Showing posts with label Recipe ReDux. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Recipe ReDux. Show all posts

Tuesday, July 21, 2015

{Recipe ReDux} Fresh from the garden: Tomatoes + eggs for breakfast


"The season of bountiful produce has arrived. Whether your produce comes from the Farmers Market, a CSA share, or a plot of dirt out back, show how you are using fresh July fruits or veggies. And if you have gardening successes - or failures - please share!"

Good quality food tastes better. I think that one reason why Americans tend to use a lot of sauces and condiments is because we start with inferior ingredients.

Tomatoes are a great gate-way produce to high quality, delicious food. There is just no comparing the pinkish softballs sold in January to a tomato plucked from the vine in your backyard or purchased at your favorite farmers market.

When you have produce that is just that good, you don't need to do a lot. This is a favorite summer breakfast of mine. You get great flavor, you are getting veggies in at breakfast, and it is ready super quick. What's not to love?

Of course, you're welcome to try this quick meal anytime of the day :)

Tomatoes + Eggs 
  • 1 beautiful tomato
  • 1-2 eggs, local preferred
  • Pinch of fresh herbs (I used basil, oregano and rosemary)
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • olive oil
  1. Slice your beautiful plate. Inhale that delicious aroma.
  2. Preheat your skilled over medium-high heat and drizzle in a bit of olive oil. 
  3. Cook your egg(s) to perfection and slide onto your tomato slices.
  4. Sprinkle with fresh herbs, salt and pepper. 
An InLinkz Link-up

Sunday, December 21, 2014

{Recipe ReDux} Grab a Book and Cook: Golden Cream of Onion Soup

"It’s the end of the year and we’ll taking a moment to reflect: ReDux has been around for 42 months! (Can you believe some of you have ReDux-ed 42 recipes?) To celebrate, we’re playing a little party game this month: Grab your nearest cookbook and ReDux the recipe on page 42 or 142. We can’t wait to see the books you’re cooking from these days - and how you make that recipe healthier."

Has anyone used a Moosewood cookbook? They are a collection of wonderful recipe books by Mollie Katzan. I have several, but chose to open up The New Enchanted Broccoli Forest to page 42 to see what recipe I'd be cooking. Yum - I love soup!

Most of the Moosewood cookbooks are handwritten by Mollie with beautiful illustrations. It is like receiving a favorite recipe from a friend or family member. And her explanations on cooking basics empower anyone to try new recipes. Check her out!

I decided to puree the soup per a recommendation from Martha Stewart, added some broth and I also added some carrots to boost the nutrition as well as create a beautiful golden color. Otherwise, I left the original recipe alone. 

Golden Cream of Onion Soup
  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 3 cups chopped onion
  • 2 large carrots, grated
  • 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground mustard
  • 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper
  • 1 cup broth, vegetable or chicken
  • 3 cups milk
  • pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
  1. In a large soup pot, saute onions in butter for 5-10 minutes or until softened and lightly browned. Add flour, salt and pepper and mustard and stir to evenly distribute flour. Cook for one minute more, or until flour starts to brown.
  2. Stir in stock, milk, nutmeg and carrots. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes or until all veggies are tender. Puree with an immersion blender until smooth. Check for seasonings and serve if perfect!
I enjoyed mine with some whole wheat cheesy garlic toast for a lovely supper on a chilly evening!

Check out these other fabulous recipe by the Recipe Redux!

An InLinkz Link-up

Sunday, September 21, 2014

{Recipe Redux} Get Your Dehydrator On: Fancy Stuffed Dates

Here is a perfect appetizer (or dessert) to bring to your next party, potluck or picnic. Stuffed dates do not need a fork, they do not need to be kept warm, they're vegetarian and can be vegan, they're even gluten free. Just a few minutes of prep and a small number of ingredients are all that are standing between you and a delicious collection of healthy, delicious treats!

 
 Whether it’s extra garden bounty or a sale at the supermarket - dehydrating food is a budget-friendly way to stock up for later. You can use a food dehydrator, a low slow oven, or natural sunshine to preserve natural healthfulness. Show us how you like to dehydrate, or a healthy recipe for how you enjoy using dehydrated fruits, veggies or other bounty.
 
Sometimes life is just full steam! It has been a wild and wonderful summer full of weddings and travel, some great contract opportunities, a trip to Vermont as well as the beginning of a new teaching opportunity.
 
We have all had those months (or years) where it is all you can do to stay ahead of the avalanche. But, life marches on! And with the holiday season approaching quickly, we will need to have some tasty treats up your sleeve that don't require a lot of fuss.
 
I made four varieties, and the cogs are turning in my brain coming up with more! Almond butter and sea salt? Goat cheese with lemon zest? I think the options here are many! 
 
The most simple are the dates stuffed with a match-stick sized piece of fresh ginger. For a savory option, I mixed soft goat cheese with freshly minced rosemary. Inspired by the Lake Champlain Aztec chocolate I had the opportunity to try last weekend, I stuffed each date with a whole almond, dipped them in dark chocolate and then sprinkled each with the tiniest amount of cinnamon and cayenne pepper.
 
Tip: look for pitted dried dates - they're easier to work with.
 
Tip 2: some dates have a slit on the side, making stuffing quite easy. Others, don't. If your dates aren't ready to be stuffed, use a knife and pretend you're opening up an envelope. Easy breasy!
 
 
Goat Cheese Stuffed Dates

  • Dried, pitted dates
  • Soft goat cheese
  • Fresh rosemary, minced
  1. Mince rosemary and mix with goat cheese. Spread about 1 teaspoon into the center cavity of each date and enjoy. 
Pumpkin Pie Stuffed Dates

  • Dried, pitted dates
  • Mascarpone cheese
  • Pumpkin puree
  • Maple Syrup
  • Course sea salt (optional)
  1. Mix equal parts cheese and pumpkin.
  2. Stuff 1-2 teaspoons into the center of each date and arrange nicely on your your serving plate.
  3. Drizzle with a bit of maple syrup and sprinkle with sea salt, if you wish.
Ginger Stuffed Dates

  • Dried, pitted dates
  • Fresh ginger
  1. Peel ginger and slice into match stick sized pieces.
  2. Stick one piece of ginger into each date. Trim ends if needed.
Aztec Stuffed Dates

  • Dried, pitted dates
  • Whole almonds
  • Dark chocolate, minced
  • Cinnamon powder
  • Cayenne powder
  1. Melt chocolate in microwave or over double boiler.
  2. Stuff one whole almonds into each date. Dip stuffed dates into chocolate and set onto serving plate.
  3. Lightly sprinkle each date with cinnamon and cayenne powder.
What is your favorite way to enjoy dried dates?

An InLinkz Link-up

Thursday, November 21, 2013

{Recipe ReDux} Merriment in the Mixes: Curried Lentil Soup with Dried Apples

It's that time of the year when we're looking for gift ideas! This months theme for the Recipe ReDux was gifts and mixes that we can do in jars. As a dietitian, I think that all foods can fit in a healthy diet, but the holidays can sometimes snowball out of control with all of the treats available. This is a delicious and wholesome gift that anyone can enjoy - it is vegetarian, contains no gluten and will keep up to a month in the jar.

One other nice thing about this particular mix is that nothing else is needed. While it isn't the end of the world for the mix to require other ingredients, I like that this one doesn't. Just add water, simmer and 25 minutes later dinner is served!





Curried Lentil Soup with Dried Apples
  • 2 quart jars with tight-fitting lids, or 4 pint jars
  • 1 pound red lentils
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 6 tablespoons minced dried onion
  • 2 tablespoons curry powder
  • 2 teaspoons turmeric 
  • 1 teaspoons garlic powder
  • 1 pound green lentils
  • 1/2 packages (5-ounce) dried apple rings, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons dried parsley leaves

  1. In bottom of each glass jar, place 8 ounces red lentils; top with  1/2 teaspoons salt, 3 tablespoons dried onion, 1 tablespoon curry powder, 1 teaspoon turmeric, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, 8 ounces green lentils, 1/2 cup apple pieces, and 1 tablespoon parsley, in that order. Close jars tightly and store at room temperature up to 1 month.
  2. Prepare labels with cooking instructions; attach to jars. Add these cooking directions to each label before giving as a gift: Place lentil soup mix in 3-quart saucepan with 7 cups water or low-sodium broth. Heat to boiling on high. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 20 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Makes 8 cups soup. 


Adapted from Good Housekeeping.

Check out these awesome other mix ideas from my fellow Recipe ReDux bloggers:






Tuesday, October 22, 2013

{Recipe ReDux} Thai Pumpkin Soup


I love pumpkin! Pumpkin pie is a classic treat, but this lovely winter veggie is delicious in so many more dishes! All pumpkins are edible, but the ones intended for Halloween jack-o-lanterns aren't going to taste as wonderful as those grown to be eaten.

Last winter I did my first round of cooking with fresh pumpkins and haven't looked back. Turns out it isn't so hard to cook pumpkin - you can use your microwave, slow cooker, or roast chunks in the oven. I used one magical blue pumpkin to make, quite literally, the absolute best pumpkin pie I have ever eaten. The hunt for a blue pumpkin this year continues...

A great place to start with fresh pumpkin is soup. Want to know a secret? You don't need to peel your pumpkin for pureed soup. 1) it is more work and I'm lazy (strategic?) and 2) you're losing fiber, and you know how I feel about that.

Place your pumpkin on the cutting board and use a very sharp chefs knife to cut it in half. Your ice-cream scoop is the best way to remove the seeds and stringy bits. Cut out the spots where the stem is and chop into chunks. Voila - ready to go! I made this even easier for you by using the slow cooker. You're welcome :)

Thai Pumpkin Soup
  • 1 small pie pumpkin, 2-3 pounds, seeded and cut into chunks
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons ginger paste (or fresh minced ginger)
  • zest from 1 lemon
  • zest from 1 lime
  • 2 cups veggie or chicken broth (or water)
  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1 14-ounce can light coconut milk
  1. Wash pumpkin and cut off or peel any strange areas. Cut into chunks as described above. Place in slow cooker. Add all other ingredients, except for coconut milk, and stir. 
  2. Cover, and cook on low heat for 6-8 hours or until pumpkin cubes are very tender when poked with a fork. Use an immersion blender to puree the soup until smooth. Shake coconut milk can, open, and pour into soup. Stir, cover, and heat for 20-30 minutes or until soup is hot. Add salt and pepper if needed and serve.
This recipe is adapted from The Vegan Slow Cooker by Kathy Hester.





Saturday, September 21, 2013

{Recipe Redux} No-Cook Desserts: Cinnamon-Banana Ice-Cream

A good friend Kelly first told me about this great way to finish a meal without guilt but still take care of the sweet tooth. When she told me that it was basically a mushed frozen banana, I was rather skeptical.

Really, Kelly? Do you know how much I love good quality ice-cream?

But sure enough, one frozen banana + 2 minutes in the food processor = one smooth and creamy dessert!

Banana Ice-Cream
  • 1 frozen banana, sliced
  • Optional: vanilla, cinnamon, cocoa powder, almond butter, etc for flavor
  1. Peel banana, slice into several small chunks and freeze. 
  2. When you're ready for a healthy solution to your sweet tooth, pop that banana into your food processor (or very powerful blender) and blend until creamy and smooth. Note: this takes a few minutes; hang in there.
  3. Add flavorings if you wish, I used cinnamon powder and vanilla extract, blend to combine, scoop into a bowl and enjoy!
This tasty dessert is gluten free, dairy free, egg free and guilt free :)

For best flavor and texture, make this dessert right when you're going to eat it. If you puree and then freeze, it tends to get icy. If you need to freeze extra, just let it thaw for a few minutes and give it a good stir before serving.

Cheers! 




Thursday, February 21, 2013

{Recipe ReDux} Oscars in the Kitchen: Jambalaya with farro

Jambalaya!
The theme of this month's Recipe ReDux is Oscars in the Kitchen. Our challenge? Create a healthy dish that is inspired by a favorite food scene or or featured dish from a movie.

Did you see Beasts of the Southern Wild? It was a really fantastic movie about many topics and starred the fabulous Quvenzhané Wallis. She really is phenomenal. What spoke the most to me in this movie were the messages of making the most of what you have and cherishing your own community.If you're making jambalaya, there are a lot of "right" ways to do it, and many ingredients that are delicious in the pot! Use what you have and what you like.

I chose to make a version of Jambalaya. I can make no claims to authenticity as I am a buckeye, but I will say that it does taste good. What are the health twists? I cut down on the sodium using my own cajun spice blend and homemade turkey stock and I also bumped up the veggies - I often double the veggies that are called for in stew and soup recipes. I did one other twist: I continue to experiment with new foods and for this recipe I am using a grain that is new to me called farro. It is high in fiber and b-complex vitamins and has a nutty flavor. Where to buy it? I bought mine at a food co-op from the bulk section - quite cheap! If it is pricy in your area, check out buying the farro online or try substituting hard red wheat or regular rice. Today I made a double batch of this recipe and the soup pot was full to the brim! Make sure you have a big enough pot :)  

Farro Jambalaya with Shrimp and Turkey Sausage
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 small (or 1 large) onion, diced 
  • 2 stalks celery, sliced or diced
  • 2 carrots, diced
  • 4 ounces (or so) mushrooms, sliced or diced
  • 1 bell pepper, seeded and diced
  • 1 cup raw farro (or rice)
  • 1-16 ounce can diced tomatoes (bonus points if you canned them yourself!)
  • 8 ounces andouille sausage
  • 1 cup water
  • 2 cups vegetable, chicken, turkey or fish stock (more bonus points if you made it)
  • 2 teaspoons Cajun spice (more or less, to taste)
  • 8 ounces raw shrimp, peeled, deveined and tails removed
  1. In a large dutch oven or pot, heat vegetable oil over medium heat.Starting with the onions, add them to the pan. As you chop the rest of your veggies, keep adding them to the pan and stir. Once all of the veggies are in the pan, saute for a few more minutes or until they have softened.
  2. Add farro, sausage, tomatoes, water, stock, Cajun spice blend and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer or until farrow is tender - about 20 minutes. Add shrimp and cook for 5-8 minutes more or until shrimp is cooked.
Note: With this amount of water and stock, the Jambalaya is a bit thinner, more like a stew. I like it this way, but if you'd prefer it to be a bit thicker, use less stock or water.
    This is enough for a double batch
    Lots of veggies! I was going to add zucchini too, but ran out of room.
    Just added the shrimp
    Laissez le bon temps rouler!
    Reader poll: What new grains have you been cooking with?  get the InLinkz code

    Friday, December 21, 2012

    {Recipe Redux} Gadget Gifts - Worm Tower Composter

    Living lightly on the planet has been a main  focus of my life. I am fascinated by gardens and how plants grow, like playing in the dirt and am refreshed by time spend outdoors. The theme of this month's Recipe ReDux is kitchen gadgets. What is our favorite?

    As an avid cook and foodie, picking a favorite kitchen tool feels akin to picking a favorite child. Yikes! There are some classic choices - a good, sharp knife that fits the hand of the cook is probably the most important. I use my kitchen aid mixer all the time and lately have been making a bunch of veggie-full pureed soups using my immersion blender. However, I wanted to write about something unique; a worm composter that helps my kitchen and home to be more green.

    One year ago I bought a worm composter that I use in my Washington DC basement. I had wanted one for a long time - it makes me upset to throw away food scraps - but was moving too much to justify buying one. Now that I have had one for a year, I am happy to recommend it to you! As this is an unusual kitchen addition, I am going to enlist the help of Miss Guided to cover the basics of composting in the city and clear up myths and concerns. We last spoke with Miss Guided about cloth napkins and why we should use them daily, not just for special occasions.

    Thank you to my brother, Chris, for being my photographer!

    ;

    An Interview with Miss Guided: Worm Composting

    Miss Guided (MG): Eww. Worms. Really? Why are you welcoming red wigglers into your house?
    Holly Larson (HL): I am using a worm composting system because it can be done inside. Since I live in the city, some composting systems aren't appropriate to use outside in a city as they would attract mice, rats and other vermin. Another advandate of using worms is that they make the process very fast.

    MG: What does your composting gear include? A gas mask? Snorkel? Hazmat suit?
    HL: No! Surprisingly the system doesn't smell. This has been verified by friends, my roommates and my family. If there is something wrong with the system, it can smell. I chose to buy the above system from amazon because was much more hands off. You could also give making your own a try, but I was hesitant to paw through the worms too much.

    MG: How long did it take you to dig up all of those worms?
    HL: I actually bought them online too; they came in a cardboard box and I added them to the worm tower.



    MG: Who cares about composting?
    HL: I do, and we all should. The majority of garbage being buried in the landfill is compostable - this includes paper, cardboard and food scraps. Food waste in the landfill creates methane and contributes to climate change. By removing these things from the waste stream, you're building good soil for your garden and house plants and reducing use of fossil fuels to transport waste.

    MG: What can you compost in your worm tower?
    HL: There is a lot! Any paper or cardboard, egg and berry cartons, egg shells, leaves, fruit and vegetable scraps (avoid citrus), coffee grounds, tea bags, peanut shells, banana peels, etc.

    Ready to compost!
    MG: What things do you have to avoid when worm composting?
    HL: The plastic windows in envelopes, coated paper, fats and oils, meats or dairy (worms are vegan). I've heard worms don't like onion peels, but I've put them in and haven't heard any complaints from the composting crew.

    MG: So now you expect me to run to the worm composter after each meal?
    HL: I collect scraps into a quart yogurt container and add it to the composter when it is full. It depends on how much my roommates and I are cooking, but it is usually 1-2 times per week.

    The top newspaper is peeled back so I can add food scraps. Hello worms!
    MG: Then what?
    HL: The worm tower is a set of stacking trays that are perforated on the bottom - like your spaghetti colander. When you're setting up the composter for the first time, you set up a single tray and add damp bedding for the worms. This tray is called the working tray. The bedding and the working compost should be like a wrung out sponge - damp, but not too wet. You can use shredded paper (excellent way to prevent identity theft!), brown leaves or buy shredded cocoanut shells, called coir. The directions said not to use pine needles. The tower came with one coir block, but I haven't elected to buy any more since I have a paper shredder and that makes it easy and free. Under the bedding, you add the food scraps and your worms. Across the top you lay a whole piece of damp newspaper - this maintains the moisture level in the system and helps prevent bugs from finding your composter. When you have  more scraps to add, just put them in a different corner of the working tray, under the bedding. When your working tray is full, remove the solid piece of newspaper, or tear is up and mix into the working tray. Place an empty tray on top of the working tray and add fresh, damp bedding. Bury food scraps in the top tray and add a new piece of damp newspaper; this is now the working tray.

    Tip: save the plastic bag from the dry cleaner for maneuvering your trays - lay the plastic on the floor and use is as a place to set the trays without dirtying the floor or dripping when you carry a tray to your garden.

    Finished compost - white spot is an egg shells; just fine to add to the garden
    MG: How many trays are there? What happens when you fill up the last one?
    HL: You can buy towers with 3-5 trays. When your top tray is full, your bottom tray should be fully composted. You remove the bottom tray from the stack, admire the hard work of your worms, and then add this rich compost to your garden or house plants. The plant will thank you. There will probably be some worms in there but they'll be fine in your garden.

    Finished compost - ready to add to your garden!
    MG: What is that spigot for?
    HL: That is the only other regular maintenance you'll need to do. As the food breaks down, they release water. After adding food to the composeter, I'll usually use the same quart yogurt container to drain any extra water - called compost leachate. Use the leachate to water your lawn. This is not the same thing as compost tea where you soak finished compost to "brew" tea. Leachate potentially has harmful bacteria and so you do not want to water your edibles with it.

    Compost leachate - best thrown onto your lawn

    MG: I don't have a garden. I don't have a yard. 
    HL: It is never too late to start a love for gardening - you can choose to save the finished compost for a future garden, or you could find someone who would take your compost. Or, you could sprinkle around a tree or bush in your yard or in a local park.

    Side dressing my basil plants with finished compost
    MG: Have you had any problems with your system?
    HL: One time I did have some kind of mold or fungus growing in one tray. I just threw away the contents of that tray, gave it a thorough rinse with the hose and reused. I haven't seen anything like it since. I do occasionally see flies, but they haven't been a problem. One tip I read was to keep one tray full only of shredded paper on top of your working tray because it is harder for the flies to get in and out of all that paper.


    MG: ......it really doesn't smell?
    HL: Really! It doesn't smell!


    Reader poll: Do you compost? Do you live in the city, in a suburb or in the country? How is it working for you?

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    Tuesday, November 20, 2012

    Recipe ReDux: Vintage Side Dishes - Thanksgiving Hummus


    Thanksgiving is upon us and at the Recipe ReDux, we're celebrating with vintage side dishes!

    Stuffing is so simple, but boy oh boy does it hit the spot on Thanksgiving! Since I have been having fun coming up with interesting hummus dips (pizza? Pad Thai? Balsamic Black Bean? , I thought, "why not stuffing flavored?".

    Turns out it is pretty tasty! I did a trial run at my friend's 8th annual fabulous Friend-giving celebration this weekend and it was a hit!

    Thanksgiving Hummus
    Easily doubled if serving a crowd
    • 1/2 cup onion, diced (about 1 small onion)
    • 3/4 cup celery, diced (use the leaves too, no need to toss)
    • 2 tablespoons butter
    • 1 teaspoon dried sage
    • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
    • 1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram
    • Fresh or dried parsley, if you have it
    • 1 clove of garlic, minced
    • salt and pepper
    • 1 15-ounce can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • 2-3 tablespoons water
    1. In a medium saute pan, melt butter and saute veggies until tender. Add garlic, herbs, salt and pepper and stir for another minute or so or until your kitchen smell heavenly. Remove from heat.
    2. In your food processor (or very powerful blender) add chickpeas, olive oil and veggies and blend until smooth. Add water, one tablespoon at a time, until desired consistency is reached. As it cools, or after refrigeration, the dip will thicken. 
    3. Serve with fresh veggies to dip or whole grain crackers.
    Happy Thanksgiving!


    Reader Poll: What Thanksgiving side dish do you look forward to the most?

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