Mediterranean Vegetable Panini

Anything "Mediterranean" has been a buzzword lately. Claims abound that if you eat like someone from the Mediterranean, you will lose weight. I'm not completely sure where "the Mediterranean" even is, but I picture somewhere on the coast of Greece or Italy. The diet involves lots of fresh vegetables like eggplant, peppers, zucchini, mushrooms, etc. as well as health fats from olive oil, fish, and avocado. Combined with low amounts of red meat, sugar, and saturated fat plus an active lifestyle, it is claimed that you will suffer less cardiovascular problems, health issues in general, and live longer. I'm sure the sun, sand, and surf of the Mediterranean Sea doesn't hurt... While there is always going to be conflicting information about diets because of marketing and such, here are a few websites for some information: WebMD - Mediterranean Diet Weight Loss Effectiveness?; Mayo Clinic - Mediterranean Diet & Heart Health; US News Best Diet - Mediterranean Diet: What you need to know.

This sandwich was inspired by Udis Bread. They have an eggplant panini that is absolutely amazing, it is a huge slice of eggplant grilled, with grilled red bell pepper and goat cheese. I had bought an eggplant and didn't know what to do with it, so I decided to try my own version of an eggplant panini. I also had a red bell pepper and some zucchini, so I decided to go all veggie-licious. You can sub in whatever vegetables you like, ones that hold up to grilling are the best. Also I don't have a 'real' grill, so the hand dandy George Foreman did the heavy lifting. You could also use a pan and just put a lid on top of the sandwich weighted down with something to grill it.


Ingredients:
1 1/4" thick slice eggplant
2 (or 1 really big) slices of zucchini
2/3 red bell pepper, seeded
Handful of spinach
2 tbsp hummus
thick slice cheese (I had white cheddar)

Step 1: Brush or spray grill with olive oil so the veggies don't stick. Grill eggplant, zucchini, and bell pepper for about 10-15 minutes, until softened and beginning to char.

Step 2: Layer the veggies, hummus, and cheese onto some bread. Spray the grill again, and press the sandwich for 2-5 minutes, just to heat through.

I actually took this in for lunch, and though a little moist from the hummus it held up well.

You can use whatever kind of bread you like, or try a wrap or pita pocket. 

Warning: it may be a better idea to wait until you are ready to eat the sandwich to add hummus. The bottom of the sandwich was a little squishy. If you get rid of the cheese, then this sandwich is also vegan.

Vegetarian Pepper Pizza with Acorn Squash Sauce

Pizza is popular in nearly every country and among all age groups. Who can resist a chewy doughy crust, tangy or creamy sauce, and toppings to make your mouth water? With infinite variations, pizza can range the gamut from a whole-grain & veggie-packed near-health-food to an unapologetic grease-laden diet disaster. Everyone has their own favorite topping and style.

Of course most people know that pizza is native to Italy. The History Channel website wrote up a nice article about the history of pizza you should check out for more information. The city of Naples, founded in 600 B.C., was home in the 18th & 19th centuries to a large working-class poor population. As such, they needed food which was cheap and easy to eat quickly. Flat bread baked with various toppings such as tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, and cheese, met this need. However, pizza did not catch on worldwide until the late 1940s.

Italian immigrants to America brought these recipes with them when they immigrated in search of jobs. Quickly, the smells and tastes of these flat breads began to grow in popularity, and local custom varieties began springing up. Toppings branched out from the typical tomato, basil, cheese, or anchovies and grew to include things like pineapple, BBQ chicken, bacon, and even dessert pizzas. Chicago became known for its "deep-dish" pizza with inches-thick crust, while New York City style meant thin crust pies with a slice bigger than your face. Chains spring up and now popular American-founded brands are represented in over 60 countries worldwide. 

This pizza I came up with was made with a bare minimum of ingredients, the dough does not need time to rise, and I packed in the veggies. The acorn squash hidden in the sauce makes it a bit sweeter than I'm used to, which I didn't mind. But if it's too much, try adding tomato paste and olive oil rather than diced tomatoes. And as always, don't be afraid to experiment! Have some asparagus left in the fridge? Ran out of mozzarella but have some blue cheese? Want to spice it up with jalapenos? Go for it!

Ingredients:

DOUGH

2 1/2 cups flour

1/2 tbsp sugar

1 tbsp salt

1 1/2 cup warm water

SAUCE

1 can diced tomatoes

1 acorn squash

Dash Italian seasonings

Dash garlic salt

TOPPINGS

1/2 cup spinach

1/2 jar roasted red peppers

Handful banana pepper rings

~2/3 cup mozzarella cheese

Step 1: Cut the squash in half and microwave 5 minutes, cut side up, with water in it. Flip and microwave another 5 minutes. Repeat until the squash is fork-tender and peels easily.

Step 2: In a blender, combine the can of tomatoes (with juice) and squash. Blend until it makes a smooth puree. Add spices here.

Step 3: In a large bowl, mix the dough ingredients. If too stiff, add more water or olive oil. If too wet or sticky, add extra flour. Sprinkle some flour on a flat surface and roll the dough out. Use your hands to shape it into a circle.

Step 4: Spread the sauce over the dough, leaving about 1 inch around the edges for crust. Layer on the toppings.

Step 5: Cover it all in cheese. You can substitute vegan cheese or just leave it off for a vegan pie.

Step 6: Bake on a pizza pan or cookie sheet at 350 for about 40 minutes, or until golden brown and bubbly.

Let it cool on a rack if you can wait that long!

Thanks Italy! 

What's your favorite kind of pizza?

Hearty Quinoa with Peppers, Corn & Black olives

Quinoa is one of my newer food obsessions. As you may be able to tell, I'm quite the avid reader of food blogs, magazines, articles, TV shows, recipe swapping, etc. If it has to do with food and cooking, I'm interested. I love learning new ways of cooking, new foods I've not yet heard of or tried, new spices. Since coming to Colorado I met someone from Ethiopia who introduced me to Injera and all sorts of new and exciting foods, meaning a post on those will likely be coming soon! Anyhow, when I find one I like enough, it becomes a part of my food routines. Thus is the case with quinoa. It is tiny grains like rice, with a nuttier flavor that pairs well with nearly anything. But it can be a bit bland if you don't add things to it.
If you recall from earlier posts, I moved recently and set about a mission to use up as much food from the pantry as I could so that I didn't have to cart it with me to the next place. In the final week before moving, I discovered a box of quick-cook quinoa I didn't realize I had. I decided that I would add as many canned items as I thought would go well together and make one heck of a side dish. For vegetarians and vegans, this could also be a main dish. Once it was all mixed together, it turned out super tasty! And it makes a ton, so be aware of that. Maybe 8 cups worth?

Ingredients:
1 box couscous (maybe 2 cups uncooked)
1 can corn
1 can beans (I had garbanzo)
1 can black olived
1 jar roasted red peppers

Step 1: Open and drain the corn, beans and olives. Pour into a pot and add a full can of water each and set to boil. Dice the black olives and red peppers into small pieces. Add the peppers to the pot.

The mixed up canned goods looks like soup.

Step 2: Once it boils, pour in the couscous and mix. Let it simmer for about 20 minutes covered.

 Step 3: Once all the liquid is absorbed, fluff it up with a fork. You now have healthy veggie and protein packed side dishes for about 8-10 people or meals!

 The flavors and colors worked together nicely. As I said, this could be a full meal in its own right. You can also experiment with adding other vegetables, meats or cheeses too.

Served with steak and a side salad. Perfect.

Stuffed eggplant

So I've been reading lately about how healthy eggplant is for you. Then it went on sale at my favorite produce store, so I had to buy one. The only question was what to do with it. I had tried eggplant before and wasn't particularly fond of it diced up in casserole-type dishes. So I decided to stuff it, because what isn't made better by a meat mush and cheese baked inside?

Ingredients:

1 eggplant

olive oil

1/2 pound ground turkey

1/4 cup bread crumbs

1 egg

1/2 onion, diced

2 garlic cloves, chopped

1/2 red bell pepper, diced

Italian seasonings

1/2 cup parmesan cheese

Step 1: Brown the ground turkey over medium heat and drain.

 Step 2: Dice the veggies and core the eggplant. Cook the veggies in the same pan as the turkey until tender, ~5 minutes.

 Step 3: Mix the cooked veggies, egg, turkey, and bread crumbs.

 Step 4: Divide the mix between the eggplant halves and stuff. Sprinkle italian seasonings over top and bake at 375 for 30-35 minutes, until nicely browned and eggplant is soft when poked with a fork.

 Also, to make it vegetarian you can just omit the ground turkey.

YUM!

Feta and Red Pepper hummus

As a spread, appetizer or snack, hummus is filling, satisfying and nutritious. You can eat it with fresh veggies or crackers, or spread it on a sandwich, wrap, burger, gyro and more. I love hummus, and had some chickpeas left over from an earlier curry recipe, so I decided to make a snack. Most hummus recipes call for tahini, of which I had none, so I created my own recipe. I love garlic hummus, and red pepper hummus, and feta cheese hummus. So I figured, why not combine it all!? Turns out that was an excellent idea, and I hope you think so too.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup garbanzo beans/chickpeas
2 tbsp feta (~1 oz)
4 tbsp olive oil
4 tbsp water
1 clove garlic, diced
2 tbsp red bell pepper, diced
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp cumin seed
Dash salt & pepper

 Step 1: Blend the first 4 ingredients in the blender, scraping sides with a spoon. Add water until desired thickness.

 Step 2: Add all spices, mix well and pour onto serving dish.

Step 3: It's that easy, now enjoy! I cut up a carrot, a celery stick, a roma tomato and had some wheat thin crackers. Delicious!

Amount Per Serving (1/4 cup)
Calories		215.4
Total Fat		15.9 g
	Saturated Fat	3.0 g
	Polyunsaturated Fat	1.5 g
	Monounsaturated Fat	10.5 g
Cholesterol		6.3 mg
Sodium		298.6 mg
Potassium		140.7 mg
Total Carbohydrate		14.9 g
	Dietary Fiber	2.9 g
	Sugars	0.2 g
Protein		4.2 g

Easy side dish: Oven-Roasted Vegetables

This is seriously one of the best side dishes ever! You can use literally any vegetable you have on hand, it takes only a few minutes, and it is super healthy AND tasty! I could eat oven-roasted veggies with every meal and not get tired of it. 

Ingredients:

1 baking potato, diced

1/2 onion, cut into strips

1/2 red bell pepper, diced

1 large carrot, diced

1/2 zucchini, diced

1/2 yellow squash, diced

3 tbsp olive oil

Nature's Seasoning

Garlic salt

 

Step 1: Dice up your veggies. This is the only work you have to do.

Step 2: Coat your veggies in olive oil, put into an oven-safe pan.

Step 3: Sprinkle with seasonings. Bake at 350 for ~20 minutes or until potatoes are fork-tender.

 

You could use any kind of potato here, add broccoli, cauliflower, turnips, parsnips, bok choi, kale, mushrooms, eggplant, the list goes on and on. Enjoy!

Crock Pot salsa chicken tacos

I have heard so many recipes raving about how easy and delicious Crock Pot salsa chicken is, it is on nearly ever Crock Pot recipe list I've seen. So one day before leaving for school, I decided on a whim to try it. Turns out, all these people know what they're talking about! It was amazing by itself over rice, and it is even better shredded on a taco!

Ingredients:

3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

2 cups salsa

1 flour tortilla

2 tbsp refried beans

1/2 onion, sliced

1 cup diced bell peppers

2 tbsp taco seasoning

1/2 cup shredded lettuce

1/4 cup sharp cheddar cheese

1 tbsp sour cream

Step 1: Put the chicken and the salsa in the crock pot. Cook on low at least 6 up to 10 hours. The chicken will be slightly browned, lightly salsa flavored, and fall-apart tender. It tastes amazing on its own, serve with a vegetable and a starch side dish.

Step 2: Put a tiny amount of olive oil or stock in a frying pan, and fry the onion and pepper until soft. Add the taco seasonings, cover and cook another 2 minutes.

Step 3: Smear refried beans on half the tortilla, heat in microwave 20 minutes. Add cheese so it melts, and about 3-4 oz of the chicken.Then pile on the veggies and smear the sour cream on the other half. Pour salsa on top, roll up and enjoy!
This is super filling, and all the flavors combine into a taste bud party in your mouth! Makes enough for several meals, probably 10 tacos depending on how much you stuff them. The meat could also be used for quesadillas or tamales.

Salsa breakfast burrito

This is something I came up with when I realized I woke up 20 minutes earlier than I needed to for class. Since I had time to actually cook something, I decided on eggs. I looked in the fridge, and as I had been preparing for tacos this week, I had tortillas and salsa and a bag full of cut up bell peppers. So I figured why wait for these awesome Mexican-inspired flavors! I could make a protein and veggie packed breakfast that could even be portable.

Ingredients:

2 eggs, beaten

1/2 cup diced bell pepper

1 diced green onion

3-4 tbsp salsa

1/4 cup shredded cheese

1 flour tortilla (10")

Step 1: Fry the peppers and onion in a skillet with a tiny bit of oil if needed.

 Step 2: Whip the eggs in a small bowl or cup. You can add a splash of milk for a fluffier texture. Add to the pan and cook slowly over medium heat. Use a wooden or plastic spoon to continually push the egg around until it is all cooked through.

 Step 3: Heat a tortilla in the microwave for about 15 seconds. Add egg and veggie mixture, then a handful of shredded cheese to melt on top. Top with as much salsa as you prefer.

Step 4: Roll up and enjoy!

As always, the add-ins are optional, put whatever veggies you like in it. You could even add beans, potato, sausage, bacon or tofu if you have a big appetite in the morning. You could wrap these in plastic or aluminum foil and carry them with you for a healthy, filling breakfast on the go. Much better for you waist and wallet than a fast food drive through breakfast burrito!

Crock Pot Veggie Stew

I recently moved across America to the great state of Colorado! That explains my lack of posts for a while. However, since my new place has an oven, my repertoire has quadrupled, and thus I intend to make up for it! So this was inspired by a trip to a local farmer's market. There was so much delicious produce, to be had super cheaply! Then a few days later, I needed to do something with the veggies I hadn't eaten yet. As many cooks know, fresh is best but it also spoils quickest. Another complication I will be dealing with this year is my first year of doctoral classes and research, so I will be gone the majority of the day, 6am - 6pm most days. So you will likely see a lot of make-ahead or Crock Pot meals!

Ingredients:

1 large carrot, diced

1 large onion, diced

3 roma tomatoes, diced

1/2 head cabbage, shredded

3-4 stalks celery, diced

2 potatoes, diced

1/3 of a red, orange & yellow bell pepper (or 1 of any color) diced

2 small heads broccoli, cut into small florets

4-5 green onions, diced

3 cups chicken stock or 3 bouillon cubes + water

Turmeric, chipotle chili pepper, paprika, black pepper, garlic, salt

I don't add amounts for the spices because it depends on how hot you like it. I found out after the fact that I added a *bit* too much chipotle pepper, because man did this soup clear the sinuses! I need to make it again mid-winter...

 Step 1: This is the only work-intensive step. Dice all the veggies and layer in the Crock Pot.

 Step 2: Add spices and broth. If you're a strict vegetarian or vegan, use vegetable broth or plain water instead of the chicken stock.

Step 3: Cook on low at least 4 hours up to 12 hours. The longer it cooks the softer the vegetables will get, but the more flavors will come out and mingle. My boyfriend is a carnivore and insisted on adding shredded chicken before he would eat it. But he did say it was delicious. =)
You can add really any vegetable you have on hand that you need to use up. If you don't want to take the time to dice everything, you can buy pre-cut from a salad bar or use frozen vegetables and just throw them in! Couldn't be easier. Plus it makes quite a bit, so you have several meals for very cheap, and likely enough to freeze for later meals.