Homemade Vidalia Onion Poppy Seed Vinaigrette

1/4c rice vinegar
1/4 cup white vinegar
1 egg yolk
1-1/2 TB dijon mustard (I used Koop's)(Grey Poupon not recommended for this particular recipe)
1-1/2 TB white sugar
1-1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper (coarse ground is ideal)
1/2 medium clove garlic, grated
zest of 1/2 lemon
one 1-1/2" to 2" wide wedge vidalia onion, grated
1 TB blue poppy seeds
1-1/2c good quality olive oil

1. Whisk together all ingredients but the olive oil and the poppy seeds until well-blended.  This mixture may get foamy.  That is okay.  It will dissipate.

2.  Continue  whisking, being careful to whisk continuously and in a circular motion.  Meanwhile, pour in a thin, steady stream of olive oil into the mixture while continuing to whisk in the same manner.

3. Continue this process until all of the olive oil has been blended into the dressing.  You should have a nice creamy emulsion.   Continue whisking while adding in the poppy seeds.

4. Once all ingredients are uniformly incorporated, taste to be sure that you do not need to adjust the salt, sugar, or mustard level.  Pour into a mason jar, refrigerate and enjoy.  This recipe is great the day of, but even better when made a day ahead.

15 Minute Hearty, Healthy Meal --Hummus and Fresh Veggie Wraps

I don't know about you, but my week is typically pretty busy.  I love to cook, but cooking when I'm stressed is no picnic.  Cooking when my heart isn't in it just never seems to go well.  Nonetheless, I believe in preparing your own food at home with quality, fresh ingredients.  Every now and then, throwing in a very select few canned ingredients, however, can make you a rock star in the kitchen in mere minutes.

The only two things that I buy in a can are tomato products of all kinds and chickpeas.  The tomato products--crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, whole plum tomatoes, tomato sauce, and tomato paste--are for making pasta sauce, soups and stews, or to make up part of a number of Latin creole sauces, particularly in the case of the tomato paste.  Why the chickpeas?  First off, I loved chickpeas, and they're an excellent source of protein.  The canned chickpeas allow me to throw together a batch of hummus in no time.  I usually try to keep two cans on hand at any given time.  Yes, I do make chickpeas from dried beans as well, but having a quick meal option on hand is a must for me.

For my hummus, I use the about.com Greek recipe.  It's flavorful, delicious, and beats the pants off of any junk from a supermarket, premium or not.  Trust me, there's no comparison to homemade hummus.  My all-time favorite thing to do with hummus is my hummus veggie wraps, an idea inspired by a delicious meal that I had with an old teacher of mine who used to invite me over for dinner when I was in college since she too had moved for her husband to attend business school.  The concept is simple--fluffy naan, pita, or flour wraps spread with hummus, topped with lettuce, steamed veggies, and any other veggies or herbs of your choice.  Wrap it all up and, voila!  Dinner is served!  I can't think of a better way to make quick use of the garden's bounty!  If you're gluten-free, I highly recommend the pliable, tender Toufayan gluten-free regular wrap.  The spinach one is quite a bit more brittle.

Before you go scoffing at vegetarian meals, let me tell you that this meal is not only healthy and balanced, but it is hearty, even when made with super thin wraps.  My carnivore husband hated vegetables when we got married, and he is now a true convert.  He asked me to make him fresh veggie wraps every day for a week!  That's how much he loved them.  Do you know what else?  My husband enjoys a good, quality beer after the most stressful days at work, but he told me that the veggie wraps were so light and refreshing that they were his beer after a stifling hot and humid day.  As a wife who wants to see her husband eat well, that truly made my heart smile.

This is a super easy, very flexible recipe.  Change it up and make it yours.  Use whatever you have around.  Don't hesitate to take this delicious meal with you on your next picnic or pack it in your work or school lunch.  You won't regret it!

Hummus and Fresh Veggie Wraps

Ingredients

naan, pocketless pita, or flour wraps (gluten-free use Toufayan)

green or red leaf lettuce (or romaine with hard end removed)

Steamed broccoli, chopped into thirds or quarters lengthwise

steamed carrots, sliced

black olives, halved (I also like Pearls brand fresh cured green olives)

Fresh cucumber, sliced and cut into thirds

Fresh roma tomatoes, sliced (halved cherry tomatoes are great too)

Palmful of whole, cooked chickpeas (optional, sometimes I want to keep another full can on hand)

a few sprigs fresh cilantro, optional

salt and pepper to taste

Procedure

1. Microwave or griddle wrap until tender and pliable.

2. Spread on a fairly thin layer of hummus

3. Top with desired veggies and season well with salt and a touch of pepper.  Roll, wrap in parchment for minimal mess, and enjoy!

Spice it up!
Never be afraid to make changes.  Sub the hummus with refried beans and add in pickled jalapeno  and cheese and griddle your prepared wrap with butter.  Add the cucumbers after heating.

Make a different type of hummus.  Add in roasted red peppers, roasted garlic, or roasted tomato.  I've even seen a pumpkin hummus.

Change up the herbs.  Try basil or parsley instead of cilantro.

Add in pickled banana peppers or sun dried tomatoes.

Throw in a few raisins for a tasty touch of sweetness.

Spread on a streak of fig preserves down the middle.  The touch of sweetness is great!

Tips:
You can find tahini, hummus, and pocketless pita at your local Indian or even Middle Eastern market.

I always rinse my canned chickpeas twice to reduce the amount of sodium.  I do the same with my olives, before storing them in a container.

Everything you Need to Know about Prepping and Cooking Dried Beans, Plus Tons of Recipes to Use Them in

I absolutely love any sort of legumes--chickpeas, lentils, red beans, navy beans, cranberry beans, the works!  I look forward to a good vegetarian meal based on beans, mmm mmm!  They're hearty, healthy, versatile, easy-to-make, and delicious!  For some reason, dried beans have gotten a bad reputation with even good cooks.  They've come to be known as finicky, difficult, or troublesome to make.    I hope that this recipe, along with some key tips will help change your mind and get you excited about putting on a pot of beans in your house.

How to Prep Dried Beans
The very first step when cooking dried beans is to sort them or pick out any deformed or split beans or any small stones that may be mixed in.  Once you sort the beans, give them a good rinse or two to clean them.  After cleaning, the next process is soaking.

When cooking dried beans, proper soaking is a must.  There are quick-soaking methods using boiling water and doing a thirty minute soak, but I find that for creamy, tender beans that remain whole during cooking rather than bursting out of their skins, a good, old-fashioned soak is best.  Quick soaks work in a pinch, but with a little planning, you can cook perfect, restaurant quality beans.

While salt is often discouraged during cooking because it is believed to harden the beans, it actually serves the opposite purpose during the soaking process.  For a 1 lb bag of dried beans, soak them in 10 cups of warm water with 2 TB of salt dissolved into it.  This trick comes from Cook's Illustrated and TheKitchn blog.  The salt makes for perfectly creamy beans with tender skins.  Be sure to soak for at least four hours, but overnight works just fine.  Even two days is okay.

How to Select Dried Beans
I found out the hard way that the date on beans matters, even if they aren't expired.  The closer the expiration date, the harder the beans, even if the date seems way far away.  Always, always, always check the date on your beans and get the one with the expiration date that is the furthest away.  That being said, at some stores, that doesn't help much because no one ever buys beans there.  Buy your beans where there is high turnover.  It makes all the difference.  Many times, I have cooked beans for hours upon hours and they never tenderized.  Thanks to a tip from TheKitchn, finally, I learned that the freshness of the beans impacts the cook time and their ability to tenderize.  On that note, don't go out stockpiling beans unless you plan on burning through them pretty quickly.  Don't buy beans unless you plan on using them with a reasonable amount of time.  Freshness matters, even with dried beans.

How to Cook Dried Beans
Before cooking your soaked beans, be sure to rinse off the soaking liquid.  This is important for ease of digestion, as the dried beans release a difficult-to-digest protein.  Rinsing helps to alleviate some of the digestive woes that some people face.  If you are one of those people, the more you eat beans, the less they will irritate your stomach.  The same is true of milk.

As far as cooking methods go, there are a few different options.  I will outline the advantages of each.

1. Pressure Cooker
This is my method of choice.  It's quick, it's easy, and it gives you creamy beans without the fuss.  I know you've all heard awful stories of pressure cooker mishaps, but these days, you can find them with a number of excellent safety features to prevent the horrible injuries of the past.  Just the same, be sure to follow the manual's instructions.  I strongly recommend the two burner method if you have an electric stove.  This means that you get the pressure cooker up to high on one burner as you have another burner going on low to medium, depending on what is being cooked and the type of cooker.  Once optimal pressure is achieved, move the pot to the lower heat burner and turn off the high heat burner.  The only disadvantage here is that you can't see how your beans are progressing.  This means that you have to find the cook time for your specific type of bean on one of the many pressure cooking time charts online.

2. Slow Cooker
A slow cooker ensures tender, whole beans every time.  The problem, however, is that it takes all day.  If you're in no rush, go for it.  You can always set your beans at night and wake up to a pot of cooked beans or start them first thing in the morning to enjoy them once you get home from work.  The advantage here is that you can watch your bean's cooking progress.  If you are using a less common bean, this is a great way to ensure that you don't ruin them.  You can always cook them on a Saturday and check on them after four hours, then every hour after that to be sure that they cook properly.

3. Stove Top Conventional Pot
This is a method that I strongly discourage.  I see people do it online sometimes, but unless you live in an area with super fresh dried beans (Yes, I realize that's a bit of a contradiction), then your beans will require far too long of a cook time for this method to be practical.  If you choose this method, you'd do everything the same as anything else that you cook, and I'd recommend a lid.  I suggest going with medium heat, but I've seen people do high heat all the way and still get whole beans.  I think this has a lot to do with having fresher beans than I'll ever get where I live, so choose your method accordingly.

How to Season Beans
I change my beans up all the time.  While my all time favorite beans are Colombian, I sometimes do Jamaican, Haitian, Nicaraguan, or even Cuban.  Below is a go-to recipe that is inspired by the Colombian version.  My favorite beans are the plump, tender, soft-skinned, mildly-flavored cranberry beans used in Colombian frijoles antioquen~os or beans Antioquia style.

Best Colombian-Inspired Cranberry Beans
1 lb soaked dried cranberry beans (not the same as kidney)
2 medium carrots
Mix of red, yellow orange, and or green bell peppers (equivalent to amount of 1 total bell pepper)
1 medium onion
2 green onions
2 cloves of garlic


Variations
1. 1/4 c fresh cilantro (added in last few minutes of cooking.  You can chop it or leave it whole and pull it out)

2. splash of bitter orange juice or vinegar (added in last minute or two of cooking)

3. 1 cup coconut milk, added into cooked beans and cooked 8-10 min or so more.

4.  Dominican style - No green onion, 2 TB tomato paste, cooked with 1 red onion, green pepper, couple sprigs each of cilantro and parsley, good pinch of dried oregano, onion, and garlic until darkened .  Add in after beans are tender and cook 8-10 min.  Add in small cubes buttercup squash from beginning of cooking (optional).  Sub all peppers for 1 cubanelle pepper, if available.  Add in a splash of bitter orange juice at end of cooking.

5. Colombian style - Use ham hock and part of liquid chicken stock, Add in 1 tsp cumin, cook green onion with 1 cup  fresh tomatoes and 1 TB olive oil.  Add in 1/4c fresh cilantro at end of cooking.

6. Haitian style -  no green onion, 5 whole cloves, few sprigs fresh parsley, 1 tsp or so thyme or equivalent in fresh thyme.  Sub onions for a few shallots, if available.  Add in 1 can coconut milk to cooked beans and cook for 8-10 minutes.

7. Mexican style - Add in stove top dry roasted and peeled peppers like poblano, ancho, serrano, jalapeno, etc along with roasted garlic and roasted onion.

8. Cuban style - All green bell peppers, no green onion, 2 tsp cumin, 1 bay leaf, ham hock or other smoked ham, add in small cubes buttercup squash from beginning of cooking.  May add a pinch of sugar, depending on type of bean.

9. Jamaican style - 1 can coconut milk with 2-3 sprigs fresh thyme, and 1 whole habanero pepper.  Add in spinner dumplings in last 15-20 min, optional.  These are long, finger shaped dumplings made only with flour, water, salt, and pepper, and no or very little fat in the way of butter (1 -2 tsp).

10. American style - cook with ham hock or smoked turkey leg, one whole onion, 1 clove garlic, 1 bay leaf, salt and pepper.

What to Do with All Those Beans
Beans are so incredibly versatile.  While I am perfectly happy with a pot of well-seasoned beans, there are so many other things to do with them.

1. Hearty Bean Soup Bowls
In Colombian cuisine, there is a deliciously inventive treat called frijoles antioquen~os made from a base of bean soup that is turned into a complete, balanced meal.  Top your bean soup with any or all of the following toppings: chunks of avocado, cooked fresh or frozen corn kernels, chopped crispy french fries, small fried pork chunks (or you can sub in other great meats like cooked oxtail, pig tail, ham hocks, or neck bones).  It sounds crazy, but it's truly amazing!  You get savory meat, sweet, crunchy corn, creamy beans and avocado chunks, and crispy fries and pork, yum!

2. Refried Beans
In 2 TB or so of oil, sautee about 1/4 onion and 1/4 green bell pepper, a clove of garlic, and, if desired, hot pepper.  Not all beans will need the extra seasoning, so if yours don't just use the oil and skip the rest.  Once veggies softened, if using, stir in about two cups of well-strained beans.  Cook over medium to medium high heat until any liquid evaporates, stirring constantly.  Smash beans with the bottom a flat, heat proof glass until smooth.  Stir beans until they form a big patty and no longer stick to the pan.  At this point, they're ready to enjoy!

I love refried beans with griddle tortilla, rice, and fried eggs for breakfast...or lunch, or dinner!  It's simple and satisfying.  You can use the refried beans as a side with rice or whatever else you like.  You could even make wraps as you would with hummus.  Just add in steamed veggies (broccoli, carrots, etc) either hot or cold,black olives, tomato lettuce, and even sour cream or cheese, if you like.

3. Cornmeal Country Bean Cakes
My mom was a skeptic, but she loves these.  In fact, everyone who has tried them does.  The crispy edges studded with creamy beans is the perfect textural juxtaposition, and the delicious corn flavor would please any good southerner.  If you like cornbread, you'll love these.  They're so easy and oh so very good!  Check out this great recipe from the Chickens in the Road blog.

4. Refried Bean Veggie Wraps
This is so easy and so very hearty and satisfying.  Once you make your refried beans, cover them and set them aside.  Using butter, lightly grease a hot pan over medium high heat.  Pass a flour wrap through the butter, being sure to coat both sides.  Be mindful, this is not even a tsp of butter.  Cook one side of the tortilla until bubbles up on the top and gets crispy, blistered and golden brown, spotted with dark brown on the bottom.  Flip the tortilla and repeat the cooking process.  Spread the pre-heated refried beans on your tortilla and top with steamed carrots, broccoli or whatever other cooked veggies you desire, along with  tomato, pickled jalapenos, and warmed and halved olives.  Feel free to add fresh herbs like cilantro or parsley here too.  Top with the shredded cheese of your choice, I used mozz.  Roll the wrap and griddle the seam and top in the hot pan until it sets in place and forms a crust and the cheese melts.  Here's the kicker, open up your wrap again and throw in cold chopped cucumbers.  They add a great crunch and a refreshing coolness.  Re-seal the wrap and enjoy!  Too good!

If you want something really hearty, spread the beans on thick.  It almost forms a meat-like texture and definitely gives you a full belly like meat.  If you're just too big of a carnivore, throw in some shredded chicken and call it a day.  Save your time and effort and just use a rotisserie chicken for an easy weeknight meal.  My carnivore husband loved this meatless and it fully satisfied his appetite without the double dose of beans.

5. Tostadas
Fry your own yellow tortilla or buy pre-fried tostadas at any supermarket.  Spread on a layer of refried beans then layer meat, sour cream, guac, lettuce, cheese, etc.  These can be an app. or a meal, depending on what you layer on it and how many you serve.  These are typically served with all cold ingredients, but hey, your food, your choice.  Be creative.

6. Bean Dip
We've all seen the 5 or 7 or 9 layer dips.  Think how wonderful yours would be with homemade, well-seasoned beans rather than some junk from a can.


How to Store Extra Beans
Finally, if you don't plan on using all of the beans within about five days, go ahead and freeze them on the same day as cooking.  Just pop them into a freezer bag.  It's worth making a big pot anytime you cook beans, and you'll be happy to be able to just thaw, heat, and eat them.

Let me know what you think.  How did you like the recipes?  Do you have any tips or tricks for beans?  How do you eat your beans?  What are your favorite beans?

References: http://www.mycolombianrecipes.com/how-to-make-frisoles-antioquenos, TheKitchn.com, http://chickensintheroad.com/cooking/country-bean-cakes/

Triple Squash Roasted Red Pepper "Spaghetti" and Marinara

Whether you have a garden this Summer, you're participating in a CSA, or you just enjoy the abundance of fresh US-grown veggies this time of year, this is an excellent hearty and healthy, put-it-together-in-a-flash weeknight meal.  Let's not forget how inexpensive it is too!  I couldn't believe how great this meal tasted.  I almost felt bad for how quickly it came together once the veggies were roasted.  Roasting veggies doesn't exactly take much effort or babysitting on the part of the cook, so I can't even really count that part.  You really don't even need to cook this sauce beyond simply warming it to desired serving temperature, if you opt not to add the wine.  The key here is quality canned tomatoes and roasting the veggies.  It brings out an unparalleled flavor that will have everyone begging for more!  No one else needs to know how little effort it took to pull together. Get ready to try a new family favorite!  Yum, yum, yum!

Ingredients
1 large can whole plum tomatoes in sauce (I recommend Hunt's or Kroger Private Selection)
1 large can crushed tomatoes  (I recommend Hunt's or Kroger Private Selection)
1 large spaghetti squash
1 large red bell pepper
2 pieces zucchini squash
2 pieces yellow summer squash (straight or crookneck)
1 fresh tomato, if you have it (no worries if you don't)
5 cloves of garlic, unpeeled
1 fistful of fresh basil (no dried!)
1 tsp crushed red pepper
about 1 TB salt (preferably sea salt)
lots of black pepper to taste (preferably coarse ground or freshly ground)
1/2 glass Chardonnay (optional)

Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 450 F

2.Split spaghetti squash in half length-wise and scoop out seeds. Drizzle with olive oil and season liberally with salt and pepper.  Place split-side down on a lined pan.

3. In a separate lined pan, place yellow squash, zucchini squash, red pepper, garlic, and tomato.  Drizzle with olive oil and season liberally with salt and pepper.  Spread in one even layer across pan.

4.  Bake spaghetti squash and mixed veggie pans uncovered until squashes (including spaghetti squash) are fork tender and other vegetables are roasted and soft to touch.
Note: Zucchini and yellow summer squash and other veggies may finish before spaghetti squash.  Remove from oven and set aside once done.

5. Once mixed veggies done, add peeled tomato, peeled garlic, peeled red pepper, basil, can of plum tomatoes, salt, and pepper to a blender or food processor and process until desired smoothness achieved.  I like mine uniform, but still somewhat chunky.  Yellow squash and zucchini will remain set aside.
Note: You may want to put tomato and roasted red pepper into a plastic bag once cooled someone and seal in steam for a few minutes to aid in removal of skin.

6. Allow spaghetti squash to cool.

7. Meanwhile, place pureed veggies, crushed tomatoes, and crushed red pepper, in a pot over medium heat and bring to a boil.  Season generously with salt and pepper.  Add in grated Parmesan to taste.  Adjust salt and pepper

8. At this point, the sauce is absolutely divine!  If you'd like, you can add in half a glass of wine.  I did Chardonnay.  Without the wine, the sauce is fresher tasting and, with it, it tastes deeper, richer.  I loved both ways.

9.  Gently stir in yellow squash and zucchini squash, along with any pan juices, and voila!  Serve a ladle-full of sauce on top of your spaghetti squash "pasta" and top with extra Parm, and you're done!  That simple :)  Enjoy :)

Fried Green Tomatoes *Gluten-Free and Standard Versions*

Ingredients
3 green tomatoes
1c stone ground yellow corn meal
1/8c potato starch*
1/8c pre-cooked cornmeal (such as harina PAN)*   **
1/4 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp turmeric
1 pinch dried oregano
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 dash garlic powder
1-1/2 tsp salt

1 egg
1/2c milk

oil for frying
*If you are not on a restricted diet, I recommend subbing these ingredients with unseasoned breadcrumbs for the ultimate crunch, yum!
**Found in the Latin aisle at most supermarkets or at your local Latin market

Procedure
1. Preheat oil to 375F.  You can deep fry or shallow fry for this recipe
2. Wash tomatoes, trim them, and slice them into thick rounds (about 1/4").
3. In a shallow bowl, blend together all dry ingredients until evenly combined.
4. In a separate shallow bowl, whisk together eggs and milk until well blended.
5. Place tomatoes in milk mixture, dredge them in flour mixture and shake off excess.  Take a second dip into both bowls and to the fryer we go!
6. Fry until golden brown, drain on a paper-towel-lined tray and enjoy :).

Bonus:  If you're a dipper, blend together your favorite mayo and a TB or two of prepared deli mustard with some of your favorite spices and there you have it.  If you have no idea what your favorite spices are, give some of the ones used above a try  ;).  Now you've got yourself a little remoulade!  Sounds fancy, no?  and to think, you didn't even know what your favorite spices were.

References: http://www.southernplate.com/2008/07/fried-green-tomatoes.html

Delicious Red Lentil Soup My Way

Ingredients
5 cups water
1 cup dried red lentils*
1 white or vidalia onion, chopped
2 cups chopped potatoes
1/4 red bell pepper, chopped
2 garlic cloves, left whole
1 indian finger chilli, chopped in half, width-wise
1 tsp fresh ginger, sliced
1 TB tomato paste
2 tsp salt
1/3 c chopped fresh cilantro, stems removed

*Found at your local Indian market

Procedure
1. Add first all ingredients, except cilantro, to a pot, cover and bring to a boil.

2. Lower heat and simmer 15-20 minutes or until lentils and vegetables are tender.

3. Stir in chopped cilantro.

4. Puree to desired texture in small batches in a blender or using an immersion blender.  Enjoy.

References: http://www.food.com/recipe/egyptian-red-lentil-soup-94673

Walnut Chip Pancakes...that happen to be *Vegan and Low Iodine*

First off, thank goodness for vegans!!  Phew!  Now that I've gotten that off of my chest, I have to admit that I used to be a bit of a special diet hater.  I could deal with vegetarians, and even relate to them, but there was something about veganism that irritated me.  How could you dare go to someone's house and expect them to comply with your dietary needs, how can you study abroad and think that people should change everything in their kitchen to vegan just for you?  Selfish!

Well, well, well, here I am, more like a vegan than I'd ever hoped to be, but not by choice.  Health changes have forced me to temporarily forgo diary of any kind, although I can have meat.  This baker had to learn to give everything an eggless and butter-free makeover.  One of the first recipes I made to comply with my new dietary restrictions was the most basic of them all--pancakes.  My first try was delicious and tender, but it had a crumbly mouth feel, and the coconut milk flavor was stronger than I preferred.  With a few small modifications, I give to you the perfect vegan pancakes!  Test them on anyone!  They'll never know and I'll never tell...shhh!

Walnut Chip Pancakes

1 cup flour

2 TB baking powder 

1/4 tsp salt (regular, not iodized)

1 heaping TB of sugar

1c coconut milk*

2 TB oil

1 TB honey 

a few drops of butter flavoring

1 tsp vanilla extra

1/2 - 1 tsp cinnamon 

1/8 - 1/4 c chopped walnuts (unsalted)

about 1/8 c Godiva dark chocolate chips

Additional oil for cooking

Procedure:

1.  Set stove to medium-low heat.

2.  Stir together flour, baking powder, salt until well-blended.

3. In a separate bowl, combine together milk, oil, honey, vanilla, butter flavoring, and cinnamon.

4. Combine the wet and dry ingredients with a whisk until smooth.  

5. Once combined, stir in chopped walnuts and chocolate chips.

6. Once pan is heated, add oil, allow to heat, and spoon batter into pan.

7. Cook pancakes until bubbles appear in the middle of the pancake.  Carefully flip and cook until golden brown.

*In addition to regular coconut milk, you can either use powdered coconut milk hydrated with water, or you can use the 5 oz can of coconut milk with additional water added to complete the full cup needed

References: http://www.food.com/recipe/5-minute-vegan-pancakes-132263(modified)

Southeast Asian Marinated Fried Tofu with Pickled Daikon Radish and Carrot Slaw

The next recipe in the vegetarian meal series is a delicious, incredibly flavorful fried tofu.  It is marinated in delicious spicy, almost curry-like marinade commonly used in Cambodian cooking called kreung.  Kreung, representative of Indian influence in Cambodian cuisine, is a seasoning paste that can vary in its ingredients but is generally made up of lemongrass, Thai birdseye chilies, garlic, galangal, shallots, and kaffir lime (leaf or juice), but may sometimes also include ingredients such as turmeric, cilantro and prahok (fermented fish paste).  It is used to flavor many meats and soups in the Cambodian kitchen.

This dish is very easy and delicious, especially with the pickled daikon and carrot slaw, which I absolutely love.  The slaw is slightly sweet, slightly tangy, and is bursting with a delicious garlicky flavor.  It's a refreshing addition to the spicy, intense flavor of the marinated tofu.  The pickled daikon and carrot slaw is the same pickle used on banh mi, or Vietnamese sandwiches, and is generally served with fried foods in Cambodian cuisine.

For those who are looking to experiment with vegetarian meals, this is a wonderful introduction since it is far from lacking in flavor and texture.  For vegetarians looking to spice up their diet, this recipe is great for you, too.  Lastly, for those looking to gradually introduce new flavors into their kitchen, this recipe requires very inexpensive and easy to find ingredients (at least in Richmond).  All of the ingredients (literally, everything in the list, even the mortar and pestle and a cheap hand tool to julienne veggies) can be easily found at your local Southeast Asian market.  The peppers are only about $2 a bag, by the way, and the turmeric is sold on the dry spice aisle.  I have a list of some of my favorites in Richmond on the right side of my blog.
 

Enjoy this tasty recipe that comes courtesy of My Linh from KhmerKromRecipes.com.  You can find the original recipe "To hu chien kreung" or "Fried Tofu with Lemongrass" recipe on her website in the "fried foods" section http://www.khmerkromrecipes.com/.


Ingredients:

pickled daikon and carrot slaw
Thai hand julienne tool
(optional, but will speed up the process significantly and only costs 2 or 3 bucks) (http://somtum.info/images/31FjO25OofL._SL160_.jpg)


1 tsp salt
2 cups shredded or julienned daikon radish, approx 1/2 lb daikon (found in SE Asian or Korean markets) (http://supperinthecity.files.wordpress.com/2011/01/daikon_radish.jpg)
2 cups shredded or julienned carrot

1/2 cup white vinegar (yes, it does matter, WHITE vinegar)
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
1 TB salt
 1 clove garlic, finely minced or pressed (do not use pre-packaged, pre-chopped garlic here) (optional)

Procedure: 
Mix the shredded veggies with 1 tsp of salt and toss them gently to distribute the salt evenly.  This will serve to soften the veggies and they will begin releasing their juices.  Let them sit for a minute or two then rinse and squeeze out the excess liquid.  Set aside.

In a small bowl, mix the vinegar, sugar, water, and the 1 TB of salt together, and the minced or pressed garlic (if you plan on using it).  Mix well until the sugar and salt dissolve.  Pour the vinegar sauce over the carrot and daikon and mix well before serving.

This pickled slaw is best when allowed to sit ideally overnight, but at least for 30 minutes to an hour.

tofu marinade:
*1 mortar and pestle--must be *stone*, NOT wood or clay or it will not work

2 cloves of garlic
2 TB minced lemongrass (you can buy pre-minced in the frozen section or mince the fresh stuff yourself)
2 Thai birdseye chilies (optional, but yummmy!)
1 tsp soy sauce (be sure that soy is actually on the list of ingredients...not all brands are real soy sauce)
1 tsp oyster sauce (or mushroom sauce if you're a strict vegetarian)
1 tsp turmeric powder (or 3 or 4 minced turmeric roots)

1 package *firm* tofu, sliced horizontally in half, with a about 5-7 slits vertically across the top only of the tofu
3 TB vegetable oil
 
Procedure
Pound all of the first section of ingredients together into a uniform paste in a stone mortar and pestle.  Gently rub the marinade on each piece of tofu that has been rinsed and patted dry.

I would allow it to marinade 15-20 minutes, but this is optional.

Preheat oil in a skillet or wok over medium heat.  Fry the tofu until brown and crispy. Serve with white rice and pickled daikon carrot slaw.  I have also done this recipe on my foreman grill and in my toaster oven at a high temperature (400 or so) and it turned out very yummy.  Just be sure to grease the surface of  whatever alternative cooking device you choose.

*Mortar and pestle photo courtesy of ImportFood.com on Amazon.com
*Birdseye chili photo courtesy of devonfresh.com

Don't forget to let me know what you guys think about this and other posts by hitting the "useful," "interesting," or "cool" buttons below or by leaving a comment.  I love to see what types of recipes you prefer and how things turn out when you try these recipes at home.

Happy cooking :)!
DF

Not Your Mama's Lentil Soup

While I was doing my veggie challenge, I actually fell in love with lentils.  Lentils are a great alternative to beans since they cook in a fraction of the time that it takes to whip up a pot of beans.  Just about thirty minutes is all you need to have your lentils ready to eat.  I love all kinds of lentil soups and I also like making a spread out of lentils and mashing them with salt, oil, garlic, herbs, and other seasonings before having them on flatbread with fresh veggies such as cucumber, tomato, olives, etc.  Sometimes I even season them up with curry and put raisins in the mix. 

Here's a simple yet delicious recipe for a tasty lentil soup.  The flavor is dark, garlicky, and somewhat smoky and spicy from the Thai chili with a bit of brightness from the culantro. I came up with this recipe in an attempt to make a dish that was well-balanced both in nutrition and in flavor.  Remember that red pepper is very high in vitamin C.  Buttercup squash is a great source of vitamin A and also contains vitamin C, calcium, and iron.  Celery also contains the same vitamins.  Who said healthy food had to be boring?  Enjoy!

References: http://www.produceoasis.com/Items_folder/Vegetables/Buttercup.html, http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/vegetables-and-vegetable-products/2840/2

Lentil Soup

1 package lentils

¼  buttercup squash (any grocery store--do NOT substitute with the similar-looking acorn squash)

2 cloves of garlic, smashed

1/8 cup diced red pepper

1/8 cup diced onion

2-3 culantro leaves (sawleaf herb--easily found at SE Asian market) (a substitute, but not equivalent is the much brighter cilantro)

Half stalk of celery, diced

2 thai peppers, whole with stem removed (SE Asian market)

Handful of black peppercorns

Pinch of dried oregano

1 tsp turmeric

2-3 tsp salt

Goya Adobo to taste (I used the one with the blue top)

Mix ingredients together and cook according to package instructions, until desired tenderness. 

Serve with sliced avocado and even rice, if you so desire.  Yum!!

Grilled Mediterranean-Inspired Herb Tofu

As promised, I have more recipes from my vegetarian series.  This one is a wonderfully delicious Mediterranean-inspired marinated grilled tofu recipe.  This fresh and flavorful dish is perfect for summer or any time at all.  I have grilled mine in my toaster oven and on my Foreman grill.  I think the Foreman is my preferred method, but either way, it is super delish!  

The smashing of all of the ingredients brings out their flavor and creates a smoother marinade that will keep the herbs from burning and integrate the flavors better.  Smashing the peppercorns gives you a nice spiciness that you don't normally associate with peppercorns.

The fresh Mediterranean salad is a wonderful, nutritious accompaniment to this dish.  This dish is bursting with flavor and is great for both your taste buds and your waistline.  Try this easy yet flavorful recipe yourself and show your the meat eaters in your life just how tasty tofu can be.  Enjoy!

This recipe was inspired by the following recipe: http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/grilled_tofu_with_a_mediterranean_chopped_salad.html

MARINATED TOFU

1/4 tsp dried rosemary

3 cloves garlic, sliced

1 large basil leaf

¼-1/2   tsp oregano

Handful peppercorns (15)

Juice of one lime (you can also use lemon, but lime is much more easily accessible and more affordable in Miami)

1 tsp salt

1 TB olive oil

1 pack extra firm tofu (rinsed, patted dry, and sliced longways into four)

Salad:

Cucumber, diced

Tomato, diced

olives, diced

white vinegar

1 mortar and pestle (easily found at any SE Asian market ($9-$15 for the mid sized one). The stone Thai versions are idea for creating smooth pastes--be sure it's deep enough to not splash when you are pounding the ingredients. Also, the sides should be thick to prevent breakage. Don't fall for the thinner, more shallow American versions)

Procedure:

Smash all garlic, herbs, salt, and peppercorns. together in a mortar and pestle until you form a homogeneous paste.

Gently blend in the olive oil and lime juice.

Marinate tofu ½ hr – 8 hrs. 

Grill to crispiness.

Serve with salad of diced tomato, olive (I used black), and seedless cucumber with a few splashes of white vinegar. 

Garlic Parmesan Broccoli

Hi everyone!

As promised, I told you that I would integrate some of the wonderful recipes I came up with during my two veggie months that I mentioned.  This recipe is a super flavorful garlic parmesan broccoli recipe.

So, I already love broccoli anyway, but oh my goodness, this is the most amazing broccoli I have ever had in my entire life!!  My garlic Parmesan broccoli tasted like something from a fine restaurant.  Just amazing and bursting with flavor without overpowering the broccoli.  At the same time, if you have a resident veggie hater around, serve them this broccoli and make them a total convert!  I promise!


Garlic Parmesan Broccoli
Mash

1 bunch Fresh broccoli

About 10 black peppercorns

½ tsp salt

1 TB parmesan cheese (in the can)

2 cloves fresh garlic

Thumb length piece of a leek or green onion chopped into small pieces

Stir in

A drizzle of olive oil to toss broccoli with

Directions:
1. Mash the ingredients above, besides olive oil, in a mortar and pestle or in a ziplock using a rolling pin to mash.  If it's all you have, use a food processor, but the oils really come out when the ingredients are mashed.
2. Toss the broccoli with all of the mashed ingredients that have been blended with olive oil.
3. Cook in your preferred method until al dente and enjoy! I just sauteed mine over medium heat.

You may never want regular broccoli or broccoli and cheese again ;).

Hugs,
DF

Fresh and Tasty Chickpea Salad

Hi guys:

I love to put my creativity to use in the kitchen and I also try to make a habit of developing recipes based on my body's specific nutritional needs. With these goals in mind, last year I decided to put myself through a two month veggie challenge.

I was thinking and I realized that most traditional American cooking doesn't really lend itself to learning what vegetables actually taste like.  Think about Southern cooking--just about all vegetables are cooked in such a way that their natural flavor is overpowered by some form of meat or fat.  We cook cabbage and collard greens with ham hock or some other form of smoked meat.  We slather delicious, sweet corn with butter.  With sweeter vegetables, such as sweet potatoes and butternut squash, we douse them in sugar, butter, cinnamon, and sometimes even marshmallows.  If this is how we eat, that means many of us don't really know how vegetables actually taste on their own.  I can speak for myself and say that I could definitely stand a lesson in How to Eat Your Veggies and Love Them 101.

 After I thought about all of this, I set out on a mission to learn how veggies really taste and to capitalize upon their natural deliciousness in my kitchen.  For two months, all of my meals had veggies as their primary focus.  This does not mean that I became a complete vegetarian.  No offense to those who are vegetarians for moral reasons, but that is not what motivated me to start my challenge.  Animals eat animals, I eat animals, and I'm completely alright with that.  What motivated me was learning how to take better care of myself and, most of all, learning how to make veggies as delectable as everything else in my kitchen so that, in the future, my children and husband would enjoy eating well and understand the science behind our diet and its impact on our overall well-being.

Let me tell you, guys, during my challenge I came up with some seriously delicious recipes!  My fridge was always overflowing with yummy veggies of all kinds and I even learned how to play with some things I didn't normally buy.  As I mentioned, I didn't go fully vegetarian.  My philosophy for this challenge was to use meats as minimally as possible and primarily as flavoring agents, not as my principal source of food.  I often used beef bones to make stalk as a source of both flavor and calcium.  I even used other bony meats such as chicken necks, which I had never used before, as well.

Within the next month or so, I will share some of the deliciously healthy recipes that I came up with during my challenge.  Go ahead and put my recipes to the test.  Even the biggest carnivores are sure to love them!  The first recipe in my veggie series is a simple, fresh, and delicious garlic herb chickpea salad.  This recipe is light, fresh, and bursting with flavor, not to mention being incredibly easy to make.  I learned many different ways to play with chickpeas because they are very versatile and are a good source of protein at about 11 or 12 grams per cup.  Chickpeas are also a great source of fiber as well as minerals such as folate, B6, vitamin C and zinc.

For those who are interested in learning more about the properties of different veggies, here are some great places to start:
http://www.mothernature.com/Library/Ency/Index.cfm/Id/1707008
http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/legumes-and-legume-products/4326/2
http://health.learninginfo.org/chickpeas.htm

Chickpea Salad

Ingredients:

Handful of fresh cilantro (leaves only)

Few sprigs of parley (leaves only)

Handful of black peppercorns  (abt 15)

Juice of two limes (choose the ones that feel heaviest since they have the most juice--persian recommended)

1 fresh garlic clove, sliced

1 tsp salt

1 TB olive oil (cold pressed extra virgin--the better the quality, the better the flavor)

1 mortar and pestle

Procedure:

Mash garlic, peppercorns, and salt in a mortar and pestle.  If you do not have one, use a food processor or smash the garlic and salt with the back of a knife before mincing it.  Add in freshly-ground or coarse-ground black pepper for a similar effect in terms of spiciness. 

Once you've created a smooth paste, add herbs and mash until they reach a chopped-like state.  You want to be sure that you still have some identifiable pieces, not all mush.

Mix lime juice and olive oil into occlusion.  Add mixture to herb mixture.   Blend. 

Pour the herb-garlic oil blend over two cans chickpeas or the equivalent of freshly-cooked chickpeas and combine. 

Cover and let marinate in fridge at least ½ hr so that the flavors have a chance to meld.

*This salad would also be good with cooked, chilled long grain rice mixed in as well

I'm Back!!! And with a Delicious Recipe!!!

Hi guys!

I'm alive! So, I promised a certain someone in Richmond, RVAFoodie, that I would come back, even if I couldn't do so as often as I would like; so I will keep my word. I've been incredibly busy with work and grad school, but I have, of course, been cooking my way through it all to keep my sanity. If I've been cooking all this time, then why not share, right? Well, long story short, I've been wanting to revamp my blog and blah blah blah, but let's face it, if you want great, tried and true recipes, the pretty page is only a plus, it's good food that you really want, so here it is.

I haven't really told you guys, but I am a bit of a hippie at heart. I have sprinkling of tree hugger at my core and I really do believe that sometimes the best things are those that you grow or make yourself. I'm also a firm believer that if you want something done right, you should just do it yourself. That being said, I've been learning how to do some wonderful things at home that I never thought I'd do on my own. I will get into that soon, but trust me, it's very exciting and, yes, it is fairly easy as well :).

So today I want to invite you into my kitchen for a taste of something a little different. I may not have said it, but anyone who knows me knows that I go through spells in my kitchen...the Jamaican spell, the Nicaraguan spell, the Dominican spell, the Korean spell, the Cambodian spell, and so on. Every few weeks, my culinary mood changes and all of my recipes change with it. Lucky for you, my dear hippie and vegetarian friends, I am currently in my.....::wait for it::: VEGETARIAN SPELL!!!

"Oh boy...." said the carnivore (yes, I heard you). Fear not! This dish will be loved by grass eaters and meat lovers alike, I promise! So what on earth is it, you ask? Indian style vegetarian garlic pepper balls. "Ewww, Indian food? I don't like Indian food :/," said that whining little punk we all have in our lives who says they don't like anything yet they've also never tried anything either. Well, I don't like Indian food at restaurants, but when you make it at home, it is wonderful and this is no exception! Garlicky, warm, flavorful, spicy and with a touch of brightness from the herbs. This is a sure crowd pleaser, whether as an appetizer at your next party or for dinner tomorrow night.

This recipe is my version of the one from Chef Thumma at vahrehvah.com. Please check him out on his website and as "vahchef" on YouTube. He is full of energy and has wonderful recipes.

Anywho, this recipe is spicy with a tinge of sourness and is incredibly flavorful! I thought I made flavorful vegetarian dishes all the time, but this one just brings flavorful to a totally different level!  Please, don't be intimidated by all of the unfamiliar spices.  They are all incredibly cheap (average $2.99)per 3.5 to 7 oz bag of spices and those are Miami prices) at your local Indian market and they are all versatile and great to play with in other cooking styles as well.

Here are the ingredients:

balls:

***squeeze excess liquid out of all veggies once grated***

2 green plantains (boiled inside the peel until cooked/tender), finely grated (no, silly, don't grate the peel ;))

1 zucchini, peeled and finely grated

1 medium carrot, peeled and finely grated

1/4 cup buttercup squash, finely grated

1 tsp or so of salt

1TB olive oil

1-1/2 tsp kala jeera (black coriander seed)

3/4 onion, chopped

1 tsp salt

1 heaping teaspoon of chili garlic paste (3 cloves of garlic and a 1" piece of ginger smashed in a mortar and pestle or in food processor to form smooth paste)

1 tsp turmeric

1/2-1 tsp chili powder (mine said "extra hot," so adjust accordingly if yours does not) (the kind from the Indian grocery store only*** Different chilies make different chili powder)

1-1/2 tsp coriander

1 tsp amchur powder (green mango powder)

1/3 cup breadcrumbs (be sure they are plain, unseasoned)

1 egg

sauce

1/4 onion, chopped

3 cloves of garlic

2.5 inch piece of Indian green chili, sliced into thin rings

1tsp salt

1/2 tsp chili powder

1/2 tsp amchur

small palmful (6-10 peppercorns) of black peppercorns, crushed in a mortar and pestle

1 green onion, chopped into thin rings

1-1/2 TB chopped cilantro

1 TB soy sauce (make sure that soy is in the ingredients list on the bottle...don't assume it is what it says...)

Procedure:

Squeeze all excess liquid out of the grated vegetables (not the plantain, silly), THEN season with 1 tsp of salt. Blend with your clean hands and set aside.

Add 1TB olive oil to a pan over medium heat. Once warm, add the kala jeera and stir. Add in the 3/4 of the chopped onion and 1 tsp salt. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring. Add in ginger garlic paste and cook for one minute, stirring. Add in turmeric and cook until the mixture gets a little golden brown-ish. Don't go crazy about the color, just move on once it's transparent.

Add in all of your veggies, including the plantains and blend. Cook, continuing to stir and add in chili powder, coriander, and amchur powder. Remove from heat once blended and add in breadcrumbs and 1 egg and blend with your hands into a uniform dough, if you will.

Oil a pan well and set your oven to 350. Roll each ball in the oil and cook until golden brown on the bottom. I guess this takes 10 minutes or so, but my oven is crazy, so that is just a guess based on the usual adjustments I make. Once brown on one side, flip the balls to brown on the other side.

Meanwhile, put 1TB of butter over medium heat. Once melted, add the last 1/4 of onion, 3 garlic cloves, and the hot pepper, stirring while cooking. Add in the powdered seasoning at this point as well and continue stirring.

Once the garlic and onion have become transparent, add in green onion and cilantro. Continue stirring and add 1 TB soy sauce. Once incorporated, add in your balls and toss them in the sauce. Enjoy!!

If you try this recipe, let me know what you think ;).