The different colors and texture in wild rice make it a perfect side for holidays and special events. Adding pomegranate and pine nuts makes this dish visually delightful and a feast for the palate.
I tend to avoid Tex-Mex food because it is so heavy and leaves me feeling like I’ve eaten a tank.
Then I made Sweet Potato Enchiladas from Oh She Glows cookbook and I discovered crazy delicious, digestible enchiladas.
Casting about for something to take to a friend’s house for the Superbowl today, enchiladas seemed to be a Superbowlish kind of food.
I was astonished at how fast they were eaten, from the 3 year-old and up, everyone enjoyed them.
Variations:
Make it vegan: use 1 1/2 cup cooked lentils instead of ground meat
Make it spicy: keep the poblano seeds or add 1/4 – 1/2 red pepper flakes
Make it chicken: use chopped up leftover (or rotisserie) chicken instead of ground meat
Next time I’ll make a double recipe and save half for a second dinner later in the week.
1. Shepard pie with mashed sweet potatoes OR
2. Stuff a spaghetti squash (scoop out seeds first), sprinkle cheese on top and cook in oven for 30 – 40 minutes.
I’ve discovered it’s easy to make taco seasoning. I double the recipe (without onion powder or garlic powder simply because I never have any) from Family Fresh Meals and keep it in a small mason jar.
Heat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9 x 13-inch baking pan with avocado or olive oil. Set aside.
Heat avocado oil in a pot over medium heat until it just starts to shimmer. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally for 5 minutes. Add ground meat and cook, stirring occasionally until no longer pink.
Mix in garlic and taco seasoning. Cook 2 – 3 more minutes.
Mix 1/4 cup of enchilada sauce. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Add poblano and bell peppers, tomato and black bean. Mix again and cook just until poblano and bell peppers soften. Stir in 1/2 cup chopped cilantro.
Set up an assembly line with tortillas, enchilada sauce, ground beef mixture, and cheese. Spread two tablespoons enchilada sauce over the surface of the tortilla, then about 2 large spoonfuls of ground beef mixture. Roll up the tortilla and place,
Spread remaining enchilada sauce on top of the tortillas.
Sprinkle 1 1/2 - 2 cups shredded cheese on top, (depends how cheesy you prefer.
Bake uncovered for 20 minutes.
Remove from oven, sprinkle another 1/4 cup chopped cilantro on top and serve.
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)
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.
Add tomatoes with their juices, sliced jalapeño, chili, ground cumin and chopped fresh rosemary. Simmer 10 minutes, stirring frequently.
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.
Stir in fresh lemon juice.
Season soup to taste with salt and pepper.
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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This recipe is part of my “Naked Kitchen” repertoire. These are recipes I take with me when we go on vacation and will stay someplace where the kitchen has an empty fridge and pantry. The recipes are easy to make, and flavors are simple.
Ocassionaly I make these meals at home because of their simplicity. They fall into the “comfort food” zone for me. And are also wonderful options when someone in the house is not feeling well.
Variations:
Use white fish other than cod, or chicken breast
Use kale or broccoli instead of spinach
Enhance the flavors with cumin, curry and tumeric if available (about 1/2 teaspoon each)
I serve it with CMF Rice mixed with chopped parsley or cilantro. And chopped nuts if available.
Heat olive oil in a medium pot over medium heat, just until simmering. Add the onion and sauté until softened. Add garlic and ginger, and cook 2 -3 more minutes, stirring.
Pour in coconut milk, bring to the boil and simmer for 3-5 minutes to reduce slightly, then add the cod. Cover and simmer 8 – 10 minutes until cod is cooked.
Add spinach and cook 3 – 5 more minutes just until spinach is wilted.
through. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Serve with CMF Rice
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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
Pour milk into a large mixing bowl, tear bread into small pieces and add to the milk; soak 10 minutes.
Add ground turkey, chopped green onions, minced garlic and mix together.
Scoop out with spoon and roll between wet palms to form 1/2-inch balls.
Set aside.
Soup
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.
Place meatballs on top of vegetables.
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.
Add kale or spinach, cover and simmer just until kale/spinach is wilted. Gently mix together and serve.
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I usually use short-grain brown rice, but sometimes I’ll make wild rice or white rice. If using white rice, reduce the amount of water from 1 3/4 cup to 1 1/2 cup.
The primary differences among types of rice can be attributed to the predominant type of starch. Long grain rice expands more when cooked to form drier, firmer more separate grains of rice. Short-grain rice absorbs more moisture, which makes it moister, softer and more clingy.
Variations:
Broth-based: Substitute chicken or vegetable broth for water
Veggie rice: Add 1 cup chopped carrots, peas, broccoli or other fresh or vegetables the last 5 – 10 minutes of cooking rice
Multi-grain: Instead of rice only, mix with other grains in equal ratio. For example 1/2 cup rice and 1/2 cup barley. Or 1/3 cup rice + 1/3 cup buckwheat + 1/3 cup quinoa
Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat until it starts to shimmer. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally 5 – 8 minutes until it is translucent, add the rice and garlic and cook another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add water and salt; bring to a boil. Immediately turn down heat to simmer and cover.
Cook 30 minutes for white rice, 40 – 45 minutes for brown or wild rice or multi-grain mix.
If it gets dry and starts sticking, add 2 tablespoons of water.
This recipe for my Easter Menu was inspired by the Lemon Barley Pilaf from Epicurious Lemon Barley Pilaf
Given that orzo is a pasta, I think it will be more enticing to little ones with selective palates that will celebrate Easter with us.
If whole-wheat orzo is not easily available, this can be made with regular orzo. The key to this dish is not overcook the carrots, or the orzo, otherwise it all becomes mush.
I serve it with a tiny dish of red pepper flakes and a little bowl of shredded Parmesan cheese alongside for people for “customization”
– As is: For vegan guests and those with dairy sensitivity
– Added red pepper: For adults who want to spice it up, my personal choice—I love the sweet (carrot).
– You can also add: Parmesan cheese for extra dressing up
In a medium saucepan over medium heat melt butter with olive oil.
Add onion and cook 2 -3 minutes until begins to turn translucent.
Add carrot and cumin; cook another 2 -3 minutes stirring.
Mix in orzo and cook another 2 -3 minutes.
Add carrot juice and broth, bring to a boil. Immediately turn heat until liquid just simmers and cover. Cook 8 -10 minutes. Orzo should be al dente, cooked but firm. Immediately remove from heat.
The name strata come from layers. Strata is a breakfast dish made from a beaten egg mixture poured over bread (sliced or cubed). There are innumerable variations, omnivore and vegetarian
different varieties of vegetables
breakfast meats (sausage, bacon, ham)
herbs and spices
I like stratas because you can make them the day before and chilled overnight. In the morning bake it in the oven.
Heat olive oil in large skillet over medium heat; add onion and sauté until translucent. Add sausage and chopped poblano pepper and cook stirring occasionally until sausage is cooked through. Remove from heat and cool.
Cut twenty 1-inch slices from baguette and arrange in one layer in baking dish.
Whisk eggs and milk; mix in cooked sausage and all remaining ingredients until blended.
Pour egg mixture over bread. Cover and chill overnight.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake strata uncovered until puffed and golden, about 40 - 45 minutes.
Let stand 5 minutes before serving.
Serve with sliced avocado, chopped cilantro and/or salsa
Oh la la the contrasts in this dish: color, texture, sweet and spicy. Now here’s a potato salad I love!
Add the black beans and it’s robust and filling enough to be a main entree.
I serve it at room temperature. You can make it a day ahead. If so (the dressing gets absorbed over night), mix 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar with 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil and toss again before serving.
It’s very popular at our summer dinner parties. I like to serve it with pork tenderloin (grilled or roasted), a quinoa pilaf and a green salad. Vegetarians/vegans can skip the pork and still have a well-balanced, delicious meal.
It also pairs well with grilled chicken.
Sweet potatoes are rich in cartenoids, orange, yellow or red-colored fat soluble compounds that protect plants from sun damage while they help them attract birds and bees for pollination. Cartenoids help protect us from free radicals, modulate our immune response, enhance cell-to-cell communication and play a major role in protecting the skin and eyes from damaging effects of ultraviolet light. Foods rich in cartenoids have been linked to a host of health-promoting and disease-fighting activities. They have been shown to decrease the risk of various cancers, including lung, colon, bladder, cervical, breast and skin.
Superfoods RX: Fourteen Foods that Will Change Your Life, Steven Pratt, MD and Kathy Matthews
For the dressing:
Mix everything (vinegar, honey, water, rosemary, onion, mustard) except extra-virgin olive oil in a small bowl.
Gradually whisk in olive oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
If organic, simply scrub the sweet potatoes. If not organic, peel sweet potatoes. Cut sweet potato into bite-size pieces and place in a pot with a steamer basket, cover and cook over medium heat for 6 - 8 minutes until sweet potatoes are tender. Run under cold water and drain.
Cut poblano pepper in half, remove seeds and cut into bite size pieces. Place in a bowl, add cooled sweet potatoes, black beans (if using) and onion in large bowl and toss.
Add parsley and drizzle dressing; toss to coat. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Fresh, tender asparagus says “Hello Spring!” in a most deliciously way. Buying local means buying seasonal. Shopping at the local Farmer’s Market past couple years has become a marvelous way to connect with nature.
Ditto on the tomatoes. The sun-ripe flavor of local fresh tomatoes is burst of sunshine in the mouth, utterly incomparable to the grocery store variety shipped from thousands of miles away. Because we are in Texas, tomatoes come early.
Asparagus and sunshine tomatoes join whole-grains for a nourishing meal in this recipe. I made it both as a one-dish dinner for weeknights and also as a lovely side dish with roasted fish fillets or sauteed chicken breasts and the Spinach Orange Salad or any green salad.
Trim one-inch off the asparagus ends and cut into bite-size pieces.
Over medium heat, warm up extra-virgin olive oil in saucepan. Add onion; sauté until transparent about 5 minutes. Add barley and garlic and toast 3 minutes, mixing occasionally. Add 2 cups broth and bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer until liquid is absorbed, stirring frequently, about 7 minutes.
Mix in 2 more cups broth and simmer over low heat until absorbed, stirring occasionally. Add 2 more cups broth and simmer until barley is tender and creamy but still slightly firm to bite, stirring frequently and adding more broth if mixture is dry, about 35 minutes. If it is dry, add another 1/2 cup of broth and place the asparagus on top, cover and steam asparagus for 8 - 10 minutes or until crisp-tender.
Add tomatoes; stir in gently until heated through, about 3 minutes.
Mix in cheese, arugula and lemon peel. Season with salt and pepper. Serve
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