Cinnamon Walnut Cookies

This recipe came from Delicious Living. They are vegan and gluten free.

1 cup walnut halves and pieces
5 dates, pitted and roughly chopped
1 teaspoon grapeseed oil
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch of sea salt

1. Preheat oven to 350˚. Place walnuts and dates in a small food processor and pulse until coarsely ground. Pulse in oil, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt. Continue to pulse until mixture begins to form a ball.

2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Scoop dough, 1 tablespoon at a time, onto prepared baking sheet, forming into balls with your hands; flatten slightly. Bake for 6–8 minutes, until firm. Cool on baking sheet.

PER SERVING (1): 95 cal, 8g fat (1g mono, 6g poly, 1g sat), 0mg chol, 2g protein, 5g carb, 1g fiber, 29mg sodium

**Watch the baking time. These are crumbly. Nice amount of sweetness. Fast and easy. Made 9 small cookies.

Gluten Free Jam Dot Cookies

After having such good luck with the Carrot Ginger Soup from Elishia's Kitchen, I want to try these cookies. Here is what she say's on her blog about them:

These are delicious cookies and especially fun to make with kids, as they are foolproof, low in sweetener and full of healthy fats and whole grains. I’ve had friends feed them to their kids for breakfast, saying that they are healthier than any cereal out there – they reported no sugar spike. Isn’t that the best, when we feel like we’re feeding our kids really healthy food and they feel like they’re getting a treat!

It’s a forgiving recipe, you can change the nut or flours depending what you prefer or have on hand.

Recipe:

1 cup gluten free oats
1 cup almonds
1/2 cup buckwheat flour
1/2 cup quinoa flour
pinch of salt
dash of cinnamon
½ cup maple syrup
½ cup coconut or canola oil
2-3 Tbsp jam – your favorite kind.

Preheat oven to 350

1. In a food processor grind oats until they are like coarse flour.
2. Add almonds and run processor until they are a fine meal.
3. Add flours, salt, cinnamon and process until combined.
4. Measure maple syrup and oil in one measuring cup at the same time. Add the maple syrup first and then add the coconut oil to it by the spoonful.  This way you can measure the coconut oil in the maple syrup – together they’ll equal 1 cup if the coconut oil is submerged. You’ll want to keep the coconut oil somewhat solid to get a crispy cookie.
5. Add the maple syrup and oil to the food processor and process the whole mixture until it is well combined. It will be in one big clump by the end. Use a spoon to help it along if necessary.
6. Form dough into little 1” or so balls (like golf balls). Try to get them all pretty much the same size so they bake evenly.
7. Place them on a dry cookie sheet about 2 inches apart and make a small depression in the center of each ball with your finger (or thumb). Fill the hole with a little jam.
8. Bake at 350 for 12-14 minutes. Til the bottom is just golden brown. They will still be soft.  Remove them to a cooling rack. They’ll crisp up as they cool down.
9. Once completely cool store in an airtight container. They keep for 4-5 days in a sealed container. Though I’ve never had them last that long.

Going into the oven

**We used spelt flour in place of the buckwheat and quinoa flours. We coconut oil. Delicious. Easy to make.

Curry Chickpea Potpie

This looked like a great recipe to try. Perfect for this week's harvest basket plus the leftover veges I still have in my fridge! You can find the recipe on Martha Stewart's website.

Serves 6

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 cup millet
• 2 large eggs
• 3/4 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 8 ounces broccoli, cut into bite-size pieces
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 cups shredded green cabbage
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
• 1 tablespoon curry powder
• 2 large carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice
• 8 ounces small white potatoes, quartered
• 1/3 cup red lentils
• 1/2 cup canned chickpeas, drained
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Raita

Directions

1. Boil 2 cups of water. Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add millet, and sauté until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Add another tablespoon butter and the boiling water to millet; return to a boil. Reduce heat to low; simmer, covered, 25 minutes. Transfer millet to a bowl to cool slightly; tent with foil to prevent from drying out. When cooled, stir in eggs, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and parsley.
2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Prepare an ice-water bath. Add broccoli to boiling water, and blanch for 20 seconds, until bright green. Transfer to ice-water bath to cool. Drain, and set aside.
3. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion; cook, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes. Add cabbage; cook, stirring occasionally, 3 minutes. Add garlic, ginger, and curry; cook 2 minutes. Pour in 2 cups water, and using a wooden spoon, scrape up any brown bits on bottom of pan. Add carrots, potatoes, lentils, and chickpeas, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer, covered, for 20 minutes. Stir in broccoli; season to taste with salt and pepper.
4. Place the stew in a 1 1/2-quart ovenproof casserole; cover with millet mixture. Dot millet with remaining tablespoon butter; place on a baking sheet. Bake for 30 minutes, until golden brown and crisp. Serve with raita. 

**I didn't end up making this. I was near the Alpine Sausage Kitchen and got tempted by the Viennese  hot dogs and german mustard. I steamed the rest of the broccoli and cauliflower.
 

Vegetarian Cobbler with Fresh Herb Biscuits

I cut this out of the Delicious Living magazine that I picked up from Vitamin Cottage.  This will be a new recipe to try.

Filling:
2 tablespoon olive oil
1 yellow onion diced
6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
3 green onions sliced both white and green thinly sliced
2 parsnips peeled and sliced into 1/2 inch slices
2 carrots, peeled and sliced into 1/2 inch slices
3/4 pound cauliflower cored and cut into small florets
1 cup small broccoli florets
2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
1/2 C milk
2 tablespoons whole-wheat pastry flour
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice

Biscuit Topping
1 ½ cup whole-wheat flour
1/4 cup flaxseed meal
1 teaspoon baking powder
6 tablespoon walnut oil
3/4 cup milk
1/3 cup minced fresh chives
1 tablespoon minced fresh dill
2 teaspoons of sea salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat and add onion, cook until golden brown. Add garlic, green onions, carrots, and parsnips; cook another 10 minutes.

Reduce heat to medium-low. Add cauliflower and broccoli; cook for 2 minutes then add broth. Cover; and cook for 20 minutes. Uncover and boil until liquid is reduced to a glaze, 2 to 5 minutes.

In a small bowl, mix 1/2 cup of milk with 2 tablespoons whole-wheat pastry flour and pour into a skillet. Add nutmeg, parsley, and lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste. Stir until heated through. Do not boil.

Pour into six 2-cup casseroles or ramekins or a deep 6 to 8 cup casserole dish.

To make topping; In a medium bowl, stir together, flour, flaxseed meal, and baking powder, Drizzle oil over flour mixture and blend with a fork until crumbly. Add milk, chives, dill and salt; stir to combine. Do not over mix. Dough will be very moist.

Drop batter over vegetables. Bake until biscuits are golden brown 15 minutes for ramekins, 20 - 25 minutes for casserole Remove from oven; cool 5 minutes before serving.

Per Serving: 399 cal, 22g fat, 1 mg chol, 9 g protein, 45 g carb, 9 g fibre, 622 mg sodium.

This picture is from another web site, A Taste of Home. I totally forgot to take a photo before we started diving into the cobbler.

**The cobbler was a hit. I ended up using golden beets instead of parsnips, flax seeds instead of flax seed meal, dried dill, tops of young scallions instead of chives, and olive oil instead of walnut oil. If I make this again, I will use less cauliflower and will find walnut oil for the biscuits.

Gluten Free Vegetarian Lasagna

I found this recipe online many years ago. I haven't tried it...this is my continuing quest to find a great vegetarian lasagna. The portions mentioned in the recipe were off, in my opinion. So I have amended them here.

6 carrots, sliced and steamed
Large bundle of mixed greens, dry sauteed (using the water from the leaves only)
8 mushrooms, sliced and sauteed with 3 cloves of chopped garlic
2 1/2 C milk
2 T butter
6 T corn starch
salt and pepper
Cheese
GF lasagna noodles

Keep the vegies in separate groups. Melt the butter in a saucepan. Take off the heat and stir in the cornstarch. Put back on the heat and slowly add the milk, stirring constantly (medium-high heat) until mixture is thickened. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Preheat oven to 350. Put lasagna noodles in the bottom of your baking dish. Put 1/3 of the white sauce on the noodles. Layer with 1/2 each of the three different vegies. Add another layer of noodles, 1/3 of the sauce, and last half of the vegies. Finish with a noodle layer, the last of the white sauce, and then cheese to suit your taste.

Bake for 40 minutes.

**I used 2% milk. This was an easy recipe but wasn't outstanding.

Potato and Feta Salad

I got this recipe from a cookbook in New Zealand. This was in the Spring chapter. I have not tried it. It suggests that this can make a perfect lunch or dinner for a busy day. It also suggests that it can be served on its own.

500g, 1 1/4lb small new potatoes
5 spring onions, green and white parts finely chopped
1 T rinsed bottled capers
8-10 black olives
115g, 4oz feta cheese
3 T finely chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
2 T finely chopped fresh mint
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Vinaigrette
6-8 T extra virgin olive oil
juice of 1 lemon, or to taste
2 salted or preserved anchovies, rinsed and finely chopped
3 T fresh dill, finely chopped
3 T Greek yogurt
1 t french mustard

Preparation

Leaving the potatoes whole, in their skins, cook in boiling salted water for 25-30 minutes or until tender. Don't cook them too long to become mushy and start to disintegrate.
Drain the potatoes and leave to cool.
When cool enough to handle, pull the skins off with your fingers.
Cut the peeled potatoes into quarters or cubes if the potatoes are large.
Place in a large mixing bowl.
Crumble the feta cheese over the potatoes.
Add the spring onions, capers, olives, fresh herbs, freshly ground salt and black pepper.
Toss gently, just enough to mix, being careful not to break the potatoes.

To make the vinaigrette
Place the extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, and anchovies in a small bowl and whisk together thoroughly for a couple of minutes until the dressing thickens and emulsifies.
It if doesn't thicken, you may need to add more olive oil.
Whisk in the mustard, yogurt, dill and mustard and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Pour the dressing over the potato salad and toss gently until the salad is mixed and coated with the dressing.

If you have time, the flavours will be enhanced if you leave the salad at room temperature for 1 hour before serving.

**We had the potato salad with grilled chicken and steamed broccoli. I ended up not using feta. The salad was delicious! Everyone loved it.

Greens and Sausage Soup with Cornmeal Dumplings

Another greens and sausage soup to try! This one is from Bon Appetit. It calls for a mixture of greens, but I'll use collards. I will also use turkey keilbasa and one chipotle pork sausage.

Serves 6

DUMPLINGS

• 3/4 cup all purpose flour
• 3/4 cup yellow cornmeal
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup whole milk
• 1 1/2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1/2 cup chopped green onions

SOUP

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 1/2 cups chopped onion
• 4 large garlic cloves, pressed
• 4 Turkish bay leaves
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
• 1 pound andouille sausages, sliced into 1/4-inch-thick rounds
• 6 cups low-salt chicken broth
• 2 14.5-ounce cans diced tomatoes in juice
• 1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
• 1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1 12-ounce bag mixed turnip, mustard, and collard greens, any thick stems cut away (about 12 cups packed)

PREPARATION

DUMPLINGS

• Line rimmed baking sheet with plastic wrap. Whisk first 5 ingredients in medium bowl. Stir in milk and butter, then green onions. Let stand at least 1 hour and up to 2 hours. Using wet hands, shape mixture, 1 tablespoon at a time, into 18 dumplings, arranging on sheet. DO AHEAD Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; chill.

SOUP

• Heat oil in large pot over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, bay leaves, and thyme. Sauté until onion is tender, about 5 minutes. Add sausage; sauté until fat renders, 3 to 4 minutes. Add broth, tomatoes with juice, hot sauce, and allspice; bring to simmer, stirring occasionally. DO AHEAD Can be made 1 day ahead. Chill uncovered until cold, then cover and keep chilled. Return to simmer before continuing.
• Add greens to simmering soup. Cook greens uncovered 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Drop in dumplings. Cover; reduce heat to low. Simmer until dumplings are tender and cooked through, 20 to 25 minutes. Season soup with salt and pepper. Ladle soup and dumplings into bowls.
  

  

  **Nice soup. It was thickened by the cornmeal dumplings. I only used a big bundle of collard greens- next time I will chop them up into smaller bits (smaller than 2" squares). I used turkey kielbasa and one chipotle pork sausage instead of the andouille I didn't have fresh thyme. I didn't cook the greens for a full 10 minutes before I started adding the dumplings- probably 3. You will need to use a very big pot for this, or your dumplings will get all stuck together on the top. I ended up separating them and flipping them over in the simmering stew so they would cook on the top.  Very filling.
  
  

Baked Millet and Sweet Potato Patties

I'm not sure where this recipe came from. It is from the Grain Dishes chapter... I haven't tried it before.

4 servings

The millet:
1 C uncooked millet
2 C vege stock
1/4 t salt

The patties:
1 large sweet potato (about 1 pound)
1/4 C minced fresh parsley leaves
2 T flour
2 T lime juice
1 T dried oregano
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 t chili powder
1/2 t salt
2 t olive oil

Toast the millet in a heavy-bottomed pan over high heat, stirring constantly, for about 4 minutes, or until the millet starts to pop. Immediately transfer the millet to a deep bowl and fill the bowl with cold water. Scrub the grains lightly between your palms for a few seconds, then pour into a fine-mesh strainer and rinse under running water for about 1 minute. Set aside to drain.

Bring the stock to a boil in a medium-size saucepan. Add the millet and 1/4 t of the salt and bring back to a simmer. Lower the heat, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes. Turn off the heat and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl to cool, fluffing with a fork.

Peel the sweet potato and dice it. Place the pieces on a steamer rack in a saucepan that has a tight-fitting lid. Add about 2 inches of water, cover the pan, and steam over medium-high heat for about 20 minutes or  until the sweet potato is very soft.

Preheat the oven to 375. Place the sweet potato in a food processor, along with the cooled millet, parsley, flour, lime juice, oregano, garlic, chili powder and 1/2 t salt. Process to a thick, homogenous consistency. Lightly oil a baking sheet and our hands Form the millet mixture into 12 patties and place them on the baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes, turn the patties over, and bake for an additional 10 minutes.

 Toasting the millet...

** I used 1/2 of the chile powder. I only had 11 oz of sweet potato, so I added one new potato. Served with sauteed spinach with garlic. Patties were soft since they were baked, not fried. There were nice bits of crunch from the millet and a lovely sweet from the potatoes with a bit of a spicy background from the chile powder. The patties also had a nice tang from the lime. Keeper.

Grilled fish sandwich with cabbage slaw

This comes from the magazine, Everyday Food, issue #64, July/August 2009. I've made it before and enjoyed it- although I noted that I did the slaw differently. I will try the recipe this time for the slaw. I just made a fresh loaf of spelt bread that we'll use for the sandwiches.

Serves 4.

• 4 cups shredded green cabbage (from head cabbage)
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 1 celery stalk, thinly sliced
• 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
• 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon red-wine vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon caraway seed
• Vegetable oil, for grilling
• 4 striped bass fillets (or other firm-fleshed fish, such as tuna, tilapia, or salmon), 4 to 6 ounces each
• 8 thick slices sandwich bread, such as brioche or country-style white

Directions

1. In a bowl, toss cabbage with 2 teaspoons salt; let stand 20 minutes. Press between layers of paper towels to remove excess liquid. Toss cabbage in a clean bowl with celery, onion, mayonnaise, vinegar, and caraway seed and season with pepper.
2. Heat grill to medium-high. Clean and lightly oil hot grates. Pat fish dry with paper towels; season with salt and pepper and brush with oil. Grill fish on one side until opaque at edges, 2 to 4 minutes. Using a thin spatula, flip fish and cook until opaque throughout, 1 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
3. Clean and lightly oil hot grates; grill bread until lightly toasted, 5 to 10 seconds per side. Assemble sandwiches with fish and cabbage slaw. 

**I used sole for the fish and seasoned it with a key lime seasoning mix from Cost Plus World Market. The coleslaw was a bit too salty for my taste, although it paired well with the fish. Nice dish- easy to make.

Carrot Ginger Soup

I got this recipe from a blog, Elishia's Kitchen. I can't wait to try it! I chose it partly because of the sweet potatoes and oranges- both in the harvest box this week.

Serves 4-6

2 Tablespoons coconut oil (ghee or grape seed oil are fine too)

1 yellow onion, sliced

3 garlic cloves, chopped

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander or 1 teaspoon coriander seeds

1 Tablespoon finely chopped fresh ginger

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)

4 large carrots, sliced

2 large sweet potatoes, sliced

2 oranges, zest and juice

7 cups water

1 teaspoon sea salt

2 teaspoons ume plum vinegar, divided

garnish:

5 sprigs cilantro, thick stems dicarded and roughly chopped

toasted pumpkin seeds – recipe is below

1. Heat oil in heavy soup pot. Add onion and a pinch of salt. Cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes, until softening. Add the carrots and sweet potato and stir them all together. Cook over medium heat for a few minutes, until slightly browned on the bottom.
2. Add garlic, cumin, coriander, ginger and cayenne. Cook for a couple of minutes, stirring, until the spices are very fragrant. Add a little water if it begins to stick.
3. Add one teaspoon of umeboshi vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon salt and enough water to cover the vegetables by one inch.
4. Bring to a boil then reduce the heat to low and cook until the carrots are very tender, about 25 minutes. Add the orange juice and zest.
5. Puree the soup, in batches, in a blender, until smooth. You may need to add extra water to achieve the desired consistency.
6. Return to pot and taste. Add the other teaspoon of umeboshi vinegar. You may want to add a bit more salt, umeboshi or cayenne at this point. Season to your taste. I like to sprinkle a tiny bit of cayenne on top. Serve hot with cilantro and toasted pumpkin seeds(optional).
7. Also freezes well, should you wish.

Toasted Pumpkin Seeds

1 cup pumpkin seeds

2 Tablespoons lemon or lime juice

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/8 teaspoon cayenne or chipotle chile powder

Preheat oven to 375

1. Toss all ingredients together in a bowl until seeds are coated. Taste them and adjust seasonings. The flavor will be more mild when they are cooked.
2. Transfer seeds to a baking sheet and shake to thin them out a bit.
3. Bake for 8 minutes.
4. They will begin to pop when they are nearly done. The ones around the edge will look brown, but not burned. You may need to stir them once if they aren’t cooking evenly. Remove from the pan immediately and let them cool and crisp up on a plate for 15 minutes before eating.
5. Once cool store in a covered airtight container for a week or more. I often double this recipe and add these yummy seeds to salads or grain dishes.

Picture from Elishia's Kitchen

**Good soup. Nice and thick. I made it all in the pressure cooker. I brought it to high pressure for 5 minutes and then did a quick release of the steam. I served the soup with some basic baking powder biscuits. Let me know if you need the recipe for the biscuits.

Quinoa and Chile Casserole

This recipe came from CooksRecipes.com. I've made it several times with great success, however, I have found that doubling the quinoa to 2 C makes for a better casserole.

Serves 6
2/3 cup pine nuts
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon vegetable oil - divided use
1 cup quinoa
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped oven-dried tomatoes (or sun dried)
1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
1/2 cup chopped green onions
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
2 to 3 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
2 (4-ounce) cans whole green chilies
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese

    1.    Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a large (4 to 5-quart) saucepan over medium heat; add pine nuts and stir until lightly toasted. Remove from pan and set aside.
    2.    Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil into same pan and add the quinoa. Stir constantly over medium-high heat until quinoa gives off a toasted aroma, about 3 minutes.
    3.    Add tomatoes and broth and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until quinoa is tender, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in pine nuts, green onions and cilantro. Season with vinegar, salt and pepper. Cover and let stand.
    4.    Drain chilies and split in half lengthwise; discard seeds. Arrange half the chilies in a 2-quart casserole (12 x 8 x 2-inch). Spread quinoa mixture evenly over chilies. Top with remaining chilies and sprinkle with the cheese.
    5.    Bake in a 375°F (190°C) oven for 20 minutes or until hot and cheese has melted.

last steps before cooking

Just out of the oven

** I doubled the recipe and used my dried tomatoes from last summer's harvest. Delicious meal.

Hamburgers

Wednesday was such a beautiful and warm day, that I had to grill burgers. My burger recipe comes from an Australian cookbook called The backyard barbecue cookbook published by Murdoch Books. Try as I may, I couldn't find the recipe on line. It appears the book is out of print, but you can still buy it. It is a great cookbook. My sister, who doesn't like hamburgers, loves these. She says they are like grilled meatloaf. It is a recipe that is easy to adapt to the amount of meat you choose to use. Last night I used 1 lb organic ground beef and made 5 patties.

740 g lean beef mince (1.6 lbs hamburger)
1 onion, finely chopped
1 egg
1/2 C fresh breadcrumbs
2 T tomato paste
1 T Worcestershire sauce
2 T chopped fresh parsley
Salt and pepper to taste

Prepare and heat the barbecue.
Combine everything till well combined. Make patties and grill!

Of course, for the Australians, they would also grill some onions and fry up some bacon and an egg to put on the burger. After putting that on the burger, they would top it with a pineapple ring and a large slice of pickled beet. Burger with the Works, mate.

Chipotle Pork Tamale Casserole

This is the second half of the adobo pork recipe from the Ultimate Slow Cooker cook book.

Prep: 15 minutes (if using pre-made polenta)
Bake: 35 minutes
Serves 4

1 16 oz tube refrigerated cooked polenta, sliced 1/2" thick (or make your own)
Reserved pork and sauce from Adobo Pork (3C of pork and 2C sauce)
1 C shredded cheese
1/2 C chopped tomato (1 medium)
1/4 C sliced green onion (2)

Preheat oven to 375.

In a 2 qt square baking dish, arrange polenta slices, overlapping as necessary. Top with the reserved pork. Remove layer of fat from sauce. Spoon most of the sauce* over the pork. Bake covered for 30 minutes. Top with cheese. Bake uncovered about 5 minutes or more till cheese is melted. Sprinkle tomato and green onion over casserole.

*The recipe says use 1/2 C of the sauce, then serve the rest of the sauce with the meal. I found it was too dry that way, so I add all of the sauce and don't pass it.

Per serve: 488 cal, 21g fat, 143 mg chol, 1215 sodium, 27 g carbo, 4 g fiber, 44 g protein.

**I made the polenta instead of buying it. It was not as delicious as I remember. My husband liked it, though. I've included a picture before I added shredded lettuce.

Beet Greens Quiche

For this quiche, I sauteed 1/4 of a small onion (chopped) with 1 clove garlic (minced) and 4 chopped mushrooms. After that I added chopped up beet greens from about 9 beets. I beat four eggs with some milk and put some salt and pepper into it. Then I ground up sesame seeds on top and added cheddar cheese. The final touch was a bit of fresh parmesan cheese. I put it all into a pre-made spelt pie crust (in that order).

I cooked it at 375 for 40 minutes.

 

** This got four thumbs up. Not bad for beet greens, eh?

Blueberry Buttermilk Muffins

As we used to live on an organic blueberry farm, I have lots of blueberry recipes I've tried over the years. During the snow days a few weeks ago, I made these muffins. One got taken to my husband's office to a friend who proclaimed they were the "best blueberry muffins" he'd ever tried. Not sweet, just delicious. He asked me to post the recipe on the blog- so here it is. This comes from a cookbook called, Maritime Flavours: Blueberries by Elaine Elliot and Virginia Lee. I couldn't find the recipe online.

1 C low-fat buttermilk
1 egg
1/4 C vegetable oil
2 C all-purpose flour
1/4 C sugar
2 1/2 t baking powder
1/2 t baking soda
1 t salt
1 C wild blueberries

Preheat oven to 400.

Whisk together buttermilk, egg and oil. Mix flour, sugar baking powder, baking soda and salt together in a large bowl; stir in the buttermilk mixture until just blended. Carefully fold in blueberries and pour into prepared muffin tins. Bake for 20-25 minutes.

Doubled, this makes 10 jumbo muffins. Tripled, this makes 12 jumbo muffins and 24 mini- muffins. All with tops that spill over.

* I use safflower oil and half white and half wholemeal spelt flour. I have used both frozen and fresh berries. Either work. If you use frozen, put them into the flour mixture before adding the liquid in order to keep the mixture from turning blue.

Adobo Pork Tostadas

I picked up this slow cooker cookbook, Better Homes and Garden Ultimate Slow Cooker,  when I was waiting for my husband at Lowes. Almost everything I have tried has been good. This recipe is designed for two different dishes. The first being the tostadas and the second being a Tamale Casserole. My comment on it was "Good, not spicy".

Prep 30 minutes
Cook 10-12 hours (low) or 5-6 hours (high)

1 3-31/2 lb boneless pork shoulder roast
1 15 oz can tomato sauce
1/2 C chicken broth
2 T finely chopped canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
6 cloves garlic, minced (1T)
1/2 t salt
1/2 t cumin
1/2 t coriander
1/4 t black pepper
OPT:
1 C refried beans
1 C chopped tomato
1 avocado, halved and thinly sliced
1 C queso fresco
1/2 C sour cream

Trim fat from pork; cut pork into chunks. Place pork in a 4-5 qt slow cooker. In a medium bowl, stir together the rest of the ingredients. Pour over pork in cooker. Cover and cook as above.
Remove pork from cooker when finished and shred the pork. Reserve half of the pork and 2 C of the sauce for the Tamale casserole (store in separate containers). Mix the remaining pork with 1/2 C of the sauce.
Make tostadas or tacos as you like.

**Very nice. Tender. I used an internet photo from chowhound- I ate my tacos too fast. : )

Jewish Apple Cake

I'm not sure where I copied this recipe from. I wrote "yummy" beside it the last time I made it. Part of the description reads, "Dense and moist, crammed with sweet cinnamony fruit, this popular cake is thought to come from the rich tradition of baked goods of German or Alsatian Jews."

Serves 10-12

3 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and cut into small slices
3 Bartlett pears, ripe but firm, peeled, cored, and cut into small slices
1 T cinnamon
2 1/4 C sugar
3 C flour
1 t salt
1 T baking powder
1 C vegetable oil
4 eggs
2 t vanilla
1 t almond extract
1/4 C apple cider or apple juice

Preheat oven to 375. Butter a deep 10" bundt pan or angel food cake pan.

In a large bowl, combine the apples, pears, and cinnamon and 1/4 C of the sugar. Mix well and set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, the remaining 2 C sugar, the salt and the baking pwder. Mix thoroughly, then make a well in the middle of the mixture.
Pour the oil, eggs, vanilla, almond extract, and cider into the well, then mix the batter until it is well blended and smooth. The batter will be very stiff.
Spoon one third of the batter into the pan. Spoon half the fruit mixture over the batter; take care that the fruit does not touch the sides or inner ring of the pan. Spoon another third of the batter over the fruit. Spoon the remaining fruit over the batter them spread the remaining batter over the fruit.
Bake for 65-75 minutes, until the cake is firm and nicely browned. Allow the cake to cool in the pan, then unmold onto a serving plate.

**Delicious. I used 2/3 C less of the sugar because the apples we are getting from LPO are sweet. I used water instead of apple cider. I used organic safflower oil. I cut the slices of fruit in half. I didn't add the almond extract (although next time I will).

Penne with Roasted Cherry Tomatoes

This came from a NY Times article. It is an easy dish to prepare and the roasted tomatoes add a sweetness to the dish. I am posting it although I won't be making it. I had it on the menu and then at the last minute, substituted chard for the tomatoes. But I felt compelled to put the recipe up since it was part of this week's menu plan.

Serves 2-4 depending on how much pasta you eat.

• 1 pound small cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus 2 to 3 tablespoons for tossing
• Sea salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup freshly grated pecorino romano, more for serving
• 1/4 cup bread crumbs*
• 1/2 pound penne

Preparation

1.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line bottom of casserole dish with cherry tomatoes in a single layer, halved side up. Pour oil on top, season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle cheese and bread crumbs on top. Bake until tomatoes have wilted, about 20 minutes.

2.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Season with enough sea salt so that water tastes mildly of salt. When tomatoes are just about done, add penne to water and cook until al dente (it should be pliable, but still firm in center). Scoop out about a cup of pasta water and reserve. Drain pasta and add to casserole. Place over medium heat and fold tomatoes and pasta together, adding another 2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil, to coat. Taste and adjust seasoning. If it is dry, add a little reserved pasta water. Serve, passing more grated cheese at the table.

* I didn't use the breadcrumbs.

Bahamas Chicken

This recipe comes from a book called, Glorious One-Pot Meals by Elizabeth Yarnell. I used to cook from it a lot. She has a method of infusion cooking by layering the food into a dutch oven and then simply cooking it for 45 minutes (no peeking). I used to layer the ingredients frozen, then set the oven timer so it was ready when we walked in the door. You can buy the book from Amazon or on her site. She has a section on recipes, but it isn't interactive. This is a new recipe for me to try.

Serves 2*

1/2 t cumin seeds
2-4 pieces chicken
salt and pepper, to taste
2-3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 med potato, cut into 1" cubes
1/2 red or orange bell pepper, 1" wedges
1/2 small yellow summer squash, 1" chunks
1/2 C broccoli florets
3 T vinegar, rice or wine
3 T orange juice
1/2 t oregano, dried
1/2 t paprika
1/4 t ground allspice
1/4 t black pepper
1/4 t red pepper flakes

Preheat oven to 450. Spray inside of a 2 quart Dutch oven and lid with oil.
Sprinkle cumin seeds in base of pot. Rinse chicken and place in pot. Lightly salt and pepper. Sprinkle with garlic. Add potatoes on top of chicken. Layer in bell peppers, squash and broccoli.
In a bowl, mix vinegar, orange juice, oregano, paprika, allspice black pepper and red pepper. Pour over top.
Cover and bake in oven for 45 minutes, or until aroma wafts from the oven.

*This will serve us all according to the amount of chicken I put in. I will increase the amount of potatoes. I will substitute carrots for the bell pepper and squash. I might add the rest of the chard I have left and put it in before the marinade. I won't add the broccoli since I am steaming more of it on the side.

 **Delicious and easy to prepare. The carrots and potatoes were cooked to perfection and the chicken was tender. I didn't put the chard on top after all.

Sauteed Bok Choy with Fried Garlic

I once did a team building exercise at Ruth Pretty's Cooking School. What fun we had! When we finished, we each received a package full of the recipes of all the dishes we'd just cooked. I couldn't find this recipe on her website, but there are plenty of others in her recipe section.

Serves 6

2 T oil
5 cloves garlic, thinly sliced into strips
300-350 g (6) young bok choy
1/3-1/2 C water
salt and pepper

Heat a medium heavy fry pan to medium hot and add oil. Add the garlic and fry until golden brown, being careful not to burn. Remove quickly to avoid over-browning.
Place bok choy in the same pan with enough water to just cover the base of the pan.Cover with a lid and cook for 2-3 minutes. Remove lid, turn bok choy over and cook for a further 2 minutes or until tender when cut with a knife. It should still be bright green.
Remove bok choy from pan and place onto a warmed serving platter twisting each one as you go. The leaf end then appears tied together.
Sprinkle with fried garlic and season to taste. Serve hot.

 **Easy to make dish. I think I'll keep looking, however.

Spicy Grilled Tempeh

I got this recipe from Whole Foods. I am on the search for a good marinated tempeh recipe, so I am excited to try this one.

Serves 2

3 T lime juice
2 T EV olive oil
2 T tamari (soy sauce made without wheat)
1 T chili powder
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 1/2 t dried oregano
1/4 t ground cloves
1 T adobo or salsa
1 8oz pkg tempeh

Whisk together lime juice, oil, tamari, chili powder, garlic, oregano, cloves and adobo in a wide shallow dish. Arrange tempeh in dish, turn to coat all over with marinade, cover and chill, turning halfway through, for 2 hours or overnight.

Great grates with oil, then preheat grill to medium heat. Grill tempeh, flipping once, until browned and hot throughout, 8-10 minutes total.  Transfer to plates and serve.

**I'll use an indoor grill plate. I will also steam the tempeh before I marinate it. I bought two packages of tempeh, so I'll double the recipe.

This was the tempeh marinating. I enjoyed the dish. But you need to like tempeh to like this.

Sausage and Swiss chard soup

This recipe is from Williams Sonoma. Last time I made it, I used chorizo sausage. I think I'll make an onion bread to go with it.

Serves 6 to 8.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup dry white wine
• 2 Tbs. olive oil
• 1 1⁄2 lb. chicken andouille sausage
• 1 small yellow onion, diced
• 2 celery stalks, diced
• 1 carrot, peeled and diced
• 1 leek, white portion only, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tsp. minced fresh thyme
• 6 cups chicken stock, warmed
• 1 cup water, warmed
• 2 cups cooked white beans, drained
• 4 oz. Swiss chard, stems removed, leaves cut
    into 1⁄2-inch strips
• Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
• Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese for
   garnish (optional)
• Garlic crostini for garnish (optional)

Directions:

In a small saucepan over medium heat, boil the wine until reduced to 1/2 cup, 7 to 10 minutes. Set aside.

In a soup pot over medium heat, warm the olive oil. Add the sausage and cook until browned, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate and let cool, then cut diagonally into 1/2-inch slices.

In the same pot over medium-low heat, cook the onion, celery, carrot and leek, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and thyme and cook, stirring occasionally, for 2 minutes more. Add the reduced wine, the stock and water, increase the heat to medium-high and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes. Add the sausage, white beans and chard and cook until the chard wilts, 5 to 8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Ladle the soup into warmed bowls, and garnish with the cheese and crostini. Serve immediately.

** I ended up using pork andouille sausage from Whole Foods. We did not add the bread and cheese on top. It ended up being too spicy for the kids and a little fatty for my tastes. I still like the soup- I think I'll try turkey keilbasa next time- should be less fatty and not spicy.

Date and Apple Cake with Coconut topping

I found this recipe in New Zealand. I haven't the slightest idea where it came from. It was transcribed on the back of a scrap sheet from the local library.

1 C dates, chopped
1/2 C boiling water
1/2 C oil
2 t vanilla
2 eggs
1 1/2 C flour
1 t baking powder
1 t baking soda
1 C sugar
2 apples, peeled and grated

Preheat the oven to 350.

Put dates into boiling water and soak till cool.
Mix oil, vanilla and eggs together. Add and mix in the flour baking powder and soda. The add the sugar. Next comes the apples with the dates.
Bake for 40 minutes.

Coconut Topping
1 C coconut
1/4 C sugar
1 egg

Mix and dot on top of cake. Cook an additional 10 minutes.

**I didn't make the topping. I cut the sugar to 3/4 Cup. I might substitute apple sauce for the oil next time. It was very easy to prepare. I was ready before the oven was preheated. It is a nice moist cake. Should be great for lunches this week.

Baked Beetroot with balsamic vinegar, marjoram and garlic

This comes from The Return of the Naked Chef, by Jamie Oliver. He doesn't have this recipe on his site, but he has several others. I haven't tried this recipe. The hour in the oven sounds wonderful this week!

Serves 4

1 lb fresh beetroots, scrubbed, golf-ball size
10 cloves of garlic, unpeeled and squashed
1 handful of fresh marjoram or sweet oregano, leaves picked
salt and freshly ground black pepper
10 T balsamic vinegar
6 T olive oil

Preheat oven to 400.

Tear off around 5 ft of kitchen foil and fold it in half to give you double thickness. If you can only get larger beetroots,halve them to speed up their cooking time otherwise use them whole. Place them in the middle of the foil with the garlic and marjoram, season generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper, then fold the sides in to the middle. Before you seal the foil, add the vinegar and olive oil. Scrunch or fold the foil together to seal at the top. Place in a preheated oven and cook for around 1 hour until tender. Serve in the bag at the table-lovely.

**This is an amazing way to cook beets. Delicious and easy.  My husband prepared them while I was in Nob Hill listening to A Band Named Sue at The Yarn Store. He used dried marjoram rather than fresh.
***I made it a second time and put the mixture into a casserole dish and covered it with foil. Still delicious!

Cuban Green Rice

This recipe comes from a cookbook I received many years ago from my sister. It is a great vegetarian cookbook with recipes from all over the world, World Food Cafe: Global Vegetarian Cooking. Normally I would serve plain rice with the aloo gobi, but I felt like this week's menu has been short on greens, so I thought to try this rice. If it isn't green enough, I might saute some spinach as well. I didn't make it in time to save the parsley from the deep freeze, so I ended up buying it.

Serves 4-6
3 T oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 green bell pepper, seeded de-ribbed, and finely chopped*
large handful of fresh parsley sprigs, chopped
large handful of fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
2 C rice, rinsed and drained
2 1/2 C vegetable stock
salt and pepper to taste

Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat and saute the onion and bell pepper until they start to soften.
Stir in the parsley and cilantro. Add the rice and stir to coat all the grains in oil. Add just enough stock to cover the rice and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook until all the moisture is absorbed. Add salt and pepper.

*I don't like bell peppers, so I'll skip this ingredient. I'll use Basmati rice.

** No picture. But I can tell you this was a great rice dish. It went well with the aloo gobi. The flavors were great. You'll need to keep your eye on it at the end of the cooking- it didn't take very long. I was surprised the rice cooked through with just 2 1/2 C of liquid, but it did.

Aloo Gobi

There are many recipes for aloo gobi. I think I must have gotten this one from one of Roz Denny's vegetarian cookbooks. I am still on the search for the best one...

Serves 4

1 lb potatoes, cut into 1 in chunks
2 T oil
1 t cumin seeds*
1 green chili, finely chopped*
1 lb cauliflower, broken into small florets
1 t coriander
1 t cumin
1/4 t chili powder
1/4 t turmeric
1/2 t salt
chopped fresh coriander, to garnish

Parboil the potatoes in a large saucepan of boiling water for 10 minutes. Drain well and set aside.
Heat the oil in a large frying pan and fry the cumin seeds for 2 minutes until they begin to sputter. Add the chili and fry for a further minute.
Add the cauliflower florets and fry, stirring, for 5 minutes.
Add the potatoes and the ground spices and salt and cook for a further 7-10 minutes or until both the vegetables are tender. Garnish with fresh coriander.

* Get cumin seeds from the Talin Market. I'll probably use NM green chiles instead of Thai chilis. I imagine that I will add some additional liquid in the bottom of the wok and try to steam the cauliflower rather than dry fry it.

**You can see I used the purple potatoes that I had left. The cauliflower didn't get the same charred effect since I didn't dry fry it. I thought this recipe was OK, but not flavorful enough to make a second time. The rice was great, though. We all ended up putting a variety of sauces on the top- Linzano Salsa from Costa Rica, A1 steak sauce, Sriracha hot sauce, and (gasp) ketchup.

Black bean enchiladas with guacamole

Tonight I am going to try a slow cooker enchilada recipe. I was originally thinking about using pinto beans, but I didn't get them cooked. I found this recipe on a site I've never used, The Kitchn.

Slow Cooker Enchiladas
Serves 4-6
1/2 yellow onion, diced small
1/2 bell pepper, diced small (any color) *
1 16-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup frozen corn
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups cheese, shredded and divided
2 16-ounce jars of your favorite salsa
12 6”-8” tortillas, flour or corn*

Optional: 1 cup leftover meat - chicken, pork, hamburger, or shredded beef

In a medium bowl, mix together the onion, pepper, black beans, corn, spices, meat (if using), and just 1/2 cup of the cheese. Pour about a cup of salsa (half a jar) into the bottom of the slow cooker and spread it around evenly.
Scoop about 1/3 cup into one of the tortillas, roll it up, and nestle it into the bottom of the crock pot. Repeat with the half of the remaining filling, rolling tortillas until the entire bottom of of the crock pot is filled. Spread another cup of salsa over this layer and sprinkle it with another 1/2 cup of cheese.
Continue with the remaining filling and tortillas to create a second layer. Top with another cup of salsa, but reserve the remaining 1/2 cup of cheese for later. Place the lid on the slow cooker and cook on HIGH for 2-4 hours. In the last 15 minutes of cooking, sprinkle the leftover cheese over the top and let it melt.

Serve the enchiladas with the remaining salsa.
* I'll be using green chili instead of bell pepper and my leftover corn tortillas.  My daughter will be making "Uncle Lee's famous guacamole". Let me know if you want the recipe.

 The filling was good and it was easy to make. Next time, I would use a green chile sauce- like Tio Frank's instead of two jars of salsa. I would also layer rather than roll the tortillas. I think this is a good alternative if you don't have the time to cook your enchiladas when you get home at night. Using a timer on the crockpot would make it worthwhile.

Bosc Pear- Gingerbread Cake

I can't remember where I got this recipe. I cut it out of an Albuquerque magazine over the holidays. I chose it because I wanted to use up my leftover bosc pears from the other week.

1/2 C, plus 1/4 C butter
1 C packed brown sugar
3 Bosc pears, peeled, cored, thinly sliced*
1 egg
1/4 C molasses*
1 1/2 C flour*
2 t ginger
1 1/2 t cinnamon
1/2 t baking powder
1/4 t nutmeg
1/4 t clove
1/3 C hot water

* I used 4 pears, unsulphered molasses, and spelt flour.

Preheat oven to 350.
In a saucepan, combine 1/4 C butter and 1/2 C brown sugar and slowly heat until sugar melts. Add pears and simmer until soft, then transfer to a nine-inch cake pan, covering the bottom of the pan.
Combine and sift all dry ingredients.
With an electric mixer on high speed, beat 1/2 C butter and 1/2 C brown sugar together until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add egg and molasses and beat for another minute.
Slowly add sifted ingredients and water, alternating three times until batter just comes together. Ladle batter over pars and bake about 35 minutes.
Let cool for 5 minutes and turn over onto serving plate.
Serve with ice cream or whipped cream.

**Very nice and easy to make. The sharpness of the ginger is a nice contrast to the brown sugar sauce that caramelizes.  (the sauce is a bit runny on top once you turn the cake over) We ate it without the cream.