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!

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.

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.

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.

Cabbage Bhaji

Earlier this week, we'd gotten to the point where we really needed to go to the store. I wanted to make a healthy dinner, but I didn't have a lot in the way of fresh produce to choose from (believe it or not, even I get busy and forget to replenish from time to time). Anyhow, what I did have was a nice head of red cabbage. It was a cold and rainy evening, so I wanted to make something warm (rather than cabbage salad), so I looked through some cookbooks and found this awesome, old-school recipe for spiced cabbage. It's from Laurel's Kitchen , which in addition to being a terrific vegetarian cookbook, is also filled with handy charts for cooking beans and grains.
We ate the cabbage with salmon and steamed potatoes drizzled with yogurt that we seasoned with dill, garlic powder, and Herbamare.

Cabbage Bhaji 
from Laurel's Kitchen
4 cups shredded cabbage
1/2 an onion, chopped
2 Tbs oil
1 tsp black mustard seeds
1 tsp salt
1 tsp turmeric powder
2-4 Tbs water
1/3 cup unsweetened dried coconut (optional)

Heat oil in a large pan with a lid. Add mustard seeds to hot oil and cover. Allow to brown but not to burn. Stir in turmeric, salt, and onion and saute for a few minutes until onion is almost soft. Add cabbage and 2Tbs of water. Turn down the heat, cover, and cook for a few minutes until cabbage is soft, adding more water if needed. Stir in coconut (if desired) a few minutes before the cabbage is done. Serve warm.

Garlicky Pasta with Arugula, Beans, and Walnuts

Continuing with my greens set-list is this easy, cheap, and nutritious dinner of greens, pasta, and beans. I learned to cook arugula from an awesome gentleman named Frank. I met Frank when I was working at a coffee shop, and when I started working at the Co-op, I frequently ran into him in the produce department. We'd talk about food and cooking each time we'd see each other, and eventually, he gifted me with a packet of fantastic recipes he'd created. One of the recipes was for pasta with cooked arugula. I'd never cooked arugula before, so I was quite intrigued. This recipe is a variation of the one he gave me, and I think it's pretty fantastic.

Garlicky Pasta with Arugula, Beans, and Walnuts
inspired by Frank de Libero
1/2 lb pasta (I used brown rice noodles this time, but often use whole wheat)
3 cloves garlic, minced
2tbs olive oil
1 bunch arugula, washed and stemmed
salt and pepper
1 can beans, drained and rinsed (I used Borlotti beans this time, but I've also made it with cannelini beans and garbanzo beans)
1/2 cup toasted walnuts
some shredded parmesan for topping (optional)
Cook pasta as directed on package. While pasta is cooking, get the saute ready. Saute garlic and a sprinkling of salt in olive oil on medium-low until it becomes fragrant. Add arugula and cook until it wilts (this will only take a couple of minutes). Season with salt and pepper.  Remove from heat. When pasta is done, combine with the arugula saute, toasted walnuts, beans, and parmesan (if desired) in a large bowl and mix together. Dinner is ready!

Braised Chard with Currants and Feta

I'm teaching a class this weekend that focuses on cooking with greens. I always like to run through the recipes I'll be making (kind of like rehearsing for a show I suppose), so tonight I made Braised Chard with Currants and Feta. This dish is simple, unique, and very flavorful. It also tastes a lot richer than the ingredients it contains would lead you to believe. I discovered this recipe on epicurious.  It gets the site's highest rating (4 forks), and 100% of people who reviewed it said they would make it again. I served it atop a bed of quinoa and sprinkled some sprouted almonds on at the end for an added crunch. Delicious!


Braised Chard with Currants and Feta
from Gourmet, December 2006

1 large bunch Swiss chard

1 large garlic clove, finely chopped

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

3 tablespoons dried currants

1/3 cup water

1 1/2 ounces feta, crumbled (1/3 cup)

preparation

Cut stems and center ribs from chard, discarding any tough parts near base, then cut stems and ribs crosswise into 3/4-inch-thick slices. Coarsely chop leaves.

Cook garlic in oil in a 4-quart heavy pot over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until pale golden, 1 to 2 minutes. Add chard stems and ribs, salt, and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, 4 minutes. Add currants and cook, stirring, until plump, about 1 minute. Add chard leaves and water and increase heat to moderate, then cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until leaves are tender, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in feta

Super Veggie Salad w/Sanctuary Dressing

Yesterday for lunch I threw together this salad using some dressing that my friend Willow made (thanks Willow!). The recipe can be found in Isa Moskowitz's cookbookAppetite for Reduction. It is really delicious and does a great job of brightening up a big bowl of vegetables. I copied the recipe below from the recipe card Willow so kindly included with the dressing she brought me, so if she made any alterations to the original, they are included here. Isa Moskowitz also has a fantastic blog called Post Punk Kitchen that has lots of other great recipes to peruse. I'm excited to check it out and try some more of them soon!



Super Veggie Salad w/Sanctuary Dressing 
 dressing recipe by Isa Moskowitz
For the salad (use as many vegetables as you need to provide a large-sized bowl for each serving):
red cabbage, thinly sliced
carrots, julienned or grated
red pepper, cut into cubes
celery, thinly sliced
Italian kale, cut into ribbons
avocado cubed
pumpkin seeds for topping

For the dressing:
1 12 oz box extra firm silken tofu
1 Tbs Veganaise
1/4 cup water
2 Tbs veggie broth powder or 1 not chicken bouillon cube
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tsp each garlic granules, onion granules, and dill
2 Tbs apple cider vinegar
1 tsp light agave syrup or sugar
Put it all in a blender and blend until creamy.

To assemble, place a few Tbs of dressing in a bowl. Put all veggies except avocado on top of dressing and mix well. Top with cubes of avocado and pumpkin seeds. Prepare to eat a delicious salad.
P.S. be sure to refrigerate any unused dressing. I don't know how long it will keep, but it didn't last long enough to find out at my house!

Curry Chickpea Soup

This afternoon when I was walking home from yoga, I was thinking about what kind of soup to make for lunch. I knew that I had some cooked chickpeas in the refrigerator that I wanted to use up, and I was planning to make something similar to this.  When I got home I discovered that someone (me) had used up the last of the smoked paprika and neglected to replace it. Looking through my spices, I noticed some Vindaloo curry powder and decided to try making a soup with that instead. It turned out pretty well- lightly spicy and very brothy and rich.

Curry Chickpea Soup
olive oil
1 large onion, diced
5 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp Vindaloo curry powder
3 stalks celery, finely sliced
2 large carrots, finely sliced
1 large russet potato, cubed
2 15oz cans diced tomatoes
9 cups lightly salted vegetable broth (I used 4 bouillon cubes disolved in water. If you are using unsalted broth, add salt to taste)
3 cups cooked chickpeas (if you are using canned, this is about a 25oz can)
1 bunched spinach, washed and sliced into ribbons
black pepper

Heat a bit of olive oil in a large soup pot. Add onions and garlic, and cook until they begin to brown. Add curry powder and stir well to combine. Add celery and carrots and cook a few minutes more (if the curry powder begins to stick to the pot, add a little water to deglaze). Add potatoes and cook a few minutes more. Add tomatoes and broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and cook until potatoes and carrots are tender. Add chickpeas and spinach and cook for five more minutes. Add a few grindings of fresh pepper to the pot and serve.

Blood Orange, Fennel, and Cabbage Salad

In addition to making a tasty soup on Sunday, I also make this fantastic salad. It's crunchy and fresh tasting; lightly sweet and tart. I tweaked a dressing recipe from an older post, and altered it by using blood oranges since they are in season and possibly the best citrus fruit we have in the produce department right now. The dressing comes out a little pink, but it tastes great and looks pretty against the pieces of blood orange.

Blood Orange, Fennel, and Cabbage Salad
serves 4
For salad:
A mixture of red, savoy and/or green cabbage and Italian kale, washed and shredded into fine ribbons
1 bulb fennel, chopped into very small pieces
A large handful of fresh mint, washed, and sliced
2 blood oranges, peeled, segmented, and cut into bite-sized pieces
2 Tbs toasted sesame seeds

For dressing
:

2 Tbsp. olive oil



zest of 1 blood orange

juice of 1 blood orange

1 Tbsp. liquid honey (or agave, maple syrup)


1/3 cup roasted tahini


Whisk dressing ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.  Fill each plate with your cabbage/kale mixture. Top each plate with mint, fennel, and blood orange pieces. Drizzle dressing on top and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Serve.
Note: After I made this, I kind of wished I'd dressed the salad before plating it. So for a more even dispersion of dressing, put the dressing in a large bowl, add a little water to thin it down, then add the cabbage mixture and toss to coat.  Proceed with platting and topping the salad.

Hearty Bean and Cabbage Soup

Yesterday I made a big pot of soup with some produce that inspired me this week- dried beans from Helsing Junction Farm and Savoy cabbage from Newaukum Valley Farm. Both of these were so beautiful I knew I wanted to make something with them, and preferably together. I looked through a bunch of recipe sites for a soup recipe that would use both, but I didn't see anything I was crazy about, so I decided to just wing it. I used Deborah Madison's  Vegetable Soups cookbook to make sure I got the water to bean ratio and cooking time right. Her cookbooks are pretty fantastic, and getting this one out reminded me that I have lots of great recipes at my disposal without looking online at all. My soup turned out well, but I will say, it's not going to win any beauty contests. Good thing I have the "before" photo!

Hearty Bean and Cabbage Soup
5 Tbs olive oil
1 large onion, diced
5 cloves garlic, finely minced
3 stalks celery, finely sliced
3 carrots, diced
2 small yellow potatoes, cut into small cubes
3 springs rosemary or other fresh herb of choice (the bean website below recommends sage)
1lb dried beans (I used Calypso beans)
10 cups water
6 cups shredded Savoy cabbage, Italian kale, or a combination of both
2 tsp salt (or more to taste)
lots of fresh ground pepper
1 tbs balsamic vinegar

Soak beans overnight. Drain, rinse, and set aside. Heat 4 Tbs of olive oil in your biggest soup pot. Add the onions and garlic and cook for a few minutes until they soften and start to become fragrant. Add the celery,carrots, and potatoes and cook for a few minutes more. Add beans and water. For the rosemary, put springs in a reusable cloth tea bag or a piece of cheesecloth tied into a bundle and float it in the soup while it cooks. This will give the broth a nice herbal flavor. Bring the soup to a boil and then reduce heat and cook until the beans are almost soft (mine took about 45 minutes, but time will vary a lot depending on type of beans used). Add salt, cabbage, pepper, and vinegar. Give it a good stir and cook until the cabbage/kale is wilted but still fairly firm. Stir in the remaining Tbs of olive oil. Top with a few grinds of pepper and serve.