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.
Plant-rich and nutrient-dense, use this as a base recipe and mix it up with different vegetables. Add sausage, smoked salmon, leftover chicken, or ground beef. Make a double recipe and enjoy it throughout the week for breakfast or lunch.
Variations:
Finely slice kale or Swiss chard, instead of spinach
Replace basil with parsley or cilantro. Or other finely chopped herbs such as rosemary, thyme, dill or oregano. If using fresh herbs, use spinach as the greens as it is more neutral than other greens
Or use arugula for the greens and skip the fresh herbs
Use finely chopped broccoli instead of greens
Add other veggies: asparagus, cauliflower, peas, green beens…
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
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
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.
Mix in Parmesan, season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside, covered.
Mushroom Ragout
Heat olive oil in saucepan over medium heat. Add chopped onion and sauté until they start to turn transparent.
Add mushrooms and sauté 8 – 10 minutes until they begin to brown. Add garlic, cook 2 more minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add tomatoes and chicken stock; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and cook 10 more minutes.
Mix in fresh herbs, season with salt and pepper to taste and turn off.
Spoon polenta onto plate, place mushroom ragout on top. Sprinkle with the chives (green onions) and serve.
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Delicious, nutritious! I love the fact that I can put 3 cups of carrots into breakfast and my family will gobble it up. As always, I make a double-batch to freeze for later in the week.
I originally found this recipe on Pinterest, but significantly reduced the sugar and used whole-wheat flour.
Variations:
• Use half grated carrot and half grated apple
• Use grated carrot and grated raw beet
• Use only whole-wheat flour but increase the milk by 1/4 – 1/3 cup
• Serve with vanilla Greek yogurt, or plain Greek yogurt mixed with honey and top with chopped nuts of choice
Mix flour, sugar, baking power, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
In another bowl whisk eggs. Whisk in milk, vanilla and melted butter (or coconut oil).
Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and mix until combined.
Stir in shredded carrots, chopped nuts, and chia; add coconut if using.
Heat pancake griddle or large skillet over medium-high heat and brush with butter or coconut oil. Scoop about 1/4 cup batter into skillet, turn down heat to medium and cook 3 – 4 minutes per side until golden.
Recipe Notes
Can add half Greek yogurt and half milk for more protein
Always serve with fat from nature (a bit of butter on the pancake and/or protein (a scoop of Greek yogurt, quality sourced breakfast sausage)
In our garden in Cochabamba lives a wonderfully enthusiastic orange tree. It produces truly an astonishing amount of fruit; we’ll harvest 200+ oranges and the tree looks still fully loaded.
The garden is also home to a grapefruit tree, more modest in its output.
With such abundance, orange and grapefruit ended up in this pretty and delicious combination.
Variations:
Use only orange or only grapefruit
Use orange and beet (roasted or steamed) slices (cut into similar shape as orange segments
Use peach or nectarine in place of citrus
Add toasted pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds or slivered almonds
Sugar cookies are usually made with white flour and too much sugar. I use whole-wheat flour and reduce the amount of sugar almost half.
I was not a fan of sugar cookies until I had a child. Now I can seem to stop making them! In carrot-shape at Easter, or pumpkin shape in the fall…
I’ve lost count of the number of times we made them in all sorts of shapes for play dates. I blend powdered sugar with just enough water to make “spreadable” icing, and a drop or two of India Tree coloring (no synthetic dyes). Each child gets a portion of icing in a cup and decorates happily away, adding sprinkles on top.
In a medium-sized bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
In a large bowl fitted with an electric whisk cream the butter. Gradually add sugar mixing until it is all blended in. Add the egg, milk, and vanilla until well mixed.
By hand mix in flour about 1 cup at a time, mixing well after each addition.
Roll the dough out onto a floured surface until it's about 1/4-inch thick.
Cut with cookie cutters into desired shapes. Place cookies onto an ungreased baking sheet.
Bake in oven for 6 – 8 minutes until edges turn golden brown.
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Romesco is a nut and red bell pepper sauce that originates in Catalonia region in Spain where it seems fishermen originally prepared this sauce for fish.
This is so delicious, colorful and elegant, I use it many different ways
As a sauce over chicken breasts (roasted or grilled)
Or on fish fillets (roasted or grilled
As a dip with sliced baguette or pita bread.
For a more elegant occasion, I spread the dip on crostini (toasted baguette slices) and place a basil or parsley leaf on each crostini.
As tea sandwiches
Leftovers make a fabulous sandwich spread turning a simple turkey sandwich with arugula into a gourmet treat
Yummy wraps with greens and leftover chicken, or garbanzo or white beans.
The almonds and red bell pepper make this not only delicious but also quite nutritious. Check out the amazing health benefits of almonds.
For an extra special meal, I’ve made this sauce with hazelnuts…hmmm heavenly.
I’m always looking for ways to incorporate more beets into our weekly meals when staying with my father. Parkinson’s is a challenging disease; one of the ways I deal with impotence of the disease is trying to boost nutrition into my dad’s daily life.
Beets help blood flow and are brain-healthy. So beets go into breakfast smoothies and raw grated beets go into salads. These pancakes are a new way to use beets.
The first time I made them, I served them with a potato, turnip and pumpkin puree (spiced with tumeric and cumin). Yum!
And an arugula, tomato salad with green onion and CMF vinaigrette.
I’ve since made them for teatime, which is my dad’s favorite late afternoon interlude and oftentimes he wants tea rather than dinner.
I think they’d also be a lovely brunch option.
Variations:
Add ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes to give spice them up
Serve with a dollop of plain Greek yogurt or puree the yogurt with a clove of garlic and ¼ cup of cilantro, mint, or parsley.
Serve with sweet potato puree, a cauliflower and potato puree
Love this! It’s a fun twist on traditional tabbouleh, which is made with bulgur. This dish comes out of my kitchen with frequency during the summer months. It is very versatile; I make it as as a one-dish dinner served over a bed of spinach or as a side to grilled chicken, or roasted pork tenderloin.
It’s perfect for summer dinner parties, enjoyed by vegans/vegetarians and omnivores alike.
I’ve made it as a simple lunch for girlfriends; served on a bed of baby kale tossed with CMF Lime Vinaigrette, along with Olive Tapenade, fresh feta and pita bread.
Finished off with Peach and Blackberry Crisp served with a small scoop of plain Greek yogurt drizzled with honey and voila! Happy tummies filled with Mother Nature’s food.
As usual with my leftover grains, they get rolled into a wrap with greens and a spread of hummus or pesto. Or tossed into a salad with greens, perhaps shaved cabbage or grated carrots, whatever I have on hand.
Variations:
Skip tomatoes and cucumber to make it simple side dish
Add crumbled feta or goat cheese
Add feta and pitted black olives cut in half
Replace tomatoes with diced red bell pepper for more crunch
Replace tomatoes and cucumbers and add chopped roasted red bell pepper and garbanzo beans
Eat it for pleasure. Eat it for life!
Not just a delight to eat with its bursts of crunch, zing of lemon and aromatic mint, but it is so good for our bodies too.
Toast quinoa in saucepan over medium heat until it starts to make popping sounds. Add water and bring to a boil. Immediately reduce heat to low, cover and simmer until quinoa is tender, about 25 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand, uncovered, until cool. Fluff with a fork.
Meanwhile, whisk lemon juice and garlic in a small bowl. Gradually whisk in olive oil. Season dressing to taste with salt and pepper.
Transfer to a large bowl; mix in 1/4 cup dressing.
Add cucumber, tomatoes, herbs, and scallions to bowl with quinoa; toss to coat. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Drizzle remaining dressing over tabbouleh
Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill. Bring to room temperature before serving.
An authentic tagine is a stew that takes its name from the heavy earthenware pot in which it is slow cooked, traditionally over an open fire, or bed of charcoal.
I don’t have an actual tagine ceramic pot, but I LOVE making tagine stews. The flavors are a feast, with the added bonus that the flavor compounds in spices are powerful antioxidants.
Tagine dishes are slow-cooked savory stews, typically made with meat, poultry or fish together with vegetables or fruit. Spices, nuts, and dried fruits are also used. Common spices include ginger, cumin, turmeric, cinnamon, and saffron.
Although tagines are usually served on their own, I like to serve this over quinoa or couscous along with a green salad.
Stir together ground cinnamon, ginger, turmeric, pepper and salt in a small bowl.
Heat olive oil in skillet over moderate heat, add onion and sauté until it begins to turn translucent. Add mixed spices and chopped garlic, mix 2 minutes.
Add 3/4 cup water, mix. Add chicken, cinnamon stick and apricots. Tie cilantro in a bundle, add to pot.
Cover and simmer 25 – 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a small skillet over moderate heat and cook almonds about 2 minutes just until golden. Cool and coarsely chop.
Discard herbs and cinnamon stick; serve chicken with almonds sprinkled on top.
