Whole Wheat Penne with Roasted Beets and Portobello Mushrooms

This recipe was inspired by the gorgeous beet greens that most people throw out or compost when preparing fresh beets.  It is a wonderful combination of sweet and savory that becomes a gorgeous dish of healthy fushia goodness...

INGREDIENTS for 4 servings

6-8 roasted beets 
beet greens from the 6-8 beets, washed and trimmed
4-6 portobello mushroom  caps, diced into bite-sized pieces
4-6 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
extra virgin olive oil
pinch of  sea salt
1t dried oregano
black pepper (to taste)
1/4 cup dry white wine
(optional) gorgonzola cheese, sprinkled lightly on top
--..--..--..--..--..--..--..
1 lb of whole wheat penne

RECIPE

Bring enough water to a rolling boil for the pound of pasta.  Add a heavy pinch of salt to the boiling water to raise the boiling temperature.  Bring back to a boil for 30 seconds and then add the pasta, stirring immediately and regularly.  It is important to add salt to the water for well-cooked whole wheat pasta.  It helps to keep it from getting gummy. 

While the water is coming to a boil, prepare the vegetables.  Remove the beet greens from the beets, trim the greens away from the stalks and tear into bite sized pieces rinse thoroughly and drain well.  Chop the mushrooms and garlic. Your beets should be at least at room temperature, or warmer.

Once the pasta is in the water, add olive oil to a skillet heated to medium-low.  Add the mushrooms and garlic with a tiny pinch of salt.  Allow the mushrooms to soften, adding a little more oil to keep them from scorching if necessary.  Add the oregano and black pepper as the mushrooms are cooking. Once the mushrooms are fully softened, add the wine, beet greens and cover, allowing to simmer for a minute.

Drain the pasta and drop into a large bowl.  Immediately add the cooked vegetables and the roasted beets to the pasta and mix through.  If you like, a bit of gorgonzola or other blue-type cheese is wonderful on this dish.

Serve hot and enjoy!

Roasted Beets

Roasted beets are a wonderful treat in the fall and very good for you.  This recipe works well for any type of beet.  If you haven't tried yellow beets, they are a bit more tart than the red variety and equally delicious.

3-4 medium sized beets feeds two people nicely
dried or fresh rosemary or oregano (about 1t for a 2-person serving)
extra virgin olive oil
pinch of sea salt
freshly ground black ground pepper

Preheat your oven to 450 degrees.

Trim the ends from the beets, reserving the greens for another dish.  Scrub the beets under running water with a vegetable scrubber and pat dry.  Quarter the beets (or cut in 6ths or 8ths) so they are in bite sized pieces.  Place on two layers of tin foil, with the shiny side up.  You want large enough pieces of foil so that you can wrap the beets in foil pouch.  Cover lightly with olive oil, sprinkle a pinch of salt, a healthy grind of black pepper and either rosemary or oregano.  I lightly crush the herbs in my fingers to release more of their essential oil.  Both rosemary and oregano are delicious with the beets, so use what you prefer or have on hand.

Using your hands, mix the oil, herbs and seasoning through the beets so that they are well coated with oil and evenly coated.  Close the foil around the beets to make a pouch.  Place the pouch on a baking sheet and bake for 45 minutes to an hour until the beets pierce easily with a fork.  Remove and allow to cool.  Skins will remove easily with a paring knife or, if you've cleaned them well, the skins are fine to eat.

Roasted beets are great plain, in leafy green salads as well as in savory hot dishes.

Basil Green Beans

This recipe is perfect for Thanksgiving. It is a refreshing take on green beans, eliminating the fat in traditional green beans. Only 90 calories per serving!

You will need:

2 lbs. green beans, trimmed
1/4 tsp. coarsely ground black pepper
4 tbsp. olive oil
3/4 tsp. salt
1 pint of grape tomatoes, each halved
2 large red onions, each halved and thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1 cup fresh basil leaves, sliced

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a large jelly roll pan, toss green beans with pepper, 2 tbsp. oil, and 1/2 tsp salt. Roast beans 30 minutes or until tender and browned, stirring once. Stir in tomatoes, roast 5 minutes longer.

Meanwhile, in a 12-inch skillet, heat 2 tbsp. oil over medium heat. Add onions and 1/4 tsp. salt. Cook 20 minutes or until onions are tender and browned, stirring often. Reduce heat to medium low. Stir in garlic, cook 3 minutes. Stir in vinegar, remove from heat.

Toss onions and basil with beans, transfer to serving bowl. Serve warm!

Healthy Lentils!

Our mother is constantly asking me to give her this recipe - it is a favorite! Yummy, soul-satisfying, and pure comfort food - this recipe is simple to make.

You Need:
1/2 cup brown rice
1/2 tsp. vegetable bouillion and 1 cup water, or 1 cup vegetable broth
olive oil or butter
1/2 cup red lentils
1/4 large onion, chopped
1 garlic clove
1 carrot, minced
2 celery stalks, minced
tomato, chopped
Italian seasoning, to taste
salt and pepper to taste
parmesan, optional

Cook rice in bouillion. In a separate pot, simmer lentils until soft. In a pan, liberally covered in butter or olive oil, cook onions over medium heat until translucent. Add garlic, and keep stirring. Add carrots and celery to the mix, and cook over medium heat. Once lentils are finished cooking, add to the rice. Finish cooking the rice, and add vegetables from pan to rice mixture. Simmer to eliminate excess water, about ten minutes (keep stirring!). Once reduced, add tomatoes, seasoning, salt and pepper. Just before serving, add parmesan. Enjoy!

Zucchini Bread (with chocolate chips!)

3 1/4 cups of all-purpose flour
pinch of salt
1 tsp pumpkin spice
2 tsp baking soda
3 cups sugar
1 cup canola oil
4 eggs, beaten
1/3 cup water
2 cups grated zucchini
1 cup chocolate chips (optional)

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. In a VERY large bowl, combine flour, salt, spice, soda, and sugar. In a separate bowl, combine oil, eggs, water, zucchini. Mix wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Fold in chocolate chips, if using. Bake in two standard loaf pans, sprayed with non-stick spray until done, about 75 minutes.

Spicy Homemade No-Cook Pickles (dill or not)

With all of the vinegars and hot sauces I make, I finally decided it was time to make some pickles.  These are a "cold brew" and made to be eaten within a couple of weeks after they are cured.  The brine can be used twice and will create a delicious pickle both times.

For an even quicker pickle, choose either pickling cukes or an English cucumber (the one with the thin skin in the plastic wrap. Slice them into one-inch rounds and follow the directions below.  They'll be full flavor within 6 hours.

What you need: 2 16-oz ball jars, a sharp knife, one large stainless bowl, a ladle, measuring cup and spoons...your fingers and a bit of patience.

Fresh Ingredients: 
12 pickling cucumbers (or so); you can use English if you like
1 cubanelle pepper, sliced into 1/8 inch rounds
8-10 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
1/2 cup fresh oregano (or dill), finelychopped

Dry Ingredients
1T black peppercorns, (I like tellicherry)
1T coriander seed
1/2 - 1 t celery seed
3 whole cloves (optional)
2T sea salt
2T sugar (turbinado works perfectly fine)

Wet Ingredients
2 c water
2 c white vinegar

Recipe
Rinse the cucumbers well.  With a sharp knife, remove a thin slice from each end of the cucumber.  If you don't have pickling cukes available, you can use an English cucumber or any other thin skinned variety (just don't use the thick-skinned waxy standard you find at the grocery).  If using a large cuke, remove the ends and then slice into 1/2 rounds.  Places your cucumbers in a stainless steel or glass bowl large enough to hold the entire batch.

Add the hot pepper slices to the bowl.  Be certain to use fresh peppers here.  Also, if you haven't worked with hot peppers before, it is always essential to wash your hands immediately after handling them. Cubanelles have medium heat and are nice for pickles almost anyone can enjoy.  Fresh banana peppers, anaheim peppers or cherry peppers are fine, too.

Now, add your herbs, spices and chopped garlic to the cukes.  (If you want a more mild garlic flavor, use whole or halved garlic.  The finer it is chopped the more pungent it is). Mix this with your hands at this point to combine.  Add the water and vinegar.  This is a case where you want to use plain white vinegar and nothing fancy.  You want absolutely nothing in there to add sugar or flavor that you don't choose.  I always have a large bottle of vinegar on hand not only for many of the vinegars I make, but also for cleaning the floors and windows (mixed with a few drops spearmint oil to make it smell good), killing weeds (works as well as round up), and cleaning drains in tandem with baking soda.

Next, add the salt and sugar to the bowl.  Mix everything together well with your hands.  Let the mixture rest for at least  2 hours so that the salt and sugar fully dissolve and the spices will be fully infused throughout the liquid.  You certainly can mix, smell and taste the briny mixture as it sits.

Once the two hours elapse (longer is fine), pack the pickles and peppers into the jars using your fingers or a pair of tongs.  They don't have to be tightly packed -- you want enough room for them to be immersed in brine. Then, ladle brine over the pickles until they are completely covered.  The coriander and peppercorns will float.  That isn't a problem.  Close the lids tightly over the jars and refrigerate for 7-10 days before eating if whole pickles and about 6 hours for sliced pickles.

Enjoy!

Simple Summer Salad

It's that time of year when gardens are producing tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers at a prolific rate.  Here's a very simple chilled salad that cools your palette and uses summers very best.

1 cup ripe large heirloom tomato or vining tomatoes, coarsely chopped
1 cup green bell pepper, coarsely chopped
1 cup cucumber, coarsely chopped
about 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
a dash or two extra virgin olive oil (optional)

1 pinch grey sea salt (optional)
freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Chop your veggies and place in a large bowl.  Sprinkle the wine vinegar over the veggies until they are nicely coated.  Add a couple of dashes of extra virgin olive oil, a pinch of sea salt (optional) and black pepper.  Combine thoroughly.  Chill and enjoy.

Spicy Summer Linguine

When cooking for one or two people, I often make too much food to be eaten in one meal.  One of my favorite things to do is create new dishes from leftovers that allow me to enjoy the flavors in a new way.  So, here's one of this week's combinations that turned out terrific.

whole wheat linguine
mole sauce (here is the recipe for Mole Elena, a very light mole sauce)
salsa fresca (here is the recipe for Mexican Rice with Salsa Fresca)

Top one serving of linguine with 1/2 cup each of mole sauce and salsa fresca.  Top with a little sharp white cheddar (or better queso blanco) and freshly chopped cilantro.

This is a surprisingly delicious pasta.

Grilled Lemon Shrimp in Mole Sauce

Yes, you know it -- in my kitchen the fresh taste of citrus plays a major role in much of my cooking.  This is recipe is no different.  I use the bold taste of fresh lemon zest and juice to give the mole sauce a new life.

This dish is great as the basis for fajitas, served with mexican rice with salsa fresca, or rolled up into a tortilla with a nice helping of tahini slaw.

INGREDIENTS
1 bag of raw frozen shrimp (I use 41-50 count), thawed and peeled
4-5 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
2 T chopped cilantro leaves
zest from one lemon
extra virgin olive oil
pinch of course grey salt, freshly ground pepper to taste
juice from one lemon to deglaze
2 cups mole sauce

RECIPE
Thaw and peel the shrimp, removing tails. (The shells may be reserved and frozen to include in a homemade seafood broth if you like).  Rinse and drain them, squeezing out water and set in a clean bowl.  Add enough extra virgin olive oil to coat the shrimp.  Add the sliced garlic, lemon zest, cilantro salt and pepper and set aside in the refrigerator to marinate for 30 minutes.  Juice the lemon and set aside for later use.

Bring about 1 1/2 - 2 cups mole sauce to a gentle simmer in a large sautee pan.  In a separate sautee pan, heat olive oil over medium heat.  Add the shrimp and marinade 8-10 pieces at a time, without over crowding.  Sear on one side and then move the shrimp to the mole sauce to continue cooking.  Continue until the entire batch is cooked.  When you are finished searing the shrimp, there will be a nice glaze on the pan.  Reduce the heat and pour in the reserved lemon juice.  Quickly scrape the bottom of the pan to remove the residue.  Add a splash of water if you don't have enough liquid.  Turn off the heat at add the remaining marinade.  Pour the released glaze and the marinade into the simmering mole with shrimp.

This is great served in a multitude of ways.  Enjoy using your own creativity.  I love to garnish it with a few sprigs of fresh cilantro!

Mushroom & Black Bean Enchiladas

This fourth of July was a difficult day for me, spending the holiday by myself.  Certainly, I wasn't going to fire up the grill, but I wanted something new and tasty and decided to make enchiladas and a great salad.  I started thinking about a nice rich dish and made a light but delicious mole sauce.

I rummaged through the pantry and found my some delicious ingredients that made this a wonderful and unusual treat.



INGREDIENTS:
1 package mushrooms, cleaned and chopped
1 12-oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
5 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced
3-5 T crushed tomatoes, tomato puree or tomato sauce
1 T extra virgin olive oil
black pepper to taste; pinch of salt (optional)
6 soft tortilla shells (I used wonderful spelt shells)
1 cup mole sauce 
1 package goat cheese, crumbled

RECIPE
Preheat oven to 400F.

Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat.  Add mushrooms and beans and a pinch of salt and saute.  Add the garlic when the vegetables begin to soften.  You will notice that the mushrooms absorb liquid rapidly.  The salt will help them to weep, keeping the mixture moist.  If it gets to dry, don't hesitate to add as much tomato sauce as you need to maintain a nice consistency as they cook.

Once the vegetables are cooked, your filling is finished.  Place about 2-3 T of the mushroom-bean filling in the center of your tortilla shell and roll it up.  Place the rolled tortilla in a glass baking dish.  Continue until all 6 tortillas are filled.  Top with mole sauce and goat cheese (white cheddar would be great here, too).

Bake in the oven at 400F until the cheese is slightly melted and the sauce is bubbling.

Mole Elena

While working around the yard on the 4th of July, I developed a taste for enchiladas.  I wanted a homemade sauce and decided to develop my own version of a mole sauce.  The sauce has a decidedly Mediterranean flair, as does the finished dish (Black Bean and Yam Enchiladas with Goat Cheese).

This is particularly spicy; you may reduce or omit dried chilis to suit your taste or your biology.  ; )

INGREDIENTS
1 T extra virgin olive oil
1 large sweet onion, roughly chopped
15 dried chilis
5 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
1 28-oz can tomato puree or crushed tomatoes
40-oz water
2 t chili powder
1/2 t unsweetened cocoa powder
1/8 t cinnamon

RECIPE
Bring a heavy-bottomed stock pot or large sauce pan to heat over medium flame.  Do not use a plain cast iron pan due to the acidity of this dish.  Once hot, add enough olive oil to coat the bottom of the pot.  Once the oil begins to shimmer add the onion and chilis.  Breaking the chilis will increase the spicy heat of the sauce, so, if you are cooking for an audience that doesn't tolerate heat, be sure to use only intact peppers. Stir as needed allowing to the onions to sear a bit.  They will stick somewhat to the pot.  Once the onion and dried peppers begin to soften and slightly carmelize, add the garlic.  Allow to cook for another 2-3 minutes.  Turn up the heat to high and immediately add the tomato.  Quickly scrape the bottom of the pot, to deglaze it.  Now, add the water and remainder of spices and bring to a boil.  Turn down the heat to medium and allow the mole to simmer for 20 minutes.

Remove the chilis and discard them if you want a mild sauce.  Leave a few in if you want it hot. Using a sieve or a blender, you are going to puree the sauce.  I use my immersion blender for this (as well as for pureeing soups.  I find it to be a much safer choice with less risk of being burned.  If you are going to use a standard blender, allow the sauce to first cool to nearly room temperature before blending.  Then ill the blender to no more than half full, puree the sauce and pour the puree into another dish.  Continue until you have pureed all of the sauce  until the entire pot is nicely pureed.

This sauce will make a great topping for enchiladas or a wonderful marinade for any meat you might like to cook.

Here is a way to make it into a wonderful fresh pasta sauce adding salsa fresco.  Also, you can make use it as the base for a sauce for grilled lemon shrimp to serve over pasta, rice, quinoa, shredded cabbage or zucchini ribbons.  Sometimes, I'll even warm it serve it with a mexican-style frittata.

Bourbon Jelly Vodka Martini

I am a fan of the true martini -- yes and that means I enjoy an excellent vermouth in it whether I am having a gin or vodka martini.  As for gin, my favorite is Hendricks garnished traditionally with a slice of cucumber.  For vodka, I typically buy Rain Organics and keep it in the freezer.  It's a terrific and inexpensive choice.   Martini's are generally 2 parts gin/vodka to 1 part dry vermouth.  For other variations of martinis replace the vermouth with other flavors (dirty martini's for example use vodka and olive brine; gimlets are gin and Rose's Lime Juice (although I prefer fresh squeezed with a splash of simple syrup).

In the heat of the summer, I enjoy a nice crisp martini.  Having run out of vermouth, I tried the following combination, which made a delicious martini that was both spicy and slightly sweet.

For a single martini,

     1 teaspoon bourbon jelly
     1 oz dry white wine of your choice (I used sauvignon blanc)
     2 oz vodka
     3 Tipsy Onions for garnish

First mix the jelly and wine together thoroughly.  Pour the mixture and vodka over ice and shake vigorously.  The Tipsy Onions are pickled and can be found at many gourmet markets.  I got both the Bourbon Jelly and Tipsy Onions at Curds & Whey in the North Market (Columbus, OH).  If you haven't been there, It's quite a treat.

Mango & Raspberry with Lemon-Honey Yogurt

Nothing beats a wonderfully ripe mango, particularly in combination with great summer raspberries.  Combine it with a great yogurt, and you've got a wonderful breakfast or snack:

1/2 cup plain non-fat yogurt
1/2 T freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 T locally produced honey
1/4 cup mango, chopped
1/4 cup raspberries
freshly ground black pepper

Mix the yogurt, lemon juice and honey together until smooth.  Top with fruit.  Grind a little black pepper over the top of the fruit. (Note: if all you have is the fine type that comes already ground, do not use it here.  It simply won't be good).

A sprig of mint or lemon balm from the garden makes a great tasty garnish.

Curried Tuna (or Seitan) Salad Salad

This is a great option for protein and greens.  I make it often during the summer.

INGREDIENTS
Dressing (mayo substitute)
    1/2 cup plain non-fat yogurt
    2-3 T balsamic or cider vinaigrette
          (see "Broccoli Slaw" for an easy homemade version)
    2 t curry powder
    1 T chopped sweet pickles
    1 T very finely minced shallot or onion (optional)
    2-3 very finely minced garlic cloves (optional)
    extra virgin olive oil
    pinch sea salt
    coarsely ground black pepper

PROTEIN

    2 cans of chunk light tuna in packed in water 

          (albacore may have a very high mercury content)

    2 hard boiled eggs, roughly chopped (yolks may be removed)

-or- 

    1/2 pound of seitan; chopped or shredded 

    2 T water chestnuts, chopped 

Salad Salad
    1 large head romaine lettuce, or other beautiful lettuce
    6-8 white button mushrooms, sliced
    1/2 reasonable sized zucchini (about the same volume of the mushrooms), sliced thinly
    1 beautiful tomato, chopped (if you are getting nasty grainy "January Tomatoes," omit this)
    balsamic or cider vinaigrette for dressing

RECIPE
First make the dressing for the tuna (or seitan) salad.  Start by mixing the vinaigrette through the yogurt until smooth.  If you like a bit more viscosity, add a dash of olive oil and mix thoroughly.  Add the curry powder (I use hot madras for this) and mix again.  Add the remaining ingredients mix and taste for balance.

Now, drain the tuna or chop the seitan and put it in a mixing bowl.  Add the egg (or water chestnut) and cover with just enough dressing to coat the ingredients well.

Assemble your greens and top with a scoop of tuna salad.  I love using a little balsamic vinaigrette as the dressing for this salad.  Be sure to use the same vinaigrette that you mixed into the yogurt for the very best tasting salad.

Enjoy!

Broccoli Slaw

A different take on the cruciferous delight.  And, yeah, a food processor will make this dish quick to make...and delish!

INGREDIENTS
Slaw
    stalks of 3-4 heads of broccoli, cut in 1 1/2 - 2 inch lengths
    1 medium or large carrot, cut in 1 1/2 - 2 inch lengths
    1/4 fennel bulb, chopped in 1 1/2 inch cubes (optional)
    1/4 celeriac, chopped in 1 1/2 inch cubes (optional)

Balsamic (or cider) vinaigrette
    1 T Course mustard
    1/3 cup vinegar
    1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
    1T hot sauce (I use my own recipe, but use what you like)
    pinch of sea salt
    coursely ground black pepper to taste

RECIPE
Clean and peel the broccoli, carrots, fennel and celeriac.  Make the slaw by grating the ingredients.  Use your hand grater, a food processor or even a knife will work.  Mix with your hands until the grated ingredients are combined.

Now make the vinaigrette.  It is really important for this vinaigrette to be pungent in order to taste good with the strong vegetables in the slaw. Wisk the ingredients together in a bowl until nicely emulsified.  Store the salad with a light coat of dressing.

Quesedillas!

1/3 large onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed and minced
1 corn on the cob, with kernels shaved off
3-4 large white button mushrooms, thinly sliced
1/2 tomato, chopped
jalepeno, minced, if desired
2 heaping Tbsp of refried black beans
1/4 tsp cumin
salt to taste
quesedilla cheese
1/2 avocado, chopped
cilantro, chopped
Quesedilla in package

Take onions, garlic, mushrooms and corn and cook in pan until onions are cooked and corn is golden. Place in a bowl, and add mushrooms, tomato, jalapeno, black beans, cumin and salt. Mix together.

Place quesedilla on warm pan, add about 1 Tbsp cheese. let cheese begin to melt, and then add mixture from bowl. Cover and let cook until quesedilla is crunchy. Before serving, add avocado and cilantro, fold in half and serve immediately. YUMMMMMMMMMMMMM!

Serves 4. I recommend serving it with homemade salsa and chips and guacamole.

Chopped parsley salad with asparagus and green apple vinaigrette

This is a very refreshing green salad and wonderful as you come out of any type of fasting for health reasons.  Onions have a very high glycemic index, and together with the apples will serve to make a nice, sweet dressing.  You do absolutely need a blender to make the dressing.

THE SALAD
3 cups chopped curly parsley (Italian will work, but curly adds a great texture)
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup granny smith apples, thinly sliced
1/2 cup fennel bulb, thinly sliced
1 cup cooked bulgar wheat or whole wheat couscous (optional)
1 cup chopped, blanched asparagus

THE DRESSING (if you don't use alot of dressing, you may wish to halve this recipe)
3-4 small white onions, peeled and halved
1 granny smith apple, peeled (optional), quartered and cored
zest and juice from 1 lemon
1T poppy seeds
apple cider vinegar
extra virgin olive oil
course sea salt, pepper to taste

Chop your asparagus into 1-1/2 inch pieces.  Fill a bowl with ice water and set aside.  Blanche the asparagus by tossing it into a saucepan filled with water that is at a rolling boil.  As soon as the asparagus turns bright green, strain it from the water and pop it into the ice water.  Assemble the remaining salad ingredients and add the asparagus to the  mixture once it is cool to the touch.  Continue to cool by refrigerating the salad.

To make the dressing place the onions, apple, zest, lemon juice, poppy seeds in your blender.  Add a pinch of sea salt and a few grinds of pepper.  Pour in enough vinegar up to about 1/2 inch from the top of the whole ingredients.  Pulse until combined; blend until nearly smooth.  Once smooth, remove the pour hole from the top of the blender and slowly pour olive oil in until dressing begins to thicken.  Taste for balance and add vinegar and oil until you are pleased with the flavor.   Mix lightly through the salad and enjoy. [I prefer to hand mix dressing into parsley salads so I can make sure the greens are nicely coated and not drenched].  Extra dressing can be refrigerated and used for up to 3 weeks.

Couscous with Feta and Mint

1 1/3 cups couscous
1/4 cup olive oil
1 jalepeno, minced
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp coriander
2 cloves garlic, crushed
Salt to taste
8 oz. frozen edamame
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered if big
1 packed cup fresh mint
bunch scallions, chopped
1 lemon for juice
8 oz crumbled feta

Combine couscous, oil, jalapenos, cumin, coriander, garlic and salt to taste in a large bowl. Whisk together until couscous is evenly coated. Scatter frozen edamame on top and pour on 2 cups boiling water. Cover the bowl immediately with plastic wrap. Let stand 5 minutes or until water is completely absorbed. Uncover bowl, fluff mixture, and cool completely.

While couscous is sitting, quarter the tomatoes and put into large bowl. Add mint and scallions. Add cooled couscous mixture to tomato mixture and squeeze the juice of about half the lemon. Salt liberally. Add feta, and toss to combine.

Endive & Red Pepper Salad

The bitterness of the endive and sweetness of the red pepper are terrific together.  Tied together with a simple mustard vinaigrette, it's a nice accompaniment for any rice, pasta or legumes as a light dinner.

Ingredients (per person)

1 endive, sliced thin (cut pieces with thick core in half if you like)
1/4 cup thinly sliced red pepper

1 t course mustard or dijon mustard
1T sherry or red wine vinegar
1T olive oil
freshly ground black pepper to taste

Place the sliced endive and pepper on separate salad plates.  Whisk together dressing ingredients and lightly dress salad.  Serve and enjoy.

Brunch-Inspired Salad Plate

Here's a wonderful, simple brunch plate for sharing.

1-2 sliced tomatoes
2 sliced hard boiled eggs
3-4 boiled new potatoes
grilled tofu or Italian sausage (I used vegetarian soy sausage)
vinaigrette salad dressing
fresh chopped oregano and lemon balm (whatever you have on hand will do)

Place your ingredients  on a plate and lightly dress with vinaigrette.  Sprinkle herbs over the top to taste.  I prefer serving this salad at room temperature.

Fresh Basil Vinaigrette

This dressing is inspired by Cleveland's Souper Market -- a terrific soup kitchen that makes soups and salad  dressings from scratch.  It's very simple and great served with greens, tomatoes olives and shaved cheese.  It's also terrific with a summer tomato-mozzeralla salad. This dressing can also be used on pasta with steamed vegetables, a topping for scallops or any white fish, or dolloped as a pungent topping for white bean soup.

You'll need to pull out your blender for this one.

INGREDIENTS
3 garlic cloves, peeled
1/2 c fresh basil and 1/2 c fresh parsely, firmly packed
~1/2 c extra virgin olive oil
~1/2 c sherry or cider vinegar
1T dijon mustard
pinch of fine sea salt
freshly ground black pepper to taste

RECIPE
Add garlic, basil, and vinegar and mustard to blender.  Pulse until well chopped.  Add a small pinch of salt and black pepper.  Turn blender on and slowly stream olive oil into mixture until desired thickness.  Start with about 1/2 cup and taste.  Balance the oily/tart taste by adding more oil or vinegar sparingly.  Remember, it's a dressing and should have nice strong flavor and be used sparingly!

VARIATIONS
Of course, a great addition is lemon zest and fresh lemon juice replacing some of the vinegar (you knew it wouldn't be my recipe without some citrus sneaking in somewhere).  You can make this dressing with mint or flat leaf parsley.  I would suggest mixing a bit of sage in with the mint to mellow it.  The parsley should definitely include lemon zest and perhaps a bit of green or kalamata olive blended in to the mixture.

Another great addition is to throw 2-3 medium tomatillos (paper removed and quartered) into the blender with the basil.  Adds a great tartness to the dressing.

Corn and Edamame Salsa

This salsa is great with any Mexican style food (I make it in the winter when fresh corn on the cob isn't available).  Leftovers are terrific mixed into scrambled eggs the next day.

INGREDIENTS
1 cup frozen sweet corn
1 cup frozen edamame beans
1/4 cup onion, diced to 1/8 inch pieces
1/4 cup red bell pepper, diced to 1/8 pieces
1/4 cup cabbage, diced to 1/8 pieces
1 jalepeno pepper, finely minced
1 1/2 t chili powder
1 t garlic powder (NOT garlic salt; and not fresh garlic either if you are going to cook it by the method below)
1/2 t dried thyme
zest from 1 lemon
..--..--..--..--..--..--..--
extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
..--..--..--..--..--..--..--
juice from 1/2 lemon

RECIPE
Put the frozen veggies in a bowl.  Add the remaining vegetables and lemon zest.  Mix thoroughly.  Coat lightly with olive oil and mix.  Add the spices crunching the time into the veggies, freshly ground pepper and a tiny pinch of salt if you like.  Mix thoroughly, set aside until all of the beans and corn is thawed, allowing the flavors to meld together. A half hour should do.  Longer, even overnight, will not hurt the dish.

Bring a tablespoon or so of extra virgin olive oil to temperature over medium-high heat.  Add the salsa and cook, stirring nearly constantly until the edges of the vegetables begin to brown.  Deglaze with freshly squeezed lemon juice.   Remove from pan as soon as the lemon juice is reduced to avoid burning.

Serve warm or at room temperature.  It's great along side fish tacos, as a filling for quesadillas, or even chilled as a dip with chips.

White Bean, Escarole and Roasted Garlic Soup

Start with about a couple of quarts of a great vegetable broth.  For this I used a bag of scraps from onion, broccoli stalks, mushrooms and parsley (along with misc other stuff).  I created a broth by covering the veggies with water by about 3" and boiling for about 40 minutes.  I added a small pinch of salt and a spoonful of miso.  Here are instructions for creating your own broth.

INGREDIENTS
4-6 cups vegetable broth
2 heads of garlic, roasted
extra virgin olive oil
1 medium yellow onion
1 carrot, peeled finely chopped
2 celery stalks, finely chopped
zest from 1 lemon
2 T sherry or rice wine vinegar
2 cans white beans, well-rinsed (cannoli, northern, etc)
3 cups escarole (kale works well here, too) sliced in 1/2 inch strips (if the leaves are 3-4" across, halve them first)
1/2 t tumeric
1/2 t oregano
2 bay leaves
salt, freshly ground pepper to taste

RECIPE
Allow roasted garlic to cool (cut top off bulb to barely expose garlic, sprinkle with olive oil; cook in a 450 degree oven for 30-40 minutes, until skin browned and garlic is soft).

In a stock pot, add a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil over medium heat.  Add onions, carrot and celery and a small pinch of salt.  When vegetables begin to soften, add tumeric.  Allow to simmer for about 10 minutes until vegetables are slightly browned.  Add bay leaf, oregano. lemon zest, vinegar, and a ladle of broth.

Bring to a simmer.  Grind in black pepper to taste.  Add beans and about about 8 cups of broth  Once boiling, add garlic cloves removed from their paper.  Allow to simmer for about 20 minutes.  While at a nice simmer, add your chopped greens. Turn the heat off and let sit for 2-3 minutes before serving.  If you use kale, you can allow the soup to simmer for 2-3 minutes.

This soup is terrific with a salad of butter lettuce with grated carrot and beet, topped with a nice vinaigrette and a bit of avocado.  It is terrific the next day, too.

Vegetable Broth From Scratch

An onion halved; a carrot in pieces; a couple of stalks of celery...throw it in a stock pot with a pinch of salt and a bay leaf.  Cover with water by about 3 inches and boil for 45 minutes.  This is how you make a very simple broth that can be used as a base for soups and stews.

Want to add a bit of color?  Save the scraps of veggies, shelled shrimp, shucked oysters...put them in a 16-0z soup container or a gallon freezer bag and add the goodness of all the food you prepare to your soups.  Be sure to have the basics (onion, carrot and celery or mirepoix) and add your bag.  Be sure your liquid is about 3" above the top of the veggies and boil away, straining with a cheese cloth, tea towel, or even colander when it's cooled.

Some of my favorite to freeze: fennel, parsley stalks, cabbage leaves not pretty enough for salad...any tired vegetable that's a little too far to eat if you leave it until tomorrow.  Old apples and pears; ginger, garlic peel...you name it!

Clementine Vinaigrette

Use your tired old clementines to make a delicious salad dressing.  It's easy and a great treat for heralding out citrus season in the US.  Get a few 8 or 16 oz ball jars and enjoy this for a few weeks.

CLEMENTINE VINEGAR
about 2 clementines per 8 oz jar, thinly sliced (make sure your knife is VERY sharp to slice wilting clementines)
1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper corns per jar
1 1/2 teaspoons coriander seed
white vinegar (do not use anything else or you will ruin the subtle taste of this vinegar)

Put the sliced clementines, peppercorns and coriander seed in the ball jars.  Cover with white vinegar.   (Two is about the minimum number of clementines you should use for this size jar; you may increase the amount to almost pack the jars if you like).  Let sit for a week and it will be ready to use.

If you have used all of the clementine vinegar, you may refill it with vinegar for full flavor one more time and let it rest for 5-6 days before using.

MAKING THE VINAIGRETTE
To about a quarter cut of extra virgin olive oil, add a teaspoon of dijon mustard and honey.  You may add some minced garlic if you like.  Mix thoroughly with a fork or small wisk.  Strain about 1/4 cup of vinegar into the oil mixture.  Sprinkle with a small pinch of coarse sea salt (I like to use grey salt, but any salt you have on hand will really do).  Mix thoroughly.  Taste for balance and adjust according to your palette.   This dressing is wonderful over a spinach salad and goes very well with goat cheese, too!

Fried Wontons & Dipping Sauce

Once you break into that package of wontons to make soup, it's always a temptation to make fried wontons for little afternoon snack.  I stuffed these with leftover crab dip from The Fish Guys at Columbus' North Market ... they just melt in your mouth.  Oh, so easy and oh, so good.

WHAT YOU NEED
10-12 wonton wrappers
1/2 - 3/4 cup stuffing (I used crab dip)
~ 4 cups safflower or canola oil
small diameter saucepan, 5-6 inches tall
long insulated tongs
jelly, jam or preserves (whatever you have on hand)
dijon mustard
rice wine or cider vinegar
pinch of salt

MAKING THE WONTONS
[note: if you aren't comfortable working with very hot oil, ask someone to help you.  This oil will be about 350 degrees which can burn badly]

Fill a small diameter high edged saucepan no more than halfway from the top with your oil.  You want enough so that the wontons can float freely as they cook.  Heat over medium high until a drop of water dances on the surface of the oil.  While the oil is heating, stuff your wontons as follows.  This amount of oil can certainly make more wontons than the recipe calls for.

Lay a wonton wrapper flat on the cutting board.  Imagine the wrapper in two triangles divided along the diagonal -- you will fold the filled wonton along that diagonal line.  Moisten the edges of the wrapper using your fingers or a pastry brush.  Put about a teaspoon of the filling in the upper right corner, about 1/2 inch from the edge.  Fold over and press firmly to seal the wrapper.  Bring the long corners together and pinch together to seal.  Set aside on a plate and repeat until you have made as many as you like.

Once the oil is hot, carefully place 3-4 wontons in your pot, using your tongs.   They should immediately bubble up and begin cooking.  Watch carefully to make sure that the oil is hot enough that the wontons are cooking well and not burning.  You may need to adjust the heat.  The trick is not to add so many wontons that you cool the oil, don't crowd them.  While the first batch is cooking, line a plate or baking sheet with paper towels.  Once the wontons rise to the top of the oil and are slightly browned, remove them from the oil one at a time using your tongs and set them on the paper towel.  Continue cooking the wontons 3-4 at a time until the batch is finished.  It is fine to stack them -- just be sure to add a couple of paper towels between each layer.   Set aside to cool and drain.

THE DIPPING SAUCE
Start with 1 tablespoon each of jam, dijon mustard and rice wine vinegar.  Add a few grains of course sea salt (or a tiny bit of fine sea salt).  Adjust the components to suit your tastes.

Serve and enjoy!

Thai WonTon Soup (with homemade Apple-Ginger Broth)

This is a terrific, fun and very forgiving recipe.  I came up with it this fall for my October soup party thinking of the wonderful butternut squash soup I would have at my favorite Chinese restaurant in Cleveland, Sun Luck Gardens.  The important broth ingredients are the onion, ginger, apple, soy bean paste and wontons.  If you have access and familiarity to lemongrass, you can use that instead of lime.  The important technique is to continuously taste the broth to insure a balance of salty, sweet, hot and sour. Everything else is a party-in-your mouth bonus.  Although there are many steps, it really is not a complicated recipe.  Kids of all ages have a great time helping make the wontons.

DRIED MUSHROOMS
You can get interesting dried mushrooms today, even at your neighborhood grocery.  Buy a small pack and cover them in warm water to rehydrate.  Set them aside until you are ready to make the final soup.

THE APPLE GINGER BROTH
1-2 T extra virgin olive oil
1 white onion, roughly chopped to 1" pieces
5 stalks celery, roughly chopped (I usually use tired-old celery for this)
4-5 inches of fresh ginger root, peeled and chopped in largish-pieces
1 1/2 apples (I like gala, but you want a sweeter apple here) quartered
1 1/2 T black soy sauce (it's very thick and DO NOT USE regular soy sauce)
1 1/2 T soy bean paste
1 1/2 T rice wine or cider vinegar
1/2 bunch parsley, stems and all
1/2 cup basil leaves, whole
1 lime quartered
1 t turbinado or honey
1 pinch of salt
water
pinch of ground cayenne pepper

Heat olive oil on medium low in a large dutch oven or stock pot.  Add the chopped onions and celery at any time.  In order to wilt the vegetables, add a small pinch of salt and saute about 5 minutes, occasionally stirring.  Now, put in the ginger and apples and saute for a couple of minutes.  Pour in just enough water to cover the vegetables and bring to a simmer.  Add the black soy sauce (you can find this at any Asian Market), soy paste and allow to simmer for 5 minutes before adding the rest of the ingredients. Now add the rest of the ingredients.  Add a bit more water (perhaps doubling the volume) and bring to a boil.  As the mixture heats, taste it frequently for flavor balance as it heats to ensure it isn't too salty, sour or sweet. Remedies:

• Too salty: add more apple, cider vinegar, and water
• Too sweet: add a bit more soy sauce, perhaps more cayenne
• Too sour: add more apple and maybe a small pinch of sugar

Remember that is important to ensure the taste is balanced as you like it before it comes to a boil.  Allow the broth to simmer for about 45 minutes and add water if you feel it is getting too strong.   Turn the heat off and cool the broth to room temperature.  Strain through a cheesecloth or tea towel into a container (I lay my towel across a colander and have a second stock pot into which I strain it).

THE WONTONS

1/2 pack of wonton wrappers (usually found in the dairy case of your grocer near the tofu)

2 cups of minced stuffing (butternut squash, white button mushrooms, shrimp, tofu, whatever suits you)

1/4 -1/3 cup red curry paste

1/4-1/3 cup coconut milk

1 dish of water for brushing on to the wonton wrappers

I find that approximately equal amounts of red curry paste and coconut milk works best for my palate.  Use what you like, here.  Mix thoroughly in a bowl and adjust to your desired sweetness or heat.  Roughly chop your filling on a sturdy cutting board in your most sturdy place in the kitchen.

After roughly chopping, you will mince the filling.  You must use the Namwhan approved Thai method of mincing the filling until it is a pulp.  Grab your best chefs' knife.  With the knife in your dominant hand and your other hand behind your back, bring that knife's sharp edge down hard onto the filling ingredients, whacking it swiftly, hard and continuously until it is completely cut to a pulp.  Remember your Thai grandmother, smile and enjoy: She would tell you, "If you are too weak, you will never get a husband." Take that filling to task with a gleeful look in your eye (and keep that free hand behind your back).  Place the minced filling in a bowl and mix your curry-coconut sauce through it until the minced filling is nicely coated.

Your wonton wrappers should be still in the package and close to room temperature.  Remove half from the pack and set on the cutting board or counter top along with a bowl of warm water, a pastry brush, the filling, and a plate onto which you can set the formed wontons.  Pull one wrapper out and look at it.  It is basically square.  You are going to fold the wonton on the diagonal and seal the filling into the triangle.  So, imagine: you are going to put your filling in one corner of the wonton shell.

With your pastry brush, or your fingers, moisten the edges of the wrapper.  With a teaspoon, drop a blob of filling into the upper right hand corner, inside the moistened edges.  Fold the empty side over the filled side and press the edges together very firmly.  It's okay if you squeeze a little filling out -- no worries -- just clean it up and press it together.  After the triangle is formed, you can press the long corners together to make a little crown.  Bring the points together and press them together firmly.  Set the cute little things aside on a plate.

You may freeze the extra wonton wrappers for later use.

THE SOUP

1 cup sliced button mushrooms

1 bunch of scallions, chopped; chop the dark green ends in 1" lengths discarding rough edges

wontons, filled

dried mushrooms, rehydrated

apple-ginger broth

fresh cilantro leaves

Bring the broth to a rolling boil if it is too concentrated, add water 1 cup at a time until you are happy with the flavor.  You may add the mushrooms at any time.  Once the broth is boiling, place the wontons into the broth one at a time, carefully and rapidly.  Add the scallions and return to a boil.  As the wontons  cook, they will rise to the top of the pot and the broth will return to a rolling boil.  Allow to boil for a couple of minutes and your soup is done.

Top with fresh cilantro leaves and enjoy!

Pad See-oo

Pad See-oo, Sweet Thai Dish

This simple recipe will appeal to those who like sweet dinners. It is a very common dish in Thailand, according to my Chef friend who gave this recipe to me. This is a GREAT recipe for vegetarians who are needing extra protein.

Flat noodles, cut before cooking if not already cut
2 cloves garlic, minced
head of broccoli, chopped
2 eggs
8 oz. extra firm tofu, drained and diced

Sauce
2 teaspoons dark soy sauce
2 teaspoons white distilled vinegar
2 teaspoons fish sauce (I don't use this, but I hear it is better with than without)
[editor's note: you can deliciously replace fish sauce with "Maggi Seasoning" available in the Asian of some groceries or at any Asian market]
3 teaspoons brown sugar

Mix sauce to taste. You may have to adjust, depending on the sweet to vinegar ratio. Set aside.

Place noodles in boiling water and cook. In a pan, drop two tbsp. of oil, and fry the garlic on high. Move garlic to one side of pan, drop in eggs, and scramble them. Once eggs are completed, add tofu and broccoli, cook until broccoli is bright green. Add 3/4 sauce on top, lower heat, and simmer. Add noodles, add rest of sauce, and mix together until sauce is absorbed.

Serve hot!

Goat Cheese Dressing

This recipe was developed in my kitchen by a dear friend.  It's amazing what a little inspiration and good wine can do for you...

3 tbs Goat cheese

2 tbs Plain yogurt

1 tsp Honey

2 tbs Olive oil

3 tbs Rice vinegar

1tsp fresh lemon juice (Meyer lemons, if available)

2 tbs Chopped scallion

freshly ground pepper

Whisk ingredients together until smooth & serve

Moroccan Root Vegetable Stew

This wonderful stew is perfect heart and body warmer for those often unappreciated winter root vegetables.  It is one of those recipes that just came to me -- inspired by much of the good food I've eaten over the last few years.  Serve with a great salad, nice crusty bread and a robust red wine.

INGREDIENTS
extra virgin olive oil
1 medium sweet onion, diced
1T garlic, minced
1T fresh ginger, minced
1lemon, zest and juice 
1 1/2 T tagine spices 
1 1/2 T hot madras curry powder
1 to 1 1/2 quarts vegetable broth
1 14-oz can diced fire-roasted tomatoes
1/4 sauerkraut, chopped
1 T cider vinegar
1 large yam, peeled and diced
1 rutabaga, peeled and diced
1 large celery root, peeled and diced
3-4 whole cloves
2" piece of cinnamon

(optional) 3/4 - 1 lb firm tofu, pressed and diced (or salmon is delicious in this recipe; please remove the skin before dicing)
salt and pepper to taste


RECIPE
Chop the root vegetables and set aside in a large bowl.  In a large soup pan, heat 1-2T of olive oil over low heat.  Add onion and a small pinch of salt saute until the onions thoroughly softened.  The salt will help the onions weep rather than burn.  Drop in the garlic, ginger and lemon zest and stir.  Allow the mixture to cook for 1-2 minutes before adding the dry spices.  Mix the tangine spices  and curry powder through onions, and then add the chopped root vegetables.  Add just enough broth to enable you to coat the vegetables with the spice and then raise the heat to medium high.  Add more broth, covering the vegetables by about 1/4 inch and bring to a simmer.   Once simmering, add the remainder of your first quart of broth, the tomatoes (and one can of water), sauerkraut, lemon juice and vinegar.  If the mixture doesn't have enough broth for the amount of vegetables, add more broth.  


Reduce the heat back down to medium and allow the stew to simmer gently for at least 30 minutes.  After about 10 minutes, add the cinnamon and cloves.  In the last 5 minutes add the diced tofu. Salmon is very good in this recipe in place of tofu, as is shrimp.  Serve topped with fresh flat leaf parsley and a freshly cracked pepper.

Easy, Chick Pea and Artichoke Pasta

This I make often at the end of a work day.  It takes about 1/2 hour to cook and I've always got left overs for lunch later in the week.

INGREDIENTS
1T extra virgin olive oil
3-4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 14-oz can diced roasted tomatoes
1 t dried oregano
1 t fennel seed, crushed
zest of 1 lemon
1 14-oz can artichoke hearts in water, drained
1 14-oz can garbanzo beans
1 small can chopped clams (optional)
1 t crushed red pepper

Pasta of your choice.  I love whole wheat linguine with this one.

RECIPE
Heat oil over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add the garlic.  Almost immediately, add tomato; then spices; then other ingredients. Cook pasta to near el dente.  Drain pasta and add it and 1 ladle full of pasta water (as necessary) to sauce/vegetables to simmer to desired thickness. Simmer for 1-2 minutes.  Remove from heat.  Top with gremolata (a blend of finely minced garlic, parsley and lemon zest) and/or a sprinkling of parmesan cheese.

Holiday Cocktail Sauce

While picking up fresh oysters at the seafood counter, my partner asked, "Would you hand me a jar of cocktail sauce?"   I responded, "I can make that.  I have the ingredients."  "Do you have horseradish?"  "Of course," I told him.

INGREDIENTS
juice from half lemon
1T horseradish
1/2-2/3 cup crushed tomatoes
2T tomato paste
1T vodka
1 teaspoon Worchestershire sauce (or pickapepper for vegetarians)
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
sprinkle of grey salt

RECIPE

Squeeze 1/2 lemon into a bowl.  Add 1/2 cup crushed tomatoes (I like to use fire roasted, but any will do).  Add the remaining ingredients aside from the salt.  Check for desired thickness.  You may wish to add more crushed tomato until you the cocktail sauce is the thickness you prefer.  Sprinkle a touch grey salt (or any course salt you have on hand) over the top, right before serving. Those who are lucky enough to get a crunch with their bite will be delighted.

Serve with crudite, fresh oysters, grilled shrimp, calamari, smelts, hard boiled eggs, or with a savory omelet.  You can also use this as a base for a wonderful Bloody (or Virgin) Mary.