Thursday, May 20, 2010

Party in Your Mouth

This meal had such an amazing combination of flavors from sweet to salty to tangy. The Pork Chops (or tofu chops) with Maple Mustard Glaze accompanied by an asparagus, spinach, orange, and avocado grain salad was a meal that I will definitely try to re-create. Adam tasted both the pork chop and tofu versions of the meal and stated that they had completely different flavors but that both were fantastic in their own ways. So, whether you are vegetarian or not, you can have a fabulous meal.

I wasn't able to take a picture of this dinner because my battery ran out in my camera, but it looked pretty beautiful.


Pork Chops with Maple Mustard Glaze (Cooking Light, May 2006)

1 tsp. butter
4 (4-oz.) boneless pork loin chops, trimmed
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth [or veggie broth]
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
2 Tbs. Dijon mustard
1 tsp. chopped fresh sage
1 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
2 tsp. heavy cream

1. Melt butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Sprinkle pork chops evenly with salt and pepper; add pork to pan. Cook 4 minutes on each side or until lightly browned. Remove from pan; keep warm.
2. Add broth and next 4 ingredients to pan. Bring to a boil, and cook 3 minutes or until slightly thick. Stir in cream, and reduce heat to medium. Return pork to pan; simmer 3 minutes or until pork is done, turning once.


Asparagus, Orange, and Avocado Grains

1 1/2 cups Great Grains from Trader Joe's or a grain of your choice
1 cup vegetable broth
1 bunch asparagus, chopped into big bites
3 handfuls of spinach
2 oranges, 1 supremed, the other juiced
1 avocado, chopped
salt and pepper to taste

1. Prepare the grains according to package directions with the vegetable broth. Add the chopped asparagus and spinach in the last 3 minutes of cooking, placing a lid on top of the grains. Once the grains are cooked and the asparagus is tender, remove the grains from the stove and put into a bowl.
2. Supreme the orange by cutting off the peel and cutting each section separately from the orange. Mix the sections, orange juice, avocado, and salt and pepper with the grains. Enjoy!

More Bean Burgers


I absolutely love bean burgers, which you can probably tell by now from all of the bean burgers I've posted. The cheese inside the burgers makes for a nice gooey-ness and the mango salsa adds freshness and a summery touch. Bake some sweet potato fries for a complete meal.


Black Bean Burgers with Mango Salsa (Cooking Light, April 2010)

2 (15-oz.) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
3/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro, divided
3/4 cup (3 oz.) shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1/4 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
2 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1/2 medium jalapeno pepper, finely chopped
2 large egg whites
cooking spray
1 1/4 cups chopped peeled mango (about 1 medium)
3 Tbs. chopped shallots
1 1/2 Tbs. fresh lime juice
1 avocado, peeled and chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
6 (2-oz.) whole-wheat hamburger buns, lightly toasted
6 green leaf lettuce leaves

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Place black beans in a medium bowl; mash with a fork. Stir in 1/2 cup finely chopped cilantro and the next 7 ingredients (through egg whites). Shape bean mixture into 6 (1/2-inch-thick) patties. Arrange patties on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes, carefully turning once.
3. Combine remaining 1/4 cup cilantro, mango, and the next 4 ingredients (through minced garlic) in a medium bowl. Place a patty on bottom half of each hamburger bun; top each with 1 lettuce leaf, 1/3 cup salsa, and top half of bun.

Thursday, May 13, 2010

A Vegetarian's Springtime Delight


Food and Wine often has complicated recipes with expensive ingredients. But, this month there were a few recipes that caught our eye that seemed simple enough, which they were! The tofu Caesar salad and eggplant dip made for a perfect vegetarian spring-time meal.


Caesar Salad with Crispy Tofu Croutons (Food and Wine, May 2010)

This salad is a healthier version than the original with the tofu-based salad dressing. The recipe calls for anchovies, but to make it vegetarian I added approximately 1 Tbs. of capers instead. I also omitted the Worcestershire sauce

6 oz. soft silken tofu, drained
1 1/2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 Tbs. freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, plus a little more for serving
1 oil-packed anchovy fillet, drained
1 small garlic clove
1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard
salt and freshly ground pepper
one 14-oz. package firm tofu, drained and cut into 3/4-inch cubes
vegetable oil, for frying
1/2 cup cornstarch
2 romaine hearts (1 lbs.), torn into bite-size pieces

1. In a blender, puree the silken tofu with the olive oil, lemon juice, and 1 1/2 Tbs. of Parmigiano-Reggiano, the anchovy, garlic, Worcestershire and mustard; season the dressing with salt and pepper.
2. Wrap the firm tofu in paper towels and press out some of the water. In a large skillet, heat 1/4 inch of vegetable oil until shimmering. In a bowl, toss the tofu with the cornstarch until coated. Add the cubes to the oil and fry over moderately high heat, turning once, until crisp, about 8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the croutons to a paper towel-lined plate; season with salt.
3. In a large bowl, toss the romaine with the dressing and two-thirds of the croutons. Transfer the salad to plates and top with the remaining croutons. Sprinkle with Parmigiano and serve.



Pot-Roasted Eggplant with Tomatoes and Cumin (Food and Wine, May 2010)

This recipe takes a while because the eggplant roasts in a pot for 40 minutes. However, there isn't a lot of hands-on time, which makes this recipe pretty simple. We did decide that we would add a little bit more heat to the dip with more cayenne or a serrano pepper, but the flavor was still awesome without it.

1 large eggplant (1 1/4 lbs.)
4 garlic cloves, minced
kosher salt
1 cup drained, canned diced tomatoes
3 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
3 Tbs. chipped parsley
1 Tbs. cilantro leaves
2 tsp. sweet smoked paprika
3/4 tsp. ground cumin
pinch of cayenne pepper
1 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
freshly ground black pepper

1. Heat a large enameled cast-iron casserole. Using a fork, prick the eggplant in a few places. Add the eggplant to the casserole, cover and cook over moderately low heat, turning once, until charred on the outside and soft within, about 40 minutes.
2. Transfer the eggplant to a colander set in the sink. Using a sharp knife, make a lengthwise slit in the eggplant; let drain for 10 minutes. Scrape the flesh into a bowl, discarding the skin and any hard seeds; mash to a puree and transfer to a large skillet.
3. Using the side of a large knife, mash the garlic to a coarse paste with 1 tsp. of salt. Add the paste to the skillet along with the tomatoes, olive oil, parsley, cilantro, paprika, cumin and cayenne. Cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until all the liquid has evaporated, about 10 minutes. Stir in the lemon juice and season with salt and pepper. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Thursday, May 6, 2010

Sugar Beet, Um Um


My parents and I went to the local farmers' market while they were here. We wanted our dinner to be inspired by the freshest of fruits and vegetables. At the market there was an abundance of artichokes and beets. In addition, my mom had brought a recipe for a beet soup with her all the way across the country. With beets being wildly abundant, and having a recipe in hand, how could we resist the Sweet and Savory Beet Soup with Orange Juice and Yogurt? When my parents and I ate it, we steamed artichokes and made a vegan hollandaise sauce to accompany the soup. In truth, we were a little full to eat much of the soup, but it came in handy later for another meal. The second time we ate the soup, we paired it with foccacia, cheese, and cucumbers. This soup can be eaten warm, room temperature, or cold so it is perfect for any meal any time of the year.
Sweet and Savory Beet Soup with Orange Juice and Yogurt (One Straw Farm; The Washington Post, April 21, 2010)


3 large (3 1/2 to 4 lbs.) beets, trimmed and scrubbed
2 cups orange juice, preferably fresh
5 cups low-sodium or homemade chicken broth or vegetable broth
1 large onion, coarsely chopped (1 1/2 to 2 cups)
1/2 tsp. salt, or more as needed
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper, or as needed
2/3 cup plain whole or low-fat yogurt, plus more for garnish (may use Greek-style yogurt for a thicker soup)
carrot strands, for garnish (optional)

1. Combine the beets, orange juice, broth, onion, salt and pepper in a large saucepan over high heat. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce the heat to medium or medium-low. Cook for about 1 hour, or until the beets are soft. Remove from the heat.
2. Remove the beets; peel them under cold water (changing it once or twice as needed so you can handle the warm vegetables), then cut them into quarters.
3. Place half the quartered beets in the blender, along with half of the contents of the saucepan. Remove the center knob of the lid and place a dish towel over the opening so that steam can escape. Puree until smooth and transfer to a large bowl. Repeat with the remaining beets and contents of the saucepan.
4. Add yogurt to the beet puree and stir to incorporate thoroughly. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Serve hot, chilled or at room temperature; garnish with a dollop of yogurt or carrot strands, if desired.

Chocolate Raspberry Tart


I can't really take credit for this deliciously decadent dessert, because my mom made it when she and my dad were here visiting. But, I have to share this recipe because it was so wonderfully perfect. The tart raspberries are a fantastic complement to the rich chocolate of the custard and crust. To make matters even better, my mom said it was pretty easy to make!

Chocolate-Raspberry Tart (Everyday Food, May 2010)

32 chocolate wafer cookies (about 8 oz.)
2 Tbs. sugar
coarse salt
6 Tbs. (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, melted
12 oz. semisweet chocolate chips
1 1/4 cups heavy cream
1 1/2 cups fresh raspberries (6 oz.)

1. Preheat oven to 350. In a food processor, combine cookies, sugar, and 1/2 tsp. salt. Process until very fine crumbs form. Add butter and pulse until mixture just comes together. Press crumbs firmly into a 9-inch fluted tart pan with a removable bottom. Place on a baking sheet and bake until crust is dry and set, 20 minutes. Let cool.
2. In a large bowl, combine chocolate and pinch of salt. In a small saucepan, bring cream to a bare simmer over medium-high. Immediately pour cream over chocolate and let stand 1 minute. Stir gently until chocolate melts and mixture is completely smooth. Pour chocolate into cooled tart shell and refrigerate until set, 30 minutes. To serve, remove tart from pan and scatter raspberries on top.

Middle Eastern Monday


Middle Eastern food is fresh, light, and perfect for a warm spring evening. And this meal was exactly that. The Spicy Chicken Shawarma was easy to change into a vegetarian dish by substituting the chicken with tofu. Both the chicken and tofu versions were absolutely delicious, especially for a quick and filling weeknight meal.


Spicy Chicken Shawarma (Cooking Light, April 2010)

2 Tbs. finely chopped fresh parsley
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper
1/4 tsp. ginger
1/4 tsp. cumin
1/8 tsp. coriander
5 Tbs. plain low-fat Greek-style yogurt, divided
2 Tbs. fresh lemon juice, divided
3 garlic cloves, minced and divided
1 lbs. skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, thinly sliced
2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
1 Tbs. tahini
4 (6-inch) pitas, halved
1/2 cup chopped cucumber
1/2 cup chopped plum tomato
1/4 cup prechopped red onion

1. Combine first 6 ingredients in a large bowl; stir in 1 Tbs. yogurt, 1 Tbs. juice, and 2 garlic cloves. Add chicken; toss to coat. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken mixture to pan; saute 6 minutes or until browned and done, stirring frequently.
2. While chicken cooks, combine remaining 1/4 cup yogurt, remaining 1 Tbs. lemon juice, remaining 1 garlic clove, and tahini, stirring well. Spread 1 1/2 tsp. tahini mixture inside each pita half; divide chicken evenly among pita halves. Fill each pita half with 1 Tbs. cucumber, 1 Tbs. tomato, and 1 1/2 tsp. onion.