Napa Cabbage Salad with Peanut Dressing and Cod Nuggets

Tonight I made a totally delicious dinner. I was inspired by an online class I took a few weeks ago called Child Nutrition and Cooking. The class is offered for free on Coursera, a pretty amazing site that offers free online courses on a wide array of topics. One of the recipes the instructor demonstrates is homemade chicken nuggets. I don't eat chicken, but I was interested in this recipe because I will be teaching a class at Headstart in October, and I'm looking for healthier recipes that will appeal to young children. Many years ago when I worked at Headstart as a teaching assistant, chicken nuggets and fish sticks were pretty universally loved by the kids there. I decided to try out this recipe to see if it is really as good as the instructor made it look. I made it with cod, and yup, it's pretty awesome.  The instructor points out that commercially prepared chicken nuggets often have nearly 40 ingredients in them, one an anti-foaming agent that is also used to make Silly Putty-yuck! The recipe taught in this class has just 6 ingredients: chicken (or in my case, fish), flour, egg, bread crumbs, olive oil,and salt. I served my fish nuggets on top of a Napa cabbage salad with a spicy peanut dressing that I adapted from here. If you are vegan, the salad itself is delicious as is, or you could top it with a vegetable protein source like tofu or tempeh.

Napa Cabbage Salad with Peanut Dressing and Cod Nuggets
makes 4 servings

Salad
1 small head of napa cabbage, shredded
2 carrots, julienned
3 green onions, finely chopped
large handful of basil chopped  (save a little for garnishing if desired)
large handful cilantro, chopped (save a little for garnishing if desired)

Mix all salad ingredients in a large bowl

Dressing
2 Tbs peanut butter
2 tbs rice vinegar
1 tsp toasted sesame oil
1 tsp tamari
squirt sriracha
1 colve garlic, finely chopped
1 inch piece of ginger, peeled and minced
2 Tbs water

Whisk together all dressing ingredients in a small bowl, thinning with more water if desired

Nuggets
4 small portions of boneless, skinless fish or chicken, cut into small pieces
whole wheat flour
2 eggs, beaten
breadcrumbs (I used whole wheat panko-style)

Dredge fish or chicken pieces in this order: flour,  eggs,  breadcrumbs. Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Lay coated pieces of meat in the pan and sprinkle with salt. Cook until nuggets are cooked at least halfway through, then flip over and repeat on the second side (I cooked mine 10 minutes per side).

Other Toppings (optional, but good)

2 avocados, sliced or cubed

roasted peanuts, chopped

black sesame seeds

To assemble salad: Coat cabbage mixture with dressing, using your hands to make sure it is well mixed. Plate the salad and top with nuggets and optional toppings. Serve!

Blueberries!

One of my yearly July rituals is picking blueberries. Blueberries are extremely nutritious, and also one of the most refreshing and convenient foods to eat in the heat of the summer. If you pick enough, you can also freeze them and continue enjoying their health benefits and deliciousness for many months to come.  I am lucky to live near several organic/no-spray blueberry farms, and I have visited three of them regularly in the past few years. Today, my mom joined me at the Friendly Grove Blueberry Farm, where we had perfect weather for picking lots of tasty berries. I have also  enjoyed picking at Carr's Organic Blueberry Farm, and Blue Horizons Farm.  There is something really cool about having seasonal rituals to look forward to, and when I woke up this morning, I knew that I wanted to do my first pick today. Last year, I ate all of the blueberries I picked before I got a chance to freeze them, so this year, I'll need to be sure to go out a few more times to make sure I get my freezer (and belly) full of blueberries before the season is over!

Chocolate-Cherry No Bake Pie

Tonight I made a pie by pairing components of two separate desserts and then topping them with fresh cherries. It turned out really well, and is quite healthy as far as desserts go. Recipe #1 is here. It's a raw fruit pie that I've tried making before. The crust is amazing, but the cashew "cream" in the original recipe didn't turn out well for me- maybe because I don't have a high speed blender- I couldn't get the texture right, and it tasted like sweet hummus,ugh! So I was looking for something else creamy to use for a filling and I came across this recipe for a chocolate mousse that's made from avocados. Perfect! I didn't have the raw cacao powder or coconut nectar that the original calls for, so I used cocoa powder and honey+maple syrup. I also learned a great trick for pitting cherries! If you don't have a cherry pitter, check out this video for a demonstration of pitting cherries using a bottle and a chopstick. Anyhow, this pie takes awhile to make, but it's a delicious and healthy sweet for a hot night when you want to impress someone and you don't want to use your oven.

Chocolate-Cherry No Bake Pie
adpted from recipes at lifewithgreens.com and thekitchn.com

Pie Crust:

8 medjool dates

1 cup raw unsweetened coconut

1 cup nuts ( I've used both raw and toasted, both are good)

1/4 teaspoon of sea salt

2 teaspoons of vanilla

Directions: Place all ingredients into a food processor with the “S” blade. Pulse and mix until moist and formable. Transfer raw pie crust mixture to a pie pan of your choice and press into the sides of the pan.

Make Pie crust first. Place in the refrigerator to chill while you are working on the other ingredients.

Chocolate Avocado Pie Filling

4 ripe avocados
, cut into chunks

1/3 cup honey

2 Tbs maple syrup

1/2 cup raw cocoa powder


1 teaspoon vanilla extract


pinch of salt
fresh fruit and nuts for garnish

In a food processor, blend avocado until smooth. Add all other ingredients, blending until mixture is uniform. Chill for half an hour in the freezer.

Next make the chocolate filling. Put it in the freezer to chill while you are pitting the cherries

About 1lb cherries, pitted 

Go on, pit those cherries!

Remove pie crust from refrigerator. Place half the pitted cherries on top of the crust in a uniform pattern. Top with chocolate filling (I only used about ¾ of the filling recipe in the pie). Top with remaining cherries. Serve immediately or keep in the refrigerator for later enjoyment.

Beet, Feta, and Walnut Salad with Blackberry Dressing

Earlier this week I was in the mood for a very specific beet salad. I have had variations of this salad at a few fancy restaurants over the years. The truth is that it is ridiculously easy to make, and if you make extra beets, you can have it for lunch a few more times during the week. The beets do take awhile to cook, so plan to have something else to do while they're doing their thing on the stove (I did laundry and cleaned the house). I made A LOT of beets, so I've been eating them every day. So far, I'm not sick of it, and it makes me laugh that I feel "fancy" each time I eat it.

Beet, Feta, and Walnut Salad 
with Blackberry Dressing
makes six generous servings
Salad
enough washed salad greens for six
4 large beets, ends and tails trimmed off
1 cup walnuts or hazelnuts, toasted
feta or blue cheese for sprinkling
To prepare beets, heat a large pot of water on the stove top until it is nearly boiling. Submerge beets, and simmer them until you can pierce them with a fork (mine were large and took about an hour and a half). Remove from heat, drain, and run the beets under cold water, rubbing the outside to remove their skins. When the beets are free of their skins, slice them up.
Toss salad greens with dressing (recipe below). Plate the greens and top evenly with sliced beets, nuts, and cheese. If you are making this to eat in several sittings over the week, be sure to wait until right before eating to toss the greens with the dressing.
Dressing
1 cup blackberries (I used thawed frozen berries)
2 Tbs balsamic vinegar
2Tbs olive oil
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp agave syrup or honey
To make dressing, put all ingredients in a pint jar and shake.

Easy and Versatile Fruit Cobbler

The following recipe is magical. It's delicious, takes very little time or effort to make, can be made with any almost any fruit, and comes out perfectly every time. Is it healthy? Well, it has a lot of fruit in it, but it also has quite a bit of butter and sugar, so this is one you''ll want to eat in moderation. I got the recipe many years ago when I was getting a CSA from Helsing Junction Farm. It was printed in one of their newsletters, but luckily, they still have the recipe on their website. I have made it with apples, pears, peaches, nectarines, berries, cherries apricots, and plums. I never peel the fruit, so the only real work is slicing the fruit up. It's also a great way to use up fruit that is getting a little too ripe or is otherwise not in the best shape for fresh eating. Usually, I use a mixture of whatever fruit I have on hand. The one ingredient you don't want to leave out is the lemon zest- it adds a bright and unique flavor to this excellent and very special dessert.

Easy and Versatile Fruit Cobbler
adapted slightly from Oly’s Swedish Apple Pie recipe at helsingfarmcsa.com

-Slice whatever fruit you are using into a 10 in round cake pan. I usually try to fill the pan about ¾ full with fruit. For this one I used 3 white peaches, 2 yellow nectarines, 2 plums, 4 apricots, and a ½ pint of blueberries. I never peel the fruit, but if you don't like the texture of the peels, you could. If you are using apples or pears, you will probably want about 5-6 pieces of fruit.

-Mix together the following:

-1 TBS sugar

-½ tsp cinnamon

-Sprinkle half over the fruit and toss together. (Save the other half to sprinkle over the top of the cobbler).

-Melt 1 stick of butter in a small saucepan and then add the following:

-1 cup of flour

-The zest of 1 lemon

-¾ cup of white or brown sugar

-Gently mix together and then add 2 beaten eggs.

-Fold the mixture together and then pour it over the top of the fruit

-Sprinkle with the remaining cinnamon/sugar mixture.

-Bake at 350 degrees for 50-60 minutes until firm and lightly browned.

Garlicky Lemon Broccolini

This simple side dish is awesome- it's quick to make, delicious, and pairs well with lots of things. Broccolini (also called brocolette or baby broccoli) is a cross between broccoli and gai lan (Chinese broccoli). It's very tender and sweeter than broccoli, and the delicate stems do not need to be peeled. Here is a little write up about the nutritional benefits. I really love garlic, so I made this with a lot of garlic. If you're not such a fan of the stinking rose, reduce as desired. Other things you might try adding are a dash of toasted sesame oil, a pinch of red pepper flakes, or some shredded parmesan.

Garlicky Lemon Broccolini
2 bunches broccolini, rinsed and trimmed (I cut about an inch of the end of the stalk)
10 cloves garlic, sliced
2 tsp olive oil
juice of 1 lemon
dash of salt
Bring a large pot of water to boil on the stovetop. Submerge the broccolini and cook for about five minutes (you should be able to just pierce it with a fork). Drain and rinse with cold water (or submerge in an ice bath) to stop the cooking. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan and add the garlic slices. Cook until they are fragrant and starting to become golden colored. Add the broccolini, lemon juice, and a pinch of salt and stir well. Cook until the broccolini is heated through.

An Excellent Resource For Adventurous Eaters

A few days ago a farmer I know shared a site that I think is pretty cool: the irreverently named WTF is this vegetable. On it are pictures of vegetables you may have seen in the produce aisle (or in your CSA box) but aren't really sure how to use, as well as several recipes for each vegetable. Some of the vegetables include kohlrabi, celeriac, rutabaga, nettles, and parsnips. There is even a place where you can suggest vegetables for her to include!
It's funny how one person's staple vegetable is another person's "WTF" vegetable. I am totally comfortable cooking with kale (and most other greens), but have always felt a little sheepish about my lack of experience with bok choi. This year I planted some in an effort to get myself to try cooking with it more often. Luckily for me, bok choi is on the site, so I have lots of new recipes to try out. If you've found yourself curious about cooking with vegetables you haven't used much (or at all), check this site out, it a terrific resource.

The Continuation of Yoga

From the app Yoga Studio

I don't think I posted about this, but back in March I did a yoga intensive- yoga every morning, five days a week for 3 weeks. At the end of that 3 weeks, I felt and looked amazing; toned, strong, vibrant, and calm. And then I kind of fell off the wagon and took a month long break from yoga, which was pretty sad.

Last month I started it up again, and while it feels great to do yoga a couple of times a week, I want to once again try making yoga a regular part of my life. Inspired by a friend of mine who did yoga every day in May, I'm going to try to do yoga every day in June. He also told me about an app called Yoga Studio. While it's no substitute for the awesome classes at the Yoga Loft, it's the absolute best at-home yoga I've ever seen. This app allows you to choose from workouts that have a specific part of the practice in mind (strength, flexibility, relaxation), or to create your own workouts with whatever poses you like. Once you put together a sequence, it will also suggest linking poses to make the practice you planned flow more smoothly. I think this app will provide a great way to get in some practice on days when my schedule just doesn't mesh with what's offered at the Loft.
P.S. The Yoga Loft is offering a great deal in June: unlimited 3-month yoga pass for just $159. Trust me, it's worth every penny.

Smoky Greens and Beans

A few days ago when I was working at the Co-op, a woman who attended one of my classes on cooking with greens, approached me and remarked how much she'd enjoyed my class. She said that in particular, she frequently makes a dish I taught called Smoky Greens and Beans. I had kind of forgotten about this dish, and it hasn't been in my rotation for awhile, so it was great to be reminded of it. She also commented that when she makes it she adds sausage, so I decided to try adding some veggie sausage, and it was delicious. Normally I serve this dish over brown rice, but the Co-op has prepared polenta on sale, and I've been meaning to try it forever- you just slice it up and fry it in a tiny bit of oil. It was a pretty nice base for this dish. Admittedly, this is not the prettiest dish I've ever made, but it's cheap, healthy, and tastes great. It makes a big batch- probably about enough for four generous servings.

Smoky Green and Beans
from Bon Appetit, November 2009

ingredients

2-3 sausages (I used Field Roast Italian veggie sausages)

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 large onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, chopped

1 14 1/2-ounce can diced tomatoes in juice (I like Muir Glen petite diced in adobo sauce)

1 1/2 teaspoons smoked paprika (this dish is pretty spicy, so decrease to 1tsp if you prefer less spice)

1 141/2-ounce can vegetable broth

8 cups coarsely chopped assorted greens (such as kale, mustard greens, and collard greens; about 1 large bunch)

1 15-ounce can cannellini (white kidney beans), drained

Grated Manchego or Parmesan cheese (optional)

preparation

Cut sausages into rounds and fry in a little oil. Set aside. Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium high heat. Add onion and sauté until soft and beginning to brown, about 6 minutes. Add garlic; stir 1 minute. Add tomatoes with juice and paprika; stir 1 minute. Add broth and greens; bring to boil, stirring often. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until greens are wilted and tender, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes. Stir in beans and cooked sausage  simmer 1 minute to heat through. Divide among bowls (rice or cooked polenta go on the bottom if you're using that); sprinkle with cheese, if desired

Zucchini Salad with Tomatoes, Chickpeas, and Feta

Here's an easy salad that requires few ingredients that you can whip up in just a few minutes for a quick lunch. I used a julienne peeler on the zucchini to get the "noodle" shape, but you could achieve similar results by cutting the zucchini  into small strips with a knife, or just go old-school and cut it into thin quarter moons. Also, see that beautiful lettuce on the side? That's my first batch of salad from this year's garden!

Zucchini Salad with Tomatoes, Chickpeas, and Feta
2 Tbs olive oil
1 Tbs balsamic vinegar
1Tbs fresh oregano (basil would probably be yummy as well)
salt and pepper
1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, cut in half
1 can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
1 large zucchini, julienned or sliced into thin quarter moons
crumbled feta for garnishing (optional, but good)

Whisk oil and vinegar together in a large bowl. Add some salt and pepper and whisk.  Add oregano and whisk again. Add cherry tomato halves and give a stir. (Let the tomatoes marinate in the dressing while you prepare the zucchini and beans). Mix in zucchini and beans. Taste. Add more salt and pepper as needed. Top with crumbled feta and serve.

Delicious Cumin Quinoa Salad with Tuna

Today I threw together a salad for lunch with stuff I had on hand and it was...incredible. I kept saying "mmmmmm" out loud as I was eating it! I feel like I have to give a nod here to the Bread Peddler, as their brown rice and tuna salad was the inspiration for this, even though it has a very different flavor profile. If you ever need a tasty and healthy lunch out in downtown Olympia, that salad at the Bread Peddler is my #1 choice. Anyhow, back to today's salad. It is a simply dressed quinoa salad with tuna and tomatoes on top. I served it on a bed of Galiese lettuce (a delicate, soft butterhead type) that was delivered fresh to the Co-op from Wobbly Cart Farm.


Delicious Cumin Quinoa Salad with Tuna
makes 4 servings
1 large head butter lettuce, washed, spun dry and torn into bite-sized pieces
4 cups cooked quinoa (one dry cup will yield approximately 4 cups cooked)
1 red or yellow pepper, chopped into small pieces
1/4 cup finely chopped red onions
1 large handful cilantro, chopped
1/2 cup walnuts, toasted and chopped
2 cans high quality chunk light tuna, drained and broken up with a fork
2 ripe roma tomatoes, thinly sliced
salt and pepper
Dressing:
juice of 2 limes (or 1 lemon)
1/2 (heaping) tsp cumin
1/2 tsp salt
1/6 cup olive oil

Whisk dressing ingredients in a large bowl. Add cooked quinoa and stir well. Add peppers, onions, cilantro, and walnuts. Stir well. Divide butter lettuce between 4 plates. Top each plate with equal amounts of quinoa salad, tuna, and tomato slices. Sprinkle tomato slices lightly with salt and fresh pepper. Serve.

Coconut Kale Bowl with Quinoa and Tempeh

Today I went out for my first paddle of the year, and it was AWESOME. But one thing I forgot about paddling is that it makes you really HUNGRY. When I got home I was ready for some dinner. I wanted something nutritious that would be ready pretty quickly and with minimal effort.  I decided to try out a recipe for a baked kale and coconut dish that I found when I was looking through some sites I bookmarked a few years ago. The recipe I used is here. I altered it slightly, and I'm reprinting it below with my changes. I also made some little tempeh squares to have some protein with this. That recipe came from Vegetarian Times. I can't find an online version, but I've put the basic instructions below. Kind of an unusual supper, but pretty tasty and filling.

Coconut Kale Bowl with Quinoa and Tempeh

1 tsp toasted sesame oil

2 Tbs tamari

1/2 tsp sriracha or similar hot sauce

1/3 cup olive oil

5 cups Italian kale, stems removed and leaves torn into bite-sized pieces

1 cup unsweetened large flake coconut

1 cup uncooked quinoa

1 8 oz package tempeh, cut into four pieces

nutritional yeast

sesame seeds

salt and pepper

cooking spray

Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F.

In a medium pot, bring 2 cups of water and 1 cup of quinoa to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer quinoa covered, for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and keep covered for five more minutes. Remove lid and fluff with a fork, set aside.

Meanwhile, place sesame oil, tamari, siracha, and olive oil in a small jar. Shake to mix well. Put kale and coconut in a large bowl. Pour over about 2/3 of the dressing, and mix well with your hands, massaging kale gently. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes. Then give it all a good stir and put back in the oven for 5 more minutes or until the coconut is well-toasted and golden in color.

While the kale is baking, prepare the tempeh squares: Start a medium-sized skillet heating over medium-high heat. On a small plate, mix together a few Tbs of nutritional yeast and a few Tbs of sesame seeds. Sprinkle on some salt and pepper and mix well. Run each tempeh square under water, and then dip in the nutritional yeast mixture, turning each piece until it is well-coated. Spray one side of the coated tempeh with cooking spray. Cook it spray side down in the hot skillet for about 7 minutes. Spray the other side with cooking spray, then flip the pieces over and cook for 7 more minutes or until browned. When the quinoa, kale, and tempeh are all done, assemble them in a bowl (there will be a little dressing left in the jar that you can pour on if you like). Enjoy!

The Grain and Bean Salad Formula

I'm trying out a new salad "formula" that's an amalgamation of this post on Mark Bittman's website and this post on a website called Three Many Cooks. Essentially, they both suggest that if you use certain proportions of certain types of ingredients you can come up with a virtually limitless variety of delicious salads. That's my kind of thinking! I love the idea of being able to work with what I've got on hand or dream up fancy new creations with these proportions as guidelines.
Here's the basic formula:
2 cups cooked grain
2 cups cooked beans
3 cups chopped veggies (raw or lightly steamed or a combination of both)
1/2-3/4 cup "extras" (nuts, cheese, olives, sun-dried tomatoes, artichoke hearts, dried fruit, etc)
1/4 cup fragrant/oniony things (red onions, shallots, green onions, maybe some garlic or ginger or lemongrass mixed in)
1/2 cup chopped soft herbs (basil, cilantro, parsley, mint, dill, etc, use one or a combination)
1/4 cup oil (I'd recommend using olive as the main base and then adding other oils in smaller proportion for flavor)
2 Tbs acid (lemon juice, lime juice, orange juice, red wine vinegar, balsamic vinegar, rice vinegar, etc.)
salt and pepper (and any other spices you desire; cumin, chili-powder, etc)
Put the acid you are using in a large bowl. Add a little salt and pepper (and spice if desired). Add your fragrant oniony things. Add oil in a slow stream and whisk until you have a well-mixed dressing. Add the grain and beans and mix well. Add all other ingredients and stir until well mixed. Add a little more salt and pepper as needed (will vary depending on what extras you've added). Serve

For the salad I made tonight: I used pearled barley, kidney beans, green beans (lightly steamed), toasted walnuts, feta, shallots, parsley, olive oil, and white wine vinegar. Pretty darn tasty!

Easy Dinner: Baked Potato With Cottage Cheese and Salsa

Last week I snapped a photo of this super easy dinner I made. It's not really a recipe, just a great tip that a friend shared with me long ago. Instead of putting butter, sour cream, or cheese on a baked potato, try using low-fat cottage cheese and salsa. It's super tasty, and when paired with a big salad, makes a filling, easy, and inexpensive meal.

Tomato, Basil, and Millet Salad with Black-Eyed Peas

I tried out another millet salad recipe tonight- it has a balsamic dressing, black-eyed peas, and cherry tomatoes. It's super delicious, though a bit ugly, and comes from the Whole Foods recipe collection that they have on their website. I wish the recipes were sorted by type of food (salad, main dish, etc), but you can search by ingredient, and they also have them grouped by rating and date posted. I have been pretty impressed with their recipes; they almost always taste great, and they are generally quick and easy to put together. This salad is much more "wet" than the one I posted a few days ago. I suspect that's because millet drinks up moisture, and starting out with a salad that has slightly more liquid in it will keep it at a nice consistency for a few days. This makes a great big bowl and it would be an ideal side to take to a picnic or potluck.
Tomato, Basil, and Millet Salad with Black-Eyed Peas
from wholefoodsmarket.com

1 cup uncooked millet, rinsed and drained

3 cups vegetable broth

1 (15-ounce) can black-eyed peas, rinsed and drained

1 cup chopped green onions

1/3 cup thinly sliced basil

1/4 cup olive oil

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1/2 teaspoon salt

Ground black pepper, to taste

1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved

salad greens

Toast millet in a large skillet over medium heat, stirring constantly, until fragrant and just golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove skillet from heat and carefully add broth. Return to heat and bring to a boil over medium high heat then reduce heat to medium low, cover and simmer until liquid is absorbed and millet is tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside to let stand, covered, for 5 minutes. Transfer millet to a large bowl, fluff with a fork and set aside to let cool. 

Add black-eyed peas, green onions and basil to millet, toss gently and set aside. In a small bowl, whisk together oil, vinegar, salt and pepper, then pour dressing over millet mixture and toss to coat. Add tomatoes, then spoon over salad greens and serve.

Millet Salad with Shiitakes, Peas, and Spinach

The recipe below is a millet salad I tried out a few nights ago. I've been wanting to experiment with millet, as quinoa has gotten so incredibly expensive over the past few months (quinoa is currently over $6/lb, the millet was $1.64/lb). Millet, though technically a seed (like quinoa), has all the great nutritional benefits associated with whole grains. including reducing your risk for heart disease and lowering your risk for type 2 diabetes. There is in-depth information about nutritional benefits and cooking with millet here and here.
In terms of preparation, to make fluffy millet salads, you will want to let the millet cook in peace and NOT stir it while it is cooking (even if you really really want to stir it). Stirring leads to millet being sticky and creamy, which some people like for breakfast porridge, but it's not what you're looking for in a grain salad!
Anyhow, my first attempt at a millet salad was pretty good. I  adapted this recipe to incorporate seasonal ingredients I wanted to use, and to give the original recipe a little more flavor. I used delicious shiitake mushrooms and exquisitely fresh spinach grown locally by the super sweet Terry Bunce of Alpine Mushroom Company and the super sweet Terry Stewart of Stewart Organics, respectively. I served the millet salad on a bed of greens with some baked tofu on top. Pretty tasty, inexpensive, and very filling and nutritious.

Millet Salad with Shiitake Mushrooms, Peas, and Spinach
adapted from Gourmet, January 1996
4 tablespoons olive oil

1 cup millet

2 cups water

1/2 onion, finely chopped

4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

½ pound fresh shiitake mushrooms, stems discarded and caps finely chopped (about 3 cups)

1 cup snap pea pods, chopped into bite-sized pieces

2 cups spinach leaves, washed and chopped into small ribbons

1 teaspoon curry powder

1 tablespoon tamari

1 tablespoon seasoned rice-wine vinegar

1/3 cup fresh parsley leaves, washed well, spun dry, and chopped fine

salt and pepper

preparation

In a large saucepan heat 1 tablespoon oil over moderately high heat and cook millet, stirring frequently, about 3 minutes, or until it makes popping sounds and begins to turn golden. Add 2 cups water to the millet and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cook covered for 20 minutes or until water is absorbed. Transfer to a large bowl and fluff with a fork.

In a large skillet heat 1 tablespoon oil over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking and sauté onions and garlic, stirring, until softened. Add shiitakes and cook, stirring, until softened, about 2 minutes. Add peas and cook, stirring, until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Add spinach and cook until just wilted. Stir in curry powder, tamari, vinegar, remaining 2 tablespoons oil, and parsley, and add to millet. Season with salt and pepper to taste.  

Chickpea Salad with Lemon, Parmesan, and Fresh Herbs

A few nights ago, I whipped up this sweet little bean salad and ate it with sliced veggies. I was planning to have a yam for dinner, but it was taking too long to cook and I was hungry, so I made this while I was waiting. The recipe is from Bon Appetit (courtesy of epicurious), and it's awesome in its simplicity. It's  probably the easiest thing you could make to throw on top of a plate of salad greens, and I will probably make it a lot this summer.
Chickpea Salad with Lemon, Parmesan, and Fresh Herbs
Bon Appetit, April 2011

1 15oz can chickpeas, rinsed, drained

2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 small garlic clove, pressed

1/3 cup (packed) freshly grated Parmesan cheese

salt

pepper

Combine rinsed and drained chickpeas, chopped fresh basil, chopped Italian parsley, fresh lemon juice, extra-virgin olive oil, and pressed garlic clove in medium bowl. Add grated Parmesan cheese and toss gently to blend all ingredients thoroughly. Season chickpea salad to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.  

Inspired Salad:Black Rice with Mango and Peanuts Topped With Scrambled Eggs

Tonight I made a fantastic salad. I wanted to try out a recipe I found that combines black rice with mango and peanuts. I decided to serve it on a big plate of salad greens. Grain salads are delicious and healthy, but I like to eat them on a bed of salad greens so that I don't make them into my entire meal (which is easy to do, especially if they are as tasty as this one). I also really wanted to top this with some tofu for extra protein, but I didn't have any, so I scrambled up some eggs instead- what a happy accident! The eggs are the perfect complement to the rice, the texture of everything together is just wonderful. The black rice salad does take a little time to prepare, but it makes a great big batch- perfect for taking to a potluck or just having around for a quick and easy lunch or side dish.

P.S. Unfortunately, the photo didn't load properly and I've already deleted it. I guess you'll have to make it yourself if you want to see how pretty it is!

Black Rice with Mango and Peanuts 
2 cups black rice
juice and zest of 1 orange
juice of 2 limes and zest of 1lime
1 Tbs tamari
1 tsp brown sugar
a few drops toasted sesame oil
1 jalapeno, seeded and finely diced
2 Tbs oil (I used avocado, but any oil will work)
2 cups diced mango (fresh is preferable, but thawed frozen mango is fine)
1 cup chopped onion
6 green onions, finely sliced
1/2 cup peanuts, toasted and chopped
1 cup cilantro, chopped

To make it into a super-awesome inspired salad you will also need:
salad greens, washed and torn
eggs, scrambled (2 per person)
avocado, cubed (about 1/4 per person)
red pepper slices (about 1/2 a red pepper per person)

First get the rice started: combine 2 cups rice with 2 3/4 cups water in a medium-sized sauce pan. Bring  to a boil and then reduce heat to low. Cook covered for 25 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit covered for 5 more minutes.
While the rice is cooking, prepare the dressing for the salad: combine juice and zest of orange and lime, tamari, brown sugar, toasted sesame oil, and jalapeno. Whisk together. Add the 2 Tbs of oil in a slow stream, whisking as you go. Set aside.
When rice is done, mix rice and dressing in a large bowl. Add mango, onion, green onion, peanuts, and cilantro and mix well. Serve as is, or if you are making this into a super-awesome inspired salad, fill each plate with a generous serving of salad greens, top with 2 cups of black rice salad, avocado cubes, and scrambled eggs. Garnish with red pepper slices if desired.

A Few More Overnight Oats Recipes

I've been tinkering a bit with the overnight oats recipes I posted a couple of months ago.  I wanted to make a recipe that includes greens but is is a little lighter on them (shocking, I know since I love greens, but my blender is having a hard time with the greens to liquid ratio I've been using). I've also been making my oats with whole chia seeds rather than ground since they add such a nice texture. Everything I've read indicates that unlike flax, chia's nutrients are available even when the seed is in the whole form. You can find more about that, and the nutritional benefits of chia seeds here. The chia seeds are totally optional though, and the overnight are still delicious without them.

Berry Cinnamon Overnight Oats
makes 2 jars
1 ripe banana
1 1/2 cups almond milk (or other milk of choice)
zest and juice of 1 large orange
2 cups blueberries or blackberries (frozen is fine)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 cups spinach leaves (baby spinach is fine)
2/3 cup rolled oats
4 tbs chia seeds (optional)

Put first 6 ingredients in the blender. Blend until smooth. Add spinach, push to the bottom of the blender with a spoon, and blend again until smooth. Place 1/3 cup of oats in each jar. Fill with smoothie mixture, stir, and add more until jar is almost full. Repeat with second jar. Top each jar with 2Tbs chis seeds and stir until well-mixed. Refrigerate overnight or for at least 2 hours.

Tropical Fruit Variation:
Substitue 1 cup pineapple and 1 cup mango for the berries (frozen is fine). Omit cinnamon, and instead add in a 1 inch piece of fresh ginger (I recommend cutting it into slices to ensure that it gets well-blended)

Each jar contains:
2 servings berries (or 1 serving pineapple and 1 serving mango)
1/2 serving bananas
1 serving spinach

Lentil-Chickpea Stew with Kale

A few nights ago, I decided to throw together a soup out of bits and pieces of things I had and wanted to use up. I came across a recipe from Vegetarian Times that I used as a guide, and ended up with a tasty and satisfying soup. Note that the rice absorbs some of the broth over time, so if you eat this stew as leftovers, you may need to thin it down with a little water and add salt to taste. I also make some lemon-tahini dressing for the salad I served on the side. The recipe is from American Wholefoods Cuisine and I've included it as a bonus below.

Lentil-Chickpea Stew with Kale 
1cup dried green lentils

2 tsp cumin

2 tsp paprika

1 tsp curry powder
3 Tbs olive oil
1 large onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
1 rib celery, finely chopped
1 large carrot, finely sliced
1/2 cup uncooked brown rice
7 cups broth
2 bay leaves
1 28oz can diced tomatoes
blak pepper
1 15oz can garbanzo beans
1/2 bunch Italian Kale, rinsed, leaves torn from stems and sliced into ribbons

Cover lentils with hot water and let them sit while you get the other ingredients ready.  Warm the oil in a soup pot. Add spices and stir for about one minute. Next add onions and garlic, cooking over medium-low until onions are almost soft. Add celery and carrots and cook for a few more minutes. Now add rice and stir to coat with vegetable mixture. Add broth, tomatoes, and bay leaves. Drain lentils and add them to the pot. Grind in some pepper. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat, allowing to cook until lentils and rice are soft (mine took about 40 minutes). Add garbanzo beans and kale and cook until kale is well wilted, about 7 more minutes.  Top with fresh pepper and serve warm with a crisp green salad.

Quick Lemon-Tahini Dressing
from American Wholefoods Cuisine
1/4 cup tahini
juice of 1 lemon (about 1/4 cup)
3/4 cup oil
1/4 cup water
1 tsp tamari
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp dried dill (or 1Tbs fresh)
Using a whisk, mix all ingredients together until smooth and creamy. Makes 1 1/2 cups.