#MeatlessMonday - Spiced Cupcakes with Chai Frosting #dessert

Spiced Cupcakes with Chai Frosting

Ingredients:

1/2 teaspoon each ground ginger, cinnamon and allspice
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-1/2 cups cake flour
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup buttermilk

Frosting:

6 tablespoons butter, softened
3 cups confectioners' sugar
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
3-4 tablespoons half & half

Directions

1. In a small bowl, combine the ginger, cinnamon, allspice and pepper; set aside.
2. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder, salt and 1-1/2 teaspoons spice mixture. Gradually add to creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk, beating well after each addition.
3. Fill paper-lined muffin cups two-thirds full.

Bake at 350° for 24-28 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely.

Frosting:

In a large bowl, beat butter until fluffy; beat in the confectioners' sugar, vanilla and remaining spice mixture until smooth. Add enough half & half to reach desired consistency.
Pipe frosting over cupcakes and decorate as desired.

#MeatlessMonday - Tofu Burritos #vegetarian #vegan

Here’s a recipe you can start several days ahead of time and pop in the oven when you’re ready. This recipe can be vegan, just omit the sour cream and use vegan cheese for topping. Easy-peasy. Enjoy!

Tofu Burritos

Photo courtesy of Zlatko Unger via Flickr

Ingredients

1 package of extra-firm tofu

Marinade:

¼ c. soy sauce

¼ c. apple cider vinegar

2T. brown sugar

4 tsp. sesame oil

½ tsp. ginger

½ tsp. cayenne

½ tsp garlic

½ tsp. cardamom

½ tsp. coriander

½ tsp. cumin

Mix ingredients together to make the marinade. Drain and rinse tofu. Cut into 1-inch cubes. Marinate tofu for 2-3 days.

When ready to bake, pour off marinade. Lay tofu on an aluminium foil-lined baking sheet.

Bake at 375F for 30 minutes or so, turning with a spatula a couple of times.

Wrap tofu in warmed tortillas with rice for a complete protein. Add tomatoes, fresh spinach, and top with avocado, grated cheese and sour cream.

#MeatlessMonday - #Vegetarian Cauliflower-Cheese Soup

I'm all about spending less time in the kitchen, so here's a recipe you can set up in the crockpot and off you go. You can substitute chicken stock (if you wish), low-fat milk, or different vegetables for a change in flavor. Experiment and enjoy!

Vegetarian Cauliflower-Cheese Soup

Photo courtesy of Lower Columbia Collage via Flickr

1 chopped onion
1 head cauliflower, chopped
1 cup chopped carrots
1 cup chopped fresh spinach
4 cups vegetable stock
1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley.

Add everything into a crock pot (or soup pot) and cook until veggies are soft.

Add:

2 cups light cream or milk
1 cup grated cheddar cheese.

Blend until smooth.
Add some salt/pepper.
Serve!

#MeatlessMonday - Umeboshi Onigiri (Japanese rice balls with salt-pickled plums) #vegetarian #vegan

Umeboshi Onigiri

Yield: about 6 onigiri

I had these in Hawaii recently and fell in love with them. They are the ultimate grab and go food and super-easy to make. Umeboshi isn't for everyone, it has a strong salty-sour flavor (on the level of Sour Patch Kids) but if you like those flavor profiles, you'll be hooked! 

Read about umeboshi and its health benefits HERE.

Photo courtesy of alexxis vis Flickr

Ingredients:

2 cups sushi rice

2 tablespoons rice vinegar

1 tablespoon granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

Umeboshi paste (this ingredient is usually much cheaper if you purchase it at your local Asian grocery store)

12 strips of dried seaweed/nori (See picture) You can purchase nori specifically for onigiri or cut the sheets into small or large strips, according to taste.)

Directions:

1. Cook rinsed and drained rice in rice cooker according to instructions.

2. In a microwave-safe bowl, combine vinegar, sugar, and salt. Microwave for 20 to 30 seconds until sugar is dissolved.

3. Transfer warm rice to a glass dish and spread into a thin layer. Sprinkle with vinegar mixture and gently fold into the rice until evenly coated.

4. When the rice is cool enough to handle, form into a rice ball (about 1/3 cup of rice) or triangle around a small dab of umeboshi paste. (Have a bowl of water next to you to wet your hands. It will keep the rice from sticking!)

5. Wrap in nori and press lightly to adhere.

6. Serve immediately so seaweed remains crisp. Unwrapped onigiri can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Wrap in seaweed just before serving.

Enjoy!

#MeatlessMonday - Hungarian Mushroom Soup #vegetarian

I love to cook with mushrooms. They’re versatile, add a heartiness to a dish, and they’re good for you—high in protein, low in fat, and filled with potassium. You can’t go wrong!

Here’s a vegetarian recipe sure to please your palate.

Photo courtesy of su-lin via Flickr

Hungarian Mushroom Soup

3 cups milk
2 onions, diced
1 tbsp. plus ¼ cup butter
1 tsp. salt
2 pounds mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
4½ tsp. dill
2 tbsp. paprika
2-3/4 cups vegetable stock
½ cup flour
1 tbsp. lemon juice
2T soy sauce
1½ cups sour cream

Warm milk in saucepan at low heat.

In soup pot, sauté onions in 1 tablespoon of butter. When they are translucent, add mushrooms, dill, paprika, lemon juice and 1 cup vegetable stock. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes.

In separate saucepan, melt remaining butter. Slowly whisk in flour, forming a roux. Add warm milk, whisking to eliminate lumps. Add this mixture to soup pot. Add remaining stock and simmer for 10 minutes.

Just before serving, whisk in soy sauce and sour cream.

Yield 10 cups

#MeatlessMonday - Homemade Macaroni & Cheese with Cauliflower #vegetarian

Yet another recipe to hide incorporate vegetables into the diets of my teens. This one was well-received. You can't taste the cauliflower - if you're brave, add broccoli for color and a nutritional boost. You can even add Morningstar Farms recipe crumbles to make it a one-dish meal.

Enjoy!

Photo courtesy of Su-lin via Flickr

Homemade Macaroni and Cheese with Cauliflower

8 ounces uncooked elbow macaroni
2 cups chopped cauliflower, cooked
1/4 cup butter
2-1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
3 cups milk
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Cook macaroni, drain and pour into baking dish.
Chop cauliflower (and broccoli, if you wish) into very small pieces. Parboil until tender. Drain and add to macaroni.

In a saucepan, melt butter and whisk in flour to form a roux. Slowly whisk in milk until blended. Whisk in Cheddar cheese until smooth. Cook until mixture thickens. Pour over macaroni/vegetable mixture.

Top with Parmesan cheese.

Bake at 375F for about 30 minutes or until top is slightly browned and bubbly.

#MeatlessMonday - Key Lime Pie #dessert #recipe

Easy to make. Decadent as hell. What's not to love?

Photo courtesy of Greg Williams via Flickr

Key Lime Pie

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/3 cup butter, melted
2 (14-ounce) cans sweetened condensed milk
1 cup fresh Key lime juice (regular lime juice works too, it's just not as sweet)

Preparation

Combine first 3 ingredients. Press into a 9-inch pie plate.
Bake pie crust at 350° for 10 minutes or until lightly browned; cool.

Stir together sweetened condensed milk and lime juice until blended. Pour into prepared crust.
Bake at 325° for 25 to 28 minutes. Chill 8 hours. 

Top with whipped cream 

#MeatlessMonday - Curried Parsnip Soup #vegetarian

Here's a great recipe for a cold winter's evening. Parsnips are high in vitamins and minerals, especially potassium. They also contain antioxidants and both soluble and insoluble dietary fiber. Enjoy!

Photo courtesy of Alpha via Flickr

Curried Parsnip Soup

1-1/2 oz butter
1 medium onion, sliced
1-1/2 lbs parsnips, peeled and finely diced
1 tsp curry powder
1/2 tsp ground cumin
2-1/2 pints vegetable stock
5 fl oz cream
Salt and pepper to taste
paprika to garnish


1. Heat the butter in a large pan, and saute the onion and parsnip together for about 3 minutes.
2. Stir in the curry powder and cumin and saute for another 2 minutes.
3. Add the stock and bring to the boil. Reduce heat and simmer (covered) for about 45 minutes, until the vegetables are tender.
4. Cool slightly. Use a draining spoon to place the vegetables in a blender, add a little stock and puree until smooth.
5. Return to the pan. Adjust seasoning and add the cream. Reheat to serving temperature but do not boil. Serve sprinkled with paprika.

#MeatlessMonday - Green Gazpacho #summer #nocookrecipe #vegetarian #vegan

It's hot. Too hot to be in the kitchen. Here's a great no-cook recipe that you can make in the morning, and chill in the refrigerator for the day. By evening...voila! Dinner is served.

Enjoy!

Photo courtesy of Alan Sheffield via Flickr

Green Gazpacho

Ingredients:
5 large garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 medium-large cucumber, chopped

1/2 cup fresh spinach, chopped 

1 yellow pepper, chopped
6 green (or yellow) tomatoes
2 avocados
1 tsp chili powder
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

In a food processor: add garlic, lemon juice, cucumber, spinach and yellow pepper
Run until finely chopped and "soupy"
Add diced tomatoes and avocados, blend for about a minute. Salt and pepper to taste.

Chill for at least 2 hours. Garnish as desired (I like sour cream). Serve with crusty bread.

#MeatlessMonday - Tempeh Paprikas & Rice #vegetarian #vegan

Unprepared tempeh 

Photo courtesy of FotoosVanRobin via Wikipedia

We're going to venture into the Land of Tempeh today. I rarely use tempeh and lean towards tofu, if only because tofu is easier to find at my grocers. Tempeh is a nice soybean alternative and has a nutty flavor and texture. It's low in fat, high in protein, calcium, and has beneficial isoflavones.

Here's a super-simple recipe--because nobody wants to be in the kitchen when it's a raging inferno outside.

Tempeh Paprikas & Rice

2 T sesame oil
2 onions, chopped
2 T paprika
2 cups vegetable stock
2 T dark miso
1 pound tempeh, cut into strips
1 cup chopped spinach
1 tsp soy sauce
1 T apple cider vinegar
4 T tahini
Cooked rice

Heat oil in skillet, cook onions and paprika until onions are golden.
Bring 1-1/2 cups vegetable stock to boil, remove from heat and add miso, stirring to dissolve.
Add tempeh and chopped spinach. Simmer for 30-45 minutes.

Blend soy sauce, vinegar, and tahini with remaining 1/2 cup vegetable stock.
Add mixture to skillet, stirring until thickened (do not boil).
Ladle onto rice and enjoy!

#MeatlessMonday - Summer Lemon Cake Topped w/ Raspberry Compote #dessert

My daughter and I made this lemon cake the other day. It was really good--but what made it even better, was a dollop of raspberry compote on top. Enjoy!

Photo courtesy of Susy Morris via Flickr

Summer Lemon Cake

2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon lemon zest
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup butter at room temperature
1-1/2 cups white sugar
2 large eggs
3 large egg yolks
1 cup buttermilk
2 tablespoons lemon juice

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Mix flour, lemon zest, salt, baking powder, and baking soda together in a bowl.
Beat butter and sugar in a large bowl using an electric mixer until light and fluffy.
Beat in eggs and egg yolks, 1 at a time, into creamed butter mixture on low speed, beating well after each addition.
Beat lemon juice into butter mixture.
Beat in flour mixture, alternating with buttermilk, into butter mixture until batter is just combined.
Bake 8x10 glass dish, coated with cooking spray, for 30 to 35 minutes. Cake is done when inserted knife comes out clean.

Top warm cake with raspberry compote, if desired.

Raspberry Compote

1 pint raspberries
1 quart water
1 cup sugar

Bring water to boil.
Add raspberries and sugar.
Allow to boil until desired thickness, 25-45 minutes. Cool

#MeatlessMonday - Zucchini Brownies #dessert

I'll be the first to admit--I'm not a fan of chocolate. Vegetables, yes, chocolate, no. I'll hang my head in shame now. When I announced to my chocolate-loving teenagers that I would be using them as guinea pigs taste-testers of a brownie recipe which included vegetables, there were...protests. I believe one of the comments were, "Why would you ruin perfection??!" There were other comments, but I won't write them here.
The verdict?  "Pretty good, actually!" 

Enjoy!

Zucchini Brownies 

Photo courtesy of Sarah via Flickr

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 cups grated zucchini
1/2 cup cooking oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup chocolate chips

Directions

In a large mixing bowl, sift together flour, salt, soda, cocoa, and sugar. 

Combine eggs, zucchini, oil, and vanilla; blend into dry ingredients. Stir in chocolate chips.
Coat a 8X10 glass dish with cooking spray. Spread brownie batter evenly.
Bake in preheated 360F oven for 20-30 minutes. Cool and cut into bars.

#MeatlessMonday - Spicy Quinoa Tacos #vegetarian #vegan

I'm going to sing the praises of quinoa again--forgive me. Quinoa is a complete protein superfood. It's seeds contain essential amino acids, calcium, phosphorus, and iron, which makes it a perfect choice for vegetarians. There--my singing was painless, right?   This recipe is easy and nutritious. You can use either tortillas (which is more like a burrito) or taco shells. Enjoy!

Spicy Quinoa Tacos

Photo courtesy of Kelly Garbato via Flickr

1 T olive oil
1 small onion, diced
1 rib celery, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 T ground cumin
1 T chili powder
1/2 tsp cayenne
1 - 15 oz. can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
1 - 15 oz can diced tomatoes with green chilies
1 cup quinoa
1 carrots, diced
1 cup veggie broth
1 - 15 oz can chickpeas, drained
1 cup corn
12 - 6-inch tortillas (or taco shells)

Preparation

1) Heat oil and add onion, celery. Cook 5 minutes until soft
2) Add garlic, cumin, chili pepper, and cayenne. Saute for 1 minute
3) Stir in both cans of tomatoes with liquid. Cook 2 minutes. Stir in quinoa, carrots and broth.
4) Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to med-low and simmer 20-25 minutes, or until quinoa is tender and liquid is absorbed.
5) Mix in chickpeas and corn

Serve in taco shells or warm tortillas. Top with sliced avocado and salsa.

#MeatlessMonday - Summer Rolls with Peanut Dipping Sauce #vegetarian #vegan

I'm a big fan of Asian food; Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Mongolian, and Thai - it's all good! But with temperatures topping 95F this week, the last thing I want to do is cook. Here's a super-simple recipe for a hot day. It's also quite versatile--if you don't like bean sprouts or cabbage, substitute spinach or another vegetable of choice. Experiment and enjoy!

Photo courtesy of stu_spivack via Flickr

Summer Rolls with Peanut Dipping Sauce

1-1/2 ounces uncooked rice vermicelli noodles
1 T rice vinegar
1 T soy sauce
2 tsp hoisin sauce
1 tsp chile paste

1 cup bean sprouts
1 cup very thinly sliced napa (Chinese) cabbage
3/4 cup matchstick-cut carrots
1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
8 (8-inch) round rice paper sheets
4 green onions, sliced

Peanut Dipping Sauce

2 T peanut butter
1 tsp hoisin sauce
1 tsp chile paste
2 T rice vinegar
1 T soy sauce
2 T hot water

Preparation

1) Cook noodles according to package directions. Drain and rinse with cold water; drain.

2) Combine 1 tablespoon vinegar, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, oil, 1 1/2 teaspoons hoisin sauce, and chile paste in a medium bowl, stirring with a whisk. Stir in cabbage, carrot, and mushrooms; toss gently to coat.

3) Add hot water to a large shallow dish to a depth of 1 inch. Place 1 rice paper sheet in dish; let stand 30 seconds or until soft. 

4) Place rice paper sheet on plate. Top with about 3 tablespoons cabbage mixture, 2 tablespoons noodles, and 1 onion slice. Fold top and bottom of sheet over filling. Fold one side of sheet over filling, and roll up. Gently press seam to seal. Repeat procedure with remaining wrappers, cabbage mixture, noodles, and onion.

To make peanut dipping sauce:

Combine peanut butter, hoisin sauce, chili paste, rice vinegar, soy sauce, and hot water in pan, Stir with a whisk over low heat until bubbling.

Serve dipping sauce with rolls.

#MeatlessMonday - Broccoli-Cheddar Soup #vegetarian

Photo courtesy of Juli via Flickr

I know it's summer (in this part of the world), so warm soup may be the furthest from your mind. However, I happen to love soup any day of the year! This is my crock pot, vegetarian version of a recipe I came across last week. It got the thumbs up from my two teens, which is saying something because it's green. Enjoy!

Broccoli-Cheddar Soup

Ingredients

2 heads broccoli, cut into small florets
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1 cup carrots, sliced thin
1/4 cup butter, melted
1/4 cup flour
2 cups milk, warmed
2 cups vegetable stock
8 oz sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1/2 cup sour cream
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Saute onion in 1 tbsp of melted butter until transparent.
In a separate pot, make a roux by whisking in remainder of melted butter and ¼ cup flour.
Slowly whisk in warmed milk, and cook until mixture thickens.
Whisk in vegetable stock.
Transfer mixture into crock pot.
Add broccoli florets, carrots and sauteed onions.
Cook in crock pot on low until broccoli is tender.
Stir in cheese until melted. Add sour cream. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Blend until smooth (or leave it chunky, if you prefer).
Serve in a sourdough bread bowl.

#MeatlessMonday - Black Bean and Corn Salad #vegetarian #vegan

We're going to go for something quick and easy today. I'm in edits for THE ISLAND and when I'm in edits, my family gets salad because it's super-simple. Enjoy!

Photo courtesy of Mirium Wilcox via Flickr

Black Bean and Corn Salad

1/3 cup fresh lime juice
1/2 cup olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
2 (15 ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (15 ounce) can corn
1 avocado - diced
1 red bell pepper, chopped
2 tomatoes, chopped
6 green onions, thinly sliced
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley (or cilantro)

Directions

Whisk lime juice, olive oil, garlic, salt, and cayenne pepper in a small bowl.

In a salad bowl, combine beans, corn, avocado, red bell pepper, tomatoes, green onions, and parsley. 

Pour lime dressing over salad and stir. Serve.

#MeatlessMonday - Veggie Filled Chinese Pancakes #vegetarian

This is a super-simple recipe and can be adjusted according to taste. If you haven't tried them, Chinese pancakes are kind of like crepes. I was first introduced to them when I lived near San Francisco and frequented Chinatown. (If you get a chance to visit, I highly recommend) Enjoy!

Photo courtesy of adamclyde via Flickr

Chinese Pancakes

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups milk
1 T butter, melted
1 large egg
1 T minced chives
1/4 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder
Cooking spray

Preparation:

Combine milk, melted butter and egg. Add mixture into flour and whisk until blended. Stir in fresh chives and five-spice powder. Cover and chill for 1 hour.

Coat crepe pan with cooking spray and heat over medium-high heat. Pour a scant 1/4 cup batter into pan. Quickly tilt pan in all directions so batter covers bottom of pan. Cook about 1 minute and flip. Cook about 30 seconds on the other side. Set pancakes aside 

Chinese Pancake Filling

1 cup mushrooms, sliced
2 T soy sauce

1/2 tsp five spice powder
1 T rice wine
1/2 T sesame oil
1 tsp sugar

2 spring onions, finely sliced
Half a cucumber, deseeded and sliced into matchsticks
1/2 head Chinese lettuce lettuce, shredded

1/2 cup shredded carrots

4 T hoisin sauce

Preparation:

Heat a small frying pan. Add the mushrooms, soy sauce, five-spice powder, rice wine, sesame oil and sugar. Stir until the mushrooms are cooked and the sauce is thick and bubbly. 

Serve the mushroom mixture with the spring onions, cucumber, lettuce, carrots and hoisin sauce in separate dishes, 

To assemble, spread a little hoisin sauce on a pancake, add the mushrooms, onions, cucumber and lettuce. Fold and enjoy!

#MeatlessMonday - #Vegetarian Haggis #vegan #books #romance

This week's posts are inspired by The Legacy of Buchanan's Crossing by Rhea Rhodan. If you haven't picked up a copy of her book, please do! The Legacy of Buchanan's Crossing just won the EPIC ebook Award 2015 for Fantasy Romance.

Breaking denial’s spell takes more than magic 

Cayden Sinclair: BBW—big, beautiful witch—struggling to control her power and become worthy of her legacy.
Clint MacAllen: Blinded by ambition and desperate to save his failing construction company; he’s not expecting to find redemption wrapped in goth and toting a truckload of crazy.
J Milton: Mega-developer with plans for the Crossing.
Buchanan’s Crossing: One of the last magical strongholds on earth.

Each has everything to lose. All will stop at nothing to win.

Available as an e-book from these and other major etailers. Coming soon in print! 

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

iBooks

****

I left this week's #MeatlessMonday recipe up to Rhea who wanted to pick something Scottish. And what's more Scottish than haggis?  Traditionally served with "neeps" and "tatties" (turnips and potatoes), Rhea graciously offered up a vegetarian version of the recipe—because you don’t need magic to make a good Scottish Haggis vegetarian. But don’t tell Cayden’s Gran, okay?
Enjoy!

Photo  courtesy of Donald Macleod via Flickr

Vegetarian Haggis

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 small carrot, finely chopped
5 portobello mushrooms, finely chopped
1 cup vegetable broth
1/3 cup dry red lentils
2 tablespoons canned kidney beans - drained, rinsed, and mashed
5 tablespoons chopped nuts or seeds of choice (peanuts, hazelnuts, walnuts, almonds and/or pumpkin seeds are a few to try)
1/2 tablespoon marmite
1 tablespoon lemon juice

1-1/2 teaspoons dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1 pinch ground cayenne pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons pepper
1 egg, beaten
1 1/3 cups steel cut oats

Directions:

Heat the vegetable oil in a saucepan over medium heat and saute the onion 5 minutes, until tender. Mix in carrot and mushrooms and continue cooking 5 minutes. Stir in broth, lentils, kidney beans, nuts/seeds, marmite and lemon juice. Season with thyme, rosemary, cayenne pepper, and mixed spice. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to low. Simmer 10 minutes. Stir in oats, cover and simmer 20 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Lightly grease a 5x9 inch baking pan.
Stir the egg into the saucepan. Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking pan. Bake 30 minutes, until firm.

****

Tomorrow, Rhea Rhodan will guest on Tangled Tuesday and (shhh...) there may even be a contest to enter.

#MeatlessMonday - Fairy Cakes with Lemon Curd #dessert

Fairy Cakes are smaller and lighter versions of American cupcakes. They're widely popular in the UK and (in this case) topped with lemon curd. Enjoy!

Photo courtesy of cupcakequeen via Flickr

Fairy Cakes

5 egg yolks
2/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
1 tablespoon lemon juice
5 egg whites
2/3 cup sifted cake flour
1/4 teaspoon salt

Method:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease and flour 20 muffin cups.

Beat egg yolks till thick with a whisk in a bowl. Gradually beat in 1/3 cup sugar, beating continually. Add lemon peel and juice.

Beat the egg whites until soft peaks form. Gradually add remaining 1/3 cup sugar and beat until stiff peaks form. Gently fold the whites into the yolks.

Sift together cake flour and salt. Gently fold into egg mixture.

Fill muffin cups 2/3 full. Bake at 375 F for 10-15 minutes, until inserted toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely.

Use a sharp paring knife, cut into the top center of each cupcake and remove a cone-shaped piece. Fill with lemon curd. Sprinkle with powdered sugar, if desired.

Photo courtesy of foodchronicles via Flickr

Lemon Curd 

1-1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
4 eggs
1/2 cup lemon juice

Cream together sugar and butter. Add the eggs one at a time and mix. Add lemon juice

In a saucepan, cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly until the mixture thickens (about 10 minutes). Cool in the refrigerator.

#MeatlessMonday - Orzo Salad with Feta and Cherry Tomatoes #vegetarian

Photo courtesy of joannova via Flickr

Orzo Salad with Feta and Cherry Tomatoes  

Ingredients:

8 ounces orzo pasta
1 pint red cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
1 pint yellow cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
1/4 cup olive oil
8 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
1 large cucumber, peeled and chopped
2 green onions, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
2 tablespoons lemon juice
Black pepper to taste


Bring a pot of water to boil. Add the orzo and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes until al dente. Drain the pasta and rinse with cold water.

Toss the pasta with the olive oil in a large bowl. 

Add sliced tomatoes, feta cheese, cucumber, green onions, parsley, lemon juice, and black pepper. 

Chill through and serve.