Tabbouleh for the Parsley Hater

If you read my blog often, you'll see just about every vegetable and herb in the world appear from time to time. There are a few you'll rarely, if ever see. Celery and Parsley. Hate them. Ok, hate is a strong word. I hate celery. I just don't like parsley. I don't really understand it. To me, it doesn't have much flavor, so why use something with little flavor when you could use basil.... or cilantro... or mint! And yes, this comes from the girl who could tear up giant iceberg lettuce wedges. But I digress.

So parsley. I've been learning to like it more. I suppose it's like any ingredient, when you use it well, it makes a dish. Tabbouleh is a parsley salad, with the other ingredients simply filling in the holes. So I found that making tabbouleh with bunches and bunches of parsley and a tiny bit of bulgur was too much for me. I can take it to 50/50 parsley to 'other stuff,' but I don't know if I'll make it beyond that. I need the other stuff, which isn't necessarily traditional either.

I will say that if you've got mint growing in your garden like weeds, this is the dish for you. I used 2 bunches of parsley and 1 bunch of mint and it was the perfect balance for me. But as all cooking goes, use your judgement and taste! So here's my bastardization of Traditional, Lebanese Tabbouleh!

Tabbouleh

1 cup bulgur/cracked wheat

1 cup boiling water

Zest of 1 lemon

Juice of 3 lemons (about 1/2 c., I like it lemony)

1/4 c. EVOO

1 yellow bell pepper, minced

1/2 pint cherry tomatoes, halved

1/2 English cucumber, small dice

4 cups loosely packed parsley (about 2 bunches)

2 cups loosely packed mint

Salt and pepper

Pinch of paprika

*I would also 1/2 c. finely sliced scallions, but my sister couldn't eat raw onion, so I omitted them

Add bulgur and boiling water to a mixing bowl, cover and let bulgur soak for 30 minutes.

Add lemon zest, juice and EVOO, toss to combine.

Place in the refrigerator while preparing other ingredients.

In a food processor, pulse parsley and mint until it is a fine mince (or do this by hand).

Remove the bulgur from refrigerator, add bell pepper, tomatoes, cucumber, herbs and paprika.

Toss to combine, taste and adjust seasonings.

Serve chilled.

Lemon Cumin Quinoa with Avocado, Raisins, and Apricots

Well, if you haven't seen a quinoa recipe lately, you must be living under a rock. In recent months/years, quinoa's popularity has grown because of its superfood status. It's a personal favorite of mine because it is kind of a protein/carb combo, and I'm always looking for meat-free protein options.

For the first two years of my cooking blog, I selected a country, researched it, and blogged many popular and traditional dishes and ingredients (see the links on the right side of my blog for countries completed). When I chose Bolivia one week, I read about the history of quinoa. Here's what I wrote in my blog 2 years ago, "For this week's country challenge, I decided to go back to South America. What struck me most were the number of recipes using Quinoa (pronounced keen-wah), a grain native from the Andes. The Incas spread the use of Quinoa all over South America. Quinoa is naturally bitter, and must be rinsed many times. It declined in popularity in the nineteenth centry due to widespread belief that it was killing pigs owned by peasants. They stopped growing it, and it almost disappeared. Recently, I have seen quinoa appear in many cooking magazines and shows because of it's health benefits. The dishes I have chosen for Bolivia all use quinoa in one form or another, showing it's versatility."

So when I saw this recipe on Erin's Food Files, I immediately starred it and put it on the menu. I knew my husband would love it because of the avocado and raisins, and I love dried apricots and cumin. The recipe was intriguing, many big flavors and seeminly random ingredients, but they paired so well and this dish was delicious.

Lemon Cumin Quinoa with Avocado, Raisins and Apricots

via Erin's Food Files  adapted from Fine Cooking

3 tbsp. raisins

3 tbsp. dried apricots, thinly sliced
1 cup quinoa, rinsed well
Kosher salt
1 large lemon
1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 tsp. ground coriander
1/4 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 tsp. sweet paprika
1 medium firm-ripe avocado pitted, peeled, and cut into 1/2-inch chunks
2 medium scallions, white and light green parts only, thinly sliced
3 tbsp. toasted sliced almonds
Freshly ground black pepper

In a medium bowl, soak the raisins and apricots in hot water for 5 minutes. Drain and set aside.
In a 2-quart saucepan, bring 2 cups water, the quinoa, and 1/2 tsp. salt to a boil over high heat.
Cover, reduce the heat to medium low, and simmer until the water is absorbed and the quinoa is translucent and tender, 10 to 15 minutes.
Fluff the quinoa with a fork and turn it out onto a baking sheet to cool to room temperature.
Finnely grate the zest from the lemon and then squeeze 1 tbsp. juice. in a small bowl, whisk the lemon zest and juice with the olive oil, coriander, cumin, paprika, and 1/4 tsp. salt.
In a large bowl, toss the vinaigrette with the quinoa, raisins, apricots, avocado, scallions, and almonds.
Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve.

Coconut Curry Whipped Cauliflower

About a month ago, I tried making whipped cauliflower to stand in where a starchy mash would go on my dinner plate. I absolutely loved the Goat Cheese Whipped Cauliflower I came up with.

Cauliflower florets happened to be on sale this week, so I decided to try out another variety of the whipped cauliflower. I figured during the week I'd just scour the fridge to use up some cheese and condiments. Since we're moving (again) in two weeks, I'm trying to empty the pantry (again). But I can't complain too much, I finally get my dream house :)
So anyway, I found half a can of coconut milk and a lightbulb went off - add a pinch of curry powder and puree it to get a smooth, golden, curried coconut cauliflower! I topped it with some of the leftover shredded coconut from making granola (should have toasted it, but I was in a hurry to eat!).
The flavors were delicious, and I could have eaten 10 more bowls. Let's just say this will be the 2nd of many future whipped cauliflower dishes! This giant bowl (4 cups) had only 200 calories, where 4 cups of mashed potatoes has more than I want to think about...

Coconut Curry Whipped Cauliflower

4 cups of cauliflower florets, about 20 oz.
1/2 cup light coconut milk, warmed
2 cups plus 1/4 cup warmed vegetable stock
1 tbsp. curry powder or paste of choice
Salt and pepper
Pinch of cayenne
Shredded coconut, for garnish


Add 2 cups vegetable stock and cauliflower to a small stock pot.
Cover, bring to a boil.
Turn heat to medium, simmer and cook for 10 minutes, until cauliflower is tender.
Drain, add cauliflower to a blender (I used the magic bullet in 2 batches).
Add coconut milk, curry powder, salt, pepper and cayenne pepper.
Blend for 30 seconds, until velvety smooth.
If necessary, add more vegetable stock a few tbsp. at a time (don't add too much or it will get watery).
Taste, adjust seasonings.
Pour into a bowl and serve with coconut.
(If necessary, add back to pot, turn heat to low to warm through, but mine was still very hot!)

California Granola

Whenever someone in my family celebrates a birthday, if I'm not with them, I like to mail them some kind of birthday cookie or treat. Becky's birthday is on Sunday, so I had to figure out something to make for her. Becky is a little nutritionally challenged. She's a vegetarian, she's a runner, and she can be a picky eater. Becky tends to not eat enough calories in the day, and often asks me to help her come up with menus that are vegetarian and contain a good balance of fat, protein, carbs, fiber, etc. One of my best recommendations to her for snacks or part of a meal is greek yogurt with granola containing oats, nuts and fruit. So for her birthday, it only seemed natural that I make a few granola varities for her. I had one variety in mind that I recently saw on Annie's Eats, but decided to just grab some other fruit and nuts and see what I came up with. Depending on the price of your nuts and dried fruit, you can end up spending a lot more making granola than buying it, but you can also control the quality of the ingredients.


I ended up making 3 varities for her, and I'll be posting them in the next few days!

California Granola

4 cups Rolled Oats
1 cup almonds, roughly chopped
1 cup diced mission figs
1 tsp. almond extract
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup honey
2 tbsp. canola oil
1/4 cup applesauce


Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
Add all granola ingredients to a large mixing bowl, mix thoroughly.
Line a baking sheet with parchment, spread granola evenly on baking sheet.
Bake for 20 minutes, use a fork to toss and redistribute, bake for another 20 minutes.
Remove from the oven, place cookie sheet on a cooling wrack.
Cool granola for 4 hours, place in a air-tight container.

Tex-Mex Lasagna

I have seen countless Mexican Lasagnas recently, and found myself drooling over each photograph. I had tried making a Mexican Lasagna a year or so ago, but it didn't work out right. I simply chopped up the vegetables, layered it in a disposable tin dish with flour tortillas, and froze it. When I cooked it, the lasagna was soupy and wet and the tortillas were mush. It was not good. I decided that I had the wrong approach, I needed to cook the vegetables first to get the moisture out, and I cooked it right away rather than freezing it. I think it could be frozen and it wouldn't turn to mush as long as the vegetables were pre-cooked, but I didn't want to take any chances this time around.
Well, it was a huge sucess this time around! I made two varities, one with vegetables and black beans, and one with zucchini and ground turkey. They both cut very well, and looked and tasted great!

Black Bean and Vegetable Mexican Lasagna

1 cup Enchilada Sauce
6 flour tortillas (to fit your baking dish)
1 small zucchini, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
1/2 small red onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup frozen corn kernels, diced
Salt and pepper
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. smoked paprika
1/4 tsp. cayenne powder
1 15 oz. can drained and rinsed black beans
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Lettuce, tomato and sour cream, for garnish


Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Heat a skillet over medium heat.
Add 1 tbsp. EVOO, zucchini, bell pepper, onion and garlic.
Season with salt and pepper, stir and sweat out vegetables for about 6-8 minutes.
Drain excess water, if necessary.
Add corn, spices and black beans, turn heat off, toss to mix spices evenly.
Pour half the enchilada sauce in a casserole.
Add a tortilla, top with 1/5 of the vegetable mixture, top with another tortilla and repeat.
After topping the lasagna with the last tortilla, pour enchilada sauce on top.
Sprinkle with cheese.
Bake for 30 minutes, until melted and bubbly.
Remove from heat, rest for 5 minutes so lasagna holds its shape when slicing.
Serve with lettuce, tomatoes and sour cream.

Tex-Mex Squash and Bean Bowl

For dinner tonight, I was once again faced with my remaining 3 lbs. of butternut squash. I decided to make a big bowl of comfort, using some pantry items, and combining some new flavors. Organic canned beans were on sale at Whole Foods, so I really stocked up. I thought black beans seemed to pair the best with Butternut. I also had an avocado and queso fresco, so Tex-Mex seemed to be the way to go! This dish was so filling (I assume this is because the squash and beans are so high in fiber), but it was also full of flavor, and very healthy.

Tex-Mex Squash and Bean Bowl

3 cups diced butternut squash

1 tbsp. EVOO

1 tbsp. light brown sugar

Salt and pepper

1 tsp. chili powder or adobo sauce

1 15 oz. can of organic black beans, drained and rinsed

1 tsp. ground cumin

2 garlic cloves, minced

Juice of 1 lime

1 Avocado, sliced

1/2 cup crumbled Queso Fresco (or Monterey Jack, Goat Cheese, anything you have on hand!)

Tobasco sauce

Chopped cilantro

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment.

Add squash, oil, sugar, salt, pepper and chili powder. Toss to coat.

Roast for 25-30 minutes, until squash is caramelized.

Add beans to a soup pot with 1/2 cup water or stock.

Season with cumin and salt.

Bring to a simmer over low heat.

When squash is cooked, remove from the oven and plate.

Squeeze lime juice into beans, then spoon over squash.

Top with avocado, cheese, cilantro and hot sauce.

Warm Butternut and Chickpea Salad with Tahini

Lately my posts have been few and far between. I'm not sure that I've really announced much on this blog since it's directed towards cooking, so I'll go ahead and spill the beans... First, I got a new job, second, we bought a house, and third, I am going to be a food blogger and foodie dining club host for Folio Weekly, a magazine here in Jacksonville.
Because I've taken on a job and a half and have been going through the home buying process, I've had little to no time in the kitchen. When I do, I'm not in a creative mood, I just cook my favorite, go-to meals. We'll be closing on the house between October 15 and 23, it just depends on when we get the word from our mortgage company (the sellers of the house would like it sooner, we don't care too much). So in addition to the jobs, I'll be moving....again! Luckily this time it's 2 miles away, not 1000.
The kitchen is not my dream kitchen, but it's great nonetheless because it's MINE! The house is everything JJ and I dreamed out first home would be. It's open and bright, great for entertaining, a lovely yard and a pond that's half ours with ducks! We're both so excited, and so fortunate that the home buying process this far as been so easy and drama-free!
Now about the Folio Weekly job... essentially I will be blogging about 3 times per week on anything and everything food/wine related in Jacksonville. I'll be doing restaurant profiles, going to farmer's markets, tastings, food and wine events, and many other things! The real focus of the blog is to be a central place for members of the Bite Club to chat. You can read all about what the Bite Club is here on the Bite Club Blog. If you're in Jacksonville, please don't hesitate to contact me if you have ideas for the blog!


Now for dinner... I have been meaning to make this recipe for such a long time. I never seemed to remember it when I had tahini on hand though, and at $10 a jar, I didn't want to buy it just for this. Now that I've had it, I will. I could eat this every day and every night. The only problem I had with it was sometimes I love raw red onion, and sometimes I pick one out that's just too strong. Tonight I had one that was too strong. In the future, I'll probably roast my onion in with the squash and garlic. This salad is definitely on my rotation! It's so creative and features one of my favorite fall flavors, butternut squash!
I first saw this recipe on Molly's blog, Orangette, years ago, and was reminded of it by Erin of Dinner and Dessert last week.

Warm Butternut and Chickpea Salad with Tahini

adapted from Molly of Orangette

salad:

3 lb. butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1/2" pieces

2 medium garlic cloves, minced

Pinch of ground nutmeg

Salt

15 oz. can of chickpeas, drained

1/2 of a medium red onion, finely chopped

¼ cup coarsely chopped cilantro leaves

Dressing:

Juice of 1 lemon

2 tbsp. tahini

1 tbsp. olive oil

Salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

Line a baking sheet with parchment or foil.

Add squash, garlic, salt, and onions, if preferred.

Drizzle with EVOO, toss.

Bake for 20 minutes, remove and cool.

Whisk together dressing ingredients, add chick peas, cilantro and red onion, mix.

When squash cools, add to the salad and gently fold in.

Serve at room temperature.

Mock Kashi Mayan Harvest Bake

***This recipe has had a re-do, visit this post to see my second attempt at Mayan Harvest Bake***

About two months ago, Kashi was offering coupons to try one of their frozen dinners for free, so I signed up. I got a coupon for a free Kashi frozen entree about 2 weeks ago. I looked at what they had at Kroger, and chose the Mayan Harvest Bake. It sounded like many of my favorite ingredients in one dish, and it was free!

This was hands down the best frozen dinner I've ever had. It tasted fresh, healthy, and delicious! The flavor combinations were very innovative and I just kept thinking about it over and over. I decided to try to recreate it at home and make it for dinner this week.

I might go back and make a few changes, but it was a very close replica. Next time I might pan fry the plantains as well as make the sauce a little more saucy (with more veggie stock), it was pretty thick. I used quinoa rather than the seven grain polenta, and it made it a little more dry, but I did like the quinoa.

Mock Kashi Mayan Harvest Bake

1 c. prepared quinoa

1 15 oz. can organic black beans, drained and rinsed

1 sweet potato, peeled and diced

1 plantain, sliced into long planks

4 c. kale, chopped

1/4 c. pepitas (I only had almonds, but Kashi used pepitas)

ancho chili sauce:

1 tbsp. EVOO

1 onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves

1 c. tomato puree

2 tbsp. tomato paste

1 tbsp. ancho chili powder

1 tbsp. sugar in the raw

1 tsp. paprika

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. cumin

1/4-1/2 c. vegetable stock

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Puree onions and garlic in a blender with stock.

Add tomato puree, tomato paste, onion puree, sugar and spices to a small soup pot.

Heat over medium for 15 minutes, stirring every few minutes.

Scatter sweet potatoes on a baking sheet lined with parchment, roast for 15 minutes.

Heat a large skillet over medium, add chopped kale, a few tbsp. of water and a sprinkle of salt.

Wilt down and toss for 5-10 minutes.

Spread prepared quinoa in a baking dish, top evenly with black beans.

Top with cooked kale and sliced plantains.

Take potatoes out of the oven, scatter around baking dish.

Top entire casserole with sauce.

Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until bubbly.

Sprinkle with pepitas.

A Year Ago: How to make/cut/color fondant (a tutorial), Vanilla cupcakes with honey buttercream

Tofu and Vegetable Curry Stewpot

Last Friday, I went out to lunch with the accounting department at work for my birthday. I got to choose where we went, and I picked FARM bloomington, which describes itself as Real Food, uses local ingredients, organic products, and is clean and simple food, but truly delicious. I ordered a Tofu and Vegetable Curry Stewpot, which was outstanding. I've been craving it ever since! I remembered I just got a new bottle of curry, so I decided to make a giant pot of vegetables. The curry powder I used had corriander, turmeric, fenugreek, anise, fennel, and cayenne, but I added a few more spices to get the flavor I wanted. This makes a ton of food, and contains so many veggies that you can definitely delete some from the list and it will still make a delicious curry.
I'm so excited to go there again, this time with JJ. One of my co-workers got the BLT and loved it, and their brunch menu looks delicious as well! www.farmbloomington.com

Tofu and Vegetable Curry Stewpot

Makes 4-6 servings

1 sweet potato, peeled and diced (about 2 c.)

1 russet potato, peeled and diced (about 2 c.)

2 large carrots, peeled and chopped in 1" rounds

1 eggplant, diced

1 zucchini, diced

1 green bell pepper, diced

1 small butternut squash, diced (about 2 c.)

1 yellow onion, diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 lb. brussels sprouts, trimmed

2 15 oz. cans light coconut milk

salt and pepper

4 tbsp. curry powder, or any combination of corriander, turmeric, fenugreek, anise, fennel, cayenne, cinnamon, cumin and ginger

1 block extra firm tofu, diced

4 c. prepared brown basmati rice

1/2 c. slivered almonds

Heat 2 tbsp. EVOO in a large soup pot over medium heat.

Add sweet potatoes, russet potatoes, carrots, onions and garlic.

Season with salt and pepper, saute' for 10 minutes.

Add remaining ingredients (except tofu, rice and almonds).

Cover and simmer for 30 minutes, vegetables should give off liquid to almost cover.

Taste and season, pierce potato or carrots to see if they're cooked thru.

When vegetables are ready, add tofu, gently mix through.

Plate rice in a shallow bowl, ladle in vegetables, top with almonds.

A Year Ago: Asian Salad with Ginger Carrot Dressing and Chicken Potstickers

Vegetable Filo Roll Extravaganza

I found this recipe in my Moosewood Lowfat Favorites cookbook a few months ago. I made it, but forgot to photograph it. It was so good though, I knew I'd have to make it again. This week I was able to get tons of produce from the local co-op prettycheap, so I stocked up and happened to get all of the ingredients I needed to make this.

Again, it was delicious, a great combo starch/vegetable side with some chicken sausage, meatloaf, grilled chicken breasts, or pork tenderloin.

Vegetable Filo Roll Extravaganza

from Moosewood Lowfat Favorites

Filling:
1 c. diced chopped red onion
1 c. julienned carrot
1 c. thinly sliced red bell pepper
1 c. julienned zucchini
2 c. sliced mushrooms
1 tsp. minced tarragon
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
salt & fresh ground pepper

Seasoned Bread Crumbs:
1 cup whole wheat bread crumbs
2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
2 tablespoons finely grated parmesan cheese

Filo:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
12 sheets phyllo dough
1 tablespoon sesame seed

In a nonstick saucepan saute the onions and carrots on medium heat for 5 minutes.
Stir in the bell peppers and squash or zucchini, and continue to cook for another minute.
Add the mushrooms, tarragon, and basil and cook until the mushrooms release their juices and become tender, 5 to 10 minutes.
Add salt and pepper to taste.
Combine the seasoned bread crumb ingredients in a bowl.
Melt togerher the oil and butter on very low heat.
Prepare a baking sheet with cooking spray or a light coating of oil.
Preheat the oven to 400.
Place the bread crumbs and melted butter-oil mixture near the baking sheet and have a pastry brush or small clean paintbrush handy.
Work quickly in a draft-free setting because the unoiled filo becomes brittle once exposed to the air.
Unfold the stack of filo sheets next to the baking sheet.
To assemble the roll, take 3 sheets of filo from the stack and, in one smooth motion, lift all 3 together and lay the stack, unwrinkled, on the baking sheeet.
Lightly brush the top sheet with the melted butter-oil mixture.
Sprinkle about 1/4 of the seasoned bread crumbs over the filo sheet.
Repeat the layers: 3 sheets of filo, melted butter mixture, bread crumbs, until the filo and bread crumbs are completely used.
Spread the vegetables evenly on the filo to within an inch of all four edges.
Starting at one of the long sides, roll up the filo like a jelly roll, place the finished roll, seam side down, on the baking tray, and tuck in the ends.
Brush with the remaining butter mixture and sprinkle with fennel, poppy, or sesame seeds.
Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until golden and puffed.
Serve hot or warm.

Minestrone Stew

Today when I was driving home from the library, it was snowing. Seriously?! Snow?! This cold weather needs to go away, but until it does, I'll keep making soups and stews rather than turn the heat on in our house! I love minestrone, but I wanted something more substantial and hearty, so I turned it into a stew. This is a photo of the leftovers reheated, so it was a bit more thick here than originally, but I just added a bit more stock later on to make it a little more like soup. This made a HUGE batch, it completely filled my dutch oven.

Minestrone Stew

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 yellow onion, diced

1/4 lb. haricot verts, cut in 1" pieces

1 zucchini, quartered and sliced

1 yellow summer squash, quartered and sliced

2 carrots, peeled and sliced thin

Salt and Pepper

1/2 c. red wine

1 5 oz. can organic tomato paste

1 28 oz. can organic crushed tomatoes with basil

6 c. vegetable stock

1 tbsp. dried Italian seasoning blend (or chopped fresh)

1/4 lb. ditalini

1 15 oz. can organic kidney beans, drained

1 15 oz. can organic cannelini beans, drained

Parmesan, for garnish

Crushed red pepper flakes, for garnish

Heat a dutch oven over medium, add 1 tbsp EVOO. Saute' onions, garlic, beans, zucchini, squash and carrots for 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Turn to medium high, add tomato paste, stir to combine. Add wine and herbs, cook to reduce until veggies and tomato paste are thick. Add crushed tomatoes, stock, beans and pasta. Bring to a simmer, stir, cover and turn to low.

Cook for 30 minutes. Taste, adjust seasonings. Make sure pasta is cooked and veggies are tender.

Serve with parmesan, crushed red pepper and crusty bread.

A Year Ago: Buffalo Chicken Pizza

Barley and Edamame with Grapefruit

For dinner tonight, I found a recipe in the American Heart Association's Low-Calorie Cookbook that sounded delicious. I didn't think my husband would like it much, so I made it since he wasn't home for dinner! The original recipe is made with oranges rather than grapefruit. It also calls for using quick cooking barley, but I used regular barley, cooked it, and added it at the end. The barley is meant to be served warm, but I ate this chilled, like a salad.
It was delicious, full of great healthy flavor! I don't eat many vegan dishes because I never feel full, but this hit the spot!

Barley and Edamame with Grapefruit

Adapted from Low-Calorie Cookbook

Serves 1

1 small onion, minced

1 garlic clove, minced

1/2 red bell pepper, chopped

1/4 tsp. grated fresh ginger

2/3 c. frozen edamame

1/2 c. prepared barley

1 tbsp. soy sauce

1 carrot, shredded

Salt and pepper

1 grapefruit, peeled and sliced, plus 2 tbsp. juice

In a small pan over medium-low heat, saute onions, garlic and red pepper for 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, add grated ginger. Set aside.

In a mixing bowl, combine edamame, barley, carrots, soy sauce, grapefruit juice and onion mixture. Toss.

Plate, serve with grapefruit wedges.

A Year Ago: Chicken Marsala, Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Broccoli

Lowfat Banana Nut Oat Muffins

I had some bananas that were pretty brown and soft when I got home from Cincinnati, so I decided to make some muffins. I wanted them to be low cal/fat and healthy, so I made up a recipe that was easy and used things I had on hand. These came out great!

Lowfat Banana Nut Oat Muffins

Makes 12

1/2 c. AP flour

1/2 c. Whole Wheat flour

1/2 c. light brown sugar

2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

1/2 c. nuts (pecan, walnuts, almonds)

3/4 c. oats

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 egg

1/4 c. milk

1/4 c. plain yogurt

3 tbsp. vegetable oil

1/2 c. (about 2) very ripe bananas

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
In a mixing bowl, combine all dry ingredients, stir.

In a kitchen aid mixer, combine vanilla, egg, milk, yogurt, oil and bananas. Mix well.

Slowly beat in the dry ingredients, do not overmix!

Spoon into greased muffin tins with or without wrappers.

Bake for 12 to 15 minutes.

Nutritional Info:

Calories 175

Fat 7g

Carbs 23g

Fiber 2g

Protein 5g

*Calculated using sparkpeople.com

A Year Ago: 2 of my favorites!

Lemon-Basil-Ricotta Orrecchheti, Roasted Asparagus, and Sun Dried Tomato and Parmesan Meatballs

TWD - Russian Grandmothers' Apple Pie-Cake

Vegetarian Chili Burgers

Tonight's dinner comes from the Moosewood Lowfat Favorites Cookbook. I had a can of kidney beans in the pantry that I wanted to use, so I looked through the book for recipes that called for a can of them. I found this recipe for a chili burger. The name makes it sound like a beef burger smothered in chili, but it's really a chili spiced bean burger.
I love kidney beans, especially the dark ones, because they top the USDA's list of anti-oxidant rich foods. One-half of a cup containts 6 g. of fiber and 6 g. of protein while they're virtually fat free and very high in vitamin C.
These burgers were excellent, they tasted a lot like Morningstar Farms Black Bean Patties. I served them with sweet potato fries and a large garden salad.

Chili Burgers

slightly adapted from Moosewood Restaurant Lowfat Favorites

Makes 3-4 patties

1/2 yellow onion, minced

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 carrots, shredded

1 tsp. dark mexican chili powder

1 tsp. ground cumin

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

1 15 oz. can dark red kidney beans, drained

1 tbsp. dark brown mustard

2 tbsp. worchestershire sauce

2 tbsp. ketchup

1/2 c. quick cooking oats

Hamburger buns (light whole wheat)

Ketchup

Mustard

Pickles

Sprinkle of monterey jack cheese

Heat a large skillet over medium low. Spray with nonstick spray, saute onion, garlic and carrots for 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

While veggies cook, drain beans, and add to a bowl. Mash with a potato masher.

Add mustard, worchestershire, ketchup, chili powder, cumin and oats.

Scrape veggies out of pan, add to bean mixture.

Mix burgers thoroughly, form into 3-4 patties.

Heat same skillet over medium-high. Spray with nonstick spray.

Drop patties into skillet, cook for 5-6 minutes per side.

After flipping, add cheese, cover to melt.

Serve on a bun with condiments.

A Year Ago: Armenia - Armenia - Potato and Spinach Kibbeh, Roast Pork Stuffed with Shallots and Apricots and NASCAR Atlanta - Mock Chick-fil-a Fried Chicken

Black Beans and Rice Stuffed Poblanos & Creamy Corn and Avocado Salad

I haven't made any tex-mex food lately, and I had a craving. I saw some gorgeous poblanos at Kroger, so I decided to make stuffed poblanos. Again, keeping it vegetarian, I stuffed them with a black beans and rice mixture. Since the poblanos and rice had a kick, I served a cool corn and avocado salad on the side. This dinner is very healthy and flavorful!

Black Beans and Rice Stuffed Poblanos

and

Creamy Corn and Avocado Salad

Poblanos:

4 poblanos, 3 sliced lengthwise and gutted, 1 diced

3/4 red onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 12 oz. can diced tomatoes (mine were chipotle lime flavored)

1 c. chicken stock

1 c. quick cooking rice

2 tsp. cumin

1 tsp. chili powder

Dash of hot sauce

Salt and pepper

1 can black beans, drained

1 c. shredded cheddar cheese

Corn Salad:

1 c. frozen corn kernels, defrosted but cold

1 avocado, diced

1/4 red onion, minced

1 tbsp. minced cilantro

1/4 jalapeno, minced

Juice of 1 lime

Salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 400.

Place 3 of the peppers in a baking dish, put in the oven while you prepare rice.

In a pot over medium heat, add 1 tbsp. EVOO, red onion, garlic, 1 diced poblano, salt and pepper. Saute vegetables for a few minutes, until slightly softened.

Add tomatoes, stock, spices, and bring to a boil.

Add rice, stir, bring back to a boil, cover, turn to low and simmer 15 minutes, or until rice is cooked.

Stir in black beans.

Take poblanos out of the oven, spoon beans and rice mixture into pepper cups, top with cheddar cheese, place back in the oven and cook for another 15 minutes, or until cheese is melted and peppers are soft.

To make corn salad: Add corn, red onion, cilantro, jalapeno, lime juice, salt and pepper to a bowl. Mix well.

Add avocado, gently fold in avocado, do not break it up too much.

Keep chilled until serving.

A Year Ago:

This Argentinean dish is one of my favories of 2008 - Polenta Rellena con Jamon y Queso (Polenta with Ham and Cheese Filling)

And TWD Snickery Squares - these were also delicious!

Spicy Thai Coconut Tofu Soup

A few weeks ago my sister sent me a recipe for Thai Shrimp Soup that she created with her friend, Kelly. I thought it sounded great, but I don't eat shrimp. I decided to sub in tofu. I also wanted to bulk up the veggies, so I added in the snap peas. This was very spicy and delicious! There was much more broth, but to see the veggies and noodles, I strained it a bit for the photo, then re-plated it with more broth.

Spicy Thai Coconut Tofu Soup

1 tbsp. olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 yellow onion, minced
4 tsp. ginger paste
Crushed red pepper
4 cups chicken stock

1 15 oz. can light coconut milk
3 carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
1 c. sliced snap peas

1/2 package thin rice noodles
1 tbsp. cornstarch
2 tsp. hot red curry paste
2 tsp. honey
1 block extra firm tofu, diced

In a large pot, heat olive oil, sautee onion, garlic, ginger and crushed red pepper (to taste, about ¼ tsp.) till fragrant, about one minute.

Add chicken broth, coconut milk and carrots.

Bring to a gentle boil and cook for about 10 minutes or until carrots are tender.

Add the noodles and snap peas.

In a small bowl, mix cornstarch and warm water.

Add slurry, curry paste, honey and tofu.

Cook for about 5-10 more minutes.


Serve the soup with a lime wedge. It adds great extra flavor. (I didn't have one, so I added scallions)

A Year Ago: Sausage and Peppers Rustica Pizza and Country Challenge - Argentina

Butternut Squash and Lentil Soup

For dinner tonight, I made a recipe that my sister emailed to me and thought I might like. I saved it for a dinner when JJ wouldn't be home because he's not a big fan of garam masala and vegetarian meals. It was very good! Thanks, Kris!

Butternut Squash and Lentil Soup

Modified from Better Homes and Gardens

1 c. dried lentils

2 1/2 c. butternut squash cubes

1 chopped onion

2 sliced carrots

2 minced garlic cloves

1 teaspoon garam masala

4 c. low sodium vegetable broth (I used chicken stock)

Salt and Pepper

Rinse and drain lentils.

Place lentils, squash, onion, carrot and garlic in a slow cooker.

Sprinkle garam masala over vegetables.

Pour broth over all.
Cover and cook on low heat setting for 8 to 9 hours or on high heat setting for 4 to 4 1/2 hours. Adjust seasoning.

Ladle into bowls.
Top with sour cream, garnish with chopped cilantro.

A Year Ago: Moroccan Spiced Burgers with Cranberry Chutney, Pine Nut Whole Wheat Cous Cous, and Almond Green Beans

Creamy Broccoli and White Bean Soup

Broccoli is one of my favorite vegetables. I love creamy broccoli soup, but I don’t like to add cream to soup, or use a roux, made with lots of butter because the calories and fat really add up! In order to give this soup a creamy texture without added fat, I used pureed cannellini beans. They keep the consistency of the soup velvety, don’t alter the color, and add a nice texture. I like to puree 2/3 of the broccoli and leave some with a bit of texture, but you can puree it all, or leave it chunky. I serve with with beer bread for a delicious, warm, wholesome vegetarian meal.

Creamy Broccoli and White Bean Soup

1 head of broccoli, steamed
1 15 oz. can cannellini beans, drained
1 tbsp. EVOO
1 yellow onion, grated
2 garlic cloves, grated
2 c. vegetable or chicken stock
1/2 c. skim milk
¼ tsp. dried oregano
Salt and Pepper


Garnishes:
Cheddar Cheese
Scallions
Sour Cream
Crumbled Bacon


Heat a large soup pot over medium heat.

Add EVOO, onion and garlic. Sauté for 5 minutes.

While onions and garlic cook, add stock and 2/3 of the broccoli to a blender. Puree.

Pour into the pot with the onions and garlic.

Put the cannellini beans in the blender with the milk, puree.

Pour into the soup.

Chop the remaining steamed broccoli to desired size, add to pot.

Add oregano, taste for seasoning.

Bring to a bubble. Plate, serve with toppings.

A Year Ago (I forgot to do this for a few days):

Country Challenge - Thailand - Green Curry with Tofu

NASCAR Challenge - California - Butternut Squash and Caramelized Onion Tart & Spinach Citrus Salad

Inaugural Tuesday's With Dorie - Pecan Sour Cream Biscuits

Artichoke Lasagna Rollatini and Sun Dried Tomato Stuffed Chicken

Vegetarian Gumbo

With Mardi Gras on my mind, I was craving gumbo... but I don't eat seafood, and I've made a chicken and andouille gumbo, so I decided to go vegetarian. I added an element that is southern, but not normally in gumbo - sweet potato! It makes the dish a little more hearty, which could get lost with the lack of meat. This was absolutely delicious, spicy and hearty.

Vegetarian Gumbo

1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

1 large sweet potato, diced (I leave the skin on)
1 green bell pepper, diced

1 yellow onion, diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

Salt and pepper
2 tbsp. flour

1 c. beer

1 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
2 tsp. hot sauce

1 tsp. gumbo file seasoning (which is ground sassafras leaves)
1 tsp. smoked paprika

2 c. frozen okra

Sour cream, for garnish (optional)

Prepared brown rice

Heat a dutch oven over medium heat.

Add olive oil, sweet potato, pepper, onion and garlic.

Season with salt and pepper, sauté for 5 minutes.

Sprinkle in flour and stir to coat.

Cook for 2 more minutes, turn to high and add beer.

Allow alcohol to cook off, turn to low add tomatoes, hot sauce, and seasoning.

Stir to combine, cover and simmer for an hour.

Add okra, stir to combine, bring back to a simmer.

Serve over brown rice.

Top with sour cream.

A Year Ago:

Mediterranean Pizza

My Inaugural Country Challenge - Thailand

Red Curry with Chicken & Bamboo Shoots (Gaeng Phed Kai Sai Nawmai)

Roasted Sweet and Sour Tofu with Peanut Soy Noodles and Veggies

About two weeks ago, during my quick/cheap/few ingredients challenge, I made a Peanut Soy Chicken and Noodle Bowl. It was so great, I honestly wanted to make it the next night. I was originally going to make it with tofu, but since my husband isn't a big tofu fan, I went with chicken.

Since he was gone again for dinner, I decided to make another version of it, but with roasted tofu and some different veggies. I also had the noodles warm this time. It was so delicious, even better with the tofu!

Roasted Sweet and Sour Tofu with Peanut Soy Noodles and Veggies

(serves 2)

1 brick of extra firm tofu, drained and diced

2 tbsp. light soy sauce

1 tbsp. rice wine vinegar

1 tbsp. honey

1 tbsp. thai chili paste

1 tbsp. creamy peanut butter

3 tbsp. light soy sauce

5 oz. Barilla plus thin spaghetti

1 red bell pepper, sliced
3 scallions, sliced
1 6 oz. bag snap peas

2 carrots, peeled and shredded
handfull of cilantro, minced

Whisk together soy sauce, vinegar, honey and thai chilie paste. Toss tofu in mixture, refrigerate for 30 minutes to a few hours.

Preaheat oven to 450 degrees. Bring a large pot of water to a boil.

Line a baking sheet with foil, spray with nonstick spray. Place tofu on the baking sheet, and roast for 15 minutes, tossing a few times to brown all over.

Add pasta to boiling water, during the last minute add snap peas. Drain, set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, combine soy sauce and peanut butter, whisk until smooth. Add veggies and pasta, toss to combine.

Plate, top with tofu cubes and cilantro.

A Year Ago: Chicken Enchiladas