Couscous Salad

This salad doesn't get any easier! I whipped it together in the morning before heading to work and ate it for lunch. Healthy, quick, and tasty. It does taste better after it's had some time to chill, which is why making it in the morning works really well. Alternatively, I have been known to spread a thin layer of cooked couscous on a plate and place in the freezer for a few minutes to chill it quickly.

Couscous is often mistakenly called a grain even though it is actually really small pasta. But, you can use it like you would rice, quinoa, bulgar or farro. The best part about couscous is that it is super easy to make. Just boil some water (or even better, broth), stir in the couscous, turn off the heat and let it sit for about 5 minutes. Done!

For this salad, I just added the vegetables I had on hand, so you can modify them as you wish. I do recommend using cucumber and tomatoes at the very least.

The dressing I use is simply olive oil and red wine vinegar with a ratio of nearly 1 to 1. Couscous absorbs a lot of the dressing, so add more vinegar than usual so that the flavor doesn't get lost.

For an extra nutritional punch, I sprinkled in some chia seeds. Chia seeds are great! They are a wonderful source of omega-3 fatty acids, soluble fiber, protein, and antioxidants. I get mine in the bulk spice section of my co-op, but you can also get them online. They can be used just like flax and have a similar nutritional profile. Chia seeds don't have the weird flavor that flax can have and I like the color that they added to this salad!

Couscous Salad
Serves 3

1/2 cup whole wheat couscous
3/4 cup water
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 3/4 tablespoons red wine vinegar
cucumber, diced
red onion, diced
tomato, diced
green bell pepper, diced
2 tablespoons chia seeds
2 tablespoons basil, chopped
salt and pepper to taste

1. Bring the water to boil. Stir in the couscous. Turn off the heat, cover, and let sit for at least 5 minutes.
2. Cut up the vegetables and place in a medium bowl. Vary the amounts to your liking so that when tossed with the couscous, you have mostly vegetables in each bite - see the pictures for an example. Don't bother measuring, just start with small amounts and add more if needed.
3. Add the couscous to the vegetables along with the basil and chia seeds and toss well.
4. In a small bowl, mix the oil and vinegar until blended well. I like to use a battery-powered mini whisk (I think it is originally made for frothing milk). 
5. Pour the dressing over the salad and stir well. Taste. Add salt and pepper as needed. Chill well before serving.

Grilled Cheese Pizza

This summer I discovered the wonderful world of grilled pizzas. Conventional ovens just can't cook a pizza well. And it just isn't practical to build a brick oven in my tiny 14th floor condo. Grilled pizzas are a wonderful alternative. They have the charred taste that makes even a simple cheese pizza explode with flavor.

Grilling a pizza does take a little bit of practice. The pizza crust is grilled on both sides - when the second side is cooking, the toppings are added and they cook too. For the first side, the grill should be fairly hot, about 350-400 degrees. I've found it is easier to make two personal-sized pizzas instead of one medium-sized pizza; the dough flops around less. The purchased pizza crusts also work fabulously.

The second side will require a slightly cooler grill so that the toppings cook at the same pace as the crust. Depending on your grill, it may make sense to leave one side on high and the other side on low, cooking the pizza over indirect heat. I use a gas grill, and I have two of the three burners on. They are on high when cooking the first side and on medium to medium-high when cooking the second side.

When cooking the second side, you want to make sure the grill is warm enough to melt the cheese. It should be not too hot so as the bottom burns before the cheese has melted and not to cool so that the crust is still raw in the middle. The temperature really depends on how thick your crust is. The thinner the crust, the hotter it can be because it needs less time to cook.

The whole cooking process takes about 15 minutes: 5 minutes on side one and 10 minutes on side two.

Today was our CSA day! We got a lot of wonderful veggies in our box this week!

In one of those plastic bags is edamame! I was just wondering the other day if it could be grown in this area. I might have to start growing it myself!

Spigariello greens; it's supposed to be similar to broccoli even though it looks a lot like kale.

These are either Orange Ukraine Peppers or Pimento Peppers, I'm not sure which.

Grilled Cheese Pizza

Serves 3 (or two really hungry people)

1 12-inch crust raw pizza dough (I had made some pizza dough a few weeks ago and froze it. When I got home from work, I let it sit out on the counter for a couple of hours to defrost)

1 gigantic tomato (or 3 medium tomatoes), coarsely chopped

1 small onion, coarsely chopped

2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

5 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped

Salt and Pepper to taste

2 cups shredded cheese (I used a mixture of monterey jack, tomato basil cheddar, and parmesan)

2 tablespoons fresh oregano, chopped

1 teaspoon oil

1. Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and let cook for a couple of minutes. Stir in the tomato and let cook for about 10 minutes, or until the tomato breaks down and mixes with the onion and garlic. Stir in the parsley and cook for another couple minutes. Remove from heat and puree using an immersion blender (or food processor). When smooth, taste and add salt and pepper as desired.
2. Roll the pizza dough to 1/4 inch thick, or about 12 inches. Brush one side with oil and place that side down on a 350 degree grill. After about 3-5 minutes, check to see if it is browned to your liking. Remove from heat, brush the raw side with oil and flip the crust over. 
3. Top the cooked side of the crust with 1/4 cup of the tomato sauce. Sprinkle the chopped oregano over the sauce. Top with the shredded cheese.
4. Return the pizza to the grill and cook over medium/medium-high heat for about 7-10 minutes, watching carefully to ensure the crust is cooking properly.
5. Remove from heat when the cheese has melted and the crust has browned on the bottom. Let sit a couple minutes before cutting and devouring. Enjoy!

Spicy Pan-fried Corn and Edamame Salad

This might be blasphemous, but I don't like corn on the cob. There. I said it. So, when I received 5 ears of corn in my last CSA box, I did not jump for joy. Fortunately, I discovered a deliciously simple way to cook corn that offers endless possibilities and not just the same old buttered and salted corn on the cob.

Initially, I thought I would strip the corn of its husks and grill it so that it had a nice charred quality to it. However, after 10 days of saying I would do this and still not mustering the motivation to grill the corn, I brainstormed other ideas...

Eventually, I sliced the raw cornels off the cob and fried them with some olive oil, garlic, and a Thai chili in a hot cast iron pan for about 15 minutes. This unto itself is delicious, says the corn-hater. Squeeze a little lime on it, and it is out of this world. 

Corn cooked this way can be eaten just like it is or can be used in a myriad of salads. I love edamame so I adapted a recipe from Veganomicon (by Isa Chandra Moskowitz and Terry Hope Romero) and the dish exploded with wonderfulness. The recipe below calls for 3 ears of spicy pan-fried corn, but make extra. I imagine it will be great with black beans and quinoa or in a salsa or a vegetable medley soup or even a bisque! 

On another note, I recently returned from a relaxing and rejuvenating vacation at a lake resort in central Minnesota. While there I cooked to my stomach's content and didn't take a single picture... So hopefully I'll get to make the following recipes again: 

• Farmer's Market Couscous Salad
• Tomato Basil Fettucini with Zucchini and Tomato Basil Cheddar Cheese
• Tomatillo Salsa
• Cheese Manacotti with Car Battery Tomato Sauce (no electricity required creativity...) 
• Simply Delicious Green Beans (my favorite)

When I did return home, I had a craving for a completely unhealthy chocolate cake. So I made one and pretended that it was healthy by adding cacao nibs to the batter and the frosting. Just lovely.

Spicy Pan-fried Corn and Edamame Salad

Serves 6 (side dish servings) Adapted from Veganomicon: The Ultimate Vegan Cookbook by Isa Chandra Moskowitz and Terry Hope Romero

SPICY PAN-FRIED CORN

3 ears of corn

1 Thai chili
3 cloves garlic
2 teaspoons canola oil

EDAMAME SALAD
2 cups frozen edamame, shelled
2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds

DRESSING
2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
2 tablespoons tamari, low sodium

1. Using a sharp knife, slice the cornels off of the cob. Mince the garlic and the Thai chili. Heat the oil in a hot cast iron pan, and then add the corn, garlic and chili to the pan. Stir to cover with oil. Let cook for about 15 minutes stirring infrequently to help get a nice charred flavor on the corn. Remove from heat and let cool. (This can be done several days in advance.)
2. Bring a pot of water to boil. Add the edamame and let cook for about 5 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water. Stir into the corn along with the sesame seeds.
3. Mix the dressing ingredients together. Pour over the edamame mixture. Chill for at least 30 minutes. Enjoy!

Unbreaded Eggplant Over Pasta

I've been craving eggplant parmesan. I love the crunchy breading covering the soft eggplant and then smothering the eggplant in a simple tomato sauce. It's amazing how well eggplant and tomatoes go together. I don't, however, love how long eggplant parmesan takes me to make (over an hour), and I don't love turning on the oven for an extended period of time on a hot, muggy day in August. So, this "unbreaded" recipe is my 30 minute version of eggplant parmesan that doesn't require an oven.

Eggplant parmesan is slices of eggplant breaded and then baked. This unbreaded version uses chunks of eggplant that are seared and then sprinkled with toasted bread crumbs. The taste is surprisingly similar.

I do like to cut up my eggplant, salt it, and let its bitter juices seep out. I find it also helps to prevent the eggplant from absorbing too much oil. In this recipe, I cooked the eggplant over fairly high heat because I wanted to sear the outside without causing the insides to become a mushy gray mess. Grilling the eggplant is also an option.

The tomato sauce I used is a very simple tomato sauce that takes just a few minutes to whip together and doesn't have any unnecessary additives that are so often included in purchased tomato sauce. If you've never tried to make a tomato sauce from scratch, try this one. It's so simple and delicious you may not go back to the pre-made stuff!

Unbreaded Eggplant Over Pasta
3 servings


2 small eggplant, cut into 1/2 inch chunks (about 4 cups)
1 medium onion
3 cloves garlic
1 tablespoon fresh Thai basil, diced
1/2 lime
1 tablespoon blue cheese (optional)
4 medium tomatoes (or 1 can diced tomatoes)
1 tablespoon prepared pesto
2 tablespoons olive oil
8 ounces thin spaghetti
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1 tablespoon butter (or oil)

1. Place the eggplant chunks in a strainer and lightly salt. Set aside.
2. Bring a pot of water to boil in a medium saucepan. Add the pasta and cook until al dente (about 10 minutes). Drain and set aside.
3. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Mince 1/4 of the onion and add to the saucepan. Cook until soft. Dice the tomatoes and add to the pan. Simmer over medium-low heat for about 10 minutes or until the rest of the dish comes together. Cooking time can really vary. The longer you cook it, the thicker it will become. Stir occasionally. 
4. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a cast iron pan over medium-high heat. Slice the rest of the onion into thin rings. Mince the garlic. Add the onion and garlic to the pan and cook until the onion and garlic are a light brown. 
5. With a towel, lightly pat the eggplant dry, removing all the extra salt and bitter juices. Add the eggplant to the pan and turn heat up slightly. Keep the heat as high as you can without burning the onion and garlic. Cook for about 5 minutes stirring occasionally. Add the basil, salt and pepper to taste, and the juice of 1/2 a lime. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the eggplant is soft but not mushy. The eggplant should still hold its shape. Scoop this mixture into a bowl and stir in the blue cheese, if using.
6. Stir in the pesto into the tomato sauce and season with salt and pepper. 
7. Melt the butter in the same saucepan you used to cook the pasta. Add the bread crumbs and stir until lightly toasted.
8. To assemble, place a pile of pasta on a plate. Top with some of the eggplant mixture and the tomato sauce. Sprinkle generously with the bread crumbs. Add more than you normally would. The crunch is so good! 

Potato Casserole with Peppery Tomatoes

I had good intentions. But the mushrooms forced my hand... And I am so glad they did!

I rarely buy mushrooms because Martin hates them (little slugs) and I don't love them. I don't know what possessed me five days ago to purchase some pre-sliced button mushrooms...OK, I wanted to use them on a sandwich... Since my purchase, I have been pondering how to make the most of these wonderful tasting fungi. Finally, I found a recipe that used them as a layer in a potato and tomato casserole with the hope that the other ingredients in the dish would fool Martin into eating it.

To my dismay, out of the blue tub tumbled slimy little slugs. Ew. Time for plan B.

So, this casserole is built in layers. The first layer is a thinly sliced yellow potato with pepper and a little veggie broth to help it cook.

The second layer is a lightly sautéed vegetable medley. It was supposed to be mostly mushrooms. Instead, I added extra onion and garlic, banana peppers from my friend's garden (thanks Stef!), and a couple carrots. Some bell peppers would have been really good in this medley too.

The third layer is a lovely fresh tomato. Need I say more.

Finally, after the whole thing has baked for about 20 minutes (yes, I turned on my oven in August...) I added some monterey jack cheese and some fresh dill. After a few more minutes of baking, the whole deliciously cheesy, peppery casserole was finished.

The mushroom failure actually saved this dish. I loved the addition of the sweet banana peppers and carrots. And the cheese on the top really made the dish come together. Serve it with some garlic toast, and you've got yourself a delicious meal!

Today was also our CSA delivery day! Let me entice you with our lot.

Tomatillos! Salsa anyone?! And, yes, for those of you who are vacationing with me in a couple of days, I'm bringing these babies with me.

Parsley root. Who knew? I wonder what I'll use this for...

Potato Casserole with Peppery Tomatoes
3 servings

1 Tablespoon oil
1 medium onion
3 garlic cloves
2 banana peppers
2 carrots
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 medium potato
1/3 cup veggie broth
1 medium tomato
3/4 cup shredded monterey jack cheese
1 Tablespoon fresh dill weed, chopped
Salt and Pepper to taste

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. 
2. Thinly slice the onion and finely chop the garlic. Heat the oil in a cast iron pan over medium-high heat and add the onion and garlic. Slice the peppers and carrots. Add them to the pan along with the oregano. Cook for about 10 minutes or until the vegetables are soft.
3. Halve the potato lengthwise, and then slice it as thinly as possible. Lightly oil a casserole dish and layer the potato slices along the bottom. Pour the broth over the potatoes. Then sprinkle with freshly ground pepper.
4. Spread the pepper mixture over the potatoes. 
5. Halve the tomato, and then slice it as thinly as possible. Layer it over the pepper mixture. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake uncovered for 20 minutes (potatoes should be done by this time).
6. Sprinkle the shredded cheese and fresh dill weed over the tomatoes. Bake for an additional 10 minutes. Let cool slightly before serving.

Jill's Fabulous Potato Salad

 

It's summer in Minnesota. Time for potato salad! I love the taste of freshly harvested potatoes, and they are even better when slathered with a tangy dressing. There are a plethora of versions of potato salad, and I've tried many of them. At the end of the day, I love the creamy potato salad that simply has potatoes and a tangy bite. 

Unfortunately, potatoes are one of the most heavily chemically contaminated vegetables because they are susceptible to several pests and diseases, which makes finding high quality organic potatoes tricky. If you can find them, they are deliciously wonderful! 

I've been working on this potato salad recipe for years, and I've found that this version is the most popular at potlucks. If you like chopping, you'll love this recipe! It's a bit of a task to chop everything for the dressing, but the taste of this salad cannot be replicated with your more convenient purchased salad. 

The secret ingredient to this salad is the pickled jalapenos. If you're ambitious, you can pickle your own jalapenos, but I prefer to just pick up a jar at the store. Choose a kind that includes garlic with the jalapenos. I love adding the pickled garlic to this recipe because it adds the nice tangy flavor while not being overpowered by the strong raw garlic flavor. It's perfect. The pickled jalapenos and spicy pickles cannot be substituted or left out without significantly changing the flavor of the salad. Trust me; you'll love this!

 

Jill's Fabulous Potato Salad

12 servings (side dish-sized)

2 pounds (about 6 medium) red potatoes

1 1/4 cup miracle whip

1 Tablespoon mustard

1 cup celery, finely chopped

1/3 cup onion, finely chopped

1/2 cup spicy pickles, finely chopped

1 pickled jalapeno, finely chopped

2 pickled garlic cloves (from the pickled jalapeno jar), finely chopped

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

Zest of 1 lime

Juice of 1/8 of a lime

2 Tablespoons fresh dill weed, finely chopped

1. Scrub potatoes well. Place in a medium saucepan, add enough water to barely cover the potatoes, add about 1/2 teaspoon of salt (or so). Turn heat on high and bring to a boil. Then, turn heat down to medium-low and boil for about 15 minutes (depending on the size of the potatoes). Use a fork to test for doneness: the fork will easily pierce the potatoes. Drain and set aside to cool. (Note: This step can be done a couple days in advance if desired.)
2. Add the rest of the ingredients to a mixing bowl and stir to combine. 
3. Chop potatoes to bite-sized pieces and add to the mixing bowl. Stir gently. Chill for several hours before serving (if you can wait that long!).

Simple Summer Vegetable Stir-fry

It's zucchini season! Almost everyone I know has a plethora of the delicious green summer squash. Zucchini can have a bad rep; it can turn into mushy grossness if cooked improperly. But don't give up on this versatile veggie! Zucchini is high in a ton of vitamins and minerals, my favorite being potassium. Potassium helps with circulation and anxiety. So, zucchini muffins are not only healthy, but they can help you relax! For people like me who love to pack as much nutrition into each calorie as possible, zucchini offers infinite possibilities.

This time, I opted to use zucchini in a lovely summer stir-fry. It's quick, light, and perfectly seasoned. I have a love-hate relationship with stir-fry dishes. Most often, my stir-fry ends up heavy with oil or way too bland, my northern Minnesota roots take over when trying to season the dish. Not so with this stir-fry. It explodes with flavor.

I'm not sure if it was the super fresh zucchini, rainbow chard, and onions that made the dish pop or if it was the sauce that I happened to just throw together. It could have also been the nice crunch the toasted almonds added to the dish. Whatever it was, I will definitely be making this again - soon!

On another note, my co-worker gave me a bag of beautiful heirloom tomatoes from her garden! Best gift ever! So, I made this light salad with blanched green beans and a lemon vinaigrette with Thai basil. Until I get the recipe down, I'll just have to entice you with these pictures!

I also made some chickpea burgers that were disgusting, but photographed well.

For now, try the zucchini stir-fry - you won't be disappointed!

Simple Summer Vegetable Stir-fry
2 servings

8 ounces rice noodles
vegetable oil for frying
2 zucchini
8 stalks rainbow chard
1 medium onion
4 cloves garlic
3 stalks Thai basil (or about 2 tablespoons chopped)
3 splashes sherry
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil (or to taste)
3 tablespoons slivered almonds, toasted
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon sriracha sauce (or more if you like it spicy!)

1. Bring a pot of salted water to boil. Remove from heat and stir in the rice noodles. Let the noodles sit in the hot water for about 8-10 minutes, then drain. Rinse well and set aside.
2. Finely chop the onion and mince the garlic. Heat some oil in a cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and saute until lightly golden and soft.
3. Slice the zucchini into 1/8 inch thick rounds. Add the zucchini to the pan and stir to coat with the oil and spices. 
4. De-stem the chard. Hold the stem in one hand and grasp the leaf with the other hand so that the leaf is folded in half lengthwise; the left and right edges of the leaf are flush with each other. Pull the leaf down while pulling the stem up; throw the thick part of the stem away and use the de-stemmed leaf. Chop the chard coarsely. Add to the pan with the zucchini. Stir to coat.
5. Splash in some sherry. Stir and let the vegetables cook until the sherry has evaporated. Chop the Thai basil and add it to the pan. Sprinkle in the toasted sesame oil and stir. In a small bowl, mix the soy sauce and sriracha sauce together then pour into the pan. Stir and cook until all the liquids have been absorbed by the vegetables or evaporated.
6. Place some noodles on a plate and top with the vegetable mixture. Sprinkle the slivered almonds on the top and enjoy!