Category: Vegetarian

Gazpacho

Its officially September, but I dont want to let go of summer food just yet. This summer has been filled with BBQs, grilled meats and veggies and it was always fresh and delicious. While I like fall for its comfortable temperatures and outfits (sidenote: I am at my trendiest in fall when I get to wear a leather jacket and boots. Throw on anything with that and its a quote unquote cool) I just love summertime tomatoes.

So I will just have to scoop up the remaining fresh farm tomatoes in the markets and make batches of this soup to enjoy for the next while. Cause its delicious.


gazpacho

gazpacho

While I have had gazpacho in many restaurants, this recipe from my mother is always my favorite. Its even better when she makes a batch and sends me home with a container full to last me a week! Thanks Mom!

Gazpacho

Ingredients:

  • 1 large english cucumber, peeled
  • 1 green bell pepper, seeded
  • 1 small yellow onion
  • 6 medium tomatoes, peeled
  • 4-6 garlic cloves (depending on how garlicky you like it 4 still makes it quite garlicky) minced
  • juice of 1/2 lemon
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1/2 tsp chili powder
  • 1/2 tsp dried basil
  • 1/2 tsp dried oregano
  • 1/2 TBSP salt
  • 19-oz can tomato juice
  • Couple dashes of tabasco
  • salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

  1. Cut cucumber, green pepper, onion and tomatoes into chunks
  2. In the food processor: process cucumber in pulses until finely chopped. Remove to a large bowl. Repeat with green pepper, onion and tomatoes, removing each one to the large bowl.
  3. Process together the minced garlic, lemon  juice, chili powder, basil, oregano, salt and 1/2 the tomato juice. Process until smooth.
  4. In the large bowl, add to this mixture to the chopped vegetables and the remaining tomato juice. Add salt and pepper and tabasco to taste.
  5. Chill for at least 4-6 hours. Serve with croutons and other additions (like cucumber, mint, basil)

Recipe adpated from The Food Processor Bible

Watermelon, Mint and Feta Salad

This watermelon,feta and mint salad is a fantastic salad I created in my kitchen last week. Here is how it came to be:

I got a few herbs for a makeshift garden on my little ledge (its NOT a balcony) that I really enjoy taking care of. See that basil plant? He kept me company while studying for my medical licensing exams. He sat right next to me all day, and I made sure he got all the sun and water he needed. I sound like Tom Hanks with his ball named Wilson from Cast Away, eh? I think I did get a little cabin fever while stuck inside studying.

Now that Im on vacation though, I can let my plants outside for some sunshine (when we get it) and then I get to use them in my cookingand I guess for company too! Wohoo! My mint was getting outta control so I snipped it good, real good. And thats how this watermelon salad came to be. Thank you my minty friends.

This salad is really awesome as a side to any BBQ. Ive made it twice in the same week once as a side for steaks and another as a side for lamb. Its fresh, creamy, peppery, zesty and every other adjective. Its a real winner. And a Jennie Original.

IMG_6972

Watermelon Mint and Feta saladWatermelon Mint and Feta saladWatermelon Mint and Feta salad

Watermelon Mint and Feta Salad

Ingredients:

  • 1/8th of a watermelon (you can make it into larger cubes, or into smaller diced pieces)
  • 1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled (add more if you like your cheese!)
  • 1/4 cup fresh mint, julienned
  • 4 cups arugula
  • 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • juice of 2 limes
  • 1 tsp honey
  • salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

  1. Mix together the olive oil, lime juice, honey, salt and pepper. Set aside.
  2. When ready to serve, place in a large bowl the watermelon, mint, arugula and feta cheese.
  3. Toss with the dressing and serve.

Its an easy one. And a yummy one. And a healthy one. Oh My! Guess you should try it out!

Roasted Mediterranean Pepper Salad

Who ever said fall had to be full of squash, pumpkin and zombies (duh- halloween)?

Side Comment about Zombies: Is it normal that when I hear the theme song for the Walking Dead through the thin walls of my neighbors apartment that I want to dress up in dirt and and scare the living crap out of them? I mean, they are super loud all the timeso they deserve to poop themselves.

Right.

Its Fall. Everyone is wearing un-form fitting sweaters, layers, and cooking/baking something orange. My kitchen has never conformed to rules, if anything I step so far away from them like the time it was a seriously cold canadian winter day and I made a Thai Mango salad. Im different! So Goodbye pumpkin, hello vibrant colors!

The best thing about this salad, is how versatile it is take out what you dont like, add what you do! You can also 1) serve it with just the peppers (or the additions) as a side for many meat or fish dishes, 2) put on baguette for beautiful crostinis, 3) Toss it with arugula for a fullfilling salad.

Roasted Mediterranean Pepper Salad

Ingredients:

  • Variety of bell peppers +/- spicy pepper (like jalepeno)(4-6)
  • 1 clove of garlic, minced
  • 1 tbsp green onion, chopped
  • 1 tbsp shallots, diced
  • 1 tbsp capers, drained
  • 1 tbsp kalamata olives, chopped
  • Feta cheese
  • salt and pepper
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
Directions:
  1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
  2. Cut peppers in half, removing seeds.
  3. Line peppers on a large baking sheet and roast them for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Once they’re fully roasted, cover the pepper tray with another piece of foil and let the peppers cool. When they’re cool enough to handle, remove the skins and slice sections of pepper into 1/4-inch wide strips.
  4. Toss peppers with oil, lemon juice, garlic and a few pinches of salt. Cover and let marinate for an hour or overnight (and up to 4 days) in the fridge.
  5. Add capers, olives, green onions, shallots and parsley. Stir to mix.
  6. Add feta to top of plate when serving with a sprinkle of parsley and black pepper.
Adapted from smitten kitchen
Hope you enjoy this salad! You can change it to how you like it, and serve it in a number of ways! Its a go-to at my table when it needs an extra pop of color.
– Jennie

Roasted Mediterranean Pepper Salad

Who ever said fall had to be full of squash, pumpkin and zombies (duh- halloween)?

Side Comment about Zombies: Is it normal that when I hear the theme song for the Walking Dead through the thin walls of my neighbors apartment that I want to dress up in dirt and and scare the living crap out of them? I mean, they are super loud all the timeso they deserve to poop themselves.

Right.

Its Fall. Everyone is wearing un-form fitting sweaters, layers, and cooking/baking something orange. My kitchen has never conformed to rules, if anything I step so far away from them like the time it was a seriously cold canadian winter day and I made a Thai Mango salad. Im different! So Goodbye pumpkin, hello vibrant colors!

The best thing about this salad, is how versatile it is take out what you dont like, add what you do! You can also 1) serve it with just the peppers (or the additions) as a side for many meat or fish dishes, 2) put on baguette for beautiful crostinis, 3) Toss it with arugula for a fullfilling salad.

Roasted Mediterranean Pepper Salad

Ingredients:

  • Variety of bell peppers +/- spicy pepper (like jalepeno)(4-6)
  • 1 clove of garlic, minced
  • 1 tbsp green onion, chopped
  • 1 tbsp shallots, diced
  • 1 tbsp capers, drained
  • 1 tbsp kalamata olives, chopped
  • Feta cheese
  • salt and pepper
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
Directions:
  1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
  2. Cut peppers in half, removing seeds.
  3. Line peppers on a large baking sheet and roast them for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Once they’re fully roasted, cover the pepper tray with another piece of foil and let the peppers cool. When they’re cool enough to handle, remove the skins and slice sections of pepper into 1/4-inch wide strips.
  4. Toss peppers with oil, lemon juice, garlic and a few pinches of salt. Cover and let marinate for an hour or overnight (and up to 4 days) in the fridge.
  5. Add capers, olives, green onions, shallots and parsley. Stir to mix.
  6. Add feta to top of plate when serving with a sprinkle of parsley and black pepper.
Adapted from smitten kitchen
Hope you enjoy this salad! You can change it to how you like it, and serve it in a number of ways! Its a go-to at my table when it needs an extra pop of color.
– Jennie

Tomato Salad with Feta and Mint

The smell of tomato had been wafting through every market/grocery store this past little while. They are beautiful shapes and colors and are screaming to be used. Except if youre cooking for my boyfriend he hates tomatoes!

So, it was not a great idea last summer to make a meal in which tomatos played a role in every dish. You know, like brushetta, tomato and buffalo mozarella salad and spaghetti with fresh tomoato sauce. No, that would just be silly.

Isnt he a lucky guy to have a gal like me?? oops.

So this year, I knew that it would only be fair to eat all the tomatoes by myself. And boy, I was a lucky gal! The sweet tomatoes with the spicy peppers and smooth cheese all amazing!

Tomato Salad with Mint & Feta

Ingredients:

  • 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp granulated sugar
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 small red onion, thinly sliced
  • 1 jalapeno, seeded and finely chopped
  • 4 to 6 large tomatoes, preferably a mix of red and yellow
  • 1/4 cup shredded fresh mint
  • 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese

Directions:

  1. Whisk balsamic vinegar with oil, sugar and salt in a small bowl. Stir in onion and jalapeno.
  2. Thickly slice tomatoes and arrange on a platter. Pour dressing evenly overtop. Let stand 30 min.
  3. Sprinkle with mint and cheese.

From Chatelaine Magazine 

Tomato Salad with Feta and Mint

The smell of tomato had been wafting through every market/grocery store this past little while. They are beautiful shapes and colors and are screaming to be used. Except if youre cooking for my boyfriend he hates tomatoes!

So, it was not a great idea last summer to make a meal in which tomatos played a role in every dish. You know, like brushetta, tomato and buffalo mozarella salad and spaghetti with fresh tomoato sauce. No, that would just be silly.

Isnt he a lucky guy to have a gal like me?? oops.

So this year, I knew that it would only be fair to eat all the tomatoes by myself. And boy, I was a lucky gal! The sweet tomatoes with the spicy peppers and smooth cheese all amazing!

Tomato Salad with Mint & Feta

Ingredients:

  • 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp granulated sugar
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 small red onion, thinly sliced
  • 1 jalapeno, seeded and finely chopped
  • 4 to 6 large tomatoes, preferably a mix of red and yellow
  • 1/4 cup shredded fresh mint
  • 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese

Directions:

  1. Whisk balsamic vinegar with oil, sugar and salt in a small bowl. Stir in onion and jalapeno.
  2. Thickly slice tomatoes and arrange on a platter. Pour dressing evenly overtop. Let stand 30 min.
  3. Sprinkle with mint and cheese.

From Chatelaine Magazine 

Fattoush Salad

Any of my friends in my medical class know how stressed out I am right now, because they are too. Now is the time to decide what we want to apply to next year. It is frightening.

What do you want to be when you grow up? The answer was easy when I was 10, but nowwell, im now hurtling towards my 30s (oh g-d) and I just dont want to answer that question. It comes with where will you live? Where will you work? Will you have a family?

So Ive decided to regress. Im taking a page out of my psychiatry textbook and pulling the defense mechanism card regression.

Example A: Ive made a a fattoush salad. Kinda sounds like fat tush.

Regardless of my current immaturity, fattoush is a lebanese salad that is lemony and tasty.I highly suggest you try it! The only odd ingredient is Sumac, and you can find it at any middle eastern grocery store or even your neighborhood grocery store (ive seen it at both!).

Fattoush Salad

Ingredients:

  • 2 whole wheat pita pocket breads, torn into 1 inch pieces
  • 2 gloves of garlic, chopped
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 2 tsp powdered Sumac
  • 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 heads of Romaine lettuce, chopped
  • 1/2 cup thinly sliced green onion
  • 1 cup diced tomatoes
  • 1 cup diced cucumber (english cucumber)
  • 1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh mint leaves (can increase up to 1/2 cup)
  • 1/4 cup coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley (can increase up to 1/2 cup)
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 375ºF. Spread the pita chips in a single layer on a baking sheet and baking for 10 minutes, or until dry. Cool.
  2. In a large bowl, combine lettuce, cucumber, tomatoes, green onion, parsley and mint.
  3. For the dressing, combine the garlic, salt, sumac and lemon juice. Whisk in olive oil. Add salt and pepper to taste.
  4. Add the bread to the salad before serving and toss the salad with the lemon dressing.
  5. Serve and enjoy! (can sprinkle individual plates with some extra sumac!)

Adapted from Kalyns Kitchen

Best Ever Thai Tom Yum Soup

Tom YUM soup. YUUUUUUUUUM.

I impressed myself with this soupI admit it, it was a surprise.

I love when I can surprise myself, its such a treat!

Its a pretty rare occasion because you obviously cant hide what youre thinking from yourselfor can you? Hopefully Ill find out the ways of the mind in my Psychiatry rotation next month! Woohoo.

Back to how impressive this soup is.

I bought a bunch of ingredients that I thought would go well into a thai-inspired soup. I decided to be adventurous and go sans-recipe into this spicy world, thats right This is a Jennie Original.

I figured if it didnt taste good I could add so much spice that all Ill taste is the flesh of my tongue. Tasty!

Lucky for me, this soup turned out to be so full of flavor (and heat of course) that I ate the entire pot of soup in less than 24 hours. I admit, I had nothing else in my fridge to eat (student life) but regardless, this soup was one of my favorite things Ive ever made. It was full of veggies, tofu, rice noodles and the broth was spicy with a touch of sweetness. Amazing.

Taking photos of this soup got a little wacky though. My mint kept posing on my furniture and begged me to snap photos of it. How weird is that? Does your mint do that too?

Thai Tom Yum Soup

Ingredients:

  • 4 cups vegetable stock (or chicken stock)
  • 1 cup light coconut milk
  • juice of 2 limes
  • 2 pieces of lemongrass
  • 2 tbsp fish sauce (can use soy sauce instead)
  • 1 1/2 tbsp red curry paste (use 1 tbsp for less spicy)
  • 1 tsp garlic-chili sauce
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • Fresh ginger, sliced (about 1 tbsp)
  • 1 cup mushrooms, sliced
  • 1/2 small onion, sliced
  • 3 thai chilis, chopped (2 for less spicy)
  • 1 small tomato, diced
  • 1/2 cup bamboo shoots
  • 1/2 cup mini corn
  • 1/3 cup fresh basil
  • 1 cup sliced tofu (extra firm)
  • Rice noodles cooked (optional)
  • cilantro, green onion, mint and bean sprouts for garnish

Directions:

  1. In a large pot, mix together stock, coconut milk, garlic-chili sauce, basil, lime juice, fish sauce, sugar, lemongrass, and ginger. Bring to boil on high heat. Reduce heat to low; simmer 15 minutes.
  2. Stir in red curry chili paste. Add tofu, mushrooms, corn, onion, bamboo shoots and chiles. Simmer another 15 minutes. Stir in tomato and cooked rice noodles.
  3. Before serving, remove lemongrass and ginger or you can eat around it.
  4. Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with a handful of bean sprouts, green onion, mint and cilantro. Serve with a slice of lime.

Thai food is one of my favorite foods to eat (and cook!).

I hope you try out this soup, it really is great! Dont be scared to substitute or leave out ingredients use what you have on hand! Whatever ingredients you have left over you can use in this Thai Mango Salad!

Hope you enjoy!

– Jennie

Curried Squash and Sweet Potato Soup

I dont really like green soups.

Split pea, cream of broccolieek! I will RUN for the hills. (Dinner parties can get awkward when I suddenly disappear when green soup is served!)

I know its a strange statement to make is it the color greenor is it the specific vegetables used?

It may be my aversion to all things related to mucous ( yes, Im in medical school and I totally queeze at the site of mucous)if you see me, please cough the other way :) So I guess Im going to go with a thick soup consistency with a green color!

Since I dont like green soups, that knocks out a number of popular soups to make in my kitchen.

Orange soups thats where the money is! Give me an orange soup and Ill devour it in seconds. Ive previously made a Carrot ginger soup that was great, and now Ive made an identical looking but completely different tasting curried butternut squash and sweet potato soup.

The soup (as with most soup recipes I like) is fairly easy to put together and incredibly tasty. The spices add a hint of heat while the squash adds some sweetness. Once pureed you get a thick, smooth soup that is satisfying. I added in a dollop of yogurt when I served it. My friend (and neighbor) wasnt too keen on the yogurt idea but once she tasted it she was hooked it complements the heat of the soup well.

Curried Squash and Sweet Potato Soup

Ingredients:

  • 2 tsp vegetable oil
  • 2-3 cloves of garlic, crushed
  • 1 small onion, chopped
  • 1 cup sliced mushrooms
  • 1 butternut squash, peeled, seeded and chopped
  • 1 1/2 cups sweet potato, peeled and chopped
  • 3 1/4 cups vegetable stock (can use chicken stock)
  • 1 tsp curry powder
  • 1/2 tsp ground ginger
  • 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1/8 tsp cumin
  • 1 tbsp honey
  • 1/2 cup light coconut milk (or 2% milk)
  • Salt and pepper

Garnish:

  • Plain yogurt
  • fresh basil
  • Cracked black pepper

Directions:

  1. Peel, seed and chop all vegetables.
  2. In a large nonstick saucepan, heat oil. Sauté garlic, onion and mushrooms until softened about 5 minutes.
  3. Add squash, sweet potato, vegetable stock, ginger, curry, cumin and paprika powders. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 30 minutes.
  4. Purée in food processor or with hand blender until creamy and smooth. Stir in honey and milk, blending well. Add salt and pepper to taste.
  5. Ladle into bowls and top with a dollop of plain yogurt, chopped fresh basil and freshly cracked black pepper.
  6. Serve and enjoy!

Adapted from Rose Reisman Brings Home Light Cooking

Hope you try this soup out its a healthy and satisfying soup for a cold night!

– Jennie