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Do You Like Green Bell Peppers?

YumSugar — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 09:00:32 -0700

In an article last week, the New York Times takes a good look at green peppers and why they've fallen out of favor compared to other bell varieties. Though its opponents often describe the pepper as overly aggressive, vegetal, and bitter, it has its longtime fans, too, who believe the green ones have a grassy, versatile taste.

Monday's Leftovers: Mixed-Pepper Steak With Onions

YumSugar — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 07:50:10 -0700

I like to get my week off to the right start by making a square meal at home, but Mondays often wind up being hectic and frazzled. Thankfully, I've come across a dish that pleases everyone, doesn't require too much time or effort, and calls for only a handful of ingredients, including sirloin, which I have on hand. It reminds me of the pepper steak my mother made for me growing up. There's no fancy herbs, no exotic spices or wine reductions - just soy sauce, and the pure, pungent aroma of ground black pepper. Get the recipe when you read more.

Fast & Easy Dinner: Tomato and Grilled Veggie Stack

partysugar — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 06:50:23 -0700

When the weather is incredibly hot, I crave crunchy, cool vegetables and flavorful salads. However, after a month and a half of Summer, the same old salad can get boring. This recipe takes the salad concept and translates it into a fork and knife meal. Instead of being tossed together, the ingredients are artfully layered, making a dish that is beautiful to look at and fun to eat. Besides being a no-fuss weeknight meal, this veggie stack is also great at a luncheon. It can be plated hours before serving. Sound interesting? Check out the recipe.

Fast & Easy Dinner: Barley-Vegetable Ragout

partysugar — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 07:45:21 -0800

Impress the vegetarians in your life by taking the time to make this flavorful, hearty meal. Although it simmers for only about 45 minutes, the final dish has a depth and richness equal to something slow-cooked. The ingredient list includes mushrooms, cauliflower, onion, tomatoes, and bell peppers, but feel free to use the vegetables that your family enjoys eating.

To look at the recipe that would be delicious served with a chunk of crusty bread and a glass of red wine, read more.

Barley-Vegetable Ragout
From Vegetarian Times

Ingredients

2 1/4 cups “chicken” broth or low-sodium vegetable broth
3/4 cup uncooked pearl barley, rinsed
2 Tbs. olive oil
1 10-oz. pkg. cremini mushrooms, halved
1 small head cauliflower, chopped (about 4 cups)
1 large white onion, cut into thin strips (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 15.5-oz. can diced tomatoes with mild green chilies, undrained
2 small orange bell peppers, sliced (about 2 cups)
1 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped, plus a few sprigs for garnish
1/4 cup grated soy Parmesan or Romano cheese

Directions

Bring broth to a boil in large pot. Add barley, reduce heat to low, cover and cook 30 minutes, or until broth is absorbed and barley is tender. Transfer to mixing bowl.
Heat 1 Tbs. oil in same pot over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms, and sauté 5 minutes, or until browned; add to barley. Add remaining 1 Tbs. oil to pot, and sauté cauliflower and onion 8 minutes, stirring frequently.
Add tomatoes, reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer 8 minutes. Stir in peppers; cover, and simmer 5 minutes more, or until tender.
Stir in barley-mushroom mixture, chopped basil and soy cheese. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cook 1 minute more, or until heated through. Serve garnished with basil sprigs.

Serves 6.

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What's Your Favorite Kind of Bell Pepper?

YumSugar — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 11:19:08 -0700

Bell peppers are in season in many parts of the country right now. I picked up some delicious yellow peppers at the farmers market this weekend, though my default is usually red peppers. How about you?

Source

Fast & Easy Dinner: Roasted Squash and Pepper Tart

partysugar — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 07:45:40 -0700

With the end of Summer looming like a dark fog in the distance, I've taken to eating as much seasonal produce as I can. Topped with Summer squash, zucchini, and tomatoes, this tart is a perfect use of September's bounty.

The vegetables are roasted in the oven before being covered with puff pastry. Once the pastry is cooked, the tart is inverted, making for a fun presentation. To make the most of the warm weather while it lasts, read more.

Roasted Squash and Pepper Tart
From Better Homes and Gardens magazine

Ingredients

3 cups cups cut up squash, such as pattypan, yellow summer squash, or zucchini
2 red and/or yellow sweet peppers, cut into wide strips
1 large sweet onion and/or fennel bulb, cut into wedges
2 Tbsp. olive oil
Salt or salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 oz. Parmesan cheese
1/2 of a 17.3-oz. pkg. frozen puff pastry sheets (1 sheet), thawed
1/2 cup halved cherry tomatoes
2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp. snipped fresh thyme
1 cup purchased refrigerated creamy Parmesan dressing
1/4 cup finely chopped sweet onion

Directions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Coat sides and bottom of 13x9x2-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.
Spread squash, sweet peppers, and onion wedges in pan. Toss with olive oil; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast, uncovered, 20 to 25 minutes or until tender, stirring once.
Meanwhile, using a vegetable peeler, cut Parmesan cheese in thin strips. Set aside.
On lightly floured surface, roll puff pastry to 13x9-inch rectangle.
Remove baking pan from oven. Add tomatoes to pan. Toss vegetables with balsamic vinegar and half the Parmesan cheese. Spread vegetables evenly in pan.
Lay pastry over vegetables, tucking in edges. Return pan to oven; bake for 15 minutes or until pastry is puffed and golden.
Remove pan from oven; cool 5 minutes.
Invert a 15x10x1-inch baking pan over pan with pastry. Carefully invert pans together; remove 13x9 pan. Transfer any vegetables that stick to finished tart.
Sprinkle tart evenly with remaining cheese and 2 teaspoons of the thyme.
In small bowl stir together dressing, chopped onion, and remaining 1 teaspoon thyme. Cut in squares. Serve tart warm or at room temperature with dressing.

Makes 12 servings.

Nutrition Facts: Calories 277, Total Fat (g) 23, Saturated Fat (g) 3, Monounsaturated Fat (g) 2, Polyunsaturated Fat (g) 0, Cholesterol (mg) 7, Sodium (mg) 256, Carbohydrate (g) 15, Total Sugar (g) 4, Fiber (g) 2, Protein (g) 4, Vitamin C (DV%) 101, Calcium (DV%) 8, Iron (DV%) 3, Percent Daily Values are base on a 2,000 calorie diet

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Monday's Leftovers: Peanut Tofu Wrap

YumSugar — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 06:45:21 -0700

If you need a healthy, on-the-go lunch for the start of the week, use leftover grilled tofu to make a portable peanut wrap. The recipe only makes one serving, so if you are planning on making it for the whole family, you will need to adjust your measurements accordingly. To get this delicious recipe, which takes only 10 minutes to make, read more.

Peanut Tofu Wrap
From Eating Well magazine

Ingredients

1 tablespoon store-bought Thai peanut sauce
1 8-inch whole-wheat flour tortilla
2 ounces seasoned baked tofu, thinly sliced
1/4 cup sliced red bell pepper
8 thinly sliced snow peas

Directions

Spread peanut sauce on the tortilla.
Place tofu, peppers, and snow peas in the center; fold the sides over the filling and roll up.

Serves 1.

NUTRITION INFORMATION: Per serving: 310 calories; 12 g fat (2 g sat, 0 g mono); 0 mg cholesterol; 30 g carbohydrate; 19 g protein; 5 g fiber; 693 mg sodium; 154 potassium.
Nutrition bonus: Vitamin C (90 percent daily value), Vitamin A (50 percent dv), Iron (20 percent dv).

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Fast & Easy Dinner: Fajita Roll-Ups

partysugar — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 06:45:09 -0700

Fajitas are similar to a stir-fry because they're made with the same quick-sear cooking technique. In this recipe onions, bell peppers, and beef are tossed in a hot sauté pan. A simple sauce made with fresh tomatoes and bottled Italian dressing adds a delicious flavor to the cooked meat-veggie mixture. Wrapped tightly in a whole wheat tortilla, these fajitas could easily be filled with chicken or mushrooms instead of beef. Check out the recipe when you read more.

Fajita Roll-Ups
From Better Homes and Garden magazine

Ingredients

12 ounces beef flank steak or sirloin steak
4 8-inch whole wheat, spinach, or flour tortillas
Nonstick cooking spray
1/3 cup finely chopped onion
1/3 cup finely chopped green sweet pepper
1/2 cup chopped tomato
2 tablespoons bottled reduced-fat Italian salad dressing
1/2 cup shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese (2 ounces)
1/4 cup purchased salsa or bottled taco sauce
1/4 cup light dairy sour cream (optional)

Directions

If desired, partially freeze beef for easier slicing. Trim fat from meat. Cut beef into bite-size strips.
Wrap tortillas tightly in foil. Heat in a 350 degree oven about 10 minutes or until heated through.
Meanwhile, coat an unheated 12-inch nonstick skillet with nonstick cooking spray. Preheat over medium-high heat.
Add meat, onion, and sweet pepper to hot skillet. Cook and stir for 2 to 3 minutes or until desired doneness for steak. Remove from heat. Drain well.
Stir in tomato and salad dressing.
To serve, fill warm tortillas with meat mixture. Roll up tortillas. Serve with cheese, salsa, and, if desired, sour cream.

Serves 4.

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Fast & Easy Dinner: Thai Pork and Vegetable Curry

partysugar — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 09:15:08 -0700

Get the weekend started with this exotic, interesting meal. Thin slices of pork are cooked with coconut milk, curry, and lime juice. Green beans provide snap and red peppers add a nice crunch. Served over a bed of hot orzo, it's filling and delicious.

This dish would be wonderful for a last minute dinner party. To look at the simple recipe, read more.

Thai Pork and Vegetable Curry
From Better Homes and Gardens magazine

Ingredients

1-1/3 cups dried orzo (about 8 ounces)
12 ounces pork tenderloin or lean boneless pork
2 tablespoons cooking oil
8 ounces green beans, bias-sliced into 1 1/2-inch pieces (2 cups)*
1 red sweet pepper, cut into thin bite-size strips
2 green onions, bias-sliced into 1/4-inch pieces
1 14-ounce can unsweetened lite coconut milk
4 teaspoons bottled curry paste
2 teaspoons sugar
2 tablespoons lime juice

Directions

Cook orzo according to package directions. Drain and keep warm. Thinly slice pork into bite-size pieces.
Pour 1 tablespoon of the oil into a large nonstick skillet. Preheat over medium-high heat. Add pork; cook and stir about 4 minutes or until no pink remains. Remove from skillet.
Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to skillet. Add green beans; cook and stir for 3 minutes.
Add sweet pepper and green onions; cook and stir about 2 minutes more or until vegetables are crisp-tender.
Add coconut milk, curry paste, and sugar. Reduce heat to low, stirring until combined. Stir in cooked pork and lime juice; heat through. Serve over hot orzo.

Serves 4.

*A 9-ounce package of frozen cut green beans, thawed, can be substituted for the fresh beans. Add them to the skillet along with the sweet pepper and onions; cook as directed.

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Fast & Easy Dinner: Mediterranean Grain Salad

partysugar — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 07:45:13 -0700

A great staple to incorporate into your weekly diet is the grain quinoa. Like couscous, quinoa takes on the flavors of its surrounding ingredients. In this recipe, the quinoa is tossed with crunchy peppers, cool cucumbers, and salty olives. Although cheese is not one of the components, crumbled feta or goat cheese would be delicious stirred in with the vegetables. To experiment with quinoa tonight, read more.

Mediterranean Grain Salad
From Vegetarian Times magazine

Ingredients

1 cup quinoa
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
2 tsp. olive oil
1 medium clove garlic, minced
1 medium red bell pepper, chopped
1 medium yellow bell pepper, chopped
1/2 cup chopped cucumber
1/4 cup sliced kalamata or other good-quality black olives
1/4 cup chopped red onion
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Directions

Cook quinoa according to package directions.
Meanwhile, make dressing: in small bowl, whisk together vinegar, oil and garlic. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside.
In large bowl, combine peppers, cucumber, olives, onion and parsley. Mix well.
Add dressing and toss to coat.
Add quinoa, stir gently but thoroughly to combine. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Serves 4.

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