Category Archives: Vegetarian

Comfort food, Crock pot, Healthy, Less than 5, Main Dishes, Slow cooker, Soups, Vegan, Vegetarian

Parsnip, Potato, & Leek Spring Soup

February 9, 2016 BudgetEpicurean Leave a comment

I don’t know about the weather elsewhere, but the weather here in Connecticut seems to be very bi-polar. One day it is in the 50s and sunny, and I am getting cabin fever and want to plant everything in the seed catalog immediately, the next day we get almost a foot of snow dumped on us overnight. What’s going on here?

I am so thankful that CT has some amazing farmers who have hoop houses, green houses, store rooms, and other ways of extending our crazy growing season, so that we are already getting some of the first tender crops of the springtime. Though not quite yet asparagus season, we have access to several root crops (beets, parsnips, onions, potatoes, leeks…), winter squash, eggs & meats, and tender fresh greens (grown inside of course).

Usually I plan the week’s meals before going to the store, but I decided to get crazy this week, and let the market make my meal plan. Whatever was fresh and available, I will form the week’s meals around that. This is one small step on my lifelong journey to be a locavore (to eat whole seasonal foods grown as close to me as possible as often as possible).

A big bag of fresh microgreens, spinach, and head lettuce means tons of fresh salads. Healthy brown eggs means breakfasts, frittatas, and quiches. CT grown oyster mushrooms may be grilled, sauteed, added to soups, or stir fried. The fingerling potatoes will complement just about anything, and the beets too have many many options.

The first dish I decided to make (after a giant fresh greens salad, because I couldn’t wait and helped myself almost as soon as I got home) was a slow cooker soup. I had obtained leeks, parsnips, and fingerling potatoes. Combined with onions I had over-wintered, fresh ground spices, and canned turkey broth (from Thanksgiving!) it would be the perfect thing on a chilly snow-covered day.

Ingredients:

1 large parsnip (or carrot)
1 large leek
3-5 small potatoes
1/2 medium onion
2-3 cups bone broth, vegetable broth, or water
Optional spices: black pepper, fennel, cumin, sea salt, garlic

Step 1: If using fresh whole spices, grind them up in a coffee or spice grinder. In a crock pot or small soup pot, add the broth. Wash the outside of the produce, but leave the skin on. Dice up the potatoes, parsnip, onion, and leek and add to the pot. Add water to cover.

Step 2: Cook in crock pot on “high” for 4 hours or “low” for 6-8 hours, or bring to a boil on the stove, and simmer for 1-2 hours. Serve fresh with a drizzle of olive oil and maybe some thick bread or rolls.

Healthy, Main Dishes, Salads, Vegan, Vegetarian

Spring Microgreens Salad with Beet Vinaigrette

February 7, 2016 BudgetEpicurean Leave a comment

As spring slowly begins to win the seasonal fight with winter, tender crops begin to appear in the local markets. Radishes, greens and lettuces, root crops, winter squash, carrots, onion and potatoes both old and new along with greenhouse grown herbs, eggs and meats and dairy, and mushrooms abound. Take advantage of fast-growing baby greens and all the chlorophyll and concentrated nutrients they offer with lots of fresh spring salads!

Basically any meal starts off right with a heap of greens of any kind, topped with various seeds, nuts, vegetables, or proteins of your choice. Choose darker or colorful varieties for the most nutrition, including kale, spinach, sprouts, arugula or rocket, and watercress. You can also whip up your own salad dressing at home in the time it takes to mix & shake, and it will be far tastier, healthier, and cheaper than a plastic bottle full of chemicals.

All you need is a mason jar, an oil, an acidic (vinegar, lemon juice) and flavorings (fresh or dried herbs/garlic/pepper). This recipe is for a beet juice vinaigrette, which has tons of delicious flavor, liver-cleansing benefits, and as a bonus is a lovely pink color! I’ll bet you topping any salad with this will automatically make you smile. For the beet juice, you can either roast and juice fresh beets, or you can use the juice from canned beets, no judgment here.

Ingredients (makes about 2 cups salad dressing):

1/2 cup olive oil
2/3 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup white balsamic vinegar
1 tsp fresh ground black pepper
1/2 cup beet juice
1 heaping tsp miso

Step 1: Put all ingredients into a mason jar or other jar with a lid, and shake it up until emulsified. The miso may take a bit to dissolve, but it’s worth it. It adds a salty depth of flavor and a healthy boost of probiotics. Refrigerate for up to 1 month.

To make this lovely salad yourself:

2 cups fresh mixed baby greens
1/2 can sliced beets
Handful of almonds
1 tsp chia seeds
1/2 cup artichoke hearts
1 tbsp dried cranberries
3-4 tbsp beet salad dressing

Place the greens on a large plate. Add the beet slices (save juice for the dressing), artichoke hearts, nuts, seeds, and berries. Shake up your vinaigrette and pour over all. Smile, and enjoy!

Feel free to experiment with your salad dressing. Try using lemon juice or lime juice, add chopped fresh herbs like mint, parsley, or cilantro, add crushed fresh garlic or peppercorns, use any kind of vinegar or oil you want. It is so quick and easy, you are bound to find recipes you enjoy, and may never go back to store-bought dressing again!

Have you made your own dressings? What is your favorite recipe?

Comfort food, Dips and Sauces, Healthy, Less than 5, Main Dishes, Pasta, Vegetarian

Balsamic Brown Butter and Collard Greens Sauce

February 4, 2016 BudgetEpicurean Leave a comment

This particular sauce is what I made to go along with my mouth-watering Butternut Squash Gnocchi. Something about the combination of the autumn/wintry flavors and chewy texture of the gnocchi with the buttery but tangy sauce just makes fireworks happen.

And the gnocchi have hidden vegetables in it, plus this sauce packs in a serving of your daily greens! So much health, in one deliciously sneaky meal! No one will ever guess. But they will ask for seconds. Maybe thirds.

Ingredients:

4-5 good-sized collard green leaves, torn
2 cloves of garlic
1/2 white onion
1/2 stick of butter
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar and/or lemon juice

Step 1: Place all ingredients but the butter & vinegar in a blender and pulse until chopped into small pieces. Alternatively you can use a knife and chop them up yourself. (But Ninja blender. So good.)

Step 2: Melt the butter in a pan, and bring to just a simmer. Once it starts to turn brown, add all the chopped vegetables, and add in the balsamic vinegar. Bring back to a simmer, and cook for 10-15 minutes, serve hot over fresh pasta. Maybe a little fresh shaved Parmesan on top, if you’re feeling festive.

PS: You can substitute other greens in here if you don’t have or like or feel brave enough yet to try collards. Try a nice safe spinach, or something crazy like mustard greens or beet tops. Let me know how it tastes too!

Comfort food, Healthy, Less than 5, Main Dishes, Pasta, Sneaky Healthy, Vegetarian

Butternut Squash Gnocchi

February 2, 2016 BudgetEpicurean Leave a comment

During my whole January Freezer Month challenge (read how that went during weeks one, two, three, and four) I had used half of a decorative butternut squash to make butternut squash macaroni & cheese. This is one of my favorite fall & winter time meals, because it has all the creamy comfort of mac n cheese with an added boost of vitamins and fiber. It totally counts as a serving of vegetables!

But what I had discovered was that even a deceptively small-looking squash can create a ton of pulp!

This giant bowl of squash was half! Yes indeed. So, being the frugal epicurean chef I am, I decided this was not to go to waste. After searching the interwebs for inspiration, I had seen several options that were contenders, but in the end the winner was butternut squash gnocchi. It’s the sauce that sealed the deal, which I will tell you about in just a second.

For those who don’t know what gnocchi is or have never had them, go find your nearest authentic Italian restaurant and re-evaluate your life choices. Just kidding. Make this recipe instead!

Gnocchi are typically thick, soft dumplings that may be made from semolina, wheat flour, egg, cheese, potato, breadcrumbs, or similar ingredients. You basically make a thick pasta dough, and create chewy pillows from it. The most classic gnocchi shape is the oval with ridges, created in our grandmother’s day using fork tines. (Did you know the things that make a fork a fork are called tines? Now you know.)

Growing up in Youngstown Ohio, a city with some serious mafia ties (seriously, go read about it), we have some crazy good Italian restaurants. Thus I am well-versed in gnocchi. I’ve even taken a foray into gnocchi making previously, with acorn squash and potatoes. So I was fairly confident that this project would turn out well. And boy did it ever!

The process does take a little bit of time, I think it was just over an hour start-to-finish, and I had already-cooked squash to work with. So be sure you have about 2 hours prior to tackling this. But trust me, it is well worth it! My fiancee, who is allergic to vegetables, told me this was delicious and amazing and asked for seconds. He didn’t even believe me when I said there was squash in it.

The sauce is much easier, I just whipped it all up in my amazing Ninja blender (a Christmas gift from said fiancee) and simmered it on the stove to brown the butter. But I am convinced that the two flavors and textures are the magic that elevates this from “weeknight pasta” to “so good this could be Valentine’s Day dinner at a 5-star restaurant”. But at home.

But hey, I’m not gonna tell you what to top your gnocchi with. If you like marinara, go for it. If Alfredo is your thing, rock on. Shoot, if you want to eat your gnocchi naked, that’s fine with me. Just make sure the blinds are closed. 😉

Ingredients:

3 cups cooked, mashed butternut squash
4 1/2 cups flour plus extra
2 tbsp Italian seasonings
2 tsp nutmeg
Sprinkle of ground pepper and salt

Step 1: If you haven’t cooked your squash, do that first. Go ahead I’ll wait. Bake it, microwave it, steam it, whatever. Then mash it up.

Step 2: Mix your cooked, mashed squash in a large bowl with the other ingredients. Add seasoning to taste, so if you want it heavy on the spices, do it, or go nuts and add cinnamon. Get your hands all up in that squishy dough mess and mix it up nice. Add more flour, 1/4 cup at a time as needed, until the dough just barely still sticks to your hand.

Step 3: Separate out about 3 cups of dough, and turn out onto a floured surface. Pinch off a good handful, and roll it into a log. Cut the log into 1/2 – 1 inch squares. Each individual piece will be one noodle/dumpling/gnocchi. If you’re feeling fancy, go ahead and roll each gnocchi over the tines of a fork to create ridges. (I recommend this step mostly because the ridges create a nice place for the sauce to stick to!)

Step 4: Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. (Here’s a secret tip: I actually used chicken broth to boil the noodles, for extra flavor and because I like bone broth). Boil the gnocchi for about 10 minutes, until they float to the top. Remove with a slotted spoon.

Step 5: Top your gnocchi with sauce or topping of choice, and then watch whoever is eating this oooh and ahhh. Including yourself. Go ahead and pat yourself on the back too, that’s step 6.

And if you are just dying for the sauce recipe I used, don’t worry I won’t tease you and leave you waiting. Oh wait. Yup, you have to wait until Thursday’s post. It will be worth it I promise.

Oh, and did I mention this makes a crap ton? This recipe made me about 7 dozen gnocchi total, so I ended up freezing about half. Just lay them out in one layer in the fridge for 1 hour to overnight, then pop in a freezer bag or container and they will keep for about 6 months. So one day’s hard work equals one amazing meal now, and another amazing meal sometime later. Jackpot.

Crock pot, Healthy, Main Dishes, Slow cooker, Vegan, Vegetarian

Almost Work-free Curry

January 21, 2016 BudgetEpicurean Leave a comment

Curry is one of my favorite meals ever, because you can make it in a crock pot and basically do no work, or in a sauce pot and also do almost no work! I’m sure that there are curry recipes which take many exotic ingredients and hours of preparation, but for a basic recipe, and an American palate, curry is super simple.

This curry incorporates chickpeas, sweet potatoes, and other aromatic vegetables for an amazing, nutritious, tasty recipe. I used basically a jar of salsa starter that I had canned earlier in the summer, but you can also use frozen veggies, or fresh diced veggies. This is very filling, especially if served over rice. If you must have meat, feel free to also add some pork or chicken or beef.

Ingredients:

1 can chickpeas, drained
1 medium sweet potato, diced
1 medium white or yellow potato, diced
1/2 bell pepper, diced
1/2 onion, diced
1 can crushed or diced tomatoes
Optional: 1 tbsp turmeric, 1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp red chili pepper, 1 tbsp garam masala

Step 1: Dice up the potatoes and throw them in a sauce pot or crock pot. Add the diced tomatoes and vegetables. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce to a simmer and cook 20-25 minutes. (Or set to low and cook 2-4 hours).

Step 2: Open the chickpeas and drain. Add to the pot, along with any spices you want to use. Cook just until everything is heated through, if using a crock pot, add about 30 minutes before serving. If desired, boil some rice and serve with the curry, or you can serve with flat bread.

Breads, Comfort food, Finances, Fish, Healthy, Informative, Main Dishes, Vegetarian

Clam & Garlic Pizza

January 14, 2016 BudgetEpicurean 1 Comment

One of my favorite parts about living in New England is the abundance of seafood. I wrote Tuesday about seafood linguini, and today is all about clam pizza (don’t worry, I actually made and ate them on separate weeks. Unless seafood every day is appealing to you, in which case rock on).

Seafood is pretty darn healthy for you on the whole, be it lobster, clams, shrimp, crab, or any other shelled ocean dweller. Clams are a good source of several nutrients and minerals, including magnesium and manganese, phosphorus, potassium, copper and selenium, and a very good source of Vitamin B12. Read More Here. They are also naturally low in fat and high in protein.

These clams were from a local farmers market (if you’re local to New Haven, check out the City Seed network of markets). I met the woman who captains the boat that harvested these guys, from the river and bay less than an hour from my house. She showed me photos of the boat, the other deck hands, and a typical day’s haul.

She also explained the difference between several different types of clams, mostly size and thus what types of recipes they are best for. Of course I don’t remember most of it, but the point is it was super cool to meet the actual person who obtained the food I was planning to eat. I got this baker’s dozen of clams for only $5 too.

Once I saw the clams, I knew I had to have them. And once I had them, I knew that clam pizza was gonna happen. If you’ve ever been to New Haven, or even if you haven’t, chances are you’ve heard about Pepe’s Pizzeria, and their famous White Clam pie. It was named the best in the country! I am not arrogant enough to claim that I can make it just like Pepe or better, but I wanted to at least give it a shot.

This woman also gave me some good advice on how to open and cook them, since this was my first time cooking with fresh clams. A nice trick is to freeze them for an hour or so, then thaw them in a pan over medium low heat. This makes them pop open really easily. Or you can thaw them on the counter, just make sure to use a container to catch all the flavorful juice they release! That’s good stuff.

The next step of this pizza was making the dough. I could have bought it pre-made at the store, but I wanted to be all Suzy Homemaker and do it all from scratch. Turns out, pizza dough isn’t even that hard to make! And you can make a double batch, and keep half in the refrigerator or freezer to use again later. This may become a regular weekend project now.

Ingredients for Pizza Dough:

2 tsp yeast
3 tbsp warm water
1 tbsp sugar
3 cups flour
1 cup warm water
2 tbsp olive oil
2-3 tsp sea salt

Step 1: Put the yeast, water, and sugar in a bowl and mix to dissolve. The water needs to be just warm, not too hot to kill the yeast. This is called “activating” the yeast. It wakes up and starts eating the sugar. Let it sit for 10-15 minutes at room temperature.

Step 2: In a large bowl, or stand mixer, mix the yeast with the flour, rest of the water, oil, and salt. Mix until the dough is sticky yet pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Let it sit at room temperature 1 hour, so go do laundry or watch a TV show or run errands.

Step 3: Punch the risen dough down, mix for a few minutes. Let it rest again for 1 hour. (This is kind of an all-day project, but with very little hands-on time. Plenty of breaks to get stuff done, and you don’t have to babysit the dough in between.) Either cut the dough in half for two smaller pizzas, or spread it out on a pizza pan (for round) or cookie sheet (for rectangle). Heat the oven to 400 F.

Step 4: Spread your dough, and poke a few holes in it with a fork to prevent big bubbles. Bake the dough for 5-7 minutes, until lightly browned. Then top with whatever you like, and bake another 5-7 minutes, until toppings are warm, browned, and/or gooey.

For my topping, I mixed clams, garlic, and olive oil for a pungent dose of flavor. While the oven was heating, I took an entire head of garlic and cut off the tops. I drizzled a tbsp or 2 of olive oil over it, wrapped it in tin foil, and baked it at 400 for about 15 minutes. This cooks the cloves, turning them soft and brown and mellowing the garlic flavor. Mix this with oil and chopped up clam, and you have heaven in the making.

Ingredients for White Clam Pizza Topping:

Dozen clams, chopped, with juice
1 head of garlic, baked, mushed with a fork
2 tbsp olive oil + 2 tbsp olive oil
2-3 tbsp lemon juice
Sprinkle of sea salt
Dash of Italian seasoning
Optional: 1/2 cup Parmesan or mozzarella

Step 1: Cut the top off the garlic, drizzle with oil, & wrap in tin foil. Bake at 400 for 10-15 minutes. Squeeze the cooked garlic into a bowl, and mash with a fork. Add clams, clam juice, oil, lemon, salt, and seasoning and mix well.

Step 2: Take your dough, and spread the toppings all over it. Sprinkle again with salt or seasonings, or a squirt of lemon if desired.

Step 3: Optionally, sprinkle on a handful of shredded parmesan or mozzarella cheese. Bake in a 400 oven for 7-10 minutes, until heated through and cheese is melted.

You can serve with extra lemon wedges for sprinkling over the slices. This is garlic and seafood heaven! It smells amazing, and tastes even better.

Oh, and I had only used half the dough on the clam pizza, so I took what vegetables were hanging out in the refrigerator and also made an awesome Brussels sprouts, beet, mushroom, and onion pizza!

Pizza dough you make yourself is delicious, and far more healthy than a packaged box full of leaveners, preservatives, flavorants, and who knows what other chemicals. When you make things at home, you know exactly what goes into them, save yourself some cashola (because it is almost always cheaper to make things from base ingredients than pay the convenience fee of someone else making it) and can add a little love too. 😉 That’s what my grandma always said, and I think she’s right.

How about you? Ever made pizza dough at home? What’s your favorite pizza topping?

Healthy, Salads, Side dishes, Sneaky Healthy, Uncategorized, Vegan, Vegetarian

Sweet & Sour Brussels Sprouts Salad

December 15, 2015 BudgetEpicurean Leave a comment

Ahhh the tiny but mighty Brussels sprout. The divider of nations. The cruciferous ruiner of relationships. You get the idea.

Brussels sprouts tend to be a very polarizing vegetable. For as many veggie lovers that swear by the carmelized candy that is roasted sprouts, there are another 1-2 sad souls who have been turned off by less-than-ideal preparations of boiled, rubbery, or wilty sprouts and swear off these delicate nutrition-packed powerhouses.

Brussels sprouts grow on stalks up to three feet tall, and each bud resembles a miniature cabbage, with a diameter of 1/2 -2 inches. Typically sold in grocery stores removed from the stalk, they can be found in farmers markets and some specialty stores still attached. They also are offered canned or frozen, though I cannot vouch for their nutrient content or flavor in such preparations.

Brussels sprouts are members of the family which includes broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage, known as Brassicas. These vegetables are lauded in nutrition circles for their hefty doses of vitamins A, C, and K, folate, and anti-inflammatory and potentially cancer-preventing compounds.

Taken from the website “world’s healthiest foods” (whfoods.com), Brussels sprouts have a whole host of healthful benefits:

“What’s New and Beneficial About Brussels Sprouts

Brussels sprouts can provide you with some special cholesterol-lowering benefits if you will use a steaming method when cooking them. The fiber-related components in Brussels sprouts do a better job of binding together with bile acids in your digestive tract when they’ve been steamed. When this binding process takes place, it’s easier for bile acids to be excreted, and the result is a lowering of your cholesterol levels. Raw Brussels sprouts still have cholesterol-lowering ability — just not as much as steamed Brussels sprouts.
Brussels sprouts may have unique health benefits in the area of DNA protection. A recent study has shown improved stability of DNA inside of our white blood cells after daily consumption of Brussels sprouts in the amount of 1.25 cups. Interestingly, it’s the ability of certain compounds in Brussels sprouts to block the activity of sulphotransferase enzymes that researchers believe to be responsible for these DNA-protective benefits.
For total glucosinolate content, Brussels sprouts are now known to top the list of commonly eaten cruciferous vegetables. Their total glucosinolate content has been shown to be greater than the amount found in mustard greens, turnip greens, cabbage, kale, cauliflower, or broccoli. In Germany, Brussels sprouts account for more glucosinolate intake than any other food except broccoli. Glucosinolates are important phytonutrients for our health because they are the chemical starting points for a variety of cancer-protective substances. All cruciferous vegetables contain glucosinolates and have great health benefits for this reason. But it’s recent research that’s made us realize how especially valuable Brussels sprouts are in this regard.
The cancer protection we get from Brussels sprouts is largely related to four specific glucosinolates found in this cruciferous vegetable: glucoraphanin, glucobrassicin, sinigrin, and gluconasturtiian. Research has shown that Brussels sprouts offer these cancer-preventive components in special combination.
Brussels sprouts have been used to determine the potential impact of cruciferous vegetables on thyroid function. In a recent study, 5 ounces of Brussels sprouts were consumed on a daily basis for 4 consecutive weeks by a small group of healthy adults and not found to have an unwanted impact on their thyroid function. Although follow-up studies are needed, this study puts at least one large stamp of approval on Brussels sprouts as a food that can provide fantastic health benefits without putting the thyroid gland at risk.” READ MORE HERE

For those who are wary of Brussels sprouts, from past experience or a lack of experience, try this salad to introduce them. Finely shaved sprouts are mixed with naturally sweet fruit (apples and raisins) and coated in a mixture of sweet and tangy dressing to produce a side salad, or even main dish, of healthy intent sneakily hiding under the guise of almost-dessert. Everyone can feel good about eating this. Try it at your next picnic, potluck, as a Thanksgiving or Christmas side dish, or just because it’s Tuesday night.

Ingredients:

1 pound Brussels sprouts, shredded or diced very finely
1 apple, diced very thin
1 tbsp honey
1 tbsp mustard
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp raisins

Step 1: Rinse your sprouts, and either use a shredder or a sharp knife to finely dice them, and put in a large bowl.

Step 2: In a separate bowl, mix the lemon juice, honey, mustard, vinegar and olive oil. Use as high quality an oil as you are able.

Step 3: Very finely dice and slice the apple. The best & quickest way is to rinse the apple, then slice into fourths. Cut out the middle core & seeds and discard. Then lay each quarter on a side, and thinly slice. Slice each of those in half and you should have very thin, bite-sized slivers of apple.

Step 4: Mix the shredded sprouts, apple slivers, and raisins in a bowl. Pour on the liquid dressing mixture, and toss well to coat. You can serve hot, cold, or room temperature. You can serve immediately, or let it sit in the refrigerator up to three days for the flavors to mix.

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Appetizers, Dips and Sauces, Healthy, Holidays, Vegetarian

Christmas Tree Appetizer Tray

December 6, 2015 BudgetEpicurean Leave a comment

With the holiday season come holiday parties. From friends to family reunions, cocktail hours and work gatherings, the holidays are rife with opportunity to eat things we normally wouldn’t, shouldn’t, and far more of them. You could choose to just eat yourself into a coma every week and deal with the consequences later. You could live a puritanical existence for the next few weeks, exercising iron will over all sweets and tasty delights. Or…

You could choose better options. You could nudge family, friends, and co-workers in a healthier direction. You could provide healthy yet delicious treats, so you know you will always have something healthful to enjoy at any get-together.

I know which option I choose each year.

Would you like to know the answer to one of life’s biggest questions? How can you be both happy and healthy all the time? The key to health and happiness, is moderation. Go ahead and indulge in the things that truly bring you joy, like the cookies you look forward to all year, spiral-sliced holiday ham, or your aunt’s amazing casserole. But know that means you must cut back in other areas. Don’t have every appetizer offered, three cups of eggnog, seconds and thirds at dinner, followed by an entire angel food cake roll.

And by bringing healthier options to any party or gathering, you virtually guarantee yourself at least one option that will be “safe” and you can indulge as much as you like. You are also giving everyone else at the party a healthy option they may not have considered previously.

This is an appetizer tray my mother had made for a party last year. You will notice that it not only looks very appealing, with its holiday themed tree shape, but it also has a whole cornucopia of options from broccoli to cheeses, to olives and grape tomatoes. This would be awesome to serve with a healthful dip on the side such as Black Bean Hummus, Lean Green Guacamole, or Radish, Onion & Herb cream cheese dip.

How to create an appetizer tree:

1 large head broccoli
1 can black olives
1 small jar green olives
Assorted cheese cubes
1 pint cherry tomatoes
Handful of pretzel sticks
Any other dipping veggies, cut into cubes or sticks

Step 1: Dice all your veggies into bite size pieces, and cube the cheeses. Drain the olives.

Step 2: In a large pan or on a serving platter, arrange the cheese and vegetables in layers, including at least 2 large layers of broccoli for the green color. Finish with a handful of pretzels on the bottom for the tree trunk.

You could get very creative with this, for example by including “ornaments” on the tree by using different colors of vegetables or fruits, or making different shapes. You could use cauliflower, red bell peppers and tomatoes to create a santa hat shape, or other types of finger foods arranged to look like wrapped gifts. Let your imagination run wild, and watch as the crowd gobbles up healthy nibbles happily!

Dips and Sauces, Healthy, Informative, Vegan, Vegetarian

Green Tomato Salsa

November 17, 2015 BudgetEpicurean Leave a comment

When you have lots of green tomatoes and are tired of fried green tomatoes, what else can you do besides wait for them to ripen? You can turn a whole bunch of them into salsa! Red tomatoes shouldn’t have all the fun. Salsa is a classic condiment, and is great on tacos, eggs, in soups, or on chicken or pork. Green tomato salsa has a unique vegetal taste that red tomato salsa can’t match. And once you’ve made a big batch, you could can the rest and have it all year long! Or give them as cute, thrifty, from-the-heart gifts.

This recipe includes no added sugar, you instead get some sweetness from baking apples. If you require your salsa to be sweeter, you can add in a tablespoon or two. I’d recommend apple cider vinegar over white, but you can also use white vinegar. Add hot peppers to your own spice preference level too. Same goes for sea salt, if you want some salt in your salsa. I prefer my salsa as plain and clean as possible so I know what is in it and can adjust the meal as a whole later when I use it.

Ingredients:

10 pounds green tomatoes
2-3 large green apples
1 red onion
1 head garlic
2 green bell peppers
1 hot pepper (serrano, jalapeno…)
1 cup apple cider vinegar

Step 1: This step definitely takes the longest, but is fun. Rinse your tomatoes and other produce, and chop everything into small bite-size pieces. I just did them in rotating batches of lots of tomatoes, then half the onion, then one pepper, etc. until everything was chopped up. Put it all in a big stock pot.

Step 2: Put the heat on medium-high, and add the cider vinegar. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer. Cover, and cook for at least one hour. You can go do something else while this is cooking down, and could probably do it in a slow cooker as well.

Step 3: If you want certain spices/flavorings (like bay leaves, cumin, sea salt, cilantro, etc) add them here.

Step 4: To use a pressure canner, consult the instructions for your machine. To use water bath canning, same prep work. Sterilize your empty jars by running through a dish washer cycle and/or boiling in plain water 20 minutes.

Step 5: Fill each jar up to 1 – 1/2 inch from the rim. Wipe the rim clean, and place a lid and ring on it, tightening it (but not too tight, you need air to escape). Here I tried the Tattler re-useable jar lids for the first time!

Step 6: Bring a large pot of water to a boil, and place the jars inside. Process the jars for about an hour. Adjust for your altitude if above sea level.

Step 7: Remove the jars to a towel, and let them sit, undisturbed, overnight or about 8 hours, to cool. The lids should “pop” tight and will not give or bounce when pressed. Put any unsealed jars in the refrigerator and use within 2 weeks. Store sealed jars in a cool, dark place for up to a year.

Healthy, Less than 5, Main Dishes, Vegetarian

Easy Stuffed Peppers

November 15, 2015 BudgetEpicurean Leave a comment

Do you love meals that don’t take much work? Do you want to eat healthier? Do you want healthy meal ideas that don’t take much work? You’ve come to the right place!

This is a super simple meal I had at work during my “track every thing I eat week“. It took less than 10 minutes in the morning to put together, then I just let it cook in our small toaster oven at work for an hour. By lunchtime it was hot and ready to go! With no preservative, added fats or sugars, and all fresh produce from my or my neighbor’s garden, it doesn’t get much better.

You can of course use whatever produce you have available to you. Other pepper colors can be sweeter (for example, red bell peppers) and you can stuff just about any vegetable in there. You can also use other grains if you don’t like couscous, for example rice, barley, quinoa, or wheat germ.

Ingredients:

2 small bell peppers
1 large tomato
1/2 small eggplant
6 tbsp couscous
2 garlic cloves
8 tbsp hot water

Step 1: Cut the tops off the peppers and pull out the seeds. Cut in half and lay in an oven-safe container. Chop the eggplant and garlic, and cut the tomato into quarters.

Step 2: Pour 1 1/2 tbsp couscous into the pepper, mix with chopped garlic, and top with eggplant pieces. Add 2 tbsp hot water to each half to get the couscous soaking. If you want to add some ground turkey, go for it. Cover with the tomato slices.

Step 3: In an oven or toaster oven, cook on high (350) for about 1 hour. Add more water to each pepper half as needed.

This is a lovely, hands-off meal, just assemble and let it go. It is light and healthy but packed with flavor.

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Budget Epicurean

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