Mr. Prof designer home

As you might know, we've been trying to eat more vegetarian meals lately (well, mostly vegetarian since I still use chicken broth instead of vegetable broth). One of our favorite dishes is beef stroganoff, so when Lishie posted a recipe for Mushroom Stroganoff I had a feeling it would be right up our alley. SP is a huge mushroom fan so this was destined to be a winner.

Overall I think the concept of this dish is good but the flavors were lacking. I went back to our favorite Skillet Beef Stroganoff recipe and decided to simply omit the beef from that version and reprint it here. Yes, that recipe uses both chicken and beef broth (two essential flavor components, in my opinion) so it isn't actually vegetarian but I think both the cooking method of boiling the noodles in the liquid and the flavor profile will yield better results. I can't wait to make this again using this version.


Mushroom Stroganoff
Adapted from America's Test Kitchen Easy Skillet Suppers

Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
8 ounces white mushrooms, sliced thin
8 ounces baby bell mushrooms, sliced thin
1 onion, chopped fine
2 tablespoons flour
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 1/2 cups beef broth
1/3 cup brandy
1/3 pound wide egg noodles (3 cups)
2/3 cup sour cream
2 teaspoons lemon juice

Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a skillet until shimmering. Cook mushrooms, onion, and 1/2 teaspoon salt until liquid from mushrooms has evaporated, about 8 minutes. Stir in flour and cook for 30 seconds, then add both broths and the brandy.

Stir noodles into mushroom mixture, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until noodles are tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Off heat, stir in sour cream and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper.

Lately I've been obsessed with stuffed portobello mushrooms. They're a great vegetarian option that's hearty enough to serve as a main dish. Plus SP loves mushrooms so it's almost a foregone conclusion that he'll enjoy dinner. These Goat Cheese, Tomato & Basil Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms are another delicious recipe from Brianna over at Oiishi Food.

Just like the last time I made one of her stuffed portobello recipes, I modified the directions for the oven. We use a charcoal grill and it can be hard to control the heat of the fire.

I decided to change the cheese to feta because I needed some for another recipe later in the week. I would love to try these with goat cheese because I love the creaminess, but the feta worked very well. I also realized these were a lot like the Greek Pita Pizzas I made awhile back, which call for shredded mozzarella on top, so I added some to the mushrooms. I also wilted the spinach before adding it to the mushrooms because it tends to give off a lot of liquid and I didn't want to water them down.

These were hearty and delicious, served with crusty bread to sop up all the sauce from the balsamic, oil and tomatoes. Thanks for another winner, Brianna!

Feta, Tomato & Basil Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms
Modified from Oishii Food

4 portobello mushrooms
Balsamic vinegar
Extra virgin olive oil
Dried oregano
Kosher salt & freshly ground pepper
1 large tomato, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
4oz feta cheese, crumbled
Cooking spray
1/2 bag baby spinach
4oz mozzarella, shredded

Preheat the oven to 425. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Using a knife, scrape the brown gills out of the mushroom caps. Discard gills. Remove and discard stems. Place mushroom caps on a large plate and drizzle both sides with balsamic vinegar, olive oil, and season with dried oregano, salt and pepper.

In a small bowl, toss the chopped tomato with the garlic, fresh basil and oregano, crumbled feta and a little splash each of balsamic vinegar and olive oil. Season to taste with salt. Set aside.

Place the mushrooms, gill side facing down, on the baking sheet and roast for 10 minutes. Flip so the mushrooms are gill side up and roast for another 5 minutes.

While the mushrooms are cooking, spray a non-stick skillet with cooking spray. Heat over medium heat, then add the baby spinach. Toss until wilted. Allow to cool slightly.

Remove the mushrooms from the oven. Place a few pieces of wilted spinach in the caps, then top with a few spoonfuls of the tomato and feta mixture. Sprinkle with some shredded mozzarella cheese.

Return to the oven and cook until the mushrooms are tender and the filling is warmed, about 5-7 minutes.

I don't know about you but side dishes frustrate me. I find myself making the same boring things over and over again because they're either easy or because I'm too lazy to think of something better. I had seen this recipe for Chickpea Salad with Tomatoes, Lemon, and Herbs on Kelsey's blog awhile back and thought it sounded like a great, light side dish (she serves it as a main course).

Then I completely forgot about it until I was trying to come up with something to serve with black bean burgers from the freezer. It needed to be something I could make in advance since I was planning to serve it for dinner on a Tuesday after my exercise class. Baby Girl and I threw together a half order after I picked her up from daycare and it sat in the fridge until SP and I enjoyed it about 4 hours later. I think it got better the next day once the flavors had married a little more and I finished it off for lunch.

I'm excited to have a new quick and easy side dish in my repertoire. This went well with the black bean burgers (I had mine with mashed avocado and it was divine). It would also go great with grilled chicken, steak, pork chops, seafood, portabello mushrooms, alongside a traditional burger or chicken sandwich, or as a salad tossed with chopped lettuce.

Chickpea Salad with Tomatoes, Lemon, and Herbs
As seen on Apple a Day, adapted from Bon Appetit, April 2011

2 (15-oz.) cans low-sodium chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 1/2 cup halved cherry tomatoes
1 medium shallot, thinly sliced
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
Zest of one lemon
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1-2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 small garlic cloves, minced or pressed
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon each coarse sea salt and black pepper, plus more to taste

Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl and mix thoroughly. Taste salad and adjust seasonings as desired. The salad can (and should) be made ahead of time and chilled to allow the flavors to marry.

This was a Friday night dinner that I threw together after looking through the fridge and freezer for inspiration. We always have cheese ravioli in the freezer for Baby Girl, so that was my first stop. We also had some tomatoes a friend of mine gave me from her garden, as well as one ear of corn. I'd recently made pesto so I decided that would be the sauce.

Ravioli with Tomato, Corn and Pesto

1 ear of corn
2 ripe tomatoes, diced
Pesto
1 lb cheese ravioli, cooked according to package directions

Microwave the corn, 4 minutes per ear, inside the husk. Carefully remove from the microwave (it will be hot). Cut off the stem end and hold by the top, shaking to loosen the corn. Or just peel off the husks. Cut the kernels off the cob and place in a bowl. Add the diced tomatoes.

Add the cooked and drained ravioli to the bowl with the corn and tomatoes. Toss to combine, then add pesto starting with 1 tablespoon, tossing to coat each time until there's enough sauce.

I'm actually surprised by how much we both love tofu. I know it's good for us and it's a great substitute for meat, but I didn't think we would both be head over heels for it. So far I've made 4 different tofu dishes and we've loved them all. This is shocking to me since my husband had always been a meat and potatoes kind of guy. If I served him a meatless meal the first thing he'd ask is, "where's the meat?" quickly followed by, "you know, some bacon would make this better."

This Kung Pao Tofu is another take-out fake-out (to quote Rachael Ray) that is actually better than anything we could get at a local Chinese restaurant. The flavors were outstanding and the fresh veggies and crispy tofu rounded out the meal. I made a few modifications to the original recipe, adding some chicken broth (or you could use vegetable to keep it vegetarian) and a few splashed of fish sauce to bump up the amount of sauce. We like our stir-fries saucy, what can I say. I don't have coconut oil so I cooked everything in canola oil and it worked just fine.

Between the 30 minutes to bake the tofu and the actual cooking time of the dish, this is not exactly a weeknight-friendly meal unless you get home from work early. Unfortunately we think Baby Girl might have a mild peanut allergy so she didn't get to sample this meal. I took these pictures before I remembered the green onion garnish, which I added before we ate and definitely helped brighten up the dish.



Kung Pao Tofu
Modified from Prevention RD

Cooking spray
2 blocks extra firm tofu, pressed and drained, then cubed
2/3 cup roasted peanuts
2 tablespoons canola oil
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, or more to taste
1 large red bell pepper, sliced into strips
12 oz mushrooms, sliced
4 green onions, sliced and divided
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
4 tablespoons soy sauce
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 inch piece fresh ginger, grated
1 cup chicken (or vegetable) broth
A couple shakes of fish sauce, optional

Preheat oven to 425 F. Line a baking sheet with tin foil and spray well with non-stick cooking spray. Arrange tofu on the baking sheet and lightly mist with oil. Bake for 30 minutes, turning the cubes after 15 minutes.

Heat canola oil in a wok over medium-high heat. Add peanuts and red pepper flakes and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently. Add tofu and stir. Add bell pepper and mushrooms and cook another 1 -2 minutes.

Add half of the green onions, vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, ginger, chicken/vegetable broth and fish sauce. Reduce heat and allow sauce to thicken for 2-3 minutes. Serve over cooked rice topped with remaining green onions.

I love fried zucchini but I don't like the grease or the calories that come along with the traditional breaded variety. As soon as Tara posted these Crispy Baked Zucchini Fries I knew I needed to try them. For one thing, there's NO oil in this recipe. None. The only fat comes from the egg and the seasoned panko gives these a deliciously crunchy bite.

When I weighed the zucchini at the store I was surprised to see that two small zucchini = slightly over 1 lb. It didn't seem like it would be enough but I had more than enough to cover my baking sheet. I'm glad I didn't cut the recipe in half because we inhaled these. My mom and I enjoyed 3/4 of the tray ourselves and SP finished them off when he got home from work. Baby Girl loved the raw zucchini (with the green skin, please), but wouldn't touch them breaded and baked. Go figure. I served them with ranch dressing for dipping, which was perfect.

I loved these so much I put zucchini on the shopping list so we could have them again the following week. It's a great guilt-free way to enjoy zucchini. Make them soon!

Crispy Baked Zucchini Fries
From Confections of a Foodie Bride, as seen on Smells Like Home

2 eggs
2 cups Panko breadcrumbs
1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 cup flour
1 lb zucchini, cut into 4-5-inch long sticks, about 1/2-inch wide

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line a 12×18-inch baking sheet with parchment paper.

Whisk the eggs together until bubbly in a shallow pie dish or bowl. In another shallow pie dish or bowl (glass baking dishes work great too), stir the breadcrumbs, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper together until well-blended. Set both dishes aside.

Place the flour in a large zipper bag (gallon-size works best) and toss in all of the zucchini sticks. Seal the bag well and shake up the zucchini until all of the sticks are coated with flour.

Taking a few sticks at a time, roll them around in the beaten egg then coat them in the breadcrumbs, lightly patting the breadcrumbs onto the zucchini if needed. Try to not to handle the zucchini too much at this point or the breading with fall off. Carefully transfer the sticks to the baking sheet, spacing them about 1/2-inch apart. You’ll be able to fit the entire pound of zucchini on a 12×18-inch baking sheet, so push them close together if needed. Repeat with remaining zucchini sticks.

Bake for 18-22 minutes until golden brown and delicious-looking. Serve with ranch dressing or marinara sauce.

The best way would be to reheat these is in a 375 degree oven for 5-7 minutes until they are heated through.

Once I started cooking with tofu I asked the ladies on my cooking board for some recipe recommendations. My friend Mary Ellen listed this Sweet and Spicy Tofu with Green Beans as one of her favorites.

I had a few mishaps making this, mainly mistaking the oyster sauce in the fridge for hoisin sauce. No biggie, I just used the oyster sauce. Stir fries are so forgiving. I also ran out of sherry, so I used rice wine vinegar to make up the difference. I was running late getting dinner on the table and the sauce was taking forever to thicken, so I made a slurry with cornstarch and some water and mixed that in to thicken the sauce quickly. I love cornstarch in stir fries - it makes the sauce so velvety and sooth.


I doubled the recipe so we'd have leftovers for lunch. And speaking of leftovers, I had half an avocado in the fridge from earlier in the week. I've seen a few Asian dishes with avocado so I thought I'd dice it up and throw it in with my leftovers. All I can say is WOW. I added an avocado to the ingredient list as optional but I HIGHLY recommend adding it in if you love avocado. Not only did it help temper the spice from the sriracha, the creamy texture was a great compliment to the crispy green beans and water chestnuts.

I'm really loving cooking with tofu and this dish was no exception. A delicious, spicy sauce and healthy to boot. Win-win!

Sweet and Spicy Tofu with Green Beans
As seen on Mary Ellen's Cooking Creations

1 block of extra-firm tofu, drained and pressed and cut into 1 inch pieces
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon sesame oil
2 tablespoons hoisin (or oyster sauce)
1 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar
3 tablespoons light soy sauce
3 tablespoons dry cooking sherry (or rice wine vinegar)
2 teaspoons chili garlic paste (sriracha)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 lb green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
1/2 small onion, sliced
1/2 can water chestnuts, sliced
1/2 cup chicken or vegetable broth
1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons water
1/2 avocado, diced (optional)

Heat olive oil and sesame oil in a large saute pan or wok. Add tofu; cook until browned on all sides, about 12 minutes. Remove to a plate lined with paper towels.

Add garlic and onions to the wok, saute 1-2 minutes. Add water chestnuts and green beans, saute 1-2 minutes.

Mix hoisin, brown sugar, soy sauce, sherry, chili garlic paste, and broth. Add to the pan and bring to a simmer. Return tofu to the pan; let cook a few minutes. Reduce heat and add the cornstarch mixed with water. Let simmer to thicken.

Serve over rice or noodles topped with diced avocado, if desired.

After the success of the Spinach and Cheese Stuffed Portabellos I went searching for more ways to cook portabello mushrooms. I love stuffing/topping them with delicious ingredients and they make an excellent, hearty, vegetarian dinner. Brianna recently posted this recipe for Grilled Portabello Mushrooms with Goat Cheese & Caper-Olive-Red Pepper Relish, so I put it on the menu.

Brianna grilled hers but since it was threatening to storm I opted to do them in the oven. I've modified the directions below but if you want to do them on the grill click through to her blog. I knew SP would be skeptical because he isn't a big olive fan (the man doesn't really like Mediterranean/Greek flavors), but even he thought these were delicious. The topping is very tangy from the olives and capers, which I love. They took next to no time to prepare, mainly because I chopped everything for the relish the night before, as well as roasted the pepper. It was great to just scrape the mushrooms and bake them. Easy peasy!

Portabello Mushrooms with Goat Cheese & Caper-Olive-Red Pepper Relish
Slightly modified from Oishii

4 large portobello mushrooms
1 teaspoon + 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided use
Worcestershire sauce
Soy sauce
Salt & pepper
1/2 small red bell pepper or 1 roasted red pepper
1/4 cup roughly chopped kalamata olives
1/4 cup roughly chopped Spanish olives with pimentos
1 1/2 teaspoons minced capers
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
1 small garlic clove, minced
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
4 oz. soft, fresh goat cheese, at room temperature

Preheat the oven to 425. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Twist the stems off the portobello mushrooms and scrape the gills out using a butter knife or spoon, discarding stems and gills. Mix the 1 teaspoon oil, a splash of soy sauce, and a splash of Worcestershire in a small bowl. Brush the caps and inside with the mixture. Place the mushrooms, gill side facing down, on the baking sheet and roast for 10 minutes. Flip so the mushrooms are gill side up and roast for another 5 minutes.

In a medium bowl, toss together the olives, capers, parsley, garlic, oregano, and olive oil to combine. Remove the seeds and ribs from the bell pepper half. Char over a gas flame until the skin blisters, or broil in a toaster oven. Place in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Allow to steam for 10 minutes, then remove the blistered skin. Chop roughly. Add to olive-caper mixture.

Remove mushrooms from the oven. Carefully spoon some goat cheese into each mushroom cap and spread into a thin layer. Spoon the olive-caper-pepper relish on top of the goat cheese. Return to the oven and cook until the mushrooms are tender and the filling is warmed, about 5 minutes.

I have to say, I'm really starting to get into this whole vegetarian thing. Don't get me wrong, we aren't giving up meat entirely but I'm finding that I don't really miss it. We are eating mostly vegetarian meals during the week and tofu has become my new go-to. Not only is it cheap ($1.69 per block at my store), it's a blank canvas. I'm so happy my friend Mary Ellen has a variety of tofu recipes on her blog like this one for Tofu Parm with Spinach and Mushrooms. Otherwise I'd be stuck with stir-fries and that would get really old, really fast.

SP was a little skeptical of how healthy this is since I shallow-fried the tofu cubes in oil, but I figure the benefits of the tofu, mushrooms, spinach and homemade sauce helps to balance it out. Man, SP makes an incredible Sunday sauce, let me tell you. He simmered it all day and the house smelled amazing. I need to get him in the kitchen more often. This was a filling, delicious, flavorful meal that I can't wait to make it again. Even Baby Girl chowed down on the tofu (she skipped the spinach and mushrooms, oh well).

Tofu Parm with Spinach and Mushrooms
As seen on Mary Ellen's Cooking Creations

2 blocks extra firm tofu, pressed and drained
Canola oil
2 eggs, beaten with 2 tablespoons water
1 cup bread crumbs
1/2 teaspoon each - salt, pepper, garlic powder, oregano, onion powder, red pepper flakes
2 cups marinara
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 bag baby spinach
12 ounces chopped fresh mushrooms

Cut the pressed and drained tofu into 24 squares (each block into 12 squares). Heat enough oil to coat the bottom of a non-stick saute pan over medium heat. Add egg and water to one pie plate, breadcrumbs and seasonings to another. Dip tofu in egg, then coat in bread crumbs. Add tofu to the pan and fry until golden-brown, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels.

Pour half of the sauce in the bottom of a 9 x 13" baking dish. Add tofu in a single layer, and top each piece with a bit of sauce and cheese.

Clean out the pan and add a touch more oil. Saute mushrooms 4-5 minutes. Sprinkle over tofu in baking dish. Saute the spinach until wilted. Spread over the tofu. Top everything with more cheese. Bake at 375 for 20 minutes until cheese melts.

We used to eat pierogies all the time. I'm not sure what changed. I think SP decided he was tired of them so I stopped buying them. A few months ago I saw Christina from Tales from a Mad Men Kitchen make this Bacon Pierogie Bake twice in a matter of weeks. She recommended adding broccoli, which I can't believe I didn't think of myself considering I served steamed broccoli with this the last time I made it, not to mention I used to serve broccoli with pierogies all the time.


I decided to leave out the bacon in order to make this mostly vegetarian (I still used chicken broth so it's not a true vegetarian meal). I was a little worried when I opened the package of pierogies and there were only 12 of them, but the broccoli made this a filling meal. I love the flavors, especially the tomato and green onions mixing with the cream cheese sauce. Baby Girl loved this dish, proclaiming it "yummy, yummy in my tummy."

Broccoli Pierogie Bake
From Cooking Light, as seen on Tales from a Mad Men Kitchen

1 (16-ounce) package frozen potato and onion pierogies (such as Mrs. T's)
Cooking spray
2 broccoli crowns, cut into florets
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 ounces cream cheese
1/2 cup chicken broth (or vegetable broth)
2 ounces shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1/4 cup thinly diagonally sliced green onions
1/4 cup chopped seeded plum tomato
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 400°.

Steam broccoli until tender. Coat an 11 x 7 baking dish with cooking spray. Arrange the broccoli and frozen pierogies in the dish.

Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Add cream cheese to pan, and cook for 1 minute or until cream cheese begins to melt, stirring frequently. Gradually add chicken broth to pan, stirring with a whisk until smooth. Pour the cream cheese mixture evenly over pierogies. Top evenly with cheddar cheese.

Bake for 20 minutes or until bubbly and thoroughly heated. Remove from oven, and sprinkle with green onions, tomato, and pepper. Put back in the oven and cook for another 10 minutes. Serve.

Note - if you want a saucier dish, double the sauce ingredients (garlic, cream cheese, broth and cheese).

I have a food confession. Until I made this recipe I had never cooked tofu. I'd eaten it a handful of times, mainly when my vegetarian aunt visits and we get Chinese food to share. I was missing out.

I've mentioned several times that I'm trying to cook healthier meals, but lately we've been tossing around the idea of going mostly vegetarian. We won't cut out all meat, but we've decided to make a concerted effort to eat meat less often, maybe twice a week. This goes for everything from red meat to chicken.

Enter the humble tofu. All I really know about tofu is that it tastes like whatever you cook it in. I've had my eye on this Chili Lime Tofu with Rice and Spinach for awhile now, so when it was submitted for the last recipe swap I knew I had to make it. As luck would have it, I was given Stefanie's blog for this swap and the stars aligned. Stefanie really enjoyed the dish and Heather, the blogger that gave the recipe to Stefanie, loves it so much so that she puts it on her weekly menu every other week. That's a serious recommendation, so I figured what better recipe to try for my first tofu experience.


We loved this. Absolutely loved it. SP said if this is the kind of stuff he needs to be eating to stay healthy it wouldn't be as hard as he thought. The flavors from the sauce were outstanding. I doubled the sauce and I'm glad I did. There wouldn't have been nearly enough otherwise. The crispy tofu was delicious, although we decided I needed to cut the slices thicker. The thinner pieces were too chewy while the thicker ones were just right.

I also had a minor mishap with the tofu due to my own ignorance of how to prepare it. I started slicing the tofu, marveling at the amount of water that was coming out of the brick and wondering how it was going to get crispy in the skillet. Then I reread the directions and realized I needed to press and drain it. A quick Google search led me to instructions. I've added the steps to the ingredient list below for other tofu novices.

Chili Lime Tofu with Rice and Spinach
As seen on Kickin It in the Kitch, originally from Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks

1 cup jasmine, basmati or white rice
1 1/2 cups water
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 limes
1 teaspoon nutmeg
2 tablespoons sugar
6 tablespoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons garlic chili pepper sauce
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 package extra-firm tofu
2 cups fresh spinach
1 tablespoon sesame oil
2 garlic cloves, minced

In a medium sized saucepan combine the rice, water, salt, zest of 1 lime, and nutmeg. Cook according to the package directions.

In a small bowl combine the sugar, soy sauce, garlic chili pepper sauce, garlic cloves, and juice of both limes. Mix well and set aside.

Unwrap the tofu. Place on a plate lined with 4 paper towels. Cover with 4 more paper towels and weigh down with a plate or skillet topped with heavy cans. Allow to press and drain for 30 minutes - 1 hour. Once drained, slice the tofu into 4 slices lengthwise. Cut each rectangle in half then each square into two triangles. Spray a skillet with cooking spray and cook the tofu for 10 minutes on each side or until it is golden brown.

Lower the heat and pour the chili lime sauce over top of the tofu. The sauce will bubble up, reduce, and form a glaze. Watch carefully so the glaze doesn't become too thick. Remove from heat once the sauce is at your desired consistency.

In a medium pan sauté the spinach, sesame oil, and garlic. Cook for 5 minutes or until the spinach is wilted but still green. Serve the rice topped with spinach with the tofu on top.

I had two more Black Bean Burgers in the freezer and wanted an easy, no-fuss dinner for the end of the week. I had seen this Avocado Basil Cream on How Sweet It Is so I thought I'd give it a whirl.


Please forgive the photos. I thought I'd try my hand at those staging shots so many bloggers do with the ingredients and the finished product. I even edited both of these photos in PicMonkey, although I doubt you can tell. My photography is a work in progress, that's for sure.

Anyway, on to the cream. It was delicious but I did modify it a bit. I've been burned before by avocado creams that have way too much sour cream, so much that you can't taste the avocado anymore. I was worried that this recipe had too much and since I was only using half an avocado to begin with I decreased the sour cream substantially. I also added lemon juice because I felt it needed a little something to brighten and lighten it up. It was delicious paired with the black bean burgers.

A funny story - Baby Girl insists on helping me in the kitchen these days (not that I'm complaining, I love it) and I also want her to taste and smell the ingredients. I offered her avocado, which she declined, but as soon as I opened the sour cream she asked for a taste. I ended up spoon feeding her at least 1 tablespoon of sour cream before I cut her off. First lemons and now sour cream? The kid is weird.

Avocado Basil Cream
Modified from How Sweet It Is

1 tablespoon sour cream
1 avocado, chopped
10 medium basil leaves, chopped
1/4 teaspoon salt
Pinch of pepper
Lemon juice, to taste

Add sour cream, avocado, basil, a pinch of salt and pepper to a food processor, blending to combine. Once somewhat smooth, add lemon juice, blending a bit and then tasting. Keep tasting and seasoning until you're happy.

Nicole isn't usually a fan of eggplant, but this Spicy Eggplant hit the spot after a long day:


I was skeptical of the blue cheese in tomato sauce but my Pasta with Tomato-Blue Cheese Sauce ended up being delicious:


Heather enjoyed how the flavors blended together in her Zucchini, Squash, and Tomato Gratin:


Dawn's Summer Vegetable Pie was the essence of summer in a pie:


Elisha isn't normally a fan of quinoa but she ended up really liking her Quinoa with Roasted Garlic, Tomatoes, and Spinach:


Christine loves spinach and artichoke dip but felt her Spinach and Artichoke Stuffed Portabellas was missing a little something, though nothing a little tweaking can't fix:


Nichole loved her Sauceless Garden Lasagna despite the fact that her husband won't eat zucchini or tomatoes:


Lindsay was excited when she saw Black Bean Patties with Corn Relish and Avocado Cream in her Inbox. They turned out to be delicious:


Kate was worried that making Homemade Manicotti would be too difficult but it was surprisingly easy and tasty:


Stefanie really enjoyed her Chili Lime Tofu despite being nervous about cooking tofu:


Ali made Jaida's Black Bean and Avocado Quesadillas. She doesn't have a blog so here is her review: I enjoyed this quesadilla. I cooked it on my panini press rather than in the pan. I find that it just cooks faster and crispier. Overall a great recipe that I'll make again but I will add something else for texture. I didn't add anything this time as I didn't want to change the recipe but perhaps some grilled chicken or crisp peppers. It needed some texture on the inside as the combination of avocado, black beans and cheese is pretty uniform. Delicious none the less and a fun first swap!


Mary Ellen was happy to find a healthier recipe for Lightened-up Eggplant Parm


Jenni also made Eggplant Parmesan, although this version isn't breaded:


Jenna used her Black Bean and Corn Dip to make tacos with sweet potatoes:


Jaida's Warm Chickpea Salad was a great light lunch:


Jey loves burgers and her Black Bean and Corn Burgers were a hit:


Nicole had to turn her enchiladas into a Veggie Enchilada Bake, but the flavors were still great:


Kristina wasn't able to use round pasta for her aptly named dish, Round Pasta, but she still enjoyed it:


Ashley enjoyed her Black Bean Salsa as a light summery salsa:

I'm particularly proud of this recipe for a number of reasons, the main one being SP absolutely loved it. Now, I did kind of stack the deck with a stuffed mushroom because the man loves, loves, loves mushrooms, but it's still a vegetarian meal. Despite needing to eat less meat/eat healthier he's not exactly thrilled by all these changes to his diet.

The other reason I'm so proud is because I had to modify this recipe, the original being Lasagna-Stuffed Portabellos. I had half a container of ricotta in the fridge that I assumed would be OK. When I opened it, however, I realized it had gone rancid. Not a good smell. I decided to forge ahead by wilting the spinach I'd planned to serve on the side and add it to the filling. I was worried these would be too dry but they were perfect. I didn't even miss the ricotta, whose absence made this a much healthier meal. Score!

Spinach and Cheese Stuffed Portabellos
Inspired by Pink Parsley

4 cloves garlic, minced and divided
1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning, divided
2 tablespoons olive oil
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 portabello mushroom caps
1 bag baby spinach
1/4 cup Parmesan, plus 2-3 tablespoons for sprinkling over mushrooms
4 oz. fresh mozzarella, divided
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1/4 cup breadcrumbs
About 1 cup marinara sauce

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Use a butter knife to scrape the gills out of the mushroom caps.

In a small bowl, combine 1 clove minced garlic, 1/4 teaspoon of the Italian seasoning, olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste. Brush the inside and outside of the caps with the mixture, and roast cap-side down for about 10 minutes. If the mushroom gives off water, blot it up with a paper towel.

Meanwhile, heat a skillet over medium heat. Add 1 teaspoon oil and 2 cloves minced garlic. Once the garlic is fragrant, add the baby spinach and cook, stirring often, until wilted. Allow to cool slightly, than drain off the liquid.

in a medium bowl stir together 1 clove minced garlic, Italian seasoning, Parmesan, 3 ounces of mozzarella, basil, breadcrumbs and wilted spinach. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Spoon about 2 teaspoons of the marinara into each mushroom cap, then stuff with the spinach mixture. Spoon about 1-2 teaspoons of sauce over the ricotta, then sprinkle the remaining Parmesan and mozzarella over the sauce.

Bake 10-15 minutes, or until the filling is heated through and the cheese has melted. Serve with additional marinara.

SP was out of town for work last week, so I took the opportunity to make some things for dinner that I know he wouldn't enjoy. I don't know why, but he isn't a big fan of Greek food. He'll tolerate it every once in awhile, but I knew these Greek Pita Pizzas wouldn't go over well if I made them for him. I, on the other hand, loved them. They combined a few of my favorite things - hummus, tzatziki, olives, feta, tomatoes and tangy Greek-style dressing - into an easy, healthy dinner.

I actually made these a few times while he was away but the first time (the one I photographed) I opted to leave off the mozzarella cheese simply because I didn't feel like opening the package. It was still delicious. Later in the week I ate it for lunch and also served this with one of my new favorite dishes, Mediterranean Couscous for dinner. I couldn't get enough of the flavors and was happy to use up the pocketless pita making these over and over again. Simple, tasty and healthy to boot.

Greek Pita Pizzas
As Seen on Pink Parsley

2 tablespoons olive oil
4 (8-inch) pita breads
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
Salt and pepper
1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano
1/2 small red onion, halved and sliced thin
1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives, chopped
3/4 cup halved grape tomatoes
1/2 cup hummus
1/2 shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
Tzatziki sauce, for serving

Preheat the oven to 475 degrees. Brush 1 tablespoon of the oil over both sides of pitas. Arrange them in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake about 5 minutes, or until lightly golden.

Meanwhile, combine the remaining oil, vinegar, and oregano in a medium bowl. Season with salt and pepper and whisk to combine. Toss with the olives, onions, and tomatoes.

Spread 2 tablespoons of the hummus over each pita, leaving a small border. Divide the vegetable mixture evenly over the cheese, then sprinkle with the feta. Top each pita with 2 tablespoons of mozzarella.

Cook until the vegetables are softened and the cheese has melted, 6 to 8 minutes. Drizzle with tzatziki sauce and serve.

After the success of the Black Bean Burgers I went looking for other ways to incorporate black beans into our meal plan. I remembered seeing these Black Bean Patties with Corn Relish and Avocado Cream Sauce on Annie's blog and thinking that while they looked delicious SP would never eat them. Happily, I was wrong.


I absolutely loved these. I'm shocked at how much I enjoy black beans. SP was hoping these would just be burgers and he ended up eating his salad separately and making his patties into a burger on some whole wheat bread, but I enjoyed taking a bite of the patty with some of the salad, avocado cream and corn. I decided to gild the lily with my leftovers the next day and top the whole thing with a fried egg. Amazing.


This is an awesome dish, definitely restuarant-quality, and while I wouldn't call it an easy weeknight meal, it's simple to put together if you prep the bean mixture ahead of time. Unfortunately I don't have a squeeze bottle so my dollops of avocado cream are less than photogenic, but believe me, this is a truly fantastic dish. The tanginess from the lime juice works beautifully with the corn and tomatoes (I omitted the jalapeno so Baby Girl could eat it) and you can't go wrong with avocado in my book. And the patties are pretty much the same recipe as the burgers, so I knew they'd be a hit.


Baby Girl watched me make these and couldn't wait to try them, although she kept calling them chicken patties which made me laugh. She ended up eating one and a half patties, as well as two servings of corn and couldn't get enough of the avocado cream. That's my girl!

Black Bean Patties with Corn Relish and Avocado Cream Sauce
From Elly Says Opa, as seen on Annie’s Eats

For the patties:
2 (15 oz.) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
2 roasted red bell peppers, 1 coarsely chopped, 1 finely minced
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon cumin
1 medium onion, finely diced
2/3 cup panko
Salt and pepper
Canola or vegetable oil

For the corn relish:
2 teaspoons canola oil
2 cups corn kernels
1 clove garlic, minced
1 jalapeño, seeded and minced (I omitted)
1 medium tomato, seeded and diced
Juice of 1 lime
2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
Salt and pepper, to taste

For the avocado cream sauce:
1 avocado, pitted and coarsely chopped
1/2 cup light sour cream
Juice of 1 lime
Salt and pepper, to taste

Place half the beans in a food processor with coarsely chopped bell pepper, the eggs, oregano, and cumin. Process until smooth. In a large bowl, lightly mash the remaining beans. Stir in the remaining bell pepper, onion, and smooth bean mixture. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in the panko mixing lightly. Chill for 30 minutes.

While the bean mixture is chilling, heat the canola oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the corn and sauté until lightly browned, 2-3 minutes. Stir in the garlic and jalapeño and cook about 1 minute. Transfer the mixture to a bowl. Stir in the tomato, lime juice, and cilantro. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

To make the avocado cream sauce, combine all ingredients in a food processor until smooth. Form the bean mixture into patties. Heat about 2 tablespoons of canola oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the patties in batches, cooking until lightly browned and firm, about 3-4 minutes per side. Serve the patties warm topped with the corn relish and drizzled with the avocado cream sauce.

I love baked ziti. What's not to love about creamy, cheesy pasta? But as I've said before, we are trying to eat healthier these days. That's easy to do in the summer when fresh vegetables are plentiful. This Baked Ziti with Summer Vegetables was part of the recent Noodle Swap and as soon as I saw it I added it to my weekly menu.

I'll admit, SP was disappointed that (1) this wasn't traditional baked ziti and (2) that it didn't have a tomato-based sauce. Even so, he grudgingly admitted it wasn't half bad. He cracked a joke about how there was no meat in his portion and he'd have to take that up with management, but he cleaned his plate and went back for a small second helping so it couldn't have been too bad.

I, on the other hand, loved this. The bright, fresh veggies made me feel less guilty about eating creamy, cheesy pasta. Unfortunately my yellow squash had gone bad by the time I got around to making this, but the addition of some chopped mushrooms worked well. I opted for canned diced tomatoes instead of fresh because I can't stand loose skin on tomatoes. I also doubled the recipe so we'd have enough for leftovers. Even Baby Girl enjoyed this, although she picked around most of the veggies. Oh well. She loves peas and corn, so that's something. She did take a bite of raw zucchini as I was prepping this, so she'll get there eventually. The pasta, however, she downed by the handful. I added some grated pecorino cheese on top, which added a nice, salty kick.

This is a great way to showcase some of the summer produce that's available right now.

Baked Ziti with Summer Vegetables
Slightly Modified from Cooking Light, as seen on Cooking for Fun

4 ounces uncooked ziti
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium yellow squash, chopped
1 medium zucchini, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
4 large mushrooms, chopped
1 can diced tomatoes, drained
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano
3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/4 cup (2 ounces) part-skim ricotta cheese
1 large egg, lightly beaten
Cooking spray
1/2 chopped grated Pecorino cheese

Cook pasta according to package directions; drain. Preheat oven to 400°.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil to pan. Add squash, zucchini, onion and mushrooms; sauté 5 minutes. Add tomato and garlic; sauté 3 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in pasta, 1/2 cup mozzarella, herbs, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pepper.

Combine ricotta, remaining salt, and egg. Stir into pasta mixture. Spoon into an 8-inch square glass or ceramic baking dish coated with cooking spray; sprinkle with remaining mozzarella and pecorino.

Bake at 400° for 15 minutes or until bubbly and browned.

I'll admit it, I never understood vegetarian burgers. In my mind, a burger is made from meat, not vegetables, which is why I was completely shocked when I took a bite of these Black Bean Burgers and loved them. Absolutely loved them. I made these for SP, who is trying to eat less meat per doctor's orders, to keep in the freezer for easy cooking. He had wanted to buy some premade burgers at the supermarket, but at $4 for 4 burgers I knew I could make them cheaper at home, not to mention no preservatives.

As they were cooking in the pan the smell was making my stomach growl, but I still didn't think I'd like them. We split one with dinner to make sure they were tasty, and wouldn't you know it I was a little bummed that I only got half a burger. Even Baby Girl liked these, which was a nice surprise. Since the mixture is a bit too wet for the grill these need to cook in a pan with just a touch of oil. After they cooked I let them cool before placing them on a baking sheet and sticking them in the freezer for an hour or so to firm up.


After they froze a bit I wrapped each patty individually and placed them in a freezer bag. I cooked the patty we split in the microwave for about 90 seconds before serving on a bun with a little mayo. SP liked his with just the mayo but I think some additional veggies like lettuce and tomato would work well, maybe even some slices of onion. However you choose to serve it, you can't beat the flavor. I loved everything about these burgers, especially the price. I estimate these cost less than $3 to make (6 burgers), plus I know exactly what ingredients I used. Win-win.

Black Bean Burgers
As Seen On Annie's Eats
Yield: 6 burgers

3/4 cup panko
3/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning
3 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons olive oil, divided
2 (15 oz.) cans black beans, drained and rinsed, divided
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 red bell pepper, seeded and finely diced
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, minced
1 shallot, minced

Place a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Combine the panko, Italian seasoning and 2 teaspoons of the olive oil and mix with a fork to blend. Add the mixture to the skillet and toast the panko, stirring frequently, until light golden brown. Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature.

Place 2 1/2 cups of the beans in a large bowl and mash with a potato masher or a fork until mostly smooth. In a separate bowl, combine the eggs, 1 tablespoon of the oil, cumin, salt and cayenne. Whisk to blend. Add the egg mixture, toasted panko, the remaining 1/2 cup beans, bell pepper, cilantro and shallot to the bowl with the mashed beans. Stir together until evenly combined.

Divide the mixture into 6 equal portions, about 1/2 cup each. Lightly pack into 1-inch thick patties. (At this point the patties can be covered tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerated for up to 24 hours before cooking.) Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Carefully lay half of the patties in the skillet and cook until well browned on both sides, about 8-10 minutes total. Transfer the cooked burgers to a plate, tent with foil, and repeat with the remaining oil and bean patties. Serve warm.

To freeze - Place a sheet of wax paper on a large baking sheet. Put burgers, with about 2 inches between them, on the baking sheet, then place baking sheet in the freezer for an hour or until patties are frozen. Wrap each patty individually in wax paper or freezer paper and place into a freezer bag.

It's hard for me to believe that this is already my third month participating in the Secret Recipe Club. Time sure does fly when you're busy.

This month I was given Enriching Your Kid, a blog written by a Clinical Psychologist turned homemaker after having kids. She says her goal is to prepare food that is nourishing as well as enticing for kids. She actually had my blog for the first month of the SRC and made my corn fritters.

A lot of the recipes on her blog are for Indian food, which I love but rarely make at home. I wanted to find something that didn't require specialty ingredients since we are on a budget, so I finally settled on Cheesy Spinach Farfalle, which is right up my family's alley.


I made a few modifications but overall kept the recipe the same. I subbed a can of diced tomatoes for fresh tomato because tomatoes aren't in season (plus I hate loose tomato skin on cooked tomatoes). Since she didn't specify a type of grated cheese I thought mozzarella would be nice. I also upped the amount of pasta to a full pound since this needed to feed us for dinner, lunches and a little leftover for Baby Girl and also upped the spinach, garlic and cheese. I only had one small onion but I found a leek in the fridge that needed to be used, so I combined the two. I also added in white wine for some extra flavor since I thought pasta water alone wouldn't be enough to make a flavorful sauce. To thicken the sauce I opted for cornstarch mixed with cold water, which resulted in a silky-smooth sauce without worrying about lumps.

Make sure to taste as you go and add salt and pepper as needed. I absolutely loved this, but then again I pretty much love any pasta dish with tomatoes and spinach. It's an easy meal to put together on a weeknight, which is another plus in my book, along with being vegetarian and healthy. Score!

Cheesy Spinach Farfalle
Modified from Enriching Your Kid

1 lb farfalle
1 large onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, grated
1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes, undrained
1/2 cup white wine
1 6-ounce bag baby spinach, coarsely chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 cup cold water
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Cook the farfalle according to package directions. Drain, reserving 1 1/2 cups of the cooking water.

Meanwhile, heat oil in a large pan. Add the onions and minced garlic, cooking until the onions are translucent and soft. Add the wine and allow to reduce slightly. Add the tomatoes with the juice and the chopped spinach. Add salt and pepper to taste and the Italian seasoning. Allow the spinach to wilt.

Combine cornstarch and cold water in a small bowl. Slowly add to the pan, stirring to combine. Add the reserved pasta water. Sprinkle in grated cheese and allow to melt into the sauce. Add the pasta, mix well and season with salt and pepper. Top with more shredded cheese if you like and serve hot.

Can you believe it's August already? Where did summer go? When trying to pick a theme for this week's recipe swap I decided I needed to highlight one of my favorite parts of summer - vegetables. There is nothing better than going to a farmers market in the summer and seeing the bounty of produce for sale.

Heather enjoyed a light recipe for Corn Chowder with Summer Vegetables:


Mary Ellen enjoyed her Summer Squash and White Bean Saute:


Ellie made her first bread recipe with Zucchini-Cranberry Bread:


The Cookaholic Wife was thrilled to get her recipe for Tomato Sauce since she had a bounty of tomatoes from her coworkers to use up:


Krystal isn't a big veggie lover but even she fell in love with her recipe for Sesame Green Beans:


Jaida made my recipe for Cheesy Stuffed Tomatoes:


Melissa really enjoyed her Chilled Cucumber Soup:


Christine was able to use ingredients from her CSA share for her Baked Squash recipe:


I made Big Grandma's Stuffed Artichokes:


Melissa made Grilled Zucchini with Couscous, Spinach, and Cheese:


Jey made Grilled Garlic Vegetable Salad:


Moviegirl03 made a hearty Grilled Veggie Sandwich: