Meatless Monday (Quinoa Salad, Eggplant Schnitzel & Waffle Sundae)

I've such an assortment of produce that a smorgasbord of vegetarian recipes makes great sense (and cents!)  First the salad.

Summer Quinoa Salad
(Serves 4)

1/4 cup Quinoa
1/2 cup Water
Mix and bring to a simmer.  Cover and simmer 15 minutes or until all water is absorbed.  

4 miniature Squash Patties, sliced thinly
2 Persian Carrots, diced
8 Asparagus Spears, sliced in 1 inch pieces
Cook vegetables in water (asparagus for 5 minutes;  carrots & squash for 15 minutes).  Drain and mix with quinoa.  

Juice of 1/2 Lime
1 tsp. Olive Oil
3 Tbsp. Vegetable Pesto (Garlic, Spring Mix and Fresh Basil)
Mix quinoa, vegetables, juice, oil and pesto.  Cool.

Eggplant Schnitzel
(Serves 2)

1 small Eggplant, peeled and sliced thin lengthwise
1 miniature sweet Yellow Pepper, cut in half
Broil in toaster oven 12 minutes.

2 Garlic Cloves
1 1/2 cups Spring Mix
4 sprigs Fresh Basil
Chop in food processor.

1 Tbsp. beaten Egg
2 Tbsp. Pecan Meal 
1/2 Tomato, sliced
Arrange tomato slice and pesto between 2 slices eggplant.  Dip in egg, then in pecan meal.  Bake at 325 degrees in toaster oven for 15 minutes.  Garnish with pepper strips.  My recipe is an adaptation of Aubergine Schnitzel.

Waffles
(Serves 2)

1 beaten Egg (I used 1 extra large egg total to make the 2 recipes)
1/2 cup Skim Milk
2 tsp. Olive Oil
Mix liquid ingredients.

1/3 cup All Purpose Flour
1/4 cup Whole Wheat Pastry Flour
2/3 tsp. Baking Powder
Mix dry ingredients.  Stir in wet ingredients.  Bake on preheated waffle iron.  This made 4 waffles-we each had 2.

For "Sundae", spread with part-skim Ricotta Cheese.  Add fresh Black Raspberries. 
   
 
     
 

Log Cabin Luncheon

Today's picnic was at Watters Smith Memorial Park in Lost Creek, WV.  There was a reunion in the park office, a birthday party in another pavilion . . . but we found a spot all to ourselves.  Today's menu featured:

Sesame Cumin Beef

Corn and Cantaloupe Salad

Tomatoes and Cucumbers

Mango Ricotta Sundae

Peach and Berry Crisp

While I'd planned on separating the salads, I combined them after realizing my picnic basket plate simply wasn't big enough to do that!  Here's my recipes:

Sesame Cumin Beef

(Serves 4)

1/2 # Chuck Tender Sirloin Steaks

2 tsp. Sesame Oil

1 tsp. Cumin

2 cloves Garlic, minced

1/4 tsp. Garlic Powder

1/4 tsp. Onion Powder

Place steak in crock pot.  Cover with spices and garlic.  Cook on low for 3-4 hours.  Refrigerate.  Slice with electric knife.

3 Tbsp. Sesame Seeds, toasted

Place in ziploc bag and crush.

Dressing

(Serves 2)   

1 tsp. Sesame Oil

1 tsp. Soy Sauce, reduced sodium

1 tsp. Honey

1 tsp. Cider Vinegar

Juice of 1/2 Lime

Line the plate with Spring Mix.  Add sliced beef, sesame seeds and 1/4 cup Edamame.

 Cucumbers and Tomatoes

(Serves 3)

2 Cucumbers, petite, sliced thin

1 Plum Tomato, diced

1 Tbsp. Rice Wine Vinegar

Fresh Parsley

I picked these from our container garden!

 

Corn and Cantaloupe Salad

(Serves 4)

1/2 small Cantaloupe, diced

1 ear of Corn, cooked and cut off the cob

1/4 cup Dill, fresh, snipped

1/2 Lemon, juiced

1 tsp. Olive Oil

1 Sweet Red Pepper, mini, sliced julienne

1/4 tsp. Dry Mustard

Mix all ingredients and chill.

Mango Sundae

(Serves 2)

1/6 Fresh Mango

Slice off ends.  Scoop out filling and dice.  Add

Lime Zest

1/4 cup Ricotta Cheese, part skim

Fill mango shells with cheese.  Top with diced mango-lime zest mixture.

Dessert was Fresh Peach and Black Raspberry Crisp, made with my Crunchy Oatmeal-Almond Crust.  (I'll post this later).  The crust works better in a pie. . . but this was still very tasty!

 The Watters Smith Home, built in 1876, had a magnificent kitchen.  

 I loved the cream separator.  

 

and the apple peeler. . . though my little vegetable peeler suits my portions perfectly!

   

Herb Crusted Turkey, Berry Agrodolce over Millet & Miniature Vegetables

After gathering a delightful assortment of local vegetables from Lancaster, Catoctin, Morgantown and our own hillside, my meals this week are going to be feasts.  The Turkey is a breast tenderloin.

Herb Crusted Turkey
(Serves 4)

1 Turkey Breast Tenderloin, raw
Place in roasting pan.

1/4 cup Fresh Dill
4 Garlic Cloves
1 Spring Onion Bulb, peeled
1 cup Spring Mix
2 tsp. Lemon Peel
Chop in food processor.  Pat over turkey tenderloin.

Assorted Mini Vegetables
Add to roasting pan.  Bake at 325 degrees F. 50 minutes, or until internal temperature of turkey reaches 165 degrees.

Berry Agrodolce
(Serves 2)

1 Mini Sweet Pepper, julienne strips
1/2 Spring Onion Bulb, cut in strips
1 Celery Center with leaves, cut in strips
Saute in 1 tsp. Olive Oil.

1/4 cup Rice Wine Vinegar
1/4 cup Wine Wine
2 tsp. Sugar
Add to pan. Heat to reduce liquid to a syrup-like consistency.  Stir in
1/3 cup Black Raspberries
Serve over
Cooked Millet

 Dessert was Fresh Peach and Black Raspberry Crisp with Ice Cream.  Delicious!     

Soup Bar

Last week when attending the Premier Culinary Clinic in Cleveland, I was inspired by talented chefs and colleagues.  The Soup Bar  is an easy meal to try at home any time of year, for lunch or dinner.  Family members or customers fill their bowl with an assortment of vegetables, then cover the vegetables with broth.  Our bar included:

Carrots, diced, microwaved in water for 2 1/4 minutes
Fresh Corn on the Cob, cooked and cut off the cob
Yukon Gold Potatoes, peeled and microwaved in water for 2 1/4 minutes
Norther Beans, cooked, (I buy the frozen version without salt)
Tomatoes, fresh, diced
Sweet Peppers, diced
Celery, diced

The broth was made with a low sodium vegetables base, water, celery, fresh cilantro and parsley.  This is my finished soup:

I took a bowl of leftovers to work today for lunch and it was very tasty and filling.  Next week, this is on our work menu with a choice of chicken or tofu.  (Customers choose their own vegetables, we add the broth, chicken or tofu).

I'm pretty sure I was the least talented of the group attending the clinic, but I do "know how to cook, try new recipes, learn from my mistakes, am fearless, and have fun!"  (that quote is from Julia Child.) The Culinary Clinic was a ball and I learned so much!

Forest Feast

Our picnic today was at Audra State Park, 65 miles from home.  We found a secluded table with a rock, moss and Rhododendron background and a fireplace made of stone.  While we could hear the kids playing and the dogs barking, our spot was private and quite nice.  Our menu today:

Tuna-Tomato Pasta

Mexican Spinach Salad

Pear-Berry Crisp

The Tuna Pasta was inspired by Good Housekeeping.   Here's my version:

Tuna-Tomato Pasta

(Serves 3)

5 oz. Whole Wheat Spaghetti

Cook and drain.  Add

1/2 small Zucchini, sliced thin lengthwise

Stir in:

1-5 oz. can Albacore Tuna, in water, low sodium

6 Kalamata Olives, sliced

1/2 Plum Tomato, sliced

We ate ours cold, but will heat the leftovers for dinner!

The salad was inspired by the American Institute for Cancer Research, one of my favorite places for recipes!

Mexican Spring Mix Salad

(Serves 2)

Dressing

1/2 tsp. Honey

1 1/2 tsp. fresh Lime Juice 

1/2 tsp. Apple Cider Vinegar

1 1/2 tsp. Olive Oil 

Salad

1 1/2 tsp. raw Pepitas

Heat in iron skillet until seeds pop.

Add

1 small Red Pepper, diced

Heat.  Transfer mixture to ziploc bag.  Crush seeds.  Sprinkle in some Mrs. Dash.

Serve over fresh Spring Mix.  Top with raw, diced mini peppers & crumbled Gorgonzola Cheese.

The Pear Berry Crisp was made from our own Mountain Meadow Berries and featured in yesterday's post.

Bob just said to me "I can't tell you how much I enjoyed today".  I certainly agree!

 

Creamed Spinach Bake, Peach Salad and Berry Crisp

An article in the June issue of Better Homes and Gardens titled "New Ways with Spinach" features this baked entree.  Here's my version:

Creamed Spinach Bake
(Serves 2)

4 oz. Chopped Frozen Spinach
1 small Onion, diced
1 tsp. Olive Oil
Saute spinach in onion and oil.  Drain. 

Add:
2 Tbsp. Flour
2 tsp. Fresh Basil and Cilantro
1/2 cup Skim Milk
Cook until thickened. Cool.  Add:
2 Egg Yolks
2 tsp. Gorgonzola Cheese Crumbles. 
 
2 Egg Whites
Beat until stiff peaks form. Fold into thickened Spinach, Egg Yolk and Cheese mixture, 1/2 at a time.  Portion into baking molds.  Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes.

Peach and Tomato Salad
(Serves 2)

1 Peach, peeled and sliced
1/2 Plum Tomato, sliced
2 tsp. Olive Oil
1 tsp. Red Wine Vinegar
1 tsp. Honey
2 tsp. Fresh Herbs
Inspired by Cooking Light Magazine.  

We picked a colander full of Black Raspberries on our hill today as the rain came down.
Here's our delicious warm dessert:

 Pear Berry Crisp
(Serves 6) 

2 cups Black Raspberries
1 Pear, peeled and diced
2 tsp. Cornstarch
2/3 tsp. Cinnamon
2 tsp. Honey
Mix.  Place in baking dish sprayed with Pam.

Topping
1 cup Oats
3 Tbsp. Whole Wheat Pastry Flour 
1 Tbsp. Honey
3 Tbsp. Earth Blend Buttery Spread, melted  

2 Tbsp. Pecan Meal
3 Tbsp. Greek Yogurt 
Mix and spread over fruit.  Bake at 350 degrees 40 minutes.
Based on a recipe by Roberta Duytt, RD on Eatright.org.

Prickett's Fort Picnic

Our Sunday picnic featured the same foods the early settlers may have cooked when they lived here in the 1700s.  Herb Roasted Chicken, Red Potatoes, Carrots, Corn cut off the cob. . . the difference being mine was baked last night and served cold today!

 I also cut some fresh lettuce and herbs from my container garden and portioned our berry cobbler into shallow canning jars.

The meal was delicious and the park was peaceful!  We visit here in all kinds of weather, to see the reenactments and the bands. . . and today was another of those fun times!