Roasted Eggplant Noodle Salad

Yet another recipe I found on Orangette, but changed it a bit.

Dressing Ingredients:

7 Tbsp toasted sesame oil
7 Tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
3 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
3 Tbsp sugar
2.5 tsp salt
Pinch of red pepper flakes
8-10 scallions, thinly sliced into rounds
1 lb spaghetti or Chinese egg noodles
1 Tbsp fresh minced ginger
3 Tbsp chopped cilantro leaves

Veggies:

1 1b firm, shiny Japanese or Chinese eggplants (or just plain old eggplants if you can't find them)
1 cup snow peas, trimmed

1. Combine all the dressing ingredients (except the spaghetti) and stir until the sugar is dissolved.
2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
3. Dice the eggplants (not finely, just nice and chunky), put on a cookie sheet, pour olive oil over eggplant, then bake for 20-30 minutes.
4. Bring large pot of water to a boil and cook the snow peas for 30 seconds; use a slotted spoon to remove from pot and rinse under cold water.
5. Add noodles to the same large pot of boiling water and cook according to package instructions. When done, drain and combine with half the dressing and toss.
6. Add in eggplant and snow peas and the remaining half of the dressing. Stir to combine and enjoy!

Red Lentil & Couscous Soup

I found this recipe on Saveur.com, but altered it quite a bit because the original version was a little bland for me. My version is heartier and tastier, if I don't say so myself...

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp unsalted butter
3/4 tsp cumin seeds
3-4 garlic cloves, chopped
1 medium red onion, chopped
1.5 Tbsp tomato paste
1 28 oz can whole peeled tomatoes, chopped (with juice)
4 cups veggie broth
1 cup red lentils
1/3 cup couscous
Salt & Pepper

Method:

1. Melt butter in a large soup pan over medium heat. Add cumin, garlic, and onions.  Cook until onions are soft.
2. Increase heat to high and add tomato paste. Stir frequently for several minutes until color darkens.
3. Add chopped tomatoes and cook another several minutes.
4. Add tomato juice, veggie broth, lentils, couscous and 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil.
5. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until lentils are tender and soup is thick (30-40 minutes). Season with salt & pepper.

You can also make chile-mint butter to top the soup off with. Just take 3 Tbsps of butter and melt in a small saucepan. Remove from heat and stir in a couple of fresh mint leaves or 1 Tbsp dried mint leaves as well as 1/2 tsp paprika. Drizzle over individual bowls of soup.

Cream of Crab Soup

I found this recipe on the New York Times website and made a few changes to perfect it to my liking.  I added more Old Bay, substituted light cream for the originally called for half and half, and sprinkled in some parsley flakes. Hope you find it to your liking.

Ingredients:

1 medium onion, minced (I used a red one)
3 Tbsps butter
3 Tbsps flour
1 pint clam juice
1 to 1.5 tsp Old Bay Seasoning
Ground pepper & salt (I didn't use salt--it didn't need it)
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 pint light cream
1 pound crab meat
Parsley flakes--as much as you want

Method:

1. Saute onion in butter until soft.
2. Stir in flour and gradually whisk in clam juice.
3. Add Old Bay, S&P, wine, and light cream.
4. Simmer about 15 mins until soup gets thick.
5. Add crab meat and heat through--don't boil.
6. Serve with bread smeared with Kerrygold butter.

Eggplant Parm

Ingredients - (Serves 4)

-1 large eggplant
-2 eggs
-1 jar marinara sauce
-1 can diced tomatoes
-1 box spaghetti
-approx 1 cup panko or bread crumbs
-approx 1/2 cup grated parm
-2 cup shredded mozzarella
-minced garlic
-basil to taste
-pepper to taste
-onion salt or powder to taste
-garlic salt or powder to taste
-parsley to taste

Slice it, Dip it and Stack It -

-Preheat oven to 375 degrees
-Rinse eggplant and slice width-wise into about1/8"-1/4" circles
-Beat eggs (you can add some minced garlic to this if you want)
-In separate bowl, mix bread crumbs or panko, basil, pepper, onion salt, garlic salt and parsley
-Dip eggplant slices into egg, then coat both sides into bread crumbs and seasonings
-Place on a greased cookie sheet and bake on one side for 15 minutes, flip and bake on opposite side for 10 minutes
-Grease a 9X13 dish
-Layer eggplant, cheese, marinara, diced tomatoes - 2-3 layers
-Increase oven temp to 475 degrees and bake for 15 minutes

Serve over spaghetti or eat it on it's on! So yummy!!!!!

Udon Noodle Salad

This is the world-famous recipe you've heard of, but have yet to make. Enjoy it when you do. This has been adapted from Neal Barnard's The Get Healthy, Go Vegan Cookbook.

Ingredients:

20 snow peas, trimmed (I don't actually count; just grab a handful or two at the grocery store)
1 udon noodle package (recipe calls for an 8 oz package, but i can only buy 10.5 oz ones)
6 tablespoons rice vinegar
4 tablespoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger (you can add more, mother!)
3-5 garlic cloves, minced (your choice)
2 teaspoons agave nectar
1 teaspoon chili paste (I don't have this and use one pinch of red pepper flakes instead)
1.5 cups chopped cucumber
1 cup shredded carrot
1 cup chopped red bell pepper
6 scallions, sliced

Method:

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and drop in snow peas. Cook for 30 seconds and then remove from boiling water with a slotted spoon (you can re-use the water for the udon noodles) and put peas on bowl of cold water to stop the cooking. Drain and pat dry peas with paper towels and set aside.

Combine sauce ingredients: vinegar, soy sauce, ginger, garlic, agave nectar, and chili paste/red pepper flakes. Stir with whisk. FYI, I've doubled the sauce recipe, as I don't think the original recipe was saucy enough. Do as you wish.

Cook udon noodles according to package instructions, drain and rinse under cold water.

Combine all the veggies in a big bowl and pour half the dressing on them and mix. Top veggies with noodles, pour remaining dressing on the noodles, then stir.

Enjoy whether you just made it or cold the next day. It's delicious. Seriously.

3 Layer Tortilla Casserole

I've got a lot of good vegan recipes up my sleeve these days. This one is adapted from Neal Barnard's The Get Healthy Go Vegan Cookbook. If you can resist the temptation don't add sour cream and cheese, but I won't judge you for topping this flavorful dish off with either.

Ingredients:

Veggie cooking spray
1 15 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 c veggie broth
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 large red onion, chopped
2 c chopped zucchini
1 c frozen corn, thawed (I just used 1 can instead)
1 tsp ground cumin
2 Tbsp minced fresh cilantro
3 8-inch tortillas
1 jar of salsa (any kind you want and use as much as you want)

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350; coat 10-inch pie plate with cooking spray and set aside.
2. Combine beans, 1/4 c veggie broth, garlic, oregano, cayenne in a bowl and blend until smooth and thick.
3. Heat 1/4 c veggie broth in a skillet over medium heat; add onion and saute for 5 mins; add zucchini and corn and saute for 3 mins; add cumin and cilantro and saute for 1 min. Season with S&P.
4. Place one tortilla in the pie plate; spread 1/3 of bean mixture over tortilla; use slotted spoon and spread 1/3 of veggie mixture on top of beans; spread 1/3 of salsa over veggie mixture; cover with tortilla and make two more layers in the same way.
5. Bake uncovered for 30 mins; cut into wedges; try not to eat it all in one sitting!

Pumpkin Pie

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon vanilla


• 1 teaspoon cinammon


• chopped walnuts (optional/to your liking)


• 2 large eggs


• 1 can (30 oz.) LIBBY'S® 100% Pure Pumpkin


• 1 can (5 fl. oz.) NESTLÉ® CARNATION® Evaporated Milk


• 1 unbaked 9-inch (4-cup volume) deep-dish pie shell


• Whipped cream (optional)

Directions

MIX Beat eggs in large bowl. Mix pumpkin, eggs, cinnamom, walnuts, vanilla together and gradually stir in evaporated milk.

POUR into pie shell.

BAKE in preheated 425° F oven for 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350° F; bake for 50 to 60 minutes or until knife inserted near center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack for 2 hours. Serve immediately or refrigerate. Top with whipped cream before serving.