Thursday, June 20, 2013

Tabouleh

Ingredients


2 bunches of fresh parsley (1 1/2 cup chopped, with stems discarded)
2 tablespoons of fresh mint, chopped
I medium onion, finely chopped
6 medium tomatoes, diced
1 tablespoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup bulghur, medium grade
6 tablespoons lemon juice
6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Romaine lettuce or grape leaves to line serving bowl (optional)
 

Preparation

Soak bulghur in cold water for 1 1/2 to 2 hours until soft.

Squeeze out excess water from bulghur using hands or paper towel.

Combine all ingredients, except for salt, pepper, lemon juice, and olive oil.

Line serving bowl with grape leaves or romaine lettuce, and add salad.

Sprinkle olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper on top.

Serve immediately or chill in refrigerator for 2 hours before serving.

Thursday, June 13, 2013

The Bowl of Goodness - Runners World

1 cup cooked quinoa
1/2 bunch Tuscan kale, destemmed, torn into pieces (any kind of kale works)
1/2 avocado, cubed
1 egg
Sea salt
Ground pepper
2 tablespoons lemon juice, plus an extra splash or two
1/8 cup olive oil, plus more for drizzling
Splash of your favorite hot sauce

How to make it:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Toss kale with olive oil, sea salt, and pepper and place on baking sheet prior to roasting. Roast kale for 12-15 minutes, flipping at least once throughout the process. Mix 1/8 cup olive oil with lemon, sea salt, and pepper. Place quinoa into serving bowl and mix in olive oil mixture. Dress cubed avocado with a sprinkle of lemon juice, sea salt, and pepper. Place avocado on top of quinoa, and roasted kale to follow. Fry up egg over medium heat, about 3 minutes each side, season with sea salt and pepper, and place on top of kale. Splash a drop or three of your favorite hot sauce on egg. Cut into egg and let the goodness seep into the rest of the goodness.

Thursday, May 30, 2013

Lemon Artichoke Rigatoni

Ingredients
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 cups uncooked rigatoni pasta (6 oz)
2 cups vegetable broth (from 32-oz carton)
2 cups Green Giant® Valley Fresh Steamers™ frozen broccoli cuts
2 cups chopped artichoke hearts
1 1/2 teaspoons grated lemon peel
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese


Cooking

1 In 12-inch skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add garlic; cook about 1 minute, stirring occasionally, until softened.

2 Stir in uncooked pasta and broth. Heat to boiling, stirring occasionally; reduce heat to medium-low. Cover; simmer 11 minutes. Stir well.

3 Spread broccoli and chicken over pasta. Cover; cook 12 to 14 minutes longer or until pasta is tender.

4 Stir in lemon peel. Top with cheese.

Sunday, May 19, 2013

Old Bay Cauliflower Salad

 

Ingredients

  • 2 heads cauliflower
  • 4 large celery stalks, finely diced
  • 1 cup frozen peas, thawed
  • 1/2 cup finely diced red onion
  • 2 cups mayonnaise
  • 3 teaspoons Old Bay Seasoning
  • 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
  • Salt to taste

Directions

  • Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cut heads of cauliflower into 3" pieces (as seen in the picture above). Have a large bowl of ice water ready as well as a paper-towel lined (many layers) baking sheet. Working in batches, blanch the cauliflower in the hot water, each batch for 3-4 minutes. Remove and immediately place in the ice water to stop the cooking process. Let sit in water for a few minutes and remove to the paper-towel lined baking sheet (you will need to continue to add ice to keep water cold for the other batches). Repeat process with the rest of the cauliflower.
  • When all cauliflower is done, break into smaller pieces with your hands (stems too) and give a rough chop with a knife. Here is the most important part, you will want your cauliflower to be really, really dry before you mix it with the mayo. Let it sit for a while in a single layer on a dry tray. Not doing this will result in a runny and diluted salad.
  • Mix together mayonnaise, Old Bay, red pepper flakes and black pepper in a medium-sized bowl (you can do this up to a day ahead).
  • In a large bowl add blanched cauliflower, celery, peas and red onion. Mix with the mayo-Old Bay mixture and salt to taste. Refrigerate for at least four hours before serving or overnight.

Friday, May 3, 2013

Black Bean Cocoa Brownies

Ingredients:
1 (15 ounce) can no-salt-added black beans, drained and rinsed
3 large eggs
1/3 cup butter, melted plus (more for the baking dish)
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup unbleached cane sugar (plus 2 tablespoons)
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
1/3 cup walnuts, finely chopped


Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°F
Butter an 8-inch baking pan.
Place the black beans, eggs, melted butter, cocoa powder, salt, vanilla, and sugar in the bowl of a food processor and blend until smooth.
Remove the blade and carefully stir in the chocolate chips and walnuts.
Transfer mixture to the prepared pan.
Bake the brownies for 30 to 35 minutes, or until just set in the center.
Cool before cutting into squares.

Thursday, January 31, 2013

red beans and rice (from the skinny)


Ingredients
  • 1 pound dry kidney beans, washed
  • 1 can diced tomatoes
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 1 bell pepper, diced
  • 7 cups of vegetable stock
  • 4 cloves of garlic, diced
  • 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire
  • 2½ teaspoons creole seasoning. I like Tony Chachere’s the best!
  • 3 bay leaves
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • ½ teaspoon paprika
  • ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 3 cups uncooked rice. Cooked according to package.
Instructions
  1. Put all ingredients, except rice, into slow cooker.
  2. Cook on low for 7-8 hours.
  3. Add ½ cup a water at a time, as needed.
  4. During the last two hours of cooking add extra veggies if you wish. I’ve added: eggplant, zucchini, carrots, squash, mushrooms. Anything that’s at it limit of expired produce gets thrown in
  5. Serve over hot, cooked rice. I love the way brown rice taste with the beans!

Friday, December 7, 2012

zucchini carrot quinoa casserole

Ingredients

1 c quinoa
1/4 cup dried currants
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
1 or 2 bay leaves
1 cinnamon stick
2 Tbls olive oil
1 c. celery, chopped small
2 medium carrots
2 small zucchini
1 tsp ground coriander
 
1/2 tsp paprika
pinch cayenne
1/2 tsp dried ginger
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp rock salt
1 1/2 - 1 3/4 cup boiling water or soup stock
Note: Use smaller amount of water for slow cooker or crockpot
1/4 c. minced parsley or cilantro
fresh ground pepper to taste


Directions
 
  1. Soak quinoa 15 minutes to an hour, rinse three times through a fine metal strainer, leave to drain
  2. Heat olive oil on medium in a large sauté pan or frying pan
  3. Chop celery in small pieces
  4. Peel and chop carrots in 1/2" dice
  5. Wash, trim, and chop zucchini in 1 " dice
  6. Stir fry celery until transparent
  7. Add carrots, stir fry five minutes
  8. Add zucchini, stir fry one minute
  9. Add the spices, except for the fresh herb and salt, lower heat and stir until they start to brown
  10. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Use a three or four quart oven proof casserole with lid. Add all ingredients except fresh herb and pepper
  11. Stir in 1 3/4 cups boiling water or stock, cover, and bake 20 minutes, or until all the water is absorbed
  12. Before serving, remove the bay leaves and cinnamon stick
  13. Stir in the minced fresh parsley or cilantro, fresh ground pepper, and serve