We had vegetarian spring rolls and steamed vegetarian dumplings as our appetizers. For our entrees, we each had Pho Tai which is Vietnamese noodle soup. We had ours with beef, and it was served ... [read more]]]> Lemongrass Restaurant in Middletown, Kentucky.

We had vegetarian spring rolls and steamed vegetarian dumplings as our appetizers. For our entrees, we each had Pho Tai which is Vietnamese noodle soup. We had ours with beef, and it was served with bean sprouts, cilantro, basil, and lime. Click here to learn more about pho tai and to see a few photos.

The food was all incredibly satisfying and delicious, but neither one of us was able to finish all our soup. Had we known it was going to be such a big bowl, we wouldn’t have ordered two appetizers. It was fun picking up the noodles and beef out of the soup with my chopsticks! Once Kemal showed me the trick to eating with them, I did really well. It’s pretty easy. Anyway, I can’t wait to explore more on the menu and enjoy another one of Vietnamese beers.

For my birthday dinner, I wanted something light and simple since I ate a bigger lunch.   Kemal and I made a little pasta salad that was inspired by a recipe I saw in my Greek cookbook.

While it’s based on a Greek recipe though, we changed it so it’s not really a Greek dish any longer. And while it’s made with pasta, it’s not an Italian dish. It seems like a cross between Mediterranean and Indian.

It’s full of flavor yet it’s simple and delicious. It’s also very quick and easy to make and can be enjoyed warm or cold.

Eggplant Cauliflower Pasta Salad

Recipe Adapted from: “The Complete Book of Greek Cooking” by Rena Salaman & Jan Cutler, page 216, (Grilled Aubergine and Couscous Salad), Anness Publishing Ltd., 2005, 2008

Ingredients:

• 1 cup dried pastina
• 4 baby eggplants, peeled and finely diced
• 8 garlic cloves, diced
• 1/2 head of a medium cauliflower with the florets diced
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1 can (14.5 oz.) petite diced tomatoes
• 1/2 cup + 1 tsp. olive oil
• 1 tbsp. dried mint
• 1 tsp. sumac
• 2 tsp. salt
• 1 tbsp. dry pomegranate powder (also called anardana powder)

Note: You could substitute fresh pomegranate seeds instead of pomegranate powder if you like. We purchased the powder at a local Indian grocery store. You can also easily make it yourself if you like, although it does time a bit of time for the seeds to dry. If you’re interesting in making the powder yourself, click here at ehow.com to learn how.

Instructions:

• In a medium pot over high heat, bring 1 quart of water to boil.
• After the water comes to a boil, reduce the heat to medium and add the pastina, 1 tsp. salt, and 1 tsp. olive oil, stirring occasionally.
• Cook until the pasta becomes soft yet still a little firm.
• Drain the water off the pasta (I used a sieve) and then run cold water over the pastina so it can chill down. Set aside.
• Peel and dice the garlic and into finely dice the garlic.
• Peel and dice the eggplant.
• Wash the cauliflower, and then dice up about half of the florets.
• Wash and chop the parsley.
• Pour 1/2 cup olive oil into a large frying pan and let it heat up (over medium heat) for about 2-3 minutes.
• Add all the diced vegetables, and then stir in the herbs and seasonings.
• Cook over medium heat until the vegetables become soft and tender, stirring frequently
• Stir in the can of tomatoes.
• Reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for about 20 minutes.
• Then stir in the pastina.
• Remove it from the heat and serve warm or cold.

It’s creamy and comforting…perfect on a chilly afternoon or evening. He used a box of Imagine Bistro Organic Moroccan Chickpea Bisque as the base. We like ... [read more]]]>

It’s creamy and comforting…perfect on a chilly afternoon or evening. He used a box of Imagine Bistro Organic Moroccan Chickpea Bisque as the base. We like their soups a lot, especially on days when we’re in a hurry and want something healthy but quick.

If you’re not able to buy their soups where you live or if you prefer to make your soups totally from scratch, then just cook and then puree some chickpeas. But if you’re like us and sometimes just don’t have enough hours in the day, these soup bases make a great meal. No…we don’t have stock in their company and aren’t affiliated with them in any way; we just love their products.

Anyway, the soup really hit the spot last night, and I’m looking forward to another bowl tonight!

Chickpea Cauliflower Potato Soup

Ingredients:

• 1 32-oz. box Imagine Bistro Organic Moroccan Chickpea Bisque
• 1 large head cauliflower
• 10 small potatoes
• 2 small onions
• 14 garlic cloves
• 16 baby carrots
• 4 tbsp. olive oil
• salt to taste
• pepper to taste

Instructions:

• Peel and dice the onions and garlic, and then fry them in the olive oil until they become soft. Set aside.
• Peel the potatoes, then cut each potato in six pieces.
• Cut the baby carrots in half.
• Boil the potatoes and carrots in just enough water to cover them.
• Cook them uncovered on medium high heat until they’re soft.
• While the potatoes and carrots are cooking, wash the cauliflower and then break off the florets.
• Put the cauliflower in a large pot and then add 2 cups of water. Cover with a lid.
• Cook the cauliflower on medium high temperature until it boils. Then cook an additional 6-8 minutes. (If you prefer your cauliflower softer, cook it longer.)
• Then drain the water off the cauliflower.
• Add the cauliflower to the potatoes and carrots (don’t drain the water off the potatoes and carrots).
• Add the box of chickpea soup to the potatoes, carrots, and cauliflower.
• Stir in the garlic, onions, and salt and pepper to taste.
• Simmer for about 20 minutes.

I make it sound like we didn’t eat any vegetables while we vacationing, but we did…just not in the quantities that we normally consume. We generally eat a large amount of vegetables over the course ... [read more]]]>

I make it sound like we didn’t eat any vegetables while we vacationing, but we did…just not in the quantities that we normally consume. We generally eat a large amount of vegetables over the course of a week, preparing vegetable entrees and snacking on veggies in addition to having several vegetable side items with our meals.

While on vacation, we just couldn’t get enough vegetables, but now that we’re home, we’re not holding back! Here’s a wonderful vegetarian Indian dish Kemal made for us this evening. It’s warm, spicy, and I literally sang the yum-yum song while practically inhaling it. LOL!

Aloo Gobi (Adapted from: Mallika Basu of Quick Indian Cooking)

When it’s warm outside, Kemal and I enjoy cold salads for lunch and dinner. One of our favorites is a pasta salad with blackened salmon and fresh vegetables. We never make the salad the same. Sometimes we add tomatoes, and olives, and other times we add hard boiled eggs or peas. Whatever we decide to ... [read more]]]> When it’s warm outside, Kemal and I enjoy cold salads for lunch and dinner. One of our favorites is a pasta salad with blackened salmon and fresh vegetables. We never make the salad the same. Sometimes we add tomatoes, and olives, and other times we add hard boiled eggs or peas. Whatever we decide to toss in the salad, we always enjoy it and find it refreshing and light, which is important when it’s really hot outdoors and you don’t want to feel heavy. It’s also very healthy and delicious.

This recipe will serve about 6 people. You can easily scale it down if you’re cooking for two and don’t want leftovers.

Salmon Veggie Pasta Salad

Ingredients:

• 16 oz. fresh salmon
• 16 oz. pasta (whatever kind you like)
• 1 small head cauliflower, broken up into small florets
• 1 bunch green onions, diced
• 1-2 lbs. asparagus, cut into approximately 3 inch pieces
• 1 small red bell pepper, cut into approximately 1 inch pieces
• 2 small yellow bell peppers, cut into approximately 1 inch pieces
• 8 cloves garlic, diced
• 1/4 bunch fresh parsley, diced
• 2 small zucchinis, cut into thin “coin’ slices
• 8 oz. raw spinach leaves
• 8 oz. feta cheese, crumbled
• olive oil
• salt to taste
• pepper to taste
• chili powder to taste
• blackening seasoning to taste
• oregano to taste
• basil to taste
• salad dressing of your choice (I used Italian pesto)

Step One: Prepare the Salmon

• Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.
• Grease a baking dish with olive oil.
• Brush the salmon with olive oil and then sprinkle blackening seasoning on top of the oil. How much you use will depend on how spicy you like your food.
• Place the salmon on the baking dish with the blackened side up, and bake uncovered until the salmon reaches an internal temperature of 150 degrees.
• When the salmon is done, let it cool at room temperature for awhile.
• Cut the salmon into small, bite-sized pieces, and then refrigerate.

Step Two: Prepare the Pasta

• Put a pot of water on to boil.
• After the water boils, add the pasta, some salt, and a little olive oil.
• Cook uncovered until the pasta is slightly firm (al dente).
• Then drain the water off the pasta.
• Run cold water over the pasta and then set it aside to cool.

Step Three: Prepare the Veggies

• Wash all the vegetables, and then cut and dice them.
• Then heat some oil olive in a large pan and then add the cauliflower to the hot oil. Cover the pan with a lid.
• Cook the cauliflower and garlic for about 5 minutes so it’s still crunchy but not raw. Season with oregano and basil and then remove the cauliflower from the pan and set it aside to cool.
• Now add some more olive oil to your pan and heat it, adding the asparagus when the oil gets hot. Cover with a lid.
• Season with chili powder and cook for about 4-5 minutes. The asparagus will still be crunchy. Remove the asparagus from the oil and set it aside to cool.
• Make sure your pan has olive oil covering the bottom, and then add the zucchini to the pan, cooking uncovered only for about 2 minutes. Remove the zucchini from the pan and season with salt and pepper. Set aside to cool.
• Add more olive oil to the pan, and then add the peppers and onions. Cook uncovered about 3 minutes, and then remove the peppers from the oil and season with chili powder and salt. Set aside to cool.
• Add more olive oil to the pan if needed, and then saute the spinach uncovered for about 2 minutes. Remove the spinach from the oil, add a little salt, and set aside to cool.

Step Four: Assemble the Salad

• After the pasta and vegetables have cooled down, combine them together in a large pan, mixing well.
• Mix in the crumbled feta cheese, diced parsley, and chilled salmon.
• Chill the pasta.
• Toss with salad dressing when you’re ready to serve it, adding more salt and pepper if necessary.

We love Indian cuisine, and this is definitely one of our favorite meals, especially when accompanied with some naan ... [read more]]]>

We love Indian cuisine, and this is definitely one of our favorite meals, especially when accompanied with some naan and a glass of milk.

Cauliflower and Garlic, Indian Style (Gobi Masala)

Ingredients:

• 2 small heads cauliflower
• 3 heads garlic
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1 package Gobi Aloo Spice Mix
  

Note: If you aren’t able to purchase the spice mix, then mix the spices yourself. You’ll need: ground coriander, ground pomegranate seeds, cumin, salt, asafoetida, cayenne pepper, paprika, and turmeric. The turmeric in the mix will leave a lovely yellow stain on the vegetables.

Instructions:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
• Clean the cauliflower and then separate the florets into small pieces.
• Peel the garlic. Leave the cloves whole.
• Mix the spice mix into the olive oil.
• Place the garlic in the microwave and cook for a few minutes. You don’t need to cook it until it’s soft, but just a few minutes to cook it some.
• Mix the garlic and cauliflower with the olive oil and spices, making sure to coat the vegetables fairly evenly.
• Spread the garlic and cauliflower onto a baking dish and bake uncovered until the cauliflower and garlic are soft. I like to cook mine a little longer so the garlic caramelizes but it’s not necessary to do that.
• Serve warm.

Whenever there’s veggies in the fridge that need to be eaten, a great way to fix them is to combine them with eggs and cheese and make a quiche or a casserole. That’s what Kemal did tonight. It’s fairly quick to make, and it’s filling, yet still light on your stomach. It’s also very ... [read more]]]> Whenever there’s veggies in the fridge that need to be eaten, a great way to fix them is to combine them with eggs and cheese and make a quiche or a casserole. That’s what Kemal did tonight. It’s fairly quick to make, and it’s filling, yet still light on your stomach. It’s also very tasty! My taste buds go into overdrive with this quiche! Hopefully you’ll love it as much as we do!

Kemal’s Potato and Vegetable Quiche

Ingredients:

• 6-7 small potatoes
• 2 small zuchini
• 1 small head cauliflower
• 6 extra large eggs
• panko bread crumbs
• 14 oz. Swiss cheese
• olive oil
• 2/3 cup milk
• 1 tsp. chili powder
• salt to taste
• pepper to taste

Instructions:

• Clean, peel, and slice the potatoes and zucchini into thin rounds, leaving the skins on, keeping the potatoes separate from the potatoes.
• Clean the cauliflower and remove the heads, setting them aside in a bowl.
• Grate the cheese.
• Beat the eggs.
• Fry the potatoes in olive oil until they’re soft.
• Place the potatoes in a large casserole dish when they’re done.
• Sprinkle half the Swiss cheese over the potatoes.
• Now fry the zucchini in the olive oil that’s left in the pan that the fried the potatoes in.
• The zucchini only needs to be fried for a few minutes, just until it’s a little soft but still firm. When the zucchini is done, place the rounds in the baking dish on top of the cheese.
• Add the milk to the eggs and beat.
• Now add some panko bread crumbs to the eggs and milk so the egg mixture is thicker and beat.
• Mix in the salt, pepper, and chili powder to the egg mixture.
• Pour the egg mixture over the potatoes, cheese, and zucchini.
• Place the cauliflower florets on top of the casserole.
• Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the cauliflower.
• Cover and bake on 350 degrees about 30-40 minutes.
• Uncover and continue baking until the eggs are done and the cheese is melted.