Tofu Curry

This is a recipe I got from Tasty Kitchen. My family loved it!

6 whole scallions, thinly sliced
1/2 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped
2 Tbls. olive oil
5 tsp. curry powder
1 Tbls. butter
28 oz coconut milk
juice of 1 whole lemon
sea salt to taste
2-3 tsp. sesame oil
15 oz Extra Firm Tofu, patted dry and cut into 1 inch cubes

Heat olive oil over med/low heat in pan. Add curry and scallions, when they are slightly translucent add butter. When bubbling add coconut milk and bring to boil, simmer for 2 mins. Stir in lemon juice and season with salt. (The sauce was not thick enough for me so I brought it back to a boil and added a little corn starch mixed with water.) Stir in cilantro.
In a skillet over med/high heat the sesame oil. When it's really hot add the tofu. Let it brown and then toss to continue browning on all sides.
Serve tofu over rice topped with sauce.

Goat cheese and spinach over pasta

We made this the other day and it's super yummy (if you like goat cheese), fresh, and easy.

Pasta:

5 oz goat cheese

2 cups spinach (or arugula)

1 cup quartered cherry tomatoes

1/4 cup olive oil

2 tsp minced garlic

1/2 tsp black pepper

1/2 tsp salt

8 oz penne pasta

Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling water until al dente. While the pasta is cooking, brown garlic in a little bit of olive oil.

Crumble goat cheese into a large serving bowl. Add spinach, tomatoes, olive oil, garlic, and salt and pepper.

Drain pasta and toss with goat cheese mixture.

Brushetta:

1 French bread baguette

4 large cloves of garlic

1/2 tsp coarse salt

2 Tbsp butter at room temp

1 Tbsp olive oil

2 Tbsp minced fresh flat-leaf parsley

2 Tbsp minced fresh basil leaves

2 balls fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced

4 small tomatoes

2-4 Tbsp parmesan

Cut the baguette in half crosswise. Cut each piece in half lengthwise to form 4 pieces. Sprinkle the garlic with salt and mince (or I'm a slacker and I just put it through the garlic press). Transfer to a small bowl and add the butter, oil, parsley, and basil, and stir until blended. Spread the garlic butter mixture on cut side of bread. Grill the bread, cut sides down, until lightly toasted on a grill or on broil in the oven.

Remove from the grill. Quickly arrange mozzarella on the cut sides of the toast. Return to the grill, cut side up. Cook until bottoms are toasted and cheese warms and softens, about 2 minutes. Remove from grill and top with tomatoes and a sprinkle of parmesan cheese. Serve at once!

Happy Eating!

Quinoa salad

I made this for dinner tonight as a side and loved it. I thought the flavors were perfect together. (though I did omit the tomatoes since they are not in the garden yet.) Tyler - not so much. His only comment was "how many times do I have to tell you I don't like quinoa?" I think anyone who enjoys quinoa will like this simple recipe - plus everything in is it stuff you probably always have on hand.


Warm Quinoa & Broccoli Salad with Carrot-Ginger Dressing


A dash of soy sauce and Asian sesame oil gives this easy to put together salad its unique flavor.
SERVINGS
6
COOK TIME 
20
TOTAL TIME 
32
INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 cups quinoa
3 1/4 cups plus 3 tablespoons water
Salt
1 bag (10 ounces) broccoli florets
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
2/3 cup chopped carrot (about 1 large)
3 tablespoons finely chopped peeled fresh ginger
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar
2 teaspoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons Asian sesame oil
PREPARATION
1. In sieve, rinse quinoa with cold running water. In 3-quart saucepan, combine quinoa, 3 cups water and 1/2 teaspoon salt; heat to boiling over high heat. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 20 minutes or until water is absorbed. Transfer quinoa to large bowl.
2. Meanwhile, place broccoli and 1/4 cup water in microwave-safe medium bowl; cover and cook in microwave oven on high 4 to 5 minutes or until tender-crisp. Drain; add to quinoa in bowl.
3. In blender, combine carrot, ginger, vegetable oil, vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, remaining 3 tablespoons water and 1/4 teaspoon salt; blend until pureed. Add to quinoa, broccoli and tomatoes and toss to combine. Serve salad warm or at room temperature.


Read more: http://www.thedailygreen.com/healthy-eating/recipes/533?click=main_sr#ixzz0mGLNoBs8

Carrot Salad

Carrot salad

This is a revised version of the famous carrot salad from the 70's that was loaded with mayonnaise and sugar. It has a great blend of flavors, is light and both Lincoln and Tyler ate it. Must be a winner.

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf Italian parsley
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1 bag (10 ounces) shredded carrots
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 1 small red onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup slivered almonds, toasted

Directions

Combine olive oil, lemon juice, parsley, mustard, salt and sugar in small bowl.

Combine carrots, cranberries, onion and almonds in large bowl. Add dressing. Cover and refrigerate 2 hours or overnight.

Strawberry-spinach salad

I love this salad in the spring time, but this year I found this dressing and it is such a perfect compliment. I have been using toasted walnuts instead of almonds and they are so yummy!

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
• 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 10 ounces fresh spinach- rinsed, dried and torn into bite-size pieces
• 1 quart strawberries - cleaned, hulled and sliced
• 1/4 cup almonds, blanched and slivered

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the sesame seeds, poppy seeds, sugar, olive oil, vinegar, paprika, Worcestershire sauce and onion. Cover, and chill for one hour.
2. In a large bowl, combine the spinach, strawberries and almonds. Pour dressing over salad, and toss. Refrigerate 10 to 15 minutes before ser

Vegetable Lo Mein

This recipe was very good and pretty easy once you get past the chopping.  I looked everywhere for some good, fresh lo mein noodles (I had some over the summer at the Farmer's Market and have been thinking about them for some time now), but I was unable to find any.  I went to the Super China Market on 90th and about 100 west (right next to the liquor store) to see if they had any.  They did not, but I picked up a huge box of these noodles on recommendation of one of the woman working there. 


They were very good.  They had just enough stick to be able to eat with the chopsticks that we picked up while at the China Market (I have a few chopstick trainers for my kids that I got at Noodle & Co.).  Enjoy! 

Vegetable Lo Mein

Serves 8

This recipe comes to us courtesy of the Renegade Lunch Lady Chef Ann Cooper and her book Lunch Lessons: Changing the Way We Feed our Children. Pasta is always a hit with kids and lomein is no different. Teaching children to eat with chopsticks is great fun and opens the door to discussion of other cultures. For protein, tofu, chicken, or pork make good additions to this dish.

Ingredients

3/4 pound lo mein noodles or whole wheat spaghetti
Sesame oil (start with a small amount)
1/4 cup hoisin sauce
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons canola oil
2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
4 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic (about 3 cloves)
1/3 cup sliced scallions (green onions)
1 cup julienne carrot (2 large)
1 cup thinly sliced celery (1-2 stalks)
1 cup thinly sliced red onion (1 medium)
3/4 cup fresh bean sprouts
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Method

Cook the lo mein noodles in boiling salted water until al dente. Cool. Toss lightly with sesame oil to prevent sticking.

Combine the hoisin and soy sauces in a small bowl and mix well.

In a wok or a large skillet heat 1 tablespoon canola oil and quickly sauté the ginger, garlic and scallions until they release aroma, then add the carrots, celery and red onions and briefly sauté before adding the bean sprouts, about 2 minutes.

In a separate medium skillet, heat 1 tablespoon canola oil and sauté the noodles. When they are hot and look pan-fried or lightly browned, add them to the other sautéed ingredients in the large pan. Add the soy-hoisin mixture and stir to coat. Sprinkle with the chopped cilantro and serve.

Nutrition

As provided in Lunch Lessons: Changing the Way We Feed our Children Per serving: 188 calories (5 from fat), 1g total fat, 0g saturated fat, 0mg cholesterol, 739mg sodium, 43g total carbohydrate (2g dietary fiber, 41g sugar), 8g protein


For a little amusement, read the instructions printed on the box.  My favorite is number 3.

Balsamic Vinaigrette

I have been making my own salad dressing for a while now, but the other day, I was out of half of the herbs that I needed to make the german salad dressing, so I tried out a new recipe. It is now my favorite. So delicious:

Back-to-Basics Balsamic Vinaigrette

MAKES 2/3 CUP

From “Eat, Drink & Be Vegan”

¼ c. balsamic vinegar (see note*)

3 tbsp. pure maple syrup or agave nectar

1 tsp. Dijon mustard

½ tsp. (rounded) sea salt

freshly ground black pepper to taste

1 small clove garlic (optional)

3½4 tbsp. walnut oil (see note*) (I used olive oil)

With a hand blender or in a blender, combine all ingredients except oil

and puree. Continue blending while slowly adding oil until emulsified.

Season to taste with additional salt and pepper if desired.

Other flavorful vinegars can be substituted for the balsamic, including white balsamic, red wine, or sherry vinegar.

Instead of walnut oil, try olive oil or a combination of both, with a touch of wasted sesame oil.

I just realized that I never posted the recipe for the German Salad Dressing on this blog, so here it is:

German Salad Dressing
1 c. cider vinegar
1 c. sugar
1 1/2 T. onion salt
1 T. garlic salt
1/2 tsp. thyme
1/4 tsp. rosemary (crushed)
1/4 T. basil
1/2 tsp. dill
1/2 c. lemon juice
1/2 c. fresh orange juice
Blend in blender

You can blend it with mayo for a creamy salad dressing. I double the recipe and use half for a vinaigrette and the other half mixed with mayo. It's very good on just about anything.

I started experimenting with this because it has so much sugar in it, so I now make it by doubling all of the ingredients, except for the vinegar and sugar.  I only use half the amount of vinegar and then I replace the sugar with honey (about half or so, but I do it to taste).  It's really great on salads, but also on pasta.  This is now a staple in my home to replace ranch dressing.  My kids love it and call it ranch.

Orzo with Roasted Peppers, Olives & Goat Cheese

I have had this recipe for a while and your guess is as good as mine where it came from.  I made it purely out of selfishness because it sounded delicious to me and I knew very well that my husband thinks he doesn't like kalamata olives and that my son doesn't like peppers or goat cheese so much.  Anyway, I was surprised that all of the flavors together really mellowed each other out and it was really quite good.  My kids did not ask for seconds or have it for lunch the next day, but they both finished off their plate without one bit of complaining.  So, that to me = a great recipe.  (FYI-I think I am a little sassier posting recipes when I should actually be in bed)

Orzo with Roasted Peppers, Olives & Goat Cheese

Recipe courtesy Wolfgang Puck, 2004

Prep Time: 20 min

Inactive Prep Time: 20 min

Cook Time: 30 min

Level: Intermediate

Serves: 4 to 6 servings

Ingredients

• 2 red bell peppers
• 2 yellow bell peppers
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for garnish
• 1/2 medium yellow onion, finely diced
• 12 ounces orzo
• 1/4 cup chopped kalamata olives in oil, drained, plus more for garnish
• 3 ounces goat cheese, crumbled
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley leaves, for garnish

Directions

Roast the peppers over the flame of a gas burner, on a hot grill, or under the broiler, until the skin is black and charred. Remove from the heat and place in a large bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit until cool enough to handle, about 15 to 20 minutes. With clean paper towels, wipe off the skin. Remove the stems and seeds and discard. If necessary, briefly rinse under cold water to remove any remaining charred skin. Dice the roasted peppers and set aside.

In a large pot, bring salted water to a boil. Heat a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the onion and cook just until translucent, but not browned, about 5 minutes. Add the reserved peppers and saute for 3 minutes.

Blanch the orzo in the boiling water for 4 to 5 minutes, or until beginning to cook, but still very al dente. Drain the orzo, reserving the pasta water, and add to the pepper mixture. Add 1 cup of the reserved pasta water and cook, stirring, until creamy and the pasta is cooked tender. Finish with another 1/4 cup pasta water if the mixture is too thick. Stir in the olives and goat cheese and mix until the goat cheese is melted. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Thin with pasta water if the mixture is too thick.

Garnish with parsley, olives, and a drizzle of olive oil.

Whole Wheat Crackers

Through Anna's gentle nudging, I am finally getting around to putting the cracker recipe that I love on here.  I got it off of a cooking blog about a year ago and have tweaked it a bit.  I wish I could give credit to the proper source, but I can't.  These are the best crackers though - so yummy and so easy!

Ingredients

1 c whole wheat flour
2 TBS. butter (I often replace this with the same amount of coconut oil)
pinch of salt
1/4 c water

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Put all ingredients except for the water in a food processor. Pulse the processor two to three times to blend. Add the water and run the processor until the dough forms into a ball. Flour a wooden board (I use a pastry mat), dump the dough on it, and roll it as thin as you can. Then bake on a cookie sheet or baking stone.

Bake 15 to 18 minutes. Let cool and cut with a pizza cutter or break into smaller pieces.

You can add any herb or spice or salt that you want.  We usually use kosher salt on top and then eat them with soup.  You can also throw in almost any dried herbs and they taste fabulous.  (If you use fresh herbs, they still taste good, but come out green.)

If you make them with coconut oil instead of butter, they turn out almost the same, just a little softer.  Also, I usually double this recipe and use two large cookie sheets.  They are still gone surprisingly fast.

Cold Rice Salad

I used to make this with chicken. You can if you want. I don't anymore. This is best made in the morning so it can be nice and cold for dinner. I usually like it best on day two, so make it ahead of time if you want.

Lots of crunchy raw veggies (radishes, cucumbers, carrots, celery, peppers, etc.) chopped up. Throw in a green onion if you like them. Mix veggies in with a few cups of brown rice (amount determined by how much your family will eat for dinner), and few spoonfuls of mayo (to taste), a generous amount of fresh squeezed lemon juice (at the least one lemon), a sprinkle of garlic powder, a few grinds of pepper, salt to taste. Sometimes I also add peas. Sometimes I don't.

Easy and delicious.

Oven Baked Lentils and Brown Rice

Surprisingly delicious and easy, this recipe was discovered at Zonya's health bites. She is from PBS. I've never watched her, but my friend told me about this one, and it's a keeper. Best part is it is sooo easy to make. Second best is it is a good pantry meal. Third, it tasted great. Here is her recipe with my adjustments:

2 small onions chopped

2 cloves garlic minced

About 25 ounces Chicken or Veggie broth

1 3/4 cups water

1/2 cup white wine

1 1/2 cups dry lentils, rinsed and picked over for stones

1 cup dry brown rice (not quick cooking)

6 stalks of celery chopped (or however much you want to add)

1 red pepper chopped

1 tsp basil

1 tsp oregano

1/2 tsp thyme

Fresh ground pepper

Mix all ingredients together in large large baking dish, bake at 350, uncovered, for about 90 mins. Mine cooked faster, so make sure you check it.

Andean Bean Stew with Winter Squash and Quinoa

The New York Times strikes again. Yum. I made this tonight. I give it two thumbs up, my husband one thumb up and one down, my kids two thumbs down, but I think that is pretty much the story of everything I make. I think you will give it two thumbs up. And, not only does it taste delicious, if you plan ahead and get the beans going in time, this is a very very easy meal to make.

This savory, filling pot of beans is inspired by a Chilean bean stew and uses quinoa instead of the corn called for in the authentic version. Make it a day ahead for the best flavor.

1 pound dried pinto beans, rinsed and picked over, soaked in 2 quarts water overnight or for 6 hours

Salt

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

1 tablespoon sweet paprika

4 large garlic cloves, minced

1 bay leaf

1 (14-ounce) can chopped tomatoes, with liquid

1 pound winter squash, such as butternut, peeled and cut into 3/4-inch cubes

1/2 cup quinoa, rinsed thoroughly

Freshly ground pepper

3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil or parsley

1. Place the beans and soaking water in a large pot. Add water if necessary to cover the beans by about 2 inches, and bring to a boil. Skim off foam, reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer gently for 60 minutes, or until the beans are tender but intact. Add salt to taste.

2. Heat the oil over medium heat in a large, heavy nonstick frying pan and add the onion. Cook, stirring, until the onion is tender, about 5 minutes, and add the paprika. Stir together for about a minute, and add the garlic. Cook, stirring, for a minute or two, until the garlic and onions are very fragrant but not brown, and stir in the tomatoes and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring often, until the tomatoes have cooked down slightly and smell fragrant, 5 to 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and scrape the contents of the pan into the pot of beans.

3. Bring the beans back to a simmer, add the bay leaf and winter squash, and simmer, covered, for 30 minutes, or until the squash and beans are thoroughly tender. Add the quinoa and simmer for another 20 to 30 minutes, until the quinoa is translucent and displays an opaque thread. Taste and adjust salt. Add a generous amount of freshly ground pepper. Stir in the basil or parsley, simmer for a couple of minutes more, and serve, with cornbread or crusty country bread.

Yield: Serves 6 to 8 generously

Advance preparation: This tastes best if made a day ahead and reheated. The stew will thicken up, so you will probably want to thin out with water and adjust seasonings accordingly. Add the fresh herbs when you reheat. It will keep for at least five days in the refrigerator. It freezes well.

Southwest Black Bean Soup

2 Tbs. olive oil

1 large onion, finely diced

1 red bell pepper, finely diced

2 – 3 stalks celery, finely diced

4 cloves garlic, finely minced

1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and finely minced

1 4-oz. can very finely minced or pureed mild green chilies

1 15-oz. can petite diced tomatoes, drained

1 c. salsa

4 tsp. Penzey’s Southwest seasoning*

2 bay leaves

6 15-oz. cans beans (2 undrained, 2 lightly drained, 2 drained, rinsed and finely chopped)

3 – 4 c. chicken broth

Juice of two limes

Salt and pepper to taste

Hot sauce to taste (optional)

Saute onion, bell pepper and celery at medium-high heat until very soft and slightly caramelized. Add the garlic and jalapeño and sauté for another minute or two. Add the tomatoes, salsa, green chilies, southwest seasoning and bay leaves. Reduce the heat to medium, and cook until reduced, 10 minutes or so. Add the beans and chicken broth and continue to cook until the soup is thick, about 30 minutes (it should have a chilli-like consistency). Add the lime juice, salt and pepper, and hot sauce (if using) to taste.

Serve with chips, lime wedges, cilantro and guacamole.

*Penzey's Southwest Seasoning is a seasoning blend that contains sweet ancho pepper, onion, garlic, black pepper, Mexican oregano, cayenne red pepper, cumin, paprika, chipotle and cilantro.

White Bean Burgers

The New York Times had this recipe in their well column. It sounds delicious. I'm a big fan of black bean burgers, so am excited to give this one a try.

Tomato Tortilla Soup

I got this recipe from from Ellie Kreiger's cookbook, The Food You Crave. It can also be found on The Food Network website. I like my soup to be a little thicker, so I added in a few corn tortillas (cut into strips) while cooking the onions. You can also just add in a handful of tortilla chips instead. You blend it all together in the end, so it doesn't really matter how small or big they are. I also leave out the jalapeno and just add hot sauce to my bowl.

Tomato Tortilla Soup

Prep Time: 25 min
Cook Time: 28 min
Level:Easy
Serves:4 servings, serving size: 2 cups

Ingredients

* 2 (6-inch) corn tortillas (or you can just use chips instead)
* 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon canola oil
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1 small onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
* 3 cloves garlic, minced (about 1 tablespoon)
* 1 small jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped
* 1 teaspoon ground cumin
* 3/4 teaspoon dried oregano
* 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
* 2 (14.5-ounce) cans no salt added diced tomatoes. with juice
* 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
* 1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream
* 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Brush both sides of each tortilla with oil, using 1 tablespoon of the oil. Cut the tortillas in half, then cut each half into 1/4-inch wide strips. Arrange the strips on a baking sheet, sprinkle with the salt, and bake until crisp and golden, about 12 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside.

Heat the remaining 1 teaspoons of oil in a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until onion is soft and translucent. Add the garlic, jalapeno, cumin, and oregano and cook for 1 minute more. Add the broth and tomatoes, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 10 minutes. Stir in lime juice.

Remove the pan from the heat and puree with an immersion blender or in 2 batches in a regular blender until the soup lightens in color but chunks of tomato remain, about 30 seconds. Serve the soup topped with the tortilla strips, a dollop of sour cream, and a sprinkle of cilantro.

Per Serving:

Calories 270; Total Fat 10g (Sat Fat 2g, Mono Fat 3.5g, Poly Fat 2g); Protein 9g; Carb 36g; Fiber 4g; Cholesterol 8mg; Sodium 335mg

Ethiopian-Style Chickpea Stew

I made this for dinner tonight and I loved it. It was so flavorful, filling and very easy to make. We ate it as a stew, but I also think it would be very good served over rice. I found it on the Whole Foods Market website.

Ethiopian-Style Chickpea Stew

Serves 6

Ingredients

1 teaspoon sweet paprika
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
1/4 teaspoon ground fenugreek (optional)
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
2 (15-ounce) cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 medium red onion, chopped
1 (1-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
1 quart vegetable broth
1 pound red potatoes, cut into 1-inch chunks
4 carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
Flatbread

Method

Preheat oven to 450°F. Stir together paprika, salt, allspice, black pepper, cardamom, cloves, coriander, cayenne, fenugreek (if using) and ginger in a small bowl; set spice mixture aside.

Toss chickpeas with a tablespoon of the oil in a large bowl then arrange on a large baking sheet in a single layer. Roast chickpeas, stirring occasionally, until somewhat dried out and just golden brown, 16 to 18 minutes; set aside.

Meanwhile, heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a medium pot over medium heat. Add garlic, onions and chopped ginger and cook, stirring occasionally, until very soft and golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in reserved spice mixture and continue cooking, stirring constantly, until spices are toasted and very fragrant, about 2 minutes. Stir in tomato sauce and cook 2 minutes more.

Stir in broth, potatoes, carrots and reserved chickpeas and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer until potatoes and carrots are just tender, about 20 minutes. Uncover pot and simmer until stew is thickened and potatoes and carrots are very tender, about 25 minutes more. Ladle stew into bowls and serve with flatbread on the side.

Nutrition

Per serving (about 18oz/499g-wt.): 420 calories (80 from fat), 9g total fat, 1.5g saturated fat, 0mg cholesterol, 1600mg sodium, 72g total carbohydrate (11g dietary fiber, 5g sugar), 13g protein