Delishytown

Cooking is fun. Eating is funner. I cook, photograph and write these recipes. Everything I post on this blog I make from scratch using fresh wholesome ingredients.. I've been cooking since I was a little kid. My recipes are based on trial and error, along with studying cookbooks, family recipes, blogs and cooking shows. Some of the veggies and herbs I use are grown in my garden. Yay sustainability! I'm working on making my yard into an edible landscape. It's really fun to go out in the garden and pick your veggies for dinner!

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46 posts tagged vegetarian food

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Delicious Veggie Fried Rice This is a delicious way to use leftover rice, yum! It’s easy to make, just chop up whatever vegetables you have on hand. I start with chopped onions in a hot skillet with a little coconut oil, chop and add the densest vegetables first. I used a bunch of fresh veggies from my spring garden including shallots, rainbow carrots, peas, and cilantro. I also used store bought sweet onion, garlic and asparagus. Season with 1 tblsp organic soy sauce, a little sesame oil, and some Chinese Five Spice, a little red chili flake or cayenne, and coriander powder. Add the rice along with a little stock once the veggies are most of the way cooked. Yum! 

Delicious Veggie Fried Rice

This is a delicious way to use leftover rice, yum! It’s easy to make, just chop up whatever vegetables you have on hand. I start with chopped onions in a hot skillet with a little coconut oil, chop and add the densest vegetables first. I used a bunch of fresh veggies from my spring garden including shallots, rainbow carrots, peas, and cilantro. I also used store bought sweet onion, garlic and asparagus. Season with 1 tblsp organic soy sauce, a little sesame oil, and some Chinese Five Spice, a little red chili flake or cayenne, and coriander powder. Add the rice along with a little stock once the veggies are most of the way cooked. Yum! 

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Very Umami Veggie Burgers These veggie burgers are the best! They’re savory and so delicious! They  have many wonderful ingredients, including beets, black beans, and quinoa, but I think the three main things that make them Very Umami tasting are the combination of 1) worcestershire sauce, 2) organic soy sauce and 3) cheddar cheese in the mix. The beets & red quinoa give them a sweet taste and meaty appearance too.  Here’s how to make these delicious vegetarian burgers. In a sauce pan, cook red quinoa with 2 small beets. Stem and chop the beet greens and add those to the pot at the end to soften and wilt. Drain the quinoa and set aside. Squeeze out the excess water from the beet greens and chop them up. Peel and Chop the beets into fine mince. In a skillet, saute 1 minced shallot and2 or 3 cloves of minced garlic, in 2 tblsp olive oil, add the chopped beets and cook them together. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside and let cool. Rinse, drain and smash 1 can organic black beans. Grate 1 carrot. Mix all the ingredients together with 1/2 cup cooked rice or bread crumbs, 1 tblsp Worcestershire sauce, 1 tsp organic soy sauce, celery salt and pepper, a sprinkle of smoked paprika, a pinch of ancho chili powder, a little onion powder, some garlic powder, 1/4 cup grated cheddar cheese and one egg. The mixture will be mushy.  Heat a skillet to med/ high, add a tblsp olive oil and spoon 1/4 to 1/2 cup of the mix into the hot skillet. Form it into a patty, cover loosely and then don’t touch it. Let it firm up and form a crust on the bottom before attempting to flip it or it will break apart. Let it cook for 2 - 4  minutes on the first side. If you try to flip it and it wants to break apart, cover and let it cook another minute or two before flipping it over. These cook about 7 to 10 minutes total, partially covered. You can add cheese after flipping if you want. Serve with sliced tomatoes, sliced avocado, a little mayo and fresh chopped cilantro or basil. Yum! 

Very Umami Veggie Burgers

These veggie burgers are the best! They’re savory and so delicious! They  have many wonderful ingredients, including beets, black beans, and quinoa, but I think the three main things that make them Very Umami tasting are the combination of 1) worcestershire sauce, 2) organic soy sauce and 3) cheddar cheese in the mix. The beets & red quinoa give them a sweet taste and meaty appearance too. 

Here’s how to make these delicious vegetarian burgers.

In a sauce pan, cook red quinoa with 2 small beets. Stem and chop the beet greens and add those to the pot at the end to soften and wilt. Drain the quinoa and set aside. Squeeze out the excess water from the beet greens and chop them up. Peel and Chop the beets into fine mince.

In a skillet, saute 1 minced shallot and2 or 3 cloves of minced garlic, in 2 tblsp olive oil, add the chopped beets and cook them together. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside and let cool. Rinse, drain and smash 1 can organic black beans. Grate 1 carrot. Mix all the ingredients together with 1/2 cup cooked rice or bread crumbs, 1 tblsp Worcestershire sauce, 1 tsp organic soy sauce, celery salt and pepper, a sprinkle of smoked paprika, a pinch of ancho chili powder, a little onion powder, some garlic powder, 1/4 cup grated cheddar cheese and one egg. The mixture will be mushy. 

Heat a skillet to med/ high, add a tblsp olive oil and spoon 1/4 to 1/2 cup of the mix into the hot skillet. Form it into a patty, cover loosely and then don’t touch it. Let it firm up and form a crust on the bottom before attempting to flip it or it will break apart. Let it cook for 2 - 4  minutes on the first side. If you try to flip it and it wants to break apart, cover and let it cook another minute or two before flipping it over. These cook about 7 to 10 minutes total, partially covered. You can add cheese after flipping if you want.

Serve with sliced tomatoes, sliced avocado, a little mayo and fresh chopped cilantro or basil. Yum! 

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Baked Falafel Sandwich with Garlicky Tahini and Cucumber Yogurt Sauces Home made fast food, (also known as slow food), is the best! This was so delicious! I made two sauces for the topping using lots of fresh garlic and lemons. This takes a little time to prepare, but it”s easy to do. You can prepare all of it ahead of time and pop the falafel and pita in the oven when it’s time to eat. So, at least that part is fast. I cooked the falafel in the oven instead of frying. You can do it either way you prefer. They came out delicious oven fried, and baking it saves a lot of fat calories. Heat oven to 400 In a food processor, pulse 1 can rinsed and drained chickpeas, add 3 - 5 cloves crushed garlic, a handful of fresh parsley and fresh chopped cilantro, juice of 1 lemon, 2 tblsp. olive oil, freshly ground black pepper, and 1/4 tsp celery salt. Scrape down the sides a couple times and pulse until crumbly.  In a mixing bowl combine: 1/4 cup all purpose flour, 1/2 medium onion, minced (about 1/2 cup), 1 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp ground coriander and 1/2 tsp cayenne or chipotle chili powder (optional). Fold the crumbled bean mixture with all these ingredients until just combined. Spray a cookie sheet with olive oil spray. Drop tablespoon sized dollops onto the cookie sheet. Spray each one with olive oil spray. Bake for 10 minutes, remove from oven and flip each one over, being careful they don’t break apart. Spitz with a little more olive oil spray and return to the oven. Bake an additional 5 to 8 minutes until crispy and golden brown. While the falafel bakes, set up two small bowls. Add fresh crushed garlic to each bowl. In one bowl add 3 or 4 chopped persian cucumbers (the small ones), 1 small container greek yogurt, 1/4 c fresh lemon juice, 1/4 tsp sugar, 2 tblps olive oil, salt, pepper, and 1 tsp dried dill. In the other bowl, add tahini paste to the garlic along with fresh lemon juice, salt and pepper, and 2-4  tblsp water to thin it to desired consistency.  Slice tomatoes, slice sweet Hawaii or red onions into slivers, wash and spin lettuce, and grate carrots, I used purple carrots because that’s what I had in my fridge. Toast pita bread in the oven wrapped in foil for a few minutes. Serve the falafels in the pita garnished with the carrots, onions, lettuce and tomatoes and topped with the cucumber yogurt and tahini sauces. Yum!  

Baked Falafel Sandwich with Garlicky Tahini and Cucumber Yogurt Sauces

Home made fast food, (also known as slow food), is the best! This was so delicious! I made two sauces for the topping using lots of fresh garlic and lemons. This takes a little time to prepare, but it”s easy to do. You can prepare all of it ahead of time and pop the falafel and pita in the oven when it’s time to eat. So, at least that part is fast.

I cooked the falafel in the oven instead of frying. You can do it either way you prefer. They came out delicious oven fried, and baking it saves a lot of fat calories.

Heat oven to 400

In a food processor, pulse 1 can rinsed and drained chickpeas, add 3 - 5 cloves crushed garlic, a handful of fresh parsley and fresh chopped cilantro, juice of 1 lemon, 2 tblsp. olive oil, freshly ground black pepper, and 1/4 tsp celery salt. Scrape down the sides a couple times and pulse until crumbly. 

In a mixing bowl combine: 1/4 cup all purpose flour, 1/2 medium onion, minced (about 1/2 cup), 1 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp ground coriander and 1/2 tsp cayenne or chipotle chili powder (optional). Fold the crumbled bean mixture with all these ingredients until just combined.

Spray a cookie sheet with olive oil spray. Drop tablespoon sized dollops onto the cookie sheet. Spray each one with olive oil spray. Bake for 10 minutes, remove from oven and flip each one over, being careful they don’t break apart. Spitz with a little more olive oil spray and return to the oven. Bake an additional 5 to 8 minutes until crispy and golden brown.

While the falafel bakes, set up two small bowls. Add fresh crushed garlic to each bowl. In one bowl add 3 or 4 chopped persian cucumbers (the small ones), 1 small container greek yogurt, 1/4 c fresh lemon juice, 1/4 tsp sugar, 2 tblps olive oil, salt, pepper, and 1 tsp dried dill.

In the other bowl, add tahini paste to the garlic along with fresh lemon juice, salt and pepper, and 2-4  tblsp water to thin it to desired consistency. 

Slice tomatoes, slice sweet Hawaii or red onions into slivers, wash and spin lettuce, and grate carrots, I used purple carrots because that’s what I had in my fridge.

Toast pita bread in the oven wrapped in foil for a few minutes. Serve the falafels in the pita garnished with the carrots, onions, lettuce and tomatoes and topped with the cucumber yogurt and tahini sauces. Yum!  




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Christmas Pickles I love making pickles. Taking the time to do this when I have a million other things I’m supposed to be doing was my Christmas gift to myself. Pickle making is very scientific and fun. These jars are going to family, friends and neighbors today.  Make sure to taste the vinegar sugar mixture to adjust the sweet/ spicy / salty balance before pouring it over the vegetables. I had to adjust mine twice, adding extra salt and some red pepper flakes.  Here are the steps to pickle making in a nutshell: First you sterilize the jars, then blanch the organic veggies and shock them in ice water. Pack the jars with the veggies. Add vinegar, salt, organic sugar and pickling spices  including allspice berries, coriander seeds, red & black peppercorns, star anise, fennel seeds, cloves, kosher salt and black pepper the blanching water to make a healthy, vitamin rich brine. Add the brine & spices to the jars, removing any air bubbles with a chopstick. Wipe the rims of the jars with a clean cloth. Seal the jars with sterilized lids and bands. Process pickles in a covered, boiling water canning pot for 15 to 30 minutes, depending on the size of the jars. The last step is to carefully remove the hot jars from the pot with the jar lifter thingy. Merry Christmas Everybody!

Christmas Pickles

I love making pickles. Taking the time to do this when I have a million other things I’m supposed to be doing was my Christmas gift to myself. Pickle making is very scientific and fun. These jars are going to family, friends and neighbors today. 

Make sure to taste the vinegar sugar mixture to adjust the sweet/ spicy / salty balance before pouring it over the vegetables. I had to adjust mine twice, adding extra salt and some red pepper flakes. 

Here are the steps to pickle making in a nutshell: First you sterilize the jars, then blanch the organic veggies and shock them in ice water. Pack the jars with the veggies. Add vinegar, salt, organic sugar and pickling spices  including allspice berries, coriander seeds, red & black peppercorns, star anise, fennel seeds, cloves, kosher salt and black pepper the blanching water to make a healthy, vitamin rich brine. Add the brine & spices to the jars, removing any air bubbles with a chopstick. Wipe the rims of the jars with a clean cloth. Seal the jars with sterilized lids and bands. Process pickles in a covered, boiling water canning pot for 15 to 30 minutes, depending on the size of the jars. The last step is to carefully remove the hot jars from the pot with the jar lifter thingy.

Merry Christmas Everybody!

Roasted Cauliflower & Potato Soup with Crispy Kale and Parmesan

This soup was delicious! I made this for my sister the other day when she came over to help plant our winter vegetable garden. This soup was simmering on the stove while we worked outside. We planted a million vegetable seeds, including carrots, cilantro, kale, chard, peas, and various lettuces. We also transplanted a bunch of volunteer arugula and artichokes that were springing up all over the garden, and we planted two new blueberry shrubs. We got everything done just before it started to rain. 

This was made with homemade veggie stock, which really gives it a huge depth of flavor.

For the vegetable stock: In a large pot of water, simmer roughly chopped carrots, chopped celery with leaves included, 1 large onion, quartered with the skin still on, garlic cloves, peels and all, part of the big stem from the center of the cauliflower, 2 bay leaves, fresh parsley and kosher salt and pepper. Simmer for about 2-3 hours. Then you strain it and discard the spent vegetables. 

For the soup: In a 400 degree oven roast chopped cauliflower, 4 or 5 diced potatoes and 1/2 chopped onion that have been drizzled with olive oil and seasoned with salt and pepper, a little bit of cinnamon and some paprika. Roast these for about 25 minutes until they get color. Add some chopped kale drizzled with olive oil in the last 10 minutes for the garnish, (optional). 

In a large heavy bottomed pot, add 1 tblsp butter or olive oil or both, saute the other half of the chopped onion with some minced garlic, kosher salt and pepper, 1 bay leaf. Saute until softened. Add the roasted potato and cauliflower, (reserving a small amount with the kale for the garnish) and the home made soup stock. Simmer on low heat for about 25-45 minutes. Simmering the soup on a low flame prevents it from becoming foamy. Remove the Bay leaves and blend with a stick blender. You can add 3/4 c. of cream at this point,  but we didn’t and it was very creamy and delicious.

Serve with roasted kale and potato garnish and freshly grated parmesan cheese. Yum! This is so good! It’s good for you too! Mmmmmm soup.

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Ghormeh Sabzi with Saffron Rice We used to get this at a Persian Restaurant in Chicago. It’s crave-ably delicious. This green (and healthy) spinach and kidney bean stew calls for almost a cup each of 3 fresh herbs, cilantro, dill and parsley, along with ground fenugreek, gram masala, and fresh lemon zest and lemon juice. It’s so fragrant and aromatic. I love Ghormeh Sabzi!  You can make this with meat too, browning it in the first step, but the kidney beans have plenty of protein for one meal, so I always make the vegetarian version. This is my favorite vegetarian dish. If you decide to make this greens stew, and you don’t already have ground fenugreek or garam masala in your spice cabinet, you get to go exotic spice shopping! Yum, I love shopping for spices. It’s fun to take the tops off of new spice jars, inhale the beautiful aromas and get inspired to cook. For the Ghormeh Sabzi: Wash and slice one large leek in half. Rinse the layers to remove any sandy grit.  Chop the leek and saute in a few tblsp olive oil in a large skillet over med/low heat. Add 1 small onion, chopped. Season with salt and pepper.  Let the leeks & onion soften and carmelize for a few minutes. Add 3 or 4 minced garlic cloves. Wash, stem and chop 3/4 cup Italian parsley, 3/4 cup fresh cilantro, 3/4 cup fresh dill (or 2 tblsp dried dill), and a large bag of organic baby spinach to the stew  pan with about 1 cup of broth, water or stockand a can of rinsed and drained  kidney beans.  Season with the zest and juice of 1 whole lemon. salt and pepper, 1/2 tsp turmeric, 1/2 tsp garam masala, and 2 tsp ground fenugreek.  Cook covered, over low heat.  Simmer for about 45 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the greens are cooked, the liquid is absorbed and all the flavors come together. Serve over saffron  rice. For the saffron rice, cook rinsed Basmati rice in vegetable broth or chicken stock, with salt and pepper. Add saffron strands at the very end when there’s still a little broth at the bottom of the pot. Cover and let steam. Fluff with a fork. Your rice will take on beautiful orange and golden yellow hues, and will become infused with a light lemony saffron taste. I usually always make my rice this way, it’s the best.  Yum!

Ghormeh Sabzi with Saffron Rice

We used to get this at a Persian Restaurant in Chicago. It’s crave-ably delicious. This green (and healthy) spinach and kidney bean stew calls for almost a cup each of 3 fresh herbs, cilantro, dill and parsley, along with ground fenugreek, gram masala, and fresh lemon zest and lemon juice. It’s so fragrant and aromatic. I love Ghormeh Sabzi!  You can make this with meat too, browning it in the first step, but the kidney beans have plenty of protein for one meal, so I always make the vegetarian version.

This is my favorite vegetarian dish. If you decide to make this greens stew, and you don’t already have ground fenugreek or garam masala in your spice cabinet, you get to go exotic spice shopping! Yum, I love shopping for spices. It’s fun to take the tops off of new spice jars, inhale the beautiful aromas and get inspired to cook.

For the Ghormeh Sabzi: Wash and slice one large leek in half. Rinse the layers to remove any sandy grit.  Chop the leek and saute in a few tblsp olive oil in a large skillet over med/low heat. Add 1 small onion, chopped. Season with salt and pepper.  Let the leeks & onion soften and carmelize for a few minutes. Add 3 or 4 minced garlic cloves. Wash, stem and chop 3/4 cup Italian parsley, 3/4 cup fresh cilantro, 3/4 cup fresh dill (or 2 tblsp dried dill), and a large bag of organic baby spinach to the stew  pan with about 1 cup of broth, water or stockand a can of rinsed and drained  kidney beans. 

Season with the zest and juice of 1 whole lemon. salt and pepper, 1/2 tsp turmeric, 1/2 tsp garam masala, and 2 tsp ground fenugreek.  Cook covered, over low heat.  Simmer for about 45 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the greens are cooked, the liquid is absorbed and all the flavors come together. Serve over saffron  rice.

For the saffron rice, cook rinsed Basmati rice in vegetable broth or chicken stock, with salt and pepper. Add saffron strands at the very end when there’s still a little broth at the bottom of the pot. Cover and let steam. Fluff with a fork. Your rice will take on beautiful orange and golden yellow hues, and will become infused with a light lemony saffron taste. I usually always make my rice this way, it’s the best. 

Yum!


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Cheesy Eggs Baked in Tomatoes with Pita Toast It finally got cool here and we can turn the oven on. Yay Autumn! This is a delicious, cheesy and very easy dish. It also looks very pretty if you’re having people over for breakfast. Cut around the core of the tomato and discard. Cut a wide-ish circle into the tops of however many tomatoes you’re cooking and scoop out some of the tomato, creating an opening big enough to hold an egg. Chop the parts you scooped out and mix with slivers of garlic, salt & pepper, basil and olive oil. Drizzle some of the juice from this garlicky mixture into the cored tomato to give it flavor as it bakes. Place the chopped mixture in the bottom sides of a small oven proof dish, one oven proof dish per tomato. Place the cored tomato in the center and bake at 400 for about 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and crack an egg in the center. Top with shredded cheddar cheese and julienned basil. Return to the oven and bake an additional 10 or 15 minutes until the egg is cooked, cheese is melted, and the tomato is soft and bubbly. Add pita bread to the oven for the last 3 or 4 minutes of baking to toast. Yummy!

Cheesy Eggs Baked in Tomatoes with Pita Toast

It finally got cool here and we can turn the oven on. Yay Autumn! This is a delicious, cheesy and very easy dish. It also looks very pretty if you’re having people over for breakfast.

Cut around the core of the tomato and discard. Cut a wide-ish circle into the tops of however many tomatoes you’re cooking and scoop out some of the tomato, creating an opening big enough to hold an egg. Chop the parts you scooped out and mix with slivers of garlic, salt & pepper, basil and olive oil. Drizzle some of the juice from this garlicky mixture into the cored tomato to give it flavor as it bakes. Place the chopped mixture in the bottom sides of a small oven proof dish, one oven proof dish per tomato. Place the cored tomato in the center and bake at 400 for about 15 minutes.

Remove from the oven and crack an egg in the center. Top with shredded cheddar cheese and julienned basil. Return to the oven and bake an additional 10 or 15 minutes until the egg is cooked, cheese is melted, and the tomato is soft and bubbly. Add pita bread to the oven for the last 3 or 4 minutes of baking to toast. Yummy!

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Sweet Potato, Cinnamon Apple Hash served with Brown Butter Cheddar Eggs The Chicago Bears are on and that means that it’s officially Fall! I love Fall. September is my birthday month, it’s back to school time, football season starts, and Halloween is coming up! This is the best time of year. It’s time to cook delicious Fall flavors. Apples, cinnamon and sweet potatoes are so good together! This delicious breakfast hash is easy and inexpensive, and it’s the perfect thing to make  on a crisp autumn morning when you’re super hungry.  Dice one organic sweet potato, one red potato, and one onion. Saute in olive oil, flipping and stirring for a few minutes. Add one diced apple and 3 chopped celery stalks. Season with celery salt and pepper, a sprinkle of coriander powder, a pinch of smoked paprika, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, a dash of onion powder and a shake of garlic powder. Cook, flipping and stirring, until caramelized and cooked through, about 15 to 20 minutes. Taste it when it’s done and add more celery salt and pepper if it needs it. Remove the hash from the skillet. Scramble 4 or 5 eggs with 1/4 cup white cheddar cheese, grated.  Add 1 tblsp butter to the skillet. Let it sizzle & turn a little bit brown, on med heat, for about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Add the scrambled eggs. Stir and fold gently until cooked through, about 1 minute. Garnish with smoked paprika.

Sweet Potato, Cinnamon Apple Hash served with Brown Butter Cheddar Eggs

The Chicago Bears are on and that means that it’s officially Fall! I love Fall. September is my birthday month, it’s back to school time, football season starts, and Halloween is coming up! This is the best time of year. It’s time to cook delicious Fall flavors. Apples, cinnamon and sweet potatoes are so good together!

This delicious breakfast hash is easy and inexpensive, and it’s the perfect thing to make  on a crisp autumn morning when you’re super hungry. 

Dice one organic sweet potato, one red potato, and one onion. Saute in olive oil, flipping and stirring for a few minutes. Add one diced apple and 3 chopped celery stalks. Season with celery salt and pepper, a sprinkle of coriander powder, a pinch of smoked paprika, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, a dash of onion powder and a shake of garlic powder. Cook, flipping and stirring, until caramelized and cooked through, about 15 to 20 minutes. Taste it when it’s done and add more celery salt and pepper if it needs it.

Remove the hash from the skillet. Scramble 4 or 5 eggs with 1/4 cup white cheddar cheese, grated.  Add 1 tblsp butter to the skillet. Let it sizzle & turn a little bit brown, on med heat, for about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Add the scrambled eggs. Stir and fold gently until cooked through, about 1 minute. Garnish with smoked paprika.

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Breakfast Tacos I made these delicious vegetarian tacos for breakfast after having too much meat on vacation, and after going all the way to Texas and not enjoying any Mexican food while I was there. Short vacations are hard because you don’t have time to do all the things you want to do. I crave Mexican food, so hopefully I’ll get to go to Austin again soon and enjoy some authentic flavors. Until then, I’ll keep making my own and going out to my favorite southern CA Mexican places. These tacos are made with crisped potatoes, sweet garden tomatoes, savory spices and crunchy lettuce. Yum! In a skillet, Add 1 or 2 tblsp olive oil and 2 or 3 diced organic red potatoes, depending on how many you’re cooking these for. Add 1 diced sweet onion, season with celery salt and pepper. Saute the potatoes and onions until crisp and cooked through, about 15 to 20 minutes. Add 1 crushed garlic clove, a pinch of smoked paprika, 1/4 tsp Ancho chili powder, a sprinkle of coriander powder, and a dash of cumin.  Slice tomatoes and avocados, grate cheddar cheese, wash and slice lettuce, chop cilantro. Heat taco shells in a low  325 oven for 3 or 4 minutes. Serve your potato tacos with plain yogurt, olive garnish, lemon wedges and hot sauce. Yum!

Breakfast Tacos

I made these delicious vegetarian tacos for breakfast after having too much meat on vacation, and after going all the way to Texas and not enjoying any Mexican food while I was there. Short vacations are hard because you don’t have time to do all the things you want to do. I crave Mexican food, so hopefully I’ll get to go to Austin again soon and enjoy some authentic flavors. Until then, I’ll keep making my own and going out to my favorite southern CA Mexican places.

These tacos are made with crisped potatoes, sweet garden tomatoes, savory spices and crunchy lettuce. Yum!

In a skillet, Add 1 or 2 tblsp olive oil and 2 or 3 diced organic red potatoes, depending on how many you’re cooking these for. Add 1 diced sweet onion, season with celery salt and pepper. Saute the potatoes and onions until crisp and cooked through, about 15 to 20 minutes. Add 1 crushed garlic clove, a pinch of smoked paprika, 1/4 tsp Ancho chili powder, a sprinkle of coriander powder, and a dash of cumin. 

Slice tomatoes and avocados, grate cheddar cheese, wash and slice lettuce, chop cilantro.

Heat taco shells in a low  325 oven for 3 or 4 minutes.

Serve your potato tacos with plain yogurt, olive garnish, lemon wedges and hot sauce. Yum!

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Lemony Kale Spaghetti This is delicious, easy, healthy, and very inexpensive if you’re already growing kale and basil. You can swap out any garden greens, like chard or spinach, for the kale in this recipe. I used spaghetti, but you can use any kind of pasta you like. Here’s how I made this delicious dish. Boil a pot of salted water for pasta. In a separate skillet, saute 1 chopped shallot in a little olive oil, season with salt and pepper. Wash, stem and chop any kind of kale, I used curly kale. Add it to the skillet and sauté. Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions. Keep stirring and cooking your kale until it’s cooked to desired doneness, I like mine to be cooked, but not mushy, and still have a bite to it. So I only cooked mine for about 10 minutes total. Squeeze the juice from 1/2 lemon over the kale in the skillet. Add a big handful of fresh chopped basil. Drain the noodles and toss them with the lemony kale.  Serve with parmesan cheese, a drizzle of olive oil and lemon wedges. Yum!

Lemony Kale Spaghetti

This is delicious, easy, healthy, and very inexpensive if you’re already growing kale and basil. You can swap out any garden greens, like chard or spinach, for the kale in this recipe. I used spaghetti, but you can use any kind of pasta you like.

Here’s how I made this delicious dish.

Boil a pot of salted water for pasta.

In a separate skillet, saute 1 chopped shallot in a little olive oil, season with salt and pepper. Wash, stem and chop any kind of kale, I used curly kale. Add it to the skillet and sauté. Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions.

Keep stirring and cooking your kale until it’s cooked to desired doneness, I like mine to be cooked, but not mushy, and still have a bite to it. So I only cooked mine for about 10 minutes total.

Squeeze the juice from 1/2 lemon over the kale in the skillet. Add a big handful of fresh chopped basil. Drain the noodles and toss them with the lemony kale. 

Serve with parmesan cheese, a drizzle of olive oil and lemon wedges. Yum!

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Organic Sweet Potato and Black Bean Empanadas Yum! I made these delicious vegetarian empanadas yesterday to take to my friend Rachel’s birthday party. They were a big hit! Empanadas make great party food because you can serve them at room temperature, no utensils required, and you can make a lot of empanadas for very little money. Also, the organic veggies inside are really healthy and delicious.  Heat a large skillet to medium high, add 2 tblsp olive oil, 1 large diced sweet potato, 1 small diced onion, 1 diced carrot, 2 diced celery stalks and salt & pepper. Saute until the veggies start to soften, about 6 - 7 minutes. Add 1 ear of organic corn, cut fresh off the cob, 2 minced garlic cloves and 1/2 red bell pepper, diced. Season with celery salt and pepper, 1/4 tsp coriander powder, 1/2 tsp ancho chili powder, a sprinkle of red chili flakes, 1/4 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp garlic powder, and a small bunch of fresh chopped cilantro. Cook all of this together for another 3 or 4 minutes and turn off the heat. Add 1 can rinsed and drained organic black beans and 1/4 cup golden raisins.  Transfer to a bowl and cool in the fridge for 20 minutes or more. For the pie crust, use your favorite pie crust recipe. I used frozen pie crust*. Roll and cut into large circles, add a teaspoon or so of the filling to the center of each pie crust circle, pinch and roll the edges and shape them into half moons. Place on a buttered cookie sheet. Bake at 400 for 20 minutes. * I used frozen pastry crust from TJ’s. They come in a box in two rolls and you just thaw them out on the counter for an hour or so, and roll them a little bigger on your counter or cutting board.  I usually like to make pastry crust from scratch, but I had a lot of work to do yesterday, so I just used frozen. 

Organic Sweet Potato and Black Bean Empanadas

Yum! I made these delicious vegetarian empanadas yesterday to take to my friend Rachel’s birthday party. They were a big hit! Empanadas make great party food because you can serve them at room temperature, no utensils required, and you can make a lot of empanadas for very little money. Also, the organic veggies inside are really healthy and delicious. 

Heat a large skillet to medium high, add 2 tblsp olive oil, 1 large diced sweet potato, 1 small diced onion, 1 diced carrot, 2 diced celery stalks and salt & pepper. Saute until the veggies start to soften, about 6 - 7 minutes. Add 1 ear of organic corn, cut fresh off the cob, 2 minced garlic cloves and 1/2 red bell pepper, diced. Season with celery salt and pepper, 1/4 tsp coriander powder, 1/2 tsp ancho chili powder, a sprinkle of red chili flakes, 1/4 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp garlic powder, and a small bunch of fresh chopped cilantro. Cook all of this together for another 3 or 4 minutes and turn off the heat. Add 1 can rinsed and drained organic black beans and 1/4 cup golden raisins.  Transfer to a bowl and cool in the fridge for 20 minutes or more.

For the pie crust, use your favorite pie crust recipe. I used frozen pie crust*. Roll and cut into large circles, add a teaspoon or so of the filling to the center of each pie crust circle, pinch and roll the edges and shape them into half moons.

Place on a buttered cookie sheet. Bake at 400 for 20 minutes.

* I used frozen pastry crust from TJ’s. They come in a box in two rolls and you just thaw them out on the counter for an hour or so, and roll them a little bigger on your counter or cutting board.  I usually like to make pastry crust from scratch, but I had a lot of work to do yesterday, so I just used frozen. 

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