Category Archives: Main Dishes

Buffalo Cauliflower “Wings”

Food, Game Day Recipes, Main Dishes, Recipes, Snacks & Appetizers, Vegetarian, , , , , , , , ,

Looking for a healthy option to replace the traditional Super Bowl wings?  These buffalo cauliflower “wings” are surprisingly good and easy to make.  Kitchen tested by husband, who loves chicken wings, gobbled them up!

Cauliflower Wings

Ingredients

  • 1 head cauliflower, washed and trimmed into bite size pieces
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 1 cup of flour
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 cup buffalo sauce
  • 1 tablespoon of butter, melted
  • Assorted veggies and bleu cheese or ranch dressing for dipping


Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees
  2. In a large bowl, whisk buttermilk and flour, and garlic until smooth.
  3. Carefully add cauliflower to the bowl and toss to coat with mixture. (I just used my hands)
  4. Place cauliflower in a single layer on a baking sheet. You may need to use two baking sheets. Bake for about 17 minutes. Keep watching and remove if starting to brown.
  5. Mix melted butter and buffalo sauce.
  6. Remove cauliflower from the oven and pour buffalo sauce over the pieces. I tried to gently move the cauliflower around with a spatula to coat with sauce.
  7. Return cauliflower back to the oven and bake for another 6-10 minutes. Let cool and serve with bleu cheese dip and assorted veggies.

Enjoy!

Vegetarian Black Bean Enchiladas

Food, Main Dishes, Recipes, Vegetarian, , , , , ,

Healthy family meals don’t need to be expensive. This dinner feeds six people and cost me about $14.00 to make.  It can also be prepared ahead of time and heated up in a few minutes. You could also add rotisserie chicken, ground turkey, or beef for meat eaters, but you really don’t even miss the meat. This is also made with a simple, delicious, homemade enchilada sauce.

Black Bean Enchiladas

Sauce Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons oil or  butter
  • 2 tablespoons flour
  • 5 teaspoons red chili powder
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons cumin
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 1  6 ounce can of tomato paste
  • 2 1/4 cups water
  • salt and pepper to taste


Sauce directions

  1. Heat oil or butter in a sauce pan.
  2. Add flour to pan to make roux.
  3. Add spices and tomato paste. Stir until well blended into roux.
  4. Add water gradually, stirring constantly.
  5. Heat until boiling.
  6. Continue simmering and stirring until desired thickened. About 4 minutes.

This sauce can be made ahead of time and stored in an airtight container in the fridge.


Ingredients

  • 1 package whole wheat or corn tortillas
  • 2 cans black beans drained and rinsed
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 handful cilantro chopped
  • 1  onion diced
  • one large red or green pepper, diced
  • 1 small can green chilies or fresh diced  jalapenos (or all of these!)
  • 1/2 cup sour cream or Greek yogurt
  • 1 1/2 cups shredded Monterey jack cheese (or whatever kind you like) (divided)
  • 1/2 lime (juice and zest)
  • 1 Tablespoon cumin
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 
  2. In a large pan saute onions, peppers, and garlic. Pour into a large bowl and add the black beans. Add about half of the cilantro, half the shredded cheese, sour cream or yogurt, then the lime and spices. Mix until coated.
  3. Pour about a 1/2
  4. cup of enchilada sauce on the bottom of an ungreased baking dish. Fill each tortilla with the black bean mixed and roll so seam side is facing down in dish. Repeat until the dish is filled. Pour the rest of the enchilada sauce over the filled tortillas. Top with cheese and bake uncovered for about 25 minutes until cheese is nice and bubbly.
  5. Garnish with cilantro and top with favorite toppings.

Enjoy!

Meatless Monday is Back Again!

Food, Main Dishes, Recipes, Vegetarian, , ,

Oven baked risotto. This is an easy hearty dish that can be served as a side or main dish. Almost any veggie will work in this dish. The possibilities are endless!

risotto01

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 small onion, finely chopped
  • 3/4 cup arborio rice
  • 1/4 cup white wine (optional)
  • 2 to 2  1/4 cups hot water
  • 1/2 cup vegetable broth
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 2 cups fresh spinach leaves
  • 1/2 cup sun dried tomatos, chopped
  • 1/4 cup fresh parmesan cheese
  • handful fresh basil and parsley (can sprinkle in dried if you do not have fresh)

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In an ovenproof dutch oven or large saucepan. If you do not have an oven proof pan, cook as directed and transfer to a baking dish. Heat oil and saute onion until translucent. About 2-3 minutes. Add the rice and cook, stirring until covered with oil, about 1 minute. 
  2. Stir in the wine and cook until completely evaporated. Stir in 1 1/2 cups of water. the broth, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and add spinach, sun dried tomatos, and fresh herbs. Cook until spinach is wilted. Cover, and transfer to oven and bake until most of the liquid it absorbed by the rice, 20-25 minutes.
  3. Remove from oven and stir in 1/2 to 3/4 cup of water until the risotto is nice and creamy.  Stir in cheese. Serve immediately. This recipe would be great with just about any veggie you have on hand. Mushrooms, asparagus, peppers, fresh tomato, zucchini, anything really!

Vegetarian Quinoa Chili

Main Dishes, Recipes, Vegetarian, , , ,

Don’t let being a vegetarian keep you from eating chili this winter.  Quinoa is a great healthy alternative.

Vegetarian-Quinoa-Chili

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup quinoa, cooked
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 jalapeno pepper, diced
  • 1 large carrot, diced
  • 2 celery stalks, diced
  • 1 red bell pepper, diced
  • 3/4 cup of corn
  • 1 medium zucchini, diced
  • 2 (15 ounce) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 (15 ounce) can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
  • 3 (15 ounce) cans diced tomatoes
  • 1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
  • 2-3 tablespoons chili powder
  • 1 tablespoon ground cumin
  • Salt and black pepper to taste

Directions

  1. Cook quinoa according to package directions and set aside.
  2. In a large pot, heat the olive oil.  Add the onion and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic, jalapeño, carrot, celery, peppers, and zucchini. Cook until vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes.
  3. Add the black beans, kidney beans, tomatoes, and tomato sauce. Stir in the cooked quinoa. Season with chili powder, cumin, salt, and black pepper. Simmer chili on low for about 30 minutes. Top with cheese, cilantro, greek yogurt, or avocado slices.


Inspired by Two Peas & Their Pod.

Rosemary Lemon Tilapia

Main Dishes, Recipes, , , ,

Fresh from our garden, Rosemary’s a great year round herb that goes great with Tilapia and many other tasty dishes.

Research has shown that Rosemary helps to prevent cancer and many other health disorders.   And using lemon and olive oil helps keep the calories to a minimum.

Ingredients

  • Thawed tilapia filets (preferably wild caught)
  • Tblsp olive oil or coconut oil
  • Fresh lemon slices
  • 2-3 sprigs of fresh rosemary  (snipped)
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

  1. Pre heat oven to 375 degrees.
  2. Rinse and pat dry tilapia filets.
  3. Spray baking sheet with lightly with cooking spray. Place tilapia on baking sheet and drizzle with oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, add  fresh lemon slices, and top with fresh snipped rosemary.
  4. Bake for approximately 15-20 minutes depending on thickness of filets.

“Lights Out” Thai Shrimp Bisque

Main Dishes, Recipes, , , ,

Even when the power’s out, it’s still possible to cook a warm healthy meal using the grill.  Thai Shrimp Bisque…Yummy!


Ingredients (adapted from a cooking light recipe)

Marinade

  • 1 1/2 pounds uncooked shrimp peeled (reserve shells)
  • 1 1/2 tbsp grated lime rind
  • 1/3 cup fresh lime juice
  • 1 1/2 ground coriander
  • 1 tbsp fresh cilantro
  • 1 tbsp minced fresh ginger
  • 1 1/2 tsp sugar
  • pinch of pepper
  • 2 crushed garlic cloves

Shrimp Stock

  • 2 cups vegetable broth
  • 1/4 cup white wine
  • 1 tbsp tomato paste

Soup

  • 1 tsp olive oil
  • 1/2 cup chopped onion
  • 1/2 cup chopped celery
  • 1 14oz can light coconut milk
  • 1 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1/4 cup flour
  • 1 cup milk of choice (I used almond)

Directions (cooked on a gas grill burner)

  1. Marinade shrimp with the first 8 ingredients.
  2. For the stock, combine reserved shrimp shells, veggie broth, wine and one tablespoon of tomato paste in large pot. Bring mixture to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer until liquid is reduced to one cup. (about 10 minutes)  Drain mixture over a bowl and discard the shells.
  3. For the soup, using the same pot, heat oil and add onion and celery and saute.  Add shrimp stock, coconut milk, one more tablespoon of tomato paste and bring mixture to a boil.  Combine flour and milk with a whisk and add to the pot.  Reduce heat and simmer until thick (about 5 minutes).  Add the shrimp and marinade and cook for about 5 minutes.

Enjoy.