08-25-10
Carrot Rice
As seen on the following webpage: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Carrot-Rice/Detail.aspx?ms=1&prop25=43027191&prop26=DailyDish&prop27=2010-08-24&prop28=CompleteYourMeal&prop29=FullRecipe2&me=1
Makes 6 Servings
Ingredients:
1 cup basmati rice
2 cups water
1/4 cup roasted peanuts
1 tablespoon margarine
1 onion, sliced
1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger root
3/4 cup grated carrots
salt to taste
cayenne pepper to taste
chopped fresh cilantro
Directions:
Combine rice and water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low, cover with lid, and allow to steam until tender, about 20 minutes.
While rice is cooking, grind peanuts in a blender and set aside. Heat the margarine in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in the onion; cook and stir until the onion has softened and turned golden brown about 10 minutes. Stir in ginger, carrots, and salt to taste. Reduce heat to low and cover to steam 5 minutes. Stir in cayenne pepper and peanuts. When rice is done, add it to skillet and stir gently to combine with other ingredients. Garnish with chopped cilantro.
NUTRITION INFORMATION: Per serving: 179 calories; 5 g fat; 1.5 g fiber; 28.5 g carbohydrates; 4 g protein
08-10-10
Toasted Israeli Couscous
Makes 4 Servings
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons lemon-flavored olive oil, plus more as needed
2 cups Israeli couscous
1/4 cup shelled unsalted roasted pistachios, coarsely chopped
2 1/4 cups hot water
Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper
6 dried Turkish apricots, chopped
2 scallions, sliced
Directions:
Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the couscous and pistachios and cook, stirring, until toasted and light golden brown, about 7 minutes. Add the water, season with salt and pepper, to taste, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover, and cook until the liquid is absorbed, about 10 minutes.
Remove the lid, stir in the apricots and scallions, taste, and adjust the seasoning. Transfer the couscous to a serving bowl and serve warm with a little more lemon oil drizzled over the top, if desired.
08-10-10
Wild Rice with Cherries
Makes 4 Servings
Ingredients:
3 1/2 cups good chicken stock
1 cup wild rice, thoroughly rinsed
Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper
1 cup roughly chopped dried cherries
1/2 cup toasted and roughly chopped pecans
1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
Directions:
In a large saucepan, add the stock, wild rice and salt and pepper, to taste. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the rice is tender and is beginning to split, about 30 to 40 minutes. Drain of any excess liquid and fold in the cherries, nuts and parsley. Taste for seasoning and adjust if necessary. Transfer the rice to a serving bowl and serve.
08-10-10
Fennel, Arugula, and Strawberry Salad
Makes 4 Servings
Ingredients:
1 cup white balsamic vinegar
1 large fennel bulb with fronds
3 ounces (about 4 cups) baby arugula
1 cup sliced almonds, toasted
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 pint strawberries, hulled and quartered lengthwise
Directions:
Put the balsamic vinegar in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Cook until the vinegar is reduced to about 1/3 cup and syrupy, about 15 minutes; cool to room temperature.
Remove the feathery fronds from the fennel bulb and chop. Remove the core from the fennel and, using a mandoline slicer or a knife, shave the fennel into very thin slices. Add to a salad bowl along with the arugula and almonds. Drizzle the reduced vinegar over the greens, season with salt and pepper, to taste, and toss until coated. Sprinkle the strawberries and chopped reserved fennel fronds over the top and serve immediately.
08-10-10
Baby Heirloom Tomato and Cucumber Salad
Makes 4 Servings
Ingredients:
1/4 pound country bread, cut into roughly 1-inch cubes
5 tablespoons basil infused olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup aged balsamic vinegar
2 pounds assorted mixed baby heirloom tomatoes
1 cucumber, peeled and seeded, if necessary
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
In a large bowl, toss the bread cubes with 2 tablespoons of the basil olive oil and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Arrange on a baking sheet and bake for 5 minutes, then toss the bread cubes and bake until golden, another 3 to 5 minutes. In a small saucepan, over low heat add the balsamic and simmer until reduced by half.
Cut the smaller tomatoes in half, quarter the medium tomatoes and slice the larger tomatoes. Cut the cucumber, lengthwise in half, and slice it into half moons or dice it into cubes.
In a large serving bowl, mix the tomatoes, cucumbers and remaining oil and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Add the bread cubes and toss. Drizzle with the reduced balsamic and serve.
08-10-10
Stuffed Mushrooms with Spinach
As seen on the following webpage: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Stuffed-Mushrooms-with-Spinach/Detail.aspx?ms=1&prop25=41975730&prop26=DailyDish&prop27=2010-08-06&prop28=CompleteYourMeal&prop29=FullRecipe3&me=1
Makes 12 Servings
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons butter
5 slices bacon
1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach
12 large mushrooms
3 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons finely chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
3/8 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons butter, melted
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Butter a 9×13 inch baking dish with 2 tablespoons butter.
2. Place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Drain, crumble and set aside.
3. Place frozen spinach in a medium saucepan with 1/4 cup water. Bring water to a boil, then reduce heat to medium and cook spinach covered 10 minutes. Uncover and stir. Remove from heat and drain.
4. Remove stems from mushrooms. Arrange caps in the baking dish. Finely chop stems.
5. Melt 3 tablespoons butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat, and mix in onion and garlic. Cook 5 minutes, or until tender, then mix in bacon, spinach, chopped mushroom stems and heavy cream. Bring cream to a boil. Remove from heat and mix in Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper.
6. Stuff mushroom caps generously with the mixture. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons melted butter. Bake in the preheated oven 30 minutes until lightly browned.
NUTRITION INFORMATION: Per serving: 163 calories; 15.7 g fat; 1 g fiber; 1.5 g carbohydrates; 4 g protein
08-04-10
Veggie Pizza
As seen on the following webpage: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Veggie-Pizza/Detail.aspx?ms=1&prop25=41711181&prop26=DailyDish&prop27=2010-08-03&prop28=RecipeOption&prop29=FullRecipe&me=1
Makes 16 Servings
Ingredients:
2 (8 ounce) packages refrigerated crescent rolls
1 cup sour cream
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 teaspoon dried dill weed
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
1 (1 ounce) package ranch dressing mix
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 stalk celery, thinly sliced
1/2 cup halved and thinly-sliced radishes
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 1/2 cups fresh broccoli, chopped
1 carrot, grated
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spray a jellyroll pan with non-stick cooking spray.
Pat crescent roll dough into a jellyroll pan. Let stand 5 minutes. Pierce with fork.
Bake for 10 minutes, let cool.
In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine sour cream, cream cheese, dill weed, garlic salt and ranch dip mix. Spread this mixture on top of the cooled crust. Arrange the onion, carrot, celery, broccoli, radish, bell pepper and broccoli on top of the creamed mixture. Cover and let chill. Once chilled, cut it into squares and serve.
NUTRITION INFORMATION: Per serving: 196 calories; 12.5 g fat; 1.5 g fiber; 14.5 g carbohydrates; 5 g protein
08-03-10
Spinach-Yogurt Dip with Pomegranate and Walnuts
Makes 6 Servings
Ingredients:
Directions:
In a large bowl, whisk together two 7-ounce containers greek-style yogurt, 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil and 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill. Using the flat side of a knife, smash 2 chopped cloves garlic with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Whisk the paste and some pepper into the yogurt mixture. Squeeze dry one 10-ounce package thawed frozen chopped spinach; stir into the yogurt mixture. Sprinkle with dried chopped mint and 2 tablespoons chopped toasted walnuts. In a small bowl, whisk together 1 tablespoon each extra-virgin olive oil and pomegranate juice; drizzle over the dip before serving. Serve with crackers, pitas or crudites.
07-27-10
Baingan Bharta (Eggplant Curry)
As seen on the following webpage: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Baingan-Bharta-Eggplant-Curry/Detail.aspx?ms=1&prop25=41211528&prop26=DailyDish&prop27=2010-07-27&prop28=RecipeOption&prop29=FullRecipe&me=1
Makes 4 Servings
Ingredients:
1 large eggplant
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 tomato, diced
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1 fresh jalapeno chile pepper, finely chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 bunch cilantro, finely chopped
Directions:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).
Place eggplant on a medium baking sheet. Bake 20 to 30 minutes in the preheated oven, until tender. Remove from heat, cool, peel, and chop.
Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Mix in cumin seeds and onion. Cook and stir until onion is tender.
Mix ginger garlic paste, curry powder, and tomato into the saucepan, and cook about 1 minute. Stir in yogurt. Mix in eggplant and jalapeno pepper, and season with salt. Cover, and cook 10 minutes over high heat. Remove cover, reduce heat to low, and continue cooking about 5 minutes. Garnish with cilantro to serve.
NUTRITION INFORMATION: Per serving: 146 calories; 8 g fat; 6 g fiber; 9 g carbohydrates; 4 g protein
07-13-10
Grilled Corn Slaw
Makes 4 Servings
Ingredients:
4 fresh corn on the cob, shucked
1/2 red cabbage, sliced
1 lime, juiced
Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper
1/2 cup crumbled queso fresco
Handful fresh cilantro leaves, roughly chopped
Directions:
Heat a grill pan over medium heat.
Grill the corn on the hot grill pan, turning periodically, until cooked and grill marks are all around the corn. Set aside to cool.
In a large bowl, toss the cabbage with the lime juice; season with salt and pepper, to taste, and set aside.
Once the corn has cooled, cut the kernels off the cob and add it to the bowl with the cabbage. Taste for seasoning and adjust, if necessary. Add the crumbled queso fresco and cilantro leaves and stir to combine. Serve as a side dish or use as a taco topping.
Notes:
If you are not a fan of cilantro (the soap tasting folk), try flat-leaf parsley or even celery leaves.
I love to use a pinch of cayenne pepper or spicy paprika or even cumin instead of black pepper for a spicy kick.
To make this a creamy slaw side, try tossing in 2 tablespoons of Greek yogurt or whipped avocado!