Cream of the Crop

It isn't very often Adam chooses to have soup, but he did twice in two weeks! I take every advantage of it that I can too. This soup was definitely a winner with an avocado and sweet corn base topped with chicken and/or baked tofu. Before avocado season ends, you must try this recipe as it is a completely healthy and perfectly summery soup.

Avocado-Corn Chowder with Grilled Chicken (Cooking Light, August 2011)

Baked tofu is a great, flavorful, and chewy meat-substitute. I replaced my chicken with savory-flavored tofu, which worked perfectly!

2 ripe avocados, divided

1 1/2 cups water

1/2 cup fresh orange juice

1 tsp. honey

1 tsp. kosher salt, divided

1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper, divided

1/4 tsp. ground red pepper (optional)

12 oz. skinless, boneless chicken breast

1 tsp. olive oil

1 small garlic clove, cut in half

1 1/2 cups fresh corn kernels (about 3 ears)

1 cup chopped red bell pepper

1/3 cup chopped green onions

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

4 lime wedges

1. Peel and coarsely chope 1 avocado; place in a blender. Add water, orange juice, honey, 3/4 tsp. salt, 1/4 tsp. black pepper, and red pepper, if desired; blend until smooth. Place in freezer to chill while chicken cooks.

2. Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Brush chicken with oil; sprinkle with remaining 1/4 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. black pepper. Place chicken in pan; cook 4 minutes on each side or until done. Remove chicken from pan; rub chicken with cut sides of garlic halves. Let chicken stand 10 minutes; cut or shred into bite-sized pieces.

3. Peel and dice remaining avocado. Stir diced avocado, corn, bell pepper, and onions into chilled avocado puree. Spoon chowder into bowls; top with chicken and cilantro. Serve with lime wedges.

Twist on Thai

I've looked at this recipe for years with interest, but I have never made--until now. The crepes are a bit time consuming, however it's a fun and different meal to mix things up a bit. If you're in the mood to try something new, these should definitely be on your list. You may want to add some stir-fried tofu to make this a completely nutritious meal--we will next time.

Thai Vegetable Crepes with Peanut Sauce (Vegetarian Planet, Didi Emmons)

1 recipe Peanut Sauce (recipe follows)

Filling:

1 1-lb. eggplant, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes

1 Tbs. canola or corn oil

3 carrots, cut into 3-inch-long julienne strips

10 scallions, halved lengthwise, cut into 3-inch lengths, then cut into julienne strips

2 red bell peppers, seeded and cut into julienne strips

1 Tbs. soy sauce

2 cups cooked rice, or 4 cups chopped nappa cabbage

Crepes:

1 3/4 cups unbleached white flour

2/3 cup glutinous rice flour (available in Asian markets)

1 tsp. salt

4 eggs

1 3/4 cups water

About 1 Tbs. canola or corn oil (or some spray oil)

Garnish:

Whole chives

1. Make the filling: Preheat the oven to 375. Spread the eggplant cubes on a baking sheet that has been lightly coated with oil. Bake the eggplant for 15 minutes or until it has softened.

While the eggplant bakes, heat the 1 Tbs. oil over medium heat in a large skillet. Add the carrots, scallions, and peppers. Saute them for about 8 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in the soy sauce, then the rice or nappa cabbage. Cook for 2 minutes more, stirring frequently. Take the pan off the heat, and stir in the baked eggplant.

2. Make the crepe batter: In a large bowl, mix the white flour, the rice flour, and the salt. In another bowl, combine the eggs and the water. Slowly add the liquid to the dry ingredients, whisking continuously. Whisk until the mixture is almost smooth.

3. Cook the crepes: Over medium-high heat, coat a griddle, a crepe pan, or a large skillet with oil. Ladle 1/3 cup of the batter onto the surface, and let the crepe cook for 1 minute. Flip the crepe over with a spatula, and cook it another minute. Transfer the crepe to a plate, and ladle another 1/3 cup batter onto the hot surface. Continue cooking the crepes in this fashion until you have twelve. Keep them warm by covering them with a kitchen towel.

4. Assemble the crepes: Warm the filling in the skillet. Warm the peanut sauce over low heat in another skillet. Then ladle some sauce (about 1/4 cup) onto each large dinner plate. Spoon about 3 Tbs. filling onto each crepe, roll the crepes, and plate two on each plate. Serve the crepes garnished with whole, crisscrossed chives.

Peanut Sauce

1/4 cup smooth or chunky peanut butter

1/2 cup coconut milk (you can freeze the rest of the milk in the can for later use)

1/4 cup finely chopped dry-roasted, unsalted peanuts

2 Tbs. Thai or Vietnamese fish sauce, or 1 Tbs. soy sauce

3 Tbs. rice vinegar

2 tsp. minced fresh ginger

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 Tbs. chopped cilantro (optional)

hot chile sauce to taste (optional)

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the peanut butter and the coconut milk for a minute or two, until the mixture is smooth.

2. Add the peanuts, fish or soy sauce, rice vinegar, ginger, garlic, and, if you like, cilantro. If you want some heat, add a bit of chile sauce.

Better Breakfast

I am in a bit of a cooking and baking kick, so I'm taking advantage of it. I thought I would spruce up our usual eggs and toast breakfast by making a a coffeecake. Adam couldn't resist the apples and cinnamon in this coffeecake, as they are two of his favorite things. Add coffee, and it's a perfect match for my perfect match. (Although, I have to say that you need quite a sweet tooth for this one--a little sweet for my taste.)

Apple-Cinnamon Coffeecake (Cooking Light, November 2007)

Cake:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (about 6 3/4 oz)

1 cup granulated sugar

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp. salt

3/4 cup 1% low-fat milk

2 Tbs. butter, melted

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 large egg, slightly beaten

1 cup diced peeled Granny Smith apple (about 1 apple)

cooking spray

Streusel:

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

2 Tbs. all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

2 Tbs. chilled butter, cut into small pieces

1. Preheat oven to 350.

2. To prepare cake, lightly spoon 1 1/2 cups flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour and next 4 ingredients in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk. Make a well in center of mixture. Combine milk and next 3 ingredients, stirring with a whisk; add to flour mixture, stirring just until moist. Fold in apple. Pour batter into an 8-inch square baking pan coated with cooking spray.

3. To prepare streusel, combine brown sugar, 2 Tbs. flour, and 1/2 tsp. cinnamon; cut in chilled butter with a pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse meal. Sprinkle streusel evenly over batter. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes on a wire rack. Serve warm.

Summer Soup

Adam saw this recipe on Giada at Home and immediately decided he wanted it. Anytime Adam says he wants a soup, I go with it, as it doesn't happen very often. This soup has a great kick and is perfectly refreshing for summer. The recipe calls for polenta croutons, but we just made a loaf of bread as an accompaniment and topped the gazpacho with a dollop of yogurt. This was a perfect meal for a summer weeknight.

Cherry Tomato and Chile Gazpacho (Giada at Home, www.foodnetwork.com, Giada De Laurentiis)

Gazpacho:

1 lb. ripe cherry tomatoes (about 4 cups)

2 medium cucumbers, peeled and chopped, or 4 Persian cucumbers, chopped

1 jalapeño chile, stemmed, seeded, deveined, and coarsely chopped

1 serrano chile, stemmed, seeded, deveined, and coarsely chopped

1 large or 2 small shallots, coarsely chopped

1 clove garlic, smashed

2 Tbs. apple cider vinegar

2 to 3 tsp. hot sauce (recommended: Tabasco)

1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt, plus extra for seasoning

Croutons:

vegetable oil, for frying

1/2 tube (9 oz) store-bought, pre-cooked polenta, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

3 Tbs. grated Parmesan

1. For the gazpacho: Place the tomatoes, cucumbers, chiles, shallots, garlic, vinegar, hot sauce, and salt in a blender. Blend until smooth. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt, to taste. Refrigerate for 2 hours until ready to serve.

2. For the croutons: In a large heavy-bottomed saucepan, pour enough oil to fill the pan with 1 inch of oil. Heat over medium heat until a deep-frying thermometer inserted in the oil reaches 375 degrees F. (If you don't have a thermometer, a cube of bread will brown in about 3 minutes.) Working in batches, carefully add the polenta cubes and fry, stirring occasionally to keep the cubes separated, until golden brown, about 2 minutes.

3. Drain on paper towels and sprinkle with the Parmesan.

4. To serve: Ladle the gazpacho into 4 soup bowls and top with the polenta croutons.

Pasta Puttanesca

Adam was craving some seafood, so we decided to make homemade pasta with a puttanesca sauce. We found this recipe online and altered it slightly to make it more veggie friendly. We omitted the anchovies and cooked the squid (and shrimp and scallops) separately. I ate vegetarian Italian sausage as my protein. This was absolutely delicious and definitely a way to impress guests.

Calamari Puttanesca Recipe (www.dinnertool.com/recipe/view/34529/Calamari-Puttanesca)

We omitted the rice and chose to prepare homemade pasta instead. Any type of grain that soaks in the sauce will work perfectly.

Boiled rice, preferably made with medium-grain rice

1 medium onion, chopped

3 anchovy filets in oil, rinsed and chopped, or 1 tsp. anchovy paste

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 can (28 oz.) Italian plum tomatoes in puree, coarsely chopped

1/2 cup (4 oz) black Mediterranean olives, pitted

1/3 cup red wine

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil or 1 1/2 tsp. dried oregano

3 Tbs. small capers, rinsed

1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper, or more to taste

1 lb. squid, tentacles cut off and coarsely chopped, sacks cut off into 1/4-inch rings

salt

1. In a dutch oven or flameproof casserole, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring often, until golden, about 5 minutes. Add the anchovies and garlic and stir, breaking up the anchovies, for 1 minute.

2. Stir in the tomatoes with their puree, the olives, wine, basil, capers, and crushed red pepper. Bring to a boil. Simmer briskly until slightly reduced, about 5 minutes.

3. Stir in the squid and cook until the squid is just tender and opaque, about 3 minutes. Salt to taste.

4. Spoon the rice into individual soup bowls and top with the squid and sauce. Serve immediately.

Burritos with a Twist

This is the perfect weeknight meal--it's fast, easy, and delicious. These Good Goat Burritos are a great way to mix up your Mexican go-to. We used Trader Joe's frozen brown rice that microwaves in 3 minutes to make this meal even easier. I think it took us about 15 minutes from start to finish. Serve these burritos with guacamole and your favorite hot sauce.

Good Goat Burritos (Vegetarian Planet, Didi Emmons)

1 Tbs. olive oil

1 1/2 cups chopped scallions, both white and green parts (about 1 bunch)

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 tsp. ground cumin seeds

2 tomatoes, chopped into 1/2-inch cubes

2 cups cooked rice

salt and fresh-ground black pepper to taste

1 cup cooked black beans, or more, to taste

4 Tbs. soft, mild chèvre (goat cheese)

2 10- or 12-inch flour tortillas (or 4 8-inch flour tortillas)

1. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped scallions, garlic, and cumin. Saute, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes and rice, and heat them well, stirring. Season the mixture with salt and pepper, and keep it warm.

2. In another skillet, heat the black beans with a bit of water to moisten them, stirring so they do not scorch. Keep them warm.

3. Sprinkle a bit of water on one tortilla, then place the tortilla in a large dry skillet over high heat. After a few seconds, turn the tortilla to heat the other side, again for only a few seconds. Place the hot tortilla on a work surface. Spread 2 Tbs. goat cheese across the center part of the tortilla. Place half of the rice mixture and half of the black beans over the cheese. Roll up the tortilla tightly, folding in the sides as you roll. Serve the burrito immediately, and make another just like it. (If you are using four 8-inch tortillas, use 1 Tbs. goat cheese and 1/4 of the rice and beans per tortilla.)

Fantastic Fusion

Don't let the number of steps daunt you. This recipe is a must-try. None of the steps are difficult, and you end with a fantastic meal of crunchy rice cakes with flecks of vegetables and the most perfect coconut-sweet potato-ginger sauce that is literally plate-licking good. We added pan-fried tofu and a bed of spinach to the dish, as Didi Emmons suggests in her variations, to create a well-balanced meal.

Golden Rice Cakes with Sweet Potato-Ginger Sauce (Vegetarian Planet, Didi Emmons)

Rice:

3 Tbs. canola or corn oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 cups uncooked jasmine rice

2 1/2 cups water

1 tsp. salt

Sweet Potato-Ginger Sauce:

1 medium sweet potato (about 3/4 lb.)

14 oz. coconut milk

1/2 cup water or orange juice

1 Tbs. minced fresh ginger

salt and fresh-ground black pepper to taste

1 carrot, coarsely chopped

1/2 red bell pepper, seeded and coarsely chopped

4 scallions, both green and white parts, coarsely chopped, and 2 scallions, finely chopped

2 eggs, beaten

1. In a saucepan with a tight-fitting lid, heat 1 Tbs. of the canola or corn oil with the garlic over medium heat for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add the jasmine rice, and stir constantly for 1 minute more. Add the water and salt. Bring the rice to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover the pan, and cook the rice for 15 minutes. Transfer the rice to a large bowl, and let it cool for 15 minutes.

2. While the rice cooks, cut the sweet potato into thirds. Place the pieces in a pot, and cover them with cold water. Bring the potatoes to a boil, and cook them until they are tender, about 20 minutes. Drain them, and let them cool.

3. In a saucepan, bring the coconut milk, the water or orange juice, and the minced ginger almost to a boil, then turn the heat to low, and cook for 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat.

4. Slip the skin off the cooled sweet potato, and puree the flesh with the coconut-ginger liquid in a blender or food processor. Pour the sweet potato puree back into the saucepan, and add salt and pepper. Keep the sauce warm.

5. Mince the carrot, the red pepper, and the coarsely chopped scallions in a food processor. Add half of the jasmine rice and the 2 beaten eggs, and run the machine in spurts until the mixture has a mealy consistency. Put this mixture back into the bowl with the rest of the jasmine rice, and mix well. Put half of this mixture into a clean bowl.

6. Heat two skillets or a large griddle over medium-high heat. Divide the remaining canola or corn oil between the skillets, or spread it all on the griddle. Divide the rice mixture in each bowl into thirds. Form each of the six parts into a ball, then place each ball in a skillet or on the griddle, and pat the ball down to form a cake about 1 1/2 inches thick. Fry the cakes for 3 to 4 minutes per side, or until they are golden brown.

7. Reheat the sauce, and ladle it onto plates. Place a rice cake on each plate, and top with the finely chopped scallions.

Variations: To make this entree heartier, embellish it with some pan-fried tofu. Or rest the rice cake on some spinach that has been pan-fried in olive oil and formed into a round slightly larger than the rice cake, and ladle the sauce around the spinach.