Category: Vegetarian Entree

Lentils and Mushrooms in Burgundy

Lentils and Mushrooms in Burgundy

As I write this, winter storms are raging across the country, bringing a variety of generally uncomfortable weather conditions to all. Here, it’s a cold and rainy weekend in the desert southwest, with snow in the upper elevations. Summer here is downright hot. One can count on this. The winters are not nearly so predictable these days. I’m bundled up in a heavy sweater and fuzzy socks, much as I might have been on a winter’s day on the farm. Cue the comfort food again… On days like today, Mom cooked meaty rib-sticking stews and braises, to warm one from the inside out. One of her favorites was a long slow braise of beef in red wine, aka beef bourguignon. 

Tough meat has been braised in red wine since the middle ages; the acid in the wine in combination with long slow heat breaks down the tough connective fibers to produce a tender stew. Alcohol? Again? I, along with everyone who reads this blog, laughs at my propensity for using alcohol in my cooking. In fact, I learned to do this at my mother’s knee.

But there is method behind the madness, because alcohol is a flavor enhancer, much like salt or pepper. When one tastes a dish, the tongue can taste water soluble flavors. But one gets more complete flavor when the molecules are sensed in the nose as well. These aromas are carried by fat soluble molecules. Alcohol can bond with both types of molecules, broadening and expanding flavor considerably. The particular wine used in today’s stew recipe is Burgundy. Burgundies are French wine blends based on the pinot noir grape. I am not picky about the wine here; it does not need to be high end pinot noir. An inexpensive wine will produce a delicious stew with deep flavor. 

But… I’m not eating much beef these days, for both health and environmental reasons. So I’m looking for red wine to bridge my flavors using plant based ingredients. I’ve cooked lentils in red wine for many years, another of those recipes that came from somewhere now unknown. Served over mashed potatoes, it offers the rich burgundy fueled flavor without the meat. The lentils provide the protein, but I knew something was missing. When I recently glanced at Mom’s recipe, I realized what it needed was vegetables! Duh. Shallots, carrots and mushrooms “beefed” the recipe up significantly. (Pun intended, sadly.) I also tossed in some soaked dried mushrooms, to maximize the umami character and meaty texture. This stew, ladled atop my homemade mashed potatoes, is about as delicious as a plant based stew can be.  

Plant based diets continue to punch above their weight in the media, particularly as January is the home of “Veganuary.” I don’t pay much attention to such trends, as plant based dishes are on regular rotation in my kitchen year round. But whatever your dietary trends might be, this dish is a plant based winner. 

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Lentils and Mushrooms in Burgundy

A rustic braise of hearty lentils and mushrooms, with the deeply rich taste of Burgundy, served over fluffy mashed potatoes.
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time1 hour
Total Time1 hour 30 minutes
Course: Entree
Cuisine: French
Keyword: lentils, mushrooms, rustic, wine
Servings: 6

Ingredients

  • 1/2 oz dried Porcini mushrooms
  • 1 lb Cremini mushrooms, cleaned and quartered
  • 2 tbsp Garlic infused olive oil
  • 4 small shallots
  • 2/3 cup onion, diced
  • 1/2 tsp dried thyme
  • 1/2 tsp dried marjoram
  • 1/2 tsp dried rosemary
  • 1/4 cup chopped parsley, divided
  • 2 tsp tomato paste
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 3/4 cup dry brown lentils
  • 2 cups Pinot Noir or Burgundy wine
  • 2 large carrots, cut into 3/4-inch chunks
  • 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • prepared mashed potatoes

Instructions

  • Add 1 cup of boiling water to the dried mushrooms in a small bowl and set aside to reconstitute. 
    Heat 2 teaspoons of the oil in a large skillet and sauté the mushrooms over medium high heat until golden, cooking off any liquid. Pour into a large bowl and reserve. Peel and thickly slice the shallots. Add 2 teaspoons oil to the skillet and sauté them until browned and tender. Add to the bowl with the mushrooms.
    Drain the dried mushrooms through a strainer, reserving the liquid. Slice the mushrooms and add to bowl with sautéed mushrooms.  
    Warm the remaining 2 teaspoons oil in the skillet and sauté the onion with the thyme, marjoram, rosemary and 2 tbsp of the parsley until the onions soften. Stir in the tomato paste, bay leaves, wine, reserved soaking liquid, lentils and carrots. Salt and pepper lightly. Bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer while covered, 40 minutes to 1 hour, until lentils and carrots are tender. Stir in the reserved dried mushrooms, sautéed mushrooms and shallots with 1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper. Stir in the vinegar to sharpen the flavors. Taste and adjust the salt to your taste. Serve atop mashed potatoes. Sprinkle each serving with the reserved chopped parsley. 

Notes

  • Nutrition Information, with 3/4 cup mashed potatoes
  • Calories: 417
  • Total Fat: 11.6 g
  • Saturated fat: 2.2 g
  • Cholesterol: 2 mg
  • Sodium: 561 mg
  • Total Carbohydrate: 62.6 g
  • Fiber: 7.5 g
  • Total Sugars: 6.5 g
  • Protein: 10.8 g

Spicy Almond Butter Noodles

Spicy Almond Butter Noodles

Where do you get your protein?  (Curious friends and onlookers)
Would you like to add protein to that?  (Menus and waiters)
The best sources of lean protein to add to your diet!! (Buzzy headlines)

Americans are obsessed with protein. It grabs headlines like no other nutrition topic today, yet I’m betting that most of those obsessives don’t really know much about it…  it’s a macronutrient, but protein is not a single thing. It’s constructed from little building blocks called amino acids. Thousands of proteins can be created using just the twenty amino acids. The human body can synthesize eleven of the amino acids on its own, so the remaining nine must be supplied by the diet.

Animal sources are considered “complete” because they contain all nine in a good ratio to one another. Plant sources also contain all nine, but typically one or two are in relatively short supply. Back in the dark ages when I studied nutrition, experts thought if one ate primarily plants, plant foods would have to be combined to make “complete” protein. This is actually “complete” bunk, because the body maintains a pot of amino acids that it combines into whatever protein it needs, all by its little self. The key is simply eating a diverse balanced diet which supplies the nine must haves. 

These days, I’m getting more of my amino acids, aka protein, from plant sources. My highly nutrition minded mom would be blown away by what is now known about the human body and its use of protein. She probably wouldn’t be serving up whole T-bone steaks to each of us at the farm dinner table, either… because while animal foods are good sources of protein, they come packaged with compounds that contribute to inflammation and the development of chronic diseases like atherosclerosis, stroke, cancer and Type 2 diabetes. Alternatively, plant protein is anti-inflammatory and comes packaged with fiber, which offers substantial health benefits. These include increasing metabolism, controlling weight, regulating blood sugar and  improving the blood lipid profile. Which is why my dinner increasingly features dishes like my Spicy Almond Butter Noodles. 

One might suspect this concoction to be an Americanized version of a non-existent Asian dish. However, turns out that noodles with nut butter did originate as a Chinese street food. You’ll find a myriad of recipes for them online, some served hot, some served cold, some much noodlier than others. I use einkorn whole wheat spaghetti for my noodles, providing chewy texture and protein. These noodles are one of the higher protein, lower calorie options floating around in today’s market, that don’t set off my IBS. Coated with a savory, rich almond butter-sesame-tamari sauce that is pretty much addictive. Veggies add additional fiber, color, texture, flavor and yes, protein! Spice it up to your comfort level with hot chili paste. While many die hard meat eaters will disagree, I personally find the combination of textures and flavors to be ever so much more interesting than that T-bone steak. 

My original goal in making dietary changes was to improve my IBS, and this eating pattern has delivered. I wasn’t aware at the time of the additional health benefits that could accrue due to eating more plant foods. That said, I appreciate that the pre-diabetes and pre-cancerous polyps I had prior to making these changes have gone missing. I don’t think I’ll be searching very hard to find them…

Spicy Almond Butter Noodles
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Spicy Almond Butter Noodles

Whole grain noodles and vegetables, with rich and nutty sauce.
Prep Time1 hour
Total Time1 hour
Course: Entree, Main Course, Vegetarian
Servings: 4

Ingredients

Sauce

  • 1/4 cup almond butter
  • 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
  • 1 tbsp honey
  • 2 tbsp low sodium tamari
  • 2 tbsp rice vinegar
  • 1/8 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp finely grated fresh ginger
  • 2 tsp sambal oelek more or less, to taste

Pasta

  • 8 oz einkorn spaghetti legume based pasta is a good substitute

Vegetables

  • 1 tsp garlic infused olive oil
  • 1/2 small onion, cut into 1/2-inch wedges
  • 1 medium red pepper, thinly sliced
  • 1 medium zucchini, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
  • 3/4 cup frozen shelled edamame, thawed
  • 1 small carrot, julienned
  • 1/4 cup toasted sliced almonds

Instructions

  • Whisk the sauce ingredients together in a large bowl. 
  • Cook the noodles al dente, according to package directions. Drain the noodles, reserving 1/4 cup cooking water. Add to the sauce in the bowl, tossing to coat with the sauce. Stir in reserved pasta cooking water as needed to thin the sauce. 
  • Heat the garlic infused oil in a medium skillet over medium high heat. Add the onion wedges and zucchini, stir frying for 3 to 4 minutes, until tender, but still crisp. Add to the noodles. Replace the skillet on the burner and add the red pepper and sugar snap peas, stirring for 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the edamame to briefly heat, then add vegetables to the noodles. Fold in the raw carrots. Toss to distribute the vegetables, and sprinkle with the toasted almonds. 

Notes

  • Nutrition Facts:
  • Calories: 445
  • Total fat: 18.2 g
    Saturated fat: 1.9 g
  • Cholesterol: 0 mg
  • Sodium: 511 mg
  • Total Carbohydrate: 55 g
    fiber: 9 g
    sugars: 5.5 g
  • Protein 16.5 g

Wheat Berry Salad with Snap Peas and Chèvre

Wheat Berry Salad
Wheat Berry Salad with Snap Peas and Chèvre

The temperature in the desert southwest has finally warmed to my expectations… just in time for a month or so of gorgeous weather before the hell season hits in June. With my cozy sweaters packed away, I’m leaning into warmer weather fare in my weekly menus. And whole grain salads like this month’s Wheat Berry Salad with Snap Peas and Chèvre are a perfect fit. 

In Mom’s day the term “whole grains” basically meant whole wheat flour. She had versions of every baked item imaginable modified for baking with said flour. But she would not be familiar with the whole wheat berries, farro berries or purple barley that currently reside in my pantry. I have to admit that for quite a few years I myself found them to be a tad intimidating. They took a long time to cook. And who knew what to do with them once they were finally done? For that matter, how did one even know when they were done? 

Ignorance was bliss, until small bags of these beautiful blond wheat berries began to appear in my Community Supported Agriculture share. Turns out that the Sonoran white wheat flour that I love to use in my baking came from the Sonoran white wheat berry, and evidently I was expected to eat them in that form as well. 

If one listens to the holistic health types, there are good reasons to eat grains in their  whole state. While both the wheat berries and whole wheat flour contain the bran, germ and endosperm, the flour has been milled into the tiniest of pieces. This allows them to oxidize and lose nutrients unless properly stored from the moment of milling. Products baked from the flour also have a higher glycemic index. It takes a very short time for digestive enzymes to break down all those tiny bits from starch to sugar and release them into one’s bloodstream. However, when the enzymes tackle the whole berries, they have to work much longer and harder to reach the starch hidden inside the bran. Resulting in a slower and more controlled blood sugar rise. 

The wheat berries began to pile up in my pantry, so I cooked up a pot of them. Mind blown. Sweet and nutty golden orbs, opening between one’s teeth with a little Pop! Their chewy texture is a lovely contrast to vegetable dishes that otherwise might be too soft. I began to use them in vegetarian soups like my White Vegetable Chili, to produce the texture that meat would otherwise provide. Then I discovered the wheat berry salad, with its endless variations of flavor profiles. 

Full circle to today’s salad recipe. This salad provides a sweet,  juicy and crisp pop in one’s mouth with every bite. The sweetness comes from the wheat itself, along with sugar snaps, red peppers and dried cherries. Countered by the tart and bitter components of lemon, radicchio and arugula. Accented by the depth of flavor from parsley, walnuts and chèvre. I’ll be making this one all summer. While we serve it as a main, it could easily feed more people as a side at a BBQ or summer picnic. 

If I’ve convinced you that the place to start is the Sonoran white wheat berry, they are readily available for order from Hayden Flour Mills, right up the road from me in Queens Creek, Arizona. They are fine folks offering a fine set of products. However, I’d encourage you to try wheat berries in whatever variety you might have available to you. Don’t wait as long as I did. 

Wheat Berry Salad
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Wheat Berry Salad with Snap Peas and Chèvre

Whole grain salad with the sweet, juicy pop of whole wheat berries, sugar snap peas and rich bites of goat cheese.
Prep Time1 hour
Total Time1 hour
Course: Entree, Entree Salad, Salad side dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: cool, fresh, salad, wheat
Servings: 4
Calories: 382kcal

Ingredients

Salad

  • 1 cup wheat berries I used Sonoran white berries
  • 1/2 cup sugar snap peas, cut into thin slices on the bias
  • 1 green onion, thinly sliced
  • 1/2 cup chopped parsley
  • 7 very thin slices lemon
  • 1 tsp olive oil
  • 1/2 cup chopped radicchio
  • 1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
  • 1/3 cup chopped walnuts
  • 1/2 cup chopped arugula
  • 1/2 cup goat cheese crumbles
  • 1/4 cup chopped dried cherries

Dressing

  • 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice
  • 2 tsp honey
  • 1/4 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 tsp herbs do Provence
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper

Instructions

  • Cook the wheat berries as directed on the package. Drain the grains and place into a large mixing bowl; cool. Microwave the sliced sugar snap peas for 20 seconds in a smaller bowl, then stir into the cooled grains. In a small skillet, toast the nuts over medium heat til fragrant. Add to the grains. Cut the lemon slices into 6 wedges each, then saute briefly in the same skillet in the 1 teaspoon olive oil. When lightly browned, remove to the bowl of grains. Add and stir in the green onion, parsley, radicchio, bell pepper, arugula, cheese crumbles and cherries. 
    Whisk together the dressing ingredients, then pour over and toss thoroughly. Serve at room temperature, or chill to serve cold. 

Notes

  • Nutrition Facts
  • Total Fat: 20.4 g
  •    Saturated: 4 g 
  • Cholesterol: 7 mg 
  • Sodium: 212 mg
  • Total Carbohydrate: 42.3 
  •     Fiber: 8.1 g
  •     Sugars: 6.3 g
  • Protein: 12.3 g
Nutrition facts calculated using Very Well Nutrition Calculator

Green Chili Black Bean Soup

Green Chili Black Bean Soup

“Red, green… or Christmas?”

This questions is commonly asked by one’s server when dining in a New Mexico restaurant. Meaning, do you want red chile, green chile, or both? The southwestern cuisine in New Mexico is different, in that it’s not of the Tex-Mex variety. It’s of its own variety, built upon the beautiful red and green chilies grown in the state. Red sauce is typically made from dried red chilies; roasted and rehydrated, then strained to make a puree-no tomatoes. Green sauce is usually made from fresh chilies, with onions and spices. And these sauces can be HOT! 

My first experience with New Mexico cuisine was many years ago, when moving from Ohio to the southwest for the first time, to attend graduate school in Arizona. We had stopped at a little New Mexico roadside diner in Truth or Consequences for lunch, the kind of spot that has strings of dried chiles hanging from the outside patio. My palate had a reputation for enjoying the hottest of the Tex-Mex food common in the Midwest, so I approached my red enchiladas without fear. But soon, this farm girl was pretending that she wasn’t really crying. Because that red sauce was painful! But it was a good kind of pain, as only one who loves the heat can understand. I’ve been a fan of New Mexico style ever since.

This black bean soup isn’t really hot; but the backbone of the flavor is green chile salsa verde. Further spiced with cumin, coriander and a touch of cayenne, this is a deliciously warming soup. While not an authentic New Mexican dish, the flavor of green chile, tomatillo and cilantro always transports my taste buds to T or C, if just for a few minutes. 

Green chile black bean soup is a great dish to have around, protein rich and nutritious.  I typically serve it with salad and crackers for dinner.  Augmented with a corn muffin or crackers and cheese, it makes a great lunch. I usually cook a pot of black beans in advance for this dish, but if canned beans are used, it’s a very quick cooking soup. The green chili essence comes from Hatch chili powder and jalapeño pepper, but a can of diced green chilies can be substituted if Hatch powder is unavailable in your locale. Canned tomatillos can be used as well, if your local produce department doesn’t carry the fresh ones. 

Living now in southeastern Arizona, New Mexico is only a few hours away and we’ve taken a number of jaunts to Silver City, T or C, Gallup and Santa Fe. Don’t even get me started on the charms of Santa Fe… While each trip is unique, all of them are chock full of dishes made with these chiles. Might be time to make soup, and plan another trip!

bowl of black bean soup with garnishes
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Green Chili Black Bean Soup

Rich and earthy soup of black turtle beans, seasoned with green chilies coriander and spices.
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time45 minutes
Total Time1 hour 15 minutes
Course: Soup
Cuisine: Southwestern
Keyword: black beans, Hatch green chili
Servings: 6

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp olive oil, garlic infused may add a clove of diced garlic
  • 1/2 cup onion, diced
  • 1/2 cup fennel, diced
  • 1 medium jalapeno pepper, diced
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 4 1/2 cups cooked black beans home cooked or canned
  • 1 1/2 cups tomatillo, chopped fresh or canned
  • 4 cups vegetable broth
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp coriander
  • 1 tsp Hatch green chili powder can substitute a can of green chilies
  • 1/4 tsp cayenne
  • 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
  • salt to taste depends on the beans used
  • 1 tbsp lime juice
  • 1 cup cilantro, chopped

Optional Garnishes

  • broken tortilla chips
  • additional cilantro
  • grated Cheddar
  • sliced avocado

Instructions

  • In a large soup pot, heat the garlic oil over medium high heat. Add the onion, fennel, jalapeño, thyme and oregano. Salt lightly, and sauce for several minutes to soften the vegetables. If using canned beans, drain, rinse and add to the pot. If using home cooked beans, drain, reserving the cooking liquid, and add the beans to the pot. Stir in the vegetable broth. If using home cooked beans, bean cooking liquid can be substituted for some of the broth, if desired. Stir in the cumin, coriander, chile powder, and cayenne. Taste for salt at this point. The beans used may already be salted. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 30-45 minutes.
  • Stir in the 1 cup chopped cilantro, and blend the the soup as smooth or chunky as preferred. An immersion blender works well, or a blender can be used. If using a blender, blend in small batches with the steam cover removed. Reheat the soup and stir in the lime juice. Taste for salt, and add if desired. Serve in large bowls, topped with your choice of garnishes.

Notes

  • Nutrition per 1/ 1/2-cup serving:
  • 234 calories
  • Total Fat: 4.3 g
  • Sat Fat: 0.8 g
  • Cholesterol: 0 mg
  • Sodium: 820 mg
  • Total Carbohydrate: 34.8  g
  • Dietary Fiber: 12.4
  • Total Sugars: 1 g
  • Protein: 15.3 g

White Vegetable Chili 

(With chicken… or not)

White Vegetable Chili

Unilever, a huge international food processing company, has released a report recommending people switch to a plant based diet. While the report says all the right things about health and sustainability, my suspicion is that we are approaching a tipping point. A point at which the market for plant based foods has grown so substantially that the future of big food might just have to include plants… albeit highly processed plants. As a plant predominant eater, I appreciate the occasional plant based burger or ice cream bar, but these processed foods are not my foundation dishes.

What are my mainstays? It appears that I’m a relatively new breed of plant based eater, since many of the plant based recipes I find tend toward the mushy and bland. Or leave me ravenous half an hour after I’ve eaten. I’m searching for well-developed recipes using primarily whole food plant ingredients. Said dishes must be delicious: balanced, harmonious in taste and well seasoned, with depth of flavor and pleasing texture. I’m also pretty insistent that they contain the balance of protein, complex carb and fat that I’ve always required in my dietary selections. We are admittedly foodies in this house-piling a few vegetables atop a bowl of grain, however whole it may be, is not going to cut it. 

Which has left me to my own recipe development devices… but I am slowly amassing a repertoire of recipes that make meal planning feel possible. The fact that we are still omnivores is quite helpful. A small amount of meat or cheese can make an amazing difference in the taste and texture of a dish, demonstrated by the “flip the ratio” strategy I’m using today. Most entrees contain hefty amounts of animal protein with a few token veggies. But if I adjust dishes such that the vegetables provide the heft and the meat or cheese is the token, these recipes can be real winners. 

I love a good white chicken chili, but most feature large portions of chicken, a few white beans and a can of green chilies. My taste buds crave the particular essence of green chili, not the chicken. To flip the ratio, swap the chicken for onion, fennel, tomatillo and zucchini; increase the measure of creamy white beans, providing the protein heft; and wheat berries, to deliver both protein and a pop of texture. White miso and balsamic vinegar supply the depth.  When I want the chili to include chicken, I use chicken broth and add in a few ounces of cooked chicken. If not, we use “no-chicken broth” and skip the chicken. TBH, I’m happy with either version of white vegetable chili, as long as the smoky heat of green chili prevails.

 Before trying this, you should probably know that I crave the heat in just about everything I eat. What’s my desired level of heat on a scale of 1-5? 5. So I’ve been careful to moderate the heat in this recipe. Feel free to spice it up or down to your liking. I’m using a combination of fresh Hatch green chilies and Hatch chili powder. Hatch green chilies come quite specifically from Hatch, New Mexico, but they are basically the same as the Anaheim green chili, just with more heat. Anaheims are more readily available, and if need be, one can always use the little can of green chilies. The farmer’s market here has also spoiled my chili loving soul with the roasting stand, at which I can purchase freshly roasted chilies and chili powders of all varieties. However, Hatch green chili powder is available for order from various spice companies, and of course from the ever-ready Amazon. Increase the red pepper flakes if the Hatch powder doesn’t happen to reside in your spice drawer. 

I’ll be searching for hot weather dishes all too soon enough, but this soup warms me to my core on the chilly nights of a desert winter. I suspect it might do the same for you, wherever you happen to be spending your winter evenings.  

White Vegetable Chili
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5 from 1 vote

White Vegetable Chili

Warming white bean chili with vegetables and Hatch chilies
Prep Time45 minutes
Cook Time45 minutes
Total Time1 hour 30 minutes
Course: Entree, Soup
Cuisine: Southwestern
Keyword: Hatch green chili, vegetables
Calories: 233kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp garlic infused olive oil can add fresh garlic, if desired
  • 3/4 cup chopped onion
  • 3/4 cup chopped fennel
  • 1/2 cup chopped Hatch green chili can substitute Anaheim
  • 1 cup chopped tomatillo
  • 1 medium zucchini, chopped in 1/4-inch pieces
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp pepper
  • 1 basil leaf
  • 1/2 tsp ground cumin
  • 1/2 tsp ground coriander
  • 3/4 tsp dried oregano
  • 1/2 tsp chili flake
  • 1 tsp Hatch green chili powder
  • 2 cups cooked white beans, home cooked or canned
  • 2 1/2 cups broth, Chicken or Vegetable
  • 3/4 cup cooked wheat berries could substitute farro or quinoa
  • 4 oz cooked, chopped chicken optional
  • 1 tsp white miso
  • 1 tsp white balsamic vinegar

Instructions

  • In a large soup pot, heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Stir in the onion, fennel and green chili to coat with oil. Sauté for several minutes, until the vegetables begin to soften. Add the tomatillo, zucchini, seasonings, beans and broth. Bring to boil, then reduce to simmer for 30 to 40 minutes to cook the vegetables and blend flavors. Mash a few of the beans in the pot to thicken, if desired. When the vegetables are tender, stir in the wheat berries and chicken, if using. Just prior to serving, mix the miso and vinegar, and stir into the soup. Heat through to serve. 
     

Notes

Total fat: 6 g
Cholesterol: 22 mg
Sodium: 683 mg
Total Carbohydrate: 31.4 g   Dietary fiber 8.9 g  Total sugars: 3.8 g
Protein: 16 g

My Big Fat Greek-ish Salad

Greek-ish Salad

I think of briny, salty feta as a gateway cheese. In my farm days, Cheddar slices with the occasional Swiss or Muenster were the norm, but then feta hit my tongue, and wham! Suddenly cheeses with names like Manchego, Sartori and Pecorino took up residence in my fridge’s cheese drawer. I’m not sure where I met feta, or when I experienced my first Greek salad. It was probably on my senior class trip, for which my rebellious graduating class insisted on planning a trip to Atlanta, rather than settling for the principal’s annual canned trip to New York City. There we were, several girlfriends and I, in an Underground Atlanta Greek restaurant. Given our small town upbringing, both the menu and the belly dancing were pretty much Greek to us! I have to admit to being a foodie even at the ripe old age of 18 though, for the lasting impression I carried from that experience was the lusciousness of the cheesy pastitsio I ordered for dinner.  

Cheese is evidently somewhat addicting. Casein, the dairy protein in cheese, is broken down by the body into casomorphins, which bind to the dopamine receptors in the brain. Pleasurable sensations result, causing one to want more and more cheese. While I have little difficulty passing by on the meat, cheese is a different matter entirely. However, soft cheeses like feta are high in lactose, the milk sugar that I struggle to digest. Cheese is also high in saturated fat… Soooo, I find myself attempting to minimize it a bit. I am trying to include cheese in my cooking as I do meat-using just a little to flavor and enhance the plant-based foods that are becoming the mainstays of our meals. 

Greek salad is a delicious, cooling and substantial summer salad, starring olives, pepperoncini, tomatoes and cucumbers, but usually heavy on the feta.  My Greek salad is a reinvention, adding marinated lentils for healthy protein and sautéed lemon for acidity, while reducing the amount of feta. I also nixed the cucumber, another ingredient that challenges the digestion.  Admittedly no self-respecting Greek would allow such an omission, but fortunately I’m not Greek.  You can keep it in the salad if you must. Hang onto the tomatoes, pepperoncini and red onion, and add a few croutons or toasted walnuts for crunch. Greek style vinaigrette, seasoned with thyme and oregano binds all the ingredients together.   While I prefer to bake the feta until golden and soft, we avoid turning on the oven at dinnertime because it’s already hot as hell in the kitchen here in the desert summer.  It’s microwaved in short bursts, just ‘til warm and softened. 

The finished salad is balanced, satisfying and beautiful on the plate. The components can all be made ahead and combined when ready to serve. My Greek-ish salad joins our collection of hot weather dinner salads that whet the appetite on hot days.  Sizzling weather is no longer confined to the desert southwest, you know; it’s pretty much everywhere. Next time it’s too hot to cook, put this salad on the menu. The belly dancing, however, is optional…

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My Big Greek-ish Salad

Cool crisp Greek style salad with sauteed lemon, marinated lentils and warm feta.
Prep Time45 minutes
Total Time45 minutes
Course: Entree, Entree Salad
Cuisine: Greek
Keyword: feta, salad
Servings: 4 people

Ingredients

Salad

  • 1 lemon, sliced paper thin
  • Olive oil
  • 1 cup cooked lentils 1/2 cup dry, or from a can
  • 8 cups salad greens I use a mix of arugula and spring mix
  • 1/2 cup Kalamata olives, sliced
  • 1/2 cup sliced jarred pepperoncini
  • 1 cup halved grape tomatoes
  • 4 thin slices red onion, separated into rings
  • 1/4 cup toasted walnut pieces can substitute crisp croutons
  • 6 ounces feta cheese

Dressing

  • 1/3 cup quality extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 1/2 Tbsp lemon juice
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/8 tsp freshly ground pepper
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper

Instructions

  • Heat a non-stick skillet over medium high heat. Brush the lemon slices with olive oil, then brown lightly on each side. Remove and set aside. Cool, then cut slices into quarters. 
  • Whisk the dressing ingredients together and add 1 tablespoon of the dressing to the prepared lentils.  Stir through and set aside to marinate. 
  • When ready to serve, toss the lettuces, olives, pepperoncini, tomatoes, red onion, walnuts and reserved lemon slices together. Place the feta squares onto a plate and microwave for 10-second bursts until warmed. Drizzle 1 teaspoon of dressing over the feta, then toss the remaining with the salad. Portion salad evenly onto four plates. Arrange the lentils over the salad, and top each with a square of feta. 

Pinto Beans with Mole Spices and Chili Corn Cakes

Pinto Beans with Mole spices and Chili Corncakes

Eat food. Not too much. Mostly Plants. 

                                                                        Michael Pollan

It appears, from most of what I’m reading these days, that plant based diversity leads to a healthier gut. And heaven only knows I could use one of those! Apparently though, plant based diversity relies a bit more than I care for upon … beans. These little packages burst with low fat protein, antioxidants, and folate. Lower one’s risk of heart disease and cancer. Help stabilize blood glucose. I once heard them described as “nature’s scrub brush for the intestines.” Americans are urged to substitute beans for some of the animal foods we love to love. But you know, those beans are kind of bland… and hard to digest for one with a not-so-healthy-gut.

I did not grow up eating beans, honestly. My mom’s home baked beans from scratch were amazingly good, dressed up with bacon and brown sugar. But these were only made when there would be many people to eat them, such as at a family get-together. My dad had miserable ulcers and other digestive difficulties, and beans were simply not the best idea, or so it seemed. We didn’t want him eating too many of those leftovers!  Living with many of these same issues, I’ve avoided them for years; however, I’ve discovered that in addition to soaking, sprouting makes them pretty digestible, while simultaneously releasing tremendous amounts of nutrients. Which is, sigh, what I need. And wouldn’t ya just know, my husband loves the little nuggets…

So beans are making an appearance a time or two a week, either in a starring or supporting role. But they need flavor! Spices! Heat! Smoke!  Or something… to make them taste delicious. Bacon and brown sugar decidedly make them tasty, but those ingredients carry a lot of baggage these days. I’m looking in other directions. So the beans are simmered in beer with chopped onions, then seasoned with a mole influenced spice mix. Now, true mole sauce contains fruit, dried chilies, nuts and spices and takes most of the day to prepare, leaving in its wake a sink of dirty pans along with the use of every appliance in one’s kitchen. I know, having made it in my younger, more ambitious days. It is decidedly delectable and is usually the center of the plate, but it’s a bit of a pain to make.  Which is why we’re going with the much simpler “mole influenced” spice blend. Heck, we’re already messing with cooking beans from scratch, and there’s only so much more going to happen. Oh! Did I neglect to mention that the bowls of beans are topped with chili-spiced corn cakes? 

The dish turned out to be quite delicious, even for me. The beans are served with generous amounts of smoky broth, just waiting to moisten the corn cakes with every bite. This one takes some time, so I’d save it for a chilly day at home, in which you have time to cook. And remember-beans are good for you!

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Pinto Beans with Mole Spices and Chili Corncakes

Simmered pinto beans with rich flavor of mole, topped with fluffy corn pancakes.
Prep Time1 hour
Cook Time1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time3 hours
Course: Entree
Cuisine: American, Mexican
Keyword: corncakes, mole, pinto beans
Servings: 4

Ingredients

  • 1 cup dry pinto beans, soaked for 8 hours
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1/2 cup diced onion
  • 3/4 cup dark beer
  • 3/4 cup vegetable broth
  • 2 cups water
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 cup minced cilantro
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 1/2 tsp ancho chile powder or substitute chile powder
  • 1 1/2 tsp chipotle chile powder or 1 teaspoon chopped chipotle in adobo
  • 2 tsp cocoa
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 2 tsp brown sugar
  • 1 tbsp almond flour
  • 2/3 cup cornmeal
  • 1/3 cup flour
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp sugar
  • 1/2 tsp soda
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp chipotle chile powder or 1 teaspoon chopped chipotle in adobo
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 tsp olive oil
  • 1/3 cup sour cream, crema or cashew cream

Instructions

Pinto Beans

  • In a large saucepan, saute the onions in the olive oil until translucent. Add the beans, beer, broth, and water. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer, cooking until tender, about 1 hour. While the beans cook, prep the mole spices. When the beans are just tender, add the 1/2 teaspoon salt, 2-3 tablespoons of mole spice mix and the cilantro. Cover and simmer on low heat for 20 minutes while preparing the corncakes.

Mole Spices

  • Heat the 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add the remaining ingredients through the almond flour. Saute for several minutes to bloom the spices, then stir in the 1/2 cup water and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring to combine. Set aside.

Chile Corn Cakes

  • In a medum bowl, combine the dry ingredients. In a second bowl, blend the buttermilk, egg and oil. Preheat the griddle and grease lightly. Combine the wet with the dry ingredients. Scoop 1/4-cup portions onto the griddle and bake several minutes, until browned on the bottom and bubbles appear on the top. Flip the cakes, baking several minutes until set and browned on the second side. Remove to a plate.

Assembly

  • Combine the sour cream with 2 tablespoons of the mole spices. Portion the beans and broth into bowls. Drizzle with the seasoned sour cream. Top the bowl with 2 chile corncakes, and serve.

Pumpkin Walnut Soup

I can still see the disgust on Dad’s face as he surveyed his garden, following whatever the current disaster might be. The green beans aren’t setting, the tomatoes aren’t ripening, the garden pests are devouring the cabbage, the garden is under water… a gardener’s woes are myriad. The solution to all of these problems is usually to just eat more zucchini. Because there will always be too much zucchini, regardless of the weather or pesky insects, and it will need to be eaten immediately.

But these problems pale in comparison to a farmer’s woes, due to operational scale.  I’ve always thought of our family farm as a “gentleman’s farm”; my dad had a day job in the city which provided our income. While he spent most spare moments puttering around the farm and gardening, our income wasn’t dependent on crops. A neighboring farmer cultivated the acreage, with dad getting a share of the profit. When there was one, most probably.

Our Community Supported Agriculture farmer here in Arizona is having one of those years with myriad woes. The excruciatingly hot summer slowly gave way to an excessively warm fall, in which the usual seasonal crops foundered. Given that zucchini is out of season, we are eating bounteous amounts of pumpkin and winter squash, for which I suspect the farmer had other plans… but sadly, it’s still 2020. At least, winter squash keeps longer than zucchini!

We have roasted, mashed and pureed. Our Thanksgiving pumpkin pie was actually made from locally grown pumpkin. And we’ve made several batches of Pumpkin Walnut Soup. I’ve long been a fan of soups starring winter squash, but like many vegetable dishes, don’t find them filling enough to be the star of the plate. Given that my soup meal is usually soup and salad, this particular soup needed to buck up and develop some heartiness. Which it did, with a small addition of white beans and toasted walnuts. The beans provide protein and the walnuts bring in healthy fat and delicious flavor.  Savory, herbaceous and warm, crowned with a crisp topping, this is delicious soup.

It matters not if you are inundated with winter squash from the garden… there’s a plentiful supply this time of year at your local grocer. However you obtain your squash, this soup fits the bill for a warming winter meal.

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Pumpkin Walnut Soup

Warming, savory winter squash soup, enhanced with bean puree and walnuts.
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time1 hour
Course: Soup
Cuisine: American
Keyword: pumpkin, walnut
Servings: 6

Ingredients

  • 1 2.5-3 lb sugar pumpkin or winter squash
  • 3/4 cup chopped onion
  • 3/4 cup chopped fennel
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 3/4 tsp dried thyme
  • 3/4 tsp dried sage
  • 3/4 tsp dried rosemary
  • 3/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
  • 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 bay leaf, crumbled
  • 1/2 cup walnut pieces
  • 1/2 cup cooked white beans
  • 3 cups vegetable broth
  • 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • 2 tbsp crisp croutons or toasted bread crumbs
  • 2 tbsp chopped parsley

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 400° F. 
  • Cut the pumpkin in half and scoop out the seeds. Peel andchop into 1-inch chunks. Toss the pumpkin, onion and fennel with the olive oiland spices, through the bay leaf. Turn onto a sheet pan, and roast for 20-25minutes, until tender.
  • Meanwhile, place the walnuts into a pie dish, and toast alongside the vegetables for 5-7 minutes, until fragrant; remove and cool slightly. Chop 2 tablespoons of the walnuts and reserve.
  • When tender, combine the vegetables, 1-½ cups of the broth, the beans and remaining walnuts in a blender. Blend until smooth. Pour into a saucepan and thin to desired consistency with remaining broth. Stir in the balsamic vinegar and heat slowly to a simmer.
     
  • Combine the croutons, parsley and reserved chopped walnutsin a small bowl. Ladle the soup into bowls, and sprinkle the topping over thetop, and serve.

Notes

  • Nutrition
  • Calories: 292
  • Total fat: 16.9 g
  • Sat fat: 1.7 g
  • Cholesterol: 0 g
  • Sodium: 998 mg
  • Total carb: 29.6 g
  • Fiber: 9.8 g
  • Total Sugars: 4.8 g
  • Protein: 9.6 g

Smoky Grilled Vegetables with Haloumi and Olive Chermoula

Steaks, chops, burgers, sausage, BACON! Yes, considerable quantities of meat were served on the farm. In the early years, the folks raised both cattle and hogs. Daddy was comfortable enough with the whole mess to butcher a hog himself, memorable because I was permitted to poke around in what would later become the cracklins…which my mother didn’t let us eat anyway; perhaps because I had poked around in them, more likely because they were fried and contained copious amounts of fat. Or because they were actually intestines presented under the much happier moniker of “pork rinds,“ perhaps? And Daddy certainly knew his way around butchering chickens, tying several by their feet onto the clothesline, before giving them the Marie Antoinette treatment. Cattle were sent out to a processing house, returning home in innocent, neatly labeled butcher paper packages to reside in the freezer until eaten.

Given this background, it’s a bit of a shock that I am… well… somewhat squeamish about preparing meat. I suspect there would be many more vegetarians if meat had to be raised and killed in order to eat it. As a home economics teacher, it always cracked me up that students did not know that meat is the muscle of an actual animal; several vegetarians were born each year during the “meat unit.”

I ate a largely vegetarian diet for several years; not a particularly good one, relying substantially on pasta, cheese and eggs. Might have been a few veggies mixed in there somewhere… And no one was fooled-my husband and kids chowed down on meat in any situation in which it was offered. Like, for instance, my husband’s clandestine visits to the Taco Bell on the route home from work. We returned to a meatier diet on the advice of the dietician after my daughter’s diagnosis of Type 1 diabetes.

Today? Plant based diets are everywhere. While one group questions the carbs, others question the meat. The issues of health, agriculture and sustainability have juxtaposed at this unique moment, causing people to more closely examine what they are eating. Meatless meals have grown beyond fad status-they are now downright chic. Several restaurants in our city offer only vegetarian or vegan menus. Heaven help us, even fast food purveyors are filling buns with realistic meatless patties doused in special sauce. Personally, we have come to a place where we eat two or three meatless dinners a week, this time featuring more whole grains, legumes, nuts and seeds, along with the requisite vegetables. Often, small amounts of meat or cheese are used, primarily as a condiment rather than as entrée.

One meatless dish we prepare that was greeted with enthusiasm by the whole family was simple grilled vegetables with sliced cheese and good bread. A variety of vegetables to suit everyone’s taste could be included, and the veggies developed a delicious smoky char from the grill. This recipe is an adult take, vegetables marinated with abundant herbs and topped with an olive chermoula. The browned Haloumi cheese cubes become chewy croutons, and the crispy chickpeas offer up the perfect crunch. This is a versatile dish, which can be served on its own, over a whole grain of choice, or with good bread on the side. It’s a great late summer meal.

While we still eat meat, the husband does much of the knife wielding. I might add though, that I continue to chop a mean vegetable.

Smoky Grilled Vegetables
Print Recipe

Smoky Grilled Vegetables with Haloumi and Olive Chermoula

Lightly charred vegetables with an olive and herb dressing, Haloumi croutons and crisp chickpeas
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Servings: 4 ser
Author: Mary Kay Allen

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup garlic infused olive oil
  • 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
  • 2 tsp freshly grated lemon zest
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp ground coriander
  • 1/2 tsp thyme leaves
  • 3/4 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
  • 1 tsp chili flake
  • 3 lbs. vegetables, sliced for grilling; eggplant, red bell pepper, zucchini, red onion, portobello mushroom

  • 3 tbsp chopped green olives
  • 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
  • 2 tbsp chopped parsley
  • 6 oz Haloumi cheese
  • 1/4 cup crispy chickpeas

Instructions

  • Combine olive oil through chili flake in a
    medium bowl and whisk until well blended.
    Remove and reserve 1/3 cup of the mixture to make the
    chermoula, and brush/pour the remainder over the sliced vegetables. Marinate up
    to several hours.




  • Combine the reserved marinade with the olives, cilantro, parsley
    and 2 tablespoons water to make the chermoula.


     














  • Prepare a gas or charcoal grill for the vegetables. Start
    them over the hottest area to char, then move around to the edges of the grill
    to soften and become tender.








  • Slice the Haloumi into ½-inch and brown on all sides in a medium
    hot skillet.








  • Arrange the vegetables attractively on a platter and spoon
    the chermoula over them.  Place the
    browned cubes of Haloumi randomly over the vegetables. Sprinkle with the crunchy chickpeas and serve.


     






 

 

 

 

 

Mexican Rice and Black Bean Salad

 

More and final musings on “Why Cook?”

I have been a lifelong cook, primarily because I enjoy it. I enjoy being creative with flavors; when I am playing with my food, one never knows-could be tremendous, could be horrendous…I am thankful that I can cook, though, because over the years I have had to accommodate diet for varying medical conditions.

My mother prepared at least two variations on the meal each evening. One was for my father, who had ulcers along with then unknown IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) and reflux disease. Since next to nothing was actually known about these digestive issues, his diet was bland; picture a hospital tray prepared with a bit of my mother’s finesse. For the rest of us, the meal was usually a bit more inspired, and certainly better seasoned. Today, many people need food prepared for specific dietary concerns, more than ever before.

I have learned the hard way, several times over. When my beautiful daughter was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes at the grand old age of eleven, the whole family was thrown into a tizzy. During her week in the hospital, all we managed to learn was how to give practice shots to oranges. (And not very well, at that.) Our first post-diagnosis grocery trip took hours, as my husband and I studied nutrition labels in horror. What in heaven’s name had we been eating up to then? I was so grateful at that point that I not only knew how to cook, my bachelor’s degree had included concentrated study in the science of food and nutrition. Because now, each and every gram of carbohydrate had to be accounted for to figure the exact dose of insulin, and there were limits to the grams of carb that could be eaten at each meal. Let’s see, there’s 13 grams of carb in a cup of milk, 24 grams in ¼ cup of flour… Uh, yeah. We stockpiled cookbooks and magazines in which the carb counts were already included. If you made changes to the recipe, the carbs had to be re-calculated…

Fast forward to now. While conditions like IBS and reflux disease supposedly don’t have a basis in genetics, I have followed in the old man’s footsteps with both, and my unfortunate adult son is well on the way to following mine. I have spent years trying to decipher what might explain my digestive issues and what I should and should not be eating. Be careful for what you ask! My new gastroenterologist pointed me in the direction of the FODMAP elimination diet, which made more than clear that several classes of carbs were culprits. So I am back to cooking for specific dietary needs, now for myself.

Enter this salad. A recipe for kidney bean and rice salad has long been a favorite of my husband. But beans? Hard to digest. And garlic as the major seasoning? Can’t digest that either. Yes, you heard that right. I can use garlic infused oil, but no cloves of garlic. Compensating for the loss of that strong a flavor basically meant starting over. Time to play with the food…     A Mexican flavor profile has the potency to substitute for the garlic heavy French one. Sprouting powerfully improves both the digestibility and available nutrition of beans, and I receive easy-to-sprout fresh black beans in my CSA box.* Black beans and corn in tandem are delicious. Add in some roasted poblanos, diced serranos, and avocado. Dinner is done and everyone can eat it. And thankfully, there are no hospital trays in sight!

Print Recipe

Mexican Rice and Black Bean Salad

Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time45 minutes
Total Time1 hour 15 minutes
Course: Entree Salad
Servings: 4 -6 servings

Ingredients

  • 1-½ cups cooked brown rice
  • 2 cups cooked black beans from dry beans or canned
  • 2 ears of corn stripped from the cob (can use canned or frozen)
  • 1 roasted poblano pepper chopped
  • ¼ cup diced red bell pepper
  • 1 tablespoon diced Serrano pepper
  • ¼ cup sliced celery
  • 1 scallion thinly sliced
  • Dressing
  • 2 tablespoons garlic infused oil can substitute fresh diced garlic clove and olive oil
  • 1- tablespoon lime juice
  • 2 teaspoons orange juice
  • pinch each of salt pepper, cumin and oregano
  • Avocado and tomato for serving

Instructions

  • Combine all ingredients through scallions in a large mixing bowl. Whisk together the dressing ingredients, toss with the salad and chill. Serve on plates with sliced tomato and avocado.

 

*I start with the freshest dry beans I can find. The beans I get in my CSA box are always fresh and sprout easily. I also have had good performance from Rancho Gordo beans, available online at  https://www.ranchogordo.com/ 

Using a quart jar with a sprouting jar strainer lid, soak the beans for 8 hours, then strain the water. Rinse and strain the beans 3-4 times a day until small white plant sprouts appear. Cook as usual.