Cranberry Beans and Kale

We got home from visiting my family in Virginia at 9 pm on New Year's Day.  The next morning, we were doing Christmas with our kids.  Since ours are still on the younger side--4, 6, and 8 years old, we knew it would be an earlyish morning.  Curtis's mom was giving over to spend time with us as well.

I had planned on pulling a pan of lasagne out of the oven first thing and having that for lunch.  However, after a week of eating wonderful food, full of meat and goodness, I was ready for something a hair lighter.  Lasagne just didn't sound good to either Curtis or I.  After putting the kids to bed, I thought, "I have beans."  The plan was just to have beans and rice for lunch,

I went to my pantry and found a bag of fancy Bob's Red Mill cranberry beans.  I have no idea when or where I bought these--this wasn't a typical purchase.  I usually buy my beans from the bulk bins.  I looked at the back of the bag for cooking instructions and found this recipe.

It was perfect!  I had everything I needed in my house and I had kale that needed to be cut in my small garden outside.  I soaked the beans overnight, cooked them while we opened presents and started the soup once were were done opening presents.

We all loved it.  Curtis and I thought a little chipotle tabasco made the perfect garnish.  Much better than my pan of lasagne and we felt much better about ourselves for eating it (always a nice benefit on January 2).

This serves 6 - 8.

Cranberry Beans and Kale

adapted from the back of the bag of Bob's Red Mill Cranberry Beans

1 1/2 c dried cranberry beans (or other light colored beans--not black, pinto, or kidney)

2 T olive oil

1 large onion, chopped

6 cloves garlic, minced

1 t cumin

6 c chicken or vegetable broth

1 (6-oz) can tomato paste

1 lb (more or less) kale, center stems removed and coarsely chopped

1/2 c cornmeal 

1/2 c water

juice of 1/2 lemon

Soak the beans overnight.

The next day, cook the beans in enough water to cover by 1 - 2" inches in a large pot for one hour, or until beans are tender.  (The beans should simmer gently away for that hour--not a fast boil).  Drain beans and rinse out pot.

In large soup pot, heat olive oil.  Add the onions and cook until tender.  Add the garlic and cook for another minute.  Stir in the cumin.  Add the chicken broth, cooked beans, tomato paste, and kale.  Simmer until the kale is tender.  In a measuring cup, mix together the water, cornmeal, and lemon juice into a paste.  Pour it slowly into the simmering stew.  Simmer for another 15 minutes.  Season to taste with salt and pepper

Serve hot and add some tabasco if you desire.

Tangled (Angel) Hair and Kale

In December came Christmas and Christmas means new cookbooks.  I got cookbooks from both my brother and sister (they know me so well!!).  I've been enjoying each.

This has been one of my favorite new recipes so far.  It was great the evening we served it and I enjoyed it a couple of days afterwards as leftovers.  For leftovers, I fried up an egg, leaving the yolk nice and runny and served it over the cold pasta and kale.  Mmm….

Kids weren't a fan, but that won't stop me from making it again. M usually loves kale, so I'm not giving up on this recipe yet (except M did mention that I always made things I liked, versus always things she liked.  So true, M, so true).

The original recipe called for chili sauce (of the Chinese persuasion) and garlic go in the dressing.  I left both out, because I knew the kids wouldn't do spicy and I can't do uncooked garlic.  If you want to add these back in, use 2 T Chinese chili sauce and 1 clove minced garlic.

Tangled (Angel) Hair and Kale
adapted a hair from The Heart of the Plate by Molly Katzen (of Moosewood Fame)

1 t orange zest
2 t sugar
1/4 t salt
2 t rice vinegar
1/2 t soy sauce
1/4 c olive oil
1 lb (less is ok, too) kale, large stems removed and coarsely chopped
8 oz angel hair (capellini) pasta
2 oranges, peeled, sectioned and sections removed
1/2 c sliced almonds, toasted

In the bottom of your serving dish, combine orange zest, sugar, salt, rice vinegar, and soy sauce.  Slowly drizzle in the olive oil while whisking the soy sauce mixture vigorously.  Set aside.

Place kale in a colander in the sink and rinse well.  Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.  Add the pasta and cook until al dente according to package directions.  When the pasta is al dente, drain the pasta in the colander with the kale in it.  The boiling pasta water and hot pasta briefly wilts the kale (I love this method!!).  Add drained kale and pasta to the serving bowl with the dressing.  Mix the kale and pasta with dressing using tongs, lifting from the bottom of the bowl to coat all the pasta equally with dressing.  Mix in the orange slices and almonds.  (Next time, I'll serve the almonds on the side, because that was M's biggest complaint).

This is also good at room temperature or cold.  If you don't serve this right away, wait to add the oranges and sliced almonds until immediately before serving.

Leftover suggestion:  Add a fried egg with a runny yolk to the cold kale and pasta.

Crunchy Pappardelle

This is another recipe out of the fabulous Plenty by Yotam Ottolenghi.  For some reason, my kids weren't fans of this.  However, Curtis and I were so I'll be making this again!

Just a warning, this recipe does use a lot of pots and pans.  Deal with it.  It's totally worth it.

This serves 4.

Crunchy Pappardelle
adapted from Plenty by Yotam Ottolenghi

1/4 c olive oil
6 c button mushrooms, halved (or quartered or sixthed depending on how big the mushrooms are)
3/4 c white wine or water
2 bay leaves
4 thyme sprigs, leaves picked and chopped
3/4 t sugar (if you aren't using wine, omit)
1 c heavy cream
grated zest of 2 lemons
6 T chopped parsley
6 T panko or white bread crumbs
1 -2 bunches broccolini, leaves removed and cut into 2 1/2" long pieces or 2 - 3 small heads of broccoli, cut into small florets
1 lb dried pappardelle

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for the pasta.  At the same time, bring a medium pot of slated water to a boil for the broccoli/broccolini.  While the water comes to a boil, heat the olive oil in a pan over medium heat.  When the oil is hot, add the mushrooms and cook until the mushrooms begin to brown and release their juices, stirring occasionally.  Add the wine/water, bay leaf, thyme leaves, and sugar (if using wine).  Bring to boil and reduce the liquid by 2/3rds.  Add the cream and stir to mix.  Bring to a boil, then remove from heat.  Taste and add plenty of salt and pepper.  Keep warm.

In a small pan over medium heat, toast the panko until golden, stirring as needed to brown evenly.   Be sure to watch closely--the panko browns quickly.  Set aside.

In a small bowl, combine the parsley and lemon zest.  Set aside.

Cook the pasta until al dente, according to package directions.  Reserve about 1 c of pasta water and then drain pasta once al dente.  While the pasta cooks, cook the broccoli or broccolini in the medium pot of water until bright green and crisp tender (about 2 minutes for broccolini--longer for broccoli).  Drain.  Add the broccoli to the mushroom sauce and stir.

Place the pasta in a large serving bowl.  Add the mushroom/broccoli sauce and half the lemon zest/parsley mixture and toss to combine.  If the pasta looks dry, add some of the reserved pasta cooking water.  Stir the remaining lemon zest/parsley mixture with the golden panko.  Sprinkle over top of the pasta.

Banh xeo or Vietnamese Crepes

Plenty by Yotam Ottolenghi continues to please!

I decided this would be a good recipe based on the three daikon radishes that had been sitting in my crisper drawer for 6 months.  I figured it was time they were used, especially since we are due to get fresh daikon in box soon.

Let me start by telling you, I am not a crepe maker.  I've attempted it twice now, and well, both times things haven't gone well.  This time resembled the first time.  My crepes were too thick and sticking to the pan--they ended up as scrambled crepes instead of the real deal.  Thankfully, this time I had someone to bail me out.

As I stood, baffled, over the crepe pan, Curtis walked into the house in his biking clothes.  He had biked home from work and came over to see what I was doing.  "Your batter is too thick," he informed and then moved me out of the way and took over.  Whew.  In no time, he had the batter at the right consistency, heated up a second pan, and cranked up the heat on the first pan.  Before long, he was flipping crepes off the crepe pan (into the air--all fancy like) and pulling beautiful crepes off both the crepe pan and cast iron skillet.

That's one of the great things about being married.  Sometimes, when one of us is floundering, the other one call bail us out.

We learned a few things here:

•The pan temperature needs to be very hot.  The cast iron skillet works better than the crepe pan because it holds the heat better.

•The batter needs to be very thin.

•A single batch is probably plenty, but a double batch worked perfectly because there was a lot of room for trial and error.

•The electric griddle we use for making pancakes would probably work beautifully for this recipe.

Once we got the crepes off the pan in crepe shape, we served them straight the kids.  I was nervous we the filling wouldn't satisfy the kids or the taste of the crepes would throw them off.  Nope!  They loved the crepes.  J ate three and the other two each ate two.  The crepes tasted wonderful and the sauce was fabulous (the boys even ate the sauce.  M boycotts sauces on principal, unless we're talking maple syrup).

This recipes calls for enoki mushrooms.  I tried two stores (HEB and Whole Foods) and couldn't find them.  I finally found a cute bundle of them at our closest Asian grocery store.  I'd like to use them, but need to have the energy and time to go to multiple stores to source them.  If you want to add a meat, you can cooks some shrimp or prawns to add to the fillings.  HEB had the rice flour--which makes the recipe vegetarian (if you substitute sweet soy sauce for the fish sauce) and gluten free.

Serves 4 -5.

Bahn xeo or Vietnamese Crepes with Fresh Vegetables and Herbs
adapted a hair from Plenty by Yotam Ottolenghi

Crepes
1 1/3 c rice flour
1 egg
1/2 t salt
1 t ground turmeric
1 3/4 c (1-13.66 oz can) unsweetened coconut milk
a bit of sunflower oil

Sauce
2 1/2 T lime juice
1 1/2 T sesame oil
1 T brown sugar
1 T rice wine vinegar
1 T (or more, to taste) fish sauce (nuoc mam) or sweet soy sauce
2 t grated fresh ginger
1/2 t salt
1 garlic clove, crushed (optional)
1 fresh red chile, finely chopped (optional)

Filling
1- 2 large carrots, peeled and thinly shredded
1 daikon radish, peeled and thinly shredded
4 green onions, sliced on an angle
1 fresh green chile, cut into long thin strips
1 1/2 c snow peas (or more--we love these), cut into long thin strips
1/2 - 1 c cilantro leaves, roughly chopped
1/3-2/3 c basil leaves (preferably Thai basil), roughly chopped
1/4 c mint leaves, roughly chopped
1 c mung bean sprouts
1 c enoki mushrooms

Blend the rice flour, egg, salt, and turmeric in a large bowl.  Slowly whisk in the coconut milk, whisking well to avoid a lumpy batter.  Add more coconut milk or water (put water in the coconut milk can to get all the coconut milk out) until the batter is the consistency of light cream.  Set aside to rest.

Prepare the filling ingredients if you haven't already done so.  Put each filling in it's own bowl so people can choose what they want.

Whisk together all the sauce ingredients and adjust the flavor adding more red chile if using or fish sauce (if using).  Set aside.

To cook the crepes, add more coconut milk or water to the batter if it has thickened while resting.  Heat up a large nonstick frying pan (or a cast iron skillet or an electric griddle--the electric griddle doesn't let you swirl the crepe batter around though, which is kinda fun).  The pan should be pretty hot.  Add a little sunflower oil.  Put some batter in the pan, if not using an electric griddle, swirl it around to cover the surface.  Once the bottom is golden brown, carefully turn the crepe over.  If the crepe isn't cooked enough or the pan isn't hot enough, the crepe will probably stick and you'll end up with scrambled crepes.  Remove from pan and repeat with remaining batter.

Place a crepe on each plate and top desired fillings in the middle of it (like a taco!).  Drizzle some sauce over top and fold or roll up.  If desired, drizzle some extra sauce over top.

Eggplant Croquettes

I have a new secret cooking boyfriend, Yotam Ottolenghi.  I own his cookbook, Jerusalem, and recently decided to check out his book, Plenty, from our public library.  I looked through the entire cookbook twice before I noticed it was missing meat.  Two times until I finally realized this cookbook was vegetarian.  

That's my definition of a fabulous vegetarian cookbook--you don't miss the meat.  There aren't a lot of fake meat products (that have been processed like crazy).  In fact, there are zero fake meat products and limited tofu and soybean recipes.  Fabulous!  In my opinion, it is up there with the Moosewood cookbooks (which are my absolute favorite vegetarian cookbooks).  This cookbook is going on my Christmas wish list--maybe the dog will get this one for me.  Until then, I need to share a few recipes here so I have them in case the dog forgets what to get me.

Now that I have mastered frying, after many, many failed attempts, this recipe was relatively simple.  It is a time consuming recipe, but most of the time was letting eggplant drain (30 minutes) and chill (20-30  minutes).  Hands on time wasn't bad at all.  Everyone in my a family ate these, until.....until...M dissected the croquettes because I wouldn't tell her what was inside it and she discovered there was, horror of horrors, eggplant.  

The dipping sauce that accompanies the croquettes is a basic mayonnaise.  It is completely optional, however I would recommend serving a dipping sauce with this--a flavored mayonnaise, marinara, tartar sauce, or whatever your favorite sauce for breaded, fried foods are (the kids used ketchup).

This serves 6.

Eggplant Croquettes

adapted slightly from Plenty by Yotam Ottolenghi

4 medium eggplants

2 medium russet potatoes, cooked, peeled, and smashed 

1 large egg, beaten

5 oz feta, crumbled

3 T grated Parmesan

1/2 t salt

black pepper

1 3/4 (or possibly more) c dried white breadcrumbs (or panko)

canola, safflower, or sunflower oil for frying

Optional Mayonnaise

1 egg yolk

1 small garlic clove, crushed (optional)

1 1/2 T lemon juice

1/4 t salt

1/4 c grapeseed or olive oil (the oil gives the mayo a lot of it's flavor)

1/4 c olive oil

2 T chopped tarragon (optional, again this gives a lot of the flavor though)

Roast the eggplants (I prefer on a hot grill, as if I was making baba ganoush.  Char all the sides until the eggplant is very soft).  Cool the eggplants slightly, until you can touch them, make a slit along each eggplant and use a spoon to scoop out the flesh.  Leave the black skin behind.  If there are lot of seeds, you can also discard some of them (but try to avoid taking out a lot of flesh).  Place the flesh in the colander and discard the skin (and seeds if you removed some).  Let drain for 30 minutes or more to get rid of some of the liquid.

Place the eggplant flesh in a large bowl.  Add the smashed potatoes (not mashed with milk, just smashed up), egg, feta, Parmesan, salt and a dash of pepper.  Stir together with a fork.  Add half the bread crumbs and stir.  The mixture should be solid enough to hold its shape, but it will still be very sticky.  If you need to, add more breadcrumbs until the mixture will hold together.

Remove the mixture from the bowl and divide it into four.  Roll each portion into a thick sausage about 1 inch in diameter.  Sprinkle the remaining breadcrumbs on the work surface and very gently roll the eggplant/potato mixture in them until  they are completely coated.  Carefully transfer to a baking sheet and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes.  If the long snakes (sausages, I'm a mom) break apart when you are transferring them, that's ok.  Stick them back together the best you can.

While the croquettes refrigerate, make the mayonnaise.  In a small bowl (or a small food processor if you have one), place the egg yolk, garlic, lemon juice, and salt.  Using a handheld mixture fitted with a whisk (or you can whisk by hand), whisk the mixture on high speed.  While you whisk, slowly add the oils, one after another, in a slow, steady stream.  When the mixture resembles mayo (thick and creamy), fold in the tarragon.  Store in fridge.

Cut each cooled snake into 2 1/4" barrel-shaped pieces.  Pour enough frying oil--I use canola or safflower--into a heavy skillet (I use my black cast iron skillet) to come up about 3/4 inches on the sides.  Heat up the oil over medium high heat (to around 350 degrees.  I find the secret to successful frying is a frying/candy thermometer, which is very different than a meat thermometer because it goes much hotter).  Fry the croquettes in small batches for about 3 minutes, turning them to color them evenly.  Transfer to the paper towels to drain. 

Serve hot with a dipping sauce.

Vegetable Pot-au-Feu

One of my favorite cookbooks is Dorie Greenspan's Baking:  From My Home to Yours.  The recipes are rich, comfort food, gift worthy desserts.  I've worked my way through it, particularly the scones/muffins section and the cookies section.  I've attempted a few of her cakes with good results.  It's a book that has a permanently reserved space on my top-tier cookbook shelf.

A few years ago, Dorie (we're on a first name basis, you know?) came out with a new cookbook, Around my French Table.  I hemmed and hawed over whether or not I should buy it and I eventually decided against.  It just sounded too fancy.  I perused it at the bookstore and most of the recipes were heavy on meat, making it just a company cookbook (not an everyday cookbook, since we eat meatless at least half the week or more most weeks).  I finally realized I could check this book out of the library.

My expectations were more or less correct.  I found a handful of recipes I wanted to try, but not enough to warrant buying the book, at least not now.

This recipe is the exception.  In this vegetable pot-au-feu, vegetables have a starring role and it is a main dish (most of the vegetarian recipes in this cookbook are relegated to side dishes).  We loved it, M and Curtis especially.  I made poached eggs to serve in it, and learned for next time, the kids would rather go eggless.  That makes it even easier!

I made this in a wok, like Dorie suggested, but a dutch oven or soup pot would work just as well (and I'll probably use that next time).  Dorie also said this wasn't good leftovers--don't tell that to M!

This serves 4 - 6.

Vegetable Pot-au-Feu
adapted from Dorie Greenspan's Around my French Table.

2 T olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 small to medium onion, thinly sliced
1 leek, halved lengthwise and well rinsed, sliced
3 medium potatoes (6 small), sliced 1/4" thick
2 - 4 small to medium carrots, cut on the diagonal into 1/4" slices
3 c water (can also use vegetable or chicken stock)
1 2-inch piece lemongrass, split lengthwise
8 - 12 asparagus stalks, trimmed and cut into 1 1/2" pieces
4 - 6 shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and sliced
1/2 lb spinach, chard, or kale, stemmed, washed, and coarsely sliced
4 large eggs, hardboiled or poached
slices of crusty bread, toasted

Heat the olive oil over medium hat.  Add the onion and leek, season with salt and pepper, and sauté until they just begin to soften, about five minutes.  Toss in the garlic and cook for an additional minute. Stir in the potatoes and carrots, followed by the water and lemongrass.  Bring to boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered, until the vegetables are almost tender, about 10 minutes.  (While the vegetables are simmering, you can cook the eggs).  Add the asparagus and shiitake mushrooms to the vegetables and cook for an additional 4 minutes, or until tender.  Stir in the spinach (or other greens) and cook until  spinach (or greens) are slightly wilted.  Spinach will take about 2 minutes, chard slightly longer, and kale even longer.  Taste and season with salt and pepper.

To serve, place a slice of toasted crusty bread in a bowl.  Ladle soup over top and slice in the egg.  Serve immediately (I found it easiest to serve at the counter, not on the table).

Curried Rice Salad

I've started feeling like I'm in a bit of a cooking rut this summer.  I seem to just be making the same (wonderful, nonetheless) meals over and over.  That's saying something too, since I had three weeks of not really cooking smack dab in the middle of the summer.

Maybe it's the multitude of eggplant, peppers, and summer squash that brings about the cooking doldrums.  Maybe I'm just a little bit lazier this summer (that could be the case, because its been a really enjoyable summer...).  However, I was ready for some new inspiration.

I have a list of potential cookbooks I'd like, but I've learned, I have limited real estate for cookbooks.  I would like to find cookbooks that I cook many recipes from and that are different than the recipes I'm already using.  Plus, the recipes need to be heavy on vegetables and not so heavy on meat.

Jerusalem has been a great match for that, but I needed more.  So, I went to the public library.

This recipe is from one of my library cookbooks.  It's a great Sunday afternoon meal, perfect for taking to the pool and eating there.  It didn't use eggplant or summer squash, which was a disadvantage, but frankly, I'm tired of both those.

We all loved it, except for M.  J was thrilled that it was vegetarian--that boy's deciding he's not a big fan of meat.  I'll definitely make this again (and just let M fend for herself for supper. She's 8.  She can handle that).

This originally called for fresh tomatoes, of which I had none.  I omitted them and didn't miss them at all.  I also didn't really measure the vegetables, just eyeballed it.  This is the kind of recipe where you can do that without many negative effects (however, please, measure your spices).  This reminded me of a curry dish, minus the meat or sauce.

Serves 4- 6.

Curried Rice Salad
adapted from Moosewood Restaurant Daily Special

1 c uncooked brown rice
1/2 t turmeric
1/2 t cinnamon
1/4 t salt
2 c water

1 c celery, diced
1 c sweet peppers, diced
1 c apples, diced
1/2 c currants or raisins

1/4 c olive oil
1/4 c lemon juice
1 T brown sugar
1 T fresh ginger root, grated
1 1 /2 t cumin
1 t curry powder
1/2 t cinnamon
1/2 t coriander
1/4 t cardamom
salt to taste

Greek plain yogurt
cashews, toasted and chopped
mango, diced (optional)

In a saucepan, combine the rice with the turmeric, 1/2 t cinnamon, 1/4 t salt, and water.  Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer for 40 minutes or until the rice is tender.

Meanwhile, combine the vegetables in a large bowl.  Whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, brown sugar, ginger root, cumin, curry powder, cinnamon, coriander, and cardamom.  Pour it over the vegetables and fruit and salt to taste.

Cool the rice for 15 minutes, then toss it with the vegetables and dressing.

Serve room temperature or cold, garnishing with yogurt, cashews, and mangoes, as desired.

Sabih

This is quick becoming one of our summer favorites (up there with Bun Chay, Taco Salad, and Sicilian Stir Fry).  Despite doing this CSA thing for the past five plus years, our kids are still not fans of eggplant and zucchini.  Curtis and I are still kinda iffy on both of those as well, especially zucchini.

Well, this recipe has no zucchini.  It does use eggplant and cucumbers.  We love this and have adapted it to the kids by also adding some grilled marinated chicken breasts.  Everyone's happy.  First bite and once again, I remember how wonderful summer can be.

This recipe calls for savory mango pickles.  Some day, I hope to have the time to locate those (I know what store to look at, I just haven't braved it this summer with three kids in tow), so I am leaving them in the recipe.

Sabih
adapted from Jerusalem by Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi

2 large eggplants (or 3 - 4 small or medium ones), peeled leaving a zebra like pattern (one strip peeled, one peel left on, etc)
1 1/4 c sunflower or canola oil

1/2 - 1 lb seasoned chicken breasts
sourdough bread, ciabatta bread, or fresh pita (I usually use bread)
4 hard boiled eggs, peeled and sliced
savory mango pickle (optional)
2 medium ripe tomatoes, diced
2 small cucumbers (1 med-lg), diced (if you use a large one, peel and seed cucumber as well)
1 1/2 T parsley
lemon slices

Tahini Sauce:
2/3 c tahini
1/2 c water
2 T lemon juice
salt
1 clove garlic, crushed (optional)

Zhoug:
1 1/4 oz cilantro (thin stems ok)
1/3 oz parsley (thin stems ok)
1 - 2 hot green chiles, coarsely chopped
1/2 t cumin
1/4 t cardamom
1/4 t cloves
pinch of sugar
1/4 t salt
1 clove garlic, crushed (optional)
2 T olive oil
2 T water

Cut eggplants widthwise into slices 1 inch thick.  Sprinkle them on both sides with salt, spread on baking sheet or kitchen towel, and let stand for at least 30 minutes (this helps remove some of the water).  Pat dry with paper towels or clean kitchen towels.

While the eggplants sweat, prepare the tahini sauce.  In a small bowl, combine tahini, water, and lemon juice.  The consistency should be of honey or a little runnier.  Add a little extra water if needed.  Taste and add salt as desired.  Sauce can be store in the fridge for up to a week, just stir well before using (and add a little more water if needed).

Prepare the zhoug.  Finely chop all the zhoug ingredients (not including olive oil or water).  Add the water and olive oil and combine to make a coarse paste.    If you have a small food processor, you could also pulse all the ingredients (including olive oil and water) until you have a coarse paste.  Zhoug will keep in the fridge for up to three weeks (but ours never lasts that long!).

After the eggplant have sweated for 30 minutes or so, heat the sunflower or canola oil in a heavy frying pan.  Make sure the oil is very hot (it almost looks like it starts swirling around in the pan by itself, it shouldn't smoke though, and you definitely don't want it catching on fire) and fry the eggplant slices in batches until nice and dark.  Flip the eggplants once.  Add oil if needed.  When the eggplant is done, it should be nice and squishy in the center.  Remove and drain on paper towels.  While the eggplant fries, grill the chicken.

To serve:  Slice the chicken into thin strips.  Put the hardboiled eggs, diced tomatoes, diced cucumbers, and mango pickles on a platter.  I don't mix things together because we all like different combinations.  Put the parsley in a little bowl and serve the lemon slices as well.

Make the eggplant and chicken into open-faced sandwiches.  Spoon tahini sauce over the bread.  Follow with eggplant slices (or chicken), some more tahini sauce, eggs, tomato, cucumbers, and top with zhoug.  If desired, you can squeeze a lemon over top or season with salt and pepper.

Spiced Chickpeas and Summer Vegetable Salad

I know it's been a long time since I've added any recipes.  A usual, its a new cookbook that causes me to start adding recipes.  For Christmas this year, the dog gave me a cookbook again.  Her choice was superb:  Jerusalem by Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi.  I want to be sure next summer when I am scrambling to come up with recipes using eggplant, cucumbers, and the likes, I remember these recipes.

Normally I shy away from cookbooks by restaurant owners or Food Network personalities.  They seem full of themselves and full of ingredients that are either terribly expensive or terribly hard to find.  Not so for Jerusalem.  Although Ottolenghi owns restaurants bearing his name in London, the recipes are easily accessible.  The recipes are mostly kosher and heavy on vegetables.   Many of the summer vegetables use limited stove/oven time as well, which is nice when it's over 100 degrees outside and I really don't want to heat up my oven any more.

This the first recipe to share.  We love it, especially the spiced chickpeas. My margin note?  "The spiced chickpeas are divine!"  I made a few changes.  The original recipe called for a dressing on top of the vegetables.  I left that out.  Additionally, because with five people we are bound to like different things, I did not mix the vegetables together, I left them in separate piles on the serving platter.  I used the vegetables I had (two kinds of sweet peppers), I omitted those I didn't (radishes).

Remember to start the chickpeas the night before you want to eat this meal.

This serves 4.

Spiced Chickpeas and Summer Vegetable Salad
adapted from Jerusalem by Ottolenghi and Tamimi

1/2 c dried chickpeas
1 t baking soda

2 small cucumbers, cut into 2/3" dice (seed and peel if you prefer)
2 large tomatoes, cut into 2/3" dice
8.5 oz radishes, cut into 2/3" dice (optional)
1 -2 sweet peppers, seeded and ribs removed, cut into 2/3" dice
2/3 oz cilantro, coarsely chopped
1/2 oz parsley, coarsely chopped

1 t ground cardamom
1 1/2 t allspice
1 t cumin
1/4 t salt

Greek yogurt
pita

Soak the chickpeas overnight in a large bowl with plenty of cold water and baking soda.  The next day, drain, place in a large saucepan and cover with water twice the volume of the chickpeas.  Bring to a boil and simmer, skimming off any foam that may gather on top.  Simmer for an hour or until the chickpeas are tender.  Drain and set aside.

Mix the cardamom, allspice, cumin, and salt on a plate.  Roll the cooked chickpeas gently through the spices.  Heat 1 T olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat.  Add the chickpeas and fry for 2 - 5 minutes.  Gently shake the pan so they cook evenly and don't stick.  Remove from heat and keep warm

To serve, put each vegetable on a serving platter. (Alternately, combine all the vegetables and herbs and place in a low bowl.  Top with warm chickpeas.)  Serve the chickpeas in a small bowl.  Allow everyone to take the vegetables they want and top with chickpeas.  Serve with pita and drizzle Greek yogurt over top if desired.

Warm Quinoa Salad with Grilled Chicken

I am in love with quinoa.  Seriously.  I love how it "pops" when it cooks.  I could easily eat a bowl of quinoa just seasoned with a bit of salt.

My husband doesn't share my emotions.  He can handle eating it, but is never thrilled by it.  He endures it. That all changed with this dish.  Maybe it was the fact I hadn't cooked for him in over a week (he worked late....I was out of town....), but he loved it.  Maybe it was due to the fact it was a hot day and he had biked home (yes, a hot day in October--very common here in Austin).  Regardless the reason, I was thrilled to find a quinoa recipe he loved.

We're not going to talk about the kids.  I need to serve quinoa a dozen or so more times before they'll agree to eat it.  It took them forever to start eating brown rice.  Patience is required with my three (in so, so many things).  They ate the grilled chicken eagerly and then Madeleine made them an alternate meal (so much easier to handle them not eating my cooking when I don't have to make the alternate).

I'll make this again, especially in the middle of winter when we are inundated with carrots.  This could easily be made vegetarian by just serving the salad without the chicken (which is how I am eating it for lunch today!).

Warm Quinoa Salad with Grilled Chicken
adapted just a little bit from Food and Wine

1 c quinoa (red, black or regular--I use regular because it's $3 a pound cheaper)
2 c water
1/4 c pine nuts
3 T olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 medium onion, chopped
2 medium carrots, halved lengthwise and cut into half moons (quarter lengthwise if they are fat)
2 t ground cumin
1 T balsamic vinegar (or 1 T plus 1 t sherry vinegar)
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1" cubes
2 T mint leaves, coarsely chopped

Put the quinoa in small saucepan and cover with water.  Add a generous pinch of salt and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes or until water is absorbed and the quinoa is tender, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, toast the pine nuts in a large skillet over moderate heat until fragrant.  Watch carefully and stir often to prevent burning.  Remove from the skillet and set aside.  Heat the olive oil in a skillet.  Add the onions and the garlic and cook over medium heat until softened, about 5 minutes.  Add the carrots and cumin, cover and cook over low heat for about 5 minutes or until the carrots are just beginning to soften, about 5 minutes (you want them to still have a little crunch---not much, just not mushy carrots).  Stir in the quinoa and vinegar.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.

While the carrots are cooking, drizzle the chicken with olive oil and thread onto skewers (5 for us since there are 5 of us in our family).  Season with salt and pepper.  Grill over moderately high heat until the chicken is cooked through and browned, turning a time or two, about 5 - 10 minutes depending on how hot and even your grill is.

Garnish the quinoa and carrots with the pine nuts and mint.  To serve, take a good sized serving of the quinoa and carrots.  Top with the grilled chicken.

Warm Arugula Chicken Salad

One of the first greens to show up in our fall CSA boxes is arugula.  Tender leaves, a bit peppery, grace our boxes, a respite from all the other summer produce I've long grown tired of.

I have two favorite websites to get recipes from these days (in addition to pinterest of course).  Farmhouse Delivery and The Year in Food never cease to awe and inspire me.  Farmhouse Delivery is a local blog based off of seasonal eating, so I don't have to search in summer recipes for our October produce.  A Year in Food just is beautiful.  Beautiful.

While this recipe originally was a warm chicken salad, I transformed it to a warm arugula salad when I discovered the chicken I had reheated for the salad was extremely freezer-burnt and I couldn't stand to eat it.  (True story).  Next time, I plan on trying this again with chicken, but preferably chicken that hasn't been frozen yet....maybe a nice leftover chicken recipe for a roasted or rotisserie chicken.  If you want to leave out the chicken to make this vegetarian, you can.  You'll just have a nice, not-warm arugula apple salad instead.

I didn't serve this to the kids.  Curtis and I polished this off nicely for a Saturday lunch all by ourselves.

This serves 2 as a main dish.

Warm Arugula Chicken Salad
from Farmhouse Table (Farmhouse Delivery)

leftover roast chicken, wrapped in foil and re-warmed at 350 (save juices and drippings) (optional)
1/2 bunch arugula, washed carefully, stems removed, and torn
1 apple, sliced as thinly as possible
2 -3 sweet peppers slivered (if you have other sweet peppers besides bell, definitely use those!)
2 T pine nuts, toasted

1 T rosemary, minced
juice of 1/2 lemon
2 T sherry vinegar
1 T whole grain mustard
1/2 c olive oil

Combine warm chicken (if using), arugula, apple, sweet peppers, and pine nuts in a large salad bowl or serving platter.  Place rosemary, lemon juice, vinegar, mustard and olive oil in a small glass jar and shake vigorously until oil appears to be mixed in.  Add the saved chicken juices/drippings (if using), and continue to shake.  Add half the dressing to the salad and toss well to combine.  Serve the reminder of dressing on the side (in case someone wants more dressing).

Serve immediately.

Bun Chay

Alas that you think I am out of recipes with fish sauce, let me reassure you that I am not!  This has been another easy, go-to summer recipe.

Here in ATX  (also known as Austin, Texas), fall does not start just because a calendar says it should.  Instead, summer lingers...with temperatures in the 90's all through September and a few days in the 90's sprinkled into October as well.  Summer produce is still in full swing---with our CSA box being loaded with eggplant, peppers, summer squash, and zucchini.

Thus, I am still cooking summer recipes.  I love this salad, plus its low calorie and low fat, which is always a plus.  Just like the taco salad, the kids are a bit hesitant because of the all the lettuce, but they'll eat the noodles no problem.

This serves 4 - 6.

Bun Chay
adapted from thekitchn.com

1 lb tofu, pressed to remove extra water (place under a weighted plate for 30 minutes)
1/2 lb dried rice sticks or vermicelli
head of Romaine lettuce  (3+ cups)
1 c cucumber, julienned
large handfuls of basil, mint, and cilantro, coarsely chopped

1/4 c fresh lime juice
1/4 c fish sauce or soy sauce (soy sauce will keep this recipe vegetarian/vegan)
1/4 c sugar
1/2 c water

1/4 c peanuts, chopped


Fry the tofu in a some vegetable oil heated in a large pan (you can either pan fry the tofu, using just a bit of oil or deep fry the tofu, using enough hot oil to cover the tofu).  Drain excess oil and set aside.

Meanwhile, cook the noodles in a large pot of boiling water according to the package directions.  Drain and rinse under cold water, separating the strands.  Drain completely.

In a little jar, combine the lime juice, fish sauce (soy sauce), sugar, and water.  Shake vigorously to combine.

To assemble the salad, place the lettuce in a large bowl and sprinkle with the fresh herbs.  Toss with the cucumbers and tofu.  Top with noodles and cucumbers and gently toss.  Drizzle the salad with the sauce to taste.  Serve and sprinkle with chopped peanuts if desired.

Taco Salad

When I was 14, my family took a 6 week camping trip across the US in just a pop-up camper.  We started in Virginia, made it to Pasadena, CA then up to Victoria Island, Canada, Banff National Park (also in Canada) and eventually back to Virginia.  We camped at the Grand Canyon, Yosemite, and Yellowstone.  We threw snowballs in Oregon in the middle of July and hiked on a glacier at Banff.  We spent a sleepless night at Lake Meade, so hot, that we attempted to sleep on wet towels.  We stayed at Circus Circus in Las Vegas and extra night or so (because we couldn't stand to spend another night at Lake Meade).  We visited relatives in Kansas, California, and Wisconsin and saw moose, deer, elk, and other wildlife.

All this camping and traveling meant we ate lots of easy of meals at our campsite.  One of our standby's was taco salad.  Recently, I found a recipe for Taco Salad on culinate.com.  Reading the recipe brought back all sorts of crazy camping memories of playing cards at our campsite and listening to ranger talks.  I decided to make it.

This has quickly made it into our summer recipe rotation, especially when time was short for making supper.  I took the recipe that had been updated (with ground buffalo meat and black beans) and reverted to the old recipe that I grew up with.  Feel free to add buffalo or beef if you want, we do this one vegetarian.

The kids will eat this, although a bit begrudingly because of all the lettuce.  I'm going to keep making it though, surely someday they'll start eating lettuce, right?

This serves 4 - 6 depending on how big your head of Romaine is and how hungry your crowd is.

Taco Salad
adapted from culinate.com

1 (15-oz) can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 - 2 T chili powder (I use New Mexico blend, great flavor, not very spicy)
1 (8-oz) bottle fancier French Dressing or Roasted Bell Pepper Dressing (Brianna's or Annie's)
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
1 head Romaine lettuce, washed, drained and chopped
1 c (4 oz) sharp Cheddar, grated
1 (2.25-oz) can sliced ripe black olives, drained
2 c tortilla chips, lightly crushed

In a small bowl, combine the beans, chili powder and a dash of salt.  Set aside.  Place the lettuce in a large salad bowl.  Gently toss in the tomatoes, grated cheese, drained olives, and seasoned beans.  Pour 3/4 of the dressing over the salad and toss.  Taste and add more dressing if you'd like (we do).  Top with crushed tortilla chips toss just a bit, and serve.

Red Cabbage Salad with Fennel and Orange

Yes, I have somewhat abandoned this blog.  Sad I know.  However, I've been pulled back, mostly by myself because I realized that I am not going to be able to remember where I've found some of these great recipes I've been making in the past 6 months and have loved.  Thus, some pared down posts.  I'll apologize now for the lack of pictures, however, there will be recipes again.  Somehow, as my kids get older and more independent I am not being granted copious amounts of time to cook, take pictures, and blog.  Or maybe I am granted that time, I am just spending it in other ways.  :)

The pumpkin seeds are great to snack, consider making double and keeping some around just to eat.  :)

Serves 4 - 6 as a side, easily

Red Cabbage Salad with Fennel, Orange, and Pepitas
adapted a bit from Food and Wine

1 c raw pumpkin seeds
1 T tamari or regular soy sauce
2 T olive oil
1/2 T lemon zest, grated
2 T lemon juice
2 nice, juicy oranges
3/4 lb red cabbage, halved, cored, and thinly sliced
1 fennel bulb, halved, cored, and thinly sliced (optional, however if you can find it, use it!!)
1/4 c cilantro, chopped

Spread the pumpkin seeds on a cookie sheets (half jelly roll pan--with sides) and bake in preheated 350 degrees oven for 7 minutes or until golden brown.  Drizzle with tamari/soy sauce and bake for 3 more minutes, until the seeds area crisp.  Set aside.

Working over a bowl, cut the peel off the orange, making sure to get all of the white pith.  Gently slide the knife in between the sections of the orange to release the fruit (without the tough membranes).  This gets messy so work over a bowl and save all that wonderful juice for the salad.  Cut the released fruit into small, bite-sized pieces.

In a large bowl, toss together the orange pieces and juice, cabbage, fennel, if using, and the cilantro.  In a small jar, vigorously shake together the olive oil, lemon zest, and lemon juice.  Pour over the cabbage mixture and toss gently.  Immediately before serving liberally sprinkle with the roasted pumpkin seeds.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Ginger Scallion Fried Rice

I am branching out from my weekend of exceptional eating to pull in a recipe from earlier in the week.  This one will also be repeating itself frequently in menu rotation.

I remember eating a dish growing up called Vietnamese Fried Rice.  It was made using leftover rice, peas, and pretty much whatever else my mom could find in the fridge.  I had mixed feelings about it.  I think I once loved it, but as I got older, I appreciated it less.  I have never made that recipe myself, despite knowing exactly what cookbook it is in and what side of the page it is on.

Then I stumbled across this recipe.  The pictures promised me amazing things.  If I ate this recipe, it would invoke the setting and feelings represented in this magnificent picture.  Well, unfortunately I was not transported to snowy Yellowstone National Park Lodge in the middle of winter.  However, I did find a new recipe that I love.  It was a hit with everyone in the family and slight step up from the fried rice of my youth.

This is a good recipe to have everything mise en place (also known as prepped and ready to go before you start cooking).

Serves 4 - 5

Ginger Scallion Fried Rice
adapted from The Year in Food

4 T sesame oil
6 scallions, sliced, white and dark green parts kept separate
1 medium carrot, julienned or cut into matchsticks
1/2 c shelled, frozen edamame
3 T minced ginger
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 oz mushrooms, shiitakes are preferable, but white button mushrooms will do
2 medium eggs, beaten
3 c cold, cooked brown rice (white will do if you have no brown)
5 T tamari or soy sauce
1 c cooked, shredded chicken or tofu

Heat a large skillet over medium heat.  Add the 1 T of sesame oil.  Toss the white parts of the scallions and stir for about a minute.  Add the carrots, edamame, ginger and garlic and stir to combine.  Saute, stirring occasionally, for five minutes.  Remove from heat and set aside.

In the same pan, add another T of oil.  Add the mushrooms and saute until soft, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes.  Remove and add to carrot/edamame mixture.  Increase the heat slightly, add another T of sesame oil and add the beaten eggs.  Cook as if you were making scrambled eggs.  When just cooked/scrambled, remove and add to carrot/edamame/mushroom mixture.  Add remaining 2 T of sesame oil and the cooked rice.  Spread rice evenly throughout pan and cook, stirring a little.  Sprinkle some black pepper over top.  After about five minutes (if rice seems to be sticking a lot to the pan, you can add some canola oil to the pan), add the tamari or soy sauce.  Stir to combine.  Add the bowl of cooked veggies and eggs and cooked chicken/tofu.  Saute, stirring frequently, until hot, about 5 minutes.  Remove from heat, sprinkle with dark green parts of scallions and serve.

Winter Lentil Stir Fry

The name stir fry is a bit of a misnomer for this recipe.  I am not quite sure what else to call it though.

This meal had mixed reviews from my family.  Curtis and I loved it.  The boys ate it pretty well too, especially the brussels sprouts (Yay for brussels sprouts loving boys).  M refused it on the grounds of being too tired to eat something new.  The original recipe called from a homemade mint sauce to drizzle over top.  We don't currently have a thriving mint plant and buying fresh mint in the stores is a little costly.      We opted instead to pick up some mint chutney at our favorite Indian restaurant just around the corner from us.  It was actually cheaper and quite tasty.  If you aren't a mint chutney fan, you could also top with some olive oil and Parmesan, goat cheese, or another chutney or curry sauce.

This meal will quickly find a place in our menu rotation.  I figure next M may like it better, and if not, that is her loss---and our gain.

This will serve 4 -5.

Winter Lentil Stir Fry
adapted just a bit from 101Cookbooks.com

1 c uncooked brown lentils
olive oil
8 - 10 very small new potatoes, cut in half, or fourths if potatoes are on the large side
12 - 16 brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved (or quartered, again depending on size)
1/4 c almonds, sliced are preferable, but whole will do if that's all you have on hand, toasted

mint chutney
plain Greek yogurt for topping (optional)

In a medium saucepan, cover lentils with about 2 - 3 inches of water.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer 20 - 30 minutes, until lentils are soft but not mush.  Drain and set aside.

In a large skillet, heat 1 - 2 T olive oil over medium heat.  Put the potatoes in the skillet, cut side down and sprinkle with a little salt.  Cover the skillet and let the potatoes steam for five minutes.  Check the potatoes.     If they are not fork-tender (but not mushy and falling apart), add 1/4 c of water, cover again and let steam for another five minutes.  Once fork tender, stir them about a little.  Add the lentils and cook until they are heated through.  Remove from pan and set aside.

In the same skillet, add a little more olive oil and add the brussels sprouts cut side down.   Over and cook for about 3- 5 minutes, or until the bottoms of the sprouts begin to brown.  Taste a sprout to see if it is tender throughout.  If not, cover and continue to cook.  Once the sprouts are tender, uncover, increase the heat, and cook until the cut sides have begun to caramelize.  Add the lentils and potatoes back to the skillet along with the toasted almonds.  Heat and then put in a serving bowl or platter to serve.  Drizzle with mint chutney and yogurt as desired.

Caramelized Onion Spinach Salad

It was a good eating weekend.  Some weekends are like that, some are more of a flop.  This was a good weekend.  I tried four new recipes over the course of the weekend:  a dessert, a decadent breakfast, a salad, and a vegetarian main dish, plus homemade Hawaiian pizza and homemade beef pho.  Yep, we ate well.  It was one of those weekends that made me wonder why we ever eat out.  I guess because there aren't as many dishes to wash.  However, it's not because the food is better in a restaurant.

My first dish I am going to share from our weekend of blissful eating was the last one I made.  It is also one that fits perfectly with the produce to be found in Central Texas this time of year---spinach.  We didn't offer this dish to the kids, Curtis and I were content to eat it all by ourselves.  It was a side salad for our pizza, but we both agreed it could easily be the main course.  It was also one of Curtis's favorite Spinach salads.  Ever.  That says a lot because that man loves salads.

A few notes on the recipe:  When you caramelize the onions, if possible, don't use a cast iron pan.  I tried out my new stainless saute pan I got for Christmas from my parents (By the way, I love it, Mom and Dad!).  It's easier to caramelize them and a bit faster.  The poached egg is optional.  I am still working on mastering the poached eggs, I overcooked mine for my tastes (but Curtis thought his was perfect).  I also had to throw one out in the process too because the yolk.  Here's a hint:  You can't poach an egg if you accidentally break the yolk trying to get a small piece of shell out of the whites.

Enough said.  My notes are going to be way longer than the recipe itself!

Caramelized Onion Spinach Salad
adapted from coffeefoodwritergirl on food52.com

4 - 8 oz spinach, torn into manageable sized salad pieces
1 large yellow, thinly sliced
2 T extra virgin olive oil
2 T balsamic vinegar
1/2 t sea salt
1/2 t ground pepper
one egg per person eating

Wash and dry spinach.  Place in a salad bowl.  Over medium heat in a stainless pan (not nonstick, not cast iron if possible), heat the olive oil.  Add the onions and a 1/4 t salt and saute until they are beginning to caramelize (some will be light brown in color.  They will be very soft and pliable).  Add the balsamic vinegar and continue until caramelized completely.  At this point the onions will be very dark brown, rather shrunken, and very soft.

While the onions are caramelizing, poach your eggs.  I could give you a long detailed explanation on my attempts.  Since I still have varying degrees of success, I thought instead I would provide you to a link with step by step instructions and beautiful pictures.  Here's how to poach eggs, thanks to Deb of Smitten Kitchen.  To serve your salad.  Pour the hot onions and olive oil that remains in the pan over the spinach.  Season with the remaining 1/4 t salt and 1/4 pepper.  Toss completely.  When the salad is tossed, gently lay the poached eggs over the salad.  Eat immediately.

Vegetable Soup

Sometimes, only sometimes though, I am a bit of a slow learner.

M has been in school for 1 1/2 school years now.  I've packed countless lunches, the majority of them peanut butter and jelly sandwiches with a piece fruit, raw vegetables or edamame, a cheese stick, and a snack.  I haven't varied much from this, because M is happy with this lunch.  After a year and a half packing pb&j sandwiches for lunch, I've discovered an alternative--the thermos.

I can hear everyone sighing and saying, "Well, duh, Melani. Those have been around as long as sliced deli meat" (I am making this up, by the way, don't quote me!).  However, like I stated in the beginning, sometimes I am slow.

This vegetable soup has been one of M's favorite things to take her new thermos.  She's been asking for me to make it again, both for supper and leftovers for lunches.  Everyone else liked it too.

When I made this, I looked at the recipe and thought, another minestrone recipe just not labeled as minestrone.  I guess it's not though.  There is no pasta or cannellini beans.  It could easily be made vegetarian by omitting the pork listed in the beginning and using a well flavored vegetable stock in place of the chicken stock.  I actually didn't have potatoes when I made this, so I left them out and upped the amount of carrots I used.  I also threw in some celery for good measure.  Feel free to use the vegetables you have on hand.  I could see this being a good recipe to throw some kohlrabi in.

I found this recipe at The Year in Food.  There aren't a ton of posts, but when she does, the pictures are beautiful and the layout is uncluttered.  There are usually a lot of vegetables featured, sometimes strange grains (quinoa), and it follows the agrarian calendar.

This recipe will make 8 - 10 servings.

Vegetable Soup 
adapted slightly from The Year in Food

4 oz pancetta or bacon (optional--can substitute enough olive oil to saute onion in)
1 onion, diced
3 stalks celery, diced
6 c chicken or vegetable stock (or a mixture of either of those and water)
28 oz diced tomatoes (fire-roasted are especially tasty)
4 med potatoes, cubed (optional)
1 -2 sm/med kohlrabi, peeled and diced (optional)
1 bunch kale, stems removed and chopped
salt and pepper, to taste
red chile flakes, to garnish
Parmesan or cheddar cheese, to garnish

Heat a large soup pot over medium heat.  Add the bacon or pancetta and cook until the fat is rendered and it has browned (especially in the event you are using bacon, make sure it is good and cooked).  Remove excess fat (more than 1 T).    Add the onion and celery and cook until softened and onion is translucent.  Add the stock/water and diced tomatoes along with the potatoes (or kohlrabi).  Cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 10 minutes, until the potatoes/kohlrabi are beginning to soften.  Add the carrots and continue to cook the root veggies are cooked, but still hold together well (don't cook to easily breakable stage).  Stir in the kale and cook just until kale has wilted and softened.  Taste and season with salt and pepper.

Serve hot.  Top with red chile flakes as desired and a grating of cheese.

Arugula, Radish, and Grains Salad

While normally I think of myself as an adventurous eater, there are some things, I still shy away from.  Beef tongue?  Pork trotter?  No problem.  Quinoa?  No, thanks.  Seriously.  I've been a flexitarian for years now (probably between 15 - 20 years of eating meat just a couple times a week, and sometimes less than that.  Of course, sometimes more, too).   I love tofu and have eaten it many different ways.  I love lentils and other beans.  However, I haven't branched out to the grains.  Too hippy, I've always thought (I know, I can hear you laughing at me now).  This recipe inspired me to buy no less than 3 grains I've never, ever bought before.  I will be buying those grains again.  I may even try some other quinoa recipes.

It was the radishes and arugula that inspired me to take the plunge into not typical US mainstream grains.  In our CSA box last week, we got two large bunches of different radishes.  My favorite were included---the red ones that when you slice you see pink rings in the middle.  I am not a radish fan.  I'll eat them in chicken tacos (aahh.....must make those again soon!), but that's about it.

Curtis and I loved this.  I didn't even offer it to our kids.  I figure once it's on the table a few more times, I'll have them taste it.  By then, they'll be used to seeing it and it won't seem so strange.  Plus, if I shared, then I wouldn't have any for lunch for myself today.  I also shared some with my in-laws and they thought it was pretty good.

I made a half recipe which easily served 4 - 6 people as a side.  The amounts included are my half recipe amounts.

Arugula, Radish and Grains Salad 
adapted slightly from Amanda Hesser on food52.com

1 c mixed grains, like farro, freekah, wheatberries, wild rice, quinoa, and/or pearl barley (I used wild rice, farro, and quinoa)
3/4 - 1 c arugula, torn if on the larger side, long stems trimmed off
1/2 c parsley leaves, chopped
1/4 c mint leaves, thinly sliced (cut in a chiffonade)
1/4 lb pecans
2 T hazelnut oil (or walnut oil, hazelnut was just what I had on hand)
2 T red wine vinegar
1/2 - 3/4 c radishes, cut as thinly as possible (a mandoline makes this easier)
2 T olive oil
1/4 c raisins
1/4 c dried cranberries

Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil.  If using wild rice and wheat berries, add those first and cook for 10 minutes.  Add whatever remaining grains you are using and cook an additional 25 minutes or until just tender.  Drain the grains in a fine colander (if your holes are too big, the quinoa will all escape with the hot water) and set aside until just warm to the touch.  Combine the grains with the rest of the ingredients in a medium-large serving bowl and toss well.  Season with salt to taste (if you heavily salted the water, you probably won't need to add any extra salt).

Vegetable Enchiladas

It is officially zucchini and summer squash season. It has begun. Unfortunately, I still remember disliking summer squash last summer and just the knowledge that it is in a dish is enough to make me want to go running and screaming away.

I attempted this anyway, knowing there would be large hunks of zucchini in it. It was alright. My kids didn't love it, but Curtis thought it was great and I found it tolerable (which is equal to great when it comes to recipes with chunks of zucchini in it). This recipe is based off of the enchilada's at Mother's Cafe and Garden, supposedly.

I will make this again this summer. For those of you who like zucchini more than me, you will probably love this.

This serves 4 - 6.

Vegetable Enchiladas

adapted from nannydeb on Food52.com

3 red bell peppers, cut into 4 large pieces each, seeds, and stem removed

2 zucchini, cut into 1" chunks

2 summer squash, cut into 1" chunks

1/2 yellow onion, cut into 1" chunks

1 med jalapeno, cut in half, seeds and stem removed (optional)

2 garlic cloves, skin still on

1 (15-oz) can black, kidney, or pinto beans

8 oz sour cream

2 T cilantro, chopped

1 t cumin

salt and pepper

8 - 10 corn tortillas

1 c queso fresco, crumbled (or Monterey Jack cheese will do too).

Spread peppers, zucchini, squash, onion, jalapeno, and onion on baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Roast vegetables in a preheated 400 degrees oven for 20 - 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes or so. As soon as vegetables are tender, remove from oven (you're not going for mush here). The bell peppers and garlic will probably be tender first and browned first. Remove those first if they are. Place the bell peppers in a bag or covered bowl and allow to sweat for 10 minutes. Remove the skins from the bell peppers and garlic. Set the remaining vegetables aside to cool.

Place the bell peppers, jalapeno (if using), and garlic in a food processor along with the sour cream, 1 T cilantro, and the cumin. Puree until smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Mix together the cooled vegetables and the can of beans (your choice). Put a large spoonful or two of sauce in a 9 x 9" baking pan. Soften the tortillas by your preferred method--mine is microwaving 4 of them at a time for 15 - 20 seconds (or 30 if I accidently don't get them out in time). Place approx. 1/4 cup of vegetable mixture and a sprinkling of cheese into each tortilla. Roll up as tightly as possible and put into baking pan. Repeat until you use all the filling---I think I made 10 enchiladas. Spread the remaining sauce over top and sprinkle with the remaining cheese. (If you want, you can refrigerate until baking at this point). Bake in a preheated 400 degrees oven for 20 - 25 minutes or until hot. Garnish with remaining cilantro, your favorite salsa (especially if you left out the jalapenos because of your children), and enjoy.