NFL Sandwich

Yesterday, Adam did the impossible.

The man created vegetarian "meat"ball subs. We're talking the REAL deal. Homemade hoagie buns, fresh marinara sauce, a healthy dose of bean-ball action, and a sprinkling of Mozzarella. Basically, it was an NFL-Football-Player-Turned-Vegetarian kind of sandwich.

And after waking up from my food coma, all googly-eyed and giddy, I knew I had to share this brilliant blip on the culinary radar with you.

I know what you're thinking: I'm a walking contradiction. I'm a vegetarian...creating and eating a mock-up of a meatball sub. Ah, but I subscribe to the vege-head lifestyle for many reasons...none of which include a loss of cravings for sloppy, gooey, NFL-gameday-type sandwiches that cause my heart to skip a beat.

Perhaps the best part of this sandwich was the homemade bread. As you know, Adam is quite the bread-making man in our house. While his weekly loaves may come out of the bread machine, today he kneaded and pounded his way by hand to fresh whole wheat hoagie buns. Holy moly, were they ever perfect! My bread expectations have definitely gone up a notch.

With that being said, go make yourself a honkin' big sandwich for dinner tonight. Personally, I recommend this one.

Vege-Head Bean-Ball Subs

(drawing on recipes from Veganomicon and Veggie Burgers Every Which Way)

Ingredients:

• 1 recipe for Bean-Balls
• Marinara sauce of your choice
• Shredded Mozzarella
• Hoagie buns (recipe below)

Hoagie Bun Ingredients:

• 1 cup warm water
• 3 TBSP warm milk
• 2 TBSP molasses
• 1 TBSP sugar
• 2 - 1/4 tsp. active dry yeast
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 - 1/2 to 2- 1/2 cups bread flour
• 1 - 1/4 cups whole-wheat flour
• 4 tsp. salt
• 2 TBSP olive oil
• Eggwash (1 beaten egg plus 1 TBSP milk)
• Sesame seeds for topping

Directions for Hoagie Buns:

1) Whisk the warm water, milk, molasses, and sugar in a small bowl. Whisk in the yeast and allow to stand for about 5 minutes, until yeast begins to foam. In a separate large bowl, mix together 1 cup of the bread flour, all of the whole wheat flour, and the salt. Add the yeast mixture, oil, and egg.

2) Stir with a wooden spoon until well-combined, adding more flour as needed until it shapes into a ball. On a floured surface knead the dough until it's smooth--about 10 minutes--adding more flour as needed. Shape the dough into a ball.

3) Drizzle a little olive oil into the mixing bowl, place the dough in it and turn to coat. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and allow it to sit in a warm place until doubled in size--about 1 - 2 hours.

4) After it has risen, separate the dough into 6 balls. Place them a few inches apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Cover with a towel and allow to rise in a warm place for 1 - 2 hours until doubled in size.

5) Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Brush the buns with the eggwash and sprinkle with sesame seeds for garnish. Bake for about 16 - 18 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through the baking time.

Assemble Your Sandwich:

Split open a big, beautiful hoagie bun. Stuff with bean-balls, warmed marinara, and top with shredded Mozzarella. Grab a fork and a knife, and dig in.

Bringin' Back "Loaf"

Many thanks for all of the get well wishes you've sent my way! In my NyQuil-induced stupor, it has definitely brought a smile to face :)

Tonight we'll tackle a dish with the most un-flattering name, but a most delightful taste: Vegan Veggie Loaf. I know what you're thinking: tacking the word "loaf" onto a main course dish doesn't exactly conjure up images of a culinary masterpiece.

You'll need to move past the word "loaf" though, because this recipe really rocks. It's kind of like meeting a supermodel named Gertrude. Or Bertha. Don't judge a book by its cover, friends.

I first ran across the inspiration for this recipe at Nicci's blog, Nifty Eats. Her uber-unique and healthy recipe is reminscient of old-fashioned meatloaf...modernized and minus the meat of course. I added sauteed carrots and bell pepper to up the veggie factor, but you could certainly get creative with whatever mix-ins suit your fancy (if you're not committed to a vegan meal, I imagine shredded sharp cheddar would be an outstanding addition). This is also a great recipe if you're looking for a way to use up leftover cooked rice.

I'm hoping tonight will be the last night for NyQuil--I'm heading out on a road trip to Cleveland for the weekend, and my friend Katie has planned some delicious "Foodie" stops for us!

What's your favorite city/town to visit for fun Foodie destinations?

Vegan Veggie Loaf

(adapted from the Vegetarian Loaf recipe from Nicci's Nifty Eats)

As usual, get creative with your mix-ins to this highly-adaptable "loaf." Grated cheddar with go quite well if you're not tied to a vegan meal.

Ingredients:

• 1 onion, diced
• 1 carrot, shredded
• 1/2 of a bell pepper, finely diced
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• a drizzle of olive oil
• 1 cup cooked brown rice
• 1 cup oats
• 1/4 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs (or your own homemade bread crumbs)
• 3 TBSP ketchup
• 3 TBSP barbeque sauce
• 1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
• salt to taste
• garlic powder to taste
• a sprinkling of brown sugar
• Optional: shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray cooking spray in a loaf pan.

2) Heat a little olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add onion, peas, carrot, and bell pepper. Saute until just barely softened (about 4 minutes). Remove from heat.

3) Combine all ingredients in a large bowl (including cheese, if you're using it)--mix it with your hands if you want! Put mixture into loaf pan, cover with foil, and bake for about 30 minutes. Allow to cool slightly/set up for 5 minutes before cutting (it doesn't come out in beautiful slices per se--a little on the crumbly side, but it still tastes as delicious as ever). Serve with salad or roasted veggies on the side.

Bean Bakin'

Actually, we won't be baking beans at all. We're doing the faster, easier, and super-delicious shortcut version of baked beans: it's all about the stovetop, friends.

The dish: Barbeque Vegetarian Stovetop Beans

We all know baked beans as a fixture in the traditional summer cookout menu. A cookout without baked beans would be as silly as Thanksgiving without pie. However, as president of the baked bean fan club (well, if one existed I would be), I'm all about enjoying baked beans year 'round.

This tasty side dish is requirement in our house anytime we make vegetarian sandwiches for dinner. I'm notorious for dipping my sandwiches in the beans before each bite. Sandwich night just wouldn't be complete without them. Thus, BBQ beans were on the menu as the perfect accompaniment to our Vegetarian Cheese "Steak" Sandwiches on Saturday night.

As with many Hungry Spoon recipes, the ingredient amounts listed below are quite flexible. If you prefer sweeter beans, add more brown sugar (or try molasses or maple syrup). If you prefer a sharper bite, add more vinegar or mustard.

Just because summer picnics are a distant memory, doesn't mean our summer cuisine must be. Celebrate the awesome-ness of BBQ baked beans...with a fork n' knife sandwich on the side.

Vegetarian Barbeque Stovetop Beans

(Inspired by a recipe found in Andrea Chesman's 366 Delicious Ways to Cook Rice, Beans, and Grains)

These beans are so flavorful, no one will even notice it's a vegetarian, bacon-less version.

Ingredients:

• One 15 oz. can of kidney beans
• One 15 oz. can butter beans
• One 15 oz. can diced tomatoes
• 1 large onion, diced
• 3 large cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 - 3 TBSP barbeque sauce
• 1 TBSP apple cider vinegar
• 1 - 2 TBSP brown sugar
• 2 tsp. dijon mustard

Directions:

Heat olive oil in a pot over medium heat. Add onion and saute until softened, 4 -5 minutes. Add garlic and saute for an additional minute. Add remaining ingredients and stir to combine. Allow beans to simmer until flavors are thoroughly blended (10 - 15 minutes).

*Note: I've also made these beans in the crock pot. Adjust the amount of liquid (from tomatoes) as needed, and cook 3 -4 hours on low.

Terrific Tempeh

Earlier this week I had a conversation with my dad about Reuben sandwiches (I kid you not). At some point, my dad asked me if there could really be a solid substitute for meat in a hearty sandwich--especially a sandwich such as the Reuben, which boasts the ultimate in salty lunch meats: corned beef.

My answer? Tempeh...the quintessential vegetarian meat substitute.

Tempeh is an Indonesian creation that, in it's purest form, is just fermented soybeans. Wait! Don't stop reading! I know it doesn't exactly sound palatable, but I promise you: Tempeh is truly the vegetarian equivalent to a meat-eater's pound of bacon. Or Filet Mignon. Or whatever it is that gets your taste buds going.

I frequently slice tempeh thin, marinade it, and brown it in a skillet coated lightly with olive oil. It adds an unbeatable "meaty" quality to sandwiches--it's packed with flavor, has a little crunch when browned, and rocks a ridiculous amount of protein (20 grams per serving!).

Vegetarian or meat-eater, give tempeh a try this week.

Our Saturday night dinner was a Tempeh "Cheese Steak" sandwich of sorts. Sauteed green peppers, onion, and garlic, sliced tempeh, swiss cheese, and veggie baked beans on the side. It was messy. It was huge. And it made me smile.

If nothing else, you can impress all your friends when you tell them you ate the vege-head equivalent to a pound of bacon.

Vegetarian Cheese "Steak" Sandwiches

You can definitely marinade the tempeh before browning it (we simply didn't have time when we made them yesterday!). Just use whatever favorite marinade you use for meat, let it soak for a few hours, and proceed as directed.

Ingredients:

• 1 package of tempeh, thinly sliced
• a little olive oil
• 1 green bell pepper, sliced
• 1 large onion, sliced
• 4 cloves of garlic, minced
• Swiss cheese
• Hoagie buns (or, we just used our usual bread)
• Optional: Bread n' Butter pickles, and any other additional condiments you love on your sandwiches :)

Directions:

1) Heat a little olive oil over medium heat in a skillet. Place tempeh slices in the skillet; heat until lightly browned on one side, then flip each slice and heat until lightly browned on the other side (approximately 3 minutes per side). Remove tempeh slices and set aside.

2) Using the same skillet, heat a little olive oil and add bell pepper and onion slices. Saute until softened and lightly browned (about 6 -8 minutes). Add garlic and cook 1 -2 more minutes.

3) Meanwhile, place swiss cheese slices on your bread or bun of choice. Toast in a toaster oven until cheese is melted and a little bubbly.

4) To assemble sandwich, place tempeh slices on bread. Mound bell pepper and onion mixture on top. (optional: add pickles or any other condiments you love to have on your big sandwich). Not optional: must eat with barbeque baked beans (I'll bring you a fun recipe for this one tomorrow).

Autumn-in-a-Bowl

Oh, my. There's another Fall Fest going on in my kitchen tonight.

We're talking roasted butternut squash, toasted walnuts, and caramelized onions. Add this splendor-of-autumn mixture to whole wheat pasta. Did I mention the grated Parmesan?

Fall Foods: You bring me to my knees.

The latest issue of Clean Eating Magazine arrived in my mailbox last week. The Clean-Eating-Arrives-in-the-Mailbox Day is consistently a favorite in our house (it's the simple things in life, right?). Amongst endless mouth-watering seasonal recipes, I found one for Butternut Squash Lasagna with Toasted Walnuts and Caramelized Onions. Count me in!

Despite the alluring delicious-ness of this recipe though, I decided we needed something simpler for our humble dinner menu (Come on: Does anyone besides Martha Stewart really have time to whip up a lasagna after work?). As such, I eliminated the hallmark lasagna ingredients (ricotta, egg, marinara, etc.), and boiled this recipe down to it's basics. Clean. Simple. Irresistable.

Tastes like Autumn-in-a-bowl.

Adam went heavier on the pasta (his bowl is pictured), while I skimped on the pasta to leave more bowl-space for the squash...lots and lots of squash.

Friends, if you haven't hopped on the butternut bandwagon yet, it's not too late! Get to the grocery store, elbow your way to the squash bin, and load 'em up. These oddly-shaped gourds--and tonight's recipe--make me a very happy camper.

Whole Wheat Pasta with Roasted Butternut Squash, Caramelized Onions, and Walnuts

(when it's all said and done, this recipe was A Hungry Spoon creation; inspiration came from this month's Clean Eating Magazine)

This is the perfect Fall recipe. As noted above, I was so addicted to the squash n' walnuts, I barely left room for pasta in my bowl.

Ingredients:

• 12 oz. box of whole wheat penne pasta
• 1 butternut squash, peeled and cubed
• a little olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 onions, sliced
• 5 cloves of garlic
• 1/2 tsp. dried ground sage
• 1/3 cup chopped walnuts, toasted

Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray.

2) In a large bowl, toss squash cubes with a small drizzle of olive oil (just a tad!). Season with plenty of fresh ground black pepper and salt to taste. Arrange squash cubes in an even layer on the baking sheet. Bake for 20 -25 minutes, until soft and cooked thoroughly. (Make sure you stir the squash every 10 minutes while it bakes!)

3) Cook pasta according to package directions.

4) Heat a little olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add onion and saute until well-browned and soft (about 10 minutes). Add garlic and sage and cook for another 2 - 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper (if you like ground black pepper, it goes wonderfully with this dish!).

5) Pour pasta into individual serving bowls. Top each serving with the eater's desired amount of squash, onions, and walnuts. Top with grated Parmesan. (My husband, the forever Cheese-head, added a bit of grated Mozzarella as well).

6) Invite the neighbors over. It's Fall Fest at your house tonight!

Casserole Comfort

When it's a cloudy and chilly, and fall is in full force, a girl just needs a warm, veggie-licious casserole to complete her day.

Bonus: blue corn tortilla chips are mixed right in. Definitely a winner in my book.

Casseroles frequently get a bad wrap in the world o' health food, likely due to recipes loaded with cheese, butter, sour cream, and endless cans of "cream of fill-in-the-blank" soups. Not today though! I crave a warm casserole on a chilly day as much as the next girl, and I knew the Moosewood would provide a health-ified, flavor-rich, oven-baked dinner.

The Moosewood's Black Bean Chilaquile has a vibrant color that comes from it's plethora of veggies: fresh spinach, fresh tomatoes, corn, salsa, and blue corn tortilla chips. Add a little guacamole and we've got quite the Rainbow Bright dinner on our hands. It may not be the most photogenic dish, but the splendid taste makes up for its lack of "cover model" qualities.

This dinner is definitely an old favorite in our house--it satisfies my need for old-fashioned casserole comfort, but with a brilliantly unique and ethnic twist that only the Moosewood can provide. We served ours with some homemade cornbread, and plenty of extra blue corn chips n' salsa.

Are you cooking up any comfort casseroles lately?

Black Bean Chilaquile

(recipe from Moosewood Restaurant Low-Fat Favorites)

Blue corn tortilla chips make the world go 'round. While we all love them with salsa and guac, you can only imagine how magnificent they taste crumbled into a Mexican Casserole. Be sure to serve this baby with plenty of fresh guacamole and salsa.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup chopped onions
• 1 TBSP olive oil
• 1 cup chopped tomatoes
• 1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels
• 1 1/2 cups cooked black beans (one 15 oz. can, rinsed and drained)
• 2 TBSP lime juice
• Salt to taste
• 1/2 ground black pepper
• 2 cups rinsed, stemmed, and chopped fresh spinach
• 2 cups baked blue corn tortilla chips, crushed
• 8 oz. sharp cheddar cheese (reduced fat)
• About 1 cup of your favorite red salsa
• Guacamole (we mashed up an avocado and added 2 cloves minced garlic, a splash of lime juice, a little salt n' pepper, and some fresh cilantro leaves)

Ingredients:

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a pot, heat oil over medium heat. Saute the onion for about 8 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, corn, black beans, lime juice, salt, and pepper. Continue to saute for another 5 -10 minutes, until heated through.

2) Meanwhile, in another saucepan, blanch the greens in boiling water for 1 to 3 minutes, until just wilted and still bright green. Drain immediately and set aside.

3) Spray an 8 x 8 casserole dish or baking pan with cooking spray. Spread half of the crushed tortilla chips on the bottom. SPoon the sauteed vegetables over the tortilla chips and sprinkle about 2/3 of the grated cheddar on top. Arrange all of the greens evenly over the cheese and spoon the salsa on top. Finish with the rest of the tortilla chips and top with remaining cheddar. Bake for about 35 - 40 minutes, until the cheese is bubbling and starts to brown. Serve with guacamole, if desired.

4) If it's also a cool, cloudy fall day where you are, you may want to consider eating your Chilaquile while you're wrapped up in a Snuggie. Or perhaps just a blanket. With your favorite book nearby :)

Speedy Supper

What do you whip up for dinner when you're short on time and have a mile-long to-do list?

Flatbread pizzas!

Typically, I make homemade pizza at the speed of most things I create in the kitchen: slow as a turtle. I make speedy cooks cringe. I adore the dough-making process, I love mounding every veggie in the fridge on top, and I crave whatever random combination of cheeses cover the top (Gorgonzola anyone?).

But today, it just wasn't happening. With a major event at my work this weekend (we're hosting a former "Biggest Loser" contestant!), and company arriving tomorrow (Adam's parents are visiting for the weekend), I knew a night of warp-speed cleaning and baking was in store.

The quick fix? Whole wheat flatbreads topped with chunky marinara sauce, mozzarella, Gorgonzola, veggies, garlic, and a sprinkling of seasoning.

Tonight's repast may not be a culinary masterpiece, but it sure did hit the spot. And left me plenty of time scrub the baseboards and bake some muffins :)

What's your favorite meal to make when you're short on time?

Flatbread Pizzas

(A Hungry Spoon recipe)

This recipe speaks for itself--you're on easy street with quick n' simple preparation. The longest part of the process? Heating up the oven :)

Ingredients:

• Whole wheat flat breads
• Marinara sauce (or pesto)
• Veggies of your choice, chopped (we used green bell pepper, onion, tomato, and spinach)
• Cheese of your choice (we used Mozzarella, Gorgonzola, and Parmesan)
• A few cloves of garlic, minced (if you're really time-crunched, just sprinkle some garlic powder on top!)
• Italian seasoning

Directions:

1) Heat oven to 400 degrees.

2) Spoon marinara over each flatbread. Sprinkle cheese on top. Top with a big ol' mound of your chopped veggies. Sprinkle with garlic and Italian seasoning.

3) Place flatbreads on a greased cookie sheet and bake for minutes, or until heated through and cheese has melted. Serve with extra marinara for dipping.

4) Eat. Enjoy. Now move on to the next item on your to-do list!

Sloppy Sandwich Night

As a child, I recall Sloppy Joe lunches as one of the dreaded days in the school cafeteria: The orange and brown sandwich filling scooped onto a bun was always a bit too mysterious. Add a side of canned corn and fruit cocktail, and you've got yourself a "well-balanced meal?"

I shudder at the memories.

I never could have dreamed that one day Sloppy Joes would rank near the top of my "Favorite Sandwich List" as an adult. Well, "Barbeque Tempeh Sloppy Joes" to be exact. (And yes, I do have a Favorite Sandwich List. Hey--we all have our priorities in life.).

This sandwich makes me weak in the knees it's so good.

I mean it, friends. You may never go back to eating meat again after you try this baby. The from-scratch sweet n' tangy barbeque sauce is bursting with flavor (yes, bursting!). Add sauteed onions and green pepper, and a sprinkling of blue cheese and voila! A hearty bite of heaven on earth. (If you're a true cheese-head like my husband, you could also add a slice of Colby-Jack or Swiss cheese to your sandwich.).

If you've never tried tempeh, this is a great dish to give it a first try. It's loaded with protein and makes an awesome vege-head sandwich filler when your veggies and beans just aren't enough.

So, may my Saturday night dinner inspire your dinner tonight. Everyone needs a Sloppy Sandwich Night in their life.

What's your favorite "ultimate" sandwich?

Barbeque Tempeh Sloppy Joes

(Adapted from a recipe found in Robin Robertson's The Vegetarian Meat and Potatoes Cookbook)

This sandwich fulfills my craving for a hearty fork and knife sandwich. If you're interested in cooking vegetarian cuisine for a heavy meat-eater, Robertson's cookbook is a fantastic starting point--all of her recipes are stick-to-your-ribs good.

Ingredients:

Barbeque Tempeh:

• 8 oz. of tempeh, cut into 1/4 inch wide strips
• 2 TBSP olive oil
• 1 onion, minced
• 4 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 - 1/2 teaspoons fresh ginger, minced
• 2 cans of drained crushed tomatoes ( 14.5 oz. each)
• 1/4 cup molasses
• 2 TBSP dijon mustard
• 3 TBSP soy sauce
• 1 TBSP rice vinegar
• 1/4 tsp. ground red pepper

Onion n' Pepper

• 1 large onion, sliced
• 1 bell pepper, sliced
• a little olive oil

Sandwich Fixins'

• Bread or bun of choice (we just used our standard bread)
• Blue cheese crumbles
• Optional: sweet pickle slices (bread n' butter pickles)

Directions:

1) Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add tempeh slices, allowing to brown on one side (approximately 3 minutes). Flip, and brown tempeh on the other side. Remove tempeh from the skillet and chop into smaller pieces. Set aside.

2) In a pot, heat a little olive oil over medium heat. Add diced onion and saute until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and ginger, and saute for another 2 minutes. Add remaining ingredients for the barbeque tempeh (through ground red pepper). Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, allowing to thicken. Stir occasionally. Add tempeh and allow sauce to cook another 5 minutes, until heated through. Your filling is done!

3) Heat a little olive oil in a skillet over medium heat, and add sliced onion and bell pepper. Saute until lightly browned, about

The Moose is Always Right

Well, the Moosewood is always right.

I do believe the Moosewood Collective compiles some of the most creative, classic, and fantastic vegetarian recipes out there. Unfortunately, their cookbooks have been collecting a little dust on my shelf for the past few months, and they've been feeling a bit neglected. As such, I decided to salute the Moosewood Collective this week with a week's worth of dinners from their cookbooks. Neglected no more!

Tonight's recipe, "Quinoa Pine Nut Pilaf," comes from my favorite of their cookbooks: "Moosewood Restaurant Low-Fat Favorites." This was my first purchase amongst their cookbooks (a solid 3 years ago), and it boasts over 300 recipes for unique and healthy breads, soups, sandwiches, pastas, entrees, desserts, and much more. Needless to say, the pages are covered with smudges, stains, and other evidence of my somewhat messy cooking skills. If you're looking for a starter Moosewood with especially healthy options, try this baby first :)

As for tonight's recipe, who doesn't love quinoa? With pine nuts? And veggies? Holy yum. We served ours with Herb and Cheese Muffins (recipe, of course, also hailing from the Moosewood).

Geez. I'm starting to sound like a sales-woman.

Rock on, Moosewood. I promise to keep you at the front of the cookbook stack from now on.

What's your favorite cookbook right now?

Quinoa Pine Nut Pilaf

(adapted from a recipe found in the Moosewood Restaurant's Low-Fat Favorites)

This recipe is just fine and dandy on its own, but if you require some sort of vinaigrette on your grain salads, try a simple mix of red wine vinegar, olive oil, honey, and a pinch of salt, pepper, and garlic powder.

Ingredients:

• 1 large onion
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 TBSP olive oil
• 1 yellow or red bell pepper, diced
• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• 2 tsp. ground cumin
• 2 tsp. ground coriander
• 1 cup quinoa (we used red quinoa tonight)
• 1 - 2/3 cup broth (veggie or chicken)
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
• 1 - 1/2 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels
• 1 cup frozen edamame
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts

Directions:

1) In a heavy saucepan, saute the onions and garlic in the oil over medium heat until softened (about 4 -5 minutes). Add the bell peppers, cumin, and coriander, and saute for an additional 5 minutes until softened. Add the quinoa and broth to the saucepan, cover tightly, reduce heat, and simmer gently for about 15 minutes. Stir in basil, corn, and edamame, and cook 5 to 10 minutes longer, or until quinoa is tender and liquid is mostly absorbed.

2) Add salt and pepper to taste. Stir in pine nuts.

Comfort Food Gets Veganized

On the menu tonight: Smoky Sauteed Collard Greens and Spiced, Smashed Sweet Potatoes.

Ultimately, it's a meeting between classic comfort foods and the genius authors of Veganomicon.

Bonus: You'll have plenty of room for dessert :)

I tried collard greens for the first time this summer, during our vacation in Asheville, NC. Tupelo Honey Cafe--a delightful little restaurant that specializes in southern cooking with local, organic ingredients--offered a three veggie entree, featuring sauteed collards. Never being one to shy away from a food I have yet to taste, I tried their collard greens and I was thrilled with the result.

It's been over a month since our travels, and I finally located a collard recipe that best mirrors my Tupelo Honey experience. The key ingredient? Liquid smoke. I was skeptical at first, most likely because I found it in the grocery store sandwiched between the hot sauces and steak sauces (need I say more?). But, one recipe of smoky sauteed collards later, and I now call myself a believer.

A quick note of the flavor of collards: Make sure you cook them down in the marinade long enough--they can have a bit of a bitter flavor prior to the cook-down. I'm sure the non-vegetarian version, which employs bacon fat as the key ingredient, boasts a bacon-y delicious flavor that masks any bitterness the greens might hold. Ah, well. Maybe in another lifetime.

As previously noted, we served our smoky collards with simple mashed sweet potatoes--recipe also courtesy of Veganomicon. Although I'm not a vegan, this cookbook alone could easily convert me. The authors (who also wrote my favorite vegan cookie cookbook) make vegan cooking easy and delicious. No hard-to-find ingredients, no soy "cheeses," and most recipes are short and simple. Love it!

So, liquid smoke in hand, and armed with a bundle of fresh collards, let's get to cooking this classic comfort dish...veganized of course :)

Smoky Sauteed Collard Greens

(A recipe from Veganomicon: The Ultimate Vegan Cookbook, by Isa Chandra, Maskowitz and Terry Hope Romero)

We enjoyed these hearty, flavorful greens with mashed sweet potatoes. And a Rocky Road cookie for dessert :)

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. collard greens, thinly chopped
• 5 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 small onion, diced
• 1 TBSP olive oil

Smoky Marinade Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup veggie broth (or chicken if you're not a veg-head)
• 2 TBSP reduced sodium soy sauce
• 2 TBSP apple cider vinegar
• 1 TBSP liquid smoke
• 1 TBSP maple syrup

Directions:

1) Combine marinade ingredients in a small bowl. Set aside.

2) In a pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Saute onion and garlic until tender, about 3-4 minutes. Add chopped collard greens and cook for 2 minutes. Add marinade and cook on low-medium heat until collards are tender and cooked --about 15 minutes.

So Fiber-licious

I'm kind of a fiber fanatic. I'm one of those strange individuals who actually seeks out ways to incorporate more fiber into a meal. Throw some toasted pumpkin seeds on top of that! Add a few tablespoons of flaxseed! Let's puree some prunes to add to those brownies!

What can I say? My cooking is fiber-lickin' good.

Consequently, with the exception of desserts (which are my first love in the food world), nothing brings a smile to my face more than walking through the door after a long day at work, and finding my husband preparing a fresh, fiber-licious dinner. Lucky for me, tonight was one of those nights.

Tonight's delightful pasta dish invites a variety of flavors you might find odd at first glance. I certainly did. Glancing at the recipe, I was skeptical of the unusual combinations: whole wheat pasta with lentils, artichokes, tomatoes, cumin, feta, and much more. Even the name sounds a bit confused: "Pasta, Lentils, and Artichoke Hearts." Thanks, but no thanks.

However, the Moosewood Collective's Low-Fat Favorites has never steered us wrong, and it certainly didn't with this recipe. I was blown away! This dish is so powerfully flavorful and wonderfully textured--it was truly a creative and ridiculously delicious pasta meal. It serves well as a one-dish dinner, as it's very filling and you'll have little room for much else.

So, tonight I salute my fiber-cooking husband and his unique pasta creation. My words of wisdom for today: Embrace fiber! She's fun, she's flavorful, and she just might be your new best friend.

Pasta, Lentils, and Artichoke Hearts

(a recipe from the Moosewood Restaurant Low-Fat Favorites Cookbook)

Ingredients:

• 1 cup dry red lentils (3 cups cooked)
• 1 bay leaf
• 2- 1/4 cups water
• 1 tsp. olive oil
• 2 cups diced onion
• 4 large cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 tsp. ground cumin
• 1 tsp. ground coriander
• 1 TBSP lemon juice
• 3 cups of canned tomatoes, drained (approximately 28 oz.)
• 12 oz. jar of artichoke hearts, chopped (make sure you don't use the "marinated" artichoke hearts; just use the plain-in-water variety!)
• 1 lb. whole wheat penne pasta
• Salt and ground pepper, taste
• Crumbled feta cheese
• Optional: crushed red pepper flakes

Directions:

1) Combine lentils, water, and bay leaf in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat; lower heat and simmer until water is mostly absorbed. Discard bay leaf.

2) Cook pasta according to package directions.

3) Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and saute until tender (approximately 5 minutes). Add garlic, cumin, and coriander and cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Add tomatoes, artichokes hearts, lemon juice, and salt, and pepper and simmer for about 10 minutes. Add the lentils, and simmer until the sauce reaches your desired consistency (we simmered ours for about 10 minutes. Cooking it longer would result in a thicker sauce).

4) Combine pasta with lentil-tomato mixture. Pour into individual serving bowls, and top with feta cheese and (if you like "hot stuff") crushed red pepper flakes.

Gettin' Apple-Saucy

Friends, the apple issue is becoming tamer by the day.

One loaf of bread, one pie, and one giant vat of applesauce later, I can see a light at the end of the tunnel.

If I'm not careful, you may start referring to my blog as "A Hungry Apple." I promise: I'll take a hiatus from the apple recipes after I leave you with this saucy little number.

When it comes to applesauce, nothing beats the chunky, loaded-with-cinnamon, didn't-peel-the-apples variety. If you haven't noticed, I love my food textured and filling--not much pureeing going on in this house. It's rare, if ever, that you'll find a fruit (or potato) peeled around here (three cheers for added fiber!).

In my haste to bake away my bushel of apples (and re-claim what used to be my kitchen counter), I went to work on a simple, satisfying applesauce last night. Perfect on its own, or as a mix-in to your morning oatmeal (think: oats made with vanilla almond milk; mix in a little applesauce, one chopped apple, some toasted walnuts, and a little cinnamon).

A quick note on the sweetness-level: I kept the amount of sugar in this recipe quite low (relative to the amount of apples) since it was designed to be my mid-morning snack at work, and not a dessert. However, if you've got the crave, feel free to up the sugar for a sweeter sauce.

Now, let's let loose, let our hair down, and get a little saucy tonight. Apple Saucy, that is.

Apple Sauce

(Recipe from Taste of Home)

This is a wonderfully simple and basic recipe, which you can build on to make your own. You may prefer your applesauce sweeter, tarter, less chunky, or with more cinnamon! Use this as a guide, and go creative with your bushel of apples :)

Ingredients:

• 8 cups chopped apples
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 2 tsp. vanilla
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon (or more if you prefer!)
• 1 1/2 - 2 cups water (add more if needed)

Directions:

1) Combine all ingredients in a large pot. Cover and heat over low-medium heat until apples are quite tender (anywhere from 15 - 25 minutes), stirring occasionally. Add more water as needed throughout the cooking process.

2) When apples have reached desired level of tenderness, remove from heat and use a potato masher (or other handy kitchen tool) to mash the apples.

3) Refrigerate before serving. Then, smile at your saucy self :)

Bean Burgers in Paradise

As you may recall, I have an intense, passionate, and extraordinary love for vegetarian sandwiches. Nothing gets me dancing in the kitchen like a thick, loaded, fork-and-knife, meatless sammie.

Amongst the most classic of veg-head sandwiches is the bean burger. The variations you can create with these protein-packed patties are endless. Bean burgers provide the perfect base to get infinitely creative with your mix-ins, whether it's roasted red pepper and parsley, or chickpeas and shredded carrot.

When we set forth to do our weekly menu plan on Saturday, I had a bean burger craving that was roaring loud. And I'm not just talking any bean burger, friends. I'm talking about Greek White Bean Burgers. Did I mention there's feta cheese in them? And crunchy, toasted walnuts? Oh, for the love of beans!

These puppies are simple, awesome, and oh-so-healthy. Bonus: they also double as a topping for your lunch salad the next day. You can "soup up" your bean burger with whatever toppings your heart desires. We topped ours with spinach, tomato, chopped avocado, a little goat cheese, and some roasted garlic hummus.

We enjoyed our burgers on Adam's homemade bread, as somebody (me?) forgot to pick up buns. They'd be great in a pita or flattened and rolled into a tortilla (yep, I seriously just suggested flattening them).

I'm singin', bean burgers in paradise...

Greek White Bean Burgers

(Adapted from a recipe found in Simple & Delicious Magazine)

Who says a vegetarian can't enjoy a burger? These flavorful patties are perfect in a bun, on a pita, or crumbled over your salad.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (toast them first for even more flavor!)
• 1 medium carrot, shredded
• 1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese
• 1/2 of a small onion, diced
• 2 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
• about 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1 can (15 oz.) white beans (like Great Northern beans), rinsed and drained
• salt and ground black pepper to taste
• a little splash of lemon juice (if needed)
• a little olive oil (for the pan)
• Burger fixins' : spinach or lettuce, tomato, avocado, (goat!) cheese, etc.

Directions:

1) In a food processor, combine walnuts, carrot, feta cheese, onion, garlic, parsley, black pepper, and salt. Pulse until thoroughly mixed. Remove from the food processor.

2) Place white beans in the food processor and pulse until smooth (well, as smooth as you can make food-processed beans.)

3) Combine first mixture with the beans in a large bowl. Add a small splash of lemon juice if any moisture is needed to hold them together. (Note: You can add dried bread crumbs to bean burgers if they're too wet to form into patties, or a splash of liquid--water, broth, etc.--if they're too dry). Form into 4 patties.

4) Lightly oil a skillet with olive oil (about 1 TBSP?), and place over medium heat. Add patties and cook on one side until lightly browned (about 3 - 4 minutes, but watch carefully). Flip patties and cook on the other side until lightly browned.

5) Load your burger up with all the tasty fixings you can find. Doesn't it feel like paradise?

Carrot Cake...for Breakfast?

When it comes to cake, there are few flavors I prefer over a dense, moist, and oh-so-tasty slice of carrot cake. I love my carrot cake loaded with the "extras:" walnuts, pineapple, lots of carrot, and a thick layer of homemade cream cheese frosting. Hungry yet?

Although I would never consider having a slice of the aforementioned carroty-goodness for breakfast, I had no problem enjoying Adam's "Carrot Cake Pancakes" for breakfast this morning. We spotted the recipe in Cooking Light this winter, but had not yet experimented with it (banana and berry pancakes have been the theme around here for the past few months). After this morning's test batch though, I can say with great certainty that these pancakes will enter the weekend breakfast rotation.

A few notes on variations:

• I LOVE toasted nuts of all kinds. We added more than the recipe indicates, but you can eliminate them altogether if you're not a nut-head like me :)
• Toppings: We mixed 3 TBSP of butter and 2TBSP of honey (split between us) to top our pancakes. Yum-O! You could also top them with syrup, natural nut butter, bananas, or whipped cinnamon cream cheese.

Carrot Cake Pancakes (adapted from Cooking Light recipe, January 2010 issue)

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups flour

1/4 cup chopped, toasted walnuts

2 teaspoons baking powder1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Dash of ground ginger

1/4 cup brown sugar

3/4 cup skim milk

1 TBSP canola oil

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

2 large eggs

2 cups finely grated carrot

Directions:

1) Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl.

2) Combine remaining ingredients in a medium-size bowl. Gently add wet ingredients to dry ingredients, stirring until combined.

3) Coat griddle with cooking spray (or, use butter to grease if you prefer), and heat griddle to 350 degrees.

4) Spoon batter in 1/4 cup measurements onto the griddle and spread with a spatula. Cook until top is covered with bubbles (approximately 2 minutes), and then flip. Cook until bottom is lightly browned.

5) Top with your favorite topping (We used honey butter).

6) Revel in the carroty-goodness of your breakfast :)

You're My Obsession

Don't you love when you find a new recipe that becomes an instant favorite? You begin craving this tasty new dish almost instantly--a dish you didn't even know existed yesterday. It becomes, well, an obsession.

Enter Bulgur-Apple-Almond Salad...my own latest obsession.

I stumbled upon a variation of this recipe in a Family Circle magazine at the dentist's office, and have already made it three times in two weeks! The sweet apples, crunchy almonds, and simply satisfying dressing make it the perfect salad to pack for lunch. A few notes to further entice you:

-Bulgur is a tasty, high fiber, easy-to-cook grain. Simply boil your liquid of choice,

remove from heat, add bulgur, cover, and let sit for about a half hour. (Measurement:

for one cup of bulgur, use 2 cups of liquid).

-I recommend using broth to cook with your bulgur. If you're a meat-eater, definitely go with chicken broth; veg-heads can reach for the vegetable broth

-Don't even think about making this recipe without toasting the almonds...the toasty

flavor makes it, my friends!

Bulgur-Apple-Almond Salad

Ingredients:

1 cup uncooked bulgur

2 cups (1 can) of veggie or chicken broth

2 chopped apples

1 cup chopped celery

1/3 cup (or more) dried cranberries

1/2 cup chopped, toasted almonds

2 TBSP honey

1/4 cup lemon juice

1/2 tsp. salt

3 TBSP olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

1) In a medium saucepan, bring the broth to a boil. Remove from heat, mix bulgur into hot broth, cover, and allow to sit for approximately a half hour (or until liquid is absorbed).

2) In the meantime, whisk the honey, lemon juice, salt, and olive oil together in a small bowl.

2) When the bulgur is ready, combine it with the apples, celery, cranberries, and almonds in a

large bowl.

4) Pour dressing over bulgur mixture and toss to coat evenly. Season with salt and pepper.

5) Enjoy your new obsession.