Farmer's Market Vegetarian Quesadillas

• 1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
• 1/2 cup chopped zucchini
• 1/2 cup chopped yellow squash
• 1/2 cup chopped red onion
• 1/2 cup chopped mushrooms
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• cooking spray
• 6 (9 inch) whole wheat tortillas
• 1 1/4 cups shredded reduced-fat sharp Cheddar cheese

1. In a large nonstick pan, cook red pepper, zucchini, yellow squash, onion, and mushrooms in olive oil over medium to medium-high heat for about 7 minutes, or until just tender. Season with garlic powder, salt, and pepper.  Remove vegetables from pan.
2. Coat the same pan with cooking spray, and place one tortilla in pan. Sprinkle 1/4 cup of cheese evenly over tortilla, and layer 3/4 cup of the vegetable mixture over the cheese. Sprinkle another 1/8 cup of cheese on the vegetables, and top with a second tortilla. Cook until golden on both sides, for approximately 2 to 3 minutes per side. Remove quesadilla from pan, and repeat with remaining ingredients. Cut each quesadilla into 8 triangles with a pizza cutter. Serve hot.

Vegetable Lasagna

I went away for a week and had to prepare dishes for my partner and son that I could freeze. This recipe. from a box of PC Blue Menu Lasagne, is one that I prepared for my vegetarian partner. I cut the recipe in half and used a smaller pan.

12 pcs whole wheat lasagne noodles
1 tub (475g) low fat ricotta cheese or cottage cheese
1 egg
1 jar (700 mL) pasta sauce
1 tsp (15 mL) extra virgin olive oil
1-1/2 cups (375 mL) sliced red onions
2 small zucchini, chopped
1 sweet red pepper, chopped
1 cup (250 mL) grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

1. Pre-heat oven to 350F (180C). Spray 13x9 inch (3 L) glass baking pan with cooking spray.
2. Soak noodles in cold water to cover. In bowl, stir together ricotta and egg. In another bowl, stir together pasta sauce and 1 cup water.
3. In large frying pan, heat oil over medium-high heat; cook onions for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in zucchini; cook for 2 minutes longer. Stir in red peppers; cook for 2 minutes or until vegetables are soft and beginning to turn golden.
4. Drain noodles. Pour 1/2 cup pasta sauce mixture over bottom of prepared dish. Place three noodles in pan to cover bottom. Top with 1/2 cup sauce mixture, covering noodles evenly. Sprinkle with 1/3 of vegetables. Dollop 1/3 of ricotta mixture evenly over vegetables. Top with three noodles. Layer with 1/2 cup sauce mixture, one-third of vegetables, one-third of ricotta and three noodles. Repeat, ending with final three noodles. Pour remaining sauce mixture over noodles. Cover dish tightly with foil.
5. Bake in centre of oven for 45 minutes or until noodles are tender. Remove foil. Sprinkle evenly with Parmesan and cook another 15 minutes or until golden. Let rest 10 minutes before serving.

Makes 8 servings.

Make-Ahead Breakfast Ideas

1. Crustless Mini Quiches
2. Oatmeal Clafoutis  (half recipe)
3. Fruit-on-the Bottom Yogurt Cups
4. Cottage Cheese Muffins
5. Oatmeal Raisin Muffins

Braised Moroccan Chicken and Olives

This is a pitch-perfect take on a classic dish. Sonali assembles a mouth-tingling spice mixture of ginger, garlic, coriander, cumin, paprika, turmeric, cayenne, saffron and then adds green olives and preserved lemons to the party. The chicken is browned in oil (it's worth taking your time with this step, as you don't want it to burn) and then coated in the spice base before simmering gently in chicken stock until tender. Adding the lemons and olives towards the end helps retain their integrity and perfume. You may want to discard some of the fat after browning the chicken (this will depend on the meat you buy) -- we kept about 2 tablespoons. And couscous is a must. We used our favorite Israeli couscous (which Amanda blogged about a while back) and it was such a perfect foil for the rich, spicy sauce that we couldn't resist forking up every last grain. - A&M


This flavorful dish was inspired by two of my favorite Moroccan ingredients- olives and preserved lemons. They work beautifully together in this dish to add a ton of flavor to the sauce. In addition, braising the chicken makes the meat wonderfully tender and juicy. Serve this dish over a bed of couscous to soak up all of the delicious sauce.

SERVES 4

• 4 tablespoons canola oil
• 2.5 pounds chicken legs and thighs
• Kosher salt
• Black pepper
• 1 1/2 cup small diced onion
• 1 teaspoon minced ginger
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon ground coriander
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 2-3 cups chicken stock
• 1/4 teaspoon saffron
• 1/2 cup green olives, rinsed
• 2 preserved lemons, pulp removed; rind cut into strips
• 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

1. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a Dutch oven or large, deep skillet or over medium high heat. Dry the chicken pieces and season them with salt and pepper. Place them in the skillet in batches and brown on all sides. Remove the chicken and place on a plate.
2. Add the onion to the skillet and cook until slightly softened. Add the ginger, garlic, coriander, cumin, paprika, turmeric and cayenne pepper and stir together. Add the chicken pieces and stir to coat with the spice mixture. Pour the chicken stock into the skillet so that 2/3 of the chicken is submerged. Add the saffron and stir to combine. Bring liquid to a simmer, cover the skillet and simmer on medium low heat 20-25 minutes. Add the olives and preserved lemons. Cover and cook another 10 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Remove the chicken and turn the heat to high. Cook for another 6-8 minutes until sauce reduces slightly. Stir in the cilantro. Adjust seasoning to taste.
3. Serve chicken on a bed of couscous. Spoon sauce over the top. Garnish with cilantro.

Buttered Corn And Noodles

SERVES 4

• 8 ounces egg noodles
• 4 cobs of corn
• 4 strips of bacon
• 4 scallions
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 6 basil leaves
• a pinch of fresh marjoram
• zest from 1 lemon
• salt and pepper

1. Cut the corn off of the cob, then milk the cobs as well. Thinly slice the scallions, and chop the herbs. ** to milk the cob - set the cob on end in a bowl and run the back side of your knife down it to get the juices and kernel tidbits out - this adds extra corny goodness to your dish! **
2. Start a pot of water boiling for the noodles. Cut the bacon into lardons and crisp it in a large skillet. When it is nice and crunchy, remove it to a paper towel and drain all but a thin coating of bacon fat. Put the heat on medium add the butter and the corn to the skillet. Season with a pinch of salt and a couple of grinds of pepper.
3. Your water should be boiling so put the noodles in, they probably take 6 minutes. Add the corn "milk" and the noodles to the skillet, then toss in the herbs and green onion and the bacon. Zest the lemon into the pan, toss, and serve!!

Photo and recipe from Food 52.

Smoky Fried Chickpeas

If you were to put out a bowl of these crunchy, smoky, spicy little nuggets at a cocktail party, it's likely they'd be gone in under five minutes. Aliwaks has taken an already brilliant idea (fried chickpeas with smoked paprika) and run with it. You also fry strips of lemon zest, fresh thyme leaves and later thinly sliced garlic to mix with the chickpeas, paprika and salt. This leads to an array of crispy little bursts of flavor, each more fragrant than the last. Do be careful while frying (use a splatter screen if you have one), and make sure the chickpeas are as dry as you can get them. It's worth a little experimenting to find a brand of chickpeas that spit less while frying but still stay tender in the middle. - A&M

I was making a sort of Spanish/Moroccan Moorish sort of dinner for friends one night, and was looking for something small and spicy and crunchy to serve with drinks I thought I had almonds, but had run out but I did have a can of chickpeas..and inspiration struck.

SERVES ENOUGH FOR 4

• 2 large cans chickpeas
• 1 cup Olive Oil
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest, strips
• 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
• 1 sprig fresh thyme
• 1 coarse salt to taste
• 4 pieces garlic, sliced

1. Drain Chickpeas and set on paper towels over a colander to dry throughly (can be done 1 day in advance).
2. Heat oil in large pan (preferably cast iron) to 355 or until oil makes bubbles around 1 chickpea.
3. Add lemon zest, thyme sprig, chickpeas in batches so pan doesn't crowd fry about 5 minutes until crunchy color & changes.
4. remove from oil, drain well over colander/sieve, add garlic, fry till golden.
5. Toss with smoked paprika & salt, add more if necessary. Serve warm.

Photo and recipe from Food 52.

Ramen Stir-fry with Sesame, Shiitake & Ginger

The next few recipes come from the blog, Food 52.

Growing up, we always had ramen--real ramen noodle soup, not the Maruchan cellophane packet ramen. But in college while budgets were tight, I became acquainted with the infamous packeted noodles. Here's one way I liked to jazz it up a bit!

SERVES 2-3

• 2 packets Ramen Noodles
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1/2 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
• 2 garlic cloves
• 2 tablespoons sesame oil
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 1 cup broccoli stems, julienned thin
• 1 cup carrots, julienned thin 
• 1 cup red cabbage, chopped
• 2 cups shiitake mushrooms, sliced
• 1 cup medium firm tofu, cubed and drained
• Chili Oil to taste

1. In separate pot, boil water and add Ramen noodles. Cook for 3 min. Drain.
2. Heat wok with canola oil. Add ginger and garlic. Saute for a couple minutes.
3. While ginger and garlic cook, whisk sesame oil, soy sauce, and vinegar, set sauce aside.
4. Add veggies and mushrooms to wok. Toss for a couple minutes. Add tofu and toss.
5. Add cooked noodles to wok. Toss together with veggies and tofu. Pour sauce over. Combine well. Add chili oil to taste. Chow it. :)

Bacon Jam

The key is buying a slab of top-quality bacon from a butcher. Seattle-based chef Josh Henderson, founder of Skillet Street Food, first created the spread as a burger-topper, a puree of caramelized bacon, onions and balsamic vinegar.“Initially, when I first started, I had no desire to sell a condiment,” he told the Globe and Mail. “But it became pretty apparent after a while that this was something that could be pretty interesting.”
Bacon jam’s application has extended beyond the burger. Henderson uses it in paninis and grilled sandwiches, as a base for vinaigrettes, in scrambled eggs, and on pasta.

2-lb (1-kg) piece smoked bacon, diced
1 yellow onion, diced
1/4 cup (60 mL) each: balsamic vinegar, brown sugar
1 tsp (5 mL) freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp (2 mL) coarse kosher salt

Place bacon in large skillet (preferably cast iron) over medium-low heat. Slowly render out fat, stirring often.

Once you have 1 tbsp (15 mL) bacon fat, place in medium skillet over medium heat. Add onion. Cook, stirring often, 15 minutes until lightly browned. Add vinegar, sugar, pepper and salt. Cook, stirring, 5 minutes.

Add onion mixture to bacon in skillet. Reduce heat to low. Cook, stirring occasionally, until most of moisture has been absorbed, about 3 hours. (If liquid doesn’t evaporate, raise heat slightly and cook, stirring often, until it does.)

Remove from heat. Purée. Cool to room temperature. Transfer to sealed container and refrigerate overnight before serving. Refrigerate up to 3 weeks.

Makes about 2 cups (500 mL).

Tofu Puffs Stir Fry

I had some leftover mini puffs so I searched for a stir-fry recipe that made use of it and found this. I tweaked the recipe a bit by not slicing the tofu puffs since I was using mini puffs. I did not have time to slice onions, so I used a stir-fry mix that included onion powder and garlic powder, among others. I also used mixed frozen vegetables. The tofu puffs are a nice change of texture from the usual extra-firm tofu.

1 pkg tofu Puffs (140g)
1 lb soybean sprouts, drained
1/2 cup carrots
1/2 cup onion
1/2 cup celery
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1 tbsp cooking wine
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp vegetable or sesame oil

Slice tofu puffs and vegetables in thin, shredded julienne strips. Heat oil until it becomes very hot in a wok or in a pan. Stir-fry onion and bean sprouts until softened. Dissolve salt and sugar with soy sauce and wine. Add remaining ingredients to the wok. Stir-fry with soy sauce mixture until softened. Serve with steamed rice. Makes 4 servings. 

Stir-Fried Tofu and Peppers

Here's another recipe from Martha Rose Shulman's Recipes for Health series in the New York Times that's very good. I've cooked this twice: the first time, using tofu and last night, I used mushrooms as I had some in the fridge that I wanted to use up. Instead of just bell peppers, I used some frozen vegetable mix that included asparagus and carrots. My partner and son both loved it. 

This attractive stir-fry is inspired by a traditional Chinese dish called rainbow beef. The vegetarian version works well, and it’s also easier to make. If you prefer a very firm tofu, take the extra time to weight it as directed in step 1. I am happy to skip this step and use firm tofu that hasn’t been weighted.

1/2 pound firm tofu
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons vegetable, peanut or canola oil
2 teaspoons hoisin sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
2 red bell peppers, seeded and cut in 1-inch squares
1 green bell pepper, seeded and cut in 1-inch squares
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
2 large garlic cloves, green shoots removed, minced
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes (to taste)
2 scallions, white and green parts, cut on the diagonal into 1-inch lengths
Cooked rice or noodles for serving

1. Optional step for firmer tofu: Blot the tofu dry, wrap in a clean kitchen towel and place a cutting board on top. Let sit for about 15 minutes. Whether weighted or not, slice the tofu about 1/2 inch thick into 1- x 2-inch dominoes.

2. Mix together 1 tablespoon of the soy sauce, 1 teaspoon of the brown sugar and 1 tablespoon of the oil in a medium bowl. Toss with the tofu, and stir to make sure all of the pieces are coated. Let sit for five to 10 minutes while you prepare the other ingredients.

3. In a small bowl, stir together the remaining soy sauce and sugar, hoisin sauce and sesame oil. Set aside.

4. Heat a large nonstick skillet or wok over high heat until a drop of water evaporates on contact. Add the oil, turn the heat to medium-high and add the peppers. Stir-fry for a couple of minutes, until the peppers begin to soften, and add the garlic and ginger. Stir-fry for 20 seconds, until the garlic and ginger begin to smell fragrant, and add the tofu, dried red pepper flakes and green onions. Stir-fry two minutes, give the sauce a stir and add to the pan. Cover and cook for three minutes. Remove the lid, stir the ingredients in the pan, and taste and adjust seasonings. Serve with rice or noodles.

Yield: Serves four.

Advance preparation: Everything can be prepped hours ahead. The cooking is last-minute.

Martha Rose Shulman can be reached at martha-rose-shulman.com.

The Green Man’s Slightly Healthier Lasagna

Find the recipe here.

Slow-Cooker Recipes You Cook Once and Can Eat Twice

I have not used the slow cooker in months and I'm hoping one of these recipes can be a staple, such as Eggplant & Chickpea Stew.

Sweet Potato Salad with Soy-Ginger Dressing and Peanuts

Here's another recipe from Culinate I would like to try. I'm hoping my partner will get to like sweet potatoes, which is more nutritious than potatoes.

We’re grateful to Culinate member Katie Hickey for bringing this recipe from Epicurious to our attention; we love the idea of pairing sweet potatoes with a spicy dressing. We’ve tinkered with it a little more, and are keen on the results — especially served alongside grilled sausages.

Ingredients

	2	lb. sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes
	¼	cup peanut butter
	¼	cup rice vinegar
	¼	cup soy sauce
	4	tsp. grated ginger
	3	garlic cloves, minced or pressed
	1	tsp. brown sugar
	½	tsp. toasted sesame oil
	2 to 3	tsp. chile-garlic sauce (use the larger amount if you like it spicy)
	1½	cups sugar snap peas, cut crosswise into ½-inch pieces
	1	bunch green onions, thinly sliced
	1	cup chopped cilantro
	½	cup dry-roasted peanuts, roughly chopped

Steps

1. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add the sweet potatoes and boil gently until just tender, about 5 minutes.
2. In a medium bowl, measure the peanut butter, vinegar, soy sauce, ginger, garlic, brown sugar, sesame oil, and chile-garlic sauce; whisk until smooth.
3. While still warm, toss the sweet potatoes with the dressing in a large bowl. Mix in the sugar snap peas, green onions, and cilantro.
4. Although you can serve this salad warm or at room temperature, I think it tastes best the next day, after it’s had time to absorb the dressing overnight in the fridge. Before serving, sprinkle with the chopped peanuts.

Serves 6.