2026 Stuffed Vegetables

This is adapted from a recipe that first appeared in the Fall 2024 Forks & Knives Plant Based Magazine, “Stuffing- Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms.” Since we are gluten free, I use Aleias Gluten & Dairy Free Savory Stuffing mix that comes with a savory flavor packet. 

 The original recipe is an entrée-sized portion. By stuffing smaller or larger vegetables, I can adapt the recipe as a side or main dish. My photograph shows colorful stuffed full-size peppers that had been cut into thirds since smaller segments would not be large for stuffing. Adapt vegetable sizes. Be flexible.

 This recipe takes a long time to prepare and after baking, freezes well. Before assembling, I cut up some of the vegetables in a uniform half inch dice, stored in water in the refrigerator, ready for assembly. Try to cut the vegetables to the same size as the bread cube stuffing. Assembly time: about 1 ½ hours before baking, about 30 minutes. Following is the original recipe “Stuffing-Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms” recipe makes 12 stuffed mushrooms featured as the main dish for a vegetarian Thanksgiving feast. 

 Ingredients: 

• 12 4 to 5 oz. portobello mushrooms 
• 3 medium carrots, peeled & cut into ½-inch pieces (1 ½ cups) 
• 2 medium parsnips or ½ of a medium celeriac root, peeled and cut into ½-inch pieces (1 ½ cups) 
• 1½ cups chopped onion 1 15-oz.can no-salt-added chickpeas 
• 5 cloves garlic, minced 
• 3 Tbsp. chopped fresh sage (replaced with the savory seasoning packet from Aleias stuffing mix) 
•  ½ tsp. sea salt 
• 10 oz. dry whole grain Italian bread cubes(a) (about 5 cups ½-inch cubes(b) 
• 2 cups, on hand, per Aleias, recipe calls for 2/3 to 1 cup low sodium-vegetable broth 

 Notes:

(a) use 1-2 cups of GF vegetable broth to moisten the stuffing mix, 

(b) To dry, spread cubes on a large baking sheet; loosely cover and let stand overnight. Or spread cubes in a 15x10-inch baking pan. Bake in a 300°F oven 10 to 15 minutes or until dry, stirring every 5 minutes. Cubes will continue to crisp as they cool. 

 Steps: 

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Line two 15x10-inch with parchment paper. Removestems and scrape gills from mushroom caps: reserve stems. Place mushroom caps, stem sides down, in prepared pans. Bake mushrooms, uncovered, 15 to 20 minutes or until just tender. 

2. In a large skillet, combine carrots, parsnips and 1 cup water. Bring to boil; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered 8 to 10 minutes or until just tender, adding more water if skillet gets dry. Drain, if necessary. 

3. Meanwhile, drain chickpeas. In a large bowl coarsely mash chickpeas. Stir in cooked carrots and parsnips. 

4. Chop reserved mushroom stems. Add onion and chopped mushroom stems to the skillet; cook 5 minutes or until mushroom stems are just tender, stirring occasionally and adding water, 1 Tb at a time, as needed, to prevent sticking. Stir in garlic, savory seasoning packet and salt until well combined. Add to chickpea mixture. Stir in bread cubes. Toss with 2/3 cup broth, adding more broth, as needed, to moisten bread cubes. 

5. Carefully turn baked mushroom caps stems sides up. Spoon stuffing evenly over mushrooms, gently pressing stuffing so it holds together on the mushrooms. 

6. Bake, uncovered, 20 to 25 minutes or until stuffing is heated through and lightly browned.The stuffed pepper segments baked at 350°F for 30 minutes and 10 minutes at 400°F to brown

Zig - Zag Squash Fries

I purchased a bag of fresh yellow squash crinkly cuts for fries at Trader Joe's, a seasonal specialty item. 

A great side dish.

Don't make them the way I did, try this way, using an air fryer.  Season first with a spray of oil, salt pepper, garlic and/or onion powder. Toss.

They will be tasty if they are not well done.  Set for 10-14 minutes at 375°, turning the pieces over at halfway.  I tried at 400° and they cooked too fast for my control and too well done. 

Leftover Omelet

 

I look forward to finding leftovers in my refrigerator. Inspiration always surprises me.  This is a lower calorie lunch meal with freshly steamed kale and half of a leftover roasted russet potato.   Living in LA, I often camped in the wilderness. slowly roasting vegetables wrapped in foil nestled under logs burning in a campfire ring.  The next day, those leftover veggies would be a real treat hiking to the mountain top. 

My usual omelet is one whole egg and two egg whites, mixed in a mini food processor with salt, pepper and fresh herbs. I steam the kale in the microwave for a few minutes, and before the kale was done, added the leftover roasted potato slices to reheat.

Cooked the egg mixture in a nonstick pan, with a spray of oil. When it was nearly cooked through, added the cut up potato slices and kale along with ¼ C of whole milk ricotta cheese.  While the eggs were still soft, folded the omelet in half. The potato pieces did give the small omelet substance. Next time, I’ll add chopped scallions or red onion, parsley or watercress, mushrooms, squash or broccoli bits, always a different combination.

 

Charred Cauliflower with Anchovies, Capers & Olives

 

 

This recipe is on The New York Times Cooking site developed by David Tanis who writes “You can serve it room temperature as an antipasto, as part of a buffet or warm as a nearly vegetarian main course with rice pilaf, roasted sweet potatoes or pasta.”

My appetite has definitely been reset by the intensity of these flavors and now I'm inspired to invest the time to make my meals more flavorful. The combination of anchovies, capers, olives, lemon juice, garlic, parsley and olive oil is so delicious that I am thinking of other foods that would be delicious in this mixture such as garbanzos or edamame beans. Following are some process photos to see how interesting it looks in the bowl; food prep can be fun.

 

Look how saucy it is from the oven.

And the next day, I added a few more anchovies and olives and this cauliflower was great over mixed greens, hardy enough for some kale, romaine, parsley and watercress.

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

Time: 1 hour

Ingredients:

1 medium cauliflower (about 1 ½ pounds)

2 garlic cloves, minced (I used chopped garlic from a jar)

4 to 6 anchovy fillets, rinsed, patted dry, finely chopped

½ cup roughly chopped good-quality green or black olives 

1 TB capers, rinsed, patted dry, rough chopped

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 TB lemon juice

1 TSP grated lemon zest

½ C roughly chopped parsley

3 TB chopped scallions

Omitted from the original recipe and optional:

salt and pepper

red-pepper flakes, ½ TSP

 

Preparation:

1. Put a large pot of water on the stove, bring to a boil. Meanwhile, with a large knife, cut the cauliflower into quarters. Cut off the tough core at the stem end of each piece. Cut cauliflower quarters into rough ½ inch slices. Cut larger pieces into several pieces, so all the chopped cauliflower is about the same size. 

2. Salt boiling water generously and add chopped cauliflower. Cook for two minutes, then drain and spread out on a baking sheet to cool.

3. In a large bowl, put garlic, anchovies, olives, capers, olive oil, lemon juice and lemon zest. 

At this point, I want to add to this recipe, step back, admire your work.  It is so aromatic and beautiful!

Whisk ingredients together and taste. Adjust salt or lemon juice as necessary. 

4. Add blanched cauliflower to the bowl. Optional: Season lightly with salt and pepper, add red pepper flakes to taste. Toss the cauliflower with your ands to coat evenly with the dressing.

5. Transfer mixture to a shallow baking dish. (Recipe may be prepared to this point several hours ahead of baking.)

6. To finish, heat oven to 450 degrees. Bake cauliflower uncovered, for about 20 minutes, until top is browned and beginning to char in some places. For extra char, pale dish under broiler for 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool for 5 to 10 minutes. Serve at room temperature with a sprinkling of parsley and scallions. Drizzle with a little more olive oil, if desired.

 

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Black Beans with Calabaza Squash

A local supermarket has vegetables from around the world and this squash was sold in cellophane wrapped packages in huge chunks with the outer rind.  It looks a lot like butternut squash.  Substitute any winter squash in this simple, inexpensive and filling recipe.  The squash is roasted and then combined with the other ingredients - a great Fall/Winter one-dish meal.

makes 4 small servings that includes ½ c beans each

Recipe:

2 pounds or more Calabaza Squash, seeds removed

1 can/2 cups Black Beans, drained and rinsed

1 lb. mushrooms

1 large Vidalia onion, chopped

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

1 tsp cayenne 

olive oil

Optional:

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 can of diced tomatoes

1 red bell pepper, chopped

1 stalk celery, chopped

1 jalapeno seeded and chopped instead of red pepper flakes

Roast squash in 400 degree oven until a fork slides in easily, 20-40 minutes, depending on the size of the chunks - large chunks take longer.  Turn over every 10-15 minutes during roasting time. Let cool, remove outer rind,  cut in bite size chunks. Set aside.

In large saucepan, add olive oil and when warm, add garlic (optional), thoroughly cook the chopped onions to soften, then add the mushrooms. Saute the onions and mushrooms until done, then add remaining ingredients, season, stir well and finally, combine with the chunks of roasted squash. Heat thoroughly.

Note: if adding canned tomatoes along with the other ingredients, after combining with the squash chunks, cover and simmer for about 20 minutes.

 

 
 

Black Bean & Eggplant Stew

Looking for something a little different for long Asian eggplants and beans, this is a delicious vegan stew if you are patient to cook this slowly. 

Makes 4 portions

Ingredients:

1 can black beans & liquid

1 large onion, chopped

1 green pepper, small ½” dice

1 pint, 2 cups,  portobello mushrooms, quartered

2 long Asian eggplants, halved and sliced

1 cup tomato sauce, pasta sauce or 1 can diced tomatoes

2 garlic cloves, minced 

Olive oil

Directions:

Sauté olive oil and garlic to season pan. When garlic is lightly browned, add onions and cook until softened. Add tomato sauce or tomatoes, eggplant, mushrooms and peppers. Continue to cook on medium heat with some of bean liquid, if needed.  Cover and cook for about 20-30 minutes until well done.  

This stew is very tasty, very brown and looks good served with salad or a brightly colored vegetable and/or rice or sweet potatoes. 

Turnip Gratin

These turnips have been oven-roasted with layers of Gruyere cheese, filling and satisfying.  I did enjoy this as a main entree but would be perfect as a side dish too.

Turnips have only 34 calories for a medium turnip, 8 grams of carbs, 2.2 gms of  fiber and a good source of Potassium and vitamin C.  A small potato has more than 100 calories and looks similar after roasting, so I opt in for good nutrition.  I started with a recipe from Martha Rose Shulman, NY Times Cooking but since I did not have 2 pounds of turnips and substituted almond milk for low-fat milk, I was on my own.  

 

I used an 8" Le Creuset round stoneware baking dish and  improvised.  I loved how it turned out and so easy to make.  

Ingredients

butter  or oil for the baking dish

1 garlic clove, cut in half

2 pounds turnips, preferably small ones, peeled and sliced in thin rounds  

salt and freshly ground pepper

4 ounces Gruyere cheese, grated (about 1 cup tightly packed)

2 ½ cups low-fat milk (1 or 2%)

1 tsp fresh thyme leaves, roughly chopped

I used 1 medium and 2 small turnips, dried thyme, almond milk and an indeterminate amount of almond milk and about a cup of loosely packed shredded cheese.  

Step  1 preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Butter or oil a 2 qt baking dish.  Rub the sides with the cut clove of garlic. 

Step 2 place the turnips in a bowl and season generously with salt and pepper.  Add half the cheese and the thyme and toss together, then transfer to the gratin dish and pour on the milk.  It should just cover the turnips.  I used almond milk, about 1 1/4 cups, halfway up the side of my dish than the recipe recommended. 

Step 3 place in the over, bake for 30 minutes.  Push the turnips down with the back of a large spoon,  Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top and return to the oven.  Bake another 40 to 50 minutes untl all of the milk is absorbed, the turnips are soft and the dish is nicely browned on top and around the edges.

Tip

Advance preparation:  You can assemble this several hours before baking, but don't add the milk until ready to bake.  You can bake it several hours ahead of serving, reheat in a medium oven.

I only baked it for another twenty minutes until the top was golden browned.  The milk was not yet fully absorbed, but it did not matter.  Delicious.

Mark Bittman's Chickpea and Fennel Ratatouille

This one pot recipe is absolutely delicious.  I served this as a main course but it would be wonderful as a side dish for a crowd.

We enjoyed this at dinner over rice but by itself, the stew is hearty and satisfying.  I must admit that I have only recently learned to cook fennel, an amazing flavor.  Eight ingredients to chop, slice and drain, so an assistant in the kitchen would be helpful.

I reserved a cup of the stew to flavor a quart of vegetable broth for a delicious soup for the freezer, to be enjoyed at another time.  I'll make the soup adding the stew to the heated broth and when hot, use a stick blender to merge the ingredients to a smooth soup.

INGREDIENTS

1 pound eggplant (smaller is better), peeled if you like, and cut into large chunks

¾ pound zucchini, cut into large chunks

1 pound Roma (plum) tomatoes, cored and chopped, or 1 28-ounce can, drained

1 onion, sliced

2 red or yellow bell peppers, cored, seeded and sliced

1 fennel bulb (about 1 pound), trimmed and cut into large chunks

5 garlic cloves, halved

1 teaspoon salt, more to taste

 Black pepper to taste

¼ cup olive oil

3 cups cooked or canned chickpeas, drained

1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme or rosemary, or 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil or parsley

PREPARATION

1. Heat the oven to 425 degrees. Combine all ingredients except oil, chickpeas and herbs in a large roasting pan. Drizzle with oil and toss to combine.

2. Transfer to oven and roast, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are lightly browned and tender and some water has been released from the tomatoes to create a sauce, 30 to 40 minutes.

3. Add chickpeas, stir and return to oven until beans heat through, 5 to 10 minutes. Add herbs and stir. Taste and adjust seasoning and serve hot, warm or at room temperature.

spice up a salad with Baked Kale Chips

Crunchy and spicy chips added to an ordinary salad makes it delicious but I must say, baking kale 'sounds' strange but it does dehydrate the vegetable and make it crispy and crunchy. I like sesame soy and ginger fat free dressing and it was perfect with the crispy kale.  My husband drizzled honey on his salad with olive oil too. Another serving suggestion.

Ingredients:

a bunch of kale, washed, stems removed and torn into bite size pieces and dried in a salad spinner
olive oil
seasoned salt or other spices such as Old Bay, Italian blend or Mrs. Dash's Salt-free garlic and herb

Preheat oven to 350 F
Line a cook sheet with parchment paper or foil
Drizzle kale with olive oil and sprinkle with seasonings.
Bake 10-15 minutes, until the edges are brown but not burnt.  Cool.

my version of Weight Watchers Garden Vegetable Soup

makes 12 servings


3 cups sliced carrots
1/2 cup diced onions
4 minced garlic cloves

8 cups fat-free beef, chicken or vegetable broth
3 cups diced green cabbage
2 cups chopped spinach
2 cups diced zucchini
3 Tb tomato paste
1 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 TB dried Italian seasonings
1 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp salt

Optional: omit 1/2 tsp salt

Spray a large saucepan with nonstick cooking spray, heat. Saute the carrots, onions and garlic over low heat until softened, about 5 minutes. Add broth, cabbage, spinach tomato paste, basil, oregano and salt (if desired).  Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer about 15 minutes.  Stir in the zucchini and cook 3-4 minutes more. Serve hot.  Freeze some.

try this: Roasted Vegetables at high heat

Try:

Rutabagas, turnips, parsnips - roast at 450 degrees

Carrots, edamame and brown rice skillet

This delicious recipe is adapted from the American Heart Association Low-Salt Cookbook.

Generously serves 4

1 cup cooked brown rice
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 medium garlic clove, minced
2 cups shredded carrots (4-5 medium)
3/4 cup frozen shelled edamame (green soybeans)
1 medium red bell pepper, diced
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, crumbled



Prepare a cup of cooked brown rice.

In a medium non-stick skillet, heat the oil over medium high heat, swirling to coat the bottom.  Cook the onion and garlic for about 3 minutes, or until the onion is soft, stirring frequently.  Stir in the carrots, edamame and bell pepper. Cook for a few minutes until just tender.

Stir in the rice, lemon juice and thyme.

Eggplant, the healthy, fast way!

This is the first time that I've tried making eggplant this way and it will surely become one of my favorites because it tastes great and so easy too. The recipe is from Chef Kathleen Daelemans:

1 sliced eggplant, 1/4" slices

olive oil or olive oil spray

kosher salt and cracked black pepper

optional: balsamic vinegar

Layer all slices on a microwave-proof plate; cover tightly with plastic wrap and microwave on high for 5 minutes. Heavily spray or add a small amount of oil to a large nonstick skillet, turn heat to medium-high and place one layer of eggplant in pan. Chef warns that you won't be able to cook all eggplant slices at once because the entire surface of each slice must make contact with pan bottom, so cook in batches. I used a skilled for a small eggplant, easy, all slices fit on the pan. Season with salt and pepper and brush eggplant slices again with olive oil. Cook until golden brown, turning once, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Optional: drizzle browned eggplant with balsamic vinegar to taste. Serve at room temperature.

Show me your beets

We love roasted beets. Easy, easy to make. Moist and sealed with its own juice inside. This photo shows the beets on aluminum foil reflecting its gorgeous red color. I made an extra portion to serve cold with salad the next day. Here's the recipe, roasted today without the onions:

Roasted Beets and Red Onions
A gorgeous vegetable dish that tastes as good as it looks. Preheat oven to 385 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with tin foil. Wash the beets and cut into large pieces of similar size. Peel and slice the red onion into large slices, separate rings. Spread the beets and onions in a single layer on the lined pan. Roast for 30 -35 minutes until the beets are tender. Toss and serve. I roasted two beets with one onion for two servings. Make more for leftovers, great cold too.

Roasted Beets and Red Onions

A gorgeous vegetable dish that tastes as good as it looks. Preheat oven to 385 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with tin foil. Wash the beets and cut into large pieces of similar size. Peel and slice the red onion into large slices, separate rings. Spread the beets and onions in a single layer on the lined pan. Roast for 30 -35 minutes until the beets are tender. Toss and serve. I roasted two beets with one onion for two servings. Make more for leftovers, great cold too.

Ellie Krieger's Roasted Cauliflower

Roasting cauliflower in the oven is a great way to prepare vegetables for a crowd that needs little attention while cooking and gets great taste compliments. This recipe is from nutritionist Ellie Krieger's book "The Food You Crave" and the recipes are easy to prepare and delicious.

1 head cauliflower (about 2 pounds), cut into florets
2 TB extra virgin olive oil
1 /4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp salt

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Place the cauliflower in a 9x13 baking dish, toss with the oil and sprinkle with nutmeg and salt. Cover the dish and roast for 30 minutes. Remove the cover, stir and cook for another 30 to 45 minutes, until the cauliflower is tender and nicely browned, stirring occasionally.

Everything tastes better with....

Today it's Del Monte Diced Tomatoes! Easy recipe for delicious stovetop chicken. Nice with pasta or rice. This recipe is for 4 chicken breasts and can be adapted for more chicken pieces.  Excellent using any skinless chicken parts with or without bones.  After browning the chicken, it cooks on the stovetop simmering in a rich tomato sauce.  To complete the meal, use the sauce with pasta or rice.

Double the recipe and freeze some for another great meal.

Ingredients:

Olive oil (not EVOO)

1 onion - diced

8 oz. mushrooms - whole

1/2 tsp black pepper

4 skinless chicken breasts, boneless
1 1/2 tsp Penzey's Tuscan Sunset (no salt) or your choice of italian spices

1 tsp fresh (or 1/2 tsp dried) minced garlic 

1 can Hunt's Tomato Paste (no salt added)

2 cans Del Monte Diced Tomatoes (do not drain)

Use a dutch oven or a 12-14" saucepan with a tight fitting lid. Over medium heat, saute the onion and mushrooms in a small quantity of olive oil to coat the pan.  When soft and tender, (about 5-10 mins.), remove from pan. Raise the temperature, add a small quantity of olive oil to the pan and quickly brown all of the chicken pieces.  After browning the chicken, return the onions and mushrooms to the pan and combine with remaining ingredients for the sauce. Cover the pan and cook until the chicken is done, about 45 minutes.