Vegetarian | Good Dinner Mrs Mellen

Category: Vegetarian
- Roasted Tomato and Kale Soup
  
  Posted at 5:34 pm by Good Dinner Mrs Mellen
  
  Oct 19th
  My sequined black crow enjoyed the soup too!
  
  Autumn is here and waking up to chilly mornings my thoughts turn from summer food to Fall comfort food. Tomato soup is the perfect fall comfort food and I love to use the last of the garden fresh tomatoes. Roasting the tomatoes, onion, kale and garlic enhances the flavor. I added kale for a more rustic soup and added texture. Serve this delicious soup with a salad and fresh baked bread.
  
  3 pounds tomatoes, quartered
  
  1 yellow onion, halved and quartered
  
  2 cup kale, stems removed and chopped
  
  1/4 cup olive oil
  
  2 teaspoons sea salt
  
  1 ½ teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
  
  4 cloves garlic, halved
  
  5 cups unsalted vegetable stock
  
  2 tablespoons fresh chopped basil
  
  Fresh grated parmesan cheese (optional) for serving
  
  Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil.
  
  Spread tomatoes, onion, and kale in 1 layer onto the prepared baking sheet. Drizzle olive oil over tomato mixture and season with salt and pepper.
  
  Roast in the preheated oven for 30 minutes; add garlic and continue roasting until tomato mixture is tender, about 15 more minutes.
  
  Bring vegetable stock and basil to a boil in a large stockpot; reduce heat and simmer.
  
  Put half the tomato mixture into a blender. Cover and hold lid down; pulse a few times before leaving on to blend until smooth, adding a small amount of the warm vegetable stock if liquid is needed. Pour pureed tomato mixture into stockpot with vegetable stock. Puree remaining half of tomato mixture and add to vegetable stock mixture, mixing well. Simmer for 5 minutes.
  
  Pour into individual serving bowls. Top each bowl with a slice of baguette, toasted. Then sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
  
  Enjoy!
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  Posted in Autumn, Food, Good Dinner Mrs Mellen, Soup, Tomato, vegan, Vegetarian | Tagged Autumn, comfort food, Tomato Soup
- Italian Vegetable Stew
  
  Posted at 9:33 am by Good Dinner Mrs Mellen
  
  Oct 6th
  Autumn has holds a special place in my heart. I was born in the fall, school starts in the fall (I loved school), and I mysteriously become energized, renewed with the changing of the leaves and the crisp fell of morning New England air. Along with the change in season, my cooking and baking use different ingredients and flavors.
  
  I love hearty stews packed with veggies and flavor. I prefer to make my own soups and stews, and I can control the fat and salt content, making healthy dishes.
  
  Kale can be tough, and lightly cooking before adding to a stew tenderizes the veggie. Colorful vegetables, fragrant fresh herbs, and a low salt vegetable broth make this a hearty, healthy option.
  
  This recipe makes a large quantity of stew and freezes well. If I am not feeding a group, I like to freeze the stew in individual containers.
  
  1 small bunch Tuscan or other kale, center ribs and stems removed
  Kosher salt
  ½ cup olive oil, divided, plus more for serving
  2 medium carrots, peeled, finely chopped
  2 celery stalks, finely chopped
  2 leek, white and pale-green parts only, chopped
  4 cloves garlic cloves, chopped
  ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  2 cans diced tomatoes, no salt
  8 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
  3 15-oz. cans cannellini (white kidney) beans, rinsed
  4 sprigs thyme
  1 sprig marjoram or oregano
  1 bay leaf
  
  1 cup Italian farro, rinsed
  
  2 inch piece of Parmesan rind (optional)
  
  Freshly ground black pepper
  Shaved Parmesan (for serving)
  
  Working in batches cook kale in a large pot of boiling salted water until slightly softened, about 3 minutes per batch. Rinse to cool. Squeeze out excess water; roughly chop. Set aside.
  
  Heat ¼ cup oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Add carrots, celery, and leek; stir often until softened, 8–10 minutes.
  
  Add garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add tomatoes. Cook, stirring frequently, until liquid is evaporated and tomatoes begin to stick to the bottom of the pot, 10–15 minutes.
  
  Add broth, beans, thyme, marjoram, bay leaf, reserved greens, farro and partisan rind; season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until flavors meld and soup thickens slightly, 40–50 minutes. Discard sprigs and bay leaf.
  
  DO AHEAD: Soup can be made 2 days ahead. Let cool slightly; chill until cold. Cover and keep chilled. Reheat before continuing. I also like to freeze in small containers for later.
  
  Enjoy!
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  Posted in Food, Good Dinner Mrs Mellen, Healthy, Hearty Meal, Italian, Main Dish, Main Meal, Stew, Vegetables, Vegetarian, Weeknight dinner | Tagged Earthly Choice Farro, Easy recipe, Make ahead, Muir Glen Tomatoes, vegetable stew, vegetarian, Whole foods 365
- French Onion Dip from Scratch
  
  Posted at 5:11 pm by Good Dinner Mrs Mellen
  
  Sep 27th
  Years ago I remember making French Onion Dip from a box mix which tasted good but was high in fat, salt and preservatives. So I decided to make the dip from scratch and I can control the calories and make the dip healthy.
  
  I keep the ingredients on hand and serve as a snack or with dinner. Easy, healthy and quick what could be better. And my family loves to eat their veggies with this tasty dip!
  
  2 tablespoons dried chopped onions
  
  1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  
  1 container(16 oz.) low fat sour cream
  
  1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  
  1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
  
  1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  
  1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  
  Mix all the ingredients in a bowl. Refrigerate and stir again before serving. Serve with an assortment of veggies for dipping.
  
  Enjoy!
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  Posted in Appetizer, Easy recipes, Food, Vegetables, Vegetarian | Tagged Easy recipe, Healthy, Onion dip
- Fall Apple Coleslaw
  
  Posted at 9:55 am by Good Dinner Mrs Mellen
  
  Sep 22nd
  1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
  
  2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
  
  2 tablespoons honey
  
  3/4 teaspoon salt
  
  1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
  
  1/4 cup canola oil
  
  1 (16-oz.) packages shredded coleslaw mix
  
  4 green onions, sliced
  
  2 small Gala, chopped
  
  1/2 cup slice almonds
  
  Whisk together first 5 ingredients. Gradually add oil in a slow, steady stream, whisking constantly until blended. Stir together coleslaw mix and next 3 ingredients in a large bowl; add vinegar mixture, tossing to coat.
  
  Make ahead tip: You can prepare slaw up to a day ahead, omitting apples. Chop the apples. Combine 2 cups water and 3 Tbsp. lemon juice, and pour over apples. Cover and chill apples and slaw in two separate containers overnight. Drain apples, and stir apples into slaw just before serving. Then add almonds.
  
  Enjoy!
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  Posted in Easy recipes, Farm Fresh Produce, Food, Good Dinner Mrs Mellen, Healthy, Salad, Vegetarian | Tagged apples, Easy recipe, fall coleslaw
- Brussels Sprouts Apple Salad with Pistachios and Shaved Parmesan Cheese
  
  Posted at 5:15 pm by Good Dinner Mrs Mellen
  
  Aug 18th
  Brussels Sprouts that neglected and shy little bulb has become trendy – the darling of the vegetable world. Healthy, tasty, versatile, a chameleon, changing depending on the pairing – never boring or the same. Steamed, baked, roasted, raw in a salad, your choices of preparation are endless. For a deliciously healthy salad, I love fresh raw Brussels Sprouts combined with apples, pistachios and shaved parmesan cheese- dressed with a light lemon vinaigrette.
  
  Brussels Sprouts Apple Salad with Pistachios and Shaved Parmesan Cheese
  
  4 cups thinly sliced Brussels Sprouts
  
  2 Granny Smith Apples, chopped
  
  1/2 cup chopped unsalted pistachios
  
  1/4 cup shaved Parmesan Cheese
  
  Lemon Vinaigrette
  
  3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  
  1/4 cup white balsamic vinegar
  
  2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  
  1 teaspoon dried oregano
  
  1 clove garlic, minced
  
  1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  
  1/4 teaspoon fresh grounded black pepper
  
  1/2 cup olive oil
  
  Combine Brussels Sprouts, apples, pistachios and cheese in a bowl. Toss with lemon vinaigrette. (If you prefer you can serve vinaigrette on the side.) I like my salad lightly dressed. Refrigerate remanding vinaigrette for up to two weeks.
  
  Lemon Vinaigrette: Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and whisk to combine.
  
  Enjoy!
  
  buzzchomp.com
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  Posted in Good Dinner Mrs Mellen, Healthy, Salad, Vegetarian | Tagged Brussels Sprouts, Healthy Salad, salad, summer salad
- Maddi and Gigi Vegetarian Baked Beans
  
  Posted at 8:32 am by Good Dinner Mrs Mellen
  
  Jul 5th
  Our family loves to celebrate July 4th! We gather on the idealic Martha’s Vineyard to celebrate our country’s birthday. A barbecue is a must as we make a traditional New England summer dinner, lobstahs, clams, corn on the cobb, potatoes, grilled vegetables and baked beans.
  
  The clams are from our claiming expedition on Lake Tashmoo. Fresh caught and we cooked them on the grill in white wine, garlic and sea salt.
  
  This years my helper with the baked beans was my granddaughter, Maddi. We make easy vegetarian beans by using canned beans to cut down the preparation time.
  
  Ingredients
  
  2 tablespoon olive oil
  
  1 medium onion, cut into small dice
  
  1/2 medium red pepper, cut into small dice
  
  3 large cans (28 ounces each) vegetarian baked beans
  
  3/4 c. barbecue sauce. I used 1/2 cup Stubbs Orignal BQ sauce and 1/4 cup Stubbs Spicy BQ sauce
  
  1/2 c. brown sugar
  
  1/4 c. distilled or cider vinegar
  
  2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
  
  Directions
  
  Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees.
  
  Heat olive oil in a large saucepan.
  
  Add onions and peppers and sauté until tender, about 5 minutes.
  
  Add beans and remaining ingredients bring to a simmer.
  
  Pour flavored beans into a greased 13-by 9-inch (or similar size) ovenproof pan. Bake until beans are bubbly and sauce is the consistency of pancake syrup, about 2 hours. Let stand to thicken slightly and serve.
  
  Enjoy!
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  Posted in Barbecue, vegetables,easy,, beans, Casserole, Easy recipes, Food, Uncategorized, vegetable bake, Vegetables, Vegetarian | Tagged baked beans, barbecue, Easy recipes, July 4th, Stubbs BQ sauce, vegan, vegetarian
- Farm Fresh Grilled Vegetables
  
  Posted at 10:00 am by Good Dinner Mrs Mellen
  
  Jun 20th
  My town like many towns has a wonderful weekly farmer’s market each week where local farms sell fresh produce. Beautiful ripe heirloom tomatoes glistening with morning dew, the deepest aubergine eggplant, plump zucchini along with a red, orange, and yellow peppers just beckoning to be grilled.
  
  3 red peppers
  
  3 orange peppers
  
  3 yellow peppers
  
  2 large eggplants
  
  2 large zucchinis
  
  1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  
  1/4 teaspoon fresh pepper
  
  1/2 cup olive oil
  
  1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
  
  1/4 cup fresh basil, finely chopped
  
  1 tablespoon fresh french thyme, finely chopped
  
  Remove stems and seeds from peppers then slice in quarters. Slice eggplant and zucchini horizontally. Place vegetables in a large bowl. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Combine olive oil, lemon juice, basil, and thyme. Pour over vegetables then toss. Let sit for 30 minutes to marinate flavors. Preheat grill. Grill vegetables turning every five minutes until tender. Arrange on a platter. Serve at room temperature. You can grill a day ahead and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature before serving.
  
  Enjoy!
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  Posted in Barbecue, vegetables,easy,, Farm Fresh Produce, Good Dinner Mrs Mellen, summertime recipes, vegan, Vegetables, Vegetarian | Tagged Easy recipe, farm fresh, Father's day, Grilled vegetables
- Mediterranean Potato Salad
  
  Posted at 7:33 pm by Good Dinner Mrs Mellen
  
  Jun 7th
  Bright, colorful, farm-fresh vegetables make the most beautifully inviting salads that look beautiful and taste fantastic! I love multicolor petite potatoes, deep purple is my favorite color. Traditional mayonnaise-based potato salad is a classic staple in my summer salad repertoire that I will continue to make for summer gatherings. These past few years, I have added a light Mediterranean potato salad with my new favorite potatoes.
  
  Mediterranean Potato Salad
  
  1 package(1 pound) baby gourmet potatoes
  
  1 bunch scallions, chopped
  
  1/2 cup kalamata olives
  
  1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, chopped
  
  1/2 cup olive oil
  
  1/4 cup white balsamic vinegar
  
  1 clove garlic, crushed
  
  1 teaspoon dijon mustard
  
  1/2 teaspoon salt
  
  1/4 teaspoon pepper
  
  2 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped
  
  1/4 cup crumbled feta
  
  Place potatoes in a pan and cover with water. Bring to a boil lower heat and simmer for 15 minutes or until potatoes are soft when pierced by a knife.
  
  Drain and cool potatoes in a colander, then cut potatoes in half and place in a bowl. Add scallions, olives, and tomatoes.
  
  In a glass jar, combine olive oil, vinegar, garlic, mustard, salt, and pepper. Shake or stir to combine. Pour half of the dressing over the potatoes. Refrigerate remaining dressing for up to one week. It is a tasty salad dressing.
  
  Toss potatoes. Top with chopped basil and feta cheese. Toss again. Refrigerate until serving. It can be made a day ahead.
  
  Enjoy!
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  Posted in Good Dinner Mrs Mellen, Mediterranean diet, Potatoes, Salad, Vegetables, Vegetarian | Tagged easy summer salads, Feta Cheese, kalamata olives, mediterranean, potato salad
- Chickpea Salad with Radishes and Cucumbers
  
  Posted at 8:53 am by Good Dinner Mrs Mellen
  
  Jun 2nd
  Easy summer salads, especially healthy salads are a perfect addition for light summer meals. Chickpeas are loaded with health benefits and I love to add them to salads just as I would tomatoes or any veggie.
  
  Chickpeas can take center stage when paired with cucumbers and radishes as in my Chickpea salad. And isn’t wonderful that radishes are making a comeback, those red and white spicey veggies add wonderful flavor to any recipe.
  
  The special ingredient that gives the salad it’s unique taste is tahini which is made from ground sesame seeds. Tahini is a middle eastern food staple and used to make hummus.
  
  Chickpea Salad with Radishes and Cucumbers
  
  2 cans Goya low salt chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  
  1 bunch scallions, finely chopped
  
  5 radishes, chopped
  
  1 medium cucumber
  
  1/4 cup olive oil
  
  2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
  
  1 tablespoon tahini sauce
  
  1 teaspoon garlic powder
  
  1 teaspoon oregano
  
  1/2 teaspoon salt
  
  1/4 teaspoon pepper
  
  Place chickpeas, scallions, radishes, and cucumbers in a medium serving bowl.
  
  In a small bowl combine oil, vinegar, tahini sauce, garlic powder, oregano, salt, and pepper. Pour over chickpeas and vegetables. Toss to combine. Chill for one hour before serving.
  
  Enjoy!
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  Posted in Good Dinner Mrs Mellen, Healthy, Salad, summertime recipes, vegan, Vegetarian | Tagged Chickpeas, cucumbers, Goya, radishes, salad, tahini
- Avgolemono Soup
  
  Posted at 12:00 pm by Good Dinner Mrs Mellen
  
  May 2nd
  I was introduced to Avegolemono Soup when I married into a Greek family. My mother-in-law, a non-Greek like me, shared with me her delicious recipe. My mother-in-law usually make her soup with homemade turkey stock. Her recipe does not contain chicken or turkey meat, and our family prefers our soup prepared this way. And if you love lemon as we do use the juice of two lemons.
  
  What I love about this soup is that is is light in texture. It reminds me of spring with the underlining hint of lemon. I have a love affair with lemons, the taste, the smell and you can use the fresh lemon juice with baking soda for an wonderfully scented cleansing scrub.
  
  4 cups stock, chicken, turkey or vegetable
  
  1/2 cup orzo
  
  2 eggs
  
  juice of 1 -2 lemons
  
  salt and pepper
  
  In a large saucepan, bring the stock to a boil.
  
  Add the orzo, reduce heat and medium until tender but still al dente, about 9 minutes. Season with the salt and pepper and reduce heat to low; simmer.
  
  Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs and lemon juice until smooth.
  
  Ladle about 1/4 cup of the hot stock into the egg-and-lemon mixture, add another 1/4 cup of stock, then whisk to combine. Do this until the egg mixture is warm. If you add the hot stock too quickly the egg mixture will curdle.
  
  Add the mixture back to the simmering saucepan. Stir just until the soup becomes opaque and thickens as the eggs cook, 1 to 2 minutes. Add more salt and pepper, if desired, and serve. Serves four.
  
  The recipe doubles easily for a larger group.
  
  Enjoy!
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  Posted in Soup, Soups, Springtime, vegan, Vegetarian | Tagged avegolemono soup, easy quick, Easy recipe, Greek cooking, Soup
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