Awesomeness

This meal is not for the faint of heart. You must like spice and you must like flavor. All those who do not like these things, please, do not make this meal. You will not like it. For those of you who do, this coconut rice with tomato sambal and carrot salad meal is just what you need to spice up your night. I thought about eating the leftovers for lunch from the moment I woke up to the time lunch finally came. If this description doesn't sell you, I don't know what else to say other than MAKE IT!


Carrot and Cilantro Treat for All (Jamie's Dinners, Jamie Oliver)

We added slices for extra-firm tofu for some added protein to this meal, but the carrots totally spoke for themselves and don't need anything else.

6 medium carrots, washed and peeled
a large handful of fresh cilantro, leaves picked
4 tsp. sesame seeds, toasted, or poppy seeds

For the dressing
zest and juice of 1 orange
2 lemons
extra virgin olive oil
2 heaping Tbs. sesame seeds, toasted
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

First of all, slice the carrots or cut them up into fine ribbons, matchsticks or batons. Put them into a salad bowl with the cilantro leaves and the sesame or poppy seeds. To make the dressing, finely grate the zest of the orange into a bowl. Add the orange juice, the juice of 1 1/2 lemons and about 4 times that amount of extra virgin olive oil. Pound your toasted sesame seeds to a pulp in a pestle and mortar, then add to the dressing. Mix well, then season to taste with salt, pepper and possibly more lemon juice to make it nice and zingy so that you can taste it once you've dressed the salad. Once the salad is dressed, the flavor of the lemon will lesson, so get eating straight away.


Coconut Rice with Spicy Tomato Sauce (Nasi Lemak with Sambal Tomat) (Cooking Light, March 2008)

Rice:
3 cups light coconut milk
2 cups uncooked long-grain white rice
2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp. kosher salt

Sambal:
8 red Thai chiles [we used serranos]
1 Tbs. peanut oil
1 cup peeled and quartered shallots (about 4 large)
2 tsp. minced garlic
1 Tbs. brown sugar
1 tsp. grated lime rind
2 Tbs. fresh lime juice
1 (14.5-oz.) can whole plum tomatoes, undrained, seeded, and chopped
1/4 tsp. kosher salt

1. To prepare rice, combine first 3 ingredients in a medium saucepan; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Let stand 5 minutes; discard bay leaves. Fluff rice with a fork. Stir in 1/2 tsp. salt.
2. To prepare sambal, seed 7 chiles; leave seeds in 1 chile. Mince chiles. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add shallots and garlic to pan; saute 3 minutes or until lightly browned. Add chiles and sugar to pan; saute 1 minute or until fragrant. Add rind, juice, and tomatoes to pan; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes or until thickened. Stir in 1/4 tsp. salt. Serve sambal over rice.

Eda- What?

On the opposite page from the artichoke ragout is a delicious looking sandwich that sounded really interesting with an edamame pate spread. And best yet, we had just bought some edamame! This sandwich was a sure thing for our weekly dinner menu. I accompanied the sandwich with a homemade tomato soup that would have been delicious all on its own. A perfect soup and sandwich combo!


Edamame Pate Sandwich (Vegetarian Times, March 2010)

This edamame pate is so good that I would just eat it on pita chips or raw veggies as a dip.


1 1/4 cups frozen shelled edamame, thawed
1/2 cup walnuts
1/3 cup mint leaves (packed)
1 green onion, chopped
1/2 tsp. salt
3 Tbs. lemon juice
8 slices whole-grain bread
2 cups arugula
4 jarred red peppers, drained
2 small cucumbers, thinly sliced

1. Puree edamame, walnuts, mint, green onion, and salt in food processor until finely chopped. With motor running, add lemon juice and 3 Tbs. water. Process until smooth.
2. Spread each of 4 bread slices with 1/3 cup pate. Add 1/2 cup arugula, 1 roasted red pepper, and cucumbers to each. Top with remaining bread slices.


Theresa's Double-Tomato Soup (Cooking Light, March 2007)

1 Tbs. butter
1 cup chopped onion (1 medium)
3/4 cup shredded carrot
1 Tbs. minced garlic
1 Tbs. minced shallots
1 tsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/8 tsp. salt
10 large basil leaves, divided
3 drain sun-dried tomato halves, packed in oil with herbs (such as California Sun Dry brand)
2 (14.5-oz) cans organic diced tomatoes, undrained
1 (14-oz.) can fat-free less-sodium chicken broth [or veggie broth]

1. Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, carrot, garlic, and shallots to pan, and cook 5 minutes or until vegetables are tender, stirring frequently. Add sugar, pepper, salt, and 4 basil leaves, and cook 5 minutes. Add sun-dried tomatoes, diced tomatoes, and broth, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 1 hour. Remove from heat. Place half of soup in a blender. Remove center piece of blender lid (to allow steam to escape); secure blender lid on blender. Place a clean towel over opening in blender lid (to avoid splatters). Blend until smooth. Pour into a large bowl. Repeat procedure with remaining soup. Divide soup evenly among 6 bowls. Garnish each serving with 1 basil leaf.

Artichokes, Mm Mm

I have incredibly fond childhood memories or sitting down to the dinner table with a whole artichoke on my plate and a bowl of hollandaise sauce close by. Peeling the leaves, dunking them in the hollandaise, and scraping the flesh off of the leaf with my teeth is the epitome of summer and happy times for me. Naturally, I am drawn towards any recipe with artichokes. This artichoke ragout uses frozen artichoke hearts, making the prep incredibly easy (peeling artichokes just for their hearts is ridiculously labor and time-intensive). The saffron in this dish adds the perfect je ne sais quoi. We served the ragout with some homemade bread to sop up the sauce and brie.


Artichoke Ragout with Saffron and Olives (Vegetarian Times, March 2010)

1 1/2 Tbs. olive oil
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
3 cloves garlic, minced (1 Tbs.)
1/4 tsp. crushed saffron threads
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
1 large red bell pepper, sliced
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 cup crushed tomatoes
2 1/2 cups white mushrooms, quartered
1 8-oz. package frozen artichoke hearts
1/4 cup kalamata olives

1. Heat skillet over medium heat. Add oil, then onion and garlic. Saute 1 to 2 minutes, or until garlic turns gold. Stir in saffron and black pepper.
2. Add bell pepper and wine. Increase heat to medium high, and cook 3 to 4 minutes, or until wine is reduced by half. Add tomatoes, and cook 3 minutes more.
3. Stir in mushrooms, artichoke hearts, and 1 cup water, and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to medium, and simmer 15 to 20 minutes, or until vegetables are tender. Remove lid, and cook off any excess moisture, if necessary. Stir in olives, and season with salt and pepper, if desired.

Best Barley Risotto Ever

This barley risotto in the current issue of Cooking Light caught my eye immediately. I'm not too familiar with barley, so I was pleasantly surprised at its nutty flavor and tenderness. The barley perfectly complemented the butternut squash and shiitake mushrooms mixed into the risotto. This is one of my favorite all-in-one recipes I have made recently--definitely one to try on a brisk spring evening.

Barley, Butternut Squash, and Shiitake Risotto (Cooking Light, March 2010)

3 cups (1/2-inch) cubed peeled butternut squash (about 1 1/2 lbs.)
3 Tbs. olive oil, divided
3/4 tsp. kosher salt, divided
2 cups thinly sliced shiitake mushroom caps (about 1/2 lbs.)
1/3 cup finely chopped red onion
1 cup uncooked pearl barley
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2/3 cup white wine
3 1/2 cups organic vegetable broth
1/4 tsp. black pepper
4 oz. Taleggio cheese, diced [I could not find Taleggio, so I used brie as Cooking Light suggested as a substitute.]
2 Tbs. fresh thyme leaves

1. Preheat oven to 450.
2. Combine squash, 1 Tbs. oil, and 1/4 tsp. salt; toss well to coat. Arrange squash mixture in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake at 450 for 25 minutes, stirring once.
3. Heat 1 Tbs. oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms; saute 5 minutes or until browned, stirring occasionally. Transfer mushroom mixture to a bowl; keep warm.
4. Heat remaining 1 Tbs. oil in pan. Add onion; saute 4 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Add barley and garlic; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add wine; bring to a boil. Cook 3 minutes or until liquid is nearly absorbed. Add broth, remaining 1/2 tsp. salt, and pepper; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 30 minutes or until barley is tender and liquid is nearly absorbed. Remove from heat; add cheese, stirring until cheese melts. Stir in squash, mushrooms, and thyme. Serve immediately.

Asian Fusion Soup

I always love the idea of pho, the Vietnamese soup with meat and toppings such as bean sprouts and hot sauce. But, I can never eat it because of the broth and, obviously, the meat that makes up the main component of the soup. So, Adam and I decided to make our own version. We cheated a little bit by using a prepared mushroom soup mix that came along with the udon noodles, but you could definitely make your soup with veggie broth. With the mix of the Japanese udon noodles, shiitake mushrooms, bean sprouts, sriracha, and lime juice, the soup is definitely not a pure pho, but it certainly satisfied the pho craving.


Asian Fusion Mushroom Noodle Soup

I am not going to include amounts, because you might want to alter them depending on your preferences and the size of the noodle packets. Feel free to use your imagination with this soup.

packets of fresh udon noodles with broth packets(we used packets that came from the fresh noodle section)
bok choy, sliced
shiitake mushrooms, sliced
tofu, cut in 1/2-inch cubes
bean sprouts
cilantro
lime wedges
Sriracha hot sauce

1. Bring water to a boil. Use the noodle packages to determine the amount of water needed. Add the broth packets, bok choy, mushrooms, and tofu. When the vegetables and tofu have softened, add the noodles. Cook until the noodles are tender.
2. Ladle the soup into bowls. Top with bean sprouts, cilantro, lime wedges, and hot sauce.

Spiffed-up Spaghetti

For an easy change from regular spaghetti with tomato sauce, spice it up with a little sausage (or veggie sausage), kalamata olives, and feta cheese. We had extra sausage in the house (of both varieties) and a jar of my mom's homemade tomato sauce. Trying to be a bit creative, I decided to combine those two ingredients into a wonderful pasta. And that we did.


Pasta with Sausage, Kalamata Olives, and Feta

1 lbs. whole wheat penne
1 Italian sausage link per person, approximately 6-8 for this amount of pasta, sliced into bite-sized pieces
3 cups tomato sauce, either homemade or your favorite brand
1/2 cup Kalamata olives, halved
1/4 feta cheese, crumbled
crushed red pepper flakes, to taste
salt, to taste

1. Prepare the pasta according to package directions.
2. Cook the sausages in a non-stick skillet until browned on all sides and cooked all the way through.
3. When the sausage is thoroughly cooked, add the tomato sauce until heated. Add the olives, feta cheese, and drained pasta. Stir to combine. Add red pepper flakes and salt to taste, tossing to coat all the pasta. Serve and enjoy!

Caramel Corn

We decided for the Oscar Party we also needed to have some sort of delicious dessert. What could be better for a movie awards show to have popcorn? And to make it a dessert, there is only one option: caramel corn! This recipe was incredibly easy and totally fantastic. One hint about the clean-up: soak the pot in hot soapy water overnight. It will come perfectly clean.


Caramel Corn Clusters (Gourmet, September 2004, www.epicurious.com)

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/3 cup popcorn kernels
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter
11/2 cups packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup salted peanuts (5 oz)

1. Heat oil with 3 kernels in a 3-quart heavy saucepan, covered, over moderate heat until 1 or 2 kernels pop. Remove lid and quickly add remaining kernels, then cook, covered, shaking pan frequently, until kernels stop popping, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and uncover.

2. Line bottom of a large shallow baking pan with foil. Lightly oil foil. Melt butter in a 6-quart heavy pot over moderate heat. Add brown sugar and corn syrup and bring to a boil over moderate heat, stirring, then boil, without stirring, until syrup registers 300°F on thermometer, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove pot from heat.

3. Using a wooden spoon or a heatproof spatula, stir salt and baking soda into syrup, then quickly stir in peanuts and popcorn to coat. Immediately spread mixture in baking pan as thinly and evenly as possible. Cool completely, then break into bite-size pieces.

Oscar Taco Party!

This isn't a post that contains a bunch of recipes, but rather an idea post. For the Oscars we were hemming and hawing over what type of finger foods we wanted to make. We ended up deciding to make a taco bar. Although we made entirely way too much food (I think we made enough for 10-15 rather than the 5 that we had), it was a lot of fun and pretty easy to prep. We roasted zucchini, bell peppers, and onions, baked fish, and baked a pre-marinated tri-tip in a carne asada sauce. With these as our bases, we had bowls of black beans, yogurt, guacamole, and pineapple salsa. We topped our tacos with queso fresco. Every one could make their tacos perfectly to their liking, so this really works for picky eaters or a party when you may not know people incredibly well.

The only thing that took much creativity at all was the pineapple salsa which was just a whole pineapple chopped fine, minced red onion, cilantro, and serrano pepper with a sprinkling of salt. It was the perfect combination of spicy and sweet to top the tacos.

Veggie and Polenta Perfection

This meal, once again, took no time to prepare. It's a perfect weekday dinner that gives you all the nutrients you need after a hard day's work. Polenta is covered with an array of sauteed vegetables and baked tofu. You can use any vegetables you have on hand, these just happened to be what we had in the fridge.

Polenta with Sauteed Vegetables and Savory Baked Tofu


4 cups water
1 cup Polenta
1 tsp. salt
1 Tbs. butter
2-3 small zucchini, sliced into rounds
1/2 red onion, chopped
1 portobello mushroom, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 package Savory flavored baked tofu, cubed
3/4 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
salt and pepper to taste

1. Prepare polenta by boiling and salting the water. Add the polenta and stir until slightly thickened. Lower the temperature to medium-low and allow the polenta to completely thicken, stirring occasionally. This will take 20-25 minutes. Stir in the butter.
2. Meanwhile, saute the zucchini rounds in a large skillet with a bit of olive oil over medium-high heat. Once the rounds are slightly browned, turn them and add the onion and mushroom. Once the onion and mushroom have softened, add the garlic and tofu. Saute until everything is at its desired doneness. Add the cherry tomatoes and heat through. Season to taste. Serve over the polenta, and enjoy!

Simply Asian

If you are watching your salt intake, this is probably not the meal for you. But, if you are not, this is a super easy and super delicious meal: salmon or tofu in hoisin and sesame seeds with spinach and carrots in an Asian sauce and pre-made potstickers. You can add some steamed rice to the meal if you want a little more, but I had plenty to eat without the rice. To make the spinach and carrots, we simply sauteed the spinach with peeled carrots in a tiny bit of olive oil and then added a splash of soy sauce, sesame seeds, and a heaping spoonful of chile and garlic hot sauce. It made for the perfect accompaniment to the tofu and salmon.

Salmon with Hoisin Glaze (Cooking Light, August 2009)

I would have the tofu sit in the glaze a little longer than the salmon so it can really soak in the flavor. I really suggest using the lemon rind strips; they add a ton of flavor and freshness.

2 Tbs. hoisin sauce
2 tsp. low-sodium soy sauce
1/2 tsp. dark sesame oil
4 (6-oz.) skinless wild salmon filets
cooking spray
1 tsp. sesame seeds
lemon rind strips (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 400.
2. Combine first 3 ingredients in a shallow dish. Add fish to dish, turning to coat. Marinate at room temperature 8 minutes, turning occasionally.
3. Remove fish from marinade; discard marinade. Place fish on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle fish evenly with sesame seeds. Bake at 400 for 8 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork. Garnish with rind, if desired.

Mediterranean Delight

Roasted vegetables and couscous. What could be better (except for the meat-eaters who got a side of grilled rack of lamb)? Not much is the answer. And, to make matters even better, it's a pretty simple meal to create. Vegetables are roasted in the oven for 30 to 40 minutes and then mixed with couscous that takes about 15 minutes beginning to end. And, the lamb is grilled to perfection until just pink inside. The only part that takes time at all is prepping the lamb with a paste and letting it sit overnight. I don't think you need to have the lamb sit with the paste overnight, so this meal could come together even faster.


Roasted Vegetable Couscous with Lemon Vinaigrette
1 crown broccoli, chopped into florets
3 medium zucchini, cut into thick matchsticks
1/2 red onion, thickly sliced
1 eggplant, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 1/2 cups dry whole-wheat couscous
1 large tomato, chopped
10 Kalamata olives, halved
1/4 cup parsley, minced
1 lemon, juiced
1/4 cup olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 to 1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled

1. Preheat the oven to 425. Place the broccoli, zucchini, onion, and eggplant in baking dishes. Drizzle with a bit of olive oil, salt, and pepper. Toss to coat. Roast the vegetables in the oven for approximately 30 minutes, or until crispy and brown. The eggplant may take a little less time than the zucchini and broccoli.
2. Prepare the couscous according to the package directions, omitting half the fat.
3. Toss together the rest of the ingredients with the couscous and roasted vegetables. Top with the feta cheese.


IPA Spice Paste (Grilling with Beer, Lucy Saunders)

1/2 cup minced onion
1/4 cup walnut oil
1/4 cup IPA
1/3 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1/3 cup fresh parsley, chopped
2 Tbs. minced garlic
1 Tbs. paprika
1 Tbs. cinnamon
1 Tbs. grated orange zest
2 tsp. salt (kosher)
1 tsp. cumin

1. Place all ingredients in a food processor fitted with the metal cutting blade. Pulse on HIGH until pasty. Rub on chicken or lamb chops.