My Comment: Growing up in the mid-west, I don’t remember much about Bing cherries; my cheery cherry memory is pitting sour cherries (by the pound) so my Mother could freeze them. Sweet cherries were Queen Annes. I don’t know, maybe there were Bing cherries and I was just not paying attention.
That said, this is the time of year when markets and even our CSA usually have Bing cherries available. I don’t often use dressing on salads; but this was intriguing — the sweetness of ripe red-purple cherries mixed with vinegar and mustard was an enticement on a sweltering summer evening when we just felt like eating a simple salad for supper.
Vegetarian Times did not specify amounts — so I won’t either. Most recipes call for oil to vinegar ratios of 2:1 — I usually do just the opposite (there’s a shock). Add honey to taste and about a tablespoon of mustard (more or less to your personal taste).
Puree together:
Pitted bing cherries (I used about 30)
Almond oil (see note above; I think I used about 2-3 TBSP)
Champagne vinegar (see note above)
mustard (about 2 tsp does the trick)
honey (use agave or other liquid sweetener to make this vegan)
Adapted from Pomeroy, N. “Quinoa with sweet pea & sour cream dressing.” Wall Street Journal Online: Slow Food Fast. (April 23, 2011). Downloaded from the web on 08 July 2011.
My Comments: I love the texture and taste of quinoa and this slightly warmed dish seemed perfect for summer! Our CSA shares have included some wonderfully fresh sugar snap peas and even some mint — trying this recipe seemed to be a good fit. Not a big fan of sour cream, so I substituted (of course) with non-fat Greek yogurt.
Ingredients
1/2 cup quinoa, rinsed
1/2 teaspoon and pinch salt
2/3 cup water
1/4 cup and 1 tablespoon olive oil
1/3 cup yellow onion, diced
3/4 cup snap or snow peas, halved crosswise on the bias
3/4 cup shelled peas, fresh or frozen
2 tablespoons sour cream (I substituted Non-fat Greek yogurt)
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon champagne vinegar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/3 cup fresh mint, torn
1/4 cup parsley, chopped
Method
1. Place quinoa in a small saucepan with a pinch of salt. Cover with water and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce to a simmer and cook, covered, until tender, about 18 minutes. Remove from heat and fluff grains. Leave lid ajar, and let cool.
2. While quinoa cooks, set a medium sauté pan over medium heat. Swirl in 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add onions and cook until soft, about 5 minutes.
3. Stir in snap peas and shelled peas. Sauté for 2 minutes, or until peas turn bright green. Remove from heat.
4. Mix sour cream, mustard, vinegar, lemon juice, sugar and ½ teaspoon salt together. Whisk in ¼ cup olive oil.
5. Stir quinoa into the pea mixture and set pan back over medium heat. Cook until just warmed through and add dressing. Remove from heat.
6. Stir in mint and parsley. Adjust seasoning with lemon juice and salt, if needed.
Adjust seasoning with lemon juice and salt, if needed.
My Comment: While it is still too early for farmer’s market tomatoes here in New England, there are still good sources available for fresh and canned tomatoes to use in this recipe. Besides, I had some bread to use up 🙂 Besides being warming and very fresh tasting, I like this recipe because of its simplicity. Never mind that the proportions are metric (a little brain work is good for you!). Enjoy it now and then create it again when the tomatoes are perfectly ripe right off the vine.
Ingredients
500 g cherry tomatoes
3 cloves of garlic, peeled and finely chopped
a large bunch of fresh basil, leaved picked, stalks finely chopped (separate the stalks from the leaves)
high quality extra virgin olive oil
sea salt and black pepper
2 400-g (14 oz) tin (that’s cans to us) plum tomatoes
500 g or 2 large handfuls of stale good-quality bread (I used some leftover ciabatta)
Method
1. Prick the cherry tomatoes with a fork and toss with one clove of garlic and about a quarter of the chopped up basil. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Put in a roasting tray and cook in the over at 180 c (350 F) for 20 minutes.
2. Heat a glug (Jamie’s term!) of olive oil in a pot and add the remaining garlic and basic stalks. Stir around and gently fry for a minute until softened. Add the canned tomatoes then fill at least one can with water and add that also (you may want to consider adding more water if the soup seems to thick). Break up the tomatoes with a spoon, bring soup to a boil and simmer 15 minutes.
3. Tear the bread into thumb-sized pieces and add them to the pot. Add the torn basil leaves, let the bread sit on top of the soup mixture at low heat for 10 minutes. By this time the cherry tomatoes will have finished roasting — pour them (basil leaves, tomatoes, juices and all) into the soup pot.
4. Give the soup a good stir — you are looking to achieve a thick, silky porridgy texture. Remove from heat, add an additional 6-7 TBSP of olive oil and divide between 4 bowls — garnish with additional basil leaves if you want.
My Comment: This is the second year that Adrien and I have belonged to a local CSA, World Peas. What a wonderful idea behind the CSA — new farmers are mentored and supported while they learn how to plan, grow, manage and market crops. Adrien has photographed some of the farmers — and through this project we’ve met some incredible people.
Our weekly share comes complete with a newsletter suggesting ways to use some of the bounty that we receive. This recipe actually came from another CSA’s published cookbook, Asparagus to Zucchini. Advertised as an alternative lunch dish, I doubled it — left out the meat — and served it as a stir fry main dish. And found there was plenty leftover for the next day’s lunch too.
Ingredients
2 tsp peanut oil, divided (I used avocado oil because I had it)
2 tsp sesame oil, divided
14 cup diced carrots
ginger (diced), scallions
1 cup diced tatsoi or bok choy
(I added about a cup per person of fresh spinach)
1 1/2 cups leftover rice (I prefer brown)
1/2 cup leftover cooked meat – or substitute (I didn’t use this – more veggies!)
1 egg
chili garlic sauce (optional) and soy sauce Method
1. Heat wok over medium high heat. Add 1 tsp each of the peanut and sesame oil. Add carrots and stir fry for 2 minutes. Add the greens (bok choy and anything else you’re using) and stir fry for another 2 minutes.
2. Push veggies to the side of the pan and add remaining peanut oil followed by the rice, meat (if using), some ginger and stir fry for 2-3 minutes. Add some green onions.
3. Push the veggies to the side of the pan. Add the remaining sesame oil, and crack an egg into the center of the wok. Scramble it.
4. Once egg is cooked, break it up and mix into other ingredients. Add a little chili garlic paste if you desire and some soy sauce.
My Comment: Now this was a delicious spring recipe — the fresh flavor of peas and the brilliant green color made it pleasing to the palate and the eye. I suppose a purist would make the ravioli dough; that just not for me right now. I did however find making my own ravioli enjoyable and not that difficult to accomplish, even on a weeknight. I did not use chicken broth – preferred to make this vegetarian.
Ingredients
1 TBS extra virgin olive oil
1 medium shallot, finely chopped (about 1/4 cup)
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1/2 cup low sodium vegetable (or chicken broth)
1- 1/4 cups fresh or frozen peas, divided
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
1/3 cup low-fat ricotta
5 TBSP grated Pecorino Romano cheese, divided
2 TBSP chopped fresh chives (plus additional for garnish)
1/2 tsp lemon zest
32 whole-wheat wonton wrappers
Method:
1. In a medium saucepan, heat oil on medium. Add shallot and cook until soft and translucent – about 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook additional 1 minutes, sitrring constantly. Add broth and bring to a simmer. Add 1 cup of the peas and simmer until just tender (2-3 minutes). Season with salt and pepper. Using a slotted spoon, remove the peas and shallots from the broth and place in a food processor.. Cover the saucepan to keep the broth warm and set aside. To food processor, add ricotta, 3 TBSP romano, chives and lemon zest. Puree, taste and adjust seasonings.
2. Bring a large pot of water to boil while you make the ravioli. Arrange a small bowl of water and baking sheet near your work area. Place 2 wonton wrappers in front of you; keep the remaining wontons under a towel to keep them from drying out. Place 1 TBSP of the pea mixture; dip finger in water and moisten the edges of the wonton wrapper. Place the second wrapper over the top and press together firmly to seal. Transfer to the baking sheet. Repeat with remaining materials.
3. Just before cooking ravioli, return reserved broth to a simmer. Add remaining 1/4 cup pease to broth and cook uncovered for about 2 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, add ravioli to pot with boiling water and cook for 2 minutes or until dough is al dente and ravioli rise to the surface. Remove with slotted spoon or skimmer (4 bowls) and divide broth mixture over all four bowls. Garnish with remaining Romano and garnish with chives.
Serves 4. Nutrition: Calories 414, 9 g fat, 68 g carbohydrates, 12 g fiber, 21 g protein.
My Comment: The idea of eating “clean” appeals to me – we try not to eat much of anything that has been processed and we try to eat more whole grain foods. It is less expensive to make-our-own and keep out of the middle aisles of the food store.
A good substitute for the shrimp making this purely vegetarian would be baked tofu — something to pick up the basil and lemon flavors.
Ingredients
1/2 lb. cooked shrimped (shells removed)
2 cups cooked brown rice
2 cups cooked peas
1 cup shredded basic
2 tsp lemon zest
juice of one lemon
one onion
small amount of olive oil for cooking
Method
1. Start the rice. I used 1 cup rice to 2 cups water. Begin by bringing the water to boil, add the rice, cover, reduce the heat to simmer and let cook untouched for 20-25 minutes.
2. Boil the shrimp (shell on) in water. When they are done, drain and set aside. Cook the peas (frozen or fresh).
3. Heat a small amount of oil in a deep fry pan, saute onion on low. Add the shrimp, lemon juice and lemon zest. Add in 2 cups of the peas – well drained. Just before serving add the basic to the mix.
4. Serve by either scooping up a serving of rice and topping with the shrimp mixture, or if mix the brown rice into the shrimp mixture, toss and enjoy.
Clean Eating claims this makes 2 servings — way to much for us. We made 4 servings out of this.
My Comment: I spotted this recipe in Clean Eating Magazine and decided 25-plus years was enough time between souffles. Years ago, I watched Julia Child on television, and I used to make a cheese souffle every once in a while. Needless to say, the buttery base was quite a bit more heavy than this version. This one seems a bit healthier. It remains, however, a bit complicated for a fast fix on a weeknight; be sure to read through the entire recipe first!
Ingredients
4 eggs, separated
1 large white potato, peeled and diced
1 10-oz. pkg. frozen chopped spinach, thawed
2 TBSP olive oil
1/2 medium yellow onion, diced in 1/4-inch pieces
1 clove garlic, minced
3 TBSP whole wheat flour
1 cup low-fat milk (we used Rice Milk)
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups shredded low-fat cheddar cheese
Olive oil cooking spray
Method (long, read through it first)
1. Add egg whites to a large mixing bowl and place in the fridge to keep cold. In a separate bowl, beat egg yolks and set aside at room temperature. Ensure that the over rack is in the middle position and preheat the oven to 375 F.
2. Fill a small pan with water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Add potato, return to boil and cook for about 10 minutes. Drain potato and add back to dry pot. Heat on medium-high heat for about 2 minutes until dry. Set aside.
3. Squeeze liquid from spinach and set aside. In large saucepan heat olive oil on medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic and saute until softened – 1 to 2 minutes. Add flour and cook for additional 1-2 minutes.
4. SLOWLY whisk in the milk until smooth and mixture thickens – about 1-2 minutes. Add nutmeg and pepper. Gradually add cheese, mixing until incorporated. Remove mixture from heat. Temper egg yolks by adding about 1/2 cup hot cheese mixture to yolks, beating constantly. Then whisk egg yolks back into cheese sauce, beating constantly until incorporated and smooth (about 1 minute).
5. In the bowl of large food processor, add potato, spinach, and cheese sauce; puree for 30 seconds to 1 minute until smooth.
6. Remove egg whites from refrigerator. Beat with an electric mixer on high-speed until stiff peaks form, about 3 minutes.
7. Use a spatula, gently fold egg whites into spinach mixture. Mix 8 6-oz ramekins with cooking spray. Fill each until about 1/2 inch from the top. Place directly on middle oven rack and bake 25-30 minutes or until well-browned. Remove from oven and serve immediately.
Serves 8. Nutrition: 177 calories, 8 g fat, 14 g fiber, 12 g protein, 14 g carbohydrates.
give it a try — not as a recipe but as a cooking method suggestion. Usually when I attempt to grill veggies they come out really under- or over-cooked…. this time, perfection! I use a charcoal grill; the purist in me gave up on gas grills about 2 years ago. Not a big fan of the messy charcoal dust, but less of a fan of a tank of explosives next to my house.
The veggies listed are suggestions and I have to admit I used whatever I had: eggplant, zucchini, red bell pepper and some corn on the cob. I also was excited to use some oregano right from my herb garden to finish things off. Made for a great lunch leftover too.
Suggested Ingredients
Green pepper (quartered)
Eggplant, cut crosswise into 1/2 inch rounds
Red Bell pepper (quartered)
Yellow squash, cut into 1/2 inch slices
Zucchini cut into 1/2 inch slices
Chopped fresh herbs (tarragon, thyme, basil… your choice)
2 TBSP red wine or sherry vinegar
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp fresh pepper
1. Preheat the grill to high heat. BRUSH THE GRILL WITH EVOO (use a paper towel and LONG tongs — check out America’s Test Kitchen to see about grilling tips)
2. Working in batches, arrange the veggies on the grill and cook, flipping once until tender and beginning to thaw (3-5 minutes for squashes, 6-8 for peppers and eggplants)
3. Spread out to cool slightly on a large baking sheet
4. Roughly chop the cooked vegetables to a uniform site and toss with herbs, vinegar, salt and pepper on a large platter.
My Comment: One of my sisters is an experienced world traveler and on her trip to Morocco, she brought back a packet of an interesting spice: Ras El Hanout. This recipe is seasoned with this spice blend from Morocco — if you can’t find it (and I never have), you can make a small batch by following the link on Clean Eating’s website. I enjoy Northern African recipes; the combination of veggies and raisins over couscous is delightful. For our meal, I did not include the Tilapia — still healthy and satisfying.
Ingredients
3 tsp olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 TBSP Ras El Hanout
1 large sweet potato, peeled and diced (1 inch pieces)
2 small turnips, peeled and diced (1 inch pieces)
1 medium zucchini, diced (1 inch pieces)
2 carrots, peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces
1/4 head cabbage (about 1/2 lb) cut into 1 inch chunks
1/2 red pepper, cut into chunks
1/2 cup green beans (about 2 oz) cut into thirds
1/2 to 1 tsp Harissa or any chile past or hot sauce (we liked more)
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/4 cup raisins, soaked for 1o mins in 2-3 TBSP warm water & drained
3/4 cup canned chickpeas, rinsed and drained
16 oz white fish (tiapia, haddock, sole) cut into chunks
1-1/3 cup whole wheat couscous
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped and divided
Instructions
1. Heat oil in large stockpot over medium heat and add garlic and Ras El Hanout. Quick stir until brown. Then add next 5 ingredients. Pour in enough water to cover vegetables. Cover and cook 25-30 minutes until vegetables are soft but not fully cooked. Add pepper, beans, Harissa and salt. Cook for another 10-15 minutes until tender.
2. Ladle out 3 cups of broth and vegetables (1-1/2 cups each). Puree in blender until thick. (I used a 4-cup measure and hand blender – easier). Add back to stew.
3. Mix in raisins and chickpeas. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and place fish on top of the mixture. (If you are using the fish DO NOT mix it in or the fish chunk will break up). Cook covered for 10-15 minutes or until the fish flakes easily with a fork.
4. While fish is cooking, boil 1-1/2 cups water in a saucepan. Take off heat and add the couscous, cover and set aside for 5 minutes. Flluff with fork. To serve, place 1/2 cup couscous in a bowl, Pour 1 cup of the veggie-fish mixutre over top and sprinkle with 1 TBSP cilantro.
Serves 6. Nutrition: Calories 280, Fat 3.5 g, carbohydrates 40 g, Fiber 8 g, protein 19 g.
one. I tweaked the recipe to include soy milk in place of cow’s milk and, Ezekiel bread for the wheat bread. Still delicious. The casserole sits in the fridge for at least 2 hours, so making the day before is suggested.
Ingredients
4 tsp olive oil (divided)
1 medium onion chopped
8 oz. mushrooms, thinly sliced
1/2 tsp ground pepper divided
1/4 tsp salt
1 15-oz container of part-skim ricotta cheese
1 10-oz package of frozen chopped spinach (thawed and squeezed dry)
1/8 tsp nutmeg
2 cups prepared marinara sauce, divided
6 slices whole grain bread (stale is okay) — see my comment
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
3 large eggs
1 cup low-fat milk (see my comment)
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
2 TBSP fresh parsley for garnish
Method
1. Coat a 7×11 baking dish with cooking spray.
2. Heat the oil in large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the onions first and then the mushrooms. You do not want to brown the veggies — just soften them (takes 4-5 mins). Season with salt and pepper.
3. Combine ricotta, spinach and nutmeg and add another 1/8 tsp pepper in a separate bowl. Set aside.
4. Spoon 1 cup marinara into baking dish. Break each bread slice into roughly 4 pieces, arrange half the bread on the bottom of the dish (don’t worry if there is not enough to completely cover).
5. Spoon ricotta mixture over the bread and then layer with a second layer of bread (use the rest of the bread here). Now scatter the mushroom/onion mixture on top of this layer. Top with mozzarella and spoon the remaining sauce on top. The pan will be very full.
6. Whisk eggs and milk in small bowl. Pour this mixture over the casserole — poke holes (I used a paring knife for this) through the casserole (especially the bread) so that the egg mixture is evenly distributed and soaks into the bread and saturates it.
7. Cover the casserole with an oil coated piece of foil and let sit in the fridge for 2 hours minimum (overnight is okay).
8. Preheat over to 375. Bake the strata UNCOVERED for 40 minutes. Sprinkle with Parmesan and bake until puffed and golden – about 10 minutes longer. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving. Sprinkle with parsley for garnish.
Serves 8. Nutrition: Calories 317. 15 g fat, 26 g carbohydrates, 20 g protein, 5 g fiber.
Four Nights A Week 