Quinoa Salad with Cranberries, Feta and Pepitas

Last weekend I hosted a baby shower for one of my friends who is expecting a baby boy in just a few weeks! The shower was at 11am, so I tried to create a menu that was substantial enough for lunch, but still light since it was earlier. I've been doing brunch so often lately, it was a nice change of pace to not have an egg-heavy menu! I tried to incorporate some of Leah's favorites, and then selfishly made something I knew I'd love. 

I literally can't get enough of grain based salads. They're so simple, but such a crowd pleaser. My standard formula is grain, fruit, cheese, nut, vegetable and dressing with fresh herbs. I took a chance with this one as the flavors didn't seem like they'd perfectly match, but this salad was fantastic. The feta's saltiness balanced out the sweet cranberries, the tangy lemon was cut with the bright mint, and the pepitas added crunch. I made a huge batch of this salad, so it might be necessary to halve or third it for a smaller meal, but leftovers aren't a bad thing either! 

Quinoa Salad with Cranberries, Feta and Pepitas

Veggie by Season original

1 lb. quinoa

4 c. vegetable stock

1/2 c. dried cranberries

1/2 c. pepitas

8 oz. feta, cubed or crumbled

2 scallions, thinly sliced

1/4 c. lemon juice

1/4 c. olive oil

1 tsp. sugar/honey/sweetener of choice

Kosher salt and black pepper

2 tbsp. fresh minced mint leaves

Place quinoa in a fine mesh strainer and rinse under cold water until it runs clear.

Bring stock to a boil in a large pot, add quinoa, turn to medium-low and simmer uncovered for 15-20 minutes until quinoa has plumped and 'tails' spring out.

Pour into mesh strainer, drain and cool for 10 minutes, then add to a mixing bowl and place in the refrigerator until thoroughly cooled (can be done a day in advance).

Add cranberries, pepitas, feta and scallions to quinoa, toss.

Add lemon juice, olive oil, sugar, salt, pepper and mint to a dish, whisk, taste and season as necessary.

Pour dressing over salad and toss. 

Pour into a serving dish, garnish with extra mint and serve chilled.

Carrot Soup with Tahini and Crisped Chickpeas

Every week for the past few weeks, I come home from the CSA with 3 lbs. of carrots. Literally, I'm turning orange. Most of the time I peel, slice and pop them in the fridge for snacking, but I still have a surplus. I did a little googling for carrot soup, and found this recent entry from Smitten Kitchen. Her photographs are beautiful, and put mine to shame! 

The soup is flavorful from the super fresh carrots, the tahini, some spice, and of course the floating crisped chickpeas are a nice little treat. I used quite a bit more spice than her original recipe, I like things extra flavorful! Rather than use her tahini cream swirl method, I crumbled in some feta and added the tahini directly to the soup. We enjoyed this soup with some pita wedges (sprinkled with za'atar and baked) and tabbouli. While we both loved the soup, it was the snack-able, addictive chickpeas that stole the show! 

Carrot Soup with Tahini and Crisped Chickpeas

slightly adapted from Smitten Kitchen 

Soup:
2 tbsp. olive oil
2 lbs. carrots, peeled and diced
1 onion, finely chopped
4-6 cloves of garlic, peeled and smashed
1 tsp. ground corriander
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. salt
Pinch of red pepper flakes
4 c. vegetable stock
1/4 c. tahini
1/2 c. Feta, crumbled
4 pitas, cut into wedges
1 tbsp. Za'atar

Chickpeas:
2 c. cooked chickpeas (I use dried, canned are fine, too)
1 tbsp. olive oil (I used cilantro-onion from The Olive Leaf)
1/2 tsp. coarse salt
1/4 tsp. ground cumin

Heat olive oil in a dutch oven over medium heat.
Add carrots, onion, garlic, coriander, cumin, salt and red pepper flakes. Saute' until they begin to brown, about 15 minutes.
Toss chickpeas with olive oil, salt and cumin on a baking sheet, roast at 425* until crisp, stir occasionally.
Once vegetables have browned, add stock, and scrape up bits stuck to the bottom. Cover and simmer until carrots are tender, about 15 more minutes.
Remove chickpeas from the oven, place pita wedges on another baking sheet, sprinkle with za'atar and bake until crisp.
Puree soup using an immersion blender or by transferring to a blender, blend until smooth.
Turn heat off and stir in tahini, taste and adjust seasonings.
Ladle into bowls, top with feta, chickpeas and serve with pita.

Israeli Cous Cous and Acorn Squash Salad

Just when I thought I was finished with Acorn Squash recipe research, the CSA email came announcing I'd get two in my share. Again, I browsed a few of my favorite recipe banks and found this salad. As I said in a previous post, I love grain based salads with veggies, herbs, dried fruit, nuts, you name it! So When I found this salad, it looked like it would be great.

The ingredient list is a bit lengthy for a simple salad, but many of the ingredients are herbs and spices that you'll likely have on hand. I used basil rather than mint because I have it growing in my garden, but other than that I made no substitutions. (I did forget to add the almonds for the photo, but added them just before we ate this, oops!). The cous cous was a bit sticky, and I didn't want to add a ton of olive oil, so I added a few splashes of balsamic vinegar, and it worked really well, adding just enough extra flavor and moisture without compromising the original recipe's flavors. If you can't find Israeli cous cous, or don't want a white pasta, you can easily sub in wheat berries, barley, quinoa, millet, or regular wheat cous cous.

Israeli Cous Cous with Acorn Squash, Feta and Almonds

slightly adapted from Williams-Sonoma

3/4 c. slivered almonds

1 tbsp. chopped fresh sage

Kosher salt

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 tsp. chili powder

1 tsp. fresh ground black pepper

2 acorn squash (about 2.5 lbs)

1 tbsp. olive oil

2 c. Israeli cous cous

6 oz. feta cheese, crumbled 

1/4 c. basil leaves, torn

2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar

Preheat oven to 350*

Place almonds on a baking sheet, toast until fragrant and browned, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Transfer to a plate and set aside.

In a small bowl, combine sage, 1 tsp. salt, cinnamon, chili powder and pepper, stir well.

Peel squash, cut into 1/2" cubes. 

Toss with 1 tbsp. olive oil, add to a baking sheet and toss with seasoning mixture.

Roast for an hour, until lightly browned and easily pierced with a knife. 

Bring large pot of water to a boil, add cous cous and cook for 5 minutes, until softened, drain in a mesh colander and rinse with cool water.

Transfer the cous cous to a platter, fluff, add squash, almonds, feta and basil (or mint), drizzle with balsamic vinegar and serve warmed to room temperature.

Quinoa, Garbanzo and Spinach Salad with Smoked Paprika Dressing

As much as I hate to admit it, some of the cheapest organic produce I can find comes from Sam's Club. The reason I feel so much shame is because I've developed a relationship with the farmers at the market, and believe they deserve my business. I would have to research more, but I assume Sam's Club has a greater carbon footprint with their produce. However, they have giant tubs of organic spinach for about $4, 5 lbs. of organic baby carrots for $5, and occasionally I'll spot some other organic goods, like apples and pears. I've read that when given the choice between organic and local, it's best to choose local. Spinach is #6 on the dirty dozen list, so I feel that choosing organic is more important than local in this case. But do you ever feel like the more you learn, the more torn you are? I'm so happy there's a wealth of information available, but it leaves me wondering if I'm making the best choice. 

I haven't yet read the Omnivore's dilemma, but have you? Does it touch on these issues? 

I found this recipe in the July issue of bon apetit magazine, and added it to my "to-make" list right away. Not only is it vegetarian, full of protein, cool and easy, it had a very interesting twist - smoked paprika! I absolutely love the smoky, sweet and interesting flavor of smoked paprika. It's definitely one of those spices that adds so much character and depth to a dish. I especially like to sneak it in any cumin/chili powder combination recipe. I had a hard time finding it a few years ago, so I bought a pound from Penzey's. Needless to say, I try to find recipes that use it up. A pound of Smoked Paprika goes a very, very long way! 

Keeping up with the in-season produce can be pretty obvious, it's what's available at the farmer's market, and what's at rock-bottom prices in the grocery store. However, if you're interested in learning more, I added a widget on the left side of the blog that shows you seasonal produce. You can use the drop down arrows to choose the state you live in, and the month you're looking for. Right now, avocados are in season here, so I added them to this dish, but kept everything else as written. 

This dish was fantastic when I had it for dinner, but I have to say the leftovers were possibly better! The ingredients had time to marinade together, the spinach wilted a bit more, and the feta softened a bit and melted right into the dish. 

VBS Tips and Trades:

-If you're interested in learning about the "Dirty Dozen" and "Clean 15", go to this website, enter your email address and you can print off a small guide to take with you on your food shopping trips. I have it taped on the inside of my coupon carrier! 

-If you don't have sherry vinegar on hand, try using a squeeze of lemon juice to freshen up the dish a bit more.

Quinoa, Garbanzo and Spinach Salad with Smoked Paprika Dressing

slightly adapted from bon appetit, July 2010

1 c. quinoa, rinsed well

2 c. water

4 c. baby spinach leaves

1 15 oz. can chick peas

1 c. cubed English cucumber

2 heirloom tomatoes, seeded and diced

1/4 c. mint leaves, torn

1/2 c. crumbled feta 

3 tbsp. sherry vinegar

2 tbsp. EVOO

Salt and fresh cracked black pepper

2 tsp. smoked paprika

1 avocado, diced

Bring water to a boil in a small stock pot, add quinoa.

Bring to a boil, turn heat to low. 

Cook for 12-16 minutes, until tender, set aside to cool.

Add spinach to a large bowl, top with quinoa, toss a bit and set aside to allow warm quinoa to wilt spinach.

In a small dish, whisk together vinegar, EVOO, salt, pepper and paprika.

Add chick peas, cucumber, tomatoes and mint to salad, toss well to combine.

Add crumbled feta and avocado, drizzle with dressing and gently toss.

Serve at room temperature immediately, or refrigerate until serving. 

Mediterranean Veggie Flatbread Pizza

Thursday night tends to be pizza night in our home. It used to be Friday, but now I find myself so tired from the week that Friday is generally eat out night. Every week when I'm working on the menu, I ask JJ what kind of pizza he wants. Sometimes he'll answer, but he's constantly challenging me to create something new. I've had a few great successes with this, including these pizzas: Chicken Mole Pizza, Caribbean Jerk Chicken Pizza, and Grilled Zucchini, Goat Cheese and Prosciutto Pizza. 

I tend to struggle with creating vegetarian pizzas because they're always lacking protein. I've made Greek or Mediterranean pizzas before, but they had prosciutto. So for this pizza, I had an idea to use hummus as the sauce, and then top it with vegetables. However, I didn't want to cook the hummus, so I decided to cook the crust, top it with hummus, vegetables and cheese, and then broil it. This method worked exactly as I had hoped! It would also make for a delicious grilled pizza, if you desire! 

Note: I pre-cook my zucchini, but not all other vegetables. If you don't mind your zucchini on the raw side, you can just add them at the end. 

Mediterranean Veggie Flatbread Pizza

1 pizza crust (recipe below)

1 batch of hummus (recipe below)

1 medium zucchini, sliced thin

1 15 oz. can quartered artichoke hearts

2 roasted red peppers, sliced

2 slices red onion

1/4 cup halved olives

1/2 c. crumbled feta

1 tbsp. pizza or Mediterranean seasonings

(my pizza seasoning has fennel seed, crushed fennel, red pepper flakes, rubbed sage, salt, pepper and oregano)

Whole Wheat Mix pizza crust (makes 2, 10" crusts):

1 packet fast acting yeast

1 tbsp. honey

1 1/4 cup warm water

1 1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour

1 cup unbleached all purpose flour

1 tsp. salt

1 tbsp. EVOO

In a standing mixer with the dough hook on, add water, honey and yeast, stir to combine, set aside for 5 minutes, until yeast froths.

Add 1 c. whole wheat flour, salt, EVOO and AP flour to mixer. 

Turn on low and begin to mix. 

Add more whole wheat flour as necessary if dough is too sticky, alternately add water if it's too dry. 

Knead on medium-low speed for 5 minutes, set aside to proof.

Punch down, divide in half. 

If only using 1 crust, the other can be wrapped loosely in plastic (it will continue to rise), put in a freezer bag, and frozen.

Roll or stretch out pizza crust over parchment, set aside. 

Original Hummus

15 oz. can of chickpeas, drained (or 2 c. cooked)

2 tbsp. well-stirred tahini

1 lemon, juiced

1/2 tsp. cumin

1/2 tsp. salt

2 tsp. EVOO

Add chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice, cumin, salt and EVOO to a food processor.

Process until very smooth, adding water, tahini or EVOO to thin, about 5 minutes.

Refrigerate until using.

Preheat oven to 425*

Slice zucchini, spray a baking sheet with nonstick spray, add zucchini, season with salt and pepper. 

Place in the oven.

Place pizza pan/baking sheet in oven.

Roll crust out on parchment, pierce the center a few times with a fork.

Drizzle with 1 tsp. EVOO.

Place crust, on parchment, on pizza pan.

Bake for 12-15 minutes, until golden brown and crusty on bottom.

Remove pizza pan with crust as well as zucchini from the oven.

Turn oven off, and broiler on high.

Slather with hummus, top with vegetables, cheese and sprinkle with seasoning.

Place under the boiler for 2-4 minutes, until cheese is melty and vegetables are hot.

Mashed Cauliflower with Hummus and Feta

I almost didn't think I should blog this recipe because it's hardly a recipe. However, it was one of the most delicious vegetable side dishes I've made in a long time. I know there are those out there who substitute cauliflower mash for mashed potatoes, but it's not the same. Not at all! Cauliflower has it's own amazing flavor, texture, and sometimes I prefer it to mashed potatoes. Yes, it is lower in calories and has a different nutritional profile, but there's nothing wrong with eating potatoes in moderation.

I've made quite a few cauliflower purees and mashes, recipes can be seen here and here. As I've said, JJ doesn't like cauliflower, so it has become a treat for me to enjoy when he's not home at dinner. Isn't it odd when you look at cauliflower as a treat? Oh well, I'll be the odd girl, cause I just can't get enough! What I tend to do is just pick up a head, and then see what my inspiration is the night I'm preparing it. So for this one, I had a hummus surplus, and a few random cheeses to choose from. I guess I took it in a Mediterranean direction, but really, I took it in a delicious bowl of comfort and flavor direction.

Mashed Cauliflower with Hummus and Feta

1 head of cauliflower, stemmed and cut into florets

1 cup vegetable stock

Salt and pepper

Pinch of dried oregano

Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes

1/4 cup plain hummus, plus extra for garnish

1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese, plus extra for garnish

Place cauliflower in a pot, add stock, salt and pepper.

Cover, bring to a boil, turn to low and simmer for 8-10 minutes.

Pierce with a knife, cauliflower should be tender and most of stock will be evaporated.

Remove from heat, add oregano, red pepper, hummus and feta.

Use a potato masher and mash to desired consistency.

Garnish with an extra dollop of hummus and sprinkle of feta.

Minted Orzo and Zucchini Salad

I often have readers, friends and family ask me how I keep coming up with recipes to blog about, or where I find many of the recipes I make. I honestly am constantly on the look-out for delicious recipes that fit my style. Some of my favorite resources are magazines like Eating Well, Clean Eating, Real Simple, Cooking Light, and Vegetarian Times. I also like to search other blogs, many of which I have linked to on here. I also take cookbooks out of the library every now and then, especially when I am cooking ethnically. Lastly, there are a few websites I like to browse, like Whole Foods, Williams-Sonoma, and Foodtv.

This salad comes from the Whole Foods website. I was looking for a one-pot-dinner-salad type meal, which is my current meal of choice (if you haven't noticed...) This was the first one that popped up, and lucky me, my herb garden has taken off, and mint is abundant!

I ate this salad warm/room temperature, but Whole Foods suggests serving it chilled. I think it would be delicious either way! I also didn't have Kalamata Olives, so I substituted generic green Spanish olives.

Minted Orzo and Zucchini Salad

from WholeFoods.com

1 cup dried orzo
2 large zucchini, thickly sliced
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons chopped mint
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
6 ounces feta cheese, cut into cubes
1/2 cup pitted Kalamata olives
2 ripe tomatoes, chopped
Ground black pepper to taste

Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
Add orzo and cook until al dente, 8 to 10 minutes.
Drain well, rinse in cold water and drain again.
Meanwhile, arrange a rack about 6 inches from the heating element and preheat broiler.
Brush zucchini with 1 tablespoon oil and arrange on a baking sheet.
Broil, flipping halfway through, until tender and deep golden brown, 6 to 8 minutes.
Set aside to let cool and then roughly chop and transfer to a large bowl.
Add remaining 2 tablespoons oil, orzo, lemon juice, mint, garlic, feta, olives, tomatoes and black pepper and gently toss to combine.
Cover and chill for several hours until flavors blend.

Mediterranean Cous Cous

When it comes to a quick, easy side dish, cous cous really can't be beat. It only takes about 5 minutes to cook, can be flavored a million ways, and doesn't leave you slaving over the stove!

You can purchase boxes of cous cous with little seasoning packets, but it's so much cheapier, healthier, and more versatile to buy a big container of plain cous cous. For dinner I had prepared baked falafel, so I took my cous cous in the Mediteranean direction. I simply sauteed some vegetables, added stock and cous cous, and then finished it with fresh herbs and feta cheese. It was so incredably flavorful, but quick and easy to make!

Mediterranean Cous Cous

1 tbsp EVOO

1/4 cup red onion, minced

1 garlic clove, minced

1/2 red bell pepper, finely diced

Salt and pepper

1 1/4 c. vegetable stock

3/4 c. cous cous

1 tsp. fresh oregano, minced

1 tsp. fresh mint, minced

1/4 c. feta cheese, crumbled

5 green olives, sliced

Heat EVOO in a small soup pot over medium heat.

Add onion, garlic and red bell pepper.

Season with salt and pepper.

Saute' for 5 minutes, until softened.

Add stock to vegetables, turn heat to high, bring to a boil.

Pour in cous cous, stir, cover and turn heat off.

Rest for 5 minutes.

Remove lid, fluff cous cous with a fork, toss in herbs, cheese and olives.

Spinach, Strawberry and Feta Wheatberry Salad

Just about every restaurant that serves lunch-time salad and sandwich fare has a variety of the spinach, strawberry and feta salad on the menu. I usually find myself torn between this salad and the usual asian chicken salad. Sometimes it's served with grilled chicken, toasted almonds, or red onion slices. The optional add-ons are endless!

In order to make this a heartier, dinner salad, I decided to introduce a grain. I looked through the pantry and passed on quinoa, barley and rice, and settled on wheatberries, one of my new favorites! I love the texture of these, there's a bit of chewiness and they just taste healthy, but not in the alfalfa-wheat grass shot way.

I made a simple, light dressing for this salad, and served it at room temperature, next time I might add some sliced almonds for crunch, and some sliced chicken breasts or tempeh for protein.

Spinach, Strawberry and Feta Wheatberry Salad

1/2 cup wheatberries

1/2 tsp. salt

4 cups baby spinach leaves, packed

10 strawberries, stemmed and sliced

1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

honey-balsamic dressing:

1 shallot, minced

1 tsp. tarragon, minced

1 tbsp. honey

1/4 c. aged balsamic vinegar

2 tbsp. EVOO

Salt and pepper

Add wheatberries to a bowl with 4 cups of water, cover and soak overnight.

Drain wheatberries, add to a soup pot with 1.5 cups of water and salt, bring to a boil, turn to low and simmer for 45 minutes to an hour.

Taste to determine if wheatberry is cooked enough, drain any excess water and turn heat off.

Add spinach, toss and wilt.

Whisk together dressing ingredients in a serving bowl, taste and adjust.

Drain wheatberries and spinach, add to dressing and toss.

Cool to room temperature, add stawberries and feta, toss and serve.

Pumpkin Ravioli with Cilantro Pesto and Artichokes

Last week, I made this delicious dinner, Pumpkin Ravioli in Broth with Vegetables and Beans. As I described in the post, I have a deep love of all things pumpkin, especially ravioli, but have a hard time finding sauces that aren't cream based. That recipe was a huge success, and I almost made it again with my leftover frozen ravioli!

But as I was making the ravioli that Saturday afternoon, I was brainstorming on what to do with the leftovers. See, ravioli making is a process, so when you commit to it, you might as well go all out and make a few batches. I'm hoping to one day locate ravioli forms, which do make it a bit easier, but for now, it's truly a from scratch, handmade affair.

My thoughts went from sauce to sauce, I didn't want something heavy, and since it was a weeknight, I needed something fast. Enter pesto. I absolutely love pestos of all kinds, from the flavorful fresh herbs to the variety of cheese and nut combinations, it's truly a clean out the fridge type sauce that seems elegant and is just so simple to make. One of it's downfalls though is though it's not creamy, it can still be very high in calories and fat. Though nuts and EVOO contain the 'good fats', and the calories are from a good source, it needs to be kept in check.

I like to make my pesto on the thicker side and use a bit of the starchy cooking water to thin it. I also opt for less nuts and cheese, and really pack it with herbs. The best part of making a pesto is it's foolproof. Keep adding the ingredients until you reach the consistency and flavor balance you want.

These ravioli would pair well with almost any herb, basil would highlight the sweet flavors, parsley would make it more earthy, spinach would also work well, but I chose cilantro. Pumpkin and cilantro are a common combination in Indian and Thai cooking, and they really complient eachother well. I chose to add some artichokes because I wanted more vegetables, but roasted red peppers would also be a nice addition!

I see another weekend of ravioli making in my future because it literally took just a few minutes to throw this dish together for an easy weeknight meal.

Pumpkin Ravioli with Cilantro Pesto and Artichokes

1 dozen Pumpkin Ravioli

1 can of quartered artichoke hearts

1 bunch of cilantro, about 2 cups, packed

2 garlic cloves, smashed

1/4 cup reduced fat feta cheese

Handful of almonds

1 tbsp. EVOO

Salt and pepper

1 tbsp - 1/4 cup reserved cooking liquid

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt and add ravioli.

Add cilantro, garlic, feta and almonds to a food processer.

Pulse to create small bits.

Season with salt and pepper, add EVOO, pulse again.

Use a measuring cup and spoon out some of the ravioli water, drizzle into food processor and pulse to create desited consistency.

Add half the pesto to a bowl, drain ravioli, add to the bowl, top with the remaining pesto.

Gently toss to coat, add artichokes, toss, top with extra feta and serve.

Nectarine and Heirloom Tomato Salad

I have this hi-tech system for saving recipes that I want to make in the future. It's called ripping them out of magazines and shoving them in a binder. Genius, right? I subscribe to so many magazines, and once a month after reading them, I flip through and tear out and recipes I want to try, sometimes I just tear out the photos though, and leave myself with no clue as to which magazine it came from. Some magazines are smart and put the name next to the page number, but not all. This magazine was one of them!

Since I only had a photo to work from, I had to kind of go with it and make it my own. I did keep the two obvious ingredients - nectarines and heirloom tomatoes, but the rest was a mystery. It looked like a sprinkle of some cheese on top, some red onions, herbs and a dressing. I decided to put this on a bed of lettuce rather than just arrange it on a plate. I topped it with crumbled feta to balance out the sweetness of the nectarines, but goat cheese would be a great substitution!

For the dressing, I went with a simple honey mustard, but the recipe looked like a balsamic vinaigrette because of the purple-ish tint. It's all about what you can do with what you have, and this made a delicious salad to pair with the previous grain pilaf!

Nectarine and Heirloom Tomato Salad

1 head of romaine lettuce, or any mixed greens

1 nectarine, sliced

2 heirloom tomatoes, sliced

1/4 cup red onion slivers

2 tbsp. feta cheese crumbles

2 tbsp. honey dijon dressing, recipe follows

Honey Dijon Dressing:

2 tbsp. honey

3 tbsp. dijon mustard

1 tbsp. minced tarragon

Salt and pepper

2 tbsp. greek or regular plain yogurt

2 tbsp. EVOO

Whisk together all ingredients, taste and adjust seasonings (these are all approximations, your tastes may require more or less of a certain ingredient).

Arrange salad in a shallow bowl or platter, drizzle with dressing and serve.

Corriander Roasted Carrots with Feta and Cilantro

This recipe is a simple side dish that is bright and colorful, and great for spring! It is inspired by a recent Martha Stewart Magazine recipe for Roasted Carrots with Parsley. I used to have an aversion to parsley, but now I enjoy it in dishes like Tabouli or as the base of a pesto. However, I still prefer many other fresh herbs and enjoy their stronger flavors, so if I see a recipe with parsley, I tend to look for other herbs to substitute. The other change I made to this recipe was to add some spice to the carrots. When roasted, they become very sweet, the feta adds a salty punch, so I wanted an earthy flavor and a bright flavor. That's where I brought in a double punch of cilantro and corriander. Because corriander is the seed of the cilantro plant, they have similar flavor profiles, but are also quite different. The corriander adds a smoky quality, and the cilantro adds a bright, fresh punch of flavor. They compliment eachother very well in this recipe and add depth of flavor to a rather simple side dish.

Corriander Roasted Carrots with Feta and Cilantro

5 lbs. medium carrots, peeled and cut on a bias

2 tbsp. EVOO

Salt and Pepper

1/2 tsp. ground corriander

1/2 cup chopped cilantro

1/2 cup crumbled feta

Preaheat oven to 450 degrees.

Toss carrots in EVOO, salt, pepper and corriander on a baking sheet.

Roast for 15 minutes, flip and toss with a spatula, roast for another 5-10 minutes, until tender and caramelized.

Remove from the oven, spoon into a bowl, top with cilantro and feta and serve.

Creamy Barley with Tomato and Greens

When I was 12 years old, I decided to become a vegetarian. I have never really enjyoed eating meat, so I didn't feel like I was missing out. When I went away to college in North Carolina, the vegetarian options were slim to none, so I ate whatever I could find, which included bringing meat back into my diet.

For the past few years, cooking in my own kitchen, I have been an omnivore. Primarily because it's just easier than cooking two separate meals for my husband and I. There are also so many delicious recipes that I wanted to make that just don't translate as well to vegetarianism, and when cooked well, I do enjoy meat. However, in the past year I've read more and more about the benefits of eating mostly or all vegetarian meals, and many of the reasons I became vegetarian in the first place have resurfaced. You might have noticed that many of my recipes have been vegetarian entrees, or meals like this. When I make a heartier vegetable/starch combo dish, I can simply add a different protein to JJ's bowl and to mine. I made JJ a chicken sausage, and I stirred cannelini beans into my dish at the end.

This recipe caught my eye because it looked similar to a risotto, but is made with barley, which I love. It also is packed with nutrients and flavor, but is simple and each ingredient shines through.

Creamy Barley with Tomato and Greens

adapted from Real Simple, February 2010

1 tbsp olive oil

1 large onion, finely chopped
Kosher salt and black pepper
1 cup pearled barley
2 cups vegetable stock
1 15 oz can fire-roasted diced tomatoes, drained
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 8 oz. bag frozen spinach or 4 cups fresh baby spinach leaves, thawed and drained
1/4 cup feta cheese
Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
Pinch of oregano


Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.
Add the onion, salt, and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 6 to 8 minutes.
Add the barley, tomatoes, wine, and stock and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the barley is tender, about 18-20 minutes.
Add the spinach, crushed red pepper and oregano.
Stir well, taste and asjust seasonings.
Divide among bowls and sprinkle with the feta.

Spinach, Pear and Walnut Pinwheels & Roasted Pepper, Hummus and Feta Pinwheels

The other cold appetizer selections for the housewarming party were these pinwheels. I have made the Spinach, Pear and Walnut variety many times because I love them. I wanted to make another type though, so I decided to pair together some of my favorite Mediterranean ingredients - roasted red peppers, hummus and feta cheese. I used Christmas colored wraps, but you can use any wrap you'd like. I forgot to get toothpicks, but these held together well without the toothpicks.

Pear, Spinach and Walnut Pinwheels (Makes 48)

1 package of 8 sun dried tomato tortillas
1 block reduced fat cream cheese
1/2 c. toasted walnuts, crumbled
1 tbsp. butter
1 bag baby spinach, shredded
2 pears, peeled, cored and diced small
Salt and Pepper

Set cream cheese on counter to soften.
Heat a large nonstick skillet to medium heat.
Melt butter and add pears, cook until pears are slightly softened, about 8 minutes.
In another non-stick skillet over high, lighty wilt spinach, then place in a colander over the sink.
Lay out tortillas and smear with cream cheese, sprinkle with salt and pepper, top with crushed walnuts, and some of the pears and spinach.
Roll up and put into a food storage container seam side down.
Finish all rolls and chill for at least 4 hours, or overnight.

Before serving, stick in toothpicks, slice off edges of tortillas, then cut each roll into 6 pieces.

Roasted Red Pepper, Hummus and Feta Pinwheels

1 pack of 8 spinach tortillas

8 oz. hummus, homemade or store bought
3 roasted red peppers, sliced

1 cup crumbled feta

Smear tortillas with hummus, place red pepper strips on top, sprinkle with feta.

Roll tightly and place into a food storage container seam side down.

Chill for 4 hours or overnight.

Before serving, stick in toothpicks, slice off edges and cut each roll into 6 pieces.

Chopped Greek Salad in Phyllo Cups

The first appetizer I'm posting from our Housewarming Party is one of my personal favorites, Chopped Greek Salad in Phyllo Cups. It's not a very innovative recipe, but they're really cute, have great stage presence, are easy to make tons of, and taste wonderful! The great thing about these are you can do any variation of ingredients or ethnicities, like a chopped asian salad, chopped cobb salad, indian salad with tahini dressing, tex mex with black beans, corn and avocado....the list is endless!

Making the cups was actually very easy, and took about an hour to make about 100 cups (which was way more than we needed, but I snacked on them the next few days). If you don't want to mess with the phyllo, you can also use wontons or even tortillas. I personally enjoy phyllo the most, probably because of the golden color and buttery crunch!

I made the phyllo cups the night before the party and loosely wrapped them in saran wrap. I chopped all the veggies and put them in tupperware, then tossed the salad in the dressing right before I spooned them into the cups.

Chopped Greek Salad in Phyllo Cups

cups:

1 package of phyllo, defrosted in the refrigerator

1 stick of butter, melted

salad:

1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and minced

1 english cucumber, seeded and minced

1/2 pint of cherry tomatoes, seeded and minced (or 1/2 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes)

1 cup green olives, chopped

1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

dressing:
1 tsp. minced fresh oregano
1 tbsp. minced fresh parsley
1/4 cup EVOO
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 tsp. honey
(or 1/2 cup prepared greek dressing or a vinaigrette)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Roll out phyllo on counter, cover with a damp towel.
Melt the butter in a small dish.
Place a piece of phyllo on a cutting board, brush with butter, repeat 4 times.
Using a pizza cutter, slice into 3" squares.
Press into a mini muffin tin.
Bake for 5-7 minutes, until golden brown.
Pop out, cool on a wire rack, keep in an air-tight container for up to 3 days.

Add all salad ingredients, toss.
Spoon into phyllo cups, garnish with extra herbs.

Yield: 100 cups and enough salad for about 50 cups

Spaghetti Squash with Spinach, Raisins, Pecans and Feta

One of my favorite blogs is Cara's Cravings. She cooks very healthy meals, and they're always creative and innovative and seasonal! Lately Cara has had one squash/pumpkin recipe after another, and I've been drooling over her blog! I saw this recipe pop up in my google reader, and put it on my menu for last week. I made it as a side dish to the Pumpkin-Turkey Meatloaf. It was the most delicious fall recipe, like a warm salad in a squash bowl!

Spaghetti Squash with Spinach, Raisins and Nuts

by Cara

1 large spaghetti squash, roasted, seeds discarded

1 tbsp olive oil

1 sliced sweet onion

1 10 oz package fresh spinach, thick stems removed

1/4 c. walnuts (I used pecans)

1/4 c. raisins

2 oz. feta cheese, crumbled

Pinch of nutmeg

Salt & pepper

*I also topped this with some minced raw red onion

Toast the walnuts in a dry skillet over low heat.

Remove from heat when they are fragrant and just beginning to brown.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil over medium heat.

Cook the onions until soft and translucent, about 10 minutes.

Add the spinach, cover, and let cook until the spinach is wilted down, about 5 minutes.

Use two forks to remove the stringy flesh from the cooked spaghetti squash.

Toss this with the spinach and onions, and season with salt, pepper and nutmeg.

Add the walnuts and raisins and heat through.

Mix in about half of the crumbled feta, and top with the rest of the cheese to serve.

Spanikopita Pasta Salad

I love spanikopita, but for a weeknight meal, it's a little involved. I took all of the flavors and ingredients and tossed them with some orzo (because I had it on hand, but any pasta will do). I thought this was a great pasta salad. My mom has always added cottage cheese to her spanikopita filling, so I never realized it wasn't a traditional ingredient. I wasn't sure it would work in this dish, but it made it creamy without being too heavy. It can be left out, and more feta added, but I think it adds an interesting flavor and texture to the dish.
This can be served immediatly at a warm temperature, or it can be chilled, or anywhere in between. We had ours immediately, warm, JJ's with a chicken breast and mine with a morningstar farm's chik'n patty (the new italian herb seasoned patties are delicious!)

Spanikopita Pasta Salad

1/2 lb. short cut pasta

2 tbsp. EVOO

1 yellow onion, minced

2 garlic cloves, minced

Salt and pepper

4 cups fresh spinach, roughly chopped

1 tsp. fresh minced oregano (or 1/2 tsp. dried)

1 tsp. chopped fresh dill

Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes

1 cup lowfat cottage cheese

6 oz. crumbled feta cheese

Bring a pot of water to a boil, salt heavily and add pasta. Cook according to package directions to al dente, drain and add to a mixing bowl.

Heat a skillet over medium heat, add EVOO, onion, garlic, salt and pepper.

Saute' for 6-8 minutes, or until onions are soft and slightly caramelized.

Add spinach, toss and wilt.

Add mixture to the orzo. , stir to combine.

Add herbs, crushed red pepper, cottage cheese and feta cheese, toss and serve or chill and serve later.

Linguini and Vegetables in Saffron Broth

A few weeks ago at a restaurant in Bloomington I had a dish similar to this. My only compaint was it didn't have enough veggies! The sauce was also a cream sauce, so I took the cream out and left it in the broth. It was a bit slurpy, but absolutely delicious. For the pasta, I tried a 3:1 whole wheat to all purpose, which turned out much better than I anticpated!

Linguini with Vegetables in Saffron Broth

1 c. whole wheat flour

1/3 c. AP flour

2 eggs

8 oz. cremini mushrooms, quartered

2 c. vegetable stock

1/2 tsp. saffron threads (a hefty pinch)

4 c. baby spinach leaves

1 15 oz. can artichoke hearts, halved

1 roasted yellow bell pepper, peeled and sliced

1/2 c. halved cherry tomatoes

1/2 c. crumbled feta

salt and pepper

Follow this guide on how to make fresh pasta with the first 3 ingredients listed

Heat a deep saute' pan over medium heat.
Add 1 tbsp. EVOO and mushrooms.
Sweat for 4-5 minutes, add broth and saffron.
Bring to a simmer.
Add the spinach and wilt into the broth (or to remove a bit of the biterness, saute' in a seperate pan and then add to the broth).
Cook pasta, drain, add to the broth along with peppers and artichokes.
Plate with a slotted spoon, add a splash of broth over top.
Top with cherry tomatoes and feta.

Pasta with Lentils and Artichoke

For dinner tonight, I went back to my favorite cookbook, Moosewood Low-Fat Favorites. I haven't had a single thing from that cookbook that I haven't enjoyed! I had a can of artichokes on hand, so I flipped to the index and found this recipes using them. I don't think I've ever seen a dish that combined lentils and pasta, so I was intrigued. As I read the ingredient list, I was surprised at the combination of flavors. I was expecting an Italian style dish with the pasta, tomatoes, artichokes, onions and garlic, but then I got to cumin, corriander, lemon, feta... much different that what I expected!
The overall dish, however, was a HUGE success! Though it's a tomato based sauce, the lentils add a creamy texture. The lemon, corriander and cumin brighten up the dish, but aren't over powering. The feta adds a nice bite, but is also very creamy when warmed. Overall this was a seriously delicious meal and Moosewood did not let me down!
Note - the original recipe uses farfalle, but the only short cut pasta I could find that was both organic and whole wheat was fusilli.
Also, I halved the lentils and pasta amounts, but kept the sauce and veggies the same.

Pasta with Lentils and Artichoke

Moosewood Low-Fat Favorites

1 cup dry red lentils

1 bay leaf

3 cups water

2 cups diced onions

2 large garlic cloves, pressed or minced

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground coriander

2 tablespoons lemon juice

2 cups canned tomatoes (I used 1 15 oz. can organic unsalted diced tomatoes)

1 1/2 cups artichoke hearts (I used 1 15 oz. can whole hearts, halved

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper

1 pound farfalle

salt and pepper to taste

Garnish with crumbled feta cheese

Combine the water, lentils, and bay leaf, bring to a boil, lower the heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes.

Bring a pot of water to a boil, add salt and pasta. Cook to al dente.

Heat a large saucepan over medium heat.

Add 1 tbsp. EVOO, saute onions until golden, about 5 minutes.

Add the garlic, cumin, and coriander, stir frequently.

Add the lemon juice, tomatoes, artichoke hearts and crushed red pepper and simmer for 10 minutes.

Season with salt and pepper.

Add lentils and pasta to the tomato mixture.

Toss, plate and serve with crumbled feta.

Cous Cous Stuffed Tomatoes

For dinner tonight, I'm showcasing the SuperFood Tomatoes. I thought I'd utilize tomatoes in two different forms, fresh heirloom tomatoes and herb sun dried tomatoes. I made a simple cous cous salad and stuffed fresh tomatoes. These are very versatile though, they can be baked off, but I don't like warm/cooked chunks of tomato, so I served mine cold/room temp.

I used Israeli cous cous because it's all they have in the bulk bins, and I didn't need a whole box, just 2/3 c.

Cous Cous Stuffed Tomatoes

2 large heirloom tomatoes, top sliced off and hollowed out

Salt and pepper

1 c. organic chicken or vegetable stock
2/3 c. Israeli cous cous

1/4 red onion, minced

10 oil packed sun dried tomatoes with herbs

2 oz crumbled feta

2 tbsp. minced parsley

1 tsp. minced oregano or 1/4 tsp. dried

Salt and pepper

Bring stock to a boil in a small soup pot.

Add cous cous, turn heat off, stir cous cous, cover.

Let it sit for 10 minutes, in the mean time, add remaining ingredients to a bowl.

Toss gently, add cous cous and toss.

Season tomatoes with salt and pepper, spoon in cous cous salad.

Refrigerate until eating or bake at 350 for 30 minutes.