Tuscan White Bean Quesadilla with Balsamic Glaze

On Friday I'm always looking for a quick and easy dinner and this couldn't be simpler.  You can make the white bean spread from scratch or doctor up your favorite white bean hummus.  The key to this quesadilla is to make sure that the bean mixture is firm so that it is easy to cut.  

 

Top with a marinated salad of cherry tomatoes, arugula, capers and kalamata olives or eggplant capanata and drizzle with balsamic glaze. 

Ingredients:

1 can cannellini beans, rinsed, drained and dried really well with a towel
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, diced small
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp dried Italian seasoning, or 2 tsp fresh herbs (rosemary, thyme, oregano, fennel), minced
Pinch crushed red pepper flakes
1/2-1 tsp grated lemon zest
Kosher salt and pepper to taste
Whole wheat tortillas
1 package Daiya Havarti Wedge Cheese, shredded
Balsamic Glaze
Tomato-Caper-Olive Arugula Salad

Method:

• Saute onion, garlic and Italian seasoning and red pepper flakes until soft.
• In a food processor, process beans until mostly smooth, adding 1 tbsp of bean fluid or water.
• Remove bean mixture place in a bowl and stir in onion mixture and season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Add shredded cheese, bean mixture to tortilla and saute until golden brown. 

• Cut into wedges and garnish with balsamic glaze and salad.

Happy Friday!  


    

Lentil Shepherd's Pie for Two

On Sunday afternoons my husband and I used to head over to our local British Pub to watch the game, drink a couple of Harps and indulge in pub fare.  He always ordered bangers and mash, or fish and chips and my favorite was shepherds pie!  I cringe now thinking about how unhealthy we were eating. So now we still enjoy going to the pub, but we come home and I make our own favorites. 

You can make shepherds pie with tempeh, seitan, TVP or just veggies, but I like using lentils.  Lentils are full of fiber, iron and protein and are good for the heart!  My favorite lentils to purchase are black beluga or French green lentils because they hold their shape during cooking.  But my local market didn't have any and so I purchased the brown lentils instead.  When cooking brown lentils don't follow the directions on the package and cook for 25-30 minutes because you will end up with mush.  I bring four cups of water to a boil, stir in 1/2 cup lentils, bring to boil again, remove from heat, cover and let sit for 20 minutes--they are perfect every time!

Look past my dirty oven (it gets used quite a bit) and see the ramekins bubbling in the oven, almost ready to come out.  I add peas to the mixture, but I also like adding more when I pull them out of the oven for color and freshness.  For the mashed potatoes, you want them to be stiff especially if you are going to pipe them into a design.  If they are too loose they will spread out and deflate while baking.  I used 3 medium sized organic russet potatoes, mashed with Earth Balance butter and cashew cream (see below) and nutritional yeast for a cheesy flavor.  Finally, garnish with fresh parsley or chopped chives.

Brown Stock/Sauce:

4 oz cremini mushrooms, sliced

1 small onion, sliced

3 cloves garlic, smashed

1/2 cup red wine

1 tbsp tomato paste

2 sprigs fresh thyme

1 sprig fresh rosemary

1 bay leaf

4 whole peppercorns

4 cups vegetable stock

Salt and pepper to taste

Method:

• Brown mushrooms and onions in a sauce pan with 2 tbsp olive oil, add garlic and red wine and reduce until wine is almost gone
• Stir in tomato paste and all all other ingredients and cook on medium for about 30 minutes until reduced by half and dark brown and rich in flavor
• While sauce is cooking start lentils (see above), drain and set aside

Ingredients:

4 oz cremini mushrooms, sliced
1/3 cup of small diced carrots
1/3 cup of small diced celery
1/2 cup of small diced onion
4 cloves of garlic minced
1 tbsp fresh thyme minced
2-3 tbsp vegan Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp Earth Balance Butter melted with 1 tbsp flour to create thickening paste
2 tbsp cashew cream (1/2 cup soaked cashews, drained with 1 cup water, blended in a high speed blender until smooth)
1 cup cooked lentils (see above)
1/2 cup frozen peas (plus more for garnish)
Kosher salt and black pepper to taste
Chopped fresh parsley or fresh chives for garnish

Method:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees
• Add olive oil and mushrooms to a medium sized sauce pan and cook until brown
• Add carrots, celery, onion and garlic and cook until soft
• Strain brown stock/sauce into pan pressing on solids to release all the juice and add cooked lentils and stir to combine
• Depending on how thick the sauce is you may need to add the beurre manie (butter and flour mixture to thicken--I whisked in about 1 tbsp)
• Add cashew cream and salt and pepper to taste
• Just before filling ramekins stir peas into mixture
• Make mashed potatoes (see above) and pipe on top of mixture
• Bake until bubbling about 20-25 minutes
• Garnish with peas and chopped herbs and enjoy along with a cold Harp beer or a glass of red wine!  And don't forget to turn on the game! 

Spicy Noodle...The Sogo Tofu Way

There is a vegan tofu restaurant, well it's not really a restaurant but more of a carry out place near my house.  They make all of their tofu handmade from scratch and they have everything from fresh tofu, to fried bean curd, to tofu skins, to textured protein, you name it--probably 50 different varieties of tofu and dishes which you can choose from.  And it's all organic!  No one speaks any English but you walk in and point to all the dishes you want and they wrap them up to go--in huge portions!  I usually stop in there once a week when I don't feel like cooking and one of my husband's favorite dishes is the "Spicy Noodle".  It is made with four ingredients:  noodles, housemade textured soy protein, edamame and spicy chili oil.

There is no way that I can walk into a restaurant and try a dish without coming home and making it and putting my own spin on it.  I got this trait from my mom.  Whenever we would go out to eat, or over to someone's house she would come home and make the dish and it was better than the one we tried.  And I have to say Sogo Tofu that my dish is more flavorful, but what you do with tofu at your shop is amazing and I'm so glad that you're in my neighborhood!

Ingredients:

1 lb whole wheat spaghetti pasta, cooked and drained
1 cup Bob's Red Mill Textured Vegetable Protein, re-hydrated and drained really well pressing on the solids through a fine mesh strainer
1 to 1-1/2 cups Islands Teriyaki Sauce (I like this teriyaki sauce the best)
1 cup frozen, organic edamame beans, thawed
Spicy chili oil to taste--a little goes a long way--but I like it spicy  (I purchase mine from Sogo Tofu, but you can easily find a jar of Spicy Chili Oil at an Asian market or regular supermarket)
1/2 cup green onions sliced on a bias

Note:  You may want to add more or less teriyaki sauce and edamame once you toss the pasta all together--especially if you let the pasta sit for awhile because it will absorb the sauce.  This dish can be served hot, room temperature or cold.

Method:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook pasta according to package directions.  Drain, rinse and drain again, and place in a large bowl
• Re-hydrate textured vegetable protein and drain really well and put in pasta bowl
• Stir in teriyaki sauce, thawed edamame and chili oil to taste
• Plate and garnish with green onions and serve with extra sauce if needed

I served my Spicy Noodle with a side salad of pickled watermelon radish, bokchoy, green onion and cilantro!    

Spicy Chickpea & Sweet Potato (Aloo)

You can tell that it's the end of the month and the end of my grocery budget.  Not that this dish couldn't be served and enjoyed anytime during the month, but it's a great dish to serve when you're cooking from your pantry.  I had all the ingredients (dried chickpeas, tomato puree, Indian spices, quinoa) in my pantry and so I only needed to purchase one large sweet potato, which cost me a whopping $1.70.  Normally I wouldn't be close to overspending for the month, but I traveled back east to visit my family and I always end up spending more trying to stock their pantry with healthy ingredients.  But just because this is a budget meal doesn't mean that it lacks flavor and certainly not nutrition.  One serving of this dish is packed with Vitamin C, Beta-Carotene, Lycopene, Potassium, Fiber and Protein!  I should be eating this more often--everyone should!  Good for the budget and good for your health!

I served the aloo over yellow quinoa, but brown basmati rice, or whole wheat couscous would also be good to soak up the flavorful sauce.  For the tomatoes, I used Pomi crushed tomatoes, but they are really expensive, but since they were already in my pantry I didn't need to spend the money.  If it were summer and the tomatoes were bright red and juicy I would just blanch them to remove the skins and grate them for the sauce.   Also, this is another oil-free dish--there's so much flavor that you don't any processed oils.

Ingredients:

1 tsp grated ginger
2 garlic cloves minced
1 tsp whole cumin seeds
1 tsp ground cumin
1 1/2 tsp ground coriander
3/4 tsp cayenne pepper (more or less depending on taste)
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 tbsp dried fenugreek leaves
1-2 small whole green Thai chilies, halved or quartered
2 cups tomato puree
2 1/2 cups filtered water, (more or less depending on consistency)
1 large sweet potato or yam, diced into 1/2-1" pieces (about 3 cups)
2 cups cooked and drained chickpeas or garbanzo beans
Kosher salt and black pepper to taste
1/4 cup minced cilantro leaves

Method:

• Soak 3/4 cup of chickpeas overnight and then cook until tender.  Drain and set aside. 
• In a large sauce pan, over medium-low heat, add whole cumin seeds and cook for about 1 minute until fragrant.  Add 1/4 cup water, grated ginger and garlic and cook for a couple of minutes until soft.
• Stir in other spices and chilies and then add tomato puree and 2 cups of water.  Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer.
• Next add the diced sweet potatoes and season to taste with salt and pepper.  Cook on medium-low heat until sweet potatoes are just tender, adding more water if necessary.
• Finally add cooked chickpeas and heat through and season with salt and pepper if necessary. 
• Garnish with minced cilantro and serve over grain of choice.

Spicy Black Bean Tacos with Chipotle Crema

These mini tacos are just too good!  My husband and I had like nine each for dinner on Friday night and then finished off the rest for lunch on Sunday.  I made the corn tortillas from scratch and you can really taste the freshness of the corn--so much better than the store bought version! 

For the spicy black beans and brown basmati rice, I cooked both the rice and the beans with an adobo spice blend.  I make all my own spice blends and I made this quite some time ago.  I don't remember the exact recipe ratio but it contained:  paprika, ancho chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, coriander powder, cayenne pepper, dried oregano and salt and pepper.  If you don't want to go through the trouble of making your own spice blend then you can just use 1-2 tbsp chili powder or a taco seasoning blend.  Also Mexican markets carry an already pre-made adobo spice blend, but I find it to be a little bland.

I then made my own roasted tomato salsa, guacamole and a red and green cabbage salad with cilantro and lime juice.  I topped off the tacos with a cashew chipotle crema made with blended cashews, sun-dried tomato paste, paprika, garlic powder, chipotle powder, lime juice and salt and pepper.

I could eat these everyday--so healthy and delicious! 

Green Lentil Curry with Cilantro-Lime Basmiti Rice

For my New Year's resolution I gave up eating anything out of a can to avoid BPA residue in my food and in my body.  So I decided to give making coconut milk a try and I've got to tell you, I don't think that it's worth the effort.  I purchased a regular coconut (perhaps I should of purchased a young Thai coconut instead) because it was really difficult to open and to remove the flesh.  I really liked the coconut water and used it my smoothies, but the milk made from the flesh, not so much.  However, I do believe that it is 100% healthier for you if you make it from scratch, and so I decided to give it another go, but this time I purchased unsweetened, naturally dried organic coconut flakes and soaked, blended and strained the milk.  It was simple and it had the consistency of lite coconut milk you purchase in a can, but tasted so much better!

Ingredients:

1 cup brown basmati rice, rinsed
1 cup French green lentils, rinsed
3-4 organic Roma tomatoes, blanched, skins removed, grated
1 cup low-sodium vegetable stock
1 1/2 cups lite coconut milk (see recipe below)
1 tsp grated fresh ginger
1 clove minced garlic
1-2 tbsp Madras curry powder (depending on taste)
1-2 tbsp agave syrup
2-3 tbsp lite tamari sauce or Bragg Liquid Aminos
2-3 cups organic baby spinach
Juice of 1 lime, divided
2 tbsp minced cilantro
1 tbsp coconut flakes

Method:

• Cook rice according to package directions.  Remove from heat and let sit 10 minutes.  Add the juice of 1/2 lime and 1 tbsp minced cilantro.  Fluff with a fork, keep warm and set aside.
• Cook lentils in plenty of water for 15 minutes until tender.  Drain and set aside.
• In a large sauce pan, add tomato puree, garlic and ginger and cook for a couple of minutes.  
• Stir in curry powder, tamari, agave and vegetable stock.  Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes for flavors to combine.
• Add coconut milk, lentils and spinach and heat through until spinach is wilted.  Season with salt and pepper if necessary and add the remaining lime juice.
• Spoon lentil curry mixture over rice and garnish with minced cilantro and dried coconut flakes.

Coconut Milk

1 cup organic naturally dried unsweetened coconut flakes
2 cups hot filtered water

Method:

• Place coconut flakes in a bowl and cover with hot water.  Let sit for 30 minutes for coconut to soften.
• Add coconut mixture to a blender and blend on high until creamy.
• Strain milk through a fine mesh strainer to remove solids.
• Makes 1 1/2 cups lite coconut milk.

If you don't want to use dried coconut then you can make it the hard way using a whole coconut.  It's the same process of soaking the flesh of the coconut, but you have to grind it in a food processor first, then soak and strain it.

A Single Serving of Good Luck

I've always considered myself a lucky person and there's not a day that goes by that I'm not reminded about how fortunate I am.  But I really lucked out when I met my husband 28 years ago.  He's definitely one of a kind.  So here were are on New Year's Eve and he's watching the Boston U and Notre Dame ice hockey game and I place a bag of black-eyed peas in front of him and ask him to count out 365 (well 366 because it's a leap year) for our New Year's day dinner.  He didn't complain, especially since I was interrupting his ice hockey game, but more importantly he doesn't think I am nuts for asking him to do this.  So we both sat there in front of the TV counting out black-eyed peas to bring us good fortune and good luck during the new year.  Very fortunate indeed...

Now, I'm sure you are aware of this folklore or superstition from the south that eating black-eyed peas on New Year's day will bring you good luck for the coming year.  And it's usually in the form of a dish called Hoppin' John; but I wanted to make something that was a little fresher and lighter.  So as the story goes...you should eat one black-eyed pea for each day of the year.  The peas represent coins, the collards represent green money, and the cornbread represents gold, (which I decided not to make because I want to eat healthy).  Also, for additional good luck you are supposed to place a coin under the pot while cooking the black-eyed peas and a coin under each dinner plate while eating.  Well, I forgot this part and so hopefully, counting out the peas has us covered for the entire year.

I was not born and raised in the south.  I grew up in Maryland which is considered a boarder state, but I did grow up eating black-eyed peas and collard greens.  However, I never quite understood why everyone cooks the crap out the peas, as well as the collards.  Most recipes call for cooking the peas for 1-1/2 hours and for braising the collards for that amount of time as well.  I do not find eating mushy beans/peas or army green collards very appealing and so this is a really quick and healthy dish that can be made in 30 minutes.

Unfortunately, New Year's day has come and gone, but you can still get all the health benefits from eating black-eyed peas, farro and collards anytime, and that is what's really important!

Black-Eyed Pea and Farro Salad:
(Single Serving of Good Luck)

1/2 cup black-eyed peas (or 363 for the remainder of the year...:-), soaked for four hours, rinsed and cooked until tender, about 18-20 minutes, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup pearl farro, cooked for 20 minutes until tender, rinsed and drained
1/2 organic red bell pepper, seeded and diced small
2 green onions, finely chopped
1-2 tbsp Italian flat leaf parsley, minced
Sea salt and black pepper to taste
Chipotle-Maple Vinaigrette (below)

Chipotle-Maple Vinaigrette 

1 tbsp Bragg Apple Cider Vinegar
1 tbsp filtered water
1/2 tsp Dijon or spicy brown mustard
1/4-1/2 tsp ground chipotle powder (more or less to taste--I like it spicy)
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp pure maple syrup
Sea salt and black pepper to taste

For the organic collard greens, I sliced them into thin ribbons, rinsed them and steamed them for about 1 minute until bright green.  I then tossed them with a little lemon juice and sea salt and black pepper.   Just delish and so healthy!!!

Mexican Pozole Soup

As you can see I'm still on my soup kick.  Soup is perfect for December when you're really busy running around shopping and it's cold outside.  And it has been really chilly in the Bay Area this past week.  It's also inexpensive and nutritious.  I was going to make udon soup but hubby wanted pozole.  I've never been a big fan of pozole because I don't like hominy--it's a texture thing for me.  But this soup has so many other textures with the addition of pinto beans and the cabbage salad that I don't mind the hominy.  Also, I love the flavor and color of this soup from the dried chilies--really looks festive with the brick red broth and bright green salad. 

Ingredients: 

6-8 dried New Mexico Red chilies, depending on size, stemmed, seeded, soaked

2 dried Ancho chilies, stemmed, seeded, soaked

1 dried Chipotle chili, optional, stemmed, seeded soaked

3 cups filtered water

1 14 oz can diced tomatoes

1 medium yellow onion diced small

1 green pepper, seeded, diced small

2 tbsp minced garlic

3 cups low-sodium vegetable stock, or more depending on consistency

1 tsp ancho chili powder

1 tsp coriander powder

1 1/2 tsp cumin powder

1 1/2 tsp Mexican dried oregano

3/4 cup dried pinto beans, soaked overnight, cooked until tender, or 1 14oz can rinsed

1 28 oz can white hominy, drained

Kosher salt and black pepper to taste

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Tapatio Hot Sauce, optional

Method:

• Bring water to a boil, remove from heat, add dried chilies, cover and soak for 30 minutes until tender.
• Place chilies and liquid in blender and blend on high until smooth.  If you don't have a high-speed blender such as a Vita-Mix, you may need to strain the mixture.
• Add diced tomatoes, and blend on high again.  Set aside.
• In a dutch oven or stock pot, add olive oil and saute onions and garlic for about 5 minutes until onions are soft.
• Add green peppers, spices, chili/tomato sauce, vegetable stock and salt and pepper to taste.  Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook for about 30 minutes for flavors to combine.
• Add pinto beans and hominy and cook until heated through for about 5-10 more minutes.  Reason with salt and pepper if necessary.
• Ladle into bowls and garnish with cabbage/radish salad.

Cabbage & Radish Salad:

1 1/2 cups thinly shredded green cabbage

1/4 cup thinly sliced red radish

1/2 avocado, finely diced

1-2 tbsp finely minced jalapeno

2 tbsp fresh mint, cilantro or parsley

Juice of 1 lime

Kosher salt and black pepper to taste

Cajun Gumbo with Farro, Black-Eyed Peas & Kale

Gumbo's are normally made with a roux consisting of oil and flour that is slowly cooked until it develops a deep chestnut color.  The purpose of the roux acts as a thickening agent for the gumbo.  I don't find roux's to be very healthy and so I don't use them in my cooking.  I prefer to thicken my gumbo's the natural way using a starchy grain such as farro perlato or hulled barley.  Another option is to use okra or filé powder to thicken the gumbo--but I'm not a big fan of these either.  Also, I like a spicy gumbo and so I make my own Cajun seasoning blend.  If you purchase Cajun seasoning in the store, read the label and choose a brand that does not contain salt, or make sure that salt is listed at the bottom of the ingredient list.  Some brands are just too salty and can ruin your soup.  You can always add more heat, but you can't remove salt.

Ingredients:

1 medium yellow onion, diced small
1 organic green pepper, diced small
1 cup organic celery, sliced 
1 tbsp minced garlic
2 tsp Cajun seasoning (more or less to taste)
1 14 oz can tomato puree
1 14 oz can diced tomatoes
1 bay leaf
10 cups low-sodium vegetable stock
1/2 cup black-eyed peas
1 cup farro or hulled barley
4 cups organic chopped kale or collard greens, stems removed, washed
1/2 cup cut blanched green beans or okra, optional
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Louisiana Hot Sauce, optional

Method:

• Using a dutch oven or stock pot, add olive oil, onion and garlic and cook for about five minutes until onions are soft.
• Add Cajun seasoning, tomato puree, diced tomatoes, bay leaf, vegetable stock and bring to a boil.
• Add black-eyed peas and reduce to a simmer and cook for about 10-15 minutes.
• Bring soup back up to a boil and stir in farro, green pepper, celery, salt and pepper to taste and stir to combine.
• Reduce heat and simmer soup for 30 minutes until farro and black-eyed peas are tender.
• Just before serving, add chopped kale and green beans/okra, if using and heat through for about 3 minutes until kale is wilted.
• Remove bay leaf before serving and serve with Louisiana Hot Sauce. 

Portobello Mushroom Fajitas with Spicy Mojo Sauce

Mojo sauce first originated in the Canary Islands and migrated to the Caribbean Islands, Cuba and the Southern region of the United States.  There are a lot of different flavored Mojo sauces--some are red, seasoned with paprika, others are green due to the large amounts of cilantro and parsley, but I prefer the Cuban version made with sour orange and lime juices.  The high acidity of the sauce pairs really well with the earthiness of the portobello mushrooms.  In addition to the freshly squeezed orange and lime juices, I added minced garlic, cumin, cilantro, olive oil and chipotle adobo sauce for a smokey flavor and a spicy kick.

I garnished my fajitas with charred roasted tomato salsa, guacamole and cashew sour cream.  For a side dish I made re-fried pinto beans seasoned with minced onion, jalapeno, chili powder, cumin and cilantro.  

These portobello fajitas were probably the best fajitas I've ever eaten.  The combination of flavors and textures were amazing!

Italian White Bean Soup with Herbed Croutons

Do you ever go to the Farmers' Market or grocery store without having any idea about what you're going to purchase or make for dinner, but when you get there you want to buy everything?  Well I went to the Farmers' Market on Saturday morning and just grabbed whatever looked good, which was really hard because everything looked good!  Also my husband has been asking me to purchase purple cauliflower for quite a long time now and so this soup is for him.  If you can't find purple cauliflower, white or orange will work just as well.  Actually, a soup or entree made with a combination of all three colors would be really beautiful!  Also, I used Rainbow Swiss Chard in this soup, but you can substitute green kale, or Cavolo Nero (Italian black kale) if you can find it at your market.

Below is a photo of my Farmers' Market shopping spree.  It's only Tuesday and I have just about used up all of my produce.  I've made a strawberry-lime sorbet, heirloom-tomato sandwiches and numerous green smoothies.  Lucky for me we live in the Bay Area and there is a farmers' market just about everyday of the week, all within a short driving distance from my home.

Whole Wheat Croutons:

4-5 cups cubed artisan whole wheat bead, crusts removed and sliced into 1-2" cubes
1 tbsp minced fresh rosemary
1 tbsp minced fresh thyme
2 tbsp minced garlic
1 tsp dried oregano flakes, crumbled
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and black pepper to taste

Method:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
• In a large bowl whisk together herbs, vinegar and olive oil, and add diced bread cubes.  Toss to coat and season with salt and pepper.
• Place on a sheet tray and bake for about 20-30 minutes until golden brown and crunchy.  Toss croutons frequently for even cooking and to prevent burning.

Soup Ingredients:

1 medium yellow onion, diced small
2 tbsp minced garlic
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 sprig fresh rosemary
1 bay leaf
1 head purple cauliflower, broken into small pieces and roasted
2 cups fresh green beans, stems removed and cut on a 2" bias, blanched
2 cups cooked cannellini beans
6-8 cups vegetable stock
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and black pepper to taste
2 tbsp finely minced fresh basil leaves

Method:

• Turn up oven temperature to 400 degrees.
• Toss cauliflower with 1 tbsp olive oil, salt and pepper and roast for about 15 minutes until crisp-tender and lightly charred.  
• In a large pot or dutch oven, heat 1 tbsp olive oil and saute onions and garlic until soft.  Add crushed red pepper, rosemary sprig, bay leaf, 6 cups of vegetable stock and season with salt and pepper to taste.  Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer.
• Add drained cooked cannellini beans and simmer for about 30 minutes for flavors to combine and soup to thicken slightly.
• While soup is cooking, blanch green beans for about 2-3 minutes in salted boiling water and rinse under cold water.  Drain and set aside.
• Just before serving add in chard, green beans and cauliflower and heat through.  Add more veg stock if needed and check seasonings.
• Ladle into soup bowls and garnish with croutons, fresh basil and a drizzle of olive oil if desired.

 

Tuscan White Bean & Roasted Tomato Sandwich

Do you know how some people like to sit around and people watch...well, I'm a grocery cart watcher.  It always amazes me what people purchase at the grocery store.  For the most part American's eat incredibly unhealthy and you can see it by standing in the checkout line of any grocery store.  I think I actually shocked the checker when I placed my ingredients on the conveyor belt because he commented that I must eat really healthy and he wished that he did more often.  And here I am walking around the store stressing about my Ciabatta bread purchase because it wasn't sprouted whole grain!  Anyway, the rest of the ingredients (cannellini beans, tomatoes, broccolini and arugula) make up for the fact that I used white bread.  Because you can't make an authentic Italian sandwich without Ciabatta!

Oven Roasted Tomatoes:

8 large ripe Roma tomatoes, sliced in half lengthwise
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 tsp minced fresh rosemary leaves
1 tsp minced fresh thyme leaves
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Course sea salt and black pepper to taste

Method:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• In a large bowl, toss tomatoes with garlic, herbs, salt and pepper.
• Place tomatoes on a baking rack positioned over a sheet tray and roast for about 1-1/2 hours until lightly charred and most juices are absorbed.
• Remove from the oven and let cool for about 15 minutes before removing skin.
• Slice into 1/4" strips, set aside.

Cannellini Bean Spread:

1 cup dried cannellini beans, soaked overnight drained and cooked until tender (or you can substitute 1 can, rinsed and drained
2 tbsp minced garlic
1 tsp minced fresh rosemary leaves
1 tsp minced fresh thyme leaves
1 tbsp minced parsley
1/2 tsp lemon zest
Juice of 1/2 lemon or more to taste
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Method:

• In a small saute pan over low heat, add olive oil, garlic, herbs and saute for about 3-4 minutes until garlic is soft.  Be careful not to let the garlic brown, stirring constantly.  
• Place cooked cannellini beans in a bowl, and mash with a fork or potato masher.  I used a pastry cutter.  You want the beans to have some texture.
• Stir in olive oil mixture, lemon jest, lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste.
• Chill for about an hour for flavors to combine.

Sauteed Broccolini:

1 bunch broccolini, remove about 1/2" of the bottom stem and slice large stalks in half lengthwise
2 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
2-3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Method:

• Fill a medium sauce pan with filtered water, add 1 tbsp kosher salt and bring to a rapid boil.
• Add broccolini and cook for about 1 minute, remove and place in an ice bath to set color.  Drain and dry on a paper towel.
• Heat a saute pan on medium heat, add crushed red pepper flakes, broccolini stalks, garlic, salt and pepper and saute for about 3-4 minutes until crisp-tender.
• Remove from pan and place on a cutting board and roughly chop, set aside.

Other Ingredients/Assembly:

1 loaf ciabatta bread
2 cups organic baby arugula or wild rocket
1/2 cup balsamic vinaigrette (1/2 tsp minced garlic, 1/4 tsp minced shallot, 1 tsp Dijon mustard, 1 tbsp agave syrup, 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar, 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil and kosher salt and black pepper to taste.
Fresh lemon juice
Crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

Method:

• Cut ciabatta in half and toast for a couple of minutes in the oven or in a toaster oven.
• Drizzle both sides with a little vinaigrette and place the cannellini bean spread on both sides.
• Add the sliced roasted tomatoes to one side of the bread.  Toss the broccolini and arugula with a little balsamic vinaigrette and add to the other side.
• Finish with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and more crushed red pepper flakes if desired.

 

Jamaican Jerk Tofu Kebabs with Mango Salsa

I have never been to Jamaica, but I've been to the American and British Virgin Islands on several occasions.  The Islands are beautiful and when vacationing there you always think how wonderful it would be to own a home on a Caribbean Island.  But one word..."Hurricane" pushes that thought right out of my mind.

I grew up in Maryland and I remember two hurricanes/tropical storms that hit the Mid-Atlantic states, Agnes in 1972 and David in 1979.  Agnes was more severe of the two because of wide-spread flooding, but I remember David all too well because a telephone poll crashed through our condo window where we were vacationing in Ocean City.  So watching Irene roll up the coast over the weekend brought back a lot of memories, especially since I have family who still live in Maryland.  It's weird though, but whenever I go back to visit during the summer months I always want to experience thunderstorms.  I love it during late-afternoon when it's really humid, and the sky gets dark, the wind picks up and the rain starts coming down.  But then, about an hour later as the storm passes, the sky is beautiful with no humidity.  Reminds me very much of the Islands.  But thunderstorms and hurricanes/tropical storms are very different and I'm thankful that my family is safe and only experienced large trees falling over and blocking their driveway.      

So thinking so much about hurricanes over the past week got me craving some Caribbean cuisine and so I decided to make Jamaican Jerk Marinated Tofu Kebabs with Coconut Basmati Rice and Mango Salsa.  The only thing missing from the meal was a strong rum punch and of course an early-evening thunderstorm.

Jerk Marinade:

1 lb organic extra-firm tofu, drained and pressed to remove excess moisture
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and minced
4 green onions, chopped
1 tbsp minced ginger
1 tbsp minced lemongrass
1 tbsp ground allspice
1 tbsp dried thyme leaves
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp ground cayenne pepper
2 tbsp agave syrup, or brown sugar
1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice (about 2 oranges)
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lime juice (about 3 limes)
Filtered water if necessary to thin
1 tbsp olive oil

Method:

• Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
• In a small sauce pan, add olive oil and saute green onions, jalapeno, ginger and garlic until soft, about 4 minutes, being careful not to burn.
• Add mixture to a food processor or blender, along with all the other ingredients and blend until smooth.
• After tofu has been drained and pressed, cut into 1-2" squares and marinate for about an hour.
• Shake off excess marinade and bake tofu on a sheet tray for about 30 minutes until firm, turning frequently.

Coconut & Kidney Bean Basmati Rice:

1 cup basmati rice, rinsed until clear and soaked
1 1/2 cups red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 yellow onion, minced
2 tsp minced garlic
2 tsp minced lemongrass
1 tsp salt
3/4 tsp ground turmeric
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/4 cup coconut milk
1 1/2 cups filtered water
2 tbsp minced cilantro
2 tsp olive oil
Note:  I would normally make this with brown basmati rice, but I only had white in my pantry.  If you use brown, your cooking time will be 35 minutes instead of 15-20.

Method:

• Rinse rice until water is clear and soak for about 15 minutes.  Drain rice but measure out 1 1/2 cups of the soaking liquid and set aside.
• In a sauce pan, add olive oil and saute onion, garlic and lemon grass until soft.
• Add soaking water, coconut milk, rice, salt and black pepper.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer covered for 15-20 minutes.  Remove from heat and let stand for 10 minutes before fluffing with a fork.
• Rinse and drain beans and add them to the rice, along with minced cilantro.  Set aside and keep warm.

Mango Salsa:

1 ripe, but firm mango, peeled, pitted and diced
1 tbsp minced jalapeno
2 tbsp minced red onion
1 tbsp minced cilantro
Juice of 1 lime
Kosher salt and black pepper to taste

Method:

• Combine all ingredients together in a bowl and chill for about 1 hour for flavors to combine.

Other Ingredients/Assembly:

1-2 organic red bell peppers, seeded and chopped into 1-2" pieces
1-2 red or yellow onions, chopped into 1-2" pieces
Extra virgin olive oil for roasting
Kosher salt and black pepper
Wooden skewers
Cilantro leaves and lime wedges for garnish
Note:  If I had a grill pan, I would assemble the skewers and then grill them, but since I don't I tossed the veggies in oil, salt and pepper and then broiled them until lightly charred.  I then assembled the kebabs alternating, tofu, peppers and onions and then warmed them slightly in the oven before serving over the coconut rice with mango salsa.