Sometimes you just need a quickie.....

....I'm talking about dinner, of course.

One of the biggest challenges I hear from people, especially moms, is that it's so hard to get a healthy meal on the table quickly at night.  I get it.  I spend most of my days cooking for other people, and when I get home I want something easy. But I'm not a peanut butter and jelly sandwich kind of girl.  I love to cook, but I like to eat even more, so I've found ways to get to the eating part as quickly as possible.  And I don't compromise taste or quality.  So here are some of my quick-cooking tips:

1) First of all, have a kitchen that supports your needs.  In my pantry I always have a variety of grains, beans, quinoa pasta, canned tomatoes, panko, herbs and spices, vinegars, coconut milk,  chicken and veg broth, onions, garlic and shallots.  My fridge always has my favorite veggies (whatever is in season), romaine, eggs, cheese (can't help it), tamari, curry paste, Greek yogurt and corn tortillas.  And my freezer holds nuts and seeds, frozen spinach, and puff pastry.  I can make something quick and delicious with just these.

2) Let the supermarket help you out - a rotisserie chicken is a great buy.  You can make sandwiches, soup, tacos or a stir fry in minutes.  Bagged lettuces save you time cleaning, as most are triple washed.  You can even find pre-sliced veggies for stir-fries and fajitas.  They will cost you more than their non-prepped counterparts, but will save you valuable time at night.

3) Take your frustration out on a chicken breast.  I always pound my boneless chicken breasts before cooking.  It helps them cook more evenly and quicker, and you'll often find that one chicken breast, when pounded thin, yields two servings.  Season it with a little salt & pepper and smoked paprika (trust me!) and sauté in a little olive oil for just about 3-4 minutes per side.  I like to sauté thinly sliced onion and peppers in the same skillet and serve over the chicken for an easy-peasy side (or top, as the case may be).

4) Eat more seafood.  Fish cooks up so fast.  My favorite way to prepare it is to put it in parchment paper with some fresh herbs, citrus slices, capers and scallions, then wrap it up and bake at 350 for about 10-15 minutes.  The more thinly sliced veggies you put inside the packet, the more of a one-dish meal you've got.  Try carrots, mushrooms, zucchini.  This works with all seafood - shrimp takes about 8-10 minutes, fillets like snapper, salmon and bass take about 10-12, and thicker fillets like halibut take about 15.  Added bonus - clean up is a breeze.

5) Salad is not rabbit food.  You can make a really hearty dinner salad in a flash.  Remember that rotisserie chicken?  Slice it up and toss with mixed greens, chickpeas, cooked rice, fresh veggies and a drizzle of olive oil and balsamic vinegar.  I made the salad below in about 8 minutes tonight.  I sautéed cubes of a sourdough baguette in olive oil, added sliced onion, a little garlic, halved cherry tomatoes and cooked until the tomatoes blistered.  Then I added chopped romaine and balsamic vinegar.  Tossed it all with a little bleu cheese....and voila. Completely satisfying. (If you've never grilled romaine or sautéed it, give it a try!)

6) Have breakfast for dinner.  Here's another chance to get a bunch of veggies and protein all in one pot.  Make a veggie omelet, or scramble eggs with some black beans, pasilla pepper, onion and salsa.  If you want a fast yet fancy egg dish, whip up a fritatta: saute veggies in unsalted butter or olive oil, add 6 beaten eggs to the skillet (and some fresh herbs), cook on the stove top until mostly set, and then pop under the broiler for about 3-4 minutes until it puffs up.  Bonus: you have extras for a healthy breakfast on the go.

So there you go....my quick cooking tips to get a healthy, tasty meal on the table in minutes.  Dinner shouldn't be stressful.....I hope this helps.

Cook happy!

My Machuca....

About two years ago, I visited Roatan, Honduras.  I went on a tour of the island, expecting the usual photo opps and shopping stops.  I didn't expect one of the best culinary experiences of my life...but I sure got one. Our last stop was at a little Garifuna village where the women were making a traditional soup called Machuca.  I've dreamt about it ever since.

I remember asking our tour guide on the way back how to make it, and she gave me her basic recipe; I've not forgotten it: mashed plantains, coconut milk, fish stock, peppers, onions, cumin, coriander and fish.  Of course the Garifuna women don't have Trader Joe's or Whole Foods, so they make their own coconut milk from shredding and soaking coconut meat, and their own fish stock from simmering fish heads, shells, bones, conch, etc.  I'm sure this is why their Machuca was so delicious and memorable.  This weekend was cold and rainy, and my thoughts ventured to sunny vacations, so I figured it was time to bust out a little Machuca.

Here's what you need.....

Black plantains (they're sweeter and so ripe that they need very little cooking), coconut milk, seafood stock (I'm not buying fish heads, sorry), onion, bell pepper, Serrano pepper, garlic, cumin, coriander and fish (preferably snapper, but any white fish will do).  Traditional Machuca also contains yucca, but it takes a long tome to cook and it wasn't in my guide's recipe, so I left it out, but if you're looking for authenticity, go for it - just boil that first until soft, then add to the soup later.

Start by slicing the plantains in half, peeling the flesh from the skin and chopping.  Place in a pot of boiling water along with about a teaspoon of chopped garlic (boiling the garlic helps mellow the bite of raw garlic).

My plantains were super ripe and soft, so I only had to boil for about 5 minutes.  When done, drain really well (cook the rest of the soup while it drains) and mash with the garlic and a pinch of salt.

To prepare the soup, sauté the onion, bell pepper, Serrano, and garlic in coconut oil until softened, about 3-5 minutes.

Meanwhile, chop the fish into bite-sized pieces.  The Garifuna often will fry fish and place that in the bowl with the soup poured over, but I opted for just simmering fresh fish pieces in the soup before serving.

When the onion mixture is soft, add cumin and coriander and sauté an additional 1-2 minutes. Then add coconut milk and seafood stock, and bring to a gentle simmer.

Add the fish and cook just until opaque and cooked through, stirring often to turn the fish, keeping it in the hot liquid.  Season to taste with salt and pepper and just before serving add a splash of lime juice.

Now the  presentation..... take a handful of the plantain mash and form into a ball.  Place that in the middle of the bowl....

...then pour the soup mixture all around the plantain ball.  We had ours served like this, but often the Garifuna people will serve the mashed plantains in a separate bowl on the side.  I really prefer it all together, taking a little spoonful of the plantains in each sip of soup.  The combination of sweet, spicy, creamy and tart (from the lime - so don't be stingy) is incredible.

Man, I need another culinary vacation......

Machuca (Suzanne Style)
Serves 4

2 black plantains, peeled and chopped
2 teaspoons chopped garlic, divided
1 tablespoon coconut oil
1 cup chopped yellow onion
1 Serrano chili pepper, seeded and chopped
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 can coconut milk
2 cups seafood broth
1 lb snapper or other white fish, cut into bite-sized pieces
1-2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
Salt and pepper to taste

• Place the chopped plantains and 1 teaspoon garlic in a pot of boiling water.  Boil until softened, about 5 minutes.  Drain well while you prepare the rest of the soup.
• Heat coconut oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add onion, Serrano, bell pepper and remaining 1 teaspoon garlic.  Sauté stirring occasionally until softened, about 3-5 minutes. 
• Add cumin and coriander and cook an additional 1-2 minutes.
• Stir in coconut milk and seafood stock, and bring to a gentle boil.
• Add fish and stir occasionally, turning the fish pieces to keep under the liquid until opaque and cooked through, about 5 minutes. 
• Meanwhile mash plantains in a bowl with a pinch of salt.  Form plantain mixture into 4 balls and place in each of four bowls.
• When fish is cooked, season soup with salt and pepper and add lime juice to taste.
• Pour soup around plantain ball and serve immediately.

Cook Happy!

A New Take on Sloppy Joes

Foods from my childhood are comfort foods to me - Mac & Cheese, Tomato Soup,  Mashed Potatoes, Grilled Cheese Sandwiches.  But they're not the healthiest things on the planet, so I tend to "mix it up" a little bit.  When I was a little kid, I loved Sloppy Joe's.  My mom was a "from scratch" mom, so we're not talking about a can of Manwich thrown on a bun.  She probably made a tomato sauce, sautéed onions and any other veggie could try to sneak in there, and fresh ground beef.  And it went on something cool like a Dutch crunch roll.

So in honor of my mom's efforts, I put my own spin on Sloppy Joes: Thai Style!

I started out by sautéing some diced onion in coconut oil.  You can use olive oil if you don't have coconut oil, but I HIGHLY recommend coconut oil; adds a really nice background of flavor (and the scent reminds me of sun-filled vacations).  When they're nice and soft, create a little space in the middle of the skillet and add garlic, ginger and Serrano pepper.  I like to let those sit on the heat by themselves for a minute and then incorporate them into the onions.  Then add red curry paste (green or yellow works, too, but the red paste makes me happy and looks good), and stir that in well.

Now comes the turkey.  I like to use a half-and-half mixture of breast and thigh; it makes for a moister (Is that a word?  It looks weird.) burger, meatloaf or....sloppy Joes.  Break it up with a wooden spoon into little pieces and cook until no longer pink.
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How about some more Thai flavors?  I'm all in with coconut milk, fish sauce (just do it!) and tamari.  Tamari, if you're not familiar, is a wheat-free soy sauce.  Traditional soy sauce is about 60% wheat, so when you remove the wheat, you get a really rich, deep flavor. 

Let that simmer until most of the liquid is absorbed... depending on your particular "sloppy" factor.

Add scallions, cilantro and fresh lime sauce, and you're good to go.

 

 

I made a little slaw salad to go on top with purple cabbage, carrots, scallions, lime juice, a tiny pinch of sugar and a little cilantro.  Make this early on and let it sit to soften and develop .

 

 

I like to serve this on naam (I know it's Indian, and this is Thai, but it works!), but you can use traditional buns...I won't come to your house and check.

 

This is fast and flavorful, perfect for a quick weeknight fix.....

Thai Turkey Sloppy Joes

Serves 4-6

2 tablespoons coconut oil

½ cup diced onion

1 tablespoon chopped garlic

1 tablespoon chopped fresh ginger

2 teaspoons minced serrano pepper

¼ cup Thai Kitchen red curry paste

½ lb ground turkey breast

½ lb ground turkey thighClick to see savings

Click to see savingsClick to see1 cup coconut milk

1 tablespoon tamarik to see savings

½ teaspoons fish sauce

4 scallions, thinly sliced on the diagonal, divided

½ cup lime juice, divided, plus extra lime wedges for garnish

2 cups shredded purple cabbage

Click to see savi1 small carrot, cut into thin matchsticks or shredded

Click to see savings1/2 cup cilantro leaves, roughly chopped, divided

Pinch coconut palm sugar

Salt & pepper to taste

1 package Trader Joe’s Garlic Naan

·         Heat coconut oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 3-5 minutes.

·         Create a well in the middle of skillet and add garlic, ginger and serrano pepper.  Let stand 1 minute and then stir to combine.

·         Add curry paste and cook an additional 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally.

·          Add turkey, breaking into small pieces with a wooden spoon. Cook, stirring occasionally, until no longer pink, about 5-8 minutes.

·         Add coconut milk, tamari and fish sauce and half of the scallions. Cook until most of the liquid is absorbed, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

·         Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine cabbage, carrot, remaining half of the scallions, ¼ cup lime juice, ¼ cup of cilantro and sugar. Toss to coat and season with salt and pepper to taste. Let stand (the longer the better).

·         Add remaining lime juice and cilantro to turkey mixture and season with salt and pepper to taste.

·         Cut naan in half across the middle and place turkey mixture on each half.  Top with cabbage slaw and serve with lime wedges.

Cook Happy!

 

 

Lentil-Chickpea Burger

I was at a dinner party last night and heard a couple people mention following me on facebook and reading my blog (I love when that happens), and then someone said, "But I haven't seen much lately"  (I hate when that happens!).  But he was right.  I've been so busy cooking for other people, having classes and doing freelance recipe writing and editing (and don't get me wrong - I'm loving it!), but that has left my poor little blog neglected.

So here I am, with one of my favorite new veggie burger recipes: Lentil-Chickpea Burgers.  I made it last month for one of my weekly clients who's interested in eating more vegetarian meals, and it was such a hit that she requests it every week.  Sounds like a good comeback blog item to me.....

I start out by cooking lentils.  I prefer green lentils because they tend to hold up better than red lentils.  You only need 1 cup of cooked lentils for the burgers, but I find it a little more difficult to cook small amounts of lentils, so I go ahead and use 1 cup uncooked; it'll yield more lentils than you need, but you can save the rest and add to soup or a salad.  Put the lentils and enough water to cover by a couple inches (usually 3 times the amount of dried lentils) in a saucepan and bring to a boil.  I only cook them for about 10 minutes, so they are still fairly firm.  Then drain them, measure out 1 cup and put them in a food processor.

Add a can of chickpeas (garbanzo beans), some shredded carrot, chopped scallion, fresh cilantro, ground cumin and coriander, lemon zest and salt & pepper.  Pulse it to break down the ingredients a bit , then add an egg and some panko and pulse again until fully combined.

Since I work with people who avoid both of those last ingredients, I have a couple alternatives for you, if you are in the same boat: instead of an egg, you can make a flax slurry - 1 tablespoon ground flax meal mixed with 3 tablespoons water is the equivalent to 1 egg (let it sit for a couple minutes to congeal), and if you are going gluten-free, just place a couple slices of toasted gluten-free bread in a food processor and blend until you have breadcrumbs.

Form the mixture into 4-6 patties, depending on the size you like and pan fry in oil about 4-5 minutes per side until lightly browned - a cast iron skillet will help facilitate that beautiful browning.  Leave enough space between patties so that you can easily flip them.

I top mine with a little avocado sauce - blend 1 avocado, juice of 1 lime, a handful of cilantro, about 1/2 cup water and a pinch of salt in a Bullet or mini chopper.  If you only have a blender, this amount may be too small to blend properly, so double it, using just enough water to get the consistency you like. 

Lentil-Chickpea Burgers
Serves 4

1 cup cooked green lentils
1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup shredded carrot
1/2 cup loosely packed cilantro leaves
1 large scallion, chopped
Zest of 1 lemon
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon coriander
1/2 cup panko
1 egg, lightly beaten
Salt and Pepper to taste
2 tablespoons olive oil

• Place cooked lentils, chickpeas, carrot, cilantro, scallion, zest, cumin and coriander in the bowl of a food processor and pulse 4-5 times to break down the ingredients.
• Add panko, egg, salt and pepper and continue to pulse until well blended.
• Form into 4-6 patties, depending on your taste.
• Heat oil in a large skillet (preferably cast iron) and cook 4-5 minutes per side until lightly browned.

Yum it up.....and cook happy!

A spoon, a knife and a bowl....

 

I'm having my kitchen repainted, and with that comes the daunting task of having to empty EVERY cabinet and drawer.  No sooner was I done packing everything up that I realized....DANG, I'm hungry!  Why didn't I think about that BEFORE I put everything in boxes???

It was the avocado that I spied off to the side of the kitchen that got my stomach growling. The last thing I packed was my pantry, and I remembered that I had a can of Alaskan salmon.  Trying to keep it simple, I knew if I could only find a spoon, a knife and a bowl, I could make something yummy.

I still had my fridge hooked up (thank you!) , so I found celery, red onion, dill and pepperoncini (would've preferred capers, but I used them up last week when I made Chicken Marbella for a client, but it was a nice substitution). 

I tossed that all in the bowl, added some Greek yogurt, a squeeze of lemon juice, a little vinegar and seasoned it with salt & pepper. 

Then I cut the avocado in half, took out the pit and stuffed it with the salad.  I placed them on a bed of arugula.....and I was a happy girl!  This is a great thing to make not only when your kitchen in sitting in boxes all around the house, but when it's hot, hot, hot during the summer (or this weekend in Northern California, as they're predicting), because you only need a spoon, a knife and a bowl...and no stove time!

Salmon Salad
Serves 2-4 (I ate a whole avocado, but then I'm often a glutton!)

1 six ounce can wild Alaskan salmon
1/2 cup chopped red onion
2 celery stalks, diced
3 tablespoons capers (or diced pepperoncini)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
3-4 tablespoons Greek yogurt (depending on your desired consistency)
Juice and zest of half a lemon
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
Sea salt & pepper to taste
2 Hass avocados
3 cups arugula

• Place salmon, onion, celery, capers (or pepperoncini) and dill in a medium bowl and mix to combine.
• Stir in enough yogurt to reach your preferred consistency.
• Add lemon juice and vinegar and stir to combine.
• Taste and season with salt and pepper.
• Cut avocados in half, remove pit and use a spoon to remove skin.
• Place arugula on platter or divide among individual plates and top with avocados.  Stuff each avocado half with salmon salad.

Cook (or in this case, don't "cook") Happy!

Scallop Challenge

I haven't had a "DANG!" moment in the kitchen like this for a while.  A "DANG!" moment is when I make something that is soooo tasty that I literally say "DANG!" when I take that first bite.  It's usually followed by what one class of former students at Bauman College called "the growl"...... I think it's more like a purr, but who am I to say.

This particular Dang Moment came from a recipe I developed for a book that a nutritionist I work for has coming out later this year.  I was tasked with developing 25 recipes, in specific categories, with specific considerations: no gluten, dairy, soy for one (or three, I guess).

One request was for a seafood recipe, preferably shrimp or scallops.  I'm allergic to shrimp, so if I can't taste it, I don't want to put it in a book.  So I went, lovingly, with scallops.  I DIG scallops, but I usually like to cook them in some kind of a cream sauce.  But I can't use cream for this assignment.  So.....let's use coconut milk.  Oh how I love a challenge!

I must confess I got the idea for the sauce from my friend Francesca when we made a roasted red pepper coconut and pea sauce for a chicken dish we made at The Ceres Community Project. I played around with it a smidge, and made a sauce perfect for delicate scallops.

Let's start with roasting a couple yellow bell peppers....

 

You can do this a few ways.  My favorite is to place them on my gas flame and keep turning them until fully (or as best you can get) blackened.  You can also place them under the broiler, if you don't have a gas stove, and also keep turning until blackened, or you can roast them at 450 degrees for about 25 minutes, turning occasionally until blackened.  Do you get the goal here...."blackened."

Once your peppers are sufficiently roasted, place them in a  bowl and cover with a plate to "sweat" them, or place them in a paper bag and fold the bag down tight to  capture the heat.  Let it sit for at least 20 minutes, and the skin will slide right off.  Take out the seeds , stem and membrane and chop them up.

While the peppers are roasting, cook diced onion in oil until soft and lightly browned.  Then put the onion, chopped peppers and coconut milk in a blender and puree.  Add a little lime juice and salt and you're all set with the sauce.

You want to wait til that's ready before you start cooking your scallops, because scallops cook so quickly....

Pat the scallops dry with a paper towel and season with sea salt and pepper.  Heat the oil in a large skillet (cast iron gives you the best sear - crispy edges) and wait til oil is good and hot - I wet my hand and spritz a little water in the skillet; if it sizzles, you're good to go.  Place the scallops in skillet, careful not to overcrowd the pan - work in batches or use 2 skillets.  Sear for about 3 minutes, flip and cook an additional 3-5 minutes until crispy outside and soft inside.

Remove scallops to plate and tent with foil to keep warm.  Pour coconut-pepper mixture in the skillet  and along with some basil leaves and cook a few minutes until warm.

Peel one zucchini per person and mound into individual bowls.  Add three scallops and pour some sauce (to your liking) over the whole dish.

I made this the other night when a friend came over who "hates" coconut.  Sorry, but this is what I'm testing.  I offered to make something else for him, but he didn't want me to go to the trouble (got to love that!), so he tried it...... he asked for seconds!!  I think that says it all..... well, plus a "DANG!"

Seared Scallops in Sweet Pepper-Coconut Sauce

Serves 4 

2 yellow bell peppers

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 cup chopped yellow onion

1 can coconut milk

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

1 dozen large sea scallops

Sea salt &freshly cracked pepper

¼ cup tightly packed fresh basil leaves

4 zucchini

·         Preheat broiler with a rack in the upper third position (not directly under the broiler, but the next rung down) 

·         Line a baking sheet with foil and broil peppers, turning occasionally, until blackened on all sides, about 20 minutes. (Alternately, if you have a gas stove, you can roast each pepper over the flames, turning occasionally, until blackened on all sides, about 10-12 minutes.

·         Remove peppers and place in a large bowl and cover with a plate to sweat the peppers for 15-20 minutes, or place in a paper bag and fold & tighten the bag to sweat them.

·         Meanwhile heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet – preferable cast iron – over medium meat.  Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are softened and lightly browned, about 4- 5 minutes.  

·         Remove onions from skillet and place in a bowl.  Wipe out skillet, removing all onion pieces.  Set aside.

·         Remove skin, stem and seeds from peppers, chop roughly and add to bowl with onions.

·         Transfer onions and peppers to blender and add coconut milk, lime juice and a pinch of salt.  Blend for about 30-45 seconds or until smooth.   Set aside

·         Pat scallops dry with a paper towel and season one side with salt and pepper.

·         Heat remaining tablespoon oil in skillet over medium high heat.  When hot enough to make a drop of water sizzle, add half the scallops, seasoned side down, and season the remaining side with salt and pepper.  Cook 3-4 minutes per side, until a crisp, brown crust forms.

·         Transfer cooked scallops to a pate and tent with foil to keep warm

·        Add remaining 6 scallops, adding more oil if necessary.  Remove to tented plate.

·       Add coconut-pepper mixture and basil leaves to skillet to warm, just 2-3 minutes.  Meanwhile peel the zucchini into thin ribbons with a vegetable peeler and place in on individual plates or bowls.

·         Place 3 scallops on each of the zucchini “noodles” and top with sauce.

 

 

Cook Happy!

Super Snapper

At least once a year a group of my college friends converge on my house for a get-together.  As the only one without a husband and kids, I've got the quiet zone (until they all get here, of course).... and it's pretty much a guarantee that there'll be good food, and lots of it!

It was a gorgeous Northern California day, so they arrived at 3PM, champagne in hand, and we sat in the backyard, sipping and noshing on sourdough, cheeses, fresh fruit, pistachios, and hot smoked salmon....

I don't recommend testing recipes out on company, but I can suffer from "culinary cockiness" from time to time.  So I tried out a couple new things.  I don't venture too far from my wheelhouse when I do this, so I felt pretty comfortable that I could pull it off.  I would never try cooking a cut of meat that I'm unfamiliar with or use ingredients I've never used before, but this day I tried out a couple dishes that let me remain in my comfort zone and branch out all at the same time.


I turned to one of my favorite new cookbooks, Fresh, Happy, Tasty, by Jane Coxwell.  I hadn't made any of the recipes in it yet, but they all look so tasty and fresh that I knew this was my go-to book for my girlfriends.  I coupled my tried and true Green Papaya Salad and Citrus Roasted Asparagus with Coxwell's Tamarind & Coconut Lentils and Green Quinoa-Crusted Bass (but I used snapper - it's in the bass family and was the freshest fish at the market that morning).


The snapper recipe is my new favorite..... you essentially mix a pesto with cooked quinoa, put it in the fridge for a half hour to firm up, top the fish with it and bake it for just 5-6 minutes.  That's my kind of dinner: fast, easy, and delicious.

Jane's recipe calls for toasted pine nuts, but I used walnuts (like I do in most of my pesto recipes).  You pop those in a blender or mini chopper along with a clove of garlic (use a big, fat one!), lemon zest, olive oil, 2 cups of fresh herbs (I used basil, mint and cilantro) and cooked quinoa.  This makes a lovely "paste."

Spread that onto a board covered with plastic wrap, keeping it about 1/4" thick.  Top it with another sheet of plastic wrap and chill it in the fridge for 30 minutes to get nice and firm.

After a half hour in the fridge, it will be easy to cut into pieces and top the fish.  To give a little seasoning to the other side of the fillet, drizzle olive oil on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  This goes into a 450 degree oven for only 5-6 minutes (love that.... cuz there was a lot of laughing an storytelling on the back deck, and I hate missing out!)

Give this one a try, peeps.  It's a keeper.  Perfect for a quick weeknight dinner for the family or to impress your friends at your next dinner party.  The crust will keep in the fridge for a good 24 hours, so you can always make that ahead, and then you've got a healthy 5 minute dinner!  I busted out my new spiralizer (it did take 3 of us to figure it out - thanks Renee and Tish for having more patience than me!) to make noodles out of a daikon radish, to give a nice crunchy addition to the tender snapper.

Here's Jane's recipe from her book:

Green Quinoa-Crusted Bass
Serves 4

1/4 cup pine nuts
1/4 cup uncooked quinoa
1 garlic clove, minced
Zest of 1/2  lemon
Extra virgin olive oil
2 cups tightly packed fresh green herbs ( a mix of parsley, dill, mint, cilantro and basil)
Maldon or other flaky salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Four 4-ounce boneless, skinless pieces of bass

• Toast the pine nuts in a small dry skillet over low heat for about 2 minutes, until lightly browned. 
• Cook the quinoa in boiling water for about 15 minutes and drain.  Place it back in the dry saucepan over low heat and stir for 1 minute to remove excess water.  Remove from heat and let cool.
• Add the quinoa to a blender with the garlic, pine nuts, lemon zest, 1/4 cup olive oil, herbs and salt & pepper to taste.  Blend until it forms a smooth paste.  Check the seasoning and adjust as necessary.
• Lay some plastic wrap flat on a clean work surface and spoon the mixture onto the plastic wrap.  Top with another layer of plastic wrap.  Using a rolling pin, roll the mixture into a rough rectangle that's about 1/4" thick.  This will be your crust.  Place it on a plate in the fridge to stiffen up for about 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
• Remove the crust from the fridge and place it on the work surface again.  Peel off the top layer of plastic and discard.  Them using a knife, cut out 4 pieces of the crust to match the size of you fish.  Rub the fish in a bit of olive oil.  Use a spatula to pick up the crust pieces and place them on top of the fish.
• Season the bottom of a baking sheet with salt, pepper and a drizzle of olive oil and place the fish on the sheet.
• Bake the fish for about 5 minutes until cooked to your liking.

Cook Happy!

Meatless Meatloaf

I really dig cooking outside the box.... taking something familiar and flipping it on its ear. I get so tickled when I make something like pasta sauce out of cantaloupe, "ravioli" from globe zucchini, and pie crust with just nuts and dates.  It's really fun to look at food in a new, different way.

I'm lucky to spend one day a week with my friend Francesca, who is a fellow graduate of Bauman College's Natural Chef Program - where I learned all about cooking outside the box.  Francesca runs one of the Ceres projects where they teach teens how to cook, and the meals they make are then delivered free of charge to people suffering from life-threatening diseases in the county.  I'm always inspired by the creative dishes we prepare and love the fact that they are both health supportive and out-of-this-world delicious.  Last week we made a walnut loaf for one of the vegetarian clients, and as expected, the kids thought it sounded "weird" and therefore wouldn't be tasty.  Boy, were they wrong! And you KNOW I made them admit it!

 

Instead of ground meat, the base of this loaf is made from whole grain bread and walnuts.  Pulse them up in a food processor and transfer to a large bowl.  Then add onions, tomatoes, carrots, celery, and lots of herbs and spices.  Once it's well blended, mix in a couple eggs to bind the loaf and you're done (well except for cooking it - don't eat it yet!)

If you've got a loaf pan, lightly grease it with oil and press the mixture into it.  If you don't have a loaf pan (or if you're like me and just don't want to wash one more thing), you can easily form the mixture into a loaf on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet.  Don't make it too thin, be sure to build it up as if it were in a loaf pan.  If you're not sure how big to make it, you can trace the size of a loaf pan on the parchment paper - most are 8" X 4" or so - then flip the parchment over, so the pencil in on the reverse, and mold the loaf into that size.

Pop that into a preheated 375⁰ oven for an hour until the loaf is lightly browned and set.  While it's baking, you can whip up a savory sauce to drizzle (or pour!) on top.  Start with a roux....

A roux is simply equal parts fat and flour, and is used to thicken sauces.  For this sauce, start by melting 3 tablespoons unsalted butter (I like unsalted, so I can control my own level of salt).  When butter is melted, whisk in the flour, stirring constantly until it begins to bubble and thicken, just a couple minutes.

Next, add the broth, wine and tamari.  be sure to stir or whisk constantly when adding the liquid to prevent any flour lumps from forming.  Let it come to a gentle boil, and simmer if for about 3-5 minutes continuing to stir to keep the sauce smooth and creamy.  The sauce should reduce slightly and thicken beautifully. 

You can do this when you pull the loaf out of the oven, because you want the loaf to rest for about 15 minutes before cutting into it.  Plenty of time to make your sauce.  The sauce will coagulate as it cools, so making it right before serving is best.  For leftovers (if there are any!) you can reheat the sauce to loosen it up again.

This is such a tasty treat that I ended up eating the whole thing myself over two days...for breakfast, lunch and dinner!  Trust me..... you want to give this a try.

Walnut Loaf

Serves 6

8 oz. whole wheat bread

8 oz. walnuts

2 cups minced onion

10 oz. canned tomatoes in juice

2/3 cup grated carrot

¼ cup chopped parsley

1 rib celery, minced

1 teaspoon poultry seasoning

¾ teaspoon dried thyme

½ teaspoon sea salt

2 eggs, lightly beaten

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

3 tablespoons flour

1 ¾ cup vegetable broth

¼ cup red wine

2 ½ tablespoons tamari

Sea salt and pepper to taste

·         Preheat oven to 375⁰ and grease a loaf pan.

·         Place bread in a food processor and pulse until consistency of bread crumbs.  Place in a large bowl.

·         Place walnuts in food processor and pulse until they are finely chopped.  Add to bread in bowl.

·         Add onion, tomatoes, carrot, parsley, celery, poultry seasoning, thyme and salt.  Mix to combine then blend in the eggs, incorporating them into the mixture.

·         Pack mixture into loaf pan (or form into a loaf on a parchment paper lined baking sheet) and bake 1 hour, until lightly browned and cooked through.  Cool 15 minutes before slicing.

·         Meanwhile, melt butter in saucepan over medium heat.  Whisk in the flour and cook 2 minutes, stirring frequently.

·         Add wine, tamari and stock and bring to a low boil, stirring frequently.  Simmer 3-5 minutes until thick and creamy.  Season to taste with salt and pepper. 

·         Plate loaf slices and top with sauce.

Cook Happy!

Butternut Squash Noodles

I'm not big on kitchen gadgets.  No special garlic skin removers (I have a knife and a good whack gets it right off), no ceramic ginger mincer (again, I have a knife), no little hand choppers (have you heard, I have a knife).  BUT I'm in love with my new shredding peeler!

I bought it for the Green Papaya Salad I make in my Thai cooking class.  Previously I taught people how to make the salad authentically, which means you hold it in your hand, hack the heck out of it with a sharp knife in quick strokes and then peel the shreds into the bowl.  But it took a really long time, and I was always more than a little nervous that someone what going to hurt themselves (I have a great no-cuts track record in my classes, and I'd like to keep it!).  A friend told me about the peeler that easily makes julienne slices, and off I went to Bed Bath & Beyond (with my coupons in hand!)

I've made "noodles" out of zucchini before, but since they're not in season, I started staring at the butternut squash sitting on my counter.  Why not? 

Unlike zucchini (which I've always used raw), butternut squash is much firmer, so I figured I would have to cook them.  I tried it two ways: baked and boiled.  Both worked for me, but boiling them for just a couple minutes gave them a little more texture, and I liked them better prepared that way.  Baking them in a 400 degree oven is faster - cuz it takes a long time for a big pot of water to boil - and it produced a soft noodle.

Boiling the "noodles" for 2 minutes in a pot of salted water, made it more like spaghetti squash - a little bit of crunch to it.  So it's up to you and your preference in texture.  Either way, you'll dig it!

I've been working with clients lately who have a lot of food allergies and intolerances, so it always puts me in the frame of mind to re-create familiar dishes that they think they might never eat again.  So along with the no grain aspect of this dish, I decided to toss it with a non-dairy pesto.

My pesto included basil, of course, but I also had a handful of cilantro and parsley left over from last week's classes (step outside the box on the greens in your pesto - any herbs, spinach, arugula, even kale will make a great pesto).  Pop them into the food processor along with a couple cloves of garlic and nuts (I used walnuts, because I always have a big bag of them in my fridge).  Since I was being "alternative" I decided to add a teaspoon of nutritional yeast to replace the Parmesan and pulsed them all until well blended.  Then I left the motor running and drizzled in a 1/4 cup of olive oil, 1/4 cup of water and 2 tablespoons lemon juice (add more water as needed for desired consistency).  Now you've got a lovely pesto.  I always like to taste it first before I add salt.  I ended up adding a couple of pinches salt (about 1/2 teaspoon) and a little pinch of pepper.  Perfect!

Just a bit of sliced Kalamata olives and chopped walnuts.  And that was lunch.

For dinner, I tried the boiled version with the same pesto and served it with Spicy Cornmeal-Crusted Snapper.  Now we're talkin'!

Happy girl....doing the happy dance!

Butternut Squash Noodles with Dairy-Free Pesto
Serves 4

3 lb. butternut squash, halved and peeled
2 cups basil leaves
1/2 cup cilantro
1/2 cup Italian parsley
2 large cloves garlic
1/2 cup walnuts, divided
1 teaspoon nutritional yeast
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup water (or more for desired consistency)
2 tablespoons lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup Kalamata olives, sliced

• Shred the butternut halves with a shredding peeler or use a mandolin to cut squash into thin ribbons.
• Place basil, cilantro, parsley, garlic, 1/4 cup of the walnuts and nutritional yeast in a food processor and pulse to combine. 
• With the motor running, drizzle in the olive oil, then the water, then the lemon juice.  Add more water if needed for desired consistency.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Set aside.
• Either bake squash noodles in a 400 degree oven for 10 minutes or boil in a large pot of boiling water for 2 minutes.
• If baked, toss hot noodles with pesto and olives.  Top with walnuts.
• If boiled, drain "noodles" and return to warm pot.  Stir in pesto and olives.  Top with walnuts.

Cook Happy!