Meatless Archives - Page 2 of 2

Bang Bang Cauliflower

April 20, 2012 by amy 3 Comments

I’m the kinda girl who knows what she likes. I take forever to make a decision simply because I want to make the best possible choice. But when I see it, I know it right away.

I get “gut” feelings. You know, the ones that make lean a certain way when there are more than one options available. And most always my gut leads me in the right direction. Thank you guts! That’s something that I never thought I’d be thankful for. Guts. And I never thought I’d be typing how I’m thankful for my guts.

But I totally digress…

So I came across this recipe on Pinterest. I have a major addiction problem with that place. I won’t go into rambling about that, but just know that I am hugely infatuated with being on that site. 🙂

Back to the recipe…Bang Bang Cauliflower thanks to That’s So Michelle. Apparently it’s supposed to taste like Bonefish Grill’s Bang Bang Shrimp. I’ve never eaten that before, but it sounds like it would be tasty. And at the look of this cauliflower, I knew that I had to make some of this up. Not to mention that Aldi had their cauliflower on sale for just $.39 last week! Yes I know! My jaw was on the floor and my booty was a shakin’ walking out with my buggy full of cauliflower. This recipe is the first thing I thought of making when I got home.

Michelle said that every bite that she took made her say “Oh wow, this is sooo good”. I did the exact same thing. Oh yeah, it was that good.

We’re talking BREADED cauliflower tossed in sweet chili sauce and some other incredible ingredients. I just couldn’t get over how good breaded cauliflower was. I mean, whodathunkit? I’m calling Webster’s with that word!

You have to make this. You just have to. If you are a cauliflower fan, it is your duty. Your cauliflower duty.

Bang Bang Cauliflower

Cauliflower has never been so tasty!

Ingredients

For the Cauliflower

1/2 cup Panko bread crumbs
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 cup egg whites
1 head cauliflower
Salt & pepper
1 tablespoon garlic powder
Green onion
1/4 cup coconut oil (I used olive oil)

For the Sauce

1/4 cup lite mayo
1/4 cup Franks Red Hot Sweet Chili Sauce or Siracha (add more or less depends on how hot you can handle it)
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
2 tablespoons sugar

Method

Cut up your cauliflower florets. Mix salt, pepper and garlic powder into your Panko breadcrumbs in a shallow dish.
Set separate bowls aside with egg whites and cornstarch. Dip your florets one by one into the cornstarch, and shake off excess. Then dip into egg whites, and then coat with Panko mixture.
Warm up your coconut oil in a large frying pan and place all florets in hot oil. Turn with tongs making sure all sides are browned. Set on top of paper towels to remove excess oil. Top with more salt.
In a small bowl mix all of your sauce ingredients. Coat your breaded and pan fried florets with sauce, top with sprinkles of green onion and serve right away.

Notes

Because I didn't have coconut oil, I just used extra virgin olive oil and it turned out just fine. So don't fret if you don't have that.

Also, the breading ingredients were JUST enough for my cauliflower so beware if you have a large head like I did.

The Sweet Chili Sauce was the perfect spiciness and sweetness.

We had this as a side, but I could totally eat a bowl just for dinner!

http://www.pennywisecook.com/bang-bang-cauliflower/

And I don’t want to beg you, but will you PLEASE leave a comment if you make this (or even if you don’t) and let me know what you think!

Like this post? SHARE it!

Filed Under: Appetizers and Snacks, Meatless, Sides and Vegetables

Twice-Baked Cauliflower

April 6, 2012 by amy 2 Comments

Where are my Pinterest addicts at? Yeah, you know who you are. Secretly surfing the pins during work or staying up late getting lost in the abyss of crafty delights. I really can’t talk as I am one of them too. Hi my name is Amy and I am addicted to Pinterest. By the way, are you following me on Pinterest? We can feed each others addiction!

My husband’s parents came for a visit last weekend and we had a blast as we always do. They are big into watching carbs and his dad was trying to lose a few pounds so he is watching his intake pretty closely. I hadn’t prepared for it so I quickly set out on a Pinterest mission (insert Mission Impossible theme song here) to find something low-carb but yummy at the same time. I would have made the the Cauliflower Crust Pizza, but they had just made it that week. They tried it out for the first time and loved it! If you haven’t tried it yet, I highly recommend that you do.

I came across this genius recipe over at Kalyn’s Kitchen for Twice-Baked Cauliflower. I was sold without even looking at the ingredients. You can’t get any more low-carb than that.

Can I just say that it was A-M-A-Z-I-N-G. All the ingredients that you love in a baked potato including the cheese, sour cream, and bacon all mixed into gooey cauliflower. Honestly, I think you could probably serve this to someone who was unsuspecting and they might never know it’s not potato. The key is to leave the cauliflower a little bit chunky so that it resembles potato chunks.

It was a big hit and everyone loved it. Most everyone had two helpings!

Twice-Baked Cauliflower

Who needs a baked potato when you can have twice-baked cauliflower?

Ingredients

1 Large Head Cauliflower
1/2 Block Low Fat Cream Cheese
1/2 c. Low Fat Sour Cream
1/4 c. Green Onions, Chopped
1/4 c. Parmesan Cheese, Grated
6 Slices of Bacon (Or Turkey Bacon), Cooked, crumbled, and Patted dry of fat
1 c. Reduced Fat Cheddar Cheese

Method

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Remove stem and core from cauliflower. Cut into small pieces. In a large pot, cook cauliflower over medium heat until just tender. Don't get it overly soft.
Drain and mash with potato masher, leaving some chunks. Mix in the sour cream and cream cheese, green onion, parmesan cheese, and 3/4 of the crumbled bacon.
Spread into a medium casserole dish and sprinkle with cheddar cheese and remaining bacon.
Bake for 30-35 minutes until bubbly.

Notes

I really have nothing to add except that this is easy, cheap and super yummy! I will be making this A LOT from now on. 🙂

Ok, I will add this. Aldi has had their huge heads of cauliflower on sale for $.89 the last 3 weeks. If you have an Aldi, I strongly suggest that you check there first!

http://www.pennywisecook.com/twice-baked-cauliflower/

Like this post? SHARE it!

Filed Under: Meatless, Sides and Vegetables

Homemade Instant Potato Gnocchi

March 7, 2012 by amy 1 Comment

Feeling a bit adventurous? How about homemade gnocchi? You can do it with a little help from Betty Crocker. Believe me, if I can do this anyone can!

Gnocchi is beginning to be found at many restaurants these days. It’s a very fluffy potato pasta that is incredibly indulgent and yummy. I’ve been buying it pre-made for a few years and it wasn’t until recently that I got up enough courage to attempt it myself. Mind you, I’ve never made any type of pasta before. I decided to give it a try and to my surprise, I found out that I do have the ability to create these fluffy potato pillows of yummy goodness! You most certainly can too and I encourage you to do it!

The version that I’m going to give you will make it super easy for you to give it a try. It’s made with instant potatoes instead of having to peel and boil and mash real potatoes.

Start out by mixing dry potato flakes (instant potatoes) with water and then adding an egg and a little bit of salt. Can you believe that you’re almost done?! That’s how easy it is to make these!

Next, you add in the flour slowly which starts to turn the potatoes into dough.

You knead the dough and then divide it into sections for rolling out.

Roll each section into long cylinders the size of your thumb. Then cut into small bite-size pieces.

Use your fork to make imprinted lines across the gnocchi. This is how your yummy sauce will stick to them. Then you can shape them to look more like gnocchi which is generally more round and not squared. Don’t get hung up on the shape. They will taste like gnocchi no matter what shape they are in. They are wonderful served with a tomato basil sauce, cheese sauce, or brown butter sauce.

Or you could always toss into Zesty Zucchini and Squash Over Gnocchi!

Recipe courtesy of Food.com

Homemade Instant Potato Gnocchi

Ingredients

2/3 c. Dry Instant Potatoes
2/3 c. Boiling Water
1 Egg at Room Temp, beaten slightly
1/2 Tsp Salt
1 1/2 c. All-Purpose Flour

Method

In a medium bowl, stir instant potatoes into boiling water until blended.
Fold the egg and salt in.
Slowly add in the flour, a third at a time. Dough will become thick and won’t stick to the bowl anymore.
Place the dough on a well-floured surface and knead well. You want it to not stick to anything, but you don’t want to add too much flour. The thicker the dough the denser your pasta will be.
Cut the dough into 4 sections. Roll each section into cylinder rolls about the thickness of your thumb. Cut them into bite-size pieces.
Using your fork tines, make indentions on the gnocchi and form to your liking.
To cook- place gnocchi into boiling salted water. Do not crowd the pot. Gnocchi is done when it floats to the top.
Serve with your favorite sauce.

http://www.pennywisecook.com/easy-homemade-potato-gnocchi/

Simple enough and you can say that you made it from “scratch” without hesitation. 😉

Like this post? SHARE it!

Filed Under: Meatless, Pasta

Easy Tomato Basil Sauce

March 5, 2012 by amy 4 Comments

When it comes to cooking, the tomato basil sauce is a go-to red sauce for a variety of different meals. You can use it for practically anything that requires tomatoes. The basil gives such a fresh herb taste. It’s become my favorite by far. I just love how easy it is and that I have most everything already on hand. Skeptical at first that the recipe would be too simple, I was amazed at the flavor that this gave a few different dishes that I’ve used it for.

I went to the grocery store in search of fresh basil. Most stores around here (ie. Kroger, Walmart) don’t just have fresh basil in their produce. They do have some pre-packaged options, but they are crazy expensive and I refuse to pay for those. I came across this little tube in the fresh herb section and decided to give it a whirl. It’s made of fresh organic basil and some additives to keep it fresh longer. It will last in that tube for 5 months! Tablespoon for tablespoon it’s equivalent to fresh basil. It was $3.99 for the tube and was worth every penny to me.

We made a homemade pizza the other night and I used my homemade tomato basil sauce on it. FABULOUS! My husband said that this was the best homemade pizza that he’s ever tasted and I would have to agree with that. This sauce would be wonderful over pasta, in lasagna, pizza, dipping and more! In fact, why not whip some up for your Cauliflower Crust Pizza? Oh I’ve done it and it’s fantastic!

Adapted from this Tyler Florence recipe.

Easy Tomato Basil Sauce

Simple tomato basil sauce that you can use for a variety of dishes!

Ingredients

2 Tbsp Olive Oil, divided
2 Garlic Cloves, Minced
1 Can Crushed Tomatoes, 16 oz
Pinch of Sugar
Kosher Salt and Ground Pepper To Taste
4 Fresh Basil Leaves, Chopped or 4 Tsp Basil from Tube

Method

Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in pan over medium-high. Add the garlic and cook until soft.
Add in the crushed tomatoes and sugar, then season with salt and pepper.
Turn the heat up a bit and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Be sure to keep a cover on as it will splatter!
Stir in the remaining olive oil and basil. Serve!

http://www.pennywisecook.com/easy-tomato-basil-sauce/

Like this post? SHARE it!

Filed Under: Meatless, Sauces and Dips

Zesty Squash and Zucchini Over Gnocchi

February 16, 2012 by amy 3 Comments

Around these parts we are big fans of squash and zucchini. I buy it all year ’round because it’s one of few vegetables that I know my family will eat. Trying to find new ways to invent the wheel, or in this case make a squash and zucchini dish can be a difficult task. However, I got a little inspiration from this recipe and turned this summer recipe into a warm and spicy winter dish.

If you’ve never tried gnocchi before, this would be a nice starting point for you. Gnocchi is basically mashed potato and flour rolled into little dumplings. They are usually quite tasty to kids as well as adults alike. Since I made up this recipe, I conquered making my very own gnocchi! Sure it’s made out of instant potatoes, but it’s still homemade gnocchi all the same. Look for that deliciousness soon…

Back to the squash and zucchini! Start out with some nice warm extra virgin olive oil in a pan and then saute up onions and garlic to start off your sauce.

Throw cubed squash and zucchini into stewed tomatoes and tomato sauce along with some very zesty spices to create one smokin’ pot of goodness. But in all honesty, the crushed red pepper flakes provide a LOT of heat. If you like that, you can add more. If not, 1tsp is plenty.

Then it’s time to add in the smooth and starchy gnocchi to cool down to spiciness. Toss it together and serve. You can use any pasta that you’d like. I just like the fluffiness that the gnocchi gives with the zestiness in this dish.

Zesty Squash and Zucchini Over Gnocchi

Take your squash and zucchini and turn it into a saucy and spicy main dish!

Ingredients

3 Medium Small Yellow Squash, Cubed
3 Small Zucchini, Cubed
1 14.5 oz Can Stewed Tomatoes
1 8 oz Can Tomato Sauce
1/2 Onion, Chopped
2 tsp Minced Garlic
1 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Salt to taste
Garlic Powder to Taste
Dash of Cumin to Taste
1 tsp Crushed Red Pepper Flakes- This is the heat!
1 Package Store Bought Gnocchi (I use whole wheat or make your own)

Method

Cook gnocchi according to package directions. They will generally be finished when they float to the top.
Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and saute until translucent.
Add in squash, zucchini, tomatoes, tomato sauce and spices. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat until squash and zucchini start to become tender.
Toss in gnocchi and mix well.
Serve with grated Parmesan cheese sprinkled over top. (optional)

Notes

This is really a pretty dish! Might be good for entertaining when you need to impress. Just make sure that you don’t get it too spicy in case your guests don’t like too much heat.

http://www.pennywisecook.com/zesty-squash-and-zucchini-over-gnocchi/

Like this post? SHARE it!

Filed Under: Main Dishes, Meatless Tagged With: Pasta, Vegetarian

Black Bean Burgers Even Your Husband Will Like

February 10, 2012 by amy 1 Comment

Take a deep breath Amy. It’s just the very first recipe that everyone will see here on Pennywise Cook. No pressure or anything. I’ve been cooking for quite some time and I have a lot of recipes to share. So when it came time to pick one to start out with, I had trouble. In the spirit of the upcoming Valentine’s Day I thought what better of a recipe than to share one that the hubby will like too. I do find that leaving out the fact that these include black beans helps to make them a little more appealing to husbands. But after they have one, they’ll come around.

In hopes to get my family to eat more vegetables and healthier, I’m always looking for substitutions. I’m not huge into making fake meat burgers, but I really love black beans so I decided to give it a whirl. With high hopes and confidence I made up these burgers and served them to my family one night. To my surprise, the reaction from the hubby was that of pure enjoyment. He even stated, “they’re acceptable”. If you know my husband, then you know that that is HUGE praise for a meatless burger. I consider him to be a burger connoisseur among the best.

It’s pretty incredible the consistency that black beans can take on when mixed with a few other ingredients and grilled like a burger. They are very moist, much like a very well cooked burger. With all the fixin’s, you’d never even know. Here’s my recipe.

Black Bean Burgers

6 Patties

Black Bean Burgers

Ingredients

2- 15 oz Cans Black Beans- divided, drained and rinsed well
1/2 medium onion, chopped
2 Tbsp Mayonnaise (I used reduced fat)
1 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
1 Tsp Cumin
1/4 Tsp Cayenne Pepper
1/4 Tsp Dried Parsley
1/2 Cup Plain Bread Crumbs
1/2 Tsp Dried Oregano
2 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
6 Hamburger Buns

Method

Place 1 can of black beans in food processor with onion and Worcestershire sauce and pulse until it’s a coarse puree. Transfer to large bowl.
Mix in the mayonnaise, cumin, cayenne pepper, parsley, bread crumbs, oregano, and last can of black beans. Mixing with your hands is easiest.
Form into 6 patties. Heat oil to medium-high heat and fry burgers on each side until outsides become browned. Usually around 5- 8 minutes total.
Serve on buns with your favorite fixin’s!

http://www.pennywisecook.com/black-bean-burgers-even-your-husband-will-like/