Roasted Poblano with Chipolte Sauce

Today's post is courtesy of my husband: 

Sometimes you need to heat things up on those cold winter nights, or simply succumb to the heat on long summer days.  In either climate, this recipe is sure to satisfy.  The flavors of  roasted peppers, smokey chipotle, and goat cheese combine for palate bliss. As you can guess, the poblano and chipotle peppers can make this a very spicy dish.  However, I find a corona chaser usually does the trick to extinguish the heat. Enjoy! - Mark Bucha    

Ingredients

• 6 large poblano peppers
• 2 teaspoons plus 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon chopped chipotle chile in adobo
• 1 garlic clove
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves, roughly chopped, plus more for garnish
• 1/3 cup quinoa
• 8 ounces cremini mushrooms, trimmed and quartered
• 1 cup frozen corn kernels
• 1 can (15 ounces) black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 cup crumbled fresh goat cheese (4 ounces)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 475 degrees. On a parchment-lined baking sheet, rub peppers with 2 teaspoons oil. Roast until slightly blackened and softened, 15 to 20 minutes, turning once. When cool enough to handle, remove skins. Make a small slit in each pepper and carefully remove seeds, keeping stem end intact.
2. In a blender, combine chipotle, garlic, and 3/4 cup water; season with salt and pepper and blend until smooth. Add cilantro and pulse once to combine.
3. In a small saucepan, bring 2/3 cup water to a boil. Add quinoa, cover, and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook until tender, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand 5 minutes; fluff with a fork.
4. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high. Add mushrooms; season with salt and pepper. Cook until mushrooms are tender, about 5 minutes; add corn and beans and cook until heated, about 2 minutes. Stir in 1/2 cup cheese and quinoa.
5. Pour sauce in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Stuff peppers with filling and arrange in dish; dot with 1/2 cup cheese. Bake until golden, 15 to 20 minutes. Cool in pan 10 minutes.
   
   
   Recipe from Power Foods Cookbook 

Meatless Meatloaf

Here is a great recipe courtesy of the Whole Foods Market website. I never thought a meatloaf without meat could taste so delicious. It's a great new spin on an old classic and we really loved it. It's incredibly moist and flavorful.  I served this with some peas and mashed potatoes. I also added more garlic to the recipe. This ones a keeper...

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil, more for oiling pan
• 1 small organic yellow onion, finely diced
• 1 to 2 cloves garlic, minced 
• 4 garlic cloves halved
• 1/2 green bell pepper, cored and finely chopped
• 1 box (4 burgers) vegan veggie burgers, thawed overnight in refrigerator
• 3 tablespoons tahini
• 1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
• 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
• 1/2 cup cooked rice
• 1/2 cup dried breadcrumbs
• 1 tablespoon dried parsley

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add onion, garlic and pepper, and cook until onions are translucent and peppers are soft, about 7 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl.

Crumble the veggie burgers into the large bowl with the cooked onion mixture. In a separate bowl, combine the tahini, 1/3 cup tomato sauce and soy sauce. Add the tahini mixture, rice, breadcrumbs and parsley to the large bowl. Stir to mix well. Transfer mixture to an oiled loaf pan. Push garlic cloves into the mixture in various places in the loaf. Spread 1/2 cup tomato sauce on top. Bake 45 minutes.

Allow to cool 15 minutes before slicing. Warm remaining sauce and serve with slices . 

Menu for Week of September 30, 2012

Here is the lineup for this week:

• Meatless Meatloaf with Mashed Potatoes
• Pea & Potato Curry with Popovers
• Hearty Spinach and Chickpea Soup; with rustic toasted bread
• Pita Sandwiches with Spinach and Bean Spread; with Sweet Potato Wedges & Soy dipping sauce

Vegetarian Shepherd's Pie

A wonderful fall supper! This dish defines comfort food.  It would make a great main dish for any fall or winter holiday party. It's very hearty and warms the soul on a brisk fall day. Enjoy! 

Adapted from Martha Stewart Living, February 2010

Ingredients

For The Filling

• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 large onion, finely chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 3 celery stalks, finely chopped
• 2 medium carrots, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 4 quorn turkey patties
• Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme
• 3/4 teaspoon chipotle or regular chili powder
• Garlic powder
• 2 tablespoons plus 1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 6 ounces frozen peas (about 1 1/2 cups)

For The Topping

• 2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 cup plain fat-free greek yogurt
• Butter
• Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Make the topping: Place potatoes in a medium saucepan, cover with water by 2 inches, and bring to a simmer. Cook until fork tender, about 20 minutes. Drain, reserving 2 cups cooking liquid.  Use hand mixer to mash potatoes. Stir in yogurt and 3/4 teaspoon salt. Season with pepper.

Make the filling:

Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Cook onion, celery, carrots, thyme, and garlic, stirring, until tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Sprinkle with garlic powder and a little more chili powder. 

Add quorn patties and cook for 6 minutes. Stir in 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, the thyme, and chili powder; season with pepper. Remove from heat. Remove quorn patties and chop into cubes. Add back to pan and place back on heat. Whisk together cornstarch and reserved 2 cups cooking liquid; add to filling. Boil for 1 minute. Stir in peas. Transfer to a 2-quart round or oval baking dish; top with potatoes. Bake until bubbling and top is browned, 35 minutes.

Quinoa Rolls with Tomatillo Salsa

I adapted this recipe from one found in Whole Living magazine , June 2012 issue. Instead of using it as a "patty" I made it a breaded roll. I then added a salsa topping from another recipe I like. They paired well together and made a delicious dinner. 

Serves 6
Ingredients

• 2 cups italian bread crumbs
• 1 can (15 ounces) kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 shallot, minced
• 1 carrot, finely grated
• 3 cups cooked quinoa
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 3 tablespoons crumbled feta
• 1 teaspoon coarse salt
• 2 egg whites, lightly whisked
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

For the salsa:

• 3 tb fresh lime juice
• 1/2 small red onion, quartered
• 1/2 jalapeno pepper, ribs and seeds removed, roughly chopped
• 8 ounces tomatillos (about 4), peeled, rinsed, cored, and quartered
• 1 cup grape tomatoes, halved or quartered if large
• 1/2 cup whole cilantro leaves

Directions
In a bowl, mash beans into a thick paste and mix in shallot, carrot, quinoa, parsley, feta, salt, and egg whites.Form mixture into  about 8 rolls (log shaped) and chill 30 minutes.
After chilling, roll in bread crumbs to cover completely.
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a skillet over medium-high heat and cook rolls  until golden (add remaining tablespoon oil if cooking in batches), 4 to 5 minutes per side.
For the salsa...In the bowl of a food processor, pulse onion and jalapeno until finely chopped. Add tomatillos and pulse once or twice. Fold in tomatoes, cilantro, and remaining lime juice; season with salt and pepper.

Salsa recipe appeared in Body and Soul Magazine in June 2009

Grilled Tofu Burger with Cremini Mushrooms and Bean Spread

Here is a great recipe for a deliciously flavorful meat-free burger!  If you desire, make an extra batch of the bean spread for a nice appetizer/dip. 

Ingredients

• One 12-14 oz package extra firm tofu, cut into 4 large rectangles/slabs
• 4 large garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
• 1 cup canned cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 4 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
• Freshly ground pepper
• 8 oz Cremini mushrooms, sliced
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 red onion sliced
• 4 hamburger  buns
• 4 slices cheddar cheese 
• Handful of arugula or spinach for topping 

Directions Combine the 1 tsp minced garlic and 1 tablespoon thyme with about 2 tablespoon oil in a shallow dish. Place the tofu and mushrooms in the garlic mixture, and turn to coat. Season with pepper; drizzle with balsamic vinegar.  

Meanwhile, in a food processor, puree 1 clove garlic, 1 tablespoon thyme, the cannellini beans, and 1 teaspoon oil until smooth. If mixture is too thick to spread, add a bit more oil. Season with pepper, and pulse to combine.

Heat grill or grill pan.

Heat about a tablespooon of oil in the grill pan (if using grill, toss the onions in oil first) and grill the onions until lightly charred on the first side, about 3 minutes. Flip the onions, and continue grilling until tender and charred on the other side, about 3 minutes more. Transfer onions to a clean plate; cover to keep warm.

Place tofu and mushrooms in the grill pan. (If using a grill, you will need to grill mushrooms separately in foil.) Grill until browned - about 5-7 minutes. Flip tofu and mushrooms, and continue cooking until browned about 5-8 minutes more, or until liquid from mushrooms starts to evaporate. Remove mushrooms from grill/pan and set aside if tofu still needs to be browned more.

Split hamburger buns, and place cut side down on grill; cook just until warm and toasted. Spread 1/4 cup bean puree on the bottom half of each bun, and top with tofu, grilled mushrooms,, sliced cheese, grilled onions, and a small handful of spinach or arugula. Top with remaining roll halves, and serve.

Mom's Spicy Salsa Fresca

Yum. That is all I can say about this one. Here's the recipe..straight from the card from Mom's recipes...and covered in years of splattered salsa! It doesn't get more authentic than this!