Category Archives: VEGETARIAN RECIPES

SPINACH AND MUSHROOM WILD RICE PILAF

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Recently I have become totally obsessed with finding healthy side dish recipes. So I can’t begin to tell you how delighted I am to share this recipe with you today. And who better to share my obsession with, than a captive audience sitting in front of a computer screen? (I figure you wouldn’t be visiting my site unless you too weren’t hungry (so to speak) for new and exciting ways to prepare healthy and delicious dishes.)

So, a couple of days ago I was at our local Bartells. (For those of you who live outside the Seattle area, Bartells is a local drug store chain.) And whenever I go to Bartells for legitimate drug store items, such as makeup, I always peruse the middle isle for packaged foods that are featured at a discounted price.

This last visit I found great prices on flavored almonds and Lundberg rice products. So I bought two packages of their wild rice blend.

When I got home I immediately went on line and visited the Lundberg site for recipe ideas. And this recipe literally jumped off the screen and onto a word document before I even knew what hit me. It is gluten free (if you use GF tamari), vegetarian, and full of nutritious ingredients. What can be better than that? Well the fact that it’s absolutely delicious sure doesn’t hurt either!

So however you want to approach this recipe, as a delicious side dish or as a healthy side dish, you’re 100% covered.

So hurry up and read the recipe and get thee to the grocery store if you need ingredients, or straight to the kitchen if you don’t, and build your family a side dish that comes with its own PhD. (P-painless to prepare, h-healthy, D-delicious) And thank you Lundberg for both the lovely wild rice blend and the recipe. (Sorry for the slight modification.)

  • ¾ c. dried mushrooms* (shiitake, chanterelle, porcini) cut or broken into small pieces
  • 1 c. very hot water
  • 1 c. combination wild and whole grain brown rice (or Lundberg Wild Blend)
  • 1¾ c. vegetable broth (I use Better Than Bouillon Vegetable Base)
  • 1 T. olive oil
  • 1 med. onion, finely chopped
  • 2 c. fresh button mushrooms, halved and thinly sliced (about 8 medium mushrooms)
  • 6 garlic cloves, minced
  • 6 oz. spinach, stems removed and rough chopped
  • 1 T. gluten-free tamari soy sauce
  • 1/8 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
  • ½ tsp. kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • ¼ c. sliced green onions or chives, garnish

*if you don’t have dried mushrooms, use another 2 cups of fresh button mushrooms

Place dried mushrooms in a bowl. Add the hot water and set aside. Meanwhile, in a medium sauce pan, bring the broth and rice to a boil. Cover with a tight fitting lid, reduce heat to a low simmer, and cook for 45 minutes. Remove from heat (with lid on) and let steam for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and sauté the onion until translucent. Add the fresh mushrooms and cook until softened; stir in garlic and cook 1 minute more. Drain the re-hydrated mushrooms and add to the pan along with the spinach; cook until spinach just starting to wilt. Stir in the tamari, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper.

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Gently fold mushroom-spinach mixture into cooked rice and garnish with green onions or chives.

THE BREAKFAST SCRAMBLE

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So what I really need to ask myself is – why am I writing up a recipe, a version of which half the population already prepares on a regular basis? Well, that’s an easy question to answer, even for me! If only half the population knows about scrambles; that leaves the other half that doesn’t have a clue. And believe me, I was part of the clueless masses ‘til a couple of years ago when my sister-in-law Katie fixed a wonderful and quick vegetarian scramble for us one morning.

I had just made an appearance and was sitting at the counter drinking my first cup of coffee, when she started the unbelievably quick process that led to absolutely delicious scrambled eggs. So here I am, half awake (have I mentioned before that I am NOT a morning person) watching Katie prepare this masterpiece. What, she wasn’t setting the sautéed vegetables aside while she washed the pan? She wasn’t then adding more butter and carefully cooking the egg mixture to a certain point, then tenderly placing the cooked veggies and a smidge of cheese on half of the eggs, folding the other half ever so gently over the veggies and cheese, then placing the pan in a pre-heated oven to finish cooking? What had just happened here? She had created a mock omelet without the time involved and bother necessary to create the “real thing”. I was not only dumbfounded; I was hooked!

So of course, the first morning we were home, I fixed us a wonderful scramble and have been dishing up scrambles ever since. FYI: scrambles take about a quarter of the time to prepare as an omelet, but still include all the same ingredients and flavor. Now granted, scrambles aren’t as pretty or as showy as an omelet, but its breakfast y’all. Who the heck cares if the eggs are beautiful? Scrambles are both delicious and nutritious, on the table in no time flat, and they aren’t cold cereal!

And just so you don’t think I’m a complete culinary moron, I had previously added cooked ham or bacon to my scrambled eggs, but never thought to add veggies such as spinach, mushrooms, or basil. And yes, I had been going through all the steps of making the perfect omelet as referenced above, but I must admit, not very often. A wonderful omelet is a joy and a delight, but it takes time to prepare. And frankly, more time then I normally want to spend fixing food to break our fast.

Below is the recipe for the scramble I prepared yesterday morning. The eggs, milk, salt, and pepper mixture is simply the base for many, many variations you can make using ingredients that your family loves and/or you happen to have on hand. Feel free to sauté bacon or sausage, or add veggies such as onion or red bell pepper, greens such as baby kale, herbs such as fresh thyme or parsley, or your favorite cheese. Almost any combination will work beautifully. And frankly, my scrambles are never the same twice. However, the one I made yesterday morning was particularly delicious, and all the better because it was meatless. So, I may even look up this recipe next time I scramble to get breakfast on the table. Good morning! Breakfast’s ready!

  • 4 eggs
  • 2 T. milk or half & half
  • ¼ tsp. seasoned salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 T. butter
  • 4 mushrooms, halved then thinly sliced
  • 3 slices zucchini or other summer squash, chopped
  • 3 sliced green onions
  • 1/3 c. chopped fresh spinach
  • ¼ c. grated sharp cheddar cheese
  • 7-8 fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced (chiffonade)

Whisk together the eggs, milk, salt, and pepper. (The start to any scramble.) Set aside. Melt the butter in a small non-stick frying pan. Add the mushrooms and fry until browned. Add the zucchini, cook for about a minute and add the green onions and spinach. Stir fry until the spinach starts to wilt. Reduce heat to low. (Never cook eggs over high heat!) Add the egg mixture and cook until the eggs are almost set, lifting the cooked egg mixture from the bottom of the pan to the top. This step allows the uncooked egg to gravitate to the bottom of the pan and also get cooked. (If there is any sign of brown, your heat is too high.) Stir in the cheese and basil. Finish cooking and serve immediately.

 

 

SPLIT EMMER FARRO AND WILD RICE PILAF

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OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAI found this recipe on the Bluebird Grains Potlatch Pilaf package. (Say that three times in a row for your daily tongue twister teaser!) Anyway, like I started to say, I found and prepared this dish (made a few minor changes here and there), loved it, and I am very excited to share the recipe with you.

Now I know that some of you are not in the habit of buying packages of grain and grass seed* except for the ones found in the bird-food section of your grocery store. But I’m going to ask you to put on your big kid pants, conquer your fear of growing feathers and wanting to fly south for the winter, and give this organic, healthy, protein rich, and GMO-free product a try. Plus, for all you locavores**, the farro is grown in the upper Methow Valley of Eastern Washington. (That’s local enough for this locavore!) The organic wild rice unfortunately is not grown locally. But I’m sure that doesn’t surprise you one little bit since Washington isn’t known for its wild rice production. (We leave that distinction to Minnesota, the land of 15,000 lakes.)

So, regardless of where the grains were raised, and despite the fact that we don’t really know whether the grains were lovingly tended and exposed to classical music as they were growing up***, all of us could profit from a few more healthy grains like farro and wild rice in our diet. So, fly to your local grocery store (and I mean “fly” figuratively rather than literally), and bring home a grain or two with which you are completely unacquainted. Then give it or them a try. You are going to find that the likes of quinoa, red rice, farro, and wild rice are just delicious. And I can’t overemphasize their nutritional value. Oh I could, but I think I have already nagged said enough on that subject!

For more recipes that feature farro, type “farro” in the search field at the top of the “home” screen.

*wild rice is a highly nutritious annual water-grass seed “zizania aquatica” naturally abundant in the cold rivers and lakes of Minnesota and Canada

**the practice of eating food that is locally grown

***my not too subtle dig directed at the kind of people who carry their need for information on food ingredients and growing conditions to the ridiculous

  • 2 T. extra virgin olive oil
  • 10 button mushrooms, halved and then thinly sliced
  • ¼ c. chopped shallot or onion
  • 1 lg. garlic clove, minced
  • ¼ tsp. kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 tsp. Herbs de Provence (preferably without lavender)
  • 1 c. Bluebird Grains Farm’s Potlatch Pilaf (or ¾ cup farro and ¼ c. wild rice)
  • ¼ c. dry sherry or dry white wine
  • 2 c. vegetable or chicken broth
  • 1/3 c. toasted slivered almonds

In a medium sized covered saucepan, heat the olive oil. Add mushrooms, stirring occasionally until the mushrooms start to brown. Add the chopped shallot and cook for about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for about a minute or until the garlic releases its aroma. Stir in salt, pepper, Herbs de Provence, and the Potlatch Pilaf mix. Stir frequently for about 3 minutes. Add the sherry and cook for about a minute, or until the sherry is evaporated. Pour in the broth, bring to a vigorous simmer, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 40 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand for about 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork and stir in the toasted almonds just before serving.

 

 

PASTA WITH BUTTON MUSHROOM SAUCE

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I know I have told you before, but sometimes a food item, particularly a veggie, can get kind of forgotten in my refrigerator. I think it’s because I am always trying new recipes and I focus on the new ingredients to the shameful neglect of what came before. And that’s exactly what happened when I recently discovered 4 very large button mushrooms lurking at the bottom of my vegetable bin. Poor things; they looked absolutely pathetic just lying there, stem side up in their very own blue polystyrene container from Costco. So what to do with these mushrooms? The frugal cook in me just could not throw them to the Gods of yard-waste. They simply did not deserve that fate! And although I know that mushrooms lose their potency over time, they weren’t slimy, so I considered that good enough.

But then, what to do with them? Well, the same thing I almost always do with an ingredient that needs to be surrounded by compatible flavors to make it more enjoyable. I make a pasta dish.

So that’s exactly what I did, and the recipe below is the result. And all hubris aside, this recipe is very, very good. Easy too! And vegetarian, if you use vegetable stock, which is my first choice for this pasta. (The dish actually tastes a lot like a meatless beef stroganoff.)

So if you need an easy recipe for a weeknight pasta dish your entire family will enjoy, pick yourself up some button mushrooms and put some pasta water on to boil. But remember: don’t cook your pasta ahead of time. If need be, make the sauce wait for your freshly cooked al dente pasta.

You know, now that I mention cooked pasta, I should provide you with my own guidelines for what I consider to be perfectly cooked pasta.

So for those of you who were not born knowing the fine nuances surrounding perfection in pasta cooking, I have listed the steps below. For those of you who already know how to cook perfect pasta, or were born with the knowledge, (like that could ever happen), just ignore my well thought out, well written, and helpful instructions!

  • 1 T. extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 small shallot, minced
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • kosher Salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 8 lg. or 4 very lg. button mushrooms, cut in half and thinly sliced
  • ¼ c. dry white wine
  • ¼ c. vegetable, beef, or chicken stock
  • ½ c. sour cream
  • ¼ c. grated Parmesan cheese
  • 4 oz. pasta, cooked al dente

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the shallot, season with salt and pepper and cook until soft. Add the garlic and cook for one minute. Add the mushrooms and cook until the mushrooms are tender and starting to brown, stirring occasionally, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add the wine and cook until all the liquid evaporates. Add the stock and simmer for one minute. Remove the pan from the heat. Whisk in the sour cream. Drain the pasta, reserving about 1 cup of the pasta water, and add the drained pasta to the sauce. Add the Parmesan. Adjust seasoning. (If the pasta seems too dry, add a small amount of the reserved pasta water.) Serve immediately.

Note: This is the perfect amount for 2 hungry adults. The recipe can be doubled or tripled as needed.

Perfect Pasta:

1)      Use pasta which contains at least some semolina flour

2)      Use a large cooking pot

3)      Add cold water (1 lb. pasta = 5-6 quarts of water) to the pot

4)      Cover the pot and bring the water to a rolling boil.

5)      Add kosher salt (about 1-2 tablespoons per pound of pasta)

6)      Add the pasta all at once

7)      Stir immediately with a wooden spoon to prevent the pasta from sticking together and to the bottom of the pan

8)      Bring the water back to a boil as quickly as possible. Then reduce the heat only enough to prevent the water from boiling over on to your stove top. Do not cover the pan.

9)      Continue to periodically stir the pasta so that it cooks evenly

10)   DO NOT RELY ON THE PACKAGE INSTRUCTIONS FOR ACCURATE COOKING TIME. Taste testing is the only way to know when the pasta is al dente. (Al dente means “to the tooth” in Italian and refers to the fact that the pasta has a slight resistance when you bite into it. The pasta doesn’t have a hard center, nor is it soft.)

11)   If you are using the pasta for a hot dish with a sauce (like this recipe), save about a cup of the cooking water, drain the pasta (don’t rinse) and add it to the sauce and serve immediately. (Or you can place the hot pasta on a plate or in a serving bowl or platter and immediately cover with sauce.)

12)   If you are using the pasta for a cold dish (like my recipe for Shrimp and Macaroni Salad or Tuna Macaroni Salad), drain the pasta and immediately rinse with cold water. (Rinsing the pasta serves to both stop the cooking process and remove the thin coating of starch that can cause it to be sticky when cold. This method also works well for lasagna noodles.)

 

HUMMUS A TUNE MR. C.

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So what is this thing called hummus, and what in the heck is tahini? Those were just 2 of the questions I asked Mr. C the first time he took me to his favorite Middle Eastern restaurant. (Having just recovered from raising and educating about a dozen (or so it seemed) children, I hadn’t had a lot of time or disposable income to go out to any but the most inexpensive of restaurants.) In fact, the only ethnic restaurants I patronized, and then on an infrequent basis, were Mexican, Chinese, or Italian (pizza).

So here I am in a restaurant with this guy I hardly know and he orders some of the best food I ever tasted. Well, I’ll tell you what – his choice of restaurants was one of the contributing factors to my falling head over heels in love. That and the fact that he was pretty darn cute, played the piano, and in casual conversation had mentioned those three little words every girl longs to hear – medical and dental! (He must have been paying attention to one of the comments made by Kaetche, one of the Fabulous Fenderskirts during one of their concerts. She often alluded to the fact that “I love you” was almost passé. What woman really wanted to hear was “medical and dental”.)

Anyway, it was Mr. C who really taught me to appreciate the many delights offered by some of the ethnic restaurants in the Seattle area. And as I discovered fantastic new foods, I would buy cook books (those were the days before internet) and try to duplicate the dishes in my own kitchen. And of course I would try them out on Mr. C. That was almost 24 years ago, and the poor guy is still my number one human guinea pig victim food tester.

But of all the foods I tried early on in our relationship, it was hummus that first captured my taste buds. And since then I must have prepared hummus at least 75 times. It is just a wonderful appetizer, goes beautifully with all kinds of Middle Eastern and Mediterranean food, and is easy and economical to prepare. And all the main ingredients are super foods in their own right.

Garbanzo beans (chickpeas) are full of protein and fiber. (Black beans are good for us too!) Tahini (sesame seed paste) is loaded with copper, manganese, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, iron, zinc, selenium, vitamin B1, and fiber. Garlic is an excellent source of manganese which helps contain essential enzymes and antioxidants that assist with the healthy formation of bones and connective tissues, bone metabolism, calcium absorption, and proper thyroid function. Garlic contains 17% of the daily value of vitamin B6, and 15% of vitamin C, along with goodly amounts of calcium, phosphorus, and selenium. And last but not least, extra virgin olive oil is a monounsaturated fatty acid which is considered a healthy dietary fat.

So next time you want to do your mouth a favor as well as your entire body, whirl up a batch of any one of the three hummus recipes given below. They are all delicious and ever so easy to prepare.

Before I go any further, I would like to share a trick I recently learned about fresh garlic. If you are using fresh garlic in a recipe, but would like to reduce a bit of the “bite”, warm the peeled garlic cloves in a small bowl covered by milk. You only want to warm the cloves in your microwave, not cook them. Then remove the cloves from the milk and slice or mince according to your recipe. You will find that the flavor is still there, but the bite has mysteriously disappeared.

HUMMUS

  • 1 (15-oz.) can garbanzo beans, drained and liquid reserved
  • juice of 1 lemon, or more to taste
  • 1 T. extra virgin olive oil, or more to taste and for drizzling
  • 3-4 T. tahini (either purchased or homemade) – see recipe below
  • 2 cloves garlic, rough chopped
  • dash Sriracha or to taste
  • ¼ tsp. kosher salt
  • 1 tsp. paprika, plus more for sprinkling
  • 2 tsp. finely chopped fresh parsley, garnish, opt.
  • kalamata olives, opt.

In an electric blender or food processor, process the garbanzo beans (also known as chickpeas), lemon juice, olive oil, tahini, garlic, Sriracha, salt, and paprika until smooth and creamy. Add reserved liquid from garbanzo beans if consistency is not as creamy as desired. Add more lemon if not tangy enough or more olive oil if it seems like the hummus needs more depth of flavor. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour. (The hummus can be made up to 3 days ahead and refrigerated. Return to room temperature before serving.) Serve on a flat plate garnished with parsley, a light sprinkling of paprika, a drizzle of olive oil, and a few kalamata olives. Warm pita bread is great with hummus as are Pita Chips (see recipe below).

ROASTED RED PEPPER HUMMUS

  • 1 (15-oz.) can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 roasted red pepper, or more to taste
  • 3- 4 T. fresh lemon juice
  • 1½ T. tahini (either purchased or homemade) – see recipe below
  • 1 small clove garlic, rough chopped
  • ½ tsp. ground cumin
  • dash Sriracha
  • ¼ tsp. kosher salt
  • paprika

In an electric blender or food processor, puree the garbanzo beans, red pepper, lemon juice, tahini, garlic, cumin, Sriracha, and salt. Process the mixture until smooth and creamy. Transfer to a serving bowl and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. (The hummus can be made up to 3 days ahead and refrigerated. Return to room temperature before serving.) Sprinkle with paprika before serving.

SPICY BLACK BEAN HUMMUS

  • 1 garlic clove
  • 2 T. fresh lemon juice
  • 1 T. tahini
  • 1 tsp. ground cumin
  • ½ tsp. kosher salt
  • 1 (15-oz.) can black beans, drained and rinsed
  • ½ fresh jalapeno pepper, chopped
  • 1/8 tsp. Sriracha hot chili sauce (available in almost every grocery store)
  • extra virgin olive oil
  • paprika

Place garlic in food processor; process until finely chopped. Add lemon juice, tahini, cumin, salt, black beans, jalapeno, and Sriracha. Process until very smooth. Place mixture in small bowl, drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, and sprinkle with paprika. Serve with Pita Chips (see recipe below) or I like Stacy’s Simply Naked that can be found at Costco.

Note: I found this basic recipe in Cooking Light. I made a couple of slight modifications, because that’s what I do, but the “bones of the recipe” remain untouched.

TAHINI 

  • 1 c. toasted* sesame seeds (plain old fashioned white hulled sesame seeds)
  • 3 T. extra virgin olive oil, or more if needed
  • half a pinch of kosher salt, opt.

Place the cooled sesame seeds in a food processor. Whirl for about 3 minutes or until the seeds make a crumbly paste. Add the oil and salt; process until you have a smooth, thick paste. Add more oil if a thinner tahini is desired. Store the tahini for up to a month in an airtight container in your refrigerator. Use in any of your favorite recipes.

*place the sesame seeds in a dry skillet over medium heat, stirring often with a wooden spoon. Toast the seeds until they are lightly colored (not brown) and fragrant, about 5 minutes. Cool completely before using.

PITA CHIPS

  • 6 pita breads
  • 1½ tsp. granulated garlic
  • 2 tsp. kosher salt
  • pinch cayenne
  • 1½ tsp. ground cumin
  • 2 tsp. dried oregano
  • 2 T. extra virgin olive oil

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cut each of the pitas into 8 triangles. Combine the granulated garlic, salt, cayenne, cumin, dried oregano, and olive oil in a medium sized bowl. Add the pita pieces and toss well; spread out on a sheet pan. Bake until golden brown and crisp, about 10 to 15 minutes, shaking the pan once during cooking. Cool and serve.

Note: If baking ahead, store in an airtight container. If they get soft, warm then just before serving in a 350 oven for a couple of minutes.

ANGEL HAIR PASTA WITH A BUTTER, SAGE, AND LEMON CREAM SAUCE

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Once in a while I have a stroke of genius. I’m not bragging here, I’m just stating a fact! And when I decided that I needed a simple meatless pasta dish to serve along with a chicken pasta casserole for an upcoming JazzVox pre-concert meal, I thought about one of my favorite pasta recipes – Pasta with Butter and Sage. But as much as I love that recipe (on this site BTW), it is a last minute wonder. And frankly, with as many as 35-40 people coming for a meal at 1:00pm on a Sunday afternoon, I just don’t have the luxury of serving “last minute wonders”. So I thought, how can I basically duplicate the flavors in one of my favorite pasta dishes without the last minute anxiety. (And yes, even though I have been cooking for a crowd for more years than I care to admit, I still suffer anxiety especially when there is a time restraint involved.) Frankly, I don’t know how caterers and restaurant chefs keep their sanity. If I had made a career in the food service, I would probably be serving time in a mental institution and you would not be hearing from me on a cooking blog! But more about this pasta.

Good pasta sauces usually involve multiple ingredients and a lot of time. This sauce has very few ingredients and takes almost no time to prepare. Now granted, this is not a low cal sauce. Anytime one of the ingredients is heavy cream, you know the calorie and fat count are going to be high. But this isn’t an everyday kind of sauce. This is a want to impress my date, about to propose marriage, must impress my in-laws, or desperately need to show my boyfriend’s ex-girlfriend why he chose me over you kind of sauce! So once in awhile, this is the sauce you should make for any of the afore mentioned reasons or just to celebrate being alive. If there ever was a sauce that serves to remind us that life is truly wonderful, this is the one.

And for all you foodies out there who know down to your toenails that Parmesan cheese goes with all foods Italian, this is one time I would recommend against its use. (I know – almost un-American, right?) But this sauce has a really delicate flavor. And although Parmesan is fabulous in a standard Alfredo sauce, it is my belief that the strong hint of fresh sage and lemon in this sauce would be overwhelmed by the addition of Parmesan cheese.

  • ½ c. (1 stick) unsalted butter
  • 10-12 fresh sage leaves, finely chopped (or more to taste)
  • 1 T. flour
  • ½ c. chicken broth or milk
  • 2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
  • 1 c. heavy cream
  • pinch kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 6-8 oz. angel hair or thin spaghetti pasta, cooked al dente

Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat and cook until the butter is a light golden brown; add the sage leaves and remove from heat. Whisk in the flour, return to low heat and cook for about 2 minutes. Whisk in the chicken broth, lemon juice, heavy cream, salt, and pepper. Cook until the mixture is hot and thickened.* Adjust seasoning and add the hot pasta. Serve immediately.

*The sauce can be made ahead of time and gently re-heated just before you are ready to serve.

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KALE AND WILD RICE SALAD

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This is my adaptation of PCCs Emerald City Salad. PCCs recipe calls for half a bunch of kale and half a bunch of chard, half a red pepper and half a yellow pepper, and half a fennel bulb. I don’t like “half a somethings”. As much as possible I like to use the entire pepper, or bunch of green onions or whatever. And that’s because I unfortunately have this unforgivable tendency to forget about “half a somethings” and let them turn to “ish” in my veggie drawer. And I know. You would expect a savvy person like me to have my culinary life better organized. Forget that! I’m as capable as the next person when it comes to forgetting what lies at the bottom of my refrigerator. In fact, I may actually be better at it than any of you. (I know, not something to be proud of.) But enough about my shortcomings and more about this amazing salad.

Mr. C and I first enjoyed this salad at our friend Rachael’s home. She had purchased the salad from her local PCC. Now being the food snob that I am, I assumed that any purchased salad could never taste as good as one prepared at home. What I was forgetting was that the salad came from PCC. PCC knows how to do food right. Of course you pay through the nose for their deli items, but the few I have tasted have been first cabin. And I know they are made with fresh organic ingredients and contain no unhealthy additives.

So before you prepare this salad, should you have any misgivings, go to your nearest PCC, after first hitting your local cash machine of course, and give this salad a try. Then having learned that the salad is absolutely delicious, give my version a try. I promise you won’t miss the chard, or the flavor of both a red and a yellow pepper, or the additional thin slices of fennel. Just don’t not make this salad. It is ever so healthy for you without making you feel like you have had to sacrifice flavor for the pleasurable feeling of virtuosity. I say that’s a win/win situation.

  • 1 c. uncooked wild rice
  • 3 c. salted water
  • ½ c. extra virgin olive oil
  • ½ c. fresh lemon juice
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • ½ tsp. kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 bunch kale, stems removed, cut into bite sized pieces and massaged (see massage instructions below)
  • 1 red or yellow bell pepper, diced (or half a red & half a yellow pepper)
  • 1 carrot, cut into match stick sized pieces
  • 1 fennel bulb, thinly sliced
  • 1 bunch green onions, chopped
  • ½ c. chopped Italian parsley

Bring water to a boil; add rice. Stir. Bring rice back to a boil, cover and reduce heat to simmer. Cook until the water is absorbed, 60 to 65 minutes; remove from heat and let cool. (Or do like I do –use your rice cooker!) While the rice cooks, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and pepper. When the rice is cool, toss it with the dressing. Just before serving, toss the massaged kale, red pepper, carrot, fennel, green onions, and parsley in with the dressed rice. Add salt if needed.

Salad can be made up to 4 days in advance.

Massaged Kale:

Using your fingers, rub the kale until it turns a darker green and when tasted, has lost all its bitterness.

 

 

 

 

EINKA FARRO WITH KALE AND SLIVERED ALMONDS

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I just get so excited when I follow, or as in this case adapt a recipe for a healthy dish and it turns out to be amazingly delicious. And this modified version of Stuart Dietz’s recipe for Einka farro is no exception.

Last evening Mr. C again brought me a package of meat from the freezer that desperately needed to be eaten. His latest effort to clean out the freezer resulted in a package of chicken sausages with spinach and feta cheese. So wondering what would go well with the sausages, I glanced in the pantry for inspiration. After a cursory review of what was available, my eyes lit on my new unopened package of Einka farro. I glanced at the package for recipes, but none were exactly what I was envisioning. So I went on line and found Mr. Dietz’s recipe for Einka Salad with Tuscan Kale & Butternut Squash.

This recipe immediately appealed because I had leftover butternut squash purée in the refrigerator and some kale that was almost as old as I am! I thought I would use the puréed squash as a bed for the farro. However, after tasting the farro, I decided the squash would be better on the side. The farro was delightful in its own right. All I thought it needed was a little crunch. So I quickly toasted some slivered almonds and added them along with the fresh parsley just before serving. The result was a wonderful and healthy new whole grain side dish.

I love it when the stars are in alignment and dishes work out as planned. Just don’t ask me about the other recipe I tried yesterday. It sounded good at the time, but the reality was less than stellar. I love maple flavored sausage links, but they are expensive and contain ingredients (corn syrup and MSG) that I am trying very hard to eliminate from our diet. So I thought I would try my hand at making a maple flavored breakfast sausage. Does the term “stinko” mean anything to you? But I’m not going to let one little defeat get the best of me. Don’t hold your breath, but I am going to continue working on this recipe, because I know I am not alone in my love of maple syrup sausage links. Wish me luck!

In the mean time, put maple flavored pork out of your mind and think healthy. Give this recipe a try!

  • 1 c. whole grain Einka farro* (I use Bluebird Grain Farms brand Organic Whole Grain Einka Farro)
  • 2½ c. water
  • ¼ tsp. kosher salt
  • 2 c. ¼-inch sliced kale
  • 1 T. sherry vinegar
  • 2 T. extra virgin olive oil, divided
  • kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • ¼ c. minced shallot
  • 1½ tsp. finely chopped fresh sage
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 3 T. dry white wine
  • 1/3 c. toasted slivered almonds
  • 2 T. chopped Italian parsley

In a medium sized covered saucepan, add the farro, water, and ¼ teaspoon salt; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer over moderate heat until farro is tender, about 25 minutes. When done, add the kale, cover and remove from heat; let stand until the kale is wilted, about 5 minutes. Drain well and pour back into the pan. Add the vinegar and 1 tablespoon of the oil; season with salt and pepper and toss. Cover and set aside.

Meanwhile, in a medium skillet, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil. Add the shallots and a pinch of salt and cook over moderately high heat until shallot is translucent, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the sage and cook for 1 minute. Add the garlic and cook another minute, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the wine and simmer, stirring, until evaporated. Scrape the shallot and garlic into the pan with the farro and stir to combine. Adjust seasoning. When ready to serve, stir in the toasted almonds and parsley.

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Serve warm or at room temperature.

*You can substitute Emmer Farro for Einka Farro. Use the following cooking instructions if you make the substitution:

Place the water, emmer farro, and a pinch of kosher salt in a covered pan. Place on high heat and bring to a boil. Boil for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for about 35 minutes or until berries are plump and chewy. When the farro is done, add the kale, cover and remove from heat; let stand until the kale is wilted, about 5 minutes. Drain well and pour back into the pan. Continue recipe as written above.

VEGETARIAN THREE BEAN CHILI

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In an effort to reduce the amount of meat, fat, and dairy products in our daily diet, while at the same time increasing the number of beans we consume, I decided to work up a vegetarian chili recipe.

I prepared this chili last night for dinner and both of us thought it was wonderful. The saucy part was very flavorful. The corn actually provided a bit of a crunch and the olives had enough of a different texture as to create a lovely mouth feel. (Not to mention a wonderful taste). Then of course the crisp and pungent bite from the red onion added just before serving – marvelous. And nary a morsel of meat, sprinkling of cheese, or dollop of sour cream to be seen or needed. This chili and a nice piece of cornbread (made with canola oil, not butter) and you have a lunch or dinner that anyone watching their cholesterol would be happy to eat on a regular basis. And did I mention it was really easy to prepare?

So give this recipe a try. Just don’t forget to stock up on “beano” when you purchase the ingredients for this dish. And if you don’t know what “beano” is, suffice it to say you have lived a charmed life!

  • 1 T. olive oil
  • 1 medium carrot, chopped
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 2 celery stalks, chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 can (28-oz.) chopped tomatoes (Italian preferably)
  • 1 can (6-oz.) tomato paste (again – Italian preferably)
  • 2 c. water
  • 1 T. Dijon mustard
  • 2-3 tsp. chili powder
  • 1 tsp. ground cumin
  • 1 tsp. dried oregano
  • 1 tsp. paprika
  • pinch ground cloves
  • 1 tsp. kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 can (15-oz) cannellini, kidney, or chili beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 can (15-oz) black beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 can (15-oz) garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 can (15-oz) whole kernel corn, drained
  • 1-2 cans black olives, drained and halved (I use about a can and a half and munch on the rest later)
  • chopped red onion, opt.

Heat olive oil in a large covered soup pot. Add the carrot, onion, and celery and sauté until the onion is transparent. Add the garlic and cook for one minute. Stir in the chopped tomatoes, tomato paste, water, mustard, chili powder, cumin, oregano, paprika, cloves, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes. Stir periodically. Add the beans, corn, and olives and simmer covered for another 30 minutes. Adjust seasoning. Serve garnished with chopped red onion.

SAVORY GERMAN BREAD PUDDING WITH MUSHROOMS

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This is the second savory bread pudding I have posted to my blog. They are basically very similar. The recipe entitled Wild Mushroom Bread Pudding however has more of an Italian bent to it. For example, Parmesan cheese is one of the ingredients.

This recipe is much more consistent with a dish that would be served in Germany. Both savory puddings are delicious and a wonderful addition to any meal where the starch needs to be a key player but not become a participant in a “who’s the star” battle with the meat. (I hate it when food starts fighting right on my dinner plate.)

This dish can also be served as a vegetarian main dish. The mushrooms provide that toothsome mouth feel that is so necessary to a good vegetarian entrée.

So by all means, give this bread pudding a try. The sourdough bread gives the pudding a special tang, and the truffle oil – OMG, it really puts the mushroom flavor over the top. And as you can see, you only need 1 teaspoon of truffle oil to enhance the entire dish. But please do not be tempted to add more because of the old theory that if some is good, more is better. (I have never been an advocate of that practice.) Truffle oil is very potent stuff. It must be treated carefully and with great respect. (Think approaching a yellow jacket’s nest without appropriate head gear!) Or if you need a cooking analogy, using too much thyme. Not a good thing even though thyme is a lovely herb and used in many wonderful recipes.

And I know some culinary arts experts are saying that truffle oil is passé. Or if it simply must be used, it should only be used as a drizzle. Well to these experts I say – fooey! In my opinion you can take many dishes to a new level of deliciousness with the judicious use of a drop or two of this amazing ingredient.

Wonderful drizzled over scrambled eggs, in vinaigrettes, almost any dish with mushrooms, and the most decadent use of all – over popcorn along with a little salt.

So if you don’t already own a bottle of truffle oil, don’t hesitate to get yourself a bottle at your earliest convenience. In my opinion, white truffle oil is great as an ingredient or a drizzle. I tend to use black truffle oil only as a finishing oil, in much the same way I might garnish a dish with a light sprinkling of Fleur de Sel.

  • 1 c. very hot water
  • ¼ c. chopped dried shiitake mushrooms
  • 2 T. butter
  • 1 medium onion, finely chopped
  • 1 lb. coarsely chopped mushrooms (cremini, shiitake, button)
  • 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
  • ½ tsp. kosher salt, div.
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 c. milk
  • 1 c. whipping cream
  • 3 large eggs, room temp.
  • 1 tsp. white truffle oil (Trader Joe’s carries truffle oil certain times of the year or you can purchase on line)
  • ¼ tsp. dried thyme
  • 2 T. chopped fresh parsley
  • 4 c. packed cubed sourdough bread (1 or 2 day old bread is best for this recipe)

Place hot water and dried shiitake mushrooms in a small bowl. Set aside. Melt butter in a medium sized frying pan. Add onion and sauté until soft. Add mushrooms and cook until golden brown. Add the garlic and ¼ teaspoon salt and pepper; cook for one minute. Remove from heat and let cool. Meanwhile combine milk, cream, eggs, truffle oil, remaining ¼ teaspoon salt, pepper, thyme, and parsley in a large bowl. Gently fold in bread cubes and set aside. Scoop the reserved mushroom mixture into the bowl with the bread cubes. Drain the re-hydrated shiitake mushrooms and add to the mixture. Stir gently and pour mixture into a lightly buttered pan. Bake in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for 45 minutes or until a knife inserted into the middle comes out clean. Serve immediately.

Can be made a day ahead and kept in the refrigerator until about 30 minutes before baking.