Braised Coconut Spinach and Chickpeas over Sweet Potato

Feb 232012
 
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I was on the hunt for a hearty vegetarian recipe. You know the one that a carnivore wouldn’t miss the meat at the meal kind of recipe.  Coconut Braised Spinach and Chickpeas over Sweet Potatoes is the exact kind of recipe that I was searching for. I could taste every flavor of each vegetable. There is heat and sweet, tang and subtle flavors in one bite. TheKitchn.com is great stop for a last minute recipe and it is where I found this one. Of course, I changed it around a bit, but this is a great resource.

My young son did not like the spinach and chickpeas at all. He was shivering as he was asking me if he had to eat it. He really hates anything with spinach. He love, loves, loves sweet potatoes, though.  That is what he ate. I had plenty of leftovers, which I used in soup and in a frittata.  This is also a great side dish. I have served it with lamb chops. Perfect compliment.

 

 

Braised Coconut Spinach & Chickpeas 
serves 4/main dish or 6/side dish

2 teaspoons oil or
1 small yellow onion
4 large cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 tablespoon grated ginger, from a 3-inch piece
1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
1 large lemon, zested and juiced
1 dash of red pepper flakes ( I have also used roasted hot peppers. Your call)
15-ounce can chickpeas, drained
1 pound baby spinach( or frozen, thawed and drained)
14-ounce can coconut milk
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1 teaspoon ground ginger or grated from fresh
4 oz. cream cheese (vegan variety is also an option.)


1. Heat the oil in a large, deep Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium-high heat.

2. Add the onion and cook for about 5 minutes, or until the onion is beginning to brown.

3. Add the garlic, ginger, sun-dried tomatoes, lemon zest and red pepper, if using. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring frequently.

4. Add the chickpeas and cook over high heat for a few minutes or until the chickpeas are beginning to turn golden and they are coated with the onion and garlic mixture.

5. Toss in the spinach, one handful at a time. This will take about 5 minutes; stir in a handful or two and wait for it to wilt down and make room in the pot before adding the next handful. When all the spinach has been stirred in, pour in the coconut milk and stir in the salt, ground ginger, and lemon juice. Bring to a simmer then turn down the heat and cook for 10 minutes or until the chickpeas are warm through.

6. Stir in cream cheese until it melts.

7. Taste and add more salt and lemon juice, if necessary.

Serve with:
Whole roasted sweet potatoes
Pomegranate seeds, to garnish

You can bake a sweet potato quicker then a russet potato. It  will take about 40 minutes at 400F. You can always cut the sweet potatoes in half if you want them to cook quicker. I have used pomegranate molasses over the top as well when I can not find fresh.

You can’t even feel guilty about this recipe. It is super healthy. All the flavor is the bonus. This is the dish that you make for your friends that are vegan, gluten free, dairy free come over.

Pull up a chair, Elizabeth

 

Soba Noodles with Eggplant & Mango

Jan 312012
 
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I love reading cookbooks. I read them like novels, but it is rare that I make almost every recipe from a particular cookbook. I find them inspirational and only cook a few recipes from them.  I just recently opened a cookbook that blew my mind and I want to cook almost every recipe in it. It is Yotam Ottolenghi’s Plenty. It is a vegetarian cookbook from the guy that writes the vegetarian column in the Guardian. (London newspaper) He also has several restaurants in London.

I am really trying to have vegetables be the show case of our family meals and meat, the compliment. I want my son to crave vegetables. I want to crave vegetables more then fries. This kind of recipe answers this desire. These soba noodles with eggplant and mango are so flavor packed, that I wanted to lick the bowl when I was finished.

Okay, now I am going to bitch for a moment. There are a lot of typos in this book. At least, in the kindle version of it. For example, in this recipe it says that I need 12/3 cup of basil. What? Thank goodness I am a confident cook and knew how to switch this up, but just beware of this, if you buy the book.  I also used agave nectar in place of sugar, because I am watching my sugar intake. I also added fresh mint because it just seemed like it should be in there.

You can serve this as a starter or add some fried tofu to make it a main dish. I had some left over and ate it for lunch the next day.

SERVES 6

1/2 cup rice vinegar
3 T. sugar (2 T. agave nectar)
1/2 t. salt
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1/2 fresh red chile, finely chopped
1 t. sesame oil
grated zest and juice of 1 lime
1 cup sunflower oil
2 eggplants, cut into 3/4-inch dice
8 to 9 oz. soba noodles (I used two neat little bundles)
1 large mango or 2 small mangos, peeled, diced or cut into strips
1 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped or torn
2 cups fresh cilantro, chopped
1/2 cup fresh mint
1/2 large red onion, thinly sliced

 

1. In a small saucepan gently warm the vinegar, sugar, and salt for up to 1 minute, just until the sugar dissolves.
2. Remove from the heat and add the garlic, chile and sesame oil. Allow to cool, then add the lime zest and juice.
3. Heat up the sunflower oil in a large pan and shallow fry the eggplant in three or four batches. Once golden brown remove to a colander , sprinkle liberally with salt and leave there to drain.
4. Cook noodles in plenty of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally. It takes 5 to 8 minutes. I would lean toward the 5 minute side  of this to keep them al dente. Drain and rinse well under running cold water.
5. Shake off as much of the excess water as possible, then leave to dry on a dish towel.
6. In a mixing bowl, toss the noodles with the dressing, mango, eggplant, half the herbs and onions. You can even leave it aside for 1 to 2 hours.
7. When ready to serve add in the rest of the herbs and mix well, then pile on a plate or in a bowl.

 

I made this ahead and served it to friends as a side dish. It has a big wow impact when you place this beautiful dish on the table. I had it made it ahead and all the prep dishes cleaned up before my guests got there. Love that.  You will love the tang, sweet, and heat in this dish. It is summer in the middle of winter. This is just a great recipe. My hat is off to you, Yotam Ottolenghi. Thanks for the inspiration.

Pull up a chair, Elizabeth

Pork Chops and Sauerkraut

Jan 152012
 
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I have to share this hard to believe story with my fellow foodies. My friend, let’s call him Mark, confided in me the most peculiar aspect of his childhood.  Mark knew what he would be eating every day of his childhood. His mother cooked the exact same thing everyday of the week his entire life in his parents home. This took a while to sink into my foodie soul and conscious.  Mark had cereal for breakfast seven days of the week.  He had bologna or turkey sandwich, only, everyday for lunch. Not even an apple. They never had fruit in their house. Vegetables only came from a can.

Dinner…

Monday: frank and beans.
Tuesday: mac and cheese (from a box, mind you).
Wednesday: chili from a can with fritos
Thursday: hamburger on a bun with some store purchased coleslaw
Friday: fish filet with canned corn
Saturday: hot dog and chips
Sunday: Frozen pizza

No variation to the menu, ever. It was the same menu every week, week in and week out. It never changed his entire childhood. They didn’t even cook something different on Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving, no turkey. I have a hard time believe that these people are not missing some kind of gene for passion. How did they even find each other to marry?

Mark never went to a restaurant with his parents. They thought it was a waste of money. Mark loved eating over at his friend’s house, but his brother feared it and would avoid it at all cost. Mark  loved the food he was served at the dorm cafeteria when he went off to college. He grow up with such a disconnect from food as pleasure, he was insatiable. He would gorge himself on fresh fruit and would invent a new salad everyday from the array at the salad bar. The first time he had pot roast and mashed potatoes, he had three helpings. He went home with a friend for Thanksgiving and he had his first Thanksgiving meal. He was simply God smacked. Mark said he barely spoke a word at that first Thanksgiving meal and he had to do everything in his power not to cry.  He had only seen pictures of such an event.

Mark’s parents have never been overweight or even fluctuated a few pounds in their weight. They never ate out at a restaurant. That is a waste of money. They never travel to see their adult children. They have never have ever change their diet to this day. They are not close with their children.

 

 

Is the feeding our family the first way we show them love? How we nurture their soul? How we connect with people? Certainly, this family did not use food to celebrate,  console, or masque any emotions that pop up… now everyone in the room turns and looks at me. Okay, okay, guilty as charged.

Bless my father for raising me around some of the most interesting chefs and restaurant people in the US. Bless my mother. Her own passion for food and desire not to eat the same thing everyday, lead to a childhood with an amazing exploration of the world’s cuisines coming from my mother’s kitchen. Pork chops and sauerkraut was something that was an event in our household when I was growing up. The smell of this simmering would make all of us come out of our rooms and gather at the dinner table.

There was a point  that my mother was cooking for 9 people everyday and she would cook this in the electric fry pan. It really helped free up the oven for the rest of the meal. I am a big slow cooker fan. My mom would serve this with mashed potatoes. I have a Czech friend who would simmer dumplings in the sauerkraut while it cooked. I love that idea.

My version is easy, stick to your ribs fare, but on top of it, it is healthy homemade food. I spent ten minutes putting it together in the morning and we have a hearty dinner in the evening.

It is the morning…

Pull out your slow cooker and a skillet.

1. Season 4-6 pork loin chops with salt and pepper.
2. Heat a skillet with some olive oil.
3. Sear the pork chops on both sides. Not cooking, just browning the outside of chop.
4. In the slow cooker add:
2 cups sauerkraut, that had been rinsed
2 cups shredded cabbage
1 cup finely chopped onion
1 apple, grated
1/2 cup carrot, grated
2 gloves garlic, finely chopped
8-10 peppercorns
1-2 bay leaves
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 T. brown sugar (optional)
5. Place the chops on top, cover and set slow cooker for 6-8 hours.
6. Serve to your family around the dinner table and enjoy each other.

Mark’s brother never developed a taste for fruit and vegetables, but owns a diner. He married one of the waitresses are raising their child in the business. Mark, is an avid runner and his partner is a party planner. They have huge Thanksgiving gatherings and Mark does all the cooking.

The simple act of gathering around the table to share a meal is an important thing. It is love. Please join me anytime around my table.

Pull up a chair, Elizabeth

Garlic in olive oil

Dec 232011
 
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 Mellow, nutty, and sweet. I love how garlic tastes when it is cooked. Making up a jar of roasted garlic in olive oil doesn’t take long. It will last about 2 weeks, but it never lasts that long in our house. What do I use it on? The real question is what I don’t use it on. Slather the garlic on bread or add to a quick sauce for pasta. Use the oil to make a simple salad dressing or fry an egg in. My son loves a slice of crunchy toasted baguette brushed with the garlic oil and slice of salami on top for breakfast. He always has apple slices along with it. Drizzle it in a sandwich. I have whipped the roasted garlic into potatoes. OMG, that is fabulous, but hash browns cooked with garlic oil is fabulousity.

You can use it when roasting veggies or over a slice of pizza…on salmon or to poach shrimp in. Okay, do I need to say more? This stuff is just a must-have in your fridge. To top it all off, it is good for you. Dr. Oz, come on over and look into my fridge, this stuff is great.

Okay, are you ready for how easy it is?

This is the hardest part. Put 5 heads of garlic, that is peeled, in a one quart sauce pan.

Generously cover all the garlic with olive oil, filling up the pan.

Add some peppercorns (5-8), a bay leaf, and some thyme, if you have them.

Place in a 300F oven for about an hour.

When you pull out, it is good served warm. I usually store in Mason jar in the fridge. When I am ready to use, I do let it get to room temperature and sometimes I reheat it in the microwave so that it is warm.

Oh, I can’t wait to hear how you use it.

Pull up a chair, Elizabeth

Blueberry and Coconut Coffeecake

Dec 072011
 
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I have been away for a while. I have had some writer’s block.  NOT sure why, by the way. Maybe I have been just feeling quiet. Okay, my friends just spit out their coffee because I am never quiet. Thanks for your patience, all the same. So finally after three different versions of making this cake I have finally found the one worth posting.  Like all the baking posts I do, this one is a n0-brainer, because I am a horrible baker. It is also vegan because my son can not have eggs and dairy, but non-vegans do not be scared off.  I served it to many a carnivore, who repel at the mere mention of the word… vegan, and they loved it. I have based it on a depression era recipe that did not use the hard to obtain eggs and dairy.

One thing about this recipe that rocks is that is super moist and it freezes great. I love that I can make something up, freeze it, and then pull out a piece when needed.  That friend stopped by to have a cup of coffee or when you have that morning when you just want something a little sweet.

Preheat oven at 350F

Grease or spray with cooking spray a 8 or 9 inch spring-form pan. Notice that mine is glass bottomed. Love that about my spring-form pan. It goes on any tray and doesn’t look bad. Now, back to baking…

Toss about 1 1/2 cups of blueberries in flour (This prevents the blueberries from bleeding blue throughout the entire cake). I used the frozen wild berries from Costco. Thawed out.

In a bowl:

1 1/2 cup AP flour
heaping 1/2 cup sugar
1 T. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
1 t. lemon extract
1 T. vinegar
6 T. coconut oil (melted in microwave)
1 cup coconut milk or juice

Mix all the ingredients together, then fold in the blueberries. Pour mixture into the pan. Make a some few dents throughout the top of the batter.

Then mix up 6 0z cream cheese (vegans: use the vegan cream cheese like tofutti), few tablespoons of coconut milk or juice and 1/4 cup sugar together. Pour all over the top of blueberry coconut batter.

Bake for approximately 30 minutes. You want it firm to the touch. Cool, if you can stand to wait. I never can.

I plan on making this ahead and it will be something we will eat Christmas morning while opening presents.

Pull up a chair, Elizabeth

 

Chicken Thighs, Sausage, and Kale Stew (slow-cooker recipe)

Nov 072011
 
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It is the time of year that calls for us to pull out our slowcookers and make hearty stews of tender meats and vegetables. I had a wonderful reader say what she loves about the growing season is that it starts and ends with greens. I couldn’t agree more. I don’t think that I even had kale until I was in my thirties, but I have grow to just love it. The heartiness in it’s texture calls for it to be cooked for a period of time. Outrageously good for you and super filling. I love incorporating it in our meals. My youngest son does not like spinach ever, but loves kale. He says that spinach makes him gag.  I still make him try it now and then.

This chicken, sausage & kale dish can feed an army for a reasonable price. I put everything into the slow cooker in the morning and then at dinner time cooked up some pasta to add in. It was done that easy. This is bowl of love and would not have any hesitation in serving this to my quests.

My favorite way to flavor kale is to add a piece of smokey meat and some wine while it simmers. I am lucky I have a super market close to me that always has smoked turkey legs and necks available at a great price. I like to use ham hocks as well, but use the turkey necks more often to reduce my cholesteral a bit. I am always shocked how much meat I get off the turkey necks. They add flavor and meat. Hearty, hearty goodness. YUM.

In the morning:

Brown the outer layer of six chicken thighs, lightly seasoned with salt and pepper. I usually get skinless to cut the saturated fat. Remember browning adds flavor to any dish.

Brown the outer layer of six sausages of your choice.

Start layering in slow-cooker:

chicken thighs
one bunch of kale, cleaned, de-stemmed & finely chopped
1/2 an onion, chopped
6 gloves of garlic
smoked turkey neck
1 t. red pepper flakes
second bunch of kale, cleaned, de-stemmed & finely chopped
sausages
1 cup dry white wine
1 cup chicken broth

Cover and set slow-cooker for 6 hours or longer.

20 minutes before eating:

Bring a pan of water to boil to cook pasta. Make sure to have plenty of salt in the water. This is the only time your pasta can get seasoned. Cook 1 lb. of pasta to al dente.

While cooking pasta, stir kale in the slow-cooker. Taste and adjust seasonings while pulling out the smoky necks on a plate. The smoky necks do add an amount of sodium, so I like to only add at this stage, if necessary. Let necks cool for a bit and then pull meat off the bones and return the meat to the slow-cooker.

After you drain noodles, stir into the slow-cooker. Then serve. This is also great to set up on a buffet as well and let people help themselves.

Pull out your slow-cooker or pull up a chair, Elizabeth

 

CSA recipe 4: Fried Green Tomatoes

Oct 112011
 
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Ingredients used:

Green Tomatoes
Cherry Tomatoes

I have never had a fried green tomato before in my life. I first heard of them from the movie, Fried Green Tomatoes. After receiving these green tomatoes in my CSA basket, I knew I was going to finally make them. In researching different recipes, I found out that fried green tomatoes are not originally a southern dish as I had always thought. At the turn of the century, all the recipes found were in the northern and mid-western states. It also seemed to have a strongest presents in the Jewish community. It is believed that the tomatoes were picked right before the first freeze so they would be ruined. With a long winter ahead, nothing on the vine went to waste.

After looking over several different recipes, I went for the one that seemed liked any grandma would of passed down to her family.

Cut your tomatoes a little thick. You do not want them too thin. Dip them first in AP flour, then in buttermilk (I used soy milk because of my son’s allergy to milk), then in seasoned cornmeal. I seasoned the cornmeal with creole seasoning.( I mix up the Emeril’s essence recipe)  I use creole seasoning often enough that I keep it by my stove top. Put breaded tomato slices all on a tray and heated up some oil over med/high heat in a pan. You want an enough oil that when you place your breaded tomato in the oil it goes half way up the side of it. Brown on  both sides. Drain on paper towel.

Now I ended up not making any remoulade for the tomatoes because I wanted to taste them straight up.  I loved how the cornmeal complimented the tartness of the green tomato. The firmness of the tomato really played well for frying. I noticed that a lot of people just use hot sauce to accompaniment the fried green tomatoes.  I liked them that way as well, but they do not need much. I did think to myself that they would taste great on a burger, though. Crisp, tart, rich, and meaty. What can I say? I always go there.

Now the grape tomatoes were eaten the day we got them by my son, who eats them like candy. It is also a great addition to his lunch box, but sometimes have a hard time finding organic ones.

The last two ingredients are arugula and eggs. That is the next post.

I am loving my CSA. Pull up a chair, Elizabeth

 

CSA recipe 3:Meatball and Swiss Chard soup

Oct 022011
 
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Ingredient used:

Rainbow Swiss chard

I have to admit I make meatballs and greens soup quite often in the fall/winter/spring. My son just inhales it. It could be either turkey, pork, beef or lamb meatballs and it could be one type or  a variety of greens, such as kale, arugula, or spinach, but it is all basically the same recipe. He inhales it every time, no matter what. Now if I put a pile of greens on his plate to eat, he does not want anything to do with it. Ahh, the power of soup.

I usually let the meat and the greens dictate the spices and broth used. If I have lamb meat, I may make it with Greek or Moroccan spices in a beef broth. If I have turkey meat, then I use turkey or chicken broth. One unique thing I do is use instant tapioca instead of eggs, milk and bread crumbs in the meatballs to make them tender, because of my son’s allergies. This is a great trick. Tapioca is gluten free as well.

1/4 lb. ground beef
1/4 lb. ground pork
1/4 cup instant tapioca
3 big dashes worcestershire sauce
1/4 t. red pepper flakes
1/2 t. salt
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

Mix all the ingredients listed above together and make little meatballs. You can cook them in the soup or brown them off first on a sheet tray in the oven. It depends on what texture you want out of your meatball in the end. This time I baked them off in the oven first. I made them small, so one can fit in a spoon.

I usually have broth in my freezer, but I do not hesitate to use a bouillon to create my soup either. I have started working for Massel bouillon and have found it a quick and easy solution to have on hand. If I have some broth in the freezer, I will even add some bouillon to add another flavor profile to the soup. Today I used beef broth and added a couple tablespoons of tomato paste to liven up the broth.

4 cups beef broth
2 T. tomato paste
1/4 cup chopped celery
1/4 cup sliced carrots
1 bunch of rainbow Swiss chard finely chopped (even stems)
1/4 cup onions, sliced or chopped

I heated up the broth and with all of the ingredients listed above until tender, then I added the cooked meatballs. If I was adding the meatballs raw, I would put them in the pot all at the same time. Cook until everything is tender and the meat is cooked. It usually simmers for about 15-20 minutes.

Served up warm with crusty bread is our favorite way to eat this up. I love how easy this is to prepare. I love that how healthy it is for my family and I love foefilling it is to eat soup with meatballs.

Can’t wait for you to pull up a chair, Elizabeth

CSA Challenge 2: Baby Red Turnip & Cucumber Salad

Sep 282011
 
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Ingredients used:

Baby Red Turnips
Cucumber
Cherry Tomatoes
Purple Basil

What is good to remember about having a basket of fresh veggies in front of you is that the veggies are going to taste best with little done to them. Don’t fret about all the different ways to cook them, just keep it simple. One little known fact about a fresh turnip is that it tastes great raw. This root vegetable stores so well that I have usually had them in  a mid-winter stew or soup. There is a peppery quality to them that makes perfect for salads as well. I cut up the turnips and cucumber on a mandolin, quartered  the cherry tomatoes and cut chiffonade with the basil.

Tossed in:

Lemon juice
Extra virgin olive oil
Tiny pinch of sea salt
A few turns of the pepper mill

I had this simple salad made with purest ingredients for lunch with some cold poached salmon that I had in the fridge. It was a great lunch.

Just a quick note: 

Best way to store your fresh herbs in some water on the counter like you keep flowers and  they last longer and they look pretty as well.

So keep it simple. Let the veggies do the talking. Tomorrow we are going to be using the Swiss chard.

Pull up a chair, Elizabeth

CSA challenge 1: Asian Beef & Tofu Wrap

Sep 272011
 
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Ingredients used:

Romaine lettuce
Scallions
Purple Basil

When I first saw the beautiful lettuce, I knew that I was going to make a wrap. The crisp fresh taste of the lettuce wrapped around something sweet and spicy. I love the texture and tastes, but I love how easy it is to pull together. My son eats them up, lettuce and all. I add sriracha to mine and I eat them up, lettuce and all.

Clean lettuce and set aside.

Serves 2 generously.

1/3 pound beef or pork
1 t. corn oil

Heat a wok or skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil and heat until hot, about 30 seconds. Add meat, breaking up any lumps and cook until pink is gone. Drain on paper towel or in a colander. Wipe out wok. Reheat.

1 t. corn oil
3 T. scallions thinly sliced
1/2 cup sliced pea pods or cabbage
1 1/2 T. minced ginger
2 gloves garlic, minced
1 to 2 t. soy sauce
1 T. hoisin sauce
3 oz. firm tofu, cut into 1/4 inch cubes. (Ideally, wrapped in paper towel and weighted for 30 min, but I rarely have time for this.)

Add all the ingredients from above in the wok except the tofu. Let cook for about a minute until the flavor of the sauce come together. Then add meat and tofu. Toss in sauce and then serve in lettuce leaf.

Rice or not to rice? In your wrap or on the side? I like wraps both ways, but do not think that you have to serve rice. I had some leftover, so I heated it up and it worked perfectly on this night. My son likes to eat his rice on the side. Me, in the wrap.

Garnishing with herbs and sriracha is vital to me. I put one leaf of cilantro and chiffonade of the sweet purple basil on mine. Gabriel just put basil on his. I love how I can make a wrap spicy enough for me, but in a flavor that my young son’s taste buds enjoy.

Okay tomorrow…another recipe. Sneak preview. I am using the turnips and the cucumber together…umm.

Pull up a chair, Elizabeth

 

 

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