Fresh Herbal Bouquet
I like to bring fresh herbal bouquets to dinner parties as a hostess gift, or surprise my co-workers with a bouquet to enjoy the aromas all day long in their office. This is a great inexpensive gift that is useful as well as beautiful!
Garden Vegetable Curry
The most frequently asked questions I get are “What does a vegetarian eat, salad and pasta?” and “How do you get your protein?” My sister had a great suggestion for me to share a balanced vegetarian meal each month in hopes of creating new cooking ideas for those unfamiliar with a vegetarian diet. My main source of protein comes from soy, whole grains, dairy, nuts, eggs, beans and legumes.
My sister introduced me to Indian food several years ago. I fell in love with the spicy flavors, and variety of vegetarian cuisine available. Most recently during her travels she sent a jar of her favorite curry paste home for me to try. The paste has the right mix of spices and oil to create a rich curry sauce.
We harvested our first two ichiban eggplants this week. Ichiban or Japanese eggplant are a skinny smaller version of the Italian eggplant. The Italian eggplants are tougher and require a 30 min. salting process before cooking. Ichiban eggplants do not require this process and the skins are softer making them easier to eat.
Our homegrown vegetable selection is in abundance, making it the perfect time to prepare and share my garden vegetable curry. This recipe is my first featured balanced meal of the month. I hope you will sample this one!
Garden Vegetable Curry:
Directions:
In a bowl, mix the pre-baked chopped tofu with your favorite store bought gluten free masala simmer sauce and cover with plastic wrap. Marinate the tofu in the refrigerator over night or for at least a couple of hours. Masala flavored tofu can also be found pre-marinated in some specialty grocery stores.
Heat olive oil in a large sauce pan or skillet over medium heat. Sauté the onion, garlic, potato and carrot for about 5 minutes. Add the curry paste, garam masala, chile and all the veggies to the pan (excluding the tomatoes and peas). Stir well making sure all ingredients are coated well with curry paste. Strain the tofu from the liquid and add to the pan. Cover and cook until vegetables are tender, stirring often (about 30 minutes).
Add the chopped tomatoes and frozen peas to the pan. Cook for additional 5 minutes. Stir in the yogurt until heated through, do not bring to a boil. Serve over a bed of brown basmati rice and enjoy with your favorite naan (Indian bread-not gluten free).
Serves 6-8
*items from Midwest Vegetarian garden
Veggie Spinach Wrap
This week we harvested many new vegetables, including our first grape tomatoes. There is nothing quite like a garden fresh tomato.
It has been said that we first eat with our eyes. I like to create rainbow-like dishes that are pleasing to all of our senses. This variety of color also provides us with much needed vitamins and nutrients to maintain a healthy body.
Creating new veggie wraps based on seasonal ingredients keeps it fresh and interesting. This week I paired fresh vegetables with Whipped Herb Goat Cheese (previous recipe) for a new and flavorful veggie wrap.
Veggie Spinach Wrap:
Directions:
Spread whipped herb goat cheese evenly on four spinach tortillas. This will act as a glue to hold the wrap together. In the center of the wrap, pile all chopped ingredients. Top with lettuce and spinach. Fold two ends in, and then tightly roll like a burrito. Slice the wrap in half on an angle. Makes a great lunch or serve each half as a colorful appetizer.
Serves 4
* items from Midwest Vegetarian garden
In recent years, goat cheese has become a staple in our house. Sampling delicious varieties at local farmers markets is always a joy. I wanted to create a new spread to enjoy on my veggie wraps. I hope you will enjoy the delicately whipped flavors.
Whipped Herb Goat Cheese:
Directions:
Mix cheese and herbs with electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add lemon juice, mix for additional minute. Spread on your favorite sandwich or use as a dip for freshly cut veggies.
Serves 4
*items from Midwest Vegetarian Garden
= Balanced Meal of The Month
Access midwestvegetarian.com on your mobile device and view all of our recipes in a special mobile format. It’s as easy as a tasty warm delicious pie.
The Lost Art of Canning
Canned Goods
Canning is a way of preserving your fruits and vegetables after the year’s harvest. This is a folkloric activity that has been performed for generations, and is thought to be a lost art. Our family tradition originally began in Sweden where my great-great grandmother canned out of necessity and then brought her techniques to America. The secret recipes have been passed down from generation to generation, and now my mother has passed them on to me. These delicious jars full of tomato chunks, tomato juice, pickles, green beans, salsa, beets and jams make wonderful gifts and are always appreciated.
Growing up, the month of August was always the prime canning time for my mother, and this year I joined in on the fun in hopes of keeping the family tradition alive. I was given a pressure canner and several boxes of jars from my aunt last fall, and looked forward to putting them to use this year.
This season, my mother and I have canned tomato chunks, which makes a great base for chili or vegetable soup, as well as V-12 tomato juice, which makes a flavorful tomato sauce or the perfect bloody mary cocktail. The tomato juice is wonderful by itself. My grandfather drank a glass of tomato juice that my grandmother made every morning for 51 years! All the items used to make these delicious canned goods are grown in our gardens. Store bought canned products are convenient, however the taste does not compare!
We look forward to preserving more items each weekend throughout the rest of the season. I relish the time spent with my mother, learning directly from her and look forward to sharing our folkloric tradition with my children some day. Although I can not share the secret recipe with you just yet (it may be released some day in my cookbook), I will share several recipes throughout the fall/winter months using these products.