Roasted Cabbage

Cabbage is nutritious--and cheap! I recently found this recipe for roasted cabbage on Pinterest. I feel like I've made cabbage a thousand different ways, but I had never tried roasting. It was full of flavor and so ridiculously easy.





Roasted Cabbage Wedges
A Martha Stewart Recipe via Pinterest

Yield: Serves 6

Ingredients
1 tablespoon plus 2 more tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium head green cabbage, cut into 1-inch-thick rounds
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 teaspoon caraway or fennel seeds

Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Brush a rimmed baking sheet with 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil. Place 1 medium head green cabbage, cut into 1-inch-thick rounds, in a single layer on sheet and brush with 2 tablespoons oil. Season with coarse salt and ground pepper and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon caraway or fennel seeds. Roast until cabbage is tender and edges are golden, 40 to 45 minutes.


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Simple Southwestern Soup

Quick, easy and flavorful--this soup is the ideal quick-fix meal. Southwestern-style comfort food in less than 30 minutes? Yes, it's that simple.

Ingredients
2 tbsp. olive oil

3/4 cup diced onion

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 can red beans, rinsed and drained

1 can whole kernel corn, drained

1 can diced Italian-style tomatoes, with juice
2 cups stock, chicken or vegetable (to create a vegetarian dish)
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. lime juice
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. dried cilantro

Directions
Heat olive oil in pot over medium heat . Add garlic and onions and saute until tender . Slowly add stock and then beans, corn and tomatoes . Add cumin, salt, lime juice, pepper and cilantro . Stir well . Allow to simmer for 15-20 minutes . Serve with dollop of light or fat free sour cream and tortilla chips

Note: To make the tortilla chips shown in the photo, preheat oven to 375 degrees . Cut whole grain tortilla into triangles . Brush each side with olive oil and sprinkle with pepper, sea salt, dried cilantro and garlic powder on baking sheet/stone . Bake for 10 minutes or until light golden brown

Simple, Savory Brussels Sprouts

This is a divinely-simple recipe that ensures flavorful, perfectly-cooked sprouts each and every time. Brussels sprouts make a great accompaniment to a variety of main dishes. I love them served with chicken. Not too familiar with these petite little orbs? It's time to add a new vegetable to your arsenal.


Ingredients
Serves two
20 small Brussels Sprouts, rinsed
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
1 tbsp. butter
1 tsp. olive oil
Salt and pepper

Directions
Clean Brussels sprouts by slicing off small portion of ends and removing any discolored leaves .
Bring a pot of salted water to a boil . Add sprouts and boil for 8 minutes . Remove, drain and set aside . In a saute pan, heat oil and butter (medium temperature) . Add walnuts and cook 1 minute . Reduce heat . Add Brussels sprouts and toss to coat with butter, oil and walnuts . Cook 2-3 minutes . Season with salt and pepper . Serve

Mini Eggplant Parmesans

This Eggplant Parmesan recipe was inspired my a trip to my local farmers market. While visiting one of the stands, my husband and I spotted the most unusual vegetable we had ever laid eyes on. Purple-streaked, u-shaped and skinny. The vendor assured us that it wasn't some mutant vegetable, but indeed an Oriental variety of eggplant. I must have appeared to be quite intrigued by the nature of this plant--the woman sent it home with me for free. Because of the delicate nature of its variety, this particular eggplant does not need to be skinned.

This dish was great. It was easy to prepare and had incredible flavor. My husband even went so far as to say he felt like he was eating at a restaurant. Another great thing about these mini pots o' eggplant is that traditionally, this dish is served as an entree, not a side. I served mine with Italian-seasoned chicken breast and a slice of toasted, buttered french baguette.

Ingredients

Makes four individual servings

2 medium eggplants, Oriental variety, sliced into rounds (If using a normal eggplant, use one small, remove skin and cut into 2 inch, flat discs)

2 egg whites, lightly beaten

1/3 cup Italian-style bread crumbs

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

1 tbsp. Italian seasoning

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1 tbsp. olive oil

Cooking spray

2 cups tomato sauce

1 cup mozzarella cheese

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees . Grease cookie sheet or baking stone with olive oil . Combine bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning and garlic powder in small bowl . Dip each eggplant round (top and bottom) in egg white and then coat thoroughly with bread crumb mixture . Lay each round on a cookie sheet . Bake for 25 minutes, flipping each round over half-way through . Spray four baking ramekins with cooking spray . Layer eggplant, then tomato sauce and then cheese and repeat until each ramekin is 3/4 full (ending with a layer of cheese) . Bake ramekins in 350 degree oven for 10 minutes or until cheese/tomatoes are bubbling . Serve in ramekins . Top with extra Parmesan cheese, if desired

Creamy Cucumber Salad

This year my husband and I planted our first garden. This recipe is a result of an overabundance of cucumbers from said garden. When I created this recipe I was looking for something simple, pretty and light, as well as something that would showcase the cool, crisp flavor of the vegetable. Creamy Cucumber Salad looks beautiful displayed on a bold platter, garnished with a little fresh dill.

Ingredients
2 large cucumbers, sliced (any variety, but I used English)
1/2 cup fat free or light sour cream
1/2 cup light salad dressing (such as Miracle Whip)
2 tbsp. vinegar
2 tsp. dried dill
1 tsp. all-purpose seasoning
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions
Combine sour cream, salad dressing, vinegar, dill, all-purpose seasoning, salt and pepper in a bowl, mixing until smooth . Add liquid mixture to sliced cucumbers . Toss well . Serve chilled

Black Bean Tortilla Pie

This recipe for this layered dish comes from the Martha Stewart website. It is a meatless main dish--a perfect vegetarian option. Black Bean Tortilla Pie was filling, easy-to-prepare and full of flavor.

Ingredients
4 (10-inch) flour tortillas
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 large onion, diced
1 jalapeno chile, minced (remove seeds and ribs for less heat) 2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
Coarse salt and ground pepper
2 cans (15 ounces each) black beans, drained and rinsed
12 ounces beer, or 1 1/2 cups water (I used water)
1 package (10 ounces) frozen corn (I used one can of corn)
4 scallions, thinly sliced, plus more for garnish
2 1/2 cups (8 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese


Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees . Using a paring knife, trim tortillas to fit a 9-inch springform pan, using the bottom of the pan as a guide . Set aside . Heat oil in skillet over medium heat . Add onion, jalapeno, garlic and cumin; season with salt and pepper . Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened, 5 to 7 minutes . Add beans and beer (or water) to skillet and bring to a boil . Reduce heat to medium; simmer until liquid has almost evaporated, 8 to 10 minutes . Stir in corn and scallions and remove from heat . Season with salt and pepper . Fit a trimmed tortilla in bottom of springform pan; layer with 1/4 of the beans and 1/2 cup cheese . Repeat three times, using 1 cup cheese on top layer . Bake until hot and cheese is melted, 20 to 25 minutes. Unmold pie; sprinkle with scallions . To serve, slice into wedges