Time for Tempeh

Starting in about 1990, I stopped eating meat. No real reason, it just disgusted me. I swear it started with a dream about ground beef that grossed me out. That dream apparently made a lasting impression - I didn't eat meat again for at least 7 years!

I credit that time for making me a more creative cook. (And I was lucky to have a patient and tolerant DH who was willing to go along with the ride.) When you're not relying on burgers or steak and potatoes, you need to get a bit creative. or eat pasta every night. I tried lots of things I might never have tried - hummus, falafel, tabouli, millet cakes, etc. And tofu.

I like tofu, but I have a texture problem with it. It's best at a restaurant where they prepare it really well, but I've never been able to recreat that texture at home. I don't like it to be soft and mushy - firm and chewy, please. I tried all the recommended methods - freezing and thawing, draining, squishing, you name it. Still couldn't quite get into it.

Picture from Wikipedia

Tempeh, however, is a different beast. I was really surprised how high in fiber it is - apparently this is because it has parts of the whole soy bean in it.

I did an internet search for tempeh recipes and came upon a recipe for tempeh quesadillas. Quesadillas are a family favorite in this house, so I figured it would be a good way to introduce this new food to the family (we've tried tempeh before, but I've never cooked with it). I decided this recipe from Whole Foods Market. I did hesitate - the combination of wild mushrooms and Mexican flavors didn't quite seem to fit. Still, you never know until you try, so why not?

Overall these were quite good, but I probably wouldn't make them again without some modifications. As I feared, the earthy flavor of the wild mushrooms just didn't seem to fit with salsa and Mexican flavors. I would consider using tempeh in quesadillas again, but I'd pair it with more traditional fillings such as corn and black beans.

We thought the tempeh was a bit bitter. Perhaps I need to do more research in to tempeh preparation before I try it next time. And there will be a next time. I still have an 8-ounce package in the fridge - 16 ounces seemed like too much for the amount of mushrooms and for the amount of filling I needed for four of us. Even with one package, we had much more filling than we needed.
This meal was made especially healthful by preparing the quesadillas with La Tortilla Factory whole wheat tortillas. These have 8 grams of fiber per tortilla! I don't know that I would use these for regular quesadillas, such as steak fajita quesadillas - the whole wheat flavor comes through pretty strong - but they paired well with the earthy wild mushrooms. The texture of these is a little off (a bit flaky, not as tender and flexible) since they are low fat, but they worked well for a quesadilla since they are fried in oil.

I served the quesadillas with a salad of fresh tomato and avocado dressed with olive oil, lime juice, cumin, ground chipotle pepper, salt and pepper. Mmmmm....it was delicious.

I look forward to trying tempeh again, but more research first.............

It's a beautiful day...

...but I'm feeling not-so-beautiful. I was up most of the night - partly my mind in a whirl and partly my stomach. I don't know what caused my stomach to act up - maybe the brownies - but I do know what has my mind racing....

This past April, we put our house on the market in an effort to upgrade to a bigger home across town. After 6 months on the market, we had finally resigned ourselves to staying in our small home (it's about 1800 square feet) as our contract expired at the end of this month and we did not want to keep it on the market over the holidays. Just when it looked hopeless, we got a showing, a second showing and an offer all within two days! So, we are now set to close on our new home on November 25th (not the best timing, but we can make it work)! Now my mind is whirling with all we will need to get done between now and then, what we need to buy for the new home, etc. It will be a hectic month and a half, no doubt.

Here's a view of the new house from the golf course. Our property ends over near the basketball court and spruce, so not all of that is our yard. I'll post more on the house later. It's double the size of our present house, but there are some things that will be an adjustment - like no fireplace and finding out if I can hook up a gas range. Please, please, please I hope so! Don't make me go electric! The kitchen is not exactly my style, but it's not bad. And it will have to stay "not bad" because we won't have the money to re-do it with our new, bigger mortgage.

Today we are grilling out steaks and making a grilled veggie-pasta salad as the side. I was originally planning to only do the pasta salad - I like to try to eat vegetarian at least once a week and preferably more. With the move, however, we'd like to use up as much meat in the freezer as possible, so we may be eating a bit more meat than we normally do. It's only across town, but there are still the logistics of moving our freezer, getting it cold, storing the meat in the interim, etc. Whew - makes me tired just thinking about it.

The salad we are making is a combination of two Cooking Light recipes that we really enjoy. Part Roasted Vegetable Pasta Salad with Grilled Chicken and part Summer Vegetable Salad with Grilled Bread. When I want to do this salad as a vegetarian main dish, I use grilled vegetables, pasta, beans, and feta or goat cheese. This makes for a very substantial salad. We always grill the vegetables, no matter which salad we make. It seems silly to roast the vegetables if you're going to grill the chicken, doesn't it? Besides, I think that grilled vegetables are soooo much tastier than roasted. Still, it's nice to have the roasting option for winter when it might be too cold to grill - you could roast the vegetables and do the chicken on the stovetop. My favorite vegetables for either of these salads are bell peppers (red, yellow and/or orange), mushrooms, asparagus, red onion and sometimes green and/or yellow squash. I also often add cherry tomatoes - usually raw as the boys don't like them grilled - but I forgot them this time.

I would have liked to have done a little baking, but it's no fun to bake and not have the appetite to sample. Another day......

Risotto in the Rice Cooker

Someone on the Cooking Light board recommended The Ultimate Rice Cooker Cookbook by Beth Hensperger and Julie Kaufman. I have had relative success using recipe from this book, but find that the rice is often too soft and mushy for my tastes, so I need to concentrate on reducing the liquid for most recipes.

There are several recipes for risotto in this book and I must admit that I was very, very skeptical that one would be able to produce a good risotto from a rice cooker. After all, the secret to good risotto is in the stirring. Skepticism aside, I thought it was worth a go - wouldn't it be nice to have risotto in the summer without having to heat up the kitchen???

My first attempt came out tasty, but quite mushy. Here is the recipe:

Dried Mushroom Risotto
Source: The Ultimate Rice Cooker Cookbook

Machine: Medium (6-cup) or large (10-cup) rice cooker; fuzzy logic or on/off
Cycle: Quick Cook and/or regular or Porridge
Yield: Serves 4 to 5

1/2 ounce dried mushrooms
1 3/4 cups hottest possible tap water
About 1 1/2 cups beef, chicken, or vegetable stock
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/2 cup minced onion
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons medium-grain risotto rice (superfine Arborio, Carnaroli, or Vialine nano)

To Finish:
2 teaspoons unsalted butter, or more, if desired
2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
Freshly ground black pepper
Salt

1. Place the mushrooms in a small bowl and add the hot water. Let stand for an hour or longer. (Or combine the mushrooms and water in a microwave-safe container, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and microwave on high for 5 minutes. Let cool to room temperature.) When mushrooms are soft, remove them from the liquid, squeezing gently to extract as much liquid as possible. Slice the mushrooms into pieces about 1/4 x 1 inch, discarding any tough stems. The exact size is not important, but if you cut them too small, their flavor will not be as intense. Carefully pour the mushroom soaking liquid into a measuring cup, leaving any grit behind. (If the mushrooms were especially gritty, you may want to pour the liquid through a coffee filter-lined strainer, but in general this is not necessary.) Add the stock to the mushroom soaking liquid to equal 2 cups.

2. Set the rice cooker for the Quick Cook or regular cycle. Place the olive oil and butter in the rice cooker bowl. When the butter melts, add the onion. Cook, stirring a few times, until softened, about 2 minutes. Stir in the wine and cook for 1 or 2 minutes. Add the rice and stir until the grains are evenly coated and hot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the grains are transparent except for a white spot on each, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the stock mixture and mushrooms to the rice; stir to combine. Close the cover and reset for the Porridge cycle, or for the regular cycle and set a timer for 20 minutes.

3. When the machine switches to the Keep Warm cycle or the timer sounds, open the cover and stir with a wooden or plastic rice paddle or wooden spoon. The risotto should be only a bit liquid and the rice should be al dente, tender with just a touch of tooth resistance. If needed, cook for a few minutes longer. This risotto will hold on Keep Warm for up to 1 hour.

4. When ready to serve, add the butter. Close the cover for a minute to let the butter melt. Stir in the parsely, cheese, a few grinds of pepper, and salt to taste. Serve immediately.

The resulting risotto was very flavorful, but too mushy. I cooked it on the porridge cycle and followed the directions closely. I like to have a nice grain to bite into. I'm not sure if the mushiness was due to too much liquid, too long a cooking time or both. Next time I try risotto in the rice cooker, I plan to try a little less liquid and will try cooking it on the regular cycle for 20 minutes.

Baked Barley with Shiitake Mushrooms and Caramelized Onions

Source: Cooking Light

Slow baking allows the barley to absorb the woodsy flavor of the mushrooms and the sweetness of the caramelized onion.

2 tablespoons butter (substitute 2 tablespoons of olive oil for a vegan version of this recipe)
4 1/2 cups chopped onion (about 3 medium)
1 teaspoon sugar (for vegan, skip or sub raw sugar)
3 cups sliced button mushrooms (about 9 ounces)
3 cups sliced shiitake mushroom caps (about 8 ounces)
1 1/2 cups uncooked pearl barley
1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/8 teaspoon dried thyme
4 cups vegetable broth
Fresh thyme sprigs (optional)

Melt butter in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion and sugar; cover and cook 25 minutes or until golden brown, stirring frequently. Add mushrooms; cook 10 minutes or until browned, stirring frequently. Add barley; cook 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat. Stir in soy sauce, salt, pepper, and thyme.

Preheat oven to 350°.

Bring broth to a boil in a medium saucepan. Pour broth over barley mixture; cover and bake at 350° for 1 hour or until barley is tender. Let stand 10 minutes. Garnish with thyme sprigs, if desired.

Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 1 2/3 cup)

NUTRITION PER SERVING: CALORIES 292(17% from fat); FAT 5.4g (sat 2.6g,mono 1.2g,poly 0.6g); PROTEIN 9.5g; CHOLESTEROL 10.4mg; CALCIUM 42mg; SODIUM 908mg; FIBER 10.7g; IRON 2.4mg; CARBOHYDRATE 55.1g

Jeanne Lemlin
Cooking Light, MARCH 2003

I talked about this recipe HERE.

Fettucine with Butternut and Gorgonzola Sauce

Source: Cooking Light

This rich dish works well for a dinner party--simply add a tossed salad, bread, and wine. Gorgonzola is a creamy blue cheese that creates a luscious sauce. If you use another type of blue cheese, the sauce will still taste great but not be as creamy. To help cut prep time, look for prechopped butternut squash, which some large supermarkets stock in the produce section.

1 tablespoon butter
3 cups vertically sliced onion
3 cups (1-inch) cubed peeled butternut squash (about 1 pound)
1 1/4 teaspoons salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 cups 1% low-fat milk, divided
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) crumbled Gorgonzola cheese, divided
8 cups hot cooked fettuccine (about 1 pound uncooked pasta)
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup coarsely chopped walnuts, toasted
1 teaspoon grated lemon rind

Melt butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, squash, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and pepper; sauté 6 minutes or until the squash is almost tender. Add minced garlic; sauté 1 minute. Cover and set aside.

Bring 2 cups milk to a boil in a saucepan. Combine the remaining 1 cup milk and flour, stirring well with a whisk; gradually add to boiling milk, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to medium, and cook 5 minutes or until slightly thick, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Add 1 cup cheese, and stir until smooth.

Combine squash mixture, pasta, and cheese mixture in a large bowl. Sprinkle with remaining 1 teaspoon salt; toss well to combine. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup parsley, chopped walnuts, lemon rind, and the remaining 1/2 cup cheese. Serve immediately.

Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 1 1/4 cups)

NUTRITION PER SERVING: CALORIES 429(25% from fat); FAT 11.9g (sat 6.6g,mono 2.2g,poly 2g); PROTEIN 17.6g; CHOLESTEROL 26mg; CALCIUM 299mg; SODIUM 723mg; FIBER 5.4g; IRON 3mg; CARBOHYDRATE 65.5g

Julie Grimes Bottcher
Cooking Light, NOVEMBER 2006

I talked about this recipe HERE.

Soy-Glazed Sweet Potatoes

Source: Cooking Light

1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons brown sugar (for vegan, sub raw sugar)
3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons mirin (sweet rice wine)
1 tablespoon dark sesame oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
3 sweet potatoes, each cut lengthwise into 4 wedges (about 2 pounds)
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

1. Preheat oven to 400

2. Combine first 6 ingredients; stir well with a whisk. Arrange potatoes in a single layer in a 13 x 9-inch baking dish. Pour soy sauce mixture over potatoes. Cover and bake at 400 for 50 minutes or until tender; baste with soy sauce mixture. Bake, uncovered, an additional 10 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 3 wedges)

CALORIES 325 (14% from fat); FAT 5.2g (sat 0.8g, mono 1.8g, poly 2.2g); PROTEIN 4.8g; CARB 65.2g; FIBER 6.9g; CHOL 0mg; IRON 2mg; SODIUM 440mg; CALC 82mg

I talked about this recipe HERE.

Very Creamy Vegetable Chowder

From Moosewood Restaurant Daily Special by The Moosewood Collective

This is a crowd-pleasing Moosewood standard. There is nothing more appealing and satisfying than a sweet, fresh vegetables in a smooth, saucy Cheddar and cream cheese base: it's food that makes you feel safe and sound and well cared for.

This soup is sweet and mild and filled with enough vegetables for one meal, so serve it with a peppery little salad for contrast.

Serves 8 to 10
Yields 11 cups
Total time: 50 minutes

2 cups chopped onions
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon canola or other vegetable oil
2 celery stalks, diced
1 cup peeled and diced carrots
1 1/2 cups diced potatoes
3 cups water or Basic Light Vegetable Stock (I used 2 cans of vegetable broth)
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 bay leaf
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 cup green beans, cut into 1-inch pieces
1/2 cup diced red bell peppers
1 cup diced zucchini
1/2 cup fresh or frozen green peas (I used corn in place of the peas since that's what I had open in the freezer)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 cups milk (I used skim milk)
1 cup grated Cheddar cheese
2 ounces Neufchatel or cream cheese

In a large soup pot on medium heat, sauté the onions in the butter and oil for 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the celery, cover, and cook until just soft, stirring occasionally. Add the carrots, potatoes, water or stock, thyme, bay leaf, salt, and pepper and bring to a boil; then reduce the heat, cover, and simmer until the vegetables are just tender, about 5 minutes. With a strainer or slotted spoon, remove about 1 1/2 cups of the cooked vegetables and set aside in a blender or food processor.

Add the green beans, bell peppers, and zucchini to the soup pot and cook until the green beans are tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in the peas and parsley, simmer for 2 more minutes, and then remove from the heat. Discard the bay leaf.

Puree the reserved vegetables with the milk and cheeses to make a smooth sauce. Stir the sauce into the soup and gently reheat. Serve hot.

My notes: This is an excellent soup. It tastes just rich enough, but it's not at all heavy like a cream soup. I used corn in place of the peas since that's what was open in the freezer and I would not skip the corn again - it definitely went very nicely with this soup, just as it does with many chowders. I also added a sprinkling of crushed red pepper - not only did it add nice color, but it gave it a nice zing.

I talked about this recipe HERE.

Cheesy Squash and Rice Pie

Source: Cooking Light, June 2000

1 teaspoon olive oil
3 cups (1/4 inch thick) sliced yellow squash (about 1/2 lb)
2 cups (1/4 inch thick) sliced zucchini (about 1/2 lb)
1 cup chopped onion
1 1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh or 1/2 tsp. dried rosemary
1 1/2 cups cooked rice
3 tablespoons minced fresh chives or green onions
cooking spray
1/2 cup 1% low fat milk (I used skim)
1/2 cuo(4 oz) garlic and herbs reduced fat soft spreadable cheese (Boursin or Rondele) (I used full-fat Alouette - will try Boursin, full-fat or light, next time)
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 large egg whites, lightly beaten (I skipped this and used 3 whole eggs total)

Preheat oven to 350.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until hot. Add yellow squash, zucchini, onion, and rosemary; cook 20 minutes or until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally. Cool.

Combine squash mixture, rice, and chives in a large bowl; spoon into a 9 inch pie plate coated with cooking spray.

Combine milk and remaining 5 ingredients; stir well with a whisk. Pour over squash mixture.

Bake at 350 for 45 minutes or until center is set.

I talked about this recipe HERE.

Monterey Jack, Corn and Roasted Red Pepper Risotto

Source: Cooking Light, April 2001

1 3/4 cups water*
2 (14 1/2-ounce) cans vegetable broth*
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 cup uncooked Arborio or other short-grain rice
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander (optional)
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup thinly sliced green onions
3/4 cup (3 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese with jalapeño peppers
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon hot sauce
2 cups frozen whole-kernel corn
3/4 cup chopped bottled roasted red bell peppers

Combine water and broth in a medium saucepan; bring to a simmer (do not boil). Keep broth mixture warm over low heat.

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add rice, cumin, coriander (if desired), and garlic; sauté 1 minute. Stir in 1/2 cup broth mixture; cook 2 minutes or until the liquid is nearly absorbed, stirring constantly. Add remaining broth mixture, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly until each portion of liquid is absorbed before adding the next (about 20 minutes total). Stir in the onions, cheese, hot sauce, corn, and bell peppers; cook 3 minutes or until thoroughly heated.


Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 cup)*

NUTRITION PER SERVING: CALORIES 383(24% from fat); FAT 10.4g (sat 4.6g,mono 3.9g,poly 0.9g); PROTEIN 12g; CHOLESTEROL 17mg; CALCIUM 198mg; SODIUM 583mg; FIBER 3.8g; IRON 3.6mg; CARBOHYDRATE 63.3g

Victoria Abbott Riccardi
Cooking Light, APRIL 2001

*My Notes: I ended up using approximately 1 can of vegetable broth and 1 can of water. This makes 4 large main dish servings and easily would serve 6 as a side dish.

I talked about this recipe HERE.

Baked Triple-Bean Pot

Source: Cooking Light, March 2000

1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1 (16-ounce) can baked beans (can use vegetarian baked beans)
1 (16-ounce) can pinto beans, drained
1 (15.5-ounce) can butter or lima beans, drained

Preheat oven to 350°.

Combine the first 4 ingredients in a 1 1/2-quart casserole. Stir in the beans. Cover casserole and bake at 350° for 40 minutes or until thoroughly heated.


Yield: 10 servings (serving size: 1/2 cup)

NUTRITION PER SERVING: CALORIES 151(8% from fat); FAT 1.4g (sat 0.4g,mono 0.5g,poly 0.2g); PROTEIN 6.5g; CHOLESTEROL 0.0mg; CALCIUM 56mg; SODIUM 576mg; FIBER 5.3g; IRON 2.1mg; CARBOHYDRATE 33.4g

Karen A. Levin
Cooking Light, MARCH 2000

I talked about this recipe HERE.

Rice Primavera

Source: I have no idea. But when I searched to see if this recipe was online somewhere, I found a similar recipe which seems to be a low-fat alternative to the one I have had in my recipe files for years. Interesting.

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 clove garlic
2 cups broccoli florets
1 cup sliced zucchini
1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
1/4 cup snipped fresh parsley
1/4 cup butter or margarine
3/4 cup heavy cream
2/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
3 cups cooked rice

Heat garlic with oil in large skillet over medium-high heat; discard garlic. Cook broccoli, zucchini, and mushrooms in oil until almost tender crisp. Add tomatoes and parsley; cook one minute longer. Remove vegetables; set aside. Place butter in same skillet; stir in half & half, cheese and pepper. Cook over medium heat, stirring until smooth. Add rice; toss to coat. Stir in reserved vegetables; heat through. Serve immediately.

My notes: For tonight's dish, I first cooked 2 chicken breast halves in olive oil and then set aside. I then deglazed the pan with about a 1/4 cup of white wine. I then added about 1 tablespoon of butter, 4 crushed cloves of garlic and about 1/2 teaspoon of dried thyme + salt and pepper to taste. After the butter was fully melted, I added about 3/4 cup of grated Fontina cheese and several tablespoons of freshly grated Parmesan cheese. I then added 1/2 cup frozen corn, 1/2 cup frozen peas, 1/2 cup frozen spinach, and 2 tablespoons of chopped scallions and heated through. I then added the 3 cups (or more) of brown rice and the diced chicken and heated through again.

I talked about this recipe HERE.

Pasta with Mushroom Cream Sauce

Source: Rachael Ray's 365: No Repeats

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 pound cremini mushrooms, brushed clean and chopped (I used assorted wild and white button)
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, chopped (I used dried)
1 large onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1/4 cup cognac (I used dry sherry)
1 cup chicken stock or broth (or vegetable broth)
1/2 cup heavy cream
A few dashes of hot sauce, such as Tabasco
1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, chopped
1 pound linguine or fettucine (I used rotini)
coarse salt
3/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus more to pass at the table

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the pasta and salt and cook al dente.

Preheat a large soup pot over high heat with the EVOO and the butter. Add the mushrooms and thyme and cook for 6 to 7 minutes. Add the onions, garlic, salt and pepper and continue to cook for 5 more minutes. Add the cognac, stir for 1 minute, then add 1/2 cup of the chicken stock and cook for 1 minute more.

Transfer the mushrooms and the liquid to a blender or food processor and puree until really smooth (I left it a bit chunky for the pasta version). Return the puree to the soup pot and add the remaining 1/2 cup stock and the cream. Add a few dashes of hot sauce and bring up to a simmer, then cook for 5 minutes. Bring to a bubble, add the cooked pasta, and turn the heat off. Toss to coat; add the parsely and the Parmigiano. Serve immediately.

For Mushroom Bisque, follow the above recipe, but add a total of 3 cups of stock and omit the pasta and Parmigiano-Reggiano.

My notes: This was easy to throw together and quite tasty. Because of an oversight, I did not add all of the Parmesan cheese and would definitely use it all next time and/or add a bit of less-fat cream cheese to help add flavor and thicken up the sauce. I used a wheat blend rotini.

I talked about this recipe HERE.

Garlic and Herb Roasted Potatoes

1 1/2 pounds baby red potatoes, quartered (or cut smaller if they are not bite-size)
1-2 tablespoons of olive oil
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1/4-1/2 teaspoon of dried rosemary or 1 1/2 teaspoons of fresh (or any herb of your choice)
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 500º. Mix together all ingredients except potatoes. Add potatoes and toss to coat. Layer potatoes on a parchment lined baking sheet in a single layer. Bake for about 20 minutes, until nicely browned, checking to make sure they don't get too browned.

Sesame Roasted Green Beans

Source: based on a recipe from Cooking Light

1/2 pounds green beans, trimmed
2 teaspoons sesame oil (this can easily be reduced to 1 teaspoon or less)
1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 425°.

Place a jelly-roll pan in oven for 10 minutes. Mix together sesame oil, sesame seeds, salt and pepper. Add green beans and toss well to coat. Arrange green bean mixture in a single layer on preheated baking sheet. Bake at 425° for 8 minutes or until crisp-tender.

I talked about this recipe HERE.

Cold Sesame Noodles

Source: Food Network, Tyler Florence

12 ounces angel hair pasta
3 tablespoons dark sesame oil
2 tablespoons peanut oil
1-inch piece fresh ginger, minced (I used bottled)
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon red chili paste, such as sambal
1 lime, juiced
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
3 tablespoons rice vinegar (I used 2, would use 1 next time)
3 tablespoons soy sauce
6 tablespoons hot water
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
2 green onions, thinly sliced on the diagonal

Fresh chopped cilantro leaves, for garnish
Cook the noodles in large pot of boiling unsalted water over medium heat until barely tender and still firm. Drain immediately and rinse with cold water until cold. Drain the noodles really well and transfer to a wide bowl; toss with the sesame oil so they don't stick together. Chill.

In a blender combine the peanut oil, ginger, garlic, chili paste, lime juice, brown sugar, peanut butter, vinegar, soy sauce, and hot water. Blend. Toss the noodles with the peanut sauce until well coated. Serve at room temperature or chilled; garnish with the sesame seeds, green onions, and cilantro.

I talked about this recipe HERE.

Garlicky Sautéed Spinach

This is my own recipe, based on a dish I had at Francesca's on Taylor in Chicago - Spinach Aglio e Olio. This is, by the way, a great restaurant. It's casual and inexpensive, but the food is phenomenal. We appreciated that we could also feel comfortable bringing kids - it's wonderful to have restaurants that welcome kids but are not geared toward kids, if you know what I mean. That said, it's also wonderful to have restaurants that aren't so kid-friendly too, for those date nights. If you know what I mean...

5 ounces of baby spinach
1-2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
3 large cloves of garlic, minced
pinch of crushed red pepper
kosher salt (or other coarse salt) and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Heat oil in a large sauté pan. Add garlic and sauté for several minutes to release the flavor but do not brown the garlic. Add the spinach and quickly toss to coat with oil. Turn off heat and continue to toss spinach until only slightly wilted. Serve. Serves about 3 adults or 2 adults and two reluctant children.

Sauteed Collard Greens

Source: Epicurious

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Some people favor collard greens boiled until they are meltingly tender, while others prefer them to retain some bite. This recipe satisfies the taste of the latter group.

According to the author, this recipe goes well with roast goose.

2 1/2 pounds collard greens
2 garlic cloves
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice, or to taste

Remove and discard stems and center ribs of collard greens. Cut leaves into 1-inch pieces. In a kettle of boiling water cook collards 15 minutes and drain in a colander, pressing out excess liquid with back of a wooden spoon.

Mince garlic. In a 12-inch heavy skillet heat butter and oil over moderately high heat until foam subsides and stir in garlic, collards, and salt and pepper to taste. Sauté collard mixture, stirring, until heated through, about 5 minutes.

Drizzle collards with lemon juice and toss well.

Serves 4.
Gourmet
Sugar And Spice
December 1998
Del Zimmerman, Bellaire TX

Gazpacho

Source: Adapted from Jane Brody's Good Food Book

1 large cucumber, peeled and halved lengthwise and cored to remove seeds, divided
1 large tomatoes, peeled, cored, and seeded, divided
1 green pepper, halved and seeded, divided
3 scallions, chopped
3 cups tomato juice, divided
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon Tabasco sauce (or an indeterminate amount of Frank's Hot Sauce)
1/4 teaspoon salt, if desired
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 to 2 cloves garlic, finely minced or crushed
dash Worcestershire sauce (optional - sometimes I do, sometimes I don't)

In a blender, combine half the cucumber, 1 tomato, half the green pepper, and 1 cup of the tomato juice. Puree the ingredients at high speed.

Chop the remaining cucumber, tomato, green pepper, and scallions. Place the vegetables in a bowl, cover it, and refrigerate it until serving time.

Pour the puree into a large serving bowl or tureen, and add the remaining 2 cups tomato juice, the vinegar, oil, Tabasco, salt, pepper, and garlic. Add chopped vegetables. Refrigerate the gazpacho, covered, for at least 2 hours.

Just before serving the soup, add the reserved chopped vegetables to the puree mixture. Check seasonings before serving and adjust if necessary.

I talked about this recipe HERE.

Harira with Roasted Onion

Source: Cooking.com

From what little I've read about Harira online, this does not appear to be a very traditional recipe. Said to be served to break the Ramadan fast, most recipes I found included lamb, noodles, lemon and a different mix of spices - often cinnamon, ginger, turmeric and maybe cayenne, but no cardamom. Still, I was looking for a recipe using cardamom, not for a traditional Harira, so I decided to make it anyway. It is very tasty and easy to make. The boys enjoyed it but didn't rave over it. Still, I'm thrilled that they are so open to such different kinds of foods.

1 medium onion, peeled, halved, roasted and finely chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 stalk celery, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground white pepper
1 teaspoon salt
4 14-oz. cans vegetable stock (approximately 7 1/4 cups)
2 cups dry garbanzo beans (soaked overnight in cold water and rinsed) (I used canned)
1 cup dry lentils, rinsed
2 cups diced, peeled tomatoes (or a 16-oz. can)
1/2 cup finely chopped cilantro (I skipped this)

Peel and halve the onion. Place on sheet pan and roast at 425 degrees Fahrenheit until golden brown; approximately 15 minutes. Chop onion finely.

Heat olive oil in a 4-qt pan and sauté the celery until softened. Add the roast onion, garlic, and spices. Cook for a few minutes until the spices are fragrant. Add the chicken (or vegetable) stock and bring to a boil.

Add the garbanzo beans, lentils, tomatoes, and cook approximately 45 minutes or until the garbanzo beans are nearly tender. Skim during the cooking process and stir occasionally.

At this point, soup is ready for final seasoning. Taste for salt and pepper and add 1/2 cup freshly chopped cilantro.

Vegetarian Chili

Source: Adapted from Jane Brody's "Chili Without Carne" in her Good Food Book

Serving Size : 6

1 tablespoon olive oil or vegetable oil
1 or 2 small zucchini, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
3 large cloves garlic, minced
1 green pepper, chopped
1 fresh jalapeno pepper, finely chopped (wear rubber gloves)
2 (28-ounce) cans pureed tomatoes
½ teaspoon coriander
¼ teaspoon whole cloves, or generous pinch of ground cloves
¼ teaspoon allspice berries, or generous pinch of ground allspice
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoons black pepper, or to taste
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons mild chili powder
2 tablespoons ground cumin
2 cans cooked kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup uncooked brown rice
2 cups boiling water
(1 lb ground beef, browned)

In a large Dutch oven, heat the oil and sautee the zucchini, onions, garlic, green pepper and jalapeno pepper, until they are softened. Add the tomatoes (and puree), coriander, cloves, allspice, oregano, black pepper, brown sugar, chili powder, cumin, and beans. Bring the chili to a boil, reduce heat, cover the pan and simmer the chili for 30 minutes.

While the chili is cooking, in a medium saucepan add the rice to the boiling water, reduce the heat, cover tightly and simmer the rice for 15-35 minutes, according to package directions. Serve the chili over rice and garnish with items of your choice - such as grated cheddar cheese.

Obviously, skip the meat and/or cheese for vegetarian and/or vegan versions of this recipe!

I talked about this recipe HERE and HERE.