Crockpot Quinoa, Beans and Corn

Crockpot Quinoa, Beans and Corn 

2 cups Quinoa

2 cans Black Beans, washed and drained.

2 4 oz. cans Green Chiles.

2 cans Corn, drained

2 cans of Diced Tomatoes

4 cups Vegetable Stock (or Chicken Stock)

4 Tablespoons of Taco Seasoning 

Cook in crockpot on high for 4 hours.

 Serve over Raw Spinach and top with Tortilla Chips

Baked Celery

Baked Celery

This is a good way to "get rid of" extra celery...


Ingredients

Salt
Pepper, freshly ground
3 bunches Celery, tops trimmed, and halved lengthwise
2 tablespoons Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
5 tablespoons Honey
2 cups Apple Juice
5 ounces Blue Cheese, crumbled
1/4 cup Walnuts, (optionally) toasted and chopped
1/4 cups Fresh Parsley Leaves, chopped

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

Submerge celery halves (or quarters) in boiling water for 3 minutes. Drain and transfer to a baking pan.

Drizzle oil, 3 tablespoons honey, over celery. Season with salt.

Pour apple juice into pan and roast until celery begins to brown, about 25 minutes.

Maybe throw the walnuts over it now if not toasted and give it a few more minutes.

Transfer celery to a platter.

In a small bowl, mix blue cheese, walnuts, and parsley. Season with pepper.

Spoon over celery, drizzle with remaining honey, and serve.

Baba Ghanoush

Combine these two recipes:

About.com Recipe

Allrecipes.com Recipe For Baba Ghanoush

Grill or Roast the Eggplant.

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Lightly grease a baking sheet.
2. Place eggplant on baking sheet, and make holes in the skin with a fork. Roast it for 30 to 40 minutes, turning occasionally, or until soft. Remove from oven, and place into a large bowl of cold water. Remove from water, and peel skin off.

Or just let it cool down/finish cooking.

Remove skin.

Squeeze juice from flesh.

The ingredients for our Baba Ghanoush are:

4 cloves garlic, crushed
3 tablespoons lemon juice
2 plus 1 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons tahini
1 pound eggplants, roasted
1 tablespoon paprika
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon salt

Mix everything except the 1 tablespoon of olive oil and refrigerate a few hours.

The extra tablespoon of olive oil can be used to top it when used as a dip.

SHORT-CUT RATATOUILLE Recipe

SHORT-CUT RATATOUILLE




Heavily adapted from the May/June 2012 issue of Cook’s Illustrated.


Pestata:
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
1 tablespoon fresh oregano leaves
6 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 to 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Vegetables:
Eggplants (about 4 of the long, skinny ones; aim for enough to have 2 cups of peeled, diced eggplant)
About 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
Cooking spray
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, diced
2 zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 large tomato, cored and diced, or several plum tomatoes, diced
COMBINE the basil, oregano, garlic and red pepper flakes in a food processor or blender. Pulse to chop. With motor running, drizzle in the olive oil to make a juicy sauce. Set aside.
PEEL the eggplant and cut into 1/2-inch pieces. Toss with the salt. Spread a couple of coffee filters on a plate and spread the eggplant on the plate. Spritz with cooking spray and microwave for 8 minutes, stirring halfway through.
HEAT the 4 tablespoons olive oil in a large, nonstick skillet. Add the eggplant and the onion and saute, stirring often, for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the zucchini and continue cooking, stirring often, about 5 or 6 minutes. Stir in the tomato and cook a minute or two.
STIR in the pestata and saute quickly, mixing everything together. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Yield: About 4 servings.


From:
http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2012/07/17/3388056/one-great-summer-vegetable-stew.html

Read more here: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2012/07/17/3388056/one-great-summer-vegetable-stew.html#storylink=cpy

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2012/07/17/3388056/one-great-summer-vegetable-stew.html

Grilled Zuchinni/Squash/Eggplant

4 ounces balsamic vinegar
8 ounces vegetable or canola oil
4 ounces olive oil
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
salt and pepper to taste

This makes enough marinade for 4 or 5 squash.  The marinade can be recycled once...
Whisk the mixture except for the oils in a large bowl.
Slowly whisk in the oils.
Adjust seasonings as desired.
Marinade sliced zuchinni/squash/eggplant in the refrigerator for 30-60 minutes.
Grill on high heat, making sure to let as much marinade as possible drain off to avoid flareups.
Cook on each side for 2 or 3 minutes, turning once or twice.
Remove from heat and serve, any leftovers can be refrigerated or frozen for later use on sandwiches.

Basic Hummus Recipe

1 lb bag dried chickpeas
4-6 cloves garlic
raw or pickled jalepenos
1 tsp cumin (or more to taste)
1 tsp corriander (or more to taste)
ground pepper (to taste)
1/2 cup lemon juice (about 3 medium lemons)
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 can of tahini
1 Tbs. Olive Oil

Wash, rinse and drain the chickpeas, and repeat.
Soak at least 8 hours (overnight is best) in 10 cups water.
Wash, rinse and drain the chickpeas, and repeat.
Bring 10 cups of water and the chickpeas to a boil.
Turn to low and simmer for 90 minutes.
Rinse and drain the chickpeas.
Add the chickpeas, and all the ingredients except tahini and olive oil to a large food processor.
Puree the mixture 5 minutes or so.
Add the tahini and olive oil and continue to puree until to the desired consistency, about 5 minutes more.
Add 1 to 3 Tbs. olive oil or water to make it consistency of soft cream cheese.

* Based on Vegetarian Times September 2010 issue (page 40) combined with a recipe provided by a friendly cashier at Park Road Books.

Basic Granola Recipe

5 cups rolled oats
3 cups mixed nuts
1 cup shredded, unsweetened coconut
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 cup honey
1 tsp vanilla

1-2 cups dried fruit (optional)

Combine and toss the dry ingredients.
Add the honey and vanilla.
Mix well.
Bake at 350 for 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes.
If desired turn off oven and cook an additional 5-10 minutes to get more crunchy.
If desired, add 1 - 2 cups of whatever dried fruit(s) you like after cooking.
Let cool.
Store in the refrigerator in a sealed container.