Monday, October 8, 2012
Sunday, October 7, 2012
Thursday, October 4, 2012
Saturday, August 4, 2012
Expanding the Theme
For anyone that may stumble upon this blog or may glance at it occasionally, you'll notice that almost every post so far has been a recipe. And I find that I don't blog very often because while I love food and cooking, just like everyone else I get into ruts or obsessions or convenience patterns that mean that I don't have any new recipes to share with you. This means that I sorely neglect my blog and that frustrates me at times. (This post is going to be like every other post, minus a recipe, in how I explain the random things that influenced the end product, just like my cooking).
I've also recently discovered Ill Doctrine, which speaks to me in ways that many things in my current life don't. I realized that I miss my academic side, the one that pays attention the the world around herself and reads nonfiction books regularly. The one that thinks critically about subjects that matter to her. I discovered this part of myself during high school listening to Rage Against the Machine. Their lyrics and political activism led me to think critically about the world around me. Throughout my college and grad career, I focused on learning more about the varied history of the United States, especially focused on the Black Freedom Movement and other similar fights for equality and recognition. As I became focused on my career (totally unrelated to any of this), I lost sight of this part of myself and Jay Smooth's witty, intelligent and insightful commentary has reminded me of it.
As I have become more of a "foodie," I've found that my background in history has influenced how I seek out new recipes and knowledge. When I have a chance to pick it up, I adore reading through Gastronomica. Whenever I find myself in a bookstore, I'm not only looking at cookbooks, but also books that deal with historical and social aspects of food. If it's a used bookstore, I'm looking for old cookbooks. As a result, I've had this idea running in my head for a while that I want to explore the world of culinary history, but in relation to the racial, social, and political history of the US. So far, this has resulted in my buying culinary history books when I run across them in stores, but the READING of those books has been lacking.
So my idea is to expand what I write about on this blog and to attempt to blog more often (ha, we'll see how that goes; I've said that before). I'm going to write about things I'm reading (both history and current events) and my thoughts and questions about them. Most likely what you'll read here won't be hard and fast opinions, but rather my reflections or initial reactions to these things. I'm open to broadening my perspective, so if you read something I've written and agree or disagree, let me know. I just ask that you be respectful of others (not just myself) when posting any comments. (I've seen far too many comments sections online become festering areas of hatred and misunderstanding due to harshly worded snap judgements).
Without further ado, here is my first foray into this expansion of my blog's theme:
I recently read this blog post about a now derelict human zoo in Paris recently. I couldn't help but wonder if modern day tourists are any better than the people who went to this exhibition around the turn of the century. People who travel, especially to "exotic" locations, tend to be of a certain socioeconomic status and this also tends to mean they are white Americans which carries its own sense of superiority or privilege that, if not carefully monitored, can lead to the former.
Working in a field that deals with a lot of people who travel, I see a wide range of behaviors. People's behaviors toward food while traveling is quite telling. There are people who will only eat at American chains when abroad, unsure of and sometimes distrusting of local cuisines. Along a similar line, there are those people who will only stay in resorts that provide a high level of familiarity and comfort. If the restaurants do offer local cuisine, it tends to be (like the rest of the resort experience) molded into something familiar to tourists' palates. There are also tourists who try to seek out the true local cuisine while traveling (I'm one of these, I love exploring new foods). However, it could be argued that restaurants are a far cry from a true expression of a cuisine. I would know; my mother cooked from scratch my entire childhood and I've never had anything at a restaurant that captures the same essence of my mother's cooking. There are also people who want a "true" experience and will seek out a way to interact with people in a more intimate manner, preferably through home stays or simply making friends and going to their homes to eat. These varied attitudes towards local cuisines could also be applied to interactions with all other aspects of the culture and the people.
I wonder if, in a tourist role, it is entirely possible to have an open and honest experiential dialog with the culture you have chosen to visit. In all roles, you are coming to the experience expecting the host culture to be a certain way, whether it be a frightening, foreign entity that you're not entirely sure you actually want to know or it be an authentic expression of what you think the culture is. In all manners, the people and the culture become something that you consume. You expect to absorb something and to take something away, but rarely is traveling thought of a dialog. This is where I start to feel like modern day tourists end up being quite similar to the people who visited Paris's human zoo in the early 1900s. I can see the people going to this exhibition of other peoples and cultures with the variety of perspectives that we currently display when traveling, but not seeing the experience as a dialog. They were there to observe, judge, and experience, but they weren't necessarily there to see these people and their cultures as anything but what they had been taught to expect.
This is not to say that I believe that going to another place and consuming another culture is entirely equivalent to moving people from their homeland into a farcical representation of it in another country. This seems more exploitative. However, I would be very interested to know the situations around these people moving into these replicas of what was deemed their cultures. Were they forced? Coerced? Willing? What happened to them once the "human zoo" was shut down? How did they view their position and their role at the park? It's easy to demonize the French empire, but it is a double edged sword in that it removes all sense of agency from the people who inhabited the park. By doing this, are we any better than their contemporaries since we are seeing them as objects without any free will or power in their situation? If anyone knows of anything written about these people, I would be interested in reading more.
I've also recently discovered Ill Doctrine, which speaks to me in ways that many things in my current life don't. I realized that I miss my academic side, the one that pays attention the the world around herself and reads nonfiction books regularly. The one that thinks critically about subjects that matter to her. I discovered this part of myself during high school listening to Rage Against the Machine. Their lyrics and political activism led me to think critically about the world around me. Throughout my college and grad career, I focused on learning more about the varied history of the United States, especially focused on the Black Freedom Movement and other similar fights for equality and recognition. As I became focused on my career (totally unrelated to any of this), I lost sight of this part of myself and Jay Smooth's witty, intelligent and insightful commentary has reminded me of it.
As I have become more of a "foodie," I've found that my background in history has influenced how I seek out new recipes and knowledge. When I have a chance to pick it up, I adore reading through Gastronomica. Whenever I find myself in a bookstore, I'm not only looking at cookbooks, but also books that deal with historical and social aspects of food. If it's a used bookstore, I'm looking for old cookbooks. As a result, I've had this idea running in my head for a while that I want to explore the world of culinary history, but in relation to the racial, social, and political history of the US. So far, this has resulted in my buying culinary history books when I run across them in stores, but the READING of those books has been lacking.
So my idea is to expand what I write about on this blog and to attempt to blog more often (ha, we'll see how that goes; I've said that before). I'm going to write about things I'm reading (both history and current events) and my thoughts and questions about them. Most likely what you'll read here won't be hard and fast opinions, but rather my reflections or initial reactions to these things. I'm open to broadening my perspective, so if you read something I've written and agree or disagree, let me know. I just ask that you be respectful of others (not just myself) when posting any comments. (I've seen far too many comments sections online become festering areas of hatred and misunderstanding due to harshly worded snap judgements).
Without further ado, here is my first foray into this expansion of my blog's theme:
I recently read this blog post about a now derelict human zoo in Paris recently. I couldn't help but wonder if modern day tourists are any better than the people who went to this exhibition around the turn of the century. People who travel, especially to "exotic" locations, tend to be of a certain socioeconomic status and this also tends to mean they are white Americans which carries its own sense of superiority or privilege that, if not carefully monitored, can lead to the former.
Working in a field that deals with a lot of people who travel, I see a wide range of behaviors. People's behaviors toward food while traveling is quite telling. There are people who will only eat at American chains when abroad, unsure of and sometimes distrusting of local cuisines. Along a similar line, there are those people who will only stay in resorts that provide a high level of familiarity and comfort. If the restaurants do offer local cuisine, it tends to be (like the rest of the resort experience) molded into something familiar to tourists' palates. There are also tourists who try to seek out the true local cuisine while traveling (I'm one of these, I love exploring new foods). However, it could be argued that restaurants are a far cry from a true expression of a cuisine. I would know; my mother cooked from scratch my entire childhood and I've never had anything at a restaurant that captures the same essence of my mother's cooking. There are also people who want a "true" experience and will seek out a way to interact with people in a more intimate manner, preferably through home stays or simply making friends and going to their homes to eat. These varied attitudes towards local cuisines could also be applied to interactions with all other aspects of the culture and the people.
I wonder if, in a tourist role, it is entirely possible to have an open and honest experiential dialog with the culture you have chosen to visit. In all roles, you are coming to the experience expecting the host culture to be a certain way, whether it be a frightening, foreign entity that you're not entirely sure you actually want to know or it be an authentic expression of what you think the culture is. In all manners, the people and the culture become something that you consume. You expect to absorb something and to take something away, but rarely is traveling thought of a dialog. This is where I start to feel like modern day tourists end up being quite similar to the people who visited Paris's human zoo in the early 1900s. I can see the people going to this exhibition of other peoples and cultures with the variety of perspectives that we currently display when traveling, but not seeing the experience as a dialog. They were there to observe, judge, and experience, but they weren't necessarily there to see these people and their cultures as anything but what they had been taught to expect.
This is not to say that I believe that going to another place and consuming another culture is entirely equivalent to moving people from their homeland into a farcical representation of it in another country. This seems more exploitative. However, I would be very interested to know the situations around these people moving into these replicas of what was deemed their cultures. Were they forced? Coerced? Willing? What happened to them once the "human zoo" was shut down? How did they view their position and their role at the park? It's easy to demonize the French empire, but it is a double edged sword in that it removes all sense of agency from the people who inhabited the park. By doing this, are we any better than their contemporaries since we are seeing them as objects without any free will or power in their situation? If anyone knows of anything written about these people, I would be interested in reading more.
Sunday, July 22, 2012
White Beans with Roasted Pepper and Tomatillos
This summer has been keeping me quite busy. I've spent nights and days at my friend's camp, gone to the beach, seen a play in the park, gone out a lot, and taken my dog for countless off leash walks on the Eastern Prom. The weather has been wonderfully hot, so I've been eating a lot of fresh vegetables and hummus. This weekend was more mild, so I took the time this afternoon to make a couple things that required the oven. The recipe below is loosely based on Puerto Rican stewed beans my sister-in-law makes and includes tomatillos, that I wanted to try cooking with again. I was happy with the results.
White Beans with Roasted Pepper and Tomatillos
4 medium tomatillos, husked and washed
1 red bell pepper, washed
2 tbsp olive oil
2 shallots, peeled and chopped
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp oregano
adobo to taste
2 cans white beans, rinsed and drained
1 1/2 cans water
1 tsp chicken bouillon
2 tomatoes, cored and chopped
1/4 c chopped cilantro
Set your oven to broil.
Put tomatillos in a cast iron pan and put under the broiler.
Place the pepper under the broiler, turning as the skin blackens.
Once tomatillos are soft and charred on the top, remove from the oven. Place the tomatillos on a plate and scrape out the very burnt juice, but not all of it. Let the tomatillos cool and then chop.
Once the pepper is blackened on all sides, remove from oven and put in a bath of cold water. Once cool, peel, remove the seeds, and then chop.
With the cast iron pan on a burner set to medium, add the olive oil.
Once the olive oil is hot, add the shallots and cook until soft and starting to brown, scraping the browned bits off the bottom of the pan.
Add the cumin seeds, oregano, and adobo and cook until fragrant.
Add beans, water, chicken bouillon, tomatoes, chopped bell pepper and chopped tomatillos.
Bring to a boil and the reduce to a simmer.
Cook, stirring frequently, for about 30 minutes or until the water boils down and becomes thick.
Remove from heat and stir in the cilantro.
Serve hot.
White Beans with Roasted Pepper and Tomatillos
4 medium tomatillos, husked and washed
1 red bell pepper, washed
2 tbsp olive oil
2 shallots, peeled and chopped
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp oregano
adobo to taste
2 cans white beans, rinsed and drained
1 1/2 cans water
1 tsp chicken bouillon
2 tomatoes, cored and chopped
1/4 c chopped cilantro
Set your oven to broil.
Put tomatillos in a cast iron pan and put under the broiler.
Place the pepper under the broiler, turning as the skin blackens.
Once tomatillos are soft and charred on the top, remove from the oven. Place the tomatillos on a plate and scrape out the very burnt juice, but not all of it. Let the tomatillos cool and then chop.
Once the pepper is blackened on all sides, remove from oven and put in a bath of cold water. Once cool, peel, remove the seeds, and then chop.
With the cast iron pan on a burner set to medium, add the olive oil.
Once the olive oil is hot, add the shallots and cook until soft and starting to brown, scraping the browned bits off the bottom of the pan.
Add the cumin seeds, oregano, and adobo and cook until fragrant.
Add beans, water, chicken bouillon, tomatoes, chopped bell pepper and chopped tomatillos.
Bring to a boil and the reduce to a simmer.
Cook, stirring frequently, for about 30 minutes or until the water boils down and becomes thick.
Remove from heat and stir in the cilantro.
Serve hot.
Tuesday, July 10, 2012
Salad with Thai Peanut Dressing
This recipe is credited to my mother, who upon finding herself headed to a Midwest barbecue (read: lots of unhealthy food), wanted to make a vegetable heavy dish that she could nibble on without worry. My younger brother also gets a shout out because he was the one that introduced us to Thai pizza, which is delicious. My mother took the sauce and used it as a dressing over a mix of vegetables. What is below is a rough estimate of what I put in my own version tonight. (At some point I will invest in a camera so that I can share images of these dishes with you).
Salad with Thai Peanut Dressing
3 chicken quarters
1/2 head red cabbage, sliced thin
1 tsp salt
1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and sliced into thin 2 inch strips
2 small broccoli stems, sliced into thin 2 inch strips
1 1/2 cups 1-inch pieces snow peas
2 c bean sprouts
5 carrots, julienned
4 green onions, green parts only sliced thin
1/4 c peanut butter (I used smooth, natural)
2 tbsp hoisin sauce, heaping
2 tbsp teriyaki sauce, heaping
1 tbsp maple syrup
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tbsp minced onion
1 tbsp minced ginger
1 large clove garlic, minced
4 tbsp water
chopped peanuts for garnish
Place chicken quarters in a pot and cover with water.
Put over high heat and bring to a boil.
Reduce to a low boil and let cook until cooked through.
While chicken is boiling, place red cabbage in a large bowl and sprinkle with salt.
Toss to coat and let sit while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
Chop remaining ingredients and place in a large serving bowl.
In a small sauce pan, mix together peanut butter, hoisin sauce, teriyaki sauce, maple syrup, red pepper flakes, onion, ginger, garlic, and water.
Put dressing over medium heat and bring to a simmer.
Let dressing simmer for a few minutes, then remove from heat.
Once chicken is done, remove from heat, drain, and let cool before handling.
Place cabbage in a salad spinner and cover with water.
Stir cabbage around to remove salt, then drain and spin dry.
Add cabbage to large serving bowl.
Once chicken is cool enough to handle, remove skin and remove meat from bones.
Chop meat into small pieces and add to serving bowl.
Pour dressing over the top and toss until everything is coated.
You can serve at this point or chill it before serving.
When serving, sprinkle top with chopped peanuts.
Salad with Thai Peanut Dressing
3 chicken quarters
1/2 head red cabbage, sliced thin
1 tsp salt
1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and sliced into thin 2 inch strips
2 small broccoli stems, sliced into thin 2 inch strips
1 1/2 cups 1-inch pieces snow peas
2 c bean sprouts
5 carrots, julienned
4 green onions, green parts only sliced thin
1/4 c peanut butter (I used smooth, natural)
2 tbsp hoisin sauce, heaping
2 tbsp teriyaki sauce, heaping
1 tbsp maple syrup
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tbsp minced onion
1 tbsp minced ginger
1 large clove garlic, minced
4 tbsp water
chopped peanuts for garnish
Place chicken quarters in a pot and cover with water.
Put over high heat and bring to a boil.
Reduce to a low boil and let cook until cooked through.
While chicken is boiling, place red cabbage in a large bowl and sprinkle with salt.
Toss to coat and let sit while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
Chop remaining ingredients and place in a large serving bowl.
In a small sauce pan, mix together peanut butter, hoisin sauce, teriyaki sauce, maple syrup, red pepper flakes, onion, ginger, garlic, and water.
Put dressing over medium heat and bring to a simmer.
Let dressing simmer for a few minutes, then remove from heat.
Once chicken is done, remove from heat, drain, and let cool before handling.
Place cabbage in a salad spinner and cover with water.
Stir cabbage around to remove salt, then drain and spin dry.
Add cabbage to large serving bowl.
Once chicken is cool enough to handle, remove skin and remove meat from bones.
Chop meat into small pieces and add to serving bowl.
Pour dressing over the top and toss until everything is coated.
You can serve at this point or chill it before serving.
When serving, sprinkle top with chopped peanuts.
Wednesday, July 4, 2012
Asparagus-Kohlrabi Fry
Here is another foray into my obsession with dill. The recipe was a combination of cravings (bacon, dill and capers) and what I had in my house (asparagus, garlic ramps, and kohlrabi). This is one of those dishes that was completely random and ended up a huge success. The combination of ingredients may not be common, but let me tell you that it goes very well together.
Asparagus-Kohlrabi Fry
1 tbsp olive oil
15 3 inch strips of thick cut, peppered bacon
1 c garlic ramps cut into 1 inch pieces
1 kohlrabi, peeled, cut into quarters lengthwise and then sliced thin
1 large bunch asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2-3 inch pieces
1 tbsp dill
2 tbsp capers
salt and pepper to taste
Spread olive oil in the bottom of a cold cast iron pan. Add the bacon and then turn the heat to medium to medium-low.
Cook until the bacon is crispy, turning frequently. Remove the bacon from the pan.
Add the garlic ramps and cook until fragrant.
Add the kohlrabi and cook, stirring occasionally, until kohlrabi is soft and starts to brown.
Add the asparagus and dill and cook until the asparagus is almost done.
Add the capers, cooked bacon, salt and pepper and cook for another minute.
Remove from heat and serve hot.
Asparagus-Kohlrabi Fry
1 tbsp olive oil
15 3 inch strips of thick cut, peppered bacon
1 c garlic ramps cut into 1 inch pieces
1 kohlrabi, peeled, cut into quarters lengthwise and then sliced thin
1 large bunch asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2-3 inch pieces
1 tbsp dill
2 tbsp capers
salt and pepper to taste
Spread olive oil in the bottom of a cold cast iron pan. Add the bacon and then turn the heat to medium to medium-low.
Cook until the bacon is crispy, turning frequently. Remove the bacon from the pan.
Add the garlic ramps and cook until fragrant.
Add the kohlrabi and cook, stirring occasionally, until kohlrabi is soft and starts to brown.
Add the asparagus and dill and cook until the asparagus is almost done.
Add the capers, cooked bacon, salt and pepper and cook for another minute.
Remove from heat and serve hot.
Dilled Kale
I've recently been experimenting with dill, most likely because I love Hungarian Mushroom Soup and dill dip. Actually, the inspiration for the recipe below probably came from the hot Hungarian sausage I was using; you know, word association. I also figured if dill tastes good as a dip for vegetables, then it will probably taste good with cooked kale. And it was good. It added a subtle flavor to the dish and I think rounded it out nicely.
Dilled Kale
1 tbsp olive oil
1 hot Hungarian sausage link (about 1/3 lb)
1 c chopped onion
1 tbsp dill
2 tsp Hungarian paprika
salt and pepper to taste
Heat the olive oil in a cast iron pan over medium-high heat.
Add the sausage and cook until starting to brown.
Add the onion and cook until starting to brown.
Add the dill and paprika and cook until fragrant.
Add the kale and cook until soft, but not mushy. You may need to cover the pan for a little bit to get the kale to start wilting so that you can turn them. I use a tongs to turn.
Add tomato, salt and pepper and cook until tomato is warm.
Remove from heat and serve hot.
Dilled Kale
1 tbsp olive oil
1 hot Hungarian sausage link (about 1/3 lb)
1 c chopped onion
1 tbsp dill
2 tsp Hungarian paprika
1 large bunch kale, washed and sliced into 1 inch strips
1 tomato, choppedsalt and pepper to taste
Heat the olive oil in a cast iron pan over medium-high heat.
Add the sausage and cook until starting to brown.
Add the onion and cook until starting to brown.
Add the dill and paprika and cook until fragrant.
Add the kale and cook until soft, but not mushy. You may need to cover the pan for a little bit to get the kale to start wilting so that you can turn them. I use a tongs to turn.
Add tomato, salt and pepper and cook until tomato is warm.
Remove from heat and serve hot.
Monday, May 28, 2012
Chicken and Andouille Gumbo
I have been in love with Eula Mae's Cajun Kitchen ever since I received it for Christmas one year (I think it was Christmas). I love the rich, spicy food! I have a secret life fantasy of living in Louisiana which mainly consists of scenes of me in 50s style dresses and big hats sipping a bourbon and listening to live jazz music. Every time I cook from her cookbook, I put on some jazz and pour myself a glass of wine and really enjoy the cooking experience. It was a little early for wine today, but it's a long weekend, so instead I made some Coffee by Design coffee (the blend made for Standard Baking), poured in a little Jamaican Rum Cream, and sipped that while I chopped and stirred.
I've become a little more comfortable with the style of cooking, so today I made a couple deviations from her recipe for Sausage and Shrimp Gumbo. I really wanted a tomato flavor, so I added a can of whole tomatoes (chopping them up, as she does for her Jambalaya). Plus, I had some leftover grilled chicken from a small dinner party I had last night and that always makes a great addition to any stew. Finally, I was itching to cook up the andouille sausage I picked up from Karl's Sausage Kitchen down in Boston last weekend. Also, as I mentioned, I love spicy food, so I upped the seasonings a bit. A little burn never hurt anyone.
Chicken and Andouille Gumbo
1 tbsp oil
1 lb andouille sausage, sliced 1/4 inch thick
3 tbsp oil
3 tbsp flour
2 c chopped onions
1 c chopped green pepper
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 c water
1 28 oz can whole tomatoes, tomatoes chopped and liquid reserved
1 tsp chicken bouillon
3 c okra, sliced 1/2 inch thick
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp salt
heaping 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
2 bay leaves
15 - 20 shakes Tabasco sauce
2 c chopped, cooked chicken
1/4 c sliced green onion
cooked rice
Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large pot over medium high heat.
Add andouille and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes.
Remove andouille from pot and set aside.
Add 3 tbsp oil and flour to pot and stir constantly until smooth and the color of peanut butter.
Add onions, green pepper, and garlic and cook, stirring until soft (about 5 minutes).
Mix reserved liquid from tomatoes and water and slowly stir into the pot, scraping the bottom of the pan to loosen all the brown bits.
Add chicken bouillon and bring to a boil.
Add andouille, chopped tomatoes, okra, black pepper, salt, cayenne, bay leaves and Tabasco sauce.
Bring back to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes.
Add chicken and green onion and cook for another 5 minutes.
Remove from heat and serve over cooked rice.
I've become a little more comfortable with the style of cooking, so today I made a couple deviations from her recipe for Sausage and Shrimp Gumbo. I really wanted a tomato flavor, so I added a can of whole tomatoes (chopping them up, as she does for her Jambalaya). Plus, I had some leftover grilled chicken from a small dinner party I had last night and that always makes a great addition to any stew. Finally, I was itching to cook up the andouille sausage I picked up from Karl's Sausage Kitchen down in Boston last weekend. Also, as I mentioned, I love spicy food, so I upped the seasonings a bit. A little burn never hurt anyone.
Chicken and Andouille Gumbo
1 tbsp oil
1 lb andouille sausage, sliced 1/4 inch thick
3 tbsp oil
3 tbsp flour
2 c chopped onions
1 c chopped green pepper
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 c water
1 28 oz can whole tomatoes, tomatoes chopped and liquid reserved
1 tsp chicken bouillon
3 c okra, sliced 1/2 inch thick
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp salt
heaping 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
2 bay leaves
15 - 20 shakes Tabasco sauce
2 c chopped, cooked chicken
1/4 c sliced green onion
cooked rice
Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large pot over medium high heat.
Add andouille and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes.
Remove andouille from pot and set aside.
Add 3 tbsp oil and flour to pot and stir constantly until smooth and the color of peanut butter.
Add onions, green pepper, and garlic and cook, stirring until soft (about 5 minutes).
Mix reserved liquid from tomatoes and water and slowly stir into the pot, scraping the bottom of the pan to loosen all the brown bits.
Add chicken bouillon and bring to a boil.
Add andouille, chopped tomatoes, okra, black pepper, salt, cayenne, bay leaves and Tabasco sauce.
Bring back to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes.
Add chicken and green onion and cook for another 5 minutes.
Remove from heat and serve over cooked rice.
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
Edamame Hummus and Pea Shoots Wrap
My new favorite quick meal.
Edamame Hummus and Pea Shoots Wrap
1 whole wheat tortilla wrap
3-4 tbsp edamame hummus
1/4 yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced
3 inches cucumber, halved lengthwise and then thinly sliced lengthwise
1 c pea shoots
3 slices sharp cheddar
Heat tortilla wrap for 10 seconds in the microwave.
Spread hummus down the middle 1/3 of the wrap.
Layer pepper, cucumber, pea shoots and cheddar on top.
Fold over each side.
Eat.
Edamame Hummus and Pea Shoots Wrap
1 whole wheat tortilla wrap
3-4 tbsp edamame hummus
1/4 yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced
3 inches cucumber, halved lengthwise and then thinly sliced lengthwise
1 c pea shoots
3 slices sharp cheddar
Heat tortilla wrap for 10 seconds in the microwave.
Spread hummus down the middle 1/3 of the wrap.
Layer pepper, cucumber, pea shoots and cheddar on top.
Fold over each side.
Eat.
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
Beef and Vegetable Stirfry
There are times when I find myself eating the most random, not-post-worthy foods. Lately, it's been a variety of vegetables with cheese, most likely because that's about all I have in my refrigerator. I even ate popcorn for dinner one night. What can I say, it sounded good! And it was good! My favorite way to make popcorn is to put 1/4 cup of kernels in a brown paper lunch bag, fold the end over a couple times and then microwave using the popcorn setting. Once that's done, I melt some butter in a little dish and pour that over the popcorn, then liberally salt. I absolutely love salt. My theory (unproven by anyone) is that I have low blood pressure and the salt doesn't hurt. Honestly, each time I've had my blood pressure taken, even when very nervous, my blood pressure is on the very low end of the healthy spectrum. I'm not complaining.
Tonight I figured it was time to make something that can actually be called a meal and not randomness-on-a-plate. Trader Joe's recently opened a store in Portland. While I find their pre-packaged produce and too many aisles of prepared foods a little off putting, there are some things I enjoy there. For example, cheap wine, good cheeses, and those cheddar cheese puffs (I try not to buy those too often). I felt that I was getting in a rut at my regular grocery store, so I stopped at Trader instead and actually picked up some of that pre-packaged produce. In all honesty, tonight dinner started with, "I should use that beef I picked up at Tendercrop Farm." Then I spied the tiny zucchini and thought, "If I cut those in half, I bet they would be great in a stirfry." I picked up a red onion, decided to use some of the random vegetables in my fridge, and then grabbed a bottle of wine. (Hey, I was already there...)
Beef and Vegetable Stirfry
2 tbsp oil
1 lb cubed beef, cut into 3/4 inch cubes
1/2 tsp sichuan peppercorns
1 tbsp oil
1 red onion, peeled and cut into wedges
1 red bell pepper, seeded and sliced thick
1 tbsp oil
6 tiny zucchini, trimmed and cut in half (not lengthwise)
1 summer squash, trimmed and sliced thick
1 1/2 c sugar snap peas
1 c tiny baby carrots
4 tbsp Chinese bean paste (the kind that is salty and sweet)
2 tbsp rice vinegar
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp raw sugar
Place 2 tbsp oil in a heavy frying pan and place over medium-high to high heat (you'll want the pan to stay very hot, but not so hot that it burns things).
When oil is hot, add beef and stir until cooked through, adding the sichuan peppercorns a couple minutes before it's done.
Place beef in a large bowl.
Add 1 tbsp oil to pan.
When oil is hot (only a couple seconds if your pan is hot enough), add onion and bell pepper and stir until cooked, but still crispy.
Put onion and bell pepper in bowl with beef.
Add 1 tbsp oil to pan.
When oil is hot, add zucchini, summer squash, peas, and carrots and stir until cooked, but still crispy.
Mix the bean paste, rice vinegar, salt and sugar in a small bowl and pour over vegetables.
Add beef, onion, and bell pepper back to the pan and stir to coat.
Remove from heat and place in a large serving bowl and serve.
Tonight I figured it was time to make something that can actually be called a meal and not randomness-on-a-plate. Trader Joe's recently opened a store in Portland. While I find their pre-packaged produce and too many aisles of prepared foods a little off putting, there are some things I enjoy there. For example, cheap wine, good cheeses, and those cheddar cheese puffs (I try not to buy those too often). I felt that I was getting in a rut at my regular grocery store, so I stopped at Trader instead and actually picked up some of that pre-packaged produce. In all honesty, tonight dinner started with, "I should use that beef I picked up at Tendercrop Farm." Then I spied the tiny zucchini and thought, "If I cut those in half, I bet they would be great in a stirfry." I picked up a red onion, decided to use some of the random vegetables in my fridge, and then grabbed a bottle of wine. (Hey, I was already there...)
Beef and Vegetable Stirfry
2 tbsp oil
1 lb cubed beef, cut into 3/4 inch cubes
1/2 tsp sichuan peppercorns
1 tbsp oil
1 red onion, peeled and cut into wedges
1 red bell pepper, seeded and sliced thick
1 tbsp oil
6 tiny zucchini, trimmed and cut in half (not lengthwise)
1 summer squash, trimmed and sliced thick
1 1/2 c sugar snap peas
1 c tiny baby carrots
4 tbsp Chinese bean paste (the kind that is salty and sweet)
2 tbsp rice vinegar
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp raw sugar
Place 2 tbsp oil in a heavy frying pan and place over medium-high to high heat (you'll want the pan to stay very hot, but not so hot that it burns things).
When oil is hot, add beef and stir until cooked through, adding the sichuan peppercorns a couple minutes before it's done.
Place beef in a large bowl.
Add 1 tbsp oil to pan.
When oil is hot (only a couple seconds if your pan is hot enough), add onion and bell pepper and stir until cooked, but still crispy.
Put onion and bell pepper in bowl with beef.
Add 1 tbsp oil to pan.
When oil is hot, add zucchini, summer squash, peas, and carrots and stir until cooked, but still crispy.
Mix the bean paste, rice vinegar, salt and sugar in a small bowl and pour over vegetables.
Add beef, onion, and bell pepper back to the pan and stir to coat.
Remove from heat and place in a large serving bowl and serve.
Sunday, April 1, 2012
Strawberry-Mango Smoothie
Another round of smoothies for the next couple days. Actually, it made enough for three days, which is great! Familiar ingredients, but a different flavor.
Strawberry-Mango Smoothie
(about 3 servings)
1 banana, broken into pieces
1 small mango, peeled and chopped
2 c strawberry halves
1/2 c plain greek yogurt
1 tbsp raw honey
3 tsp spirulina
1 c soy milk
1 c carrot juice
1/2 c water
Place all ingredients in a blend and blend until smooth.
Strawberry-Mango Smoothie
(about 3 servings)
1 banana, broken into pieces
1 small mango, peeled and chopped
2 c strawberry halves
1/2 c plain greek yogurt
1 tbsp raw honey
3 tsp spirulina
1 c soy milk
1 c carrot juice
1/2 c water
Place all ingredients in a blend and blend until smooth.
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
Early Spring Salad
Do you ever have one of those days where dinnertime rolls around and all you can think to yourself is, "I want a giant bowl of vegetables and fruit?" I do. Typically it follows a couple days of needing to go shopping and living off of those staples that I keep around but don't eat in large quantities (like nuts, dried fruit, and frozen english muffins... not necessarily together). I went to the store with a mission to buy spinach, but for the life of me I couldn't find any. So, I ended up with frisee and arugula. I nabbed a fennel bulb to add a little complexity to the salad mix. Since citrus season is fast falling behind us, I also grabbed a sumo tangerine. The asian pears next to them looked so tasty that I grabbed one of those too. Finally, I picked up some garlic and black pepper goat cheese, since I thought that would go nicely with the greens and fruit. I decided to use my staple dressing, mustard, balsamic vinegar and olive oil, since it seems to go with so many things. The resulting salad is a lovely blend of sweet, spicy, and pungent. It's definitely a satisfying end to my day.
Early Spring Salad
2 c frisee, torn into pieces
2 c arugula, torn into pieces
1/4 fennel bulb, very thinly sliced
1/2 asian pear, cored and chopped
1/2 sumo tangerine, peeled and chopped
1 tbsp spicy mustard
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp olive oil
pinch of salt and pepper
wedge of garlic and black pepper goat cheese
Wash and thoroughly dry the frisee, arugula and fennel and then place on a large plate.
Top with the pear and tangerine.
Put mustard, vinegar, oil, salt and pepper in a sealable container and shake until blended; pour over the salad.
Place cheese on the side and serve.
Early Spring Salad
2 c frisee, torn into pieces
2 c arugula, torn into pieces
1/4 fennel bulb, very thinly sliced
1/2 asian pear, cored and chopped
1/2 sumo tangerine, peeled and chopped
1 tbsp spicy mustard
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp olive oil
pinch of salt and pepper
wedge of garlic and black pepper goat cheese
Wash and thoroughly dry the frisee, arugula and fennel and then place on a large plate.
Top with the pear and tangerine.
Put mustard, vinegar, oil, salt and pepper in a sealable container and shake until blended; pour over the salad.
Place cheese on the side and serve.
Monday, March 26, 2012
Midnight Smoothie
I made my smoothie for tomorrow (and the next day since it made two servings) and the deep purple reminded me of a midnight sky, thus the name. Familiar ingredients, but slightly different taste. I added spirulina, but it's not necessary.
Midnight Smoothie
(makes 2)
1 small mango, peeled and chopped
1 banana, peeled and broken into pieces
1 c frozen blackberries
1/2 c frozen blueberries
1 c carrot juice
1 c unsweetened soy milk
1 tbsp raw honey
2 tsp spirulina
Place all ingredients in a blender. Cover and blend until smooth.
Midnight Smoothie
(makes 2)
1 small mango, peeled and chopped
1 banana, peeled and broken into pieces
1 c frozen blackberries
1/2 c frozen blueberries
1 c carrot juice
1 c unsweetened soy milk
1 tbsp raw honey
2 tsp spirulina
Place all ingredients in a blender. Cover and blend until smooth.
Beet and Mushroom Fry
Looking in my refrigerator tonight, I realized that there were a few items I needed to use up before I go shopping again. Sometimes those random foods can be combined to make a delicious meal (and sometimes not... that has happened to me before). Tonight my random ingredients consisted of some mushrooms, kale, beets and asparagus. I also noticed some bacon grease I needed to use. I would not replace the bacon grease, as it adds a lot of flavor to the meal. If you don't have any on hand, just fry up some bacon (maybe put some in the dish) and store the rest to be used in your eggs in the morning. The last ingredient was thanks to Tendercrop Farm. I just made a trip to their awesome market down in Massachusetts this weekend, where I picked up some kielbasa they make there. It is the perfect kielbasa because it is smoky and flavorful without being an odd shade of red (hello food coloring to standardize the appearance of mass produced foods). Also, it isn't greasy like so many kielbasas on the market right now. It's pretty much perfect and I know people who have never liked kielbasa who love Tendercrop Farm's kielbasa. It's perfectly matched with the ingredients I had on hand. I served the fry over some leftover Potatoes-on-the-Grill, but you could just boil a few potatoes instead or maybe grate them and throw them into the pan with the beets. In the end, this was a fast meal and quite satisfying.
Beet and Mushroom Fry
4 tbsp bacon grease
8 inches kielbasa, quartered lengthwise and then sliced
2 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced
3 portabella mushrooms, chopped
2 beets, grated
2 c shredded kale, washed
8 spears asparagus, ends trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces
salt and pepper to taste
Melt the bacon grease in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Add kielbasa and cook until it starts to brown.
Add garlic and cook briefly.
Add mushrooms and cook until water is released and starts to cook off.
Add grated beets and cook until ingredients are sizzling in the pan and not simmering in their own water.
Add kale and asparagus and cook, stirring constantly, until asparagus is tender but not overcooked.
Add salt and pepper to taste.
Serve over potatoes.
Beet and Mushroom Fry
4 tbsp bacon grease
8 inches kielbasa, quartered lengthwise and then sliced
2 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced
3 portabella mushrooms, chopped
2 beets, grated
2 c shredded kale, washed
8 spears asparagus, ends trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces
salt and pepper to taste
Melt the bacon grease in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Add kielbasa and cook until it starts to brown.
Add garlic and cook briefly.
Add mushrooms and cook until water is released and starts to cook off.
Add grated beets and cook until ingredients are sizzling in the pan and not simmering in their own water.
Add kale and asparagus and cook, stirring constantly, until asparagus is tender but not overcooked.
Add salt and pepper to taste.
Serve over potatoes.
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Mango-Blueberry Smoothie
Apologies for a couple days of silence; I have been living on leftover Shepherd's Pie and Lemon Caper Pasta for a few days now. Not that I am complaining, these are some delicious leftovers. Sadly, due to some laziness and late nights, my breakfast the past couple days has been uninspired. I believe I had yogurt with a banana and walnuts one day and this morning I put together some leftover "Potatoes on the Grill," spinach and cheese which I microwaved once I got to work. Determined to make tomorrow morning more interesting, I whipped up the smoothie below tonight so that I can take it for my breakfast. It is not the most beautiful color, sort of a muted purple-green color. But, I did taste it and I am excited for breakfast! The blueberry and mango worked well together. I added a lot of kale for extra vitamin goodness. I love that you can add this vegetable to just about any smoothie and the flavor is not altered. Also, the carrot juice melts into the background; I think because mango and carrot share some similar flavors. The blueberry definitely jumps out at you on this smoothie, unlike the others I have posted before. All in all, quite a tasty smoothie for something I threw together with what I had in the house. Don't you love when that happens?
Mango-Blueberry Smoothie
(makes about 3 servings)
1 ripe mango, peeled and chopped
1/2 c frozen blueberries
4 oz extra soft tofu
3 c chopped kale, washed
1 c carrot juice
1/2-1 c unsweetened soy milk
Place all ingredients in a blender (start with 1/2 c of the soy milk) and blend until smooth. Add more soy milk if it is too thick.
Mango-Blueberry Smoothie
(makes about 3 servings)
1 ripe mango, peeled and chopped
1/2 c frozen blueberries
4 oz extra soft tofu
3 c chopped kale, washed
1 c carrot juice
1/2-1 c unsweetened soy milk
Place all ingredients in a blender (start with 1/2 c of the soy milk) and blend until smooth. Add more soy milk if it is too thick.
Friday, March 16, 2012
Lemon Caper Pasta
It is a cold rainy evening here in Maine. Weather like this makes me want to curl up at home with a good book, a glass of wine, and comfort food. Tonight I was craving this amazing macaroni and cheese I have made before with capers. It is macaroni and cheese all grown up, with earthy mushrooms and salty capers and a mixture of cheddar and a hard sheep's milk cheese I discovered at my local Italian market. I will make it again sometime so that I can share the recipe with you. And by recipe, I mean that I will write down what I put in it that day. I rarely actually cook from a recipe. And when I post my recipes, I typically have only made them once or twice. I would like to think that eventually readers will get a feel for what they like and do not like in the way of ingredients, spices, and flavors so that they can adjust any recipe I post to their own personal tastes.
So, back to my craving (which is usually what drives my dinners). I was craving macaroni and cheese, but I decided to try something a little healthier. I hope what I created is, but I honestly have not estimated the nutritional value of it. In the end, I ruled out the cheese. Wandering into the grocery store, I was deciding what would complement the capers. I thought I would try my hand at making a lemony sauce, Lemons are like sunshine for your palate and I definitely needed some sun today. So, I grabbed some lemons. The garlic was right next to them, so I picked up a head. I made my way to the pastas and decided on what looked like a more rustic pasta (rustichella d'abruzzo's orecchiette del prete). When I got home, I started to pull the capers out of the refrigerator and noticed a package of baby portabella mushrooms I purchased a week ago and grabbed those too. In the end, I ended up with a tart, flavorful, and slightly spicy pasta that definitely satisfied me. I hope you enjoy it just as much.
Lemon Caper Pasta
water
250 g pasta of your choice (I used orecchiette del prete)
4 tbsp olive oil
6 cloves garlic, peeled, smashed, and roughly chopped
10 oz baby portabella mushrooms, sliced about 1/4 inch thick
pinch of salt
1 tsp chicken Better than Bouillon
juice of 2 lemons
1 tsp cornstarch
1/2 - 1 tsp sugar (to your taste, to cut the tartness of the lemon)
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 tsp Tabasco pepper sauce
4 tbsp capers
baby spinach
Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil.
Once boiling, add the pasta and cook as directed on the package.
While that is cooking, in a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-low heat.
Add the garlic and saute until fragrant and just starting to brown.
Add the mushrooms and pinch of salt, stir and let cook for about a minute.
Carefully ladle out about a 1/2 cup of water from the boiling pasta and pour over the mushrooms.
Add the bouillon and lemon juice and stir.
Put the cornstarch in a measuring cup and add a few teaspoons of the liquid in the skillet. Stir until smooth and then slowly pour into the skillet and stir.
Add the sugar, salt, pepper, Tabasco sauce, and capers and simmer for a couple minutes. If this is done before the pasta, just turn it off and let it sit while the pasta finishes.
When the pasta is done cooking, drain it well and then pour it into the skillet. Stir well.
To serve, put about 1 cup of baby spinach in a bowl and then ladle your desired amount of pasta over it. It will wilt the spinach a bit while allowing it to keep some texture.
So, back to my craving (which is usually what drives my dinners). I was craving macaroni and cheese, but I decided to try something a little healthier. I hope what I created is, but I honestly have not estimated the nutritional value of it. In the end, I ruled out the cheese. Wandering into the grocery store, I was deciding what would complement the capers. I thought I would try my hand at making a lemony sauce, Lemons are like sunshine for your palate and I definitely needed some sun today. So, I grabbed some lemons. The garlic was right next to them, so I picked up a head. I made my way to the pastas and decided on what looked like a more rustic pasta (rustichella d'abruzzo's orecchiette del prete). When I got home, I started to pull the capers out of the refrigerator and noticed a package of baby portabella mushrooms I purchased a week ago and grabbed those too. In the end, I ended up with a tart, flavorful, and slightly spicy pasta that definitely satisfied me. I hope you enjoy it just as much.
Lemon Caper Pasta
water
250 g pasta of your choice (I used orecchiette del prete)
4 tbsp olive oil
6 cloves garlic, peeled, smashed, and roughly chopped
10 oz baby portabella mushrooms, sliced about 1/4 inch thick
pinch of salt
1 tsp chicken Better than Bouillon
juice of 2 lemons
1 tsp cornstarch
1/2 - 1 tsp sugar (to your taste, to cut the tartness of the lemon)
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 tsp Tabasco pepper sauce
4 tbsp capers
baby spinach
Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil.
Once boiling, add the pasta and cook as directed on the package.
While that is cooking, in a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-low heat.
Add the garlic and saute until fragrant and just starting to brown.
Add the mushrooms and pinch of salt, stir and let cook for about a minute.
Carefully ladle out about a 1/2 cup of water from the boiling pasta and pour over the mushrooms.
Add the bouillon and lemon juice and stir.
Put the cornstarch in a measuring cup and add a few teaspoons of the liquid in the skillet. Stir until smooth and then slowly pour into the skillet and stir.
Add the sugar, salt, pepper, Tabasco sauce, and capers and simmer for a couple minutes. If this is done before the pasta, just turn it off and let it sit while the pasta finishes.
When the pasta is done cooking, drain it well and then pour it into the skillet. Stir well.
To serve, put about 1 cup of baby spinach in a bowl and then ladle your desired amount of pasta over it. It will wilt the spinach a bit while allowing it to keep some texture.
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Open-Faced Vegetable Melt
After eating shepherd's pie for lunch* I wanted something lighter for dinner. I also have been browsing pinterest too often and there is an oddly high number of grilled cheese sandwich photos. Talk about getting a craving! I wanted to make this staple comfort food healthier with lots of vegetables, thus the Open-Faced Vegetable Melt was born. Make and enjoy!
Open-Faced Vegetable Melt
1 english muffin
4 tbsp edamame hummus
2 thick slices tomato
6 slices avocado
1/3 c baby spinach
2 slices English Cheddar with Caramelized Onions (or another sharp cheese that you like)
Turn the oven to broil.
While the oven is warming up, cut the English muffin in half and place on a baking sheet.
Spread on the edamame hummus, then top each half with half of the the tomato, avocado, spinach, and cheese.
Slide pan under the broiler and, leaving the door ajar, broil until the cheese melts and starts to brown just a little bit.
Remove from the oven and serve.
*I will try to post the recipe for that in the future, I was replacing the Worcestershire sauce with substitutes, which took some "dash of this, pinch of that, drizzle of this" and ended up with me not know how much of anything I ended up putting in it.
Open-Faced Vegetable Melt
1 english muffin
4 tbsp edamame hummus
2 thick slices tomato
6 slices avocado
1/3 c baby spinach
2 slices English Cheddar with Caramelized Onions (or another sharp cheese that you like)
Turn the oven to broil.
While the oven is warming up, cut the English muffin in half and place on a baking sheet.
Spread on the edamame hummus, then top each half with half of the the tomato, avocado, spinach, and cheese.
Slide pan under the broiler and, leaving the door ajar, broil until the cheese melts and starts to brown just a little bit.
Remove from the oven and serve.
*I will try to post the recipe for that in the future, I was replacing the Worcestershire sauce with substitutes, which took some "dash of this, pinch of that, drizzle of this" and ended up with me not know how much of anything I ended up putting in it.
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
Creamy Mango-Carrot Smoothie
Another smoothie for you to try. This one is similar in color to the Berry Smoothie due to the blueberries and beets, but the soy milk, banana, and walnuts give it a creamier texture. I made it tonight for my breakfast tomorrow morning, so I am hoping that it stores well. The Berry Smoothie is best enjoyed once it is made, as by the next day the flavor had changed. I think it was because of the kale, but I am not sure.
Creamy Mango-Carrot Smoothie
1 c soy milk
1/2 c carrot juice (get pure carrot juice)
1 banana, broken into pieces
1 beet, washed and cubed
1/2 c frozen blueberries
1 c frozen mango
1 tbsp raw honey
1/2 oz raw walnuts
2 tbsp grated ginger
Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. If it seems a little too thick for your taste, add a little water and blend to mix. Pour into glasses and serve.
Creamy Mango-Carrot Smoothie
1 c soy milk
1/2 c carrot juice (get pure carrot juice)
1 banana, broken into pieces
1 beet, washed and cubed
1/2 c frozen blueberries
1 c frozen mango
1 tbsp raw honey
1/2 oz raw walnuts
2 tbsp grated ginger
Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. If it seems a little too thick for your taste, add a little water and blend to mix. Pour into glasses and serve.
Monday, March 12, 2012
Edamame Hummus
I discovered edamame hummus at Trader Joe's. It is so good, I can eat it with a spoon. And there is something so appealing about its bright green color. It is sort of like spring in food form - bright, flavorful, and you cannot get enough of it after a long, cold winter. Since I have made hummus before, I decided to apply the same techniques to the edamame. I am happy with the results, but if you do not like a slightly strong garlic and onion flavor, I would reduce the garlic and shallot in this. Enjoy!
Edamame Hummus
(makes about 3 cups)
1 1lb package frozen shelled edamame
hot water
1 large clove garlic, peeled and sliced
1/2 a large shallot, peeled and chopped
juice of 1 lemon
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp salt (or to taste)
2 tbsp olive oil
4 tbsp tahini
about 3 oz cool water
Place edamame in a bowl and cover with hot water.
Once thawed, drain and then transfer to a food processor.
Add the remaining ingredients, except the water.
Start processing, slowly adding the water until you have a smooth paste. You may need to stop occasionally to clean the sides of the bowl.
Once smooth, transfer to a container to either serve or store.
Edamame Hummus
(makes about 3 cups)
1 1lb package frozen shelled edamame
hot water
1 large clove garlic, peeled and sliced
1/2 a large shallot, peeled and chopped
juice of 1 lemon
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp salt (or to taste)
2 tbsp olive oil
4 tbsp tahini
about 3 oz cool water
Place edamame in a bowl and cover with hot water.
Once thawed, drain and then transfer to a food processor.
Add the remaining ingredients, except the water.
Start processing, slowly adding the water until you have a smooth paste. You may need to stop occasionally to clean the sides of the bowl.
Once smooth, transfer to a container to either serve or store.
Berry Smoothie
Lately I have been drinking smoothies for most of my lunches. I like being able to get extra fruits and vegetables while also feeling full. Plus, it is easy to drink at my desk. I workout during most of my lunch breaks, so a quick lunch that is desk-suitable is perfect. I recently saw this smoothie recipe on the New York Times and it inspired the smoothie below. It is bright pink and not too sweet, which is perfect in my opinion. The recipe makes about four cups, so you can cut it in half to make just enough for one serving.
Berry Smoothie
1/2 c frozen blackberries
1/2 c frozen mango
1/2 c frozen blueberries
2 tbsp chopped ginger
1 3-4 inch beet, washed and cubed
3 leaves kale, washed and torn into pieces
1/2 c yogurt
3 oz silken tofu
1 c water (or a little more, if needed)
1 tbsp honey
Place all ingredients in a blender and blend on high until smooth. Pour into glasses and serve.
Berry Smoothie
1/2 c frozen blackberries
1/2 c frozen mango
1/2 c frozen blueberries
2 tbsp chopped ginger
1 3-4 inch beet, washed and cubed
3 leaves kale, washed and torn into pieces
1/2 c yogurt
3 oz silken tofu
1 c water (or a little more, if needed)
1 tbsp honey
Place all ingredients in a blender and blend on high until smooth. Pour into glasses and serve.
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
Collard Greens with Red Bell Pepper
A friend came over the other night for dinner. She brought a delicious lentil barley soup that she had added kale, cumin, and dill to. I loved it and plan to attempt making something similar myself. I decided to make collard greens to go with the soup. I adore collard greens. They are one of the most flavorful greens out there and I find they are not bitter like some other greens. They also stand up to cooking, so they still have a lot of texture, while greens like spinach easily become mushy. I know there are people out there that enjoy collard greens cooked to oblivion. I am not one of those people, therefore these greens are quick to put together. You could serve them with baked tofu and have a healthy and filling meal. I will even include a recipe for how I typically prepare baked tofu!
Collard Greens with Red Bell Pepper
1 tbsp olive oil
1 large shallot, peeled and sliced
1/2 a large onion, peeled and sliced
2 large garlic cloves, peeled, smashed and sliced
1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into chunks (I cut mine in half widthwise and then sliced)
1 1/2 large bunches collard greens, sliced into 1 inch wide strips, washed and dried well
1/2 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp salt (or to taste)
In a heavy skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat.
When hot, add shallot, onion, and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion starts to soften.
Add red bell pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until bell pepper turns a brighter color.
Add collard greens, mix so that the other vegetables are mixed in, then cover with a lid and let steam about 5 minutes.
Sprinkle with sugar and salt and then stir (I use a tongs, which allows me to pick up bunches of the greens and turn them over).
Cover and cook, stirring occasionally until greens are desired consistency. After adding the sugar and salt, I typically only cook them until they are wilted, but still bright and have body.
Remove from heat and serve.
Baked Tofu
1 package extra firm tofu
1 tbsp olive oil
seasonings (I have used whole grain mustard, balsamic vinegar, various dried herbs, it really depends on what you are making and how you want the tofu to taste)
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Slice tofu lengthwise into quarters.
Place a thick layer of paper towels down and put the tofu side-by-side on this.
Put more paper towels on top of the tofu, then add a large flat object that will cover the tofu (I use a cutting board).
Put something heavy on top of the board (I typically use a cast iron skillet).
Allow the tofu to press for 10-15 minutes.
In the meantime, mix your olive oil with your seasonings.
Uncover your tofu and put it onto a baking sheet. Spread half of your seasonings/oil on one side, flip and put the rest on the other side.
Put in the oven and bake 25 minutes.
Turn the tofu over and bake until desired brownness and texture. The longer you bake it, the tougher it becomes (and more "meat"-like in texture).
Remove from oven and serve.
Collard Greens with Red Bell Pepper
1 tbsp olive oil
1 large shallot, peeled and sliced
1/2 a large onion, peeled and sliced
2 large garlic cloves, peeled, smashed and sliced
1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into chunks (I cut mine in half widthwise and then sliced)
1 1/2 large bunches collard greens, sliced into 1 inch wide strips, washed and dried well
1/2 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp salt (or to taste)
In a heavy skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat.
When hot, add shallot, onion, and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion starts to soften.
Add red bell pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until bell pepper turns a brighter color.
Add collard greens, mix so that the other vegetables are mixed in, then cover with a lid and let steam about 5 minutes.
Sprinkle with sugar and salt and then stir (I use a tongs, which allows me to pick up bunches of the greens and turn them over).
Cover and cook, stirring occasionally until greens are desired consistency. After adding the sugar and salt, I typically only cook them until they are wilted, but still bright and have body.
Remove from heat and serve.
Baked Tofu
1 package extra firm tofu
1 tbsp olive oil
seasonings (I have used whole grain mustard, balsamic vinegar, various dried herbs, it really depends on what you are making and how you want the tofu to taste)
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Slice tofu lengthwise into quarters.
Place a thick layer of paper towels down and put the tofu side-by-side on this.
Put more paper towels on top of the tofu, then add a large flat object that will cover the tofu (I use a cutting board).
Put something heavy on top of the board (I typically use a cast iron skillet).
Allow the tofu to press for 10-15 minutes.
In the meantime, mix your olive oil with your seasonings.
Uncover your tofu and put it onto a baking sheet. Spread half of your seasonings/oil on one side, flip and put the rest on the other side.
Put in the oven and bake 25 minutes.
Turn the tofu over and bake until desired brownness and texture. The longer you bake it, the tougher it becomes (and more "meat"-like in texture).
Remove from oven and serve.
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
Chili
I went to the store freezing from the cold (hello winter, bit of a late arrival there) and knowing I wanted to make a soup or stew. I ended up getting the ingredients for chili (and for what I hope will be an awesome attempt at edamame hummus and ingredients for berry smoothies).
Chili
2 tbsp bacon grease
1/2 lb ground grass fed beef
1 large onion, peeled and chopped
3 large garlic cloves, peeled, smashed and sliced
1 fresno pepper, top removed, quartered lengthwise and sliced
1 1/2 red bell peppers, seeded and chopped
1 5 oz container sliced shiitake mushrooms
1 14.5 oz can fire roasted diced tomatoes
1 28 oz can diced tomatoes
42 oz water
1 tsp beef bouillon
1 yam, peeled and cubed
4 tbsp chili powder
1/2 tsp thyme
2 tsp cumin seeds
2 pinches allspice
6 shakes smoked paprika
salt to taste
diced avocado
In a large stock pot, heat bacon grease over medium heat.
When melted, add beef and stir until browned.
Add onion, garlic, bell pepper, and fresno pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly soft.
Add shiitake mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms look moist.
Add both cans diced tomatoes, water, bouillon and seasonings.
Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 30 to 45 minutes.
Ladle into bowls and top with diced avocado.
Chili
2 tbsp bacon grease
1/2 lb ground grass fed beef
1 large onion, peeled and chopped
3 large garlic cloves, peeled, smashed and sliced
1 fresno pepper, top removed, quartered lengthwise and sliced
1 1/2 red bell peppers, seeded and chopped
1 5 oz container sliced shiitake mushrooms
1 14.5 oz can fire roasted diced tomatoes
1 28 oz can diced tomatoes
42 oz water
1 tsp beef bouillon
1 yam, peeled and cubed
4 tbsp chili powder
1/2 tsp thyme
2 tsp cumin seeds
2 pinches allspice
6 shakes smoked paprika
salt to taste
diced avocado
In a large stock pot, heat bacon grease over medium heat.
When melted, add beef and stir until browned.
Add onion, garlic, bell pepper, and fresno pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly soft.
Add shiitake mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms look moist.
Add both cans diced tomatoes, water, bouillon and seasonings.
Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 30 to 45 minutes.
Ladle into bowls and top with diced avocado.
Sunday, March 4, 2012
Pondering Worcestershire Sauce
After moving to Maine, I discovered that I am allergic to seafood. I am not overly upset by this, as I never really enjoyed the texture and taste of most shellfish. I do miss a few things though: blackened cajun salmon, tuna fish sandwiches in the summer, and miso soup. I would love to tell you that I have found reasonable substitutes for all of these, but that really is not possible. Well, the miso soup can be approximated. I just replace the bonito with vegetable or chicken bouillon and salt or soy sauce. The flavor is not the same, but it is close enough to satisfy me.
The thing that saddens me is that I believe that the allergy is becoming more sensitive and so I am attempting to avoid fish completely. This means I am not able to use worcestershire sauce, which is sad because it is such a unique flavor that when it is left out of a dish it is noticeable. So, I am doing some research and thinking that I may attempt to make my own. This is partly because I also want to make this barbecue sauce that I love and it calls for a lot of worcestershire sauce. I found this site that has a lot of useful information and recipes. I may also dig through some of my older cookbooks and see what I can find there. Once I make an attempt at it, I will update you on the outcome.
The thing that saddens me is that I believe that the allergy is becoming more sensitive and so I am attempting to avoid fish completely. This means I am not able to use worcestershire sauce, which is sad because it is such a unique flavor that when it is left out of a dish it is noticeable. So, I am doing some research and thinking that I may attempt to make my own. This is partly because I also want to make this barbecue sauce that I love and it calls for a lot of worcestershire sauce. I found this site that has a lot of useful information and recipes. I may also dig through some of my older cookbooks and see what I can find there. Once I make an attempt at it, I will update you on the outcome.
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Ginger Quinoa with Vegetables
Another transfer recipe that may already exist on this site, but just to be sure, here it is!
3 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp grated ginger
8 oz tempeh
1 c quinoa
1 3/4 c water
2 tsp minced ginger
1/4 tsp salt
2 tbsp oil
5 oz sliced shitake mushrooms
1 red bell pepper, sliced
5 oz snow peas
1/4 c tamari almonds
1/3 c sliced green onion (green part only)
Preheat over to 400 degrees. In a small baking pan, mix soy sauce, grated ginger. Add tempeh, turn and let sit while oven heats. When oven is hot, put tempeh in and bake until brown, turning half way. When done, let cool a bit and then cut into small squares.
In a pan, mix quinoa, water, minced ginger and salt. Bring to a boil over high heat, turn down to low, stir, and cover. Let cook, covered, for 25 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit covered.
In a frying pan, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add shitake mushrooms and cook until starting to dry. Add bell pepper, snow peas, and almonds and cook for a few minutes (until pepper and peas are bright in color).
In a serving bowl, mix together tempeh, quinoa, vegetables and green onion. Serve hot.
3 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp grated ginger
8 oz tempeh
1 c quinoa
1 3/4 c water
2 tsp minced ginger
1/4 tsp salt
2 tbsp oil
5 oz sliced shitake mushrooms
1 red bell pepper, sliced
5 oz snow peas
1/4 c tamari almonds
1/3 c sliced green onion (green part only)
Preheat over to 400 degrees. In a small baking pan, mix soy sauce, grated ginger. Add tempeh, turn and let sit while oven heats. When oven is hot, put tempeh in and bake until brown, turning half way. When done, let cool a bit and then cut into small squares.
In a pan, mix quinoa, water, minced ginger and salt. Bring to a boil over high heat, turn down to low, stir, and cover. Let cook, covered, for 25 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit covered.
In a frying pan, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add shitake mushrooms and cook until starting to dry. Add bell pepper, snow peas, and almonds and cook for a few minutes (until pepper and peas are bright in color).
In a serving bowl, mix together tempeh, quinoa, vegetables and green onion. Serve hot.
Summer Salad with Oregano
Here's another transfer recipe to enjoy on a hot day.
1 red bell pepper, washed and dried
4 tomatillos, husked, washed and dried
1 can white beans
1 cucumber, washed and dried
2 tomatoes, washed and dried
4 tbsp sliced green onion
4 tbsp minced fresh oregano
3 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp rice vinegar (unseasoned)
sea salt to taste
Put oven rack in the top position and turn oven to broil. Put bell pepper and tomatillos on the top rack and broil, turning as they turn brown. The tomatillos only need to be roasted on the top and bottom, so they will be done before the bell pepper. Once browned, remove and put in a bowl of water with ice before chopping.
While the pepper and tomatillos are in the oven, drain and rinse the white beans. Let drain. Chop the cucumber and tomatoes into 1/4 inch cubes. Place in a large mixing bowl and add beans, green onion, oregano, oil, and vinegar.
When tomatillos are cool, remove the core, chop and add to the mixing bowl. When pepper is cool, peel off the skin, remove the seeds, chop and add to the mixing bowl. Stir, then add salt to taste. Chill 1/2 hour before serving.
1 red bell pepper, washed and dried
4 tomatillos, husked, washed and dried
1 can white beans
1 cucumber, washed and dried
2 tomatoes, washed and dried
4 tbsp sliced green onion
4 tbsp minced fresh oregano
3 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp rice vinegar (unseasoned)
sea salt to taste
Put oven rack in the top position and turn oven to broil. Put bell pepper and tomatillos on the top rack and broil, turning as they turn brown. The tomatillos only need to be roasted on the top and bottom, so they will be done before the bell pepper. Once browned, remove and put in a bowl of water with ice before chopping.
While the pepper and tomatillos are in the oven, drain and rinse the white beans. Let drain. Chop the cucumber and tomatoes into 1/4 inch cubes. Place in a large mixing bowl and add beans, green onion, oregano, oil, and vinegar.
When tomatillos are cool, remove the core, chop and add to the mixing bowl. When pepper is cool, peel off the skin, remove the seeds, chop and add to the mixing bowl. Stir, then add salt to taste. Chill 1/2 hour before serving.
Lemon and Capers Hummus
Here is another recipe that I posted on my social networking profile, a Lemon and Caper Hummus that I put together when I had a craving for all three items. :)
2 cans garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 tbsp capers
5 caperberries
Juice of 1 meyer lemon
1/2 clove garlic
salt to taste
3 tbsp tahini
2 tbsp olive oil
water
Put all ingredients, except water, in a food processor and start blending. Once it's partially blended, start adding cool water, 1 tbsp at a time, until it forms a cohesive paste and is your desired consistency (allow it to blend a little while between additions of water).
2 cans garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 tbsp capers
5 caperberries
Juice of 1 meyer lemon
1/2 clove garlic
salt to taste
3 tbsp tahini
2 tbsp olive oil
water
Put all ingredients, except water, in a food processor and start blending. Once it's partially blended, start adding cool water, 1 tbsp at a time, until it forms a cohesive paste and is your desired consistency (allow it to blend a little while between additions of water).
Potato Leek Soup
A while back I made this soup and posted it to my social networking profile so that I wouldn't forget it. I'm now moving it over here for others to enjoy.
6 yukon gold potatoes, washed and cubed
1 clove garlic, peeled and smashed
1/4 cup dried porcini mushrooms
3 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp butter
1 large leek, dark green part and roots removed, chopped fine and rinsed
1/3 c celery, washed and chopped
6 cups chopped kale, washed
2 tsp chicken flavor better than bouillon
salt and pepper to taste
In a large soup pot, put potatoes and garlic clove. Cover generously with water and put over high heat. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook until potatoes are tender. Drain, reserving the liquid.
While potatoes are boiling, put porcini mushrooms in a 2 cup measuring cup and fill with hot water. Let soak. When tender, remove porcini mushrooms and dice. Reserve the liquid.
Once potatoes are draining, return soup pot to the stove and put over medium heat. Add olive oil and butter. When butter is melted, add leek and celery and cook until very tender. Add porcini mushrooms and kale and cook until kale is wilted but still bright green.
Return potatoes to the pot, pour in reserved mushroom liquid. Then add reserved potato liquid. You want to cover generously with liquid, so you may need to add additional water. Add bouillon, salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Cook for a few minutes, then remove from the heat. Using an immersion blender, very carefully blend the soup until smooth (depending on how finely you chopped the leeks, celery and kale, this might take a while). Once blended, return to heat and bring to temperature desired for serving.
And an alternate option:
Alteration: Replace porcini mushrooms with 3 cups fresh cremini mushrooms, chopped. Sautee mushrooms with leek and celery. One downside is that the mushrooms float and take a while to blend. It might be a good idea to process with an immersion blender before adding liquid and potatoes back to the pot (or with only a small amount of liquid). When using cremini mushrooms, add extra water to replace mushroom liquid.
6 yukon gold potatoes, washed and cubed
1 clove garlic, peeled and smashed
1/4 cup dried porcini mushrooms
3 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp butter
1 large leek, dark green part and roots removed, chopped fine and rinsed
1/3 c celery, washed and chopped
6 cups chopped kale, washed
2 tsp chicken flavor better than bouillon
salt and pepper to taste
In a large soup pot, put potatoes and garlic clove. Cover generously with water and put over high heat. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook until potatoes are tender. Drain, reserving the liquid.
While potatoes are boiling, put porcini mushrooms in a 2 cup measuring cup and fill with hot water. Let soak. When tender, remove porcini mushrooms and dice. Reserve the liquid.
Once potatoes are draining, return soup pot to the stove and put over medium heat. Add olive oil and butter. When butter is melted, add leek and celery and cook until very tender. Add porcini mushrooms and kale and cook until kale is wilted but still bright green.
Return potatoes to the pot, pour in reserved mushroom liquid. Then add reserved potato liquid. You want to cover generously with liquid, so you may need to add additional water. Add bouillon, salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Cook for a few minutes, then remove from the heat. Using an immersion blender, very carefully blend the soup until smooth (depending on how finely you chopped the leeks, celery and kale, this might take a while). Once blended, return to heat and bring to temperature desired for serving.
And an alternate option:
Alteration: Replace porcini mushrooms with 3 cups fresh cremini mushrooms, chopped. Sautee mushrooms with leek and celery. One downside is that the mushrooms float and take a while to blend. It might be a good idea to process with an immersion blender before adding liquid and potatoes back to the pot (or with only a small amount of liquid). When using cremini mushrooms, add extra water to replace mushroom liquid.
Two years later...
It's like a movie segue. I guess I'm just bad about consistently keeping this blog rolling. If anyone out there still checks this, a new recipe for you. It's nothing fancy, just a quick meal that I put together last night (and again tonight). I wanted an omelet, but I didn't want a heavy one. So, I sauteed some vegetables (yellow bell pepper, shallots, and artichoke hearts) and decided I would see how pesto and avocado do as a substitute for cheese. I really enjoy this omelet, especially since it's out of the ordinary.
Omelet with Artichoke, Pesto, and Avocado
1/2 tbsp olive oil
1 small shallot, peeled and sliced
1/4 of a yellow bell pepper, chopped
3 artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1 tsp butter
3 eggs
pinch of salt
1/2 tbsp pesto
1/4 of an avocado, peeled and sliced
In a small frying pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the shallot, pepper, and artichoke hearts. Saute, stirring frequently, until pepper and shallots start to soften. Turn off the heat.
In a large frying pan, heat the butter over medium to medium low heat. Beat the 3 eggs with the salt in a bowl. Swirl the butter around in the pan to coat the bottom, then pour in the eggs. Once they are firm enough, use your spatula to loosen it from the bottom of the pan and flip. Spread the pesto onto half of the egg. Layer the avocado over that, and then add the sauteed vegetables over that. Fold the egg in half to cover the fillings and transfer to a plate.
I've been eating this with a side salad of green leaf lettuce and cherry tomatoes drizzled with balsamic vinegar. It's a nice little, fast meal.
Omelet with Artichoke, Pesto, and Avocado
1/2 tbsp olive oil
1 small shallot, peeled and sliced
1/4 of a yellow bell pepper, chopped
3 artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1 tsp butter
3 eggs
pinch of salt
1/2 tbsp pesto
1/4 of an avocado, peeled and sliced
In a small frying pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the shallot, pepper, and artichoke hearts. Saute, stirring frequently, until pepper and shallots start to soften. Turn off the heat.
In a large frying pan, heat the butter over medium to medium low heat. Beat the 3 eggs with the salt in a bowl. Swirl the butter around in the pan to coat the bottom, then pour in the eggs. Once they are firm enough, use your spatula to loosen it from the bottom of the pan and flip. Spread the pesto onto half of the egg. Layer the avocado over that, and then add the sauteed vegetables over that. Fold the egg in half to cover the fillings and transfer to a plate.
I've been eating this with a side salad of green leaf lettuce and cherry tomatoes drizzled with balsamic vinegar. It's a nice little, fast meal.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)