Tag Archives: vegetarian dinner ideas

Potato and squash frittata

Hello, readers. Happy new year!

Although I hope that you all have enjoyed a bountiful holiday season, along with the basted birds, creamy casseroles, grandma’s pies, and neighbors’ cookies, the holidays are O-V-E-R. The time has come for us to stop stuffing our faces and consider what’s happening inside our bodies. I’m sure I speak for more than myself when I say that January is the month when I want to put the indulgence on hold and bring my waistline back to the way it was before November 22nd. Here is a healthy, vegetarian, and might I add beautiful, dish to get us on the right track for this month.

Potato and squash frittata

Here is a healthy, vegetarian, and might I add beautiful, dish to get us on the right track for this month.

(Yield: 6 servings)

Ingredients:

1 large russet potato, sliced 1/8″-thick

1 small green squash, sliced 1/8″-thick

1 tsp dried thyme

1 tbsp butter

4 eggs

1/4 c milk

1/3 c grated Parmesan cheese, plus 2 tbsp

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 chopped scallion for garnish

Procedure: Preheat oven to 375F. In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, 1/3 c cheese and a pinch of salt and pepper. In another bowl, toss together potato, squash and thyme and a pinch of salt and pepper.

Grease pie dish with butter. Evenly layer vegetables into dish and pour egg mixture over the top.

Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake for 25 min. Then, uncover, sprinkle with remaining cheese, and bake for another 10-15 min, until the top is golden brown.

Potato and squash frittata

Let stand for 10 min before slicing. Garnish with scallions.

Potato and squash frittata

The ever-elusive chick pea wrap

Some years ago, I bought a wrap in my school’s cafeteria. The wrap was, along with the other items in that refrigeration unit, catered (for lack of a better term) by a nearby Middle Eastern restaurant. The overpriced, flatbread wrap contained lightly mashed, well-seasoned spicy chick peas, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I never ate it again though – I rarely eat cafeteria food – so I don’t know why I remembered about this insignificant school meal today but remember I did.

I attempted to re-create the wrap and I must say that I came dangerously close to success. However, I used a regular wrap instead of flatbread and added tomatoes for some pizazz. Next time, I think I will add garlic and sautéed onions.

It’s also worth mentioning that this is a great lunch or dinner idea for vegetarians (you sick bastards… Just kidding… Or am I?)

(Yield: About 6 wraps)

Chick pea wrap filling:

2 15 oz cans chick peas, rinsed, drained

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 tbsp lemon juice

1.5 tsp yellow curry powder

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 pinch cayenne pepper

¾ tsp freshly ground black pepper + ¾ tsp salt

Procedure: Combine all ingredients in a food processor fitted with the blade attachment. Puree until chunky (we’re not making hummus) and re-season if necessary. Ta-da!