Classic Coleslaw

Just a basic but delicious coleslaw. I love it on pulled pork sandwiches, alongside a variety of different main dishes, and as an afternoon snack. The sweetened onions and vinegar give it an extra burst of flavor, while the mayo keeps it creamy.

1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1/4 cup sugar
4 cups shredded cabbage
1/3 cup reduced fat mayonaise
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar (or more, to taste)
salt and pepper

Put the onions in a mesh strainer and rinse well with cold water. Drain completely, then put in a large bowl with the sugar. Let stand 20 minutes.
Add the cabbage, mayonaise, and vinegar, and mix well. Season with salt and pepper to taste

Mexican Oven Fries

I love potatoes in pretty much all forms, and these are no exception.  They are very versatile (use whatever spice you like!) and incredibly simple.  I made these to go with some black bean burgers and my husband and I basically inhaled the whole batch before the rest of dinner was even ready.  

4 red potatoes, scrubbed and dried

2 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp salt

2 tsp Mexican seasoning (or really any seasoning you'd like)

Preheat oven to 400 F

Cut the potatoes lengthwise into 8 wedges each.

Toss in a large bowl with the oil, salt, and seasoning.

Arrange in a single layer in a shallow baking dish lined with foil.

Cook for 20-30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes, until golden brown and easily pierced with a fork.

(Note - I used McCormicks Mexcian seasoning, which includes chili powder, cumin, garlic, and onion)

Winter Vegetable Gratin

This is a perfect side dish for fall or winter.  Sweet potato, purple potato, and carrot, all baked together with shallots, green onions, and a topping of bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese.  Next time I think I might throw some parsnips into the mix too!

(adapted from Super Natural Cooking by Heidi Swanson)

3 tbsp olive oil

4 small shallots, quartered

4 small purple potatoes, thinly sliced

1 yam, thinly sliced

3 carrots, cut into 1/2" slices

4 green onions, cut into 1" lengths

salt and pepper

1/2 cup bread crumbs

1/3 cup parmesan cheese

Preheat the oven to 375.

Heat the oil in a large flame and oven-proof pan.  Add the shallots potatoes, yam, and carrots and cook, stirring, for 15 minutes, until they start to brown a bit.

Remove from the heat, season with salt and pepper, and stir in green onions.

Sprinkle with bread crumbs and about half the cheese.

Bake for about 40 minutes, stirring halfway through.

When the vegetables are nicely caramelized, remove from the oven and sprinkle on the rest of the cheese.

Risotto with Lemon and Scallions

I think I have found my new favorite risotto recipe!  The flavors are so bright and fresh and it is deliciously creamy, like any good risotto should be.  When the days are short and the weather is cold I'm definitely coming back to this recipe.  I think it would be DIVINE served aside some grilled salmon, but I just served it with a green salad.  Either way, it's quite tasty.

(adapted from Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone by Deborah Madison)

4 bunches scallions (yes, 4 - just the white part and an inch or two of green)

1 tbsp plus 1 tsp olive oil

salt and pepper

5-6 cups broth or stock (I used chicken, the original recipe called for vegetable)

1/3 cup finely diced shallot

1 1/2 cups arborio rice

1/2 cup white wine

1/2 cup chopped parsley

8 basil leaves

zest of one lemon

1/3 cup grated Parmesan

Slice the scallions thinly. Cook them in 1 tsp of olive oil until soft, about 3 or 4 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper and set aside.

Put the stock in a saucepan and bring to a simmer.  Keep it simmering as you use it.

Chiffonade the basil leaves and set aside.

Put the remaining tablespoon of oil in a wide pan.  Add the shallot and cook over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring frequently.

Add the rice, stir to coat the grains, and cook for 1 minute.

Add the wine and simmer until it's absorbed.

Add 2 cups stock, cover, and cook until absorbed.

Remove the cover, and add the stock 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly, and waiting until the liquid is absorbed before the next addition.

When the rice is almost finished cooking, add salt and pepper to taste, stir in the scallions, and cook for one more minute.

Remove from the heat, stir in the basil, parsley, and lemon zest, and sprinkle with parmesan before serving.

Penne with Bell Peppers, Capers, and Anchovies

I had no idea how many farms around here grew bell peppers until I noticed them EVERYWHERE on my long bike ride last Saturday.  Seeing all those red peppers at their peak (and still on the plant!) gave me a strong urge to cook with them.  This recipe is great for this time of year - comforting but not too rich, and since I adore capers, I loved it!  Don't let the inclusion of anchovies deter you - they just add another layer of flavor but you don't really taste them.

(adapted from The Glorious Soups and Stews of Italy by Domenica Marchetti)

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 cloves garlic, smashed
1 small red onion, finely chopped
3 red bell peppers, seeded and cut into thin (1/4-inch) slices
1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and cut into thin (1/4-inch) slices
1 teaspoon sweet Hungarian paprika
1/2 teaspoon salt, to taste
4 imported Italian anchovy fillets in olive oil, chopped
1 tablespoon capers, drained and coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon minced flat-leaf parsley
13.25 oz whole wheat penne
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

Directions:

In a large skillet on medium heat, add the oil and garlic. 

Stir in the onion and cook for 5 minutes, until the onion is shiny and softened. 

Add the sliced peppers and cook, stirring frequently, over medium to medium-high heat for 10 minutes. 

Add the paprika and salt. 

Cover the pan and reduce heat to medium-low, simmering gently for about 15 minutes or until the peppers are tender but not mushy. 

Uncover and stir occasionally to prevent the peppers from sticking to the pan. 

Add the anchovies and capers, stirring to combine well. 

Increase the heat to medium-high and add the vinegar. 

Cook for another minute or two, then remove from the heat and add the parsley. 

Reheat on low when the pasta is almost cooked.

Meanwhile, in a large pot over medium-high heat, bring salted water to a boil. 

Add the penne and cook according to package directions, taking care not to overcook it. 

Drain the pasta, reserving about 1 cup of the cooking water, and return the pasta to the pot.

Spoon about three-quarters of the sauce into the pasta and toss well to combine. 

Add a tablespoon or two of cooking water, if necessary, to loosen the sauce. 

Divide the pasta among four shallow bowls and spoon a little of the remaining sauce over each portion. 

Sprinkle with cheese, if desired. 

Serve hot.

Indian-Spiced Roasted Potatoes

I bought some mustard oil a few months ago when I started doing lots of Indian cooking, but somehow I never got around to using it.  My husband found this recipe and we both LOVED it.

This is a great side dish to serve with Indian food, when you want a change from rice.  I made them really spicy with lots of cayenne but you could definitely leave it out entirely if you wish.

(adapted from Vegetarian Resource Center)

1 lb small red potatoes, quartered
2 tbsp mustard oil (or vegetable oil)
2 teaspoons cumin seeds
1/4 teaspoons ground asafoetida
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons amchur (ground dried mango)
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or to taste)
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
Lime wedges and fresh mint to garnish

Preheat oven to 400 F
Heat mustard oil in a skillet over high heat then add cumin seeds and ground asafoetida (there will be splatters!)
Add potatoes and cook stirring for about 2 minutes, or until they change color and begin to look opaque but not translucent.
Lower heat and add the rest of the spices stirring well until blended together.
Transfer the pan to the oven and bake for about 20 minutes, or until potatoes are brown and tender.
Great served with cucumber-mint raita!

Roasted Broccoli

  Roasting must be the best thing that ever happened to vegetables.  It transforms even frequently despised vegetables into tender morsels replete with flavor far beyond what they ever had when they were raw.

  

  I didn't know broccoli could be so good (and I even enjoy raw broccoli).  I just tossed it with some grapeseed oil (olive oil would be great too), salt, and pepper, and sprinkled it with lemon juice as soon as it came out of the oven.  And, as you can see in the picture, it makes a nice accompaniment to macaroni and cheese.

(adapted from Eating Well)

4 cups broccoli florets
2 tablespoon grapeseed oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper
Juice of half a lemon

Preheat oven to 450°F.
Toss broccoli with oil, salt and pepper.
Place on a large baking sheet (not air-insulated) and roast until the broccoli is tender and blackened on the bottom, 10 to 12 minutes.
Sprinkle with lemon juice and serve immediately

Israeli Couscous with Pistachios and Apricots

I would like to take a moment to tell you about one of the best cookbooks I have ever picked up.  Veganomicon by Isa Chandra Moskowitz and Terry Hope Romero is PHENOMENAL.  Seriously.  I'm not vegan...I'm not even vegetarian, but the amazing recipes keep me coming back for more, even with nary an animal product in sight.  If you have any interest at all in eating a healthy diet, you should seriously consider taking a look at this book!  The recipes are creative and flavorful, and use lots of great ingredients you might otherwise not cook with.

Okay, I've put away my soapbox.

This recipe was my first introduction to Middle Eastern Couscous, which is a big version of the couscous you are probably used to.  I like it so much I don't know if I'll go back to the small stuff!

2 tbsp vegetable oil

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 cups Israeli (or Middle Eastern - the package might say either one) couscous

2 1/2 cups water

1 cinnamon stick

1 tsp ground cumin

1/4 tsp ground cardamom

black pepper

1/2 tsp salt

zest from 1 lime

1/4 cup chopped fresh mint

1/2 cup chopped dried apricots

1/2 cup pistachios

juice from 1/2 lime

Preheat a large heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-low heat. 

Place the garlic and oil in the pan and saute for 1 minute

Add the couscous, raise the heat to medium, and stir pretty constantly for 4-5 minutes; the couscous should start to toast.

Add the water, cinnamon stick, cumin, cardamom, pepper, salt, and lime zest.

Raise the heat and bring to a boil.

Once the mixture is boiling, lower the heat again to as low as possible and cover.

In 10 minutes, most of the water should have been absorbed.

Add 2 tbsp of the mint, and the apricots, pistachios, and lime juice.  

Stir, cover again, and cook for 5 more minutes.

At this point, the water should be thoroughly absorbed.

Remove the cinnamon stick, fluff the couscous with a fork, garnish with the remaining mint, and serve.

Recipe Exchange: Curried Egg Salad

Egg salad was not my favorite food for quite a long time.  I just didn't see anything really appealing about it.  Then I tried a curried egg salad recipe from 101cookbooks.com.  I decided egg salad was okay in my book, after all.

When this recipe exchange came around (with the theme of "Keepin' It Real" - quick and easy recipes), I was SO EXCITED to find this recipe in my inbox.  It was delicious - I loved the inclusion of green onions, and it was a perfect lunch smeared on some naan.  The only thing I changed was using nonfat plain yogurt in place of mayo, because it lightens it up a lot, but if you like mayo, definitely use it!

Curried Egg Salad
12 hardboiled eggs, peeled and coarsely chopped
3/4 cup mayo
1/4 cup chopped scallions
1 1/2 tsp curry powder
salt and pepper to taste

1) In medium bowl combine eggs, mayonnaise, scallions and curry powder.
2) Season with salt and pepper.

Cucumber Yogurt Salad

I got this recipe from my dear friend and neighbor, Brigitte.  She always has really good Middle Eastern recipes, and this is no exception.  A delightful and refreshing side, it is perfect with a multitude of main dish options.  

1 large garlic clove crushed in 1 tsp salt

about 8 fresh mint leaves

1 quart plain yogurt

1 English cucumber or 2-3 Persian cucumbers

Mash the garlic with the salt and chop the mint, then mix together in a bowl.

Add the yogurt, blending well.

Peel and cut the cucumber in half lengthwise, then slice them in thin half-rounds.

Fold in the cucumber.

Healthy mashed potatoes

I love mashed potatoes (I put ketchup on mine, people think that's weird), but I don't love the pounds of butter and cream that are usually in them.  These have no butter at all, and they taste awesome.  I was too lazy to roast garlic to mix in, so I used a little garlic powder instead and they were still really good.  I happen to have a pot of fresh chives in the kitchen, so I used those, but this recipe would still be just fine with only salt and pepper.

This was also the first time I used my potato ricer.  I love it!

makes 3-4 servings

1.5 lbs potatoes (I used small white ones, but Yukon Golds are great!)

3 cups unsalted chicken broth (vegetable broth would work too)

3/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

pinch garlic powder

2 tsp chopped fresh chives

Cut the potatoes in quarters and put in a large saucepan. 

Add the broth, and boil for about 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender.

Drain, reserving the broth.

Put the potatoes through a potato ricer (or just mash them up), and beat in about 1/2 cup of broth with a wooden spoon. Add a little more broth if needed to make the texture creamier.

Stir in the salt, pepper, garlic powder, and chives.

Taste, and adjust seasonings if necessary.

Yam sticks

There are a few reasons to love yams:  they are low in fat, a good source of fiber and vitamins, and they are a nice pretty orange color to top it all off.

Some people prefer their yams mashed up with butter and sugar and topped with mini marshmallows, but I will take these tasty baked yam sticks over that sugary mess any day!

Insanely simple, and also healthy, these are ready in about 20 minutes and are great alongside sandwiches or perfect as a snack on their own.  

1 yam 

cooking spray

salt

nutmeg

Preheat the oven to 425 F.

Wash and dry the yam (you know where they grow...best to clean them up first!)

Cut the yam into sticks (the thinner they are, the faster they will cook).  Try for uniformly sized pieces.

Spray a pan (I used an old cake pan, you could also use a baking sheet) with cooking spray.

Arrange the yams in a single layer.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring or flipping the pieces every five minutes.

Remove the pan from the oven, put the yam sticks in a bowl, and sprinkle with salt and freshly grated nutmeg.  I love the salty sweet combo, but if you just want the sweetness, use only the nutmeg.

Simple Thai cabbage stir fry

I had an entire head of cabbage in the fridge and wanted to try out a new recipe for stir-frying it.  I was making a Thai soup for dinner, so I turned to my favorite Thai cookbook for ideas.  This one is quick, simple, and complements a wide variety of Thai dishes very nicely.

adapted from Thai Cooking from Siam Cuisine Restaurant

1 head cabbage, core removed and leaves cut into thin strips or bite-sized pieces

2 tsp vegetable oil

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tbsp yellow bean sauce (available in Thai or Asian markets - look for the one in the jar, not the bottle)

1 tbsp oyster sauce

1 tbsp golden mountain sauce (available in Thai or Asian markets - substitute soy sauce if necessary)

1 tsp sugar

Stir together the oyster sauce, golden mountain sauce, and sugar in a small bowl

Heat large skillet over high heat.

Add oil, and when it is hot, add the garlic and yellow bean sauce.

Cook, stirring, until just golden brown.

Add the cabbage and stir fry until wilted slightly.

Pour in the sauce/sugar mixture.

Stir fry for another minute or two, until the sauce is evenly distributed and the cabbage is crisp-tender.

Smoked Eggplant (Baingan Bartha)

This dish is great comfort food, and is pretty simple to make.  I first tried it at an Indian restaurant and fell in love with the smoky flavor and creamy texture.  I serve it over basmati rice, but it would be great with naan too.  If you are new to cooking Indian food, this is a great place to start!  The quantities here make enough for 2 hungry people, but it would be easy to make more. Normally, this would include some chopped tomatoes added after the ginger, but I didn't have any tomatoes on hand.

1 eggplant

vegetable oil

2 tbsp ghee

1 medium onion, chopped

2 tbsp chopped fresh ginger

pinch cayenne pepper (or more, if you like spicy food!)

1/2 tsp salt

2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro

Grill your eggplant.  Rub all over with a little vegetable oil, then either place over a foil-lined gas burner or on a grill.  Rotate every few minutes, until all the skin is black and charred and the eggplant is soft (10-15 minutes).

Remove the eggplant from the burner or grill and cool.

Scrape off all the skin, then mash the pulp (seeds included) in a bowl using a potato masher or wooden spoon.

Heat the ghee in a medium skillet over medium-high heat.  

Add the onions and saute until golden brown, 7 or 8 minutes.

Add the ginger and cayenne and cook for about a minute, then add the eggplant puree and salt.

Cook, covered, for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent it from sticking.

Remove from heat, spoon over rice, and garnish with cilantro

Yellow Squash Saute with Lemon and Thyme

Summer squash and zucchini are ubiquitous at the farmers market right now.  I bought a bunch last week, intending to grill them over the weekend.  However, between meals out with friends and quite a bit of baking, I just never got around to it.  

Last night I was going through the refrigerator and found some fresh thyme.  I decided that would be nice in a yellow squash saute and put this recipe together.  You could easily double it and use one zucchini and one yellow squash, to add contrast.  If you don't have shallots, you can use onion, but I love their more delicate and subtle flavor.

Yellow Squash Saute with Lemon and Thyme

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 large clove garlic, minced

2 tbsp chopped shallots

1 large yellow squash, sliced lengthwise in half, then cut into 1/4" slices

2 tsp chopped fresh thyme

sea salt

pepper

juice of one lemon

Heat the oil in a frying pan over high heat

Add the garlic and shallots and cook, stirring, for 1-2 minutes, or until just beginning to brown

Stir in the squash slices and season with sea salt and pepper

Saute 2 minutes, then add the thyme and cook until squash is crisp tender

Taste and add more salt if necessary

Transfer to a serving bowl and sprinkle with lemon juice