Vegetarian Moussaka

Vegetarian Moussaka
Adapted from Cooking Light Magazine

Moussaka, a Greek eggplant casserole, is traditionally made with ground lamb. Fine bulgur is used in place of the ground lamb to make this a vegetarian version of moussaka. It's hearty, savory and delicious. It is a great dish to make ahead and reheat later. I loved this dish a lot and is planning to include this vegetarian dish for our Christmas dinner.

Three eggplants, unpeeled, cut into 1/2-inch thick slices (about 3 to 3-1/2 pounds)
2 cups chopped yellow onion (10.3 ounces)
4 large garlic cloves, minced (0.8 ounce)
3/4 cup uncooked fine bulgur (4.5 ounces)
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
One 14.5-ounce can fire-roasted, no-salt diced tomatoes
2 tablespoons tomato paste (1.0 ounce)
2 cups vegetable stock (16 ounces)
2 teaspoons dried oregano2 tablespoons butter (1.0 ounce)
4 tablespoons whole-wheat pastry flour (0.8 ounce)
2 cups 2% reduced-fat milk (16 ounces)
4 tablespoons finely grated fresh Parmesan cheese (0.8 ounce)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground white pepper

Preheat broiler to 475 degrees or high. Position oven rack to be able to broil the eggplant slices 5 inches from the heat source.

Line a shallow-rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place one-third of the eggplant slices onto the foil in a single layer.

 

Brush each eggplant slices with olive oil. NOTE: Eggplants tend to soak up olive oil very easily like a sponge. To use minimal amount of oil, dip only the very tip of the pastry brush with olive oil and brush each eggplant slice. By dipping the very tip of the pastry brush, the olive oil will go a long way. I was able to stretch 1 tablespoon of olive oil for the entire batch of eggplant slices.

 

Broil 5 inches away from the heat source for 5 minutes or until browned on the first side. Leave the oven door slighly ajar when broiling?! I have always left the oven door slightly ajar when broiling and it seemed to work perfectly for my eggplant slices. You decide!

 

 

Remove eggplant from the oven and turn each slice over. Brush the second side with more olive oil and broil for anther 5 minutes or until browned. Transfer eggplant slices to a plate and repeat the broiling process with the remainder of the eggplant slices.

 

NOTE: While I am broiling eggplant slices, I always do an extra eggplant so I can eat it for my lunch. I like to package eggplant slices and eat it with hummus. I spread some hummus on each slice and fold it or roll it up and eat it like a taco.

 

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat (7.0 for induction cook top) until hot. Add a tablespoon of olive oil to skillet and swirl pan to coat the bottom. Add the chopped onions and saute onions, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add garlic and saute for additional 1 minute.

 

Add the bulgur and continue to cook for 3 minutes or until bulgur is lightly toasted, stirring frequently. Add the allspice, cinnamon, cloves, salt and black pepper. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.

 

Stir in the diced tomatoes, tomato paste, vegetable broth and oregano. When mixture comes to a boil, reduce heat to simmer (4.0 to 3.0 on induction cook top) mixture for 20 minutes, uncovered, stirring occasionally, smashing large chunks of tomatoes to break them up.

 

While bulgur mixture is simmering, make the bechamel sauce. Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. With a wire whisk, whisk in the flour, salt and white pepper. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly with a wire whisk. Gradually add the milk, stirring constantly with a wire whisk. When mixture comes to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low (3.0 on induction cook top) and continue to cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently with a wire whisk. Whisk in cheese and remove from heat. Set aside.

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Position oven rack to the center of the oven.

 

Lightly spray an 11-inch by 7-inch size rectangular baking dish (I used a Le Creuset 9-1/2-inch by 14-inch size cast-iron baking dish) with nonstick cooking spray. Arrange half of the eggplant slices on the bottom of the baking dish, slightly overlapping slices.

 

Spread the bulgur mixture evenly over the eggplant slices.

Arrange the remainder of the eggplant slices over the bulgur mixture, slightly overlapping slices.

 

Top the eggplant slices witt the bechamel sauce.

 

Bake, uncovered, for 40 minutes. Remove dish from oven. Increase oven temperature to 475 degrees. When oven reaches 475 degrees, return dish to the oven and bake for additional 4 minutes or until top is lightly browned. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

 

Yield 6 to 8 servings.

Quick Tahini Salad with Homemade Pita Chips

Homemade Whole Wheat Pita Chips

One package Trader Joe's Brand whole wheat pita bread (6 pita breads)
Garlic-infused olive oil
Fine sea salt

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Position oven rack to the center position.

Working with one pita bread at a time, lay the pita bread on a cutting board. Brush the first side with about 1/4 teaspoon garlic-infused olive oil (regular EVOO will work fine). Sprinkle with a pinch of fine sea salt. Turn pita bread over. Brush the second side with another 1/4 teaspoon garlic-infused olive oil and sprinkle with a pinch of fine sea salt. Cut pita bread into 8 wedges. Repeat the same for the remainder five pita breads. Place as many pita bread wedges on an ungreased shallow-rimmed baking sheet pan in one layer, leaving some spaces between wedges. Bake for 15 minutes, until brown and crisp. Remove from oven and transfer to a plate to cool. Repeat baking with the remainder pita bread wedges. Store cooled pita chips in an airtight container for several weeks.


Tahini Salad

This is an easy and quick method to make a Middle Eastern style tomato and cucumber salad with Tahini Sauce. Tahini sauce is made from ground sesame seeds (tahini or sesame butter), garlic, lemon juice, water and salt. Tahini sauce is the sauce traditionally served with falafels and used as a dressing in falafel and schwarma wraps. Trader Joe's makes a great Tahini Sauce. Tahini sauce can easily be made from scratch, but if you don't have time to make your own, you can purchase it at Trader Joe's. This tahini salad is creamy, refreshing. delicious and healthy. With the addition of pita chips, it gives the salad a nice crunch.

One-half of an English cucumber, unpeeled and diced into 1/4-inch pieces (about 8 ounces)
1 Roma tomato, diced into 1/4-inch pieces (about 4 ounces)
4 tablespoons Trader Joe's brand Tahini Sauce (2 ounces)
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
4 pita chips, crumbled into bite-size pieces

Combined the cucumber and tomatoes in a medium-size bowl. Add the tahini sauce and sea salt. Toss together until combined. Add the crumbled pita chips and toss again. Transfer to a serving bowl and ready to eat.

Middle Eastern Rice with Turkey and Beans

Middle Eastern Rice with
Black Beans and Garbanzo Beans

The original recipe is posted on http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Middle-Eastern-Rice-with-Black-Beans-and-Chickpeas/Detail.aspx. After reading 190+ positive reviews, I decided to give this recipe a try. The original recipe posted for 1 quart of chicken broth for 1 cup of basmati rice which was questionable. Either I reduced the broth as most reviewers did or increase the quantity of rice. Since I like my rice dry rather than wet, I decided to increase the quantity of rice. While the original recipe is delicious as written, I decided to add in other spices to give more of an authentic flavor I'm accustomed to tasting when I eat at our favorite Middle Eastern restaurant. This is a very simple healthy recipe, very aromatic and budget-friendly. This recipe also makes an enormous quantity, but I don't mind. I just don't have to cook for a few days. I'm thinking of even replacing one can of black beans for one can of lentils the next time I make this dish, which will be soon. This recipe can be made a day in advance and probably be great served as a party buffet side dish
as well.

For the Rice
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
2 cups brown basmati rice. washed well and drained
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cayenne or to taste
1 teaspoon salt
Two 14-ounce cans Swanson brand 33% less-sodium chicken broth
AND add enough cold water to measure 5 cups

For the Ground Turkey
1 small onion, finely chopped (about 4 to 5 ounces)
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
One 1.25-pound package of ground lean turkey

Two 15.5-ounce cans garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
Two 15.5-ounce cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro (0.7 ounce)
1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted (optional)

Cooking the rice: heat about 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat until hot, but not smoking. Stir in garlic and cook for about 30 seconds or until it starts to turn brown. Stir in the rice, cumin, coriander, cloves, cinnamon, salt and pepper. Continue to cook and stir for about 3 to 5 minutes, adding a little more oil if necessary until rice starts to get toasty. Add the chicken broth/water. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low heat and cook for 45 minutes or all liquid is absorbed and rice is cooked.

Cooking the turkey: Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat until hot, but not smoking Add the onions. Cook and stir until the onions starts to turn brown on the edges, about 5 minutes. Add the cumin, coriander, cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and pepper and continue to cook for 30 seconds or until fragrant. Add the turkey and continue to cook, breaking up the turkey to small pieces. Continue to cook until turkey becomes browned.

Add the garbanzo beans and black beans to the turkey and cook until thoroughly combined and beans are heated through. Remove from heat. Add the hot rice and cilantro. Gently mix everything together. Transfer to a nice platter or casserole dish. Sprinkle with pine nuts.

Yields 8 servings or 12 to 16 side dish servings