Wednesday, April 30, 2008

California Vegetarian Chili


1 Tbsp Olive Oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium onion, chopped
2 zucchini, chopped
4 carrots, chopped
3 celery stalks, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
3 Tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp cumin
2 cans (14-oz) redi-cut tomatoes, undrained
1 Tbsp chili powder
1 can black beans, drained
1 can great northern beans, drained
1 can garbanzo beans, drained
1 can kidney beans, drained
1 Tbsp yellow mustard

Heat oil in a large (6 qt) kettle. Add garlic and veggies. Heat until veggies are crisp-tender.

Add all other ingredients. Stir well. Cover and simmer at least 10 minutes. Serve and garnish with cheese and/or avocados. Can also put over rice, baked potatoes, or in burritos.
Got this from Dinner is on me.

Friday, April 25, 2008

Balsamic Roasted Brussel Sprouts

Chop and clean your sprouts ( I quartered them).  Coat with a mixture of 4 TBS Olive Oil and 2 Tbs balsamic vinegar (when I made them I used half and thought they were a bit dry and needed a bit more ooomph, so I've upped the amounts).
Bake at 350 for about 20 minutes in a baking pan or foil lined pan.
Remove from oven and add 1/4 cup parmesean cheese and 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts (I think any nuts would work).

Thursday, April 24, 2008

Creamy Spinach Soup


[cut and pasted from Planet Green]

I've been casting around looking for spring ingredients to make into a soup, but I'm not having much joy there yet. I decided to make a soup with ingredients that maybe some of you in the U.S. could get at your local farmer's market, even if I can't. If you are lucky enough to be able to get sorrel in your market, then use that. Otherwise the spinach makes a nice delicate soup. If you want something with a little more pepper flavour, then try using watercress. This was a really easy, fast soup. You can have it on the table in less than half an hour.

The recipe calls for either milk or half and half cream. Normally I would go for the milk option, but the grocery had organic cream on for half price because it's sell by day was two days hence. Who can resist a bargain? I find that there is quite a difference in both taste and texture between regular cream and organic cream. Organic cream is thicker. The half and half seems closer to 18% cream to me and it has a richer taste as well. The organic milk has more flavour as well.

Creamy Spinach Soup
Serves 4

2 tbsp butter
4 cups coarsely chopped spinach, watercress or sorrel, trimmed of thick stems
2 cups chicken or vegetable stock
2 cups half and half or milk
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

1. Place the butter in a large, deep saucepan and turn the heat to medium. When the butter melts, add the spinach and cook, stirring until it wilts, abut 5 minutes.

2. Add the stock, bring almost to a boil, lower the heat, and cook briefly, until the green is tender.

3. Puree with an immersion blender. Add the half and half or milk. Add salt and pepper to taste. Reheat gently without boiling.

From How To Cook Everything (1998, John Wiley & Sons, Inc.) by Mark Bittman

Difficulty level: Easy

A Good List Re: Pesticide Residues

I came across this helpful list if you can't afford to buy all organic. Check it out.

Friday, April 18, 2008

Butter Root Vegetables


1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 pound parsnips, peeled, cut into cubes
1 pound carrots, peeled, cut into cubes
1 pound turnips, split into halves
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, cold and cubed
1 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup mixed chopped fresh herbs, like chervil, parsley and thyme
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Put the olive oil and butter into a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the vegetables and toss to coat them well with the fat; season with salt and pepper. Add 1 cup chicken stock and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to a simmer, cover the pot, and cook until the vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes. Add butter and toss until incorporated. To serve, pour vegetables in a large bowl and shower with mixed herbs and season with salt and pepper.

From Tyler's Ultimate on Food Network

Tuesday, April 15, 2008

Black bean burritos

This isn't really a recipe...but we eat them about once a week because they're easy, delicious, and pretty darn healthy.

Cook a can of black beans over medium heat. As they warm, mash with a potato masher.
Warm whole wheat tortillas
Cheddar cheese
Lettuce
Tomato
Guacamole
Salsa
Sour cream

That's it. We eat two each and usually finish a can of black beans. That gives us each 10 g of protein and 10 g of fiber. Not too shabby.

Cream-Sauced Pasta with Vegetables

Makes 4 good servings

8 ounces pasta
1 medium onion, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp olive oil or butter
1 1/4 pound fresh asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
1 medium yellow summer squash or zucchini, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 cup whipping cream
4 roma tomatoes, seeded and chopped

Cook pasta according to directions

Meanwhile, in a large skillet cook onion and garlic in hot oil over medium heat about 3 minutes or until nearly tender, stirring occasionally.

Add asparagus, squash, salt, and pepper to skillet. Cook for 3-5 minutes more or until vegetables are crisp-tender, stirring occasionally. Add vegetables to pasta.

Add whipping cream to skillet, bring to boiling. Boil gently for 5 minutes or until reduced to 3/4 cup.

To serve, pour reduced cream over pasta mixture; stir gently to coat. Stir in tomato.

Our notes
: We also added mushrooms, which was delicious. We topped it with parmesan and it was fantastic!

Fillets and Spinach with Balsamic Vinaigrette

Makes 2 pretty large servings

1 pound fresh or frozen skinless haddock, cod, or other fillets, 3/4 to 1 inch thick (we used cod)
4 cups fresh baby spinach leaves (organic is pretty cheap at Costco)
1 medium onion, cut into thin wedges
3 Tblsp olive oil
1 medium red or yellow bell pepper, cut into thin strips
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
2 Tblsp balsamic vinegar
1 Tblsp honey

Cut fish into four serving-size pieces, set aside. Place spinach in a large bowl, set aside.

In a large skillet, cook onion in 1 Tblsp hot oil over medium heat for 5-6 minutes or until tender and slightly golden. Add sweet pepper; cook for 1 minute more. Remove from heat. Stir onion mixture into spinach; transfer to a serving platter. Set aside.

Meanwhile, sprinkle fish with salt and pepper. In same large skillet, cook fish in remaining 2 Tblsp hot oil over medium-high heat for 4 minutes. Carefully turn fish. Reduce heat to medium; cook about 3 minutes more or until fish begins to flake when tested. Place fish on top of wilted spinach mixture.

For vinaigrette, in a small bowl stir together the vinegar and honey. Add to skillet. (We had to use a new pot because of the fish leftovers in the skillet). Cook and stir until heated through. To serve, spoon vinaigrette over fish and spinach mixture.

Our notes: The vinaigrette sunk to the bottom of the plate, make sure you get some of that with each bite. It was subtle and delicious!

Chewy Oatmeal Peanut Butter Cookies

As per Anna's request, here are some yummy cookies that have no flour in them:

Chewy Oatmeal Peanut Butter Cookies
1/3 c. butter
1 c. brown sugar, packed
3/4 c. sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
2 c. peanut butter
4 1/2 c. quick cooking oats (I used regular and they tasted fine)
2 tsp. soda

Choice or all of the following:
1 c. m&m's
1 c. chocolate chips
1 c. raisins
1 c. whatever
(When I made them, I added 1 c. each of chocolate chips and m&m's and it was way too much stuff. So, I would put about one cup total.)

Cream butter and sugars; add eggs, vanilla and peanut butter until well blended. Stir in oats, soda, and other ingredients. Shape into 1 inch balls, place on greased cookie sheet (or silpat) and flatten to 2 inch diameter. Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes (I did 9).

Chick-Pea Curry


2 cans chickpeas (garbonzo beans) drained and rinsed
1/2-1 cup chicken or vegetable broth (I added until it was as moist as I wanted it, to taste)
2 cloves minced garlic
2 small onions sliced long
2 Tbs lemon juice
Several Tbs chopped fresh parsley
1 Tbs sesame seeds
1 Tbs soy sauce
1-2 Tbs curry (to taste, I like lots)
Fry the garlic, curry, and onions.  Add some of the chicken broth as it cooks.  Add the chickpeas and some more of the broth.  Add sesame seeds and lemon juice.  Let simmer.  Add more broth if needed.  Add soy sauce.  Remove from heat and add parsley.  Serve over rice.  This meal takes about 5 minutes to throw together.  You can also mash the chickpeas up if you prefer a thicker curry.

Balsamic Vinaigrette for Anna


The salad is organic baby greens from Costco with roasted beets (fantastic organic ones from Harmon's) and pistachios (Costco) or pieces of blanched asparagus, calamata olives (Costco), roasted butternut or banana squash, crumbled blue cheese. Use your imagination, but I would focus on just a couple of add-ons so the flavors don't become too confusing. The vinaigrette is then drizzled over the salad and tossed.

The proportions of the vinaigrette are 1/3 balsamic vinegar to 2/3 olive oil. Shake in a container with a tight lid until it is blended and emulsified. The measurements will depend on how much you want. I did 1/3 c. to 2/3c. but you could do more or less.

The secret seems to be the quality of the oil and vinegar. I used some delicious ones that Stephen and Ann gave us for Christmas.

D.

Monday, April 14, 2008

Squash Quesadillas

I got this idea from the Deceptively Delicious cookbook.
My kids loved them!
Sandwich pureed buternut squash between layers of grated colby or cheddar cheese and 2 tortillas.
Cook until cheese is melted.

Friday, April 11, 2008

Whole Wheat Basil Pesto Pizza

The other night I made this and it turned out really well.  I couldn't find a battery for my camera and so didn't get a picture, darn it.  It looked delicious and tasted even better.  The kids loved it.  (I know I say this often, but it is an old running family joke: 'It's so easy and the kids just love it...")
Anyway, the crust was good and you can use it for any old kind of pizza you like:
1 tsp honey
1 1/2 c warm water
1 Tbs active dry yeast
1 Tbs olive oil
1 tsp salt
2 c whole wheat flour
1 1/2 c white flour
(I always make dough in my kitchen aid mixer.  Just make the dough in whatever you usually make dough in and knead it how you usually knead your dough). Dissolve sugar and yeast in water.  Add salt and olive oil, and the wheat flour and 1 cup of the white flour (or 1 1/4 cup of white flour if you are using your kitchen aid to knead the dough).    Knead until smooth.  Place in oiled bowl, cover with towel and let rise double twice.  Divide dough in half and roll out thin.  From here you make whatever kind of pizza you want and bake it at 425 degrees for 16-20 minutes.
I like to make a BIG batch of pesto and freeze whatever I don't use in small portions to use in pasta or for other recipes.  It is a forgiving recipe and can be made to taste.  Add more cheese or less pine nuts of it suits you.  For the pesto:
1 large bunch organic spinach washed (remember spinach is one of the "dirty dozen" when it comes to pesticides)
about 1 cup basil leaves washed
about 1/2 cup pine nuts
2-3 cloves peeled garlic
about 1/2-1 cup paremesean cheese 
about 1-2 Tbs olive oil.
Combine it all in a food processor and grind it up.  Add the olive oil last and add until it is the consistency you desire (I like it sort of a buttery consistency).

For the pesto pizza, spread a generous amount of the pesto onto your uncooked crust.  Top with grated mozzerella and paremsean cheese, and place sliced tomatoes on top.  Bake according to the directions above.

Roasted Beets


Our produce section has been selling the most scrumptious beets grown by Cal-Organics and I have been serving them up weekly.  They are delicious.  This is how I love them. I chop the beet greens off and rinse them.  Then I chop them up and stick them in a pot with a few Tablespoons of water.  Then I take the beet roots and peel them (I don't know if this is the proper way to prepare them, but that is what I do) and chop them into chunks.  I toss them with a bit of olive oil and a dash of salt and bake them in the oven for about an hour at 350.  Then about a minute or two before we are ready to eat I put a lid on the pot of beet greens and turn up the burner to high and let it go until steam comes out of the pot.  (Basically you just barely wilt them, don't overdo it or you may end up with a sort of slimy batch of beet greens).  Then I serve them up with a generous amount of freshly squeezed lemon juice.  Yum!

Delicious Brussel Sprouts

Not everyone is a fan of these veggies.  I was forced to eat them as a child and now don't have a problem with them.  But my kids do.  Millie made some delicious sprouts a few Thanksgivings ago that everyone devoured with gusto.  They featured bacon and onions and were amazing.  I bought some and made them as a side dish last night, without the bacon.  I fried up some butter and onion in a pot then added the peeled and chopped brussel sprouts, and fried them up a bit.  Then I added about a 1/2 cup of chicken broth and let them steam.  They were really good.  My kids didn't love them (yet), but ate them without tears.  I also thought they might be good with a bit of balsamic vinegar.  I'll  have to try that out soon.

Thursday, April 10, 2008

Veggie Chili

[cut and pasted from Eat. Drink. Better.]

...this thick hearty stew satisfies the need for a filling, savory, spicy dish, and we call it chili in my house. It is naturally vegan and is really healthy–full of veggies and good-for-you proteins like beans and TVP. It can be made on the cheap with standard pantry ingredients and serves plenty. I like to cook up a pot and eat the leftovers for lunch.

To me, this isn’t really even a recipe, because you can modify it to suit your tastes. It’s more of a framework for a basic chili. You can alter the type of beans, add different veggies, or change the spices–whatever flavor combination works for you. A word on TVP–my own personal preference is a combination of Morningstar® Crumbles and bulk dried TVP. However, you could use all dried TVP, Morningstar® Steak or Chik’N strips, seitan, or completely omit it. However, I really feel like a liberal hand with the TVP gives it the feel of more traditional chili. Don’t forget to use local or organic whenever possible

Easy Veggie Chili
Serves six

1/2 large onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 c chopped carrots
1 c frozen or canned sweet corn kernels
1 c chopped bell pepper (any color will do)
1 15 oz. can black or kidney beans

1 15 oz. can diced tomatoes AND
1 15 oz. can diced tomatoes and green chilies (such as Rotel)

OR

1 28 oz can diced tomatoes AND
1/2 chopped jalapeño pepper

1/2 package Morningstar® Veggie Crumbles
1/2 cup dried TVP

1 Tbsp cumin
1 Tbsp chili powder
salt and pepper to taste

Garnishes (optional)–sliced avocado, sour cream, cheddar cheese/cheeze, chopped green onions

Directions

In a large stockpot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Sauté onions and garlic until onions turn slightly translucent, 2-3 minutes. Add all other ingredients except TVP and cheese. Stir until well combined. Gently simmer for 15-20 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings as necessary. Add TVP and simmer for another ten minutes, until veggies are no longer crunchy. Adjust seasoning again. Serve with choice of garnishes and crackers, cornbread, or corn chips.

Wednesday, April 9, 2008

For Sarah and Maren

Sarah I know you told me that you can't get good produce at your grocery stores (just like the nasty stuff in NE).  I put a link for your local farmers market under the links list.  Sounds like your farmers market is up and running!  Maybe they will have some good produce.
And Maren I found a link for your area too.

Tried Lentils Lately?


Kris has been making lentil soup lately, and it is delicious. Katy brought a recipe for lentil soup with cilantro and tomatoes home from WA. I will post the recipe later. Lentils are super cheap, healthy, and full of protien and can be made into beautiful soups. Best of all, they don't need to be soaked before cooking and they cook quickly.

Whilst in England we had a DELICIOUS Puy Lentil Soup at the Orangery at Kensington Palace. I haven't found puy lentils here yet, but haven't tried SLC or the crazy-guy's import store.


Lentils are good enough to make Esau surrender his birthright to Jacob! (Gen. 25: 29-30, 34) I will post some recipes soon.

D.

Square foot Garden

Here is a link to my friends blog that Anna mentioned in her post. She has a nice post about her garden.

The Flexitarian Table

Today a single family can include staunch vegetarians as well as passionate meat lovers. When company shows up, the situation gets even more complicated. How can you satisfy them all without making two (or three) completely different meals?

In The Flexitarian Table, the award-winning author Peter Berley presents menus that are flexible, exciting, relaxing to prepare -- and that make everyone feel welcome. With The Flexitarian Table, you'll no longer treat vegetarians as afterthoughts by offering them a couple of scanty side dishes, and you'll be able to indulge meat eaters at the same time with abundant, satisfying dishes.

You'll learn how to prepare vegetarian and meat versions simultaneously without going to any extra trouble. Roast a succulent, crisp chicken with lemon and thyme -- and make a tofu version in just minutes. Put some meaty portobello mushroom caps on the grill and, for the carnivore contingent, throw on a steak, then pair them both with a zesty bread crumb salsa. Simmer white beans with carrot and celery and sauté some shrimp, drizzling each with the same rich brown butter sauce with fresh herbs.

You'll find many sumptuous vegetarian dishes as well, including cannelloni with ricotta, Parmesan, and mint or a hearty lasagna with roasted fall vegetables in a sage-scented cheese sauce. Or serve up a selection of easy little dishes and let your guests choose.

You'll get plenty of ideas for get-dinner-quick meals such as winter tomato soup with goat cheese crostini and Spanish-style fried eggs, and for luxurious weekend fare try cumin-spiced lamb croquettes and falafel, served with two traditional Middle Eastern sauces and whole wheat pita bread.

The Flexitarian Table also shows you how to cook with the seasons so you get the most flavor from your ingredients while you enjoy varied, sustainable meals year-round.

Recommend by my friend kmduff

(discription from www.houghtonmifflinbooks.com)

Veggie Couscous

makes 4-6 servings
1/2 cup chopped crooked neck or yellow squash
1/2 cup chopped zucchini
1/2 bunch green onions with tops, chopped
1/4 cup chopped celery
1/4 cup chopped red bell pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 Tbs olive oil
14-oz can garbanzos, drained
1/4 tsp cayenne
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp curry powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
3 cups cooked couscous
3 Tbs melted butter
fresh parsley or minced green onion
* Saute over low heat squash, zucchini, onions, celery, bell pepper, and garlic in oil until tender. stir in garbanzos, and seasoning and simmer to mix flavors for several mins.
* Add couscous and stir to mix. Continue to simmer while mixing. Pour into sprayed baking dish and drizzle butter on top. Bake 350 degrees for 15 mins until hot. Garnish with minced green onion or fresh parsley.
(again have not tryed this but sounds good. Being a wimp I might leave out the cayenne.)

Cheeesy Zucchini Frittata

Makes 6 Servings
4 eggs
4 cups zucchini shredded
2 cups peeled, shredded carrots
1/2 cup flour
3/4 cup mayo
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 teaspoon basil
pepper to taste

* Beat eggs in mixing bowl. Fold in Zucchini, carrots, flour, mayo, cheese, onion, basil, and pepper.
* pour into buttered quiche pan and bake at 375 degrees for 30 mins or until set.
( I have not tried this one but it sounds good)

Organics 101

There is a lot of confusion about organic.  Should I buy organic and is it actually worth the cost?  Organic is more expensive and so you have to take the pros and cons and weigh them and decide if organic is for you.
First here are a few reasons that organic is better for you:
Studies are finding that food grown without artificial fertilizers in organic soil are much more nutritious.  They have more flavanoids, carotonoids, vitamins, minerals, etc.  They also tend to be better varieties.  The red delicious apple is a  mealy, tasteless variety grown because it looks pretty in the grocery store and travels in trucks from Washington to New York without looking haggard (but it sure tastes haggard).  Organic varieties tend to taste better.  If you aren't willing to make the switch to organic here is a list of what is called "The Dirty Dozen".  These tend to not just have pesticide residue on them that can be rinsed off, but tend to absorb the pesticides and should be a priority to avoid, if you choose to start down the organic produce path.  They are: potatoes, strawberries, celery, apples, pears, nectarines, peaches, spinach, raspberries, cherries, grapes, bell peppers.  Also any produce grown in latin America tends to be very heavily sprayed and should be avoided.  Why are pesticides bad for you? For one they contain carcinegens.  They are also causing nerve damage in animals that are exposed to them, so it may do the same in us.  There are some veggies and fruits that don't contain high amounts of residue and for health reasons don't need to be totally avoided.  They are: bananas, kiwis, mangos, pineapples, asparagus, brocoli, cauliflower, peas, onions, and corn.  As for milk, and other dairy products, organic is wiser because of the high levels of animal byproducts (since the madcow scare animals are not fed their own byproducts but those of other species to add protein to their diets to make them plumper or faster producers), high levels of antibiotics (the animal production industry is the number one money maker of the pharmaceutical industry) and the growth hormones.  Of course the FDA says these are acceptable practices and so you must use your own judgement and gut instincts on this one.
Beyond health issues their are also ethical and environmental issues to consider when thinking about organic.  For example, bananas of course come from latin America and are very heavily sprayed, and although their is virtually no residue in the part we eat, the heavy spraying is killing songbirds and causing all kinds of health issues for the people living near the farms and especially the workers who are getting cancer and all kinds of diseases from their job.   Another consideration is that the manufacture of chemical fertilizer and pesticides is a very very energy intensive process and produces so much carbon, that to eliminate their use would be a great stride towards reducing greenhouse gas emissions.  Also in order to assure high yeilds farmers tend to overspray their crops and the excess gets into groundwater and streams and rivers and flows to the sea where it is killing ecosystems in a frightening way.  The Gulf of Mexico has so much runoff that huge areas of it have become hypoxic.  The fertilizer causes great beds of kelp to grow (not natural to that environment).  The kelp creates so much oxygen it has killed all the fish.  It is called the dead zone and is growing larger each year.  The same thing is happening in streams and rivers and we don't know yet exactly what the ramifications will be, but in nature we are part of a web and for the whole chain to be healthy each part needs to be healthy. 

Another ethical consideration is the fact that the large producers of commodity crops such as corn and soy (used mainly in the feed of animals and to create processed foods) are extremely heavily subsidized which is leading to very high food prices which is having disastrous results in developing countries where people can no longer afford to buy bread.  I try and opt out entirely of the "industrial food chain" for this reason.  By supporting local farmers you are supporting local farmers world wide, which is a large part of "think globally, act locally."  
Another important consideration is the treatment of animals.  Laying hens are packed into crates so tightly that they never stand.  They are under such stress that their beaks are cut off so they don't peck each other to death in their unnatural surroundings.  Pigs tails are cut off so they don't chew their tails off, due to stress.  And cattle are packed in so tightly and stand in deep piles of feces, becoming terribly ill, hence the common occurrence of unnatural diseases like e coli in our food chain.  (That feces is a huge pollution/carbon problem too). They are fed unnatural diets which cause them pain, and are kept alive to slaughter weight through heavy doses of antibiotics and large doses of growth hormone (without the combo they would certainly die before they became big enough to be made into a Big Mac or Applebee's sirloin).  Dairy cows are given huge amounts of hormones so they can constantly lactate and have high cases of painful mastitis.  The life expectancy of all these animals is low and as far as their quality of life, animals having joy in their sphere of creation, well I don't think they experience this.  I avoid fast food chains at all costs because they are a huge customer for the cruel meat industry.
Another important point is not all organic is great.  I mean, if you buy organic Asparagus from Chile in December, it has been flown and trucked using excessive amounts of fuel and so what is the point.  By eating fruits and vegetables in their seasons, as advised in the Word of Wisdom, you will be able to buy from a much more local producer.  
Also, soon you are going to see organic Coca Cola and organic Otter Pops.  Please.  Organic high fructose corn syrup? Give me a break! Organic processed foods are a joke.  Laugh at the absurdity, but don't buy.
Another consideration is many, many producers have opted out of the government's labeling system altogether.  It is very expensive to get organic certification, and some sustainable farmers aren't willing to pay that fee. When you meet a local producer (whether you are buying grass fed beef, or free range eggs, or peaches at the farmers market) you can ask them how they raised their product and it may be raised far more ethically and organically than anything that bears the organic label.  This movement, the local movement, is sometimes called beyond organic.  The people that eat locally from growers and producers they can talk to face to face are called locavores.
And don't forget, you can grow your own food.  My sister who lives in Arizona, where the soil may actually be worse than the clay in my backyard, told me her friend was trying out square foot gardening in one of those plastic splash pools, and producing quite a bit of food!  Go for it.  At least try a potted tomato and a bit of basil.
So, the biggest obstacle to buying organic is price.  Here are a couple of things to think about.  Because the cost of oil is so high, food prices are rising like mad.  The cost of producing the pesticides and fertilizers is skyrocketing (because they use so much oil in the production and distribution).  The cost of shipping the food across the world and country on refrigerated airplanes and trucks is skyrocketing.  This means that soon the costs are going to be similar between conventional products and organic.  Second, 10 years ago most American households were on a tight budget, just like today, but tight budgets or not, every household has been able to find an extra $100 to add cellular service and tivo to their budget.  The point is, it is a matter of priorities.  If you are cooking with whole, organic foods, the price may even out anyway, because you aren't buying canned and boxed items.  Anyway, it is something to think about.  

Wheat Grinders

First, I want to say thanks to Anna! Great blog topic and I'm really looking forward to some cool collaboration with all of you--and great recipes too.

I was making a comment on the earlier post about wheat in response to Millie's question about wheat grinders when I thought that perhaps it would be better to get some of this information in another post as to not detract from the discussion about finding organic wheat, etc.

Also, because it seems like there are dozens of options out there: from stone grinders with serious horsepower, to grinder attachments for your stand mixer, to simple hand grinders. Depending on your need or interest and budget, there is a lot of information to be sifted. For a basic explanation of the different kinds of grinding options available, I found this website. I haven't done any other serious searching except to find out that the grinder I currently have is just like this one being sold on Ebay. It is a work horse and apparently it can grind more than just wheat, like corn. I hadn't ever thought about stuff like that, but it gets me thinking......

Anyway, this is just to help organize any information found on this topic.

Tuesday, April 8, 2008

Lime Cilantro Rice

I am so excited about this blog. Just last night when I was trying to plan meals for the week, I told my husband that I really needed to have more dinner ideas that did not need meat. Anna, way to go!
This is a knockoff of Cafe Rio's rice. It's pretty good. I love it in burritos. I usually make pork or chicken to go with it, but it is yummy with beans, guacamole, etc.

Lime Cilantro Rice

1 cup white rice
2 cups chicken broth
1 T. lime juice
1/2 T. garlic powder
1 T. minced dry onion
pinch of salt

Cook all ingredients. When done, add 1/4-1/2 cup fresh chopped cilantro, 1 T. lime juice and 1/2 can of green enchilada sauce.

Carrot Cake with Honey




I got this recipe from allrecipes online. Not that it is the only place, but when I decided I wanted the first birthday cake to be made with honey, it was the only one I could find.

INGREDIENTS
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1 1/2 cups honey
3/4 cup buttermilk
3 eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups finely grated carrot
1 (8 ounce) can crushed pineapple, drained
1 cup chopped walnuts

DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.

In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger.

In a large bowl, stir together the honey, buttermilk, eggs, oil and 2 teaspoons of vanilla until well blended.

Add the flour mixture to the buttermilk mixture, and stir until all of the dry ingredients are absorbed. Stir in the carrot, pineapple, and walnuts by hand. Pour into the prepared pan.

Bake for 50 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool completely before frosting with cream cheese frosting.


The frosting I wasn't thrilled with. It has a different texture which day of is fine and delicious. The day or two after it isn't so great. Maybe I should have refrigerated the cake. I also considered using butter for some of the cream cheese...but I haven't tried it yet.

INGREDIENTS
2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup honey
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

To make the frosting, mix together the cream cheese, honey and 1 teaspoon of vanilla until smooth and well blended. Spread over the cooled cake.

Vegetable Roast with Pasta

3 Tbs olive oil
2 Tbs red wine vinegar
3 tsp Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 zucchini, cut in bite-size pieces
1/2 pound fresh mushrooms, halved
1 bunch green onions and tops, cut in 1-inch pieces
1 red bell pepper, seeded, cored, cut in bite-size pieces
1 green bell pepper, seeded, cored, cut in bite-size pieces
1/3 cup chopped fresh basil
2 cups penne pasta
2 tomatoes, seeded, cut in bite-size pieces
8-oz package shredded four cheese blend

*In small ovenprof dish, mix together oil,vinegar, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Set aside.
*Place zucchini, mushrooms, onion, and bell peppers in a sprayed 9x13-inch baking dish and sprinkle top with basil. Drizzle oil mixture over top and bake at 350 degrees for 35 mins.
* Cook penne until al dente. Add tomatoes and pasta to vegetable mixture. toss to coat, then sprinkle top with cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-15 mins until cheese melts

Ratatouille

I usually make this with what I have on hand and many times that does not include eggplant, at these times I increase the amount of zuchinni and sometimes thow in yellow squash. I rarely follow this recipie exactly, just throw it all together and it always comes out great. I serve this over rice or couscous, but Johns step-mom, whose recipie this is, would hollow out the zuchinnis before chopping and after cooking it all together would put it back in the shells and bake with cheese on top for 10 minutes and serve as a side.
1 medium eggplant, diced
1 medium onion, diced
1 red pepper, diced
2 zuchinni, diced
Saute in olive oil and season to taste with salt and pepper.
Add;
16 oz tomatoes (with juice)
Put in baking dish and cover with 1/2 cup each parmesean and mozzerela cheese. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes.
I usually just cook it on the stovetop until its done and dispense with the oven. I let people put their own cheese on at the table.

Broccoli Fusilli

3/4 lb fusilli (whole wheat works well here)
8 oz chopped broccoli
2 tsp olive oil
8 oz sliced mushrooms
2 sliced green onions
1 tsp garlic salt
2 Tbls butter
3 Tbls flour
3 cups milk
2/3 cup parmesean cheese
1/4 tsp white pepper
1/8 tsp nutmeg

Cook pasta according to package directions. Saute onions and broccoli in oil 2 minutes.
Add mushrooms and salt and cook 3-4 minutes. Set aside.
Melt butter and whisk in flour. Whisk in 1/2 cup milk untill smooth. Add remaining milk
and cook until thick. Stir in parmesean, pepper, and nutmeg. Simmer 2 minutes.

Tortilla Soup

This can be made with or without chicken (at our house we make it both ways ). If you do make it with chicken my great time saver is to buy a Costco roasted one, shred it and throw it in.
1 tsp minced garlic
1 small chopped red or white onion
1 small can diced green chilies
Brown the above ingredients in 3 Tbls olive oil until onions are transparent.
Add;
1 or 2 cans diced tomatoes (with juice)
12 oz black beans (soaked and drained)
2 cups corn
1/8 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp cumin
juice of 1/2 lime
12 oz garbanzo beans
1 1/2 cup cooked, seasoned chicken
2 cups chicken broth
Simmer 20 minutes
Garnish with chopped cilantro, avacados, cheese, tortilla chips

Butternut Squash Risotto


Another recipe via Jennette via Martha Stewart:

1 med butternut squash
5-6 cups chicken stock
2 Tbs unsalted butter
1 Tbs olive oil
4 shallots, peeled and minced
2 c Arborio rice
1/2 c dry white wine
nutmeg
salt and pepper
1 Tvs chopped fresh rosemary, plus sprigs for garnish
1/2 c parmesean

1.  Cut squash into eighths and discard the seeds, steam squash for 10-15 minutes until tender.  Scoop the flesh from the skin and mash lightly.
2.  In a large sauce pan, heat stock to a simmer.  In a large, heavy saucepan over med. heat, melt 1 Tbs. butter.  add oil and shallots;  cook for 2 minutes.  add rice;  cook, stirring for 5 minutes.
3.  add wine to rice and cook, stirring until wine is nearly absorbed.  Stir in a cup of stock and the squash;  simmer until liquid is nearly absorbed.  Continue stirring in stock, a ladleful at a time, until rice is creamy and firm, but not hard in the center, 15-20 minutes.  Add nutmeg and salt and pepper to taste.  add chopped rosemary.  Stir in the remaining butter and most of the Parmesean cheese.  Serve in shallow bowls with the remaining cheese and rosemary sprigs.

Leek and Potato Soup with Veggies


3 leeks (white and green parts), halved, sliced,  and washed (I like to soak them in a water bath then rinse them in a colander)
5-7 potatoes (depending on size and how thick you want your soup.  The more potatoes the thicker it will be.) peeled and chopped.
1 cube butter
4-6 cups chicken or veggie broth (I like the Pacific brand free range organic chicken broth at Costco)
cream to taste
freshly ground pepper to taste
(You can then add whatever other veggies you choose.  Last time I made it I added a couple of celery stalks, 1 zucchini squash, and a couple of carrotts, all of which I chopped up.  Be creative.)
Sautee the leeks in a large stock pot in a stick of butter for about 4-5 minutes or until leeks shrink and soften, stirring often.  Add stock and veggies and boil until potatoes are softened.
Then I use my hand held blender (a kitchen must if you eat a lot of soup or smoothies) to puree the soup.  If you don't have a handheld you can puree it in a blender.  Add cream to taste and freshly ground pepper to taste and serve with crusty bread.

Rissotto

This post comes to us via Jennette, I'm just transcribing here:
This basic recipe is very forgiving and adaptable.

olive oil
1/4 c finely chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 c uncooked Arborio rice (but I've often used Cal-rose or other short grain rice and it's still fine)
1/2 c white wine (optional)
4-6 cups chicken or veggie broth
2 Tbs butter
1/4 c Parmesean cheese
fresh basil (dried can work if you have to)
salt and pepper to taste

Start warming the broth in a large stock pot  Heat olive oil in saute pan/ skillet/dutch oven. Cook onions and garlic until opaque and turning slightly brown.  Add the rice and stir until it's coated, and let it cook 1-2 mins.  Stir and add the wine, if using.  Or, add the first ladle-full of broth to the saute pan.  Stir and cook until the liquid is nearly absorbed.  Continue cooking (and stirring nearly constantly) adding the broth ladle-full at a time, adding more as each is absorbed in the pan. When finished the rice will look tender and creamy and will be soft to eat, but not too mushy.  You may not use all the broth.  If adding veggies, add them as you near the end of the broth, judging your time by how tender-crisp you want them to taste.  Add salt and pepper near the end, judging by how salty your broth may or may not taste.  just before serving, add the butter and parm. cheese and basil.  You can also grate more parm cheese over the plates after serving.
If adding vegetables, I use asparagus, or zucchini, or snow peas, and mushrooms (or any combination).  I'll cut these up in bite sized pieces and give them a quick stir fry in a separate skillet before adding them to the risotto to finish "cooking".  Except the mushrooms, which I'll add about halfway through the rice so that they absorb all of the flavors and shrink down in the pan.  You can add strips of chicken that are also somewhat stir-fried ahead of time and finish cooking out the pink in the pan with the rice.
(Good broth is key)

Cookbook


I have a cook book that is called
Quick Cooks' Kitchen
One-Dish Meals
175 Recipes for Maximum Taste in Minimum Time

The publisher is Sterling Publishing Co., Inc. Editor is Anna Horn and its is a Barnes & Noble Books book. It has a ton of simple and really good vegetable dishes and some with a little meat.
I will post recipes from this every now and then, but, if you cant wait...

Whole Wheat Flour

Most of you already know this, but just a little fyi, whole wheat flour goes rancid so it needs to be stored in the fridge or freezer.  If stored in the freezer let it warm up a bit before adding it to a recipe.

Banana Wheat Bread

I found this recipe in the hopes of coming up with alternatives to processed breakfast cereal, and lo and behold my kids will actually eat it.  It isn't light and fluffy, but it tastes good.
In a bowl or mixer combine the following ingredients:
2 1/2 Cups whole wheat flour
1 1/2 Cups brown sugar
2/3 Cups plain yogurt (I didn't have any on hand and substituted Daisy brand sour cream...it only has one ingredient: milk, unlike most brands which have all kinds of crap in them)
2 eggs (I use vegetarian fed eggs where the chickens haven't been fed antibiotics)
1/2 cup canola oil
1 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
2-4 super ripe bananas

Mix until well blended.  Pour into 2 greased 8x4 loaf pan or 1 9x5 loaf pan.  Bake at 350 for 50-60 mns (8x4) or 60-80 mns (9x5).  Cool for 15 mns.
My 8x4 loaves were pretty short, so I would probably go for the 9x5 pan next time.  

Welcome

Hey, welcome to this food blog.  I think I didn't set it up right, because it may be under my password?  Can someone help me out?   Also, I added some links that I like and are relevant to my area.  Add links that you want or think are relevant.