...which is to say, I had so much fun messing around with these recipes that I forgot to watch America's Next Top Model. Probably for the best. What follows are recipes for a tasty tilapia dish and two veggies sides, all super easy, pretty healthy, and yum. This evening of simple and improvised eating was brought to you by love, sweet love. Yes, the kind of love where a girl goes weeks and months without cooking three of her favoritest, healthiest foods, all because her darling boyfriend despises them, leaving her bereft, and craving them all, right now, at once!
Happily, new roomie was down to try the goods. We chomped, and I chased the whole shebang with a Heine and some chocolate ice cream :)
The Menu
Tilapia in a Confetti Cream Sauce
Maple Mustard Sweet Potatoes
Broccoli Soup with Cheddar
Tilapia in a Confetti Cream Sauce
1/4 white onion
2 cloves garlic
kernels from one ear of fresh corn, boiled
1/2 red pepper
1/4 c. fresh parsley
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 Tbsp. half and half
2 Tbsp. corn meal
ground black pepper
ground sea salt
ground red pepper flakes
1 lb. tilapia
1. Process everything except the fish until you get a thick, greenish, and generally unappetizing looking goo. I'm curious to try this and keep the consistency more like a salsa or salad, but creamy and a little vomitous is how it went (and worked!) on the first go.
2. Place tilapia fillets in a baking dish (I used glass. Thanks, dishwasher!). Cover with the veggie cream sauce and bake at 350 for about 25 minutes.
Maple Mustard Sweet Potatoes
1 large sweet potato
2 Tbsp. creole mustard
2 Tbsp. grade B maple syrup
1 Tbsp. olive oil
ground sea salt
ground black pepper
1. Wash potato thoroughly, then give the skin a good rub down with some olive oil. Cut in half, then in quarters, then into thin, french-fryish slices.
2. Place slices in a narrow baking dish and add remaining ingredients. Mix well until potatoes are coated.
3. Bake at 350 for at least an hour. At 35 minutes, remember to pop in the tilapia.
Broccoli Soup with Cheddar
1 16oz container Imagine Organic Broccoli soup
fresh broccoli
Cheddar cheese, grated
1. This barely qualifies as a recipe, but hey, why not? Make it about 5 minutes before the other two dishes are finished.
2. Heat soup in a pot, add salt and pepper to taste.
3. Steam up the broccoli. I do this in a white-trashy sort of way involving a moist paper towel and a microwave, but you're probably a little classier. Put a few big pieces of the steamed broccoli into a pair of small bowls (I used ramekins).
4. Pour the heated soup over the fresh broccoli and top with Cheddar.
Final note: Don't be afraid to overspice these babies. Tilapia, sweet potato and broccoli are mild and gentle, and a little heat is required to bring them onto the dance floor.
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
(Leftover Chicken) Curried Chicken Salad
Okay, so maybe sometimes I actually *buy* a pre-cooked rotessire chicken in order to make this supposedly "leftover chicken" salad. But, whatevs. The point is that it's awesome:
Curried Chicken Salad
2-3 cups pre-cooked chicken breast, chopped
3-4 celery stalks, diced
1 cup halved red seedless grapes
mayonnaise to consistency (some like it dry, some like it sloppy)
Creole mustard to taste (Dijon works just fine)
small dollop naturally flavored vanilla yogurt (to cut down on the mayo, if desired)
Curry powder to taste - I use at least a teaspoon
Sea Salt
Ground Black Pepper
Mix all ingredients together until well-blended. Add spices and mayo/mustard/yogurt as to get to your desired consistency/taste. This is fabulous served very cold with sliced cucumbers and lettuce on a tortilla or wrap.
Curried Chicken Salad
2-3 cups pre-cooked chicken breast, chopped
3-4 celery stalks, diced
1 cup halved red seedless grapes
mayonnaise to consistency (some like it dry, some like it sloppy)
Creole mustard to taste (Dijon works just fine)
small dollop naturally flavored vanilla yogurt (to cut down on the mayo, if desired)
Curry powder to taste - I use at least a teaspoon
Sea Salt
Ground Black Pepper
Mix all ingredients together until well-blended. Add spices and mayo/mustard/yogurt as to get to your desired consistency/taste. This is fabulous served very cold with sliced cucumbers and lettuce on a tortilla or wrap.
Sunday, April 6, 2008
Blue Ribbon Vegan Cornbread?
No, really--it's actually pretty damn good! I made this with a pot of vegan chili with a few adjustments, namely: substituted some grade B maple syrup for some of the sugar, used olive oil instead of canola oil, and added a Tbsp or so of pre-made salsa. The recipe as I freestyled it below, though all credit goes to young Dana Sly.
Surprisingly Good Vegan Cornbread
2 tablespoons ground flax seeds
6 tablespoons water
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup cornmeal
1/8 cup sugar
2 Tbsp Grade B maple syrup
4 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon table salt
1 cup soymilk
1/4 cup olive oil
1 Tbsp salsa
1. Preheat oven to 425°F
2. Oil an 8-inch-square baking dish.
3. Bring the water to a boil in a small saucepan.
4. Add the ground flax seed, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer the ground flax seed in the water for 3 minutes or until thickened, stirring occasionally. Set aside.
5. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt until well-combined.
6. Add the ground flax seed mixture, soy milk, and canola oil to the flour mixture. Beat just until smooth (do not overbeat.)
7. Turn into prepared baking pan. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool until warm and serve!
Surprisingly Good Vegan Cornbread
2 tablespoons ground flax seeds
6 tablespoons water
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup cornmeal
1/8 cup sugar
2 Tbsp Grade B maple syrup
4 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon table salt
1 cup soymilk
1/4 cup olive oil
1 Tbsp salsa
1. Preheat oven to 425°F
2. Oil an 8-inch-square baking dish.
3. Bring the water to a boil in a small saucepan.
4. Add the ground flax seed, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer the ground flax seed in the water for 3 minutes or until thickened, stirring occasionally. Set aside.
5. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt until well-combined.
6. Add the ground flax seed mixture, soy milk, and canola oil to the flour mixture. Beat just until smooth (do not overbeat.)
7. Turn into prepared baking pan. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool until warm and serve!
Turkey Burgers a la Improv
NOTE: This is a special guest entry by Maura, who will be contributing more delicious and chomptastic ideas soon...I ate some of her turkey meatballs made with what sounds like a similar entry several months ago--tangy and yum. Enjoy!
Turkey Burgers a la improv
1 pound ground turkey
4 cloves garlic coarsely chopped
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup sharp Cheddar cheese (or much much more if you really want to feel the cheese)
2 generous Tbsps Alouette cheese (it's a creamy spread. This version contained dill and Q-cumber)
1 Tbsp honey mustard
2 Tbsps mango chutney
Breadcrumbs to taste (garlic flavor)
Fresh Savory to taste, coarsely chopped
Smoosh it together with hands or your butt. Then, shape it into patties. Pan fry until you think they're done. Note: I thought about adding Nuts or beans or dried fruit like cranberries or cherries.
Turkey Burgers a la improv
1 pound ground turkey
4 cloves garlic coarsely chopped
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup sharp Cheddar cheese (or much much more if you really want to feel the cheese)
2 generous Tbsps Alouette cheese (it's a creamy spread. This version contained dill and Q-cumber)
1 Tbsp honey mustard
2 Tbsps mango chutney
Breadcrumbs to taste (garlic flavor)
Fresh Savory to taste, coarsely chopped
Smoosh it together with hands or your butt. Then, shape it into patties. Pan fry until you think they're done. Note: I thought about adding Nuts or beans or dried fruit like cranberries or cherries.
Sweet Potato Banana Bread
I made this improvised treat over Christmas, when I suddenly decided to whip up several mini-loaves of Mom T's classic banana bread for some of the office staff at my school. After I'd already begun mixing things up, I decided to double the recipe on the fly. All good, except--I didn't have enough bananas. So, I did what any new Southerner would do--opened up the fridge and pulled out some baked sweet potatoes I had frozen a week or two earlier to take for lunch! This addition lent a bright color, some vitamin A, and a new variant of sweetness to an already fabulous recipe. Well, at least I thought so. The native New Orleanians never did comment...
Sweet Potato Banana Bread
¼ cup butter softened at room temp
½ cup brown sugar (or raw sugar)
1 beaten egg (room temp)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup oatmeal
3 mashed overripe bananas
1 large baked sweet potato, mashed
1 1/12 cups flour (Mom T uses 2/3 wheat to 1/3 white, and for the white she takes one Tbsp. out of every cup and puts in wheat germ instead)
½ teaspoon each cinnamon and ginger
A very scant 1/8 teaspoon of nutmeg
2 tsp baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ cup chopped walnuts
1. Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour a breadpan or muffin tin. It’s annoying, so get it over with first!
2. Mix all the dry ingredients together ‘cept for oatmeal…make them sit off to the side while you do the fun wet stuff!
3. Cream butter and sugar together, then blend in egg and vanilla.
4. Blend in oatmeal and mashed up bananas and sweet potato.
5. Invite the dry ingredients to the party! Blend it all together, but don’t over work it .
6. Put the dough in the loaf pan, bake at 350 for one hour…check for doneness at 50 minutes. If you're making muffins, check them after 25 minutes for doneness.
So delicious in the morning with butter and coffee, and the muffins freeze really well for later breakfasts. Yay NOLA influenced family classics!
Sweet Potato Banana Bread
¼ cup butter softened at room temp
½ cup brown sugar (or raw sugar)
1 beaten egg (room temp)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup oatmeal
3 mashed overripe bananas
1 large baked sweet potato, mashed
1 1/12 cups flour (Mom T uses 2/3 wheat to 1/3 white, and for the white she takes one Tbsp. out of every cup and puts in wheat germ instead)
½ teaspoon each cinnamon and ginger
A very scant 1/8 teaspoon of nutmeg
2 tsp baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ cup chopped walnuts
1. Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour a breadpan or muffin tin. It’s annoying, so get it over with first!
2. Mix all the dry ingredients together ‘cept for oatmeal…make them sit off to the side while you do the fun wet stuff!
3. Cream butter and sugar together, then blend in egg and vanilla.
4. Blend in oatmeal and mashed up bananas and sweet potato.
5. Invite the dry ingredients to the party! Blend it all together, but don’t over work it .
6. Put the dough in the loaf pan, bake at 350 for one hour…check for doneness at 50 minutes. If you're making muffins, check them after 25 minutes for doneness.
So delicious in the morning with butter and coffee, and the muffins freeze really well for later breakfasts. Yay NOLA influenced family classics!
Monday, March 17, 2008
Easiest White Bean Soup
This is in no way my own creation, but it was definitely made on the fly and proved to be quick, easy and soothing. Excellent with bread and salad, probably fabulous with grilled cheese:
3 cans white beans
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 32 oz container organic chicken broth or veggie broth
3-4 carrots, scrubbed and diced
3-4 celery stalks, rinsed and diced
2-10 garlic cloves to taste, minced
1 medium onion, minced
ground black pepper to taste
sea salt to taste
dried rosemary to taste
dried thyme to taste
1. Heat olive oil in a large pot, then add garlic and onion and stir until soft and sweaty.
2. Add carrots, celery, and any other veggies you have on hand. Cook on low-medium for a bout five minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Add all remaining ingredients and bring to a simmer. Cook for about 5-10 minutes, depending on how soft you like your veggies.
4. Using a large measuring cup or a mug, carefully remove about half of the soup and process until smooth in a blender or food processor. Try to get an equal ratio of broth and chunks when you do this.
5. Return the blended soup to the pot, stir together, and serve (with a little chopped fresh herbs on top if you want to get fancy).
3 cans white beans
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 32 oz container organic chicken broth or veggie broth
3-4 carrots, scrubbed and diced
3-4 celery stalks, rinsed and diced
2-10 garlic cloves to taste, minced
1 medium onion, minced
ground black pepper to taste
sea salt to taste
dried rosemary to taste
dried thyme to taste
1. Heat olive oil in a large pot, then add garlic and onion and stir until soft and sweaty.
2. Add carrots, celery, and any other veggies you have on hand. Cook on low-medium for a bout five minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Add all remaining ingredients and bring to a simmer. Cook for about 5-10 minutes, depending on how soft you like your veggies.
4. Using a large measuring cup or a mug, carefully remove about half of the soup and process until smooth in a blender or food processor. Try to get an equal ratio of broth and chunks when you do this.
5. Return the blended soup to the pot, stir together, and serve (with a little chopped fresh herbs on top if you want to get fancy).
Monday, March 10, 2008
In a Meatball Minute
Before I started cooking my own meatballs, I felt they were the kind of food that only an old pro could make--some wizened Italian woman in her seventies with hours to spare in her kitchen. Those kind are probably pretty fantastic, but my improvised version takes way less time and expertise. Super slapdash and a little different every time, depending on what's in the kitchen--behold!
Not Yo' Mama's Meatballs (serves 2 with leftovers)
1/2 lb. ground beef or turkey
1/4 white onion, finely minced
1/4 green bell pepper, finely minced
1 Tbsp. flat parsley, finely minced
2-5 cloves garlic, smashed and finely minced
1 egg, beaten
1 splash red wine or red wine vinegar
1/4 c. bread crumbs and/or oatmeal and/or wheat germ
ground black pepper to taste
ground sea salt to taste
dried italian seasoning blend to taste
pinch red pepper flakes
1 32 oz jar pasta sauce (I like Newman's Own or the Whole Foods 365 brand)
Mix all the ingredients together except for the pasta sauce. Add just a spoonful of the sauce to the meat mixture for additional flavor. The only real way to do this is with your hands, so wash up good and get meat-y. In a large pot, heat 1-2 tsp. olive oil. Then, form the meat mixture into round balls. This recipe usually gets me six or seven. Brown them in the pan, turning with tongs to cook them through. This takes around ten minutes. Then, pour the sauce in and bring to a simmer for another ten-ish minutes.
We like to chomp on this with whole wheat spaghetti or tortellini, a simple green salad, and Alexia's evil/awesome Garlic Bread. Way better than spaghettios, for real.
Not Yo' Mama's Meatballs (serves 2 with leftovers)
1/2 lb. ground beef or turkey
1/4 white onion, finely minced
1/4 green bell pepper, finely minced
1 Tbsp. flat parsley, finely minced
2-5 cloves garlic, smashed and finely minced
1 egg, beaten
1 splash red wine or red wine vinegar
1/4 c. bread crumbs and/or oatmeal and/or wheat germ
ground black pepper to taste
ground sea salt to taste
dried italian seasoning blend to taste
pinch red pepper flakes
1 32 oz jar pasta sauce (I like Newman's Own or the Whole Foods 365 brand)
Mix all the ingredients together except for the pasta sauce. Add just a spoonful of the sauce to the meat mixture for additional flavor. The only real way to do this is with your hands, so wash up good and get meat-y. In a large pot, heat 1-2 tsp. olive oil. Then, form the meat mixture into round balls. This recipe usually gets me six or seven. Brown them in the pan, turning with tongs to cook them through. This takes around ten minutes. Then, pour the sauce in and bring to a simmer for another ten-ish minutes.
We like to chomp on this with whole wheat spaghetti or tortellini, a simple green salad, and Alexia's evil/awesome Garlic Bread. Way better than spaghettios, for real.
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