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Tag: yellow pepper

Moroccan Style Vegetable Stew with Olive Gremolata

This is a great vegetarian stew to make for company or through the week- and a great recipe to post for meatless Monday!! It does have a whole lot of ingredients but most of them are very common and are usually in a pantry. Harissa is a Moroccan style condiment that is made with red peppers and can have some heat as well… it is commonly found in super markets…

  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 2 teaspoons ground coriander
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 4 dates, pitted and chopped
  • 1 tablespoon harissa paste
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
  • 2 large carrots, chopped
  • 1 large yellow pepper, chopped
  • 1 14 ounces can of tomatoes (I used fire roasted with green chilies)
  • 1 cauliflower head, cut into small florets
  • 1 14 ounces can of chickpeas, rinsed and drained
  • 3 to 4 cups water or vegetable broth
  • Salt

Heat a large saucepan with the olive oil. Add the onion and cook on medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the cinnamon, coriander, cumin and cayenne pepper. Saute for 2 minutes on medium heat. Add the garlic and dates and sauté for another 2 minutes. Add the harissa paste, tomato paste and flour. Saute for another 2 minutes. Add the carrots and pepper. Saute on medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the tomatoes, cauliflower and chickpeas. Saute for 3 to 4 minutes and add the water or broth. Bring to a boil and add 2 teaspoons salt. Lower the heat and cover with lid and cook for 20 minutes. Take the lid off and continue cooking till the consistency is of a thick stew. Check for seasonings and keep aside.

Gremolata

  • ½ cup green olives, chopped (I used olives stuffed with garlic)
  • ½ cup parsley, chopped
  • ¼ cup golden raisins, chopped
  • Zest of one large lemon

Mix the olives, parsley, raisins and lemon zest in a small bowl. Top the stew and serve.

 

Chicken Fajitas with Cilantro Avocado Sauce

I love, love, Mexican flavors and this recipe is a great example of the food I love to cook and eat. I made this dish this past summer and served it with a nectarine salsa- you can substitute apples or some pineapple for the summer fruit…

  • 2 cups cilantro
  • 3 green onions
  • ½ cup chicken broth
  • Juice of 2 large limes
  • 1 to 2 teaspoons honey
  • 2 teaspoons salt

Transfer all the ingredients into a blender. Blend well until a smooth sauce is formed. Taste for seasonings and keep aside. Take out 3 tablespoons of the sauce and keep aside.

  • 1 pound chicken breast, sliced into strips
  • 1 large yellow onion, sliced
  • 1 green pepper, sliced
  • 1 orange pepper, sliced

Marinate the chicken in a bowl with half of the cilantro sauce. Marinate the onion and peppers in the other half of the cilantro sauce. Transfer them to a fridge and marinate for 2 to 3 hours. Take out an hour before cooking.

  • 1 medium avocado
  • ¼ cup full fat yogurt
  • Salt

Add the avocado and yogurt to the blender with the remaining cilantro sauce. Add a bit of water if needed and blend till smooth. Keep aside as a sauce for the fajitas.

  • 3 to 6 tablespoons oil
  • 4 to 6 corn tortillas

Heat a grill pan or regular pan with 2 tablespoons oil. Cook the chicken strips in 2 to 3 batches till golden brown and cooked through. Add more oil and cook the onion and peppers and add them to the cooked chicken.

Heat the corn tortillas and add some of the chicken and pepper mixture. Top with some avocado sauce and serve.

Gluten Free Pasta Bake

Gluten Free Pasta Bake1

I wanted to experiment with gluten free pasta. I actually went shopping for lasagna noodles but couldn’t find the gluten free variety. The store had run out of them, due to their popularity. I instead bought some penne and planned on layering my dish like a lasagna using penne instead lasagna noodles. It turned out delicious!!

  • ½ pound gluten free penne (lasagna sheets will be great as well)

Cook 2 minutes short of package instructions. Drain and keep aside making sure
pasta doesn’t stick together.

  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 small medium yellow onion, chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 1 yellow squash, chopped
  • 2 small zucchini, chopped
  • 1 yellow pepper, chopped
  • 2 cups tomato sauce
  • Salt

Heat a wide saucepan with the olive oil. Add the onion and garlic. Saute on medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the squash, zucchini and pepper. Saute on medium heat until the vegetables are golden brown (careful not to overcook them). Add the tomato sauce and salt. Bring to a boil and simmer for 3 to 4 minutes. Check for seasonings and keep aside.

Ricotta Filling

  • 1 cup low fat ricotta cheese
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 1 cup basil
  • ½ cup parsley
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • ½ cup shredded cheese

Preheat oven to 350 F degrees.

Place the garlic, basil and parsley in a food processor and process till chopped well. Place the ricotta in a medium bowl. Transfer the chopped herbs, salt and egg to the ricotta cheese. Mix well.

Layer like a lasagna starting with the vegetable mixture (divide into 3 parts). Top with half the pasta. Place half of the ricotta filling. Repeat the layering. Top with cheese and bake for 30 minutes.

Cauliflower and Yellow Pepper Stir Fry

Cauliflower and Pepper Stirfry

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1 head of cauliflower, cut into florets

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon tamari

Place the florets onto a lined cookie sheet. Drizzle olive oil and tamari. Mix well and broil under a high setting until the florets are golden brown for about 10 minutes.

1 yellow pepper, chopped

1 yellow onion, sliced

4 garlic cloves, chopped

2 tablespoons olive oil

½ cup cilantro, chopped

Sauce

¼ cup ketchup

2 tablespoons sweet garlic chili sauce

2 tablespoons tamari

1 teaspoon hoisin sauce

Mix the ketchup, garlic chili sauce, tamari and hoisin sauce and keep aside.

Heat a large wok like saucepan and add the olive oil. Add the onion and garlic cloves and sauté on medium high heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the cauliflower florets and sauté for 4 to 5 minutes. Add the sauce, mix well and cook covered on low heat for 7 to 8 minutes. Take the lid off, check for seasonings and top with cilantro.

Shrimp Cake Sandwich with Chili Lime Sauce

Great recipe for the warm days coming our way…

  • 12 medium shrimp, deveined and cleaned with tails off
  • 2 green onions, chopped
  • ½ yellow pepper, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons chives, chopped
  • Juice of one lime
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 1½ cups panko breadcrumbs
  • Salt
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons butter

Transfer the shrimp to a food processor and process for 10 seconds. Add the green onions, pepper, chives, lime juice, egg and 2 teaspoons salt. Process till smooth for about 45 seconds. Add ½ cup panko and process for another 15 seconds. Take out and form into 4 patties and roll into the remaining 1 cup panko. Place the patties on a parchment paper and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Heat a non-stick with the olive oil and butter on medium heat. Cook the shrimp patties for 4 minutes on each side or till cooked through.

Chili Lime Sauce

  • ¼ cup mayonnaise
  • 2 tablespoons yogurt
  • 1 teaspoon chipotle powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • Juice of one lime

Mix all ingredients well in a small bowl. Serve the shrimp cakes in ciabatta rolls with the lime sauce.

Brown Rice Vegetable Pulao

  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1 tablespoon extra light olive oil
  • 1 cup brown rice, rinsed
  • 2 ½ cups vegetable broth
  • 2 teaspoons salt

Heat a saucepan with the butter and oil. Add the rinsed brown rice and sauté on medium heat for 2 minutes. Add the broth and salt. Bring to a boil and simmer, covered with lid for 30 minutes or till rice is done. Let cool and keep aside.

  • 2 tablespoons extra light olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 yellow pepper, chopped
  • 1 cup green beans, chopped
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup cilantro, chopped
  • ¼ cup dill, chopped

Heat a wide frying pan with the oil and add the cumin and sauté for 10 seconds. Add the pepper, beans, onion, garlic and salt. Saute on medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes. Add the cilantro and dill as well as the cooked and cooled rice. Saute on medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes or till the rice is heated through. Check for seasonings and serve.

 

Szechuan Pepper Sweet and Sour Shrimp

Yummy, yummy is all that comes to mind when I read this recipe.. it is a bit involved but so worth making at home and not ordering the sticky sweet stuff from a take out restaurant…

  • 1 pound small shrimp, cleaned
  • 1 tablespoon Szechuan peppers
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
  • 1 inch fresh ginger, roughly chopped
  • 1 jalapeno pepper, deseeded and chopped

Roast the Szechuan peppers in a small pan for 2 to 3 minutes. Take out and grind to a powder.

Transfer the ground pepper, salt, garlic, ginger and jalapeno pepper to a mortar and pestle. Pound till a paste is formed and marinate the shrimp for 2 to 3 hours and keep aside.

  • 3 tablespoons peanut oil
  • 1 cup pineapple, cut into small chunks
  • 1 red pepper, cut into 1 inch squares
  • 1 orange pepper, cut into 1 inch squares
  • 1 large yellow onion, cut into 1 inch squares
  • 1 cup blood orange or regular orange juice
  • 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 2 teaspoons cornstarch
  • ½ cup cilantro, chopped
  • 2 green onions, chopped

Transfer the pineapple, red pepper, orange pepper and onion chunks to a lined cookie sheet. Broil on high for 7 to 8 minutes till the veggies are a bit charred. Keep aside.

Mix the orange juice, vinegar, honey, soy sauce and cornstarch in a small bowl, test for seasonings and keep aside.

Heat a wok like pan with the peanut oil. Add the marinated shrimp and cook for about 5 minutes on high heat. Add the charred vegetables and mix well. Add the sauce and bring to a boil. Cook for another 2 to 3 minutes and garnish with cilantro and green onions and serve with brown rice.