12 posts tagged “vegetarian”
Did I scare you? I mean, the idea of frozen salad probably isn’t that appealing. LOL But. And this is a pretty big BUT. (no, it’s not mine! 
) Gazpacho. Sorbet. Combine the two and you have a bit of frozen heaven. This traditional Spanish soup is always served chilled, and often with ice…why not go just another step and turn it into sorbet, I asked? Top that with the traditional finely chopped vegetables for added crunch, and you have entered into yum world. This one is going to be making regular appearances at our summer table, folks. It’s the perfect way to begin a meal in the sweltering heat of summer, or even as an afternoon snack. It’s packed with vegetables, very low in fat, and delicious. Oh! And super easy. So whatcha waitin for?
For the recipe in English and en español, please visit: http://canarygirl.com/?p=177
You know, living here in the Canaries has it’s advantages. (duh! lol) I love the fresh local produce that abounds in the produce markets, and whatever the season, we’ve always got fresh oranges, lemons, avocados, pineapples, kiwis, tomatoes, zucchini, and a number of others. One thing that hasn’t caught on so much here is the concept of fresh herbs (apart from parsley, cilantro and spearmint)…My neighborhood vendor normally has fresh basil and arugula (not so common around here!), but this week, the basil was looking a little sickly. Bummer for me, because I have been seriously craving Caprese salad to accompany one of the many barbecues we’ve been having lately. You see, my dear hubs is on vacation, and our regular schedule is a bit out of whack. Don’t get me wrong, it’s completely awesome having him home instead of never seeing hide nor hair of him! lol Just that we’ve been veering off of the beaten path of routine. Alvaro *loves* grilling, so we’ve been doing a lot of that while he’s home, and frankly, I haven’t pulled out the camera or food set-up stuff to share what’s been gracing our table very much. Besides, Alvaro likes to hog the computer! LOL ;) So, anyway, back to the salad. Yesterday we grilled some steaks and potatoes, and I was hell bent on having my Caprese salad. I have to admit, the fresh basil is crucial. It wasn’t as good with dried, even though I let it marinate for about an hour, but, even so, it was still good, so I’ll share it. Vine ripened tomatoes and buffalo mozzarella really make the difference, too. I’m thinking that the next time I make a Caprese, I’m going to really go wild and use vine ripened cherry tomatoes, and chop up the motz and shred some fresh basil…a wild and crazy chopped up Caprese. Because that’s what this world needs. Fo reelz. Seriously, this is SUCH an easy salad for any meal, I wholly recommend it. But get fresh basil. I’m just sayin. 
Recipe is here: http://canarygirl.com/?p=162
Wine recommendation: Because of the vinegar, I'm not sure which wine would be best with this...I had Pinot Grigio and it was good, but the vinegar tends to compete with the wine. What do you think?
Minestrone is such a great soup for winter, isn’t it? It has a little bit of everything in it, and is so versatile. The ingredients can be changed up to fit anyone’s tastes, whether you like it with bits of ham or bacon, with cheesy tortellini (as I’ve done here), or easily made vegan as well. This is a great recipe if you have a bunch of odds and ends in the refrigerator that you’re looking for ways to use, too. Don’t be frightened by the long list of ingredients, this is one of the easiest things in the world to make, and not only that, it’s hearty, delicious, and warming for those icky cold winter blahs.
Recipe is here: http://canarygirl.com/?p=134
For the folks at It's all about food & wine, I'd suggest a chianti, a nice red to compliment the acidity of the tomatoes in the soup.
Risotto…what can I say about it that you probably don’t already know? Not much, I’m guessing. Creamy rice mixed with a touch of wine, a bit of parmigiano-reggiano, and whatever ingredients suit your fancy at the time. It’s all about the technique I suppose…a proper risotto must be cared for and tended to for it to come out perfect. I’ve found that the only way to get perfect results is to add the liquid little bits at a time, stirring constantly until the liquid is absorbed, then repeating until desired “creaminess” is achieved. This makes it difficult to nail down the exact quantities of liquid, but, as I always say, each person’s tastes are different, some prefer their rice more al dente, others prefer it softer, and yet, others prefer it downright soupy. I’m not judging anyone’s tastes, I’m just saying that you’ll need to take your desired result into consideration when preparing risotto. :) Cooking is all about being creative, letting your inner Julia Child or Rick Bayless come out to play…I’m a firm believer that a recipe is just the starting point to creating a dish that your own family will love. 
For the recipe, please visit my blog: http://canarygirl.com/?p=111
As you've probably realized from my posts, Middle Eastern food is one of my favorites. There is such a rich variety of dishes, and many of them are easily converted to a gluten free lifestyle (if they're not already naturally so). Tabouleh salad is one of those easily converted dishes. By substituting Quinoa (pronounced KEEN-wah) for the bulgur wheat, you have a delicious alternative. Quinoa when cooked properly has a very similar texture to bulgur, and tends to absorb the flavor of the dish it's incorporated in, much like bulgur.
For the recipe, please visit: http://canarygirl.com
Mmmmm…fresh garden produce…The farmer’s markets around here are
beginning to have all sorts of delicious tidbits…at phenomenal prices. Can’t
beat that! I’ve been craving stuffed zucchini for a while now, and
today I finally got around to making it. I had some leftover Chevre
cheese from yesterday’s salad, and thought, what the heck? Why not toss it
in there too? Yum. I can’t even think of another adjective, except,
Yum. The filling for this would be awesome wrapped in phyllo, or even
just regular pastry dough…I might even venture to say even better than
the stuffed zucch’s…or as a quiche, or oooh! Wait! An omelette! Can
you tell I really liked the filling? Haha Anyway…I give to you my
stuffed zucchini:
For the recipe, please visit: http://canarygirl.com/?p=82
Cherry tomatoes are in abundance around here…so sweet, plump and juicy…perfect on their own. For a while now I’ve had the idea for a cherry tomato quiche/tart sort of thing. And then, while shopping for supplies, my eyes fell upon the cutest darned thing. A mini wheel of brie. All tiny and precious….just a little baby brie….crying for me to pick it up and take it home. So I did. Cherry tomatoes and brie. A match made in heaven.
For the recipe, please visit: http://canarygirl.com
Apart from paella, I think that gazpacho has got to be one of the most quintessential Spanish foods. The region of Andalucía is best known for this cool and refreshing warm weather treat, though there are as many variations of gazpacho as there are chefs…I give you the basic recipe, as taught to me by a friend’s mother, originally from Jaén (also known for their wonderful olive oil). The “salpicón” or vegetable relish can include bread cubes or croutons and/or chopped boiled egg. (This recipe can easily be made gluten free by either substituting gluten free bread, or omitting the bread and adding less water.)
For the recipe, please visit: http://canarygirl.com.
Hee! Yesterday I bought some fresh artichokes from my fruits and vegetables vendor....go to my blog to see step by step pics of how to prepare them with a delicious lemon butter dip.....
So come on over, kick off your shoes and have a drink with me! I'm ready to celebrate! (cue noise-makers and confetti here) The new addy is: http://canarygirl.com . I've transferred most of my recipes that are posted here, plus posted a couple of new ones too. Can't wait to see you all there! :)
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