EnviroMom Meatless Supper Club: Week 7

Week 7 already? Holy. What I'm offering up today is sort of an all-around useful recipe that received a very mediocre reaction from the kids, but a big thumbs up from me and my man. I made this cheesy white bean puree as a pasta sauce -- it looks creamy, just like cheese. But it's beans! Chock full of protein. However, my kids are not fond of cheesy pasta, so I think they would have preferred it as a dip rather than a pasta sauce. Having this dip on hand would be perfect for a throw-together meal of sliced veggies, fruits and pita bread.

This would be much prettier with peas tossed in. And some bacon. D'oh!

Here's the basic recipe for the puree:

White Bean Puree, by Mark Bittman

3 cups cooked or canned navy or other white beans, drained but still moist with liquid reserved

About 1 cup bean-cooking liquid, vegetable stock or water

3 tablespoons butter or EV olive oil

Salt & pepper

Parsley for garnish (optional)

Puree beans in a food processor or blender using as much liquid to make them smooth but not watery. Put in a microwave-safe bowl or saucepan along with butter or olive oil. Heat gently until butter melts or oil is hot. Season the beans. To make it cheesy like I did, add 1/4 cup parmesan or pecorino with the butter/olive oil until the cheese melts.

One of the things I love about Mark Bittman is that he offers several variations on his recipes. For this bean puree he suggests adding roasted garlic or lemon zest with rosemary or roasted eggplant with tahini.

I served the pasta with a vegetable that my children typically shun. So let me share this major kid success story titled: How I Got My Children to Eat Squash and Ask for Seconds.

Take a winter squash, cut it in half and scoop out the seeds. Lay the cut sides down on a foil-covered baking sheet and roast at 400 degrees for 20 minutes. Flip squash over and cook for another 20 minutes until very tender. Let it cool and scoop out the insides. I pureed it in a food processor with a bit of milk, but a really good stirring might also do the trick. Dump the puree in a bowl and add about a 1/2 tsp each (maybe a little more) of cinnamon and nutmeg and salt, 3 tablespoons of brown sugar, and a little butter. Basically I just made it taste like Thanksgiving. BUT HERE'S THE MOST IMPORTANT PART: I called it Pudding. And I served the Pudding in small ramekins that we generally use for ice cream and other treats. Ha!

 

 
So now without further ado, let's see what brilliant veggie concoctions our meatless bloggers have cooked up this week!

Nancy from Nano's Kitchen transports us to a warmer, spicier climate with her Vegetable and Chickpea Curry served over couscous. Don't let the amount of ingredients scare you, because the pay off is letting it all cook in the crockpot!

Melanie from Recipe Journal made something completely different, Cauliflower Fritters! Now don't brush this one off. Have you ever eaten roasted cauliflower? It is absolutely delicious and a huge favorite in my house. I'm guessing these fritters taste very similar, which is why I'm totally trying this. Yum! (Photo credit: Recipe Journal)

Beth at The Cummings Clan made risotto for the first time! Specifically Monterey Jack, Corn and Roasted Red Pepper Risotto! I've never made it either, but I love it, and this looks delicious. Rave reviews all around.

Jen from Life on Bean Road cooked up a yummy Vegetable Pot Pie with Cheddar Biscuit Crust. I. Want. Biscuits. This recipe initially takes a little time to prepare, but Jen recommends tripling the recipe and freezing the extra for future meals.

Industrious Emily is taking us to an exotic locale with a Moroccan Vegetable Stew. I love a warm dish with nuts, and this one has all the ingredients to satisfy the pickiest of eaters. Emily offers her own tips for serving it to her own picky kids. (Photo credit: Industrious Emily)

Heather from Production Not Reproduction made one of my favorite types of meals, Udon Noodles with Baby Bok Choy. Noodles with any kind of nutty sauce is just heaven in my book, and with some veggies tossed in you get a complete one-dish meal. Love it. Heather's husband actually wrote this post because she is ill -- and you gotta love that, too. (Get well, Heather!)

Marleen from Walking on a Highwire is trying to pay more attention to her health and her weight, so she pulled out one of her favorite Weight Watchers recipes, Zero Points Value Vegetable Soup. This soup is packed with veggies, so pick and choose the ones you like, and pair it with some bread and cheese for a cozy meal.

Andrea from MiniMonos made a vegetarian variation of Pho, which looks heavenly. Apparently Pho is traditionally made with a species of peanut worm and an extract of water beetle pheromone. (!?!?) Lucky for us, Andrea decided to brazenly skip that part and used common grocery store ingredients. (Remind me to carefully look at the menu the next time we go out for Pho.) (Photo credit: MiniMonos)

Finally, Mary Beth from Salt & Chocolate made Spaghettini with Egg and Toasted Parsley Breadcrumbs. Yes! Egg and pasta, like spaghetti carbonara, is a fantastic combination and not one that often comes to mind. And instead of bacon, you get to enjoy the crunch of these flavorful breadcrumbs. Yum.

Seven weeks down and one to go! And what a collection of recipes we have! Thanks again for your support and inspiration, all!