinner Mrs Mellen, Healthy, Soup, Vegetarian, Weeknight dinner | Tagged Apple, butternut squash, easy, Soup, vegetarian, winter solstice
- CRANBERRY SAUCE WITH ORANGES AND GRAND MARNIER
  
  Posted at 9:31 am by Good Dinner Mrs Mellen
  
  Nov 19th
  Massachusetts, abundant in cranberries bogs, produces glorious fresh cranberries which are harvested in the fall coming to market just in time for Thanksgiving. You can get frozen cranberries all year long a wonderful alternative when fresh are out of season. I just love fresh cranberries and I buy copious quantities for making naturally fresh cranberry sauce along with breads, cakes, stuffing and with roasted vegetables. You could say I go cranberry crazy this time of year. And you have to be quick since fresh cranberries are gone from market right after the new year. As you might have guessed homemade cranberry sauce is a must, a favorite accompaniment to our Thanksgiving dinner. Each year I tweak the ingriendants for a different sauce; sometimes I add pecans for a crunch texture or lemons for a tangy sauce, this year I made cranberry sauce with chopped oranges. I like my cranberry sauce spirited adding a little liqueur; to this recipe I added Grand Marnier; a french orange liqueur. If your interested in reading more about cranberries and blogs their natural growing habitat click on this link. https://science.howstuffworks.com/life/botany/cranberry-bogs1.htm
  
  CRANBERRY SAUCE WITH ORANGES AND GRAND MARNIER
  
  INGRIEDIENTS
  
  1 medium navel orange, seeds removed, chopped
  
  1 lb. fresh (or frozen) cranberries
  
  1/2 cup sugar
  
  2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
  
  1 3″-long cinnamon stick
  
  ½ tsp. ground allspice
  
  Pinch of kosher salt
  
  2 tablespoon Grand Marnier
  
  RECIPE PREPARATION
  
  Place orange in a large saucepan and pour in cold water to come 1″ up sides of pan. Bring to a boil, then remove immediately from heat and drain orange in a mesh sieve or colander. Rinse under cold water; return to saucepan. Add cranberries, sugar, butter, cinnamon, allspice, and salt and bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve sugar. Reduce heat cook stirring often until cranberries burst, juices are syrupy, for about 9-12 minutes. Stir in Grand Marnier simmer for another two minuets. Remove cinnamon stick. and discard.
  
  DO AHEAD: Sauce can be made 1 week ahead. Cover and chill.
  
  Enjoy!
  
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  Posted in Side dish, Thanksgiving, vegan, Vegetarian | Tagged cranberry sauce, easy, Grand Marnier, Make ahead, oranges, Thanksgiving
- Quick and Easy Pasta Fagioli
  
  Posted at 1:31 pm by Good Dinner Mrs Mellen
  
  Oct 13th
  Traditional Pasta Fagioli is made with a pork product such as pancetta, ham or pigs feet(old time Italian) but growing up my mother always made meatless Pasta Fagioli on Fridays. I have fond memories of eating Pasta Fagioli on crisp fall nights before rushing off to a Friday night football game. Over the years I have added my own touches to my mother’s Pasta Fagioli to make it an easy totally vegetarian meal.
  
  Pasta Fagioli
  
  1 cup chopped shallots
  
  3 cloves garlic, crushed
  
  2 tablespoon olive oil
  
  3/4 cup dry white wine
  
  2 (16 oz) cans vegetarian baked beans, Bushes
  
  1 can (8 oz) no salt Tomato Sauce Hunts
  
  1 can (15.5 oz) Garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained, Goya
  
  1 can (14 oz) vegetable broth
  
  1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
  
  1 cup dried ditali pasta
  
  1/4 cup snipped fresh basil or 1 tablespoon dried basil
  
  1 tablespoon snipped fresh oregano or 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  
  1. In large pot cook shallots, garlic and olive over medium heat for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  
  2. Sir in wine, baked beans, garbanzo beans, vegetable broth and crushed red pepper. Bring to a boil: reduce heat. Simmer, covered for 20 minutes.
  
  3. Cook, pasta al dente(firm but not hard), drain. Stir cooked pasta, basil, oregano into bean mixture. Simmer for 5 more minutes. Make 4-6 servings. Serve with fresh graded Parmesan cheese on top.
  
  Enjoy!
  
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  Posted in Good Dinner Mrs Mellen, Hearty Meal, lunch, Main Dish, Stew, Vegetarian | Tagged Beans & macaroni, Bushes bean, easy, Goya beans, Hunts Tomato Sauce, lunch
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