Mushroom and Kale Risotto

Sometimes I have a vision for a dish and I can only hope that it taste as good as my imagination leads me to believe. I have been happily satisfied in this early start to 2011 and last night's dinner continued the trend! 

You know I love those one dish meals and risotto is one of my favorites!  Risotto is the style in which you prepare rice, not the type of rice you use..although arborio has become synonymous with the term.   So, I had this thought of making a risotto without using the typical Arborio, but instead, pearl barley.  Barley is a more hearty grain containing more fiber and iron than any rice. It took a bit longer to cook, but sometimes good things are worth the wait. My favorite addition to a risotto are mushrooms because they add the perfect amount of flavor and texture. Unfortunately, the combination of the barley and mushrooms leaves the dish looking rather brown and boring. What goes well with brown? Green!  In walks the kale. If you add it in at the very end of the cooking process, it maintains the crunch that finishes off the dish perfectly.   

The dish is extremely satisfying and, although it take a while too cook, it is not at all difficult.  

Mushroom and Kale Risotto
2 sm-Shallots  (MA)
2 Tbsp-100% Italian Exra Virgin Olive Oil

1tsp-dried sage (still from the yard!)

1tsp- thyme

1tsp-caraway seed

1 c dry- Pearl Barley

1/2 cup- white wine

7.5 cups of water 

1/2 cup vegetable broth

6-7 med - Crimini Mushrooms, Raw
2 cup chopped-Fresh Kale 

grated cheese (optional)

To start, add the water and vegetable broth to a medium pot and bring to a simmer.  In a small pot, do the same to the wine.  You do not want to shock the barley with cold liquids.

Add 2 tbsp of oil to a large pan.  Saute onions and seasonings on a medium heat.  Once they brown, remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.  Leave the oil behind and add the barley.  Coat with the oil and cook until toasted (5-6 minutes).  Add in wine and seasonings.  Cook over medium heat until wine is absorbed.  Begin ladling in water/broth mixture one ladle at a time.  Continue adding liquid as it is absorbed by the grain.  Stir regularly so that it does not stick.  This took about 40 minutes.  

Just as the grain was a step before al dante, add the mushrooms and continue to let it simmer while adding the liquid.  Before adding the last ladle of liquid, add in kale.  Let it all simmer together until most of the liquid is gone.  At this point you can grate cheese on top if you choose (I did not).  Remove from heat and let sit covered for 2-3 minutes.  

Loved it.    The green really added the color to make this a more visually pleasing dish..as well many wonderful nutrients.

Not only was this a terrific dinner, it was a magnificent lunch...even seemed to make eating it over my work computer less painful..

Stay happy and healthy

~L

Vegan Chili

With the holiday season finally over, I am back to my usual cooking Sundays. I could not be happier! I missed creating my own menu and enjoying the reward of the meals. The second meal for today was a large pot of vegan chili that will serve for at least 3 to 4 meals. Perfect for what will be my first full week of work in a month! Between that and the leftover Mac and Cheese from yesterday, I am set for lunch for most of the week.  Remember, preparation is what separates someone who is able to maintain a healthy diet and someone who cannot.  If you can easily grab a container of a healthy meal that you prepared from the refrigerator,  it will lessen the temptation of going out for lunch and making the wrong choice. A new year often brings on an old resolution...let this be the year you keep it.

I am here to help you out. 

Tonight I prepared a hearty, meatless chili.  I love chili because it is extremely filling without being very high in calories.  It is also filled with great ingredients that are nutrient dense.  Iron, fiber, protein and lycopene are all present in this dish.  Also present is a bit-o-chocolate.   I used Guajillo Chili chocolate from Taza. It is the only Taza chocolates I have been hesitant to consume.   I knew I would one day buy it and use it for a chili..and today was that day.  I was fairly confident it would work.  Luckily, I was reassured last week when a friend mentioned she used their CaoCao Puro in her chili. 

The good news is that it worked. The even better news is that I did not like it straight up, so I will not finish the pack! I will have more to make this dish again. The chocolate was not over powering at all.  It added a nice creamy texture and an amazing aroma.

Ingredients:
1 cup Dry Red Kidney Beans (MA)
1 cup Dry Black Beans (MA)
1 cup Dry Chick Peas 

1 small Shallot (MA)

1 Raw Green Bell Peppers

12 oz Diced tomatoes (NH, I used my fresh jarred ones from the summer..yum!)

1 tbsp Chili Powder

1tsp paprika

1tsp cayenne

1 tsp coriander

1 cup reserved bean water

1/2 cup vegetable broth

1/2- 3/4 of 1 disc Taza Chocolate - Guajillo Chili Chocolate (2 disc per pk, Somerville MA)

I soaked three types of beans for about 2 hours. I then boiled them in a large stock pot. I cooked until they were just under done. I removed them from the heat and strained them in a strainer, reserving the water that was left in a bowl (1 cup). I used the same pot to prepare the chili. Added ~1tsp of olive oil and 1 small onion. Sauteed that for a few minutes and then added the spices (chili, paprika, cayenne and coriander) and mixed with the onion. Ad the beans, tomato, and green pepper and combine with spices. Add the reserved water and the vegetable broth. Lower heat and let simmer. Add in of Taza chocolate a bit of a time. Taste as you go until you have the flavor you like. I would not use more than 3/4 of one disk. 

I let the whole pot simmer for about 20 minutes so the flavors would blend.  I knew it was going to be good when my eyes were watering in the next room...even though there was a lid on the pot!  You can see in the photo that the chocolate also gave the chili a rich chocolate color and a wonderful flavor.   

I hope you enjoy this dish as much as I did.  While you are at Taza chocolate, I highly recommend buying some of their other products...they never disappoint!.

~L

Stuffed Portobello

My apartment still has the amazing aroma of caramelized shallots and I could not wait to share this creation I just inhaled for lunch.   It has mushroom, it has shallots and it has goat cheese..it was perfect.  My only mistake was making just one..

Simple and easy.  It is great a small lunch or paired as your side with some brown rice or risotto.

1 portobello mushroom (from PA)
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 oz goat cheese (VT)
2 tsp local honey (MA)
1 sm shallot (MA)
1 tsp olive oil
~1 oz of greens (I used local asian greens that were similar to bok choy, but any will work!)
1 tbsp chopped walnuts
sage (dried or fresh/there is was still some living in the back yard so I grabbed it)
sea salt and pepper

First, clean the mushroom and de-stem.  Pour the balsamic inside the cap and bake it at 350 for about 20 minutes.  I just wait until I start to smell the yummy mushroomness of it and I know it is done.  Never underestimate the power of your nose.  When it was done there was some liquid in the cap, just dump it out.

Heat oil in a pan on med heat.  Add shallots and toss with oil.  Let cook for a few minutes and then add 1 tsp of honey to help with the caramelizing.  This should only take about 15 minutes since it is just a small shallot.

Boil a pot of water.  Add the greens for 1-2 minutes for a quick blanche and then remove and add to a bowl of very cold/ice water for another minute.  This helps to maintain the freshness of the vegetable and keeps the nutrients in the veg.  I patted it down with a paper towel to dry it up a bit and added salt and pepper.

Combine the goat cheese, walnuts, 1 tsp of honey and sage.

Once everything is done..you start to build.

First: Stuff cap with cheese mixture

Second: Add onions

Finally: top with fresh greens...look at the amazing color they have!

A few simple steps and you will have a mouth full of sweet, savory and crunchy delightfulness.   It is also a healthy meal/side!

Try it..trust me you will love it..

~L

Baked Mac and Cheese

Happy New Year readers!   It is a good time to reflect on the past and look towards the future.   

What better of a meal to be the first of the new year than one that looks to the past but has an slightly updated twist?  Mac & Cheese is a classic comfort food that was very absent from my life.  Italians eat baked ziti with tomato sauce and mozzarella.  As wonderful as that dish is, I have always longed for that orangey, gooey mac.  Why haven't I done this?  Because the thought of powdered cheese from a box is completely unappealing, even though it is the only image I have of traditional mac and cheese.  Same with any type of jarred melted cheeze product thrown on pasta.   Of course, I could have bought tons of fresh cheddar cheese and cream to make a rich homemade mac, but all of the calories were too overwhelming.  I basically gave up on the idea for many years, until recently.

Out for dinner over the holidays, I ordered mac and cheese at Lord Hobo's in Cambridge.  It was tasty, but it was just rigatoni pasta with some melted white cheese...not the look I wanted in my first attempt of eating mac and cheese.  The dish did inspire me to try and figure out how to get a fresh, fairly healthy and local mac and cheese.  I searched the web and the first recipe that came up was from the Food Network. A four cheese mac bake.  I click and I see the secret ingredient is butternut squash..hey that is orange!  I then saw that she used frozen butternut squash and lost respect for the chef.  I took the squash idea and ran.   So how to do this in a healthy and vegetarian way..meaning no hard cheeses that uses animal rennet?  Well, first you only use 2 cheeses to make things easier.  I chose VT Creamery Goat Cheese and VT Monterey Jack (made with vegetable rennet..read the labels!).  Local butternut squash, easily found at Whole Foods.  Instead of the traditional white elbows, I use whole wheat.  Seasoning was simple mustard seed, paprika and a bit of saffron (not too much!).  For the crumb topping, I had some sliced Iggy's whole wheat sourdough bread.  I toasted and ground it up in my food processor.  Added a teaspoon of olive oil and done.  

Looking to be one of those people that sneak a vegetable into your kids/husbands/partners meal?  Well here you go...

Mac and Cheese

Serves 2 
1 oz   Vermont Creamery - Goat Cheese Classic Chevre
1 oz   Vermont - Monterey Jack Cheese,
1 cup pureed- Butternut Squash--Fresh

1/4 cup (dry) Whole Wheat Elbow Macaroni
3 oz (half single container) Chobani - Greek Plain Non-Fat Yogurt
1 tsp Mustard Seed Yellow

pinch of Saffron (optional)

1/2 tsp Paprika

salt and pepper

bread crumbs

1tsp olive oil

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Peel and cube the butternut squash.  Put in steamer and let cook.  If you chose to use frozen pureed squash..I will not judge.  Put it in a pan or microwave to defrost and move to the next step.

Measure out all the other ingredients so they are ready to be added.  You can mix the seasonings together in one dish and cheeses in another.

Boil water and cook pasta until al dante.  Don't over cook since you will bake it after.

Puree butternut squash and add to large cooking pan.   Bring to a simmer and add yogurt.  Stir in until well mixed.  Add in cheeses and seasonings.  Remove from heat and stir until well blended.  Drain and add pasta.  Mix and place in casserole dish. Sprinkle bread crumbs on top and bake for 15-20 minutes.

Orangey color? check
Creamy? check
Gooey? little bit!
Healthy? oh yeah!

Plus there was a crunch from the crumbs and a sweetness from the squash.   I really loved my dinner tonight.  I added a side of roasted broccoli and it was wonderful.

Hope you all can take this and make something delicious!

Stay happy and healthy!

~L

Vegan Taza Chocolate Chipped Cookies

I apparently am determined to become a better baker. I say I will not bake again but I feel the urge come over me and there I am..mixing chocolate and sugar. Sigh. My execution is still lacking, but the recipes are getting better.   Amazing how I barely think about dinner and I can toss together something very enjoyable. These cookies on the other hand totally stressed me out.  Luckily is all worked out in the end.  At least in my opinion! 

How can you really go wrong when you take a disc of Taza salted almond chocolate and chip it into a cookie? You really can't.....well at least no more than 2 times.  It took the 3rd try to get these right.  The problem was that I was trying to make them vegan, low calorie and low fat all at once.  I had to take it a step at a time.  First, vegan.  I am working one a lower calorie version.  As you can probably tell, they are not the healthiest..but they sure were good!

Ingredients
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup Earth Balance spread (I use the soy free)
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 package of Taza Salted Almond Chocolate (chopped)

Instead of 2 eggs I used this "formula" to replace them
1 egg= 2 tbsp of water, 1 tsp canola oil and 2 tsp of baking powder. I did this in a separate bowl and added to the mixture later.

Directions

PREHEAT oven to 375° F.

First, you have to "chip" the chocolate.  I just used a small knives and cut away.  Nothing has to be exact here..

COMBINE flour and baking soda in small bowl. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until creamy. Add egg replacement..beating well. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in chips. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets.   Because of the missing eggs, the batter may be a little dry.  I simply added water a tablespoon at a time (2 did the trick).

You do not have too cook them for too long because there is no egg. If the oven is hot enough I would go with 6-7 minutes...

Be happy and healthy!

~L

Bacon Mushrooms

The first snow storm of the season and it did not disappoint!  Home from work and really should have had some crazy cooking time, but instead I sat around watching Alice and Wonderland and the Jerk.  I really have no regrets about the movie selections...

When I did finally peel myself off the couch I vetoed eating another round of leftovers and instead went with the "almost local: shiitake mushrooms (from PA) that have been sitting in the fridge and in need of some cooking.  A quick google search for a new recipe and that is how you find bacon mushrooms.  No, there is no real bacon here.  Apparently, when you toss shiitake with 1/4 cup of olive oil and sea salt, then bake them for ~40 minutes they taste like bacon.  I had to try it. How could I not??  You have to really cook them until they are dry and crispy, as shown.

The verdict: there is a hint of bacon flavor, but not really.  They were crispy and salty.  This is really what is reminiscent of the bacon, not so much the taste.  They were really good regardless of not delivering on the bacon flavor.  I tossed them with black beans and onions.  A side  of local steamed broccoli (RI) and some quinoa rounded out the dish.

The best part was that it was not too heavy of a dish.  After all the holiday eating,  I am happy to start detoxing asap!

Stay happy and healthy,
L

Did you know you can beans locally?

Well you can!  I have been purchasing Baer's Best Beans, a local company from So. Hamilton MA.  Of course, I am buying them at the local mecca...Sherman's market.   They have a great variety.  For the recipe below I used their mung beans and light red kidney.  I have also bought their black beans.   I stopped buying canned beans years ago due to the high sodium content and the processing that has to happen to get them in the can.  Maybe I am imagining things, but since I took the last of any canned item out of my diet, I  feel much healthier.

Yes, I know that a can is easier when you do not think a head.  What I do is take a mix of dried beans and put them in a container to soak in the refrigerator.  Then they are there when I need them.  It also encourages me to eat more beans as they will go bad after a bit...I pay too much for good food to let it go to waste.

In my constant attempt to include more of the said beans into me meals, the other night I decided to add them to a a simple soup I have been making for the last few weeks.  It has perfected what was already a pretty nice soup.  I first had it in Italy.  One of those classic Italian dishes that contains a few simple ingredients.  It was  cabbage and potatoes with a touch of garlic and olive oil.  Simple and yummy, but missing a protein component.  This was because there was a second course that would contain a meat item.  There is no second course here in my normal life (or meat for that matter!)..so I had to add the protein in the form of beans to the actual soup...I do love that all in one meal.

I used a mixture of mung, kidney, chick peas and lentils.  I boiled them in a small pot to separate from the soup to start.  I chopped 1 small head cabbage and tossed it into a large stock pot.  Potatoes (which can still be found from local farms!) where peels and cubes and added to the cabbage.  I then filled the pot with water to cover the cabbage  (~8 cups).  
Bring to a boil and cook until potato is tender (~20 minutes).

You want to strain the cabbage and potato but reserve water.  I save all the liquid in a large bowl, as shown here.

I then add 1 tbsp of olive oil and 1 chopped garlic clove to the pot.  Saute for a few minutes and then add back the cabbage and potato as well as the beans.  Mix all together and let cook for a couple of minutes.  I stir this a lot to mix in the garlic and oil.   Add salt and pepper.

Slowly ladle the liquid back into the pot.  Add all or most or as little as you want.  I end up using almost all of it.

End result is a healthy, complete and wonderfully delicious meal.

Note the change from the boring white bowl that I normally use...this new colorful bowl is hand crafted by a local maker Crissy Ann Ceramics and purchased at the Somerville Snow Mall.  I should have been Christmas shopping but I could not resist this fun little dish.  I now eat all my bowl related meals out of it.  You can visit her blog at http://chrissyannceramics.blogspot.com/.  She also has products on Etsy...

Hope you enjoy this soup and maybe are inspired to buy a similar bowl.

Now I must think about Friday's meal.  Hard to believe that I was put in charge of vegetables for Christmas Eve dinner!

Stay happy and healthy!
~L