I am Back Again… (and this time with Grilled Shishito Peppers!)

Tags

gluten free, grilled, peppers, produce, shishito, summer, vegetable

I know I said a few months ago I was back to blogging and then I disappeared again. Getting the hang of this new life is harder than I thought. There is a lot of growing and changing and shifting after a major life event. This is not something that one can anticipate, even someone who is a planner to the extreme (who!? Not me!). As much as I have struggled these past few months, I have also grown tremendously and learned I have more strength and resilience than I previously believed. I have more confidence and faith in myself. I am more reflective of my self, my thoughts, my actions. I have made some wonderful new friendships and strengthened older relationships. I am happier now than I have been in a long time.

I have loved hosting dinner at my humble little apartment home. My last little dinner included spicy pork burgers with spicy cheddar and grilled shishito peppers. These little Japanese peppers are full of flavor without overwhelming spiciness. Trader Joe’s sells these now when in season. You can also find them at your local Asian market. Give these little babies a try….

Grilled Shishito Peppers

• 8 oz fresh shishito peppers
• Olive oil
• Salt and fresh ground pepper

Prepare your grill to medium heat. In a bowl, toss the peppers in enough olive oil to evenly coat. Grill for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, until the peppers change color evenly (I look for the army green color to just appear). Remove from heat and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serves 2 to 3.

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Mustard Marinated Grilled Brussels Sprouts

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brussels sprouts, garlic, gluten free, grilled, honey, mustard, side dish, vegetable, vegetarian

I desperately want my husband to like Brussels sprouts. I have fixed them several different ways but he just won’t like them. Sadly, this recipe is no exception. That’s ok- MORE FOR ME!!!! The mustard and garlic add a bit of zippiness while the honey caramelizes and browns with the grill’s heat making these baby cabbages are super tasty and even good left over. He may not like these but I will still be fixing them. 🙂

Mustard Marinated Grilled Brussels Sprouts (a variation of this recipe)

• 1 lb fresh Brussles sprouts
• 2 tbsp whole grain mustard
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 tsp honey
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• Salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
• 3 skewers (if wood, soak for 30 minutes in water)

In a large pot, add water and salt. Bring to a boil. Boil the Brussels sprouts for 2 to three minutes. Drain and add to icy water to stop the cooling process. Allow to sit for about 5 minutes then drain.

In a medium bowl, combine the mustard, oil, honey, garlic, salt, and pepper. Mix well. Add the Brussels spouts to the mustard mixture and allow to marinate for 30 minutes. Thread the Brussels sprouts onto the skewers. Grill them over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes on each side. If you have leftover marinade, spoon over the skewers after you turn them. The outer leaves will be lightly charred when they are done. Serves 2.

Roasted Parsnips with Thyme

Tags

food, new things, parsnips, roasted, side dish, thyme, vegetable

I am embarrassed to say I have never tried parsnips before. It seems so hard to believe now that I think about it. I grew up on a farm. I have my own garden. How have I missed these delightful root vegetables? The first thing I noticed was the really awesome smell, like carrots and earth. It made me want to eat them. The hubby wasn’t as impressed but he is weird like that sometimes.

Roasted Parsnips (thanks to Stefan for the inspiration)

• 1 lb parsnips
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Fresh thyme to taste

Start by cutting the ends off the parsnips and peeling them. Reserve the peels and trimmings. Cut the parsnips into 1/6 inch slices. Put the parsnip peels in a pot or saucepan and add just enough water to cover them. (I also added the thyme stalks for additional flavor.) Bring to a boil and allow to simmer for 30 to 60 minutes. Discard the peels and reserve the parsnip stock.  Preheat the oven to 350F. Parboil the parsnip slices in the parsnip stock with a bit of salt for about 8 minutes. Drain the parboiled parsnips. Combine the parsnip slices with the olive oil and thyme leaves in an oven proof dish. Toss to mix, making sure they are coated with the fat on all sides. Roast for 45-60 minutes until golden, flipping the slices halfway. Season with salt and pepper.

Grilled Vegetable Tacos

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gluten free, grilled, Mexican, summer, tacos, vegetable, vegetarian

Are you seeing a trend in these posts? That I no longer seem to use my kitchen? Or that I love to use seasonal ingredients? Fresh ingredients mean lower prices and the best of flavors.

One Year Ago: Simple Greek Salad

Grilled Vegetable Tacos

• 1 yellow squash
• 1 zucchini
• 1 red onion
• 1 red bell pepper
• 8 baby portabello mushrooms
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1 canned chipotle pepper, finely diced.
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp chili powder
• Salt and pepper

Slice the squash and zucchini lengthwise (not into rounds) about 1 cm thick. Slice the onion about 3 cm thick. Quarter the red bell pepper. Grill the squash, zucchini, red onion, red bell pepper, and mushrooms to desired done-ness. Chop into bite sized pieces.

In a skillet, saute the chipotle pepper, cumin, chili powder, salt and pepper in the olive oil. When fragrant, add the vegetables and saute the vegetables. Serve with guacamole and sour cream.

Asparagus with Shallot, Caper and Balsamic Relish

Tags

asparagus, food, relish, side dish, spring, vegetable, vegetarian

I love spring because it brings cheap asparagus to the markets for weeks. Asparagus is one of my favorite vegetables and I am always on the lookout for new ways to prepare it.

In the past, I have prepared it these ways:

With easy Blender Hollandaise Sauce

In Spring Ribbons Salad

In the Spicy Pork with Asparagus and Chile stir fry

With Balsamic Butter Sauce

How do you prepare this delicious spring treat?

Asparagus with Shallot, Caper and Balsamic Relish

• 1 pound of asparagus, trimmed
• 1/8 cup mild extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/8 cup good quality balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 medium shallot, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons capers, chopped
• Salt and pepper to taste

Oven roast or steam the asparagus. While the asparagus is cooking, combine the relish ingredients well. Spoon over the warm asparagus. Serves 2.

Bok Choy with Ginger and Garlic

Tags

Asian, bok choy, garlic, ginger, side dish, vegetable, vegetarian

This is just something I threw together as a last minute side dish for the previously posted  Asparagus and Beef Rice Bowl. Personally, I think bok choy is one of the best vegetables ever and it is fantastic no matter how it is prepared.

Bok Choy with Ginger and Garlic

• 1 head of bok choy, chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic, sliced thinly
• 1 tbsp fresh ginger, finely diced
• 2 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce (use gluten free as needed)
• Olive oil

Saute the garlic and ginger in the oil for a minute until fragrant. Add the bok choy until tender crisp.

Veggie Stir-Fried Rice

Tags

Asian, Dinner, stir-fry, Supper, vegetable

Simple tasty stirfry. Endless combinations of vegetables and meat are possible. Excellent served with the lettuce wraps previously posted.  

Veggie Stir-Fried Rice

• 2 1/4 cups water
• 1 1/2 cups long-grain white rice
• 2 1/2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 4 eggs, beaten
• 2 carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
• 3 cups thinly sliced bok choy stems and leaves
• 4 oz fresh mushrooms, sliced
• 1/4 pound snow peas, sliced
• 1 yellow sweet pepper, sliced into bite-sized chunks
• 1 1/2 tbsp sesame oil
• 3 green onions, sliced
• Soy sauce to taste

Bring 2 1/4 cups water to boil in medium saucepan. Add rice and bring to boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook until water is absorbed, about 20 minutes. Fluff with fork. Transfer to bowl and cool completely. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)

Heat 1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil in wok or heavy large skillet over high heat until hot but not smoking. Add eggs and scramble. When cooked, break into quarter-sized pieces.

Heat remaining 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in wok over high heat. Add slivered carrots and stir-fry 1 minute. Add sliced bok choy, sliced shiitake mushroom caps and slivered snow peas. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and stir-fry until vegetables just begin to soften, about 4 minutes. Add sesame oil and heat mixture, then add cooked rice and stir-fry until heated through. Stir in eggs and sliced green onions. Season with desired amount of soy sauce. Serves 4.

Vegetable Soup

Tags

Dinner, fall, food, soup, Supper, vegetable

This is the weather trend in Kentucky as of late….

Time for vegetable soup!! Vegetable soup is fantastic for several reasons- 1) vegetables are awesome, 2) vegetable soup is healthy, 3) it cleans out the fridge, 4) a whole pot makes enough for the week. Of course, there are many other reasons, but these four are enough to justify making this soup!

I use breakfast sausage in my vegetable soup. I think that it gives the soup an extra pizzazz. Of course, if you want vegetarian vegetable soup, leave it out.

Vegetable Soup

• 1 roll of breakfast sausage (I use Jimmy Dean)
• 1 onion, diced
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 3 stalks of celery, sliced
• 8 baby carrots, sliced
• 1 can dark kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 small cans of mushrooms, drained
• 1 cup sliced okra
• 1 large bottle of tomato juice
• 2 bay leaves
• Dash of crushed red pepper flakes
• salt and pepper to taste

In a large soup pot, brown the breakfast sausage. About half way through the browning process, add the onion and garlic. When browned all the way, drain the grease off on paper towels. In the soup pot, add the celery, carrots, beans, mushrooms, okra, sausage mixture, bay leaves, and tomato juice. Season to taste. Simmer until the carrots and celery are tender. Makes 8 servings.