Stuffed Peppers with Arborio Rice and Basil

One of my favorite recipes from Vegan Italiano, an excellent, vegan, Italian cookbook.

2-1/2 Tbsp Extra-virgin Olive Oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
3 large cloves garlic, finely chopped
1-1/2 lbs ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped
1/4 c low-sodium vegetable broth
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1 cup arborio rice, slightly undercooked
1/2 c finely chopped fresh basil
1/2 c chopped pitted black kalamata olives
4 large red peppers
2 cups favorite marinara sauce

Preheat the oven to 400F.

In a large nonstick skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until softened but not browned, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, 1 minutes. Add the tomatoes, broth, salt, and pepper; bring to a boil over medium and simmer briskly, stirring frequently to prevent scorching, until the mixture has thickened and most of the liquids have evaporated, 15 to 20 minutes.

Remove the skillet from the heat and add the rice, basil, and olives, stirring well to thoroughly combine. Season with additional salt and pepper as necessary. Set aside.

Cut a lit off the stem end of each pepper and reserve. Remove the seeds and white membranes from each pepper shell. Brush the outsides of the lids and shells with the remaining 1/2 tablespoon of oil. Stuff each pepper shell lightly (do not pack) with equal amounts of the rice mixture and top with the corresponding lid (lids will not close).

Place the stuffed peppers upright in a baking dish just large enough to accommodate their size. Add enough water to the dish to measure 1/2 inch. Cover tightly with foil and bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour, or until the peppers are tender when pierced with the tip of a sharp knife. Remove the foil and bake 5 minutes, or until the lids just begin to blister. Serve at once, accompanied by the heated pasta sauce.

Pasta Puttanesca

I've always had a love of Italian food, and now am adjusting my diet to include Italian food sans meat. A light dusting of Pecorino Romano on the finished plate still lingers. :)

This is a favorite hearty sauce of mine - excellent with whole wheat spaghetti. For those of you who don't like the grainy texture of whole wheat pasta - there is hope! I found a brand that tastes almost like regular pasta, but is 100% whole wheat - Garofalo. Very good pasta and well worth a try for those who have previously resisted whole wheat because of the texture.

2 Tbsp olive oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 14.5 oz cans Muir Glen Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes, drained
1/2 tsp hot red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp dried basil
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1/2 cup imported black olives, halved and pitted
1/2 cup imported green olives, halved and pitted
1/4 cup dry white wine
Fresh parsley for garnish, if desired

1 lb Whole wheat spaghetti

In a saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat and add the garlic. Saute for two minutes until the garlic becomes fragrant. Add the tomatoes, red pepper flakes, basil, oregano, salt and pepper. Bring the sauce just to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, stirring to help break up the tomatoes. Simmer for 20 minutes, stirring, until the tomatoes make a thick sauce. Add the olives and white wine, and keep warm over low heat.

Cook the whole wheat spaghetti until al dente, according to directions (about 10 minutes). Drain the pasta and transfer to a large serving bowl.

Taste the sauce and adjust the seasonings if needed. Add the sauce to the pasta and toss to combine. Serve immediately, sprinkle with fresh parsley if desired.

Jambalaya - The Vegetarian Way

I'm a big fan of the spicy, creole cuisine of New Orleans. One of my favorite dishes (pre-veg) was Jambalaya, usually made with sausage. Of course, the sausage is now a no-no, so I've been searching for a good veg recipe for Jambalaya. I found a great one in The Vegetarian Meat and Potatoes Cookbook - tweaked to personal taste. Highly recommend this book by the way, stuffed full of excellent recipes.


1-1/2 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 large yellow onion, chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped
1 large red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
Diced Tomatoes, 28 oz can, with their juices
1-1/2 tsp minced fresh thyme leaves
1/2 tsp minced fresh marjoram leaves
1 tsp Tabasco sauce
1 tsp salt
2 cups water
8 oz vegetarian sausage links, cut into 1-inch pieces
1-1/2 cups cooked dark kidney beans (or one 15 oz can, drained and rinsed)
1 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
Hot cooked basmati rice

Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, bell pepper, and garlic. Cover and cook, stirring a few times, until softened, about five minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, thyme, marjoram, Tabasco, salt and water. Cover and simmer until the vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes.

Heat the remaining 1/2 tablespoon oil in a medium-size skillet over medium-high heat. Add the vegetarian sausage and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned all over, about five minutes.

Add the sausage to the tomato mixture, along with the beans and parsley. Cook, uncovered, for ten minutes, stirring occasionally to heat through. Add more water if the jambalaya becomes too dry. Serve hot over rice.