Kale Butter

This recipe comes from the Engine 2 Cookbook, but I found it on here.  I've been looking for new ways to get Simran to eat green vegetables, and I had heard of kale butter.  She tends to enjoy dips, so I'm hoping she'll actually try this.

I imagine it would taste even better with a clove of garlic and a tablespoon of Bragg Liquid Aminos in place of the salt -- it would be like pureed kale in walnut sauce, the way Simran used to enjoy it before she had teeth.

Ingredients

• 1 bunch kale, rinsed and chopped
• 1/2 cup walnuts
• 1/2 cup water
• Salt to taste

Directions

Steam kale for 5 minutes, until tender. Blend with walnuts and 1/2 cup of green water from steaming. Add salt to taste if desired. Process in blender until smooth.

Mushroom Pâté

This recipe comes from Mark Bittman's How to Cook Everything Vegetarian.

Ingredients
3 tbs neutral oil, like grapeseed or corn
1 medium onion, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
About 2 lbs cremini or white mushrooms, cleaned, trimmed, and roughly chopped
1/4 cup dried porcini (optional), reconstituted
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tbs tomato paste
3/4 cup dry white wine (optional)
2 tbs freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 cup Fresh Bread Crumbs or crumbled crackers, plus more as needed
Finely chopped chives or parsley leaves for garnish

Directions

1. Put the oil in a large skillet over high heat. When it is hot, add the onion, carrot, and celery and cook until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and cook for another few minutes, then add the tomato paste and the white wine if you're using it. Stir and cook until the liquid is mostly evaporated, about 10 minutes. Turn the heat off and let the vegetables cool.

2. Transfer the mushroom mixture to a food processor, add the lemon juice and bread crumbs, and pureé until smooth. Taste and season with more salt, pepper, or lemon juice as needed. The consistency should be fairly thick  but still easily spreadable; add more bread crumbs if it's too thin; add vegetable stock or water if it's too thick.

3. Spoon the pâté mixture into a terrine or ramekin(s) and refrigerate until chilled. Serve at room temperature, garnished with chives or parsley. It will keep in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Cheese & Onion Pasties

I might be remembering wrong, but I think the cheese & onion pasties served at Tea & Sympathy had a creamier sort of cheese sauce than straight melted cheese would accomplish.  Since most recipes I've seen just have melted cheese inside, I've devised my own version to more closely resemble the cheese sauce of Welsh rarebit or a good macaroni and cheese recipe.  The short pastry recipe comes from Alton Brown's recipe for Pocket Pies.

Ingredients
for crust:

9 1/2 ounces all-purpose flour, approximately 2 cups
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
2 1/2 ounces shortening, approximately 6 tablespoons
3/4 cup milk
1 egg mixed with 1 to 2 teaspoons water

for filling:

1 tablespoons butter

1/4 cup diced onion (yellow or white)
1/3 cup evaporated milk
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Fresh black pepper
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
8 ounces sharp cheddar, shredded

Directions

1. [Steps 1 & 2 can be done up to 2 days in advance and refrigerated.]  Melt butter in a sauce pan over medium heat.  Add diced onions and sweat until translucent.

2. Whisk together evaporated milk, salt, pepper, and mustard.  Add to pan with butter and onions, add shredded cheese, and stir, continuing to cook over low heat until creamy, about 2 minutes.  Set aside and allow to cool completely.

3. In the bowl of a food processor, combine the flour, baking powder and salt. Pulse for a few seconds and then pour into a large mixing bowl.

4. Add the shortening and knead it into the flour with your hands until it is crumbly. Add the milk all at once and mix in with a spatula until it begins to come together. Lightly flour your hands and the countertop and turn the dough out onto the countertop. Knead the dough ball, folding over 10 to 20 times. Using a rolling pin roll the dough to 1/3 to 1/2-inch thickness, then cut into rounds using a 2 1/4-inch ring. Roll each round as thinly as possible or to 5 to 6 inches in diameter. Spoon 1 to 2 tablespoons of filling onto the dough, brush the edges of half of the dough lightly with the egg wash, fold over and seal the edges together with the tines of a fork, dipping it into flour as needed. Gently press down to flatten and evenly distribute the filling. 

5. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place finished pies onto an ungreased cookie sheet and bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown.

White Bean Sandwich Spread

I invented this recipe for use on vegan paninis and other sandwiches that would benefit from something creamy and cheese-like.  It is based loosely on Esselstyn's simple no-tahini hummus, the fact that tahini-based hummus is usually much creamier and nicer tasting than that, and my love for blending white beans into other things.

Ingredients
1 15-oz can white beans (great northern, cannellini, or navy -- I can't tell the difference), drained and rinsed
1 tbs nutritional yeast
zest of one lemon
1 garlic clove
1 tbs Bragg Liquid Aminos (or low-sodium tamari)
1 tsp Dijon mustard
fresh ground black pepper, to taste
2 tbs low-sodium vegetable broth (or as needed)

Directions

1. Put all ingredients except vegetable broth in a food processor and blend.  Add low-sodium vegetable broth as necessary until a creamy, hummus-like consistency is achieved (for me, this took 2 tbs).  Serve on sandwiches or as a dip with crackers, crudites, or pita chips.

Crispy Breaded Tofu Strips

I found this recipe on OhSheGlows.com while looking for a breaded fake-meat dish that doesn't call for oil (though this one does call for greasing the baking sheet).  I'm guessing if this works out, I can use the same breading mixture on seitan, or even just cook my tasty breaded seitans in the oven without frying them first in the skillet.  This recipe is meant to resemble chicken fingers and closely resembles the tofu strips I made for po'boy sandwiches a few weeks ago.  

Ingredients

1 package firm or extra firm tofu

1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk (or other milk)

1 tbsp cornstarch

1/3 cup cornmeal

1/2 cup breadcrumbs

1/2 tsp chipotle chili powder

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1/8 tsp fresh ground black pepper

Directions

1. Press tofu: Rinse the tofu with water and place a couple kitchen towels on the counter. Wrap the tofu with another towel, place another towel on top, and finally several heavy cookbooks on top. Let sit for at least 20 minutes to soak out the water.

2. Meanwhile, whisk together the milk and cornstarch in a shallow dish. In another bowl, mix together the cornmeal, breadcrumbs, salt, and spices. Set aside. Preheat oven to 400F and grease a baking sheet with oil or nonstick spray.

3. Slice tofu into 8-9 strips, lengthwise, depending on how thick you want them. With one hand dip the tofu strip into the milk mixture and then into the cornmeal/breadcrumb mixture. Use other hand to sprinkle dry mixture all over the tofu. Coat both sides entirely and then place on baking sheet. Repeat with the rest.

4. Bake tofu on middle rack at 400F. Bake for 20 minutes, then flip the tofu, and then bake for another 15-20 minutes until crispy. Remove and serve with ketchup or dip of your choice.

[Edited 10/11/2013:  I used Panko for the breadcrumbs, and these were really good and crispy.  They also retained their crust better than any of the pan-fried breaded seitan or tofu I've ever made.  I reduced the cayenne to just a dash since it's hard to say how a toddler will take "a kick of heat," and they turned out surprisingly bland, based on how many other spices were in there.  I tried them with spicy mustard and ketchup and got the impression they would probably be at their best (at least the way I seasoned them, with very little cayenne) with either honey mustard dipping sauce or some sort of chipotle aioli.]
[Edited 11/10/2013: I alter the spices every time I make this dish in an attempt to perfect it.  It's still not there yet, but I changed the recipe above to reflect the best version I've had so far.]

Veggie Summer Rolls with Spicy Peanut Lime Sauce

I found this recipe on OhSheGlows.com, and it is fantastic.  It doesn't sound like it should be as filling as it is, but the combination of fatty tofu and salty delicious sauce makes it an appetizer you can eat as a meal.  Make sure to make lots though.  Sameer and I still wanted more after we ran out.  It's also a great dish to make in advance and stash in the fridge until dinnertime.

Ingredients

• Spring Roll Wrappers (at least 8-10)
• 1 block firm or extra-firm tofu
• 1/2 English cucumber, julienned
• 1 red bell pepper, julienned
• 2 medium carrots, peeled & julienned
• 2 green onions, chopped
• 3-4 lettuce leaves, julienned
• 1/4 cup fresh Thai basil leaves, minced
• 1/4 cup cilantro, thick stems removed and minced
• 1/3 cup roasted & salted peanuts
• Herbamare or sea salt, to season

For the peanut lime sauce:

• 1-2 garlic cloves
• 2 tbsp sesame oil
• 1/4 cup natural roasted peanut butter
• 1/2-1 tbsp peeled & roughly chopped fresh ginger
• 3 tbsp fresh lime juice
• 2 tbsp low sodium tamari (or Bragg Liquid Aminos)
• 2 tsp sugar
• 1-3 tsp water, to thin out as needed

Directions

1. Press the tofu while you prepare the filling and sauce.
2. For the filling: Julienne the vegetables. Set aside, along with peanuts.

3. For the sauce: In a mini processor, process the sauce ingredients until smooth. Adjust to taste. You may prefer more sweetener, tamari, oil, or lime juice. Or mince everything by hand and whisk.

4. Slice pressed tofu into long thin strips. You likely won’t need the entire block.

5. Set up a roll making station and gather all of your ingredients in one area. Place a tea towel on the counter and fill a very large bowl with hot tap water. Dip one rice paper wrapper into the water and carefully submerge it once it gets soft. Hold it under water for about 10 seconds, or until soft, and remove from water carefully. Place it onto the tea towel and unfold any corners that may have rolled up.

6. Add the filling ingredients in the center of the wrapper. Be careful not to overfill or the wrappers will tear. Sprinkle with peanuts and a sprinkle of salt.

7. Roll the two sides of the rice wrapper inward and then flip the bottom over top the filling and roll forward. Place roll on a plate and cover with damp paper towels. Repeat for the rest.

8. Serve the rolls immediately with the peanut dipping sauce. If you have any leftover vegetables enjoy them dipped in the sauce on the side. Sauce should keep for at least a week in a sealed container in the fridge. Rolls will keep for 1-2 days in the fridge.

Baked Tofu

I found this recipe for baked tofu in Neal Barnard's The Cancer Survivor's Guide. 

Ingredients
1 pound firm or extra-firm reduced-fat tofu
2 tbs soy sauce (or Bragg Liquid Aminos)
2 tbs water or low sodium vegetable broth
2 tsp brown rice syrup or other liquid sweetener
2 tsp balsamic vinegar
2 tsp minced garlic
1 1/2 tsp peeled and grated fresh ginger
1/4 tsp ground black pepper

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Cut the tofu into 4 equal slices and arrange them in a single, tightly packed layer in a 9-inch square or similar baking dish.

2. Combine the soy sauce, water, syrup, vinegar, garlic, ginger, and pepper in a small bowl.  Pour evenly over the tofu and bake uncovered for 30 minutes.

3.  Stored in a covered container in the refrigerator, leftover Baked Tofu will keep for up to 3 days.

Beet and Goat Cheese Arugula Salad

This salad contains exclusively things I like, so that's exciting.  The recipe comes from Giada de Laurentiis of FoodNetwork.

Ingredients

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons shallots, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon honey
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 medium beets, cooked and quartered
6 cups fresh arugula
1/2 cup walnuts, toasted, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup dried cranberries or dried cherries
1/2 avocado, peeled, pitted, and cubed
3 ounces soft fresh goat cheese, coarsely crumbled

Directions

 

1. Line a baking sheet with foil. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

2. Whisk the vinegar, shallots, and honey in a medium bowl to blend. Gradually whisk in the oil. Season the vinaigrette, to taste, with salt and pepper. Toss the beets in a small bowl with enough dressing to coat. Place the beets on the prepared baking sheet and roast until the beets are slightly caramelized, stirring occasionally, about 12 minutes. Set aside and cool.

3. Toss the arugula, walnuts, and cranberries in a large bowl with enough vinaigrette to coat. Season the salad, to taste, with salt and pepper. Mound the salad atop 4 plates. Arrange the beets around the salad. Sprinkle with the avocado and goat cheese, and serve.

 

Portobello Mushrooms Stuffed with Spinach and Goat Cheese

I was looking for a way to serve marinated mushrooms and found this recipe on Epicurious.  Reviews say it's pretty rich, so I figure I'll serve it with some kind of green salad and maybe wild rice. 

Ingredients
Marinated mushrooms

• 1 cup olive oil
• 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
• 2 garlic cloves, pressed
• 1/4 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup Marsala (optional)
• 4 large fresh thyme sprigs
• 6 large portobello mushrooms

Filling:

• 1 10-ounce package frozen spinach
• 1 pound button mushrooms
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 cup chopped sweet onion (such as Maui or Vidalia)
• 3 garlic cloves, pressed
• 1/4 cup plus 6 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup unseasoned dry breadcrumbs
•  1 5-ounce package soft fresh goat cheese, crumbled

Directions

For marinated mushrooms:
Whisk first 6 ingredients and Marsala, if desired, in medium bowl for marinade. Stir in thyme sprigs. Cut stems from mushrooms and place stems in processor. Arrange mushrooms, gill side up, in 15x10x2-inch glass baking dish. Pour marinade over mushrooms and marinate 4 hours, turning to coat occasionally.

 

For filling:
 

1. Cook spinach according to package directions. Drain; cool. Using hands, squeeze excess water from spinach. Place in small bowl.

2. Add half of button mushrooms to processor with portobello mushroom stems. Using on/off turns, process until coarsely chopped. Transfer to medium bowl and repeat with remaining mushrooms. 

3. Heat oil in heavy large skillet over high heat. Add onion; sauté until beginning to brown, stirring often, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and stir 30 seconds. Add chopped mushrooms, sprinkle with salt, and increase heat to high. Cook until almost all liquid evaporates, stirring often, about 8 minutes. Season mushroom mixture with salt and pepper. Transfer to large bowl; cool to room temperature.

Add spinach, 1/4 cup Parmesan, and breadcrumbs to mushroom mixture; toss to distribute evenly. Add goat cheese and toss gently to distribute evenly. Season filling to taste with salt and pepper. DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 hours ahead. Cover filling and let stand at room temperature.

4. Preheat oven to 400°F. Transfer marinated mushrooms, with some marinade still clinging, to rimmed baking sheet, gill side down. Roast until beginning to soften, about 15 minutes. Turn mushrooms over. Divide filling among mushrooms. Sprinkle remaining 6 tablespoons Parmesan cheese over and bake until heated through and cheese begins to brown, about 15 minutes.

Vegetable Manchurian (Dry or with Gravy)

I found this recipe for Vegetable Manchurian on Sailu's Kitchen.  There are some very useful photos of the different steps on that site too.

Vegetable Manchurian is a favorite dish of both Sameer's and mine.  They're like spicy meatball appetizers, except instead of meat they're made up of vegetables and fried.  They're delicious, and you can serve them dry on a platter with little toothpicks in them if you're having a get-together, or you can make the accompanying gravy and serve them over a bed of rice, as I plan to do.  They tend to be spicy, but you can adjust the heat to your own liking by adjusting the amount of chiles and things containing chiles.

Ingredients
2 cups finely chopped capsicum, cabbage, carrot, beans and spring onion whites (packed cups)
2 tbs all-purpose flour
2 tbs corn starch
1/2 tbs rice flour
1 tbs ginger-garlic-green chilli paste
1/4 tsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp black pepper powder
warm water as required (less than 1/2 cup is needed)
salt to taste
oil for deep frying
For sauce:
1/4 cup spring onions, finely chopped
1 1/2 tbs finely minced garlic
1/2 tbs finely minced ginger
2 finely chopped green chillis
1/2 tsp red chilli powder (preferably Kashmiri)
2 tsp soy sauce
1/2 tbs chilli sauce
2 tsp vinegar
2 tbs tomato sauce
1 tsp brown sugar
salt as required
1 tbs sesame oil
1 1/2 – 2 tbsps finely chopped coriander leaves OR spring onion greens

Directions

1. Heat oil for deep frying in a heavy bottomed vessel.

2. In a bowl, combine all-purpose flour, cornflour, rice flour, salt, ginger-garlic-green chilli paste, pepper powder, soy sauce, salt and all the finely chopped vegetables. Sprinkle little water to make a thick mixture. Add water little by little and use only as much water as required to form small balls.

3. Carefully place each ball into the hot oil. Do not crowd the vessel. Reduce flame and deep fry the vegetable balls till cooked. Increase the flame towards the end of the cooking process and fry till they turn golden brown. Remove onto absorbent paper and keep aside.

4. Heat oil in a large wok and once the oil is piping hot, add the chopped garlic and stir fry for a few seconds. Add the green chillis and ginger and stir fry on high for a few seconds.

5. Add the whites of spring onions and stir fry on high for 2 minutes, constantly tossing them.

6. Add the vegetable balls and stir fry for another 3 minutes. They should retain their crunch. Reduce to medium heat and add the brown sugar, soya sauce, tomato ketchup, chilli sauce and vinegar. Mix well and cook for 2 minutes. Add 3-4 tbsps of water and cook for 2 minutes.

7. Toss on high flame for 1-2 mts. Turn off heat. Garnish with the chopped spring onion greens and/or coriander leaves. 

For the Gravy:

1. Mix a tbs of corn starch in a little water. Keep aside.

2. After following step 5 above, add 1 1/2 cups water and bring to a boil. Reduce to medium heat and add the brown sugar, soy sauce, tomato ketchup, chilli sauce and vinegar.

3. Add the corn starch water slowly and keep stirring till it takes a thick gravy like consistency. Cook for 1-2 minutes. Turn off heat.

4. Add the balls to the gravy at the time of serving. Garnish with chopped spring onion greens and/or coriander leaves. 

Cheddar Bay Biscuits

Sameer and I never go to Red Lobster since we're both vegetarian and the smell of fish disgusts him, but he found a post somewhere on the internet about how great those Cheddar Bay Biscuits are, so we made some at home.  The recipe I use is the one from AllRecipes.com, modified with reviewer suggestions.  They aren't as good once they cool, so I don't recommend making these far in advance.  They're really good hot though.

Ingredients
4 cups baking mix (e.g., Bisquick, or make your own Easy Biscuit Mixture like I do)
3 oz Cheddar cheese, finely shredded
1 1/3 cups buttermilk (plain water or watered down yogurt also work in a pinch)
1/2 cup melted butter
2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp Old Bay Seasoning
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp dried parsley
1/2 tsp chives (dried or fresh chopped -- optional, but I like them and use them when they're on hand)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a mixing bowl, combine the baking mix and one half of the garlic powder, onion powder, Old Bay Seasoning, and parsley. Then add the cheese and buttermilk. Mix until dough is firm. Using a small scoop, place dough on the prepared pan.
3. Bake at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) for 10 to 12 minutes, or until golden brown.
4. Combine the melted butter and remaining garlic powder, onion powder, Old Bay, parsley, and salt. Brush over baked biscuits immediately upon removing from oven.  Sprinkle with chopped chives if desired.  Best served warm from the oven.

Zucchini 'Crab' Cakes

I love these zucchini 'crab' cakes from AllRecipes.com and make them almost any time we have Junk Food Dinner.  They're fairly quick and easy to make and very cheap, especially in summer when zucchini abounds.  You could probably eat them with tartar sauce or make them into sandwiches, but I always just eat them plain.  My recipe below has a couple changes from the original in the link.

Ingredients
2 1/2 cups grated zucchini
1/4 cup fresh grated onion
1 egg, beaten (I've been replacing the egg with a tablespoon of ground flax seed for a couple years now.  Just mix it into the grated veggies and let it sit a few minutes while you put the dry ingredients together.)
2 tbs butter, melted
1 cup bread crumbs
1 tbs Old Bay Seasoning
1/4 cup All-Purpose flour
1/2 cup vegetable oil for frying

Directions

1. In a large bowl, combine zucchini, onion, egg, and butter. Combine the bread crumbs and Old Bay Seasoning in a small bowl and then add them to the zucchini mixture.  Mix well. 
2. Shape mixture into patties, adding small amounts of bread crumbs if necessary. Dredge in flour.
3. In a medium skillet, heat oil over medium high heat until hot. Fry patties in oil until golden brown on both sides.

Baked Potato Skins

I think I finally found the recipe I've always used for potato skins on Food.com.  I'm glad I did too because I think the amounts of spices I originally guessed at were way off.  I made some adjustments though since I always inevitably ran out of olive oil mixture when I followed the recipe.

Ingredients
4 large russet potatoes
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 tsp Kosher salt
1/8 tsp fresh ground black pepper
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp garlic powder
2 tbs Parmesan cheese, finely grated
2 cups Cheddar cheese, grated
1 cup sour cream (optional)
2 tbs green onions or chives (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
2. Pierce potatoes with a fork to allow steam to escape, and wrap each in aluminum foil.  Bake the potatoes for 1 hour. Remove the potatoes from the oven, but keep the oven on. Slice the potatoes in half lengthwise, and let them cool for 10 mins. Scoop out most of the potato flesh, leaving about 1/4 inch of flesh against the potato skin (you can save the potato flesh for another use, like mashed potatoes).
3. Combine olive oil, salt, pepper, chili powder, paprika, garlic powder, and Parmesan cheese in a small bowl.  Brush oil mixture evenly onto each of the potato skins (I highly recommend getting a silicone pastry brush for this -- OXO makes a good dishwasher-safe one).  Place on a baking sheet and cook in the preheated oven for 7 minutes. 
4. Remove baking sheet from the oven, flip the potato skins, and brush another layer of oil mixture onto each of them.  Place back in the oven to cook for another 7 minutes.  The skins should be crispy by the time this is done.
5. Remove baking sheet from oven, fill potato skins with cheddar cheese, and put the baking sheet back in the oven for a final 1-3 minutes -- just long enough to melt the cheese.
6. Sprinkle green onions or chives onto potato skins and serve alongside sour cream.  They're also good with ranch dressing.

Nachos (the good way)

Sameer and I have been talking about nachos for a couple of weeks now.  There is a place in New Hampshire near the Mount Washington Hotel called Fabyan's Station where they serve nachos loaded with sour cream, pickled jalapenos, guacamole, and about a brick-worth of melted cheddar.  We ate them every day that we stayed at the Mount Washington about a year and a half ago and have talked about them weirdly often ever since. 

Since neither of us really thought the tabouli sounded too filling and we don't want to try to feed Simran nachos (or watch her watch us eat them with her enormous, hungry eyes), we decided this week to resurrect Junk Food Dinner.  Before Simran was born, we had Junk Food Dinner about once a week, usually on Friday or Saturday, and it generally consisted of cheese-laden foods and/or numerous appetizers (typically alongside some kind of green salad or vegetable so as not to feel ill afterward -- it was still healthier than most restaurant meals).  Tonight we'll have tabouli salad and no-tahini hummus with Simran and then, after she is in bed, we'll eat Fabyan's Station-style nachos followed by Cadbury Cream Eggs, drink soda (another thing we haven't had in months), and watch TV.  This is what Friday nights are for.

Ingredients
8 oz. yellow corn tortilla chips
2 small tomatoes, seeded and chopped
16 oz. cheddar or cheddar-based cheese blend, shredded (I'll be using full-fat sharp cheddar and colby jack.)
2 tbs sliced pickled jalapenos (or more or less, based on personal preference -- Sameer and I will probably keep the jar out and keep adding more as we eat)
sour cream
fresh guacamole

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

2. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.  Spread chips out over baking sheet.  Sprinkle cheese over the top.  Top with another layer of tortilla chips and then cheese.

3. Bake until cheese is melted and bubbly, about 5 minutes.

4. Remove from oven and top with tomatoes and pickled jalapenos (and any other toppings you like).  Serve with sides of sour cream and guacamole.  Also maybe a fork.

Toasted Garlic Buns

This is another Esselstyn recipe from Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease.  It calls for sprouted grain burger buns from a company called Food for Life, but I don't know where to buy those right now, so I'm just using the whole wheat buns I made yesterday  instead.

Ingredients
4 large elephant garlic cloves, or 2 whole heads garlic
4-6 tablespoons vegetable broth
2 tablespoons chopped parsley or cilantro
(and presumably some buns for toasting)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees

2. Cut top off elephant garlic and peel off outside skin. Wrap garlic in parchment paper, sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of broth, tightly seal with foil, and roast for 45 minutes. Cool slightly.

3. Mash garlic in a small bowl. Slowly mix in vegetable broth and chopped parsley until mixture has the consistency of softened butter.

4. Spread on toasted buns or whole-grain bread.  Even better, toast whole-grain bread lightly, spread with garlic mixture, and re-toast!

If you are in a hurry, here is another very garlicky option:
1. Using a garlic press, squeeze garlic cloves into a small dish.
2. Add enough vinegar (any variety), lemon, lime, or other fruit juice or vegetable broth to mix garlic into a paste.
3. Spread garlic on a bun and toast under a broiler until tops are nicely browned.

[Edited 3/2/13: You know what was missing on these?  Butter.  I get that this is a healthy, "safe" recipe and that butter is off-limits, but if I had to leave one ingredient out of the typical garlic toast recipe, it would be garlic rather than butter.  These garlic buns weren't bad, but they just weren't good enough to warrant eating.]

Artichoke-Bean Dip

This recipe from Caldwell Esselstyn's Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease sounded appealing, and I have a can of artichokes that I'd like to clear from my pantry, so I'm making artichoke-bean dip this week to serve with crudites as a side to veggie burgers on homemade buns.  It will be one of those weekend meals that seems thrown together and simple because it's burgers, but actually takes hours of preparation.  I think this is one thing Simran will eat willingly though, based on her positive reaction to last week's no-tahini hummus.  And she's never had artichokes before.

Ingredients
1 14 oz can artichoke hearts in water, drained and rinsed
1 15 oz can navy or pinto beans, drained (Navy or cannellini beans sound much better here for creaminess.)
2 tbs lemon juice
1 garlic clove, chopped
2 green onions, white and green parts, chopped (I didn't have any green onions, so I omitted this ingredient on my first try. Tasted fine.)
pepper, to taste
cayenne, to taste

Directions

1. Combine all ingredients in a food processor and process until smooth. This is good with vegetables, cooked greens, crackers, bread, or just alone.

[Edited 2/3/13: I went back and added the "baby food" label because Simran loved this.  She even ate leftovers straight from the fridge the next day.  The texture of the artichokes after going through the food processor reminded me of tuna salad, so I could see adding chopped celery to this.  I bet it would be good in a pita pocket with some sliced tomatoes and a couple leaves of romaine lettuce too.]

Deviled Baby Potatoes

I got this recipe from Caldwell Esselstyn's Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease.  Since I don't think they'd make much of a meal on their own and I don't want to pair them with a fancy vegan salad we might also hate -- and thus end up eating a frozen pizza after dinner like we did after last week's Quinoa in Color -- I'm going to make Outback Steakhouse-style salads to go with this, with whatever organic, non-iceberg lettuces I can find at WholeFoods this week, cucumbers, onions, homemade yogurt-based ranch dressing, croutons, and maybe even some shredded cheddar.  We used to have such salads every couple weekends with cheese fries as a meal, so I'm considering these deviled potatoes to be the part we're making healthier here. 

Ingredients
12 red new potatoes
Hummus and Green Onion Sauce

Directions

1. Steam 12 small red potatoes for about 20 minutes, then plunge them into cold water in a big bowl. Chill.

2. Slice each potato in half. Using the small end of a melon baller or a small spoon, scoop out a hole in the center.

3. Fill each hole with Hummus and Green Onion Sauce, Sweet Corn Sauce, or Walnut Sauce, mustard, or some other sauce of your choice.

4. Top with a few parsley or cilantro leaves and serve.

[Edited 1/25/13: Sameer said, "These are really good!" and expressed surprise that they were "Esselstyn approved."  They are quite good.]

Simple No-Tahini Hummus

This recipe comes from Caldwell Esselstyn's Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease and is a staple of a lot of the other recipes from the same book.

Ingredients
1 15 oz. can chickpeas (2 cups cooked), drained and rinsed
2 garlic cloves, chopped
zest of 1 lemon
2-3 tbs fresh lemon juice
4 tbs vegetable stock or water
1 tsp low-sodium tamari or Bragg Liquid Aminos (optional)

Directions

1. Combine chickpeas, garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, and stock in a food processor and process until smooth. Add more stock if too thick.

2. Taste and add as little tamari as possible.  (With 3 tablespoons of lemon juice, you probably won't need extra seasoning.)

Variation:  Add 1 cup loosely packed cilantro or parsley; use cannellini beans instead of chickpeas.

[Edited 1/25/13:  Simran really liked this.  She just kept eating it with a spoon.]

Chipotle Salsa

I found this recipe inside another recipe for huevos rancheros.  I had originally planned on just using ready-made jarred salsa since most of the ingredients for this aren't fresh anyway, but I'm glad I didn't.  This salsa is so much better.  It almost tastes like pico de gallo but with more flavors.  The canned chipotles in adobo are key. 

Ingredients

2 (14- to 15-ounce) cans whole tomatoes in juice

1/2 cup chopped white onion

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro plus additional for sprinkling

1 tablespoon chopped canned chipotle chiles in adobo

2 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped

1 teaspoon salt

Read More http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Huevos-Rancheros-238099#ixzz2Coo2OjrV

Read More http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Huevos-Rancheros-238099#ixzz2Coo2OjrV

1 (28 oz.) can of whole tomatoes in juice
1/2 cup onion
1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves, stems removed
1 tbs canned chipotle chiles in adobo (I always just use 1.5 chipotles)
2 garlic cloves
1 tsp Kosher salt

Directions

1.  Put all ingredients in food processor and blend.

2.  Move salsa to a pot and bring to a boil on the stove.  Turn heat to medium-low and simmer for approximately 10 minutes until salsa is reduced and slightly thickened.  Serve hot or cold, with tortilla chips or poured over other things.  Doesn't matter.  

2 (14- to 15-ounce) cans whole tomatoes in juice

1/2 cup chopped white onion

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro plus additional for sprinkling

1 tablespoon chopped canned chipotle chiles in adobo

2 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped

1 teaspoon salt

Read More http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Huevos-Rancheros-238099#ixzz2Coo2OjrV

Fresh Guacamole

This is a rip-off of the guacamole served at Charritos Restaurant in Hoboken, New Jersey.  It is the best guacamole I or anyone I know has ever experienced.  It is the reason I own a granite mortar and pestle.

Ingredients:
2 Haas avocados
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, rinsed and chopped without stems
1/4 cup Spanish yellow onion, chopped
1/2 lime
1 tsp. jalapeno, chopped
salt to taste

Directions:
Combine chopped onion, jalapeno, cilantro, a pinch of salt, and the juice of half the lime.  Grind/smash up the ingredients.  If you have them, a heavy mortar and pestle are ideal for releasing the juices from the ingredients. If not, a sturdy bowl and fork are passable substitutes.
Peel the avocados, remove the pits, and roughly chop the avocado. Add the avocado to the other ingredients.
Mash up the avocado and mix together all of the ingredients. Add salt to taste.
Serve immediately at room temperature.