Tag Archives: cooking

First Soup of 2016! Red Lentil and North African Spices

18 Monday Jan 2016

Posted by in Uncategorized

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , , ,

How’s everyone’s 2016 so far?  All’s fabulous here…lots more to do getting settled into the new apartment and fantastic new life in Seattle proper!  LOTS and lots of downsizing and purging…when you go from a 3 bedroom 1450 sq ft townhouse to an (awesome) NEW 1 bedroom with 650 sq ft…well, it’s an adjustment!  IMG_0565And an incredible adjustment it is.  Joyous, cleansing and full of happiness.  I’m learning how much I unconsciously “filled” the large spaces in the townhouse with crap I didn’t need.  Kitchen gadgets.  Clothes.  Towels.  Sheets.  God knows what else.

Now I’m learning that everything…EVERYTHING in the new apartment needs to Earn. Its. Keep.  Everything’s gotta count!  That means choosing pieces which are best sellers that not only are beautiful but are functional as well.  Exhibit A:  the gorgeous 6 3/4 quart (~6.3 l) Le Creuset cast iron Dutch oven…my housewarming gift to myself!  This will last me a lifetime…and it was a terrific find at an outlet about an hour drive north.  It’s a “closeout” color – love the gorgeous blue!

I’m continuing my love affair with making soup from scratch, which started probably 3-4 years ago.  Search on “soup” in here and see what pops up!

E and I made a delicious red lentil soup with North African spices we found in a recent issue of Cook’s Illustrated.  As the recipe explains, red lentils are relatively quick and easy to cook, as their skins are already removed.  Meaning, no hours of soaking required!  Hooray! We just gave these a quick rinse in a colander and they were good to go.  Don’t have a stick blender to puree your soup?  No problem here.  Just grab a large whisk and give the soup a whirl at the end of the cooking process to give it a coarse texture.

Serves 4 to 6

  • 4 T unsalted butter
  • 1 large onion, chopped fine
  • Salt and pepper
  • 3/4 tsp ground coriander
  • 1/2 tsp ground cumin
  • 1/4 tsp ground ginger
  • 1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
  • Pinch of cayenne
  • 1 T tomato paste
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 4 C chicken broth
  • 2 C water
  • 10.5 oz (1 1/2 cups) red lentils, picked over and rinsed
  • 2 T lemon juice, plus extra for seasoning
  • 1 1/2 tsp dried mint, crumbled
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1/4 C chopped cilantro

Melt 2 T butter in a large saucepan over medium heat.  Add onion and 1 tsp salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened but not browned, about 5 minutes.  Add coriander, cumin, ginger, cinnamon, cayenne and 1/4 tsp pepper and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes.  Stir in tomato paste and garlic and cook for 1 minute.  Stir in broth, water and lentils and bring to a simmer.  Simmer vigorously, stirring occasionally, until lentils are soft and about half are broken down, about 15 minutes.

Whisk soup vigorously until it is coarsely pureed, about 30 seconds.  Stir in lemon juice and season with salt and extra lemon juice to taste.  Cover and keep warm.  The soup can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.  Thin the soup with water, if desired, when reheating.

Melt remaining 2 T butter in a small skillet.  Remove from heat and stir in mint and paprika.  Ladle soup into individual bowls, drizzle each portion with 1 tsp spiced butter, sprinkle with cilantro and serve.

Fivenineteen notes:  Oh my goodness, just one clove of garlic??  Criminal!  Don’t skimp here…rather, we used an entire head.  And feel free to amp up the spices much more than this recipe called for.  We did use a few ounces more than the 10.5 called for, and I think that made the soup a lot more bland than we liked.  That’s what leftovers are for, right?  Time to add more spices!  We also used salted butter and it made no difference.

Buon appetito!

Garlic Spinach!

05 Sunday Apr 2015

Posted by in Uncategorized

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , ,

Last night we were wondering how to prepare some fresh spinach as a side dish to go along with some incredible ahi tuna seared in sesame oil, sprinkled with sesame seeds.  And thanks to AllRecipes.com, just a couple quick clicks on your phone and WHAMMO.  Dinner!

Gotta get those dark green veggies in, people!  They keep you nourished, healthy and make your skin glow.  Oh yeah.  Here’s the recipe for 2 (the website adjusts the amounts depending on the servings you indicate) and I’ll add at the end what we did a little differently to make it our own.

Garlic Spinach – Serves 2

  • 1 1/2 tsp unsalted butter
  • 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
  • 1 10 oz bag fresh spinach
  • 1/2 tsp garlic salt
  • 1/4 lemon, juiced

Heat the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in the garlic; cook and stir until the garlic is fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the spinach a few handfuls at a time, stirring until wilted before adding more, about 5 minutes. Stir in the lemon juice, and season with garlic salt.

Yep, that’s it!  Ready in about 15 minutes or so.

Now…you can add a little variety to this by throwing in a small handful of raisins while you’re wilting the spinach.  It adds just a tiny bit of sweetness to the dish – wonderful!  And we juiced an entire lemon to really infuse the spinach with lemon flavor.  After your spinach is completely wilted, add the lemon juice and turn the heat up slightly to bring the liquid to a boil. Stir occasionally until the lemon juice is mostly boiled off.

Unsalted butter isn’t a must – use regular (salted) butter if that’s what you have on hand.  And if your skillet gets a little dry add just a touch of olive oil during the cooking process.

Buon appetito!

Salt & Vinegar Roasted Chickpeas!

07 Sunday Dec 2014

Posted by in Uncategorized

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

, , , , , ,

Anyone else out there have a snack that puts you over the edge in a food high…like once you start you can’t stop?  Oh yeah, for me it’s salt and vinegar potato chips.  I can’t remember my “first” (hmmm, but they say you always do), but I do remember that feeling of OH SHIT THESE ARE GREAT…and my mouth feeling all raw and curled up inside after ingesting too much salty and vinegar-y goodness.  So worth it, although I probably chugged a ton of water later.

I still have a weakness for potato chips, but given my shift in nutrition habits over the past year and a half or so, I try to keep it in moderation.  But boy it’s hard sometimes!  I find it’s best to simply not have a bag of chips on the kitchen counter lying around.  It’s too tempting to pop a few, and before you know it the bag is empty in a couple of days.  And those days are far in the rear view mirror here.  If I do indulge in chips it’s a small bag on rare occasions, maybe an afternoon snack to go along with my apple, or enjoying some (not the whole bag!) as part of a box catered lunch for a work event.

Now I’ve stumbled upon a fantastic substitute for these potato chips…using roasted chickpeas (aka garbanzo beans).  WOW!  And this recipe is SO easy.

Serves 3 (or maybe just 1 or 2, hee hee)

  • 1 15 oz (425g) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • 2 1/2 C (625 ml) white vinegar
  • 1 tsp (5 ml) extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 tsp (2 ml) fine grain sea salt or coarse sea salt plus more if needed

Place the chickpeas and vinegar in a medium saucepan.  Add a dash of sea salt.  Bring the vinegar to a boil and cook for about 30 seconds, and then remove the pan from the heat.  Some of the chickpea skins will fall off but not to worry.  Cover the pan and let the chickpeas soak in the vinegar for 25 to 30 minutes.

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F (200 C).  Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

Drain the chickpeas in a colander, discarding the vinegar.  Shake off any excess vinegar – no need to dry the chickpeas.

Transfer the chickpeas to the baking sheet and drizzle them with olive oil.  Massage the oil gently into the chickpeas with your fingers until fully coated.  Sprinkle with the salt.

Roast the chickpeas for 20 minutes, and then give the pan a gentle shake to roll the chickpeas around on the pan.  Roast for 10 to 15 minutes more, until golden and lightly charred.

Cool the chickpeas on the pan for 5 minutes.  They will firm up as they cool.

Notes:  Turn on your range fan and open a window when boiling the chickpeas in the vinegar, as the vinegar smell is very strong  (Really, trust me on this).  Now, if for some reason you have leftovers after making this snack, cool them completely and then store them in a container in the freezer for 5-7 days.  To reheat, simply toss the frozen chickpeas on a baking sheet and roast them at 400 degrees F for 5 to 10 minutes, or until heated through.  This restores the chickpeas to their former crunchy goodness.  YES!

This recipe is vegan, gluten-free, nut-free, soy-free, sugar-free and grain-free.

From the Oh She Glows cookbook, by Angela Liddon.

Buon appetito!

Oh yeah…Toasted Super Seed Power Bread!

23 Sunday Nov 2014

Posted by in Uncategorized

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , ,

Hoo doggy this is some GOOD BREAD, everyone.  Wholesome awesomeness and gluten-free too!  Yep, I’ve discovered yet another wonderful vegan cookbook – Yum Universe, by Heather Crosby.  As many of you know, I am not vegan (nor am I gluten-free necessarily) but I do love experimenting and there’s no doubt those two eating styles make me feel super energetic.

I love to grocery shop, and when I see a recipe with a few ingredients I’ve never cooked with before, I grin big.  THIS is going to be an adventure.

  • 1/2 C sesame seeds
  • 1 C rolled oats
  • 1/2 C pumpkin seeds
  • 1/2 C almonds
  • 1/4 C sunflower seeds
  • 1/2 C chickpea (garbanzo bean) flour
  • 1/2 C poppy seeds
  • 1/4 C chia seeds
  • 3 T psyllium husk powder (use 1/4 C if you can only find the husks)
  • 1 tsp sea salt
  • 1 T Sucanat (dried sugar cane juice)
  • 2 T coconut oil
  • 2 C water

Preheat your oven to 325 degrees F.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Place the sesame seeds, oats, pumpkin seeds, almonds and sunflower seeds on the sheet and toast them in the oven for 7-10 minutes, then transfer to a large bowl.

Add the remaining ingredients to the bowl and mix well (feel free to use your hands).  Form the dough into a ball and cover with a towel.  Let sit overnight, about 10-12 hours.

The next day, preheat oven to 325 degrees F and line a loaf baking dish with parchment paper.  Allow 1/2″ of paper to exceed the top edges of the loaf pan so you can easily lift it out once baked.

The dough will be very firm.  Using your hands and a little effort, shape into a rectangle and press the dough into the parchment-lined loaf pan, making sure it reaches all four corners.

Bake for 30 minutes and remove from the oven.  Lift loaf out of the pan by the parchment paper and set onto a baking sheet.  Flip your loaf, making sure parchment paper is flat underneath, and bake another 45-50 minutes.  Allow to cool.  Slice and experience heaven. Store in an airtight glass container in the fridge.

fivenineteen notes: oh man, that won’t be the last time I make this bread!  Puts all others to shame!  I hit my local food co-op and loaded up on seeds!  Actually, “loaded up” is probably not the right term here.  They sell most of their seeds in the bulk foods section, so it was a snap to purchase only what I needed.

Given my 40-something eyes I didn’t notice a lot of the recipe notes when I read through it.  So if you didn’t notice to add 1/4 C psyllium husks if you can’t find them in flour form like me, your dough might be a little watery after adding the water.  But not to worry; in a few hours the dough absorbed all of the water and it was easy to scoop into my parchment-lined loaf pan and pop into the oven.

Your coconut oil will be in solid form at room temperature (unless you live in a hot climate).  Scoop a couple of tablespoons into a small glass bowl and microwave a few seconds to melt it before adding to the dough.

It’s easy to cut your parchment paper to size with kitchen shears.  Cut two strips – one to fit the pan horizontally and one to fit vertically.  Be sure to leave at least a 1/2″ extra so you can lift the baked loaf easily out of the pan.  Hooray for parchment paper!

Top your slice of bread with salad, your favorite spread and a pinch of salt or try it toasted.

Buon appetito!

Cooking Classes…Basque Style!

21 Sunday Sep 2014

Posted by in Uncategorized

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Flag_of_the_Basque_Country_svgWow.  Just WOW.  I recently discovered an absolute jewel of a French store with cooking classes in the wonderfully eclectic Seattle neighborhood of Capitol Hill, just east of downtown.

It’s Paris Eastside.  What a treasure this place is!  Everything inside is from France or is authentic to the French lifestyle.  The owner, Muriel, is a delightfully charming French woman who will welcome you like family when you arrive. After years teaching French cooking to English speaking tourists in Paris, she moved to Bellevue, Washington where she lives with her family…and has recreated the cooking school experience she taught in France now in Seattle!

Yesterday’s class was authentic Basque cooking.  The Basque region consists of two autonomous communities – one in northern Spain and the other in southern France just adjacent to it.  If you haven’t heard of this region or its unique peoples, language and culture I highly recommend taking a closer look.  [And never, ever call a Basque person Spanish as an aside!]  Yikes.  Although you will certainly notice both Spanish and French influences in the food and lifestyle.

Not only was the class ambience amazing with wonderful people (we were a small, intimate group of just 7 of us cooking with Muriel), but we also had a gloriously sunny, late summer day outside without a cloud in the sky, along with those long shadows and a slightly crispy feeling in the air letting you know Fall is mere days away.  So the shop doors stayed open as we cooked, letting the sunshine and fresh air pour in.  That plus the busy sounds of the city (cars, people talking and passing) and it was just magical.  Being in an intimate oasis mere steps from the hustle and bustle outside.

WP_000606We made 3 recipes – Piperade basque, a pepper dish which is like a very elegant egg scramble (although light on the proportion of eggs as you can see), served on a sliced baguette and topped with a little prosciutto.  Doesn’t that look wonderful?  Mmmm hmmm.

We also made Axoa (that’s “uh CHO uh”), a meat dish with cubed veal, peppers and ground Espelette pepper.  Sure, you could substitute another type of ground chili pepper, but it won’t have the unique flavor that this one does.  Ground Espelette pepper is fairly mild with a distinctive, warm tomato-y aroma and taste.  Nice to enhance the flavors of the dish, without being overwhelming or too hot and spicy.

Now, veal is a little hard to come by and for many it’s a hot-button, shunned food for lots of reasons.  So, we made a separate batch with cubed chicken as well, and each person in the class got to choose whether they wanted to try theirs with the veal or with the chicken.  I chose both to compare.  I haven’t eaten veal since I was a kid so I had forgotten it has such a nice, rich flavor, but I went for it…after all, “when in Rome,” right?.  And I gotta say, the veal version far outshined the chicken!

We started making the dessert first (Gâteau Basque – Basque cake), given it was the most time-intensive to prepare and needed 45 minutes to fully cook.  Oh yeah, that’s one dense cake alright!  With a wonderful crème filling of eggs, sugar, flour, vanilla…oh yeah we’re not here to skimp on the best ingredients or on calories here, people!  This is a rich dessert, so just a small wedge is all you need with a side of cherry jam.

A shared bottle of wine and relaxed conversation wrapped up our cooking experience.  Definitely going back again for sure!  Afterwards we headed down to Olympic Sculpture Park on the Seattle waterfront.  The sunshine was endless and sparkled on the water…watching the ferry boats going back and forth to Bainbridge Island, and the enormous cruise ships on their way up to Alaska.  Mount Rainier out clear as a bell, and lots of interesting and fascinating outdoor sculptures in the park.  When you truly relax and open your mind and drink in all the pleasures and scenery around you, you feel ALIVE.  At peace.  Balanced. And in the present.  How wonderful to have this park just steps from downtown!

By the time dinner rolled around lighter fare was in order.  Grilled salmon and sliced, grilled white eggplant (a first for me to try!) was just perfect.  And why not cap off the night with a trip to the Royal Room in Seattle’s Columbia City neighborhood for some live jazz and a nightcap?

Works for me.

Slow Cooking in August?! Why Not?

17 Sunday Aug 2014

Posted by in Uncategorized

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , ,

Yeah I know, I know…it’s freaking MID AUGUST…and you’re thinking wow, she’s doing a slow cooker recipe?  Huh??  Well, we’re not in the middle of a scorching heat wave here in Seattle (believe me, we DO get them occasionally, however), and I was craving to try something new.

So I blew the dust off my Williams-Sonoma Food Made Fast slow cooker recipe book.  A very cool Christmas gift from my folks a few years ago.  In fact I remember it all too clearly now.  A few years ago my refrigerator crapped out after a very short 8-year lifespan.  And I got a gift card from the nice people at Sears as I paid cash for my new fridge (that was one hard-working debit card that week I tell you!).  So I decided to hop on the newly-awakened slow cooker rage and get one of my own.

I’ve tried several recipes in this cookbook and I’ve always been pleased. And I’m really excited about what’s cookin’ here at chez fivenineteen right now, as the townhouse is smelling heavenly.  Most of my cooking tends to be in the Italian/Mediterranean domain (plus those amazing soup recipes from various parts of South America – search this blog for “soup” and you’ll find a ton), so it’s fun doing a southeast Asian-style recipe for a little variety.

Indonesian Beef Stew – serves 6-8

  • 1/4 C canola oil (60 m.) 
    3 lb (1.5kg) boneless beef chuck, cut into 2″ (5 cm) cubes
    1 chopped yellow onion
    2 C (250g) unsweetened, shredded or flaked dried coconut
    1 T light brown sugar
    1 T ground coriander
    1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
    Salt and freshly ground black pepper
    4 C (1 l) coconut milk
    Steamed rice for serving

In a large frying pan over medium-high heat, warm the oil. Add the beef and onion and cook, stirring frequently, until the meat is no longer red and the onion has softened, about 4 minutes. Sprinkle with the shredded coconut, brown sugar, coriander, cumin and 1 tsp each of salt and pepper. Continue sauteing until the meat and coconut are browned and the spices are fragrant, about 5-7 minutes longer. Transfer the mixture to the slow cooker.

Add the coconut milk to the frying pan, raise the heat to high and deglaze the pan, stirring to scrape up the browned bits on the pan bottom. Bring the coconut milk to a boil, and pour it in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on high heat setting for 4 hours or the low heat setting for 8 hours.

Season to taste with salt and pepper and ladle the stew over steamed rice and serve.

Fivenineteen notes:  I used olive oil instead of canola oil. And as this recipe was new to me and I don’t have a lot of experience buying larger cuts of meat like chuck steaks, I opted for a 1.5 lb boneless size.  I reduced the spices down just slightly and used just one can of coconut milk (which is just under two cups.)  Be sure to shake the can before opening and be careful when emptying it into your pan as it will contain a mixture of milk and cream and will come out a little chunky and splashy sometimes.

This recipe is SUPER EASY to prepare – 15 minutes or so and then let the slow cooker work its magic!

The slow cooker I use is here.  There are lots of cool, newer models where you can sear and brown right in the slow cooker itself before switching to slow cooker mode.  Given I don’t do a lot of slow cooking this one is great and the 3.5 quart size is just right.  The lid and ceramic insert easily fit in the dishwasher for cleanup too!

Buon appetito!

Sunday Food Prep Revisited…and a new Recipe!

27 Sunday Jul 2014

Posted by in Uncategorized

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , ,

One of the habits we practiced in the Lean Eating for Women program I completed over the past 12 months was to take some time to focus on preparing food for the upcoming week, typically on a Sunday.  Ahhh, the restful reset of a Sunday…what’s not to love about that?  Now, of course doing food prep for the week can be whatever day works best for your family and work schedules.  No hard and fast rule about having to do it on Sunday…that day just seems to work for most of us.  The mindset is “What do I need to do to set me up for success for the week ahead??”  It could be anything from chopping vegetables and getting them all stored up in Tupperware in the fridge to making sure your gym bag is packed and your workouts are printed out and ready to take with you to the gym.  And yes, I actually DO do all those!  I typically work out after work, so by the time I’m home and showered I’m pretty tired…and the thought of having to chop a few veggies for my omelet just seems like too much effort.  BUT if I have a few veggies already chopped up and ready to go in the Tupperware…ta daaa!  Super easy and quick dinner.

Even though the food service at my new job is absolutely stellar, I’m still bringing my own lunch.  I may eat out on Fridays, say, but I’m just barely two weeks into this gig and still getting the routine all sorted out.  I’m really enjoying my location on the campus…it’s right smack in the middle of everything…there are great places to meet up, and I run into people I used to work with in past engagements ALL the time.  Love it!  So I definitely don’t feel isolated and hidden away.  Being around people is absolutely essential to my well-being.  That’s why when I’m out of work and pretty much at home on the computer here I get depressed.  So when that phone rings or that new email pops up…ahhhh, I’m connected to someone!  And happy!

What’s my typical meal prep like?  Well, I dice up a red bell pepper for starters.  I LOVE red bell pepper (green notsomuch) and it’s yummy in an omelet or egg scramble or tossed in a salad…or just a crunchy side dish!  Next, I slice up some (white) medium-sized mushrooms.  I might sauté some with olive oil and oregano and thyme and marinate them in a little balsamic vinegar, and just keep a few plain to use in omelets or salads.  I also make a batch of quinoa – red and tan mixed.  1/2 C of each in 2 C of water…bring to a gentle boil for 15 minutes and then let sit for about 45 minutes (covered and off heat) until all the liquid is absorbed.  I absolutely ADORE quinoa and use it in my egg scrambles and salads.  It’s even great as a hot side dish with a blob of pesto.  A nice alternative to rice and pasta.

I also fire up my broiler and line the broiler pan with aluminum foil.  I drizzle a little olive oil on it and slice up a tube of polenta.  Broil for 10-15 minutes or until the slices are just slightly brown.  I’m absolutely falling in LOVE with polenta, because it goes with just about everything.  It’s great as a side dish or even diced up and tossed in a salad.  And yes, those egg scrambles too which are my post-workout dinners.  Are we detecting a pattern here?

Now, if this sounds like a lot of work, remember many of these food prep tasks can be done in parallel.  I can dice up a bell pepper and some mushrooms while the quinoa is coming to a boil, and while the quinoa is in final prep and off the stove heat I can get the polenta sliced up and under the broiler.

Chicken breasts are another easy “neutral” food you can spice up however you like.  Two chicken breasts on a foil-lined broiler pan, drizzled with lemon juice. and some garlic salt roasted at 420 degrees F for 25 minutes is about right.  Be sure to cut to test and make sure the meat is not pink inside.  If it is, it needs to roast a few minutes longer.  You can add other spices before roasting, like paprika or tarragon…have fun experimenting!  I may slice up one to take with me to work for lunch and dice up another to use in an egg scramble.

My typical work lunch is a few leaves of fresh, organic spinach, some red/tan quinoa, a couple of slices polenta and a few of the mushrooms and diced bell pepper.  I’ll add a small blob of hummus or guacamole and a sprinkle of pine nuts…and a tiny amount of pink Himalayan sea salt.  Sounds a little weird but it IS delicious and satisfying!  A hearty and nutritious “salad,” fivenineteen-style.  And I bring along an apple for a mid afternoon snack too.

Now, I know for those Paleo fans out there, the polenta is a no-no because it’s corn (grain) based.  I’m personally not Paleo or vegan (although plant-based meals are a big part of my lifestyle now but not 100%).  I’ve found that I can digest polenta just fine and it doesn’t leave me feeling that weird “empty but bloated” way I am after eating white rice or pasta.  And speaking of polenta…here’s a fantastic (vegan) tomato sauce that is a perfect accompaniment to it!

Immunity-boosting tomato sauce with mushrooms  (makes 5-6 cups)

  • 1 T extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 sweet onion, diced
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 C sliced cremini mushrooms
  • 1/2 C packed fresh basil, chopped
  • 1 28-oz can whole or diced tomatoes, with their juices
  • 6 – 8 T tomato paste
  • 1/2 to 1 tsp fine-grain sea salt, to taste
  • 1 1/2 tsp dried oregano
  • 1/2 tsp dried thyme
  • 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper (optional)
  • 2 T chia seeds (optional)
  • 1 C cooked lentils (optional)
  1. In a large saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat.  Add the onion and garlic and stir to combine.  Sauté for 5-6 minutes until onion is translucent.  Season with salt and pepper.
  2. Stir in the mushrooms and raise the heat to medium-high. Cook for 5 to 10 minutes until much of the liquid released by the mushrooms has cooked off.
  3. Add the basil, whole peeled tomatoes and their juices, tomato paste, salt, oregano and thyme.  Stir to combine.  With a wooden spoon, break up the whole tomatoes into chunks, bigger or smaller depending on how chunky you like your sauce.  Skip this process if using diced tomatoes.  Add the red pepper flakes, the chia seeds and lentils, if desired, and stir to combine.
  4. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer the sauce, stirring every so often, for 15 to 20 minutes.  Serve over pasta, polenta or spaghetti squash and enjoy!

Buon appetito!

 

Crowd-Pleasing Tex-Mex Casserole! (Vegan)

18 Sunday May 2014

Posted by in Uncategorized

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

, , , , , ,

Holy crap!  When I typed the title to this post I typed “Crows”…and somehow published the post with just that one word!  That lasted for about 5 seconds until I could navigate back to the dashboard and remove it.  Any followers out there receive a single world “CROWS” post from me?  Hilarious!

And my apologies as we’re in fog brain mode today.  Some of you might recall that in my current job my team works overnight one weekend a month.  And last night was that weekend.  So I’m propped upright and a little woozy.   But bravely attempting the keyboard today…with yet another amazing VEGAN recipe to share!  Yes, I’m going to post a recipe today…normally this weekend is extra special as it’s my birthday weekend so I like to do something memory-related.  Tomorrow, May 19, is the actual day, hence this blog name.  But today it’s going to be a yummy recipe…so good that even meat lovers out there won’t miss the meat. Nor people like me who are not vegan, but who love to load on the cheese and sour cream something fierce with anything slightly close to a Tex-Mex dish.  Not needed here at all!  Lots of flavor and comfort – very similar to a burrito in a bowl.

Serves 6.  This recipe is gluten-free, nut-free, soy-free and sugar-free

Tex-Mex spice blend

  • 1 T chili powder
  • 1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika OR 1/2 tsp regular paprika
  • 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper, plus more as needed
  • 1 1/4 tsp fine grain sea salt
  • 1/4 tsp ground coriander

For the Casserole

  • 1 1/2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 red onion, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 orange bell pepper, diced
  • 1 red bell pepper, diced
  • 1 jalapeno, seeded and diced
  • Fine grain sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/2 C fresh or frozen corn
  • 1 14 oz can diced tomatoes, with their juices
  • 1 C tomato sauce or tomato puree
  • 2-3 C chopped kale leaves or baby spinach
  • 1 15 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 3 C cooked wild rice or brown rice
  • 1/2 C vegan shredded cheese (I skipped this as I don’t care for the taste)
  • 1 or 2 handfuls corn tortilla chips, crushed
  • Optional toppings – sliced green onions, salsa, avocado or more corn chips

Combine the Tex-Mex spice blend ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Oil a large 4 to 5 quart casserole dish

In a large wok, heat the oil over medium heat.  Add the onion, garlic, bell peppers and jalapeno and saute for 7 to 8 minutes, until softened.  Season with salt and black pepper.

Stir in the spice blend, corn, diced tomatoes and their juices, tomato sauce, kale, beans, rice and 1/4 C of the vegan shredded cheese (if using).  Saute a few more minutes and season with more salt and black pepper, if desired.  Pour the mixture into the prepared casserole dish and smooth out the top.  Sprinkle the crushed chips over the casserole mixture along with the remaining 1/4 cheese.  Cover with a lid or foil and bake for 15 minutes.

Uncover the casserole dish and cook for 5 to 10 minutes more, until bubbly and lightly golden around the edges.

Scoop the casserole into bowls and add your desired toppings.

Fivenineteen notes:  this casserole is INCREDIBLE.  And you won’t even notice you’re getting a whopping dose of your veggies either!  The wild rice can take some time to fully cook, so I recommend getting that going while you’re chopping the veggies at the same time.  Don’t get weirded out by the somewhat-long list of ingredients – about half of them are just “open a can and drain/rinse/dump.”  Easy.

Buon Appetito!

From the Oh She Glows cookbook, by Angela Liddon

Vegan Week in Progress!

02 Sunday Feb 2014

Posted by in Uncategorized

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

, , , , ,

WOW!  Never thought I’d be writing those words in a post title that’s for sure!  Recently in our Lean Eating Program we were presented a challenge to try eating only plant-based foods for an entire day.  Just another experiment to try it and see how we feel!

The Lean Eating program does not promote a vegan lifestyle; rather this is something to try and play around with.  We might feel worlds better or might not feel any different – it’s just data to make note of, that’s all!  I knew I’d need more than just a day to experiment – one day of change isn’t going to make a huge difference for me. So, I challenged myself to try this for an entire week!

I have a couple of vegan cookbooks and admittedly I needed to blow the dust off.  I’m getting more confident with my cooking abilities, especially when it comes to preparing meals for the week ahead (which I usually do on Sundays) and adding more lean protein and vegetables to my meals.  Notice I said “ADD.”  The Lean Eating program is NOT a diet.  We don’t take anything away – rather, we ADD.  Things like lean protein. Veggies.  Eat slowly, pay attention to your food and stop when you’re 80% full.  Now, that’s going to show up differently day to day and even meal to meal.  That’s OK.

What does plant-based eating mean?  It means lots of fruits and veggies.  No animal products – meat, fowl, seafood, dairy, cheese are not part of it.  Protein comes from sources like quinoa or tempeh.  And so much more!

One of my favorite vegan cookbooks is The Mediterranean Vegan Kitchen, by Donna Klein.  I absolutely adore foods from the Mediterranean region already.  The recipes in this cookbook are vegan by design.  Meaning, they’ve always been that way.  There are no artificial meats or cheeses incorporated into the recipes.  Nothing wrong with them, however I just don’t like their textures and tastes personally from what I’ve tried.

Donna Klein explains how in many parts of the Mediterranean things like meat, seafood and butter are scarce and expensive.  Rare delicacies.  So, simply use what bounty there already is!  Actually, she explains it far better than the way I just wrote it.  But you get the idea.

The beauty of vegan cooking is that you can use many of the entrees as side dishes too.

Here are a couple of my favorites – first, Wild Mushrooms in Garlic Sauce.  This is great as an appetizer, side dish or small first course for 4-6 people:

  • 1 pound medium fresh wild or cremini mushrooms, washed and stemmed
  • 3 T extra virgin olive oil
  • 4 cloves garlic; 3 finely chopped, 1 whole
  • Juice of 1/2 lemon (about 1 1/2 T)
  • 1 T finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Dry the mushrooms with paper towels.  In a large nonstick skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat until hot but not sizzling.  Add the whole garlic clove and cook, stirring for one minute.  Add the mushrooms and cook, tossing and stirring constantly until lightly browned and barely soft, 4-5 minutes.  Do not allow mushrooms to release their own juices.

Remove from the heat and add the remaining garlic, lemon juice, parsley, salt and pepper; toss well to combine.  Transfer to a serving platter or individual plates and serve warm or at room temperature.

See how simple these ingredients are?  And it’s a simply delicious recipe!  So quick and easy!

And here’s one more…Persian Cucumber and Tomato Salad (serves 4):

  • 1 1/2 lbs ripe tomatoes, cored, seeded and chopped
  • 1 large cucumber, peeled, seeded and chopped
  • 1 large red onion, chopped
  • 1/2 C fresh mint leaves, finely chopped
  • 1/2 C fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
  • 1 bunch scallions, white and green parts, thinly sliced
  • 2 large cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 3 T extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 T fresh lemon juice
  • 1 1/2 T fresh lime juice
  • Salt and freshly-ground black pepper to taste

Place all ingredients in a large bowl and toss well to combine.  Let stand for 15 minutes at room temperature to allow flavors to blend.  Toss again.

Serve at room temperature, or cover and chill at least 1 hour and serve chilled.

This recipe is also great with some black olive and chickpeas, stuffed in pita bread for a fantastic sandwich.

Anyway, I’m having a blast with this experiment…I think Paleo/Primal is up next for us in a few days, so I’ll see if re-introducing meats makes me feel any different.

When I first tried plant-based eating I was worried I’d miss eggs.  Eggs have become a staple for me, mostly as a light dinner when I get home from the gym. I scramble them in a little olive oil and toss in some diced red bell pepper, minced garlic and some fresh spinach.  Now I sauté up the veggies and serve with a small side of red or brown quinoa.

I also enjoy a little quinoa during the day with some chopped veggies I bring with me to work for lunch in a Tupperware.  I used to have some low-fat cottage cheese or plain nonfat Greek yogurt, but now it’s quinoa and/or a little hummus.  I’ve also tried rice but I find it gives me almost a type of sugar blast and crash, so I tend to avoid it.

What else is in my fridge these days?

  • Tomatoes
  • Onions
  • Potatoes
  • Fresh Spinach
  • Scallions (green onions)
  • Red Bell Pepper
  • Flat leaf parsley
  • Cilantro
  • Mushrooms
  • Hummus
  • Carrots
  • …and in the pantry I’ve stocked up on olives.

So far, so good! I feel great and full of energy!  Buon appetito!

Random Tuesday Ramblings

08 Tuesday Oct 2013

Posted by in Uncategorized

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

, , , , , , , , , , , ,

Surprise!  It’s fivenineteen here rambling away on a Tuesday night, not Sunday afternoon!  One of my followers (who is a dear friend, check’s in the mail) teased me a little that it’s been awhile since I last posted!  Yikes, she’s right!

I had probably one of the most blissful weekends I’ve had in probably a year.  Just basking in the glow of a glorious sunny weekend in October (yes, even in Seattle), which is as rare as white tigers.

What a wonderful surprise last Friday to hear from J…typically we each just chill out separately on Friday nights as we’re pretty pooped from the workweek.  I go to the gym, come home, shower and cook a light dinner.  Wow, what a far cry from my hard partying college years…am I turning into ‘that person’ we all swore as 21-year-olds we’d NEVER be?  Yep, I guess so.  So for a very cool change of pace, he offered to come over and cook us dinner after I got home from the gym!  WOW!  Color me happy!

And what did he bring?  Boneless, skinless chicken breasts he’d been marinating all day, a sweet potato to make fries with, and some frozen peppers for a side dish!  I couldn’t believe it. I hadn’t ever even dropped a hint as to what I’d like to try eating, and he nailed it!  This is EXACTLY an example of a meal we would be encouraged to try in the Lean Eating for Women program I’m nearly 90 days into.  No meal plans, no calorie counting, no forbidden foods…rather, food can be plotted on a spectrum from Better to Worse.  And we’re encouraged to add things to our food, not take away.  As in adding more veggies and trying other alternate sources of carbs, for example.  Voila…here it was!  We peeled the sweet potato, sliced it up into French fry-shaped pieces, sprinkled some spices on top and baked until crispy!  And grilled the chicken and sautéed the pepper medley!  YUM!

On Saturday we headed over to an Oktoberfest party.  The consulting agency I was with prior to the one I’m currently with has a food palooza of sorts every year, and all of the staff cook incredible meals from scratch and serve up to their current and alum consultants!  One of the big advantages of working with a boutique agency for sure!  Normally it’s a summertime seafood theme, but this year they changed it up and did Oktoberfest. They had tons of brauts, streudel, salads, sauerkraut, handmade pretzels, mustards made from scratch, desserts and of course lots of beer for tasting in custom-made steins we got to take home as party favors!  Even some quinoa-stuffed mushrooms for a veggie/vegan option and a kale salad – I need these recipes!

Then we went home, changed our clothes and tackled more of my Garage.  Which is now the most organized room in my house thanks to J’s help.  Yes, the popcorn ceiling scraping continues in the master bedroom/vanity next week…after a major delay which is fodder for another post.  Most of my garage is below ground level and there are some problems with drainage….whenever it rains water seeps through small cracks in the concrete.  Lots of fun being at the bottom of a super steep hill.  J mixed up some concrete (we used a spoon I sacrificed and some plastic keg cups as you have to do it in small batches) and patched up a few of the cracks, after first drilling out the loose concrete where the leaks are coming from.  We’ve got more to do, but it’s a great start and has provided HUGE peace of mind for me…I’m worried about the water seepage and the damage it might be causing elsewhere.  We’ll check and see how it’s working and continue with the rest of the wall later.  This concrete mix is so powerful you can even use it under water!

Tough football weekend here…U of W Huskies lost a hard fight against Stanford, and the Seahawks’ 4-0 winning streak got snapped in Indianapolis last Sunday.  UGH.  The boys were playing the refs as well as their opponents much of each of these games, I swear!  The chitter chatter in the gym locker room tonight was still going strong!

And hockey season is underway…yes! Go Canucks!  A FULL length season this year with no Lockout!  I’m still enjoying my own personal hockey sabbatical, which could definitely become permanent but that’s OK – 9 years was a great run.

And I have other fitness goals now which have my full focus…and they’re working!