Fresh Salads With Feta Cheese

Crumble feta cheese over your favorite salad greens, vegetables, and dressing or whip up a quick appetizer with soft feta cheese, fine bread crumbs, extra virgin olive oil, and black pepper. Form patties and fry each side for a few minutes over medium heat in the olive oil until golden brown.

Penne Pasta and Feta Cheese Spinach Salad Recipe

What You Need

• 6 ounces penne pasta
• 2 medium tomatoes, peeled, seeded, chopped
• 1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled
• 1/3 cup Italian salad dressing
• 1/4 cup green onions, sliced
• 3 tablespoons pitted ripe olives, sliced
• 6 cups fresh spinach, torn
• Freshly ground black pepper to taste

How to Make It

Cook the penne pasta according to the directions on the package, drain, and then rinse in cold water and drain again.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooked pasta with the chopped tomatoes, crumbled feta cheese, Italian dressing, and the sliced onions and olives. Cover the bowl and chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours but preferably overnight for 8 hours.

Arrange the torn spinach leaves on serving plates and distribute the penne pasta and spinach salad evenly on top. Sprinkle freshly ground black pepper to taste on the salads and serve.

Recipe of Tuna Fish Lasagna

Canned tuna is cheap and healthy as well, consisting of lot of acids, proteins, minerals and vitamins. You can make easy meal from it, what tastes extra good with fresh salad.

Ingredients You'll Need:

12 sheets of lasagna
1 dl of mozzarella cheese

Tuna fish sauce:
2 onions
4 cloves of garlic
2 tablespoons of oil
800 g of crushed tomatoes
200 g of canned tuna
2 dl of sliced green olives
1/2 tablespoons of salt
1 tablespoon of oregano
2 teaspoons of thyme

Cheese sauce:
2 dl of ricotta cheese
2 dl of sliced mozzarella cheese
3/4 teaspoons of salt
1/2 teaspoons of black pepper

About 20 minutes for preparation + 30 minutes for cooking.

First preheat the oven to 200 degrees. Chop the onion and cloves of garlics. Cook them with oil until soft. Add tomatoes, tuna, slices of olives and spices. Boil on medium heat for about 10 minutes. First pour tuna sauce to the bottom of the baking dish and then cover with lasagna sheets. Sprinkle with mozzarella and ricotta cheese. Repeat the layers. Cook for about 30 minutes. Remove from oven and let it rest under folio dor another 10 minutes.

Versatile Celery Casserole

Celery is a delicious, nutritious, and surprisingly versatile vegetable. Its juicy, crunchy texture makes it a popular choice for raw vegetable plates and salads, and its uniquely salty taste adds flavor to many recipes. But celery is more than a crunchy snack or add-in; it stands on its own as the star ingredient in many scrumptious dishes.

Start by purchasing the best celery available. For optimum flavor and texture, look for medium-sized stalks that are firm, crispy, and light green in color. The larger, darker green stalks tend to be tougher and stringier.

Avoid celery bunches that have limp or wilted stalks - a sure sign that the celery is past its peak of freshness - and stay away from bunches that have bruised stalks.

Celery should be promptly refrigerated. It will keep for about a week.

To prepare celery for cooking, rinse well under cold running water to remove any residual sand or dirt that may have been trapped between the stalks. Trim off the tough bottom where the stalk was attached to the bunch, and cut off the leaves but don't throw them away! The leaves are high in both nutrients and flavor and can be added to soups, stews, and casseroles.

When celery is cooked the flesh softens, but the "strings" that are prominent on the outside of the stalk remain intact. If you don't want the strings to be part of your finished dish, simple strip them away from the stalk before cooking.

Celery tends to lose color when cooked. This is the result of a completely natural chemical reaction that occurs when the chlorophyll and acids in the plant interact in the presence of heat and it has no effect on flavor. However if you want keep the color bright and vibrant, cooking celery quickly in plenty of water will help.

Versatile Celery Casserole

- 4 cups (about 10 - 12 large ribs) of celery cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 can cream of chicken soup
- 1 stick of butter or margarine
- 1 can of water chestnuts or 1/2 cup of slivered blanched almonds
- 1/4 cup diced pimento (optional)
- 3 slices of bread, OR 1/2 cup seasoned breadcrumbs

Boil the celery in salted water till barely tender (about 5 - 8 minutes). Drain and put in casserole dish. Add half the butter or margarine while the celery is still hot and allow it to melt, stirring occasionally. Add the soup, water chestnuts or almonds, pimentos if desired, and salt and pepper to taste.

In a separate pan, melt the remaining butter and add the crumbled bread or dried breadcrumbs. Saute briefly, tossing to coat completely.

Sprinkle the coated crumbs over the top of the celery mixture in the casserole dish and bake uncovered in a moderate over (350 degrees) for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the mixture is hot and bubbly and the crumbs are golden brown.

Celery And Apples: Crispy, Crunchy, and Complimentar

Celery and apples have a lot in common; they're crispy, juicy and delicious sources of dietary fiber and vitamin C. But it's the ways in which they differ that makes them such a unique and complimentary combo.

The crispy sweetness of apples and the crunchy saltiness of celery work together to create a tantalizing texture in salads. Both flavors are strong enough to remain distinct and identifiable in combination's, even with a savory dressing like the one below:

Celery-Apple Matchstick Salad Dijon

- 1/4 cup mayonnaise (regular, lite, or fat-free)
- 1 tbsp Dijon-style mustard
- 1 tsp cider vinegar
- 1/2 tsp sugar or 1/2 packet of artificial sweetener
- 1/2 tsp dried tarragon
- salt and pepper to taste
- 4 - 6 celery ribs cut into 1-1/2" matchsticks
- 1 tart apple (any tart apple will work, including "baking apple" varieties) cut into 1-1/2" matchsticks.
- 1/2 up dried cranberries or currants (optional)

Mix the mayonnaise, mustard, vinegar, sugar or sweetener, and tarragon together in a medium large bowl and whisk till smooth and creamy. Season with salt and pepper (NOTE: go light on the salt at first, as the celery will add some saltiness). Add the celery and apples and stir together, making sure all the sticks are well coated. If desired, add dried currants or cranberries and toss lightly. Serve chilled on lettuce leaves.

But the magic of the apple/celery pairing isn't just in their complimentary crispness. Cooked together, each brings out the essence of the other in a remarkable way. The salty savor of cooked celery highlights the tangy sweetness of cooked apples and together they form a remarkable flavor that's an ideal accompaniment to chicken, turkey, or pork.

Apple and Celery Stuffing

- 1/2 stick of butter or margarine
- 1 medium onion, chopped fine
- 1/2 tsp of minced garlic (optional)
- 1 tsp dried sage
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 4 - 6 celery ribs, washed and chopped fine
- 1 sweet apple (any variety) peeled, cored, and chopped fine
- about 8 ounces of dried breadcrumbs or stuffing cubes
- 1/2 cup chicken stock or broth

Melt the butter in a large frying pan and saute the onion and garlic over low heat until just softened. Add the celery and apples; mix well and continue to saute for several minutes, until all ingredients are coated and are beginning to soften. Add the breadcrumbs or stuffing cubes and toss in the pan to coat, then add the stock and continue to cook for about three minutes, or until the liquid is well absorbed and the crumbs or cubes are all moistened.

This makes an outstanding stuffing for turkey or chicken, but it's equally good simply baked in a casserole dish at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes.

A Chocolate Cookie Recipe That Others Will Rave About

This chocolate cookie recipe is for the true chocolate lover, combining the rich taste of dark with the sweetness of white chocolate. They are also among the easiest cookies to make as there is no rolling and cutting out shapes. Simply drop the mixture from a spoon onto a baking tray.

Ingredients

115 g / 4 oz unsalted butter
115 g / 4 oz / 2/3 cup light muscovado sugar (if unavailable substitute with dark brown sugar)
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
150 g / 6 oz / 1 ¼ cups self raising flour
75 g / 3 oz / ¾ cup porridge oats
115 g / 4 oz dark (semisweet or plain) chocolate, roughly chopped
115 g / 4 oz white chocolate, roughly chopped

Preheat the oven to 190oC / 375oF. Line two baking sheets with parchment or baking paper. This will prevent the cookies sticking to the baking sheet and is preferable to greasing the trays. It also prevents them spreading too much during baking.

So that the butter is soft enough to beat easily, remove it from the fridge at least 30 minutes before you plan to start. Unsalted butter is the preferred choice, but if you are going to use margarine, choose the firm block type that is suitable for baking.

Using an electric mixer cream the butter with the sugar in a small bowl until the mixture lightens in color. The mixture should be well aerated and have a light and fluffy texture.

Add the egg and vanilla essence and beat until creamy. The eggs should also be at room temperature or they may curdle the creamed mixture.

Transfer the mixture to a large bowl and sift the flour over the mixture. Using a metal spoon, gently fold through the mixture. Add the oats and chopped dark and white chocolate. Stir until all the ingredients are well mixed.

Take small tablespoons of the mixture and place on the trays spacing them about 2 inches apart to allow room for spreading during baking.

Bake on the center shelf of the oven for 15 - 20 minutes or until the cookies begin to turn a pale golden color.

Remove from the oven and leave on the trays for about 5 minutes. Then using a wide, slotted spatula transfer to wire racks to cool completely. Your cookies will be soft when you first remove them from the oven, but will become crisper as they cool.

This mixture will make approximately 18 - 20 cookies.

Always buy the best quality chocolate you can afford. This is the one time when cost-cutting does not pay. The results are worth the extra cost. Of course the best way to buy it is by the block. Ideally it should contain 70% cocoa solids to achieve that rich chocolaty taste.

For best results it should be eating quality not compound. Other types contain other oils and ingredients and will give inferior results.

Recipes For A Bread Machine

While browsing the internet I came across a few recipes to make in a bread machine, and they just sounded absolutely wonderful, to good to keep to myself.

Banana Nut Bread Recipe

Ingredients:

½ cup margarine, softened
2/3 cup milk
2 eggs
2 ½ cups all purpose flour
1 cup white sugar
2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup mashed bananas ( about 2-3 )
½ cup chopped walnuts

Directions:

Spray the bread machine pan with Pam or any vegetable oil spray.
Premix ingredients in the order they are in the ingredient list. Pour mixture in bread machine pan.
Select the Quick Bread or Cake cycle. Press start. Check after about one minute to see if the dough is well blended.
Cook until cake cycle stops. Remove pan, and completely cool before removing bread from the pan.

The recipe makes a 1 pound loaf with 10 servings.

French Bread

Ingredients:

1 ¼ cups water (70-80 degrees F)
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
3 ½ cups bread flour
1 ½ teaspoons active dry yeast
1 tablespoon cornmeal
GLAZE
1 egg
1 tablespoon water
2 teaspoons sesame seeds, toasted

Directions:

1. In bread machine pan, place the first five ingredients in the order suggested by the manufacturer. Select dough setting (check dough after 5 minutes of mixing; add 1 to 2 tablespoons of water or flour if needed).
2. When cycle is completed, turn dough onto a lightly floured surface. Divide in half. Roll each portion into a 10-in. x 8-in. rectangle. Roll up jelly-roll style, starting with a long side; pinch seams to seal.
3. Sprinkle a greased baking sheet with cornmeal; place loaves seam side down on prepared pan. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 20 minutes.
4. Whisk egg and water; brush over loaves. With a sharp knife, make four shallow slashes across the top of each loaf. Sprinkle with sesame seeds if desired. Bake at 375 degrees F for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on wire racks.

Cheesy Onion Focaccia

Ingredients:

3/4 cup water (70 to 80 degrees F)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups bread flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
2 medium onions, quartered and sliced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup butter
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

1. In bread machine pan, place the first six ingredients in order suggested by manufacturer. Select dough setting (check dough after 5 minutes of mixing; add 1 to 2 tablespoons of water or flour if needed).
2. When the cycle is completed, turn dough onto a lightly greased 12-in. pizza pan; pat into a 10-in. circle. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, saute onions and garlic in butter for 18-20 minutes or until golden brown. Stir in the Italian seasoning; cook 1 minute longer.
3. Using the end of a wooden spoon handle, make deep indentations 1 in. apart in dough. Top with onion mixture and cheeses. Bake at 400 degrees F for 15-18 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm.

Pressure-Cooked Italian Artichokes

How To Cook

First here is some cook's tips on how to prepare your artichokes for cooking and what pans not to use:

1. To trim artichokes, cut the pointed tops off, then cut the stem off flush with the bottom. You may want to pull some of the more unsightly outer leaves off too.

2. Never use cast iron or aluminum pans to cook artichokes, as they will cause a metallic taste and discolor the artichokes.

Now let's get down to the cooking part. You can just boil your artichokes in water until tender, but I believe this is the fastest way to get the best results:

4 SERVINGS (PRESSURE COOKED)

- 2 cups water

1. Put the water in a pressure cooker with the rack in the bottom.

- 4 artichokes, washed and trimmed
- Garlic salt to taste
- Pepper to taste
- Dried parsley to taste
- Extra-virgin olive oil

2. Season the artichokes to taste with the salt, pepper and parsley, then drizzle a little olive oil over the top. (The leaves should be pulled slightly opened to receive the seasoning.)

3. Place the artichokes in the cooker over high heat and bring the cooker to pressure. Turn the heat down and cook under pressure for 15 minutes.

Release the pressure and serve the artichokes plain or with mayonnaise (my favorite).

When eating artichokes, just pull a leaf off and dip the "meaty" end in mayonnaise. Then, while holding the tip of the leaf with your fingers, put the artichoke leaf between your teeth and scrape the soft, delicious "meat" from the leaf.

When you come to the heart (bottom) of the artichoke, spoon or cut the fuzzy part off and you will be left with the heart, which is all "meat" and delicious.

Korean Fish Recipes

Korean cuisine is based on noodles, rice, meats, vegetables and tofu, although there are also some famous fish recipes. A traditional meal in Korea is steamed short-grain rice with lots of different side dishes. Common ingredients in this cuisine include soy sauce, garlic, salt, sesame oil, fermented bean paste, pepper, ginger and fermented red chili paste. The recipes vary by province and a lot of regional dishes now have national fame.

Meat used to be obtained by fishing and hunting and it was eaten in stews or soups or roasted at this time. People who lived nearer to the sea would have eaten more fish. Shellfish and seafood have always been very popular in Korea and commoners lived on a diet of shellfish and fish like clams, oysters, shrimp, loach, and abalone. Hogs and sheep were reserved for the upper class.

Saltwater fish and fresh ones are both popular there and they might be grilled, broiled, served, served raw or added to stews and soups. Mackerel, croaker, Pacific herring, and hairtail are well loved and smaller fish, squid, shrimp and more can be salted and dried.

Fish is grilled in fillets or whole and it is often dried naturally so it can be stored or shipped. Anchovies and yellow corvina feature in Korean dishes and soup stocks are sometimes made from kelp and dried anchovies. Shellfish are added to broth, eaten raw with a vinegar condiment, or used in other dishes. Salted baby shrimp are used for seasoning and bigger ones are grilled or dried. Squid, octopus, and cuttlefish are examples of mollusks, which are enjoyed there.

How To Make Braised Halibut

Koreans enjoy braising food and you can use any firm-fleshed fish for the following recipe, such as red snapper, cod, or striped bass. You might like to add red pepper paste to the sauce if you prefer a spicier flavor. This recipe serves four people.

What You Need:

• 2 lbs halibut
• 1/2 sliced white onion
• 1 Korean radish, in 1/2 inch thick 1 inch rectangles
• The green part only of 5 scallions, in 1 inch pieces
• Vegetable oil

For The Sauce:

• 3 cups water
• 3 thinly sliced garlic cloves
• 2 teaspoons sesame oil
• 2 tablespoons chili pepper flakes
• 1 tablespoon white sugar
• 1 thinly sliced piece of fresh ginger
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon rice wine
• 1 hot red Korean pepper, in 1/2 inch pieces

How To Make It:

Combine the sauce ingredients. Coat the bottom of a big pot with oil and heat it over a moderately high heat. Add the onion and radish and pour in the sauce ingredients. Bring the mixture to a boil. Put the halibut on top of the vegetables and braise it, in the sauce.

Simmer the dish for about fifteen minutes or until the radish is tender. Baste the fish often but try not to disturb it much while it cooks. Add the green onions a couple of minutes before the end of the cooking time.

Important Low Cholesterol Diet Recipes

The Ultimate Shrimp Pasta Recipe

You can basically make this recipe with any kind of pasta, it doesn't really matter which you choose in terms of the overall flavour - so if you have a particular favourite, go with that. I'm personally a big fan of regular thin spaghetti, and since this was it was served on our honeymoon in Italy, I'll be using that! Otherwise, you'll need the following for a wonderful meal for 2:

- 1/2 lb of spaghetti

- 1/2 lb of shrimps, cleaned and deveined. Do try to buy to fresh if you can.

- 1/5 cup of olive oil

- 1/4 cup butter

- 1/2 cup dry white wine

- 3 cloves garlic, chopped finely

- 1/5 cup fresh parsley, chopped coarsely

- Salt and coarse black pepper to taste

Preparation:

Fill a pot of water and boil it up. While that's boiling, prepare the skillet or frying pan you'll be frying the shrimp in. When the water boils, throw the pasta in with a teaspoon of salt and cook it as long as your brand of pasta requires.

Begin to heat some oil in the skillet, and fry the chopped garlic for about a minute before adding the shrimp, seasoning with a little salt and pepper. The shrimp will only take a few minutes to cook if the pan is hot enough. When they look about ready and turn pink, take them out and set aside.

Add the butter and wine to the skillet, and turn the heat down a little to medium-high. Stir the pasta if you haven't already.

Cook the wine and butter until you've reduced it by half the original volume, then add the shrimp back in and reheat. Drain the pasta, assuming it's done, but save about half a cup of the water. Mix everything together in the skillet, as well as the parsley. If the pasta looks like it's a bit dry, just add some of the water you kept. Complete with a little grated cheese on top

Asparagus Frittata

My father got bit by the frittata bug this week and made these for us for lunch a few days ago. This is a quick and easy, no-nonsense recipe that makes a terrific frittata in hardly any time at all.

Asparagus Frittata Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 small onion, thinly sliced
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 pound asparagus, tough ends snapped off, spears cut diagonally into 1-inch lengths
• 4 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 cup shredded Gruyere or Swiss cheese

Method

1 Heat olive oil into a 10-inch oven-proof frying pan over medium high heat. Add onions and salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are softened, about 3 minutes. Add asparagus, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook, covered, until the asparagus are barely tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Pour in eggs and cook until almost set, but still runny on top, about 2 minutes. While cooking, pre-heat oven broiler.

2 Sprinkle cheese over eggs and put in oven to broil until cheese is melted and browned, about 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from oven with oven mitts and slide frittata onto a serving plate. Cut into wedges.

Serves 4

Low Carb Meal Recipes

If you know how to prepare these low carb foods, this will keep unhealthy foods at bay. If you have a readily available low carbohydrates food, you can avoid ordering unhealthy food such as pizza and junk food. This will decrease the chance of having unhealthy food.

If you want to have an effective diet system with these low carb meals, make sure to combine it with proper exercise. Such exercise will burn fats in your body. Now that you know how to prepare low carb meals,

The best thing about knowing how to make an easy blender hollandaise sauce is that once you get the hang of it, you can make the most simple of vegetables into something quite elegant. Case in point, these steamed asparagus. I like asparagus any which way, but drizzle a little (or more than a little) hollandaise over them? Oh my.

Asparagus with Hollandaise Sauce Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 bunch of asparagus (about 1 lb)
• 10 Tbsp unsalted butter (1 stick plus 2 Tbsp)
• 3 egg yolks
• 1 Tbsp lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon salt (skip if using salted butter)
• Pinch of cayenne

Method

1 Prep the asparagus. Break off the tough ends with your fingers. Bend the asparagus spears near the end and they will break naturally where the spear is no longer tough. For an elegant presentation of the spears, use a vegetable peeler to peel off a very thin layer of the outer skin of the lower two to three inches of the asparagus spears. Prepare a large, shallow pan (with a cover) with a half inch of water and a steamer rack.

2 Prepare the Hollandaise sauce. Melt the butter in a small pot. Put the egg yolks, lemon juice, salt and cayenne into a blender. Blend the eggs for 20-30 seconds at medium to medium high speed until lighter in color. Turn blender down to lowest setting and slowly drizzle in the hot melted butter while the blender is going. Continue to blend for a few seconds after all of the butter is incorporated. Taste the sauce and add more salt or lemon juice if needed. Keep warm while you are steaming the asparagus.

3 Bring the water in your steaming pan to a boil. Place the asparagus on the steaming rack. Cover. Steam for 3 to 5 minutes, until tender, but still a little crisp, definitely not mushy. The timing depends on how thick the asparagus spears are.

Plate the asparagus. Pour Hollandaise sauce over them.

Serves 4

Italian Low-Calorie Salad Dressing

Do you trying to lose weight, chances are you may be eating lots of salads. The right dressing can transform your veggies from dull to delicious, but the vast majority of commercial dressings pack a caloric wallup which ranges from 90 to 120 high-fat calories per tablespoon. What's a dieter to do? The answer is simple - make your own!

One of the tastiest and most nutritious bases for home-made salad dressings is tofu. In use since the Chinese dynastic period, tofu is a bean curd made by coagulating soy milk much in the same way cow's milk is processed to make cottage cheese. It's inexpensive, available at most supermarkets, and easy to work with. Best of all, it's highly nutritious and low-calorie. A half-cup serving of tofu contains an average of 95 calories, which equates to less than 10 calories per tablespoon, only five grams of fat, and over 10 grams of protein. It's naturally cholesterol-free, a good source of iron, and rich in calcium, providing over 20% of the recommended daily allowance in one 1/2 cup.

The very soft or silken varieties of tofu are the best choices when making a low-calorie salad dressing. Use a blender for the smoothest results, but if you don't have a blender, a food processor, electric mixer, or even a wire whip will yield good results. Only use very fresh tofu, and immediately refrigerate any left-over tofu or dressing.

This recipe for Favorite Creamy Italian Dressing is sure to become one of your diet staples. It has the creaminess and body of a full-calorie, full-fat dressing with a fraction of the calories - less than 15 calories per tablespoon. It's blend of seasonings give it a perfectly zesty tang, but feel free to add garlic powder, basil, a dash of mustard or any other spice you fancy. The dressing becomes more flavorful if made a day or so in advance and stored in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Low Calorie Salad Dressing: Favorite Creamy Italian

1/2 lb silken or very soft tofu

1 Tbs oil

2 Tbs white vinegar

1 tsp salt

Pinch of black pepper or more to taste, preferably freshly ground

Combine all ingredients and blend or mix until a creamy, smooth consistency is obtained. Transfer to a bowl if using a blender. Fold in:

3 cloves minced garlic

2 Tbs sweet pickle relish, if desired

1/4 - 1/2 tsp oregano

1/8 tsp red pepper flakes

This dressing is delicious on cold pasta as well as tossed salads.

Peanut Butter and Jelly Muffins

My first attempt came out too wet, heavy, and the batch was much too big. This second attempt is perfect. The muffins are light, and the flavors of the peanut butter and jam both come through beautifully.

I added the jam near the end, because I wanted to have a few small pockets of just jam, although it seems to not have made much difference. If you want chunks of jam, you're better off using jam that has big chunks in it.

Vegan Peanut Butter and Jelly Muffins

1/2 cup peanut butter
2/3 cup nondairy milk (I used soymilk)
1/2 to 2/3 cup sugar, depending on how sweet or sour your jam is
1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar (I assume white vinegar would also work)
1/2 cup chopped peanuts, optional
1-1/3 cup whole wheat flour (regular would be fine)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup jam

In a large bowl, mix together the peanut butter, milk, sugar, vinegar and peanuts. Mix well.

Stir in flour, baking soda, and salt until almost completely mixed. Add jam. Stir gently to just incorporate it.

Spray a muffin tin with nonstick spray. Fill muffin cups. Bake at 375 degrees F for 25-30 minutes, or until a stick comes out clean.

Let cool a few minutes before removing from the muffin tin. Makes 12 muffins.

Mexican Stew

Mexican Stew Recipes

A Mexican stew is a nice choice if you want to make a vegan entree and the following recipe combines different kinds of legumes and pulses with savory spices, tomatoes, onions, and garlic. This is a very healthy recipe and using beans makes it just as satisfying and filling as a meat, poultry or fish based entree.

Serving only side dishes to a vegetarian or vegan is not exciting for them, but making something delicious like a stew will prove that your cooking abilities are excellent, even when cooking for somebody who does not eat fish or animal by-products. A good cook is able to cook for anyone.

This dish is suitable for meat-eaters too and you can serve it as a side dish alongside meat, poultry or fish or even as a stew in its own right, perhaps with some homemade cornbread for soaking up the wonderful sauce. You can serve stew at any time of the year, although it is especially warming and tasty in the fall and winter months.

You can use canned pulses if you do not have time to soak dried ones. Also, feel free to switch the pinto beans, chickpeas, or turtle beans for red kidney or butter beans or any other kind. Diced bell pepper and zucchini are also nice in this dish and you can saute these vegetables at the same time as the garlic and onion if you want to use them. This Mexican food recipe will serve six people.

What You Need:

• 7 oz dried black turtle beans
• 7 oz dried chickpeas
• 7 oz dried pinto beans
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon dried cumin
• 1 diced onion
• 4 crushed cloves garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 small can corn kernels
• 1 lb passata (sieved tomatoes)
• Cayenne pepper, black pepper, and salt, to taste

How To Make It:

Rinse the beans and pick out any imperfect ones. Cover them with water and let them soak overnight. Drain them and put them in a pot. Cover them with water and simmer them for an hour or until they are tender. You might need more water during this time.

Heat the oil in a skillet over a moderately high heat and saute the garlic and onion until the onion is transparent. Season the mixture with cumin and add it to the bean mixture.

Stir in the passata and simmer for twenty minutes. Stir in the corn kernels and cinnamon and cook for fifteen minutes. Season to taste with cayenne pepper, black pepper, and salt and serve hot.

How To Make Artichoke Appetizer Squares

You can also add different types of toppings to create a different taste or you can add the ingredients on half of the crust and other ingredients on the other half of the crust.

Recipe for Artichoke Appetizer Squares

What You Need

• 1 can crescent dinner rolls 8 ounce
• 2 Tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
• 2 small packages softened cream cheese 3 ounce
• ½ cup sour cream or plain yogurt
• ¼ teaspoon seasoned salt
• ½ teaspoon dill weed
• 1 egg
• 1 small jar drained diced pimento 2 ounce
• 1 large can drained chopped artichoke hearts 14 ounce
• 1/3 cup chopped green onions

How to Make It

Before preparing this recipe, lay the cream cheese out on the counter to soften until needed.

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

Using an un-greased 13x9 inch baking sheet or pizza pan, you will place the crescent rolls and then unroll the dough in strips onto the baking sheet, while sealing the perforations in the dough. Press the dough onto the bottom of the baking sheet. Allow about a ½ inch up the sides of the pan to form the crust.

Sprinkle with the parmesan cheese and then place in the oven for 5 minutes. After baking remove from the oven and set aside until needed.

Using a small mixing bowl you will add the cream cheese and beat until it is smooth and creamy. Add the sour cream or plain yogurt, the seasoning salt, dill weed and the egg. Blend together thoroughly.

Spread this cream cheese mixture evenly over the partially baked crust. Sprinkle or arrange the pimento, artichoke, and green onions over the cheese filling and then return to the hot oven. Bake for about 12 to 13 more minutes or until the edges are a deep golden brown color and the center of the dish is set.

Cut into individual bite size pieces before serving them to your family and friends either hot or cold for a delicious appetizer.

Stuffed Eggplant Appetizers Recipe

They are the perfect addition whether you want a vegetable side dish at the family meal or you are planning your wedding dinner. Yes, stuffed eggplant can be just that great. When you make them yourself, you can impress anyone who insists on having a good vegetable dish. While making this particular recipe you will create four simple servings, which makes it ideal for serving a small crowd.

Easy Party Appetizers Recipes for Vegetarians

This particular recipe is adaptable, by simply increasing the measurements of its ingredients by the number of people you will be serving. For instance, doubling the recipe will serve 8 rather than four and so on. These are delicious and you will want to serve them whether you are having a quite get together with family and friends. They also make a nice addition when you want to serve something different as your vegetable side dish while you are BBQ grilling.

Recipe for Stuffed Eggplant Appetizers

What You Need

• 4 small eggplants 4 ounce each
• 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
• 2 Tablespoons diced bell pepper
• 2 Tablespoons diced onion
• 1 minced garlic clove
• 1 beaten egg
• ½ cup ricotta cheese
• 3 Tablespoons seasoned dried bread crumbs
• ¼ teaspoon basil
• ¼ teaspoon oregano
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon pepper
• ½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese

How to Make It

Prepare a large size casserole dish by lightly spraying it with cooking spray, and then set aside until needed.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Rinse the eggplants and then cut them each in half, lengthwise. Scoop out the pulp, while leaving a ¼ inch thickness to their shells.

Reserve the shells by setting them aside until needed. Chop up the eggplant pulp into small pieces and reserve until needed. Beat the egg and set aside until needed.

Add the oil into a small skillet over a medium heat, and then add the bell pepper, onions, garlic, and eggplant pulp. Stir to combine and heat all ingredients. Reduce heat and allow the mixture to saute until tender.

Remove from heat. Stir in the egg, ricotta cheese, bread crumbs, basil, oregano, salt and pepper.

Evenly distribute this vegetable mixture into the reserved eggplant shells. Transfer the shells into the prepared baking sheet. Place in the preheated oven and bake for about 25 minutes.

Remove stuffed eggplant shells from the oven. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese evenly over each and then broil for about 2 or 3 minutes to melt the cheese, but do not allow them to burn.

Creamy Cheesy Spinach Appetizer Spread

Make Ahead Appetizers go well with Many Different Finger Foods

While serving party guests or family and friends, you can count on make ahead appetizers that will go well with many different types of finger foods. For instance, this recipe makes about 5 1/3 cups of creamy cheesy spinach appetizer spread that you can serve warm with various types of:

• Assorted crackers
• Assorted vegetables
• Assorted chips

For instance, you might serve this spread with wheat, rice, fancy or plain crackers. Assorted vegetables can be anything from carrot and celery sticks, cherry tomatoes, broccoli, cauliflower and so many more. Assorted chips may be anything from corn chips, potato chips, tortilla chips and so on. While choosing the types of finger foods you will serve, consider the types of crackers, fresh vegetables and assorted chips and breads that you might like to eat. Consider those who you will be serving and everyone will be thoroughly impressed with some tasty tidbits while snacking or attending your party.

Recipe for Creamy Cheesy Spinach Appetizer Spread

What You Need

• 1 cup ricotta cheese
• 2 packages soften cream cheese 8 ounce
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 2 teaspoons basil
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 2 garlic cloves
• 3 eggs
• 1/3 cup parmesan cheese
• 1 can water chestnuts
• 1 package chopped spinach 9 ounce
• 1 jar pimento 2 ounce
• Fresh parsley for garnish
• Assorted crackers
• Assorted vegetables
• Assorted chips

How to Make It

Allow the chopped spinach to thaw before preparation time. After thawing, you will squeeze the spinach to drain off the liquid. Set aside until needed. Drain and dice the water chestnuts into smaller pieces, cover and then set aside until needed.

Place cream cheese on the counter to soften for about 20 minutes before preparation time.

Prepare a 9 inch spring-form pan by lightly applying cooking spray. Set aside until needed.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Using a food processor you will add the ricotta cheese, cream cheese, olive oil, basil, salt, garlic and eggs. Process these ingredients until they are thoroughly blended and smooth.

Spoon this creamy cheese mixture into a large bowl. Add the parmesan cheese, water chestnuts, spinach, and pimento. Blend well and then pour into the prepared baking pan.

Place in the preheated oven to bake for 35 to 45 minutes or until the center is set. Remove from oven and allow this dish to cool for at least 20 minutes.

Vegetarian Minestrone Soup Recipe

Minestrone is a classic Italian soup which usually contains vegetables, beans, and pasta or rice. It is a hearty and filling soup and can be a complete meal in itself. Here is my recipe for Vegetarian Minestrone Soup.

If you use pasta and are vegan, check to be sure eggs are not one of the ingredients. And the black beans were a mistake. I meant to put kidney beans, but I was looking at the can next to the one I grabbed, since they are usually in separate sections in my pantry. But when I opened it, I discovered it was black beans, so I added them and then another can of kidney beans also. They taste great, and my friend prefers black beans anyway, so it's just as well.

I use fresh herbs from my garden. But if you only have dried, substitute three times the dried amount. Also, some people find the taste of fresh oregano too overpowering. But the herbs aren't even noticeable in this recipe.

The final product ended up being almost no liquid at all, so you might want to alter that if you like a lot of liquid in your soup. I suppose this recipe is more like a stew. I would eliminate one of the potatoes and cut the pasta amount in half, and see where you end up. Or you can just add another cup or two of water and adjust the salt level to taste.

Vegetarian (Vegan) Minestrone Soup

3 Tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 carrots, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced
1 can (6 ounces, 170 grams) tomato paste
1 can (15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (15.25 ounces) kidney beans, rinsed and drained
7 cups water
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
2 medium potatoes, cubed (I used Yukon golds)
1/2 small head of cabbage, chopped
2 Tablespoons fresh oregano, or 2 teaspoons dried
2 Tablespoons fresh parsley, or 2 teaspoons dried
4 Tablespoons fresh basil, or 4 teaspoons dried

1 cup small pasta (I used elbow macaroni)
1 cup frozen peas, rinsed

In a very large pot, saute the onion, celery and carrots in olive oil for 10 minutes.
Add the garlic, tomato paste, beans, water, salt, potato, cabbage, and herbs. Cover and cook 15 minutes.
Add the pasta. Cover and cook 15 minutes.
Remove from heat. Stir in the frozen peas. Let sit at least 5 minutes.

You can drizzle each serving with a little extra virgin olive oil, if desired. Serve with a hearty bread for a complete meal. Makes 10-12 servings.

How To Make A Creamy Spinach Dip

Vegetarian recipes are very popular today with many different types of people. You can learn how to make all sorts of dishes that you can enjoy eating and serving to others whether you are serving them at home to your family or you wish to prepare something for a special social event.

Making Easy Party Appetizers for Your Next Party

You can easily make some easy party appetizers for your next party while using this delicious and creamy dip. There is no cooking or baking to do while preparing it. You can make it ahead of time and then place it in the refrigerator until you need it. Making appetizer ahead of time helps save you time. You can whip this recipe up in hardly any time at all and then you will have all the time you need to prepare yourself and your party setting.

Recipe for Creamy Spinach Dip

What You Need

• 1 container sour cream 8 ounce
• 1 cup mayonnaise or plain yogurt
• ½ teaspoon dill weed
• ½ teaspoon celery salt
• ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
• ¼ teaspoon onion powder
• ¼ cup chopped green onions
• ½ cup pureed artichoke hearts
• ½ cups pureed water chestnuts
• 3 Tablespoons chopped bell pepper
• 3 cups thawed, cut frozen leaf spinach
• Salt and pepper to taste

How to Make It

Using a medium size bowl, add the sour cream, mayonnaise or yogurt, dill weed, celery salt, garlic powder and onion powder and then stir to combine together completely.

Stir in the green onions, artichoke, and water chestnuts and then add the bell peppers and the spinach. Add salt and pepper to taste. Stir to blend thoroughly.

Cover with a lid or with plastic food wrap and then place in the refrigerator overnight to enhance the blending of flavors in the creamy spinach dip.

You can adapt this recipe by adding fresh herbs rather than dry ground spices. You can marinate the vegetables using your favorite marinade recipe or one tablespoon of lemon juice to enhance their flavors before adding them to this recipe. You can add various ingredients or remove any you do not like or even exchange one ingredient for another while preparing this type of dip. Taste it after removing it from the refrigerator after chilling the dip to see if you need to adjust any of the seasonings.

Carrot Salad Recipe: Russian-Korean Carrot Salad

Here is a very simple and easy carrot salad that you can throw together at the last minute and take to that potluck party. Or if you find yourself with too many people showing up for a meal and need more food, this can round out your selection. Carrots are cheap and nutritious, and even kids like them. Here is my vegan recipe for Russian-Korean Carrot Salad.

Russian-Korean Carrot Salad

6 cups grated carrots

1/4 teaspoon cayenne

1 Tablespoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 Tablespoon rice vinegar

3 Tablespoons oil

Mix all ingredients together. Chill.

I tried grating the carrots by hand...once. My arm got so sore, I regretted it and never did it again. Instead, I opt for a food processor. Cut the carrots into pieces about 3 inches long or so, enough to fit into the feeder of your food processor.

And another tip: I never peel my carrots. I don't see why I should. I buy organic and wash them. More fiber and nutrients for those eating it; less work for me. Hey, I'm practical!

Give this vegan Russian-Korean Carrot Salad recipe a try. It's a nice addition to any meal and has a nice mix of salty, sweet, sour, and spicy and will catch people's interest.