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.

Late-Night Blondies

Adam and I had a late-night craving for some blondies, so we fulfilled that craving and made some. We spiced up the Betty Crocker's Cookbook Butterscotch Brownies with walnuts, butterscotch chips, and chocolate chips. Absolutely scrumptious!

Butterscotch Brownies (Betty Crocker's Cookbook, Bridal Edition)

1/4 cup butter or stick margarine
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
2 Tbs. milk
1 large egg
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup chopped nuts, if desired (we used walnuts)
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt

Our indulgent additions:
1/2 cup butterscotch chips
1/2 cup chocolate chips

1. Heat oven to 350. Grease bottom and sides of square pan, 8 x 8 x 2 inches, with shortening.
2. Melt butter in 1 1/2-quart saucepan over low heat; remove from heat. Stir in brown sugar, vanilla, milk, and egg. Stir in remaining ingredients. Spread in pan.
3. Bake about 25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool 5 minutes in pan on wire rack. For brownies, cut into 4 rows by 4 rows while warm.

Unconventional Burritos

Friday night for dinner, we finally made these unconventional burritos I have been meaning to make for God knows how long. The Sweet Potato-Walnut Burritos lived up to their expectation for sure. With the lentils, sweet potatoes, walnuts, and intense spices, these burritos pack a hearty punch. Adam and I decided that we actually liked the filling better when not baked in a tortilla shell. Saturday for lunch we deconstructed the burrito by heating up the filling, turning it into a dip, and frying a tortilla into chips. Although the dip was not very attractive, I felt like it was more flavorful than it's burrito counterpart. Definitely worth trying!

Sweet Potato-Walnut Burritos (Three Bowls)

This recipe took a lot of pots and pans to make, but don't let that turn you off. All of the components complement each other so well, you really can't leave any of them (or the pots) out.

1/2 cup green lentils or split peas, rinsed well, and drained (we used lentils)
1 large sweet potato (about 1 pound), peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
2 Tbs. olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 tsp. sea salt
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. ground coriander
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper, or more to taste
1/2 cup grated cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese
3/4 cup walnuts, toasted and ground or chopped, if desired
3/4 cup canned crushed tomatoes

Shredded green cabbage, for lining the baking pan, optional (we omitted this step and simply sprayed the baking pan with cooking spray)
6 8-inch flour tortillas
1 large tomato, halved and thinly sliced
1/2 cup grated cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese
Chopped fresh cilantro or parsley, optional

1. Place the lentils or split peas and 1 1/3 cups water for lentils or 1 1/2 cups water for peas in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer until tender yet firm, 25 to 35 minutes for lentils, 1 hour and 15 minutes for peas. Drain and set aside.
2. Place the sweet potato in a medium saucepan with just enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer until the cubes are soft but still hold their shape, about 20 minutes. Drain and mash them in a large bowl. Set aside.
3. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and salt and saute, stirring occasionally, until the onion begins to soften, about 2 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium and stir in the garlic, chili powder, cumin, coriander, and cayenne. Saute until the onion is translucent, about 6 minutes more. Add the onion mixture, lentils or split peas, 1/2 cup of the cheese, the walnuts, and crushed tomatoes to the mashed sweet potato and mix well.
4. To Assemble and Bake the Burritos: Preheat the oven to 350. Place a thin bed of shredded cabbage in a 9-x-13-inch baking dish, if desire, or lightly coat the dish with spray, oil, or butter. Fill a tortilla with about one-sixth of the filling and roll it securely. Place it seam side down in the baking dish. Continue with the remaining tortillas. Cover the dish tightly with foil. (You can prepare the burritos 1 to 2 hours ahead up to this point and store at room temperature.) Bake for 30 minutes, or until heated through.
5. Remove the foil from the baking dish. Place 1 or 2 tomato slices on each burrito. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup cheese over them and return the dish to the oven for a few minutes to melt it. Place the burritos on a platter and sprinkle with the cilantro or parsley, if desire. Serve immediately.

Asian Inspiration

I was trying to get inspired for this week's meals by looking in various cookbooks and magazines. While searching, I found this recipe for Chilled Noodle Salad with Mango in Vegetarian Times, which looked absolutely amazing and perfectly refreshing for a warm September evening. Plus, we had a fair number of the ingredients, making it a definite meal for the week. We paired it with Grilled Marinated Asian Tofu for me and a big, juicy steak for Adam. He was in absolute heaven (as was I).


Chilled Noodle Salad with Mango (Vegetarian Times, June 2008)

The recipe calls for bean sprouts, but despite looking everywhere, we couldn't seem to find any. I'm sure the salad would be wonderful with them, but I didn't feel like anything was missing without them. Also, the dressing calls for a red jalapeno chile. We used a red serrano chile with some of the seeds to intensify the heat. In addition, we used walnuts instead of roasted peanuts. I think any type of nut would work well with this dish; they add just the perfect crunch. And, don't skimp on the green onions. The recipe only calls for one, but I added 5 for extra tang. One thing--don't leave out the mint, it truly makes the dish.

Dressing
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/3 cup fresh lime juice
1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
2 cloves garlic, minced (2 tsp.)
1 red jalapeno chile, finely chopped

Salad
8 oz. dried rice-stick noodles
1 large carrot, cut into thin strips
1 1/2 cups thinly sliced leaf lettuce
1/2 cup thinly sliced fresh basil leaves
1/2 cup thinly sliced fresh mint leaves
1/2 English cucumber, halved lengthwise, thinly sliced crosswise
1 cup bean sprouts
1 green onion, thinly sliced
1 large ripe mango, peeled, pitted, and thinly sliced
1/2 cup cilantro leaves
1/2 cup roasted peanuts, crushed, optional

1. To make Dressing: Warm all ingredients in saucepan over low heat until sugar dissolves, stirring occasionally. Cool.
2. To make Salad: Soak noodles in hot water 15 minutes. Drain, and set aside.
3. Cook carrot in pot of boiling water 30 seconds. Transfer to colander with slotted spoon, and rinse under cold water. Add noodles to water and cook 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Transfer to colander with carrots, and rinse under cold water. Drain, and chill.
4. Toss noodles mixture with lettuce, basil, mint, and 1/2 cup Dressing. Divide among 4 bowls. Top with cucumber slices, bean sprouts, and green onion. Arrange mango slices on top, and drizzle with remaining Dressing. Sprinkle with cilantro and peanuts, if desired.


Grilled Marinated Asian Tofu

One of the greatest qualities about tofu is that it can take on any flavor. Just by putting in it in a bag with spices and letting it sit for an hour, you can create a fantastic, flavor-packed meal.

2 slices of tofu
2 tsp. crushed garlic
1 Tbs. soy sauce
1 Tbs. sesame oil

1. Place all of the ingredients in a plastic storage bag.
2. Mix the liquids and garlic around to ensure the tofu has been thoroughly coated. Be careful not to break the tofu. Let the tofu sit room-temperature for at least an hour.
3. Grill on medium-high heat for 5 minutes each side, or until there are nice grill marks.

Rachel's Here Too!

My friend Rachel arrived the day after Carly. Adam and I planned a nice, summery dinner for us all to celebrate being together in California. We ate: Risotto with Grape Tomatoes and Basil, Portobello Mushroom Caps, and Grilled Asparagus. With a fantastic bottle of wine, this meal can't be beat!

Risotto with Grape Tomatoes and Basil

We made alterations to typical recipes of risotto that call of chicken or beef stock and cheese. I, as a vegetarian, don't eat those stocks; however, vegetable broth makes a fine substitution. And, Carly can't eat any dairy, so we simply just eliminated the cheese. I don't think anyone noticed these elements missing from the risotto at all seeing as how we practically demolished it.

1/2 onion, chopped
1 cup aborio rice
4 cups vegetable broth
1/2 cup white wine
1 1/2 cups grape tomatoes, halved
1/4 cup basil, chopped

1. In a medium to large sauce pan on medium heat, saute the onion in a dollop of olive oil until translucent.
2. Add the arborio rice and stir to coat in the olive oil.
3. Add the wine and stir in. Then add the broth about 1/2 to 1 cup at a time, stirring constantly. Add more liquid once the previous amount has soaked into the rice. This is a relatively long process and will take in total about 30 minutes. Continue until the rice is soft and tender.
4. Next, mix in the grape tomatoes and basil.
5. Serve and enjoy!


Portobello Mushroom Caps

Portobello mushrooms are a great alternative to meat, even for the most avid meat-eaters. They have a steak-like quality, especially when grilled.

1 portobello mushroom cap per person
olive oil
salt
pepper

1. Rub the mushroom caps with olive oil; sprinkle with salt and pepper.
2. Place on a grill preheated to medium heat.
3. Grill on both sides, until tender and has grill marks, approximately 5 to 7 minutes a side.


Grilled Asparagus

The grilled asparagus has essentially the same process for cooking as do the mushrooms, which makes the combination perfectly simple while also being perfectly delicious.

2 bunches of asparagus, trimmed (about 1/2 bunch per person)
olive oil
salt
pepper

1. Toss the asparagus in olive oil; sprinkle with salt and pepper.
2. Place in a grill basket on the grill, which has been preheated to medium heat.
3. Grill for approximately 10 minutes, or until the asparagus chars slightly. Make sure to rotate the asparagus for more even cooking.

Carly Comes!

My friend Carly visited this past week (along with Rachel). One of her favorite foods that I make is Sweet Potato Fries. Naturally, I couldn't let her down. So, on the night she arrived, she was welcomed with Grilled Mole Chicken/Tofu, Sweet Potato Fries with Peanut Sauce, and a Sesame Cucumber Salad.


Grilled Mole Chicken/Tofu
All we did for the grilled mole chicken was to coat the chicken in Trader Joe's Mole sauce and grill it up on the hot grill. And, I must give Adam all the credit for that. If tofu is more of your style, make sure to press it with a paper towel to release some of the moisture before grilling. But, other than that, it can be grilled just like chicken. Delicious!


Sweet Potato Fries with Peanut Sauce

This is, I have to say, one of my specialties. Sweet potatoes are so wonderful because they are chock-full of nutrients and taste fantastic--what could be better?

2 sweet potatoes (about 1/2 a potato per person), sliced into wedges
olive oil
kosher or sea salt

1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup peanut butter
2 Tbs. soy sauce
1 Tbs. milk

1. Preheat the oven to 400. Line baking sheets with aluminum foil for easy clean-up.
2. Arrange sweet potato wedges on baking sheets. Brush on olive oil and sprinkle with salt.
3. Bake for approximately 10 minutes. Flip the potatoes and sprinkle with salt again.
4. Bake for another 10 to 15 minutes, or until tender. If you want the fries crispier, continue baking until desired crispiness has been reached (you may even want to turn up the oven temperature to 450).
5. In the last few minutes of baking, prepare the peanut sauce. Heat a small sauce pan over medium-low heat. Brown the garlic in a tiny bit of olive oil. Add the peanut butter and melt slightly. Then, add the soy sauce and milk. Mix until the peanut butter has completely melded with the other ingredients. Add more peanut butter if the sauce looks too thin or more of the liquids if the sauce is too thick.
6. Dip your sweet potato fries in the peanut sauce with abandon!


Sesame Cucumber Salad (Cooking Light, August 2005)

Although we used all of the ingredients for the salad as Cooking Light suggests, we did not follow the exact instructions for assembly. We just combined all of the ingredients and let it sit while we completed the rest of the meal--and, it was absolutely fantastic! Here is the true recipe though, so you can decide for yourself whether or not to follow it.

1 3/4 cups (2-inch) julienne-cut English cucumber (about 1 large)
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
1 cup red bell pepper strips
2 Tbs. rice vinegar
2 tsp. grated peeled fresh ginger
2 tsp. dark sesame oil
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper
1/4 tsp. black pepper

1. Place cucumber in a colander; sprinkle with salt. Toss well. Drain 20 minutes. Combine cucumber and bell pepper in a medium bowl.
2. Combine vinegar, ginger, and oil, stirring with a whisk. Pour over cucumber mixture; toss gently to coat. Stir in crushed red pepper and black pepper.

Roasted Broccoli

It's been a while since I've had a chance to write, but I feel obligated to share this recipe for Roasted Broccoli. It's a really simple side for any meal. We made it this time as an accompaniment for leftovers.

Roasted Broccoli

Red pepper instead of the black pepper will give the broccoli an added kick that is quite wonderful.

1 medium-sized head of broccoli per 2 people, chopped
olive oil
salt
black or red pepper
sugar

1. Preheat oven to 400. Prepare a baking sheet by covering it in aluminum foil.
2. Place the broccoli pieces in a bowl. Coat with olive oil. Then, sprinkle with salt, pepper, and a dash of sugar. Toss to make sure that eat piece of broccoli is coated.
3. Put broccoli on the baking sheet and then into the oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until browned and crispy.