It Ain't Easy Being Green

For the past week, I've been a guinea pig. (OK, not literally.) I volunteered, along with few others, to test out a diet book for an upcoming article at work. I thought it would be a good opportunity to hit the reset button and stop pretending that I can eat and drink like I am 21. Which I am not. I thankfully only have to commit for two weeks. By the way, I'm calling it a diet because it is. (And it says so on the front cover.) It's only meant to be followed for four weeks to achieve rapid weight loss and is not meant to be incorporated into one's lifestyle full time.

While I have dropped 4 pounds in the first week, I can't believe that the weight loss will last long. The caloric restriction is a bit much. For example, by 5:00 pm today I had only consumed 550 calories. (Yes, I was getting hangry!) According to my tabulations, on most days I have been limited to 1000 calories tops. There's no way I'll be able to sustain that on my own, particularly because I am currently required to include several meals that should consist of either a 200-calorie fruit smoothie, protein shake or low-sodium soup. I personally don't like to drink my calories, so have opted for the soup. I quickly realized that I better start making my own soups because on my last run to Pret A Manger for my liquid-ish lunch, I discovered that several of their small soups top out at 1100 mg of sodium! (Your entire daily intake should be between 1500 mg and 2300 mg.) No joke! Also not a joke? Saturday's 100-calorie snack suggestion of 2 tablespoons of poppy seeds OR 6 oysters. Ummm…when is the last time you or anyone you have ever met in your life has eaten poppy seeds? That weren't in a muffin? And who snacks on oysters without a glass of wine? (Oh yeah, I'm not drinking alcohol or coffee either.)

So...I bring you fresh pea soup. Or frozen pea soup. Whatever you can find. It's super quick and easy and meets my stupid diet requirements. Typically fresh pea soup is coupled with mint but I found a recipe from The NY Times that suggested tarragon which I thought was a nice alternative. It's delish. I think I'll save the mint for all of the mojitos that I'm going to make once this is all over!

Summer Pea Soup

Adapted from Bon Appétit

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 medium onion, chopped
4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth, divided
6 cups shelled fresh peas (from about 6 pounds pods) or 1 (16-ounce) bag of frozen peas, thawed
1/2 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon
1 teaspoon kosher salt, 

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1. Melt the butter in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring often, until softened but not browned, 6-8 minutes. Add 2 cups broth and bring to a boil. Add the peas, reduce the heat, and simmer gently until tender, about 5 minutes for fresh peas, about 2 minutes for frozen.

2. Remove the pot from the heat. Add the tarragon and remaining 1-2 cups broth to pot, if desired. (Add any additional broth according to your desired consistency.) Purée the soup in a blender or with an immersion blender until smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve warm or chilled. Serves 4 - 6.

Going Green

Tomorrow is already April 1st. I pity the fool! Isn't it time for fava beans and morels and garlic scapes and peas?? Well, I haven't seen much in the way of spring veg. In fact, my little local farmers market (apostrophe optional...discuss) has yet to open for the season. It's quite small so they wisely avoid the coldest months and in December, pass the torch to the French Canadians who sell some pretty great looking (and smelling) Christmas trees. No one else wants their space from January to April, I guess, as all that is usually for sale (on the ground) are some VERY used paperbacks. But I confess. I digress. (I'm a poet and I didn't even know it!)

While hoping for some new veggies to finally inspire me to mix things up, I found the most GINORMOUS bushels of parsley at Whole Foods. WTF? Kinda weird, right? Number 1: Are they on steroids? Number 2: When you use parsley, don't you need, like, a chopped tablespoon at most? What does one do with all the rest? Well, I searched for the answer and found a parsley pesto that requires a bit more parsley than a garnish, but you'd really have to double or triple the recipe (and make some tabouli) to use all of the parsley that I had. And as much as you might prefer a basil pesto, which is pretty fabulous, this is super tasty. And, I know that this is totally off topic but…the Mad Men final season starts soon!!

Walnut-Parsley Pesto Pasta

Adapted from Food & Wine

1 cup walnuts
1/2 cup lightly packed flat-leaf parsley with thick stems removed
1 clove garlic, smashed
3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper
1 pound cut pasta
1 tablespoon butter

1. In a food processor or blender, pulse the walnuts, parsley, garlic, Parmesan, oil, salt, and pepper to a coarse puree.

2. In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the pasta until just done. Drain and reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water.  Toss the pasta with 1/4 cup of the reserved pasta water, the walnut pesto, and the butter. If the pasta seems dry, add more of the reserved pasta water. Sprinkle with additional Parmesan and pass more at the table. Serves 4 - 6.

Pantry Pasta

What do you make when your fridge breaks down and you leave town for a week? Nothing. You order in, duh. Or you make the most random pasta ever.

Raw onions can be polarizing, but caramelized onions are ah-maz-ing. Add them to sandwiches, salads, dips, pizza, eggs...Why not make them the main ingredient in a pasta? There's no reason not to. Unless it happens to be the first day of spring and you can actually find something green!

Caramelized Onion Pantry Pasta

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4 medium onions, thinly sliced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Pasta 
Toasted pine nuts
Parmesan Cheese

1. Melt the butter and oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and ½ teaspoon of salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent, 15 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low and continue cooking, stirring occasionally to loosen any onions that may be stuck to the bottom of the pan, until the onions are deep golden brown, about 30 minutes more.  

2. Meanwhile, cook your preferred pasta according to package directions. Drain and add to the skillet, along with a few tablespoons of pasta cooking liquid, and toss with the onions to coat. Add more butter if desired, season to taste, and serve with toasted pine nuts and Parmesan cheese.

Capona(Tina)

When I go to Otto and I'm not in the pizza mood, I'll order a bunch of antipasti. My faves are the caponata, cauliflower, and lentils. Somehow I managed to make them look and taste quite similar to the restaurant version...at home! Truth be told, I made these all weeks ago, but the Breaking Bad finale clearly threw me off my blogging game. Or that's the convenient excuse I'm going with.

Caponata is a Sicilian cooked eggplant salad with a distinct sweet and sour flavor profile called agrodolce. Typically the agro (sour) part comes from vinegar and the dolce (sweet) part from sugar. There are also several variations that may or may not include celery, capers, olives, pine nuts, raisins, or currants. I like a variety of textures so threw in most of the options except for the raisins. Because they are gross. I used Mario Batali's recipe as a base and was surprised to find a touch of cocoa powder. The balsamic vinegar also adds a bit more richness than a red wine vinegar, which is often called for in recipes. I was super happy with the way mine turned out. 

The cauliflower here is simply roasted with some distinctive flavors added in at the end. Mario torches his under the broiler, 4-inches from the flame, but I have a crappy rental apartment oven so...yeah. Roasting seemed like a better idea. This a great way to try cauliflower especially if you are not a fan, possibly because you grew up on plain frozen florets or plain raw florets dunked into ranch dressing on a veggie tray. Not that I know anything about that.

Eggplant Caponata

1⁄3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 large Spanish onion, diced

2 celery ribs, diced
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons pine nuts
1⁄2 teaspoon red-pepper flakes, or to taste 

2 medium eggplants, cut into 1-inch cubes (about 1 1⁄4 pounds each)
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1⁄2 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder

1 (14-1/2 ounce) can diced tomatoes

3 tablespoons tomato paste

3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1/2 cup chopped green olives

2 tablespoons capers, drained

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Heat the oil in a heavy large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, garlic, pine nuts, and red pepper flakes, and cook for 5 minutes over medium heat until the onion is translucent. 

2. Add the eggplant, sugar, cinnamon, and cocoa powder, and cook for 5 minutes more, stirring often. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, vinegar, olives, and capers and bring to a boil. 

3. Lower the heat, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove the lid and continue to simmer for 5 minutes more, or until the mixture has thickened. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Let cool and serve at room temperature. It's best made one day ahead to let the flavors develop. Will keep up to 5 days in the refrigerator. Serves 8.

Cauliflower with Olives and Capers

1 medium head cauliflower (about 2 pounds), trimmed, cored, and cut into bite-sized pieces
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Maldon or other flaky sea salt and coarsely ground black pepper
½ cup pitted Kalamata olives (or other favorite olive)
3 tablespoons capers, rinsed and drained
1½ teaspoons hot red pepper flakes, or to taste
3 tablespoons lemon agrumato oil, or 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil plus ½ teaspoon grated lemon zest

1. Preheat the oven to 425˚F. Toss the cauliflower with the olive oil in a large bowl and season with the salt and pepper. Spread out in a single layer on a large baking sheet and roast, stirring occasionally, for 30 - 40 minutes, or until lightly charred in spots and just tender.

2. Return the cauliflower to the bowl, add the olives, capers, red pepper flakes, if using, and lemon oil, and toss to mix well. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper if desired. Serve, or let stand at room temperature for up to 1 hour to bring out the flavors. Serves 6.

Sun Dried

So I'm a little behind on my Mad Men viewing and blogging as I have been out of town, and will actually be missing in action again next week/end. (When I am occasionally cooking and not blogging, I can usually be found on Instagram as tinanders.) I think my next trip will provide some exceptional food and drink research. At least that is what I am calling it. Stay tuned!  

Anyhoo, my recent travels brought me to Colorado where I have been many times before, but this was my first time to Red Rocks Amphitheatre, probably most recognizable for the U2 Sunday Bloody Sunday video below.



Apparently when the amphitheater is not host to a concert, the venue turns into a personal outdoor gym! #onlyincolorado. I mean...I walked down to the stage and just stood there watching the insanity before me like it was some kind of performance art. It was mesmerizing! Dudes (and chicks) were jumping up the amphitheater seats, then crawling down, then hoisting themselves up the banks along the outskirts then running back down to do a million pull ups...and on and on and on! All at 6400 feet! I was exhausted just watching so adjorned to nearby Morrison for a few margaritas. And now that I am back home without much in the way of food, I scrounged up a few dry ingredients to make this sundried tomato pesto, a great topping on sandwiches, pastas or even eggs. And strangely the color of red rocks. A happy accident!

Sun Dried Tomato Pesto

1 cup drained oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes (about 6 ounces)
1/2 cup grated Romano cheese or Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil or 1 tablespoon dried
2 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted
3 garlic cloves
3/4 cup olive oil
3/4 pound linguine pasta

1. Combine sun-dried tomatoes, Romano cheese, basil, pine nuts and garlic in food processor. With machine running, gradually add olive oil and process until smooth paste forms. (Can be made prepared 2 weeks ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)

2. Cook linguine in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup cooking liquid. Combine 3/4 cup tomato pesto with reserved cooking liquid in same pot. Add linguine and toss over medium-high heat to coat, adding more pesto, if desired. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve.

Mad Men Again. WWDD?

So it seems like my drink of choice last week should have been a Royal Mai Tai based on the Mad Men season premiere that opened at The Royal Hawaiian hotel. I have to admit that I totally love that hotel, in spite of the less than exotic location of Waikiki beach. It actually just makes me think of The Brady Bunch and the infamous tiki doll. Love that ep.

But I digress. I am working my way through the Mad Men cocktail list and tonight will be enjoying a French 75, supposedly the creation of Henry from Henry's Bar in Paris during the First World War. It can be served on the rocks or strained into a Champagne flute. I like to serve salty snacks any time I serve Champagne or a Champagne cocktail so you might want to try these zucchini fritters, especially later this summer when you can't seem to get rid of all of the zucchini that comes your way. WWDD? (What Would Don Do?) Smoke a cigarette and drink...alot.

Zucchini Fritters

3 medium zucchini (about 1 1/2 pounds), coarsely shredded
Kosher salt
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup chopped dill
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons chopped mint
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
Freshly ground pepper
Vegetable oil, for frying
1 medium cucumber—peeled, halved, seeded and coarsely chopped
1 cup Greek-style plain yogurt

1. Using the large holes of a box grater, grate the zucchini into a medium bowl. Add 1 tablespoon salt, toss and let stand for 5 minutes. Squeeze out as much liquid as possible (press into the sides of a mesh strainer) and transfer the zucchini to a large bowl. Stir in the eggs, flour, chopped dill, parsley, mint, feta, and pepper. Mix to combine. 

2. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat until the oil sizzles when you drop a small amount of zucchini mixture into the pan. Carefully drop about 2 tablespoons zucchini mixture into the pan. Repeat, spacing the fritters a few inches apart.

3. Cook the fritters until golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Lower the heat to medium. Turn the fritters, and continue cooking until golden, 2 to 3 minutes more. Transfer the fritters to a plate; set aside on a warm place. Cook the remaining zucchini mixture, adding more oil to pan if necessary. Garnish with parsley sprigs and lemon wedges, if desired. Serve.

OPTIONAL: In a food processor, coarsely puree the chopped cucumber. Transfer to a medium bowl. Stir in the yogurt and the remaining 2 tablespoons of mint and season with salt and pepper. Serve with the fritters.

French 75

1 ounce simple syrup
1 ounce fresh lemon juice
2 ounces gin
4 ounces chilled Champagne

1. Combine the first three ingredients into an ice-filled martini shaker. Shake vigorously and strain into a Champagne flute. Top with Champagne, and garnish with a lemon peel.

Countdown to Spring

The first day of spring is just three days away and I am ready! Don't get me wrong. I love snow and skiing and all that jazz, but when it's just cold and wet, spitting and not actually snowing, it's just a drag. On this St. Patrick's Day, I'm not guzzling green beer or eating green bagels, and I'm not dying my hair green. (I know. So lame.) Instead I am eating my greens in the form of artichokes. For some reason preparing artichokes has intimidated me in the past, but if you work with these little guys, you don't have to worry about getting stabbed by extra pointy leaves or forgetting to remove the fuzzy center choke since there isn't one. Just peal off the outer leaves until you get down to the pale interior, trim, slice in half, cook and eat. They are way better than anything from a can or jar and quite impressive at a dinner party. Especially at one somewhere outside.

Braised Baby Artichokes

1 lemon, halved
24 baby artichokes
1/3 cup dry white wine
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 large garlic clove, minced
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
Chopped fresh parsley (optional)

1. Fill a large bowl with water, and squeeze the lemon juice into the water. Reserve the lemon halves. Remove the tough outer leaves of the artichokes. Trim the pointy tops and stems and cut in half lengthwise, rubbing the artichokes with the lemon halves and then transferring them to the lemon water as you work, to prevent discoloration. (See above photo.)

2. Drain the artichokes, and transfer to a large skillet along with the wine and 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Set over medium-high heat, and cover. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the artichokes are tender and the liquid has completely evaporated, about 15 minutes.

3. Uncover, lower the heat to medium and add the garlic, remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, salt and pepper to taste. Cook, stirring, until the artichokes are tender and browned in spots, about 3 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley if desired. Serve immediately or at room temperature. Serves 4.

I'm Guilty!

Although I didn't go away for the long weekend I did go out more than I should have (just ask my accountant), leaving me with little reason to cook or shop for food. I had a free night and still wanted to eat dinner after going to the gym yesterday, so fortunately found this basic recipe. Pasta, yogurt and zucchini? Not exactly a "You got your chocolate in my peanut butter!" combination, but surprisingly tasty (and cheap). I thought it might need some lemon zest, but the yogurt provided all the zest required. I also used 2% yogurt and less butter, cutting out some of the extra fat for a more guilt free meal. I was already up to my eyeballs in guilt after a lunch of a fried chicken BLT topped with fried green tomatoes. And bacon. I have to go back to the gym, stat!

Pasta with Yogurt and Zucchini

Adapted from Food & Wine

1 pound cut pasta
4 medium zucchini (about 1 1/2 pounds), coarsely shredded
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup plain whole-milk Greek yogurt
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
Freshly grated nutmeg
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

1. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the pasta until al dente. One minute before the pasta is done, add the shredded zucchini to the pot. Drain the pasta and zucchini, reserving 1/4 cup of the cooking water.

2. Meanwhile, in a large, deep skillet, melt the butter. Remove from the heat. Stir in the yogurt and the 1 cup of grated cheese and season the yogurt sauce with freshly grated nutmeg, salt and pepper.

3. Add the pasta, zucchini and reserved pasta water to the saucepan and cook over low heat, tossing, until the sauce coats the pasta; transfer to warmed bowls and serve with the extra cheese.

A Super Bowl of Dip

I've said it before and I'll say it again. I hate mayonnaise. It is the main reason why I can't stand those disgusting spinach dips that appear on crudités platters a plenty. Fortunately I have found a version that is made with both ricotta and feta cheese and is much tastier and way less slimy than the deli case variety. And since an entire bag of spinach is used, you can tell yourself (and believe it) that on this major day of dips, you are getting a full serving of vegetables along side your chicken wings and nachos. Eat up!

Fresh Spinach Dip
Adapted from Great Party Dips

6 cups loosely packed fresh baby spinach (about 5 ounces)
1 garlic clove
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup ricotta cheese
1 cup crumbled feta cheese (4 ounces)
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
Cayenne pepper
Pita chips, crostini, and fresh vegetables for serving

1. Rinse the spinach in cold water and drain, but do not spin dry. Add to a large nonreactive saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the spinach is bright green and just wilted, 2 - 3 minutes. Transfer to a colander to drain. When cool, squeeze dry with your hands.

2. In a food processor, combine the garlic and salt. Process until the garlic is finely chopped. Add the ricotta, feta, oil, lemon juice, dill, cayenne (to taste) and spinach and puree until smooth.

3. Transfer to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour or up to 6 hours before serving. Makes about 2 cups.

Lighten Up

As promised, I have a lighter way to serve leeks that is not completely drenched in fat. Only drizzled. And no, I did not cheat by substituting celery. These are leeks, people. Get familiar.

Leeks with Mustard-Shallot Vinaigrette
Adapted from Food & Wine

2 large leeks, cut into 2-by-1/2-inch strips (dark green tops removed)
1 small shallot, minced
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon chopped parsley (or thyme)

1. In a saucepan fitted with a steamer basket, bring 1-inch of water to a boil. Add the leeks, cover and steam until just tender, about 5 minutes. Drain the leeks, pat dry and refrigerate until chilled, 10 minutes. 

2. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the shallot with the mustard and the red wine and balsamic vinegars. Whisk in the olive oil and season with salt and black pepper. 

3. Mound the steamed leeks on plates. Drizzle with the vinaigrette, sprinkle with the parsley and serve. Serves 4.

I declare!

The holidays are over and I have a declaration: It's leek week (in my apartment)! Did you know that there are tons of ways to prepare leeks that are really tasty? Do you even know what leeks are? Do you care?

Botanically, leeks are part of the Allium genus along with onions, shallots and garlic, though they are much milder in taste. They are the source of many health benefits much like their vegetable cousins. Leeks contain an important concentration of B vitamin folate, which aids in supporting our cardiovascular system. They are also also are a good source of calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium and vitamin K, and are a very good source of vitamin A. Forget your Wheaties, kids. Eat your leeks!

Since it's winter and peeps are more inclined to roast meats, make comfort food, and sit in front of a fireplace, I suggest making a leek gratin as the perfect side dish. Yes, you might be burying the health benefits under a blanket of cholesterol, but this is a super delicious way to serve them to anyone who has never tried them. Cheese and cream? Trust. (My next recipe will be lo-cal. I promise.)

Leek Gratin

4 medium leeks, white and light-green parts only, roots trimmed
1 cup heavy cream
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1/3 cup grated Gruyere cheese

1. Preheat the oven to 375˚F. Halve the leeks lengthwise, leaving halves attached at root, and rinse well, shaking off excess water. (See photo below.)

2. In a large skillet, combine the cream and leeks and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat then reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook for 5 minutes. Transfer the leeks and sauce to a shallow 2-quart baking dish.

3. Sprinkle with the cheese and bake until golden and bubbling, about 20 minutes. Let gratin rest 10 minutes before serving. Serves 4.

 (And here is a handy guide to properly clean leeks.)

Stormy Sandy's Sunday Sauce

So, just like Irene, we are in for a doozy of a storm. Fortunately this time I already have my flashlights, thanks to buying up the last two from my local hardware store over a year ago. I just picked up some granola bars, filled pitchers with water, and have my iPad juiced up in the event that I lose power.

It cracks me up to see people stocking up on booze like white wine and beer when, unless you have a cooler when you lose power, there will be no way to chill it! I also love how people stock up on toilet paper but forget about some other essentials. Ummm...if you don't have power or water, how are you going to flush? These are the things that concern me. When it comes to choosing between showering or flushing, I am going to pour that spare bucket of water into my toilet tank. Trust. (TMI?) And now I am fattening up for the impending doom by making and eating a vat of buttery tomato sauce drenched pasta because honestly, granola bars are going to get old fast.

Stay safe out there!



Buttery Tomato Sauce
(The Ski House Cookbook)

1 (28-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, with juice, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 medium onion, peeled and quartered
Salt
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Cooked pasta of choice


1. Add the tomatoes, garlic, butter, onion and a large pinch of salt to a medium saucepan. Bring to a simmer and continue to cook uncovered at a low, steady simmer for about 45 minutes, stirring occasionally until the tomatoes have reduced.

2. Discard the onion and taste for seasoning. Toss the tomato sauce with 1 pound of cooked pasta such as spaghetti or penne and serve topped with freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Makes about 3 cups sauce.

Pasta, Beaches and Vampires. Oh My.

I hope that everyone had a very happy Fourth of July! I decided not to create a recipe for the occasion because, taking place on a Wednesday and having to wake up for work the next morning, it didn't really inspire me to do much. Oh well.

Luckily I did make it to the beach last week and thoroughly enjoyed a fantastic lobster roll at Banzai Burger. Get thee to that restaurant stat. Everything that I had was super delish, including a wild striped bass fish taco. Obviously I had to have an appetizer before my lobster roll. Duh.

Since my beach excursion I haven't gotten around to doing any shopping so the contents of my fridge and cupboards are at a minumum. This pasta recipe has minimal ingredients and since I happen to always have walnuts and garlic on hand  (random I know), it was perfect for me. And the extra added garlic will keep vampires at bay.



Speaking of which, is anyone else as not into True Blood this season as me? I am starting to get a little bit bored (even with the addition of Chris Meloni) and when I thought I had missed an episode with this weird work week, I didn't really care. And that made me sad. C'mon True Blood. Get it together!



Pasta with Ricotta, Garlic and Walnuts
Adapted from Martha Stewart

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 large garlic cloves
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
1 pound dried pasta
1 cup packed fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, divided
2 heaping tablespoons finely grated lemon zest (from 3 large lemons)
4 ounces walnuts, toasted well and roughly chopped (1 1/4 cups)
1 cup fresh ricotta cheese

1. Heat the oil in a medium pan over medium heat until shimmering. Meanwhile, very thinly slice the garlic. Add to the oil, and cook, stirring constantly, until garlic is pale golden brown and crisp, about 3 minutes. Drain the garlic chips in a sieve set over a large bowl. Reserve the oil. Spread the garlic chips on paper towels; season with salt.

2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta until just barely al dente. Drain. Add the pasta to the oil, and toss. Partially cover, and let cool at least 20 minutes and up to 1 1/2 hours.

3. Roughly chop 3/4 cup parsley leaves, and add them with the lemon zest and walnuts to the pasta. Toss to combine. Dot with the cheese, and season with salt and pepper. Toss gently to combine, being careful not to fully incorporate cheese. Garnish with remaining parsley leaves, and serve with garlic chips. Serves 6.

Super Salad

Every other day there's a new super food that we're supposed to be eating so that we can become more powerful than a locomotive and able to leap tall buildings in a single bound. Those aren't quite my life goals, but I figured that I'd give forbidden rice (black rice) a try anyway. This ancient grain was supposedly once eaten exclusively by the Emperors of China. I think I qualify! Forbidden rice is chock full o' good stuff like anthocyanins (an antioxidant also found in blueberries) iron, 18 amino acids and a bunch of other nutrients. It also tastes great and looks pretty cool too. Check out my before and after pictures below.


Forbidden Rice - Dry


Forbidden Rice - Cooked

Since summer is officially approaching with Memorial Day weekend bearing down on us, I thought a cold rice salad might be a good way to sample this super rice (and is an excellent grill-and-chill side dish). Sticking with my Emperors of China theme, I made a toasted sesame oil and tamari (soy sauce) dressing, added in some extra color with snow peas and mango and finished with cashews for crunch. Delish. I may not exactly feel like donning a cape, but I will be making this again.



Emperors of China Forbidden Rice Salad

1 cup Forbidden Rice®
1 3/4 cups water
Salt
8 ounces snow peas
1 mango, diced (see photos below)
1 1/2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon tamari
2 scallions, chopped
3/4 cup chopped roasted and salted cashews

1. Cook the rice: Bring the rice, water and a pinch of salt to a boil in a medium saucepan. Cover and reduce the heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes, until the rice is tender and the water is absorbed. Remove to a large bowl to cool to room temperature.

2. Prepare the snow peas: In a medium saucepan, bring 4 cups of water to a boil with a pinch of salt. Add the snow peas and cook (blanch) for one minute. Drain into a colander and rinse under cold water until the snow peas are cool. Remove to a cutting board and roughly chop.

3. Prepare the mango: Stand the mango on a cutting board stem end down. Cut through the mango just off center down one side of the pit. Repeat on the other side. Take one half and use a knife to make a cross hatch pattern, without cutting through the skin.



Turn the mango piece inside out and, using a pairing knife, run it along to skin to remove the pieces.



4. Make the salad: In a small bowl whisk together the sesame oil and tamari. Add to the rice followed by the snow peas, mango and scallions. Add the cashews only if serving immediately. Toss thoroughly. (For make ahead salads, do not add the cashews until just before serving to avoid softening.) Serves 4 as a side dish or appetizer. (Recipe can easily be doubled to serve more.)

Peppier than Popeye

Even though I didn't indulge in my favorite guacamole and margarita holiday last weekend, I still feel like I could use a break. From food and stuff. So I'm looking to my old lentil standby to help me out. Lentils are high in protein and fiber as well as folate, vitamin B1 and potassium among several other nutrients. Combining lentils with quinoa, which also offers complete protein as well as nine essential amino acids, makes a super-hard-core-healthy meal. I mean, it's got to be better than Popeye's plain old spinach!

For this salad I used what I had laying around, which wasn't much, but you could certainly add loads more of your fave veggies, feta or goat cheese and even some sliced almonds for extra crunch. My little twist with this recipe is using black (or beluga) lentils and tri-color quinoa, just for some visual interest. I'm feeling better already!

Black Lentil and Tri-Color Quinoa Salad

1 cup quinoa (white or red or tri-color)
1 cup lentils (black or green or brown)
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 small garlic clove, grated
Zest of one lemon
1 cup chopped olives
1 small zucchini, diced
1/3 cup basil, chopped
1/3 cup parsley, chopped
Salt and Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1. Place the quinoa in a mesh colander and rinse thoroughly with cold water. Add the quinoa and two cups of water to a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer until the water is absorbed, about 15 minutes.

2. Meanwhile rinse the lentils with cold water and place in another medium saucepan. Cover with at least an inch of water, bring to a boil, cover, and then simmer until tender but not falling apart, 15 - 18 minutes.

3. While the quinoa and lentils are cooking, whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil, garlic and lemon zest in a small bowl. Set aside.

4. Drain the cooked lentils and toss with the quinoa and lemon mixture in a large bowl. Set aside to cool.

5. Once the salad has cooled, mix in the chopped herbs, olives, zucchini and salt and pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning. Serves about six.

Dry Black Lentils

Dry Tri-Color Quinoa

Cooked Tri-Color Quinoa