Polenta Pizza

This was a clean-out-the-fridge type concoction. I have had this polenta (organic, non-gmo corn, of course) that I picked up from Trader Joe's taking up space in my fridge for quite some time. Yeah, yeah...the polenta isn't homemade. But sometimes, you really need something quick, and this satiated my desire for a time-conserving meal that packed a lot of flavor. I also didn't have to turn the oven on...a big plus on a 90 degree day when I have had all the different variations of salad that my produce will allow.

I cut the polenta into 1/4 inch rounds, sauteed in olive oil for about 4 minutes on each side, then topped with a spoon full leftover marinara I made earlier this week, a little bit of grated almond "mozzarella" cheese, and garnished with a fresh basil leaf from my windowsill plant. Voila. Fast, simple, and delicious!!

Tempeh Pesto Stuffed Tomatoes

That was a long hiatus that I don't wish to take again...It's been a busy summer! My dad came to visit, then my position was cut at work, then my sister came to visit, then I got a new job, then I went on vacation and, finally, I decided to take a few minutes for me.

I enjoyed a trip to the weekly evening farmer's market near my neighborhood where I made a serious haul for a mere $20. Included in that were 3 perfect heirloom tomatoes.

Tonight, I decided to beat the heat and indulge in a genuine tomato and tempeh dish that required very little from my stove top.

This recipe comes from a wonderful website I just discovered entitled, "Healthy Happy Life." I didn't alter a thing which, as you know, is rare for me. I am sure I will be re-posting several of her recipes on my food blog as they all seem to be pretty fantastic. Here is the original recipe: http://kblog.lunchboxbunch.com/2009/04/tempeh-pesto-stuffed-tomatoes.html

Tempeh Pesto Stuffed Tomatoes
serves two

2 beefsteak or heirloom tomatoes
1 cup pesto (recipe below)
1 cup tempeh, sliced into thin strips
1 Tbsp maple syrup
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp black pepper
salt, to taste
1 lemon, juiced
garnish: salt pepper, fresh basil

Tomato Prep:
Slice out the stem of the tomato.
Slice into tomato at a deep angle on all sides until you are able pull the top off.
Hollow out the tomato. Keep 1/4 inch thick tomato rind still in tact.
Use removed tomato flesh when making the pesto.
Repeat for each tomato you are stuffing.


Roasted Walnut Cheesy Pesto
makes about 1 1/3 cups

1 large lemon, juiced
1 cup maple-toasted walnuts
1 Tbsp maple syrup
1 tsp salt (or to taste)
1 tsp black pepper
1 large bunch of basil, leaves
1/2 cup flat parsley, chopped
2-3 Tbsp vegan Parmesan cheese (I like the one in the purple shaker bottle)
5-7 cloves of garlic
2-3 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 Tbsp fresh oregano
1 jalapeno, de-stemmed (de-seeding optional)
flesh from one of the cored tomatoes

To make:
Maple-toasted Walnuts:
Saute walnuts on high heat with 1 tbsp of olive oil and 1 Tbsp of maple syrup for 2 minutes.
Add walnuts to food processor.
Add basil, salt, lemon juice, cheese, pepper, parsley, garlic, olive oil, oregano and jalapeno to food processor. Blend on high until thick and fully processed. Pesto should be nutty and smooth, but not over-blended.


Tempeh:
Turn heat on high.
Place 1 Tbsp olive oil in a saute pan.
Add tempeh. Lay the tempeh strips in one layer in bottom of pan.
Add in 3 Tbsp of lemon juice, 1 Tbsp of maple syrup and a sprinkle of salt and pepper.
Let saute for 2 minutes.
Flip tempeh. Bottom side should have browned up nicely. If not, cook this side a bit longer than the first.
Add a bit more lemon juice and another dash of the remaining salt and pepper.
When tempeh is done, set aside.

Tomato Assembly:
Spoon 1 heaping spoonful of pesto on the bottom of the tomatoes.
Place one of the limper tempeh strips over the pesto in the bottom of the tomato.
Add in a few more spoonfuls of pesto and arrange 4-5 tempeh strips sticking out of the tomato. Spoon another final bit of pesto. Garnish with fresh basil and leftover candied walnuts and/or pine nuts (whatever you used in the pesto.)
Grind fresh black pepper on top.

Place tops back on tomato if you wish, or leave them open.

I indulged in my stuffed tomato with a glass (or 3, let's be serious) of riesling kabinett. I found that the saltiness and slight spice of the pesto paired really well with the sweetness of the riesling.

Enjoy!!

Black Bean and Rice Burgers

My refrigerator is in a sad state right now. Honestly, I should probably go to the grocery store once I am finished with this blog...

This recipe is of the random-pantry-items variety--at least for me. I almost always have at least one can of black beans, some rice, an onion, and certain condiments...even if I don't have much of anything else.

So, for the barren days like this one, black bean and rice burgers are the answer!!



1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup cooked brown rice
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 and a 1/2 tsp Ener G Egg replacer and 2 tbl of water, lightly beaten (equivalent to 1 egg)
two chopped chipotle peppers
2 TB of the adobo sauce
handful of Glutino bread crumbs
bun/bread of choice (I used Food For Life English Muffins)

lettuce/leafy green of choice (I like arugula because it's a spicy green, and I thought it would mesh well with this recipe)
cheese product of choice (almond pepperjack cheese was money!)

1/4 cup Veganaise
4 tbl chunky salsa

In a bowl, mash the black beans with a fork. Add the rice, onion, egg replacer, chopped chipotle peppers, adobo sauce, and breadcrumbs. Mix well. Drop by 1/2 cupfuls into a skillet coated with olive oil, or oil product of choice. Flatten with a spatula to roughly 1/2-in. thickness. Cook over medium heat for 4-5 minutes until the first side is firm and browned. Flip, then top with cheese slices so it can melt while the other side is cooking. While the burger is grilling would be a good time to grill, or toast your burger bun.

In a small bowl, combine veganaise and salsa. Place lettuce on the bun, followed by a burger and cheese, and top with salsa/veganaise mixture. Garnish with a touch of parsley.

The recipe that inspired this one can be found here: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/black-bean-rice-burgers/detail.aspx (however, I have changed it to almost unrecognizable)

Quinoa Linguine with Pine Nuts and White Wine Vinaigrette

This was an easy dinner I quickly threw together with some produce that was going to go bad very soon. I definitely try to avoid wasting produce I spent good money on.

I cooked half a box of quinoa linguine according to the package directions.

Meanwhile, I poured a tablespoon of olive oil into a bowl. Next I, very slowly, poured a thin stream of white wine vinegar into the bowl while whisking rapidly so that the mixture emulsified. Every person you talk to has a different oil to vinegar ratio they use. A lot of people say 1 part vinegar to 2 parts oil. That certainly will work, but there is nothing wrong with doing it to your personal taste--which is what I did for this recipe.

Once the oil/vinegar combination tasted balanced, I whisked in just about a 1/2 tsp of dijon mustard, and a little agave nectar to balance out the acidity.

Next, I cut up an heirloom tomato and threw the pieces into the bowl with about 3 ounces of fresh spinach, and a quarter cup of pine nuts.

After the linguine was cooked, and drained, I added it to the bowl with the sliced tomatoes and the spinach. Toss it all together, then serve!

Makes 2 servings.

Interesting note:

After I ate this meal, I had a horrible, bitter, medicinal taste in my mouth for about a week and a half. I googled the symptoms and came across an article about taste disturbances after pine nut ingestion. This is, apparently, a common problem. Many user comments specifically mentioned pine nuts from Trader Joe's (which is where mine came from...). Apparently, this taste could last up to 2 weeks from the last time pine nuts were ingested. Here is the link to the website for more info, and be careful with what kind of pine nuts you eat!

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1184261/Pine-mouth-puzzle-Why-nuts-leave-bitter-taste.html