{ rachel's bite }

The Yoga of Food

2011-10-29T15:21:00.002-05:00

Image © Monika Wisniewska - Fotolia.com

Are you like me and love yoga but have never made it to any of the Yoga Journal Conferences? I've been wanted to go to one for years. Luckily for use they post several of the Audio Recordings online. And I thought many of you might be interested in one I found on The Yoga of Food. It's really inspiring to eat well and interesting how they discuss practicing yoga and having a relationship with your food are both always evolving and changing.

Dayna Macy, author of Ravenous, moderates the panel discussion with Cyndi Lee who wrote Yoga Body, Buddha Mind, Steve Nakon, Seane Corn, and Aadil Paklhivala, author of Fire of Love.

The panel discussed various topics around how yoga effects our eating and healthy eating in general. One point made is that yoga helps us become more conscious of our bodies and get in touch with our breath. As this happens our tastes change. We become more aware of what we are eating and make better choices. And over time, just like our relationships change, our diet changes as well. A good diet is a practice just like all other practices, including diet.

It is proposed that when deciding what is the best way to eat, think "simple and elegant" and don't make things too complicated. Keep things in line with what feels good for you and don't make any judgments.

Advertising by the food companies aimed at both children and adults is also discussed. We often get seduced by marketing of agribusiness and start thinking certain things are healthy or unhealthy for us. But we are an over-weight nation full of sickness and fatigue. Pay attention to the energy food gives you. When you eat something does it make you tired and lazy? Does it give you energy?

Four things to eliminate from our diet as quickly caffeine, alcohol, tobacco, and refined sugar. Artificial chemicals must be avoided by everyone. There is nobody who can benefit by ingesting artificial chemicals and toxins into their body. So a good shift to work towards is to go organic. When you dine out, ask what is organic on the menu (even if you know there is nothing organic) because that helps breed awareness among the restaurants.

Pay attention when you are eating because many time we over eat simply because we are not paying attention. This is a culture that eats the most and is also the most under-nourished. Our stomachs are meant to be incredibly acidic for easy digestion but most people's stomach acid is way too low. Stress and chemicals both destroy your body's ability to produce acid. Eating as close to nature as possible is the best way to eat. And it is also important to "eat with happiness" because it's all about the joy of food.

One of the themes that comes up over and over is to not feel guilty or fearful when making your food choices. Try to be smart and stick with it.

Listen to the 2011 Yoga Journal Conference Midwest Panel Discussion: "The Yoga of Food" with Seane Corn, Cyndi Lee, Steve Nakon and Aadil Palkhivala. Moderated by Dayna Macy.

You can view all of the audio recordings here.

Love is all around you...

- Rachel

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Linguine with Frenched Green Beans and Parsley "Pesto"

2011-10-18T08:42:00.000-05:00

Photo by Rachel's Bite, Creative Commons Attribution-Non-Commercial 3.0 US licensed.

I just had to make this dish. While flipping through my old copy of On Top of Spaghetti I was struck by the photo of this dish using green beans with the pasta. And it called for a green bean slicer which I had never heard of so of course I ordered up that neat little gadget just so I could play. The beans turned out sliced nicely but it was kind of a pain to push them through one by one.

Never a big pesto fan, I've been won over this past year. A few different things I have made call for making your own pesto and I really like it! It's so simple to just blend up a bunch of herbs and you get some really great flavors.

And this recipe has a bunch of neat tricks! It made me feel really Italian by putting the pesto in the bowl BEFORE the pasta and then tossing it with a cup of the reserved pasta water to complete the sauce right there in the bowl. I also liked the instruction to pour drain the pasta over the beans to re-warm them.

Linguine with Frenched Green Beans and Parsley "Pesto"
Serves 6 as a first course

8 ounces fresh green beans, trimmed and sliced lengthwise into thin slivers
2 cups gently packed fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
10 large fresh basil leaves
1 small garlic clove, trimmed and peeled
1/2 cup light-flavored extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
Pinch or more of cayenne
1/2 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano, plus more to pass at the table
8 ounces dried linquine

Cook the green beans in boiling salted water until tender. They should yield easily under the pressure of your teeth. Drain in a colander and set aside next to the sink to await to pasta.

While the parsley, basil, garlic, olive oil, salt, and cayenne in a blender until you have a chunky puree. Pour into a warmed, but not hot, serving bowl. Stir in 1/2 cup Pecorino Romano.

Generously salt the pasta water and drop in the linguine. Cook, stirring often, until al dente. Reserve about 1 cup of the cooking water, then pour the remaining water and pasta into the colander over the beans. This will warm the beans if they have cooled. Transfer the pasta and beans to the serving bowl and toss with the sauce and cheese. Add enough reserved cooking water, a tablespoon at a time, to loosen the pesto. There should be a small puddle of sauce on the bottom of the bowl. Serve right away with extra Pecorino Romano passed at the table.

P.S. Mer Soleil is a super yummy chardonnay that, in my opinion, always goes well with dinner preparations.

Presto Pasta Night #236 is being hosted by HoneyB of The Life & Loves of Grumpy's Honey Bunch. See the full recap of all entries here.

Mediterranean Barley

2011-10-16T00:28:00.001-05:00

Photo by Rachel's Bite, Creative Commons Attribution-Non-Commercial 3.0 US licensed.

This super fast and healthy recipe for Mediterranean Barley is from the April, 2001 issue of Cooking Light magazine. It's been sitting in my pile of dishes I want to make for a while and when I saw a bunch of fresh arugula at the grocery store I grabbed it with this in mind.

I did make a few adjustments to the recipe. I cooked my barley in vegetable broth as it is my favorite way to prepare barley that I'm going to eat without a sauce. I also added half of an English cucumber that I had leftover from lunch and I cut back on the sundried tomatoes to only about 1 Tbsp. because I'm not a big fan. I didn't have any pistachios so I meant to substitute by sprinkling with pine nuts but I forgot. The extra crunch would have been nice so next time I'll definitely remember to add some nuts on top.

The ingredients may seem a bit boring, but I was pleased with how tasty this actually turned out. Goes to show how much flavor you can get from simple ingredients.

Mediterranean Barley with Chickpeas & Arugula
Serves 4

1 cup uncooked pearl barley
1 cup packed arugula leaves
1 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
3 Tbsp. finely chopped sun-dried tomatoes, packed without oil
1 (15½-ounce) can no-salt-added chickpeas, rinsed and drained
2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 tsp. salt
½ tsp. crushed red pepper
2 Tbsp. chopped pistachios

Cook barley according to package directions, omitting salt. Combine barley, arugula, bell pepper, tomatoes, and chickpeas in a large bowl.

Combine lemon juice, oil, salt, and crushed red pepper, stirring with a whisk. Drizzle over barley mixture, and toss. Sprinkle with pistachios.

Serving size is 1¼ cups barley mixture and 1½ teaspoons pistachios.

Nutritional Information per serving as published in the magazine
Calories: 360; Fat: 10.1g (sat: 1.4g, mono: 6.1g, poly: 2g); Protein: 10.1g; Carb: 59.9g; Fiber 12.4g; Chol: 0mg; Iron: 2.9mg; Sodium: 682mg; Calc: 55mg.

Ingredients: A Documentary Film

2011-10-15T23:08:00.000-05:00

Ingredients is a documentary film about the local film movement. It's just over an hour long and is definitely worth watching. Starting with the recent history of farming, it highlights farmers all around the United States and identifies the changes in farming since the 1980s. Many farmers and chefs are involved with their local communities and there are some really great programs to offer education and awareness. One scene that really struck me was when some school children came to the farm and when asked what vegetables are one of them said they are what vegetarians eat! And then it was followed up with the point that if children are involved in the growing or harvesting of vegetables they are likely to eat them. This is a film that all parents, and any adult, should see. Maybe they won't learn anything new but there are many interesting points worth discussing.

Quinoa Puttanesca

2011-10-01T08:14:00.000-05:00

Photo by Rachel's Bite, Creative Commons Attribution-Non-Commercial 3.0 US licensed.

Okay, the picture might now do this dish justice. You wouldn't believe how many wonderful flavors this recips for Quinoa Puttanesca by the wonderful Isa Chandra Moskowitz has! I am a fan of traditional Pasta Puttanesca (a/k/a "pasta of the whore's" which cracks me up), but this is a vegan version made super healthy by serving over quinoa instead of traditional pasta.

It's quick and easy too. The only chopping is for some garlic and olives which doesn't take long at all. And while the recipe is made to serve four, they are really hearty servings. This is one of those dishes that is great to make on a weeknight and then take for leftovers a couple of days during the week. It lasts well for a few days and heats up great in the microwave.

Quinoa Puttanesca
Serves 4

2 cups cooked quinoa

Sauce
2 tsp. olive oil
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tsp. dried thyme
1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
A generous pinch of dried tarragon
A generous pinch of dried marjoram
1/4 cup white wine
1/2 cup kalamata olives, chopped roughly
1/2 cup capers
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
Freshly ground pepper

Preheat a saucepot over medium heat. Place the oil and garlic in the pot and stir for about a minute, being careful not to burn the garlic. Add the herbs, spices, and wine; cook for about a minute.

Add the olives, capers, and tomatoes. Cook for about 15 minutes. You can serve by scooping quinoa into individual bowls and pouring the sauce over it. Another way is to just mix everything into a bowl together.

Spicy Shrimp Quesadillas

2011-09-22T08:31:00.000-05:00

These are SO good! And the best part is they are made from all leftovers! The December, 2011 issue of Bon Appetit magazine had a feature where you'd make one dinner and then specifically have enough leftover to use for a second meal in a different recipe. I thought that was so neat I just had to try it.

These Spicy Shrimp Quesadillas are made using the leftover Shrimp and Coconut Curry with Green Beans and Fresh Orange-Apple Chutney. And honestly, they are even better than the original dinner. But maybe that's because of all the cheese :)

Spicy Shrimp Quesadillas
Makes 4

2 cups reserved Shrimp and Coconut with Green Beans (see recipe)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro plus additional (for garnish)
3 jalapeno chiles, seeded, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons chopped shallot
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
2 cups coarsely grated Jack cheese
8 7- to 8-inch diameter flour tortillas
8 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

Drain sauce from curry; place 2 tablespoons in bowl. Chop shrimp and beans; add to bowl. Mix in 2 tablespoons cilantro, chiles, shallot, and lime juice. Spread filling, then cheese over 4 tortillas. Top each with another tortilla.

Heat 2 large nonstick skillets over medium-high heat; add 2 teaspoons oil to each. Place 1 quesadilla in each pan. Cover; cook until bottom is golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Turn; cook uncovered 2 to 3 minutes longer. Repeat with remaining quesadillas and oil. Top quesadillas with additional cilantro and Fresh Orange-Apple Chutney.

Shrimp and Coconut Curry with Green Beans

2011-09-15T08:30:00.000-05:00

Yum! This recipe for Shrimp and Coconut Curry with Green Beans is one of those recipes that you won't believe you can actually make something that tastes this good. It's nice and rich and the green beans are a fun ingredient to have in curry.

Shrimp and Coconut Curry with Green Beans
4 Servings

3/4 pound green beans, trimmed, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
3 lemongrass stalks
1 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
2/3 cup coarsely chopped shallots
1/4 cup coarsely chopped seeded jalapeno chiles
2 tablespoons Indian curry powder (such as Madras)
1 tablespoon coarsely chopped peeled fresh ginger
1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh basil plus sliced leaves (for garnish)
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 cups canned unsweetened coconut milk
2 1/2 pounds uncooked medium shrimp, peeled, deveined
Lime wedges

Cook beans in large pot of boiling salted water until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Drain. Cut 2 inches from bottom of each lemongrass stalk; discard tops. Thinly slice bottom pieces; place in processor. Add next 5 ingredients, chopped basil, and 1/4 cup water. Blend until paste forms.

Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add curry paste; cook, stirring often, until dry, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in coconut milk; bring to simmer. Add shrimp; reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until shrimp are just opaque in center, about 5 minutes. Add green beans; stir to heat through. Season curry with salt and pepper. Transfer 2 cups curry to bowl; cover, chill and reserve for quesadillas. Transfer remaining curry to serving bowl; garnish with basil. Serve with lime wedges and Fresh Orange-Apple Chutney.

Fresh Orange-Apple Chutney

2011-09-08T08:29:00.000-05:00

This is some tasty chutney, but I probably wouldn't have made it just on it's own. It is used for the Shrimp and Coconut Curry with Green Beans recipe from the December, 2010 issue of Bon Appetit magazine. There's lots of chopping involved in this one and there is tons left over. But it goes great on all kinds of leftovers (see the recipe for Spicy Shrimp Quesadillas).

Fresh Orange-Apple Chutney
Makes 2 cups

1½ navel oranges
1 Golden Delicious apple, peeled, cored, cut into ⅓-inch cubes
1/2 red onion, coarsely chopped
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon chopped seeded jalapeno chile
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon agave nectar or honey
1 teaspoon (generous) garam masala
1 teaspoon minced peeled fresh ginger

Cut and peel all white pith from oranges, following contour of fruit. Cut segments into ⅓-inch cubes; place in medium bowl. Add all remaining ingredients; toss to blend. Season with salt.

Can be made 8 hours ahead. Cover and chill.

Celery, Grilled Grape and Mushroom Salad

2011-07-31T17:32:00.002-05:00

Okay, I better fess up that this salad cost over $40 to make! But that is probably because I bought all organic at Whole Foods. And also since the recipe was from the June, 2011 issue of Food and Wine magazine I should have known it would be a bit more on the pricy side. It was SUPER yummy though and is a great addition to a buffet. I made this for 4th of July and we had it with some steaks, grilled vegetables and other traditional salads (potato salad, coleslaw, etc.). It was a really classy addition to our dinner.

Also, this lasts surprisingly well as leftovers. Maybe I got lucky, but since there isn't too much lettuce there wasn't really anything to get soggy from the dressing.

I think the most fun part is that we grilled grapes. I know I've had grilled pineapple and peaches before, but grapes are novel. We just put them on the fire in a veggie basket and they cooked up great! ("We" really equals the guys who did the grilling and thought I was nuts.)

Celery, Grilled Grape and Mushroom Salad
6 servings

2 Tbsp. white wine vinegar
2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
½ tsp. celery seeds
¼ tsp. Dijon mustard
2 small garlic cloves, minced
½ cup plus 1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing
¼ cup roasted almond oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper
½ cup flat-leaf parsley leaves
½ cup tender celery leaves (from one head)
¼ cup salted roasted almonds, chopped
1 pound king oyster mushrooms, sliced lengthwise ¼-inch thick
2 cups green grapes (12 ounces)
2 heads butter lettuce, leaves separated
2 cups very thinly sliced celery

In a small bowl, whisk the vinegar with the lemon juice, celery seeds, mustard and half of the garlic. Gradually whisk in ¼ cup of the olive oil and the almond oil until emulsified. Season the dressing with salt and pepper.

In a mini food processor, combine the remaining garlic with the parsley,c elery leaves and almonds nad pulse until finely chopped. Add another ¼ cup of the olive oil and puree to a chunky paste. Season the pesto with salt and pepper.

Light a grill. Brush the mushrooms with oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill over high heat, turning once, until tender and browned, about 5 minutes. In a bowl, toss the grapes with the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill over high heat until the skins begin to blacken in spots, about 3 minutes; line the grill with perforated foil if the grapes will fall through. Transfer the grapes and mushrooms to a large bowl and toss with the pesto.

Arrange the lettuce leaves on a platter and drizzle with half of the dressing. Spoon the mushroom-and-grape salad onto the lettuce. Toss the celery with the remaining dressing, spoon it on top and serve.

Spiced Lentils with Mushrooms and Greens

2011-03-30T08:32:00.035-05:00

I'm always on the lookout for a way to incorporate lentils into my diet as well as more greens. So this recipe for Spiced Lentils with Mushrooms and Greens from the February, 2011 issue of Food and Wine magazine is perfect, especially since I think nothing with mushrooms can ever be bad. And there is nothing I love better than when foods that seem somewhat boring on their own (i.e. dry lentils and Swiss chard) get tossed together with some spices and end up super tasty as a result! And this is exactly what I got with this one. In fact, it was so good I didn't eat it as a side-dish as suggested in the recipe, I ate it stand alone as a light meal.

Spiced Lentils with Mushrooms and Greens
4 side-dish servings

1/2 cup brown or green lentils
3 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 pound shiitake mushrooms, stems discarded and caps sliced 1/4-inch thick
Salt
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp ground coriander
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/8 tsp turmeric
1/2 pound Swiss chard or other tender greens, large stems discarded and leaves coarsely chopped
1 Tbsp chopped parsley

In a small saucepan, cover the lentils with 2 1/2 cups of water and bring to a boil. Cover and cook over low heat until the lentils are tender, about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Add the shiitake and season with salt. Cover and cook over moderate heat, stiffing, until the mushrooms are tender and starting to brown, 5 minutes. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil along with the garlic, cumin, coriander, pepper and turmeric and cook, stirring, until fragrant, 1 minute. Add the greens and cook, stirring, until wilted, 2 minutes.

Add the lentils and their cooking liquid to the mushrooms and simmer for 3 minutes. Add up to 1/4 cup water if the lentils are too dry. Season with salt. Ladle the lentils into bowls, garnish with parsley and serve.

My Legume Love Affair (MLLA) was originally started by Susan of The Well-Seasoned Cook. This month's MLLA #33 is being hosted by Ammalus Kitchen

Scarlet Barley with Mushroom & Cannellini Paprikas

2011-03-29T21:29:00.007-05:00

I admit that the main reason I made this recipe is so that I could shred a beet. I have had a thing with beets this past fall but so far I have only tackled roasting them. I found the concept of peeling the raw beet and then shredding it and using it as an ingredient intriguing. And when I learned this month's Monthly Mingle theme is "Think Pink" I decided this recipe for Scarlet Barley from Isa Chandra Moskowitz's "Appetite for Reduction" would be a fun contribution.

The Scarlet Barley along with the Mushroom & Cannelini Paprikas came together in about an hour. Shredding the beet for the Scarlet Barley was harder than I thought. I used the shredder on my mandolin and since the beet is naturally hard it was a bit difficult to get a good position for the shredder to shred it. And of course my hands turned all red. But once that was done the rest was simple. And it wasn't too difficult that I wouldn't do it again to use for other recipes if the ingredient is called for.

I prepared this dish prior to an evening appointment and let it sit on the stove for at least two hours before I ate it. Unfortunately I think it lost some flavor. The end result was somewhat bland to me. I think if I would have tried the barley after letting the fresh lemon sit for about 10 minutes it would have been much better.

The next day I sauteed some Swiss chard with green onions and garlic (like the way it is done for the Miso Udon Stir-fry with Greens and Beans recipe) and then threw the leftovers into the pan to reheat. I mixed it all together and after it was plated I squirted on a bit of sriracha. It was a really great combo to be eaten this way!

Scarlet Barley
Serves 6

1 tsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
Freshly ground black pepper
1 bay leaf
1 cup pearl barley, rinsed
2 1/2 cups vegetable broth
1/4 tsp salt
1 beet (about 3/4 pound), grated
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Fresh dill, for garnish (optional)

Preheat a 2-quart pot over medium heat. Saute the garlic in the olive oil for about 30 seconds. Add several pinches of pepper and the bay leaf. Add the barley, broth, and salt; cover and bring to a boil. Once boiling stir and lower the heat to low. Cover and cook for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

When most of the water has absorbed, mix in the grated beet. Cook for about 20 more minutes, stirring occasionally. Turn off the heat, mix in the lemon juice, and taste for salt. Cover and let sit for about 10 mire minutes. Remove bay leaf and serve topped with fresh dill.

Mushroom & Cannellini Paprikas
Serves 4

1 1/2 tsp olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound cremini mushrooms, sliced
Several pinches of freshly ground black pepper
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup dry red cooking wine
1/4 cup vegetable broth
2 tsp smoked paprika
2 Tbsp fresh chopped thyme
1 (16-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup chopped fresh dill
1 recipe Scarlet Barley

Preheat a 4-quart pot over medium-high heat. Saute the onions in the oil until lightly browned, about 7 minutes. Add the garlic and saute for about 30 seconds. Add the mushrooms, pepper, and salt; cook until lots of the moisture has been released, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes.

Add the wine, broth, smoked paprika, and thyme. Turn up the heat and bring the mixture to a low boil. Boil for about 3 minutes. Lower the heat and add the beans. Cook to heat through, about 4 more minutes. Use a strong fork to lightly mash some of the beans, to thicken the sauce. Just mash a few against the side of the post and then mix 'em back in. Taste for salt and serve.

Serve over Scarlet Barley with plenty of fresh dill.

This month's Monthly Mingle theme is Think Pink and is being hosted by Sarah at Maison Cupcake.

Miso Udon Stir-fry with Greens & Beans

2011-03-19T16:37:00.004-05:00

Wow! This dish tastes about 10 times better than it looks. With a little Sriracha and salt on top, it's creamy and salty and spicy... perfect!

I bought a few kinds of different kinds of beans the other week just to have on hand. One of those was a bean I hadn't heard of before: azuki beans. So when I was flipping through my new cookbook, Appetite for Reduction, I flagged this recipe as the first one to make because of it's use of this fun new ingredient.

I couldn't find brown rice udon noodles as suggested in the recipe so I bought some brown rice spaghetti. But I had some regular pre-cooked udon packages in my refrigerator so when it came time to put this together I decided to use those.

I realize now that I forgot to add the sesame seeds. Oh well, I do bet they would have been great on this but it was really tasty all the same.

Miso Udon Stir-fry with Greens and Beans
Serves 4

1 pound broccoli, stems sliced thinly, tops cut into florets
8 ounces brown rice udon noodles
1 teaspoon olive oil
6 cloves of garlic, minced
1 bunch Swiss chard (about ½ pound), coarse stems removed, chopped roughly
1 cup thinly sliced green onions, plus extra for garnish
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 (16-ounce) can azuki beans, drained and rinsed
1/3 cup miso
1/2 cup hot water
4 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds
Sriracha hot sauce, to serve

Prepare a pot of salted water for cooking the noodles.

Preheat a large skillet over medium-high heat. First saute the broccoli with a bit of nonstick cooking spray and a pinch of salt for about 5 minutes. Cover the pan and flip once or twice. The broccoli should be browned in some spots. Add a splash of water at the end, then cover for another minute. The pan should be steaming. Remove broccoli from the pan and set aside.

At this point, the water should be boiling. Use a mug to remove ½ cup of water; you can use that to mix into your miso in a few steps. Then cook the noodles according to the package directions. Drain when ready.

Now we'll put everything together. Preheat the large pan again, over medium heat. Saute the garlic in the oil for about a minute, until fragrant. Add the chard, green onion, and salt, and saute for about 5 minutes, until wilted. Add the beans and let heat through.

In the meantime, in a mug or measuring cup, mix together the miso and warm pasta water until relatively smooth.

Add the drained noodles to the pan, along with the miso mixture and broccoli. Saute for about 2 minutes, using a pasta spoon, making sure everythin is nice and coated. Taste for salt. To serve, to with sesame seeds and green onions and keep the Sriracha close at hand.

No Croutons Required March bogging event theme is "aduki beans or mung beans" and it is being hosted by Lisa's Kitchen. View the roundup here.

Hearty Irish Lager Stew

2011-03-17T08:37:00.020-05:00

You probably don't think "vegetarian" when you think of Irish food, but this dish is not only vegetarian, it's vegan. This recipe for Hearty Irish Lager Stew from the March, 2011 issue of Vegetarian Times magazine is made with no animal products at all so it's super healthy. That might not have you smackin' your lips, but this stew is very tasty and since it's made of mostly veggies, you can eat a huge amount and it won't go to your hips. And, it's made with beer! So that's kinda fun.

Make sure you cut your veggies on the small side. Ours were a bit large and with the cooking times listed in the recipe we found that the potatoes were still hard. We cooked it an extra 15-20 minutes and some of it was still al dente. It was good anyways; I don't mind chewing my vegetables. I'd rather that than have them be too mushy. And we munched on some Salt and Vinegar Potato Bites while we were waiting for the stew to finish so we had no complaints.

Hearty Irish Lager Stew
Serves 8

1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
8 oz. button or shittake mushrooms, halved
2 cloves garlic, minced (2 tsp.)
1 medium leek, white part only, diced (1 cup)
2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced (2 cups)
2 small parsnips, peeled and sliced (1½ cups)
1½ tsp. tomato paste
1 15-oz. can crushed tomatoes
1½ cups low-sodium vegetable broth
2 sprigs fresh thyme, tied in bundle, plus 1 tsp. chopped fresh thyme, divided
½ lager beer
1½ Tbsp. quick-cooking tapioca
1 cup shredded cabbage
1 Tbsp. white miso
2 Tbsp. chopped parsley

Heat ½ Tbsp. oil in large pot over medium heat. Add mushrooms and garlic; saute 8 minutes, or until mushrooms are browned. Remove from pan. Add remaining ½ Tbsp. oil to pot. Add leek, and cook 5 minutes. Add potatoes, carrots, parsnips, and tomato paste. Cook 2 minutes. Add tomatoes, broth, and thyme sprigs; bring to a boil. Reduct heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer 40 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add lager, tapioca, and mushrooms. Simmer 10 to 15 minutes, or until thickened, stirring often. Remove thyme sprigs, stir in cabbage and miso, and simmer 4 to 5 minutes, or until cabbage softens. Stir in chopped thyme and parsley, and season with salt and pepper, if desired.

Nutritional Information as provided in magazine:
Per 1-cup serving: 118 CAL; 4 G PROT; 2 G TOTAL FAT (<1 G SAT FAT); 23 G CARB; 0 MG CHOL; 204 MG SOD; 5 G FIBER; 5 G SUGARS

Salt and Vinegar Potato Bites

2011-03-16T23:35:00.003-05:00

We love these potatoes! Way better then french fries, roasted potatoes are much healthier. Found in the March, 2011 issue of Vegetarian Times magazine I made these tonight as a snack.

The recipe says you can drizzle the sauce over the potatoes, but I think that would have made them soggy. We liked dipping them and that way we could each control the amount of vinegar that absorbed into to potato.

Salt and Vinegar Potato Bites
Serves 8

6 medium red or yello potatoes, cut into 1-inch cubes (3 cups)
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 cup malt vinegar
3 Tbsp. sugar

Soak potatoes in large bowl of cold water 30 minutes. Drain, and pat dry.

Preheat oven to 425°F. Toss potatoes with oil on baking sheet, and spread in single layer. Roast 45 minutes, or until golden and crisp, turning 2 or 3 times. Season with salt and pepper, if desired.

Meanwhile, bring vinegar and sugar to a simmer in saucepan over medium heat. Cook 15 to 20 minutes, or until liquid is reduced by half, stirring occasionally. Serve malt sauce on side for dipping, or drizzle over potatoes.

Nutritional Information as provided in magazine:
Per ½-cup serving: 89 CAL; 1 G PROT; 4 G TOTAL FAT (<1 G SAT FAT); 14 G CARB; 0 MG CHOL; 3 MG SOD; <1 G FIBER; 5 G SUGARS

Japchae (with soba noodles)

2011-01-14T17:42:00.007-05:00

"Got Kimchi?" was the headline a this article on Korean cooking in the September, 2010 issue of Women's Health magazine. And pictured on the first page was Japchae. Described as a word that means "mixture of vegetables", my mouth watered with all the yummy veggies and noodles piled together.

Always looking to cook new kinds of foods using new ingredients, I couldn't wait to give this one a try. I had to visit the Asian market to get the hot pepper paste and enoki mushrooms, but I was able to find all the other ingredients at my local grocery store. In fact, you don't really need the enoki mushrooms, but they are fun. I'm not sure they add much flavor, but they do make this dish look super fancy.

Go ahead and make this one evening and save leftovers for lunch the next day. The flavors combine more and it even tastes great cold!

I did a little research and discovered that this dish is usually made with cellophane noodles but I like that this version is made with soba noodles because they are healthy for you and one of my favorite noodles.

Japache
Serves 4

2 Tbsp sesame seeds
3 Tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
1 Tbsp + 1 tsp sugar
2 tsp hot pepper paste (kochujang)
1 Tbsp sesame oil
½ lb soba noodles
2 tsp vegetable oil
½ medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
1 large carrot, cut into matchsticks
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 green onions, thinly sliced
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
5 oz baby spinach
3 oz enoki mushrooms, ends trimmed

In a dry skillet, toast sesame seeds over medium heat until golden brown, stirring frequently. Remove from skillet and set aside.

In a small bowl, combine soy sauce, 1 tablespoon sugar, hot pepper paste, and sesame oil; set aside. Prepare noodles according to package directions.

Meanwhile, heat vegetable oil in a wok or large skillet. Add yellow onion and carrot; cook for 4 minutes. Add garlic, green onion, red pepper, spinach, 1 teaspoon sugar, and salt and pepper to taste; cook for 3 minutes. Stir in noodles and sauce; heat for 2 minutes. Serve topped with enoki mushrooms and toasted sesame seeds.

Nutritional information per serving as provided in magazine:
332 cal, 9 g fat (1g sat), 57 g carbs, 889 mg sodium, 4 g fiber, 12 g protein

Sausage and Broccoli Rabe Stoup

2010-11-15T09:34:00.000-05:00

I recently decided to give Rachael Ray's new show Rachael Ray's Week in a Day a try. And I confess, I love it! I do like to spend an afternoon cooking and end up with a bunch of stuff I can pick on during the week. But for me it's more about lunches and breakfasts than having dinner prepared in advance. Regardless, I was excited about a bunch of recipes she features.

I have made "stoup" before and love the concept. It's Rachael Ray's cute way of naming a chunky soup - like a cross between a soup and a stew. And I loving making things like this on the weekend, when the house can smell all good while it's cooking, and then taking it for lunch. In addition, this uses broccoli raab which is something I've been trying to eat more of (dark green leafy veggies).

All the flavors come together great in this dish. And in fact, it's a bit spicy! If you are sensitive to heat you may want to cut down on the chili pepper. But for me, it made it even better.

Sausage and Broccoli Rabe Stoup
4 servings

Salt
1 large bundle broccoli rabe, 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 pounds
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/4 to 1 1/2 pounds bulk Italian sweet or hot sausage
1 onion, chopped
3 to 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped or very thinly sliced
1 red chile pepper, very thinly sliced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
1 tablespoon lemon zest
A few grates nutmeg
6 cups chicken stock-in-a-box
2 cups water
About 3/4 cup orecchietti pasta
Grated pecorino or Parmigiano-Reggiano, for topping
Crusty bread, such as ciabatta

In a medium pot, bring a few inches of water to a boil over medium heat, then salt the water. Trim the broccoli rabe and cut it into 1 1/2 to 2-inch lengths. Simmer in boiling water to reduce the bitterness, about 4 to 5 minutes, then cold shock in ice water and drain very well.

Heat a Dutch oven or large soup pot over medium-high heat with extra-virgin olive oil, a turn of the pan. Add the sausage and brown and crumble, 7 to 8 minutes. Add the onions, garlic and chile and cook a few minutes more. Add the thyme and lemon zest, then add broccoli rabe and season with a little nutmeg. Stir in the stock and the water and bring to a boil. Simmer a few minutes to combine the flavors. Turn off the heat, cool and store for a make-ahead meal. Reheat the stoup over low heat and bring to a low boil. Add the pasta and cook to al dente, about 10 minutes. Ladle the stoup in shallow bowls and garnish with cheese. Serve with crusty bread for mopping.

Note: For a milder version, use only 3 tablespoons of chili powder and ½ teaspoon cayenne.

See more hearty recipes for Souper (Soup, Salad & Sammies) Sundays hosted weekly by Kahakai Kitchen.

Apple Slaw

2010-11-12T17:30:00.005-05:00

This recipe is a fresh twist on coleslaw, it includes two kinds of apples! This isn't a creamy coleslaw, so be prepared for vinegary flavors. It's REALLY important to let this sit. When I first ate it I didn't think it had much flavor, but when I had a few bites a few hours later it was really great. So I suggest letting this sit even longer then their recommended thirty minutes.

To turn this into a meal we at it with some fresh bratwurst straight from Milwaukee. And with my leftover I sliced it up and mixed it in with the slaw. What a great lunch. And the next night I broiled some tilapia and used this slaw to make fish tacos. The flavors of the slaw were a bit strong by then but it went great with the fish tacos! In fact I may use this recipe for fish tacos from now on.

Apple Slaw
Serves 4

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp olive oil
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper
1 1/2 small cabbages, shredded (7 cups)
3 large carrots, shredded (1 cup)
1 Granny Smith apple, unpeeled and cut into thin strips
1 Braeburn apple, unpeeled and cut into thin strips
1/4 cup fresh Italian parsley, chopped
2 tbsp unsalted walnuts, chopped (optional)

In a medium bowl, whisk together vinegar, Dijon, oil, salt and pepper.

In a large salad bowl, combine cabbage, carrots, apples and parsley; toss with dressing to coat. Top with walnuts, if desired. Cover and chill in refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. Serve immediately after chilling.

Nutritional information per 1 1/4 cup serving as provided in magazine:
Calories: 129, Total Fat: 4g, Sat. Fat: 0.5g, Monounsaturated Fat: 3g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.5g, Carbs: 22g, Fiber: 5g, Sugars 13g, Protein: 3g, Sodium: 247 mg, Cholesterol: 0mg

Broccoli Raab, Sicilian Style

2010-11-11T17:27:00.004-05:00

Well, this confirms it. I only like broccoli raab in soups. I have tried several times because I am trying to "eat more green leafy vegetables", but the taste is too strong for me. Or maybe I'm still not doing it right. I had hope for this recipe, but the flavor was still too overpowering. However, I do want to try this with regular broccoli and also spinach! I think tomatoes and fennel seeds are amazing together so I'm sure this would be great if I like the greens. But it's simple to make and smells great while cooking so if you like broccoli raab I hope you give this one a try.

Broccoli Raab, Sicilian Style
Serves 4

2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
5 cloves garlic, sliced
1 chopped tomato, or 12 halved cherry tomatoes
1 tsp. fennel seeds
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
1 big bunch (16 oz.) broccoli raab
Sea salt, for sprinkling

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic, tomato, fennel seeds, and red pepper flakes. Stir frequently for a few minutes, until the tomatoes soften and the garlic is golden but not burned.

Blanch, then drain the broccoli raab. Add to skillet - careful, it splatters - and sprinkle with sea salt.

Cover, and cook about 3 minutes, then toss again to cook evenly. Cover, and continue cooking for another minute or two.

Taste for doneness; it's ready when tender to your preference.

Nutritional information as published in magazine:
Per 1-cup serving: 107 Cal; 4 G Prot; 7 G Total Fat (<1 G Sat Fat); 7 G Carg; 0 MG Chol; 231 MG Sod; 3 G Fiber; 2 G Sugars

Cjalsòns rustìcs

2010-10-30T10:10:00.005-05:00

What are Cjalsòns? I'd describe them as a type of dumpling. But I didn't know until I played with this recipe and made them for myself. And I did so because Rossella of Ma che ti sei mangiato?, and Italian food blog, asked us to all try them.

We had a lot of fun converting the measurements and trying to figure out the recipe. I guess I am used to recipes with more detailed information. For example, "some parsley" is usually measured. But we were laughing and guessing so it was a fun evening.

I don't know that you need to cook the potatoes as specified in the recipe - feel free to peel and cook them any way you like. The starting point is just to have some cooked and mashed potatoes.

I'm not sure how many these were supposed to make, but we got about 14 Cjalsòns and could have had 2 or 3 more with the extra dough we had left over.

The original recipe I received is European so I have converted everything into ounces and cups and shared below. Hope I did it right... it turned out okay so I must have done it okay.

I'm looking forward to the roundup to see how everyone else fared attempting to make these!

Cjalsòns rustìcs
Rustic pirogi
Adaptation of a traditional recipe

For the dough:
10.5 ounces potatoes
1 2/3 cup flour
1 egg
a pinch of nutmeg
some parsley

For the filling:
3.5 ounces sausage
1/2 glass of white wine
1 beaten egg

For the dressing:
1 2/3 cup ricotta
3/4 cup milk
pepper

Prepare the dough by boiling the unpeeled potatoes. Afterward, peel the potatoes & pass through a sieve and allow to cool. Then mix them with the egg, flour, nutmeg and parsley.

To make the filling, in a pan saute the crumbled sausages, moisten with white wine and let evaporate.

Roll out the dough onto a floured pastry board (or surface) making sure it does not stick. Cut discs of 6 cm in diameter, & place at the center of each a spoonful of filling.

Fold the discs in half and close them by pressing the edges well.

Cook the discs in boiling salted water for several minutes, then drain.

Separately prepare a warm whipping cream made of ricotta and hot milk. Pour this sauce of each plate, place the six warm Cjalsòns on the sauce and sprinkle with freshly crushed coarsely ground pepper.

Poblano White Chili

2010-10-29T13:39:00.002-05:00

I've never been attracted to the concept of "white" chili. I guess I'm much of a purist and prefer chili to be red and with beans and meat. However, the photo for Poblano White Chili in the October, 2010 issue of Vegetarian Times magazine looked so good that I knew I had to try it. I was really drawn to the use of poblanos, corn and roasted pumpkin seeds as well.

We roasted the poblanos on the grill one night when we were grilling our last brats of the season. They kept for several days before we made this chili. I was also able to use fresh corn kernels and I think they made a big difference. I should have tried to roast my own pumpkin seeds, but I bought them already roasted and salted.

This chili goes together very quickly. And the goat cheese sauce that you pair with the chili makes it really special. The sauce has a nice tang.

Poblano White Chili
Serves 8

3 cups cooked white beans or 2 15.5-oz. cans white beans, rinses and drained
1 recipe Rajas (see below)
2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
2 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels
1/2 cup chopped cilantro, plus more for garnish
1 Tbs. lime juice
1/4 cup low-fat milk
3 oz. fresh goat cheese
1/4 cup roasted pumpkin seeds

Bring beans, Rajas, broth, oregano, and cumin to a simmer in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in corn, cilantro, and lime juice. Season with salt and pepper, if desired. Cook 2 minutes more.

Warm milk in separate saucepan. Add goat cheese, and stir until smooth. Serve chili garnished with goat cheese sauce, pumpkin seeds, and cilantro.

Rajas
Makes 2 cups

6 poblano chiles (1 lb.)
2 tsp. vegetable oil
1 large onion, thinly sliced (2 cups)
2 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
1 tsp. dried oregano

Roast and peel poblanos. Slice into 1/4-inch strips; set aside.
Heat oil in skillet over medium heat. Add onion and garlic, and cook 5 to 9 minutes, or until onion is soft and golden brown. Add oregano and poblano strips, and cook 3 to 4 minutes more, or until heated through. Season with salt and pepper, if desired.

Nutritional information as printed in magazine:
Per 1-cup serving: 219 Cal; 12 G Prot; 6 G Total Fat (2 G Sat Fat); 31 G Carb; 5 MG Chol; 250 MG Sod; 6 G Fiber; 4 G Sugars

See more legume recipes in the My Legume Love Affair (MLLA) roundup hosted for October by Divya at Dil Se.

Glazed Carrots with Tarragon

2010-10-24T12:19:00.007-05:00

Tarragon is called the "King of Herbs" by the French, but I'm not quite sure I'm on board with that. I have heard of tarragon and know that I've never grown it, but I thought I had cooked with it before. However when I recently made Creamy Cauliflower Soup with Apple and Tarragon it seems to be the first time I really remember tasting it. I was surprised at the licorice-type flavor, like a mild anise. And even though I wasn't too happy with that soup, I decided to give tarragon another try.

I had pulled down my copy of Padma Lakshmi's Tangy Tart Hot & Sweet cookbook recently and fell up this recipe for Glazed Carrots with Tarragon. The photo looked so tasty and I think I have a new thing for carrots lately so I knew I had to try it. I think it's fun buying carrots with the big long greens on the top. That is somewhat new to me because I used to by them already shredded or whole ones in a bag. But I feel very natural buying the whole carrots and peeling them is kind of meditative.

We were all thrilled with these carrots! And we all had a second impression on tarragon. They went perfectly with the carrots and there was no over powering licorice flavor this time. Making glazed carrots is always fun because I love it as the carrots cook up with all the butter, and the touch of maple syrup make is fun. The whole house smells great while these are cooking and we loved them so much we wish I doubled the recipe!

Glazed Carrots with Tarragon
Serves 4

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
½ cup finely diced onion
1½ pounds young carrots, scraped and sliced 1 inch thick diagonally
⅓ cup loosely packed fresh tarragon
1½ teaspoons maple syrup
⅓ teaspoon salt

Heat a deep skillet on medium heat; add the oil and butter. When the butter is melted but not burned, add the onions. Lower the heat if the butter starts to burn, and stir for a couple of minutes.

Add the carrots, and continue to stir for 6 to 7 minutes, depending upon the width of the carrots.

Add the tarragon leaves, ripping them apart as you add them to the skillet. Drizzle the maple syrup into the skillet, add salt to taste, and stir the carrots until they are glazed uniformly, cooking approximately 3 to 4 minutes more. Serve as a side dish.

Honestly, I made this recipe with Weekend Herb Blogging in mind because fresh tarragon was an herb that seemed new to me or something I hadn't worked with in a while. Look for more herb recipes at Mele Cotte who is hosting this week's Weekend Herb Blogging roundup.

Dante's Inferno Chili

2010-10-17T09:41:00.010-05:00

When I was in junior high school, my step-father often made dinner. He was a fireman and usually did all of the cooking on his shift. So in 1984 when the city held a fireman's chili cookoff, which pinned all the firehouses in the city against each other to determine which one made the best chili, my step-father played around and came up with his own recipe. And he won! But then again, how could anything that starts by cooking green peppers in half a cup of butter now win?

"I went through about five recipes and had feelings about certain spices and ingredients and then added some of my own," Donati said. "I think the wine is the key ingredient. It gives the chili some body and an aroma." Another reason Donati believes he clinched the title is that he cuts the onion and green pepper in large pieces instead of mincing them.

For us it was so exciting! We were dragged downtown to a crowded convention center with a bunch of people tasting chili and the next thing we know, they announced our step-father as the winner and the newspapers were flashing photos of us all giving him hugs. The picture on the front page of the food section that week was my sister getting a hug from him - you could only see the reflection from my glasses in the photo. As part of the prizes he won a few weekend stays at Hyatt hotels and his chili was added to the menu at the a downtown restaurant for a while.

Like myself, my step-father never really made the same thing twice, so we didn't keep eating that chili over and over. It was pretty much just a one time great food related memory. I did dig out the recipe though and made it for myself. My whole family sampled it again and the general consensus was that it needed salt! How the heck did this win and get published in a newspaper and all that without any salt in it? Oh well, if you make it, I suggest adding some of your own. Because if you add some cheese, onions and a little salt, it's really yummy!

Below is the recipe as printed in the Chicago Tribune on October 11, 1984.

Dante's Inferno
10 servings

½ cup butter for frying
1 pound green peppers, seeded, coarsely chopped
3 cups chopped onions
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 pounds coarsely ground chuck
1 pound coarsely ground pork
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon cumin
1½ teaspoons cayenne pepper
½ teaspoon black pepper
5 tablespoons hot chili powder
1 can (28 ounces) whole tomatoes, chopped
1 can (10½ ounces) beef broth
1 cup dry red wine, such as burgundy
1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste
½ teaspoon crushed hot red pepper
1 tablespoon salt
2 cans (16 ounces each) dark red kidney beans

Melt butter in a large skillet and saute peppers about 10 minutes. Add onions and garlic; cook 5 more minutes. Add beef and port mixture; increase heat to high. Cook, stirring occasionally, until meat is no longer pink, ab out 10 to 15 minutes.

Stir in cumin, basil, cayenne, black pepper and chili powder. Stir in tomatoes, beef broth, wine, tomato paste, hot red pepper and salt. Simmer, covered, about 1½ hours.

Add kidney beans; simmer for an additional 45 minutes. Serve with extra sharp shredded cheddar cheese.

Note: For a milder version, use only 3 tablespoons of chili powder and ½ teaspoon cayenne.

See more hearty recipes for Souper (Soup, Salad & Sammies) Sundays hosted weekly by Kahakai Kitchen.

Butternut Squash Risotto

2010-10-12T16:10:00.000-05:00

Mushrooms, nuts and herbs are the seasonal ingredients proposed for In the Bag: Cooking the Month of September hosted by A Slice of Cherry Pie. I love this challenge because it gives me a reason to search through my many cookbooks and magazines for something that has all the ingredients and is something I want to cook. I was having a hard time though and always seeming to find recipes with two out of the three. And just when I decided I was either just going to add the third ingredient to one of those recipes or make stuffed mushrooms, I found this recipe for Butternut Squash Risotto in the September/October 2010 issue of Clean Eating magazine. It has mushrooms (I used a chef's mix), sage and thyme for the herbs, and walnuts for the nuts. Yeah!

In the past I haven't been a big fan of making risotto. It takes long and you have to stand and stir over the hot stove which kind of sucks. But this time I had some patience and was ready to give it another try.

I have made something similar to this before - Butternut Squash Risotto with Pesto - but I didn't get how to work with squash at that time and used the frozen stuff. One of the appealing things about making this recipe is that it is published along side an article all about how to pick, prepare and cook various types of squash! And now it seems like such as waste of money to me to spend on the frozen already prepared stuff. There are so many funky looking types of squash out there and this fall I plan to play with them a bit and learn how to handle them and use them in foods. They are super cheap and super healthy!

Butternut Squash Risotto
Serves 4. Makes about 6 cups.

3 cups peeled, diced fresh butternut squash
Extra-virgin olive oil or olive oil cooking spray
Sea salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste
4 cups low-sodium organic chicken broth
1/2 cup onion, diced
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
8 oz mushrooms, sliced (2 cups)
1 tbsp garlic, minced
1 cup arborio rice
1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
1 tbsp fresh sage, minced
1/2 cup fresh or frozen peas (thawed if frozen)
1/4 cup shredded fontina or Parmesan cheese
2 tbsp chopped walnuts, toasted

Preheat the over to 425°F. Toss squash with a little oil or mist with cooking spray; season with salt and pepper. Spread squash in an even layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until tender, about 25 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes. Set squash aside.

Meanwhile, bring broth to a simmer in a saucepan over medium heat; keep warm.

While broth is heating, saute onion in 1 tbsp oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat for 3 minutes. Add mushrooms and saute until they start to soften, 5 minutes. Add garlic and saute for 1 minute more. Add rice and stir to coat with oil and vegetables.

Add ½ cup warm broth; simmer and stir with a wooden spoon until liquid evaporates, about 2 minutes. Stir in another ½ cup warm broth; simmer, stirring occasionally, until liquid is almost all evaporated. Continue adding broth in ½-cup increments, adding more only after previous addition has been absorbed. Taste rice after three-quarters of the broth has been added. Rice is done when it's tender but still slightly firm and white in the very center (not chalky). Continue adding broth until only ½ cup remains.

Add thyme, sage, peas and cheese to pan with last ½ cup broth; stir until cheese melts, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove pan from heat before all liquid is absorbed. Gently fold in cooked squash and walnuts. Season risotto with salt and pepper. Garnish with additional thyme, if desired, and serve warm.

Nutritional information per 1½-cup serving (as printed in magazine):
Calories: 359, Total Fat 9g, Sat. Fat: 2.5g, Monounsaturated Fat: 4g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2.5g, Carbs: 60g, Fiber 6g; Sugars: 4g, Protein: 14g, Sodium 163 mg, Cholesterol: 8mg

Almond Biscotti

2010-10-08T12:13:00.009-05:00

When I saw the Dispensing Happiness post last week for 12 weeks of Christmas Cookies I couldn't believe how close to Christmas it is already! But I did go ahead and count weeks and they are right - we're T minus 12... So even though I missed the first week, I want to join the cookie challenge. I may not make "Christmas" cookies each week, but baking is stepping out of my comfort zone so it will be fun to look for various cookies to make each week for the next few months.

I started with a simple Almond Biscotti that I found in the Holiday Cookies: And Other Festive Treats cookbook. I went with this one because a) I love biscotti; and b) I don't know how to use a rolling pin. Why do so many cookies call for the use of a rolling pin? And cookie cutters? What a pain.

These are relatively easy to make. I did have a bit of a challenge with parchment paper because I never used it before and it kept rolling up, but it ended up being functional (meaning I got the dough on it and it didn't stick to anything) so that's all that matters.

I showed this recipe to a buddy of mine before I made it and he mentioned that he doesn't like cranberries, so I substituted for dried cherries that I chopped up. All I can say is - yum! And these go great with tea or coffee.

See more cookies at the roundup of 12 Weeks of Christmas Cookies - Week 2 hosted by Abby Sweets.

Almond Biscotti
Makes 24

1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
2/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature, beaten
2 cups all-purpose flour
a good pinch of salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup sweetened dried cranberries
1 cup blanched almonds, roughly chopped
2 baking sheets, lined with baking parchment

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Beat together the butter, sugar, and vanilla extract with an electric mixer or wooden spoon, until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in the eggs.

Stir the flour, slat, and baking powder into the bowl and work in with a wooden spoon. When almost combined, add the cranberries and almonds and mix thoroughly to make a soft dough.

Turn out the dough onto a floured work surface and divide into 2 equal portions. Using well floured hands, lift a portion of dough onto each prepared baking sheet and shape into a brick 10 x 3½ inches. Bake in the preheated oven for about 25 minutes. Using a serrated bread knife, slice the logs (still on the sheets) on the diagonal about 1/3 inch thick. Put, cut-side down, on the sheets and return to the oven. Bake for 10 minutes until starting to color.

Remover the baking sheets from the oven, put on a wire rack, and let cool completely. Store in an airtight container and eat within 3 weeks.

Creamy Cauliflower Soup with Apple and Tarragon

2010-10-07T09:19:00.005-05:00

I like the concept of using cauliflower in soup. It's a filling vegetable that can be blended for a creamy soup. But unfortunately this recipe for Creamy Cauliflower Soup with Apple and Tarragon found in the September, 2010 issue of Vegetarian Times did not work for me. However, some of you may like it. It ends up that I don't really like sweeter soups (from the apple) and I don't really like tarragon.

The process for making this soup was very simple. The instructions say to blend the ingredients and I did so with my immersion blender. And actually that did not work that well. I kept blending and blending and finally I poured it all into the blender and it was pureed in only a few minutes.

I have not given up on cauliflower as a soup yet though! I hope to find something with stronger spices next time.

Creamy Cauliflower Soup with Apple and Tarragon
Serves 4

5 cups chopped cauliflower florets (1 lb.)
1 1/2 cups unsweetened apple juice
1 1/4 cups reduced-sodium vegetable
1 small onion, diced (1 cup)
1/2 tsp. ground coriander
2 tsp. chopped fresh tarragon, plus more for garnish
1 pinch ground tumeric

Bring cauliflower, apple juice, broth, onion, and coriander to a boil in saucepan over medium heat. Cover, and simmer 15 minutes, or until tender.

Blend cauliflower mixture, tarragon, and tumeric in blender until smooth. Season with salt and pepper, if desired. Garnish with tarragon.

Nutritional information provided with magazine article:
Per 1-cup serving: 100 CAL; 3 G PROT; <1 G TOTAL FAT (<1G SAT FAT); 22 G CARB; 0 MG CHOL; 89 MG SOD; 4 G FIBER; 14 G SUGARS