Jamaican Rice Mon

This rice is a perfect all in one meal. There are protein sources, carbohydrates, and vegetables of all colors. And, to top it all off, there is a ton of flavor. When you are looking for something different and complete, this Jamaican Rice Mix-Up is the perfect meal.


Jamaican Rice Mix-Up (Vegetarian Planet, Didi Emmons)

1 small sugar pumpkin or pie pumpkin, about 2 lbs., or 1 small butternut squash
2 cups water
1 cup uncooked long-grain rice
1 tsp. salt
2 Tbs. canola or corn oil, plus a little more for pan-frying the plantains
2 medium onions, minced
1 Tbs. minced fresh ginger
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp. allspice
1 Tbs. curry powder, store-bought or homemade
1 jalapeno pepper, minced (optional) [we also added another one sliced on top when we served the rice]
2 cups thinly sliced collard greens, beet greens, or mustard greens
1 cup cooked black beans
salt and fresh-ground black pepper to taste
2 ripe plantains or large ripe bananas (optional)
1 tomato, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

1. Preheat the oven to 400. Cut the pumpkin or squash in half. Scoop out the seeds with a metal spoon, and discard them. Place the halves face down on a baking sheet. Bake the pumpkin or squash for 1 hour or until it is easily pierced with a sharp knife. Remove it from the pan and let it cool slightly.
2. While the pumpkin or squash cools, bring the water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add the rice and salt, and bring the rice to a boil. Cover the pan, and reduce the heat to low. Steam the rice for 20 minutes.
3. While the rice cooks, heat the oil in a large skillet. Add the onions, and cook them, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes, until they begin to brown. Add the ginger, the garlic, the allspice, the curry powder, and, if you like, the jalapeno. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes more. Remove the pan from the heat.
4. When the pumpkin has cooled slightly, scoop out the flesh and discard the skin. Chop the flesh into large pieces.
5. When the rice is ready, reheat the onion mixture over medium heat. Add the rice, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Add the greens, toss well, and continue to cook for 5 minutes more. Add the pumpkin or squash and the black beans, and toss again. Season with salt and pepper.
6. If you'd like to garnish the dish with plantains or bananas, slice them in half lengthwise. Lightly coat a non-stick skillet with canola or corn oil, and set it over medium high heat. Pan-fry the plantains or bananas until they are golden, about 1 to 2 minutes per side, turning them carefully with a spatula. Transfer them to a paper towel.
7. Spoon the rice mixture onto plates. Top it with a little chopped tomato for color, and serve the plantain or banana slices alongside the rice.

A Meal to Warm the Soul

While browsing through some of my cookbooks, I found this recipe for Cottage Cheese-Dill Bread and was immediately intrigued. Adam and I are pretty much obsessed with cottage cheese, always having it in the house. It's getting a little colder here in Oakland, so I figured I would pair this bread with a hearty bean and green tomato-based soup. The bread and the soup turned out perfectly, warming the body and soul, head to toe.

Cottage Cheese-Dill Bread (The New Enchanted Broccoli Forest, Mollie Katzen)

Mollie Katzen suggests eating the bread with a thin spread of cream cheese and cucumber or of raspberry jam. Both are absolutely delicious. Adam and I had several breakfasts of an egg and the bread with raspberry jam.

a little butter or oil for the pan
2 cups unbleached white flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
a scant 1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup cottage cheese
2 eggs
6 Tbs. milk
1/4 cup honey or sugar
4 Tbs. melted butter
3 Tbs. minced fresh dill (or 1 Tbs. dried)

1. Preheat oven to 350. Lightly grease a medium-sized loaf pan.
2. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a medium-large bowl. Make a well in the center.
3. Combine the cottage cheese, eggs, milk, sweetening, and melted butter in a separate bowl and beat well. Add this to the dry ingredients along with the dill, and mix just enough to thoroughly blend. The batter will be fairly stiff.
4. Take your time as you spread it evenly into the prepared pan. Let it bake for 50 minutes, or until a knife inserted all the way into the center comes out clean. Remove from the pan after about 10 minutes, and cool on a rack for another 30 minutes or so before slicing.


Collard and Chickpea Soup

I had originally wanted to make this soup with kale, but there was none to be found at Safeway when I went shopping. So, I settled for collards instead, and the soup turned out wonderfully. Any green you have on hand could be substituted if you don't have any collards available. One of the great things about this soup is that you most likely have all of the ingredients in your pantry or fridge already!

1/2 onion, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
1 (24-oz.) can diced tomatoes
1 (15-oz.) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
4 cups collard greens, chopped
1 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
salt and pepper to taste

1. Saute the onion and celery in olive oil in a medium-large pot on medium heat. When the onion is translucent add the tomatoes and chickpeas. Add approximately 24 oz. of water to the soup. Add the collards and spices; allow greens to wilt and the soup to come to a simmer.
2. Taste the soup and adjust the spices to your liking. Serve piping hot.