Roasted Broccoli, Kale, and Chickpeas with Ricotta

Kale has been one of those iffy veggies for me. I have mentioned that I was really nervous to try kale, since the very first time that I was ever exposed to it was preparing food for animals at the Bronx Zoo. Meat eaters would surly turn their noses away from the ground beef and horse mixture that we fed to the lions, and I felt the same way about the food I was used to feeding to gorillas and gazelles. To me, kale was animal food, not human food.

Kale has been getting pretty popular recently, and I finally took the plunge and tried it. I didn't fall head over heals for it, but I did love adding another dark leafy green into my diet. When you cut out meat from your diet, adding a variety of veggies is the spice of life.

I have been eager to find kale recipes. It took a lot of effort for me not to swap kale for spinach (my favorite dark leafy green), but I found a winning recipe that is my new favorite way to eat kale!


Recipe from Sunday Suppers

What you need:



1 Bunch of kale, stemmed and chopped
2-3 Heads of broccoli, cut into small florets
2 Cans of chickpeas
3-4 Tablespoons of lemon juice
4 Tablespoons of EVOO
2-3 Cloves of garlic, chopped
15 oz Container of ricotta cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
Red pepper flakes to taste

What to do:
Preheat the broiler.
Toss the kale, broccoli, chickpeas, and garlic in the olive oil.
Lay out the veggies on a greased and lined baking sheet.
Sprinkle the salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes on top.
Broil for 5 minutes, tossing halfway through, until the kale is crispy, broccoli is tender, and the veggies are just getting a char, but are still bright green.
Drizzle the lemon juice on top.
Serve with a dollop of ricotta cheese.













This was so garlicky and so delicious. I loved the flavor and crisp of the chard kale. The chickpeas had almost a meaty flavor, which went well with the veggie flavor of the broccoli, plus they added an element of protein. The lemon juice was a nice addition of tartness. There was just the right amount of heat from the red pepper to give it a little kick. And the contrast of hot veggies with the cold ricotta took this to the next level. The mild and soft cheese was almost like a cream sauce, it was the perfect way to top this dish.

What is your favorite way to make kale? Will this roasted kale dish be on your menu next?

Bye from the Veggie Side!

Curry Tofu with Rice Medallions

A little wile ago, Ben and I decided to take a shopping trip to H Mart. For those that don't know, H Mart is a huge Asian supermarket. I had one by my house in NY, but Ben and I were looking to really explore the one in our neck of the woods. We went up and down every isle and made some awesome discoveries.

First, in our normal supermarket, tofu is usually around $4, while in H Mart its only $1.5! I can't believe how much money I had been wasting. Actually, all of their produce is much cheaper, and with a much larger verity. We also found great non-food items like a knife-sharpener, and some tea accessories.

However, I was on a mission of my own. While on my last trip to Austin, David took me to a delicious Asian restaurant. For the first time I tried rice medallions, and ever since then, I just couldn't get them out of my head. In such a large Asian supermarket, I was really hoping to find them. Finally after a long shopping trip of searching, there they were!  We also picked up some of our other favorites like curry and miso paste, and once we got home I threw together a meal I had been craving for months.



What you need:



4 Tablespoons of curry paste
1 large can of coconut milk
2 medium heads of broccoli, chopped
1 pound tofu
1 bag of rice medallions

What to do:
Start by sauteing the tofu and broccoli.
Next, stir in the coconut milk and curry paste.
While everything is simmering, cook the rice medallions according to the instructions on the bag.
Once everything is done, mix it together and serve.









This ended up being very coconuty, with a bit of heat and an authentic Thai flavor. The rice medallions were creamy and chewy just like I remembered. I loves how the tofu and broccoli soaked up all the curry flavors. It was the perfect mix of sweet and spicy.

I was so happy to get to eat these little morsels of goodness. I will be traveling back to Austin again in a few weeks,and hopefully I'll get to have them again!

Have you ever tried these rice medallions?

Bye from the Veggie Side!

Cheesy Broccoli Casserole

Now that we are really in the dead of winter, I have been thoroughly enjoying comfort foods. Anything warm, cheesy, and comforting is the perfect food to end a cold winter day with. Comfort foods are not always the healthiest, so it helps to tweak them here and there to turn them from junk food, to a great meal. The best way to make some great comfort food is in the crock pot. I love that you can just toss everything in and leave it. Its rare to find a great looking vegetarian crock pot recipe, but when I found one for cheesy broccoli casserole, I knew I had a winner.



Inspired by Stephanie 'Dea.

What you need:



2 pounds of broccoli, trimmed
1/3 cup of flour
1/4 tsp of salt
1/4 tsp of black pepper
1/2 tsp brown mustard
1 cup of fat free milk
1 cup of veggie broth
1/2 cup of shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1/2 cup of shredded mozzerella

What to do:
Combine the flour, salt, pepper, and mustard in a large bowl.
Toss flour mixture with the broccoli and pour into the crock pot.



Pour in the milk, broth, and cover with cheese.



Cook on low for about 6 hours, until broccoli is tender and the edges start to brown.







This casserole was crunchy, creamy, so comforting, and so delicious! There was a hint of spice from the pepper and mustard. I loved that the outsides were crispy. All the spices from the broth made me feel like I was eating a solid cheesy broccoli soup! This meal was the perfect mix of vegetables and creamy comfort. It would work perfectly as a side dish, or a meal on its own!

Will you try this crock pot cheesy broccoli casserole?

Bye from the Veggie Side!

Spicy Asian Pasta

I just want to start off by apologizing for my surprise absence.  While the holiday time isn't the biggest deal to me, it does come with lots of extra work at my job, which means long hours.  Working so hard, plus a trip up to see Ben's family, I didn't have much time to blog. While I'm still super busy, I was really happy I finally found the time to sit down and write a blog post.

Even though it's not the best food for you, I just love pasta. Its delicious, filling, and easy to make it into a great vegetarian meal. I am always looking for pasta recipes to add to my collection.  When I don't know what to make with my pasta, I go with the standard garlic and oil sauce, but I was looking for something a little different. I found THIS spicy pasta with broccoli recipe and decided to give it a go.



Adapted from Recipe Treasure.

What you need:



1 lb box of pasta
2 head of broccoli, chopped
6 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 cup of olive oil (some to cook the broccoli, and some to coat the pasta)
1.5 tablespoon salt
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons red pepper flakes

What to do:
Cook pasta according to directions on the box.
While pasta is cooking, heat the olive oil over medium heat and add the garlic and red pepper flakes.
Once the broccoli is golden, add the broccoli and salt.
Saute until the broccoli is fully cooked and starting to soften.
Drain the pasta, and mix in the broccoli.
Mix in the balsamic vinegar and soy sauce, serve hot, or chill.











If you like spicy, then this pasta is for you. It is packed with lots of heat!  There was a bit of Asian inspired flavors from the soy sauce, a hint of tang from the vinegar, and lots of tasty garlic flavor. It definitely was unique, but it was really delicious!

What is your favorite pasta meal? Have you ever tried an Asian style pasta?

Bye from the Veggie Side!

SunBird Mongolian Be...Tofu!

Living away from home, and buying my own food, has made me very aware of the price of food. I used to love to go out to eat and thought $10 for a meal was cheap. Now that I am cooking a lot more, I usually pay $3-$4 per meal.  Its hard to bring myself to order take out when it is so expensive, but sometimes you just need a big bowl of Chinese food, amiright?

On a shopping trip, Ben noticed a brand of Asian seasoning packets called SunBird. They made a few different flavors, a few of which are vegetarian.  I have never had Mongolian beef in my life, but Ben knows me well and said I would like the flavors and should try the spice packet with tofu instead. Well, with the spices on sale for only $1 per packet, I thought it couldn't hurt to try.



What you need & what to do:




Source.

As you can see, all the ingredients and instructions are printed on the back of the packet. Of course, swap out the beef for 1 package of tofu. Since I never had Mongolian beef before, I asked Ben what veggies usually come with it and he suggested broccoli. I'm not a fan of onions, so I swapped them for 2 cups of frozen broccoli. I decided to eat my meal with rice, but this would work great with noodles, quinoa, or even more veggies!

Before you start cooking, remember to cut and press your tofu for about 45 minutes, then you can continue cooking as directed.









The first thing I noticed was the authentic Asian flavor, it literally tasted as if it was straight out of a take out container! Its had prominent flavors of garlic and ginger, with a big kick of spice. The sauce had the perfect, thick, consistency and almost tasted like Szechuan sauce. The tofu had a great texture, firm but not yet crispy. The broccoli was the perfect addition, adding a nice crunch to the meal.  This definitely satisfied my craving for Chinese food take out, and for a lot less money!

Have you tried these SunBird flavor packets?

Bye from the Veggie Side!

Crock Pot Quinoa & Veggies

Recently, Ben got us a crock pot, which as opened my mind to looking for a whole new set of recipes. While scoping out Pinterest like usual, I would spot lots of slow cooker ideas, and just toss them aside since I didn't have the means to cook them.  I wish I had saved them because now I find myself searching for ideas.  I found this recipe for quinoa and veggies which gave me two firsts to try out: cooking in the crock pot, and cooking quinoa.



I have heard wonderful things about the super food, but have only a little bit of experience with quinoa.  I have only eaten it twice, and I have never cooked it.  Finding a recipe to make quinoa in the crock pot inspired me to try it.  I was always a little unsure about cooking it myself, but if it could be as easy as dumping it in a crock pot, I thought I should be brave enough to try it.

What you need:



2 cups of quinoa
4 cups of veggie broth
1 tablespoon olive oil
About 5 cloves of garlic, minced
About 2 cups of your favorite veggies (I used broccoli, peas, and carrots)
Basil
Pepper

What to do:
Put your quinoa into the crock pot.
Stir in olive oil.
Mix in the veggie broth, veggies, pepper, and garlic.



Cover and cook for about 4 hours.



Once quinoa is done cooking, fluff it with a fork.
Serve hot topped with some basil.





Then I decided to get fancy.





The quinoa had a mild but grainy taste with a nice texture which gave this meal a nice bite. The broth added the perfect mix of flavors, a little vegetabley and a little salty. I love that this lets you add whatever veggies you want. Its really customizable! The only thing I wish came out differently were the carrots, they were just a bit under cooked.  The basil was so fragrant, and went well with the garlic.  I felt like I was eating fancy food from an elegant restaurant, plus it was super healthy and vegan. I can't wait to make this again!

What is your favorite crock pot meal? How else do you like to make quinoa?

Bye from the veggie side!

Crescent Rolls - Pesto & Broccoli

As per the name of this blog, simple, easy, and vegetarian is the name of the game when I'm choosing what to make for dinner.  And now that I buy my own food, "budget" is another word I have added to my food vocabulary.  I have always been intrigued by the Pillsbury Crescent Rolls commercials where they get a little creative with the rolls.  Its been a while since I last made stuffed crescents, and with frozen veggies, and crescent rolls, on sale, it was time to get cooking!



What you need:



The best part about these is that you can fill them up with any of your favorite combination of things. I used two tube of crescent rolls, pesto, broccoli and mozzarella cheese.

What to do:
Preheat the oven according to the directions on your crescent rolls.
Lay out the dough and fill them with your favorite things!



Roll them up. I like to wrap the sides in to keep all the ingredients inside the rolls.
Pop them in the oven and bake according to the directions on the rolls.











To me, pesto and broccoli is one of those perfect combinations, like chocolate and peanut butter, or tomato and basil, you just can't go wrong. The cheese was so melty, which is my favorite way to eat cheese. The pesto had lots of great flavor, while the broccoli added a nice crunch. The rolls were nice and crispy on the outside, and soft and flaky inside. Oh crescent rolls, you have produced another winner!

Have you have stuffed crescent rolls? What ingredients should I use next?

Bye from the Veggie Side!