Category Archives: Recipes – Vegetables

Baked Kale Chips are Nutritious and Even Delicious

Posted on November 10, 2011 by | 10 comments

Chips can actually be made from kale? Kale chips taste good? In our house, the answers to these questions are “yes” and “yes.” I first read about kale chips at Simply Sugar and Gluten Free, and was amazed at how easy it was to make them. Since I already knew that I liked kale, I decided to give this idea a try. The result was a light and crunchy chip with a great flavor. It is a great alternative to potato chips, as well as a nice sandwich topper. The picture is of my lunch the other day – I had a side of the kale chips with my turkey sandwich on yeast-free, sugar-free pita bread from Chatila’s Bakery.

To prepare, I did the following: wash and dry the kale, and pull the kale off of the stalks. Rip the kale into bite-size pieces. Place kale on a cookie sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper. Bake at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes, until kale is lightly browned.

I hope you give this recipe a try whether you are a kale lover or novice. You won’t be disappointed!

I am sharing this recipe with Miz Helen’s Country Cottage, Food Trip Friday and Cybele Pascal Allergen-Free Cuisine.

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Posted in Recipes - Snacks, Recipes - Vegetables

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Marinated Chicken Thighs with Roasted Tomatoes

Posted on October 11, 2011 by | 4 comments

This recipe for grilled, marinated chicken thighs with roasted grape tomatoes caught my eye when I first saw it in the June 2008 issue of Cooking Light Magazine. Since the summertime weather is back in the Northeast portion of the U.S., I am inclined to make this again!
I prefer marinating the chicken for at least 1 hour, and will leave it all afternoon in the refrigerator if I have the time to incorporate more of the lemon and garlic flavors. To make this yeast free, I removed the capers from the tomato recipe because they are often stored in vinegar. This meal will have you enjoying picnic food all year round.

Ingredients
Chicken:
1 tablespoon grated lemon rind
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
8 skinless, boneless chicken thighs (about 1 1/2 pounds)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Tomatoes:
2 cups grape tomatoes
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preparation
1. To prepare chicken, combine first 4 ingredients in a large zip-top plastic bag. Add chicken to bag; seal. Marinate in refrigerator 1 hour (or longer if desired), turning the bag occasionally.
2. Remove chicken from bag; discard marinade. Sprinkle chicken evenly with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Place chicken on grill rack covered with aluminum foil with holes poked throughout. Grill 5 minutes on each side or until done.
3. Preheat oven to 425°.
4. To prepare tomatoes, combine tomatoes and 2 teaspoons oil in an 8-inch square baking dish; toss gently. Bake at 425° for 18 minutes or until tomatoes are tender. Combine tomato mixture, parsley, and remaining ingredients, stirring gently. Serve with chicken.

I am sharing this recipe with Simply Sugar and Gluten Free, This Chick Cooks, Miz Helen’s Country Cottage and Food Trip Friday.

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Posted in Recipes - Entrees, Recipes - Vegetables

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Still Have Squash? Enjoy it Simply Roasted!

Posted on October 6, 2011 by | Leave a comment

Squash is very tasty and quite abundant. I have made zucchini bread and zucchini fritters although sometimes I want an easy side dish. My sister-in-law made this bowl for a picnic and it was fabulous. The instructions are below.

Slice the squash into 1/4 inch slices, and place on a baking sheet. Lightly toss with olive oil, salt and pepper, and any other herbs you find to be interesting. Bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes. The squash should have a nice caramelized look to it. Serve warm or cold.

It’s a simple and delicious recipe, which makes it a keeper in my reportoire.

I am sharing this recipe with Simply Sugar and Gluten Free.

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Neighbors and Zucchini Fritters

Posted on August 16, 2011 by | 3 comments

I really like neighbors. And not just my own – I like people who act neighborly. This past weekend I experienced being a good neighbor myself along with accepting the help of others. Being a good neighbor can include gestures like giving vegetables from your garden, baking cookies, spending some time visiting, or checking to make sure someone is ok. Thanks to all of my neighbors who have helped me…I hope that I can return the favor.

So how are neighbors and zucchini related? I have spoken to my neighbors with gardens and they are all overflowing with zucchini! They have given many of the versatile vegetables away to friends and made zucchini bread. What else can they do with all of this zucchini? Why, try some fritters! This attempt was my first foray into the fritter world. They are tasty and not difficult to prepare. Below is the recipe…be sure to share with your neighbors.

Ingredients:
2 cups grated zucchini, squeezed of excess water
1 egg
1 egg white
3 cloves minced garlic
1/3 cup All Purpose Flour
1/2 tsp nutmeg or ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper to taste
olive oil

Steps:
Mix the zucchini, eggs and garlic. Next add flour, nutmeg or ginger, salt and pepper.
 
Heat a very thin coating of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.

Scoop the zucchini mixture, about 1/4 cup each, and place scoops into skillet, flattening them as they cook.

Fry the fritters on each side until lightly browned.

Drain on paper towels and while still hot sprinkle with some additional salt & pepper to taste.

I am also sharing my recipe with Everyday Sisters.

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Surf and Turf Salad

Posted on July 14, 2011 by | 2 comments

Last week sensitivehusband and I went out to dinner with some good friends. There was a filet mignon special on the menu and I just had to indulge. The steak was served with asparagus and lobster mashed potatoes. That’s right – there were actual pieces of lobster in my potatoes! As I enjoyed my meal, I thought about some words of wisdom that my mom used to say – when at a restaurant and you start to get full, focus on eating the most expensive thing on your plate so you get your money’s worth. What a great dilemma to have – should I finish the steak or lobster? Well, I decided to keep eating both and ended up taking home some of my meal.

The next day a great idea struck me – why not transform my leftovers into an enjoyable lunch? I started by making a big salad with green leaf lettuce, radishes, carrots, tomatoes, cucumbers and the leftover asparagus. I then sliced the filet mignon into strips and separated the lobster from the mashed potatoes. I heated the filet and lobster on low heat in the microwave for one minute and placed them on top of the salad. For the dressing, I drizzled olive oil, spritzed on the juice from half a lemon, and added freshly ground pepper. Voila! I had a great lunch, finished every last bite, and didn’t let the expensive part of my meal go to waste.

I am also sharing my recipe with Simply Sugar and Gluten Free, This Chick Cooks and Food Trip Friday.

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Fresh Ideas for Dressing Your Salads

Posted on June 13, 2011 by | 6 comments

Below are three salad dressings to try whether at home, at a restaurant, or on the go.

The first idea, shown in the picture, comes from a supportive reader of this blog who regularly makes her own salad dressings to use throughout the workweek. She got creative and made one without balsamic vinegar (so it is free of brewer’s yeast) and cane sugar. Here is the recipe:

Natalie’s Lemon Honey Dressing: Mix 1/4 cup water, 1/2 cup lemon juice, 3/4 cup canola oil, and 2tbs honey together. Add seasonings such as garlic, garlic powder, salt, pepper, or fresh herbs. Keep in a sealed container and refrigerate until it is time for a salad course.

The second idea came to me when sensitivehusband and I were out to dinner last week. I wanted to order a salad before my meal but could not select a dressing because each either had balsamic vinegar, cane sugar or both. I am not sure whether it was a moment of clarity or just a strong desire to not eat dry lettuce, but I came up with an idea. I asked our server to bring me some olive oil and a wedge of lemon with my salad. Add a little pepper to that combination and you have a tasty and refreshing accompaniment to your greens.

And last, but certainly not least, is a delicious store-bought salad dressing. Annie’s Organic Green Garlic Salad Dressing can be found at health foods stores, major grocery stores in the organic section, and online. It is a wonderful mixture of vegetable oil, spinach, garlic, parsley, lemon and other seasonings, along with being a vinegar and cane sugar free option.

I hope you find these ideas to be useful. If you have other tips for salad dressings, please share them!

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Posted in Recipes - Condiments, Recipes - Vegetables

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Roasted Asparagus with Browned Butter

Posted on May 26, 2011 by | 2 comments

I did not realize that there was a difference between browned and burned butter before attempting this recipe. However, browned butter without burning can be achieved! Just follow the instructions in this Cooking Light March 2011 recipe. There are only a handful of ingredients and very few steps. The only change I made was to use regular lemons rather than Meyer lemons because I could not find them at the store.

Neither sensitivehusband nor I was sure whether we would like the result because we have always felt a bit ambivalent toward this green stalk-like vegetable. We both agreed to broaden our horizons and accept the vegetable challenge since asparagus is in season this time of year. When we tasted the result, we both raved about it and made it a second time in the same week! If you liked my Brussels sprouts recipe from awhile back, you will really enjoy this asparagus. The recipe would also work well using oranges instead of lemons, and using other herbs to replace the thyme.

Speaking of liking things, please consider “liking” sensitiveeconomist on Facebook. As always, thanks for reading this blog and sharing your ideas. Have a nice day!

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Vegetable Challenge: Brussels Sprouts

Posted on April 20, 2011 by | 1 comment

When I found out about my food sensitivities a few months ago, my universe of food possibilities shrank substantially. At least I thought that was the case until I decided to host my own vegetable challenge. The premise? Buy one vegetable each week that either I have never tried or did not think I liked, and prepare it as a side dish with dinner. So the first vegetable challenge for our household was Brussels sprouts. My husband and I both thought the veggie was ok, but hadn’t actually sampled them since we were kids. Could we prepare them so that we liked them?

We prepared the Brussels sprouts very simply: we washed the veggies and then cut each one in half. We poured them into a glass baking dish that had a small coating of extra virgin olive oil. Then we tossed them with a bit of kosher salt, ground pepper, parsley and extra virgin olive oil. We roasted them at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes.

The verdict? The first vegetable challenge was a success! So the next week we prepared them again, this time adding some chopped garlic. That was also a delicious dish! So it goes to show that Brussels sprouts really can be tasty. They are now regularly seen in our household!

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