Simple Vegetarian

Ligonberry Syrup

Ingredients:

• 8oz frozen ligonberries
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup sugar

Place the ligonberries and the water into a small saucepan. Bring the water to a boil, stirring as it heats. Add the sugar, stirring until it dissolves.

Reduce the heat until it reaches a quiet simmer. Stir it as it simmers until about half the water boils off -- about 25 minutes. Remove the saucepan from the stove and cool it quickly; placing the saucepan in a larger bowl of icewater works well.

Creamy olive meze

Ingredients:

• ~50 large, pitted Kalamata olives
• 2/3 cup crumbled feta cheese
• 1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes
• 1/3 cup good olive oil

Add the ingredients in order to a food processor, pulsing as you go. Continue the pulse until the maze achieves an almost humus-like texture. Refrigerate and serve with pita bread

Vegetarian Tortilla Soup

Ingredients:

• 1 large white onion
• 28oz can Crushed Tomatoes
• 2 medium red bell pepers
• 1 small can diced green peppers
• 1 can whole kernel corn
• 2 quarts vegetable stock (or equivilent combination of soup starter and water)
• 8-16 oz water
• 1 bag of tortilla strips or chips
• 1-2 cups crumbled queso fresco (optional)

Chop the onion finely and the peppers coarsely. Hold the water in reserve and cook the remaining ingredients in a crock pot and cook on high for eight hours, stirring occasionally.

A significant amount of liquid will boil off during this time. Taste the soup as it cooks; if it starts to get too "tangy" add water to taste.

To serve, fill half of each bowl with tortilla chips then add soup. Garnish with queso fresco to taste.

Spicy Gluten-free Mac & Cheese

Ingredients:

• 1 - 12oz Bag Gluten-Free Pasta
• 1/4 cup All-Purpose Gluten Free Flour
• 1 - 12oz Can Evaporated Milk
• 10oz Extra-Sharp Cheddar Cheese, shredded 
• 1/2 medium Yellow Onion, chopped
• 1 teaspoon ground Cayenne Pepper (1/2 if you're sensitive to heat)
• 1/2 teaspoon Black Pepper
• 1 stick Butter
• 1 cup "Pirates Booty" Aged White Cheddar cheese puffs
• 1/4 cup milk (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook the pasta according to package instructions, rinse and set aside.

In a sauté pan, melt the butter over medium heat and add black and cayenne pepper; mix thoroughly. Add onion and sauté until the onions start to look glassy.

Slowly stir in the flour using a whisk. Continue mixing until it reaches the consistency of a thin dough. Stir in the evaporatedmilk until the mixture forms a whitesauce. 

Set aside a quarter of the cheese. Slowly mix the cheese into the whitesauce. Whisk it until the cheese is thoroughly melted into the whitesauce. If it starts to get too thick or dough-like, add a little bit of milk.

Combine the cheese sauce and pasta in a medium, covered casserole pan and mix thoroughly. Next, crush the Pirate's Booty and sprinkle over the top of the casserole as bread crumbs. Put the remaining cheese on top of the bread crumbs.

Cover and bake for 35 minutes.

A note on ingredients -- I use bionaturae gluten-free fusilli for the pasta and Bob's Red Mill all-purpose gluten free flour. They tend to cook to the right consistency. If you can't find an exact match for the pasta, make sure you don't get "shell" pasta -- as fun as shells and cheese are with wheat pasta, the gluten-free variety doesn't work well withthis recipe.

 

  

 

Cuban Black Bean Tacos

Makes ~18-20 Tacos

Ingredients:

• 1 Large Sweet Onion
• 2 Red Bell Peppers
• 3-4 Tablespoons Minced Garlic
• 1/2 Cup Olive Oil
• 3/4 Cup White Wine
• 3 Cans Black Beans
• 18-20 small white corn tortillas
• 1-2 Sliced Limes
• Shredded Cheddar Cheese (Optional)

Chop the peppers and onion. Sautee peppers and onions with garlic in olice oil until the onions begin to turn translucent. 

Drain about half the liquid from the canned black beans and stir them into the vegetables.

Add wine and simmer for about 45 minutes or until the liquid is mostly evaporated.

Serve 2-3 tablespoons of beans in each tortilla. Add a squeeze of lime juice and cheese (if not intended to be vegan)