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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.