I like to slice peeled sweet potatoes and peeled slices of butter nut squash and alternate in a pan with slices of onion... dot with a little butter ( or olive oil) and salt and pepper, cover well abd bake at 350 until soft....about 45 minutes to an hour.
Or, cut up a bell pepper, red or green, a sweet onion, 2 small zucchini 4 or 5 fresh mushrooms sliced, and a cup of broccoli florets and one carrot cut into sticks or buttons and a cut up stalk of celery.....and heat a wok....add about 1 T oil and stir fry the veggies.....starting with the celery, peppers and carrots....add the zuchinni and the mushrooms last.
Sprinkle with a bit ofseasonings, salt and pepper, and a little dried oregano, or some teryaki, perhaps a bit of balsamic and some garlic powder....and serve.
Linda C

Karen, I'd love to see your recipe for the green beans with mushroom, tomato and turkey bacon, please!

Baked Vegetables with Basil Butter
6 cups mixed sliced vegetables (carrots, cauliflower, capsicum, beans, zucchini, broccoli etc)
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/3 cup fresh basil leaves or 2 tablespoons dried basil
2 tablespoons parsley
pinch nutmeg

Put vegetables through a processor until fluffy. Cut 6 pieces foil about 30cm square. Place vegetables evenly on each piece and top each with 1 1/2 tablespoons basil butter. Carefully bring up edges of foil and fold into packets securely, leaving a little air space inside. Bake at 230 for 20 minutes until tender.

Cheesy Vegetables with Walnuts
4 medium leeks
8 baby carrots
8-12 asparagus spears
1 tablespoon coarsely chopped walnuts
1 Weet-bix, crumbled

Trim leeks, slit sides and cut into 8cm slices. Remove hard base from asparagus spears. Cook vegetables separately in boiling salted water until just tender. Arrange in a serving dish. Sprinkle with walnuts and Weet-bix.

Sauce:
1 tablespoon margarine
1 1/2 tablespoons plain or wholemeal plain flour
1 1/4 cups milk
3 teaspoons wholegrain mustard
50g mozzarella or cheddar cheese, grated

Melt margarine in a saucepan, add flour and stir over medium heat for 1 minute. Add milk and bring to the boil, stirring constantly. Stir in mustard and two-thirds of the cheese. Pour sauce over vegetables and sprinkle remaining cheese on top. Bake at 180C for 5-10 minutes (or grill) until golden brown. Serve as a meal with brown rice and grilled tomatoes, or as a side dish.

Middle Eastern Vegetables
2 tablespoons oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 small bay leaf
3/4 teaspoon mustard seeds
1/2 teaspoon dried dill
1/4 teaspoon celery seeds
1 potato, peeled and chopped into bite-sized pieces
1 carrot, chopped into bite-sized pieces
500g cauliflower, chopped into bite-sized pieces
1 cooking apple, chopped
2 tomatoes, chopped
2 zucchini, chopped
1/2 teaspoon paprika

Heal the oil and fry the onion, spices and herbs for 10 minutes until the onion is soft but not browned. Stir in the vegetables in the order listed, leaving 2 minutes between additions. Simmer for 20 minutes, season to taste with paprika.

Mixed Vegetable Casserole
250g zucchini, washed and thickly sliced
250g tomatoes, skinned and sliced
90g onion, peeled and thinly sliced
90g carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
60g button mushrooms, washed and sliced
2 teaspoons fresh parsley, chopped
150ml chicken or beef stock
1 clove garlic, crushed (optional)
salt and pepper
60g Cheddar cheese, grated (optional)

Layer all the ingredients except the cheese in an ovenproof casserole dish. Season well and pour over the stock. Cover and cook at 200C for about 1 hour, depending on the thickness of the vegetables. Serve with hot or cold meat. Alternatively, uncover the dish when cooked, sprinkle with the grated cheese and brown under the griller. Serves 4

Vegetable Melange
6 large green capsicums, cut in 2cm squares
2 large onions, cut in strips
5 large tomatoes, cut in eighths
2 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/4 teaspoons basil
1 tablespoon butter
black pepper

Preheat oven to 180C. Grease a baking pan. Arrange vegetables in pan, sprinkle with seasonings and dot with butter. Bake until tender, 35-45 minutes.

Vegetable Mornay
1 tablespoon oil
1 onion, chopped
250g button mushrooms, sliced
1/2 red capsicum, cut into 1cm dice
1/2 green capsicum, cut into 1cm dice
2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped (or 2 teaspoons dried basil
440g tin chopped tomatoes, drained
4 tablespoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon sugar
6-8 zucchinis, sliced into 5mm lengths
Parmesan cheese. extra

Heat the oil, gently fry the onion, mushrooms and capsicums until tender. Add the basil, tomatoes, tomato paste and sugar. Simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Set aside.

Spinach Layer:
1 bunch spinach, chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Cook all ingredients together, covered, for 3-5 minutes or until the spinach has wilted. Drain well, squeezing the spinach to remove all excess liquid. Set aside.

Mornay Sauce:
3/4 cup milk
1/4 cup onion, chopped
4 whole cloves
1 bay leaf
30g butter
2 tablespoons flour
1/2 cup grated cheese

Heat the milk with the onion, cloves and bay leaf. Strain, discard the flavourings and cool. Melt butter in a saucepan, add flour. Cook for 1 minute or until foaming but not brown. Beat in the milk and stir until boiling. Fold in the cheese. Remove from heat, cover and set aside.

Topping:
500g ricotta cheese
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
2 eggs, beaten

Combine all ingredients.

To Assemble the Salad:
Pour half the tomato mixture into a greased casserole dish, top with half the zucchini. Cover with the spinach mixture, remaining tomato mixture, and topping mixture. Cover with remaining zucchini. Pour Mornay Sauce evenly over and sprinkle with extra Parmesan cheese. Bake at 190C for 30-45 minutes or until the top is golden.

Karen,

Not sure if you are eating vegetarian...we are meat eaters, but vegetables and grains take up the majority of "real estate" on our plates at dinner. Here are a few of my favorite veggie combos that we eat frequently:

CAULIFLOWER AND BROCCOLI SAUTE

Fresh cauliflower, broken into flowerettes and sliced
Fresh broccoli, trimmed, cut into flowerettes and sliced
fresh garlic, peeled, sliced
hot pepper flakes
good quality olive oil
low salt canned chicken stock
freshly ground black pepper
grated parmesean or romano cheese

The proportions depend on how many people you're feeding...use a shallow skillet that will just hold as many vegetables as you need for your meal. Heat the olive oil gently and add fresh garlic and hot red pepper flakes to taste - use enough olive oil so that when you add the cauliflower and broccoli you can toss the veggies and coat all of them with a thin layer of the oil. Then, as they heat and start to mildly brown, start adding the chicken broth a little at a time and keep cooking until the chicken broth is absorbed and the veggies are tender. Then top with some grated cheese. Yum.

FENNEL AND ZUCCHINI SAUTE

I learned this in a cooking class I took a long time ago. The flavors blend in an unpredictable and marvelous way.

1 bulb of fennel
a few zucchini
good quality olive oil
salt and fresh ground pepper

Trim the fennel bulb, cutting off the top stalks, leave the root end attached and slice into wedges. Cut the zucchini into thick, diagonal slices about the same thickness as the fennel. There should be equal amounts of fennel to zucchini. Season the fennel and zuchs with salt and pepper.

Heat the olive oil in a cast iron or other heavy skillet. Saute the zuchs and fennel in the oil until brown and soft on each side. You will probably have to do this in batches.

I usually keep the oven on warm and transfer the veggies to a serving platter that I keep in the oven as they are done. I overlap them and then at the end sometimes shave a little parmesan cheese over the platter before they're served.

SAUTE OF YELLOW SQUASH, APPLE AND ONION WITH THYME

This is another veggie combo I learned from the guy who taught the fennel/zuch recipe. It's a wonderful saute that goes well with roast pork in the fall.

yellow (summer) squash, cut in half lengthwise and then into 1/4 inch slices
red onion, cut into thin wedges
apple, cored (I leave the peel on) and sliced about the same thickness as the squash

I use equal amounts of squash to apple, and a bit less of onion to all. I like Jonagold apples in this, or something not too tart and not too red.

Melt butter (yes!!! unsalted is best but real butter) in a pan. Use as much as you need to cook as many veggeies as you have. Don't be stingy with the butter!!! Saute all of the ingredients on medium heat, don't turn it into mush, add salt, pepper and fresh thyme to taste. (Fresh thyme and the variety of apple is really what makes the dish).

Hope you like them!

seagrass

How about this Greek dish made with Potatoes, Zucchini and Green Beans. It can be served hot or at room temperature.

Home Cookin Chapter: Recipes From Thibeault's Table

=======================================================
Green Bean, Zucchini and Potato Stew (Fassolakia Iadera)This is a traditional vegetable mixture that is often eaten cold, accompanied by hunks of country bread and feta cheese.
1/4 cup olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
1 pound fresh green beans, trimmed, halved crosswise
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
8 ounces zucchini, cut into 1-inch-thick slices
8 ounces russet potatoes, peeled, cut into 1-inch cubes
3/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
1 28-ounce can Italian-style tomatoes, drained, juices reserved, tomatoes chopped

.
Heat oil in heavy large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add
onion and saut5 minutes. Add green beans and cayenne pepper and sauté
until onion is translucent, about 3 minutes. Add zucchini, potatoes and
parsley. Pour tomatoes and their juices over vegetables. Bring to boil.
Reduce heat. Cover and simmer until potatoes are tender, stirring
frequently, about 45 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from
heat. Can be prepared 1 day ahead -- cover and refrigerate. Serve warm
or at room temperature. 6 To 8 Servings

Note: This is good with fresh chopped baby dill

Lindac - The idea of sweet potato slices alternating with squash sounds delicious. The peper, onion, mushroom etc. one looks good, too.

Daisy - The Middle Eastern Vegetables sound yummy. I also like the idea of cooking veggies in foil packets. Veggie caserole, too! And the mornay. . .

Seagrass - Broc and Cauliflower together with chicken stock would be a nice combo. I never would have thought of fennel and zucchini together. I'd like to give that a try. And I definitely would like to try the yellow squash/apple dish.

Ann T - The Fassolakia Iadera recipe photo looks great. I'd like to give it a try, too, but I wonder if sweet potatoes could be substituted for the white potatoes. Or can the potatoes be left out? (I could always feed them to othe family members.

Woodie - The green bean recipe is a show stopper in our house. The recipe has a lot of steps but you can streamline the steps using your cooking intuition. I pretty much throw everything into one skillet one ingredient at a time.

SAUTEED MUSHROOMS, GREEN BEANS, TOMATO & PROSCUITTO
(From Nick Stellino's Family Kitchen cookbook)

1 lb. cherry tomatoes, cut in halves
1/4 t. salt
1/4 t. sugar
1 lb. green beans, trimmed at ends
1/2 C. olive oil
8 cloves of garlic, thickly sliced
1 lb. small cremini mushrooms, cut in halves
1/2 C. white wine or chicken broth)
1/4 t. red pepper flakes
4 oz. prosciutto, ham, or bacon, chopped
2 T. chopped fresh parsley

Sprinkle the cut side of the cherry tomatoes with the salt and sugar, set aside.

Bring large pot of water to boil over high heat. Add the green beans and cook for 7-8 minutes. Drain and cool with water. Set aside.

Pour 1/4 cup of the olive oil into a 12-inch nonstick skillet, then add the garlic and cook over medium heat for 3-5 minutes, until the garlic starts to brown. Add the mushrooms and cook for 10 minutes, stirring every few minutes. Increase heat to high and deglaze the pan with the wine. Cook for 5 minutes. Remove the cooked mushrooms to a large bowl.

Wipe skillet clean and in it heat the remaining 1/4 cup olive oil over high heat until sizzling. Add the cherry tomatoes, reduce heat to medium and cook for 5 minutes. Add green beans, red pepper flakes, and prosciutto. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring well.

Add the parsley and cook for 2 minutes. Add this mixture to the mushrooms in the bowl. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Serves 6-8 as a side dish or appetizer.

Enjoy - Karen

Part of my message didn't get posted and it was to say:

"THANK YOU" I didn't realize I would get so many good recipes so fast.

I'm not a vegetarian but I'm eating lots of non-starchy vegetables, low-fat, low-sugar, whole grains, and lean protein. Decided I had to get serious about weight/health. If I eat lots of vegetables and soups with a little fruit for sweetness, I'm really not missing any other foods.

Tonight I made a Spaghetti Squash caserole that everybody in our house loves. And later this evening, I made a big pot of white chili to serve for dinner tomorrow. It's the first time I tried the recipe and it is creamy without adding any cream. Hits the spot even if it only has a few veggies.

WHITE CHILI WITH CHICKEN

2 pounds of uncooked chicken, diced
2 C. onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic (I used five)
2 t. ground cumin
1/2 t. dried oregano
1 t. ground coriander
2 cans chopped green chilis (4.5 oz cans)
2 cans cannellini beans, drained (15.5 oz cans)
1 can fat-free, low sodium chicken broth (14 oz can)
1/2 t. tabasco sauce

Top with shredded mozzarella cheese, cilantro, green onions.

Brown diced chicken pieces in a non-stick pan, set aside.

In a large pot, coat pan with olive oil. Sautee onions until translucent, add garlic and cook for two more minutes. Add spices and saute for one minute. Add chilis and cook partially covered for 10 minutes. Add chicken, beans and broth. Add tabasco and simmer 10 minutes. Serve with optional toppings.

I found the chili didn't need the toppings at all but I liked it with an extra splash on tabasco on top.

This is a good one! (Well, at least I gobbled up lots of it.)

Karen

These all sound wonderful. I'm copying like crazy. We like packing vegetables and vegetable salads for lunches. Here's some I make:

BEEF-BARLEY SALAD serves 4

10 oz. well-trimmed flank steak
1/ 2 tsp. salt
1/ 4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 1/ 2 cups defatted chicken broth
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. grated lemon zest
1/ 2 tsp. ground ginger
1 1/ 2 cups quick-cooking barley
6 oz. green beans, cut into 1 inch lengths
1 Tbs. olive oil
2 carrots, shredded
2 tomatoes, cut into 8 wedges each
2 Tbs. coarsely chopped toasted pecans
4 cups torn romaine lettuce leaves

Rub the steak with I Tbs. of the lemon juice and the salt. Grill or broil until medium-rare. Let cool, then refrigerate overnight. Next day, cut the steak on the diagonal in bite-size pieces, reserving any juices.

In a medium saucepan, combine 2 cups of the broth, 1/ 2 cup of water, the garlic, lemon zest, and ginger and bring to a boil over medium heat. Add the barley, reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook until the barley is almost tender, about 8 minutes. Add the green beans and cook until the beans are crisp-tender and the barley is tender, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat; do not drain any remaining liquid.

In a large bowl, combine the remaining 1/ 2 cup broth, the remaining 3 Tbs. lemon juice, the steak juices, and the oil. Add the beef and everything else except the lettuce, tossing well to combine.

Pack lettuce and salad mixture separately and serve salad on top of lettuce.

BLACK BEANS IN MANGO SAUCE

1 1/ 2 Tbs. olive oil
2 cups minced red onion
1 Tbs. minced garlic
1 3-inch jalapeno chile, seeded and minced
1 1/ 2 Tbs. minced fresh ginger
1 1/ 2 tsp. whole cumin seeds
1 1/ 2 tsp. salt
About 6 cups cooked black beans (or 3 15-ounce cans, rinsed and drained)
6 Tbs. fresh lime juice
2 large ripe mangoes, peeled and minced
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Heat the oil in a medium-sized skillet. Add 1 3/ 4 cups of the onion, and the garlic, chile, ginger, cumin seeds, and salt. Saute over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Turn the heat down to medium-low, and add the beans and about half the lime juice. Cook for about 5 minutes more until the beans are heated through and then transfer to a bowl.

Stir in the remaining lime juice and about half of the chopped mangoes directly into the hot beans, mashing the mangoes a little as you stir. Grind in some black pepper, then cove and let stand for about 15 minutes to let the sauce develop.

Serve warm, at room temperature, or even cold, topped with the remaining red onion, and some minced parsley or cilantro, if desired.

Good served with plain cooked white or brown rice.

Source: Mollie Katzens Vegetable Heaven

CAPONATA

1/ 2 cup olive oil
3 cups diced eggplant (3/ 8" cubes), about 1 medium
1 1/ 2 cup coarsely chopped onions
1 cup celery in 1/ 4 " slices
2 cups chopped fresh tomatoes
3 Tbs. minced garlic
2 Tbs. tomato paste
1/ 4 cup red wine vinegar
12 small stuffed green olives, sliced into thirds
12 black olives, pitted and sliced into thirds
1/ 4 cup small capers, drained
3 Tbs. sugar
1/ 4 1/ 2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1/ 2 cup lightly packed minced parsley
1/ 2 tsp. salt
1/ 2 tsp. pepper

In a large skillet, heat the oil. Add the eggplant and saute several minutes until partially soft. Add the onions, celery, Tomatoes and garlic and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat, add the remaining ingredients, and toss lightly. Chill until ready to serve. Serve chilled or at room temperature. Notes: Chopped anchovies can also be added. Diced zucchini can be substituted for half of the eggplant. Diced yellow peppers make a colorful addition.

ROASTED BEETS WITH MUSTARD

2 lbs. small beets (12-16)
1 Tbs. olive oil
1/ 4 cup sliced scallions
2 Tbs. Dijon mustard
1 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Scrub the beets; remove greens and cut off the stems and root ends. Cut the beets in half lengthwise.

On a baking sheet with sides, toss the beets with the oil. Arrange cut-side down and roast for 30 minutes, or until tender when pierced with a fork. Let cool for 5 minutes and peel off and discard the skin.

Cut the beets into 3/ 8 inch square strips. Place in a bowl and toss with scallions, mustard and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper. Makes 4 servings

(Adapted from a recipe in The Eating Well Rush Hour Cookbook)

Karen,

I made your recipe for white chicken chili for dinner and it was delicious! Thank you. My husband kept saying "mmmmm, mmmmm" and then he said "this is very kind and gentle - will you make it again?"

seagrass

Seagrass, I'm glad you and DH liked the white chili. I could barely stop eating it from my tasting bowl while it was finishing. Had to pull myself away and get some into the freezer. It is sweet and creamy without sugar or cream.

By the way, I was wondering if I could stretch out the soup and flavor by adding more veggies like yellow summer squash or zucchini. What do you think?

Ruthanna - I just put a copy of Vegetable Heaven on order at my library so they can send it from another branch to my local branch. The recipes look excellent. Thanks for sharing them. Black beans with mango sound especially good.

Karen

Karen, I've made so many of the recipes from Vegetable Heaven. Her bean recipes are particularly good and also the veggie toppings for basmati rice. Here's another bean recipe:

These beans have the flavor of Jamaican spice mixtures and can be made with either dried or canned beans.

FIRECRACKER RED BEANS (6-8 servings)

2 Tbs. olive oil
3 cups finely minced onions
2 Tbs. minced fresh ginger
2 tsp. fennel seeds
2 Tbs. minced garlic
½ tsp. allspice
1 tsp. dried thyme
1 ½ to 2 tsp. salt
1 cup dry sherry
2 Tbs. prepared mustard
¼ cup ketchup
1 tsp. minced chipotle chiles
1 cup water
¼ cup almond butter
2 Tbs. brown sugar
½ cup boiling water
About 6 cups cooked small red beans or kidney beans (3 or 4 15-ounce cans, rinsed and drained)
Wedges of lime

Heat the oil in a large, deep skillet or Dutch oven over med-high heat. Add the onion, ginger, and fennel seeds, and saute for about 5-10 minutes. Turn the heat down to medium, add the garlic, allspice, thyme and 1 ½ tsp. salt. Cover and cook over medium-low heat for about 3 minutes.

Stir in sherry, mustard, ketchup, chipotles and 1 cup water. Cover and cook for another 10 minutes.

Place the almond butter and brown sugar in a small bowl. Add the boiling water and mash with a spoon until it becomes a uniform mixture. Stir this into the sauce and cook uncovered over low heat for about 5 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Place the beans in a 9 X 13 inch baking dish or equivalent casseerole, and pour in all the sauce. Cover with tight-fitting lid or foil and bake for 1 hour. Remove the pan from the oven and let it sit for about 15 to 20 minutes, still tightly covered, so the beans can continue to absorb the liquid. Serve hot or warm, with squeezable wedges of lime on the side.

Source: Mollie Katzens Vegetable Heaven

Notes: You can make the sauce a day or two before serving and keep in the refrigerator; then combine with the beans before baking. Add 15 minutes baking time. The sauce can also be pureed in the blender before pouring onto the beans but I like it chunky.

Karen,

I'm having the rest of the chili tonight by myself. I think you could stretch it with another can of cannelli beans and some more broth, maybe pureeing the 3rd can of beans to thicken it some. I used a full tablespoon of cumin, but that was the only variation. It didn't need any salt, and that surprised me. A very healthy chili!!

Thanks again,

seagrass

great idea for a thread! clearly the white bean chicken chili recipe struck a chord--thanx for the heads up! and i hope you like beans because in copying a couple things we really like, i see that a number of them are "bean based".

Black Beans, Cuban Style A Second Helping from Susie Que

A pound of dried black turtle beans
10 C water
1 large green pepper, sliced
2/3 C olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 large green pepper, chopped
4 tsp salt
½ tsp black pepper
¼ tsp dried oregano
1 bay leaf
2 T sugar
2 T white vinegar
2 T dry wine
2 T olive oil

Soak the rinsed beans overnight in the water with the sliced green pepper. Cook in the same water until well done, adding water if necessary (approximately 2 hours) Can use a pressure cooker, following the manufacturers directions. Drain the beans. In a large frying pan, heat the olive oil, add onion, garlic and green pepper. Sauté until slightly limp. Add the cooked and drained beans a little at a time, mashing lightly. When all the beans have been mashed with the vegetable mixture, add salt, pepper, oregano and the bay leaf. Mix well. (Beans can be refrigerated at this point until serving time.) Just before serving, add the 2 T each sugar, vinegar, dry wine and olive oil. Serve warm.

NOTE: I used a can of black beans and decreased the olive oil and green pepper.

Brandied Mushrooms Recipe courtesy Paula Deen --Alexa
Cook Time: 20 minutes
3 pounds fresh mushrooms, sliced lengthwise
8 tablespoons butter
Seasoning salt (suggested: Jane's Krazy Mixed-up salt)
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup brandy
In a large skillet, saute the sliced mushrooms in the butter until brown. Sprinkle liberally with seasoning salt. Add Worcestershire sauce and simmer until almost all sauce is absorbed by the mushrooms. Add the brandy and continue to simmer until mushrooms are tender. Serve with steak or roast beef.
NOTE: cut the shrooms in half and serve as a warm appetizer

FauxtatoesTeresa

Fauxtatoes from Debbie Cusick
1 head cauliflower, chopped, cooked very soft
3 oz. cream cheese
1 tbsp. butter
Salt and pepper to taste
sour cream
grated cheddar or parmesan
Mash, whip with a mixer, or blend in food processor. Jamie adds"I've sometimes used a bag of frozen cauliflower, but I think a head of fresh cauliflower gives much better texture. I simmer the cauliflower with a chopped clove of garlic to cover the mild "cabbagey" taste."
I also add a big spoonful of sour cream and top the mixture with some grated cheddar or Parmesan before baking in a pie plate in the oven.

Broccoli Puree -- Sol
1-1/2 lbs. broccoli, cut into florets
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 Tablespoon créme fraíche or sour cream
1/2 cup ricotta cheese
Pinch of red pepper flakes
Salt & Pepper to taste
Cook the broccoli in a covered steamer over boiling water for 5-7 minutes, or until tender.
Transfer the broccoli to a food processor. Add all the remaining ingredients and puree. You might want to taste and adjust the seasonings at this point. Serve immediately.
Note: I added 2 tablespoons of créme fraíche. You could also substitute chile oil for the red pepper flakes. Btw, this is a recipe from the book 'Seriously Simple.'

Baked Buckwheat Noodles with Brown Butter and Cabbage
The greens cookbook from marcia (colo lady)

1 stick of butter
8 to 10 sage leaves or 1 tsp dried sage, divided
1 large garlic clove sliced (*and 2 cloves garlic, minced)
salt
8 oz potatoes, peeled and cut into ¼" cubes
2 or 3 large leeks (about 3 C), white parts only, quartered and sliced ½" thick
*2 cloves garlic (that were included above)
1 small dry red chili, broken into pieces and seeds removed
1 # cabbage, quartered and shredded into ½" slices
½ C Parmesan, freshly grated
Pepper
1# buckwheat noodles
½# soft cheese such as Taleggio of Bel Pase or fresh mozzarella, sliced

melt the butter in a heavy pan over low heat with 4 of the sage leaves or ½ tsp dried sage and the sliced garlic. When the garlic is brown, remove it, continuing to cook the butter until it is light brown and has a distinctly nutty aroma. Pour it through a layer of cheesecloth.

While the butter is browning, bring 4 quarts of water to a boil and salt and the potatoes. Cook until fairly tender (5 to 8 minutes). Drain and rinse them with cool water and place into a colander to drain. Save the cooking water for the pasta.

Chop the remaining sage leaves. Heat the strained butter in a wide sauté pan; add the leeks, the rest of the sage, half the minced garlic and the chili. Cook over medium low heat until the leeks are soft, and then add the cabbage, 1 tsp of salt and a little water. Cover the pan with a lid and stew the vegetables slowly until the cabbage is cooked. Add the parmesan and season with plenty of black pepper and more salt if needed.

Return the water to a boil, add the pasta and partially cook it (NOTE: to fully cook it only takes 4 minutes!) drain in a colander and return to the empty pot. Toss it with the rest of the butter, the remaining garlic and the potatoes. Season with s & p if needed.

Butter a casserole. Lay down half the noodles, half the vegetables and most of the sliced cheese. Add the rest of the pasta and the cheese and end with a layer of vegetables. (can be refrigerated at this point, until ready to cook)

Preheat the oven to 425. put the casserole into the oven and bake until its hot throughout and the cheese is melted, about 15 to 20 minutes. If the dish started out cold, cover it for the first 15 minutes, then remove the cover and continue for another 5 or 10 minutes. Serve with a full-bodied chianti or a medium cabernet sauvignon.
NOTE: i didn't have soba noodles and wanted to cut back on the starch/sugar content so we proceeded with the rest of the recipe. it was ok the first day but TERRIFIC as a leftover dish!

Cauliflower and Horseradish Gratin

3 1/2 pounds cauliflower, trimmed, cut into florets (about 8 cups)
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons all purpose flour
2 cups half and half
7 tablespoons prepared white horseradish
1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
Ground nutmeg
1 cup packed grated Fontina cheese (about 4 ounces)
1/2 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 cups fresh French breadcrumbs (panko works great!)
Preheat oven to 375°F. Steam cauliflower until crisp-tender, about 9 minutes. Transfer to 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish. Melt 3 tablespoons butter in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and stir 2 minutes (do not brown). Gradually whisk in half and half. Cook until sauce boils and thickens, whisking constantly, about 4 minutes. Mix in 5 tablespoons horseradish and vinegar. Season to taste with nutmeg, salt and pepper. Pour sauce over cauliflower and mix to coat. Sprinkle cheese over. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.) Melt 3 tablespoons butter in heavy medium skillet over medium heat. Mix in mustard and remaining 2 tablespoons horseradish. Add breadcrumbs; stir until crumbs are golden brown, about 9 minutes. Sprinkle over cauliflower. Bake until cauliflower is heated through, about 25 minutes. Serves 8 to 10.

Bon Appétit
April 1995
Barbara Hansen and Selma Brown Morrow

White Bean Dip with Pita Chips -- Lori
1 (15-ounce) can cannelloni beans, drained and rinsed
2 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/3 cup olive oil, plus 4 tablespoons
1/4 cup (loosely packed) fresh Italian parsley leaves
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
6 pitas
1 teaspoon dried oregano

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Place the beans, garlic, lemon juice, 1/3 cup olive oil, and parsley in the work bowl of a food processor. Pulse until the mixture is coarsely chopped. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Transfer the bean puree to a small bowl. (Note: The dip will turn green in a relatively short time due to the fresh parsley.)
Cut each pita in half and then into 8 wedges. Arrange the pita wedges on a large baking sheet. Pour the remaining oil over the pitas. Toss and spread out the wedges evenly. Sprinkle with the oregano, salt, and pepper. Bake for 8 to 12 minutes, or until toasted and golden in color.
Serve the pita toasts warm or at room temperature alongside the bean puree. (haven't done it because it's just the 2 of us but i would think you could easily double the recipe to have around as sort of a snack item)

this recipe is very similar to the one that ann posted above and we love it! i have never written down the revisions but --we cut WAY back on both the olive oil and the feta, as well as the cooking time of the beans. it's good enough that we sometimes have it as the main course.

Fresh Green Bean Ragout (Fasolakia)

1/3 cup Krinos olive oil
2 large red onions, peeled, halved and thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
2 pounds fresh string beans, trimmed
3 medium potatoes, peeled and halved or quartered
1-2 small fresh or dried chili peppers (optional)
1 cup chopped plum tomatoes
Salt, freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Water
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons Krinos red-wine vinegar
1/2 pound Krinos feta

1. Heat olive oil in a large pot and saute the onions and garlic until wilted, about 7 minutes. Add green beans and toss to coat. Cover the pot, reduce heat, and let green beans steam in the oil for 10 minutes. 2. Add the potatoes and chili pepper to the pot, and toss to coat. Pour in the tomatoes, season with salt and pepper, and add enough water just to cover the beans. Cover and simmer for 1 hour, until beans and potatoes are very tender. Five minutes before removing from heat, add parsley and stir in vinegar. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Serve warm or at room temperature with wedges of feta cheese on the side. Yield: 4-6 servings

Tonight I made a recipe that was originally called Vegetable Stir Fry but I added chicken. It had a light and zesty taste. This was posted on the CF under a heading about shiitake mushrooms but it seems to fit here, too.

This is the Vegetable only version. It probably would be good with tofu or pork or shrimp, as well.

VEGETABLE STIR-FRY

3 tablespoons vegetable broth (I used chicken broth)
2 tablespoons Chinese rice wine
1 teaspoon sugar (I used Splenda)
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/4 teaspoon sesame oil
1/2 pound carrots, cut into julienne strips
1/4 pound shiitake mushrooms, stems discarded, thinly sliced
1/2 pound Napa cabbage, thinly sliced (about 4 cups)
2 large garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons minced peeled fresh ginger
2 scallions, thinly sliced on the bias

1. In a small bowl stir together broth, rice wine, sugar, cornstarch, and salt until smooth. Set aside.
2. Heat a wok over high heat until hot. Add vegetable and sesame oil and heat until it just begins to smoke. Stir-fry carrots 3 minutes. Add mushrooms, cabbage, garlic, and ginger and stir-fry 2 minutes, or until carrots are crisp-tender. Add broth mixture to vegetables. Stir-fry vegetables an additional minute to coat. Add scallions and stir to combine. Serve immediately.

Makes 4 to 6 servings.

The only change is next time I would make more. This only served 2 adults and 2 children. Also, I doubled the broth which would probably be enough for 3 large chicken breasts and a whole head of napa cabbage.

Karen

Keep 'em coming. I'm copying like crazy.

My favourite vegetables are those that are simply

of my little countertop oven, sprinkled liberally with olive oil, smoky Spanish paprika and a handful of chopped fresh herbs: thyme, rosemary, oregano, parsley. My favourites done this way are: yams, sweet potatoes, red-skinned potatoes, red & green peppers, halved or small whole onions, cloves of garlic, tomatoes.

is always good, especially when topped with fresh chopped herbs and olive oil.

Apart from that {{gwi:2051974}} in collapsible steam baskets and save the water from below for soups and gravies, then add a bit of butter or a drizzle of olive oil, pepper and salt.

Here are some recipes:

This is one version of the delicious cocas prepared on the Spanish Balearic Islands. They are sold in nearly every bakery and are often eaten out of hand while standing up in the bakery, as a breakfast on the way to work, or as an afternoon snack on the way home or after school. They are usually eaten at room temperature and make wonderful side dishes for a cold summer buffet, picnic or evening snack.

There are many variations of coca and in winter the peppers may be substituted by Swiss chard or spinach and without tomatoes. Here is one recipe which is also know as 'Coca de Trempó'. Often the red peppers are skinned and in strips, and accompanied on top of the coca by artichoke hearts, olives and anchovies. This would be called 'Coca Amb Pebres', where 'pebres' are the red peppers in the Mallorquin dialect.

- (From the Island of Mallorca)

Ingredients for 4 people:

4 cups (500 grams) all purpose flour
1 oz (25 grams fresh yeast or 1 pkg dry yeast
4 TBS olive oil
1/4 cup (2 oz or 50 grams) lard
3 medium Italian sweet green peppers or green bell peppers cut in small pieces
3 spring onions - cut in small pieces including all the stalk
3 ripe medium sized tomatoes- sliced finely
1 clove of garlic - sliced finely
1 handful of Italian flatleaf parsley, chopped
1 TBS of sweet red paprika
salt
water - 1 cup lukewarm

1) Turn on the oven and set temperature at 375 F (191 C)

2) Put the warm water in a mixing bowl (preferrable one of porcelain or terracotta) and dissolve the yeast in it.

3) Add the lard and the olive oil. Add the flour gradually, mixing in by hand until the mixture leaves the side of the bowl.

4) Form a ball and let it rest for a few minutes while you prepare the vegetables.

5) Chop and slice vegetables into a large bowl, add the paprika and some salt and mix all together.

6) Lightly oil either a round pan of about 13" diameter (32 Cm) or a rectangular pan 13" x 11" (32 Cm x 27 Cm) both with a depth of approx 1/2 inch (1 cm). A cookie sheet or oven tray would be ideal.

7) Place dough in centre and carefully stretch it out with palms of hands, patting to fit pan, keeping an even thickness. It should be thin.

8) Arrange vegetables evenly on top of the dough, drizzling at the same time with olive oil and salt.

9) Put coca into oven for about 1 hour or until crust is lightly golden and vegetables are cooked. After taking it out of the oven, drizzle a little more olive oil on top.

10)

In winter the vegetables may be swiss chard or spinach, substituting the peppers, but also used raw and finely chopped.

Source: translated from "Cocina Balear" Ana Maria Calera
Editorial Everest - Leon (España)

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(web photo - on the left)

These are wonderful little turnovers (empanadas) made from spinach, pine nuts and raisins.

The dough:

8 oz water
4 oz olive oil
4 oz. orange juice
100 grams lard (just under 1/2 cup)
1 egg
700 grams flour (5.5 cups)

The Filling:

3 bunches spinach, washed, drained and chopped
100 grams seedless raisins (3/4 cup)
25 grams pine nuts (1/4 cup)
3 spring onions, washed and chopped fine
sweet paprika - to your taste
salt
olive oil - 2 TBS

1) Put oil in saucepan and lightly stirfry the onion, without browning them. Add the spinach, salt, raisins and pine nuts and stirfry a few moments more. Remove from heat and add paprika. Mix well and reserve.

2. Put egg, orange juice and lard in a large bowl and mix with fork until creamy. Add water and oil, mix again.

3) Add flour a little at a time to make a consistent dough. Roll out into circles, fill by putting a spoonful of filling in the centre of each circle and fold over, press edge.

4. Roll up edge over filled part and shape into corded edge, as in photo.

5. Place on greased cookie sheet in 350F oven for 20 minutes until golden.

Source: Chatbalear.com

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Here is a delicious sweet potato pastry turnover which is typical to Canary Islands, and which I love:

(web photo)

Filling:

2 1/4 cups sweet potato (batata) (500 grams)
2 cups ground almonds (250 grams)
1/2 cup fine granulated or castor sugar
3 egg yolks
grated rind of 1 green lemon
anisette liqueur - a few drops
rum - a few drops
1 teasp powdered aniseed
1 teasp powdered cinammon

pastry:
3 TBS lard
1/2 cup olive oil
4 1/4 cups flour (500 grams)
Preparation:

1) Filling: Boil, peel and mash the sweet potatoes and mix with the ground almonds, lemon rind, sugar, yolks, a dash each of anisette and rum, and a teaspoon each of powdered aniseed and cinnamon.

2) Pastry: Mix the lard, oil and flour to a consistency suitable for pastry. Leave for half an hour, then roll out thinly on a floured board. Cut out saucer-sized circles, place some filling on one side, flip over the other side to cover, press the edges together and flute with a fork to decorate. Pierce one side of each trucha lightly with a fork.

3) Finally fry pasties in abundant hot oil, drain on kitchen paper, sprinkle with sugar and arrange on serving dish.
These pasties will keep well in an airtight tin.

(My advice - best keep in the fridge in warm weather if not eaten all at once.)

Source: 'The Best of Canary Island Cookery'
Centro de la Cultura Popular Canaria

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MALAGA STYLE SPINACH - Espinacas a la Malagueña
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2 KG (4 1/2 lb) spinach
3 TBS oil
3 cloves garlic, chopped
100 grs (3 1/2 oz) Málaga raisins, seeded
50 grs (2 oz) pine nuts
pinch of cinnamon
salt & pepper

Wash the spinach in 2 changes of water, cut off the stem ends and cook in a little water for 5 minutes. Drain. Heat the oil in a frying pan and add the chopped garlic, seeded raisins and pine nuts. Fry briefly, then add the spinach, chopping it slightly. Mix it well with the raisins and pine nuts. Season with the cinnamon, salt and pepper and serve hot.

Source: 'The Best of Spanish Cooking'
Janet Mendel

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One of my favourite casserole dishes is Tumbet. You could just as well make it by roasting the vegetables instead of frying them, and then putting the layers together with the sauce.
It is a well known dish on the Spanish island of Mallorca and one that most women there know how to make.

Ingredients:
Sauce:

4 TBS olive oil
4 medium sized ripe tomatoes, blanched, skinned and chopped
1/2 onion chopped
1 teasp salt

The rest:
2 medium eggplant - if young and tender - leave skins on, otherwise peel. Slice into rounds 1/4 inch thick. Put immediately in bowl of salted water to prevent turning brown.
4 medium potatoes - peeled or not as you like, also sliced 1/4 inch thick.
5 Italian (mild) green frying peppers - seeded and cut into bit-sized pieces
3 cloves garlic - smashed
a sprig of chopped flatleaf parsley
oil for frying - I use sunflower oil
clean newspaper and kitchen towels

Sauce -
Put the 4 TBS olive oil in a small frying pan and heat. Add chopped tomatoes, onion and salt. Simmer about 20 minutes or until thick and jammy looking.

The Rest -
1) Fill large frying pan with about 1/2 inch oil. When hot but not smoking add 1/3 the amount of potatoes. When golden, remove and drain on paper towel-covered newspapers.

2) Continue with the rest of the potatoes - cooking them in two more batches, letting oil heat up again between batches.

3. When potatoes are all done put peppers into hot oil along with garlic cloves and fry until toasted. Remove along with garlic to paper.

4) Drain and pat dry the rounds of eggplant and put them into hot oil and fry in 3 batches - draining them on paper.

5. 
   in the bottom of an ovenproof casserole dish, sprinkle with salt, next layer half the potatoes, again a bit of salt, next layer half the peppers. Repeat with the same ingredients (no more salt) until all are used. Spoon sauce over top and add a bit of chopped parsley.

6) Put into medium oven for about 20 minutes until all is reheated.
This is also good served at room temperature and the next day.

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GARLIC SOUP (Sopa de Ajo)
-------------------------------
A garlic soup recipe from the Island of Mallorca.

Ingredients:
9 oz (250 grams approx) *shaved dry brown bread
6 garlic cloves
6 fine stalks spring onions
1 small cabbage
2 medium size ripe tomatoes
fresh Italian parsley
1/2 cup good quality olive oil
1 teaspoon red sweet pimento powder
salt
water
* Note: this refers to a type of local bread often used in soups (sopas) as a
way of using up stale bread. It's a round, flat and heavy tan-coloured dense country bread loaf which is sliced crosswise paper thin, the cut pieces having a half-moon
shape and being as thin as a slice of salami. (An electric meat slicer does the
job well if you can find a heavy loaf of brown country bread.)

Method:
Heat the oil in an open, shallow casserole dish and add the peeled garlic cloves;
remove them when browned and set aside. Add the finely chopped spring
onions to the oil and when lightly golden add the finely chopped cabbage.

Stir fry together then add the pimiento powder and enough water to cover all.
Mash the browned garlic cloves in a mortar and pestle, add a little water
to dilute the paste then add to the casserole. Season with salt and cook until
tender at a low heat on the stove top. Then add the bread slices, scooping
up the cabbage mixture and piling it on top of the bread to sink it down.

Let return to a boil and remove from the stove. This soup is usually brought
to the table and served out of the same casserole.
I use my Mallorquin clay
casserole called a *greixonera* which is what is normally used for this dish. I brought
mine from Mallorca 20 years ago and whatever comes out of it tastes
wonderful. It works equally well in the oven or on an open gas flame.

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BAKED LETTUCE & CHEESE (Lechuga al Queso)
-----------------------------------------------------
For 2 persons:

2 heads of lettuce
4 TBS butter
4 TBSP grated cheese
salt, white pepper and water

1) Remove damaged outer leaves from lettuce, wash and put in saucepan in boiling salted water. Cook 10 minutes.

2) Remove from pan and rinse under cold water. Drain.

3) Cut each lettuce in two lengthwise, fold the pieces in half and place them in a buttered baking dish.

Sprinkle with pepper and cheese and dot with the rest of the butter.

4) Put the dish in the oven for about 5 minutes and serve the dish at the table.

Source: 'Cocina Balear' - Ana Maria Calera

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POOR MAN'S POTATO CASSEROLE - ( Patatas a Lo Pobre)
------------------------------------------------------------
Serves 5 as a side dish:

2 lbs potatoes
1 onion
1 small green pepper
1 small tomato, sliced
1/3 cup olive oil
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 TBSP chopped parsley
1 bay leaf
1/4 teasp thyme
1/4 teasp sweet paprika (or saffron)
1/4 cup white wine
1/4 cup water
salt & pepper

1) Peel potatoes and slice fairly thinly. Peel and slice onions. Cut peppers in strips.

2. Pour a little of the oil into the bottom of a flame-proof earthenware casserole or oven-safe pan. Arrange alternating layers of potatoes, onions, green peppers and tomato slices, sprinkling each layer with some of the chopped garlic and parsley.

3) Break the bay leaf into pieces and tuck them among the potatoes with the thyme. Sprinkle with the paprika and pour over the remaining oil.

4) Place the casserole on a medium heat just until potatoes start to sizzle. Add the wine and water. Season with salt & pepper.

5) When the liquid comes to a boil, cover the casserole and put in a medium oven (350F/180C) until potatoes are tender, about 45 minutes. Let the casserole rest 10 minutes before serving.

Adapted from: 'Tapas and More Great Dishes from Spain' - Janet Mendel

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FRESH GARDEN PEAS WITH LETTUCE
--------------------------------------
1 large onion, sliced
1 young lettuce, broken into largish pieces
1/2 lb fresh peas
butter
sugar - about 1 TBSP
salt & pepper

1) Sauté a large sliced onion in a little butter, then transfer to a large saucepan, add lettuce and shelled peas.

2. Add a little more butter, salt & pepper to taste and the sugar. Mix well and add a little water. Bring to the boil and then simmer very slowly with lid on, until peas are tender, about seven minutes.

Source: 'The Bar we Found' - Anne Oates - Palma de Mallorca 1972

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DANISH STYLE CAULIFLOWER AND CHEESE SAUCE
----------------------------------------------------
1 large white cauliflower
1 TBSP butter
1 TBSP flour
2 cups milk
2 egg yolks
1 cup grated cheese
sugar, salt
breadcrumbs

1) Boil the cauliflower until nearly tender. Drain and place in a baking dish.

2) Make a white sauce with the butter, flour and milk. Stir in the egg yolks and then the grated cheese. Season with sugar and salt.

3) Separate the cauliflower into pieces and pour over the sauce. Sprinkle with breadcrumbs, dabs of butter and place in hot oven.
Bake until golden brown and serve.
Source: 'The Bar we Found' - Anne Oates - Palma de Mallorca 1972

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CURRIED POTATO SALAD
-------------------------
6 large potatoes
1 cup tart French dressing
4 hard boiled eggs
chopped onion
chopped celery
chopped green pepper
salt
heaping TBSP curry powder

1) Boil potatoes in their jackets. When cool enough to handle, remove skins and slice potatoes into large bowl.

2) While still warm, coat slices with French dressing which has been mixed with the curry powder, and leave to penetrate while the potatoes are cooling down.

3) Then add other ingredients and mix them in lightly taking care not to disturb the shape of the potatoes.

4) Crisp in the refrigerator before serving.

Source: 'The Bar we Found' - Anne Oates - Palma de Mallorca 1972

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Layer fresh sliced figs on a bed of Romaine lettuce, add some chopped red peppers and cherry tomatoes, fresh ground pepper and a light creamy dressing.

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Saute together in olive oil some crushed cloves garlic, chopped onion, red pepper, add green olives, fresh ground pepper and provence herbs. Stir into cooked, buttered noodles and drizzle with a little olive oil.

Herbes de provençe are a mixture of rosemary, savory, thyme, basil, tarragon, marjoram, lavender.

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Most of these recipes may be adapted to a lower fat by reducing or substituting butter or lard and reducing salt.

SharonCb

Thank you Sharon!!!

So many good recipes. I have to read through them slowly to decide which ones I'd like to try. All these recipes are a cornicopia!

Karen