Confession: I almost didn’t make this week’s chosen recipe for The Food Matters Project. The recipe, Baked Rigatoni with Brussels Sprouts, Figs, and Bleu Cheese (page 221) is actually the recipe that inspired one of my favorite dishes, my roasted brussels sprouts and cranberries with barley. This recipe also reminds me of my orecchiette with spinach and gorgonzola sauce, which is similar in its simplicity, and my Gala apple, Gorgonzola and pecan salad, a fall favorite.

Given the success of all three of those other recipes, I somehow still doubted that apples and pasta made sense together.

I could not have been more wrong. It’s like all three of those other dishes threw a party for Mark Bittman in my oven and, 15 minutes later, this beautiful, bubbling winter feast popped out. The resulting dish is one that combines the best qualities of all three of the others: it’s a hot, healthy, and complete meal full of fresh produce, with a light, creamy sauce, topped with toasted pecans and a squeeze of lemon. This scrumptious dish has landed permanently on my roster of all-star dinners.

If you’re a fan of blue cheese, Brussels sprouts, apples and pasta individually, I promise you’ll love them combined. Please try this one. Perhaps for dinner, maybe tonight? Definitely make it before the weather heats up and Brussels sprouts and apples completely fall out of season (sniffle).

The technique here could not be more simple: boil water, chop some vegetables and fruit, toss pasta into the pot and, a few minutes later, toss in the sprouts. Drain, mix in some cheese, chopped apples, and a splash of oil and cooking water, bake in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes, and top with pecans and a squeeze of lemon. Dinner is served!

Baked Chiocciole with Brussels Sprouts, Apples and Blue Cheese
Adapted from The Food Matters Cookbook

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Salt
• 2.5 ounces whole wheat chiocciole (about 2 cups of dried chiocciole)
• 1 pound Brussels sprouts, roughly chopped
• 1/3 cup Gorgonzola cheese, plus more for sprinkling on top
• 2 medium organic Fuji apples, roughly chopped
• Black pepper
• 1/3 cup toasted pecans
• 1/2 to 1 small lemon, squeezed over the cooked pasta

Get the full recipe at Twenty By Sixty.

I followed the instructions as directed, but used a 9″x9″ baking pan, and sprinkled some extra Gorgonzola cheese on top of the mixture before baking. After the pasta finished baking, I topped it with a small handful of toasted pecans and a big squeeze of lemon juice.

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I want to bring up two things I’ve taken issue with over the past week: dating, and the word curd. I don’t like either of them, and have no solutions to propose, but let’s discuss.

Topic one: dating. I loathe dating. Sure, it has always been laced with thrill and misery, but I propose that my fellow generation’s way of approaching dating is fundamentally different from that of my parents, grandparents or grandparents. Men and women are pretty much on the same level now, thank goodness. With equality, however, comes massive ambiguity.

These days men are no longer obligated to make the first move, and I am told that they often are too intimidated to try. This is unfortunate because I don’t have the guts to try, either. Official dates are rare and most often, I find myself confused at the proposed prospect of hanging out. Just what does he mean, let’s hang out?

In my experience, these repeat undefined casual dating experiences don’t turn into relationships of substance. Rather, they tend to blow up in a poof of smoke that leaves me with a black cloud overhead and bleak hopes for finding a mate. From nothing to nothing, I find myself, once again, mourning The Thing That Never Was and wondering, why do I care? Does it really matter? He’s not worth the heartache. Top that off with exes smattered over my Facebook feed and I can’t help but feel like I’m truly cursed. Cue Extraordinary Machine, extra-large glasses of wine and snuggles with my sweet dog, my ever-present and loyal companion.

Second topic of discussion: the word curd. It’s not a sexy word, and I assure you that this curd is very much so (not unlike the tall, broad-shouldered boy who has me all fired up and writing about the throes of dating). It’s silky smooth and tart, infused with puckery citrus flavor that is mellowed by sweet honey.

The technique I use here skips the straining step required in most curd recipes. Straining is a pain and it’s wasteful, so why bother if you don’t have to? Thanks to some magical chemical interactions between butter, eggs and natural sugars, you’ll be blessed with perfectly smooth curd from the second you take the pot off the burner. I made two batches of curd right after another, the first with Meyer lemons and the second with blood oranges.

Which of the curds do I prefer? I like the tartness of the blood orange; Meyer lemons are a little too sweet here. The zing of the blood orange curd keeps me coming back for more.

I really hope you’ll give this recipe a try because if I can do it, you can do it. Twenty minutes of standing in the kitchen, juicing, zesting, mixing and stirring produce deliciously sweet-and-sour spreads that you’ll enjoy on all kinds of sweet treats. Cheery jars of curd beckon every morning when I open the refrigerator for breakfast, and I can’t resist the temptation to mix it with a big dollop of Greek yogurt and serve it on top of a slice of home-cooked molasses bread. I also love it swirled into my oatmeal, whether steel cut or old fashioned, again with Greek yogurt.

You’ll find more serving suggestions in the notes below, so hurry and get some beautiful organic citrus before citrus season ends! Locals, you can find the supplies at Native Roots Market. The owners kindly provided the citrus fruits and local honey for this recipe (thanks Sara!).

Honey-Sweetened Blood Orange Curd Recipe (or any kind of citrus curd)
Adapted from Green Market Baking Book and Fine Cooking’s foolproof method for lemon curd

Ingredients:

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• 1/3 cup honey
• 4 large egg yolks
• 2 large eggs
• 2/3 cup fresh blood orange or lemon juice (about 4-6 blood oranges or 6-8 lemons). Be sure to zest the citrus before juicing it!
• 1 tablespoon finely grated blood orange or lemon zest

Instructions:

1. In a medium bowl, cream the butter and honey until fluffy.
2. Beat in the eggs slowly.
3. Pour in the fresh citrus juice, and pour the mixture into a medium-sized, non-reactive saucepan.
4. Cook over moderate (medium-low) heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. Cook until the mixture has thickened and becomes jelly-like, which took about 5 to 7 minutes for me. This happens in a flash so pay attention! Do not let it boil. It’s done when your finger leaves a clear path on the back of a wooden spoon (be careful, it’s hot!).
5. Immediately remove from heat and stir in the citrus zest. No straining required!
6. Pour the curd into a glass jar(s) and let it cool completely before you screw on the lid(s). Store the curd in the refrigerator.

Notes:

• Yields 2 cups of curd.
• Since you’re using citrus zest, it really is best to buy organic citrus fruits. I also recommend buying fresh, organic eggs (always). They taste better!
• Fine Cooking says that curd freezes well, so you can save extra for later! They say that it does not freeze solid so it’s easy to scoop out what you need.
• Suggested uses for citrus curds: Serve on buttered toast, scones, pound cake, gingerbread, honey bread (recipe coming soon) or shortbread, either on its own or with a dollop of whipped cream, crème fraiche, cream cheese, vanilla ice cream or Greek yogurt (as shown). It also makes a great filling for tarts, crêpes, stuffed French toast and sandwich cookies! It would be a lovely addition to a berry parfait as well. The options are limitless!

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So much to say, so little time to type it up. I’m in a deadline crunch for the next few days, but I have several posts in the works that I can’t wait to share! First up: Mark Bittman’s roasted red pepper pesto for The Food Matters Project. I had no doubt that I’d love it; I have already proclaimed my adoration for pesto on this blog before and red bell peppers just happen to be one of my very favorite vegetables.

I made my red pepper version extra bold and spicy, which is just the way I like it. Today I paired it with roasted cauliflower, which makes a great snack or appetizer, and I see a kale, white bean and red pepper pesto wrap in my future. For more ideas on how to use this marvelous roasted pesto, check out the other Food Matters Project members’ ideas here!

Basically, I roughly halved the recipe, and toasted the nuts and garlic (a little toasting always helps, in my opinion, and it’s proven true in my arugula pesto recipe and basil pesto recipe). I used roasted red peppers from a jar. Although I’m sure freshly roasted peppers would taste better, red bell peppers aren’t in season around here, which is a fact that makes me wanna boo-hoo-hoo most of the year. I also grabbed my good incredible bottle of olive oil for this recipe, which Native Roots Market kindly provided for this recipe and more to come, along with the cumin seed. The oil is a Palestinian free trade, cold-pressed, organic Rumi tree olive oil by Canaan Fair Trade. If you can find some, get it!

After tasting the base mixture, I decided to thicken it up a bit and added about 1/2 a cup of Great Northern beans. I’ve gotten into the habit of cooking up big batches of beans and freezing them for later, so it was as simple as defrosting a couple of handfuls of beans and throwing them into the food processor. Lastly, I decided to give it some kick and added 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes… then another half teaspoon, because I like my food extra spicy.

Ultimately, here’s what I combined in my food processor: 2 garlic cloves (toasted), 1/2 cup walnuts (toasted), about 4/5ths of a 16 ounce jar of roasted red peppers, 1/4 cup olive oil, 1/2 cup Great Northern beans, 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (1/2 teaspoon may be plenty, so add to taste) and freshly ground sea salt and black pepper. Find the full roasted red pepper pesto recipe at girlichef!

Note: Since my other pestos freeze so nicely, I don’t see why this one wouldn’t do the same. Here’s my trick for freezing pesto in an ice cube tray!

I was intrigued by Melissa Clark’s recipe for roasted cauliflower with cumin seed when I came across it in her latest cookbook, Cook This Now. Cook This Now is filled with wonderfully simple gourmet recipes, and although most entrées are meat-based, almost all of her vegetarian options appealed to me. It took me a long time to learn to like cauliflower and I believe that roasting brings out its best qualities. It has so little on its own that it would play nicely with a host of spices. Do I believe that cumin is the end-all, be-all accompaniment? No, I don’t, but it is delicious.

Melissa suggests serving the roasted cauliflower with a blend of salted plain yogurt, fresh chopped mint leaves and pomegranate arils, but I decided to serve it with this red pepper pesto. Thanks to the red pepper flakes in my pesto, cumin-roasted cauliflower dunked into roasted red pepper pesto tastes almost harissa-like. It’s a great pairing if you like bold, spicy food.

Roasted Cauliflower with Whole Cumin Seed
Adapted from Cook This Now by Melissa Clark

Ingredients:

• 1 large head cauliflower, cut into roughly bite-sized florets
• 1 to 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon whole cumin seeds
• sea salt and black pepper, to taste

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Toss cauliflower florets with olive oil and spices.
2. Spread the mixture evenly in a single layer on a large baking sheet.
3. Roast, flipping halfway, for about 25 to 30 minutes, until the edges of the cauliflower are toasty and starting to caramelize.

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I used to cringe at the word “domestic”. To me, the term implied a docile housewife whose goal in life was to please her family members and keep the home in order. It seemed condescending. Since developing an interest in cooking, however, I’ve changed my mind about the word. Being able to feed myself (and others) well is empowering, and there’s nothing wrong with enjoying time at home.

Beyond that, while I’m living as a single woman, learning how to cook what I like to eat without any other palates to accommodate is a welcome challenge. I eat what I want, when I want! Sitting down to enjoy a plate of food that I made all for myself is a thrice daily triumph.

It turns out that stovetop popcorn is what I often like to serve myself. I love it because I can make as much or as little as I want. It’s a healthy, whole grain snack that costs mere pennies to make. Once popped, it’s consumed pretty much immediately, so I don’t have to worry about my beloved crunchy ‘n salty snack food going stale. Fresh popcorn is always minutes away, and I like knowing that I can always pop some up during impromptu entertaining.

My parents always made popcorn on the stove and taught me how early on, so I consider myself a popcorn connoisseur of sorts. Fun fact: I nearly burned my house down while making stovetop popcorn at age 10 (lesson learned: do not leave hot oil on the stove unattended!). I have always preferred stovetop popcorn to that greasy, microwavable, artificial ingredient-laden abomination that calls itself popcorn. Seriously, the fake butter flavor chemicals in microwave popcorn are so toxic that factory workers have developed “popcorn lung“.

Stovetop popcorn is such an easy, healthy, quick and tasty snack that it’s something I want everyone to know how to make at home. I’d like to give Mark Bittman a high five for selecting popcorn as the first recipe in The Food Matters Cookbook, and I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to encourage my fellow members to try it. You’ll find his recipe below, but I never measure the ingredients; just add enough oil to coat the bottom of the pan and toss in a small handful or two of kernels, depending on the size of the pan. I hope you’ll try it!

Mark Bittman’s Seasoned Popcorn Recipe
From The Food Matters Cookbook
Serves 4 to 8

Ingredients:

• 2 to 3 tablespoons vegetable oil (I prefer to use coconut oil or olive oil)
• 1⁄2 cup popping corn
• 2 to 4 tablespoons butter or olive oil, optional
• Salt and other seasonings, optional

Instructions:

1. Put the vegetable oil in a large, deep pan with a lid. Turn the heat up to medium, add 2 kernels of corn, and cover.
2. Once the kernels pop, remove the lid and pour in the remaining popcorn kernels. Cover and shake the pot, holding the lid on. At this point, I like to remove the pot from the heat and let it sit for a minute before continuing.
3. Cook over medium heat, shaking the pot occasionally, until the popping sound stops after about 5 minutes. Based on the sound, take the pot off the heat around the same time that you would take a bag of popcorn out of the microwave. Meanwhile, if you’re using it, melt the butter or gently warm the olive oil.
4. Quickly pour the popcorn into a large bowl; sprinkle with chopped chocolate immediately, or drizzle with butter or olive oil if you like. Sprinkle with salt and seasonings (like chili powder) while tossing the popcorn. Serve immediately.

Microwave Popcorn
Serves 2 to 4

• In a small glass container or brown paper lunch bag, combine 1⁄4 cup popping corn with 1⁄4 teaspoon salt. Fold the top of the bag over a few times.
• Microwave for 2 to 3 minutes on high, until there are 4 or 5 second pauses between pops. Open the bag or container carefully (beware hot steam).
• Toss with your seasonings and a drizzle of butter or olive oil or serve as is.

Recommended popcorn seasonings:

• Finely chopped dark chocolate, or dark chocolate chips, and chili powder (and maybe a dash of cayenne pepper)
• Chopped fresh herbs
• Black pepper
• Curry powder
• Toasted sesame seeds
• Cayenne or red chile flakes
• Grated Parmesan cheese
• Brown sugar
• Finely ground nuts or shredded, unsweetened coconut
• Chopped dried fruit

Check out The Food Matters Project members’ recipes for more inspiration!

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Hallelujah, it is Friday! Lately I’ve been juggling work, my beloved blog and a few projects that are near to my heart, but my fingers have been hitting all the wrong keys lately. I’ve caught myself sending choppy stream-of-consciousness emails that make sense to no one, including myself. Communicating with many, but saying nothing of value.

I need to get lost in some fiction, go on long walks with Cookie, breathe deeply and stretch my limbs. I need all of that, plus some good conversations with friends, before I’ll have anything worth saying. I feel like I say this over and over again. So it goes.

Please, if you can find pomegranates this late in the season, make this Ottolenghi-inspired salad. Brilliant ruby-hued pomegranate arils, crunchy celery and dark quinoa make it a colorful study in textural contrasts. Allspice warms up this simple salad, which seems to be a wintery take on my quinoa tabbouleh recipe. I dare say you’ll finish your bowl and go back for just one more forkful, then another, and another.

Ottolenghi’s original recipe in Plenty calls for barley instead of quinoa, sherry vinegar instead of balsamic, and the addition of dill. It was good, but I like my way better.

By the way, if you haven’t picked up a copy of Ottolenghi’s Plenty, I highly recommend doing so. It is a stunning vegetarian cookbook, full of unconventional recipes that feature a mélange of Middle Eastern and European flavors thanks to Ottolenghi’s upbringing by European parents in Israel. The food photography is good enough to justify the purchase in itself. As cookbooks by professional chefs tend to be, the ingredient lists can be a bit long, and the instructions exacting, but it is a cookbook I’m glad to have in my collection.

Pomegranate Quinoa Salad Recipe
Adapted from Ottolenghi’s Barley and Pomegranate Salad in Plenty

Ingredients:

• 1 cup black or red quinoa, rinsed well in a mesh colander
• 6 stalks of leafy organic celery, leaves picked and reserved, cut into a small dice
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 1 teaspoon ground allspice
• salt and pepper, to taste
• loose 1/2 cup curly parsley, chopped
• 2 pomegranates, arils carefully removed (here’s how)

Instructions:

1. Pour the rinsed quinoa into a medium sized pot on the stove. Add two cups of water and bring the mixture to a boil.
2. Cover and simmer for fifteen to twenty minutes, until the water is absorbed. In the meantime, chop your celery and parsley. Once it’s done, remove from heat and fluff the quinoa with a fork.
3. Drain the quinoa and transfer to a mixing bowl. While it is still hot, mix in the celery, olive oil, vinegar, allspice and salt and pepper. Stir to combine, and leave it to cool completely, or close to it.
4. Once cool, add the parsley, celery leaves and pomegranate arils. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary (more vinegar or salt and pepper), then serve.

Notes:

• Serve 4 to 6 with ample portions.
• Celery is offender no. 2 on the dirty dozen list, so it is worth buying organic. It’s still cheap!

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Welcome to the first recipe for The Food Matters Project! Sarah and I have worked hard to make this project happen and I’m so glad we’ve finally begun. Sarah picked a gorgeous recipe to start us off—it’s vibrant, vegetarian, and strikes just the right balance between spicy and sweet—all of my favorite recipe elements in one.

By the way, The Food Matters philosophy is all about eating more plants and fewer animal products and processed foods—and the positive impact this has on our health and the environment. The project is fueled by food bloggers but everyone is welcome to cook through Mark Bittman’s The Food Matters Cookbook along with us! Find out more at our website, and contribute your opinions and recipe photos on our facebook page.

Back to the recipe: I hope you’ll give this one a try. Slow roasted delicata squash, basted in an addictive chipotle and honey sauce, is delightful on its own but turns into a healthy, complete meal when served on a bed of “refried” black beans and cilantro lime rice. I improvised the black bean recipe, and the rice was inspired by aptly-named Chipotle Mexican Grill, the sustainable burrito chain we all know and love.

I raced against the setting sun to photograph this recipe late Saturday afternoon. Feeling rushed, I took several shortcuts, fortunately without undesirable consequences. I used organic canned beans instead of home-cooked beans, skipped the wooden skewers for the squash, and cooked the rice in my hand-me-down rice cooker. I hardly measured ingredients and tossed saucy spoons all over my messy kitchen counters, but the end result was a smashing success.

This recipe deconstructs well. Spiced rice and beans always make a great pair, on their own or served as sides for quesadillas, enchiladas or a baked sweet potato. Dress up rice and beans with diced avocado or a few spoonfuls of salsa for an easy meal of leftovers. To my surprise, apple slaw makes a nice relish for beans and rice as well. I’m eager to roast sweet potatoes in the chipotle and honey glaze; sweet and flavorful vegetables seem to be the best base for this sauce.

Chipotle Glazed Squash with Cilantro Lime Rice and Refried Black Beans
Serves 4

Squash

• 3 delicata squash, sliced in half lengthwise, seeds scooped out, then sliced into 1/2 inch arcs.
• Additional ingredients: olive oil, canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, honey and garlic.
• Follow Mark Bittman’s recipe on 20something cupcakes, but skip the skewers.

Cilantro Lime Rice: Just mix together the following ingredients.

• 1 1/2 cups brown basmati rice, cooked (you’ll need 3 cups of water)
• 1 small lime, zest removed and juiced
• 1 small lemon, juiced
• loose 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1 tablespoon butter (optional but highly recommended)
• salt, to taste

Refried Black Beans:

• drizzle of olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 white onion, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 2 cans cooked black beans, with juices
• 1/3 cup roasted red pepper, chopped (I used jarred)
• salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions for black beans:

1. In a 10″ skillet over medium heat, sauté the onion and garlic in olive oil until fragrant. Add the cumin and stir for a minute.
2. Pour in one can of black beans with all of its juices, then drain the other can, reserving the juices for later if necessary. Pour the remaining beans into the pan.
3. Turn up the heat to medium-high and simmer the beans for 7 to 10 minutes. Use a fork or the back of a wooden spoon to mash up about 1/3 of the beans. Add more of the juice if the mixture seems too dry. Add the roasted red peppers, stir, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
4. Serve the beans on a bed of cilantro lime rice. Top with chipotle-glazed squash. Garnish with a couple of lime wedges.

Next Monday, The Food Matters Project continues with stove-top popcorn, my favorite salty snack. I hope you’ll all join in!

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Today I thought I’d share this mayo-free apple slaw that I’ve been snacking on all week. It’s a chomp-worthy salad that, come game day, will offer welcome relief from the salty chips and creamy dips. It boasts a satisfying crunch and an irresistible sweet, tart and tangy flavor. Plus it’s festive and full of phytonutrients, though antioxidants will probably be the last topic of discussion during the game.

It took me three times to get this slaw just right, and I’ve been chomp-chomp-chomping away at the leftovers for days. The first time, I added an entire purple onion as directed, and it tasted like onion slaw. Yuck. I decided that the radishes and mustard gave it plenty of kick, so I skipped the onion altogether on my second try, and tossed in a combination of parsley and mint. I love parsley, I do, but it didn’t seem like a good fit here. The last time, I traded cilantro for the other herbs (à la the green machine smoothie), and it was just right.

By the way, if you’re on the hunt for more game day-appropriate dishes, you might consider this sweet potato chili, which satisfies carnivores and vegans alike, or a giant bowl of black bean salsa. Don’t forget about sweet potato hummus, spiced chickpeas or molasses cookies, either!

Also, while we’re on the subject of salty crunchy things, check out my favorite food over on Adrienneats today (mm, sweet potato fries!).

Apple Slaw Recipe
Adapted from The Food Matters Cookbook by Mark Bittman

Ingredients:

• scant 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 lime, juiced
• 1 small purple cabbage, cored and sliced into small stripes (about 2 cups)
• 8 radishes, stems and ends removed, finely sliced and coarsely chopped
• 2 medium organic Granny Smith apples, or other tart, crisp apple
• loose 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
• sea salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions:

1. In a big bowl, whisk together the ingredients for the dressing: olive oil, mustard, honey and lime juice.
2. Chop the cabbage, radish and apple and toss into the bowl. Use your hands to thoroughly toss the chopped ingredients with the dressing. Add salt and pepper, to taste.
3. Cover and chill in the fridge for an hour. Mix in the chopped cilantro right before serving.

Notes:

• This slaw is best eaten within a day, if not sooner.
• For extra sweetness, mix in some golden raisins.

Completely unrelated: some of you were following along last year when I shared my experience donating stem cells to a cancer patient last year (here’s the before post and the after post). I promised to update you as soon as I learned more, and I’m overwhelmingly happy to report that my recipient is alive and recovering well! He is still suffering from chronic pain, however, so please send your prayers, positive energy and “good juju” his way. Also, please consider joining the Be The Match Registry. All it takes is a cheek swab! Just be there in case someone needs you.

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The past week has felt like a failed attempt at finding balance. I spent the week before last on glorious holiday with two guy friends in gorgeous Crested Butte, Colorado. It was a vacation in every sense of the word; each day began with a big, home-cooked breakfast, followed by a long, easy-going game of Scrabble with frequent mimosa refills. We soaked in a steaming hot tub at least once daily, surrounded by snow and those mountains, the sleeping giants whose mercurial personalities shifted as the sun rotated overhead. We savored the best pizza of our lives at Secret Stash—it was the kind of food that, once delivered, hushes all conversation except for occasional slips of profanity between bites. I squeezed into my mom’s retro one-piece ski suit and skied down the green slopes, making it down the mountain with all parts intact. In short, it was marvelous.

The following week, last week, was spent in a wretched state of catch-up from the week before. Deadline was rapidly approaching and I worked, hunched over my laptop, from the time I woke up to the time I dragged myself to bed. Warm memories from the last week made it possible to accept the situation, but it is absolutely not how I want to live. By the time I finished working late in the afternoon on Sunday, I sought out some companionship. Sometimes you just have to stop what you’re doing, climb onto the roof with a friend and sip on some cheap Champagne, am I right?

Deadline has passed, and I find myself overwhelmed by other projects (please join The Food Matters Project!), but I’ll make it. This weekend has been all about finding balance: stretching out my poor back with Pilates, dancing around to my friends’ band at a dive bar and tackling the disgusting pile of dishes that is taking over my kitchen.

I’ve already typed up more than I intended, but let me tell you about this pecan butter. The idea for pecan butter came to me on the drive back from Colorado, right after I’d awoken to see mountain goats outside the window. I munched on a cracker, then a couple of pecans that Peach Crest Farm had gifted Matt for Christmas. The Peach Crest Farm pecans are extraordinary; one taste of those fresh, local, organic pecans convinced me that every pecan I’ve ever tasted has been rancid with old age. My grandmother Mimi‘s family owned a pecan farm and she adored pecans. Now I know why.

I munched on a couple more pecans, and another cracker, wishing I could smear the pecans on top like peanut butter. Bingo! Pecan butter. One quick google search confirmed that it could be done, but no one has given pecan butter the attention it deserves.

I’ve tried to make peanut butter before with disappointing result, but not so here. Pecan butter is the least finicky all-natural nut butter I’ve come across. Toasted pecans meld together in a food processor, turning into silky smooth, spreadable nutty goodness with maple undertones, without any added oil. A pinch of salt and a dash of cinnamon at the end make it positively divine.

If you love pecans like I do, you must give this a try. It is truly luscious. Pecans are not cheap, but I assure you that pecan butter is worth every penny. It is liquid gold. Might I suggest that you slather it on a piece of my favorite honey-sweetened banana bread, as I have every morning this week? It makes a healthy breakfast that tastes almost as decadent as a piece of cake.

Pecan Butter Recipe
by Cookie and Kate

Ingredients:

• 8 ounces (about two cups) high quality pecans, either whole or in pieces
• sea salt, to taste
• dash of cinnamon

Instructions:

1. Pour the pecans into a large skillet and toast, stirring often, over medium heat until fragrant. This will take about 4 to 8 minutes.
2. Pour the toasted pecans into a food processor and blend, pausing to scrape down the sides with a spatula often. It will be crumbly at first, but will eventually blend into super-creamy goodness after ten to fifteen minutes.
3. Add a pinch of sea salt and a dash of cinnamon. Blend again, taste, and add more salt or cinnamon if needed.
4. Pour into a small jar, seal it with a lid, and store it in the refrigerator for good measure.

Notes:

• Yields one cup. Feel free to to double or maybe even triple the amount of pecans in order to make a bigger batch. You may find it easier to toast the pecans in the oven at that point.
• This pecan butter is only as good as the pecans you put it in it. Seek out fresh pecans from a store with high turnover. Bonus points if they’re local, organic and/or stored in the refrigerator.

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My favorite term of endearment in French has always been mon petit chou chou, which literally translated means “my little cabbage cabbage”. The French use it to mean something like “my sweetheart,” and it may or may not actually refer to a pastry instead of cabbage. Regardless, the literal translation made me giggle when I learned it in high school and it still makes me giggle today. Please, call someone you love a “cabbage cabbage” today and wait for their reaction. If you want to say it in French, chou sounds just like “shoe”. I dare you.

Anyway, my favorite French term of endearment has come to mind often this winter as I’ve sliced up Brussels sprouts to roast for dinner. Having never eaten Brussels sprouts as a kid, I was intimidated by those foreign baby cabbages. This winter I vowed to get over my apprehension. I learned to like them on my first attempt: steamed on the stove and oven roasted under a layer of Fontina cheese. Like turned to love when I learned to roast them, halved, in a cast iron pan, and I officially tombé amoureux (fell in love) when I found a quick sauté and broil method that bakes my little “cabbage cabbages” in under ten minutes.

Since falling in love with Brussels sprouts, I have singlehandedly put away at least 10 pounds of roasted sprouts. I love their salty, crispy exterior and softer, steamed interior. Technically speaking, Brussels sprouts are not baby cabbages, but a special kind of miniature cabbage. The flavor is a bit reminiscent of broccoli, which makes sense because they are both Brassicas. Brassicas are notoriously high in anti-cancerous, DNA protective properties.

I crave Brussels every few days, and I’ve developed an odd habit of eating a huge bowlful of roasted Brussels after my weekly yoga class. Desolée, mes petits chou choux, I think as I slice off their tails and cut them in half. By the time I bite into crisp, roasted sprouts, I’m not really sorry at all.

In addition to my newfound love for Brussels sprouts, I’ve been becoming more adventurous and knowledgable about various types of whole grains. Every time I visit the new health food store in town, I make a point to buy a new variety. So far I’ve tried wheat berries, farro, Kamut, steel cut oats, and most recently, barley. I like to cook up a big batch of whole grains and try to come up with ways to use the leftovers over the week. I think it’s a good way to become acquainted with a grain, and it’s a very cheap way to eat.

Though I haven’t made any direct taste comparisons, I think that wheat berries, farro and Kamut are all pretty similar in taste and texture, and could easily be substituted for one another. I expected barley to be like the others, with a chewy exterior and soft interior, but I was surprised to find that it is fluffy and soft. Barley seems like a cross between brown rice and oatmeal. Thus it’s a little creamy and almost risotto-like, which makes it the perfect grain to soak up dressing in this recipe.

Another thing I’ve learned about cooking whole grains is that their cooking time varies, sometimes even from the time listed on the bag. I just mixed two cups of uncooked, hulled barley with six cups of water (a 1:3 ratio), let it come to a boil, and then simmered it, covered, for a little less than an hour. One cup of uncooked barley will yield plenty for this recipe and two cups of uncooked barley will leave you with tons of leftovers. I encourage you to get creative and come up with new ways to enjoy barley in your cooking.

This recipe is one that I’ve been working on for a while now. Brussels sprouts tossed in a light maple syrup and balsamic dressing pair marvelously with sweet, freshly cooked cranberries, and a bed of creamy leftover barley is the perfect final resting place for mes petits chou choux. Tangy Gorgonzola cheese melts into the barley and toasted pecans add a nice crunch.

This dish is easily deconstructed, however. Feel free to roast the Brussels sprouts with this method, and toss them with salt and a squeeze of lemon juice for a snack. Brussels, cranberries and pecans without barley make a great side dish. If you can’t find fresh cranberries, you can substitute dried cranberries (which is a shame, in my opinion, but do as you wish). Just toss the dried cranberries in with the sprouts after they’re done roasting. Vegan? Omit the cheese.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Cranberries and Barley Recipe
Serves two. Inspired by Love and Lemons’ maple and balsamic roasted Brussels sprouts recipe and one of Mark Bittman’s recipes in The Food Matters Cookbook. The quick-roasted sprouts method is adapted from The Kitchn via Jacqui of So Good and Tasty (thanks Jacqui!).

Ingredients:

• 1 pound Brussels sprouts, tips cut off, discolored leaves removed and sliced in half (smaller sprouts are better than large sprouts)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• salt
• 2/3 cup fresh cranberries (or 1/3 cup dried cranberries)
• 1/3 cup crumbled Gorgonzola or goat cheese
• 1/3 cup freshly toasted pecans
• 1 1/2 cups cooked barley, reheated (see instructions above)
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup, or more to taste
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar, or more to taste

Instructions:

1. Preheat your broiler.
2. Set a 12-inch cast iron skillet over medium-high heat on the stove. Let it heat up for two to three minutes. It should be so hot that a few drops of water sizzle and quickly disappear after contact.
3. In a medium sized bowl, toss the prepared Brussels sprouts with olive oil and salt. Toss well, so that the sprouts are evenly coated in a thin layer of oil.
4. Once the pan is hot, dump the sprouts into the pan and quickly rearrange them so the flat sides are face down. Let them cook for two minutes.
5. Toss the fresh cranberries into the pan and transfer the pan to your broiler. The pan will be heavy and hot so use oven mitts and be careful! Let the Brussels broil for about three minutes. Check the sprouts for doneness—their tops should be a little browned and the bottoms caramelized. How long you should leave them in there depends on your preferences and your oven. The cranberries should have started popping by now; set the hot pan on your stovetop for a couple of minutes while you reheat the barley.
6. Toss the warm barley, sprouts, cranberries, cheese and pecans in a bowl and drizzle with balsamic vinegar and maple syrup. Season with salt, divide into smaller bowls, and enjoy!

Notes:

• I highly recommend using a 12-inch cast iron skillet rather than a large oven-safe, non-stick skillet because typical non-stick skillets release toxins at high temperatures.
• Brussels sprouts are best cooked flat side down because the heat gets trapped inside the sprout and, in effect, steams it. It’s the best way to get crispy flat sides and cooked insides.
• If you’re adding pecans, I recommend toasting the pecans over medium heat in a separate pan. They will burn over high heat.

Last but certainly not least, I have an exciting announcement to make! Sarah of 20something cupcakes and I are starting a community cooking project called The Food Matters Project. Sarah brought The Food Matters Cookbook to my attention a few months ago because she loved the recipes, but mostly because it had given her a new viewpoint on food. I bought the cookbook, and after reading through the introduction, realized that Mark and I share the same cooking philosophy—that eating more plants and whole grains and less meat and processed food is better for our health and the environment. Then I poured through all 500 recipes, dog-earing many of them to try later. I adore the recipes because they’re healthy, simple and versatile, which are all essential recipe qualities in my mind. Truly, if I had to pick one cookbook to recommend above all others, it would be this one.

Sarah and I are so enamored with Mark Bittman’s recipes in The Food Matters Cookbook that we want to build a community around it and cook through the book together. If you want to learn how to cook healthy food, try new ingredients, or challenge yourself creatively, this project is for you. We can’t wait to see how you interpret his recipes!

Just like Mark Bittman, we want this project to be as unfussy and approachable as possible. Bloggers and non-bloggers alike are welcome to join, and you decide whether or not you want to cook the selected recipe each week. And just so we’re clear, we have no affiliation with Mark Bittman; we just feel that his cookbook is perfectly suited for a group cooking project.

Learn more about the project at our new website, thefoodmattersproject.com, and follow our facebook page for updates! You can also learn more about The Food Matters Cookbook here and buy the book over here. I hope you are as excited as I am about the project and I hope you’ll participate. We launch on February 6, so get ready!

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Though I’ve run across many recipes for steel cut oats on my favorite blogs and inside my most dog-eared cookbooks, somehow the fact that steel cut oats are infinitely better than their old-fashioned counterparts escaped me. Steel cut oats are so creamy that they seem positively indulgent—so decadent that I can’t resist eating tiny bowlfuls for dessert. If you haven’t given steel cut oats try yet, please do. I promise you’ll never look at oatmeal the same way again.

If, like me, you’ve avoided steel cut oats because they require more time on the stove, I assure you that they are worth the effort in spades. The process is largely passive, so you can set the timer and forget about it for a while. I made this big batch last weekend and it has proven to be plenty for all five weekdays thereafter. I just reheat a bowlful with a bit of extra milk and top it with a big spoonful of yogurt. Breakfast is served!

As usual, when I want to learn how to cook something right the first time, I turn to The America’s Test Kitchen Healthy Family Cookbook for the proper technique. The test kitchen tried cooking oats every which way and determined that they are best when toasted first, and cooked with one part milk with three parts water. If you’ve tried steel cut oats any other way, please let me know how these compare!

Cranberry Sauce Recipe
Adapted from Green Market Baking Book‘s recipe for Blueberry Ginger Syrup (seen on these blueberry waffles and these coconut cranberry waffles)

Ingredients:

• 2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
• 4 tablespoons honey (or maple syrup)
• 1 tablespoon arrowroot powder (or cornstarch)
• 1/2 teaspoon ginger
• 1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoon waters

Instructions:

1. Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat.
2. Stir constantly for about 3 to 6 minutes, until the cranberries pop, the sauce thickens and turns red. That’s it!

Cranberry Orange Steel Cut Oats Recipe
Adapted from The America’s Test Kitchen Healthy Family Cookbook

Ingredients:

• 3 cups water
• 1 cup almond milk (or other milk: cow’s milk, coconut milk, etc.)
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter (or coconut oil)
• 1 cup steel-cut oats
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• zest of one orange and juice of one orange

Instructions:

1. In a large saucepan, bring the water and milk to a simmer over medium heat. In the meantime, melt the butter (or coconut oil) in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Toast the oats, stirring occasionally, until golden and fragrant, around 1 1/2 to 2 minutes.
2. Stir the oats into the simmering water/milk mixture. Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer gently for about 20 minutes, until the mixture is very thick.
3. Stir in the salt. Continue to simmer the mixture, stirring occasionally, until almost all of the liquid is absorbed, about 10 minutes. The oatmeal should be very creamy at this point. Stir in the orange zest and juice, and let the oatmeal stand for 5 minutes before serving.
4. Portion into bowls and top with cranberry sauce, toasted pecans, a splash of almond milk and/or Greek yogurt.

Notes:

• Serves 4 to 6. Add yogurt to stretch the portions.
• If you ignore the orange zest and juice part of the recipe, you’ll have a basic recipe for super creamy steel cut oats, which you can top any way you’d like. Nut butters, fruit (fresh or defrosted), toasted nuts, compotes, jam and honey are all good ideas. Greek yogurt is highly recommended.

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