Oh Kale!

With the season slowly changing from summer into fall (and back into summer for us Californians), I've been craving leafy greens and hearty root vegetables. When I saw this recipe for Pasta with Black Kale, Caramelized Onions, and Parsnips in this month's Cooking Light, I knew I had to make. And, I'm sure glad I did. We added some baked savory tofu to the pasta for some extra protein and used regular kale instead of the black kale, but I can't imagine that this pasta could get any better.


Pasta with Black Kale, Caramelized Onions, and Parsnip (Cooking Light, October 2010)

2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil, divided
3 cups (1/3-inch) diagonally cut parsnip (about 1 lbs.)
2 1/2 cups sliced onion (about 1 large)
1 Tbs. chopped fresh thyme
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 cup dry white wine
8 cups trimmed chopped black kale (about 3 bunches)
1/2 cup organic vegetable broth
8 oz. uncooked penne pasta
1/2 cup (2-oz.) shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, divided
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

1. Heat 1 Tbs. oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add parsnip to pan; cook 12 minutes or until tender and browned, stirring occasionally. Place in a large bowl; keep warm.
2. Heat remaining 1 Tbs. oil in pan over medium-low heat. Add onion to pan; cook 20 minutes or until tender and golden brown, stirring occasionally. Stir in thyme and garlic; cook 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add wine; cook 3 minutes or until liquid almost evaporates. Stir in kale and broth; cook, covered, 5 minutes or until kale is tender. Uncover; cook 4 minutes or until kale is very tender, stirring occasionally.
3. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain pasta in a sieve over a bowl, reserving 3/4 cup cooking liquid. Add drained pasta to kale mixture. Stir in parsnips, 1/2 cup reserved cooking liquid, 1/4 cup cheese, 1/2 tsp. salt, and 1/2 tsp. black pepper; cook for 1 minute or until thoroughly heated. Add remaining 1/4 cup cooking liquid if needed to moisten. Top with remaining 1/4 cup cheese.

Perfect Pot Pies

In spirit of the gloominess in the Bay area and the freezing temperatures every where else, we decided to make some soul-warming pot pies. We combined two recipes from Vegetarian Planet (the All-American Pot Pie and the Dixie Pot Pie) along with our own selection of vegetables to make our own delicious pot pie. Although this was our first homemade pot pie experience, I can tell you it won't be our last. There are endless possibilities of vegetable and protein combinations and crust options. Use your creativity and explore!

Butternut Squash, Kale, and Mushroom Pot Pie (compiled from recipes from Vegetarian Planet by Didi Emmons)

Filling:
1 Tbs. butter
1 small butternut squash, cut into bite-sized cubes
1 bunch kale, taken off the stem and cut into bite-sized pieces
8 oz. mushrooms, quartered
1 large garlic clove, minced
1 15-oz. can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
3 Tbs. unbleached white flour
2 cups warmed milk, or a bit more
1 pinch fresh or dried thyme
1 tsp. salt
fresh-ground black pepper to taste

Biscuit Topping:
1 cup unbleached white flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
4 Tbs. cold unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces
1/4 cup milk, plus a bit more

1. Make the filling: In a 12- or 14-inch, preferably non-stick, skillet, heat the butter over medium heat. Add all of the vegetables, and saute them for 5 minutes, stirring often. Add the garlic, and saute for 5 minutes more, stirring. Add the garbanzo beans. Sprinkle 3 Tbs. flour over the vegetables, and stir the mixture over the heat for 2 minutes. Add the warmed milk slowly, stirring all the while to avoid lumps. Stir in the thyme. Bring the sauce to a simmer, and cook the mixture, stirring, until the sauce thickens. Continue to cook the vegetables until they become tender (especially the butternut squash), adding a bit more milk if the sauce becomes too thick. Add 1/2 tsp. of the salt and plenty of fresh pepper. Transfer the mixture to a 9- or 10- casserole or deep pie dish or individual baking ramekins. (At this point you can cover the dish and chill it for up to 2 days, if you'd like to bake it later,)
2. Preheat the oven to 375. Make the biscuit topping in a food processor or by hand:
To use a food processor, combine in it the flour, baking powder, salt, and butter. Run the machine until the mixture resembles sand. Add the milk, then run the machine in spurts until the dough comes together.
To mix the dough by hand, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Cut in the butter with a pastry cutter or fork until the pieces are no larger than pea-size. Stir in the milk, and continue to stir until the dough comes together.
Roll out the dough on a floured surface to fit the dish.
3. Cover the vegetables with the biscuit top. (It shouldn't seal the pie, but just sit on top.) Using a pastry brush, brush the top of the pie with a bit of milk. Bake the pie for 15 minutes, until the top is golden. Serve the pie hot.

Deliciously Healthy

Quinoa is one of my favorite new grains. It's packed with protein and adds great texture to any dish. As I was searching 101cookbooks, I found this amazing looking recipe for quinoa mixed with kale, corn, tofu, and then topped with pesto. Coincidentally, I had most of these ingredients. We ended up adding mushrooms and forgetting the tofu, but other than that we kept the recipe pretty much the same. With a meal like this, you know that you truly can get a healthy meal without losing any flavor.

Heather's Quinoa Recipe (Heidi Swanson, www.101cookbooks.com)

a splash of extra-virgin olive oil
a pinch of fine grain sea salt
1 shallot, minced
3 cups cooked quinoa* (or brown rice, or other grain)
1 cup corn, fresh or frozen
1 1/2 cups kale, spinach or other hearty green, finely chopped
2 cups extra-firm nigari tofu, browned in a skillet a bit
1/3 cup pesto
1/3 cup pumpkin seeds, toasted
1/4 cup roasted cherry tomatoes (or chopped sun-dried tomatoes) [we used sun-dried tomatoes]

1. In a big skillet or pot heat the olive oil and salt over medium-high heat. Stir in the shallot and cook for a minute or two. Stir in the quinoa and corn and cook until hot and sizzling. Stir in the kale and then the tofu, cooking until tofu is heated through. Remove the skillet from heat and stir in the pesto and pumpkin seeds. Mix well so the pesto is spread throughout. Turn everything out onto a platter and top with the cherry tomatoes.

Fabulously Flaky

Adam's friend Alex from college and her boyfriend came for a quick visit the other week, and I had to make them a fabulous meal after their wine country excursion. They were an easy crowd to please, but the Kale and Red Pepper Strudel I made certainly didn't hurt. The strudel had a great mixture of heartiness, creaminess, and flakiness that looks impressive and tastes even better. Adam grilled up some romaine hearts and topped them with slices strawberries, chopped almonds, and a balsamic vinaigrette for a perfect side.

Kale and Red Pepper Strudel (Moosewood Restaurant: New Classics)

Filling
1 1/2 cups chopped onions
1 Tbs. olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
4 to 5 cups rinsed, stemmed, and chopped kale
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/4 cups diced red bell peppers
1 scant tsp. minced fresh rosemary
1 cake firm tofu (12 oz.), crumbled
1 cup Neufchatel, at room temperature
1 cup grated sharp Cheddar, Parmesan, or provolone
1 Tbs. unbleached white flour
2 Tbs. chopped fresh parsley
ground black pepper to taste

Filo
1/2 to 2/3 lbs. filo dough
3 to 4 Tbs. vegetable oil or melted butter, or a mixture
1/2 tsp. sesame seeds (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350. Lightly butter a 10 x 14-inch baking tray or shallow pan.
2. Cook the onions in the olive oil on low heat for 5 minutes. Add the garlic, kale, and salt. Cover and cook for about 5 minutes, until the kale wilts, adding 1 to 2 Tbs. of water to prevent sticking, if necessary. Stir in the bell peppers and rosemary. Cover and cook on low heat until the vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes.
3. While the vegetables cook, combine the tofu, Neufchatel, grated cheese, flour, and parsley in the bowl of a food processor. Process until smooth and creamy. When the vegetables are ready, drain them if any liquid remains, and stir in the tofu-cheese mixture. Add black pepper to taste and set aside.
4. Lay the filo on a dry surface and cover with a clean, lightly dampened towel. Place a pastry brush and a bowl of the oil or melted butter within easy reach. Arrange two sheets of filo pastry in the prepared baking tray, allowing the excess filo to drape over the sides. Lightly brush the top sheet with oil or butter. Repeat three more times for a total of eight filo sheets.
5. Spread the filling evenly over the filo in the baking tray. Fold all four sides of the filo up over the filling to make a border and brush with oil or butter. Top with the remaining filo, two sheets at a time, brushing each layer with oil or butter. Tuck under the edges to fit the baking tray. Sprinkle the top with sesame seeds, if desired.
6. Bake until golden and puffy, about 45 minutes. Let sit for 15 minutes before serving.

Worth the Pots

I found this recipe for chipotle beans on 101cookbooks.com that looked absolutely divine. I built our entire Wednesday night dinner around these beans--and there's a good reason why--they were fabulous! I paired the beans with grilled pork chops coated with cumin, chile powder, salt and pepper for the guys and tofu for me and sauteed plaintains to round out the meal. The beans stole the show though with their complex flavor of tomato, chipotle, garlic, and cilantro along with the gooeyness of the queso fresco and crunchiness of the bread crumb topping. This meal uses ton of pots and pans, but it is worth every minute of cleaning (especially if your husband does it, thanks Adam).


Giant Chipotle White Beans (Heidi Swanson, 101cookbooks.com)

1 pound of large, dried white beans (corona, giant limas, gigantes, or any giant white beans you can find), rinsed, picked over and soaked overnight - or up to 24 hours.

Chipotle-tomato sauce:
2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
2 big pinches of red pepper flakes
2 pinches of salt
1 large clove garlic, chopped
1 14-oz. can crushed tomatoes
1 Tbs. fresh oregano leaves
1 1/2 Tbs. adobo sauce from a can of chipotle peppers

Cilantro Pesto:
1 medium clove of garlic
1/3 cup fresh cilantro
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
big pinch of salt

2/3 cup kale or chard, washed, de-stemmed, and very finely chopped
1 cup queso fresco or feta cheese

1 1/2 cup whole-grain breadcrumbs, toasted in a skillet with a tablespoon of olive oil

1. To prepare the beans. Drain and rinse the beans after their overnight soak. Then place them in a large saucepan and cover with an inch or two of water. Bring to a boil and simmer until the beans are cooked through and just tender. This can take anywhere from an hour to two hours (potentially more) depending on your beans, but do your best to avoid overcooking. Remove from heat, salt the beans (still in bean broth) with about a tablespoon of salt - enough that the bean liquid is tasty but on the salty side. Let the beans sit like this for ten minutes or so before draining and setting the beans aside.
2. In the meantime, make your tomato sauce. Place the 2 tablespoons olive oil, red pepper flakes, couple pinches of salt, and chopped garlic into a cold medium saucepan. Stir while you heat the saucepan over medium-high heat. Saute just 45 seconds or so until everything is fragrant - you don't want the garlic to brown. Stir in the tomatoes and the fresh oregano and heat to a gentle simmer, this takes just a couple minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the adobo sauce - carefully take a taste (you don't want to burn your tongue)...If the sauce needs more salt add it now, more chipotle flavor? Go for it. Set aside.
3. Make the cilantro pesto by combining the clove of garlic and cilantro in a food processor. Pulse while you drizzle in the olive oil - alternately, you could do this by hand. Season with a bit of salt and set aside.
4. Preheat the oven to 425F degrees. In a 9x13 baking pan (or large oven-proof casserole/dutch oven) toss the beans with the tomato sauce and the kale. Sprinkle with the cheese and bake in the top-third of the oven for roughly twenty-five (if you're using queso fresco) to forty minutes, I look for the cheese to start browning and any visible beans to get a bit crusty. Remove from oven and let sit for about ten minutes. Top the beans with the breadcrumbs and just before serving drizzle with the cilantro pesto.


Sauteed Plantains (Cooking Light, June 2008)

2 plantains, yellow with some black spots (about 1 lbs.)
1 Tbs. canola oil
1/4 tsp. kosher salt

1. Peel plantains; cut each crosswise into 3 pieces. Cut each piece lengthwise into 4 slices.
2. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add plantains to pan; cook 3 minutes on each side or until lightly browned. Transfer plantains to a plate; sprinkle with salt.

Parsnip and Sweet Potato Gnocchi

One time last year, we had some leftover parsnips in the fridge and Adam made these fantastic gnocchi out of them. Ever since then, we've been yearning to make them again. Last night was finally the night. I have to warn you, gnocchi-making is quite a process. Not only does it make your kitchen one big, floury mess, it also takes a fair amount of time. But, there is nothing better than some homemade gnocchi over a bed of garlicy, sauteed greens to start the week off on the right foot.


Parsnip and Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Garlicy Kale

We took the basic recipe for the gnocchi off of a recipe by Mario Batali we found on www.foodnetwork.com. We ended up using more flour than the recipe originally called for, but as long as the starch and flour turn into a knead-able dough the amount of flour can vary. We tried to use the least amount of flour possible to keep the integrity of the sweet potato and parsnip flavors. Oh, and this recipe makes a ton of gnocchi. We have plenty of leftovers for several more meals. In my opinion, there is nothing wrong with that!

1 bag parsnips, peeled and chopped
2 medium-sized sweet potatoes, chopped
1 egg, beaten and divided
3 cups flour, approximately
1/2 tsp. salt

1 bunch kale, taken off the stem and chopped
2 portabella mushrooms, sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. chili powder

chili oil
paprika

1. To prepare the gnocchi, bring a large pot of water with the sweet potatoes and parsnips to a boil. Boil until the potatoes and parsnips are tender and slightly soft. Transfer the potatoes and parsnips to separate bowls. Mash the potatoes with a fork until smooth and then mix in half the egg and salt by making a well in the center. The parsnips mash better in a food processor with half of the beaten egg and the salt. If you can mash the parsnips with a fork, that works too, although the dough will not be as smooth. Next, add and stir in the flour to each starch, about a half cup at a time. Continue adding and mixing in the flour until you are able to roll the dough. Roll the dough into snake-like rolls that are approximately 1-inch in diameter. Cut into 1-inch squares. Place in another pot of boiling water. Allow to cook until the gnocchi rise to the top, indicating they are done. Then remove to a colander.
2. To prepare the greens, saute the portabella mushrooms in a large skillet with olive oil over medium-heat. Once the mushrooms are tender, add the garlic and kale and allow the greens to wilt. Sprinkle the paprika and chili powder over the greens and add salt and pepper to taste.
3. Place kale on a plate and surround with gnocchi, alternating parsnip and sweet potato. Drizzle with chili oil and sprinkle with paprika. Impress all those who eat!

Grains, and Veggies, and Beans, Oh My!

While shopping in Trader Joe's one evening, Adam and I found this mix of Harvest Grains with Israeli-style couscous, orzo, baby garbanzo beans, and red quinoa. Inspired by these hearty grains, I decided to make a fresh stew-like concoction to place over the grains. What I came up with was a combination of onions, mushrooms, kale, chickpeas, diced tomatoes, and spices that blended perfectly with the grains. If you don't want to use kale, any type of green would work: spinach, chard, or even broccoli. And, if you can't find the grain blend, use couscous, quinoa, or other favorite grain. This dish, with its many possible variations, will definitely be a healthy staple in our house.


Chickpea and Kale Stew over Harvest Grains
For a not-so-spicy version of this stew, omit the serrano chile.

8 oz. grains
1/2 onion, chopped
2 tsp. garlic, minced
1 tsp. ginger, grated
1 cup mushrooms, sliced
1 head kale, chopped (about 4 cups)
1 (15-oz.) can chickpeas, drained
1 serrano chile, thinly sliced
1 (15-oz.) can diced tomatoes
1 tsp. dried oregano

1. Cook the grains according to package directions.
2. Heat a large skillet on medium to medium-high heat. Add the onions and let soften. Add the ginger and garlic and saute until fragrant. Next, saute the mushrooms until tender. Add the kale and let the leaves wilt slightly. Add the remaining ingredients. Thoroughly combine. Let simmer for 5 minutes. Then serve over the grains with a dollop of yogurt.