This meal is just plain yummy, and comes together very quickly once the vegetables are prepped and the shrimp are cleaned.  This was a night when we rushed in at 5:50 from after-school activities, but I did have some time earlier in the day to get stuff prepped and ready.  Adding in time to deal with the dog, feed the rabbit and persuade (read: nag) my kids to wash their hands, dinner was on the table at 6:30.  (The green beans are delicious hot or at room temperature, so you can make them first, wipe the wok clean and then make the shrimp.)

Moo Shu Shrimp – adapted from Cooking Light, serves 4

• 2 tsp neutral high heat-stable oil (I used grapeseed)
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 lb. shrimp, cleaned and deveined (preferably wild and sustainably caught)
• 8 oz. sliced mushrooms
• 2 large carrots, shredded
• 1 medium onion, thinly, vertically sliced
• 1 medium head Napa cabbage, thinly sliced
• 2 TBS low-sodium soy sauce
• 1 TBS water
• 2 tsp cornstarch
• 1/2 – 1 tsp Sriracha (hot chile sauce…I used 1/2 tsp to decrease the heat for my kids)
• Hoisin Sauce
• 8 whole wheat tortillas (6 – 8”)

Heat 1 tsp oil in a wok or large skillet over medium-hight heat.  Add half the garlic and the shrimp,

stir-frying just until the shrimp are cooked through, about 3 minutes.  Transfer shrimp to a clean bowl and wipe down the wok with a paper towel.  Heat remaining tsp oil in the wok,

add the remaining garlic and the mushrooms and stir-fry for a few minutes, until the mushrooms are seared and starting to become tender.

Add the carrots and onion, stir-frying for 2 – 3 minutes.

Add the Napa cabbage,

stir-frying until wilted.

Whisk together the soy sauce through Sriracha, then add to the vegetables.

Stir-fry for about 30 seconds, then add the shrimp and toss together until heated through.  Serve with tortillas and hoisin sauce.

Szechwan Green Beans – from Still Life with Menu by Mollie Katzen, serves 4

• 2 TBS sesame oil
• 1 lb. green beans, trimmed
• 4 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1/4 tsp kosher salt
• crushed red pepper flakes, to taste

Heat oil in a wok over medium-high heat until sizzling.

Add green beans and stir-fry until generally seared, about 5 minutes.

Add garlic, salt and red pepper, continuing to stir-fry for another 4 – 5 minutes.

Spinach from our CSA…woo hoo!  That smallish bag turned out to be 8 somewhat-packed cups, which of course cooked down to maybe over one.  Better yet, it turned my friend Melissa, who served as chef’s assistant tonight, into a spinach devotee (another woo hoo!).  This dinner serves 4, along with No – Knead Bread on the side.

Spinach, Dill and Fontina Frittata

• 2 TBS unsalted butter
• 8 cups fresh spinach, stems removed, roughly torn in half or in quarters depending on size
• 3 scallions, thinly sliced
• 8 large eggs, preferably Omega 3 – fortified, organic, and happy
• 1/2 cup half & half, or whole milk
• 1 TBS fresh chopped dill
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 2/3 cup diced fontina cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Melt butter in a 10” heavy skillet that’s oven-safe.

Add spinach in batches, tossing until wilted.

Add scallions and cook with spinach for 2 – 3 minutes.

Meanwhile, whisk together eggs, half & half, dill, salt and pepper.  Stir the fontina cheese into the egg mixture,

then pour into the pan, stirring to distribute the spinach and cheese.  Let cook on the stove for another 3 – 4 minutes, until it’s bubbling, then slide pan into the oven.  Bake for 15 minutes, or until the center is solid when jiggled,

then broil for 2 minutes or so, until the frittata is puffed and golden.

Sauteed Cherry Tomatoes with Shallots – adapted from Cooking Light

• 1 TBS extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 large shallots, chopped
• 2 pints cherry or grape tomatoes
• 1/4 cup chopped parsley
• 1/2 tsp salt
• freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1 TBS balsamic vinegar

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add shallots and cook, stirring occasionally, for 2 – 3 minutes.

Add tomatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until they begin to soften.

Add remaining ingredients and cook for another minute more;  serve warm.

Confession. I dropped my camera. The lens broke. And the camera fix it man won’t be able to fix  for 3 WEEKS! Ahhhh. I feel like I’ve lost a dear friend! What is a food blogger to do?

I really only have two options. 1.)  Use my tiny flip video camera that has no sort of special features on it whatsoever to take creatively artsy pictures that may or may not look appetizing, or 2.) Borrow other people’s artsy pictures. I’ve decided….for the next 3 weeks I will be doing both!  So please bear with me! And pray for my sweet camera! Luckily, I do have some food pictures that I took before… “The Accident” happened.

And now onto better topics like the  amazingness of NPR. I love NPR.  I would almost go as far as to say that I am an NPR addict. I feel like my day is not complete unless I get my NPR fix.  Its the first thing I hear in the morning when my alarm goes off, and its the last website I check at night before hopping into bed if I have my way.  And now, they have joined me in the kitchen because NPR is also the source (both picture and recipe) of these divine Curried Sweet Potato Chips.

Delicious. Wonderful. Flavorful. Healthy. Beautiful.  All are great words, but do little justice to this glorious side dish. I inhaled these. My daughter snuck some raw before I even baked them. At the end of the meal After I practically downed the whole batch, there were 6 chips left. No word was spoken, but both my husband and I had our eye on those beauties. I couldn’t even think straight, all I knew was that I wanted to end the meal with that flavor on my tongue. Luckily before I did anything drastic my  husband divided them in half for both of us.

If I could sum these curried sweet potato chips up in 3 words it would be, “These are awesome!”.  Any questions?

Curried Sweet Potato Chips

printable version with picture

printable version

*Note: I think the term sweet potato is used interchangeably today with yams, I think I used one sweet potato and one yam when I made these and it turned out great. You can use any sweet potatoish potato.

NPR said, ” The hot curry lends generous heat that is tempered with the cinnamon sweetness of garam masala. These sweet potato chips are addictive by themselves but go nicely with cooling hummus. (we didn’t eat them with hummus, but I’m sure it would be amazing!)

*Serves 4 to 6 servings

2 medium sweet potatoes, sliced paper-thin

2 1/2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 teaspoon hot curry powder

1/2 teaspoon garam masala

1/4 teaspoon salt

preheat oven to 400 degrees. For easy cleanup, line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

Place sweet potato slices in a large bowl and, using your hands, toss with oil and spices until coated. Arrange in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden and crisp. Remove from the oven and eat.

recipe source: NPR

Swap celery for fennel (crunchy, has more vitamin C)

Toss in fresh herbs (basil, parsley, etc)

Crumble in goat cheese

Add fruit (mandarin oranges, pear, apple)

Add snowpeas

Slice in avocado

Use Kale instead of lettuce

throw on some nuts or and seeds

Kale, lemon juice, almond, pumpkin seeds, salt

serves 2

1 zucchini, cut in half, length-wise

3-4 grape tomatoes, cut in half

2 cloves garlic, minced

Mozzarella cheese

Olive oil

Salt + pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cut the zucchini, scoop out the seeds, and coat with olive oil – I just used my hands to rub it all over. Then spread out the minced garlic on top of the zucchini. Add the tomato halves, flat-side down. Salt + pepper it all, and throw it in the oven for 30 minutes. Add mozzarella and put back in for another 5 minutes. Let sit for several minutes, then eat away!

This dinner was terrific and fairly easy to put together.   Get the peppers started and then go to work on the pasta.  Serves 4.

Pasta with Garlic, Herbs and Fresh Mozzarella – adapted from Gourmet magazine

• 1 lb. dried twisty pasta, such as gemelli or fusilli
• 2 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 2.5 oz. package basil, chopped
• 1 packed cup of chopped parsley
• 1/2 lb. fresh mozzarella, cut into small cubes
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp Maldon sea salt
• 2 TBS red wine vinegar
• 1 cup packed small arugula leaves

Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente;  before draining reserve 1/4 cup cooking water.

While the pasta is cooking, combine the garlic through sea salt in a large serving bowl.

Just before the pasta is finished, add the vinegar and arugula to the bowl and toss well.

Add the hot pasta and 1/4 cup cooking water and toss well.

Braised Bell Peppers – adapted from Eating Well magazine

• 2 TBS olive oil
• 2 large red peppers, cut into strips
• 2 large yellow peppers, cut into strips
• 1 large onion, sliced vertically
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 cups water
• 2 TBS tomato paste
• 2 TBS chopped fresh basil
• 1 TBS red wine vinegar
• freshly ground black pepper

Heat oil on a large skillet over medium heat.

Add peppers through salt and cook, stirring often, for 15 minutes.

Stir in water and tomato paste,

bring the mixture to a boil, then lower to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes.

Stir in basil, vinegar and pepper, and serve.

The Sloppy Joes are an adaptation of a recipe found in Soy! Soy! Soy! by Jeanette Parsons Egan, and are delicious.  My oldest son, who has forsworn tofu and tempeh “until I turn 18”, actually had two helpings!  Though I have fond memories of eating tator tots with traditional Sloppy Joes as a child, we’re currently fans of Utz reduced-fat potato chips.

Tempeh Sloppy Joes – serves 4 – 6

• 1 TBS olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 green pepper, chopped
• 2 large garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 1/2 cups finely chopped celery
• 2 tsp dry mustard
• 2 tsp dried thyme
• 1 lb. soy tempeh, crumbled
• 15 oz. can tomato sauce
• 1 cup ketchup
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• couple dashes of hot sauce
• Whole wheat hamburger buns

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat.

Saute onions, green pepper, garlic and celery until tender, about 8 – 10 minutes.

Stir in the dry mustard and thyme, cooking for 1 minute.

Add tempeh through hot sauce, lower heat to medium-low, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 15 – 20 minutes.

If it’s too thick for your liking, add a little water.  Serve on hamburger buns.

Creamy Cole Slaw – adapted from Bobby Flay by way of Foodnetwork.com

Serves 4.

• 10 oz. package of finely shredded green cabbage
• 1 large carrot, finely shredded
• scant 2/3 cup reduced-fat mayonnaise
• 1 TBS sour cream or non-fat plain Greek yogurt
• 1 TBS grated onion
• 1 TBS sugar
• 1 TBS white vinegar
• 1 1/2 tsp dry mustard
• 1 tsp celery salt
• salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Whisk together mayonnaise through pepper.

Toss with cabbage and carrot in a large bowl until well-combined.

Similar to make-your-own tacos, this make-your-own soup is fresh, delicious, and a lot of fun to put together, especially for kids.  I completely credit the idea to my friend Amy.  This is a vegetarian version, but you could add shredded poached chicken or cooked shrimp, too.  I prefer soba noodles but the rest of my family prefers udon noodles (or, you could have both….).  Serves 4.

Japanese-Style Soup Your Way

• 6 cups vegetable or not-chicken broth (I used Not-Chicken Soup which I’d frozen earlier)
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed
• 3 slices peeled fresh ginger, each about the size of a quarter
• 1 3-4” piece kombu, rinsed (optional)
• 8 oz. package soba noodles or 8 oz. udon noodles
• red pepper, julienned
• fresh bean sprouts
• scallions, thinly sliced
• cilantro, chopped
• enoki mushrooms, sliced off their base
• optional:  ponzu sauce, shredded chicken, cooked shrimp, small cubes of soft tofu

Simmer the broth, garlic, ginger and kombu for 20 minutes;  remove and discard garlic, ginger and kombu.

While the broth is simmering, prepare vegetables and place in separate bowls for everyone to help themselves.  Cook noodles according to package directions;  drain and briefly rinse in cool water.

Divide noodles among bowls, ladle broth on top, and let everyone choose their additions.

Stir-Fried Soybeans with Garlic and Chile – from Gourmet magazine

These are incredibly addictive, and spicy;  I’ll admit my kids enjoyed plain edamame tonight while my husband and I ate this entire recipe ourselves!  This makes a wonderful appetizer or side dish.

• 1 lb. frozen edamame in the shell
• 2 TBS low-sodium soy sauce
• 2 tsp oyster sauce
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
• 2 tsp vegetable oil
• 2 tsp minced fresh ginger
• 2 tsp minced garlic

Cook edamame in boiled unsalted water for 5 minutes;  drain.

Combine soy sauce through red pepper flakes in a small bowl.

Heat a wok over medium-high heat.  Swirl in oil and then add the ginger and garlic, stir-frying until fragrant, about 15 seconds or so.

Add edamame and stir-fry until they start to brown in spots, about 3 – 4 minutes.

Add sauce and stir-fry until well-coated and the liquid has evaporated, about 1 minute.

Tofu is not just for Asian cooking!  The sauce can be made up to a day ahead.  After cooking the cauliflower in the skillet, wipe it clean and use it to pan-fry the tofu.  This dinner serves 4.

Tofu Steaks with Tomato-Olive Sauce over Whole Wheat Penne – adapted from Cooking Light

• 13.25 oz. package whole wheat penne
• 3 TBS olive oil, divided
• 4 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
• 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
• 1/3 cup chopped kalamata olives
• 1/3 cup chopped parsley
• freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 14 oz. package extra-firm tofu, pressed if you like, sliced into 4 equal portions and patted very dry

Put a large pot of salted water on to boil.

In a large skillet, heat 1 TBS olive oil over medium heat, then add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring, 1 minute.

Add the tomatoes and let sauce simmer for 10 minutes.

Add olives and let cook for another minute or two.

Remove from heat and add parsley and black pepper.  If you’re not making the sauce ahead and would like to only use one skillet, transfer sauce to a smaller pot to keep warm and rinse out pan to use for the cauliflower and then the tofu.

Cook penne according to package directions until al dente;  drain.  Meanwhile, heat 2 TBS olive oil over medium heat in the skillet until it shimmers.

Add tofu and cook, turning once, until both sides are golden brown, about 4 minutes or so per side.  Divide penne among 4 plates, top with a slice of tofu, and top that with sauce.

Cauliflower with Capers – adapted from Cooking Light

• 1 lemon, sliced in half cross-wise
• 1 small cauliflower, cut into florets
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 TBS chopped parsley
• 1 1/2 tsp capers, drained
• 1/4 tsp salt

Fill a large pot about half-way full of water, add 1/2 lemon, and bring to a boil.

Cook cauliflower in boiling water for 3 minutes, then drain and discard lemon half.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat, then cook the cauliflower for 6 minutes, until crisp-tender and slightly charred in places.

Add garlic and cook until fragrant.

Transfer cauliflower and garlic to a bowl and add the juice of the remaining lemon half, parsley, capers and salt, tossing well.

I’m just getting around to sharing the recipe from our St. Patrick’s day dinner…it’s only been 2 months, no big deal! I sautéed cabbage with sage and bread crumbs to make it perfectly caramelized before tossing it with pasta to create a dish full of flavor…one that became the perfect accompaniment to grilled sausage.

In the past, I’ve always boiled cabbage, but I’ve been experimenting more and finding that this vegetable is so versatile and full of flavor.
A member of the brassica family (along with kale, brussels sprouts, cauliflower, bok choy, and broccoli), cabbage is extremely healthful and very low in calories (only 25 calories/100 grams). Cabbage contains more vitamin C than an orange! and many phyto-chemicals that have been linked to lowering risks of cancer as well as lowering LDL (bad cholesterol) levels.

So, first is my Caramelized Cabbage with Pasta recipe,
adapted from the New York Times:

5 cloves peeled and crushed garlic
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup plain bread crumbs
1/2 teaspoon finely chopped fresh sage
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Kosher salt
1 pound dry penne pasta
1/3 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 small head of cabbage, shredded
2/3 cup Parmesan cheese

Melt the butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Stir in one clove of the crushed garlic and cook until fragrant. Stir in the bread crumbs and sage and cook until bread is golden brown, about 2 minutes. Season with black pepper.

Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook about 10 minutes, until barely al dente. Drain.

While the pasta is cooking, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the remaining garlic and cook until golden brown. Add the cayenne pepper and cook until fragrant. Stir in the cabbage and cook, stirring only occasionally, until it begins to caramelize, about 10 minutes. You are looking for the edges of the cabbage to brown. Toss in the pasta and bread-crumb mixture and heat through, then quickly toss in the cheese and remove from heat. Season with salt and more pepper, if desired, and serve immediately.

And, next is my recipe for Roasted Cabbage Wedges Topped with Goat Cheese. Roasted cabbage seems to be circulating through blogs lately, so I had to give it a try. It was yummy!

1 small to medium head of cabbage
Olive oil
Goat cheese
Freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Core your head of cabbage and then slice it into 1/2 inch thick slices and brush both sides with olive oil.

Roast for 25-30 minutes, until edges start to brown.

Top with a few small spoonfuls of goat cheese and roast for about 5 more minutes, until cheese starts to brown and bubble.

Top with cracked pepper.

Saute the fennel and onion first, then set aside, wash out the pan, and use it to cook the asparagus.  While the fennel and onion are cooking, roll out the dough, chop the olives and hazelnuts, and whisk the dressing.  The asparagus can be served warm or at room temperature.  Serves 4.

Fennel, Onion and Olive Pizza – adapted from Cooking Light

• about 1 lb. pizza dough (I used the grilled pizza dough recipe;  remember you can make it up to 2 days in advance)
• 2 TBS olive oil
• 2 medium bulbs fennel, cores removed and thinly sliced
• 1 large onion, thinly sliced
• 1/4 tsp dried oregano
• 1/4 tsp dried thyme
• salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 3/4 cup bottled pizza sauce or marinara sauce
• generous 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 cup chopped pitted Kalamata olives
• cornmeal for pizza paddle

In a large skillet over medium heat, heat the oil, then add the fennel through pepper and cook, stirring frequently,

until browned and tender, about 15 minutes.  Prepare grill.

Roll out dough to a (roughly) 14” circle;  transfer it to a cornmeal-dusted pizza paddle (or rimless baking sheet).

Slide dough onto grill and grill for about 3 minutes, or

until distinct grill marks appear on the bottom and the top is all puffed.  Slide the crust back onto the paddle and turn it over so the grilled side is up.

Spread the sauce over the crust, leaving about an inch border all around.

Spread the fennel-onion mixture over the sauce.

Sprinkle the cheese over the mixture,

then scatter the olives.

Return to the grill for another 3 – 4 minutes, until the cheese is melted and there are grill marks on the bottom.

Asparagus with Orange Dressing and Toasted Hazelnuts – adapted from Gourmet magazine

• 1 1/2 lb. asparagus, trimmed
• 1/4 cup chopped toasted hazelnuts
• 1 tsp freshly grated orange zest
• juice from 1/2 orange
• juice from 1/2 lemon
• 2 TBS extra-virgin olive oil
• salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Cook the asparagus in a wide saucepan of boiling, salted water for 4 minutes, or until crisp-tender.  Drain asparagus and arrange on a platter.

While the asparagus is cooking, whisk together the zest through pepper.  Drizzle dressing over asparagus, then sprinkle with the hazelnuts.

Broccoli and Cheddar Skillet Flan – adapted from Gourmet magazine

Serves 6.

• 6 large eggs
• 1 cup whole milk
• freshly ground black pepper, salt to taste
• rounded 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1 cup reduced-fat sharp Cheddar cheese
• 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, divided
• 3 TBS olive oil
• 1 large shallot, chopped
• 1 lb. shredded frozen hash browns
• 10 oz. frozen chopped broccoli, thawed

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a large bowl whisk together the eggs, milk, pepper, salt, nutmeg, Cheddar cheese and 3 TBS of the Parmigiano-Reggiano.

In an oven-safe 10” skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat.  Add the shallots and cook, stirring occasionally, until they are golden.  Swirl the oil around the sides of the pan,

then add the frozen hash browns and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper.

Spread the potatoes over the bottom and sides of the pan,

then arrange the broccoli on top.

Pour over the egg mixture, and sprinkle with the remaining Parmigiano-Reggiano.

Bake for 30 – 40 minutes, or until the filling is set.  Turn the oven to broil and broil until the top is puffed and golden brown.

Broiled Red Peppers and Tomatoes with Caper Vinaigrette – from Gourmet magazine

Serves 4.

• 2 large red peppers (should equal 1 lb.)
• 2 TBS olive oil
• 2 large tomatoes (should equal 1 lb.)
• 2 TBS drained and rinsed capers
• 1 TBS red-wine vinegar

Slice each pepper lengthwise into 8 pieces;  toss all pieces together with the oil in an oven-proof, shallow dish.  Broil the peppers 4 – 5 inches from the heat for 25 minutes, stirring 2 – 3 times.

Meanwhile, gently combine the tomatoes, capers and red-wine vinegar.

When the peppers are tender, add the tomato mixture and gently toss to combine.

Broil for another 5 minutes, or until the tomatoes are warm and a little soft.  Serve warm or at room temperature.

I absolutely love this Israeli couscous recipe, and it gave me an opportunity to use my preserved Meyer lemons!  The dinner serves 4 adults, but the couscous really serves 6, so there’s some for lunch the next day.

Grilled Garlic Shrimp

• 1 lb. shrimp, preferably wild-caught, cleaned and deveined
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 2 TBS extra-virgin olive oil
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Marinate the shrimp in the garlic and oil for 15 – 45 minutes.  Prepare grill.  Season with salt and pepper.

Thread on skewers and grill, turning once,

until just cooked through, 5 – 7 minutes.

Israeli Couscous with Roasted Butternut Squash and Preserved Lemon – adapted from Gourmet magazine

• 1 1/2 lb. butternut squash, peeled and chopped into 1/4” dice
• 3 TBS extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 3/4 cup Israeli couscous (I used whole wheat)
• 1 3” long cinnamon stick
• 1 cup chopped parsley
• 1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted (see below)
• 1/2 cup golden raisins
• 1/3 cup diced preserved lemon rind
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 475 degrees.

On a heavy rimmed baking sheet, toss together the diced butternut squash and 1 TBS oil, season with salt, and roast in the upper third of the oven for 15 minutes.

Transfer squash to a serving bowl.

In a 350 degree oven or toaster oven, toast the pine nuts until golden and fragrant, about 5 – 8 minutes.

Heat 1 TBS oil in a heavy 10” skillet and cook the onion over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until just beginning to turn golden.

Transfer to the bowl with the squash.  Add the pine nuts, raisins, lemon rind, and ground cinnamon.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the couscous, with the cinnamon stick, for 10 minutes, then drain.  Discard cinnamon stick and

add couscous, along with the parsley and the last TBS of oil, to the vegetables and toss to combine well.

Sauteed Spinach 

• 1 lb. baby spinach
• 3 cloves garlic, slivered
• 2 TBS extra-virgin olive oil
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat;

add garlic and when it’s fragrant,

add the spinach in batches, tossing with tongs.

When all the spinach is in and has wilted, season with salt and pepper.

6 large mushrooms (I used crimini)

Olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

Splash of red wine

Salt + pepper

Slice the mushrooms so they are all the same thickness. Heat up the olive oil in a pan. Once hot, add the mushrooms and salt + pepper. Cook for about 2-3 minutes. Then add the red wine and garlic and cook for another 3 minutes. DONZO!

These are a good little side dish or I like to put them on top of spaghetti or steak.

Serves 4.

Maple-Mustard Salmon

•  4 – 6 salmon steaks, depending on size, appetite, and if you want leftovers
• 2 TBS of your favorite mustard (I used a whole grain horseradish maple mustard)
• 2 TBS maple syrup
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper

Preheat broiler.

Stir together mustard, maple syrup, salt and pepper,

and brush on the salmon.

Broil for 10 – 15 minutes, until just cooked through.

Bulgur with Herbs – from Gourmet magazine

• 1 cup bulgur
• 2 cups boiling water
• 2 TBS extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup sliced almonds
• 1 cup chopped scallions
• 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
• 1/2 cup chopped mint
• 1 TBS extra-virgin olive oil (or store-bought roasted-almond oil;  I used olive)
• juice of 1/2 lemon
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper

Place bulgur in a medium-sized bowl, add boiling water and cover with plastic wrap;  let sit for 10 minutes,

then drain through a fine-meshed sieve.  While the bulgur is soaking, heat 2 TBS oil in a small saucepan over medium heat and cook the almonds, stirring frequently, until golden, 2 – 4 minutes (sorry, can’t find my photo of this step!).  Remove from heat.

In a serving bowl combine the herbs, toasted almonds and oil, additional TBS oil, lemon juice, 1/2 tsp salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Add drained bulgur and toss well.  Serve at room temperature.

Zucchini and Carrot Ribbons

• 2 large zucchini
• 3 medium carrots
• 2 TBS extra-virgin olive oil
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Use a Y-shaped vegetable peeler to peel long strips from the zucchini and carrots, starting on one side of each vegetable and moving to peel ribbons from all four sides, as much as you can (save what’s left of the vegetables for another use….I fed the carrots to our pet rabbit!).

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat;  add the zucchini and carrot ribbons and cook, tossing occasionally with tongs, for 5 minutes, or

until tender.  Season with salt and black pepper.

You can marinate the sea scallops while you make the garlic crumbs for the broccoli, and the risotto.  When the risotto is almost ready, you can steam the broccoli and broil the scallops.  Feel free to grill them instead;  our propane tank was on empty!

Serves 4 – 6 adults.

Broiled Sea Scallops

• 2 lbs. sea scallops
• 2 TBS extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 garlic cloves, chopped
• salt and freshly ground black pepper

Combine scallops, olive oil and garlic in a bowl;  refrigerate, covered with plastic wrap, for 20 – 60 minutes.  Preheat broiler and spray broiler pan with cooking spray.

Arrange scallops on pan and season with salt and pepper.

Broil scallops a couple inches away from the heat source until cooked through, about 8 minutes.

Meyer Lemon Risotto – from www.simplyrecipes.com

My brother, knowing of my recent Meyer lemon obsession, forwarded me this recipe and it’s outstanding.  Seriously.  Outstanding.  The original recipe suggests toasted pine nuts or freshly grated Parmesan cheese for serving, neither of which I used, but I don’t think the risotto lacked any flavor without them.  Substitute regular lemons if you can’t find Meyer lemons, but add 2 TBS lemon juice instead of 3.

• 6 cups water
• 1 TBS kosher salt
• 3 TBS olive oil
• 1 TBS butter
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 cups arborio rice
• 1 cup white wine
• 1 – 2 Meyer lemons, enough to make 1 TBS lemon zest plus extra (about 1/2 TBS) for garnish, and 3 TBS lemon juice
• 1 TBS chopped fresh oregano plus another TBS for garnish

Combine the water and kosher salt in a medium-size pot and bring to a boil;  reduce heat to simmer and cover until you’re ready to use it.

Heat the olive oil and butter in a large saucepan/skillet over medium heat;  add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes.

Stir in the rice and cook, stirring frequently, for 3 – 4 minutes.

Add the wine and cook, stirring, until the rice absorbs the liquid.

(When you pull your spatula through the rice, the pan underneath should be dry for a moment.)

Start to add the hot salted water, a large ladleful at a time, continuing to stir the rice.  (You’re supposed to stir risotto constantly, but there’s too much multi-tasking to do, so I added a ladleful, stirred, ran off to do something else for a minute or two, ran back and stirred again, and it turned out wonderfully.)  When the liquid has been absorbed, add another ladleful of water, stir, and continue, until most of the water has been used;  taste the rice to check if it’s creamy yet a little al dente, a little bit chewy.

If so, add the lemon zest, lemon juice, and oregano (and black pepper, if you’d like).  (If not, add a little more water and keep cooking.)  To serve, sprinkle with more lemon zest and remaining oregano.

Broccoli with Toasted Garlic Crumbs – adapted from Gourmet magazine

• 1 1/2 lbs. broccoli, cut into florets
• 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2/3 cup panko
• 1/4 tsp salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tsp freshly grated lemon zest

Prepare broccoli for steaming.

Heat the oil in a 10” skillet over medium-low heat;  add the garlic and cook, stirring occassionally, for 5 minutes, or until the garlic is lightly golden.

Add the panko, salt and pepper, and cook on medium heat for a few minutes, until the panko turns golden.

Remove from heat and stir in the lemon zest.

Steam the broccoli for 5 minutes or until crisp-tender;  remove from steamer, and toss with the garlic crumbs (or for easier serving/clean-up, layer the broccoli and crumbs on a serving dish).

Butter

1-2 cloves garlic, minced

Salt + pepper

Remove the outer leaves of the Brussels sprouts, then cut in half. Add the butter to a pan and heat. Add the sprouts with the flat-side down to the pan, and turn the heat to just medium. Let cook for about 7 minutes or until light golden brown on bottom side. Mix around to spread butter. Add in the minced garlic for the last minute and add salt + pepper.

Ingredients:

2 tbs Oil
1/2 tsp Mustard Seed
1/2″ Fresh Ginger cut julienne-style
1 lb Green Beans
1/4 c Water
1/2 tsp Cumin
1/4 tsp Turmeric
1 tsp Salt
2 tbs Fresh Cilantro minced
1 tsp Lemon/Lime juice (optional)

Directions:

1) Heat oil in pan.
2) Add mustard seed and ginger. Turn heat down to medium. Cover until seeds pop.
3) Add green beans. Stir fry uncovered. 5-7 minutes.
4) Add water. Cover and let simmer for 5 minutes.
5) Remove cover and add in the remaining ingredients (except cilantro and juice) until beans are done.
6) Turn off heat and add in cilantro and juice for serving.

These green beans go great with rice/millet/quinoa, pasta, or tofu/tempeh! Enjoy!

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We started our weekend with the Bunny Bounce at Woodland Park Zoo where Jack had as much fun visiting all of the animals as he did “hunting” for Easter eggs (as you can see in the photos the eggs for the toddler hunt were not exactly hidden!) and meeting the Easter bunny. Then, on Saturday afternoon, we planted a magic jelly bean in the yard in anticipation of waking up on Easter morning to a surprise where the jelly bean was planted…

As you can see, on Easter morning, Jack found a fun surprise of a chocolate M&M bunny, jelly beans, and Toy Story stickers where we planted the magic jelly bean! He was an excited little boy! We spent the record-breaking warm afternoon (it reached 70 degrees in Seattle!) with friends in the sunshine. The kids hunted Easter eggs while salmon cooked on the grill. It felt like summer…it was lovely.

I will leave you with the recipe for a Spring Panzanella Salad that I made for dinner. It looked pretty on our Easter table and tasted like Spring. The asparagus replaced the typical tomatoes found in a Panzanella salad, and lemon and feta added the perfect brightness.

4 large eggs
4 thin slices of rustic white bread, lightly brushed with olive oil then torn into 1-inch pieces
1/4 cup olive oil
1 pounds asparagus, peeled
A handful of baby carrots
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
Juice of half a lemon
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Salt + Pepper
6 cups arugula and spinach, mixed
1/4 pound feta, crumbled
4 large red radishes, very thinly sliced

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Hard boil the eggs- fill a medium saucepan about 2/3 full of water and add your eggs (preferably at room temperature). Bring the water to a boil, then turn off the heat and cover the pan with the lid. Let side in hot water for about 12 minutes, then immediately plunge the eggs into a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process and to prevent the putrid greenish color from forming on the yolk. Peel and thickly slice the eggs.

Spread the bread pieces on a baking sheet and bake for about 12 minutes, until crisp.

Meanwhile, in a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the asparagus and carrots until just tender, about 3 minutes. Drain, cool and cut the asparagus in half lengthwise, julienned the carrots.

In a small bowl, whisk the 1/4 cup of olive oil with the vinegar, lemon juice, and mustard; season with salt and pepper.

In a large bowl, toss the carrots, toasted bread, greens, and cheese. Drizzle with the dressing and toss. Garnish with the asparagus, eggs, and radish.

1 pound green beans, tips cut off, then cut in half

1 shallot, minced

White wine

Dijon mustard

Low-sodium vegetable broth

1 clove garlic, minced

Spoonful of butter

Salt + pepper

Fill a pot with water and add salt. Bring to a boil, add green beans, and cook until tender (3-5 minutes). Then, immerse in cold water to stop the cooking process.

Put butter in a pan and heat up. Add shallots and cook for a couple minutes. Then, add the broth, white wine, mustard, garlic, salt +pepper. Mix all together and let simmer for several minutes. Next, add in the green beans and cover with sauce. Keep in the pan long enough for the green beans to heat back up. Taste the sauce and see if you need to make any adjustments with mustard, or salt + pepper, whatever.

Serve as a side, or, like I did, eat away at a large portion for your meal!

3 medium carrots, peeled and cut into even circles

Olive oil

Salt +pepper

Maple syrup

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Cut the carrots into circles all with the same thickness. Coat them in the olive oil and spread them out on a pan. Add the salt + pepper. Cook for 10 minutes, take out of the oven, and add maple syrup. Put back in the oven for another 10 minutes. Check to see how soft/done they are, they made need more than that depending how crunchy you like them. These taste delicious, and aren’t too sweet.

1 bunch of asparagus

Extra virgin olive oil

1 clove garlic, minced

Salt + pepper

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Break off the stiff ends of asparagus. Put asparagus and olive oil in a big ziplock bag and mix around til all coated. Spread out on a cookie sheet. Add garlic, salt + pepper. Put in the oven for 8 or 9 minutes and wooo!