Butternut Squash Couscous Skillet Meal

 This is one I developed myself.  It is like the stuffed butternut squash recipe, but with a twist.

1 butternut squash.  Peal cube and steam to al dent.
1 cup couscous prepared according to package instructions
1/c cup chopped onions
1 t garlic

2 T fresh basil, minced, or 2 t dried basil

1 zucchini
1 carrot, pealed and coarsely grated
1 cup boc choy, thinly sliced (or Napa Cabbage)

1/2 cup sundried tomatoes in oil

1/2 teaspoon salt

Peal, cube, and start cooking the squash in a vegetable steamer.  Prepare Couscous and set aside. In a little oil, sauté onion and garlic together until the onion starts to wilt. Add basil, carrot, zucchini and cabbage.  Stir Fry until softened.  Add sundried tomatoes and heat through.  Stir in squash and couscous to coat and heat through.  Serve. 

To make it lower in fat, use sundried tomatoes without the oil, and add 1/4 cup vegetable broth. 

Carrot Onion Soup

 It has been a while since I added a new recipe.  This one is adapted from "Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone" by Deborah Maddison. It is not a lot different from the Carrot Curry Soup, but I think it has more subtle spices.  I also like the texture of the sliced onions and carrots. 

2 T olive oil
1 onion, thinly sliced
2 lb carrots, pealed and thinly sliced
1 bay leaf
1 Tbs parsley flakes
3 Tbs white rice
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp cumin
Salt/pepper to taste
7 cups veggie broth

Heat the oil in a large pan. Add onions and cook until softened. Add carrots and cook for a few minutes more, watching that they don't scorch. Add the rest of the ingredients and simmer until the carrots are cooked through.  Remove the bay leaf.  Remove about 1/2 of the soup and blend in a blender until smooth.  Return to the rest of the soup.  Serve. 

Note: The original recipe called for 1/2 tsp of coriander.  I didn't have it on hand.  Next time I do, I will try it with that added and let you know what I thought.

Red Potatoes and Fennel

 This is a vegetarian adaptation of a recipe I got from Cooking Light years ago.  In this version I replaced the chicken with mushrooms and tweaked a few of the spices.

Combine the following in a bowl:
1/2 cup coarsely chopped bell pepper
1/2 cup slivered fennel bulb

2 tsp chopped fresh or dried rosemary
1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil
3 large shallots, peeled and sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced

8 oz sliced fresh mushrooms

Combine in a separate bowl:
2 T (or more if you like them) chopped black olives

6 medium unpeeled red potatoes, sliced 1/4 inch thick

2 teaspoons fresh or 1 tsp dried sage
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon paprika

Vegetable broth

Heat a large skillet or wok and spray with cooking spray.  Add the first set of ingredients and stir fry until shallots and peppers soften. Add the next ingredients and mix well,  Add enough vegetable broth to just cover the vegetables.  Simmer until the potatoes are cooked through, adding water as needed to prevent scorching. 

Potato-Tomato Curry

 I picked up a new cookbook at the thrift store, 500 Fat-Free Recipes by Sarah Schlesinger.  I have tried three recipes in it but this is the only one I liked well enough to add it to my blog.  I made a few slight adjustments to fit my taste. This one takes a full hour to cook, so plan accordingly.

2 onions, sliced (I only used one)

1/2 cup vegetable broth (or more, to use while sauteing)

pinch of ground ginger

1 teaspoon each of dried thyme, marjoram, basil, and dill

2 tablespoons fresh parsley or 1 tsp parsley flakes

1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric

2 cups sliced mushrooms

6 small red potatoes, cubed

3 fresh tomatoes, thickly sliced

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 cube curry, or 1 teaspoon curry powder

Saute the onion in a large wok or frying pan using the broth to keep it from scorching. Add the spices and cook 5 minutes until fragrant. Add the mushrooms and cook 5 minutes, then add the potatoes. Cook and stir about 3 minutes, adding more liquid as needed. Arrange the tomatoes on top of the other vegetables, and add enough water so the vegetable won't scorch and squeeze the lemon over the top.  Turn the heat to low and cover.  Cook for 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are cooked through, checking periodically to make sure the there is enough liquid.

I served this over rice the first time, but it had enough potatoes that I think I will skip the rice the next time.

 

Vegetable Barley Soup

I do a monthly health challenge offered by my insurance agency.  One of the challenges this week was to cook a recipe with a new kind of whole grain.  I decided to try a vegetable barley soup.  It turned out pretty well.  I cooked it in a crock pot, but I think it would work fine just in a large pot simmering on the stove.

1 tbs olive oil

1/2 cup diced onion

1 tsp minced garlic

2 stalks celery, sliced

3 carrots, sliced
2 red potatoes, cubed

1/2 cup uncooked pearl barley

water

vegetable soup base

1 can diced tomatoes

1/2 tsp Italian Seasoning Mix

1 zuchini sliced thin

Heat the oil in a pan and then add the onion, celery and garlic. Sautee until soft. Put all ingredients except the zucchini in a crock pot, adding enough water to cover the vegetables, and 1 tsp of soup base for each cup of water you add.  Set on high and cook for 4 hours, or until the carrots and potatoes are soft. (If you are doing it on the stove top, bring to a boil, and then reduce heat and simmer for about an hour).  Add the zucchini and cook an additional 20 minutes or until the zuccini is translucent.  Serve with your favorite whole grain bread.

Balsalmic Roast Brussels Sprouts

My son and daughter-in-law made these for us last time we visited them.  They added 3 oz bacon, but it works fine without it.  I also think the balsamic vinegar marinade would work well with a variety of vegetables.

1 1/2 lb brussels sprouts, halved

1 lb red potatoes, cubed.
3 shallots, sliced
3 tsp garlic, minced
3 tbs olive oil
2 tbs balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup honey
1 1/4 tsp Johnny's Seasoning Salt (available through Amazon or use your favorite seasoning salt)

Prepare brussels sprouts, potatoes, and shallots and put in a large bowl. In a small bowl mix the rest of the ingredients. Pour over the vegetables and toss to mix.  Spread the vegetables on a cookie sheet or broiler pan lined with parchment paper, placing the brussels sprouts flat side down. (If you are adding bacon, chop raw bacon into small pieces and sprinkle on top of the vegetables). Bake at 425 degrees for 20 minutes.

Broccoli and Mushroom Rice Bowl

 I made up this recipe to try to copy some rice bowls I had eaten at restaurants.  I wanted the sauce to be mild and not too salty.  If you don't like fish sauce, you can substitute with soy sauce.

3/4 cup brown rice.  Cook according directions on the package.
About 4 cups fresh broccoli florets
1 T olive oil or use cooking spray 
1/2 cup chopped onions 
1 pint mushrooms (8 oz) sliced
1 clove garlic, minced.
2 cups vegetable broth
2 Tbsp corn starch
1 tsp fish oil 
1 Tbsp sugar
Salt and pepper to taste

Cook rice (I put it in a rice cooker in the morning with a timer so it will be done when I get home from work). Keep warm.

Put broccoli in a steamer and cook until tender, but still bright green.  If you don't have a steamer, boil the broccoli, but be careful not to overcook it.

While the broccoli is cooking, sautee the onions, garlic, and mushrooms in the olive oil until tender (if you want to use less fat, sautee them in a pan prepared with cooking spray and use a little of the vegetable broth to keep it from scortching).  Mix the corn starch, fish oil, and sugar into the vegetable broth, and then add to the mushroom mixture in the skillet.  Reduce heat and simmer, stirring frequently,  until the sauce thickens. Add salt and/or pepper to taste.

To serve, place some of the warm rice in a bowl.  Add some broccoli, and then top with the mushroom sauce.