Polenta with Mushroom Ragout

Variations

  • For a vegan version use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth –  both in the polenta and in the mushroom ragout. Skip the Parmesan
  • For a meat version, add 8 oz ground beef (or turkey, or bison) and sauté with onion and mushrooms

I make a double recipe of the mushroom ragout and freeze half to use another day.

Can serve it with pasta or over Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes (simply mash the same amount of cooked potatoes and cooked cauliflower, add milk, 1 tablespoon butter, salt and pepper to taste).

Sometimes I make extra polenta for breakfast with eggs.

  • Press remaining polenta onto a buttered baking sheet, cover and refrigerate over night
  • In the morning put into preheated broiler for 5 – 8 minutes until edges start to crisp. Meanwhile make a couple of eggs, sunny side up or poached.
  • Served eggs over polenta
  • Can also add arugula or baby spinach between the polenta and egg
Polenta with Mushroom Ragout
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Variations • For vegan version use vegetable instead of chicken broth both in the polenta and in the mushroom ragout. Skip the Parmesan • For a meat version, add 8 oz ground beef (turkey, bison) and sauté with onion and mushrooms • Mix in1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped, before removing pot from stove
Servings
4 servings
Servings
4 servings
Polenta with Mushroom Ragout
Print Recipe
Variations • For vegan version use vegetable instead of chicken broth both in the polenta and in the mushroom ragout. Skip the Parmesan • For a meat version, add 8 oz ground beef (turkey, bison) and sauté with onion and mushrooms • Mix in1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped, before removing pot from stove
Servings
4 servings
Servings
4 servings
Ingredients
Polenta
Mushroom Ragout
Adjust servings: servings
Units:
Instructions
  1. In a medium saucepan bring broth to a boil. Slowly pour in polenta, stirring constantly with a whisk until it is smoothly mixed in. Bring to a boil, reduce heat low, cover and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until polenta is cooked and smooth.
  2. Mix in Parmesan, season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside, covered.
Mushroom Ragout
  1. Heat olive oil in saucepan over medium heat. Add chopped onion and sauté until they start to turn transparent.
  2. Add mushrooms and sauté 8 – 10 minutes until they begin to brown. Add garlic, cook 2 more minutes, stirring occasionally.
  3. Add tomatoes and chicken stock; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and cook 10 more minutes.
  4. Mix in fresh herbs, season with salt and pepper to taste and turn off.
  5. Spoon polenta onto plate, place mushroom ragout on top. Sprinkle with the chives (green onions) and serve.
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Turkey Sausage and Garbanzo Soup

Easy to make, simple and delicious this soup is protein-rich and light in carbs.

The original recipe is spicy but because of my daughter, rather than including the jalapeno in the soup itself, I chop it up put on top with the avocado and chopped cilantro when serving.

Variations:

  • Instead of turkey sausage, use Italian sausage or Mexican chorizo
  • Instead of garbanzo, use white beans (or any other beans)
  • Add one or two chopped carrots
  • Add 1 chopped bell pepper (any color)
  • Add one potato, chopped smalle  so it doesn’t prolong  cooking time
  • The last 5 minutes, add spinach, kale or other chopped greens (swiss chard, mustard greens)
Spicy Turkey Sausage and Garbanzo Soup
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Servings
4 servings
Servings
4 servings
Spicy Turkey Sausage and Garbanzo Soup
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Servings
4 servings
Servings
4 servings
Ingredients
Adjust servings: servings
Units:
Instructions
  1. Heat olive oil in heavy large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add turkey sausage and chopped onion, sauté until sausage is golden brown and cooked through, breaking up sausage with back of fork, about 5 minutes. Add chopped garlic and cook another 3 minutes. Reduce heat to medium.
  2. Add tomatoes with their juices, sliced jalapeño, chili, ground cumin and chopped fresh rosemary. Simmer 10 minutes, stirring frequently.
  3. Add garbanzo beans and 2 cups chicken broth and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer soup 15 minutes. If needing additional liquid, add another cup of chicken broth.
  4. Stir in fresh lemon juice.
  5. Season soup to taste with salt and pepper.
  6. Serve topped with sliced avocado and chopped cilantro.
Recipe Notes

Modified from https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/spicy-garbanzo-bean-and-turkey-sausage-soup-458

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Turkey Meatball and Kale Soup

This recipe is part of my “naked kitchen menu” because it has no spices. Consider this a base that can be varied by using different ground meat, or vegetables and adding spices.

Variations:

  • Use ground bison or grass-fed beef instead of turkey, or ground lamb
  • For the soup, use leeks instead of onions, add a chopped turnip or rutabaga
  • Add 1 cup of chopped broccoli or cauliflower
  • Add 1 cup peas or green beans
  • Add 1 cup of diced potato
  • Reduce the amount of broth to make a chunky stew instead of soup
Turkey Meatball and Kale Soup
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Servings
4 servings
Servings
4 servings
Turkey Meatball and Kale Soup
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Servings
4 servings
Servings
4 servings
Ingredients
Meatballs
Soup
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Units:
Instructions
  1. Pour milk into a large mixing bowl, tear bread into small pieces and add to the milk; soak 10 minutes.
  2. Add ground turkey, chopped green onions, minced garlic and mix together.
  3. Scoop out with spoon and roll between wet palms to form 1/2-inch balls.
  4. Set aside.
Soup
  1. Heat olive oil in a pot over medium heat just until it starts to shimmer. Add onions, carrots and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally until vegetables soften, add chopped garlic and cook, stirring, 2 more minutes.
  2. Place meatballs on top of vegetables.
  3. Gradually pour in broth. Gently stir broth into vegetables without breaking the meatballs. Cover and cook over low heat, just barely bubbling until meatballs are cooked through.
  4. Add kale or spinach, cover and simmer just until kale/spinach is wilted. Gently mix together and serve.
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Mushroom Barley Soup

More than a soup, this is a meal in itself—flavorful, filling, and nutrient-dense.

Mushrooms contain many disease fighting compounds.  Mushrooms and greens (spinach, kale, etc) together makes a powerful immune booster combination

[su_expanding_quote_book alignment=”full” source_author=”Joel Fuhrman, MD” source_title=”Super Immunity: The Essential Nutrition Guide for Boosting Your Body’s Natural Defenses” full_quote=”Mushrooms contain many unusual disease-fighting compounds that are just beginning to be understood. These immune-supporting ingredients empower the body to react quickly and powerfully when we are exposed to disease-causing pathogens such as viruses and bacteria. Mushroom phytochemicals may even be helpful for autoimmune-diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and lupus because of their anti-inflammatory and immune-modulating effects.” short_quote=”Mushrooms contain many unusual disease-fighting compounds”]

The aroma of mushrooms and onions, the comfort of a pot simmering with healthy goodness on the stove, cupping my cold hands around a hot bowl and savoring the hearty soup with its chewy barley and harmony of vegetables…this is one of my favorite winter meals.

Variations:

  • Leeks instead of onions
  • Add 1 cup white beans, cooked or canned
  • Add 2 cups spinach or chopped kale
  • Add 1/4 cup fresh chopped herbs before serving (basil, dill, cilantro are some of my favorites
  • Add 8 oz jar of sun-dried tomatoes, chopped

Serve it with a nutrient-dense leafy green salad like Kale, Apple and Cranberry Salad with Pumpkin Seeds

Mushroom Barley Soup with White Beans
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Servings
8 servings
Servings
8 servings
Mushroom Barley Soup with White Beans
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Servings
8 servings
Servings
8 servings
Ingredients
Adjust servings: servings
Units:
Instructions
  1. Heat olive oil in large pot over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and onions; cook, stirring occasionally until onions are translucent
  2. Add carrots, celery, onion and barley. Sauté, stirring, about 10 minutes until vegetables soften.
  3. Stir in garlic and cumin. Gradually pour in broth. in broth. Bring soup to boil, stir.
  4. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer about 30 minutes until barley is tender.
  5. Add white beans, mixing and cook another 10 minutes or until barley is tender.
  6. Add spinach, mix in and cook just until barely wilted. Serve.
Recipe Notes

A CMF original recipe

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Poblano Pepper Sauce

This is originally for the Chicken Breasts with Poblano Pepper Sauce, but it pairs deliciously with roasted pork tenderloin or pork chops.

Instead of poblano peppers I sometimes use red or yellow bell peppers.

Or for a dinner party I will make both. On the serving platter I alternatively put poblano pepper sauce or yellow bell pepper sauce on chicken breasts; not only does it make the buffet table colorful, but it gives guests the option to select spicy or not spicy.

Makes sauce to serve 6 – 8 people.

Poblano Pepper Sauce
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Leftovers mixed with an equal amount or Greek yogurt makes a delicious dip for tortilla or pita chips. Or mix leftovers with a couple of tablespoons of cream cheese becomes a tasty sandwhich spread.
Servings
2 cups
Servings
2 cups
Poblano Pepper Sauce
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Leftovers mixed with an equal amount or Greek yogurt makes a delicious dip for tortilla or pita chips. Or mix leftovers with a couple of tablespoons of cream cheese becomes a tasty sandwhich spread.
Servings
2 cups
Servings
2 cups
Ingredients
Adjust servings: cups
Units:
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 400. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil, brush it with 1 tablespoon olive oil, and brush the peppers with another tablespoon olive oil and place in oven. Set the timer for 8 minutes, turn the peppers, and roast another 8 minutes or until the skin is bubbly all over. Place peppers in a bowl, cover with the same aluminum foil from the baking sheet and let them cool.
  2. While the peppers are cooling, chop onion to measure 1 cup and chop garlic.
  3. When the peppers are cool, peel them (you might want to wear gloves when handling the chilies). Cut off tops and discard seeds and ribs. If you like it spicy, you can leave the seeds of one pepper in. Chop peppers.
  4. In a medium skillet cook onion in 2 tablespoons expeller-pressed canola oil over moderately low heat, stirring, until softened. Add garlic and sauté another 2 minutes. Stir in 1/2 broth and peppers and simmer 5 minutes. Cool for safe handling.
  5. Place peppers in a blender with the broth mixture and puree until completely smooth (use caution when blending hot liquids) and season with salt. If too thick, add another 1/4 cup of broth and puree again until smooth
  6. Sauce can be made a day ahead
Recipe Notes

Adapted from

Epicurious: Cilantro stuffed chicken breasts with poblano chile sauce

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Mushroom Barley Risotto

[su_expanding_quote alignment=”right” source_author=”Joel Fuhrman, M.D.” source_title=”Super Immunity” affiliate_link=”http://amazon.to/to come” full_quote=”Consuming mushrooms regularly has been associated with decreased risk of breast, stomach and colorectal cancers…mushrooms stimulate the immune system, prevent DNA damage, slow cancer cell growth.” short_quote=”Consuming mushrooms regularly has been associated with decreased risk of cancers”]

Mushrooms evoke an almost-forgotten childhood memory of tromping through a forest in Austria with my grandfather, breathing in the aroma of wet earth. He had an amazing knowledge, honed through severe hunger having lived through World Wars I and II, not only of mushrooms, but all edible forest plants. Taking those mushrooms into the kitchen to sauté with a little bit of butter made for heavenly bites that I can still savor.

Mushroom Barley Risotto
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Servings
4 - 6
Servings
4 - 6
Mushroom Barley Risotto
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Servings
4 - 6
Servings
4 - 6
Ingredients
Adjust servings:
Units:
Instructions
  1. Heat expeller-pressed canola oil in medium saucepan. Add onion and cook over medium heat until it begins to turn transparent. Add mushrooms and cook until edges of mushrooms are browned.
  2. Add carrots, garlic and barley and cook, mixing for 3 – 5 more minutes.
  3. Add thyme, bay leaves and 2 cups chicken broth. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until broth is almost absorbed, about 5 minutes. Add remaining broth 1/2 cup at a time; as it gets absorbed, add more until barley is tender, about 45 – 50 minutes.
  4. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
  5. Serve with chopped parsley on top.
Recipe Notes

A Color My Food Original Recipe

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Dijon Chicken Breasts

This is a quick recipe. You can double it and use left over chicken for sandwiches the next day—cut thin slices and replace processed ham or turkey. Or make a chicken salad with a nice crunch of bell peppers or celery.

Dijon Chicken Breasts
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Servings
4
Servings
4
Dijon Chicken Breasts
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Servings
4
Servings
4
Ingredients
Adjust servings:
Units:
Instructions
  1. Combine first 5 ingredients in heavy large skillet.
  2. Bring to gentle simmer over medium-low heat. Meanwhile, season chicken breasts with salt and pepper.
  3. Add chicken to skillet. Cover and poach about 15 minutes. Add spinach and cook another 5 minutes until chicken is just cooked through.
  4. Transfer chicken to platter. Boil liquid in skillet until reduced to sauce consistency, about 2 minutes. Pour sauce over chicken and serve.
Recipe Notes

Adapted from Epicurious: Dijon Chicken Breasts

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A Hearty Wild Rice Dish

I like the texture and colors of a wild rice blend, but also use brown rice instead.

The chicken broth enhances the flavor (and nutrients); use vegetable broth instead for vegan guests, or even simply use water.

As a side dish it also pairs nicely with grilled chicken, broiled fish brushed with extra-virgin olive oil and crushed garlic, or roasted pork tenderloin.

It is even robust and nutritious enough to be a main entrée, try one of the below variations. It easily dresses up for guests served on a bed of spinach or baby kale tossed in lime vinaigrette. Serve it with crusty bread with a pesto dip. And for dessert, the Mango Yogurt Mousse.

Variations:

  1. Add 1 chopped avocado, 1 chopped mango and 1/2 cup chopped parsley
  2. Add a 1 1/2 cup chopped tomatoes and 1/2 cup chopped basil
  3. Add 1 cup of black beans, and 1/2 cup of chopped cilantro.
  4. Add 1 chopped cucumber and 1/2 cup chopped mint
Wild Rice, Quinoa and Corn
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Servings
8
Servings
8
Wild Rice, Quinoa and Corn
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Servings
8
Servings
8
Ingredients
Adjust servings:
Units:
Instructions
  1. Place the wild rice in a saucepan and toast it over medium heat until the translucent grains of the white rice look white. Add the broth and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat to simmer and cook approximately 45 minutes or until rice is tender.
  2. In another saucepan, toast the quinoa. When it begins to make little popping sounds, add the water, bring it to a boil. Immediately turn heat down to simmer and cover the quinoa. Cook 25 minutes. Do NOT salt the quinoa until after it cooks or the seeds (technically they are seeds rather than grains) will not pop open.
  3. Mix the wild rice with the quinoa, add the corn and green onion and mix.
  4. Season with salt and pepper, drizzle with 1–2 tablespoons olive oil and mix one more time.
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