Coconut Cashew Stew

I've been messing with it all winter, and I think I have the right combination down now. This stew makes a great main dish. Jamie and I make a pot and live off of it for about four days. It's perfect after riding or walking out in the cold. The apples are delightful (and good for your guts).

You'll need:

2 chicken breasts (cooked and chopped)
4 medium to large apples (I like Fujis)
4 stocks of celery
1 lb. carrots
1 medium to large onion
1 lemon
5 cups chicken broth
1 can coconut milk (ca. 14 oz.)
1 can diced tomatoes (ca. 14 oz.)
2/3 cup long grain rice
1/2 cup raisins
8 oz. cashews
5 tsp curry
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp ground black pepper (this ain't fresh, so you may want to pull back on the amount if you have fresh pepper)

Pour broth and coconut milk in a pretty darn big pot and start heating it on medium. Chop up carrots, apples, onion and celery and add to broth/milk. Juice the whole lemon into the pot. Dump the tomatoes with their juice into the pot. Add rice, raisins and all the spices too. Turn up the heat and bring to a boil while stirring.

Once it boils, reduce heat and let simmer covered for 20 minutes. Finally, add the chicken and the cashews, and its ready to serve (though it tastes better after sitting in the fridge for at least a day).

Makes 8-10 pretty big bowls.


Jamie and I just eat it on its own, but I've been wondering what could make good side dishes with this. If you have any good ideas, please leave them as comments for me! I'd also be interested in any variations anyone finds good (vegetarian, etc.) Thanks.

Roasted Winter Vegetables

My Dad makes roasted veggies all the time.  I love them.  They are so incredibly flavorful and the texture is perfect.  Just chop some veggies, toss in a bowl and coat with olive oil and  sea salt (better flavor than table salt), roast in a 425 oven for about a half hour or until veggies are tender. 

Last night I made this and I discovered how AMAZING roasted cauliflour is.  It was so delicious.  I've only had it boiled, which is good (especially with cheese sauce), but this was ten times better.  It was sweet and nutty and mmmmm.  The brussel sprouts were very good too.  Lucy kept begging for more!?!?!  

So here are my recommendations on what is good and what isn't.

Highly recommended:

Beets (golden and/or red), brussel sprouts, sweet potato, onion, mushroom, cauliflour, squash, parsnips, carrotts, leeks.

Not recommended:

Turnips (I gagged and spit mine out)

Roast them altogether or just pick one if you like. I also chopped up some parsley and fresh thyme and we sprinkled them on at the table along with a little fresh squeezed lemon.  Delicious.  Try it as a main dish with a few noodles or rice for a side dish.   

New Cookbook and Stir-Fried Tofu

For Christmas this year, my good friend Emily gave me a new cookbook:

I love it! I especially love it even more now that I don't have to borrow her copy anymore.

I have been trying new recipes all month (from this and other cookbooks). So far, we have liked every dinner from this book. It is a must have cookbook (thanks again Emily!).

I have always wanted to try tofu, but I just wasn't sure what to make and I really wanted my kids to like it. So, I tried stir fry recipe in the book. It was very good and my kids loved it (they also thought it was chicken, but I still consider it a win). I will definitely be trying more recipes with tofu now. Sorry I don't have any pictures of any of the dinners. I have been out of blogging mode lately and just too hungry and excited to try the food. The food is good, just trust me.

Stir-Fried Tofu & Vegetable Teriyaki

serves 4

2 T. canola oil

1 lb. extra firm tofu (cut into 1/2" thick pieces)

3 scallions, minced

2 c. small broccoli florets

1 c. thinly sliced carrots

1/2 c. fresh or frozen red bell pepper strips

1 garlic clove, minced

1/4 freshly squeezed orange juice (about 1 orange)

1/4 c. tamari (soy sauce)

2 T. toasted sesame oil

1 T. freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 T. light brown sugar

salt & freshly ground black pepper

Heat 1 T. of the canola oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the tofu and cook, turning once, until golden brown, 8-10 minutes. Remove the tofu from the skillet and set aside on a plate.

Heat the remaining 1 T. of oil in the same skillet over medium high heat. Add the scallions, broccoli, carrots, and bell pepper strips, and stir fry until softened, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, add the tofu back into the skillet and set aside while you prepare the sauce.

In a small bowl, combine the garlic, orange juice, tamari, sesame oil, lemon juice, brown sugar, and salt & pepper to taste. Blend well. Reheat the skillet over medium high heat. Pour the sauce over the tofu and vegetables and cook, stirring gently, until the tofu and vegetables are hot and well coated with the sauce, about 5 minutes.

Thai Noodle Salad with Peanut Sauce

Thai Noodle Salad with Peanut Sauce

serves 4

From the book "Quick-Fix Vegetarian" by Robin Robertson

8 oz. dried flat rice noodles or linguine
1 T. toasted sesame oil
1/3 c. peanut butter
2 T. freshly squeezed lime juice
1 T. tamari (soy sauce)
1 tsp. light brown sugar
1/4 tsp. cayenne
1 large carrot, shredded
1 c. grape tomatoes, halved
1 c. frozen baby peas, thawed
1/4 c. minced scallions

Cook the noodles in a large pot of boiling water according to package directions. Drain and rinse the noodles under cold water and transfer to a large bowl. Toss with the sesame oil to coat.

While the noodles are cooking, combine the peanut butter, lime juice, tamari, brown sugar, and cayenne pepper in a large bowl, whisking to blend well. Add a small amount of water if necessary to make a smooth sauce. Set aside.

To the dressing in the bowl, add the carrot, tomatoes, peas, scallions, and the cooked noodles. Toss gently to combine. Serve at room temperature.

Note: Ready-to-use fresh rice noodles may be used instead of dried.
Variation: Don't be afraid to vary the vegetables to what you have on hand.

Ginger Sesame Noodles with Broccoli

Ginger Sesame Noodles with Broccoli

serves 4

From the book "Quick-Fix Vegetarian" by Robin Robertson

2 T. tahini (sesame paste)
1 T. light brown sugar
3 T. mirin (or white cooking wine)
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
1/4 c. tamari (soy sauce)
2 T. water
12 oz. linguine
8 oz. broccoli florets, cut into 1" pieces
2 T. toasted sesame oil
1 T. canola oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 T. fresh or bottled minced ginger
Toasted sesame seeds or gomasio

Put the pasta water on to boil in a large covered pot. In a small bowl, combine the tahini, brown sugar, mirin, and red pepper flakes until well blended. Set aside.

When the water comes to a boil, salt it and add the linguine. Cook the linguine until it is al dente, about 10 minutes. During the last 5 minutes of the cooking time, add the broccoli and cook until just tender. When the noodles and broccoli are cooked, drain and rinse with cold water. Toss with the sesame oil and set aside.

Heat the canola oil in a large skillet or wok over medium heat. Add the garlic and ginger and stir-fry until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the noodles and broccoli and the sauce, and toss to combine and heat through. Server hot, sprinkled with sesame seeds.

Variation: Substitute asparagus, cut into 2" pieces for the broccoli.

This is so yummy and extremely easy. My kids loved it. I haven't tried the asparagus yet, but that sounds good.

Tofu Lettuce Wraps

I was craving lettuce wraps yesterday and looked online and found several recipes for using tofu.  I made a version that sounded fabulous, but though they were good, they weren't wow.  So I need suggestions.  I think the sauce could have used some thickening and I think I should have first baked  or really fried the tofu to give it a bit of a denser texture and crispiness (is that how you do it????).  

Here was what I used, all diced up into little chunks or matchsticks:

Carrots

mushrooms

firm tofu (extra firm would probably be better)

plenty of garlic

shallots and onions (if I would have had more shallots I would have used just them)

scallions

water chestnuts

ginger (fresh)

bean sprouts

First I stir fried the garlic/onion/ginger, then added the tofu, then the veggies and sauce.

for the sauce:

4 TBS lime juice

4 TBS Thai fish sauce

4 TBS tamarin sauce

2 TBS vegetarian version of oyster sauce

2 TBS rice vinegar

1 TBS honey

dash of cayenne (It needed more kick and some cornstarch or something to thicken it)

Toppings:

chopped peanuts

fresh Thai Basil

Sweet Chili Sauce

 

So what do you think would make it more wow?  Any suggestions?

Update:  These were pretty wow reheated for lunch the next day.  Maybe just giving the tofu time to fully absorb the flavor of the sauce is all it takes.

Kitchen Tools

Since my husband is a hands-on experimentalist, he's a firm beliver in using the proper equipment, and being willing to pay top dollar for that equipment when it really makes a difference. So it didn't take me long to figure out that if I referred to some expensive kitchen appliance as a "tool" that it would make my case in his being willing to fund the purchase. And, I have to agree, the proper equipment will make all the difference.

Not that I'm an expert, so I'm hoping to start a discussion here about what things you feel are must-haves for a well-equiped kitchen.

Here are a few of mine:

Quality Knives:
I've found that I can do pretty much 99% of my kitchen tasks with basically just three really good knives and a pair of kitchen shears (and I was happy to tell that to the last college student that came trying to sell knives at my door). My triumvirate of knives is:

Chef's Knife: I feel like you have to start with a good chef's knife, preferably from forged steel and that is really sharp (and that you keep really sharp). It is, by far, the hardest working tool in the kitchen. I took my birthday money one year and got an 8" Wusthof classic chef's knife. I've never regretted the high price tag, and I've even started traveling with it when I know I have to cook in other people's kitchens--I love it that much.

Paring Knife: Here's the second hardest working tool in the kitchen. Again, though, I'd recommend finding a good one. In fact, since they're relatively cheap, I recommend buying two. I've usually got one in the sink from cutting fruit during the day and it's nice to always have a clean one in the drawer for prepping dinner. I was happily surprised to find that last year Target carried a Wusthof 3" knife that I think is fabulous, but I couldn't find any in the store's website when looking tonight. Still, whatever you buy, make sure it's sharp and not flimsy.

Serrated Knife: I use this pretty much for slicing bread only, but it would be hard to live without it.

Microplane Zester: Here's where I feel like the brand makes a difference. Microplane makes a fabulous zester that I use regularly for grating hard cheeses, citrus rinds, whole nutmeg, and fresh ginger. They usually run in the $13-16 range (but you can find one for $10 on sale right now at Sur la Table).

Cast-Iron Dutch Oven: I can't believe I functioned before I had a good dutch oven. I use it for soups, stews, meats, curries, etc...you name it, it seems like everything except pasta and scrambled eggs. I use it both stove top and in the oven. I didn't get good one until just a couple of years ago, since the top-of-the-line Le Creuset dutch oven (at usually around $250) was a bit out of my justifiable range. Then Cook's Illustrated did an issue where they rated dutch ovens and named the Tramontina (carried by Target at less than $60) as a perfectly suitable substitute, and at a fraction of the cost.

I found one at my local Target back then, but when I did an online search tonight I couldn't see that Target carried the Tramontina anymore, but an identical looking one by Chefmate. More online research didn't confirm if this was just a rebranding, but if you are interested, here is an article about finding one of these dutch ovens that may help.

Oxo Vegetable Peeler: You may think that all vegetable peelers are alike, but I've been through a bunch now, from the cheapies to ones that looked promising, and the Oxo peeler is my very favorite. My MIL even asked me to get her one for Christmas this year after she helped me peel potatoes for Thanksgiving. It is the best. You can buy it at places like Williams-Sonoma or Amazon, and is usually around $10.

Cuisinart Food Processor: Again, the brand rules (at least this time it's according to a review of food processor machines in Cook's Illustrated) So I trusted them and got the Cuisinart Custom Pro 11-cup. I haven't been disappointed yet. I love having a food processor for pie crusts especially, but I can't live without it for plenty of other stuff like making pesto, chopping nuts, making bread crumbs, shredding meat, and pureeing sauces. According to Cook's Illustrated, this machine is also fantastic for bread dough.

Subscription to Cook's Illustrated: No surprise as I've referred to this magazine at least a half-dozen times so far. It's made by the people behind America's Test Kitchen on PBS. It is a bit pricey as far as magazine subscriptions go, especially since it's only six issues per year. But this is because there is no advertising within the magazine and so it's solid information on recipes, kitchen equipment, and food products from cover-to-cover. I think that it's such a great investment that it's to the point that I renew my subscription in 3-year installments without even thinking about it anymore.

My secondary list would include: good whisks in multiple sizes, a large saute pan, a basic but hard-working garlic press, and my favorite handmixer is the Braun M880 Multimix--comes with attachements for a stick blender and small chopper that are very nice. As for a blender, since I don't use it for much more than pureeing soups or the occasional milkshake, I've been happy with a super basic cheapie model, so someone else can pipe in here. (Also, I've never owned a mandolin and I've been debating about one, so if anyone has an opinion on this--and which brand they like--I'd love to hear it.)

And I will admit...after many years I have a Kitchen Aid now, and though it's very pretty and very useful, and it seems that recipes are often written with this appliance in mind, I'm not sure I like it better than the Bosch machine that I grew up with in my mother's kitchen. There are pros and cons for me on this issue. Thoughts?

Black Beans and Orzo

I stole this recipe several years ago from our friends, the Marosticas, and it has become a staple at our house ever since. Besides being so delish, it's primary benefit is that is uses stuff that you already have on hand in the pantry, so it's a great fix for the "what can I make for dinner in a pinch" quandry. And, it's the ultimate in, "it's so easy...and the kids just love it." Actually, I love it too. I've yet to do it starting with dried black beans, but I'm sure that it would be even better. Until I can get my act together, we've been using canned beans.

Black Beans and Orzo

olive oil
1 med onion, diced
6 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp cumin seed
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp oregano
1/2 cup salsa (the Pace variety...not a fresh pico de gallo kind)
1 14oz can diced tomatoes
1 14oz can black beans, rinsed and drained.
1/2 lb orzo pasta
grated mozzerella cheese

Heat a Tb or so of olive oil in a saute pan over med-high heat. Cook onions for 4-5 mins, or until onions are soft. Add minced garlic and saute for 1 minute more. Add cumin seed, chili powder and oregano and stir for 30 seconds, or until fragrant. Then add salsa, tomatoes, and black beans. I usually add about a 1/8th cup of water (that I've deglazed the tomato can with) as well. Bring to a boil and then turn to low and cover to simmer. Simmer for 10-15 minutes and then remove lid to simmer for another 10 or so minutes (or until your pasta is ready). Watch the liquid level in the pan as you may need to partially cover the pan if it looks like it's getting too dry.

In the meantime, start the water for your orzo pasta and cook the noodles according to the package directions. Drain.

Serve immediately with sauce over the pasta and top each portion with grated mozzerella cheese (trust me--it sounds strange, I know).

Like most sauces, the longer you can simmer something, the better, but often we serve this as soon as the pasta is ready and it's still tasty enough.

Pad Thai Noodles

I made this for dinner last night and it was delicious.  It serves about 8.

13 oz. bag rice stick noodles

6 cloves minced garlic

1/2 cup minced cilantro

6 scallions chopped about 1 inch lengths

3 Tbs fish sauce

2 Tbs tamarind sauce (or ketchup)

2 tsp sweetner like sugar, honey, or agave nectar

1 cup bean sprouts rinsed

1/2 cup chopped peanuts

2 Thai chilies chopped ( I used a much less spicy Anaheim and it worked fine)

1 pack of firm tofu diced into squares

4 beaten eggs cooked crepe-like (so you have a round egg pancake), rolled, then sliced thin into strips

1. Put noodles in a large bowl and cover with hot water, let soak until ready (about 15 mns), then drain (let them soak while you do the next couple of steps.  You don't want them to sit undrained or they will stick together and be gross).

2. In hot frying pan pour a neutral flavored oil (like corn or grapeseed, not olive oil) and fry up the garlic, tofu, scallions, and half of the bean sprouts for about 3-5 minutes.  Remove from pan wth slotted spoon and set aside.

3. Put noodles, eggs, fish sauce, tamarind, and sweetner in frying pan and mix and fry for about 1-2 minutes.  

4. Mix noodle mixture with tofu mixture, top with peanuts, chilies, cilantro, and remaining bean sprouts.  Serve with lime wedges.  (You could also garnish with fresh sliced cucumbers)

YUM!

Granola

This recipe is based on a recipe I got from Food Matters; A Guide to Conscious Eating by Mark Bittman. If you are like me, cold cereal is handy to have around on school mornings, but just not a good option with all the additives and crap that goes in it. This granola makes a good cereal or a good snack. It is also very flexible and you can add anything you like (or not add as you please). Here are the basics:

5 cups steel cut or old fashioned oats (not instant or quick cooking)
1-1 1/2 cups honey
1 cup chopped nuts (almonds, pecans, walnuts, cashews, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds)
1 cup unsweetened coconut
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. vanilla (optional)

Pour honey over oats and nuts and coat well. Add more honey if desired.
Pour mixture on a baking sheet and cook at 350 for about 20 minutes. Make sure you remove from oven and stir a few times to avoid burning.

Remove from oven and add desired amount of dried fruit (raisins, chopped dates, apricots, cranberries, apples, whatever you like).
(To diminish any health you could even add chocolate like I had in my Museli at a youth hostel in Munich. A long time ago, but that was some yummy cereal!)

When cool put in storage container and enjoy.
You could add flax seeds, whole grain hot cereal, anything you think would add to the taste/nutrition.

For another variation skip the honey and baking and have all of it raw, like Museli.

Some Good Ideas

This great article in the NYTimes by Mark Bittman has some great ideas for eating fresher and healthier in the winter. He talks about stuff to toss out of your pantry and what fresh ingredients to put in. Here is a sample:
OUT Canned beans (except in emergencies).

IN Dried beans. More economical, better tasting, space saving and available in far more varieties. Cook a pound once a week and you’ll always have them around (you can freeze small amounts in their cooking liquid, or water, indefinitely). If you’re not sold, try this: soak and cook a pound of white beans. Take some and finish with fresh chopped sage, garlic and good olive oil. Purée another cup or so with a boiled potato and lots of garlic. Mix some with a bit of cooking liquid, and add a can of tomatoes; some chopped celery, carrots and onions; cooked pasta; and cheese and call it pasta fagiole or minestrone. If there are any left, mix them with a can of olive-oil-packed tuna or sardines. And that’s just white beans.

or how about this:

OUT Bouillon cubes or powder, or canned stock.

IN Simmer a carrot, a celery stalk and half an onion in a couple of cups of water for 10 minutes and you’re better off; if you have any chicken scraps, even a half-hour of cooking with those same vegetables will give you something 10 times better than any canned stock.

or:
OUT Bottled salad dressing and marinades. The biggest rip-offs imaginable.

IN Take good oil and vinegar or lemon juice, and combine them with salt, pepper, maybe a little Dijon, in a proportion of about three parts oil to one of vinegar. Customize from there, because you may like more vinegar or less, and you undoubtedly will want a little shallot, or balsamic vinegar, or honey, or garlic, or tarragon, or soy sauce. ...

Be sure to read through the article; there are tons of good suggestions.  In fact I am going to try Jennette's lentil soup recipe (a new fav with our family) with some prosciutto instead of bacon as per his suggestion.