Everyone's cooking risotto at the moment it seems, and since pasta now sits in the negative column of my diet plan I am increasingly turning to rice as a way of getting that satisfactory carby bloated feeling of gastronomic satiation. British asparagus is in its prime right now and broccoli is nice for a bit of crunch too. I unfortunately can't have parmesan or butter, but frankly they aren't wholly necessary if you're working with a tasty stock, and doing without is that little bit healthier! I used the leftover stock from my chicken and chickpea casserole and just added some more water.For two people you'll need:
4 handfuls of arborio or carnaroli rice
1 bunch of British asparagus, discard the tough end of the stalks
handful of broccoli florets
handful chopped cabbage
1 sliced leek
3 chopped sage leaves
1 onion, diced
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 litre of good strong chicken or vegetable stock
1 glass of white plonk
salt and pepper
olive oil
Heat a glug of olive oil in a heavy bottomed frying pan, add the diced onion and garlic and soften until transluscent. Add the rice and coat evenly with the oil, stirring for about 2-3 minutes. Add the chopped sage and stir in. Add a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Add the glass of wine and start stirring the rice grains, cook until the wine has evaporated.
Turn the heat down under the pan to a simmer. You can now start adding your stock, soup ladle by soup ladle, stirring slowly. After the third ladle of stock, throw in the asparagus tips, broccoli, cabbage and leeks. Only add another ladle once the previous one has more or less been absorbed by the rice. This is usually every 45 seconds or so, but you can tell just by looking.
After about 18 minutes, taste your rice for bite. Good risotto should have bite, not be completely cooked to a mush, but the amount of bite is a purely personal taste. Keep adding stock until the rice has the right level of bite for you and the consistency is creamy but not runny and the rice slides off the back of your wooden spoon in a gloop.
Taste and season further if necessary. If you want cheese, stir some in just before serving. Eat in the company of a delicious man and a good movie.
Label: arborio, arborio rice, Asparagus Risotto, broccoli, carnaroli rice, Italian, rice, riso, risotto, spring, vegetarian
Day two of the new diet, I suddenly realise I can eat Tabbouleh, something I could gorge on until kingdom come and a perfect spring dish full of zest and fresh flavours! Based on bulgar wheat and parsley, the ideal proportions are 2 parts parsley to one part bulgar, but I need sustenance and am eating this as a main dish, so I've upped the quantity of bulgar wheat somewhat. You can play around and see which you prefer!
Label: bulgar wheat, chilli, lunch, marocco, meze, spring, starter, tabbouleh, vegan, vegetarian
This well rounded vegetarian dish is sure to "hit the spot" on a cold winters day.
Ingredients
1 tsp olive oil
1 stalk of celery, diced
1 1/4 cup green lentils
1 cup cooked quinoa
1/4 cup chopped fresh dill
1/2 tsp dry basil
1/2 tsp garam masala
1/4 tsp turmeric
1/4 tsp granulated onion
5 cloves of garlic
1 cup pearl onions
1 tbsp chopped jalapeno
3 cups stock/broth of choice
1/2 tsp seal salt
fresh cracked black pepper
Directions
Sautee the onion, garlic, celery and jalapeno w/ the olive oil on low heat for about 5 minutes , stirring occasionally. Next, add the lentils and remaining spices/herbs along with 2 cups of the stock. Bring it to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. If you would like more of a "soup" use more broth. Finally, when the lentils have cooked, stir in the cooked quinoa and let it warm through.
Tastes even better the second day!
Label: lentils, quinoa, vegetarian
This is one of my all-time favorite recipes because it's so easy--you pretty much just dump everything in a bowl, mix it up, and pop it in the oven.
Now I have to credit my friend BL with the original recipe--I've adapted it a bit just to make it a little healthier, but she certainly deserves the credit for introducing me to this deliciousness :)
Corn Kugel
Ingredients:
1 can creamed corn
3/4 cup applesauce
2 eggs
1 Tbsp oil
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 cup flour
Directions:
- Mix creamed corn, applesauce, eggs, oil, sugar, and spices.
- Whisk in baking soda, baking powder and flour until just combined.
- Pour into a square (8x8) pan and bake in oven at 350 for 20-25 minutes or until edges are crispy and top is browned and risen.
Label: cheap, kugel, side dish, simple, vegetarian
Have you ever studied so much it started to get to your nerves? So you turn to cooking... and the sound you make when slicing the apples with a sense of determination slowly gives you a sense of calm?
Well, meet apple pie with a twist.
Crust:
1 stick cold unsalted butter
1 cup whole wheat floor
1 cup white flour
1/4 ice cold lime mineral water ( yes lime)
1/3 cup powdered sugar
Combine until the crumbly dough barely sticks together, press it into the pie pan, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate while you make the filling
2 small granny smith apples
3 pink lady apples
1/3 cup brown sugar, unpacked
1 tsp vanilla
1 lime, juiced
1/4 cup orange juice
2 tbsp flour
1 tsp cinnamon
Topping:
2/3 cup oats
1/2 cup flour
3/4 stick unsalted butter
1 pinch cinnamon
2 tbsp orange juice
Label: apple pie, vegetarian
I'm in Dallas for the Thanksgiving holiday visiting my sister and her family, and very much enjoying the sunny weather as well as my sister's cooking. As you may have read in a previous post, my sister is an unbelievably good cook (although I made my cholent this week and her husband couldn't stop raving, so at least I know I got some of the good chef genes :)). She made this salmon for dinner, which is similar to a recipe I have made except she does a savory rather than my sweet version (stay tuned for my version in the near future).
Note: Fresh salmon is always better than frozen, but frozen can work just as well (make sure to thaw completely in cold water before baking). You can use just one filet, or multiple small filets, but make sure to reduce the cooking time accordingly if you are using smaller pieces.
Spicy Cajun Salmon w/ Caramelized Leeks
1 tsp vegetable oil
2 leeks, cleaned & chopped
1 lb salmon, deboned
1 Tbsp Cajun seasoning
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Heat oil in saute pan and cook leeks over medium flame until soft, about 5 minutes.
- Place salmon on greased cooking sheet. Rub seasoning all over salmon, then pour leeks over top, spreading evenly to cover fish.
- Bake in oven 15-20 minutes or until fish is flaky, interior is pink and cooked, and leeks have caramelized (if leeks are getting very brown and fish is not yet cooked all the way through, cover with foil to avoid burning).
- Finish with a splash of lemon juice just before serving.
leeks: 2.00
salmon: 6.99
Grand total: 8.99; serves 4-6 as an appetizer, 3-4 as a main.
Label: fish, leeks, salmon, vegetarian
Label: cranberries, ginger, Holiday, orange, thanksgiving, vegetarian
Label: black beans, Butternut squash, quinoa, vegetarian
Simply put 1 fresh mango ( peeled and cored) 2/3 cup fat free plain yogurt ( I like Trader Joes Organic European Style) 1 packet Stevia, 1 splash vanilla and 1/3 of a frozen banana. It should result in a smooth consistency.
When serving, I topped it with a tiny bit of milk and some frozen rasperries. Not only is it a pretty addition, but it adds a fresh flavor. Plus, I'm sure little children will love the swirls of pink that magically appear in their breakfast!!
Enjoy
Label: Breakfast, calcium, nonfat, protein, vegetarian
I recently saw a Food Network segment on how citrus zest can take a great dish to the next level (yes, that is why my recent recipes have utilized the ingredient :)). I was skeptical that a little bit of shaved lemon peel could really make that big a difference, so I decided to try it out.
(cue music)
I have to say, I'm a believer. I've tried it in dressings, and this weekend I baked it into a batch of sweet potato muffins. It doesn't take much, and the effects are sublime.
P.S. Big shout out to my colleague AY: I took a batch of muffins into work and she was the only one able to discern the secret ingredient :)
Note 1: These muffins are dense, crispy on the outside and creamy on the inside. If you prefer a more crumby texture, increase the amount of flour.
Note 2: Don't waste the lemon after you zest it; try this recipe, which requires the zest of one lemon but the juice of 2!
Sweet Potato Muffins
2 large sweet potatoes
2 eggs
1/2 cup applesauce
3 Tbsp vegetable oil
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
zest of 1 lemon
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg (I prefer fresh)
pinch of ground clove
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 cup flour (a bit less if you are using a gluten free baking mix)
chopped pecans
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Peel and cube sweet potatoes. Heat a pot of water to a boil and cook until tender. Drain and cool in cold water, then mash or puree with an immersion blender.
- Add eggs, applesauce, sugar, vanilla, zest and spices. Stir to combine.
- With a whisk, stir in baking soda, baking powder and flour until just combined. Do not overmix.
- Divide mixture evenly between 12 muffin tins and sprinkle pecans over the tops. Bake at 350 20-25 minutes or until edges are crispy and muffin tops are golden brown and firm.
- Play with the spice proportions, or try orange or lime zest in place of the lemon zest.
- Sprinkle chopped candied or spicy candied pecans.
- Add a splash of whisky or bourbon in place of the vanilla.
sweet potatoes: .98
eggs: .33
applesauce: .35
lemon: .20
sugar: .45
flour: .25
nuts: .30
Grand total: $2.86; makes 12 muffins
Label: cheap, gluten free, muffins, vegetarian
Label: Butternut squash, Healthy, Holiday, vegetarian
Label: appetite suppresant, Healthy, vegetarian
I'm sorry , but nothing is better than home made food -- at least not if you have the time, the quality ingredients and the love to put into it.
Even a simple Pico De Gallo can become amazing with a little bit of care.
Ingredients
4 vine ripened tomatoes, diced
1/2 large jalapeno (mostly seeded and diced)
1/2 small bunch of cilantro
1/2 medium white onion
Sea Salt
Fresh cracked pepper
Juice of one lime
2 cloves of garlic, minced
Garlic Salt, one pinch
Label: Healthy, Salsa, Side, vegetarian
My friend RSC has a sick baby and no husband for a few days, so I went over last night to help her out. While the baby was sleeping we decided to make dinner from whatever was on hand. We ended up with an eggplant, some mini peppers and tomatoes, half an onion and some sriracha. At first I suggested we make a frittata (baked omlett) with all of the veggies, but then got the idea to do a ratatouille. We served it over quinoa and finished it with a sprinkle of salty feta which totally brought the whole dish together. It came out a bit too spicy for RSC's liking, but all in all it was a pretty successful pantry raid :)
Note: We made this with a cast iron frying pan. Cast iron adds a rich flavor to any dish; I have yet to purchase one but am definitely thinking about making the investment.
Ratatouille
2 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced fine
1 eggplant, cubed
1 cup chopped peppers sliced
3 vine-ripened tomatoes, chopped
1 14 oz. can diced tomatoes
1 tsp sriracha (or another spicy sauce)
salt and pepper to taste
1 Tbsp feta cheese
Directions:
- Heat oil in pan and saute onions until soft and translucent, 5 min. Add garlic and cook 3-4 minutes more.
- Add eggplant and peppers and cook 8-9 minutes until soft, stirring occasionally.
- Stir in chopped tomatoes, canned tomatoes, sriracha and salt and pepper to taste.
- Bring to a boil and cook down until juices from canned tomatoes have evaporated.
onion: .25
garlic: .15
eggplant: 1.39
peppers: 2.19
fresh tomatoes: 1.29
canned tomatoes: 1.19
Grand total: $6.46; serves 4-6 over quinoa, rice or pasta
Label: eggplant, gluten free, peppers, ratatouille, tomato, vegetarian
This one is for you Daisy :)
A simple, healthy vegetarian lunch.
In particular, i used : 2 slices of Oroweat Dutch Country Extra Fiber Bread; 2 Tbsp of Trader Joe's Edamame Hummus; 2 small sliced persian cucumbers. I finished the meal with a gorgeous Honeycrisp apple. Yes, they cost more than the average apple, but they taste anything but average.
Label: vegetarian
I had a few friends coming over tonight for wine, cheese an appetizers so I took the opportunity to experiment with a recipe. I had some puff pastry in the fridge waiting to be used so I decided to make a mini-Samosa .
While the dough was thawing, I made the filling:
3 Russet Potatoes
1/2 large onion
1 cup crimini mushrooms
1/4 cup chopped carrot
1/2 cup peas
Salt
Pepper
1 tsp Cumin
3/4 tsp Turmeric
2 tsp olive oil
1/2 tsp garlic salt
2 tbsp sour cream
Microwave the potatoes. At the same time, caramelize the onion and mushroom together on the stop.When the potatoes are done, peel and dice them and place them in as mixing bowl. Now add the spices ( salt, pepper, cumin, turmeric and garlic salt) to the onion/mushrooms and stir. Add this mixture to the potatoes along with the carrots, peas and sour cream. Mix well and set aside
Now that the puff pastry has thawed, use a rolling pin to thin it out and allow you to get multiple servings. Cut the dough into desired sizes ( I used a cup to cut them into circles which i used to create small half circle samosas) . Place the filling in the middle of each piece, fold over the dough and pinch the sides to seal them.
Bake in the oven at 360F for about 30 minutes. Make sure to spray the cooking pan with Pam ( or like product). Also, spray the top of the pastries. ( You may use an egg wash instead)
Label: Indian, vegetarian
