the best pickle

the final best pickle meal plan...

2011-01-09T14:13:00.000-08:00

This will be the last post for The Best Pickle in its current form. I've found lately, as you may have noticed by my increasingly sporadic posts, that it's becoming more and more difficult to juggle a full-time job, planning and preparing nightly meals, and writing about my meal plans. I've realized that I have to give something up--my job pays the bills and if I gave up my meal planning and cooking, I wouldn't have anything to blog about, so unfortunately, this blog is coming to a close. I've loved this opportunity to document my meal plans and (mostly) healthy and delicious dinners. I have also loved getting to know my readers and hearing about your healthy recipes and meal planning tips. I hope to one day begin blogging again, although in a modified format--I've been posting about 6 days a week in this current format and that has proven to be too much, so if I bring back The Best Pickle, it will be some other incarnation. Any suggestions on what you would like to read and learn about?

Thank you all for reading and following my blog. Thanks also to Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution, Bon Appétit Blogs, and the Nutrition Blog Network for their support and recognition. Here's my final meal plan!

Meal 1: beet & fennel soup with kefir, roast chicken & potatoes
Meal 2: chicken tacos with pinto beans
Meal 3: tomato, fennel, & crab soup; salad with miso-ginger dressing
Meal 4: pasta with butternut squash, chickpeas, & kasseri; salad
Meal 5: caribbean succotash with shrimp and brown rice

new year's day - creole hoppin' john with collard greens and prosciutto

2011-01-02T14:23:00.000-08:00

I grew up in Alabama, where it's customary to eat black-eyed peas, collard greens, and pork on New Year's Day to bring good luck and wealth in the new year. Since it's also a healthy and delicious meal, I decided to bring the tradition to Portland this year. I made a recipe for creole hoppin' john from Bryant Terry's Vegan Soul Kitchen cookbook, which was printed in The Oregonian this week. I found fresh black-eyed peas in the produce department of the supermarket, so I used those instead of the dried peas called for in the recipe. I made sautéed collard greens with prosciutto loosely based on this pasta recipe from The New York Times. Overall, it was a delicious meal, and I hope it brings good health and wealth to you and yours this year. Happy new year!

Creole Hoppin' John

1/2 cup brown rice, rinsed
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1/2 cup finely diced shallots
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 pint jar or 1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes, drained
1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt
2 cups fresh black-eyed peas, rinsed
Freshly ground black pepper

Add the rice to a medium saucepan and place over medium heat. Cook for about 2 minutes, stirring often with a wooden spoon, until the water has evaporated and the rice starts smelling nutty. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and continue cooking until the rice starts browning, about 2 minutes.

To the rice, add the shallots, garlic powder, paprika, chili powder, red pepper flakes, cayenne, thyme, oregano, and remaining 2 teaspoons olive oil. Continue cooking, stirring frequently, until the shallots are soft, about 3 minutes. Transfer this mixture to a bowl and set aside.

In the same saucepan over medium heat, combine the chicken or vegetable broth, tomatoes, and salt and bring to a boil. Add the rice mixture and the black-eyed peas to the broth and stir well. Bring back to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to low and cook for 40 minutes, until most of the water has evaporated and the rice is tender.

Remove from the heat and steam with the cover on for at least 10 minutes. Season to taste with pepper.

Makes 4 servings.
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Sautéed Collard Greens and Prosciutto

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
3 thin slices prosciutto, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 bunch collard greens, stems removed and discarded, leaves rinsed and sliced
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Heat oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium heat. Add prosciutto and cook until just beginning to brown. Add garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the collard greens and cook, stirring occassionally, about seven minutes or until the greens are wilted and tender. Stir in the vinegar and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Makes 2 servings.
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thursday - eggplant and chickpea baked pasta, salad

2011-01-02T13:47:00.000-08:00

This hearty vegetarian baked pasta (from this recipe at eatingwell.com) was even better than Wednesday night's eggplant and chickpea stew! It came together quickly, and I absolutely love getting two meals out of one dish. I used queso fresco instead of feta simply because I prefer it, and I used parsley instead of mint or basil because it's still hanging on in my garden (although probably not after the bitter cold spell we're currently having). Courtney went back for thirds, which is a good sign. I also served a salad of butter lettuce, sliced pears, blue cheese, and pepitas, tossed with a cider vinaigrette.

wednesday - eggplant & chickpea stew, quinoa, sautéed kale

2011-01-02T13:37:00.000-08:00

This month's EatingWell magazine has an article about slow cooker meals with follow-up recipes for a second night's dinner, so you get two meals out of one main recipe. Yay! I tried out their eggplant and chickpea stew this week. Eggplant is not my favorite vegetable, but it cooks down so much that I barely noticed it, and I loved the hearty chickpeas. I served the stew over quinoa (but any cooked whole grain would do) and had sautéed kale on the side. I followed the stew recipe pretty closely, but I did all of the prep the night before--I followed the instructions through step 4 with the exception of stirring in the soaked chickpeas. I transferred the vegetable mixture to the refrigerator, and then I soaked the dried chickpeas overnight. In the morning, I drained the chickpeas, stirred them into the vegetable mixture, and transferred the whole thing to the slow cooker. Easy, provided you have a bit of free time the night before.

tuesday - winter salad with roasted squash, seared scallops, corn chowder

2011-01-02T13:17:00.000-08:00

Tuesday night I made a repeat of this delicious salad with roasted butternut squash and pomegranate vinaigrette, based on a recipe from eatingwell.com. I sprinkled crumbled blue cheese on top, and served seared scallops on the side. Delicious. To speed things up, I used bagged butter lettuce and pre-peeled and cubed butternut squash.

I also made corn chowder, which I've posted about before. It's orginally based on this recipe from realsimple.com. Again, I made a few changes to speed things along, such as using canned green chiles and frozen corn. It's a tasty, easy soup that's ready in a flash.

Corn Chowder

1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 4-ounce can diced green chiles
1 15-ounce bag frozen corn kernels
2 cups chicken broth or vegetable broth
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Melt the butter and oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender (do not let it brown), 8 to 10 minutes. Add the green chiles, and stir for 1 minute. Add the corn, chicken broth, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.

Working in batches, puree the soup in a blender until smooth. (Alternatively, use a handheld immersion blender in the pot.) If needed, thin with a little water to desired consistency.

Makes 6 servings.
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monday - pinto bean-wheat berry soup and quesadillas

2011-01-02T12:33:00.000-08:00

We returned home Monday evening and I was faced with an empty fridge and no motivation to go to the grocery store or pick up take-out. So, I was very pleased when I was able to piece together this soup out of things I found in the freezer (cooked wheat berries and pinto beans), pantry (canned tomatoes, chicken stock, onion, and garlic), and refrigerator (celery and carrots). The soup is loosely based on this recipe from eatingwell.com, which I've made before, but modified quite a bit based on what I had on hand. I also made quesadillas with two remaining flour tortillas and two diced low-fat cheddar cheese sticks.

Pinto Bean-Wheat Berry Soup

1 tablespoon olive oil
1onion, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
4 stalks celery, chopped
5 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 cups chicken stock
2 cups water
1 bay leaf
1 1/2 cups cooked pinto beans (or 1 15-ounce can pinto beans, rinsed and drained)
2 pints diced tomatoes (or 1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes), drained
3 cups cooked wheat berries or pearl barley
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 teaspoons cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon sugar
Ground black pepper, to taste

Heat oil in a large stock pot over medium heat. Add onions, carrots, and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 8 to 10 minutes. Add garlic, cumin, and oregano. Cook, stirring, about 1 minute or until fragrant. Add chicken stock, water, bay leaf, beans, tomatoes, wheat berries, and salt; bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low and simmer, partially covered, until vegetables are tender and chili has thickened, about 15 minutes. Remove bay leaf. Season with vinegar, sugar, and pepper.

Makes 6 servings.
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meal plan

2010-12-28T19:02:00.000-08:00

We're finally back in Portland after a week in sunny Arizona, and I must say, it's nice to return to this gray, rainy sky. A short meal plan this week, though.

What did you have for Christmas dinner? On Christmas eve, my husband and I had Domino's Pizza. Yup. I could go into the myriad reasons why, but suffice it to say, I'm glad to be back to normal. It was, however, a great holiday and so nice to see family and friends.

Meal 1: wheat berry-pinto bean soup, quesadillas
Meal 2: winter salad with seared scallops & roasted squash, corn chowder
Meal 3: eggplant & chickpea stew, quinoa, sautéed kale
Meal 4: eggplant & chickpea baked pasta

thursday - salmon with lingonberry-chipotle sauce, green beans with prosciutto, & mashed sweet potatoes

2010-12-17T10:12:00.000-08:00

These side dishes are two of my all-time favorites. Green beans are not one of my favorite vegetables, but the addition of prosciutto, lemon zest, and pine nuts in this recipe from eatingwell.com transforms them into something amazing. It's a little more time consuming than most side dishes I make, but I paired it with a simple entrée--broiled salmon topped with lingonberry-chipotle sauce, which was a surprisingly delicious combination--so the whole meal still came together quickly. I actually think trimming the green beans is the worst part--I'd like a sous chef for Christmas, please. I omitted the sage, but otherwise followed the recipe exactly. This mashed sweet potato recipe, also from eatingwell.com, is unbelievably good, and so simple! It has only three ingredients (well, four if you count the salt)--sweet potatoes, ginger, and coconut milk. It's easy and quick to prepare, and it's unbelievably delicious. Both of these sides would be wonderful for a holiday meal, in my opinion.

wednesday - pulled pork sandwiches, cole slaw, black beans with soyrizo

2010-12-17T09:54:00.000-08:00

I love coming home from work with the bulk of dinner already prepared with the help of my slow cooker! Wednesday night we had pulled pork sandwiches on whole wheat buns, topped with cole slaw based on this recipe from eatingwell.com. I followed the recipe exactly (except I used pre-shredded cabbage), and it was pretty good--I'm constantly searching for the perfect cole slaw recipe and never quite feel like I achieve it. This was a nice creamy version, and I liked the addition of the celery seed. I also made black beans with soyrizo, which is a delicious and fast side dish (and vegetarian, too!).

monday - quinoa with edamame and seared scallops on arugula

2010-12-14T18:15:00.000-08:00

Last night I made one of my favorite quinoa recipes, based on this recipe from eatingwell.com. I've posted my changes here before (I used parsley for the fresh herbs last night). I topped the quinoa with seared scallops--heat oil in a skillet over high heat, pat scallops dry and season with salt and pepper, and cook for 2 minutes per side (or less, depending on the size of the scallops. Go here for slightly more detailed instructions from Alton Brown.). The quinoa and scallops were served on a bed of arugula. This quinoa dish is great as a quick, healthy side or served over greens as a vegetarian entrée salad.

sunday - white bean & prosciutto soup

2010-12-13T21:39:00.000-08:00

This was a tasty soup created largely from things I already had in my fridge and pantry. I love when I make up a recipe and it actually works!

White Bean & Prosciutto Soup

1/2 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable stock
2 cups water
2 sprigs rosemary
1 15-ounce can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
3 thin slices prosciutto, chopped (about 1 1/2 ounces)
Salt and pepper
Freshly grated Asiago or Parmesan cheese

Heat oil in a stockpot over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, and celery, and cook until softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Add garlic and stir until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add stock, water, rosemary, beans, and prosciutto. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Remove and discard the rosemary sprigs.

Using an immersion blender, slightly puree the soup, leaving it a bit chunky. (Alternatively, puree half the soup in a blender, then stir back into the remaining soup in the stockpot. Or, just leave the soup chunky and skip this step altogether.) Season to taste with salt and pepper. Ladle into bowls and sprinkle with freshly grated cheese.

Makes 4 servings.
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meal plan

2010-12-12T18:50:00.000-08:00

Meal 1: white bean & prosciutto soup
Meal 2: salmon, green beans with prosciutto, mashed sweet potatoes
Meal 3: quinoa with edamame, arugula, and seared scallops
Meal 4: pulled pork sandwiches, cole slaw, black beans with soyrizo

thursday - pork chops with lingonberry-chipotle sauce, kale & pinto bean sauté, brown rice, salad

2010-12-11T13:36:00.000-08:00

Thursday night I made quick-cooking, thin-cut pork chops (3 ounces each, cooked 2 minutes per side in a hot, dry nonstick skillet) and topped it with leftover lingonberry-chipotle sauce that I made after our lingonberry-picking excursion a few weeks ago. (I've found that the lingonberry-chipotle sauce is also really tasty on turkey sandwiches.) I made a quick sauté of kale, onions, and pinto beans (basically the same filling I've been putting into quesadillas lately) and served it with brown rice and a salad (mixed greens, pear slices, and blue cheese with balsamic vinaigrette).

Kale & Pinto Bean Sauté

1/2 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, sliced
1 bunch kale, stems removed and discarded, leaves coarsely chopped
1 1/2 cups cooked pinto beans (or one 15-ounce can, rinsed)
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
Salt and pepper, to taste

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and cook until translucent, about 4 to 5 minutes. Add kale, stirring until wilted. Continue cooking until kale is tender, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add beans and paprika, stirring to combine. Cook until beans are heated through, about 2 minutes more. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Makes 4 servings.
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wednesday - quesadillas with kale & pinto beans, autumn chicken stew

2010-12-09T07:07:00.000-08:00

Tonight we had a super-quick meal using autumn chicken stew that's been in the freezer along with kale and pinto bean quesadillas. The soup was originally based on this recipe from eatingwell.com, and while I thought it was kind of mediocre initially, I liked it a lot more this time around. It was more flavorful after hanging out in the freezer for a few weeks.

As for the quesadillas, I had a pack of tortillas left over from last week that needed to be used, and as you may have noticed recently, I really, really like quesadillas. The only change I made from this recipe was using a 4-ounce can of diced green chiles instead of the fresh Anaheim chile.

tuesday - roasted butternut squash and gorgonzola pizza, salad

2010-12-08T17:52:00.000-08:00

Last night I made a pizza with roasted butternut squash, mushrooms, and onions based on this recipe from Giada De Laurentiis at foodnetwork.com. I topped it with gorgonzola and asiago cheeses (any blue cheese would work; I added asiago because I had it on hand, but mozzarella would be nice instead) and a handful of arugula. It was good but not great, unfortunately. I wanted to love it, but I felt like it was missing something (Sauce, perhaps? I'm on the fence about sauceless pizzas). I used pre-peeled and cubed butternut squash to save time and added mushrooms (because I feel pizza is almost always better with mushrooms).

I also served a salad, nearly identical to the one from Monday night--mixed greens, pear slices, and pepitas with cider vinaigrette.

Roasted Squash and Gorgonzola Pizza

12 ounces butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
4 ounces cremini or white mushrooms, halved
1/2 large red onion, sliced
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 ball fresh pizza dough, preferably whole wheat
1/2 cup shredded asiago cheese
1/2 cup crumbled gorgonzola cheese (or other blue cheese)
1 cup arugula

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Put a pizza stone or a half sheet pan in the oven to preheat.

Place squash, mushrooms, and onion in a large bowl. Add syrup, olive oil, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper, and toss to combine. Place the squash mixture on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake until squash is tender and golden, about 25 to 30 minutes.

Increase the oven temperature to 450°F. Remove the preheated pizza stone (or sheet pan) from the oven. Roll or stretch out pizza dough, and place on the hot pizza stone. Evenly spread the squash mixture over the dough. Sprinkle the asiago and gorgonzola cheeses over the vegetables. Bake until crust is golden, about 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from oven. Top with arugula, and cut into 8 slices
Makes 4 servings.
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monday - crispy rosemary shrimp with arugula & white beans, salad

2010-12-08T17:21:00.000-08:00

Monday night I made this fast, easy, and tasty shrimp recipe with arugula and white beans--I followed the recipes exactly as I've posted in the past. I also served a salad of mixed greens, sliced apple, blue cheese, and walnuts with cider vinaigrette. The whole meal was on the table within 20 minutes and my eloquent husband declared, "Me likey," in response to it. Both positives, in my book.

meal plan

2010-12-05T22:08:00.000-08:00

We ended up having dinner with friends a couple of nights last week, so I postponed the shrimp from last week's meal plan and will make it tomorrow. Here's the full meal plan for the week:

Meal 1: crispy rosemary shrimp with arugula and white beans
Meal 2: pizza with roasted butternut squash and blue cheese, salad
Meal 3: pork chops, vegetable (TBD), brown rice
Meal 4: quesadillas, autumn chicken stew

friday - chicken, snow pea, and broccoli stir-fry with brown rice

2010-12-04T10:55:00.000-08:00

I usually make this chicken and snow pea dish from eatingwell.com exactly as written, but I had extra broccoli so I decided to add that last night. Since I was using the broccoli, I also decided to leave the snow peas whole, which was a time-saver (although if you use a food processor to shred the snow peas, it does go really quickly). I used one large chicken breast, which is less chicken than the original recipe calls for, which I think worked well given the extra veggies. For the sauce, I've used cashew butter in the past, but I tried tahini last night. Not a very noticeable difference (I may prefer the cashew butter a tiny bit more), so use whatever is easier to find or less expensive. If you can't find either, natural peanut butter would work. I usually add the chopped cashews at the end, which gives the dish a nice crunchy texture, but I left them out last night (I'm out of cashews--who knew?). I always serve it over brown rice to make it more of an entrée rather than a salad as the original recipe is written.

Chicken, Snow Pea, and Broccoli Stir-Fry

1 large boneless, skinless chicken breast, trimmed
Water
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
3 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
3 teaspoons toasted sesame oil, divided
2 tablespoons tahini or cashew butter
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 cups broccoli florets
9 ounces snow peas, trimmed (about 3 cups)
2 tablespoons chopped cashews or peanuts (optional)

Place chicken in a medium skillet or saucepan and add water to cover; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer gently until cooked through and no longer pink in the middle, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board to cool. Shred into bite-size pieces.

Meanwhile, whisk vinegar, soy sauce, 2 teaspoons sesame oil, and tahini (or cashew butter) in a large bowl until smooth.

Heat the remaining 1 teaspoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add ginger and garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in broccoli and cook, stirring, until bright green, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in snow peas and cook, stirring, until vegetables are crisp-tender, about 3 to 4 minutes more. Stir in the shredded chicken and cook until heated through. Transfer to the bowl with the dressing; toss to combine. Serve sprinkled with cashews or peanuts (if using). Serve over brown rice.

Makes 4 servings.
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wednesday - creamy chicken and brown rice soup, quesadillas

2010-12-04T10:36:00.000-08:00

This creamy chicken and rice soup, based on this recipe from eatingwell.com, is a great way to use up leftover cooked chicken and rice. Plus, it's delicious and a much healthier version of traditional creamy soups. The original recipe calls for turkey and wild rice, but I use chicken and brown rice instead--it's flexible, so feel free to use whatever you have on hand.

I also served delicious quesadillas with pinto beans and green chiles (as you'll see in the photo, they were a tiny bit overcooked but still very tasty). They were similar to what I've made before, but I used canned green chiles instead of fresh and left out the kale.

Creamy Chicken and Brown Rice Soup

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cups sliced mushrooms
3/4 cup chopped celery
3/4 cup chopped carrots
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
2 cups cooked brown rice
3 cups shredded cooked chicken (about 1 large chicken breast)*
1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Heat oil in a large stock pot over medium heat. Add mushrooms, celery, carrots, and onion. Cook, stirring, until softened, about 10 minutes. Add flour, salt, and pepper, stirring for 2 minutes more.

Add broth and bring to a boil, scraping up any browned bits. Add rice and chicken. Reduce heat and simmer until heated through, 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in sour cream and parsley; remove from heat.

Makes 6 servings.

*To poach chicken breasts, place boneless, skinless chicken breasts in a medium skillet or saucepan. Add water to cover and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer gently until chicken is cooked through and no longer pink in the middle, 10 to 12 minutes.
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Quesadillas with Pinto Beans

1/2 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 small onion, chopped
1 4-ounce can diced green chiles, drained
1 1/2 cups cooked pinto beans (or 1 15-ounce can, rinsed)
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
Salt and pepper, to taste
4 flour tortillas
1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and cook until translucent, about 4 to 5 minutes. Add green chiles, beans, cumin, paprika, salt, and pepper, and stir until beans are heated through, about 2 minutes. Transfer mixture to a small bowl, and wipe out skillet with a paper towel.

Place one tortilla in skillet over medium heat. Spread half of bean mixture over the tortilla, and sprinkle with half of the cheese. Place another tortilla over the bean mixture, and cook until the quesadilla is golden on bottom and cheese begins to melt. Carefully flip the quesadilla over and cook until the other side is golden. Repeat with remaining tortillas, bean mixture, and cheese. Cut quesadillas into wedges before serving.

Makes 4 servings.
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tuesday - tofu & vegetables with ginger-peanut sauce, curried squash soup

2010-12-01T11:21:00.000-08:00

I've made this curried squash soup once before, and upon re-reading my blog post, realized that I thinned it out with water that time. Good advice, as this is a very thick soup as written--more like a puree (particularly with all the spinach added). Tasty, but a little odd. It's based on a recipe for curried squash and chicken soup from eatingwell.com, but I omitted the chicken. Also, the grocery store was out of Thai red curry paste, so I used green instead and couldn't taste a difference.

I also made this tofu with peanut-ginger sauce, also from eatingwell.com, adding extra vegetables and serving it over barley. I increased the ginger, garlic, soy sauce, and rice vinegar in the sauce, and it was tasty but still seemed to lack something so I stirred in chili-garlic sauce for a bit of spice. If you're not into tofu, you could use shrimp or chicken instead.

Curried Squash Soup

1 10-ounce package frozen pureed winter squash
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup lite coconut milk
4 cups baby spinach, (6 ounces)
1 tablespoon lime juice
2 teaspoons honey
1 1/2-2 teaspoons Thai red or green curry paste
1/2 teaspoon salt

Heat squash, coconut milk and water in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the squash defrosts, about 10 minutes.Stir in spinach, lime juice, honey, curry paste to taste, and salt, and continue cooking until spinach is wilted, about 3 minutes longer. Adjust seasoning if needed, and thin with additional water to desired consistency.

Makes 2 to 3 servings.
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Tofu & Vegetables with Ginger-Peanut Sauce

Sauce
5 tablespoons water
4 tablespoons smooth natural peanut butter
1 1/2 tablespoons rice vinegar or white vinegar
1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 teaspoons honey
1 to 2 teaspoons chili-garlic sauce, to taste
1 tablespoon minced ginger
3 cloves garlic, minced

Tofu & vegetables
14 ounces extra-firm tofu, preferably water-packed
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 cups broccoli florets
4 cups baby spinach, (6 ounces)
1 1/2 cups sliced mushrooms, (4 ounces)
4 scallions, sliced (1 cup)

To prepare sauce: Whisk water, peanut butter, rice vinegar (or white vinegar), soy sauce, honey, chili-garlic sauce, ginger, and garlic in a small bowl.

To prepare tofu: Drain and rinse tofu; pat dry. Slice the block crosswise into eight 1/2-inch-thick slabs. Coarsely crumble each slice into smaller, uneven pieces.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over high heat. Add tofu and cook in a single layer, without stirring, until the pieces begin to turn golden brown on the bottom, about 5 minutes. Then gently stir and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until all sides are golden brown, 5 minutes more.

Add broccoli and cook, stirring, until bright green, 2 to 3 minutes more. Add spinach, mushrooms, scallions, and the peanut sauce and cook, stirring, until the vegetables are just cooked, 1 to 2 minutes more. Serve over cooked barley or brown rice.

Makes 4 servings.
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meal plan

2010-12-01T10:55:00.000-08:00

Due to circumstances beyond my or anyone else's control, this Thanksgiving was lacking in turkey and dressing for my family, but, perhaps more than ever before, I took the opportunity to truly reflect on how thankful I am for the many blessings in my life. In particular, I'm overwhelmingly grateful for my family, my husband, and my friends; for the wonderful life I've had thus far; and for the many stories, lessons, and laughs shared by my beloved grandfather through the years.

Photo (and hat) from Kelly Rashka.

Here's the meal plan for this week:

Meal 1: tofu & vegetables with peanut-ginger sauce, curried squash soup
Meal 2: crispy rosemary shrimp with arugula & white beans
Meal 3: chicken, snow pea, & broccoli stir-fry with brown rice
Meal 4: chicken & rice soup with quesadillas

saturday - wheat berry & black bean chili, cornbread muffins

2010-11-22T09:55:00.000-08:00

As I've mentioned, my husband doesn't eat beef or any ground meats, so regular meat-based chili is out for us. Luckily there are tons of delicious vegetarian chili recipes out there, especially this recipe from eatingwell.com made with wheat berries and black beans. I followed the recipe exactly, except for using homemade and home-canned ingredients such as a pint jar of black beans that I recently cooked and froze, a pint of chicken stock that I canned a while back, and two pints of canned tomatoes. So the proportions may have been a tiny bit off. It's a tasty recipe and one I use often as a way to use cooked wheat berries--you can freeze extra cooked wheat berries and put them right into the soup still frozen. Very convenient.

For the cornbread, I'm a bit ashamed to say that I used a mix. I have tried and tried to make cornbread from scratch but it always comes out dry, so I finally gave up and use mixes now. Before we moved I loved the Arrowhead Mills cornbread mix, which is mostly whole grain and very delicious, but I can't find it in Portland. So I tried Trader Joe's mix, which was more like a corn cupcake than a muffin--wow, super sweet tasting. Needless to say, Courtney loved them.

I hope all of you have a very happy and safe Thanksgiving. I'll be taking the week off from blogging, but let me know how your big meal turns out! Are you trying out new recipes or sticking with family favorites?

wednesday - pork tenderloin with chipotle-lingonberry sauce, asparagus, roasted delicata squash & onions, salad

2010-11-18T13:03:00.000-08:00

I realized halfway through this tasty meal that I'd completely forgotten to photograph it. Oops. Perhaps that says something about how excited I was to eat it? For the pork, I used the same dry rub that I use when I make pulled pork sandwiches, based on this recipe from Tyler Florence at foodnetwork.com. I served a chipotle-lingonberry sauce with the pork, one of the many things I've done with the gallon (literally!) of lingonberries that we picked last weekend. I based the sauce on this recipe from epicurious.com that uses cranberries--I made the chipotle-cranberry sauce last Thanksgiving and, with the exception of my mother-in-law, everyone loved it. If you're looking for something a little different to add to your Thanksgiving table this year, I recommend it. But if your mother-in-law doesn't enjoy tart foods and you don't want to see her make a terrible face as she tries to force it down, make sure she doesn't get any. (Hi Jackie!)

I was initially going to make delicata squash with oranges and pistachios, but I couldn't resist making the roasted delicata squash and onions that I made and loved a couple of weeks ago. Both recipes are from eatingwell.com, and I'll get around to making the dish with oranges soon, but I'm glad I made the recipe with onions last night. It's as good as I remembered. I followed the recipe exactly, so head on over to eatingwell.com and make it yourself. We also had roasted asparagus (toss asparagus spears with olive oil, salt, and pepper, and roast on a baking sheet for 7 to 8 minutes or until crisp-tender and slightly browned; sprinkle with lemon juice before serving) and a salad of mixed greens, gorgonzola, and pepitas tossed with pomegranate vinaigrette.

Thanks to those of you who have sent in casserole recipes and lingonberry suggestions this week! I've been up to my ears in lingonberries, and thus far have made lingonberry jam, chipotle-lingonberry sauce, and pumpkin-lingonberry bread. I tried lingonberries in my oatmeal one morning, which was not a good idea--a bit too tart. I transferred the remaining 5 cups of berries to the freezer, and since the pumpkin-lingonberry bread was so delicious, I'll likely use them for baking. In lieu of a dinner photo from last night, I'll include the bread recipe, which was based on this pumpkin-cranberry bread from eatingwell.com.

Fresh lingonberries, sorted and ready for action...

A few of the many, many jars of lingonberry jam...

Delicious pumpkin-lingonberry bread, hot from the oven...

Addendum: Today's lunch, cleverly disguised as last night's dinner:

Last but not least, chipotle-lingonberry sauce...

Spice-Rubbed Pork Tenderloin

1 tablespoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 pounds pork tenderloin, trimmed of visible fat
1 teaspoon olive oil
Chipotle-lingonberry sauce, for serving (recipe follows)

Preheat the oven to 450°F.

In a small bowl, mix together the smoked paprika, garlic powder, brown sugar, dry mustard, and salt. Rub the seasoning all over the pork, pressing gently so the seasoning adheres well to the meat.

Heat the oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Put the pork in the skillet and sear each side, using tongs to turn the meat, about 4 to 5 minutes total. Transfer skillet to the oven, and roast until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the pork reads 150°F, about 10 minutes. Let rest at least 5 minutes before slicing. Serve with chipotle-lingonberry sauce.

Makes 4 servings.
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Chipotle-Lingonberry Sauce

3 cups fresh or frozen lingonberries or 1 12-ounce package fresh or frozen cranberries
1 1/3 cups sugar
2 chipotle chiles canned in adobo, minced
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 small garlic clove, chopped
1/4 teaspoon (generous) ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon (generous) ground cumin

Combine all ingredients in heavy medium saucepan and stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Continue cooking until lingonberries (or cranberries) begin to pop, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat slightly, and simmer until sauce thickens and flavors meld, stirring often, 10 to 15 minutes. Serve warm or chilled. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 week ahead. Keep chilled.

Makes about 2 cups.
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Pumpkin-Lingonberry Bread

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups whole-wheat flour
2 cups packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon salt
1 15- or 16-ounce can plain pumpkin puree, (1 1/2 cups)
1 cup nonfat plain yogurt
1/3 cup canola oil
2 large eggs
2 large egg whites
2 cups fresh or frozen lingonberries or dried cranberries

Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat two 9-by-5-inch loaf pans with cooking spray; dust with flour and tap out the excess.

Combine all-purpose and whole-wheat flours, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, and salt in a mixing bowl; mix well, breaking up any lumps of brown sugar with your fingertips. Whisk together pumpkin, yogurt, oil, eggs, and egg whites in another bowl until well combined. Stir the pumpkin mixture and lingonberries (or cranberries) into the dry ingredients until completely blended, but do not overmix. Divide the batter between the loaf pans, smoothing the tops with a spatula. Bake until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean, 55 to 65 minutes. Let the loaves rest in the pans for 5 minutes; turn them out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Makes 2 loaves.
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tuesday - chicken potpie with butternut squash and white bean soup

2010-11-18T12:10:00.000-08:00

As I mentioned in the comments section earlier this week, I'd only had chicken potpie once in my life before making it on Tuesday. That was at a friend's house when I was in junior high, and I loved it, but it wasn't something my mom ever made. Subsequently, it hasn't been something I've ever made.

However, this recipe was the featured recipe of the day at eatingwell.com when I was making my meal plan for the week, and it looked delicious and comforting so I decided to try it. Overall, I was happy with it, particularly with the biscuit topping. The filling was a bit bland, but I think just a little more salt would have made it work.

I also served the remainder of the butternut squash and white bean soup that's been in my freezer (the original recipe was from jamieoliver.com). This time I served it with crumbled gorgonzola instead of crispy sage leaves.

Chicken Potpie

Filling
3 teaspoons canola oil, divided
1 medium onion, chopped
3 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
10 ounces cremini mushrooms, halved
2 1/2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth, divided
1/4 cup cornstarch
2 1/2 cups diced cooked chicken
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream
1/4 teaspoon salt (or more, to taste)
Freshly ground pepper, to taste

Biscuit topping
3/4 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons sugar
1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 1/2 tablespoons cold butter, cut into small pieces
1 cup nonfat buttermilk or "sour milk"*
1 tablespoon canola oil

To prepare filling: Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion and carrots; cook, stirring, until golden brown and tender, about 7 minutes. Transfer to a bowl. Heat the remaining 2 teaspoons oil in the pan over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring often, until browned and their liquid has evaporated, 5 to 7 minutes. Return the onions and carrots to the pan. Add 2 cups broth and bring to a boil; reduce heat to a simmer. Mix cornstarch with the remaining 1/2 cup broth; add to the pan and cook, stirring, until the sauce thickens. Stir in chicken, peas, sour cream, salt, and pepper. Transfer the filling to a 2-quart baking dish.

To prepare biscuit topping & bake potpie: Preheat oven to 400°F. Whisk whole-wheat flour, all-purpose flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and thyme in a large bowl. Using your fingertips or 2 knives, cut butter into the dry ingredients until crumbly. Add buttermilk and oil; stir until just combined. Drop the dough onto the filling in 6 even portions. Set the baking dish on a baking sheet.

Bake the potpie until the topping is golden and the filling is bubbling, 30 to 35 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.

*Instead of buttermilk, you can make “sour milk” by mixing 1 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar to 1 cup milk.

Makes 6 servings.
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monday - winter salad with seared scallops and roasted squash

2010-11-16T12:46:00.000-08:00

Last night I used a recipe from EatingWell magazine for winter salad with roasted squash and pomegranate vinaigrette, but decided to add seared scallops to make it a more substantial entrée. I used delicata squash instead of butternut squash--no big surprise given my current obsession with it. The pomegranate vinaigrette was delicious and made good use of a bottle of pomegranate glaze (which I'm pretty sure is the same as pomegranate molasses, based on the ingredient list) that I bought at Trader Joe's ages ago and has been lurking in my refrigerator door ever since. The salad would be great as written without the scallops (and perhaps with a sprinkle of blue cheese as the EW recipe note suggests). I left out the pomegranate seeds, but they would give it a nice sweet crunch.

Winter Salad with Seared Scallops and Roasted Squash

Pomegranate Vinaigrette
1/2 tablespoon minced shallot
1/2 tablespoon pomegranate molasses or pomegranate glaze
1/2 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon dried tarragon or thyme
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon water

Squash & Salad
1 pound winter squash, such as delicata or butternut, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1/2-inch pieces (leave unpeeled if using delicata)
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper to taste
2 cups torn frisée or curly endive
2 cups torn radicchio
2 tablespoons walnuts, coarsely chopped

Scallops
1/2 pound dry sea scallops, approximately 8
1 teaspoon unsalted butter
2 teaspoons olive oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 375°F.

To prepare vinaigrette: Mix shallot, pomegranate molasses, vinegar, lemon juice, tarragon (or thyme), and salt in a small bowl. Whisk in the 2 tablespoons oil, then water.

To prepare squash: Place squash on a baking sheet, drizzle with 2 teaspoons oil, and toss to coat. Spread in a single layer and sprinkle with thyme, salt, and pepper. Roast, stirring once or twice, until fork-tender, 15 to 25 minutes (depending on the type of squash). Let cool.

To prepare salad: Place frisée (or endive), radicchio, and the squash in a large bowl. Add the vinaigrette and gently toss to coat.

To prepare scallops: Remove the small side muscle from the scallops, rinse with cold water, and thoroughly pat dry. Add the butter and 2 teaspoons oil to a large skillet (preferably cast iron) on high heat. Salt and pepper the scallops. Once the fat begins to smoke, gently add the scallops, making sure they are not touching each other. Sear the scallops for 2 minutes on each side. The scallops should have a 1/4-inch golden crust on each side while still being translucent in the center. Transfer scallops to a plate.

To serve, divide the salad and scallops among 2 plates and sprinkle with walnuts.

Makes 2 servings.
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